Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Freemasonry, Masonic Lodge and the Shriners: Are They Compatible with Biblical Christianity?
Freemasonry, Masonic Lodge and the Shriners: Are They Compatible with Biblical Christianity?
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-tube/video.php?videoid=4397
http://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-tube/video.php?videoid=4397
Monday, September 26, 2011
How The Government is Brainwashing America's Children with the Help of Benjamin Bloom and B.F. Skinner
How The Government is Brainwashing America's Children with the Help of Benjamin Bloom and B.F. Skinnerhttp://www.worldviewweekend.com/worldview-tube/video.php?videoid=4399
Uncovered emails reveal Obama administration knew Solyndra was risky, lied to public
by Jonathan Benson, staff writer(NaturalNews) The legitimacy of the Obama administration's green energy initiatives has been called into serious question after California-based solar technology company Solyndra, which received more than $535 million in taxpayer-funded loans, went belly-up just days ago (http://www.naturalnews.com/033551_S...). And according to ABC News, the US House Energy Commerce Committee recently uncovered internal emails revealing that the White House knew the company was in trouble long before its bankruptcy, but essentially reassured the public that everything was a-okay.
Part of a more than $6 billion stimulus initiative to spur alternative energy development, the Solyndra scandal is ironically shaping up to be the poster child of the Obama administration's undeniable lack of proper oversight of its loan program, rather than the glowing example of the future of green energy that it was originally hailed to be when Mr. Obama toured the facility back in 2010.
Not only was the Obama White House aware of Solyndra's escalating financial mishaps long before its official bankruptcy, but a budget analyst for the administration had warned it back on March 12, 2009, nine days before Solyndra was awarded the loan, that the "deal [was] NOT ready for prime time." And just a few days before that, Ronald A. Klain, chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, brought up the issue of the deal potentially being a "bad idea" as well.
According to CBS News, the US Treasury Department's Inspector General has now initiated an investigation into the matter to determine Solyndra's role in allegedly misleading the government about its financial stability. However, the investigation will also probe the activity and involvement of the Federal Financing Back, the government corporation that provided Solyndra its loan in the first place.
Back in March, U.S. Department of Energy Inspector General Gregory Friedman alleged that the White House was doing a poor job of maintaining records on the alternative energy loan program. He wrote in a report that there were no "systematically organized records" to properly identify the financial risk involved in granting such loans. This, of course, puts White House officials in the crosshairs of an investigation as well.
Attention has also been focused on billionaire George Kaiser, a private investor in the Solyndra deal who also fundraised for Mr. Obama during the 2008 presidential election cycle, and his potential involvement in the scandal.
Sources for this story include:
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/email...
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011...
Study shows increased mammograms result in more mastectomies
by Tara Green(NaturalNews) Mammograms, long touted as essential to early detection of breast cancer in order to help women avoid surgery, may actually result in unnecessary mastectomies, according to a recent Norwegian study. The study suggests that mastectomy rates rise as the numbers of women who receive the screening procedure increase.
The study drew on data from Norway's national breast cancer screening program for 35,000 women aged 40 to 79 diagnosed with early or invasive breast cancers. Oslo researchers discovered a 31% increased risk of mastectomy among women invited to receive mammograms compared with a non-invited younger age group.
The research team found, in comparing rates of mastectomy before and after the institution of the national screening program, mastectomies increased by 9% among women invited to screenings. However mastectomy rates decreased by 17 percent during the same time period among non-invited women aged 40 to 49 and by 13 percent in non-invited women aged 70 to 79.
Study author Pal Suhrke observed that "these results are surprising and disappointing because one might suspect that due to earlier detection of tumors, the number of women needing mastectomies would decrease."
Surhke points to "cancer overdiagnosis" as the likely reason for the greater incidence of mastectomies among the older group of women who received mammograms. Mammograms may result in detection and surgical treatment of slow-growing tumors which actually pose little cancer risk.
The surgical oncology establishment has gone on the defensive against Suhrke's findings and his conclusions, trying to argue that "an element of overtreatment" is a natural consequence of testing procedures.
While over treatment may be seen as a built-in hazard of the profession among oncology surgeons, Natural News readers can learn of the herbal and dietary methods of preventing breast cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/032222_b... and http://www.naturalnews.com/032371_c...) halting tumor growth (http://www.naturalnews.com/032410_p...)
and avoiding breast cancer metastasis (http://www.naturalnews.com/032582_A...).
Mammograms have become a major sub-industry within the medical conglomerate, and we advise readers to do their own research and make informed decisions about whether or not to undergo this procedure (http://www.naturalnews.com/031639_m...).
Sources
http://health.usnews.com/health-new...
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/...
http://www.bidmc.org/YourHealth/Hea...
http://www.naturalnews.com/z033613_mammograms_mastectomies.html
Researchers find side effect-free natural way to slash stroke risk by half
by S. L. Baker, features writer(NaturalNews) It is common sense that eating a healthy diet should help prevent disease. But Big Pharma must surely have superior elixirs, pills, potions and shots when it comes to serious prevention of the big killer diseases like stroke, right?
If the drug companies have a prescription drug, without any side effects, that can slash the risk of a stroke by 52 percent, please write and let NaturalNews know - because we can't find it anywhere in the scientific literature.
Instead, we've found a mountain of evidence from peer reviewed studies showing that natural substances in food can help prevent and heal a multitude of illness. And now there's another dramatic finding that shows eating an abundance of certain foods can help protect against stroke -- specifically the white flesh of foods like pears and apples.
That's the conclusion of research just published in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association by Dutch scientists. Earlier studies have already shown a strong association between a high consumption of fruits and vegetables and a lower stroke risk, but this is the first research to investigate links between specific vegetable color groups and stroke.
Why does color make a difference? Research has shown that the color of edible parts of veggies and fruits is a signal of the type of health building phytochemicals they contain (such as carotenoids and flavonoids).
The Dutch research team studied the link between fruits and vegetable color group consumption in 20,069 adults with an average age of 41 for about 10 years and documented how many of these people had strokes during this period. Before the study began, the research subjects were free of cardiovascular disease.
The study participants completed a 178-item food frequency questionnaire. It documented consumption of fruits and vegetables that were classified into four groups: green (including dark leafy vegetables, cabbages and lettuces), orange/yellow (mostly citrus fruits), red/purple (such as beets) and white (of which 55 percent were pears and apples).
During the decade of follow-up, 233 strokes occurred. The research subjects with the lowest risk of stroke turned out to be those who had the highest intake of white fruits and vegetables, compared to people with a low intake. Over all, they had an average of a 52 percent reduced risk of stroke.
"To prevent stroke, it may be useful to consume considerable amounts of white fruits and vegetables," Linda M. Oude Griep, M.Sc., lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in human nutrition at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, said in a press statement.
"For example, eating one apple a day is an easy way to increase white fruits and vegetable intake." Other white flesh fruits and vegetables that appear to lower stroke risk include bananas, cauliflower, chicory and cucumber.
That doesn't mean other fruits and vegetable color groups aren't worth eating. Dr. Griep pointed out they may protect against other chronic diseases -- such as heart disease and cancer.
For more information:
http://stroke.ahajournals.org/
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Watercress: A garnishing green that provides bountiful health benefits
by Paul FassaSee all articles by this author
Email this author
(NaturalNews) If watercress is served as a garnishment In a restaurant, don't throw it out. Eat it with the food served. It will help you digest your meal and provide many more health benefits than most know about. As a matter of fact, you'd be wise to mix it in salads or juice it with other veggies often.
Watercress Details
Watercress is a leafy green cruciferous that's been around for a long time. It gets its name from the fact that it originally grew wild along the banks of streams and slow moving rivers. Essentially it is a water plant. They have long green stems with small roundish bright green leaves.
The early Romans and ancient Persians used watercress as a brain food, a nerve tonic, and an aphrodisiac. Perhaps they overdid the latter. It is often used as a throw-away garnish. But its nutrient value is so high its bitter peppery tasting leaves deserve to be eaten uncooked often.
Naturally, raw leaves offer the highest nutrient value. But watercress can be juiced with other vegetables or even used for soups. For soups, place watercress in the water after reaching a boiling point to avoid destroying the nutrients by overheating.
Once you find a good source of organic watercress, you can wrap the leaves around grapes or pineapple chunks and snack with them. You can mix raw watercress leaves with other greens for salads. Many consider watercress too bitter to eat alone. Try it that way first then decide.
Health Benefits
Watercress is considered an anti-aging food, as good as or even better than many herbs used for that purpose. It contains a lot of lutein, which helps improve or maintain eye health despite aging. Watercress is very high in naturally occurring iodine. So high that it is not advised for anyone with hyperthyroidism.
However, hyperthyroidism is rare these days. Hypothyroidism is much more prevalent because iodine nutrients are not common in most modern mineral deficient diets. Hypothyroidism causes lethargy, depression, goiter, and poor metabolism leading to obesity. So unless you're specifically diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, eat as much watercress as you can.
The high iodine content gives watercress a nutritional breakaway value from other cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous veggies all have cancer preventative nutrients. They are all high in phytonutrient compounds containing different sulfur molecules. Some of those sulfur nutrients assist the liver in its phase two detoxification process.
Cruciferous vegetables also contain enzymes that help the liver manufacture and transfer glutathione to our bodies' cells. Glutathione is considered the master antioxidant because it replenishes and recycles spent antioxidants for more activity to protect cells from oxidative damage.
Don't confuse oxidation or oxidative damage with oxygenation, without which cancer takes over healthy cells. Oxygenation is part of a healthy cell's function to properly metabolize cellular activity and growth while creating energy.
So with sufficient antioxidants preventing cellular damage, whatever enhances oxygenation is welcome. Watercress provides both antioxidant activity and oxygenation. Its high chlorophyll content provides what's essential for oxygenation and red blood cells.
Rotating watercress with other organic cruciferous uncooked or lightly steamed veggies ensures your daily intake of many anti-aging cancer inhibiting nutrients.
Watercress is very low in calories too. You can use it in a cheese sandwich for balancing out all those other calories.
Sources for more information include:
http://www.juicing-for-health.com/health-benefits-of-watercress.html
http://healthbenefitsofwatercress.com/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=45
http://thefoodsite.net/2008/05/watercress-soup-and-the-health-benefits-of-watercress/
About the author:
Paul Fassa is dedicated to warning others about the current corruption of food and medicine and guiding others toward a direction for better health with no restrictions on health freedom. You can visit his blog at http://healthmaven.blogspot.com/
Watercress will be a new addition to my daily menu.
Here is the link to this valuable info.
http://www.naturalnews.com/z033548_watercress_cruciferous_vegetables.html
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
warning sign? Atmosphere above epicentre of deadly Japan earthquake heated up 'rapidly' in days before disaster
By John Mcdonnell
Last updated at 7:57 AM on 20th May 2011
Before the March 11 earthquake, the total electron content in a part of the upper atmosphere, called the ionosphere, increased dramatically over the earthquake's epicentre, reaching a maximum three days before the quake struck.
It is believed that in the days before an earthquake, the stresses on geological faults in the Earth's crust causes the release of large amounts of radon gas.
This then leads to the water molecules in the air condensing (turning into liquid) - a process which releases heat.
It was this excess heat which was observed in the form of infrared radiation in recordings taken three days before the deadly magnitude 9 earthquake struck.
'Our first results show that on March 8 a rapid increase of emitted infrared radiation was observed from the satellite data,' said Dimitar Ouzounov at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, one of the scientists behind the findings.
Because Japan is a known earthquake hotspot, scientists had set up atmospheric monitoring stations there, using satellites to measure the state of the atmosphere before an earthquake.
The March 11 earthquake was the most powerful known earthquake to have hit Japan,
The earthquake struck under the sea off the coast of Japan. The epicentre was approximately 43 miles east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku.
So far over 15,000 deaths have been confirmed and nearly 10,000 more are missing.
By John Mcdonnell
Last updated at 7:57 AM on 20th May 2011
- Scientists hope they will one day be able to predict quakes uses air ionisation data
Before the March 11 earthquake, the total electron content in a part of the upper atmosphere, called the ionosphere, increased dramatically over the earthquake's epicentre, reaching a maximum three days before the quake struck.
It is believed that in the days before an earthquake, the stresses on geological faults in the Earth's crust causes the release of large amounts of radon gas.
Satellite images showing changes in the heat of the atmosphere above the epicentre of the March 11 earthquake between March 1 and March 12. The total electron content in the ionosphere increased dramatically before the quake
This radioactive gas ionises the air, giving it a charge, and since water is polar it is attracted to the charged particles in the air.
This then leads to the water molecules in the air condensing (turning into liquid) - a process which releases heat.
It was this excess heat which was observed in the form of infrared radiation in recordings taken three days before the deadly magnitude 9 earthquake struck.
'Our first results show that on March 8 a rapid increase of emitted infrared radiation was observed from the satellite data,' said Dimitar Ouzounov at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, one of the scientists behind the findings.
Because Japan is a known earthquake hotspot, scientists had set up atmospheric monitoring stations there, using satellites to measure the state of the atmosphere before an earthquake.
A massive wave from a tsunami caused by the March 11 earthquake under the sea off the coast of Japan crashes over a street in Miyako City, in northeastern Japan. A 'rapid increase' of infrared radiation was noticed in the atmosphere before the quake
A man walks next to port area destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in Kessenuma town, in Miyagi prefecture on March 28. It is hoped studies on the atmosphere could one day be used to predict earthquakes
It is hoped the findings could lead to similar data one day being used to predict earthquakes.
The March 11 earthquake was the most powerful known earthquake to have hit Japan,
The earthquake struck under the sea off the coast of Japan. The epicentre was approximately 43 miles east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tōhoku.
So far over 15,000 deaths have been confirmed and nearly 10,000 more are missing.
Reverse asthma naturally
by Dr. David JockersSee all articles by this author
Email this author
(NaturalNews) Asthma is one of the most common inflammatory conditions of the lung. It is characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, bronchospasm and reversible airflow obstructions. Reverse asthma with natural lifestyle interventions, modulate the immune system and de-inflame the body.
Asthma is more of an immune imbalance than it is a lung disease. When the immune system gets triggered, it causes an inflammatory reaction to occur within the lung epithelial tissue. The bronchial tubes swell with fluid and mucous in order to isolate the insulting allergen. This swelling irritates the airways even further which results in an increased level of sensitivity.
Common environmental allergens that trigger the inflammatory immune response include mold, mites, dust, dander, chemicals & pollutants. It is critical to keep the home clean by using natural cleaning products with grape seed extract, which is a potent anti-fungal that keeps mold down. Dust and vacuum the house regularly and use high quality air filters.
The most common food allergens include processed and refined foods of all kinds. Food additives and preservatives like sodium bisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sulfur dioxide have caused severe attacks in asthmatics. Pasteurized dairy products, gluten containing grains, soy products, & peanuts are also highly inflammatory and mucous forming foods.
Asthmatics typically have a dysbiotic gut that is damaged and leaks out undigested food particles. This is at least partially responsible for the heightened immune sensitivity. Stabilizing the gut with high quality fermented foods such as red cabbage sauerkraut, kimchee, coconut kefir, raw milk kefir and amasai is very important.
Apple Cider vinegar is very useful for providing useful enzymes and reducing mucous formation. Drink a glass of clean water with 1-2 Tsp of ACV throughout the day to reduce mucous and to provide beneficial enzymes that help reduce inflammation.
An anti-inflammatory diet and lifestyle are critical for full recovery from these conditions. Anti-inflammatory foods help to modulate the immune system and give it a more accurate pair of eyes so as to not over-inflame when stimulated. To effectively de-inflame it is key to completely avoid man-made foods, sugars, and food allergens as listed above. The long chain omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA powerfully de-inflame the body by restoring natural balance to the lipid wall of the cell membrane.
Other great anti-inflammatory foods include coconut products, berries, and non-denatured, whey protein from grass-fed cows and goats. This protein source is also loaded with L-glutamine and enhances cellular glutathione stores, which are both necessary for rebuilding the gut and de-inflaming the body.
Red onions and garlic contain sulfur compounds and the anti-oxidant flavonoid quercetin. These components have been shown to inhibit an inflammatory enzyme associated with asthma and other inflammatory disorders. Anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric, ginger, boswellia, cinnamon, rosemary, & oregano among others should be used as much as possible.
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased rates of asthma. In over 60 years of research, scientists have found vitamin D deficiency linked to lower lung functions, increased airway reactivity and worse asthmatic control. Vitamin D plays a strong role in modulating the inflammatory immune response by blocking pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 10. Asthma typically worsens in the winter and early spring when vitamin D is at its lowest.
Birth trauma and early childhood trauma to the upper cervical spine is highly associated with asthmatic symptoms. Chiropractic care focusing on the upper cervical region is particularly helpful for improving immunity and enhancing respiration. Chiropractic adjustments help to restore normal motion to the spine and optimal function to the neurological system. This modulates the immune system and reduces inflammation throughout the body.
http://www.articleslash.net/Health-and-Fitness/Diseases/217075__You-Can-Cure-Asthma-Naturally.html
http://www.exodushc.com/wordpress/?p=999
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma
http://www.webmd.com/asthma/news/20100910/vitamin-d-may-improve-asthma-control
About the author:
Dr. David Jockers owns and operates Exodus Health Center in Kennesaw, Ga. He is a Maximized Living doctor. His expertise is in weight loss, customized nutrition & exercise, & structural corrective chiropractic care. For more information go to http://www.exodushc.com/ To find a Maximized Living doctor near you go to http://www.maximizedliving.com/
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
It's the hottest ticket in town: Spectacular pictures as 50,000 party the weekend away at Burning Man
By Daily Mail ReporterLast updated at 9:29 AM on 5th September 2011
The turning of the spectacular 45,000 square feet effigy into a fireball brought the Nevada desert counter-culture event to a close over America's Labor Day weekend.
It followed a week of shenanigans at the anything-goes festival - which included topless bike parades, yachts on wheels strolling the desert floor, geodesic domes housing dance clubs, a 22-ton Trojan horse, and a French Quarter-themed camp.
Up in flames: The Temple of Transformation is destroyed to bring Burning Man 2011 festival to a close
Awesome: Firefighters look on as the Temple of Transformation is burnt to the ground to celebrate the end of another Burning Man festival
A giant wooden Trojan horse art project explodes into flames as people cheer in the Black Rock Desert last night
Explosive: Fireworks erupt before The Man is burned during the 'Rites of Passage' arts and music festival in the Nevada desert
Emotional: Christy Lynn cries after spreading her grandmother's ashes at the Temple of Transition, before it was burned to mark the end of the Burning Man festival
Treasured: Susie Babich collects ash at the base where the effigy of The Man was burned to mark the end of the Burning Man festival
Packed: The Burning Man 2011 'Rites of Passage' arts and music festival is seen in this aerial view taken in the Black Rock desert of Nevada on Saturday
Swarms: More than 50,000 revellers from all over the world have gathered at the sold out festival which is celebrating its 25th year
Symbolic: People gather around the Trojan Horse at it is pulled across the 'playa' at the Burning Man festival in Gerlach, Nevada on Friday
Ticket sales for this year's event soared, with a record 53,341 attending on Friday, and organisers reported a sell-out for the first time ever in its 25-year history.The spectacular finale, in the remote Black Rock desert about 120 miles northeast of Reno, came after another 40ft signature effigy was burnt on Friday night.
The Temple of Transition is the tallest installation art structure ever built at the site and visitors were encouraged to meditate, chant or write notes to loved ones in the hexagonal central tower.
A 40-foot tall Trohan Horse burns during the Rites of Passage art festival which has its largest ever crowd in it's 25th year
Dirt bikes: Festival goers cycle on the Playa - meaning 'beach' - during the festival as the revellers basked in the escapism, not to mention heat, of the Burning Man culture
Art: People make their way to the Temple of Transition during Burning Man 2011 on Friday
Revelry: Festival attendees celebrate the moving of a 50-feet tall Trojan Horse during the Burning Man 2011
Festival goers dance round the remains of a 50ft trojan horse, left, as a crowd, right, earlier watched it burn
They will liquidate the Black Rock LLC company and turn it into the Burning Man Project, with a 17-member board and tens of thousands of 'burners' to continue its work.
'We've never called it a festival; we've always called it a project, with equal parts play and labour,' said founder and Black Rock LLC Executive Director Larry Harvey.
He added: 'Festival limits it to a party or a vacation, and it hasn't behaved that way for about ten years. Most festivals don't forward action.'
The Burning Man phenomenon started 25 years ago with an eight-foot structure burning on a beach in California around the summer solstice.
It has now morphed into a sophisticated community, with year-round projects including solar energy development and a crisis response network.
And the pinnacle is, each year for one week, self-styled 'burners' that head into the desert and build a working city from the ground up - including an airport, a post office, and a security team - that tries to be devoid of money and consumerism.
Participants then aim to leave the desert with no trace that they were there.
Police reported no major problems from the week-long event, although one reveller was said to have died on Wednesday from 'natural causes'.
BLM rangers reported three felony arrests and the issued 42 citations, mostly for drug-related offences on Friday.
Warm... but windy: Revellers cycle through a dust storm at the music festival in the Black Rock desert of Nevada
Party: People dance at the Disorient sound camp during the Burning Man 2011
Spectacular: The horse burns into the night sky, sending colourful fireworks soaring
How bad is the drought in Texas, really?
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor(NaturalNews) As I've been living in Austin, Texas, for a while, I thought I would report on the Texas drought situation first hand. How bad is the drought situation here? It's critically bad, actually. Even the wildlife are facing starvation and dying of thirst. I saw some wild pigs the other night (they're quite common throughout Texas), and they looked like they were barely surviving in a state of near-starvation.
My neighbors tell me to shoot the poor creatures out of sheer mercy, but I still don't have the heart to pull the trigger on a wild pig. I do hear rifle shots every few days, however, so somebody else is quite literally bringing home the bacon while probably easing the starvation burden on those wild pigs that are somehow still alive. Overpopulation of wild animals, it turns out, sometimes has its own consequences in terms of animal suffering.
Why drought causes beef prices to plummet
In talking to local ranchers, I've learned that the beef processing facilities have been backlogged for weeks due to the fact that ranchers can't keep their cattle fed, so they're having them slaughtered instead. This has the short-term effect of thrusting beef prices into alarmingly low territory, and it's also decimating the cattle population across Texas. If this drought continues, many Texas cattle herds could be down to just twenty percent of their normal size. And even those remaining cattle aren't looking well fed these days. Most ranchers can't even afford to bring in the hay, either, because fuel prices make hay transportation extremely expensive. You can't spend $100 a week feeding a cow that, right now, fetches less than $1,000 at the auction.Although cattle prices are extremely low right now, this is all going to drive the price of Texas cattle into the stratosphere over the next 1-2 years. One rancher even told me he thought a head of cattle might reach $3,000 in the medium term. Ultimately, this means huge increases in beef prices over the next several years, at least if that beef comes from Texas cows.
Many factory-farmed cows begin their life in Texas (and end it in Colorado)
Now, you might think most of the beef sold in America comes from places like Greeley, Colorado, and that's true in a way. But the cows that get sent to those factory-farmed feedlots are first birthed and grown in places like Texas. Only after the cows are 18 months old or so are they shipped off to places like Greeley where they're fed GMO corn (!) and fattened up for slaughter. This is all one more reason to buy local free-range beef, by the way, if you consume beef.Beyond the cattle issue, there's also the issue of rainwater and agricultural techniques. The skinny in the organic agriculture movement is that the conventional, pesticide-based, GMO-contaminated agricultural methods that have been practiced in Texas (and taught by Texas A&M, which is considered the "evil" empire by organic farmers in Texas) have quite literally altered the climate in Texas and turned fertile soils into drought-ridden arid lands.
There's a lot of truth to that: When you clear-cut forests to make room for cattle grazing, you drastically reduce the water capturing and retention potential of the land. Across Texas over the last hundred years or so, countless millions of acres of forests have been either cut down to pure pasture or thinned to about one tree per acre, causing a predictable loss of top soils and turning what used to be moist forests into dry prairie lands.
What Texas needs now more than ever is a mass reforestation effort that reenergized the water retention capacity of the land. Of course, the professors at Texas A&M don't seem to understand this, anymore than a conventional medical doctor understands holistic nutrition. For too long, agriculture and cattle ranching has been conducted in a rape and pillage type of operation, and now Texas is seeing the inevitable results of those actions.
How to help Texas farming and ranching recover
The good news is that Texas farmers and ranchers are, by and large, very smart and capable folks. The level of interest in organic agriculture across Texas is skyrocketing, and drought conditions have motivated many farmers and ranchers to look more seriously at water conservation, reforestation, rainwater collection and efficient irrigation techniques. In fact, I would say that Texas farmers and ranchers are the most practical and capable people I've ever met, and when they learn about a better way to do something, they're very quick to take on those improvements and test them in the field.This drought, in fact, has renewed interest in the following solutions, all of which desperately need to be investigated and field-tested across Texas and other states such as Oklahoma:
• Rainwater harvesting - Yes, it's expensive, and you need a large roof to gather the rain in the first place, but when combined with drip irrigation systems, rainwater can provide a significant source of "free" water that also happens to be the perfect pH for gardening, showering or drinking.
• Permaculture instead of agriculture - Permaculture is a system of growing plants that respects the natural, holistic interactions found in nature. It involves understanding the role of water, insects and trees (including dead trees, which serve as habitat for many animals). While permaculture takes more effort to get set up, it offers an abundance of long-term harvests for many years in the future. Permaculture is, you might say, the opposite of monoculture which focuses on the use of pesticides and GMOs to sterilize the soil, kill the bugs and produce contaminated food.
• Improved irrigation technologies - Gone are the days of spraying water into the air and hoping some of it lands on your crops. Today's farmers are increasingly using precision water delivery systems to drip water right where it needs to go, effectively using half as much water to produce the same amount of food or forage.
• Surface water retention - All across Texas as the ponds (called "tanks" in Texas talk) have run dry, those ranchers who can afford to are expanding their tanks to hold more water in the future. Some are adding extra layers of clay lining to their tanks to minimize seepage. Of course, even the largest tanks are almost universally dry right now, thanks to months without rain, but as they are engineered to hold more water, they are made more resistant to future drought.
In combination, these techniques can help Texas farmers and ranchers restore their herds, increase crop yields and protect themselves from future droughts. And that's a huge concern across Texas these days, where there is now open talk that climate change (not necessarily from carbon dioxide, but from the jet stream currents that largely determine rainfall in Texas) is upon us and Texas may become more desert-like for a while.
On the other hand, folks in Texas tell me, "Every Texas drought ends with a catastrophic flood," so we may soon find ourselves drenched in more water than we know what to do with.
That would be a nice change, surprisingly. Nearly everyone in Texas would welcome a catastrophic flood at this point. I've never seen so many people pray for a hurricane. Yes, the drought is really that bad. Somehow, though, the golf courses keep pumping water onto their manicured lawns. If there was ever a sign of the insanity of modern civilization, it's got to be the water-saturated green golf courses in Arizona, Texas and other semi-arid or desert climates. Somehow, whacking white balls on green grass has taken precedence over protecting the water remaining in North American aquifers.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Stroke Incidence Increasing Among Children And Young Adults, USA
03 Sep 2011A large study has revealed that the rate of stroke among children, adolescents and young adults in the USA has been increasing at an alarming rate. The rate at which ischemic stroke patients are being hospitalized has also increased considerably, the authors reported in Annals of Neurology.
A stroke occurs when a ruptured blood vessel or blood clot interrupts blood flow to a part of the brain. If brain cells do not receive their supply of blood oxygen and glucose they die, leading to brain damage. The patient may subsequently have problems with memory, movement, speech, and could even die.
There are two main types of stroke:
- Ischemic stroke - accounts for about three-quarters of all strokes. A blood clot (thrombus) forms and blocks blood flow to an area of the brain. The blood clot could have formed somewhere else in the body, become dislodged and became free-floating in the bloodstream (embolus). It may travel in the bloodstream and make its way to the brain, where is causes an ischemic stroke.
- Hemorrhagic stroke - a blood vessel on the brain's surface ruptures and fills the space between the skull and the brain with blood (subarachnoid hemorrhage). Also, a faulty artery in the brain may burst, filling surrounding tissue with blood (cerebral hemorrhage). In both cases, there is a lack of blood flow to the brain and an accumulation of blood, raising pressure on the brain.
- Ischemic stroke incidence rose 50% among males aged 35 to 44 years
- Ischemic stroke incidence rose 46% among males aged 15 to 34.
- Ischemic stroke incidence rose 51% among boys aged 5 to 14.
- In 1996, 3.1 per 10,000 hospitalizations for boys were for ischemic stroke, compared to 4.7 in 2008.
- Among females aged 35 to 44, ischemic stroke incidence rose 29%
- Among females aged 15 to 34, ischemic stroke incidence rose 23%
- For girls aged 5 to 14, ischemic stroke incidence increase by just under 3%
"The increase in the stroke hospitalization rate from 1995 to 2008 was 30% to 37% higher" among those aged 15-44. In the young adults and adolescents, we were surprised to see that large of an increase. Seeing this in a young population really underscores the need for adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyles from the time they are very young."
In this study, the investigators also looked at the traditional stroke risk factors.
Lee Schwamm, MD., vice chair of neurology at Massachusetts General Hospital and professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School said:
"The increasing incidence of risk factors in
young patients is very concerning."
Schwamm was not involved in the research but reviewed the findings.
The increase could be partly due it more advanced medical technology, George said. More accurate current imaging technology can probably identify a greater number of strokes among younger patients.
However, such risk factors as drug and alcohol abuse can be associated with strokes in a much briefer time frame.
George said:
"We found significant increases in high blood pressure, lipid [cholesterol] disorders, diabetes, tobacco use, and obesity . . . . things we consider traditional risk factors."
One in every three ischemic stroke patients aged 15-34 had three stroke factors, while half of 35-44 year olds with ischemic stroke had hypertension (high blood pressure). Approximately one in every for 35 to 44 year olds with ischemic stroke had diabetes.
The researchers also found that tobacco use, raised cholesterol and obesity were common problems among patients with ischemic stroke.
The following risk factors are said to be linked to stroke risk:
- A family history
- Having had a previous stroke
- Having had a TIA (transient ischemic attack)
- African Americans and those of Hispanic or Asian/Pacific Island descent have a higher risk of stroke
- Birth control pills
- Some other hormone therapies
- Cardiovascular disease
- Cocaine usage
- Diabetes
- Heavy alcohol consumption
- Hypertension
- High cholesterol
- High amino acid levels in the blood (hormocysteine)
- Obesity/overweight
- Smoking
- Being over 55 years of age
Copyright: Medical News Today
Authenticity grows from the ground up at NaturalNews - here's what I harvested from my garden and my free-range chickens
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor(NaturalNews) Since hanging out in Texas over the last few months, I've been working hard on my garden, improving the soil, and raising my chickens which are now producing eggs. Yesterday I made an omelet with my farm-fresh eggs and herbs picked right out of the garden. Check out the picture below of some of what I'm harvesting right now.
You see, I believe in living the lifestyle I promote: Growing our own food, avoiding processed foods and GMOs and raising our own farm animals if we eat animal products such as eggs, raw milk or butter (or even meat, for that matter). At the same time that I'm running NaturalNews and coordinating all the efforts of the numerous writers who contribute articles to the website, I'm (somehow) making time to get into the garden, raise some chickens, harvest heirloom seeds and get time outdoors in the sunshine.
My schedule isn't perfect, and my diet isn't perfect either, but it's constantly improving now as I grow more of my own food and learn permaculture techniques that can be used in Central Texas.
Following the principles of permaculture
I've been reading more from Bill Mollison, the "grandfather" of modern permaculture, who teaches us ways to mimic nature in creating food forests that conserve water without relying on a complicated system of pumps and electrical components. Probably the best book to learn more about permaculture is simply called Introduction to Permaculture (http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-...).Given that I'm living through the worst drought in the history of Texas, I'm finding these water conservation techniques to be extremely valuable. I'm also investing quite a lot of time and money in improving the land around us to capture more water, and I've been studying up on rainwater collection systems which I plan to implement soon.
Solar systems are on the way after that, too. I did have a very functional solar system when I lived in South America, but sold that to a friend down there who now runs on solar, so even that system is being put to good use!
I probably don't share all this often enough with NaturalNews readers because I'm so busy reporting on food freedom, fighting against Monsanto, exposing the FDA's assault in medicinal herbs and nutritional supplements, and so on. But every day, I take care of our chickens which are 100% free-range chickens who spend most of their days wandering the grounds eating bugs.
One time after a rain, a couple of the chickens got sick (they were coughing, wheezing, and had a weird issue with their eyes staying shut), so my wife and I boiled up some Chinese medicine formulas, then we used droppers to feed this medicine to our chickens (these were the Americana breed, which get sick more easily), who fully recovered in a few days.
When I make smoothies, I sometimes use raw chicken eggs that I harvested that day. To hear the USDA or the FDA says it, I must be dead from salmonella poisoning, OMG! But no, these eggs are perfectly safe, and I don't wash them, nor do I cook them. I just drink 'em raw as they were supposed to be eaten, including the yolks and all.
The feed that we provide our chickens is 100% certified organic and non-GMO, and that provides about half their diet (the other half is free-ranging). We have Americanas, Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, and Golden Sexlinks. They're super friendly and we can often just pick them up. I'll probably shoot a video of this soon so that you can meet my chickens!
Plus, I want to show you how CLEAN the eggs are that we get. They're perfectly clean, and almost never need washing, and their yolks are a deep yellow, almost an orange color.
Check out the picture below of some of what I harvested out of the garden yesterday:
I encourage you to grow your own chickens and garden vegetables as much as possible. Follow the techniques of permaculture, folks. It really works. Read the books by Bill Mollison. Conserve water. Just Say No to GMOs, as my song says: www.NaturalNews.com/NoGMO
And remember to use only non-hybrid seeds in your garden!
It's important to follow what we publicly advocate to others
This is the life I live, folks. I practice what I preach. I don't live in a fancy house or drive a fancy car. My clothes are outdated and well worn. I don't wear bling or fancy jewelry. I support local ranchers and frequently visit the farmer's markets in Austin where I support local producers of food. I do all this because this is what I believe in, and I vote with my dollars to support the kind of companies I want to see become more successful.I also support many online providers of superfood products, like Boku Superfood (www.BokuSuperfood.com) and Living Fuel (www.LivingFuel.com). I support the honest labeling of all GMOs -- something that the FDA refuses to even allow.
On top of all that, I run NaturalNews and try to find enough time to be a guest on Alex Jones, or RT America, or Coast to Coast AM, or other shows that are open to having truthful guests who work hard to expose the corruption of the conventional food and medical industries. For eight years I've worked 16 hour days to fight for food freedom, health freedom and liberty in general, and at the end of the day, I feel extremely honored to have such a large number of NaturalNews readers who recognize authenticity when they see it. Thank you for your support!
Watch for more videos here on NaturalNews in the near future, where I'll be featuring some footage of my chickens and egg harvesting. Oh yeah, I might even show you the John Deere tractor on this ranch if you wanna see that. It's funny, too, because while I see so many people playing Farmville on Facebook (and there's nothing wrong with that), I spend my days actually playing real life FARM in Texas. It's extremely rewarding, but also loads of hard work.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Nuclear expert says Fukushima radiation coming to USA, massive cover-up under way
by PF Louis(Natural News) There has been a lot of disinformation regarding the Fukushima Nuclear disaster. It appears the government agencies of other nations cooperated with Japan while the international nuclear industry sided with TEPCO's (Tokyo Electric Power Company) disinformation and denial campaign.
As Mike Adams noted in his April 5th, 2011 Natural News article on Fukushima, "The government is going to turn off the radiation detectors, raise the official EPA limits of radioactive exposure, urge Americans to avoid preparing for fallout, and then pretend absolutely nothing is wrong."
Understanding the Millisievert
Millisievert figures are tossed out by the media with little attention to explaining them. Millisieverts (mSv) are measurements of ionizing radiation absorbed by a human body. Geiger counters formally measured with Rems (Roentgen equivalent man) or millirems. The figures on Geiger counters now represent mSv units per hour. There is always a low level of measurable background radiation in our environment from celestial bodies and earthly elements.
Whenever Geiger counters measure more, there is concern. Putting concerns into perspective, smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes (tobacco leaves absorb radioactive isotopes) daily causes an annual exposure level of 13 mSv per year. A 5,000 mSv single dose creates 50% likelihood of death within a month. A single 10,000 mSv dose of radiation causes almost certain death within a month.
Fukushima - Chernobyl Comparisons
Chernobyl was a one reactor meltdown. Fukushima had three reactors that melted down. Chernobyl was land locked in a relatively desolate area. The heaviest radiation was in the sparsely inhabited area near the plant, although air currents contaminated Northern Europe and Western Russia as well.
Fukushima is the small densely populated island of Japan. It seems there are going to be more cancer victims and food contamination with this disaster than Chernobyl's. The Fukushima plants are on the Pacific Ocean coast.
Millions of gallons of contaminated water are being dumped into the Pacific in addition to radiation particles floating on air streams. So ocean currents are assisting air currents, exposing the world to excessive radiation.
Sea life is getting contaminated as well. The most dangerous radiation comes from radioactive particles ingested with contaminated foods. It only takes a few ingested particles to create intense health issues or death. Seems wise to avoid northern Pacific Seafood and Japanese Teas from your diet for the near future.
The easiest sign of food chain contamination comes from high radiation readings on milk. And what little data has leaked from normally scheduled testing across the United States has shown increased radioactivity in water and milk. But the USDA is not testing organic milk since that's not part or their job description. Raw milk is another issue. There should be even more concern over Japan's food exports, especially tea.
Before the actual extent of Japan's crisis became evident, Chris Busby, a professor at the University of Ulster weighed in with a realistic early warning. "Fukushima is still boiling its radionuclides all over Japan," he said. "Chernobyl went up in one go and Fukushima is worse."
Other experts noted the futility of watering down the reactors from outside and above, which was an early attempt to cool down the reactors. The cooling has to occur inside, the way radiator coolant cools auto engines. Internal reactor cooling requires pumping water generated by electric pumps. And electricity hasn't been available there. Many experts have questioned why the sarcophagus solution was not employed or even considered.
Sarcophagus means stone tomb in Russian. The Russians devised this solution almost immediately after Chernobyl's meltdown. It took several months to implement. But they got it done, thus restricting more emissions in the immediate area and throughout Western Russia and Northern Europe.
Those living nearby Chernobyl were exposed to 450 mSv over several days. This level of exposure is sufficient to cause cancer for many within their lifetimes. Nevertheless, nearby residents were evacuated as soon as possible.
It seems Fukushima evacuation planners dragged their feet with a smaller area of no return than Chernobyl's restricted area. What kind of measurements were occurring in Fukushima by the time the Japanese government and TEPCO finally admitted that their situation was worse than originally reported?
That's difficult to answer because of the denial and disinformation during the early stages of this disaster. But it's apparent that the zone of intense radiation involves more inhabitants in Japan than Chernobyl ever did. A nearby Japanese university has tested soil samples in the area and discovered the radioactive contamination is deeper and higher than originally anticipated.
Unanticipated higher readings done by third party groups imply earlier industry and government cover ups that downgraded or withheld readings.
It was months after the initial event that the Japanese government and TEPCO raised the Fukushima danger level to seven, matching Chernobyl's disaster level.
One thing is for certain. The Fukushima radioactive leaks will continue at high amounts longer than Chernobyl did. Fukushima's radioactive fallout will be affecting more people, crops, and of course sea life than Chernobyl's disaster caused. But just like the Gulf BP oil disaster, we won't be able to count on accurate mainstream media information or government intervention to minimize the damage.
Sources for this article include:
http://naturalnews.com/031963_radia...
http://theintelhub.com/2011/08/30/w...
http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Arti...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...
http://www.forbes.com/sites/christo...
http://www.globaltestsupply.com/blo...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherno...
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