The Grapevine (OFF TOPIC CHAT) Part II

Oldtree

I don't eat eggs and it drives me nuts that packaging says "may contain traces of egg" in the small print.

Animord

Oldtree wrote: »

I don't eat eggs and it drives me nuts that packaging says "may contain traces of egg" in the small print.

Yes, I am never really sure what it actually means.

does it mean that there actually really might be egg there or does it just mean that egg has been used previously on the line but it has been stripped and washed in between times.

--LOS--

Animord wrote: »

It is so stupid, isn't it? Utterly unnecessary ingredients and at least you know to read labels (though I can see why you got caught out on that one) - think what people who never read labels are eating.

Ye I usually just make it myself, well I just mush avocados up and call it guacamole, but they're never ripe enough in the supermarket. I ate it but I won't be getting it again :P


I have to read the labels in dutch as well so it's a bit tough, all the dutch I know is the words for all the dairy and meat stuff

Oldtree

Animord wrote: »

Yes, I am never really sure what it actually means.

does it mean that there actually really might be egg there or does it just mean that egg has been used previously on the line but it has been stripped and washed in between times.

either way I'm not eating it, esp as any eggs in factories come from battery sources.

Tar.Aldarion

Animord wrote: »

Yes, I am never really sure what it actually means.

does it mean that there actually really might be egg there or does it just mean that egg has been used previously on the line but it has been stripped and washed in between times.

It means it was used in the line, this is true for most products, I doubt its something you can really avoid. Even if they wash down the line before the vegan product the product still says that on the package. Green & blacks for instance.

loveisdivine

My Vegan Ireland supporter card arrived today

Jenneke87

--LOS-- wrote: »

Ye I usually just make it myself, well I just mush avocados up and call it guacamole, but they're never ripe enough in the supermarket. I ate it but I won't be getting it again :P


I have to read the labels in dutch as well so it's a bit tough, all the dutch I know is the words for all the dairy and meat stuff

I can make you a list if you like(live in nl as well) and our funny language can be tricky at times.

Oldtree

--LOS-- wrote: »

Ye I usually just make it myself, well I just mush avocados up and call it guacamole, but they're never ripe enough in the supermarket. I ate it but I won't be getting it again :P

To ripen the avocado you could leave it near a south facing window, mine seem to ripen nicely there. Leaving it near some ripening bananas may help too.

Towards the end of the gardening season I get a glut of tomatoes from the polytunnel that are green. It gets damp at that time of the year and the tomatoes wouldn't last long in the polytunnel at that time. I put all the green tomatoes into a brown paper bag with a ripening banana, fold over the top of the bag to seal it somewhat and leave it on a south facing windowsill. This ripens the tomatoes very quickly. Once the tomatoes ripen they have to be removed from the bag as they will over ripen very quickly too.

Oldtree

Just got a nice pair of boots delivered today, ordered Tuesday and posted Wednesday from Brighton:

http://www.vegetarian-shoes.co.uk/casual___skate/alpha_boot_black/10196_p.html

Ms. Koi

I will never comprehend the reasoning behind some ingredients!
Why in the name of all that is holy is pork/bovine gelatine so vital in yoghurt?? I can't go diary free (and not mad pushed on it either way) but have been veggie for nearly 9 years. I do not understand why they put it in? I was sitting down to a delicious smelling fat free lemon greek yoghurt, just about to take a mouthful and checked the pack (in the bin!) and there was pork gelatine in it.
Never ceases to amaze me

Tar.Aldarion

Yeah that was always very annoying, at least now we can get the alpro soya yogurts, which are unreal! 500g Lemon and lime one sitting in the fridge, good times, I got a date with that coming up.

Mmm vegan coconut cream twinkies
http://thefrostedvegan.com/2014/06/24/homemade-twinkies-coconut-whipped-cream-filling/

chinacup

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Don't need to freeze it that long, as long as it is frozen and thawed it completely changes the texture, makes it much much tastier. Really don't like tofu much when it hasn't been frozen. Was discovered in Japan by accident when they left it outside at night to keep it cool It's also much nicer marinated , mm, completely different food then.

Chickpeas are a super food, make them into anything..hummous...falafel etc. God speed frozen lunch. Everybody here is off for pizza, I have a sandwich, bad times.

Might be a silly question but do you freeze the tofu raw?

Animord

kellief wrote: »

I will never comprehend the reasoning behind some ingredients!
Why in the name of all that is holy is pork/bovine gelatine so vital in yoghurt?? I can't go diary free (and not mad pushed on it either way) but have been veggie for nearly 9 years. I do not understand why they put it in? I was sitting down to a delicious smelling fat free lemon greek yoghurt, just about to take a mouthful and checked the pack (in the bin!) and there was pork gelatine in it.
Never ceases to amaze me

I don't know if this is a rhetorical question, but the gelatine is there because the fat has been taken out - it is to give it the right texture. Eat real food, ie with the fat that is meant to be there left in and you wont have so many unwanted ingredients.

Tar.Aldarion

chinacup wrote: »

Might be a silly question but do you freeze the tofu raw?

Yeah just as you get it, I remove it from the pack, cut it into large cubes, clingfilm it in the freezer.

Killer_banana

Friend of mine is intolerant to dairy (and quite a few other things). Was about to buy roast chicken before when she noticed it contained milk. I can't see why you put in/on chicken.

Zombienosh

chicken contains milk? maybe it had some sort of dressing or marinade on it?

Killer_banana

Zombienosh wrote: »

chicken contains milk? maybe it had some sort of dressing or marinade on it?

According to her it was meant to be just plain roast chicken. I think it was one of those rotisseries ones. Even if it is a marinade seems like a needless ingredient. I've never heard of anyone liking their meat milky. :P

Animord

milk solids from butter probably.

loveisdivine

I've been vegan for about, 4 months I think and I've lost so much weight! I've just passed the 1 stone mark I've gone from 10 stone 10 down to 9 stone 7.

loveisdivine

Right, this is totally off topic but I wanted to get it off my chest.

I found out this morning that there was a protest happening in our estate because people found out that a paedophile is living in the estate next to a playground.

Firstly, obviously I do not support this man or condone his actions, but I must say I am disturbed by the communities response. Everyone seems to have some sort of of violent revenge fantasy! All these horrible acts they would "love" to commit against this man as some sort of justice. Theres a load of people on facebook all commenting about what they would like to do to him and then "liking" all the posts.

Do people not see how damaging it is to encourage this kind of response? Do they not see how sick it is for them to want to get such violent and nasty "revenge"?

Lately I've been trying to live my life with more compassion, approaching life with a positive attitude and trying to spread a peaceful, loving vibe. I really believe that its the only way we will evolve and this kind of revenge fantasy stuff really creeps me out.

henryporter

loveisdivine wrote: »

Right, this is totally off topic but I wanted to get it off my chest.

I found out this morning that there was a protest happening in our estate because people found out that a paedophile is living in the estate next to a playground.

Firstly, obviously I do not support this man or condone his actions, but I must say I am disturbed by the communities response. Everyone seems to have some sort of of violent revenge fantasy! All these horrible acts they would "love" to commit against this man as some sort of justice. Theres a load of people on facebook all commenting about what they would like to do to him and then "liking" all the posts.

Do people not see how damaging it is to encourage this kind of response? Do they not see how sick it is for them to want to get such violent and nasty "revenge"?

Lately I've been trying to live my life with more compassion, approaching life with a positive attitude and trying to spread a peaceful, loving vibe. I really believe that its the only way we will evolve and this kind of revenge fantasy stuff really creeps me out.

It's the times old "Mob rules" mentality - I've seen them out a few times when someone's been arrested for a murder or some such. Funnily enough though they never seemed to get the lynch mobs out for any religious paedophilia - shows a compounding double standard to boot.

Totally agreed though - we need to find better ways of dealing with our emotions and lives if we ever want to evolve. Not so off-topic IMO as the link between the slow pace of evolution and the unnecessary harvesting of other animals for food is very strong.

loveisdivine

Its frustrating because whenever you try and approach the topic of changing the way we approach life in general, they just laugh and brush you off as some new age hippie.

Don't get me wrong, I secretly love it when I'm accused of being a dirty hippie, cos I love being one! Its just unfortunate that people then decide you're not worth taking seriously.

I've only recently learned how important it is to have compassion. To acknowledge anger but not let it consume me. Even when we can't show compassion, we should at least try and show some understanding and be rational, not automatically start crying out for the death penalty! Violence is never the answer.

Its weird too because I actually have a huge dislike for the majority of the human race I think the planet would be a much healthier place without us but I'm learning that even though I may dislike society as it currently is, that doesn't mean I can't be understanding of others and be kind.

BMJD

I'm not too sure that paedophiles deserve any compassion, nor do I have much belief that they can be rehabilitated sufficiently. I also believe that they are more often than not given very light sentences for their crimes. Lynch 'em

loveisdivine

BMJD wrote: »

I'm not too sure that paedophiles deserve any compassion, nor do I have much belief that they can be rehabilitated sufficiently. I also believe that they are more often than not given very light sentences for their crimes. Lynch 'em

But how does getting worked up into a frenzy and describing how you'd love to "shove a burning hot poker up his arse and see how he likes it" help?

Some people may not deserve compassion, but that doesn't mean we have to turn into a sadistic mob.

I'm more concerned about living next to people that are so quick to think up these violent fantasies to be honest.

Oldtree

Do you have children Loveisdevine? It puts things like this into a clear perspective and you can better understand peoples' need to vent their fears. I doubt many, if any, would act on their ventings.

The question to be asked (to my mind) is: is it better to drive this person away and underground where they cannot be watched by the community, putting someone else's child at risk, who is unaware of them in their community. Should we not recognise that there are, have been, and will be, many of these people umong us that havn't faced charges and are therefore unknown to the communities they live in. Nothing beats vigilance imo, which from what I see is sorely lacking in some parents.

It must also be said the some people do not have an understanding of compassion and kindness, such as paedophiles as they would not do what they do if they did, and will abuse it if you proffer it.

loveisdivine

Oldtree wrote: »

Do you have children Loveisdevine? It puts things like this into a clear perspective and you can better understand peoples' need to vent their fears. I doubt many, if any, would act on their ventings.

The question to be asked (to my mind) is: is it better to drive this person away and underground where they cannot be watched by the community, putting someone else's child at risk, who is unaware of them in their community. Should we not recognise that there are, have been, and will be, many of these people umong us that havn't faced charges and are therefore unknown to the communities they live in. Nothing beats vigilance imo, which from what I see is sorely lacking in some parents.

It must also be said the some people do not have an understanding of compassion and kindness, such as paedophiles as they would not do what they do if they did, and will abuse it if you proffer it.

No I don't have children. But I still understand peoples fear. My problem isn;t with parents fearing this man and subsequently wanting him removed from their portion of society. My problem is with people who like to spout nonsense about all the vile things they would do to this man if they got the chance. Obviously its mostly all talk and no action, but I just don't find it to be a rational and helpful way of dealing with things.

I totally agree with the rest of your post though. In an ideal world, someone who feels themselves becoming attracted to children would be treated before they ever had chance to commit a crime. Its not like somebody wakes up one day and decides to start finding children attractive, theres obviously some kind of mental illness there that needs treating.

Oldtree

"Fear of" does not allow rational thinking, thus the venting. I think of it as more a process, which than leads to rational thought. It is important not to keep how you feel bottled up, as that has its own negative consequences.

Pippy1976

Oldtree wrote: »

Do you have children Loveisdevine?

I'm not sure whether having kids or not is relevant to whether you can have an opinion about social issues.

I don't have kids and I always get the "do you have kids? Well, you couldn't POSSIBLY understand" statement.

It's unfair, downright insulting and sometimes upsetting, that because I haven't been fortunate to bear children it somehow means my opinion matters far less than those that have.

Oldtree

Pippy1976 wrote: »

I'm not sure whether having kids or not is relevant to whether you can have an opinion about social issues.

I don't have kids and I always get the "do you have kids? Well, you couldn't POSSIBLY understand" statement.

It's unfair, downright insulting and sometimes upsetting, that because I haven't been fortunate to bear children it somehow means my opinion matters far less than those that have.

I think you are reading too deeply into what I said, and I certainly did not mean to upset you, nor was my comment directed at you. I did not say you couldn't possibly understand. Your opinion is no less valid than mine.

But should a known paedophile move into your area it would have less of an impact on your life than it would on mine and my childrens'. This is based on the experience of having had one do so and the people without children seem generally to be more inclined to "forgive", he has served his time, etc. I personally don't think that by being in jail he has become a better person, nor has he been cured.

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

loveisdivine wrote: »

No I don't have children. But I still understand peoples fear. My problem isn;t with parents fearing this man and subsequently wanting him removed from their portion of society. My problem is with people who like to spout nonsense about all the vile things they would do to this man if they got the chance. Obviously its mostly all talk and no action, but I just don't find it to be a rational and helpful way of dealing with things.

I think that 'rational and helpful' thing is the key there, there isn't really any rational or helpful way to think about the victims of child abuse, it's just not something that most of us can understand or even bear to think about. It's so much easier and presumably fairly cathartic to just focus on the abuser, it creates a sense that there's some proactive, positive response to the situation, and it really removes "pedophiles" from "us". If it's morally righteous to visit horrible violence on someone and even to take pleasure in it, then that means that that person is subhuman and monstrous. It's easier to think that a person is evil than to think that they're a person with a mind and life that in a lot of ways are not hugely different to your own, but who is still capable of doing those terrible things