All the RAve - the RAnts of RA

You are what you eat!

Going to the grocery store in recent days has become an extreme act of faith and it's this author's opinion that this is just the beginning of things to come. Companies like Monsanto are intent on corrupting our food supply.

To be honest I wasn't overly concerned with the Spinach recall; I don't care for it. In fact, I can't even stand the smell of it, so it's never served in my home. Ok, I'll fess up, I don't eat tomatoes either, however, this issue hits closer to home because ketchup is made from tomatoes and so are many other products we use regularly.

A search turned up some interesting videos about the growing of corn; a huge controversy regarding seeds and growing conflict over who controls the food we buy. Our family has been following the raw milk issue in California very closely. As someone who grew up drinking farm-fresh, pure straight-from-the-cow milk, I'm a firm believer in the tremendous health benefits of drinking natural milk.

I still can't get the hang of calling milk "raw." I've always thought of milk as real and natural. We don't say I'm going to the store to buy raw eggs or raw onions. The stuff in the store is processed; it's processed food, just like that nasty Macaroni and Cheese you buy in a box from Kraft Foods. We know it's bad for us, but our kids just love it. I hated buying Blue's Clues Macaroni and Cheese - that stuff just looked nasty - but my son claimed he loved the strange looking stuff. Processed milk has had all the benefits of milk killed - it's dead!

I would be the last person anyone would call an environmentalist. We all know they are extremist, left-leaning whack-jobs that have too much time on their hands and not enough to do. But I no longer live on a farm and unless I want to try growing a pot garden (vegetables in pots, not marijuana), I must shop for my foods at the grocery store. I was shocked to learn that the US is one of only four or five countries that do not require the labeling of genetically modified foods. What?

I am outraged. I am frightened and discouraged. Our children are going to be left with a world that is not only sick from the effects of pollution, but of the long-lasting results of intentional tampering with their natural food supply.

We moved up to the mountains around 6-years ago – you know the place everyone goes to dump their garbage? How could someone disrespect these lovely mountains? The situation is kept at bay by a group of wonderful volunteers, who meet each month to pick up roadside trash.

I've turned over a new leaf and become what I think of as a naturalist. (Reminder to self – look up Naturalist.) We've never given as much thought as to what we purchase as we do today. After discovering that E. coli and other types of infectious agents, including bacteria are used to introduce spliced genes into GMO foods; corn, soy and tomatoes are the main items. It has been estimated that as much as 80% of the corn we consume and 70-75% of all processed food has been genetically-modified. This is huge.

It's in our tacos, our corn chips, corn on the cob; it's fed to cows and chickens. It's also in everything that has "High Fructose Corn Syrup". No testing has been done; the FDA claims they have no responsibility to warn us, since after all, "it's just food". This is one huge experiment that will cause untold harm to the public at large.

Today we read labels – closely. We've learned to avoid "high-fructose corn syrup." If you aren't aware of the history of high-fructose corn syrup, check it out. I was appalled by what I had learned. We are buying our fruits, vegetables and meat as close to nature as possible. It requires a great deal of rethinking our buying habits, since these days "natural = $$$$" and lots of it.

We ate our first sloppy joes made with 100% organic ground beef last night. They tasted wonderful! I figure it cost me about $2.00 more to serve the organic meat, than I would normally spend on beef that had consumed the genetically-modified corn. Health-wise, I'm not certain of the health benefits of eating ground up meat and fat scraps but I felt great knowing my son had one less meal of Franken-corn. The way I see it, if we don't buy it, there won't be a market for more of it.

I'm reading everything I can about our food supply and the technology being used to create it. I've posted some helpful articles at: Food and Nutrition in the News

Multi-Media Resources

• The Future of Food
• Genetically Modified Food: Panacea or Poison
• Bad Seed: The Truth About Our Food
• King Corn
• In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto
• Second Nature: A Gardener's Education
• Seeds of Deception: Exposing Industry and Government Lies About the Safety of the Genetically Engineered Foods
• Genetically Engineered Food: A Self-Defense Guide for Consumers
• Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods
• The Gmo Trilogy And Seeds of Deception Set
• The Hundred-Year Lie: How to Protect Yourself from the Chemicals That Are Destroying Your Health

Labels: food, genetically-modified, GMO, high-fructose corn syrup, raw milk

Stocking Up on Food Staples: Investors turn Attention to Farmland, Equipment, and Supplies

Oil isn't the only major commodity to experience rising prices and soaring global demand. Farmers are finding that their food supplies are in high demand as well.

Investors are responding accordingly and a new futures market is taking root. In anticipation that the costs of farming will continue to rise much the same way oil has, investors have begun buying up farmland, farm equipment, and farm supplies.

Steve Shenk, director of eFoods Direct believes the cost of food is going to continue to climb and that consumers can protect themselves. Part of the problem is that the "food shortage price bubble" will be inflated by investors manipulating food supplies in order to reap huge speculative profits.

Shenk provides a perspective that every American is going to want to hear. Futures markets are speculative but the fact remains that thousands of tons of American food are being sold to other countries or stored for future profits while Americans experience rationing and possible bread lines.

About Steve Shenk and eFoods Direct

For the last 27 years, Steve Shenk has been the director of the J. Michael Stevens Group, the premier nationwide supplier of bulk, high nutrition, low moisture foods, directly to the consumer. He is the foremost authority on agricultural projections, trends and conditions as they relate to food on the family dinner table.

Steve is an unbridled optimist on a mission to help people rediscover the spirit of rugged, self-reliance that made America strong. With his quick wit and charming, Minnesota, country-boy attitude, Steve will leave you and your listeners believing that there's real hope for the future. The sons and daughters of the pioneers still have what it takes to make America "The land of the free and the home of the brave".

The first step in becoming fearless of the worldwide famine is to have your own food. By getting a supply of bulk food and learning to use it a family can feed themselves tomorrow at today's prices.

Summary Points

• What families need to do is the same thing that speculators and commodity investors are doing and that is to buy tomorrow's, next month's and maybe even next year's food at today's prices.
• The families who are already in trouble with food costs need to buy a good quantity of bulk, low moisture food (which will cost less than half grocery store prices) and then learn to cook. Buying "cheap" and learning "fast and easy" "real home cooking" methods will save them 75% of their present grocery cost.
• To find top-quality, nutritionally well balanced and organized bulk food supplies contact eFoods Direct or (800) 409-5633.

Questions we should be asking!

1. Homeland Security recommends that Americans store two weeks worth of food, water and other emergency supplies. Do you agree with them?
2. What are some of the reasons that food costs are increasing world wide?
3. How will the world wide food shortages affect Americans?
4. What are the benefits of buying and using bulk food?
5. With both parents working, is it realistic to think people can go back to home cooking?
6. Are American farmers preparing to increase output?
7. What is the government's role in determining farm output?
8. What percentage of American food is imported?
9. What would be an early indication that the famine will affect Americans?
10. Do we have food reserves in America and if so, how much?
11. How fast will prices increase?
12. What do you mean by "Food Price Bubble"?
13. Does bulk, low moisture food taste good?
14. Can one find recipes for bulk food in regular cook books?
15. Why should people buy dehydrated rather than cans, or military MRE's?
16. How much can be saved by cooking with bulk food as opposed to processed food from the grocery store?
17. Is food becoming an investment grade commodity like gold and silver?

To schedule an interview with Steve Shenk, call: (630) 848-0750.

©1996-2008 SpecialGuests.com™

Labels: economic, food, frugal, fuel costs, homemade, low cost, Steve Shenk

How reliable is 911 in an emergency?

In an emergency situation a 911 operator can be a true lifeline. We teach our children that if help is needed quickly dial 911 and the operator will provide assistance. But are the 911 services as effective and reliable as we've been led to believe?

On the way home from a trip to Merced on Monday, April 28, 2008, as we turned onto the street where we lived, we were shocked to find a neighbors truck on fire. The flames were shooting high into the sky. Fortunately, the truck had been parked in front of the post office, in an area clear of trees and brush or our entire neighborhood may have went up in flames.

My husband immediately dialed 911 from his cell phone. I was flabbergasted when I heard a recording being played on the line. A short while later an operator finally came on the line. My husband informed the operator that a truck was on fire in front of the post office in Twain Harte, CA and that a fire truck was needed.

The operator informed him that unless he knew the cross street, she couldn't take the report. I couldn't believe my ears, my husband was literal dumbfounded – especially since the fire department was literally two blocks away. Anyone in Twain Harte knows exactly where the post office is. It's a tiny community.

My husband expressed his disbelief to the operator. She told him she would try to pass the information along. Instead of waiting to see if someone would respond, we drove the two blocks to the fire department. I frantically rang the bell, and yelled fire. After what seemed like forever (probably only a couple minutes) a fireman came out on the balcony and asked if something was wrong. I explained that a truck was on fire in front of the post office.

It took 15-minutes from the time we dialed 911, until someone actually showed up at the scene. Finally, a lone firefighter arrived to put out the still shooting flames.

I used to feel secure in knowing that if a fire ever broke out near our home that we were well protected. After all, we have three fire departments in very close proximity to this area. But now I'm not so confident.

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Labels: 911, emergency, fire, fire department, operator