From the CBC: the dangers of energy efficient bulbs. Asthma, neurological disorders, mercury...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3YrEMlmE9E
9/09/2010
autism hysteria hits the courts
an autism/vaccination case actually WINS. God help us!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20015982-10391695.html
"In acknowledging Hannah's injuries, the government said vaccines aggravated an unknown mitochondrial disorder Hannah had which didn't "cause" her autism, but "resulted" in it. It's unknown how many other children have similar undiagnosed mitochondrial disorder. All other autism "test cases" have been defeated at trial. Approximately 4,800 are awaiting disposition in federal vaccine court."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20015982-10391695.html
"In acknowledging Hannah's injuries, the government said vaccines aggravated an unknown mitochondrial disorder Hannah had which didn't "cause" her autism, but "resulted" in it. It's unknown how many other children have similar undiagnosed mitochondrial disorder. All other autism "test cases" have been defeated at trial. Approximately 4,800 are awaiting disposition in federal vaccine court."
4/25/2010
Killer fungus infecting healthy people in Northwest US
http://www.thespec.com/News/CanadaWorld/article/757300
Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — A potentially lethal fungus normally found only in the tropics has established a foothold on the Pacific Coast of British Columbia and has slowly made its way southward into Washington, Oregon and Idaho, researchers said Thursday.
Health authorities are not unduly alarmed by the fungus because the number of cases so far remains small, but both federal and state officials are monitoring its progress in the fear that it will spread more rapidly as it reaches warmer climates.
“Overall, I don’t think it is a large threat at this time,” said molecular biologist Edmond J. Byrnes III of the Duke University Medical Center, the lead author of the report appearing in the online journal PLoS Pathogens. “But the fact that it is continuing to spread geographically and the number of cases is rising makes it a concern.”
The spread is also a concern because the strain of the fungus that moved into the United States in 2004 has mutated to become more lethal than the original strain that invaded British Columbia in 1999.
Five of the 21 people who contracted the fungus in the United States have died (about 25 percent), compared to 8.7 percent of the 218 infected people in Canada. The fungus also has infected many different species of mammals.
“This is really big news in the world of people who study (fungi),” said mycologist Karen Bartlett of the University of British Columbia, who was not involved in the current research but who is one of the leading experts on the outbreak. “It’s of clinical health importance because of the fact that the diagnosis can potentially be missed by physicians and veterinarians” because they don’t know about this new fungus.
The fungus in question is called Cryptococcus gatii, which is found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a close relative of Cryptococcus neoformans, which kills more than 600,000 people annually in such regions. C. gatii’s primary habitat in Canada is about 10 species of trees, primarily Douglas fir and western hemlock.
C. gatii seems to infect primarily healthy people, while its close relatives — for which it can easily be mistaken — primarily infect those with a compromised immune system. Physicians seeing its symptoms in an otherwise healthy person thus might not think to look for it.
It is not transmitted from person to person or carried by insect or animal vectors. C. gatii, like all fungi, forms spores that are blown in the wind or moved around by disturbances of the soil. They can easily be carried on the soles of shoes, for example.
The spores are inhaled and colonize the lungs, then they spread throughout the body. The primary symptoms include prolonged coughing, night sweats, pneumonia and weight loss over a period of weeks. Meningitis can occur, which produces severe headaches. Treatment involves six to eight weeks of intravenous antifungal medications, such as amphotericin B, followed by up to six months of oral fluconazole.
“We need physicians to be aware of this and think about it when they see symptoms of infection,” said epidemiologist Julie Harris of the mycotic diseases branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is a serious infection, but so far it’s a rare infection.”
The primary victims of infection have been people who spend a lot of time outdoors, often in contact with soil, and those who do woodwork and construction, Harris said.
So far, researchers have found almost no instances of the fungus in the environment in the U.S., Byrnes said. The 21 cases in humans and about three times that number in animals have been widely dispersed, in cities, suburbs and rural areas. The animals that have contracted it are species that don’t travel, and there are no common denominators to any of the infections, he said.
The fungus is not traveling eastward “because we don’t think it will ever be able to live in the Sierra Nevadas,” Bartlett said. “Could it go down the Central Valley of California? Yeah, probably. But it will be intermittent, not a homogenous spread.”
Thomas H. Maugh II
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — A potentially lethal fungus normally found only in the tropics has established a foothold on the Pacific Coast of British Columbia and has slowly made its way southward into Washington, Oregon and Idaho, researchers said Thursday.
Health authorities are not unduly alarmed by the fungus because the number of cases so far remains small, but both federal and state officials are monitoring its progress in the fear that it will spread more rapidly as it reaches warmer climates.
“Overall, I don’t think it is a large threat at this time,” said molecular biologist Edmond J. Byrnes III of the Duke University Medical Center, the lead author of the report appearing in the online journal PLoS Pathogens. “But the fact that it is continuing to spread geographically and the number of cases is rising makes it a concern.”
The spread is also a concern because the strain of the fungus that moved into the United States in 2004 has mutated to become more lethal than the original strain that invaded British Columbia in 1999.
Five of the 21 people who contracted the fungus in the United States have died (about 25 percent), compared to 8.7 percent of the 218 infected people in Canada. The fungus also has infected many different species of mammals.
“This is really big news in the world of people who study (fungi),” said mycologist Karen Bartlett of the University of British Columbia, who was not involved in the current research but who is one of the leading experts on the outbreak. “It’s of clinical health importance because of the fact that the diagnosis can potentially be missed by physicians and veterinarians” because they don’t know about this new fungus.
The fungus in question is called Cryptococcus gatii, which is found primarily in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a close relative of Cryptococcus neoformans, which kills more than 600,000 people annually in such regions. C. gatii’s primary habitat in Canada is about 10 species of trees, primarily Douglas fir and western hemlock.
C. gatii seems to infect primarily healthy people, while its close relatives — for which it can easily be mistaken — primarily infect those with a compromised immune system. Physicians seeing its symptoms in an otherwise healthy person thus might not think to look for it.
It is not transmitted from person to person or carried by insect or animal vectors. C. gatii, like all fungi, forms spores that are blown in the wind or moved around by disturbances of the soil. They can easily be carried on the soles of shoes, for example.
The spores are inhaled and colonize the lungs, then they spread throughout the body. The primary symptoms include prolonged coughing, night sweats, pneumonia and weight loss over a period of weeks. Meningitis can occur, which produces severe headaches. Treatment involves six to eight weeks of intravenous antifungal medications, such as amphotericin B, followed by up to six months of oral fluconazole.
“We need physicians to be aware of this and think about it when they see symptoms of infection,” said epidemiologist Julie Harris of the mycotic diseases branch of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This is a serious infection, but so far it’s a rare infection.”
The primary victims of infection have been people who spend a lot of time outdoors, often in contact with soil, and those who do woodwork and construction, Harris said.
So far, researchers have found almost no instances of the fungus in the environment in the U.S., Byrnes said. The 21 cases in humans and about three times that number in animals have been widely dispersed, in cities, suburbs and rural areas. The animals that have contracted it are species that don’t travel, and there are no common denominators to any of the infections, he said.
The fungus is not traveling eastward “because we don’t think it will ever be able to live in the Sierra Nevadas,” Bartlett said. “Could it go down the Central Valley of California? Yeah, probably. But it will be intermittent, not a homogenous spread.”
3/27/2010
Air Freshener Plug Ins: Worse Than Smog!
http://healthinmotion.wordpress.com/2007/10/21/air-fresheners-create-toxic-air-soup/
Air Fresheners Create Toxic Chemical Soup
Jorg Mardian, RHN
Did you know that by using an air freshener in your living room, you are probably breathing in more toxic substances than you would in the middle of a traffic jam in Los Angeles?
Few people understand how bad air fresheners are for their health, and fewer seem to care. North Americans love their scent neutralizers: those air fresheners, plug-in room deodorizers, odour sanitizers, room sprays, and aromatherapy candles. Advertisements are geared to make us feel that we don’t have a clean home unless some type of freshener is hanging on various outlets.
But in spite of what manufacturers would have us believe, air fresheners do not “purify” the surrounding air, nor do they add natural fragrances. In fact, they coat the nasal passages with an oil film (such as methoxychlor – a pesticide that accumulates in fat cells) or by releasing a nerve deadening agent (www.consumerlawpage.com), to drown out whatever smells may be deemed offensive.
Various harmful substances in air fresheners include allergens, potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde or styrene, dangerous substances such as toluene and chlorbenzene, glycol ethers, phthalates and artificial musk.
Paradichchlorobenzene (a white, solid crystal) has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and phenol (carbolic acid) is flammable, corrosive and very toxic. (Alive: Something in the Air, February 2004)
Even more dangerous, formaldehyde, (admitted by the EPA to be a cause of cancer), and benzene (a carcinogen for which the WHO recommends zero exposure), may hang around the air after the use of several types of incense or electric scenter. Not to mention all the other chemicals not mentioned here and about which we know nothing. (WECF, 2005)
Most of these chemicals have never been the subject of an in-depth toxicological study, and the effects on health and the environment have not been subjected to sufficient evaluation before the products were launched onto the market. When used in a confined area, like a homes, at work, or cars, they create an intense amount of toxins in a small area.
The following list of ingredients that may be found in air fresheners is taken from “Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products“, by Gosselin, Smith and Hodge, 1984.
Spray Type Deodorizers:
•ethyl or isopropyl alcohol
•glycol ethers
•surfactant (quaternary ammonium salts)
•perfume
•water
•propellants
•metazene (4.0%)
•petroleum distillates (6.0%)
•aluminum chlorhydrol
•bromsalicylanilide 2,3,4,5-BIS(2-butylene) tetrahydrofural
•cellosolve acetate
•dichlorodifluoromethanol
•ethanol
•fatty esters
•lauryl methacrylate
•methoxychlor
•methylene chloride
•o-phenylphenol
•p-dichlorobenzene
•pine oil (toxicity like turpentine)
•piperonyl butoxide
•pyrethrin
•synthetic surfactants
•trichloromonofluoromethane
•wax
•zinc phenolsulfonate
Wick Type Deodorizers:
•formaldehyde (37%)
•water-soluble perfume
•coloring
•water
•emulsifiers
•essential oils
•aromatic chemicals (xylene)
•chlorophyll
Several of these components are well-known carcinogens, and others have a wide range of immediate and long-term toxic effects on vital organs. The cumulative effect their mix has on human health is largely unknown. But it is safe to say that these products represent a real risk to health not only of allergy sufferers, asthmatics, pregnant or nursing women and children, but also to anyone using them continuously.
According to a September 2007 report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), these noxious chemicals may even affect hormones and reproductive development.
“As part of its “Clearing the Air” study, NRDC researchers tested 14 brands of common household air fresheners and found that 12 contained chemicals known as phthalates, which are “hormone-disrupting” chemicals. Phthalates can affect normal hormonal processes-those that control brain, nervous and immune system development, reproduction, mental processing and metabolism-by blocking them altogether, throwing off the timing or “mimicking” natural hormones and interacting with cells themselves, with very unhealthy consequences. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates-including one commonly used in air freshener products-are “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.” (Kansas City Infozine, October 11, 2007)
Scented and aromatherapy candles are no better at clearing the air, and bear little or no relation to true aromatherapy. Such candles, are of questionable benefit regardless of the flowery implications of their names, and have negative effects on air quality and health. Aromatherapy candles:
•are usually made of chemical (paraffin) waxes & toxic synthetic fragrance oils.
•usually contain metal wicks made of lead or zinc. 100% is inhaled in the black soot which ends up in the bloodstream and can be particularly damaging to children.
•create toxic byproducts. Burning scented oils, and even candles with pure essential oils, chemically converts the combustion into unhealthy byproducts.
Source: www.deliciousorganics.com
Electric air fresheners also problematic
One of the most innovative, and popular formats of purifiers is the electric air freshener. These use heat generated by electricity to spread fragrance through the air. It consists of a tiny plastic tray containing a gel-like fragrance concentrate. The consumer simply peels a multilayer barrier film from the top of the tray, leaving a permanent membrane layer that allows the fragrance to diffuse into the air. The tray is inserted into a warmer unit, which then is plugged into an electrical outlet. As the warmer unit heats up, fragrance permeates at a controlled rate through the film membrane, dispersing into the air. (gale-edit.com)
Researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say that potentially harmful smog could accumulate inside homes through the reactions caused by electric air-fresheners and ozone. Experts believed the reactions produced formaldehyde, (at a concentration level of approximately 50 micrograms in each cubic meter of air), which is classified as a probable carcinogen that is believed to cause respiratory problems. This measurement was nearly equivalent to the EPA’s outdoor particle limit, which is considered to be an unhealthy level of particle exposure. (Nature May 10, 2004)
Air fresheners may damage your lungs
Another harmful ingredient is called 1, 4-dichlorobenzene, or 1,4-DCB, which could harm your lungs, according to a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The study — published in Environmental Health Perspectives — analyzed the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as 1,4 DCB on the lung function of 953 adult men and women. Of the 11 chemicals studied, only 1,4 DCB was linked to a reduction in pulmonary function; a link found to be significant even when smoking was factored in. This could be serious for those with asthma or other lung problems. Reduced lung function is also a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. (WebMD July 27, 2006)
This chemical is usually found in space deodorizing products, such as room fresheners, urinal cakes and toilet bowl fresheners, and is used as an insecticide for moth control. It can also be found in things like tobacco smoke, paints, cleaning products and vehicle exhausts, and is detectable in 96 percent of population blood samples. (www.newstarget.com)
The American Lung Association (ALA) website at lungusa.org points out that commercially made room deodorizers are a contributing factor to the 56 percent increase in asthma cases since 1979. And the Canadian Lung Association (CLA) also lists air fresheners as a hazardous product.
What can we do?
We need to realize that “clean” does not have a “scent.” We have been brainwashed to believe that “clean” means some kind of toxic fragrance – whether it’s in our air, clothes, or body. But “clean” actually has a very “neutral” smell: non-offensive and non-toxic.
If you’re trying to eliminate unpleasant scents, try (pure) therapeutic essential oils instead. Most essential oils have antibacterial qualities and have varying physical and emotional effects depending on the oil, such as stimulation, relaxation, pain relief and healing.
You can purchase an atomizing diffuser, an electrical air pump, and a nebulizer. Use a blend of essential oils such as orange, marjoram, lavender, basil and chamomile to help you relax. Most importantly, these don’t produce harmful chemicals like traditional air fresheners that could result in respiratory problems.
The best way to avoid the problem is to simply open a window instead of reaching for one of these harmful products. You can also try:
•burning 100% pure beeswax candles with 100% cotton wicks
•using a drop or two of pure essential oils and distilled water, make a spritzer and mist the air.
•using an “ash tray”– Zeolite, a mineral formed from volcanic ash, works the same way as baking soda.
•adding drops of orange, lemon or lavender essential oils to organic cotton balls and put them around the house
•simmering spices like cinnamon and cloves, organic lemons, fresh ginger or herbs such as rosemary or basil in a little water on the stovetop
•adding a drop or two of pure essential oils to some hot water
•use organic herbal sachets and potpourris
•using freshly cut fragrant organic flowers or potted plants as air freshening factories. They clear carbon dioxide from the air and can even remove toxins.
Air Fresheners Create Toxic Chemical Soup
Jorg Mardian, RHN
Did you know that by using an air freshener in your living room, you are probably breathing in more toxic substances than you would in the middle of a traffic jam in Los Angeles?
Few people understand how bad air fresheners are for their health, and fewer seem to care. North Americans love their scent neutralizers: those air fresheners, plug-in room deodorizers, odour sanitizers, room sprays, and aromatherapy candles. Advertisements are geared to make us feel that we don’t have a clean home unless some type of freshener is hanging on various outlets.
But in spite of what manufacturers would have us believe, air fresheners do not “purify” the surrounding air, nor do they add natural fragrances. In fact, they coat the nasal passages with an oil film (such as methoxychlor – a pesticide that accumulates in fat cells) or by releasing a nerve deadening agent (www.consumerlawpage.com), to drown out whatever smells may be deemed offensive.
Various harmful substances in air fresheners include allergens, potential carcinogens such as acetaldehyde or styrene, dangerous substances such as toluene and chlorbenzene, glycol ethers, phthalates and artificial musk.
Paradichchlorobenzene (a white, solid crystal) has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals, and phenol (carbolic acid) is flammable, corrosive and very toxic. (Alive: Something in the Air, February 2004)
Even more dangerous, formaldehyde, (admitted by the EPA to be a cause of cancer), and benzene (a carcinogen for which the WHO recommends zero exposure), may hang around the air after the use of several types of incense or electric scenter. Not to mention all the other chemicals not mentioned here and about which we know nothing. (WECF, 2005)
Most of these chemicals have never been the subject of an in-depth toxicological study, and the effects on health and the environment have not been subjected to sufficient evaluation before the products were launched onto the market. When used in a confined area, like a homes, at work, or cars, they create an intense amount of toxins in a small area.
The following list of ingredients that may be found in air fresheners is taken from “Clinical Toxicology of Commercial Products“, by Gosselin, Smith and Hodge, 1984.
Spray Type Deodorizers:
•ethyl or isopropyl alcohol
•glycol ethers
•surfactant (quaternary ammonium salts)
•perfume
•water
•propellants
•metazene (4.0%)
•petroleum distillates (6.0%)
•aluminum chlorhydrol
•bromsalicylanilide 2,3,4,5-BIS(2-butylene) tetrahydrofural
•cellosolve acetate
•dichlorodifluoromethanol
•ethanol
•fatty esters
•lauryl methacrylate
•methoxychlor
•methylene chloride
•o-phenylphenol
•p-dichlorobenzene
•pine oil (toxicity like turpentine)
•piperonyl butoxide
•pyrethrin
•synthetic surfactants
•trichloromonofluoromethane
•wax
•zinc phenolsulfonate
Wick Type Deodorizers:
•formaldehyde (37%)
•water-soluble perfume
•coloring
•water
•emulsifiers
•essential oils
•aromatic chemicals (xylene)
•chlorophyll
Several of these components are well-known carcinogens, and others have a wide range of immediate and long-term toxic effects on vital organs. The cumulative effect their mix has on human health is largely unknown. But it is safe to say that these products represent a real risk to health not only of allergy sufferers, asthmatics, pregnant or nursing women and children, but also to anyone using them continuously.
According to a September 2007 report released by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), these noxious chemicals may even affect hormones and reproductive development.
“As part of its “Clearing the Air” study, NRDC researchers tested 14 brands of common household air fresheners and found that 12 contained chemicals known as phthalates, which are “hormone-disrupting” chemicals. Phthalates can affect normal hormonal processes-those that control brain, nervous and immune system development, reproduction, mental processing and metabolism-by blocking them altogether, throwing off the timing or “mimicking” natural hormones and interacting with cells themselves, with very unhealthy consequences. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates-including one commonly used in air freshener products-are “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.” (Kansas City Infozine, October 11, 2007)
Scented and aromatherapy candles are no better at clearing the air, and bear little or no relation to true aromatherapy. Such candles, are of questionable benefit regardless of the flowery implications of their names, and have negative effects on air quality and health. Aromatherapy candles:
•are usually made of chemical (paraffin) waxes & toxic synthetic fragrance oils.
•usually contain metal wicks made of lead or zinc. 100% is inhaled in the black soot which ends up in the bloodstream and can be particularly damaging to children.
•create toxic byproducts. Burning scented oils, and even candles with pure essential oils, chemically converts the combustion into unhealthy byproducts.
Source: www.deliciousorganics.com
Electric air fresheners also problematic
One of the most innovative, and popular formats of purifiers is the electric air freshener. These use heat generated by electricity to spread fragrance through the air. It consists of a tiny plastic tray containing a gel-like fragrance concentrate. The consumer simply peels a multilayer barrier film from the top of the tray, leaving a permanent membrane layer that allows the fragrance to diffuse into the air. The tray is inserted into a warmer unit, which then is plugged into an electrical outlet. As the warmer unit heats up, fragrance permeates at a controlled rate through the film membrane, dispersing into the air. (gale-edit.com)
Researchers at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) say that potentially harmful smog could accumulate inside homes through the reactions caused by electric air-fresheners and ozone. Experts believed the reactions produced formaldehyde, (at a concentration level of approximately 50 micrograms in each cubic meter of air), which is classified as a probable carcinogen that is believed to cause respiratory problems. This measurement was nearly equivalent to the EPA’s outdoor particle limit, which is considered to be an unhealthy level of particle exposure. (Nature May 10, 2004)
Air fresheners may damage your lungs
Another harmful ingredient is called 1, 4-dichlorobenzene, or 1,4-DCB, which could harm your lungs, according to a study by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
The study — published in Environmental Health Perspectives — analyzed the effect of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as 1,4 DCB on the lung function of 953 adult men and women. Of the 11 chemicals studied, only 1,4 DCB was linked to a reduction in pulmonary function; a link found to be significant even when smoking was factored in. This could be serious for those with asthma or other lung problems. Reduced lung function is also a risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and lung cancer. (WebMD July 27, 2006)
This chemical is usually found in space deodorizing products, such as room fresheners, urinal cakes and toilet bowl fresheners, and is used as an insecticide for moth control. It can also be found in things like tobacco smoke, paints, cleaning products and vehicle exhausts, and is detectable in 96 percent of population blood samples. (www.newstarget.com)
The American Lung Association (ALA) website at lungusa.org points out that commercially made room deodorizers are a contributing factor to the 56 percent increase in asthma cases since 1979. And the Canadian Lung Association (CLA) also lists air fresheners as a hazardous product.
What can we do?
We need to realize that “clean” does not have a “scent.” We have been brainwashed to believe that “clean” means some kind of toxic fragrance – whether it’s in our air, clothes, or body. But “clean” actually has a very “neutral” smell: non-offensive and non-toxic.
If you’re trying to eliminate unpleasant scents, try (pure) therapeutic essential oils instead. Most essential oils have antibacterial qualities and have varying physical and emotional effects depending on the oil, such as stimulation, relaxation, pain relief and healing.
You can purchase an atomizing diffuser, an electrical air pump, and a nebulizer. Use a blend of essential oils such as orange, marjoram, lavender, basil and chamomile to help you relax. Most importantly, these don’t produce harmful chemicals like traditional air fresheners that could result in respiratory problems.
The best way to avoid the problem is to simply open a window instead of reaching for one of these harmful products. You can also try:
•burning 100% pure beeswax candles with 100% cotton wicks
•using a drop or two of pure essential oils and distilled water, make a spritzer and mist the air.
•using an “ash tray”– Zeolite, a mineral formed from volcanic ash, works the same way as baking soda.
•adding drops of orange, lemon or lavender essential oils to organic cotton balls and put them around the house
•simmering spices like cinnamon and cloves, organic lemons, fresh ginger or herbs such as rosemary or basil in a little water on the stovetop
•adding a drop or two of pure essential oils to some hot water
•use organic herbal sachets and potpourris
•using freshly cut fragrant organic flowers or potted plants as air freshening factories. They clear carbon dioxide from the air and can even remove toxins.
2/03/2010
Lancet retracts vaccine-autism link findings as junk science
The Lancet retracts the infamous 1998 article linking autism and vaccinations. They label the 1998 study as junk science, and connect the erroneous findings to a rise in measles deaths in the UK.
cbc.ca/health/story/2010/02/02/autism-mmr-lancet-wakefield.html
cbc.ca/health/story/2010/02/02/autism-mmr-lancet-wakefield.html
1/12/2010
Swedish Girl Grows Back Face After It Turns Black and Falls Off
So odd to find this item because I had never conceived of the idea that one's face could turn black and fall off. Now that I know, I'll be waiting...
1/11/2010
AMERICAN FEVER
I'm jealous of you, Peter Christian Hall. You blog about swine flu for the Huffington Post. You wrote a movie with a Gang of Four soundtrack. You've visited (nearly) 50 countries. And last but not least, you've written an online blog novel about pandemic flu entitled American Fever.
You're genius, Peter Christian Hall. I can't stop reading you!
10/21/2009
Swine Flu: A Pregnant Woman's Ordeal (NYT)
For anyone who is doubting getting vaccinated, read about a pregnant woman who came down with H1N1. Pregnant women are at higher risk because their immune systems are suppressed to protect the fetus.
"In the four months she was hospitalized, she spent five weeks in a coma, suffered six collapsed lungs and a near-fatal seizure. High-pressure ventilation blew her up like a molten balloon until “she looked like she weighed 400 pounds,” her husband, Bryan, said, and she has stretch marks from her neck to her ankles. Her muscles and lungs are still so weak that she uses a walker.
While hospitalized, she missed seeing her 4-year-old daughter, Hope, learn to swim and start pre-school.
And, most important, she lost her baby (27 weeks)."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/health/20pregnant.html?em
"In the four months she was hospitalized, she spent five weeks in a coma, suffered six collapsed lungs and a near-fatal seizure. High-pressure ventilation blew her up like a molten balloon until “she looked like she weighed 400 pounds,” her husband, Bryan, said, and she has stretch marks from her neck to her ankles. Her muscles and lungs are still so weak that she uses a walker.
While hospitalized, she missed seeing her 4-year-old daughter, Hope, learn to swim and start pre-school.
And, most important, she lost her baby (27 weeks)."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/20/health/20pregnant.html?em
10/13/2009
Insect Parts and Rodent Hairs
That chocolate bar that you're eating may contain a rodent hair and insect parts, but don't worry because the FDA says it's okay. Read more...
9/21/2009
Anticipating H1N1, Government of Canada Sends Body Bags to First Nations Reserves
First Nations leaders expressed outrage when dozens of body bags were delivered to remote northern communities by the Canadian Government in anticipation of H1N1. Health Canada apologized the following day.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/body-bags-sent-to-flu-stricken-reserves/article1290332/
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/body-bags-sent-to-flu-stricken-reserves/article1290332/
9/09/2009
Not in my Herd: Part One
So, the media reports that health care workers in NY are upset that they are required to be immunized against both seasonal and swine flu.
I have a suggestion for you, NY health care workers: perhaps you might consider a new line of work. Maybe your local Waldorf school is hiring?
I think that people who refuse vaccinations for themselves or their children for serious infectious disease are, at best, irresponsible and, at worst, criminal.
There are better sources than me for the public health perspectives involved in this issue, e.g. community health vs. individual rights regarding the concept of vaccination and herd immunity.
But what I will say: the onus is on the government to properly--and sensitively--educate the public about the benefits and risks regarding immunization against H1N1 virus. And it's on the people not to be such kneejerk dumbasses.
This means you, NY health care workers!
And here are the recommendations for swine flu vaccination. They change week to week, so consider bookmarking this page.
I have a suggestion for you, NY health care workers: perhaps you might consider a new line of work. Maybe your local Waldorf school is hiring?
I think that people who refuse vaccinations for themselves or their children for serious infectious disease are, at best, irresponsible and, at worst, criminal.
There are better sources than me for the public health perspectives involved in this issue, e.g. community health vs. individual rights regarding the concept of vaccination and herd immunity.
But what I will say: the onus is on the government to properly--and sensitively--educate the public about the benefits and risks regarding immunization against H1N1 virus. And it's on the people not to be such kneejerk dumbasses.
This means you, NY health care workers!
And here are the recommendations for swine flu vaccination. They change week to week, so consider bookmarking this page.
9/08/2009
9/03/2009
swine flu plush toy
GiantMicrobes makes stuffed animals that look like common microbes.
Here is their latest: little Swine Flu.
http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/swineflu.html
Here is their latest: little Swine Flu.
http://www.giantmicrobes.com/us/products/swineflu.html
8/02/2009
Eugenicist Advising the President?
The previous American Panic Attack post dealt with poisons in our water that adversely affect reproductive health when people are exposed to them. Coincidentally, at around the same time that the story broke, a blogger broke a related story, one that had been hiding in the plain sight for 32 years: A 1,052-page policy manual called “Ecoscience” (link to full text of book) co-authored in 1977 by President Obama’s top science and technology advisor John P. Holdren. (Holdren co-wrote the book with Paul Ehrlich and Anne Ehrlich.)
“Ecoscience” proposes tyrannical (and currently illegal) measures to prevent human overpopulation, one of them being “[a]dding a sterilant to drinking water or staple foods”.
Another policy advocated in “Ecoscience” is forced abortions (as performed in Communist China). Speaking of China, Chapter 13 of "Ecoscience" starts with the following quote:
“Of all things people are the most precious.”
-- Mao Tse Tung
Ironic in that Mao holds the title of most prolific mass murderer in modern history, it would be like starting a chapter with a quote from Hitler (who acknowleges his debt of gratitude to American eugenics movement in his book "Mein Kampf").
After the defeat of Nazi Germany, "eugenics" was exposed to the world for what it was: a bogus science used as a pretext for wholesale murder. Re-branded as "Ecoscience" the central conceit remains the same: a cadre of elite scientists and technocrats will decide who gets to live and who gets to die, who gets to have kids, and who will be infertile, to save the earth for whoever is still alive once their "Final Solution" is complete.
7/12/2009
Hysterical Pregnancy: Endocrine Disruptors in Our Water Supply
In 2008, the NYT reported that "there are traces of sedatives in NY's water. Ibuprofen and naproxen in D.C. Anti-epileptic and anti-anxiety drugs in southern California..."
And now it's reporting that there are artificial estrogens in the water that contribute (like Bisephenol in plastics) to hormonal disruption in unborn children and women of reproductive age.
Nick Kristoff writes on June 27: In heavily polluted Lake Apopka, one of the largest lakes in Florida, male alligators developed stunted genitals. In the Potomac watershed near Washington, male smallmouth bass have rapidly transformed into “intersex fish” that display female characteristics. [M]ore than 80 percent of the male smallmouth bass in the Potomac are producing eggs.
Now scientists are connecting the dots with evidence of increasing abnormalities among humans, particularly large increases in numbers of genital deformities among newborn boys. For example, up to 7 percent of boys are now born with undescended testicles, although this often self-corrects over time. And up to 1 percent of boys in the United States are now born with hypospadias, in which the urethra exits the penis improperly, such as at the base rather than the tip.
Apprehension is growing among many scientists that the cause of all this may be a class of chemicals called endocrine disruptors. They are very widely used in agriculture, industry and consumer products. Some also enter the water supply when estrogens in human urine — compounded when a woman is on the pill — pass through sewage systems and then through water treatment plants.
These endocrine disruptors have complex effects on the human body, particularly during fetal development of males.
Some are even positing that the decrease in male children is a result of this phenomenon. And there is a big fossil fuel link... no surprise there, I guess.
How does a woman who wants children or who is pregnant even respond to this? Can't drink bottled water, the plastic is full of estrogens. Can't drink tap water, now we learn that it ,too, has estrogens. Paddle to the middle of a lake, lean over and drink? God!...
Visit the Endocrine Disrupters Exchange for even more troubling reportage...
http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/home.php
And now it's reporting that there are artificial estrogens in the water that contribute (like Bisephenol in plastics) to hormonal disruption in unborn children and women of reproductive age.
Nick Kristoff writes on June 27: In heavily polluted Lake Apopka, one of the largest lakes in Florida, male alligators developed stunted genitals. In the Potomac watershed near Washington, male smallmouth bass have rapidly transformed into “intersex fish” that display female characteristics. [M]ore than 80 percent of the male smallmouth bass in the Potomac are producing eggs.
Now scientists are connecting the dots with evidence of increasing abnormalities among humans, particularly large increases in numbers of genital deformities among newborn boys. For example, up to 7 percent of boys are now born with undescended testicles, although this often self-corrects over time. And up to 1 percent of boys in the United States are now born with hypospadias, in which the urethra exits the penis improperly, such as at the base rather than the tip.
Apprehension is growing among many scientists that the cause of all this may be a class of chemicals called endocrine disruptors. They are very widely used in agriculture, industry and consumer products. Some also enter the water supply when estrogens in human urine — compounded when a woman is on the pill — pass through sewage systems and then through water treatment plants.
These endocrine disruptors have complex effects on the human body, particularly during fetal development of males.
Some are even positing that the decrease in male children is a result of this phenomenon. And there is a big fossil fuel link... no surprise there, I guess.
How does a woman who wants children or who is pregnant even respond to this? Can't drink bottled water, the plastic is full of estrogens. Can't drink tap water, now we learn that it ,too, has estrogens. Paddle to the middle of a lake, lean over and drink? God!...
Visit the Endocrine Disrupters Exchange for even more troubling reportage...
http://www.endocrinedisruption.com/home.php
6/30/2009
Peak Oil Blues Blog
The Peak Oil Blues Blog: "Exploring Emotional Reactions to Peak Oil, Climate Change, and Economic Collapse"
A one stop shop for your American Panic Attack.
A one stop shop for your American Panic Attack.
6/29/2009
Raw Deal
So I'm reading Bill Marler on the Nestle cookie dough e. coli outbreak. While I agree with his stance on blaming the victim (apparently, Nestle is faulting the parents who let their children eat the raw dough--nice, right?), I'm also wondering who are these freaking people who eat raw dough or let their kids eat raw dough? At my house, my child has to don a Biohazard suit whenever she's near anything raw. Meat, when I allow it to cross my threshold, is cooked to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
What really got me, however, was this post on his blog. His point in listing the numerous food terrorist incidents is to point out how inadequate and inept our current food safety systems are no matter the cause. It's so incredibly infuriating, particularly when you read about the severity of the illness, and most particularly in children.
BUT, what really got me was the food terrorism list in that post. I mean, I'm aware of Alexander Litvinenko and his polonium-laced food. FINE. That kind of thing happens when you're a KGB agent. It's an occupational hazard. But wait...what's this about cyanide-laced grapes from Chile, or a Michigan supermarket employee tainting hundreds of pounds of ground beef with an insecticide. Say what?? Why didn't I hear about that?
When he gets to the botulism modeling at Stanford, I could barely keep reading, because I was totally freaking out. It's things like this that edge me closer than ever to Julianne Moore-at-the-end-of-the-movie-Safe-porcelain-igloo territory.
But really, there's nothing funny about it. And tonight I'm having spaghetti for dinner--again.
6/12/2009
Coyotez in the 'Hood
While the nation is focused on the active shooter scenario and the weird DHS booklet that identifies what an active shooter is ("...an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area," just FYI), I'm more worried about the 2009 coyote uprising.
Canis latrans is mad as hell and he's not going to take it. This blog is keeping tabs on this phenomenon and other animal uprisings. In Denver it's been building to a fever pitch all spring. Here's my favorite quote:
Canis latrans is mad as hell and he's not going to take it. This blog is keeping tabs on this phenomenon and other animal uprisings. In Denver it's been building to a fever pitch all spring. Here's my favorite quote:
"These are coyotes that were born and raised in the 'hood," said Liza Hunholz, an area manager with the Colorado Division of Wildlife.Soundtrack by Eazy-E.
5/29/2009
X-Ray Specs
Because I have a (relatively mild) form of autoimmune arthritis, I've had a lot of x-rays in my life. I'm very familiar with my skeleton, and sometimes read diagnostic radiology journals online for fun.This past fall, I took an introductory course in Principles of Epidemiology. We were discussing study design, and the issue of exclusion criteria. In one of our examples, subjects with spondylitis (my particular form of arthritis) were excluded from a study about bladder cancer. My professor asked why people with this condition might be excluded from the study. Of course, my hand shot up immediately because I knew the answer: multiple x-rays. That is, people with spondylitis have an abnormal amount of x-rays in their pelvic and hip region and are at a higher risk for bladder cancer. They don't represent subjects with 'normal' exposure.
After this class it suddenly occurred to me that I was in this higher risk category. I had never really thought about my condition in this way before. To date, while it's been irritating and has had an impact on my life to an extent, it never really made me feel anxious about my overall health prospects because my case is comparatively mild and while there's no cure, it's probably not going to kill me. I'm much more afraid of swine flu, or cancer, or Hanta virus, or water scarcity causing global unrest.
But suddenly I've been much more cognizant of the number of x-rays that I am prescribed. Rheumatologists love to send me to the radiology lab--dentists love to give me the bitewing x-rays--and of course there are mammograms (and while the researchers are arguing about whether women should start at age 40 or 50 for annual screening mammograms, most obgyns follow the recommendations that send patients at age 40).
So I've spent the last week or so reading up on radiation and risk, and found that there are some interesting tools that one can use to calculate your annual radiation dose.
Here is the EPA's calculator:
http://www.epa.gov/rpdweb00/understand/calculate.html
Here is one from the American Nuclear Society:
http://www.ans.org/pi/resources/dosechart/
And yet another one by the Neighborhood Environmental Watch Network:
http://newnet.lanl.gov/info/dosecalc.asp
Some of the questions they ask to calculate exposure are pretty interesting. I'm not sure, for example, if I live within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant or a coal-fired power plant. I never really thought about how living in the Colorado Plateau gives you 63 mrems a year (as opposed to 16 mrems on the Atlantic coast). Having a gas camping lantern gives you 0.2 mrems annually and sharing a bed with someone gives you 1 mrem.
Here's what the American Nuclear Society says about dose:
The average dose per person from all sources is about 360 mrems per year. It is not, however, uncommon for any of us to receive far more than that in a given year (largely due to medical procedures we may undergo). International Standards allow exposure to as much as 5,000 mrems a year for those who work with and around radioactive material.Because of my x-rays, my dose is twice as much as the norm. But I'm comforted by the fact that it's 4,373.93 rmems less than the allowable annual maximum permissible dose under the (somewhat frighteningly generous) International Standards.
5/24/2009
CDC on Twitter
I must have died and gone to alarmists' heaven. You can now receive emergency alerts from the CDC on Twitter.
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