Sláinte

That’s probably the last question y’all would expect from a candy-making snake, and particularly at this time of the year. But it’s for real—I’m thinking about undertaking a fast and would appreciate input from anyone who’s done it before.

A ramble from early October mentioned in passing the FDA guidelines for melamine in foods. Surprise, surprise—they’ve tweaked them again!

Preemption could be coming to pharmaceuticals. Supreme Court considers the reach of drug warning labels, reads the LA Times headline, which gives barely a hint of how profoundly things might change with the Robed Nazgul’s ruling.

Coffee and chocolate are the key to long life, sez someone besides me. No, seriously—a British scientist is quoted in this report advancing the claim that 20 polyphenol-rich foods are essential to fulfill one’s maximum individual lifespan. Luckily for y’all, I just happen to use several of the delectables on his list in my truffle offerings!

I am finding the ongoing changes in and challenges to my thinking interesting, and sometimes even amusing. To be clear (and repetitive, I know), I have been a science-oriented person as far back as I can remember—wondering about how things work and how to test ideas and wanting proof for everything. I still consider myself a scientist, even though I have not worked in that realm for years ... yet the way some individuals apply scientific theories is problematic for me.

My, my, my. The bad news has been mounting fast for all the healthocrats protecting the USSA flock. Crows might become an endangered species soon. It could happen ... if all the nanny-ninnies were intellectually honest enough to admit that they’ve been wrong for decades.

I don’t recall where I saw the link to the Harper’s article, The revolution will not be pasteurized: Inside the raw-milk underground, but I’m glad it came to my attention. The article is quite long, but very interesting, and mostly excellent. Oddly enough, it isn’t the subject of raw milk that leads me to write about the article.

A while back, Pint of Stout invited individuals to consider a question, and to share an answer to it. As his question was a neat bull’s-eye for me—something I have thought long and hard, and variously about for decades—I hereby accept his invitation and offer my ramblings to accompany his.

How do I despise the USSA’s socialist health care system? Let me count the ways!

Another tease on the Google News page that I knew I should resist following, but failed to exercise sufficient self control:

Nearly 13 Tennesseans die every week due to lack of health insurance, according to a report published this week by Families USA.

Surely the researchers weren’t stupid enough to phrase their conclusion like that!, I thought as I clicked to read the Nashville Business Journal report.

It figures—the day after I wrote this, I found a book I’ve had for years that will be a great help in getting my body more toned in fairly short order.

Yep, you can peer into your genetic code, without a medical monopolist’s permission slip required, for just under $1,000 USSA. The company offering this deal is deCODE, in Iceland.

Over at The Boondocks, someone posted a recent ABC News story, Mercury-Containing Vaccine Vindicated. Since the toxicity of mercury is well established, I wondered what was behind that headline. Do I need to say that I was not impressed by what I found?

That’s life in a neat, tidy package, isn’t it? It seems to be for me, anyway: at any point in my life, I’m making progress in some areas, some more than others; in other areas I seem to be moving backwards; and in a few others I have either deliberately or accidentally routed around what I originally thought was the best course. Step into my cozy kitchen for an update, if you dare (more like if you’re in need of a soporific). But first, for anyone wondering which eddress to use to contact me, my primary one at this domain is the best bet at the moment. More on that over a cup of coffee or tea ...

I have lost three very successful pood experiments this summer, because I failed to write down what I tossed together for dinner and subsequently forgot what I did. At MAL’s urging not to let that happen with tonight’s main course, I hereby record my first effort at a potato-tomato frittata. Pretty cheap, good eats!