what's wrong with what we eat?

I guess you can call this Part Two, after Ann. Mark Bittman gave this talk at TED a while back. He refers to Ann in his talk, which is why I posted her video. I think they say much of the same thing, but each adds things the other leaves out. Ann is a bit more laid back, Mark a touch more acerbic; but not so much that it turns you off, he's just passionate about his food.

Please take some time to watch them both. Enjoy.

stroke of genius

I saw this on TED (lower left side bar under "looking off the port bow")when it first came out and loved it. Last week Jill Bolte Taylor was interviewed on NPR as the book she has written is being released. This is a fascinating true story of a brain scientist who falls victim to a stroke. She speaks of how at first she doesn't realize what is happening, only that it is beautiful. Eventually she figures out something is wrong and eight years later she is able to express her struggles and what she learned as a scientist who observe the stroke from the inside out.

This talk is well worth the 18 minutes it takes to view. I guarantee you willbe glad you listened to her. Awesome.

picturing excess

Please take a 11:00 minute break and watch this fascinating video, either here or at TED.com. This artist has come up with his "examples of anesthesia", ways that we as a nation go about everyday without consciously being aware of things that we participate in, either by acquiescence or purpose because that's the way things are done. He does not judge or say we are "bad" he justs wants us to be more aware of certain things. He also points out his subjects are not a priority list of ills, just a few things that caught his personal attention in staggering ways.

Some of his subjects are the amount of paper cups we use in a day.
The U.S. prison population versus those from other countries.
Death by cigarettes.
Prescription drug use and abuse.
Elective Breast Augmentation.
Liposuction.

He, I feel, effectively "translates numbers and statistics into visual images" so to invite and motivate us to first recognize and then if we are a part of the problem to accept our responsibility in these things and asks us to think how we can personally change them.

Please watch and enjoy.