Milk

Milk does a body good, right?  I guess.

Here’s the thing; contrary to what the USDA tells us, we don’t need no stinkin’ milk to be healthy.  As a matter of fact, countries where dairy is not a diet staple have lower levels of osteoporosis as well as fewer bone fractures; they maintain a healthy calcium balance on half of the calcium intake recommended by the USDA.  This most likely has to do with what they are eating besides milk; less meat (protein, which depletes calcium), less sodium from processed foods (which also depletes calcium), and more of those good veggies.  Vegetables — beans, nuts, greens, etc. — have calcium.

How about whole v. skim?  Here is how they do it.

The dairy farm takes all the cow juice from the udders and pools it in one big vat.  They allow the cream to rise to the top and separate the whey (milk) from it. Then, they take the fat that they had separated earlier and add it back  to the milk in differentiating amounts; the more fat added gets you whole milk, the less, skim.  Basically, whole milk is skim milk with fat added to it.

Drink those low fat milks, get the dairy nutrients (not that you need them, anyway) and leave the fat at the farm.

That being said, God, do I love milk.

Thanks, Marion Nestle.  More to come.

Happy Birthday, Mom

I won’t say how old she is; that isn’t polite and you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.

She’s a great mom; always has been.  It’s cool because she sometimes works in Grand Rapids, and we always get to go out to lunch together.  She’s always been supportive of any endeavor I’ve decided on, and is full of positive energy and good things.

I love you, Mom!  Happy Birthday.

Conwy, Wales

This was taken last January.  I was studying in the UK, and my second day there, we took a day trip to Conwy, Wales, to check out the city castle.  I took this on 35mm film.  I think my fellow tripmates thought all I owned was a 35mm, and they felt bad for me.

I miss this.

Hot yesterday, hot today. Hot again, tomorrow.

Grand Rapids, MI., June 24th, 2009: Our house thermostat reads 90 degrees.

Head Swap

Didn’t really think Jimmy Fallon was funny. He still isn’t, but this skit did make me laugh.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Miss Michigan

I was just on Wikipedia to confirm that East Grand Rapids is, in fact, a city and not a wannabe city.  I thought this was funny:

Notable current and former residents

• Toni Jo Abbenante Farmer, Miss Michigan 1967
• Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States

I found it amusing that 1967’s Miss Michigan was listed before 1974’s US President.

a snippet of a recent conversation

“…so, your mother was telling me about your Facepage.  Your Grandpa and I aren’t enrolled, so we can’t see it,  but she said you wrote that you will floss every day!”

- my Grandma Kehoe

This is what she was referring to.  Love Grandparents.

Breakfast at Sulimay’s – Wilco and Dirty Projectors

Some old folks in Philly review a Wilco song and a Dirty Projectors song.

2009-2010

So, that did not go as any of us wanted.  I am going to try and look towards the positive:

• It’s already next preseason.
• The Wings are the top contender for the Cup.
• The Olympics are in January.
• Darren Helm.

Game Seven

Well, this is it, folks.  82 regular season games, four playoff rounds, and it comes down to one single game.  I personally would not want it any other way.

Here’s the thing.  I’ve been chirping about wanting a game seven since we made it to the finals.  Part of me says its because its good for the sport of hockey, which I am a general fan of.  The NHL is my second favorite team behind the Red Wings.  This is the best stage we could ask for at this point; a boring NBA finals in a league already saturated with faux-scandal and cheating.  Baseball is no different; 95% of baseball athletes are doped up on steroids only horses are supposed to take.  It’s a Friday night, its on NBC, no other major sporting events are on to interfere.  It is the NHL’s night to shine; Sid v. Hank, Malkin v. Datsyuk, Ozzie v. Fleury.

These are all great reasons, but none are the most important.  I wanted a game seven because I am a romantic when it comes to hockey.  I love the Red Wings; always have.  And ever since we made it into the finals I have been falling asleep with visions of the Wings winning 1-0 in a game seven triple overtime in what will go down as the greatest game in NHL and hockey history, elevating Zetterberg and Datsyuk to super-stardom, and allowing the NHL to become the top major sport in the world.  Franzen is given a cereal contract, “Mule-O’s,” Hudler gets his own sitcom, and Helm is immediately inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.  People in turn flock to Detroit for the obligatory Stanley Cup parade, and realize it is not such a bad place after all, settle down, and turn the Motor City into the great metropolis it is destined to be.  It is renamed “Detroit Worldville,” becoming the capital of the world.  The Worldville Red Wings go on to win more and more championships, and all is good forever.

Maybe that’s why I really wanted a game seven.  Go NHL, its your time in the spotlight.  But, more importantly, go Detroit Red Wings.