Discerning Brute blogs about Guillermo Vargas Habacuc’s plan to starve another dog as part of an exhibition. As artists and viewers of art, we must take a firm stand against this exhibition. Not a stand against any form of art, but a stand against cruelty and slavery, torture and murder.

Discerning Brute is right on here - it’s the trend toward cruelty based shock art that is so disturbing. Let’s modify the old art school adage to reflect this trend:

“If you can’t do it well, do it big.
If you can’t do it big do it red.
If you can’t do it red, do it in multiples.
If you can’t do it in multiples, add animal cruelty for shock value and you’ll be right on your way to some Biennial or another”.

The first lotus pad has opened in my water garden. It’s a beautiful and soft looking leaf, and water beads off of it immediately.

Food is an interesting intersection of plants, environments, animals and technology. It was a beautiful day here in New York, so I went to the markets as soon as I woke up. This is what I bought.

Ethical diets, are an especially interesting interdisciplinary cuisine. I’m vegan, and after completing a 5 day juice fast and cleanse I’m preparing lots of raw food. Raw vegan food is a diet is inspired by ethics (the equality of human and non-human animals) and also a cuisine that has been influenced by technology (blender, dehydrator, juicer, food processor) and chemistry/spirituality (the benefits of enzymes and living foods). This is my first attempt to cook without ‘cooking’. I was doing this today and decided to blog about it later, so I snapped some photos with my phone. All produce and grains used were raw and organic.

Raw Vegan Sprouted Lentil Curry w/ Avocado Salad

Sprouted Lentils
Soaked Almonds
Soaked Brazil nuts
Lemons
Carrots
Parsley (or Cilantro)
Garam Masala
Tumeric
Corriander
Fennel Seed
Sea Salt
Agave (or Maple Syrup)
Apple Cider Vinegar
–
Avocado
Miso Mayo (can sub a paste of miso, cider vinegar, vegetable oil)
Hemp Nuts
–
Greens & Fruit (I like Dandelion & Strawberry)

First, I sprouted some lentils that I bought in bulk at Integral Yoga Natural Foods. I didn’t buy lentils made for sprouting, just the bulk lentils. I barely sprouted them by soaking in spring water for two days. They soaked in a large plastic Tupperware with a lid, in the refrigerator. I changed the water once - and they were done when they had swollen and grown a little tiny white root.

After draining and rinsing the sprouted lentils, I squeezed one lemon over them and began to prepare the curry paste.

Then, To some olive oil in a bowl, I added Garam Masala, Coriander and Tumeric from Patel Brothers Grocery in Jackson Heights. To this paste, I added finely chopped parsley (cilantro works as well). Then I salted and sweetened to taste with Sea Salt and raw organic Agave. I also chopped some fennel seed and added that to the paste. The curry paste was then set in the sun while I continued with other ingredients.

Next, I cut several carrots into little rounds - and soaked them in water with a splash of raw cider vinegar. While the carrots are soaking, I chopped up some sprouted Brazil nuts and almonds and tossed these with the lentils.

The curry paste was then taken out of the sun and tossed with the lentils. If you don’t have enough, make some more paste.

Finally, I drained the carrots, chopped them, and tossed them into the lentils.

I served this curried lentil dish on a bed of dandelion greens, accompanied by a few strawberries and a simple dressed Avocado (miso mayo, lemon juice and topped with hemp nuts.) It’s great to let this marinate for a while before serving. Also, for those who don’t like it raw - just heat it up gently, then top with cool soy yogurt and chutney.

The pope’s vehicle is much stranger than I remember. He really looks like an artifact in a display case at a museum. An interesting blend of security and visibility.

Take a look at Gregory Donovan’s brilliant research blog - he’s re-launched. What a code master!

“Natural Charcoal”

I contributed a little story about a food producer and their sugar refinery to The Discerning Brute. You can read it here.

I verified that the Domino refinery in question does not use cow bones. I read something recently that claimed it takes something like 7,800 cows to produce the ‘bone char’ for one industrial sugar filter. The sugar industry calls it “Natural Charcoal.” Right, like “Healthy Forests” and “No Child Left Behind.”

From: Susan Norrell
Date: Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 8:48 AM
Subject: RE: Industrial products

Hello Michael,

Our Yonkers refinery has never used natural charcoal filter (also known
to some as the bone char). They use a carbon filter process. If you
have any other questions, feel free to email me.

Regards,

Sue Norrell
Consumer Affairs
Domino Foods

Genetic storefront opens in SoHo.

The Washington Post is reporting that the Bush administration is prepared to begin directing our most advanced spying technology on our own citizens. This includes advanced satellite systems.

We are entering the era of total surveillance. Every movement will soon be tracked - every cell phone call will enable location tracking - with clear line of sight, this technology will mean that you can be watched, from space, by your government.

Every time we tag a photo in facebook, we’re contributing to the facial recognition database. And every time we walk down the street our faces are captured by CCTV. Every book we list on myspace is entered into the matrix and one day, soon - perhaps you will have engaged in the requisite activities to be considered an enemy.

Will we see a movement toward wearing hoods and masks in public at all times? And will there be an attempt to regulate this? What if the hoods are worn for religious reasons? Will the face covering practice of fundamentalist Islam become the last refuge of the revolutionaries?

The water plant conservatory at the Brooklyn Botanic garden (above) has inspired me to do some aquaculture at home.

I’m starting with Umbrella Palm, Lotus and Duckweed.

By the way, it’s Cherry blossom season at the gardens, go check it out…

A new project I’m undertaking in the dining room. This is plantotype alpha - the first box. There is a skylight over our dining room table, and I’d like to take advantage of that light with some plants in that part of the house.