Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Are humans making animals sick?
New evidence suggests that bacteria/pathogens now pass from humans to animals. In this case, a strain of bacteria has passed from humans to chickens. Tragically, this discovery means it's possible that animals could make humans sick. Combine this factor with the globalized production and distribution of animals for human consumption, and we've got a big, huge mess on our hands. And still, we're not addressing the root of the problem.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Brain Development
Something interesting happens at age 18-24 months.
Self-consciousness emerges and autism reveals itself.
Self-consciousness emerges and autism reveals itself.
Our Poison Water
This study is so scary.
Testing chemicals on animals may be missing the effect on people. The most widely used herbicide, that is leeching into our drinking water, is safe for mice, but may cause diabetes and obesity in people!!
How did we miss this?
Mice and people have very similar, but not identical biology. The sweetness receptor is one of the differences. The herbicide has an anti-sweet effect in people, but not in mice.
The receptor is not just in our tongues, but also in our gut, helping to regulate the uptake of sugar.
Science's answer will be to humanize mice, by genetically changing the sweetness receptor to the human type, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Animal testing is inadequate.
We must adopt the precautionary principle.
Testing chemicals on animals may be missing the effect on people. The most widely used herbicide, that is leeching into our drinking water, is safe for mice, but may cause diabetes and obesity in people!!
How did we miss this?
Mice and people have very similar, but not identical biology. The sweetness receptor is one of the differences. The herbicide has an anti-sweet effect in people, but not in mice.
The receptor is not just in our tongues, but also in our gut, helping to regulate the uptake of sugar.
Science's answer will be to humanize mice, by genetically changing the sweetness receptor to the human type, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Animal testing is inadequate.
We must adopt the precautionary principle.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
can green tech save the earth?
When joining the Green bandwagon, take notice of who's driving and where they're taking us. I did a double take while reading news of dow chemical's solar roof shingles, remembering the corporation's historical impact on the environment. Silly me. Of course corporations will not save us, nor lead us to a Green planet. We need more than gadgets and consumer items. We must act. We must embrace personal responsibility and extend loving compassion to ourselves, others and the earth.
Otherwise, in 20 years, we'll end up right here where we started, fighting the Hydra.
Get this: consumers who buy green feel entitled to cheat because of perceived accumulated good karma. Ultimately, the shift must occur within each of us. John Q. Public must choose to prevent his car from leaking oil of his own free will, because he understands the cost of not doing so to himself, humanity and the earth. Only then will we live harmoniously with nature.
Get this: consumers who buy green feel entitled to cheat because of perceived accumulated good karma. Ultimately, the shift must occur within each of us. John Q. Public must choose to prevent his car from leaking oil of his own free will, because he understands the cost of not doing so to himself, humanity and the earth. Only then will we live harmoniously with nature.
Harmony must also be achieved within the financial sector, governance, etc.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
The Decider 2.0?
Get this: 57% of Americans favor the "public option." Come again, you ask? Well yes, it's true, a clear majority of Americans support the public option in poll after poll, despite all the rhetoric.
So why is support in the Senate so hard to come by?
Yes, some Congressional leaders are beholden to big pharma and yes, there are legitimate policy disputes. The bigger issue, however, is our leaders' willingness to cater to bastards. It's not a fair exchange because they give nothing in return. By over-playing the compromise card President Obama has failed to take his own advice.
Mr. President, we support you. No matter how loud the clamor, you did in fact receive a mandate from the American electorate. So how about some swagger? Remember early on, when stories emerged that you had gloated behind closed doors to opponents: "I won." Well, you did win. Please act like it. We're not asking for The Decider 2.0. But if you'd show us conviction - uncompromising leadership - we'll back you up.
You can't compromise with the vast right-wing conspiracy, just as you can't make a truce with the Swine Flu. Comprise requires both parties to engage in fair play to reach an agreement. These guys have no intention of reaching a compromise. Make no mistake: we are dealing with an infectious virus that spreads and draws power from fear.
Although the rapid pace of news cycles makes it appear as if support has eroded, in terms of real calendar time, you won by a landslide less than one year ago.
We want the public option. Go for it!
Right on advice for President Obama:
So why is support in the Senate so hard to come by?
Yes, some Congressional leaders are beholden to big pharma and yes, there are legitimate policy disputes. The bigger issue, however, is our leaders' willingness to cater to bastards. It's not a fair exchange because they give nothing in return. By over-playing the compromise card President Obama has failed to take his own advice.
Mr. President, we support you. No matter how loud the clamor, you did in fact receive a mandate from the American electorate. So how about some swagger? Remember early on, when stories emerged that you had gloated behind closed doors to opponents: "I won." Well, you did win. Please act like it. We're not asking for The Decider 2.0. But if you'd show us conviction - uncompromising leadership - we'll back you up.
You can't compromise with the vast right-wing conspiracy, just as you can't make a truce with the Swine Flu. Comprise requires both parties to engage in fair play to reach an agreement. These guys have no intention of reaching a compromise. Make no mistake: we are dealing with an infectious virus that spreads and draws power from fear.
Although the rapid pace of news cycles makes it appear as if support has eroded, in terms of real calendar time, you won by a landslide less than one year ago.
We want the public option. Go for it!
Right on advice for President Obama:
Communications Lesson #1 -- To control the story, you've got to have a story....
Communications Lesson #2 -- He who names the issue frames the issue ...
Communications Lesson #3 -- The bully pulpit can only take so much bull. ... Even the most flush credibility account eventually becomes overdrawn from repeated withdrawals with no deposits.
...
Communications Lesson #5 -- When you get knocked down, get up immediately...
New Order?
The shift now? Look inside. Internal motivation. How do we get there?
India. China. Two ancient worlds, possibly the eldest among us. Experiencing re-birth. Civilizations at the precipice of transformation. World superpowers culturally grounded in self-mastery and inner awareness. Wow. The ancient cycle of life continues and the future awaits.
India. China. Two ancient worlds, possibly the eldest among us. Experiencing re-birth. Civilizations at the precipice of transformation. World superpowers culturally grounded in self-mastery and inner awareness. Wow. The ancient cycle of life continues and the future awaits.
hmmm...
Come explore with me. Let’s begin with a radical notion that each of us is endowed with the ability to solve our own problems. Self-mastery. What if that is the essential human experience? Imagine the implications for, well, everything....
Consider the notion of 'experts' in any field. The very concept presents two paradoxes:
Consider the notion of 'experts' in any field. The very concept presents two paradoxes:
- an external/outside problem solver [aka expert] who comes to save the day undermines the ultimate goal of self-determination (enabling one to better solve problems on his own next time)
- perpetuates, and perhaps calcifies, the dependency cycle, continuing the externally-motivated culture that we've become.
Obama fighting shadows?
NYT columnist David Brooks offers a glimpse behind the curtain on Oz Jocks Beck and friends.
Did Van Jones really need to go?
Obama: don't capitulate to the illusion of power!
Otherwise you are following their lead...
Did Van Jones really need to go?
Obama: don't capitulate to the illusion of power!
Otherwise you are following their lead...
Global Chemical Contamination
Obesity by toxicity? The wost impact of global fossil fuel consumption may not be global climate change, but the production of myriad novel bioreactive compounds.
Humans are sensitive to minute quantities of hormone disrupting chemicals. So many new chemicals have been synthesized and released into the environment since the dawn of the Chemical Age that something bad must be happening somewhere to someone as a result.
We all understand the local dynamics of chemical exposure: a la Erin Brokovich. We're used to establishing these links based on acute exposure, rather than widespread, diffuse exposure. But who would think to explain such a wide-reaching phenomenon as obesity by chemical exposure?
We're all exposed to pesticides. The effects of these chemicals may be so widespread that we can barely imagine the true scale of their harm. We all understand the Bhopal-type catastrophe. But what is happening if obesity, chronic illness, and autism are due to exposure to 'fracking' chemicals....
Humans are sensitive to minute quantities of hormone disrupting chemicals. So many new chemicals have been synthesized and released into the environment since the dawn of the Chemical Age that something bad must be happening somewhere to someone as a result.
We all understand the local dynamics of chemical exposure: a la Erin Brokovich. We're used to establishing these links based on acute exposure, rather than widespread, diffuse exposure. But who would think to explain such a wide-reaching phenomenon as obesity by chemical exposure?
We're all exposed to pesticides. The effects of these chemicals may be so widespread that we can barely imagine the true scale of their harm. We all understand the Bhopal-type catastrophe. But what is happening if obesity, chronic illness, and autism are due to exposure to 'fracking' chemicals....
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