FG March 2015

FRIENDS GAZETTE
Your articles look at moral reasons for being vegetarian
or vegan which is a very interesting mix and unique
Tim Barford - VegFestUK founder

MARCH 2015

ISSN: 2053-4426
E-mail: friendsgazette@gmail.com - Tel: +44 (0) 7710 692550 - Victoria, London SW1P 1HJ - Tavel 30126, France

TUCK INTO

10
WORTH OF
FREE NOSH

France leads
world in vin
bio challenge
Organic wine sales soar as drinkers seek less chemicals in their glass
FRANCE
is
ahead of the
curve when it
comes to making
organic
wine,
official figures
reveal.

HUNDREDS of vegans, vegetarians

and health freaks visiting the FG
stand at VegFest Brighton this
month will get the chance to win
10 worth of free nosh at one of
the towns best veggie eateries.
In an exclusive deal with Wai
Kika Moo Kau, new FG readers can
feast themselves right in the heart
of one of the hippest area of
town, gratis!
One recent customer had this to
say on an on-line comparison site:
Had an excellent lunch in (p.6)

The news comes

as consumers are
turning more and
more
to
the
organic product,
outstripping
demand for the Nectar of the gods . . .
chemically enhanced versions.
Eric Pfifferling proprietor of an
organic vineyard or domaine in the
Languedoc region of southern France
told FG this month: There is a general
awareness [of organic wine] in all
generations in lots of countries, in
Japan and Denmark for example where
I export my wine. It's not just a fashion
craze.
There are an estimated 1500-2000
organic wine producers globally,
including (emerging) labels, with more
than 885 of these organic domaines in
France alone.
1

A French vineyard

The Languedoc is Frances biggest

organic region.
The consumption of organic wine
grew at a rate of 3.7 per cent over the
year ending September 19, 2009, outpacing growth in the consumption of
non-organic wine which grew 2%
during a similar period.
And the organic trail has attracted
some stardust in recent years.
In a blaze of publicity recently
Hollywood A-list couple Brad Pitt and
Angelina Jolie announced that they
were becoming vignerons bio. (p.6)

FG March 2015

Neals Yard in food

poisoning scare

Special report by FG
investigative team

ONE of London's oldest and best

known vegetarian providers was
this month caught up in a food
poisoning shock.
Neil's Yard which first set up shop in
an eponymous alleyway in Covent
Garden in the 60s has pulled its
Ragstone unpasteurised goats
milk cheese because it could
cause food poisoning.
The cheese was produced in its
farm in Herefordshire and
transported from there to its
outlets in Covent Garden and
Southwark.
Borough Market, in Southwark,
has become a must-go south
London destination for tourists
and capital dwellers alike in
recent years.
An extensive food market
nestling under railway arches and
winding alleys cheek by jowel with
Southwark
cathedral
between
Southwark and Blackfriars bridges it

has grown up offering all things to all

people including cheese, vegetables,
meat, fish, eggs, drinks, snacks and
more recently even fashion items.
Many products are brought to market
directly by growers or cooperatives.
In an official statement the Food

Standards Authority said: "Neals Yard

Creamery has recalled a batch of its
200g Ragstone unpasteurised goats
milk cheese because high levels of

Pope hails co-ops slams marketing

Listeria monocytogenes have been

found in the product.
Listeria
monocytogenes
is
a
bacterium that can cause food
poisoning, particularly among key
vulnerable groups, including pregnant
women, unborn and newborn babies,
those over 60 years old, and anyone
with reduced immunity.
Neals Yard recalled the affected
batch from customers as a
precaution [earlier this month].
Most of the product that was sold
has been returned.
The remaining product has been
sold over the counter at two Neals
Yard Dairy Shops in Covent Garden
and Borough Market.
If you have bought the product,
do not eat it. Instead, return it to
the store from where it was bought
or contact: Neals Yard Creamery,
Dorstone, Herefordshire.
No spokesman for Neil's Yard was
available at the time FG went to press.
Come and meet
us at VegFest
Brighton
28/29 March
AND Bristol
23/24 May

POPE Francis has celebrated the cooperative movement while at the

same time criticising those who
worship the god of money.
Speaking at the Confederazione
Cooperative Italiane he said co-ops
must continue to be the motor that
uplifts and develops the weakest
parts of our local community and
civil society.
And he slammed those who think it
is up to companies to bestow the
crumbs of accumulated wealth.
As reported in the Independent
Catholic News recently he said: You
run the risk of deluding yourself that
you
are
doing
good
while,
unfortunately you continue only to
do marketing. He warned that the
fatal loop of egoism which has
the god of money at the centre
remains unbroken.
2

FG March 2015

Tunisian
mum
praises
kindness
of Arab
street
A TUNISIAN mum who now lives in
France has praised the reaction of
her former countrymen and
women after the shameful
attack on the National Bardo
Museum in capital, Tunis, this
month.
Twenty-one people perished in the
atrocity.
Nineteen were foreign tourists,
including at least one Briton, on a
trip to the cultural centre when two
terrorists attacked.
Two locals including one security
guard also died.
The terrorists, acting as agents of
Daesh (also known as ISIS), were
killed by police and a number have
been arrested on suspicion of helping
them.
The atrocity brought out Muslim
Tunisians in their hundreds in support
of the victims and by inference
against Daesh.
Dolly Barjol, who lives in Marseilles
just across the water from the
country of her birth said: This event
could have happened anywhere.
Tunisian people are very kind, not
violent.
They came out in the streets
[against the atrocity].
We have never seen that in Arab
countries."
Dolly who is Jewish and whose son
Obadia lives in Jerusalem told how

Dolly Barjol

citizens of the holy city are

Asked if the two events were linked
in any way at all Dolly insisted:
'frightened and worried' even though
There is no link between
they are living in their own country.
Netanyahus re-election and the
She expressed her fears as the
bombing of the museum.
country re-elected right-winger
Benjamin Netanyahu
as leader in this
months general
elections.
He is too rigid. He is
on the right.
But it's difficult to
have an opinion
because I don't live in
the country [Israel].
My son is living in
Jerusalem. They are
frightened. They are
very worried, she
said.
Netanyahu has
promised to continue
building settlements
on disputed territory,
a highly contentious
issue which inflames
Palestians. He is also
on a collision course
with the United States
and the European
Send a covering letter and cv stating
Union after he
clearly why youd be the right person for
reneged on an earlier
promise to work
the job to friendsgazette@gmail.com
towards a two-state
* see separate ad
solution between
Palestinians and Jews.

COME AND
WRITE FOR YOUR
FAVOURITE
I-MAG?

Friends Gazette is looking

for reporters and advertising
sales people* to join our
team - the right reward
package and word rate
awaits the right people

FG March 2015

I wouldnt be here
today if it wasnt for
a Great Master

Feature story of the

month by Naren Sonkhla

A NEWCASTLE man is convinced he

would not be alive today were it
not for the intervention of an
Indian mystic.
Naren Sonkhla has been living
happily in the capital of the north for
three years now.
But his grandfather, Balbir Singh
Lahol, was a resident of Himachal
Pradesh in Nari, now in Pakistan.
The town was the scene of a
horrific massacre in 1947 during the
Partition of India in which Muslims
and Hindus were forced to leave
their homes and move to their new
countries in a divided land.
But grandad, then just 10, escaped
certain death when he and his family
moved a year before the carnage on
the advice of his fathers guru.
Naren tells the incredible story:
This is the true story of my
grandfather Mr Balbir Singh Lahol age
78, born on the 11th August 1937.
He was the son of Mast Ram Lahol
who born into a satsangi (followers of
a living guru) family and gave his
whole life to seva (voluntary work) at
Dera Baba Jaimal Singh Amritsar (an
ashram in the Punjab).
His mother was Manso Devi. He
spent his childhood in Pakistan,
Lahore before partition.
Mast Ram Lahol was a well-known
businessman and owned a hotel in
Lahore called the Dhobi Mandi Old

In the lap of a master

- Balbir Singh Lahol

In the riots which preceded the partition in the Punjab region, between 200,000 to
500,000 people were killed in the retributive genocide. UNHCR estimates 14 million
Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims were displaced during the partition; it was the largest
mass migration in human history. (Wikipedia)

Anarkali Mohalla Madhoram Hindu

Hoshiyarpuri Hotel, Lahore.
His father was famous as a chaudhry
(landowner) at Lahore.
Mr Balbir Singh told me how on the
20th December, 1942 when he was
just five years old Great Master
Sawan Singh Ji Maharaj came to his
house. He was in his village to visit
followers and hold meetings.
He said it was a golden period of
time. He was so excited to see the
Great Master at his house. It was just
a dream come true. The Great
Master, as he was known, stayed
three days.
During his stay the guru asked his
host if he could talk with his son, my
grandfather.
He sat the boy on his lap.The Great
Master covered him with his warm
blanket. Then he said to Mast Ram
Lahol: Leave Lahore with your
family and set up new business in
Punjab or somewhere.
My great-grandfather took this
lightly and stayed put.

But on his next visit the Great

Master repeated the warning.
My great-grandfather said: My
hotel business is well established
here so how can I leave and why?
The guru replied: Do what I say.
My great-grandfather agreed but
was still puzzled but put the word
around that he wanted to move.
Then one day a man walked into the
hotel out of the blue and said:
Chaudhry Sahib I heard you want to
sell this hotel.
My great-grandfather said he did.
The man immediately replied: I
want to buy this hotel.
The deal was finalized for 2000
rupees. My family left Lahore in
November 1946.
In 1947 when they were in Shimla,
across the border, they heard the
news on the radio. They were calling
it the biggest massacre on earth.
Then they realised why the Great
Master had told them to leave
Lahore. Without that warning I would
not be here today.

FG March 2015

Make
friends
with a
book
A TRAILBLAZING volume which throws new light
on such existential questions as how did our
cosmos start? who am I? where did I come from?
has been launched this month.
Science and the Soul (SAS) by Mike Pitman
reconditions a well-known philosophical structure
to reconcile apparent contradictions between
religion and science.
In blurb supplied to FG Pitman says: This book
coordinates the major scientific disciplines of
physics, psychology, biology and information
technology. It employs a simple, polar framework
called natural dialectic into which to load facts
and philosophy.
Pitman took degrees in classics at Oxford and
science at the Open University. He penned SAS in
Cambridge where he lives with his wife Suzanne.
THE ADVENTURES of a
private detective
caught the attention
of crowds in Paris this
month.
Guy Marais,
detective priv, is
the creation of
author and traveller
Jean-Jacques
Sandras.
Speaking just after
the exhibition at the
prestigious Mus de
Louvre in the
French captial Sandras revealed to FG
that he was pleased with the reaction of the
crowd, who snapped up copies of the latest tale.
Catch up on Guys thrilling life and Sandras
other works at Amazon.
FILM-MAKER and author Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon is
busy with a sequel to his popular novel Nothing
and Everywhere. This time round were in for a
trip in the hands, or maybe in the mind, of a guy
called Felix whos just dropped some fly agaric
(amanita muscaria) mushrooms.
Felix is John and Susies son, the heroes of
Nothing and Everywhere and is a prisoner of the
evil Tigran Gevorkian who also featured in the
original story. Lesmoir-Gordons bid to fund a
movie based on the original novel is underway.
Written something recently you think the world should know
about? Tell us and well do our best to put it in FG. Reviews
undertaken only at the editors discretion.

FG March 2015

France leads world . . .

Continued from page 1

Veggie breaks
in the south of
France
We can help organise vegetarian and/or
Brad Pitt and Angela Jolene launch their organic tipple.

vegan-friendly bed and breakfasts and

Their 2012 Jolie-Pitt & Perrin Ctes de Provence

Ros Miraval romped in 84th in the top 100 wines
named by US magazine Wine Spectator in 2013.
The legal definition of organic wine varies from
country to country.
The primary difference in the way that organic
wine is defined relates to the use (or non-use) of
preservatives during the wine-making process.
Traditional wine has sulphur dioxide added during
fermentation to extend its life.
Organic wine does not, resulting in a shorter shelf
life.
It therefore usually has to be consumed within a
few years of harvesting as distinct from traditional
wines which can be left to 'mature', often for
decades.
But this does not necessarily mean it cannot hold
its own with the traditional variety.
Bertrand Clavires, director of Gault et Millau,
one of Frances most prestigious and influential
restaurant guides, said recently: Organic wine had
a bad reputation in the early days it was unstable
and did not keep well but as vignerons have learnt
more about what is needed, the wine has become
much better.
M. Clavires, whose guide is a byword for quality
in high society in France and worldwide, added:
You cannot say a vineyard like Domaine de la
Romane Conti is not producing world-class wines
and it has been organic for decades.

recommend restaurants and places to

visit. We even meet and greet at station
or airport.
To find out more
email: friendsgazette@gmail.com
Or call:

07710 692550

See our interview with M. Pifferling on page 10

WIN 10 FREE FOOD

from p.1

this restaurant and neither myself nor my husband

are vegetarian.
The food was tasty, fresh, beautifully presented,
nor over-priced either.
Service was excellent, helpful and friendly. We
would recommend this restaurant to anyone,
vegetarian or not.
But this delicious offer isnt limited to visitors to
the show. Any email contacts passed on to us by our
current readers will go into the lucky draw and
could well come up trumps.
So just send us the names of your friends and
rellies who fancy going veggie for a day or, better
still, who are veggie already and theyll be put in
the hat.
Of course theyll also go on the FG distribution list
so they wont miss out on similar offers in the
future. The winner will be notified directly.
The editors decision is final.
6

FG March 2015

Call to ban
Hindu
bloodbath

By FG reporters

HOPEFUL
campaigners
are
determined to bring an end to the
slaughter of hundreds of innocent
animals as part of a gory Indian
Hindu festival.
The Gadhimai Festival is held every
five years in Nepal, on Indias
northern border, about 100 miles
south of Kathmandu.
The area is covered in blood and
strewn with dead bodies after the
horrific event which involves the
ritual slaughter of water buffaloes,
pigs, goats, chicken, rats and pigeons.
The bloodbath is supposed to please
Gadhimai, the goddess of power and
is carried out by a group of people
known as Madheshis.

A
spokesman for the
Animal Welfare Network
Nepal
said
the ritual hurt animals, hurt humans,
strengthened vested interests, contradicted the spirit of laws and treaties and is bad for tourism.
The network is calling on the Nepalese government to ban the ceremony
and has launched a petition to outlaw
blood sacrifices in general.
Nepal in the past banned human
sacrifice and widow burning. We feel
the time has come to ban blood sacrifices, a spokesman said.

Hindu scripture is clear on its view of

creation and animals place in it.
Divine teacher Krishna is quoted as
saying: . . . a wise person recognises
the value of life, the soul, within all
species of living beings. Because he
recognizes the soul in all bodies, he
does not cause any cruelty to them.
A Nepalese government official commented that it would not "interfere in
the centuries-old tradition of the
Madheshi people.

*See separate ad on next page

FG March 2015

Aspartame not
health hazard

Easy Mango
Chutney

FOODS
watchdog,
the Food Standards
Agency, has this
month backed a
study giving aspartame a clean bill of
health.
Claims circulating on
the
internet
and
elsewhere
sited
blindness, tinnitus, epileptic seizures, severe
depression and irreversible brain damage amongst a
host of other side-effects
caused by ingesting the
additive which can be found
in a number of low-cal foods
and drinks where it is used as
a sugar substitute.
But the study concluded
that those who reckoned they
were sensitive to aspartame
showed no difference in their
response after eating a cereal
bar, whether it
had
aspartame or not.
The research, now officially
adopted by the FSA, looked
at various factors including
psychological testing, clinical

observations, clinical biochemistry and also metabolomics (which looks at small

molecules generated by the
digestive system).
It was carried out by Hull
York Medical School and
checked by the Committee on
Toxicity of Chemicals in Food,
Consumer Products and the
Environment (COT).
Aspartame is approximately
200 times sweeter than sugar.
Though it contains calories
its so sweet not much has to
be used to obtain the same
amount of sweet taste for
virtually nil calories.

INGREDIENTS
(measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

2 medium sized juicy semi ripe

mangoes
tsp panch phoran - equal mix of
cumin, fennel, mustard, nigella &
fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp powdered jaggery or as
required (adjust as per the
sweetness of the mangoes)
1 tbsp peanut oil or any vegetable
oil
inch ginger, grated or finely
chopped
tsp red chili powder
a pinch of garam masala powder
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
salt as required

INSTRUCTIONS

Candice est Charlie

A FRENCH caterer may be

keeping her hand sealed
while she knocks out sandwich lunches.
But she's certainly not covering up her support for
French mag Charlie Hebdo
where 17 journalists were
recently gunned down for

depicting the Prophet in

their pages.
The atrocity was counter
productive and Je suis
Charlie has now become
an international byword
for freedom of expression
and freedom of the press
specifically.
All to the utter delight
of Candice (left) who told
FG: I want to show my
support for freedom of the
press and freedom of speech.
I'm not worried. Its important
to make a stand.
Millions of French citizens
and people around the world
came out in quiet support of
the magazine at the time, including Muslims.
8

1. peel and finely chop the mangoes.

2. if the mangoes are very juicy and
fibrous, you can just remove the
pulp.
3. heat oil in the pan.
4. fry the panch phoran spices till
fragrant.
5. now add the ginger and fry for some
seconds till its raw aroma goes
away.
6. add the finely chopped mango or
mango pulp/puree.
7. add the red chili powder, garam
masala powder and asafoetida.
8. stir.
9. simmer for 1-2 minutes.
10. add the powdered jaggery and salt.
11. stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
12. don't overcook as the mixture will
become thick.
13. remove the mango chutney in a
bowl.
14. serve mango chutney warm or at
room temperature as dip or spread.

FG March 2015

Fleas veggie
garden
All the tips to keep you growing
NOW that we are well
into March we should be
putting in some rows of
lettuce. I like to buy
little plants, two to twoand-half inches, organic
varieties, if possible.
Put the tray in the
shade and make sure the
plants dont dry out.
Place the pots into a
large basin. Fill the basin
with water to the top of
the pots. Dont leave
them longer than 24
hours before planting.
Dig the soil to a depth
of approx eight inches. A
fork is best and is the
easiest to work with. Now
rake over the surface and
level it. Mark out the
rows with a strong stick
at each end and strong
string stretched between.
Width between rows
should be around 15-18.
If the soil is already
fertilised make sure it is

well mixed in. If you feed

the soil yourself do it when
planting ensuring it is well
mixed in, around and
below the plant.
Also make sure the earth
around the plant is moist
when planting. Dig a hole a
bit bigger than root ball.
Put the root ball into the
hole. Start at the
beginning of your row.
Check the soil on the root
is at the same level as the
ground. If the hole isnt big
enough, widen or deepen it
but not too big or the plant
disappears. Once in, press
down the earth around the
plant firmly, filling in any
gaps with more soil. Plant
the next lettuce roughly
five inches from the first.
If, later, the spaces are
too big pop a few raddish
seeds in the gaps.
Keep a watchful eye on
the growing plants.
If the leaves are limp
and the soil very dry,
then water carefully.
Check if they need
covering with
fleece because of
rabbits. Pick off any
caterpillars and
throw them away as
far as possible.

CORRECTIONS AND
CLARIFICATIONS
Something not quite right? If you spot
an error, misinterpretation or general
goof-off then get off your backside and
let us know on
friendsgazette@gmail.com

FG March 2015

My clients
trust me . .

Frances Ashley asks the

questions for FG

produced a stunning array of

complex wines.
LAnglore has been a
constant source for elegant
and fresh wine for nearly a
decade.
Erics wines have helped
revolutionize organic
winemaking in the southern
Rhne. (Jenny and Francois selection)

Eric Pfifferling

FORMER honey maker, Eric

Pfifferling, created LAnglore
nearly a decade ago. In 2002 he
quit the cooperative and began
making his own wine.
LAnglores ancient vines are
located near the village of Tavel.
Eric farms his seven hectars of
gallet-strewn vines organically.
He hand-harvests his grapes and
avoids all shortcuts in the vineyard
and winery, such as adding artificial
yeasts, enzymes or sulfites. His
strict attention to detail has

You are considered different

to the Tavel wine growers ?
Well, I have very strong ideas
about how to work the soil. I
started very early on with
organic methods of culture. I make
my wine naturally with no addition of
chemical products; I have just been
re-reading the book Bare feet on
sacred land. What is important for
me is the beauty of the countryside,
the beauty of the soil and the
respect I feel for this living earth.
I have often thought of making a
special wine in honour of the
American Indians.
There seems to be a general
awareness regarding our relation
to nature, notably by those

directly concerned with the

production of food or wine ?
I try to respect nature with gentle
methods of culture. There is a
general awareness in all generations
in lots of countries, in Japan and
Denmark for example - I export my
wine there. Its not just a fashion
craze. With the Salon de l'Agriculture
in Paris opening now it is a real
pleasure to talk about the life of a
wine grower with a cultural angle
rather than an economic one.
You appear often in national press
media, does this surprise you?
I am happy to be acknowledged and
rewarded for my years of work - of
doubt sometimes; risk-taking for me
and those working with me. And I am
happy for my clients who trust me.

Trainee priest turned

journo dies, aged 83
JOHN Short was an amazingly gifted
communicator who used his talents
as a journalist, winning the admiration and respect of his colleagues.
He loved nothing better than telling
a story and, whether his audience
was a single listener or many thousands of readers, was a trifle to
John.
Born and raised in the heart of Liverpool, he was the son of a GPO
technician and one of five children
raised in a devout Catholic family
where he inherited the gift of the
gab, from Irish roots.

As launch news editor of the Liverpool Catholic Pictorial in 1962, John

led from the front to make the paper
a huge success and saw it achieve a
peak circulation of 43,000. Despite
the dismay of the clergy and his editor alike he was determined to keep
the paper fiercely independent.
He was a graduate of the school of
hard knocks and cut his sharp
journalistic teeth on the St Helens
Reporter, before working for a year
on the Liverpool Daily Post.
He trained and mentored scores of
journalists and photographers, many
of whom went on to reach the upper
echelons of the profession, crediting
John as their great inspiration.
In the 1950s John had been accepted to train for holy orders.
10

But he decided the church wasnt his

true calling and returned to Merseyside
where, after a stint of national service,
he landed his first writing job, on the
Birkenhead Advertiser.
After The Pic was sold John opted
for a career change and obtained a
social studies degree supplementing
his income with subbing shifts at the
Guardian in Manchester.
John's death at the age of 83, after
a battle with cancer, writes the final
chapter in the account of a man
who was respected and renowned for
his unfailing honesty, his talent as a
raconteur, his great sense of fun and
Christian love for others. He is survived by wife Hilda, their daughter
Emma and son David. (For full obituary see Independent Catholic News).

FG March 2015

FRIENDLY FEEDBACK
Feel strongly about an article or related subject?
Tell us about it now! friendsgazette@gmail.com
(Annonymous letters not published but contact details can be witheld upon request).

Dear Ed,
Hi! I am sending this to enter the
giveaway for Brighton VegFest
tickets! My favorite thing about
the FG is to be reminded that
there are indeed plenty (though
not enough!) people who agree
that eating animals is wrong for
moral reasons.
I am new to the UK. It seems
harder to be vegan here than it
was on the east coast of the USA.
But resources like the FG and
events like the VegFests show me
that the veg scene here has a lot
to offer! Thanks!

remember my
master
Charan Singh
Ji's words.
They were:
When you're
happy, I'm
happy.
Those five
words are, in
and of
themselves, a
worthy discourse; and the very
foundation of each and every
discourse mystics deliver. Be
well and love each other.
With love and affectionate
Radha Soami,
Doug Brookins
New Jersey, USA
Dear Ed,
I really enjoy reading FG. I find it
very informative. Can I ask
where you get your stories?
Numerous un-named readers

IF we had a quid for every time

someone asked us where we get
our information wed be rich
people. The answer is simple
you. A newspaper or magazine is
Dear Stephen (and Elaine),
a mirror.
Thanks for sharing this February's
Many publications take mirror
Friends Gazette and thanks as
for their names; see the Daily
well for publishing my letter to
Mirror in the UK, Der Spiegel in
you and Elaine.
Germany etc. Other favourite
I was surprised but grateful.
titles for the printed press are
I pray that all satsangis
The Express (quick); The
(followers of the Radha Soami
Telegraph (also quick?); The
philosophy), initiates and
Observer (obvious); Le Monde
devotees keep Gurinder Singh Ji
(the world). All of these reflect
Maharaj in their meditation and
(pun intended) their function.
prayers (Spiritual meeting is
We chose Gazette which dates
scrapped as gurus health back in back to Gazeta de la novit a
doubt FG February, 2015). It is
17th century Venetian news
this love and remembrance that
sheet which sold for a gazzetta
will help the master. Truly there a Venetian coin of small value.
is little that any of us can do;
(See pic above).
yet, remembrance, right conduct
And just think youre getting
on our parts, keeping Gurinder
it for nowt, not even a gazzetta!
Singh Ji Maharaj in our prayers is
Enjoy. And keep the tip-offs,
the most positive and loving
story ideas and feedback coming.
thing that we can do. I always
Its your paper. Thanks. ED.
Randi Milgram
Winner of two free VegfestUK
2015 Brighton tickets

The opinions and views expressed here are those of the authors only. Friends
Gazette does not necessarily agree or disagree with them or any part of them and
apart from Friendly Comment holds no opinions or views of its own throughout.
11

FRIENDLY
COMMENT
SACCHARIN gives me migrane. Too much
and I find my vision shattering, a scary
blind spot developing and low-and-behold
a splitting headache ensues.
Ive actually found a spot-on remedy for
me. Its called Bidor and you can get it
from Weleda.
But enough with the free advertising and
personal medical conditions.
Youll notice, however, Ive chosen my
words carefully. I used for me and me.
Not everyone.
To try and slam saccharin, or another
additive or food in general as having nasty
side effects on everybody, when its just
you, or a few people or, even, many
people, is a mistake.
If I wanted to prove that saccharin caused
headaches or migraines for EVERYBODY Id
have to make sure of my facts.
Id have to carry out some pretty
thorough experiments before I made a fool
of myself and gave everyone a headache.
Yet one sees anecdotal evidence on
harmful foods and additives all over the
place, and not just on the internet.
Some wild claims are made - terminal
illnesses, horrific disabilities and chronic
conditions among them.
The claims sometimes make column
inches in the press. But that doesnt make
them true!
A variety of guilty items are involved.
But NONE of these wild claims stand up to
objective scrutiny.
So lets keep personal tastes, dislikes and
reactions within the bounds of reason.
Scaremongering serves no purpose.
Lets remember that one mans meat is
another mans poison, or maybe in my
case, the other way round. ED

Flea digs in
A REGULAR Friends Gazette reader and
strict lacto-vegetarian has joined our
team with her regular gardening column.
(See Fleas veggie FG garden, p9).
Actually Flea Robertson is an
accomplished artist specialising in
landscapes, often inspired by the sweeping
countryside of the south of France where
she has lived for more than six years.
She manages a vibrant and renowned art
gallery which shows works from various
artists from the local area and beyond.
Luckily for us she also keeps a very fertile
and thriving garden and happily shares her
un-missable tips with us here in FG.
Thanks, Flea! ED

FG March 2015

12