Upstate

Taughannock Falls

Six-mile creek gorge

Six-mile creek gorge

Get your mind on this

Advertisements I see on a daily basis.

Photos from Commute

Crosstown Bus

Bulky northface jacket 2007.
Ashed forehead, silver
chains and diamond cross.
Bumping off the bus,
singing to his own personal jesus.
--
Hooped male earrings,
poetry printouts and
double sided real estate floorplans.
Punks, hooded and Bowie-jeaned,
stroll through trees on the 86th crossstreet.
The sun sets, slowly,
on the tips of fifth avenue.

The Benefits of Arugala

Rocket, also known as arugula, garden rocket, rocket salad, rugola, rucola and roquette, is a type of leaf vegetable, and although often mistaken for a sort of lettuce, is in fact a herb; a member of the mustard family. It is rich in vitamin C and iron.
Rocket has been grown as a vegetable in the Mediterranean area since Roman times, and was considered an aphrodisiac. Before the 1990s it was usually collected in the wild and was not cultivated on a large scale and not scientifically researched until the 1990s. Arugula cultivation is prominent in parts of India, North Africa, Italy and is presently becoming an industrial crop in the United States.

- Wikipedia

Minerals

Calcium 44.8 mg
Iron 0.4 mg
Magnesium 13.2 mg
Phosphorus 14.6 mg
Potassium 103 mg
Sodium 7.6 mg
Zinc 0.1 mg
Copper 0.0 mg
Manganese 0.1 mg
Selenium 0.1 mcg
Fluoride

Vitamins

Vitamin A 664 IU
Retinol 0.0 mcg
Retinol Activity Equivalent 33.3 mcg
Alpha Carotene 0.0 mcg
Beta Carotene 399 mcg
Beta Cryptoxanthin 0.0 mcg
Lycopene 0.0 mcg
Lutein+Zeaxanthin 995 mcg
Vitamin C 4.2 mg
Vitamin D ~
Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol) 0.1 mg
Beta Tocopherol ~
Gamma Tocopherol ~
Delta Tocopherol ~
Vitamin K 30.4 mg
Thiamin 0.0 mg
Riboflavin 0.0 mg
Niacin 0.1 mg
Vitamin B6 0.0 mg
Folate 27.2 mcg
Food Folate 27.2 mcg
Folic Acid 0.0 mcg
Dietary Folate Equivalents 27.2 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.0 mcg
Pantothenic Acid 0.1 mg
Choline ~
Betaine ~

Fatty Acids

Total Omega-3 fatty acids 47.6 mg
Total Omega-6 fatty acids 36.4 mg

The Breakdown

This food is low in Saturated Fat, and very low in Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Manganese.

Nutritional source - nutritiondata.com

The United States - Democratic Capitalism

"I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money power of the country will endeavour to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people (e.g., by pitting the cooperation-oriented political left against the competition-oriented political right), until the wealth is aggregated in the hands of a few, and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of the war." - Abraham Lincoln

The war in Iraq has now cost U.S. tax payers over $360,000,000,000.00.

http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182

* Over $1 billion is expected to be raised during the 2008 election cycle.

* Goldman Sachs dolled out over $16 billion in bonuses to its 20,000 employees. That's an average of over $500,000 per employee.

* Meanwhile, more than 1 billion people worldwide live on less than $1 a day.

* The combined wealth of the top ten wealthiest individuals in the world is greater than the 100 poorest countries combined GNP.

Ask yourself, "Are a minority of people getting wealthy at the expense of the majority?" "What is the connection between the rich and the poor?"

These are questions we need to ponder with serious intensity.

President Who?

For the first time in the history of the United States, there is a real possibility that the next President will not be a white male. Two days ago, Barack Obama launched http://www.barackobama.com/, on which he posted a video and text message announcing the formation of a presidential exploratory committee, set up to assess his shot at winning the oval office. He will announce his intentions on Feb. 10 in Springfield, Ill., Abraham Lincoln's hometown. This morning, Hillary Clinton, fresh from a trip to Iraq over the weekend, led a media rush, with appearances on the NBC and CBS morning shows and NPR, effectively cutting into Barack Obama's media momentum. With 362 days until the Iowa Caucus, the primaries have begun.

To be fair to the rest of the Democratic hopefuls, there is no telling how the race will turn out. John Edwards is a viable candidate with Presidential campaign experience, Joe Biden and Christopher Dodd have strong networks of support in the northeast and Tom Vilsack is the two-term Governor of the most important primary state, Iowa. To the relief of many, John Kerry, despite winning the second most popular votes ever, does not have a chance. Dennis Kucinich, Al Sharpton and Wesley Clark have fervent pockets of supporters, but are also not serious contenders.

The barrage of skepticism surrounding Barack Obama's chances has just started appearing in the press. Articles point to past political stars, the most recent example being Howard Dean, who burnt out faster than digital camera batteries. Obviously, parallels can be drawn. Premature Time Magazine covers plastered with the "Next President?" can be poison in disguise. On the flip side, there have been many charismatic political stars who have made it through tough campaigns to find themselves yielding the Presidential seal. Two come to mind immediately, William Clinton and John F. Kennedy. Barack Obama has both the intelligence and charisma of Presidents Clinton and Kennedy, Howard Dean did not possess enough of the former and none of the later characteristic. Two years ago, I was waiting for my father at Dulles Airport when no other than Howard Dean came walking through the arrival terminal. No one seemed to notice, or care. Can you imagine the raucous Barack Obama, Bill Clinton or John F. Kennedy would have caused in Dean's shoes?

Bordeaux Blend Tasting

Last night, with two of my favorite women, I taste tested three traditional Bordeaux blends, from Chile, Australia and Bordeaux.

Bordeaux red wines are predominately a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with small percentages of added varietals, including Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Interestingly, Chile claims to have one of the lost varietals of Bordeaux reds, Carmenère. Legend has it that the Chilean aristocracy of the 1850's brought over grapes from Bordeaux, including Carmenere to start vineyards in Chile that would eventually rival the great vineyards of France. During a subsequent drought, Carmenere was lost in Bordeaux.

Cotes-de-Castillon's Chateau Cap De Faugeres, 2oo4. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. $19.99

Frankland Estate's Olmo's Reward, 2000. Frankland River Regions, Australia. Known as "The Bordeaux from the Bush" in the USA, this wine is a blend of Bordeaux varieties in which cabernet franc and merlot are the dominant components with malbec, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot playing minor supporting roles. $23.99

Veramonte Estate's Primus, 2004. Primus is a blend of Carmenère, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.




Armed with 3 glass varieties, we delved into the tasting. The Primus was balanced with medium tannins and a sharp start that quickly spread across the palate. The oak was evident and we were left with a vanilla aftertaste. Frankland Estate's Olmo's Reward was the least compelling and was flat and simple. It is possible that at 7 years, it had lost its youth, but had not yet reached full maturity. The only Bordeaux of the lot, Chateau Cap De Faugeres, was decidedly dry and less fruity than the Primus. Tar and tobacco came through.

The consensus among us was that the Frankland Estate was disappointing, the Bordeaux perhaps suited for a French palate and the Primus was surprisingly rich and delicious.

Mountains in Japan & India

Lake Nojiri in the Japan Alps



Japan Alps - Hokusai's "Winter" (Also album cover for Weezer's Pinkerton)


1857 Painting of Mt. Kangchunjunga, Sikkim


Mt. Kangchenjunga in Sikkim, India

Selling Iraq on e-bay

Tonight, President Bush laid out another plan forward in Iraq. He proposed an increase of 17,500 troops in and around Baghdad and another 4,000 in Anbar Province. This time, the President believes his plan will work.

"In earlier operations, political and sectarian interference prevented Iraqi and American forces from going into neighborhoods that are home to those fuelling the sectarian violence. This time, Iraqi and American forces will have a green light to enter these neighborhoods - and [Iraqi]Prime Minister [Nouri] Maliki has pledged that political or sectarian interference will not be tolerated."

Although "political and sectarian interference" has stifled progress in religiously divided neighborhoods, the President ignores the central reason American and Iraqi forces have not been successful infiltrating the most dangerous corners of Iraq. Neighborhoods overflowing with sectarian violence are lethal, and any attempt to pacify them with force will incur a heavy loss of life, both Iraqi and American. In other words, by giving soldiers the "green light" to enter ground zero, President Bush tonight asked the American people to accept both an escalation in troop levels and in bloodshed.

In this dark and warm winter, the only consensus that seems to exist regarding the Iraq War is the lack of a solution. Even the President has finally admitted this. He also claims the war is no longer only a military conflict.

"It is the decisive ideological struggle of our time.On one side are those who believe in freedom and moderation. On the other side are extremists who kill the innocent, and have declared their intention to destroy our way of life."

President Bush's arrogance has left him blind. After preemptively invading Iraq with vague intelligence, he dares to imply that we are on the side of "freedom and moderation". There is nothing moderate about the "shock and awe" campaign he ordered on March 20, 2003.

There will not be an end to the Iraq War during President Bush's tenure. The next President of the United States will inherit a huge burden. If the United States truly hopes to be a beacon of "freedom and moderation", the first steps for the next President will be to admit the horrible atrocity of the Iraq War, apologize to the world for committing preemptive war and request help from the international community. In the end, the only solution to the Iraq War is for the United States to show humility.

"We have forgotten the gracious hand which has preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our hearts that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving Grace." --Abraham Lincoln

I found the following items for sale on e-bay.

Combat Boots, 35 days in Iraq - $25.36

Operation Iraqi Freedom Badge - $6.99

U.S. Issued Saddam Hussein 'Wanted' Matches - $39.99

Oregon

The Oregon Coast.

(A) Copasetic World

Definition of copasetic

co·pa·set·ic [koh-puh-set-ik, -see-tik] - adjective Slang.
fine; completely satisfactory; OK.
Also, copacetic, copesetic.
[Origin: 1915–20, Americanism; of obscure orig; popular attributions of the word to LaF, It, Heb, etc., lack supporting evidence]

Etymology of copasetic

It is said that the word copasetic originated in Chicago during the prohibition, which happens to be the time and place of my grandfather's birth, but that's beside the point for now. As the dictionary points out, the word is "of obscure origin". With this in mind and given its definition, it seems likely that the soul who created the word had a liver full of bathtub gin and a flask of sarcasm. For anyone who enjoys a glass of wine over dinner, the prohibition was anything but "fine; completely satisfactory; OK".

What is (A) Copasetic World?

This blog is for optimistic-realists (think medium-rare) with a sense of sarcasm. Its aim is to break down established thought patterns by providing multidimensional perspectives on issues ranging from current events, religion, music, art, travel, etc.



We do not live in (a) copasetic world, yet.