Just as a point of interest, I was able to take Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead as well as Forks Over Knives out of the library (dvd format). Also, to make things somewhat efficient, if you see a kosher symbol on a product in the store (a "U" with an O around it, a "K" with a circle around it, a K with a triangle around it, a K with a star around it...there are others but those are the most common) and it says D or DAIRY next to it, or M or meat next to it, it has dairy or animal products. If it does not say D or M, OR it says "pareve" then it does not have any animal anything in it, either outright or hidden in other ingredients. I can't say whether it meets the standards for 'strictly vegan' but I do know that we absolutely cannot mix dairy and meat products or byproducts so the standards for getting the kosher label are intense. (One exception: anything that might contain gelatin, which is not kosher, might have a 'fish gelatin' substitution but it will be listed on the ingredients list).

I can't answer specifically for Christianity, but I can make a comment about Judaism in the time of the 1st-5th centuries CE. (Bear in mind this is a nutshell explanation of a very complex topic) Following the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, and then the crushing by the Romans of the Bar Kochba Revolt in 135 CE, Jewish life as it had been known pretty much disintegrated and was in chaos. The center of Jewish life was destroyed and hundreds of thousands of Jews were either killed, enslaved, or expelled from Israel. What we now understand to be the "Diaspora" emerged during this period but it was in massive flux for a long time. Concurrently, because of the disintegration of Jewish life, the few remaining sages (Rabbis) were able to escape to centers of learning outside Jerusalem -- mainly (at first) in the Galilee region -- and try and reconstruct Judaism in the absence of the Temple. They made the decision to write down the Oral Law (which had been passed down, well, orally, since the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai) along with the mastery and comprehension of the many nuances and complexities of how to keep the laws of the Torah. This was redacted into something called the Mishnah, and then added to in the following centuries with commentaries and explanations -- that became what is called the Talmud. The Talmud (the one we use for the most part) was redacted in Babylonia, at the two main yeshivot there, which also became the center of Jewish life and learning (there had been an active and vibrant Jewish community in Babylonia since 586 BCE, at the time of the destruction of the First Temple). From those yeshivot came the body of Jewish law known as the "responsa" literature -- literally questions and answers -- that formed the basis of 'halacha' or 'the way' and is how issues from the sublime (what the Yom Kippur service looks like after the fall of the Temple) to the mundane (how do you know if your chicken is kosher if there's a blemish) are decided. What does this mean in the context of the question? Well, truthfully the Judaism that Jesus 'practiced' looks only somewhat like (Torah) Judaism looks today. While Constantine was attempting to obliterate any trace of Judaism from Christianity (which he did do -- anti-Jewish laws were enacted and carried out in extreme fashion starting with his reign and it had as much to do with consolidating his own rule as it did with religious conviction, if not more), Judaism itself was changing as well. The prayer services, the calculation of the calendar after the destruction of the Temple and the lack of a Sanhedrin, the inability of people to bring sacrifices to the Temple -- all these things and more had to be adapted to a Judaism that could not be centered in Israel and Jerusalem. Add this to a few other factors: 1) Most converts to Christianity were not Jewish. Christianity and/or belief in Jesus as the messiah did not take hold as a widespread phenomenon among Jews either in Israel our in the Diaspora for reasons I will not get into here; therefore it made sense that Christianity would evolve away from Jewish-centered rhythms and take on the rhythms/practices of those who adopted Christianity; 2) Jewish communities remained in contact with each other AND were fighting mightily for spiritual and physical survival -- I can't imagine that it would have been a popular idea to identify with a Jewish format. Before Constantine both populations were persecuted, and afterwards the Jews were vehemently persecuted; why would Christian leaders want to emulate that which was rejected and hated as the Jews were? But again, as I said -- I can't speak to the early Christian history. My background is in Jewish history.

:iagree: Great read and excellent food for thought. He also gave a really good talk on TED.

Just for information and reference: Static vs. dynamic stretching Running Times article Good dynamic pre-run/walk stretch routine from Runners World I can't speak to the specifics of PF, but I do know that what might be a remedy for one specific injury is not necessarily going to be a good policy for a runner with another issue and/or no injuries. Static stretching pre-run is pretty much universally rejected at this point. Of course everyone chooses to do what they choose to do, no harm, no foul. I've definitely found (after several marathons, half marathons, and assorted races at shorter distances with high mileage weeks) that the dynamic stretching, combined with attention to strengthening leg and core muscles, makes a tremendous difference in overall fitness and staving off training/overuse injuries. Your mileage may vary (literally! :lol: ) Good luck with your running and wishing you a complete and speedy recovery.

Actually, recent research shows that static stretching before a run or workout is not only not effective, it's not really a good idea. Best thing is to do dynamic stretching after you have warmed up, and static stretching after your workout. It sounds like you need to slow down your progress (i.e. increase the walk to run ration) and ramp up more slowly, and also simultaneously focus on strengthening your leg and core muscles. Good luck!

Couple of ideas here: 1) Shin splints are almost always a sign of too much, too soon. Try a program like Couch to 5K which has a much more even balance of walking/running initially and very gradually progresses to mostly running over the course of 5 weeks or so. No one running program is going to be ok for all people; if John The Penguin Bingham's program isn't working, might be time to try something else. 2) Get your feet fitted properly at a running store. Most people buy according to 'what they heard' or 'this brand advertises that' etc. but there are tens of models by each brand, and they all have specific characteristics. Also, most people wear a full size bigger in running shoes than they do in other shoes, to allow for friction/foot expansion. Though you may love how your shoes feel when you walk in them, they might not be the proper shoes for you for running. Also, keep your running shoes to RUNNING ONLY so that you can tell if there are problems (it also helps you figure how much mileage your shoes have on them -- which will let you know when they're worn out). 3) Check out this article: Runner's World article on shin splints for ideas for exercises and stretching to do to help your legs get stronger. Shin splints are basically a mismatch of muscle fitness and you will need to improve strength and flexibility over your legs to adjust. 4) Invest in a foam roller. These are used for 'self massage' to work out muscle kinks. It is an unpleasant experience to use the foam roller (it hurts) but it is HUGELY helpful for maintaining good muscle tone. I think, honestly, there aren't that many people who *can't* run. I think there are a lot of people who did not work into it gradually, or haven't known to pay attention to overall leg strength, etc. Sure, some people's anatomies make running more difficult but in general we have bodies that are designed to run. I never used to think I could go long distances (over 3 miles or so) but in the last couple years, at the age of 42, I have become a marathoner several times over and run upwards of 30 miles per week when I'm not training for a marathon (more when I am). I am not a natural athlete; I will likely never break 4 hours for a marathon; and even after losing a LOT of weight I still wear a size 6/8. But I feel better, stronger, more powerful, and more in tune with my body than I ever have before -- because of running. If you like it, and want to find that, approach it slowly and steadily and let it build on itself. Good luck!

Also if you make yourself a batch of gluten free granola or chewy granola bars, that's great to have on hand. If you want to buy something, I love Larabars (they are made with dates, nuts, etc. -- no gluten, no artificial anything). Rice cake with peanut butter (or any nut butter) and honey is great. Trail mix (nuts, dried fruits, chocolate chips -- there are some that are nondairy) Popcorn

My oldest daughter became a vegetarian when she was 9, so not so young but still not so old. :) She's 11 now. I respected her decision to not eat meat; it's her body, and her taste -- as long as she is willing to eat nutritious foods (mostly!) I feel this is a reasonable decision for her to make. Our family values anyway incorporate ideas about mindfulness in eating, and recognizing that eating animals is a privilege and should be done with attention to humaneness, sustainability, and environmental health as well as our health. She took this a step further than the rest of our family and that was okay with us. It has been a challenge to make sure she gets the nutrients she needs, but then again we only eat meat as a family once, maximum twice, a week -- we keep kosher, and finding (and being able to afford) kosher meat that is also organic, humanely raised, etc. can be difficult sometimes. We incorporate a lot of beans into our diet. Hummus is a staple, as are bean sautees (I will use a bean sautee for example in any dish that required chopped meat, like chili, spaghetti sauce, lasagna, etc.). I soak a lot of beans at once and then freeze them in containers with 2 cups of beans per container (about the amount in a regular can of beans). Also, I use some tofu. Not a lot, because there are studies that show too much soy is not good for young children (estrogen receptors etc.). Usually i will use it to bulk up a dairy dish, like lasagna, or pizza, or something, where I can grate up the tofu and have it blend completely in to the cheese. I also make things like veggie burgers and fry them in peanut oil (which has a better high temperature for frying); I use a mash of beans, veggies, spices -- it's kind of like a flat falafel ball. Then those are put on rolls and eaten as you would a burger -- add cheese, veggies, pickles, condiments, etc. If she eats eggs, those are also an excellent source of protein and can be used to add protein to other foods. If you are baking, you can substitute a tablespoon of ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp of boiling water for an egg -- this adds a lot of nutrients without changing the texture too much. (I usually do this in combination with eggs; so if a recipe calls for 2 eggs I'll use 1 egg plus the flax mix). There are some great cookbooks out there; go to the library and check a few out before buying would be my suggestion. I love all the Moosewood Restaurant cookbooks but the easiest one is Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Also the Enchanted Broccoli Forest has some great basic veg recipes. I've also got celiac, so I cook a lot of vegetarian AND gluten free things. It can be done, and done tastily, but you will find you need to do some experimenting and be willing to endure some OH YUCK :glare: in pursuit of what is yummy.

Ester, I agree with you meah achuz (100%). And no, that comment was not directed at you. I was just pointing out that while you and I appreciate the nuances here, others -- seeing a vast sea of black suits, white shirts, black hats, and little kids with peyos -- don't, necessarily, understand the subgroups within the subgroup. You and I can see in one second the color of the kippah, the length of the pants, the design of the coat, the length of the peyos, and all the other visual cues that we understand designate a person's 'subgroup affiliation' for lack of a better term. Most non-Jews (and, to be frank, many Jews in and out of Israel) have no clue that those very subtle differences are actually hugely significant emblems of group 'membership.' And those differences are meaningful in this discussion, as in others about Israeli politics, etc. (Just like if you saw me walking down the street in a long denim skirt, long sleeve t shirt, and mitpachat with the front of my hair showing a bit, you'd know *exactly* where I stood on the national religious spectrum. Right? Others would think -- and not incorrectly, just not completely -- that I was just kind of a hippy beatnik sort). Shabbat Shalom!

Farouk, I like that quote from Amos Oz. He's an amazing person and laser-style insightful. There's another saying (and I forgot who said it) about how belief spectrums eventually bend around so the extremes are closer to each other than to the middle. I agree: extremists are extremists -- fundamentally intolerant of others regardless of what their particular beliefs are.

Ok. There are a few things that clearly require explaining. I am going to attempt to do this neutrally, although I am not neutral. First: it is extremely important to understand that the term "Orthodox" is not a monolithic one. "Orthodox" (in the context of Judaism) has as its basic definition, that a person accepts the Torah as Divinely given, and the halachot (laws) as obligatory. However -- and this is a HUGE however -- there is a very, very wide spectrum of people who identify as "Orthodox", from very insular and extreme sects of Chassidim (among which there are also differences!), to 'mainstream Chareidi' (black hat/white shirt), to 'national religious' (and among those also a spectrum of observance levels and specific understandings of belief), to 'very modern' -- people about whom you may never know where they stand on the religious spectrum just by seeing them in the street. In Israel, these differences also have significant political consequences. Israel is not the United States, and although it is a westernized democracy with the complete and mature infrastructure of a democracy, its institutions reflect the religious and cultural idiosyncrasies of its region and its history. The classic 'left/right' spectrum as most westerners understand it is largely irrelevant in Israel -- a political party (it is a multiparty/parliamentary proportional representation system, not a two party system) can be very 'left wing' on economic matters but very 'right wing' (for lack of a better term) on social and religious matters, and at the same time 'moderate' or 'neutral' on security matters. There is no separation of religion and state in Israel. The early secular Zionist founders of the state chose to accommodate the divergent, intense, and politically sensitive issues of religion by adhering to the old Ottoman 'millet' system in which the leaders of each religious community governed matters of personal status and religion. The state supports those institutions through the Ministry of Religious Affairs. That is to say, Muslims in Israel govern/administrate/register their own marriages, divorces, etc. as do Christians and Jews. Clearly, who gets to be in charge within those communities is a very political question, and for the Jewish community especially -- because such questions are entwined with political issues like citizenship, which are politically governed by the Ministry of the Interior (usually overseen by a different political party than Religious Affairs). The very extreme group that is at issue here -- called the Sikrikim (or Kanna'im) are a subset within a subset. I will say this upfront -- I am friendly with ladies in the community in Beit Shemesh where this is occurring, and I identify with the national religious stream of Orthodox Judaism. I have a horse in this race. HOWEVER -- this is not a widespread issue. Although there is a longstanding, intense, and extremely divisive 'culture divide' between Chareidi Israelis and other Israelis (all along the national religious, traditional, and secular spectrums), *most* people recognize that this lunatic fringe is just that. This is also not about modesty. AT deeper issue here is a matter of property rights and control of that area of the city. They also threw junk at the boys' school; the modesty issue has *nothing* to do with anything except as an unfortunate and disgusting manifestation of these peoples' nuttiness. Several Chareidi rabbinical leaders (Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, Rabbi Yisrael Lau, the leadership of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, Agudas Yisrael -- all very influential within Jewish Chareidi society) have all condemned the actions of these nuts. And there is an originally American (Chareidi) rabbi (with whom I am friendly -- his name is Rabbi Dov Lipman) leading an organized response to this, irrespective of religious affiliation (that is to say he has invited and welcomed Jews from all over the religious spectrum to join his effort). The bus and public segregation issue is another one entirely. As to that, it's an *extremely* complicated situation with regard to whether the buses are public or private. Israel still has many remnants of socialism, and the bus cooperatives 'own' the rights to provide bus service. When the Chareidi townships that wanted private bus service that accommodated their needs applied, they were rejected and told that the Egged cooperative would provide it for them. That's not to say it's at all acceptable for women/men segregation to be enforced by anyone -- and the Israeli inspectors have stepped up their enforcement of bias -- but it does make the issue somewhat more complicated. It's worth noting here that many Chareidi townships do NOT have and do NOT ask for this service. The nastiness against the female soldier was disgusting and absolutely uncalled for. However it's also not all that infrequent for Chareidim to come under public scorn and even assault -- two days ago a religious soldier was prevented from entering a nightclub unless he removed his kippah; a Chareidi young girl was kicked off a public bus and literally kicked as well. It can and does go both ways. Bullies are bullies, whatever costume they wear. Ester, I understand where you're coming from when you decry what you see as Chareidi dependence on the State and its simultaneous rejection of it, but I would ask that you acknowledge that you are painting a very generalized picture. I don't disagree with much of your position, but I do think that the very nuanced and complex issues are not obvious from your posts. Many Chareidim DO work at gainful employment. It's not really worth getting into here, but just as with debates over state assistance and what it entails/who should be allowed etc. in the US, it's not so -- forgive me! :tongue_smilie: -- black and white in Israel either. As for the incident over the bus in NYC -- it was one bus route between Manhattan and Williamsburg, the B110, and as soon as it became known what was going on, it was immediately discontinued. There are private buses that now provide the same service. I'm not saying it was right -- clearly it was an atrocious abuse of public good -- but it was not at all widespread. One bus line, and immediately stopped. Look. I think that, with all due respect, there are some cultural misunderstandings at play here. I venture to assume (maybe wrongly, but I'm going by what I see on the boards) that most don't really understand the nuances within Judaism aside from what they perceive from the general media and 'what people say.' We have a concept in Judaism called 'dan l'kaf zechut' which loosely means 'give the benefit of the doubt.' I.e. when in doubt, at least do due diligence in research before reaching a negative conclusion. Don't get me wrong. If you knew me in person and had seen my facebook page, you'd know that I'm an activist on this issue and have written and published scathing condemnations of this extremism. But I also understand it, and I can target my condemnation at the right people, without willy-nilly attacking the reputations of many thousands of people who might dress like that, but aren't at all similar in outlook. That's all I'm saying.

Love, love, love my Keurig. I get the coffee cups at Bed Bath and Beyond and save all those 20% off coupons just for coffee. My town has recycling so I can recycle the plastic cups. I'm the only family coffee drinker so it works for me. I would never have bought it for myself but received it as a gift and I just love it.

I second the Title Nine recommendation. They are great, they give very comprehensive descriptions. They also have a 'barbell rating' system that tells you how much support each bra gives. Personally I am a c cup and LOVE the Moving Comfort Fiona bra. You can also find those at sierratradingpost.com sometimes (where, once you know what you want, you can find great deals on a lot of exercise clothing). Moving Comfort makes some great sports bras -- I am a long distance runner and I need excellent support but do NOT want chafing or things poking/rubbing the wrong way.

To take the skins off: put on a pair of disposable rubber gloves if you're squeamish. Take kitchen shears you only use for raw meat. Start at the top of the quarter and cut down, the skin should slide right down off over the end of the drumstick. However, I do leave them on for cooking and then remove them before serving. It makes the chicken more moist. Favorite recipes: 1/3 cup honey 3 tablespoons soy sauce 3 tablespoons mustard Mix that all together. Cut up an onion and spread it around over the chicken. Pour the sauce over. Bake at 350 until done, basting a few times. Next recipe: Brush chicken with honey mustard (you can make this yourself). Dip in cornflake crumbs just to coat. Spray with a bit of nonstick spray. Bake at 350 til done. Next recipe: Spray chicken with nonstick spray or brush with a little olive oil. Rub with some seasoned salt and/or paprika. Make a mixture of maple syrup and orange juice and pour over the chicken. Bake at 350 until done, basting a couple of times. I have more if you want. I also do use the thighs/legs for soup, then use the meat for chicken salad, stir fry, and/or chicken pot pie. I can get a good 3 meals in addition to the soup out of a package of 4 chicken bottoms (leg/thigh combo).

No, this is not at all a factor. Designs that would be rejected would be immodest, or flashy, or having to do with another religion, things like what BinahYeteirah mentioned. Also some do not wear pictures of animals at all (for other reason) but that is not a universally accepted idea. But there isn't an issue with pictures of nature like leaves or flowers or whatever simply because they are G'd's creations.