D-Clef Records presents Keeper of the Flame, a new album from stalwart saxophonist and composer Tim Mayer and his octet, featuring bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Ulysses Owens, and Emmet Cohen as a guest pianist.
Who else is fond of a warm embrace?
The 17-year-old male bonobo Manono and 4-year-old male Pole hug each other at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2010.
(Image credit: Anup Shah via Getty Images)
COVID-19 interrupted one of life s most familiar acts: the warm, enveloping comfort of a hug. The
pandemic taught us many things, some more important than others but one of those is just how much many of us rely on these embraces for a sense of reassurance, consolation and calm.
We ve become profoundly aware of the significance of this simple act in our human lives but does hugging exist in the rest of the animal kingdom? Are there any other species that embrace in the way humans do?
Although avocados are native to central and eastern Mexico’s highlands, they are a cherished staple in many countries.
Known as “aguacate” in Mexico, Ecuador, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia and Central America, the fruit’s name is “palta” in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Peru and Uruguay.
Both in Mexico and Central America, avocados have been part of the daily diet since before the Spaniards’ arrival. Today, people enjoy it with bread, in salads and as a garnish. But they also prepare dips and sauces with it, including guacamole.
With more than 2 million tons per year, Mexico is the leading avocado producer in the world, followed by the Dominican Republic, Peru, Indonesia, Colombia and Brazil, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.