Food and health

 I haven't read the book The poison squad by Deborah Blum yet but it's on my list. It'll finally give me a response for people who believe old natural and deregulation are a good thing.

There are many reasons there are so many octogenerians post ww2 when governments needed to produce a healthy population. But most don't know how good they had it.

When I visited various castles and museums including versailles I was always struck by how short humans used to be due to malnutrition even the aristocrat's. The aristocratic diet in the 18th century was meat for breakfast lunch and dinner because vegetables were believed to be the food of the poor.

I love going to China town. Veggies are much cheaper and I m immersed in a cultural experience without having to travel to China. If I'm trying to cook something different I eventually give up because I do not know what all those fruits and veggies are. I browse the aisles of imported products: sour salted plum, lily buds, dried fish snack...huh?

Like chips? Oh.no. the translation is wrong. It's fish scales that need to be presoaked then added to stock. Of course. There are aisles of unidentifiable plant and insect material labeled as "herbs". All labeled in Chinese. Unregulated imports that are potentially toxic.

Unlike Anthony Bourdain I do not want to eat marinated Yak testicle. Call me a culinary coward.

This is an excerpt out of Deborah Blums book

Nope. Image won't post. Sigh. Any ideas?

Europe is using a plant called Lupine as a protein substitute. It was banned due to toxicity allergies and is carcinogenic. The ingredient isn't always disclosed so it's mixed in with flour.

Anyway. We're heading back to the 19th century if we deregulate food safety.

Things that make me smile cats and motorcycles

 Standing at a light I heard the very loud approach of two very big loud motorcycles accompanied by blaring music. The musical choice was a modern version of Queen. Odd. 

On two of the biggest Harley Davidsons I have ever seen sat burly bearded men dressed in very colorful clothes complete with nail polish. The juxtaposition was great. They stopped at the light watched me laugh. Laughed and waved. We shared a moment of joy.

There is a neighborhood cat that explores the outdoors. She comes when pstpsted but doesn't let me pet her. As I was stepping out the front door she runs toward me past me then proceeded to inspect things inside. I had a funny what the hell just happened moment before I went back in to find her. She was calmly exploring came when called allowed me to pick her up. I placed her in front of the door, where she sat down beside me, chirping me her story. Just two mammals hanging out. Weird cat.

New term decision fatigue

 In as much as one can have an argument with a roomba i had an argument with a chat ai.

I was asking questions about how to find what I wS looking for and have less aggressive ads that had nothing to do with papercrafts.

It gave me a new term so the conversation wasn't completely useless.

Decision Fatigue

Companies are analyzing our behavior but do not understand that if I'm looking for inspiration I choose what I want to buy later.

If I'm looking for new sketchbook or papercrafts I do not want two pages of Amazon or some company that look like the craft section of walmart. I was shown crap that one makes with kids. That is not decision fatigue but frustration so I buy nooooothing.

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https://www.jenniferfrith.com/sketchbooks

I recently looked her up. Sh illustrates children's books now but is a talented wildlife artist. Her sketchbooks and daily journals are too faith based for me, but her gratitude journal gave me the idea for quickly illustrating favorite quotes and repurposing old daily planners. 

Drawing everyday objects. All of it objects I don't usually draw.

Sorry about the quick draft/bulletpoint post but this is making the internet worse. More on that later.

Cat appreciation Cat podcast

 

 will respond to comments later

Cat analysis of our behavior. This is making the rounds. Bunch of very funny videos.

Naps are energy distribution 

Good use of AI. I had a cat that. drove me nuts licking bags.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=iFpAiPIUA_0&pp=ugUHEgVlbi1VUw%3D%3D

Enjoy. Off to watch the rest.

Papercrafts and pilots

 Time well spent. Josh Christian is an airplane nerd who builds airplanes out of cardstock.

They take him between 8 to 20 hours and he gives them away to pilots. To watch adult nerds follow eachother on Instagram to trade arts and trading cards is what life is all about

Here's a video. The meeting starts around 7 minutes for those who don't have the patience to watch him build the models. Includes another bronze sculptor who approaches them.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6cWYsGYfxDs

There is a moving last flight for a retiring pilot on which Josh is invited and he builds the model during the flight. Very sentimental.

As well as a female pilot who nonchalantly mentions that she's flying the boeing 757. Every pilots favorite plane and goal.

A short on an advent calendar gift from Southwest which he quickly unboxes. Mostly promotional gifts for kids. His favorite: " he likes the very sturdy cardboard box". Just like a cat.

Great way to promote his art and make pilots who collect airplane models very happy.

My kind of people.

Toxic people includes women

 My father was successful and known for his generosity. A double edged sword. He helped others in various ways especially when their situation put them in dire straits food clothes the basics.

Of course this reputation also exposed him to friends and family that felt entitled to be helped.

I met Liz, an older relative, for the first time when I was a teen. She wanted to help with my University application. (She didnt know what she was talking about). Then wanted to be paid for it. She asked me about my career plans interests until the convo made me uncomfortable. She had slowly switched the conversation to my dad's business, asked nosey questions remarked that our furniture looked like mahogany but wasn't (huh? Weird we didn't pretend it was, but why bring it up? Had my mother said something?)

I didn't like her. I couldn't pinpoint it her tone was aggressive demanding but she had not said anything in particular...I told my dad that I didn't like her and didn't want university or career advice from her.

I forgot about Liz. But Liz didn't forget about us. Gossip was practically forbidden in our household so by the time I heard about what happened. Well. 

Liz had a career that would provide her with a good pension and job safety. As a side hustle she had some business plans. She asked my father to invest he said no. People came to him with cockamamy harebrained business ideas all the time and didn't understand that venture capitalism was not his field, nor within his means. Thats all there was to it. He was firm not insulting, but Liz turned it into a vendetta.

Years later I spoke to other relatives. They were hurt because my parents had not invited them to their soirees and parties and therefore my parents thought they were above them. What? What parties? "Liz told us that she'd attended..."

Deep sigh. My parents occasionally hosted (boring) get togethers with business associates as did everyone else and Liz wouldn't have been invited. The Mahogany furniture. My mom had asked around for Mahogany COLOR.

Liz drove a wedge into our extended families. Some of the things she did were a lot worse. Everyone eventually realized what she was and avoided her. Intrigue. Scheming. Gossip. Spinning facts. Ingratiating herself. We just noticed it sooner. Pop Psychology calls her toxic. She thrived on harm and destruction. Felt entitled to climb the social ladder. Ruled by greed and envy.

I've met many Lizzes in my life. The idea that women can't be toxic, mean spirited or conniving is ridiculous. I have enough friends whose MILs almost destroyed their marriages.

The only way to treat those people is to not let them into ones life. They don't change, they get worse over time. There is no let's work this out, remorse or resolution. If all else fails, there are legal measures.

Niagara Falls

 Lake Ontario is a shared great lake between Canada and New York. I can't recall the details but it produces hydroelectric power for both countries. Most of it supplied by Canada.

As is Niagara Falls, which feeds into it. I was lucky to visit Niagara Falls when I did as I was able to cross a bridge to take in the immense natural power of both sides of the Falls. We took the the ride called lady of the mist (or something like that). A boat that took us close to the bottom of the Falls. We were given long rain coats as we basically drove into spray and mist. Should have taken goggles as the "rain" made it difficult to see anything. It was so loud that even wow was drowned out.

It was spectacular and beautiful. The adjoining towns can only be described as campy low end  Las Vegas. One is called Niagara Falls NY the other Niagara Falls Ontario. The Canadian side is more beautiful and dramatic. My friend did not want to walk through either town, but I insisted to at least see them. After an hour walk through we drove to Niagara on the lake. A picturesque beautiful little town where we found a cozy restaurant with a real fire place which turned the slightly hassled tourist experience into a wonderful day. Fond memories.

Those beautiful memories are now being disturbed. Additional friends and relatives who had the Falls on their to do list when they visited are part of those memories.

So. Google maps has already decided to call it lake America (at worst shouldn't it be lake new york/lake ontario?) for Americans and lake ontario for everyone else. More confusion.

Water is an important resource.

What's next? Niagara Falls becomes America Falls?

Please do not insult any politicians.