tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91383359359518750202024-03-05T21:40:58.768+11:00One Day At A TimeNicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-26464719934814926292010-10-01T12:33:00.004+10:002010-10-01T13:07:01.121+10:00How did our food get so bad? An interesting follow on to my <a href="http://infofascination.blogspot.com/2010/06/eat-food-not-too-much-mostly-plants.html">previous post</a> on food and eating in our so-called modern world. <br />
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In my previous post, I followed Michael Pollan's perspective on our disconnection from our food, and it's negative effect on our lives and societies. The disconnect has been a conscious choice in some places, and also demonstrates how focusing on different values, and changing the structure of living, affects the way we feed ourselves and keep ourselves alive. In changing from a tribal lifestyle of hunting, gathering, and growing food for self-sustenance, and moving to a society where we live in cities, we have become more dependent on others for our food. But we believe this is a good thing because we feel more economically empowered, we have a different focus for our lives - now we focus our time on work and achievement and reward, rather than daily manual labour outdoors. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this how you normally spend your working week?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or is it more like this?</td></tr>
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</div>We live in an information age, where the brain is the most important part of the human, and most of our lifestyles have changed to a sedentary existence, behind computers and TVs and gaming consoles. Most of the people in the world living in cities, earning a reasonable income, and being able to buy a reasonable amount of desired possesions, see their lives as successful. Women feel emancipated, out of the fields and into the corporate world. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think this woman is less happy?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Does technology really give women freedom?</td></tr>
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We are living in a time where food has never been more readily available, and its variety is diverse. We eat food from all over the world, and consider this fantastic (mainly because most of us have no idea of the true costs that go into bringing the food from remote places to our local grocery store). We structure our food to our wants, rather than living seasonally and relying on local availability. But our food is becoming less nutritious and more artificial. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vegetables in cans</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supper for millions of people</td></tr>
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Yesterday evening I went shopping in our local Woolworths for a few things for dinner, and I felt like a nice dessert. I wandered through the bakery section and looked at their cakes and pies - do you know that every single one listed about 17 ingredients, most of which were completely artificial! This is the list from a Carrot Cake: sugar, wheat flour, carrots (10%), water, vegetable oil, walnuts, crushed pineapple, <strong>egg powder</strong>, <strong>raising agents (500, 541, 341)</strong>, salt, <strong>thickener (412)</strong>, spices, <strong>caramel (150c)</strong>, palm oil, soy, wheat starch, cream cheese, <strong>dextrose</strong>, <strong>emulsifiers (471, 435)</strong>, <strong>acidity regulator (330)</strong>, <strong>preservatives (202)</strong>, salt, <strong>artificial flavours</strong>, <strong>colours (102, 110)</strong>. Everything in bold is completely artificial. And all the other cakes and desserts had equally scary long lists of artificiality. Needless to say I did not have dessert last night, and I have decided to start baking my own cakes and desserts because at least then the scariest thing in them will be the sugar and vanilla extract. <br />
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Walking around Woolworths, there are shelf upon shelf of fake foods, garish in highly-coloured printed packaging, all overlaid with plastic. The cereal aisle has so-called health bars for kids - popped rice in bars covered in yoghurt (more artificial ingredients than anything else listed!), and what about the ones covered in chocolate and little MandMs? <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Mom, can I have chocolate for breakfast?"<br />
"No, sweetie, why don't you have some cereal instead..."</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmm... healthy breakfast! NOT!</td></tr>
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Ready-meals full of preservatives, fruit and vegetables imported from all over the world, covered in pesticides and preservatives, meats and chicken from factory farms, entire aisles devoted to sugary cereals, sweets and chocolates, ice-cream, frozen pizzas and burgers. And this is where most people shop for their normal every-day groceries, myself included. We are stuck on a destruction merry-go-round - buying foods, toiletries and cleaners full of toxic chemicals which go into our bodies, covered in plastic packaging which we throw into landfills and which end up in the ocean, and completely unaware of the true cost of any of the goods we happily consume everyday. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have most of these in my cupboards - how about you?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think our ancestors would look at this and identify <em>anything</em> here as food?</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyQrAkg3OUfsMN2hXLPBj2cCgwuHztYSBBRuve8YprKSlcGkXZCHEduHnt4HjS_7GPdFKPC4lxdxTUy4CgsXK7OgsMXoAywa06JKwxButuS9_R4eSDaUfMCNPdbKGCZdUqaJXboVghZ4/s1600/Pecks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvyQrAkg3OUfsMN2hXLPBj2cCgwuHztYSBBRuve8YprKSlcGkXZCHEduHnt4HjS_7GPdFKPC4lxdxTUy4CgsXK7OgsMXoAywa06JKwxButuS9_R4eSDaUfMCNPdbKGCZdUqaJXboVghZ4/s200/Pecks.jpg" width="137" /></a>And even those of us who are aware, still struggle to move away from processed foods - today for lunch, simply because it was quick and convenient, I ate 2 slices of wholewheat toast with <strong>margarine</strong> (oil, salt, emulsifiers, preservatives, food acid, colours), <strong>fish spread</strong> (processed fish, sugar, salt, flavours, acidity regulator, colour), <strong>vegemite</strong> (yeast extract, colour, malt extract, flavours) and <strong>cheese spread</strong> (milk, cream, sugar, salt, food acid, preservatives). Oh, wait, I had some fresh corn from last night's supper on top of the cheese spread - that's healthy, right? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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Let's take a look at how we ended up in this modern world of processed foods, easily available, with fridges and pantries full of packaged goods.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rachellaudan.com/">Rachel Laudan</a> is an author and researcher and her speciality is the history, geography, and politics of food. She is originally from the UK, she has been living in Mexico for the past twenty-odd years. Rachel has an interesting perspective on the development of processed food and the link to increased wealth and economic opportunity for the middle-class people living in a city. The full article is available on her blog. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U0TqetUkyRa1fQBajnul4i3RvCWXJeBL30QYKvMj81yi69cKQAmIhhlPP4JFcD0jPedGnyXh_3YvtNNJww1k8tLPTiNHaDrRFsjc8DqQDQolxPAhVLG-6A1KhNyqMP2jw7gufxODWR0/s1600/04-Rachel-Laudan-holding-2lbs-grain-Postopolis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7U0TqetUkyRa1fQBajnul4i3RvCWXJeBL30QYKvMj81yi69cKQAmIhhlPP4JFcD0jPedGnyXh_3YvtNNJww1k8tLPTiNHaDrRFsjc8DqQDQolxPAhVLG-6A1KhNyqMP2jw7gufxODWR0/s400/04-Rachel-Laudan-holding-2lbs-grain-Postopolis.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel Laudan giving a talk on the history of Mexican food</td></tr>
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Rachel shows how moving into cities changes our views, and also our way of eating. She says: "All cities require fuel: oil, gas, electricity, and so on. Without food energy, a city is nothing. A city is nothing without the people who work and play and enjoy or suffer through the city, and they require food." According to Rachel's research, all cities are fed on grains, and to maintain a city, you need to get grains into it to keep the city's people fed. For most of history, until about 150 years ago, most people in most cities, except for the very wealthy, lived almost exclusively on grains. They got about ninety percent of their calories from grains, and for every single person in a city you need 1kg of grains a day, turned into something that people could eat. And it's important to note that when Rachel says that cities live off grain, she actually means they live off the processed end product of the grain. "Cities don’t live off grain. Grain is not edible. Maize is not edible, wheat is not edible—if you eat a lot of wheat or a lot of maize, it will go straight through the system. Grains—maize, wheat, or rice, it doesn’t matter which—are only edible once they have been processed and cooked into boiled rice, bread, tortillas—whatever the end product is. That’s what you eat."<br />
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So you can do some calculations. If you’ve got a city of a million, like ancient Rome, you’ve got to get <strong>two million pounds of grain</strong> into the city every day.<br />
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But processing these grains into something edible and nutritious is incredibly labour-intensive and time consuming. Rachel explains how to turn maize into a tortilla. "First of all you have to cook the maize with something alkaline. Today you can use cement, but in the past they used the salt from the dry lake bed around Mexico City. You have to take the grains off the maize, which is very time-consuming, and then you heat it, you cook it, and you rub the husks off. Then, when you have got your wet-cooked maize, you have to grind it. For thousands of years, Mexican women ground maize like this. I’ve spent some time grinding. You have a metate, and you start with your handful of maize and you put it here and you grind it down to end of the grindstone, and it’s not fine yet. You use your fingers to move it back up again, and you grind it all the way back down again. Then you move it back up again—and to get it fine enough to make tortillas you have to do this five times for each handful of maize. <strong>Depending on how good you are, it takes somewhere between fifty minutes and an hour to do enough maize for tortillas for one person</strong>. That means for a family of five someone is going to be spending four or five hours a day doing nothing but grind. It’s very exhausting, grinding." <br />
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That means that in order to eat food in the city, in sickness and in health, from Monday to Saturday, the women of the house ground for four or five hours a day, and on Sunday the family ate stale tortillas. Rachel adds: "It is a very, very time-consuming thing. It’s terrible for the individual: arthritis, bad knees, no time to spend with the children, and no opportunity to go to school. It’s also, obviously, not a great thing for the society if you’ve got one fifth of your adults doing nothing but grinding."<br />
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Again, an interesting perspective. There is a belief that humans should be doing something more (something better?) than preparing, producing, gathering food. Somewhere in our modern and technologically advanced world, we have changed our views and decided that there are far more important occupations for humans than being involved with food. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Which job do you think is better - working in the fields, or in an office like the ladies below?</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Food production jobs are not coveted, and indeed, most people involved in food processing do not earn great reward or esteem for their work. Chefs in fancy restaurants may be lauded, and food programmes on TV elevate their status, but this is more entertainment than actually feeding people. </div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this a job that you aspire to? </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or would you rather be rich and famous like Jamie?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is Nigella actually involved in food production? Or is she just selling herself and her fab lifestyle?</td></tr>
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In pagan times, when societies were matriarchal and the tribal leaders were women, the role of women in the home was revered - the women held status because they could cook, and being in the kitchen was a high-status role exclusively for women. Men were not allowed to learn these skills.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you imagine this as a leadership role for women?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think of this woman as a leader in her field?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Men, you better not be nodding here!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>As societies became more village-like and less tribal, food became a commodity which was exchanged for other valuable possessions. So we have moved from the belief that making food is a valuable occupation, to the belief that other occupations are far more important. And certainly we could not have made advances in medicine and technology if most adults were still involved in food labour. But we seem to revere occupations that focus on the artificial, more and more. Actors and musicians are the highest status positions in the world, and they do nothing more than entertain. Corporate business occupations are mainly administrative, and people again obtain artificial reward - money is valued, and the main focus is on that money - reducing costs, increasing profits, streamlining processes to do things quicker and more efficiently, to make more money. People who do work in food-oriented jobs in cities, do so again for monetary reward, and do not place very high value on their occupations or see their roles as vital in keeping people alive. "A farmer" is normally pretty low on the list when you ask kids at school what they want to be when they grow up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I grow up, I want to be a....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I grow up I want to be just like Dad!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farm animals are only fun to play with!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybDXuDrB65Q7QHb2YlXJQ5PTn4eMUaS1Iyhhs9fahKo5H920PDtEyJVgbvNQEAfTragIrUeDPamK19T1rGBnxaOUtHCXqNfQumWaGe4Doul8G8GSN7dI3Nc4FK6TH5gJRp7R_ky4qJr0/s1600/2008-01-31-growup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="490" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjybDXuDrB65Q7QHb2YlXJQ5PTn4eMUaS1Iyhhs9fahKo5H920PDtEyJVgbvNQEAfTragIrUeDPamK19T1rGBnxaOUtHCXqNfQumWaGe4Doul8G8GSN7dI3Nc4FK6TH5gJRp7R_ky4qJr0/s640/2008-01-31-growup.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The reality of how most of us end up in our jobs....</td></tr>
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There is a fascinating article from <a href="http://www.time.com/">Time Magazine Online</a>, called <a href="http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519_1373664,00.html">What The World Eats</a>, which shows families from different places in the world, and what they eat in a one-week period, as well as their weekly expenditure on food. The differences are very telling: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKsJ8PVzgpaKERqVvPrXnkLZyfi1vXB0g3ET1AHYFMIu-89NjaJR5zvCuPcJ2Y5IG0Em5BkTCKPGKtcly8Rzd-AugejQzkHhEP9NDiQx9fZaZrf-R3yDsLEGRpB3l_FlC15dNDmtHdnU/s1600/01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="420" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkKsJ8PVzgpaKERqVvPrXnkLZyfi1vXB0g3ET1AHYFMIu-89NjaJR5zvCuPcJ2Y5IG0Em5BkTCKPGKtcly8Rzd-AugejQzkHhEP9NDiQx9fZaZrf-R3yDsLEGRpB3l_FlC15dNDmtHdnU/s640/01.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Japan - Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25</div><div style="text-align: center;">Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB1Phbw_xYqMy_1YGqAP54PwKLBXhba4hUBlGDXqVMsgEIcWnqV29t3v_g4EfWDy4RIznTy7_pz4_osLaKivv4JH0u9FlvGrxgdDHitpCDw8Mhk0T43ho72-OXNRs-fUlSiUNk0sQhC4/s1600/Chad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxB1Phbw_xYqMy_1YGqAP54PwKLBXhba4hUBlGDXqVMsgEIcWnqV29t3v_g4EfWDy4RIznTy7_pz4_osLaKivv4JH0u9FlvGrxgdDHitpCDw8Mhk0T43ho72-OXNRs-fUlSiUNk0sQhC4/s640/Chad.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chad - Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Favorite foods: soup with fresh sheep meat </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm3WuNbz-vlhE0g0_vs4NVI4GIj9bhGhopmo-MZHotuDLvtHA5ioNvzVaY34a7tq2HDV9484CM1ODI6qkv-Rh0mWysKKWonMyU9A0JQ99eEUw6GC3Asepun4ohlRY41EEtGEiPZ8ie8g/s1600/US.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinm3WuNbz-vlhE0g0_vs4NVI4GIj9bhGhopmo-MZHotuDLvtHA5ioNvzVaY34a7tq2HDV9484CM1ODI6qkv-Rh0mWysKKWonMyU9A0JQ99eEUw6GC3Asepun4ohlRY41EEtGEiPZ8ie8g/s640/US.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">United States - Food expenditure for one week: $341.98</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Favorite foods: spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDnDD9MFrwBlkngTT7cfZUin7Lpz90yfZyXvd14iNGZ9Va3_qET7LNGQhpk5h6i4_N-uoD05xWk2RB9kBQ4es9-Y8y-mtKJ2zGFcWc010zXMm7hKCXt0ghamFf9ET6Z9Ku1nYKRS1_Oo/s1600/Mexico.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZDnDD9MFrwBlkngTT7cfZUin7Lpz90yfZyXvd14iNGZ9Va3_qET7LNGQhpk5h6i4_N-uoD05xWk2RB9kBQ4es9-Y8y-mtKJ2zGFcWc010zXMm7hKCXt0ghamFf9ET6Z9Ku1nYKRS1_Oo/s640/Mexico.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mexico - Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Favorite foods: pizza, crab, pasta, chicken </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-lcQlYHGittoFIBH3u539_ZWbW4EB_2olSCLb8cRLDk5kAcUmAc2a5odMhyphenhyphen8au6HrYrpD-odEphNLnTbowOy8E8air9mkdOffXk_IqKx8e07vaIBJrF7B2bSrAMfK017liZBXwN_BrQ/s1600/Poland.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-lcQlYHGittoFIBH3u539_ZWbW4EB_2olSCLb8cRLDk5kAcUmAc2a5odMhyphenhyphen8au6HrYrpD-odEphNLnTbowOy8E8air9mkdOffXk_IqKx8e07vaIBJrF7B2bSrAMfK017liZBXwN_BrQ/s640/Poland.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Poland - Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family recipe: Pig's knuckles with carrots, celery and parsnips </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxn9W6p-dXAGCrSVZSvxEXNIlO11pOtolAXeru1mbp14dBAIeqXK7soM3SAA7e3eEPO7i5rk8DqXRuveaeujMT-GKY4ZGDYRSuU2XJWe8XJqtRVyel-32HftBSzQBzJCKRG0gFimVe_E/s1600/Egypt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcxn9W6p-dXAGCrSVZSvxEXNIlO11pOtolAXeru1mbp14dBAIeqXK7soM3SAA7e3eEPO7i5rk8DqXRuveaeujMT-GKY4ZGDYRSuU2XJWe8XJqtRVyel-32HftBSzQBzJCKRG0gFimVe_E/s640/Egypt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Egypt - Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family recipe: Okra and mutton </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDJm0YWtRYkhY2_dhunAw26m4dwRPP6OnN0Ee9N-TedEdpYM290ipjJJcA7SOtp09_eecq1MyCkcP-oS9M0TwsgepS3qIk2G3tRvTIK4iHEk4BZvDCY1qdIr-LutSPZh5OhfOJzQqglI/s1600/Ecuador.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDJm0YWtRYkhY2_dhunAw26m4dwRPP6OnN0Ee9N-TedEdpYM290ipjJJcA7SOtp09_eecq1MyCkcP-oS9M0TwsgepS3qIk2G3tRvTIK4iHEk4BZvDCY1qdIr-LutSPZh5OhfOJzQqglI/s640/Ecuador.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ecuador - Food expenditure for one week: $31.55</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFoZTjaRMCMTVJD4l12WHQKd6ABBVMChPcVmcXIYjLTtfzdTJQZkvy1-c1hJWXGQ3ebO3SBZE4elK5lZt8Y8gJZdfv6iqg1SFjMUWbqXcvx7NO6bTeug8sLghAehGrYWH3afdG81qL34/s1600/Mongolia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFoZTjaRMCMTVJD4l12WHQKd6ABBVMChPcVmcXIYjLTtfzdTJQZkvy1-c1hJWXGQ3ebO3SBZE4elK5lZt8Y8gJZdfv6iqg1SFjMUWbqXcvx7NO6bTeug8sLghAehGrYWH3afdG81qL34/s640/Mongolia.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mongolia - Food expenditure for one week: 41,985.85 togrogs or $40.02</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family recipe: Mutton dumplings </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbIzYkAQsnsa0fZETSdueLsXS3lSFJ7GqPJu1G4DEV3d8pFEUbDteHNQWGUINooQ9_I-OF3zOcgIJ_uGFu40akWUaIqlP-5qaq394EZxjZz-5dl4Pl3-QBOF-zS3irbHhj-_frKXBVFE/s1600/UK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigbIzYkAQsnsa0fZETSdueLsXS3lSFJ7GqPJu1G4DEV3d8pFEUbDteHNQWGUINooQ9_I-OF3zOcgIJ_uGFu40akWUaIqlP-5qaq394EZxjZz-5dl4Pl3-QBOF-zS3irbHhj-_frKXBVFE/s640/UK.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Britain - Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Favorite foods: avocado, mayonnaise sandwich, prawn cocktail, chocolate fudge cake with cream </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OzcIjPEaxjzRifHjCfYSnKx3U-8v28aoNUn_dwyfP-Mu7ggwV9uQJZkoDzu4rcHrs8keSpHEnY8FQES_WoQ3uS61opURvmhUr0F8qnXB-ARd2fYII14ehLBFJ9TwxaXzrzbFUTPmfXg/s1600/Bhutan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OzcIjPEaxjzRifHjCfYSnKx3U-8v28aoNUn_dwyfP-Mu7ggwV9uQJZkoDzu4rcHrs8keSpHEnY8FQES_WoQ3uS61opURvmhUr0F8qnXB-ARd2fYII14ehLBFJ9TwxaXzrzbFUTPmfXg/s640/Bhutan.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bhutan - Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Family recipe: Mushroom, cheese and pork </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XtF8GG5-fuUoFokQec6gp5ZeFsXp0-5kcanczsmZcBwtImGJ8uUPW6gQz5y30ID8dipnTHlsBAL0RzWqZNiXwtvrNAm414865oWjdnzu7JbBOcDIRHnjblWG6BoXlP2c2I41BSJ2yd4/s1600/Germany.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XtF8GG5-fuUoFokQec6gp5ZeFsXp0-5kcanczsmZcBwtImGJ8uUPW6gQz5y30ID8dipnTHlsBAL0RzWqZNiXwtvrNAm414865oWjdnzu7JbBOcDIRHnjblWG6BoXlP2c2I41BSJ2yd4/s640/Germany.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Germany - Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Favorite foods: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding </div><br />
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It is important to have a balanced perspective though. In her article <a href="http://www.rachellaudan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/plea-for-culinary-modernism.pdf">A Plea for Culinary Modernism</a>, Rachel paints another picture of our ancestors, and why we have moved to processed easily-accessible foods. <br />
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Back to Rachel, and grinding the grains: "That kind of labour-intensive grinding was what they did in Ur, and in ancient cities of the Middle East and Egypt. By the time you get to Rome, roughly—by about the birth of Christ—in the Middle East and in Europe, they get a rotary grindstone, and instead of requiring one person per every five to spend all day grinding this two pounds of grain that everybody in the city needs, they get it down to one in thirty. Then they get watermills and it goes down to one in three hundred—and nowadays we don’t even think about it! There are big steel rollers up there in Minneapolis and they’re grinding grain for hundreds of thousands of people, using just a handful of workers."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKsP_TjRY3tQmQHtOweW_kFjexFVDHW8tDMDoiQfwNCKHj9_vQ1x2hqh6KH8qW3Bq9pUhq0D_1yhpEyCIPbGCkciJTALx9JjkJhLrSXwsjMGdIY-0OOff5AT-5aQOera6N67XbmLUfgw/s1600/mano-metate.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWKsP_TjRY3tQmQHtOweW_kFjexFVDHW8tDMDoiQfwNCKHj9_vQ1x2hqh6KH8qW3Bq9pUhq0D_1yhpEyCIPbGCkciJTALx9JjkJhLrSXwsjMGdIY-0OOff5AT-5aQOera6N67XbmLUfgw/s400/mano-metate.gif" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mano and metate traditionally used for grinding grain by hand</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX9kSX2UwmGOXeelKDQpPp2KAefNUFdtYdB-YszOoRwIXgUFBGvJIDUUzMnedo0Wcmwc-MDByP7PnERA01MBuETIfxeIA7EmzZpZN_jn1yVyEtQ0je39stMqHFheaJuLfvP7ooFj1oY0/s1600/Product_MDDR_MDDT_Four-and-Eight-Roller-Mill-Antares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBX9kSX2UwmGOXeelKDQpPp2KAefNUFdtYdB-YszOoRwIXgUFBGvJIDUUzMnedo0Wcmwc-MDByP7PnERA01MBuETIfxeIA7EmzZpZN_jn1yVyEtQ0je39stMqHFheaJuLfvP7ooFj1oY0/s400/Product_MDDR_MDDT_Four-and-Eight-Roller-Mill-Antares.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are industrial machines used for grinding grain - pretty space age!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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In Mexico City, they invented a tortilla machine to reduce time and labour. And they found a way to take the wet, alkali-treated maize, grind it, dehydrate it, and put it into packets. Rachel adds: "Another thing that happened, during this crucial fifty-year period between 1945-ish and the end of the twentieth century, was that bread changed in Mexico. Traditional bread in Mexico was bread by the small piece, made in the traditional oven: the bolillo, the semita, and the numerous small breads you still see in Mexican bakeries today. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqsgzgA-283xgBY_hye2nED3GBksyqKeLnnSL1zePiTTl7HESn0iOJ3iV2auvKrVsT4KSeTi8pmaj1iBTBAq0TdQHQlx9w8TEX3xz558ONqda1FhLxAUB0GJgj6IIxVGDiYH-5dQF4hs/s1600/Bolillas-and-Cemitas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqsgzgA-283xgBY_hye2nED3GBksyqKeLnnSL1zePiTTl7HESn0iOJ3iV2auvKrVsT4KSeTi8pmaj1iBTBAq0TdQHQlx9w8TEX3xz558ONqda1FhLxAUB0GJgj6IIxVGDiYH-5dQF4hs/s400/Bolillas-and-Cemitas.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bolillo and semita</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Beginning in 1945, an immigrant from Catalonia, Lorenzo Servitje, bought two second-hand loaf-making machines from the United States—the kind that make sliced white bread. The Servitje family founded the Bimbo company, which is now, as you know, omnipresent in Mexico. Bimbo bread lasts a long time and became widely available, and Bimbo now the largest bakery in the world. It is the fifth biggest food company in the world."<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6d2bgm3ze30_j04fhkjpF6ZrvBfPXgsKB693PdTRe_chTzzF_BAIq_rZXqestRUk8nD3cgg5gtMH_-MG2kMbS7VAnWKXFHjeyFTW52I7VjD_gN1x7UkWXXt7XtcSr1bxOS5Iyx7AZ7Y/s1600/Bimbo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6d2bgm3ze30_j04fhkjpF6ZrvBfPXgsKB693PdTRe_chTzzF_BAIq_rZXqestRUk8nD3cgg5gtMH_-MG2kMbS7VAnWKXFHjeyFTW52I7VjD_gN1x7UkWXXt7XtcSr1bxOS5Iyx7AZ7Y/s400/Bimbo.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bimbo bread in Mexico</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QNs4VC8V5oG9xlz8rJF_if0SBn1unZnOAl08sSnG6PxVh37RlI_RHpHSEYQWL0JpUzTNaPAWMid93lgVfapDNOLxxRlXtN06OUxto5qgrQHKjgNdmWUOLTI9AGm7JNp40GZ_mE4xZmY/s1600/12-Walmart-Tortilleria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-QNs4VC8V5oG9xlz8rJF_if0SBn1unZnOAl08sSnG6PxVh37RlI_RHpHSEYQWL0JpUzTNaPAWMid93lgVfapDNOLxxRlXtN06OUxto5qgrQHKjgNdmWUOLTI9AGm7JNp40GZ_mE4xZmY/s400/12-Walmart-Tortilleria.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tortilla machine in Walmart</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4kjo5-kJKBaU8l8xEkIDSnSxUk9MTW033dGtEquctBE02byeGKSBbsCf3a8mcieVauQqfOLf7LVsYcnpJIBTdetbEFs9JVFgnF65ruYD7W6rMBav-ktblV69uLNdWCDpgAhhG01wpSE/s1600/09-Bimbo-Break-Man-Walmart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4kjo5-kJKBaU8l8xEkIDSnSxUk9MTW033dGtEquctBE02byeGKSBbsCf3a8mcieVauQqfOLf7LVsYcnpJIBTdetbEFs9JVFgnF65ruYD7W6rMBav-ktblV69uLNdWCDpgAhhG01wpSE/s640/09-Bimbo-Break-Man-Walmart.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Supermarket tortillas</td></tr>
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Now Rachel explains WHY it is that the Mexicans, and indeed people in all cities in the world, are so accepting of eating mass-produced food with lower nutritional value and less taste. "Mexican women that I have talked to are very explicit about this trade-off. They know it doesn’t taste as good; they don’t care. Because if they want to have time, if they want to work, if they want to send their kids to school, then taste is less important than having that bit of extra money, and moving into the middle class. They have very self-consciously made this decision. In the last ten years, the number of women working in Mexico has gone up from about thirty-three percent to nearly fifty percent. One reason for that—it’s not the only reason, but it is a very important reason—is that we’ve had a revolution in the processing of maize for tortillas."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq-36XGl8g-TH-4kxru9HJFK-dY5N6rKBiBKrywSior8zHZ0BQF8xI1e_Q6KhQ-uNeTS0xHhDzRODk28ExMf5GDj8Wt579YGu460fY-ZgwIVIo7VSQbtH4YBQ-khnN2wdXIHrHh_TWvI/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfq-36XGl8g-TH-4kxru9HJFK-dY5N6rKBiBKrywSior8zHZ0BQF8xI1e_Q6KhQ-uNeTS0xHhDzRODk28ExMf5GDj8Wt579YGu460fY-ZgwIVIo7VSQbtH4YBQ-khnN2wdXIHrHh_TWvI/s400/untitled.bmp" width="348" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Women in Mexico have deliberately chosen not to live this way anymore</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KFrBmeUf3tdgXBmya6rMRdt75kFALfZDOnsC8fAsu0t-WSOUzwKkdJB-cookgDSAKiuN1kYu0xsFHHScIZ9KDxlfk1iG_jwKo9Ze-RzXvHXK7cRm7X6iCJqll5-DqlIC7lBvHq1t0DU/s1600/mom-working-at-home1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-KFrBmeUf3tdgXBmya6rMRdt75kFALfZDOnsC8fAsu0t-WSOUzwKkdJB-cookgDSAKiuN1kYu0xsFHHScIZ9KDxlfk1iG_jwKo9Ze-RzXvHXK7cRm7X6iCJqll5-DqlIC7lBvHq1t0DU/s400/mom-working-at-home1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Instead this way of life is now valued. </td></tr>
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So women's values have changed strongly. Work and education is more valued. Producing food for your family is less valued. There is an interesting article by David McRaney from the website <a href="http://youarenotsosmart.com/">You Are Not So Smart</a>, about <a href="http://youarenotsosmart.com/2009/10/15/womens-happiness/">Women's Happiness</a>. The misconception, as he puts it, is that "Progress has led to an overall improvement in the lives of women which has led to happier, more satisfying existence." McRaney says that the truth is that the reported happiness of women has <strong>decreased</strong> since 1975 as the happiness of men remains unchanged. The changes in our modern, industrialised world have led to great progress in education, technology, the job market and reproduction, giving women more opportunity to do what they want to do with their lives than ever before. But women are not happier. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWWu4WFjbrpfusP0Xu063-afqgDYgbvNTXYwssYaqh620evs8X78QbF2jrfJDL9u8157TISf0v3FyzomSzx0-MBaU-Iq_VurN4TJoED4JaJYGTi0KcXMxKQbKrhQAWZ6CxPDwtHBnRFc/s1600/stressed-out-mom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWWu4WFjbrpfusP0Xu063-afqgDYgbvNTXYwssYaqh620evs8X78QbF2jrfJDL9u8157TISf0v3FyzomSzx0-MBaU-Iq_VurN4TJoED4JaJYGTi0KcXMxKQbKrhQAWZ6CxPDwtHBnRFc/s400/stressed-out-mom.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing the morning breakfast run...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxpLSJIoVxPhj74C1V1aO6AT2f0jM_kQLMcy5dTqjROqLUSGbovBe4zFciPo1GDJ17SqPjA1av9-ZhRjc7EbDi6PYboNcoA6laka31jq-NQyNN9gABtTbWqoNzPjPU-WHAnsX4PV86P0/s1600/stress.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxpLSJIoVxPhj74C1V1aO6AT2f0jM_kQLMcy5dTqjROqLUSGbovBe4zFciPo1GDJ17SqPjA1av9-ZhRjc7EbDi6PYboNcoA6laka31jq-NQyNN9gABtTbWqoNzPjPU-WHAnsX4PV86P0/s400/stress.png" width="386" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to "have it all"</td></tr>
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According to a study by Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers: "The lives of women in the United States have improved over the past 35 years by many objective measures, yet we show that measures of subjective well-being indicate that women’s happiness has declined both absolutely and relative to men. This decline in relative wellbeing is found across various datasets, measures of subjective wellbeing, demographic groups, and industrialized countries. Relative declines in female happiness have eroded a gender gap in happiness in which women in the 1970s reported higher subjective well-being than did men. These declines have continued and a new gender gap is emerging—one with higher subjective well-being for men."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9f6LWURPZE4cHwS97qwRIxyqvaEPUacXkIk5FNuduJokfQVqhthDKpPmGUrO5zJqnZassfUisy7YtQPsf3I7b5PEPJlzT64_xCFAHsArYXetKEhAI9-XlVZwq4P6Mhm6Dfr1F4WEDhI/s1600/stressed+mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI9f6LWURPZE4cHwS97qwRIxyqvaEPUacXkIk5FNuduJokfQVqhthDKpPmGUrO5zJqnZassfUisy7YtQPsf3I7b5PEPJlzT64_xCFAHsArYXetKEhAI9-XlVZwq4P6Mhm6Dfr1F4WEDhI/s400/stressed+mom.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stressed mom, happy dad?</td></tr>
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There is a lot of speculation around why this should be. Some of it may have to do with expectations - women’s expectations have changed with the greater scope of possibilities. When you ask yourself how satisfied you are with life, the answer depends on how much total satisfaction you believe is possible. Another possibility is that the world in which women gained access to over the last 35 years is a world built by men, and achievements in that world are male. To feel accomplished, women must subscribe to the things a male-driven world has established for hundreds of years as being measures of success. Women may not get the same satisfaction from those things as men do.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uxGel6tliYE1s6AWe_cnFOKr3agU8RH64hR1SYTm1oAFUOka_sy3A2ZvelhKqEnJOVgGHC80OSE4EshapLNanFA4y1bF_i-tDuBFZ_ODGcn57L17l5rOY-6D-bhkGVwWDwX0YlqCeo4/s1600/super_mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uxGel6tliYE1s6AWe_cnFOKr3agU8RH64hR1SYTm1oAFUOka_sy3A2ZvelhKqEnJOVgGHC80OSE4EshapLNanFA4y1bF_i-tDuBFZ_ODGcn57L17l5rOY-6D-bhkGVwWDwX0YlqCeo4/s400/super_mom.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br />
In his article, McRaney quotes Barry Schwartz: "The more freedom and choice you have, the less happy you become. People become paralyzed by it, never satisfied with any one road taken in life because your thoughts linger on what may have been down the others."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17OxmgdlqXojNqJasz8EZdGB9WriWQLE-1-TA6xehK9d7OoqS1S0xxEEF587Iuc4xXUl6LLntMkKlpUQRBY2Ss71dW_LkxRfmeWoSTrTdCi1VuXZryhs_3icZIqAn2CQm_8TTAS0dfmI/s1600/choice2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj17OxmgdlqXojNqJasz8EZdGB9WriWQLE-1-TA6xehK9d7OoqS1S0xxEEF587Iuc4xXUl6LLntMkKlpUQRBY2Ss71dW_LkxRfmeWoSTrTdCi1VuXZryhs_3icZIqAn2CQm_8TTAS0dfmI/s400/choice2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So now we have women, moving out of a food-oriented role, which was seen as demeaning because of the dominance of men in our society, who viewed the kitchen role as lesser. Women become indoctrinated into believing that happiness will come from achieving in the roles that men have structured into the world. But at the same time women are told that they can "do it all" - have a successful career, raise a family, cook like a goddess, and run a fabulous house. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4uSmIKEuacRUEmbFIx-tWOwNSXbqJbJ2SwnVq6D-fhIM1_hvj7fSsNq1Hn3iO5iTL2MOdTP9ZT4VudnPxGbva0c2AmBz5XUDgYOhZXby4XegQx3PD2CJJ_y6HcO4sYnPGC66YCkdIQc/s1600/Angelina%2520Jolie%2520Brad%2520Pitt%2520Shop%2520in%2520Long%2520Island%2520NY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="397" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4uSmIKEuacRUEmbFIx-tWOwNSXbqJbJ2SwnVq6D-fhIM1_hvj7fSsNq1Hn3iO5iTL2MOdTP9ZT4VudnPxGbva0c2AmBz5XUDgYOhZXby4XegQx3PD2CJJ_y6HcO4sYnPGC66YCkdIQc/s400/Angelina%2520Jolie%2520Brad%2520Pitt%2520Shop%2520in%2520Long%2520Island%2520NY.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This looks pretty normal right - could be you or me on a good day?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOg9t0Mm-wkrjzKIrFcZzy8Q5bj9JC9Ni9PySh17-cmBskK4FYuEnokDLDwOa3gda_-ShZz_ICoVHtfw3GYv9AJv9x30GigdmUjuc4ur2HyKmXZUOb0U9hzGyeZv5Zm4v_k86_XZVHcI/s1600/145810-jolie_angelina_fans_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivOg9t0Mm-wkrjzKIrFcZzy8Q5bj9JC9Ni9PySh17-cmBskK4FYuEnokDLDwOa3gda_-ShZz_ICoVHtfw3GYv9AJv9x30GigdmUjuc4ur2HyKmXZUOb0U9hzGyeZv5Zm4v_k86_XZVHcI/s640/145810-jolie_angelina_fans_large.jpg" width="432" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Except that I am not worshipped by a million fans</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnadRQROhepOYguQGScnvrSgN8fWcQL7Pf9BsKASVeMe19pME_d6I_rWguWsQtUuh_G5brvxR0hIJEQF5D84Fb7rRzp6pVSx-2eh-SOgsw1gs04Q_uYULli8a98C5C8VipASBk5LlslI/s1600/ajolie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXnadRQROhepOYguQGScnvrSgN8fWcQL7Pf9BsKASVeMe19pME_d6I_rWguWsQtUuh_G5brvxR0hIJEQF5D84Fb7rRzp6pVSx-2eh-SOgsw1gs04Q_uYULli8a98C5C8VipASBk5LlslI/s400/ajolie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I definitely don't look like this every day!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The media sends millions of messages every day to women about how we "should" be able to look, how we "should" aspire to be rich and sexy and famous, how we can have kids and a career and still look fabulous at 50...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtL2RJRixS4EajCzZsUOdJfjxLCbQhe-CNAwbzk-oqmU3tgQ5g3Kl2iDDlW1kfZveWqKf7shWD4Ok-AQZjB21Shw7uJX8OKumTRVjfRG6mvAWsp1fEoJj278_R8cZ47KpBvT01vXYLbQ/s1600/nicole-kidman-with-daughter-sunday-rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGtL2RJRixS4EajCzZsUOdJfjxLCbQhe-CNAwbzk-oqmU3tgQ5g3Kl2iDDlW1kfZveWqKf7shWD4Ok-AQZjB21Shw7uJX8OKumTRVjfRG6mvAWsp1fEoJj278_R8cZ47KpBvT01vXYLbQ/s400/nicole-kidman-with-daughter-sunday-rose.jpg" width="302" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole Kidman - looking like a normal mom-next-door</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYw2dJIijbkKFV-BI2jZ43j_0ZzLV0x2D2R_0d32iwNumXM6aQBAMXa0y9uumj8xdvzNji0xoeOZHgnwj5lo0kQDgeZxPwouUXErTnnfQas6CZrSDoZSPjsQHs79aBMGEnf9U_qYzhVm8/s1600/kidman.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYw2dJIijbkKFV-BI2jZ43j_0ZzLV0x2D2R_0d32iwNumXM6aQBAMXa0y9uumj8xdvzNji0xoeOZHgnwj5lo0kQDgeZxPwouUXErTnnfQas6CZrSDoZSPjsQHs79aBMGEnf9U_qYzhVm8/s400/kidman.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole Kidman - bombshell! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP66SdLKAZKHAEPgP_MR8mTfpWfCjlmTI0YxjosDHgovS7cmsXnJ9mLGM_Te3rjnJ9DoVOfxRFKT2gpco666h2jLvichwSgdE6JgHOSSPdP9gcddBObhnMPQlw5cb_DZzufTuJ92ZIipg/s1600/jennifer-aniston-running.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP66SdLKAZKHAEPgP_MR8mTfpWfCjlmTI0YxjosDHgovS7cmsXnJ9mLGM_Te3rjnJ9DoVOfxRFKT2gpco666h2jLvichwSgdE6JgHOSSPdP9gcddBObhnMPQlw5cb_DZzufTuJ92ZIipg/s400/jennifer-aniston-running.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jen Aniston, career woman (ok, looking like 20 when she's 40, but still...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how Jen gets portrayed on the cover of a men's mag.<br />
Geez, I feel inadequate...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-O0BnAmEppNWfOYghs6QWDquJ9fHId4IpDQhA0MRbpIiRQL80SvDUmLqeiXzwUcLmMo8zqoMo67mrGCCSMQr3SOA852TdnQdblS3nuqle7vnzA8kDzg6isCsH2PKRl69XpfDo30OoLo/s1600/heidi-klum-seal-children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5-O0BnAmEppNWfOYghs6QWDquJ9fHId4IpDQhA0MRbpIiRQL80SvDUmLqeiXzwUcLmMo8zqoMo67mrGCCSMQr3SOA852TdnQdblS3nuqle7vnzA8kDzg6isCsH2PKRl69XpfDo30OoLo/s400/heidi-klum-seal-children.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heidi Klum and Seal with their kids - average family, right?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNeoaqrHOashUCq5K6LYser8QBgFWn-YfVbHLXXddRR789JkNEN_v5kdLc4lA1NM2ceMtWspYjcKPMffaCi-_XWNEuHPuPTqBAHMl-5nAKkxifcbt749tz4f8XQI3k6GirKzgK2ywLb0/s1600/heidi-klum-sexiest-naked-model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdNeoaqrHOashUCq5K6LYser8QBgFWn-YfVbHLXXddRR789JkNEN_v5kdLc4lA1NM2ceMtWspYjcKPMffaCi-_XWNEuHPuPTqBAHMl-5nAKkxifcbt749tz4f8XQI3k6GirKzgK2ywLb0/s640/heidi-klum-sexiest-naked-model.jpg" width="513" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heidi Klum, covergirl.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEHOMAh4Iplkjx0fiBQ0v_fGGuRqP76iFlk__yfGHjmY8max9NzMDGUA0DbSAUH7UhQhxUpx8_560mOqmHPHLKK2HfwPpyeNgrJzWKueUYNKYV98THrNUbwzLYv7nGs7POceTbE6BUjs/s1600/f3b1eca2053bf5fc_cameron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="327" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPEHOMAh4Iplkjx0fiBQ0v_fGGuRqP76iFlk__yfGHjmY8max9NzMDGUA0DbSAUH7UhQhxUpx8_560mOqmHPHLKK2HfwPpyeNgrJzWKueUYNKYV98THrNUbwzLYv7nGs7POceTbE6BUjs/s400/f3b1eca2053bf5fc_cameron.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameron Diaz, out on a shopping trip</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O8JQOVVLpL-lOB_PzdtUfE-S2PwTi2lbNTSjCpficCIB9KDJDQLgj2obrnBKPg43xEkc8P7766iye3DKTv1tRPrdDWKGr2wdJgpvMP39HfwLq34bkDcpmZArsVbjbRnJY7FTIL7KenM/s1600/cameron_diaz68_47f64dfa2f52a-t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1O8JQOVVLpL-lOB_PzdtUfE-S2PwTi2lbNTSjCpficCIB9KDJDQLgj2obrnBKPg43xEkc8P7766iye3DKTv1tRPrdDWKGr2wdJgpvMP39HfwLq34bkDcpmZArsVbjbRnJY7FTIL7KenM/s640/cameron_diaz68_47f64dfa2f52a-t.jpg" width="488" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cameron Diaz, photoshopped within an inch of her life.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZpC_jeZQa_ojoL8b7pkYduT8Aa2VR7vU2A-6VxBT8R19DDe22TTuOflfuKizqJGMhzv1mAdVo289AE8kqDpAghRKGw1RMTn7h-126OZWCYTN69hJSblFliZp5Baxm-VvVwuqxYOczEw/s1600/stars+over+50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="412" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZpC_jeZQa_ojoL8b7pkYduT8Aa2VR7vU2A-6VxBT8R19DDe22TTuOflfuKizqJGMhzv1mAdVo289AE8kqDpAghRKGw1RMTn7h-126OZWCYTN69hJSblFliZp5Baxm-VvVwuqxYOczEw/s640/stars+over+50.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When I did a search for Sexy Women Celebs Over 50, this is what came up. <br />
These women all look like they're in their late 20's!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb-UQEqhnoaUuf8lx04w5XNVQtG_I8VuhNi6yUjrppZ0Q99sySNJeNzHcZZs2aK7GHVFAw1In8MPD6UvCs87GIHN1Q-NZ1FMQcKASf67bbs10irWTrRIxyzMLlthVT8SXGi0vJeh0yfc/s1600/stars+men+over+50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb-UQEqhnoaUuf8lx04w5XNVQtG_I8VuhNi6yUjrppZ0Q99sySNJeNzHcZZs2aK7GHVFAw1In8MPD6UvCs87GIHN1Q-NZ1FMQcKASf67bbs10irWTrRIxyzMLlthVT8SXGi0vJeh0yfc/s640/stars+men+over+50.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When you do the same search for Sexy Men Celebs Over 50, <br />
this is what you get! Wrinkly, bald, grey hair!<br />
So many inconsistencies in expectations between women and men!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdgMFEaOPWyTL4vGkwuDQX_8iy9KOhiMPv4k2yRdelwXfigr1zA5V8iX-N7OjDFF_cqJFOB3rfO6gkKe78KyVaQ20r5nbpLqD48hoSq0rBXKy0EeoKWa4z9lU3mQLWDUDze63jVkrgWY/s1600/44+The+Bridges+of+Madison+County.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghdgMFEaOPWyTL4vGkwuDQX_8iy9KOhiMPv4k2yRdelwXfigr1zA5V8iX-N7OjDFF_cqJFOB3rfO6gkKe78KyVaQ20r5nbpLqD48hoSq0rBXKy0EeoKWa4z9lU3mQLWDUDze63jVkrgWY/s400/44+The+Bridges+of+Madison+County.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you remember the movie Bridges of Madison County? <br />
With that hot actor, Clint Eastwood?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what he actually looked like in the movie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But Meryl Streep, who was born on 22 June, 1949, <br />
looks like she's about 30!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the alleged bill for Demi looking so young in Charlie's Angels</td></tr>
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Women are more stressed and over-extended these days because we have so many expectations put on us by the society we live in. Now I am not saying that we should go back to the 1950's and lock women back into the home and the kitchen. I am saying the the homemaker's role, of feeding the family and looking after the home, whether done by men or women, needs to be more valued. <br />
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We need to change our views that how we look, money, fame and possessions are what makes us happy. We need to realise that the basics of life are very, very important.<br />
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Animals in the wild do not own possessions. They spend their lives just living - they hunt for food, they enjoy the sunshine, they rest when they need to. They do not suffer from stress or depression or the myriad of mental illnesses affecting humans. Animals are, I believe, intrinsically happy. Humans are born happy - babies smile and laugh, and little children find happiness comes easily to them. As we grow older, we learn that our lives are extremely complex and difficult. Our world moves at a viciously fast pace. We are expected to achieve and excel. We are told which roles are valuable, and which roles are not. We lose our basic happiness that we are born with, and spend the rest of our lives trying to find it again. <br />
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Animals and plants are strongly connected to each other through the food chain - this is the structure that keeps our natural world going. But somewhere along the line, humans have taken themselves completely out of this food chain and created a separate, artificial food network separate from nature. Most people have no idea what food in its natural state looks like - oh, sure, we all know what cows and pigs and chickens look like, and vegetables and fruit are pretty much in their natural shapes. But we don't see the reality of producing this food. We don't see the cows, ducks, chickens, pigs, sheep imprisoned in factory farms, some of them in hideous conditions and suffering badly. We don't see the battery chickens laying egg after egg. We don't know about the horrible things that can happen in slaughter-houses where animals can end up being skinned and having their legs sliced off while still alive. And even if we do know about it, we all conveniently push this information solidly to the very recesses of our minds and try hard not to think about it while we buy our lovely steaks and chops and chicken wings, all nicely packaged and sterile. Even when it comes to fruit and veg - we don't associate the perfectly shaped grapes and carrots and potatoes and apples with muddy soil and pesticides and millions of litres of water. And heaven forbid we find a funny-shaped carrot in the supermarket, or a slightly bruised banana - we expect our fruits and vegetables to be perfection themselves before we will deign to put them on our plates. Even if we eat organic beef and chicken, and free-range eggs, most of the time we barely even give a thought to the actual animal itself when we prepare and eat our foods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E5ToMT0Dz6gTmJebOn-Lq33M6L3U487Fn8L8Fn4SOrL7k6fIeDPApD8nCuxBiYOOu8d_iSssPiet-h9RZozg404eJHpPy7O2TytyFHC7OtMF0ktazHDhaV_uJNIY9aCAkMJA4JrR5s8/s1600/grazing-cow-1b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="275" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E5ToMT0Dz6gTmJebOn-Lq33M6L3U487Fn8L8Fn4SOrL7k6fIeDPApD8nCuxBiYOOu8d_iSssPiet-h9RZozg404eJHpPy7O2TytyFHC7OtMF0ktazHDhaV_uJNIY9aCAkMJA4JrR5s8/s400/grazing-cow-1b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do you think of this when you are about to eat that yummy steak?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOZk7FNGBBtDKiL68ii2NXWZKgJ6cSOQy3wSOhp72ySxTl3c-AxKGLiTrdLWzv2h8dCfa85eDFAwwkeG1mwO2-z5bVSFNkFlEDvCaQYh-QwQHugL8xWIcbu5wGTgXqwNNmtv_62e4vPY/s1600/steak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOZk7FNGBBtDKiL68ii2NXWZKgJ6cSOQy3wSOhp72ySxTl3c-AxKGLiTrdLWzv2h8dCfa85eDFAwwkeG1mwO2-z5bVSFNkFlEDvCaQYh-QwQHugL8xWIcbu5wGTgXqwNNmtv_62e4vPY/s400/steak.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even having this pic right next to the cow above, I still find it hard to think "This is a cow"</td></tr>
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I am certainly not advocating that we go back to living in the wild. Rachel describes in her article <a href="http://www.rachellaudan.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/plea-for-culinary-modernism.pdf">A Plea for Culinary Modernism</a> how incredibly tough it was to eat and live off fresh and natural food. She says: "For our ancestors, natural was something quite nasty. Natural often tasted bad. Fresh meat was rank and tough, fresh milk warm and unmistakeably a bodily excretion: fresh fruits were inedibly sour, fresh vegetables bitter. Natural was unreliable. Fresh fish began to stink, fresh milk soured, eggs went rotten. Everywhere seasons of plenty were followed by seasons of hunger when days were short, the weather turned cold, or the rain did not fall." <br />
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She continues: "No amount of nostalgia for the pastoral foods of the distant past can wish away the fact that our ancestors lived mean, short lives, constantly afflicted with diseases, many of which can be directly attributed to what they did and did not eat." <br />
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Rachel writes: "To make food tasty, safe, digestible and healthy, our forebears bred, ground, soaked, leached, curdled, fermented, and cooked naturally occurring plants and animals until they were literally beaten into submission. To lower toxin levels, they cooked plants, treated them with clay, and leached them with water, acid fruits and vinegars, and alkaline lye. They intensively bred maize to the point that it could not reproduce without human help." It's interesting to see how we have gotten to the point of viciously processed food - from our ancestor's times to now, people have chosen to change raw foods to make them more tasty and enjoyable.<br />
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So we see that way, way back in human history, people have been processing and changing raw, natural foods. And people have been unconcerned with consuming chemicals and toxins for centuries - Rachel's article says that for five hundred years, Europe's poor staggered around in a drugged haze and suffered horrible hallucinations, because bread was made from mouldy, verminated flour, which was adulterated with mash, leaves and bark to make it go further, and hemp and poppy seeds were added for flavour and to mask the taste. Well up into the 1860's, bread was stretched with chalk, pepper contained the sweepings of warehouse floors, and sausage was stuffed with horrors. Rachel says: "Even the most reputable cookbooks recommended using concentrated sulphuric acid to intensify the colour of jams."<br />
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One of the biggest problems in history, and which still continues today despite all of our technology and industrialisation, is the massive chasm between the rich and the poor, and thereby their access or lack thereof, to nutritious and nourishing foods. It seems understandable that people of the past would go hungry - food was not produced on the mass scale as it is today, the feudal systems forced the poor peasants into working on lands that were not their own, and things like sugar and rice were costly and exotic. <br />
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Today we have access to almost any food we want, right from our corner supermarket or food court. But there is a catch, of course. You have to have money to be able to buy it. <a href="http://www.utne.com/Environment/Starvation-Food-Shortage-Inequity-Politics-Poor.aspx">Sharon Astyk and Aaron Newton, from the book A Nation of Farmers</a>, write: "Most hunger in the world has absolutely nothing to do with food shortages. Most people who go to bed hungry, both in rich and in poor countries, do so in places where markets are filled with food that they cannot have." The world produces more food calories than are needed to sustain its entire population, but millions of people cannot afford the healthy and nutritious foods which we are told are the best for us. <br />
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Astyk and Newton continue: "Inequity and politics, not food shortages, were at the root of almost all famines in the 20th century. Brazil, for example, exported $20 billion worth of food in 2002, while millions of its people went hungry. During Ethiopian famines in the 1980s, the country also exported food. Many of even the poorest nations can feed themselves—or could in a society with fairer allocation of resources." Over recent decades, industrial agriculture and widespread industrialization have moved large chunks of the human population into cities, promising more wealth. But rising food and energy prices (rising because of this move and this urban population’s new demands for energy and meat) have left people unable to feed their families.<br />
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You would imagine that that the best food is from the country, handmade by artisans. I have a vision of myself living on a small farm, milking my two cows every morning, happily making cheese and butter for myself, baking my own breads, collecting my eggs from my happy chickens, and growing piles of lovely vegetables and salads. But this is not how it used to be in the past - it seems that our vision of where we want to go to, away from processed foods and city life, to a slower, country existence of somewhat self-sustenance, is truly that - a vision. It is not a way of moving <em>back</em> to a rural, peaceful way of life that we imagine existed where everyone was happy and healthy. We actually need to create a totally new food and life vision for ourselves, moving <em>forward</em> into food tranquility and health. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how I used to imagine life was for peasants and farmers in the past centuries</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgSBWDf2SagwChVU11wpKmHY3QDG4wQ_JP688szfsq9MAG_yl1tEIk8nXq-ig_diCau1lzyW74aylHlkhLWoo06zgUijmBsrN12uxeibytYdy0vJpd64PquGAyIpshWyJ1O61ygVZwYM/s1600/SHEEP%2520FARMING%2520LOCALLY_SHEEP%2520DIPPING%2520IN%2520BB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="496" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRgSBWDf2SagwChVU11wpKmHY3QDG4wQ_JP688szfsq9MAG_yl1tEIk8nXq-ig_diCau1lzyW74aylHlkhLWoo06zgUijmBsrN12uxeibytYdy0vJpd64PquGAyIpshWyJ1O61ygVZwYM/s640/SHEEP%2520FARMING%2520LOCALLY_SHEEP%2520DIPPING%2520IN%2520BB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the reality of farming in the 1800's!!</td></tr>
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Rachel says: "Few who worked the land were independent peasants baking their own bread, brewing their own wine or beer, and salting down their own pig. Most were burdened with heavy taxes and rents paid in food; or worse, they were indentured, serfs, or slaves. Barely part of the cash economy, they subsisted on what was left over." <br />
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Meanwhile the rich suffered many of the diseases of excess. "In Georgian England, George Cheyne, the leading doctor, had to be wedged in and out of his carriage by his servants when he soared to 400 pounds (180kg). In the Islamic countries, India, and also Europe, the well-to-do took sugar as a medicine; in India they used butter; and in much of the world people avoided fresh fruit and vegetables, all on medical advice."<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George Cheyne</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Henry VIII</td></tr>
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Clearly we now have the medical knowledge to see that this kind of diet leads to illness. But somehow, fruits and vegetables have become the foods of the rich, while the poor people subsist on breads and lard and cheap take-aways like McDonalds and KFC. Multinational food companies make their processed foods available in single-serving packets to be more affordable on a weekly budget (Faith D’Aluisio and Peter Menzel, authors of <em>Hungry Planet</em>). This is leading to obesity which has become such a problem that it is the focus of one of Michelle Obama's campaigns.<br />
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“The expansion of agricultural production for export, controlled by wealthy elites who own the best lands, continually displaces the poor to ever more marginal areas for farming,” agroecologist Peter Rosset writes in <em>Food Is Different</em>. “They are forced . . . to try to eke out a living on desert margins and in rainforests. As they fall deeper into poverty . . . they are often accused of contributing to environmental degradation.” <br />
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In this system, poor people who depend on the land, and who best understand the urgency of preserving it, are forced by necessity to degrade and destroy it—and they, rather than we, are held responsible. But a large part of the responsibility rests on the way we eat. This is an important point, because it acknowledges that there are things that we in wealthy nations can do to enable poorer people to eat better—or even to eat at all.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvWu9Q2qbDhcKqdZk0aqxk0TbhcUPg7iMvSDHd1E3g5bibU3Clviqz1TjWA7lGMQhvw8BvrDWB9jTi2CXZGa4pM8vYxrk-EXIiMtloHi4cYwoj64XS3WAC-oqxW6hFK1jqXU8BcZ85D0/s1600/slash_and_burn_children.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="393" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvWu9Q2qbDhcKqdZk0aqxk0TbhcUPg7iMvSDHd1E3g5bibU3Clviqz1TjWA7lGMQhvw8BvrDWB9jTi2CXZGa4pM8vYxrk-EXIiMtloHi4cYwoj64XS3WAC-oqxW6hFK1jqXU8BcZ85D0/s640/slash_and_burn_children.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slash and burn agriculture is devastating to the environment</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Astyk and Newton say: "One way to do this is simply to grow our own food, to rely not on foods grown thousands of miles away but on foods grown at local farms and gardens. <br />
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We also can concentrate on creating food sovereignty in poor nations. We can cut back on global food trade, importing primarily high-value, fair-traded dry goods that take little energy to transport, and place limits on food speculation, which drives up prices so that multinational corporations can get richer at the expense of the poor." <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Global Grain Trade</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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Food is not only something that you put into your body to fuel yourself. Today we have myriads of TV shows about fancy, exotic foods; travel programmes which show you all the strange and delightful foods of different countries; even a show called <a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Man_V_Food/About_The_Show/Man_V_Food">Man vs. Food</a> where Adam Richman (such an ironic name! Rich man = gluttony, how appropriate!) travels around America finding all the biggest meals and taking them on as eating challenges - Adam tries conquer a massive grilled cheese sandwich in Cleveland, OH, a 7-lb. (3kg) seafood feast in Long Island, NY, and race to finish 50 wings in 30 minutes in Boulder, CO. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zFICGhLiPnlvyXKqPQIemNQ0hAZiFhBhsrMsXuJ8ifbTds5CO5LcIfnM08D7v4tBKHYE9X_fJjySU6XUUrlaNs-Q5yyGegROyB3Sl6a0U1UeQquUDRvVJZgbNVUt3myMhiwew-uA2dg/s1600/man_vs_food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7zFICGhLiPnlvyXKqPQIemNQ0hAZiFhBhsrMsXuJ8ifbTds5CO5LcIfnM08D7v4tBKHYE9X_fJjySU6XUUrlaNs-Q5yyGegROyB3Sl6a0U1UeQquUDRvVJZgbNVUt3myMhiwew-uA2dg/s400/man_vs_food.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam Richman in his show Man vs. Food</td></tr>
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This is not a new thing. The rich throughout history have indulged in feasts - ostentatious shows of more food than the powerful could possibly consume, driving home the power of the mighty few. Feasts were public occasions for the display of power, and the poor were invited to watch, groveling as the rich gorged themselves. <br />
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The disparity between rich and poor was abundantly clear in the access they had to food. The poor ate maize, sweet potatoes, porridges, polentas, coarse breads of rye or barley bulked out with chaff and clay - meat was only for rare occasions. The rich indulged in white bread, meats, rich fatty sauces, sweet desserts, exotic pineapples, wine, tea, coffee, and chocolate drunk from fine china. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette in the movie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxOHwemVDWqNARcLiWey0WZQP3rXROG0_8hau4MpfaXVR7iR9NbgMsGkQk6GKbMCtQ59XSzDxSqRjTrFahoKKtg-9QSABptNRBiw7LvDSKxI2RDHpQHi87ERLOu-OSUCavdshaUzMnr8/s1600/Chocolate+drinkers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSxOHwemVDWqNARcLiWey0WZQP3rXROG0_8hau4MpfaXVR7iR9NbgMsGkQk6GKbMCtQ59XSzDxSqRjTrFahoKKtg-9QSABptNRBiw7LvDSKxI2RDHpQHi87ERLOu-OSUCavdshaUzMnr8/s400/Chocolate+drinkers.jpg" width="393" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chocolate Drinkers from the Palace at Versailles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzym_VgSZyrOnYneuJvEixvzhsrT3QDvcpSQfDBUT9iQYgic4ED32EPfXnb3y9I2Qeno6xolRBn5BDb-F2vMR4sbqWm9fVLRRymytI7ZetGSP2PSobv6B-KTR_evL04eI68E14OvALCx8/s1600/Poor+invited+to+feast+Mafa065-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="434" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzym_VgSZyrOnYneuJvEixvzhsrT3QDvcpSQfDBUT9iQYgic4ED32EPfXnb3y9I2Qeno6xolRBn5BDb-F2vMR4sbqWm9fVLRRymytI7ZetGSP2PSobv6B-KTR_evL04eI68E14OvALCx8/s640/Poor+invited+to+feast+Mafa065-large.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A feast in an African village</td></tr>
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It is fascinating how today we take for granted access to these foods which once were only available to the elite - I am able to eat every single one of those foods on the rich list every day if I feel like it, and I am by no means one of the rich elite! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM3PxECtrpxPwzIdw3oQwThBcZrLU1aQBIshN-eeSsomBzlc4f-pVyz-SZmEsgRbBwEhxaVvXPDP7544GpGyFC-mq2PuLi_89P_pObKz2cWQSdoj1Cik7U16uvInIPg3Dt1R92o1GCKI/s1600/Godiva-Chocolate-Tea-Party-Basket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM3PxECtrpxPwzIdw3oQwThBcZrLU1aQBIshN-eeSsomBzlc4f-pVyz-SZmEsgRbBwEhxaVvXPDP7544GpGyFC-mq2PuLi_89P_pObKz2cWQSdoj1Cik7U16uvInIPg3Dt1R92o1GCKI/s320/Godiva-Chocolate-Tea-Party-Basket.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This chocolate basket would once have cost an entire year's salary!</td></tr>
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In those olden days it would have been royalty, aristocracy and rich merchants. Today the power of the mighty few has never been more evident - we see them in films, on TV, in gossip magazines, and we watch outrageous displays of indulgence simply for entertainment. But as always, the ostentatious displays of indulgence are not really about the food itself - it is about money. The rich and famous now display their power through consuming the most expensive foods - if the masses are able to eat chocolate and drink wine, what is left for the rich to distinguish themselves with?<br />
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There is a website called <a href="http://most-expensive.net/">The Most Expensive Journal</a>, and they have an article on the <a href="http://most-expensive.net/foods">World's Top Ten Most Expensive Foods</a>. We all know the usual ones - truffles, caviar, and wagyu steak:<br />
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<strong>Italian White Alba Truffle</strong> – $160,406<br />
Expensive truffles are notoriously pricey because they are difficult to cultivate. This makes them a true delicacy which some have called the king of all fungi. The Associate Press reported that a real estate investor and his wife from Hong Kong have paid €125,000 ($160,406 USD) for a gigantic Italian White Alba truffle which is reportedly the world’s most expensive ever. The most expensive truffle weighs in 1.51 kilograms (3.3 lbs).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian White Alba Truffle</td></tr>
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<strong>Almas Caviar</strong> – $25,000<br />
Almas caviar comes from Iran making it extremely rare and extremely expensive. The only known outlet is the Caviar House & Prunier in London England’s Picadilly that sells a kilo of the expensive Almas caviar in a 24-karat gold tin for £16,000, or about $25,000. Coincidentally, it is also where you can find the most expensive meal in Britain. The Caviar House also sells a £800 tin for those on a smaller budget.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghftL2-W6EUFRIwuxPXkScKTSa6DuN6JQEcdbpAdYmwcAR0Cz0a5gJ31s6BCw_cVw0RJHg4aVMJlrc994cx4bzZS8aEfrAytSRFRh0XSQQ4Eq1aqAW4Nwh1k8VIWV8yCcUyHca1diHnTA/s1600/caviar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="152" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghftL2-W6EUFRIwuxPXkScKTSa6DuN6JQEcdbpAdYmwcAR0Cz0a5gJ31s6BCw_cVw0RJHg4aVMJlrc994cx4bzZS8aEfrAytSRFRh0XSQQ4Eq1aqAW4Nwh1k8VIWV8yCcUyHca1diHnTA/s320/caviar.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almas Caviar</td></tr>
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<strong>Wagyu Steak</strong> – $2800<br />
While Wagyu cattle are raised both in and outside Japan, the Kobe varietal which is raised specifically in the Hyogo prefecture is the most elite. Employing the most traditional production methods, Kobe beef comes from cows that are allegedly fed only beer and massaged by hand to ensure a tenderness and marbling beyond compare. These dishes can be out of range for the average restaurateur, carrying an unhealthy load of fat and a price tag to match. For your next after-work social, you might try taking your associates to New York City’s Craftsteak, where a full Wagyu rib eye was served up to a private party for $2800.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6RV2Sa2ybsITIJt2LtUa2CpN73ANIR6z82eAkUTtGqvBDg7vJwE7D2iT6Wc_JoGLH6WoC4b-PY6jgHzAyJ4ApOIOCFv9ENFtWjKMZWPbp2XVXgBocg86UbEqW02QD4VG6MQhYBwaJLI/s1600/13_exe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="237" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6RV2Sa2ybsITIJt2LtUa2CpN73ANIR6z82eAkUTtGqvBDg7vJwE7D2iT6Wc_JoGLH6WoC4b-PY6jgHzAyJ4ApOIOCFv9ENFtWjKMZWPbp2XVXgBocg86UbEqW02QD4VG6MQhYBwaJLI/s400/13_exe.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wagyu Steak</td></tr>
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There are other crazy ones listed - <a href="http://most-expensive.net/mushroom">Matsutake Mushrooms</a> – $1000/pound; <a href="http://most-expensive.net/bagel">The World’s Most Expensive Bagel</a> – $1000; <a href="http://most-expensive.net/omelette">The Zillion Dollar Frittata</a> – $1000; <a href="http://most-expensive.net/curry">Samundari Khazana, the World’s Most Expensive Curry</a> – $3200; <a href="http://most-expensive.net/pizza">Domenico Crolla’s “Pizza Royale 007″</a> – $4200. I mean, seriously? Seems to me that food is not, and never has been, just something to keep people alive. <br />
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So.... back to our story of processed foods. How did we end up with the average Joe being able to gorge himself on white breads, fizzy drinks, deep-fried everything, McDonalds, canned meats and, well, all the preservatives and chemical additives that manufacturers can cram in?<br />
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Rachel writes: "In the 1880's, the industrialisation of food got underway, long after the production of other common items of consumption such as textiles and clothing had been mechanized. By the beginning of the 20th century, the British working class were drinking sugary tea from china teacups, and eating white bread spread with jam and margarine, canned meats, canned pineapple, and an orange for the Christmas stocking."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FBE3YpzPBaZ_nA2x65iTq-rhbRA3b_zFk6sXrVdrSrJMZ1DYZwir6DG37uHTpom6940-KdeHVm4FAm30Winq6zgN3FVSAwq1rhyQEuSno7tUUBR90AIRACheAY0-4WA_1OUecmSOpFQ/s1600/19century_food_label.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FBE3YpzPBaZ_nA2x65iTq-rhbRA3b_zFk6sXrVdrSrJMZ1DYZwir6DG37uHTpom6940-KdeHVm4FAm30Winq6zgN3FVSAwq1rhyQEuSno7tUUBR90AIRACheAY0-4WA_1OUecmSOpFQ/s640/19century_food_label.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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</tbody></table><br />
Pretty pathetic, right? Going from maize, sweet potatoes, and rye bread - all considered health foods today - to starchy white bread, sugary jam and salty canned meat. By today's health standards, pretty dodgy. And yet, that's still pretty much the diet that the poor people follow today - fruit and veg are for the upper income earners. The coarse wholewheat bread eaten exclusively by the poor before industrialisation caused weakness, indigestion and nausea - your body just can't tolerate it in large quantities. It was much easier to detect sawdust in your white bread, sugar tasted good, and everyone could eat yummy exotic pineapples. And after the rich basically rubbed it in your face all day long that they could eat all these wonderful foods, wouldn't you want them after being denied for so long? What do we splurge on when we celebrate - caviar, lobsters, fancy steaks, oysters? <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdDHBLIJ7TrfGFIJFa2atZKUSldg5k59JGQduf_2BL67-Sxh8y9n7_tCIprwLLjBpBJVqrZxHIW4G0T0KjzKh1dJvpPPOC5cwNAoD4lQOfSNb1Qh95fZO1YV2G5GbUiYXjuE3V3AZGH4/s1600/lobster_tenderloin_657x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="555" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOdDHBLIJ7TrfGFIJFa2atZKUSldg5k59JGQduf_2BL67-Sxh8y9n7_tCIprwLLjBpBJVqrZxHIW4G0T0KjzKh1dJvpPPOC5cwNAoD4lQOfSNb1Qh95fZO1YV2G5GbUiYXjuE3V3AZGH4/s640/lobster_tenderloin_657x600.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lobster tail, steak and champagne - must be a celebration!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> All the things we can't normally afford and which we know the celebrities can eat every day if they want. Or have their chefs prepare, and then simply stare at while eating a lettuce leaf and a carrot, judging by all the twig-thin famous people out there... these days all the fancy foods seem to be for looking at rather than eating if you're an actor.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsox7lL4Hp8hVyNVczVtA37XGg8X6_TOQxWd8GFwUt8Xattr1pK9KCcjpkB4h_s8QQAqq4HPLQ7tMfjd3sp0_TOad-vMOhFfgL8Z0AWM2M4_nLfK3uHc7g6g1npdAS5Xa4WG-F7fdC_4/s1600/karl_lagerfeld_chanel-couture_cuisine_ad_Bluefly_blog_FlyPaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLsox7lL4Hp8hVyNVczVtA37XGg8X6_TOQxWd8GFwUt8Xattr1pK9KCcjpkB4h_s8QQAqq4HPLQ7tMfjd3sp0_TOad-vMOhFfgL8Z0AWM2M4_nLfK3uHc7g6g1npdAS5Xa4WG-F7fdC_4/s640/karl_lagerfeld_chanel-couture_cuisine_ad_Bluefly_blog_FlyPaper.jpg" width="609" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lagerfeld has some sick ideas about the ideal...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
And we can see how, as we moved towards a faster, quicker world where everything centred around earning money, higher profits, lower costs, and productivity, you certainly didn't want your working population having to spend all their time preparing food. In the 2nd half of the century, Japanese women welcomed factory-made bread because they could sleep in a little longer instead of having to get up to make rice. As we read above, Mexican women seized on bread as a good food to replace the time- and labour-consuming business of preparing tortillas. Working women in India serve commercial bread during the week and save the chapatis for the weekend. Rachel says: "Men had choices other than hard agricultural labour, women other than kneeling at the metate five hours a day."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNph1E8VzLKzbasUaXClMBIcJXGAFB0M6MX9y9UyVrnc1SUI06kPSwSZOUyEgVg8pZTb9RwIzG9RqtlEj3k5rP7962C0v3-9ig9iO-hleyPpV70kgkeuGlYF9pFNDsGR2WRDV6j7YQ2ck/s1600/398_00_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNph1E8VzLKzbasUaXClMBIcJXGAFB0M6MX9y9UyVrnc1SUI06kPSwSZOUyEgVg8pZTb9RwIzG9RqtlEj3k5rP7962C0v3-9ig9iO-hleyPpV70kgkeuGlYF9pFNDsGR2WRDV6j7YQ2ck/s400/398_00_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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But I think we are clearly reaching the point where our lives are spiralling out of control. We are all now so busy and stressed out and having to drive for hours in traffic, and work at jobs where we never see the sunshine, that who the heck wants to come home and cook meals from scratch? Who has time to plant a veggie garden on the weekend, when all we want to do is collapse in exhaustion and stare at the TV for a few hours? It's definitely much easier to grab a pizza, heat up a TV dinner, have a few slices of toast with cheese spread. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ4Rq_qLoX3hkWiztHMyVVoMN17cmSmh5YZiE6dz3wr76C1xAu894DmMYpAQl6jQoVbJ4_31QsqaM9ARIDwnPmN2HwKs0CskVr_vb1isdbFb71KW4GenBPocG9D3_7WmO8dAR4ys-Gug/s1600/TV+dinner+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJ4Rq_qLoX3hkWiztHMyVVoMN17cmSmh5YZiE6dz3wr76C1xAu894DmMYpAQl6jQoVbJ4_31QsqaM9ARIDwnPmN2HwKs0CskVr_vb1isdbFb71KW4GenBPocG9D3_7WmO8dAR4ys-Gug/s640/TV+dinner+1.jpg" width="464" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An article from Family Circle magazine in 1971 on how to pep up your TV dinners</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6hk6Rv6bNI_m2HNjDljlNy0srX7hP22zUusrBeAfyaCpAVyC3eaxU8Oo6ijNsDUB2H0Qzqv5F_FqhxwfEn8p7EPQmylbTgIeUnnxYh-nCW08jwx37jhA3aMNGtBQm2lO94qEOY2-lGM/s1600/demo_ufvPHP_pizza_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6hk6Rv6bNI_m2HNjDljlNy0srX7hP22zUusrBeAfyaCpAVyC3eaxU8Oo6ijNsDUB2H0Qzqv5F_FqhxwfEn8p7EPQmylbTgIeUnnxYh-nCW08jwx37jhA3aMNGtBQm2lO94qEOY2-lGM/s400/demo_ufvPHP_pizza_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Today we can get take-out with the click of a mouse!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> The problem comes in when we don't actually know what goes into those processed meals, and the hidden toxic ingredients that we pour into our bodies. Photographer Dwight Eschliman has disassembled the <a href="http://limitedhype.com/2010/06/dwight-eschlimans-37-or-so-ingredients/">Twinkie</a> - one of the world’s most famous unhealthy eats, it has been around since the 1930s when James Dewar came up with the recipe for a Golden Sponge Cake with Creamy Filling snack for the Hostess brand. Dwight showcases the 37 or so ingredients that go into the Twinkie. This is a picture of the ingredients - it looks like some kind of future space food, right? <br />
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Try to match the ingredient list to the individual images!<br />
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Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour [Flour, Reduced Iron, B Vitamins (Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Folic Acid)], Corn Syrup, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable and/or Animal Shortening (Soybean, Cottonseed and/or Canola Oil, Beef Fat), Whole Eggs, Dextrose. Contains 2% or Less of: Modified Corn Starch, Glucose, Leavenings (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Monocalcium Phosphate), Sweet Dairy Whey, Soy Protein Isolate, Calcium and Sodium Caseinate, Salt, Mono and Diglycerides, Polysorbate 60, Soy Lecithin, Soy Flour, Cornstarch, Cellulose Gum, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sorbic Acid (to Retain Freshness), Yellow 5, Red 40. <br />
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So scary! <br />
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Here's another dodgy one - A Denver grandmother of eight, who happens to be a trained nutritionist, decided to see for herself just how effective the preservatives used in large segments of the U.S. food system actually are. She left an untouched McDonald's Happy Meal on a shelf in her kitchen for 12 months and has just released photos of the result. As some might expect, the year-old meal of beef, bun and French fries looks hardly different a year after it was first purchased. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5zduNxknSj8PAV9byreQW9lNA7Ib1DbcsDkXBNU0xjd4H_JO-h3j60hRbcevrwkYupkVCnM4AuJYjOsykVcOMK6E9rzqRZxj7GD6_77RIF3wrZpcYB7jwxl6rlu8lKVUK_sOyLv5zyY/s1600/article-1258913-08C69B97000005DC-37_968x528.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="348" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5zduNxknSj8PAV9byreQW9lNA7Ib1DbcsDkXBNU0xjd4H_JO-h3j60hRbcevrwkYupkVCnM4AuJYjOsykVcOMK6E9rzqRZxj7GD6_77RIF3wrZpcYB7jwxl6rlu8lKVUK_sOyLv5zyY/s640/article-1258913-08C69B97000005DC-37_968x528.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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Most foods these days contain preservatives, additives, chemicals, colours, flavours and large amounts of sugar and salt. Fruits and vegetables are treated with chemicals while they grow. Cows and pigs and sheep all have to be given hormones and antibiotics, because we insist on feeding them corn and grain instead of grass which is what their digestive systems are designed to eat. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uTzGmYRzhgm5ECT2izZqiTOd1-xvNLdcjTuN8kQix5OctBRwtJwBrfQRpcr_17toqWx470Okru_uxlB2xvaU20F7oTZwT4qDZQ2Y-QZ_A_vY22bjWV4zRGrnToPve90ZprAFOwGPD2Q/s1600/Jonik-Mad-Cow.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="337" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uTzGmYRzhgm5ECT2izZqiTOd1-xvNLdcjTuN8kQix5OctBRwtJwBrfQRpcr_17toqWx470Okru_uxlB2xvaU20F7oTZwT4qDZQ2Y-QZ_A_vY22bjWV4zRGrnToPve90ZprAFOwGPD2Q/s400/Jonik-Mad-Cow.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And the average person like me who is trying to stay healthy and eat well and avoid dangerous toxins, really struggles! I now read the lists of ingredients when I go shopping, and often give up in despair when I can't find anything without some chemical in it - when it is labelled "no artificial colours or flavours", it contains preservatives or something else dodgy. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN_l3hvBPJdI7Z-GK95oqj1hvw7LWBi9mYk5jBg8ydVknvdGTZ_prEJMOIe__5jqhk82OWzCBqBMgGeNBpMeXD65OFUbhreDMlKwU2QTp3WfR3219uf44pHwQSKkCcsoJikqtZRBBoKQ/s1600/honest_labels_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIN_l3hvBPJdI7Z-GK95oqj1hvw7LWBi9mYk5jBg8ydVknvdGTZ_prEJMOIe__5jqhk82OWzCBqBMgGeNBpMeXD65OFUbhreDMlKwU2QTp3WfR3219uf44pHwQSKkCcsoJikqtZRBBoKQ/s400/honest_labels_600.jpg" width="375" /></a></div><br />
I guess the problem is that we are all no longer in control - our lives are controlled by consumerism. In his article, <a href="http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/2962/">The Gospel of Consumption</a>, Jeffrey Kaplan writes: "Today “work and more work” is the accepted way of doing things. If anything, improvements to the labor-saving machinery since the 1920s have intensified the trend. Machines can save labor, but only if they go idle when we possess enough of what they can produce. In other words, the machinery offers us an opportunity to work less, an opportunity that as a society we have chosen not to take. Instead, we have allowed the owners of those machines to define their purpose: not reduction of labor, but “higher productivity”—and with it the imperative to consume virtually everything that the machinery can possibly produce."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIK4srqA9uezok94MTYd0U4wXlzpeRgxVRe-xiz2h9BUX8SO-ssmCU9yAn6y2ziTILADPXg4-3rsucLV8d_9D-3O2BDD_aDxh5eed5riaNIrDqzIk41QK9gWPJsR8Cv9DQV2VrYnIcRlM/s1600/WorkHard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIK4srqA9uezok94MTYd0U4wXlzpeRgxVRe-xiz2h9BUX8SO-ssmCU9yAn6y2ziTILADPXg4-3rsucLV8d_9D-3O2BDD_aDxh5eed5riaNIrDqzIk41QK9gWPJsR8Cv9DQV2VrYnIcRlM/s1600/WorkHard.jpg" /></a></div><br />
One of the most influential critics of the Age of Consumerism was Arthur Dahlberg, whose 1932 book Jobs, Machines, and Capitalism discussed the disastrous materialism of society. <br />
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“By not shortening the working day when all the wood is in,” he suggested, the profit motive becomes “both the creator and satisfier of spiritual needs.” For when the profit motive can turn nowhere else, “it wraps our soap in pretty boxes and tries to convince us that that is solace to our souls.”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0O4oOrYQcIgjD-_q_v64vgtqKyyLL190dsbXFN-UM1ExH4VJSgT2ZMMMaO2dR6YPBPLSuvd3JODsEkbGVyVO1j4Ac3_skI9sWKb2_N7fo5faJ4cIVncSATQKFWPj3FQf-o8fy8z5gPI4/s1600/consumerism-cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0O4oOrYQcIgjD-_q_v64vgtqKyyLL190dsbXFN-UM1ExH4VJSgT2ZMMMaO2dR6YPBPLSuvd3JODsEkbGVyVO1j4Ac3_skI9sWKb2_N7fo5faJ4cIVncSATQKFWPj3FQf-o8fy8z5gPI4/s1600/consumerism-cartoon.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Kaplan says: "We have impoverished our human communities with a form of materialism that leaves us in relative isolation from family, friends, and neighbors. We simply don’t have time for them. Unlike our great-grandparents who passed the time, we spend it. An outside observer might conclude that we are in the grip of some strange curse, like a modern-day King Midas whose touch turns everything into a product built around a microchip."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0qpLFq5vnxVNXWB8Fs8HVwCOM651Li9P9op_s86FNAfvvNPTQB25SBF92pJ6j6eOXUOrDAnv5bCjqYtsKQJQ69YpDhKaMwlc_Hjlt32kyxlu9iVKRIe03IQjT44rXkiAy1PA96zvvR4/s1600/TheresNoTimeForLoveCB.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="303" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0qpLFq5vnxVNXWB8Fs8HVwCOM651Li9P9op_s86FNAfvvNPTQB25SBF92pJ6j6eOXUOrDAnv5bCjqYtsKQJQ69YpDhKaMwlc_Hjlt32kyxlu9iVKRIe03IQjT44rXkiAy1PA96zvvR4/s400/TheresNoTimeForLoveCB.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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And our food today reflects this. We simply don't have time - to make our own butter and cheese and bread, or to grow veggies in the backyard. Heck, most families these days have a mom and a dad who work, and neither has the time or inclination at the end of a long, tiring day to cook up a home-made meal from scratch. Last night I made macaroni cheese from scratch, even making the cheese sauce from butter and flour and cheese. The entire cooking process took me 2 hours, with all the prep of ingredients, cooking onions and bacon and making the sauce, boiling and chopping eggs, cooking macaroni, and putting everything together to bake in the oven for 15 minutes. It's pretty obvious why most of us buy instant macaroni cheese from Woolies, or sometimes give in completely and get a family meal from KFC or McDonalds. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB_bDWR30XkyTavsuKAEnpoUjhiw98wozFbNYyF6M2v6qX6AjpIKvtzm9C6L-OQx_mTL36138y85b38-sJlSMhDuBdJAMc5KRqDlnFGCyMFcCb6eDRKJfhvexJCCD-wzoLVZRln6mrb8/s1600/working-mom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="377" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNB_bDWR30XkyTavsuKAEnpoUjhiw98wozFbNYyF6M2v6qX6AjpIKvtzm9C6L-OQx_mTL36138y85b38-sJlSMhDuBdJAMc5KRqDlnFGCyMFcCb6eDRKJfhvexJCCD-wzoLVZRln6mrb8/s400/working-mom.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the reality of our modern world...</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEFjM5dpIzoKSLwGbDF5mmjojN95GcP4E7vsWbBUwVlx-UMX4she3Os4lTgSKaDeW3qBNvz4h1K5fMzGDy3_CiXKiJ_ywfyEFwVUbfucrojP7n1QTRLCqkV2SzraqVYegpQEA6Fck6fk/s1600/tvdinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVEFjM5dpIzoKSLwGbDF5mmjojN95GcP4E7vsWbBUwVlx-UMX4she3Os4lTgSKaDeW3qBNvz4h1K5fMzGDy3_CiXKiJ_ywfyEFwVUbfucrojP7n1QTRLCqkV2SzraqVYegpQEA6Fck6fk/s400/tvdinner.jpg" width="313" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the original ads when TV dinners started becoming popular</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTVehFhshR98R69d2j2MnCurqxiOU-pG8rBNofhEXXhfAlmUbpQXI-y8P-V8I6v1MQJRQ-lBvJmPnuiDw8UWOU1u0iceb2ij3UMt8E1zg270vI35VQgXMNg80YmnA2ZKE5kaNgMeIIRE/s1600/EatwellImage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqTVehFhshR98R69d2j2MnCurqxiOU-pG8rBNofhEXXhfAlmUbpQXI-y8P-V8I6v1MQJRQ-lBvJmPnuiDw8UWOU1u0iceb2ij3UMt8E1zg270vI35VQgXMNg80YmnA2ZKE5kaNgMeIIRE/s400/EatwellImage2.jpg" width="303" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Most of us have these in our freezers</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
I think that we are living in a very sad era. We work ourselves to death because we have to have money to keep ourselves alive. We spend our money on a whole bunch of material things which we mostly don't really need, but which advertisers tell us will make us happy and fix everything that is wrong with our lives. Lots of companies make products that are really toxic and unsafe, so that they can keep their profits nice and high. Governments don't really get involved like they should, because then big business might get upset with them. We have companies which make foods full of chemicals, and we all buy and eat these foods because its cheap and convenient and we are all too tired to really have any other choice. We all slather our bodies in strange chemical compounds designed by the beauty industry to make us more attractive and younger-looking. We are slowly using up all of our natural resources, as we all throw away last season's clothes, electronic gadgets, shoes, toys, jewellery, furniture and buy everything new again, because a few industrialists in the 1920's worried that the frugal habits maintained by most American families would be difficult to break, and they launched huge PR campaigns to convince people that however much they have, it isn’t enough - so that these same industrialists could be guaranteed healthy profits and a continued fat cat lifestyle. We are slowly killing all the other species on the planet, no matter how many people and agencies work together to try and save them. And we live in the strongest information age the world has ever known, and yet most people are completely oblivious to what is really happening. How utterly sad.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q2wvbZDMd_iIHpSCQeKeNGHZWpBSU5EY6CcxpT1E50aNIc1QSN4D4WYIUN0GFe1aYBzenVifrCQYWq37GZ3wP5phP9uHElN0HXNsqpvXOyVl5Kh7KohyZUC_nY5TL2ZoEx213ijsbbk/s1600/wearedestroyingearthvoteby08aug08o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Q2wvbZDMd_iIHpSCQeKeNGHZWpBSU5EY6CcxpT1E50aNIc1QSN4D4WYIUN0GFe1aYBzenVifrCQYWq37GZ3wP5phP9uHElN0HXNsqpvXOyVl5Kh7KohyZUC_nY5TL2ZoEx213ijsbbk/s640/wearedestroyingearthvoteby08aug08o.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I wonder if there will be people living 100 years from now? Maybe they will look back at this time in history, and shake their heads sadly at the insanity of their ancestors, now that they have changed their destructive ways and found a way to live in harmony with their Earth. But right now... I don't really see how we are ever going to get there.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5lEuQJdAkIMa-YC2NzPk-R4JbD0hStopduZmWPWueuxJq8yKTS7OQEuMj68_uQ30JrIGvUftMwtkUu19CYgUuE0N74SNZJu1ACL264fSrufveAv_VZdWSHwJWcSEMe5htzt8kQFyw1g/s1600/WALL-E_skyline.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="328" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN5lEuQJdAkIMa-YC2NzPk-R4JbD0hStopduZmWPWueuxJq8yKTS7OQEuMj68_uQ30JrIGvUftMwtkUu19CYgUuE0N74SNZJu1ACL264fSrufveAv_VZdWSHwJWcSEMe5htzt8kQFyw1g/s640/WALL-E_skyline.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These images of earth from the movie Wall-E could become all too real... and soon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHU9tEtChGf45m87sYd4HVDAskPWl8Nnn82MnAKotM5JMU1zDVCs78fx9FeyPlp8ANVrvUdvJ5vafxuZ07oDa7nioK260J_qlwF5QDwIwMmEPsSFHEV5JVkywBKz1bg0ggFDYqNwuzQwY/s1600/wallescootercones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHU9tEtChGf45m87sYd4HVDAskPWl8Nnn82MnAKotM5JMU1zDVCs78fx9FeyPlp8ANVrvUdvJ5vafxuZ07oDa7nioK260J_qlwF5QDwIwMmEPsSFHEV5JVkywBKz1bg0ggFDYqNwuzQwY/s400/wallescootercones.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>As for myself, I am trying to do the best I can and make as many small changes as possible. Use less plastic. Buy natural toiletries and make-up, and household cleaners with no chemicals. Try to re-use as many things as possible. Shop less. And when it comes to food, make as much myself as possible. Read labels, and if they list more than 5 ingredients, put the jar back! Try to eat fruit and veggies with every meal. Buy organic and free-range, even if it costs a little bit more. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDvl6S2UECA8mz51DRlNdq30k3vzb9RE_Zv3TC6oHmfqh1UVG2C1HmbtE_HfJ_1hioM4N5JUhFF9munSFsRq-fahZ1C_QxIcOl0HNGaNj5cUxPDug-cYkPJhUrycyoNz6TwkxPEVVy7U/s1600/earth-day-earth-in-hands.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDvl6S2UECA8mz51DRlNdq30k3vzb9RE_Zv3TC6oHmfqh1UVG2C1HmbtE_HfJ_1hioM4N5JUhFF9munSFsRq-fahZ1C_QxIcOl0HNGaNj5cUxPDug-cYkPJhUrycyoNz6TwkxPEVVy7U/s320/earth-day-earth-in-hands.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
These days we can pretty much have any kind of food we want, whenever we want it - not like people in history who starved and struggled and had to eat really horrible things. Or is that really true? There are still lots of people in the world who starve and struggle. And now our local supermarkets stock really yummy foods, but they are filled with, well... really horrible things. <br />
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Maybe we should look to some of the posters the US put out during the World Wars. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0u0O4OzEHbuPtPN4N_u6BuWxhautliOAhZGKZg2IO7PaBEu7ULFROiRUthPu9Gy1tpgwl0DifA4zSQy_37FpsVBuSot6-GqQoYN9OXhoS2fl1Eix0sDJOcZrCLg4Yp16THpxUdeFFWo/s1600/maine-historical.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0u0O4OzEHbuPtPN4N_u6BuWxhautliOAhZGKZg2IO7PaBEu7ULFROiRUthPu9Gy1tpgwl0DifA4zSQy_37FpsVBuSot6-GqQoYN9OXhoS2fl1Eix0sDJOcZrCLg4Yp16THpxUdeFFWo/s640/maine-historical.jpg" width="460" /></a></div><br />
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Food definitely isn't simple, and it seems to have lost its value in our lives. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEeepBsEdZ8UrWQPKVFyPIbaRejpe6licnPDGKg1i5H31lvIiO6J0ASEQwWTJtLvO8BlozqAHORA1iclwIHvW-28p2cmxqx59NSGrU8yhlVDFpMfM5Jc7zs7D9444iKtj8VuUXhS9k4U/s1600/poster-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnEeepBsEdZ8UrWQPKVFyPIbaRejpe6licnPDGKg1i5H31lvIiO6J0ASEQwWTJtLvO8BlozqAHORA1iclwIHvW-28p2cmxqx59NSGrU8yhlVDFpMfM5Jc7zs7D9444iKtj8VuUXhS9k4U/s640/poster-13.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know what the answer is. I wonder if there will ever be a way to change this? Kaplan says: "If we want to save the Earth, we must also save ourselves from ourselves." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkav9dYKpTElGfbb5c6TInVq_MEJQYg5bnH0VKAFsxqPB5Ykq2FdEVxUVc21xAOfmaUTN112IIsKZLvs6N8yB-zOjVwWQmCJWNPu4UiG43CumIJK8fWauz1nm2XpxmONYeI2n60EiLLz8/s1600/article-1289237-08361365000005DC-678_634x452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="285" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkav9dYKpTElGfbb5c6TInVq_MEJQYg5bnH0VKAFsxqPB5Ykq2FdEVxUVc21xAOfmaUTN112IIsKZLvs6N8yB-zOjVwWQmCJWNPu4UiG43CumIJK8fWauz1nm2XpxmONYeI2n60EiLLz8/s400/article-1289237-08361365000005DC-678_634x452.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We should learn from people like these</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyRNGiSrG7Bq7Fz7M98839hllakgI-y8bpDvijZT1nE7huQewzFkK4_AXYN4jbvUYxbM17hFuh-CJXGL9SoT_Y9smH_VVg0pYrKk5EsUI8MUdndlqCYvdLyChveArfsGPEQYnWmMQAA8/s1600/indian_family_peru_feb_2002_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMyRNGiSrG7Bq7Fz7M98839hllakgI-y8bpDvijZT1nE7huQewzFkK4_AXYN4jbvUYxbM17hFuh-CJXGL9SoT_Y9smH_VVg0pYrKk5EsUI8MUdndlqCYvdLyChveArfsGPEQYnWmMQAA8/s400/indian_family_peru_feb_2002_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tribal people in the Amazon Rainforest</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBs9cSgASNHur4LrF6vmyTVd9nLszeY7tug0giwnlNd1FxZ6v4Ma0dw0gdO0ak5qdIW8iLAj6AUO0TGKICHXoatQddwu9BKGHlUOdT9MQObnwRi_NrTM2Da6xrjrpqebb3GT-MTFR2ZM/s1600/P1030131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBs9cSgASNHur4LrF6vmyTVd9nLszeY7tug0giwnlNd1FxZ6v4Ma0dw0gdO0ak5qdIW8iLAj6AUO0TGKICHXoatQddwu9BKGHlUOdT9MQObnwRi_NrTM2Da6xrjrpqebb3GT-MTFR2ZM/s400/P1030131.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The San People in the Kalahari Desert</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSFfmFP2nTSMPdmy0tqK6ZcNIbwMh2Ujj3jjowyGzsQo016GvqebKhBOba9ADoRGKzlletdFyhroyNh8nxp-WvmJcvPvcy5C5QYZlDFCubLKtqsMxt1eGlMxFcUEM0ru_yvq8P4BzUiw/s1600/untitled.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtSFfmFP2nTSMPdmy0tqK6ZcNIbwMh2Ujj3jjowyGzsQo016GvqebKhBOba9ADoRGKzlletdFyhroyNh8nxp-WvmJcvPvcy5C5QYZlDFCubLKtqsMxt1eGlMxFcUEM0ru_yvq8P4BzUiw/s400/untitled.bmp" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mongolian Nomadic people</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">It seems that moving into cities, and becoming more technologically advanced, may be our downfall. Let's learn the old ways of our ancestors again, and find a way to bring them into our modern world!</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_fzJmAhfwf6eJNiaryRlKWy-vkhzr_oRF8KSOwf8VBeartPnQ1shP5sabAc61GPzvX0yad8YhAELbaxq1Z5yYa85zhKFPbbx4MEkPQE6hwFzGw1yFwKk_l4f58Qf4o1FS8t4VIvBf8I/s1600/A%2520San%2520family%2520in%2520the%2520Kalahari%2520Desert,%2520Northern%2520Cape_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB_fzJmAhfwf6eJNiaryRlKWy-vkhzr_oRF8KSOwf8VBeartPnQ1shP5sabAc61GPzvX0yad8YhAELbaxq1Z5yYa85zhKFPbbx4MEkPQE6hwFzGw1yFwKk_l4f58Qf4o1FS8t4VIvBf8I/s640/A%2520San%2520family%2520in%2520the%2520Kalahari%2520Desert,%2520Northern%2520Cape_.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the way life was meant to be... can we find our way forward to this place again?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-39317126648038884232010-09-22T17:03:00.001+10:002010-09-22T17:05:46.465+10:00Cute! Cute! Key-oooooooot!!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvJKt45oWsVk0zvBrzy6LtD-9c4odEOt6Sucazfe54PmRi0-nE7gXpYWfIKi0uukoXfnmG6kc8o6EQ0yyKNCwIkJ9u_w715g4un0R9Cr5keeOTwSPl2dlyxaU-tpyA6PSYdCgjuWBcbE/s1600/1913360895_306179cf3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigvJKt45oWsVk0zvBrzy6LtD-9c4odEOt6Sucazfe54PmRi0-nE7gXpYWfIKi0uukoXfnmG6kc8o6EQ0yyKNCwIkJ9u_w715g4un0R9Cr5keeOTwSPl2dlyxaU-tpyA6PSYdCgjuWBcbE/s640/1913360895_306179cf3a.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love my blankie!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4inI5IO4BrIH4LRlYlDt-05elHVyWjg3mkddJes9Vvj4D5BWyBVSMbH_FkVE3xhyLaIIsNRHQ-wsevWcQNFcfNh_RaXDrwvlGSEsFwO0kyREbwcqFM6rm2_AQYNntBjXPQJTkLN6MWk/s1600/2731408935_6cbcc18c85_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4inI5IO4BrIH4LRlYlDt-05elHVyWjg3mkddJes9Vvj4D5BWyBVSMbH_FkVE3xhyLaIIsNRHQ-wsevWcQNFcfNh_RaXDrwvlGSEsFwO0kyREbwcqFM6rm2_AQYNntBjXPQJTkLN6MWk/s640/2731408935_6cbcc18c85_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oooohh the sun! My eyes! Should never have had that last tequila.... ow, my head...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWDYjg8NrVuC2pIOHHIIB2__meryugYaeM45jXx1MZ0Gz9HFQZa6WjCxUBi3T85iEhZLiqG6w8uXne8iN1q5-1A3j-JoHqtAWvjMii1J5eX5FXMd-tbQtN6fn8Em0BhKVGf_y7D0hlhk/s1600/2401239691_ff1472c7f6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihWDYjg8NrVuC2pIOHHIIB2__meryugYaeM45jXx1MZ0Gz9HFQZa6WjCxUBi3T85iEhZLiqG6w8uXne8iN1q5-1A3j-JoHqtAWvjMii1J5eX5FXMd-tbQtN6fn8Em0BhKVGf_y7D0hlhk/s640/2401239691_ff1472c7f6.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mommee I'm boooooorrrred...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PF2XcWwBbFVaFew1szhVPqcmf6OSp27tTRpPUgg5YcDf3vuttpTOds_TB1cgn8jpPIrT33DqjM1oFwzTf8hizqdO7BMy9IIV2bvnTlhIU8FEaPGO749WjR15Q_SDL7zyHfwT3I8xnRI/s1600/2623331515_d01ac31a82_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7PF2XcWwBbFVaFew1szhVPqcmf6OSp27tTRpPUgg5YcDf3vuttpTOds_TB1cgn8jpPIrT33DqjM1oFwzTf8hizqdO7BMy9IIV2bvnTlhIU8FEaPGO749WjR15Q_SDL7zyHfwT3I8xnRI/s640/2623331515_d01ac31a82_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">So very very tiiiiiiiired....</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXJoCx_y4CvluOyX0x4a7YLGDgk5pWfBRwGv4cusR82EQhTudwK4cU-9nlN_eL_FT5o8-d3pxUiisqgxSvpgKkMJ_VAwZbjmuTImUI0n3IN7XLDtxvlTyYLiEZPX20t1pjC-cndI3QDw/s1600/3523582153_92524e528d_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghXJoCx_y4CvluOyX0x4a7YLGDgk5pWfBRwGv4cusR82EQhTudwK4cU-9nlN_eL_FT5o8-d3pxUiisqgxSvpgKkMJ_VAwZbjmuTImUI0n3IN7XLDtxvlTyYLiEZPX20t1pjC-cndI3QDw/s640/3523582153_92524e528d_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjQp163csrJhyphenhyphenOLiF1FhQavjb86kNoneNnogd5aShe1xOrRc2NRHBb40fIWH97UzN3piJwGncjkK7FKi8DhIOlk6_CQn-VhRgWoumJAwCfwx9-2VLDuw1icXWRMKIHARQ3MRiFJIoOaY/s1600/3526935527_136f63f01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkjQp163csrJhyphenhyphenOLiF1FhQavjb86kNoneNnogd5aShe1xOrRc2NRHBb40fIWH97UzN3piJwGncjkK7FKi8DhIOlk6_CQn-VhRgWoumJAwCfwx9-2VLDuw1icXWRMKIHARQ3MRiFJIoOaY/s640/3526935527_136f63f01b.jpg" width="482" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Awww mommee... are you taking pictures of us again?</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDu6f994jgpauYvcY4zrMoWSrEJcMPVfDHUaJlibcNXoOhKLz-m1urCJVmMjntQeu2yTLLSAGBm59wC1G_dBvUyswgLcILoykiLcrTEwovNQPsUAntT45UcJk_deGqBhBH0p4ZBgtsJc/s1600/3797171056_5ec5285a61_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDu6f994jgpauYvcY4zrMoWSrEJcMPVfDHUaJlibcNXoOhKLz-m1urCJVmMjntQeu2yTLLSAGBm59wC1G_dBvUyswgLcILoykiLcrTEwovNQPsUAntT45UcJk_deGqBhBH0p4ZBgtsJc/s640/3797171056_5ec5285a61_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why, yes, I do like to be a cushion, thank you...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhJTei3dm9l5NjywAJe1zVEp_1J91RG5yGT4FeiHkrC8yOcYy5iJdvjWEbK4sNkI5NaFoeeL_3KMfY3MglAd7SfGyaLs9hsDeYkdNnXlbGwdIDSb_rcS0QjrPDZ06MRsqpsmXBgHxq2Q/s1600/3864249177_be0bc1f792_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhJTei3dm9l5NjywAJe1zVEp_1J91RG5yGT4FeiHkrC8yOcYy5iJdvjWEbK4sNkI5NaFoeeL_3KMfY3MglAd7SfGyaLs9hsDeYkdNnXlbGwdIDSb_rcS0QjrPDZ06MRsqpsmXBgHxq2Q/s640/3864249177_be0bc1f792_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Quick! Lemme make a funnee face...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVH9G8n1shtSv8xT_7bjKWJGoBKG6t9FQ-NpXiUirynjlCM4a8ObTBvHw_cwup1lBttuQ25CfP4128J_sv89Jo2B95A3M49YIM_jQITfAUTl8PqjpG1qvsPPs-y1o-L_c_16GLM5yuDc/s1600/4518676988_06b00091ef_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivVH9G8n1shtSv8xT_7bjKWJGoBKG6t9FQ-NpXiUirynjlCM4a8ObTBvHw_cwup1lBttuQ25CfP4128J_sv89Jo2B95A3M49YIM_jQITfAUTl8PqjpG1qvsPPs-y1o-L_c_16GLM5yuDc/s640/4518676988_06b00091ef_b.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm... too sexy for my... paws!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPd1WC2tj6ckmoxlCd9mxKSB7piv_F0qr1ZVCeXeWEYiJh1ZcjvUxHOx1i-CxPh-v6WFAeYPZJSqH-pMDcVQj5Uo47___UjVP5lxWP8co6vEVRlAkHoiYx0l15o6v-QlZYK9lnqbtb6M/s1600/4842274885_84e35ffab6_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="427" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRPd1WC2tj6ckmoxlCd9mxKSB7piv_F0qr1ZVCeXeWEYiJh1ZcjvUxHOx1i-CxPh-v6WFAeYPZJSqH-pMDcVQj5Uo47___UjVP5lxWP8co6vEVRlAkHoiYx0l15o6v-QlZYK9lnqbtb6M/s640/4842274885_84e35ffab6_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center"><span style="font-size: small;">What, these whiskas? </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, I just had them hanging around somewhere...</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu8gxufSWHTyGXG-BLC_MEgnzU67fHHdf2dbJ3AsLWtYAyKbOrzwWGz-vXB6fdh91O6GpH3G48Gi60bxgqfOPp0x5Jcc7-zICFCya1GBtoDnCw909GsartbOnmm0HkWW8rwQXhAQvkDo/s1600/2315310471_56db80b5a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvu8gxufSWHTyGXG-BLC_MEgnzU67fHHdf2dbJ3AsLWtYAyKbOrzwWGz-vXB6fdh91O6GpH3G48Gi60bxgqfOPp0x5Jcc7-zICFCya1GBtoDnCw909GsartbOnmm0HkWW8rwQXhAQvkDo/s640/2315310471_56db80b5a2.jpg" width="406" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ooooh but I am just so floofy!</span><br />
<div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Note to self: do not shuffle my feeties along the carpet, this static is just tooo much!</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NqhjCEoS8LC03ft2V7lG9wpsHKdIdS-PGQzHvp4w6-iPyprAJsZoDvMUOaRRYA9ge_0VR_lK8Ow8-tJlnVsZPKAxc_uxslQgSKYq6alXTafRoZ_YLneMuI_IEQ_0fz1l3BNZD2LvquU/s1600/4907991532_b9b4ac589e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3NqhjCEoS8LC03ft2V7lG9wpsHKdIdS-PGQzHvp4w6-iPyprAJsZoDvMUOaRRYA9ge_0VR_lK8Ow8-tJlnVsZPKAxc_uxslQgSKYq6alXTafRoZ_YLneMuI_IEQ_0fz1l3BNZD2LvquU/s640/4907991532_b9b4ac589e.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And...1... ok, that's enuff for today!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZJIhD0ZQ22HuBkx396pS4HGJVGL4n8qEdfpalJefVUinU4IPqkD-qR3dFlT117yI0KDjUdXD7MzFsXiJgtIpMSoOlgZ2kDtgafz9xdTQBgiVGMXtOah7m2v0MwXFUo2y8xOpCiLVUyQ/s1600/2553397433_969d7832c6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZJIhD0ZQ22HuBkx396pS4HGJVGL4n8qEdfpalJefVUinU4IPqkD-qR3dFlT117yI0KDjUdXD7MzFsXiJgtIpMSoOlgZ2kDtgafz9xdTQBgiVGMXtOah7m2v0MwXFUo2y8xOpCiLVUyQ/s640/2553397433_969d7832c6.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, I've worked with Lagerfeld, he loves me on the cat-walk... </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE0rPyUkL_8rXdmAJdG-fsfOsaegN3g63N8yHAPVEhpJ9Zk50p3rC8KGMKvrpyqKjLThM5VNoRU3zS07_dsxY17gQuGYBKPcDsKS1UmLbgj0CQQKznlJaHNfULH84TRuZ6espmtADIr8/s1600/4974283826_6e23d70d3e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiE0rPyUkL_8rXdmAJdG-fsfOsaegN3g63N8yHAPVEhpJ9Zk50p3rC8KGMKvrpyqKjLThM5VNoRU3zS07_dsxY17gQuGYBKPcDsKS1UmLbgj0CQQKznlJaHNfULH84TRuZ6espmtADIr8/s640/4974283826_6e23d70d3e.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Now how do you make this stuff stop running long enuff </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">to get a drink? Maybe if I use my paw...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWym4IwXksOAfp7nHURFCevG0TAG-4h9bdiqq3FNuJlDckth54RwW-cYoORrllkpKPbdtvr3t323AyJ1X2PYFIIZZULY0MsJXARuX-G-bYW-5U47Fg0sYp5gwOZfH3KDrYOcAf6cK-8Q/s1600/4986408907_5c28cffe81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWym4IwXksOAfp7nHURFCevG0TAG-4h9bdiqq3FNuJlDckth54RwW-cYoORrllkpKPbdtvr3t323AyJ1X2PYFIIZZULY0MsJXARuX-G-bYW-5U47Fg0sYp5gwOZfH3KDrYOcAf6cK-8Q/s640/4986408907_5c28cffe81.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">And, tilt... and wait for it... "Aaaahhh, the cute little kitty booby bun-buns!"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj592CeE1I1hlaBheH27-66adWlBVdlcswACCX8-O6xJi_WXpuHLAlK9xm7qPUEf4Fztr_pLCNw5Ds3PDiQCuVtUJs9vrXPmaFLp-mezpxPk5_a8YYIP2fV-T_scPGTAmwohkqqQuYDPII/s1600/4993663818_7ef9f7d071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj592CeE1I1hlaBheH27-66adWlBVdlcswACCX8-O6xJi_WXpuHLAlK9xm7qPUEf4Fztr_pLCNw5Ds3PDiQCuVtUJs9vrXPmaFLp-mezpxPk5_a8YYIP2fV-T_scPGTAmwohkqqQuYDPII/s640/4993663818_7ef9f7d071.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center"><span style="font-size: small;">But, but... we were't doing nuffink, promise! </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: small;">What ear? That ear? </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh, he likes it nibbled that way...</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QKjBiaueZX5eQLuM37e5A6Mmv-jewaELGvJbrcc66DrRlS2nf3Lje3ppE5YfkMMgzEHCObHsrQeG3CG-47eWA5hUga-vhhir_5Bsqw_o4Fs1HUH2ubTmoeaP2lDF9OzDFucyUMRTFPc/s1600/2731440585_08f71851cb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" qx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0QKjBiaueZX5eQLuM37e5A6Mmv-jewaELGvJbrcc66DrRlS2nf3Lje3ppE5YfkMMgzEHCObHsrQeG3CG-47eWA5hUga-vhhir_5Bsqw_o4Fs1HUH2ubTmoeaP2lDF9OzDFucyUMRTFPc/s640/2731440585_08f71851cb.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't even think about trying to flirt with her! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">She's mine, mine, all miiiiine...</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="left"><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, well, mom had that IVF thing... the doc calls it identical quads...</span></div></td></tr>
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</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-15163333959469626762010-08-25T11:33:00.000+10:002010-08-25T11:33:05.046+10:00Funny kitties!Something cute and funny to brighten up our days!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes we just need a laugh!</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-82557307390581490142010-06-26T18:48:00.043+10:002010-06-27T13:42:59.446+10:00"Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts" - Henry David Thoreau<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKyQg2Puds50gnyWKv5hP5be2to1Nn3nmhyphenhyphen1zjPujO3RrzY14yj56HX6U0LBXVn7zAub5NIGBlhBzRaPPN2738hZnX0SYbEQ5OIXLmEmpkT7zQeZGSzt9GdcS92FP9415TYQldzC-3-c/s1600/Thoreau.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKyQg2Puds50gnyWKv5hP5be2to1Nn3nmhyphenhyphen1zjPujO3RrzY14yj56HX6U0LBXVn7zAub5NIGBlhBzRaPPN2738hZnX0SYbEQ5OIXLmEmpkT7zQeZGSzt9GdcS92FP9415TYQldzC-3-c/s200/Thoreau.bmp" width="134" /></a></div><a href="http://thoreau.eserver.org/whowhy.html">Henry David Thoreau</a> was amazingly progressive for his time - he lived in the 1800's (1817-1862) and was one of the first environmentalists and green-thinkers. He lived in a cabin in the woods in the 1840's for more than two years. He wanted to get the most from his life by determining what was really important, and he did that by removing himself somewhat from the normal life of Concord, Massachusetts in the 1840's. One side of this was economic: he reduced his material needs by living simply, so that he would not have to spend much time supporting a lifestyle that he did not need or care about. The other side was spiritual, not unlike the spiritual retreats of eastern and western religions.<br />
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He has a fantastic quote: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise resignation, unless it was quite necessary."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i-tXDCBt86FT3h1AVzI222MRGfnW_koWXnOzreR5klZZN2yAGaReiuR58P39fJ48UzcSMaGThIu-mvX7nJCFRWd86-u1Yv9v4pcXIhjIyaaIAcfY20vTEmAj6SFOuTk5QkIRAD8KOB8/s1600/Thoreaus+pond.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i-tXDCBt86FT3h1AVzI222MRGfnW_koWXnOzreR5klZZN2yAGaReiuR58P39fJ48UzcSMaGThIu-mvX7nJCFRWd86-u1Yv9v4pcXIhjIyaaIAcfY20vTEmAj6SFOuTk5QkIRAD8KOB8/s400/Thoreaus+pond.bmp" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a view from the eastern end of the pond near Thoreau's cabin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I like the way he describes the life of the city as one of practised resignation. I think that is the way that most of us spend our lives - we are resigned to working in jobs that we may not particularly enjoy and find very stressful, because we have to earn money. We are resigned to spending less time with our families. We are resigned to lives spent indoors away from nature. We are resigned to the stress and speed of our modern lives and we are unsure how to change. We are resigned to global warming, and waste, and animal species being destroyed. We are all resigned to our modern lives. And I for one, do not like it at all! I am only in my thirties, and yet I feel that I have already, like Thoreau says, discovered that I have not lived.<br />
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I believe that what we call living today is a false and artificial construct of life, focused on money and possessions and gaining more of both, no matter what the cost. Thoreau was already saying this in the 1800's: "Why should we live with such hurry and waste of life? We are determined to be starved before we are hungry. Men say that a stitch in time saves nine, and so they take a thousand stitches today to save nine tomorrow. As for work, we haven't any of any consequence."<br />
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We live in a time when people strive for happiness, and yet our rate of happiness has steadily declined since the 1950's. Research has been done which shows that people today generally don't describe themselves as happy, and that depression, anxiety, and stress are steadily increasing. People feel they have less and less control over their lives and their happiness. The interesting correlating fact is that the average person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago - this is from a <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/dl-pdfs.php">fact sheet</a> by Annie Leonard, who has done 10 years of research into consumerism and the human desire to own possessions. Her website, <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/">The Story of Stuff</a>, describes how our want to own more things (and I say <em>want</em> deliberately, because most of the things we own, we definitely don't <em>need</em>) is leading to the destruction of the natural resources of our planet, and contributing to the declining happiness of people. She has a fantastic <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/">video</a> (seriously, you should watch it!), which discusses the life cycle of Stuff - extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. The 20 minute movie asks viewers to think about how their Stuff gets to them, and where it will go - 99% of all product purchases head to the landfill within 6 months of being bought. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-UlZj9J3sJJq3NHDPnsZg4ze3fSdPtGqrbVA0hc5uGSo_7wcHPrAG3JVIfUmWjTpcmb7U6t4_AfOFqNFMTfdKPh-xu58-lEZpkqFkUpAfEE6ki8Xt1ADbhsP7yAcgMwQfV_Rf9Oqrvo/s1600/story-of-stuff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-UlZj9J3sJJq3NHDPnsZg4ze3fSdPtGqrbVA0hc5uGSo_7wcHPrAG3JVIfUmWjTpcmb7U6t4_AfOFqNFMTfdKPh-xu58-lEZpkqFkUpAfEE6ki8Xt1ADbhsP7yAcgMwQfV_Rf9Oqrvo/s400/story-of-stuff.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div align="center">Annie Leonard from her video </div> <br />
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Annie quotes some very sobering statistics on the <a href="http://storyofstuff.org/pdfs/annie_leonard_facts.pdf">fact sheet</a>: <br />
• We each see more <strong>advertisements</strong> in one year than a people 50 years ago saw in a lifetime <br />
• In the U.S., people spend 3–4 times as many hours <strong>shopping</strong> as people in Europe <br />
• Each person in the United States makes <strong>2 kilograms</strong> of garbage a day. That is <strong>twice</strong> what we each made thirty years ago. <br />
• For every one garbage can of waste you put out on the sidewalk, <strong>70 garbage cans of waste</strong> were made upstream to make the junk in that one garbage can you put out on the sidewalk. <br />
• In the <strong>past three decades</strong>, <strong>one-third</strong> of the planet’s natural resources base have been consumed. <br />
• In the U.S. the national <strong>happiness</strong> peaked sometime in the 1950s. <br />
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Clearly, something is wrong with this picture. <br />
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I have been thinking about the way I consume for quite a while now. I have spent the last 6 months at home, due to a chronic illness which prevents me from working. Before that, I spent 14 years working in office-based jobs, in corporate environments, 5 (and sometimes 7) days a week. I spent most of that time feeling miserable and depressed, with a deep sense of wrongness inside me - I always knew I was not meant to be working inside a building all day long, doing work which I felt was meaningless and artificial. I have always wanted to work with animals, in nature conservation, but due to many circumstances in my life, I have never been able to realise that dream. But I have had to work, to make money, to be able to afford a house and food and clothes and a car. I think many people find themselves in this situation - not really loving their jobs, but being forced to work in them to earn money. And I spent a lot of time shopping during those 14 years. When I say a lot, I mean every weekend, with at least 1 full day spent at the mall. <br />
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</div>I bought a lot of things which I didn't really need to have. Humans have some basic needs which must be met to keep ourselves alive - food and water, shelter, clothing for warmth and weather protection. We do need other things, as demonstrated by Maslow's Hierarchy, but it is interesting that the actual material "things" we need are basic and only at the bottom of the pyramid - the rest are all feelings and thoughts. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTzGJJj7g84Xxz8hH6JSxV7jnltOUHaulh8VYbG1CWHWVa5GK-4LqlsuB6gB1luHjsWfAYHLClY5_pdCfjBhpr4uKVrruorMBzpXl7TlYmALUmULZeaSLYKs8NuldaKMaZutbj5fe4I0/s1600/shopping-mall-coupons.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="191" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcTzGJJj7g84Xxz8hH6JSxV7jnltOUHaulh8VYbG1CWHWVa5GK-4LqlsuB6gB1luHjsWfAYHLClY5_pdCfjBhpr4uKVrruorMBzpXl7TlYmALUmULZeaSLYKs8NuldaKMaZutbj5fe4I0/s200/shopping-mall-coupons.png" width="200" /></a>So because I was feeling that my needs higher up on the pyramid were not being met in my life, and I felt that I could not change my situation, I spent my time at the shopping mall, trying to buy something that would make me feel better about myself and my life. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div> <br />
We are advertised to every day - on the internet, driving to work, watching TV, reading magazines and newspapers. And all of these adverts have one goal - to create a desire in your mind for the product which is being advertised to you. And the way that the adverts do this, is to tap into your emotions, and focus on those needs higher up in Maslow's Hierarchy - needs like happiness, love, security, joy, self-esteem, respect from others. Every product is associated with an outcome, and promises you that you will feel something fantastic if you buy the product. Most product adverts do not focus on the actual attributes of the product, but on the way the product will make you feel. Soft drink adverts feature happy, laughing groups of friends, enjoying fun activities and loving life - you believe that you will feel the same way when you buy that drink. Car manufacturers advertise a lifestyle - luxury cars are associated with a luxury upmarket city lifestyle, 4x4s are shown with loads of people having a wild time in the outdoors. Beauty products are associated with gorgeous, rich, famous celebrities, because isn't that what all women aspire to? Wear the same brand of lipstick as a famous star, and feel like her for a day! And most adverts all show the one elusive thing which we strive so hard for and yet never seem to attain - happiness! Everyone smiles in an advert. Even washing powder adverts show delighted moms happy with their wonderful clean clothing. We are constantly told that buying things will make us happy. And we worship the rich - celebrities are not lauded because of what they can do, but because they earn obscene amounts of money and can afford all of these wonderful products which we are told will make us happy. Most research shows though, that rich people are not really any happier than middle-income people, and money is only a factor in happiness when you are not able to meet the basic needs of food and shelter. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So there I was, every weekend, trying to fill up this emptiness inside me with clothes and jewellery and books and cds. I wasn't really getting any happier. I ended up with a lot of things which don't really delight me. But I felt like I was doing ok with my life, because I had an income which allowed me to buy whatever I want. This is how I used to measure my success - by the idea that money is giving me freedom. </div> <br />
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But for the last 6 months, things have been different. My chronic pain has forced me to give up my job. Craig and I now live off only his salary, but it took me a very long time to get my mind around the idea that this could be enough. I struggled desperately through months and months of severe and debilitating days of pain, feeling that I had to earn money, I had to have a job, I had to be able to buy things. Finally I broke down and admitted that I couldn't continue anymore. I gave up my job and we started a budget. I went through a long period, months in fact, of feeling horribly guilty for not earning an income and burdening Craig. I felt frightened by the fact that I could not buy anything I wanted to from the shops. I still struggle with my idea of myself as a person who does not earn an income - every day I feel like I have to justify my consumption of Craig's money. But I have definitely changed my spending patterns - no more frivolous shopping, no more buying whatever I feel like. <br />
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And my life has changed completely. I don't drive to work in traffic anymore. I don't sit in a horrible air-conditioned open-plan office staring at a computer screen all day. I am not stressed out by 350 emails in my inbox every morning. I spend my time at home, with my 2 beloved Devon Rex kitties. I go for long walks in the forest. I still spend time at the computer, but now I research any subject that I wish, and I am finding so much fascinating information. I do the housework, and cook the meals. And I have realised that I am so much happier now than when I was working. I struggle with my chronic condition every day, and my life for me is sometimes not very easy. But I am able to find happiness in what we call the "smaller things" in life - such a misnomer! Watching my kitties play with baubles, or cuddle up in front of the fire, brings me great delight. Walking in the sunshine every day lifts my mood, and helps me connect back with nature. Cooking meals from scratch, and baking cakes and cookies, is great fun. Now, when I go to the shopping mall, it's only for necessities like pain meds and groceries, or occasionally to go to the movies. I actually feel very little desire to buy anything, and shopping is definitely not a way to boost my happiness anymore. I do have a few things I like to indulge in - cheap gossipy magazines so I can laugh at the celebs, going to the movies with Craig and enjoying popcorn, buying a packet of M&M's because they taste yummy. I have no desire to have a designer wardrobe, or fancy shoes. Jewellery - I never even wear it anymore. I do buy books, but selectively, and always on sale. My one weakness is teddy bears (through years of therapy I have found a cuddly teddy bear is incredibly comforting, and should not be laughed at or thought of as just a child's toy) - but I have also found that taking one with me to the mall reduces my longing to add another one to my collection. The important thing is that now I have treasured possessions, things that I really get pleasure from, and that I plan to keep for a long time, not throw away after a few days or months.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnb5nkhe66FdBFDlBGW77E84UTjMjj1HNLNegZImifxq1Wq3Twh4Hm51DgC3dMzcu96kTLk-H2r_So03u89XynCDHG6bWxXG8H1gsc-k2xfXbdGQAcohOT9Th9kHAYniQll8IvwOW4raU/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnb5nkhe66FdBFDlBGW77E84UTjMjj1HNLNegZImifxq1Wq3Twh4Hm51DgC3dMzcu96kTLk-H2r_So03u89XynCDHG6bWxXG8H1gsc-k2xfXbdGQAcohOT9Th9kHAYniQll8IvwOW4raU/s640/IMG_0561.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Devon Rex kitties</div> <br />
There is a LOT to be said for living more simply, reducing your salary if possible, focusing on happiness from experiences rather than from owning things. I know that we can't all do this - Craig is a saint and an angel for working so hard to look after us now that I can't contribute, and I know many people simply cannot give up their jobs or reduce their salaries. But the one thing we can do is stop trying to BUY our happiness. Happiness comes from inside you, from your happy memories, from spending time with your family and pets, from being in the sunshine and connecting with nature. Spend your money more carefully, really focus on what you are buying, and ask yourself - why are you buying it? Is it because you think it will fill some need inside you, or impress your friends? Or will this possession be one that you will want to keep and treasure, and truly add value to your life for a long while? <br />
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These <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/2009/02/14/1234028354125.html">photos</a> show what survivors of the bushfires in Victoria saved when they were running for their lives:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDTY07vEHiIQHvhOOc2x88GC0Jw-Bukoj8x5PR6QEHd7Bq6gqs77ih82ky6_9Geji3sAj9mdfC_oYFI3C9xEHu9X1vj9ApXIqntSM9M_s8CONRK0HES9CL1LvwUXQ7yhRBE3Q8dQPWcE/s1600/mercedesdavies_gallery__568x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNDTY07vEHiIQHvhOOc2x88GC0Jw-Bukoj8x5PR6QEHd7Bq6gqs77ih82ky6_9Geji3sAj9mdfC_oYFI3C9xEHu9X1vj9ApXIqntSM9M_s8CONRK0HES9CL1LvwUXQ7yhRBE3Q8dQPWcE/s320/mercedesdavies_gallery__568x400.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mercedes Davies holds her most treasured possession, her beloved doll, Mary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xA2fFJMib8OdHdGA6qaRsuoAFTGRxT8ECLhDGYMKUbk3LFqHuHcj4qOnhmcngD_QurWMBozNgN8YC_tqId9-boVBi30_-CDX4cqw9Gfqw1pkizl_PZaAfVgYqK3-q5cDfSTuJTbEwRo/s1600/arondriscoll_gallery__600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xA2fFJMib8OdHdGA6qaRsuoAFTGRxT8ECLhDGYMKUbk3LFqHuHcj4qOnhmcngD_QurWMBozNgN8YC_tqId9-boVBi30_-CDX4cqw9Gfqw1pkizl_PZaAfVgYqK3-q5cDfSTuJTbEwRo/s320/arondriscoll_gallery__600x400.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aron Driscoll saved his limited-edition guitar from his favourite band, Kiss.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JRwgwSRVtvQb5eyHrfBBpnCJ2Yh-YtEQmYqmtc8JV9d791unhF4K5ojIZBfX_AvsXetyX7AZ-gxAvpOpz9UU7uDYKaak5WKo3y4TGS-dxxHWrHMwpLkKMXZKPLzWsJf1-gY5ddVWUMo/s1600/brunotorfs_gallery__600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JRwgwSRVtvQb5eyHrfBBpnCJ2Yh-YtEQmYqmtc8JV9d791unhF4K5ojIZBfX_AvsXetyX7AZ-gxAvpOpz9UU7uDYKaak5WKo3y4TGS-dxxHWrHMwpLkKMXZKPLzWsJf1-gY5ddVWUMo/s320/brunotorfs_gallery__600x400.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bruno Torfs saved works from his art gallery and sculpture garden.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJt-tKrbf3pHVSJSF_v-VbfmBHuDW-v5pP1MRfo6fIuIDShegmlgASgwZ6frFQJM9F02Bse7jC_vxv5V6rdeaezo5HcMUvWOGDLXbjwnZW_YkAypOkJgsWh94PEK0mm9IZ9F8nNp3zGg/s1600/irenepassi_gallery__600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJt-tKrbf3pHVSJSF_v-VbfmBHuDW-v5pP1MRfo6fIuIDShegmlgASgwZ6frFQJM9F02Bse7jC_vxv5V6rdeaezo5HcMUvWOGDLXbjwnZW_YkAypOkJgsWh94PEK0mm9IZ9F8nNp3zGg/s320/irenepassi_gallery__600x400.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Irene Passi saved her 6-month old lamb, Tags.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4goJ37K1_CANTcM2dc3UYbBjhlI9llk1EakDlSVWrThMzNZGcQM2scjkQHGOOwwSHu69XJ_X7GSd7AqLsMCI9Q6SgwP1z0ftb4yB6op9Sfx1H3dxedRmQtHGqZ1D9Iml4p96-jz-P-k/s1600/mickjanis_gallery__583x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW4goJ37K1_CANTcM2dc3UYbBjhlI9llk1EakDlSVWrThMzNZGcQM2scjkQHGOOwwSHu69XJ_X7GSd7AqLsMCI9Q6SgwP1z0ftb4yB6op9Sfx1H3dxedRmQtHGqZ1D9Iml4p96-jz-P-k/s320/mickjanis_gallery__583x400.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Michael Janis saved his 4-year old beagle cross, Toby.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I would save my kitties, my beloved pink panther that I have had since I was born, my laptop because it has all of my photos on it, as many teddy bears as I could carry because they will be comforting, and if I had the time, some of my favourite books. What would be on your list to save? (On reading this list, Craig was mortally wounded that he was not mentioned - not an oversight, but an assumption that we would be escaping together! But yes, definitely top of my list - my wonderful husband!)</div> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Sami Grover writes in a post on Treehugger called <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/love_your_stuff.php">Love Your Stuff</a>, that rethinking our relationship to money and material possessions is a central theme within the sustainability debate. A great quote: "The problem, I argued, is not that we love stuff too much—but that we don't love it enough. Why else do people swoon over the next tech gadget; the next McMansion; or the next over sized car, before becoming bored and moving on to another obsession?" </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Many greenies believe that we have become too obsessed with our love of stuff. But Sami says: "Once we make the commitment to fall in love all over again with our houses, with our clothes, with our furniture, we start looking for qualities of durability, reliability, craftsmanship, beauty and sustainability, instead of cheap thrills and shallow gimmicks. We start nurturing, nourishing and maintaining what we have, rather than looking for something new. In short, we learn to live with less." I believe it is human nature to want to own things. But if we value our possessions more, we will certainly want less wasteful, disposable, replaceable things. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGfLgkMxcA5OXiVHU9NofPtmmg3WP2E8gIXTvdKx13U5Lehen5H8CynYZWqA0rS4zGCrRXkpIFxA1Vi5QDwA_kmKuwWM3ZVcBHjYW-zAdDPBg65gtjih5AMgQEFsDVyZiaSNcbmz0yzg/s1600/wastehierarchy02.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfGfLgkMxcA5OXiVHU9NofPtmmg3WP2E8gIXTvdKx13U5Lehen5H8CynYZWqA0rS4zGCrRXkpIFxA1Vi5QDwA_kmKuwWM3ZVcBHjYW-zAdDPBg65gtjih5AMgQEFsDVyZiaSNcbmz0yzg/s400/wastehierarchy02.gif" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN7iFgorqwon8pH4CKk5bS8HdFruoMl7h8PatN4EtMJ34aFJVoWBcCcqueDm6zVeJQNy05T_Qw1JaNIe3ESel9S06BossV2B-1UUUpXTf66XOSNQII1F8hTWUgs4gi532mJVlA4qzXXg/s1600/family-playing-l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoN7iFgorqwon8pH4CKk5bS8HdFruoMl7h8PatN4EtMJ34aFJVoWBcCcqueDm6zVeJQNy05T_Qw1JaNIe3ESel9S06BossV2B-1UUUpXTf66XOSNQII1F8hTWUgs4gi532mJVlA4qzXXg/s320/family-playing-l.jpg" /></a></div>Leo Babauta, in his minimalist website <a href="http://mnmlist.com/not-affluent/">mnmlist</a>, writes: "Eliminating unnecessary possessions also means you’ll need a smaller home, which will save on rent and heating/cooling. Buying fewer things means less debt. Spending time with loved ones or doing things you love means you spend less. All of these things are good whether you’re wealthy or not." <br />
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Bruce Sterling's Viridian Design Project was an attempt to create a green design movement. He writes: "Do not "economize." Please. That is not the point. The economy is clearly insane. Even its champions are terrified by it now. It's melting the North Pole. So "economization" is not your friend. Cheapness can be value-less."<br />
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Annie Leonard talks about how we determine whether a person has value or not, in our current "modern" world. She says: "In this system, if you don’t own or buy a lot of stuff, you don’t have value." She came to this conclusion after spending over 10 years traveling in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as places within the United States, to meet with communities negatively impacted by destructive resource extractive, production, disposal and “development” projects. Over and over, she saw "community members struggling to be heard in a democratic process, struggling to keep their families, community, health and local economies intact. The consistent characteristic of these impacted, disrespected, ignored communities is that they are poor." So obviously, having the money to buy stuff and own stuff gives you value and a bigger voice. The rich people are given the best of everything, and are worshipped, and it has been this way throughout the centuries - emperors, kings, sheiks, tsars, and now actors, singers, entertainers, heiresses. Somehow we believe these people are more "valuable", more worthy of being given a focus, just because they have more money and can buy more possessions. Communities with a wealth of knowledge about the land, and traditions, especially indigenous peoples and tribes, are pushed aside in favour of "progress" and development of the capitalist world. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Why do we believe that this picture above is a lesser way of life than this one below?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfQYp0KZdaYqiCvD9z92FpQiISkDdNXNuIKW59Ehz2wcKKVNS3ttKhL_0yDBJ_WKeiWtawQpQci-p5gwEwPMQVgGAljGOyRV5pO5XNSydAVTIeTSp2_daijk0Ol_ypxkcYlTREc9fBdU/s1600/2734995429_8e20c0b4ba_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrfQYp0KZdaYqiCvD9z92FpQiISkDdNXNuIKW59Ehz2wcKKVNS3ttKhL_0yDBJ_WKeiWtawQpQci-p5gwEwPMQVgGAljGOyRV5pO5XNSydAVTIeTSp2_daijk0Ol_ypxkcYlTREc9fBdU/s400/2734995429_8e20c0b4ba_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Which woman would you say is more important in these pictures below?<br />
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Why does having money make you more important than anyone else?<br />
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Another thing that we hardly stop to consider when we are buying something, is what goes into making it. Annie talks about the production process of products and describes the toxins being put into most of our everyday things. According to her video, there are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals in commerce today, and we don’t know the full impact of these toxics on our health and environment. Annie says: "The people who bear the biggest brunt of these toxic chemicals are the factory workers, many of whom are women of reproductive age. Now, I ask you, what kind of woman of reproductive age would work in a job exposed to reproductive toxics, except one who had no other option? And that is one of the “beauties” of this system. The erosion of local environments and economies here ensures a constant supply of people with no other option. Globally 200,000 people a day are moving from environments that have sustained them for generations, into cities, many to live in slums, looking for work, no matter how toxic that work may be. So, you see, it is not just resources that are wasted along this system, but people too. Whole communities get wasted."<br />
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Do we ever stop to consider what goes into the products that we buy? Annie describes the true cost of a radio from Radio Shack. "I was walking to work and I wanted to listen to the news so I popped into this Radio Shack to buy a radio. I found this cute little green radio for 4 dollars and 99 cents. I was standing there in line to buy this radio and I wondering how $4.99 could possibly capture the costs of making this radio and getting it to my hands. The metal was probably mined in South Africa, the petroleum was probably drilled in Iraq, the plastics were probably produced in China, and maybe the whole thing was assembled by some 15 year old in a maquiladora in Mexico. $4.99 wouldn’t even pay the rent for the shelf space it occupied until I came along, let alone part of the staff guy’s salary that helped me pick it out, or the multiple ocean cruises and truck rides pieces of this radio went on." We happily hand over our hard-earned money for that radio, thinking joyfully how cheap it is, and not considering at all the true cost to our world and to the people who have been involved in producing it. And then a month later we throw it away because we have a new mobile phone which streams the radio stations, and that little radio just seems so redundant and useless. All those resources, all those worker's time and labour, all the journeys the parts had to make, and the radio ends up on a landfill after a month's use. What kind of crazy world are we living in?!?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrAqCUmE2D309FNKBn00OTuFOVemklhY01z6v9KWXagmxTq827L85vBB1l5lXfLWR2HY6RPmfpm_YjesvnfxNlwzYwRFKVXsi1FsjNygELCenwI7PehY_N7QnBLhSEwYAhumgnvLeQmU/s1600/41GxCf+4kjL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCrAqCUmE2D309FNKBn00OTuFOVemklhY01z6v9KWXagmxTq827L85vBB1l5lXfLWR2HY6RPmfpm_YjesvnfxNlwzYwRFKVXsi1FsjNygELCenwI7PehY_N7QnBLhSEwYAhumgnvLeQmU/s200/41GxCf+4kjL.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XN46Dc17K4J8neIzOIbS7GZ37TFh9yY23mbdiBZO4FaKRRDqU6GUDkCjIuSSVwCQyUH1H5GZKCNv4nkL4dcCErkvDefPU_PqGOPUqoC3dMmFsznghfnz4yLEUUbRZJ6FzcCqZav4Wtk/s1600/multipackaging%2520(Custom).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2XN46Dc17K4J8neIzOIbS7GZ37TFh9yY23mbdiBZO4FaKRRDqU6GUDkCjIuSSVwCQyUH1H5GZKCNv4nkL4dcCErkvDefPU_PqGOPUqoC3dMmFsznghfnz4yLEUUbRZJ6FzcCqZav4Wtk/s400/multipackaging%2520(Custom).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>I was thinking about this the other day when I was emptying my garbage. I remember when I was little, we probably emptied our garbage bin once a week at the most. Now, I empty the garbage about 3 times a week, and most of it is food packaging. Useless bits of unrecyclable materials, used to pretty up my food, or keep it fresh according to regulations. There was not even any useful value in that packaging. I did not buy it to use it or consume it in any way. As soon as I had opened my food, I threw the packaging in the bin. So all of those resources and people's time and labour, went into making something that was actually designed to be immediately thrown away! Again, crazy!!!!<br />
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Did you know that there is a floating expanse of waste and debris in the Pacific Ocean now covering an area twice the size of the continental U.S. Believed to hold almost 100 million tons of flotsam, this vast "plastic soup" stretches 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan. It is called the <a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/travel-outdoors/the-pacific-garbage-patch-explained.html?campaign=daily_nl">Great Pacific Garbage Patch</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0sYNGbJ14sEtysp5T7MVx4JUEl9PekJLLadRmcRhQ8BP1Y90VEOMN11Eo-3nBgkdCUG-dn8M4tBjztV0EOvuRI5bEx7PAX6LsrmipXpJ5qt3mSkWZ7IzSqn5E_Lx9OsPOlOrSyknkvk/s1600/great%2520pacific%2520garbage%2520patch-jj-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0sYNGbJ14sEtysp5T7MVx4JUEl9PekJLLadRmcRhQ8BP1Y90VEOMN11Eo-3nBgkdCUG-dn8M4tBjztV0EOvuRI5bEx7PAX6LsrmipXpJ5qt3mSkWZ7IzSqn5E_Lx9OsPOlOrSyknkvk/s400/great%2520pacific%2520garbage%2520patch-jj-001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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According to the UN Environment Programme, plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI11MkZRvI1HsxUMEs34hJIrcs98IBFY4SuQyNh5TpnIbZ3TYpp30kcMm9Zyyd8vgFx-LnXtlxc7rKU7L0DkrA8fwvKwyB1MafiS7lxcgEMUMj4trKl8jpvRykMsCM4yeXVXOaBKH880Y/s1600/turtle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI11MkZRvI1HsxUMEs34hJIrcs98IBFY4SuQyNh5TpnIbZ3TYpp30kcMm9Zyyd8vgFx-LnXtlxc7rKU7L0DkrA8fwvKwyB1MafiS7lxcgEMUMj4trKl8jpvRykMsCM4yeXVXOaBKH880Y/s400/turtle.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Syringes, cigarette lighters and toothbrushes have been found inside the stomachs of dead seabirds, which mistake them for food.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fwuq5QqkP_IPJNTuKt9AK73OW2HFdOCv-Qqk3WFvzyMB0uOej1xNsQawpXIJ704lZDJN2P_WtgfroSvqWnNirrCu7YbZsD3FNidjsgKGRrdAkgYbmDfNFH0vEDWHSY1UQAmU0B4wYC8/s1600/pacific-gyre-albatross-carcass-plastic-stomach-garbage-patch-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fwuq5QqkP_IPJNTuKt9AK73OW2HFdOCv-Qqk3WFvzyMB0uOej1xNsQawpXIJ704lZDJN2P_WtgfroSvqWnNirrCu7YbZsD3FNidjsgKGRrdAkgYbmDfNFH0vEDWHSY1UQAmU0B4wYC8/s400/pacific-gyre-albatross-carcass-plastic-stomach-garbage-patch-photo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is a stomach sample taken from a dead albatross</span></div><br />
Plastic is believed to constitute 90 per cent of all rubbish floating in the oceans. The UN Environment Programme estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAjSxMVfQdwxWLzV7gZqOXNmlupzrsgKSCweBvbqrfNCV4j7NFh-Ytm-i1xPNRtIpiB9RX7eM-jyy8KKCInzmWrcQAL57R31k6YAR1x6Rlq108GqPdENceNFBM9GvofzLkp-oo8lWy0I/s1600/Pacific-Garbage-Patch30oct07.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiAjSxMVfQdwxWLzV7gZqOXNmlupzrsgKSCweBvbqrfNCV4j7NFh-Ytm-i1xPNRtIpiB9RX7eM-jyy8KKCInzmWrcQAL57R31k6YAR1x6Rlq108GqPdENceNFBM9GvofzLkp-oo8lWy0I/s640/Pacific-Garbage-Patch30oct07.gif" width="412" /></a></div><br />
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This <a href="http://science.howstuffworks.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch1.htm">article</a> explains why all this plastic is such a big problem: "The main problem with plastic - besides there being so much of it - is that it doesn't biodegrade. No natural process can break it down. (Experts point out that the durability that makes plastic so useful to humans also makes it quite harmful to nature.) Instead, plastic photodegrades. A plastic cigarette lighter cast out to sea will fragment into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic without breaking into simpler compounds, which scientists estimate could take hundreds of years. The small bits of plastic produced by photodegradation are called mermaid tears or nurdles. These tiny plastic particles can get sucked up by filter feeders and damage their bodies. Other marine animals eat the plastic, which can poison them or lead to deadly blockages. Nurdles also have the insidious property of soaking up toxic chemicals. Over time, even chemicals or poisons that are widely diffused in water can become highly concentrated as they're mopped up by nurdles. These poison-filled masses threaten the entire food chain, especially when eaten by filter feeders that are then consumed by large creatures." <br />
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These toxins are getting into our own bodies, as we consume fish from the ocean that have eaten these toxic nurdles. In total, more than a million birds and marine animals die each year from consuming or becoming caught in plastic and other debris. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMNmZiXteuswVbEjG_ltAdbVFICso9zSArGRKBhRQS3Gog9UBBboZFWKqv5NFDa-xwkRHEPIs0N6MGFCA4gGZnXuxqRe-KEsfjIrdr7kLiJjRrwgC2r5MJKXuHXOnneRdBvLXJqphDF8/s1600/300_plastic_petri_dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPMNmZiXteuswVbEjG_ltAdbVFICso9zSArGRKBhRQS3Gog9UBBboZFWKqv5NFDa-xwkRHEPIs0N6MGFCA4gGZnXuxqRe-KEsfjIrdr7kLiJjRrwgC2r5MJKXuHXOnneRdBvLXJqphDF8/s400/300_plastic_petri_dish.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This is what the water is like in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch - would you like to swim in that? Now think of all the marine creatures who have to live in that water!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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The scariest part of all this is that all of this plastic in the oceans is not coming from seafaring vessels dumping junk - 80 percent of ocean trash originates on land. Every time you use a piece of plastic - food packaging, plastic bags, toiletry containers - and throw it away, you are eventually tossing it into the ocean.<br />
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The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is only 1 of 5 of these patches in the world's oceans. These <a href="http://5gyres.org/">5 Gyres</a> are destroying our oceans, our sea life, and even our own bodies through consumed toxins. The <a href="http://5gyres.org/what_is_the_problem/">5 Gyres website</a> sums it up perfectly - "Plastics: Made to last forever, designed to throw away."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY59Y7zyXEjtCC_QDOA-olTIensyCp7aJsPSsMX6lgLz071tqStMowSAFo4Wz6ftckSb7EA18zS7jsea4MHXkKS-croqCgb-L3cmB07JP3-V4hI1CAMyL_DUi-QkOoRb_uS1hGHpU6klA/s1600/5gyres_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY59Y7zyXEjtCC_QDOA-olTIensyCp7aJsPSsMX6lgLz071tqStMowSAFo4Wz6ftckSb7EA18zS7jsea4MHXkKS-croqCgb-L3cmB07JP3-V4hI1CAMyL_DUi-QkOoRb_uS1hGHpU6klA/s640/5gyres_medium.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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So we can see how our throwaway mentality around products is not only affecting our consumption of our world's natural resources, but is creating a plastic pollution plague, clogging our waterways, damaging marine ecosystems, and entering the marine food we consume.<br />
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Annie has another scary statistic: "Guess what percentage of total material flow through this system is still in product or use 6 months after their sale in North America. Fifty percent? Twenty? NO. One percent. One! In other words, 99 percent of the stuff we harvest, mine, process, transport—99 percent of the stuff we run through this system is trashed within 6 months. Now how can we run a planet with that rate of materials throughput?" For example, the No Dirty Gold campaign explains that there is nearly 2 million tons of mining waste for every one ton of gold produced; that translates into about 20 tons of mine waste created to make one gold wedding ring.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95V9wAULW5yG6ldwphP3gK4YWmwEGYfoyl9vI7N4JGQr-aUjCrDiQvJvRXhLvNBFUJwBJaGNXDFDX9vLhAatIxw3gt3sWejlFrw7fDfia3UeqYcwRFti1F_hG5Sh_uSmjiVzHp8pIxEk/s1600/cincin-kawin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh95V9wAULW5yG6ldwphP3gK4YWmwEGYfoyl9vI7N4JGQr-aUjCrDiQvJvRXhLvNBFUJwBJaGNXDFDX9vLhAatIxw3gt3sWejlFrw7fDfia3UeqYcwRFti1F_hG5Sh_uSmjiVzHp8pIxEk/s200/cincin-kawin.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IbuS_zchHRBbVKRVRYW1ppc94FyabAbhcLK9RfJkkQSwByJBmtNXTpA5fkcaJezHlaogSp1FRWE6hVCM2oF-g5ho1QIVk_4-7h1JzIuyEVMhX0Xy9LH6ARYcIZIkbv8OgK9tkGyyQeg/s1600/industrial-waste-disposal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IbuS_zchHRBbVKRVRYW1ppc94FyabAbhcLK9RfJkkQSwByJBmtNXTpA5fkcaJezHlaogSp1FRWE6hVCM2oF-g5ho1QIVk_4-7h1JzIuyEVMhX0Xy9LH6ARYcIZIkbv8OgK9tkGyyQeg/s320/industrial-waste-disposal.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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One of the scariest things Annie says is this: "It wasn’t always like this. The average U.S. person now consumes twice as much as they did 50 years ago. Ask your grandma. In her day, stewardship and resourcefulness and thrift were valued. So, how did this happen?" <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgBwJkXUUGWOolHN-sWmrsUNtgGQmHTUdSkWdropGWiiShCVONeL3ZvFY_vhtnj-mVsqrbSUlqxCjOFXqGitNW2d20cRtEx5QYoJk2m-6549PMkBNjaCeHldQtYoRIkKkgfjNfsrQEm4/s1600/cover_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgBwJkXUUGWOolHN-sWmrsUNtgGQmHTUdSkWdropGWiiShCVONeL3ZvFY_vhtnj-mVsqrbSUlqxCjOFXqGitNW2d20cRtEx5QYoJk2m-6549PMkBNjaCeHldQtYoRIkKkgfjNfsrQEm4/s320/cover_04.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Annie continues: "Well, it didn’t just happen. It was designed. Shortly after the World War 2, these guys were figuring out how to ramp up the [U.S.] economy. Retailing analyst Victor Lebow articulated the solution that has become the norm for the whole system. He said: “Our enormously productive economy . . . demands that we make consumption our way of life, that we convert the buying and use of goods into rituals, that we seek our spiritual satisfaction, our ego satisfaction, in consumption . . . we need things consumed, burned up, replaced and discarded at an ever-accelerating rate.”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_CsoUBBKT4uyRdnd9YKnHOnBzBfzdvldI-kHhOy-EY88SslKOEmpKNgJs4vNOG9OrnEquG9mxh6e4iCAFRujOPZcbGgbrCF3ZqEkuDEeOpOAOHHsAkgoYWYyVHTOuD1oA_bxCkfd_SQ/s1600/purple-fashion-magazine-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin_CsoUBBKT4uyRdnd9YKnHOnBzBfzdvldI-kHhOy-EY88SslKOEmpKNgJs4vNOG9OrnEquG9mxh6e4iCAFRujOPZcbGgbrCF3ZqEkuDEeOpOAOHHsAkgoYWYyVHTOuD1oA_bxCkfd_SQ/s400/purple-fashion-magazine-13.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Have we started worshipping fashion?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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Annie talks about two of their most effective strategies - planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence. She says: "Planned obsolescence is another word for “designed for the dump.” It means they actually make stuff that is designed to be useless as quickly as possible so we will chuck it and go buy a new one. It’s obvious with stuff like plastic bags and coffee cups, but now it’s even big stuff: mops, DVDs, cameras, barbeques, everything!"<br />
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<a href="http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#plastic-bottles">Chris Jordan</a> has an art project called <em>Running the Numbers: An American Self-Portrait,</em> where he visually shows the statistics of consumption in America. The numbers are terrifying: <strong>410,000 hot beverage paper cups</strong> used in the US every <strong>fifteen minutes</strong>; <em>15 million sheets</em> of office paper used in the US every <em>five minutes</em>; <strong>60,000 plastic bags</strong> used in the US every <strong>five seconds</strong>; <em>one hundred million trees</em> cut in the U.S. <em>yearly</em> to make the paper for junk mail; <strong>1.14 million brown paper supermarket bags</strong>, the number used in the US every <strong>hour</strong>; <em>two million plastic beverage bottles</em> used in the US every <em>five minutes</em>. These numbers absolutely freak me out!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5AffUYGV9YEl_Z9x0Nk1RrDkKtsQ1nLtok59G0l6uuDHCn-kSw2qYsF-BpQXKPdO6XaINQ4F1QqXT7LouPKlw-4ulYt95bUmDMNzd75dXaFieqUUUuvxUcYfEDZOugInLorYL161yUk/s1600/starbucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5AffUYGV9YEl_Z9x0Nk1RrDkKtsQ1nLtok59G0l6uuDHCn-kSw2qYsF-BpQXKPdO6XaINQ4F1QqXT7LouPKlw-4ulYt95bUmDMNzd75dXaFieqUUUuvxUcYfEDZOugInLorYL161yUk/s320/starbucks.jpg" /></a></div><br />
But some things cannot break fast enough to be easily discarded, so there’s also “perceived obsolescence.” This convinces us to throw away stuff that is still perfectly useful. One way of doing this is bring out newer, so-called better models - computers, cellphones, cameras, cars, TVs. Another way is to focus on the human desire to be part of something bigger than themselves - fashion is a prime example of this. What you wear tells people about who you are, and of course, wearing coveted designer labels makes people envy you and long to be like you. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrvG4BlCcFiXK-P9HLyCeQI579RH2VWZ0KX-jHR60dv6IqxlFU77qh9t9o7g7TpB3RfqyzctPXIbYKBZafDfNOnTP_ehCQXm9PkO6VQ0qFgd0O1Sm0wtnIeXqVq68TSRAGsh3ECb3MHk/s1600/cellphones.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdrvG4BlCcFiXK-P9HLyCeQI579RH2VWZ0KX-jHR60dv6IqxlFU77qh9t9o7g7TpB3RfqyzctPXIbYKBZafDfNOnTP_ehCQXm9PkO6VQ0qFgd0O1Sm0wtnIeXqVq68TSRAGsh3ECb3MHk/s320/cellphones.png" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AZiGiAKXhtMQa2ITp6Y7gLts9GhnttE96xR3oJw3SciNHaPLGFkCrnam6Gf4NFS3ApioH7Dqrb5M7NUQa6fYKSDqcp3cmlIFcTsTZ6Hjp2MvNShuKGoUNij2FekvCOc0J08s6M1mijU/s1600/laptops.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1AZiGiAKXhtMQa2ITp6Y7gLts9GhnttE96xR3oJw3SciNHaPLGFkCrnam6Gf4NFS3ApioH7Dqrb5M7NUQa6fYKSDqcp3cmlIFcTsTZ6Hjp2MvNShuKGoUNij2FekvCOc0J08s6M1mijU/s200/laptops.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do we really need all these different versions of one thing?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDsGF0deMtn_-Pd0OzK_3KWGvBAPiUXDsw9GCg16peiZNtxcpl5-1uRyZXglP28WNBcHTDyaKk383dG1gtUzpUDkyjAf_0NJewQo1NYlP0hOILxOv-mPhcKjkSpZYXGyDCeZXCoW6f8E/s1600/shoes_highend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRDsGF0deMtn_-Pd0OzK_3KWGvBAPiUXDsw9GCg16peiZNtxcpl5-1uRyZXglP28WNBcHTDyaKk383dG1gtUzpUDkyjAf_0NJewQo1NYlP0hOILxOv-mPhcKjkSpZYXGyDCeZXCoW6f8E/s200/shoes_highend.jpg" width="166" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5YlYJBUJPd8OoNSkmnTl2zcS5ezfg7jydnY316EqvO3CjSX6l5Svs6u0nJ86biQxzgT_3BDdIRLrZrvxce7sMXFOa6jmqB97bdXasf4lSSaT82gM8kp5M4G7hOvVoLjk2au4MZ1o37Y/s1600/digital-cameras.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF5YlYJBUJPd8OoNSkmnTl2zcS5ezfg7jydnY316EqvO3CjSX6l5Svs6u0nJ86biQxzgT_3BDdIRLrZrvxce7sMXFOa6jmqB97bdXasf4lSSaT82gM8kp5M4G7hOvVoLjk2au4MZ1o37Y/s200/digital-cameras.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Another Chris Jordan stat - 426,000 cell phones retired in the US every <strong>day</strong>. <br />
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Which brings me back to advertising. Annie says that the point of advertising is to make you feel unhappy with what you have. "So, 3,000 times a day, we’re told that our hair is wrong, our skin is wrong, clothes are wrong, our furniture is wrong, our cars are wrong, we are wrong but that it can all be made right if we just go shopping." So not only are we generally feeling unhappy with our lives and our jobs, we are now made to feel that there is something more wrong with us, and we have to buy something to correct it. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Here are some adverts that have appeared in the media. What do you think of when you look at them? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdRniC5bagNkX1v70IgO8COXbp87ma3ZrZVoRdcPLF9AuxQiKEr7bVG37IgiWauuJ1A3bvZ0775wm_whyphenhyphenimpHHasjMoG8wjBSZ78mYVbZDzhT2HXKL2bwP4ZaZmh_3DZcJt58bFlCCyY/s1600/nestle-diet-gym.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdRniC5bagNkX1v70IgO8COXbp87ma3ZrZVoRdcPLF9AuxQiKEr7bVG37IgiWauuJ1A3bvZ0775wm_whyphenhyphenimpHHasjMoG8wjBSZ78mYVbZDzhT2HXKL2bwP4ZaZmh_3DZcJt58bFlCCyY/s640/nestle-diet-gym.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Do you think - "I am too fat and need to diet"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExO_4G3XKxgH2lXAHbm96k8O-Y_b2pfxmGgxiMM_ux8jLe2OEE1Dg2hsPG_d7N0Uoq5-f9nvUW26yxtaMO2D6QYXs3xZCZ3-rl1l9exhrFaGYvRTVWEnaH4q_RaITY7yquoObP1Z1cYw/s1600/Alien-Mugler-Ad-Spring-09-B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhExO_4G3XKxgH2lXAHbm96k8O-Y_b2pfxmGgxiMM_ux8jLe2OEE1Dg2hsPG_d7N0Uoq5-f9nvUW26yxtaMO2D6QYXs3xZCZ3-rl1l9exhrFaGYvRTVWEnaH4q_RaITY7yquoObP1Z1cYw/s640/Alien-Mugler-Ad-Spring-09-B.jpg" width="497" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Do you think - "I don't look like a hot alien goddess"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmSuBg_54PkPQzGKeEC-FSTlNqPW_Rt5UAHE_8AGJaqvhhO9fTbx1yRN0dusbJMv7p7r847U1t5eHKDTxBi3sAqTT43pGvLHwrfhvjJVp1KYSQjvaCMoMYcmJiclfYPEfVrXm2kJYxoE/s1600/Giuseppe-Zanotti-Spring-09_ad-campaign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="539" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmSuBg_54PkPQzGKeEC-FSTlNqPW_Rt5UAHE_8AGJaqvhhO9fTbx1yRN0dusbJMv7p7r847U1t5eHKDTxBi3sAqTT43pGvLHwrfhvjJVp1KYSQjvaCMoMYcmJiclfYPEfVrXm2kJYxoE/s640/Giuseppe-Zanotti-Spring-09_ad-campaign.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you think - "Gee, wish I could indulge like this"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOyMKlNPQetH-rYM1UZyyB6mo5KfHIJ8jbEeMKwTPRmMDPtKb7shLFSZxlmeTS9iTiXKQgc39Nluwmg1sZ0RM40SBav3BBK2py5QhvOoCN9KuK6vm9l79dsYxTIPr7Qx1GlN-v1wuFnY/s1600/levis-bodywear-ad-campaign-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="464" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOyMKlNPQetH-rYM1UZyyB6mo5KfHIJ8jbEeMKwTPRmMDPtKb7shLFSZxlmeTS9iTiXKQgc39Nluwmg1sZ0RM40SBav3BBK2py5QhvOoCN9KuK6vm9l79dsYxTIPr7Qx1GlN-v1wuFnY/s640/levis-bodywear-ad-campaign-large.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> Do you think - "I will never look like that!"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqRzxrM9-hCt_OEX4ylzIM1geNX6OdbyPLZpkwkj76EUA3oUc-r4EnmehHwnJ9kYxKYnIe5MHGGXOJEVpStJQ26b0XZkP_smgMlyY4YRshzXjWA_uFkHWyBLiqYgIfi2J5O8dmHmE3sI/s1600/hot_akshay_kumar002t.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqRzxrM9-hCt_OEX4ylzIM1geNX6OdbyPLZpkwkj76EUA3oUc-r4EnmehHwnJ9kYxKYnIe5MHGGXOJEVpStJQ26b0XZkP_smgMlyY4YRshzXjWA_uFkHWyBLiqYgIfi2J5O8dmHmE3sI/s640/hot_akshay_kumar002t.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you think - "I am <em>so</em> not sexy like this!"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q5uWLPkUfgL3bWBDwoRDXB3Mp2cDxKLhcszdt6dujiq4xpfXYpxOuaQXemm4KlwQ1B9uOS1q_ZHtiFuZr5PkgDUIptEtICYi79vtUkqMC_ve7Cf5wrYa0-7zmmPkE0MdiCnWZ1OAWsU/s1600/wonderbra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="378" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q5uWLPkUfgL3bWBDwoRDXB3Mp2cDxKLhcszdt6dujiq4xpfXYpxOuaQXemm4KlwQ1B9uOS1q_ZHtiFuZr5PkgDUIptEtICYi79vtUkqMC_ve7Cf5wrYa0-7zmmPkE0MdiCnWZ1OAWsU/s640/wonderbra.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you think - "Maybe if my boobs were bigger it wouldn't matter about my skills"?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-_zHVk40Q0i2fai4U5iYz-yk3MSkhTwto8R45vT5x36aiZvTl0-84wF7fuJUeg5d6q3HZbb4eMWHudHvYsdsp7Qmd8qSNXDH69bdDZqJ3KhUmSejle0zz8HXamXX-t2A3jvpsqSVAM4/s1600/diesel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="452" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-_zHVk40Q0i2fai4U5iYz-yk3MSkhTwto8R45vT5x36aiZvTl0-84wF7fuJUeg5d6q3HZbb4eMWHudHvYsdsp7Qmd8qSNXDH69bdDZqJ3KhUmSejle0zz8HXamXX-t2A3jvpsqSVAM4/s640/diesel.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you think - "Wouldn't it be awesome if I had an amazing life like the Americans?"</div><br />
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Every advert has a message in it that is associated with the product. The messages are subtle, and tap into your subconscious, where other messages from our world live, like our ideas of ideal beauty and perfect bodies and how we "should" look if we want to be successful, important people. Everytime you see these images, you compare yourself to what you see, and find yourself falling short. So you think: "Maybe if I bought those jeans, I might feel like those people." Or you associate those people with the jeans, and by association you can then be one of them if you wear their jeans. So you buy them. And you feel great for a little while maybe. Until you see the ad for those hot shoes, and again you feel inadequate. Off to the shops again...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnQyaecVl2gVK-RQxI08gDM7vGltYOAIpwDx-Qhht4pDqPgnqKF5p66zjlT-BemR491_4GCtUIEmYr3cR6dPSGs1i0pRMR2iRyVRO3YuifM2orxdNmM2GtsvOOs258hjbe1OYNICY7Bs/s1600/money_cant_buy_happiness_tshirt-p2357968373883706793oih_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrnQyaecVl2gVK-RQxI08gDM7vGltYOAIpwDx-Qhht4pDqPgnqKF5p66zjlT-BemR491_4GCtUIEmYr3cR6dPSGs1i0pRMR2iRyVRO3YuifM2orxdNmM2GtsvOOs258hjbe1OYNICY7Bs/s320/money_cant_buy_happiness_tshirt-p2357968373883706793oih_400.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_BVNGNSkbLaUnRvQDBgnW6ENKe2sIcAPqsz_cyf_jtBaDvc79OatHJn2bGtmq1RSIDbKKoiI5Em8yEI32zFGKT02UXkeB5jnl3GD-MQqn-AL3cYNUWCiL9ZBmp2KcIwVTqsK60ESCiY/s1600/9097~Family-Guy-Stewie-You-Suck-Posters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_BVNGNSkbLaUnRvQDBgnW6ENKe2sIcAPqsz_cyf_jtBaDvc79OatHJn2bGtmq1RSIDbKKoiI5Em8yEI32zFGKT02UXkeB5jnl3GD-MQqn-AL3cYNUWCiL9ZBmp2KcIwVTqsK60ESCiY/s320/9097~Family-Guy-Stewie-You-Suck-Posters.jpg" /></a></div>Annie says we are on a treadmill: "So we are in this ridiculous situation where we go to work, maybe two jobs even, and we come home and we’re exhausted so we plop down on our new couch and watch TV and the commercials tell us “YOU SUCK” so gotta go to the mall to buy something to feel better, then we gotta go to work more to pay for the stuff we just bought so we come home and we’re more tired so you sit down and watch more T.V. and it tells you to go to the mall again and we’re on this crazy work-watch-spend treadmill. Some analysts say that we have less leisure time now than in Feudal Society."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeep1vgi2ohhmRQzN1HUa19Ip3W2yOy4Aaq80NV02WMy_pTEg2o-6T6MinZ_sQBzl84JvUrvYrI_hlGsSrRdTLx6PsGWKKLOAgvm7nGl8ndQOaPMzPstAI92GaWnNUnVgWi8zX2aY83E4/s1600/bored-married-woman-watching-tv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeep1vgi2ohhmRQzN1HUa19Ip3W2yOy4Aaq80NV02WMy_pTEg2o-6T6MinZ_sQBzl84JvUrvYrI_hlGsSrRdTLx6PsGWKKLOAgvm7nGl8ndQOaPMzPstAI92GaWnNUnVgWi8zX2aY83E4/s320/bored-married-woman-watching-tv.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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We can see the effects in all areas of our lives. Our lives are passing by in a blur of speed. We spend most of our adult lives working, away from our families. We engage less with each other and with our natural world in our leisure time, instead relying on TV and video games to engage our sped-up brains. We eat less natural food, and more processed fast-food. Conrad Schmidt, an internationally known social activist, says: "We now seem more determined than ever to work harder and produce more stuff, which creates a bizarre paradox: We are proudly breaking our backs to decrease the carrying capacity of the planet."<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQOKpLKJnoEgmxGIK0t_xnB6kRftPoHrO5KqSSH83r0vDlaPzNwXQr6Q7LCZkKsWxNbFolj_j36upQDaYUgGHX5mQ0ah4reDOqa2VJN8pX07389yVx0T2dKzRTdcktTanu44NqjceqaA/s1600/2001_11_22%2520Nov%2520work%2520too%2520hard%2520550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="475" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqQOKpLKJnoEgmxGIK0t_xnB6kRftPoHrO5KqSSH83r0vDlaPzNwXQr6Q7LCZkKsWxNbFolj_j36upQDaYUgGHX5mQ0ah4reDOqa2VJN8pX07389yVx0T2dKzRTdcktTanu44NqjceqaA/s640/2001_11_22%2520Nov%2520work%2520too%2520hard%2520550.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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So I suppose what I am saying is - focus on what is really meaningful and important in your life. Recognise that work and your career are an artificial world created to drive an economy, which has been designed to deliberately manipulate the way you spend your hard-earned money. Happiness comes from slowing your life down. Being more present. Engaging with friends and family. Spending time outdoors and in nature. Playing with your pets.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PqOYre5O5JJIiSLgusK1nYod0JpoKS0kutszHdwrVtsdL4KGiiuJIXCuVQvM_cS6K2ietPBNI6V2Cfwz_pne5ECejSdBfXbMwwIpZiuc_KtYgsKes9FT-vOQDt-HEpH-Bz-ZfHO29e4/s1600/4-woman%2520with%2520dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1PqOYre5O5JJIiSLgusK1nYod0JpoKS0kutszHdwrVtsdL4KGiiuJIXCuVQvM_cS6K2ietPBNI6V2Cfwz_pne5ECejSdBfXbMwwIpZiuc_KtYgsKes9FT-vOQDt-HEpH-Bz-ZfHO29e4/s400/4-woman%2520with%2520dog.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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Stop trying to <strong>buy</strong> your happiness. Slow down on shopping, and spend money on things you really value, and would take with you if your house was on fire. Remember how the littlest things could delight you when you were a child.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0fce2czKWg3ohUIgHqfLNUlTBGuD6biYrHVnbnPWFulrFRVZKq6RKCjVwKqEN2YoBkXD_YLLFLVTWXurjZFCxvvttcX23OMQe42kAwWmVyw8Negbwy6Vfj0ZdpYajgfAxMn63yNUazo/s1600/2433223949_783e0cae83.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU0fce2czKWg3ohUIgHqfLNUlTBGuD6biYrHVnbnPWFulrFRVZKq6RKCjVwKqEN2YoBkXD_YLLFLVTWXurjZFCxvvttcX23OMQe42kAwWmVyw8Negbwy6Vfj0ZdpYajgfAxMn63yNUazo/s400/2433223949_783e0cae83.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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You only have one life. It is not a disposable commodity, and you only get one. Use your time wisely, slow down where you can, and try not to despair. There are many people out there who are focusing on changing our crazy system - people working on saving forests and clean production, labor rights and fair trade and conscious consuming and blocking landfills and incinerators. But by recognising how you are contributing to this system, how your consumption is contributing to the destruction of resources, and adding to your general unhappiness, you can slowly break out of the cycle, and start to place real value on the more meaningful things in your life. Look at the higher levels of Maslow's Pyramid, and see how you can achieve those things that contribute to your happiness, <strong>without</strong> buying something. <br />
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Pause. Breathe. And decide to live differently.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBmU6cp3KqkypizKSv_cG0huoxVdj-N_nO_FXp65hDB6fD7yZbeWx2mSpjedgveODMkiiRlnMFBrBEqF4JxOiKtxxJqCMXWjkIn_tQDvj3ynsRpf0uJKl6ynkprmkBEYtvhKh_1fz1YQ/s1600/happiness-jpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" ru="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWBmU6cp3KqkypizKSv_cG0huoxVdj-N_nO_FXp65hDB6fD7yZbeWx2mSpjedgveODMkiiRlnMFBrBEqF4JxOiKtxxJqCMXWjkIn_tQDvj3ynsRpf0uJKl6ynkprmkBEYtvhKh_1fz1YQ/s640/happiness-jpg.jpg" width="632" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-21099292411823739732010-06-23T10:17:00.001+10:002010-06-23T10:22:41.925+10:00Even chimps love playing with kitties!I was sent an email today with the most adorable pictures of a chimpanzee looking after two white tiger cubs. Taking everything that I am sent with a pinch of salt, I looked up the story to check if this was a hoax, and yay, it's not! <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076572/Pictured-Two-white-tiger-cubs-surrogate-mum--Anjana-chimpanzee.html">Here</a> is the link to the story in the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1076572/Pictured-Two-white-tiger-cubs-surrogate-mum--Anjana-chimpanzee.html">UK Daily Mail online</a>.<br />
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The chimp's name is Anjana, and she belongs to infant animal care giver China York who works at The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS) in South Carolina.<br />
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"Mitra and Shiva, were born during Hurricane Hannah," said Dr Bhagavan, founder of TIGERS. "During that time everything flooded in the sanctuary and they had to be moved into the house as their mother became stressed."<br />
Dr Bhagavan added: "China's role means that she is care giver to hundreds of animals when they are born. Anjana has been with China, side by side, ever since she was born and has joined her in caring and raising baby animals. So she helped her and acted as a surrogate mother to these animals and she has done these same with these baby white tigers."<br />
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More pictures are at the end of this post... keep reading!<br />
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<a href="http://www.tigerfriends.com/about.html">The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species</a> is a wildlife education organisation, dedicated to promoting global conservation with informative, educational and entertaining interactive programs. <br />
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Dr. Bhagavan "Doc" Antle is the founder and director of T.I.G.E.R.S., The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species and the R.S.F., The Rare Species Fund. He grew up on a vast cattle ranch in Arizona, where his great love for wild and exotic animals began and from a very young age he began raising and caring for every amazing animal he could get his hands on. <br />
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The Rare Species Fund was established to provide funding to critical, on the ground, international wildlife conservation programs, thereby complimenting the educational messages and field research of T.I.G.E.R.S.. They have some awesome projects, and some are in South Africa, which I really love! Here are some from a <a href="http://www.tigerfriends.com/docbio.html">list </a>from Doc's bio:<br />
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1. We have helped fund the Matabeleland Leopard and Cheetah project in Zimbabwe that uses radio-collars to track problem animals that had been trans-located. Established GPS locations of animals home range movements are created for establishing lower hunting quotas.<br />
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2. The Rare Species Fund supplies funding to the Raptor Research Program of the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa.<br />
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3. Our staff works closely with the Savannah Cheetah Foundation in South Africa preparing captive bred cheetahs for wildlife education programs. The staff of T.I.G.E.R.S created a cheetah run program establishing a much more thrilling and unique program for the guests who see the cheetah running at full speed right in front of their eyes. This up-close uncaged experience gives them a deeper appreciation and better understanding of the real beauty, power and grace of the amazing cheetah. It is hoped this lure chasing program along with other unique projects will start the cheetah on the long road back to eventual release into the wild.<br />
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4. We hand delivered seven tigers and oversaw the creation of their habitat in the Samutprakam Wildlife Park in Thailand. This group of trained and uniquely colored tigers is the first of its kind to be established anywhere in Asia. These tigers are used to draw attention to issues of international conservation while stressing the importance of saving wild tigers in a part of the world where tigers still live naturally but are highly endangered.<br />
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5. T.I.G.E.R.S. helped The Smithsonian Institute to take battery operated televisions into the South American rainforest to show remote villages and rural populations a short film of the beauty of jaguars and other South American mega fauna. This film was part of a widely heralded project to enlighten the native people about this magnificent cat. Due to habitat destruction, millions of children and adults who inhabit this region will never see these animals in the wild. The film was shot using Inca, an adult male jaguar raised at T.I.G.E.R.S.. He has such a close bond with his trainers that he was allowed to swim and play freely along rivers in South Carolina for the production of this beautiful film.<br />
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More pictures of Anjana and the white tigers:<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A great quote from the T.I.G.E.R.S website:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The great naturalist Didium said,</div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>"In the end we will conserve only what we love. </strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>We will love only what we understand. </strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
<strong></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black;"><strong>We will understand only what we are taught."</strong></span></div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-61075703679718382312010-06-18T17:43:00.005+10:002010-06-20T18:49:07.081+10:00Would you like a kitty with your coffee, ma'am?There is a lot of information floating around out there on the benefits of having pets. Research has shown that spending time with your beloved animal can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, decrease anxiety, increase endorphins, and generally just make you feel good. Even looking at pictures of happy animals can make you smile... just look at these and see what happens!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They're all kitties, I know - clearly I have a kitty addiction!</div><br />
Many cities have programmes for the sick and the elderly, bringing animals to hospitals and nursing homes, mental health centers, and shelters, where they do everything from lift spirits to assist with physical therapy. National Geographic has a great <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0808_020808_therapydogs.html">article</a> which says that a recent study on elderly nursing home patients now offers scientific support that brief weekly visits from man's best friend can have a positive therapeutic impact. The article describes a golden retriever called Bo, owned by Marcia Sturm, who visits the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Elderly patients tend to have fewer relatives and visitors, and are particularly charmed by Bo. While they may be too sick for lengthy visits, some are so happy to see him that it brings them to tears. Sturm said, "You'll hear them say, 'He likes me. He's my friend.'" <br />
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The POOCH program at Cedars-Sinai is an informal one, started six years ago by licensed social worker Barbara Cowen. Cowen said that nurses have noticed that after a POOCH visit, patients sometimes have slower heart rates and they require less pain medication. <br />
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What is it about the dogs that creates such a powerful effect? It's a quality-of-life issue. It's about giving people access to what they like and enjoy. <br />
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But there are lots of people, especially in cities, who aren't able to have pets. I am very lucky to have found a rental home where the landlord is happy for me to have my two Devon Rex kitties, but many people who long to have pets simply can't, because of rental issues, apartment living, cost of keeping a pet, or even partners and children with allergies. <br />
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I was thinking about this today when I went to Hornsby Mall for some shopping. Whenever we go there, Craig and I go into the pet shop to have a look at the puppies and kittens. There are always such cute new baby animals there, and we spend ages tapping the glass windows and making gooey baby noises, along with a whole bunch of other shoppers of all ages. It seems that loads of people, from children to the elderly, love to stop off at the pet shop, and seem to get a happiness boost to their day just by looking at fluffy kittens and wrinkly puppies. Most people are not there to buy an animal, or even to stock up on any of the other products the pet shop sells. They are just there to enjoy a few minutes looking at baby animals, and everyone walks away with a smile on their face, including me.<br />
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So I thought that what is happening in Japan is pretty cool. There are many people in Japan who cannot have pets - times are tough with the recession, and as all of us city-dwellers know, there are a lot of lonely people living in emotionally empty urban spaces. According to Joanna and Paul of <a href="http://accidentalepicurean.com/">accidental epicurean</a>: "In Tokyo, where flats are more like an American walk-in closet, residents are often not able to keep pets. In fact, the Tokyo lifestyle is such that one works until 9pm (or later), grabs a bite to eat and then often just heads home to sleep." But now, in Japan, Cat Cafes have been popping up all over the place, allowing people to relax with a cup of coffee while receiving the purr-fect, relaxing companionship of a kitty.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It seems that the Japanese view time spent with a cat as a respite from their hectic daily lives, and are prepared to pay a small fee for the privilege. Spending time with animals is relaxing, and especially with cats - they have a calming effect and easily pick up on emotion. Stroking a purring cat is incredibly soothing. And for about $5 to $10 an hour, you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy the affection of the cats when the mood suits them; just like any pet lover would if they could have cats in the comfort of their own homes. Being in the company of twenty or so cats can work wonders for de-stressing.</div><br />
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The <a href="http://accidentalepicurean.com/2009/07/neko-jalala-cat-cafe-akihabara-tokyo/">article </a>on accidental epicurean describes their visit to Neko Jalala, a Cat Cafe in Tokyo. "As I was sipping a ginger and lemon iced tea, I started to look around. Part kitty playground and part café, there were cats on bookcases….in plush kitty beds…on stools….on upholstered cat trees and lining the walls. There was…on a footstool…the biggest Maine Coon I have ever seen and I seriously doubt I will ever see one bigger. He was the size of a dog and had a rather humourless look about him. An orange Persian with a squished up face slept and stretched and slept some more. A tabby Scottish Fold awoke from a nap and peered at us with one eye. And “Jack” a black cat, also known as the manager of the place, made his way over to us as if to welcome us to his humble operation."<br />
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I think it is totally awesome! After removing your shoes and washing your hands, you can relax or play with the cats and kittens while you have your drink. Prices are reasonable, and the rules are simple: no flash photos, no grabbing tails or waking sleeping kitties. The website <a href="http://www.bento.com/rev/catcafe.html">bento</a> gives a listing of various Cat Cafes in Tokyo. <br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are some pics from the <a href="http://accidentalepicurean.com/2009/07/neko-jalala-cat-cafe-akihabara-tokyo/">accidental epicurean article</a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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I would love to have something like this in Sydney! I don't know about other people, but I would definitely spend a few dollars to go there and play with kitties every week, even though I have two of my own at home. I wonder if the overly-extreme regulations of the anal Australian authorities would ever let anyone run a business like this? The only similar thing I could find was a dog-friendly cafe in Adelaide called Cafe De Bones, but this is just a normal cafe which lets you bring your dog along. <br />
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If I ever go on a visit to Tokyo, forget all the other touristy destinations - I will be spending my holiday money in Cat Cafes with friendly felines!<br />
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In the meantime, I am enjoying my days in my own little Cat Cafe at home with my ragamuffins...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zVCRY6BQ0wBYiXeS2uUwhtO9oV0vZeCwH2JFWf8QkkaIyOkzY45Ed4K_Log7BGzk7BcUXx2a9Bx_ipFdx_t5_1M8EvOdM1x_IPO4cq39LuJeUEx4Gn-biyAddcbuUasxqjjBRE5LpO4/s1600/IMG_2645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8zVCRY6BQ0wBYiXeS2uUwhtO9oV0vZeCwH2JFWf8QkkaIyOkzY45Ed4K_Log7BGzk7BcUXx2a9Bx_ipFdx_t5_1M8EvOdM1x_IPO4cq39LuJeUEx4Gn-biyAddcbuUasxqjjBRE5LpO4/s400/IMG_2645.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cleo and Rafi in their favourite sunlit chair</div><br />
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</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-37545340994526563272010-06-15T10:55:00.041+10:002010-08-25T11:50:59.211+10:00"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." - Michael Pollan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you woke up tomorrow, and all the oil and electricity were gone, and you had to find food to keep yourself alive, could you do it?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3c9MjfTPVyTC2GcfbZa_D7Rzgw9sbhU1voxokngcrSAmYfcuXEa_vFzGDmpiCeKf2cg-C3tJw5RWEYY0CAMd-OsrOXUJVaxBzeIVBdMQH9HzIog5_7rPahQwXpP2SFBAL7DqYFjVXVY/s1600/New+Image.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK3c9MjfTPVyTC2GcfbZa_D7Rzgw9sbhU1voxokngcrSAmYfcuXEa_vFzGDmpiCeKf2cg-C3tJw5RWEYY0CAMd-OsrOXUJVaxBzeIVBdMQH9HzIog5_7rPahQwXpP2SFBAL7DqYFjVXVY/s400/New+Image.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know for a fact that I would die. I have lost the ability to keep myself alive. I rely on food that is mass manufactured and processed for me, that comes from a supermarket, and if I couldn't get to it, I would surely die. How have we created such a strange world, that people are no longer involved in growing, gathering, and even making their own food? </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Humans have become completely disconnected from the food that they eat. People don't cook anymore because it takes too much time. We eat less and less basic food that comes from raw ingredients, and more processed, packaged food that comes from artificial supermarket environments. Hardly anyone grows their own food anymore, or raises their own livestock. Eating is no longer about connecting with our natural world - it is about shovelling fuel into our bodies in as little time as possible. And most people these days work in jobs that are completely removed from food production altogether. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxFdsiyDWUOigVJ6SlBtjp5dU8eavHHXaqa9QtYQ1xh0d9cV0kPep16nk6vbY2Mm9xx7ipyzLGJ9nUSFK9nzNOSdo-EAFXu6YnljMq-LZbtV6XlsWLhkAbkzJVKPPvrNzgb6Yme5vqJs/s1600/fastfood1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxFdsiyDWUOigVJ6SlBtjp5dU8eavHHXaqa9QtYQ1xh0d9cV0kPep16nk6vbY2Mm9xx7ipyzLGJ9nUSFK9nzNOSdo-EAFXu6YnljMq-LZbtV6XlsWLhkAbkzJVKPPvrNzgb6Yme5vqJs/s400/fastfood1.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://michaelpollan.com/books/">Michael Pollan</a> is a writer who has delved deeply into the subjects of food, eating, production and our relationships with what we eat. He has this fantastic quote from his book <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/books/the-omnivores-dilemma/">The Omnivore's Dilemma</a>: "Eating puts us in touch with all that we share with the other animals, and all that sets us apart. It defines us." The question is - how do we define ourselves now in our modern world of mass production and consumption? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcD1EV1Jk-AY4hzDHVrS_cgoDk86qJXU1dXjZhl4TO69uvl6YPi56K21MQLDurqa93GZAhFIMUCN9F9K0wHTI4WVpX8jCgD1MYn22GRqmPM9CBbGvhT3ZLqXhqoZU2trkZxXlRwXy_no/s1600/food_mass_production.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcD1EV1Jk-AY4hzDHVrS_cgoDk86qJXU1dXjZhl4TO69uvl6YPi56K21MQLDurqa93GZAhFIMUCN9F9K0wHTI4WVpX8jCgD1MYn22GRqmPM9CBbGvhT3ZLqXhqoZU2trkZxXlRwXy_no/s400/food_mass_production.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmP0HXJ-YesgHGaLkEpa_lKer_8BVNiRj77s9r6LfQgKnbm1mJssVQULZQU9dVjSQXK-Rc2HTaN9UUB50b54jzikz8SavsPqRcTYy64EtvL-u4CGz4Y-C9jRZuN7qfvJ87OaXWpb95bE/s1600/fast-food-logos1231520602.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZmP0HXJ-YesgHGaLkEpa_lKer_8BVNiRj77s9r6LfQgKnbm1mJssVQULZQU9dVjSQXK-Rc2HTaN9UUB50b54jzikz8SavsPqRcTYy64EtvL-u4CGz4Y-C9jRZuN7qfvJ87OaXWpb95bE/s200/fast-food-logos1231520602.gif" width="155" /></a> I have a complicated relationship with food. I have had an eating disorder for 15 years - anorexia, bulimia, bingeing, purging, defining more and more rules around food to create control because all the other areas of my life were so out of control and traumatic. I have been in recovery for a year and a half, but it is still difficult to let go of those rules created in my head around what I can and can't eat. And this is made ten times harder, because there are so many other rules being created for me around food from all information arenas - science tells us about what's "bad" for us, like fat and sugar and salt; nutritionists bring out all kinds of diets to follow to lose weight; marketers desperate to make money sell us fake foods with their own rules built-in - drink Coke and be happy, eat Ferrero Rocher and feel like the gods, the taste of KFC cannot be beaten.<br />
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Is <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5541964/25-frightening-fast-food-futures">this</a> where we're heading? Because it sure seems like it...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Es2uANOoEV_3NfxexV3pvnfJvQeSTDt_rP8F_X3Jsk4xYTLd101Z37_fGedSSdEDEchqpOn-SnV1TLIsqW8Wci-iCHL0WIPi94U2qX1vi_UzYbpnKLyCSPUKxOs695XvmlnQbUTzbEM/s1600/500x_shaun_leitmeyer_mcheart_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Es2uANOoEV_3NfxexV3pvnfJvQeSTDt_rP8F_X3Jsk4xYTLd101Z37_fGedSSdEDEchqpOn-SnV1TLIsqW8Wci-iCHL0WIPi94U2qX1vi_UzYbpnKLyCSPUKxOs695XvmlnQbUTzbEM/s400/500x_shaun_leitmeyer_mcheart_01.jpg" width="332" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We are bombarded every day with more information about food and how to eat it, and yet we are eating less and less real food. In his article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2">Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch</a>, Michael Pollan states that: "Currently the most popular meal in America, at both lunch and dinner, is a sandwich; the No. 1 accompanying beverage is a soda." In the same article, Pollan quotes food-marketing researcher, Harry Balzer, about the way our world has changed: "A hundred years ago, chicken for dinner meant going out and catching, killing, plucking and gutting a chicken. Do you know anybody who still does that? It would be considered crazy! Well, that’s exactly how cooking will seem to your grandchildren: something people used to do when they had no other choice. Get over it.” This is the most depressing view I have ever heard. Like most people who study consumer behavior, Balzer has developed a somewhat cynical view of human nature, which his research suggests is ever driven by the quest to save time or money or, optimally, both.</div><br />
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Our focus and our lives have changed so much. A hundred years ago, people were personally involved in producing, catching, preparing their own food, to keep themselves alive. People connected to nature through their food - ploughing the soil to plant the crops, growing green plants, being out in the open air. Looking after animals and ensuring their health and well-being so that what went into people's bodies was the best and healthiest protein. Baking bread from scratch. Making butter from milk that came from your own cow. Collecting eggs from your chickens. Now, our lives are focused on time and money. Trying to squeeze every little drop of time possible into work so that we can make more money. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xl8ldRc3YwteKyC336kOi7N000z6ZWuHPMVzpwPLAWlohzrwnUbNntK7SQdOasBJK0lcgVItGttx2aQhxA3zucyMQldRKrzQiPZHdqvd_OUrX6lDFJgfPyWvqPCmcDSaZMJa1Ni0nHo/s1600/1311527517_9a7fb91501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="152" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Xl8ldRc3YwteKyC336kOi7N000z6ZWuHPMVzpwPLAWlohzrwnUbNntK7SQdOasBJK0lcgVItGttx2aQhxA3zucyMQldRKrzQiPZHdqvd_OUrX6lDFJgfPyWvqPCmcDSaZMJa1Ni0nHo/s200/1311527517_9a7fb91501.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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In an interesting article on the website <a href="http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/04/12/selling-out/">You Are Not So Smart</a>, David McRaney says the following: "Everyone who lives above the poverty line but isn’t wealthy pretty much has no choice but to work for a living doing something which rewards them with survival tokens. Working as a telemarketer, for example, allows you to have food, clothing and shelter, but doesn’t put you directly in charge of creating, growing or killing those things you need for sustenance. Instead, you trade in tokens for those things. Before the advent of mass production, people were often defined by their work, by their output. The things they owned were usually things either they handmade, or were things other people made by hand. There was a weight, an infusion of soul, in everything a person owned, used and lived in."<br />
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I feel depressed about the way our lives are going - I was going to say progressing but I don't feel that the world we have created for ourselves is one of progress. We spend our lives disconnecting from our natural world. People work inside buildings all day long at jobs which have only one goal - to make money. <br />
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We all come home to our TV's and ready-meals shoved into the microwave, and spend our weekends trailing around shopping malls spending our tokens trying to fill up our meaningless lives with possessions. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Most people these days, if the supermarkets and food courts suddenly disappeared, would starve to death, because we have no back-up plans, no food growing at home, no knowledge of how to gather and hunt food from the wild. This poster is from World War II - in only a few decades, we no longer even know how to preserve.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Michael Pollen wrote a fantastic article which appeared in the NY Times in 2008, addressed to the <a href="http://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/farmer-in-chief/">Farmer In Chief</a>. In it, his general premise is that we need to revert to a sun-fed system from an oil-fed one—and the practical notion that we need to support small farmers and learn to grow our own food. Some of the things he proposes: </div>—Make changes in our daily lives: teach children how to cook; plant gardens in every primary school and equip them with kitchens; pay for culinary tuitions (or forgive loans) by requiring culinary graduates to give some service back to such undertakings such as teaching kids how to cook; increase school lunch spending by $1 a day; grow more of our own food and prepare and eat our food together at a table; accept the fact that food may be more expensive and eat less of it.<br />
—Train a new generation of farmers, spread them throughout the land, and make farming a revered profession.<br />
—Preserve every acre of farmland we have and make it accessible to these farmers.<br />
—Build an infrastructure for a regional food economy—one that can encourage and support the farms and distribute what they grow (rebuild or create regional distribution systems).<br />
—Require federal institutions that prepare food (school lunches, prisons, military bases, etc.) to buy a minimum percentage of that food locally.<br />
—Create a Federal definition of food, to encourage people to think about what is food and what is not, stuff we consume that has no caloric value (“junk food” should not be considered food).<br />
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Some people may say that his suggestions are overly simple, and that they don't consider the huge global issue of population growth (in 40 years the earth will carry 10 billion people, 80% of whom will live in urban areas). But if we don't get back to being involved in producing our own food, we may find ourselves in a very dire situation in the future. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Food waste is a massive worldwide problem. People starve in some places, while in others tons and tons of food get thrown away. I watched a programme on TV where a farmer was using biowaste to produce fuel to run his greenhouses. He received 5 tons of bananas which had been dumped. Not because they were rotten, or diseased. They had been dumped because they weren't considered good enough to be sold - some were misshapen, some were bruised. Looking through the bananas, the presenter was horrified - most were perfectly good for eating and could have fed many hungry people. How many times have you gone to a restaurant, and left half the food on your plate? Thrown away the leftovers in the fridge because you don't feel like eating them? Bought food and have it go mouldy in your fridge because you have come home late every night that week and ordered take-out because you are too tired to cook? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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There is a brilliant restaurant called <a href="http://www.wafu.com.au/">Wafu</a> outside of Sydney, which defines itself as a restaurant for "guilty free Japanese cuisine", and gives a 30-percent discount to customers who eat all the food they order. Chef Yukako Ichikawa is tired of the food waste people leave on their plates. The menu says, "Finishing your meal requires that everything is eaten except lemon slices, gari (sushi ginger) and wasabi," followed by—"Please also note that vegetables and salad on the side are NOT decorations; they are part of the meal too." An <a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/eat-up-no-food-waste-allowed-at-this-restaurant.html?campaign=th_weekly_nl">article on Planet Green</a> says: "It may sound like a stretch to some, but considering that an estimated $48.2 billion of food goes to waste in the U.S. alone (which translates to between 30 and 40 percent of our food); that food makes up the third-largest waste stream in the U.S.; and that 300 million barrels of oil are wasted along with all that food, the world could do with a lot more restaurants (and homes) that prohibit food waste the way Wafu does."<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Since moving to Australia, and recovering from my eating disorder, I have changed the way I eat food. Food has become something to really enjoy. My husband and I cook dinner almost every night - and by cooking I mean from scratch, chopping vegetables, marinading meat, boiling potatoes and making mash. Not microwaving ready-meals. We hardly ever get take-out. We eat salad and vegetables every night. And we both get an amazing amount of enjoyment from cooking. It is a calm and focused activity that slows you down and reduces stress. You feel a sense of reward and achievement when sitting down to the meal you have prepared yourself. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Now I want to take that even further and start growing the ingredients for the meal. We live in Sydney, renting a house, so I am limited with what I can do with food production. I can grow vegetables and herbs. I might be able to get away with chickens in the backyard. I definitely won't be raising cows and sheep. But it's a start. We often dream of having a small holding, with a huge vegetable garden, chickens running around, looking after a few livestock animals. I would love to bake fresh bread every morning, and make my own cheese and butter. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I really feel that for the human race to move forward, we need to move backward. I believe that the most important thing to any living person is not money, or career achievements, or fancy possessions. People are very basic - we want to be loved, and we want to be happy. Most of the population will die without ever feeling genuine happiness and serenity in their lives, because of the craziness of the complicated world we have developed. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">If we go back to being involved in growing our own food, raising our own animals, and spending more time with our families outside in nature, we will find a calmer and slower pace of life. If we stop chasing after money and possessions, and accept a life of just having enough to live, instead of being desperate to own everything that is marketed to us, we will find an appreciation for the things in life that really matter. Sunshine, flowers, children's laughter, playing with our pets. </div><br />
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I know that most of us cannot make radical changes in our lives and move to the country and have a small farm. But if we start small - cook your own dinner and eat it with your family, grow some of your own ingredients, spend time outside in the sunshine on weekends, appreciate life more and possessions less - we will start to find a little more peace in our selves, and a little more of that elusive happiness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYtEOxWKn-oCydAH8LK_YZx1p4sI84PY-XINEERYL-JXrfG0Xtn2Oi5W17O1OImWWOUv6uXHqlgaUVNMgkWUCRpRaIcja-9rjZ0BaXePjVjOsyF8Yn17yp0FR8vRTbCMo7Obwu3GXgJg/s1600/2654985044_b8375be8ea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOYtEOxWKn-oCydAH8LK_YZx1p4sI84PY-XINEERYL-JXrfG0Xtn2Oi5W17O1OImWWOUv6uXHqlgaUVNMgkWUCRpRaIcja-9rjZ0BaXePjVjOsyF8Yn17yp0FR8vRTbCMo7Obwu3GXgJg/s400/2654985044_b8375be8ea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-26775422695687633622010-06-14T10:12:00.012+10:002010-06-14T10:18:49.391+10:00My idea of the ultimate house!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is SO cool! A house designed for cats! No, I know what you're thinking - it's not a little house for the kitties to live in. In Japan, one of the leading house building companies came up with this design - a dream home for every cat owner and their beloved moggies (via <a href="http://mycatgoma.com/2008/10/house-designed-for-cats-ultimate-kitteh.html">My Cat Goma</a>). I totally love this idea, I have often imagined designing walkways and interesting cat spaces for my little Devon devils - I have a feeling our landlord might be a bit peeved though to find his house all "kittyfied". <br />
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<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/house-for-cats.php">Treehugger</a> has a different view - they call it a "monster house"! I think though, that you could even incorporate this idea into an <a href="http://earthship.com/">Earthship</a> house and keep your kitties happy while living more green. (More info on Earthships coming soon).<br />
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Check out these cool pics!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cyG81Em22dZFyUX3AF1UtnmNGQwz6eDM7Oro99cWzvwlFhBzvSJ84hlnIvoS6r3won-gis11s54saZRqXUITiwmpvoFh0nQ_1geQmCnvcnZZp-mYhgVfP7iFwrNl9EOJTnwrrO-h9-g/s1600/cat01-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8cyG81Em22dZFyUX3AF1UtnmNGQwz6eDM7Oro99cWzvwlFhBzvSJ84hlnIvoS6r3won-gis11s54saZRqXUITiwmpvoFh0nQ_1geQmCnvcnZZp-mYhgVfP7iFwrNl9EOJTnwrrO-h9-g/s400/cat01-1.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">Walkways so that the kitties can look down on their owners... as they tend to do!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcWk_XdeD_2935b7TsjHITYkbybn4v0AZgLl4umGRon35_sHVaY8jtt99hR1cV4_HsuPmxG5065GgYyYogr2xwAv8FpnsQ2dLBEtiy4hEo0tiQ1mtAL_uCJq0iM8KXJKRDajdmd-_9lI/s1600/cat20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcWk_XdeD_2935b7TsjHITYkbybn4v0AZgLl4umGRon35_sHVaY8jtt99hR1cV4_HsuPmxG5065GgYyYogr2xwAv8FpnsQ2dLBEtiy4hEo0tiQ1mtAL_uCJq0iM8KXJKRDajdmd-_9lI/s400/cat20-1.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Stairs up to the ceiling hangouts.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFajH9TuMLe7MemWCnp6Di9y7f_sJiYMpOquCtHCpPOPakvHieHNO99GKGPR9RK1PIKQs81HwK2nM_oYbf_llnC-kNepIo6tNHC33vmSk_KQLoAGgVbeR4DExSGs5WlUbcVVN3qnD2fBU/s1600/cat03-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFajH9TuMLe7MemWCnp6Di9y7f_sJiYMpOquCtHCpPOPakvHieHNO99GKGPR9RK1PIKQs81HwK2nM_oYbf_llnC-kNepIo6tNHC33vmSk_KQLoAGgVbeR4DExSGs5WlUbcVVN3qnD2fBU/s320/cat03-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Kitty hidey-holes under the stairs.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQ5TNrDA66irGX_mNDN_0Y5-5ahuDmnWDBAby2jl_psuN3k_uyFc1kDHGF6VSCLdNChgK8XHKoTRatrKsNlz4K-vkrO_YuSdzE4Jp2eeBk_JH5h83d4ORnLfKir_dotvFNhBD-key4O8/s1600/cat04-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQ5TNrDA66irGX_mNDN_0Y5-5ahuDmnWDBAby2jl_psuN3k_uyFc1kDHGF6VSCLdNChgK8XHKoTRatrKsNlz4K-vkrO_YuSdzE4Jp2eeBk_JH5h83d4ORnLfKir_dotvFNhBD-key4O8/s400/cat04-7.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">Built-in spaces for litter boxes - really great idea.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtPYLY2WfzyCIWCdvfDiF-R6mHmcvMGKXFG9cGBRljoWLYUkmDj3UQCkVbVRRvgB88cgHzv9kow_0Ihz8Qbu-ruhX_dzbLXSG_0gfCqZfojrIG_iLyWbXr94ti1RsBl3-YUxY24IU5sI/s1600/cat21-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirtPYLY2WfzyCIWCdvfDiF-R6mHmcvMGKXFG9cGBRljoWLYUkmDj3UQCkVbVRRvgB88cgHzv9kow_0Ihz8Qbu-ruhX_dzbLXSG_0gfCqZfojrIG_iLyWbXr94ti1RsBl3-YUxY24IU5sI/s320/cat21-1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">How's this for a fancy bathroom vanity?</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9138335935951875020.post-7816334924384276562010-06-10T09:58:00.002+10:002010-08-19T16:55:28.373+10:00Taking life more slowly<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This a great post from <a href="http://www.treehugger.com/">Treehugger</a> about Charles Eames and his "<a href="http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/charles-eames-do-nothing-machine.php">Do Nothing Machine</a>". He built it in 1958 to demonstrate the use of solar power. I think the best aspect of this is not only the fact that he was considering solar power in the 1950's, but the fact that he designed it to "Do Nothing". </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFslRhVoR39DgeFtxn0mzFUsBF7CfEuYlbtkMU5JR4jVBln6f976q_9m1xcnP2_yqwbwMeFVMkclYIssn6_TeHwWS8WP1B6E7F2qwvErg-YnpgV24-8t9iQa37S5LB5Tvhi4uHj_RyYc/s1600/Sunny_Eames.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsFslRhVoR39DgeFtxn0mzFUsBF7CfEuYlbtkMU5JR4jVBln6f976q_9m1xcnP2_yqwbwMeFVMkclYIssn6_TeHwWS8WP1B6E7F2qwvErg-YnpgV24-8t9iQa37S5LB5Tvhi4uHj_RyYc/s400/Sunny_Eames.jpg" width="392" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the world we live in today, this is a pretty shocking concept. Everything must be done faster, better, more productively, and designs should have a purpose - to help us to speed up our lives and be more efficient, right? Well, there are a lot of people out there now who are saying we should change our way of life, slow down, focus, appreciate the moments of our life instead of rushing through them to get to the next objective. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mahatma Ghandi said "There is more to life than increasing its speed." Matt McDermott quotes this in his article "<a href="http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tech-transport/creating-a-healthy-pace-this-holiday-weekend.html">Slow Down, Set a Healthy Pace</a>", and also says that the problem with speed is that it is so easy for it to become a habit. We don't even notice that we're rushing through our lives. I have pretty much lived my life that way for a long while now. My life was all about speed - work deadlines, millions of emails, being furious in traffic at the "wasted time", rushing around the shops, my life speeding by and feeling like I was totally not in control of anything. But in the last 6 months, I have been forced to completely slow down by my own body - I suffer from severe chronic pain caused by complications from a spinal fusion from 20 years ago, and because of this I can't work anymore, and my pace of life has completely slowed. I spend most of my time at home with my cats - the quiet time with them brings peace and calms me down. I go for long walks around my lovely forested neighbourhood, listening to the birds, enjoying the sunshine, really looking at the bright colours of the trees and flowers. The pain has forced a different appreciation of life on me, and although it is a high price to pay, the decrease in stress really shows.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rTkih4jo4Gm7w9p78ZyWKsWLHIFKiEsGza_KXmLkgJUbTF4PVlNGi-IGJkbTrrblfHNL64MN2eD9K6KTG_jLe59F8vp5z99Dv1avsICbPEQ_yKR1yQh_lnOv4WiECkfJt4hQUq0Ee1I/s1600/ATT00024.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="321" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rTkih4jo4Gm7w9p78ZyWKsWLHIFKiEsGza_KXmLkgJUbTF4PVlNGi-IGJkbTrrblfHNL64MN2eD9K6KTG_jLe59F8vp5z99Dv1avsICbPEQ_yKR1yQh_lnOv4WiECkfJt4hQUq0Ee1I/s400/ATT00024.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Mindfulness helps with enjoying each moment - being really present in whatever you are doing. The more aware we are of each moment in our lives, the happier we actually find ourselves. David McRaney writes in his article <a href="http://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/03/02/the-moment/">The Moment</a> that in order to be happy, we have to satisfy two selves active inside each of us. Our happiness happens in two ways - there is the happiness of the current moment, the joy of eating an ice-cream, the delight at being given roses, the laughter of your children. Then there is the happiness we experience when we think back on our lives and remember happy occasions and events. The self who looks back at these long-term happy memories is the decision-making part of us, and its goal is to make more of these memories, because then we can look back on our lives and feel content. McRaney says: "The remembering self is happy when you look back on your life and pull up plenty of positive memories." The current self is about the gratification of the now, and is happy when we are experiencing nice things. The important thing is creating those long-term memories, getting that fleeting moment of happiness stored in our brain, so we can look back on it and replay that happiness again. And if we are not present and aware and really living in the current moments when we are doing happy things - if we are thinking about work deadlines and next week's appointments and what to make for dinner while we are playing with our children in the sunshine, our brain is not focused on the happy moment, and it is lost. Nothing to look back on. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUPKHXIIbaQNZmFWUKaS1hKYN3R3Vb9uyCwnG1M5-_ta_sKQnofeK_2T7VP3Lmsvl1oQsxegjFW5FUar-F5vKAsf9fUgas3NOkcTAJQixXqtsY14trAHpgQ0-Gs4TIovY5XGLH6jd7Zc/s1600/ATT00001.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUPKHXIIbaQNZmFWUKaS1hKYN3R3Vb9uyCwnG1M5-_ta_sKQnofeK_2T7VP3Lmsvl1oQsxegjFW5FUar-F5vKAsf9fUgas3NOkcTAJQixXqtsY14trAHpgQ0-Gs4TIovY5XGLH6jd7Zc/s400/ATT00001.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">When you spend time doing happy, self-gratifying things - spending time with your kids and your pets, relaxing on the beach, getting a massage, playing a round of golf - really be there in the moment, do it in a meaningful way which creates a long-term memory. And also remember that happiness is not something that comes at the end of reaching a goal. We all have to do things we don't like - we all have mortgages and life is not always about fun. But we also shouldn't say: "I'll be happy when...". That new Porsche, or the designer jeans, or the holiday home we are saving up for - sure, those are nice things to look forward to. But if we base all of our happiness on achieving those goals, we will miss out on the small moments along the way, the little moments in our lives that create those happy memories. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ-zsfe7O6_8uiPLMuiKDcc8p3TlrbfaOjhIYTM17dxFtdS1hMQnTIB3Th9HRmw4z2q8KSkV12BhcY4ODbpHU_RQSrVUJFB0rWNDC8Fh4OPIoTuNTMfobUuFhoSu5Kb3_J3nzNAw1ums/s1600/ATT00027.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQ-zsfe7O6_8uiPLMuiKDcc8p3TlrbfaOjhIYTM17dxFtdS1hMQnTIB3Th9HRmw4z2q8KSkV12BhcY4ODbpHU_RQSrVUJFB0rWNDC8Fh4OPIoTuNTMfobUuFhoSu5Kb3_J3nzNAw1ums/s400/ATT00027.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">AJ Jacobs posted an article <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/may/22/multitaking-unitasking-aj-jacobs">My Colossal Task Burden</a> on slowing his life down, after doing research on how multitasking was bad for us. He says: "Our hopscotching brains make us more depressed (it's harder to focus on the positive), less able to connect with people and form a conscience." Our brains aren't able to focus on more than one thing at a time. We may think we're multitasking, but in fact we're switchtasking, toggling between one task and another. We all do this - phone and email, 27 internet tabs open at once, TV in the background. We feel like we are wasting time unless we are filling it with many tasks. We take pride in having many things on the go all at once. Busy people achieving lots are revered. People are told from an early age that to sit and do nothing is very bad. We are expected to always fill our time. But in actual fact, doing nothing is very, very good for you. The eastern traditions of meditation, focusing the mind on one thing only, slowing our thoughts, has been proven to have significant health benefits. Buddhist centres offer weekend retreats where people go to literally do nothing - the participants are not allowed any stimulation, no reading, no talking, definitely no TV or internet or radio. They spend their time meditating, and just being. Experiencing the present moment. Slowing the brain down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The more focused we can be in the moments of our lives when we are experiencing fun, gratification, happiness, the more likely we are to put these in our long-term memory banks. The sharper our recall will be of these memories. The more focused we will be when we think back on them. And the happier this will make us.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7i63BSYN-ie22ekpqikihFO5WfVXjI63npeLftn8BV9nu752T_eYw06NIzAgOBLiOxOdG-oeE6siVWnWo5Cm5Ce2ENbi3Q4xhopnc9kSlIrFlw78ZaXIKj04mbhxvgXv_qlLFzD8uXk/s1600/image010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" qu="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7i63BSYN-ie22ekpqikihFO5WfVXjI63npeLftn8BV9nu752T_eYw06NIzAgOBLiOxOdG-oeE6siVWnWo5Cm5Ce2ENbi3Q4xhopnc9kSlIrFlw78ZaXIKj04mbhxvgXv_qlLFzD8uXk/s400/image010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Sometimes we need a reminder that we don't need a purpose. The answer to the question: "Why am I here?" can be answered with: "To exist". We do not always have to be doing something to validate our lives and justify our place on this earth. Like the aim of Charles Eames machine - sometimes it is enough to just do nothing. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Nicolehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17888457748012441819noreply@blogger.com