Our Break Room

Having become more health conscience over the past decade and becoming more aware of the health concerns sugars cause in children, I began to look for a different approach to the traditional passing out of candy for this Halloween. I stumbled upon an article put out by the Green Halloween Organization that put it into perspective and solidified my concern to make a difference in promoting a healthier life style for the little ghouls this year.

GMOs or genetically modified organisms are not something new, yet we often times fail to think about them and how they affect our health when it comes to a holiday such as Halloween and all the fun candies we traditionally pass out to all the costume wearing children that ring our door bells.

Many common GMOs are found in the favorite trick-or-treat candies on the market today. Genetically modified organisms are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). It is an experimental technology which merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and viral genes that cannot occur in nature or in traditional crossbreeding.

Picture The Mad Scientist in the lab mixing varies potions(GMOs) to create monsters(candy) and then feeding it to your children and/or grandchildren.

Listed below are 10 GMO ingredients found in Halloween Candy.

1. Sugar (GMO sugar beets)
2. High fructose corn syrup (GMO corn)
3. Corn starch(GMO corn)
4. Soy lecithin (GMO soy)
5. Soybean oil (GMO soy)
6. Modified food starch (GMO corn)
7. Fructose, dextrose, glucose (GMO corn)
8. Cottonseed oil (GMO cotton)
9. Canola oil (GMO canola)
10. “Other” ingredients: isolates, isoflavones, food starch, vegetable oil.

The number one reason to avoid GMOs as listed on the Institute for Responsible Technology is that they are just plain unhealthy. The article states: The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) urges doctors to prescribe non-GMO diets for all patients. They cite animal studies showing organ damage, gastrointestinal and immune system disorders, accelerated aging, and infertility. Human studies show how genetically modified (GM) food can leave material behind inside us, possibly causing long-term problems. To read the full article go here [Link]

Chiropractic has known this information for years and has always promoted an organic or unmodified diet for a healthier lifestyle in addition to getting adjusted regularly.

Studies show some of the most common illnesses linked to GMOs are. Is this what we want for our children or grand children? I don’t think so.

1. Rheumatoid arthritis
2. Inflammatory bowel disease
3. Osteoporosis
4. Atherosclerosis
5. Various types of cancer
6. Allergies
7. Lou Gehrig’s disease

With at least 10 GMOs found in Halloween Candy, you ask yourself what can I do to provide a healthier treat selection for the ghost and goblins at my door this year? As a grandma wanting a better life style for my grandchildren I ask myself, what can I put in their trick or treat bag that will make me feel better about the choice I’ve made and still be as enjoyable to them.

Here are a few ideas I came up with for healthier treats:

1. Halloween themed pencils
2. Money
3. Balloons
4. Stickers
5. Organic snacks

This Halloween treat your trickers with a healthy treat that will lessen the toxins they may currently be exposed to.
More information on GMOs and additional ideas for healthier treats and snacks can be found at: http://www.greenhalloween.org/2011nongmoguide.pdf
This helpful guide is provided by the partnership of Green Halloween http://www.greenhalloween.org and Non-GMO Project http://www.NonGMOProject.com

Continuous learning is essential in today’s world.  With the kids all heading back to school why not get yourself back to school too.  A self-education can be very beneficial in expanding your knowledge within your own profession or landing a new career.  For more information on getting a free education,  check out this site for the article  “12 Dozen Places to Educate Yourself”.  Mark and Angel Hack Life.

Ladies and Gentleman:

Eliminate the waste while packing your lunch.  Look at these nifty reusable snack and sandwich bags.  Might be a little on the pricey side but imagine all the baggies you will never have to buy again.  For more information visit: Snack Taxi

Jacquie Lawson is an online site for e-greeting cards.

Here is one of my favorites for this holiday season.

http://www.jacquielawson.com/viewcard.asp?code=ER13610552

Here is the link to her site for other cards. http://www.jacquielawson.com/

This article written by John T. McCutcheon was posted in the Chicago Tribune on September 30, 1907.

Yep, sonny this is sure enough Injun summer. Don’t know what that is, I reckon, do you? Well, that’s when all the homesick Injuns come back to play; You know, a long time ago, long afore yer granddaddy was born even, there used to be heaps of Injuns around here—thousands—millions, I reckon, far as that’s concerned. Reg’lar sure ‘nough Injuns—none o’ yer cigar store Injuns, not much. They wuz all around here—right here where you’re standin’.

Don’t be skeered—hain’t none around here now, leastways no live ones. They been gone this many a year.

They all went away and died, so they ain’t no more left.

But every year, ‘long about now, they all come back, leastways their sperrits do. They’re here now. You can see ’em off across the fields. Look real hard. See that kind o’ hazy misty look out yonder? Well, them’s Injuns—Injun sperrits marchin’ along an’ dancin’ in the sunlight. That’s what makes that kind o’ haze that’s everywhere—it’s jest the sperrits of the Injuns all come back. They’re all around us now.

See off yonder; see them tepees? They kind o’ look like corn shocks from here, but them’s Injun tents, sure as you’re a foot high. See ’em now? Sure, I knowed you could. Smell that smoky sort o’ smell in the air? That’s the campfires a-burnin’ and their pipes a-goin’.

Lots o’ people say it’s just leaves burnin’, but it ain’t. It’s the campfires, an’ th’ Injuns are hoppin’ ’round ’em t’beat the old Harry.

You jest come out here tonight when the moon is hangin’ over the hill off yonder an’ the harvest fields is all swimmin’ in the moonlight, an’ you can see the Injuns and the tepees jest as plain as kin be. You can, eh? I knowed you would after a little while.

Jever notice how the leaves turn red ’bout this time o’ year? That’s jest another sign o’ redskins. That’s when an old Injun sperrit gits tired dancin’ an’ goes up an’ squats on a leaf t’rest. Why I kin hear ’em rustlin’ an’ whisper in’ an’ creepin’ ’round among the leaves all the time; an’ ever’ once’n a while a leaf gives way under some fat old Injun ghost and comes floatin’ down to the ground. See—here’s one now. See how red it is? That’s the war paint rubbed off’n an Injun ghost, sure’s you’re born.

Purty soon all the Injuns’ll go marchin’ away agin, back to the happy huntin’ ground, but next year you’ll see ’em troopin’ back—th’ sky jest hazy with ’em and their campfires smolderin’ away jest like they are now.

Injun Summer by John T. McCutcheon.

These are true statements: IT’S Scary out there!

1. We had to have the garage door repaired.  The Sears repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a ‘large’ enough motor on the opener.  I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.  He shook his head and said, “Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower.”  I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4.  He said, “NO, it’s not. Four is larger than two…”

We haven’t used Sears repair since.
Homer Glen, IL

~~

2. My daughter and I went through the McDonald’s take-out window and  I gave the clerk a $5 bill.  Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her a quarter.  She said, “You gave me too much money.”  I said, “Yes I  know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back.”  She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request.  I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said “We’re sorry but we cannot do that kind of thing.” The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change.

Bedford, PA

~~

3.  I live in a semi-rural area.  We recently had a new neighbor call the local township administrative office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road.  The reason: “Too many deer are being hit by cars out here!  I don’t think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.”

From  Kingman ,  KS .

~~

4. My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and ordered a taco.  She asked the person behind the counter for ‘minimal lettuce.’  He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.

From  Daytona Beach, FL

~~

5. I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, “Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?”  To which I replied, “If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?”  He smiled knowingly and nodded, “That’s why we ask.”

Happened in Birmingham,  Ala.

~~

6. The stop-light on the corner buzzes when it’s safe to cross the street.   I was crossing with an intellectually challenged co-worker of mine.  She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for.  I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.  Appalled, she responded, “What on earth are blind people doing driving?

She was a probation officer in  Wichita ,  KS.

~~

7. I attended a “good-bye” luncheon for an old and dear co-worker.  She was leaving the company due to ‘downsizing.’ Our manager commented cheerfully, “This is fun.  We should do this more often.”  Not another word was spoken.  We all just looked at each other with that “deer-in-the-headlights” stare.

This was a lunch at Texas Instruments.

Dallas, TX

~~

8. I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her life, couldn’t understand why her system would not turn on.

A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriff’s office, no less.
~~

9. When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver side door.  As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.  “Hey,” I announced to the technician, “It’s open!”  His reply, “I know.   I already got that side.”

This was at the Ford dealership in  Canton ,  MS.

~~

I love this one!:

10. When I left Hawaii and was transferred to FL, I still had the Hawaiian plates on my car, as my car was shipped from Hawaii . I was parking somewhere (I can’t remember) and a guy asked me “Wow, you drove from  Hawaii  to here?” I looked at him and quickly said “Yep. I took the Hawaii/San Francisco Bridge.” He nodded his head and said “Cool!”

STAY ALERT!

They walk among us… and they VOTE… and they REPRODUCE…!!

With the recent controversy over more intrusive airport screenings by the Transportation Security Administration (a wholly owned subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security), the TSA wants to adopt a new slogan so that it’s more “in touch with Americans,” a TSA spokesman said. “A warm, touchy feely concept to make our subjects — uh, citizens — more comfortable.”

Suggestions have been coming in daily from all across the country. Some of the best
* TSA: We Rub You the Wrong Way So You Can Be On Your Way

* TSA: We Are Now Free to Move About Your Pants

* TSA: Don’t Worry! My hands are Still Warm From the Last Guy.

* TSA: It’s Not “Groping” – It’s “Freedom Patdowns”.

* TSA: We Handle More Packages Than the Postal Service!

* TSA: If We Did Our Job Any Better, We’d Have to Buy You Dinner First.

* TSA: Want to Fly? Then Drop Your Fly.

* TSA: Only We Know if Lady Gaga is Really a Lady!

* TSA: Grope Discounts Available

* TSA: When We’re in Doubt You’ll Whip it Out

and…

* TSA: You Can’t See London You Can’t See France Unless We See Your Underpants

Taken from:

http://y2u.co.uk/Jokes_Funny/greatest-short-joke-in-the-world.html

Are you beginning to stress with the opening of school just a few short weeks away.  Well, stress no more!  A Happy Hippy Mom is here to help.

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Now that’s a DEAL!

Do you have a tendency to doodle while talking on the phone with patients or waiting on hold for the insurance company?  Have you ever wondered what all that doodling means?

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Looking for something fun to do with the family this 4th of July Holiday? Let Kaboose help you.  Whether you are traveling or staying at home   they have a wide variety of activities, recipes and fun things to do with your family.