...in service to the selfish meme...

Michael Schmidt, the Ontario farmer currently on a 4-week hunger strike to protest the government's shutdown of his raw milk business, has another press conference/rally in front of the Legislative Building at Queens Park tomorrow, Wednesday December 20, 1996 starting at 10:30am (inside and out of the Blue Bus). Along with support of Toronto's top chefs, Michael will announce the end of his hunger strike after losing over 50 lbs.

Watch 20 armed Ministry of Natural Resources officers raid the farm:


This fight is not really about the public health aspects of raw milk, but the corporate desire for total control of the milk market. Mr Schmidt's milk is a farm-gate product. He is a small independent producer outside of the industrial agriculture economy. His market consists of a small number of highly informed consumers that want the benefits of health and taste that come from local, pasture based (grassfed), naturally raised dairy and meat products. Many of his supporters have prominent profiles in the food and restaurant community.

Mr Schmidt's raw milk business threatens industrial milk because it makes public the downside of their own unpleasant practices. Pasteurization laws favour large industrialized dairy operations where cows can be raised in less-expensive and less-healthy conditions.

The Ontario Landowners Association will be attending the rally on Dec 20 and showing their support by buying a '$300 cow share' in Mr Schmidt's business.

Hear a RealAudio CBC interview with Michael Schmidt.

To read more about the pros and cons of raw milk check this Wikipedia entry.
Find out what real milk really is at the Real Milk Website.

Green website TreeHugger has concerns about some of the conclusions reached in Voting With Your Trolley (trolley=British supermarket cart), a recent article in The Economist that looks critically at the practices of the Organic, Fair Trade, and Local Food movements.

What does seem clear is that using only economic logic to analyze real-life problems leaves much out of the equation.

The original 100 Mile Diet was created in Vancouver, Canada.

I've always tried to have a edible garden, use pick-your-own farms, and make preserves when local produce was in season, so this plan really appeals to me.

When I draw a 100 mile circle around Toronto I get a big chunk of New York State and Lake Ontario. Since I don't think there's anything in the lake that I'd want to eat, and NY State is actually further away than 100 miles unless you're flying, I've modified the rules slightly for myself.

I call my version The Southern Ontario Diet with a boundary as shown below:



I must admit that I extended north to Sudbury just to make sure I could get wild blueberries!

We all need shaking up every so often.
Well I've been shaken and stirred! And I like the results...

Old sites are being renovated, and new one are coming online.

This blog (In Service To My Selfish Meme) will focus on sustainable local food, photography, travel, music, science and technology, plus my overflow repository of stuff that I can't fit anywhere else.

Photo journals, both family and other, can be found on Globe Urban www.globurban.com

My Photo albums are available at Flickr www.flickr.com/photos/deafdj

Find buffalo and bison news at Bison World News bisonnews.blogspot.com

Buffalo and Bison recipes, as well as restaurant and retail outlets, at Bison Basics www.bisonbasics.com

Elk recipes at Eating Elk www.eatingelk.com

Maple Syrup at Sweet Sap www.sweetsap.com

And Marsha's Salsafit at www.salsafit.com

All the sites are undergoing development, renovations, and /or regular updates, so keep checking back.

Just too funny not to post!




An ANAGRAM Map of the Toronto subway system.

A snowy winter day outside, but Sims & Shrimper have a warm viewing ledge.

Well, Irate Radio was disappointing.
First it saved all the mp3s it played on my harddrive. Now this is ok, but now I have to manange them!
I rated the music I heard, but the system didn't seem to be able to find anything that I really liked.
SO... off it goes into the land of forgotten uninstalls....

MUCH BETTER is Pandora!
Enter a favourite song or artist, and the Music Genome Project begins to choose music that is 'similar' to your choice.
Each seed song or artist becomes a 'radio station'.
As in Irate, you feed back your approval or not, but in this case I'm starting to believe that it really works.

The only weakness I've found so far is a lack of Latin music, which they state is being worked on and it's close to being ready.

They also have some legal concerns that limits their members to the USA. If your computer beyond the American borders, you will need to supply a real US Zip Code for your address.

Thanks to a suggestion from Steph The Geek I've been having loads of fun with iRATE radio.
The program automatically downloads legal mp3 files. You listen and rate them. Over time the server chooses music similar to tracks you've previously highly rated.

I'll let you know if it really picks music I like after I've spent a week or two training it.



PHOTO: Sims Eyes

If you've been browsing my pictures you may have noticed that I cohabit with a number of cats.

That results in a surplus of empty cat litter containers.

Here's a couple of uses that I've found for the plastic cat litter containers with handles.

1. Plant Containers.
Rip off the top, pull off the litter logo, and punch a few holes in the bottom with a hammer and screwdriver. Fill with potting soil and shove in some plants.

2. Indoor compost collecting bins.
Just remove the litter logo and you have an indoor compost bin that you can open with one hand, throw in the waste, and then snap closed again to keep in any unwanted fragrance and to discourage flies and other bugs.
Then carry the full container out to the backyard composter using the built in carrying handle.
Dump the contents, give the bin a quick rinse with the garden hose, and you can return the bin to use in the kitchen all sparkly clean.

Is anyone else getting *%$!@@ off by the Canadian Tire guy?
How about the commercial where his ATV is 'just a summer toy'!
For most people it would be a struggle to afford, a major purchase.
But the CTC guy, who has everything, his smug attitude just annoys!
And with his exclusive contract, perks, and salary, he probably does have all the 'toys'.

Sorry, just had to let that one out!