IN PRAISE OF WOODY HARRELSON, AVAAZ and CHOCOLATE MOMENTS

WOODY HARRELSON


I have just seen a movie called the Messenger which stars Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster and Samantha Morton. In my humble view, Harrelson is building up a decidedly impressive ouevre. His sheer physicality and screen presence is immense, certainly Brando or James Gandolfini (Tony Soprano)’esque. He inhabits his characters at a deep level, in keeping with the best traditions of method acting. And his versatility is also commendable. Just think of the range of characters he plays in the movies Indecent Proposal, Natural Born Killers, The People vs.Larry Flint and No Country For Old Men. A legend in the making I say. Hyperbole? Moi?


AVAAZ

Avaaz is a simply magnificent campaigning organization and one which has reached an unprecedented size. They proudly refer to themselves as: ‘The largest global, on-line, citizens movement in history,’ which has nearly 4 million members and has taken 15 million actions. It has donated millions of dollars to campaigns, democracy movements and humanitarian relief. It organizes high profile protests and days of action, such as the March 31st 2008 events at Chinese Embassies and Consulates around the world, which called on the Chinese government to respect human rights with regard to Tibet. I know that I certainly feel good to be a part of it and always feel empowered when contributing a few dollars, signing a letter or petition and inviting friends to do likewise.


CHOCOLATE MOMENT

I have just enjoyed a very nice chocolate moment. The one when you think you are out of chocolate late in the evening and you are in no fit state to drive to the shops. You suddenly find a bar in the fridge (where I prefer to keep my chocolate) which you had forgotten about. Oh, the ecstasy, the unrefined joy!! Fellow chocoholics will know exactly what I am talking about.

SOLIDARITY WITH IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARIES

Just wanted to express my solidarity with all those brave souls in Iran who are laying down their lives in the cause of freedom, in the face of a most brutal Fascist state.

2009 PHOTOS

Greeny...He's quite gentle really


Derbyshire Dales, UK

Dominic and the White Monkey, Tucson

Dominic and the Buddha

Pet Lizard in Tucson


Brooklyn Bridge, New York

Hindu Festival of Divali, London

The Thames, London



Edgware Road, London



Canary Wharf, London

Ayvalik Mannequins

Ayvalik sunset

Ayvalik, Aegean Coast of Turkey

VEGANISM

Unlike vegetarianism, which relates solely to one’s diet, Veganism is a philosophical decision about how to live the good life. Vegans avoid either consuming or using animal products. In dietary terms, they do not eat any meat, poultry, fish or dairy. Nor do they imbibe anything which contains an animal by-product such as gelatin or rennet. Moreover, all materials derived from animals, be it leather, fur, wool, silk, honey or beeswax, are strictly off-limits.

Vegans are motivated by compassion for animal welfare and a general reverence for life. They also share a concern for the environment. The American Vegan Society promotes the philosophy of ‘Ahimsa’, a Sanskrit term which envisages a life in which the default position is not to do harm and from there one sets out to be a force for good.

The health benefits of a vegan diet are there for all to see. By steering clear of diets high in fats and sugars, Vegans reduce the risk of the many ailments with which such diets are associated. Namely, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attacks, strokes and cancer. The principal foodstuffs that they eat are fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, pulses and soya.

The crucial consideration for Vegans is that they get the required amount of proteins and nutrients. The vast majority of us obtain all that we need in that respect from meat, fish and dairy, but vegans have to do their homework due to the fact that their diet is not as Protein or Vitamin rich. Specifically, they must ensure that they have enough Protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. This entails adding some fortified foodstuffs and supplements to their diet.

My friend Josh has been a vegan for 4 years and he tells me that the supplements vegans have to pay particularly close attention to are vitamin B12 – which is the hardest to come by - and the fatty acids, Omega 3 and Omega 6. You can get B12 from nutritional yeast or enriched soya milk and Omega 3’s from tofu, walnuts and flaxseeds. Omega 6’s are relatively common in vegetable oils. He also points out that supplements are often problematic as many of them are gelcaps that are made with gelatin (animal bones).

Josh strives for purity as a vegan but he is realistic enough to appreciate that it is not possible to be 100% vegan in our society. He says that the use of animals in our society is pretty much ubiquitous: ‘From asphalt and windshield washer fluid, to beer, wine and sugar,’ is how he puts it.

Vegan Idealists are denigrated by society’s hard-nosed cynics who portray them as weak, head-in-the-clouds, do-gooders. Similar charges might well be leveled at others who believe in a high-minded doctrine, cause or an ethos; it could just as easily be pacifists or proponents of the electric car.

To my mind, Vegans can be proud of the lifestyle choices they have made. They pursue wholesome, ethical and essentially healthy lives. The fact is that their carbon footprint is considerably less than the rest of us - the average American diet produces 1485 kg more per year in C0 2 emissions than a Vegan diet.

The meat and dairy industries spend millions on conditioning humanity to believe that there is no alternative to their products if we want to sustain ourselves. Vegans are living, breathing proof that there is still a choice to be made. The individual still has the strength of character to resist the monoliths on our planet.

Browsing on-line I stumbled upon a site at www.theveganchef.com which belongs to Chef Beverly. She has some fabulous sounding recipes, one example being a soy and fruit based dish called ‘Cheese quesadillas with berry and peach fruit salsa.’
I am off to have a go at cooking my first ever vegan dish….Check back with me soon for the results.

MEET FREDDIE…..GREETER PAR EXCELLENCE

Freddy, the greeter at Fry’s supermarket on Grant and First, is more than happy with his lot in life. Patrolling the entrance area, he is doing what comes naturally to him, interacting with people. Of Mexican descent, he is a short, dark, balding 48-year old, dapperly dressed in an open-neck cream shirt, black pants and matching black waistcoat, replete with a red Fry’s logo and I.D badge.

I watch him in action. ‘Hello Sir, Hello Madam. Nice to see the two of you and each one of you. Would you like to see our sales paper?..... Hi folks. Welcome to Fry’s. My name’s Freddy and I offer you service with serenity and a smile. All of you and each one of you are most welcome. Let me get you a shopping cart.’ He works the steady stream of customers effortlessly. There are cuddles with old ladies, pats on backs and firm handshakes a plenty, although it has to be said that the odd shopper looks a tad bemused. Factor in his bushy moustache and rat-a-tat delivery and Freddy strikes me as being every inch the Latino Groucho Marx.

He tells me why he is so comfortable at Fry’s. ‘I’ve always been a people person. I am a happy guy, I don’t do moodiness. It all came together here. This is who I am. I’m always like this. I have a fan club outside of here. Walmart was not the right place, they did not appreciate me. Even here at first, my co-workers thought I was fake and a phoney. But, in time, they realized I wasn’t.’

I ask Freddy if he is living the American dream. ‘I’m accomplishing my goals in my own time. I don’t try to keep up with the Jones’s. I wish luck to Mr Jones but I do my own thing.’ What about marriage? ‘I’m not the marrying kind. I like my independence. I don’t answer to anyone. The only person I answered to was my Mum when she was alive. She had Parkinsons and I cared for her for nine years. The day she died was the worst of my life. My whole life, God came first and Mum second. I’m a believer but I’m not a religious person. I don’t go to church.’