Saturday, August 19, 2006
Fernand Gignac
The name must be unfamiliar to the vast majority of you, L.O.V.s and TLB Prime regulars... And it has a logical explanation to it. Gignac was like unto the local Bing Crosby to the people of Québec, Canada - long recognized to have their very own microscopic and "nombrilistique" so-called star-system (or should I say "-système"? I am never too sure...)
Fernand Gignac seemed to have always been around to me and countless more who had seen him as a permanent fixture in what some called "musique quétaine" unfairly and arbitrarly as well. Like Crosby, Gignac had played straight man to a bonafide comic on television sitcoms such as "Symphorien" - his Bob Hope though owed more to Jerry Lewis (if one adds, too, the trademark Chaplin mustache to him) than anybody else. His Bob Hope - comedian Gilles Latulippe - has survived all of his old time accomplices in making the tiny, Gaul-like people of "la Belle Province" laugh throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s - Rose Ouellette "La Poune", Michel "Capitaine Bonhomme" Noël, the great Olivier Guimond, Jean-Louis Millette aka Oscar Bellemarre (...) and author Marcel Gamache. And now Fernand Gignac as well - they are all gone now. I would be remiss if I didn't add to this list the actress who played Symphorien's meddlesome mother-in-law; her running gag line of goading her husband to get into trouble by lighting a fire under him with "Césaire, il connaît son affaire!" always made me laugh every single time she'd say it! Too bad I forgot her name... Maybe IMDB has it...? (Found it, I think: Suzanne Langlois)
She is, most likely, gone as well...
What boggles the mind a bit is the following: my dear saintly father always marveled at the fact that he and Fernand Gignac had the exact same age, yet dad looked so much younger. Gignac looked several decades older! Dad, just like so many others, marveled at the staying power of Gignac's and of another artist with whom Gignac bore some resemblance; le Père Gédéon! Doris Lussier -Gédéon's true name- would put on a lot of make-up though to look that old!
Dad looked younger - but Gignac was the one who kept his youthful voice until the very end. Indeed, listening to his singing from the 1950s and from his very last public performance in 2004, the voice is unmistakenly the same. Dad was not so lucky in that department, as he lost his voice in 1993, the unfortunate result of a stroke. He'd never speak again. I'd never hear his voice again. May be why this Ultravox song I posted here this week, "The Voice", is one of my favorites too... It is about God's Voice and dad's voice as well - both, at once.
Gignac's voice was smoother than many others - if he hadn't sung in French, the whole world would have heralded him as a finer lounge singer than Tony Bennett or even Deano and Sinatra. Honest - I kid you not. He was that good. A natural.
His songs are unforgettable and simple enough for everyone to relate to them. Titles such as "Le Temps Qu'il Nous Reste" and "Donnez-Moi Des Roses" come to mind...
Most "mind-boggling" of all is that both dad and Gignac had to pass on in 2006 - both had been born in 1934 as well. Dad never got to meet him - he met another instead, Gilles Vigneault - a fervent separatist he is too and not nearly as good a singer. That almost turned very sour as Vigneault clearly only had eyes for my mom, who had just recently arrived in Québec... Dad was an Omar Sharif lookalike (or is Omar my dad's lookalike? I think so too...) and mom... The closest approximation in those days would be, in hindsight and retrospect, "a forerunner of Julia Roberts" - yup!
Both Fernand Gignac and João Jacinto Borges Pimentel were destined to last only 72 years upon this Earth. Now they meet up at last - in Heaven.
Two gentle souls - they'll make for the best of friends up there. :)
It is we who remain who are running out of genuine good friends... :(
Link
Fernand Gignac seemed to have always been around to me and countless more who had seen him as a permanent fixture in what some called "musique quétaine" unfairly and arbitrarly as well. Like Crosby, Gignac had played straight man to a bonafide comic on television sitcoms such as "Symphorien" - his Bob Hope though owed more to Jerry Lewis (if one adds, too, the trademark Chaplin mustache to him) than anybody else. His Bob Hope - comedian Gilles Latulippe - has survived all of his old time accomplices in making the tiny, Gaul-like people of "la Belle Province" laugh throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s - Rose Ouellette "La Poune", Michel "Capitaine Bonhomme" Noël, the great Olivier Guimond, Jean-Louis Millette aka Oscar Bellemarre (...) and author Marcel Gamache. And now Fernand Gignac as well - they are all gone now. I would be remiss if I didn't add to this list the actress who played Symphorien's meddlesome mother-in-law; her running gag line of goading her husband to get into trouble by lighting a fire under him with "Césaire, il connaît son affaire!" always made me laugh every single time she'd say it! Too bad I forgot her name... Maybe IMDB has it...? (Found it, I think: Suzanne Langlois)
She is, most likely, gone as well...
What boggles the mind a bit is the following: my dear saintly father always marveled at the fact that he and Fernand Gignac had the exact same age, yet dad looked so much younger. Gignac looked several decades older! Dad, just like so many others, marveled at the staying power of Gignac's and of another artist with whom Gignac bore some resemblance; le Père Gédéon! Doris Lussier -Gédéon's true name- would put on a lot of make-up though to look that old!
Dad looked younger - but Gignac was the one who kept his youthful voice until the very end. Indeed, listening to his singing from the 1950s and from his very last public performance in 2004, the voice is unmistakenly the same. Dad was not so lucky in that department, as he lost his voice in 1993, the unfortunate result of a stroke. He'd never speak again. I'd never hear his voice again. May be why this Ultravox song I posted here this week, "The Voice", is one of my favorites too... It is about God's Voice and dad's voice as well - both, at once.
Gignac's voice was smoother than many others - if he hadn't sung in French, the whole world would have heralded him as a finer lounge singer than Tony Bennett or even Deano and Sinatra. Honest - I kid you not. He was that good. A natural.
His songs are unforgettable and simple enough for everyone to relate to them. Titles such as "Le Temps Qu'il Nous Reste" and "Donnez-Moi Des Roses" come to mind...
Most "mind-boggling" of all is that both dad and Gignac had to pass on in 2006 - both had been born in 1934 as well. Dad never got to meet him - he met another instead, Gilles Vigneault - a fervent separatist he is too and not nearly as good a singer. That almost turned very sour as Vigneault clearly only had eyes for my mom, who had just recently arrived in Québec... Dad was an Omar Sharif lookalike (or is Omar my dad's lookalike? I think so too...) and mom... The closest approximation in those days would be, in hindsight and retrospect, "a forerunner of Julia Roberts" - yup!
Both Fernand Gignac and João Jacinto Borges Pimentel were destined to last only 72 years upon this Earth. Now they meet up at last - in Heaven.
Two gentle souls - they'll make for the best of friends up there. :)
It is we who remain who are running out of genuine good friends... :(
Link
Friday, August 18, 2006
End Times - And Unlikely "Pseudo-prophets" Getting... Close To The Truth (But No Cigar At All - Who Wants A Cigar Though, Really?)
Such as the cronie of these would-be dangerous people that told me that we were experiencing "the calm before the storm" around here... Predicting trouble for myself and those close to me, certainly not for oneself, was the cronie effectively doing there - correct? Alas, for the cronie and other accomplices of said cronie, they all discounted a major component of the overall equation - Divine Providence.
Today, said cronie sits with a hand heavily bandaged.
I am not divulging how that came about - but predicting ill unto others will only result in it coming down upon yourself .
Another notorious "pseudo-prophet" (who really isn't even worthy of such an appellation - I'd rather call him a lunatic but even that seems too good for him...) reportedly stated the following (according to Twisted History - and, as noted many times before, anything T.H. reports has to be taken with a grain of salt - especially when it comes to the accuracy of the dates that are provided!):
1871: Satanist and Freemason Albert Pike writes that the Illuminati will have to effect three World Wars in order to bring the New World
Order to fruition; the first would establish Communism in Russia, the second would occur between Fascists and Zionists, and the third would pit Zionists against Islam — after which surviving earthlings would turn to Satan. Now THIS is the PERFECT example of someone in the wrong hitting a bullseye. This is, verily, what is happening. "Zion versus Islam" - it's coming! Live and on CNN instead of PPV! However, again, the would-be prophet here omits to factor in the DIVINE in there... "Surviving earthlings" will probably turn to the wrongest of choices, aye - but that is only because everyone redeemable, worthy in the least, everyone any good at all will have long been RAPTURED by then!
That is if they have not ascended the traditional way already, as my saintly father just did, in March of this year...
And, oh yes - I would be remiss if I did not add that we can assuredly lump them all into the same sorry pile, down by the pit - freemasons, illuminati, satanists... Hey, if Hilary and Dubya have ties to them, I am sure we'll all agree that they're no good at all!
Now for some TRUE, GENUINE, 100% OFFICIAL PROPHECY! Never let it be said that TLB Prime does not give you the good with the bad! Indeed, the BEST... with the worst!
The following comes from a little QUIZ you all can enjoy taking - test yourselves, why don't you! I give you an extra chance at a perfect score by giving you the advantage of peeking at the source scripture for each question inked by the good folks from www.Christianet.com, the hosts and creators of this quiz on... the End Times! These are all "true or false" questions, by the way.
Fear not; I took special care to eradicate from here the correct answer - so you can elucidate it all by yourselves! With each passage from the Holy Bible, you sure can achieve that... And thus achieve perfection -a perfect score- and do as Jesus said that we do; be perfect like Our Heavenly Father Is Perfect!
At least in this we can...!
1. Jesus told His disciples that famine, pestilence, and earthquakes would be signs that the end was near.
The correct answer is *********
Matthew 24:7 - For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
2. The disciples were curious about Christ's second coming and the end times.
The correct answer is *********
Matthew 24:3 - And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
3. The earth shall pass away, but not heaven.
The correct answer is *********
Luke 21:33 - Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
4. There will be a time of restitution for all things.
The correct answer is **********
Acts 3:20-21 - And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
5. The earth and the works of man will be destroyed by another flood.
The correct answer is *************
2 Peter 3:10-14 - But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
6. Jesus explained that there would first be tribulation and then the heavens would be shaken.
The correct answer is ***************
Matthew 24:29 - Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
7. We know we are in the last days because there are many antichrists in the world.
The correct answer is **********
1 John 2:18 - Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
8. Christians cannot be deceived by the false prophets and christs.
The correct answer is ************
Matthew 24:24 - For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders: insomuch that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
9. The identity of the Antichrist will be revealed before the end.
The correct answer is ***********
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 - Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
10. An angel told Daniel that the vision God gave him was about the end of times.
The correct answer is ************
Daniel 8:17 - So he came near to where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, understand, o Son of Man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
11. When the time of transgressors has reached it's completion, the Antichrist will rise up.
The correct answer is *********
Daniel 8:23-24 - And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and holy people.
12. In the end times, no one will depart from the faith.
The correct answer is ********* = 1 Timothy 4:1 - Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
13. In the last days, perilous times will come.
The correct answer is *****************
2 Timothy 3:1-5 - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
14. Wars and rumors of wars are other signs that the end is near.
The correct answer is ******************* = Matthew 24:6 - And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
15. Paul told Timothy that a time would come when the church would not endure sound doctrine.
The correct answer is ****************** = 2 Timothy 4:3 - For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.
16. As the false prophets rise and deceive man, sin will increase and love will decrease.
The correct answer is ******************* = Matthew 24:11-12 - And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
17. In the last days, the Lord will remove His spirit.
The correct answer is *********
Acts 2:17-18 - And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
18. When Christ returns, He will find people taking part in normal, daily functions.
The correct answer is ********
Matthew 24:37-39 - But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
19. When mankind is seeking peace and safety, then destruction will come upon the earth.
The correct answer is ********
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 - For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
20. We are told to be watchful because we don't know what hour the Lord will come.
The correct answer is *********
Matthew 24:42-44 - Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
21. The gospel will be preached throughout the world before the end will come.
The correct answer is **************
Matthew 24:14 - And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
22. We are not to be watching for the end times, but living our lives one day at a time.
The correct answer is *********
Mark 13:35-37 - Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning; lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.
23. The end of all things is now at hand.
The correct answer is ******* = 1 Peter 4:7 - But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
24. The New Jerusalem will be built by the believers who endure the great tribulation.
The correct answer is ********
Revelation 3:12 - Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
25. Jesus is bringing His reward with Him and He is coming quickly.
The correct answer is ********
Revelation 22:12 - And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
QUIZ: Copyright© 1996-2006 ChristiaNet®. All Rights Reserved.
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Thursday, August 17, 2006
The Word - You Read It? The Voice - You Will Hear It Also...!
How special is that...
The word "storm", twice popping up on me within hours really...
The second time is far more pleasant, really; as it was just now, as I concocted this very blog post, not knowing what to blog about really, listening to the song below... I decide to post the video itself (always a nice shortcut to take on blogs! Posting visuals - with sound, it's even better!)
Looking for the pic below that, to me, goes so very well with the video, I find the pic above - which makes special mention of a storm...
That particular storm followed closely the kiss of Judas - and I was the recipient of a kiss of Judas myself recently, in a hypocritical display of sympathy for the recent passing of my saintly father, so, it stands to reason that I follow in His Footsteps all the way - hmm? That is Jesus' Footsteps, of course - not my saintly father. Although they are close, in my heart, Jesus takes the nod, always.
Yesterday, on an odd and freaky encounter with some of the ookiest to be found in the auld neighborhood very soon after dusk, someone of ill repute told me, in the course of a very brief conversation, something that sounded like either a prediction or a threat.
It went something like this: "it is a nice night... So calm... The calm before the storm".
I immediately snapped back, as sardonically as ever: "A storm is brewing? Really? Is this PROPHECY? Or a prediction you're making...?"
I got next to nothing for a reply... some gibberish that sounded like "it's a feeling" and that was it for that conversation, as the cronie left... A cronie it was, yes, because I know who the big fish is and that wasn't it! The Orca whale and I never spoke really - we merely faced in eye-to-eye staredown duels...
Hmm... I think that there can be no doubt that it was either a WARNING... Or a full-fledged THREAT indeed. A storm is brewing and the epicenter of it is gunning at ME - because someone close to me called the cops one too many times to report on the comings and goings of petty criminals who happen to be revengeful still!
They may be planning to send me another nightly visitor at 4AM... ha!
Let them come!
Link
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Luminous Gif Images!
Yes - we all need pink elephants in our lives. Pink Flamingos too...
Mind you, I am not a fan of Darwin by any stretch of the imagination (nor did I particularly like that Tim Burton remake featuring the execrable Mark Wahlberg and Tim Roth... hey, this gif image does look a lot like Roth, in full make-up, too! But I digress...)
A thumbs up sign was in order though - don't you agree?
Link
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Of Oneness
1) The essence of our being is LOVE
2) Health is inner peace.
Healing is letting go of fear.
3) Giving and receiving are the same.
4) We can let go of the past and of the future.
5) Now is the only time there is and each instant is for giving.
6) We can learn to love ourselves and others by forgiving rather than judging.
7) We can become love finders rather than fault finders.
8) We can choose and direct ourselves to be happy inside regardless of what is happening outside.
9) We are students and teachers to each other.
10) We can focus on the whole of life rather than the fragments.
11) Since love is eternal, death need not be viewed as fearful.
12) We can always perceive others as either extending love or giving a call for help.
*Based on the Principles of Attitudinal Healing
by Gerald Jampolsky, M.D.
An "attitudinal healer" among the medical establishment. Wow.
Aye - attitudes need healing and purifying mostly, in this day and age...
However, ultimately, I hope that Doctor Gerald is no Dr. Phil
And, most importantly too, that Dr. Gerald knows that, once again ultimately, we should aspire only to one thing and one thing only - to be One With God. Oneness With Our Creator. Oneness With The Universe. Oneness With The Cosmos.
Absolutism?
Absolutely! ;)
Link
Monday, August 14, 2006
The First Book Ever Printed...
Rather, most probably a little something on astrology (aren't dime-a-dozen horrorscope authors proud...) penned by a well-known name of the day, for the whole endeavour spawned a LEGEND, nothing less!
8/14/1457 The first book ever printed was published by a German astrologer named Faust. He was thrown in jail while trying to sell books in Paris. Authorities concluded that all the identical books meant Faust had dealt with the devil.
There are several things to conclude from this bit of historical trivia, I do believe...
"Authorities", whatever time or era that they are ruling in, make oftentimes the most obtuse calls and know, all in all, not that much...
Printing owes something to astrology, I suppose...
And Faust might just have struck a deal, indeed - but not to print multiple copies of his hogwash, no! Overall, his true story is miles away from the tormented epics weaved by Marlowe, Goethe and others...
Still, the astrologer who wound up in jail in 1457 is not the assumed basis for the legendary tale - because the "Faust we know" and hopefully do not love at all "is widely assumed to be based on the figure of the German magician and alchemist Dr. Johann Georg Faust (approximately 1480–1540), a dubious magician and alchemist probably from Knittlingen, Württemberg, who obtained a degree in divinity from Heidelberg University in 1509."
Despite such a "degree" (entirely disputable too, I would say) he had garnered quite a bad reputation for being such a huckster and a scoundrel. He he was also in prison (what a surprise) and, while there, in exchange for wine he "offered to show a chaplain how to remove hair from his face without a razor; the chaplain provided the wine and Faustus provided the chaplain with a salve of arsenic, which removed not only the hair but the flesh."
It is no wonder that "the name of "Faust" has since become attached to any number of legendary tales about a charlatan alchemist (some claim "astrologer and necromancer"), whose pride, vanity, and vile hucksterism would inevitably lead to his doom"
Makes one wonder if book publishers today are all to be viewed as proud and vain hucksters and crooks too? Or worse still...! Hmm... Food for thought! ;)
sorry - so sorry... heh-heh ;-)
Could not resist including
old favorite FAUSTO... PAPETTI!
Link
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Statistics Sundays - Alarming Air Edition (Not Just For Airheads!)
No can do. I cannot abandon the ol' gloom and doom thing...
Look at the facts:
I'm stuck with a hereditary background that probably has already numbered my days.
I have enemies - more than anyone can imagine.
I am breathing polluted air, inside and outside and everywhere I go really...
I am consuming genetically-modified foods and other products crammed with artificial preservatives...
And this is, I'm afraid, only the tip of the iceberg...
Now really - I simply cannot stop with the gloom and doom!
No freaking way.
Such was my reply days ago to a comment left here; and such is my stance forevermore! It is every living being's right and natural instinct to act towards SELF-PRESERVATION. Granted, some have definite AUTO-DESTRUCTIVE tendencies... I'd rather be the latter myself -or, as I am really, a mix of the previous two here- than being as messed up as, say, a schizophrenic autophagic neurotic empty shell of a human being bent on nothing else but the annihilation of oneself and anyone that might *dare* to try and help out in going the opposite way from that nihilistic proclivity!
Thank The Good Lord, I am not so abysmally concerned! I have some self-preservation sense in me, absolutely - in that, I will not tolerate that another decides when I am to make my exit! No one else will undermine my health either - I shall do that MYSELF! Here comes the "auto-destructive side" into play; that stems from my lack of fear really! I do not fear the Grim Reaper. I said so many times before. I see it not as the end, but as the beginning. Even more, it is the deliverance of the soul, freed from its mortal coil. I liken death, hence, to a prisoner being set free at last. The ball and chain are severed from the prisoner's ankle, and up we go, into the starry ways - sort of like that Red Bull commercial, only the former convict will not ascend with the ball and chain in tow - at all (you see, we're all convicted to LIFE TERMS! Oh, that's so metaphorically rich - is it not? But I digress...)
I strive therefore to be "released early, for good behaviour" - and I have strived for that for years! (Not *actively*, mind you - I am not suicidal! That would not achieve the point here... Only God Will Decide the time and place of my "departure" - ok?) However, I mustn't be such a saint after all, since I made it past the age of Christ... Forces appear to be converging anyway, as summarized at the top of this post here, to facilitate such a hasty departure... Alas, for these forces, I am tougher than they thought! Mercy on those that underestimate me or those that are like me...
Not that I will be showing much of it or any at all really...!
I am still standing - after years of being stuffed with BHT and other unholy substances...
Speaking of BHT, BHA/BHT is short for Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), both of which are chemical preservatives.
BHA and BHT have been banned from human use in many countries. In the US, they are still permitted in pet foods. Apparently, though, they have also been allowed, for many years and to this day, as one of the preservatives on certain products meant for human consumption. BHA is generally used to keep fats from becoming rancid. It is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent. BHA is found in butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. It is also found in animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products.
BHT also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor. Many packaging materials incorporate BHT. It is also added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats and oils.
I always thought that Frankenberry, Cap'n'Crunch, Count Chocula and especially Toucan Sam were not looking out for *my* best interests at all...
There is a far more positive side to BHA/BHT than the ability to prevent fat spoilage, and it is this: both BHA and BHT have undergone the additive application and review process required by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the same chemical properties which make BHA and BHT excellent preservatives may also be implicated in health effects. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity; however the same reactions may combat oxidative stress. There is evidence that certain persons may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes. BHA and BHT may have antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Research is underway concerning the use of BHT in the treatment of herpes simplex and AIDS.
Wow - such high hopes for these chemical structures; surely for naught! That'll be the day when man-made compounds can reverse the effects of a bonafide End Times Plague...!
But I digress...
Another source of possible *big time trouble* for me and for you too: genetically-modified foods! Aye - Frankenfoods! Mary Shelley would be proud! Or not. But that is another story...
Once again, the concept comes packed with good intentions; On the horizon are bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as hepatitis B; fish that mature more quickly; fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier, and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties.
Hmm... There's truly a little something for everyone in there! All industries would benefit from the full-time instauration of these new norms - and profit is everything, right?
Enhanced taste and quality of the crops - whatever it is, it will also be ripe faster than ever before, and speedier maturation equals more profits! It also would have a longer shelf life... No one stopped to think then about the DIGESTION of these; what of that? Talk about potential catastrophic tummy troubles here...! Not to mention the effects of all this on mother nature; that which surrounds man, the consumer/destroyer, said nature that is only on LOAN to him, but he seems not to grasp that notion very well...?
In this light there comes to mind the eloquent words of the late Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, condensed as follows:
"A year after…a massive spraying…there was not a sound of the song of bird….. What was man doing to…our beautiful world…Who has made the decision that sets in motion…this ever-widening wave of death."
No doubt mechanical patterns in nature are real. But they can be a superficial by-product and not reflective of the deepest or true essence of life.
Just some of the dangers of genetically-modified elements in the food chain - and the domino effect that ensues... At random:
Direct Cancer and Degenerative Disease Links - In 1994, FDA approved Monsanto's rBGH, a genetically produced growth hormone, for injection into dairy cows – even though scientists warned the resulting increase of IGF-1, a potent chemical hormone, is linked to 400-500% higher risks of human breast, prostrate, and colon cancer. According to Dr. Samuel Epstein of the University of Chicago, it "induces the malignant transformation of human breast epithelial cells." Rat studies confirmed the suspicion and showed internal organ damage with rBGH ingestion. In fact, the FDA's own experiments indicated a spleen mass increase of 46% - a sign of developing leukemia. The contention was that the hormone was killed by pasteurization. But in research conducted by two Monsanto scientists, Ted Elasser and Brian McBride, only 19% of the hormone was destroyed despite boiling milk for 30 minutes when normal pasteurization is 30 seconds. Canada, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand have banned rBGR. The UN's Codex Alimentarius, an international health standards setting body, refused to certify rBGH as safe. Yet Monsanto continues to market this product in the US.
Recorded Deaths from GM - In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically altered version of the food supplement – L-tryptophan. A settlement of $2 billion dollars was paid by Showa Denko, Japan’s third largest chemical company. (Mayeno and Gleich, 1994).
Near-deaths from Allergic Reactions - In 1996, Brazil nut genes were spliced into soybeans by a company called Pioneer Hi-Bred. Some individuals, however, are so allergic to this nut, they go into apoplectic shock (similar to a severe bee sting reaction) which can cause death. Animal tests confirmed the peril and fortunately the product was removed from the market before any fatalities occurred. "The next case could be less than ideal and the public less fortunate," writes Marion Nestle, head of the Nutrition Department of NYU in an editorial to the New England Journal of Medicine. About 25% of Americans have adverse reactions to foods. 8% of children and 2% of adults have food allergies as tested by blood immunoglobins.
Antibiotic Threat – Via Milk - Cows injected with rBGH have a much higher level of udder infections and require more antibiotics. This leaves unacceptable levels of antibiotic residues in the milk. Scientists have warned of public health hazards due to growing antibiotic resistance.
Plenty more where that came from: here.
Gee... even the milk for the already hazardous cereal! Talk about a lose-lose situation... Add to that eating that dangerous concoction in the morning in a contaminated atmosphere (various contaminants can be listed at this point) with the knowledge that your own metabolism is ticking away on you (no one can stop heredity!) and you get the doomed picture: it isn't just me! All of us: we can't eat, drink or even breathe now, without some hazard to our health being there, oftentimes undetected...
Speaking of breathing...
We all know that co2 emissions are one of the greatest threats to our planet's atmosphere - and that our poor lungs are not up for such abuse for a very long time. Yet, I hear it so often I could puke: "a car is a necessity". So is dying, quite obviously - who wants to live forever? Especially in this mess that we've made... Brazil (I should spell it the way they do down there too: Brasil!) has made a splendid job paving the way to a post-petrol world, with the progressive switch to ethanol, which a zillion times better and all... But the rest of the world - especially we know who - are not following suit. Uncle Sam was always a difficult one - picky when he shouldn't have been (some leader of the free world; if he hadn't been bothered in Pearl Harbor, he wouldn't have done a thing about the Nazis, the Fascists and the Nippons! Sheesh...) and Uncle George's constant flip-flop over co2 emissions and the USA's responsibility is quite the pathetic display of greed mixed in with complete incompetence... The rest of the world does not have to follow Uncle George's example though...
Emissions of carbon dioxide have been falling since 1970. However, there were peaks in 1973 and 1979 because of severe winters, the state of the economy and high oil prices (resulting in increased use of coal) in those years.
The general decline in carbon dioxide emissions is due to increased efficiency in energy use, a switch from coal to natural gas and nuclear in power stations, a move away from coal towards gas and electricity in the domestic sector and a decline in heavy industry. Transport is the only sector that shows an increase in CO2 emissions. This reflects the increase in road traffic, which has outweighed improvements in energy efficiency of vehicles.
Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to rise again after 2005 despite the use of more advanced technology and abatement equipment. Consumption of fossil fuels is likely to increase with increasing energy demands and decreased use of nuclear power for electricity production.
What is being done about it, you asked?
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the UK has a target to reduce emissions of six key greenhouse gases (including CO2) by 12.5% relative to the 1990 level over the period 2008 to 2012. It also has a domestic goal to cut CO2 emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Hmm... those years emerge once again as turning points: 2010, 2012... The Mayans would be proud! ;)
Let's wrap this up, cause I feel nausea getting to me (lest it is la moutarde qui me monte au nez... Eh?)
So, in short...
I can't eat to my heart's -or stomach's- content, because the food is not 100% kosher (meant figuratively only, I assure you! Rabbis - don't flatter yourselves!)
I can't drink to my heart's content either - water's polluted beyond belief, tap water has to be boiled, for it has killed before, and bottled water is not all that reliable, as we have seen on this blog weeks ago...
I can't sleep even, because of NOISE POLLUTION...!!!
I can't walk around and breathe to my... lungs content really, cause everywhere I go, there's air pollution of some kind.
Gee... you might as well be dead indeed!
But... I am not! I am alive! I will survive!
So will so many that shouldn't, though - the very ones who are making this mess and others, even more insidious, messes!
It is getting really hard to do as Anna Nalick suggests though - and that is just to "BREATHE".
(Ha - gotcha there, eh? You thought for a second that I was going to post Gloria Gaynor's song, hmm? Nah - disco is dead, haven't you heard? It is better off that way...)
Is it just me or does Miss Nalick remind one a little or a lot of that boastful brunette up in Vancouver, British Columbia who led the way in the lynching and all-around sickening murder of one Reena Virk...? Miss Virk sure is not breathing anymore...
As for Miss Nalick; it's just a physical resemblance - I hope.
Link
Look at the facts:
I'm stuck with a hereditary background that probably has already numbered my days.
I have enemies - more than anyone can imagine.
I am breathing polluted air, inside and outside and everywhere I go really...
I am consuming genetically-modified foods and other products crammed with artificial preservatives...
And this is, I'm afraid, only the tip of the iceberg...
Now really - I simply cannot stop with the gloom and doom!
No freaking way.
Such was my reply days ago to a comment left here; and such is my stance forevermore! It is every living being's right and natural instinct to act towards SELF-PRESERVATION. Granted, some have definite AUTO-DESTRUCTIVE tendencies... I'd rather be the latter myself -or, as I am really, a mix of the previous two here- than being as messed up as, say, a schizophrenic autophagic neurotic empty shell of a human being bent on nothing else but the annihilation of oneself and anyone that might *dare* to try and help out in going the opposite way from that nihilistic proclivity!
Thank The Good Lord, I am not so abysmally concerned! I have some self-preservation sense in me, absolutely - in that, I will not tolerate that another decides when I am to make my exit! No one else will undermine my health either - I shall do that MYSELF! Here comes the "auto-destructive side" into play; that stems from my lack of fear really! I do not fear the Grim Reaper. I said so many times before. I see it not as the end, but as the beginning. Even more, it is the deliverance of the soul, freed from its mortal coil. I liken death, hence, to a prisoner being set free at last. The ball and chain are severed from the prisoner's ankle, and up we go, into the starry ways - sort of like that Red Bull commercial, only the former convict will not ascend with the ball and chain in tow - at all (you see, we're all convicted to LIFE TERMS! Oh, that's so metaphorically rich - is it not? But I digress...)
I strive therefore to be "released early, for good behaviour" - and I have strived for that for years! (Not *actively*, mind you - I am not suicidal! That would not achieve the point here... Only God Will Decide the time and place of my "departure" - ok?) However, I mustn't be such a saint after all, since I made it past the age of Christ... Forces appear to be converging anyway, as summarized at the top of this post here, to facilitate such a hasty departure... Alas, for these forces, I am tougher than they thought! Mercy on those that underestimate me or those that are like me...
Not that I will be showing much of it or any at all really...!
I am still standing - after years of being stuffed with BHT and other unholy substances...
Speaking of BHT, BHA/BHT is short for Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT), both of which are chemical preservatives.
BHA and BHT have been banned from human use in many countries. In the US, they are still permitted in pet foods. Apparently, though, they have also been allowed, for many years and to this day, as one of the preservatives on certain products meant for human consumption. BHA is generally used to keep fats from becoming rancid. It is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent. BHA is found in butter, meats, cereals, chewing gum, baked goods, snack foods, dehydrated potatoes, and beer. It is also found in animal feed, food packaging, cosmetics, rubber products, and petroleum products.
BHT also prevents oxidative rancidity of fats. It is used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor. Many packaging materials incorporate BHT. It is also added directly to shortening, cereals, and other foods containing fats and oils.
I always thought that Frankenberry, Cap'n'Crunch, Count Chocula and especially Toucan Sam were not looking out for *my* best interests at all...
There is a far more positive side to BHA/BHT than the ability to prevent fat spoilage, and it is this: both BHA and BHT have undergone the additive application and review process required by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, the same chemical properties which make BHA and BHT excellent preservatives may also be implicated in health effects. The oxidative characteristics and/or metabolites of BHA and BHT may contribute to carcinogenicity or tumorigenicity; however the same reactions may combat oxidative stress. There is evidence that certain persons may have difficulty metabolizing BHA and BHT, resulting in health and behavior changes. BHA and BHT may have antiviral and antimicrobial activities. Research is underway concerning the use of BHT in the treatment of herpes simplex and AIDS.
Wow - such high hopes for these chemical structures; surely for naught! That'll be the day when man-made compounds can reverse the effects of a bonafide End Times Plague...!
But I digress...
Another source of possible *big time trouble* for me and for you too: genetically-modified foods! Aye - Frankenfoods! Mary Shelley would be proud! Or not. But that is another story...
Once again, the concept comes packed with good intentions; On the horizon are bananas that produce human vaccines against infectious diseases such as hepatitis B; fish that mature more quickly; fruit and nut trees that yield years earlier, and plants that produce new plastics with unique properties.
Hmm... There's truly a little something for everyone in there! All industries would benefit from the full-time instauration of these new norms - and profit is everything, right?
Enhanced taste and quality of the crops - whatever it is, it will also be ripe faster than ever before, and speedier maturation equals more profits! It also would have a longer shelf life... No one stopped to think then about the DIGESTION of these; what of that? Talk about potential catastrophic tummy troubles here...! Not to mention the effects of all this on mother nature; that which surrounds man, the consumer/destroyer, said nature that is only on LOAN to him, but he seems not to grasp that notion very well...?
In this light there comes to mind the eloquent words of the late Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, condensed as follows:
"A year after…a massive spraying…there was not a sound of the song of bird….. What was man doing to…our beautiful world…Who has made the decision that sets in motion…this ever-widening wave of death."
No doubt mechanical patterns in nature are real. But they can be a superficial by-product and not reflective of the deepest or true essence of life.
Just some of the dangers of genetically-modified elements in the food chain - and the domino effect that ensues... At random:
Direct Cancer and Degenerative Disease Links - In 1994, FDA approved Monsanto's rBGH, a genetically produced growth hormone, for injection into dairy cows – even though scientists warned the resulting increase of IGF-1, a potent chemical hormone, is linked to 400-500% higher risks of human breast, prostrate, and colon cancer. According to Dr. Samuel Epstein of the University of Chicago, it "induces the malignant transformation of human breast epithelial cells." Rat studies confirmed the suspicion and showed internal organ damage with rBGH ingestion. In fact, the FDA's own experiments indicated a spleen mass increase of 46% - a sign of developing leukemia. The contention was that the hormone was killed by pasteurization. But in research conducted by two Monsanto scientists, Ted Elasser and Brian McBride, only 19% of the hormone was destroyed despite boiling milk for 30 minutes when normal pasteurization is 30 seconds. Canada, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand have banned rBGR. The UN's Codex Alimentarius, an international health standards setting body, refused to certify rBGH as safe. Yet Monsanto continues to market this product in the US.
Recorded Deaths from GM - In 1989, dozens of Americans died and several thousands were afflicted and impaired by a genetically altered version of the food supplement – L-tryptophan. A settlement of $2 billion dollars was paid by Showa Denko, Japan’s third largest chemical company. (Mayeno and Gleich, 1994).
Near-deaths from Allergic Reactions - In 1996, Brazil nut genes were spliced into soybeans by a company called Pioneer Hi-Bred. Some individuals, however, are so allergic to this nut, they go into apoplectic shock (similar to a severe bee sting reaction) which can cause death. Animal tests confirmed the peril and fortunately the product was removed from the market before any fatalities occurred. "The next case could be less than ideal and the public less fortunate," writes Marion Nestle, head of the Nutrition Department of NYU in an editorial to the New England Journal of Medicine. About 25% of Americans have adverse reactions to foods. 8% of children and 2% of adults have food allergies as tested by blood immunoglobins.
Antibiotic Threat – Via Milk - Cows injected with rBGH have a much higher level of udder infections and require more antibiotics. This leaves unacceptable levels of antibiotic residues in the milk. Scientists have warned of public health hazards due to growing antibiotic resistance.
Plenty more where that came from: here.
Gee... even the milk for the already hazardous cereal! Talk about a lose-lose situation... Add to that eating that dangerous concoction in the morning in a contaminated atmosphere (various contaminants can be listed at this point) with the knowledge that your own metabolism is ticking away on you (no one can stop heredity!) and you get the doomed picture: it isn't just me! All of us: we can't eat, drink or even breathe now, without some hazard to our health being there, oftentimes undetected...
Speaking of breathing...
We all know that co2 emissions are one of the greatest threats to our planet's atmosphere - and that our poor lungs are not up for such abuse for a very long time. Yet, I hear it so often I could puke: "a car is a necessity". So is dying, quite obviously - who wants to live forever? Especially in this mess that we've made... Brazil (I should spell it the way they do down there too: Brasil!) has made a splendid job paving the way to a post-petrol world, with the progressive switch to ethanol, which a zillion times better and all... But the rest of the world - especially we know who - are not following suit. Uncle Sam was always a difficult one - picky when he shouldn't have been (some leader of the free world; if he hadn't been bothered in Pearl Harbor, he wouldn't have done a thing about the Nazis, the Fascists and the Nippons! Sheesh...) and Uncle George's constant flip-flop over co2 emissions and the USA's responsibility is quite the pathetic display of greed mixed in with complete incompetence... The rest of the world does not have to follow Uncle George's example though...
Emissions of carbon dioxide have been falling since 1970. However, there were peaks in 1973 and 1979 because of severe winters, the state of the economy and high oil prices (resulting in increased use of coal) in those years.
The general decline in carbon dioxide emissions is due to increased efficiency in energy use, a switch from coal to natural gas and nuclear in power stations, a move away from coal towards gas and electricity in the domestic sector and a decline in heavy industry. Transport is the only sector that shows an increase in CO2 emissions. This reflects the increase in road traffic, which has outweighed improvements in energy efficiency of vehicles.
Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to rise again after 2005 despite the use of more advanced technology and abatement equipment. Consumption of fossil fuels is likely to increase with increasing energy demands and decreased use of nuclear power for electricity production.
What is being done about it, you asked?
Under the Kyoto Protocol, the UK has a target to reduce emissions of six key greenhouse gases (including CO2) by 12.5% relative to the 1990 level over the period 2008 to 2012. It also has a domestic goal to cut CO2 emissions by 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Hmm... those years emerge once again as turning points: 2010, 2012... The Mayans would be proud! ;)
Let's wrap this up, cause I feel nausea getting to me (lest it is la moutarde qui me monte au nez... Eh?)
So, in short...
I can't eat to my heart's -or stomach's- content, because the food is not 100% kosher (meant figuratively only, I assure you! Rabbis - don't flatter yourselves!)
I can't drink to my heart's content either - water's polluted beyond belief, tap water has to be boiled, for it has killed before, and bottled water is not all that reliable, as we have seen on this blog weeks ago...
I can't sleep even, because of NOISE POLLUTION...!!!
I can't walk around and breathe to my... lungs content really, cause everywhere I go, there's air pollution of some kind.
Gee... you might as well be dead indeed!
But... I am not! I am alive! I will survive!
So will so many that shouldn't, though - the very ones who are making this mess and others, even more insidious, messes!
It is getting really hard to do as Anna Nalick suggests though - and that is just to "BREATHE".
(Ha - gotcha there, eh? You thought for a second that I was going to post Gloria Gaynor's song, hmm? Nah - disco is dead, haven't you heard? It is better off that way...)
Is it just me or does Miss Nalick remind one a little or a lot of that boastful brunette up in Vancouver, British Columbia who led the way in the lynching and all-around sickening murder of one Reena Virk...? Miss Virk sure is not breathing anymore...
As for Miss Nalick; it's just a physical resemblance - I hope.
Link
