The Cause Behind the Great Potato Famine
December 28, 2009
Natural News
By David Gutierrez
Researchers have sequenced the genome of the fungus responsible for the Great Irish Potato Famine in the 1800s, uncovering the reason that the organism continues to plague potato farmers to this day.
“This pathogen has an exquisite ability to adapt and change, and that’s what makes it so dangerous,” said lead researcher Chad Nusbaum of the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Mass.
The organism, known as Phytophthora infestans, is a type of water mold that continues to cost potato farmers billions of dollars every year. It prefers cool, wet climates and is capable of destroying entire fields of potatoes and tomatoes within only a few days. In 2003, P. infestans destroyed Papua New Guinea’s entire potato crop.
The mold evolves resistance to antifungal sprays with astonishing speed. In just the last few years, potato farmers in the United Kingdom have increased chemical spraying by 30 percent in an attempt to hold the organism at bay, and the ongoing blight in Ireland has been called “the worst in living memory,” according to the BBC.
According to information published in the journal Nature, P. infestans’ genome is especially large, at least twice as long as the genetic code of its closest relatives. Some regions of the genome are particularly dense, containing many genes in a small area, while others are much less dense. It is these gene-light areas that may hold the key to the organism’s adaptability: more than 700 key genes were mapped in these regions, some of them coding for attacks on potatoes’ immune systems.
“The regions change rapidly over time, acting as a kind of incubator to enable the rapid birth and death of genes that are key to plant infection,” said co-lead author Brian Haas. “As a result, these critical genes may be gained and lost so rapidly that the hosts simply can’t keep up.”
Modern agriculture has exacerbated the problem, said Paul Birch of the Scottish Crop Research Institute. Widespread application of chemicals encourages pest evolution, while genetic standardization of food crops makes them more vulnerable to infestation.
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Last Decade Was Worst Ever For Stock Market
December 28, 2009
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By Jay Bookman
From The WSJ:
The U.S. stock market is wrapping up what is likely to be its worst decade ever.
In nearly 200 years of recorded stock-market history, no calendar decade has seen such a dismal performance as the 2000s.
Investors would have been better off investing in pretty much anything else, from bonds to gold or even just stuffing money under a mattress. Since the end of 1999, stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange have lost an average of 0.5% a year thanks to the twin bear markets this decade….
This past decade looks even worse when the impact of inflation is considered.
Since the end of 1999, the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index has lost an average of 3.3% a year on an inflation-adjusted basis, compared with a 1.8% average annual gain during the 1930s when deflation afflicted the economy, according to data compiled by Charles Jones, finance professor at North Carolina State University.
After the 2004 election, you might recall, President Bush decided to spend his “mandate” pushing a scheme to privatize Social Security and encourage investment of retirement funds in the stock market. Many retirees — and many of those approaching retirement — lost a lot of their private nest egg in the market collapse that began last fall, but the damage would have been greatly compounded had they invested a good portion of their Social Security funds in the market as well.
In addition, the political system would have been under great pressure to try to make good on some of that financial loss — i.e., a senior citizens’ bailout on top of the banking bailout and Detroit bailout and stimulus package. The Bush proposal was a symptom of that era’s attitude toward risk, with all attention focused on the possible upside and very little on the reality that big losses are inherent in the system too.
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Organic Milk Linked to Lower Rates of Allergies, Asthma, and Eczema
December 28, 2009
Natural News
By David Gutierrez
Young children who consume exclusively organic dairy products are significantly less likely to develop allergies, asthma or eczema by the age of two, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands and published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
“This is the first example of a definite health impact of organic food consumption being published in a peer-reviewed journal,” said Carlo Leifert of Newcastle University, who is leading a study into the connection between organic food consumption and health.
Researchers followed 2,500 pregnant women until their children were two years old, recording information on their health and their lifestyle and dietary habits. They found that the rate of allergies was 36 percent lower among children who drank or ate organic milk, cheese and yogurt and whose mothers had consumed these products while breastfeeding than among children and mothers who had eaten either only non-organic dairy products or a mix of organic and non-organic products.
“There was a clear relationship between organic dairy use and less eczema,” said researcher Machteld Huber. “The difference was significant but only for children exclusively eating organic dairy products.”
“We didn’t find a relationship if they had [both] organic and conventional dairy products.”
Researchers do not know whether the increased allergy risk from non-organic dairy is caused by extra toxic ingredients, such as antibiotics, by lower levels of key nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, by some combination of the two, or by some other factor.
“Organic milk doesn’t contain any pesticides, added hormones or antibiotics,” said Stuart Martin of the Scottish Organic Milk Producers Association. “When an organic cow becomes sick our farmers are encouraged to treat it homeopathically first and only use antibiotics as a last resort. Meanwhile, the milk from that cow is removed from the milk stream and is not used at all.”
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Funeral Works Have Increased Risk Of Cancer From Exposure to Formaldehyde
December, 28 2009
Natural News
By E. Huff
A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute has revealed that morticians who use formaldehyde to embalm dead bodies have an increased risk of developing leukemia. A sampling of 400 funeral workers found that those who worked with the toxin were more likely to die from myeloid leukemia than those who were not exposed to it.
Commonly used in the industry to prevent bodies from decomposing, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen recognized by the National Cancer Institute. The toxin is used for other purposes as well including rat poison, fungicide, germicide and disinfectant. It is also conventionally used in building materials and pressed-wood products as an adhesive.
A similar study found that formaldehyde exposure greatly increases one’s risk of developing other types of cancer. More than 25,000 industrial workers had been sampled, revealing that those with the highest exposure increased their risk of death by 50 percent compared to those with the lowest exposure. After several decades, this number dropped to 37 percent, indicating that the risk gradually decreases over time after exposure has ended.
Myeloid leukemia is the most common disease associated with formaldehyde exposure. Those with the highest exposure were found to be 78 percent more likely to develop and die from the disease than those with the lowest exposure. Prolonged exposure also significantly increased risk.
In 2008, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts made a proposal for some alternative preservatives that are safer and less toxic than formaldehyde. Research conducted by the Toxics Use Reduction Institute helped form recommendations for formaldehyde alternatives in significant areas where formaldehyde is used including in cosmetology, hardwood and structural materials, and embalming.
Various companies also claim to produce non-toxic embalming solutions for morticians that reduce or eliminate exposure to dangerous toxins like formaldehyde. School biology labs across the country have been encouraged by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to replace formaldehyde-based solutions used for animal dissection with alternative solutions that are formaldehyde-free.
It is always beneficial to seek out safer, more natural solutions to replace standard, often toxic, methods that most people have become accustomed to using. Just because certain formulas have been used for as long as most people can remember does not mean that they are the best and only option. More often than not, there is a natural alternative to the otherwise dangerous chemical solutions that plague our workplaces, schools, and homes.
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Swine Flu Clinics For Schoolchildren Will Open in January
December 28, 2009
Tampa Bay Onlilne
By Mary Shedden
Evening clinics will open the second week of January for Hillsborough County children needing a second dose of the swine flu vaccine.
The Hillsborough County Health Department has been holding vaccination clinics at local public and private schools since October. Visits to the area’s middle and high schools are complete, health department spokesman Steve Huard said.
The only events planned now involve after-hours clinics for elementary school-age children, many of whom need a second dose of the vaccine. Children 9 years and younger need two doses of the H1N1 vaccine, at least 21 days apart, in order for it to be effective.
Evening clinics that offer the follow-up to the free vaccination will start Jan. 11. Parents will get specific information about the clinics through their child’s school.
Huard said it is critical that parents bring to the clinic proof of the earlier dose of the vaccine. Doses will not be effective unless they are administered far enough apart.
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Ethanol Burns Dirtier Than Gasoline
December 28, 2009
Natural News
By Mike Adams
A recent study conducted by researchers at Stanford University has revealed that ethanol fuel produces more ozone that regular gasoline. When ethanol is burned through combustion, it produces emissions that are substantially higher than gasoline in aldehydes, the carcinogenic precursors to ozone.
Much of the fuel dispensed at pumps in America today is a blend of both ethanol and gasoline. E85, a typical gasoline blend that is 85 percent ethanol, was found to emit more ozone pollutants than gasoline, especially during warm, sunny days. Diana Ginnebaugh, a doctoral candidate who worked on the study, explained that even on cold days when ozone is typically not a problem, E85 could result in problematic levels of ozone.
When a car is first started on a cold day, it takes the catalytic converter a few minutes to warm up in order to reach maximum efficiency. During the warmup period, the highest proportion of pollutants escape the car’s tailpipe, resulting in increased pollution. According to Ginnebaugh, even a slight increase in pollutants could cause places like Los Angeles and Denver, cities that already have smog problems, to have significantly more days when ozone limits are exceeded and public health is at risk.
E85 emissions contain several other different pollutants including ones that cause throat and eye irritation and lung problems. Crop damage may also occur from the aldehydes emitted from the burning of ethanol. In the worst-case scenario, E85 was found to potentially add 39 parts per billion more ozone into the air a day than normal gasoline.
Comments by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
This study exposes yet another angle on the scam of ethanol — a fuel that has been pushed as “green” by corn growers who obviously benefit from the increased demand for their crops. But ethanol is largely a scam: It takes nearly as much fuel to grow and process ethanol as you get back out of it, making it an extremely inefficient plant-based fuel.
At the same time, as this study shows, ethanol is also causing more pollution than regular gasoline. So it’s not cleaner and greener; it’s actually dirtier and wasteful.
As with everything involving fuel, ethanol has become a highly politicized issue where real science gets abandoned. Rather than focusing on real energy solutions, the U.S. government remains focused on things that give the appearance of clean energy when, in reality, they are quite the opposite.
What we should really be pursuing as a nation is a high-priority project to enhance battery technology so that the next generation of vehicles could all run on electricity gathered from the sun via solar panels. Why burn up corn as fuel when you can collect your fuel from the sky for free?
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U.S. Approves High Dose Flu Vaccine For Elderly
December 28, 2009
Reuters
U.S. health officials approved on Wednesday a high-dose influenza vaccine made by Sanofi-Aventis DA <SASY.PA> for people age 65 and older.
The vaccine uses a higher dose to produce a stronger immune response and better protect the elderly against seasonal flu, the Food and Drug Administration said.
The vaccine will be available for immunizing people in the fall of 2010 ahead of the next flu season, said Sanofi Pasteur, the company’s vaccine unit.
The FDA said “non-serious” events such as redness and injection-site swelling were more frequent with the high dose vaccine. The rate of serious problems was comparable with Sanofi’s regular-dose Fluzone.
The new vaccine was approved based on studies showing a stronger immune response compared with the original Fluzone. The company must conduct further studies to verify the high dose version decreases seasonal flu after vaccination, the FDA added.
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Privacy is Quickly Becoming a Thing of the Past
December 28, 2009
Info Wars
By Anthony Gucciardi
New laws and regulations continue to emerge that enable the police, our public servants, to make privacy a thing of the past. The Orwellian laws allowing such actions are passed under the guise of fighting terrorism, or preventing another terrorist attack. If anyone is to question the Constitutionality of these laws, they are labeled a terrorist and asked what they are trying to hide.
The “what do you have to hide mentality” that is so prevalent today creates the false perception that anyone who questions the police has something to hide. The reality of the matter is that many people are upset with the ridiculous amounts of surveillance being used on the public. The introduction of “Ghost Cars” to sneak up on drivers using their cellphone only highlights the outlandish surveillance system that is currently being put in place. More intrusive technology is also making its way to a nearby street, with head-mounted cameras being introduced to police in San Jose.
If you thought head-mounted cameras and incognito cars were bad, then you’re in for a shocker. In Britain, all telecoms companies and internet service providers are required by law to keep a record of every customer’s personal communications. This includes who they have contacted, when it happened and where it happened, and all of the websites they have visited. These companies are being required by law to spy on the people. It’s not simply suggested, it’s mandatory.
That isn’t all. Yahoo has recently come under fire after the website Cryptome posted Yahoo’s Compliance Guide for Law Enforcement. The guide is 17 pages long and details data retention policy as well as surveillance capabilities offered to law enforcement. According to Kim Zetter of Wired magazine, the guide includes information relating to the retention of IP addresses and Yahoo instant message logs. The IP addresses of users are reportedly kept for one year, and the Yahoo instant messenger chat logs are retained for 45 to 60 days. This also includes the user’s friend list and the time that each conversation occurred.
When presented with the information, it is rather evident that we are indeed living in a surveillance society. While it can seem overwhelming, there still are many victories had in courts around the United States. Recently, the Ohio Supreme Court declared that cops need a warrant to search phones. Perhaps this will cause a ripple effect with other states? As soon as people realize that the surveillance put in place is being used on them, and not terrorists, they will be concerned. It is our job to educate them.
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Acute Pharmaceutical Toxicity Killed Brittany Murphy – Could It Be Killing Millions More?
December 28, 2009
Natural News
By Mike Adams
The entire pharmaceutical industry is based on the idea that for whatever’s wrong with you, there’s a patented chemical pill that can make it better. Feeling some anxiety? There’s a pill for that. Have high blood pressure? There’s a pill for that, too. Suffering from sleepless nights? There’s yet another pill for that, too.
Importantly, modern medicine and the pharmaceutical industry both believe there is no limit to how many prescription medications you can simultaneously take. If you have ten health problems, they’ve got ten different pills for you. And when those pills cause twenty different dangerous side effects, they’re ready for twenty more prescriptions for you to dutifully swallow.
This idea that health is achieved by taking prescription chemicals is ludicrous from the start. And yet it’s the foundation of the pharmaceutical industry. Take as many pills as you “need”, they insist. Don’t worry: They’re all FDA approved!
This is akin to believing that if it’s safe to drive 65mph in your truck, and it’s also safe to drive 65mph on your motorcycle, then if you load your motorcycle onto your truck, it’s now safe to drive 130mph.
The fatal flaw in the theory behind pharmaceuticals
As you already guessed, there’s a fatal flaw in this pharmaceutical approach to sick care: Pharmaceuticals have never been tested in combination with other drugs. So all the so-called “gold standard science” is absolutely worthless at knowing what might happen when half a dozen pharmaceutical drugs are combined in a patient’s body. Brittany Murphy may have been on as many as TEN drugs!
Despite the fact that no combination testing has ever been done on pharmaceuticals, they are regularly prescribed in combination. Obviously, this creates a whole new realm of unknown risk based on the way multiple drugs might chemically interact in the human body.
The more pharmaceuticals you take, the more dangerous they become. While one pharmaceutical chemical may at first seem harmless (even though just one drug can actually kill you), when you start adding a second, third, fourth and fifth prescription on top of that, you’re dealing with Acute Pharmaceutical Toxicity (APT) that’s never even been tested in clinical trials.
Pharmacists are trained to help people avoid the most toxic two-drug combinations, but they rarely have any real knowledge about what happens when you combine three, four, five or more drugs. No one does. The science has simply never been done on that question. It’s no wonder: With all the possible combinations and permutations of pharmaceutical toxicity, it would take literally trillions of clinical trials to test them all.
So this whole idea that you can take a drug to treat one problem, then take a second drug to treat a second problem, and a third to treat a third problem… this entire approach to health care, upon which modern medicine is largely based, is flawed from the start. In clinical trials, patients are tested for one drug at a time. Never five or six (or ten).
So all the clinical trials that have ever been conducted by the pharmaceutical industry need to be thrown out the window for patients who take more than one drug. And that’s just about everybody! Ask any senior citizen which prescription drugs they take, and most of them (the ones who can still remember, anyway) will rattle off a shockingly long list of toxic chemicals that have never been tested in combination. Just because one drug in isolation seems “safe” in one trial in no way means it’s going to be safe when combined with half a dozen other toxic chemicals taken by the patient at the same time.
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Phone Companies to Keep Details of Every Phone Call For At Least One Year
December 28, 2009
DailyMail.co.uk
By Jonathan Petre and Tom Harper
Telecoms firms have accused the Government of acting like the East German Stasi over plans to force them to store the details of every phone call for at least a year.
Under the proposals, the details of every email sent and website visited will also be recorded to help the police and security services fight crime and terrorism.
But mobile phone companies have attacked the plans as a massive assault on privacy and warned it could be the first step towards a centralised ‘Big Brother’ database.
They have also told the Home Office that the scheme is deeply flawed.
The criticism of Britain’s growing ‘surveillance culture’ was made in a series of responses to an official consultation on the plans, which have been obtained by The Mail on Sunday.
T-Mobile said in its submission that it was a ‘particularly sensitive’ time as many people were commemorating the 20th anniversary of the protests that led to the collapse of ‘surveillance states in Eastern Europe’.
Martin Hopkins, head of data protection and disclosure, said: ‘It would be extremely ironic if we at T-Mobile (UK) Ltd had to acquire the surveillance functionality envisaged by the Consultation Document at the same time that our parent company, headquartered in Germany, was celebrating the 20th anniversary of the demise of the equivalent systems established by the Stasi in the federal states of the former East Germany.’
Equally trenchant was the response from Hutchinson 3G Uk Ltd, which read: ‘We take seriously the responsibility of safeguarding our customers’ information and data, and are unconvinced of the safeguards that the Government might make to protect against loss.’
The firm also said it had ‘substantial concerns’ over claims that public authorities would only be able to access data on a ‘case-by-case’ basis. It is understood hundreds of public bodies and quangos may also be able to obtain information from the system.
‘It is our belief the safeguards listed in this consultation are incomplete and do not extend far enough,’ it added.
Orange and Vodafone were also highly critical, with a spokesman for Orange saying: ‘The proposals are clearly not about “maintaining” capabilities but rather about “enhancing” existing capabilities.
‘Any debate should address what many will see as a worrying extension of the so-called “surveillance culture”.’
Since October 2007, telecoms companies have been obliged to keep records for a year. Under the new legislation, however, they will also be required to organise it better – for example, by grouping calls made by the same person.
Internet service providers have been required to hold records on emails and website visits since April.
Police and security services can already obtain such information if they are given permission by the courts.
The public will reimburse internet service providers and telecoms companies for the costs associated with storing the billions of records.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘The police and security services need to be able to use communication data in the fight against crime and terrorism. Communications data forms an important element of prosecution evidence in 95 per cent of the serious crime cases.
‘Access to communications data under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act is subject to strict safeguards around how, when and by whom data is obtained.’
The activities of the Stasi, the former East Germany’s secret police, were memorably depicted in the Oscar-winning film The Lives Of Others, starring Ulrich Mühe. At the regime’s height, there were 200,000 agents and informers in a population of only 16million.
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