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Thursday, December 30, 2010

According to Hopi.........

Grant Lawrence--Bodhi Thunder

NOTE: This peice was taken from Grant Lawrence blog. (link Above)

Bodhi Bit: The Great Purification and The Fifth World

HopiImage via Wikipedia
Grant Lawrence--Bodhi Thunder


According to Hopi and other American Tribal traditions, we are presently in the transition from one world to another.

The Hopi Elders say that we are leaving the fourth world and entering the fifth world.

This, according to the Elders, is a time of painful transition.

The world we see around us is being poisoned and polluted. The world is in a dangerous state of near eco-collapse.

In an address by the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy to the Western World in Geneva Switzerland (1977) we find this wisdom.

...The air is foul, the waters poisoned, the trees dying, the animals are disappearing. We think even the systems of weather are changing. Our ancient teaching warned us that if Man interfered with the Natural Laws, these things would come to be. When the last of the Natural Way of Life is gone, all hope for human survival will be gone with it. And our Way of Life is fast disappearing, a victim of the destructive processes.

The other position papers of the Hau de no sau nee have outlined our analysis of economic and legal oppression. But our essential message to the world is a basic call to consciousness. The destruction of the Native cultures and people is the same process which has destroyed and is destroying life on this planet. The technologies and social systems which have destroyed the animal and plant life are also destroying the Native people. And that process is Western Civilization.

We know that there are many people in the world who can quickly grasp the intent of our message. But experience has taught us that there are few who are willing to seek out a method for moving toward any real change. But, if there is to be a future for all beings on this planet, we must begin to seek the avenues of change.

The processes of colonialism and imperialism which have affected the Hau de no sau nee are but a microcosm of the processes affecting the world. The system of reservations employed against our people is a microcosm of the system of exploitation used against the whole world. Since the time of Marco Polo, the West has been refining a process that mystified the peoples of the Earth....(bodhi thunder)

The Iroquois Confederacy was correct in its wise observations then, and as we are experiencing now their words were indeed prophetic.

Yet, this transition to this other world that the Native peoples are telling us about doesn't have to be painful. But it will likely seem horrific at times because humanity will not adopt the ways necessary to transition in a more humane way.

See Also

Healing Medicine: The Great Peacemaker's Thunder Message


Richard Boylan, Ph.D. Observes in his excellent article, "Transition from the Fourth to the Fifth World: The Thunder Beings Return"

....We are entering the time of Great Purification, as Earth prepares to transition to the Fifth World. This is a period of Earth Changes: major earthquakes, tidal waves, many volcanoes erupting, land subsidence, emergence of new land, climatic changes, disease pandemics, and widespread starvation. Catastrophes of human origin are also in the offing, including: warfare involving weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, rioting and looting, collapse of monetary systems, and forced migrations. As with the previous Worlds, there will be those who want to cling to the old ways of the Fourth World and resist the need to change. We see them all around us now. And just as surely there will be those who seek to live in harmony with the rest of creation. Sensitive co-existence with other life is not ecological romanticism or fuzzy metaphysics. It is recognition of the true extent of family.

During this transition more than ever before, each of us is being called to serve the Great Spirit, that Center of Consciousness from which everything derives its being. Each of us has an important role during this Great Purification. We need to help find ways for nations, races and tribes to put aside differences, and join together for the good of everyone. We need to help plant and animal species survive. We have to bring to an end the pollution of Earth, and return to our proper role as caretakers of Earth’s ecosystems. We need to lay aside the "success" lifestyle of greed and materialism, and learn to adopt a lifestyle of "just enough" and "good enough". We need to move away from the twin follies of promiscuity and puritanism, and learn to reverence sex as the delightful yet sacred activity of appropriately joining opposites to create a higher truth. And we need to lay aside the weapons of war, and operate with that compassion, understanding and economic justice which make for peace...(mayan majix)
Boylan recounts having a Thunderbird experience that raised his consciousness. Like myself, Boylan believes that the Thunder Beings are often represented by a Thunderbird sighting. I have previously written about my Thunderbird experience and its profound effect on me.

I believe, like Boylan, that these Thunder Beings are here to assist humanity into the next age. They are making their presence known through UFO sightings and human contact. They are star beings that can be described as physical and spiritual as well as inter-dimensional.

We know that many UFO contactees have reported that ETs are concerned about the possible collapse of the earth's eco-system.

See Also

Looks Like UFO Alien Abductees are Right about Our Unfolding Future

The late, great Harvard Psychiatrist and Professor Dr. John Mack reported what he had found from working with abductees.

...Dr.Mack also says that there is a general theme of the abductees being shown screens of environmental catastrophes. He says they report that even the spirits that live in the same environment that we do will have be displaced.

The cause of all of this future misfortune as reported by the abductees, according to Dr. Mack, will be too much environmental stress caused by pollution and human activities....(bodhi thunder)

So it would seem that these star people, or as the many tribal peoples identified them--"Thunder Beings", are here to assist humanity as they have been doing for millennium. They have not only made changes to human DNA ,but they have also likely helped evolve human consciousness.

The Iriquois message in their insightful "Call to Consciousness" is the same message that has been given to us by the star people or Thunder Beings through contactees. Humanity needs to evolve in their compassion and understanding soon. If we can achieve this quickly then there will be less suffering, destruction, and turmoil during this "Great Purification."

However, if we don't raise our consciousness then we are left to experience terribly traumatic and difficult times.

The Thunder Beings are here to assist us but ultimately the choice is ours.

Related articles


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Documentry: In Debt We Trust (Video)

Just thought I'd share this very telling documentary with my blogger friend.

Feature Film   (1:29:19)
The world depends on the economic stability of the United States. Yet, as its debt escalates, our connected global economy is at risk. IN DEBT WE TRUST, as timely and relevant as a film can be, delivers an urgent warning that can't be ignored.


Saturday, December 18, 2010

Avatar ~ The Real Story

We Are All One ~VIDEO

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

GM soy linked to birth defects, cancer: new study

http://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2010/10/06/gm-soy-linked-to-birth-defects-cancer-new-study.html

GM soy linked to birth defects, cancer: new study
October 6, 2010
Josette Dunn

soymilk.jpg

Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup used on genetically manipulated (GM) Roundup Ready crops is linked to human cell death, birth defects, cancer and miscarriages, says a report released at the European Parliament by an international group of scientists.
The report comes at a crucial time for Australia, where a popular infant soy formula has tested positive to unlabelled GM soy and corn, and Roundup Ready canola and cotton are grown.

The report, “GM Soy: Sustainable? Responsible?”, highlights new research by Argentine government scientist Professor AndrĂ©s Carrasco and an international coalition of scientists. They found serious health impacts from Roundup’s active ingredient, glyphosate, other chemicals in the formulated herbicide and its breakdown products. The report also provides a global overview of scientific papers and other documents on the impacts of GM soy production. The new research is published in the American Chemical Society journal ‘Chemical Research in Toxicology’.
GM Roundup Ready (RR) soy is now more than 90% of soy grown in North American and Argentina, and is also widely spread in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. Monsanto’s own data shows Roundup herbicide sales have skyrocketed since GM RR crops were first planted in the USA in 1996[i]. The amount of toxic herbicide now used on soy has public health implications.
At the European Parliament in Brussels where the report was presented[ii], Prof Carrasco said childhood cancer had increased by 300% and babies with birth defects by 400% during the past decade in parts of Argentina. GM RR soy is grown there to supply European and Australian farmers with cheap GM animal feed: “I suspect the toxicity classification of glyphosate is too low… in some cases this can be a powerful poison,” he said.
The report also refers to studies that found: the uterus and ovaries of female rats fed GM RR soy showed changes; rabbits’ kidney and heart enzyme functions were disturbed. An intergenerational study of hamsters fed GM soy found slower growth rates and higher mortality among pups, and widespread infertility in the third generation[iii].
Bob Phelps, Executive Director of GM-free Australian advocacy group Gene Ethics, says the Australian response to genetically manipulated ingredients in baby formula is grossly inadequate. “Every test for GM contamination of S-26 formula has been positive for GM contamination. Yet our food regulator FSANZ refuses to mandate a recall, while Coles and Woolworths refuse to remove S-26 from their shelves.
“This routine contamination requires GM labelling under the law. If FSANZ won’t act on this false and misleading failure to label GM ingredients, then the ACCC should intervene,” he says.
“The Gillard Government must support independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Greens Senator Rachel Siewert who both want to fix up our food labelling laws. Labels must enable parents to choose baby formulas that that are not GM polluted. We call for the Government to ensure the assessment criteria of all novel foods, including GM, are amended and to remove the loopholes in Standard 1.5 that exempt most GM and other novel food products from any requirement to be labelled as such,” he concludes.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Buy Nothing Day: Another Approach to Black Friday

Buy Nothing Day: Another Approach to Black Friday - Business - GOOD


Buy Nothing Day
There are some pretty good deals on Black Friday. That's partly why, and partly because, it's the biggest shopping day of the year—when Americans writ large head to major retail outlets, stand in line for hours, and take home more stuff and more debt. Retailers go from “in the red” to “in the black” for the year, and we all get some shiny new gifts for the holidays. The American way, right?

But corporations are thriving while real income for Americans lags stagnant. Buy Nothing Day is also the Friday after Thanksgiving and it's here to offer another option for all of us who shudder at the prospect of shopping mall mayhem.

“Consumerism is based on the idea in society that we never have enough and that getting more things will make us happier. It is preying on people’s basic feelings of contentment in order to make a profit for the few,” says Cindy Rosin, a spokesperson for the New York City-based Freegans and a supporter of Buy Nothing Day.

This alternative approach to Black Friday started in 1992 by Canadian artist Ted Dave to bring awareness to the social, economic, environmental and psychological effects of over-consumption. It is currently promoted by Adbusters magazine with worldwide Buy Nothing Day Meetup groups.

Billy Talen, the Reverend of the performance group The Church of Life After Shopping and former New York City mayoral candidate for the Green Party, is an outspoken critic of the culture of consumption. “You’re distracted in the society of the spectacle because you have so little to do with making it,” Talen tells me by phone. “It’s the corporation’s creation. So you’re left with a processed sensation.”

This consumer rebellion is as much for the individual non-shopper as it is a statement of protest against a corporate state by his view. “When you leave a product on the shelf, your body and soul start reclaiming itself,” says Talen. “Consumerism is never surprising. It is predicable." His alternative call to arms? "Be imaginative.”

Last year we found five groups who particularly excel at not buying things. Consider teaming up with one of them if you're worried about being lonely in your celebration of Buy Nothing Day.

Or head to an event:

The Freegans are hosting a Whirlmart, where individuals will silently push empty shopping carts through the aisles of a large store. PETA has organized a nationwide Fur-Free Friday, and Reverend Billy and the Church of Life After Shopping are hosting the 8th  Buy Nothing Day Parade in New York City at 3p.m.

Image: (cc) by Flickr user SqueakyMarmot.



Sunday, October 24, 2010

How To Make A Pop Up Birthday Card ~ Frugal

Original Post: http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-make-birthday-cake-pop-up-card-robert-sabuda-method-087589/


Not only can you make someone's day by sending them a handmade, pop-up greeting card, but you can also mail several out as birthday party invitations, or place them on the table to show where each guest will be seated. This also makes a great take-home memory of the party itself by adding the names of each guest to each card, and the date of the party.

Step 1  

Click here to get the image. Print out the full size image on a heavyweight paper, like card stock or construction paper.

Step 2  

Click the image on the right to enlarge. Print out the pop-up pieces for the cake on another sheet of heavyweighted paper.

Step 3  

Press along the dotted line. Do this on the center of the card with the rounded end of a paper clip (or a ballpoint pen that has run out of ink). Use a ruler as a guide. Go all the way from the top to the bottom of the card.

Step 4  

Repeat along the dotted lines of all the pop-up pieces.

Step 5  

Carefully cut out the cake's card. Follow the solid, black lines.

Step 6  

Slowly cut out the pop-up pieces. Follow the solid, black lines.

Step 7  

Color in the candles. Do not color the cake yet.

Step 8  

Fold the two sides of the candle piece. Fold away from you, along the center dotted line.

Step 9  

Lay the candles down flat and carefully fold the lower left tab up and crease. Return the tab to its original position.

Step 10  

Carefully fold the lower right tab up and crease. Return tab to its original position.

Step 11  

Pick up the candles. While holding the lower section still with your right hand, fold back the top section with your left.

Step 12  

Notice that your candle piece should now look like this. The two candles in the center are pushed back away from you while the two candles on the ends are coming towards you.

Step 13  

Turn the cake piece over. This is so that you do not see any of the black dotted lines.

Step 14  

Fold the two sides away from you along the center, creased line.

Step 15  

Turn the cake piece back over again so you can see the black, dotted lines. Lay the cake down flat and carefully fold the right tab up and crease. Leave the tab in this position.

Step 16  

Carefully fold the left tab up and crease. Leave the tab in this position.

Step 17  

Fold down the "scalloped icing" tab at the top and crease. Leave the tab in this position.

Step 18  

Carefully fold down the "wavy icing" tab at the bottom. Carefully fold it up and crease. Leave the tab in this position.

Step 19  

Color in the cake and icing.

Step 20  

Fold the card in half along the center.

Step 21  

Apply white glue. Don't use too much glue or it will show. Apply it to the left angled area closest to the center of the card...

Step 22  

...and to the right angled area closest to the center of the card.

Step 23  

Carefully line up the tabs on the candles with the wet glue areas on the card. Press the candle's tabs into the glue. Make sure that the center dotted line on the candles matches the center dotted line on the card. Let the glue dry.

Step 24  

Wait until after the glue has dried and test the pop-up by slowly opening and closing the card. You may need to help the candles fold down for this first time.

Step 25  

Apply glue to the remaining left glue area...

Step 26  

...and to the right.

Step 27  

Line up the cake with the glue areas on the card. Press the sides into the glue. Make sure that the center crease line matches the center dotted line on the card. Let the glue dry.

Step 28  

Admire your finished birthday cake pop-up card. And give it to your parents when its their birthdays! And your parents will love it!

Tips

  • Color each card a differently flavored cake, and put guests' names on the cake itself.
  • Print out the names of each of the friends attending, and add the date on the card.
  • Take a small picture of the birthday child, and paste it to the outside of one of the sides of the cake, and another picture of the group of children who attended. This will give them a lifetime of memories about the party.
  • The tips above are if you want to use this as an invitation card. You do not have to though. You may use it as a birthday card to give to someone if it is their birthday.


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Homemade Natural Cough Syurp

 Link Below To Original Article:
A Recipe for a Natural Cough Syrup    


Ingredients

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix all the ingredients together and store in the refrigerator. The book says to take one teaspoon of the syrup at intervals as needed. (We have always adjusted the dosage according to the age of the person and the severity of the cough. And of course, because of the sharpness of the vinegar, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper, and because there is honey involved, this would not be a cough syrup for very young children.)

I like that this cough syrup contains only “food” ingredients, but the best thing about it is that it WORKS.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Pie In A Jar

Our Best Bites: Single Serving Pie in a Jar


Single Serving Pie in a Jar

These are individual-sized pies made in little glass jars that go straight from your freezer to your oven to your mouth.

Pie in Jar

This is the type of jar you'll need.


They're half-pint jars, but short and squatty instead of tall and skinny (Ya know, like me as opposed to my mother. Why oh why did I have to get the other parent's genes??!) Mine are made by Kerr (Here's the link to buy them from Amazon). They're stinking cute as is, don't you think? Something about a short squatty jar makes me giddy with the thoughts of fun things I could put inside. Ya know, like PIE.

Step 1: Pie Dough
The first thing you'll need is dough. You can use any pie dough you like. Here's a great tutorial on making a basic crust. That particular recipe will make 4 jars. You can also use the all-butter crust from this post. Or if you're really in a pinch, even a store bought crust will do.

Step 2: Make a topper and line the jar
Roll out a small handful of dough. This is just for the tops of your pies, so eyeball about that much. Grab the ring part of your jar and use that as your cookie cutter. Brilliant, right? Cut out the tops and set aside.

Use the rest of the dough to line the jars. (No, you do not need to grease them) The great part is that there's no rolling required! Just take little pieces and press them in. Make sure it's pressed all the way up to the top of the jar, or pretty close to it.

Step 3: Fill 'er up
You'll need about 1/2 C filling for each jar. You can use any filling your little pie-craving heart desires, even (gasp) canned! You can also use the same method shown in the galette post to use any fruit you happen to have around.

Here's the basic recipe (for 4 pies)
2 C prepared fruit (pitted, diced, peeled, etc.)
2 T sugar- brown or white (use more or less depending on sweetness of fruit)
2 T flour- (again, more if your fruit is super juicy like cherries, less if it's pretty dry)
1 T butter (divided between the pies)
Seasonings/flavorings- cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and almond extract, citrus zest etc)

Play around with it and come up with something yummy! I made 2 different pies in my pictures: one, a cut-down version of Kate's Apple Pie and one with fresh cherries and almond extract.

When your filling is all combined, divide it between the jars and dot a pat of butter on top (about 1/4 T)


Step 4: Top it off

Make sure your "lid" has a vent so steam can escape. You can use a knive to make a couple of slits or a tiny cookie cutter to make it decorative. I am in LOVE with these little Autumn Leaf Pie Crust Cutters that my sister gave to me last fall. Oooh, I just saw this year's set has an acorn in it! I might have to get that one too--how cute is that little acorn??! My little maple leaf is pretty darn cute, too.


When your topper is ready, slip it onto the top of the pie. It will be large enough that the outside edge goes up the side of the dough-covered jar a bit, as show in the picture below. Then use your finger, or a fork, to press the 2 pieces of dough together to seal. And nobody even think about mentioning the state of my fingernails.


Another option is to do a crumb topping. I put a basic crumb topping on my cherry pies and they were sooo yummy.


Crumb Topping (for 4-6 pies)
1/4C brown sugar
1/4 C flour
2 T oats
1/4 T cinnamon
3 T cold butter
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Add oats and stir to combine.

And I couldn't help but try a mini lattice on one. Eeek! Dying of cuteness overload. (Click here for a how-to on a lattice pattern)

** Optional step here that I HIGHLY reccomend: Brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar at this point. Yumminess highly instensified!

Step 5: Freeze 'em!

Ready for this? When your pies are all done and topped, place metal lids back on and seal them tight. Then pop these little cuties in the freezer. There they will stay until you find yourself having an insatiable craving for home-baked goodness. You'll be reaching for the crumbs at the bottom of the keebler box when suddenly your eyes will light up because you remember you have THESE sitting in your freezer.


Or when you have unexpected guests in need of impressing, or a friend needing to be cheered up, or it's Thursday...I can think of a million reasons why one should have a constant supply of fresh pie in the freezer.

Step 6: Bake 'em

Now first let me say that one of the biggest concerns from everyone is about the jars breaking in the oven. All I can say it that I've baked hundreds of these and never once has a jar broken. These are canning jars- they are designed to be boiled, pressure cooked, etc. So it's different than putting any ol' piece of glass in the oven. They bake just fine! But if you're freaking out then my advice would be this: remove lids from jars and place jars on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in a COLD oven. Then turn the oven to 375. That will give the jars a chance to warm up slowly as the oven preheats. If you're really worried you can always let them sit at room temp for a bit first before putting them in a cold oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the middles are bubbly. If you're baking them fresh and not frozen they take about 45 minutes.


Depending on your filling you can pop them right out of the jar and onto a plate like so:



Or just eat them right out of the jar. There's something way more fun about eating it right out of the jar...


And if you have oozing cherry filling, that might be the only option!



Kate had a brilliant idea too- no need to stick to sweetie pies, try going savory with
Chicken Pot Pie in a Jar!!


Okay now...FREEBIES FOR ALL!
Remember a few paragraphs ago when I was praising the almighty Lolly? Lolly is the brain behind Lollychops. Some of you may remember last year when she designed these cute cute Christmas tags for us to put on our goodies. So of course, I instantly thought of her when I realized that I could not sleep at night knowing these mini-pies could be better dressed. They needed just a touch of Lolly. And she delivered like always with these adorable tags!




 All of the directions are right on the tag and you can write a little To/From on it. Plus in true Lolly fashion there's like, a million different versions to go with any flavor you could possibly imagine! How cute are these?! Have I mentioned how much I love Lolly? I love you, my dear Lolly.


(I can't believe she's giving this pie to some guy named Ron when I just told her I loved her.)

These little pies are perrrrrrfect for giving. So once you have these cuties made up, download Lolly's tag set, and get your cute on. People will think you are amazing because not only did you come up with the brilliant idea to make a mini pie in a jar, you also made an adorable personalized tag. Talk about moving up a notch on the popularity ladder.

--> CLICK HERE <-- to head over to the Lollychops blog and get all of the instructions and details on downloading and using the tag sets. And here is a direct link to the tags.


Edit: Lolly has just added this adorable TURKEY pie tag!! Click HERE to get it!


A big thanks to my girl Lolly for playing along with pie this week!
All of the rest of you- get baking and have a great week!
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter. Add oats and stir to combine.

And I couldn't help but try a mini lattice on one. Eeek! Dying of cuteness overload. (Click here for a how-to on a lattice pattern)

** Optional step here that I HIGHLY reccomend: Brush pie tops with butter and sprinkle with sugar at this point. Yumminess highly instensified!

Step 5: Freeze 'em!

Ready for this? When your pies are all done and topped, place metal lids back on and seal them tight. Then pop these little cuties in the freezer. There they will stay until you find yourself having an insatiable craving for home-baked goodness. You'll be reaching for the crumbs at the bottom of the keebler box when suddenly your eyes will light up because you remember you have THESE sitting in your freezer.


Or when you have unexpected guests in need of impressing, or a friend needing to be cheered up, or it's Thursday...I can think of a million reasons why one should have a constant supply of fresh pie in the freezer.

Step 6: Bake 'em

Now first let me say that one of the biggest concerns from everyone is about the jars breaking in the oven. All I can say it that I've baked hundreds of these and never once has a jar broken. These are canning jars- they are designed to be boiled, pressure cooked, etc. So it's different than putting any ol' piece of glass in the oven. They bake just fine! But if you're freaking out then my advice would be this: remove lids from jars and place jars on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet in a COLD oven. Then turn the oven to 375. That will give the jars a chance to warm up slowly as the oven preheats. If you're really worried you can always let them sit at room temp for a bit first before putting them in a cold oven. Bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the middles are bubbly. If you're baking them fresh and not frozen they take about 45 minutes.


Depending on your filling you can pop them right out of the jar and onto a plate like so:



Or just eat them right out of the jar. There's something way more fun about eating it right out of the jar...




Thursday, September 2, 2010

The FDA approved crushed insects for use as a food coloring and allows companies to hide that fact

Boycott Watch - Groups Move to Ban FDA Approved Bugs in food.

Groups Move to Ban FDA Approved Bugs in food.

Summary: Do you like eating ground bugs? The FDA says it is ok.

Would you eat a food if you knew it was specifically made with insects as an ingredient? Most people would not, yet the FDA has approved crushed insects for use as a food coloring and allows companies to hide that fact. As this is becoming more known, various groups are sending out emails to get people to write the FDA demanding a full disclosure label requirement indicating the hidden use of insects in your food. Boycott Watch has confirmed the facts in this consumer action.

Carmine and cochineal extracts are used to create vibrant red food coloring and are actually the dried and crushed bodies of the female cochineal insect. Sound tasty? Not to us, yet this food coloring only has to be listed as k-carmine on labels, and most people have no clue as to what they are eating.

There are other red food colorings available that are not made from crushed bugs, such as red dye #40 which is a coal extract, yet carmine is preferred by some manufacturers because the vibrant level of red it produces can not be found inexpensively anywhere else.

The movement to get the FDA to require companies using carmine to state that carmine is in fact insects in gaining traction, but has garnered some resistance from food manufacturers. While the FDA is more concerned with allergic reactions, other concerns by anti-carmine activists include vegetarian and kosher concerns. Boycott Watch wants consumers to know what they may potentially be eating so you, the consumer, can make up your own mind.

If you would like to voice your opinion or want more information about the FDA and pending carmine regulations, visit http://www.fda.gov and search on the word 'carmine.'


The Best Argument Ever For Canning, Dehydrating & Freezing Your Own Food

How Many Insect Parts and Rodent Hairs are Allowed in Your Food?

How Many Insect Parts and Rodent Hairs are Allowed in Your Food?
More Than You Think ... and Maybe Than You Want to Know!
by www.SixWise.com


How about a little rat hair with your peanut butter? A fly head with your macaroni and cheese? Though it may sound disgusting, these things and other gross filth the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calls "natural contaminants" are indeed allowed and present in your food.

Mouse Bread

Gross but true: A certain number of rodent hairs are allowed in the food you eat. (A whole mouse, however, is not.)

In fact, so common are these contaminants that the FDA has published a booklet detailing the so-called "Food Defect Action Levels," which were needed, according to the FDA, " ... because it is economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects."

Surely, anyone who's ever collected lettuce from a home garden, picked apples right from the tree or strawberries right from the vine has gotten the unpleasant surprise of finding a spider, worm or other "natural contaminant" in their harvest. But in these cases, we're more accepting, or at least, more expecting, of finding an unwanted guest, and we're free to inspect each item for ourselves.

But what about when it comes to processed foods? Is there really any way to know how many insect parts have been ground right up with the rest of the ingredients? Probably not.

Think insect parts and rodent hairs are more of a rarity? Think again. An Ohio University fact sheet estimates that we eat from one to two pounds of insects each year, and without knowing it.

This is Gross, but is it Dangerous?

Quite the contrary. "They're actually pretty healthy," says Dr. Philip Nixon, an entomologist at the University of Illinois, in regard to insects, "If we were more willing to accept certain defect levels such as insects and insect parts, growers could reduce pesticide usage. Some of the spraying that goes on is directly related to the aesthetics of our food."

The FDA agrees that it's reasonable to accept more natural defects in our food in lieu of increasing the amount of pesticides sprayed on them:

"The alternative to establishing natural defect levels in some foods would be to insist on increased utilization of chemical substances to control insects, rodents and other natural contaminants. The alternative is not satisfactory because of the very real danger of exposing consumers to potential hazards from residues of these chemicals, as opposed to the aesthetically unpleasant but harmless natural and unavoidable defects."

However, there may be one health area that's been overlooked. According to Judy Tidwell, an economic service specialist at a state social services office in the Southeast United States who has struggled with allergies, trace amounts of insect parts that have been ground into food items ranging from strawberry jam to spaghetti sauce can affect people with allergies and asthma.

"We throw away the products that we see are infested. Just think how many we consume because we didn't notice they were infested. Ingesting insect material may cause stomach disorders, as well as allergic reactions," she says.

How Many Rodent Hairs and Insect Parts Are In ...

Peanut Butter

The FDA's action level for peanut butter is 30 or more insect fragments or one or more rodent hairs per 100 grams.

Here is a very brief sampling of the FDA's Food Defect Action Level list. They begin investigation when foods reach the action level they've set. According to the FDA, typical foods contain about 10 percent of the action level, but others say they contain more like 40 percent.

CHOCOLATE AND CHOCOLATE LIQUOR

  • Insect filth: Average is 60 or more insect fragments per 100 grams when 6 100-gram subsamples are examined OR any 1 subsample contains 90 or more insect fragments

  • Rodent filth: Average is 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams in 6 100-gram subsamples examined OR any 1 subsample contains 3 or more rodent hairs

CITRUS FRUIT JUICES, CANNED

  • Insects and insect eggs: 5 or more Drosophila and other fly eggs per 250 ml or 1 or more maggots per 250 ml

RED FISH AND OCEAN PERCH

  • Parasites: 3% of the fillets examined contain 1 or more parasites accompanied by pus pockets

MACARONI AND NOODLE PRODUCTS

  • Insect filth: Average of 225 insect fragments or more per 225 grams in 6 or more subsamples

  • Rodent filth: Average of 4.5 rodent hairs or more per 225 grams in 6 or more subsamples

PEANUT BUTTER

  • Insect filth: Average of 30 or more insect fragments per 100 grams

  • Rodent filth: Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 100 grams

POPCORN

  • Rodent filth: 1 or more rodent excreta pellets are found in 1 or more subsamples, and 1 or more rodent hairs are found in 2 or more other subsamples OR 2 or more rodent hairs per pound and rodent hair is found in 50% or more of the subsamples OR 20 or more gnawed grains per pound and rodent hair is found in 50% or more of the subsamples

WHEAT FLOUR

  • Insect filth: Average of 75 or more insect fragments per 50 grams

  • Rodent filth: Average of 1 or more rodent hairs per 50 grams

Can these things be avoided? To avoid all unsavory food components, it seems, would be to stop eating all together. And perhaps we're just being too squeamish. After all, as Dr. Manfred Kroger, a professor of food science at Pennsylvania State University, says, "Let's face it, much of our food comes from nature, and nature is not perfect."