"Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere." Albert Einstein
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#WeGoAlong
Did You Miss Us Last Week?
A quick update of what's going on and what's next for the WGA crew
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Without going into details, sometimes you just need to say f*ck everything, throw an axe at a wall, and remember your problems are rather minuscule in the world we live in today. Okay that’s what’s what, but I didn’t throw an axe.
I’ve realized that the previous newsletters have been a tad wordy. Beginning next week, we will be have the same structure you know and love, but our three articles will be more concise. We will also be expanding on some of the picks of the week.
This week we have a very, very special guest writer who deserves the spotlight. None other than the one and only, Chris Palumbo. *Loud applause*, *a couple of whistles*.
Chris and I met in high school at our local fair. From that point on he became one of my closest friends and my roommate in Toronto during the time we were in school. Within that time frame I realized numerous things about Chris. First, he is not only one of the smartest guys I know, but he's also the most caring person who would do anything for his friends. Second, the guy has the most interesting relationship with food. I can’t count the number of times I walked into our kitchen and said “WTF is that”. Although, the time he mushed up bananas with eggs and salt, I was surprised at how good it actually was. Lastly, he is naturally one of the funniest guys I know. On a dime, he can make a comment that has you bursting out with laughter. Alex and I can both attest to that.
We also want to use this time to thank him for everything he does and continues to do for us. The WGA club would not be anything other than a discussion point if it wasn’t for him.
So without further delay, I present to you our spotlight feature: “Cows, Clouds, and Christ” by Chris Palumbo.
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#Trending
Cows, Clouds, and Christ
Disclaimer: It must be pointed out that what I write about is viewed from the perspective of the ideal scenario— as nature intended.
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Cows
I love cows— and when I say cows I am talking about ruminant animals in general. The fact that nature produced the magnificent organism that is the cow is astonishing. Cows possess a digestive system that is so complex and good at what it does, that it is hard to imagine what life would be like without it. These beautiful, ruminant beasts are able to eat plants that are inedible to other animals and use it as fuel to grow their body. Then, as the food chain goes, their body is used as fuel to grow the bodies of other animals. Other large animals cannot eat plants such as leaves and grass— but ruminants can. So you can see how vitally important these animals are to the circle of life.
As humans, we owe everything to cows (and other ruminants in general). For years, they have provided a mountain of nutrient-dense food, and other resources like leather that go onto creating a myriad of tools. In return we have provided them shelter from predators, an array of mates to choose from, and a long healthy life with food and water for them and their offspring— ended by a quick death not seen anywhere else in their predation. That is a tradeoff that sounds so perfect that it is hard for me to believe that it is not what nature intended. Obviously humans' ignorance has disrupted that by mistreating the animals, but remember I am writing about the ideal scenario. And I believe as livestock farmers, we do not NOT have to be predators. Predators keep animals on high-stress alert, they do not wait until the animal has lived a full life, and they do not provide a quick death as they often keep their prey alive as long as possible for food freshness.
Clouds
This one is simple. In many situations, for many reasons, water needs to be transported from one place to another. The best technology that us humans have come up to do this is through the use of plumbing and pipes. But what does nature use? Clouds. And the technology that is a cloud is absolutely wondrous. Somehow, in the process of planetary evolution, Earth’s atmosphere was ripe and ready to produce clouds. And what a wonder those clouds have done for the living organisms all over land. Not to mention they are stunningly beautiful and definitely go a long way into making a nice sunset.
But cows and clouds go hand in hand. On the surface, clouds provide the necessary water for both the cow and the grass that the cow eats. However under the surface, you see it goes much deeper than that. Cows get a bad rep for the methane they burp out. But the full picture is often missed. Yes, in a factory, this is impossible, but I am talking about the ideal situation. When cows are raised in a big grass field, the methane they burp out stays in the atmosphere around them. To me, the atmosphere is like one big cloud. Over time, in the atmosphere, the methane gas (CH4) is converted into carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). And what photosynthesizing organisms need carbon dioxide and water to grow? Grass! Well, all plants. That same carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is absorbed by the grass and the water is rained down by, you guessed it, clouds. The cow then eats the grass and the cycle starts over again.
Christ
Now what does Christ have to do with this? Christ represents the ideal human and the ideal relationship between humans and nature. He only speaks, feels, thinks and acts in orientation to the Truth. But more importantly, he especially does so in the face of the culture around him. In his story, he was crucified for speaking the Truth he knew. And in a culture that is demonizing meat, and more specifically cow meat, it's important to speak the truth you know— no matter the consequence.
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#WeeklyTopPicks
We Go Along Top Picks
Our favourite Food, Funk, Flix and Fact of the week
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#WillWeaverSongOfTheWeek
Sucker For Small Towns - Ernest
There’s not too much modern “country” music that gets me ecstatic as much as the older classic stuff… however there are still incredible songwriters in Nashville writing fantastic songs. Such is the case with this song and its writer. It all feels and sounds so good and real with the slide guitar, pedal steel, banjo, etc.. yet it’s produced in a way that can compete with any of the pop music that’s being released today. I think the second half of the chorus is as catchy as anything! Give it a listen and check out the rest of Ernest’s new album that came out last week.
#Flix
Life After Death (with Tyler Henry) | 2021 | Documentary | 1 Season | Netflix
Based on author Leslie Kean's book, "Surviving Death," an investigation into the possibility of life after death; innovative new research is combined with personal stories of near-death experiences, reincarnation and paranormal phenomena.
#Facts
Random fact of the week
The Easter Island heads have bodies. In the 2010s, archaeologists found that two of the Pacific Island figures (those iconic stone heads - you know the ones) actually had torsos that measured as high as 33 feet.
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