Tuesday, April 12, 2011

America Today!

Below, I explain each of these six big problems and why they threaten the future of America as we know it.

#1: Medicated Drivers

This is one of the most widely ignored problems in America today: While drunk drivers are widely condemned and incarcerated for taking the wheel while inebriated, the epidemic of medicated drivers is largely swept under the rug.
As much as one-third of all automobile accidents involve medicated drivers, I learned from a police captain in Tucson, Arizona. The aggregate harm caused by medicated drivers is now far worse than the harm caused by drunk drivers. Police rarely test drivers for being under the influence of medication even though many medications cause impaired judgment, lengthened reaction times and a loss of hand-eye coordination.

There is currently no national group focused on opposition to medicated drivers, either. This is the big problem on America's roads that no one is talking about (except
NaturalNews and a handful of other forward-thinking bloggers).

Remember: Popping pills and driving don't mix.

#2: Counterfeit Money Supply

By now, we all know that the Federal Reserve is counterfeiting the U.S. money supply by printing trillions of dollars (creating money out of thin air) to bail out rich Wall Street banksters.

If you or I did this, we'd be arrested for counterfeiting. But when the Fed does it, somehow it's all okay... even though the Fed isn't even part of the federal
government! Ron Paul was right: Audit the Fed! After all, why should the U.S. money supply be monopolized by a private corporation that doesn't even answer to the People?

#3: Zombie Population

The U.S. population has abandoned critical thinking skills to such an extent that even those people who manage to think just a little now appear downright brilliant.

Rather than a nation of critical thinkers, we have largely become a nation of zombie consumers who eat what they're told, buy what they're told, vote how they're told and even believe what they're told rather than thinking for themselves. The result is a fundamental shift towards a "nanny state" where people want their government leaders to take control of their lives rather than deciding things on their own.

This, of course, will only
lead us to socialism... the great refuge of lazy minds.

#4: Washington Whores

No, I'm not talking about the prostitutes in Washington D.C. who are probably running a more honest business than the metaphorical whores who sit in our nation's capitol. They are the politicians who take money from corporations to betray the People by favoring the legislative interests of Big Business.

It's happening across the board, too, from Big Pharma and Big Tobacco to agriculture,
chemicals, food companies, oil firms and defense contractors. All the biggest industries have managed to tilt our elected representatives in their direction, abandoning the needs of the people they claim to represent.

#5: Gunpoint Medicine

If you are a parent in America, it is illegal to refuse to participate in the sick-care system of toxic western medicine. When parents try to protect their children from toxic chemotherapy drugs or vaccines, they are threatened with arrest and imprisonment. Child Protective Services steps in and threatens to steal their children away, and court Judges order parents to subject their children to these toxic therapies or flee and become fugitives from the law. (I've documented much of this here on NaturalNews. Just search the website for stories on these topics if you want to learn more.)

It all makes you wonder: How bad does western
medicine have to become if it has to force compliance at gunpoint? What kind of system of healing subjects people to the tyranny we're seeing right now in America's "sick care" system? The answer is obvious: Western medicine doesn't work, and as more people walk away from it, the State is increasingly forcing people to subject themselves to its rule as a way to mandate compliance for increased corporate profits.

#6: Toxic Food Supply

I've been writing about the toxic food supply since 2003, when my first book Grocery Warning was introduced. (And many people before me were writing about it for decades.) Now, all of a sudden, the mainstream media has become aware of the issue (which is a good thing) and even CNN is running reports about the toxicity of BPA, the "plastics" chemical.

It won't take too many more years before even mainstream
scientists attack chemicals in the food supply in much the same way they once went after Big Tobacco. It doesn't take much thought to realize that if you want to support a healthy population, there's no room in the food supply for toxic synthetic chemicals that disrupt hormones, promote cancer and interfere with normal physiological function.

The real surprise will come when scientists one day realize that virtually the entire food supply is filled with toxic chemicals like MSG, aspartame, artificial colors, whiteners and flow agents. Mark my words: They will look back on 2010 in utter shock at how clueless our modern civilization was for feeding ourselves such poisons. (Echoes of the Roman Empire's lead poisoning come to mind...)

Beyond the six: Pharmaceutical pollution of the waterways and more...

While these six problems certainly present major threats to the future of life in America, there are many other threats that didn't make it into this particular CounterThink Cartoon.

In particular, there's the pharmaceutical pollution of our waterways caused by
drug factories dumping billions of doses of drugs down the drain. This situation is now so bad that the fish near all major U.S. cities are intoxicated with pharmaceutical chemicals.

We've also got other major problems with the political leadership of this country such as the erosion of personal virtue and the prioritizing of selfish gain over the common good. Virtually every elected representative in Washington now focuses most of their effort on staying in power rather than achieving practical advancements for the people who elected them to office.

Without question, America has lost much of what first made it great. But with conscious effort, it can regain its greatness.

I believe the American people have the spirit and the resources to halt the downfall of their country. The question remains, however: Will they choose to turn things around? Or will they instead settle for the path of comfortable degradation?


Learn more: America Today Article

Monday, April 4, 2011

White Velvet Fondant Cake: The PROCESS, RECIPE, & TUTORIAL



The following is pictures of when I did it. Then after the pictures, is the recipe for the actual cake itself. Following is the recipe and tutorial for the fondant. Hope you enjoy!

















Recipe: White Velvet Cake
Makes 7 1/2 cups batter, enough for two full 8" rounds or one 9x13" sheet.

1 box Pillsbury or Betty Crocker White or Vanilla cake mix 
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour (NOT all-purpose flour)
1/8 tsp salt

1 1/3 cups water
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter (lightly salted)
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract (optional)
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 1. In a large bowl, put water, extract (if using), eggs, melted butter and sour cream.  Mix well with paddle attachment.

2. Add cake mix, sugar, cake flour, and salt.

3. Mix with paddle attachment at medium speed for approximately 2 minutes, or until most lumps are worked out.  It is not necessary to work out all the lumps.

Pour into prepared pans and bake at 325 until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out
clean, or with just a crumb or two clinging to it.


Recipe: Marshmellow Fondant Tutorial
Yield: 3 lbs fondant

16 oz mini-marshmallows
2 lb powdered sugar
1 tbsp water
1 tsp corn syrup (optional)
1 tsp lemon extract (optional)

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Step 1: Melt marshmallows

Empty your bag of marshmallows into a large, microwave-safe bowl, and add water. Microwave until the marshmallows are puffed up and soft looking (about 2 minutes in my microwave).
Marshmallows in the microwave

Step 2: Grease a wooden spoon

This is really important - while your marshmallows are in the microwave, use a paper towel and some shortening to thoroughly lubricate a wooden spoon. Making marshmallow fondant is a sticky business, and this is one way to make it a little easier on yourself.

Greasing a wooden spoon

Step 3: Start to stir and add optional ingredients
Add your corn syrup and lemon extract, if you are using them. The corn syrup seems to help with flexibility of the fondant after it reaches room temperature, and the extract is for added flavor and to help cut the sweetness. The mixture should be kind of soupy as you stir it, and most of the marshmallows should be dissolved.

stirring MMF

If you want to color this entire batch, you can add color now, rather than trying to knead it in later.
adding color

stirring in color

Step 4: Adding powdered sugarGradually, begin to stir in the powdered sugar.
adding powdered sugar

adding powdered sugar

Continue stirring and adding powdered sugar until you have used about 2/3 of the bag. Stop when it becomes difficult to continue to stir with the spoon.
semi-solid MMF


Step 5 Turn out onto greased surface and knead

Turn out onto a greased surface. KEEPING IN MIND THAT IT IS HOT, begin CAREFULLY kneading with your hands, and gradually add in the rest of your bag of powdered sugar. You may not need to use the entire bag! You'll want to stop kneading when the fondant stops absorbing the powdered sugar, and it actually feels like warm fondant (this is where previous experience with fondant comes in handy). You may want to keep your shortening nearby so you can grease your hands as necessary.

* A special note about stand mixers: I know that some people use their stand mixer and hook attachment to mix their MMF. Some people are successful and have never had a problem, but I have read TOO MANY STORIES of people burning out their mixer's motor this way! It's not worth the risk, folks! Your stand mixer wasn't made for this!

kneading fondant

kneading fondant

When you've reached this point, it's time to grease the outside so that it won't dry out, and then put it in a gallon-sized ziploc bag to rest. It should rest for several hours, preferably overnight. Right now it is too warm and soft to use. greasing the outside

MMF in the bag

When you are ready to use your MMF, grease your work surface with shortening and a paper towel. Be sure to cover every spot, there is nothing worse than having your fondant stick to the mat!
greased work surface


The two most important things to have on hand when working with marshmallow fondant are shortening and a microwave. Marshmallow fondant does not loosen up with kneading, like traditional fondant.

This is fondant straight from the bag. If it is too hard to roll out, put it in the microwave in 5-second increments until it is kneadable. It's important to not "melt" your MMF! You just want to soften it enough so that you can knead it and roll it out! A liberal coating of shortening on your hands will assist with the kneading process.
MMF straight from bag

Roll out as you would for any other kind of fondant, and cover cake as usual.

rolling out MMF

Here is the actual cake that was made with this batch of MMF! (Difference in color is due to lighting.) The cake is a 9" and 6" round, and there were a few ounces of MMF left over.

finished MMF pink black paisley cake


This recipe makes 3 lbs of MMF, and costs me about $3.50 to make. This is highly economical, especially compared to the cost of pre-made fondant!

Store your MMF by wrapping as airtight as possible (double-bagged in ziploc bags works well). It will keep for a month or so. Just pop it in the microwave for 5-second increments and use your hands covered with shortening to make it soft and workable again. You'll know when the MMF is no longer "good". It will be hard as a rock and will not soften up in the microwave. Then it's time to toss it and make some more!