License, un-check!

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Last month, a new measure created by the Governor of New Mexico was instated requiring immigrants to re-register their license and provide proof of where they will continue to live in the state.  This Residency Verification Plan was an effort to crack down on immigration in New Mexico, one of three remaining where proof of citizenship is not required when applying for a driver’s license.  The state had issued notices to everyone that needs to schedule an “in-person interview” to supply documents showing proof of residency.  Of the 10,000 notices sent out, more than 30% have been returned as “undeliverable”.  In an effort to crack down on loopholes, the state had also planned to cancel any license’s for those no longer living in the state.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, however, challenged all aspects of the new program in court, forcing a district judge to freeze the program until it is resolved in court.  The MALDEF claims that the law discriminates against a certain group of people: foreign nationals.  They also claim that the Motor Vehicles Department has no reason to believe they’ve done anything wrong so they should not have to report.  Further, Marcela Diaz of Somos Un Pueblo Unido, (Pardon, of WHAT organization?) an immigrant rights group, said in a statement that the license verification program “is nothing more than a bullying tactic that intimidates and threatens people for no reason.”  Subsequently, this week, a federal judge denied Governor Susana Martinez and her administration the ability to verify the validity of immigrants licenses’ in the state.

So…notices are sent to the addresses provided on the license but many are “undeliverable” –yet, somehow, they still think there is no cause for concern? The proof is in the pudding.  The word ‘foreign’ should set off some alarms.  Yes, many foreigners live, work and contribute to America every year, after going through the proper channels.  But why wouldn’t we toughen the screening process for those who are native to this country? I simply don’t understand why obtaining a government ID does not require that you prove you are actually able to be governed under THIS government.

What Happened to Milton County?

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If you were active in last July’s primary election for Senate District 56, you remember a key issue for all of the candidates: Milton County. For those of you who are not aware of the concept of Milton County, it would essentially cut Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Alpharetta, Roswell and part (maybe all) of Sandy Springs out of Fulton County to create a new Milton County.

Personally, I am not a proponent of Milton County, mostly because it would cut me out, but I do understand the want of those taxpayers in North Fulton to keep their money where they feel it can benefit them.

Over the course of the election season, it appeared that all 3 of the candidates (John Albers, David Belle Isle and Brandon Beach) fully supported the idea of Milton County. After the run-off, those who did not win the seat went on to pursue other important issues, while the Senator-elect was supposedly ‘getting right to work’.

During the election, Albers launched a massive campaign initiative called ‘The Contract for Milton County’ complete with it’s own website, Facebook page and poster-size copy that voters could sign. The Facebook page still exists (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105925269440670) and it has the link for the website, www.contractformiltoncounty.com, listed, but for some *odd* reason, the website is no longer up. Also available during the election was the VoteAlbers website, but that too is no longer available, you are simply directed to the Senator Albers webpage, which has no mention of Milton County except for a small paragraph stating, ‘Albers supports the recreation of Milton County to include the cities of Roswell, Sandy Springs, Mountain Park, Milton Alpharetta and Johns Creek. The residents of North Fulton have long endured an inequitable relationship with Fulton County government and will make Milton a reality’.

What I found rather interesting during my online search for resources regarding Milton County was a webpage started in April of 2009 called Milton County Rising. (www.miltoncountyrising or http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=69245732854#!/group.php?gid=69245732854&v=wall ). Mr. Albers didn’t create his ‘Contract for Milton County’ until early 2010. Oh the irony.

According to the Facebook page, over 1,500 people signed the contract in 5 days. Clearly this is something that the people of North Fulton wanted their elected official to work towards. I really thought Albers would fight harder for something the people wanted. Thankfully, Albers did propose and pass a bill requiring at least 3 feet of space between bikers and cars. You can see other things Mr. Albers tacked his name onto here: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/Search.aspx. His bill made it nowhere. And to date, he’s proposed nothing during the special session.

So why hasn’t Mr. Albers delivered? Why isn’t he fighting for Milton County? And what happened to that poster-size copy of the contract? Maybe these are questions we need to ask when November 2012 rolls around.

http://votealbers.com/pdf/Albers_Promotes_Contract_For_Milton_County.pdf

On the Side of the Tobacco Industry

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This past Tuesday, 4 of the largest tobacco companies filed a major suit against the federal government.  Why, you ask?

Apparently the federal government has issued new labels for cigarette companies to place on cigarette packages.  The companies are upset because they are REQUIRED to use the labels designated by the government.  They also claim that the new labels, which now include images, not just text, will be damaging to sales.

First things first.  I am not a proponent of smoking.  I think it’s a terrible habit and I am in favor of laws restricting people from smoking inside businesses, as it is clearly a detriment to those around them.  However, here is where I draw the line.  Who is the federal government to step in and mess with a private enterprise that is trying to make a profit? (And let’s not forget the amount of taxes this profit generates for the federal government.) “Never before in the United States have producers of a lawful product been required to use their own packaging and advertising to convey an emotionally-charged government message urging adult consumers to shun their products,” the companies wrote in the lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington, D.C.. How despicable.

The images are anti-smoking advocacy graphics.  I’m not quite sure how this make sense.  You wouldn’t advertise Dell in a catalog of Apple Computers, just as you wouldn’t place an image of a bloody, dead person on a bike helmet.  So why is this appropriate? Take a look. Some of the images are quite graphic:

There are a total of 9 images that the government wants to implement over the course of the coming years.  This will be an added expense on behalf of the tobacco companies since they will have to pay to change the packaging, designs, etc. each time a new image is added.  The advertising technique must total 20% of the total advertising for the tobacco companies as well as include a Stop Smoking Hotline phone number.

I understand the tobacco companies make a ridiculous amount of money, have a history of being deceitful and are selling a detrimental good to the public.  But those issues are neither here nor there.  This completely stems from administration regulation. The federal government is essentially damaging sales of a company as they inappropriately raise the cost of doing business for tobacco companies.

When will it stop?

The Fate of the Chicken Man

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Many of you who have been following the story of the Roswell Chicken Man are already aware that he was sentenced to 99 days in jail last Wednesday, August 10. Leading up to that day, a lot of people read and shared this blog (which I am grateful for!) but we received some interesting feedback.

There were some comments left, both of Facebook and the comments page here, that blatantly said they were happy that Mr. Wordes was sentenced to jail because he “broke the law”

Mr. Wordes was sentenced because he failed to appear to his probation check-ins and did not complete his total number of hours demanded. Some readers made comments like, “He violated his probation, he SHOULD be in jail”. Others didn’t quite believe that the city could and would have a personal vendetta against this man. Remember WHY he was sentenced to jail- For illegal grading of his property (which he did in order to prevent his property from flooding, see pictures from previous blog) and too many cars on his driveway. I’m sorry but it’s simply obnoxious that Mr. Wordes is dealing with this. Why doesn’t the City of Roswell focus on their looming financial problems? Or the crime that consumes the district surrounding Red Lobster on Holcomb Bridge Road?

Some people have a hard time comprehending how large an issue this really is. But this is happening, friends. Mr. Wordes is in jail. Yes, he violated his probation and he didn’t meet all of the hours in time. But put that fact aside. This is part of an ever-evolving story that just won’t end.

This was all part of the master plan. 99 days in jail will prohibit Mr. Wordes from making house payments, because 1) his hens were poisoned and subsequently, he cannot sell any of their eggs; and 2) he is incarcerated and has no other means of making money. Don’t you see? His home will go into foreclosure and he will be forced to move. He won’t be able to live in Roswell because of the way the City Council changed the laws limiting the number of livestock you can have within city limits. The city is effectively PUSHING Mr. Wordes out of his home and the city. (Again, they made their intentions clear when they labeled his property as ‘Green Space’ on the Roswell 2030 Plan.)

Since the police department also caused Mr. Wordes some distress, you may wonder who is looking after his home while he is away. The Roswell Police have said they will do their best to monitor the premises. Wonderful.

Luckily, Mr. Wordes is surrounded by a wonderful group of friends who love him and his animals dearly and strongly support his fight. All of his animals have been taken in until November when he is released (though we don’t know where he will go). Friends are visiting him and sending him letters in hopes of keeping his spirits up. People he’s never even met are attempting to raise money for lawyers, house payments and any other fees he may be facing in the coming months. The outpouring of people willing to support Mr. Wordes is inspiring to me. But we’re not doing enough.

If you have any ideas or resources that can help fight this fight, please share them on the ‘Save the Roswell Chicken Man’ Facebook page.

Please visit www.roswellchickenman.com to donate. It’s not to late to save his home.

You can write Andrew at:
Roswell Detention Center
In the direction of Andrew S. Wordes
39 Hill Street
Roswell, GA 30075

And lastly, get the losers off the Roswell City Council. Rich Dippolito and Becky Wynn (both of whom have vehemently opposed Mr. Wordes and his cause by passing legislation and upholding the actions of the City Manager, Kay Love) are both up for re-election this November. VOTE THEM OUT!!! **

**Mike Nyden is running for Post 1 to replace Dippolito. He supports Andrew’s cause, so we must support him. http://www.electmikenyden.com/
And just because you don’t live in Roswell doesn’t mean you can’t help the process of removing them from office.

Underlying Message Over Coffee

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Please watch this video before reading below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZIQN5J9M4A

YouTube clip- from CBS Sunday Morning -Fast Draw Segment August 14, 2011

—

So here it is. Another subtle message in this all-too-short-and-utterly-vague Sunday morning segment. During this 2 minute and 14 second clip, CBS managed to do a couple of things.

You’re informed that unemployment is high and wages are low. First of all, “low” is relative. Yes, compared to Bill Gates, my salary is “low”, however, there are plenty of people in America who are making decent money and being cautious with their money. *Cautious means thinking before spending.

Next, you’re told that the government doesn’t know how to pay its bills. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 6 months, this isn’t new news. But- you are told to look at Corporate America. Apparently, corporations are piling up the cash, totalling $1.2 trillion. Unfortunately, CBS does NOT think this is a good thing. They think that the money could be spent in a better manner. Corporations, instead of holding a cushion in the bank, could:

– Pay 3 years of rent for every renter in america
-Buy every home that went into foreclosure in 2007 & 2008.
-Pay all of America’s dental bills for 10 years.
-Or give every American family $10,000. (The ones that are legal and documented, of course.)

The narrators make sure to let you know that corporations won’t be doing any of these, nor will they create jobs. Specifically, “They’ve taken note of the uncertainty, will hold on to cash. They’ll save it spend later. When they can make more money”.

CBS did this on purpose. Many people would simply watch and say, ‘Wow!” or “Can you believe that?” CBS was playing into the ‘stupid American’ stereotype. During a comical segment on government, CBS sprinkled angry fairy dust to create the ‘Shame on corporations!’ mindset. This ad was created to incite anger towards the private sector in a passive-aggressive manner.

Come on, people! Why are corporations under fire like this? Corporations are criticized for not spending enough money and not creating enough jobs. Between innovation, production and sales (depending on the type of business), PLENTY of jobs are created because of large corporations. As for the spending issue, we are angry because they don’t do enough of it and have cash in the bank. Seems to me this is responsible business and would make a fabulous model for our own government.

And regardless of where this money is…these corporations, as well as their employees, pay taxes on this money, despite what many may say. If you want to be mad at corporations, be mad at them for whose campaigns they are funneling money into during elections. If you want to be mad at CBS, well, then, I’ve got your back.

The Roswell Chicken Man and His Fight For His Constitutionally Protected Rights

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Mr. Wordes earned his name “the Roswell Chicken Man” just how you might expect he would. He owns chickens (and turkeys). But what you probably wouldn’t expect is the hassle, hardship and heartbreak he has encountered in order to maintain his right to have these animals and his property.

Mr Wordes is currently battling the City of Roswell (City Manager and City Council) over his right to have livestock on his property inside city limits. The order of events goes a little bit like this:

  • December 2008: Roswell Zoning Department issues a warning for the chickens on his property. (At that time, the City of Roswell’s Code of Ordinances said “On less than two acres you MAY NOT have livestock except for poultry and swine.”) The City decided to issue a citation anyway. Mayor Wood attempts to step in and stop the city, but the city moves forward. Both parties head to court.
  • Spring 2009: Mr. Wordes hires former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes to represent him against the city. Both parties presented their cases to Judge Maurice Hilliard who issued a dismissal of the case against the Chicken Man.
  • Summer 2009: The Roswell City Council rewrites the law, without a ‘grandfather clause’, to make all but 6 chickens on a property illegal–directly targeting and affecting Mr. Wordes. The law further states that the ‘legal’ chickens must remain in a permanent enclosure.**
    (**Mr. Wordes property sits on a flood plain. 3-4 feet of water rises on his property when it storms. Because of this, the city would not issue a permit for a permanent enclosure, therefore making it ‘illegal’ for him to have his birds. This is important because after the storms and flooding in September 2009, a sewer backed up behind Mr. Wordes’ home causing 6 feet of water in the back yard and 4 feet of water in the basement of his home. In order to save his home AND his chickens, Mr. Wordes borrowed a BobCat to move the dirt around. He was subsequently issued citations for too many chickens, illegal grading of property and too many cars on his property. The City also would not submit requests for FEMA funds for the property. The property has flooded several times since this initial flood.)

  • The City of Roswell contacts Mr. Wordes mortgage broker, an elderly woman who has held his mortgage for the entirety of his 16 years in his home. With the threat of liens, citations and grievances, the City pressures Wordes’ mortgage broker into SELLING the note to another broker for 50 cents on the dollar. The current mortgage broker is attempting to foreclose on Mr. Wordes home.
  • Mr. Wordes reports to court for his citations during the flood. Judge Hilliard again rules in his favor stating that he is ‘grandfathered in’ to the new law, but must complete 180 hours of community service for the illegal grading and the excessive number of cars on his property.
  • Mr. Wordes is harassed by the Roswell Police Department as well. He is pulled over more times than we can count, thrown in jail on multiple occasions, and given a number of petty citations. It’s common for multiple police cars to sit at the end of Mr. Wordes street and ‘wait’.
  • The City of Roswell files a 55-page civil suit against Mr. Wordes in an attempt to take his property from him. This is the first civil suit to attempt to take a man’s property in the history of Roswell. A civil suit was filed in attempt to deny Mr. Wordes his right to a public defender, as he can no longer afford to pay for representation. Fortunately because of Mr. Wordes involvement with Georgia Carry, they have provided legal representation for him.
  • The City lists Mr. Wordes home on the ‘Roswell 2030 Plan’ as a green space and parks area, publicly announcing and solidifying their effort to take his property. (View the plan here http://www.roswellgov.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1552 –the road you’re looking for is Alpine Drive. Can you believe this? He is still the lawful owner of his property but the City has a 20-year-plan to dissolve that. Note that Mr. Wordes has offered to SELL his property to the City, but they have declined. Instead, they want to take the long and painful foreclosure route.)
  • July 2011: Mr. Wordes leaves his home to attend a political rally. When he returns home, he finds that all of his chickens have been let out and feed is all over the ground. The next day, his birds begin to die. Mr. Wordes realizes that someone has poisoned his birds. Over the course of the next few days, Mr. Wordes loses 1/3 of his livestock, including 45 baby turkeys (10 of which belonged to Mayor Jere Wood), 25 chicks and 6 adult birds. I spoke with Mr. Wordes personally and he claims there is no doubt in his mind who was behind the poisoning. He alleges that it was his next door neighbor who has rallied with the city through this entire process. You see, Mr. Wordes has a very private backyard that is surrounded by woods. From the street, however, it would appear that people were home because there were a couple of cars parked in the driveway. Unfortunately, Mr. Wordes posted on his Facebook page that he would be attending this political rally. Mr. Wordes has indications that lead him to believe that his neighbor monitors the page through other names (via his neighbors own personal website that has a page dedicated to ‘The Chicken Man’). Mr. Wordes alleges that this neighbor is the only one that would 1) know the seclusion of the property, 2) have access to the property in addition to knowing where everything is and 3) have a motive to commit such an atrocity. A police report has been filed, but is not moving forward at this point due to the lack of proof. The birds were taken to two different forensic labs to determine the source of poisoning but the necropsies have not yet returned. In the meantime, this has become an economic hardship on Mr. Wordes since he cannot sell the eggs from his hens since the poisoning.
  • Mr. Wordes is due in court August 10 at 2:30pm. The hearing is public at the Roswell Municipal Court. He will be arguing a probation violation for missing a ‘check-in’ over the time his birds had been poisoned.

Currently, Mayor Jere Wood, Councilwoman Betty Price and Senator John Albers are all standing behind this brave man. These public servants have exhausted their resources, but remain vigilant with their personal support. All three should be commended for their continued support for Mr. Wordes.

The Roswell chicken man needs your help.

  • If you are a resident of Roswell, I encourage you to call your councilman or woman. Let them know what they are doing is WRONG. A few of these council people are up for election this November (Becky Wynn and Rich Dippolito). How about vote them out? Why would you want someone who denies us of our rights granted by the laws of government? You can also call or email them and let them know how shameful their actions are. Nothing will change if we all stay quiet.
  • Call the news stations, local and national. These villains need to be exposed. The city cannot get away with this. We must stop fearing the government and stand behind those who are fighting the good fight.
    -Huffington Post scoop@huffingtonpost.com
    -Fox News hannity@foxnews.com or oreilly@foxnews.com or kelly@foxnews.com
    -WSBTV newstip@wsbtv.com or 404.897.6276
  • Visit www.roswellchickenman.com to donate to this cause.
  • Spread the word. Tell everyone you know. This isn’t JUST about the chickens. It’s about the city and the personal vendetta they have against a citizen. It could easily be you or me, just in a different context.

“When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.”- Thomas Jefferson

LINKS
Roswell Patch Article 8/2/2001 http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswells-chicken-man-heads-back-to-court
Roswell Patch Article 7/3/2011 http://roswell.patch.com/articles/roswell-chicken-man-cries-foul
CBS Atlanta Coverage http://www.cbsatlanta.com/story/15037844/roswell-chicken-man-says-someone-vandalized-his-property-and-poisoned-50-of-his-birds
Facebook Support Page: http://www.facebook.com/RoswellChickenMan#!/RoswellChickenMan?sk=info

Have You Heard The News? It Gets Better.

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Recently, Scott Brown (R-Mass) declined to appear in a pro-LGBT video assuring youth that ‘it gets better’ as you get older.  The video is a part of a nationwide campaign to reassure LGBT teens and young adults that the bullying lessens as they get older.  Brown, the only lawmaker who does not appear in the video featuring every other Massachusetts lawmaker, has been under intense scrutiny for declining the invitation to appear despite his spokesman’s acknowledgement that Brown is dedicated to eliminating bullying but “his main focus right now is on creating jobs and getting our economy back on track”.  It’s not appropriate to imply that Scott Brown is promoting or allowing bullying simply because he will not partake in a video.

Scott Brown has proven to be more moderate than conservative during his time in office but that still doesn’t please Democrats.  Democratic Hill staffers are the ones that leaked the story about Brown not appearing in the video to the press.  It isn’t enough that he voted in-favor of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in recent months, no, now they want him to appear in a video to ‘lock-in’ his stance.

But why are our politicians wasting time making videos?  They are not movie stars.  As legislators, their job is to draft and create laws.  I understand that the campaign message is being promoted due to the increasing number of suicides among LGBT teens, and that is commendable, but everyone from State representatives to President Obama is partaking in this video message project.  I don’t think it is appropriate.  And Scott Brown is right.  We should be focusing on jobs and the economy–you know that thing the Democrats keep blaming the Republicans for? I also can’t remember the last time someone took a commercial, especially from a politician, to heart.  Instead, why don’t these influential members of the government take the opportunity to enact legislation to protect people, regardless of sexual orientation, from bullying?  Surely that would be more effective than a video.

View some of the ‘It Get’s Better’.  You’ll notice if you simply YouTube ‘It Get’s Better’, there are 785,000 results.  I think the message is getting out there, enough so not to criticize one politician for not participating in the video.

From President Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyAFbSDPVk
From the Massachusetts Delegation
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nluLC6F0sRw
Modern Family PSA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbkbIhpzLTo

Milk & PMS

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It really frustrates me when people over-analyze product advertisements.  If you read ‘Who Isn’t Looking Past Color’, then you may have a little insight as to how a small and unintentional aspects of an ad may be so misconstrued by activist groups that companies end up cycling them out of use.  They are at it again.

Recently, the ‘Got Milk’ ads were overtaken by a new strategy: Milk can help reduce the symptoms of PMS.  Whether there is any truth to it or not, the controversial ad (which, as a lady, I find hilarious) has really stirred the pot with feminists.  The ad shows a middle-aged man holding several cartons of milk, apologizing for ‘listening’ and uses a line some women use often.  Feminist groups are claiming that the ad is sexist.  Well, I have some news, ladies.  PMS is exclusive to women and the ad is funny.  And sexist how? There are scientific facts to back up not only the “issue” but also the reduction of symptoms  It’s catchy, new and has sparked a lot of chatter–the intent of the ad.  Are you going to boycott milk because of the ad? (Because I could think of a lot more reasons to boycott milk,but that’s another day).

Feminist groups just can’t help themselves.  Do you remember the controversial Folgers ad a few years back? The television commercial shows a young girl drinking coffee at the breakfast table when her dad comes down to scold her for being out too late with her boyfriend. She flashes a new engagement ring and implies that her staying out too late will no longer be a problem. Feminists claimed the ad was too old school, insinuating that a woman would go from the care of her father straight to the care of her husband-to-be was sexist. I would never gather this from the commercial. Who the heck thinks like this???
You can watch the commercial here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5lPYUB2_ww

Or how about this one:
I absolutely won’t deny that this ad is over the top (but that’s to be expected in the fashion industry) and I certainly wouldn’t want to see it in a magazine directed at youth, but…women’s rights groups have stated that the ad is a “Rape Fantasy”.  Pardon?

The thing is, you don’t see men over 50 shouting about the men depicted in Viagra commercials, nor do you see elderly people rising up against commercials for HoverRound Scooters. If you don’t like an advertising strategy, don’t use the product. And let’s be honest, corporations aren’t that stupid.  They are out there for one thing: a profit.  Offending you and shunning you from the demographic that purchases whatever they may be selling is, surprisingly, not their goal. Realize this. And quit flooding the news circuits with complaints about how and why you THINK a company is maybe trying to POSSIBLY advertise their product.  If you want to be offended, then look into the AshleyMadison.com commercials (Life is short. Have an Affair) or the ‘Aids is a Mass Murderer’ ad campaign.  Maybe these other ones don’t see so bad?

Labels & Lies

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I could start a whole other blog about nutrition, food additives and the preservatives that damage our food, but talking about food just makes me hungry.  Instead, I would like to occasionally incorporate the foods and additives that the FDA is being deceitful about into this blog.  And while these thoughts should motivate you to become engaged in decisions about what you eat, it should more importantly alarm you that a government organization, like the FDA, can get away with essentially poisoning us.

About twenty years ago, there was a huge uproar over the additive monosodium glutamate, or MSG.  This ‘flavor enhancer’ was seen in many foods from condiments to soups to crackers.  It had actually been in many of our foods since the 1940’s, but no one really paid attention. Once credited as the ‘Chinese Restaraunt Syndrome’, due to the high sodium content of many chinese dishes, the effects of this additive that were included in so many food products were outed in the early 1990’s.  Resulting symptoms from MSG consumption include migraine headaches, tingling in the arms, back and chest, rapid heartbeat, nausea, drowsiness, weakness and ‘a craving for the same foods (This one, most closely associated with Chinese food, seems to be the only advertised effect). Some people even experience asthmatic responses like difficulty breathing and neurological symptoms.  Long term effects can include increased development of food allergies in children, hyperactivity and obesity.

That’s a long list, don’t you think?

However, this is all background information. You see, the FDA has restricted labeling techniques for producers and state that placing “no MSG added” or “No MSG” can be misleading, but somehow we still see these things on labels.  Because of the high publicity regarding MSG, many manufacturers have used other alternatives to get around the poor market ability.  Names such as yeast extracts, texturized protein, gelatin, anything “glutamate”, anything “hydrolyzed” and anything “enzyme modified” top the list of disguises for MSG.  Take a look in your pantry.  These things occur in eveything from potato chips and cookies to cream cheeses and even some milks (things that are ultra-pasturized also contain MSG).

You cannot just assume because it’s on the shelves of the grocery store that it’s safe. How many times has the FDA approved prescriptions and then had to pull them from the shelves because they were harmful (only to reintroduce the same drug with a different name or use) What about all the different names for aspratame that now saturate the market?  It’s the same concept.  The issue is that these names on the labels are misleading.  Who would, at first glance, think that something with protein or enzymes is bad for you?  Most people would think that you ‘need’ these things and think nothing of it.  But we’re being duped.

Many of you will probably just move forward on the notion that there are plenty of other harmful substances out there and you plan to go on eating just as you had before, and that’s fine.  But you should question why the FDA is allowing products such as these additives to be key ingredients in foods while knowing the harmful effects.

A complete list of MSG Aliases can be found at http://www.truthinlabeling.org/hiddensources.html

Sources:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/docs/item1225 (This site is backed by the World Health Center & the Mayo Clinic)
http://www.carbohydrateaddicts.com/msg.html
http://www.rense.com/general67/msg.htm

The Citizens’ Petition

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In Maryland, people have been rallying in opposition of a bill that would grant some illegal immigrants the right to pay in-state tuition.  The state bill resembles the DREAM Act (which was recently struck down in Congress) in that it would grant illegals who have lived in the United States for more than 5 years and graduated from a high school here, in-state tuition.

Those in opposition are demanding that a referendum be placed on this bill and measure until the 2012 election, so voters can make the choice.  According to the Huffington Post, 55,736 signatures were needed…the group obtained 109,000 valid signatures.

Supporters of the bill are threatening to file a lawsuit and according to Casa de Maryland, (nice name, by the way folks) the signatures were obtained by misinforming the people.  They claim that ‘undocumented students only enjoy some of the rights enjoyed by other Maryland high school graduates’. HA!

I would like to know when our country got to this point? The point that our own citizens HAVE to petition AGAINST the rights of illegal immigrants, rights that would give these illegals advantages over our OWN citizens.  Why would a state be granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants when the process of a student from another state within the United States is difficult, grueling and more often than not, unsuccessful?  To be in this country with undocumented status is against the law.  So if this bill passes, we are going to teach our youth that other people who break the law will reap benefits from it because we should feel sorry for them and be compassionate towards them.  In addition to the illegal aspect, most state university systems are struggling tremendously right now to stay afloat and maintain lower tuition rates for legal, legitimate students…Why are we trying to flood the system and give breaks to more people who haven’t earned it?

If this is how it’s going to be, what’s the point of even being a United States citizen?  It sure seems like you get a lot more benefits by not being one.