for posterity

I realize I haven't posted anything here in an age but I wanted to get this conversation down before I forgot it. Normally I would just post it on Facebook but for some reason I don't care to do that this time. Don't get excited, I am sure this is not the start of a new trend.

So, as is normal for most children, mine are not terribly fond of bathing and to combat this we have a showering schedule. Sunday evenings is one of those scheduled times, which means that they showered last night. Lily came into the living room just now and said, "And, just so you know, later this afternoon I am going to be taking a shower." I incredulously asked why and she replied, "Because I like to...and I want my hair to be nice again." Understanding dawned and my brow started to un-furrow a little. As it is cold now, I like to blow-dry her hair so that she doesn't go to bed with a wet head and when I am done her hair is absolutely gorgeous: shiny and smooth. I exclaim over it every time. I chuckled to myself and said, "We'll see," in response and, as she walked away, I turned to Luke and said, "I guess I can't really quibble about her wanting to take more showers, can I?" He laughed and said, "No." And then Noah chimed in slyly from the peanut gallery, "Yeah, you've just got to ruin the fun for her whatever she does..."

The kids are definitely growing up. Lily is becoming more aware of her appearance (she even put her hair up on her own this morning without any prompting from me) and Noah is mastering the art of sarcasm and subtle digs.

*Sigh*

more news about GM corn

The truth always has a way of coming out...

 

I found this article here.

Busted: Biotech Leader ‘Syngenta’ Charged Over Covering Up Animal Deaths from GM Corn

June 18th, 2012

NaturalSociety
By Anthony Gucciardi

In a riveting victory against genetically modified creations, a major biotech company known as Syngenta has been criminally charged for denying knowledge that its GM Bt corn actually kills livestock. What’s more is not only did the company deny this fact, but they did so in a civil court case that ended back in 2007. The charges were finally issued after a long legal struggle against the mega corp initiated by a German farmer named Gottfried Gloeckner whose dairy cattle died after eating the Bt toxin and coming down with a ‘mysterious’ illness.

Copyright 123RF Stock Photos

Grown on his own farm from 1997 to 2002, the cows on the farm were all being fed exclusively on Syngenta’s Bt 176 corn by the year 2000. It was around this time that the mysterious illnesses began to emerge among the cattle population. Syngenta paid Gloeckner 40,000 euros in an effort to silence the farmer, however a civil lawsuit was brought upon the company. Amazingly, 2 cows ate genetically modified maize (now banned in Poland over serious concerns) and died. During the civil lawsuit, however, Syngenta refused to admit that its GM corn was responsible. In fact, they went as far as to claim having no knowledge whatsoever of harm.

The case was dismissed and Gloeckner, the farmer who launched the suit, was left thousands of euros in debt. And that’s not all; Gloeckner continued to lose many cows as a result of Syngenta’s modified Bt corn. After halting the use of GM feed in 2002, Gloeckner attempted a full investigation with the Robert Koch Institute and Syngenta involved. The data of this investigation is still unavailable to the public, and only examined one cow. In 2009, however, the Gloeckner teamed up with a German action group known as Bündnis Aktion Gen-Klage and to ultimately bring Syngenta to the criminal court.

Using the testimony of another farmer whose cows died after eating Syngenta product, Gloeckner and the team have charged the biotech giant for the death of over 65 cows, withholding knowledge of the death-link, and holding the corporation liable for not registering the cattle deaths. The team is even charging Hans-Theo Jahmann, the German head of Syngenta , personally over the withholding of knowledge.

The charges bring to light just how far large biotechnology companies will go to conceal evidence linking their genetically modified products to serious harm. Monsanto, for example, has even threatened to sue the entire state of Vermont if they attempt to label its genetically modified ingredients. Why are they so afraid of the consumer knowing what they are putting in their mouths?

pittsburgh international children's festival

I have one last field trip to tell you about (for now anyway) and this one actually took place before all the others...sorry for the out-of-order posting. It wasn't a history field trip it was just for fun. We went, again with my sister and Seb and Oren, to a children's festival. It was in the center of Oakland, which is the home of  the University of Pittsburgh, under the impressive edifice of  the Cathedral of Learning.

We stuck to all the free activities they offered (except for some Rita's b/c what is a festival without a little Italian Ice) and had loads of fun.

a drumming demo

bicycle spin art done on old vinyl records

baby animal petting zoo!

steel drum band

Rita's, YUM!

and free carousel rides

 Living in the city definitely has its bonuses. There is so much to do and see and experience!

warning: feet firmly planted on soap-box

I saw this image on facebook today and wanted to share it here too for those of you who are not "on" that controversial site. I don't get on many soap-boxes (at least not here on my blog), but this one is worth getting on, in my opinion. The above statement is the main reason why I will not buy/eat corn or corn products that are not organic or that are bought locally from a farmer who does not use genetically modified seed.

This company has a long history of lying to consumers so I cannot trust anything that they claim about their products. If you want to learn more about Monsanto, you can watch this video.

Until you can prove to me with independent and long term studies (which have not been done and should have been before it was FDA approved) that this stuff is safe, I am staying away from it.

catching up

I realize it has been a while since I last posted. I had every intention of posting more regularly but well, intentions and inclination apparently do not always see eye-to-eye. Now I have some catching up to do.

I will start with some pictures of the field trips on which we have gone and give you the added bonus of a history lesson while I am at it.

Our history studies this year have taken us through early modern times and this area of Western Pennsylvania is rich in its connections to much that happened during that epoch. Last summer, before we even had an inkling that our life would make us Pittsburgh residents, we came for a visit, as was our usual wont. Knowing that we would be covering the French and Indian War in the upcoming year, my sister and I decided to take a trip to the Fort Pitt Museum.

It was the pivotal fort in that war and is located at "The Point" where two rivers (the Monongahela and the Allegheny) meet and form the Ohio, in the heart of Pittsburgh. This area, the confluence of the rivers, is what the war was fought over. Whoever controlled this area would gain control of all the land west and both the French and the English wanted it, not to mention the natives who wanted to keep it as largely untouched as possible. The French gained control of it first and built what was Fort Duquesne but the English would ultimately win it back and build Fort Pitt named for the British Secretary of State under George II, William Pitt, the Elder, who was the driving force behind the British victory.

 
Now that we live here we can take even more advantage of the history jackpot.

So, a couple of weeks ago we visited Fort Ligonier, which was the staging area of the British attack on Fort Duquesne and has the distinction of never falling to an enemy both during the French and Indian War and Pontiac's War which followed shortly after. The natives were not well-pleased with the results of the previous war and joined together under Pontiac, chief of the Ottowa tribe, to push the settlers out of the region. They were largely successful, taking many outlying forts, except Ligonier, until meeting a crushing defeat at the Battle of Bushy Run.

Oh, and we stopped at Bushy Run as well, but it was just a big hill. The kids had fun rolling down it at least...

The next period in history in which Western Pennsylvania would play a key part in would be the Industrial Revolution or "The Age of Industry" for my Classical Conversations friends. This past weekend we took a ride on the Duquesne Incline. It is a cable car which takes tourists and commuters from the river's edge up to Mt. Washington.

It originally opened in 1877 when Pittsburgh was really growing due to the steel industry. It's one of two left in the city, the last two of 17 that used to run throughout the city. At the Upper Station there is a picture museum chronicling much of the city's history. This was my main interest as we were able to see what the city was like during the height of steel production. The smoke stacks pumped out so much black smoke that it was dark by three in the afternoon and still looked like midnight at nine in the morning.

A Pittsburgh street with streetlights on at noon

The city has literally cleaned up its act and is now considered one of the most livable cities in the country. The view from the Upper Station was "voted on of the top ten sites for viewing a cityscape by USA Today" according to the website. It's a pretty cool city:

...but for the clouds...this is typical of the 'burgh, which has fewer sunny days than Seattle. It was beautiful and sunny when we planned this trip in the morning...

So, anyway, back to the Industrial Revolution: several inventions would drive it especially James Watt's steam engine. What fueled the steam engine was coal and there's a ton of coal in these here parts. We headed to Tarentum just north of the city to the Tour-Ed Coal Mine. It was first being mined in 1850 when miners used candles to see by, and pick axes, shovels, and coal carts pulled by mules to get the coal out. 

Young boys would be responsible for opening and closing doors to control air flow throughout the mine as well as "spragging" the coal carts (throwing planks of wood b/t the wheels to slow them down) and picking the rocks out of the coal in the breakers. It was horrible work and we have learned to appreciate the fact that we did not live during the Industrial Revolution (well, at least I attempted to impress that upon my thankless children).

My dad came along for the coal car ride down into the mine

Noah got to use the drill  that puts holes in the rock for dynamite

This is what it looks like in the mine when the lights go out

Our history lessons were made so much more interesting for all the field trips and I hope you were at least slightly interested too. Mainly I did this so that I have a quick concise record of all that we learned for future reference.

this weekend

...was full of family time and it was good.

Sebastien's 9th birthday!

Nerf Weapon War!

Celebrating Mother's Day with my mom for the first time in at least 13 years

summer haircut for the boy

I'm always amazed at how much hair this kid has! I think I could have made a couple of wigs with the pile of hair on the floor. It was nice to be able to do it out on my parent's deck in the cool of the morning (where the mess wasn't such a big deal).