What did you learn today?

[Kobi]

Everyday presents us with opportunities to learn new things, or see old things in new ways, or to just ponder possibilities.

Sharing our new knowledge can be helpful for others.

So, what did you learn today?

[Kobi]

I can across an article on meat glue in a local paper. The paper was saying how meat glue is a bad thing and listing reasons why.

Never having heard about this before, I had to do my own research on it. Like most controversial things, I found articles in favor and articles against.
Those in favor seem to be folks/companies/industries that stand to profit from it in one way or another. I'm not sure how to classify those against it.

There is a lot of science about this that my brain is still trying to process so I'm not sure how I feel about it. But, as it is used in some stuff that I like to eat, it was worth checking it out.

Also found references to something called food glue and fruit glue but didnt have time to research these more.

The following article was the clearest and easiest to understand.....science is not my forte.



------------------------------------------------------------

The Trials of Transglutaminase—The Misunderstood Magic of Meat-Glue
May 20th, 2011
by Dave Arnold

Meat glue is a food-grade enzyme.... not really a glue.

Transglutaminase (TG) –aka meat glue, the stuff that allows you to bond proteins together –has been taking a pounding in the blogosphere recently and, as a proponent of the enzyme, so have I. At the risk of preaching to the converted (sorry, loyal readers) I’m setting the record straight. TG is a great tool used by conscientious cooks to achieve fabulous and fantastic culinary results. It is also natural. Don’t know about meat glue? Read my primer.

In March an Australian TV tabloid show called Today Tonight did an “expose” on meat glue. Here’s the lead in:

The industry wide secret butchers don’t want you to know about. Major suppliers have been caught using a special product known as meat glue to stick together scraps of meat to sell as prime cuts. But while this product has been banned overseas, there’s no law prohibiting its use here.

This video has gone somewhat viral over the last month. I encourage you to watch it. It is horse hockey.

ydzIlKJmwV4

In this video you’ll see some classic bad journalism techniques –like getting a butcher who doesn’t like the idea of meat glue to demonstrate it wearing a face mask. The reporters make some nutty claims.

Claim: Meat glue is an industry wide secret butchers don’t want you to know about. Major suppliers have been caught using a special product known as meat glue to stick together scraps of meat to sell as prime cuts.

Truth: Many of the hundreds of horrified comments are reactions to this allegation that companies are defrauding customers by selling glued together scraps of meat as “prime cuts.” This phrase has been repeated so often that everyone takes it for fact. The Australian show did not point to even one case of a company committing fraud using meat glue. I searched the internet looking for a documented case of fraud and was unable to find one. The segment does show a commercial restructured piece of meat, but they don’t show the label because it could not possibly have been sold as a prime cut. That would, indeed, be fraud (in the US anyway) for which the perpetrator could do jail time. In the US, any meat that has been glued or restructured must be labeled “formed” or “reformed.” See the FSIS ruling on the subject here (this page really cuts through the crap. Ajinomoto fought to make sure that glued meats are clearly labeled as restructured, but not for altruistic reasons: they wanted to to use TG without being required to add “enzyme” to the ingredient label — which they can, because it is used in minute quantities and is considered a processing aid). Furthermore, TG is only one of many, many methods companies could use to bind meats together and defraud customers if they so chose (such as alginates, carrageenan, salt with tumbling, gelatin, compression).

Restaurants don’t have the same stringent labeling requirements than meat packers do. It would be possible for a disreputable restaurant to TRY to pawn off scraps of meat as whole-muscle cuts. The restaurant would likely be unsuccessful in the long run because their customers would know (see the next claim). Any restaurant using meat glue to cheat their customers should be shut down –but I have never seen or heard of such a case. The chefs I know who use meat glue care about their customers and the quality of their food.

Claim: Even an expert can’t tell if meat has been glued. You are getting ripped off without knowing it.

Answer: Anyone that has used meat glue knows this is untrue. The bonds in a glued piece of meat are clearly visible. The smaller the scraps of meat that are glue together, the more obvious the glue-job. Unless I am trying to produce a special effect –like the mokume-gane fish dish I created a while back, I try to keep the number of glue joints in a piece of meat to a minimum –usually one or two. Why? Because I’m not using meat glue to rip someone off, but to create a piece of meat that will cook better, more evenly and more consistently. I’m trying to make it better for the diner.

Claim: Meat Glue has been banned in the EU, and might be made from pig’s or cow’s blood.

Answer: False. Tranglutaminase is being legally used in the EU right now. The TG all the chefs use is produced by a naturally-occurring microbe. There is a second type of meat glue derived from animal sources (thrombin) that was banned in the EU, but not for safety reasons. It passed the safety test and was rejected because EU regulators didn’t understand the purpose of it and saw the potential for fraud. God help us if regulators get to choose what makes good food. Safety and preventing fraud: important , and a politician’s job. Telling me what it takes to make good food –stay out. See this article on the ban and Ajinomoto’s response.

Claim: Meat glue is unsafe because of the high bacteria count in meat-glued products.

Answer: This is the only claim with a shred of truth. The most important information I give chefs in meat glue training is: be aware that using TG can introduce bacteria into the interior of your product. The interior of whole muscle meat is relatively sterile. Most contamination is on the outside. When we cook a traditional rare steak, the searing kills the bacteria on the outside and we are left with uncooked, but fairly safe, rare-meat at the center. The danger with TG is that a cook might bond two pieces of meat together and treat them like a whole muscle cut without any further precautions… a serious error. Here are the safety guidelines I follow:

*IMPORTANT*

~If a meat is going to be thoroughly pasteurized (such as chicken or short ribs, which can’t really be cooked to most consumers’ taste and visual satisfaction until they have been thoroughly pasteurized), meat glue is adding no further risk to normal food preparation.

~If meat glue is used only on the outside of a large muscle cut (such as gluing chicken-skin to skirt steak or bacon to filet mignon), the outside must be thoroughly seared. The inside is just as safe as an unglued cut.

~If meat glue is used on a product that cannot be pasteurized (most fish, for example), three things must be true:

- You must be willing to serve the product raw. If you wouldn’t hack off a slice of that meat and eat it, don’t glue it and serve it rare.

- You must treat the product as if you were serving it raw — wear gloves, practice scrupulous hygiene.

- Here is the trickiest part of all, and one with which I am still grappling: you shouldn’t make your customer assume an extra risk (even if you don’t believe it to be a risk) without their knowledge. I once asked a food scientist why it is OK to serve rare hamburgers and sushi, etc. He said, as far as he is concerned, consumers ordering those products have enough education to understand that they are assuming certain risks –which makes the risks OK. Therefore, if you serve meat that looks basically raw, then the customer isn’t being exposed to risks they aren’t already assuming, and there is no duty to provide extra warnings. If you are in a steak house and you glue two pieces of meat together that had been cut at the packing plant and possibly exposed to contamination, and you then throw that glued meat on a grill and cook it bloody rare, there is definitely a duty to warn. It is still OK to cook that way, but the consumer must be aware that they are ordering the equivalent of a rare hamburger (it isn’t really that bad, as I’ll explain below). An interesting case is serving a piece of rare fish that has been butchered in the kitchen, meat-glued with one joint, seared, and sliced in the kitchen. Each serving slice is a potential source of contamination just as grave as the slice that preceded the meat gluing. Is there an extra risk here that requires warning? Dunno.

The vast majority of the products I meat glue are thoroughly pasteurized with low temperature cooking before I serve them and are entirely safe. For those that aren’t pasteurized you need to assess your bacterial risks. The possibility for contamination increases with:

The initial bacteria present on the product when it shows up in your kitchen (called the bacterial load)

The cleanliness of your kitchen

The amount of time a product is exposed to the environment

The temperatures at which your products are stored

The amount of surface-area exposed to the environment.

The first four considerations are typical ones –the last one is a kicker. The reason hamburger is so dangerous is that it has a huge surface area exposed to the potentially contaminating environment of meat grinders, kitchens, hands, etc. All that contamination is thoroughly mixed into the center of the product. Hamburger is easy to abuse. A piece of meat that is brought into the kitchen whole and sliced once with a very clean knife on a very clean board has a much lower increase in potential contamination than meat you grind.

Randomness in the Blogosphere:

Some random doozies on meat glue are being bandied about. Here is the real deal.

Transglutaminase is not an unholy abomination. It is produced in large quantities by a naturally occurring bacteria. No GMO necessary. Bacterial and yeast fermentation have brought us many of life’s great things: bread, wine, and cheese to name a few. By the way, you have different types of TG in your body right now, as part of the blood clotting pathway, the skin synthesis pathway, etc. The TG from bacteria is a related enzyme.
Meat glue does not contain, nor is it related to, MSG. MSG is the sodium salt of glutamic acid (an amino acid). Meat glue is a mixture of enzymes, maltodextrin, and protein (casein or gelatin).

I have found no evidence of meat glue being dangerous when handled properly –and I have read and searched a lot. I invite feedback on this point. I have heard anecdotal claims from two (unrelated) cooks who claimed to have gotten a contact dermatitis (rash) from occupational exposure to meat glue. This seems possible, but I haven’t read anything in the literature. I always tell people not to inhale the powder (which is common sense), but have never found any record of someone who has inhaled it and been hurt (please forward data to me if you have it).

The FSIS limits the use of pure tranglutaminse in meat products to 65 parts per million (except in chicken breast where you may use more). This number seems to contradict the usage statements for meat glue, which is used at up to 1 percent by weight (usually much, much, less). In fact, pure TG enzyme represents only a tiny percentage of Activa RM, the meat glue we use. Activa RM is mostly maltodextrin and casein. Ajinomoto specifically formulated Activa RM to add less than 65 ppm of pure enzyme when used at one percent by weight of meat.

The relationship between coeliac disease and microbial Transglutaminase (mTG) is still being sorted out. There is no doubt that extra antibodies to human tissue transglutaminase (tTG) are found in coeliac sufferers. I have seen research that supports that mTG can cause problems for coeliacs, and research that says it doesn’t. I have not found any acute cases of problems had by coeliac sufferers linked to mTG in the literature, but prudence says coelicas should avoid large quantities of TG till the data is in.

Excess tTG is found in the tissue of people with horrible diseases like Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s. That doesn’t mean consuming TG causes those diseases any more than drinking water causes pulmonary edema. I personally detest the sort of argument that infers (illogically) that because a product is found alongside or in something horrible, it is horrible.

In conclusion: Glue with caution, but glue with pride!

http://www.cookingissues.com/2011/05/20/the-trials-of-transglutaminase%E2%80%94the-misunderstood-magic-of-meat-glue/

[StillettoDoll]

I learned how to do some vocal exercises on you tube!:choir:

[CherryFemme]

I learned that even tho' you show a picture of yourself and your bulldagger to your co-worker and say outloud, "This is my partner-- we can't wait for marriage to be legal next January"....

.....You still have to come out.

Apparently pictures and words do not count to co-workers unless you say the exact sentance: "I am an avowed and known homosexual and engage in homosexual activities."


May I rant some more please?

~CF:cherry:

[tapu]

I learned that if cops find a spoon in your car, even if you've wiped it, they can still swab it and find heroin residue.

Also that if you are too f'd up to drive, pull over, take the keys out of the ignition, and get in the passenger seat. That way they can't get you for operational/driving. (Basically, they can't put you in the driver's seat with the keys engaged.)

Want to know how I learned this? My hair stylist was called by the cops while I was with her and I drove her to where they had her husband on the curb. Seems improper to say I enjoyed it, but I can say it was interesting.

[StillettoDoll]

I learned all about a backed up main sewer line , we got fixed today.

http://www.smartplumber.org/sub_image/sewer.jpg

[tapu]

I learned all about a backed up main sewer line , we got fixed today.

http://www.smartplumber.org/sub_image/sewer.jpg



Oo! I love plumbing stuff like that. Did you know that Hodding Carter wrote a book called The History of Plumbing? It wasn't great, but it was pretty good.

[Kobi]

Today I was reminded of the lack of longevity for hot water heaters these days.

We have had a rash of water heater fiasco's of late. Mine imploded which tripped the curciut breaker so there was no damage. One unit had their new hard wood floors drowning in water. Another heater caught fire but the damage was contained. The latest one exploded which such force, it blew a hole in the floor and required the services of "the disaster specialists".

I am used to stuff being built to last. Nowadays, heaters come with 5 and 10 year warranties. Have been advised to change them in accordance with the warranty before something serious goes wrong.

Considering the price to install a new one...1,000 here, I'm thinking a tankless one might do a better and longer job. I really need to investigate this further.

[Diva]

I learned all about a backed up main sewer line , we got fixed today.

http://www.smartplumber.org/sub_image/sewer.jpg



I learned this lesson last year.
But what I found amusing about Your post....
The talk about plugged up pipes.....
then Your signature line that says "Eat organic"

:|
:giggle:

[wolfbittenpoet]

I learned that a small cat who can sleep through baths and their nails clipped will suddenly awaken at the sound of a can of tuna being taken out of a shopping bag.

[Kenna]

I learned when the garden looks wilted... it's not because it got TOO MUCH water during the recent rain storms... it's because the soil is TOO DRY already!

[Okiebug61]

I learned beyond any shadow of doubt that Corporation management is in bed with the Devil like I had always known. I so wish "We the People" had the means to stand up to these "A Holes" and take them down. I'm sick of the double talking B***S*** they want us to swallow.

Thank god for vacations!

[WingsOnFire]

That sometimes its better to keep quiet.

[Diva]

I RE~learned that I should ALways listen to my gut instincts......

[Andrew, Jr.]

Both Rosie and I are still learning about trojan viruses. :seeingstars:

[Gemme]

I learned something that I can't tell anyone about.

:blink:

[~Bo]

I learned something that I can't tell anyone about.

:blink:






Come onnnnnnnn!! Pleeeeeeeease????? :danglecarrot:

[Gemme]

Come onnnnnnnn!! Pleeeeeeeease????? :danglecarrot:

Nope, but thank you for asking nicely.

:cheesy:

[dixie]

When trying to sniff one of those automatic air fresheners to figure out the scent, make sure the damn thing is turned off first. :doh:
(I've been awake entirely too long today...)

[DamselFly]

i learned that one can't rush the healing process. the body/soul take time to heal, each on its own schedule. don't try to rush. that only slows the healing process.
:tea:

[little_ms_sunshyne]

I actually learned this yesterday...

I learned that when the low fuel gas light comes on it means get gas sooner rather than later.

Furthermore...

I learned that running out of gas on a country road surrounded by cornfields during a severe thunderstorm watch is SCARY...

Finally...

I learned T must be smitten since hy laughed this off!

[Tcountry]

I learned:
Lightening is pretty when ur stuck in the middle of (literally) nowhere..
The song "Little Moments" is stuck in my head.
I am thankful for being respected at work. (at least by Craig)
Cops are getting younger & younger...
& country folk are still the nicest ppl ever ;)

[moxie]

A male goat is called a buck.

Kinda looks like a ram with the curly horns though.

[princessbelle]

A male goat is called a buck.

Kinda looks like a ram with the curly horns though.

Goats are scary!!!!

eeks!!!

[Starrynightaw]

That cheeto's can be used as a weapon while play fighting.

[TxBelle]

I was reminded, cuz I did know, that on a day of 104 degrees, 4pm is NOT the cool of the evening.

[WingsOnFire]

I learned that even though it makes my asthma act up deep cleaning the house makes me really feel good. I love looking around and seeing how good it looks.

I continue to learn that no matter how hard I try I cant make my lungs work any better in humidity. It makes me mad that I cant breathe but I just have to face the fact that I have asthma. Sometimes it really sucks.

I learned that I shouldnt "assume" that my Holy Terror Peppa peed in the bed just because she has done it before... SOMETIMES it really is just a water bottle that she has decided to play with in bed :| . Sir laughed so hard at me after I felt guilty for putting Peppa in her crate so I brought her back to bed.

[little_ms_sunshyne]

I have more self control than I thought!

[Greyson]

Today I attended a celebration for a dear old friend. We celebrated her 30th Anniversay of living clean and sober. I was the person that bought her the last drink. At the time, I did not realize I was helping my dear friend "slip." Honestly we all had some very good times and made life long bonds by sharing our young adult years. We were all just coming into knowing the freedom and self acceptance of being queer.

What I learned today, again, there is purpose in every connection I have ever made in my life. It may be for a season, a moment, a lifetime. Cherish the friends, the people, the moments who have come through my life.

[jac]

Since I am between degrees I have decided that I should keep my brain tuned up. So I have decided to learn something new each day (big or small) till I return to classes...

Today in staff meeting the psychologist discussed with me (since everyone else was acting silly) about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It was basically a therapy that was used as a destressor for traumatic events and situations in one's life. The Doc was saying to me that he believed that it was later considered to be a placebo by the American Psychological Association (APA) and didn't actually work.

Yeh, It sounds interesting enough and worth reading up on some. I told him it kind of reminded my of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) also known as "tapping." Now he's curious too. Maybe next week we can exchange a little bit on our findings.

[ONLY]

What did I learn today........a few new things (some I knew)regarding weather and how nature and animals are more reliable then the weatherperson :thumbsup:

[Kenna]

I learned today that I can patch the seams of my large air mattress with a swimming pool patch kit, since the mattress kit only comes with small patches but it's the seams that are leaking...and I learned that the pool patch kit will set up under water... :blink: that's something good to know ... :blink:
just in time for several fall camping trips!

And I learned today (thinking harder) that I need to re-read the book "Codependent No More" ...

And that cutting expenses and living a humble life will help me pay off some important bills... time to purge things again and cut out some of my hording/clutter bug habits ... not that I'm the hoarder that mom is, but things do build up when you just don't have the energy to deal with them.

[bigbutchmistie]

That neither today, tomorrow, a week, a month, a year, or YEARS from now will I EVER be giving my heart romantically to anyone. For any reason

[yotlyolqualli]

I learned that there are people out there who truly enjoy hurting other people... and not in the kinky, bdsm sorta way. :badscore:

[MissItalianDiva]

I learned today what I have known for some time. Fate is the final decision maker...nothing we can do or want to do will interfer with fate or destiny.

I also learned denial is not only unhealthy but damaging and sometime irreversible..

I learned I need to truly enjoy the present because it will be gone before I know it

[laruss]

I have used EMDR in therapy and swear by it, mostly to get deeper into an issue. But in my opinion, you have to be fairly self aware for it to work. I think you also have to have a real understanding of the issues you are dealing with.

I have also used tapping (EFT) to relieve stress and it has worked for me.

I have done Journey Intensive work as well which uses processes to step back further and further to get to the root of the issue. Sometimes as far back as childhood. You can deal with an issues in a relatively short period of time.

I have also been part of a drumming circle and the premise is the same. Using an external stimulus to distract the conscious mind so the subconscious can do the work.

I am always exploring and learning new ways to maneuver my way through life.



Since I am between degrees I have decided that I should keep my brain tuned up. So I have decided to learn something new each day (big or small) till I return to classes...

Today in staff meeting the psychologist discussed with me (since everyone else was acting silly) about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It was basically a therapy that was used as a destressor for traumatic events and situations in one's life. The Doc was saying to me that he believed that it was later considered to be a placebo by the American Psychological Association (APA) and didn't actually work.

Yeh, It sounds interesting enough and worth reading up on some. I told him it kind of reminded my of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) also known as "tapping." Now he's curious too. Maybe next week we can exchange a little bit on our findings.

[Nomad]

I learned that there are people out there who truly enjoy hurting other people... and not in the kinky, bdsm sorta way. :badscore:


aint it the truth :(

today i learned that i do not recover from 'cement ballet' as well as i did when i was a kid.

i also learned that betadine stings like a mofo.

[jac]

I have used EMDR in therapy and swear by it, mostly to get deeper into an issue. But in my opinion, you have to be fairly self aware for it to work. I think you also have to have a real understanding of the issues you are dealing with.

I have also used tapping (EFT) to relieve stress and it has worked for me.

I have done Journey Intensive work as well which uses processes to step back further and further to get to the root of the issue. Sometimes as far back as childhood. You can deal with an issues in a relatively short period of time.

I have also been part of a drumming circle and the premise is the same. Using an external stimulus to distract the conscious mind so the subconscious can do the work.

I am always exploring and learning new ways to maneuver my way through life.

All of the above interest me Laruss. I have used tapping, at a basic novice level of understanding with my daughter and it helped her overcome her fear of crossing busy streets when she was pre-teen. So yes, I know it works first hand and have been thinking of getting back into it again... along with my Reiki.

As for the Journey Intensive work, this sounds very familiar. I want to say that my breath therapist has done this level of therapy with me at some point. I will definitely have to ask her about that. Actually when she does her breath therapy she uses chants and drumming CDs in the background for the external stimuli.

Energy work is amazing stuff...

[Nomad]

i've learned that there will always be a double standard that people dont recognize, no matter who you encounter or where you encounter them. it's made me wonder how we become so short sighted and what double standards i am guilty of without seeing them

[jac]

I learned a very valuable lesson...

I learned that love, when it is truly meant to be, conquers all! I learned even moreso that I am the most blessed gy alive and fortunate to have the most amazing woman at my side! I learned that I will never take her love for granted...
:love1:

fP7qm8xIsa4

[asphaltcowboi]

NOTHING YET TODAY ITS NOT NOON YET

opps take that back i learned i had my caps on

[Gemme]

I learned that I do not like seared tuna salad. Oh, no. I do not. No likey! Even with mango sauce. Even with a ginger chaser. No, no, no!

[maryam]

I learned that while an Altoids tin is the perfect size to discreetly hold two or three tampons in your purse, you should really really really wash it out first to be sure all that super fine minty dust is gone first. REALLY! :seeingstars:

That dust gets into everything, including itty bitty holes in tampon wrappers. Thank the deity I don't like cinnamon Altoids!

:bigcry:

[TheMerryFairy]

I learned the proper way to wrap my hand so my tattoo won't throb when I work!

[Guy]

I learned that horses pee forever, well for a loong time

[Scuba]

...the purpose of that cylindrical piece of plastic I threw away last week. That ended up being a 70 dollar learning experience :|

[~baby~doll~]

The scale taught me I lost 9lbs. Rah rah rah

[Velvetkitten]

That I can't compromise any more. I have done it all my life to please others now it's my turn to be pleased.

[Mopsie]

I learned that its not a good idea to eat a big Mexican meal and then go workout. Ugh. :blink:

[~baby~doll~]

i learned more abut my femme self today and what a joy it is. We went out to dinner and the looks were interesting. HELEN and i really looked like the lesbian couple and i liked that and i think SHE did as well. i guess what it boils down to is there is a power in being feminine that i never enjoyed before.

[girl_dee]

that if you don't tighten your gas cap the check engine light comes on and it can take days to turn itself off.

i don't have patience for that, i want it to go OFF.

[Daktari]

I learned that while an Altoids tin is the perfect size to discreetly hold two or three tampons in your purse, you should really really really wash it out first to be sure all that super fine minty dust is gone first. REALLY! :seeingstars:

That dust gets into everything, including itty bitty holes in tampon wrappers. Thank the deity I don't like cinnamon Altoids!

:bigcry:

:giggle:

Reminds of when I picked up the antiseptic hand-wash instead of the lube ...girl was not a happy bunny :|

[maryam]

:giggle:

Reminds of when I picked up the antiseptic hand-wash instead of the lube ...girl was not a happy bunny :|

Oh OUCHIES! My girly bits just tried to hide further up and further in!:| I feel for you!

[chris1life]

I learned today that knocking off work early today and not mowing the yard like I was"supposed to do" instead I went fishing =a very pissed off femme that was sweet enough to throw my pillow to me then close the bedroom door. *sigh*but baby I couldn't help it the fish were biting. That last line landed me into a very cold night. Yes I'm a dumb ass sometimes

[cinnamongrrl]

Today I learned....

that though my dog Cricket HATES the water she is an excellent swimmer....and my mini poodle Jacques lovesss the water but is a mediocre swimmer....

that pride actually goeth AFTER a fall.... :|

I'm really glad that I hike alone....for the above reason...

Jacques enjoys balancing on logs...even if they are right on the ground...

you can lead a dog to water but you can't make them drink..

sometimes trying new things can be a bad thing if you haven't got all the necessary information....

I really need to take the gooder camera with me while I hike...my cell phone camera just doesn't cut it....and I see some amazing things out there... :)

nature is an amazing and wondrous thing....but that was just re-affirmed to me...I already knew that.... :praying:

[Bad_boi]

I learned most cameras and tripods/monopods have a universal threaded socket unless they are super heavy.

[maryam]

I hope your camera is okay!

[Random]

never lay carpet/pad on bare concrete....

say it with me...

subfloor

[Bad_boi]

I hope your camera is okay!

My camera is fine. I got a new monopod is all.

[Soon]

...there's nothing wrong with using up sick days before they all disappear at the end of June. Ahuh.

[lilapache]

that some things... are better left alone

[GraffitiBoi]

that sleeping for 2 hours at a time, combined with over-working my body and very little to eat, makes for one wicked headache! :seeingstars:

[~baby~doll~]

Not to stay up so late in the chat room. i will be dragging my butt all day but the chat was fun.

[cinnamongrrl]

That there are finger sized eggplant...and I accidentally bought that kind for the garden....:blush:

[sara-bera]

Picking up something heavy and turning my body at the waist, isn't a good thing.

[cinnamongrrl]

I learned there is such a word as boodle... :| I have a very good vocabulary...and tons of college credits...and never in my life have I seen that word. Thank you Pogo...thank you for expanding my world! And thank you for justifying the time I waste worshiping at your altar..... :)

[SaltyButch]

I learned that coral reefs are created elsewhere by the coral expelling their eggs and sperm into the ocean after a full moon. It is hit and miss whether or not they mate and when they do they adhere to some other piece of rock and they build that way. Truly amazing.

[WingsOnFire]

Ilearned that my tonsils can pucker from sour gum. :blink:

[Kobi]

Today, I learned the book and 1950's movie version of Cheaper By The Dozen was written by 2 children (out of the 12) of Frank and Lillian Gilbreth.

The Gilbreths were efficiency experts who contributed to the study of industrial engineering in fields such as motion study and human factors. Today, we know this as ergonomics.

Lillian Moller Gilbreth has come to be known as "the Mother of Modern management."

In addition to being the mother of 12, was also an inventor, author, industrial engineer, industrial psychologist, and educator. She invented the step-on trash can, the improved electric can opener, the egg keeper and butter tray in refrigerators and the waste water hose in washing machines.

Lillian Gilbreth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Moller_Gilbreth) was also an industrial engineer for General Electric and worked on improving kitchen designs i.e. the proper height for stoves, sinks, and other kitchen fixtures.

So cool.

[Kobi]

If you're in the Midwest, your summer might have a very crunchy soundtrack: The sounds of hordes of cicadas emerging from the Earth, chirping and whizzing and sexing and dying after more than a decade underground. That isn't to say that people around the rest of the United States aren't hearing the same thing on a smaller scale.

That's because cicadas spend most of their long, long lives (the longest of any known insect) underground, and some species emerge periodically -- once every 13 or 17 years. When broods sync up, things get loud -- which is what's happening right now in the Midwest.

In the latest video from It's Okay to be Smart, Joe Hanson explains why you should be more in awe of the insects than annoyed with them: They're actually doing some pretty impressive math -- though it's not on purpose -- and it's a really smart evolutionary tactic.

By coming out in literal droves, cicadas are able to survive -- er, at least for the handful of weeks it takes them to reproduce -- even though basically everything wants to eat them. Birds can go to town on the emerging cicadas and still leave plenty over to lay eggs.

That's where the prime numbers come in. Why 13 and 17 years? By living life in the prime, cicadas can minimize the number of times their big debut coincides with the birth year of a predator. If they'd "picked" a number divisible by another number, they'd link up with predators who were born at those intervals way more often -- and the predators could adapt to follow cicada lifecycles even more closely, shifting so that they had their babies right when cicadas showed up to provide an endless food source.

But 17 years (and even 13 years) is a long time for just about any bird or lizard, so they've got no chance of hitching their carts to the cicada's brood. And by coming out every 17 years instead of every 16, the cicadas also avoid sync-ups with predators who have 2-year and 4-year reproductive cycles, too.

Very cool. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/07/21/why-chirpy-cicadas-are-a-bunch-of-math-geniuses/)

[C0LLETTE]

I learned that when you lend your car to your kids...you need to walk around and inspect it when they bring it back.

[kittygrrl]

Just read a great article on "secrets of the pelvic floor"
Food for thought

[Gemme]

Just read a great article on "secrets of the pelvic floor"
Food for thought

Found it!

Interesting read.

Secrets of the Pelvic Floor (http://goop.com/the-secrets-of-the-pelvic-floor/)

[Kobi]

By Robert Bryce
The Wall Street Journal
May 15, 2016

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency charged with protecting Bald and Golden eagles, is once again trying to make it easier for the wind industry to kill those birds.

Two weeks ago the agency opened public comment on “proposed improvements” to its eagle conservation program. It wants to extend the length of permits for accidental eagle kills from the current five years to 30 years. The changes would allow wind-energy producers to kill or injure as many as 4,200 Bald Eagles every year. That’s a lot. The agency estimates there are now about 72,434 Bald Eagles in the continental U.S.

Let’s hope Judge Lucy H. Koh is keeping an eye out. Last August, Ms. Koh, a federal judge in California, shot down the Fish and Wildlife Service’s previous “improvements.” In a lawsuit brought by the American Bird Conservancy, Judge Koh ruled that the agency had violated the National Environmental Policy Act by declaring that it could issue 30-year permits without first doing an environmental assessment. Now the agency has drafted an environmental review and is still pushing for the 30-year permits.

Yet as Judge Koh noted in her ruling, one of the agency’s own eagle program managers warned that 30-year permits are “inherently less protective” and “real, significant, and cumulative biological impacts will result.”

A 2013 study in the Wildlife Society Bulletin estimated that wind turbines killed about 888,000 bats and 573,000 birds (including 83,000 raptors) in 2012 alone. But wind capacity has since increased by about 24%, and it could triple by 2030 under the White House’s Clean Power Plan. “We don’t really know how many birds are being killed now by wind turbines because the wind industry doesn’t have to report the data,” says Michael Hutchins of the American Bird Conservancy. “It’s considered a trade secret.”

The new rule could further harm Golden Eagles, which are rarer than Bald Eagles and are being whacked by wind turbines in far greater numbers. Mr. Hutchins says that the lack of protection for Golden Eagles is “the biggest weakness of this whole rule.”

The double standard is stunning. In 2011 the Fish and Wildlife Service convinced the Justice Department to file criminal indictments against three oil companies working in North Dakota’s Bakken field for inadvertently killing six ducks and one phoebe.

Now see how the agency treats wind: In 2013 it submitted to the Federal Register that “wind developers have informed the [Department of the Interior] and the Service that 5-year permits have inhibited their ability to obtain financing, and we changed the regulations to accommodate that need.”

Nine months after being rebuked by a federal judge, America’s top wildlife protector is still bending over backward to accommodate an industry that is killing iconic wildlife while at the same time collecting huge subsidies from taxpayers. If there’s a better example of regulatory capture and crony capitalism, I can’t think of one.

dont fuck with the eagles (https://www.eagles.org/an-ill-wind-open-season-on-bald-eagles/)

[Kobi]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to referee a dispute about an odd piece of U.S. citizenship law that treats men and women differently.

The justices said they will hear a case about a law that applies only to children born outside the U.S. to one parent who is an American and one who is not. The law makes it easier for children whose mother is a citizen to become citizens themselves. Even after reform legislation in 1986, children of American fathers face higher hurdles claiming citizenship for themselves.

The federal appeals court in New York struck down the law in the case of Luis Ramon Morales-Santana. He challenged the law and asserted he is a U.S. citizen after U.S. authorities sought to deport him after convictions for robbery and attempted murder.

Morales-Santana is the son a of a Dominican mother and an American father, who left Puerto Rico for the Dominican Republic 20 days before his 19th birthday. For people born before 1986 to parents who are not married, their U.S. citizen fathers had to have lived in the U.S. for 10 years, at least five of them after the age of 14. Morales-Santana's father missed meeting the second part of that requirement by 20 days.

American mothers need only have lived in the U.S. continuously for a year before the birth of a child.

Changes to immigration law made in 1986 reduced the total residency time for fathers to five years, only two of which had to be after the age of 14.

By contrast, a child born in the United States, regardless of the parents' nationality, is a U.S. citizen, as is a child born abroad to two American citizens if one of them has ever lived in the United States.

The justices attempted to answer this question in 2011, but divided 4-4 with Justice Elena Kagan out of the case because she worked on while serving in the Justice Department. This time around, the case will again be heard by eight justices, but with Kagan taking part.

The case, Lynch v. Morales-Santana, 15-1191, will be argued in the fall.

--------------------


Dont remember ever hearing about this before.

[*Anya*]

Astronomer Carl Sagan wrote a piece in 1995 that has re-emerged in the past week - the reason? Because many people believe it has actually come to pass.

He wrote in his book, The Demon-Haunted World, about the dangers of pseudoscience, and of the importance of being sceptical.

One passage in particular stands out as a pretty spot-on prediction of today.

Sagan wrote:

I have a foreboding of an America in my children’s or grandchildren’s time – when the United States is a service and information economy; when nearly all the manufacturing industries have slipped away to other countries; when awesome technological powers are in the hands of a very few, and no one representing the public interest can even grasp the issues; when the people have lost the ability to set their own agendas or knowledgeably question those in authority; when, clutching our crystals and nervously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in decline, unable to distinguish between what feels good and what’s true, we slide, almost without noticing, back into superstition and darkness.

https://www.indy100.com/article/carl-sagan-prediction-trump-america-future-7545956

[girl_dee]

That my old friend passed away a few years ago. I am so sad. I am a terrible friend. I have to do better.

[pajama]

uuuugh 7.5 hours of training for my new job. The new State tax software, narrated by the same voice (and enunciation/pronunciation) as the "bitch in the box". My brain is exploding.

[JDeere]

That you truly have to watch your language when at work, no matter who is around!

[Blade]

I learned that my truck I traded almost 3 weeks ago hasn't been paid off yet.

[easygoingfemme]

I spent half of my day in a training learning about how to best serve the population living with HIV+ status plus domestic violence plus homelessness. I learned some new tips and I also was validated that my organization is doing well in that field.

[Blade]

I learned to make sure the door to the chicken pen is open before dark so that they can go up to roost. Otherwise I have to be a chicken wrestler

[Bèsame*]

Sometimes my texts don't go thru, and it can make a big difference.

[JDeere]

There are things that you don't say and keep quiet about at work.

[JDeere]

True compromising usually works in my favor!

[homoe]

Seeing company arrive is nice, but seeing them leave is even nicer!

[girl_dee]

that i have a family stimulation limit!

[Kätzchen]

I made the mistake of feeding a mama squirrel that was starving earlier this year. She climbs all over my patio screen door, searching for a way to get more food


I won't ever do this again.

[homoe]

I made the mistake of feeding a mama squirrel that was starving earlier this year. She climbs all over my patio screen door, searching for a way to get more food


I won't ever do this again.


BEWARE... feeding a starving butch could have the same outcome...:giggle:

[JDeere]

That I dislike part of my job, I don't like the prepping of mail!

[Zimmeh]

How to calm a dementia resident down. How a smile can make their day better. That they didn't ask for this issue and to handle them like a fragile egg.

Zimmeh

[girl_dee]

How to calm a dementia resident down. How a smile can make their day better. That they didn't ask for this issue and to handle them like a fragile egg.

Zimmeh

i <3 this..

Zimmygirl you know you have found your calling.........

[Zimmeh]

Thank you Dee. I always say, your heart speaks volumes about your kindness. The nurses love how much I pay attention to the needs of my residents. It's a job that I love and it will always love.

Zimmeh

i <3 this..

Zimmygirl you know you have found your calling.........

[cathexis]

That the US still has armadas rather than fleets.

[AmazonDC]

That June should bring about some of the most rewarding and happy days for Me

[JDeere]

Don't put your work before your health.

[Gayandgray]

That they sure don't make stuff like they used to!!! I just bought my self propel mower in March and it's already acting up. Torro is a good brand and I paid a good chunk of change for it, so I wouldn't think it would mess up so soon.

[JDeere]

That I need more time off and time to myself.

[Gayandgray]

That other people's negativity can only affect me if I let it!!

[NavyButch]

That sometimes I am not as good of a communicator as I think I am. :blink:

[NavyButch]

That other people's negativity can only affect me if I let it!!

#truth

Cheers to not letting it.

[girl_dee]

That buying cheap razors will rip your skin off every time!

:crybaby:

[Greco]

that life is short...but, I already know that...

Greco

[Gemme]

Some people are going to be ungrateful turds no matter what you do to help them.

[NavyButch]

That I will never tolerate disrespect or rudeness. You can not change others- but you can take yourself out of the equation- and the flip side to the coin is there truly are good people in the world too- so you just find them.

[girl_dee]

Some people are going to be ungrateful turds no matter what you do to help them.

RIGHT!? i have to make sure i don't become one!

[Gayandgray]

That sometimes friends, people you know as acquaintances, etc. can lead a double life. You may have known them for years and they have always presented themselves one way, but then you find out they are a totally different person.

[indigo]

The basics of Typo3. And that i need to learn to stay focused on my goals...ok, I already knew that one.

[Kätzchen]

Not today, but over my lifetime, two very important people in my life gave me the best advice, which both items of advice can be very useful, if applied carefully with love and care.

1) Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true.

2) Be careful in who you reveal your 'hand' to..... sometimes it's best not to show your full hand or lay all your 'cards' on the table.

Sidebar: Over time, I've learned that it's wise to be safe. To LQQK out for yourself, first and always. It's not selfish to do that because it's an act of love you give to yourself unselfishly. :bunchflowers:

[Deborah*]

That people can manipulate what you say for their own ends.
But such is life. It's important to feel empathy for those who act like this.

Deborah

[Deborah*]

The basics of Typo3. And that i need to learn to stay focused on my goals...ok, I already knew that one.
Always stay focused on your goals. Or else you won't get there..

Deborah

[cathexis]

You're only as vulnerable as your deepest secret. Not to hide secrets that can harm me lest they be used as weapons or to manipulate.

Complete honesty gives no ammo to adversaries.

To always be aware of my surroundings (still working on this one).

[JDeere]

The grass truly isn't greener on the other side!

[Gayandgray]

That being down in the dumps, hormonal, sad, etc is draining me!!!!! LOL! I need to pick myself up by my boot straps or whatever the saying is and carry on. So onward I go to venture out in the pouring rain to go grocery shopping. I HATE grocery shopping but I guess we gotta eat.....:jester::jester:

[girl_dee]

that every little thing is going to be okay

[JDeere]

Not everyone is your friend.

[Gayandgray]

That just when you think you have it bad, you realize that there is someone else that has it way worse than you.

[Blaze]

That no matter how good you may be in written words. Spoken words can be harder to express. Without putting your foot in your mouth. I guess somethings are better left unsaid.

[Tuff Stuff]

That everything Will! be OK!!..okay?

[Teddybear]

don't cut the grass by the clothes line

[RebelDyke]

It is always interesting watching and listening to people's responses when I tell them I am from Chicago. The misconceptions people have as to how we got our nickname.

Reality: Kansas is FAR more windy than Chicago. In fact, here is why Chicago is REALLY called the "windy city"

Why Chicago Is Really Called The Windy City. “If you had always assumed that Chicago earned its nickname as the Windy City from the chilly gusts coming off Lake Michigan, you would be wrong. The city is windy, according to most local legends, because of the hot air bellowing from politicians.”


AND now you've learned something new!

[JDeere]

Paying bills on time REALLY looks good for my credit.

[Glenn]

Mixing the over the counter pain killer called Tylenol or Acetaminophen along with drinking alcoholic beverages can kill you.

[Plaidandroses]

I know there is a lesson to be learned from my day at work today... just not sure what it is. :deepthoughts:

[Bèsame*]

My tickets full of numbers did not match any of the Powerball numbers! That just was not fair to my daydreams!

[JDeere]

Today I learned that Mom and dad are not always right!

[homoe]

Today I learned that when you hand out a genuine compliment, you'll most always receive a smile back~

[Glenn]

It is time for a new OC pepper spray. I did plenty of research and was undecided between the two best brands-Sabre Red Mark 6 Red Dot which my PD uses, and Fox Labs Law Enforcement Formula, so I bought both. I also learned to never buy the smaller sized, key-ring, type cans because in the heat of the moment, I was advised on a police forum, that I may need more. There may be a mean dog that got loose, so I was advised to buy the cone/fog type spray, because the stream type may not be a good enough aim when a dog attack occurs. When using the cone/fog spray, always keep stepping back from the target, and make the letter S with the spray, so as to insure a hit. I also was advised to never leave home without good pepper spray, and to replace them every two years.

[JDeere]

That family isn't always blood related!

That I refuse to let anyone including my dad talk shit to my mom, fuck with me but don't act an ass to my mom.

That I am no longer putting on a front for anyone, I will no longer hide the fact that life at this house is NOT good, its very dysfunctional.

That I am going to have to remove myself from this situation before it kills me but I don't want to leave mom behind to deal with this mess, however I am not the only kid, its time for the other 2 to step up and do their part besides throwing money on the situation.

Also that I am going to be with whoever I want, I no longer give a shit if people don't approve of who I am with and moving out of state to be with said person may be my only option.

[FireSignFemme]

About dementia. It wasn't the best lecture but it definitely could have been worse, so thank the Lord for small mercies. I really didn't want to go because I woke up feeling like crud, but J tempted me with a latte to take along and the promise of lunch later at Red Robin during break. Now that it's over, certificate in hand, I'm glad I went. I also learned they offer a whole bunch of continuing ed classes online, so for that knowledge alone it was worth the trip.

[JDeere]

That my trust, respect, loyalty and love are about to be pulled out from under the rug, for certain people.

[kittygrrl]

realized i really love pancakes best.

[homoe]

:eating:




Realized I'm definitely a waffle purest, no whipped cream no fruit just a pad of butter and some syrup.....:linecook:

[Gemme]

I learned that I'm having a pretty strong allergic reaction to something. No bueno!

[candy_coated_bitch]

I learned I'm just not as important to my family as I thought.

[homoe]

realized i really love pancakes best.

https://happymoneysaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/FBpancake.jpg


And may we learn what are your preferred toppings?

[Gemme]

I learned that I'm having a pretty strong allergic reaction to something. No bueno!

I think it's to the sun.

During summer.

What the Hell am I supposed to do now?

*facepalm*

[easygoingfemme]

I think it's to the sun.

During summer.

What the Hell am I supposed to do now?

*facepalm*

Huh? Really? Allergic to the sun?

[Gemme]

Huh? Really? Allergic to the sun?

It's more common (https://www.health.harvard.edu/a_to_z/sun-allergy-photosensitivity-a-to-z) than you might think. I'm more along the lines of photoallergic eruption. Years ago, I had a reaction to a sunblock and my skin actually bleached in some areas on my hands and arms where I had the sunblock. It's those areas that reacted again the other day.

I'll be working outside again a lot today so we'll see how it goes.

[TL1]

I think it's to the sun.

During summer.

What the Hell am I supposed to do now?

*facepalm*

I think I have a small allergy to the sun also. I’m actually turning really tan on arms and face/neck since moving and outdoors so much BUT my skin is still originally very fair. And so when I get sun on my legs (mostly shins) I get these red specks. So tiny but bunches of them. Not sun poisoning because not raised blisters. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen. I’d almost think they are tiny freckles but they are red.
I know that’s not classic with an allergy and not sure it is BUT I have learned my body does not react like most to a lot of things.

Hope you get yours under control.

[Blade]

That my boss is even more stupid than I already thought he was.

[JDeere]

Today I learned, the Japanese method of decluttering the stuff that brings you joy, if it doesn't anymore then get rid of it, take a guess who cleared his dresser drawers of stuff today!

[homoe]

~
I've noticed a few posts about de-cluttering the Japanese style and I've even watched her TV show but do have a comment or two regarding it.

I wouldn't say I love or that my stapler brings me joy nor my tape dispenser, but regardless I do need them! I could go on and on with other examples but she's speaking more to personal effects I guess!

[Amulette]

~
I've noticed a few posts about de-cluttering the Japanese style and I've even watched her TV show but do have a comment or two regarding it.

I wouldn't say I love or that my stapler brings me joy nor my tape dispenser, but regardless I do need them! I could go on and on with other examples but she's speaking more to personal effects I guess!

I think it may it hold true when you have many of the same items. Say 50 T shirts. Pick the ones that make you happy when you wear them, and let the surplus go.

IMHO
I also suspect there is a life lesson about "sparking joy". What I got from Marie Kondo is that we have many choices to make in life about belongings and life paths. She is teaching people to identify what brings them joy and encouraging them to do that. It's about creating happiness. Actually choosing happiness. I also think that there are cultural differences at play. Japanese are traditionally minimalists.

Anyway that was my take.

[Amulette]

Forty-five years ago today, July 27, 1974, Mikhail Nikolayevich "Misha" Baryshnikov made his American Ballet Theatre debut, dancing opposite fellow expatriate Natalia Makarova just weeks after his defection from the Soviet Union. He was a sensation. He has never returned to Russia.

In my opinion he is one of the finest male ballet dancers I have ever seen. He dances like a male stag leaping and frolicking through the woods. Bruce Lee wanted to train him as a martial artist. They were on the same level skill wise. Ballet dancers are incredible athletes.

https://scontent.faus1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/67319129_10216468250797679_461950052244389888_n.jp g?_nc_cat=108&_nc_eui2=AeGoFwnYw9YlUz4tkYWI_zcvTroXxaGlFRO7HQd2T KTGhVuQtFxBHlLGp8vZWDPbXgkIPQUgrSAyZqnzJFlVz1jd6R0 v04YbhIRG5RxQMV8PxA&_nc_oc=AQmRPPI_sPotc0rQluiahwbrtKohjI2GT2NsGAXpsa4 l5wyfXvf5b8sGVulM_3yJ_MMaBh_et2QC2YFdNBfxVQfw&_nc_ht=scontent.faus1-1.fna&oh=b6ae9b2fa613f5b03be09f49c173e6fb&oe=5DAF4A97

[Amulette]

Georgia O’Keeffe: She Lived Deliciously Alone in the Wild, Wild West (https://www.messynessychic.com/2019/08/07/georgia-okeeffe-she-lived-deliciously-alone-in-wild-wild-west/?fbclid=IwAR330IlWeXngn-T1zVMLfGwBUjYC_XtCJ0uA7UgYICzKtIf9SbUK54JrpiA).

https://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/digital-BLOG-feature_GeorgiaOKeefeHitchingARide1944-1-930x614.jpg

[Amulette]

in·sou·ci·ant
/inˈso͞osēənt, inˈso͞oSHənt/

adjective

showing a casual lack of concern; indifferent.
"an insouciant shrug"

synonyms:nonchalant, untroubled, unworried, unruffled, unconcerned, lacking concern, indifferent, blasé, heedless, relaxed, calm, equable, equanimous, serene, composed, casual, easy, easygoing, airy, breezy, carefree, free and easy, free from care, free from worry, happy-go-lucky, lighthearted, frivolous, unserious.

[JDeere]

I DON'T KNOW WHETHER TO LAUGH OR CRY!


Fem-pocalypse


Fem-pocaplyspe:

- is the END of the naturally functioning modern global society due to hyper-masculinization of woman and hyper-feminization of men, and the END of traditional gender roles, which is also characterized by the preferential treatment of women combined with shameless bashing of men and bashing of all things male by both men and women

[homoe]

``
That a leopard never changes its spots..........

[FireSignFemme]

That a French Connection can be something other than a cocktail, or an elaborate drug trafficking scheme.

[JDeere]

That changing doctors within your health care facility was something i should have done a LONG time ago.

[kittygrrl]

a leopard doesn't change it's spots

[JDeere]

My taste in music is starting to change a bit LOL

[Ginger]

I learned there was a piece of space junk in 2017 they thought was a comet, but it wasn't, and scientists think it might actually be a piece of alien technology! It's very thin, and flat and big, and moves like a sail through space (browsing science channels on TV today)

[RebelDyke]

it is very telling when someone who claims to "not want to talk to you" emails you out of the blue...... hmmm

things are not always as them seem...and people only tell their story... typically never the truth

[JDeere]

No matter how hard you try, you can't please everyone.

[Kätzchen]

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSh7Jjm_htoyOWRo6e3l6XsMCwoPVmVq Cxi9A&s


Today I came across a great quote by former Secretary of State Anthony Blinkin: The cost of Racism is a huge downward spiral that affects not only people of color, but its lasting impact can be measured in how racism affects ones economy. Lasting damage to people of color is cruelty on steroids. :( 💔

[kittygrrl]

learned that my tastes haven't changed much..if i love something, i love it for a very long time---Jane Eyre is still my favorite novel..