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"Scum always rises to the top, but instead of scraping it off and discarding it, most people follow it!?!"
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 | My Story: "THE HOTEL" |
 By Rainbow Painter
We moved Mother on January 2, at the recommendation of her doctor, to the local Alzheimer's Assisted Living facility, which she refers to as "The Hotel".
I wasn't sure as to how this was really going to play out on that early morning as I was preparing the move and organizing the timing and boxing up her precious belongings from around her own bedroom and from throughout her home. My hopes were jetting here and there as I was choosing the right things in which to hopefully keep her memory fresh and revealing of times, people or places.
She was a bit anxious, as was I, and I'm sure with her sensitivity being aroused by my anxiety level, she knew something was up with me that morning. She asked me the same question she asks of me every morning, "Are you going anywhere and if you do, I want to go with you." I cautiously said to her that if and when I do decide, I would let her know.
So as she is getting dressed and asks of us our opinion of her choice of clothing for the day and if she looked nice, which of course, she looks beautiful everyday, but it's an acknowledgment of approval she seeks from us daily, I am gathering strength for the ride we are about to take to "The Hotel". The dreaded drive I will never forget. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Monday, August 23 @ 21:37:18 EDT (46 reads)
(Read More... | 9838 bytes more | Comments? | My Story | Score: 5)
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| The News: Experts: Health Hazards in Gulf Warrant Evacuations |
by: Rose Aguilar, t r u t h o u t | Report
When Louisiana residents ask marine toxicologist and community activist Riki Ott what she would do if she lived in the Gulf with children, she tells them she would leave immediately. "It's that bad. We need to start talking about who's going to pay for evacuations."
In 1989, Ott, who lives in Cordova, Alaska, experienced firsthand the devastating effects of the Exxon Valdex oil disaster. For the past two months, she's been traveling back and forth between Louisiana and Florida to gather information about what's really happening and share the lessons she learned about long-term illnesses and deaths of cleanup workers and residents. In late May, she began meeting people in the Gulf with symptoms like headaches, dizziness, sore throats, burning eyes, rashes and blisters that are so deep, they're leaving scars. People are asking, "What's happening to me?"
She says the culprit is almost two million gallons of Corexit, the dispersant BP is using to break up and hide the oil below the ocean's surface. "It's an industrial solvent. It's a degreaser. It's chewing up boat engines off-shore. It's chewing up dive gear on-shore. Of course it's chewing up people's skin. The doctors are saying the solvents are making the oil worse."
In a widely watched YouTube video, from Project Gulf Impact, a project that aims to give Gulf residents a voice, Chris Pincetich, a marine biologist and campaigner with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, said Coast Guard planes are flying overhead at night spraying Corexit on the water and on land. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Friday, July 23 @ 20:50:56 EDT (80 reads)
(Read More... | 10568 bytes more | Comments? | The News | Score: 0)
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| Business/Economy: ACLU Sues Wal-Mart On Behalf Of Cancer Patient |
Fired For Legally Using Medical Marijuana
From: ACLU.org
Michigan State Law Passed In 2008 Protects Employees Who Use Marijuana To Treat Debilitating Diseases
BATTLE CREEK, MI – The American Civil LibertiesUnion and ACLU of Michigan, in partnership with the law firm of Daniel W. Grow, PLLC, filed a lawsuit today against Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and the manager of its Battle Creek store for wrongfully firing an employee for using medicinal marijuana in accordance with state law to treat the painful symptoms of an inoperable brain tumor and cancer.
The lawsuit charges that Joseph Casias, 30, the Battle Creek Wal-Mart's 2008 Associate of the Year, was fired from his job at the store after testing positive for marijuana, despite being legally registered to use the drug under Michigan's medical marijuana law. In accordance with state law, Casias never ingested marijuana while at work and never worked while under the influence of marijuana. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Wednesday, June 30 @ 23:48:17 EDT (100 reads)
(Read More... | 5536 bytes more | Comments? | Business/Economy | Score: 0)
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| Science News: Research From RPI Professor Offers Clues to Alzheimer’s Disease |
News Release: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
An organic compound found in red wine — resveratrol — has the ability to neutralize the toxic effects of proteins linked to Alzheimer’s disease, according to research led by Rensselaer Professor Peter M. Tessier. The findings, published in the May 28 edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, are a step toward understanding the large-scale death of brain cells seen in certain neurodegenerative diseases.
“We’ve shown how resveratrol has very interesting selectivity to target and neutralize a select set of toxic peptide isoforms,” Tessier said. “Because resveratrol picks out the clumps of peptides that are bad and leaves alone the ones that are benign, it helps us to think about the structural differences between the peptide isoforms.”
Isoforms are different packing arrangements of a particular peptide. Deformations of a particular peptide — the Aβ1-42 peptide — have been linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Improperly folded peptides have been shown to collect in accumulations called “plaques” within the brain. Those plaques are often found near areas of cell death in diseased brains. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Tuesday, June 22 @ 21:57:34 EDT (106 reads)
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| Science News: ‘Tattoo’ may help diabetics track their blood sugar |
Carbon nanotubes could be injected under the skin to measure blood glucose levels
written by: Anne Trafton, MIT News Office
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Paul Barone, a postdoctoral researcher in MIT Department of Chemical Engineering, and professor Michael Strano are working on a new type of blood glucose monitor that could not only eliminate the need for finger pricks but also offer more accurate readings.
“Diabetes is an enormous problem, global in scope, and despite decades of engineering advances, our ability to accurately measure glucose in the human body still remains quite primitive,” says Strano, the Charles and Hilda Roddey Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering. “It is a life-and-death issue for a growing number of people.”
Strano and Barone’s sensing system consists of a “tattoo” of nanoparticles designed to detect glucose, injected below the skin. A device similar to a wristwatch would be worn over the tattoo, displaying the patient’s glucose levels. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Friday, June 18 @ 21:53:02 EDT (97 reads)
(Read More... | 4642 bytes more | Comments? | Science News | Score: 0)
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| The News: Mystery Disease Linked to Missing Israeli Scientist |
by: H.P. Albarelli Jr., t r u t h o u t | Report
Media outlets across the Northwest United States began reporting on April 24 that a strange, previously unknown strain of virulent airborne fungi that has already killed at least six people in Oregon, Washington and Idaho is spreading throughout the region. The fungus, according to expert microbiologists, who have expressed alarm about the emergence of the strain, is a new genotype of Cryptococcus gatti fungi. Cryptococcus gatti is normally found in tropical and subtropical locations in India, South America, Africa and Australia. Microbiologists in the United States are reporting that the strain found here, for reasons not yet fully understood, is far deadlier than any found overseas.
Physicians in the Pacific Northwest are reporting that an undetermined number of people in the region are ill from the effects of the strange strain. Physicians also say that the virulent strain can infect domestic animals as well as humans, and symptoms do not appear until anywhere from two to four months after exposure. Symptoms in humans include a lingering cough, sharp chest pains, fever, night-sweats, weight-loss, headaches and shortness of breath. The strain can be treated successfully, if detected early enough, with oral doses of antifungal medication, but it cannot be prevented, and there is no preventative vaccine. Undiagnosed, the fungus works its way into the spinal fluid and central nervous system and causes fatal meningitis. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Saturday, May 08 @ 17:58:00 EDT (123 reads)
(Read More... | 9250 bytes more | Comments? | The News | Score: 0)
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| Science News: New Insights into the Mystery of Natural HIV Immunity |
Findings may have implications for designing effective AIDS vaccine
written by: Anne Trafton, MIT News Office
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — When people become infected by HIV, it’s usually only a matter of time, barring drug intervention, until they develop full-blown AIDS. However, a small number of people exposed to the virus progress very slowly to AIDS — and some never develop the disease at all.
In the late 1990s, researchers showed that a very high percentage of those naturally HIV-immune people, who represent about one in 200 infected individuals, carry a gene called HLA B57. Now a team of researchers from the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT and Harvard has revealed a new effect that contributes to this gene’s ability to confer immunity.
The research team, led by MIT Professor Arup Chakraborty and Harvard Professor Bruce Walker at MGH, found that the HLA B57 gene causes the body to make more potent killer T cells — white blood cells that help defend the body from infectious invaders. Patients with the gene have a larger number of T cells that bind strongly to more pieces of HIV protein than people who do not have the gene. This makes the T cells more likely to recognize cells that express HIV proteins, including mutated versions that arise during infection. This effect contributes to superior control of HIV infection (and any other virus that evolves rapidly), but it also makes those people more susceptible to autoimmune diseases, in which T cells attack the body’s own cells. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Friday, May 07 @ 13:24:44 EDT (129 reads)
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| International: Let’s Sign the Tobacco Treaty |
by Kelle Louaillier
It’s hard to believe, but only 16 years ago the CEOs of North America’s largest tobacco corporations were before Congress, swearing under oath that nicotine wasn’t addictive. And 12 years ago, these same corporations were disclosing a half-century of lies and willful deception of the public about the harms of tobacco products. A 46-state master settlement compelled them to do so.
By 2005, the world’s first public health and corporate accountability treaty was taking effect to tackle the world’s leading preventable cause of death and disease: tobacco use. That treaty may be the least well-known tobacco milestone here in the United States, but it’s the most significant. For one, the global tobacco treaty may save 200 million lives by 2050 when it’s fully implemented. It also tackles head-on the type of corporate abuse that hooked generations on a deadly product with little or no accountability.
Still, the road to the World Health Organization (WHO) treaty’s success isn’t paved with gold. In each of the 168 countries that have ratified it to date, Big Tobacco continues to interfere in and hinder implementation of the treaty’s lifesaving measures. And despite propelling the public health threat of tobacco onto the world stage, the U.S. remains among the shrinking minority of countries yet to ratify. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Wednesday, March 17 @ 22:41:24 EDT (131 reads)
(Read More... | 5050 bytes more | Comments? | International | Score: 0)
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| Politics: Pelosi Under Pressure From Progressives on Public Option |
by: Jason Leopold, t r u t h o u t | Report
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi insists that the public option is dead, but progressive organizations are mounting an aggressive campaign to resurrect it as Democratic lawmakers gear up to pass a final health care bill this week via a budgetary process known as reconciliation.
Democracy for America, Credo Action, and the Progressive Campaign Change Committee (PCCC) raised $75,000 for a 60-second spot that will air on MSNBC, CNN and a local station in Pelosi's home district of San Francisco. The ad challenges assertions she made last week that the public option does not have enough support from Democratic lawmakers in the Senate to be included as one of the amendments in the reconciliation bill.
On the Web site whipcongress.com, the groups, in supporting calculations that the measure has enough votes to pass the Senate, list the names of Democratic senators who have either signed a letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid supporting the public option, or have made statements saying they would back it or would "likely" cast an "aye" vote if it were introduced as part of the final package of legislative fixes.
According to the letter sent to Reid, which 41 Democratic senators have signed thus far, an "overwhelming majority of Americans support a public option. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Tuesday, March 16 @ 17:17:51 EDT (131 reads)
(Read More... | 12172 bytes more | Comments? | Politics | Score: 0)
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| Politics: The Democratic Party's Plan To THROW The Next Couple Elections |
Alert from: activist.thepen
Facing reality is a tough job but somebody's got to do it. And we
foretell for you the events of the future NOT because we want them to
happen, but to get you to act to keep them from happening. But to do
that you need an action page, so here it is.
Put The Public Option Up For A Vote:
http://www.peaceteam.net/action/pnum1038.php
And now we will explain why this action page is so critical. To
understand the current political dynamic, first you must understand
that the Democrats are PLANNING on losing the next couple election
cycles. UNTIL you understand that, the events to unfold in the next
couple years (unless you act to derail them) will make no sense to
you.
You don't have to believe us. Just listen to the way the Democrats
themselves are talking. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Monday, March 08 @ 18:44:37 EST (132 reads)
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| Science News: Lack of Morning Light Keeping Teenagers Up at Night |
News Release: RPI.edu
First Field Study Shows Lack of Exposure to Morning Light Delays Sleep in Teens
The first field study on the impact of light on teenagers’ sleeping habits finds that insufficient daily morning light exposure contributes to teenagers not getting enough sleep.
“As teenagers spend more time indoors, they miss out on essential morning light needed to stimulate the body’s 24-hour biological system, which regulates the sleep/wake cycle,” reports Mariana Figueiro, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Program Director at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lighting Research Center (LRC) and lead researcher on the new study.
“These morning-light-deprived teenagers are going to bed later, getting less sleep and possibly under-performing on standardized tests. We are starting to call this the teenage night owl syndrome.”
In the study just published in Neuroendocrinology Letters, Dr. Figueiro and LRC Director Dr. Mark Rea found that eleven 8th grade students who wore special glasses to prevent short-wavelength (blue) morning light from reaching their eyes experienced a 30-minute delay in sleep onset by the end of the 5-day study. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Thursday, March 04 @ 19:12:22 EST (141 reads)
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| Business/Economy: Swine Flu Didn't Fly |
by: Niko Kyriakou, t r u t h o u t | Report
Wow, what a year 2009 was for makers of the swine flu vaccine. CSL Limited's profits rose 63 percent above 2008 levels, while in the third quarter of 2009 - just about the time H1N1 contracts picked up steam - GlaxoSmithKine enjoyed a 30 percent jump in earnings to $2.19 billion. Roche, the maker of Tamiflu, which prevents H1N1, saw second quarter profits leap to 12 times what they were in that quarter of 2008. But in 2010, drug companies may get their comeuppance.
(Image: Lance Page / t r u t h o u t;
Adapted: MayaEvening, kevindooley, PinkMoose, *Louise**)
On Tuesday, the Council of Europe launched an investigation into whether the World Health Organization (WHO) "faked" the swine flu pandemic to boost profits for vaccine manufacturers. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Wednesday, January 27 @ 19:04:18 EST (167 reads)
(Read More... | 26755 bytes more | Comments? | Business/Economy | Score: 0)
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| Science News: Researchers develop 'nano cocktail' to target and kill tumors |
From: MIT News Office
A team of researchers including a group at MIT has developed a “cocktail” of different nanometer-sized particles that work in concert within the bloodstream to locate, adhere to and kill cancerous tumors.
“This study represents the first example of the benefits of employing a cooperative nanosystem to fight cancer,” said Michael Sailor, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego and the primary author of a paper describing the results, which is being published in a forthcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. An early online version of the paper appeared last week.
In their study, the UC San Diego chemists, bioengineers at MIT and cell biologists at UC Santa Barbara developed a system containing two different nanomaterials the size of only a few nanometers, or a thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, that can be injected into the bloodstream. One nanomaterial was designed to find and adhere to tumors in mice, while the second nanomaterial was fabricated to kill those tumors. ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Friday, January 15 @ 22:51:01 EST (161 reads)
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| My Story: Warning: Stupid People Ahead |
by Mary Ann Weiss
As you travel along the cancer road, you’ll probably be amazed at the number of caring, compassionate people you‘ll meet, who will surprise you with their acts of kindness. I remember each person who helped me on this journey, and the memory of their gentle spirit continues to warm me on cold winter nights.
HOWEVER.....not everyone you encounter is slated for sainthood. There are some real doozies out there, get ready for them, they can’t wait to meet you! Here’s a few of my “favorites” and some suggested responses, which might help, get you through the day. Here’s my Top 5 list - there’s so many more and I’m sure you’ll be able to add to this list. Feel free to write - I’d love to post your views.
1. “What’s your prognosis?” Complete strangers often ask this very personal question.
My response...”Terminal, the same as your prognosis.” ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Friday, December 11 @ 20:31:16 EST (210 reads)
(Read More... | 3264 bytes more | Comments? | My Story | Score: 0)
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| My Story: Some People... |
By Mary Ann Weiss
There are some people in this world who fall apart at the drop of a pin. You know the type…any little thing can set them off.
Oversleeping can ruin their entire day. The cleaning lady had to cancel? Their favorite shirt is stained? The cat vomited on the carpet? A week-end trip was postponed? The washing machine is on the blink? You’re out of Diet Coke? Your mother-in-law is on the phone AGAIN…Oh My!!!! It’s simply too much to cope with. Light the oven, Ethel, my head is going in…!!…
On the other hand, there are other people who are able to rise above most of life’s turmoil. They go about their daily lives with a straight back, a broad smile, and a hand out to help anyone in need. (Most of the time…let’s get real…no one is that peaceful ALL of the time)! And yet their personal lives are not without challenge.
Some deal with cancer, a special needs child, loss of a partner, foreclosures, unemployment, a variety of catastrophes that “should” cripple them - but don’t. What’s their secret? ...
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Posted by Blue1moon on Tuesday, December 01 @ 18:59:53 EST (235 reads)
(Read More... | 5425 bytes more | Comments? | My Story | Score: 0)
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| Saturday, November 21 | | · | Iraq War Veteran on a Mental-Health Mission |
| Thursday, November 12 | | · | American Medical Association calls for review of marijuana's legal status |
| Monday, November 02 | | · | The Incredible Shrinking Public Option |
| Tuesday, October 06 | | · | Democrats Ponder Health-Care Suicide |
| Wednesday, September 30 | | · | The "Public Option" Is Not Dead |
| Wednesday, September 23 | | · | We Can’t Afford Health Care? You Lie! |
| Saturday, September 19 | | · | Selective Deficit Disorder |
| Wednesday, September 16 | | · | Roy Rogers' Horse Saves Health Care |
| Monday, September 14 | | · | US Census Bureau Confirms Rising Poverty, Falling Incomes, |
| Monday, August 17 | | · | Health Care Alert (and new blog post link that will cheer you up!) |
| Monday, August 10 | | · | Vaccination Myths and Truths |
| Wednesday, August 05 | | · | Real Health Care Reform - Universal Single-Payer |
| Tuesday, July 14 | | · | Mandatory Swine Flu Vaccination Alert |
| Saturday, July 11 | | · | Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Hope for Returning Veterans |
| Wednesday, July 08 | | · | So-Called “Charitable” Hospitals Providing Very Little “Charity” |
| Thursday, June 25 | | · | False Health-Scare Ad on CNN |
| Tuesday, June 16 | | · | A Petition To Congress Supporting Single-Payer Health Care |
| Thursday, June 11 | | · | Two Key Health-Care Numbers |
| Friday, May 22 | | · | Rx and the Single Payer |
| Wednesday, May 20 | | · | Why We Were Arrested Over Health Care |
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