The Dow opened with a plunge of 500 points plus. It is getting worse each day and everyone is nervous. The last thing I read was telling us all not to panic. Of course the American people are beginning to panic. The every day man and woman are the ones who get hit the hardest in the recessions and we are now entering the next one. So what happens in a second recession worse than we are now?

For many people it is going to be a disaster of financial and health issues. Required medication is going to go by the way side, because it is not affordable. That means more deaths from high blood pressure, heart attacks, mental cases of depression leading to crime and murder, an overwhelming amount of depression in adults and children, hunger in record numbers and more.

Food banks are already overwhelmed and cannot provide enough for those who use them. They are not used by the lazy loafer or someone taking advantage of the system. The food banks are used by adults on medication they cannot do without and have no money left to buy food, by mothers and fathers with children trying to keep a roof over their head, by individuals that have suddenly had all their adult children and grandchildren return home because they have lost everything.

Businesses have moved out of this country leaving it a non producing society. Companies that employed whole communities left for another country and pay cuts. Since they are now overseas they cut their own cost and make bigger profits. The American consumer pays a higher price for import of products and services. Large companies from America are placing their business manufacturing firms outside of our own country. Many Americans have left to work for American companies in other countries in order to maintain a life style for their families, away from our current recession and the new one to follow.

The first thing to do is stock up on canned goods. By winter food prices will soar and become too much for a family with no income to afford. Even friends will not be able to help feed loved ones, because they will be hungry. Learn to make soup. Stock up on the main ingredients and a few spices. Can produce, dry fruit and stock up on grains. Including yeast for making bread or begin a sour dough starter.

Start gathering for living off the grid, because in order to keep a home you may have to give up electricity and other amenities. You will have a roof, but that is all you will have. Make sure you have enough blankets and learn to create new clothes from the old clothes or piece you have. Buy an extra pair of shoes from the thrift store and put away for the time your current pair wears out.

As for Christmas gifts, just be thankful you have your family with you and celebrate with a great feast, a few home made gifts and make it practical. Home made candy and mixes can be fun, taste great and fill a need while being practical. This is going to be a hard recession to recover from for everyone. Stock up now and prepare for a time when cash is extremely limited or not available at all.

Good luck to everyone and may our country recover in time to keep our nation of baby boomers from reverting back to hippies.

Even although I do not speak the traditional Scots Gaelic, I have had many people ask me if it was difficult to learn the English Language.  The assumption is that English is not my first language.  The confusion occurs because the Scots have a unique interpretation of English, and even use words that seem to be understood only by fellow Scots.  Even then, there are regional differences, and to the visitor, it would seem the East Costs and the West Coast, the Highlanders and the Borders speak different languages altogether. 

While most people understand the context of certain terms, Scots tend to have to slow down the speed of their speech to be even remotely understood by those who are not familiar with the dialect.  Even more confusing is the foods that are familiar to the Nationals.  See how many you can recognize.  If you can think of some more, feel free to add them in the comments below. 

Here are some examples of everyday terms for foods.

Aberdeen Angus – Scottish Beef.  Although now bread around the world, this is the home of the Angus burger.

Arbroath Smokie -  Smocked Haddock.

Bannock – oatmeal cookie.

Black Bun – rich, dark, spicy fruitcake, traditionally eaten at New Year.

Black pudding – an ingredient of the traditional fried breakfast.  Black pudding is made with pigs blood.

Brambles – blackberries.

Breid – bread.

Chips – Deep fried sliced tatties, otherwise known as fries.

Clootie Dumpling – fruitcake that is not baked in the oven.  Instead it is wrapped in a floured clothed and boiled for about 2 hours.

Cock-a-leekie soup – chicken and leek soup.

Crumpet – similar to the US pancake, but smaller in size with a thicker batter.

Crisps – potato snack, known in the US as chips.

Dundee Cake – very rich fruitcake, usually topped with almonds.

Edinburgh Rock – association with Edinburgh Castle, build on top of an extinct volcano.  This is a soft candy that melts in your mouth.

Forfar Bridie – traditionally made with minced lamb, but modern variations use mince, diced onion and a big splash of Worcester sauce, encased in pastry.

Haggis – probably the most well-known Scottish delicacy.  Usually made from offal, sheeps lungs, heart and a few other parts that most don’t want to know they are eating.  However, there are vegetarian versions.

Jam – fruit jelly/preserve, great topping for toast or scones.

Lorne Sausage – a square or round shaped sausage, traditionally eaten as part of the Scottish breakfast “fry-up” or added to mashed tatties and onions for stovies (see below).

Mince – ground hamburger.

Pan loaf – bread that is baked in a pan.

Plain loaf – Traditional style bread, made primarily in Scotland.  It has a harder crust than the pan loaf, and is slightly longer in length.

Scotch Broth – a traditionally thick soup, made with a lamb stock, barley and vegetables.

Scotch Pie – originally made with mutton, but is commonly made with mince.  The filling is encased in pastry.

Shortbread – a tasty cookie made with butter and rice flour.

Stovies – a tattie based meal with onions and either Lorne sausage or corned beef is added.

Soor Plooms – hard candy, originally associated with the Scottish borders. (Sour Plum).

Tablet – candy with a grainy texture, made from butter, sugar and condensed milk.

Tatties – potatoes.

Tattie scones – a soft scone made from potatoes, another breakfast ingredient.

Neeps – turnip.

Millionaires Shortbread – shortbread layered with caramel and chocolate.

Scone – similar to US biscuits but sweetened, served with butter and jam (jelly).

Porridge – oats/ oatmeal.

Wee Willie Winkies – small link sausage.

White Pudding – similar to black pudding, without the blood.  It contains pork and oatmeal.

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Excavaters exploring an ancient chinese tomb have unearthed something quite extradinary. It is a 2,400 year old pot that amazbgly still contained soup made 2,400 years ago. It was found in the city of Xian.

Rigorous tests will be carried out to determine what the ingredients are and to build a recipe that could give people a window into the past.

It’s a hugely important discovery as it allows us to build a picture of the eating habits and culture during that time period.

The discovery was made when the site was being excavated for an extension to the airport. Among the other finds was a jug that contained wine.

So for example, my plan this week is Chili, Beef Stew and 15 Bean Soup.  This will be all that I cook.  I will make one at a time since it is very easy to add all ingredients and then just wait.  I freeze what I am not going to eat that day and place the rest in individual size serving containers in the freezer.  I continue till all three meals are complete.

You will be surprised how much you have made and how long this will last you.  I usually have my three meals feed my family of three for an entire week.  If you don’t mind the Great Value brand form Wal-Mart, then you will save even more.  

The doughnut, which originally belonged to three famous and very wealthy chefs trying to beat a world record, was stolen by “two men in purple.” These two men happened be be named Mathew Oddo and Julio Fuel.

Julia saw the doughnut outside her parents’ beach house and ran outside to devour it. But once she got on the doughnut, she drifted off to sea. Her parents ran to get her off of the doughnut, which was surprisingly not dissolving, but it was too late. Thankfully, even from the far distance her parents were away from Julia, they could still communicate. The conversation went something like this.

Mrs. Eyer: “Oh my goodness! She’s going to die!”

Mr. Eyer: “Call the emergency services!”

Julia: “It’s okay, I can eat the doughnut while I am floating on it!”

Mrs. Eyer: “Julia, that is beside our point!”

Mr. Eyer: “Susan, stop dilly-dallying, lets get help while we can still see her so we can talk to her after the next few minutes.”

Mr. and Mrs. Eyer: “I LOVE YOU!”

Julia (very faintly): “I LOVE YOU TOO!”

Julia was never seen again…

The thieves, Oddo and Fuel, are now facing a life sentence in jail after this death threat.

“If the stupid Julia Eyer is ever seen again, we will make sure of it her last sighting will be soon after.”

This happening has also caused a lot of emotional distress on the family. Mr. and Mrs. Eyer are considering a divorce if Julia is not found soon. Robert Eyer thinks that the incident wouldn’t have happened if Susan Eyer had let Julia eat at the local doughnut shop like she requested before they left for their vacation. Susan Eyer argues that “I refused for Julia’s health and the family finances. And even if I did allow her, she still probably would have unknowingly hopped on that doughnut. Poor, innocent Julia…”

But something they can both agree on is that if they get their story out to the world, then more help might be sent for Julia.

So comment! Share! Spread the word! For the Eyer family…

Bouillabaisse
Pronounced “bool-ya-baize”, this type of soup is common to the French coast. It’s a fish stew, made with a mix of fish such as lobster and crab, or filleted fish. It’s the seasonings in bouillabaisse that sets it apart from other fish soups: Saffron, fennel seeds and orange zest.

Chowder
Potatoes make this soup thick and chunky. Whether it’s a red chowder or white, chowder is made from potatoes and vegetables with either seafood or chicken. Make the sauce with either a tomato base or cream, and if you want it vegetarian, leave out the seafood and chicken.

Bisque
Another kind of soup made with shellfish and vegetables is bisque. Bisque has a smooth, creamy texture, the result of pureeing the vegetables. Bisque soups may have a cream base, though tomato and corn are more traditional ingredients.

Gumbo
Gumbo has it all: seafood, meat, vegetables and of course, a broth. Gumbo uses a roux, a mix of melted fat and flour, to thicken the broth. This delightful Louisiana tradition is packed full of food and Creole spices, and has a strong resemblance to stew.

Stew
Stew is made with meat and potatoes, seafood and potatoes or chicken and potatoes. Like chowder, it’s a chunky soup. The difference lies in the addition of carrots, onion and peppers in large chunks and the broth is more like gravy than that of chowder.

Broth, Stock and Consommé
On the opposite end of the spectrum from these thick soups are the thin liquids of broth, stock and consommé. Broth and stock are almost the same, though stock is generally derived from the marrow of animal bones that have been cooked. Simmer the carcass of a roasted chicken in water with vegetables and seasonings and the result is stock. Broth is made the same way, except much of the fat is skimmed during the cooking process. Broth may be served as a soup on its own, though both stock and broth are usually the liquid that makes meat and vegetables into soup.

Consommé is a fancy word for thin, clear broth. The broth, or stock, is filtered and clarified, a process involving cheesecloth and egg whites.

Potage, Panade and Gazpacho
Panade is soup thickened with bread; the bread is either broken down into the broth or set in large rounds at the bottom of the bowl. It’s a great way to use up day old bread, and the result is somewhere between stew and bouillabaisse. Gazpacho is a cold soup and though traditionally has a tomato base, such deviations as mango and peach gazpacho have crept into modern cuisine.

Potage is a French word for soup, though it refers to heartier soups packed with meat and vegetables. A chicken noodle soup may be considered a potage, as would minestrone. Any way you chop the veggies, though, potage is one fine food.

Shark Finning-Who Is The Real Predator?

sharks getting killed for their fins. But it’s happening every day. Every day, “fishermen” catch sharks, pull them out of the ocean, cut off their fins, and throw the still-living remains back into the ocean, where they slowly bleed to death. It’s called shark Finning, and it’s happening all over the world

Most people think that killing sharks is not so bad because they are a human killing machine. Sharks only try to warn you to get out of there territory, we are the ones in the wrong because we are intruding on there land. Killing sharks is illegal in most countries and we need to put a stop to it.

Shark Finning is the practice of removing the fins from sharks. Sharks that are caught and their fins cut off are not always dead when their bodies are thrown back into the sea. Without its fins How awful it must be for these animals… to think that when their body hits the water again that they will be safe, only to realize that they can no longer swim, and end up dying in an ocean, which was just moments earlier their safe haven, and is now their disgusting hell.

Forty million sharks are slaughtered in this disgusting manner for their fins every year, according to National Geographic. The fishermen who catch these sharks don’t even care about the species of shark they just see shark and they thing of money these selfish bastards. That raises the issue from animal cruelty to global crisis, why are they killed? Primarily because shark fins are considered a delicacy in China. Shark fin soup is a luxurious meal and sign of prestige in Chinese culture. And over the last few years, as China’s economy has grown at a rapid-fire pace, so too have the number of affluent connoisseurs desiring the meal.

So the demand then predictably pushes up the need for supply—but there are only so many sharks in the ocean. Already, many sharks have been pushed to the brink of extinction—according to Stop Shark Finning many species have had 95% of their populations decimated since the 1970s. As many of the sharks are fished in impoverished areas of Mexico and South America—and each fin can fetch 1,000 Euros in Hong Kong.

Shark Fin Soup

Shark fin soup is a Chinese delicacy that dates back to the Ming Dynasty. The soup is often served at weddings as a sign of wealth. To use the fins for soup they are skinned, trimmed and then dried. The fins themselves have no flavour. In most cases, chicken or pork is added to the soup for flavouring. The fins simply add texture to the soup’s broth. This expensive delicacy is actually the cartilage of the shark’s dorsal fin, pectoral fin and the lower portion of the tail fin. Though the fins of many shark species can be used, the soup fin shark is the one most broadly utilized for this purpose. Dried shark’s fin can be found in Asian markets and is sold either whole or in shreds. Shark’s fin cartilage provides protein-rich gelatine that is used in Chinese cooking mainly to thicken soups-most notably, shark’s fin soup.

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I had read an article earlier today, and it put a lot of thoughts in my head.  It was thinking a bit about our economy and the problems we are having right now.  I, myself, am even feeling the issues and the problems at this time as I had went out on leave for surgery and while I have been out, seems like my company is trying to get rid of me, and who knows what will happen at this rate.  Disability pay sucks, and hardly pays the rent, let alone that I need to feed my son and utilities and all the little things that are demanding.  And let me tell you, as a single parent, it makes you think about these kinds of things all the time.

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But the article made me think about how upset I really am at our Government at times.  I mean he we are, taking our young men and women to fight in other countries, some lose their lives, and can you imagine the cost that it takes to send them there, let alone keep them there for years at a time.  I understand their is issues, and as a Nation, we are suppose to come to each others aides at times.  But here I have been around for many, many years, and I have heard of or seen all the wars our Country as gotten itself involved in, and now, here we are, not able to even hardly feed or house our own human race at the moment. 

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Taxes are killing the little man, We seem to work all day and all night for what seems to turn out like pennies on the dollar when it comes down to the tax time, and the IRS makes no mistakes of coming after you if you owe them any money, yet the big money makers seem to get to put all that money somewhere and they never seem to run out.  Then I take a look at the rich, well, oh, god forbid if they even had a dead piece of grass on their lawn, yet they can take and turn their heads the other direction when they see a poor needy man begging for money on the corner. 

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Yes, it is true, not all are like this.  Take Angelia Jolie for instance, how she adopts children is really cool in my book, but I don’t understand why so many of the stars find they have to adopt outside of our own Country.  I know there has be many a homeless children in our World, and I do believe that even the United States has it’s fair share, and why do they not get adopted?  When is their knight or princess to come and save them from the cold, dark, lonely place they are in.

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Take a look at the homeless, how many Americans are walking along the street, begging for food, and we may say, as I also will say I  have done, think that they are sometimes like a drunken bum. But in reality, the majority has come into a hardship and just need a helping hand to get them back onto their feet.  Why is our Government not building more homes for the homeless and the needy.  Why do they not take care of our own first.

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Our elderly and our poor, they sometimes can’t even afford the medications that they need to stay alive, or their health card benefits are so bad that they can’t even afford to see a doctor when they need to, or until it is too late.  So many of them have to go without the proper care, and they will rather eat, then see a doctor.

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For instance, the Automobile Industry, begging for money from our Government to get them out of the hole they dug for themselves.  Why the heck, would they of kept building and building so many cars, when they see the prices are already going outrageous, and how can they expect someone to walk out and buy a new car almost every day.  When you think of it, I think a lot of the Americans are actually looking more at used now days.  So why are we giving them Millions, Billions of dollars to help them.

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I even hear on the news once, the the Pornography business was also asking for bailouts.  The moment, or excuse they used, was that,  “people can go without cars, but they always need sex”,  come on, give me a break.  Yeah, sex is good, but I would rather make sure my child eats, or can care for my aging family, then to run out and but a dirt magazine or DVD rental. 

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I just feel that our Government has let us way down.  We have proved time and time again, that our Nation cares for each other, and we rally around each other when sometime terrible happens like 9-11.  But when are we gonna start helping our own first.  Why can’t they help build more homes for the homeless, why cant they make it where an older man or women, won’t worry about where they will be living at age 70, instead of causing a lot of heartache for their families, will they even be able to be placed in a Nursing or Home Care Center. 

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When I look back, here we are, suppose to be a Free Nation, yet, we are already losing a lot of our own existence.  How many places in the United States no longer allow fireworks, something that is suppose to be the biggest day of the year for us, to celebrate our Independence.  I can see why they outlaw some fireworks, but why can’t we even have a few to let our children be able to enjoy as we did when we were younger.  You know most go out and buy them in a town where they are still legal to sale, and even though their town may not allow,  they do it anyway.  Why, here on our Independence Day, are we not able to really enjoy it.

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Other Holidays are also slowly fading out also, here Halloween, it has come to where now days, most parents just keep their kids at home, and give them candy that they buy themselves, as they know for sure that they are safe.  I can remember when I was younger, that I swear, we had hundreds of kids come to our door each night, and if we gave them an apple, there was no problem.  No, even myself, if my granddaughter goes out, I make sure that her candy is checked, and if there is even a slight tear in the candy wrapper, it is thrown out.  When you think of it, that is really sad.

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Our Government advertises all about how, join the Army, we make you strong, Army strong.  I do not really totally believe that, not totally.  Yeah, they may grow in their own ways, and that is so good, but is the Army there for these men and women when they come home, and try to adjust to their home lives again.  We had an  ex soldier working for us for a short time.  And he told us all about the fantastic things he did there, but to be honest, he struggled to keep just a simple job of unloading boxes, or cashiering as needed.  Within a short time, he got fired, and he had told me that this was like the 6Th job he lost, he could not even seem to keep a small little job.  He told me the day he left,  the Army does make you Strong,  but they are not there when you start to fall after you come home.   And I do believe that.

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I think that our Government, needs to sit down and really look over all the issues that we have here in our own Country before they go and start sending thousands and thousands of our men and women to another County, and the Billions of dollars that is spent each year to keep them there.  The recruiters, they just know that they are suppose to sign up as many as they can, not really taking into account that maybe some of the men or women who come into their office, maybe they are really not cut out to join.  For example, I have a friend, a young 19yr old Asian girl.  She was really confused what to do with her life, and so she up and decided to join the Navy.  Actually I could not see her joining, as working with her, she just did not see to have  what it would take.  She studied and failed her test 3 times, before she finally passed, and from what she told me, she passed by maybe 3 points.  She would get so upset at times at work over little things, she would start to cry, and I would think, their not gonna let her sit and cry in the Navy.

The only section she could get in was a office type job as her score was so low, but she knew that there is always a chance to be shipped overseas.  I actually tried to talk her out of it, especially when she would call me late at night, concerned that she would miss her family, and what if she got killed.  I flat told her that if she was so busy thinking about what she was losing, maybe it was not meant for her.  She in the meantime met a really nice guy, they fell in love, so she decided she wanted to marry him instead.  When she told her recruiter, as she had already signed up but was not shipped out yet,  he had a fit, telling her she was making the wrong choice, and that she had to write a letter to explain why she did not want to join now.  It was so stupid to me, cause anyone in their right mind, would of none at the beginning, she was not qualified to join, and I do believe in my heart, if she had gotten shipped out, she would not make it home.

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I used to always tell my kids, money is the root of all evils, and I do still believe it today, but when you really think of it, we are all so distraught about if we do or if we don’t have it.  Think for a moment, When you work a job, most of us get Auto Deposit, so we never see any money actually, then we got to stores, pay bills, and what do we do, we use a check or credit card,  how many times do you actually see cash transfer hands.  I feel as if I’m working for what?  I really don’t know,  when we come home from work, we are over tired, under paid, and for what, a bowl of soup for dinner.

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The economy is really bad right now, but the prices of groceries are still going up, and it has got to the point, you have to choose to eat that day, or pay a bill, or have gas money, oh that’s another subject, but gas money so we can get around to look for a job, that you will be paid most likely minimum wage, but work harder then you need to, or they deserve you to.

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Our Government tell us, that they are working on trying to make things better, but think, where are they, big fancy houses, with vacation homes,  fancy cars, four hundred dollar suits, big screen TV, on and on.  But then take a look at that little old lady at the grocery store, trying to buy just a small handful of groceries.  She has some milk, a loaf of bread, some cat food, maybe some lettuce.  And here she don’t have enough money to pay for it all.  So what does she put back, but the bread and milk.  It really makes me wonder, does she even really have  cats?  It is so sad to see this happen to our own nation.  Like a presidential inauguration that cost over 160 million dollars.

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I see pictures and read stories of other Countries in trouble, and I feel for them, I really do, and, yes, I do say if we can help, then do what we can, but also, we need to take care of ourselves first.  I just feel that our Government has their priorities a bit backward right now.  Bring our soldiers home, Feed our homeless, take care of our old and sick, and help our own Country that right now, is in definite need of someone to help us.

We won’t see any other Country running to help us, to feed our hungry, to give a home to the poor who are about to live in a car on the street.  They are first looking at their own, and now I feel, have always felt, that it is about time maybe we take a look and follow in some of their footsteps to care for our own first…..

Over the last couple weeks things have changed for me. I still don’t have a job, my only source for food is public assistance and the roof I have over my head is completely the result of having someone who loves me. So what is different?

I found that despite the despair of applying for janitorial jobs because it is the only job I haven’t yet applied for, despite sending out upwards of 40 resumes a week, and the emptiness associated with having no sense of accomplishment I was still standing and breathing. Now I start and end every day with that affirmation of sorts. I am still standing. I am still breathing.

When I started to look around at what I can do each day to bring a piece of the best parts of me to surface I found a lot. I may not be bringing home a paycheck after a long days work but I am pulling myself away from a potential depressed disaster.

Immediately I started to look at my skills and how I could apply them. A trained chef I began planning delicious, healthy and inexpensive meals at home. As satisfying as it is to hear the yummy noise come anyone sharing a table with me I soon realized I was capable of more, and now I am active in volunteer opportunities. I don’t care if it is a church, or  a publicly funded soup kitchen. I can take what I know and supplement someone else’s life at the same time.

What hours are not filled filling the stomachs of others I found were wasted staring at the television and I soon set out to repair my sloth to once again fight off a depressed funk. I made my way to the public library for reading material and to prevent any sort of lethargy of the mind. After a couple weeks of four to five books a week I looked around the library wondering if I could give back and at the same time fill the void of doing nothing. Now I find myself associated with not only the library on a volunteer basis but a local literacy campaign.

I don’t want to seen as a braggart here. I am not trying to pat myself on the back on the internet ( the worlds largest stage). The intention of this article is to encourage those of you who may find themselves in a situation similar to mine to fill your days with movement. This nation and every nation is finding a certain self collapse that is injuring the fortitude of the working man, because the working man needs to work, most often they don’t know anything else. But, by participating in your community you not only give yourself a note of self satisfaction, you also offer help and hope to others not quite off the couch of despair.

I encourage everyone to find time for volunteering. An hour a week with a literacy program can encourage a young child’s mind. Finding yourself in an apron and a hairnet at a soup kitchen can help save a life.

Last but not least, staying active and moving will keep you fresh, alert and positive when that call finally comes for an interview.

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 There is no healthful or essential epicurean benefit to be derived from eating Shark Fin Soup other than the prestige of stroking one’s own sense of self-importance in public eateries. It is merely a visible and outward sign of wealth, prosperity and power to dine upon this so-called delicacy which incidentally, has no flavor of its own. Shielded from the consumer who knows nothing of how it is harvested, it reeks a foul stench of bloody death and wanton environmental disregard. Anyone that wants some rarefied and esoteric gastric experience to stroke their sense of self-importance should stick to something not so destructive to the planet, something like bird’s nest soup. That is another traditional oriental soup and by the way, it is considered to be the most expensive animal product in the world. It is just seaweed and bird saliva, chiseled from the side of a cliff.

We’re allowing millions of sharks to be killed each year for just a few pounds each of fin, and wasting the rest! We’re killing the oceans by decimating this top-level predator. I won’t go into some feigned bunny-hugger diatribe of ‘leave the pretty sharks alone, live & let live,’ and ‘have you hugged a shark today’ speech, for I eat meat. I love seafood too. I know some cultures and persons use personal choice in favor of a vegetarian or even stricter vegan existence. That’s fine with me. I am against the eating of over-hunted, endangered species and vehemently against it in those cases where the prey is slaughtered in the deplorable manner such as this. This is admonishable with its unregulated and wasteful tendencies. Maybe if the harvests were regulated and the product was used responsibly and wholly, I might consent that it is, maybe, okay. I have had shark steaks before recall enjoying it. I was assuming that the entire shark was used for food. Shark Fin Soup does not meet even that requirement. In fact, quite the opposite!

Shark Fin Soup, A Ming Dynasty Tradition

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Shark’s Fin Soup is a popular item served at Chinese banquets, weddings and is a luxury item. Serving it symbolizes prestige and affluence. The fin of the shark is a cartilaginous material, and it is only the pectoral and dorsal fins used for this soup product. The rest of the shark although edible if soaked in salt water to remove the high urine content, is deemed to be of a quality not worth taking up space in the cargo hold and is discarded back into the sea. Here is the waste. This is food, wasted. If this were to be used, the need or desire of the most coveted parts might be reduced meaning fewer sharks need be taken. There can be a balance. There could be a cullable number of sharks that can be safely and responsibly taken and still maintain healthy oceans.

More Shark Fin Soup

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Eww! WTF is this nasty-looking putrid stuff? Looks like Won-Hung-Lo or Cream of Sum-Yung Guy. Take it away! -Yuck! That is Shark Fin Soup and this is the quintessential subject of this rant. Don’t eat this stuff! Don’t buy this stuff. Avoid Shark Fin Soup. Protest its sale wherever you see it. Anyone that uses or consumes this product is supporting the extinction of the shark specie worldwide and that makes them part of the problem. Your silence is part of the problem. Speak up, just say NO to Shark Fin Soup! We will all share in the tragedy if these top-level predators of the world’s oceans become extinct.

Shark Fins on Display

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Shark Fins for sale, for making soup. It is just cartilage. That is all that the shark fin is. There is nothing powerful or magical here. You do not reap the prowess of the shark by eating its fin, penis or any other part of this or any other animal. Accept that and stop this abuse.

Conservationist’s Warning

A large part of the trade in shark fin come from a process called “finning,” -the cutting off of the fins of living sharks which are often still alive and they are cast back into the sea to either suffocate due to inability to move or swim, or be ravaged by other sharks that sense the blood. Millions of sharks each years die to satiate the growing appetite for Shark Fin Soup. Chinese New Year marks the highest demand for it. This appalling practice must stop.

What if the Sharks Disappeared?

Shark attacks on humans number about 100 worldwide annually, resulting in about 10 human deaths. We humans kill a staggering number of sharks annually mostly for their fins. The World Conservation Union states the number of sharks killed range from the 38-million to as high as 70-million+ sharks each year are taken for their prized fins. Sharks have FAR more to fear from us than we from them. And what if sharks disappeared from the world’s oceans entirely? Some sharks eat rays and skates, a form of bottom-dweller that eats clams and scallops. If the number of sharks decline, the alpha-predator of oceans, -the number of skates and rays would probably increase meaning more clams and scallops are being consumed. Think about that. Clam chowder may be the next endangered item on the menu.

Sharks are the cleaning stewards of the oceans; this top-level predator helps to keep the sea ecosystem in check. The clean-up dead and injured creatures. Predators are required.

Already, we are seeing increasing numbers of rays and skates which are, as stated. shellfish eaters. Their abnormal increase of numbers means that more clams and other shellfish are going to be consumed by their rising numbers. Clam harvests are starting to show decline. If we lose the sharks of the world’s oceans we will lose clams, scallops and other common marine shellfish too. We need sharks in the ocean to keep the balance.

Health Benefits from Shark Fin Soup?

No, not really, From the web site sharkfinsoup.ca comes this quote:

“….After many years of scientific study what has actually been discovered is scientists have found the sharks are contaminated with mercury, lead, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and other highly toxic poisons.

As well many people have said sharks don’t get cancer, well yes they do. Scientists again have proven that sharks do get cancer and get many malignant tumors and cancerous lesions….”

Shark fins may have once been ‘pure’ or safe to eat but their contamination should not be the only reason to stop eating this product. It is the cruel, ruthless and inhumane the way that we acquire the shark product in question. With the recent rise in general Chinese wealth, there has been a rapid increase in the desire for this once rarefied delicacy. The worldwide shark population is stated to have been reduced by some 90% due to irresponsible over-harvesting for human needs and wants, namely, finning practices have had the greatest impact.

Here in Canada, the Humane Society International has been targeting diners and restaurants here in the city of Toronto, informing them of the dangers decreasing sharp populations and of the cruelties in procuring the Shark Fins for the coveted Soup. They sought and continue to seek raised awareness by handing out brochures at this year’s Chinese New Year Parade. Probably most people are unaware that shark populations are rapidly declining and what this means for the health of the world’s oceans. The fact that the product is still available and on menus of high-end restaurants makes matters worse. For if it is available, the assumption seems to be that it is okay.

It was just reported that the food distributor Loblaw’s and Great Canadian Superstores have acquiesced to pressure from awareness groups and have stopped selling shark fin soup in its store. Let’s applaud this decision and if you shop there, mention your support of these boycott actions. -Shark Fin Soup? –Say, NO MORE!