Migrants and immigrants moving into an area change the land and culture for current and future residents. Part of our looking for long term solutions to today's problems is recognizing how immigration can be used for political and business objectives.

Oregon's history of western civilization is shorter than most other parts of the nation. Lewis and Clark only crossed through this land in 1805 to claim territory for the United States. The migration of immigrants began with fur traders, followed by missionaries and settlers.

An introduction to world religions in college explored the idea of learning how other cultures viewed the world around them as a method to clarify ones observations regarding their own culture. Internet Sacred Text Archive opens the door to thoughts and opinions from different times and cultures.

If using a non-native language to think about an solve a problem can improve rational decision making and reduce cultural bias, imagine the potential benefits of applied cultural literacy.

Over the years I have become more disillusioned about accepting science as the primary reason to adopt a solution to a problem. Instead of a discipline of discovery and method to identify best practices, products or solutions it has become a tool of marketing to push one product over another or to discredit historical practices.

In November of 2011 I traveled to China, with other pharmacists on a cultural exchange of medical practices. In Xian (location of the terracota warriors) we explored some of the work being done to compare Western treatment methods with TCM (traditional chinese medicine). One of the obstacles to direct comparisons was how medical conditions were defined differently. For example diabetes was not considered a singular condition and monitoring blood sugars was not part of any treatment protocol or diagnostic process.

Interesting new overview of diabetics in Sweden and Finland will be changing the way diabetes is managed in the future.

Wonder why the store aisles of household cleaning supplies and gardening chemicals are usually empty with few casual browsers. Article on the dangers of in door cleaning products. (the study)

Yes, the lemons are blooming, two ready to harvest and outside is 4 F. A microclimate that provides a different reality for plants than the overall climate found in its geographic location of the world. Is it a fake reality? Maybe. For the moment it is the reality for the lemon trees. They may live a full lifespan without experiencing the hardships of the local climate. The outside plants experience a different reality. The map says any zone 7, low humidity and dramatic temperature fluctuations create an environment where zone 4 & 5 plants work hard to survive and thrive. To truly evaluate hardships and benefits a detailed look is necessary, not general judgements.

Our lives are lived within a personalized microenvironment within general status of society and economics. Was 19 the first time time the government sent a notification informing of my poverty. I had a nicer roof over my head than most of my relatives, a roommate to keep it affordable, food in the pantry and tuition paid - did not feel poor. Creating and adjusting microenvironments in life has been more successful than any national and global efforts I have participated in positively effecting lives.

The reverse of a negative microenvironment is also true. An individual or family cash income may not reflect actual financial or quality of life being experienced. Extreme poverty is bigger problem in the United States than most citizens want to believe.

Stock market wobbled, property values and rents rising, major disasters with insufficient federal assistance, homeless up, gas prices up, multiple mass shootings, increased talk of war and increased military spending. Our decline as a society is being discussed in foreign press as respect for our government continues to decline.

It is easy to get overwhelmed.

The quest for safe, nutritious food that tastes delicious is an on-going adventure. All the gleaming packages of food at the grocery store and multiple restaurants to choose from home cooked food seems the safest. All that cooking practice is starting to pay off.

To buy a loaf of bread in the 1970's and 80's took about 10 minutes for someone making the federal minimum wage. By 2010 it was taking nearly 24 minutes.

The censorship worked.

Until the music videos of Buffy Sainte-Marie was included in a diary last week I was not aware of Buffy Sainte-Marie. Too young to for her record career and too old for Sesame Street performances. A strong example of a resilient person.