A few weeks back, I blogged about mega inspiration and Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes, who ran 50 marathons in 50 states in (you guessed it) 50 days. Well, today in the San Francisco Bay Area, Dean had two consecutive signings for his latest book, 50/50. At noon, he met fans and signed books at the Book Passage in the ferry building on embarcadero, downtown SF. Immediately following, Dean said his goodbyes, packed up and naturally set to run over 16 miles (over the Golden Gate Bridge) to the second signing which took place at the Book Passage in Marin County.
Aware of the fact that Dean was going to be running through Sausalito, my good friend Courtney and I head down the street, bringing sandwiches along, and waited for our pal Dean to cruise through. As always, Dean's spirit was filled with joy and appreciation for his inspired fans.
And now I can always say that I've run alongside a legend.
Thanks again Dean and I still look forward to a "serious" run with you -- Much success with the new book 50/50!
Guest post by Brian Clark Howard, The Daily Green
Although we now have (debatably) decent boxed wine, screw tops and machine-printed customized bottle labeling, the ancient art of winemaking hasn't really changed a whole lot through the centuries. However, among the most exciting developments in recent years are the rapidly growing areas of organic and biodynamic wines.
As it turns out that grapes are actually among the most pesticide-laden produce. In California, for example, where 90 percent of domestic wines are produced, grapes receive more pesticides than any other crop: 59 million pounds in 1995 alone, according to Californians for Pesticide Reform. It is no wonder more and more concerned folks are filling their glasses more often with organic wine.
What does that mean? It means more sustainable farming, without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Luckily, while not perfect, USDA organic seals do indicate a set of rigorous standards — even if they aren't always obvious to understand. "100% organic" wine carries the USDA seal, and must be made from 100% organically grown ingredients, monitored throughout the entire production process. This wine can contain only naturally occurring sulfites (or sulfur dioxide, an antimicrobial substance) in less than 100 parts per million (ppm).
So-called "organic" wine must contain 95% organically grown ingredients (the other 5% must not be available organically). As with the previous category the certifying agency must be listed and the wine has the same sulfite requirements. A wine can also be labeled "Made with Organic Grapes" or "Made with Organic Ingredients," in which case the beverage must contain at least 70% organic ingredients. It can have artificial sulfites added, but it may not contain more than 100 ppm. (It does not have the USDA organic seal.)
In addition, the emerging sector of biodynamic wine has been turning the heads of critics and winning over fans for some time. Biodynamic agriculture is based on the precise observation and an attempt at balance of nature, a concept originated by the early 20th-century Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner.
This means biodynamic wine is not only 100% organic, but its producers have gone further to try to bring the farming process more closely in tune with nature. For instance, biodynamic wine growers may make their own compost and/or watch the stars and planets to time what they do.
The good news is that organic and biodynamic wines are becoming much more widely available, as well as reasonably priced. You can find them at better restaurants, large wine shops and liquor stores and at a growing number of vineyards. (There's even an organic wine of the month club!) Also check out these 6 organic and biodynamic wines great for summer.
If the past few years are anything to go on, it seems likely that eco-friendly wines will continue to mature and diversify. They are slowly beginning to win over even the most traditional chefs, sommeliers and critics. A number of vineyards are also stepping up recycling, installing wind turbines and solar panels, reusing waste and other green initiatives, so it's an exciting time.
You've probably heard that wine, in moderation, can have many benefits, from reducing stress and risk of heart disease to possibly providing some defense against cancer. By reaching for organic and biodynamic, you'll be toasting to the health of farm workers (who don't have to work with toxic pesticides), as well as wildlife and the environment. Cheers!
Article submitted by Ryan C. Hill, Director of Hill Family Estate winery.
When someone tastes a wine made with Cabernet Sauvignon from an old chateau in France, and then tastes a wine made with Cabernet Sauvignon from California, they’ll probably think that one of the producers made an error during some stage of the winemaking process due to how different the wines taste. What that person usually doesn’t think about is the two different styles both regions have when it comes to making wine. France makes wine using an old world style which imparts more subtle flavors and qualities. California makes wine in a new world style, which imparts bolder flavors and qualities in the wine.
The old world style focuses on the land imparting different characteristics to the wine. This can also be defined as terrior, which is the biggest factor in determining where a wine is produced. Terrior refers to anything that influences how a grape grows. Examples may include: land, vegetation, wind, climate, sun exposure, growing season, soil variation and anything else that plays a part in how a grapevine grows. This style leads to wines having an earthy and organic aroma mixed in with small amounts of fruit and oak. The wines are usually low in alcohol and have great acidity. This is due to the fact that France doesn’t have hot weather like California and therefore struggles with growing grapes that have a high level of Brix. However, the French are able to practice chapitalization, which means they are allowed to add sugar to their wines in order to make the flavor and sweetness more intense. The French wines are excellent food pairing wines because of the acidity and balance they offer.
California doesn’t have as much history as the French wines, but this doesn’t mean anything to wine drinkers. The up in your face, high alcohol, mega extracted and concentrated wines are becoming a favorite amongst wine connoisseurs throughout the world today. I like to think of California wines as rock and roll and French wines as R&B. This is due to the fact that grape growers in California believe the longer the hang time, the better the wine! This philosophy results with grapes having very high sugar levels that make higher alcohol wines. American wine drinkers love the deep aromas and tannins that are derived from extremely concentrated grapes…I guess they love the hangover that comes with these wines as well! California wineries also like to blend different varietals of grapes together to make three dimensional wines that have all different types of aromas and tastes, similar to a firework show on the Fourth of July!
When it comes to my personal preference in selecting a wine, I like both the old and new world style. Since I grew up in the Napa Valley, I obviously know more about California wines. However, when I go to dinner with friends and family they are always surprised when I select a French wine from the list. The reason I do this is because the acidity and subtleties of the old world style compliment rather than take away from what I’m eating. I’ve found that new world wines are usually so intense and over the top, that they’re overbearing on food.
Hopefully in the next couple of years California winemakers will change their style and not focus on who can make a wine that resembles motor oil, but rather an old world style utilizing California grapes that make a wine with balance and harmony!
-Ryan C. Hill
Ryan C. Hill of Hill Family Estate (Yountville, CA) has written this article for the community to enjoy. Ryan is well respected in the wine industry for both his knowledge and passion for the industry. He happens to be one of my best friends and we're more than happy to share with you any article he has the chance to submit to us. If you have any specific questions for him, please email him at ryan@hillfamilyestate.com.
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Believe it or not, there is a better reason to hang out by the water cooler as often as you can, it's YOU! Our bodies are made up of over 65% water and that means water is the single most important nutrient we just cannot do without. If you drink coffee in the morning, workout during the day and/or drink alcohol in the evening it's all the more imperative that you drink plenty more than the recommended average of 8-10 glasses a day. If you haven't heard of LuLuLemon Atletica (you probably don't hang out with anyone that does yoga) you soon will as they're growing like crazy. Anyhow, they have a really positive mantra mashup advising you to drink as much fresh water as you can in order to flush unwanted toxins from your body, keeping your brain sharp.
I learned pretty quickly on the J.O.B that taking trips to the water cooler every thirty minutes helped the day go by faster. 10-minute smoke breaks are even better! Now, I don't smoke, but that didn't stop me from synchronizing my 10-minute oxygen breaks with the smokers. OK, back to water. I highly recommend getting a glass water bottle and/or a Klean Kanteen. I have and use both daily. Around the house and in the car I carry my glass abundance bottle, which local folks can pick up at Cafe Gratitude. I use my canteen at the office and while hiking or working out. Basically, by carrying around a safe and re-fillable water bottle you force yourself to replenish all day long. And, as with everything healthy, it all starts by forming new habits.
While we're on the topic of water, perhaps you've heard of Dr. Masaru Emoto featured in the popular documentary What the Bleep Do We Know? I was fortunate enough to attend a seminar he gave at UCSD, where my respect and love for water was altered forever. Dr Emoto has proven through his experiments that we can change the vibration of external water molecules through our thoughts which control the vibration of our body's water molecules, constantly in communication with the external water molecules. Moral of the story: it's always better to praise and be thankful for the water you're about to drink rather than having negative thoughts, etc. around it.
Oh, how we're distracted…What came first, a frighteningly distracted nation due to a hyper-fast technological revolution or an outrageous number of doctor-diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) patients? Unlike this blog's title, ADD, now recognized as ADHD without hyperactivity, is undoubtedly a diagnosable and well-understood syndrome that affects millions around the world. It is defined as the following:
A syndrome, usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and often hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.
Unfortunately, to some degree these symptoms largely coincide with the symptoms experienced by many of us simply attempting to function within a modern 21st century society. Obviously some regions of the world are affected on a grander order, but generally speaking it has and continues to take hold on what we call developed first world civilizations. Fueled by cutting-edge advertisement and exploited by Hollywood, we have truly become an Attention Deficit Society.
We as a people have literally become the internet; always connected and relentlessly exposed to a bombardment of information charged through us at rampant velocities. The scary part is how attached we've become to this reality. For example, we all engage in and accept some degree of Restless Dialing. Justifiably assuming your cell phone is just a reach away, it's become virtually impossible to pass free moments without anxiously scrolling through our cell and ringing everyone except those whom you really don’t have the patience to chat with. We actually trick ourselves into thinking we're accomplishing something by efficiently using those vacant thirty minutes while waiting around for something. And because those bases needed to be touched sometime anyway, we rationalize that we are saving money by calling right now instead of later. Because time is money, right?
The good news is that we can change habits on an order of several weeks (if we consciously work at it). And most of us have much to work on because not only do we engage in restless cell phone dialing, but also Restless Channel Surfing. How unproductive do you feel when you start at channel 2 and rapidly flip through commercial after commercial until you arrive back at 2? And have you ever caught yourself just clicking away on the internet without even a purpose for being on in the first place? Heck, I’ve once caught myself anxiously opening and closing folders on my computer’s desktop! Why are we procrastinating so much? And what are we procrastinating from, Life?
With plenty of at-your-fingertip technologies constantly becoming available for you to get your hands on, a fix will always be within reach. Maybe it’s your high definition plasma screen TV? It could be one of the colorful iPods in your house? It may even be your new laptop, iPhone, or digital camera? Did I mention most of these entities come with computer software programs that always seem to slow you down while elevating anxiety? The next time you show your friend your latest must have electronic, take a second to think about the elaborate booze cruise the company’s marketing department is on celebrating record sales...
-Forrest
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Via Treehugger
A new Canadian study looks at the risks of engineered nanomaterials, and raises serious concerns. According to Martin Mittelstaedt in the Globe and Mail, the Council of Canadian Academies was asked by Health Canada to "study the state of knowledge about these novel substances and the regulatory changes needed to oversee their use. They concluded that "there are inadequate data to inform quantitative risk assessments on current and emerging nanomaterials." Their small size, the report says, may allow them "to usurp traditional biological protective mechanisms" and, as a result, possibly have "enhanced toxicological effects."
About 517 different products containing nanomaterials, ranging from suncreens to tennis racquets, have been admitted to Canada from the United States. Dr. Pekka Sinervo, Chair of the study, says "One can argue fairly strongly that some of those products probably should be looked at on a going-forward basis. It's a new technology. We are concerned."
Read more: No, No, Nano: Micro Materials Could Pose Health Risks
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