NYT: The Self-Destruction of the 1

NYT: The Self-Destruction of the 1%

Or, why upward mobility is essential, even for those who are already rich.

Healthy Chicken and Vegetables

This is a "recipe" given to my class by one of our nutrition professors.

You will need:

• chicken
• fresh lemon
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• any combination of chopped vegetables (peppers, carrots, celery, chard, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, red onion, etc.) See below for specific directions. I suggest using 3 - 4 cups of veggies per chicken breast (or equivalent).
• dry or fresh herbs such as rosemary and/or thyme
• chopped raw garlic or garlic salt/powder, if desired
• extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle AFTER cooking

 Generally, here's how things go:

Juice the lemon into a large stainless steel pot (e.g., Dutch oven). Be sure to remove any pips. Add the chicken, garlic, herbs, and wine. Cook so that neither side is pink. Simmer, adding the chopped vegetables, starting with the ones that take longest to cook. You can start with chard/kale stems that are chopped into small pieces (or freeze them in small pieces for soups or stews later). Also, chopped broccoli stems, carrots, and celery are good candidates for the "first pass". Then add chopped peppers, broccoli florets, zucchini pieces, etc. About 2 - 3 minutes before chicken and vegetables are cooked to your liking, add in the chard or kale. Once these leaves are brightly coloured and tender, remove the pot from the stove and serve. Drizzle with olive oil.

Note: cooking with wine and lemon juice means you don't need to use any oils to prevent sticking. If at any time the simmering pot starts becoming dry, you can add a small amount of water or wine.

BBC News - Lack of contact with nature 'increasing allergies'

BBC News - Lack of contact with nature 'increasing allergies'

Children of the Tsunami

This is a poignant and remarkable documentary. Such charming and beautiful children who will make you want to hug the children in your life and keep them safe. 

Plants can talk to each other - Australian Geographic

Plants can talk to each other - Australian Geographic

What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones? | Mother Jones

What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones? | Mother Jones

Fascinating history of Detroit.

Andrew Coyne: Canada's stealth prime minister

Andrew Coyne: Canada's stealth prime minister

Even the government's most ambitious plans, such as the simultaneous negotiation of free trade treaties with virtually every major trade bloc in the world, or its top-to-bottom reform of immigration policy, are presented as faits accompli, unveiled in rapid succession without much opportunity for consultation - or for op-position to form.

It may be a majority, in other words, but it's still playing the minority game: only it is no longer the opposition parties it is attempting to outfox, but the public. 

Time was when a government that wished to implement some major reform would first issue a green paper, to kick off discussion; then a white paper, containing more finely tuned proposals; and only then proceed to legislation. But this government has no wish to win hearts and minds. The Harper government's strategy, rather, is to take ground in a series of lightning-fast guerrilla raids; to neutralize opposition, as by the defunding of advocacy groups, rather than to rally public opinion to its side.

Ford’s leadership failure killed his own subway dream - The Globe and Mail

Ford’s leadership failure killed his own subway dream - The Globe and Mail