Friday, November 09, 2007

Snippets

* Here's why I'm inclined to ignore most medical science when it comes to nutrition. They change their minds every few years! Depending on which study you reference, eggs are good or bad for you, coffee is good or bad for you, certain fats are good or bad for you. Fish is healthy, but not too much. You need omega-3 but now it's linked to problems. Just the other day, the British medical establishment announced that pregnant women can consume one alcoholic drink per day safely. The Canadian medical establishment on the same day (taking issue with the British announcement) announced that there is NO safe consumption level of alcohol during pregnancy.

* On a related note, there is an inherent flaw in the medical establishment issuing guidelines for EVERYONE. This would be sound practice if we were all identical copies of one another. But we aren't.

* Personally, I think genes have more power over your fate than personal habits. I acknowledge that I could be wrong.

* Speaking of fate, I figure the big events are already decided. I think of life as a coloring book. The outline is there. There are fixed boundaries and yet our free will let's us color in the drawing with whatever hue we'd like. You can't color outside the lines.

* I find Starbucks coffee to be too bitter and too caffeinated. They make the best iced coffee though.

* I love my mom. (Doesn't everybody?) She sent me this vid cause she knew I'd like it.

* By far the most popular post on this blog is, "How to make perfect french fries."

* I'd rather have people convicted of identity theft treated far more harshly than those convicted of drug dealing. Sometimes I just have to shake my head at our society's priorities.

* One of the signs of maturity is the ability to freely admit it when you're wrong. Sadly, some people never grow up.

* Great line from the Phantom Tollbooth uttered by the noise doctor: "Why, I'm kept so busy I can hardly fill the orders for noise pills, racket lotion, clamor salve, and hubbub tonic." Clamor salve. What a great name for a band.

24 comments:

Rox said...

Great snippets as always! (Going to watch your mom's video now...)

Rox said...

Your mom is AWESOME!

Snooze said...

Oh YAY to ghe British medical association for finally showing people that low alcohol consumption during pregnancy does not equal FAS.

Anonymous said...

Loved the video. I must watch out for the terrorist know as: Mustaf Herod Apyur Poupr
I too realize that one day Coffee: Bad next day Coffee: Good one day Wine : Carcinogen next day Wine: Cancer Cure all.
I think we must consider the source. To wit: drink more milk--The American Diary Association. Bacon is full of Nitrites--Surgeon General. Bacon is for everyone! Wendy's Baconator!
I just eat what I like and Que sera sera.

Cooper said...

I don't like Star Bucks coffee either. I much prefer Timmys. As for iced-coffee, my favourite is the Dairy Queen Moolatte which has about a million calories of cold, creamy caffeinated goodness. I just picked up the Phantom Tollbooth a couple days ago. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Anonymous said...

I definitely agree with you on the identity theft/priorities thing. I am constantly amazed at how severe are our punishments for "crimes" committed whose "victims" are basically the perpetrators themselves (or those who "consented") as opposed to those crimes that have lasting impacts on thousands, if not millions, of others. I sometimes go back to a statement that I once heard, supposedly attributed to Stalin, that if you kill one person you are a murderer, if you kill a million, you are a hero.

dirk.mancuso said...

I think I in the great unwashed minority that has never had coffee, nor can even stand the smell.

Your theory about Fate being like a big coloring book is somehow both comforting and disturbing at the same time. (I like to think that we have the power to change our fate by changing our actions...)

And those perfect french fries? I tried that recipe when I saw it and you aren't kidding -- they are amazing!

Perplexio said...

* I agree with you about the whole health nutrition thing. My doctor tried to put me on cholesterol medication because my good cholesterol was/is too low and there's a history of heart disease in my family. But that being said those in my family who had heart issues were products of a much different generation. My grandfather had eggs and bacon for breakfast every morning for 40 years, I think that may have had more to do with him dying of a heart attack than his genes.

* The whole drug dealing being penalized heavier than identity theft I think has to do with the perceptions of the 2 crimes. Identity theft is seen as a "property crime" and drug-dealing is viewed more as a "violent crime" due to the negative effects that drugs can have on the users. I'm not saying I agree with this rationale (I don't). I find identity theft to be very much a "violent crime" it may not cause you physical harm but it damages a person's name and reputation and that's a crime against humanity. If you don't have your good name, after all, what do you have?

* my word verification is "mqeef" that just sounds like a fun word.

GayProf said...

Your vision of fate is interesting to me. I often debate about the role of fate verses free will.

My word verification is "hgrdump." Somehow it seems related to the toilet.

Paul said...

Thank goodness for Moms with a sense of humor!

(Some have it, some don't)

A Bear in the Woods said...

Starbucks always has a faint aftertaste of burned beans.
But I still drink it because their stores are ubiquitous.

jali said...

I really dislike Starbucks - I'm a Folger's drinker.

I think the drug laws are bizarre. There is so much profit to be made in the business of incarceration that I doubt there'll be a change anytime soon.

Love your snippets!

Doug said...

I think I love your mom, too, and I've never even met her.

I agree about the medical establishment. The problem with "studies" is the people funding them usually have a result they want.

I find Starbucks coffee too expensive.

Patricia said...

starbucks, aka, fourbucks, tastes burnt to me, too.

loved your mom's video. he is truly a great actor to have been able to get through that skit with a straight face.

i'ma have to revisit your fries soon.

Anonymous said...

Can you imagine being able to read Phantom Tollbooth to the kids? It was so great. We are due to read it again. When I tell them you are, they will be slick with the clamor salve.

dantallion said...

I've never tried starbucks coffee. It's on the to-do list.

Anonymous said...

Great post, TW. I totally agree with the nutrutional guidlines.

Too may reversals, and too many gaping contradictions.

I think the only advice worth heeding is: exercise regularly, stay lean, don't smoke, avoid excessive drugs/alcohol, de-stress.

Laverne said...

Love the line from the book.

I need some of that at the end of the day at school.

Clamor salve and a G & T would be perfect.

Oh, and a massage.

From Antonio Banderas.

Okay, I'm going now.

bardelf said...

Medical research shows that coffee is bad for you.

Scientific studies now prove that coffee is good for you.

I like the coloring book analogy, and agree with it.

A Lewis said...

(Nearly) Everything in moderation. I'm not so sure that many of us know anything about moderation any more, though.

Java said...

My favorite thing in The Phantom Tollbooth is the car that goes without saying.

Patrick said...

1. A few years ago when my friend Beth was pregnant, she read up about pre-natal care. The American guidelines said "absolutely NO alcohol ever ever ever." The British guidelines said "No more than ONE drink a day, ever ever ever." So every few weeks she'd have a glass of wine and pretend she was on vacation in Britain. Her son is in great health, btw.

2. I LOVE the Phantom Tollbooth, and once you've read it, you might enjoy the film that was made of it. It's one of the few films that does justice to the source material, in my opinion. Great fun. Now I want to reread it too.

dpaste said...

* I just go with my gut, no pun intended.

* YES!!!

* Possibly.

* Hmm, not sure about that one.

* I don't like coffee so I out of the loop here.

* I love my mom, but I know some who don't and for good reason.

* Not sure if I remember that post.

* Hmm again. I'd say both are criminals that inflict damage on other's lives.

* Very true.

* I don't know where you are in the book so I won't spoil it by telling some of my favorites. It's been decades, maybe I should give it a re-read.

dawn said...

Studies are bs. Even more bs-y is the fact that we have actual scientists working on studying ridiculous things that just don't matter.

I think you can color outside the lines. But I think those are the people who are the most miserable.