Vegetarian myths or universal arrogance?

I was a little confused after reading “The Vegetarian Myth” review in Permaculture Activist as well as the first chapter on the author’s website. I couldn’t figure out exactly what myths were being “demolished,” as the reviewer puts it.

The few “myths” I was able to pick out from the rants seemed like straw man arguments. Sure, simply eating a plant-based diet will not necessary translate to treading more easily on the earth. But the same goes for eating an Atkins meat diet.

Saying all vegetarians/vegans support industrialized grain production is a dubious assertion. If grains are desired at all, they can be done on a sustainable scale i.e. Fukuoka. I’m bewildered that a reviewer in a permaculture magazine would not be aware of this.

The fear behind social breakdown

Our society is on the cusp of disorder, chaos, mass suffering. At least according to many doomers (“we’re screwed”) and peak oil websites. Also many people I have talked to who are afraid of changing the status-quo industrialized mass society use similar imagery to describe the likely ensuing social breakdown.

Fish confirmed source of CJD/Alzheimer’s

I recently wrote some researchers have warned about the possibility of CJD/Alzheimer’s being spread by farm-raised fish that are fed prion contaminated beef. A study published 2 days ago confirmed this possibility.

I know many people who have parents or grandparents that are going through this horrible condition. I’ve witnessed first hand Christina’s grandfather with Alzheimer’s slowly become like a confused child in a 78 year old body dependent on others for even the most basic needs. Christina pointed out that it is also especially hard for loved ones to cope emotionally due to the constant care and grief over the loss of a family member even though their physically body is still “alive.”

According to western medicine there is no known cure and rates are increasing at a shocking  9000% over the past two decades. So I see preventative medicine in the form of a balanced diet that lacks possible animal-based sources of prions and is instead full of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients playing a huge role here. It sure is cheaper than hospital visits and 24/7 care. And in this case important not only for our personal health but that of our family and future possible care takers.

Scientists warn farm-raised fish at risk for spreading CJD/Alzheimer’s

With an explosive 9000% increase in CJD/Alzheimer’s in the past two decades, some scientists are beginning to point to our food as a possible major risk factor. Beef is well known in health circles for being a source of prions that cause the disease and diary has recently been linked to as a potential source. Fish is often claimed to be a healthy alternative to red meat, but there are many risks like toxin accumulation (mercury, arsenic), parasites, and now CJD/Alzheimer’s as well. I’d be extra cautious to know where my food came from if not eating a local, vegan diet.

The Bankruptcy of Social Security and Collapse of US Economy

It has been known for some time that the Social Security fund was inadequate to cover the retirement of the baby boomer generation. However, the recent unemployment spike–now at 5.1 million without work–has moved the insolvency of the Social Security fund to next year.

For some time the Social Security fund actually ran a surplus and the US government borrowed this surplus to fund other programs (like military and bailouts). Now that this will be gone, they will have to resort to printing more dollars and selling more US treasuries to not only cover the programs that were funded by the surplus in Social Security, but also to pay for Social Security itself.

So why does this matter? As the recent bailouts–now reaching $13 trillion–show the government can continue just borrowing money and paying it back later, right?

Grassroots opposition halts landfill

There was a plan to build a landfill a few miles from where I live near the Withlacoochee River, which contains the headwaters of four major rivers and is the source of drinking water for most of central Florida. If it wasn’t for intense pressure by not just individuals but grassroots organizations, myself and many others would likely have been drinking contaminated leachate:

The state Department of Environmental Protection Thursday ruled Angelo’s Aggregate Materials failed to prove the project site was geologically stable and that its design would prevent leaks that could contaminate drinking water supplies… thanks to continued community opposition, formal objections by local governments in Pasco and Hillsborough and effective lobbying by some landowners, the state officials wised up. [TBO]

Yey for people power!

The Buried Link Between Alzheimer’s, Mad Cow Disease, and Vaccinations

Chances are you know someone with Alzheimer’s. Nearly half of all people over 85 are diagnosed with the terribly debilitating condition. And not only are more people getting Alzheimer’s each year, but at a younger age now. Over 500,000 people in the US have an early onset form of Alzheimer’s, some as young as 40. Deaths from Alzheimer’s have increased over 9000% from 1979 (no I did not misplace a zero). It is truly reaching epidemic proportions.

Over 40 Percent of Meat Tainted with ‘Superbug’ Bacteria

A recent study found that much of the meat in chain grocery stores contains a “superbug” strain of Clostridium difficile bacteria. This strain of C. diff was also just discovered to be behind a surge in severe digestive problems and other seemingly disconnected illnesses like strep throat and flu-like symptoms, which can develop weeks later after infection. C. diff is normally benign, but mutated to become resistant to antibiotics and more toxic. It thrives in a body that lacks benefical bacteria. There are an increasing number of superbugs like MRSA and E. coli, due to the over-usage of antibiotics–in common household products, prescriptions, and even animal feed (used due to the unnatural, industrialized feed lots).