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Searching for Easter in the Midst of Christmas

(Many of you have reached out to our family in the midst of death of my nephew, my sister’s son, Gale Stauffer, who died December 23. He was tragically killed in the line of duty, serving the City of Tupelo on the Tupelo Police Force. Below is the message I shared at Gale’s Service of Death and Resurrection. We are deeply grateful for your many, many prayers, cards, letters , text messages and calls as we have walked the valley of the shadow of death. We are grateful we do not walk alone.)

Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr.

June 22, 1975-December 23, 2013

Lord our God, the death of Gale who has been son, brother, husband, father, grandson and friend, recalls the human condition and the brevity of our lives on earth. But, for those who believe in Your love, death is not the end. Nor, does it destroy the bonds that You forge in our lives. We share the faith of Your Son’s disciples and the hope of the children of God. Bring the light of Christ’s resurrection to this time of testing and pain as we pray for Gale and for one another who loved him deeply, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Psalm 27
John 15: 9-14

Greater love hath no man than this that he lay down his life for his friends.

By all accounts, this is not where any of us planned to be on the last Friday of 2013.

When the light of day broke through the darkness, Monday, December 23, none of us could have imagined that this week, a week filled with expectation, joy and celebration would be interrupted with tragedy, pain and loss. We could not have imagined that the gathering in this beloved sanctuary with our family and friends would be to celebrate the life, love, servanthood and faithfulness of Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr.

Clay and Gale, best friends on the Tupelo Police Force, exchanged gifts Monday morning. Gale began reading Oliver North’s book, American Heroes, Clay’s gift to Gale.

The last page Gale read before going on patrol on Monday, December 23, were characteristics of a hero: they place themselves at risk for the benefit of others.

Little did Gale, Clay or Beth know that by the end of the day, we would be remembering the heroic ways in which Gale gave his life for the benefit of others, for this community and for doing the thing he was born to do.

As Clay wrote:

“Gale had the heart of a warrior, the strength of a lion and was fiercely loyal and protective of his family and friends. Gale studied, trained and practiced to always be the best at everything he did. He was a soldier. He was a police officer. He was a vigilant protector of those that he loved. In every way, Gale was the embodiment of an American hero and patriot who was never shy about expressing his love of country and always enjoyed a hearty political debate . “(especially with his Uncle Steve.)

His goal was to protect others with the best of himself, in the ways he had been trained and gifted to do. Little did we know…that in this corner of the world where life is safe, that Gale would stand in the gap for the rest of us, seeking to make our community safe.

Little did we know…that Kevin Gale Stauffer would be the one who embodied the teaching of Jesus that greater love has no one that he laid down his life for his friends.

Gale–all of him…was 150% man. He came into our family 38 years ago…born Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr. For us, his mom and dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, he was a joyous gift. He played hard, loved hard and worked hard.

When he was a little boy, he believed his Aunt “Winn” was his personal playmate. There were hours upon hours of football in the living room and front yard. God blessed him with a wide body. In high school he anchored the

offensive line. In his early years, he was all about – Ole Miss Rebels. However, when he moved to Baton Rouge as a teenager, he went through an amazing conversion experience over which he never recovered. His loyalty shifted to the LSU Tigers. There are some things even God cannot change about a man. Fiercely competitive—highly opinionated—to which those who followed him on Facebook could attest…Gale was extremely loyal.

When his country called, he responded. He spent 14 months in Bagdad and was proud to defend our country. Upon his return, he turned to protecting our city, our friends, our families.

Standing with his brothers and sisters in the Tupelo Police Force, his leadership could be termed shepherd and servant by the way he lived. His compassion was always with the victim. He sought to be a protector of those he loved most – Beth, Dixie, Skip and his extended family…as well as the community of Tupelo, Mississippi.

Gale gave his life doing that which he loved and that which he deeply believed in. Not one of us expected that in Tupelo, Mississippi, the pale of darkness could or would fall as it has in these last days.

So little did we know that on this day of days, we would find ourselves moving so quickly from the expectation of the joy of the Birth of the Christ’s Child at Christmas to the suffering, abandonment and pain of the Cross.

How could we have seen that on the last Friday in 2013, we would be hunkered down and huddled up like the disciples in the Upper Room after Jesus was crucified? Like the disciples, we are afraid. But the darkness we have experienced has stirred in us other emotions. What do you bring today?

Maybe you come with:

Deep sadness.

Over the last few days, I have felt every one of these emotions. I wonder if this is true for you as well. What do you bring today? Whatever you bring, let this be your offering to God today. Place these things in God’s good hands. Whatever you bring, bring to the foot of the cross, the crucified Christ. Do not hold on to that which you bring, but rather, give it to the Christ. For us today, the light of Christmas has been extinguished.

The light of Easter has yet to dawn. We sit in the darkness of the cross. We hunker down in the midst of darkness. We do so knowing that the darkness is great. And yet we know that we stand in a tradition that is bold to proclaim that the light cannot be overcome by the darkness. We gather to claim the promise that the light came into the world on that first Christmas. That light shines here even in the midst of the darkness around us. Indeed, what we do know is that the light and love of Christ has come into the world. We gather to claim the promise that the light and love of Christ overcomes the darkness. The light of Christ overcomes even death. No matter how dark this day is, the darkness has not overcome the light, nor us, nor this world.

What we do know is that the order of creation has been disrupted.

I heard my mother say, “you don’t expect to outlive your children—but you certainly do not expect to outlive your grandchildren.” Indeed, when an elder dies, they take with them the past, all that has been. When a young man at age 38 with two small children and a wife who adores him dies, the future has been taken away. This is what makes this mountain of grief so incredibly difficult, so dark, so senseless and so seemingly unending.

What we do know is this:

Because the light of Christ has come into the world, Gale’s tragic death is not God’s will. It is not God’s will that a 38 year old husband and father of two beautiful children should have his life snuffed out like a candle on a dark night two days before Christmas to teach us some lesson we have not learned.

We do know that God’s heart breaks every time evil oversteps a boundary of good and right and truth. We do know that this day, the God we love with an everlasting love, the God who teaches us the way of love and life, is weeping and wanting to wipe from our eyes every tear we cry.

What we do know is that our tendency this day is to believe that hate begets hate and our real temptation today is to allow the hate we feel for the perpetrator to get the best of us. If those of us who loved Gale the most are not careful, we will allow that anger to rage within us in such a way that it clouds our ability to see clearly the light of Christ and see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

So, how do we respond to this? Where do we go from here? Hunkered as we are, how do we release ourselves from this mountain of grief into the hands of God? If we are not full of care for ourselves, for each other, for the community, we will lose sight of one of the last commandments Christ gave us: TO LOVE. If we are not full of care, if we do not carefully attend to our grief in the days to come, we will not bear fruit that will last.

What we are to do is simply this: Hold on to one another. Hold on to the gift that Gale is and has been to us. Hold on to the good memories that are ours of Gale. Hold on to the grace that, in God’s good time, will hold us because we cannot hold ourselves. Hold on to each other. Hold on to the eternal light of Christ.

The light that has come is the promise of Easter; even though this very Friday, we cannot yet see our way to the dawn of Easter light. As baptized Christians, we trust that the light of Easter will come.

So we pray, come Lord Jesus, come. Come heal us, Come and soften our hearts. Break our hearts of stone that we may again rise from this place with love that reigns in us. Come save us; save us from ourselves and our sinning.

Last night as friends came and gathered around our family and gave us the strength we did not have in and of ourselves, I saw so many who have walked this way before. Those who have stood where we now stand and who have grieved the unbearable grief of the loss of a child or a spouse. In this, the longest week of our lives, I am reminded of something William Slone Coffin, the former esteemed pastor of Riverside Church in New York City, said a few days after his 24 year old son was killed tragically in an automobile accident:

“among the healing flood of letters that followed his death was one carrying this wonderful quote from the end of Hemingway’s “A Farewell to Arms,”

“The world breaks everyone, then some become strong at the broken places.”

Our deepest prayer this day is that our own hearts will mend. That they will mend to the degree that we remember that love begets love, in the begetting, it transmits strength. (Coffin)

What strengthens us—Beth, Dixie, Skip, Caroline, Debbie, Kevin, all of us: is You; Your unwavering friendship and love. As we walk this lonesome valley, the real temptation is for us to walk bravely alone; we simply cannot. As headstrong and strong-willed as this family can be, we are not strong enough to do this new way of walking alone.

We have been moved these last several days, and especially last night and today, with the powerful witness of our sisters and brothers within the ranks of our law enforcement family. We are grateful for your love and support.

Against that backdrop, we now march as the “latest recruits in the world’s army of the bereaved.”(Coffin) More than once these last days, we have felt the absence of the presence of God. But, in that overwhelming feeling that turns us upside down and breaks us into, we find ourselves with Jesus on the cross, out of control and crying – “My God, My God why has thou forsaken us” quoting Psalm 22.

Our tendency is to overlook the fact that the Psalm doesn’t end there. The Psalmist expresses the deep feelings, pain and agony of abandonment…but the last turn of the Psalm is a turn to the future…trusting that the Goodness of God will be enough.

The grief we feel today, the grief we have felt since Monday, seems unbearable. In time, it will turn to a bearable sorrow.

Not soon. Not today. But one day. One day, we will wake up and we will discover that the sorrow we feel is more bearable. Somehow, we will find ways to bear the sorrow that has come, uninvited, into our midst. Then, what we will know is that “the goodness of the Lord dwells in the land of the living…”

And we will rise up from this unbearable sorrow and proclaim:

“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!”

Amen and Amen

62 Comments on “Searching for Easter in the Midst of Christmas”

  1. […] Searching for Easter in the Midst of Christmas | Greater Things Are … Many of you have reached out to our family in the midst of death of my nephew, my sister's son, Gale Stauffer, who died December 23. He was tragically killed in the line of duty, serving the City of Tupelo on the Tupelo Police  […]

  2. Don says:

    Bill, I was touched by your message to Gale’s family and friends. The power of God’s love to find peace in such a difficult time was clearly expressed in your words. At times like this it is so easy to blame God for the evil in this world. I agree with you that God does not take us home but recieves us to His home when we pass through this world. I could never understand why words like “must be God’s time or God’s plan” are used when loved ones past away. God’s love is greater than these. May God continue to use you and bless your ministry. We miss you here in Mississippi.
    Love from a close friend,

  3. Warren R. Coile says:

    I did not know that this brave officer was your nephew. What a wonderful message and presentation of the Gospel in your remarks that day.
    Warren Coile

  4. Kay & Jerry Wages says:

    Bill, It was several days after this tragic event before we realized that this officer was your and Steve’s nephew. Your message was a beautiful and moving tribute. I know it must have been very difficult for you to do this. We will continue to keep you and all of your family in our thoughts and prayers in the difficult days to come. Remembering you and your family with love and fondness and how you ministered to me and my family years ago during the death and funeral of my dad.
    In Christian Love,
    Jerry & Kay

  5. Heather says:

    This line especially rang true to me: “the real temptation is for us to walk bravely alone.” That’s a truth that applied to so many of us in so many areas of our lives.

    Here is my own blog entry from the day after Gale’s death, if you are interested in reading it.

  6. Jimmy Day says:

    Bill, your words of love, comfort and strength are as meaningful now as those that you provided to me and our Church Family at Biloxi First back in September 2010. The outpouring of expression from so many on your blog gives testament to all our heart-felt sympathies to you and your family. You well know from your Pastoral leadership how real and needed is the love and support of the Church Family. As intellectual humans in this world, we always tend to search for the reason why. Your December 31st “Message” has again shown us the way; at a time when it is really us, who wish to extend that arm of support to you. We feel the pain of your loss and we share with you the trust and faith in the true order of our eternal life with Christ. Through the reinforcement provided by that Light and with the support of like minded friends and Family, we will hold on together, with the promise of Easter. From Biloxi First, our prayers are with you and your Family. Jimmy Day

    Thanks, Jimmy, for your kind words.

  8. Agnes Butler says:

    My husband, Ben Butler, was a local UMC pastor in Paducah District; he went to his heavenly home January 23, 2009. We lost a son at age 42 and my mother on Dec.25,1989;your message was a delayed comfort. My heartfelt condolences and love to you and the entire family. Your message was certainly spirit guided and honest and leaves all with hope. Ben’s words, “We are Easter people!” Healing does come;t the scars may remain, but death and scars do not take away the precious memories and the hope we have in our Lord. May God continue to bless you and your family in the days ahead.

  9. Dwight D. Mitchell says:

    Bishop, we do extend our deepest condolences to your entire family. friends,co-workers,military,ect Thank you for your message of hope in reinforcing that darkness cannot overshaddow light.

    Lighthouse UMC. Memphis Conference.

  10. prechaphil14 says:

    I thank you for sharing with the rest of us an honest, non-sugar coated message of faith. You preached the gospel while at the same time you personalized your words and expressed for the family the emotions you were all undoubtedly feeling. During the month of December, we have had nine deaths in the Waverly congregation of members or family members of members. One of these was my mother, and another was a dear friend and colleague. One more of our faithful members died yesterday. Each person is created uniquely by God and each circumstance of death is different. But always, we have our faith to sustain us and hope to offer in the name of Jesus. In the midst of darkness and brokenness there is always light and comfort to offer. As family members or clergy it is a sacred privilege to share this journey with those we love.

    • wtmcalilly says:

      Blessings to you and your congregation in the midst of this valley of the shadow of death.

  11. Lisa Jean Hoefner says:

    Thank you for sharing this message. It does once again remind us that what is most personal is also somehow most universal. My tears this morning join others to wash out our eyes once again and see light entering through cracks in this world. Bless each of your family members with love.
    From Oregon-Idaho Conf

  12. William & janice says:

    I know that you do not know me, but I receive the Greater Things post. My heart goes out to you and your family. Three years ago, our 47 year old son died of cancer. I know the terrible grief that comes with losing a son. I am so glad I had Jesus Christ in my heart to help me take on the pain. Now, after 3 years the pain has gotten better and like you said in your message, you do wake up one day and say to yourself, the grief is now easier to bear. Thank you for this message of hope. Sincerely, Janice Cook Fairfield Glade Methodist Church

  13. Cathy says:

    Amen and Amen. Love, always, love.

  14. Vona Wilson says:

    Thank you so much for sharing such beautiful words. Our prayers surround all of you.

  15. leslie. rather says:

    U said. It very well my heart breaks ffor ur family as the Rather s have always loved u all Ur family was with us when my daddy died and he gots us through u will all be n my heart for ever I am proud of u and ur blessing

    • wtmcalilly says:

      Thanks so much for your response. I remember well when your father died and we were kids trying to make sense out of such a loss.
      My fond memories of Fulton remain with me. Thanks for reaching out here to remind me of the shared life with our families.

  16. Jacquie Sojourner '82 says:

    God bless you as you bless and are so present to others. Jacquie Sojourner

  17. Bill and Betty Milliken says:

    Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. May you be strengthened during this “unbearable” time.

  18. Laura Butkovic says:

    A beautiful reminder that we are God’s children and no matter what we encounter in this world He is with us always. Prayers for your family at this time.

  19. Kaye Harvey says:

    As I read your words, I am always reminded of my own pain and have allowed you to minister to me, too. Thank you, Bishop, for these words of grace and hope in the midst of your own deep pain. Thank you for leading us, leading me, out of the valley of darkness. “In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.” May God’s peace surround you and your family this day and in the days to come. You have my deepest prayers.

  20. Would that I could hug all of you and let you know that I love you. I pray God’s Blessing on you and your family in 2014.

  21. Jolinne Downey says:

    Such a beautiful testimony of pain and hope. Praying for you all

  22. James Ellington says:

    I am so sorry for your very tragic loss especially right now as we celebrate the birth of Jesus. If your nephew is anything like you, and I am sure he is, it may be a little comforting to know he is with our Holy Father. You and your family are in our prayers at Lester’s Chapel during these tough times and beyond. May the peace of God’s presence sustain you and your family during he days of grief and sorrow. James and Teresa Ellington

  23. Terry Shumann says:

    True heartfelt words of hope in such a dark time. These words are an inspiration and a needed reminder to renew my faith and trust the goodness of the Lord. Thank you for sharing.

  24. pastorgary1 says:

    Thank-you for sharing the light of hope and the meaning of faith in the midst of such a terrible personal loss. I am reminded of these words: “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:13-14 NASB). May the peace of God’s presence sustain you and your family during the days of grief and sorrow. – Gary and Donna Morse

  25. CarolAnn Richardson says:

    I thank Our Father for any comfort and strength that you felt while you put your deepest feelings to paper and then spoke those precious words aloud. I thank Our Father for the comfort and strength that your family felt when hearing those precious words.
    All of you have been in my prayers, and in Martin Chapels prayers.
    I also pray that you feel my hug and share it. Any strength I have I send to you.

  26. pastorgary1 says:

    Thank-you for sharing the light of hope and the meaning of faith in the wake of such a tremendous loss for you and your family. I am reminded of these verses: “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27: 13-14 NASB). May the peace of God’s presence sustain you and your family through this time of grief. – Gary and Donna Morse

  27. Everette Bowie says:

    Bill, thank you for this powerful exposition of our faith in Gale’s memory. I did not know of the connection until now. Please copy all these messages into a Word document, so you will have the comfort they afford your family. Loosing a spouse is a terrible thing, and i have such great sympathy for all of you. Having lost my soulmate on April 24, 2012, I well know the pain that goes with it, even months after. I told my pastor that I was a nobody when we met, but she made a somdbody out of me. True. I tolk my kids she spoiled me. To which they replied: “Dad, don’t you think you spoiled her too?” Lord, I hope so. We had talked about one of us going Home, and we both said if we were the remaining spouse, each of us wanted to be holding the hand of the other, as we passed into eternity. She died in our assisted living apartment, and I was not allowed in the room until she was already gone. I will regret that to my dying breath. This is why I have such deep sympathy for Gale’s entire family. Your eulogy was eloquent. May the Good :Lord bless and keep you, and may He visit upon each of you an abundance of grace, love, comfort,understanding, and above all, peace!

    Please send me your email address at and I will send you my funeral plans, and some photo’s a friend of my daughter took. My service is planned in ever detail.

  28. karen geddie says:

    thank you.

  29. Sue Humphrey Geier says:

    My heart bleeds for all of you. I have been praying for your family. God will give each of you the strength to cope as you need it. May he bless you and hold you close today and ways. Sue Humphrey Geier

  30. John Williams says:

    Your message brought tears to my eyes and to my heart. What an incredible loss to your family and to the Tupelo community. Thank you for sharing your deep grief and abiding hope. Some things only God can fully deal with, but in time we will become stronger as we journey with God. The ministers of the Tennessee Conference offer our love and support.

  31. Gay Huff says:

    Dear Bill, Every once in a while human language is able to capture the voice of God and pour down His healing upon His broken people like the flooded rivers of spring. Your eulogy of your nephew, Kevin Gale Stauffer, Jr., has done just that. Being the mediator of such a powerful message was no doubt a labor of unstinting love. We thank you for your steadfast courage in delivering the message: “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!” We hear it loud and clear. Gay and Perry Huff, St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, Madison, Mississippi

  32. Paul Sabin says:

    Beautifully written. God bless you all.

    Sent from my iPhone

  33. Don Williams says:

    May the God of love lift your family up during the sad days to come. May you know you are remembered in our prayers!

  34. Brad Gabriel says:

    Thank you for your gift of this message and the sharing of your grief. Please know that our family holds yours in prayer.
    Brad and Linda Gabriel

  35. David Brevard says:

    Bill, We are in Cincinnati with Shawn’s family. We have just read your eulogy for Gale. Thank you for sharing it with us via your blog. We need this message of love. My mother – in -law would like to share your eulogy with a local hospice counseling service. Would this be acceptable? She understands and respects the personal nature of this eulogy, she wants to be sensitive to your situation. Please give me a signal. We hold you in our thoughts and prayers. Love , David

    Sent from my iPhone

    • wtmcalilly says:

      Certainly. I put it out there for that very reason.

      Thanks for all your support.,

      Love, Bill

      Bishop William T. McAlilly Nashville Area

  36. John Bonson says:

    Thank you for your faithfulness during this season mixed with joy and sorrow. I cannot imagine your grief, but I can see your faith in this message. God bless your journey into the unknown. You are not alone.

    John Bonson

  37. Camille Bradley says:

    Thank you for sharing these words and some of Gale’s life with us. My prayers will continue for all of the family.

    Camille Bradley, PD
    Trinity UMC, Memhis

  38. Deen Thompson says:

    Thank you Bishop McAlilly for these words of comfort, love, and strength. In time grief and sorrow will turn into a tender spot within all who grieve. This tender spot is a gift from God which we hold for eternity. God’s Shalom to all who share this grief.

  39. John Collett says:

    Very special reflections, Bishop. I wish I could have known Gale. My prayers abide with all of you, especially Gale’s wife, children, mother and father. John

    John H. Collett, Jr. Nashville District Superintendent

    Sent from my iPhone

  40. Thomas Dowdy says:

    Thank you Bishop for these words of truth and faith.They will be of help should we face what you are facing or when we are trying to help others who are facing such hurt.

    May God’s Grace, Mercy and Strength flood over you and all of your family.

    God Bless
    Tom Dowdy
    Tennessee Conference

  41. Daphne Moses says:

    Your family continues to be in my prayers and in my heart. God gave you a powerful message to share at the funeral. Thank you for sharing it with all of us.
    Daphne Moses

  42. Kenneth S Uselton says:

    Bill, you have spoken a powerful word. I have no doubt that it brought comfort and hope for those who gathered for your nephew’s service. The power of your word continues I am sure to support all who have heard or read them, especially those who have walked in a similar darkness to that of your family. May God’s grace and peace encircle you and yours during these days and always.

  43. Lori Holliman says:

    Dear Bishop McAlilly, I am so sorry for your family’s deep loss. I pray that our Great Comforter will bring you the Peace that only the Holy Spirit can. Thank you for sharing your words of grief and comfort. Shalom, Revs. Brad and Lori Holliman

    Rev. Lori Holliman Sent from my iPhone

  44. Steven L Douglas says:

    Our family continues to pray for peace and healing during this time of loss. May God grant you comfort and strength.
    In Christ Love
    Steven L Douglas
    Pastor-Memphis Annual Conference

  45. Rev. Jackie Clevenger says:

    Dear Bishop ~ thank you so much for sharing these words with us. We continue to hold your family in our hearts. We continue to pray for you. In your sorrow, may the memory of Gale be a blessing.

  46. Elaine Butts says:

    Please excuse the misspelling of your name. The iPhone seems to re-spell what it thinks is incorrect. Elaine Butts and Rick Fox , Rehoboth Methodist

    Sent from my iPhone

  47. Elaine Butts says:

    Please accept our sympathy, Bishop McAnillie and Family! This is a beautiful message . God Bless each of you!

    Sent from my iPhone

  48. Grace Phelps says:

    I cannot imagine the pain your family is feeling. Beautiful, raw, honest words in your sermon that express the pain and grief – yet words of hope that God can always redeem. Prayers lifted for comfort and peace.

  49. iamsamiam58 says:

    What a wonderful tribute to your nephew and our Lord, Jesus Christ. Praying for you and your family!

  50. Chris Haynes says:

    Thank you for sharing your pained, grace-filled, hopeful words. Your family continues to remain in the prayers of the Huntland and Walnut Grove churches in the Murfreesboro District.

  51. Know that you are loved.

  52. revrundjohn says:

    Bill, my sister Connie died December 1972. We buried her Christnas Eve day. I don’t pretend to tell a bishop any great spiritual truth. Yet I will tell Bill that the words you wrote are true. Please remember we all proclaim the mystery of faith with your family. Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ Will Come Again! John

  53. Rick Kirchoff says:

    Thanks you for this powerful, heartfelt, hope-filled message! The peace of God be with you and yours.

  54. Dale and I wish to add our deepest sympathy to the multitude already extended to you and yours. Your loss is truly unbearable. Reading your message was healing anew to us. It has only been four years since losing our nephew, Matthew England, 21, in Iraq and know your pain. We will share your words with Matt’s parents in hopes they, too, will join us in saying, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it!” Thank you, Bishop. Sincere prayers and hope for you and yours.


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text:
Molasses Crinkles

This post isn’t about kale, I promise, but I am always intrigued by the bubbly nature of kale leaves, and since I pulled out all but two of my kale plants last weekend due to a very serious case of aphid infestation, we may as well just call this a memorial.  ”Thank goodness!” Peter says in the background,  ”About time!”  Well, frankly, I agree.  And on the slippery-slope of eating less kale, I have filled the void with a number of rather moist and gently crumbly sweet breads.

It started with some banana bran muffins that are healthy in imagination only.  Peter pointed out that other than the addition of fruit, they have the same butter to sugar to flour ratio as chocolate chip cookies.  The pumpkin butternut squash bread we made next as a midterms distraction was even further removed from steamed kale.  And then finally tonight, as I was contemplating how much I would like to make a certain black sticky gingerbread cake, I remembered that it was actually make-cookies-for-Women-in-Physics-night, and gingerbread cake plans were replaced with molasses/ginger cookies.  Fortunately, these cookies aren’t much to look at… which means you can convince your friends that they don’t taste good either and keep them all for yourself.  I tried this once on Peter, but I’m sure most of you could guess how that went (now he counts the cookies and eyes me suspiciously).

Aunt Madge’s Molasses Crinkles (a family recipe from my Grandmother)
3/4 cups butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
4 tablespoons molasses (1/4 cup)
2 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
Pinch of salt

Like so many family recipes, this one has the simple directions to: “Drop by teaspoonful on greased baking sheet.  Bake in moderate oven.”

In case that isn’t enough direction, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream the butter until soft and then add and mix in the brown sugar.  I use electric beaters for all cookie-making these days; the rush of whirring metal is addictive.  Next add the egg and molasses and mix in thoroughly.  If you aren’t as averse to dirty dishes as some people in this house, you can mix the remaining ingredients (the “dries”) in a separate bowl before adding them to the sugar-butter mixture, but I just pile everything on top, add a halfhearted mix with one of the measuring spoons (since it’s already dirty) and then, you guessed it, mix everything with the electric beaters until very well-combined.  Now we can return to the original instructions, which say to drop the cookies by teaspoonfuls on a greased parchment-paper-lined baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes or until the cookies are set on top; they won’t be entirely solid until they cool, and if you don’t over-bake them, they develop a nice chewy consistency in the middle.  Let the cookies cool on a cookie rack and consume with a large glass of milk.

Madge was my Great Great Aunt.  This recipe came from her sister-in-law who had a bakery and a copy of the recipe was saved by my Grandmother.

4 thoughts on “Molasses Crinkles

  1. Are these the cookies you made for us last week Anna? I love “bake in moderate oven”! Although, with my oven, that’s about as precise as when I set it to 350 anyway.

    • Hahahha… Yeah, these are the cookies from last week. I’m just very behind on the blog posts and you’re the only one who would notice. Luckily WiP has me well trained so that I am not easily intimidated by overly brief cookie instructions. Although, now that I’ve written up enough recipes, I begin to see the appeal of one-liners.

  2. I heard the crumbs of these cookies are the most delicious part, especially when caught within a lord’s beard (peter)
    by the way Anna, I have never met you, but I used your recipes for my friends in Belgium (I’m a vegetarian but I made them your mint meatballs, among other things) and they loved them…
    sorry for the beard spam

    • Did Peter tell you I’ve been reading your blog too??? I love reading travel stories, especially involving latin america as I spent some time in Costa Rica in high school and have been to Mexico City a few times. I’m currently in Hawaii actually, failing to use the Keck telescopes on the big island (the telescopes are closed due to weather), but having quite a bit of fun swimming in the ocean in the mean time.

      I’m glad your friends liked the mint meatballs! Let Peter or I know if you’re ever in SoCal after your Watson adventures are over so you can stop by 🙂

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Tag Archives: Soybean

Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) : The vitamin that enables rapid cell division and growth and is also the main fuel for productions of red blood cells to prevent anemia.

Folic acid, Vitamin B9, Folate or Folacin is necessary for healthy blood formation, enzyme efficiency, the division and growth of new cells and for maintaining a healthy intestinal tract. Folic acid is an essential water soluble vitamin that is required to form new healthy set of cells. Looking at the scientific results we can say that folic acid is the most researched vitamin from the group of vitamin B. These researches proved the importance of folic acid and its numerous health benefits.

This vitamin is of immense importance for cell division and growth, synthesis and repair of DNA, protein metabolism and proper functioning of the brain. It is also important for the production of healthy red blood cells. Folic acid is required by the body to produce ‘heme’, the component of hemoglobin, which is responsible for carrying iron. Folic acid benefits for men and women are numerous.

Folic acid essential for efficient neural tube development during pregnancy which forms the brain and spinal cord. Pregnant women with an insufficient intake of folic acid are more likely to give birth prematurely or to deliver babies with low birth weight or with neural tube defects. The sulfa drugs are thought to achieve their antimicrobial effects by interfering with the production of folic acid within bacteria.

Vitamin B9 Benefits – Functions in the Body

Folic acid, in combination with vitamin B12, is essential for the formation, maturation and multiplication of red blood cells. It is necessary for the growth and division of all body cells, including nerve cells, and for manufacturing a number of nerve transmitters. It also produces nucleic acids, RNA (ribonucleic acid) and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), that carry hereditary patterns. It aids in protein metabolism and contributes to normal growth. Folic acid helps in the building of antibodies which prevent and heal infections. It is essential for the health of the skin and hair, and helps to prevent premature greying of the hair.

Vitamin B9 Deficiency Symptoms

Deficiency of folic acid causes anaemia which often occurs in pregnant women and children. Serious skin disorders, loss of hair, impaired circulation, a greyish-brown skin pigmentation, fatigue, and mental depression can result from a deficiency of this vitamin. Reproductive disorders such as spontaneous abortions and difficult labour, and a high infant death rate can also be caused by folic acid deficiency. Vitamin B9 deficiency may also lead to loss of libido in males. According to studies, two-thirds of geriatric patients were found to be deficient in folic acid, while one-third of psychiatric patients were also deficient in this vitamin. Lack of folic acid can also lead to dementia.

Foods High in Folic Acid

The food items that contain iron, are rich sources of folic acid too. Folic acid reserves and consumptio are extremely important for development of a healthy body.

Foods High in Folic Acid and Iron

Spinach, asparagus,  fenugreek, corn, millet, finger millet, dates, almonds, broccoli, kale cabbage, parsley,  potatoes, raisins, fig, whole wheat pasta, okra, orange juice, black-eyed peas, lentils, sunflower seeds, grapes, pineapple juice, chickpeas and turnip greens are all the items that are high in folic acid and iron. Other than these, collard greens and every other green leafy vegetable is high in folic acid and iron.

Fruit Sources ( Avocado,  Blackberries, Boysenberries, Breadfruit, Cantaloupe, Cherimoya, Dates,  Guava,  Loganberries, Lychee,  Mango,  Orange,  Papaya,  Passion fruit,  Pineapple,  Pomegranate,  Raspberries,  Strawberries)

Vegetable sources (Amaranth Leaves ,Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet greens, Beet root,  Bok Choy,  Broccoli,  Brussels Sprouts, Carrot,  Chinese Broccoli,  Chinese CabbageFrench Beans,  Lima Beans, Mushrooms, Mustard greens, Okra, Parsley,  Parsnip,  Peas , Potatoes,  Spinach, Spirulina, Squash-summer, Squash – winter)

Nut/Grain Sources: (Buckwheat,  Chestnuts , Filberts/Hazelnuts, Oats,  Peanuts,  Quinoa,  Rye,  Sunflower Seeds,  Wheat – Durum, Wheat – Hard Red, Wheat – Hard White)

Legume Sources(Black Eye Peas, Edamame , Soy Bean)

Selenium: The trace element that act as an antioxidant in the body.

Grocery Market
Image via Wikipedia

Selenium works with Vitamin E to prevent fat and cholesterol accumulation in the blood. It enhances skin and body tissues elasticity. Selenium strengthens immune function and protect the body from environmental and other toxins.  Selenium in the body is important in maintaining proper functioning of the immune and thyroid systems.

Selenium plays a vital role in working with the enzymes of the body and helping with the production of antioxidants. Antioxidants help in eliminating the free radicals of the body and thereby help in destroying these cancer producing cells of the body.

Foods with Selenium

Most fruits contain a small amount of selenium, but dates have a significant amount. (Bananas, Breadfruit, Guava, Lychee, Mango, Passion fruit, Pomegranate, Raisins,  Watermelon)

Vegetables: (Asparagus,  Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Chives,  French Beans, Garlic, Kelp, Lima Beans, Mushrooms, Onions,  Parsnip, Peas, Raspberry leaf,  Spirulina, Spinach)

Most nuts contain selenium, but the following nuts have a significant amount:
Amaranth, Barley, Brazil Nuts, Buckwheat, Cashews, Coconut,  Fennel seeds, Mustard seeds, Peanuts, Rye, Sesame seed,  Sunflower seeds, Walnuts, Wheat – Durum, Wheat – Hard Red)

Most legumes are a good source of Selenium but these are the highest.
(Black Eye Peas,  Fava BeansGarbanzo Beans, Lima Beans, Mung Beans, Navy Beans, Pigeon Beans, Pinto Beans, Soy Beans, Winged Beans)

Selenium Health Benefits

  • It helps in destroying the carcinogenic cells that produce cancer and lead to destruction of cells.
  • Due to its ability to produce a profusion of antioxidants, it has an anti-aging effect on the body.
  • Selenium and thyroid are dependent on the other and it is seen that selenium plays a vital role in the proper thyroid functioning.
  • Selenium also promotes the normal functioning of the liver and thereby keeps the system in good shape.
  • It slows the progress of the HIV AIDS virus.
  • It is also known to protect a person against several heart diseases as well.
  • Selenium benefits also include maintaining the quality of hair, skin and eye health.
  • It also helps to strengthen the immune system of the body by helping in the proper functioning of all the cells of the body.
  • There are also studies that are done which prove that it can help with the neutralization of varied toxins on the body like alcohol.
  • It increases the sperm motility in males.

Symptoms of Selenium Deficiency

  • When there are lowered selenium levels in the body, it lowers the immunity of the body and therefore it can lead to increased chances of several diseases attacking the body.
  • Of these autoimmune diseases, Keshan disease (enlarged heart), Kashin-Beck (osteoarthropathy) and Myxedematous Endemic Cretinism (Hypothyroidism leading to mental retardation) are the most common.
  • It makes a person more susceptible to developing cancer and HIV/AIDS.
  • There are increased chances of developing thyroid problems.
  • It increases fatigue in the body.
  • Selenium deficiency can also lead to hair loss and weak nails.

Phosphorus : This mineral is also essential for growth and repair of cells in the body.

Phosphorus is another important mineral that is required in the body for the necessary for nourishment of the brain and the growth of the bones, teeth and hair. Phosphorus is also necessary for the growth and repair of cells in the body. It is also believed that phosphorus helps in maintaining proper heart health and prevention of cancer.  Along with calcium, phosphorus is required in order to have strong bones and teeth.

Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body and 85% of it is found in the bones. The rest of the body’s phosphorus is found in the blood, the fluid around and in cells, and in various organs like the heart, kidneys, brain, and muscles, where it is involved in many critical functions. It’s main purpose is for building strong bones and teeth, but this mineral is used by practically every cell in the body.

Health Benefits of Phosphorus

  • For strong bones and skeletal structure
  • For strong teeth, formation of tooth enamel, and healthy gums
  • For energy and metabolization of fats and starches
  • For growth and body repair
  • For heart regularity
  • For arthritis
  • For speedier recovery of burn victims
  • For cancer prevention
  • For cell health
  • Human body requires phosphate to produce energy and manage it. It also plays a crucial role in synthesizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
  • Phosphate is also required to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body.
  • With so many uses to its credit phosphate is indeed very important for the body, and lack of the same can result in adverse effects on us.
  • Phosphorus is a vital component of DNA and RNA, and links the structures of both.
  • Phosphorus also plays a crucial role in transmission of nerve impulses within the body

Phosphorus Deficiency Symptoms

  • Almost eighty five percent of phosphorus in our body is found in the bones and the teeth, the remaining is found in the blood, muscles, organs such as brain, kidney, etc and fluids in and around the body cells.
  • Any deficiency of phosphorus in the body can produce a number of symptoms and diseases. Some of the commonly experienced symptoms of phosphorus deficiency are weak bones and teeth, tiredness, reduction in appetite, pain and stiffness in the joints, lack of energy, occurrence of infections and confusion.
  •  Besides these symptoms, there are numerous phosphorus deficiency diseases too which can occur if there is an imbalance in the calcium-phosphorus reserves in the body.
  • Such a phosphorus deficiency in humans can lead to diseases such as arthritis, rickets, pyorrhea and decaying teeth.

List of High Phosphorus Foods

  • Avocado
  • Blackcurrants
  • Breadfruit
  • Dates
  • Grapes
  • Guava
  • Kiwi
  • Lychee
  • Mulberries
  • Passionfruit
  • Pears
  • Pineapples
  • Plums
  • Pomegranate

  • Almonds
  • Brazil Nuts
  • Buckwheat
  • Cashews
  • Oats
  • Pine Nuts/Pignolias
  • Pumpkin Seeds
  • Quinoa
  • Rye
  • Spelt
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Wheat – Durum
  • Wheat – Hard Red
  • Wheat – Hard White

Most legumes are a good source of Phospherous but these are the highest.

  • Adzuki Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Black Eye Peas
  • Fava Beans
  • Edamame
  • Garbanzo Beans
  • Kidney Beans
  • Lima Beans
  • Navy Beans
  • Pigeon Beans
  • Pinto Beans
  • Soy Beans
  • White Beans
  • Winged Beans

A Close Look At Vegetarian & Vegan Ingredient Options

English: Vegan Pumpkin Seed-Crusted Lentil Pat...
Lentil patties

Plant based diets are on the rise. More than ever, people everywhere are looking into new ways to feel better. 2012 has brought with it some curious new meat eaters that want to clean up their diets a bit, or simply try something new.

You may have heard about the benefits of balancing what you eat. There is no better way to do that than to add more vegetables to your meals. You are sure to see some pleasant changes in your body, if you choose what you eat wisely for sure. Plant based diets are not the answer for everyone. That is fine and dandy. We here at Bliss Returned love you just as you are. We just want to inform you on making the positive changes that you have been thinking of.

As with anything, you should do some research before taking the plunge into Veggie land. There are plenty facts that you will miss without doing a little leg work to find out what terms or ingredients actually are friendly to a vegetarian or a vegan. We love doing research so here is another post packed with health info you can use.

Below is a brief introduction to some common vegetarian and vegan ingredients used in vegetarian cooking, vegan baking, and some raw food preparations. These healthy mostly vegan ingredients contain no animal by-products and can be used as substitues in most vegetarian versions of cooking recipes.

You will find these vegetarian cooking ingredients at your local health stores.

English: Vegetarian food

Agar is a vegetable-based gelatin. It is a good alternative and works just as well for thickening recipes or making the food “gelatinous.” Agar can be found in the baking section or in natural foods stores. Asian markets tend to carry it as well. Note that conventional gelatin is the boiled remnants of animals, including bones, tissue, muscle, and body parts not sold for meat, such as heads, snouts, hooves, etc…

Agave nectar is the extract of the wild agave plant commonly found in the deserts of Mexico and considered sacred by the people. It has a low glycemic level and is a delicious and safe alternative to white sugar and other sugars.

Bragg’s Liquid Amino is a low sodium liquid protein concentrate made from soybeans. It is a healthy alternative used in place of soy sauce or salty sauces. Often used in stiry frys, soups, casseroles, dressings, and sauces.

Cacao butter (raw) is the pure oil of the cacao bean. It is edible and possesses an extraordinary rich, delicate chocolate aroma. Add it to smoothie, dessert, ice cream or chocolate creation. Because it has not been damaged by heat, raw cacao butter melts easily and blends nicely into any type of recipe.

Carob is a cocoa-like powder that can be used in shakes, baked goods, and whenever a recipe calls for chocolate. Carob is sweet, high in fiber, and it contains calcium, iron, and phosphorus, but does not contain caffeine like chocolate does. Carob comes from the seed pod of the evergreen carob tree.

Coconut oil is widely used as a food product and skin moisturizer. It contains antiviral, antimicrobial, and antibacterial properties. Health-conscious chefs prize coconut oil for its extremely high flash point, zero trans-fatty acids, and extremely rich source of medium-chain fatty acids, which are broken down efficiently by the body, providing an immediate source of energy. Coconut oil has a rich, buttery tastes.

Egg Replacer is a powdered formula of starches and leavening. Mix with water to use in recipes that call for eggs (muffins, pancakes, etc).

Hemp seed nuts are one of nature’s richest sources of complete protein, omega 6 and omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids, and are a source of GLA. Moreover, the EFAs are balanced in a ratio suitable for life long consumption. Hemp seed nuts have a pleasant nutty flavor, similar to sunflower seeds. They are delicious sprinkled on salads, used in smoothies, or eaten alone.

Raw vegan lunch. Spicy seaweed wraps with pean...

Kelp is a powdered seaweed with a lightly salty taste, rich in iodine, and a good salt substitute.

Kombu is edible kelp seaweed that can be eaten raw or cooked. It is commonly used in Asian cooking and usually sold in packaged dried strips.

Molasses or blackstrap molasses is a dark syrup left over from the sugar production process. It is commonly used to flavor rye bread, baked beans, pies, gingerbrad, and cookies. Molasses has a strong, bittersweet flavor, and a little goes a long way.

Miso is a salty-flavored fermented paste from soybeans, rice or barley. It is rich in protein, minerals, and vitamins. Mix with water, then add to soups or gravies during the last phase of cooking, in order to keep the nutrients alive (do not boil it or it loses its nutritional properties). Also add it to salad dressings and sauces.

vegan food pyramid adapted from recommendation...

Nama Shoyu is unpasteurized soy sauce made from soy beans. It has a full-bodied flavor and contains live enzymes. A healthful alternative to conventional soy sauce.

Nutritional Yeast is a food supplement grown on cane or beet molasses which comes in a yellow powder or flakes with a ‘cheesy’ flavor. When nutritional yeast is made from a natural fermentation source and not from a synthetic or animal source, it contains enough vitamin B-12 to fulfill a daily requirement.

Protein Powder is a protein supplement in powder form. Ingredients and nutritional value varies widely. Check ingredients for allergies. Choose one with low sugar or sweetener content and no additive.

Quinoa is a light, fluffy, tasty, fast-cooking grain that is high in iron, protein, and B-vitamins. Also known as “Food of gods,” it is an ancient grain native to South America. Possibly the best grain available.

Seitan is a textured food product derived from the protein portion of wheat, or wheat gluten. Seitan is high in protein and low in fat. Prepared seitan come in a variety of flavors and textures. Some vegetarian restaurants also serve seitan in their dishes.

Spelt is an ancient grass and distant cousin to modern wheat. It can replace wheat flour in baking. Many wheat and gluten sensitive people can use it in their diet.

Sucanat is made from evaporated cane juice. You can use white sugar if you want. Sucanat can be found in natural foods stores.

Tahini is sesame seed butter made from ground sesame seeds. It is high in protein, calcium, and phosphorus.

Tamari is a natural soy sauce made from fermented soybeans.

vegetarianism: the higher taste

Tempeh is a fermented whole soy bean product, originally from Indonesia. Like seitan, tempeh can be used as a meat substitute. Some vegetarian restaurants also serve tempeh in their dishes.

Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) is a high protein food made by processing defatted soy flour to extract most of its soluble sugars. Also known as TVP, it is used in place of meat in many vegetarian entrees.

Tofu is made from soy beans and is widely consume by Far Eastern cultures. It is high in protein and rich in vitamins, minerals, and polyunsaturated fat, with no cholesterol. Tofu comes in a variety of firmness and can be made into tofu milk, soy cheese, soy shakes, and pie fillings.

Want more? Click the link that follows plus Check out the posts under the Health, Vegan and Raw Tags~

Sources: http://www.happycow.net/health-veg_ingredients.html

How To Transition To A Vegetarian Diet

Practice reading food labels and recipe ingredients.Then check off all the items that aren’t vegan such as, meat, fish, dairy, gelatin etc. After that, replace the animal based ingredients for there vegan equivalent. Here are a few options to get you started. Replace the products with animal derivatives  with its vegan/ vegetarian equivalent:

Dairy Cheese-Vegan Cheese with no Casin

Cheese-Vegan Cheese (should have zero casin on the label)

Beef – veggie mock beef strips (usually seitan- based

Pork/bacon-Veggie mock pork sausages sliced veggie meat or veggie bacon

Sausages-there are many mock sausage versions on the market

Sliced sandwich meat-a variety of mock veggie sandwich meats exist

Chicken-veggie mock chicken (usually gluten-based)

Butter-substitute oils or vegan margarine. For baking, solid coconut fat is a great choice and it is good for you in small quantities owing to its vitamin E content.

Ice cream-replace with soy, coconut, almond or rice substitutes

Dairy Milk-replace with soy, rice, nut or oat.

Eggs-there are many egg-substitutes on the market.

Pectin-(for example, use pureed apple in cakes).

Honey – try agave nectar or brown rice syrup.A diet rich in soy and whey protein, found in ...

Gelatinagar agar and pectin are good choices; sometimes banana or apple can substitute. It is best to follow instructions in a vegan cookbook on substituting gelatin.

Nutrition tips

New Evidence that eating Vegan can reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The little known truth about protein is that most of us get too much, not too little of it.

Calcium-rich foods to try: spinach, collard greens, kale, soy milk, fortified orange juice, sesame seeds, tahini, broccoli, almonds, carrots, and rice milk.

Be sure to shake your soy milk and orange juice before drinking, as the calcium can settle to the bottom. Women need about 45 grams of protein per day and men need around 55 grams.

One cup of tofu contains about 20 grams of protein, so women, eat some tofu and you’re almost halfway there!

Many foods contain protein and if you’re eating a well-balanced diet, you’re probably consuming more than enough protein without even thinking about it.

Make sure you’re eating a variety of protein-rich foods.

Eating whole foods really helps to completely take the guesswork out of proper vegan nutrition. Every time you choose whole foods over processed and packaged foods you’re definitely ahead of the game.

Consume high protein foods like tofu, seitan, soy, lentils, chickpeas, nuts and seeds, brown rice and whole grains.

It’s possible to get more than enough iron on a vegan diet.

Drinking coffee and tea, particularly with meals, can limit your absorption and should be consumed at least three hours before a meal.

For an iron boost eat tofu, lentils, spinach, soy, chickpeas.

Vitamin C also increases the absorption of iron.

Fat, Calories and Cholesterol in meats and dairy are a huge burden on your system.

Give up meat and dairy for 3 weeks and see huge results.

Eliminate animal products and you’ll gain a tremendous amount of antioxidants plus this fiber that you’ll add to your diet by switching to a vegan diet cleans out your system immediately.

Let’s help you eliminate meat from your diet the safe and healthy way!

The Simple Steps:

  1. Consider your reasons for becoming vegetarian. These might include moral or ethical reasons regarding the treatment of animals or equal food distribution, religious reasons, health reasons, environmental reasons or a combination of any of these.
  2. Set guidelines. Where will you stop? Many vegetarians eat eggs, cheese, etc. NOTE: Generally the least strict form of vegetarianism is being a pesco-vegetarian, excluding all meat from your diet except for fish (be aware that some will consider this not to be vegetarian), while excluding all animal products from your diet is Vegan. Other options to include/exclude from your diet are:
    • Gelatin (Gelatin, including Kosher gelatin, is ground up bones, beaks, horns, hooves, skin, tissue, etc.)
    • Eggs
    • Rennet (produced from the interior of the stomachs of animals and used in the production of many cheeses, often not listed as an ingredient)
    • Dairy (milk and subsequent products)
  3. Get some vegetarian cookbooks and find some vegetarian recipes that interest you.Vegetarianism is a great way to try tons of new foods that you may even like better than meat! Try the titles How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, 5 ingredient Vegetarian Gourmet, Healthy Asian Vegetarian Dishes, The New Moosewood Cookbook, The Enchanted Broccoli Forest, Veggie Food and others. Being vegetarian is not a deprivation! Who would miss meat when you can try so many new meals?
  4. Take a look around supermarkets, food stores and health food shops and see the variety of vegetarian food that is available. Be open to trying and researching new fruits and veggies such as starfruit, pomegranate, grapefruit and others. Also, look in your grain isle for new grains like orzo, quinoa, couscous, barley, alfalfa and others. They are all delicious!
  5. Eat vegetarian as much as possible without giving up meat entirely. Learn to enjoy vegetarian food before you quit meat cold turkey (no pun intended).
  6. Research your nutritional needs. Read up on vegetarian nutrition and vegetarianism in general. There is plenty of information on the internet and in books. make sure that with your new diet you’re still getting enough calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals. It’s a good idea to take vitamins and calcium tablets if you don’t already.
  7. Tell parents or a significant other about your choice. Make sure you have some solid research to back you up, as some people are very resistant to the idea of vegetarianism because of misunderstandings related to health, evolution or religion. When informing your family of your dietary choice, stay calm and polite, even if they find it difficult to accept.
  8. Start to eliminate the types of meat gradually, having “one last meal” with the relevant ingredient and resolving not to eat it again.
    • Red meat, such as beef.
    • Pork, such as bacon and ham, after a week.
    • Chicken after another week.
    • Fish and shell-fish, such as crab and salmon, after another two weeks.
  1. Make sure you eat enough food. There is protein in almost all kinds of food, so contrary to conventional belief, it isn’t necessary to worry about protein or count grams per day. As long as you eat 1200 calories or more a day, protein should never be an issue. Still, especially if you are trying to gain weight it is important to eat a wide variety of legumes, nuts, and seeds into your diet to make sure you get enough calories and healthy fats.
  2. Get a good variety of fresh fruit and vegetables to ensure that you keep high levels of B vitamins, iron and vitamin C. If you are concerned with deficiencies. Again, you should really take a good multivitamin each day, you can ask a nutritionist or a doctor in that matter. Also, learn about how getting more profit of the combinations of food you make, like iron (legumes, green vegetables) and vitamin C (lemon), for example.
  3. Eat healthily. As with any change in diet, be careful to keep all of your food groups in balance. These are carbohydrates/grains, fats, protein, veggies, fruits and fiber.
  4. Find good meat substitutes. Some taste quite realistic, and can help when you’re new to vegetarianism and have meat cravings. Others tend to be less realistic, and are simply an interesting new food to try.
    • Quorn is a company that makes chicken patties, nuggets, and beef products from mycoprotein. It tastes very similar to meat.
    • Morningstar makes bacon, sausages and riblets that do taste very similar to meat. Actually, Their breakfast sausage patties and chicken patties taste so similar to the real thing, that they have been known to fool a carnivore or two.
    • Boca products taste quite similar to meat, especially the “ground beef”.
    • Schneiders Au Naturel products are very realistic, as are Veat.
    • Yes make everything from “turkey” slices to “pepperoni”.
  5. If you find yourself eating meat at times or “cheating”, you can always start as a pescetarian. This means to only eat fish meat, it’s a good way to start and it gets your body used to not having as much protein. so if you are a beginner, try to start just eating fish then gradually go to no meat at all.

English: If it's my soy milk, and I'm the only...

  • Try Indian vegetarian foods. India has the largest population of completely vegetarian people in the world, so they know what they’re doing. The majority of Indian dishes are not spicy or strong and there are literally hundreds of vegetarian dishes which are a much better alternative to salads.
  • If you can’t stand the idea of truly giving up hamburgers, hot dogs, et cetera, loads of stores have lots of alternative choices for your situation. Many consist of fake meat with the alternative being soy. There’s so many foods you can make without meat, you can find whole recipe books. Try tofu instead of meat. And also, why not try just decreasing your intake of meat instead of forbidding it? Like only having meat at dinner instead at lunch too.
  • Even if you don’t want to become a full-time vegetarian, do try some of the tastier meat-free dishes, such as dahl.
  • Read “The More With Less Cookbook”. Although not all the recipes in there are meat-free, it does give some such recipes, as well as tips for using plant protein.
  • Start going to more Indian, Thai, Chinese, or Japanese restaurants, as they tend to have more selections available for vegetarians. Don’t be afraid to try new things!
  • Most restaurants will prepare food without meat when requested.
  • Many familiar foods such as peanut butter are chock-full of protein.
  • Join a vegetarian message board for support (see External Links).
  • If in the early days of going vegetarian you have a lapse and eat meat, don’t panic! Just remind yourself why you decided to go vegetarian in the first place and carry on as before.

Vegetarian simulated seafood chow mein

Don’t be scared or fooled into thinking that eliminating meat will automatically make you prone to anemia. Do some research! Vegetarians who eat a variety of fruits and vegetables are actually less likely to develop nutritional deficiencies than people who eat junk food (including meat).

  • Stay strong! Many people are against vegetarianism, and you may read or hear things that may tempt you to go back to eating meat.
  • It only takes a couple of weeks of eliminating meat before you will stop having cravings. It might be better if you eliminate all meat from your diet at once, and keep it out for a couple of weeks. Before long, your cravings will be eliminated and you won’t want it anymore.
  • If you are experiencing meat withdrawal, and you most likely will, don’t eat foods that taste similar. Doing so will only increase the cravings. Instead, eat something you love, even if it’s chocolate. You will lose any pounds you gain by eating comfort foods fairly quickly after you are rid of the cravings.
  • Seek out vegetarian groups. Whether in person or online, this will help you to learn, get support, and meet like-minded people. This is a good way to share recipes.
  • You should think of yourself as the animal!
  • Understand that you can still enjoy some of your favorite foods as a vegetarian.

  • Check labels for food that may not be “suitable for vegetarians” – some processed foods have hidden animal ingredients such as gelatin, animal fats, cochineal and rennet. The main ones to check are vegetarian cheeses, yogurts, soups, desserts and some sweets and biscuits/cookies (particularly red-colored ones, which sometimes contain dye made from beetles called carmine/cochineal).
  • Only eat cheeses that list enzymes as microbial or vegetable-based. Most cheeses are in fact not vegetarian, as they contain animal enzymes derived from killed calf stomach.
  • With a switch to your new diet, you might feel increased awareness about food and animal rights related issues. Try to be compassionate with your friends and family who may not understand your switch, and try to avoid judging them harshly based on their lack of information. It’s important to remember that you will set a better example by enjoying delicious vegetarian foods and living healthfully than by preaching to others.
  • Make sure you are not a junk-food vegetarian. While not consuming meat is healthy, eating junk-food all the time is even worse than eating meat.

Resource: Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Become a Vegetarian. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.


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Posts Tagged ‘Encrypting File System’

Surveillance Self-Defense Project fills the gaps in your security policy

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Michael Kassner placed an article about Surveillance Self-Defense in the TechRepublic, where he gives brief outline of the SSD website. Though some can endlessly brood over the grounds for the project foundation, for me one is clear that this site can be very much helpful to put all principal computer security guidelines together and close the gaps in your own security.


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Monty Speaks with Campground Consultant Bob MacKinnon

Picture of Bob MacKinnonBob MacKinnon is the principal of MacKinnon Campground Consulting based in Murrieta, California. He has extensive leadership experience in the Hospitality Industry including 30 years of experience with the Walt Disney Company. He founded MacKinnon Campground Consulting in 1996.

Monty: Hi Bob; thank you for speaking with us today. Would you please start by telling us a little bit about your background. We know you started with Disney…

Bob: Sure. Actually I started with the Disney Company while I was still going to college, working part time at Disneyland. It was just prior to all of the Walt Disney World development in the early 70s. I had an opportunity to go through their management training program and be part of the Walt Disney World Development and be there on the ground floor. I spent most of my time in operating divisions whether it was in the Magic Kingdom Park, which is like Disneyland, or in hotel operations which I got into a little bit later on. That’s really where the majority of my career was. Actually probably the last half of the 31 years that I was with Disney was in hotel/resort management.

Really that’s how I got involved with the campground industry. I was involved, had some exposure to our Fort Wilderness campground in Florida. I was transferred back to California in the late ’80s from Florida to the Disneyland area, to be a part of the transition team when the Disney Company acquired the Disneyland hotel from a company that was leasing the name from us. There I became responsible not only for hotel operations but also for an RV resort that Disney owned and operated as part of that acquisition.

Over the next 10 years or so I got interested in the RV park/camping industry from a business standpoint. I had always been a camper ever since my early Boy Scout days and continued camping as an adult through college and with my family. So it was interesting to be involved with that from a business standpoint.

Over a few years, one thing led to another, and I had an opportunity to retire from Disney and start my own consulting business in the RV park and campground consulting field. It had been a thing that I was interested in for some time – starting my own business – but not sure where, so it has been very serendipitous to have that opportunity present itself.

Monty: When did you start your business?

Bob: It was back in 1996, actually, so it’s been about 16 years. I’ve done over 300 different projects as a consultant – some small and some quite large. I’ve worked throughout the U.S., I’ve worked with Canadian companies, I’ve worked internationally – gone over to Australia and had some contact and work there. Most recently, in the last couple of years, I’ve been to China. So it really has been quite interesting. I do all sorts of consulting work from doing feasibility studies and business plans for developing new campgrounds to working with owners who have been in the business for a number of years who kind of need a fresh look of where to take their campground business. I do work for buyers of campgrounds who are not familiar with the industry and help them sort out whether buying the campground is really a good deal for them and is going to meet their needs and expectations. I do a line of training work. Part of my Disney history was with the Disney University for a number of years and I was the head of the resort division/hotel division training at Walt Disney World. Because of that I’ve gotten involved with teaching a number of seminars, writing articles, helping people in the RV park and camping industry understand how to improve their businesses. For about the last 10 years I have been an instructor and a board member at National School of RV Park and Campground Management that is sponsored by our trade association which is the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. That school is held in February of every year back in Wheeling, West Virginia.

It has been an interesting career from the standpoint of consulting work helping owners and developers maximize the value of their efforts and doing a lot of training to help people to understand how they can use best practices in the guest services and hospitality industry to make their lives better and their businesses better.

Monty: Do you own an RV yourself?

Bob: I have. I don’t currently own one, but it’s on my bucket list.

Another thing that I do, for about the last seven or eight years, I provided customer feedback tools for individual campgrounds in the RV park and campground industry. They can survey their customers and get a guest satisfaction score. That’s evolved into a pretty big endeavor that is kind of co-sponsored with the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds under the brand name GuestReviews. What I do is I have a contract with the National Association to provide an online guest satisfaction measurement tool for their 3,800 members and it’s an online survey and it gives them access to data as far as customer sentiments and satisfaction as well as giving the camping public an opportunity to review their experiences at an individual campground and post their comments and that sort of thing. In a way it is kind of a TripAdvisor for the campground industry.

It’s really two sides. It’s a consumer facing tool that we branded as, and a customer satisfaction quality control measurement tool available to campgrounds that we branded as So two brands, two purposes, but all driven off of obtaining feedback from customers in a way that you can measure and search upon data and improve your business as well as allow consumers to make their decisions on where they want to stay.

Monty: Explain again the difference between and

Bob: It’s really the audience that we service. I think probably for the purposes of your interview, is the brand because that is the public facing brand. We will probably be blending them together in the next year but for now from the public standpoint GuestRated is the brand and it is positioned as an opportunity for campers to give feedback to the campground owner as well as to share their reviews and ratings with other campers.

Monty: What are some of the things that a camper should look for in a campground?

…all campers appreciate service above anything else…

Bob: I know that this is going to sound kind of trite, but all campers appreciate service above anything else. There is such diversity in facilities and services out there… I don’t know if you are a camper or been camping, but I am sure that you can appreciate that there are camping experiences all the way from hiking in the woods and sleeping under the stars to driving a million dollar bus into a luxury resort with having spa treatments, and gourmet restaurant experiences. So with an industry that diverse to say that there is any one thing that people are looking for is not really accurate because even that camper who is going to sleep under the stars might also travel in a trailer or a motor home and want a more luxurious camping experience. So the real equalizer is how they’re treated once they decide what kind of an experience they want – if they want rustic or middle of the road or a luxury experience – they choose that upfront and they have expectations that they will get certain facilities and services. The truth of the matter or the proof of the pudding is how that experience is delivered and it is all about how they are treated.

The analogy that I give when I teach Customer Service classes is the TV show Cheers. It may not have been the fanciest, neatest, nicest, most luxurious facility in the world but they have created special relationships with their customers. Making each customer feel special by creating a place “where everybody knows your name”. When you visit Cheers, you become part of that family. So that’s really what hospitality is all about and that’s really what the biggest differentiator is in the campground industry like any other hospitality operation.

Monty: What are some of the innovative things that you see campgrounds doing that stand out in your mind?

Bob: Well, I think the most effective innovation is a campground trying to understand and provide features and services designed to meet their customer’s expectations. In any venue that I discuss from luxury to rustic camping, success is in understanding what your customer wants and then satisfying those expectations. The customer doesn’t expect a spa treatment when they’re sleeping under the stars.

Monty: What are some of the things that a camper should look for in a campground?

…many more camping resorts are developing around the country to cater to higher expectations that more affluent campers and RVers have…

But if you want to talk innovation on high-end stuff, many more camping resorts are developing around the country to cater to higher expectations that more affluent campers and RVers have. Among those are recreational facilities, activities – I mentioned spa treatments, there are a number of luxury RV resorts that provide spa treatments and gourmet restaurants or banquet facilities.

But the true middle-of-the-road facilities – WiFi and connectivity with the Internet is kind of a basic expectation for anyone who is not doing rustic camping. I think that mainstream of campers today are looking for a way to connect with nature under their own terms but still having all of the conveniences of home. So even if they are camping in a tent in a campground, a lot of them still want to have their mobile device whether it is a cell phone or a tablet or a laptop. Many want to stay connected with their social circle or loved ones and some campers need to stay connected with their business. That’s been probably the biggest change in the industry over the last five years.

Monty: People are not just going to get away from it all any more…

…[Staying connected] is probably the biggest change in the industry in the last five years…

Bob: Yes. Even if you are in a tent in a campground, they may be sitting in that tent or at the outdoor picnic table surfing the web, answering e-mails… A lot more people are flexible in their business arrangements so they stay in touch and stay connected while they travel no matter whether they are staying at a campground, RV resort, or hotel. That is probably the biggest change in the industry in the last five years, in addition to what I call rentable units.

Not everybody wants to sleep on the ground. Not everybody can afford to purchase a recreational vehicle whether it is a trailer or a motor home. Yet they want to get outdoors, and one way to do that is through renting a cabin or a platform tent or a more luxurious cottage, or something like that. Again, in the last seven to ten years that segment of the camping industry has really grown tremendously. Many of the destination camping resorts not only offer campsites for tents, trailers, or motorhomes, but they do offer some type of rental unit and are attracting and servicing a segment of the camping market that might not otherwise go camping.

Monty: Do campgrounds also sometimes rent trailers and things like that?

Bob: They do. The whole rental market is very diverse also. At the basic service level there are campgrounds that rent a platform tent – a wooden platform with a tent on it with cots or bunk beds in it – rustic kind of log cabins with not a lot of luxuries – no internal bathroom but basic power and light and a door that locks at night. Other campgrounds rent a variety of different types of trailers. Some of them rent pretty much the same commercial trailer that you could buy and tow yourself without any modifications to it, and other trailers that are built specifically for rental units that are somewhat semi-permanently located in a park. They may even look like a miniature mobile home. There are conventionally built cottages whether they are framed out or log cabins.

Some parks really get into the kind of unique and fanciful accommodations. There are parks that rent out teepees, there are parks that rent out a teepee type of product called a yurt, which is a circular structure that is kind of a combination between a teepee and a platform tent. I’ve seen some that have renovated railroad cabooses. There are all sorts of different kind of accommodations in that rental unit area. The campground determines what they think will be attractive to their market and will complement their existing facilities. There’s quite a variety out there.

Monty: I imagine over the years you have seen quite a number of campgrounds and we were wondering what are some of the more unique things you have come across as you have visited various campgrounds?

Bob: Well, in the rental accommodations area I visited one campground that was very creative in what they did. In fact they had one little section that they developed into a little miniature street in a western town with false fronts, you know, a saloon, and a general store, and a jail etcetera. And behind each one of those structures was a little cabin with sleeping accommodation. They were the one that had the railroad caboose. They had a Conestoga wagon. They had a stage coach. So they really took in this theming. Each one of those had sleeping accommodations. It was pretty unique. I’ve seen many locations but I have only seen one location that got that creative.

Some of them now have large cabin type of facilities that can accommodate multiple families. I think that is a market that has a significant demand and is going to continue to grow. A lot of family reunions would like to have multiple families to share accommodations under one roof and still connect with nature rather than going to a hotel and using their conference center for their family reunion. They look at where they can get accommodations at a camping resort. That’s unique as far as the accommodations.

A lot of destination resorts, especially family oriented developments, are opening lots of new recreation facilities. There are some that have extensive water park facilities. Some of them are linked in with amusement parks either adjacent to them where they have access to them. A lot of them have full scale activity programs where you can go and have an extended stay with an activity program lined up for every member of the family. There are a lot of unique things out there besides the folks that just want to go and have a natural outdoor experience – pitch a tent and cook over an open fire and just enjoy the outdoors.

The real key is that there is a lot of diversity and it’s a matter of identifying from a campground owner’s standpoint what your market is and getting that feedback from them as to what their expectations and needs are so that you can provide the right combination. And again, there are times when I would go camping with my kids and we would pack a tent and sleep on the ground and other times where wanted a much more comfortable experience.

Monty: If you could look into your crystal ball where do you see this industry headed?

Bob: I think that camping has always been a family-oriented activity. It is one of those activities that provides quality time among families and I think that is at the core of why people enjoy it and why people continue doing it. It is outdoors in nature and you can buy into that as much as you want. You can have an adventure experience or you can have a low key take short hikes experience.

…camping is very affordable…

The key is that camping is very affordable and because of that it is a very solid industry. I think that the biggest challenge going forward, even though this industry has weathered the economic storm over the past few years – it’s weathered it very well because it has been affordable and people who cannot afford to go on an extended or expensive vacation or cruise or whatever – they can still afford to go camping with their family. And so, I will not say that it is completely recession proof, but the occupancy statistics have shown it’s been a pretty solid industry over the past few years and it has not been impacted nearly to the extent that the other travel industry segments have.

However, that being said, there has been a gap in developing new campers – growing new campers, families camping, kids camping – over the past ten years or so. And so as an industry I think that there is a concern about finding ways to get new campers involved, and younger campers involved in that camping experience to continue the strength of the industry. In general, twenty-something year olds don’t wake up one day and say I want to go camping. They were introduced to it at an earlier age. They were introduced to nature and the outdoors and then they evolved into it and then they pass that along to their children. So that’s a challenge that is recognized both by private campgrounds and by public agencies – there is a need to acquaint younger people today who may not have had a camping experience and to acquaint them with the benefits, the excitement, and the fun of being outdoors and being outside and having an overnight experience and what kind of recreation things they can do and have them begin to accept that as a lifestyle that they also enjoy. I think that is the biggest challenge going forward.

The rental RV gives them some flexibility to go from location to location and not have to unpack and repack…

One of the segments of the industry that I left out so far is that rental RVs, like rental accommodations at the site, offer people who are not in the RV camping lifestyle an ease of entry to that and many people get involved with camping through the rental of an RV. They can travel around and experience camping in different locations and sometimes that’s what leads them to an RV purchase later on. It’s an easy way to kind of test drive a camping experience where you are going to multiple locations whereas the rental unit is usually set up on site – whether it’s a cabin, a cottage or a teepee. The rental RV gives them some flexibility to go from location to location and not have to unpack and repack every time they wanted to stop and stay.

Monty: Try before you buy…

Bob: Absolutely.

Monty: Or you are never going to buy it just appreciate the mobility and not having to unpack.

Bob: Actually, in some cases it makes better financial sense to rent one than to buy one. Just like any vehicle, the minute you drive that thing off of the dealer’s lot, the depreciation of that RV takes a major hit. So a lot of people are smart about their camping experiences and they buy an RV for a week or whatever the period of time is and let someone else worry about insuring it, maintaining it, and eating the depreciation on it.

Monty: And storing it…

Bob: Absolutely. In fact in many urban areas that’s a huge problem these days and a very costly part of having an RV.

Monty: Thank you very much for speaking with us.

Bob: Thanks so much. I appreciate the opportunity to talk with you.

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One Response to Monty Speaks with Campground Consultant Bob MacKinnon

  1. Greetings from Colorado! I enjoy the knowledge you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get
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    I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyways, wonderful site!

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FIT Radio MixLab: Take One!

By superadmin,

  Category: DJs, Fun Stuff
  Comments: Comments Off on FIT Radio MixLab: Take One!

So last Wednesday we had an idea come to life. We wanted to find a way to get a few of the FIT Radio DJs together in our office to hang out, play music, and work together to create awesome mixes for our users. It’s a little something we’re calling FIT Radio MixLab. We had some turn tables set up

turn tables, fit radio djs, collaboration mix, open format, party

so the DJs could switch off and do a live collaboration mix which was awesome because it’s definitely interesting to see what they come up with on the spot and watch the genres blend together. While all of this is going on, they were recording a separate mix on their own! Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Mami Chula was at the helm of the get together making sure everyone was having a great time yet staying on track (apparently, DJs tend to have short attention spans.)  There may or may not have been a little liquid courage to get the gears moving (I’ll never tell!)

jager, henny, shots, liquid courage, fit radio djs, collaboration mix

oops, or maybe I will…

Well that’s it for now! Check back next week for a new batch of DJs and a new batch of mixes! Until then, here are the mixes from the first ever FIT Radio MixLab! Enjoy!

Live FIT Radio DJ Collab’

DJ Danny M’s Mix – Move Your Feet

DJ Spy’s Mix – Bass Cannon

DJ Rapko’s Mix – Strangers

DJ Johnny D’s Mix – I Can’t Wait

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Clark Quinn's Learnings about Learning
(The Official Quinnovation blog)

20 December 2012

Clark @ 8:27 am

Recently, there’s been a lot of talk and excitement about unlearning, and it’s always rubbed me the wrong way.  Because, frankly, unlearning physiologically isn’t really an option.  So I thought I’d talk about the cognitive processes, and then look at what folks are talking about.

Learning has been cutely characterized as “neurons that fire together, wire together”.  And that’s really it: learning is about strengthening associations between patterns (which is why you can only learn so much at one time and then need to sleep, that strengthening effect only takes so much at one shot).  We start with conscious effort and compile it down below conscious level.

However, you can’t really weaken those associations!  So, you simply can’t unlearn.  What really happens, as Dr. Jane Bozarth suggests, is: “overwriting existing knowledge or skill, or just pushing it to the background to accommodate something new, or rewiring pathways”.  And points out that it’s hard work.

In short, unlearning is really relearning.  And it’s harder because you need to overcome prior experience, strengthen the associations of the new beyond the existing strength of the old.  And it’s important that, if things have changed, or previous experience or instinct will lead you elsewhere, you need to make sure that you’ve now got learners making the decisions in the effective ways. Which may mean modifying, not necessarily just replacing, but it does take conscious effort in analysis and design, diagnosing misconceptions, figuring appropriate levels of practice, etc.

So why this excitement about unlearning?  It appears people are having fun with words.  They’re using the phrase to mean something else.  Take, for instance, this definition:

“Unlearning is not exactly letting go of our knowledge or perceptions, but rather stepping outside our perceptions to stand apart from our world views and open up new lenses to interpret and learn about the world.” – Erica Dhawan

Um, okay.   The same article quotes Prasad Kaipa as saying “we generate anew rather than reformulate the same old stuff”.  So, it’s about a different perspective. That’s valuable.  Why call it unlearning then?  It could be a step to unlearning, looking afresh and seeing new opportunities for different ways of doing things, but it’s not really unlearning.

So I see no reason to mislead people. Learning is rewarding, and touting things as unlearning make it seem as straightforward as learning, but relearning a new way is harder.  The use of the term seems to minimize the effort required. And using the term to mean something else seems misleading.  If you want to talk about shifting perspectives, do so!

What am I missing?  Until I find a better explanation than what I’ve found, I’m calling out the term.  Genially, of course.

10 December 2012

Compounding Intelligence

Clark @ 5:50 am

It is increasingly evident that as we unpack how we get the best results from thinking, we don’t do it alone.  Moreover, the elements that contribute emphasize diversity.  Two synergistic events highlight this.

First, my colleague Harold Jarche has an interesting post riffing off of Stephen Johnson’s new book, Future Perfect.  In looking at patterns that promote more effective decision making, an experiment is cited. In that study, a diverse group of lower intelligence produces better outputs than a group of relatively homogenous smart folks.  They quote Scott Page, saying “Diversity trumps ability”.  Hear hear.

This resonated particularly in light of an article I discovered last week that talked about Tom Malone’s work on looking at what he calls “collective intelligence“.  In it, Tom says “Our future as a species may depend on our ability to use our global collective intelligence to make choices that are not just smart, but also wise.”  I couldn’t agree more, and am very interested in the wisdom part.  Of interest in the article is a series of studies he did looking at what led to better outputs from groups, and they debunked a number of obvious factors including the above issue of intelligence. Two compelling features were the social perceptiveness of the group, e.g. how well they tuned in to what other members of the group thought, and how even the turn-taking was.  The more everyone had an equal chance to talk (instead of a one-sided conversation), and the more socially aware the group, the better the output.  Interestingly, which he correlated to the socially aware, was that the more women the better!

The point being that learning social skills, using good meeting processes, and emphasizing diversity, all actions similar to those needed for effective learning organizations, lead to better decision making. If you want good decisions, you need to break down hierarchies, open up the conversation channels, and listen.  We have good science about practices that lead to effective outcomes for organizations.  Are you practicing them?

7 December 2012

The Future of Mobile?

Clark @ 5:59 am

In the webinar I did the day before yesterday, one of the questions I was asked was what I thought the future of mobile would be.  My first response was that mobile wasn’t going away, and that we’d see more converged devices.  I also opined that five years ago I couldn’t have predicted where we are now, and consequently it might be hard to think that far forward.  There was also a question of whether I thought the laptop was dead, and I kind of did.

Since then, however, I had a few moments in the middle of the night when I should’ve been sleeping, and I pondered this a bit more.  Let me answer in greater depth, thinking through hardware, software, and context.

One of the questions was wearables.  I frankly don’t know whether we’ll want them just on our sleeve (though it might be a nice fashion accessory), or still pulled from a pocket.  I think we’ll have the opportunity to have either. What will really be important, however, is having that visual display whether tangible in the world, or projected via a headsup display.  We’ll also have audio, both to listen to, and to communicate with. We’ll still likely couple that with gesture, whether on a screen or detected via gestures.  The important thing is that we’ll be interacting with our normal tools for acting on the world.  I think we may still need keyboards from time to time, as text is still a relatively rich communication channel with low bandwidth requirements.  Whether we can have virtual keyboards is still an open question, I think.

I do think the devices will continue to have richer sensors: in addition to accelerometers, compasses, GPS, microphones and cameras they’ll also have barometers, thermometers, and more.  They’ll be able to tap into these to do ever more clever context-sensing and reacting. And I think they’ll be in a variety of form factors, some choosing pocketable, some choosing to tradeoff mobility for screen real estate.  Some will choose to have one multipurpose, perhaps, others likely will have several. They’ll synch seamlessly, so that it doesn’t matter what device we have when we’re looking for answers. And there will still be a role for the very large screen, with lots of real estate, when we’re tapping into our powerful pattern matching capabilities.

I think that it’s strongly possible that more of the computational capability will be served from the cloud, instead of locally, though I think the local capabilities will continue to increase as well.  I fully hope that they will be able to do intelligent and context-sensitive things.  My ideal is sort of a continual mentor, developing me over time and scaffolding behavior. This is probably wildly optimistic, though I’ve been asking for it for near to a decade, and we’re beginning to see elements thereof.

The interfaces may well simplify.  With rich communication possibilities, distributed across gesture and voice, the necessary screen representations may be minimized.  Still, as was recently pointed out to me, the current space is relatively mature and only a revolutionary technology shift would have a change. Can we anticipate that?  Likely, but not likely to hit the market within that 3-5 year timeframe.  And I’m willing to be wrong on that.

Regardless of technology, I can safely predict that most people will have some portable digital companion with them that they use to make themselves smarter in the moment, much as we do now. But I’m hoping that we’ll also be able to be using it to make us smarter over time, maybe even wiser.  That, to me, is the real vision of the future.

3 December 2012

Vale David Jonassen

Clark @ 10:21 am

David Jonassen passed away on Sunday.  He had not only a big impact on the field of computers for learning, but also on learning itself.  And he was a truly nice person.

I had early on been a fan of his work, his writing on computers as cognitive tools was insightful. He resisted the notion of teaching computing, and instead saw computers as mind tools, enablers of thinking.  He was widely and rightly regarded as an influential innovator for this work.

I also regularly lauded his work on problem-solving. The one notion that really resonated was that the problems we give to kids in schools (and too often to adults in training) bear little resemblance to the problems they’ll face outside. He did deep work on problem-solving that more should pay attention to.  He demonstrated that you could get almost as good a performance on standard tests using meaningful problems, and you got much better results on problem-solving skills (21st century skills) as well.  I continue to apply his principles in my learning design strategies.

I had the opportunity to meet him face to face at a conference on learning in organizations.  While I was rapt in his presentation, somehow it didn’t work for the audience as a whole, a shame. Still, I had the opportunity to finally talk to him, and it was a real pleasure. He was humble, thoughtful, and really willing to engage.  I subsequently shared a stage with him when he presented virtually to a conference I was at live, and was thrilled to have him mention he was using my game design book in one of his classes.

He contributed greatly to my understanding, and to the field as a whole.  He will be missed.

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