Thursday, February 26, 2009

does wine cause cancer...the real french paradox



the REAL French paradox: while consumption of wine in France is down by 50% over the last two decades, the occurrence of cancers in France has increased...and then they wonder why their once pillar of the economy is reaching an all time low...so wonder the French wine industry is once again up in arms at the government's latest pronouncement: to stop drinking wine altogether.
this advice came to the front after the release of a report by the French national cancer institute, which says the consumption of only a small amount of alcohol can increase the risk of mouth and throat cancer by 168%. president of the institue, Dominique Maraninchi said, 'Small daily doses of alcohol are the most harmful. there is no amount, however small, which is good for you.' they also listed red meat, charcuterie and salt will increase the risk of colon-rectal cancer by almost 30%.
Roger Corder, professor of experimental therapeutics at the William Harvey Research Institute in London, and an expert on the health benefits of wine, said he was stunned by the report. 'It is not based on French statistics but on statistics from around the world. As well as this, it covers all alcohol, not just wine. It is very flawed to base government health advice on such research, which lacks a detailed analysis of the influence, or risk, of drinking patterns for different alcoholic drinks and has at the same time excluded confounders such as poor diet and smoking.'
the French wine lobby to no surprise has reacted with outrage. 'This persecution of wine has to stop'. president of the southern Languedoc wine producers association, Xavier de Volontat said: 'The extremists must not be allowed to take consumers hostage. Wine consumption has dropped bgy 50% over the last 20 years in France, but cancer has increased. You have to admit there is a paradox. 'We are for responsible, reasonable and moderate consumption. It is not in our interests to see our consumers dying of cancer…'
more than often research is only a statistical correlation between different parameters and using an approach such as that you can prove almost anything. the report does not take into account the health of the individuals, nor ethnic origins, comments on diets, mouth hygiene, or dental check-ups. opposing these "research" findings, the long history of wine's effect on human life guarantees that moderation drinking is benefit for our body. therefore it is my opinion that this is not a scientific study...but rather the shrewd propoganda by the French government.
what are they suggesting people drink – Coca Cola? i think the time has come to see another French revolution!

Monday, February 23, 2009

jet life


Song written and performed by PLUSH

i have posted this song because it is so applicable as to how i feel and where i am.

Jet life
I'm living life like a rock star
Oh how I really wanna go far
From here

Cool Cats, riding the town like they own it
That is something
I will never get
Oh I will never get that
And I do believe that no one feels this pain
Inside of me...

Well I'm jet life
Slow life
Picking up the broken pieces
Of my life
Tentative, hesitant bid God
It all looks positive

It's a shame about the world though
Lost dreams and no tomorrows
It's a shame it's shaking stuff up
You know it wouldn't be if we weren't so stuck up

'Cos we know nothing at all
If we didn't realize that we're so small
One shake out of the earth
One spin on the sea
We'll be squashed up bugs beneath God's feet

I said, all I have are believers
Said, all I have are believers
Are you, a believer
We're all just dreamers

Well the rest of the world is fighting
In a war that no one survives in
Young men are (can't tell word) before they've even lived
Well that doesn't seem fair to me

And Daddy's at home, he's angry
'Cos his son's no longer his property
Well, Man you had the long perception
'Cos he was never your possession

And woman walk around with mace in their bag
Just a piece of meat, waiting to be tagged
Well I can't believe this happens in my land
I can't believe the value of the Rand

Jet life
Everybody striving for a good life
Ain't nothing gonna happen if you sit around and waste time
You gotta move, you gotta prove, you gotta stay humble
Or this world will surely crumble


in the city...deeper


espresso, newspaper and the spring morning sun...

the cafe...

...transport in the inner city...

st anne...

...the quiet corner of an artist



in the city


the court house (...I have never been needed there...)

the arc de triomph

the arc de triomph

local architecture...

...and the narrow streets



at the market continues...once


i am lost

bio veggies anyone?

the bread ladies

the bread ladies

the veggie man



at the market










a day in Montpellier #1


the peyroux gardens and promenade

the peyroux gardens and promenade

the peyroux gardens and promenade with the famous medical faculty in the background

the peyroux gardens and promenade

the peyroux gardens and promenade

i decided to stroll around the markets and streets of Montpellier last saturday to snap away and capture some of the magic in this magnificent city in the south of France. it is sad to think that one of these days i will not be calling it home anymore as my two years in France comes to an end...

Friday, February 13, 2009

enjoy the wine


"i enjoy making wine because this sublime nectar is quite simply incapable of lying. pick to early, pick to late – it matters not. the wine will always whisper into your mouth with complete unabashed honesty every time you take a sip" ...uncle henry - a good year.


Wednesday, February 11, 2009

soiree of all soirees



the group: annie, mimi, toto,champion, karl-frederic, jojo, babbas, marine and victor!

the wine spy
here's to the VITIOENO promo 08/09! friends - we do it with CHAMPAGNE!

soiree de champagne 5


karl-frederic cant decide which name or bubbly he prefers!

jojo confused as always?

a true champenoise knows his stuff...mimi

toto prefered the grand cru from mumm but the bordelaise still choses bordeaux over champagne.

captain V with his Bolly's

everybody picked their favourite of the night to pose with the bottle...the choice was easier for some than for others.

soiree de champagne 4


exhibit A - the evidence...

exhibit B - Mumm Grand Cru and Bolly's

exhibit C - Billecart Salmon and Deutz

exhibit D - Ayala and Georges V

exhibit E - Philiponnat and Canard Duchene



soiree de champagne 3


jojoooo...

babbassssssssss..............

big vic and the wine spy

notre champion and mimi........

precious cargo...annie and marine



soiree de champagne 2


picture 1

...#2...

...#3...

...one last pull...#4...

...et voila!......it's done!
these picture shows karl-frederic doing his party trick. he has a cork, an empty bottle and a plastic bag. the pushes the cork into the bottle and removes the cork from the nottle ONLY using the plastic bag. impressive trick...i'll be practicing this one.