Software Soapbox

Great Resources from the Environmental Working Group

(Via Kevin Kelly) The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a great resource, and an example of the informational power of the Web.  Great info on the current issues around Teflon, for example.  And here's two excellent and practical downloads, one for levels of pesticides in fruit and vegetables, and one for endangered fish.  both are great resources when shopping or eating in restaurants.  Now if they only had a list of restaurants with extensive use of Teflon and Perfluorinated Chemicals (I fear it's pretty much all of them....).

On giving up caffeine

I had to give up caffeine this year. I used to rely on caffeine heavily when I was consulting and traveling a lot through time zones, but now my life here in Vegas is more predictable, more routine. The need for caffeine was no longer there, but the attraction and the addiction remained. Recently, though, I’ve been having some reflux and some heart palpitations. In order to put a quick end to these it was suggested that I to go off caffeine immediately, cold turkey....No staged withdrawal, or move to tea…..

My experience: The good news is you can get over caffeine, the bad news is that it takes longer than you think. For me, the headaches and fatigue lasted about a week - in the first round. Then the second week felt pretty good, then the third and fourth and fifth weeks were tough - back to headaches and fatigue from time to time, usually when you need to be awake and alert….Lots of naps after work and on weekends, which obviously the body needed, and the caffeine was masking that need. 

Aspirin now helps with the occasional headache (it didn’t help for the first 2 weeks). Gingko and Lecithin keeps me more alert, and I drink a LOT more water than I used to. I bring cases of 24 of those little spring water bottles to my desk. They case fits right into a standard-sized file drawer, out of the way, but handy when I need them. I go though about 3-4 in a standard workday. 

And my gym has a great Sauna and Steam room, which really helped flush the toxins from the system. I bring a 1.5 liter bottle of water with me, and drink the whole thing in a single visit. First I spend about 10-15 minutes in the Sauna. Then swim a kilometer (40 laps of a 25 meter pool). Then finish of with a good steam. It’s better than a double shot of Selva Negra without all of the nasty side effects…..

It's been about 2 months now, and apart from the occasional spate of sleepiness, I think I’m off it. The reflux and palpitations are gone. My blood work looks much better, too. And it feels good not to have to rely on something to get me up in the morning. And I sleep much more soundly than I used to. Hell, I even dream more. But I do miss coffee; the smell, the buzz, the little ritual of making it in the morning in the now-retired grinder and French Press.

One odd side-effect I have discovered: Now, when I drink alcohol in above-average quantities (more than two beers/glasses of wine in an evening), I sleep great – for about 3 hours. Then I’m awake. Wide awake for about 2 hours. Then I sleep again. Needless to say, I try not to do this on weekdays. Maybe I’ll have to give up alcohol next?

Uh Oh.

via Wired

One of the world's largest agrochemical companies distributed several hundred tons of an unapproved strain of genetically modified corn seed over the past four years, according to a report released Tuesday by the scientific journal Nature.

Miguel de Icaza - THe Mexico - Turkey - Lebanon Connection: Food!

In between teaching Lebanese Linux geeks mono, Miguel pointed out something that I hadn't thought about in my trip to Mexican and Turkish food stalls:

via: Miguel de Icaza.

The tacos-al-pastor which have their equivalents in Turkey and Lebanon did indeed originate in this side of the world and was exported to Mexico with the immigrants (the way its cooked is on a gigantic pile of meat). There are two big differences between the Turkish and the Mexican versions: the Turkish version is made with some kind of lamb meat, while in Mexico we use pork. In Turkey they simmer the meat on tomato sauce on top of a pita-like bread, while in Mexico adobo is used as a spice. They tend to serve this on a piece of bread, we use tortillas.

Voodoo knife rack - Engadget - www.engadget.com

via Engadget

This 40x25 cm strategically perforated human form comes in—what else?—blood red.

Sweet! - Nobu's Black Cod with Miso Recipe

via Wolfgang Puck's Web Site

My friend Nobu Matsuhisa shared this signature recipe with me when he appeared on my Food Network TV show.

I’m due for an inoculation this weekend

Boomers rejoice! Red wine is the health food of this decade! At least there are a lot of studies telling you what you want to hear……It’s apparently the fountain of youth for the blood, and chock-full of anti oxidants. And now it can help prevent lung cancer. My prevention therapy of choice right now is La Periquita, a well-behaved Portugese red.