Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Voodoo and horse yeast 

Some excerpts from T-P columnist James Gill's latest effort, interspersed with my comments:

As a voodoo priestess, [Sallie Ann] Glassman "calls up and mediates the power of the Spirit," according to her Web site. She performed her annual rites to ward off hurricanes a month before Katrina struck.

Well, no one's perfect. If Gill were fair, he'd mention all the hurricanes she did prevent.

Glassman may be no more befuddled than adherents of other religions...

Wait a second, hold up. Can't let a bald claim like that pass without a factcheck... hmm... Ok, never mind, she's definitely not more befuddled.

Glassman, in cahoots with her boyfriend, property developer Pres Kabacoff, is playing an energetic role in a plan to restore St. Claude Avenue to its pre-storm glory and then some.

That's one way of describing it. Jeffrey offers a different description here.

The plan is for Kabacoff to buy the old Universal Furniture Store so that it can be turned into a "healing center," featuring yoga, various forms of alternative medicine, organic foods, a grocery co-operative and a hydroponic rooftop garden. Gallery space and classrooms are also envisaged. Solar panels and wind turbines will provide the power.
...
The healing center will sit right across the street from the St. Roch Market, which is also due for renovation. When it is all over, the theory goes, the entire neighborhood will spring back to life.


I hope so.
===

Speaking of alternative meds and organic stuff... Every day since Christmas, I've been eating fortified yeast normally given to horses.

See, a relative I trust became convinced that fortified horse yeast is a boon to one's health. He had purchased a 50lb bag of the stuff from the feed store, even though he only takes a quarter teaspoon per day. He told me he had been taking it for months and felt great and couldn't remember the last time he was sick. Since he had just a little extra yeast to spare, he gave me a small bag-full as a gift for X-mas. Now, each morning I add some coarse brown powdered yeast to my cereal or smoothie, and pretend not to notice any change in taste. (It's sorta yucky.)

I've been eating this yeast supplement intended for horses on a daily basis, and... you know what? I've been feeling pretty well, actually. A good test came a couple weeks ago, when everyone else in the house caught a cold at the same time, but I somehow escaped.

After that, I started thinking "Wow. This stuff is cheaper than sawdust, and it's like a miracle supplement. Maybe I should start recommending it, too".

But then, the other night I got a call from the trusted relative. He said he couldn't talk for long, but wanted to ask me a question about sports. I was hardly paying attention to his query, though, because his voice was absolutely awful. He sounded totally congested, and alarmingly sick. After I answered his sports question, I wanted to ask "Heh, what gives? Why do you sound like death? Did you stop taking your horse yeast?". But he had to go, and I couldn't get an explanation.

So, after that disturbing conversation, I'm now much more skeptical about the whole equine yeast supplement "miracle". Perhaps I should've done a little independent research before putting it in my daily diet. What is this stuff, anyway? Is it suitable for human consumption? Are there side-effects or long-term drawbacks? Am I taking too much?

Maybe my current good health is just a placebo effect. Maybe it's all mental. I don't know.

But, I must say, I'm still eating the horse yeast. And I'm still feeling pretty good.

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Note: this is not a recommendation to do anything. Consult your doctor before doing anything, etc...

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11 Comments:

Consult your doctor before doing anything

I consult my doctor before reading the T-P opinion page.

(rim shot)

By Blogger jeffrey, at 12:36 PM  

Actually that Gill piece is pretty funny.

Did you know his book is back in print? It's highly recommended reading for Carnival season.

By Blogger jeffrey, at 12:41 PM  

Oyster, I did the yeast thing for a years, and then I quit. I didn't notice a difference.

(It's sorta yucky.)

More than sorta yucky. Downright nasty, IMHO. My trial was many years ago, so it's possible that the taste has improved.

I thought Gill's column was pretty funny, too.

By Blogger Grandmère Mimi, at 2:28 PM  

I just bought a copy of Gill's book yesterday. Can't think of anything better to read during the season.

By Blogger Frolic, at 3:38 PM  

Hey, you know what? All seriousness...I hope that something IS done redevelopment-wise to my old stomping grounds. When I was a little kid that stretch of St. Claude was a sort of neighborhood retail strip--I remember having my grandmother hold my hand for the whole six or seven block walk there, keeping me in line with a promise of a 50 cent toy from Richard's Five and Dime. And that stretch was also where my great-aunt and I would catch the bus on those Sunday mornings after I'd spent Saturday night at her house so my parents could go out...heading into the Quarter for Mass at the Cathedral.

Years later that was also where I'd catch the bus in the mornings to head down to the Lower Ninth for school, trying to time it so I'd get on the same bus as some of the Holy Angels girls. Hell, I lived a block from the back of the Market for the first two years after I got married. So while I appreciate the absurdity of the story, I still have a soft spot for the neighborhood.

By Anonymous Puddinhead, at 3:53 PM  

It's a good thing she is Jewish and white, because if she were black then the SCLC would impose a boycott.

Of course I'm watching a TV program on Jewish Americans.

By Blogger mominem, at 8:52 PM  

Oyster, Jeffrey, who the f*** cares if Gill's piece is funny? We've got a mayor who seems hell bent on proving that he can destroy houses faster than the governor can give people the money to rebuild them. A mayor who got re-elected by questioning his opponents campaign finances but who seems to be giving every contract possible to his donors. Wanted criminals more likely to face summary justice than justice in a courtroom, etc. Yet the Picayune's best op-ed writer devotes his talent and energy to watch-dogging private financial deals. Glad to know that there's nothing in city government that demands Gill's attention.

By Blogger bayoustjohndavid, at 9:21 PM  

Just heard our most wanted criminal didn't killed after all. My bad.

By Blogger bayoustjohndavid, at 10:08 PM  

bsjd writes: "Oyster, Jeffrey, who the f*** cares if Gill's piece is funny?"

What can I say, I'm a slave to comedy.

Perhaps we should come together, and write an ur-post on Nagin.

Something like, "The Case Against Ray Nagin", and have a concise summary of his biggest, most hypocritical offenses that the nolablogosphere can link to at the same time. We could challenge the T-P for its editorial blindness, and call for Nagin's resignation.

Perhaps even some of the reporters or opinion wags at the T-P will take notice. They seem to be mentioning "bloggers" more and more these days (which isn't saying much, I grant).

Whaddya think?

By Blogger oyster, at 10:15 AM  

The horse yeast thing is kinda funny. For my part I have NOT been taking horse yeast since Christmas and I feel great. People getting sick all around. Maybe it's the hard liquor I've been drinking every day?

I like "The Case Against Ray Nagin" idea. I'd surely link to it!

By Anonymous Editor B, at 10:27 AM  

I think we should just bake them a pie with a bomb inside.

By Blogger jeffrey, at 11:39 AM