I have seen more photos and videos of naked ex-girlfriends online from jilted men than I ever though imaginable. Today a woman filed suit against Yahoo for hosting naked pictures of her that her ex-boyfriend posted. Evidently, he created a profile for her, complete with the pictures and also impersonated her, communicating with men that contacted her. Random men would show up at he office expecting a sexual liaison. She, apparently, had asked Yahoo to remove the profile multiple times, but they had refused.
I still cannot believe women let men photograph them and video tape them in sexual positions and then lose track of the pictures or tape before a breakup. In the days before Internet, this probably wouldn't be such a big deal, but in the digital age, one has to be a little more cautious. Ex lovers can just be so sweet sometimes.
Speaking of sweet, recent studies have also concluded that Americans drink the bulk of their caloric intake. Yes, that's right, at one time it was from white bread, but now it's from soda. Drink up, kids. Did you know that there's a statistical probability that you will get a partially dissolved rat in your soda can? I learned this from a food law attorney. Apparently, settling the lawsuits over these occurrences is built into the soda manufacturers' operating budget for the year. Mmmmm, tasty.
I am currently in the section of the book Fast Food Nation where the author discusses slaughter house practices and such. He doesn't really focus on any potential animal cruelty or anything like that - or if he does I'm not there yet. His focus, presently, is more on how the meat processing plants try to get everything done as quickly and cheaply as possible, which causes much higher rates of contamination and injury to the workers. I guess most of the workers are uneducated immigrants - you know the type of people you would probably not trust to take care of your child, are helping to prepare his/her food. In any event, it takes a certain amount of time and skill to get the cleaning of the animal down so that the intestines and such don't get serrated and contaminate the meat or the carving instrument. Unfortunately, there is such a high turnover in the plants and the speed is so demanding that few carvers ever get it consistently right. Reading it makes it difficult for me to consume meat only because I now know the potential contamination rates, and that the industry polices itself and is known to lie. Good times. I can't give up meat, man. I love it too damn much.
I have no idea where I will be this weekend. Hopefully, it will not involve me sitting at home on my couch. I hope everyone else has a splendid weekend.
I still cannot believe women let men photograph them and video tape them in sexual positions and then lose track of the pictures or tape before a breakup. In the days before Internet, this probably wouldn't be such a big deal, but in the digital age, one has to be a little more cautious. Ex lovers can just be so sweet sometimes.
Speaking of sweet, recent studies have also concluded that Americans drink the bulk of their caloric intake. Yes, that's right, at one time it was from white bread, but now it's from soda. Drink up, kids. Did you know that there's a statistical probability that you will get a partially dissolved rat in your soda can? I learned this from a food law attorney. Apparently, settling the lawsuits over these occurrences is built into the soda manufacturers' operating budget for the year. Mmmmm, tasty.
I am currently in the section of the book Fast Food Nation where the author discusses slaughter house practices and such. He doesn't really focus on any potential animal cruelty or anything like that - or if he does I'm not there yet. His focus, presently, is more on how the meat processing plants try to get everything done as quickly and cheaply as possible, which causes much higher rates of contamination and injury to the workers. I guess most of the workers are uneducated immigrants - you know the type of people you would probably not trust to take care of your child, are helping to prepare his/her food. In any event, it takes a certain amount of time and skill to get the cleaning of the animal down so that the intestines and such don't get serrated and contaminate the meat or the carving instrument. Unfortunately, there is such a high turnover in the plants and the speed is so demanding that few carvers ever get it consistently right. Reading it makes it difficult for me to consume meat only because I now know the potential contamination rates, and that the industry polices itself and is known to lie. Good times. I can't give up meat, man. I love it too damn much.
I have no idea where I will be this weekend. Hopefully, it will not involve me sitting at home on my couch. I hope everyone else has a splendid weekend.
Thanks for the thoughts on soda...now that I've had two of them tonight. And I don't usually drink soda. I knew there were acceptable standards for percentage of rat droppings, maggots, and even rat parts included in various foods. Didn't know it was a possible, never mind acceptable, component of liquids too. ... Thanks also for trying to ruin my cookout ideas for the weekend with the meat discussion. Fortunately, since I have neither a grill nor meat to grill upon it, your arguments are persuasive but are considered moot in view of the lack of utility in this case.
ReplyDeleteKind of encourages you to believe in the idea that we, and everything else in creation, is all composed of the same material anyway. Stardust. Stardust consuming other stardust, in turn being consumed by other stardust, breaking down to be consumed yet again. Not terribly comforting, but it's better than nothing.
Finally, The Examiner recommends playing with others, eating fine grilled contaminants, possibly drinking fine brewed yeast urine - for that's what ethyl alcohol is, after all - but if nothing else, remembering those that have been lost, those who Memorial Day is really about. All these things can be done in other places than on your couch.
Ah, yes. The revelations of food quality standards. Two months ago I read The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair. Many students read this in school, but I hadn't. It discusses many of the same things you described -- speed & danger of slaughterhouses, gross stuff ending up in the processed meats, etc. I was shocked as much as any Jungle reader, but I comforted myself with the belief that all the horrible conditions were corrected by Congress shortly after The Jungle was published. Things have CERTAINLY improved -- meatpackers who are killed in workplace accidents don't end up in our meats anymore -- but there's still a long way to go, isn't there?
ReplyDeleteAnd in my dealings with food microbiologists, I've learned that the government doesn't even regulate how to do pathogen testing. If you run a chicken nugget factory, you have to do Salmonella testing. And the government will punish you if they find Salmonella when they spot-check your products a couple times per year. But it's up to you to decide how you will do the testing. Some of my customers are using 100-year-old techniques that have been proven long ago to suffer from extreme false-negative rates (>50%) even though there's newer technology that can give you less than 10% false-negatives for the same cost. They stick with the old methods because they don't want the test to come out positive. A positive Salmonella result, after all, usually means a huge product recall.
Why is it that everything has to be about the bottom line? That's why 'corporate citizens' can suck just as much as human citizens. The unscrupulous ones have no concept of human interests regarding the use of their products, except that we're their market and they're interested in generating our interest in said products that they may become more wealthy as a result of our purchase of said products. What happens after we consumers acquire their goods and services, they could care less, as long as the cost of a problem is lower than the cost of fixing or improving the situation before it becomes a problem. Charitability and social responsibility, even when practiced by corporate citizens that really are honest and reputable and not unscrupulous in their business practices, are eclipsed by the irresponsibilities practiced by other corporate citizens, especially the ones in the same industry. Seems to me that the punishment for such irresponsible business practices should be much more than a slap on the wrist - negative press, sanctions and/or massive tariffs on goods and services from offenders, and even harsher measures would be good.
ReplyDeleteIn the company I used to work for, if the FDA discovered that we didn't have our in-house -paperwork- right about our products before shipping, they could lock the doors to the plant and shut us down. The company is in the medical devices field, producing instruments that work with blood products. ... Seems to me that the food industry also develops products that work with blood products, even if they happen to be biodegradable - things which my former employer did not produce (sutures, medicines, etc.), although other companies in the medical industry do produce such things, which are also held to the same stringent requirements that ours were held to. Maybe the FDA should hold the food industry to the same standards as the medical devices industry. It would make things much more interesting, to say the least.
Btw, did anyone hear anything about the man who got shot up with a syringe full of glitter instead of anaesthetic he was supposed to receive before surgery? and who needed a second surgery to remove the glitter? I'm curious to know how that turned out, in light of this topic.
I think I read somewhere in Fast Food Nation that the rate of FDA spot checks is somewhere around 2% of the total amount that goes out or something ridiculously low like that. I also learned that the FDA does not have the power to force the plant to force a recall or to inform local governments where the meat was shipped to. Not only that, generally, when the plant finally does recall the meat, they low ball it by a lot, and then over time they increase the size of the recall. Usually by the time the full recall occurs, all the meat has already been consumed. Most of these recalls are kept entirely out of the press, but if the FDA does happen to report it, the processing plant gets to approve the press release before the FDA can send it.
ReplyDeleteWhy all the special treatment? Because the food companies are HUGE political campaign donors.
J, I'm new to your blog and I've just finished reading several of your previous posts.
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to believe that someone actually spends their time letting the world know what a prejudiced, narrow-minded person you are. Unless the reader agrees with your opinion, they are wrong because your viewpoint is the only one....
In many of your posts, you condemn almost any saying as a cliche and then you use them yourself. As I said, what's right for you is the only thing that's right and the only way to be. Grow up and welcome to the real world. You're speaking to it right now!
By the way, when are you getting out of prison because no one else would have this kind of time to waste.
So who's reality are you in, Reality? You write, "As I said, what's right for you is the only thing that's right and the only way to be." Most people's opinions are indeed their own reality. With today's world being what it is, I think many people spend time sharing thoughts, comments and opinions on the internet so when does that mean someone must be in prison to do so? Talk about bias. Apparently a lot of people have this kind of time to waste given the amount of comments on this blog site! ...myself included! ... and yourself included as well since you took the time to read them!
ReplyDeleteReality: it seems as though you took two of my thoughts and incorporated them into your own, however, my comments were never meant to hurt anyone; just to make them see things as they really are.
ReplyDeleteYou used the knife and twisted it!
I don't know what it is about your blog, J, but you have quite a knack for bringing out extreme responses from your readers! Everyone seems to feel very strongly---people's posts have been either very positive or very negative toward any given subject matter. I think it's very good that people don't sugar-coat what they feel here---they say it like it is. You've created a very unique environment and brought together very direct people. Lukewarm never interested me and I'm guessing everyone else here feels the same.
ReplyDeleteg, this is for you----
ReplyDeleteSometimes to reach another person who is not seeing the light, one has to be a bit more drastic to help wake them up....If they do not hear the whisper, then you speak a little louder. If they still do not hear you, then you might have to shout.....and not usually once will be enough!
anonymous--this is for you----
ReplyDeleteI only skimmed them.......
Yet, I do see your point about the prison comment being biased and I agree with you now.....I appreciate your catching it for me and will try to be more objective in as far as one can be when expressing their opinion and perspective!
Reality: Good to hear your replies..it shows you can take constructive critiscism and I'll take you up on the "shouting" deal. You made a good point.
ReplyDeleteReality, I liked your follow-up responses to G and Anonymous. It was good of you to explain yourself and your reasons for saying what you said. Well-done!
ReplyDeleteg--this is for you---
ReplyDeleteIs not life all about learning and growing?!! We are here to help each other do just that!!
I will try to shout quieter next time anyway........
Tao--this is for you----
ReplyDeleteWhat a great name---It means: "The Way" It is going with the flow of life, followig the flow of life. (Chinese philosophy)
As your name implies you are quite the diplomat, as well as very soothing to the situation!
Reality: You're just too good to be true! (cliche)
ReplyDeleteYay! Everyone! Group hug time!
ReplyDeleteHey J:
ReplyDeleteHow about it? Group hug time! After all, it is your blog.
g--this is for you---
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the name of a song? Then you can use it since it might not be a cliche.
Thanks for it not being just a cliche or it could have been discounted........
I think you all need a blog of your own so that you can spend time enjoying each other, and leave mine alone.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that you don't like my perspective, reality. However, that's only you expressing your perspective. In the end, I go back to what I initially said, if you don't like it, don't read it. It's not your job to make me see your light.
There he goes again. It's a blog, designed to discuss whatever the hell J wants to discuss. He is honest with his entries as he sees it. The discussion on the issues is appreciated as it is designed for just that. When you respond to a post, why do you feel the need to degrade the one writing the entry? It's a fucking blog people and it's his. Discussion is good but please do not degrade the author, it lacks class and substance. Don't make me Jersey your ass.
ReplyDeleteSass
Fast Food Nation actually turned me into a vegetarian for a month (HUGE deal for me), until one day I was walking out of the movies and just really felt like getting a Whopper at the Burger King. It was the cool Burger King on E.86th St., where literally everytime I go I see an almost-fist-fight break out between a customer and a counterperson.
ReplyDeleteum, was about to comment on your post, and noticed the crazy comments before me... yikes!
ReplyDeleteseems to me like a couple people are using your site to start sh*t, instead of writing on their OWN blog...
anyways, i read fast food nation. interesting stuff! have you seen super-size me? also interesting... and gross.
and that rat thing... that's just nasty. i'll just be throwing away the rest of my diet sprite.......
This blog is turning into quite the (amusing) forum. I'm glad to see that; it's an indicator that the owner is at least patient with those that post. And it's quite funny to read from people attempting to argue the validity of the posts others make by challenging their character or the nature of what they write, rather than the content of what they write, e.g. the emotional argument rather than the intellectual argument.
ReplyDelete