Killing me softly with wireless technology

I'm as much of a cell phone addict as the next person. Not that I talk for hours on end, but just appreciate the peace of mind that it brings to have instant communication at my fingertips - especially when my loved ones are not with me, I am in the car, on my motorbike, or anywhere where you need a security blanket. I have become increasingly dependant (and addicted) on the technology since upgrading to an iPhone, with it's GPS and plethora of other can't_live_without capabilities.

So, along with any other "too good to be true" things in life comes problems, right? Right. It wasn't too long before I was leaving the iPhone on my bedside table to use as an alarm clock, and I could check my email before even getting out of bed in the morning. Very quickly I noticed that I was not sleeping too well, was getting headaches - very specifically located sharp pains - and having sudden bouts of "instant confusion". Some might say I am always confused, but that's another story...

Knowing that my phone was basically sending microwaves through the air - we all know that cell phone towers are basically big microwave transmitters - I surfed the 'net and started to eduate myself about wireless technologies, and was shocked with what I found. There is a lot of information out there from "microwaves are not that bad" on the technology pushing sites, to "they are trying to kill us all" type conspiracy sites. And, I laugh as I type this - and it really is not a laughing matter - there is not much of a distance between the two ends of that spectrum!

To try and be fair and balanced (sound familiar?), I will present a couple of sources of information. Rense has a good article entitled, "You Don't Deserve Brain Cancer-You Deserve Facts!" By Amy Worthington.

The other source of information that I found very relevant to my situation is from Dr. Mercola. And while I know he is in the retail business, his rhetoric is fairly objective.

If this subject interests you, you may want to also investigate a program called HAARP - High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program. From the HAARP website; "The goal of this program is to further advance our knowledge of the physical and electrical properties of the Earth's ionosphere which can affect our military and civilian communication and navigation systems." At this juncture, I will not offer any further input other than to say it is a very controversial subject...

Stay safe and don't keep that cell phone glued to your head!

Criminalize Organic Farming? H.R. 875 & S. 425

House Resolution 875 has been called an attempt to ban organic farming.

In it's own words, it is: "To establish the Food Safety Administration within the Department of Health and Human Services to protect the public health by preventing foodborne illness, ensuring the safety of food, improving research on contaminants leading to food-borne illness, and improving security of food from intentional contamination, and for other purposes."

That sounds all very fine and dandy, does it not?!  I will use a post from the Prison Planet forum to help me with my point on this topic.  Zed says the bill:

• Legally binds state agriculture depts to enforcing federal guidelines effectively taking away the states power to do anything other than being food police for the federal dept.
• Effectively criminalizes organic farming but doesn't actually use the word organic.
• Effects anyone growing food even if they are not selling it but consuming it.
• Effects anyone producing meat of any kind including wild game.
• Legislation is so broad based that every aspect of growing or producing food can be made illegal.  There are no specifics which is bizarre considering how long the legislation is.
• Section 103 is almost entirely about the administrative aspect of the legislation.  It will allow the appointing of officials from the factory farming corporations and lobbyists and classify them as experts and allow them to determine and interpret the legislation. 
• Section 206 defines what will be considered a food production facility and what will be enforced up all food production facilities.  The wording is so broad based that a backyard gardener could be fined and more.
• Section 207 requires that the state's agriculture dept act as the food police and enforce the federal requirements.  This takes away the states power and is in violation of the 10th amendment.

Quite a reaction to a seaminlgy harmless bill that seems to want to just protect the public from any more food scares such as the spinach E.coli outbreak.  At the time of that spinach scare a few years ago, I happened to work for a software company that designed and distributed food distribution management software to suppliers of meat, produce, seafood and a plethora of other food item distributors.  There are already stringent controls in place and complex tracking systems that can track, not only end product food items, but the ingredients within those food items, back to the source of origin.   There are several food recalls announced on the FDA website almost everyday, yet many of them do not make the headlines.  So why the big deal about the spinach and the more recent tomato incident? 

Could it be, in conjunction with H.R. 875, a gradual attempt to root out organic farming and/or impose stricter controls?  This video suggests that the bill could put organic farmers out of business.  The bills are sponsored by agriculture giants Monsanto (* see below), Cargill, Tysons, ADM and will dictate what to feed the animals, how to medically treat them and, what toxic sprays to use.  Watch the video...

This is bordering on nationalization of the food industry, and could easily take the impact as far as regulating what we grow in our own back yards.  This is insane.  If you care about what you eat, grow, and your liberty to do that, call your representatives and demand that these bills are stopped.

* Monsanto is the world's largest genetic engineering corporation, i.e. they produce genetically modified foods.  It is a huge global industry that has not supplied adequate research information on the health effects of GM foods.  Again, more on that another day!

Infertility, and why it is increasing.

Studies show that not only is there a drop in the number of teenage pregnancies, there is also an increase in the number of women who are not able to conceive.

The Guttmacher Institute, the research body that conducts statistical analyses of pregnancy, birth and abortion statistics on behalf of Planned Parenthood, tells us that there has been a significant drop in the number of teenage pregnancies since the early 90s, to the extent that there were significantly less teen pregnancies in 2002 than there were in 1972. Many have attributed this to the success of abstinence programs. However, as much as we would like to think that is the case, studies also show that there has also been a significant drop in the sperm counts of males in the last 50 years and more noticeably since the early 90s.

Research shows that sperm counts are lower in semi-rural and agricultural areas, which has led to further studies, and the conclusions drawn were that pesticides are having an impact on the quality and number of sperm. However, this is, apparently, not the only cause of an increase in the incidence of lower sperm counts...

The Fluoride Action Network has reported how studies show that high doses of fluoride has been found to interfere with the reproductive system in animals. If you use 'city water', your water has added fluoride for the alleged protection against cavities. Most toothpastes also have added fluoride. It has been proven, and the American Dental Association admits, that fluoride does not actually protect against cavities, so avoiding it will not mean your teeth are going to fall out! I will blog more about fluoride specifically in another post, but for the purposes of this blog about infertility, it suffices to say there is conclusive evidence that fluoride also has an impact on fertility.

There are several other possible reasons for the rise in infertility, and one that often slips under the radar is the use of MSG in our foods. You can read more about MSG in another blog.

Is there a reason for allowing this escalation in infertility? Why are proven reasons that cause infertility still prevalent in society? There are reasons, which we will be examining in more detail as this blog develops. There are several subject matters that are all connected, and I will endeavour to cover some of these subject matters before getting to the crux of the problem. By providing the background information first, people will be more able to accept what I will eventually bring to the table.

Edited: 08.30.09 to add this Google Video

CBC documentary about one of the most important, and least publicized, issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male reproductive system.

MSG: Monosodium Glutamate, an everyday poison.

This Google video prompted me to write this blog. In the video, Russell Blaylock M.D., author of Excitotoxins, the taste that kills, is interviewed and shares some shocking information about the effects of some of the additives in our food and beverages. I will start with a brief look at MSG here, and will cover some of the other topics in the video in subsequent blogs.

MSG: Monosodium Glutamate

I personally suffer from the effects of consuming MSG. It is added to so many foods these days that it can be very hard to avoid. Education on MSG and it's different guises can go a long way to avoiding it, and therefore preventing it's effects.

So how does it effect us? Personally, I can relate how the start of a migraine headache will result within 30 minutes of consuming MSG. Different foods have varying amounts of MSG added, and the higher the concentration consumed, the higher the degree of the effects. For example, a Red Robbin hamburger turned out to have a very high concentration of MSG, which resulted in a mild migraine before I had even left the restaurant, and an absolute humdinger by the time I got home. A portion of fast-food fries has enough MSG to instigate a mild headache for me.

We can look out for MSG in the food products that we buy, but there are about 40 different names for MSG, including; Yeast Proteins, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, Hydrolyzed Protein, Hydrolyzed Plant Protein, Plant Protein Extract, Sodium Caseinate, Calcium Caseinate, Yeast Extract, Textured Vegetable Protein and Textured Protein, Autolyzed Yeast (commonly used), Hydrolyzed Oat Flour, and more.

The following is from an article called, MSG is sometimes hidden in food with labels that say "No Added MSG," "No MSG Added," and "No MSG".

"Most offenders are small processors who are possibly being misguided by the FDA, the USDA, and/or consultants. Hain and Campbell's, both large companies, are among those who have been alerted to both the deception that they are perpetrating and the illegality of what they are doing, yet continue with what the FDA has termed deceptive and misleading labeling. Placing "No MSG," "No MSG Added," or "No Added MSG" on food labels has been deemed by the FDA to be false and misleading under section (403)(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act when the label also lists any hydrolyzed protein as an ingredient since it contains MSG." Thus, to advertise "No MSG," "No MSG Added," or "No Added MSG" when there is MSG in a product is illegal.

At one time, the FDA responded to the illegal use of the term "No MSG Added," with both a Regulatory Letter and threat of seizure and injunction in case of non-compliance. At one time, State Attorneys General sued manufacturers that made such claims, and won consent decrees from them, and sometimes imposed fines. But when the FDA began to look the other way, and the State Attorneys General turned their attention to other matters, the deceptive and misleading use of "No MSG" and No Added MSG" once more began proliferating."

So, it seems we cannot even trust the labels on the foods we are buying.

According to Russell Blaylock M.D., MSG is thought to be a cause of arrhythmia, sudden death heart attack, strokes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, asthma, obesity, and cancer. He says that when magnesium is low, which is common in the U.S., glutamate receptors become hyperactive. He says that this can produce severe damage to heart, brain and reproductive organs (look out for a eugenics blog in the future), and is a powerful stimulant for the growth of cancer. Tumors grow like wildfire when exposed to glutamate and we're fuelling cancer cells with glutamate when consuming MSG.

MSG is apparently also found in some vaccines, but I will cover that in a dedicated post about vaccines in the future.

Blaylock describes MSG as an excitotoxin. He says that certain receptors in cell membranes get communications from outside the cells to inside the cells. Gluto receptors, an aminio acid, when attached sends signals to cells and increase excitotoxicity. If overstimulated, it can kill the cell, which can interfere with learning, memory, behavioral changes, increase in aggression, and possibly a major cause of depression. Of course, when depression is diagnosed, SSRIs are prescribed, which is yet another subject for another day!

How many of us feel like our minds are in a constant fog? I know I do. MSG is one of many contributing factors as to why we feel the way we do. Fluoride is another major player in this battle against our health and our minds, and is another subject for another day. In the interim, start thinking about why the government allows the use of agents that are proven to have a devastating effect on our mental capacity. More later!