The link is to the official FDA press release on the www.fda.gov website.
To all my friends no matter where in the States you are, please check your tomatoes, beware of your tacos, burgers and beef (there was also a recall of 13,000 lbs. of beef as well in a separate incident) and anything else that has a tomato in it for about the next two to three weeks (hopefully, by then they will have all the bad ones pulled from shelves, and those currently shipped will have aged enough to be pulled even if not tracked). Taco Bell, Burger King, and McDonald’s have all stopped serving tomatoes in various places.
You know, with the number of ecoli and salmonella outbreaks the USA has experienced, and with the world food shortage crisis, everyone ought to start learning to garden and at least begin growing what they can. Another option is investing in a farmer. Seriously, you invest in shares of a farmers production–and it is a trend that has been catching on.
The situation with tainted foodstuffs is unlikely to improve during the coming decades. In fact, as demand from an increasing global population ratchets up, oversight and inspection will likely get sloppier in the name of expediting food shipments and meeting that demand. Those farmers who suffered so much in the 80’s and lost farms are those we need now. The shortcomings of the giant corporate farms are showing, their threat to our way of life is obvious and growing—not just because of lax procedures, but because of the increasing loss of legacy seed being replaced with sterile corporate seed.
It is sad to hear of this report, but sometimes the truth is unpleasant. It seems that Oklahoma’s waters (lakes, rivers, streams) are pretty much all polluted and don’t meet Federal standards, as reported by DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality). You can read the article at the Tulsa World website.
Take a look at this shameful report my fellow Oklahomans. Well past time to do something.
On another note…does Texas really want to be buying polluted water for its citizens to drink? Kind of makes you wonder. Actually they don’t, they want to tap into the aquifer underground and siphon off what is pretty much the only good water in Oklahoma.
It’s a brand protected domain with four other extensions available (.net, .org, .info, .biz) for a total of five domain variations. A great generic domain name that’s easy to spell and remember and can be put to a wide variety of uses. It is about to be a featured listing on Sedo’s USA and UK sites.
Global food shortages are just around the corner if something doesn’t change soon. Some people suggest we’re already in the midst of just such a crisis, while others are optimistic that any such crisis can be averted.
One thing is sure: whether global warming is naturally occurring, the result of human activity, or a combination of both—it is going to exacerbate the situation as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable.
An additional consideration is that increasing deforestation and widespread adoption of industrial scale agriculture will lead to more desertification and loss of valuable micro-habitat that certain species need to survive. Here in America, species that thrive in edge-growth, such as quail for example, are finding their habitat shrinking. Similar things are happening on a global scale. These things, coupled with the water shortage that the world is predicted to face beginning at the middle of the century bodes ill for everyone.
However, steps are being taken to address these issues. In many developing nations, there are efforts underway to educate and train farmers in improved agriculture methods. Reducing and eventually eliminating slash and burn agriculture will help in some respects, yet much more needs to be done. In some nations, staple foods are undergoing substitution as food costs, population growth and exports outstrip the capacity for production.
The UN recently set up a food crisis task force to address the needs of the world’s starving at the direction of Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. An estimated 100 million are going without food right now and as the global population jumps from around 6.5 billion to an estimated 9 billion before the end of the century, a dire situation faces the world’s population if aggressive measures aren’t taken.
Wheat and rice prices are soaring. The price of rice in some places has doubled in the last six months. Wheat has risen by as much as 130%. Around the globe, labor unions and workers are protesting current global economic situations and the rising price of food.
Even here in America, land of plenty and amber waves of grain, there are concerns as people in the northeast part of the country have begun hoarding staples and other foods. Cooking oil, flour, rice and even grain stocks are being horded across the country. Rising gasoline prices aren’t helping things either.
Really, it is getting old, the constant stream of horrible conditions being revealed that our veterans returning from the Middle East are enduring. The latest video to publicize the issue shows the terrible conditions those fighting our wars are forced to live in…while defense contractors and certain politicians get rich off the wars.
Officers live separate from enlisted soldiers, mind you. But, what kind of leader lives in comfort at home while those soldiers that officer is responsible for live in squalor as bad or worse than the conditions his or her soldiers endured during the war? No leader worth a damn by any measure of the definition.
It is time for Majors, Colonels, Generals, the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Defense to be held accountable and for people to start losing their rank and jobs. People put in positions of trust and authority are showing they have no responsibility to the men and women we send to fight on our behalf. It is time to see the dismissal of field grade officers all the way up the chain of command, including the commanders of the 82nd Airborne Division and the XVIII Airborne Corps, FORSCOM and higher.
I’m a former infantryman myself, and find this beyond insulting to our soldiers. Infantrymen are famous for enduring harsh conditions and making things happen, getting things done, for not whining about such things as living in a hole scooped out of the sand for months, or slogging through jungles, or for patrolling the side of snowy mountains when it is -20 to -30 below. Infantrymen are used to the poorest conditions while those in other units have air conditioning and other creature comforts.
But the things shown in that video are an outrage.
Are those veterans to have survived war (often multiple tours) only to come home and fall ill because the Department of Defense is too damned cheap to provide them decent living conditions? Are they going to have to endure lung infections, lead poisoning, bacterial and fungal infections at home in America after having endured incredible hardships abroad fighting for those same stingy, cheap SOB’s leading this country?
What are Company Commanders and Platoon leaders doing, accepting this? Why aren’t they speaking out? Why aren’t Battalion Commanders raising hell about this? The officer corp is showing an incredible lack of balls and leadership on this. Is this how they think of and treat the soldiers they led in battle?
It is time to see heads roll. This is not an isolated incident, but one example of a long string of incompetent and gross miscarriages of decency in the military. First veterans were enduring terrible conditions at Walter Reed hospital. Next, they are being starved in Iraq. Now, they are living among mold, fungus, rust, peeling lead paint and shit.
OK, it has been more than a year has passed since the Walter Reed debacle, and yet nothing has changed. The Pentagon is doing absolutely nothing about this sort of thing which is endemic in the military.
Write your representative in Congress and voice your outrage at this. Better yet, write the President in the White House and let him know what a pathetic excuse of a human being he is (and a piss-poor Commander in Chief) for sending our soldiers to fight and risk their lives for this country and making them have to come home to these despicable conditions.
The sad thing is that right now, Company Commanders, First Sergeants, and Sergeant Majors are probably chewing soldiers’ asses, making them jump through hoops to slap paint on stuff, making them clean and repair buildings that should have been already in good shape for returning soldiers who have just endured the horrors of war—to cover up and prevent further examples from making their way into the public eye.
It is time to see those in high places lose their jobs and rank. When you vacate your leadership and responsibility you don’t deserve the rank, pay, or trappings of that office or rank.
The Global What the Hell on Terror is showing everything that is ugliest about America, and unfortunately, everything that is embarrassing us around the world is the fault of piss-poor leaders in the military officer corp, among our politicians, and in the greed of the military-industrial complex.
These days, our President, our Congress, our Generals and Admirals, our intelligence agencies, and our corporations are an embarrassment to everything it means to be American.
Listen to a Grassfire.org audio interview with Dr. Jerome Corsi who attended the recent ‘leaders summit’ in New Orleans where the leaders of Mexico, Canada and the USA met recently. According to Dr. Corsi, the “multi-national corporate agenda” that seeks to abolish sovereignty in the Americas is at it again, all the while attempting to hide the SPP (Security and Propserity Partnership) from the public in an effort to hide their goals from the citizens of the countries involved.
Interesting things get mentioned, such as Mexicans’ rights in America, and a new Mexican consulate in New Orleans—which is set to become an enlarged port with an increased role in the SPP as a result of larger amounts of shipping traffic set to come through the new and enlarged Panama Canal. You may have heard about the Columbian free trade agreement in the works (or not) which is just another example of how the SPP and globalist corporations and individuals are putting their pieces together to take advantage of Latin America again—much like the Spanish Conquistadors once did.
Preparations For A Pan-American Empire?
The Panama Canal and New Orleans are just one example of how our government used a convenient tragedy in the form of hurricane Katrina to push ahead its vision of a pan-American union.
You think the rain forests are in trouble now? You think the people of Latin America have been taken advantage of before? This time around, it will be even worse, and there will be complicity in the governments of many countries. Perhaps this is why there is an increasing backlash against democracy in South America, you think? How is it that capitalism and democracy have not lured everyone in the world into embracing it whole-heartedly with American fervor?
I’ll tell you how: not everyone likes the idea of getting screwed over by their government, and in those countries in South America, they have not grown accustomed to lives as soccer-moms and cubicle-bound dads and comfortable air conditioned consumerism. They, unlike Americans, are still willing to fight and risk their lives to hold politicians and unjust systems to account because they aren’t fearful of losing a high standard of living. Sure, there are crooked and inept governments in the region, but so what—American government has become as corrupt as any on the face of this planet. Americans only fight when global economic interests are threatened.
Even Canadians Are Upset About It
Canadian police dressed up as demonstrators in order to incite violence and discredit anti-SPP protesters. Take a look for yourself at the ‘fake’ protesters getting arrested. Shouldn’t you worry when government tries to discredit and silence those who don’t like its policies and want to quell debate about the SPP?
American Workers Will Continue Under An Artificially Depressed Economy
The implications of the SPP will benefit huge corporations while hurting American workers. This is part of the reason our government is doing nothing about illegal immigration. Our government, along with the governments of Canada and Mexico, are attempting to blend and blur any lines of distinction between the three countries in an effort to gain trade superiority in the world over the EU, China and the Asian-Pacific rim countries.
None of which will benefit the average American. It will fatten the pockets of the wealthy quite nicely, however. For Americans, it will only mean the continuation of an artificially depressed economy with artificially depressed wages, more inflation, increased taxes as we continue paying the cost of the government condoned influx of illegal aliens.
Why isn’t our border locked down tight 7 years into our global war on terror? Does anyone believe for a minute there aren’t enough Americans or that we don’t have the technology to do it? Our political leaders and the business leaders in this country have sold Americans out and will not address the issue in a way that will stop it. It does not fit with their plan.
But, what about the arguments that our own government makes that the SPP will improve things for Americans?
The Convenient Lies Of The SPP
Just what is the SPP about? Here is some background on it.
Here’s an excerpt from the White House on the recent SPP gathering, but which the three leaders were careful to portray as something else in order to deceive the American people. Note this section about SECURITY and how it does not mention a SINGLE INSTANCE OR EXAMPLE of addressing the issue of illegal immigration:
* To make our borders smarter and more secure, we are coordinating our long-term infrastructure plans and are taking steps to enhance services, and reduce bottlenecks and congestion at major border crossings. In this regard, we are working to coordinate the efforts of federal agencies to enhance capacity at major border crossing points, such as Detroit-Windsor and San Diego-Tijuana. We are deepening cooperation on the development and application of technology to make our border both smarter and more secure, as well as strengthen trusted traveler and shipper programs. We will seek to allocate resources efficiently so as to avoid unnecessary inspections. We are exploring new customs procedures, such as a more uniform filing procedure, with the aim of reducing transactional costs while enhancing the security of our borders. We are cooperating to install advanced screening equipment at ports of entry to deter and detect the smuggling of nuclear and radiological materials. The United States and Canada are working to finalize a framework agreement to govern cross-border maritime enforcement operations in shared waterways. All of these efforts will help us more effectively facilitate the legal flow of people and goods across our shared borders while addressing threats to our safety.
Notice in fact, the bold face used for “stronger and secure” in the release is how it was released on The White House website. But notice that not once does our own government acknowledge that illegal immigration or our border with Mexico is a threat to this nation, nor do they address those issues at all in the entire press release!
President Bush meets with his counterpart from Mexico to discuss freedom and security, but it does not apparently concern real security, only expediting the flow of goods through border crossings, by eliminating unnecessary inspections—which will probably be the elimination of those inspections that reduce the ability of those so inclined to carry terrorists and drugs across our borders.
But we will have cheap lettuce available. How delightful.
Further on you see this…
We also share a common purpose to strengthen our hemispheric institutions and consultative processes.
Our hemispheric institutions? I thought according to the US Constitution, we were the United States of America, but I don’t recall We the People applying to those nations and states who do not share our Constitution. When did We the People turn into We the People of the USA, Canada and Mexico? I don’t recall getting to vote on that one, do you?
Further on in the release, we see that in the event of disasters, they want to facilitate the movement of people and goods across the borders. What?
* To improve our response to emergencies, we are updating our bilateral agreements to enable our local, State, Provincial, and Federal authorities to help each other quickly and efficiently during times of crisis and great need, including responding to threats posed by cyber or chemical-biological attacks. We have made significant progress in discussions for new bilateral emergency management agreements to help manage the movement of goods and people across the border during and after an emergency. We will explore ways to expand cooperation in North America to the trilateral level.
Short of an apocalyptic event, such as nuclear winter or Yellowstone erupting and destroying North America in the first place, what possible reason could there be for such a need? If either of those things happens, it is likely that all those unhappy with the current form of government will take the opportunity to finish off what is underway and rebuild a different nation anyway.
Seriously, are they expecting gas attacks in the desert of New Mexico or WMD’s to target the desolate stretch of nothing along the Rio Grande in west Texas?
What we are seeing is the foundation that will allow the governments to allow massive numbers of foreigners into our nation, including foreign troops, being laid. The pretext of the next hurricane or rising sea levels or drought or some other convenient incident will be used to bring large numbers of non-citizens into our nation, who will then be granted more amnesty or citizenship status on the back of sympathy sentiments that accompany such disasters and their aftermath.
Alternately, it might allow us to send troops into Mexico or Canada—and while there, perhaps find new and convenient bases, perhaps under the guise of providing stability operations.
Why All The Effort To Hide The SPP Meeting?
You see, the press release from the White House mentions the SPP and NAFTA both and shows that this meeting was a meeting indeed of the SPP. However, the actual conference where the leaders gathered together on the 22nd of April in New Orleans tried to hide mention of the SPP. They did not want the American public getting stirred up about the issue.
They don’t want Americans standing in the way of the globalist agenda with its “hemispheric institutions” and loss of American sovereignty. That would mean globalists and multi-national corporations would not have as many opportunities to rape other nations and grow wealthy off the backs of the poor just like the good old days of conquest.
The chance for Americans who don’t agree with the direction of our nation to do something about it is rapidly passing us by. Whether or not you want to let that happen, you should at least weigh the matter in your mind and consider the implications not only to yourself, but to future generations. Consider, also, those who have gone before us and risked all to form the USA—not a globalist empire.
It might help you weigh the matter if you order Dr. Corsi’s latest book, The Late Great U.S.A. while you are visiting the Grassfire web site.
SPP Is North American Union Globalists Paint As Conspiracy Theory
A lot of people, including President Bush, have accused those who are speaking out against a North America Union of being conspiracy theorists in order to discredit them in the eyes and ears of the public.
Globalist and those seeking to create a North American Union are using the SPP as policy to circumvent a public discussion about the issue. Listen to President Fox talking about a trade union for all of the Americas. Listen to Bush’s words and his disdain for the very policies he is implementing and yet denies. The April 22nd press release specifically points out the intent to increase traffic and flow of people across the borders in a more open manner.
It is more than Ron Paul talking about it. Other leaders in politics and the media are mentioning this. Take a look for yourself and stop hiding behind the sort of ignorance mainstream media and politicians with this pan-American/globalist agenda seek to use.
Since the SPP is not being debated by Congress, it is skirting the laws of America (and doing the same in Mexico and Canada) and not held accountable to the American people. The people who were against the European Union when talk first began about it were called crazy and conspiracy theorists. Yet, watch the above video and listen to a Mexican President talking about long term plans for all of the things leading to just such a union…currency, labor unions, etc. And go read that White House press release and see how it talks about cross-border maritime operations and all of the myriad other things which have nothing whatsoever to do with the integrity or security of America and which are not being approved by Congress or the individual states.
Open your eyes America. It is almost too late. Even Mexico’s President has family living in America as illegal aliens…
The McCain campaign said Obama was being dishonest when he took issue with McCain’s statement that great economic progress had been made in the past 7 years. Is it Obama’s fault if McCain is either too blind or ignorant to see the recession that has been looming all around for the past two years (though the argument could be made it has been gathered on the horizon for much longer)?
I don’t particularly like Senator Obama and don’t particularly want him to be the next President. However, if it turns out he is the only candidate who doesn’t have his or her head in the sand, then why not?
McCain is still misleading the American people on immigration, saying he will change the status quo. Sure he will—by offering amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.
At least the Democrats are honest about saying that is indeed what they want to do. McCain wants to get elected and then do it the old fashioned way–telling you a lie while doing the very opposite of what he says behind closed doors.
I won’t be voting for McCain, Obama, or Clinton in the upcoming election. Once again, there is no candidate in the Presidential race who represents anything I believe in or value. There has never been any such thing as real choice in this country and never will be. The party system is the reason.
Time To Target Election Laws
The laws aimed at keeping people off the ballots need to be targeted. The reason there is never real change in America is because there is never any real choice or any real candidate who stands for something different than the same old elitist, capitalist, consumerism and oil advocates running for office.
Why should someone need a certain number of signatures on a petition or a certain amount of money to stand for political office of any level? How does one get 100,000 signatures on a petition to end up on a ballot when one is not famous or has not had an existing career in politics or the money to be able to quit their job and go about campaigning to spread ideas? Oh, sure—there are ways to do it, but the point is WHY?
If 1,000 people in one county want to run for President, why shouldn’t they be allowed to do so? If there are less people in that entire county than the law requires to get on a ballot, why should any of those people have to have that many signatures? Shouldn’t the people actually have the right to choose who best represents their values and ideals to lead them in a democracy, and not be limited to the choice of someone not even from their region who shares none of their values?
Shouldn’t we have elections that put the most qualified person forward for our highest office at the county/parish level in every American state, who then contest for the office at a state level before going on to contest on a national level? Wouldn’t it make sense to make any candidate for President actually be the choice of his entire state—after he or she has competed against the best person put forward by every county in that state? Wouldn’t more choices be better for us than having fewer?
Why do Oklahomans have to choose between an Arizona Senator who wants to give our country away to foreign invaders, a carpetbagging Senator from New York who misstates everything imaginable on a regular basis, and a Senator with no experience and a disdain for those who believe in freedoms and liberties afforded them under the Constitution?
I wonder–does anyone else feel like they have absolutely no representation in government and no chance of having a leader for their country who will actually serve the people instead of a political party or special interests with money?
The Right Of People To Self-Governance
You know, with Kosovo gaining independence and now Russia moving to further establish legal relations with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, perhaps the international stage is right for many groups in America to consider seeking paths to self-governance. South Ossetia for example, has a population of about 100,000…considerably less than a whole lot of American cities.
What about the notion that the United States is illegally occupying the Confederate States of America, for example? What if Southerners decided they wanted the occupiers out…like Palestinians? Would international sympathy be there for the cause? What if Libertarians lived in a large region and decided, hey, we all share a common culture and beliefs and political ideals that are not the same as those expressed by new laws or the actions of the government of the USA? Shouldn’t they have the same right to self-governance as other ethnic, racial, political, social, religious and regional groups around the world?
Perhaps, it is time for those of us dissatisfied with America’s government and its direction to come up with a region and a plan for relocating large numbers of people there, creating an enclave of our own and taking steps to recreate the economy, agriculture, customs, trade relations, industry as much as we can within the framework of existing US law. Then, when enough people live there and are in agreement, seek the natural political course that people who share common bonds are entitled to.
This is not the sort of country I or my ancestors fought for in order to create or sustain. That’s the problem, however, with modern civilization. Everything is a system, a political and economic game, designed to keep you disillusioned until you are too old and weary to do anything about it. And so it goes, generation after generation—children growing up with fewer freedoms, liberties, less resources, more national debt, more injustice, less real security, more social problems, higher costs of living, more expectations, more laws and crooked judges and lawyers to misuse them, less representation in government, and a greater loss of culture and heritage.
But, keep in mind, that everything has an end at some point. Everything…
The company is hoping to build a community experience around the biodiesel industry and has some new forums that have just gone live. If you’re interested in helping the adoption of renewable fuels along I hope you will read the article on Red Herring and then visit the Fillmore Fuels website at: http://www.fillmorefuels.com/
[Note: The link to the company's site was miswritten in the HTML code in the article, so I have included it here. I sent a note to Red Herring about the link issue and am sure they will correct it soon.]
[Note: I wish WordPress had better support for embedding videos from other sources besides YouTube, as I had tried to include the video here. Sorry.]
I’m interested in learning more about it since getting an inside glimpse into ethanol production. My hometown is putting in what will become the first ethanol plant owned and operated by a municipal government in the state of Oklahoma. I’ve been to the plant and had a look inside and it is fascinating to hear how the process has gone. The City has no real template for the whole process since no other municipal governments have done this, but things are coming together. There is already another ethanol plant here (not bad for a place with a small population) commercially operated, and the two plants will certainly put the place on the renewable energy map.
It is exciting to see rural economic areas embracing technology and creating renewable energy initiatives. The expected revenue from the plant will do wonders for the community. A lot of people have their eye on the project—people in important places (it might surprise you, just who). Anyway, enjoy the articles!
I stumbled on the Green Steam Engine as I surfed aimlessly around looking at Stirling engine related topics. I just happened to click on a link while browsing the very interesting engine page of the Red Rock Energy website.
This thing uses a patented flexible rod transmission (which is an amazing concept) and generates considerable power in a small package. Just reading about it gave me all sorts of ideas.
Be sure to check out the many photos of it on the site. Alternative energy enthusiasts will probably find their minds racing. There is even a nifty diagram that shows how it can be used to distill water.
Have you ever wondered if there was a quick and easy way to tell whether or not a smaller city or town is apt to be geek friendly and familiar with Open Source? Perhaps you are considering relocating and want to gauge the odds of finding a home for your Open Source skillset?
There is a surprisingly easy way to do so.
[Note: Click on image below to see it in its entirety.]
Head to the office supply stores or computer stores. There is one item you will be looking for…
Who has a better plan than President Bush (or any candidates running for President) on how to deal with illegal immigration and Mexico? Why, The Dumb Blond does.
Since Mexico is probably a bigger threat to the US national security and economy than any other nation, why not take it over? She makes a good point or three…or ten. 1/5th of Mexico’s population lives in the USA, and Mexico wouldn’t survive without our foreign aid and the money sent back to Mexico by those in the USA working.
See for yourself what she has to say in her two part series on How To End Iraq War & Stop Illegals.
The Dumb Blond: Part 1 How To End Iraq War & Stop Illegals
The Dumb Blond: Part 2 How To End Iraq War & Stop Illegals
There is always someone holding the gun or behind the wheel—or standing on the sideline participating in an illegal race.
It’s too bad we don’t allow all Americans over 18 to carry firearms everywhere. Those who would have been culled from the gene pool by their unsocial behavior, wolves and bears in centuries past would be quickly eliminated the moment they tried to get their 15 minutes of fame.
People fail to understand that even without cars and guns and knives, bad things will happen. That’s life. The notion that we are ever going to have a sterile world that never offends or shocks us is ridiculous. Humans are animals and will fight and kill just like animals. All the laws in the world won’t change it.
The problem isn’t the gun or the vehicle. It is the person in control of those things, their mindset, their needs and actions that lead to these tragedies.
If you make it harder for someone bent on killing to get a gun, they’ll use something else. Removing a gun from the equation only makes it harder to kill more people easily—and that is what people fear. It is not that someone might die—just so long as it isn’t half a dozen or several dozen.
So what happens when people start killing with tire irons or screwdrivers? Do we scream to make them illegal as well?
You don’t solve problems by avoiding the root issues and blaming inanimate objects which can do nothing by themselves. Yet, the world wants to delude itself into thinking that is just what needs to be done.
How come no one is clamoring to make cars illegal?
I’ll tell you why. People are willing to sacrifice those things they do not personally feel they need or use regularly. Thus, non-gun owners are more than willing to suggest everyone else should give up their guns.
Yet, cars are involved in the deaths of more people than guns in America and they don’t want to give them up. Why? Americans are more than willing to sacrifice freedoms and liberties and rights if it is convenient, but they aren’t about to if it means having to give up the means to haul their lazy out of shape ass back and forth to their cubicles and the fast-food drive-through window.
I originally was going to use “cars kill more people than guns in America…” to be sarcastic, but then some moonbat will accuse me of being a hypocrite with my views or something. Better to just nip it in the bud.
Seed Newsvine
