I'm super pumped the cosortium is beginning to gain some momentum again. (Though perhaps we should call it The Consortium of Derelicts.) I've been as lax as anyone else and so I must provide a perfuctory apology. I'm sorry.
To be honest, however, I think it not a necessarily bad thing we have hit barren blogging season. Most of us have been busy--law school assignments, graduate school applications, etc, ad nauseum--and sleep-deprived. Not to mention it is winter and who the hell has anything to really talk about when it's below freezing and all one wants to do is stay indoors (other than it's below freezing and all one wants to do is stay indoors). But with the spring showers and may(be) flowers, one thing can be sure: it is time for girls to come out of their winter hibernation and begin again to wear scantly-clad outfits. No, no, what I meant to say was: it is time for the members of the consortium to plow the blogged field, prepare the interweb's digibits to plant, and make ritualistic spring sacrifices in the form of purging our inboxes to the demi-god Bill Gates.
Actually the farming metaphor is a convenient tie into my first blog back. And that is: the genius of Michael Pollan. If you haven't heard of Pollan and you are in any way interested in your diet, well-being, or future health prospects, I'd recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma. Before you read any news article or diet book, begin with this one. It's a bear of a read (350+ pages), but it is presented in such a way that Pollan brings you on his themepark ride into the important questions of our foodstuff:
Where does my [fast-food] burger come from? In what ways am I connected to it ("it" used in the strictest sense), the animal and corn from which it came, and the land from which those came.
What does it mean to buy USDA "organic," free-range eggs (the answer surprised me)? Who regulates the newest "organic" title andin what ways does it live up (or live down) to its name?
Beyond simply diet, what are the ethical and political issues that stem from purchasing food from say a Food Lion, Whole Foods, or Farmer's Market?
What is the omnivore's dilemma as he defines it?
The writing is gripping and so the book flows fairly well. The topic, however, is eye-opening (at least to those of us whom have remained within Plato's cave).
The distinguished Berkley journalism professor just came out with a new book, In Defense of Food. Though I think it more the spark notes version of his previous bestseller, TOD, it is worth buying for that person in your life who just cannot stand reading books (non-fiction nonetheless). It incapsulates the main themes of TOD's attack and Upton Sinclair-esque expose of the industrial food economy (corn + soybean) and takes a fuller examination into why such a diet (the Western diet) is so terrible for the environment and our bodies. Simply put: Diabetes, Heart Disease, Obesity, and Cancers stem directly from the Western diet and the culture in which many of have grown up in. The good news is that, as the very first words reveal, we can change it (Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants).
For my own self, this was a wake up call. Have I sworn off red meat? No. Then have a I sworn off processed foods entirely? No. Have I even given up ALL fast food? No. This sounds like I didn't take anything valuable away from Pollan, but in fact I have. Even though I'll indulge in a Wendy's JBC every one in a while (jr. bacon cheeseburger for all you non-wendyophiles), I've cut those types of foodstuffs from my diet almost entirely. I've been chewing on greens of all shades, and orange, and blue, and purple a whole lot more than I ever have; meat has become a side dish rather than an whole dish; and I've avoided high fructose corn syrup like it's the plague. I've begun to buy local organics which is killing my pocket, but pleasing my stomach and even started researching farmer's markets in Pittsburgh (apparently, surpringly, some of the best on the east coast) beginning next month.
It feels good to blog again and even better to hear from you guys. Hopefully I'll see you soon.
2 comments:
Ahhh my hippie mother and sisters would be proud of you.
For the counter argument check out www.meat-gear.com
Tacitus, good sir, you are a fine young man. It's so good to hear your wisdom again. I cannot stand reading, so I may read this book. I think I should, being as my nickname throughout school was "Fat Mark" (Partly because there was another 'Mark', but mostly because I'm fat).
I hope you're walking tall and hanging strong up there big guy. You're a champion, and don't you let any of those scantily clad females ever tell you otherwise.
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