Often times I'll start these posts off with "Guy Rules."
Today, I will broaden my demographic and hit you with a "Life Rule", that way these words can inspire all genders.
Something funny happens as humans get older.............................
Christmas comes around far more often.
When I was a kid, I am pretty certain we had to wait 10 000 days between opening gifts underneath the tree.
The sands in the hour glass simply don't fall with haste for children.
But now that I have inched up to the abyss of becoming old, it seems to me that 1/2 of my life remains in the Holiday season.
Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that I was preaching "World Peace & Egg Nog"?
Man Alive how time flys for the aged.
Some people would let that worry them, or maybe on a lesser note.....define them.
But the Last American Baker refuses to let life dicate to him how and what he needs to do when he reaches certain milestones in life.
I've always felt the best way to do this is....keep moving, and always-always-always reinvent yourself.
Klecko has always cringed in the presence of hippies and do gooders, but truth be told, maybe he's starting to get soft.
Is it possible that the Old Pollack is becoming a "Citizen of the World?" LOL
Anyways, my plan for Christmas this year is to bury my "Peace On Earth" dream.
I know this may crush many of your hearts, because so many of you look to the village baker as a source of optimism, but let's face it.........
People are flawed -
People are selfish -
People will never allow peace, because they have swallowed the lie.
They don't believe Peace is in their best interest.
This year Klecko is simply going to worry about what Peace he can offer to this spinning globe, and the rest of y'all are free to do what you like.
With that said, Christmas baking is upon us now, and many of our loved ones will demand our tasty stylings to help continue their family traditions.
Klecko uses a lot of cocoa through the holidays, so I'm guessing that maybe a fair portion of you kids do as well.
So for my first official Good Christmas Deed of the year......let me show you something that was written in a little rag called the LA TIMES.
END OF STORY
OK, welcome back.
Does Klecko think big buisness is good?
Sure.
Does Klecko have anything against Nestle?
I guess after reading this, he might.
I have a granddaughter who won't be subjected to this insanity, for no other reason than God shook a Yahtzee cup and little M-Rose fell into the world via Omaha Nebraska.
But these beautiful children in Africa, these kids who (according to odds-statistics and probibility) I will never meet.
They know no other way.
Like many of you, I sometimes feel powerless against fighting giants.
And sometimes I simply tire and or "Racing Towards the Roar."
But it's Christmas time, and whether I like it or not, I simply cant shake the image of Little Manger Babies sloshing around in 3rd world conditions, trying to elude tractors running them over......just so some fat cats can have theirs.
Am I bugging you?
I don't mean to bug you.....go ahead Edge, play the blues.
(At this point Klecko takes one foot off the soap box, to indacate to the audience that he is about to conclude his rant.....but then, at the last moment, he leans into the microphone to announce one final thought.)
I do love most of you guys, and hope you are able to bake for your loved ones with smiles on your faces.
However, would it be to much to ask, that you don't use Nestle for this years holiday bake?
PEACE
Today, I will broaden my demographic and hit you with a "Life Rule", that way these words can inspire all genders.
Something funny happens as humans get older.............................
Christmas comes around far more often.
When I was a kid, I am pretty certain we had to wait 10 000 days between opening gifts underneath the tree.
The sands in the hour glass simply don't fall with haste for children.
But now that I have inched up to the abyss of becoming old, it seems to me that 1/2 of my life remains in the Holiday season.
Wasn't it just 3 weeks ago that I was preaching "World Peace & Egg Nog"?
Man Alive how time flys for the aged.
Some people would let that worry them, or maybe on a lesser note.....define them.
But the Last American Baker refuses to let life dicate to him how and what he needs to do when he reaches certain milestones in life.
I've always felt the best way to do this is....keep moving, and always-always-always reinvent yourself.
Klecko has always cringed in the presence of hippies and do gooders, but truth be told, maybe he's starting to get soft.
Is it possible that the Old Pollack is becoming a "Citizen of the World?" LOL
Anyways, my plan for Christmas this year is to bury my "Peace On Earth" dream.
I know this may crush many of your hearts, because so many of you look to the village baker as a source of optimism, but let's face it.........
People are flawed -
People are selfish -
People will never allow peace, because they have swallowed the lie.
They don't believe Peace is in their best interest.
This year Klecko is simply going to worry about what Peace he can offer to this spinning globe, and the rest of y'all are free to do what you like.
With that said, Christmas baking is upon us now, and many of our loved ones will demand our tasty stylings to help continue their family traditions.
Klecko uses a lot of cocoa through the holidays, so I'm guessing that maybe a fair portion of you kids do as well.
So for my first official Good Christmas Deed of the year......let me show you something that was written in a little rag called the LA TIMES.
Nestle promises action on Ivory Coast child-labor violations
Nestle said it will work to eradicate child labor in its cocoa supply chain… (Nestle )
Nestle, the world’s largest food company, said it would do more to eradicate child labor and other worker violations in its Ivory Coast cocoa supply chain after an outside report pointed out a range of problems.
The West African country provides 10% of Nestle's cocoa, which is used to make chocolate products such as Kit Kat candies, according to an investigation by the Fair Labor Assn. But the company's worker code is often flouted there, causing children to work under dangerous farm conditions instead of going to school, according to a Friday report from the association.
The West African country provides 10% of Nestle's cocoa, which is used to make chocolate products such as Kit Kat candies, according to an investigation by the Fair Labor Assn. But the company's worker code is often flouted there, causing children to work under dangerous farm conditions instead of going to school, according to a Friday report from the association.
END OF STORY
OK, welcome back.
Does Klecko think big buisness is good?
Sure.
Does Klecko have anything against Nestle?
I guess after reading this, he might.
I have a granddaughter who won't be subjected to this insanity, for no other reason than God shook a Yahtzee cup and little M-Rose fell into the world via Omaha Nebraska.
But these beautiful children in Africa, these kids who (according to odds-statistics and probibility) I will never meet.
They know no other way.
Like many of you, I sometimes feel powerless against fighting giants.
And sometimes I simply tire and or "Racing Towards the Roar."
But it's Christmas time, and whether I like it or not, I simply cant shake the image of Little Manger Babies sloshing around in 3rd world conditions, trying to elude tractors running them over......just so some fat cats can have theirs.
Am I bugging you?
I don't mean to bug you.....go ahead Edge, play the blues.
(At this point Klecko takes one foot off the soap box, to indacate to the audience that he is about to conclude his rant.....but then, at the last moment, he leans into the microphone to announce one final thought.)
I do love most of you guys, and hope you are able to bake for your loved ones with smiles on your faces.
However, would it be to much to ask, that you don't use Nestle for this years holiday bake?
PEACE
Danny, thanks for posting this. It's frustrating because we live in a world whose marketplace is dominated by huge corporations and it is difficult to avoid buying things from companies like Nestle's. I do want to point out, however, that, in addition to its exploitation of child labor in Africa, Nestle's is an exceedingly bad company that's been caught many times with its hand in the proverbial cookie jar. In the U.S., for example, its bottled water division has been caught draining local water supplies and engaging in false advertising, claiming that treated water drawn from municipal water systems was "spring water," and so on. A good company to stay away from this Christmas -- and every other day of the year, if possible.
ReplyDeleteIf Richard Broderick says so....you know it's true! NO NESTLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DeleteWell said. I guess I must have missed this in the news.Or maybe it's not important enough for the biased news media.
ReplyDeleteNo more Nestle for me, ever!
Power to the people Anonymous, and thanks for swing by
DeleteHear! Hear! And just to make sure you don't buy any other goods of which profits flow right back to Nestlé, check this infographic ; http://www.convergencealimentaire.info/map.jpg and keep your jaw from dropping to the ground. this ain't gonna be easy....
ReplyDeleteThanks Freerk, I knew I could count on the Bread Lab!!!
DeleteNo Nestle for me, either! (No problem since Penzey's cocoa is much better...natural or Dutch process)
ReplyDeleteJudy Dickerson
You just can't go wrong with Penzey's, thanks for the shout out, and Merry Christmas Anonymous.
DeleteI pledge not to bake with nestle cocoa nor will I make any beverages with said product ...seriously that's kind of messed up....just when you thought you grew up fast and you didn't get to be just a kid you hear things like this.
ReplyDeleteOh crap, I have an unopened container of Nestle's Quick in the cabinet. I'll return it to the store even though I don't have the receipt...maybe they'll take it. But whatever, no more Nestle products for me, either!
ReplyDeleteLIKE
DeleteFrom someone who works in the industry firsthand, do not ever fool yourself to think that this is just Nestle's. Over 70% of the world's cocoa crop comes from the Ivory Coast and much of it is grown/harvested using child labor in one way shape or form. Very sad but true. And it's not just the companies you know of because they have a retail presence. Much larger companies without a retail presence buy Ivory Cocoa beans, make their own chocolate and sell it to chocolatiers, bakeries, cookie companies, etc. Sadly, it's hard to get away from this, unless you buy something that's "guaranteed" to be Fair Trade ... and even that, can be like saying "organic" -the farmer may practice organic farming, but if the farmer across the "street" doesn't, his chemicals can travel through the soil or through the air to other farms. I'm not trying to be negative here - but it's important that you realize it isn't JUST Nestle's. There's a REALLY good chance that ANY chocolate/cocoa you buy has been affected by this tragic practice.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous.......you are wise, and those of us L.A.B. Rat's who are not fanatic....will do what we can. Thanks for truth, and Merry Christmas
DeleteAnd Merry Christmas to you too, Chef.
Delete