Some researchers studied people in rural villages in China (because they were the only people they could find who didn't eat much processed food but did use MSG in their cooking) and found that the more MSG people ate, the more likely they were to be overweight or obese. They excluded both physical activity and calorie intake as factors and have shown that it is the MSG that is making people fat. MSG is in practically every processed food, often disguised as things like 'yeast extract' and 'natural flavor'.
About the research: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813164638.htm
About hidden MSG: http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.htm
Shot the funk rhythm band Brownout
Spring has sproing according to a friend of mine, so happy growing season:
Had an opportunity to visit with Grupo Fantasma at their rehearsal space to get some shots for Whoopsy Magazine. They are fantastic musicians, and I highly recommend catching them when they are playing in your area.
I have been so busy recently that I haven't had a spare moment to post much of anything.
So, what has been going on (in no particular order)?
I have been post processing shots from the shoot with Duke for months, though it really has been a little less than one. Isolated white background stock shots. Hundreds of them. Over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and... They never stop.
My son discovered crawling yesterday. We went into panic mode trying to clean up the floor of cat toys, pen caps, old unfiled receipts, and all those other little things that seem to get knocked off the counter or table all the time. He has been turning around in circles the past few weeks, but yesterday apparently decided to go exploring. Its like it clicked in his head that if he sees something interesting, he can go over to it and look at it more closely.
Yesterday we also had a stream of running commentary from him as he babbled baby talk for hours. He had an encounter with two women who spoke only Spanish to him, and it was very interesting that he seemed to be able to tell it was different than what he normally hears from us. This morning he was babbling away again and we think he might be close to making the connection that mamama is a way to ask for his mother.
We've been getting ready for an upcoming trip, gathering supplies, packing and such. I ordered a portable photobank to store photos while on the trip. After some quick research online I settled on a Wolverine FlashPac 60GB, as it seemed to have positive reviews, was very affordable, and if I really need to review the photos we'll have my wife's iBook until we run the battery out.
And last a few jumbled random little notes. I got a chance to shoot the harvest moon rising over Austin's skyline, but haven't had a chance to work on post processing those shots yet. I've also been working hard on wrapping up a couple of programming projects and have made a lot of progress. The tiny kitten is not so tiny anymore, and she is getting close to the 'my-ears-are-bigger-than-my-head' phase of kittenhood. I got a showcase on OMP for the shot of Duke in a cowboy hat on black. It finally rained in Austin, and the temperature has eased up a bit. I saw 'The Illusionist', it is a good movie. Olympus released a new consumer back (E-400, world's smallest dSLR!) but they are only selling it in Europe (poor decision?), though they apparently will have a mockup of the E-1 replacement at Photokina (very good news). All of my stock photography portfolios have been doing well the past few months, but they have really taken off this month.
Phew, and now back to work.
P.S. Got a haircut today, whatcha think?
A new study shows that after consuming salads and raw vegetables, higher concentrations of folic acid, vitamins C and E, lycopene and alpha and beta carotene are found in the bloodstream.
"The findings endorse consumption of salad and raw vegetables as an effective strategy for increasing intake of important nutrients. Unfortunately, we also found daily salad consumption is not the norm in any group, and is even less prevalent among African Americans,"
So, eat your salads, your body will thank you and you will store less fat because it won't be decieved into thinking you are starving from malnutrition.
!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060901161202.htm
This is a celebration of life. This kitten's litter was attacked by a dog and she is one of two survivors. She was going to be put down as well because there was no one to take care of her, but she was rescued at the last moment to come and be a part of our family.
So the day before yesterday our dog got into the trash and ate the remains of the vegetables we used to make a pot of vegetable stock. Unfortunately the vegetables included onions and garlic, which are toxic to dogs, so we gave her hydrogen peroxide to make her throw up what she had eaten (per the vet) and rushed her off to the vet for bloodwork and observation. Looks like we got the stuff out of her fast enough to prevent serious harm, but we still have to bring her in occasionally over the next few days so they can make sure she isn't developing problems.
Last night my wife went to the vet to pick the dog up and have a cut looked at on one of our cats. She came back with the dog, our cat, and a five week old kitten. The kitten was brought in as part of a litter that a dog had gotten ahold of. The others had to be put down, and this kitten was going to be put down as well, even though she was in good health, because there was no one who could take her. My wife couldn't bear to see that happen, so home came the kitten.
Meet Xan, short for Xanthippe, namesake of Socrates' wife.
She is a Manx, and has no tail.
She is very interested in exploring the world. We've managed to keep
her safe from the dust bunnies under the furnature so far, but she is
determined on delving into the deeps in her quest for discovery.
Its almost like something out of a science fiction story ("We Remember It For You Wholesale" anyone?) but scientists claim to have discovered a molecule that helps maintain memories in the brain. By supressing this molecule, they found they could erase long-term memories. They also noted that erasing memories does not prevent the brain from relearning. The researchers suggest that it might be used someday to treat chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, and memory loss.
I have to say, I believe the potential for misuse to be far greater than any benefit from this. Science Fiction writers have been debating this very issue for decades, pointing out moral and ethical reasons why something like this is a very bad idea. Our memories define us, would altering them turn us into someone else? Can you erase a human being and reprogram them to better suit your needs?
Who could control when and how this is applied?
The FDA has approved a coctail of viruses as a food additive so it can be sprayed on cold cuts, hot dogs, and sausages just before they are packed. The goal is to prevent a common bacteria from growing on the food, since ready to eat meats are not usually cooked thoroughly prior to consumption.
My favorite qoute from the article:
"As long as it used in accordance with the regulations, we have concluded it's safe,"
Later on it mentions that consumers won't be aware which products have been treated with the viruses. There was also apparently some concerns that the additive might contain toxic residues from the very bacteria it is designed to kill, because the viruses are grown in a preparation of the bacteria.
Sounds like a literal recipie for disaster.
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/08/18/edible.virus.ap/index.html
Recent Comments
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Subgeo said:
Really nice framing and texture. Love the strong coloring, too. read more
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Suzanne said:
[this is good]I've already said how much I love this but I love it more every time I see it. FABULOUS! read more
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on Grupo Fantasma Portrait