Global Revolution 2013

Egypt, Syria, Spain, Italy, England, Turkey, USA, Palestine, China, Canada, Greece, Norway, and more…

Frontlines Press

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• The day the people of Turkey rose up – in pictures: This is what a revolution looks like (talesfromthelou.wordpress.com)

Scientists’ Misconduct Around the Globe

Misconduct Around the Globe | The Scientist Magazine®.

The Scientist Magazine®

By Richard Smith and Tracey Koehlmoos |

June 1, 2013

DUSAN PETRICICIn 1992, oncologist Werner Bezwoda wowed an audience at a conference in San Diego by describing how 90 percent of women with advanced breast cancer whom he had treated in his South African clinic with high-dose chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation had achieved complete remission of their cancer. Seven years later he described more good results, but three independent trials of the treatment found no benefit. People became suspicious, and investigators eventually found that the hospital ethics committee had no record of his studies, patients reported as alive had been discharged for terminal care, and many of them had not given consent. Bezwoda eventually confessed to misconduct and disappeared from science. Shortly thereafter, his studies were retracted.

Research misconduct is most often discussed in the context of developed countries, but as this high-profile case illustrates, wherever there is human activity—whether it is politics, sports, religion, or science—there is wrongdoing. Furthermore, as the amount of research in low- and middle-income countries increases, so will research misconduct. But how much is there, what form does it take, and how are countries responding?

In a recent PLOS Medicine article (10:e1001315, 2013), we addressed the “big three” of research misconduct: data fabrication, data falsification, and plagiarism.

Full article:

Misconduct Around the Globe | The Scientist Magazine®.

Related articles

• Academic Misconduct (delong.typepad.com)
• Is It Time to Quit Honorary Authorship? (thlibrary.wordpress.com)
• Solving the Research Integrity Crisis (scienceexchange.com)

Spode

Reblogged from Raven Photography UK:

Spode, a photo by Raven Photography by Jenna Goodwin on Flickr.

Love it Jenna ! I can smell the rocks fragrance.

The Great American Dragnet: Over 200 Million People Are in the Facial Recognition Database

The Great American Dragnet: Over 200 Million People Are in the Facial Recognition Database |.

 http://www.theorganicprepper.ca

Daisy Luther | on June 17, 2013

You are probably participating in the facial recognition database whether you want to or not. Most likely, your visage is there to be easily identified, without your consent, even if you’ve never committed a crime.

Using the vague criteria of “law enforcement purposes”, the United States has more than 200 million Americans filed away in various facial recognition databases.  If you have a driver’s license or any other government photo ID, your face is probably one of them.

The Washington Post reports:

    “Law enforcement use of such facial searches is blurring the traditional boundaries between criminal and non-criminal databases, putting images of people never arrested in what amount to perpetual digital lineups. The most advanced systems allow police to run searches from laptop computers in their patrol cars and offer access to the FBI and other federal authorities.“

    Such open access has caused a backlash in some of the few states where there has been a public debate. As the databases grow larger and increasingly connected across jurisdictional boundaries, critics warn that authorities are developing what amounts to a national identification system — based on the distinct geography of each human face.

There is no way to “opt out” of this for privacy reasons if you intend to be a licensed driver in the United States. Have you noticed that now when you go to have a driver’s license picture, you aren’t allowed to smile?  That’s because it can throw off the ability of scanners to “recognize” you, because it changes the shape of your eyes and can also obscure your eye color.  For the same reason, you aren’t allowed to wear glasses, long bangs, or head coverings.  Your face is being catalogued for future identification purposes.

Only 13 states have not gone into full-out Big Brother mode with facial recognition…yet.  At this time, the states without the technology are Alaska, California, Wyoming, Arizona, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland,  Maine, and New Hampshire.  However, even though they don’t have the technology to readily identify residents, they still have millions of photos in their databases.

What’s more, it isn’t only our driver’s licenses that we have to worry about.  Another, even larger, database exists. The US State Department has a database with 230 million searchable images.  Anyone with a passport or an immigration visa may find themselves an unwilling participant in this database.   Here’s the breakdown of who has a photo database:

    The State Department has about 15 million photos of passport or visa holders
    The FBI has about15 million photos of people who have been arrested or convicted of crimes
    The Department of Defense has about 6 million photos, mainly of Iraqis and Afghans
    Various police agencies and states have at least 210 million driver’s license photos

This invasion of privacy is just another facet of the surveillance state, and should be no surprise considering the information Edward Snowden just shared about the over-reaching tentacles of the NSA into all of our communications. We are filing our identities with the government and they can identify us at will, without any requirement for probable cause.

The authorities that use this technology claim that the purpose of it is to make us safer, by helping to prevent identity fraud and to identify criminals.  However, what freedom are we giving up for this “safety” cloaked in benevolence? We are giving up the freedom of having the most elemental form of privacy – that of being able to go about our daily business without being watched and identified.  And once you’re identified, this connects to all sorts of other personal information that has been compiled: your address, your driving and criminal records, and potentially, whatever else that has been neatly filed away at your friendly neighborhood fusion center.

Think about it:  You’re walking the dog and you fail to scoop the poop – if there’s a surveillance camera in the area, it would be a simple matter, given the technology, for you to be identified. If you are attending a protest that might be considered “anti-government”, don’t expect to be anonymous.  A photo of the crowd could easily result in the identification of most of the participants.  Are you purchasing ammo, preparedness items, or books about a controversial topic?  Paying cash won’t buy you much in the way of privacy – your purchase will most likely be captured on the CCTV camera at the checkout stand, making you easily identifiable to anyone who might wish to track these kinds of  things.  What if a person with access to this technology uses it for personal, less than ethical reasons, like stalking an attractive women he saw on the street?  The potential for abuse is mind-boggling.

If you can’t leave your house without being identified, do you have any real freedom left, or are you just a resident in a very large cage?
About the author:

Please feel free to share any information from this site in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to this website and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

Daisy Luther | on June 17, 2013

You are probably participating in the facial recognition database whether you want to or not. Most likely, your visage is there to be easily identified, without your consent, even if you’ve never committed a crime.

Using the vague criteria of “law enforcement purposes”, the United States has more than 200 million Americans filed away in various facial recognition databases.  If you have a driver’s license or any other government photo ID, your face is probably one of them.

The Washington Post reports:

Law enforcement use of such facial searches is blurring the traditional boundaries between criminal and non-criminal databases, putting images of people never arrested in what amount to perpetual digital lineups. The most advanced systems allow police to run searches from laptop computers in their patrol cars and offer access to the FBI and other federal authorities.

Such open access has caused a backlash in some of the few states where there has been a public debate. As the databases grow larger and increasingly connected across jurisdictional boundaries, critics warn that authorities are developing what amounts to a national identification system — based on the distinct geography of each human face.

There is no way to “opt out” of this for privacy reasons if you intend to be a licensed driver in the United States. Have you noticed that now when you go to have a driver’s license picture, you aren’t allowed to smile?  That’s because it can throw off the ability of scanners to “recognize” you, because it changes the shape of your eyes and can also obscure your eye color.  For the same reason, you aren’t allowed to wear glasses, long bangs, or head coverings.  Your face is being catalogued for future identification purposes.

Only 13 states have not gone into full-out Big Brother mode with facial recognition…yet.  At this time, the states without the technology are Alaska, California, Wyoming, Arizona, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland,  Maine, and New Hampshire.  However, even though they don’t have the technology to readily identify residents, they still have millions of photos in their databases.

What’s more, it isn’t only our driver’s licenses that we have to worry about.  Another, even larger, database exists. The US State Department has a database with 230 million searchable images.  Anyone with a passport or an immigration visa may find themselves an unwilling participant in this database.   Here’s the breakdown of who has a photo database:

• The State Department has about 15 million photos of passport or visa holders
• The FBI has about15 million photos of people who have been arrested or convicted of crimes
• The Department of Defense has about 6 million photos, mainly of Iraqis and Afghans
• Various police agencies and states have at least 210 million driver’s license photos

This invasion of privacy is just another facet of the surveillance state, and should be no surprise considering the information Edward Snowden just shared about the over-reaching tentacles of the NSA into all of our communications. We are filing our identities with the government and they can identify us at will, without any requirement for probable cause.

The authorities that use this technology claim that the purpose of it is to make us safer, by helping to prevent identity fraud and to identify criminals.  However, what freedom are we giving up for this “safety” cloaked in benevolence? We are giving up the freedom of having the most elemental form of privacy – that of being able to go about our daily business without being watched and identified.  And once you’re identified, this connects to all sorts of other personal information that has been compiled: your address, your driving and criminal records, and potentially, whatever else that has been neatly filed away at your friendly neighborhood fusion center.

Think about it:  You’re walking the dog and you fail to scoop the poop – if there’s a surveillance camera in the area, it would be a simple matter, given the technology, for you to be identified. If you are attending a protest that might be considered “anti-government”, don’t expect to be anonymous.  A photo of the crowd could easily result in the identification of most of the participants.  Are you purchasing ammo, preparedness items, or books about a controversial topic?  Paying cash won’t buy you much in the way of privacy – your purchase will most likely be captured on the CCTV camera at the checkout stand, making you easily identifiable to anyone who might wish to track these kinds of  things.  What if a person with access to this technology uses it for personal, less than ethical reasons, like stalking an attractive women he saw on the street?  The potential for abuse is mind-boggling.

If you can’t leave your house without being identified, do you have any real freedom left, or are you just a resident in a very large cage?

About the author:

Please feel free to share any information from this site in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to this website and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

- See more at: http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/the-great-american-dragnet-over-200-million-people-are-in-the-facial-recognition-database-06172013#sthash.BQaG4xsM.dpuf

Daisy Luther | on June 17, 2013

You are probably participating in the facial recognition database whether you want to or not. Most likely, your visage is there to be easily identified, without your consent, even if you’ve never committed a crime.

Using the vague criteria of “law enforcement purposes”, the United States has more than 200 million Americans filed away in various facial recognition databases.  If you have a driver’s license or any other government photo ID, your face is probably one of them.

The Washington Post reports:

Law enforcement use of such facial searches is blurring the traditional boundaries between criminal and non-criminal databases, putting images of people never arrested in what amount to perpetual digital lineups. The most advanced systems allow police to run searches from laptop computers in their patrol cars and offer access to the FBI and other federal authorities.

Such open access has caused a backlash in some of the few states where there has been a public debate. As the databases grow larger and increasingly connected across jurisdictional boundaries, critics warn that authorities are developing what amounts to a national identification system — based on the distinct geography of each human face.

There is no way to “opt out” of this for privacy reasons if you intend to be a licensed driver in the United States. Have you noticed that now when you go to have a driver’s license picture, you aren’t allowed to smile?  That’s because it can throw off the ability of scanners to “recognize” you, because it changes the shape of your eyes and can also obscure your eye color.  For the same reason, you aren’t allowed to wear glasses, long bangs, or head coverings.  Your face is being catalogued for future identification purposes.

Only 13 states have not gone into full-out Big Brother mode with facial recognition…yet.  At this time, the states without the technology are Alaska, California, Wyoming, Arizona, Mississippi, Louisiana, Missouri, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Maryland,  Maine, and New Hampshire.  However, even though they don’t have the technology to readily identify residents, they still have millions of photos in their databases.

What’s more, it isn’t only our driver’s licenses that we have to worry about.  Another, even larger, database exists. The US State Department has a database with 230 million searchable images.  Anyone with a passport or an immigration visa may find themselves an unwilling participant in this database.   Here’s the breakdown of who has a photo database:

• The State Department has about 15 million photos of passport or visa holders
• The FBI has about15 million photos of people who have been arrested or convicted of crimes
• The Department of Defense has about 6 million photos, mainly of Iraqis and Afghans
• Various police agencies and states have at least 210 million driver’s license photos

This invasion of privacy is just another facet of the surveillance state, and should be no surprise considering the information Edward Snowden just shared about the over-reaching tentacles of the NSA into all of our communications. We are filing our identities with the government and they can identify us at will, without any requirement for probable cause.

The authorities that use this technology claim that the purpose of it is to make us safer, by helping to prevent identity fraud and to identify criminals.  However, what freedom are we giving up for this “safety” cloaked in benevolence? We are giving up the freedom of having the most elemental form of privacy – that of being able to go about our daily business without being watched and identified.  And once you’re identified, this connects to all sorts of other personal information that has been compiled: your address, your driving and criminal records, and potentially, whatever else that has been neatly filed away at your friendly neighborhood fusion center.

Think about it:  You’re walking the dog and you fail to scoop the poop – if there’s a surveillance camera in the area, it would be a simple matter, given the technology, for you to be identified. If you are attending a protest that might be considered “anti-government”, don’t expect to be anonymous.  A photo of the crowd could easily result in the identification of most of the participants.  Are you purchasing ammo, preparedness items, or books about a controversial topic?  Paying cash won’t buy you much in the way of privacy – your purchase will most likely be captured on the CCTV camera at the checkout stand, making you easily identifiable to anyone who might wish to track these kinds of  things.  What if a person with access to this technology uses it for personal, less than ethical reasons, like stalking an attractive women he saw on the street?  The potential for abuse is mind-boggling.

If you can’t leave your house without being identified, do you have any real freedom left, or are you just a resident in a very large cage?

About the author:

Please feel free to share any information from this site in part or in full, giving credit to the author and including a link to this website and the following bio.

Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor.  Her website, The Organic Prepper, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca

- See more at: http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/the-great-american-dragnet-over-200-million-people-are-in-the-facial-recognition-database-06172013#sthash.BQaG4xsM.dpuf

Related articles

• You Are Probably Participating In The Facial Recognition Database Like It Or Not (youviewed.com)

Canada: ‘Special operational info’: The federal agency secrets gov’t wants kept under wraps

‘Special operational info’: The federal agency secrets gov’t wants kept under wraps | CTV News.

CTV News

Visitors come and go as the Parliament Buildings are silhouetted at dusk in Ottawa on June 13, 2012. (Adrian Wyld/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
Published Sunday, June 16, 2013 

OTTAWA — The prime minister’s national security adviser, federal lawyers who work on terrorism cases and intelligence analysts in the Privy Council Office would be forever forbidden from discussing sensitive aspects of their work under proposed new rules.

The Harper government wants to pull the cloak of eternal secrecy over past and present employees of nine federal agencies and those who used to toil at two now-defunct branches.

They would join the more than 12,000 current and former federal intelligence officials already covered by Security of Information Act provisions forcing them to take the secrets of their most closely held work to the grave.

A group that advocates a more open and accountable federal government called the blanket proposal “dangerously undemocratic.”

“Arguably this could affect society in major ways, because it’s going to prevent some information from ever coming to light,” said Tyler Sommers, co-ordinator of Democracy Watch.

The Security of Information Act was quickly passed as part of a package of anti-terrorism measures following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Full article:

‘Special operational info’: The federal agency secrets gov’t wants kept under wraps | CTV News.

Related articles

• CSIS knew of navy spy’s activity but held file back from RCMP: CP (ctvnews.ca)
• Obama: Gov’t records sweep not targeting Americans (cnsnews.com)
• Proposed new rules would see cloak of eternal secrecy extended to 11 federal agencies (theglobeandmail.com)

8 US Soldiers Disappear removing 5000 yr old Flying Machine from Afghan Cave -

8 US Soldiers Disappear removing 5000 yr old Flying Machine from Afghan Cave – YouTube.

Is this for real ? We will have to wait to see if there is any truth in this story. This would be a major shift in the way we see reality and the universe.

With thanks to celestealluvial

Mar 2, 2013

What caused the sudden rush of these most powerful leaders of the Western World to go to Afghanistan, this report continues, was to directly view the discovery by US Military scientists of what is described as a “Vimana” entrapped in a “Time Well”
that has already caused the “disappearance” of at least 8 American Soldiers trying to remove it from the cave it has been hidden in for the past estimated 5,000 years.

Vimana

Vimāna is a word with several meanings ranging from temple or palace to mythological flying machines described in Sanskrit epics.

Reference to ancient Indian flying vehicles comes from ancient Indian sources, many are the well known ancient Indian Epics, and there are literally hundreds of them. Most of them have not even been translated into English yet from the old sanskrit.

It is claimed that a few years ago, the Chinese discovered some sanskrit documents in Lhasa, Tibet and sent them to the University of Chandrigarh to be translated. Dr. Ruth Reyna of the University said recently that the documents contain directions for building interstellar spaceships!

Their method of propulsion, she said, was “anti-gravitational” and was based upon a system analogous to that of “laghima,” the unknown power of the ego existing in man’s physiological makeup, “a centrifugal force strong enough to counteract all gravitational pull.”

According to Hindu Yogis, it is this “laghima” which enables a person to levitate. Dr. Reyna said that on board these machines, which were called “Astras” by the text, the ancient Indians could have sent a detachment of men onto any planet, according to
the document, which is thought to be thousands of years old. The manuscripts were also said to reveal the secret of “antima”, “the cap of invisibility” and “garima”, “how to become as heavy as a mountain of lead.”

Steve Quayle
Stephen Quayle is the author of five books. For over thirty years, he has been investigating ancient civilizations, giants, UFOs and biological warfare as they relate to the future of mankind. Stephen discusses the coming worst-case scenarios approaching this world and how they interrelate to each other. Earthquakes, volcanoes, nuclear and biological terrorism, coupled with the planned financial meltdown of the U.S. dollar will thrust us into unimagined tribulations. Stephen Quayle is on record as stating that we have moved from the realm of natural threats into the arena of supernaturally guided events of the unseen hand of evil orchestrating world events of unfathomable proportions.

Related articles

• Vimana: The Ancient Anti-Gravity Flying Machine (thecontroversialfiles.net)

Ecosystem and Food Supply Threatened by Toxic Neonicotinoids in Pesticides

Ecosystem and Food Supply Threatened by Toxic Neonicotinoids.

June 18, 2013

Research has shown that many pesticides are neurotoxic and can cause disruptions to your neurological system and your brain. The reason why neurotoxins still enjoy widespread use on our food supply is really more about the bottom line for farming operations than it is about the science of human health.

Research has clearly and consistently linked pesticide exposure to Parkinson’s disease. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also considers 30 percent of insecticides to be carcinogenic.

All of these toxic chemicals are permitted on farms growing conventional and genetically engineered crops, and a large number of them can end up on your plate when you purchase conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables and/or processed foods.

But pesticides also have a dramatic impact on the health of our ecosystem. Neonicotinoids, such as Imidacloprid and Clothianidin, kill insects by attacking their nervous systems. These are known to get into pollen and nectar, and can damage beneficial insects such as bees.

These toxic chemicals have been implicated as one of the primary culprits in the mass die-offs of bees, and have subsequently been banned in some countries. The United States, however, is not among these countries…

But the effects of neonicotinoids do not end there. According to recent research by the American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the use of neonicotinoids in seed treatments is also responsible for the death of birds, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and other wildlife.

Ecosystem Threatened by ‘Gross Underestimate’ of Toxicity of Neonicotinoids

Nicotine-related compounds called nicotinoids were initially introduced as a new form of pesticide in the 1990s, as widespread pest resistance rendered many older pesticides useless. Many seeds are now “pre-treated” with neonicotinoids, which are water-soluble and break down slowly in the environment.

Today, they are the most widely-used pesticides in the world. In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to find a pesticide that does not contain at least one neonicotinoid insecticide. In California alone, there are nearly 300 registered neonicotinoid products available.

The American Bird Conservancy (ABC), one of the leading bird conservation organizations in the US, is now calling for a ban on the use of neonicotinoids as seed treatments, and wants all pending applications for neonicotinoid products to be suspended pending an independent review of the products’ effects on birds, terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates, and other wildlife.

As reported by the American Bird Conservancy¹:

“It is clear that these chemicals have the potential to affect entire food chains. The environmental persistence of the neonicotinoids, their propensity for runoff and for groundwater infiltration, and their cumulative and largely irreversible mode of action in invertebrates raise significant environmental concerns…”

ABC commissioned the world renowned environmental toxicologist Dr. Pierre Mineau to conduct the research, which resulted in a 100-page report² titled The Impact of the Nation’s Most Widely Used Insecticides on Birds. Mineau’s report reviews 200 studies on neonicotinoids, including industry research obtained through the US Freedom of Information Act.

The report concludes that neonicotinoids “are lethal to birds and to the aquatic systems on which they depend.” Even more disturbing, contamination levels in both surface and ground water around the world are already beyond the threshold found to kill many aquatic invertebrates. According to this shocking toxicology assessment:

• A single kernel of corn treated with this type of pesticide can kill a songbird
• A single grain of wheat or canola treated with the neonicotinoids Imidacloprid can be fatal to a bird
• As little as 1/10th of a neonicotinoid-coated corn seed per day during egg-laying season can affect a bird’s reproductive capability

EPA Accused of Failing to Adequately Assess Environmental Risks

Disturbingly, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not adequately assessed the toxicity of neonicotinoids. Part of the problem, according to the featured report, is that the EPA is “using scientifically unsound, outdated methodology that has more to do with a game of chance than with a rigorous scientific process.” This has led the agency to grossly underestimate the toxicity of these chemicals. Furthermore³:

“The report also charges that there is no readily available biomarker for neonicotinoids as there is for cholinesterase inhibitors such as the organophosphorous pesticides.

‘It is astonishing that EPA would allow a pesticide to be used in hundreds of products without ever requiring the registrant to develop the tools needed to diagnose poisoned wildlife. It would be relatively simple to create a binding assay for the neural receptor which is affected by this class of insecticides,’ said Dr. Mineau.”

Dr. Mineau urges the EPA to require pesticide registrants to also provide the diagnostic tools necessary to diagnose cases of wildlife poisonings. So far, neonicotinoids have garnered the most attention and criticism for their role in bee die-offs—a worldwide phenomenon that took off once these newer pesticides became widely used. As stated by ABC⁴:

“The serious risk to bees should not be understated, as one-third of the US diet depends on these insect pollinators. The ABC assessment makes clear, however, that the potential environmental impacts of neonicotinoids go well beyond bees.”

Link Between Neonicotinoids and Bee Die-Off is ‘Crystal Clear,’ Lawsuit Maintains

A general consensus among beekeepers is that the bee die-offs are most definitely related to toxic chemicals, and neonicotinoids in particular. The disappearance of bee colonies began accelerating in the United States shortly after the EPA allowed these new insecticides on the market in the mid-2000s. In May, beekeepers and environmental groups filed a lawsuit against the agency over its failure to protect bees from these toxic pesticides.

Meanwhile, France has banned Imidacloprid for use on corn and sunflowers after reporting large losses of bees after exposure to it. They also rejected Bayer´s application for Clothianidin, and other countries, such as Italy, have banned certain neonicotinoids as well.

Neonicotinoids are used on most of American crops, especially corn. As mentioned earlier, these chemicals are typically applied to seeds before planting, allowing the pesticide to be taken up through the plant’s vascular system as it grows. As a result, the chemical is expressed in the pollen and nectar of the plant, and hence the danger to bees and other pollinating insects… Needless to say, since the chemical is taken up systemically through the plant, it could also pose potential health risks to anyone eating the plant since it cannot be rinsed off.

Neonicotinoids affect insects’ central nervous systems in ways that are cumulative and irreversible. Even minute amounts can have profound effects over time. One of the observed effects of these insecticides is weakening of the bee’s immune system. Forager bees bring pesticide-laden pollen back to the hive, where it’s consumed by all of the bees. Six months later, their immune systems fail, and they fall prey to secondary, seemingly “natural” bee infections, such as parasites, mites, viruses, fungi and bacteria.

The EPA⁵ acknowledges that “pesticide poisoning” may be one factor leading to colony collapse disorder, yet they have been slow to act to protect bees from this threat. The current lawsuit may help spur them toward more urgent action, which is desperately needed as the food supply hangs in the balance.

In March, the EPA sent Jim Jones, overseer of the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, to talk to California almond growers and beekeepers, as mass die-offs of bees were seriously threatening this year’s almond crop. But although beekeepers said Jones got the message that bees are in serious trouble, they were dismayed by the fact that he seemed more interested in finding new places for bees to forage rather than addressing the issue of toxic pesticides…

As usual, at the core of the problem is big industry, which is blinded by greed and enabled by a corrupt governmental system that permits the profit-driven sacrifice of our environment. Unfortunately, this motivation reflects an extreme shortsightedness about the long-term survival of the human race, as well as of our planet. Clearly, if the goal of pesticides is to increase food yield to more easily feed 7 billion human beings, this goal falls flat on its face if it leads to the collapse of our food chain.

Pesticides Again Tied to Parkinson’s Disease

A recent meta-analysis published in the journal Neurology⁶, examined data from 104 studies published between 1975 and 2011, in search for a potential link between pesticides and Parkinson’s disease. As many previous studies, it found one… Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder in which neurons in a region within your brain responsible for normal movement begin to die, causing the telltale shaking and rigidity associated with the disease. There’s currently no known cure, which makes preventing the disease all the more important. Mounting evidence suggests avoiding pesticides is an important part of prevention. As reported by Reuters⁷:

“In 2011, a study of US farm workers from National Institutes of Health found some pesticides that are known to interfere with cell function were linked to the development of Parkinson’s disease. Another study that was published in 2012 also reported that people with Parkinson’s disease were more likely to report exposure to pesticides, compared to people without the condition.”

In this latest analysis, exposure to pesticides was linked to a 58 percent increased risk of developing Parkinson’s. Some pesticides were clearly worse than others. Paraquat (a non-selective plant killer) and two fungicides, maneb and mancozeb, were found to double your risk. One of the study’s authors told Reuters that⁸:

“[T]he study’s results suggest that people should avoid contact with pesticides or – at least – wear proper protection when handling the chemicals. The use of protective equipment and compliance with suggested, or even recommended, preventive practices should be emphasized in high-risk working categories (such as farming).”

How Modern Farming Methods Have Led to Toxic Food Supplies

Chlorinated hydrocarbons, or organochlorines like DDT were developed after World War II and remained widely used in agriculture for pest and weed control until Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring was published in 1962. That book is credited with beginning the modern environmental movement, and through the involvement of scientists and ordinary concerned citizens many of the organochlorines were later phased out of use, according to the conditions of the Stockholm Convention of 1981⁹. Since then, these chemicals have been replaced by a slew of new herbicides, pesticides and fungicides designed to kill the things that threaten a farmer’s bottom line.

These include not just neonicotinoids, but also glyphosate—the active ingredient in Monsanto’s herbicide Roundup.

Roundup was designed to be used in conjunction with Monsanto’s genetically engineered “Roundup Ready” seeds, which in turn have been genetically altered to withstand otherwise lethal doses of the chemical. This way, only the non-modified weeds die while the crop survives the indiscriminate sprayings. In theory, genetically engineered seeds were supposed to reduce the use of agricultural chemicals. It didn’t work out that way. Today, resistant “superweeds” are taking over large swaths of farm land, and in an effort to stay on top of increasing weed resistance, farmers using Monsanto’s genetically engineered (GE) seeds have progressively started using more and more Roundup.

The increased pesticide residue remains in the foods that wind up on your dinner table, as glyphosate is taken up systemically throughout the plant and cannot be washed off.

About 90 percent of the corn produced in the US is genetically engineered, and GE soybeans account for almost 95 percent of US production. In other words, if you’re eating non-organic corn or soybeans in the United States, you’re eating a genetically engineered crop that’s been repeatedly and thoroughly drenched in glyphosate. The same applies to eating meats from animals raised in confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs), as they’re typically fed GE grains.

The danger to you and your children is very real, according to the latest research. While Monsanto insists that Roundup is safe and “minimally toxic” to humans, a recent report published in the journal Entropy¹⁰ argues that glyphosate residues, found in most commonly consumed foods in the Western diet courtesy of GE sugar, corn, and soy, “enhance the damaging effects of other food-borne chemical residues and toxins in the environment to disrupt normal body functions and induce disease.” According to the authors:

“Negative impact on the body is insidious and manifests slowly over time as inflammation damages cellular systems throughout the body.”

The main finding of the report is that glyphosate inhibits cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, a large and diverse group of enzymes that catalyze the oxidation of organic substances. This, the authors state, is “an overlooked component of its toxicity to mammals.” One of the functions of CYP enzymes is to detoxify xenobiotics—chemical compounds found in a living organism that are not normally produced or consumed by the organism in question. By limiting the ability of these enzymes to detoxify foreign chemical compounds, glyphosate enhances the damaging effects of those chemicals and environmental toxins you may be exposed to—including other pesticides.

How You Can Avoid Toxic Pesticide Exposure

First and foremost, to limit your exposure to the most common agricultural chemicals, such as neonicotinoids and glyphosate, you want to buy as much fresh organic produce as possible, as synthetic chemicals are not allowed on organic crops. For a good guide to which conventionally grown produce carry the lowest pesticide residues, and which you’re best off buying organic due to their heavy pesticide load, see my recent article, How to Find the Healthiest Fare in Meat and Produce Aisles.

Since years’ worth of these toxins now pollute our soils and waterways, including the sources of most if not all human drinking water, I also recommend investing in a good water filtration system for your home or apartment to ensure you are drinking the purest water possible. Also consider a shower filter, as they may actually cause more damage to your body through your skin than from drinking unfiltered water. Additional recommendations to limit your exposure to toxic pesticides and herbicides include:

1. Grow your own food. While this may be a challenge for many, nearly everyone, even those with a studio apartment or a dorm room can easily grow sprouts that can serve as a large percentage of the organic vegetables that you eat.
2. Detoxify your lawn. If you have a lawn care service, make sure they are not using the organophosphate pesticide trichlorfon. Also, avoid using Roundup to control weeds around your home.
3. Clean out your shed. The pesticide diazinon (sold under the brand names Diazinon or Spectracide) has been banned from residential, but there might be some left in your old garden shed.
4. Use natural cures for a lice infection. Malathion is used for treatment of head lice. Don’t put a neurotoxin on your child’s head.
5. Check your school’s pest control policy. If they have not already done so, encourage your school district to move to Integrated Pest Management, which uses less toxic alternatives.

Related articles

• Neonicotinoid Pesticides Harm More than Just Honey Bees (natureworldnews.com)
• Gross Underestimate of Toxicity of Neonicotinoid Pesticides (thehealthrebel.com)
• Neonicotinoids harm birds and soil (telegraph.co.uk)

America feeds the rich

PressTV – America feeds the rich.

PressTV

Tue Jun 18, 2013

Leo Gerard, Common Dreams

The Farm Bill that is expected to pass the U.S. House this week explains income inequality in America.

 

The Republican-sponsored proposal slashes food stamps for poor children and pads farm subsidies for wealthy agri-businessmen.

 

This comes just a week after Senate Republicans refused to protect the poorest students from doubled college loan interest rates because that required closing tax loopholes that benefit big corporations. It comes just weeks after a new study showed the Walmart heirs, among the richest people in the world, pay their workers so little that taxpayers fork over billions to subsidize Walmart’s payroll through programs like — food stamps.

 

This all violates America’s cherished ideal of equal opportunity. Americans strive to achieve believing they have the same chance at success as everyone else and, more importantly, that the egalitarian American system will provide their children with a level playing field on which to attain their full potential.

 

Americans believe their government should maintain that level field. But it does not. Not when poor students are denied access to low-interest college loans while Washington charges Wall Street virtually no interest. Not when the House farm bill feeds the rich and starves the poor.

 

Republican Congressman Stephen Fincher of Frog Jump, Tenn., is the ugly face of the feed-the-rich public policy. He is a seventh generation millionaire agri-businessman. He raked in $3.5 million in federal farm subsidies from 1999 to 2012. That averages out to $269,000 a year in farm welfare. It makes him one of the largest farm welfare recipients in Tennessee history as well as among members of Congress.

 

This politician, who thrived on the government dole, raking in $738 a day in farm welfare over the past 13 years, is among the loudest advocates for increasing subsidies to agribusiness by about $10 billion and slashing food stamps by $20 billion.

 

That would take food from 2 million poor people. They get an average of $133 a month in food stamps. That’s less than $5 a day for the poor — not the $738 a day that Fincher got.

 

Fincher justified taking food out of the mouths of poor people by quoting the Bible, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, to be specific: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”

 

Citing that verse shows a frightening level of cluelessness. First, Fincher took it out of context. It was intended as an admonishment of those who’d stopped working in anticipation of the Second Coming, not as a castigation of generic non-workers.

 

Second, 49 percent of those receiving food stamps are children. Would Fincher have five-year-olds work for their supper? How about infants?

 

Finally, the food stamp program encourages work, and the number of recipients who do tripled in the first decade of the century.

 

Among the working poor are Walmart employees. Generally, to qualify for food stamps, a family can’t earn more than 130 percent of poverty level, which would be $25,000 for a family of three. A typical Walmart worker earning $8.81 an hour, slightly more than minimum wage, receives $15,576 a year.

 

An analysis by the Democratic staff of the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce found that such low wages harm families and burden taxpayers. Government benefit programs — such as food stamps — enable Walmart’s low wage workers to barely scrape by, the report says.

 

Using data from Wisconsin’s Medicaid program, the staff determined that the average Walmart Supercenter there costs taxpayers between $904,542 and $1.7 million each year. That’s for programs like Medicaid and food stamps.

 

The report also notes: “Rising income inequality and wage stagnation threaten the future of America’s middle class. While corporate profits break records, the share of national income going to workers’ wages has reached record lows.”

 

Walmart provides the perfect example of that. The corporation made $17 billion last year, while paying its workers poverty wages. As Walmart workers use government programs to get by, the six Walmart heirs now have more wealth than the bottom 42 percent of Americans combined.

 

Between 2007 and 2010 the wealth of the six richest Walmart heirs rose from $73 billion to $90 billion while the wealth of the average American declined from $126,000 to $77,000.

 

This results from government policy. The government doesn’t require Walmart to pay a living wage. Instead, the government uses taxpayer dollars to minimally subsidize low-paid Walmart workers while cutting taxes on the wealthy Walmart heirs.

 

The government subsidizes Walmart the way it does millionaire farmers like Fincher. Though low-income workers receive the food stamps, essentially that government aid is welfare for Walmart. A food stamp applicant must prove poverty to qualify for government aid. But not big business. Not agri-business.

 

The number of food stamp recipients increased dramatically since 2008 because of the great recession, an event caused by reckless gambling on Wall Street. House Republican policy calls for the victims of the recession to suffer and the perpetrators to continue receiving low interest federal loans.

 

This policy, this funneling of money to the top, increases inequality and decreases opportunity. A child who goes to school hungry, for example, has a very hard time learning.

 

Universal Studios is among the corporations that have institutionalized inequity. At its parks, middle-class parents and their children wait for hours for entrance to attractions, but the wealthy and their scions simply cut in line.

 

The children of the wealthy don’t have to wait. Universal facilitates this with expensive VIP tickets that entitle rich children to park privileges. The VIP package includes hand sanitizer in case a rich kid accidentally touches a “regular Joe” kid, as Universal called them. Also, VIP families get exclusive breakfast and lunch service.

 

America feeds the rich. Equal opportunity is dead.

 

AHT/AGB

Related articles

• ‘Walmart workers rely on food stamps’ (talesfromthelou.wordpress.com)
• White House threatens to veto farm bill over food stamp cuts (uk.reuters.com)
• Tenn Rep. Stephen Fincher Pocketed $9 Million in Ag Subsidies, Says Jesus Hates Food Stamps (wonkette.com)
• Meet Your New Wingnut Congresscritter: Stephen Fincher (esquire.com)
• For Shame: A Farm Bill that Would Leave Millions of Children Hungry (laurasrules.org)
• Welfare for the Wealthy (opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com)

Landscape photographer of the year

Landscape photographer of the year – Telegraph.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk

June 17, 2013

Evening at the Queen’s View, near Tarland, AberdeenshirePicture: Nigel Corby / Rex Features

The Viaduct at Ribblehead, North YorkshirePicture: David Horner / Rex Features

Rainbow and stormy skies above a beach in Sandsend, North YorkshirePicture: Jason Theaker / Rex Features

More pics:

Landscape photographer of the year – Telegraph.

Top 50 tell-tale signs of ageing revealed

Top 50 tell-tale signs of ageing revealed – Telegraph.

Drinking sherry, listening to the Archers and feeding the birds are all signs of ageing, according to researchers.

The report said people feel older when they struggle to use technology or lose touch with modern inventions  Photo: Getty Images

 Telegraph

By Radhika Sanghani

18 Jun 2013

There are 50 tell-tale signs of ageing, which include listening to Radio 2 and feeding the birds, following a recent study.

It found that people who lose head hair but gain it elsewhere, join the National Trust and say ‘it wasn’t like that when I was young’ are showing their age.

The report said people feel older when they struggle to use technology or lose touch with modern inventions such as tablets or the latest digital TVs.

Other signs include taking a flask of tea on a day out, wearing glasses around your neck, always leaving the house with a coat and choosing comfort over fashion.

Most of the 2,000 surveyed did not feel there was a set age at which someone becomes ‘old’.

Eight in ten believe you are only as old as you feel while 76 per cent plan on enjoying their youth for as long as possible.

But 58 per cent of respondents said they were worried about getting old, and are particularly worried about losing their memory, illness and physical deterioration.

Less than half are nervous they’ll be lonely and 52 per cent are concerned they won’t be able to look after themselves.

Four in ten people are also worried about having no money. Only 53 per cent have plans in place for a pension, and just 45 per cent have a savings account or retirement fund in place.

A spokesman for Engage Mutual, which carried out the study, said: “Ageing is a natural process and we can all recognise physical and attitudinal changes in ourselves as we get older.

“What is interesting is the general expectation across age groups that someone in the “older” age bracket will look and behave in a particular way.

“We know there are serious issues as we approach old age, in that we can run out of time to prepare ourselves to meet the potential physical, mental and financial challenges.

“But it doesn’t have to be bad news. Some describe the years over 50 as the best in their lives so far.”

How many of the 50 signs of getting old apply to you?

1. Feeling stiff

2. Groaning when you bend down

3. Saying “it wasn’t like that when I was young”

4. Saying “in my day”

5. Losing hair

6. You don’t know any songs in the top ten

7. Getting more hairy – ears, eyebrows, nose, face etc

8. Hating noisy pubs

9. Talking a lot about joints / ailments

10. Forgetting people’s names

11. Choosing clothes and shoes for comfort rather than style

12. Thinking policemen / teachers / doctors look really young

13. Falling asleep in front of the TV

14. Needing an afternoon nap

15. Finding you have no idea what young people are talking about

16. Struggling to use technology

17. Losing touch with everyday technology such as tablets and televisions

18. When you start complaining about more things

19. Wearing your glasses around your neck

20. Not remembering the name of any modern bands

21. You avoid lifting heavy things due to back concerns

22. Complaining about the rubbish on television these days

23. Misplacing your glasses / bag / keys etc

24. You move from Radio one to Radio Two

25. You start driving very slowly

26. Preferring a night in with a board game than a night on the town

27. Taking a keen interest in The Antiques Road Show

28. You talk to colleagues who are so young they don’t know what an Opal Fruit is

29. Taking slippers to friends’ houses

30. Listening to the Archers

31. Falling asleep after one glass of wine

32. Never going out without your coat

33. Getting bed socks for Christmas and being very grateful

34. When you can’t lose six pounds in two days any more

35. Gasping for a cup of tea

36. Taking a flask of tea or coffee on a day out

37. Joining the WI

38. Taking a keen interest in the garden

39. Spending more money on face creams / anti-ageing products

40. Spending money on the home / furniture rather than a night on the town

41. Taking a keen interest in dressing for the weather

42. Putting everyday items in the wrong place

43. Obsessive gardening or bird feeding

44. Really enjoying puzzles and crosswords

45. Always driving in the slow lane, or below 70 in the middle lane

46. Consider going on a ‘no children’ cruise for a holiday

47. Your ears are getting bigger

48. Joining the National Trust

49. Drinking sherry

50. Feeling you have the right to tell people exactly what you are thinking even if it isn’t polite

Results

1 – 20 – You’re young at heart but secretly love crosswords and use anti-ageing products just in case.

20 – 35 – You’ve started taking your tea in a flask out with you and can’t stand Radio 1. Stay away from the sherry to keep feeling young.

35 – 50 – Now you have most of the ageing signs it’s time to accept you probably aren’t just growing old – you are old. Enjoy being warmer than everyone around you and tell them so.

Related articles

• Scientists Have Identified 9 Signs Of Aging; Which Ones Are Affecting You? (medicaldaily.com)