MARIA PACHA: ENOUGH!

 GUEST POST BY MARIA PACHA.

Enough already!

Somewhere along the line you’ve lost touch with the reality most of us live with and you’ve decided that what is good for you, must benefit us. It doesn’t.

Since you obviously don’t know where I’m coming from or what I’d like ...to see, let me tell you.

1. No one else in the middle-class world (that is rapidly ceasing to exist) gets to vote themselves a pay raise. Neither should you. In my humble opinion, you haven’t done anything to deserve one for a very long time.

2. You also don’t deserve a special retirement plan. Get on Social Security like the rest of us and good luck surviving on it in the fashion you’ve grown accustomed to.

3. All American citizens should have health care for medical necessities based on their incomes. If this means a national health insurance, so be it. But, health insurance should not be a “for profit” business, particularly when insurance companies often deny or limit care based on the determination of individuals unqualified to do so, or because of their pre-determined profit margins. Don’t tell me it doesn’t happen. I know it does. So do most of your constituents.

4. About the budget…I suggest you have it reviewed by a single mother struggling to make ends meet on minimum wage. Anyone of them can show you how to cut out what’s unnecessary, including, but not limited to: committees that don’t benefit anyone but the committee members serving on them, pay raises you’ve voted for yourselves (again), grants for research that benefits only the people doing the research. The list goes on, but those are a few examples.
In the real world, you see, people get paid for providing a task or service that others need, not because of who they know.
For those of my friends who aren’t aware of the list of government agencies that are actually out there, that your tax dollars support, take a look at the following: http://www.usa.gov/Agencies/Federal/All_Agencies/index.shtml
In my opinion, many of these agencies are redundant.

5. If you have to cut programs (and you do), DON’T make one of them education for our children. That’s about the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of, and I’ve heard some doozies from you over the years.

6. I have no clue why you lease our off-shore oil rights to private companies that in turn charge American citizens an arm and a leg for the processed oil we need for heating, electricity and vehicle fuel. Actually, I have a clue, but I hate to believe that it somehow benefits the politicians who approve such inanity at a cost to American citizens. And, I have no idea of why when those foreign companies are responsible for damage to the lives and property of our citizens the government doesn’t suspend those leases until the damages are paid. By the way, where does the money from those leases go?

7. I think bailing out lending companies was a huge mistake. I would rather have seen you provide that money to the home owners who had lost their jobs and needed money to pay the mortgages for a few months until they found new ones. Instead, many of those tax payers lost their homes, and the lending companies have been left holding property they can’t sell in a struggling market. Not to mention the fact that their executives STILL received year-end bonuses.

That’s only the beginning of my list of suggestions and complaints, but those are among my most serious concerns. They’ve been building for quite some time.

I’m upset about the way things are going. Everyone I know is upset about the way our country is headed. Most people suffer in silence, apparently believing our politicians really care about us. I don’t anymore. I think you are mistaking our silence for approval. It’s not!

I don’t want to have to see protests or any form of violence as a result of the frustration of the masses, but I’m afraid that if too many people get overwhelmed that’s exactly what will happen in the United States.

I urge all of my friends to contact Senators and Congressmen/women and share their opinions directly with you, and, not just the ones from their own states and districts, but to all of you so that you will take us seriously.

Sincerely
Marie Pacha

To my friends:
The websites below provide email addresses for most, if not all, Senators and Congressmen. We can sit back and continue to voice our concerns to one another or we can present them to the individuals who are responsible and can do something about them.

If you have complaints other than those I have mentioned, add them to your list and SEND them to as many of these politicians as you can. There are also email addresses readily available for the President and Vice-President.

Senate: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Congress: http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml

BLOGGERS: THE 21ST CENTURY ESSAYISTS

When you think of essayists names like Paine, Thoreau, Emerson or Elliot might come to mind. But in the 21st Century, the bloggers are the new essayists. Never before have so many been allowed to reach so many with new ideas, personal thoughts and commentaries on society. From supporting great human rights causes to exposing corruption, raising political awareness, providing alternative news, championing health issues or just being plainly anecdotal, bloggers are the new conscience of society.

In my new book, WHAT'S WRONG WITH US ANYWAY? COMMENTARIES ON A TROUBLED WORLD, I have compiled my blogs into major topics including: Politics, Religion and Spirituality, The Environment, The Economy, Society and Health containing over 60 blogs, essays, on my views of events in the world over the past year. In a sense, these essays are "blog-shots" of the world. The book, published by ALL THINGS THAT MATTER PRESS, is on Amazon and is also available as a Kindle Edition and E-Book. Hard copy can be ordered at this url:
http://www.amazon.com/WHATS-WRONG-US-ANYWAY-Commentaries/dp/1440436843/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229185659&sr=1-1

All Things That Matter Press will soon be publishing the collected blogs of Marvin Wilson, from his FREE SPIRIT blog site. Bloggers are welcome to submit a query to allthingsthatmatterpress@gmail.com and you can visit allthingsthatmatterpress.com

IF JESUS TAUGHT IT, IT MUST BE TRUE! 2nd EDITION

When the words of Jesus are interpreted out of context they can be used to justify many contradictory concepts. But when they are examined as a “stream of thought,” startling new meanings emerge. JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EARLY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION” (2nd Edition) examines over seventy quotes from the Master as they pertain to recently popularized ideas such as the Law of Attraction, The Law of Manifestation and a newly revealed “Law of Responsibility.”

Each quote is held under a new light of esoteric and mystical analysis in order to unveil the meanings behind the inner meaning of the parables and the secret teachings given to the Disciples and now available for all to examine. Discover the “Jesus Guidelines” for creating your new reality and open your mind to the Power of Gratitude, The Fine Art of Visualization and read a personal interview with Dr. John Demartini from the film and book, The Secret, and more!

This book has been on the top 2% at Amazon since October 2007 and has inspired many to create their new reality in spite of what is happening in the world.

This is the AMAZON url for the second edition
http://www.amazon.com/JESUS-TAUGHT-TOO-EARLY-ATTRACTION/dp/0982205600/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228777812&sr=1-1

You can also order from:
http://allthingsthatmatterpress.com

IT IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A KINDLE EDITION ON AMAZON!



“ In his thought provoking new book, Jesus Taught It, Too: The Early Roots of The Law of Attraction, Phil Harris builds a strong case while providing insightful interpretations of Jesus' message which demonstrate the Law of Attraction is not new and certainly no "Secret".” Vicki Link, www.youcreatereality.com

No matter what your religious beliefs are this book will educate you to not just hear, but to listen and to apply what it is that you learn, allowing you the capability of having a bountiful and prosperous today and every day there- after.” Katrina Stiles, Alternative-Read.com (UK)

When the words of Jesus are interpreted out of context they can be used to justify many contradictory concepts. But when they are examined as a “stream of thought,” startling new meanings emerge. Discover:

New Approaches to solving issues that plague modern society

How to open your mind to the Power of Gratitude

The “Jesus Guidelines” to creating your new reality

Unveil the inner meanings behind the parables and the secret teachings given to the Disciples

“Philip Harris has provided us with an inspiring, thought provoking view into the words spoken by Jesus, who knew “The Secret” and despite having shared his knowledge freely, many heard but didn't listen. This book will make you stand up on your toes and realize just how powerful the words of Jesus really were. No matter what your religious beliefs are this book will educate you to not just hear, but to listen and to apply what it is that you learn, allowing you the capability of having a bountiful and prosperous today and every day there after.”

Katrina Stiles, Alternative-Read.com (UK)



“ In his thought provoking new book, Jesus Taught It, Too: The Early Roots of The Law of Attraction, Phil Harris takes his reader back 2000 years to explore the early roots of The Law of Attraction using the words of Jesus Christ himself. Phil builds a strong case while providing insightful interpretations of Jesus' message which demonstrate the Law of Attraction is not new and certainly no "Secret".”
Vicki Link, www.youcreatereality.com

“Phil Harris takes the essence of archaic religious wisdom, and interprets a realistic translation and transition to current spiritual principles. He provides the insight and rationality to empower ourselves in today’s world.
Brilliant, Inspiring and Insightful!”
Steven Mayber, Transformational Healer, www.globalhealingsolutions.com

“For those who reject the secret of the universe in favor of religious speculation, here’s a sermon of universal truth from the master prophet Himself. There will be no denying this evidence. From the agnostic to the evangelical, if this doesn’t convince you, nothing will.”

—Brian Doe, Co-author of Waking God, Author of Barley and Gold and THE GRACE NOTE


Just what was Jesus trying to tell us?

The quoted words of Jesus in the Bible are by no means enigmatic; they are rather simple and straight forward. However, they can be interpreted in many different ways, on different levels. Right off the top, they can instruct us on how to live an ethical, moral, upright life. Digging further into them, they can lead us to an understanding of how to get beyond our selfishness and love everyone, even our enemies, as our own self. In “Jesus Taught It, Too! (The Early Roots of the Law of Attraction),” author Phil Harris has given us a stellar and insightful interpretation of Jesus as the Master Teacher who pointed out the Way to those who “have ears to hear,” on an even deeper level; that being a roadmap to not just following Christ and becoming “Christ-like,” but rather the self-discovery of all that we are, and that being nothing other than God Itself. There is just as much inner space as outer-space, and our sense of “I Am,” our conscious free will, is a swinging door opening up heaven or hell as we create either one with our thoughts and desires.

Very well written, well thought through, and with lots of added spiritual treats at the end of Harris’ expose, this book is a timely read, riding the crest of the current global interest in the Law of Attraction. Twenty or thirty years ago, this work would most likely have been dubbed as “esoteric” by the majority, but I believe that is not apropos in today’s climate of growing non-exclusive spiritual interest across the planet. This book is a valuable addition to anyone’s library who considers him or her self as a real investigator of spiritual truth. Probably a bit too over the top for anyone with literal mindedness or traditional fundamentalist Christian beliefs, but for those with an open mind, I highly recommend it!

Review written by Marvin D. Wilson, author, I ROMANCED THE STONE, OWEN FIDLER

“Your book is a profound; highly compelling piece of work… compelling one to wake up
from the dogma machinery… it should raise many eyebrows! And create some religious constipation!”
Ed Rychkun

“The Law of Attraction is no newly revealed secret, it was taught by a very humble man of God more than 2000 years ago. “Jesus Taught It, Too: The Early Roots of the Law of Attraction,” by Philip Harris presents a compelling argument that the Law of Attraction is not a modern paradigm shift. Harris puts forth that the teachings of Jesus and his followers is a mindset that requires knowing one’s inner meaning that comes from the heart. Jesus espoused the firm belief that faith is based on knowing…not hoping.
Harris’ in-depth research of Biblical scripture and history offers well-founded premises to support his discussion of Jesus’ simple message. According to Harris, Jesus taught that the reality of the world is that we live in a unified universe, free of judgment, seeking our spirituality. Organized religion is a man-made institution that teaches the faithful about the dogma of good, evil, sin and a punitive God. The New Age movement is not truly new, according to Harris, since the early 1800’s the movement of positive thinking and positive affirmations has included the likes of Alcott, Emerson and Thoreau. Man has sought to analyze spiritual thought and seek their inner Christ through visualization since the Apostles sat at the foot of their Master.
“Jesus Taught It, Too…” explores the concept that a true meditative state is found only when you are free of emotional, spiritual, and physical baggage. Through the recognition that God is not exclusionary you can reap physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional wealth. Doubt will ensure failure.
“Jesus Taught It, Too…” presents complex theocratic beliefs in simple, straight-forward language. The Law of Attraction addresses the powerful influence of positive thinking in the acquisition of physical and material needs. Jesus taught that by applying these same principals to one’s spiritual life, one’s physical and material needs will be met as a natural result of their application. Harris challenges the reader to “believe in the best with an inner conviction…and it will manifest in your life.” This book’s intriguing but down-to-earth message will appeal to any reader seeking to broaden their spiritual horizon.


This is a must read for those that are the true believers of Jesus Christ. Mr. Harris went beyond what the church would want you to know of Jesus as a philosophical human being, with knowledge not only in spirituality, but also of the true meaning behind the words. If you have been following the church and what they want you to believe blindly, then it is time to stop being just another one of the many sheep and become an individual power that can and will draw others into the truth of Jesus. This book is your start to that truth which will only grow with your new outlook upon the words of Jesus.”

Troy Hite

END "AWARENESS" WEEKS!

It is time to end all of the “disease awareness” weeks, days and months. If you believe that form follows thought, these types of events are perpetuating the very things that people are trying to end. While noble in intent, the constant barrage of cancer awareness, AIDS awareness, Diabetes awareness, erectile dysfunction awareness, mental illness awareness and a multitude of other dysfunction awareness weeks merely serve to focus attention on the problem, not the solution. In other words, these best intentions have been paving the way to certain health malfunctions.

As we bring the awareness of all of these diseases into our minds, we give them life and energy. For the adherents of “The Secret,” these events should sound very clear warning bells. Wisdom tells us that when we war against something, that ‘something’ gains in strength. The ‘wars’ on poverty, drugs, terrorism and other issues have not been successful because they feed the thoughts that they try to destroy. According to the book, POLARIZING YOUR LIFE TOWARD PERFECTION, “When you fight something, you add energy to it. For every action, thoughts included, there is an equal and opposite reaction…By saying that you want to be well, you are telling yourself, and the Universe, that you are not well, and so form follows thought, reality flows where consciousness goes.”

When, for example, we have breast cancer awareness week, we are accepting the concept of this disease into our thoughts. What is created is a sense of fear. Minds begin to wonder if this is something that will happen to me. We begin to give energy and life and plant the seed for it to manifest. The same is true for any other disease. One attracts what one fears the most. I have a friend who, because her mother died of colon cancer, that she was going to get it, too. It was a constant topic of discussion. She was convinced it would happen to her and sure enough, it did. After treatment it went away but she insists that the remission is temporary and it will return. We are barraged by ads and groups that want you to become aware of a particular disease and they want you to help ‘fight’ it.

We are reminded in the book, JESUS TAUGHT IT, TOO: THE EARLY ROOTS OF THE LAW OF ATTRACTION (2ND edition) that the Master said, “…as thou hast believed, so it be done unto you.” It does not get ant clearer than that. Whatever you believe is the basis for you reality. What you believe ‘becomes’ your reality. Buddha adds, “We are what we think. With our thoughts we make the world.” While it is clear that those who sponsor these ‘awareness’ weeks are not trying to make you sick, the result is nonetheless the creation of fertile soil in which these diseases take root. It is clear that the more society hears of a disease, the more prevalent it seems to become. Just like with, “the flu is going around.” Soon after everyone you know gets the flu.

Modern medicine is showing increasing evidence that our state of mind is fundamental to our health. Fear creates stress; stress creates disease. The leading proponents of the Law of Attraction, Byrne, Canfield, Demartini, Proctor, Assaraf, Beckwith, Garris, Harris and scores of others all echo the same refrain, “Our body is really the product of our thoughts.” When we are infected with Aids awareness, heart disease awareness, breast cancer awareness and more, we are creating a mindset that breads the very thing that is being fought. The solution to this dilemma is simple. Create “Heart Appreciation, Healthy Living, Body Appreciation, Healthy Mind, etc. weeks.” Rather than putting the focus on the disease, put the focus on how to have a healthy

REVOLUTIONARY NEW DIET????

Just in time for the BIG EAT (Thanksgiving) I thought I would post an excerpt from my new book, POLARIZING YOUR LIFE TOWARD PERFECTION released by Cambridge Books and available on Amazon.com

POLARIZE YOUR THOUGHTS
FOR A
NEW YOU

I HAVE DEVELOPED A REVOLUTIONARY NEW WAY TO STAY TRIM, FEEL FIT, LIVE LONGER, AND STAY HEALTHY! All you have to do is to polarize your thoughts towards physical perfection.

Sorry for the hype, but we see this all of the time. Buy this book, take these miracle vitamins from dinosaur bones, diet pills that are “guaranteed to work,” eat carbs, eat protein, avoid this and that, what the stars are doing, and on and on. Some of the hype is well intentioned and some is just intending to get your money. So what works and what doesn’t?

The real “secret” to living healthier, longer, and feeling physically good is simple. EAT NATURALLY! By this I do not mean following the ever changing USDA guidelines and their food pyramid. I do not even mean spending a fortune on exotic health foods. Hey, if you can afford and you like, sure, try some of the specialty health foods but you do not need to fixate on this method of eating.
It is does not take a genius to understand that if you eat a variety of foods, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean and white meat (if you have to), a few sweets (preferably homemade), drink real water, eliminate soda, greatly reduce dairy, a little caffeine and reduce alcohol consumption, you will live a healthier life. Forget the fad diets and forget relying on pills or supplements to make you feel good. The supplements may be needed for some medical reason, and that is fine, but you do not need to load your system with tons of them as a substitute for proper eating. We all know that gorging yourself will make you ill, and that smaller portions, eaten more frequently, is healthier.

People tend to want the quick fix for a healthier life. There really is none; health will not come in a bottle. You need to polarize your thoughts away from the hype and fads towards a more natural way of eating. We all know that mass consumption of fast foods will kill you or at least cause disease. We know better, we are just too lazy to live a better life. Quick foods and a quick lifestyle will lead to an early grave and to a stressful life. This does not mean that you should deny yourself treats. That denial often results in binge eating. In his book, Natural Health, Natural Medicine, Dr. Andrew Weil says, “Diet has the distinction of being the only major determinant of health that is completely under your control.” In terms of special food regimens or diets aimed at improving health, Weil says, “The mental shift (represented by the decision to follow a demanding nutritional program) may be more important than the specifics of the program.” In essence, shifting your thought pattern is more important than the actual change in the foods consumed.

Remember, the food industry is controlled by the food industry. Almost all of the ads and research you see promoting new diets, new supplements, and what you should eat are funded by the food industry. There opinions are definitely biased towards whatever product or food they supply. Many foods that you probably eat are addictive! By adjusting the ingredients, food suppliers have been able to hook you onto certain foods. It is almost like the tobacco industry when it was discovered that they included ingredients in their products that increased addiction. Sugar, in all of it many forms, is addictive. Look at your prepared food product labels and you often see sugar or corn syrup in the top of the list. You are addicted to sugar...

THE SAGE AGE

So much is happening in the field of science with respect to the notions reality and creating one's reality. We now know that all of our science is based upon our knowledge of only 4% of the physical universe, the rest being dark matter. Sages of ancient times KNEW of the connectedness of everything. They KNEW that all was energy. They KNEW that thought creates our reality and they KNEW that thought changes reality. Science is catching up with what was KNOWN thousands of years. DOES ALL OF THIS REALLY MATTER? In these days of turmoil it would benefit all to gain a greater understanding of the TRUE NATURE of things in order that we may shape the while to our desires and not having it shaped by others. READ THE SAGE AGE!

The Mysterious Allure of Fields and Forces

The actions of invisible fields and forces on objects in the material realm have fascinated humans for eons. The idea of a force came into existence long before the idea of a guiding field was recognized. In fact, fields of all sorts are just now coming under the microscope of collaborative scientific and intuitive investigation.

Since both fields and forces are invisible and can only be measured by how they affect material objects, the experimental findings are theoretical. Even when proper mathematical foundations have been provided and applied science moves forward in creating new ways to use these discoveries, it’s important to remember that the ideas behind them are subject to be overturned in the future. Many of the most important scientific advances on these subjects have been a mixed bag of amateur experimenters who had little formal training and, for the most part, simply followed their hunches or by physicists who made mathematical advances but failed to see the significance of the ideas.

A case in point is the discovery of global wireless communication. In the early 1830s, Michael Faraday found the connection between the combination of electric and magnetic forces, which were mathematically substantiated by James Clerk Maxwell and became the underpinnings of all experiments with radio waves. By the mid 1880s, Heinrich Hertz significantly advanced the research and by the early 1890s, Nikola Tesla suggested that global wireless communication was possible. Shortly thereafter, Guglielmo Marconi took up this research and by 1901 proved that long-distance wireless communication was indeed possible.

Faraday was an amateur experimentalist who was completely fascinated by electricity and its connection with magnetism. He did not, however, have the formal training necessary to validate his theories about these phenomena. Maxwell, an elite mathematician, provided that proof. Hertz, another elite physicist, significantly advanced the mathematical understandings of wave theory, and developed devices to produce both UHF and VHF waves but considered the technology of limited use. Tesla was a visionary experimentalist and had the formal scientific training to provide the necessary mathematical foundations to his theories but his ideas were so far ahead of the academic communities of his time that he was mostly misunderstood and sometimes feared. Marconi had been passionately absorbed by the discovery of radio waves since he was eight years old. With no formal training, but with substantial financial backing and a bit of secrecy to keep him from being considered a madman, he proved what few others even believed possible. He built devices that could transmit and receive radio signals beyond the curvature of the Earth, effectively establishing global wireless communication. All previous attempts were limited to short range line-of-sight transmissions.

But, here is the most important point. Even though Marconi had proved that it could be done, no one knew how it was possible. The theoretical foundation of these experiments was not established until several years later. These investigations also revealed what became known as the Schumann Resonance. This is an electromagnetic wave that constantly circumnavigates the globe at a dominant frequency of 7.8 Hz and has recently been correlated to many forms of psi phenomena including energy healing.

The discovery of invisible radio waves which could be made to carry information led some prominent physicist to suggest that they might be used to facilitate contact with those who have crossed over or to communicate with other disincarnate entities. This type of research is still ongoing today but has become mired in controversy and has fallen into the category of pseudo-science.

Experiments with radio waves led to the discovery of higher frequency electromagnetic waves that constitute the light spectrum, only a small fraction of which fall into the visible range. EM wave radiation then became the darling of science and the basis of quantum physics.

It also became a source of investigation by intuitive practitioners who dealt with subtle body energies because the “feel” of these bodies mimicked the scientific descriptions of EM wave properties. These descriptions also verified that various “bands” or ranges of EM frequencies were useful to different types of communication and that higher frequencies also carried more energy. Many intuitives found these descriptions appealing because they suggested that the energetic templates which constitute the material realm were of a higher frequency. Until recently, measurement of these energies has been out of the reach of rigorous scientific investigation. What science can’t measure, science can’t study. But, as technology progresses, more and more subtle readings have been taken and new investigations are being brought to bear on the mysterious and invisible energies that surround and permeate the entire material universe.

The next article will cover what constitutes a field and the various types that have gained popular attention such as the Zero Point Field, Morphogenic Fields and the Implicate Order of subtle energies as espoused by David Bohm.

Some content excerpted from The Sage Age – Blending Science with Intuitive Wisdom
© 2008 MaAnna Stephenson
Content may be used freely with proper credit and a link to www.SageAge.net

To learn more about MaAnna Stephenson and The Sage Age, visit www.sageage.net and you can subscribe to The Sage Age Newsletter while you are there.

For more tour information, visit
http://virtualblogtour.blogspot.com/2008/09/sage-age-by-maanna-step...

You can order your own copy of The Sage Age at http://www.amazon.com/Sage-Age-MaAnna-Stephenson/dp/1933449632

HOW TO POISON YOUR CHILDREN-LEGALLY!

Many are destroying our children with poison and they are doing it legally! If the scenario that follows represents your way of life, then you are doing it, too. You have a baby and feed it milk in a warmed up plastic bottle. You give it plastic teething toys to bite on. All of its toys are made from plastic and they frequently find their way into baby’s mouth. After a certain amount of time passes, the child graduates to a “sippy cup” which is also often heated. Cereal and mashed fruit and vegetables are heated in a plastic bowl. When you take the child out its food is packed in plastic containers. It is given water and milk from plastic containers. As a parent on the go, food is often quick heated in plastic containers in the micro wave. In school, all of the food products consumed are bought and stored in plastic. The hot dog is topped with condiments, all packaged in plastic. All of the food products in the house are in plastic containers. If this is your life, you are poisoning your child and yourself.

The average consumer has been led to believe that all of these plastic products are safe. The plastic producers claim they are safe and the government has sided with big money. There have been some stories in the news about the danger of some plastic products but as a whole, the industry still maintains that their products are of little or no danger. There are, however, some keys pieces of information that has not received adequate news coverage. According to a study by the University of Rochester, many plastic products contain endocrine disruptors. These disruptors get into the system by drinking out of plastic bottles and they mimic the action of female hormones. Called polyethylene terephthalate, this substance increases female hormones in boys and leads to increased risk of cancer and early onset puberty in girls. The average boy today has a sperm count half that of his grandfather.

An early red flag about the dangers of plastic was raised in 1999 by ABC’s 20/20.
Bisphenol A, (or BPA), was the chemical singled out in this particular. In laboratory tests, Consumers Union found that small amounts of the additive BPA leach out of the plastic baby bottles and end up in babies milk. “The effect that is of concern here is a disruption of the developmental process. This could affect intelligence. It could affect behavior. It could affect learning ability. It could affect reproductive ability, fertility many years after the exposure occurs." One cannot help but wonder if the growing ADHD epidemic is connected to the use of plastics.

In an article by Jeremy Jacquot called, “Chemical Found in Plastic Linked to reproductive disorders,” BPA has for the first time been linked to female reproductive disorders in a strongly-worded statement released by 38 scientists and published online in the journal Reproductive Toxicology. “After reviewing close to 700 studies, the scientists determined that people are regularly exposed to BPA levels that exceed those harmful to lab animals — singling out infants and fetuses as the most vulnerable. The statement was accompanied by a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) study that found that uterine damage caused by BPA exposure in newborn animals might predict a host of reproductive disorders in women — including endometriosis, cystic ovaries, fibroids and cancers.”

In December 2007, CNN’s Health Watch noted that, “There is little dispute that the chemical can disrupt the hormonal system, but scientists differ markedly on whether very low doses found in food and beverage containers can be harmful. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sides with the plastics industry that BPA-based products do not pose a health risk.” The report noted that, “With more than 6 million pounds produced in the United States each year, bisphenol A is found in dental sealants, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses and hundreds of household goods.
Citing multiple studies in the United States, Europe and Japan, the chemicals industry maintains that polycarbonate bottles contain little BPA and leach traces considered too low to harm humans.
But critics point to an influx of animal studies linking low doses to a wide variety of ailments -- from breast and prostate cancer, obesity and hyperactivity, to miscarriages and other reproductive failures.” The report noted that Phthalates, found in everything from PVC (water pipes) to shampoos also has a link to a full slate of diseases and birth defects. A recent CDC study showed that phthalates were found in a test group that they studied and that levels once touted as safe, were, in fact, not. According to the CNN report, “Studies have shown that BPA leaches out of polycarbonate containers and metal cans, and have linked exposure to BPA to cancer, impaired immune function, early puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems.”
According to an article in the California Chronicle, “More than 150 government-funded studies have shown health effects in animals at extremely low doses of BPA--sometimes 2,000 times lower than the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) safe levels.
This flies in the face of conventional wisdom when it comes to establishing a so-called "safe level" of exposure to BPA. According to the Environment California report, the assertion that harm can be caused only by high levels of a chemical is outdated thinking. If not revised to take into account the latest findings, such thinking could result in great harm to public health.”

The U.S. government seems to stand alone on the poisoning effects of plastic. Japan and the E.U have now banned certain plastic containers and the San Francisco, Maryland and Canada have joined the anti-plastic movement. It all comes back to, who do you trust? There is little doubt that these plastic products are killing us and poisoning our children. Our government has been silent as it wants “more testing.” All one has to do is to talk to any school system and ask them about behavior problems. Have we just become a nation of poor parenting, or is there something more sinister occurring? Add to this issue other environmental stresses placed on our youth by poor nutrition, fast foods, high energy drinks and environmental degradation and there can be little doubt that we are poisoning our children-legally.

SUPERBUGS, DROUGHTS, ECONOMY: COVER UP?

By now many of you have probably heard the news about the new ‘superbug,’ designated as MRSA infection. A staph infection, this virus is claiming over 18,000 lives each year which is more than AIDS, heart disease and auto accidents combined. Some 90,000 new cases are reported each year. For all practical purposes, the drug is immune to most antibiotics. What is even more disturbing is that these numbers and reported deaths have been around since at least 2005. Why are we just now hearing about this new pandemic? According to the New York Times (10/17/07), the CDC reported 19,000 deaths from this disease in 2005. The article goes on to say that the infection is cropping up in schools nationwide. Outbreaks of the infection of occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Illinois, North Carolina and Florida.

This general lack of information concerning the state of our nation makes on wonder if there isn’t a covert conspiracy to keep the truth from the American public. When deaths begin to occur, the information starts to see the light of day but it is almost as if there is a ‘disinformation’ on the part of the government to play down key news that affects us all. Another example is the worsening droughts in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina., Tennessee and Kentucky. According to a recent news story, this is the worst drought on record since the 1800’s. Pictures on the news have shown major reservoirs looking like mud flats. According to an AP report (10/16/07), The Weather Service says that 26% of the southeast is experiencing an ‘exceptional’ drought, the worst Weather Service category. Another report issued by the National Climate Data Center says that 43% of the contiguous U.S. is experiencing moderate to severe drought. The TVA has shut down Brown’s Ferry number 2 nuclear power plant due to inadequate steamflow. What else is not making the headlines? What is happening to agriculture in all of those states and how are major cities going to deal with dried up water supplies. What is FEMA doing about this? If the new book, RAPING LOUISIANA: A DIARY OF DECEIT is any indication, we may all be headed for deep trouble. This is not be doom and gloom but rather to get someone to wake up and start doing some serious planning as to how we are going to cope with problems.

Take a look at the housing crisis. Why have three major banks agreed to pool their resources to create a safety net to deal with the housing mortgage crisis? To hear the government tell it, the economic system will self-correct. If this is so then why did Treasury Secretary Paulson say, "Let me be clear, despite strong economic fundamentals, the housing decline is still unfolding, and I view it as the most significant current risk to our economy. The longer housing prices remain stagnant or fall, the greater the penalty to our future economic growth," (AP). What is happening to the economy that has Paulson sounding the alarm? What is being kept from the American public?

Obviously, these events have made the news and are not being kept a big secret. Although, one cannot help but be skeptical as to whether we are being given all of the information. There is no overt conspiracy to hide this information, but it does have the appearance of a covert conspiracy to downplay some of the serious issues facing our nation. Do they think that the public will panic? Perhaps they will but I, for one, would like to know if I am in the road with a tractor trailer bearing down on me. Give me the choice.

"ASHES, ASHES..."

We are all familiar with the nursery rhyme, “Ring around the rosy…” that was actually about the bubonic plague during the dark ages. A recent study in Maine would seem to indicate that we are in the midst or a new plague. This one does not come from rats or fleas and is not the normal pathogen.-it is from toxic chemicals!

A study conducted by the Alliance for a clean and healthy Maine just issued the result of a study that tested volunteers for the presence of toxic chemicals in the body. The study found that some 36 toxic substances were in the volunteers. Above normal amounts of chemicals such as mercury, PBDEs (a fire retardant), PFCs, and BPA, lead, arsenic and mercury were found. Where did some of these toxic chemical come from? Try carpets, nail polish, beauty products, sofas, and water bottles, your TV, shower curtain and Teflon skillets. Several of those tested were avid eaters of organic foods and led a healthy lifestyle but still exhibited high levels of the toxins.

We are also aware of the explosion in new disorders affecting our society. There are the reports of the growth in autism, cancer, childhood obesity and just watch TV, well, maybe not, and the commercials touting the full array of new dysfunctions that are in need of that new little pill. While this study was only done in Maine, it would not be unreasonable to assume that similar toxins are found in most nationwide. Are these findings the underlying reasons why today’s youth seems so inattentive in the schools and basically hyper? This was not started as a conclusion but one cannot help but wonder.

One comment made by a scientist was that, “just because you can a chemical in the body does not mean is necessarily harmful.” How often have we been told that lie? While it may well be that the body can tolerate certain levels of toxic substances without harm, it seems ridiculous to think that we can expose our children to these chemicals throughout their whole life without causing harm. Many chemicals accumulate and the effects are also cumulative.

Let’s add another component to the equation. Aside from all of the garbage that is contained in the processed food that we eat, not including food from China, we are also exposed to higher and higher level of forms of electromagnetic radiation. From TVs, computer, cell phones and the endless scores of gadgets found in most households and the ever-growing numbers of signal towers, I seems reasonable to think that these waves are having some effect on the body. After all, the body functions on electrical currents and this combination of toxic chemicals and radiation must be putting increasing stresses on the body.

The study, called “Body of Evidence: A Study of Pollution in Maine People,” breaks some new ground in exposing what may be the underlying causes of what is ailing many Americans. It is possible that our next pandemic may not be the bird flu, influenza or some other exotic pathogen. The next plague may actually come from our own homes and from products that we unsuspectingly use on a regular basis. “Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!”