I Must Be A Hippie--

Apparently, you can only go so far before you're labeled Extreme or especially as a "Hippie." So, I discovered all the very bad chemicals in the majority of our body care products in our home, and want to abolish them entirely. It may smell delicious but SOOOO not worth it. Decided I want to begin making my own--instead of spending the money to get all organic 100% natural products which are VERY expensive. So, I must be a hippie!

Shen Yun

Last week my lady (Dominique) and I went to see a show called Shen Yun. I had been really looking forward to it, and then during the show---it became very obvious that it was a pro-Falun Dafa group. Although I certainly don't harbor any ill will towards any people practicing their own spiritual practices, I felt like I had been swindled--paying $70 per ticket--to contribute to a group that I don't know anything about.

The imagery and performances were beautiful and amazing, and anti Communist China propaganda plagued the show. Dancers in black with a red scepter on the back of their jackets entered the stage with billy clubs in hand, and beat a woman and daughter and took them away from each other. The blue sky that had made up the background turned dark and stormy--the graphics were really quite good from a designer stand-point.

I've read up on Falun Dafa and all their sites proclaim good will and happiness for the planet, however, upon reading interviews with the CREATOR of Falun Dafa--I found myself disturbed.

Like I said, the imagery and performances were quite captivating and aesthetically very pleasing, however, the propaganda behind it all---fell on deaf ears. I don't take well to propaganda even if I know it to be true as it has fueled a lot of unnecessary tensions and anger in our past history. Take Disney with their propaganda films to stay afloat during the World War II all about Germany being the ultimate evil. Forget the fact we have wonderful working relationships in our globalized economy with the Japanese now---Bugs Bunny was killing off "Japs" "slant eyes" and other names he called the Japs in these propanda cartoon shorts with grenades in ice cream bars. My point being: Did these help the Japanese people residing in the US? Or did it just fuel the fire and put them in internment camps quicker for "our safety and their safety."

For information regarding Falun Dafa--look up Falun Dafa or Falun Gong.

Here is a site I went to that provided a lot of sources of information that I found good: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/f02.html .

Like I said before, people should have the right to practice their own beliefs and I certainly do not condone any violence towards anyone for practicing their spiritual beliefs.

I do not believe Falun Dafa is an organization I would partake in nor would I suggest anyone to take that step without seriously researching the topic first. For some--the cult ideals may work, but not for me.

I should be writing more on this topic later. There is a Professor Charles Wu that Dominique will be calling once Spring Break is over who has written an article concerning the Falun Dafa, and we are going to listen to what he has to say, although he is a non-believer as well.

The founder of Falun Dafa would say, "They're the public, it's too deep for them to understand." Well, bring it on Li Hongzhi!

Woman Trying to Be Fattest Woman for Guinness World Record

I have to say--where has the world gone when someone is working towards the goal of being the fattest woman in the world? Packing on the pounds to just be in the Guinness Book of Records? What is she thinking? She has kids and yet she is doing something and her family is rooting her on to her death!

I've read many things and how you can be overweight and still healthy--still have a high BMI, but still be physically healthy--but this certainly does not apply to this woman. She is eating 12,000 calories EVERY DAY to try and reach her goal weight of 1,000 pounds within 2 years.

FYI, she is currently 600 pounds and needs 400 lbs. She wants to weigh a ton, literally! This would mean she would need to add on..

16.6 lbs a month

3.84 lbs a week

.54 lbs a day

I don't believe todays current standards of "beauty" are real beauty--there's nothing better than seeing a girl have some curves to remind you she's a woman, and not a prepubescent 1o year old boy. This, however, is just too much---

As we all know--it's far easier packing on weight than taking it off...how will she lose that weight when she can't even walk? Does she want her kids to grow up and see her immobile on her King Size bed, unable to play with them or go outside?

If she is doing this for attention and having a statement concerning the affairs of the world--is there not a less deadly way to do it?

She had a website to share with everyone her eating habits and plans, however, it has been removed-likely because she's received a barrage of bad attention regarding her choices.

Don't you think that her purposefully trying to weigh a ton unfair to those that are morbidly obese and struggle with it everyday be it because of health issues and body issues?

Recalling the World

Yesterday, I read an article that was discussing this really big recall. Over 10,000 products were being recalled due to an ingredient called HVP (Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein) being contaminated with Salmonella. I took a look at the list and there were at least 10 products that I've eaten before and would go out to the market and grab on a typical trip to the grocery.

What is wrong with the world? Hows is a contamination that was reserved for animals--getting into HVP? How did E-Coli get into our Spinach a couple of years ago?? Or Botulism in our Bolthoue Carrot Juice? (among other products that contained carrots as well) There' something wrong with how things are being done.

It sounds like something almost natural but it isn't--HVP is: produced by boiling soy, wheat or various other legumes with hydrochloric acid and then is neutralized with sodium hydroxide (sounds yummy, right?).

During this process--somehow we have Salmonella being added into the mix. Literally.

Vegan Freaks

I had to write briefly regarding a book I was reading.

The intent of the authors was to help make Vegans feel less like freaks and to try and get people on the verge of being Vegan-to actually be Vegan.

They based all of their writing on Ethical Veganism.

Contrary to making me want to be Vegan, I found myself thinking, "Hell, I don't want to be like these assholes!"

They stated clearly they did not feel they were superior to anyone, and yet their words were riddled with a superiority complex, constantly saying how horrible anyone is who eats meat or any animal products at all. How the "rational person" knows it is a bad thing to do for all involved.

Implications that made me want to get together the biggest baddest group of carnivorous people to kick their butts.

I agree that the industry standards that are in place are cruel to animals and I certainly have never meant to promote them or cruelty in any sense by eating any animal products, but apparently I was doing just that according to this book.

Despite letting people know and constantly striving to be a better person, eating organic, cage-free, and local foods--I, in their eyes, am not rational.

So, despite them ruining a perfectly good thing---I decided to go Vegan again for various reasons although I doubt I will ever call myself an "ETHICAL Vegan" which would automatically put anyone near me that is not Vegan--unethical. I am doing this for myself primarily. I don't judge what people eat--this is my journey.

They also compared a few things which I don't feel should be compared. Yes, I know animals have central nervous systems and feel pain-humans have always eaten meat. It's been a part of the evolutionary chain--even Chimpanzee's eat meat when it's accessible.

How is the Holocaust like animal husbandry? How is the way a cow treated the same as a woman that was raped? How is our agricultural system the same as Slavery? These are comparisons they made, but regardless how they phrased them--I could not see their point. Another irrationality on my part, I'm sure..

what do you think?

Epilepsy and Veganism

I've gone Vegan again.

The first time I went Vegan it was because of the cruelty to the animals.

The second time I went Vegan it was because of vanity--and thinking I'd look sexy if I was Vegan.
Don't worry, I've come to terms with my sexiness since then! :)

The third time (now) I went Vegan it was because of my epilepsy.

I hope all three of these things shall unite and I can be a sexy no cruelty less-seizure type of person.