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Sunday, June 24, 2012

Truth or Falsies

No longer grumpy about lack of wheat. Grumpy about two weeks with no wheat, calories under 1500 a day but for once, went to 1800. Gained two pounds.

Nothing is more boring than someone's calorie problems, so watch this segue into my favorite realm: truth or falsies. Misrepresentations (big word for lies) are everywhere. I hardly ever drink Cokes of any flavor, but picked up a six-pack of cans along with a six of CJ's Dr. Brown's Diet Cream Soda. Yuck. Only by setting them up side by side did I notice that the Coke is now much smaller. 7.5 ounces to 12. What bothers me is that the new can is perfectly proportioned to look like the other. I still remember when the familiar pound of coffee dropped a few ounces at a time, and it only takes a quart and a half of ice cream to make a half gallon. The misrepresentation is the true fact: "New Price!"

Segue to the political ads, and find the same idea. True facts are snippets taken out of context to mean something new. Journalism teachers must cringe at these "factoids." The Romney ads repeat Obama saying "The private sector is doing fine" and showing hard-working people who are not doing so fine. The Obama ads showing the corporate-raider damage done by Bain Capital, years after Romney left there. Truth wrapped in blankets of misrepresentation.

Many people are being fooled. Remember George Bush's most endearing attempt: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, and something else happens." He had the cutest little grin when he got in over his head. Bless his heart.

Friday, June 15, 2012

Grumpy

I am grumpy. I am without wheat for four days. No, I do not have the shakes or other withdrawal symptoms, just noticing that something is missing from my life.

Not just toast, but pasta, waffles, panko crumbs, Cuban sandwiches, even croutons. I just finished "Wheat Belly," recommended by our florist. Don't laugh. Our doctors have not recommended any reading matter during the 20 years we have been gaining serious pounds of belly fat.

Our doctors say things like "Eat less, exercise more." Duh. We have so many plastic parts that walking is not a good idea. Yes, I do stretch and bends, jog around in the pool, and CJ exerts himself every time he gets out of his wheelchair.

This book, written by a cardiologist, espouses the theory that the epidemic of obesity and diabetes is due to the industrialization of the wheat farming business. This has caused hybridization to produce wheat that is easier to harvest, but untested for human effects. The author is a cardiolgist, and has seen thousands of patients lose lots of pounds and intestinal distress by just giving up wheat.

I'll let you know what happens to me. Five days is not a good test.

Saturday, June 2, 2012

Advice is Cheap

I'm forever reading these advice lists. "Thirty-five ideas from a ninety-year old woman." "Ten things you should never do." "How to stop being negative." I need some advice on how to remember these and put them to work. These things just don't stick in my head, even for an instant.

Some music acts the same way, like an earworm. The themes from Bonanza or Mash are permanently etched on the brain.  Grieg, Chopin, Gershwin, all stick forever. Haydn, however, doesn't stick long enough to remember a few bars. I don't think of it as a scientific fact, like a peculiar function of the memory cells. I think it's about what gets you in the gut.

I think that's the reason I can't remember all this good advice. It doesn't get to me in that visceral way needed to generate action or reaction. Politicians know this and know how to use it. What they say doesn't have to be true or logical because the message is not aimed at our brain, but our gut-level emotions.

That's why I could never be a politician. I don't know how to do that. I can, however give advice. I pass on all those lists, because all that advice is obviously meant for others, not me.