Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
When Reality “Flu” the Coop
Man, what bad news, and I hope it doesn’t get any worse. And a good seque to mention that I apologize for not getting to post my stuff earlier yesterday, but I just typed up my egg substitute chat and Tetrazzini recipe and put it on the end of yesterday’s post. So check it out and enjoy, see you later.
Still do miss the missing-- hope Joe’s okay, and where’s Hawkman? Bet he’s got some good recipes to suggest.
Posted by James on from Hell's Kitchen 03/15 at 07:39 AMThe bird flu scare reminds me of the SARS scare a couple years ago. I remember going out on the MRT (mass transit) once and being the only person not wearing a mask. I keep hearing a lot about the bird flu, but it seems like hype to me.
Of course, it would really be hype if we were all vegans, and I don’t want to undermine that point.
I did quit eating pork several years back. That’s a step, right? The best reason I can think to become a vegetarian, though, is that I read a statistic about how much land is required to raise livestock, and how much food is gotten out of that livestock, versus the amount of food that could be grown on that same land. Plants, it seems, are a much more efficient means of food production.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taiwan 03/15 at 08:23 AMIt doesn’t seem likely that line of inquiry will be addressed by anyone in the corporate media. Fortunately, there are alternative voices.
Thanks for being one of those voices Mickey; and thanks, James, for the egg substitute info - I’ve got to go back there and check it out. I’ve got a few dietary choices which I still want to change and this is the sort of information that will help me to enable myself to make better choices.
I received a very timely newsletter today that relates to Jeremy’s mention of resource consumption and I’ll just post some of the facts enclosed in it here for everyone’s information:
It takes 300 gallons of water per day to produce the food in a vegetarian diet, while a meat-eating diet requires more than 4000 gallons of water per day.
If the USA reduced meat consumption by 10%, we would free more than 12 million tons of grain a year – enough to feed 60 million people!
If 10,000 carnivores gave up beef once/week, more than 700,000 lbs. of grain, 700,000 lbs. of topsoil and 400 million gals of water would be saved each year.
Captcha sez “used”Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 03/15 at 11:07 AMJames thanks for the last recipe and the no egg info - I’m newly inspired to deal with yeast! I hope that on our next NERD day you’ll share one of your mac’n’not-cheese recipes because I have a real fondness for the real stuff and would love to find a better alternative.
JOS belated congratulations on the job - it’s great news...Expendable Good Fortune has “started” to materialise.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 03/15 at 11:49 AMthanks, Amelopsis. Yes it has…
Posted by JOS on from Chicago 03/15 at 12:27 PMHello Expendables. Things got a little chillier here in NYC today. Still sunny, tho.
Glad to hear all the vegan talk. If you click the link “vegan planet” in the main post, it’ll lead you to 101 reasons why one might wanna go veggie. All footnoted.
Okay, I’ve gotta ask: Where’s Joe, Michael, Hawk, TM, RT, Jim S., and so many others who haven’t been here “recently”?
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/15 at 12:46 PMIf I post another recipe will that lure them back? Or scare them away altogether? Either way, glad you liked non-egg related stuff, Amelopsis. Maybe I’ll fit in a mac n’ no-cheese recipe as my story on Saturday, or email you sometime as my experiments continue… Yes, eggs are easy to deal with in baking. I can understand if someone’s desperate and they buy a baked good with some egg in it ‘cause they’re in a difficult situation or whatever, but if you’re going to the trouble of baking in the first place, there’s so many other options available. Good luck!
And to you too, JOS, enjoy that new job. Now we gotta send some of this over to Mudge…
Posted by James on from work 03/15 at 01:14 PMJust got through all the 101 reasons.
Jebus H. I’m relieved to know I’m not participating in the consumption of most of those animal products; and I’m also shamed & guilted (as I knew I would be) into renewing my efforts towards a completely vegan diet.
I like to think I’m relatively well informed, but there is always something new to learn, and even if it’s no more than a reminder of what I already knew it’s like Youngfox said yesterday about what to do if you’ve forgotten to start boiling your water...."slam your fingers in the cupboard door - that’ll learn ya!"I suppose I needed to be disgusted in order to be motivated for further change.
In addition it is really valued advice and sharing of information about the egg substituting. That and cheese are my two main offenders so I’m really glad of the opportunity here.Captcha: “friends”
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 03/15 at 02:04 PMTomorrow is another link day and I will include a short video about factory farming. Very convincing stuff...on the ethical angle (which is why Michele and I do it).
The other hyperlinks in today’s post are related to this conversation and I invite everyone to take a look if they have time.
Btw, I think we might need to do a little Cool Observer outreach to both the MIA and potential Expendables.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/15 at 02:37 PMInspiring stuff. I will link to the 101 reasons from my site. Mickey, you remind me why I am a vegetarian. I believe the personal is definitely the political in this case.
Jeremy I think the SARS thing is really something else. There have been less than 900 deaths worldwide since the outbreak in 2003. Definitely hype as, for example, there have been 45-60 thousand landmine deaths in the same period. But we’ve heard much less about that.
Anyway, great post Mickey. Very meaty. You’ve fleshed out some important points. There’s definitely something fishy going on and I’m glad you’re not too chicken to say so.
Posted by Keir on from The Hague 03/15 at 03:50 PMThanks, Keir...for not calling it eggscellent.
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/15 at 03:54 PMMyabe not eggscellent but it is meaticulously researched and I appreciate the way you lamb-assed the mainstream media pigs.
Posted by Keir on from Den Hogg 03/15 at 04:26 PMI veal-ly wish you would stop.
Captcha sez: ground
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/15 at 04:40 PMOooooh. Video evidence of factory farming - even leaving out the abuse that goes on - is gut wrenching stuff. That’s the shit that’ll get me crying angry whenever I see it.
Posted by Amelopsis on from Canada 03/15 at 04:45 PMHi all:
Still at my brother’s place, so have to come home to use the ‘puter and post stuff. I was gonna give y’all a recipe for roasted brussels sprouts that I loveadorelive-for.
2lb brussels sprouts (preferably just off the stalk)
2lb Granny Smith apples
8oz pecans
1/2 to 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt to taste
Preheat over to 350. Remove brussels sprouts from stalk. Quarter the sprouts lengthwise, standing them on their little butts whenre they came off the stalk. Chunk into a big bowl with 1/2 cup olive oil.
Core and slice apples, then chop coarsely to about the same size as the sprout quarters. Chunk into the sprout bowl.
Spread pecans on a baking sheet that has sides about 1/4 inch high, or a little more. Shove into the oven for 1-2 minutes until you start smelling the nuts.
Toss sprouts and apples with a widge of salt. Open oven, spread sprout/apple stuff on top of hot nuts, and roast everything at 350 for 15mins.
Yum!
Posted by Mudge on from Austin 03/15 at 08:15 PMThank you, Mudge. We can always count on you to “include” the words: you start smelling the nuts.
I’m signing off for the night. Links tomorrow. Spread the word…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/15 at 09:44 PMKeir and MZ, you two are killing me, driving a steak through my heart. What a couple of hams. Bacon your pardon, but MZ once said there just isn’t room here for two punsters. Now there’s three turkeys punnin’ it up. I can see I’m going to have to beef up my effort.
Posted by Jeremy on from Taiwan 03/15 at 10:11 PMI feel sheepish…
Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 03/16 at 05:47 AM
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