Archives for August 2009

Fast Food Mafia

My friend Ray posted this amazing artist’s work, called ‘Fast Food Mafia’: SilentSketcher parodies the ‘heavies’ from many fast food companies that I’m sure you’ll recognize.

Watching TV: Even Worse for Kids Than You Think

It’s no secret that sedentary behavior contributes to obesity and chronically poor health. But not all sedentary behaviors are created equal, according to a new study that examines the link between blood pressure in children and their choice of inactive pastimes, including watching TV, using the computer and reading.

'Food Deserts' Can Shorten Life Expectancy

Living in a ‘food desert’ – such as a neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side – can have a negative impact on one’s health, according to a 2006 study of five local areas with no full-service grocery stores. Watch the update courtesy of Chicago’s PBS…

Sure Shots

My neighbor Susan recently gave me a charming book about old-fashioned cocktails. The author stresses throughout the book that the base of a delicious mixed drinks comes from premium spirits and fresh juices – no bottled mixes. So I’ve devised four recipes for lower-calorie shots!

Fields of Wheat

As we drove through the German countryside on our latest trip, a pale yellow and green checkerboard of corn and wheat flashed past us. We were expected that afternoon at cousin Ludger’s farm where he raises some fifteen hundred pigs alongside several fertile wheat fields.