Sometimes it's hard to be a Dad, a husband, a Catholic, a working class stiff, AND a Conservative Guy in New York State. But then again, sometimes it's kind of funny.
So funny, I moved to South Carolina...
Cynthia McKinney - D, GA US House of Representatives
January 3, 1997 - January 3, 2007
Cynthia McKinney - D, GA is traveling these days. Not content to ONLY assault police officers in the House of Representatives, she has expanded her assault to the entirety of the United States of America.
For those of us playing the 'Home Game' this means, "US".
The thing I couldn't figure out was HOW this US-hating POS (use your imagination) got elected to the House in the first place. Turns out, according to Wikipedia, it was a 'Family Thing':
Her political career began in 1986 when her father, a representative in the Georgia House of Representatives, submitted her name as a write-in candidate for the Georgia state house. She got about 40% of the popular vote, despite the fact that she lived in Jamaica at the time with then-husband Coy Grandison (with whom she had a son, Coy McKinney, born in 1985).
In 1988, McKinney ran for the same seat and won, making the McKinneys the first father and daughter to simultaneously serve in the Georgia state house.
Yeah, I 'dig them Georgia Peaches', but seriously, what were ya'll thinking down there in Georgia? I mean, she was LIVING in Jamaica when you guys voted her in the first time and THEN you gave her additional terms to represent YOU?
Come on, are you kidding!?!?! If you folks want to secede from the Union a second time, I'm not sure if I'm going to 'phone a friend' to keep you here... But you did manage to replace her with Hank Johnson-D, GA!
He's the Congressman who lamented in 2010 that Guam may 'flip over' due to too many Marines being on the island -
Once again, Georgia, nicely played!
Now Cynthia (from Jamaica) McKinney spends her time visting beautiful garden spots like sunny IRAN! Meeting with interesting reporters discussing 'just exactly what she thinks of US' (please keep in mind that you are paying her pension, benefits and healthcare for THE REST OF HER LIFE!!!)
Thanks Georgia - way to go 'Peach State'!!!
So what's she got to say? Oh boy oh boy...
I'm not going to write much more about her as, quite frankly, she's not worth the bandwidth on the Internet. Instead, I'm going to allow her to speak for herself in two videos. Here she is now, LIVE and uscripted from May, 2011...
Can we all agree to take up a collection and buy her a second dress for when she's travelling to the Middle East to disrespect US? Can't we just do that for her??? Maybe she'd like us better...
The 'Bad Penny Always Shows Up Again' as the expression goes - here she is in yet another video I found on a site which describes itself as:
Inspired by the principles of Malcolm X / Malik El-Hajj Shabazz. A 'Third Worldist' perspective focusing on the increasing pace of south-south co-operation which is challenging and defeating US hegemony, and the struggles of those oppressed by neo-colonialism and white supremacy (racism) who fight for their social, political and cultural freedom 'by any means necessary'
Seriously, who could argue with THAT?
Personally, I can't argue with it because I don't know what the Hell they intended to write... For future reference I will not use words which force the reader to 'look up' because they are obscure, obtuse, and obfuscated from their own personal paradigm. (Heh, heh, heh)
In 2008 she was also the Green Party Candidate for the Presidency of the United States. This of course begs the question which kind of, sort of, heads this post, "Is she more GREEN, or RED to you?"
As for me, I don't much care as she's an idiot, but I'm seriously questioning what's going into the drinking water down in Georgia.
Come on people, can't we go out of our way to elect people who LOVE our country vs. those who despise it?
Additionally (per the FDA):Based on claims made on your firm's website, we have determined that your walnut products are promoted for conditions that cause them to be drugs because these products are intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease. The following are examples of the claims made on your firm's website under the heading of a web page stating "OMEGA-3s ... Every time you munch a few walnuts, you're doing your body a big favor.":
• "Studies indicate that the omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts may help lower cholesterol; protect against heart disease, stroke and some cancers; ease arthritis and other inflammatory diseases; and even fight depression and other mental illnesses."
• "[O]mega-3 fatty acids inhibit the tumor growth that is promoted by the acids found in other fats ... "
• "[I]n treating major depression, for example, omega-3s seem to work by making it easier for brain cell receptors to process mood-related signals from neighboring neurons."
• "The omega-3s found in fish oil are thought to be responsible for the significantly lower incidence of breast cancer in Japanese women as compared to women in the United States."
Okay, the people at Diamond Walnuts may have 'stretched' the marketing verbiage a bit here, but seriously, all they've said is the following:
Walnuts scientifically have been shown to provide Omega-3 fatty acids
Eating walnuts 'may help' you get needed Omega-3 fatty acids into your diet
And, if complementary research is to be believed, there may be other implied benefits (noting the usage of the words 'seem', 'are thought', and 'may help' in the excerpt above) associated with Omega-3. They never claim that you receive these benefits by busting their (please excuse the expression) 'nuts', but the inferrence is clear enough. If you eat Diamond Walnuts, you 'may help', you may 'seem to increase' your Omega-3 levels which 'may help' you to be... healthier.
Continuing from the FDA Warning Letter: The back of your product label also bears the following statement: "The omega-3 in walnuts can help you get the proper balance of fatty acids your body needs for promoting and maintaining heart health. In fact, according to the Food and Drug Administration, supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 oz of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Please refer to nutrition information for fat content and other details about the nutritional profile of walnuts."
Although FDA exercises enforcement discretion over the last two sentences of this statement, which meet the criteria for a qualified health claim for walnuts and coronary heart disease, the last two sentences read in conjunction with the first sentence makes the entire statement an unauthorized health claim.
The statement suggests that the evidence supporting a relationship between walnuts and coronary heart disease is related to the omega-3 fatty acid content of walnuts. There is not sufficient evidence to identify a biologically active substance in walnuts that reduces the risk of CHD. Therefore, the above statement is an unauthorized health claim. This letter is not intended to be an inclusive review of your products and their labeling. It is your responsibility to ensure that all of your products comply with the Act and its implementing regulations.
You should take prompt action to correct these violations. Failure to do so may result in regulatory action without further notice. Such action may include, but is not limited to, seizure or injunction.
The first paragraph above is most likely where Diamond got into trouble - they quoted the FDA. The FDA can't have THAT - people quoting them?!?!
The good news is that this letter is only a 'Warning'. What's the worst that could happen from a 'warning'?
Oh, upon further reading I see that the FDA can 'Seize' Diamond Walnuts' products (their livelihood) or prevent them from doing business (via an 'injunction'). Well, that's a completely different thing, now isn't it?
That IS kind of a big deal.
Luckily for US (as in United States), the FDA extends its angry fingers into all US-based businesses. There is no company able to elude the FDA's bony grasp...
FDA Allows Potato Chips to Be Advertised as “Heart Healthy”
Frito-Lay® is a subsidiary of the PepsiCo, Inc., makers of Pepsi-Cola. Frito-Lay® sells $12 billion a year of products that include:
Lays® Potato Chips
Doritos®
Tostitos®
Cheetos®
Fritos®
You might not associate these mostly-fried snack foods as being good for you, but the FDA has no problem allowing the Frito-Lay® website to state the following:
“Frito-Lay® snacks start with real farm-grown ingredients. You might be surprised at how much good stuff goes into your favorite snack. Good stuff like potatoes, which naturally contain vitamin C and essential minerals. Or corn, one of the world’s most popular grains, packed with thiamin, vitamin B6, and phosphorous—all necessary for healthy bones, teeth, nerves and muscles.
“And it’s not just the obvious ingredients. Our all-natural sunflower, corn and soybean oils contain good polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help lower total and LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol and maintain HDL ‘good’ cholesterol levels, which can support a healthy heart. Even salt, when eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet, is essential for the body.”37
Actual FDA Researcher
She's kinda cute
for a Federal Worker!
Wow! Based on what Frito-Lay® is allowed to state, it sounds like we should be living on these snacks. Who would want to ingest walnuts, pomegranate, or green tea (which the FDA is attacking) when these fat calorie-laden, mostly-fried carbohydrates are so widely available?
According to the Frito Lay® website, Lays® potato chips are “heart healthy” because the level of saturated fat was reduced and replaced with sunflower oil.38 Scientific studies do show that when a polyunsaturated fat (like sunflower oil) is substituted for saturated fat, favorable changes in blood cholesterol occur.39
Fatally omitted from the Frito-Lay® website is the fact that sunflower oil supplies lots of omega-6 fats, but noomega-3s.40 The American diet already contains too many omega-6 fats and woefully inadequate omega-3s.
Excess omega-6 fats in the diet in the absence of adequate omega-3s produce devastating effects, including the production of pro-inflammatory compounds that contribute to virtually every age-related disease, including atherosclerosis.41-45
For the FDA to allow Frito-Lay® to pretend there are heart benefits to ingesting their unhealthy snack products, while censoring the ability of walnut companies to make scientifically substantiated claims, is tantamount to treason against the health of the American public.
"Treason against the health of the American public..."
Sooooooo, I guess the FDA hasn't ticked off the folks at "Life Extension Magazine" too much? Those people at Life Extension Magazine had better watch out or they'll find themselves looking at 'Seizure' or 'Injunction'. Because when it comes to opinions, SIZE does matter.
In this instance, the FDA is much larger than LEM, and Frito-Lay is much larger than Diamond Walnut Growers.
To be sure, I looked it up (RESEARCH! You know how much I love it...):
Diamond Walnut Growers in Linden, CA is a private company categorized under Seeds-Coating Manufacturers. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $2.5 to 5 million and employs a staff of approximately 50 to 99.
Frito-Lay North AmericaFrito-Lay is the undisputed chip champ of North America. The company makes some of the best-known and top-selling savory snacks around, including Cheetos, Doritos, Lay's, Ruffles, and Tostitos. On the sweet side, Frito-Lay also makes Grandma's cookies, Funyuns onion-flavored rings, Cracker Jack candy-coated popcorn, and Smartfood popcorn. It also offers Funyuns onion-flavored rings, Smartfood popcorn, and a line of chips made with the fat substitute, Olestra under the Light brand name. Owned by PepsiCo, Frito-Lay North America (i.e., the US and Canada) accounts for about one-third of the soda maker's sales. Frito-Lay's Mexican sales are reported within Pepsi's Latin America Foods segment.
Annual revenue for PepsiCo in 2010 was $58.4 BILLION. Since Frito-Lay accounts for roughly 29% of PepsiCo's total revenue, figure Frito-Lay's total revenue for 2010 was $16.9 BILLION.
Don't get me wrong, I'm a 'Free Market Kind of Guy'. I LIKE when companies make money, sell products, expand their business, and hire workers, but the fact that the FDA is looking at Diamond and NOT Frito-Lay's 'Healthy Advertising' activity is kind of surprising to me.
I wonder why the lack of oversight?
The 'New' Pepsi Logo looks a lot like President Obama's
approval rating - mostly "Down and to the right"
Nah, it couldn't be that easy, could it?
You know me, I'm a simple guy. I'm thinking that something that GROWS ON A FREAKING TREE is going to be better for you than a product that is pulled from the ground in June, shipped, processed, sliced, fried, salted, and stuffed into an aluminum foil pouch in October? Yeah, I'm thinking the tree nuts are a healthier option.
But you know, that's just me. I don't work for the FDA.
Maybe YOU do! If so, please let us know why Diamond is in your crosshairs and Frito-Lay doesn't even appear to be on the radar screen.
That'd be great - thanks!
BONUS Video (having almost nothing at all to do with today's post)!
No. I don't remember the above words ever being spoken in the HP book series. I didn't hear them in any of the movies. I didn't listen to them in the excellent CD audio books as performed by Jim Dale. In general, these words appear to be inconsistent with the Draco Lucius Malfoy character in the Harry Potter book series.
He is, pretty much, the Draco Malfoy we all know, and all pretty much... loathe.
Nevertheless, it is the image which flashed before me as I opened my local news paper earlier this week. Within it's rumpled pages I found an ad.
Oh look, here it is now...
"Republicans Promised to Protect Medicare - Now's their chance to prove it."
Okay, so good far - I get it... Republicans were swept into the House after they pledged to lower spending, reduce deficits, protect seniors and put the brakes President Obama's spending binge. No problem. Sounds good so far, right?
Sure does - right as rain.
Unfortunately, there's a bit of fine print here - luckily I've got a close up for you (translation below if it's still too small to read in the next photo)...
Text:"President Obama and Congressional leaders are proposing to slash $300 billion from health care--cuts that will decimate New York's already troubled hospitals, nursing homes and home care providers and jeopardize care for seniors, the disabled and working families.
This shortsighted proposal includes $60 billion in cuts to teaching hospitals, which will cripple their ability to train doctors while we're already facing a shortage of physicians.
The proposal also includes $100 billion in cuts to Medicaid, which will mean low-income Medicare beneficiaries will lose access to nursing homes and home care, because Medicaid is New York's primary source of funding for long-term care.
GOP Members of Congress Ran in 2010 promising to protect Medicare. We need them to honor this commitment before it's too late.
Tell Congress to protect funding for New York's health care."
(Misspellings in the above text translation were corrected in an effort to eliminate any concerns regarding the veracity of the above verbiage or the intelligence of the ad's creator)
Whoa, another $300 BILLION out of health care funding? In addition to the $500 BILLION Obama Care has already surgically extracted (not with a knife, but with a pen) from Medicare?
This is really close to, um, something like, err, $800 BILLION! It's real money!
So who is asking the Republicans to help slow down the evil assault by the President of the United States and Congressional leaders on 'seniors, the disabled, and working families'?
One more photo.
Just for you...
Yes, the SEIU is asking Republicans to help stop President Obama's risky health care schemes...
The SEIU purple-shirted thugs who worked so very hard to get President Obama elected, put TEA Party folks in the hospital, and get Obama Care passed - now want the Republicans' assistance in stopping the Monster which they themselves helped create. I also could mention the number of SEIU chapters which were granted WAIVERS to Obama Care, but that would just be piling on...
Welcome to President Obama's Fundamental Transformation of America...
Vladimir Putin terrorizes fish
with his manly physique
"Dimitri, I do not like the new Russia. It is not, how you say, it is not dignified?", says a distressed Yakoff.
Dimitri responds, "I don't know, I like new Russia. I have a new TV in house, made in Japan, I have new refrigerator, made in Thailand, I have new Apple computer made in China. For me, these are good things. I could have never had these things in old days. Remember when all cars were black? It was not that long ago."
"What about the smut you see on Internet with your Apple computer? Does that bother you at all?", Yakoff asks.
"You mean the moral decay exported from America? No. It is not a good thing, but what can you do? It's out there, and now it is here. It is, as they say, it is, what it is.", Dimitri answers with a shrug.
"Okay, but how about our women taking off their clothes to support Putin for President of Russia for a chance to win an iPad 2? You cannot tell me this is dignified?" Yakoff asks.
"I haven't seen the ad. But let me ask you, old friend, are they good-looking? Because un-attractive women stripping for anything is 'bad' thing."
"You watch this on my iPad, you let me know what you think." Yakoff says as he hands the iPad to Dimitri.
"Okay, what do you think, Dimitri? Is the woman in the video good-looking enough for you? And then, let me ask you this, are we starting to look like America - you know, with all this Capitalistic tackiness?" Yakoff asks.
"I do not know if she is good-looking or not. Me, I am too old to worry about such things. The only thing I know is that our President is not Socialist. And this, to me, is somehow funny." Dimitri winks, hands the iPad back to Yakoff, and both men continue their walk along the river as somewhere in America, a guy in his pajamas finishes his blog post...
No naked Russian women were injured in the generation of this post.
(Although, I did receive an e-mail the other day from one of them offering 'to be my friend, as I is looking for meaningful relationship with sensitive man leading to marriage.' All I had to do was send her $10,000 to pay off a couple of border security guys. Yeah, this is gonna be GREAT! Not sure how to explain this to my wife... Nanny for the kids? Exchange student? Obama Cabinet Czar? Nah, on second thought - I'd better put a stop-payment on that check... It'd be too hard to explain.)
p.s.: The photo of Putin was found on a site named Opednews.com. It wasn't until AFTER I closed this post that I went back and checked out the article which the photo came from. These guys want to draft Bernie Sanders for President because President Obama isn't 'Left' enough. Now THAT's funny...
If you want a peek into what the loyal opposition is thinking - check it out. Then squeeze lemons into your eyes in a vain attempt to get the images and words out of your mind. If you never believed we were in a fight for the soul of our Nation - you might want to re-consider.
