Daily Archives: March 17, 2011

Gary Lee’s Daybreak to Twilight

We might have thought we had bad weather and a big problem last Monday when twenty to thirty inches of snow fell in the driveway, but it didn’t compare to the earthquake and following tsunami that recently struck Japan’s north coast. Some might say these events aren’t weather related, but they are in my mind. They could cause weather issues for months or more.

I remember the shaking we got several years back and thought the furnace was on a tear. I got about halfway down the shaking cellar stairs at the Ranger Headquarters, when I realized the furnace wasn’t even running. The aftershocks are still going on in Japan almost a week later. A near ten on the Rector Scale is what you might call “the big one” if you were anywhere close to it. Many lives were lost from the tsunami. It was 30 feet high and went miles inland washing over anything in it’s path. Mother Nature still has a grip on planet earth. Just when we think we have her under control, which I hope we never do, she roars up her head to let us know who’s boss. Scientists say the shocks from the earthquake moved the earth on it’s axis four inches. I don’t know what that does to the planet, but a mere four inches sure could change things.

More than the loss of life, the nuclear power plants impacted by the earthquake seem to be attracting most of the attention. It would be an environmental disaster if the plants melt down and put their radioactive pollutants into the atmosphere. Certainly this would slow down the push for more nuclear power plants in an effort to wean the US of oil. Maybe talk about solar or wind power will pick up now. Solar has come a long way in the last few years, and its cheaper too. If we all have a few solar collectors taking up space in our yards in the next few years, won’t that be a good thing?

Locally, even though we got 20 inches of snow and more, it didn’t stop the bird migration. Last Sunday, my brother in Willsboro had 10 Red-winged Blackbirds and 1 Grackle show up at his feeder and Mary Lamphear had two Redwings in Raquette Lake. I’ve had several reports of Starlings at feeders, mostly on suet feeders. I had a Starling and a Song Sparrow on Saturday 3/13 and just up the road Stan Ernst had a Redwing. Stan thought it was a tricolor from the west coast, but changed his mind the next day.

 

When birds are migrating they often get off course and show up in odd places. Sometimes they are on the wrong side of the ocean. Recently, one of the Ring-billed Gulls we banded years ago on Four Brother’s Island turned up in England. This is the fourth such report from across the big pond from gulls banded on Four Brother’s. One of our Black Crowned Night Herons was shot in the Azores off Spain and two were found dead in Costa Rica within six months from when they were banded as chicks.

I have heard several stories of locals cooking down maple sap they collected on their stovetop and the moisture it released took the wallpaper off their walls. It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. You have to boil off the other 39 gallons of moisture or water, which releases as steam. That’s why it should be done outside and not in the house. Reading from a jug of Pure Maple Syrup, it says it’s nature’s healthful sweetener. It contains vitamins, minerals and necessary amino acids. Try it on grapefruit, hot cereal, granola, plain yogurt, winter squash or sweet potatoes. Use it as a glaze on meat and over ice cream. Put it in milk or a milk shake. My favorite, of course, is on pancakes, waffles or French toast. Once open, maple syrup should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. The freezer is the best as it becomes thick but will not freeze. If mold forms on the top of the syrup, it can be restored to nearly it’s original flavor by reheating it to the boiling point and skimming.

There are more signs of Spring happening, but that’s another story. See ya.

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Nourished Living by Dietician Kelly Hamlin MA, RD, CDN

Gluten-Free – Part 2

So last week we reviewed what Celiac Disease and Gluten Sensitivity are. Take a moment to pull out your scrapbook of my columns and review (just kidding….you can review later). Today I want to talk about how to plan meals and what to consider when planning meals. Also, what to consider when you are eating out or at a friends home.

When meal planning (you’ll be surprised to read this….) READ THE LABEL!!! As mentioned last week, there are many ingredients that could be made from starch, such as caramel color, dextrin, glucose syrup, maltodextrin and modified food starch. Also, natural flavoring agents may be made from rye or barley, but barley is often listed as malt. In the US, if the source is wheat, FDA labled products must say so. When purchasing US products such as meat, poultry and eggs products (generally pre-packaged items) make sure you check the labels for hidden sources of wheat. There are no gluten-free labeling laws as of yet, the consideration is that the limit should be 20 parts per million. So, when the laws are passed, some foods may have to change their labeling. Another thing to consider is that other countries may have different levels.

The tricky part of gluten-free (GF) meal planning is that the traditional GF diets were highly processed, low nutrient dense starches and processed refined grains. GF often are high in fat and sodium – the reason being that manufacturers are trying to give the similar texture and flavor of wheat based products. Prior to recent years there has not been a lot of choices, it was the same old thing over and over again. Even today, the fiber content of GF foods can be low as most breads are made from starches and rice flours that are low in fiber. The good news is that you can increase your fiber intake by increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts and by choosing GF whole grains. Another set of nutrients that is often missing from a GF diet are the B vitamins. When consuming the typical wheat based foods, you often get the B vitamins from the enrichment or fortification of the foods. However, GF foods are not usually fortified or enriched so the intake of the B vitamins is often lower. Again, the good news is that you can get your B vitamins by consuming beans, nuts, whole grains, shellfish and some fruits and vegetables. Very cool!

When you are told that you have celiac disease or are gluten sensitive, you will feel that all of your favorite foods are stolen away from you. Which may make you a little cranky, overwhelmed and upset. Understandably so! Take this opportunity to bring out your creative side. Remember that there are still a whole bunch of grains available for consumption, you just need to think outside of the box! Some of the grains that you can have are: amaranth, buckwheat, bean flours, corn, kasha, millet, nut flours, potato, quinoa, rice, sorghum, tapiaoca and teff. Take some time and research these grains to see how you can incorporate these new grains into your diet. Remember that when working with GF grains, they should be combine to achieve a balance and texture and incorporating starches and leavening agents to keep them light. High protein additions will help with the stability of the product. Here is a blend that you can make yourself:

1 1/2 c. sorghum flour

1 1/2 c. potato or corn starch

1 c. tapioca flour

1/2 c. chick pea, almond or quinoa flour

Mix together. May be used in place of flour in recipes.

Some companies offer GF flour blends: Bob’s Red Mills, Pamela’s Mixes and Authentic Foods. Add www & .com and you will reach their websites.

When adapting recipes:

• work with recipes that don’t use many gluten containing ingredients

• make small, simple changes at first

• use homemade stoks or GF brands (Swiss Chalet, Pacific and Kitchen Basics)

• use GF soy sauce (La Choy, San-J and Eden Foods)

• use fresh herbs/spices

• use GF BBQ sauces and flavoring agents

Go to www.glutenfreeasy.com and get more hints and tips from chefs, safe food lists and links to more info about GF cooking.

Another thing that I want to mention, is that for people who have Celiac disease and are gluten sensitive, cross contamination can be as serious as for those who have peanut allergies. It can be as simple as using the same toaster or cutting board. Make sure that when you are buttering your regular toast that you don’t double dip into the butter. Gluten can be transferred that way. Other culprits may be grills (think of the marinades that my contain gluten), colanders, serving spoons/spatulas, baking sheets, slicing machines, buffets and shared drinks.

Ok, running out of room and I haven’t even gotten to dining out and resources. I guess we’ll continue next week! See you all at the parade this evening!!!! Hhhmm, speaking of St. Patrick’s day, guess I should talk about alcoholic beverages and gluten sensitivity too!

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Growing up Adirondack by Mitch Lee

Warming up

It was warming up that late March morning in 1970. The water gushing down the stream behind our house was in full swing. Our basement sump pump was running constantly, trying to keep the water from going over the 6th step of the stairs and drowning our furnace. My father stood in the threshold of the basement peering into the dark waters below while I peaked in under his elbow.

“Holy smokes”, I said in a low voice. We could hear the water running in and pumping out. The smell of wet wood and red iron dirt mixed in from the darkness tickling my nose. “Yup it’s still rising” my father said. He took a step down the stairs and measured the water with a stick he had made just for that purpose. I turned and sat next to the air duct vent in the hallway letting the heat cook the back of my legs.

Outside the sun was shining brightly and the snow was melting so fast you could almost see it leave. I decided to give up watching my father and I put on my snowsuit to go outdoors. I wasn’t out very long when I decided it was too warm for a hat. My black full-body snowsuit was acting like an inferno. Laying my mittens on the crusty dirty-looking snow bank, I unzipped my snowsuit as far as it would go. I shimmied out of the arms and wrapped the sleeves around my waist in a knot.

Barehanded, I picked up a large handful of the melting snow. It was cold, but not so bad. It felt like a thousand pellets of ice, not like snow at all. Gradually, my hands started to turn a mean shade of pinky red and by the twentieth snowball I made, they were burning. At my feet there was an arsenal of good hard-packed ice balls. Now I needed a good target.

I pulled the small toboggan out of the garage and loaded up my ammunition. I dragged it down to the end of the driveway. I surveyed the landscape and did not see anything that would make a good target. As I was about to turn around, I saw the keel and rear of a john boat sticking up from the snow along the edge of the woods. It was a long way to throw, but that didn’t stop me from trying again and again to hit the transom. With one great bell-like chime a perfect ball, made from the last of March’s good snow, clattered along the hillside that surrounded my flooding Limekiln Lake home.

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Statement- Patrick Russell

On Saturday morning March 19, at 9p.m., many Herkimer county legislators will be gathering at the Town of Webb Muncipal building to join me in an informal get-together to meet the public. This is a rare event – in fact it’s only happened once before during my tenure and that was a few years ago in Old Forge when, as chairman of the Ways and Means committee, we held a meeting for area residents to view and then had a question and answer session afterwards. All are welcome to attend, and I hope to be able to discuss some of the aspects of the building of a new correctional facility. However, any topic that is important to residents can be asked and legislators will certainly do their best to provide the answers. Legislators who are also members of the Industrial Development Agency (IDA), the organization that drives the economic engine for the county, will be part of the discussion group, and I urge anyone interested in starting a business or who have a business looking to expand come to meet John Piseck, chairman of the IDA and legislator from Herkimer.

Two issues that have come up in a recent publication of the newspaper is the question  is: 1)“Why doesn’t the county build on top of the already existing jail” and 2) the county has failed to do their due diligence by not doing an engineering study to ascertain whether a new correctional facility is needed.

Regarding the “due diligence” question, the topic of constructing a new jail facility has been on the table longer than the twelve years I have been in office. Frankly, I believe the details have been discussed thoroughly. A few years before I was elected, Len Hendrix (scheduled to appear Saturday) and a few other legislators visited a jail in Colorado, viewing aspects of the building the might meet the counties needs. Discussion began then, when the (State Commission on Corrections (SCOC) suggested the county’s facility needed updating and they wanted a new building erected. So that was about 14 years ago. Site selection alone took about six years, and the public was well aware of the various land options that were available and discussed. Legislators finally came together this past Wednesday night, in a vote of 14-2 to pursue eminent domain at the former P&C site on Route 28 in Herkimer. With the vote having passed, discussions will be held with the landowner to see if terms can be agreed upon. If not, then the county will go to court to take the property. I believe, the 14 years that this process has undertaken, has certainly met the criteria of meeting the definition of “due diligence”.

Why not build on top of the current facility? Our present jail is around 15,000 square feet. The new proposed facility is 87,000 square feet. Although, according to our engineer, two stories might be able to be added to the existing building, it could never accommodate the additional square footage needed to house the projected inmates over the next 20 years. So this question has been looked at and discussed repeatedly. Legislators did not want to pay for an engineering study we already knew the answer to. And, the SCOC says are layout it antiquated now. Why repeat the problem.

Hope to see you at Friday’s parade and please join us on Saturday morning at the Webb Municipal building.

Mr. Russell is Majority leader etc, etc,

Patrick

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A Column of News & Comment by Senator James L. Seward

LOWERING THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS

The cost of doing business in New York state is too high. A simple statement, but it’s one of the main reasons why many companies are packing up and fleeing the state and those that remain are furiously treading water just to stay afloat. It is a crisis that must be solved to put our state back on firm financial footing and advance our economy.

 

The state senate has taken a step in the right direction by approving “Recharge NY,” a new, permanent program that will provide businesses with low-cost power, helping create and retain jobs.

 

The program replaces “Power for Jobs,” a program which I helped found in 1997 while serving as chairman of the senate energy committee. The original discount power program was a true success, currently providing low cost power to about 500 businesses. The main hurdle in recent years has been the need to renew the program on an annual basis. I have advocated in favor of a long term extension to provide companies with peace of mind and that is exactly what “Recharge NY” will provide.

 

The new program would double the amount of energy available to businesses and non-profit organizations. “Recharge NY” would also provide participants with a seven-year commitment for their allocations of low-cost power. The stability of the program is vital, allowing business owners to plan for the long-term.

 

Another extremely positive attribute of the program – there is no cost to the state.

 

“Recharge NY” would combine the current 455 megawatts of power used for “Power for Jobs” with another 455 megawatts now used to cut residential electric bill across upstate by two to four dollars per month. In return, the New York Power Authority would provide residential customers with a yearly discount totaling $100 million through 2013. The discount would be reduced to $70 million in 2014, $50 million in 2015 and $30 million in 2016 and beyond. This phase out would be offset by savings from the scheduled expiration of the electric utility surcharge passed by senate Democrats in 2009, as well as costs paid by NYPA through a combination of hydroelectric power and other resources.

 

The new low cost power program could help revitalize the manufacturing sector of New York’s economy that has lost 288,000 jobs over the past ten years. Electric rates for businesses in New York are twice as high as rates in other states. New York’s high energy costs are a factor when New York-based companies decide whether to stay open or expand, and when new companies decide where to invest.

 

“Recharge NY” has broad support from groups like the Business Council of New York State, the New York Farm Bureau, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and Environmental Advocates.

 

It is also important to note that the legislation was approved by a unanimous 62-0 vote showing overwhelming support on both sides of the aisle. Further, the bill is a program bill submitted by the governor. Following its senate passage, Governor Cuomo offered his congratulations and called on the assembly to “follow the senate’s lead and perform for the people of New York by passing this bill to create jobs for New Yorkers. The time for action is now.”

 

In fact, “Recharge NY” is the third program bill submitted by the governor to be passed by the senate; the others being property tax cap legislation and the military voting ballot extension bill. In addition, the senate has passed bills to establish a state spending cap, provide tax incentives to encourage private sector job creation, and require a supermajority to raise taxes. The assembly has not acted on any these bills.

 

My colleagues and I in the senate are focused on the issues important to every New Yorker – lower taxes, less state spending and job creation. ‘Recharge New York’ is another important piece of an overall plan to accomplish these goals and move our state forward.

Senator Seward’s office web site is www.senatorjimseward.com.

Follow Senator Seward at www.facebook.com/senatorjimseward.

 

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Just Call me Mrs. Lucky by Jan From Woodgate

Another tragedy has struck, and I’m certain many of you feel as I do.  Petty, shallow, and small.  I’ve been unhappy about snow on the ground, the price of gas and groceries, and silly little everyday troubles that now seem so trivial in the wake of Japan’s horrible circumstances.

My personal feeling?  The words ‘lucky’ and ‘survivor’ have no business sharing the same sentence.  I don’t know about you but I’m just not feeling the ‘lucky’ part.  No food, water or shelter and waves of killer radiation coming at you like a locomotive – would I really want to survive that?  Sure, there are a scant few feel good stories about loved ones being reunited, and no doubt a parent finding their child in all that chaos is a miracle.

But what lies ahead for these people?  After months and months of sharing a tiny patch of a gymnasium floor and a bowl of rice there will be huge fallout from the radition leaks for years to come.  How does a country recover from that?

And of course, here come the predictions.  Bible passages are being quoted and passed about and quite frankly I’m shocked at how many folks are convinced that “The End” is upon us.  Some are digging bunkers, reinforcing makeshift shelters and stocking up on canned goods.

Not this gal.  I can think of nothing worse than being Last Man Standing.  I’ve never been a fan of canned anything and I know for a fact that to continue living in those circumstances would make me wish I dove headfirst into the Big Wave.  Lots of  things are worse than death in my Good Book, and surely hunkering underground with a can of corn is one of them.  Clearly, a hero I’m not, but thank God there are plenty of heros out there.  Folks are begging and praying to speed over to Japan to assist in any way they can and that’s what makes this world go ’round I guess.

Kudos to the volunteers, you are a special lot.  But please, in the event that  a catastrophy of that proportion ever strikes here, do not waste your time saving me.  Let me go towards The Light, cuz I’d be no good at surviving The Dark.

Shall we bow our heads and pray for the lucky survivors?  Yes, I think we shall.  They have a truly difficult road ahead of them, and I wish them well.

I’m thinking Mud Season will be looked upon a bit differently this year….at least by me.

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