Perpendicularity.org — Blog

Most of us are aware, that unless you grow your own food and raise your own livestock, you don’t really know for sure what all is in your food!  More concern lies in the processed foods and the meat you buy at the local market, and the produce is rarely organic, as well.

This post is mainly addressing beef, and more so, ground beef. As if the antibiotics and added hormones wasn’t enough, we run into something else, a cheap filler, known as “pink slime.” Before I say anymore, are you ready for a good ol’ supermarket hamburger?

I’ll go ahead and copy & paste a quick excerpt from Wikipedia (including my occasional bouts of commentary within the excerpt) about this subject, to get the ball rolling:

“Pink slime, also known as lean finely textured beef (LFTB), boneless lean beef trimmings (BLBT), and soylent pink (Ha-ha! Have you ever seen the movie Soylent Green?), is a beef-based food additive that may be added to ground beef and beef-based processed meats as an inexpensive filler. It consists of finely ground beef scraps and connective tissue (sounds like reprocessed road kill, if ya ask me) which have been mechanically removed from the fat. The recovered material (Yikes!) is processed, heated, and treated with ammonia gas or citric acid to kill E. coli, salmonella, and other bacteria (Thank you very much for doing such!). It is finely ground, compressed into blocks and flash frozen for use as an additive to beef products.

In the United States, the additive itself cannot legally be sold directly to consumers, but can constitute up to 15% of ground beef without additional labeling (sort of like how they don’t have to list Trans fat if it doesn’t reach 0.5 grams per tiny serving), and can also be added to other meat products such as beef-based processed meats. Prior to the invention of the disinfection process, beef scraps could only be sold as pet food or as an ingredient for cooking oil. (That’s good news folks, we are now eating stuff they put in pet food!)

Widespread public attention was drawn to the product in March 2012 by a series of reports at ABC News, which reported at that time that 70 percent of ground beef sold in U.S. supermarkets contained the product. Subsequently, many grocery stores and supermarkets, including the nation’s three largest chains, announced that they would no longer sell products containing the additive.”

Please note:  Pink slime is not permitted in Canada. Also, Pink slime does not meet the legal requirements for sale in the United Kingdom.

What in the hell is going on here?

One of the main reasons I wanted to post this, was because I have recently ate some “real ground beef” that came from a farm-raised cow.  My mom and my step-dad usually buy half of a cow on occasions from a local farmer, get it processed, cut, packaged, and they freeze it in bulk.  I was over there the other day, and she gave me a few packages to sample.
Well, I generally try to buy good cuts of beef, pork, etc.  But, when it comes to ground beef, I usually just snag up whatever looks decent and go on my way. I figure that ground beef from the grocery store will still taste better than fast-food burgers, for example.

Anyway, upon eating some of this “real” hamburger meat, I was like: “What in the hell is this?  This taste like steak meat or something.  Dang, does hamburgers suppose to taste this good?” Ha-ha! It has been so long since I had “100% real” ground beef, that I evidently forgot what the stuff tasted like.

Oh, if you’d like to read about the controversy, consumer concerns and whatnot, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Slime

People need to know more about what is going into their food.
And, if at all possible, grow your own edibles and either try to raise your chickens, cows, pigs, etc., or at least try to buy from a local farmer that you can trust.
This is just an informative post to help raise awareness about all the crap they are putting in our food, as if many of you didn’t already know…

All of this pink slime stuff reminds me of when I used to be a butcher.  When it came time to run the ground beef from the pre-bought tubes into the grinder, it would often look “different” when compared to the hamburger meat I’d make from beef trimmings.  I’m not sure if any of those cheap beef tubes had pink slime in them or not, but one thing is for sure, when I ground my own hamburger meat from  lean beef mixed in with fat trimmings, it just appeared and smelled more real as opposed to that other crap they had in the tubes.  Oh, and the better taste is usually a dead giveaway…

Update: Good News! There have been some recent efforts to eliminate pink slime in our ground beef in the U.S.  Even McDonald’s, Burger King and Taco Bell announced they would discontinue the use of BPI products in their food. I hope this trend continues… BUT, what will they think of next? I recently read on some science site that there are experiments going on right now, where they are trying to grow meat in the lab! My gawd!

—End of Post “Pink Slime in your Ground Beef?”

Random Blog Link:  “The Health Benefits of (Pepitas) Pumpkin Seeds“

Well, many of you have most likely heard a lot of talk about doomsday, end of the world babble, Mayan Prophesies, Dec. 21, 2012 chatter, and a lot of other verbiage concerning global disasters,  mega earthquakes, storms, solar flares, a polar shift, and the works.

Now, before we get too excited, one must realize that the weather is about as unpredictable as a woman (Ha-ha!  Just kidding…).  No matter what year it is, natural disaster can strike and cataclysmic events can occur.  This “end of the world 2012″ talk has sort of got hyped up by the media and uneducated drama queens, for example.  On this post, I’m not getting into any of that other stuff, as this particular blog entry is intended to be a quick video post via NASA, about solar storms and flares.

Now, you may ask:  Should I be worried about major solar flares and/or storms from the sun during the next several months?  Well, I would say that it isn’t a bad idea to be prepared for an electrical blackout, if the worst case scenario takes place.  You know, like stock up on canned goods, ammunition for your guns, alcohol, etc.  Most likely, since we have the technology to detect the flares and solar storms while knowing when they are coming to Earth a couple days before impact, we will have a better chance for taking preventative measures that may help protect our power grids, etc.  

But, in fact, scientists are warning that when they hit, if large enough, they could potentially knock out power grids, GPS satellites, airline communications and incite nuclear meltdowns. The solar flare cycle occurs about every 11 years and is expected to reach its peak of activity (on this current cycle) around June 2013 or thereabouts.  The cycle starts with the flares slowly calming down, becoming relatively dormant, then picking back up until it peaks near the end of its 11 year cycle.  This has been going on, as long as we can tell, for a very, very long time.

Here’s an example of the effect they can have:  In 1989, a solar flare damaged a power grid in Quebec, Canada, cutting power for hours to millions of people.  But, it could have been worse…

The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory spacecraft captured this image of a solar flare as it erupted from the sun early on Tuesday, October 28, 2003. This was the most powerful flare measured with modern methods. Credit: NASA/SOHO:

Okay, well, NASA says that “killer solar flares are a physical impossibility,” but they can obviously cause major problems if they are big enough in today’s world.  I’m sure we have had some really big ones down through the history of mankind, but there wouldn’t have been much of an effect then, since we didn’t have all that technical stuff, electrical devices, communication systems, and so on, back then.   One good thing, when it comes to solar storms, is that we have a fairly thick atmosphere that protects us from outside radiation.

Anyway, instead of reading about what I may have to say about this tempestuous/stormy subject, check out the video from NASA, below:

—End of Post “Solar Storms & Flares – NASA Video” 

Related External Links:   “Solar Flares threaten to disrupt devices…” and “NASA – 2012: Killer Solar Flares Are a Physical Impossibility”

Semi-related Blog Link:  “The Mystery of Fire – who in the hell discovered it?“

I’m sure this is a very common query, although I was originally going to do a blog post over the average life expectancy for dogs, but then thought it might be better to broaden the topic to cover more types of pets.

The reason why I’ve been searching online for such information, is because I have a dog that has lived for about 14 years and is now having some major problems, possibly a partial intestinal blockage, tumor, heart condition, etc., and she may have to be put down.  I just can’t see my poor self spending $800 to 1,000 dollars or more, for a dog that might not live through surgery or, even if she gets this fixed, she may only live a few more months or another year or so, at best.  Of course, if I had money flowing out of my bunghole, I’d be more than happy to throw several hundreds of dollars out there or even a couple thousand, to prolong her life.  Nowadays, the Vet charges you at rates similar to a human doctor, which is just plain ridiculous, in my opinion…  Anyway, to end that particular subject, she was a great, loyal dog and lived a good life with lots of good food and the freedom to hunt and roam out in the wilderness.  If you’re interested, you can see a picture of her, on the “Mystery of Fire – who in the hell discovered it?” post.

Now, before we get to the average life expectancy of common pets, lets first address that these are just averages from collective info I found online.  Many factors are involved that could lower and raise the common life span of your pet.  For example, outdoor cats, on average, often do good to live more than 5 years old, while indoor cats can live for 10, 12, 15 years or longer.

The type of diet you feed your pets along with the lifestyle you permit, also factors in.  For example, a happy, energetic dog will typically live longer than a neglected, depressed, lazy dog.  …Other factors such as prompt medical treatment when they are ill or if your pets are in need of a veterinarian to diagnose unknown causes for their ailments, etc., all help prolong life, for the most part.  Getting your female pets spayed, such as a dog or cat, will generally add a couple years or more to their average life expectancy, as well.  Just like humans, being overweight is not a good thing, either, but this doesn’t take rocket science or a great deal of trouble, to not let your pets become obese.

Well, since this post was originally going to be about dogs, I went and found a list that was supposedly sourced from the AKC, in 2008…

Common dogs and their typical life expectancy:

Labrador Retriever (12.5 years), Yorkshire Terrier (14 years), German Shepherd Dog (11 years), Golden Retriever (12 years), Beagle (13 years), Boxer (10.5 years), Dachshund (15.5 years), Bulldog (7 years), Poodle (12 years Standard and 15 years Miniature), Shih Tzu (13 years), Chihuahua (13.5 years), Rottweiler (10 years), Pug (13.5 years), German Shorthaired Pointer (13 years), Boston Terrier (13 years), Doberman Pinscher (10 years), Shetland Sheepdog (13.5 years), Cocker Spaniel (12 years), Great Dane (8.5 years), and the Siberian Husky (12 years). Just by looking at that list, you can tell that most dogs don’t live past 13 years.  I have heard before, that mixed breeds often live longer, and of course smaller dogs generally have a longer life span, but there is always exceptions…   

Other Pets and their average life expectancy:

Cats often live 12 to 18 years, but like I mentioned earlier, they generally live a lot longer as indoor pets as opposed to outdoor, as those nosey, curious suckers get into a lot of shit when outside, and are more prone to viruses and diseases, poisons, accidents, etc.  They may have 9 lives as they say, but they often use them up rather quickly, when out in the wild.

Birds have a wide range, when it comes to their life span.  10 to 30 years is a good estimate, but there are some types of birds, like a cockatoo, that can live 70 years or more.  I never understood why people would want to put an animal in a cage that has wings and was meant to fly!  Whatever floats your boat, I suppose…

Fish are another type of pet that has a wide range of life expectancy.  5 to 10 years is a reasonable estimate for most aquarium fish, but this mainly depends on the type of fish and the water conditions you provide and how you care for them.  Some fish live much, much longer, and some live for only a very short time.  I will say, you can’t always go by the book, that’s for sure. If you’re interested in this hobby, I once did a post called “Freshwater Aquariums – A scenic, decorative hobby…”

Rats & Mice?  Pets?  Uh, well, some people actually have rats or a cute mouse for a pet, but I could have sworn they sell traps that kill these rodents, as most people don’t take too kindly to indoor mice and rats; ha-ha!  Anyway, if this is your thing, theses “pets” generally have a short life span.  A rough estimate is a rat, 2 to 3 years and a mouse, 3 to 5 years.

Well, this post is getting rather long, so I’ll speed up the pace:

Frogs?  4 to 15 years. Hamsters? Only 2 to 3 years on average, but it has been reported that some can live much longer.  Gerbils? 2 to 5 years, on average.  Rabbit?  5 to 15 years of age.  Hey, some people raise these things for food.  You know, I haven’t ate a rabbit in years; hmm, anyway…  Ferret?  7 to 10 years.  Box Turtles? 40 to 50 years when captive, but some have been known to live around a hundred years!  Pet Iguanas?  Roughly 15 to 20 years, but that is with proper care, of course… 

Life expectancy of common pet snakes:

Corn snake (15-20 years+), Kingsnake or King Snake (15-25 years+),  Boa Constrictor (25-30 years+),  Burmese Python (25 years+), and there are many others.  It seems that most pet snakes can live around 20 years or longer, so there is no need to post each individual one.  I will say, if you’re a snake owner, be responsible, please!

What about that creepy Tarantula?  Males live a lot shorter life, up to 7 years or slightly more, depending on the species, and the females can live up to 25 years or longer.  I’ve even heard of certain female tarantulas living for 35 years or more… Uh, hairy spiders for pets? Not for me…

Well, I think I covered a lot of the pets people commonly have.  Sure, there is more, but this post had to end some time…

—End of Post “What is the average life expectancy for common pets?”