| Schrocks' milk is good, old-fashioned
The finest glass of milk I ever tasted came from a bottle of raw (unpasteurized) milk that was clearly labeled "for pet consumption only." It was light-textured, had the mild fragrance of wind blowing over a summer pasture, and had a flavor as finely balanced as a glass of excellent wine -- sweet, salty and acidic. (Nearly every health authority in North America and Europe warns that consumption of raw milk exposes you to a variety of hazardous milk-borne pathogens.) .
Red-faced over 'dogfight'
NEW DELHI: It may have been just a line in FM P Chidambaram's 30-page budget speech, but sometimes a few words become indelible. It happened to BJP leader Yashwant Sinha when he was labelled "rollback FM" and it happened even earlier to Congress veteran N D Tiwari when he presented what came to known as the "bindi budget".
The budget announcement bringing down duty on pet foods from 30% to 20% seemed innocuous enough, but has now led to several red faces in Congress with even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apparently somewhat taken aback by the "relief" finding mention in FM's speech.
If that was not enough, the sparring between minister of state for commerce Jairam Ramesh and Left over the minister's suggestion that Communists eat dog food has only made matters worse.
Cyclones: so much to be grateful for…
Those of us with memories of cyclones Alix, Carol, Gervaise amongst others will no doubt acknowledge that in the matter of advance warning and coping with cyclones we have made much headway in this country. Natural catastrophes overwhelm the capacities of even the most developed nations: the after-effects of perhaps the worst cyclone in the history of the US, Katrina which swept through and devastated New Orleans, are still being felt. And as global warming pursues its relentless march, we are likely to have to face such extremes of climate with increasing frequency and at unusual periods of the known weather cycles in all regions. So say the experts, and we have already been witnessing this around the world with flash floods, droughts and eruptions of various kinds. Unfortunately, as if these were not enough, we have chronic conflict zones where humans beings have decided that they will surpass natures destructive tendencies and specialize voire delight in exterminating each other.
PACKAGE DEALS Package deals: Cooking en papillote 1 2 3
Cooking en papillote, a grown-up version of campfire foil meals, is guaranteed to bring a little drama to your next dinner party. In this traditional French technique, fish or meat and vegetables are wrapped in individual parchment paper packets and baked. The paper holds in the heat, gently steaming the food in its own juices. At the table each guest is served a neatly gift-wrapped dinner hot from the oven. As the slightly browned, puffed packages are slit open, steam pours out in a whoosh, filling the air with fragrant aromas as the meal within is revealed. "It's a very fun way to cook," says Phyllis Brock, a Master Food Volunteer in Johnson County. "It looks very pretty and impressive — perfect for a party." Actually, parchment paper packets are a hostess's dream.
Pet ownership can be a pricey proposition
SAN FRANCISCO - Few pet owners consider the years of spending ahead of them when they first pick up that puppy with the limpid eyes, but the costs add up quickly. U.S. consumers spent $36.3 billion on their animals in 2005, up from just $17 billion in 1994, according to the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association. That jump hasn't been fueled so much by pet-cost inflation as by human shopping weakness. ''There's a whole lot of new ways to spend money that you don't need to,'' said Stephen Zawistowski, executive vice president for national programs at the ASPCA in New York. ''All of the basic stuff you need for your dog or cat, they haven't really changed,'' he said, pointing to good food and veterinary care. But ''all of the other bling that's come out - that's for you, it's not for your dog.
Getting New Food Guide as Easy as Going to Store
In an effort to help the residents of Middlesex-London better plan nutritious meals and eat healthy foods, the Middlesex-London Health Unit is making it easy to get a copy of Canada's new food guide. The Heath Unit has obtained 60,000 copies of Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide, and is making the booklets available at supermarkets across the county and the city. "The new food guide is a very useful tool when it comes to planning nutritious meals and ensuring that you get the nutrients you need to be healthy," says Heather Thomas, Public Health Dietitian with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. "We felt it was important to find a simple way to get this booklet into as many hands as possible - making it available when you're stocking up on groceries was a natural fit." Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide is also available for download on Health Canada's website or by calling 1-800-O-Canada.
AgFeed Named Safe Animal Food Supplier In China
AgFeed Industries, a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of animal nutrition products targeting China's vast and growing animal feed market, has been honored as one of China's Top Ten Suppliers of Safe Animal Food. AgFeed won the award in the Safe Agricultural Products category by the China National Agricultural Wholesale Market Association, China's agricultural channel CCTV-7, and China Agricultural Movie & Television Association. Junhong Xiong, CEO of AgFeed, commented, "Safe animal food is essential for healthy animal growth and food safety for humans. As China's standard of living continues to rise, demand for high quality meat product is increasing dramatically. AgFeed is proud to receive this national recognition. As a leader in China's vast animal nutritional food market, AgFeed adopts strict quality-control procedures to ensure product safety.
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