Saturday 12 September 2009

egg returns

'Lost seabird' returns to ocean

by Matt Walker
Editor, Earth News

Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi )
Up to eight Fiji petrels were seen over an 11-day period

One of the world's rarest and most elusive birds has finally been seen flying in its natural habitat.
The Fiji petrel, a seabird that once "went missing" for 130 years, has been sighted flying at sea, near the island of Gua in the Pacific Ocean.
The culmination of a meticulously planned bird hunt, Birdlife International researchers sighted the birds 25 nautical miles south of Gua.
Up to eight individuals were seen and photographed over 11 days.
The 30cm tall dark-brown Fiji petrel (Pseudobulweria macgillivrayi) is one of the most elusive of all birds.
To see such a little-known bird at such close range was magical
Expedition member Mr Tony Pym
Originally, the species was known from just a single immature specimen, collected in 1855 on Gau Island, Fiji.
But then the bird "went missing" with no further confirmed sightings of it for almost 130 years.
Then in 1984, an adult was caught and photographed on Gua, then released.
Since then, there have been a handful of reports of "grounded" birds that had crashed onto village roofs on the island. Most were immature birds, of which a few died.
Due to the extremely limited number of sightings, the bird is also inferred to be one of the rarest of all bird species.
It is one of 192 bird species which are list as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Stinky lure
But while there have been ten unconfirmed reports of the bird at sea, with the latest a possible Fiji Petrel sighted around 400km north of Bougainville Island, until now there has been no confirmed sightings.
That was until in May, when scientists and volunteers working with Birdlife International and NatureFiji-MareqetiViti, a partner conservation organisation based in Fiji, set out to find the bird in its natural habitat.
The search for the elusive petrel is described in a paper in the latest Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club.
The researchers lured the bird with a specially made food, made from finely cut fish offal mixed with very dense fish oil.
Fiji petrel (H.Shirihai)
The Fiji petrel once "went missing" for 130 years
These were then frozen into 10kg blocks, which persist for over an hour in the water, creating a pungent oil slick which attracts petrels from some miles away.
On the second day of the expedition, the first Fiji Petrel appeared, approaching the chum slick from downwind, slowly zigzagging over the slick, and suddenly changing direction to drop onto a floating morsel.
In all, the expedition team believe they saw eight individuals over eleven days of observations.
"Finding this bird and capturing such images was a fantastic and exhilarating experience," says ornithologist Hadoram Shirihai, who lead the search team.
In 2008, Mr Shirihai also rediscovered the Critically Endangered Beck's Petrel (Pseudobulweria becki) a bird that was also only known from two sightings in the Pacific made in the 1920s.
"To see such a little-known bird at such close range was magical," added fellow expedition member Mr Tony Pym, describing his joy at seeing the Fiji petrel flying over the waves.
More surveys in 2010 are now planned to to locate the breeding area of the Fiji Petrel, says Dick Watling of NatureFiji-MareqetiViti.
"Once we know the location, we can assess what needs to be done to turn around the fortunes of this species," he says.

'climate porn'

Media attacked for 'climate porn'

By Richard Black
Environment correspondent, BBC News website


Floating ice (BBC)
The media excessively dramatise climate change impacts, says IPPR
Apocalyptic visions of climate change used by newspapers, environmental groups and the UK government amount to "climate porn", a think-tank says.
The report from the Labour-leaning Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) says over-use of alarming images is a "counsel of despair".
It says they make people feel helpless and says the use of cataclysmic imagery is partly commercially motivated.
However, newspapers have defended their coverage of a "crucial issue".
The IPPR report also criticises the reporting of individual climate-friendly acts as "mundane, domestic and uncompelling".

The style of climate change discourse is that we maximise the problem and minimise the solution
Solitaire Townsend, Futerra
"The climate change discourse in the UK today looks confusing, contradictory and chaotic," says the report, entitled Warm Words.
"It seems likely that the overarching message for the lay public is that in fact, nobody really knows."
Alarm and rhetoric
IPPR's head of climate change Simon Retallack, who commissioned the report from communication specialists Gill Ereaut and Nat Segnit, said: "We were conscious of the fact that the amount of climate change coverage has increased significantly over the last few years, but there had been no analysis of what the coverage amounted to and what impact it might be having."
They analysed 600 newspaper and magazine articles, as well as broadcast news and adverts.
Coverage breaks down, they concluded, into several distinct areas, including:

  • Alarmism, characterised by images and words of catastrophe
  • Settlerdom, in which "common sense" is used to argue against the scientific consensus
  • Rhetorical scepticism, which argues the science is bad and the dangers hyped
  • Techno-optimism, the argument that technology can solve the problem
Publications said often to take a "sceptical" line included the Daily Mail and Sunday Telegraph.
Into the "alarmist" camp the authors put articles published in newspapers such as the Independent, Financial Times and Sunday Times, as well as statements from environmental groups, academics including James Lovelock and Lord May, and some government programmes.
"It is appropriate to call [what some of these groups publish] 'climate porn', because on some level it is like a disaster movie," Mr Retallack told the BBC News website.
"The public become disempowered because it's too big for them; and when it sounds like science fiction, there is an element of the unreal there."
'Horror film'
No British newspaper has taken climate change to its core agenda quite like the Independent, which regularly publishes graphic-laden front pages threatening global meltdown, with articles inside continuing the theme.

If our readers thought we put climate change on our front pages for the same reason that porn mags put naked women on their front pages, they would stop reading us
Ian Birrell, The Independent
A recent leader, commenting on the heatwave then affecting Britain, said: "Climate change is an 18-rated horror film. This is its PG-rated trailer.
"The awesome truth is that we are the last generation to enjoy the kind of climate that allowed civilisation to germinate, grow and flourish since the start of settled agriculture 11,000 years ago."
Ian Birrell, the newspaper's deputy editor, said climate change was serious enough to merit this kind of linguistic treatment.
"The Independent led the way on campaigning on climate change and global warming because clearly it's a crucial issue facing the world," he said.
"You can see the success of our campaign in the way that the issue has risen up the political agenda."
Mr Retallack, however, believes some newspapers take an alarmist line on climate change through commercial motives rather than ideology.
"Every newspaper is a commercial organisation," he said, "and when you have a terrifying image on the front of the paper, you are likely to sell more copies than when you write about solutions."
Mr Birrell denied the charge. "You put on your front page what you deem important and what you think is important to your readers," he said.
"If our readers thought we put climate change on our front pages for the same reason that porn mags put naked women on their front pages, they would stop reading us.
"And I disagree that there's an implicit 'counsel of despair', because while we're campaigning on big issues such as ice caps, we also do a large amount on how people can change their own lives, through cycling, installing energy-efficient lighting, recycling, food miles; we've been equally committed on these issues."
Small is not beautiful
The IPPR report acknowledges that the media, government and NGOs do discuss individual actions which can impact greenhouse gas emissions, such as installing low-energy lightbulbs.

Energy-saving light bulb (BBC)
The image of individual climate-friendly actions could be talked up

But, it says, there is a mismatch of scale; a conclusion with which Solitaire Townsend, MD of the sustainable development communications consultancy Futerra, agrees.
"The style of climate change discourse is that we maximise the problem and minimise the solution," she said.
"So we use a loud rumbling voice to talk about the challenge, about melting ice and drought; yet we have a mouse-like voice when we talk about 'easy, cheap and simple' solutions, making them sound as tiny as possible because we think that's what makes them acceptable to the public.
"In fact it makes them seem trivial in relation to the problem."
Mr Retallack believes his report contains important lessons for the government as it attempts to engage the British public with climate change.
"The government has just put £12m into climate change communication initiatives," he said, "including teams which will work at the local level.
"It's vital that this motivates and engages the public."

climate nonsense

UK climate scepticism more common


By Sudeep Chand
Science reporter

Plane flying against Sun
Are solar changes or greenhouse emissions driving warming?
The British public has become more sceptical about climate change over the last five years, according to a survey.
Twice as many people now agree that "claims that human activities are changing the climate are exaggerated".
Four in 10 believe that many leading experts still question the evidence. One in five are "hard-line sceptics".
The survey, by Cardiff University, shows there is still some way to go before the public's perception matches that of their elected leaders.
The results were announced at the British Science Festival in Guildford by Cardiff's Lorraine Whitmarsh.
What we have to get across is that residual uncertainty in science is normal
Lorraine Whitmarsh

A questionnaire survey was filled in by 551 people, from a range of ages and backgrounds, between September and November last year.
Although the findings are similar to those of other UK surveys, this is the first to show that people may be becoming "tired" of claims surrounding climate change.
Perception gap
Dr Whitmarsh told BBC News: "It is difficult for people to perceive what is and isn't climate change.
"But I think what we have to get across is that residual uncertainty in science is normal.
WHO IS THE MOST 'SCEPTICAL'?
Men more than women
Rural more than urban
Older people
High earners
Conservative voters more than Lib Dem voters; Lib Dem voters more than Labour voters

"Unfortunately, some people latch on to this uncertainty and say 'let's carry on as we are'."
She feels that many people are not "playing their part" in reducing humanity's impact on the environment.
"In general people are showing little willingness to change their lifestyles.
"They will recycle, unplug the TV and change their light bulbs; but they won't change how they travel or how they eat.
"These are the things that are going to make the biggest difference."
Alarmist
Half of the people surveyed believed the media was too alarmist.
And a third said there was too much conflicting evidence to know what is actually happening.
Dr Whitmarsh added: "We need to make it clear to people what is due to climate change and what is not.
"It is time we made it real to people."
Other surveys have shown that people in the UK are more sceptical than those in Europe, but less than those in the US.

Thursday 10 September 2009

biomass

Time to encourage biomass growth     


  VIEWPOINT
David Williams

Biomass energy is being touted as a key player in the push to green Europe's electricity supplies, says David Williams. In this week's Green Room, he argues that although there are promising signs, more needs to be done to encourage large-scale developments.   

Utilising straw for biomass represents one of the most efficient methods of its disposal and pre-empts the need for it to be ploughed back into the land

For some time, biomass has been seen as the emerging sibling of the renewable energy industry.
Despite much of the development behind the industry's technology worldwide, the UK's position at the front of the biomass revolution has been slipping.
Developers have naturally concentrated on cheaper forms of alternative energy, chiefly onshore wind, whilst other countries have stolen a march, with the Chinese particularly active by building hundreds of stations based on UK power plant models.
In recent months, however, we have seen something of a change in the UK, with a backlash against many more established alternative energy sources.
In the transport sector, biofuels have been attacked for their effect on food prices and actual carbon reductions, while wind has been criticised for its inability to produce a consistent stream of electricity and for its cost.
Many industry experts are now suggesting that biomass has to play the primary role in helping the EU to meet its challenging target of generating 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020

Wednesday 9 September 2009

relatives

Chimps imitate yawning animations



The animations were designed by copying the pattern of real chimps' yawns
Yawning is so contagious that chimpanzees can "catch" it from cartoons, according to research.
Scientists from Emory University in Atlanta, US, have discovered that an animation of a yawning chimp will stimulate real chimps to yawn.
They describe in the Royal Society journal, Proceedings B, how this could assist in the future study of empathy.
The work could also help unravel if and how computer games might cause children to imitate what they see on screen.
Previous studies have already shown contagious yawning in chimpanzees - stimulated by video-recorded footage of yawns.
"We wanted to expand on that," explained Matthew Campbell, a researcher from Emory University's Yerkes National Primate Research Center and lead author of the study.
"We're interested in using animation for presenting stimuli to animals, because we can control all the features of what we show them," he continued.
One possibility is to look at what factors in animations promote more or less imitation
Matthew Campbell, Emory University
Although Dr Campbell doesn't think the chimps were "fooled" by the animations into thinking they were looking at real chimps, he explained that there was evidence that chimpanzees "process animated faces the same way they process photographs of faces".
He said: "It's not a real chimpanzee, but it kind of looks like a chimpanzee, and they're responding to that."
He and his team, including Devyn Carter who designed the animations, showed the animals the yawning sequences.
"We also had the animations doing other movements with their mouths that the chimps often do," he said.
"The chimps showed a lot more yawning during the yawn video than when the control videos were playing.
He told BBC News that the only way he and his colleagues could explain the "very strong difference" they saw was that seeing the yawns was making the animals yawn.
On screen
Chimps (AFP/Getty)
Chimps are social animals and respond to facial expressions
This is an introductory experiment that the researchers say has demonstrated the utility of animations in behavioural experiments.
In his future work, Dr Campbell would like to pin down exactly how these measurable behaviours are related to the more difficult to measure phenomenon of empathy.
"We'd like to know more about behaviours related to empathy, like consolation - when an individual does something nice to the victim of aggression," he told BBC News.
"So we want to see if our good contagious yawners are also good consolers."
As well as tracing the development of empathy in our primate relatives, the research could have a more direct human perspective.
"There's a lot of concern about children and what they see on TV and the video games they play, so one possibility is to look at what factors in animations promote more or less imitation in non-humans," said Dr Campbell.
"So if we make the animations more realistic, are we going to get more contagious yawning out of the chimpanzees?
"And does that imply that realism promotes mimicry? If so, that could be really useful for work with humans as well."

animal factor

Virus linked to prostate tumours


A prostate cancer cell
Prostate cancer is a major killer
Scientists have produced compelling evidence that a virus known to cause cancer in animals is linked to prostate cancer in humans.
The researchers from the University of Utah and Columbia University medical schools found the virus in 27% of the 200 cancerous prostates they looked at.
They say it was associated with more aggressive tumours and found in only 6% of non-cancerous prostates.
The finding raises the prospect of one day producing a vaccine.
Previous research has linked XMRV (Xenotropic murine leukaemia virus) to prostate cancer but not specifically to the aggressive form of the disease.
Retrovirus
XMRV is a retrovirus like HIV which works by inserting a copy of its own DNA into the chromosomes of a cell they infect.
We still don't know that this virus causes cancer in people, but that is an important question we are going to investigate.
Dr Ila Singh, University of Utah
Where this occurs next to a gene that regulates cell growth it can disrupt the normal development of the cell.
XMRV is known to cause leukaemia and other tumours in animals.
Dr Ila Singh, who led the study from the pathology department at the University of Utah, said: "We still don't know that this virus causes cancer in people, but that is an important question we are going to investigate.
"One of the things peculiar about this virus is that it has an androgen response element - it grows better in the presence of testosterone and possibly other steroid hormones.
PROSTATE CANCER FACTS
Most common cancer in men in UK
10,000 die each year
Most cases are in those aged 70-74
Higher rates in most deprived populations
Source: Cancer Research UK
"This is particularly interesting because if we can prove that it responds to oestrogen it could have a role in other cancers.
"We are already looking at the bodies of 100 women and 100 men, who died from other causes, to see if any other organs carry the virus."
Risk factor
Dr Helen Rippon, Head of Research Management at The Prostate Cancer Charity, said the research was intriguing but posed several key questions about the role the infection plays in prostate cancer.
It is critically important to identify key triggers of prostate cancer to improve early detection
Dr Helen Rippon, Prostate Cancer Charity
She said: "Around the world, extensive work is being undertaken to identify risk factors for prostate cancer which will enable treatments and tests for the disease to be refined.
"It is critically important to identify key triggers of prostate cancer to improve early detection of the disease in men with potentially life threatening prostate cancer."
Dr Chris Parker, Cancer Research UK's prostate cancer expert at the Institute of Cancer Research said: "This exciting study raises the possibility that the virus might contribute to the development of some prostate cancers.
"In the future, if it turns out to be true, then we could speculate about the possibility of vaccination to protect against prostate cancer, similar to the approach now used to prevent cervical cancer."

Sunday 6 September 2009

angels


BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Hint of planet outside our galaxy

angels at home now
Hint of planet outside our galaxy

By Jason Palmer
Science and technology reporter, BBC News
Andromeda galaxy (Nasa)
The first planet to be seen outside the Milky Way may lie in Andromeda
Astronomers believe they have seen hints of the first planet to be spotted outside of our galaxy.
Situated in the Andromeda galaxy, the planet appears to be about six times the mass of Jupiter.
The method hinges on gravitational lensing, whereby a nearer object can bend the light of a distant star when the two align with an observer.
The results will be published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS).
The team, made up of researchers from the National Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) in Italy and collaborators in Switzerland, Spain, and Russia, exploited a type of gravitational lensing called microlensing.
The effect of large, massive objects between an observer and a distant planet or star can cause distortion or multiple images as the intermediary object's gravity bends the passing light. Microlensing, by contrast, occurs when a less massive object lies in the middle.
The technology is in place to truly see planets of Jupiter's mass and even less in other galaxies
Francesco De Paolis
INFN
There is a noticeable increase in the observed intensity of light coming from the aligned pair as the intermediate object focuses the distant one's light.
Because the effect depends on smaller objects that will be moving quickly relative to one another, microlensing events are fleeting, happening over the course of minutes or hours. Moreover, the mutual alignment of two small, far-flung objects with an observer on the Earth is exceptionally rare.
For that reason, dense collections of millions of stars, such as the Andromeda galaxy, are surveyed in order to detect them.
'Exceptional'
Francesco De Paolis of the INFN and his colleagues developed a computer model to determine the likelihood of detecting an exoplanet via a microlensing event in the Andromeda galaxy.
They modelled the "light curve", the variation in light that a microlensed star would exhibit if it were being orbited by a companion - another star or a planet.
Having determined the clues that a planet in Andromeda would show, they returned to a survey completed in 2004 by the Point-Agape collaboration of astronomers that showed an unusual light curve.
That event, the group says, matches up to its theory and can be attributed to a companion of a mass about six times that of Jupiter.
That suggests either a planet, or a small companion star such as a brown dwarf.
Gravitational lensing (Nasa)
Stronger gravitational lensing results in multiple images
Unfortunately, given that microlensing events from a given pair of objects happens just once, astronomers cannot return to the planet candidate to confirm the idea.
But Dr De Paolis is encouraged by the possibility of detecting planets at such phenomenal distances.
"The interesting thing is that the technology is in place to truly see planets of Jupiter's mass and even less in other galaxies," he told BBC News. "It's an exceptional thing."
Armed with the new theory, the authors of the work are looking to secure time on a larger telescope to continue with their observations in the hope of finding more candidates.
With about 350 extra-solar planets already found in our galactic neighbourhood, Dr De Paolis said, it was likely that such candidates were abundant. The difficulty is in catching sight of one through a gravitational lens.
"It's not easy, obviously," he said. "The problem is that we don't know when a gravitational microlensing event is going to happen."

archbishop pacafist cnd member ?



Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament - Trade Unions

to CND, I am researching certain instances, I wonder wether you could
indicate wether Mr. Toy Blair was a member of your organisation , also
wether he still is, and does your organisation have any comment on the
actions of him as one of your members, this would be appreciated so I can
assess the material I am writing for it's correctness.
Richard Thurgood/richimag
CND reply /thank you for your e-mail. I'm afraid that such information comes under
the remit of the Data Protection Act - we cannot disclose details
regarding members.
Sorry we could not be of more assistance with this enquiry - please feel
free to let us know if you have any other questions we can help with.
Trade Unions
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Print
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sonnet.jpg
Trade unions are vital to CND's campaign against the replacement of Trident and our long standing commitment to achieving the global abolition of nuclear weapons.
Today CND has national affiliations from UNISON, CWU, RMT, FBU, TSSA, ASLEF, NUM and UNITY.
Other unions, including the UNITE sections TGWU and AMICUS, and also UCATT, the NUT and the NUJ have voted to oppose the replacement of Trident

Friday 4 September 2009

organic

> Andy Shaw here, long story short, the government are due to pass a law in
> the near future that will outlaw food supplements, force growth hormones
> into the food supply and could even eventually lead to the banning of
> 'organic' produce.yes I know it sounds mad. The EU are changing the law
> from the current way it is, i.e. 'if it's not on a banned substance list',
> then it's legal, to the Napoleonic way of, 'if it is not on an approved
> substance list', then it is illegal.
>
> We all know we want to do more with our diet i.e. eat better, and more
> quality foods.well when we finally get round to changing our dietary
> habits we would at least like to know that the choice of good, healthy,
> and most importantly SAFE food will be there waiting for us. Well not if
> this comes in.
>
> They want to irradiate food at source and bring in mass genetically
> modified food, of course neither of these will be the first things that
> will come out of the law which we will see but it is the thin end of the
> wedge. The media suppression on this subject is amazing and I hadn't even
> heard about it myself until January this year.
>
> Well the petition against this new law is due to end this Saturday on 5th
> September, as I write this 53,129 people have signed this. It is the 2nd
> largest outstanding petition in the country which is outstanding when you
> think that the media coverage is zero towards it.
>
> Here are the ful list of all government petitions so you can see how many
> have signed up now, it is the Margaret Rotherwell one:-
> http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/list/open?sort=signers
>
> If you want to read the full details about what it is and how it will
> seriously affect yours and your children's future then full details are
> below. If you don't want to know the full details but just want to sign
> the petition on the government website then simply go here:-
> http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/ it takes about 50 seconds to
> join. I and your children will thank you for doing it.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Andy
>
> PS To the government your signature counts at least as a multiple of at
> least 1,000, i.e.for every email, letter, phone call or signature the
> government believes that there are at least 1,000 other people who simply
> couldn't be bothered to do anything. Going by that statistic the
> government should see that if Codex became public that nearly the entire
> population of the UK would disagree with it!
>
> PPS We are all too busy and won't get everything done today that we want
> to, but you could do this and maybe make a difference to your children's
> food for the future. If you are one of those that normally would think
> someone else will do it, hopefully you are right they will but if you are
> wrong then you are helping to commit us all to food that will harm our
> future and may shorten our lives.
>
>
> Here are my other rough notes and insight on this Codex Alimentarius
>
>
> If you already agree I suggest you go and sign up now and then do your
> research http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/ , if you want more
> convincing then here are my notes and parts of the email I thought of
> sending to you as I researched it over the last 6 months:-
>
> As you may or may not know after losing over 10stone on a diet I became a
> life-long study of health I have found many truly disturbing truths which
> are almost impossible to believe regarding the indoctrination of our whole
> way of believing health and longevity to be. Don't worry I'm not going to
> go into them all here!
>
> What this is about is something small you can do that creates a big
> result. I'm going to ask you to do me a favour and your children and your
> friends and your family and of course yourself a favour and you'll be
> pleased to hear there is no cost. However, if you don't I can assure you
> there will be a cost to your life in the future.
>
> I've never got involved in any political situation or signed any petitions
> before as frankly I couldn't be bothered, didn't want to add my name to a
> list which I didn't know where it was going to be shown. Basically I had
> too much going on in my own life to really care that much.
>
> However, this time I have had to move into the light and possibly have
> people think I'm a loon or something for even suggesting what I am about
> to suggest to you. But frankly I couldn't live with myself if I didn't at
> least try as I have an advantage over most people and I have a large
> mailing list so I can speak to a lot of people at once. So if I didn't at
> least try then I would have trouble looking in the faces of my grand
> children as I sat idly by when I could have done something to stop
> something really horrible coming in.
>
> I can't remember who said it or exactly the wording, but bad things happen
> when those with the power to act do nothing, so here it is.
>
> The government are signing into power on 31st December 2009 (I believe
> this date has been put back now) the worst regulation there has ever been
> on food and we are stepping back to Napoleonic style law in doing so.
> After watching the video below I started my research and after about 40
> hours research I relented and HAD to sign the petition on the government
> website as I could not in good conscious not do so.
>
> I am going to ask you to do me and everyone you know including yourself
> the biggest favour of your and their future lives and sign the petition
> below. (takes approx 50 secs)
>
> http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Vitamins/
>
> But you owe it to yourself not just to sign up but to watch the video and
> get disturbed a little as this will make you send it to all you know as
> well.
>
> Here is a link to a video that explains what Codex Alimentarius is and how
> its implementation by the end of this year will change the lives of
> everyone you know forever.yet we have heard nothing about it from the
> media.
>
> I signed the petition when they had about 5,000 names on it in January,
> they now have 15,608. I delayed sending this email whilst I researched it
> so that I could speak to you with full knowledge of this subject before
> asking you to put your name to something.
>
>
> So What The Hell Is It Andy That Has Made You Ask For A Favour?
>
>
> This video has been done by Ian Crane someone like us who just got
> passionate about something being done wrong in our name. The video is
> quite long at 1 hour 29 minutes but after the first few minutes I figured
> it was wroth my time to watch it. It took me some 40 hours of research to
> conclude that it was worth your time to watch it as well, as I did not
> want to waste your time.
>
> It may seem like Ian goes on a little, but believe me it is worth
> listening to as there is some very good bits of history in it. And it gets
> a little conspiracy theoryish (well more directly than that) but it really
> is worth giving the benefit of the doubt to. He brings a bit too much
> other stuff in so dilutes his message.
>
> http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=5800206429960925518
>
>
> Notes:-
>
> * Currently the law is anything not forbidden is permitted, in future it
> is changing to Napoleonic law, that anything not permitted is forbidden
> * Nutrients will be considered as toxins and we therefore need to be
> protected from them
> * Currently on their positive list, glucosumine is not allowed
> * Nutrients will become illegal if they have any impact on the body
> * Under new regs EVERY cow must have growth hormone
> * EVERY animal must be treated with anti-biotics and must have growth
> hormone
> * All food must be irradiated unless eaten locally
> * You will not know if the food has growth hormones in as the law will not
> have to mark it up
> * 106,000 deaths each year from properly prescribed medicines
> * 150,000 deaths each year by medical blunders
> * Only 5% of test subjects have to have some positive benefit following a
> medical test
> * 47,000 die from car accidents and 47,000 firearm incidents in 2002
> * Everyone knows that food has an effect on our behavoiur and our
> lifestyle. Why do you think so many of us now only buy organic farmed
> foods. We are all trying to be healthy. We all take that option, but what
> effect on our behaviour and lifestyle do you think the'll be when we no
> longer know what we are eating.
> * The US has given approval for clone animal food with no labelling on the
> food
> * This is the process of gradualism.yes we will have organic food in 2010,
> but will it still be there in 2040
> * The pharmaceutical companies have virtually bottomless pockets, and this
> will be important why???
> * Napoleonic law ceased to be in the UK in 1215 when the magna carta was
> signed. WTO will impose codex using Napoleonic law. We currently have
> common law, and how that works is that iunless something is specifically
> banned then its ok, where as napoleonic law is, unless something is
> speciffically mentioned in a piece of legislation then it is banned.
> * So the work and cost to get something onto the list is enormous as you
> can see the drug companies allready have to do a lot of work to get their
> drugs passed. So organic farmers and small health remedies coming from all
> over the world don't have deep pockets.
> * The testing process will be so long and so expensive to get something on
> the approved list that the only ones who can afford it are those with very
> deep pockets and a vested interest.
> * They tried to get this in in the US in 1994, and the US revolted against
> it though it was kept out of the national media. * So they turned their
> attention to Europe, and when Europe passes it on 31st Dec, they will have
> their mandate to enforce it around the world. As the legislation to stop
> it in the US only lasts until Codex is accepted in Europe, and it is being
> done under our very noses.
> * The British government has basically washed their hands of this and has
> accepted that they will do whatever they are told to by the EU. Which is
> actually what they have to do by law anyway.
>
>
> This is Codex Alimentarius Goals & Objectives from the National Health
> Federation
>
>
> - International (Global) Harmonistation
> - Abolition of Organic Farming
> - Introduction of GM food & Livestock
> - Removal of all ingredients labelling
> - Irradiation of food at source (I.E. hitting them with Gamma Rays
> killing virtually all vitamins and enzymes)
> - Restriction of all Natural Remedies
> o To include all supplements, herbs, vitamins, minerals, homeopathic
> remedies, etc
>
> What this means is:-
>
> Codex Alimentarius =
>
> - Unlabeled GM + Processed Foods (Low Nutrient + Low Mineral + Low
> Vitamin values)
> - All Vitamin & Mineral Supplements to be of low (ineffectual)
> dosage
> - Herbs and other Natural Health Remedies to be labeled as Drugs
> - Homeopathic medicines will only be able to be prescribed by a
> Doctor
>
> The Eu said no to Codex, but in 2005 Codex and the World Trade
> Organisation went to the international court of justice in luxemberg and
> they actually overruled the EU, who said, get this out of here we don't
> even know what it is. But at the ICJ they actually brought about a law
> that forbids Doctors to give information about diseases being curable by
> nutrients. So it is ilegal for a Doctor to say that their condition may
> get better if they change their diet.
>
> http://www.bbc5.tv/news/story/robert-verkerk-codex-alimentarius
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxMjlAUeW2s
>
> http://www.revver.com/video/734473/codex-trailer-the-alternative-view/
>
> Dr Robert Verkerk
>
> http://www.anhcampaign.org/campaigns/codex

Monday 31 August 2009

Health First Grape Seed Extract

Health First Grape Seed Extract

This grape seed extract is 40 to 50 times more potent than the typical grape seed extract sold everywhere. This is because it is made using Masqueleir's third and final patent which utilizes expensive vacuum and low temperature processing to protect the anti-oxidant capabilities of the grape seed. Masqueleir was the researcher who discovered the OPC's in grape seed extract, and researched the many health benefits they provide.

It is highly anti-inflammatory, great for pain relief, the cardiovascular system and cancer. OPC's have a history of being powerful cancer fighters as they protect cells from free radical damage and boost immune response. As reported in PubMed, the conclusion of one study on OPC's and colorectal cancer is: "These data indicate that OPC caused cell death by apoptosis through caspase pathways on human colorectal cancer cell line, SNU-C4."

Most people don't get powerful results using grape seed extract because the extract they use has not been processed correctly so it is largely impotent. And they don't use enough. Even with the highly potent Health First Grape Seed Extract, you have to use a lot when fighting cancer. Use about 12 capsules daily for an early stage cancer, 18 a day for an advanced stage cancer. That's 6 to 9 bottles a month for this very good cancer fighter.

A Special Alpha Lipoic Acid

There is a well known and quite expensive anti-cancer supplement that combines a heavy metal with alpha lipoic acid in order to deliver the alpha lipoic acid into the cell. It has a few other vitamins and nutrients also. Energetic testing puts this supplement, when taken in the suggested high doses, at 249. Which seems to be another case of something that is not as good as it sounds. You can accomplish something similar at a much lower cost - if you want, with...

DHLA Nano Plex Enhanced

DHLA is a fully reduced and thus immediately usable alpha lipoic acid. It has far superior free radical quenching power than even the previous best form of alpha lipoic acid, R-lipoic acid. What makes it even better is that it has been broken down into nano sized particles by probiotic fermentation.

In addition, it is frequency enhanced with vibratory energies, to further enhance absorption of DHLA into cancer cells. This reduced, nano sized and frequency enhanced alpha lipoic acid doesn't need a toxic heavy metal to help it get into cancer cells. Energy testing puts its cancer fighting ability at 248, virtually tied with the other product.

What DHLQ does once it gets into a cancer cell is increase the amount of energy going the mitochondria of that cell. Because cancer cells produce energy anaerobically, they have very low energy production, and no longer have the energy pathways that a healthy cell has to handle the increased energy. So the mitochondria in a cancerous cell eventually becomes damaged when the DHLA gets into the cell, and the cancer cell releases enzymes that initiate apoptosis, a programmed cell death.

Healthy cells produce much more energy, so have the pathways to handle the increased energy production. DHLA only helps them work better. Use 3 bottles a month for an early stage cancer, and 4 bottles a month for an advanced stage cancer.

Next we are going to take a look at how enzymes could help you beat cancer.

Reduce Free Radical Damage to Beat Cancer

Patients rejecting hospital food

Patients rejecting hospital food
Hospital kitchen
Some patients were put off by how food looked, tasted and smelled
Many hospital patients are leaving their food unfinished because it is so unappetising, a report has found.

The Food Watch survey of 2,240 patients in England found more than a third had abandoned their food, and 40% have had food brought in by visitors.

Around 26% who needed help with eating did not receive any, it added and 22% found their meals too hot or too cold.

The Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health is calling on the government to improve food standards.

Some 18% of those questioned said they did not always have their choice of meal, and 81% said they had no choice of meals in advance.

'Disappointing'

The report was conducted by Patient and Public Involvement Forums at 97 hospitals across England. Sharon Grant, chair of the Commission for Patient and Public Involvement in Health, said the findings were "disappointing".

This survey is further damning evidence that many hospitals are putting lives at risk by failing to provide patients with basic care
Gordon Lishman, Age Concern

"Proper nutrition is essential to recovery both physically and psychologically," she said.

"Patients have every right to expect food that is nutritious, served at the appropriate temperature, meets their dietary needs and help to eat if they need it."

"Not only will this impact upon a patient's recovery, but is a huge waste in terms of NHS money and resources," she added.

Ms Grant said the survey had revealed examples where the food was of a good standard, but the forums had been shocked by the comments from some patients.

She added the findings would be sent to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt in a bid to improve standards across the board.

Age Concern England director general Gordon Lishman said hospitals needed to urgently address the problem.

"This survey is further damning evidence that many hospitals are putting lives at risk by failing to provide patients with basic care.

"It's a fact that malnourished patients stay in hospital for longer, are three times as likely to develop complications during surgery and have a higher mortality rate."

But health minister Andy Burnham said hospital food had improved significantly over the past few years, although he said more action was needed.

He added: "Earlier this week the independent Healthcare Commission found that nearly all trusts (over 96%) were meeting the core standards on hospital food.

"Last year, the independent Patient Environment Action Teams found that 90% of hospitals were rated good or excellent for food standards compared to 17% in 2002."

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