Is bacon the vegetarian kryptonite?

I have always been a carnivore, and even as a dieter I always have to choose a plan that lets me have meat or else it is a lost cause. But I know a number of people who have become vegetarian for health or religious reasons. So, I was interested to see that scientists are finding bacon is often a gateway meal that leads vegetarians back to a more omnivorous lifestyle. What is it about the crispy pig byproduct that makes it so irresistible?

Because bacon is one- to two-thirds fat and also has lots of protein, it speaks to our evolutionary quest for calories, Lundstrom says. And since 90 percent of what we taste is really odor, bacon's aggressive smell delivers a powerful hit to our sense of how good it will taste.

"There's an intimate connection between odor and emotion, and odor and memory," Lundstrom says. "When you pair that with the social atmosphere of weekend breakfast and hunger, bacon is in the perfect position to take advantage of how the brain is wired."

Deep Thought of the Day: Human Idols and Heroes

Recently, a man in our church has been in the papers and charged with acts that shed serious doubt on his good standing. This man was an Elder of the church, a former pastor, and currently the head of a major charitable organization. The papers have certainly exaggerated the charges, bringing out rumors as well as facts, but it appears at least some of the charges are true.

It has reminded me of the importance of NOT trusting in human idols or heroes.

As children - and even as adults - we are all tempted to pick heroes whom we attempt to model our lives after. For some, it is a great historical figure like George Washington or Teddy Roosevelt. For some, it is a family member - Mom or Dad or a grandparent. For others, it is a mentor - a pastor, a teacher, a counsellor. We look up to these people, and pattern ourselves after them.

But the reality is that very few humans can stand up to the pressure of this kind of idealization. Historians have an obsession with taking heroes off of their pedestals - as seen more recently in the obsession with Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. And even the best men have feet of clay and weak moments. Martin Luther - who stood strong against the Catholic Church under the threat of execution - was an ardent anti-semite. We now know that Mother Theresa often had deep doubts about the existence of God.

Remember, only God can stand up to the intensity of human expectations. One of the reasons He gave us Jesus was so that we could see one perfect human. For all the others, be kind when judging their frailties. Be just, but also be kind.