Steps To Take

There are a lot of animal rights laws out there, but a lot of people want separate rules and laws for marine animals. This part is very tricky because rules and regulations for fishing either does not exist, or is actually very weak and not enforced very well.

Here are a few suggestions that I’ve taken off the Monterey Bay Aquarium website (here) that can help improve these regulations because as we all know, yes there are plenty of other fishes in the sea, but that does not mean it’s an unlimited amount of fish out there.

First off, there needs to be a catching limit, especially on those fishes that aren’t even in season and laying more eggs. If you catch as much as you now and leave no offspring’s to grow, what are you going to catch later on?

Second, illegal fishing needs to stop. I understand placing the word illegal over something just makes people want it more, (people want what they can’t have) but some species might be endangered or have high levels of mercury within them. They’re illegal for a reason.

Third, get better fishing gear. It’s easy to catch fishes in bunches but what are the chances of you catching something you’re not supposed to? Very high chances since you’re reaping up everything. A lot of turtles get caught this way with no way of escaping.

Fourth, there should be certain areas where fishing is not allowed. I will be honest, I have no idea how this works but again if you click on this link here, you will get the idea.

Last but not least, something I have mentioned many times before. Just be cautious of what you eat and where they’re from. Support Eco-friendly restaurants to help the environment. A little help goes a long way.

Published by Susana

Man, it's time for a change!

Every time I step out of the house, I make a decision about whether to do the right thing or to go back to my old ways. I used to never think before I acted. I've done shady things that I really regret. I ended up getting kicked out of multiple high schools and everything. After a while, positive figures began to come into my life influencing me to think in a more positive manner. I began to attend programs that uplift young men in the Oakland community. I learned that if i keep thinking positive it will benefit me in the future.
So far, from the act of thinking positive I have graduated high school and Job Corps. I have also even started to began a more healthy diet to better my health. Listen to these motivating words from Will Smith. I plan on maintaining and building up this positive attitude for the better. I hope that all of the young people including my younger siblings looking up to me be like a sponge and soak up all of this positivity. I use to always think it was to late to be positive but I was wrong. I read books and listened to speeches by Maya Angelou and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Dr. Wayne's talks make me think about opening those doors to opportunities in life. Maya Angelou's talks remind me of all the blessings I have received in life. I recommend their talks to everyone but especially to those doing bad right now. Check'em out and leave a comment saying what you think.

-Relly

Right Next Door From The Factory Farm

Fur is one of the oldest ways people have worshiped and styled. The ancient Egyptians used fur for upholstery. Later lion and leopard furs were worn by Siam priests draped over a shoulder when they performed special rituals. Several leopard skin outfits have been found in the tomb of Tutankhamen, which a pharaoh might wear in his other role as a priest.
In today's world, fur has taken a more fashionable path. Just like factory farms, fur farms raise their animals for profit. To cut costs, fur farmers pack animals into tiny cages; this causes the animals to become distraught. Due to the stress, most animals turn to self mutilation by biting at their skin, tails, and feet. Cages are often housed in giant filthy sheds or barns where the ammonia from the animals' accumulated urine and feces burns their eyes and lungs.

Animals on fur factory farms are fed meat products unfit for human consumption. Currently no federal slaughter law protects animals on fur factory farms. Generally fur farmers care only about preserving the quality of the fur; they use slaughter methods that keep the pelts intact but that can result in extreme suffering for the animals.
I am a fashion designer who is not against fur but I do understand that these conditions the animals are subjected to are no way in accordance to how they would live in their own habitat. This is something I have to be aware of when decided to design an outfit or costume with fur.

You are what you eat!

Most people that I know decide what they want to eat strictly on how it taste and what they are use to eating. Some people believe that if a food is healthy then it's gross. That is so untrue. I have personally made a shrimp stir fry with under 290 calories and it was banging man. If people were to stop being lazy and really explore whats out there then they could find all of the healthy recipes that are so tasty without all of the toxins and fats. Start thinking about the future and how the extra chemicals and additives take a toll on your body over time. Begin a fresh start with a new diet.

Check out this recipe I found.
My old culinary teacher told me about this recipe because he's big on being healthy and stuff. I followed it and it came out pretty cool. I was surprised how tasting good and being healthy could go together. Go ahead and try it and leave a comment telling how it turned out.

-Relly

Are you really Downe?

Currently most downed animals are sent to slaughter for human food even in their tortured condition. Its crazy how even sick and suffering animals can be sold off to the slaughter or leather house. In the industries defense, there is no profit in euthanizing a suffering animal, but if that animal can be dragged into the slaughterhouse, money can be made. The USDA regulation contains loopholes that allow most cattle that arrive downe at a factories can still be sent to the kill room.

In early 2008, a video exposed California slaughterhouse workers using shock prods, chains, high pressure hoses and even forklifts to move suffering cattle into the slaughterhouse. Changes were needed, the Downed Animal and Food Safety Protection Act has been introduced in Congress. This legislation applies to all farm animals, and is introduced in past legislative sessions, with great support but with little advancement due to intense lobbying by the meat industry.

Salmon For Sale

UGH, you smell every time you come home, what do you do? You work in a fish plant, and raise salmon so we can have it yearly. Man that’s a crappy job because just seeing all those things you do to the fish make you not want to eat it.

Since these fishes are being raised generically and not naturally, there are going to be a lot of things wrong with them. First of all, did you know that when you buy salmon from a store, that very nice pinkish color you see is not really the color of the fish? Don’t get me wrong, that is the color of salmon but what you buy from the store is a LIE. These fishes have been dyed to look that color because generically raised fishes are so unhealthy that they don’t even have the same fresh color as salmon that are naturally caught in season. The salmon aren’t reproducing naturally either. (Be warned, the following will sound very graphic. Reader discretion is advised) Once a female fish is large enough, they cut open the fish and pour the eggs in a tank of water. They then cut open a male fish and use its sperm and mix it with the eggs and wait for the fishes to hatch from their eggs and start the process all over again.

I don’t know about you, but this is enough to make me want to stop eating fish, especially if I had to work in an environment like this and just make this process happen. Just knowing all the types of chemicals I’m putting in my body because not only do they want that fake salmon to look like it’s natural but they also give them chemicals to help them grow faster and to stop some illness and sickness within the fish so they seem edible. Just imagine having to breathe in those toxins everyday just so we can have some fish? That is so not worth it.

Not only do you have to think healthy and eat healthy, sometimes you also have to work healthy. Why? Because if you support industries like this, you are also supporting the fact that these people are ingesting chemicals in their system that are not natural and shouldn’t even be there. Is it also fair for you to work in a place like this as well? I know it’s a job and all but just think about how much toxins you’re breathing in. Tell me what you think about this by leaving a comment.

Published by Susana

Discrimination At Work

Obesity, is it a genetic problem, or does it happen when people just give up on their body? What is the problem with people being overweight? In my eyes, there is nothing wrong with that but some people in the U.S. have a major problem with people who are overweight. Is it okay for your boss to tell you that you no longer have a passion at this job because you have gained a unnecessary amount of weight? Is that okay when these people who employ you do not want you working with them because you are dealing with things in your life? Truthfully it`s not fair for people to discriminate other people because of their weight. Some people just have it in their genes. And then other people eat so much unhealthy food that they just start going through a process that makes them put on pounds. Obesity is the problem in the U.S. and the process to reverse it is can be very difficult. Losing the weight that may categorize us as "fat" or "obese" is a process that needs to involve our eating habits, our families, our community, and our government.
This is mj out catch me next week if you want to learn more info about obesity.

The Buy out

In 2002 exactly 90% of all farms were owned and operated by individuals and families. Only 3.5% were owned by corporations, but many small farms operate under contract to corporations. The farmers may sign away their animals and can be paid to raise them to a contracted age or weight. Then the animals are turned over to the companies for slaughtering.

Agribusiness underwent much consolidation between the 1950s and 1990s. For example, according to the research company Mintel, only three companies controlled nearly 80% of the U.S. cattle slaughter/packing market in 2002: Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., and Swift and Company.

Many corporations have vertically integrated their operations. In other words, they not only own facilities that raise animals, but they also own the facilities that produce feed for them and the facilities that slaughter and process them. Economies of scale—that is, larger volumes—allow corporations to spend less on each of these steps than small farmers do.


Yohan Callen

Free Range Fruitcake

Ingredients

* 1 cup golden raisins
* 1 cup currants
* 1/2 cup sun dried cranberries
* 1/2 cup sun dried blueberries
* 1/2 cup sun dried cherries
* 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
* Zest of one lemon, chopped coarsely
* Zest of one orange, chopped coarsely
* 1/4 cup candied ginger, chopped
* 1 cup gold rum
* 1 cup sugar
* 5 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks)
* 1 cup unfiltered apple juice
* 4 whole cloves, ground
* 6 allspice berries, ground
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup toasted pecans, broken
* Brandy for basting and/or spritzing

Directions

Combine dried fruits, candied ginger and both zests. Add rum and macerate overnight, or microwave for 5 minutes to re-hydrate fruit.

Place fruit and liquid in a non-reactive pot with the sugar, butter, apple juice and spices. Bring mixture to a boil stirring often, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for at least 15 minutes. (Batter can be completed up to this point, then covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before completing cake.)

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients and sift into fruit mixture. Quickly bring batter together with a large wooden spoon, then stir in eggs one at a time until completely integrated, then fold in nuts. Spoon into a 10-inch non-stick loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. If not, bake another 10 minutes, and check again.

Remove cake from oven and place on cooling rack or trivet. Baste or spritz top with brandy and allow to cool completely before turning out from pan.

When cake is completely cooled, seal in a tight sealing, food safe container. Every 2 to 3 days, feel the cake and if dry, spritz with brandy. The cake's flavor will enhance considerably over the next two weeks. If you decide to give the cake as a gift, be sure to tell the recipient that they are very lucky indeed.

Enjoy

check me out next week

Yohan Callen

IT'S NOT THE WAY YOU WORK .........IT'S THE WAY YOU FEEL

Welcome!!! I am back on a new subject again. Now I know this is a common thing how people balance between jobs or school and still maintain to balance situations in your life. Occupational Wellness has something to with urban farming. Why might you ask? Well, because folks who are not people people have to learn to deal with workplace stress by building stronger working relationships with the people around you. How is this related to urban farming? See some people do not understand how important urban farming is to others who do the farming; participation involves seeking out ways to reach their career dreams and highest aspirations so that they can do what they love. When people are doing what they were meant to do, they deepen their sense of meaning and purpose. Some find it hard to find a career that they can enjoy and gain personal satisfaction. Am not saying that you can find that right stressful job by participating in urban farming but it can give you practice in that area. See, your job should value the importance of not only your own personal gratification, but your contribution to the well-being of the community at large. Do y'all get what am talking about because i do not want to get y'all confuse now bare with me. So It's better to develop functional, transferable skills through structured involvement opportunities than to remain inactive and uninvolved. Am just saying you got people who want do nothing at all and i mean nothing. Before i sign out this g-thang ima leave y'all with a nice quote "To love what you do and feel that it matters - how could anything be more fun?"

xoxoxoxo
@----'----
JO-JO

They Tell Us To Eat, Then They Tell Us We're Fat

So let us say I’m watching a commercial and it’s this really big juicy burger that comes on the screen. Man it looks so good it even makes me want to lick my T.V. screen. So I run to the store that advertises that burger and I get me not one, not two, but three of them. You know why? They’re not as big as it seems. The camera really does add 10 pounds… to everything. I eat three of them and I’m still NOT FULL. But one of those tiny things are like $3.99, and they were not even good. But I keep going back anyways just because of that darn commercial (keep thinking ok! Maybe this time it will taste better) Now I feel fat and bloated, but keep in mind I’m still not full yet.

So now I sit in front of the television, not full but bloated playing on my PSP. Another commercial comes on, why did it catch my attention? Because the first thing they said was “Are you tired of feeling bloated?” I looked up like, “YEAH I AM”. So now I see this commercial that talks about this product that helps me lose weight because of all the fast food I eat. I run to the store to get it and I come home to try it out (I have a lot of time on my hands obviously). It doesn’t work right away, but even after a few weeks it still doesn’t work, why is that? Maybe it’s because I keep spending money on those expensive tiny burgers.

Why does media shape our attention so much? We gain weight because of it and we also try to lose weight because of it. Those commercials make the fast food look delicious and then the rest of the world tells us that slim and slender is the look every guy and girl wants. I mean yeah it’s true that no one wants to see your gut hanging out (there is a limit, come on people!) but at the same time I don’t think we should let media tell us what is “the look” and what is “the taste” because everyone has different preferences.

Pay close attention to what you like and go for that, but also remember to make healthy choices, not because you look fat (which most of America really is) but because healthy choices will help you live longer. Who doesn’t want that?!

Published by Susana

The More You Know

We must be aware of what we are eating and the things they do to us as well as how it can effect our environment.

Last week I blogged about how mercury can effect small children and pregnant women. How many of you did not know that? I mean, I’ve heard that pregnant women shouldn’t eat fish but I didn’t know why. Now that I know, I will be more aware of the choices I choose to make. I’m not saying I’m pregnant but at least I know that the fishes that are higher up on the food chain contain more mercury.

What choices do I make now? I support eating smaller less in-demand fish so the other more in-demand fishes have a chance to mate, lay eggs, create more fishes and guess what? Less mercury poisoning for me.

It is always good to know how our food is caught and raised and cooked. What if us doing one thing is causing a chain reaction to another thing? I know that for seafood, the way things are being caught is destroying our home planet and the homes of other marine animals as well. If we don’t give them enough time to grow and have offspring’s and we eat them faster than they can do that, that type of marine animal might become extinct and you wont be able to eat it at all. I’m just saying, try to think about where and how food is getting to your plate. You might be surprised at how much you can do simply by supporting people who changes their menu according to what is in season.

Published by Susana

What you get that's better then food?...KNOWLEDGE

Now it go pass farming to where an intellectual change happen;to your mind and life. Its not all bout growing, planting, and eating healthy. Its also about gaining knowledge and taking what you know to stimulate and challenge your mind. For example, you might want to go and explore to world and see what type of plants, herbs, seeds etc. People might have to keep you health and living longer. Sometimes you might be a busy person and need time to yourself or just a person who just what to get away just do what I do spend more time pursuing your personal interests like rock climbing or just evening reading a book. Just writing these blog and doing my research on urban farming. It'd help me to learn all about it to getting more involved in environmental situations. This a big change for me like i was never concern about it but know am more aware about what going on when some folks is eating the right types of food and not losing the weight. That's why I like to read because am always learning something new everyday but that's not the only way to learn new things you can also listen to radio programs, news and TV, but positive only. Having an intellectual change in your life can help you live a more fulfilling life as you feel so dynamic and engaged with the world around you. I just want to let you all know that it's always more to what your leaning about, it's pass what you were looking up to something so much effective.

<3 <3 @-----'----
love ya and signing off
JoJo
P.S take your life serious and keep it healthy in anyway.