Negligent parents, taxing pop, Fathers Day: Lane Graves, Philadelphia, Dads binoculars

Orlando alligator attack: charges unlikely for Lane Graves' parents - AL.com

In 'my world' these parents should be arrested, charged, tried and, if convicted, put in jail. Kids are a huge responsibility and if a care-giver - be it a parent, or grandparent, or uncle, or aunt, or daycare worker - fails to protect a child from alligators, or traffic, or disease, or sugary foods, or 'troubled' people - then they should at least be charged with negligence.

The parents of 2 year old Lane Grave's allowed their child to wade in a body of water clearly signed "No swimming" - how much cleared could it be? No swimming means stay out of the water. No doubt Lane's parents will excuse themselves because the sign didn't read "No swimming because there are alligators in the water". And the local sheriff will excuse him or herself from performing their duty because they hold elected positions and arresting the parents of a dead child is likely to lose them votes in the next election.


Philadelphia to bring in 'soda tax' to fight obesity - BBC News

Congrats to the people of Philadelphia who successfully forced a 'sugar levy' on companies that manufacture sugar-filled, carbonated soft drinks. And shame on those same soft drink companies, led by multimillionaire Harold Honickman, for spending millions of dollars to fight for their right to poison Americans.


Dad's binoculars taught us to look deeply at the little things and dream big - Gary Luton, Globe and Mail

In advance of Father's Day I thought I share with you a lovely tribute to fathers.

Eat then pump it out, North is not the top, Pistorius wants our tears

"Stomach-pumping weigh-loss device approved for use in the U.S." - CTV NEWS

At first I though this was a late arriving April Fools Joke but no. The AspireAssist system, which consists of a tube implanted in the stomach, is design to pump all or most of the meal you just ate out of your stomach and into the toilet.

Evidently there are millions of Americans who have tried every weight-loss method and failed.

Well, I just invented a weight-loss plan that is guaranteed to work - EAT LESS / EXERCISE MORE!


"There's no good reason for "North" being at the top of maps" - BBC News

Interesting article by Caroline Williams of the BBC - interesting for me anyway. She says that putting 'North' at the top of maps and photos etc. was a completely arbitrary decision.


Pistorius removes his legs - Globe and Mail

Oscar Pictorius - who was convicted of killing his wife - removed his artificial legs and hobbled into sentencing hearing today. Pleaseeeeeee!

Covetous banks, Red 40, and lessons from the CIA

"Canada's major banks hiking fees while pulling in big profits" - CBC News

TD Bank reported 2nd quarter profits of over $2 billion then raised their ATM fees by 50 cents. And who says there's no profit in crime.


"Toxins in your child's food" - Centre for Science in the Public Interest

Evidently, more than 40 percent of supermarket foods that are marketed to children have Red 40, Yellow 5, or other artificial dyes. Dyes which are design to simulate real fruit, but more importantly, it causes hyperactivity. Please donate to the Centre for Science in the Public Interest so that they push the Food and Drug Administration to force the food companies to remove Red 40 from the food they market to children.

This retired CIA undercover agent believes that America (and Canada and the rest of the 'Western world) are approaching ISIS all wrong - we are 'pouring kerosene on the fire' in fact. Check out the VIDEO

Like a little Butylated Hydroxyanisole and antibiotics with that Pizza Pizza?

"Pizza Hut said it will remove more artificial ingredients from its pizza pies in the next year at its U.S. restaurants.

The company already removed artificial flavours and colours from its pizzas last year.
Pizza Hut, which has about 6,400 U.S. restaurants, said the preservatives BHA and BHT will be removed from all its meat by next month. Artificial preservatives in cheese will be cut by next year. Chicken used as pizza topping will be free of human antibiotics by March."

Read the story on CTV News

Study finds Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines and Pillsbury lie on packaging

"If we see a slice of cake smothered in frosting on the cake box, we think that is what is normal to serve and eat, but that’s not what is reflected in the serving size recommendation on the nutrition label,” said the paper's lead author John Brand in a press release.

The research was performed by scientists from Cornell University's Food and Brand lab, who looked at more than 50 different cake mix brands.

One of the studies involved included a survey of 72 undergraduates and 44 women in the food-service industry. It found that food-packaging cover art caused both groups to overestimate the recommended serving size. In particular, the food-service professionals did so to the tune of 122 calories.

If consumers actually compared a slice of the delicious-looking cake found on the cover cake-mix boxes to the information on the back, the portion has nearly 135 per cent more calories than the recommended serving, according to the research."

Read the article on CTV New HERE or read the Cornell University study HERE

Hoooray to the people of Vermont state for their GMO labelling law

 

"The Food and Drug Administration says GMOs, which can include food made from seeds that were engineered in laboratories to have certain traits, are safe, but labeling advocates say not enough research has been done and they have a right to know what's in their food. They also say the use of GMOs has led to big increases in herbicide use.

A 2014 Associated Press-GfK poll found that 66 per cent of Americans supported labeling of genetically modified food."

 Pead the story on CTV News
..... then please send an email to your local politician and tell her/him that you have the right to know what is in your food and want GMO labeling.
 

Please protect our children from harmful food dye

According to the Centre for Science in the Public Interest, "A number of studies -- and an emerging scientific consensus -- demonstrate that some children experience episodes of inattention, hyperactivity, and other harmful behavioral effects following exposure to synthetic dyes. Many of these dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6, require warning labels in Europe because of adverse health effects. Yet the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has failed to act to ban these cheap, synthetic chemicals with no nutritional or essential value from food


Please sign our petition asking the FDA to ban synthetic food dyes in the United States, and, in the meantime, to require a warning label on dye-containing foods and beverages."

To  sign the petition, click  HERE

Finally! And easy way to keep track of our sugar intake

"Developed by a Montreal digital agency in conjunction with University of Toronto nutritionists, “One Sweet App” holds a database of common grocery store items, such as juices, cereals and desserts, and their free sugar contents. If a user scans an unlisted item, a researcher will calculate its free sugar content and add it to the database.

Earlier this year, The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report saying that free sugars should only make up about 10 per cent of an individual’s total daily energy intake."

... congrats to Natalie Bibeau for creating this app (on iTunes). Check out the story on CTV News

Coca Cola lied!

"The U.S. Center for Science in the Public Interest, a health advocacy group that filed the suit with private law firms on behalf of consumers in 2009, had noted that Vitaminwater drinks have 33 grams of sugar and negligible amounts of juice, despite coming in flavours such as kiwi-strawberry and acai blueberry pomegranate."

Thank you The Centre for Science in the Public Interest for catching Coke's big lie

Read the story in The Province

Worms are yummy to eat!

Read the story in the LA Times

Evidently, "Mealworms and superworms are rich in protein, amino acids and vitamins and minerals like potassium and iron. Plus, they have less fat and cholesterol than beef,"  says Ms. Harris -Lovett of the LA Times

Diabetes is curable without medication

246 million people in the world suffer from the pandemic called diabetes. The American Diabetes Association says the "Diabetes is a chronic disease for which there is no cure" .... Yet these folks cured their diabetes without medication... Find out HOW

This is enough to make me a vegetarian!

First I all but give up eating red meat (cholesterol, steroids, antibiotics, inhumane raising and slaughtering practices)... then fish (mercury, estrogen).... now I find out that chicken contains arsenic...

"This cancer-causing toxic chemical, that in high doses could kill you, is actually being added to chicken feed on purpose, giving store-bought chicken the illusion of healthy coloring and plump appearance. Shockingly, this is the case with more than 70 percent of all U.S. chickens!"

Read the story on MSN

Congrats to New York for 'salt warnings'

Good for you New York City for at least considering requiring restaurants to place 'high salt content' warnings on their menus.

I'm not in favour of government interference in our lives but sometimes it is necessary. If it weren't for government people would still be smoking in hospitals, movie theatres, bars, parks, etc.

Read the story on the BBC News

Fewer ingredients = better food

"The scientific community and consumers get that food that is less processed and closer to a more natural state, made from the kind of ingredients that you can understand, are better for you," says Panera CEO Ron Shaich.

Read the story on CTV News

"I'm Popeye the sailorman - I'm strong to the finish 'cause I eat me spinach!"

"The first records of spinach can be traced to Persia sometime in the years 226 to 640 A.D. and was well documented by 647 A.D. when it was introduced to China as a gift from the king of Nepal. Referred to as the “Persian Green,” spinach was widely cultivated in the Sassanid Empire and soon spread throughout Asia and Europe. It reached Italy in the 9^th century via invading Saracens and reached Spain in the 11^th century, introduced by the Moors. By the Middle Ages, spinach was grown and sold throughout the rest of Europe, and in England, was known as the “Spanish vegetable,” for a time.

A contender for the most nutritious food in the world, spinach is packed full of iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and calcium. But the list does not end there, it also contains a host of minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants that help purify, cleanse, and restore balance to the body."

..... http://spinachsite.com/history-of-spinach

.... Ahhhh! but the question is, will daily portions of spinach prevent or at least slow my eventual blindness? Will update you after my next doctor's appointment on the 3rd of May 2016.

Are you nuts Minute Maid!

Hypertension soup for Boomers - Toronto - 11:56

Just handed a free sample of Minute Maid's Ready to Serve soup... It contains a whopping 660 mg of sodium! That's half the daily max for Boomers. Why don't they just hand out blood pressure medication at the same time.