Hansen's Disease: Leprosy

I'm reading a very interesting book called Moloka'i, by Alan Brennert.  The historical information in the book is accurate.  Moloka'i was a leper colony for many years.  Anyone who had leprosy or was suspected of having leprosy was sent to the island for a cure, but more likely for life.  Reading this book peaked my interest, so here are some current day facts on the disease called Hansen's disease, or leprosy.

Hansen's disease is an infection caused by a slow growing bacteria.  It can affect the nerves, eyes and lining of the nose.  It can be very disfiguring.  However, with early diagnosis and treatments, it can be cured.  Those that have it can lead a normal, active life.

Once feared highly contagious and devastating, we now know it doesn't spread easily and treatment is very effective.  If lef untreated, it can result in crippling of hands and feet, paralysis and blindness.

Back in the late 1800's and early 1900's when leper colonies were established, the cause and cure of the disease were unknown.  Thus, it was decided to separate those with the disease from the rest of society.  We know better now, but for those inflicted with the disease  a hundred years ago, a life of isolation and poor health was almost a certainty.  We have come a long way.

Australia Turns Out On Election Day

In The United States, we're lucky to get a 55% turnout in a federal election.  Part apathy and part voter suppression through strict ID laws and discrimination and intimidation, the United States makes it difficult to vote.  The reason for this depends on who you talk to.  Democrats will tell you that strict ID laws that try to prevent citizens from voting is the cause.  (Exact ID in Georgia is an example of this).  Republicans will tell you that they need these laws to prevent voter fraud.  (the actual cases of voter fraud are few and far between).  In any event, our voting turnout is a far cry from what you will find in Australia.

In Australia, more than 96% of the population is enrolled to vote, with 90%+ a typical turnout.  Failure to vote may cost you a fine.  Voting is made easy for Australians.  First, all elections take place on a Saturday, so most people don't have to take off work to vote.  Next, it is efficient.  Voting centers are organized by an independent commission, and are well staffed, so there is never more than a few minute wait.  Also, voting has become a party in Australia, with barbeques in every neighborhood.  They have an attitude of "we're all in this together."

Other countries where voting is a requirement include Argentina, Egypt, Singapore, Switzerland and Turkey.  If the U.S. really wanted to make voting easier, we would have more early voting and either employers would give workers time off to vote, or we would hold elections on the weekend.  The truth is, many lawmakers DO NOT want more people to vote.  Making it difficult for seniors, people of color and the poor to vote changes the outcome of elections.

The Courageous Life Of Rita Borsellino

Rita Borsellino began a quiet life as a pharmacist in Sicily, but  when her brother was killed by a bomb set off by the Mafia, her life changed.  She wanted to fight against organized crime, corruption and money laundering, but chose to do it through the political system and peaceful protest.

She was born in 1945, but it wasn't until 1994 that she began her political career, when she was invited to join Libera, an Italian NGO working against crime.  In 2005 Ruth was made an honorary president of Libera. For many years she worked reduce organized crime in Italy and throughout the world.  Ruth was the first Sicilian woman nominated for presidency of her Sicilian region.  She did not win this position, but she did serve as a member of the European Parliament for many years.  Here she worked against organized crime, corruption and money laundering.  She died after a long illness, on August 15.  She's just one example of a strong woman, setting a path for future women to follow.  I said many months ago, that I consider this "The year of the woman."   Ruth Borsellino was ahead of her times, but I wanted to recognize this courageous woman.

Have You Enjoyed Vichyssoise Lately?

One of my favorite restaurants for special occasions used to be Scandia, on Sunset Blvd., in Los Angeles.  Everything I ever ordered there was fantastic, but one of my favorite starters was a soup called vichyssoise.  It must be out of fashion now, as I haven't seen it on a menu in decades.  It's rich and high in calories, and when everyone became conscious of calories and fat, vichyssoise was no longer popular.  I used to make it at home with a canned soup (I think it was Peperridge Farms) that I doctored up by adding extra sour cream and whipping cream.  I would serve it chilled, with a dollop of caviar on top, and friends thought I a real gourmet.

The origin of the soup is unknown, but most historians think it is an American inventions, possibly created by a New York chef to cool customers during the hot summer months. It can be served hot or cold, but I like it cold.  It's main ingredients are potatoes, leeks and cream.  How could it be bad?  Here's a simple recipe.  I'm looking for a good canned soup to doctor up.  It's a pain to make, and hard to get the smooth texture that you want, but here's a recipe to might want to try.

Vichyssoise

SoupGluten-FreeCold SoupPotato

A lighter version of the traditional vichyssoise chilled potato leek soup, with leeks and Yukon Gold potatoes.

Photography Credit: Elise Bauer

Vichyssoise Recipe

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour
• Yield: Makes about 10 cups, serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 4-5 cups sliced leeks, cleaned (see How to Clean Leeks), white and pale green parts only (from about 4 large leeks)
• 1 medium onion, chopped or sliced
• 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 6 cups water (vegetarian option), or chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt (more to taste)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Chopped fresh chives for garnish

MethodHide Photos

1 Heat butter until it begins to brown: In a large (6-quart) pot, heat the butter on medium high heat until it melts and foams up. Continue to heat until the foam subsides a little and the butter just begins to brown.
2 Sauté leeks and onions: Immediately toss in the sliced leeks and onions. Stir to coat with the butter. Cook for several minutes, reducing the heat to medium if necessary, until the leeks and onions are translucent and wilted.

3 Add potatoes, water or stock, salt, bring to simmer: Add the chopped potatoes, salt, and water or stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for 30-40 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked through. Remove from heat.
4 Purée until smooth: Purée using an immersion blender or working in batches, blend in a blender. (Careful! With hot liquids only fill the blender 1/3 of the way full, and hold the blender top on with your hand while blending.) Purée until completely smooth.
If you want an even smoother soup, you can take the extra step of pressing the purée through a sieve with a rubber spatula.
5 Cool and stir in sour cream and whipped cream: Allow to cool a bit before stirring in the sour cream and whipped cream. Allow to cool completely and chill in the refrigerator. The soup should be served just below room temperature (maybe 65°F or 18°C). If it is too cold, it won't taste as good.
Add more salt to taste. Serve garnished with chopped fresh chives.  Recipe from Elise Bauer.

Benefits of Yarsagumba: Caterpillar Fungus

Yarsagumba is an expensive herb, collected by hand in both Tibet and Nepal, used to increase libido in both men and women.  It's natural Viagara.  It's been  part of Chinese medicine for centuries, first mentioned in Chinese medical books in 1694.  It is valued because of its excellent balance of yin and yang, as it contains both animal and vegetable.

It is responsible for a large percentage of the GDP in Nepal because of its price.  One kilogram of yarsagumba ranges in price from $3,000-$18,000, price of course depending on the quality of and size of the caterpillar fungus.  It can be bought on line or in health food stores or herbal shops.  Interesting that many of the medicines that we take to improve health, fitness and aid healing, are already available in nature.  We just have to know where to look.

Can We Achieve 0 Waste?

It's a lofty goal, one that  communities around the world are working toward, which is achievable.  Rather than try to reword what experts have said, here are some goals and ways to get there, to achieve 0 waste.  It's a world wide effort, one which I hope will lead to 0 waste projects becoming mainstream.

Zero Waste

Zero Waste is a concept that challenges the old way of thinking about waste as something that has no value and to be thrown away. According to the Zero Waste Alliance:

Zero waste suggests that the entire concept of waste should be eliminated. Instead, waste should be thought of as a “residual product” or simply a “potential resource” to counter our basic acceptance of waste as a normal course of events. Opportunities such as reduced costs, increased profits, and reduced environmental impacts are found when returning these “residual products” or “resources” as food to either natural and industrial systems.

Zero Waste is a whole system approach that changes the way materials flow through society and ultimately results in no waste. It involves reducing consumption, minimising wastage, maximising recycling and composting, and ensuring that products and materials are designed to use less resources and made to be reused, recycled or biodegradable.
Nature is the best Zero Waste model. There is no waste in nature and by-products produced become resources for others or are assimilated harmlessly back to the surroundings.

The Zero Waste Hierarchy

The Zero Waste hierarchy refers to the following options for managing waste (in order of priority):

1. Right in the beginning, waste should be prevented or reduced through redesign, reduced packaging and material use, and less consumption.
2. Waste should be reused, repaired or refurbished for their original use or for another purpose.
3. Waste should be recycled, reprocessed or composted into raw materials and useful resources.
4. Waste should be recovered for their energy content through waste-to-energy or incineration facilities.
5. After all of the above have been done, waste should be landfilled in a safe and sustainable manner.

Benefits of Zero Waste

The benefits of Zero Waste is that it helps to conserve our resources, reduce pollution, create jobs in waste management, reduce waste costs, increase the lifespan of our Semakau Landfill and incineration plants, and mitigate climate change.

Zero Waste is an extraordinary concept that can lead society, business, and cities to innovative breakthroughs that can save the environment, lives, and money. Through the lens of Zero Waste, an entirely new relationship between humans and systems is envisaged, the only one that can create more security and well being for people while reducing dramatically our impact upon planet earth. The excitement is on two levels: it provides a broad and far-reaching vision, and yet it is practical and applicable today. – Paul Hawken, environmentalist and author (from the publication, The End of Waste, by the Zero Waste New Zealand Trust)

Decoy Dockside San Marcos

On a warm summer evening in August, we decided to try the casual dining spot called Dockside, in Lake San Marcos.  It's one of the  prettiest views around, and if you stay around until dark, you'll see a wonderful light and fountain show.  The fountain in the middle of the lake is going all the time, but around 8pm the light show starts.  Images come out of the fountain, like stars, butterflies and dolphins.  It's worth the trip to Dockside just for the light show.

Dockside is the casual dining spot downstairs, open all around, and VERY noisy.  The food, however, is delicious.  Burgers, calamari, salads, fish tacos, all kinds of nice, light meals.  The noise is a bit of an issue for me, so if I return there, it will be during the week.  If you're in for a more formal gourmet meal, try Decoy, right upstairs.  The decor is beautiful, with the same wonderful view of the lake, fountain, and lights, but the food is expensive.  I have not eaten there but hear it is worth the money, if you're in the mood for a big meal.  The restaurant is handicapped accessible, although there are not a lot of handicapped parking places.  I had to drop Ron off and go park the car across the street.  It even has several charging stations.

Next time the evening is warm, try Dockside.  Food is good, and the light show is worth the visit.

Lasagna Pie: Easy and Elegant

I love lasagna, but it seems so much trouble to make and a mess to serve.  Here is a recipe for lasagna pie that is easy to serve and so elegant.  It's a bit of trouble, but once you have the main ingredients prepared, it's just a matter of assembly.

                                  Easy Lasagna Pie

1/4 c. chopped onion
1 T. chopped garlic
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper

In a pan with a little olive oil, mix the above ingredients until the meat is brown and crumbly.  Drain fat.  Add 1 can tomato sauce, one can tomato paste and mix into the meat mixture.  This is the meat sauce for your pie.  Add a little water if it's too thick.

1 large container ricotta cheese
1/4 c. chopped parsley
1 egg
salt and pepper

Mix above ingredients well and set aside.

In the meantime, cook a package  of lasagna noodles to al dente, and set aside on a platter to cool.

Assembly:  Take a large round bowl or pyrex round casserole and lay the lasagna noodles around the bowl, with about 2 inches hanging out over the top.  Sprinkle parmesean cheese on the bottom of the bowl, then add a layer of meat sauce.  Next,  cover with noodles, cut to fit in the casserole, single layer.  Then, add the cheese mixture, another layer of noodles, parmesean cheese and meat sauce.  Fold the noodles toward the middle of the bowl so that all you see is noodles.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Invert on a platter.  Cover with the following white sauce:

1/2 cup milk
3 T melted butter
2T flour
1/4 cup parmesean cheese
salt and pepper

Melt butter, add flour to make a roux, then add milk to make a creamy sauce.   Finally add the
 cheese and salt and pepper.  Pour over the top of the lasagna pie before serving.

Cut the lasagna like a pie.  It is easy to cut, and so delicious.  A twist on everyone's favorite, lasagna that is elegant and delicious.

Caviar of the South Pacific: Palolo Worms

Every year in November, the palolo worms come to the waters of the South Pacific.  In Samoa palolo worms swarm in vast numbers.  Men, women and children stand in the shallow water with Coleman lanterns and nets, like butterfly nets, to capture the worms and dump them in a larger bucket.  Men launch boats to scoop up the worms in deeper water.  Great numbers of worms, as thick as vermicelli are a South Pacific delicacy.  The hunt for the worms is over in a few short hours.  The blue and green worms are gathered up by eager Samoans, and many swallow them raw on the spot.  Most scoop them up and dump them in buckets for the next day's celebration.

After gathering this delicacy, the next day is a kind of Thanksgiving celebration feast.  The palolo worms are either fried or baked into a loaf with coconut milk on toast.  They are salty, and some say they're like caviar.  One writer described them as follows:
With the first taste of palolo I understood the Samoans’ love for it. Certainly it suggested a salty caviar, but with something added, a strong, rich whiff of the mystery and fecundity of the ocean depths.

—R. Steinberg. Pacific and Southeast Asian cooking. Time-Life Books, New York, 1970

The worms only swarm once a year, so the locals gather them and eat them right away.  Interesting to know about these worms, but for a salty taste I'll stick to the fish eggs(caviar) I know and love.

Cleaning Up Our Oceans

Climate change is partially the fault of man.  The 1.8 trillion pounds of plastic garbage found between California and Hawaii IS completely man made.  It's the result of careless people throwing was in the ocean, down storm drains, and boats and fishermen.  The result is 5 ocean garbage patches throughout the oceans of the world, that are killing ocean plants and animals at an alarming rate.

A Dutch scientist was diving in Greece at age 16 and saw tremendous garbage in the sea, more garbage than fish.  Many fish were dead, having become ensnared in fishing lines and nets.  He decided to devote his life to cleaning up the oceans.

92% of the plastic found in the oceans consists of large pieces, easier to clean up.  The remaining 8% are micro particles of plastic, once large pieces of plastic, that have been broken down and are much more difficult to clean up.  What scientists have done is created a floater that moves with the tides and forms a barrier around the debris area.  The fish can swim below the floater.  It picks up garbage, transports it to land where it is recycled and used to produce durable goods.  The floater uses solar energy, keeping it in constant touch with satellites, so there can be no interference with other activities.  This is a simplistic explanation of what the floater does and how it does it, but it does collect the garbage.

The projection is that this process could clean up 50% of the ocean debris in 5 years, and by 2050, our oceans could be ocean free.  Of course this takes everyone's cooperation.  We need to good managers of the planet, and dispose of plastic properly.  Amazing.  A young teenager's diving trip turned out to be a defining moment in his life.  Because of that diving trip, he has devoted his life to saving our oceans.  Oh, and he's only 24 years old.  What else will he do?

Go to brightvibes.com for short videos on all kinds of interesting environmental issues throughout the world.  You'll be surprised and fascinated by what's going on.

The Origins of Bungee Jumping

When Phil was 17 and went on a family trip with his girlfriend and came back telling me he had gone bungee jumping in Lake Tahoe, I was shocked.  I couldn't imagine a parent allowing an under age child to do such a dangerous activity without permission, but they did, and he lived to tell about it.  Since then, I have always been fascinated with bungee jumping, and wonder WHY anyone would do it.  When I researched the origins of bungee jumping, I found that its predecessors have been around for a long, long time.

On the island of Penecost, one of the 83 islands that make up the nation of Vanatu, land diving has been a ritual forever.  This small South Pacific island has only 17,000 permanent residents, most living on the west coast of the island.  The east coast is wild and uninhabited.  There are no real towns, mostly rural villages, with homes built of wood or bamboo.  They survive by subsistence agriculture and cash crops, including taro, yams, bananas, coconuts and island cabbage.  Pigs are highly important in Penecost, and may be given as payment during the marriage ceremony.  There are 5 indigeneous languages.  Additionally, Bisiana, a form of pidgin English is spoken by most.  These are mostly tribal groups, and land diving is one of their ancient rituals.

Land diving is an ancient ritual in which young men jump from a tall wooden platform (that looks like it might topple over at any time) with vines tied to their ankles, as a test of courage and passage to manhood.  (the men I know would take a bar mitzvah any day!).  Then, in 1979 a bunch of crazy Brits in Bristol jumped off a bridge using a cord.  From there, it spread all over the world, with New Zealand claiming the first organized bungee jumping.  In any event, the people of Penecost claim they should be compensated for what they view as unauthorized appropriation of their cultural property.   Do you think they're entitled to anything?  I don't think so, but it is interesting, at least to me, how bungee jumping got started.

Check out this u tube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjuOav9o43g

La Michoacana: New Ice Cream Shop In Town

Ritas used to be one of our favorite ice cream shops, but sadly they are gone.  Finally, a new ice cream shop is opening right around the corner from us.  It's called La Michoacana.  I was at one of their LA locations a while ago and was blown away.  They have about 100 flavors of ice cream and sorbet, paletas and lots of other goodies.  Here's a little about La Michoacana.

The Lua family started the company in Mexico about 60 years ago. They originated in Tocumbo,  in the state of Michoacan. They made milk based pops and water based pops with ingredients like mango, cucumber, lime juice and chili powder.  Recently they decided to open up shop in the US, starting in the Inland Empire.  Now they're in San Diego.  I know of two locations:  One in San Marcos on San Marcos Blvd, where I just stopped for a scoop of pineapple coconut, loaded with coconut, and strawberries and cream, with big chunks of fresh strawberries.  The other location is in Vista, on Melrose and Shadowridge.

When I lived in LA I saw the little ice cream carts on street  corners everywhere, but never tried them.  Now they have brick and mortar stores and sell the fruit paletas plus delicious ice cream.  Next time you're in the mood for ice cream or a frozen fruit bar, try La Michoacana.  You won't be disappointed.

Imperfection Vs Perfection: Both Are Important

Man and nature are imperfect, which is part of what makes us so interesting.  All creatures do not look the same.  It's the imperfections in nature that we love.  In science, on the other hand, perfection is required.  Beginning with the Industrial Revolution and its multitude of technical advances, perfection has been required.  A jet plane needs every part and element in it's right place for it to run properly.  An I phone and surgical procedures now use robots for the precision required in their work. In search of perfection, robots have replaced man for many types of jobs.  Man can make a mistake, computers and robots do not make mistakes.

I think we all figured out long ago that we are not perfect, try as we might.  A mistake in a painting that an artist might be working on becomes part of it's uniqueness.  A crafty projects that  you make a mistake on gives it character.  So much of what I personally like about people and nature are the imperfections.  Someone with a quirky personality is far more interesting than someone who is totally predictable.  The old tree that curves and swerves, is more memorable than the tall, straight tree that looks like every other tree in the forest.

Our world of technology demands perfection.  If your GPS is not assembled properly, it will not work.  If your automobile is not assembled perfectly, it will not run.  Robots have now replaced man for many tasks, because they are perfect and we're not.

In school, many students are striving for a 100% score, perfection.  Being human, most students do not achieve this.  My husband Ron always tells the story of his mom, Anita, who thought he was the smartest young man in the world.  When he'd come home with a 98% on a math test as he often did, rather than praise him for his achievement, she would ask him, "What happened to the other 2 points?"  We are imperfect, unlike robots, computers and machines, and that's what makes us human.