"Let Them Eat Cake!"

reply to post by tunin

I'm quite surprised here, living in a country that is quite normal cook it's own food was a little bit weird to see most of North Americans rely on fast-foods instead of cooking.

I most certainly prefer home-cooked meals. I enjoy cooking, and even simple recipes taste better and are more satisfying. But the problem in America has become quite complex.

If the people are overworked, they have no time for meal planning and preperation.

Cooking at home is more expensive, particularly if you are not buying bulk goods to feed a family.

Even if you are lucky enough to overcome those two significant hurdles, you are now left with preparing and eating the genetically-modified and nutrient-deprived goods put out for sale at the supermarket.

One example of this that has hit my area recently is ground beef. It was always ground fresh at the supermarket and wrapped in plastic on a styrofoam tray. Now it is trucked in from some unknown location, in "convenience packaging." There are even commercials about this new packaging on how it is more convenient, will keep the meat fresher for longer, bla bla bla. It's all deception. The consumer is being sold this product as if it will make life better for them, and that they should be glad to be so lucky to have the benefit of the latest innovations. It's poison!

The meat is nearly tasteless and cooks up to the texture of rubber. They don't have to tell you what sorts of chemicals are added and what moidifications have been made, but I can tell you first hand that that there is a world of difference between ground beef and what is being sold now as ground beef. This product in particular is highly susceptible to additives and such, because it can be mixed through, instead of simply applied to the surface like a steak.

So the problem you see, is not just what we generally recognize as junk food, but that ALL FOOD is becoming junk food devoid of nutrients and fortified with unknown properties.



[edit on 2/4/0808 by jackinthebox]

reply to post by metaldemon2000

The problem is not the lack of infrastuture, but rather oh how modern society has been directly and indirectly destroying it over the past few decades.

Regardless of how or why it came about, there is a fatal flaw in the ability of our infrastructure to provide food to the people.

I have to agree that the destruction of the farming industry is fundamental to this breakdown in the infrastructure. But this goes to my point that what is being done to Americans is deliberate. Farms have always been the backbone of this nation. Not only are they neglected in recent decades, but have been actively destroyed by the powers that be.

Science has also made many advances in increasing the life of soil richness and farms can last many more years then they previously could.

But these sorts of scientific advances are only meant to be used by the corporate megafarms. The sort that have become largely mechanized, even to the point that the tractors are not even manned but satellite guided instead.

Let farmers operate with little or no taxes and restrictions and set up a fund to aid them.

Most people would agree, but you'll never get this past the corporate-funded politicians holding the purse strings.

Donate land to people wishing to operate farms like they did 100 years ago.

Could end welfare that way. But who wants to do that?

Encourage young people to take interest in farming and for those of you who think farming isn't glamorous and cool, well starving isn't either.

I really don't think that interest is the problem. I personally would love to have a farm. And it wouldn't take much to convince a lot of other people.

The destruction of the American farm has been intentional, and is at the very core of this issue.

reply to post by metaldemon2000

My job takes me on the road alot and i usually find myself biting into a big mac or a slice of pizza and i can fully agree with the hunger issue.

Classic pitfall that has become nearly unavoidable for a large segment of the population.

Lately i been taking alot of steps to avoid this and even going as far as to substitue the cream in my coffee for milk, pop for juice, and taking the alternative to fries at some fast food joints such as a chili or a salad and im noticing a huge difference.

These are steps that I take as well. I don't drink much coffee, but either use milk or just stick with the sugar which is bad enough. I try to avoid soda-pop, and actually prefer iced-tea or juice. They really quench the thirst better anyway. There is only one fast-food chain I know of that allows such substitutions, but I do the same. But I heard a rumor that one fast food chain was actually spraying their salads with some sugar-chemical.

Any measures you can take will certainly be beneficial. Another thing I have learned to do is never finish what I am served. Many of us have been raised to "clean the plate" but break the habit. Save some for later or just throw it out if you are not hungry anymore.

reply to post by cbianchi513

I know- try getting a version of this into the civilian world, but I can tell you this: The Marines got results (they always do). Those fatbodies lost the fat quickly, probably in no small part due to the humiliation factor. Humility goes a long way. Maybe the solution is to make fatties feel bad about being fat- not telling them that society is to blame, and that it's ok to have that second Big Mac...

First of all, civilians didn't sign up to be Marines. Second of all, I'd be willing to bet that Marines have access to proper nuritious meals they don't even have to pay for. So why don't you show some humility instead of exposing your vanity once again?

And by the way, feeling bad is the root cause of over-eating for many people, so your logic is flawed. I have literally seen women crying in guilt pulling up to the drive-thru window, champ.

reply to post by eyewitness86


I suggest that members re-read the post I am replying to. It certainly deserves more stars. Quite accurate asessment I must say.

Thanks for posting!

reply to post by metaldemon2000

Alot of kids parents are to blame for keeping them inside more and over feeding them. They enable this behavior and then when their kids approach them about being teased they don't do anything to try and help. They tell their kids it's because of medical problems or that it is normal to be overweight.

As far as kids being teased in school goes, I am reminded of when I was in school. I was a skinny energetic kid that got healthy lunches from home, but I can remember being made fun of by other kids because I didn't have the latest snacky-cake or sugar juice. I'd almost be willing to bet that there hasn't been a tuna sandwhich inside a school in more than a decade now. I bet most kids get sent in with those "make a meal" cracker trays and gummi creatures.

The there is the whole school lunch program. I think the stuff that is served for lunch in public schools is worse for you than MacDougal's.

Another excellent post that has recieved deserving stars.

reply to post by annestacey


A most excellent post. If anyone has gotten this far and happened to miss it, I suggest you go back to check it our and give it another well-deserved star.

reply to post by DemonicAngelZero


If "they" are going to all the trouble of poisoning us with the food, I am sure it is in the water supply too. And unless you really live out in the sticks, well water is downright dangerous all the way around.

reply to post by undo


This reminds me of the little girl in the Mel Gibson movie "Signs."

In it, the little girl keeps insisting on having a fresh glass of water even though she already had water. She said the water she had was "old." She wouldn't drink more than about a half glass. There were half-drank glasses of water all over the house. The movie takes this plot thread in another direction, but I wonder if writer/director M. Night Shyamalan was trying to leave something else in there for the audience as well.

In fact, I have always thought about that ever since seeing the movie. I drink a lot of water, but have a habit of dumping the rest out and getting fresh water. It just always seem stale at the bottom half.

Your point is basic logic really, but one that most people have probably missed. Thanks.

reply to post by Fiverz


"Lack of willpower" might actually be chemically produced, and is almost certainly the result of the psychological bombardment American recieve all day everyday by the corporations who are perpetrating this high-crime.

On the other hand, we are not entirely helpless either. You must do anything within your means to resist the on-set of corporate slavery, disease, and starvation by fat. Make the right choices, when you have the choice.

reply to post by Roper


Soda pop is death in a can. Americans drink more of the stuff than anything else, and it is a huge contributor to the health problems in this country. There are many people I know who would never drink just plain water. In fact I had this discussion with a die-hard cola drinker the other day. He has all sorts of health problems, but he is not overweight and is quite active in his job at the highway department. He doesn't really eat right, but his household goes through several cases of soda-pop per day!

Bread is a debateable subject, but the highly refined breads have little nutritional value for certain.

reply to post by ModernDystopia


I have to agree that eating vegetarian can be quite healthy and tasty. I have know a few people from India who are largely vegetarian as a matter of what they are used to, more than the the sort of self-righteous babble we often hear from vegetarians here in the States. India is very poor for one. Also, the cow is sacred to many in India, and the Muslims there cannot eat pork. Most of the people I have met from India will eat meat, but quite sparingly.

On the other hand, I did not evolve to the top of the food chain to become a vegetarian. When everyone was scared to eat beef during the "Mad Cow Disease scare," I said, "Well folks, I aint skeered 'cause I'm just crazy about cow, more for me!" I also love venison, one of the healthiest meats you can eat.

reply to post by Dulcimer

In a perfect world we would all drink water and eat greens. But we will all die eventually.

There is truth in what you say. There will always be foods that are better for us than others, and heck, no one gets out of life alive. But I am most concerned with the sudden surge of illness and obesity in America. I honestly believe our food supply is being deliberatley tainted and modified as part of a larger agenda that is far from being in the interest of the people.

It is also true that most of these diseases are not new, but what is new is the instances in which these diseases occur. Again, I believe this is being done intentionally.

reply to post by Witness2008


The question is, can anything be done to stop this monster from eating us alive?

I know I'm doing my part, to the best of my ability.

reply to post by jfj123


From your own definition:

Vitamin deficiency is also a common result of starvation, often resulting in anemia, beriberi, pellagra, and scurvy.

Vitamin deficiency is the result of starvation. Hence, if fat people are starving to death they are suffering vitamin deficiency. Which they are. Fat people often suffer the above listed conditions among many others.

I will even go so far as to propose that diabetes is not caused by obesity, but malnutrition. About eighty percent of people who suffer from diabetes are overweight. This means that weight cannot be the ultimate cause of diabetes. However, you will probably find that one-hundred percent of diabetes sufferers have a low nutrient diet, or did so for an extended period of time.

reply to post by jfj123

You must also understand there is more then one factor at work here. Yes fast foods are less unhealthy then they used to be but we are more sedentary then we used to be and there are other foods that we consume along with fast food such as massive amounts more, of soda, candy and snack foods then we used to. That minor offset by fast food getting less unhealthy is not seen because of all the other increased factors.

For certain fast-food restaurants are not the ultimate cause of the conditions we are seeing today. If it was that plain, the conspiracy would have been revealed and understood long ago. It is far more complex. This is why it still continues, and society is powerless against it.

The more sedentary nature of our society in recent years is a result as much as it is a cause.

reply to post by bigfoot1212


Hunting and fishing may be the last viable option for many, and an option which I endorse wholeheartedly. For myself however, it is not an option. I have no cold storage. Furthermore, most people aren't going to have the space in an apartment for the size freezer you need to hold a year's supply of venison for the family.

Supplemental gardening is fine as well, but it does not solve the problem. Then again, as I have said before, every little bit helps.

I truly wish I had enough land to hunt and farm. I'd go totally off the grid and wait for the ATS to show up.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan

We learned that several other people who were working at the food bank, were homeless, but still volunteerd to help. One reason why, is that they were fed while on their shifts. They did not get paid, but received cooked meals for their help. I think a lot of the meals consisted of beans and rice, but it was a hot meal, and more nutritious than fast food.

The food quality is varied at food banks, depending on the donations that come in. The one closest to me has been doing everything with white bread lately, and a lot of it, which is not very healthy. Perhaps it is because of the sorts of local distributors that we have here and who donate, that the food is often not very healthy. Lots of snack cakes, cookies, breads, etc.

The other problem is there is no soup kitchen here in town. I have to drive to the next city over, to get there. The only time it's really worthwhile is when I have other business in town.

Oh, and just another thought I would like to share with you, since you mentioned utility bills. On the days off when I would cook several meals at one time, I was able to turn the thermostat down in the house since the oven or stove would be on for a good portion of the day. Also, when you run into trouble as far as being on a lay off from work, call your utility company. Some are more than willing to work with you if you give them a heads up for a month, anyway. As long as you do not get a disconnect notice before letting them know what is going on, you would be surprised how understanding they might be. They may also work out a payment schedule plan with you that might fit into a tight budget. At least that has been my experience in the past, anyway.

I can't remember if I already mentioned it here, but I am "between homes" at the moment, since I lost what might have been the cheapest apartment in the county.

Cooking in bulk was never really a viable option for me, as I have lived alone most of the time. Furthermore, my thermostat was never touched. It stayed at the 55-degree mark, as required in my lease.

I am now being sued by two utility companies that want there money from the last few months worth of bills that stacked up while I was trying to keep my apartment. I do agree though, that utitlity companies are quite easy to deal with. The people at my power company were always quite empathetic and never nasty to me. I feel bad I don't have the money for them.

reply to post by sylvie


Wow. Excellent story, and I don't doubt it.

I never used the microwave in regular cooking, only to reheat whatever I might have made in the day or days before.

Unfortunately, the microwave is my only method of cooking at present.

The first thing I'm gonna do when I get settled again is make a big vat of meat sauce (from scratch of course, jarred sauce is illegal in NY) with handmade pasta, and some fresh cheeses. Probably not the healthiest dish in the world, but it blows the doors off any burger-slam-combo any day of the week!

reply to post by jackinthebox


Once again I am replying to a post you made to another.

Yes, it is true that fast food restaurants are not completely to blame. As mentioned earlier, it's also the chemicals that go into the food that is served at fast food restaurants, that make a meal there even more toxic.

I wonder how many people even realize when they go to grab a sack of flour, that in most groceries, they are buying flour that has been bleached? Now why on earth does flour need to be bleached?

I wonder how many people realize that some oranges have dye injected into them for the peel to look orange?

I'm not even going there on the meat section at a grocery store!

It's simple things like the above that people are not aware of, or just don't seem to care about anymore!