Last night on Comedy Central, Jon Stewart's brilliant mockery of genetically engineered wheat puts the only humorous twist on an otherwise serious health risk that now concerns the American Academy of Environmental Medicine: genetically modified foods.
On May 8th, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) called on “Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community, and the public to avoid GM (genetically modified) foods when possible and provide educational materials concerning GM foods and health risks.” Their position paper stated, “Several animal studies indicate serious health risks associated with GM food,” including infertility, immune problems, accelerated aging, insulin regulation, and changes in major organs and the gastrointestinal system. AAEM states, “GM foods have not been properly tested” and “pose a serious health risk.” They conclude, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation,” as defined by recognized scientific criteria. “The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.” AAEM called for a moratorium, long-term independent studies, and labeling.
A second US medical association is currently drafting a similar resolution, and more and more doctors are already prescribing GM-free diets. “I strongly recommend patients eat strictly non-genetically modified foods,” says Dr. Amy Dean, a Michigan internal medicine specialist. Ohio allergist John Boyles says “I used to test for soy allergies all the time, but now that soy is genetically engineered, it is so dangerous that I tell people never to eat it.”
According to AAEM, “There is more than a casual association between GM foods and adverse health effects. There is causation” as defined by recognized scientific criteria. “The strength of association and consistency between GM foods and disease is confirmed in several animal studies.” Some experts go a step further. After reviewing more than 600 scientific journals, world renowned biologist Pushpa. M. Bhargava concluded that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a major contributor to the sharply deteriorating health of Americans.
Pregnant women and babies at great risk
Among the population, biologist David Schubert of the Salk Institute warns that “children are the most likely to be adversely effected by toxins and other dietary problems” related to GM foods. Similarly, the UK Royal Society recommends that GM foods be rigorously researched before being fed to pregnant or breast-feeding women and babies. Tragically, not a single human clinical trial has been published. Dr. Schubert says without adequate studies, the children become “the experimental animals.”
The experience of actual GM-fed experimental animals is scary. When GM soy was fed to female rats, most of their babies died within three weeks—compared to a 10% death rate among the control group fed natural soy. The GM-fed babies were also smaller, and later had problems getting pregnant.
When male rats were fed GM soy, their testicles actually changed color—from the normal pink to dark blue. Mice fed GM soy altered young sperm. Even the embryos of GM fed parent mice had significant changes in their DNA. Mice fed GM corn in an Austrian government study had fewer babies, which were also smaller normal.
Reproductive problems also plague livestock. Most of the Indian buffalos that ate GM cottonseed had complications such as premature deliveries, abortions, infertility, and prolapsed uteruses. Many calves died. In the US, about two dozen farmers reported thousands of pigs became sterile after consuming certain GM corn varieties. Some had false pregnancies; others gave birth to bags of water. Cows and bulls also became infertile when fed the same corn.
In the US population, the incidence of low birth weight babies, infertility, and infant mortality are all escalating.
Food designed to produce poison
GM corn and cotton are engineered to produce their own built-in pesticide in every cell. When bugs bite the plant, the poison splits open their stomach and kills them. Biotech companies claim that the pesticide, called Bt—produced from soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis—has a history of safe use, since organic farmers and others use Bt bacteria spray for natural insect control. Genetic engineers insert Bt genes into corn and cotton, so the plants do the killing.
The Bt-toxin produced in GM plants, however, is thousands of times more concentrated than natural Bt spray, is designed to be more toxic, has properties of an allergen, and unlike the spray, cannot be washed off the plant.
Moreover, studies confirm that even the less toxic natural bacterial spray is harmful. When dispersed by plane to kill gypsy moths in the Pacific Northwest, about 500 people reported allergy or flu-like symptoms. Some had to go to the emergency room.
The exact same symptoms are now being reported by farm workers throughout India, from handling Bt cotton. In 2008, based on medical records, the Sunday India reported, “Victims of itching have increased massively this year . . . related to BT cotton farming.”
GMOs provoke immune reactions
AAEM states, “Multiple animal studies show significant immune dysregulation,” including increase in cytokines, which are “associated with asthma, allergy, and inflammation”—all on the rise in the US.
According to GM food safety expert Dr. Arpad Pusztai, changes in the immune status of GM animals are “a consistent feature of all the studies.” Even Monsanto’s own research showed significant immune system changes in rats fed Bt corn. A November 2008 by the Italian government also found that mice have an immune reaction to Bt corn.GM soy and corn each contain two new proteins with allergenic properties, GM soy has up to seven times more trypsin inhibitor—a known soy allergen, and skin prick tests show some people react to GM, but not to non-GM soy. Soon after GM soy was introduced to the UK, soy allergies skyrocketed by 50%. Perhaps the US epidemic of food allergies and asthma is a casualty of genetic manipulation.
Animals dying in large numbers
In India, animals graze on cotton plants after harvest. But when shepherds let sheep graze on Bt cotton plants, thousands died. Post mortems showed severe irritation and black patches in both intestines and liver (as well as enlarged bile ducts). Investigators said preliminary evidence “strongly suggests that the sheep mortality was due to a toxin. . . . most probably Bt-toxin.” In a small follow-up feeding study, all sheep fed Bt cotton plants died within 30 days; those that grazed on natural cotton plants remained healthy.
In a small village in Andhra Pradesh, buffalo grazed on cotton plants for eight years without incident. On January 3rd, 2008, the buffalo grazed on Bt cotton plants for the first time. All 13 were sick the next day; all died within 3 days.
Bt corn was also implicated in the deaths of cows in Germany, and horses, water buffaloes, and chickens in The Philippines.
In lab studies, twice the number of chickens fed Liberty Link corn died; 7 of 20 rats fed a GM tomato developed bleeding stomachs; another 7 of 40 died within two weeks. Monsanto’s own study showed evidence of poisoning in major organs of rats fed Bt corn, according to top French toxicologist, G. E. Seralini.
Worst finding of all—GMOs remain inside of us
The only published human feeding study revealed what may be the most dangerous problem from GM foods. The gene inserted into GM soy transfers into the DNA of bacteria living inside our intestines and continues to function. This means that long after we stop eating GMOs, we may still have potentially harmful GM proteins produced continuously inside of us. Put more plainly, eating a corn chip produced from Bt corn might transform our intestinal bacteria into living pesticide factories, possibly for the rest of our lives.
When evidence of gene transfer is reported at medical conferences around the US, doctors often respond by citing the huge increase of gastrointestinal problems among their patients over the last decade. GM foods might be colonizing the gut flora of North Americans.
Denials, attacks, and hijacked regulators
Scientists at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had warned about all these problems even in the early 1990s. According to documents released from a lawsuit, the scientific consensus at the agency was that GM foods were inherently dangerous, and might create hard-to-detect allergies, poisons, gene transfer to gut bacteria, new diseases, and nutritional problems. They urged their superiors to require rigorous long-term tests. But the White House had ordered the agency to promote biotechnology and the FDA responded by recruiting Michael Taylor, Monsanto’s former attorney, to head up the formation of GMO policy. That policy, which is in effect today, denies knowledge of scientists’ concerns and declares that no safety studies on GMOs are required. It is up to Monsanto and the other biotech companies to determine if their foods are safe. Mr. Taylor later became Monsanto’s vice president.
Dangerously few studies, untraceable diseases
A 2007 review of published scientific literature on the “potential toxic effects/health risks of GM plants” revealed “that experimental data are very scarce.” The author concludes his review by asking, “Where is the scientific evidence showing that GM plants/food are toxicologically safe, as assumed by the biotechnology companies?”
Famed Canadian geneticist David Suzuki answers, “The experiments simply haven’t been done and we now have become the guinea pigs.” He adds, “Anyone that says, ‘Oh, we know that this is perfectly safe,’ I say is either unbelievably stupid or deliberately lying.”
Dr. Schubert points out, “If there are problems, we will probably never know because the cause will not be traceable and many diseases take a very long time to develop.” If GMOs happen to cause immediate and acute symptoms with a unique signature, perhaps then we might have a chance to trace the cause.
This is precisely what happened during an epidemic in the US in the late 1980s. The disease was fast acting, deadly, and caused a unique measurable change in the blood—but it still took more than four years to identify that an epidemic was even occurring. By then it had killed about 100 Americans and caused 5,000-10,000 people to fall sick or become permanently disabled. It was caused by a genetically engineered brand of a food supplement called L-tryptophan.
If other GM foods are contributing to the rise of autism, obesity, diabetes, asthma, cancer, heart disease, allergies, reproductive problems, or any other common health problem now plaguing Americans, we may never know. In fact, since animals fed GMOs had such a wide variety of problems, susceptible people may react to GM food with multiple symptoms. It is therefore telling that in the first nine years after the largescale introduction of GM crops, the incidence of people with three or more chronic diseases nearly doubled, from 7% to 13%.
To help identify if GMOs are causing harm, the AAEM asks their “members, the medical community, and the independent scientific community to gather case studies potentially related to GM food consumption and health effects, begin epidemiological research to investigate the role of GM foods on human health, and conduct safe methods of determining the effect of GM foods on human health.”
Citizens shouldn’t wait for the results before acting responsibly. It’s time to take the doctors advice: Avoid GM foods. That principally means staying away from anything with soy or corn derivatives, cottonseed and canola oil, and sugar from GM sugar beets—unless it says organic or “non-GMO.” There is a pocket Non-GMO Shopping Guide, co-produced by the Institute for Responsible Technology and the Center for Food Safety, which is available as a download, in natural food stores, and in many doctors’ offices.
When even a small percentage of people conscientiously choose healthier non-GMO brands, the food industry will respond as they did in Europe—by removing all GM ingredients. Consumers are at the top of the food chain, and we can join the doctors by writing a prescription for change.
International bestselling author and independent filmmaker Jeffrey M. Smith is the Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology and the leading spokesperson on the health dangers of GMOs. His first book, Seeds of Deception is the world’s bestselling book on the subject. His second, Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods, identifies 65 risks of GMOs and demonstrates how superficial government approvals are not competent to find most of them. He invited the biotech industry to respond in writing with evidence to counter each risk, but correctly predicted that they would refuse, since they don’t have the data to show their products are safe.
Over the past eighteen years I have resided, as an expat, in a country where a modern unspoken “Class Society” as existed. I use the word “modern” to empathize what is currently transpiring within the small social economic middle class and much larger segment of society, the lower income earners.
Recently, since 2002 these two aforementioned groups of individuals have experienced opportunities of social advancement in the country by its elected government, which understood; the uneducated, the economically disadvantaged and the hardcore unemployable would only compound this nation’s problems and bring the country more into an unfavorable focus within the international community, thus limiting foreign investment and international trade.
It is difficult for me to believe the country I departed eighteen years ago, America, has digressed to the standards of the country I came to live in and this new country is currently in the process of eliminating its former “class structure” policies and attitude towards its citizens.
America is my home country, my first and always will be the country I recognize as a loyal citizen of, but when I read and follow up on articles I’ve posted, such as, “Our American Society’s Shameless Crime”, I question where our country lost its meaning, to itself and the world community.
We are a huge land, a continental nation, rich in resources with a core belief that your talents and drive can take just about anyone anywhere. “In America, at least, we don’t resent the rich … we want to be rich,” said President Barack Obama.
A recent article authored by Jeff Greenfield on CBS News online points out some interesting observations, which are worthy of note and a large amount of self reflection upon ourselves, here is one of many excerpts from his writing’s entitled “Drawing The Battle Lines Of Class Warfare”
There is a powerful current of anger that runs from Main Street to the Halls of Congress. And it’s raised once again an argument that’s almost as old as the Republic: Is too much wealth and power concentrated at the top? Should the government try to redress that balance?
We see the excesses of wealth afforded to those on Wall Street, corporate executives, professional sports figures and entertainment celebrities. I guess I have to paraphrase a saying somewhere spoken in a movie I once saw where I actor said “How much, is enough?”
My personal feelings are a person should not be limited by the money they earn for their respective talents, but more so, how our elected officials manage the taxes collected from their wages.
Or is that idea nothing but “class warfare”?
Two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson denounced “bankers and speculators” as the biggest danger to the Republic.President Andrew Jackson waged war against the Second Bank of the United States, and the “elite circle” of financiers.And Franklin Delano Roosevelt began his Presidency by indicting the “money changers” who he said had caused the Great Depression:“The rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence,” FDR said in his first inaugural address in 1933.“There was a great deal of cultural as well as political resentment at the rich, for having gotten away with murder in effect for too long,” said Princeton historian Sean Wilentz. “One certainly saw that in the 1930s. You can’t look at a popular movie from the early 1930s and feel that palpable sense that the rich, personified by a fat guy sitting on moneybags with a cigar clenched in his mouth … that they are the enemy.”
Two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson denounced “bankers and speculators” as the biggest danger to the Republic.
President Andrew Jackson waged war against the Second Bank of the United States, and the “elite circle” of financiers.
And Franklin Delano Roosevelt began his Presidency by indicting the “money changers” who he said had caused the Great Depression:
“The rulers of the exchange of mankind’s goods have failed, through their own stubbornness and their own incompetence,” FDR said in his first inaugural address in 1933.
“There was a great deal of cultural as well as political resentment at the rich, for having gotten away with murder in effect for too long,” said Princeton historian Sean Wilentz. “One certainly saw that in the 1930s. You can’t look at a popular movie from the early 1930s and feel that palpable sense that the rich, personified by a fat guy sitting on moneybags with a cigar clenched in his mouth … that they are the enemy.”
Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown feels this way regarding corporate America and we the people:
“I think there’s no question that the government sings with an upper class accent,” he told workers in Ohio.“The government has too often sided with the people with great advantage against the least privileged,” Brown said. “In the last three decades, the five percent at the top have done much, much better than the rest of society.”Populists like Senator Brown argue that, according to recent data from the Economic Policy Institute, the top one percent of Americans have more than 22 percent of income, a number that hasn’t been matched since 1929.“Those who have done very well under this system, those who have made huge, huge, huge profits, and not shared those profits with their workers, why should they not pay a higher tax rate?”
“I think there’s no question that the government sings with an upper class accent,” he told workers in Ohio.
“The government has too often sided with the people with great advantage against the least privileged,” Brown said. “In the last three decades, the five percent at the top have done much, much better than the rest of society.”
Populists like Senator Brown argue that, according to recent data from the Economic Policy Institute, the top one percent of Americans have more than 22 percent of income, a number that hasn’t been matched since 1929.
“Those who have done very well under this system, those who have made huge, huge, huge profits, and not shared those profits with their workers, why should they not pay a higher tax rate?”
While Republican Congressman Jeff Flake of Arizona is a mirror opposite of Senator Brown:
“When you have the top one percent roughly 35 percent of all income taxes,” he said, “it’s tough to make the case that those at the top aren’t paying their share of income taxes.”America may have a more unequal distribution of wealth than other nations, Flake says, but that misses the point:“Look eastward to Europe: You have a so-called fairer distribution of income there,” he said. “But it’s a lower income, and it’s a lower quality of life than we have here. And I think it would be tough to argue otherwise.”But Flake is no apologist for the Wall Street players who put the global economy in danger:“They knew full well at some point, it would not last. They knew full well at some hint of a bubble bursting in the real estate market that they were gonna be in trouble. But they went ahead knowing they could get theirs and then go away, I guess. And so I think people were justifiably outraged, and still are.”
“When you have the top one percent roughly 35 percent of all income taxes,” he said, “it’s tough to make the case that those at the top aren’t paying their share of income taxes.”
America may have a more unequal distribution of wealth than other nations, Flake says, but that misses the point:
“Look eastward to Europe: You have a so-called fairer distribution of income there,” he said. “But it’s a lower income, and it’s a lower quality of life than we have here. And I think it would be tough to argue otherwise.”
But Flake is no apologist for the Wall Street players who put the global economy in danger:
“They knew full well at some point, it would not last. They knew full well at some hint of a bubble bursting in the real estate market that they were gonna be in trouble. But they went ahead knowing they could get theirs and then go away, I guess. And so I think people were justifiably outraged, and still are.”
Again I insert my own personal feelings about the changes occurring in America and will continue to change until a more equal balance is achieved between “rich” and “poor”. The following are my observations of how we as Americans have divided ourselves into classes:
These are but a few, but I do believe a change in coming and even if it might be difficult to accept, we will all be better off over time.
The following 1957 video represents our class system as it was before when we were a nation of people, not individuals.
1957 Social Classes in America
Social Class In America (1957) Sponsor: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. Producer: Knickerbocker Productions Sociological discussion of ascribed status, achieved status, vertical mobility and horizontal mobility in America. We follow the lives of three men from high school on through their professional lives. Rather pessimistic conclusion on the possibilities of movement across class boundaries. “These three babies are equal under the law, but they are not equal in terms of class…” This sociology lesson breaks educational film taboo by speaking directly about social class, shocking the ears with its frankness.
Social Class In America (1957) Sponsor: McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc. Producer: Knickerbocker Productions
Sociological discussion of ascribed status, achieved status, vertical mobility and horizontal mobility in America. We follow the lives of three men from high school on through their professional lives. Rather pessimistic conclusion on the possibilities of movement across class boundaries.
“These three babies are equal under the law, but they are not equal in terms of class…” This sociology lesson breaks educational film taboo by speaking directly about social class, shocking the ears with its frankness.
Additional postings regarding this topic and others may be found here:
I can remember growing up in the 50’s, when our communities were more self-sufficient. To me, Affirmative Action divided and destroyed what semblance of togetherness we had as a people. Affirmative Action was designed to Window Dress, creating a crabs in the barrel black society.
Affirmative Action is kinda like the Pyramid schemes. Most of those educated and skilled, who understood the scam, took advantage of the opportunity. They were the ones, who were serving as role models, that began moving on up and out of the neighborhoods.
When Malcolm talked of self-sufficiency, he was accused of separatism. The reality is that within the 50 states we are many nations in one nation. During this presidential campaign it was made clear that family and social values were paramount in connecting with candidates. We African Americans are a family and it is time that we begin working toward our own families’ interests. “Charity begins at home”, is not separatism nor selfishness. The neglecting of ourselves and relying on others to provide for us, nurtures that negative perception other families have of our community.
Until we as a people take ownership of our own financial, political and social destiny we will be seen as not deserving of others’ respect. Today it is not a whole lot about fighting for our rights: it is more of how we should exercise our rights. For one, making sure that we are being treated fairly with the allocation of government contracts, loans, grants, scholarships, etc. and with the contracting of capital improvement projects. With a unified voice some of these infrastructure projects will be developed and buil[t]d by us in our communities.
This new world market, which can only expand, provides opportunities that abound; we have family and in-laws around the world, and when the companies and industries begin finding that potential clients and customers are looking to patronize businesses that are more reflective of their family members, those qualified will be in high demand and will be represented from the top executives to the receptionist.
Those of us who are more fortunate should become entrepreneurs in revitalizing our communities. We as a family need to get out of debt and pool our resources, and make our children, our elders and the legacy of our Ancestors, Proud!
Ivan Butcher II
...I have yet to see a single politician muster the courage to do the right thing and to 'tell the "TRUTH" like it is' - they've chosen to silently side with the 'spin' and let the status-quo be - either they're afraid of consequences to their political careers, or they're simply corrupt, or they're just plain stupid - or all of the above (and beyond) - whatever the reason, while I'm not shocked or surprised at the behavior of the puppet morons in politics, I'm disgusted at their complete lack of integrity and conscience...and to not have a SINGLE one of them telling the 'real' story behind this attack on humanity is just ticking me off...
I’ve also posted this blog entry on my blog: http://www.theparadigmshiftshere.com
I'm sure you're all familiar with the sensational 'war' declared by the wealthy and the mighty on the pirates (mostly) from 'Somalia'...if you're not, view THIS article for the big 'spin' served to you courtesy of massive sponsorship by some very wealthy 'special-interest' groups...
Now for 'a' truth about the matter...
...we all need to dig much deeper - in unity, compassion, tolerance, forbearance, understanding, generosity, and respect - to first understand one another and then to realize and accept that we are essentially from the same 'mold' - if we are divided today, it isn't because of anything other than our own ignorance and choosing...
...it's very easy to point fingers and lay blame, but extremely difficult to take ownership...
...I am very tempted to rant on this in my trademark 'tongue-in-cheek' style, but in re-reading Barack Obama's 'Audacity of Hope', I'm beginning to resonate with his wise choice of speaking the language of inclusion, of conversation rather than confrontation...so, here's my humble attempt...
...as The Aga Khan eloquently pointed out in an interview: "...Rather than shouting at each other, we should be learning to listen to each other..."
The sin of our parents is the opportunity and challenge of our today, the hope of our children's children, and the legacy of our generation to stand in the gap and fight for the land for a better tomorrow. We have already been admonished to “first go, and be reconciled, one to another...”
There's a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are now submitting ideas for how they think the Obama Administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change in America." See the latest idea for a 21st Century STD and HIV/AIDS Intervention Cure called, S.A.V.I.O.R.
The Pickens Plan: For those who would like to become an active participant in a solution for our nations energy needs I urge you to join with T.Boone Pickens in his quest for a cleaner planet through alternative energy.
Also see Green Wave Energy: Green Wave was founded by Mark Holmes and was formulated for viable alternative energy solutions. Green Wave Energy is promoting state-of-the-art energy-saving products and services throughout the country.
Green Wave Energy understands alternative energy technology will become “main stream” when
Call 949.645.1701 for information on how Green Wave Energy can help you save the planet.
Alternative EnergySource: David Apperson
url: http://veterans.barackobama.com/page/community/tag/alternative-energy
The Rationale for allowing the US Auto Industry to fail ~ Can it be applied the US Federal Government?
Republicans Kill $14B Rescue Plan in effort to dismantle UAW Union
Within the above article is a discussion and a point of view I find interesting and wish to explore how people feel about it and it's implications.
Stu P., "The only way the Big 3 can compete with Toyota, etc. would be to get out from under the massive pension and related obligations to retired and soon-to-be-retired UAW workers."
Richard, Given the plight of the economy and the Debt incurred by the American Taxpayer, should the US Government rescind the benefits of US Service men and women? Revoke the health benefits and retirement of the millions of individuals in order to make the Federal Government a more financially viable entity ?
Let's start with those costly Survivor benefitshttp://www.militarytimes.com/benefits/family_resources/online_hbml06_payandbenefits_otherbenefits1/
Then we can move on to money for housing and Education benefits.http://www.militarytimes.com/benefits/
Imagine a leaner Federal Government without Military Veteran OBLIGATIONS to burden them.http://www.militarytimes.com/benefits/health/
~@~
Given the tremendous debt out government is carrying and which the American citizen is libel to repay w/interest, I'm wondering if these Senate Republicans would be prepared to rescind the benefits to each and every Military veteran in an effort to trim the wasteful spending by our Government?
If it works for GM, Ford and Chrysler, wouldn't it also translate into a cost-savings effort by the Federal Government?
I really think these Senate Republicans are on to something, throw out any promises of care for services rendered and allow the former employees to fend for themselves.
After all those 300,000+ Auto Retirees are most likely service members from WWII, Korea, Veitnam who are drawing these Federal Benefits as well as Pensions from working their entire lives in the factories. If America is willing to toss them under the bus, why not go the whole way and assist the Federal Government in relieving itself of this burden?
FROM ASTROLOGY EVOLVED ASTRONOMY
FROM ALCHEMY EVOLVED CHEMISTRY
FROM RELIGION EVOLVED PHILOSOPHY
FROM POLITICS EVOLVED MIRACLE
Perhaps the world would not have witnessed the woes of social illness and sickness of poverty.
Eear of unacceptance is the greatest fear.
Barack Obama spells hope not only to AMERICA but for the multitude of millions of human beings allover the world who believe in themselves , trust others and hope for betterment of world.
I AM INSPRIED BY YOU MR OBAMA.
AND I AM PROUD TO BE YOUR CONTEMPORARY INHABITING THIS PLANET IN YOUR TIME.
DO NOT GIVE UP , BE VALUE BASED, CHERISH, HUMANITY, GOVERN WITH A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.
THE IMMINENT THREAT OF THIE ECONOMIC CRISIS MIGHT LOOM LARGE BUT YOU CAN
YES YOU CAN
for now it is not JUST AMERICA BUT THE WHOLE WORLD THAT YOU HAVE WON OVER WITH GOOD WILL AND CHARM
YOU CAN
YOU WILL
YOU MUST
STRIVE NOT TO BE THE THE BEST BUT BE JUST
WITH LOVE AND GOODWILL ON BEHALF OF MORE THAN A BILLION INDIANS
DR SENTHIL KUMAR SANRAN
Hello everyone, I just wanted to pass along a link to a discussion that has become quite interesting. I wrote an article named: Seems Obama's broadcasting of intentions has gotten the Pakistan Government to Act
"Troops Take Town In Tribal Border Region Described As "Mega-Sanctuary" For Fighters"
Two Muslim's have joined the conversation, one individual having a detailed understanding of Pakistan, being a Pakistani and also Pashtun by blood.
If you are the type of person who strives to understand world affairs and why we are fighting and dying around the world, click this LINK and read the conversation. If you join Gather.com you can join in if you like.
.gather.com/MyGather#comments
By Matthew NalettChicagoMusicPromotions.Com
Hopefully after Obama is in office he could address a few of these things for the better. Sure i know not everything can happen over night but it would sure be great. My Prayers go out to Barack Obama's Family at this time, i hope she feels better and everything is okay.
In todays society of starbucks, on demand tv, hybred cars, Internet, Internet Radio and other social mental stimulators.
you have a downside to society one of hate, racisim, neglect, abuse, shootings, stabbings, discrimination and other social violent things, how are we to stop all this and be a nice happy society? Possibly i can shed some light and possibly you can understand my point of view.
For Gays and Lesbians for Legal MarriageSo you got 2 guys or 2 girls who want to get married and share equal rights, not really a big deal its not like they are effecting you in any aspect most gays and lesbians own business(s), run business(s), are corporate managers, movie stars, musicians, poets, house designers, clothing designers, police officers, fire department personel and parents, the list can go on and on. Now alot of the gays and lesbians you would not know right off the bat some of your Best Friends could be gay or lesbian and you would never even know unless it came to that part of a conversation and or if they felt confortable telling you about it.
The Right Wing's and also Church Interest Groups have twisted gays and lesbians to be a "bad" thing however back in the roman Empire days you should see some of the photos and other literature that shows alot of same sex things, It was very open back then why cant it be now? Sure you have adam and eve, but i do belive IF adam and eve were suppost to be a certain way or whatever i dont belive they would have ate the apple, or done other things to defy god and do "worldly" things, Otherwise we would all be butt naked living in tents and fighting with rocks. But since thats really not how things turned out, its called human nature everyone has a right, there own mental train of thought and can decide for themselfs what they want to do or be.
Did you know most highschool teens are bisexuals and also as well its a "socially" accepted thing in most bigger highschools around the united states, as for the boys well its a bit more difficult for them to come out to the general peers due to gangs, violence, shootings, stabbings and just getting your butt kicked in general, cant people be free?
For Immigration Deportation and Hate in General.Yes the 911 attack is something no one can ever forget or forgive to some degree, however just because a person is a diffrent ethnic culture or background does not intitle them to being hated or people thinking they have a bomb strapped to themselfs and are going to blow up your local wallmart or some other institution. Did you know after the september 11th attacks alot of people got hurt just because they were a diffrent culture, i find it very odd that people can just think oww wait there is someone who is muslim lets go beat him up, send him to the hospital since he might be one of the terrorists or something else. Very Pathetic.As for Immigration i do belive in some aspects its okay to send a few of them home we got enough headache of our own to take care of let alone take care of another countries problems, however when it comes to circumstances where they have a family here (kids born here) i belive there should be some lee-way especially if both parents have jobs, rent or have a home, pay taxes, and contribute to the way of life and the economy. To just go around and scoop everyone up i belive is a bit pathetic and sad since what happends to the kids and mother or whoever gets deported? Dont you think it would cause some social and mental impact on how they feel about the united states in general and also as well the mental stress the kid has to go thru since well the government just deported mommy and daddy but yet since you were born here you are now into a foster care unit and you will be adopted by some american person that is legally able to live here. Or you can go with your parents and hopefully wont get raped, or killed or sold in some child trafficking network to make ends meat.
Discrimination Against Gays and Lesbians to Adopt Kids
Okay this subject is very interesting to me, alot of states i have noticed have banned or dis-allowed gays and lesbians to adopt kids and or teenagers, i feel thats a stupid and retarted approch, especially when IF they can provide the kid or teen a confortable home, a good school to attend and possibly make it in society instead of being in a foster home and or shelter for most of their childhood life and not having a childhood its a bum deal. The Government and other agencys bitch about how many kids and teens are in shelters or need adopted yet they do have people who want to adopt and dont care if the kid is a diffrent race or culture they might just be a Gay or Lesbian Couple who wants to adopt them, not really a big issue. IF you personally were in a group home or shelter would it really bother you to go to a nice home and environment and be in a normal society and be able to live a real life? If it was me and if i was a kid or teen i would not care who the adopted parents were i would just want to get out of a shelter or government ran environment its like Jail for kids or teens. I have seen some of these group homes and i must admit it makes me sad since they got say 5 beds in 1 bedroom possibly 3 dressers not really any privacy and or nothing its very sad.
The War In Iraq and Other Countries
No telling how many other countries the united states has their hands dipped into and is low profile about it but as for the war on iraq i belive that should be a done deal, the people over there have been fighting for centuries and also as well it will never end and with us being there its only making a sore issue alot more painfull since its not our country and we dont really have any business being over there. Sure when Bush first went to Iraq and said we are going to find Weapons of Mass Destruction everyone was Gun Ho since the 911 attacks had just happend so everyone wanted to go to war and go stomp boots on some iraqies, however now that we have sufficiently made parking for other countries by blowing everything up and removing all sorts of buildings, people and landscaping i belive we should just let the iraqie government handle their own problems and possibly they might be able to get thru it some day.
HIV & Aids and other STD's
This is not a situation that is directed to 1 gender, race or lifestyle this is a global issue, it bugs me sometimes that people think that Oww that person is gay they must be dying soon of aids or some other sexually transmitted disease.. Yall need to wake up. Lets see here from what i hear this person from africa had sex with a monkey came to the states had sex with both a guy and a girl, transmitted the disease and it exploded from there, i think they were both prostitutes so thats why it spred so dramatically. There is many diffrent ways you can get that situation, Needle Sharing, un-protected sex, blood transfers, fluid transfers (if you have a open cut), Some people have gotten hiv and aids due to blood transfusions where the blood was not screened or tested before it was issued to the person who needed it and well they survived from one issue just to be diagnosed with another issue, some people shared needles with someone who was infected either a male or female and they had got into contact with the disease due to blood contact transfer, some people got it thru un protected sex. The odd thing about aids and std's are back a long time ago it was called the "skinny" disease it was very abundant in the gay and lesbian community so the social standards just marked it as a Gay or Lesbian Disease and that was pretty much it.
However if it was just a gay and lesbian thing how is it all the straight people have it as well? IF someone did not have sex with someone who was infected by it? Good question, Human nature is hell when it comes to sex and well If a person is lacking in that department they will have sex with the other gender to fullfill a need in their life. So its not just a gay and lesbian situation its a global situation where people just need to be more aware and take procaution on who they do business with and or share drugs with. Or make sure the blood you are getting from hospitals have been tested and or screened before you get it.
Internet and Home Privacy
Well i really dont know how to approch this subject since there is alot of things going on with this subject and it sorta bug's me and sort of does not bug me, since i dont have anything to hide. However when it comes to internet privacy you know the government, ISP Providers and other agencys can actually jump into your internet connection and grab "packets" and see what you are doing on the internet, Yup thats right so say you are downloading some mp3s or movies off the net well the agencys who help the government track down certain headaches can track what you are doing at anytime, They use the whole patriot act or some other act to make it legal however its just a form of privacy breach. However when it comes to Preditors and other things on the internet i feel its great they have this thing available so they can lock into their computer and see what they are doing but as for normal people who are not doing anything wrong and or have any type of record i belive this thing should not even be around. The ISP's are required to give certain law enforcement departments a record of all packet transmissions and ip address(s) and user information every month i feel thats a issue as well.
Music and legal downloading and RIAA & Record Labels (My Special Point of View)
Back in the early 1990's the internet was just popping off and Dialup was just getting introduced to high speed (Yuppie), well all these websites came out for mp3 downloading and file downloading i felt that was a great concept since people from around the world could exchange music and files, something where you can send a photo of chicago and someone can send a photo of spain or whatever your pleasure was. As for the Music Scene that was also Awsome since people could trade and zap music back and fourth from talent they might not have ever heard before. Now i do understand that the RIAA was mostly attacking local colleges and major computer servers that held 100's or even 1000's of mp3s and files, yes i can see them shutting the systems down but as for putting Lawsuits against college kids and teenagers and some adults for hundreds or even thousands of dollars i belive that was a bogus deal.
Especially when alot of that music was first cycled out either by the Recording Studio or Label as a Promo Song to cycle it to the Club Djs and other people who drop songs and or mixes to get the talent some exposure and or build a Buzz. So the Producer sends out the mp3 to the Record Pools, The Record Pools send out the Music to the DJ's the DJ's sends out the mp3 to the Promoters the Promoters send the mp3 out to the people who are tastemakers and other affilates and the list goes on and on then it cycles down thru consumers who find the song either thru a contact or a friend who got the mp3 to start with and then they send it off to their friends and so fourth and so fourth. So now you got a song that is pretty much on every machine thats getting zapped out daily and so pretty much that song is done.
The Talent they make money on people attending shows and events, selling some cds and also as well company or corporate sponsors. However the Record Labels wanted a chunk out of this whole deal since they pay the Talent a "budget" and well the talent has to use that "budget" to fund their shows, events, radio or tv advertisements, cd covers, graphic's, websites, and a bunch of other things and the Artist technically the money the record label gives them is not theres technically it all has to be paid back in some aspect so who is really winning in the long run? Sure you see the artists with the fancy cars, jewelry and bling but thats a front they have to its a social standard where its expected of them. They might have a contract for the rest of their lives but its apart of the industry.
So my final thoughts on this subject i belive alot of music should be free it was technically free when they sent it out to promoters, record pools, tastemakers and other people to build or gain buzz or some type of publicity for that artist now i also do belive the talent should make money as well and the record labels and other agencys should not dip their hands in too far since technically the talent has made you rich in alot of aspects, sure you got him famous however he still made you rich since without that song or track you would not have anything. Also alot of record labels require the talent to have so much sales, buzz and other things even before they are signed so its sorta a double jepardy sure they will sign you and then once you have that contract your pretty much screwed so to speak.
Welsh/Cymraeg
Cwrdd a Obama
Gafodd Barack Obama ei eni yn Hawaii yn mis Awst 4, 1961, i Ann Dunham, yn wreiddiol o Kansas a Barack Obama,Sr,yn wreiddiol o Kenya. Ar ol raddio o Prifysgol Columbia, symudodd Barack i Chicago, ble weithiodd gyda Asiant Eglwysig i gwella bywyda ardaloedd tlawd Chicago a gafodd ei chwalu a'r ol cau lawr nifer o Gweithdai Haearn yn yr ardal.
A'r ol ychydig o blynyddoedd fe wnaeth Barack i Ysgol Gyfraith Harvard, a daeth yn Affrican American gyntaf i fod yn Arlywydd y "Harvard Law Review". Wedyn aeth yn nol i Chicago, I weithio fel Cyfreithwr hawliau dynol, darlitho yn gyfraith cyfansoddiado a dechrewyd ymdrech i rhestru 100,000 o pleidleiswyr newydd. Yn ystod y cyfnod yma fe wnaeth cwrdd a Michelle ei wraig. Mae nhw rwan efo dwy ferch: Malia 9, a Sasha, 6.
Dilyn ei waith eiriolaeth gafodd ei ethol i Senedd talaith Illinois, ble roedd yn gwasanethu yr pobol am 8 mlynedd. Yn ystod y blynyddoedd yma daeth y Democratiad a Gwerinaethwyr at ei gilydd i ffurfio llywodraeth a fydd yn gwella bywydau teuluoedd Illinois. Fe paswyd $100 milliwn mewn toriadau trethi i teuleuoedd gweithiol. Wthiodd tyfiant mewn rhaglenni addysg plant oed babanod. a gallu ehangu y system iechyd i dros 150,000 mwy o blant a oedolion. Fe newidiodd system cosb eithaf a oedd wedi lladd 13 o pobol di euog. Hefyd gweithiodd gyda y ddwy blaid i gwthio trwadd newidiau yn y maes moeseg mewn 25 o flynyddoedd.
Yn 2003, fe wnaeth Barack rhedeg am sedd yn y Senedd, ble roedd yn sefyll arwahan o holl ymgeiswyr eraill yn erbyn y rhyfel yn Iraq.
Yn yr senedd, fe Wnaeth Barack Obama rhoi y sialens ymlaen o dod a syniadau newydd i Wleidyddiaeth a ddim derbyn canlyniadau siomedig traddodiadol y Senedd. Daeth yn canolbwint o fiown ei blaid i dod a newidiadau moeseg mwya ers digwyddiad Watergate. a cyd weithio gyda Seneddwr Gwerinaethol Dick Lugar cadeirydd y pwyllgor perthynas Tramor i pasio gyfraith a fydda atal rhai o arfau mwya beryglus y byd i disgyn i dwylo terfysgwyr. Yn y maes tlodi a gafodd dipyn o sylw a'r ol Katrina neu yr hil-laddiad yn Dafur, neu y role mewn ffydd mewn gwleidyddiaeth, Mae Barack Obama yn cario ymlaen i siarad a'r materion llosg a fydd yn dylanwadu a'r America yn yr 21 ganrhif, credwr fod angen newid yr wlad a'r gwleidyddiaeth. Mae'n rhaid i ni dod at ein gilydd fel Americanwyr i ymateb i'r holl problemau sydd ein wynebu.
Ewch i BarackObama.com am mwy o wybodaeth!
Ewch i My.BarackObama.com i cysylltu efo cefnogwyr agos i chi. Os fydda chi hoffi mwy o wybodaeth am Seneddwr Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, neu syniadau yr Seneddwr ond ddim efo gallu mynd a'r y we, ffoniwch 866-675-2008
English/Saesneg
Meet Obama
Barack Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961, to Ann Dunham, originally of Kansas, and Barack Obama, Sr., originally of Kenya. After graduating from Columbia University, Barack moved to Chicago, where he worked with a church-based organization to improve living conditions in Chicago neighborhoods that had been devastated by steel plant closings. After a few years, Barack went to Harvard Law School, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. He then returned to Chicago, where he practiced as a civil rights lawyer, lectured on constitutional law, and started a voter registration drive that registered 100,000 new voters. During this time, he met and married his wife, Michelle. They now have two daughters: Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6.
Barack's advocacy work culminated in his election to the Illinois State Senate, where he served for 8 years. During these years, Barack brought Democrats and Republicans together to make government work for Illinois families. He passed $100 million dollars in tax cuts for working families. He pushed through an expansion of early childhood education programs, and was able to expand health care coverage to 150,000 more children and parents. He reformed a death penalty system that had sent 13 innocent people to death row. And he worked with both parties to pass the first major ethics reform in twenty-five years.
In 2003, Barack launched his improbable race for the U.S. Senate, where he stood alone among all the candidates in opposing the invasion of Iraq.
In the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama has focused on tackling our challenges with fresh thinking and a new kind of politics that no longer settles for the lowest common denominator. He was his party's point person on passing the most sweeping ethics reform since Watergate, and he's worked with Republican Senator Dick Lugar, the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, to pass a law that will prevent some of the world's most deadly weapons from falling into terrorist hands.Whether it's the poverty exposed by Katrina, the genocide in Darfur, or the role of faith in our politics, Barack Obama continues to speak out on the issues that will define America in the 21st century, believing that in order to change our country and our politics, we must come together around our common interests and concerns as Americans.
Visit BarackObama.com for more information.
Log on to My.BarackObama.com to connect with supporters near you. If you would like more information about Senator Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, or the Senator's ideas but don't have internet access, call us at 866-675-2008.
