Don't Eat Farmed Raised Turkey!!! - A rebuttal by Jim Herschel

Avoid farm-raised turkey, eat wild turkey only! Boy, anyone who has tried to hunt a wild turkey knows how difficult it is to imitate the call of an amorous turkey, so why the title of my article?
I hope this opening statement has got your attention, because I would like to take issue with the "Bottom Line" magazine article posted by Tony Cucurullo. Tony, I'm not taking issue with you personally, but this article really got to me and I love seafood, especially Salmon. Being retired with lots of time on my hands it got me to look into the "facts" of the article. Tony, you are always encouraging everyone to submit articles for the Web Site so here is my lengthy contribution.
I could probably write a similar article about the dangers of turkey farming that could parallel the information in the Salmon farming article, but this would only perpetuate a lot of myths instead of being a factual article. I don't profess to be an expert on Aquaculture but a little research on the subject certainly brings into question the "spin" of the "Bottom Line" article. Let me first state that it is my belief, that we as individuals have a lot of complex choices to make in the foods we eat. The food production industry has come a long way in meeting the needs of providing foods to the millions of people inhabiting our planet. I would be the first to admit that some mistakes have been made in the past but by and large food producers are doing a good job in providing enough food to sustain our world's population. This sometimes requires the undertaking of new technologies in the production of foods. At the present time most of the Catfish, Tilapia, Shrimp and Salmon sold in our supermarkets and restaurants are the product of Farm Production.
There are about five major species of Salmon, and Atlantic Salmon is the one that has proven to produce the best yields for fish farming. The largest producers of farmed Salmon are Canada, Norway, Chile and Britain. The increase in Aquaculture ventures comes at a time when Global fishing is rapidly reaching or exceeding its sustainable limits.
Let me get back to the "Bottom Line" article and several myths and untruths this piece has presented as facts. For those who would like to compare my research with the "Bottom Line" piece, I have tried to address each issue as they chronologically appeared in the magazine article. The "Bottom Line" statements are in Italics.
The article starts off by saying that farm raised salmon contain 2/3 less beneficial Omega-3 Fatty Acids. This statement is untrue because the USDA Nutrient Database states that Omega-3 is essentially the same for both farm and wild Salmon. So why the claim in the "Bottom Line" article? A little research on my part shows that this claim was attributed to Dr. Frank Hu of Harvard. Dr. Hu has stated that he was misquoted and that the Omega-3 data of the USDA is correct!
The article goes on to state that the farmed Salmon are not healthy. There is no basis for this charge other than the alarmist propagandizing of environmental extremist who have their own agendas on a variety of issues. As expected the Lawyers have also picked up on this issue and they are seeking their piece of the Bonanza! Let's examine the health issue charges.
Farmed Salmon are hatched in plastic trays. Yes they are, under very sterile conditions otherwise the hatch rate would not be productive. All hatchery fish are similarly raised.
Farmed Salmon are raised in unsanitary-crowed cages. I'll admit to the crowed statement because to do otherwise would decrease the efficiency of Aquaculture farming. Unsanitary cages? Again economics of the farming process dictates otherwise. Unsanitary conditions would affect the harvest yield so why would these companies allow this to occur? Aquaculture is a high technology business using computers, lasers and automation in the hatching, grow out and harvesting of the product.
Farmed Salmon are fattened with soybean pellets laced with pesticides and antibiotics. Fish feed is produced from soybean to which ground fish byproduct is added. The producers of the feed are very careful in their production to make a safe product that is approved by the USDA.
Farmed Salmon are injected with a synthetic dye that gives them their pink color. This is the most erroneous statement in the farmed Salmon debate. The nutrient that imparts the pink flesh color in both farm and wild Salmon is astaxanthin, whose synthetic equivalent is an USDA approved additive in foods. The level of astaxanthin found in the flesh of both wild and farmed Salmon is essentially the same. The wild Salmon ingest natural astaxanthin when they feed on other marine nutrients. Farmed raised Salmon are not injected with astaxanthin, rather it is added to the fish feed. While the farmed Salmon get a synthetic astaxanthin, they process it by the digestion of their food in a similar manner that the wild Salmon ingest their natural food. It is also interesting to note that hatchery raised Salmon destined for release to enhance wild stock also receive astaxanthin as a nutritional supplement in their feed.
The fish farming industry claims they provide a healthy food at an inexpensive price. This is one statement of the article that is absolutely true. Twenty years ago Salmon was only found on the menus of the most expensive restaurants. Today, just about everyone can find farmed raised Atlantic Salmon in their supermarkets at a very affordable price.
The "Bottom Line" article states that the Salmon farming does not protect the wild population from over fishing. I don't know where the author's facts came from but as I previously stated, Global fishing has reached or exceeded its sustainable limit for most fisheries. Wild Atlantic Salmon certainly fits the category of "over fished".
Farmed Salmon contain higher levels of PCB's than wild Salmon. This is another myth that was perpetrated by the Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group (EWG). This group purchased 10 Salmon and had them tested by an outside laboratory. Their findings showed that the 10 fish sample showed an average PCB count of 27 parts per billion (ppb) which is 99 percent under the USDA tolerance of 2,000 ppb. This sample is far from being an in depth scientific study of PCB contamination in farm raised Salmon. In fact wild Salmon taken from
some waters contain even higher PCB levels than found in the EWG study and the EPA has issued consumption warnings about the fish taken from PCB contaminated waters. You might ask why the PCB in Salmon. Unfortunately, we have polluted our lakes, rivers and oceans with PCB's that concentrate in the fatty tissue of all fish. Wild Salmon ingest PCB' contamination from eating other marine creatures. Farmed Salmon ingest their PCB's from the ground fish products that are added to their fish feed. It's a vicious cycle we must endure but in my opinion the risks are very small. One of the things that I personally do when eating any fish, is to remove any fatty parts and the central nerve line in the center of the fish's bone structure.
The statement on antibiotic residue and the killing of other marine life is another questionable item. I don't know the source of the Author's data but my research could not substantiate any scientific studies to substantiate this as fact. There are some concerns that this could happen but no actual data to this effect could be found.
Pesticides used in Salmon farming are killing shellfish and other bottom dwelling creatures. Fact or myth? This statement is based on a study that showed that the bottom areas directly below the fish holding cages were devoid of shellfish. This is not surprising since the heavy concentrated fish population in the cages produces a large amount of fish effluent that killed marine creatures that try to live directly under the cages. There is no evidence that this has spread over a wide area of the sea bottom. One of the remedies for this localized problem is that several fish farm producers are now building landlocked pens into which they are pumping seawater. Admittedly I don't know if their plans call for any treatment of the discharge water, but maybe this is something that needs to be done.
I already discussed the astaxanthin issue but as far as the ban on sunless tanning pills, I can only say that the synthetic dye added o the fish food is currently USDA approved.
I disagree with the Article's statement that the solution is simple. The USDA has made mistakes in the past. Our food suppliers have also made mistakes. You as an individual have to make the decision whether there is a risk in eating certain foods. All too often people take a magazine article and believe all it contains. I don't know why this particular article got to me, but I decided to do a little of my own research on this subject. I firmly believe that the world's food producers must become ingenious entrepreneurs to be able to produce the food stores that will be required to feed our planet. This is a rather lengthy response to the "Bottom Line" article. If you took the time to read it, I hope it might have shed some light on the Salmon issue.

Submitted by Jim Herschel

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Updated Statistics

If you click on the "Statistics" button on the home page, there is a wealth of information available for the current quarter.
Select a month of interest and you can see usage by hour, day or month as well as what pages were most frequently
accessed. You can also see where are users are coming from by country, browser type and ISP. While some of the information is a bit cryptic, "play" with it and you will soon be able to read it like a pro!

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Salmon Is Good for You, Right Not This Kind!

Salmon is a great source of healthy omega- 3 fatty acids. It's great for your heart, your brain, your skin and your joints. But if you think all salmon is alike, then think again!

If you buy salmon at the supermarket, chances are good that it doesn't come from the sea, but from a fish farm. And farmed salmon is anything but healthy.

Farmed salmon are hatched in plastic trays ... crowded into unsanitary underwater cages. . . fattened with soybean pellets. . . dosed with antibiotics and pesticides. . . and injected with a synthetic dye that gives them their pink color. (Without the dye, their flesh would be an unappetizing, pale gray.)
The fish-farming industry claims this provides a healthy food at a reasonable price. They also claim that it protects the wild salmon population from over fishing. But the facts show otherwise:

First of all, although farmed salmon are far fattier than their wild cousins, studies show that they contain two-thirds less of the omega- 3 fats!

Second, studies show that farmed salmon contain much higher levels of cancer-causing PCBs and dioxins than wild salmon.

Third, farmed salmon contain more antibiotic residue than eggs, meat or any other farm-raised animal products. And this antibiotic use has created resistant strains of bacteria that are killing the other fish in the ocean!

Fourth, the pesticides used by salmon farms are killing shellfish and other bottom dwelling sea creatures.

And fifth, the pink dye used on the salmon contains canthaxanthin, an ingredient used in sunless tanning pills that has since been banned for human use!

For you, the solution is simple: Avoid farmed salmon and eat wild salmon only. Wild salmon is available at most natural food markets and upscale gourmet restaurants. If in doubt about the fish's origin, simply ask your waiter, chef or store manager.

Submitted by Tony Cucurullo
Copied from "BOTTOM LINE magazine

Herbert "Chico" Claudio
1924-2003

Schwalbe, Desmond, Sullivan, Slattery, Murphy, names of giants in their field as "Boom men," at CBS.
They captured the sounds, of the myriad live shows that CBS put on the air.
But, the "Little man" stood on their shoulders as a nonpareil.
His name, "Chico," transcends for anyone to know who he was as a technician at CBS. In his post CBS days he won two Emmys working on the "Seasame Street Show."
Chico, along with Herb Schwartz, participated in WW II as combat cameramen in the Pacific theater. He Was a First Class Petty officer.

Chico had a large family, having been married before, but he had two people in his life that go beyond family. His wife Betty and his friend Ted Perzeszty, "My brother", as he always called him. In his life there couldn't be a closer relationship than between him, Betty and Ted.
Betty always said, when buying gifts or presents, "I must buy two.", and the big joke when Chico got sick was that she would purchase a wheel chair for Chico and Ted so that she could push the two of them on the Long Beach boardwalk.
I was happy to see Chico at the last CBS Retirees Luncheon this past October. He came in his wheel chair and was greeted by all.

I am trying not to be maudlin about this, but Chico, Betty and Ted are great friends to anyone that knows them. I know Ted and his wife, Patricia, will keep the spirit of Chico alive as will all of us that loved him as well.
To Betty and Chico's children, I wish them to always remember Chico as the "fun person" that was in their lives.

Chico, rest in peace, my dear friend.

Tony Cucurullo

I would like to say hello to other former CBS'ers. This past August...I left
CBS, after 28 years, to form my own consulting company. I spent many years
as a cameraman, TD, and Tech Mgr. both in studios and field. There are too
many friends and comrades to mention. Please add me to the mailing list.
Thanks,

Steve Gorsuch
Director, Broadcast Operations
United States National Tennis Center

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Dear Dave.....Today I received an Email from Roger Forster's daughter-in-law on
behalf of Roger's wife, that Roger Forster passed away 11/15/03 in
Charlotte,NC, after a long struggle. They thought we would like to know, as
Rog touched so many lives with his passion for life.....Russ Gainor

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AVOIDING IDENTY THEFT

* The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them.

* If someone takes your check book they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name but your bank will know how you sign your checks.

* When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.

* Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home or Never have your SS# printed on your checks (DUH!) you can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.

* Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine, do both sides of each license, credit card, etc., You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.

* Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Carry a photocopy of your passport when you travel either here or abroad.

* In case your wallet or purse is stolen:

Here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately, but the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them easily.

* File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, this proves to credit providers you were diligent, and is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

But here's what is perhaps most important:
Call the three national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number.
The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

The numbers are: Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271

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Sad News

I have been informed by Russ Gainor that Roger Forster died on Nov. 15, 2003

Les Burkhardt

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Help & Information Needed!

Hi, my name is Chuck Pharis. I am retired from ABC Network in Hollywood. I was a Senior Video Engineer. I have 38 years in Tv Engineering.
I am now consulting for a HBO Movie that will be shot early next year.
The movie is called "1952". All about historical events that happened that year. One of the story lines is about the CBS News coverage of the 1952 Political Conventions and the Presidential election night coverage.
We are going to re-construct (or at least hope to) an exact duplicate of the CBS Network News Studios in NY and the set up at the conventions and on election night.
I need some help on finding photos of the equipment used by CBS News in 1952. Both in the News Control rooms and Studios, and at the conventions and election central. Also of the Univac computer used.
I need photos of cameras, monitors, switchers, mics, audio boards, remote trucks, etc. We really want this to look as real as possible.
Also crew members and what they wore.
Some scenes take place in the News offices, so I need help there too.

Getting the equipment should be no problem, as I have one of the largest collections of vintage Television equipment in the world, and there is also a Prop House out here in Hollywood that will make up anything we need. This is (suppose to) be working studios and control rooms!

Please check out my web site to see my collection:

Pharis-Video

I hope there are some "old timers" still left that were on the crew in 1952. Not only do I need photos, I would also like to interview them.
They would be a part of history (again)!

Please let me know if you can help me?

My contact information is:

Chuck Pharis
Hollywood, Calif.
chuck@pharis-video.com
Home 818-834-8999
Cell 818-802-1603

Thanks,
Chuck

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Sadness, is the cloud that looms about us, and pervades in us when a dear one departs in spirit, to what we all hope is the better place for a soul to be. Earthly pain is gone, and rest from the toil of a life time is in place.
Dave Minott, who has carried with great dignity and aplomb the heavy burden this year of two elderly parents and a dear wife that required hope and prayers too.
This week his beloved mother, Ruth, 87, passed away.
Dave had to attend to this in Florida, and to comfort his father, Lou, who is 91.
We wish that his consummate universal knowledge will afford him the salve of peace that will soften this loss of his beloved Mother.
She was named for one of the books that is written in the bible.
To Dave and his wife Holly and their entire family, we wish them peace.

Tony C.

Larry Tisch is dead! The one that killed the giant, CBS. He brought CBS to its industry's knees. He along with another pipsqueak, Ed Grebow. They contrived to siphon off the assets of the dynasty that Mr. William Paley and Mr. Frank Stanton assiduously put together.
On the CBS news, Dan Rather assigned his only attributes that he was a WW2 veteran.
I wrote in our 1212 News that he was "The Barracuda of Wall Street," that appellation became his, and the Wall Street Journal, and others used it quite often.
It isn't Christian of me to speak ill of the dead, but I list some of his of his acquisitions:
He owned CNA Insurance, Lorillard Cigarettes and University Cancer Hospital. The man knew how to make money. Now I leave it to you to draw your own picture.
I wished him well when he bought CBS, for I thought with his business acumen he would increase the net worth of our company. What he did was skillfully fillet the different companies to fill his own pockets. I have no truck with that, for it was good business...for him.
He beat us, I am not sure if it was fair and square, but as a gambler I wish I was on the same side of the ledger with him.
May he rest in peace, as he awaits his judgment...

Tony Cucurullo

Seventy-Fifth Anniversary ( C.B.S.)
Date: 11/13/2003 2:15:45 PM Eastern Standard Time
From: EgPascul
To: Tonycucu



HI Tony ( The Strunze )
I've been meaning to respond to your comment on the Retirees Net , but never got around
to it up till now -----That is, regarding their ( C.B.S.'s ) 75 th Anniversary Program .......
In regards to what you wrote about their neglecting to mention ( at all ) any credit to the
the Engineering or Technical end of the Business . I ,(and I'm sure a multitude number of
others ) , certainly share your sentiments regarding how it was handled !!! But I think you'll
agree that in the past , neither the Company nor the Show people per say have ever given
credit on a "large scale " , publicly ------I think we've always had to settle for and be thank-
ful for any recognition we received on a personal level ---from any Talent we may have had
the pleasure of working with or our immediate "bosses " , T.D.s , supervisors etc., etc.....
Correct me if I'm wrong , and I think you should know----
Isn't it a fact that any Movie or Program made for Television "has to " by Union Ruling roll
the entire Credits when shown for Public Consumption ----I guess we more or less missed
the boat here !!!!!
Best regards ;
Gene ( The Provolone )

Gene;
We not only missed the boat, but the pier sank also.
They cared for techs. But, in the IATSE they have to print the logo on all movies.
I just had to get my point in though.
Tony C.

Upcoming Mini-Luncheon

Hi everyone,

We have a mini-luncheon scheduled for Wednesday, November 19th, 2003 at the East Bay diner, 2405 Merrick Rd., Bellmore, NY, at 12:00 noon. The same diner as last time. If there's any problem let me know.
Let me know if you can make it as I have to give an approximate count to the Diner.
Looking forward to seeing all of you.

Tony Casola
tcasola1@optonline.net
516 541-2263

On a past occasion I listed the names of as many of those CBS men and women that I could recall that had served in the Armed Forces of the United States. I was remiss in the fact that I couldn't and didn't know all of those that had served.
CBS has had many that served on the different battlefields, in the wars and conflicts over time. And there were cameramen that covered stories and were not recognized for there efforts. So this year I would like to salute all the veterans that went to places that only they would recall.
And too, the sailors that can only say they stood watch on a gun position in the terrible roiling waters of the North Sea, or in the boiling hot sun of the South Pacific, or off the coast of Okinawa during the Tsunami that crushed cruisers and tankers alike.
Serving, or having served, during any of the periods in the lifetime of the CBS people is what I am attempting to conjure for you to reminisce about.
I remember some the stories from Dwight Temple and Bob Abernathy about being Radio Telegraph operators during their trips about the world. Some of their reflections were chilling, and some were poetic as seen from within in their mind's eye.
But one only has to name some of the more prominent areas and battlefields to know that the people of CBS rendered their lives in defense of this country's ideals and values.
I shall start with my Father and Uncle in the fields of France in WW I and list the others as best as I can.
WORLD WAR I
WORLD WAR II
KOREA
GRENADA
VIET NAM
THE SIX DAY WAR ISRAEL
DESERT STORM
IRAQ
and all the lonely posts that our service men now walk diligently.

On November 11th, 2003, there will be a bronze plaque installed on the Walk of Honor, in Norfolk Virginia, honoring all the Seals, and the other units that make up "Silent Warriors" of the past and present.
My service during WW 11 was in a unit of Scouts and Raiders. We were euphemistically called "Frogmen" and that plaque will include a reference to them.
To all those CBS people that served this country whether in uniform, or in the true patriotic spirit that drives this nation on to greatness, take a moment to say a silent, "Thank you," to those that served at your pleasure.

Tony Cucurullo

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Looking for Help

I'm working on a book project involving the Ed Sullivan Show telecast of February 9, 1964, Episode #778 at Studio 50, New York and wish to find CBS engineers who were in the theatre that day and that night. Can you advise how I might post a request for info or hook up with someone involved?
Cheers and thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Harvey Sawler
forerunn@nb.sympatico.ca
Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

Hi Everyone,
We have a mini-lunch scheduled for Wednesday, November 19th, 2003 at the East Bay Diner, 2405 Merrick Rd., Bellmore, NY, at 12 noon. The same diner as last time.
Let me know if you can make it as I have to give an approximate count to the diner. Looking forward to seeing all of you.

Tony Casola
tcasola1@optonline.net
516 541-2263

"Trains and Light Rail"

The Tenafly Public Library is presenting a display entitled "Trains and
Light Rail" in its exhibit cases through November 29.

Created by Tenafly resident Albert Cafiero, with technical computer
support from Tenafly High School Librarian David DiGregorio.

Tthe display features historic photographs of the Tenafly Station built
in 1873, historical maps of the Northern Railroad, time tables for the
Erie Railroad, authentic ticket stubs dating back to World War I, a
chronology of the Northern Railroad since 1859 and much more.

Light rail is highlighted in the display with trolley models, out of
print publications, historical photographs of the trolley that ran
through Tenafly, Englewood and Edgewater from the William R. Agnew
Collection, NJ Transit light rail maps, modern photographs, a 1911 map of
the Englewood Line and more.

The exhibit, which surrounds a NJ Transit model of contemporary Light
Rail, also features an ongoing video display of prints of historical
railroad stations and trains from our area including Tenafly, Norwood,
Piermont, Cresskill, Nyack, North Bergen, Ridgefield, Palisades Park,
Leonia, Englewood and others.

The Tenafly Public Library is located in the Municipal Center at 100
Riveredge
Road.

Shorted Pills

Here is a note we just received from Steven Seligman. Be vigilant!

More than just a couple of times I've found that when my wife and I have received our pre-
scriptions from Express Scripts, we've been shorted pills. Never more than three, most of the time just one but when you're paying in some cases well over a dollar a pill, it can mount up. When we've called, they,ve replaced them but either they're doing it on purpose which I doubt or they run a sloppy shop which is more likely. It might sound petty but a fixed income is a fixed income is a fixed income.

HEY, LOOK HERE

I stumbled across a great website for all you old time engineers. Before the invention of calculators and computers there, was the SLIDE RULE, and IT was king. This site will inform you about anything you ever wanted to know about slide rules. The site is dedicated to William Oughtred, the inventor of the modern slide rule. Try it, you'll like it. The website is: http://www.oughtred.org

Submitted by Ted Perzeszty

11-05-03 02:13 PM EST Dow Jones Newswires

NEW YORK -- Microsoft Corp.(NASDAQ-NMS:MSFT) (MSFT) announced the creation of a $5 million reward fund for information leading to the capture and conviction of individuals responsible for launching damaging computer viruses and worms, and put $250,000 each on the heads of those responsible for unleashing the original Blaster worm and Sobig e-mail virus.

For more information go to Morningstar

75 years

CBS celebrated the glory years associated with all of the stars that are gathered in the heavens, or was that MGM's famous sobriquet.
CBS deserves to be proud of the shows that they put on the airwaves for America to enjoy. For William Paley surrounded himself with the biggest and the best stars. But, he also acquired the very best in technical help, from the slide rules of the engineers, to the skilled audio and television technicians. The artisans of the theater, the directors, script writers, the stage managers, the stagehands, the electricians, makeup personnel, and property people.
We know the value and the contributions of all these people, but the viewing audience has only a cursory knowledge that there are ancillary people that perform all sorts of functions.
So why then could there be such a grand scale pat on the back for the "Talent," only, and but, one comment for a below the line employee.
Of course this sounds like sour grapes on my part, but I feel that a Cronkite, or any of the luminaries could have squeezed in, or made a gracious comment about all of the engineering and technical advances that came from within the rank and file of this great company.
We may have been paid for our efforts, but what the upper echelon has never fully understood that most employees work for the greater good of the company.
I can tell you that many people that I worked with were very happy to be employed in the industry, and to make as big a contribution that they could offer.
Well, I guess I will take another pill and call it a day, having vented my spleen. I wish there was a wailing wall for disgruntled technicians.
Tony C.