Do You Want BPA With That? Minnesota. "Hamburger Hill",

For "Foodie Friday":
BPA free plastic isn’t as safe as we thought


"A lot of information is floating around out there on the different types of plastics. Over the years we have learned that many plastics are known to be unsafe for use and that all plastics are a threat to our environment.

Recently the talk has been about dangers of the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA, a common component in clear plastics, has been found in our baby bottles, water bottles, food packaging, can linings and cash register receipts.

Most green enthusiasts (and even those that aren’t) have been diligently avoiding plastic containing bisphenol-A (BPA) for quite some time. BPA has been shown to leach into our foods and act as a hormone-disrupting synthetic estrogen, causing cancer, obesity, diabetes, early puberty and other health problems. As conscientious consumers, many of us sought out plastic containers wearing a sticker proclaiming the product was BPA free. By purchasing products labeled BPA free we thought we were safe.

Turns out we were wrong. BPA free might not be enough. 

 National Public Radio (NPR) aired a story on a study released from Georgetown University, PlastiPure, and CertiChem (a chemical testing company). In the study these companies tested more than 450 plastic products, including many labeled BPA free, and found that more than 90 percent of the plastics (even those that were BPA free) released chemicals that mimic estrogen (the same claims against BPA). They found that sometimes the BPA free products released chemicals having more estrogen activity than BPA-containing products.


Even though a product is considered BPA-free it could still be releasing high levels of other chemicals that mimic estrogen.  What can we do?   Just say no to plastic."

Rest of article at: http://groovygreenlivin.com/2011/03/bpa-free-plastic-isnt-as-safe-as-we-thought/
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Plastics Chemical Affects U.S. More Than Canada: Study

Plastics Chemical Affects U.S. More Than Canada: Study


Levels of BPA higher in Americans; Canadians have declared it a health hazard.

(HealthDay News) -- Concentrations of bisphenol A -- a chemical commonly used in making plastics -- are much lower in Canadians than Americans, a new study has found.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in a wide range of common products, from food packaging to electronic equipment and cars. Studies have shown that the chemical affects the reproductive systems of animals and this has raised concerns that it may have similar harmful effects in humans.

In October 2010, Canada became the first country in the world to declare BPA a health hazard."
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99% of Pregnant Women in US Test Positive for Multiple Chemicals Including Banned Ones, Study Suggests


ScienceDaily — "The bodies of virtually all U.S. pregnant women carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products, according to a new study from UCSF. The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

Analyzing data for 163 chemicals, researchers detected polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), phenols, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and perchlorate in 99 to 100 percent of pregnant women. Among the chemicals found in the study group were PBDEs, compounds used as flame retardants now banned in many states including California, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane ( DDT), an organochlorine pesticide banned in the United States in 1972.

Bisphenol A (BPA), which makes plastic hard and clear, and is found in epoxy resins that are used to line the inside of metal food and beverage cans, was identified in 96 percent of the women surveyed. Prenatal exposure to BPA has been linked to adverse health outcomes, affecting brain development and increasing susceptibility to cancer later in life, according to the researchers."
More at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110114081653.htm
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On This Day:


Minnesota enters the Union, May 11, 1858:


"Minnesota enters the Union as the 32nd state on May 11, 1858.  Known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," Minnesota is the northern terminus of the Mississippi River's traffic and the westernmost point of the inland waterway that extends through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway to the Atlantic Ocean. The Ojibwe and the Dakota were among the Native people who first made this land their home, and white settlement of the area began in 1820 with the establishment of Fort Snelling. In 1849, Minnesota became a U.S. territory.

The building of railroads and canals brought a land boom during the 1850s, and Minnesota's population swelled from only 6,000 in 1850 to more than 150,000 by 1857. Chiefly a land of small farmers, Minnesota supported the Union in the Civil War and supplied large quantities of wheat to the Northern armies. Originally settled by migrants of British, German, and Irish extraction, Minnesota saw a major influx of Scandinavian immigrants during the 19th century. Minnesota's "Twin Cities"--Minneapolis and St. Paul--grew out of Fort Snelling, the center of early U.S. settlement."
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Paratroopers battle for "Hamburger Hill", May 11, 1969:


"U.S. and South Vietnamese forces battle North Vietnamese troops for Ap Bia Mountain (Hill 937), one mile east of the Laotian border. The battle was part of Operation Apache Snow, a 2,800-man Allied sweep of the A Shau Valley. The purpose of the operation was to cut off North Vietnamese infiltration from Laos and enemy threats to Hue and Da Nang. U.S. paratroopers pushing northeast found the communist forces entrenched on Ap Bia Mountain. In fierce fighting directed by Maj. Gen. Melvin Zais, the mountain came under heavy Allied air strikes, artillery barrages, and 10 infantry assaults. The communist stronghold was captured on May 20 in the 11th attack, when 1,000 troops of the 101st Airborne Division and 400 South Vietnamese soldiers fought their way to the summit of the mountain.

During the intense fighting, 597 North Vietnamese were reported killed and U.S. casualties were 56 killed and 420 wounded. Due to the bitter fighting and the high loss of life, the battle for Ap Bia Mountain was dubbed "Hamburger Hill" by the U.S. media."
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Yesterday:

Jay and I mounted the shadow box on the wall, so I was able to put some family things on it.  One is a china tea pot that has been in the family for many years.  I brought it here from England when I went back in 1981.  It is used whenever my brother and sisiter-in-law visit from England.

Wispies had grown up on the front lawn again, so Jay quickly mowed.  It is still cool enough that the windows and doors can be open for half the day.