Bon Appétit

With all the controversy about food package labeling - artificial flavorings, artificial colorings, artificial sweeteners, chemical preservatives, herbicides, pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, and recently, high percentages of wood pulp in shredded cheese - where's the consumer to turn?

And then, of course, there's the elephant in the room: GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). Companies like Monsanto, Archer-Daniels- Midland, Nestle, ConAgra, and General Mills are pressuring members of Congress to ban labeling. They do NOT want people to know what's in the food they eat.

Another hot button issue in food is the use of high fructose corn syrup. It's in everything, but how bad can it be? It's made from corn. I love corn. I love it on the cob, in the can, or creamed. I love cornmeal in bread, muffins, and fritters. I love grits, and polenta fried in butter. I love corn tortillas.

In fact, if I saw an ad for Aunt Jemima's 100% High Fructose Corn Syrup, I'd be all over that with a stack of pancakes. Let those Canadians and Vermonters have their maple. I'm from the heartland, and corn syrup is by God good enough for me. 

But I have a simple solution. I think, from now on, all packaging should carry the following warning:

CONTAINS FOOD

MAY BE HARMFUL OR FATAL IF SWALLOWED

If It's Good Enough For Tom

I've decided, in 2016, for tax purposes, to start my own church. I'm calling it -

The Church of Stephentology

"Good Works Through Good Words"

Or as Stephentology founder Stephen Dunn says, "Words gooood."

Please join us as we worship cats twenty-four hours a day*

*We're non-denominational (we worship all cats)

~Now seeking members for the choir that I can preach to~

(Not affiliated with the Cat in Every Lap Party)

And They Said Chivalry Is Dead

As you know, I am one of the last of the die-hard romantics. My wife and I always try to start the day with some simple pleasantries. So this morning, when we woke up, I said, "Good morning hon, how are your armpits?"

I know. I know. You're thinking, "What the hell's so romantic about that?"

She slipped on the ice and fell last week, sustaining a fracture in her knee. She's been on crutches ever since, and I remember my own time on crutches, and the worst of it was rubbing my armpits raw.

In actuality, I was inquiring after her comfort, and in the larger context, I was expressing my concern for her overall health and well-being, and tacitly conveying my undying love for her.

So, I say to all my family and friends, "Good morning. How are your armpits?"

Uncle Bernie Wants You

I recently posted that I had the privilege of voting for Bernie Sanders by absentee ballot. My friend from high school, Mary, messaged me today that she just did the same. She also mentioned Channel 2's pathetic coverage of the Chicago march for Bernie held last Saturday. They reported that 200 people attended. Mary was there, and she said the number was closer to 2000! She also linked a Youtube video of the actual event. This was the following conversation:

Stephen Dunn: I used to watch Channel 2 at 5:00 because it leads in from Judge Judy, but after a few days I noticed they managed to report the political news naming every Republican and Democratic candidate, EXCEPT Bernie Sanders. I stopped watching immediately and forevermore, the Judge notwithstanding. Besides, they fired Kate Sullivan right after she had her baby (and blamed it on ratings). She was the best thing about the broadcast. Shame on CBS (the former "champagne" network).

Mary: Channel 5 didn't give it any coverage. Not sure about 7. How do they ignore this, but report on Drumpf's every move?

Stephen Dunn: I think the media heads are in bed with Hillary. I have the films.

Mary: Yikes!!!!

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youtube.com/watch?v=JEkP0p2cgPg&feature=youtu.be

(Video of event from the Video Catalyst Project)

Back When I Was A Kid Said the Universe

I just got off the phone with my mom, and per usual, we got to talking about how fast time flies. Her oldest child (me) is a grandfather. Her grandchildren, my nieces and nephews, are graduating from college, embarking on careers, getting married.

I said, "I love you mom." She said, "I love you too, sweetie. Give my love to everyone." We ended the call and I went online. The first story that popped up on my news feed was about the latest discovery by the Hubble Telescope.

Astronomers detected a "surprisingly bright infant galaxy, named GN-z11" (one of the worst baby names I've ever heard, BTW), some 13.4 billion years in the past, a mere 400 million years after the Big Bang.

No wonder it seems like a lifetime passes in the blink of an eye.

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/hubble-team-breaks-cosmic-distance-record

And A Liberal Shall Lead Them

I had the privilege today of casting my vote* for Senator Bernard "Bernie" Sanders in the Illinois Democratic Primary for the office of president of the United States of America.

*by absentee ballot due to my disability

Open Letter To Portugal

Before becoming confined to a wheelchair, I had the privilege of working for many years in my dream job as the assistant manager of the gourmet food department in a wine and cheese shop. The pride and glory of the fromagerie was a floor to ceiling, open-air, cheese case, from which we hand cut to order, some of the finest artisan cheeses from around the world.

A customer from England, living and working in the Colonies, introduced me to the tradition of serving a plate of Stilton blue cheese, cracked walnuts, and a rich, ruby-red Port on Christmas afternoon.

And that, I must admit, is all I know about Portugal. I know where it is. I know the capital is Lisbon. I know they are a NATO ally. I know the official language of Brazil is Portuguese. I remember from grade school that Portugal lead the Enlightenment and the Age of Discovery. I recall that Portugal was one of the many countries that established a great maritime empire which waxed and waned throughout European history. We learned that Ferdinand Magellan, who first circumnavigated the globe, and Vasco da Gama, who opened the sea route to the Indian spice trade, were Portuguese.

And that's probably more than 99% of Americans could tell you.

Let's face it. Until recently, Portugal was not on my radar. I simply did not give it much thought. But I noticed that my blog has a new follower from Portugal. To me, that is amazing. I don't know if the reader is male or female, young or old, rich or poor. But you are certainly in good company. My blog is read across the continent from Ireland to Russia, and coincidentally, receives many page views from Brazil.

I simply want to say, thank you. I never dreamed that my blog would be read beyond the U.S. My gratitude is without bounds - or borders.

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