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The Unfortunate Sex Life of the Banana

Written by Matt Castle on 24 August 2009
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The humble banana almost seems like a miracle of nature. Colourful, nutritious, and much cherished by children, monkeys and clowns, it has a favoured position in the planet’s fruitbowls. The banana is vitally important in many regions of the tropics, where different parts of the plant are used for clothing, paper and tableware, and where the fruit itself is an essential dietary staple. People across the globe appreciate the soft, nourishing flesh, the snack-sized portions, and the easy-peel covering that conveniently changes colour to indicate ripeness. Individual fruit—or fingers—sit comfortably in the human hand, readily detached from their close-packed companions. Indeed, the banana appears almost purpose-designed for efficient human consumption and distribution. It is difficult to conceive of a more fortuitous fruit.
The banana, however, is a freakish and fragile genetic mutant; one that has survived through the centuries due to the sustained application of selective breeding by diligent humans. Indeed, the “miraculous” banana is far from being a no-strings-attached gift from nature. Its cheerful appearance hides a fatal flaw— one that threatens its proud place in the grocery basket. The banana’s problem can be summed up in a single word: sex.

http://www.damninteresting.com/the-unfortunate-sex-life-of-the-banana
 
Not cool you get an F for failure to properly name a thread. It should be named Damm Depressing!!!
 
http://www.gapminder.org/world/#$ma...ap_s;sma=49;smi=2.65$cd;bd=0$inds=;example=60

Animated global charts-country by country-life expectancy vs. income-year by year since 1800. Check out Mexico, vs. US, vs. Canada. stunning to me.

I thought a lot about this over the weekend sweet precious sister. Oh Alevie, I have been so incredibly blessed and sheltered from what the overwhelming population has had to endure over the years.

When PBS shows so many programs about what life was like for so many people in America -- young kids and entire families working in such devestating conditions.

Last summer we toured through 'The Catellac (sp) of all Mines' as it's called in WI. To hear how they had to live and the only conditions they ever knew was 'unthinkable'. And if that was the Best ???

LIFE EXPECTANCY -- is totally the opposite of what I 'expected' as a child discovering the world and universe and what I set out believing I was meant to find and prosper in over the years.

I now Believe -- the greatest 'expectancy' possible is meant to take place in our mid 50s and beyond. Only then have we lived long enough to get to a point where we are 'strong enough' and 'wise enough' to let the inner voice take charge and begin to honestly and deeply live life from the inside out -- to live life to the fullest.

So 'expectency' in 'life' -- should way more be measured by the level of happiness and genuine contentment we find -- by the richness of love and the quality of hope and promise of the future.

I think to some degree it has to be an abandonment of everything happening all around us -- somehow letting go -- and finding a world few have ever known. To some degree I have to wonder if ignorance is bliss or being smart in a different way.

Anyway -- this was interesting.

Well off to lunch
 
I thought a lot about this over the weekend sweet precious sister.


I now Believe -- the greatest 'expectancy' possible is meant to take place in our mid 50s and beyond. Only then have we lived long enough to get to a point where we are 'strong enough' and 'wise enough' to let the inner voice take charge and begin to honestly and deeply live life from the inside out -- to live life to the fullest.

So 'expectency' in 'life' -- should way more be measured by the level of happiness and genuine contentment we find -- by the richness of love and the quality of hope and promise of the future.

I think to some degree it has to be an abandonment of everything happening all around us -- somehow letting go -- and finding a world few have ever known. To some degree I have to wonder if ignorance is bliss or being smart in a different way.


Steady, I would have to agree with you that the best years are 50+ and above. Never would I want to relive the years before I hit age 50. What I've found since age 50 is far better. And learning how to live well on less as a goal is very satisfying. There was a time in my life when work was everything. That is no longer true. It's the parts of my life outside work that are more satisfying today, even tho work is still meaningful.

The best is surely ahead in some if not all ways-I just can't quite picture what it will look like at the moment. Some have said the best thing that ever happened to them was a major life change they didn't want at the time.
 
I always worked in order to live, not lived to work! I don't miss it a bit!! boyhappy.gif
 
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