Terrifying Vegan Halloween VIDEO

PerPerson "Terrifying Vegan Halloween"

Malissa and Stacy make chocolate pumpkin truffles and ginger molasses cookies (both vegan) all the while being stalked by a killer named "The Pumpkin Carver". Do not try this at home. Unless you're almost alone. And have a Batman apron endowed with special powers. This movie is rated Scary in A Campy Way. Whip up a batch and watch the good goblins gobble them up and nice ghosts wolf them down.

BPA Reduces Male Reproductive Health

Halloween is a time for imagination, creativity, in short, pretense.

Pretending to be something creepy, pretending an abandoned barn is a haunted house, pretending to be hungry and begging door-to-door for nutritious candy.

Unfortunately, while Halloween is all about fantasy, life is full of authentic spookiness. Some aspects of reality are really frightful and destructive.

Near the top of the list of Real Spookiness is BPA (Bisphenol-A).

Of course, the FDA, inept as usual, claims it's unable to regulate BPA. Classified as an "indirect food additive" makes it exempt from federal scrutiny. Isn't that convenient?

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, BPA toxin is widely distributed in our food and drink.

[QUOTE]

The chemical, used to line most food and beverage cans, has been found in the urine of 93% of Americans tested.

The agency now considers BPA to be of some concern for effects on the brain, behavior and prostate glands of fetuses and the very young.

Scientific studies have raised concerns about the chemical's link to breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, reproductive failures and behavioral problems.

The FDA did not ban the chemical, although top scientists, including Linda Birnbaum, director of the National Toxicology Program, say they consider the safety of BPA to be uncertain.

[END QUOTE] 

The Greenest Dollar in The Dangers of BPA provides more details.


[QUOTE]



According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the FDA established safety guidelines for BPA back in 1987. But, their standards are woefully out of date. The so called “safe levels” that the industry is currently going by is over 25 times the amount known to cause birth defects. The levels need to be much, much lower than they are.

Another disturbing fact is that the U.S. National Toxicology Program’s 2001 assessment of BPA relied heavily on industry-sponsored research. Not surprisingly, the research put out by the chemical companies showed that BPA causes no adverse effects.

This is just like using research sponsored by cigarette companies to see if a smoking habit is harmful on your lungs. Of course they’re going to say it’s safe!

According to Fast Company, there are only five companies in the United States that make BPA: Bayer, Dow, Hexion Speciality Chemicals, Sunoco, and SABIC Innovative Plastics. Together, they rake in $6 billion per year manufacturing BPA. So, it’s entirely in their best interests to show that BPA is safe.


[END QUOTE]

A new report just came out today.

Kaiser Permanente reveals new research findings on the negative effects of BPA.


[QUOTE]


Funded by the U.S. National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, this new study adds to emerging human evidence questioning the safety of BPA, a chemical created in the production of polycarbonated plastics and epoxy resins found in baby bottles, plastic containers, the linings of cans used for food and beverages, and in dental sealants.

The five-year study recruited 514 workers in factories in China and compared workers who had high urine BPA levels with those with low urine BPA. Men with higher urine BPA levels had 2–4 times the risk of having poor semen quality, including low sperm concentration, low sperm vitality and motility.

This is among the first human studies to report an adverse association between BPA and semen quality. Previous animal studies found a detrimental association between BPA and male reproductive systems in mice and rats.

“Compared with men without detectable urine BPA, those with detectable urine BPA had more than three times the risk of lowered sperm concentration and lower sperm vitality, more than four times the risk of a lower sperm count, and more than twice the risk of lower sperm motility,” said the study’s lead author Dr. Li, a reproductive and perinatal epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente’s Division of Research in Oakland, Calif.

[END QUOTE]

Google Engineer Explains SEO (VIDEO)

Google Engineer Matt Cutts "How to Increase Visibility on Google"

For our readers who have their own blog or website, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is vital for good ranking on Google and other search engines. If people can't find you on the web, the best content and the most awesome design will just sit there, unused, unknown, unproductive.

One of the biggest boosts to SEO is a frequently updated blog. Your blog must be written naturally, not artificially stuffed with keywords, ads, and clutter.

An effective blog will discuss topics relevant to the audience, not topics relevant to the business itself. In other words, don't do posts that just push product and corporate PR. Find out what your readers are interested in, what their problems are, and what's hot in the mainstream media and blogosphere in general.

By addressing the actual needs, lifestyles, and concerns of your audience, you'll drive search engine traffic to your blog, because your content contains keywords relevant to them.

It also helps to have some variety in your content: videos, photos, humor, cartoons, quotes from other blogs, product reviews, personal (non-sensitive) information.

If your blog has surprises now and then, but generally sticks to one main topic area, it will be eagerly anticipated and people will enjoy visiting it.

USA TODAY's Jefferson Graham interviews Google engineer Matt Cutts on how to get your site to the top of Google with 5 basic, common sense SEO tips. Matt Cutts guests on the USA TODAY Talking Tech web video show. Tags, links, keywords, and content are discussed.

Vegetarian Librarian Gumbo Zombies VIDEO

Vegetarian Librarian "Gumbo Zombies"

Halloween Safety Tips

Centers for Disease Control offers these tips for staying safe this Halloween.

	Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
	Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
	Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
	Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
	Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
	Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
	Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
	Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
	Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
	Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
	Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
	Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
	Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.

 

Expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests?

• Provide healthier treats for trick-or-treaters, such as individual packs of raisins, trail mix, or pretzels. For party guests, offer a variety of fruits, vegetables, and cheeses.

• Use party games and trick-or-treat time as an opportunity for kids to get their daily dose of 60 minutes of physical activity.

• Be sure walking areas and stairs are well-lit and free of obstacles that could result in falls.

• Keep candle-lit jack-o’-lanterns and luminaries away from doorsteps, walkways, landings, and curtains. Place them on sturdy tables, keep them out of the reach of pets and small children, and never leave them unattended.

• Remind drivers to watch out for trick-or-treaters and to drive safely.

The Red Cross provides this advice for Trick or Treaters:


Costume Savvy

Whether your child wants to be a ghost, a princess or a superhero, you can help keep it safe by following some costume advice.

• Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags. 
• Have everyone wear light-colored clothing to be seen.
• Use flame-resistant costumes.
• Use face makeup instead of masks, which can cover your eyes and make it hard to see.

Navigating the Neighborhood

To maximize safety—and your candy haul!—plan your route ahead of time. Make sure adults know where children are going. If your children are young, a parent or responsible adult should accompany them as they make their way around the neighborhood.

Other safety tips to follow as you go from house to house:

• Make sure trick-or-treaters have a flashlight. 
• Visit only the homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door—never go inside.
• Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic. 
• Look both ways before crossing the street, and cross only at the corner. 
• Don’t cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t cross between parked cars.

And remember, it’s not only vampires and monsters you have to look out for. Be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.

Trick or Treat!

If you’re manning the candy giveaway at your house, you can make sure it’s a fun night for all by doing the following:

• Make sure your outdoor lights are on.
• Sweep leaves from your sidewalks and steps.
• Clear your porch or front yard of any obstacles that a child could trip over.
• Restrain your pets.
• Use a glow stick instead of a candle in your jack-o-lantern to avoid a fire hazard.

Flu Shot Ingredients and Dangers

Flu vaccine. The miracle fix. A magic shot. Just stick the needle in your arm, or squirt something up your nose, and you're protected against flu, including the pseudo-pandemic H1N1 aka Swine Flu aka Big Pharma Bailout Flu.

Keep eating junk food. Keep consuming carcinogenic chemicals, artificial ingredients, and non-nutritious material. Keep sitting slumped over for hours at the computer, television, or violent video game. Keep up the same old unhealthy routines.

All you need is the almighty flu shot.

Big Pharma manufactured a lot of this crap, and they need you to do your patriotic duty. States and pharmacies are loaded with this noxious bloodvein stew, and they need to sell as much of it as they can, as fast as possible.

That's why you heard commercials for flu shots early this summer. They're nuts. They'll do anything to push this product on whatever lemmings they can find. You'll hear them advertise: "The CDC is recommending flu shots for EVERYONE this year, so come on it and buy yours today."

A perfect stocking stuffer or gift for your paperboy! Better than a gift card to a restaurant or iTunes! Show how much you care...about Big Pharma. Flu shot gift card: the gift that keeps misgiving. "_______ stay well with a flu shot." Isn't that charming?

A smart paperboy will throw it in the trash can.

Oranges? Salads? Pure water? Honey? Herbal tea? Carrot juice? Who needs all that boring natural stuff? Walking 30 minutes a day is time-consuming. Golden seal tea tastes like dirt. Honey is messy. Alcoholic beverages are more exciting than organic fruit and veggie juices.

It's a lot quicker and easier to just get a sharp poke from Big Pharma.

Besides, there's something soothing and satisfying in meek, mild submission. It's like easing yourself into a warm bubble bath. It feels good to just shut up and do what you're told. Trust and obey.  There is no other way. Submit.

As the poet said, "Life is easier and seems so very sweet / when you don't have to think fast on your feet."

What's in a flu shot? Who cares? As long as the media and government and medical establishment say it will keep me safe from the flu. That's all that matters, right?

I think one of the attractions of the flu shot is the appeal to lazy mindlessness. Thinking is hard work. Changing what you eat is hard work. Learning about diet and natural remedies is hard work. A mind conditioned to be passively entertained revolts against rigorous cogitations.

It's a lot easier to (1) do no research (2) not question authorities (3) go along with mass hysteria (4) avoid lifestyle improvements like more walking and water drinking (5) keep eating the same junk that makes you more prone to catch colds and flu in the first place -- all these resulting in: (6) roll up your sleeve for the flu shot.

The World Health Organization (WHO) changed the definition of the word pandemic in 2004 to justify the plan of vaccinating everyone on the planet.

What really is in a flu shot? Let's force some social media transparency on it, open our eyes, and see.

LiveStrong explains how a flu shot is organized, how it's generated and concocted.

[QUOTE]

 

Virus

The seasonal flu shot is a "trivalent" vaccine, which means it contains three influenza viruses. Although the individual strains vary each year, the types of strains selected for the vaccine usually consist of an influenza A strain, an H1N1 strain (not the pandemic 2009 strain) and an influenza B strain. In 2009, the Food and Drug Administration also approved a "monovalent," or single strain, vaccine designed exclusively to combat the pandemic H1N1 strain.

Growth Medium

Fertilized chicken eggs are used as the growth medium for influenza virus, and trace amounts of egg white protein (ovalbumin) are reported in each of the 2009-2010 vaccines. All but two manufacturers (Sanofi Pasteur and ID Biomedical) used antibiotics to prevent bacterial contamination of the chicken eggs. The specific antibiotics used include kanamicin, gentamicin, neomycin and polymixin B. People with egg and antibiotic allergies should read the manufacturer's product literature prior to receiving a flu shot.

Detergents

Once the virus has been allowed to replicate in chicken eggs, it must be recovered. This step involves the addition of chemical detergents. Examples of detergents used in the 2009-2010 vaccine include sodium taurodeoxycholate, polyethylene glycol p-isooctylphenyl ether and octoxynol-10. These are usually measured in terms of parts per million. Each manufacturer specifies the type and maximum concentration of the chemicals used in its brand.

Inactivating Agents

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the viruses in the flu shot are "inactivated," which means that they are no longer capable of causing infection. Technically, viruses are never alive, so they cannot be "killed" as bacteria are. Vaccines approved for the 2009-2010 flu season used beta-propionolactone or formaldehyde derivatives to inactivate the virus. Each manufacturer's product literature specifies the exact agent used and the maximum concentration present in the final dose.

Buffer Solution

According to the FDA and manufacturers' product literature, H1N1/09 and seasonal flu injection vaccines are suspended in sterile phosphate-buffered salt solutions with a pH and concentration similar to the fluid that surrounds the cells in the human body. Other ingredients of the buffer solution may include gelatin, arginine and sucrose. Gelatin from pigs is used as a stabilizer. Arginine is an amino acid component of protein. Sucrose is common table sugar.

Preservatives

All FDA-approved multi-dose vials of seasonal and H1N1 vaccine contain thimerisol, a mercury-containing compound used a preservative. A flu shot dispensed from a multi-dose vial contains about 25 micrograms (0.000025 g) of mercury as thimerisol. The manufacturer's product insert will always confirm the presence and quantity of mercury for a specific product.

[END QUOTE]

FURTHER READING 


Vaccination Liberation "Flu"

Naturally Yours Blog "Nearly Half of America Rejecting Flu Shot"

FDA "Thimerisol in Vaccines"

Wikipedia "Thiomersal (Thimerisol)"

LiveStrong "Dangers of the Flu Shot"

SafeMinds: Sensible Action for Ending Mercury-induced Neurological Disorders

Pumpkin Health Benefits and Recipes

Halloween and howling winds may be on their way, but there's nothing spooky about the pure natural goodness of the pumpkin.

Bright colors are often nature's semiotics of great nutritional value, and this October orb is loaded with low fat dietary fiber, antioxidants, and beta-carotene (Vitamin A).

Here are some pumpkin health benefits:

• "Pumpkins are high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which scavenge free radicals in the lens of the eye. Therefore, they may help prevent the formation of cataracts and reduce the risk of macular degeneration." [AssociatedContent]

• The distinctive bright orange color of pumpkin clearly indicates that it's an excellent source of that all-important antioxidant beta-carotene. [HowStuffWorks]

• Pumpkin seeds are high in protein, potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and essential fatty acids. [Dietobio]

• Half cup of pumpkin seeds contains 92 percent of your daily value of magnesium, a mineral in which most Americans are deficient. [HealthDiaries]

• Modern folk healers believe the pumpkin to be beneficial in ridding the body of intestinal worms and also believe the ground stem of the pumpkin brewed into a tea may help ease women during their menstrual cycle. [HubPages]

• A full cup of pumpkin cut into cubes has only thirty delicious calories and almost no fat. [HealthMad]

• Phytosterols are compounds found in plants that have a chemical structure very similar to cholesterol, and when present in the diet in sufficient amounts, are believed to reduce blood levels of cholesterol, enhance the immune response and decrease risk of certain cancers. [WHfoods]

• The alpha-carotene and beta-carotene are potent antioxidants found in pumpkin and are pro-vitamin A carotenoids, meaning the body converts them to vitamin A. [Food-Facts]

No Trick Treats is a website that, when you type in your location, will tell you which homes in your area are handing out organic, natural, vegan, healthy treats.

Better Homes and Garden "36 Yummy Pumpkin recipes".

Wikipedia pumpkin article states the origin of the word "pumpkin":

[QUOTE]

The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon". The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word we use today, "pumpkin".




The origin of pumpkins is not definitively known, although they are thought to have originated in North America.

The oldest evidence, pumpkin-related seeds dating between 7000 and 5500 B.C., were found in Mexico. Pumpkins are a squash-like fruit that range in size from less than 1 pound (0.45 kilograms) to over 1,000 pounds (453.59 kilograms)

[END QUOTE]

Savvy Vegetarian offers this organic ovo-lacto vegetarian pumpkin pie recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups fresh pureed pumpkin: see recipe below
2. 1 1/2 cup organic milk
3. 3 organic eggs
4. 2 Tbsp butter
5. 1 tsp vanilla
6. 1 tsp. cinnamon
7. 1/4 tsp nutmeg OR cloves
8. 1/2 tsp salt
9. 1/2 tsp ginger
10. 1/4 c. light molasses (NOT blackstrap - too strong)
11. 1/2 c. organic unbleached sugar
12. 1 pie crust: See recipe below

Pumpkin: This generally makes enough for two pies:

1. 1 pie pumpkin, 3 - 5 lb
2. Using a big sharp knife, cut the pumpkin into 8 pieces & remove seed pulp
3. Place in a large baking pan, filled with 1/4" water, and cover with foil or cookie sheet
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until tender
5. Let cool, then scoop the pumpkin out of the skins
6. Puree in a food processor, blender, or put through a sieve or food mill

Pie Crust: For 1 pie:

1. 3/4 c. organic unbleached white flour
2. 3/4 cup organic whole wheat pastry flour
3. 1/4 tsp salt
4. 1/2 c. organic cold butter
5. 1/4 - 1/2 c. ice water
6. Blend flours + salt. Cut in butter, or rub in oil, until mixture is crumbly
7. Mixing with a fork or fingers, gradually add just enough cold water to form a loose ball
8. Roll out, place in pie plate, trim and crimp edges, refrigerate

Pie Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Heat the milk, remove from heat, add the pumpkin, eggs, butter and spices
3. Blend with a whisk, blender stick or in a blender
4. Lightly coat the bottom of the crust with flour
5. Pour filling in crust, bake for 10 min at 425 degrees, reduce to 350 degrees, bake another 40 - 50 minutes
6. Pie is done if the middle doesn't jiggle when you shake it a bit
7. Allow to cool completely before serving. Delicious with whipped cream or without

Web MD has this recipe for Pumpkin Soup:

INGREDIENTS

For 6 Servings

* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 1 cup peeled and cubed (1/2-inch) sweet potato
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2 14 1/2-ounce cans fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
* 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
* 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)

 Buy natural, organic pumpkin products
at Naturally Yours Grocery online.

Buy natural, organic, and gluten free candy 

at Naturally Yours Grocery online.