Am I crazy. In today's New York Times Sports section I started to read about IGF-1, both in an article linking Ray Lewis to deer antler extract and in an overview summary article on IGF-1's use as a mainstay of banned performance-enhancing drugs. I also just finished reading Dr. Fuhrman's book, "The End of Diabetes", where he was all over IGF-1 and how it was was the source of all evil, especially for diabetics.
I can comfortably predict that the Ray Lewis story will go nowhere, that he will become a successful TV analyst and that he will be in the hall of fame. I cannot predict who will win the Super Bowl or if I will cheat and have some wings. I'll make, baked not fried, Buffalo wings for the big game and like chips you can't have just one.
The New York Times reported "Available at anti-aging clinics, IGF-1, or insulinlike growth factor-1, has found favor among athletes for the same reasons that its better-known relative human growth hormon has: it is believed to make an athlete bigger, faster and stronger. It may may boost muscle, reduce fat and improve endurance."
Dr. Fuhrman writes in "The End of Diabetes" IGF-1 signaling is crucial for growth and development in childhood, but it promotes the aging process later in life. Reduced IGF-1 signaling is associated with enhanced life span." Fuhrman, MD also states that "The largest concern about elevated IGF-1 from our modern diet is its link to cancer". He goes on to say that the largest sources of IGF-1 come from animal based proteins including dairy.
What? The NYT said that IGF-1 is available at anti-aging clinics and Fuhrman , the "Eat to Live" guy said it will make me old, gray and die of cancer. This is what I go through all the time when I read different nutrition books and listen to experts on all sides of the debate.
Furhrman is very anti anything white, including pasta, bread, and potatoes while Dr. McDougall, MD "The Starch Solution" has advocated a vegetarian based diet loaded with starches. He believes that
without the rice and potatoes you'll never be satisfied and will not comply with a plant based diet.
Ian Smith MD's "The Shred Diet" is the number one seller on the NY Times Advice Section. His plan is very different from a vegetarian based concept.
Everyone invested in the nutrition field has spent years and is fully committed to helping others. I want to find a life style that I can believe in, that I know is based on fact and not on wishful thinking. I love to eat but I am willing to do the right thing in an effort to be as healthy as I can be. I have been leaning towards Dr. Fuhrman's philosophy lately and feel his challenge to become healthy enough that I can get off all of my medications, through diet and exercise. The draw back is that the more plants and less of everything else that I eat, the harder it is for me to feel full and as a result I start snacking at night. My snacks are healthy but I find myself picking and nibbling a lot.
The one common denominator in all of the diet and nutrition dialogue is exercise so I guess I'll go for my run now.
Don T
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Fuhrman verse Paleo, Ali verse Frazier
Today's New York Times Book Review's Advice Section had 13 out of its 20 books featuring diets, nutrition, and/ or recipes. Among the group's titles were 2 books by Joel Fuhrman, MD, "The End Of Diabetes" and "Eat To Live", as well as the "Practical Paleo" by Diane Sanfilippo.
I find it so unnerving that there is so much disagreement among the plant based, micronutrient, photochemical folks verses the lean meat, animal protein, group. It's like watching the Democrats and Republicans fighting over whatever, with each side hiring their expert witnesses.
Dr. Fuhrman's "Nutritarian" diet is based on Health = Nutrients/Calorie Density of the foods that we eat. He recommends a plant base diet with the following ratio ranges: 30-60% Vegetable Calories (dark green leafy veggies are his favorites), 10-40% Beans/Legumes, 10-40% Fruit, 10-40% Seeds/Nuts and 20% or fewer Whole Grains. Dr. Fuhrman gives a little slack to those who can't resist meat and will allow a small serving, once or twice a week, of fish or poultry. He is really big on cruciferous vegetables, beans for fiber and protein and fresh fruit. Likewise he is very adverse to eggs and oils and my favorite quote of his is "The Whiter the Bread, the Sooner You're Dead".
Dr. Fuhrman calls out the Paleo diet as just another version of the Atkins high protein diet. He goes on to call it dangerous for both cardiovascular and for kidney disease risks. Fuhrman states that the Paleo camp recommends a low carbohydrate diet meaning, a low starch diet without differentiating between simple sugars or refined carbohydrates and resistant starches, such as beans.
The Paleo diet is based on the idea that our ancestors were healthy hunter gathers and that modern day ills were unknown until the invention of domestic farming, starting at the end of the Paleolithic era. The basic principles of the diet include obtaining 35-45% of calories from Non Starchy Vegetables, 20-35% Grass Fed Animal Protein (wild games is even better) or Fish. The balance is from Fruits, Nuts and Seeds. The Paleo diet forbids grains, legumes, and pasteurized dairy. Eggs, lard, tallow, and olive oil are okay but highly processed vegetable oils are not.
So, Ali verse Frazier, Fuhrman verse Paleo. About 11/2 years ago I started on a road to a healthier life style with diet and exercise. I believed that if I could cut out the snacks, fried foods, less meat, especially red meat, and exercise more that I would be on my way. I have made so much progress, lost a lot of weight, have consistently good blood labs and feel really healthy. What I didn't expect was that I would become obsessed with reading everything that I could on nutrition and becoming more and more confused. I'm not only confused about the nutritional aspects of my diet but the moral dilemma of eating animals has become an issue as well.
As far as Paleo goes, I'm not a believer because there is so much evidence in favor of plants over animals and the benefits of beans/legumes. I do however find it fascinating that there are so many people who are equally committed to the opposite opinion, just like the democrats and republicans. At least everyone can agree on salad for lunch.
Don T
I find it so unnerving that there is so much disagreement among the plant based, micronutrient, photochemical folks verses the lean meat, animal protein, group. It's like watching the Democrats and Republicans fighting over whatever, with each side hiring their expert witnesses.
Dr. Fuhrman's "Nutritarian" diet is based on Health = Nutrients/Calorie Density of the foods that we eat. He recommends a plant base diet with the following ratio ranges: 30-60% Vegetable Calories (dark green leafy veggies are his favorites), 10-40% Beans/Legumes, 10-40% Fruit, 10-40% Seeds/Nuts and 20% or fewer Whole Grains. Dr. Fuhrman gives a little slack to those who can't resist meat and will allow a small serving, once or twice a week, of fish or poultry. He is really big on cruciferous vegetables, beans for fiber and protein and fresh fruit. Likewise he is very adverse to eggs and oils and my favorite quote of his is "The Whiter the Bread, the Sooner You're Dead".
Dr. Fuhrman calls out the Paleo diet as just another version of the Atkins high protein diet. He goes on to call it dangerous for both cardiovascular and for kidney disease risks. Fuhrman states that the Paleo camp recommends a low carbohydrate diet meaning, a low starch diet without differentiating between simple sugars or refined carbohydrates and resistant starches, such as beans.
The Paleo diet is based on the idea that our ancestors were healthy hunter gathers and that modern day ills were unknown until the invention of domestic farming, starting at the end of the Paleolithic era. The basic principles of the diet include obtaining 35-45% of calories from Non Starchy Vegetables, 20-35% Grass Fed Animal Protein (wild games is even better) or Fish. The balance is from Fruits, Nuts and Seeds. The Paleo diet forbids grains, legumes, and pasteurized dairy. Eggs, lard, tallow, and olive oil are okay but highly processed vegetable oils are not.
So, Ali verse Frazier, Fuhrman verse Paleo. About 11/2 years ago I started on a road to a healthier life style with diet and exercise. I believed that if I could cut out the snacks, fried foods, less meat, especially red meat, and exercise more that I would be on my way. I have made so much progress, lost a lot of weight, have consistently good blood labs and feel really healthy. What I didn't expect was that I would become obsessed with reading everything that I could on nutrition and becoming more and more confused. I'm not only confused about the nutritional aspects of my diet but the moral dilemma of eating animals has become an issue as well.
As far as Paleo goes, I'm not a believer because there is so much evidence in favor of plants over animals and the benefits of beans/legumes. I do however find it fascinating that there are so many people who are equally committed to the opposite opinion, just like the democrats and republicans. At least everyone can agree on salad for lunch.
Don T
Friday, January 18, 2013
Guns + Larry Ward offends Dr. King
Larry Ward, the founder of Gun Appreciation Day, recently defended his choice of celebrating our uninhibited right to bear arms to coincide with our holiday to honor Martin Luther King Jr., saying "I think Martin Luther King Jr. would agree with me if he were alive today that if African Americans had been given the right to keep and bear arms from day one of the country’s founding, perhaps slavery might not have been a chapter in our history."
This statement by Mr. Ward is so offensive to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I feel compelled to respond. Dr. King was a man of peace, who not only spoke out for racial equality but against all social injustices. He endured so much in the hope that someday we would live in a country where everyone was not judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.
Whenever I hear Dr. King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, I am left with a profound sense of sadness at his passing, but I will forever be thankful to him for the life and sacrifices that he made. It was on 4/3/68 in Memphis that Dr. King stood before a church congregation and said, "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't really matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
"I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now." Does that sound like a man who would arm himself with assault weapons, shot first, ask questions later and hide behind the second amendment? Dr. King knowingly laid down his young life in the hope that one day every man, woman and child could break bread together and live in a prosperous, equal, and free society. Millions of Americans and people around the world, myself included, will honor his memory on Monday and forever.
Does Mr. Ward believe that Malcolm X, The Black Panthers, or Louis Farrakhan have a better road map. Some people who feel that they have suffered great injustices either personally and/or collectively through the generations may feel that non violence, turn the other cheek, is not the best solution and therefore may agree with Mr. Ward.
Finally, what would Larry Ward say to anarchists who feel that they are oppressed, enslaved by the government, and can't take it anymore? A vary scary thought indeed.
I will concede that Mr. Ward's statement was made as hyperbole, since I can not believe that a rational person could possibly condone such a thought. That being said, I also feel so passionate about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I just wanted to express my outrage over Mr. Ward's statement.
For those who are opposed to New York's new gun laws maybe we should adopt Oklahoma's Open Carry Law. Just imagine how much fun New Year's Eve in Times Square would be.
I'm personally in favor of a repeal of the second amendment and believe that private citizens should not be allowed to own guns. I also realize that I am out of the main stream and that sensible gun laws can be effective in reducing gun violence. President Obama just completed his speech and I was impressed by they way he asked the American People to demand that their elected representatives do the right, common sense, thing on guns.
Just my personal thoughts,
Don T
This statement by Mr. Ward is so offensive to the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I feel compelled to respond. Dr. King was a man of peace, who not only spoke out for racial equality but against all social injustices. He endured so much in the hope that someday we would live in a country where everyone was not judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character.
Whenever I hear Dr. King's "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech, I am left with a profound sense of sadness at his passing, but I will forever be thankful to him for the life and sacrifices that he made. It was on 4/3/68 in Memphis that Dr. King stood before a church congregation and said, "We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't really matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."
"I would like to live - a long life; longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now." Does that sound like a man who would arm himself with assault weapons, shot first, ask questions later and hide behind the second amendment? Dr. King knowingly laid down his young life in the hope that one day every man, woman and child could break bread together and live in a prosperous, equal, and free society. Millions of Americans and people around the world, myself included, will honor his memory on Monday and forever.
Does Mr. Ward believe that Malcolm X, The Black Panthers, or Louis Farrakhan have a better road map. Some people who feel that they have suffered great injustices either personally and/or collectively through the generations may feel that non violence, turn the other cheek, is not the best solution and therefore may agree with Mr. Ward.
Finally, what would Larry Ward say to anarchists who feel that they are oppressed, enslaved by the government, and can't take it anymore? A vary scary thought indeed.
I will concede that Mr. Ward's statement was made as hyperbole, since I can not believe that a rational person could possibly condone such a thought. That being said, I also feel so passionate about the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that I just wanted to express my outrage over Mr. Ward's statement.
For those who are opposed to New York's new gun laws maybe we should adopt Oklahoma's Open Carry Law. Just imagine how much fun New Year's Eve in Times Square would be.
I'm personally in favor of a repeal of the second amendment and believe that private citizens should not be allowed to own guns. I also realize that I am out of the main stream and that sensible gun laws can be effective in reducing gun violence. President Obama just completed his speech and I was impressed by they way he asked the American People to demand that their elected representatives do the right, common sense, thing on guns.
Just my personal thoughts,
Don T
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Omnivore, Vegetarian or Vegan, not there yet
I have spent the last several months struggling with the idea of becoming a vegetarian. Since I have already moved somewhat in that direction, it would seem like an easy decision, but it is not. The more that I read about dairy, factory farming, and the morality surrounding our food choices, the more the idea of becoming a vegan has complicated the picture.
My first question is what role does milk and dairy products play in osteoporosis and cancer?
American women have among the highest consumption of dairy products, yet they also have the highest rate of osteoporosis and bone fractures. One of the leading theories focusing on this paradox is that milk increases the acidity of our tissues, and in order to neutralize this acid our bones leach calcium. Is "drink milk and build strong bones" a true statement, or is it misinformation based on very old science or perhaps an advertising lie perpetuated by the dairy industry?
Most milk and cheese produced in America is now obtained from CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), or factory farming. Here, the cows are injected with various genetically engineered hormones and are subjected to unnatural milking practices in an effort to maximize milk production. European countries and Canada have found that the link between American milk and hormone induced cancer is strong enough that they have banned American milk and cheese products obtained in this fashion. The evidence linking the proteins found in milk and cancer, especially prostate cancer, is less strong, and you can find arguments defending either side of the issue. I wonder, however, if switching to soy alternatives are better since the consumption of soy in large quantities has also been linked to hormone induced cancers.
Another question that I have is how much protein is enough, and is animal protein necessary?
I know healthy vegetarians and vegans who have raised their children from a very young age without any ill effects and are very happy with their lifestyle choices. I understand that Vit. B-12 is the only supplement that is strongly recommended by almost every expert. The vegetarian/vegan nutritionists unequivocally state that you can easily meet all of your nutritional needs by eating a healthy plant based diet that is full of flavor and variety. Vegan experts further state that on a vegan diet you can eat all that you want and with just a modest amount of exercise you will lose weight, while maintaining your nutritional health. Furthermore, vegetables are the most nutritionally dense foods, whereas animal based foods are all second hand. Just think about it, animals need to eat it first before they can pass it along to you, so why not cut out the middle man?
Over the past year, people have taken notice of my healthy eating habits, and the discussion of becoming a vegetarian would inevitably come up. My standard answer always included the qualifier that if I was to become a vegetarian it would for health reasons, and that I do not have a moral objections to eating meat. I'm not sure if my answer was ment to ensure that I wasn't passing judgement on others or that I needed to convince myself that the sacrifice of giving up the convenience and taste of meat, possibly forever, was necessary to ensure my own health.
Until I started studying about vegetarianism, I had no idea about modern day agriculture, and how our food arrived at our table. The cruelty, harm to the environment, and unhealthy quality of our meat, fish, and poultry has become unbelievable due to factory farming. The fresh turkey that I cooked and was so proud of on Thanksgiving may have been the single most unhealthy thing that my family ate all year. Environmentally, the little that we do to reduce our carbon footprint by driving more efficient cars and turning down the thermostat is so insignificant in comparison to the massive pollution and greenhouse gases released by modern day farming. It was Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel, The Jungle, that brought turn of the century slaughterhouse horrors to light, and now modern day factory farming can best be described as Frankenstein meets The Jungle. There are, however, a few non factory farms and farmers markets where one can purchase animal based products that were obtained in more humane ways and are healthier.
For me, the greatest obstacles to becoming vegetarian or vegan are all logistical. I know that if I go meat or animal/dairy free, I will have to fly solo, while my family continues on their omnivore ways. Even now, there are times that I try to impose my will, yet they prefer that I leave them alone. Lets just say for now, we're not on the same page. For myself, nothing is embedded in stone, and I can always adjust as I try new things. I believe that my greatest chance for success is to ease into the lifestyle by slowly adding vegetarian/vegan meat substitutes and slowly eliminating animal products. To go cold turkey (pardon the pun) seems like a quick fix but a long term recipe for failure.
This morning I was online looking for an unrelated book and was linked to Stand Bookstore, one of the worlds largest independent book retailers, home to 18 miles of books. After my search, I happened to check out their collection of vegetarian and vegan books. I was amazed that 3/4 of their dozens upon dozens of v/v cook books, and how to books, were out of stock. I guess at lot of folks are new vegetarians or getting ready to make the change. I really can't say where this journey will ultimately take me, but I do know that I don't make new years resolutions anymore and will probably change my direction multiple times as the seasons unfold.
Happy New Year,
Don T
My first question is what role does milk and dairy products play in osteoporosis and cancer?
American women have among the highest consumption of dairy products, yet they also have the highest rate of osteoporosis and bone fractures. One of the leading theories focusing on this paradox is that milk increases the acidity of our tissues, and in order to neutralize this acid our bones leach calcium. Is "drink milk and build strong bones" a true statement, or is it misinformation based on very old science or perhaps an advertising lie perpetuated by the dairy industry?
Most milk and cheese produced in America is now obtained from CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations), or factory farming. Here, the cows are injected with various genetically engineered hormones and are subjected to unnatural milking practices in an effort to maximize milk production. European countries and Canada have found that the link between American milk and hormone induced cancer is strong enough that they have banned American milk and cheese products obtained in this fashion. The evidence linking the proteins found in milk and cancer, especially prostate cancer, is less strong, and you can find arguments defending either side of the issue. I wonder, however, if switching to soy alternatives are better since the consumption of soy in large quantities has also been linked to hormone induced cancers.
Another question that I have is how much protein is enough, and is animal protein necessary?
I know healthy vegetarians and vegans who have raised their children from a very young age without any ill effects and are very happy with their lifestyle choices. I understand that Vit. B-12 is the only supplement that is strongly recommended by almost every expert. The vegetarian/vegan nutritionists unequivocally state that you can easily meet all of your nutritional needs by eating a healthy plant based diet that is full of flavor and variety. Vegan experts further state that on a vegan diet you can eat all that you want and with just a modest amount of exercise you will lose weight, while maintaining your nutritional health. Furthermore, vegetables are the most nutritionally dense foods, whereas animal based foods are all second hand. Just think about it, animals need to eat it first before they can pass it along to you, so why not cut out the middle man?
Over the past year, people have taken notice of my healthy eating habits, and the discussion of becoming a vegetarian would inevitably come up. My standard answer always included the qualifier that if I was to become a vegetarian it would for health reasons, and that I do not have a moral objections to eating meat. I'm not sure if my answer was ment to ensure that I wasn't passing judgement on others or that I needed to convince myself that the sacrifice of giving up the convenience and taste of meat, possibly forever, was necessary to ensure my own health.
Until I started studying about vegetarianism, I had no idea about modern day agriculture, and how our food arrived at our table. The cruelty, harm to the environment, and unhealthy quality of our meat, fish, and poultry has become unbelievable due to factory farming. The fresh turkey that I cooked and was so proud of on Thanksgiving may have been the single most unhealthy thing that my family ate all year. Environmentally, the little that we do to reduce our carbon footprint by driving more efficient cars and turning down the thermostat is so insignificant in comparison to the massive pollution and greenhouse gases released by modern day farming. It was Upton Sinclair's 1906 novel, The Jungle, that brought turn of the century slaughterhouse horrors to light, and now modern day factory farming can best be described as Frankenstein meets The Jungle. There are, however, a few non factory farms and farmers markets where one can purchase animal based products that were obtained in more humane ways and are healthier.
For me, the greatest obstacles to becoming vegetarian or vegan are all logistical. I know that if I go meat or animal/dairy free, I will have to fly solo, while my family continues on their omnivore ways. Even now, there are times that I try to impose my will, yet they prefer that I leave them alone. Lets just say for now, we're not on the same page. For myself, nothing is embedded in stone, and I can always adjust as I try new things. I believe that my greatest chance for success is to ease into the lifestyle by slowly adding vegetarian/vegan meat substitutes and slowly eliminating animal products. To go cold turkey (pardon the pun) seems like a quick fix but a long term recipe for failure.
This morning I was online looking for an unrelated book and was linked to Stand Bookstore, one of the worlds largest independent book retailers, home to 18 miles of books. After my search, I happened to check out their collection of vegetarian and vegan books. I was amazed that 3/4 of their dozens upon dozens of v/v cook books, and how to books, were out of stock. I guess at lot of folks are new vegetarians or getting ready to make the change. I really can't say where this journey will ultimately take me, but I do know that I don't make new years resolutions anymore and will probably change my direction multiple times as the seasons unfold.
Happy New Year,
Don T
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Sportsperson of the Year
Sports Illustrated named Lebron James as their Sportsman of the Year. He was the MVP of the NBA regular season and the playoff finals. Lebron won the NBA championship with the Miami Heat and an Olympic goal medal, so the Sportsman of the Year sounds reasonable.
Lionel Messi, however, needs to be recognized for a level of excellence that may never be matched. As a soccer player, he plays forward for the Argentina national team and for FC Barcelona. This year, the 5' 7'', 25 year old broke the long standing record of 85 goals in a calendar year. At last count he had 91 and he's not done. Is he the best footballer in history? The debate will continue. At his best, hockey's "Great One" Wayne Gretzky, 1981-82 season, scored 92 goals, breaking the record of 72, while scoring 50 of those goals in just 39 games. But just think, Gretzky was the greatest in the history of a few million, amateur and professional, hockey players world wide, where as Messie is perhaps the greatest among billions of footballers around the globe. As great as he is, some believe, experts included, that Messi isn't even the best soccer player of the year. They"ll cast their vote for Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portugese forward, who plays for Real Madrid. These fierce rivals are scheduled to compete against each other in Madrid, March 2013, as Real Madrid takes on Barcelona.
In my humble opinion, Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, Usain Bolt, Rory Mcllroy, Serena Williams or Andy Murray, to name just a few, are more deserving than Lebron.
My choice for sportsperson (not sportsman) of the year is Lionel Messi. Like Gretzky, Messi isn't the biggest, fastest, or strongest but there is always the potential for something very special whenever he touches the ball.
Don T
Lionel Messi, however, needs to be recognized for a level of excellence that may never be matched. As a soccer player, he plays forward for the Argentina national team and for FC Barcelona. This year, the 5' 7'', 25 year old broke the long standing record of 85 goals in a calendar year. At last count he had 91 and he's not done. Is he the best footballer in history? The debate will continue. At his best, hockey's "Great One" Wayne Gretzky, 1981-82 season, scored 92 goals, breaking the record of 72, while scoring 50 of those goals in just 39 games. But just think, Gretzky was the greatest in the history of a few million, amateur and professional, hockey players world wide, where as Messie is perhaps the greatest among billions of footballers around the globe. As great as he is, some believe, experts included, that Messi isn't even the best soccer player of the year. They"ll cast their vote for Cristiano Ronaldo, a Portugese forward, who plays for Real Madrid. These fierce rivals are scheduled to compete against each other in Madrid, March 2013, as Real Madrid takes on Barcelona.
In my humble opinion, Michael Phelps, Missy Franklin, Usain Bolt, Rory Mcllroy, Serena Williams or Andy Murray, to name just a few, are more deserving than Lebron.
My choice for sportsperson (not sportsman) of the year is Lionel Messi. Like Gretzky, Messi isn't the biggest, fastest, or strongest but there is always the potential for something very special whenever he touches the ball.
Don T
Time Person Of The Year
Time Magazine named President Barack Obama as the 2012 Person of the Year. I am not surprised, but I do not agree with their choice. Have you ever been introduced to Selman Khan?
I think that the President has been at the forefront on climate change and is forward thinking on energy policy. As he said, green energy research is expensive, but the US must lead the way or we will continue to fall behind. Many years ago Toyota invested and lost billions in developing hybrid technology, but now is the worlds leading auto company. Isn't time that we increased our investment in research and development in an effort to reverse global warming and massive pollution? On other fiscal and economic issues, the President has been fighting an uphill battle against long odds. There is certainly enough blame to go around, and I cannot see his job getting any easier in his second term.
Although, I have always felt that the President's heart was in the right place, it bothers me that he waited for to long to speak out on gay rights and gun control. Obviously, he needed to keep an eye on the polls, but I feel that there is a time when a strong leader has to stand tall and let people know what he believes is moral and just. The tide has changed, and people around the country are speaking up about marriage equality, and the supreme court will finally have an opportunity to make it right.
The President outlined a plan to put Joe Biden in charge of gun control, and it sounds like a great plan, but where were they before? The NRA has now made their position clear, "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun". Every gun manufactured in America leaves the factory as a legal firearm, however, over their life time, several guns fall into the wrong hands resulting in death, either from, gang violence, domestic violence, suicide, robbery, accident or mass murder by an insane person. Several of these guns never change hands but the gun owner's life changes, and the result is the same. So how can we ever be safer with more guns, it's not possible. The only hope is to reduce the number of guns, and not just assault weapons, but hand guns that are killing young men and innocent bystanders on every street corner. The time to act is long overdue, and I hope that the politicians are ready to stand up to the NRA. God bless NYC Mayor Bloomberg for rallying other mayors from around the country in an effort to get guns off the streets.
America and countries around the world are warning Iran not to build a nuclear weapon. Have we ever considered, in a serious way, a treaty where all countries, including the US and Russia, agree to the dismantling of all nuclear weapons? Could you imagine a country without guns and a world with out nukes.
Selman Khan, is the founder of the not-for- profit Khan Academy. With 3 degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard, Khan left the hedge fund world to run his on line tutorial program. It all began, a few years ago, when he started tutoring his niece, via YouTube, in math. Little did he know that one of his followers was teaching his son math using Khan's lessons. As the say "the rest is history", because that follower was Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is now the academy's major benefactor and many experts believe that their concepts will significantly change the education models of the future. The Khan Academy is not new for 2012, but has recently incorporated several other subjects and has grown into an educational tour de force.
I believe, however, that the Person of the Year should be the same each and every year. They are those who have sacrificed their lives or have put themselves in grave danger to protect others.
God bless the families of our true heroes,
Don T
I think that the President has been at the forefront on climate change and is forward thinking on energy policy. As he said, green energy research is expensive, but the US must lead the way or we will continue to fall behind. Many years ago Toyota invested and lost billions in developing hybrid technology, but now is the worlds leading auto company. Isn't time that we increased our investment in research and development in an effort to reverse global warming and massive pollution? On other fiscal and economic issues, the President has been fighting an uphill battle against long odds. There is certainly enough blame to go around, and I cannot see his job getting any easier in his second term.
Although, I have always felt that the President's heart was in the right place, it bothers me that he waited for to long to speak out on gay rights and gun control. Obviously, he needed to keep an eye on the polls, but I feel that there is a time when a strong leader has to stand tall and let people know what he believes is moral and just. The tide has changed, and people around the country are speaking up about marriage equality, and the supreme court will finally have an opportunity to make it right.
The President outlined a plan to put Joe Biden in charge of gun control, and it sounds like a great plan, but where were they before? The NRA has now made their position clear, "the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun". Every gun manufactured in America leaves the factory as a legal firearm, however, over their life time, several guns fall into the wrong hands resulting in death, either from, gang violence, domestic violence, suicide, robbery, accident or mass murder by an insane person. Several of these guns never change hands but the gun owner's life changes, and the result is the same. So how can we ever be safer with more guns, it's not possible. The only hope is to reduce the number of guns, and not just assault weapons, but hand guns that are killing young men and innocent bystanders on every street corner. The time to act is long overdue, and I hope that the politicians are ready to stand up to the NRA. God bless NYC Mayor Bloomberg for rallying other mayors from around the country in an effort to get guns off the streets.
America and countries around the world are warning Iran not to build a nuclear weapon. Have we ever considered, in a serious way, a treaty where all countries, including the US and Russia, agree to the dismantling of all nuclear weapons? Could you imagine a country without guns and a world with out nukes.
Selman Khan, is the founder of the not-for- profit Khan Academy. With 3 degrees from MIT and an MBA from Harvard, Khan left the hedge fund world to run his on line tutorial program. It all began, a few years ago, when he started tutoring his niece, via YouTube, in math. Little did he know that one of his followers was teaching his son math using Khan's lessons. As the say "the rest is history", because that follower was Bill Gates. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is now the academy's major benefactor and many experts believe that their concepts will significantly change the education models of the future. The Khan Academy is not new for 2012, but has recently incorporated several other subjects and has grown into an educational tour de force.
I believe, however, that the Person of the Year should be the same each and every year. They are those who have sacrificed their lives or have put themselves in grave danger to protect others.
God bless the families of our true heroes,
Don T
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut
There are just no words to describe the pain and sorrow that the parents and friends in Newtown, Connecticut are feeling today. To harm innocent children in this way is a tragedy that exposes us all to a numbing sense of grief, anger and bewilderment as to what to do.
I have always been in favor of a no gun policy. I believe that private citizens should not be allowed to own guns, but that is not what I want to write about today.
There are some people living a life full of pain, misery and hatefulness. They manage through life one step in front of another, hardly noticed, accomplishing very little and when their time comes they'll pass on and make room for the next generation. It's a very sad situation, yet once in awhile, luck or a guardian angel will step in and turn their life into something so much more meaning full. Once in an extremely long while, we get the opposite, a loner who all of a sudden wants to become famous, punish the world, and make everyone suffer his pain. With the economy at the breaking point and stress levels at such a high level, it seems that this is becoming an all too familiar event. Mental health services have also been cut back to a great extent, and there are many in need who are unable to get assistance. Veterans, returning from the longest wars in our history, are suffering in profound ways and are also not getting the mental health services that they desperately need. Our prisons are filled with nonviolent drug offenders who are not being treated for their addictions but are in an endless no win cycle of incarceration.
When will this all stop? Will we ever return to a time of compassion, community, and hope?
Last night we attended a holiday party sponsored by a small group of parents in support of our high school science research program. There was a discussion about canceling the event due to the tragedy in Connecticut but we held the event and had a very nice time. Every parent there had a child involved in an extensive research project. The connection between parents, all through our children, was such a beautiful thing. The understanding of the effort and commitment that the kids have made to their research was the common bond that made us appreciate, the kids, each other, and their teachers.
It's the connection with other people that counts, especially the ones we take for granted. Life is too short. It is at a time like this that we need to reset our priorities and make a commitment to reach out to others and lend a helping hand. In the holiday season the magnitude of this tragedy is just too much.
Don T
I have always been in favor of a no gun policy. I believe that private citizens should not be allowed to own guns, but that is not what I want to write about today.
There are some people living a life full of pain, misery and hatefulness. They manage through life one step in front of another, hardly noticed, accomplishing very little and when their time comes they'll pass on and make room for the next generation. It's a very sad situation, yet once in awhile, luck or a guardian angel will step in and turn their life into something so much more meaning full. Once in an extremely long while, we get the opposite, a loner who all of a sudden wants to become famous, punish the world, and make everyone suffer his pain. With the economy at the breaking point and stress levels at such a high level, it seems that this is becoming an all too familiar event. Mental health services have also been cut back to a great extent, and there are many in need who are unable to get assistance. Veterans, returning from the longest wars in our history, are suffering in profound ways and are also not getting the mental health services that they desperately need. Our prisons are filled with nonviolent drug offenders who are not being treated for their addictions but are in an endless no win cycle of incarceration.
When will this all stop? Will we ever return to a time of compassion, community, and hope?
Last night we attended a holiday party sponsored by a small group of parents in support of our high school science research program. There was a discussion about canceling the event due to the tragedy in Connecticut but we held the event and had a very nice time. Every parent there had a child involved in an extensive research project. The connection between parents, all through our children, was such a beautiful thing. The understanding of the effort and commitment that the kids have made to their research was the common bond that made us appreciate, the kids, each other, and their teachers.
It's the connection with other people that counts, especially the ones we take for granted. Life is too short. It is at a time like this that we need to reset our priorities and make a commitment to reach out to others and lend a helping hand. In the holiday season the magnitude of this tragedy is just too much.
Don T
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