As you walk, you cut open and create
 that riverbed into which 
the stream 
of your descendants shall enter
and flow.

-- Nikos Kazantzakis

Photography by Denise Blasor 

MAN VERSUS NATURE

ⓒthecravingscoach.com

The earth is 4.5 billion years old but farming is actually quite
young: between 10,000 and 12,000 million years. Hard as it
may be to fathom such numbers, the essential point is this:
for the many millions of years that farming has been around,
nature has provided for mankind, often generously, other
times less so.

But now man has decided he can do better than nature:
with the help of genetic engineering, a science involving
the manipulation of the genetic makeup of organisms,
biotech companies are remaking nature to their specifications
and in so doing have spawned a leviathan industry whose
ultimate goal, it would seem, is to change all crops under
the sun.

From the start, one of the reasons given for applying this
science to food production was to make plants more impervious
to pests and tolerant to pesticides, thus expanding yields. But even
as scientists have found trickier ways of fighting pests, the promise
of reducing pesticide use has not materialized.

Instead, it has increased for even as man tries to outsmart nature,
nature fights back by developing greater resistance through the
rise of super weeds and hard-to-kill insects.

A report prepared by Professor Charles Benbrook of the Center
for Sustaining Agriculture and Natural Resources at Washington
State University found that between 1996, when genetically
engineered crops were introduced, and 2011, overall pesticide use
grew by 404 million pounds, Reuters reported in late 2012.

 "Resistant weeds have become a major problem for many farmers
reliant on GE (genetically engineered) crops,"Benbrook said. And
while insecticide use dropped 28 percent between 1996 and 2011,
it is now going up, he said.

"The relatively recent emergence and spread of insect populations
 resistant to the Bt toxins expressed in Bt corn and cotton has
 started to increase insecticide use and will continue to do so."

That is not good news.

No matter how often the public is told that pesticides are not
harmful to humans, the issue of safety is hard to dismiss especially
when crops are receiving mega doses of highly toxic chemicals.

Pesticides have been linked to a long list of ills like food allergies,
memory loss, diabetes, cancer, obesidty, developmental diseases,
infertility, Parkinson's disease, birth defects, and Alzheimer's.

Increasingly, we are also seeing the terrible effect that pesticides
are having on our ecosystem. One of the more blatant examples
involves bees.

Bee populations have been declining since 2006 and if it is cause
for concern, it's not without reason. These little creatures pollinate
two thirds of 100 crops comprising 90 percent of the world's food
supply so they play a critical role in food production.

As reported recently in the press, new research has linked the
Colony Collapse Disorder that has been killing off honeybees in
the U.S. and Europe to two pesticides of the neonicotinoid class
that are widely used in farming.

"A world without bees could struggle to sustain the global human
population of 7 billion. Our supermarkets would have half the
amount of fruit and vegetables," bbc.com said recently.

The world is an intricate interplay of all living things and each living
thing is a member of a group that depends on another for its survival.
We are all interconnected in this natural order and yet man seems
driven to disassociate himself from the rest of nature in a vain
attempt at breaking his dependence on the natural world for survival.
Thus, he has irriversibly transformed the course of nature and some,
if not many, would say it is not for the better.

There is a growing support of organic farming as the only viable
alternative to GE farming and excessive use of pesticides; this
trend is also occurring in Puerto Rico where many young people
are turning to the land as a way of living and more consumers
are looking for healthier food options.

Organic produce, though in limited amounts, can now be found
in San Juan at open farm markets like La Ventana al Mar, which
runs on the first Sunday of the month; the Mercado Agricola
Natural on the grounds of the San Juan Museum in Old San Juan,
open every Saturday morning; and La Placita Roosevelt in Hato
Rey, a pop-up market that operates on the first Sunday and the third
Sunday of the month.



☛   A SIMPLE TIP

Out of bouillon or a stock base for your favorite soup? Chop some
garlic and onions and place in a pan with a spoonful of olive oil
and generous sprinkles of your favorite herbs like basil, oregano,
thyme. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until garlic and onions are
soft and fragrant, then add enough water to cover all the additional
ingredients you will be adding to the soup. This works especially
well for a small batch of soup.

The only life worth living
was the private life.

John Updike

ATELIER NOE AMADOR

San Juan --  A small, cosy store recently opened on
Loiza Street, currently in the midst of a lively revival.
You can't miss it: it has a black and white canopy and
emblazoned on it in large white letters is the name of
the lady of the house: up and coming designer Noe Amador.

Go inside and take a peek
at the girly, flirty skirts that
she has created for her clients.
If you wore one, you'd be sure
to dance the night away or
feel like the belle of the day,
or night.

"People are seeking the retro touch
of the 50s," says Amador about the
current vogue for wide skirts.


A little black dress hanging on a rack is sexy
in just the right way, playing peek-a-boo on the
sides and the back with the help of lovely
black lace. A pair of pants receives the same
treatment: plain in front and back, lacy tease
on the sides.

The simplicity of Amador's designs is
juxposed by the fine materials employed, like
silk charmeuse or silk shantung.

"I like to work with high quality materials," she tells a visitor.

Amador's ready to wear clothes retail from $50 upward but
she will create special orders on demand. If you consider that
clothing in general is expensive these days, her prices don't
seem excessive. Besides, you are getting an item of clothing
handsewn by Amador and her team of two seamstresses.
With care, it will last a long time to be enjoyed again and again.

"People have to fall in love with my clothes," says the young
designer, a mother of two children. "Creating is my passion."

Noe Amador 
# 1804 Calle Loiza  tel. 787.428.8140

 ⓒ  2014 Lorraine Blasor    ✰All Rights Reserved☀

GMOS, Bodega Mendez & a good soy drink

One protest is never going to change the course
of events, but a voice that continues to be aired
does make itself heard over time, so it's
important to keep it going.

Bruce Cockburn

Photography by Juliette Blasor

THE RIGHT TO KNOW

If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

Thus, in the wake of last year's unsuccessful effort to get a GMO
labeling law in California, the torch has passed on to other states,
more specifically Washington state where a ballot initiative to
require labeling of GMO products is up for a vote in November.

Some 25 mainland states, and the territory of Puerto Rico, have
considered or are considering legislation to label genetically modified
products, according to a recent article posted at the Mother Jones
website. But it's steep going all the way and the first success to date
is more of a symbolic victory than anything else.

In June, legislators in Connecticut approved a bipartisan GMO
labeling bill, making it the first state in the nation to require food
manufacturers to identify products containing genetically engineered
ingredients. But the law comes with a catch: before it becomes law,
at least four other states must approve a similar law, these states
must have a combined population of at least 20 million people
and at least one must be a neighboring state (either New York,
Massachusetts, or Rhode Island).

According to Mother Jones, "this trigger clause" was meant
to protect Connecticut businesses from being put at a competitive
disadvantage. One cannot but think that this astute political
maneuver let Connecticut legislators gain points with consumers
while giving big business more time to do business as usual.

Something similar occurred in Maine where the state Senate gave its
initial backing to a GMO labeling bill which must now pass muster
in the House and Senate. Following the lead of Connecticut, passage
is conditional on four other states approving similar legislation.

Activists pursuing a GMO labeling law had eyed California because
it has a huge population and this would have probably convinced
food manufacturers to make the practical choice of labeling all
their products for sale nationwide rather than just cater to one state
alone.

As it turned out, not everyone in California seemed keen on knowing
whether GMOs were in their food. Or if they did care, consumers in
that state were willing to forfeit their right to know as long as food
costs held stable. And concern over food prices was precisely the
kind of fear biotech and  food companies played up in order to win
at the ballot box.

They did so through $46 million-worth of negative advertising that
warned consumers of the heavy price to pay if the bill was
approved: not only would GMO labeling jack up the cost
of groceries by $400 a year per California family but it would
also boost taxpayers' costs by millions. (An official California
state analysis estimated that the government would have to incur
costs ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to more
than $1 million to regulate the labeling of GE foods.)

Somehow, one gets the feeling that the public in California was
royally bamboozled. Why would identifying a GMO product
on the label make it any more expensive? After all, labels already
provide specific information to consumers so adding extra data
cannot possibly make that much difference especially since the
GMO label requirement can easily be met through an easy to
identify logo using the GMO acronym itself. And as for state costs,
surely a state could find a way to minimize expenses related to
GMO labeling through the mechanisms it already has in place
to oversee businesses in general.

American consumers take pride in their enviable way of life
and all the rights enjoyed in our excellent democracy which we
celebrate today on the fourth of July. But one of our basic rights,
which is the freedom of choice, is being trampled upon daily by
food companies terrified of losing sales if consumers find out the
product is GMO. These companies would prefer to keep
consumers in the dark on the theory that people will not buy GE
products out of fears or misconceptions about this science. Most
foods we currently buy contain genetically modified ingredients
since most of the corn and soy and much of the rice produced in
the U.S. is grown from genetically modified seeds.

There can be no real freedom of choice if consumers are kept
ignorant about the foods they buy. It should be the consumers'
prerogative to decide whether they want to buy a GMO
product, not the company's. As it is, the only way to avoid
GMOs these days is by buying organic products which are
grown from non-GMO seeds.

This state of affairs is wrong and deplorable. Some people
might even consider this conduct on the part of food
manufacturers as a form of cheating. That's because food
companies are making money by depriving consumers of
valuable information. And this is to deceive the American
public.

Is that part of the American way?

Another state moving in the direction of a labeling law is
Vermont whose state house recently voted in favor of a GMO
label. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the measure when it
reconvenes next January.

Meanwhile, the next big effort is in Washington state where
residents will be voting on a GMO labeling measure five months
from now, in November.

Photography by Denise Blasor

Our name will be forgotten in time,
and  no one will remember our works;
our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud,
 and be scattered like mist
 that is chased by the rays of the sun
 and overcome by its heat.
Wisdom 2.4

THE SOCIABLE BODEGA de MENDEZ

La Bodega de Mendez, in the San Juan suburb of Guaynabo,
is known for its wine selection and now there is an added
reason to visit the store: a farmers' market featuring agricultural
and artisanal products to be held on the company's grounds on
the first Saturday of every month.

The first fair will take place July 6, from 10 am to 6 pm. If you stop
by in the afternoon, there will be a wine tasting beginning at 3 pm.
for which you need to pay a fee: $10 (plus tax) for Bodega
members and $15 (plus tax) for the general public.

Reservations for the tasting can be made by calling 787.277.5880.
Road #20, Km. 2.4 Guaynabo, P.R.

By Denise Blasor

"And I asked myself about the present:
How wide it was, how deep it was,
how much was mine to keep."

Kurt Vonnegut

☛ EYE on PRODUCTS

A soy drink that is low in sugar but pretty
tasty is organic Vitasoy. It has only 3 
grams of sugar per 250 ml serving (1 cup)
and makes a good choice for fruit punches.
Add to it a banana, a mango or papaya,
some yogurt, whip in a blender, sprinkle
some cinnamon on the top and voila,
a delicious and nutritious summery drink!

Photography by Juliette Blasor

I too love everything that flows:
rivers, sewers, lava, semen, blood, bile,
words, sentences.
Henry Miller

© 2013 Lorraine Blasor all rights reserved

GMOs; Eyeglass Clinic; Free movies in SJ

 LABELING OF GM FOODS: YES OR NO

Photography by Denise Blasor

Do you have the right to know what's in the food you eat?

According to Monsanto, E.I.du Pont, PepsiCo, Bayer Cropscience, Dow Agrosciences, Nestle USA, Coca-Cola North America, and Conagra Foods, the answer to that question is NO.

These are the companies that a San Jose Mercury News story, published in August, listed as major contributors to the multimillion dollar campaign to defeat Proposition 37, a citizens' ballot initiative that, if approved on Election Day, would make California the first state in the U.S. to require the labeling of genetically engineered foods, including raw fruits and vegetables. Opponents raised $25 million to fight the initiative ( in contrast to under $3 million raised by supporters), with Monsanto donating the highest amount: $4.2 million. But then this company, a leading producer of GE seeds, has a vast stake in the GMO business.

Known as the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act, Proposition 37 is one of 11 measures that Californians will be asked to vote on (early voting begins Oct. 9). Its approval would have a significant impact: advocates say it could herald national labeling of GMO foods.

Considering that 75 to 85 percent of all processed foods contain GMOs, it
would seem a no-brainer that products should carry the GMO label. After all, many nations in Europe and other parts of the world label genetically engineered food. Not so the U.S. The only GMO mention stateside consumers are likely to see on a package or container is a disavowal by the manufacturer that the product in said package or container contains genetically engineered ingredients.

Why so much fear to inform consumers? Opponents argue that a label could confuse the public, lead to higher food prices, and harm the agricultural sector.

Proponents insist on their right to know. They also have serious concerns about the safety of GMOs even though the federal Food and Drug Administration insists they pose no health hazards. Some studies have raised red flags, however.  Earlier this month, Agence France Press reported that rats fed on a genetically-modified corn made by Monsanto or exposed to the weedkiller Roundup, also made by Monsanto, developed tumors, according to a study by scientists at the University of Caen. Meanwhile, scientists in Norway recently released the findings of a 10-year-long feeding study carried out on rats, mice, pigs and salmon which found a link between genetically engineered feed and obesity; the diet also resulted in significant changes in the digestive system and major organs.

Genetic engineering is the process of manipulating the DNA of organisms; as applied to agriculture, it entails tinkering with the basic genetic fabric of the food supply, modifying seeds so they will be able to withstand the use of herbicides and pesticides (some seeds are modified to carry the pesticide within them), or even adding new characteristics to enhance the nutrients in a crop. It's a complicated science and for many people, one filled with many unknowns and dangers.

Many consumers are comfortable buying GM foods. Others are not. But regardless of a person's stand on this white-hot issue, surely most consumers would agree that buyers are entitled to know what they are buying, especially in the case of a product that one ingests, feeds one's family, and has implications on individual health. It is time for companies that produce and sell GM foods to give up secrecy in favor of full disclosure. It's the right thing to do.

Photography by Juliette Blasor

Oh, the feeling of aloneness. 
Not lonely. But aloness.
Tracy Emin

 EYEGLASS CLINIC in San Juan

Photography by Denise Blasor

There are clinics for people, for pets, and yes, even for eyeglasses which can be a blessing

 if your glasses fall apart, like when the arm (known as temple) falls off and you're stuck with a skewed spectacle.

 Rafael Meinhofer is the reserved but efficient  man in charge of Clinica de Gafas, a repair center for eyeglasses and sun specs. His small store  might be easy to overlook except it is right next door  to Kamoli, the funky eatery on the corner of Taft and Loiza Street. Meinhofer will restore your glasses to good health, thus extending their useful life, but also provide other services like selling frames and making new glasses. The store is open Monday through Saturday.

Clinica de Gafas #1704 Loiza St.   
Monday-Friday: 9 am-1 pm; 2 - 4 pm

Saturday: 9 am - 1 pm         787.728.0450

                                

Photography by Denise Blasor

My eyes are tired. For over half a century,
they have gazed into nullity
where they have found a
lovely nothing.

James Joyce

FREE MOVIEs

Casa de la cultura Nilita Vientós Gastón has launched a series of monthly screenings of French and Spanish movies and the best thing is that it is free. The next movie in the lineup is L'enfer, a 1994 film by French director Claude Chabrol, featuring Emmanuelle Béart and Franḉois Cluzet in the leading roles. The plot centers on a husband who, suspecting his wife of being unfaithful, descends into paranoia.

Upcoming movies include: El verdugo by director L. García Berlanga on Oct. 24; French Cancan by Jean Renoir, Nov. 7; Viridiana, by Luis Buñuel, Nov. 28; Betty, by Claude Chabrol, Dec. 5; and Calabuch, by L. García Berlanga, Dec. 19. Sponsored by: Universidad del Este, the Alliance Franḉaise de Puerto Rico, and the Spanish Consulate in San Juan.

The screenings begin at 7 p.m. 

Casa de la cultura Nilita Vientós Gastón

#55 Cordero St., Ocean Park

 ( between Loiza Street and McLeary) 

© 2012 Lorraine Blasor All Rights Reserved♥