Below are the most recent 25 friends' journal entries.

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Wednesday, January 6th, 2010
alobar	3:19a	A Bit of Oddness         I was going to post about this bit of oddness the other day, but I got caught-up in other projects.         When I woke up on Monday, I had chest pains.  Pain was where the ribs connect to my breastbone.   As a kid, I would get this type of soreness when I played sandlot football without padding and get a shoulder hitting me in the chest.  No football on Sunday.  No falls.   Nobody shoved me.  I never sleep on my belly.   No unusual sleeping positions.  No startling nightmares which caused me to thrash around.   No unusual foods the previous day.  No sleep dep.   Same amount of exercise on Sunday that I get every work day         Chest pain I experienced did not fit the pattern associated with a heart attack.   Mayo clinic, of course, urged me to go to the emergency room "for piece of mind".   No mention was made of how much money such "piece of mind" would have cost me had I taken their advice.         Soreness diminished over the day.   Now (3AM Wednesday) there is a very slight tenderness if I press my fingertips into my breastbone (but not my ribs). Current Music: Control-X - On A High Dub Plain [Pod Ball Mix] (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Amb (9 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	12:31a	Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat         Below from Natural News.   URL at end. ========================================= Window cleaning chemical injected into fast food hamburger meat Tuesday, January 05, 2010 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (NaturalNews) If you're in the beef business, what do you do with all the extra cow parts and trimmings that have traditionally been sold off for use in pet food? You scrape them together into a pink mass, inject them with a chemical to kill the e.coli, and sell them to fast food restaurants to make into hamburgers. That's what's been happening all across the USA with beef sold to McDonald's, Burger King, school lunches and other fast food restaurants, according to a New York Times article. The beef is injected with ammonia, a chemical commonly used in glass cleaning and window cleaning products. This is all fine with the USDA, which endorses the procedure as a way to make the hamburger beef "safe" enough to eat. Ammonia kills e.coli, you see, and the USDA doesn't seem to be concerned with the fact that people are eating ammonia in their hamburgers. This ammonia-injected beef comes from a company called Beef Products, Inc. As NYT reports, the federal school lunch program used a whopping 5.5 million pounds of ammonia-injected beef trimmings from this company in 2008.( Read more... ) Current Music: Zero Cult - Blur (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo electronica (3 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	12:16a	Curtis Allina Dies at 87; He Put the Heads on Pez         Below from Thomas Edmonds, jr. on FaceBook.  Go to URL at end for full obit. ============================= Curtis Allina Dies at 87; He Put the Heads on Pez By MARGALIT FOX Published: January 4, 2010 Curtis Allina, a candy company executive who presided over a powerful innovation in marketing that was less about the candy itself than it was about the container it came in — and who in unintended consequence created a universe of enraptured collectors — died Dec. 15 at his home in Olympia, Wash. Mr. Allina, who helped bring the world the modern Pez dispenser, was 87. Curtis Allina started marketing an adult candy to children in whimsical dispensers that now inspire collectors. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/business/05allina.html?ref=obituaries Current Music: Steve Roach - Wings Of Icarus (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-temp (Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
alobar	10:11p	GMO soy Has a Soy Allergen that's 7 times higher than non-GMO         Below from rialian.   Go to his post to see comments.   Below that is the article he linked to. ======================================== Erm...Yeah, I suspected as much.... We know that the GMO soy on the market has a soy allergen that's as much as 7 times higher than non-GMO and has an anti-nutrient that's about double. ===The line comes in farther down in the article, but I can say from personal experience that this is probably right. I have had some really strong reactions to "cheap" soy that I have not had to "regular" soy. The soy flour you find in many breads these days is the gmo stuff....and I really should not eat it if I do not want to have intestinal problems. Same thing with most Hersheys chocolate, and cooking oils.....oh, those are nasty in the air. ===I will have to track down more of this research, but I have long suspected that my increasing problems with anything soy was gmo-related...(I have had stuff that uses Soy Lecithin that does not cause me much problem, but that has always been the strictly organic/higher quality stuff. The lower quality/gmo stuff really affects my digestion in unfortunate ways. ===One question I still have is, is it JUST the modifications to the genes, or is it also the plant reaction to the chemicals they are more doused in? Is there a synergistic effect? ===One of my "pet" theories as to why peanut allergies had such a marked upswing (it was the first really major allergy I can think of that became noted by the public at large in the 1970's) is related to pesticide use. Peanuts are a legume. They are planted as a rotation crop with Cotton.,....the most pesticide-drenched crop we have. I wonder if the higher levels of poisons are what marked the peanut proteins as being "invaders", and brought out the immune system overreaction (which is what an allergy is). ===Of course, this begs the question....is it the GMO process creating the problem, or the higher use of chemicals in the farming (or a specific family of chemicals?) that are encouraged with these GMOs what is bringing about these illnesses? And what happens when you have a plant making pesticides in every cell of their structure? ===Things to think on, and to observe.... http://rialian.livejournal.com/1265614.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Lies and Bad Science - GMOs Here are some excerpts from a recent interview, in Acres, USA, with Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception and Genetic Roulette. ...we've identified 65 different risks, including thousands of sick, sterile and dead "livestock", thousands of toxic and allergic reactions in humans, and damage to virtually every organ and every system studied in laboratory animals. We have now what I say is irrefutable, overwhelming evidence that the current generation of genetically modified foods are unsafe, should never have been approved, and should be withdrawn....They have no justification for keeping their "foods" on the market given the overwhelming evidence to date. GMOs may constitute one of the greatest health and environmental catastrophes we face, since they are deployed in the entire food supply. Evidence on health dangers has prompted the American Academy of Environmental Medicine to say that according to animal feeding studies, GMOs are causally linked to immune system problems, organ damage, reproductive damage, accelerated aging, insulin disregulation, gastrointestinal problems and higher death rates. A study...by the Union of Concerned Scientists confirm(ed)...that genetically modified crops on average reduce yield. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Spacetime Continuum - Subway (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo (3 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	8:11p	Amazing Silliness!         Below from Wendy Grossman on FaceBook.         I remember being very grossed out when a particular priest dispensed communion wafers.   His thumb nail was shiny from the saliva of previous communicants which got on his thumb nail as he lay hosts down on their tongues.         When Vatican II came along, we were given consecrated wine along with out hosts.   Everybody drank from the same chalice.   The lip of the chalice was wiped between communicants, but that don't do shit to protect people from contagion of all the sick people in the congregation.            I was sickly a lot as a child, teen, and young man.   I always wondered if I would have been as sickly had I not been coerced in communion. ====================================== Privacy, Crime and Security Online Holy Lawsuit! Communion-Wafer Flap Lands in Court By David Kravets December 31, 2009  |  3:04 pm  |  The Courts, intellectual property A holy war of sorts has broken out in the communion-wafer–dispensing space. A Minnesota marketer of communion-wafer dispensers is accusing its former president of patent infringement and misappropriation of trade secrets. (.pdf) Nu-Life Church Supplies makes the Communalabra germ-free dispenser. The allegations in a Dec. 30 federal lawsuit come amid a fledgling market for such dispensing devices, as those receiving communion seek a germ-free environment. The handheld devices allow the dispensing of wafers without being touched by anybody but those receiving them. What’s more, the portable devices, according to the lawsuit, “easily deliver communion to military personnel in combat situations and to people who are hospitalized, infirm or otherwise immobile.” Among other things, Nu-Life Products of Minnesota claims it owns technology known as the “rapid reload system” for fast wafer loading and the “quad-rotator technology” allowing up to 400 wafers to be dispensed without having to be refilled. The defendant in the case, former company president Douglas Henricksen of Wisconsin, says he never sold a single unit of the competing “Communalabra germ-free communion-host–delivery system” and that he didn’t misappropriate any of his former employer’s properties while operating a similarly named company called Nu-Life Church Supplies. “This is blown way out of proportion,” Henricksen said in a telephone interview. “I was the person who actually designed the communion-host dispenser. I actually built the entire company myself.” The suit seeks unspecified damages from Henricksen and the return of documents in connection to the dispute. The plaintiff’s attorney, Randolph Johnson, said in a telephone interview that the lawsuit “comes down to a pure business issue, even though it is the dispensing of the embodiment of Christ that we are talking about.” http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2009/12/holy-war/   Current Music: Ishq - Nepalese Sun (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo electron (9 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	7:36p	Three Approved GMOs Linked to Organ Damage         Below from Shannon Moore on FaceBook.         It is my conjecture than unless we end ALL GMOs we will suffer from an ecosystem collapse as well as a poisoned human population which will probably end Homo sapiens.   I really really do not want to test my conjecture. =================================== Three Approved GMOs Linked to Organ Damage by Rady Ananda / January 3rd, 2010 In what is being described as the first ever and most comprehensive study of the effects of genetically modified foods on mammalian health, researchers have linked organ damage with consumption of Monsanto’s GM maize. All three varieties of GM corn, Mon 810, Mon 863 and NK 603, were approved for consumption by US, European and several other national food safety authorities. Made public by European authorities in 2005, Monsanto’s confidential raw data of its 2002 feeding trials on rats that these researchers analyzed is the same data, ironically, that was used to approve them in different parts of the world. The Committee of Research and Information on Genetic Engineering (CRIIGEN) and Universities of Caen and Rouen studied Monsanto’s 90-day feeding trials data of insecticide producing Mon 810, Mon 863 and Roundup® herbicide absorbing NK 603 varieties of GM maize. The data “clearly underlines adverse impacts on kidneys and liver, the dietary detoxifying organs, as well as different levels of damages to heart, adrenal glands, spleen and haematopoietic system,” reported Gilles-Eric Séralini, a molecular biologist at the University of Caen. Although different levels of adverse impact on vital organs were noticed between the three GMOs, the 2009 research shows specific effects associated with consumption of each GMO, differentiated by sex and dose. Their December 2009 study appears in the International Journal of Biological Sciences (IJBS). This latest study conforms with a 2007 analysis by CRIIGEN on Mon 863, published in Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, using the same data. Monsanto rejected the 2007 conclusions, stating: “The analyses conducted by these authors are not consistent with what has been traditionally accepted for use by regulatory toxicologists for analysis of rat toxicology data.”1 In an email to me, Séralini explained that their study goes beyond Monsanto’s analysis by exploring the sex-differentiated health effects on mammals, which Doull, et al. ignored: “Our study contradicts Monsanto conclusions because Monsanto systematically neglects significant health effects in mammals that are different in males and females eating GMOs, or not proportional to the dose. This is a very serious mistake, dramatic for public health. This is the major conclusion revealed by our work, the only careful reanalysis of Monsanto crude statistical data.” Other problems with Monsanto’s conclusions ( Read more... ) Current Music: Wrexsoul - Dreamland (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo electro (Comment on this)
alobar	7:23p	More Dreadful than I Had Imagined         Below from Shannon Moore on FaceBook.         The Obama administration is critical of the secrecy.   But will the Obama administration actually DO something about the problem?    After all, politicians depend on corporations to elect them.    Will Obama do the right thing?   Or just make noises to show he disapproves? ============================================= Use of potentially harmful chemicals kept secret under law By Lyndsey Layton Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, January 4, 2010 Of the 84,000 chemicals in commercial use in the United States -- from flame retardants in furniture to household cleaners -- nearly 20 percent are secret, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, their names and physical properties guarded from consumers and virtually all public officials under a little-known federal provision. The policy was designed 33 years ago to protect trade secrets in a highly competitive industry. But critics -- including the Obama administration -- say the secrecy has grown out of control, making it impossible for regulators to control potential dangers or for consumers to know which toxic substances they might be exposed to. At a time of increasing public demand for more information about chemical exposure, pressure is building on lawmakers to make it more difficult for manufacturers to cloak their products in secrecy. Congress is set to rewrite chemical regulations this year for the first time in a generation. Under the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, manufacturers must report to the federal government new chemicals they intend to market. But the law exempts from public disclosure any information that could harm their bottom line. Government officials, scientists and environmental groups say that manufacturers have exploited weaknesses in the law to claim secrecy for an ever-increasing number of chemicals. In the past several years, 95 percent of the notices for new chemicals sent to the government requested some secrecy, according to the Government Accountability Office. About 700 chemicals are introduced annually. Some companies have successfully argued that the federal government should not only keep the names of their chemicals secret but also hide from public view the identities and addresses of the manufacturers. "Even acknowledging what chemical is used or what is made at what facility could convey important information to competitors, and they can start to put the pieces together," said Mike Walls, vice president of the American Chemistry Council. Although a number of the roughly 17,000 secret chemicals may be harmless, manufacturers have reported in mandatory notices to the government that many pose a "substantial risk" to public health or the environment. In March, for example, more than half of the 65 "substantial risk" reports filed with the Environmental Protection Agency involved secret chemicals. "You have thousands of chemicals that potentially present risks to health and the environment," said Richard Wiles, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization that documented the extent of the secret chemicals through public-records requests from the EPA. "It's impossible to run an effective regulatory program when so many of these chemicals are secret." Of the secret chemicals, 151 are made in quantities of more than 1 million tons a year and 10 are used specifically in children's products, according to the EPA. The identities of the chemicals are known to a handful of EPA employees who are legally barred from sharing that information with other federal officials, state health and environmental regulators, foreign governments, emergency responders and the public. Last year, a Colorado nurse fell seriously ill after treating a worker involved at a chemical spill at a gas-drilling site. The man, who later recovered, appeared at a Durango hospital complaining of dizziness and nausea. His work boots were damp; he reeked of chemicals, the nurse said. Two days later, the nurse, Cathy Behr, was fighting for her life. Her liver was failing and her lungs were filling with fluid. Behr said her doctors diagnosed chemical poisoning and called the manufacturer, Weatherford International, to find out what she might have been exposed to. Weatherford provided safety information, including hazards, for the chemical, known as ZetaFlow. But because ZetaFlow has confidential status, the information did not include all of its ingredients. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Freezone - Water Dragon [Belgium] / Bobva (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient (7 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	7:04p	This is Just Priceless!         Full body scans at airports violate child pornography laws.   So, expect to see a large increase in teenage and child drug smugglers and suicide bombers.         I wonder what the cancer risk is like for frequent fliers?         Below from Wendy Grossman on FaceBook. ====================================== New scanners break child porn laws Alan Travis, home affairs editor guardian.co.uk, Monday 4 January 2010 22.14 GMT A 12-month trial at Manchester airport of full body scanners only went ahead last month after under-18s were exempted. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images The rapid introduction of full body scanners at British airports threatens to breach child protection laws which ban the creation of indecent images of children, the Guardian has learned. Privacy campaigners claim the images created by the machines are so graphic they amount to "virtual strip-searching" and have called for safeguards to protect the privacy of passengers involved. Ministers now face having to exempt under 18s from the scans or face the delays of introducing new legislation to ensure airport security staff do not commit offences under child pornography laws. They also face demands from civil liberties groups for safeguards to ensure that images from the £80,000 scanners, including those of celebrities, do not end up on the internet. The Department for Transport confirmed that the "child porn" problem was among the "legal and operational issues" now under discussion in Whitehall after Gordon Brown's announcement on Sunday that he wanted to see their "gradual" introduction at British airports. A 12-month trial at Manchester airport of scanners which reveal naked images of passengers including their genitalia and breast enlargements, only went ahead last month after under-18s were exempted. The decision followed a warning from Terri Dowty, of Action for Rights of Children, that the scanners could breach the Protection of Children Act 1978, under which it is illegal to create an indecent image or a "pseudo-image" of a child. Dowty told the Guardian she raised concerns with the Metropolitan police five years ago over plans to use similar scanners in an anti-knife campaign, and when the Department for Transport began a similar trial in 2006 on the Heathrow Express rail service from Paddington station. "They do not have the legal power to use full body scanners in this way," said Dowty, adding there was an exemption in the 1978 law to cover the "prevention and detection of crime" but the purpose had to be more specific than the "trawling exercise" now being considered. A Manchester airport spokesman said their trial had started in December, but only with passengers over 18 until the legal situation with children was clarified. So far 500 people have taken part on a voluntary basis with positive feedback from nearly all those involved. Passengers also pass through a metal detector before they can board their plane. Airport officials say the scanner image is only seen by a single security officer in a remote location before it is deleted. A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We understand the concerns expressed about privacy in relation to the deployment of body scanners. It is vital staff are properly trained and we are developing a code of practice to ensure these concerns are properly taken into account. Existing safeguards also mean those operating scanners are separated from the device, so unable to see the person to whom the image relates, and these anonymous images are deleted immediately." But Shami Chakrabarti, of Liberty, had concerns over the "instant" introduction of scanners: "Where are the government assurances that electronic strip-searching is to be used in a lawful and proportionate and sensitive manner based on rational criteria rather than racial or religious bias?" she said. Her concerns were echoed by Simon Davies of Privacy International who said he was sceptical of the privacy safeguards being used in the United States. Although the American system insists on the deletion of the images, he believed scans of celebrities or of people with unusual or freakish body profiles would prove an "irresistible pull" for some employees. The disclosures came as Downing Street insisted British intelligence information that the Detroit plane suspect tried to contact radical Islamists while a student in London was passed on to the US. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab's name was included in a dossier of people believed to have made attempts to deal with extremists, but he was not singled out as a particular risk, Brown's spokesman said. President Barack Obama has criticised US intelligence agencies for failing to piece together information about the 23-year-old that should have stopped him boarding the flight. Brown's spokesman said "There was security information about this individual's activities and that was shared with the US authorities." http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jan/04/new-scanners-child-porn-laws Current Music: Lemonchill - Moonlight Sonata (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-temp (1 Comment |Comment on this)
alobar	6:22p	Poison Bullets: Depleted Uranium Cover-up         Below from Rain Bojangles on FaceBook.         Two really fucking creepy and scary videos on the website I link to below.    I highly recommend watching the disturbing videos.   One brief segment of the video really got to me.   A doctor was talking abut a small girl who was exposed to DU during the Iraqi war.  The girl got cancer.   He parents had not been exposed, but the parents were exposed to their child's urine and they also got sick.         It sure seems to that all the researchers, pentagon officials, congress critters, and members of the white house who claim DU is not harmful need to all be sent to Iraq and made to clean up all the DU destroyed armored vehicles.   The US is legally responsible under international law to clean up the mess.   I can think of no more appropriate people to clean up the mess than those who claim DU exposure is not a danger.  Their fate would make a good follow-up video. ============================================== Poison bullets: Depleted Uranium factor covered-up? Posted on January 5, 2010 by dandelionsalad http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/ RussiaToday January 05, 2010 Many American and British soldiers who have returned from Iraq are complaining about Depleted Uranium-related illnesses. They accuse both the Pentagon and the UK Ministry of Defense of covering up the problem. Poison Bullets follows doctors and experts as they voice their opposing views in the DU controversy and travels to the US, Great Britain, Jordan, Iraq and Spain, where we meet many of those who are victims of both DU-related diseases and the indifference of government officials. more about “Poison bullets: Depleted Uranium fact…“, posted with vodpod from the archives: Dennis Kyne: Depleted Uranium (DU) and Very Sick Soldiers and the Cover-Up The medical and economic costs of nuclear power by Dr Helen Caldicott Nuclear Madness – Interview with Dr. Helen Caldicott (must see video) Depleted Uranium http://dandelionsalad.wordpress.com/2010/01/05/poison-bullets-depleted-uranium-factor-covered-up/ Current Music: Dj Joy - Watercycle [Edit] (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo e (Comment on this)
alobar	4:00p	For the Mad Scientist of Tomorrow         Below rom Shanon Moore on FaceBook.   I removed the price tag from the material below.  Go to website to order a set for your fledgeling mad scientist.  Click pic for link.         I do wish there was not a block for caffeine, but I am happy there are no blocks for nicotine or sugar. ========================================= A Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks At Xylocopa, we know that the key to a successful education is to begin learning at a young age. Like many of you, we are concerned about the state of science education in the public school system, especially in the lower grades. Specifically, we have noticed that there is absolutely no training in the K-6 grades that prepares students to become mad scientists. In this competitive 21st-century world, the need for mad scientists will only increase, but the lack of basic education in primary school leaves us concerned that there will be no future students capable of leading in this illustrious field. Fortunately, we have a solution - a first step, if you will, along the path to mad science proficiency. We are pleased to announce the release of our Young Mad Scientist's First Alphabet Blocks. These lovely blocks contain many carefully engraved illustrations of the equipment, training, and activities that a budding mad scientist will require, combined with a clever alphabetic introduction to the concept depicted. Each block measures 1 3/8 inches square and depicts six mad science concepts and the appropriate letters. The set includes all 26 letters of the alphabet on five blocks (six illustrations per block). Each side started out as one of our original pen-and-ink drawings that we have carefully laser engraved onto a solid block of American maple wood. We don't use any dyes or harmful finishes on the blocks and all of their edges are rounded and smooth. A complete list of the images represented by the letters is as follows: ( Read more... ) Current Music: Deep Space Network - Graviton (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-temp (5 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	5:30a	Can Politicians Minds be Changed by Talking to Them? [NOT!]         A few days ago I inadvertently locked a post which should have been open.   Reading that post prior to reading this post will make much more sense. Progressive(?) Democrats    http://alobar.livejournal.com/3555900.html         Below is further comment and riposte from a different thread on the C3 list.    I very much agree with Les. ===================================== The issue of PDA is exactly as Les described it, but I am annoyed that he said he was shocked. I find it impossible to find a satisfactory way except to ally myself with people who share more or less the same objectives that I have. And our methods must be practicable, in the sense that we have to be able to persuade a reasonably large number of people to move with us. Given the level of most people I meet, that is difficult. Robert +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Robert is annoyed with what I wrote. I am a lot more than annoyed with Robert's thinking that the minds of current in office politicians can be changed by talking to them. I first ran into the "done deal" way of doing things in Florida when I was leading a fight to prevent developers from shutting down access to our counties public beach and allowing the state to replace a pristine beach area with a "state recreation area" that destroyed previously untouched vegetation and sand dunes. It turned out that the judge who heard our case was a personal friend of one of the developers. I found this out when I saw the judge take out the developers boat without the developer even being present. I found out that state officials owned land that would benefit in value by the closing of the road that gave access to the formerly public beach. After many years of struggle the road was closed off and the project built. We eventually won at the Florida Supreme Court level but the basic damage had already been done. The city attorney gave the city council advice that favored the developers. Oh, they were all DEMOCRATS. And by the way, Robert, would you have joined a Nazi Party group to attempot to reform them? Do you get my analogy? If you are serious about fighting injustice you can't be part of the organization that is carrying out the injustices. It really saddens me that you have this idealist approach that has little connection with reality. Now I do favor visiting politicians offices, but not for friendly chats but for making demands and holding sit-ins if necessary. How come you all still don't bother to run for office against those who support demolishing parts of mid-city.   Pressure group activity means little to politicians unless they see their positions in danger. Les Current Music: Solitaire - One Small Step. (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo (Comment on this)
alobar	4:40a	FaceBook Problems (again)!         FaceBook problems again. I tried clearing my Flash cache. That did not work. I closed out Firefox and re-opened it. That did not work. I re-booted. That did not work.         I finally opened up IE. I can post from IE. So I just inundated FB with all the posts I have been attempting to post since yesterday evening. Current Music: Saafi Brothers - Witness (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo ele (1 Comment |Comment on this)
alobar	3:45a	Coconut Oil for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Lou Gerhig's (ALS), MS, Duchenne Muscular Dy         Back in September I posted links to a series of videos with Dr. Mary Newport on the use of coconut oil for Alzheimer's.   Coconut oil is good for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, Lou Gerhig's (ALS), Multiple Sclerosis, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and poor memories. Dr. Newport's effective work on Alzheimer's and dementia with coconut oil    http://alobar.livejournal.com/3394594.html         I just came upon a PDF  by Dr. Mary Newport which covers the same material in written form.   I highly recommend this essay. What If There Was a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease and No One Knew? A Case Study by Dr. Mary Newport July 22, 2008 http://www.coconutketones.com/whatifcure.pdf Current Music: Omicron - Tranquility Base (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo e (Comment on this)
alobar	3:29a	Does High Cholesterol REALLY Cause Heart Disease?         Below interview with Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD from Doc Mercola.   Go to URL at end for more links. ================================== Does High Cholesterol REALLY Cause Heart Disease? Posted by: Dr. Mercola December 05 2009 | 86,781 views An Interview with Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PhD http://www.ravnskov.nu/cholesterol.htm When did you begin to suspect that the cholesterol theory of atherosclerosis might be wrong? What led you to this conclusion? Before then, had you believed in the cholesterol theory? Was this part of your training? I have never thought that it was true. I heard about it for the first time in 1962 shortly after getting my MD. My biochemical knowledge was still intact at that time and I knew that cholesterol was one of the most important molecules in your body, indispensable for the building of your cells and for producing stress and sex hormones as well as vitamin D. The idea that cholesterol in the blood should kill us if its concentration is a little higher than normal, as they wrote in the Framingham paper, seemed to me just as silly as to claim that yellow fingers cause lung cancer. Would you tell my readers about your training, publications, university appointments, other professional activities? ( Read more... ) Specifically, what are your views on statins? Their benefit is trivial, and has been seen only in male patients who already have heart disease. Worse is that their many adverse effects are ignored or cleverly belittled by the trial directors. Independent researchers have found many more and in much higher numbers. If they are true it means that today millions of previously healthy people probably consider their weak and painful muscles, their bad memory, their sexual failure, and their cancer to be a consequence of increasing age, and so do their doctors. The risk of cancer is most alarming. Both animal experiments, epidemiological studies and several of the statin trials have shown that low cholesterol predisposes to cancer. The widespread use of statin treatment probably explains why the decrease of the smoking habit that has been going on in many countries hasn’t been followed by a decrease of cancer mortality. We should have seen a decrease because smoking predispose not only to bronchial cancer, but to all kinds of cancer. Drug companies market vigorously the highest, strongest doses of statins. Lipitor is pushed at the highest dosage, 80 mg. This dosage is the most powerful for lowering cholesterol and LDL, but it also causes more adverse effects and costs more than lower doses. What are your thoughts about this? The outcome from these trials is a further demonstration that the small benefit from statin treatment has nothing to do with cholesterol. For instance, although cholesterol plummeted and remained at about 50 percent below the initial value during the whole SEAS trial, it did not change mortality, but it increased the number of cancer with statistical significance. Even worse was the result of the ENHANCE trial, where atherosclerosis in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia progressed the most among those whose cholesterol was lowered the most. If statins can be helpful in reducing the incidence of heart attacks, who should take them? In my view, nobody. When I was practicing, I used to describe the benefit in this way: Considering your age and your previous heart attack, your chance to be alive in five years is about 90 percent. You can increase that chance to 92 percent if you take a statin pill every day, but then you may also expose yourself to its many adverse effects. From the data I have seen, statins have not produced a reduction in overall cardiac deaths. Do you have any idea of why this is? You are right. Heart mortality in Sweden is going downwards, but the reduction started already in the 1960’s. The cause is most probably that treatment of acute myocardial infarction has improved, because the mortality curve has not changed after the introduction of the statins. The reason may be that their small benefit is counteracted by an increasing frequency of heart failure. As you know, the statins block not only the synthesis of cholesterol, but also of other vital molecules, for instance coenzyme Q10, and muscle cells, including those of the heart, can’t function properly without Q10. Do you think mainstream medicine will ever relinquish its view that elevated cholesterol causes heart disease, and that statins are the magic bullet? I hope so. The failures of the most recent statin trials have been commented on by several journalists in the major U.S. newspapers. In Sweden a revolution is going on. Here, a general practitioner treated her own obesity successfully by eating a low-carbohydrate diet with a high content of animal fat. When she advised her obese and diabetic patients to do the same, she was reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare for malpractice. After a two-year-long investigation she was acquitted, as her treatment was considered to be in accord with scientific evidence. At the same time, the Board dismissed two experts, who had been appointed for updating the dietary recommendations for diabetics, because it came up that they were sponsored by the food industry. Instead the Board has asked independent researchers to review the scientific literature. The subject has gained general attention due to a number of radio and television shows, where critical experts including myself have discussed the issue with representatives of the official view. Most important, thousands of patients have experienced themselves that by doing the opposite as recommended by the current guidelines they have regained their health! The effect has been that the sales of butter, cream, and full-fat milk are increasing in Sweden after many years of decline, and a recent poll showed that a majority of Swedish people today think that the best way of losing weight is by a low-carbohydrate, fat-rich diet. Further progress was achieved this spring. Several times, colleagues of mine and also I, have asked the Swedish Food Administration for the scientific basis of their warnings against saturated fat. We have been met with the argument that there are thousands of such studies, or by referrals to the WHO guidelines or the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. As the main argument in the latter two -- that saturated fat raises cholesterol -- we were not satisfied with their answer, and finally the Food Administration published a list with 72 studies that they claimed were in support of their view on saturated fat, and twelve that were not. We scrutinized the lists and found that only two of the 72 studies supported their standpoint; eleven studies did not concern saturated fat at all, and the unsupportive list was incomplete, to put it mildly. We published a short report with our comments to these lists in the Swedish medical journal Dagens Medicin. A response from the Food Administration appeared seven weeks later in which they pointed out that their recommendations were directed to healthy people, not to patients. They maintained that they were based on solid scientific evidence, without mentioning anything about saturated fat, and without answering our critical comments. But this is not all. Earlier this year Sachdeva et al reported that the mean cholesterol in 137,000 patients with acute myocardial infarction was lower than normal. As usual, the authors didn’t understand their own findings, but concluded that cholesterol should be lowered even more. A few months later Al-Mallah et al. came up with the same result and conclusion, although they also reported that three years later, mortality was twice as high among those who had been admitted with the lowest cholesterol. These results created a fierce debate in one of the major Swedish newspapers. It was opened by ninety-one-year old Lars Werkö, the ‘Grand Old Man’ in Swedish medical science, retired professor in internal medicine and former head of The Swedish Council on Technology Assessment in Health Care, together with Tore Scherstén, retired professor in surgery and former secretary of the Swedish Medical Research Council. “Now it is time to sack the cholesterol hypothesis and to investigate the reason of this scientific breakdown” they wrote. They also criticized American researchers in AHA and NHLBI and their followers for sloppy and fraudulent science. They were of course attacked by two professors and representatives of the current view, but none of them came up with any substantial evidence, only with personalities. Are there other risk factors that should be followed? Such as: C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, homocysteine, lipoprotein A... Any other factors? Such analyses may be helpful for doctors to put the right diagnosis in patients with a disease of unknown origin. But to check healthy people’s blood to find deviations from normal is the freeway to unnecessary medication. Are there other alternative therapies besides statins that people might consider? There is no reason for healthy people to take drugs, or anything else to prevent heart disease, as long as we do not know the very cause. Don’t forget that people who die from a myocardial infarction have on average lived just as long as other people. In my talks I used to ask people, who put the same question to me, if they know a better way of dying? ( Read more... ) Current Music: Booka Shade - Moonstruck (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo ele (Comment on this)
alobar	3:12a	Lipitor, Neuromuscular Degeneration, and Recovery         More warnings on Cholesterol Lowering Drugs. ======================================== Jonathan Campbell, Health Consultant Natural Therapies for Chronic Illness & Health Maintenance Lipitor, Neuromuscular Degeneration, and Recovery Numerous adverse side effect reports have implicated Lipitor and other statin drugs as a probable cause for severe neuromuscular degeneration. Some people who have been using Lipitor for as little as two months report serious muscle weakness and pain. Some who have taken it longer report much more serious symptoms, similar to Muscular Dystrophy, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis or ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease - in which they are losing neuromuscular control of their bodies or losing significant muscle mass. Others have reported serious liver and kidney damage. Still others have been told that they have nvCJD, the human equivalent of mad cow disease. For instance, in an article entitled "Life After Lipitor" that appeared in the newspaper Tahoe World on January 27, 2004, Tahoe City (California) resident Doug Peterson began having serious neuromuscular problems after taking Lipitor for two years. He began losing muscular coordination and slurring words when he spoke. Then he lost balance, followed by loss of fine motor skills - he had difficulty writing. He went from doctor to doctor, trying to figure out what could be happening. Finally one doctor suggested that he stop taking Lipitor, and the downward health spiral slowed, but the damage had been done. The drug had apparently triggered cerebellar ataxia, a degenerative disease that causes deterioration of the cerebellum. These adverse effects have begun appearing in peer-reviewed medical journals, and numerous people have reported similar symptoms at public adverse effect reporting websites such as medications.com. People have reported "trouble swallowing, trouble talking and enunciating words, feeling fatigued all the time, neck aches," "motor neuropathy which mimics ALS," "Blinding headaches, nausea, vertigo, disorientation, memory loss, extremely dry eyes, pain and stiffness in my neck and calf muscles, abominal pain," and "Muscle pain, weakness, spasms, buzzing in right leg. Can't hold arms or head up in vertical position for 2 minutes without extreme pain and weakness." How could Lipitor potentially cause this kind of harm to so many different parts of the body? Lipitor is a "statin" drug which inhibits the production of cholesterol in order to lower LDL cholesterol counts. By severely limiting the production of cholesterol, Lipitor causes membrane degeneration in neural and muscle tissue. The problem is this: cholesterol is essential in your body for many functions. It forms part of what is called the cell membrane - the semi-permeable outer layer of every cell in your body. It also transports essential fatty acids (EFAs) to cell membranes throughout the body. Without enough cholesterol there is an insufficient supply of these EFAs, and eventually nerve cells and neurons die. In addition, our tissues are constantly being repaired and replaced with new cells, and without sufficient cholesterol this cellular repair and replacement cannot continue. Our body produces several thousand milligrams of cholesterol per day to carry out these essential functions, and each day the excess of cholesterol is supposed to be naturally recycled. If your body doesn't have enough new cholesterol each day, you cannot repair and replace your cell membranes and they will eventually degenerate. The continual recycling of cholesterol happens naturally when you have sufficient ascorbate, another name for vitamin C. Excess cholesterol is naturally converted to bile acid and then excreted. But if you don't consume enough vitamin C (about 2000-3000 milligrams per day for an adult), cholesterol builds up in your bloodstream. It is here that doctors make a critical error: instead of telling you to take more vitamin C to recycle cholesterol naturally, they prescribe Lipitor, which may create a deficiency of new cholesterol. Lipitor also blocks the production of an essential micronutrient called Co-Q10, necessary to maintain heart muscle health, and Lipitor has no effect on lipoprotein(a), the actual sticky protein that constitutes heart disease "plaques." So instead of preventing heart disease, Lipitor may be increasing heart disease risk. It appears that Lipitor and other similar statin drugs are in fact causing neural and muscular cell degeneration by over-restricting the production of cholesterol. This is a very serious matter indeed. There are almost twenty million people in the U.S. on Lipitor alone, and probably millions more on other statin drugs (Zocor, Pravachol, Mevacor, Altocor, Lescol, Crestor, etc.). Many millions more are now having statin drugs recommended to them by their doctors. Are they all going to become victims of cell membrane degeneration and nervous system problems? ( Read more... ) Current Music: Fila Brazillia - A Zed & 2 L's (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tem (Comment on this)
alobar	3:00a	Cholesterol, Statins, Alzheimer's, Lou Gerig Disease, and Parkinson's         I have been doing a lot of web crawling today.  Stacey asked me to look into her health problems and I have been ferreting stuff out.   Lou Gerig's disease is related to Alzheimer's Disease, and also to Parkinson's disease.  Lowering cholesterol with drugs can induce any or all of them.         Meds which reduce cholesterol fuck up the brain, the body's ability to make hormones, and the ability of the body to make co-enzyme Q10.   Lack of co-Q10 leads to heart attacks.   Low cholesterol levels leads to inability to make vitamin D from sunlight.   Low vitamin D leads to Parkinson's disease.         These videos are excellent.   The doctor being interviewed, Dr. Duane Graveline, MD, MPH,  is a victim of degeneration caused by statin drugs. Myths on Cholesterol - Part One (28 minutes)   Myths on Cholesterol - Part Two (28 minutes)     http://ssptv.com/show.php?show_id=7              I went to Dr. Duane Graveline's website and found tons of excellent material, some of which I am posting below. ======================== Zocor® Side Effects ( Simvastatin ) Other trade names of Simvastatin are Lipex, Simcard, Simlup and Simcor ( Simvastatin with Niacin.) With many years of statin experience behind us, few clinicians would argue the effectiveness of this class of drugs in reducing cardiovascular disease risk. However, as the numbers of patients on statin drugs has increased and more side effect experience has been gained, we have now learned that adverse reactions from these drugs are of major concern. When I started my research on Lipitor®, Mevacor® and Zocor®, the so-called stronger statins, reported side effects were primarily "a few aches and pains and occasional liver intolerance," arguably an acceptable price for society to pay for such a beneficial class of drugs. No longer does this come even close to the truth. Of great concern today are the growing numbers of adverse drug reports associated with the use these drugs, reflecting dysfunction of many different body systems. As reported in my books in greater detail, first I learned about the reality of severe CoQ10 depletion from statin drug use, including Zocor, and realized that this one important constituent of the mevalonate pathway, by its deficiency, contributed to a majority of the side effects being reported. My research next pointed to dolichols, known to be severely depleted by all statins. My books report about the vital role of dolichols in the placement of vital sugars on growing protein strands to form our thought, sensation and emotion as neuropeptides and glycoproteins. Altered phosphorylation with tau protein excess, another major consequence of Zocor and all other statins on our mevalonate pathway is a likely explanation for the World Health Organization recent report of increased numbers of ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) now being seen in statin users. Recently we have learned that the permanent side effects from the use of Zocor and other statins now implicate mitochondrial mutations. And these mutations are not just an isolated occurrence, they are all but inevitable because of the inhibitory effects of Zocor and all statins on CoQ10 bio-availability. CoQ10 reserves plummet when statins are used but when the mevalonate pathway is blockaded what else can you expect? One of the primary functions of CoQ10 is antioxidation, to protect mitochondria from excess free radical buildup in this highly oxidative environment where energy in the form of ATP is formed. In the presence of excess free radicals the mutation rate of mitochondria, already some five times that of regular cells, rapidly accelerates. It is mitochondrial mutations that probably cause the permanent neuropathies, permanent myopathies, chronic neuromuscular degeneration and higher incidence of neurodegenerative illnesses such as Parkinsonism and ALS. The research community increasingly is reporting the relationship of mitochondrial mutations to statin use. This is an ominous finding suggesting the subtle process of premature aging with its associated chronic illnesses of all kinds may, in itself, be a mitochondrial mutagenic side effect that Zocor therapy shares will all statins. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Terre Thaemlitz - Meditation Of The Mountain Oyster (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out (Comment on this)
alobar	2:39a	Get Saturated: Four Reasons Saturated Fat is Healthy         Below from Natural News.         I have been posting about this for years.   See my previous posts about saturated fats. "What If It's All Been a Big Fat Lie?"    http://alobar.livejournal.com/2353681.html  Interview with Gary Taubs from the Telegraph in the UK.     http://alobar.livejournal.com/2688157.html =========================================== Get Saturated: Four Reasons Saturated Fat is Healthy Tuesday, January 05, 2010 by: Elizabeth Walling, citizen journalist See all articles by this author Email this author (NaturalNews) Today we are caught between two philosophies: one says saturated fat is killing us; the other says these fats are necessary for true vitality. There is a heated back-and-forth, a constant tug-of-war scenario, with society caught in the middle like a child caught between two parents in a nasty divorce. But fortunately, we are adults who can take a step back from the madness and look at the facts - all of the facts - before coming to our own conclusions. The trouble is finding anything but propaganda regarding saturated fats. Corporate food industry and government agencies are quick to demonize these fats, but in traditional cultures saturated fat was revered and even coveted as a source of vital energy. Mankind has survived for century upon century thanks to saturated fats, depending on these fats to nourish our bodies and support the health of future generations. Only in recent decades have we turned away from natural fats and toward manufactured vegetable oils. And only in recent decades have we seen an explosion of degenerative conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Here are four important reasons saturated fat should have its place at the table: #1 - Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease and Improve Your Cholesterol Profile It's the opposite of what the medical industry tells you, but it's true: eating a diet rich in saturated fats protects your heart. Saturated fat reduces Lp(a), which is associated with increased risk for heart disease, and contributes to higher levels of HDL (good) cholesterol, which keeps your heart healthy. #2 - Prevent Loss of Bone Density and Osteoporosis We all know we need calcium for strong, healthy bones. We also need saturated fat to transport that calcium to our bones. This is why dairy products naturally contain both calcium and saturated fat. All those calcium supplements won't do much good if saturated fat is lacking in our diet. #3 - Strengthen Your Immunity and Prevent Illness Saturated fats contain specialized fatty acids which are naturally antifungal, antimicrobial and antiviral. These important fatty acids include lauric acid, myristic acid and caprylic acid. A diet rich in these beneficial fats provides the body with what it needs to fight pathogenic substances. #4 - Feed Your Brain, Your Nervous System and Your Hormones Your brain is fat. And that's a good thing. Your brain consists mainly of fat and cholesterol, and it needs saturated fat more than any other kind. Even the brain-friendly omega-3 fatty acids can't be utilized without ample saturated fat. In addition, saturated fat facilitates nerve signals and hormone production. All of these systems rely on saturated fat to function, and to keep you healthy and ultimately alive. It's important to choose the right saturated fats, like real butter and virgin coconut oil. Avoid highly processed fats and especially hydrogenated oils, which have been proven to cause heart disease, cancer and a slew of other conditions. ( Read more... ) Current Music: P.R.O.M. - Hypnotized (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo electr (Comment on this)
alobar	2:07a	I refuse to buy mandatory health insurance that supports corrupt conventional medicine         Below from Natural News.    My sentiments exactly! ===================================== As an American, I refuse to buy mandatory health insurance that supports corrupt conventional medicine Tuesday, January 05, 2010 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger Editor of NaturalNews.com (NaturalNews) Even if Obama's health care reform bill becomes law, mandating that all Americans buy health insurance policies for a failed system of "sick care", I will refuse to comply. I've read the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and nowhere in that document do I find that the federal government has the power to force consumers to purchase for-profit insurance products from private companies. The very basis of the health care reform bill is, at its core, unconstitutional. If this mandate is allowed to stand, it sets a dangerous precedent for the U.S. government to require us to purchase other products and services from whatever industries it chooses to support. What's next? Will the government pass a law forcing us to buy pharmaceuticals at thousands of dollars a year? Will it force us to purchase U.S.-made automobiles in order to boost the automobile industry? Is our economic free choice now centrally planned by our own government operating like Communist China? This is a serious question that Constitutional scholars will no doubt be debating in the months ahead. But who am I kidding anyway? The U.S. government has long since abandoned the U.S. Constitution and no has any intention of abiding by it. Want proof? Read just one amendment: the 10th amendment. Check out the website www.TenthAmendmentCenter.com which carries a highly relevant article on this matter: Health Care Nullification and Interposition (http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com...). It paraphrases James Madison, saying, "...state governments not only have the right to resist unconstitutional federal acts, but that, in order to protect liberty, they are 'duty bound to interpose' or stand between the federal government and the people of the state." ( Read more... ) Current Music: Bomb The Bass - So Special (Toob's Special Special Mix) (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space (10 Comments |Comment on this)
alobar	1:24a	LJ Post Frequency Graph         Very wide graph behind cut.  Posted mainly for me.  Really low posting frequency was when I had no computer in late Winter & Spring of 2009. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Black Dog - Cost Ii (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo electron (Comment on this)
Monday, January 4th, 2010
alobar	10:29p	Nice to See the Docs are starting to Get It         This has long been obvious, but it is good to see clinical proof.   Below from Paco Nathan on FaceBook. ============================================ Solution to killer superbug found in Norway    By MARTHA MENDOZA and MARGIE MASON, Associated Press Writers Martha Mendoza And Margie Mason, Associated Press Writers – Thu Dec 31, 12:01 am ET OSLO, Norway – Aker University Hospital is a dingy place to heal. The floors are streaked and scratched. A light layer of dust coats the blood pressure monitors. A faint stench of urine and bleach wafts from a pile of soiled bedsheets dropped in a corner. Look closer, however, at a microscopic level, and this place is pristine. There is no sign of a dangerous and contagious staph infection that killed tens of thousands of patients in the most sophisticated hospitals of Europe, North America and Asia this year, soaring virtually unchecked. The reason: Norwegians stopped taking so many drugs. Twenty-five years ago, Norwegians were also losing their lives to this bacteria. But Norway's public health system fought back with an aggressive program that made it the most infection-free country in the world. A key part of that program was cutting back severely on the use of antibiotics. Now a spate of new studies from around the world prove that Norway's model can be replicated with extraordinary success, and public health experts are saying these deaths — 19,000 in the U.S. each year alone, more than from AIDS — are unnecessary. "It's a very sad situation that in some places so many are dying from this, because we have shown here in Norway that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be controlled, and with not too much effort," said Jan Hendrik-Binder, Oslo's MRSA medical adviser. "But you have to take it seriously, you have to give it attention, and you must not give up." The World Health Organization says antibiotic resistance is one of the leading public health threats on the planet. A six-month investigation by The Associated Press found overuse and misuse of medicines has led to mutations in once curable diseases like tuberculosis and malaria, making them harder and in some cases impossible to treat. Now, in Norway's simple solution, there's a glimmer of hope. --- Dr. John Birger Haug shuffles down Aker's scuffed corridors, patting the pocket of his baggy white scrubs. "My bible," the infectious disease specialist says, pulling out a little red Antibiotic Guide that details this country's impressive MRSA solution. It's what's missing from this book — an array of antibiotics — that makes it so remarkable. "There are times I must show these golden rules to our doctors and tell them they cannot prescribe something, but our patients do not suffer more and our nation, as a result, is mostly infection free," he says. Norway's model is surprisingly straightforward. • Norwegian doctors prescribe fewer antibiotics than any other country, so people do not have a chance to develop resistance to them. • Patients with MRSA are isolated and medical staff who test positive stay at home. • Doctors track each case of MRSA by its individual strain, interviewing patients about where they've been and who they've been with, testing anyone who has been in contact with them. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Chris Zippel - Truth Is, Alt's Camera (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and (Comment on this)
alobar	9:54p	Brrrr!         I moved from up North. I is in da Souf!  It is not supposed to get cold down here! ========================================== Statement as of 8:37 PM CST on January 04, 2010 ... Freeze warning remains in effect from midnight tonight to 8 am CST Tuesday... More cold air is expected to filter into the region this tonight. While areas near and along tidal lakes may remain slightly above freezing in the morning... many areas beyond 3 miles south and southwest of Lake Pontchartrain will experience a light freeze with a freeze duration of 4 to 6 hours. Precautionary/preparedness actions... A freeze warning means sub-freezing temperatures are imminent or highly likely. These conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation. Be particularly careful with portable heaters... there is a danger of fire or poisonous fumes. Pets are also subject to the extreme cold. Keep pets indoors as much as possible. If this is not possible... make sure outdoor pets have warm dry shelter... and provide sufficient food and fresh unfrozen water.     633 PM CST Mon Jan 4 2010 ... Winter Weather Advisory in effect from 6 PM Wednesday to 10 am CST Sunday... The National Weather Service in New Orleans has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for an expected winter mix and extremely cold temperatures... which is in effect from 6 PM Wednesday to 10 am CST Sunday. ( Read more... ) Current Music: Magic Sound Fabric - My Thoughts Have Become Visible (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space ou (Comment on this)
alobar	8:35p	A Fable (obviously favored by old people)         Below from coconut oil list. =================================== A wealthy old Gentleman decides to go on a hunting safari in Africa , taking his faithful, elderly dog named Killer, along for the company.  One day the old dog starts chasing rabbits and before long, discovers that he's lost. Wandering about, he notices a leopard heading rapidly in his direction with the intention of having lunch.  The old dog thinks, "Oh, ho! I'm in deep doo-doo now!" ( Read more... ) Current Music: Dubtribe - Tree, The Ladder, The Chariot, And The Shelf (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space (Comment on this)
alobar	8:30p	Science: A Star of Another Color         I had previously known about the Astronomical color puzzle of Sirius.  But I had not know about the solution to the puzzle until I read a FaceBook post by Leigh Elizabeth Berrey today. ========================================= Science: A Star of Another Color By LEON JAROFF Tuesday, Jun. 21, 2005 Every year, when the star rose above the horizon just before dawn, the Romans paid bizarre tribute to it by sacrificing dogs with red fur. Seneca the Younger wrote that "the redness of the dog star is deeper, that of Mars milder." Ptolemy called it "reddish," a description also used by Cicero, Horace and other classical authors. The same hue was attributed to the star in cuneiform texts of Babylonia dating as far back as 1000 B.C. The object of all this historic attention was the dominant member of the constellation Canis Major--Sirius, the brightest[*]star in the night sky and one of the closest to earth (less than nine light-years away). There is just one problem: as any modern stargazer can testify, Sirius is not red but white. How could the ancients have been so wrong? ( Read more... ) Current Music: Metasurfing - Bab Ilani (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Ambient and mid-tempo elec (Comment on this)
alobar	6:22p	analysis by local activist         Below from Jay Arena on C3 list. ============================================ Below is an article by Charity Hospital activist Derrick Morrison on the struggle to defend public health care and other public services in post-Katrina nola, and the larger political questions and issues these anti-neoliberal, grass roots struggles raise. The article provides useful information and addresses larger historical and theoretical questions that are very relevant to Les and Robert’s recent discussion on what kind of political organization working class and oppressed people in the US need in the face of the deepening capitalists attacks. That is, can the Democratic Party be a vehicle for advancing the interests of the exploited and oppressed. I think Les’ argument regarding the dead end and dangerous role the Dems play in taking people away from forging an independent political force we so desperately need finds support in Derrick’s analysis. The article was published in the journal ‘Against the Current’, which is published by the political group Solidarity, which has a chapter in new Orleans Jay +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derrick Morrison WHEN UNION ARMY troops under the command of Gen. Benjamin F. Butler entered and occupied New Orleans in April of 1862, so began the first Reconstruction of the city and the state of Louisiana. The rise and then the defeat of the historic democratic struggle known as the first Reconstruction — discussed in the accompanying sidebar [as well as reviews by Robert Caldwell and Jim Toweill elsewhere in this issue] — sets the context in which we find today’s New Orleans, four years after the levee collapse. What is required for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast stretching from Florida through Alabama, Mississippi, and over to Texas is a new Reconstruction — a third Reconstruction (the first one followed the Civil War, the second was the modern Civil Rights movement). But is the present political, social and economic system capable of giving birth to the effort? The balance sheet since Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita in August and September of 2005 does not look good. The Times-Picayune, the New Orleans daily that is the mouthpiece of big business interests, ran a front page article in the September 5, 2009 edition headlined, “Delgado is forced to reject students.” The sub-headline was “Impasse with FEMA over repairs leaves campus short on space.” Staff writer John Pope began, “For the first time in Delgado Community College’s 88-year history, the area’s most populous institution of higher education has turned away 1,500 applicants because it ran out of building space.” Pope continued, “The needed rooms are there, but they are in buildings that are still awaiting repairs from the damage that Hurricane Katrina’s floodwaters inflicted four years ago. Educators are furious that they had to reject students this fall. In Louisiana and elsewhere, community colleges traditionally have an open policy.” Pope quotes Delgado Chancellor Ron Wright, “This is my 39th year in community colleges, and I never turned away a student.” According to the article, Delgado has 16,715 registered students. But at the main campus in City Park, eight of 21 buildings are totally unusable, representing 40% of the square footage of the City Park campus — Tulane University, a very rich private college across town, is getting its FEMA bucks. The same writer, John Pope, reported in the September 3 Times-Picayune, “Tulane University will receive $16 million from FEMA to replace mechanical, plumbing, and electrical equipment that drowned under eight feet of Hurricane Katrina’s floodwater in the Library basement.” Big bucks for the few, none for the many: That is the essence of federal, Louisiana state, and New Orleans city government policy. After Hurricane Katrina hit on August 31, 2005, the policy of all three levels of government has been open war on public housing, schools and health care. Before that date, there were over 4,600 rental units in four of the biggest public housing developments. Of the total, low-income workers and their families occupied over 3,000 apartment homes (figures from a front-page article in the December 3, 2008 Times-Picayune). Despite the greatest need for living quarters after a catastrophe unrivalled in New Orleans history, the Mayor and the City Council voted unanimously to demolish the four big developments in December of 2007, after police had tasered, pepper sprayed and beaten protesters inside and outside the Council Chamber. This anti-working-class measure was actively backed by the federal and state governments. Big business, government and media successfully turned higher-income workers and middle strata against low-income workers. Public housing residents who participated in protests were threatened with reprisals by government agencies. The brick buildings that were public housing could clearly have been renovated rather than torn down. Charterizing the Schools On public education, the picture is mixed. The Louisiana state government of Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco used the disarray after Hurricane Katrina to fire or push into early retirement all the public school teachers and workers in Orleans Parish (New Orleans). A class action suit by eight fired employees revealed the number of workers terminated was over 8,500 (December 12, 2008 Times-Picayune). The State school board took over most of the schools and proceeded to “charterize” them — that is, hand them over to private organizations, both nonprofit and for-profit. Charter schools are publicly owned and government- funded, but privately managed. The State school board has 38 schools privately run and 30 publicly run. It hopes to charterize the remaining 30. The Parish school board runs four schools directly and oversees 12 charter schools (July 25, 2009 Times-Picayune). New Orleans has the highest percentage of charter schools of any city. Many parents believe their children will get a better education in the privately-run schools. But reports have surfaced of high rates of student expulsion, especially students with disabilities. The end result will be a balkanized school system, with each school a little island competing against other schools for funds and students — a real dog-eat-dog existence. Proponents of this model contend this introduces “free market” principles into education. With each school principal hiring and firing at will, the organization of a union by school employees is extremely difficult. But the United Teachers of New Orleans (UTNO), the local affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, continues the struggle — fighting for a contract with the Parish school board and beginning to attract dissatisfied charter school teachers. Fighting for Charity Hospital The struggle for public health care, while similar to that for public housing and public schools, rides on a different level of public consciousness and sentiment. The depth and breadth of support for the demand to reopen the Rev. Avery C. Alexander Charity Hospital (Rev. Alexander was a local civil rights leader and state legislator) is nothing short of amazing. Low-income and high-income workers; middle strata like lawyers, doctors, managers and shopkeepers; all support reopening the biggest public hospital in the state of Louisiana. And the organized movement reflects that — embracing groups from the Foundation for Historical Louisiana (FHL) in Baton Rouge down to street radicals organized in the New Orleans Committee to Reopen Charity Hospital. Recent revelations by top U.S. military officers offer a damning indictment of state officials. “(T)hen-Gov. Kathleen Blanco said the publicly run Charity Hospital would not reopen even though the military had scrubbed the building to medical-ready standards….,” wrote Cain Burdeau in a July 14, 2009 Associated Press article. He continued, ( Read more... ) Current Music: Global Dance Project - Global Dance Project - Khrishnamurti Groove (Space Station Soma: Tune in, tur (Comment on this)
alobar	6:15p	Rosacea Info         When researching for my previous post, I stumbled upon the material below, which may be of use to people with Rosacea. =========================================== Please note: Rosacea 101 is a comprehensive, 373 page book, covering the conventional and alternative treatments for rosacea and covers basic rosacea 101 knowledge for rosacea newbies. It is a must have book for those who need in one book what they need to know about rosacea. In Appendix M, page 201, I cover some of this about Antibiotics. Rosaceans need to know about the long term effects of antibiotic treatment. </b>Bacterial Overgrowth, Antibiotic Resistance, Candida Albicans, SIBO, and Side Effects of Long Term Antibiotic Therapy for Rosacea</span> An Editorial by Brady Barrows Rosacea has been treated by antibiotic therapy for over 50 years.* No doubt this is because of the success in reducing rosacea inflammation and controlling it which has been accepted as one of best methods in the treatment of rosacea. However, some of the long term effects of antibiotic treatment may possibly result in bacterial overgrowth, antibiotic resistance, candida albicans and many side effects. Rosacea has been associated with at least four different types of bacteria: Helicobacter Pylori** Chlamydophila pneumoniae# Propionibacterium^ Bacillus oleronius*** Medical reports published at pubMed have associated rosacea with bacteria for some time time now and one theory on the cause of rosacea is that bacteria is involved and the use of antibiotics in treating rosacea has a long history. For years antibiotics were used as a secondary treatment, however, recently it is now used as a first line therapy. (See Rosacea 101, Chapter 5, Treatment, page 22) Long term use of antibiotics may lead to two problems associated with bacteria and at least one fungus. Bacterial Overgrowth An article by Cathy Wong discusses how bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine can cause many health problems. One of the causes listed is taking antibiotics which most rosaceans have done. She discusses several natural methods on how to treat bacterial overgrowth. If you think that bacterial overgrowth may be a problem for you I suggest you read her article. How do you know if you have bacterial overgrowth? There are some tests to take to confirm it, for instance, taking bacterial cultures of small intestine fluid, or the lactulose hydrogen breath test. Some signs and symptoms of bacterial growth are: abdominal bloating and gas after meals pain constipation chronic loose stools or diarrhea - (studies have found 48% to 67% of people with chronic diarrhea had bacterial overgrowth. soft, foul-smelling stools that stick to the bowl) fatigue - megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B12 malabsorption depression nutritional deficiency despite taking supplements weight loss abdominal pain mucus in stools bloating worse with carbs, fiber, and sugar Some of the causes of bacterial overgrowth are: Decreased motility in the small intestine - caused by excess dietary sugar, chronic stress, and conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, and scleroderma. In the United States, up to 40% of chronic diarrhea in people with diabetes is associated with bacterial overgrowth. Hypochlorhydria - as people get older, the amount of stomach acid they secrete decline. Because stomach acid is acidic and helps to kill bacteria in the small intestine, if there is less stomach acid, bacteria are more likely to proliferate. Another very common cause of hypochlorhydria is due to excessive use of antacids. Structural abnormalities in the small intestine - gastric bypass surgery, small intestinal diverticula, blind loop, intestinal obstruction, and Crohn's disease fistula are some of the structural causes of bacterial overgrowth. Other causes include immune deficiency, stress, certain medications such as steroids, antibiotics, and birth control pills, inadequate dietary fiber, and pancreatic enzyme deficiency. Treatments for bacterial overgrowth: Diet - Low carbohydrate diet (like the Rosacea Diet) Eradicate unfriendly bacteria in the small intestine using herbs such as peppermint oil. Replace - Bacterial overgrowth impairs friendly bacteria ("probiotics") and digestive enzymes. Betaine Hydrochloride Herbs such as: enteric coated peppermint oil Grapefruit seed extract - (for people who don't like taking capsules, grapefruit seed extract can be found in liquid form. Add a few drops to a glass of water and drink in between meals) Oregano oil capsules Garlic Flaxseed Oil Berberine - goldenseal, oregon grape Olive leaf extract Pau d'arco Click here for a detailed list of natural treatments for rosacea. Source: Natural Remedies for Bacterial Overgrowth, Your Guide to Alternative Medicine. Cathy Wong Side Effects of Long Term Use of Antibiotics Some of the well known side effects of long term use of antibiotics are: Teratogenic effects Tooth discoloration and alteration of bone growth if used by patients 12 years of age Photosensitivity Gastrointestinal distress Uncommon and minocycline-specific Vertigo Hyperpigmentation Lupus-like syndrome/autoimmune hepatitis Changes in bacterial microflora Gram-negative folliculitis Vaginal candidiasis Antibiotic resistance Can reduce future treatment options Can induce cross-resistance Can be transferred from commensal to pathogenic microorganisms (source: CollaGenex Pharmaceuticals, Rosacea Today) (See also, Rosacea 101, Appendix M, Antibiotics, page 201) Antibiotic Resistance The medical community has become increasingly aware of the problem of antibiotic resistance with long term use of oral antibiotics. “The risks of long-term topical and systemic antibiotic use include the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and the suppression of normal bacterial flora, leading to overgrowth of pathogenic organisms such as Candida species and Clostridium difficile." Source: Antibiotic Treatment of Acne May Be Associated With Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Margolis DJ, Bowe WP, Hoffstad O, Berlin JA Archives of Dermatology, 2005;141(9):1132-1136 Candida Albicans ( Read more... ) Current Music: Banco De Gaia - How Much Reality Can You Take? (Space Station Soma: Tune in, turn on, space out. Amb (2 Comments |Comment on this)

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