NOISE: Dig In

The Half that has Never Been Told

Foment (verb): To instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the  growth or development of...  

International fomenting aside (El Baradei this, Mubarak that), lets return to our more immediate home on Turtle Island, here in the northern and middle "Americas."  Much like a radical definition--one both pertaining to fundamentals and subversion--the concept of who we are, and where we are, is one in dire need of review.  We are here as a human race, and as an industrialized society made of people who still eat corn, because of the ways carried on by Native Americans.  In Michigan, that means in large part the Anishinabek, or Indians of the Potowatamii, Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Odawa (Ottawa) tribes.  These three tribes or "Three Fires" of the Anishinabek carefully learned and carried on the ways of true sustainable living--what Winona LaDuke has called "frankly" the only such example in all of North America, period.

Fruity French Toast

I picked these pears back in the mid-autumn before they were fully ripe.  They lasted, wrapped in newspaper, until the last few were perfect for this:

Our Common Heritage: Where do we go from here?

Incisive inspirations provided by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. transcend the rote lip service to race or ‘diversity’ he’s typically paid. Delving into the sobering reasons that make the man well regarded by history and such a presence in the American public consciousness is a process well-begun by going to the source. All text in bold below is from King’s 1967 SCLC Presidential Address (read the whole speech here). 

“...And one day we must ask the question, ‘Why are there forty million poor people in America?’ And when you begin to ask that question, you are raising questions about the economic system, about a broader distribution of wealth. When you ask that question, you begin to question the capitalistic economy. And I'm simply saying that more and more, we've got to begin to ask questions about the whole society...”

In the nearly fifty years since King uttered these words aloud, how timely have his words remained? Although poverty rates may vary, “approximately 43.6 million Americans were living in poverty in 2009, up from 39.8 million in 2008. (Wikipedia)” If any of King’s words can filter through to the present day as a practical strategy for the replacement of systemic exploitation with symbiosis, perhaps they are here, for our President and ourselves to heed:

“New forms of work that enhance the social good will have to be devised for those for whom traditional jobs are not available. … It is the work of men who somehow find a form of work that brings a security for its own sake and a state of society where want is abolished.”

If a Democratic President can’t launch a sweeping employment program to create and maintain a renewable resource infrastructure, what good is a Democratic President anyway? King again:

“Work of this sort could be enormously increased, and we are likely to find that the problems of housing and education, instead of preceding the elimination of poverty, will themselves be affected if poverty is first abolished. The poor transformed into purchasers will do a great deal on their own to alter housing decay.”

What could be more timely? More than a million homes are out there, ship-shape and winterized under the watch of shady mega-banks while humans continue to struggle to make ends meet. And yet this is no socialist tirade:

Keeping the Fire Burning

On the last day of 2010 the gal you probably know as Rosie the Riveter passed away.  Turns out this icon of bootstrap lady power was the real-life Geraldine Hoff Doyle late of Lansing, but orginally photographed in Ann Arbor for what would become a banner for causes of all kinds.  Did you even know she was from Michigan?  Is this new fuel for Ann Arbor/Lansing rivalry?  Probably not.  But it's a good chance to reflect on the many causes that have capitalized on the iconic image of Doyle.

Bread for Every Mouth to be Fed

Bread--yes, you love it, and unless your 'special dietary concern' precludes it, bread of any sort from acorn-flour to rye to wheat to the Funky Texas Raisin is a local and regional staple.  Perennial wheat and many other crops yield the unbelievably versatile, filling, and, Atkins-be-damned, healthy hearthfood that is available in many forms and at any budget in the Lansing area.  

Start Your Own Community Garden

Garden Leaders Training from The Garden Project welcomes you to share your vision of a community garden/urban farm for YOUR slice of Greater Lansing.  

The Perfect Omelet: Eggs plus leftovers

Like the looks of this 6-egg omelet?  You'll like the taste even better when you spice it up with some leftover dip or salsa.  Sauteed celery and kale freshen it up and lend a crunch to the proceedings.

 

Making an omelet is easy.  Beat your eggs until just mixed, then put in 'em in a buttered hot skilled big enough so the eggs spread thin and cook fast.

Keep the eggs from sticking by moving them with a spatula or by agitating the pan.  Usually before half a minute is up, the eggs will be ready for the addition of cheese and/or other fillings.  Sauteing veggies or meat in the same pan before cooking the eggs works great, just keep in a spare dish until the eggs are ready.  (Make sure to wipe the pan smooth from any saute debris before cooking the egg.)

A mixture of garlic, celery and chopped kale supported a dollop of bean dip left over from New Year's Eve.  The bean dip itself was easy and delicious (hint: food-processed carrots, can of pintos, can of re-fried beans and lots of garlic and onion).  Some way-leftover feta sealed the deal.  If the omelet looks a little ragged and sloppy after the fold, shape it in the warm pan with a spatula.  Transfer to a plate, and garnish the top of the omelet with any loose filling.  New Year's resolution 2011: no more burned toast!

 (This monster served 3).

Images: Gabriel Biber and Nitaawe Shepherd