WILDBLUESbysus

My Granddaughter Discovered Classical Music

2012-02-10T03:39:00.001-05:00

Spending Time in NH

2012-01-08T21:56:00.001-05:00

Walked 2012 Mile 5 in Templeton, MA, with Delbert and Chris before heading to NH. For the next two or three weeks I'll be a working guest at Grace and Violet's house.

After Grace and I finished dishes this afternoon, we shared a few tunes on her new MP3 player. Earlier we dug for buried treasure in the backyard sandbox, kicked a soccer ball for the dogs to chase, made G and V's beds, straightened up their bedroom, got ready clothes and back packs for school in the morning. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

Looking Forward to Healthier and Stronger

2012-01-05T15:02:00.000-05:00

Began what I hope to be a program of regular walking, 2 miles a day, several times a week. Already quit coffee again for the last time. Coming up are seriously addressing salt, sugar, and fat. :)

Looking To 2012

2011-12-31T06:20:00.000-05:00

As we think of the New Year, all of us have hope for change. Most predictions I've read try to put a happy face on negative situations. But here's one I like by Sharon Astyk, author, - A Nation of Farmers and other books, articles.
"8. Thrift will be the new cool thing - after five years of getting poorer (actually, 30+ years of falling real wages, but who is counting) and never knowing whether they'll have a job or enough money to pay the bills, the culture of thrift will hit the mainstream in fun new ways. Repurposing, repairing, mending, do it yourself and best of all, living on little will become emergently enjoyable, even competitive. A youth culture will emerge around cheerful acceptance of their poverty and hot young couples will be featured in magazines not buying stuff and loving each other for their ability to make George Washington scream."

My own New Year's Hope for Change Prediction: Each of us will have the opportunity to open up to forgiveness...to receive it and to give it...

Teddy Bear Patterns

2011-12-26T14:17:00.001-05:00

A link I found when looking for information about making stuffed animals from old clothing...a little recycling.

A Old Favorite

2011-12-25T10:37:00.000-05:00

Been singing this one my whole Christian life.

David Versus Monsanto

2011-12-25T07:46:00.000-05:00

For everyone who likes to eat...
Story at-a-glance

Earlier this year, Riceland Foods, the largest rice cooperative in the U.S. won its lawsuit against the Bayer Corporation after its natural long-grain rice was contaminated with Bayer's unapproved genetically engineered rice. Thousands of similar lawsuits have been filed.
Canadian canola farmer, Percy Schmeiser, was sued by Monsanto for patent infringement in 1998, after his fields were found to contain Monsanto’s patented GM canola. But rather than accepting Monsanto’s bullying ways, he decided to fight back—and won. In March 2008, Monsanto agreed to pay for cleanup costs. Since then, Schmeiser’s fight for farmer’s rights has been featured in a documentary film, “David versus Monsanto.”
Other recent cases of contamination of conventional and organic crops with GM varieties include maize in Ireland and Spain, and corn in Germany.

A Lifetime

2011-12-17T05:41:00.000-05:00

As I sit ready to type an appropriate comment, I find myself intimidated and frustrated by my inability. My heart overflows with gratitude to my Savior, LORD, and Creator for the revelation of His Love toward me through Father, Son, and Holy Spirit within this vast, physical realm of creation. As a child, nature spoke to me of my small position in the orchestra of life. As a student, lessons of right and wrong presented an authoriative, unapproachable God. As a college coed, knowledge of conception and embryology revived a desire to investigate this awesome Intelligence so far beyond human. As an adult, the Bible presented God to me on every level of my understanding beginning with a simple sanctuary presentation of His plan to save me from sure death. Now as I engage in exegetical study of the scripture with John MacCall, I am finding answers to questions and a much greater understanding of revelation along with a magnification of my personal relation to my Savior and thus the Infinite One.

Where does God the Father reside? Where is God the Son, Jesus, now? Will we be able to touch the nail prints in the hands of Jesus when we finally meet Him face to face? Where do the angels reside? How many light years will it take to cross the universe? When did sin enter creation? When will it be over? Why did sin enter creation? Why did God the Father and God the Son chose this plan to deal with sin and sinners? Am I a sinner or saint? If both, how can that be? All these questions concern Finite revelations of the Infinite One. Answers to these questions can be found revealed in the Scripture through exegetical study. Praise God.

The Science of GE Plants

2011-12-10T06:10:00.001-05:00

"Many staunch defenders of genetically engineered foods are under the misconception that GE foods are 'better' or have improved nutrition when the exact opposite is true. They also don't understand that the glyphosate residue can not be removed or washed off -- it actually becomes part of the plant. It cannot be washed off because it's systemic within the plant itself."

Interview with Dr. Don Huber is an expert in an area of science that relates to the toxicity of genetically engineered (GE) foods.
(Alternative terms for GE foods include genetically modified (GM), or "GMO" for genetically modified organism.)
His specific areas of training include soil-borne diseases, microbial ecology, and host-parasite relationships.
Dr. Huber also taught plant pathology, soil microbiology, and micro-ecological interactions as they relate to plant disease as a staff Professor at Purdue University for 35 years.

"The cause-effect relationship between high reproductive failure and this new microbial entity has been established, but the research has not yet been published. The reason for the delay is because they really do not know what the organism is…

"It's not a fungus. It's not bacteria. It's not a mycoplasma or a virus – it's about the same size of a small virus; you have to magnify it from 38 to 40,000 times. They have pictures of it… You can see the interactions with it. They can now culture it. It's self-replicating and cultured. It doesn't grow very well by itself.
Like most of our very fastidious organisms, it tends to die out after three or four sub-culturing, but grows very well with other organisms. If you have yeast, bacteria, or a fungus in the culture, this entity grows very well.
We're waiting on getting enough material, pure material, for DNA analysis, but also looking at some other possibilities… Until you can put a name on it, all it does is create a great deal of speculations."

What is known is that it's an entirely new entity, previously unknown to science, and it's definitely found in genetically engineered corn and soybeans. It's also been established that it causes infertility and miscarriage in cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and poultry."

And what about the other mammal.....humans?

Days of Elijah - Paul Wilbur

2011-12-08T05:40:00.001-05:00

Photo quality not that great, but its posted for the music.

Ya for Massachusetts

2011-12-02T09:12:00.001-05:00

Massachusetts Attorney General brings suit against the five big banks in the foreclosure fiasco. Check out this link to Market Ticker for the announcement by Karl Denninger.

Haunting Music for the Soul

2011-11-26T04:37:00.001-05:00

Shalom Shalom Jerusalem by Paul Wilbur

Pictorial of Pumpkin Pie Progress

2011-11-24T09:07:00.001-05:00

The Answer...

2011-11-20T10:03:00.001-05:00

IMMINENT THREAT by Simon Black

2011-11-18T10:40:00.003-05:00

November 16, 2011 Golden, Colorado
Quoted from Simon Black and republished on The Automatic Earth

Longtime readers know that I don’t spend much time in the United States; I usually swing by for a month or so each year to visit friends and family, and the period in-between visits can often stretch 6-months or more.This is sufficiently long enough that I notice a lot of changes… some so drastic that they hit me in the head like a baseball bat.

For example, just last week when I was at Los Angeles International Airport, the police set up a checkpoint outside the main entrance as if we were in downtown Baghdad driving into the Green Zone.

And I couldn’t believe my eyes when, driving down Santa Monica Boulevard last Wednesday, I saw a police urban assault vehicle modeled after a US Army mechanized infantry fighting vehicle. It’s designed for one thing: maximum destruction.

It’s truly appalling how police forces across the country have become militarized. The concept of ‘peace officer’ no longer exists. Police are now paramilitary forces who only protect and serve the political class. Because I’ve been out of the country for so long, I notice these changes more acutely; it’s like diving in head first into ice-cold water as opposed to wading in slowly. And this rise of the police state is accelerating.

Here’s the thing– when you look around the world, you can see a lot of chaos and turmoil. Hardly a day goes by when there’s not multiple riots and protests in the western world being met with overwhelming force from the government. The government is sending a clear message: “We are in charge.”

It’s no wonder that, according to a recent Gallup poll, a record-high 81% of Americans are dissatisfied with the way the country is being run. On a proportional basis, this is 25% higher than during the Watergate scandal.

What’s even more stark is that, according to the same poll, roughly HALF of Americans believe the federal government has become so large and powerful that it POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens. This certainly explains why the government is increasing its offensive capabilities.

Now, clearly there are a lot of disgruntled Americans. There’s a lot of anger… even class tensions. The OWS movement is emblematic of this sentiment for sure, but in terms of taking action, most people still believe in the political process.

All of their angst and negativity will be taken out in the voting booth. Until then, it’s the calm before the storm. But the unfortunate reality is that no matter which way the 2012 election turns out, chaos will ensue.

If President Obama wins a second term, many conservative Americans will have reached their breaking points. If a republican candidate should win, a huge portion of Americans will feel they have lost their champion.

No matter what, though, people will quickly realize that absolutely nothing has changed. They’ll recognize that the insolvency of the United States government is a simple arithmetic problem; that social security is bankrupt; that the Treasury Department is a giant Ponzi scheme; and that there is. no. recovery.

For now, Americans are still investing in the political process. Come next year, though, all the hope that’s building up will turn quickly into disappointment… and then anger. Then they’ll take that anger to the streets.

This is what happens when governments go bust. It’s happened numerous times throughout history, and it’s playing out right now from Greece to Argentina.Social unrest becomes commonplace.

Governments engage in financial repression, giving rise to asset seizures, inflation, and capital controls. Militarized police states categorize ordinary citizens into combatants and non-combatants. Collateral damage becomes an acceptable risk. Society turns on itself, and crime rates soar.

Watching the farce of America’s political theater play out, it’s clear that this ticking time bomb will go off after Election Day 2012. As polarized as voters are, and as dismal the federal balance sheet is, there’s little chance of society keeping it together afterwards.

What’s happening right now is merely an overture… and you can mark a date on your calendar for when the real fun begins.

Blogging

2011-03-27T06:54:00.004-04:00

Blogging pulled a few creative juices out of me...enjoyed it.

Putting my creative energy into other things now.

Trust God.

Live responsibility.

Protect the Earth and all who live here.

Dare to change.

Susan

The Future of Food

2011-03-03T07:34:00.005-05:00

More on the Food Crisis....escalating prices...from Economist.com

"Influences outside agriculture make matters worse: a weaker dollar makes restocking cheaper in local currencies..."

Dressing the Loom

2011-02-18T18:25:00.004-05:00

Ain't he a sweetie.

Helping me get ready to weave

a couple soft baby blankets.

My Favorite Chair

2011-02-15T16:30:00.003-05:00

GDP/DEBT Wow!

2011-02-10T07:25:00.007-05:00

Today's posting by Marker Ticker sums up our financial situation...read the whole article.

Excerpt: "It's clear that Washington intends to play games and not address the issues. They've been doing the same thing for 20 years. Why would they change now, absent an immediate uproar from the public. What if anything, do you in America intend to do about it?"

The Great Food Crisis of 2011

2011-02-02T09:26:00.005-05:00

"It is no longer conflict between heavily armed superpowers, but rather spreading food shortages and rising food prices -- and then political turmoil this would lead to -- that threatens our global future..." (Tunisia, Egypt, and others)

Read the whole article, The Great Food Crisis of 2011, by Lester R. Brown

Health Care Unconstitutional...

2011-02-01T17:50:00.006-05:00

"This is now a full-blown Constitutional Crisis."

For a short summation of what happened and the complete decision of the Florida court on behalf of twenty-six states see:

Health Care Unconstitutional: Obama Sedition? by Karl Denninger on The Market Ticker.

Range of Motion

2011-02-01T09:50:00.004-05:00

One way to keep your knees moving...

Bulky Boot Socks

2011-01-30T11:51:00.008-05:00

So my little Bro challenged me to see if I could knit my second pair of socks in less than two years. Frankly, I never wanted to ever see another sock pattern, but...he challenged me. He even sent me the size he estimated his foot will measure in two years. He really knows how to get me going.

With my stash of yarn, I have patterns and knitting needles, stitch holders, measuring tape, crochet hooks, whatever it takes. I had no excuse but to take the bait. Three tries on the first pattern I picked brought me to the point of forfeit...until the Bulky Boot Sock.

Growing Green

2011-01-24T10:51:00.006-05:00

Romaine sprouts (in the tiny seed plugs) and alphalfa sprouts (in the jar) reach toward the hydroponic system's grow lights resting on my dresser. They are four days old. With the grow lights turning on at 5:30am and shining directly into my eyes, I had to put up some light barriers. Those oven liners keep the light and the heat in. Now I can sleep until 6:30.

Old Wool Socks

2011-01-22T08:59:00.007-05:00

Several years ago I bought a pair of handknit, washable Merino wool socks at the local Farmers' Market. Plain denim blue color. Plain stockinette stitch. Cost eighteen dollars, more than I've ever paid for socks before, but I wanted to be supportive.

"Blues" fast became my favorite socks and slippers. I wore them, washed them, and wore them again over and over...until it happened...one heel wore right through!

Yesterday with some yarn, a needle, scissors, and a light bulb, I darned the hole. Or, did I darn the socks. Well, darn it, I'm not sure. But the hole is gone and they are back on my feet.

Perfect.

Seed Catalogs

2011-01-21T10:56:00.007-05:00

Here's a list of seed catalogs that Sharon Astyk posted on her blog. Weblinks are included. Have fun shopping for seeds and many great how-to books.

Thanks Sharon for pulling them altogether.

Recovery, Inflation, Food Prices

2011-01-16T07:36:00.014-05:00

The Automatic Earth sums up - Recovery, Inflation, and Food Prices in Zombie Money Kills Real People
..."There will be a Keynesian factor which clings to the theory that says it is indeed possible to borrow your way up, but that's a mere mirage, since it would require a surge in real productivity, i.e., outside of the service industry...manufacturing today counts for 10% of US jobs."

..."I'm all for a society, a government, that takes care of the weakest in its midst. I'm all against a government that props up the strongest in its midst, in this case the bankers with bonuses larger in one year than the weaker among us can make in a lifetime, the same bankers who lost more money in bad wagers than the entire country can cough up, and still be economically viable. We're fast becoming zombie societies."

..."What we know for sure is that the zombie money we elected to have flow through our financial systems is going to kill a lot of people this year. Want to plead innocence? How long do you think that excuse will be accepted?

Cue Tunisia.

Where our zombie money kills real people. Today."

Food Supplies Down, Prices Up

2011-01-15T16:19:00.004-05:00

"Prices for grains and other farm products began rising last fall after poor harvests in Canada, Russia and Ukraine tightened global supplies. More recently, hot, dry weather in South America has cut production in Argentina, a major soybean exporter. This month's flooding in Australia wiped out much of that country's wheat crop."

Waters and Flooding

2011-01-14T11:37:00.010-05:00

Brisbane in shock as fresh rains are feared...Reuters

Brazil flood death toll rises to 443, more feared... Reuters

Tough Times For Lobster And Salmon In Local Waters printed in The Calais Advertiser, Jan. 13, 2011:
"Maine and nearby New Brunswick are well known for two wonderful foods which are shipped all over the world, lobster and salmon.
However these two delectables are currently running into serious problems such as parasites, pesticides, and salmon running away from aquaculture cages.
Good examples of the troubles have aquaculture operators using pesticides to combat a damaging outbreak of sea lice at the fish farms in Passamaquoddy Bay and nearby Cobscook Bay."

"According to the Atlantic Salmon Federation (ASF), 138,000 juvenile Atlantic salmon, estimated to be about 25 cm in length, escaped from an aquaculture pen operation near White Head Island, located east of Grand Manan at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy in December (2010), during a fierce storm."

"There is a current plan to kill sea lice on caged salmon with a powerful new pesticide that will subsequently be flushed into several bays in Southwest New Brunswick and Maine and this is causing concern."

"Applications of the sea lice solution called deltamethrin in selected test salmon cages began in July. Sea lice are tiny, parasitic crabs that attach themselves to salmon and other fish and eat their skin, flesh and other tissues. They can kill their host.
Officials in Canada are looking into the use of pesticides in and near Passamasquoddy Bay as part of their investigations into the deaths of lobsters in the area in 2009 and 2010. Like sea lice, lobsters are highly vulneralbe to pesticides that salmon farm operators have been using and then disposing of in coastal waters."

World Moves Closer to Food Price Shock

2011-01-13T07:42:00.003-05:00

And Its' Back...

2011-01-12T10:52:00.009-05:00

taken from Science blogs by Sharon Astyk, January 12, 2011

"The Food Crisis, of course. In fact it never really left - since 2007 we've had more hungry people on the planet than ever before in human history, and while we've seen brief declines in the numbers of the hungry worldwide, those declines were of such short duration that they were essentially meaningless - earlier this year when the UN trumpeted that the number of the hungry had dropped back below 1 billion, it admitted that this excluded the Pakistan flood victims, the impacts of the crisis in the Russian wheat crop and a host of other late-year issues."

"Why is it back? Well a combination of factors..."

Money for Blogging?!?!?!?!?

2010-12-11T07:50:00.004-05:00

Hugh Smith, Of Two Minds, discusses a senario in which Democrats and Republicans compete to see who can give away the most money....see excerpts below.

"Sources indicate that the giveaway to bloggers was a coup for the Democrats, who had temporarily run out of giveaway ideas."

"A source who spoke off the record said 'the power players were frantic to find new giveaways , because the Republicans seemed to be catching up'."

What in the World?

2010-11-23T07:24:00.010-05:00

Past, Future, and Present?
Check out Chiles Chews for interesting info about what's inaccurate and inadequate about some past and future science constants.

And what about the present? Sharon Astyk pulls together links on the current food situation.

Let's be thankful right now for today, for life, for family, for friends, for freedom.
Happy Thanksgiving.
We had our first snow yesterday. The rain melted it last night but I hear from family in Oregon that they have a foot already. Guess Maine was the right move.

Happy Holiday Travel?

2010-11-22T07:21:00.002-05:00

Planning to fly somewhere for the Holidays? Look at this...
Perhaps you should drive.

Minnesota born

2010-11-19T19:05:00.001-05:00

Once upon a time...

2010-11-13T17:06:00.009-05:00

Long ago and far away in the territory of Heaven lived the Angels. All Angels were strong, healthy, beautiful and very happy. Perfect in every way. Regularly their Master would communicate with them and tell them, "I AM the one who created you. I AM who loves you. I AM the one who provides everything you need for a perfectly happy life in Heaven." The Angels cheered and worshipped the Master. They felt exhilarating joy even at the sound of the words, "I AM all for you." The Angels were perfectly content, until...

In the middle of perfection one Angel asked the question, "How do we know the Master isn't keeping something from us? How do we know The Master is creator? Or withholding some pleasure? How do we know we're loved as much as possible? I would offer full disclosure if I was in charge."

Angels had never exercised their minds in questions about the Master before, but found they were free to think as they chose. After analyzing their situation and relationship with the Master, most Angels chose not to examine these questions any further but remain content in the Master's Heaven. But a few listened to the questions. Questions grew into doubt. Doubt grew into mistrust. Mistrust grew into unrest and rebellion.

The Master created a new planet called Earth and a new race - Humans. The peace and happiness of Heaven filled Earth also. Regularly the Master would visit the Humans to teach them about their origin and all the life around them. Lucifer, the leader of the rebellious Angels, jealous of the Master's ability to create, purposed to the Master, "I can offer a life of freedom to these brand new Humans. Let me have this planet to show everyone that there is more to life than what you offer." The Master considered Lucifer's proposal and allowed Lucifer limited access to the new Humans. So the Master communicated with the Humans and told them to stay away from one particular tree in their beautiful garden. Eating the fruit of that tree would cause death. The Humans were happy to comply until one day they found themselves near the tree, listening to a different voice, admiring the deadly fruit, and ultimately choosing to eat it.

In their next communication with the Master the consequence of their choice was presented. "You have chosen to separate yourselves from My Plan for your happiness. I AM life to you and you have chosen to deny that. Your course is set for death as you have chosen to be The Demonstration of dissention and rebellion. I AM now to you Everlasting Love. I AM now to you the Promise of Salvation. I AM now to you the Sacrificial Lamb who alone stands in the position to offer eternal life to those destined for eternal death. The choice is yours.

The Choice

2010-11-09T10:29:00.007-05:00

From our infancy we each learn about opposites:

self-indulgence/self-control

roughness/gentleness

inconstancy/faithfulness

greed/goodness

neglectfulness/kindness

intolerance/patience

disharmony/peace

sadness/joy

hate/love

We find that no matter how hard we try to "live right",

we can't escape the "dark side".

For me Christianity offers the way of escape for every individual who will choose it through the Justice/Mercy provided by our Source of Life through the substitutionary death of Jesus the Christ.

The Christian Creation Account

2010-11-05T06:06:00.006-04:00

Through the centuries many accounts of creation have survived and some still believed today. Tepeu and Gucumatz, Vishnu and Brahma, Primordial Singularity and Cosmic Egg, Allah, String Theory and the Theory of Everything, etc.

Recently a friend asked, "Why do you prefer the Christian creation account?"

I believe in a Creator God, a sovereign self-existent being of infinite love, a God who did not design me to be a robot but gave me a free will. I may choose to deny Him and even hate Him. I may choose to thank Him and even worship Him. He does not interfere with or coerce my choice but in fact has provided through Jesus the Christ the assurance that our individual choice will be preserved for eternity. So whether Creator God thought, breathed, spoke, or plucked strings, the whole Cosmic Egg is in His Hands.

Messenger of Reassurance

2010-10-26T14:23:00.005-04:00

Since childhood eagles have played a special role in my life. At signature times a Bald Eagle has been a messenger of reassurance to me. As on a trip to the local reservior with my husband and a long time friend before my cancer surgery, the eagle sored overhead, circling and circling. Or the time an eagle swooped up from that same reservior during a snow storm just clearing my car on the day I later found my husband lying in the dark with chest pain.

Today as I washed out some antique canning jars, I looked out the kitchen window at the exact moment an adult Bald Eagle flew directly over the house no higher then the treetops. A messenger of reassurance from God. I praise Him and thank Him for this blessed place.

Cabbagegate?

2010-09-14T09:56:00.010-04:00

Check out the following links for some bizarre real happenings as the power/money grabbing attitude, which not long ago focused on making it big in the market, now turns inward:

ChileChews in Southwest USA

VegetableFarming in Georgia

LESSON: How is globalization acting out in your neck of the woods?

The Wheat and the Tares

2010-09-12T16:42:00.014-04:00

Along the north side of the two acre mowed open area is a wild blackberry patch. This year the patch produced thousands of berries that dried and died on the plant due to lack of water and attention. So today, with pruning shears in hand, dressed in long sleeves, long pants, and a sailor hat coated with insect repellent, I decided to cut out the dead canes and drag them out of the patch to make room for next year's crop. Blackberry thorns are extremely sharp and stiff like rose thorns only 1/2 inch long! My clothes, now covered with snagged threads where the blackberries showed their resistance to pruning, has become my blackberry patch outfit.

Hesitant at first I tried to reach in with my shears but the patch held me at arm's length. As I got bolder holding the green canes out of the way with my arm or leg, more dead canes could be cut and removed. For about two hours I trimmed and cut until I had created a path wide enough for me to walk into the patch then cut only the dead cane to the left and right of the path as far as I could reach. Dave drove by on his lawn tractor with trailer and hauled the canes to the burn pile. Tomorrow I will make another path. The patch is large enough for approximately twelve similar paths. In the spring the first year canes (the green ones that didn't produce berries this year) will be pruned to about 3 to 4 feet high to encourage branching for berry formation. (I will enjoy the blackberries much more when they aren't taller than I am.) The antioxidant value of the berries in our diet is definitely worth the effort to grow and harvest them. Meanwhile I need to read up on blackberry nutrient and soil requirements.

We arrived in Maine two weeks ago and find settling in quite enjoyable. The preparation and move itself proved very stressful what with quitting my job. But now that we are moved, finding our way has indeed been an adventure. I praise God for preparing this place for us. There is much work to do and many things to learn. I can hardly wait for each new day to begin. And the stars, oh my, the stars. On a clear night we can see thousands of galaxies, billions of stars, all of the Big Dipper with the last star in the handle being just above the horizon.
Magnificent creation. Magnificent Creator.

LESSON: "Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world." Matthew 13:40

We've Arrived ...

2010-09-03T09:48:00.005-04:00

Our move to Maine is complete. Internet access is still not established in the house. The extremely hot weather and approaching heavy winds and rain of Hurricane Earl are making it necessary to harvest the garden. So we've been busy with that and not focusing on settling in yet. More about the Homestead in future posts.

BIG MOVE ALMOST COMPLETE

2010-08-24T11:06:00.001-04:00

Save the World's Seeds

2010-08-19T11:58:00.004-04:00

Alert! Join Seed Savers Exchange in helping to save the Pavlovsk Station from development

A Russian court recently ruled that one of the world's most important seed banks near St. Petersburg, Russia may be destroyed in order to make way for a housing development. If allowed to stand, this decision will have a catastrophic impact on global plant diversity. Called a "living library", the Pavlovsk Experimental Station is widely considered the crown jewel of agricultural biodiversity, since 90% of the collection's varieties are not found anywhere else on the planet.

Join scientists and concerned people around the world in petitioning President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin to overrule the court decision. To learn more about this issue and to sign the petition, click on this link to the

Global Crop Diversity Trust

Tomatoes

2010-08-18T23:55:00.003-04:00

YUM!!

Why Move Out of the City

2010-08-14T13:18:00.007-04:00

Our move from the city to the country has stirred many emotions and broken many ties. Distance from family members stirs many emotions. Leaving the concentration of population strains and breaks many ties. The excerpts taken from Eric Andrews' essay describe the ties we choose to change in our lives and hope our move will facilitate. The whole essay is published online on Of Two Minds.

taken from an essay by Eric Andrews entitled
TRUE CONFESSIONS (on Liberty and The Republic)

"Remember the phrase “Be the change you wish to see in the world”? Yes, that’s Mohandas Gandhi. So what did our Founding Fathers just tell us, what did promise to uphold? That true power lies NOT with the Federal Government, but with the People of the United States. So why are we looking to the Federal government to save us? When there’s a disaster, who do we look to for help, who do we blame? The Federal Government. When somebody spills oil in International Waters, which then washes ashore in State waters, who do we look to? The Federal Government. When somebody smokes in a restaurant, throws their taco wrapper on the streets, talks too loud, will or won’t hire you, pay you, promote you, doesn’t like the look of your jib, who do we want to pass a law to make the men with guns come down and stop it? The Federal Government. When stocks go down instead of up, who do we cry to for help? The Federal Government.

I thought the Federal Government, the concentration of money, power, and influence was the problem. So why do we look to the Federal Government for the answer? Not only do they not have the answer, they are specifically prohibited by the Constitution from acting on almost any problem you can name. That’s YOUR job, people. YOU are supposed to fix the stuff you want fixed. That’s called “Liberty”, the poor lady who’s been banished from our coins and now all but banished from society. “Liberty” is Freedom, but with the addition of restraint not to hurt others, and responsibility to work and do what must be done.

America was not founded on Freedom and Democracy: America was founded on Liberty and Republic. Freedom is when the strongest do whatever they want unless you have the power to stop them; Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner. Liberty demands the strongest are restrained by justice and due process, and Republic restrains the 51% from doing whatever they like to the other 49%. I regret to say that presently Freedom and Democracy have free reign in the United States: Freedom for the Strong to do whatever they please, and for any privileged group to vote to themselves the rights and property of anyone who can‘t defend themselves.

And you look for this government to save you? You’re looking for it to reform itself? Liberty asks that if you want something done, YOU do it. You don’t pass a law to force your neighbor to do it.

Liberty asks, what am I going to do? What is my duty, to myself and to my country? And what are my limitations, so that other men are able to live free without being oppressed by me?"

LESSON: "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi

The Big Green Move

2010-07-30T13:22:00.005-04:00

Moving stuff...personal stuff...functional stuff...necessary stuff...can be a huge job. But deciding what to do with all the stuff - stuff you no longer want to keep or do not have room to keep - now that's a HUGE job.

Here are some ideas:

Recycle paper, shred personal papers before recycling
Recycle plastic
Return bottles for deposit
Return plastic bags to the market
Recycle light weight cardboard
Divide metal items by element and sell by the pound
Recycle books
Recycle vinyl records, video tapes, DVDs
Donate clothing and shoes
Donate furniture and useable household items
Advertise on a local bulletin board - free items
Advertise on Craig's List
Contact a local auctioneer
Visit a local antique dealer with items to offer
Contact relatives to take memoribilia and photos
Have a garage sale
Hire someone to come clean out your basement or attic
Advertise larger items - cars, boats, snow blowers, etc. in appropriate local papers
Check with a local school or day care center to see if they need supplies
Donate food to a local pantry

Some methods are individual, for instance, I gave a crafty friend my left over remnants of fleece fabric. She assembled them all into a quilt and gave it to me as a retirement gift! Nice.

There must be more avenues to use to place unwanted items. Any ideas?

Worked My Last Day

2010-07-22T23:59:00.002-04:00

Retirement is here!!!

Packing will begin in ernest now. Yeah!

Coming Soon - A Change

2010-06-27T20:26:00.009-04:00

Not a little change...not a change in routine...more of a lifestyle change...a whole lifestyle change. Hubby and I are leaving our outskirts-of-a-major-city-living for outskirts-of-a-minor-town-living.

Remember when I surprised Hubby by telling him I quit my job? Well, this time I really did it! One more month and the packing up begins.

Dot Earth with Andrew C. Revkin has inspirational music for choosing to change. Follow the link and make sure you PLAY to hear him sing his own composition entitled, "Liberated Carbon".

What Is Life Coming To?

2010-06-13T13:42:00.004-04:00

Scientists May Have Created "The First Synthetic Cell."

ABC World News (5/20, story 4, 2:30, Sawyer) reported, "World renowned geneticist Craig Venter has been trying to unlock the mystery of life for 15 years." Now, it appears his team at the J. Craig Venter Institute has made "a major breakthrough in the quest" to harness that phenomenon: They've "created life from nonliving parts." That is, they developed "the first synthetic cell." Explaining that "astonishing" feat, Dr. Venter said, "Instead of having a genetic relative that it evolved from, the parent of this cell is a computer."

It is possible that one day, such cells "will make up designer organisms that can be programmed to do specific tasks like creating new biofuels or breaking down oil -- which would come in handy about now," CBS Evening News (5/20, story 3, 0:30, Couric) reported.

This week's breakthrough stems from a step that was taken some three years ago, when Dr. Venter was able to show that "the natural DNA from one bacterium could be inserted into another and that it would take over the host cell's operation," the New York Times (5/21, A17, Wade) reports. In 2009, "his team synthesized a piece of DNA with 1,080,000 bases." Now, according to the paper in Science, the team has found that the "synthetic DNA takes over a bacterial cell just as the natural DNA did, making the cell generate the proteins specified by the new DNA's genetic information in preference to those of its own genome."

In other words, the "donor genome reprogrammed the recipient cell, which went on to replicate and divide," the Washington Post (5/21, Brown) reports. "The result was new colonies of Mycoplasma mycoides." Notably, the "man-made copy of the genome that Mycoplasma mycoides produces naturally" was "not an exact duplicate," as 14 "of the bacterium's 850 genes were altered or deleted during the experiment -- 12 intentionally, two accidentally."

Nevertheless, Venter said the work "changes conceptually how I think about life." Other scientists, however, "characterize the experiment in less revolutionary terms," pointing out that "only the genome was synthetic; the recipient cell was equipped by nature and billions of years of evolution to make sense of the genes it received and turn them on."

What's more, "other researchers have made microorganisms that can achieve" certain remarkable "feats," the Los Angeles Times (5/21, Maugh, Roan) notes. But, a "purpose-designed organism created from scratch would presumably be much more efficient, and it should be easier to control its products." And, "most scientists overwhelmingly praised the achievement," with one calling it "a tour de force and a landmark paper...that is akin to Jurassic Park or Frankenstein."

Venter himself referred to the cells as "biological transformers," according to Time (5/20, Park). Already, through a collaboration "with Novartis, he is building a bank of man-made versions of every known influenza strain so that if a new strain, such as H1N1, begins to circulate during flu season, vaccine makers can simply pull the appropriate synthetic segments off the shelf and begin the vaccine making process." The "promising" field of synthetic biology, however, "raises as much concern as it does excitement."

In fact, just moments after briefing Congress, several federal agencies, and the White House, the Committee on Energy and Commerce scheduled a public hearing for next week to discuss the new technology, the Wall Street Journal (5/21, A1, Hotz) reports on its front page. Similarly, the paper prompted a quick response from environmental groups like Friends of the Earth, which asked the FDA and the EPA, in a statement, "to fully regulate all synthetic biology experiments and products."

Gregory Kaebnick, employed at "a bioethics think" tank, "says there are two basic concerns about what Venter and others in the new field of synthetic biology are doing," NPR (5/20, Palca) reported. "First, that one of these synthetic organisms will escape from the lab and run amok. And the other is whether this kind of work crosses a line where humans start playing God." Yet, "for the moment, Venter and his colleagues are the only ones with the money and techniques to do this kind of genomic manipulation," but "others are working in related areas, and a new world of synthetic microorganisms might not be far off."

Shorting Out the Situation

2010-06-07T09:23:00.006-04:00

NASA reports in, As the Sun Awakens, NASA Keeps a Weary Eye on Space Weather, on the sun's recent solar activity. The following is taken from the article.

"2010 marks the 4th year in a row that policymakers, researchers, legislators and reporters have gathered in Washington DC to share ideas about space weather. This year, forum organizers plan to sharpen the focus on critical infrastructure protection. The ultimate goal is to improve the nation’s ability to prepare, mitigate, and respond to potentially devastating space weather events.
'I believe we're on the threshold of a new era in which space weather can be as influential in our daily lives as ordinary terrestrial weather." Fisher concludes. "We take this very seriously indeed.'"

SDO Observes Massive Eruption, Scorching Rain has a couple videos of the sun activity.

LESSON: If we can not control what we do, how do we expect to control the effect of the sun?

Oil, oil everywhere, and not a drop to burn

2010-06-05T07:23:00.004-04:00

Why didn't BP close the deep water oil well after the explosion? Why doesn't BP abandon the well. $$$$$$$$$$$. So far BP seems satisfied with recovering 10% of the gushing oil leak.

The tears we shed as we watch and read, are they sadness over the loss or remorse for our greed? Why is our focus on clean up rather than permanent shut down? Where will we put the millions of gallons of oil contaminating the Gulf of Mexico? Are we so addicted to oil that we will destroy to Earth to get it?

There is nothing natural about this disaster. It is all manmade.

LESSON: Turn to CREATOR LORD now. Only He can save us from ourselves.

Listen To This...

2010-05-24T09:47:00.003-04:00

LAUGHING AS YOU SINK

Found this on Market Ticker.

On a Lighter Note, or Beat

2010-05-12T17:25:00.001-04:00

Think three years old...little Howard Wong

Irreversible Damage to the Earth

2010-05-12T06:36:00.004-04:00

One on many articles, this one taken from Yahoo news.

UN fears 'irreversible' damage to natural environment

Mon May 10, 7:08 am ET
GENEVA (AFP) – The UN warned on Monday that "massive" loss in life-sustaining natural environments was likely to deepen to the point of being irreversible after global targets to cut the decline by this year were missed.
As a result of the degradation, the world is moving closer to several "tipping points" beyond which some ecosystems that play a part in natural processes such as climate or the food chain may be permanently damaged, a United Nations report said.
The third "Global Biodiversity Outlook" found that deforestation, pollution or overexploitation were damaging the productive capacity of the most vulnerable environments, including the Amazon rainforest, lakes and coral reefs.
"This report is saying that we are reaching the tipping point where the irreversible damage to the planet is going to be done unless we act urgently," Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, told journalists.
Djoghlaf argued that extinction rates for some animal or plant species were at a historic high, up to 1,000 times those seen before, even affecting crops and livestock.
The UN report was partly based on 110 national reports on steps taken to meet a 2002 pledge to "significantly reduce" or reverse the loss in biodiversity.
Djoghlaf told journalists: "There is not a single country in the world that has achieved these targets, we continue to lose biodioversity at unprecedented rate."
Three potential tipping points were identified.
Global climate, regional rainfall and loss of plant and animal species were harmed by continued deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, the report said.
Many freshwater lakes and rivers were becoming contaminated by algae, starving them of oxygen and killing off fish, affecting local livelihoods and recreation for local populations.
And coral reefs were collapsing due to the combined blow of more acid and warming oceans, as well as overfishing, the UN found.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) director general Achim Steiner underlined the economic value and returns of "natural capital" and its role in ensuring the health of soil, oceans and the atmosphere.
"Humanity has fabricated the illusion that somehow we can get by without biodiversity or that it is somehow peripheral to the contemporary world," Steiner said.
"The truth is we need it more than ever on a planet of six billion heading to over nine billion people by 2050."
The report argued that biodiversity was a core concern for society that would help tackle poverty and improve health, meriting as much attention as the economic crisis for only a fraction of the cost of recent financial bailouts.
It advocated a new strategy to tackle the loss alongside more traditional steps such as the expansion of protected natural areas and pollution control.
They included attempts to regulate land consumption, fishing, increased trade and population growth or shifts, partly through a halt to "harmful" or "perverse" subsidies.
The issues raised by the report are due to be discussed at a UN biodiversity meeting in Japan in October.
UNEP report

The Farmland

2010-04-28T20:48:00.003-04:00

Davis' Farmland, a great place for young grandkids.

News As He Sees It

2010-04-23T19:18:00.005-04:00

Hubby offers a summation of today's headline news,

"What we do to compensate for what we do is worse than what we do."

LESSON: Stop doing it.

Roots and Shoots, Shingles and Studs

2010-04-06T18:45:00.007-04:00

INSIDE: baby tomatoes, cucumbers, and, believe it or not, a sweet potato grow and get ready for transplantation outside into the garden.

OUTSIDE: Jennifer and Nicholas, her puggle, help re-roof the shed so split wood can be stacked inside.

LESSON: cycles, cycles, cycles

Health Reform - What's In It For You?

2010-03-24T22:34:00.006-04:00

As I health care worker, I've heard very little discussion at work about the recent health care bill and vote. Today the laboratory manager posted this Press Ganey article for anyone interested. It is a very brief summary of some practical points taken from the Health Care Bill.

To me it says:
charge all individuals (healthy and ill alike) the amount of an operation every year paid to the federal government for health insurance
reduce medicare payments to all health care facilities
reduce medicare payments to all physicians
threaten to increase the medicare payment reduction to facilities that do not comply on schedule to demands of the government
further continued reduction in payments to facilities that do not comply with a "smile" (patient satisfaction)
offer educational loans and grants to encourage students to enter medicine as a general practitioner

By the time more new doctors enter their general practice to handle the millions of new insured patients, hospitals will be bankrupt...and I'll be without a job. This is not about health care, but rather, about money and power. Government control over your money and you.

Read it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

Early March at Our House

2010-03-15T21:50:00.008-04:00

Sprouts!!! The tomato and cucumber seeds I saved last year from my plants really sprouted and here's a photo to prove it. This is all so exciting! Right now they are under a small grow light in the living room.

But more than plants is going on at home...

Along with a major reorganize, clean out and clean up of the cellar, we had some plumbing updated. We were told that in order to properly vent the new drain in the basement, they would have to look into the bathroom walls!!!

So now we've started the remodel of the bathroom with a brand new toilet and spiff up of the heater.

So far, so good.

A potent global warming gas...

2010-03-04T21:03:00.003-05:00

Methane Seen As A Growing Climate Risk
Associated Press

Thu Mar 4, 2:00 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Methane, a potent global warming gas, is bubbling out of the frozen Arctic faster than had been expected.
Methane had become trapped in the permafrost over time and a warming climate is now resulting in its release, researchers report in Friday's edition of the journal Science.
"The amount of methane currently coming out of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf is comparable to the amount coming out of the entire world's oceans," said Natalia Shakhova, of the University of Alaska Fairbanks International Arctic Research Center and the co-author.
Concerns about global warming have centered on rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but scientists note that methane can be 30 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
Historically, methane concentrations in the world's atmosphere have ranged between 0.3 and 0.4 parts per million in cool periods to 0.6 to 0.7 in warm periods. Current methane concentrations in the Arctic average about 1.85 parts per million, the scientists said, the highest in 400,000 years.
___
On the Net:
Science: http://www.sciencemag.org

Answers To Prayer

2010-02-25T23:11:00.003-05:00

When your heart cries out to God and pleads for His intervention in your life, He may answer you in His "still, small voice" or in His stormy, large voice. Both are a comfort and a wonder. Our God is an awesome God.

Wisdom From Eating

2010-02-23T19:01:00.001-05:00

"Either we restrict the foods we eat when we have a choice, or our diet will eventually be restricted by chronic diseases." (CHS, May 9, 2009)

Amazing Grace

2010-02-18T17:46:00.002-05:00

Dave and I watched this movie today. Quite amazing. It could motivate you to never eat sugar again in remembrance of those that died during the development of the sugar industry.

Watch it.

Globalization: Good vs. Bad

2010-02-13T09:43:00.005-05:00

"At first glance, of course, one might think that globalization is a good thing: each country or people liberated to exchange the fruits of their labor on the world's markets; each culture free to learn from all the others; more buying and selling, higher standards of living, and modernity; less poverty and backwardness. In practice, however, much of globalization tends to promote an extremely selective, and often quite destructive and unjust, distribution of power and wealth. It supports certain cultures and communities and eliminates others. Its successes tend to be measured by the simplest and least humane of economic measures -- more economic activity, more 'wealth' understood purely as purchasing power -- while its crushing human and ecological effects are ignored. Above all, globalization's transformations of the way people work, live, and raise families are not democratically chosen but created and managed by political and economic elites."

"To get a sense of globalization's dark side, consider and example of the international production of energy involving Enron in the Indian state of Maharastra. Enron contracted to build power plants there, and Maharastra agreed to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in return. Because the resulting facilities produced electricity that was between two and seven times more expensive than previously existing Indian plants, a new state government attempted to break the disastrous agreement. Pressure was applied by the U.S. ambassador (who soon retired from government service to become an Enron director), and soon a new contract was signed that was even more expensive. Millions of dollars of bribes to local officials secured the contract, threats from U.S. and other global institutions solidified Enron's position, and Enron made billions in profits. An already poverty-stricken area of a third world country became poorer, but economic activity measured as the exchange of funds increased. National boundaries, and to some extent national sovereignty, were diminished. Some people did quite well out of the deal, but many more suffered."

"Another harmful impact of globalization arises when subsistence farming is replaced by huge plantations growing a single export corp, and peasants who used to support themselves on the land move to already overcrowded cities with high unemployment. In such cases, people who had been living a reasonably secure existence, with access to land and food, get turned into consumers who must pay for everything they need. Economic activity increases, more money circulates, but the loss of access to their own fields, forests, or coastlines is not registered as a monetary loss, and because the ensuing poverty involves more cash flow, it can be seen as a 'better life.'"

Quotation taken from: A Greener Faith, by Roger S. Gottlieb

Ta Dah!!

2010-02-10T19:48:00.002-05:00

Announcing a new baby girl!! Just fresh into the world. Praise God!!

Consumerism, An Addiction

2010-02-06T21:39:00.008-05:00

Two weeks ago hubby and I heard Roger S. Gottlieb, Professor of Philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), speak on religious environmentalism. The following is a quote from his book, A Greener Faith, Religious Environmentalism and Our Planet.

"Consumerism, we should be clear, is not simply about buying a lot, though it certainly includes that. All through history people have wanted their basic needs met, and that small group with extra cash on hand made a point of getting a good deal more than that. The shape taken by consumerism in the modern world, however, involves not just the multiplication of what you get, but the endless expansion of what you want. Consumerism teaches that the central goal of human existence is the satisfaction of an ever growing, ever changing array of personal desires. To be a consumer, in this sense, is always to be wanting something else: the newest, fastest, largest (or smallest), best, prettiest, or most impressive. If the superlatives in these categories are restricted to the truly wealthy, the goal will be to get the best knock-offs one can afford. In this sense, consumerism is a quasi-addictive pattern, made up of unending cycles of the stimulation of desire - the satisfaction of desire (buying) - and the stimulation of new desires. Like any other addiction, we feel a rush of craving, a brief moment of contentment, the inevitable letdown - and then a new craving."

What does a life free from addiction look like? What is that freedom?

"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not continue in the house for ever; the son continues for ever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.'"

John 8: 34-35

Motivational quotes and application

2010-02-05T07:52:00.004-05:00

MOTIVATIONAL WORDS OF WISDOM
from http://www.inspirational-quotes.info/

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. Aristotle
Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need. Voltaire
Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action. Benjamin Disraeli
You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your mind. Author Unknown
The best way out is always through. Robert Frost
Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking. William B. Sprague
Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible objections must first be overcome. Samuel Johnson
Fortune favors the brave. Publius Terence
He who hesitates is lost. Proverb
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall. Confucius
Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Albert Einstein
Knowing is not enough; we must apply.Willing is not enough; we must do. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
We are still masters of our fate.We are still captains of our souls. Winston Churchill
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. Ralph Waldo Emerson
Constant dripping hollows out a stone. Lucretius
Nothing contributes so much to tranquilize the mind as a steady purpose--a point on which the soul may fix its intellectual eye. Mary Shelley

FBL Team member personal application:

“I have always had lots of reasons to "want" to lose weight. I wanted that little black dress, or to be attractive. Even to not look like a dumpy late thirty's mother of two. But a few weeks ago I got a new reason. Being over weight I am at a high risk for diabetes. My brother-in-law has had to deal with diabetes for a lot of his life. This past year has been very bad for him. Finally around Christmas he started cascading organ failure. He died 3 weeks ago because his liver and kidneys just plain failed and there wasn't anything else they could do. We went to see him the night before he died and I stood there, knowing I should be feeling only for him, but thinking "I don’t want to die this way!" He was only 43. I guess getting an up-close look at what the possible health issues can really mean just scared me. Of course I haven't been eating right every day since then. But at least I am making conscious efforts everyday to do at least something better for my body. Add in some protein I wouldn't have eaten, cut a carb I normally do. Do a few extra minutes with the wii fit.”

ASSIGNMENT: Each of you has personal reasons to change your eating habits. Focus on that reason. Keep it before you all the time. Work for it.

(My favorite quote above is: “You can not plow a field by turning it over in your mind.”)

What Motivates You To Change?

2010-02-02T21:45:00.007-05:00

Hello everyone,
An FBL member is feeling alone and needs our help.

Here is the problem:

“I can be good for a day and then have 3 or 4 days when I just don't care. I understand all the medical reasons to lose weight but somehow it just doesn't make me change my ways. I think I would feel better if I lost weight but again still doesn't make me change my eating.”

OK, team. Thinking caps on.

What motivates you?

Prayer/Care/Share/Act

2010-01-28T09:08:00.005-05:00

The Creator made us a community dependent on each other for our well-being. For the most part we have given up that idea and done our own thing. Colin Beavan, aKa No Impact Man, has put together of a list actions for heading back to living with care for each other in mind.

No Impact Man's Top Ten Eco-Lifestyle Changes
For more ideas and ways to join a community of people who are searching for happier, more eco-friendly lives, got to NoImpactProject.org.

1. Stop eating beef. Worldwide, beef production contributes more substantially to climate change than the entire transportation sector. Plus, a diet with no or less beef is better for you anyway.

2. Give up bottled water. The production of plastic water bottles together with the privatization of our drinking water is an environmental and social catastrophe. Bottled water costs more per gallon than gasoline. Plus, the health consequences of drinking water from plastic are not clear.

3. Observe an eco-sabbath. For one day or afternoon or even hour a week, don't buy anything, don't use any machines, don't switch on anything electric, don't cook, don't answer your phone, and, in general, don't use any resources. In other words, for this regular period, give yourself and the planet a break. Keep your regular eco-sabbath for a month. You'll find that the enforced downtime represents an improvement to your life.

4. Tithe a fixed percentage of your income. Currently, many of our societal health and welfare services, at home and abroad, are tied to consumer spending which, in turn, depends upon planetary resource use. But the idea of buying stuff to help people is crazy, especially when you consider that our consumption is harming the habitat that we depend upon for our health, happiness and security. If you want to help, don't go shopping. Just help. Commit to tithing part of your income to the non-profits of your choice.

5. Get there under your own steam. Commit to getting around by bike or by foot a certain number of days a month. Not only does this mean using fewer fossil fuels and creating less greenhouse gasses, it means you'll get good, healthy exercise and we'll all breathe fewer fumes. A city with pedestrian and bike traffic is a lot more pleasant to live in than a city filled with vehicles.

6. Commit to not wasting. Wasting resources costs the planet and your wallet. Don't overheat or overcool your home--a few degrees make a huge difference. Let your clothes hang dry instead of using the dryer. Take half the trips but stay twice as long. If your old cell phone works, consider not getting another. Repair instead of rebuy. The list goes on and on.

7. Build a community. Play charades. Have dinners with friends. Sing together. Enjoying each other costs the planet much less than enjoying its resources. Let's relearn to joke around and play in ways that cost nothing to our pocketbooks or our planet.

8. Take your principles to work. The old adage "the cost of doing business" can no longer hold true. We must act as though we care about the world at work as much as we do at home. A company CEO or a product designer has the power to make a gigantic difference through their business, and so do the rest of us.

9. Dedicate a day's worth of TV viewing to eco-service each week. The average American watches four and a half hours of TV a day. Take one day off from the tube each week and joining with others to improve our planet. Voluntary eco-service is a great way to find community who support your values and also a great way to learn about environmental issues and the quality of life issues that go along with them.

10. Believe with all your heart that how you live your life makes a difference to all of us. We are all interconnected. We make a difference to each other on many different levels. Every step towards living a conscious life where we consider the consequences of our actions provides support to everyone else--whether you know it or not--who is trying to do the same thing. We are the masters of our destinies. Let's act as though it is so.

For more ideas and ways to join a community of people who are searching for happier, more eco-friendly lives, got to NoImpactProject.org.

Special K Tips For Success

2010-01-28T08:17:00.004-05:00

Found these tips on SpecialK.com. They sound like our FBL team!
Habits are hard to change. Keep working. It will happen.

1. Doggie bag it. Portions at restaurants are growing bigger by the day. Tell yourself at the beginning of the meal that you only need half and ask your server for a take-out bag as soon as you're done. This will prevent you from picking at your plate and provide you with some lovely leftovers for tomorrow.

2. Visualize your outcome. Cut a picture of the dress you like out of a magazine or tape up a picture of you in your skinny jeans on the fridge. Whatever you're aiming for, make sure it's somewhere you can see it and make sure it's a realistic goal.

3. Mind over menu. Eating out while trying to stay on track can be pretty challenging. Avoid overdoing your order by picking your meal ahead of time. Many restaurants have their menus available on their websites. Figure out what you want to fill up on and you'll be ready to avoid temptation come dinnertime.

4. Pre-game for parties. If you've got a party coming up, don't fret over getting off track. Instead, fill up on a healthy meal before you go. You'll have less of an appetite for greasy appetizers and still be able to enjoy the festivities.

5. Prevent idle hands. Being in front of the television is one of the biggest reasons people forget about portion control. To avoid bad snacking throughout a show, give your hands something else to do. Take up knitting, fill in a crossword or fold some laundry—the more your hands have to do, the less time they'll spend reaching for food.

6. Stair step your goals. Having just one big goal may be simple, but it can be more frustrating to reach. Try adding a few small goals along the way, like going to the gym three days in a week or eating a vegetable at every meal. Small accomplishments will help make the whole experience more rewarding.

7. Close the kitchen. Chances are the more times you have to go into your kitchen each day, the more you're going to be tempted to grab a bite to eat. As soon as you finish with each meal, clean up dishes and turn off the lights. Tell yourself that the kitchen is closed and find an activity in another room of your house.

8. Keep a diary. Just like when you were a kid and you wrote out what you did that day or how you were feeling, the practice of keeping a journal can be a great asset when you're starting a weight-loss plan. Record what you're eating and how you're exercising. Also, make note of how you're feeling during different times of the day. It will give you an idea of what's working and where your routine could use improvement.

9. Be your biggest fan. If you don't root yourself on, then no one will. Take some time each morning to look in the mirror and point out three things you like about yourself or what small results you've seen. Focusing on the positive will give you a healthier outlook on your goals.

10. Don't be a stress mess. Stress can sabotage your body's ability to stick to a diet and trigger a lot of unhealthy choices. Find ways you can minimize your stress in your life and you'll also minimize your bad eating habits. For some extra backup, keep yummy Special K® snack bars and a bottle of water in your purse or desk drawer for those moments that are out of your control.

11. Shop smarter. Never get groceries on an empty stomach. Time your trip after a meal or a small snack. When your tummy isn't grumbling, you'll be more likely to make healthier decisions. Take a list with you too. It will help keep you focused on the things you need and away from the things you don't.

12. H2O like a pro. Drink plenty of water throughout your day to ensure that you have enough energy to stay on track. For some extra fuel and to take the edge off hunger, try a refreshing Special K20™ Protein Water Mix with 5 grams of protein and fiber.

13. BYOL. Taking your lunch to work is a great way to save some pennies and avoid fast food invitations. Plan out what you want to pack before each work week and you'll save time making something in the morning. Add raw vegetables like carrots and celery to give your lunch some crunch.

14. Pose slimmer. Everyone knows the camera adds ten pounds, but what celebrities know is how to make it look like you lost a few. Make your next photo more flattering by placing one hand on your hip and leaning toward the opposite side. This will elongate your torso and make your arms look leaner. (This works. RIGHT!!?!)

15. Think ahead. When it comes to meals and snacks, don’t “play it by ear” if you know that everyday at 4 you are starving and end up heading to the vending machine or newsstand for a candy bar. Losing weight is a formula—one that is different from the one that helped you to gain weight. So be prepared. A nutritious snack like a piece of fruit, or a Special K® cereal bar will take care of that temptation and provide you with a way to stave off cravings as you build a system for healthy weight loss success.

Support For The Hungry

2010-01-28T08:14:00.002-05:00

After writing this morning, it struck me that we live in a country where most are overeating to death while others are starving to death.

ASSIGNMENT: As part of FBL Team let’s each find a way to support efforts to relieve hunger. For instance, support your local food pantry, support your local church’s relief efforts, contribute to an agency that supplies food, water, and necessities to those in need, make a contribution to Haiti earthquake relief, etc.

When Should I Eat?

2010-01-23T05:14:00.006-05:00

Biggest Loser Nutritionist Tip- Meal Skipping Promotes Weight GAIN not loss
by Cheryl Forberg, RD

Contestants arriving at the Biggest Loser Ranch for the first time are often surprised to learn that one of the reasons they’ve gained so much weight is because they've had a habit of skipping meals. It sounds counterintuitive, but skipping meals can actually contribute to weight gain, not loss.

Metabolism journal documented a meal-skipping study at the National Institute on Aging. They found that people who skipped meals during the day and had all of their calories at one nightly meal exhibited unhealthy changes in their metabolism, similar to unhealthy blood sugar levels observed in diabetics. The non-meal skippers on the other hand, consumed the same number of calories each day, but the calories were distributed throughout the day at 3 regular meal intervals. The non meal skippers maintained healthy blood sugar levels.

Another problem with skipping meals is that by the time meal time rolls around, you're so hungry, it’s easy to eat too much and very often choose the wrong things. Who wants to nibble on carrot sticks when you’re starving? Fat has more than twice as many calories as protein and carbohydrate. It satisfies hunger very quickly and often plays a big role in unhealthy meal choices made by meal skippers.

The other problem with skipping meals is that when you wait too long to eat, you lose sight of your body's natural hunger cues. You don’t really know when you’re hungry anymore (and when you’re too full). Here is a sample of a hunger scale from Lisa Sasson MS RD, a clinical professor of Nutrition at NYU.

Hunger Scale

1. Famished /starving (don’t allow yourself to be this hungry; this is what happens when you skip meals
2. Very hungry; can’t think of anything else but eating; maybe cranky; low energy
3. Hungry; stomach feels empty
4. Just starting to think about eating again; maybe a little bit hungry
5. Satisfied; not really thinking about eating; stomach feels fine; alert and good energy level
6. Fully satisfied
7. Had plenty to eat; may take a few more bites because it tastes so good even though you know you probably shouldn’t
8. Very full; probably ate a little too much but it tasted really good
9. Very uncomfortable; bloated; tired; don’t feel great
10. Stuffed (need to loosen your clothing) never allow yourself to be this uncomfortable

It is recommended that you start eating at #3 and stop around #5 or #6. Always stay between #3 and #8.
ASSIGNMENT: If you're not in the habit of eating regular meals throughout the day, try to set up a schedule that works for you.

How Can Sugar Affect You?

2010-01-21T10:40:00.003-05:00

How Can Sugar Affect Your Health?

Sugar can suppress the immune system.
Sugar can upset the body's mineral balance.
Sugar can contribute to hyperactivity, anxiety, depression.
Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
Sugar can cause drowsiness and decreased activity in children.
Sugar can reduce helpful high density cholesterol (HDLs).
Sugar can promote an elevation of harmful cholesterol (LDLs).
Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
Sugar contributes to a weakened defense against bacterial and viral infection.
Sugar can cause kidney damage.
Sugar can increase the risk of coronary heart disease.
Sugar may lead to chromium deficiency. [and chromium is essential including in keeping blood sugar under control]
Sugar can cause copper deficiency.
Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
Sugar can increase fasting levels of blood glucose.
Sugar can promote tooth decay.
Sugar can produce an acidic stomach.
Sugar can raise adrenaline levels in children.
Sugar can lead to periodontal disease.
Sugar can speed the aging process, causing wrinkles and grey hair.
Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
Sugar can contribute to weight gain and obesity.
High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.
Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
Sugar can cause a decrease in insulin sensitivity.
Sugar leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
Sugar causes food allergies.
Sugar can cause free radical formation in the bloodstream.
Sugar can cause toxemia during pregnancy.
Sugar can contribute to eczema in children.
Sugar can overstress the pancreas, causing damage.
Sugar can cause atherosclerosis.
Sugar can compromise the lining of the capillaries.
Sugar can cause liver cells to divide, increasing the size of the liver.
Sugar can increase the amount of fat in the liver.
Sugar can increase kidney size and produce pathological changes in the kidney.
Sugar can cause depression.
Sugar can increase the body's fluid retention.
Sugar can cause hormonal imbalance.
Sugar can cause hypertension.
Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
Sugar can cause an increase in delta, alpha and theta brain waves, which can alter the mind's ability to think clearly. [nothing so common as sugar confusion; but when confused people often have no idea what state they're in or WHY]
Sugar can increase blood platelet adhesiveness which increases risk of blood clots and strokes.
Sugar can increase insulin responses in those consuming high-sugar diets compared to low sugar diets.
Sugar increases bacterial fermentation in the colon.

ASSIGNMENT: Read this list. Read it again. You know you’ve experienced something on this list. Find yourself. Now find motivation to improve your health and leave off the harmful habit of refined sugar.

Do You Have A Saboteur At Hand?

2010-01-17T12:04:00.005-05:00

When you’re in the midst of making a life style change, family members and friends can be very supportive, even helpful. But beware of the saboteur. He’s the one who works underhandedly to defeat or obstruct your endeavor to change. The one who keeps offering you “a bite” or “a taste” of some food you are struggling to avoid. The one who insists on going out to your favorite restaurant where you always over-indulge. The one who says he “just wants you to be happy” (since you’ve been a little irritable with the diet change). He presents a temptation to you.

This is exactly where you learn to build your strength of resolve, your character. This is where your prayers will be answered as you say,
“No, thank you. Not today.”

Ultimately you’re on your own. But don’t be afraid. You know the Source of strength outside yourself. You can pray it. You can think it.
YOU CAN DO IT.
ASSIGNMENT 5: Practice this technique, “No, thank you. Not today”, then change the subject as you turn and walk away. (Perhaps head for a glass of cold water).

How Much Do YOU Eat?

2010-01-15T09:13:00.007-05:00

Found this blog entry when looking for a photo of measuring cups.
What an incredible amount of information all in one place.
Definitely check it out. Here's a short excerpt:

Cheryl Forberg, dietician for NBC's Biggest Loser program.
Weight Loss Secret -- It Pays to Measure

One of the first things The Biggest Loser contestants learn about is the importance of a food journal. Not only is it one of the key secrets to a successful weight loss plan, it's often a very loud wake-up call. Most of us eat (and drink) much more than we think....until we start recording it.
The more detailed your food journal entries are, the more accurate your calorie count for the day will be. The first thing you need to know is -- how big is a serving size? Weighing and measuring food is crucial in order to calculate an accurate number of your daily calories.
For this, you will need
a liquid measuring cup (2-cup capacity)
a set of dry measuring cups (1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1/4 cup sizes)
a set of measuring spoons (1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon)
food scale
calculator
The food scale should measure pounds and ounces as well as grams. Most measurements will be in ounces but some foods are very concentrated sources of calories so the portion sizes will be smaller (nuts are a good example of this).

Clean up with WATER

2010-01-13T05:21:00.003-05:00

A frequent reason for an elderly person to visit an emergency room is altered mental status. Often the cause of altered mental status is a urinary tract infection! What connection does the urinary tract have with the brain? Water. Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water first thing in the morning. Reach for a glass of water first before you choose to eat. Drink water instead of soft drinks, coffee, tea, commercial power drinks or vitamin drinks, and even fruit juice.

Water has ZERO calories and works to clean the body inside and out. Drinking plenty of water refreshes every cell in your body including the brain.

As you change your eating habits, your body will seem likes it’s rebelling. It is only beginning to function at a healthier level. Water will help in the transition by flushing out of your system any cell waste your body had stored up.

Get clean! Drink water!

Are You Insane?

2010-01-11T21:30:00.008-05:00

FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT– 4

The definition of insanity is continuing to do what you have always done while expecting different results.

Practice saying out loud, “No, thank you. None for me right now.”
In order to give you added incentive to begin the change, here’s your next assignment.

ASSIGNMENT Think about the number of pounds that you would like to lose. Go to the supermarket. Take your cart to the aisle of baking ingredients and put into it enough 10 lb. bags of flour, 5 lb. bags of sugar, and 1 lb. packages of butter to equal your weight loss number. Study it. Try carrying it all. Think of how much more comfortable you would be if you lost that many pounds.

Food Pyramid

2010-01-08T08:49:00.003-05:00

FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT – PYRAMID

For an explanation of this Healthy Eating Food Pyramid see:
www.foodpyramid.com/food-pyramids/healthy-eating-pyramid

If you haven’t really chosen a particular diet but prefer to create your own healthy eating program, this Healthy Eating Food Pyramid should be quite helpful.

Compare the healthy pyramid to the one you use to use:

Let's Get Started

2010-01-07T06:20:00.009-05:00

FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT– 3

A favorite routine or habit of mine is stopping at Crown Bakery on my way home from a doctor’s appointment. I always buy a medium coffee with cream and sugar and a coffee ring (a rich, sweet, raised dough with raisins, almonds, and coarsely granulated sugar on top - yum). This is not a single roll but a whole ring. I can finish it off in two days all by myself.

Getting mentally ready to change a habit takes some serious thought. A year and a half ago I blogged the following:

"Hi, my name is Wildblues. I'm a foodaholic.

In the course of our spiritual journey we discovered the spirit-mind-body connection. When one of the links is weak, the whole chain is weak. The health of the body lends to the health of mind and spirit. With over 59 years of habitual do-what-you-want-to attitude as far as what and when to eat, making an improvement is not so easy.With the help of ChileChews Discretionary Eating Challenge we made a decision to change our eating behavior. Well... That's like sending a soldier into battle without boot camp. So we've put ourselves into Food Rehab. This boot camp for healthy living is a concentrated effort to weed out intemperate habits and learn to just say "no". "

2010 arrived with no significant change in my eating habits. No wait, I changed to coffee with milk and no sugar. Feeling pretty pathetic here.

OK, so yesterday I went to a doctor’s appointment…the question came up. Should I go into the bakery and find a healthy choice of comfort food or just skip the stop? I decided to stop, or rather I didn’t say “no” to a habit. Thankfully they were closed for vacation!

Today is a new day. A new beginning. A new decision to change a habit. Have you ever driven on a dirt road after the mud has dried? The road becomes two cemented tire ruts and it’s very difficult to not drive in the ruts. Time to create a new road! Time to get out of the rut!!

GOALS

1. Admit you need help controlling your eating habits
2. Admit that help is available
3. Seek out that help
4. Surrender your current eating habits
5. Follow a designated plan (use the buddy system if necessary)
6. Practice the plan until "no" is as loud as "yes"
7. Graduate to independent eating choices

ASSIGNMENT: OK, it’s time to put up that photo, write the date in your notebook, and weigh in. If you still don’t have a plan in mind, a list of possibilities is coming via email. A couple of you have chosen a pseudonym and are willing to share numbers. That’s fabulous and serious business. Others are still getting ready to begin. That’s fine. Keep at it.

What Motivates You?

2010-01-06T06:12:00.005-05:00

FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT – 2

What motivates you? A healthier life style brings with it positive results – some more attractive to you than others – for instance…

Lower blood pressure
Lower cholesterol or triglyceride level
Lower fasting glucose
Less or no joint pain
Smaller clothing size
Smaller hip measurement
More natural energy
More restful sleep
Easier movement
More strength and coordination
Better circulation of oxygen to brain and muscles
A more attractive you

Besides weighing in once a week, choose other goals that will motivate you.
It’s about time for our first weigh in. Select a day, time of day and an outfit (or lack of outfit) so each week your weigh in will be consistent. Get yourself a little notebook to record your progress. Along with date and weight, I think change in hip measurement will also go in my notebook.
Remember this is a gradual process.

Slow and steady equals success.

ASSIGNMENT: Think about what most motivates you and set goals. Get a small notebook to record progress.

Study Yourself

2010-01-04T19:25:00.003-05:00

FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT - 1
There will be announcements, updates, informational material, just general encouragement and presents!

Welcome.
The group consists of thick and thin, older and younger, active and sedentary, alone or with family, female and male, single and married, with medical issues and without, vegetarian and not, with religious affiliation or not, Republican, Democrat and Undeclared.
No matter where you fit in, we all have one thing in common –
We each desire to make a change to a healthier life style.

Some of you checked out this height/weight chart with photos.
www.cockeyed.com/photos/bodies/heightweight.shtml .
It’s kind of fun.

Let’s take a good close look at ourselves:
Get dressed in clothes that make you look your best. Dress for a photo.
Yup. The “before” photo. The photo for your refrigerator door or somewhere in sight. Have someone take a photo of you, maybe several different angles or do it yourself if you are that skilled with a camera.
This is how everyone sees you.

Of course, there are certain aspects of ourselves that we cannot change – eye color, height, bone structure, shoe size, age, ancestry. But…
we can choose to change our habits.

This will not be a how to lose weight program but encouragement to make a change, to find a healthy life style that works for each of us, and to stay with it until our habits change.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a print of your before photo. Study it. Think about your current habits. Which of them would you like to change? Choose a diet/health program that you would like to try. If you don’t know of a program, we will put together a list of possibilities. (And get rid of those left over holiday treats! Trash them, freeze them, or eat them, but make them disappear.)

The Family Biggest Loser

2010-01-01T12:56:00.004-05:00

Whether you want to lose 2 or 20, 5 or 50, or just want to be part of an email group that encourages each other to stay healthy,

YOU ARE INVITED to participate in the 2010…

ROSENWALD FAMILY BIGGEST LOSER EVENT

There will be announcements, updates, informational material, just general encouragement and presents!

To become a participant: you must be a Rosenwald, be married to a Rosenwald, be an offspring of a Rosenwald, be an ancestor of a Rosenwald, be a friend of a Rosenwald, be a neighbor of a Rosenwald, be a co-worker of a Rosenwald, need a weight loss buddy and think a Rosenwald would do, or have a desire to be healthy and encourage others to healthier living.

To join and become eligible for email announcements, updates, informational material, just general encouragement and presents…

Email me (Susan Jeane Margaret Mary Rosenwald Peavey Bruso)
at wildbluesbysus@comcast.net
or comment on my blog
at http://www.wildbluesbysus.blogspot.com/
Just say “I want to join. Here’s my name and email address.”

For starters check out the height/weight chart at www.cockeyed.com/photos/bodies/heightweight.shtml .
Select a photo of someone with the same height and weight as you are now. This should give you a rough idea of what you look like. Then select a photo of a height and weight that you would like to weigh and check it out.
Get in mind a reasonable goal for yourself.

We will begin soon so let me know if you want to participate.
There is no cost to join. Just fun to share and pounds to lose.

Family Love

2009-12-26T11:49:00.008-05:00

In trying to think of the right words to describe our incredible Christmas holiday, I came to the conclusion that photos were better. Just feel the warmth, hear the laughter, see the lights, and smell the great food as you view the photos.

...and so do thoughts of Spring.

2009-12-15T14:23:00.004-05:00

Amidst all the hubbub of the Holidays - to be or not to be - have come whiffs of Spring.

1. 2010 Seed Catalogs sit on my bedside stand.

2. Plans of enlarging our garden keep flying through my brain.

3. Yesterday at work a coworker brought a flyer to show me a Four-Shelved Mini Greenhouse on sale for $20. I don't know why she thought I needed to see it. Certainly not a gift-giving idea. Hubby and I just bought two!!

4. And now sitting out on the porch in the afternoon sunshine flipping through a gift issue of Better Homes and Gardens (January 2010 issue page 72), the only article I notice is Growth Fun, A Guide to Super-Simple Seed Starting. Ah, inspiration to disspell the gloom of cold, gray days waiting for Spring to arrive. Be still my heart!

The following is taken from this article:

How to Create Seed-Starting Pots From Newspapers -- powered by eHow.com

When selecting seeds, order heirloom seeds from a reputable place like Seed Savers Exchange, Bountiful Gardens, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, Fedco Seeds, Seeds of Change, or High Mowing Organic Seeds.

Read what's been happening with Monsanto and the whole world of genetically modified commercial seed development and control here.

LESSON: The Parable of the Mustard seed.
"With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

Winter Begins

2009-12-06T17:35:00.006-05:00

A crust of snow covered the ground this morning but it wasn't the first snow of this season. In October, large snow flakes fell for an hour or more.

November was so balmy our red raspberries just kept growing and growing. Grace and Violet delighted to keep the ripe berries ingested.

I won a turkey from the hospital where I work so we enjoyed it for Thanksgiving. Dave and I went to see "2012" at the theatre. Great special effects, sad subject, and irritating ending.

For one month I've been pain free thanks to a cortisone injection into my spine. What a difference in my mobility and attitude. I'm feeling my age again instead for twenty years older!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T07:23:00.000-05:00

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 1:28-30

Thank You for Peace and Rest.

Strength for the Weak

2009-11-17T05:15:00.000-05:00

"Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary,
his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,
they shall mount up with wings like eagles,
they shall run and not be weary,
they shall walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:28-31

Hardening the Heart to Change

2009-11-11T05:36:00.000-05:00

"...if one refuses to be corrected, divine power does not interpose to counteract the tendency of his own action. He finds it more easy to repeat the same course. He is hardening the heart against the influence of the Holy Spirit. A further rejection of light places him where a far stronger influence will be ineffectual to make an abiding impression... Every seed of indulgence sown will bear fruit. God works no miracle to prevent the harvest." Patriarchs and Prophets

"Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Galatians 6:7

Making a Change - How Hard Can It Be?

2009-11-02T21:29:00.000-05:00

"...to tell the truth – that the only choices out there for us are not “easy and familiar vs. terrible and unfamiliar” but two versions of unfamiliar – one in which we change ourselves..." taken from Sharon Astyk's Why Not Change? post.

By nature man hates change; seldom will he quit his old home till it has actually fallen around his ears.

Thomas Carlyle
1795-1881, Scottish Philosopher, Author
more famous quotes

Christians are supposed not merely to endure change, nor even to profit by it, but to cause it.

Harry Emerson Fosdick

1878-1969, American Minister

more famous quotes

Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.

John F. Kennedy
1917-1963, Thirty-fifth President of the USA
more famous quotes

Change is the end result of all true learning. Change involves three things: First, a dissatisfaction with self -- a felt void or need; second, a decision to change to fill the void or need; and third, a conscious dedication to the process of growth and change -- the willful act of making the change, doing something.

Leo Buscaglia
American Expert on Love, Lecturer, Author
more famous quotes

Facing Pandemic - Definition

2009-10-24T18:34:00.001-04:00

Following the progress of H1N1 swine flu.

"President Obama declared the swine flu a national emergency", Yahoo.com news reports, "The goal is to remove bureaucratic roadblocks and make it easier for sick people to seek treatment and medical providers to provide it immediately. That could mean fewer hurdles involving Medicare, Medicaid or health privacy regulations."

Over 400 photos on Yahoo.com published along with this report show people receiving or lined up to receive the flu vaccine, not people who are sick.

What is the definition of a pandemic? A new virus that spreads around the world. H1N1 swine flu has spread to many different countries but the large numbers of cases are estimated, not confirmed.

LESSON: Pandemics are inevitable. Learn now the best practices to keep you and your family healthy.

The Story Continues...

2009-10-23T19:21:00.000-04:00

Another ark to build, PART TWO here...see excerpts below. Thank you to Sharon Astyk.

"The ark was not politically feasible, it was merely necessary. Had Noah had something less than the voice of G-d to order him, or had he required the aid and consent of his neighbors, what are the odds that the ark would have been built? Even had Noah been the driving force alone, it is hard to imagine the completion of the ark – how does an agrarian farmer otherwise find the time to build so vast a creation, to begin, as we are told, from the planting of the cedar trees that would make the boat possible, and go forward. In the face of uncertainty, he must have faltered. The ark could only be possible because it is so very necessary."

"The reality is the same, and we are choosing, even if we choose to pretend there is no choice. No matter how little we like the choices we are given, they are our choices - ark or drowning. The rain falls whether we choose to believe it will fall or not. The consequences of our actions exist whether they are politically feasible or not. The deaths of human beings, alive, beloved of G-d are on our hands whether we choose to acknowledge them or not. We betray G-d in our rejection of his material realities, and in our rejection of G-d’s moral realities.

In a basic sense all of the first portion of the Torah can be said to say this – we are a creation of G-d. We are part and parcel of creation, bound by the same laws – physical and moral – as the rest of it. We owe a share and a responsibility to others – to other human beings, to the birds of the air and the fish of the sea and all of the creatures that G-d pronounced “tov.” Neither our moral responsibility – to save lives, rather than take them, to protect animals rather than destroy them, to love one another as G-d loves us, to preserve the land rather than rape it – nor the laws of physics are up for discussion.

The story of Noah and Isaiah 54 promise us that G-d will never again turn his face from us – no matter how angry at the destruction we wreak. No matter how sorrowful, at the harm we do to ourselves and our children. No matter how much pain we give G-d, G-d will watch, and his face will be turned towards us, like a father to angry teenagers, like a mother to children that no longer want her.

Now is our chance – perhaps our very last chance to live in a world that bears any resemblance at all to the one in which human beings learned their first and most profound lessons. We too have to choose – will we keep our faces turned to G-d, and live with our material realities, pay any price, do whatever is needed to preserve our future and fulfill our responsibilities? Or will we turn away finally, and entirely from G-d, leaving ourselves with an empty faith, divorced from the world into which we were created, and so far distant from G-d that we cannot see if G-d weeps, for the rain that is coming down."

That's It Exactly

2009-10-20T12:27:00.001-04:00

Eloquence of expression doesn't pour out of me as with some others so thankfully I can point to their expression and say "yes" that's it exactly!!

Another ark to build...in word...

"– this weekend Jews all over the world will read Parshat Noah, the story of Noah, and International Jewish Groups have come together to focus this weekend on the impact of climate change through the lens of the Noah story. My shul, among thousands of others will be participating. I had two different rabbis email me, however, and ask if I’d give them my thoughts on Noah. I’ve found myself struggling with this topic in ways I’ve never struggled with more obscure texts, because it is NOAH – we all know the story so well that it is hard not to bang too firmly on the obvious parallels. So I thought I’d start by playing with the story, and writing a little fiction." Find the story here. PART ONE.

Another ark to build...in music...
.

Facing Pandemic - Know the Symptoms

2009-10-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

Want to know if you have the H1N1 flu? Check out this website for a symptom check list.

FYI: Today a co-worker whose off-spring has a position of responsibility in a very large, vaccine-producing pharmaceutical company, announced that her grandchildren, ages 7 and 5, will not be vaccinated. This is the parents decision.

FYI: Last week we mailed in our income tax check. When we received the return postcard notification of receipt, it was signed "Bank of America, Windsor, CT, Agent for the Internal Revenue Service"!!!
See, I was right! We do own our home now.

Even the Camels Are Dying

2009-10-12T05:33:00.001-04:00

The New York Times oped blog, Dot Earth, by Andrew C. Revkin adds some current information in Even the Camels Are Dying by Jeffrey Gettleman about drought in Africa.

Facing Pandemic - The Possibility

2009-10-10T11:52:00.000-04:00

Megan, writer and editor of Simple Kids, posted a blog article entitled, Five Things Parents Should Know About the H1N1 Vaccination. It is valuable information simply written.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his bestseller entitled The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, uses a flu outbreak to illustrate how a seasonal illness can become an epidemic.

"The best way to understand the Tipping Point is to imagine a hypothetical outbreak of the flu. Suppose, for example, that one summer 1,000 tourists come to Manhattan from Canada carrying an untreatable strain of twenty-four-hour virus. This strain of flu has a 2 percent infection rate, which is to say that one out of every 50 people who come into close contact with someone carrying it catches the bug himself. Let's say that 50 is also exactly the number of people the average Manhattanite - in the course of riding the subways and mingling with colleagues at work - comes into contact with every day. What we have, then, is a disease in equilibrium. Those 1,000 Canadian tourists pass on the virus to 1,000 new people on the day they arrive. And the next day those 1,000 newly infected people pass on the virus to another 1,000 people, just as the original 1,000 tourists who started the epidemic are returning to health. With those getting sick and those getting well so perfectly in balance, the flu chugs along at a steady but unspectacular clip though the rest of the summer and the fall.

But then comes the Christmas season. The subways and buses get more crowded with tourists and shoppers, and instead of running into an even 50 people a day, the average Manhattanite now has close contact with, say, 55 people a day. All of a sudden, the equilibrium is disrupted. The 1,000 flu carriers now run into 55,000 people a day, and at a 2 percent infection rate, that translates into 1,100 cases the following day. Those 1,100, in turn, are now passing on their virus ... as well, so that by day three there are 1,210 Manhattanites with the flu and by day four 1,331 and by the end of the week there are nearly 2,000, and so on up, in an exponential spiral, until Manhattan has a full-blown flu epidemic on its hands by Christmas Day. That moment when the average flu carrier went from running into 50 people a day to running into 55 people was the Tipping Point. It was the point at which an ordinary and stable phenomenon - a low-level flu outbreak - turned into a public health crisis."

What can I do in the face of possible pandemic? More to follow.

Worldwide Drought...

2009-10-09T10:08:00.000-04:00

"Despite the rosy picture of an economy improving, the fact is that "famine and pestilence" so familiar in the writings of the classical prophets are again impending. "Pestilence" or disease, is the result of famine, of a lack of nutrition. It is going to take the form of pandemics, as Revelation 16 says, and the rapidly-developing world-state will act just as it is now, trying to play "savior" to the populace, assuring all that God's judgments can be safely withstood. Such an attitude will invite further, more severe judgments." John McCall, spiritual advisor

See this article entitled, Food Collapse of 2009, by Eric deCarbonnel for a description of current conditions and data regarding worldwide food production.

LESSON: Definitely time is now to chose LIFE with the Life Giver, eternal life in Him.

Feelin' Lucky

2009-10-07T06:16:00.001-04:00

We were feelin' lucky and bought a Mega Millions lottery ticket yesterday for our twentieth wedding anniversary. Yep, you're right. Not a single number picked. The jackpot is now 145 million. And today that little entertainment is forgotten.

Thankfulness remains. Being married to someone who comes at issues from the opposite point of view and yet respectfully perseveres until both have expressed themselves and are understood is an amazing experience. Not painless, but amazing. The effort put into learning to live well together has a Big Payoff.

I love you, David.

LESSON: Finding your self worth in God, not in your partner, can produce a life of amazement.

Enthroned on the Praises of Israel

2009-09-25T19:51:00.000-04:00