>(b) Besides, there's no remedy for the following:
uh, that's why i wrote the part about "dippy eggs". there's probably enough heat exposure to kill the bacteria. not to mention that i was pointing out that 1/10000 chance is already ridiculously low. and then you've got a plethora of other foods where salmonella is common and you can do very little about that. washing melons is a form of prevention, but very imperfect and it doesn't kill bacteria that like to stick to the skin and then gets rubbed off from your hands as you move from peeling to cutting it up. you can cook them, but just as with eggs, you loose a good deal of the nutritional value when they're cooked (or overcooked in the case of eggs).
i don't know if daniel felt that i was attributing people's failure to care to their lack of time to learn. i'd say that is just a wee part of it. i was pointing out that people throw up their hands in disgust at the hype, the overload of information, and the contradictory findings of even the most careful research.
the same thing has happened WRT the Shrub administration's constant warnings about potential 'terr' plots. people pretty much don't give a rat's ass and don't really believe the warnings anymore, not from what i've witnessed.
same thing with food. "Oh, gee, that's nice. Another study about what's bad for me. Whatthefuckever." The opposite reaction seems to manifest too: obsessive compulsive fear of freaking everything! :)
both reactions are attempts to assert some control over a situation perceived as out of control.
from Paula:
>Time to buy Soy futures?
lawd jaysus! lawd oh lawd oh lawdy girl, NO. didn't you hear? modern soy products are bad for you (not miso, natto and tempeh). it's been found to cause cancer. and even fermented soy isn't a nutritionally complete form of protein, especially if you don't eat them with fish.
help! no where to hide! what to eat? it's a gawdawful mess, it is!
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
gimme a damn bowl of frozen blueberry custard made with whole eggs and load of full fat cream in one mammoth homemade waffle cone, then. hell why not if i'm gonna die even from "health food" anyway?! might as well die licking a cone! heh. (just for you jeff)
back to work, bye!
oh, wait, a rant is coming on. here goes:
I think claims about the US diet are really strange. hte last time i was at an open air market in a large city, i wanted to wretch at all the bugs and flies on the food and the smell of rancid meats and fish. it was truly disgusting. Toronto.
To make a judgement on eating habits, short of going into the homes of thousands of USers, is to also take a look at the plethora of cookbooks on the market. The upswing in interest in cooking, particularly among men? The popularity of the things like the Food Channel? The Iron Chef? Martha? Emeril? Do you see some lack of taste and spice in the dishes these folks prepare. If people are so lacking in taste, why are they buying the books and watching the shows. For pete's sake, i belong to a hacker list where their favorite activity is sharing recipes for Lentil Soup, New England Crab Cakes with Mango Salsa, Grilled Pork Chops with Mustard Jalapeno Sauce, and what to do with freshly picked rhubarb. What's winning at the state fairs? Tuna helper? NOT!
I don't know anyone who says, "Gee, I'd rather have a grocery store tomato than go get one at the roadside stand or the farmer's market." do you? No doubt, if people were able to access more wholesome foods, I doubt they'd stand for the crap.
As for time, I certainly hope that no one here relies on other people to shop for, prep, and clean up after their meals. If you do, then you are likely unaware of the time it takes to purchase and prepare the foods you think every else should eat.
One of the reasons why people go for convenience "crap" is because they don't have time to shop for fresh stuff, wash it, prep it, cook it, and clean up. I figure that I spend a good seven to ten hours a week shopping, cooking, and cleaning just for meals. it is probably more but I'm good at multitasking.
now, it's really bye bye cause i have to take off on a big trip.
kelley