(I don't remember filming this..)
Thanks to Scott for keeping this video around!

I grew up eating meat. Chicken teriyaki, sloppy joes, and meat lasagna were staples at the dinner table. The summer after high school I worked in the meat department at the local grocery store, and had never thought about what it all meant. But last year, after finally seeing the elephant in the room and taking an objective look at things, I stopped eating meat. My intention here is to share some of the thoughts that led to that decision, if not so that you'll take a moment to reconsider things too, then just to provide a more substantive answer than I normally give.

If I had to pick the first domino, it would be the free cholesterol test at work in the summer of 2007. Actually, it would be the research burn out that made me take the summer away from school. The results from the test were bad; total cholesterol was about 300 mg/dl (200 is normal). There are plenty of open questions about the exact role of cholesterol in cardiovascular disease, but high levels are a very bad thing. So I cut back my meat intake to normal levels instead of it being the first three floors of the pyramid, but six months later the levels were still high. So I decided to become quasi-vegetarian in the I'll still eat fish because they're good for you, right? kind of way.

Things were going well, and not eating (most) meat was easy: don't buy it at the grocery store and mostly cook at home. But things changed on a backpacking trip in August of 2008. These are the notes that I wrote that day after seeing the other guys on the trip fishing.

The main point from that trip was of alternatives. In this particular case, we were on a backpacking trip with plenty of food to last until we got back. But instead of eating what we had brought, we had killed a half dozen fish for pleasure. But that is what predators do, right? Yes, but a pack of lions doesn't have a vegetable garden, and hunts in order to struggle to survive rather than than choosing something that would pair nicely with a wine.

Coming back to fish, there are a few lines of argument one could take to justify killing and eating them. But it is undeniable that the fish feels pain and suffers as it dies, or put another way, pain is the feedback mechanism to make the fish rather be alive than dead in order to live long enough to reproduce. Next, causing unnecessary suffering isn't justifiable and a fairly integral part of Western society (but not all societies) most of the time. For example, if you came across a child torturing a cat you would stop it. But how is the pleasure derived from fishing when you don't need the food any more justifiable than killing an animal to watch it struggle and die, only considering the immediate act?

Putting this together, if we agreed earlier that eating the fish isn't necessary for our own survival due to the food alternatives available, and we should strive to minimize unnecessary suffering caused to living things, then it seems reasonable to reconsider fishing. Things become complicated in many other cases; take biomedical research using animals, which I'm involved in, and everything becomes a whole lot more complicated. But in the simplest case of whether to eat a fish or an apple, where the apple is trying to be as delicious as possible so that you'll eat it in constrast with the fish, everything is pushing in one direction. Of course, this all ties back into whether or not you have an anthropocentric view of things. Are humans a special case? That's what it comes down to in many ways, and if you believe in unprovable things like miracles and the afterlife then you are probably not going to be convinced. But in time things are going to change; consider the changing attitudes of racism and sexism in the past hundred years, and when you realize that everything has feelings it's just a matter of time.

But, how is eating a plant justifiable while eating an animal is not? Or in the realm of animals, how is eating yeast or broccoli any better than eating a cow? One argument would be that if you're willing to eat some animals, why just stick to cultural norms and not cats and babies? But the way that I think about it is: we need food to survive, and as long as there are alternatives that cause less suffering for everyone involved and are beneficial for a whole host of reasons, shouldn't we take them?

The other realization from the backpacking trip was that if we didn't have the horrible efficiency of meat production on a massive scale we would eat a whole lot less of it, partly because it would be more difficult to strip the identify from that piece of meat (e.g. Wilbur doesn't get saved from the butcher this time) and there just wouldn't be enough time in the day for all of that killing. The sheer speed of the current process is impressive: 8.4 billion chickens were slaughtered in 2000 in the US alone. Put another way, that's about 1 million chickens per hour, or 2100 times as many cats and dogs are euthanized every year, making the arbitrary value that we place upon the lives of other living things is clear. There is of course the question of what is suffering; is it pain, the unlived life, or the feelings of loss in others? But if you just think about what you'd want done to yourself, things are pretty simple.

Finally, besides the abstract talk about alternatives and vegetable gardens, there are plenty of more concrete reasons to skip meat.

Cruelty. Our treatment of farm animals is disgusting. Even if you don't agree with anything else here, you should watch both of these videos in order to make an informed decision. The issue of humane treatment is discussed in much more detail in a fantastic book called Farm Sanctuary by Gene Baur.

Health. The consumption of animal products is associated with cancer and cardiovascular disease. In fact, the health care cost associated with eating meat is comparable to the cost associated with smoking. Vegetarians are about 40% less likely to develop all types of cancer than meat eaters and are three times less likely to develop colon cancer. And that is using vegetarian in the post-1940 use of the term, which includes other animal products like milk, eggs and cheese. Repeated, recent studies have shown that eating meat raises your overall risk of an early death (thanks Ameet). You don't need to eat meat in order to consume enough protein, B-12, or to stop your hair from falling out; vegetables have got your back.

Environment. Animals need food, it's a little known fact! In fact, 90% of the soy crop, 80% of the corn crop and 70% of all grain produced in the US is consumed by livestock according to the USDA. There are plenty of other huge problems, like polluting our water supply, none of them good. Not eating meat is one of the most effective things that you can do to minimize your carbon footprint. Not eating meat is a small, concrete action that you can take the next time you feel helpless about any number of things that you can't do anything about.

Budget. Even disregarding the long-term costs associated with raising livestock, the inefficiency of eating plants indirectly through meat makes it more expensive despite the billions of dollars of government subsidies which support the production of meat and distort the market.

What's a little bit funny about all of this is that it didn't cross my mind while in Berkeley living in a co-op. And it wasn't anything that I've read; I actually need to pick up a few books about ethics the next time I'm at the library out of curiosity. But in the meantime, the way that my Mom used to always put spiders outside rather than squash them seems a lot less crazy now; think about the asymmetry of the situation next time and how you would like to be treated were the roles reversed.

The case of eating mass produced meat is overwhelmingly one sided and there's just nothing good that can be said about it. If you made it all the way down here, hopefully this makes you pause for a moment the next time you are faced with the choice of what to eat.

Other reading: Somewhat surprisingly, Gourmet Magazine has a few interesting articles about the way that we treat the animals that we eat. Here are articles on chicken, kobe beef, which is basically a more evil version of veal and that the stories about beer and massages are double-speak, and a piece by David Foster Wallace about the lobster. I already mentioned Farm Sanctuary, but another book that mainly deals with the effect of food on your health is In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. A highly recommended cooking book is Veganomicon.

This is a random tidbit that I just figured out. On MacOSX and Windows you typically need to install the special Cisco VPN client to get things to work. This was always a little annoying, and they don't provide an up to date client for x64 Linux which plays nicely, from what I've gathered. This worked under Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) for x64, your mileage may vary. I saw the instructions from Wei Cai's group wiki and figured that there must be a simpler way, which motivated this. So here's what I did...

Install vpnc as described here

sudo apt-get install network-manager-vpnc

Download the Stanford VPN settings file from here.

From the network settings toolbar, choose VPN Settings > Configure.

Import the VPN settings file you just downloaded.

Now here's the fun part; they give you the encoded group password but you need the decoded password. But there's a solution described here; luckily Cisco has some security problems so that you can decode the group password. Open the VPN configuration file that you downloaded and copy the value for enc_GroupPwd. Paste it into the magic decoder ring here (hint: the decoded password will be a sentence with the last letter of the last word truncated). Paste the password into the VPN configuration box for the group password. Make sure that you didn't accidentally include a trailing space.

Enter your username and password into the other two appropriate boxes.

Save and try connecting; hopefully things will work and you'll be able to connect to Stanford from off campus. Note that these instructions are a completely valid way of connecting to campus and just save you the hassle of trying to install or build the official Cisco VPN client and give you a tightly integrated VPN solution.

I've tried to keep track of my thoughts and todo items many different ways in the past 3 years or so. I tried to use a single text file, but it grew too bulky and there was no way to slice the data across projects, contexts, or todo items. The same problem cropped up with a hand written list; there was simply too much stuff to keep track of and the notes would always end up in the washer. Next, I had a series of flings with web applications: Gubb, Todoist, Remember the Milk and Tracks. A common problem with these was that they were too slow; I inevitably would have a separate list or text file that I ended up falling back on. I tried desktop applications; iGTD and Things, but they felt like contrived systems rather than a real way to plan and keep track of things. If any type of system takes too much of my time to manage, it's turning into a hobby rather than a tool. I ended up settling on Evernote for about a year, which made me feel slightly more organized than a text file, but only so slightly.

The other day I was taking a fresh look at the problem. Somehow I came across org-mode. I watched a Google Tech Talk on the subject and immediately hated it. I mean, it's based upon emacs, and the scars of using non-X11 versions and being unable to click anywhere are seared into my brain. And how would I handle images!? I immediately installed Wine and went back to Evernote. Harumph.

But then some of the tech talk started slipping back into my brain. Org-mode seemed like a way to tame the text file beast and ride it off into the sunset. I installed the latest version of emacs using the magic of Linux and apt-get, and I realized that emacs is pretty sexy actually. And org-mode is centered around bulleted lists, which I always find myself using anyway (along with parentheses, of course). It was starting to make some sense. So I gave it a shot and two weeks later my life is stored in two text files along with the magic of org-mode. I have no idea how long they are, probably 1000 lines each, but it doesn't matter. I can combine long winded notes about my latest fabrication process with that thing that I have to do on it next week, fold everything back up, and then keep easy tabs on everything using the agenda view. It's like an outlining tool, except it's so good that you might as well keep going and outline everything. I would recommend using clean view though.

Org-mode is one of those things that can't appreciate until you've given it a chance. And there is definitely an initial bump to get over (like the insane zombie unicorn logo, although it could just look like that because I've been playing too much Left 4 Dead lately). So give it a chance, I don't think that you'll regret it; moving bullet points up and down like butter is a thing of beauty.

I've used a Mac since back when LC IIIs roamed the Earth. But I switched to Linux a few weeks ago. My laptop was starting to fall apart and the interface was starting to feel a bit slow, so I started thinking about upgrading to a newer computer. But paying roughly double for Apple hardware and having little choice in terms of laptop size and performance seemed a bit silly. And my hands could only take so much more of the sharp corners and burning heat that my previous iBooks and MacBook have come with. Then I tried the Ubuntu Live CD and felt the snappiness, so decided that it was worth some serious consideration. Pretty much every application that I use is open source, runs on Linux, or has a good equivalent, so I started looking into the hardware a bit more. I decided to seal the deal when I found the Asus X83VM-X1, which is essentially a MacBook Pro for $800 instead of $2250 (once you bring up the memory and hard drive to match the Asus). The downsides would be battery life (3 hours) and trackpad buttons that will make you grow muscles in your thumb where aren't even supposed to be muscles (although I've either gotten stronger or the buttons have loosened up). On a side note, I got my computer off of eBay for about $750 but you can also buy the X83VM-X2, which is essentially the same as the X1, for $800 new from Best Buy. If you're happy with integrated graphics and a non-Penryn processor then you can get a solid laptop in the $400-500 ballpark or about half that if you're into netbooks.

After about 3 weeks I'm still extremely happy with the setup. Installing Ubuntu 8.10 was simple and all of the drivers were magically installed (including the nVidia 9600). The only potential issue is the CD drive which has has some problems reported with it although there's a quick fix. I installed Ubuntu with a USB flash drive so didn't notice the CD problems until today and it just took a few minutes to change a BIOS setting (there are instructions online).

In fact, after reinstalling Windows XP on a computer at school the other day, I'd say that the Ubuntu installation process is way faster and easier, and includes all of the drivers known to man with it. I mean, Windows didn't even have the driver for the ethernet so I had to transfer everything via USB from another computer.

Change is good and I've started to love some of the new applications that I've found: Gnome Do really is crazy delicious, Banshee is my favorite music player so far and can sync with the G1, Picasa is solid for basic photo management but I'm not set on it yet, and org-mode rounds things out.

I'm going to try to share any interesting tidbits that I encounter and will probably crank out a few posts tonight. I recommend trying out the Live CD and giving it a shot if you have hardware that is starting to show its age or just want to give it a spin.

The thing that I remember most from a class I took on cardiovascular disease is that atherosclerosis, which is the first step towards heart attack and stroke, is an inflammation process. Luckily, there's a good marker in your blood which can be easily measured.

"That factor is C-reactive protein, or CRP, a blood-borne marker of inflammation that, along with coagulation factors, is now increasingly recognized as the driving force behind clots that block blood flow to the heart. Yet patients are rarely tested for CRP, even if they already have heart problems."

Incidentally, I had my cholesterol checked last week and also requested a CRP test. Cholesterol was normal (a big change from a year ago) and CRP was below average, which is good. 

via Personal Health - New Thinking on How to Protect the Heart - NYTimes.com.

The G1 currently doesn't support multitouch (like the iPhone) which makes navigating maps and resizing photos less intuitive than it should be. However, somebody just did some very cool work and put together a solution to the problem, +1 open source.

via Full Working MultiTouch on the T-Mobile G1 Android Phone « Luke Hutchison.

I started using an unlocked HTC G1 (the Google phone) a few weeks ago and think that I'm going to keep on using it instead of my iPhone 3G. Amongst many other nice things, it has satisfied my need for a good GPS device for geotagging photos. Between the ability to run applications continuously in the background and a removable battery (that goes for eight buck on eBay), it can handle running for a week straight and replace my standalone GPS for hiking and backpacking trips. The nice integration with EveryTrail (here's a track from walking back to the car today) is also a plus.

So the whole OKR thing really didn't work for me last year. I've realized that I actually like vague goals that I can satisfy in many ways; in 12 months many things seem to come up that change the playing field.

Overall, I had a great last year. Joey and I lived in Switzerland for 3 months, which was something we had wanted to do for a while. We also visited Seattle for the first time in January. I took a month off of work in October and then talked myself into a job that more closely fits my skills while Joey passed his quals and is now officially in the phd program. He also got his first, first-author paper accepted into a major journal and I took an art class at our local community college.

Joey and I both became vegetarians, and are eating organically grown vegetables from spud.com (and almost our backyard!). We cook 99% of our meals at home and make most things from scratch - ridding ourselves of processed foods.

Lola has become much more mellow and was fantastic on our road trip to South Dakota. More importantly though, the cats didn't have any major surgeries this year!

We also made great strides on finishing our back yard although that project is still far from complete.

So all in all things have been good.
Here are our specific resolutions from last year:

• become bilingual - totally ditched this one. Joey and I both realized that this just isn't that important to us. We got by just fine in Switzerland with English, gestures, and simple words. We did well enough that it seems better to spend our time on more worthwhile things.
• run 1000 miles this year - soo.. the thought behind the idea was sound, but the actual objective wasn't completed. I am now in much better shape than I was at the beginning of the year, and Joey and I are also eating much better than we were. (becoming vegetarians who focus on natural food made the latter very easy). I am going to count this as completed because the spirit of the goal was achieved.
• have the dog and cats get along - we made a big change this year and Lola now stays inside the house while we are at work. This has made life with all of the animals infinitely better. She no longer tears up the yard, and instead sleeps and guards all day. The cats and dog are inside together, an no one has been eaten yet, so I would say they are doing much better at getting along. Lola also goes to doggie daycare twice a week to help get rid of her excess energy.
• be able to walk the dog off leash around the block - i am abandoning this goal. Lola is a good dog, but I don't think she will ever not run after a tempting squirrel - at least not until she is so old she can't run anymore (ie never)
• be able to take the dog to school for a whole day - i tried taking Lola to work with me again, and it was a complete bust. Joey had better luck though and is able to take Lola with him when he isn't working in the lab. Unfortunately, he has been doing a lot of lab work lately, and dogs just don't fit there. Having consistent doggie daycare times and keeping Lola inside makes this goal less important though.
• finish all major housework - we made great progress here, but it all moves slowly. During my month off of work I made a lot of improvements to the organization of the house and Joey and I have put a lot of work into the backyard. However, there is still a lot to be done.

This year, I have a lot of things that I want to accomplish, but I am only going to highlight a few:

• explore more 3d art projects - I really want to keep pursuing art. I hope to take a sculpture or welding class and make some great pieces this year.
• get a six pack - It is going to be awesome. Wish me luck.
• volunteer and donate - More things in my life are now under control, so now is the time to start really giving back.
• keep working on the house - We really need to get things more organized and under control so that we can go on a...
• camping/backpacking frenzy - I really want to do more camping, hiking, and backpacking this year. (I've never done the latter) Going out with Lola is fun, great exercise, peaceful, and beautiful. I don't think we will stray far from home this year as Joey already has conferences in Quebec, and Denver and so far I have to go to Boston. However, there are a ton of great areas in northern California, so I don't think we will be lacking in any way.

That sums up the gist of everything.
I think this is going to be a great year (and it better be as I will be turning 25!)