The Life and Times of Alex

“Mooooon Rivvverrr…!”

2010-01-06T23:19:00.000-08:00

make sure you can see this picture!

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“Mooooon Rivvverrr…!”

via Cute Overload on 1/6/10

"Are you using the whole fist, doc?"

That's Fletch F. Fletch, Nancy T

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Watching Football Increases Crime

2009-11-17T22:39:00.001-08:00

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Watching Football Increases Crime

via Every Day I'm Tumblin' on 11/17/09

Watching Football Increases Crime :

"We test this hypothesis using data on police reports of family violence on Sundays during the professional football season. Controlling for location and time fixed effects, weather factors, the pre-game point spread, and the size of the local viewing audience, we find that upset losses by the home team (losses in games that the home team was predicted to win by more than 3 points) lead to an 8 percent increase in police reports of at-home male-on-female intimate partner violence. There is no corresponding effect on female-on-male violence. Consistent with the behavioral prediction that losses matter more than gains, upset victories by the home team have (at most) a small dampening effect on family violence. We also find that unexpected losses in highly salient or frustrating games have a 50% to 100% larger impact on rates of family violence."

(via)

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What A $47,221 Lunch Looks Like

2009-11-04T21:46:00.001-08:00

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What A $47,221 Lunch Looks Like

via Serious Eats by Carey Jones on 11/4/09

From Serious Eats: New York

It's already made the New York blog rounds, but we couldn't resist posting this receipt from Nello's in New York, where Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich laid down $47,000 to cover lunch for a party of 6.

Well, when your idea of a good time is buying up major British football teams and 500-foot yachts, a five-figure lunch doesn't seem that lavish in comparison.

Whoever got that automatic 20% gratuity must have been pretty jazzed. [tumbler via Buzzfeed]

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American Vice: Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins

2009-09-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

make sure to see the picture below!

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American Vice: Mapping the 7 Deadly Sins

via Wired Education by Kristina Shevory on 9/3/09

We're gluttons for infographics, and a team at Kansas State just served up a feast: maps of sin created by plotting per-capita stats on things like theft (envy) and STDs (lust). Christian clergy, likely noting the Bible Belt's status as Wrath Central, question the "science." Valid point—or maybe it's just the pride talking.

Greed
Average income compared with number of people living below the poverty line.

Envy
Total thefts (robbery, burglary, larceny, and grand theft auto) per capita.

Wrath
Number of violent crimes (murder, assault, and rape) per capita.

Sloth
Expenditures on art, entertainment, and recreation compared with employment.

Gluttony
Number of fast-food restaurants per capita.

Lust
Number of STD cases reported per capita.

Pride
Aggregate of the other six offenses—because pride is the root of all sin.

Kansas State University Geography/USACE

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If only those 18-29 voted, 38 of 50 states would be OK with same sex marriage

2009-08-23T22:31:00.000-07:00

Really really interesting PDF graph linked below plotting explicit support of same sex marriage by stage and age.

Basically, in 65+ age groups no state is over 35% approval. With 18-29 year olds, all states but 12 in the South are OK with same sex marriage.

Another sign it's only a matter of time.

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Statistical Modeling, Causal Inference, and Social Science: Search Results

via www.stat.columbia.edu on 8/20/09

We plot explicit support for allowing same-sex marriage broken down by state and by age. Seven states cross the 50% mark overall as of our current estimates, but the generation gap is huge. If policy were set by state-by-state majorities of those 65 or older, none would allow same-sex marriage. If policy were set by those under 30, only 12 states would not allow-same-sex marriage.

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Take the train in Bangladesh

2009-08-05T13:07:00.000-07:00

Memories of India...

Thanks Joe!

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Take the train,Bangladesh

via Pixdaus: Popular Today Pics on 8/3/09

"Take the train,Bangladesh"

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Fewer calories equals a longer life -- At least in monkeys

2009-07-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

I might look into this in a few years. What do you think about the idea?

Alex

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/07/09/caloric.restriction.monkeys/

Fewer calories equals a longer life -- At least in monkeys

Story Highlights
Monkey study: Cutting daily calories by 30 percent slows aging process
Study shows effects of calorie restriction in primates closely related to humans
Similar results in mice, worms, and flies: longer, healthier lives
Calorie Restriction Society had 2,000 (human) members in 2007

Cutting daily calorie intake by 30 percent may put the brakes on the aging process, have beneficial effects on the brain, and result in a longer life span, according to a new 20-year study of monkeys published in the journal Science.

Calorie restriction needs to be done carefully in order not to turn into malnutrition, say experts.

The study confirms in primates what's long been known in other species, including mice, worms, and flies. And it's no surprise to the humans who have taken the animal research to heart and adopted calorie restriction as a means to a (hopefully) longer and healthier life.

Brian M. Delaney has been eating 20 percent fewer calories than most people of his size and stature since 1992. "The new study confirms everything we have seen," says Delaney, coauthor of "The Longevity Diet" and president of the nonprofit Calorie Restriction Society, which had 2,000 members in 2007 and thousands more on mailing lists. "It also adds some new information on brain volume changes."

In the study of 76 adult rhesus monkeys (a species that shares many similarities with humans), only 13 percent of the calorie-restricted animals died during the 20-year period, compared with 37 percent of monkeys allowed to eat their usual diet. (The study began with 30 monkeys; an additional 46 were added in 1994.) Health.com: I survived the Master Cleanse -- Then gained all the weight back

At the start of the study, the researchers analyzed how much the monkeys were eating and then cut the calories by 10 percent each month for three months in the calorie-restricted group. The other monkeys were allowed to eat as much as they wanted.

The calorie-restricted monkeys preserved volume in areas of their brain that have been linked to motor control, memory, and problem-solving.

"The new study shows the effects of calorie restriction in primates that are closely related to humans," says lead researcher Ricki Colman, Ph.D., an associate scientist at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, in Madison. "Monkeys in the calorie-restricted group are more likely to live healthier, longer." The oldest monkey in the study is now 29. This species has an average lifespan of 27 when in captivity.

"We don't know about ultimate longevity yet, but the monkeys in the calorie-restricted group are unencumbered by age-related diseases and brain atrophy, which is linked to cognitive ability," says Colman. Health.com: I had a heart attack at 43

Monkeys in both groups consumed very healthful diets. "We are studying calorie restriction, not malnutrition," stresses Colman, who does not follow this type of diet herself. The study diet included 15 percent protein and 10 percent fat and was enriched with vitamins.

As an advocate of calorie-restricted diets, Delaney says he isn't starving, despite his low-calorie lifestyle.

He eats a hearty breakfast including a large bowl of low-fat granola and fruit, soy milk, nonfat yogurt, and a cup of coffee. Delaney admits his 900-or-so-calorie breakfast is more than most people consume in the morning, but he then skips lunch, works an eight- or nine-hour day, and eats a high-fiber, vegetarian dinner, keeping his total intake under 2,000 calories a day. (An average adult male consumes 2,618 calories a day, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)

As a result, Delaney may live a longer and healthier life than his peers who consume more calories. Studies in mice, worms, and flies have shown that this type of diet -- which is not a form of malnutrition or an exercise in self-starvation -- results in longer lives and a lower risk of some cancers, heart disease, and other illnesses associated with aging. Health.com: Why belly fat is bad for your lungs, and why exercise is good

Exactly how a calorie-restricted diet helps stave off age-related diseases and extend lifespan is unknown, but controlling calories can help people lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for many diseases. Eating healthy, nutrient-dense foods can also produce important physiologic changes in the body, which may lower disease risk.

However, not everyone agrees that such severe calorie restriction is a good idea. Keri Gans, R.D., a nutritionist in private practice in New York City and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, has some concerns about both the short- and long-term effects of calorie restriction.

"If you go too far, it can lead to a lot of problems such as dizziness and fatigue in the short term," she says. "In the long term, there can be nutritional deficiencies, decreases in bone mineral density that can lead to osteoporosis, and menstrual irregularities that can lead to infertility.

"Once you start to restrict calories, there is no guarantee of adequate nutrition unless you are following a plan monitored by a registered dietitian," she says. "The less calories you consume, the harder it may be to ensure that your diet includes foods that provide proper nutrition." Health.com: 5 secrets to get-slim success

Even though Delaney is a believer, he agrees that calorie restriction is not for everyone. "If you are pregnant or really old, it is not clear that you can get much benefit, and it may be risky," he says.

He is also quick to point out that a calorie-restricted diet for humans means different things to different people.

"It isn't any one number; it's a principle," he says. "Cutting daily calories by 5 percent is a mild version of calorie restriction, and according to research in lab animals and some in humans, you will get some of the benefits," he says. Others may restrict calories by 20 percent, he says. Health.com: 8 tips for controlling portion sizes

"There really isn't any magic number," Delaney says. His advice? Forget about total calories, measure what you are eating, and go to your doctor to check your fasting glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure. "Reduce your calories by a little bit for a few months, then go back to the doctor and see if your numbers have improved," he suggests.

If your numbers have improved, it may mean you are aging at a reduced rate, he says. High cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes are all linked to heart disease and premature death.

Malena Perdomo, R.D., an American Dietetic Association spokesperson and a clinical outpatient dietitian at Kaiser Permanente Colorado, in Denver, says the new study is interesting. "We have seen similar results in mice and we know that by controlling body weight, we have better health outcomes," she says.

Controlling portion sizes and reducing calories is the key to weight loss, but restricting calories should be done carefully, she advises. "The first step is to get rid of high fat, high sugar foods in the diet, and then we move on to the quality of diet and make sure there are adequate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy in the diet."

Delaney agrees -- these healthful foods are the building blocks of a calorie-restricted diet.

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

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Very funny picture

2009-07-09T12:22:00.000-07:00

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

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Netherlands runs out of criminals, has to shut prisons

2009-05-28T22:18:00.000-07:00

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Netherlands runs out of criminals, has to shut prisons

via Boing Boing on 5/28/09

The Netherlands (where ~~most drugs are~~ cannabis is legal) has so few criminals that it is now faced with the choice of shutting down its prisons and laying off the staff, or importing criminals from other countries like Belgium on a contract basis:

During the 1990s the Netherlands faced a shortage of prison cells, but a decline in crime has since led to overcapacity in the prison system. The country now has capacity for 14,000 prisoners but only 12,000 detainees.
Deputy justice minister Nebahat Albayrak announced on Tuesday that eight prisons will be closed, resulting in the loss of 1,200 jobs. Natural redundancy and other measures should prevent any forced lay-offs, the minister said.

Netherlands to close prisons for lack of criminals (via Futurismic)

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Golden Gate Lutheran Church Converted to Single-Family Home

2009-05-21T16:34:00.000-07:00

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Golden Gate Lutheran Church Converted to Single-Family Home

via SFist by Leanne Maxwell on 5/19/09

Credit: woodruff-miller.com

The 1910, Gothic Revival-style Golden Gate Lutheran Church overlooking Dolores Park, which had to close it's doors in 2006 due to seismic codes, has been converted into a mammoth, 3+ bedroom single-family home. It's currently on the market for a little under $10 million. Sounds like the perfect place for a rockstar to live/afford. Here are the details:

This one-of-a-kind property features an enormous living area that includes the original sanctuary with soaring, coffered and hand-painted ceilings, arched windows framing Dolores Park as well as most of the original stained glass windows, custom mahogany wood finishes, four fireplaces (2 wood-burning & 2 gas), a new chef's kitchen and a spacious dining room. The Master suite level features a marble Roman tub room, dressing room and incredible 360 degree views from the tower meditation room and deck. The home includes an expansive ground floor level that could be used as exhibition space, recording studio, gym and/or home office. There is also a garage that accommodates 4-6 cars.

[Via Boing Boing]

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Man Builds World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Motorcycle

2009-05-16T20:22:00.000-07:00

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Man Builds World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Motorcycle

via Gas 2.0 by Jerry James Stone on 5/14/09

Richard Gryzch has built what he claims is the world's first fully sun-powered electric motorbike.

A project that has taken him more than two years. In fact, to finance building the bike Cryzch sold his other motorbikes and even a house.

He calls the bike a Solar Flyer. A name inspired by those Radio Flyer wagons.

"Everyone told me I was crazy for doing it," he said. "But I'm riding it and it works. And it could change everything. No gas, just hit the throttle and go," he boasted.

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Eat Your Sushi Now, Tuna Will Be Wiped Out By 2012

2009-05-14T22:24:00.001-07:00

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Eat Your Sushi Now, Tuna Will Be Wiped Out By 2012

via Neatorama on 4/26/09

Tunas at the Tsukiji Fish Market. Photo: Fisherman (Wikipedia)

Psst! Love your tuna sashimi? Well, eat up because they may not be around much longer. The World Wildlife Fund has a dire report saying that unless current fishing practices are changed, tunas will be wiped out by 2012:

The population can only be saved by a complete halt to fishing in May and June, when the fish swim to the Mediterranean to spawn, the WWF says. The call comes as the two month tuna fishing season begins.

'Bluefin tuna is collapsing as we speak and yet the fishery will kick off for business as usual,' said Sergi Tudela, of WWF. 'It is absurd and inexcusable to open a fishing season when stocks of the target species are collapsing.'

Link

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Catfish noodling

2009-05-13T13:25:00.001-07:00

This is a YouTube video you should definitely check out. These guys catch HUGE catfish by letting them eat their forearm, then they pull the fish out with their arms.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTEixsmRoBs&fmt=18

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Catfish noodling

via kottke.org by jason@kottke.org on 5/12/09

Noodling is the practice of catching catfish by letting them latch onto your arm.

To begin, a noodler goes underwater to depths ranging from only a few feet to up to twenty feet, placing his hand inside a discovered catfish hole. If all goes as planned, the catfish will swim forward and latch onto the fisherman's hand, usually as a defensive maneuver in order to try to escape the hole. If the fish is particularly large, the noodler can hook the head around its gills.

This video captures some noodling fishermen in action.

(via that's how it happened)

Update: There's a documentary on noodling called Okie Noodling. (thx to many)

Tags: fishing movies okienoodling video

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50 gallons per mile?!? That's the water cost of corn-based ethanol

2009-05-06T14:17:00.000-07:00

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50 gallons per mile?!? That's the water cost of corn-based ethanol

via AutoblogGreen by Sebastian Blanco on 5/5/09

The nail in the coffin of corn-based ethanol might be made of water. The magazine Environmental Science & Technology has published an article that pegs the amount of water needed to make enough corn ethanol to move a vehicle one mile at 50 gallons. That's pretty high.

ES&T calculated the amount of water needed to grow the corn as well as the water that is affected by agriculture. From the article:

As biofuel production increases, a growing need exists to understand and mitigate potential impacts to water resources, primarily those associated with the agricultural stages of the biofuel life cycle (e.g., water shortages and water pollution) herein referred to as the water footprint.

The worst case scenario, ES&T found, would be irrigated sorghum grown in Nebraska and turned into ethanol. This would use up to 115 gallons per mile. Corn grown there would require 50 gallons of water per mile. Say good-bye to "food vs. fuel," say hello to "Drink or drive."

The National Biodiesel Board, naturally, doesn't want to be associated with the study. The NBB issued a statement that read, in part:

As noted by the authors of the study, not all biofuels production characteristics are the same. Biodiesel is produced from recycled greases, animal fats, and vegetable oil that is a co-product of soy protein meal production. Crops are not irrigated or planted solely to produce biodiesel. Conversion of these co-products and byproducts uses very little water -- the entire U.S. biodiesel industry used less processing water in 2008 than it takes to irrigate two Sun Belt golf courses annually.

[Source: Environmental Science & Technology via Environmental Protection, National Biodiesel Board]

Filed under: Biodiesel, Ethanol, Green Daily

50 gallons per mile?!? That's the water cost of corn-based ethanol originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Tue, 05 May 2009 20:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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The Remotest place on Earth

2009-05-02T09:35:00.001-07:00

The answer is apparently the Tibetan Plateau. I was going with central Greenland.

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The Remotest place on Earth

via visualcomplexity.com on 4/29/09

On April 18th 2009, the New Scientist published a remarkable article on a project developed by researchers at the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy, and the World Bank. The authors combined a series of maps to create a new map of connectedness showing the most interconnected and remote places on earth.

The maps are based on a model which calculated how long it would take to travel to the nearest city of 50,000 or more people by land or water. The model combines information on terrain and access to road, rail and river networks. It also considers how factors such as altitude, steepness of terrain and hold-ups like border crossings slow travel.

Plotted onto a map, the results throw up surprises. First, less than 10 per cent of the world's land is more than 48 hours of ground-based travel from the nearest city. What's more, many areas considered remote and inaccessible are not as far from civilisation as you might think. In the Amazon, for example, extensive river networks and an increasing number of roads mean that only 20 per cent of the land is more than two days from a city - around the same proportion as Canada's Quebec province.

The maps were created to show how the distribution of people affects their access to resources such as education and medical care, and how we are increasingly pushing wildlife out of even the wildest corners of our planet.

The first image shows the final map of connectedness while the second image shows a zoomed view over the world's most remote place: the Tibetan plateau. From here, says Andy Nelson, a former researcher at the European Commission, it is a three-week trip to the cities of Lhasa or Korla - one day by car and the remaining 20 on foot. Rough terrain and an altitude of 5200 metres make this the most secluded place on earth.

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GREEN FAIL

2009-05-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

make sure you "always view images" to see the picture

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GREEN FAIL

via TreeHugger on 4/30/09

What's Wrong With This Picture? I think we just found someone who outdid the 2REEHGR Hummer from last year. We couldn't be sure if that license plate was ironic or not (probably, but you never know...), but we're pretty sure that this one is played straight. Now, I'm sure we could find reasons why this makes sense, but still, you have to admit that your "Eco-Smart GoGreen" business has an image problem if that's your company car... Via Failblog ...

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Does Pornography Cause Social Harm?

2009-04-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

Apparently not. All of the bad stuff has declined since the advent of Internet porn in the late 90's.

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Does Pornography Cause Social Harm?

via THIS JUST IN: News, Insight, Self-Help and More by Michael Castleman on 4/27/09

Many people feel offended by pornography. Those who find it odious have every right to their opinion.

But some porn-haters declare that X-rated material does more than just disgust them. They contend that it contributes to significant social harm. In The Porn Trap (2008), psychotherapists Wendy and Larry Maltz assert that it's a significant factor in sexual irresponsibility and divorce.

The late feminist activist, Andrea Dworkin, argued that by depicting women as men's willing sexual playthings, porn contributes to rape. Her disciple, Robert Jensen, writes: "pornography alone doesn't make men rape...[but] it may activate coercive tendencies." And porn critic Diana Russell argues that porn undermines men's inhibitions against rape and spurs some to commit it.

Strong accusations. But are they true? The advent of Internet porn provides surprising answers.

The Internet became a major force in everyday life in the late 1990s. Before then, porn was available in adult stores, through X-rated video rentals, and on some newsstands. But with the arrival of the Internet, porn availability exploded. It was just a click away 24-7 for free in tens of millions of homes and offices. In 1997, 16 percent of American adults used the Internet regularly. By 2005, the figure had quadrupled to 65 percent. The Internet has also made porn much more available to impressionable kids. How many kids, ages 10 to 17, have viewed Internet porn? According to a recent report in the journal Pediatrics, 42 percent.

If porn is a significant contributor to social harm, we would expect to see substantial increases in sexual irresponsibility, divorce, and rape since the late 1990s when the Internet suddenly made X-rated material much more available to those who might instigate sexual mayhem, overwhelmingly men.

Guess what. Since the arrival of Internet porn:

* Sexual irresponsibility has declined. Standard measures include rates of abortion and sexually transmitted infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), since 1990, the nation's abortion rate has fallen 41 percent. The syphilis rate has plummeted 74 percent. And the gonorrhea rate has plunged 57 percent.

* Teen sex has declined. The CDC says that since 1991, the proportion of teens who have had intercourse has decreased 7 percent. Teen condom use has increased 16 percent. And the teen birth rate has fallen 33 percent.

* Divorce has declined. Since 1990, the divorce rate has decreased 23 percent.

* Rape has declined. According to the Justice Department's National Crime Victimization Survey, since 1995, the sexual assault rate has fallen 44 percent.

Why would social ills decline as porn becomes more widely available? No one knows. But the one thing porn really causes is masturbation. Internet porn keeps men at home one-handing it. As a result, they're not out in the world acting irresponsibly-or criminally.

I'm not arguing that porn is utterly harmless. Some men consume it so compulsively that it interferes with their lives. They need therapy. Some women become distraught when they discover that the men in their lives enjoy porn. Thy might benefit from couple therapy. And to the extent that porn is a sex educator, it teaches lovemaking all wrong. More about this in a future blog.

But the evidence clearly shows that from a social welfare perspective, porn causes no measurable harm. In fact, as porn viewing has soared, rates of syphilis, gonorrhea, teen sex, teen births, divorce, and rape have all substantially declined. If Internet porn affects society, oddly enough, it looks beneficial. Perhaps mental health professionals should encourage men to view it.

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CNN 2 min video should be mandatory viewing for every US citizen

2009-04-09T14:32:00.000-07:00

If this amnesty thing passes, I'm gonna become an illegal. Surprised that CNN aired this. Have you seen any mention of this in the Press? We should be in an uproar. Larry

ot

While your proposed socialized medicine will include "rationing" of care, here is what your American Congress would rather spend your tax money on......

-----

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ctrl alt delete tool with a link that works!

2009-03-30T22:22:00.001-07:00

http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/the-ctrl-alt-del-tool

The Ctrl+Alt+Del Tool

2009-03-30T21:16:00.001-07:00

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The Ctrl+Alt+Del Tool

via Tech Blog on 3/13/09

Do you always need to reboot the computer and/or start Windows Task Manager? Look no further than Ctrl+Alt+Del, a handy tool which does just that and nothing more.

(Thanks, Madison)

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Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

2009-03-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

To answer Larry: I agree there is more to giving up sugar to handle diabetes, you need a healthy diet most importantly. However, one of the main factors that most contributes to Type 2 diabetes, the most common, is the high fructose corn syrup-type sugars, found in very high-calorie, high-saturated fat foods. Overall, I think a well balanced diet is the best preventative measure. Larry, I do love red meat and am jealous of your filet mignon. We would love to have you for a meat fest.

To Lauren and everyone, the weather is absolutely amazing. I just spent an hour outside laying out in Union Square.

Julian Nachtigal
(202) 549-2273
jrnachtigal@gmail.com

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 1:38 PM, Larry <lheimann707@comcast.net> wrote:

Alex, Just yesterday brought home a whole filet mignon. Packaged it for the freezer. Approaching 94, not the least worried. Larry

----- Original Message -----

From: Alex

To: alexs-google-reader-shares@googlegroups.com

Cc: Alex

Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:12 PM

Subject: Is red meat public enemy #1?

I think it might be.

- Vast amount of evidence that it increases heart disease and cancer, our top two killers. This study below was 500k people.
- Huge water user. 1,500 gallons for 1 6oz steak between corn growing and supporting cattle! http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/transparency/web/trans0309walkthisway.html
- Gas from cows is a significant piece of the global warming pie (isn't it like 20%)

Longer lives, using less water, AND slowing global warming?

Sent to you by Alex via Google Reader:

BBC NEWS | Health | Death link to too much red meat

via news.bbc.co.uk on 3/24/09

US scientists have produced new evidence suggesting eating lots of red and processed meat damages health.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to news.bbc.co.uk using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

2009-03-27T13:46:00.000-07:00

Haha, Touche

On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 1:38 PM, Larry <lheimann707@comcast.net> wrote:

Alex, Just yesterday brought home a whole filet mignon. Packaged it for the freezer. Approaching 94, not the least worried. Larry

----- Original Message -----

From: Alex

To: alexs-google-reader-shares@googlegroups.com

Cc: Alex

Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:12 PM

Subject: Is red meat public enemy #1?

I think it might be.

- Vast amount of evidence that it increases heart disease and cancer, our top two killers. This study below was 500k people.
- Huge water user. 1,500 gallons for 1 6oz steak between corn growing and supporting cattle! http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/transparency/web/trans0309walkthisway.html
- Gas from cows is a significant piece of the global warming pie (isn't it like 20%)

Longer lives, using less water, AND slowing global warming?

Sent to you by Alex via Google Reader:

BBC NEWS | Health | Death link to too much red meat

via news.bbc.co.uk on 3/24/09

US scientists have produced new evidence suggesting eating lots of red and processed meat damages health.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to news.bbc.co.uk using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

2009-03-27T13:38:00.001-07:00

Alex, Just yesterday brought home a whole filet mignon. Packaged it for the freezer. Approaching 94, not the least worried. Larry

----- Original Message -----

From: Alex

To: alexs-google-reader-shares@googlegroups.com

Cc: Alex

Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2009 5:12 PM

Subject: Is red meat public enemy #1?

I think it might be.

- Vast amount of evidence that it increases heart disease and cancer, our top two killers. This study below was 500k people.
- Huge water user. 1,500 gallons for 1 6oz steak between corn growing and supporting cattle! http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/transparency/web/trans0309walkthisway.html
- Gas from cows is a significant piece of the global warming pie (isn't it like 20%)

Longer lives, using less water, AND slowing global warming?

Sent to you by Alex via Google Reader:

BBC NEWS | Health | Death link to too much red meat

via news.bbc.co.uk on 3/24/09

US scientists have produced new evidence suggesting eating lots of red and processed meat damages health.

Things you can do from here:

Subscribe to news.bbc.co.uk using Google Reader
Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

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Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

2009-03-24T19:00:00.000-07:00

Kindly, good sirs and ladies, I have to disagree. Red meat is delicious. Imagine for just one second a world without filet mignon. A world without prime rib, rib eyes, and T-Bones. A world without hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and bacon cheeseburgers. Quite simply, this is a world I don't want to live in. It is a world worth dying to stop.

What are we to do with the cows on this planet since it is their farts which cause global warming? Shouldn't we not exterminate them? That would stop their gas. You just want to waste all that deliciousness?! How dare you.

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

From: Julian Nachtigal
Date: Tue, 24 Mar 2009 17:15:06 -0700
To: Alex McCauley<alexandermccauley@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

From the American Diabetes Association Statistics page:

There are 23.6 million people in the United States, or 8% of the population, who have diabetes. The total prevalence of diabetes increased 13.5% from 2005-2007. Only 24% of diabetes is undiagnosed, down from 30% in 2005 and from 50% ten years ago.

Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported.

The total annual economic cost of diabetes in 2007 was estimated to be $174 billion. Medical expenditures totaled $116 billion and were comprised of $27 billion for diabetes care, $58 billion for chronic diabetes-related complications, and $31 billion for excess general medical costs.

If present trends continue, one in three Americans, and 1 in 2 minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Each day, approximately 4,110 people are diagnosed with diabetes. In 2005 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people age 20 years or older.

Very scary statistics...Does anyone have some sugar?

Julian Nachtigal
(202) 549-2273
jrnachtigal@gmail.com

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 4:16 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

Yes, yes we will. You should have seen me at 4am on Saturday night. Let's just say that I owe my roommate Lauren some Ben and Jerry's, thus confirming this change is a work in progress!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 4:10 PM, Cheynna Bard <cheynnabard@gmail.com> wrote:

i second that one julian....no going "red meatless" or even worse, VEGETARIAN, on us!
i think your realization is smart alex!....because it is in moderation, & not too EXTREME.
i fully expect that we will be eating some cookie dough & coffee ice cream w/ heath bar chunks soon!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

By the way, this is not meant to be personal or condescending at all, although it may sound like that. I've just recently made this realization and am pretty excited about it (clearly). It just seems to me like this is the "new smoking" in terms of public health initiatives and want to look out for friends and family.

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:48 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

I have no plans to eliminate red meat entirely. I did have an epiphany about a month ago after reading about Ray Kurzweil's diet and then reading his book which is posted for free on his site. The fact that the low-fat, high-antioxidant Asian diet has literally no heart disease and much lower rates of cancer is just amazing to me. No one had ever explicitly stated to me "If you do this, you will likely live X years longer" before.

So, now I'm going to pass on the burger if I have a choice (but enjoy it if I do have it), drink more green tea and red wine, and starting gunning for age 110!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:28 PM, Julian Nachtigal <jrnachtigal@gmail.com> wrote:
don't say no to red meat...you can;t become eric

Julian Nachtigal
(202) 549-2273
jrnachtigal@gmail.com

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:23 PM, Alexandra Chan <alexandragchan@gmail.com> wrote:
alex, is this part of your new life-changing diet?

On 3/24/09, Mark Schneider <markschneid@gmail.com> wrote:

I also have conducted a personal study and it found that red meat is DELICIOUS!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:12 PM, Alex <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think it might be.
>
> - Vast amount of evidence that it increases heart disease and cancer, our
> top two killers. This study below was 500k people.
> - Huge water user. 1,500 gallons for 1 6oz steak between corn growing and
> supporting cattle!
> http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/transparency/web/trans0309walkthisway.html
> - Gas from cows is a significant piece of the global warming pie (isn't it
> like 20%)
>
> Longer lives, using less water, AND slowing global warming?
>
>
>
>
> Sent to you by Alex via Google Reader:
>
>
>
>
> BBC NEWS | Health | Death link to too much red meat
>
> via news.bbc.co.uk on 3/24/09
> US scientists have produced new evidence suggesting eating lots of red and
> processed meat damages health.
>
>
>
> Things you can do from here:
>
> Subscribe to news.bbc.co.uk using Google Reader
> Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite
> sites
>
>
> >
>

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

Re: Is red meat public enemy #1?

2009-03-24T18:27:00.001-07:00

PS - Im not preaching. Just my 2 cents on the issue. I like a burger hear and there too. Just not as often as before.

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 6:25 PM, Eric Leimbach <ericleimbach@gmail.com> wrote:

Something simple I heard a while ago was anything that you Grandma didn't have at her supermarket is probably bad for you.

A balance diet is critical for health reasons and moderation is always the name of the game. In my opinion people eat too much meat. It tends to be easy, filling and very tasty. That said all of those conveniences carry some silent extra baggage, in the for of fat, cholesterol, trace amount of antibiotics. Studies seem to be illustrating that the negatives outweigh the positives if your end go is the possibility of a longer and healthier life. To that you may say, F*** you Eric, I want to live a long time to but again I would point you in the direction of other studies that show that vegetarians and alt food eaters live longer than their meat eating friends. And sure...none of us are like our friend in Texas who has eaten a McD's big mac everyday for the last twenty years (except for five). That said alt food eaters on average are more food aware than the average meat eater. This partially leads into what Julian is saying regarding the sugar issue. I would expand his issue to all processed foods and say that 'real' sugar...like old school table sugar is probably just fine for you. All processed foods have some form of high fructose corn syrup or some other corn (most likely sweet) derivative. This stuff is terrible and really causes you to pack on the pounds and starts you down the road of becoming an obese diabetic (obviously depending on how much you use/abuse).

Anyway, I've got to go but I would define healthy eating and living as such: Fresh, Variety, Moderation, and Minimal Processing.

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 5:15 PM, Julian Nachtigal <jrnachtigal@gmail.com> wrote:

From the American Diabetes Association Statistics page:

There are 23.6 million people in the United States, or 8% of the population, who have diabetes. The total prevalence of diabetes increased 13.5% from 2005-2007. Only 24% of diabetes is undiagnosed, down from 30% in 2005 and from 50% ten years ago.

Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported.

The total annual economic cost of diabetes in 2007 was estimated to be $174 billion. Medical expenditures totaled $116 billion and were comprised of $27 billion for diabetes care, $58 billion for chronic diabetes-related complications, and $31 billion for excess general medical costs.

If present trends continue, one in three Americans, and 1 in 2 minorities, born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime. Each day, approximately 4,110 people are diagnosed with diabetes. In 2005 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people age 20 years or older.

Very scary statistics...Does anyone have some sugar?

Julian Nachtigal
(202) 549-2273
jrnachtigal@gmail.com

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 4:16 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

Yes, yes we will. You should have seen me at 4am on Saturday night. Let's just say that I owe my roommate Lauren some Ben and Jerry's, thus confirming this change is a work in progress!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 4:10 PM, Cheynna Bard <cheynnabard@gmail.com> wrote:

i second that one julian....no going "red meatless" or even worse, VEGETARIAN, on us!
i think your realization is smart alex!....because it is in moderation, & not too EXTREME.

i fully expect that we will be eating some cookie dough & coffee ice cream w/ heath bar chunks soon!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 3:50 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

By the way, this is not meant to be personal or condescending at all, although it may sound like that. I've just recently made this realization and am pretty excited about it (clearly). It just seems to me like this is the "new smoking" in terms of public health initiatives and want to look out for friends and family.

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:48 PM, Alex McCauley <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:

I have no plans to eliminate red meat entirely. I did have an epiphany about a month ago after reading about Ray Kurzweil's diet and then reading his book which is posted for free on his site. The fact that the low-fat, high-antioxidant Asian diet has literally no heart disease and much lower rates of cancer is just amazing to me. No one had ever explicitly stated to me "If you do this, you will likely live X years longer" before.

So, now I'm going to pass on the burger if I have a choice (but enjoy it if I do have it), drink more green tea and red wine, and starting gunning for age 110!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:28 PM, Julian Nachtigal <jrnachtigal@gmail.com> wrote:

don't say no to red meat...you can;t become eric

Julian Nachtigal
(202) 549-2273
jrnachtigal@gmail.com

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:23 PM, Alexandra Chan <alexandragchan@gmail.com> wrote:

alex, is this part of your new life-changing diet?

On 3/24/09, Mark Schneider <markschneid@gmail.com> wrote:

I also have conducted a personal study and it found that red meat is DELICIOUS!

On Tue, Mar 24, 2009 at 2:12 PM, Alex <alexandermccauley@gmail.com> wrote:
> I think it might be.
>
> - Vast amount of evidence that it increases heart disease and cancer, our
> top two killers. This study below was 500k people.
> - Huge water user. 1,500 gallons for 1 6oz steak between corn growing and
> supporting cattle!
> http://awesome.goodmagazine.com/transparency/web/trans0309walkthisway.html
> - Gas from cows is a significant piece of the global warming pie (isn't it
> like 20%)
>
> Longer lives, using less water, AND slowing global warming?
>
>
>
>
> Sent to you by Alex via Google Reader:
>
>
>
>
> BBC NEWS | Health | Death link to too much red meat
>
> via news.bbc.co.uk on 3/24/09
> US scientists have produced new evidence suggesting eating lots of red and
> processed meat damages health.
>
>
>
> Things you can do from here:
>
> Subscribe to news.bbc.co.uk using Google Reader
> Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite
> sites
>
>
> >
>

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117

--
Alex McCauley
(415) 218-2984
San Francisco, CA 94117