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Archive for the ‘announcement’ Category

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

2nd UPDATE

Our right to know Label GMO’s

THE CALIFORNIA RIGHT TO KNOW GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD ACT Initiative was filed with the California Secretary of State on November 9, 2011.  This is a big deal folks and 20 years in the making!!!!! We should have the verified, approved petition back and in our hands and ready for the signature gathering the first week in January 2012.

Keeping it Fun — Save our Planet. It’s the only one with Chocolate

In the meantime, have had a workshop training  on how to gather the signatures. Will be holding other workshops for the over 80 volunteer signature gatherers here in SLO County.  I am working with a couple of fantastic Cal Poly groups, Empower Poly and Real Food. The students are such a resource and a delight to work with.

Volunteers are wanting to gather signatures in their neighborhood, community groups, church groups, at farmer markets, from local growers and grocery stores, co-ops and health food stores.

I am working with Transition California with over a 1,000 members on gathering signatures in every transition town in California. This has Transition written all over it. There is a real energy and determination surrounding this campaign and is very exciting.

In the next couple of weeks I will be holding  more workshops. I want to concentrate our efforts and hit SLO county in a tidal wave with a sweep that will last 2 weeks starting on Valentines day and ending on the 29th. It’s a leap year.

If anyone is interested in getting involved do sign up at labelgmos.org. There is something for everyone. And if you have never done anything like this before, this is great way to get involved with something that will make a difference.  This is grass roots stuff and you can do no wrong.

Everyone could get at least one signature and that one could make all the difference.  I encourage you to sign up. It really has a very stimulating effect.  And just for fun ask your local grocery store, health food, co-op if they will be supporting the initiative to Label GMO’s.  That just gets the buzz going. People start talking and asking when they can sign the petition.  It will make our appearance something to look forward to.

O.k. Folks, more info below. Thanks for dropping in for the update.  Jeanne

p.s. I made the tee for about $5. Got a shirt at Michaels for $2.50, downloaded the press-on mirror image from the label gmo site,  printed it out on my printer then bought the iron on sheets, package of 6, for $8.  The printer didn’t pick up good color so I just filed it in with a blue permanent marker. Piece of cake and fun to do.

Reposting an article  from NaturalNews on

BABY THIS IS FOR YOU!!

Monsanto’s Roundup linked to deadly diseases and birth defects, most people have no idea by Ethan A. Huff, staff writer.

Also, I have included at the end of this article the latest action by Label GMO’s.org. to get a California Initiative on the ballot to make labeling of all GMO’s mandatory. All I can say is the time for bitching and moaning about how bad it is, is over. It is time to start turning this thing around.

If you like being in driver’s seat then this is where you need to be.  Take this initiative process and drive it home. They (WE)  need 800,000 signatures. Sound like a lot of work? It is a lot especially if only a handful of people are doing it all. I encourage you for your own peace of mind and satisfaction to get one name on a petition. And encourage that person to get a name and before you know it there are a million and one names. And a million and one more people who can feel better about themselves because they have made a difference. The power of one.  One name at a time is easy and you know and I know you can do that.

p.s. TODAY (AUGUST 20,2011) I ATTENDED A SEED MEETING WITH THE “LABEL GMO” PEOPLE. THEY NEEDED A POINT PERSON TO COLLECT SIGNATURES IN SLO. WELL, ALL FINGERS POINTED AT ME. IT IS TIME TO WALK THE WALK JEANNE GIRL. SO I AM ANNOUNCING I AM THE OFFICIAL CONTACT PERSON IN SLO IF YOU WANT TO SIGN ON TO KICKING SOME GMO BUTT. MY HOPE IS THAT WE CAN PUT SLO ON THE MAP AND GET NATIONAL ATTENTION FOR ALL THINGS GOOD AND GREEN BY COLLECTING THE MOST SIGNATURES.

MY HOPE, ALSO, IS THAT ALL THE TERRIFIC AND CONSCIENTIOUS GROUPS OF DEDICATED PEOPLE WORKING INDEPENDENTLY ON PROJECTS THAT ARE ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES CAN BAN TOGETHER FOR a VERY BRIEF AND SHINNING MOMENT TO COLLECTIVELY AND WITHOUT HESITATION, DELIVER a VERY SWIFT, DECISIVE BLOW TO ONE OF THE LARGEST THREATS TO OUR ENVIRONMENT, MONSANTO, THE GRIM REAPER TO ALL LIVING THINGS.

EVERYBODY, MOMS, DADS, STUDENTS, SENIORS, RICH, POOR, FARMERS, COMPUTER NERDS, SAINTS AND SINNERS HAS A STAKE IN THIS INITIATIVE TO LABEL GMO’S.  WE ALL EAT FOOD. INITIATIVE DETAILS BELOW. jeanne@holeinthefence.net if you want to leave contact info. thank you, thank you, thank you.

(NaturalNews) A recent report put together by various professors, scholars and researchers affiliated with Earth Open Source, a collaboration group devoted to food issues, cites in great deal the multitude of peer-reviewed scientific studies which show that Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide (glyphosate), which is applied to many genetically-modified (GM) crops, is responsible for causing birth defects, endocrine disruption, DNA damage, reproductive and developmental toxicity, neurotoxicity, and cancer — and yet government agencies around the world continue to ignore this crucial information, and withhold it from the public, as they push for its approval or expanded use.

One of the main studies highlighted in the report was published in the August 2010 edition of Chemical Research in Toxicology, and it showed that Roundup causes malformations in frog and chicken embryos at levels much lower than those used on agricultural crops. And since Roundup-ready GM crops are designed to tolerate the herbicide, not resist it, they literally absorb Roundup, which is then passed on in much higher levels to humans that eat the tainted crops.

Another study conducted as part of the Argentine government’s research group CONICET found high rates of the same or similar birth defect in humans living near GM soy crops that were routinely sprayed with Roundup, indicating a clear connection between the chemical and human birth defects. More than half of the growing land in Argentina is now dominated by GM soy, which is sprayed with about 53 millions gallons of Roundup every single year.

The authors of the report say that this and the bulk of other independent, indicting evidence against Roundup has been largely ignored by governments, including in the EU where new data requirements will demand that proper investigation into the safety of GMOs is conducted. Rather than rely on industry-funded pseudoscience that claims GMOs are safe, authors say those working for the people must rise to the occasion and take charge in having proper safety evaluations conducted on the safety of Roundup.

“The public … has been kept in the dark by industry and regulators about the ability of glyphosate and Roundup to cause malformations,” write the authors in their summary. “[T]he work of independent scientists who have drawn attention to the herbicide’s teratogenic effects has been ignored, denigrated, or dismissed … They have also contributed to the growing division between independent and industry science, which in turn erodes public trust in the regulatory process.”

Sources for this story include:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/57277946/…

Rather than just put a link up here I have copied their whole page so you can browse.  All the links work and take you to their site.

Our Mission

…is quite simply to get foods that contain GMOs (genetically modified organisms) as ingredients labeled so that we can make educated choices about the food we eat. Through our connections and communities, we invite people of all ages and backgrounds to join us and take a stand for the power of our democratic process and […]

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California State Capitol

The Challenge

It’s easy to feel like we have no power.  It’s easy for life to feel hopeless.  We are so busy we can’t take time to take a stand on anything to effect change.  When we are alone, the only thing we can think is:  what can I possibly do about this? The Challenge can be […]

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rally2

Our Task

Given the challenges, our task is to wake ourselves up and remember the power we hold when we join together.  Obviously, we can do nothing alone. Or with only a few.  But when large numbers of us come together,  we CAN make change. We already have. I am a parent.  I learned long ago that […]

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learn

Learn

Here you can find resources to educate yourself and others on Genetically Modified Organisms, and what happens when they are in your food. The Science Basic FAQ’s Resources   Digg this post Recommend on Facebook Share with Stumblers Tweet about it Subscribe to the comments on this post Tell a friend

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do

What You Can DO

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”   -Margaret Mead We can do this if we remember that consistent baby steps done by many creates change. This is a Ballot Initiative for California, but it’s really about the whole country.  […]

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donate2

Donate

We have two major funding  campaigns – one to get all the required signatures for the initiative to qualify.  The other is to run the educational campaign to get people out and “VOTE YES For Our Right To Know About GMOs.” Every donation matters. We need both large and small.  We appreciate whatever you can […]

GMO SERIES PART I OF 5- DO TREES SNEEZE?

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It only happens once a year, in the Spring and only for a very short time. Spring tonics are the magic elixir Mother Nature puts out there to get the life forces moving.

Spring tonics were what I was going talk about but because of recent events in Japan and the devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, http://tinyurl.com/4vpsefn and now the threat of a nuclear meltdown at Fukushima Number One nuclear power plant  http://tinyurl.com/6cwtzrg I have decided to talk about something I think is more important.

I am in California, 19.5 miles from Diablo Canyon Nuclear power plant and on the wrong side of the San Andres fault. Recent events are very close to home.

CNN just reported another explosion at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Second day the Japanese stock market plummeted.

It has been four days since the earthquake and tsunami hit. There are constant after shocks measuring between 5 and 6. Many areas are isolated and roads impassable. Only 1/2 of the emergency crews have been activated. There is no food left in the stores. There is no way to deliver food.  No one to drive the trucks. No roads to drive on. No one to run the stores. Crops were destroyed. Gas stations can not pump gas. There is no food, water, shelter, energy. This is an unimaginable situation. You can’t imagine it happening here or to you.  Few do but still it happens.

Electricity to Tokyo, about 250 miles away, has been affected because of the shut down of the power plants.  This affects transportation and delivery of goods across Japan.  Some subway station are closed so people can not get to work or make their connections. Rolling black outs are being proposed and another quake predicted for Thursday. Energy or the lack of it effects everything. NEC, Mitsubishi, Sony, suspending operations to save energy. The stock market nose-dived, below 10,000, down 633 points stocks affected insurance, oil, coal,  automakers./ Topix down 68.5

The men, woman and children that made it to a shelter have blankets and they are grateful for that. The weather forecast is temperature in the 30’s and a large snowstorm is due on Wednesday. The shelters are not equipped with food, water, toilet paper, diapers, tampax, toothpaste, band aids, heat, coffee, tea, lights or any of the things we all take for granted every day. People are in shock. Separated from their families not knowing if they are dead or alive, injured. There is no way to communication. ATM’s don’ t work. Anything that needs to be pumped like water and gas has no electricity to run the pumps.  Cell phones don’t work, batteries are dead and there is no electricity to recharge them.

Water line in SundaiThis is a line for water in Sendai

This is a very desperate situation. These people had no warning.  They could not prepare for this. Life changed in an instant and it will never be the same. It is damn bleak. And it could happen here. The ring of fire is real. We are on the Pacific Plate. It is on the move.

This is a warning to us. This is a wake up call. This is as close to the hand of God reaching down and tapping you on the shoulder and saying ” Hey you’re next so be prepared.”

I am going to give you two links to get yourselves started. One is the American Red Cross earthquake to do list. You can buy a kit ready-made or you can put one together yourself.  There are things on this list you would never think of doing yourself. Read and Do it. Now. http://tinyurl.com/l4cjg5.

The second one is an earthquake watch video. This is very matter of fact. It is based on scientific calculations and things we have learned about earthquakes and what to look for. March 14-19 is of particular importance because of some very unique planetary alignments.

If this does not get you attention then I do not know what will. Just understand this. In an emergency there is not going to be anyone to help you. You are on your own. So be prepared. Gas up that car and get a telephone number of someone outside of the State that you can call. Phone lines within the State of the disaster are going to be jammed. Calling out is easier. Leave a message of your status and where you are.  The contact person can pass that information on to everyone that checks in. It is going to be the only way to communicate.

I got a Red Cross radio that runs on solar, batteries, adapter and crank for $50. It also charges cell phones. Do you have a good escape plan? Know what roads to take and what direction to go in in case of  Earthquake, floods, tsunami, emergency shelter? All different.  We may not have any warning either. Who knows. But if all we have is 10, 15 minutes to get to safety, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to grab a bag with a toothbrush, water, toilet paper and beef jerky in it rather than not?  Do yourself a favor people and just do it. And put some seaweed in there too it is loaded with iodine.

I don’ t want to be an alarmist here folks but this is no Y2K. This is something quite different. Facts are: 9.0 earthquake is a biggie and we have had 4 of them since 1952. It did knock the earth 6.5 inches off its axis. Our electromagnetic field is the lowest it has been since the last earth changing events occurred. Things are happening. Pay attention.

It is going to take time to get stuff organized. Don’t wait. And don’t be Stupid like this guy and ask

God’s Help!

There once was a flood and everyone had reached safety except for one man.

He climbed to the top of his house with the water lapping at his feet.

A helicopter flew over his head and hung down a rope for him to climb, but the man was deeply religious and said, “It’s alright! The Lord will save me!”

So the helicopter flew away. The water continued to rise and a boat came to him but, once again, the man shouted, “No! Go AWAY! the Lord will come and save me!” and, once again, the boat sped off.

The water was getting dangerously deep by now so the helicopter came back and, on cue, the man repeated, “I don’t need saving! My Lord will come”

Reluctantly, the helicopter left.

The rain continued to pour, the water continued to rise and the man drowned.

At the gates of heaven, the man met St. Peter. Confused, he asked, “Peter, I have lived the life of a faithful man – why did my Lord not rescue me?”

St. Peter replied, “For pity sake! He sent you two helicopters and a boat!”

Author Unknown

I look forward to writing the next blog on Spring tonics and Wildcrafting #5.

I love you dear readers now get busy and be safe please.


 

 

 

 

 

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This is totally last minute, but I wanted to give an almost-Twitter-sized announcement about World Habitat Day, an event put on by Habitat for Humanity, one of the most profoundly committed and productive organizations I know. We utilized one of HfF’s local “recycling” stores for some of the parts to build our raised beds and clothesline. The stores receive various parts and supplies from contractors that they then sell at deeply discounted prices to budget-conscious DIYers like me. All proceeds go to local HfH projects. It’s a genius idea.

HfH has lots of other genius ideas, too, like World Habitat Day. Check out the announcement, get edumacated, and get involved!

This video kinda says it all…

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Welcome and Thank You!

To any and all newbies who drop by as a result of the article in Matador, welcome! Please feel free to look around, check out the videos, and let us know what you think in the comments or by email.

Thanks for stopping by!

Samson, Mom, and the rest of the family

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Picture by Cassie

Busy as a bee

Samson was scheduled to do this week’s blog but he is up to his eyeballs in moving and getting settled.  So, this is kind of an intermission.   The intermission is a trailer for the award winning documentary Food, Inc.  This comes with a warning.  If you can’t stand the truth or you are not ready for the truth then do not watch this. “You will never look at your dinner in the same way again.”

I wondered about the old adage, “The truth hurts” and asked myself what does that mean?  How can the truth be a bad thing? I pretty much decided that facts are about as close to the truth as you are going to get. Or perhaps the certainty of numbers are very close to an indisputable truth.  I mean 1+1 for all intent and purposes is always going to = 2.  So, who is hurt by the truth?  I think honest persons can not be hurt by the truth.

Tell an honest person the truth and they will appreciate knowing it. However, tell a  person who knows the truth and covers it up with an intent to deceive and you have someone who would be exposed for lying about the truth and that would hurt.

What is the truth?  The truth is. What is a lie?   A lie is a cover-up of the truth.  The truth be told would expose a lie.  So, only a liar could be hurt by the truth.  And if that is the case then the old adage should really say, “The truth only hurts liars and that’s a good thing.”

I don’t have any idea of where all that came from. All I know is, that is what you get when someone says, We need something up and we need it up quick.  So there’s quick.

Watch the trailer and tell me who you think is telling the truth and who you think is lying?  And why.

http://www.foodincmovie.com/

Also if you want the latest GMO news this is it.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_20188.cfm

The Good News

http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/en/press/releases/us-court-ruling-on-gmo-rice-af

Even better news. How to Fight the Good Fight and win.

http://www.celdf.org/

http://www.celdf.org/Default.aspx?tabid=61

http://www.soyinfo.com/haz/gehaz.shtml great resource page for groups, blogs, organizations, political action groups

P.S. Added Feb. 10,2010:  Huffington Post publishes the 12 most unethical companies in the WORLD.  The worst of the worst.  Too delicious.  I am not an I told you so type person but I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!!

http://tinyurl.com/yhy36hc

P.S.S. Studies link GMOs with toxins, allergies, infertility, infant mortality, immune dysfunction, stunted growth, accelerated aging, and death. Whistleblowers were fired, threatened, and gagged. Warnings by FDA scientists were ignored. Expert Jeffrey M. Smith, author of the #1 GMO bestseller Seeds of Deception, and Genetic Roulette, presents SHOCKING evidence why these gene-spliced crops may lead to health and environmental catastrophes. Learn how to protect yourself and discover the Campaign for Healthier Eating in America—a brilliant plan to quickly end the genetic engineering of our food supply.

Gotta see it.

http://vimeo.com/6575475

We will continue our regularly scheduled blog next week.  Ciao for now.

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I suppose it isn’t the best sign that I’m recommitting to this blog on Saturday—after I promised my mom I’d post it on Friday. We talked last week and agreed we would post a new article every Friday to get back on track as I settle in to my new job and begin to find time to refocus on this project.

Because I have lots of ideas. There are some wonderful things we can do from two different cities. Everett is a wonderful place with a very robust green movement; it would be fun to compare, contrast, and even compete. May the greenest city win!

And I still have miles of footage from our shooting in SLO that I want to develop. Once I get all of my equipment up here from Cali in the next month and I once I get settled in to a workspace (my iMac is currently sitting on a dresser in our short-stay apartment) I can again dive into that great footage and put together some segments.

In short, we’re still here, and soon we’ll be back in full (or better) force—exploring, learning, teaching, and inspiring. And we hope you’ll join us.

Look for a new and insightful post from either me or my mom every Friday. It’s a promise from us. Well, for me it’s more of a commitment. We’ll call it a guideline.

Cheers and thanks for sticking around!

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Hey all, my sis-in-law, Shawna, turned me on to an incredible website (and movement) called Healthy Child, Healthy World. As the name indicates, it is devoted to one thing: the health of our children. It’s an amazing site, and obviously well-supported. And the topics (like GMO labeling and enchanced chemical regulations) are near and dear to my heart.

Take a look at this well-produced trailer to get a sense of the founders’ commitment and the scope of their project. It’s very exciting!

I wonder if Healthy Child will be able to generate that all-important critical mass to affect real and sustained change. I certainly hope so, because although the focus might be our children (which is plenty important enough), the effects of the changes would be far-reaching.

I’d like to know what you think.

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In our continuous effort to be absolutely ubiquitous, I have started posting on YouTube.

Our first piece is an excerpt from Episode 6: the “solar oven scene” to be precise. It’s fun and exciting. (My mom’s excited anyway). In the future I see us moving toward the YouTube format and away from the structured episodic format to give us more freedom and the ability to stay current. (Not that staying current is in any way related to my inability to stay on schedule).

So, what do you think? Any suggestions for quick, 5-minute bits we can do?

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Here are some links for more info on buying, making or using a solar oven and even some full blown 3 course meals, cakes, cookies casseroles,  recipes  solarovens.org sunovens.org solarovens.net This next site provides plans for constructing solar ovens http://www.solarcooking.org/plans/.  You may even come up with some cool new ways and materials.  Some will work and some won’t, either way you can’t help but learn something.  I can promise that every solar cooker you see is  the result of someone thinking of a better way to do it. Who knows you may have an idea that no one has thought of yet. If you do come up with something better — Hey I would love to hear about it.  For questions or to schedule a demonstration for your group here in the Central Valley contact: Marcia Alter 805-458-1241 or email address malter1101@alocom.  And, of course you can see our attempt at making and cooking with a solar oven at holeinthefence.net Episode 6 Something Old, Something New and Something Entirely Different.

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Hi all! I f any of you are here to see the full interview with Adam, I’m still trying to get the video uploaded. (Youtube changed it’s upload policy on me, the dirty scoundrels). I should have it up by Friday.

Thanks for visiting! And please come back often! Oh, and leave a comment! We love encouragement and/or constructive criticism.

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