dangerousmeta!, the original new mexican miscellany, offering eclectic linkage since 1999.

IBT: Deformed Fish, Eyeless Shrimp Linked To BP Oil Spill, Researcher Says.

And yet, they supposedly are testing as ‘safe’. Would you eat clearly deformed seafood, if declared ‘safe’?

Not I.

Later: And it gets worse.

New Scientist TV: Pig ash could reveal how people spontaneously combust.

“While many scientists have tried to replicate the phenomenon, a recent experiment by biologist Brian J. Ford  is the first to demonstrate a feasible cause. To test his theory that people can explode when there is a build-up of acetone in their body, Ford burned human models made of pork belly marinated in the solvent. The flammable substance can be produced from ketosis, as a result of conditions like alcoholism or low-carbohydrate dieting.” Bleurgh.

SF New Mexican:  Food-truck culture clashes in Santa Fe.

“’“We were surprised to find that our steadiest customer base is retirees,’ she said, instead of the young hipsters that usually flock to food trucks in larger cities. This so-called graying of Santa Fe is a refrain that has been on the city’s radar recently, as tourism officials are now actively seeking new ways to lure younger tourists.” Santa Fe is a decidedly ‘gray’ town, I have to say.

Nature: Companies set to fight food-label plan.

I admire the effort, but it may be a waste of time. I think everything’s adulterated now. Welcome to the big beta-test.

Pacific Standard: Adding a Crock Pot to the Environmental Arsenal.

Riiiiight. Like this will work for, say, the feral cat problem.

SF New Mexican: Actors test local servers.

“We want to assist retailers and establishments to recognize and effectively deal with an intoxicated person for two reasons [snip] … to comply with current laws but also to provide a healthier community. What we would love to see is no sales to intoxicated persons.” I think this is great. Testing establishments’ reactions without the penalties, giving them a chance to change their procedures.

Ahhh.

Aberlour 12 year. Verrrrry nice. Esp. for the price ($45-$55).

Pacific Standard: Why There Is No Good Green Chile Outside New Mexico.

“Would the chile benefit from a Mardi Gras-esque festival? Almost certainly not; the roasting is about patience, not volume. Is there any risk of that happening anyway? Not yet. It would appear the New Mexicans are quietly content keeping their best stuff to themselves.” I should start a FedEx ship-the-freshly-roasted-flash-frozen good-stuff biz. We’re basically pickling ourselves in green right now, every meal.

Cornucopia Institute: Is the USDA a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monsanto?

Alarming.

Reuters: One of every 100 U.S. whites has celiac disease.

“Everhart and his colleagues are continuing the survey to gather more numbers showing which groups of people appear to be most at risk of celiac disease, and whether the health of people with celiac disease is different from those without it.” Seems asking for gluten-free anything is the latest joke these days. It’s not a joke for those of us who really suffer from ‘glutening.’

NY Times: In Iowa, Deep-Fried Butter on a Stick.

“Of course, we know these foods are obesity and heart disease on a stick. It’s sort of like bungee jumping: you’ll hurtle toward the valley floor, but your sense of satiety will snap you back before you hit the rocks. There’s only so much you can eat in an evening without slamming on the brakes.” One comment: GACK.

Pacific Standard: Is the Apple-ocalypse Upon Us?

What?!!

Discover Magazine: How a Tick Bite Made Me Allergic to Meat.

I have never heard of such a thing! “… something in some ticks’ saliva stimulates the human immune system to produce antibodies to a sugar present in mammalian meat, though not poultry and fish, called galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal for short). The next time an unsuspecting meat lover chows down on a hamburger, those antibodies could rally a systemic allergic reaction.” Good grief.

FT.com: Environment - The end of the line.

Endangered fish, specifically. “The collapse mentioned in the report refers primarily to economic rather than biological extinction, he added, meaning stocks could decline to the point it no longer pays to fish for them. But both prospects are disconcerting.”

BBC News: US corn price forecast to rise sharply.

“It [USDA} now thinks that this year’s corn yield - the amount produced per acre - will be the lowest since 1995-96. It predicts farm prices for corn will average $7.50-$8.90 per bushel. In July had predicted $5.40-$6.40 per bushel.” Get ready for some grocery shopping pain. The food industry’s going to reel from this, looking for a quick and cheap replacement filler for foods.

danmala : mandala art.

Flower petals and veg as mandalas. What a great concept.

AutoBlog: GMO crops so tough that farmers are turning to Kevlar tractor tires.

“Take genetically modified organisms (GMO) for instance. For now, let’s ignore the controversy over its safety, usefulness and ethical issues. The main issue for those guys actually growing and harvesting the stuff is much more practical. As it turns out, corn modified to stand tall and tough against pests is also wreaking havoc on tractor tires.” My emphasis.

Youtube: Jamie Oliver, Potato or Tomato?

A bit old, perhaps … but I hadn’t seen it before. Trending today: Elementary schoolkids can’t identify vegetables.

ArtDaily: Mexican archaeologists find that Mayans may have used chocolate 2,500 years ago.

“But the discovery announced this week by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History expands the envelope of how chocolate may have been used in ancient Mexico. It would also suggest that there may be ancient roots for traditional dishes eaten in today’s Mexico, such as mole, the chocolate-based sauce often served with meats.”

Science Daily: Artificial butter flavoring ingredient linked to key Alzheimer’s disease process.

“DA gives microwave popcorn its distinctive buttery taste and aroma. DA also forms naturally in fermented beverages such as beer, and gives some chardonnay wines a buttery taste.”

Daily Impact: From American Drought to “Global Catastrophe.”

“In a country where the average consumer spends well under 10 per cent of her income on food, this is hardly an alarm bell. For hundreds of thousands of people around the world, however, another spike in food prices is  a death sentence.”

AlphaGalileo: Varying levels of carcinogens found in cola worldwide.

“Chemical reactions between the sugar and ammonia result in the production of 4-MI, which causes lung and liver and thyroid cancer and leukemia in laboratory animals in studies conducted by the US Government. Colouring is available that does not contain 4-MI but it is four times more expensive, so is not purchased by the beverage companies.”

SciAm: Drought Devastates U.S. Maize and Soya Crops.

“The direct impact of the increase in maize and soya bean prices will be felt in net importing countries such as Mexico and China. The price hikes are unlikely to affect sub-Saharan Africa directly, because people there tend to consume locally produced maize and are not major consumers of soya beans ...”

ArtDaily: Winterthur celebrates the culture of wine in major exhibition.

Winterthur is an awesome destination just by itself; this makes it doubly attractive. Recommended.

Men’s Health News: BPA Detected in Cash.

Thermal printed receipts. Who knew? I already keep mine in a Zip-Loc.