The Most Amazing Mental Health Debate: Madness, Incorporated

Probably the most interesting debate on mental health you'll watch this month, maybe even this year...maybe ever.



Please note: if this video is missing, please find it here: http://iai.tv/video/madness-incorporated# - it may require that you sign up for a [free] account.

Religious Debate...or Something

A debate of sorts, anyway...more like answers to some guys questions.
We've been using our Tumblr blog a lot more lately...so, it may seem like we're neglecting this blog a bit.

Not sure why our comfort level has landed over there, after all writing is writing; and everybody who wants to read our words have access to them from several different "venues".

Not surprisingly we're stressed. Thankfully it has nothing to do with the Holiday's. We don't really celebrate Christmas, and even when we used to, we're not all the type of persons who got stressed over it. We don't go to church, we don't buy gifts for our family - we haven't in years. Last year we bought a very expensive gift for our former best friend (TNB) and attended parts of some Holiday parties - but that was it. Last year this time is when The Other Girl began to fall apart, and a lot more of us started struggling for control; and from the outside it probably looked to a lot of people like we were losing our mind. (more about that when we get to writing more Frank history).

Anyway.

We've had an e-mail sitting in our inbox for since September 18th, written by a reader/follower? (though, we're not sure) who had some questions in regards to our post "Religion, You Say? We Have  A View On That' (http://just-call-me-frank.blogspot.com/2011/03/religion-you-say-we-have-view-on-that.html) written March 20th of 2011.

Before we get started, we understand if this topic is not that interesting to you...it is a religious discussion between non-believers (us) and a believer. 

If you'd like to read, look at pictures, or be otherwise amused with other recent stuff, we suggest you read other stuff here, or head over to our Tumblr page...but we warn you...the most recent writing there tends to be that created by stress in our life (notably, James/The Boyfriend having to leave in a month, and various other stress related "rants")

Now...

In paragraph #7, beginning with "Having said that...", the following is written: "The Other Girl also had a hard time believing in religion, but she felt the pressure of a family who did not take kindly to those with opposing views..."
--> My question is regarding The Other Girl and whether hers and your views were different which in essence led to a rejection of the Faith, in general, or was it more of an outside influence -- like opposing religious faiths viewpoints -- that led to rejection of the Faith?

It's hard to answer religious questions without seeming...condescending to a believer. It's important to know, for those of you reading who don't know about our history with religion, or history of being a Baptist missionary, that we approach the subject of religion with some knowledge, and personal experiences.
I cannot speak for most, or even all, of us, only from my own opinion and point of view. I will say that none of believe in God, and to say we are "spiritual" would be an overstatement. We have an appreciation and a respect for the earth, and on a lesser scale, some of the people who live on it. 

"Losing our faith", as it were, was not an all-in occurrence for us, had it been we would not have made it so far as to dabble in the "missions of the Lord". Opposing religious viewpoints played no part in our decision, almost all religions are based in similar priniciples, principles you don't need to believe in God to appreciate, principles entirely not practiced by people of the Faith - the element that we do not agree with is that you have to have an intenese fear/love for a diety in order to be a good person. People who have never even heard "the good world of the Lord" have existed to sometimes be far better people that those who choose to "live their life" by it.

Quite simply our "rejection of the Faith" had everything to do with logical thinking, how logical is it to think the words of the Bible are true, through copious translations, written by fallible man, when more recent history has been altered over the span of only hundreds of years. It does not seem logical that there is someone watching billions of people, who is supposed to have the best interest of his creations in mind, and who lets the world become what it has. In our opinion, just as "sin" was a construct used to control masses, "free will" is an idea put into place, as is "God testing humankind", to provide loopholes for questions like: "Why did I get raped", "Why did my family member die of cancer young", "Why was my brother/sister/ect. murdered" "Why was my son/daughter mentally handicapped",  why, why, why does anything happen. 

If people are bad, and they are, and bad things happen to good people, to children, to babies even before they are born, and they do; then what it the justification to believe in God? People are not comfortable with there not being a real reason for anything other that people are bad, and bad things happen, so they say "God is testing your faith", which even if true, seems like an asshole move.
It really cannot be explained beyond that, from our perspective. Just as a persons journey to the "Lord" is a private and unique one, so is ones journey away. 

In the next paragraph, you write about the Santa analogy which you reference it to religion.  You write: " When you were a child, at Christmas, and every year you asked Santa for just one thing, one very important thing, something you knew you deserved, and every year you didn’t get it; would you still believe in Santa?"
--> I was wondering if you could expand and perhaps connect the Santa question with the religious tie.  Was there something you were asking for or for some change to take place and it never came about?

The thing we were asking for, if you have read anything aside from the single entry (which, we hope by now you have), the changes desired to take place, is an end to the emotional, mental, physical abuse, both from inside our family, and from the outside world. There's really no more explanation needed, I think. Using Santa as an example only worked as a perfect analogy.

Farther down the page you write a dialogue between you and your father.  The following is an excerpt: "“Why? …Why does a child have to suffer for someone else’s faults and mistakes? What kind of “God” would do that?”
--> I would like to inquire a few things here: when you say "child" are you referring to yourself or a child in general? When you say "someone else's faults" are referring to a parent(s) or society? 

Obviously we were referring to ourselves as a child, and ALL children in the world; and yes, we are referring to our parents, and all of society. 

-On the same note, you conclude with asking what kind of a God would do that.  You state you grew up in the church and you hint that at a young age you began to wonder things (and there is no doubt in my mind that you are a very bright individual which is why you began thinking and questioning). At about what age did this happen? And what, in your mind, is some underlying reasons or causes?  

We recall having questions on and off from a very young age, some of us more than others, and most of us were very observant and curious. Underlying reasons or causes? Abuse at a young age, and not understanding why any of it was happening, even as we plead in prayer.
[We must interject at this point, to our readers, and the person who wrote these questions to us...because it becomes clear at this point that the person had only read the single entry. We are fine with reiterating what should be fairly obvious...but it's disappointing that the answers could have been easily surmised by an overview of our other writing, to which links were provided in the post in question]

In one of your paragraphs you write: "Religious belief is a myriad of unanswered questions. The people who follow religion don’t like to be asked many of those questions; perhaps because it’s not comfortable to have to face the  realization you don’t have the answers or have someone threaten your ideals, and some people don’t like to think about those things."
--> I wanted to comment that I understand religion is not something that can be read and understood like a one-page essay or a short email.  Not only that but religion is primarily a faith-based walk in life.  My own background I was raised in a non-denominational Church of Christ, though recently I re-evaluated my own belief system through research and analysis and actually concur with the Baptist doctrine.  I read from your blog that you were raised Baptist.  I'm not here to judge you or anything of the sort.  Just inquire because I admire your writing skill and I don't expect us to be in total agreement with each other.  So back to your paragraph that I wrote above, did you try to search out answers to your questions and if so, did you get any answers or were you given nothing? Is there any lingering questions you have that maybe I can answer? I myself love questions about anything because it gives me a chance for people to interact with me and for me to share.  People matter.  You matter.  Which is why I want to know more about you.

I feel that the entry written, of which these questions are based, in addition to the responses to the previous questions, states very basic questions that the were asked, of which many people of religious faith do not have answers to. We understand that the mere description of faith is having confidence, allegiance, loyalty and trust in something, or someone...perhaps our lack of faith is based in our discomfort of being blindly confident in something very ill defined.

________________________________________________

We hope someone made it to the end of this. *yawn*

When we had James read it over, before publishing, he had come to the same conclusion we had; the person asking the questions obviously had not bothered seeking answers in the blog himself, and that these questions were a thinly veiled attempt at preaching.

Our opinion? If there WERE answers to any of our questions on religion, The Pastor (that we were under for our missions work, in that he was the pastor of our most recent church), who reads this blog, would have tried to answer them for us by now. Of course, we could be wrong. Meanwhile, our former pastor is the only man we'd ever let preach to us anyway.

Blah blah blah

We're going to go...do whatever...you...you probably have Christmas shopping to do, or present wrapping...or baking...4 days left you know.

 ...you know how we like to make you people laugh...

~Frank (& some et al)

And now for something completely different or ... a blog of a different colour.

As I stood in the shower contemplating the political "warfare" waging over House and Senate control in the States last night as the days poles were closing, and weighing the implecations of Republican control, I was struck my an analogy that I just had to share. It's a pretty loose analogy, so hang on.


I have not been paying much attention to the election and it's candidates, not since BP plugged the oil geyser in the Gulf this past summer. The shift from that disaster to the mid-term election disaster, with it's constant back-talking, back-stabbing, back-stroking, propaganda-pumping, paranoia-feeding media spew of the opposing political parties, got to be too much; I also canceled my cable. Turns out I got a lot of my news and current events from cable, mostly John Stewart's The Daily Show and Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report, and though I still maintain my level of Rachel Maddow worship, I've been too busy, even for Rachel:(

People (okay, Americans) complain about Obama, about what he has or hasn't accomplished, whether those things are good accomplishments or bad; and so this midterm election they were hell bent on calling in the reinforcements (a.k.a. Republicans) to save the proverbial day.


When it comes down to it they gave Obama 2 years, of his 4 year term, to turn things on it's head, and if we're honest they didn't even give him 6 months until they started vomiting their crap through the airwaves. Meanwhile they afforded Bush 8 years of destruction, and I bet they'd love to have him back, but I digress.


The funniest part about this is I am going to provide a sports analogy. Seeing as how I have a slight (Ha!) detest for sports, this amazed me last night as I shampooed my hair, that I would use sports concepts for anything. I guess constant exposure leads to osmosis.


Anyway, the panic that most Americans appear to be expressing (at least from what I've gleaned from FB, Twitter and a very short list of articles over the past few months) is akin to panicking halfway through the 2nd quarter of "the big game", when your coach (your country), who has no confidence in your ability to "win the game", therefore sends in re-enforcements. By the way, my mental picture of these re-enforcements are like flying monkeys being sent out the castle tower by the Wicked Witch of The West in the Wizard of Oz, but that's just me.  And never mind the implications of the Wicked West. What?

The sport analogy makes no sense on certain levels, I'll poke it with a stick till it's dead because the implication that Americans are a team at all seems laughable to me. After all, are Republicans and Democrats really on the same team?  I mean they may be on the same team as a country, but it's a country divided.  Pretty much always has been as far as I can tell. That's why I don't live there anymore...well, one of them anyway.


The problem is that they'll never know what the outcome of the game could have been, if they'd just given Obama a chance to play till the end.  I have a strong feeling that now that there is some (okay, a lot of) Republican pull, anything that happens, regardless if it was on Obamas agenda in the first place, regardless if the outcome had been the same with a Democratic controlled House and Senate, as opposed to a new Republican-heavy rule, will just end up in the credit of the Republicans.  Much like Bushes fuck-ups ended up in the lap of the Democrats at the end of his eight year tyranny.  Don't think it's tyranny?  You clearly weren't paying attention or don't know the meaning of 'tyrant".


My main point?  Do I have one? Oh yeah. People yell for change, but they can't handle the change (or is that the truth?).  They get to half-time and freak right out, calling for the monkeys to fly in to save the day, but in the end the monkeys were what shit all over everything anyway.  But that's my opinion.


P.S. For those of you following my blog for the juicy "man-hating" (I don't hate men), single-girl, on-line dating stories; I apologize.  A girl needs to broaden her horizons...AND needs a date. :)

Re-thinking Marriage? ...(so much ramble)

You know what's great?  Writing the beginning of your blog in the car, on paper, then forgetting it in the passengers side visor, so when your significant other takes the car to work (thereby leaving you with the peace and quiet to write) you have to try to recall something you wrote two days ago, in the hot sun, while you waited for a wedding party to return from taking pictures across town, because your S.O. is part of said wedding party (Best Man actually); and you just had to drive across town (in a different direction) to deliver the cake (that he made), in the hot sun with poor air conditioning, all the time with your four way flashers on, going about 10-15 klicks (that's kilometers, and I'm not doing the conversion for my American friends) under the speed limit so the cake, and the small woman balancing it on her impossibly small lap, both don't end up planted in the dash. (Did I mention I hate driving slow?)

The Cake

I was at a wedding on Friday, which got me thinking about marriage; mainly because I really didn't know anyone there, so I was on my own - giving me lots of time for contemplation. It was my 'significant others' best friends wedding, which means you would think I would know at least one person who I could sit with - but they were all in the wedding party. 


Luckily I am good with "on my own".


Weddings can generally do funny things to woman, from what I hear; and what they do to men is up to our own imagination. I certainly got misty eyed (and not necessarily because of fond-marriage feelings), but not a single tear graced my cheek; I have retrospection to thank for that.


Key people in my family would love to see me married, at least before (and if) I start to procreate (and that time is coming), but the older I get the more marriage makes no sense. It's hard to believe in the idea of marriage with so many examples of it being a defunct practice.


I know of many marriages of "religious" couples that have ended in divorce, I know of plenty of people who have divorced despite having children together, and then there are those that stay together for the children - those kids will have issues to deal with, just like divorced kids. I've researched biblical readings on marriage to know that the bible doesn't necessarily have a hard stance on it, stating that the laws of your governing authorities are what dictates marriage requirements (1 Peter 2:13-16; Romans 13:1-6) and that, generally, the thing that stamps you as married is sexual relation (quick - how many people have you REALLY been "married" to?  Scary, isn't it?). That, and some money changing hands between the brides father/families and the grooms father/families - you know, because woman are property, like cattle. Mooooooo.


Some may say I am jadded. I was married at 21, to a man much my senior, and that relationship was a significant learning tool.  It took me many years after I ended the (very brief) marriage before I could honestly consider the idea of marriage again. With all the proof, and my own experiences, it's hard to understand todays logistics of marriage. Leaving me to pound my firsts on the table and scream "THEN WHAT'S THE GOSH DARN POINT?!".


Marriage does not guarantee permanency, it's an expensive tradition involving a legal contract (that can be broken), and means only what it means to the individual(s) entering the contract.


While certainly the topic comes up in my own relationship, sometimes prompted by waves of my own obsession and then squished out by my own rational, only to be brought back up to the surface by scary comments made by my significant other; things that should never be uttered to ME, but it happens anyway (and happens more frequently than I approve of).


"Once we get married we'll be together forever" (uh-huh *rolling my eyes*) or "Once we are married then you can never leave me" (which makes me think: "Oh, you think so? I smell a challenge.")

These are the wrong things to say to an independent, 30 (31 next week), already divorced woman who has slight commitment issues and a penchant for wanting to crush souls. Okay, so I don't want to crush souls but when I feel like I am being threatened then my guards will go up and anything can happen. Anything. (*insert evil laugh here*)

So, if I am a commitment-phobe (on any level) why do I obsess with the idea?  

For the answer to that question I reach into the recesses of my past to display 18 years of religious upbringing; training on how to live your life the way someone else is telling you to live it. These ideals are ingrained in my head, and sometimes my logic is on vacation (probably with my aforementioned Inspiration - which by the way, still hasn't returned because this is begin written by sheer self-force), and when this happens my brain turns to flights of fancy. 

The idea of marriage is a beautiful (albeit terrifyingly scary) concept, in theory.  In terms of whether or not I will be walking down that isle...last thing I said about the subject to my significant other (the day of the his best friends wedding): 

"If we get engaged can't we just be engaged forever?". 


But from the looks he gave me at that wedding, and the things he said to me throughout the day...let's hope my logic goes on vacation and stays there, for his sake.

Fundamentally Unsafe: High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Health Risks and Personal Responsibility

There's been some debate about HFCS. So I decided to get acquainted with both sides of the debate.

After reading through several articles today that stated HFCS is safe and nutritionally equal to sugar, and comparing those sources with countless sources stating otherwise, I became angry; there are so many reasons to be angry about the high fructose corn syrup debate. While the side who claim it's safe does have some, albeit flimsy, sources to back themselves up; the opposing anti-HFCS side is stacked to the gills with proof.

One thing I noticed was that all the “HFCS is Safe” articles neglected to mention the fact that, while NUTRITIONALLY equal (I'm not going to dispute the nutritional facts), there are other issues when it comes to HFCS that are dangerous.

HFCS is fundamentally not safe. It has been linked to such things as liver scarring, obesity and type 2 diabetes. It has also been found to contain mercury and other harmful substances that only some real research can uncover.

It's my opinion that the public doesn't understand the difference between "nutritionally safe" and "fundamentally safe". HFCS is fundamentally UNSAFE.

In order for people to be able to make responsible decisions about their diet and nutrition they must be armed with as much truth as they can. I understand that all scientific research can be bias. Most research is skewed to show results congruent with the wishes of the organization financially backing them. However, when it comes to health I am advocate for erring on the side caution. 

Heavy Use of High Fructose Corn Syrup 

Nearly all junk food in the United States contains HFCS and people regularly ingest high amounts of it. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Statistics, the average American eats an amazing 41.5 lbs of high fructose corn syrup per year. About 20 teaspoons of sugar a day, mostly from “hidden sugars”.

One can of soda equals about 10 ½ teaspoons of sugar, roughly an entire days worth of calories from added sugar, according to the USDA. ¹

Between 1985 and 1999, U.S. consumption of sugars added to food items increased by 23 percent. ² Considering the most popular (and cheapest) sugar added to processed foods then, and now, is high fructose corn syrup, it is not hard to understand how a society that sustains itself on so much junk food could be ingesting so much.

Corn is a heavily government subsidized crop in the United States, which makes it's production very cheap and in turn makes products created from it even cheaper. Cheaper ingredients in the production of junk food means cheaper junk food and higher profits (more people will buy it if it's cheap) for companies who don't really care about the health and welfare of the public, when they can lining their pockets with hefty profits. But that's just common sense.

Americans’ refined (white) sugar consumption has dropped over the past 20 years, according to studies. However, according to USDA figures, our consumption of high-fructose corn syrup has increased 250 percent over the past 15 years. ³ 

What Is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)

First of all, what it isn't. HFCS is NOT a natural source of sugar. It is a sugar created by the chemical alteration of cornstarch which turns it into syrup. ⁴

Chemically it is known as isoglucose5 ^, street name(s) include maize syrup, glucose-fructose syrup in the UK, high fructose corn syrup in the U.S. and glucose/fructose⁶ in Canada

HFCS was created in the 1970's created by adding alpha-amylase, an enzyme derived from a bacteria, to cornstarch, which breaks it down. Once broken down, a second enzyme called glucoamylase (a derivative a fungus known as Aspergullis) is added. As it continues to ferment nearly pure glucose slurry is created.

During the third step, the glucose slurry is poured over columns containing an enzyme called glucose-isomerase. The result of this is a creation of a combination of fructose and glucose. Next liquid chromatography “distills” the syrup into 90% fructose, which is then blended back into the original mix to create the final product: a 55%/45% fructose/glucose product called high fructose corn syrup. ⁷

Most consumer research, on finding out the process of making HFCS, neglects to mention that the material used in the process of separating the corn starch from the kernel, call caustic soda, is produced in industrial chlorine manufacturing plants using mercury cells, which contaminate caustic soda and HFCS with mercury.⁸ A little known fact that is not available to consumers, and in some cases the companies who purchase HFCS for production of food.

The Fundamentally Unsafe Links to Consumption of HFCS

So, as previously mentioned recent studies link HFCS with mercury contamination⁸. Mercury is a brain toxin with no known “safe” level of exposure. Exposure in babies can prevent normal development, impaired learning and decrease in IQ. Exposure by children can cause physical and well as mental ailments¹² ;and yet for decades an increasingly common ingredient in processed foods, HFCS, has been made using mercury-grade caustic soda.⁷ The most common products containing “mercury-grade” HFCS includes dairy products, dressings and condiments. However, in 2007, then-Senator Barack Obama introduced legislation to force the remaining chlor-alkali plants to phase out mercury cell technology by 2012. ⁸

So, by 2012 HFCS should be 100% mercury free. That's good news, right?

Meet hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) a substance created when HFCS is heated. Recent studies have linked HMF, to DNA damage in humans. In addition, HMF breaks down in the body to other substances potentially more harmful than HMF.¹³ While research will reveal results regarding HMF, I won't hold my breath for good news.

Next on the list is carbonyls, which are “highly reactive compounds associated with “unbound” fructose and glucose molecules that are believed to cause tissue damage”⁹, in people with diabetes the level of reactive carbonyls are elevated, according to U.S. Researchers at the 2007 American Chemical Society Conference. They found that drinks made with HFCS contained “astonishingly high levels on this compound, a trait not shared by table sugar, “whose fructose and glucose components are “bound” and chemically stable” ⁹

In addition further studies have linked appetite levels with HFCS consumption, making claims that appetite decreased less after drinking beverages that contain HFCS, which causes triglycerides to increase. An increase in triglycerides is a risk indicator for cardiovascular disease.”⁹

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has been linked with multiple health relates issues, including the growth of diabetes in children⁹ and obesity in North America. The link between the rise of obesity and the introduction of HFCS into processed foods shows a direct correlation.¹⁰ and critics claim it's chemical composition, which differs from sucrose, has critical effects on the human body.⁹

While there is a study claiming it's safeness for every study linking HFCS to health related issues, a recent study by Princeton University has been met with much controversy, but is worth some consideration.

A 6 month study on lab rats, by Princeton University, on the long-term effects of high-fructose corn syrup consumption, yielded results that indicated high risk health characteristic that are signs of not just metabolic syndrome, but also high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes. Rats with access to HFCS gained 48 percent more weight than those on a regular diet. The study monitored weight gain, body fat and triglyceride levels and revealed “abnormal weight gain, significant increases in circulating triglycerides and augmented fat deposition, especially visceral fat around the belly.”

This study has promoted additional studies such as the consumption of HFCS in conjunction with a high-fat diet and more in-depth studies on the association between excessive HFCS consumption and the diseases associated with obesity.¹¹
In release in March 2010 regarding a type liver disease called 'non-alcoholic fatty liver disease' , according to the American Chemical Society, was associated with high intakes of HFCS, which causes permanent liver damage.⁹

Genetically Modified Organisms:

While the debate is still out (for the majority) on the safety of Genetically Modified Organisms, one cannot end without mentioning that the majority of HFCS is made from GMO corn. I have my own beliefs, standards and issues regarding GMO's: “Does this tomato smell fishy to you? Why I am not supportive of my tomato being “armed” with fish genes!” (TBA)

F or a great article on how to avoid GMO's visit: http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Genetically-Modified-Foods.

With all the evidence pointed towards the consumption of high fructose being unsafe, one can't help but think that all these doctors and nutritionists backing HFCS "safety" are in someones pocket...
*cough* The Corn Refiners Association *cough*...

It's all about personal responsibility and moderation. Each person gets to choose how they approach their health and diets. While High Fructose Corn Syrup may be one of the many culprits in the obesity epidemic in the United States. The real culprit of Americas expanding waistlines and increasingly poor health can really be summed up in one word: Gluttony.

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Steps to Avoid HFCS

1. Get in the habit of reading food labels.
2. Avoid foods that contain high fructose corn syrup or HFCS.
3. Drink less soda. Choose fresh fruit rather than fruit juice or fruit-flavored drinks.
4. Choose 100% juice over "all natural flavors" but don't forget that even juice contains large amounts of sugar, with no advantage of fiber; avoid “fruit drinks”.
5. Choose canned fruits in own their own juice, instead of heavy syrup.
6. Limit or avoid processed foods.

To stay updated on issues related to HFCS, join the Facebook Group

'The Ban of High Fructose Corn Syrup in the U.S.'

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/THE-BAN-OF-HIGH-FRUCTOSE-CORN-SYRUP-IN-THE-US/124366064752?v=info
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Citations/Sources: 


1. -----. “Profiling Food Consumption in America“ Agriculture Fact Book. 2000-2001
<http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf>

2. Haley, Stephen. Reed, Jane. Lin,Biing-Hwan. Cook, Annetta. “ Sweetener Consumption in the United States: Distribution by Demographic and Product Characteristics” .USDA Economic Research Service. 19 April 2005

3 Lempert, Phil. “ Florida legislators want to ban the sweetener in schools. 'Today' food editor Phil Lempert examines whether the sugary substance is unhealthy”. MSNBC. 30 March 2006

4 Warner, Melanie. “ For Corn Syrup, the Sweet Talk Gets Harder”. New York Times 30 April 2010
5. ------. Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oxford University Press, 2006 (page 311)

6. -----. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada ?>

7. -----. “ What is High Fructose Corn Syrup?”. Wise Geek: Clear Answers for Common Questions

8. Wallinga, David M.D., Soren, Janelle Sen. Mottl, Pooja. Yablon, Brian M.D “Not So Sweet: Missing Mercury and High Fructose Corn Syrup” Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. 2009 January.
<http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=105026> or < http://www.iatp.org/iatp/press.cfm?refID=105025>

9. -----. “ High fructose corn syrup: just another sugar?” CBC News. 22 April 2010

10. Drum, Kevin. “Sugar, Sugar”. Mother Jones. 12 May 2009 (*****)

11. Parker, Hilary. “A sweet problem: Princeton researchers find that high-fructose corn syrup prompts considerably more weight gain”. Princeton University. 22 March 2010 <http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S26/91/22K07/>

12. 12.-----. “Mercury Poisining”. Medline Net. 23 March 2010 http://www.medicinenet.com/mercury_poisoning/page2.htm#effects

13. LeBlanc et al. “Formation of Hydroxymethylfurfural in Domestic High-Fructose Corn Syrup and Its Toxicity to the Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)”. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2009; 57 (16): 7369 DOI:10.1021/jf9014526

------------------------------------- Articles of Interest:
List Of Food Additives: Their Role In Healthy Eating http://www.mom-going-organic-sensibly.com/list-of-food-additives.html

How to Avoid HFCS http://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup#_note-1

High Fructose Corn Syrup Linked to Liver Scarring http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100322204628.htm