tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66758257985756057512024-03-19T04:08:27.476-05:00Higher PerspectiveAwakening the masses to the true reality around them through critical thinking, independent research, and hive-mind brainstorming! Higher Perspective seeks to increase the spread of knowledge, bring together open and like minded individuals focused on expanding their consciousness, and encourage people to question EVERYTHING.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.comBlogger472125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-16142744168517683492013-10-24T14:20:00.002-05:002013-10-24T14:20:59.729-05:00Using Meditation to Overcome Ego<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcbFUUIGPe_NdoXkRKPX2CMVzOY1LiLgq5KsnghPlEZau50a7xjm1Xx7ZUz9gNXdN9JFcQ5o8Ev-I0Wogj3NO-VhIA020K1kdHZDnifQatZG_NgMExOwxFIm7DDVi-UzN9orZ-xQmku7A/s1600/buddha+medi.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcbFUUIGPe_NdoXkRKPX2CMVzOY1LiLgq5KsnghPlEZau50a7xjm1Xx7ZUz9gNXdN9JFcQ5o8Ev-I0Wogj3NO-VhIA020K1kdHZDnifQatZG_NgMExOwxFIm7DDVi-UzN9orZ-xQmku7A/s640/buddha+medi.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Debbie West, <em>Contributor</em><b><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/22/using-meditation-overcome-ego/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In order to combat the harmful illusion of self that is created by our ideals of who we are based on past experiences and judgments of ourselves and others, we must overcome the ego. The ego-self is created by a complex and powerful overlay of our mind that is designed as a shield to protect us from harm and suffering. The ego unchecked over time expands, falsifying our idea of true self. The result is an unbalanced, disconnected, external self focused solely on safety and attachments with narcissistic concerns about appearance and position, yearning for admiration and superiority and bogging us down with negative and false fear-based thoughts of judgment, anger and resentment. In the quest to overcome the false self or ego self, many have turned to meditation practices which detoxify our minds, cleanse the soul, and reactivate our higher self connection to a universal and compassionate consciousness. It has been proven that <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/09/28/brain-meditation/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="This Is Your Brain on Meditation">positive thoughts and a joyful outlook</a>, combined with a forgiving nature filled with love and gratitude, have the capacity to heal our minds and bodies. Using meditation ignites the spiritual connection within us so frequently manipulated by our ego’s desire to be in charge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Connecting to Soul Self thru Meditation</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One of the primary benefits of meditation is creating a sense of stillness and calm that is present throughout one’s entire life. This stillness and inner peace is one of the most attractive aspects of making meditation a daily practice. Meditation is clearing the mind, and in clearing the mind it silences the ego. During meditation, a sense of peace is created with the universe, allowing the experience of true identity, also known as “cosmic ego.” There are multiple layers to the mind, and meditation assists in breaking thru the outer ego-defense layer to reach the inner self. Often, we do not realize what is missing in our human experience, but a sense of emptiness or being overcome by <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/14/yoga-tai-chi-and-meditation-foundations-for-wellness/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Yoga, Tai Chi and Meditation – Foundations for Wellness">psychological traumas such as depression, anxiety</a>, bipolar may lead to seeking treatment. Finding a spiritual connection using meditation relieves mental anguish, develops a healthy mind and body, and promotes overall health and well-being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Religions Agree on the Philosophy of No-Ego</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seemingly, all traditions agree that no great spiritual attainment is possible without conquest of <b>egocentricity</b>. And while a healthy dose of self-esteem and self-confidence are valuable traits, one must replace conceit with modesty and arrogance with humility. This is where meditation can help us tremendously. The truth lies within and is an internal connection to the eternal soul. Which practice we choose or what skills we use, whether we are religious or not, are not significant. <em>Atman</em>, a term commonly used in the Hindu and eastern traditions, describes the connection to higher self and someone who has reached a state of no-ego. Atman means the individual soul or essence. A person who is entirely in touch with their spiritual side is an example of someone deeply connected to atman.<i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chung Hyun Kyung, Professor of Ecumenical Theology and Interfaith Engagement at Union Theological Seminary and a Buddhist Dharma teacher, states:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“In a way, the Christian notion of being in Christ and Buddhist notion of no-self and true self have something in common. That commonality is, you are free from this binding ego. You step outside of ego and are then open to receive love of God and open to act as a good Christian disciple or a good Buddhist. So whatever needs arise around you, you respond to it freely without clinging to your old unchanging self.”</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Tibetan practices, it is taught that our true self is eternal and is the God force within us. The way of our higher self is to reflect our inner reality rather than the outer illusion. The description given by Sogyal Rinpoche in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062508342/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062508342&linkCode=as2&tag=snoski-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><i>The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying</i></a> is a wonderful explanation of this discovery:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Two people have been living in you all of your life. One is the ego, garrulous, demanding, hysterical, calculating; the other is the hidden spiritual being, whose still voice of wisdom you have only rarely heard or attended to.”</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He refers to this hidden spiritual being as our wise guide. When we learn to transcend the illusions sponsored by the ego, we can access this wise guide. We can invite in the higher aspects of ourselves to function in their natural, loving and integrated design.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Identifying EGO</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Eckart%20Tolle%20&linkCode=as2&tag=snoski-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Eckart Tolle</a> was asked, “How do you know whether a feeling you have is coming from your Ego, or from a deeper source?” His response:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Sometimes it’s not so easy to tell. One criterion you can use is to know, if there is any negativity involved, anger, resentment, irritation, then Ego is present there. If there is no negativity but there is an underlying field of peace, then it arises from a deeper place that is not the Ego.”</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we view the world in competition and judgment and others as less than, often our Ego is driving our behavior and our thoughts. This means the Ego is fulfilling its need to be right, self-important and drives us away from our true nature as loving beings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>“Negativity is the key,”</em> explains Tolle. <em>“Knowing whether or not that is present in you. You need to be present to know whether it’s there or not. If you are identified with negativity, then you won’t even know that there is negativity. To the Ego, a negative feeling is something good. The Ego loves to be angry. It strengthens itself with that.”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Sigmond%20Freud&linkCode=as2&tag=snoski-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sigmond Freud</a> (1923), known as the founding father of psychoanalysis, coined the terms id, ego and superego, the three parts of his psychoanalytic personality theory stating that they work together in creating human behavior. According to the Freud terminology, the id is irrational and creates demands, the ego adds the needs of reality in meeting the demands of the id, and the superego adds morality to the action which is taken. The superego can punish the ego with feelings of guilt. These concepts do not contradict the current views on the human personality and ego based vs. cosmic consciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Overcoming Ego using Meditation in the Mainstream</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rise in great spiritual leaders of this decade who have inspired millions in a non-religious pursuit of spiritual fulfillment has increased the wide spread use of meditation practices in the West. Respected authors such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Wayne%20Dyer&linkCode=as2&tag=snoski-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Dr. Wayne Dyer</a>, Eckert Tolle, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&index=aps&keywords=Deepak%20Chopra&linkCode=as2&tag=snoski-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Deepak Chopra</a> have transcended religious doctrines with a new message of finding joy and purpose by identifying with the soul self. When asked about ego, Dr. Wayne Dyer says:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“No one has ever seen the face of ego. It is like a ghost that we accept as a controlling influence in our lives. I look upon the ego as nothing more than an idea that each of us has about ourselves. The ego is only an illusion, but a very influential one. Letting the ego-illusion become your identity can prevent you from knowing your true self and is a backwards way of assessing and living life.”</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/08/13/dismantling-the-structure/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Dismantling the Structure">Losing the identity to ego-self</a> transcends religious beliefs and acknowledges that the internal spirit of an individual’s higher self is the connection to God consciousness, uplifting the soul in peace and unity of both ourselves and others. Dr. Susan Dillbeck, president of the International Foundation of Consciousness-Based Education, says that meditation is very important and encourages everyone to practice it often<i>.</i><i></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em>“When we meditate, we begin to feel the touch of our spirit we sense our vibration increasing in an internal, eternal, melding of self with our soul. A quiet mind hears the voice of the angels more easily. The more you relax your mind, the easier it is for you to hear the answer. Open our heart and mind, this abundant love has no boundaries.” – </em>Dr. Susan Dillbeck</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using daily meditation, results from brain scans now reveal an increase in gray-matter density in areas of the brain associated with memory, self-awareness, compassion and introspection, and a decrease in density of gray matter in areas associated with stress and anxiety.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As society reaches new levels of awareness, seeking solutions to overcoming the limiting beliefs placed on us by ego-based thinking, meditation is becoming more popular amongst mainstream thought leaders in science, psychology and religion. Knowing that <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/09/25/amazing-ways-thoughts-create-brain/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="The Amazing Ways Your Thoughts Create Your Brain">we control our thoughts</a> and that we are not our minds, but in reality we are our spiritual essence or soul, science and spirituality continue to help society grasp a more advanced knowledge of the science of the mind.</span></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read the first 2 articles of 3-part series: </span></strong></em></div>
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<em><strong><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/14/ego-overcoming-limitations-personality-search-cosmic-self/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ego – Overcoming the Limitations of Personality While in Search of the Cosmic Self</span></a></strong></em></div>
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<a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/17/meditation-rise-futuristic-medicine-ageless-practice/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meditation – The Rise of Futuristic Medicine From An Ageless Practice</span></strong></em></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.tnetimes.com/contributor/deborah_west/92/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Deborah West</a> worked in corporate public relations and media for over 20 years and is currently a freelancer, reporting on a wide variety of topics including disclosure, ancient and multidimensional civilizations, the the shift in humanity’s consciousness and brings truthful reporting to topics ranging from healthcare to energy. She writes a column called <a href="http://www.tnetimes.com/contributor/deborah_west/92/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong><em>Lost Knowledge</em></strong></a> at The New Era Times and has a weekly radio show called <a href="http://theilluminatinetwork.com/2013/09/lost-knowledge-3717/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong><em>Lost Knowledge</em></strong></a> on Tuesdays 3-5pm CST. To see her articles go to: <a href="http://www.tnetimes.com/contributor/deborah_west/92/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.tnetimes.com/contributor/deborah_west/92/</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-90009980162075125582013-10-24T14:12:00.000-05:002013-10-24T14:12:22.883-05:005 Foods That Are As Addictive As Cocaine<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGn8GoIbEwV6zj3uuuoTqc2gn6L-dJJCaC30j5NtasxI1v0vDiSOcg0K4yt6Jg93QCnJpGvjB3mwu2_xXoLFY-q0dSNghvMTLnql-uMx_X7qymAZOUxjbRYPqAEjTsL6ZvgRSrSujCm61/s1600/oreo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGn8GoIbEwV6zj3uuuoTqc2gn6L-dJJCaC30j5NtasxI1v0vDiSOcg0K4yt6Jg93QCnJpGvjB3mwu2_xXoLFY-q0dSNghvMTLnql-uMx_X7qymAZOUxjbRYPqAEjTsL6ZvgRSrSujCm61/s400/oreo.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em><a href="http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2013/10/21/5-foods-addictive-cocaine-151853" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Indian Country News</a></em><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/23/5-foods-addictive-cocaine/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Just looking at a photo of a stack of cookies or freshly baked bread can make your mouth water. Research says simply <em>seeing </em>tempting food releases the chemical dopamine in the brain. The neurotransmitter, often referred to as the “happy hormone,” helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. When you indulge, dopamine levels spike, causing you to crave more, and more. Next you thing you know, that box of Oreos is empty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem is exacerbated because over-indulgence in foods high in fat, sugar and salt begins to shift your brain’s hedonic set point. Let’s take a look at our ancestors’ eating habits for reference. Sugar was a treat found in fruit and honey. Salt was eaten in foods that naturally contain sodium. Fat was consumed in hunted meat or foraged nuts. Food was earned; it was sustenance; and it brought happiness, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today these simple foods can seem less desirable, overshadowed by processed desserts and snacks that actually cause symptoms of addiction equal to that produced by drugs like morphine and cocaine. When we overeat foods like ice cream on a regular basis, foods that used to trigger reward signals in the brain no longer activate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Women, especially, are at high risk of addiction. “Women tend to restrict and then binge,” Ashley Gearhardt, PhD, assistant professor in the psychology department at the University of Michigan, told <em><a href="http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/food-addiction-most-addictive-foods" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Prevention</a></em>. “That seems to sensitize the brain’s developing an addictive process and for you to have a psychologically unhealthy relationship with the substance.” Gearhardt is a co-creator of Yale University’s Food Addiction Scale, which places many of today’s processed foods in the same category as drugs of abuse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beware the foods of a dangerous trifecta: fat, sugar and salt. Take a March 2010 study of rats, for example. Given unlimited access to unhealthy foods like candy and fast food, they began compulsively eating—even when they were given an electric shock to their feet after they exceeded their daily quota.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Indian Country Today Media Network rounds up the most addictive foods that should only be consumed in moderation—but is moderation even possible?</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">5. Bread and Pasta</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brain imaging reveals that after eating highly processed carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, rice, baked goods and other starches, the same pleasure centers of the brain light up as when a person takes drugs such as cocaine and heroin,<em>The New York Times </em><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57591389/processed-carbohydrates-are-addictive-brain-study-suggests/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">reports</a>. In both cases, dopamine levels, which trigger happiness and feelings of reward, spike and then deplete, thus fueling addiction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When a strong pasta craving kicks in, try a healthy substitute, like high-quality spelt pasta, cooked<em>al dente</em>to lower its glycemic content, suggests Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona in his cookbook <em>True Food</em>.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">4. Salty Snacks</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A team of Duke University Medical Center and Australian scientists has found that addictive drugs affect the same nerve cells in the brain as salt. Both cocaine and salt create a strong reward sensation, which can be linked to behavioral conditioning. That feeling makes us want to repeat what led to the dopamine release, reported <em><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110711151451.htm" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">ScienceDaily.com</a>.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over-ingesting of salt causes the kidneys to dump the excess sodium through the urine. But when the kidneys fail to keep up, the excess salt is stored in the cells. For chronic salt abusers, kidneys may never catch up, resulting in potassium deficiency, water retention, high blood pressure and even congestive heart failure, <em>Prevention </em>reported.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Having a diet high in salt makes you more prone to having high blood pressure,” which is a major cause of heart disease and stroke, Jean Charles-Azure, Lummi, a registered dietician and public health nutritionist at the Indian Health Service’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C., told Indian Country Today Media Network.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reducing sodium intake can prove challenging. Oftentimes people do not realize how much sodium certain foods contain. “People can choose how much salt to add to their food at the table. They can’t take it out once it’s there,” Frieden said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Health officials say most Americans consume excess salt primarily from processed and restaurant foods—not from the salt shaker. “It’s possible to eat a whole bunch of sodium without it seeming salty,” John Hayes, an assistant professor of food science at Penn State, who was not involved in the report, told the AP.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While a person should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day—roughly a teaspoon of salt—the average sodium consumption in the U.S. is around 3,300 milligrams, a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study found. Those with high blood pressure or other health conditions should eat even less. Nine out of 10 Americans surpass the teaspoon guideline, states the highlights from the report.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a substitute to salty crackers, try baking <a href="http://www.prevention.com/food/food-remedies/foods-fight-pain/krispy-kale-chips" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">homemade kale chips</a> with a touch of sea salt, <em>Prevention </em>magazine suggests.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">3. Fatty Foods</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not surprisingly, when lab rats are given access to fatty foods, they gorge themselves until they become obese. But the wiring in their brains also changes. These rats eventually develop a tolerance to the pleasure the fatty foods provide, and thus have to consume more to experience a high.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our ancestors enjoyed fatty meat, but today we fry our wings, we braise our pork rinds in sugar and oil. And to top it off, some restaurants offer these foods all-you-can-eat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Humans used to have to search for food,” says Baylor College of Medicine researcher Dr. Ken Goodrick. “Now food searches us out.”</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">2. Chocolate</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cacao plant is thought to have originated in the Amazon about 300 B.C. Mayan culture called it “xocoatl,” or “god’s food,” for it symbolized life and fertility, and many of their carvings depicted cocoa pods. The Mayan enjoyed beverages of cacao beans crushed and mixed with liquid.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Similarly, the Aztecs believed their god, Quetzalcoatl, brought the cacao plant to them. They used spices, chili peppers and corn meal as sweeteners.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Researchers have also linked ancient chocolate consumption with traditional dishes eaten today such as mole, a chocolate-based sauce made with chili peppers and served with meat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our ancestors’ enjoyed cocoa in its natural state. Today, we are a nation of “chocoholics,” because we pack it with sugar and fat that provokes serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is related to emotions, social behavior and even sexual desire. A 1997 study published in the<em>International Journal of Psychophysiology</em>found that self-identified chocoholics experienced physical, behavioral, and emotional responses to chocolate that mirrored those of drug addicts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don’t be fooled into thinking dark chocolate is healthy—unless you’re consuming the no-sugar-added kind, or pure cocoa. Nearly all commercially sold chocolate is loaded with oil, fat, milk solids and sugar.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. Sugar—and Particularly Oreos, according to a recent study</span></strong></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to a recent study by students at Connecticut College, rats undergo higher trips on Oreo filling than on cocaine or morphine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Researchers measured the reactions in the rats’ brains and found that “Oreos activated significantly more neurons” than cocaine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“This correlated well with our behavioral results and lends support to the hypothesis that high-fat/high-sugar foods are addictive,” Joseph Schroeder, associate professor of psychology at Connecticut College, said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sugar addiction is already hard-wired into humans. Humans are capable of producing small amounts of morphine in our bodies, released through breast milk, believed to help a baby bond with its mother. Breast milk is already sweet, so babies associate sugar with nurture and satisfaction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“We are biologically wired to crave these foods and eat as much of them as possible,” says <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Dr. Mark Hyman">Dr. Mark Hyman</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem is, now sugar is available in higher quantities and nearly everywhere we turn.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we over-indulge in sugar, it enters the bloodstream, which then causes the pancreas to release insulin, which then converts this sugar into energy, or a “sugar high.” Increases in insulin lead to fat storage, so we become obese.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Princeton University study that measured the effects of sugar withdrawal in rats noted the rodents showed symptoms of anxiety as well as chattering teeth and the shakes.</span></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">**This article is a feature of <a href="http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Indian Country News</a>**</span></strong></em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-2920646180191626012013-10-24T13:05:00.001-05:002013-10-24T13:05:28.128-05:00Don't Think The Radiation From Fukushima Is Affecting The US? Here's 28 Reasons You're Wrong <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusSOYLLYGFO34DajLmgf9AE8IcjMiNVXcgvB1KoDdZP2f8oZ-kKKvmgyCBnolUVv6kWNT38F3dLAY6bp9TmAI2mQf_xJ8mH_8_8DolaIcXnCt8Z_27d31F5w-n45umJzBzUFucskBfgcK/s1600/fuk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjusSOYLLYGFO34DajLmgf9AE8IcjMiNVXcgvB1KoDdZP2f8oZ-kKKvmgyCBnolUVv6kWNT38F3dLAY6bp9TmAI2mQf_xJ8mH_8_8DolaIcXnCt8Z_27d31F5w-n45umJzBzUFucskBfgcK/s400/fuk.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">Michael Snyder,</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> </span><em style="line-height: 18px;">Guest</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/23/28-signs-west-coast-absolutely-fried-nuclear-radiation-fukushima/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Waking Times</span></strong></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The map below comes from <a href="http://www.netc.com/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center">the Nuclear Emergency Tracking Center</a>. It shows that radiation levels at radiation monitoring stations all over the country are elevated. As you will notice, this is particularly true along the west coast of the United States. Every single day, 300 tons of radioactive water from Fukushima enters the Pacific Ocean. That means that the total amount of radioactive material released from Fukushima is constantly increasing, and it is steadily building up in our food chain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ultimately, all of this nuclear radiation will outlive all of us by a very wide margin. They are saying that it could take up to 40 years to clean up the Fukushima disaster, and meanwhile countless innocent people will develop cancer and other health problems as a result of exposure to high levels of nuclear radiation. We are talking about a nuclear disaster that is absolutely unprecedented, and it is constantly getting worse. The following are 28 signs that the west coast of North America is being absolutely fried with nuclear radiation from Fukushima…</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU1izHaoQO4FnM65jB9QhhZ2wkz4pV0OXoIOMLVwY3p9TmQJh61sqQWkDArBI9bgsCnfN-uWFGK5FLwD2dvMR-bzjGYYu7xOeau5VsAZwvxjxcGbsql-Rs7XGveh1xcg5FRrKgXcpBXWg/s1600/radioatio.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOU1izHaoQO4FnM65jB9QhhZ2wkz4pV0OXoIOMLVwY3p9TmQJh61sqQWkDArBI9bgsCnfN-uWFGK5FLwD2dvMR-bzjGYYu7xOeau5VsAZwvxjxcGbsql-Rs7XGveh1xcg5FRrKgXcpBXWg/s400/radioatio.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1.</b> Polar bears, seals and walruses along the Alaska coastline are suffering from <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/04/08/11083494-fur-loss-open-sores-seen-in-polar-bears" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="fur loss and open sores">fur loss and open sores</a>…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wildlife experts are studying whether fur loss and open sores detected in nine polar bears in recent weeks is widespread and related to similar incidents among seals and walruses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bears were among 33 spotted near Barrow, Alaska, during routine survey work along the Arctic coastline. Tests showed they had “alopecia, or loss of fur, and other skin lesions,” <a href="http://www.usgs.gov/newsroom/article.asp?ID=3162" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement">the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2.</b> There is an <a href="http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-03-31/fukushima-radiation-causing-epidemic-dead-and-starving-sea-lions-california" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="epidemic of sea lion deaths">epidemic of sea lion deaths</a> along the California coastline…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At island rookeries off the Southern California coast, 45 percent of the pups born in June have died, said Sharon Melin, a wildlife biologist for the National Marine Fisheries Service based in Seattle. Normally, less than one-third of the pups would die. It’s gotten so bad in the past two weeks that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an “unusual mortality event.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3.</b> Along the Pacific coast of Canada and the Alaska coastline, the population of sockeye salmon is at <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/lake-babine-sockeye-fishery-at-risk-of-unprecedented-closure/article13715638/?service=print" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="a historic low">a historic low</a>. Many are blaming Fukushima.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4.</b> Something is causing fish all along the west coast of Canada <a href="http://www.canada.com/investigating+reports+bleeding+herring/8795535/story.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs">to bleed from their gills, bellies and eyeballs</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5.</b> A vast field of radioactive debris from Fukushima that is <a href="http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/03/radioactive-debris-washing-up-on-pacific-coast.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="approximately the size of California">approximately the size of California</a> has crossed the Pacific Ocean and is starting to collide with the west coast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>6.</b> It is being projected that the radioactivity of coastal waters off the U.S. west coast <a href="http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/50176" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="could double">could double</a> over the next five to six years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>7.</b> Experts have found <a href="http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/05/22/national/researchers-find-high-cesium-in-some-pacific-plankton/#.UZu7-GfYGTc" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="very high levels of cesium-137">very high levels of cesium-137</a> in plankton living in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the west coast.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 18px;">8.</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> One test in California found that </span><a href="http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/05/absolutely-every-one-of-the-15-bluefin-tuna-tested-in-california-waters-contaminated-with-fukushima-radiation.html" sl-processed="1" style="line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="15 out of 15">15 out of 15</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> bluefin tuna were contaminated with radiation from Fukushima.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>9.</b> Back in 2012, the Vancouver Sun reported that cesium-137 was being found in <a href="http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/343-203/9463-canada-fish-eaters-threatened-by-fukushima-radiation" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="a very high percentage">a very high percentage</a> of the fish that Japan was selling to Canada…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 73 percent of mackerel tested</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 91 percent of the halibut</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 92 percent of the sardines</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 93 percent of the tuna and eel</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 94 percent of the cod and anchovies</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">• 100 percent of the carp, seaweed, shark and monkfish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>10.</b> Canadian authorities are finding <a href="http://canadaam.ctvnews.ca/report-raises-fresh-concerns-about-radiation-levels-in-japanese-fish-1.1486514" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="extremely high levels of nuclear radiation">extremely high levels of nuclear radiation</a> in certain fish samples…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some fish samples tested to date have had very high levels of radiation: one sea bass sample collected in July, for example, had 1,000 becquerels per kilogram of cesium.<span style="background-color: transparent;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>11.</b> Some experts believe that we could see very high levels of cancer along the west coast <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/global-security-newswire/nuclear-power-industry-lawmakers-at-odds-over-epa-response-guide-20130923" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="just from people eating contaminated fish">just from people eating contaminated fish</a>…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Look at what’s going on now: They’re dumping huge amounts of radioactivity into the ocean — no one expected that in 2011,” Daniel Hirsch, a nuclear policy lecturer at the University of California-Santa Cruz, told <i>Global Security Newswire</i>. “We could have large numbers of cancer from ingestion of fish.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>12.</b> BBC News recently reported that radiation levels around Fukushima are “<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23918882" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="18 times higher">18 times higher</a>” than previously believed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>13.</b> An <a href="http://www.atmos-chem-phys.net/13/1425/2013/acp-13-1425-2013.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="EU-funded study">EU-funded study</a> concluded that Fukushima released up to 210 quadrillion becquerels of cesium-137 into the atmosphere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>14.</b> Atmospheric radiation from Fukushima reached the west coast of the United States <a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/fukushima-radioactive-plume-reach-us-130901.htm" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="within a few days">within a few days</a> back in 2011.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>15.</b> At this point, <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/japan-government-joining-efforts-contain-fukushima-toxic-water-033418884.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="300 tons">300 tons</a> of contaminated water is pouring into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima every single day.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="line-height: 18px;">16.</b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> A senior researcher of marine chemistry at the Japan Meteorological Agency’s Meteorological Research Institute says that “30 billion becquerels of radioactive cesium and 30 billion becquerels of radioactive strontium” are being released into the Pacific Ocean from Fukushima </span><a href="http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201309200053" sl-processed="1" style="line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="every single day">every single day</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>17.</b> According to Tepco, a total of somewhere between <a href="http://thetruthwins.com/archives/radioactive-water-from-fukushima-is-systematically-poisoning-the-entire-pacific-ocean" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="20 trillion and 40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium">20 trillion and 40 trillion becquerels of radioactive tritium</a> have gotten into the Pacific Ocean since the Fukushima disaster first began.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>18.</b> According to a professor at Tokyo University, 3 gigabecquerels of cesium-137 are flowing into the port at Fukushima Daiichi <a href="http://enenews.com/mystery-tv-expert-says-oceans-radiation-levels-too-high-to-be-explained-by-only-groundwater-there-must-be-other-routes-for-contamination-thats-flowing-into-pacific-devastating-impact" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="every single day">every single day</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>19.</b> It has been estimated that up to <a href="http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/343-203/9463-canada-fish-eaters-threatened-by-fukushima-radiation" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="100 times">100 times</a> as much nuclear radiation has been released into the ocean from Fukushima than was released during the entire Chernobyl disaster.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>20.</b> One recent study concluded that a very large plume of cesium-137 from the Fukushima disaster will start flowing into U.S. coastal waters <a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/fukushima-radioactive-plume-reach-us-130901.htm" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="early next year">early next year</a>…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ocean simulations showed that the plume of radioactive cesium-137 released by the Fukushima disaster in 2011 could begin flowing into U.S. coastal waters starting in early 2014 and peak in 2016.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>21.</b> It is being projected that significant levels of cesium-137 will reach every corner of the Pacific Ocean <a href="http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/world/activist-warns-days-eating-pacific-ocean-fish-are-/nZjdK/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="by the year 2020">by the year 2020</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>22.</b> It is being projected that the entire Pacific Ocean will soon “<a href="http://enenews.com/radio-fukushima-daiichi-has-contaminated-the-biggest-body-of-water-on-the-planet-whole-pacific-ocean-likely-to-have-cesium-levels-5-10-times-higher-than-at-peak-of-nuclear-bomb-tests-audio" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="have cesium levels 5 to 10 times higher">have cesium levels 5 to 10 times higher</a>” than what we witnessed during the era of heavy atomic bomb testing in the Pacific many decades ago.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>23.</b> The immense amounts of nuclear radiation getting into the water in the Pacific Ocean has caused environmental activist Joe Martino to issue <a href="http://www.whiotv.com/news/news/world/activist-warns-days-eating-pacific-ocean-fish-are-/nZjdK/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="the following warning">the following warning</a>…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Your days of eating Pacific Ocean fish are over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>24.</b> The Iodine-131, Cesium-137 and Strontium-90 that are constantly coming from Fukushima are going to affect the health of those living the the northern hemisphere for a very, very long time. Just consider what <a href="http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2013/08/the-fukushima-nightmare-gets-worse.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Harvey Wasserman">Harvey Wasserman</a> had to say about this…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Iodine-131, for example, can be ingested into the thyroid, where it emits beta particles (electrons) that damage tissue. A plague of damaged thyroids has already been reported among as many as 40 percent of the children in the Fukushima area. That percentage can only go higher. In developing youngsters, it can stunt both physical and mental growth. Among adults it causes a very wide range of ancillary ailments, including cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Strontium-90’s half-life is around 29 years. It mimics calcium and goes to our bones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>25.</b> According to a recent <a href="http://planet.infowars.com/outdoors/california-coastline-becoming-like-dead-zone-fukushima-to-blame" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Planet Infowars report">Planet Infowars report</a>, the California coastline is being transformed into “a dead zone”…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The California coastline is becoming like a dead zone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you haven’t been to a California beach lately, you probably don’t know that the rocks are unnaturally CLEAN – there’s hardly any kelp, barnacles, sea urchins, etc. anymore and the tide pools are similarly eerily devoid of crabs, snails and other scurrying signs of life… and especially as compared to 10 – 15 years ago when one was wise to wear tennis shoes on a trip to the beach in order to avoid cutting one’s feet on all the STUFF of life – broken shells, bones, glass, driftwood, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are also days when I am hard-pressed to find even a half dozen seagulls and/or terns on the county beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can still find a few gulls trolling the picnic areas and some of the restaurants (with outdoor seating areas) for food, of course, but, when I think back to 10 – 15 years ago, the skies and ALL the beaches were literally filled with seagulls and the haunting sound of their cries both day and night…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NOW it’s unnaturally quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>26.</b> A study <a href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11434-012-5171-6" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="conducted last year">conducted last year</a> came to the conclusion that radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster could negatively affect human life along the west coast of North America from Mexico to Alaska “for decades”.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>27.</b> According to the Wall Street Journal, it is being projected that the cleanup of Fukushima could take <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2013/08/15/fukushima-watch-tepco-finally-gets-an-official-cleanup-plan/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="up to 40 years to complete">up to 40 years to complete</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>28.</b> Yale Professor Charles Perrow is warning that if the cleanup of Fukushima is not handled with 100% precision that humanity could be threatened “<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-perrow/fukushima-forever_b_3941589.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="for thousands of years">for thousands of years</a>“…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conditions in the unit 4 pool, 100 feet from the ground, are perilous, and if any two of the rods touch it could cause a nuclear reaction that would be uncontrollable. The radiation emitted from all these rods, if they are not continually cool and kept separate, would require the evacuation of surrounding areas including Tokyo. Because of the radiation at the site the 6,375 rods in the common storage pool could not be continuously cooled; <b>they would fission and all of humanity will be threatened, for thousands of years</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are you starting to understand why so many people are so deeply concerned about what is going on at Fukushima?</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">For much more on all of this, please check out the video </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH3AlPmavDk" sl-processed="1" style="line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="posted below">posted below</a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">…</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="460" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VH3AlPmavDk?feature=player_embedded" width="740"></iframe></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CNKRHRE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CNKRHRE&linkCode=as2&tag=theeconomiccollapse-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Michael T. Snyder</a> is a former Washington D.C. attorney who now publishes <a href="http://thetruthwins.com/the-most-important-thing" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Truth</a>. His new thriller entitled “<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1484871308/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1484871308&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Beginning Of The End</a>” is now available on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1484871308/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1484871308&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>.</span></div>
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">**This article was featured at <a href="http://www.activistpost.com/2013/10/28-signs-that-west-coast-is-being.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Activist Post</a>**</span></strong></em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-82820136814045341962013-10-24T12:56:00.001-05:002013-10-24T12:56:28.570-05:00Trained for Violence: How Video Games Affect the Brain<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B4i4g_zd4kbcyJy87dcE4JsUwHBTVjuaUY97xJRrUxBo9Go6ZUhQ9CPC7mcVcF0URJ5veS8Uf6GrjwXzFurpmFoTTP7cdeJF4IIckUNFL9kdfZLCX581vYCU6PJf4XX8dl6c41XphIzH/s1600/halo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9B4i4g_zd4kbcyJy87dcE4JsUwHBTVjuaUY97xJRrUxBo9Go6ZUhQ9CPC7mcVcF0URJ5veS8Uf6GrjwXzFurpmFoTTP7cdeJF4IIckUNFL9kdfZLCX581vYCU6PJf4XX8dl6c41XphIzH/s400/halo.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Christina Sarich, <em>Staff Writer</em><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/23/trained-violence-video-games-affect-brain/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The brain is a very adaptable organ. It has the cognitive ability to adapt to stress, whether real or imagined, but do <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/daphne_bavelier_your_brain_on_video_games.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">violent video games</a> and movies actually help us to adapt to a sadistic world, or help to create one?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gamers and researchers have been on both sides of this argument, but with all the advances in brain imaging and the new studies in <a href="http://noetic.org/noetic/issue-nine-april/self-directed-neuroplasticity/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">neuroplasticity</a>, it seems hard to deny that old axiom that what goes in must come out. Part of the problem is that our brains <i>are</i> so adaptable, and a relatively new <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/new-study-claims-video-games-desensitize-us-violence-8538875.html?cat=25" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">study</a> coming out of the <a href="http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2011/0525-violent-video-games-reduce-brain-response-to-violence-and-increase-aggressive-behavior-university-of-missouri-study-finds/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">University of Missouri</a> (U of M) shows that violent video games appear to make people more aggressive and desensitized to the violence that we see in our every day world. While this finding seems obvious, it is still relatively groundbreaking in science to understand that the relationship between our mind and our subjective experience actually has physical effects on our body and brain, effects that are dramatic and can <a href="http://noetic.org/noetic/issue-nine-april/self-directed-neuroplasticity/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">even be enduring</a>.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Mind is Everything. What You Think You Become. – <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572246952/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1572246952&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Buddha</a></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you’ve ever played ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SYX8W/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0050SYX8W&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Halo</a>,’ (which consequently raked in over $300 million in sales in the first two weeks of its release), ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007XVTR3K/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007XVTR3K&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Call of Duty</a>,’ or ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SXKU4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0050SXKU4&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grand Theft Auto</a>’ the last of which you can actually slap a grandmother and steal her purse, then you have likely desensitized your brain to real life acts of aggression and violence. The longer you sit before violent images and the more frequently you play, apparently the more desensitized you get. With findings like these, it is no wonder that young adults growing up in a world of progressive violence and disregard for their peers and community seems like just another average day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">According to the U of M study, even people who don’t normally play video games were still affected by playing violent games.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Part of the reason these findings may have merit is due to the way that <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/12/loving-greatly-guide-self-actualized-love/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Loving Greatly: A Guide To Self-Actualized Love">empathy</a> and compassion normally develop in a human being. We already know that those who have experienced violence or abuse in their childhoods are much more likely to perpetuate it on others as they become adults themselves. <a href="http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/nsor/som_mythsandfacts.htm_" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Sex offenders</a>, for example, have a glaringly high incident rate of having lived thorough sexual misconduct themselves, even though not all offenders were molested themselves. In this example, a child does not learnt to develop empathy for another’s well-being, as is normally the case in someone’s developmental progress, which was not impeded by such an atrocity in their most important years. A loss of innocence is truly a sad thing, since empathy is a “potential psychological motivator for helping others in distress” as pointed out by a psychologists who conducted a study at the <a href="http://www.psy.miami.edu/faculty/dmessinger/c_c/rsrcs/rdgs/emot/McDonald-Messinger_Empathy%20Development.pdf" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">University of Miami</a>. The authors go on to explain:</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Early theorists suggested that young children were too egocentric or otherwise not cognitively able to experience empathy (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1629100722/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1629100722&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Freud</a> 1958; <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0465095003/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0465095003&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Piaget</a> 1965). However, a multitude of studies have proven that very young children are, in fact, capable of displaying a variety of rather sophisticated empathy related behaviors. (<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521423678/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521423678&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zahn-Waxler</a> et al.1979; Zahn-Waxler et al. 1992a; Zahn-Waxler et al.). . .One typical way of measuring empathy and its precursors in young children is to examine their response to another’s distress.”</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While video games may teach our children to have better hand-eye coordination, or even improve their detail-oriented vision, they certainly don’t teach many valuable lessons, especially not the most popular games played by children and young adults today. 90% of children play video games today, and even though the average age of a gamer is 33, they still are affecting the collective brain of society. After one month’s release of ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JVKHEQ/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003JVKHEQ&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Black Ops</a>’, it had been played for <i><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/daphne_bavelier_your_brain_on_video_games.html" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">600 million hours</a></i> worldwide. In <i>half</i> as many hours the planet could be trilingual. Where are the video games about meeting moral challenges, learning a new language, planting fields of healthy food with age-old organic methods, or even teaching the brain how to transcend itself with meditative calm?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2013 ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SXKU4/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0050SXKU4&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Grand Theft Auto</a>’ was named a top seller. In it people run around a corrupt city stealing cars and conducting heists. Another popular game is called ‘<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007CM0K86/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B007CM0K86&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Last of Us</a>’ and in this video game, infected human beings following a pandemic which takes place on the planet earth, run around killing each and harming one another for food.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is clear that video games are here to stay. They are far too popular to eradicate completely, but since the video games being churned out by most companies these days tend to nullify our natural orientation towards compassion, lessen our sympathetic response to our fellow human beings, and reduce or ability to reduce conflict or respond positively to violence which already exists in the world, why don’t we harness the power of this medium and utilize it for good, instead of perpetuating vicious acts and cruel intentions?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We could teach a whole new generation how to do higher sciences and math, come up with alternative forms of <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/09/03/9-things-that-could-positively-influence-the-world-redirected-our-resources-from-war/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="9 Things That Could Positively Influence the World if we Re-Directed Our Resources from War">sustainable energy</a>, plan new societies that benefit everyone involved, much like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/3037781262/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=3037781262&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Buckminster Fuller</a> did, or even learn to speak a dying language that holds secrets to <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/14/hemp-could-free-us-from-oil-prevent-deforestation-cure-cancer-and-its-environmentally-friendly-so-why-is-it-illegal/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Hemp Could Free Us From Oil, Prevent Deforestation, Cure Cancer and It’s Environmentally Friendly – So Why Is It Illegal?">healing cancer</a>, <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/31/an-mds-perspective-on-how-to-avoid-treat-and-reverse-diabetes/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="An MD’s Perspective On How To Avoid, Treat And Reverse Diabetes">diabetes</a> and <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/08/03/follow-your-heart-healing-from-cardiovascular-disease-with-qi-gong-exercise/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Follow Your Heart: Healing from Cardiovascular Disease with Qi Gong Exercise">heart disease</a>. Most importantly, we could teach a generation to not see war, crime and violence as ‘normal.’ We know that our brains do respond to the networks we create with repeated use of a specific cognitive pathway, or as Canadian psychologist <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805843000/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0805843000&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Donald Hebb</a> put it, <em>neurons that fire together wire together. </em>It’s time to create some different neuronal pathways than those provided by modern violent video game entertainment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Christina Sarich</strong> is a musician, yogi, humanitarian and freelance writer who channels many hours of studying <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0937064009/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wakitime09-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0937064009" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Lao Tzu</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=Paramahansa%20Yogananda&tag=wakitime09-20&index=aps&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Paramahansa Yogananda</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=Rob%20Brezny&tag=wakitime09-20&index=aps&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Rob Brezny</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=Miles%20Davis&tag=wakitime09-20&index=aps&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Miles Davis</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=as_li_qf_sp_sr_il_tl?ie=UTF8&keywords=Tom%20Robbins&tag=wakitime09-20&index=aps&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tom Robbins</a> into interesting tidbits to help you Wake up Your Sleepy Little Head, and <em>See the Big Picture</em>. Her blog is <a href="http://yogaforthenewworld.com/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Yoga for the New World</strong></a>. Her latest book is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CDWM2NG/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00CDWM2NG&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pharma Sutra</a>: Healing the Body And Mind Through the Art of Yoga.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Sources:</strong></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">- </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/us/07halo.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&" sl-processed="1" style="line-height: 18px; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/us/07halo.html</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.</i> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-21633739065400437622013-10-24T12:52:00.001-05:002013-10-24T12:52:47.734-05:00The Awakening Soul<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDSHG_B7HQ0KBfBmjWMBLEubb1G3pZaKUEkfaZseZdSAMxzFn6kyW_DDaPgatmWQhrBMfl1zy5kE4TYmE_fcZAChmZKAYNGWGAMImgvxVVSsZD2FAltv8QXigc0sA4ums924672tq4cI-/s1600/cool+stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLDSHG_B7HQ0KBfBmjWMBLEubb1G3pZaKUEkfaZseZdSAMxzFn6kyW_DDaPgatmWQhrBMfl1zy5kE4TYmE_fcZAChmZKAYNGWGAMImgvxVVSsZD2FAltv8QXigc0sA4ums924672tq4cI-/s1600/cool+stars.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.zengardner.com/transitions-birthing-apocalypse/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Zen Gardner</a>, <em>Guest</em><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/23/awakening-soul-floodgate-apocalypse/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More and more terrific folks are stepping out and making serious conscious-driven life changes and it’s absolutely thrilling. When we’re led by our hearts it can’t go wrong. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be trials, tests and obstacles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all have them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But acting in response to the awakening is a different batch of challenges compared to the trials of those attempting to just exist or get ahead in our matricized world. Any conscious and aware lifestyle change to whatever degree is upstream in relation to the predominant down river current carrying those embroiled in the system. As a result we meet with criticism, cynicism, anger, a sense of betrayal from friends and loved ones, ridicule, financial challenges and other complications stirred up by those resentful of our freedom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s not an easy road.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most of us have experienced those challenges and setbacks to varying degrees our whole lives. I’ve had several major paradigm shifts and complete turnabouts in my life leading up to where I am now, as have so many. There were always wild, unexpected and difficult to deal with elements that were often either extremely traumatic, or just plain took me by surprise, several appearing as if I was hitting a wall…when I wasn’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The key is to keep moving. To keep moving you have to keep consciously responding, constantly dissolving elements you’re faced with one lie or easily solved situation at a time. If you do, the illusory world around you will crumble in significance as a new life of personal majesty is born.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Birthing the Apocalypse – We’re in Transition</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Transitioning is a term used for going through the final stages of labor during the amazing act of giving birth. How appropriate. That idea is what triggered this post, and a response from one of the many wonderful folks who frequent my website. Many, like myself, are in serious transitions and learning profound life and consciousness lessons hand over fist.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The key is to be willing to let go of the shore. That’s where the seeming cost comes in, but in the grand scheme of things it’s infinitesimal, no matter what we let go of.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is from Sand, inspired by a deep article penned by <a href="http://www.zengardner.com/companion-called-experience/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Ida</a>:</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My husband and I made a move to provide a refuge for family if needed. We knew it wouldn’t be easy, but are now discovering that was an understatement. During this adventure, I’m finding the need to call back to what Grandma S. taught me waaaayyyyy back when. The many lessons from Grandma are helping to get through some of the hard days. Just this past Sunday, while harvesting black walnuts, I had the nagging thought that our steps to “simplify” our life were not working out so well. I’ve been questioning whether it was the right thing to do.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I picked up the nuts, that little voice kept saying, “It’s too hard. I can’t keep up with all the work that needs to be done. I’ve made a huge mistake. I’ve made our lives harder – not easier. Harvesting food, preserving food, cutting firewood, building the woodshed – it’s too much to handle.”</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And then a memory popped into my head. I was maybe 8 years old, and Grandma and I were collecting black walnuts in the backyard. As we gathered, she would tell me the steps to getting to the delicious nutmeat. It seemed like such a difficult process and I told her so. She said, “if you don’t think about and just do it, it’s not so hard.” Hmmmm! Ok. That was a good clue, Grandma. Thanks.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Never realized before, but Grandma S. is so zen. So, I guess I’ll keep going for now – get out of my head and just do it.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Those are brave folks who’ve taken the Truth to heart and acted upon it, despite all the unknowns in front of them. There are many like them. Look how it’s stirred them to new depths as well as heights, both of which are wonderful teachers in life. We each need to do the same however we’re called.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have many other dear friends and acquaintances who are building gardens, preparing their families physically and spiritually, participating in local information campaigns and directly exposing the agenda, developing alternative methodologies such as reiki or other healing and other empowerment techniques, empowering others, uprooting and even selling their homes in order to move somewhere safer, or just tuning in mightily to the shift we’re undergoing and passing it on in any way they can via writing, speaking, music and many very creative multi-media formats.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Therein lies the revolution of spirit and humankind. Rejecting the matrix of deception and self-serving ego and stepping into a life led and empowered by the Creative Force, whatever the cost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After all, it costs a lot more not to. It’s really a no-brainer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">We Are the Revelation Unfolding</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Activism? Everything we do and share matters in more profound ways than we can imagine, especially in light of trying to change a decaying and obsolete system. Our every thought, deed and intention matter immensely. Our neighbors and friends realize we’ve activated when we step out. Your family will know you mean business and aren’t just blowing smoke about your “crazy” ideas and convictions. A lot of wonderful dynamics get initiated. It reverberates through many dimensional levels because of and beyond all those influences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s the revelation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s the revelation of you, it’s the revelation of me. It’s the personal conscious release of the wellspring of infinite love, awareness and conscious creative power. As we each wake up and manifest the very real infinite world of loving inter-connectivity and unlimited spiritual resources, the new world we long for is being born.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trying to patch up or redesign the existing structure in the face of this gargantuan awakening is like trying to put out the sun with a garden hose. Yet they try.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Point – Universal Birthing Is Everything</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’re up against very serious forces that seem to “out man” us. They don’t. We just need to awaken our own innate spiritual nature and raise our conscious awareness to deal with them at the most effective level. What appears impressive that they’ve showcased, and has apparently taken our covert scientific community by storm, is none other than matter manipulation by mind and technology.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, how the greedy reptilian left brain mind craves for this type of shallow technology–just as it was programmed to do. How convenient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fact is we all have these innate superior consciousness capabilities, no matter how technologically advanced this ugly onslaught against humanity appears. However, we conscious humans wouldn’t think of using such magnificent power and energy in such ways as those manipulative controllers. Yes, we would rather heal the planet and everything on it. Instead of clamoring for power we’d feed the world, dissolve any wars, and cultivate a planet of love, plenty, empowerment and discovery here and far beyond.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is that why they hate us so? Is our very loving existence the bane of theirs?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It would appear so. We’re certainly diametrically opposed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Approach life consciously – but dive in wholeheartedly and do your part.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Apocalypse is here – and it’s you and me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s the true Revelation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s that simple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Love always, Zen</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.zengardner.com/" sl-processed="1" style="outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">ZenGardner.com</span></a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-61206021359571952482013-10-24T12:48:00.001-05:002013-10-24T12:48:19.015-05:00After a Barrage of Pills Fail, Cannabis Relieves Man's Unbearable Pain<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT2uWDv8ZhlHJEuldv5W8oPhpOIQ2I1ATEeaRJpDi5pfmYmkXkZ6haTr6BjBW5EmnD0Jy9eeK6uc6ONEKUgERDZpDKiOcm_aO-UmI0XBtFQFpzx2bnv4iMiaHfKdb80w2CP7yk9KbMsyH/s1600/so+then+we+told+them.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaT2uWDv8ZhlHJEuldv5W8oPhpOIQ2I1ATEeaRJpDi5pfmYmkXkZ6haTr6BjBW5EmnD0Jy9eeK6uc6ONEKUgERDZpDKiOcm_aO-UmI0XBtFQFpzx2bnv4iMiaHfKdb80w2CP7yk9KbMsyH/s400/so+then+we+told+them.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Marco Torres, <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/13/102413_Man-Heals-His-Excruciating-Pain-With-Cannabis-After-A-Battery-of-Pharmaceuticals-Failed.shtml" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><em>Prevent Disease</em></a><br /><strong><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/24/man-heals-excruciating-pain-cannabis-battery-pharmaceuticals-failed/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Waking Times</a></strong><br />A man with excruciating pains following multiple traumas was monitored, daily, over one year while managing chronic pain by self-administering quantifiable amounts of natural cannabis. Tetrahydro-cannabinol, Cannabidiol, and Cannabinol were all measured in tinctures, capsules, smoke-able product plus some baked goods, prior to their administration. By allowing standardization, the man was able to develop a daily regimen of pain management that was resistant to a battery of most patented analgesics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More than 100 million people in the United States suffer from debilitating chronic pain. Pain resulting from a severe on-the-job injury is a frustrating experience both for the patient as well as the treating health practitioners and physicians. If pursuing conventional medical care, it leads to chronic dependence on opiate painkillers and anti-depressants which eventually cause toxicity of the brain and metabolic function. However the relief of pain may be less desired if quality of life of such individuals is poor. The physician and the patients are left with no option but to resort to alternative modes of therapy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cannabis has been documented to be one of such measures, especially in advanced cases of cancer. It holds an enormous potential as medicines derived from cannabis plant exhibit a phenomenon termed strain specific symptom relief. It has been documented to be of proven value in arthritis and multiple sclerosis; however few controlled clinical trials for its use in chronic intolerable pain have been reported.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900%2807%2900967-4/abstract" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Some studies</a> have examined the effect of adding a cannabinoid to the regimen of patients with chronic pain who report significant pain despite taking stable doses of potent opioids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An <a href="http://preventdisease.com/news/12/060512_Marijuana-Constituents-Effective-For-Easing-Cancer-Pain.shtml" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">investigational cannabinoid therapy</a> helped provide effective analgesia when used as an adjuvant medication for cancer patients with pain that responded poorly to opioids, according to results of a multicenter trial reported in <em><a href="http://www.jpain.org/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Journal of Pain</a></em>, published by the American Pain Society.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When patients begin to consume cannabis, there is a notable decline in the amount of prescribed medications taken, such as antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and pain relievers. These drugs have severe side effects. There is not one clinical study which examined the use of cannabis for pain relief where subjects were not able to reduce their drug intake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A <a href="http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=6630507.PN.&OS=PN/6630507&RS=PN/6630507" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">U.S. Patent 6630507</a> was initiated in 2003 when researchers found that cannabinoids, high ratios which are found in marijuana, had specific antioxidant properties making them useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and HIV dementia. Nonpsychoactive cannabinoids, such as cannabidoil, are particularly advantageous to use because they avoid toxicity that is encountered with psychoactive cannabinoids at high doses useful in the method of the present invention.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Study Details</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The person involved in this study was a member of the Green Cross Society of British Columbia, which has Federal tax number to distribute cannabis for medical purposes. The Society provides natural product (cannabis, herbal medicine) to its qualified members.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The volunteer, a 33 year old Caucasian male, volunteer was selected from the membership based on his record keeping ability, the severity of his injury, plus his daily presence at the Society, allowing continuous monitoring. The man kept detailed notes of his condition, including pain charts, medications and dietary habits, allowing comparison by study observers. The individuals note taking allowed an in depth review of his condition. The case described here is strikingly similar to four others of its type, run over the same year, with comparable observations and outcome.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The cannabis supplied by the Societys contracted growers was optimized for THC concentration through genetic selection of specific strains, growing conditions and fertilizers. Organic growing conditions were a priority.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For 15 months the man was monitored for all forms of cannabis use. They accumulated data on the amount of smoke-able, encapsulated, edible and tincture preparations consumed by the man on a daily basis. His prescription record, physicians notes, urine (drug) tests, plus daily interviews were maintained and examined. Daily cannabis use totaling 10 g of natural product cannabis, translating to an average of 420-500 mg of THC, 40-80 mg of CBD and 20-60 mg CBN, was required to achieve a sufficient degree of pain management.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Significant reductions in daily pain scores as well as improved sleep, muscle spasm and general quality of life were achieved. The patient was able to get back to the daily activities, do some part time volunteer work, go to the gym, and lead what resembles a normal life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He consumed 10-15 g of cannabis per day. He also found benefit in a number of supplements: for chronic pain and depression, including,<a href="http://preventdisease.com/hpp/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=209" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GABA</a> (500 mg),<a href="http://preventdisease.com/hpp/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=190" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> L- Tyrosine</a> (500 mg), L-Tryptophan (550 mg), <a href="http://preventdisease.com/hpp/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=198" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">DL- Phenylalanine</a> (500 mg) and <a href="http://preventdisease.com/hpp/zen-cart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=208" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">S-adenosyl methionine</a> (liquid) 40 drops a day. For the breakthrough pain he used cannabis tincture at 10 mg THC/drop; 2 mg CBD/drop: 15-25 drops (as needed), which relieved intense pain, in a couple of seconds. He also used Volcano (vaporizer), 2-4 g a day. A medical examination showed all liver functions to be normal, including clearance of the hypercholesterolemia.<br /><strong><br />There Is No Longer Doubt That Cannabis Addressed Pain Relief</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The analgesic properties of cannabis are becoming well established in the literature. The purpose of this case study was to observe the efficacy and usefulness of the standardized whole plant cannabis medicine. Indeed, the complexities of elucidating the efficacy of such preparations is a difficult task, yet the benefits of the natural product far outweigh the contrary in consideration of toxicity, efficacy and side-effects. With regard to the latter, more frequently unwanted side effects from cannabis result from overdose than any other parameter. And, most frequently, this overdose results from oral ingestion of un-standardized baked goods (i.e. brownies).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overdose results in confusion, paranoia and fear that subsides after four to six hours, often into sleep. In no case, has it been observed to cause permanent physical or mental damage, but can often leave the individual with extreme caution to repeating the event. The second most frequently observed un-wanted side effects arise from incorrect strain selection for the symptom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, a person seeking pain relief and also suffering from anxiety, chooses a strain containing high concentrations of CBN, with little comparative CBD and low THC, may experience increased anxiety, with little or no pain relief. Another important observation is that there is a genealogical factor in tolerance experienced by individuals of different ethnic backgrounds. Persons of Celtic descent (Scottish, Irish or Welsh) appear to be 3 to 5 times more tolerant to cannabis than persons of middle European or African descent. The person described in this study had a Scottish mother, which may explain the high THC levels required by him, but not by persons in similar studies but of different ethnic background.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Proven Results With Cannabis</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With 70% of the members treating chronic pain the same phenomenon is observed over and over that people achieve a significant degree of pain management using standardized natural product cannabis. Often a better quality of life is attained with cannabis use only. The subject in this study was nearly one year using only natural product cannabis plus supplements for his severe pain. He then went through yet another two surgeries to back and hand using only cannabis for postoperative pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><a href="http://preventdisease.com/writers/marco_torres.shtml" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Marco Torres</a></strong> is a research specialist, writer and consumer advocate for healthy lifestyles. He holds degrees in Public Health and Environmental Science and is a professional speaker on topics such as disease prevention, environmental toxins and health policy.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Source:</strong><br /><a href="http://www.casesjournal.com/content/2/1/7487" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">casesjournal.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130124123453.htm" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sciencedaily.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900%2807%2900967-4/abstract" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">jpain.org</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Disclaimer:</b> This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of WakingTimes or its staff.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-42339579899810894922013-10-24T12:41:00.001-05:002013-10-24T12:41:41.401-05:00Is Wheat Bread Truly Healthy?<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIwPICoe0W9Gk6Dz02cEJL7JXxf-9Wlm3V3tOcwKeTiz1g6Dp7gCntovWt8ZKK5Kn10jvj-P3ow8CMh06QG0-iVZHT8_TUrd4AzKraKPrSRDwzmATBqg2QWvn3UyZvglMpbNvtGwhDjL3/s1600/Healthy-Breads-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIwPICoe0W9Gk6Dz02cEJL7JXxf-9Wlm3V3tOcwKeTiz1g6Dp7gCntovWt8ZKK5Kn10jvj-P3ow8CMh06QG0-iVZHT8_TUrd4AzKraKPrSRDwzmATBqg2QWvn3UyZvglMpbNvtGwhDjL3/s1600/Healthy-Breads-2.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.guide2health.net/2013/10/is-your-daily-wheat-bread-healthy/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Raluca Schachter</a>, <em>Guest</em><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/24/daily-wheat-bread-healthy/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wheat is everywhere and in everything. There is no food store that doesn’t have at least several isles with foods containing wheat! In my practice, it’s interesting to observe the reactions people have when we talk about wheat and I recommend to eliminate it from their diet. I often get answers like:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<em> I can’t do that, I’m too attached to my bread, and my whole family eats it</em>!” (addiction)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<em>I don’t think I really have a problem with wheat!</em>” (denial)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<em>What if I reduce my intake and buy organic?”</em> (negotiation)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So what is behind this food and its voracious consumption?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Fluffy-White-Bread</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You’ve probably been a consumer of this type of bread. Most of us were at some times of our lives and many still are! But it’s time to face reality. The white, fluffy breads and pastries are a result of <strong>altering modern wheat to a maximum, while no questions have been asked about whether these man made features are compatible with human health</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Modern commercial wheat production had to deliver features such as increased yield, decreased production costs, and large-scale production of a consistent commodity. Another cheap and profit making man made food to feed to the masses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The sad reality is that people have become accustomed to the <strong>mass-produced, gooey, devitalized, and nutritionally deficient breads</strong> and baked goods that are sold today in stores and they have little recollection of how real bread should taste. <strong>Chemical preservatives</strong> allow bread to be shipped long distances and to remain on the shelf for many days without spoiling and without refrigeration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Flour was originally produced by grinding grains between large stones. The final product, 100 percent stone-ground whole-wheat flour, contained everything that was in the grain, including the germ, fiber, starch and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Since grinding stones are not fast enough for mass-production, the industry uses high-speed, steel roller mills that eject the germ and the bran. High-speed mills reach 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and <strong>this heat destroys vital nutrients and creates rancidity</strong> in the bran and the germ. Dozens of dough conditioners and preservatives go into modern bread, as well as <strong>toxic ingredients like partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and soy flour</strong>. (2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When grown in well-nourished, fertile soil, whole wheat is rich in vitamin E and B complex, many minerals, including calcium and iron, as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Proper growing and milling methods are necessary to preserve these nutrients and prevent rancidity. Unfortunately, due to the indiscretions inflicted by contemporary farming and processing on modern wheat, many people have become intolerant or even allergic to this nourishing grain. These indiscretions include <strong>depletion of the soil through the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, high-heat milling, refining and improper preparation, such as extrusion.</strong> (2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The pesticides used function as<strong> xenoestrogens</strong>, foreign estrogen that disrupt hormonal balance and may be a contributing factor to a number of health conditions. <strong>Cycocel</strong> is a synthetic hormone that is commonly applied to wheat. Add to all this<strong> irradiation</strong> to control insects and <strong>genetical manipulation</strong> to achieve “desirable” changes, such as regulated germination and an increased ability to survive in cold weather. Heat damage is also a serious problem that results in <strong>denaturation of the protein in grains</strong>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Whole-Grain Bread</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So you moved on, haven’t you? Whole grain is better. Or not? Commercial varieties are still quite “fluffy” due to all the gluten and additives. <strong>Pesticides</strong> on the grains are still present. Many times <strong>caramel</strong> is used to give breads a “natural whole grain” dark color and so hide the actual low quality, processed product. Germ and fiber are present (if your producer is honest and doesn’t color his bread artificially), but it’s still not enough to make it a decent food, not even close!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Did you know that whole grain bread has a<strong> higher glycemic index</strong> of 72 than sucrose (table sugar) at 59? That doesn’t mean you can eat sugar instead but it just gives you an idea of how “healthy” whole grain bread actually is. And why is this so important? The higher the blood glucose after consumption of high glycemic food, the greater the insulin level and so the more fat is deposited. <strong>Blood sugar regulatio</strong>n involves the participation of more elements of metabolism than any other function in the body. When the diet fails to maintain blood sugar within an optimal range, the hormonal system must compensate. This can lead to endocrine exhaustion (particularly adrenal) and a whole host of serious of health issues, including cancer, diabetes, arthritis, anxiety and depression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How about <strong>fiber</strong> I hear you say? In reality, you can get far more fiber from vegetables and raw nuts. For example, two slices of bread containing 138 calories replaced by the equivalent of almonds or walnuts (approximately 24 nuts) will match or exceed the 3.9 grams of fiber from the bread.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Organic Makes the Difference?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that you feel more educated about the matter, you go shop for your breads at the health food stores and look for the “organic” labels. You feel safe now, you avoided the bad parts. Or not? In reality, you still have a long way to go. The only thing that is better with this kind of bread is that it <strong>lacks the pesticides and most of the harmful additives in conventional breads.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But<strong> phytic acid</strong> is a real problem with all such commercially available breads, since this interferes with mineral absorption like zinc, calcium and iron. Phytic acid contained by grains gets reduced only by germination (sprouting) of the grain or by fermentation as it’s used in sourdough breads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sprouted Wheat: Now We’re Talking! Yes?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Theoretically and generally speaking, yes, it is a big step forward. Most sprouted bread varieties are also organic and so you can now avoid pesticides, harmful additives, extra starches and phytic acid, which is substantially reduced through sprouting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Additionally, people with<a href="http://www.guide2health.net/reactive-foods/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> <strong>gluten sensitivities</strong></a> will still feel the negative effects of sprouted wheat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And how about if you are not <a href="http://www.guide2health.net/reactive-foods/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">gluten reactive or allergic</a>? People with neurological inflammation (like ADHD and autism) and people with disfunctions in the the gastrointestinal system will still have to suffer. This is because the<strong>negative effects including the ones that affect the nervous system</strong> (through the opioid effect that wheat has) have nothing to do with the immune system which is involved when we talk about reactivities and allergies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Einkorn and Emmer : Two Brothers?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Botonists have identified almost <strong>30,000 varieties of wheat</strong>. But with the advent of modern farming, the number of varieties of wheat in common use has been drastically reduced. Today, just a few varieties account for 90 percent of the wheat grown in the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Einkorn</strong> is the great-granddaddy of all subsequent wheat. It has the simplest genetic code of all wheat, containing only 14 chromosomes. Circa 3300 BC, hardy, cold-tolerant einkorn wheat was a popular grain in Europe. Einkorn and its evolutionary successor<strong> emmer wheat</strong> remained popular for several thousand years, despite their relatively poor yield and less desirable baking characteristics compared to modern wheat. Over time, the higher yeilding and more baking compatible Triticum aestivum species gradually overshadowed its parents einkorn and emmer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, einkorn, emmer and the original wild and cultivated strains of Triticum aestivum have been replaced by thousands of modern human-bred offspring of Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum (pasta) and Triticum compactum (very fine flour to make cupcakes and other baking products).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>In the hibridization process, the gluten wheat protein goes through a significant structural change</strong>. This way the modern species, compared to the ancient ones, present a bigger quantity of genes for the gluten protein which are related to celiac disease. This doubled in the last 20 years and becomes more difficult to diagnose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Research has shown that modern wheat presents low levels of zinc, iron, copper, and magnesium compared to ancient varieties. Similar trends have been found for <b>phosphorus, manganese, sulfur, and calcium</b>. Even for wheat grown in parallel during the same years, regardless of fertilizer, semi-dwarf whole wheat had 18-29 percent lower mineral content than traditional whole wheat. The phytate content didn’t decline as much as the mineral content, so the minerals in semi-dwarf whole wheat are not only fewer and far between but probably less bioavailable as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Eliminate Wheat Altogether?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wheat triggers a cycle of insulin driven satiety and hunger, paralleled by the ups and downs of euphoria and withdrawal, distortions in neurological function, and addictive effects, all leading to fat deposition. William Davis, MD</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“<em>But it tastes so good</em>!!” If you’re an avid or even regular wheat bread eater, you might say this a lot. The addictive characteristics of wheat expressed through uncontrollable cravings and “obsessions” are generated by substances with a <strong>narcotic effect – opioids</strong> contained in wheat. They don’t have anything to do with the gluten in this grain, but with the exorphins, a specific class of opioid peptides, resulted after digestion of wheat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Considering all this, a big question arises now:</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we talk organic, sprouted wheat or sourdough, if we talk Einkorn wheat, are these good for me and my unique metabolism?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over thirty years of research and clinical study in <a href="http://www.guide2health.net/metabolic-typing/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">metabolic individualit</a>y helped us understand today that <strong>if our genes are like the indigenous Swiss, then grains are not bad for us and we can thrive on them.</strong> But if we have genes like the Eskimo, then we’ll feel terrible on a high carb diet even if it is organic, whole, natural food and we may even develop cancer, diabetes, arthritis by eating that kind of diet. But the reverse is also true. If we have genes like the high carb eating Quechuas - 80% primarily from potatoes, wheat, corn, quinoa, barley, then omitting grains and eating like the Eskimo will be devastating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In an era where we literary live in a “genetic melting pot”, where different cultures coalesce, the concept of <a href="http://www.guide2health.net/metabolic-typing/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>metabolic individuality</strong></a> or variation becomes more important than ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>In conclusion, modern dwarf and semi-dwarf wheat should not be consumed as a major portion of the diet, even as a “healthy whole grain.”</strong> Either wheat itself, the way it is processed, the way we mix it with other foods, or our sensitivity to it has changed over time. Many people today are very reactive to either modern wheat and/or gluten, the pesticides they contain if they are not organic, the improper way of preparing wheat products, without reducing phytic acid content. <strong>But to the end of it, it comes to the individual requirements for nutrition to decide how much one metabolism is affected by wheat and how important it is to eliminate it from the diet.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Safe and Healthy Ways To Consume Grains</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Considering our modern clinical reality, I have now a set of general rules that I recommend to be followed, in order to minimize negative effects of grain consumption:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Learn about and experiment with <strong>ancient grains</strong> like: <em>einkorn</em>, <em>quinoa, amaranth, spelt, kamut, teff, buckwheat, millet</em>. These haven’t undergone the “insult” that other grains like wheat have, as far as processing and manipulation. Choose organic and sprouted varieties.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. If you suspect you have negative reactions to <strong>gluten</strong>, and you can’t test to know for sure, it’s better to avoid it completely. Most of the times you will do a benefit to your body.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">3. If you want to still use wheat, ideally, you should buy the <strong>einkorn</strong> type of wheat and/or <strong>organic whole wheat berries, sprout them</strong> and grind them fresh to make fresh flour and homemade breads and other baked goods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4. If you do not make your own bread, there are ready made alternatives available. Look for <strong>organic sourdough or sprouted breads</strong> freshly baked or in the freezer compartment of your market or health food store.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5. <strong>Sprouting, soaking and genuine sourdough leavening “pre-digests” grains</strong>, allowing the nutrients to be more easily assimilated and metabolized. This is an age-old approach practiced in most traditional cultures. Sprouting begins germination, which increases the <strong>enzymatic activity</strong> in foods, inactivates substances called enzyme inhibitors and neutralizes <strong>phytic acid</strong>, a component of plant fiber found in the bran and hulls of grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that reduces mineral absorption.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Remember, there is no “bad” or “good” food, unless it’s “bad” or “good” for your unique metabolism and your individual genetic requirements for nutrition</strong>. But when we talk about processed food, including commercial processed wheat breads, then there is no “good”, no matter how hard you’re looking for it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><a href="http://www.guide2health.net/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Guide2health.net">Raluca Schachter</a></strong> is a passionate Nutritionist and Metabolic Typing Advisor®, with a background in both nutrition and communication/PR. She believes in traditional, unaltered food, ancestral wisdom, sustainable farming and living. Raluca was able to naturally reverse chronic health conditions she was struggling with most of her life, and now uses her knowledge to help as many people as possible do the same. Her health programs and diet plans offer a very unique and comprehensive approach to health, where individual nutritional and biochemical requirements are firstly met using specific nutrients and foods that each metabolism thrives on. This approach reveals why and how ‘one diet/herb doesn’t fit all’ and why ‘one man’s food is another one’s poison.’ Raluca currently resides in Garden Grove, CA and offers her services for local and distance clientele. For more information visit her website and blog <a href="http://www.guide2health.net/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">guide2health.net</a> or join <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Guide2Health.net" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="https://www.facebook.com/Guide2Health.net">Raluca on Facebook</a>.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Resources:</span></strong></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html?utm_content=buffera56e2&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://blog.cholesterol-and-health.com/2011/10/wheat-belly-toll-of-hubris-on-human.html?utm_content=buffera56e2&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="http://www.greenmedinfo.com/page/dark-side-wheat-new-perspectives-celiac-disease-wheat-intolerance-sayer-ji" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.greenmedinfo.com/page/dark-side-wheat-new-perspectives-celiac-disease-wheat-intolerance-sayer-ji</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. Rold, Daniel. <a href="http://www.paleoathletics.com/Paleo_Athletics.com/Article_Anthro.html" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Anthropology’s Insight into Health and Human Nutrition</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. Allbritton, Jen. Wheaty Indiscretions: <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/modern-foods/wheaty-indiscretions/pdf" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="wheat">What Happens to Wheat, from Seed to Storage – Weston A Price Foundation</a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">David, William. Wheat Belly</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-40326719063364846012013-10-23T22:15:00.000-05:002013-10-23T22:15:14.563-05:00Russell Brand Blows Our Mind Once Again!<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="460" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/3YR4CseY9pk?feature=player_embedded" width="740"></iframe><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">More From Brand:</span></h2>
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<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.altering-perspectives.com/2013/09/russell-brand-breaks-down-syria.html" target="_blank">Russell Brand Breaks Down Syria</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.altering-perspectives.com/2013/09/russell-brand-rips-on-gq-hugo-boss-and.html" target="_blank">Russell Brand Gets Kicked Out of The GQ Awards</a></span></li>
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-40221684720680976062013-10-23T22:02:00.001-05:002013-10-23T22:02:54.218-05:0010 American Foods That Are Banned Around The World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 30.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Americans are slowly waking up to the sad fact that much of the food sold in the US is far inferior to the same foods sold in other nations. In fact, many of the foods you eat are BANNED in other countries.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 30.796875px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here, I’ll review 10 American foods that are banned elsewhere, which were featured in a recent MSN article.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Seeing how the overall <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/01/23/united-states-health-ranking.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">health of Americans</a> is so much lower than other industrialized countries, you can’t help but wonder whether toxic foods such as these might play a role in our skyrocketing disease rates.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#1: Farm-Raised Salmon</b></span><a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/farmed-salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; line-height: 30.796875px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/farmed-salmon.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This diet leaves the fish with unappetizing grayish flesh so to compensate, they’re fed synthetic astaxanthin made from petrochemicals, which has not been approved for human consumption and has well known toxicities. According to the featured article, some studies suggest it can potentially damage your eyesight. More details are available in yesterday’s article.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 28.796875px;">I</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 30.796875px;">f you want to maxi</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 30.796875px;">mize health benefits from fish, you want to steer clear of farmed fish, particularly farmed salmon fed dangerous chemicals. Wild salmon gets its bright pinkish-red color from natural carotenoids in their diet. Farmed salmon, on the other hand, are raised on a wholly unnatural diet of grains (including genetically engineered varieties), plus a concoction of antibiotics and other drugs and chemicals not shown to be safe for humans.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Australia and New Zealand</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How can you tell whether a salmon is wild or farm-raised? The flesh of wild sockeye salmon is bright red, courtesy of its natural astaxanthin content. It’s also very lean, so the fat marks, those white stripes you see in the meat, are very thin. If the fish is pale pink with wide fat marks, the salmon is farmed.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Avoid Atlantic salmon, as typically salmon labeled “Atlantic Salmon” currently comes from fish farms. The two designations you want to look for are: “Alaskan salmon,” and “sockeye salmon,” as Alaskan sockeye is not allowed to be farmed. Please realize that the vast majority of all salmon sold in restaurants is farm raised.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So canned salmon labeled “Alaskan Salmon” is a good bet, and if you find sockeye salmon, it’s bound to be wild. Again, you can tell sockeye salmon from other salmon by its color; its flesh is bright red opposed to pink, courtesy of its superior astaxanthin content. Sockeye salmon actually has one of the highest concentrations of astaxanthin of any food.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#2: Genetically Engineered Papaya</b></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"><img alt="" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/ge-papaya.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most Hawaiian papaya is now genetically engineered to be resistant to ringspot virus. Mounting research now shows that animals fed genetically engineered foods, such as corn and soy, suffer a wide range of maladies, including intestinal damage, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/04/27/19-studies-link-gmo-foods-to-organ-disruption.aspx#%21" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">multiple-organ damage</a>, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/22/superbugs-destruct-food-supply.aspx#%21" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">massive tumors</a>, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/22/jeffrey-smith-interview-april-24.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">birth defects</a>, premature death, and near complete <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/22/jeffrey-smith-interview-april-24.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">sterility</a> by the third generation of offspring. Unfortunately, the gigantic human lab experiment is only about 10 years old, so we are likely decades away from tabulating the human casualties.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> The European Union</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, it’s clear that the US government is not in a position to make reasonable and responsible decisions related to genetically engineered foods at this point, when you consider the fact that the Obama administration has placed former Monsanto attorney and Vice President, Michael Taylor, in charge of US food safety, and serious conflicts of interest even reign supreme within the US Supreme Court! That’s right. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is also a former Monsanto attorney, but refuses to acknowledge any conflict of interest.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#3: Ractopamine-Tainted Meat</b></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The beta agonist drug <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/03/06/why-does-fda-allow-banned-drugs-to-be-fed-to-livestock.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">ractopamine</a> (a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis) was recruited for livestock use when researchers found that the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular. This reduces the overall fat content of the meat.</span><br />
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<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/ractopamine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/ractopamine.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ractopamine is currently used in about 45 percent of US pigs, 30 percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys are pumped full of this drug in the days leading up to slaughter. Up to 20 percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket, according to veterinarian Michael W. Fox.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since 1998, more than 1,700 people have been “poisoned” from eating pigs fed the drug, and ractopamine is banned from use in food animals in no less than 160 different countries due to its harmful health effects! Effective February 11, 2013, Russia issued a ban on US meat imports, slated to last until the US agrees to certify that the meat is ractopamine-free. At present, the US does not even test for the presence of this drug in meats sold. In animals, ractopamine is linked to reductions in <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">reproductive function, increase of mastitis in dairy herds, and increased death and disability.</em> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s also known to affect the human cardiovascular system, and is thought to be responsible for hyperactivity, and may cause chromosomal abnormalities and behavioral changes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">: 160 countries across Europe, Russia, mainland China and Republic of China (Taiwan)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#4: Flame Retardant Drinks</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/flame-retardant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;"></span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you live in the US and drink Mountain Dew and some other citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks, then you are also getting a dose of a synthetic chemical called <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/01/11/brominated-vegetable-oil-in-us-soda.aspx#%21" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">brominated vegetable oil</a> (BVO), which was originally patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant.</span><br />
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<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/flame-retardant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/flame-retardant.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BVO has been shown to bioaccumulate in human tissue and breast milk, and animal studies have found it causes reproductive and behavioral problems in large doses. Bromine is a central nervous system depressant, and a common endocrine disruptor. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s part of the halide family, a group of elements that includes fluorine, chlorine and iodine. When ingested, bromine competes for the same receptors that are used to capture iodine. This can lead to iodine deficiency, which can have a very detrimental impact on your health. Bromine toxicity can manifest as skin rashes, acne, loss of appetite, fatigue, and cardiac arrhythmias. According to the featured article:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The FDA has flip-flopped on BVO’s safety originally classifying it as ‘generally recognized as safe’ but reversing that call now defining it as an ‘interim food additive’ a category reserved for possibly questionable substances used in food.”</span></em><br />
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Europe and Japan</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#5: Processed Foods Containing Artificial Food Colors and Dyes</b></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">More than 3,000 food additives — preservatives, flavorings, colors and other ingredients — are added to US foods, including infant foods and foods targeted to young children. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, many of these are banned in other countries, based on research showing toxicity and hazardous health effects, especially with respect to adverse effects on children’s behavior. For example, as reported in the featured article:</span><br />
<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/processed-food-coloring.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/processed-food-coloring.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Boxed Mac & Cheese, cheddar flavored crackers, Jell-O and many kids’ cereals contain red 40, yellow 5, yellow 6 and/or blue 2, the most popularly-used dyes in the United States. Research has shown this rainbow of additives can cause behavioral problems as well as cancer, birth defects and other health problems in laboratory animals. Red 40 and yellow 6 are also suspected of causing an allergy-like hypersensitivity reaction in children. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reports that some dyes are also “contaminated with known carcinogens.”</span></em><br />
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In countries where these food colors and dyes are banned, food companies like Kraft employ natural colorants instead, such as paprika extract, beetroot, and annatto. The food blogger and activist <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/07/van-hari-food-babe.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">Vani Hari</a>, better known as “<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/07/van-hari-food-babe.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">Food Babe</a>,” recently launched a Change.org petition<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/banned-foods.aspx#_edn2" name="_ednref2" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">2</a> asking Kraft to remove artificial dyes from American Mac & Cheese to protect American children from the well-known dangers of these dyes.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> Norway and Austria. In 2009, the British government advised companies to stop using food dyes by the end of that year. The European Union also requires a warning notice on most foods containing dyes.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#6: Arsenic-Laced Chicken</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Arsenic-based drugs are approved for use in animal feed in the US because they make animals grow quicker and make the meat appear pinker (i.e. “fresher”). The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stated these products are safe because they contain <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">organic</em> arsenic, which is less toxic than the other <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">inorganic</em> form, which is a known carcinogen.</span><br />
<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/arsenic-chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/arsenic-chicken.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem is, scientific reports surfaced stating that the organic arsenic could transform into inorganic arsenic, which has been found in elevated levels in supermarket chickens. The inorganic arsenic also contaminates manure where it can eventually migrate into drinking water and may also be causing heightened arsenic levels in US rice.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2011, Pfizer announced it would voluntarily stop marketing its arsenic-based feed additive Roxarsone, but there are still several others on the market. Several environmental groups have filed a lawsuit against the FDA calling for their removal from the market. In the European Union, meanwhile, arsenic-based compounds have <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">never</em> been approved as safe for animal feed.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">: The European Union</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="background-color: white; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></em></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#7: Bread with Potassium Bromate</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You might not be aware of this, but nearly every time you eat bread in a restaurant or consume a hamburger or hotdog bun you are consuming </span><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/another-poison-hiding-in-your-environment.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">bromide</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, as it is commonly used in flours. The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures.</span><br />
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<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/potassium-bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/potassium-bread.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Commercial baking companies claim it makes the dough more elastic and better able to stand up to bread hooks. However, Pepperidge Farm and other successful companies manage to use only unbromated flour without any of these so-called “structural problems.” Studies have linked potassium bromate to kidney and nervous system damage, <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/05/another-poison-hiding-in-your-environment.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">thyroid problems</a>, gastrointestinal discomfort, and cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies potassium bromate as a possible carcinogen.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">: Canada, China and the EU</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/olean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/olean.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#8: Olestra/Olean</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Olestra, aka Olean, created by Procter & Gamble, is a calorie- and cholesterol-free fat substitute used in fat-free snacks like chips and French fries. Three years ago, <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Time Magazine</em><a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/banned-foods.aspx#_edn3" name="_ednref3" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">3</a> named it one of the worst 50 inventions ever, but that hasn’t stopped food companies from using it to satisfy people’s mistaken belief that a fat-free snack is a healthier snack. According to the featured article:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Not only did a 2011 study from Purdue University conclude rats fed potato chips made with Olean gained weight, there have been several reports of adverse intestinal reactions to the fake fat including diarrhea, cramps and leaky bowels. And because it interferes with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, the FDA requires these vitamins be added to any product made with Olean or olestra.”</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> The UK and Canada</em></span><br />
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<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/bha-bht.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/bha-bht.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#9: Preservatives BHA and BHT</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are commonly used preservatives that can be found in breakfast cereal, nut mixes, chewing gum, butter spread, meat, dehydrated potatoes, and beer, just to name a few. BHA is known to cause cancer in rats, and may be a cancer-causing agent in humans as well. In fact, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Toxicology Program’s 2011 Report on Carcinogens, BHA “is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” It may also trigger allergic reactions and hyperactivity, while BHT can cause organ system toxicity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned:</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> The UK doesn’t allow BHA in infant foods. BHA and BHT are also banned in parts of the European Union and Japan</em>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; clear: right; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>#10: Milk and Dairy Products Laced with rBGH</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) is the largest selling dairy animal drug in America. RBGH is a synthetic version of natural bovine somatotropin (BST), a hormone produced in cows’ pituitary glands. Monsanto developed the recombinant version from genetically engineered E. coli bacteria and markets it under the brand name “Posilac.”</span><br />
<a href="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/rbgh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://media.mercola.com/themes/mercola/images/slideshow/rbgh.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: auto; margin-top: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px;" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s injected into cows to increase milk production, but it is banned in at least 30 other nations because of its dangers to human health, which include an increased risk for colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer by promoting conversion of normal tissue cells into cancerous ones. Non-organic dairy farms frequently have rBGH-injected cows that suffer at least 16 different adverse health conditions, including very high rates of mastitis that contaminate milk with pus and antibiotics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">“According to the American Cancer Society, the increased use of antibiotics to treat this type of rBGH-induced inflammation ‘does promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but the extent to which these are transmitted to humans is unclear,’”</em> the featured article states.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many have tried to inform the public of the risks of using this hormone in dairy cows, but their attempts have been met with overwhelming opposition by the powerful dairy and pharmaceutical industries, and their government liaisons. In 1997, two Fox-affiliate <a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/10/03/fox-fires-reporters-for-telling-the-truth-about-milk.aspx" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">investigative journalists, Jane Akre and Steve Wilson</a>, attempted to air a program exposing the truth about the dangers of rBGH. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lawyers for Monsanto, a major advertiser with the Florida network, sent letters promising “dire consequences” if the story aired.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despite decades of evidence about the dangers of rBGH, the FDA still maintains it’s safe for human consumption and ignores scientific evidence to the contrary. In 1999, the United Nations Safety Agency ruled unanimously not to endorse or set safety standards for rBGH milk, which has effectively resulted in an international ban on US milk.<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/banned-foods.aspx#_edn4" name="_ednref4" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">4</a> The Cancer Prevention Coalition, trying for years to get the use of rBGH by the dairy industry banned, resubmitted a petition to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, MD, in January 2010.<a href="http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/banned-foods.aspx#_edn5" name="_ednref5" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;">5</a> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although the FDA stubbornly sticks to its position that milk from rBGH-treated cows is no different than milk from untreated cows, this is just plain false and is not supported by science. The only way to avoid rBGH is to look for products labeled as “rBGH-free” or “No rBGH.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Where it’s banned</em></strong><em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">: Australia, New Zealand, Israel, EU and Canada</em></span><br />
<em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></em><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Source: <a href="http://mercola.com/" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;">Mercola.com</a></span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Via: <a href="http://www.realfarmacy.com/10-american-foods-that-are-banned-in-other-countries/" style="text-decoration: none;">RealFarmacy</a></span></b><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-27578799031854865612013-10-22T14:42:00.000-05:002013-10-22T14:42:10.111-05:00Teen Develops Computer Algorithm to Diagnose Leukemia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwN3_Zp9T8BTnQpyLr6q5nJg68mwnf2RYV4k_L_eN8PwvVc2vs0oU1sLCd6VntIkYzD-zsdSvli9trczqGoi-IwlM47nJ_BQQ_fFHoSTyiVcwGtRH-yX8BuPCZnWNnJbsXbzmWkmBcnhoQ/s1600/luekemia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwN3_Zp9T8BTnQpyLr6q5nJg68mwnf2RYV4k_L_eN8PwvVc2vs0oU1sLCd6VntIkYzD-zsdSvli9trczqGoi-IwlM47nJ_BQQ_fFHoSTyiVcwGtRH-yX8BuPCZnWNnJbsXbzmWkmBcnhoQ/s1600/luekemia.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brittany Wenger isn't your average high-school senior: She taught the computer how to diagnose leukemia.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 18-year-old student from Sarasota, Fla. built a custom, cloud-based "artificial neural network" to find patterns in genetic expression profiles to diagnose patients with an aggressive form of cancer called <a href="http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=19710" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)</a>. Simply put, this means Wenger taught the computer how to diagnose leukemia by creating a diagnostic tool for doctors to use.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since artificial neural networks are programs that model the brain's neurons and their interconnections, Wenger told <em>Mashable</em> that they "can actually learn to detect things that transcend human knowledge."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mixed-lineage leukemia generally has poor prognosis, and the five-year survival rate is only 40%. Since Wenger said "different types of cancer have different molecular fingerprints," she discovered four particular gene expressions in the body that can be targeted to create MLL-specific drugs. Not only did she create a powerful diagnostic tool for this cancer, but her findings might also help develop new treatments.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wenger, who is graduating soon from The Out-of-Door Academy in Sarasota, </span><a href="http://www.oda.edu/page.cfm?p=5929" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">previously</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">used artificial-intelligence technology to diagnose breast cancer. With a non-invasive procedure, </span><a href="https://sites.google.com/a/googlesciencefair.com/science-fair-2012-project-64a91af142a459cfb486ed5cb05f803b2eb41354-1333130785-87/home" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">her technology</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> was able to help determine whether a breast mass was malignant or benign. Wenger's new findings with leukemia prove that her Cloud4Cancer service (check it out, </span><a href="http://cloud4cancer.appspot.com/" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">) can be altered to improve diagnostics for multiple cancer classifications.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wenger described herself as always having been a "a very naturally curious person."</span></div>
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<span class="microcontent" data-description=""The most amazing part about science is you can answer questions and really revolutionize the world and our knowledge base," she said." data-fragment="the-most-amazing-part" data-micro="1" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"The most amazing part about science is you can answer questions and really revolutionize the world and our knowledge base," she said.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It all started in seventh grade, when Wenger took a futuristic-thinking course. She became obsessed with the concept of artificial intelligence, and started learning how to code. Later, when Wenger was in the tenth grade, the issue hit close to home: Her cousin was diagnosed with breast cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">"I became really interested in applying my passion for artificial intelligence to my newfound interest in breast cancer diagnostics," she said. That eventually led to her initial<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcSWmoiLhzY" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">breast-cancer diagnosis project</a>, which she worked on for a few years.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">But Wenger wasn't done. "I wanted to prove that the infrastructure I built could work with multiple diseases," she said. That's what led to her new MLL cancer-diagnosis innovation.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wenger was recognized at last week's <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/competitions/international-science-and-engineering-fair.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Intel International Science and Engineering Fair</a> in Phoenix for her work in leukemia diagnosis. The world's largest science fair brought together 1,600 high-school finalists from all over the world, who competed for more than $4 million in awards. Wenger received a $3,000 award in the competition's computer-science category, as well as Go Daddy's $1,500 Data Award, Google's CS Connect $10,000 award and a $500 award from the IEEE Computer Society. In addition, back in March, she won eighth place and $20,000 in <a href="http://mashable.com/category/intel/" style="text-decoration: none;">Intel's</a> 2013 <a href="http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/education/competitions/science-talent-search/winners.html" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Science Talent Search</a> — a prestigious high-school science competition — for her work in breast-cancer diagnosis.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Moving forward, Wenger said she wants to be a pediatric oncologist, and will pursue her studies at Duke University. Using her <a href="http://mashable.com/category/computer-science/" style="text-decoration: none;">computer-science</a> background, she also wants to continue her research to help people who are working to find cures for cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">You can learn more about Wenger's work from <a href="http://tedxwomen.org/speakers/brittany-wenger/" style="text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">one of her TEDx talks</a> (she's given four of them!).</span></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Images courtesy of Intel</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Post courtesy of <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/05/21/computer-leukemia-diagnosis/" target="_blank">Mashable</a></span></em></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-47951756878937635912013-10-22T14:33:00.000-05:002013-10-22T14:33:45.341-05:00HISTORIC HIGH: 58% of Americans Want Marijuana Legalized<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo-m-mbSAko5moZy1HutD7NYBcws6Z-YC-N3ALeiA62aLrKgC-M15lRE-TUKruTHa-cWHSnkzasWzJeK8o0tdO_7VLVqE2szU08RiivUcRacG0bBEdmRII0tOtHg7w7JAYEZIoaS3NsMI/s1600/legailze+now.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivo-m-mbSAko5moZy1HutD7NYBcws6Z-YC-N3ALeiA62aLrKgC-M15lRE-TUKruTHa-cWHSnkzasWzJeK8o0tdO_7VLVqE2szU08RiivUcRacG0bBEdmRII0tOtHg7w7JAYEZIoaS3NsMI/s640/legailze+now.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By Erik Altieri, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">NORML Communications Director</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Gallup released <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/165539/first-time-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">new polling data</a> this week (10/22/13) that shows an overwhelming majority of Americans want marijuana to be legalized. According to their survey, 58% of Americans support legalizing marijuana, while only 39% are opposed. This is up significantly from the last time Gallup <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/159152/americans-federal-gov-state-marijuana-laws.aspx" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">polled</a> the question in 2012, when only 48% of Americans were in favor and 50% were opposed. For historical perspective, the first time they surveyed this question in 1969 a paltry 12% of Americans were in favor of legalization.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The support for marijuana legalization has seen unprecedented momentum in the past several years. Gallup observes, “Whatever the reasons for Americans’ greater acceptance of marijuana, it is likely that this momentum will spur further legalization efforts across the United States. Advocates of legalizing marijuana say taxing and regulating the drug could be financially beneficial to states and municipalities nationwide.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kNEOV3HfixXsK2v8m-eSDpoWc3OWoqln2_Y9Ye3x3GKRrFz1zdgJkPUwsLnwWaRI_JmAl8uCgdRcqwEGe1nrewW-KTmRE3hAUQ1KmILWBdE_JKuddeDYi79TtInyJzy2xX_DUrQpdaXh/s1600/weed+captiol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2kNEOV3HfixXsK2v8m-eSDpoWc3OWoqln2_Y9Ye3x3GKRrFz1zdgJkPUwsLnwWaRI_JmAl8uCgdRcqwEGe1nrewW-KTmRE3hAUQ1KmILWBdE_JKuddeDYi79TtInyJzy2xX_DUrQpdaXh/s320/weed+captiol.jpg" width="300" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The American people have opened their eyes to the failure that is marijuana prohibition and there is no putting the genie back in the bottle. Following the successful passage of marijuana legalization initiatives in Colorado and Washington in 2012, the people of this country see that a new approach to marijuana policy is both required and possible,” stated NORML Communications Director Erik Altieri, “The majority of Americans agree that prohibition has failed and it is time to legalize and regulate. The issue can no longer be ignored or sidelined. Legalization is now the mainstream position and supporters of perpetuating our war on marijuana will continue to be further relegated to the fringe.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The strongest support was coming from those ages 18-29 (67%), ages 30-49 (62%), Democrats (65%), and Independents (62%). The only major demographic groups lacking majority support are those 65+ (45%) and Republicans (35%).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Full poll results can be viewed <a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/165539/first-time-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx" style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://blog.norml.org/2013/10/22/historic-high-58-of-americans-want-marijuana-legalized/" target="_blank">Norml</a></span></div>
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-72585727447644586152013-10-22T14:26:00.000-05:002013-10-22T14:26:08.666-05:0014 People Who Mysteriously Disappeared<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG-ISjjcraowjlR6XQfm45H5-YIS1Ws2uABMApuqdVHVfsIWhvpL5kfxakugMk4IIZFWMwZJtDvNqPCA8sKQAtOrVt8CfINaZMji-g9v4prPFXLhCi7dFvAwPp0Xp7Ctnpscg_jJM2TNu/s1600/missingpeople.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG-ISjjcraowjlR6XQfm45H5-YIS1Ws2uABMApuqdVHVfsIWhvpL5kfxakugMk4IIZFWMwZJtDvNqPCA8sKQAtOrVt8CfINaZMji-g9v4prPFXLhCi7dFvAwPp0Xp7Ctnpscg_jJM2TNu/s640/missingpeople.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Though many of them are presumed dead, exactly what happened to these high-profile personalities still remains unknown.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lost Roanoke Colony. The Dyatlov Pass Incident. The death of Natalie Wood. The Black Dahlia. The Bermuda Triangle. Bigfoot. Did Tony Soprano die at the end of “The Sopranos”?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We love a good unsolved mystery, and unexplained disappearances that have managed to baffle historians have also intrigued the general public. Unlike the FBI’s decades-old search for the remains of a certain convict/labor organizer from Detroit, we’ve successfully managed to track down 15 missing people of note, including six particularly intriguing head-scratchers followed by a few more names that you may recognize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a majority of these cases, the unaccounted-for person was legally declared dead at some point, although their body has never been recovered and their whereabouts are still unknown. Some of these vanishings have been subject to massive search parties, wild speculation, media sensationalism, false accusations, dead ends, wrong turns and the occasional TV miniseries. Some are rather tragic. And in one famous instance, the identity of the AWOL individual was unknown even before he vanished into thin air (by jumping from a plane no less).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So cue up the appropriate music and join us as we delve into the realm of the mostly unknown.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Last_Voyage_Of_Henry_Hudson.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out; color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out;"><img alt="Last_Voyage_Of_Henry_Hudson" class="size-full wp-image-59431 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Last_Voyage_Of_Henry_Hudson.jpg" height="296" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Last_Voyage_Of_Henry_Hudson.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="252" /></a><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"></strong></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Who: <span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Henry Hudson</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1611<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: James Bay, Canada</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Henry Hudson (a.k.a. the famed British navigator who has a river, bay, straight, town, bridge, etc. named after him) must have been a rather pushy fellow to work for. His own crew — homesick, starving, half-frozen and unwilling to keep exploring after becoming trapped in ice for several months — set a determined Hudson, his teenage son and seven infirm and/or loyal-to-Hudson sailors adrift on a small, open boat in the middle of present-day Hudson Bay. Hudson and the other cast-offs were never seen or heard from again. (So much for talking things out with the HR department, eh?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not a whole lot of particulars are known about the mutiny that ended Hudson’s fourth expedition as only a handful of the Discovery’s crew survived the voyage back to England to stand trial. Arrested and charged with the murder of their captain, the mutinous crewmembers ended up escaping any kind of punishment and, to this day, it’s generally believed that a marooned Hudson met his maker while aboard the tiny lifeboat. This scenario has been immortalized in a famous John Collier painting (pictured). (A fur-clad, ZZ Top-ish Hudson doesn’t appear too thrilled in it.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In his book, “Fatal Journey: The Final Expedition of Henry Hudson,” esteemed history professor Peter Mancall highlights evidence that suggests Hudson could have been violently murdered by his crew and not forced into a small boat with a few others and left to die. The possibility that Hudson managed to survive the mutiny, changed his hair color and relocated to Rio de Janeiro where he lived out the rest of his life as a popular yet enigmatic lounge singer named “Bob Simpson” has been ruled out. And as for Hudson’s doomed crew, you never know, they could have very well reemerged nearly 200 years later alongside a few other former disgruntled Hudson sailors – the crew of the Half Moon – as hirsute bowling enthusiasts living in New York’s Catskill Mountains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Amelia_Earhart.jpeg" style="color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Amelia_Earhart" class="size-full wp-image-59432 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Amelia_Earhart.jpeg" height="325" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Amelia_Earhart.jpeg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="249" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who: <span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Amelia Earhart</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1937<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: The Pacific Ocean</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pioneering aviatrix, author, teacher, magazine editor, celebrity fashion designer, cigarette spokesperson. In her short 39 years on this planet, Amelia Earhart managed to amass an impressive CV, but it was her mysterious disappearance while attempting a round-the-world flight that continues to intrigue to this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although there are numerous theories, no one can be certain what really happened when Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan vanished over the Pacific Ocean on July 2, 1937, while en route to Howland Island in a Lockheed Electra 10E, a disappearance that resulted in the most intensive — and expensive — search effort in American history up to that time. It’s commonly believed that the Electra ran out of fuel and Earhart, who was declared dead in absentia in 1939, ditched the plane into the Pacific near Howland Island – the “crash and sink theory” — although there’s been no shortage of wild myths and legends surrounding Earhart’s disappearance. Most recently, researchers embarked on a $2.2 million expedition to prove that Earhart crashed her plane on the tiny island of Nikumaoro.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our favorite Earhart disappearance legend, other than the one where she’s employed to spy on the Japanese by F.D.R., has to be the one involving the iconic pilot pulling an Abbie Hoffman — a ludicrous scenario in which Earhart secretly completed the round-the-world flight but, tired of all the fame and fortune, decided to move to Monroe Township, N.J., and change her name to Irene Craigmile Bolam. Author Joe Klaas ran with this theory in his 1970 book, “Amelia Earhart Lives,” and, as a result, the real Irene Craigmile Bolam was none too pleased. Bolam, a banker and amateur pilot, filed a $1.5 lawsuit and publisher McGraw-Hill quickly pulled Klaas’ book after it was published.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/HaroldHolt.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out; color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><img alt="HaroldHolt" class="size-full wp-image-59433 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/HaroldHolt.jpg" height="210" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/HaroldHolt.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="250" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who:<span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;"> Harold Holt</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1967<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: Point Nepean, Victoria, Australia</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s not every day that a prime minister vanishes into the sea. However, just that happened on Dec. 17, 1967, when the 17th prime minister of Australia, Harold Holt, decided to go for a swim at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria. Following two days of exhaustive search efforts, the authorities declared that 59-year-old Holt, a skilled swimmer and longtime member of Parliament who had served as prime minister for less than two years, was presumed dead. His body was never recovered and it wasn’t until 2005 that a coroner ruled the cause of death to be accidental drowning — he was either swept out to sea or eaten by shark — in a risky location known for strong rip currents. At the time of his disappearance, Holt was taking pain meds for a shoulder injury.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not long after Holt went missing, the rumor mill started working overtime and speculation as to what exactly happened that fateful morning at Cheviot Beach continues to this day. Among the more wild myths, many fueled by the fact that Holt’s disappearance was not followed by a formal inquiry and that has body was not found: he was abducted by a UFO; he faked his own death so that he could decamp with his mistress, Marjorie Gillespie; and, most famously, he deliberately swam out to sea where he was plucked from the water by a waiting Chinese submarine and whisked off to China. This ridiculous theory, in which Holt was revealed to be a communist and longtime secret agent for the People’s Republic of China, surfaced in British journalist Anthony Grey’s controversial 1983 book, “The Prime Minister Was a Spy.” To this, Holt’s wife Zara responded: “Harry? Chinese submarine? He didn’t even like Chinese cooking.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Suicide is another theory tied to Holt’s disappearance and was suggested in the 2007 documentary “Who Killed Harold Holt?” Several sources close to the late prime minister have adamantly denied that he suffered from bouts of depression or a mental illness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Whatever the case, Holt will forever be remembered by a wickedly ironic recreation complex in the suburbs of Melbourne, the Harold Holt Swim Centre, and by the rhyming slang expression “do a Harry Holt.” Translation: to bolt — to disappear abruptly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/JimmyHoffa1957.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out; color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out;"><img alt="JimmyHoffa1957" class="size-full wp-image-59434 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/JimmyHoffa1957.jpg" height="348" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/JimmyHoffa1957.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="253" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who: <span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Jimmy Hoffa</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1975<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: Bloomfield Township, Mich.</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By now, it’s been well established that Teamsters kingpin Jimmy Hoffa was offed by the mob after vanishing from the parking lot of a restaurant in suburban Detroit on July 30, 1975. But for decades, even after the super-corrupt union leader was declared dead in absentia a full eight years later, the question remains: what in the hell did they do with his body?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hoffa’s disappearance has yielded a delightfully sordid assortment of lore, lies and potential leads. Some have been pursed by the FBI, some have not, while most pertain to the whereabouts of his remains. Just a taste: entombed under Section 107 at the now-demolished Giants Stadium in New Jersey; hidden in the concrete foundation of Detroit’s Renaissance Center; stashed under a horse barn; interred beneath the driveway of a suburban home; tossed into a swamp in Florida; buried under a backyard swimming pool in Bloomfield Hills. Other scenarios have seen Hoffa’s body sent through a meat grinder, weighted down in a river, disintegrated at a fat-rendering plant, crushed in a car compactor, buried in a gravel pit, and, last but not least, stuffed into an oil drum and deposited at a toxic waste dump in New Jersey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The latest entrant in the always-riveting game of Where in the World Is Jimmy Hoffa’s Body? According to one source, he’s interred in a shallow grave on a vacant lot in Oakland County, Mich., about 20 miles north of the restaurant where he was last seen alive. Apparently, this location was intended as a temporary dumping ground before Hoffa’s body was transferred to a more relocation. That plan, however, fell through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This revelation comes from Tony Zerilli, a reputed Detroit mob boss who was incarcerated at the time of Hoffa’s disappearance. Zerilli told New York’s NBC 4 News during a January 2013 interview: “I’m as certain as I could possibly be. If I had money, I’d like to bet a big sum of money that he’s buried (there).” He adds: “I’d like to just prove to everybody that I’m not crazy.” And on the topic of money and crazy, Zerilli is promoting his new, self-published book titled “Hoffa Found.” As of publication, Hoffa’s remains remain at large.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DBCooper.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out; color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out;"><img alt="DBCooper" class="size-full wp-image-59435 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DBCooper.jpg" height="298" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DBCooper.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="251" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who: <span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">D.B. Cooper</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1971<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: Southwestern Washington state</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">D.B. who? Exactly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although the saga of a brazen air pirate known to the media as D.B. Cooper (he purchased his ticket under the alias of “Dan Cooper”) may not be familiar to most young’ns, the aviation industry, the residents of Ariel, Wash. and — last but not least — the FBI, will never forget Thanksgiving Eve 1971 when a nattily attired gentleman skyjacked Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 305 bound for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Shortly after the 30-minute flight departed from Portland, Ore., Cooper disclosed to a flight attendant that he was in possession of explosives and demanded $200,000, four parachutes and a refueling truck upon landing at Sea-Tac.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Once the plane landed at Sea-Tac after circling for two hours while authorities made preparations, the ransom payout and parachutes were handed over and Cooper released Flight 305′s passengers. The refueling process began, at which point Cooper revealed to the plane’s pilot and a handful of other crew members his desired destination: Mexico City. About 30 minutes after the flight departed at 7:40 p.m., Cooper, wearing a parachute and in possession of the ransom money, leapt from the plane’s aft airstair at 10,000 feet and into the night over southwestern Washington, near Mount St. Helens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To this day, the identity of D.B. Cooper remains a mystery, and it’s unclear if he even survived the jump. Still, in an ongoing effort to retire the nation’s only unsolved skyjacking, the FBI has processed thousands of possible suspects including copycat hijacker Richard McCoy Jr., Seattle-based flight attendant Kenneth Christiansen and, most recently, a deceased engineering surveyor from Oregon named Lynn Doyle Cooper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Numerous books, films, songs and TV show plotlines have been inspired by the legend of D.B. Cooper. Heck, he’s been name-checked on everything from “30 Rock” to “Breaking Bad.” And as you may have guessed, David Lynch named cherry pie-loving, black coffee-swilling FBI agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper from “Twin Peaks” after him. In August 2013, the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma plans to open an exhibit dedicated to the 1971 skyjacking. It’s unclear if the man of the hour has any plans to attend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AzariaChamberlain.jpg" style="color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="AzariaChamberlain" class="size-full wp-image-59436 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AzariaChamberlain.jpg" height="375" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AzariaChamberlain.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="253" /></a><b><span style="font-size: large;">Who: <span style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Azaria Chamberlain</span><br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Missing since: 1980<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />Where: Northern Territory, Australia</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“G’day Mate.”<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />“Let’s throw another a shrimp on the barbie.”<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />“That’s not a knife. This is a knife.”<br style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" />“A dingo ate my baby!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is just a small sampling of (mostly unfortunate) phrases associated with the great country of Australia that have been embedded into the pop culture lexicon. And as for that last one, it really did happen — and Paul Hogan had nothing to do with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 1980 disappearance of Azaria Chamberlain remains one of the most infamous, if not the most infamous, murder cases in Aussie history. And it wasn’t until 2012 — 32 years, a super-sensational trial, several dramatic coronial inquests, demoralizing public scrutiny and a “Seinfeld” punchline later — that Azaria’s beleaguered parents found closure when a coroner ruled that their 9-week-old daughter had indeed been snatched from an outback campsite near Uluru by a marauding wild dog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Following Azaria’s disappearance, her mother, Lindy Chamberlain, was tried and convicted for the murder of her infant daughter and sentenced to life in prison. She served three years before being released after a piece of Azaria’s clothing was found, totally by chance, in a dingo’s lair near the campsite. Two years later, the convictions against Lindy and her husband Michael were overturned and all charges were dropped. However, it wasn’t until a fourth inquest in 2012 that an amended death certificate — a death certificate that legally backed the Chamberlains’ initial claim that their daughter was taken from her tent by a dingo during the night and carried off into the wilderness and killed — for Azaria was finally issued.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And as for that famous phrase, it’s actually a misquote from the 1988 Meryl Streep film, “A Cry in the Dark” in which Streep, playing Lindy Chamberlain, cries: “The dingo took my baby!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Other notable people who disappeared</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dorothy Arnold</b>: Manhattan socialite and heiress. Disappeared December 1910 in New York City at the age of 25.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Jean Spangler</b>: Actress and dancer. Disappeared October 1949, in Los Angeles at the age of 26.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Frank_Morris.jpg" style="-webkit-transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out; color: red; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.4s ease-in-out;"><img alt="Frank_Morris" class="size-full wp-image-59437 alignleft" data-cfsrc="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Frank_Morris.jpg" height="358" src="http://banoosh.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Frank_Morris.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 620px; outline: none; padding: 0px;" width="252" /></a><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Frank Morris</strong> (pictured): Criminal. Disappeared June 1962, from Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary along with John and Clarence Anglin at the age of 36.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Jim Thompson</strong>: American businessman. Disappeared March 1967 from the Cameron Highlands, Malaysia, at the age of 61.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Sean Flynn</strong>: Freelance photojournalist and son of actor Errol Flynn. Disappeared April 1970 in Cambodia at the age of 28.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Oscar Zeta Acosta</strong>: Attorney, activist and traveling companion of Hunter S. Thompson. Disappeared 1974 in Mexico at the age of 39.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Richey Edwards</strong>: Guitarist, Manic Street Preachers. Disappeared February 1995 in London at the age of 27.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong style="margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px;">Bison Dele</strong>: Retired professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons. Disappeared July 2002 in Tahiti at the age of 32.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-78684502363607632432013-10-22T14:10:00.000-05:002013-10-22T14:11:26.925-05:008 Sleeping Positions & Their Effects On Health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In what position you sleep most often? It turns out that this very important question. Getting enough sleep is the most important thing – but did you know that how you sleep can also impact your health? </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sleeping on your back with your arms at your side is generally considered to be the best sleeping position for spine health and it’s good for your neck, too, as long as you don’t use too many pillows. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">That said, back sleepers tend to snore more than those in any other position and sleep apnea is strongly associated with sleeping on the back.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17px;">Let’s take a look at eight common sleeping positions and what they do to your body:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://memolition.com/2013/10/17/8-sleeping-positions-and-their-effects-on-health/" target="_blank">Memolition</a></span></div>
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-15450603112030798852013-10-22T13:57:00.000-05:002013-10-22T13:57:57.124-05:00The Most Eye-Opening Six Minutes of Film Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 17.90625px;">Here is a hard hitting dose of perspective of what unsustainable demand looks like. Warning, you may have a feeling of emptiness inside after watching.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" height="481" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/73234721" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="700"></iframe></span><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-42228382225669219192013-10-22T13:47:00.000-05:002013-10-22T13:47:50.345-05:00You Thought Your Life Was Hard? Think Again...<div style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Life is tough on Skid Row, the downtown part of Los Angeles that is home to thousands of homeless people who have hit rock bottom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From short-term workers and migrants feeling the hardships of the Great Depression, to servicemen shipping out during the Second World War and Vietnam, Skid Row has always had a transient nature. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Its most recent inhabitants have been those who find they have nowhere else to turn as drug addicts and alcoholics come to its streets to try to fight their demons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Rock bottom: Recovering alcoholic George Mendez, center, sits in front of a drunk woman in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7887900000578-869_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rock bottom: Recovering alcoholic George Mendez, center, sits in front of a drunk woman in the Skid Row neighborhood of Los Angeles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Help: A recovering addict walks by a sign of positive messages at a narcotics anonymous meeting" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7868800000578-403_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Help: A recovering addict walks by a sign of positive messages at a narcotics anonymous meeting</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Surviving: Antonio Garcia, a 54-year-old former mathematician, peeks through the top of a box he shelters in" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D783AE00000578-91_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Surviving: Antonio Garcia, a 54-year-old former mathematician, peeks through the top of a box he shelters in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Reach out: Young volunteers from the Dream Center church mission look at homeless people from the windows of their bus" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7857200000578-536_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reach out: Young volunteers from the Dream Center church mission look at homeless people from the windows of their bus</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Their everyday battle has been captured in a series of photographs by Jae C Hong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Skid Row addicts are offered a place to sleep, food, counseling and even spiritual support. With this backup some are able to turn their lives around, but plenty don't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's common to see addicts openly taking drugs on the streets, even while police are patrolling the area. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While temptation may lurk on every corner, so do helping hands with charities and church missions offering shelter and food to those in need. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Tent city: Torrance Moore, 46, pulls cardboard that he will use as bedding into his tent on a Skid Row sidewalk" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D783A200000578-432_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tent city: Torrance Moore, 46, pulls cardboard that he will use as bedding into his tent on a Skid Row sidewalk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Food line: A line forms outside a charity organization that hands out free hotdogs" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D782EA00000578-858_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Food line: A line forms outside a charity organization that hands out free hotdogs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Salvage: A homeless woman searches through trash for anything that she may be able to use" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7825400000578-876_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Salvage: A homeless woman searches through trash for anything that she may be able to use</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Steps to recovery: Former addict Trina Bohannan sings outside a karaoke club where she now works as an usher after finding a low income apartment to live in" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7813400000578-293_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steps to recovery: Former addict Trina Bohannan sings outside a karaoke club where she now works as an usher after finding a low income apartment to live in</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Homeless: Late afternoon sunlight shines on a man as he sleeps in the middle of a Los Angeles sidewalk" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7800700000578-601_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Homeless: Late afternoon sunlight shines on a man as he sleeps in the middle of a Los Angeles sidewalk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="No room: Sonya Martinez, 38, has been homeless on and off for the past ten years. In January 1,020 homeless people were counted on Skid Row streets, and 2,443 were in emergency shelters" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7873100000578-648_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No room: Sonya Martinez, 38, has been homeless on and off for the past ten years. In January 1,020 homeless people were counted on Skid Row streets, and 2,443 were in emergency shelters</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Faith: Residents at the Emmanuel Baptist Rescue Mission attend a Bible study class, which is required for anyone wanting to stay at the shelter" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7867B00000578-78_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Faith: Residents at the Emmanuel Baptist Rescue Mission attend a Bible study class, which is required for anyone wanting to stay at the shelter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Mission: The shadow of a woman is cast across a Jesus Loves You sign in Skid Row" class="blkBorder" height="422" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D786CF00000578-807_634x422.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mission: The shadow of a woman is cast across a Jesus Loves You sign in Skid Row</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Stories: A homeless woman leans on a gate for support as she talks to a man in Los Angeles" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7859D00000578-347_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stories: A homeless woman leans on a gate for support as she talks to a man in Los Angeles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Addiction: Outside a church in Skid Row an addict prepares to inject himself with heroin" class="blkBorder" height="421" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D784D200000578-850_634x421.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Addiction: Outside a church in Skid Row an addict prepares to inject himself with heroin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Street life: A barefoot homeless woman sings and dances on a Skid Row street" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7841600000578-966_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Street life: A barefoot homeless woman sings and dances on a Skid Row street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="On the move: A woman pulls a suitcase along in what has always been a transient Los Angeles neighborhood" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D782E600000578-393_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the move: A woman pulls a suitcase along in what has always been a transient Los Angeles neighborhood</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Moment of calm: Birds gather to eat bread crumbs on a deserted street" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7838E00000578-15_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Moment of calm: Birds gather to eat bread crumbs on a deserted street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Messages: Graffiti calling for help from Jesus is scrawled alongside a heart" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D782B600000578-469_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Messages: Graffiti calling for help from Jesus is scrawled alongside a heart</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Lost hope: Shawn McGray, a 34-year-old trying to save enough money to move into a small apartment with his girlfriend, searches through a dumpster" class="blkBorder" height="422" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D782CE00000578-584_634x422.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lost hope: Shawn McGray, a 34-year-old trying to save enough money to move into a small apartment with his girlfriend, searches through a dumpster</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Change: Cesar Solozano, a 60-year-old recovering drink and drug addict, laughs as he crosses a street" class="blkBorder" height="421" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7815000000578-329_634x421.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Change: Cesar Solozano, a 60-year-old recovering drink and drug addict, laughs as he crosses a street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Despair: Jesse Raca, a 58-year-old homeless alcoholic rests against the shutters of a store " class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D7814000000578-291_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Despair: Jesse Raca, a 58-year-old homeless alcoholic rests against the shutters of a store</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Prayer: Pastor Tony Stallworth, center, who used to be a homeless drug addict, leads a moment of reflection at a karaoke night" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D780B800000578-399_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Prayer: Pastor Tony Stallworth, center, who used to be a homeless drug addict, leads a moment of reflection at a karaoke night</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Sleeping rough: Margaret Warrick, 55, settles on a bench for the night outside Skid Row's Midnight Mission" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77FFE00000578-510_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sleeping rough: Margaret Warrick, 55, settles on a bench for the night outside Skid Row's Midnight Mission</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Rest: Homeless people sleep near their belongings in the courtyard of the Midnight Mission - a safer alternative than sleeping on the street" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77FBA00000578-8_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rest: Homeless people sleep near their belongings in the courtyard of the Midnight Mission - a safer alternative than sleeping on the street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Icon: A homeless man covers his face with a torn piece of paper showing a deity</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Deserted: Wearing a Barbie backpack and pushing a trolley filled with her possessions, a woman makes her way along the street" class="blkBorder" height="424" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77E6300000578-40_634x424.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deserted: Wearing a Barbie backpack and pushing a trolley filled with her possessions, a woman makes her way along the street</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Light relief: 60-year-old Tricia Warren, homeless for three weeks because of financial problems, sings at a karaoke night put on for the homeless" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77D0300000578-65_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Light relief: 60-year-old Tricia Warren, homeless for three weeks because of financial problems, sings at a karaoke night put on for the homeless</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="End of the road: The Skid Row section of Los Angeles, where homeless addicts struggle to survive" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77CEC00000578-456_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">End of the road: The Skid Row section of Los Angeles, where homeless addicts struggle to survive</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Ray of light: Pastor Emmanuel Okoli gives a sermon to those finding shelter at the Outreach Mission" class="blkBorder" height="423" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77E9F00000578-407_634x423.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ray of light: Pastor Emmanuel Okoli gives a sermon to those finding shelter at the Outreach Mission</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Shadows: Many of the inhabitants of Skid Row have found themselves homeless because of financial trouble or addiction" class="blkBorder" height="421" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/10/19/article-2468014-18D77E5400000578-100_634x421.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0); margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" width="634" /></span><div class="imageCaption" style="min-height: 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Shadows: Many of the inhabitants of Skid Row have found themselves homeless because of financial trouble or addiction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lifetime of struggles: Antoinette Theus, 45, has been homeless for 30 years</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2468014/Life-Skid-Row-Where-homeless-fight-demons-drug-addiction-alcoholism-downtown-Los-Angeles.html/" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-23684719517199782952013-10-22T13:41:00.000-05:002013-10-22T13:41:32.992-05:00Ancient City Discovered In India, Irradiated By Atomic Blast<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 1em; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFKVzXcRlTT_uLqx7g8LM8BrBpwf-7-RJobChD10SVraoBUI7K3H_NzjUvPck4R9CSO2bTi07IsFcYkYx5xrr4QtzkEBdtkTvpIFK3p0wnpsLz5CTFY9U4se-KP06ZfzxtCyE8toBg84N/s1600/nuclearindia.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAFKVzXcRlTT_uLqx7g8LM8BrBpwf-7-RJobChD10SVraoBUI7K3H_NzjUvPck4R9CSO2bTi07IsFcYkYx5xrr4QtzkEBdtkTvpIFK3p0wnpsLz5CTFY9U4se-KP06ZfzxtCyE8toBg84N/s1600/nuclearindia.gif" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Radiation still so intense, the area is highly dangerous. A heavy layer of radioactive ash in <a class="newpage" href="http://veda.wikidot.com/rajasthan" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Rajasthan</a>, India, covers a three-square mile area, ten miles west of <a class="newpage" href="http://veda.wikidot.com/jodhpur" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Jodhpur</a>. Scientists are investigating the site, where a housing development was being built.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For some time it has been established that there is a very high rate of birth defects and cancer in the area under construction. The levels of radiation there have registered so high on investigators' gauges that the Indian government has now cordoned off the region. Scientists have unearthed an ancient city where evidence shows an atomic blast dating back thousands of years, from <strong>8,000 to 12,000 years</strong>, destroyed most of the buildings and probably a half-million people. One researcher estimates that the nuclear bomb used was about the size of the ones dropped on Japan in 1945.</span></div>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="be_harappa_granary.jpg" class="image" src="http://veda.wikidot.com/local--files/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast/be_harappa_granary.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="100%" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The ruins of Harappa</span></sup></th></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/mahabharata" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Mahabharata</a> clearly describes a catastrophic blast that rocked the continent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"A single projectile charged with all the power in the Universe…An incandescent column of smoke and flame as bright as 10,000 suns, rose in all its splendor…it was an unknown weapon, an iron thunderbolt, a gigantic messenger of death which reduced to ashes an entire race.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The corpses were so burned as to be unrecognizable. Their hair and nails fell out, pottery broke without any apparent cause, and the birds turned white.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"After a few hours, all foodstuffs were infected. To escape from this fire, the soldiers threw themselves into the river."</span></div>
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<h2 id="toc0" style="background-color: white; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A Historian Comments</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Historian <strong>Kisari Mohan Ganguli</strong> says that Indian sacred writings are full of such descriptions, which sound like an atomic blast as experienced in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He says references mention fighting sky chariots and final weapons. An ancient battle is described in the <a class="newpage" href="http://veda.wikidot.com/drona-parva" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Drona Parva</a>, a section of the <a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/mahabharata" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Mahabharata</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The passage tells of combat where explosions of final weapons decimate entire armies, causing crowds of warriors with steeds and elephants and weapons to be carried away as if they were dry leaves of trees," says Ganguli.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Instead of mushroom clouds, the writer describes a perpendicular explosion with its billowing smoke clouds as consecutive openings of giant parasols. There are comments about the contamination of food and people's hair falling out."</span></div>
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<h2 id="toc1" style="background-color: white; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Archeological Investigation provides information</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Archeologist <strong>Francis Taylor</strong> says that etchings in some nearby temples he has managed to translate suggest that they prayed to be spared from the great light that was coming to lay ruin to the city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"It's so mid-boggling to imagine that some civilization had nuclear technology before we did. The radioactive ash adds credibility to the ancient Indian records that describe atomic warfare."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Construction has halted while the five member team conducts the investigation. The foreman of the project is <strong>Lee Hundley</strong>, who pioneered the investigation after the high level of radiation was discovered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is evidence that the <strong>Rama empire</strong> (now India) was devastated by nuclear war. The Indus valley is now the Thar desert, and the site of the radioactive ash found west of Jodhpur is around there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Consider these verses from the ancient (6500 BC at the latest) <a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/mahabharata" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Mahabharata</a>:</span></div>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="be_atomicexplosion.jpg" class="image" src="http://veda.wikidot.com/local--files/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast/be_atomicexplosion.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="100%" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Atomic explosion</span></sup></th></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">…a single projectile<br />Charged with all the power of the Universe.<br />An incandescent column of smoke and flame<br />As bright as the thousand suns<br />Rose in all its splendour…<br />a perpendicular explosion<br />with its billowing smoke clouds…<br />…the cloud of smoke<br />rising after its first explosion<br />formed into expanding round circles<br />like the opening of giant parasols…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">..it was an unknown weapon,<br />An iron thunderbolt,<br />A gigantic messenger of death,<br />Which reduced to ashes<br />The entire race of the Vrishnis and the Andhakas.<br />…The corpses were so burned<br />As to be unrecognisable.<br />The hair and nails fell out;<br />Pottery broke without apparent cause,<br />And the birds turned white.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After a few hours<br />All foodstuffs were infected…<br />…to escape from this fire<br />The soldiers threw themselves in streams<br />To wash themselves and their equipment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Until the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, modern mankind could not imagine any weapon as horrible and devastating as those described in the ancient Indian texts. Yet they very accurately described the effects of an atomic explosion. Radioactive poisoning will make hair and nails fall out. Immersing oneself in water gives some respite, though it is not a cure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When excavations of <a class="newpage" href="http://veda.wikidot.com/harappa" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Harappa</a> and <a class="newpage" href="http://veda.wikidot.com/mohenjo-daro" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Mohenjo-Daro</a> reached the street level, they discovered skeletons scattered about the cities, many holding hands and sprawling in the streets as if some instant, horrible doom had taken place. People were just lying, unburied, in the streets of the city. And these skeletons are thousands of years old, even by traditional archaeological standards. What could cause such a thing? Why did the bodies not decay or get eaten by wild animals? Furthermore, there is no apparent cause of a physically violent death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">These skeletons are among the most radioactive ever found, on par with those at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At one site, Soviet scholars found a skeleton which had a radioactive level 50 times greater than normal. Other cities have been found in northern India that show indications of explosions of great magnitude. One such city, found between the Ganges and the mountains of <strong>Rajmahal</strong>, seems to have been subjected to intense heat. Huge masses of walls and foundations of the ancient city are fused together, literally vitrified! And since there is no indication of a volcanic eruption at Mohenjo-Daro or at the other cities, the intense heat to melt clay vessels can only be explained by an atomic blast or some other unknown weapon. The cities were wiped out entirely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the skeletons have been carbon-dated to 2500 BC, we must keep in mind that carbon-dating involves measuring the amount of radiation left. When atomic explosions are involved, that makes then seem much younger.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interestingly, Manhattan Project chief scientist <strong>Dr J. Robert Oppenheimer</strong> was known to be familiar with ancient Sanskrit literature. In an interview conducted after he watched the first atomic test, he quoted from the <a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/bhagavad-gita" style="background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Bhagavad Gita</a>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"'Now I am become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.' I suppose we all felt that way."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When asked in an interview at Rochester University seven years after the Alamogordo nuclear test whether that was the first atomic bomb ever to be detonated, his reply was,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ancient cities whose brick and stonewalls have literally been vitrified, that is, fused together, can be found in India, Ireland, Scotland, France, Turkey and other places. There is no logical explanation for the vitrification of stone forts and cities, except from an atomic blast.</span></div>
<h1 id="toc2" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: rgb(216, 210, 195); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 25px; font-style: italic; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 1em 0px 0px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giant Unexplained Crater Near Bombay</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another curious sign of an ancient nuclear war in India is a giant crater near Bombay. The nearly circular 2,154-metre-diameter Lonar crater, located 400 kilometres northeast of Bombay and aged at less than 50,000 years old, could be related to nuclear warfare of antiquity.</span></div>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="lonar-crater.jpg" class="image" src="http://veda.wikidot.com/local--files/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast/lonar-crater.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="100%" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Giant Unexplained Crater Near Bombay</span></sup></th></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No trace of any meteoric material, etc., has been found at the site or in the vicinity, and this is the world's only known "impact" crater in basalt. Indications of great shock (from a pressure exceeding 600,000 atmospheres) and intense, abrupt heat (indicated by basalt glass spherules) can be ascertained from the site. <strong>David Hatcher Childress</strong> in <strong>Nexus Magazine</strong>:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"The crater is formed in the basalt rock of thickness 600-700m (2,000 to 2,200 feet). This rock is made of many layers or flows which were laid why volcanic activity at various times, five of such flows are exposed at the crater rim. Thickness of these flows ranges from 5 to 30m.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The crater is about 150m (500 feet)deep and has average diameter of 1830m (1.4 miles). The elevated rim consists of 25m of bedrock and 5m of ejecta over it. This ejecta blanket is spread over about 1350m (4,400 feet) away from the crater rim and slopes away by 2-6°. The uppermost region of ejecta contains the deposits that were melted due to the impact".</span></div>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="lonar2.jpg" class="image" src="http://veda.wikidot.com/local--files/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast/lonar2.jpg" style="border-width: 0px;" width="100%" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="2" style="background-color: #eeeeee; border: 1px solid rgb(136, 136, 136); padding: 0.3em 0.7em;"><sup><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Lonar crater</span></sup></th></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Lonar is a place of obscurities, especially as the only meteoric crater formed in basaltic terrain. It has remained relatively intact due to low degree of erosion by environmental agents, making it an excellent model for study. However, several strange things happen here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. The lake has two distinct regions that never mix — an outer neutral (pH7) and an inner alkaline (pH11) each with its own flora and fauna. You can actually do a litmus paper test here and check this for yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2. There is a perennial stream feeding the lake with water but there seems to be no apparent outlet for the lake’s water. And it is also a big unsolved mystery where the water for the perennial stream comes from, in a relatively dry region like <strong>Buldhana</strong>. Even in the driest months of May and June, the stream is perpetually flowing. Lonar generates questions and more questions”. Lilyn Kamath</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Sources</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1. </span><a href="http://www.philipcoppens.com/bestevidence.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none;">Best Evidence?</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">, by Philip Coppens; Are the Indian remains of Mohenjo Daro and Harappa, their sudden abandonment and the apparent discovery of an ancient site with a layer of radioactive ash the best available evidence for the possibility that our ancient ancestors possessed a highly advanced technology – which might have included atomic warfare?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px;">2. </span></span><a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ancientatomicwar/esp_ancient_atomic_12.htm" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Nuclear events in Ancient India</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">, Rajasthan: Evidence of Ancient Atomic Explosion</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">3. </span><a href="http://s8int.com/atomic2.html" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Evidence of Ancient Atomic Knowledge?</a></div>
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4. <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://veda.wikidot.com/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast" target="_blank">Veda Wikidot</a></b></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-27922871063967778792013-10-22T12:59:00.000-05:002013-10-22T12:59:32.228-05:00The Most Honest Three Minutes In The History of Television<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 16.984375px;">Beginning scene of the new HBO series The Newsroom explaining why America's not the greatest country any longer... but it still can be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="460" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/16K6m3Ua2nw?feature=player_detailpage" width="740"></iframe></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-79012077066451655812013-10-22T12:53:00.001-05:002013-10-22T12:53:45.164-05:00The Man Who Doesn't Want Your Money<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4Zku-SP5wLMf3skrAZpTmrbcoU1Fe-Z1nHHXJXRIgVk3B62YWgOXAQGsHYBoX4H752zhvr_J-wzF7PELAzolAtxz8PpuzZVvkFStStVKIGveoh5RRtjnsKO7wCcKNvrDFWLK35FZdIQ0/s1600/mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW4Zku-SP5wLMf3skrAZpTmrbcoU1Fe-Z1nHHXJXRIgVk3B62YWgOXAQGsHYBoX4H752zhvr_J-wzF7PELAzolAtxz8PpuzZVvkFStStVKIGveoh5RRtjnsKO7wCcKNvrDFWLK35FZdIQ0/s400/mark.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Irishman Mark Boyle tried to live life with no income, no bank balance and no spending. Here’s how he finds it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If someone told me seven years ago, in my final year of a business and economics degree, that I’d now be living without money, I’d have probably choked on my microwaved ready meal. The plan back then was to get a ‘good’ job, make as much money as possible, and buy the stuff that would show society I was successful.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For a while I did it – I had a fantastic job managing a big organic food company; had myself a yacht on the harbour. If it hadn’t been for the chance purchase of a video called <em style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Gandhi</em>, I’d still be doing it today. Instead, for the last fifteen months, I haven’t spent or received a single penny. Zilch.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The change in life path came one evening on the yacht whilst philosophising with a friend over a glass of merlot. Whilst I had been significantly influenced by the Mahatma’s quote “be the change you want to see in the world”, I had no idea what that change was up until then. We began talking about all major issues in the world – environmental destruction, resource wars, factory farms, sweatshop labour – and wondering which of these we would be best devoting our time to. Not that we felt we could make any difference, being two small drops in a highly polluted ocean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that evening I had a realisation. These issues weren’t as unrelated as I had previously thought – they had a common root cause. I believe the fact that we no longer see the direct repercussions our purchases have on the people, environment and animals they affect is the factor that unites these problems.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The degrees of separation between the consumer and the consumed have increased so much that it now means we’re completely unaware of the levels of destruction and suffering embodied in the ‘stuff’ we buy.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Very few people actually want to cause suffering to others; most just don’t have any idea that they directly are. The tool that has enabled this separation is money, especially in its globalised format.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Take this for an example: if we grew our own food, we wouldn’t waste a third of it as we do today.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we made our own tables and chairs, we wouldn’t throw them out the moment we changed the interior décor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If we had to clean our own drinking water, we probably wouldn’t shit in it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So to be the change I wanted to see in the world, it unfortunately meant I was going to have to give up money, which I decided to do for a year initially. So I made a list of the basics I’d need to survive. I adore food, so it was at the top. There are four legs to the food-for-free table: foraging wild food, growing your own, bartering and using waste grub, of which there far too much.</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On my first day I fed 150 people a three course meal with waste and foraged food. Most of the year I ate my own crops though and waste only made up about five per cent my diet. I cooked outside – rain or shine – on a rocket stove.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next up was shelter. So I got myself a caravan from Freecycle, parked it on an organic farm I was volunteering with, and kitted it out to be off the electricity grid. I’d use wood I either coppiced or scavenged to heat my humble abode in a wood burner made from an old gas bottle, and I had a compost loo to make ‘humanure’ for my veggies.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I bathed in a river, and for toothpaste I used washed up cuttlefish bone with wild fennel seeds, an oddity for a vegan. For loo roll I’d relieve the local newsagents of its papers (I once wiped my arse with a story about myself); it wasn’t double quilted but it quickly became normal. To get around I had a bike and trailer, and the 55 km commute to the city doubled up as my gym subscription. For lighting I’d use beeswax candles.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Many people label me an anti-capitalist. Whilst I do believe capitalism is fundamentally flawed, requiring infinite growth on a finite planet, I am not anti anything. I am pro-nature, pro-community and pro-happiness. And that’s the thing I don’t get – if all this consumerism and environmental destruction brought happiness, it would make some sense. But all the key indicators of unhappiness – depression, crime, mental illness, obesity, suicide and so on are on the increase. More money it seems, does not equate to more happiness.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ironically, I have found this year to be the happiest of my life. I’ve more friends in my community than ever, I haven’t been ill since I began, and I’ve never been fitter. I’ve found that friendship, not money, is real security. That most western poverty is spiritual. And that independence is really interdependence.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Could we all live like this tomorrow? No. It would be a catastrophe, we are too addicted to both it and cheap energy, and have managed to build an entire global infrastructure around the abundance of both. But if we devolved decision making and re-localised down to communities of no larger than 150 people, then why not? For over 90 per cent of our time on this planet, a period when we lived much more ecologically, we lived without money. Now we are the only species to use it, probably because we are the species most out of touch with nature.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People now often ask me what is missing compared to my old world of lucre and business. Stress. Traffic-jams. Bank statements. Utility bills. Oh yeah, and the odd pint of organic ale with my mates down the local.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #252324; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://worldobserveronline.com/2013/10/04/man-lives-without-money/" target="_blank">World Observer Online</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-35424238503715890052013-10-22T12:16:00.000-05:002013-10-22T12:54:18.956-05:0014 Random Acts of Kindness That Will Give You Faith In Humanity<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0.75em;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">Instead of drowning your sorrows in coffee and spreadsheets, give your mood a little boost with random acts of kindness.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0.75em;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">Find the </span><a href="http://mashable.com/category/inspiration/" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;">inspiration</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> to spread tidbits of happiness by looking at handwritten notes from people who took the time to brighten a stranger's day. The recipients of these random acts posted their stories on Imgur and </span><a href="http://mashable.com/category/reddit/" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;">Reddit</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">, but you don't have to share.</span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 0.75em;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">If you need even more motivation, visit subreddits </span><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">like </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/UpliftingNews" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">r/UpliftingNews</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;"> and </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">r/MadeMeSmile</a><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px;">.</span></span></div>
<h2 class="title" style="clear: left; font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27; margin: 12px 0px 20px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;">1.</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="8oiaxor" src="http://i.imgur.com/8oiaXor.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /><br /><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Constructive_Thinker" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">CONSTRUCTIVE_THINKER</a><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></h2>
<h2 class="title" style="clear: left; font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27; margin: 12px 0px 20px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;">2.</span></span></h2>
<h2 class="title" style="clear: left; font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27; margin: 12px 0px 20px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Inw97vq" src="http://i.imgur.com/iNW97vQ.jpg" style="border: 0px; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></h2>
<br />
<figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://imgur.com/user/arayofsting" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">ARAYOFSTING</a></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b><br /></b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>3.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="G7suf" src="http://i.imgur.com/g7suf.png" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/bamassippi" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">BAMASSIPPI</a><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>4.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Xsn6p" src="http://i.imgur.com/XsN6P.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/jason0802" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">JASON0802</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>5.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="64vqi" src="http://i.imgur.com/64vqi.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/jason0802" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">JASON0802</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>6.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="9ivbk1j" src="http://i.imgur.com/9IvbK1j.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/bobfromholland" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">BOBFROMHOLLAND</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>7.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Zfoat" src="http://i.imgur.com/ZFOat.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://imgur.com/user/VivaLaFrenchy" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">VIVALAFRENCHY</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>8.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="A1dejvt" src="http://i.imgur.com/A1DEjvT.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://imgur.com/user/iButtonsi" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">IBUTTONSI</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>9.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="D1d4wnn" src="http://i.imgur.com/D1D4wNn.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/SpaceMonkey9001" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">SPACEMONKEY9001</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>10.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="5giiv" src="http://i.imgur.com/5giiv.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/rheanen" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">RHEANEN</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;">1.</span></b></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="6ct8ekf" src="http://i.imgur.com/6ct8eKf.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/lucaselspain" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">LUCASELSPAIN</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>12.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Gkccv" src="http://i.imgur.com/GkcCV.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://imgur.com/GkcCV" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">IMGUR</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>13.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="M7rkdjj" src="http://i.imgur.com/M7RkdJj.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/Gold4Cash" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">GOLD4CASH</a><br /><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><br /></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 1.9rem; line-height: 1.27;"><b>14.</b></span></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Qksvapz" src="http://i.imgur.com/QkSVapz.jpg" style="border: 0px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: 625px;" /><span style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-transform: uppercase;">IMAGE: IMGUR, </span><a href="http://www.reddit.com/user/michaelsalas26" style="font-size: 0.8rem; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; text-transform: uppercase;" target="_blank">MICHAELSALAS26</a></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></figure><figure style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 22px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://mashable.com/2013/10/21/random-acts-of-kindness" target="_blank">Mashable</a></span></figure><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-13636812101995526142013-10-21T21:17:00.001-05:002013-10-21T21:17:08.718-05:00Close Encounters: Comet Ison<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsHH2J-KV7oWUTbmAntNdAfVJil_fuAjp2iBkyINn1NiJyeGXYAPuK0jKLNlM0oV3P_FNWXQFBqix9vKGovY1SzYayKyHAoEeHI94v8m4gL4IJmKPWHGZR5NACG4vO0kTRLLLAWosJCqZ/s1600/ison.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsHH2J-KV7oWUTbmAntNdAfVJil_fuAjp2iBkyINn1NiJyeGXYAPuK0jKLNlM0oV3P_FNWXQFBqix9vKGovY1SzYayKyHAoEeHI94v8m4gL4IJmKPWHGZR5NACG4vO0kTRLLLAWosJCqZ/s400/ison.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julie Umpleby, <em>Contributor</em><br /><a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/21/close-encounters-comet-ison/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><strong>Waking Times</strong></a></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The space-weather community is abuzz with Comet Ison, dubbed by many as ‘The Comet of the Century’. As it travels deeper into our solar system en route to a close encounter with our sun later in November there are many watching with intense interest.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As some spectacular images of this significantly sized comet emerge (the comet nucleus is estimated to be anywhere between 0.5km – 4km in diameter), we would be wise to bear in mind the electrical nature of comets and the potential implications of its encounter with the sun. Far from being huge chunks of ice, comets are in fact more like asteroids and are highly electrically charged, with the nucleus acting as a charge capacitor. This often very high electric charge interferes with the plasma sheath of the sun, most often resulting in an outburst of plasma from the solar surface, a <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/05/16/increasing-solar-activity-and-disturbances-in-earths-magnetic-field-affect-our-behavior-and-increase-our-health/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Increasing Solar Activity And Disturbances In Earth’s Magnetic Field Affect Our Behavior And Increase Our Health">Coronal Mass Ejection</a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There have been numerous observations of recent, smaller comets ‘sundiving’ into the sun as if on a suicide mission. Each comet that meets its demise at this interface is followed almost immediately by an outburst, a CME – sometimes a brief burst, sometimes a full halo event as if the entire surface of the sun explodes all at once. What is surprising is that the mainstream media either doesn’t acknowledge the observational results of cometary-sun interactions or dismisses them as purely coincidental.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The following is taken from Wallace Thornhill and Dave Talbott’s article “<a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/electric_universe/esp_electricuniverse17.htm" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">The Electric Comet</a>” :</span></div>
<blockquote style="background-color: white; border: 0px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); color: #666666; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 15px 15px 1px;">
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“In the electric comet model, the electrified plasma environment of the Sun allows for two-way transactions that are inconceivable if interplanetary space is truly a neutral plasma medium, rather than a quasi-neutral medium.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In 2003, as comet NEAT raced through the extended solar atmosphere, a large coronal mass ejection (CME) exploded from the Sun and appeared to strike the comet, causing a “kink” to propagate down the comet’s tail. Of course, for solar physicists the timing of the mass ejection could have no connection to the approach of the comet.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">SOHO has, in fact, recorded several instances of comets plunging into the solar corona in “coincidental” association with CMEs. But the scientific mainstream allows for no electric force external to the Sun to have any influence on the Sun’s atmospheric behavior.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But how would an electric Sun respond to the approach of a relatively small but strongly charged object? In electrical terms, the influence of the comet could be far more significant than its trivial mass in relation to the Sun.</span></i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 15px;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What will occur electrically if the charged plasma or “atmosphere” of the comet interferes with the isolating double layer of the Sun’s plasma sheath?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Perhaps the observation of Nobel Laureate <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1410218848/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1410218848&linkCode=as2&tag=wakitime09-20" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><b>Hannes Alfvén</b></a>, the father of plasma cosmology, can put the issue in context. It was his opinion that coronal mass ejections are caused by a breakdown or breach of the Sun’s double layer – an event that provokes an explosive exchange between the insulated plasma cell of the Sun and the plasma of surrounding space.”</span></i></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With Comet Ison being somewhat larger in size, and it would appear, very highly charged, we should perhaps be aware of the potential for more intense solar activity as it is drawn closer in towards our sun. Already we have seen a number of recent M and X class solar flares in recent weeks after a prolonged period of solar quietness, coincidental with its increasing proximity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While there is little likelihood of any direct interaction between Comet Ison and earth, any pronounced solar activity resulting from its interaction could have potentially devastating effects for our planet.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Solar-Earth Considerations</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/10/11/avoidance-awareness-the-emergence-of-truth-media/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Avoidance or Awareness – The Emergence of Truth in the Media">mainstream media</a> have at least been increasing public exposure to the potential effects of a major solar storm</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The major concerns regarding the impacts of a massive solar storm are identified in a report issued this year by Lloyds. While the focus is largely on the USA, the same issues are a consideration for many other developed countries. You can click <a href="http://www.lloyds.com/~/media/Lloyds/Reports/Emerging%20Risk%20Reports/Solar%20Storm%20Risk%20to%20the%20North%20American%20Electric%20Grid.pdf" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">here</a> for the full report</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While the focus in the Lloyds report tends to be on the electrical grid, economics and business communities, we should be aware of the huge number of factors now associated with extreme solar activity :</span></div>
<ol style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; list-style-type: none; margin-left: 40px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Destruction of electrical transformers and long-term power outages</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Damage to satellites and GPS systems</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Increase in earthquake and geophysical activity</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stray ground currents with potential damage to undergournd, ill-maintained pipelines (therefore disruptions to fuel supplies). Having had personal experience in the petrochemical industry of underground bulk storage tanks being punch-holed by stray electrical ground currents, I would be concerned by the potential ecological and other consequences of such events.</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An increase in extreme and bizarre weather events</span></li>
<li style="list-style-type: decimal; margin-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Social unrest and upheaval</span></li>
</ol>
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<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other factors not generally acknowledged as being associated with solar activity, but which many energy sensitives can testify to, include such things as mental, emotional and physiological disturbances. Our <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/03/27/healing-with-subtle-energy/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Healing With Subtle Energy">subtle energy bodies</a> are highly sensitive to changes in the frequency of our environment, as many reports on the detrimental impact of artificially generated EM fields indicate.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A higher level of electrical charge at lower levels of our atmosphere can severely upset the stability of our own subtle energy fields, resulting in emotional and mental imbalances. There are also likely to be adverse genetic mutations resulting from intense solar radiation as well as potential ‘scrambling’ of the <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/02/13/morphic-resonance-morphic-fields-collective-memory-the-habits-of-nature/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Morphic Resonance & Morphic Fields: Collective Memory & the Habits of Nature">morphic fields</a>. The emerging field of <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/08/21/your-genes-are-not-your-destiny/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank" title="Your Genes Are Not Your Destiny!">epigenetic studies</a>provide some insight into the switching on and off of gene expressions dependent upon the ‘environment’ (Internal and external environment)</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We would do well to be aware of all of these potential effects of severe solar activity.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In addition to the more obvious effects of disruptions, we would be wise to take measures to also ensure the integrity and strength of our own energy fields, hence minimizing any adverse effects from either <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2012/11/20/effects-of-electromagnetic-fields-on-the-pineal-gland/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Do Electromagnetic Fields Affect the Pineal Gland, Limiting Human Consciousness?">EM interference or radiation</a>.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As is pointed out in the Lloyds report, we are due a ‘Carrington-Level’ event such as was last experienced in 1859. A solar event of this magnitude could devastate the way of life for many in societies so heavily dependent upon an electricity-based way of life. Given the weakened state of our planetary magnetospheric shield, even a solar event that is weaker than a Carrington Level could have enormous consequences for life as we know it.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Is it coincidental that there is a huge simulated Power Grid down drill being jointly run by authorities in USA, Canada and Mexico on 13-14 November? This is a huge exercise, and it should be stressed that this is a simulation and not an actual grid take down. However, is it possible that the PTB are preparing for a major natural event as opposed to the emphasis on cyber attacks?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As the ‘comet of the century’, perhaps we should be prepared, aware and educated about the potential for Comet Ison to wreak havoc in many ways.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What has not been mentioned is the information from astronomers that we are likely to experience a deluge of cometary ‘dust’ in its wake, whether or not the comet itself is broken up in close proximity to the sun. Projections are that we will be exposed to this dust in late Dec./ January 2014.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hint : fine, <a href="http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/09/25/food-industry-poisoning-us-trillions-nanoparticles/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;" title="Why Is The Food Industry Poisoning Us With Trillions of Nanoparticles?">nano particles</a> of dust can hold static charge and can be highly explosive with simply a spark of ignition.(think fires in a flour or talcum powder factory). While there is talk of great displays of noctilucent clouds accompanying this dust, this is an indication of our atmosphere being very highly charged & could render it potentially ‘explosive’ given a powerful source of ignition (our sun). At the very least, we could witness more extreme weather.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the moment, no one is quite sure what Comet Ison will bring and the ultimate meaning for life on earth.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The more informed and prepared we are – psychologically, mentally, emotionally and physically and spiritually – the more effective we will be in dealing with whatever it brings and whatever the consequences may be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No fear……</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">About the Author</span></h6>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Julie Umpleby</strong> is an energy therapist and international teacher of a number of spiritual development and energy awareness programs. She is the founder of The Diamond Light Grid Alignment, a process of geometric vibrational alignments for restoring energy field integrity and a higher level of balance. The Diamond Light Grid facilitates wholeness and energy field strength and coherence in a very down to earth, modern way with an understanding of the power of the geometry to support personal energy field stability.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Julie also facilitates a number of hands-on Diamond development and other consciousness expansion workshops. Please visit her website, <b><a href="http://www.diamondlightworld.net/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">http://www.diamondlightworld.net</a>.</b></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sources:</span></strong></div>
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<a href="http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/electric_universe/esp_electricuniverse17.htm" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Electric Comet</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="http://www.thunderbolts.info/wp/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Electric Universe</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<a href="http://www.lloyds.com/~/media/Lloyds/Reports/Emerging%20Risk%20Reports/Solar%20Storm%20Risk%20to%20the%20North%20American%20Electric%20Grid.pdf" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Lloyds Solar Storms Report (2013)</span></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #3b5436; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mitch Battros : <a href="http://www.earthchangesmedia.com/" sl-processed="1" style="color: #f06a1d; outline: none; text-decoration: none;">Earth Changes Media</a></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.</span></i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-12502190844626753752013-10-21T15:09:00.001-05:002013-10-21T15:50:32.604-05:005 Foods You Should Never Eat Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4p8X6W7EWd8x2IvxdDNBJ2yFAdWD9kyjhf-Q2mkmU-eNfkl1VqyVItgAlSJSEQPjl7CmVhaEQ-uf64b_5Rnj2UCrGZEAWaqXkIysOu6j6pqPU4BwxI8iQXDc5Z_FOkSAZiM-CwVUQM-7/s1600/never+eat+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz4p8X6W7EWd8x2IvxdDNBJ2yFAdWD9kyjhf-Q2mkmU-eNfkl1VqyVItgAlSJSEQPjl7CmVhaEQ-uf64b_5Rnj2UCrGZEAWaqXkIysOu6j6pqPU4BwxI8iQXDc5Z_FOkSAZiM-CwVUQM-7/s1600/never+eat+again.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: normal;">With so much misinformation out there about food and how it affects human health, making healthy food choices for you and your family can be difficult and confusing. There are a number of specific foods; however, that you will want to avoid in almost every circumstance because they provide virtually no health benefits while posing plenty of health risks. Here are nine foods you should never eat again if you care about preserving your long-term health:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>1) White bread, refined flours</b>. By definition, white bread and refined flours in general are toxic for your body because they have been stripped of virtually all vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients. Because of this, the body does not know how to properly digest and assimilate these so-called foods, which can lead to health problems. Refined white flour has also been bleached with chlorine and brominated with bromide, two poisonous chemicals that have been linked to causing thyroid and organ damage. (<a href="http://drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/BREAD.htm" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/BREAD.htm</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>2) Conventional frozen meals</b>. Most conventionally-prepared frozen meals are loaded with preservatives, processed salt, hydrogenated oils and other artificial ingredients, not to mention the fact that most frozen meals have been heavily pre-cooked, rendering their nutrient content minimal at best (especially after getting microwaved again at home). With the exception of a few truly healthy frozen meal brands such as Amy’s and Organic Bistro, most frozen meals are little more than disease in a box, so avoid them in favor of fresh foods. (<a href="http://www.4us2be.com/health-fitness/frozen-food-is-bad-for-your-health/" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" target="_blank">http://www.4us2be.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>3) White rice</b>. Like white bread, white rice has been stripped of most of its nutrients, and separated from the bran and germ, two natural components that make up rice in its brown form. Even so-called “fortified” white rice is nutritionally deficient, as the body still processes this refined food much differently than brown rice, which is absorbed more slowly and does not cause the same spike in blood sugar that white rice does. (<a href="http://globalnaturopath.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=96:brown-rice-vs-white-rice&catid=44:wellness-secrets" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" target="_blank">http://globalnaturopath.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>4) Microwaveable popcorn</b>. This processed food is a favorite among moviegoers and regular snackers alike, but it is one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat. Practically every component of microwaveable popcorn, from the genetically-modified (GM) corn kernels to the processed salt and preservative chemicals used to enhance its flavor, is unhealthy and disease-promoting. On top of this, microwaveable popcorn contains a chemical known as diacetyl that can actually destroy your lungs. If you love popcorn, stick with organic kernels that you can pop yourself in a kettle and douse with healthy ingredients like coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and Himalayan pink salt. (<a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/034386_microwave_popcorn_diacetyl_lungs.html" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" target="_blank">http://www.naturalnews.com</a>)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>5) Cured meat products with nitrates, nitrites</b><span style="background-color: white;">. Deli meats, summer sausage, hot dogs, bacon, and many other meats sold at the grocery store are often loaded with sodium nitrite and other chemical preservatives that have been linked to causing heart disease and cancer. If you eat meat, stick with uncured, nitrite and nitrate-free varieties, and preferably those that come from organic, grass-fed animals. (</span><a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/028824_processed_meat_heart_disease.html" style="-webkit-transition: all 0.2s ease-in; border: 0px; color: rgb(0, 51, 153) !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.2s ease-in;" target="_blank">http://www.naturalnews.com/028824_processed_meat_heart_disease.html</a><span style="background-color: white;">)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Read more here: <a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/038467_foods_avoid_processed_meat.html#" target="_blank">Natural News</a></span></span></div>
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-757271207046445192013-10-21T14:10:00.000-05:002013-10-21T14:10:02.641-05:00Experts Determine Age Of Book ‘Nobody Can Read’<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyOoK7c2iJ8R_16vdxN3PlhUUwLJcV17T5h8jcHv1rusmQCZWdtO5SLIF7S1Hg33zUG5BsikaSdudZ0DH4R9uYr-EpJvZbTdtQwY7fVkogBuK9ra94Zae5MaCRZUqx0oiTAS2Kc5PcmR/s1600/voynich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQiyOoK7c2iJ8R_16vdxN3PlhUUwLJcV17T5h8jcHv1rusmQCZWdtO5SLIF7S1Hg33zUG5BsikaSdudZ0DH4R9uYr-EpJvZbTdtQwY7fVkogBuK9ra94Zae5MaCRZUqx0oiTAS2Kc5PcmR/s1600/voynich.jpg" /></a></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While enthusiasts across the world pored over the Voynich manuscript, penned by an unknown author in a language no one understands, a research team at the University of Arizona solved one of its biggest mysteries: When was the book made?</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">University of Arizona researchers have cracked one of the puzzles surrounding what has been called “the world’s most mysterious manuscript” ““ the Voynich manuscript, a book filled with drawings and writings nobody has been able to make sense of to this day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Using radiocarbon dating, a team led by Greg Hodgins in the UA’s department of physics has found the manuscript’s parchment pages date back to the early 15th century, making the book a century older than scholars had previously thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This tome makes the “DaVinci Code” look downright lackluster: Rows of text scrawled on visibly aged parchment, flowing around intricately drawn illustrations depicting plants, astronomical charts and human figures bathing in ““ perhaps ““ the fountain of youth. At first glance, the “Voynich manuscript” appears to be not unlike any other antique work of writing and drawing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>An alien language</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62lf-Ujg4OuufssLpUJ23U8AnhKCjGa3rEDHHyp06t7xzFgbfV8oPEVqULvwB-tcPomLeyY-AXLbRlMKPes5iL2dYcm_gMVOpJVoWcteSxt_QC3XIXFuJi842jUE9gLaFDs6_ZjBF_v-6/s1600/nobody+can+read.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi62lf-Ujg4OuufssLpUJ23U8AnhKCjGa3rEDHHyp06t7xzFgbfV8oPEVqULvwB-tcPomLeyY-AXLbRlMKPes5iL2dYcm_gMVOpJVoWcteSxt_QC3XIXFuJi842jUE9gLaFDs6_ZjBF_v-6/s1600/nobody+can+read.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But a second, closer look reveals that nothing here is what it seems. Alien characters, some resembling Latin letters, others unlike anything used in any known language, are arranged into what appear to be words and sentences, except they don’t resemble anything written ““ or read ““ by human beings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hodgins, an assistant research scientist and assistant professor in the UA’s department of physics with a joint appointment at the UA’s School of Anthropology, is fascinated with the manuscript.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Is it a code, a cipher of some kind? People are doing statistical analysis of letter use and word use ““ the tools that have been used for code breaking. But they still haven’t figured it out.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A chemist and archaeological scientist by training, Hodgins works for the NSF Arizona Accelerator Mass Spectrometry, or AMS, Laboratory, which is shared between physics and geosciences. His team was able to nail down the time when the Voynich manuscript was made.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Currently owned by the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library of Yale University, the manuscript was discovered in the Villa Mondragone near Rome in 1912 by antique book dealer Wilfrid Voynich while sifting through a chest of books offered for sale by the Society of Jesus. Voynich dedicated the remainder of his life to unveiling the mystery of the book’s origin and deciphering its meanings. He died 18 years later, without having wrestled any its secrets from the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Fast-forward to 2009: In the basement underneath the UA’s Physics and Atmospheric Sciences building, Hodgins and a crew of scientists, engineers and technicians stare at a computer monitor displaying graphs and lines. The humming sound of machinery fills the room and provides a backdrop drone for the rhythmic hissing of vacuum pumps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Stainless steel pipes, alternating with heavy-bodied vacuum chambers, run along the walls.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is the heart of the NSF-Arizona AMS Laboratory: an accelerator mass spectrometer capable of sniffing out traces of carbon-14 atoms that are present in samples, giving scientists clues about the age of those samples.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Radiocarbon dating: looking back in time</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Carbon-14 is a rare form of carbon, a so-called radioisotope, that occurs naturally in the Earth’s environment. In the natural environment, there is only one carbon-14 atom per trillion non-radioactive or “stable” carbon isotopes, mostly carbon-12, but with small amounts of carbon-13. Carbon-14 is found in the atmosphere within carbon dioxide gas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plants produce their tissues by taking up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and so accumulate carbon-14 during life. Animals in turn accumulate carbon-14 in their tissues by eating plants, or eating other organisms that consume plants.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When a plant or animal dies, the level of carbon-14 in it remains drops at a predictable rate, and so can be used to calculate the amount of time that has passed since death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is true of plants and animals is also true of products made from them. Because the parchment pages of the Voynich Manuscript were made from animal skin, they can be radiocarbon-dated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pointing to the front end of the mass spectrometer, Hodgins explains the principle behind it. A tiny sample of carbon extracted from the manuscript is introduced into the “ion source” of the mass spectrometer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“This causes the atoms in the sample to be ionized,” he explained, “meaning they now have an electric charge and can be propelled by electric and magnetic fields.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ejected from the ion source, the carbon ions are formed into a beam that races through the instrument at a fraction of the speed of light. Focusing the beam with magnetic lenses and filters, the mass spectrometer then splits it up into several beams, each containing only one isotope species of a certain mass.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Carbon-14 is heavier than the other carbon isotopes,” Hodgins said. “This way, we can single out this isotope and determine how much of it is present in the sample. From that, we calculate its age.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Dissecting a century-old book</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To obtain the sample from the manuscript, Hodgins traveled to Yale University, where conservators had previously identified pages that had not been rebound or repaired and were the best to sample.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I sat down with the Voynich manuscript on a desk in front of me, and delicately dissected a piece of parchment from the edge of a page with a scalpel,” Hodgins says.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He cut four samples from four pages, each measuring about 1 by 6 millimeters (ca. 1/16 by 1 inch) and brought them back to the laboratory in Tucson, where they were thoroughly cleaned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Because we were sampling from the page margins, we expected there are a lot of finger oils adsorbed over time,” Hodgins explains. “Plus, if the book was re-bound at any point, the sampling spots on these pages may actually not have been on the edge but on the spine, meaning they may have had adhesives on them.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The modern methods we use to date the material are so sensitive that traces of modern contamination would be enough to throw things off.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Next, the sample was combusted, stripping the material of any unwanted compounds and leaving behind only its carbon content as a small dusting of graphite at the bottom of the vial.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“In radiocarbon dating, there is this whole system of many people working at it,” he said. “It takes many skills to produce a date. From start to finish, there is archaeological expertise; there is biochemical and chemical expertise; we need physicists, engineers and statisticians. It’s one of the joys of working in this place that we all work together toward this common goal.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The UA’s team was able to push back the presumed age of the Voynich manuscript by 100 years, a discovery that killed some of the previously held hypotheses about its origins and history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Elsewhere, experts analyzed the inks and paints that makes up the manuscript’s strange writings and images.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“It would be great if we could directly radiocarbon date the inks, but it is actually really difficult to do. First, they are on a surface only in trace amounts” Hodgins said. “The carbon content is usually extremely low. Moreover, sampling ink free of carbon from the parchment on which it sits is currently beyond our abilities. Finally, some inks are not carbon based, but are derived from ground minerals. They’re inorganic, so they don’t contain any carbon.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“It was found that the colors are consistent with the Renaissance palette ““ the colors that were available at the time. But it doesn’t really tell us one way or the other, there is nothing suspicious there.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While Hodgins is quick to point out that anything beyond the dating aspect is outside his expertise, he admits he is just as fascinated with the book as everybody else who has tried to unveil its history and meaning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“The text shows strange characteristics like repetitive word use or the exchange of one letter in a sequence,” he says. “Oddities like that make it really hard to understand the meaning.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“There are types of ciphers that embed meaning within gibberish. So it is possible that most of it does mean nothing. There is an old cipher method where you have a sheet of paper with strategically placed holes in it. And when those holes are laid on top of the writing, you read the letters in those holes.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Who knows what’s being written about in this manuscript, but it appears to be dealing with a range of topics that might relate to alchemy. Secrecy is sometimes associated with alchemy, and so it would be consistent with that tradition if the knowledge contained in the book was encoded. What we have are the drawings. Just look at those drawings: Are they botanical? Are they marine organisms? Are they astrological? Nobody knows.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“I find this manuscript is absolutely fascinating as a window into a very interesting mind. Piecing these things together was fantastic. It’s a great puzzle that no one has cracked, and who doesn’t love a puzzle?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">—</span></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Image 1: The Voynich manuscript’s unintelligible writings and strange illustrations have defied every attempt at understanding their meaning. Credit: Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University</span></strong></div>
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<strong style="border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1995089/experts_determine_age_of_book_nobody_can_read" target="_blank">Red Orbit</a></span></strong></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-10943060765355655452013-10-21T14:00:00.000-05:002013-10-21T14:00:41.458-05:00What Is Quantum Consciousness?<h5 style="background-color: white; color: #330066;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">1. The Problem of Consciousness</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conventional explanations portray consciousness as an emergent property of classical computer-like activities in the brain's neural networks. The prevailing views among scientists in this camp are that 1) patterns of neural network activities correlate with mental states, 2) synchronous network oscillations in thalamus and cerebral cortex temporally bind information, and 3) consciousness emerges as a novel property of computational complexity among neurons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">However, these approaches appear to fall short in fully explaining certain enigmatic features of consciousness, such as:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The nature of subjective experience, or 'qualia'- our 'inner life' (Chalmers' "hard problem");</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Binding of spatially distributed brain activities into unitary objects in vision, and a coherent sense of self, or 'oneness';</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Transition from pre-conscious processes to consciousness itself;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Non-computability, or the notion that consciousness involves a factor which is neither random, nor algorithmic, and that consciousness cannot be simulated (Penrose, 1989, 1994, 1997);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Free will; and,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Subjective time flow.</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brain imaging technologies demonstrate anatomical location of activities which appear to correlate with consciousness, but which may not be directly responsible for consciousness.</span></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Figure 1. PET scan image of brain showing visual and auditory recognition (from S Petersen, Neuroimaging Laboratory, Washington University, St. Louis. Also see J.A. Hobson "Consciousness," Scientific American Library, 1999, p. 65).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 2</strong>. Electrophysiological correlates of consciousness.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How do neural firings lead to thoughts and feelings? The conventional (a.k.a. functionalist, reductionist, materialist, physicalist, computationalist) approach argues that neurons and their chemical synapses are the fundamental units of information in the brain, and that conscious experience emerges when a critical level of complexity is reached in the brain's neural networks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The basic idea is that the mind is a computer functioning in the brain (brain = mind = computer). However in fitting the brain to a computational view, such explanations omit incompatible neurophysiological details:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Widespread apparent randomness at all levels of neural processes (is it really noise, or underlying levels of complexity?);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Glial cells (which account for some 80% of brain);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Dendritic-dendritic processing;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electrotonic gap junctions;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cytoplasmic/cytoskeletal activities; and,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Living state (the brain is alive!)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A further difficulty is the absence of testable hypotheses in emergence theory. No threshold or rationale is specified; rather, consciousness "just happens".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Finally, the complexity of individual neurons and synapses is not accounted for in such arguments. Since many forms of motile single-celled organisms lacking neurons or synapses are able to swim, find food, learn, and multiply through the use of their internal cytoskeleton, can they be considered more advanced than neurons?</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 3</strong>. Single cell paramecium can swim and avoid obstacles using its cytoskeleton.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Are neurons merely simple switches?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="microtubules" name="microtubules"></a>2. Microtubules</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Activities within cells ranging from single-celled organisms to the brain's neurons are organized by a dynamic scaffolding called the cytoskeleton, whose major components are microtubules. Hollow, crystalline cylinders 25 nanometers in diameter, microtubules are comprised of hexagonal lattices of proteins, known as tubulin. Microtubules are essential to cell shape, function, movement, and division. In neurons microtubules self-assemble to extend axons and dendrites and form synaptic connections, then help to maintain and regulate synaptic activity responsible for learning and cognitive functions. Microtubules interact with membrane structures mechanically by linking proteins, chemically by ions and "second-messenger" signals, and electrically by voltage fields.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 4</strong>. Schematic view of two neurons connected by chemical synapse. Axon terminal (above) releases neurotransmitter vesicles which bind receptors on post-synaptic dendritic spine. Within neurons are visible cytoskeletal structures microtubules ("MTs" - thicker tubes) as well as actin, synapsin and others which connect MTs to membranes. Also, MT-associated proteins ("MAPs") interconnect MTs.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 5</strong>. Immunoelectron micrograph of dendritic microtubules interconnected by MAPs. Some MTs have been sheared, revealing internal hollow core. The granular "corn-cob" surface of MTs is barely evident to close inspection. Scale bar, lower left: 100 nanometers. With permission from Hirokawa, 1991.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 6</strong>. Crystallographic structure of microtubules.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While microtubules have traditionally been considered as purely structural elements, recent evidence has revealed that mechanical signaling and communication functions also exist:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MT "kinks" travel at 15 microns (2000 tubulin subunits) per second. Vernon and Woolley (1995) Experimental Cell Research 220(2)482-494</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MTs vibrate (100-650 Hz) with nanometer displacement. Yagi, Kamimura, Kaniya (1994) Cell motility and the cytoskeleton 29:177-185</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">MTs optically "shimmer" when metabolically active. Hunt and Stebbings (1994), Cell motility and the cytoskeleton 17:69-78</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mechanical signals propogate through microtubules to cell nucleus; mechanism for MT regulation of gene expression. Maniotis, Chen and Ingber (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94:849-854</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Measured tubulin dipoles and MT conductivity suggest MTs are ferroelectric at physiological temperature (Tuszynski; Unger 1998)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Current models propose that tubulins within microtubules undergo coherent excitation, switching between two or more conformational states in nanoseconds. Dipole couplings among neighboring tubulins in the microtubule lattice form dynamical patterns, or "automata," which evolve, interact and lead to the emergence of new patterns. Research indicates that microtubule automata computation could support classical information processing, transmission and learning within neurons.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 7</strong>. Left: Microtubule (MT) structure: a hollow tube of 25 nanometers diameter, consisting of 13 columns of tubulin dimers arranged in a skewed hexagonal lattice (Penrose, 1994). Right (top): Each tubulin molecule may switch between two (or more) conformations, coupled to London forces in a hydrophobic pocket. Right (bottom): Each tubulin can also exist (it is proposed) in quantum superposition of both conformational states.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 8</strong>. Microtubule automaton simulation (from Rasmussen et al., 1990). Eight nanosecond time steps of a segment of one microtubule are shown in "classical computing" mode in which conformational states of tubulins are determined by dipole-dipole coupling between each tubulin and its six (asymmetrical) lattice neighbors. Conformational states form patterns which move, evolve, interact and lead to emergence of new patterns.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Microtubule automata switching offers a potentially vast increase in the computational capacity of the brain. Conventional approaches focus on synaptic switching at the neural level which optimally yields about 10<sup>18</sup> operations per second in human brains (~10<sup>11</sup> neurons/brain with ~10<sup>4</sup> synapses/neuron, switching at ~10<sup>3</sup> sec<sup>-1</sup>). Microtubule automata switching can explain some 10<sup>27</sup> operations per second (~10<sup>11</sup> neurons with ~10<sup>7</sup> tubulins/neuron, switching at ~10<sup>9</sup>sec<sup>-1</sup>). Indeed, the fact that all biological cells typically contain approximately 10<sup>7</sup> tubulins could account for the adaptive behaviors of single-celled organisms which have no nervous system or synapses. Rather than simple switches, neurons are complex computers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="pan" name="pan"></a>3. Pan-experiential philosophy meets modern physics</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Still, greater computational complexity and ultra-reductionism to the level of microtubule automata cannot address the enigmatic features of consciousness, in particular the nature of conscious experience. Something more is required. If functional approaches and emergence are incomplete, perhaps the raw components of mental processes (qualia) are fundamental properties of nature (like mass, spin or charge). This view has long been held by pan-psychists throughout the ages, for example Buddhists and Eastern philosophers claim a "universal mind." Following the ancient Greeks, Spinoza argued in the 17th century that some form of consciousness existed in everything physical. The 19th century mathematician Leibniz proposed that the universe was composed of an infinite number of fundamental units, or "monads," with each possessing a form of primitive psychological being. In the 20th century, Russell claimed that there was a common entity underlying both mental and physical processes, while Wheeler and Chalmers have maintained that there exists an experiential aspect to fundamental information.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of particular interest is the work of the 20th century philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, whose pan-experiential view remains most consistent with modern physics. Whitehead argued that consciousness is a process of events occurring in a wide, basic field of proto-conscious experience. These events, or "occasions of experience," may be comparable to quantum state reductions, or actual events in physical reality (Shimony, 1993). This suggests that consciousness may involve quantum state reductions (e.g. a form of quantum computation).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But what of Whitehead's basic field of proto-conscious experience? In what medium are the "occasions of experience" (?quantum state reductions) occurring? Could proto-conscious qualia simply exist in the empty space of the universe?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is empty space? Historically, empty space has been described as either an absolute void or a pattern of fundamental geometry. Democritus and the Michaelson-Morley results argued for "nothingness" while Aristotle ("plenum") and Maxwell ("ether") rejected the notion of emptiness in favor of "something" - a background pattern. Einstein weighed in on both sides of this debate, initially supporting the concept of a void with his theory of special relativity but then reversing himself in his theory of general relativity and its curved space and geometric distortions-the space-time metric. Could proto-conscious qualia be properties of the metric, fundamental space-time geometry?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What is fundamental space-time geometry? We know that at extremely small scales, space-time is not smooth, but quantized. Quantum electrodynamics and quantum field theory predict virtual particle/waves (or photons) that pop into and out of existence, creating quantum "foam" in their wake. The presence of virtual photons in space-time has been verified (Lamoreaux, 1997).</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 9.</strong> Quantum electodynamics (QED) predicts a foam of erupting and collapsing virtual particles which may be visualized as topographic distortions of the fabric of spacetime. Adapted from Thorne (1994) by Dave Cantrell.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 10</strong>. A: The Casimir force of the quantum vacuum zero point fluctuation energy may be measured by placing two macroscopic surfaces separated by a tiny gap d<sub>1</sub>. As some virtual photons are excluded in the gap, the net "quantum foam" pressure forces the surfaces together. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Lamoreaux's (1997) </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">experiment, d<sub>1</sub> was in the range of 0.6 to 6.0 microns (~1500 nanometers). B: George Hall (1996; 1997) has calculated the Casimir force on microtubules. As the force is proportional to d<sub>-4</sub>, and d<sub>2</sub> for microtubules is 15 nanometers, the predicted Casimir force is 10<sup>6</sup> greater on microtubules (per equivalent surface area) than that measured by Lamoreaux. Hall calculates a range of Casimir force on microtubules (length dependent) from 0.5 to 20 atmospheres.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the basic level, this granularity has been modeled by Roger Penrose as a dynamic web of quantum spins. These "spin networks" create an array of geometric volumes and configurations at the Planck scale (10<sup>-33</sup> cm, 10<sup>-43</sup> secs) which dynamically evolve and define space-time geometry.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 11</strong>. A spin network. Introduced by Roger Penrose (1971) as a quantum mechanical description of the geometry of space, spin networks describe spectra of discrete Planck scale volumes and configurations (with permission, Rovelli and Smolin, 1995).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If spin networks are the fundamental level of space-time geometry, they could provide the basis for proto-conscious experience. In other words, particular configurations of quantum spin geometry would convey particular types of qualia, meaning and aesthetic values. A process at the Planck scale (e.g. quantum state reductions) could access and select configurations of experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For illustration, 4 dimensional space-time geometry is often portrayed as a 2 dimensional "space-time sheet."</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 12</strong>. According to Einstein's general relativity, mass is equivalent to curvature in spacetime geometry. Penrose applies this equivalence to the fundamental Planck scale. The motion of an object between two conformational states of a protein such as tubulin (top) is equivalent to two curvatures in spacetime geometry as represented as a two-dimensional spacetime sheet (bottom).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="quantum" name="quantum"></a>4. Quantum computing and consciousness</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If proto-conscious information is embedded at the near-infinitesimal Planck scale, how could it be linked to biology? To begin, Penrose extends Einstein's theory of general relativity (in which mass equates to curvature in space-time) down to the Planck scale. As a result, specific arrangements of mass are, in reality, specific configurations of space-time geometry. Events at the very small scale, however, are subject to the seemingly bizarre goings-on of quantum theory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A century of experimental observation of quantum systems have shown that, at least at small scales, particles (mass) can exist in two or more states or locations simultaneously (quantum superposition). Penrose takes superposition (e.g. a mass in two places simultaneously) to be simultaneous space-time curvature in opposite directions - a separation, or bubble ("blister") in underlying reality.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 13</strong>. Mass superposition, e.g. a protein occupying two different conformational states simultaneously (top) is equivalent, according to Penrose, to simultaneous spacetime curvature in opposite directions - a separation, or bubble ("blister") in fundamental spacetime geometry.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 14</strong>. Spacetime superposition/separation bubble (bottom) will reduce, or collapse to one or the other spacetime curvatures (top).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Superposition and subsequent reduction, or collapse, to single, classical states may have profoundly important applications in technology, as well as toward the understanding of consciousness. In the 1980s Benioff, Feynman, Deutsch and other physicists proposed that states in a quantum system could interact (via entanglement) and enact computation while in quantum superposition of all possible states ("quantum computing"). Classical computing processes bits (or conformational states) as 1 or 0, quantum computations involve the processing of superpositioned "qubits" of both 1 and 0 (and other states) simultaneously.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Figure 15. Qubits useful in quantum computation may exist in two or more ("both") states simultaneously prior to collapse, or reduction (left), and then in single, classical ("either, or") states after reduction (right). Spin, quantum dots and photon polarization qubits have been proposed and/or demonstrated in prototype quantum computers, and tubulin proteins and spacetime geometry are proposed in the Orch OR model to perform as qubits also.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum theory also tells us that two or more particles, if once together, will remain somehow connected ("entangled"), even when separated by great distances. Qubits can interact by quantum entanglement, so that quantum computing is able to achieve a nearly infinite parallel computational ability. Quantum computers, if they can be constructed, will be able to solve imprtant problems (e.g. factoring large numbers) with efficiency unattainable in classical computers (Shor, 1994).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Researchers have developed a "Figure of Merit" M for proposed quantum computing technologies (Modified from Barenco, 1996 & DiVincenzo, 1995). M is related to the number of elementary operations performed per qubit before the superposition/computation is disrupted by decoherence (or in the case of microtubules in the Orch OR proposal, before objective reduction terminates the superposition).</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Technology</span></b></div>
</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="72"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">t<sub>elem</sub>(sec)</span></b></td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="108"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T<sub>decoherence</sub>(sec)</span></b></td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="112"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">M (operations/qubit<br />pre-decoherence)</span></b></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mossbauer nucleus</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-19</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-10</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>9</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electrons GaAs</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-13</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-10</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>3</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electrons Au</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-14</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-8</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>6</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Trapped ions</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-14</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-1</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>13</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Optical cavities</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-14</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-5</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>9</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electron spin</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-7</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-3</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>4</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Electron quantum dots</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-6</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-3</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>3</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nuclear spin</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-3</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>4</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>7</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Superconductor islands</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-9</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>3</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>6</sup></span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="156"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Microtubule tubulins</span></td><td align="middle" width="72"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-9</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="108"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-1</sup></span></td><td align="middle" width="112"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>8</sup></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Results, or solutions in quantum computing are obtained when, after a period of quantum superposition/computation, the qubits "collapse", or reduce to classical bit states ("collapse of the wave function"). As quantum superposition may only occur in isolation from environment, collapse (reduction) may be induced by breaching isolation (this is what is envisioned in technological quantum computers - making a measurement). But what about quantum superpositions which remain isolated, for example Schrodinger's mythical cat which is both dead and alive? This is the famous problem of collapse of the wave function, or quantum state reduction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="roger" name="roger"></a>5. Roger Penrose's 'objective reduction' OR</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How or why do quantum superpositioned states which avoid environmental interactions become classical and definite in the macro-world? Many physicists now believe that some objective factor disturbs the superposition and causes it to collapse. Roger Penrose proposes that this factor is an intrinsic feature of space-time geometry itself - quantum gravity. According to Penrose's interpretation of general relativity, quantum superposition (e.g. separation of mass from itself) is equivalent to separation in underlying space-time geometry-simultaneous space-time curvatures in opposite directions. Penrose argues that these separations in fundamental reality, ("bubbles, or blisters") are unstable-even when isolated from the environment-and will reduce spontaneously (and non-computably) to specific states at a critical threshold of space-time separation (thereby avoiding the need for "multiple worlds"). This objective threshold is defined by the indeterminacy principle:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">where E is the gravitational self-energy of the superposed mass separated from itself, h is Planck's constant divided by 2pi, and T is the coherence time until collapse occurs. Thus, the size and energy of a system in superposition, or the degree of space-time separation, is inversely related to the time T until reduction. (E can be calculated from the superposed mass <i>m</i>and the separation distance <i>a</i>. See e.g. Hameroff and Penrose, 1996a.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Assuming isolation, the following masses in superposition would collapse at the designated times, according to Penrose's objective reduction:</span></div>
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<tr><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="168"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mass (<i>m</i>)</span></b></td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="174"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Time (T)</span></b></td></tr>
<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nucleon</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>7</sup> years</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Beryllium ion</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>6</sup> years</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Water Speck</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-5</sup> cm radius</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hours</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-4</sup> cm radius</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">1/20 second</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-3</sup> cm radius</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-3</sup> seconds</span></td></tr>
<tr><td align="middle" width="168"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Schrodinger's cat (m=1kg, a=10 cm)</span></td><td align="middle" width="174"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>-37</sup> seconds</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If quantum computation with objective reduction were occurring in the brain, enigmatic features of consciousness (see Section above - The Problem of Consciousness) could be explained:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By occurring as a self-organizing process in what is suggested to be a pan-experiential medium of fundamental spacetime geometry, objective reductions could account for the nature of subjective experience by accessing and selecting proto-conscious qualia.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By virtue of involvement of unitary (entangled) quantum states during pre-conscious quantum computation and the unity of quantum information selected in each objective reduction, the issue of binding may be resolved.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Regarding the transitions from pre-conscious processes to consciousness itself, the pre-conscious processes may equate to the quantum superposition/quantum computation phase, and consciousness itself to the actual (instantaneous) objective reduction events. Consciousness may then be seen as a sequence of discrete events (e.g. at 40 Hz).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As Penrose objective reductions are proposed to be non-computable (reflecting influences from space-time geometry which are neither random, nor algorithmic) conscious choices and understanding may be similarly non-computable.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Free will may be seen as a combination of deterministic pre-conscious processes acted on by a non-computable influence.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Subjective time flow derives from a sequence of irreversible quantum state reductions.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Could objective reduction be occurring in the brain? If so (from E = h/T) time T would be expected to coincide with known neurophysiological processes with time scales from tens to hundreds of milliseconds (e.g. 25 msec for coherent 40 Hz, 100 msec for alpha EEG, 500 msec for sensory threshold events such as Libet's famous 1979 experiments). In what types of brain structures might quantum computation with objective reduction occur? For T in this range we can calculate (from E = h/T, and with E related to mass <i>m</i> as described in Hameroff and Penrose, 1996a) that superpositioned mass <i>m</i> in the nanogram range would be required for conscious events of 40 to 500 msec. What brain components in nanogram quantitites could support quantum computation and objective reduction? What is <i>m</i>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="proteins" name="proteins"></a>6. Are proteins qubits?</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Biological life is organized by proteins. By changing their conformational shape, proteins are able to perform a wide variety of functions, including muscle movement, molecular binding, enzyme catalysis, metabolism, and movement. Dynamical protein structure results from a "delicate balance among powerful countervailing forces" (Voet & Voet, 1995). The types of forces acting on proteins include charged interactions (such as covalent, ionic, electrostatic, and hydrogen bonds), hydrophobic interactions, and dipole interactions. The latter group, also known as van der Waals forces, encompasses three types of interactions:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">permanent dipole - permanent dipole,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">permanent dipole - induced dipole, and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">induced dipole - induced dipole (London dispersion forces)</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As charged interactions cancel out, hydrophobic and dipole - dipole forces are left to regulate protein structure. While induced dipole - induced dipole interactions, or London dispersion forces, are the weakest of the forces outlined above, they are also the most numerous and influential. Indeed, they may be critical to protein function. For example, anesthetics are able to bind in hydrophobic "pockets" of certain neural proteins and ablate consciousness by virtue of disrupting these London forces. London force attraction between any two atoms is usually less than a few kilojoules; however, since thousands occur in each protein, they add up to thousands of kilojoules per mole, and cause changes in conformational structure. As London forces are instrumental in protein folding (a problem intractable to conventional computational simulation), protein conformation and folding may be quantum computations.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 16</strong>. A type of van der Waals force, the London dispersion force, is quantum mechanical and governs both protein conformation.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 17</strong>. A. An anesthetic gas molecule (A) in a hydrophobic pocket of critical brain protein (receptors, channels, tubulin etc.) prevents normally occurring London forces, preventing protein conformational dynamics and superposition necessary for consciousness. B. A psychedelic hallucinogen (P) acts in hydrophobic pocket in critical brain protein to promote and sustain superposition, 'expanding' consciousness (see Figure 25).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 18</strong>. A. Protein qubit. A protein such as tubulin can exist in two conformations determined by quantum London forces in hydrophobic pocket (top), or superposition of both conformations (bottom). B. The protein qubit corresponds to two alternative spacetime curvatures (top), and superposition/separation (bubble) of both curvatures (bottom).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If proteins are qubits, arrays or assemblies of proteins in some type of organelle or biomolecular structure could be a quantum computer. Ideal structures would be:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Abundant;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Capable of information processing and computation;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Functionally important (e.g., regulating synapses);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Self-organizing;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tunable by input information (e.g., microtubule-associated protein orchestration);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Periodic and crystal-like in structure (e.g., dipole lattice);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isolated (transiently) from environmental decoherence;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conformationally coupled to quantum events (e.g., London forces);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cylindrical wave-guide structure; and,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plasma-like charge layer coating.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While various structures/organelles have been suggested (e.g., membrane proteins, clathrins, myelin, pre-synaptic grids, and calcium ions), the most logical candidates are microtubule automata.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong><i>Figure 19</i></strong>. The Penrose-Hameroff Orch OR model was hatched on a hike in the Grand Canyon following the Tucson I conference in April, 1994. From left: David Chalmers, Rhett Savage, Marie-Francoise Insinna, Seamus O'Morain, Stuart Hameroff, Roger Penrose, Vanessa Penrose, Jeff Tollaksen. Photo by Ezio Insinna.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="automata" name="automata"></a>7. Microtubule quantum automata - The 'Orch OR' model</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Penrose - Hameroff model of "orchestrated objective reduction" (Orch OR) proposes that:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum superposition/computation occur in microtubule automata within brain neurons and glia.;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tubulin subunits within microtubules act as qubits, switching between states on a nanosecond (10<sup>-9</sup> sec) scale governed by quantum London forces in hydrophobic pockets;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Tubulin qubits interact computationally by nonlocal quantum entanglement according to the Schrodinger equation;</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 20</strong>. The basic idea in the Orch OR model is that each tubulin in a microtubule is a qubit.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 21</strong>. Microtubule automaton sequence simulation in which classical computing (step 1) leads to emergence of quantum coherent superposition (steps 2-6) in certain (gray) tubulins due to pattern resonance. Step 6 (in coherence with other microtubule tubulins) meets critical threshold related to quantum gravity for self-collapse (Orch OR). Consciousness (Orch OR) occurs in the step 6 to 7 transition. Step 7 represents the eigenstate of mass distribution of the collapse which evolves by classical computing automata to regulate neural function. Quantum coherence begins to re-emerge in step 8.</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">pre-conscious processing which continues until the threshold for objective reduction (OR) is reached by E = h/T;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At that instant collapse, or OR occurs which is an actual event in fundamental space-time geometry. This event selects a particular configuration of Planck-scale experiential geometry, enacting a "moment of awareness," "occasion of experience" or conscious event.</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 22</strong>. Schematic graph of proposed pre-conscious quantum superposition (number of tubulins) emerging versus time in microtubules. Area under curve connects superposed mass energy E with collapse time T in accordance with E=(h/T. E may be expressed as n<sub>t</sub>, the number of tubulins whose mass separation (and separation of underlying space time) for time T will self-collapse. For T = 25 msec (e.g. 40 Hz oscillations), n<sub>t</sub> = 2 x 10<sup>10</sup> tubulins.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 23</strong>. Schematic of quantum computation of three tubulins which begin (left) in initial classical states, then enter isolated quantum superposition in which all possible states coexist. After reduction, one particular classical outcome state is chosen (right).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 24</strong>. Schematic quantum computation in spacetime curvature for three mass distributions (e.g. tubulin conformations in Figure 23) which begin (left) in initial classical states, then enter isolated quantum superposition in which all possible states coexist. After reduction, one particular classical outcome state is chosen (right).</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A sequence of OR events (e.g. at 40 Hz) provides a forward flow of subjective time and "stream" of consciousness;</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 25</strong>. Quantum superposition/entanglement in microtubules for 5 states related to consciousness. Area under each curve equivalent in all cases. A. Normal 30 Hz experience: as in Figure 22. B. Anesthesia: anesthetics bind in hydrophobic pockets and prevent quantum delocalizability and coherent superposition. C. Heightened Experience: increased sensory experience input (for example) increases rate of emergence of quantum superposition. Orch OR threshold is reached faster, and Orch OR frequency increases. D. Altered State: even greater rate of emergence of quantum superposition due to sensory input and other factors promoting quantum state (e.g. meditation, psychedelic drug etc.). Predisposition to quantum state results in baseline shift and collapse so that conscious experience merges with normally sub-conscious quantum computing mode. E. Dreaming: prolonged sub-threshold quantum superposition time.</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">At the nanoscale each event determines new classical states of microtubule automata which regulate synaptic and other neural functions;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During the pre-conscious quantum superposition/computation phase, oscillations are "tuned" and "orchestrated" by microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), providing a feedback loop between the biological system and the quantum state (hence Orch OR);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum states in microtubules may link to those in microtubules in other neurons and glia by tunneling through gap junctions, permitting extension of the quantum state throughout significant volumes of the brain.</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 26</strong>. Schematic of proposed quantum superposition and entanglement in microtubules in three dendrites interconnected by tunneling through gap junctions. Within each neuronal dendrite, microtubule-associated-protein (MAP) attachments breach isolation and prevent quantum coherence; MAP attachment sites thus act as "nodes" which tune and orchestrate quantum oscillations and set possibilities and probabilities for collapse outcomes (orchestrated objective reduction: Orch OR). Gap junctions may enable quantum tunneling among dendrites resulting in macroscopic quantum states.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">From E = h/T we can calculate the size and extension of Orch OR events which correlate with subjective or neurophysiological descriptions of conscious events.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Event</span></b></div>
</td><td align="middle" bgcolor="#000080" width="58"><b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">T</span></b></td><td bgcolor="#000080" width="256"><div align="center">
<b><span style="color: white; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">E</span></b></div>
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<tr><td width="219"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Buddhist "moment of awareness"</span></td><td align="middle" width="58"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">13 ms</span></td><td width="256"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">4 x 10<sup>15 </sup>nucleons<br />(4 x 10<sup>10</sup> tubulins/cell ~ 40,000 neurons)</span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="219"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Coherent 40 Hz" oscillations"</span></td><td align="middle" width="58"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">25 ms</span></td><td width="256"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">2 x 10<sup>15 </sup>nucleons<br />(2 x 10<sup>10</sup> tubulins/cell ~ 20,000 neurons)</span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="219"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">EEG alpha rhythm (8 to 12 Hz)</span></td><td align="middle" width="58"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">100 ms</span></td><td width="256"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">5 x 10<sup>14</sup> nucleons<br />(5 x 10<sup>9</sup> tubulins/cell ~ 5000 neurons)</span></td></tr>
<tr><td width="219"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Libet's sensory threshold (1979)</span></td><td align="middle" width="58"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">500ms</span></td><td width="256"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">10<sup>14</sup> nucleons<br />(10<sup>9</sup> tubulins/cell ~ 1000 neurons)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But how could delicate quantum superposition/computation be isolated from environmental decoherence in the brain (generally considered to be a noisy thermal bath) while also communicating (input/output) with the environment? One possibility is that quantum superposition/computation occurs in an isolation phase which alternates with a communicative phase, for example at 40 Hz. One of the most primitive biological functions is the transition of cytoplasm between a liquid, solution ("sol") phase, and a solid, gelatinous ("gel") phase due to assembly and disassembly of the cytoskeletal protein actin. Actin sol-gel transitions can occur at 40 Hz or faster, and are known to be involved in neuronal synaptic release mechanisms.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mechanisms for enabling microtubule quantum computation and avoiding decoherence long enough to reach threshold may include:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sol-gel transitions;</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 27</strong>. Immunoelectron micrograph of cytoplasm showing microtubules (arrows), intermediate filaments (arrowheads) and actin microfilaments (mf). Dense gel of actin (lower left) completely obscures (?isolates) microtubules. Actin sol-gel transitions can occur at 40 Hz or faster. Scale bar (upper right): 500 nanometers. With permission from Svitkina et al, 1995.</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plasma phase sleeves (Sackett);</span></li>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 28</strong>. Dan Sackett at NIH recently described a plasma-like sleeve of charged ions surrounding microtubules at precisely optimal pH.</span></i></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum excitations/ordering of surrounding water (Jibu/Yasue/Hagan);</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hydrophobic pockets;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hollow microtubule cores;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Laser-like pumping, including environment (Frohlich, Conrad).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum error correcting codes</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another apparent obstacle to the Orch OR proposal is how the weak energy involved in the gravitational collapse can be influential. For a detailed description of this problem and potential solutions, see Hameroff, 1998c. One possibility is that the gravitational self-energy is delivered to the involved tubulins via London forces virtually instantaneously (e.g. within one Planck time) so that the power (energy/time) is significant - approximately one kilowatt per tubulin per Orch OR event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="orchor" name="orchor"></a>8. Orch OR, cognition and free will</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quantum computation with objective reduction (Orch OR) is potentially applicable to cognitive activities. While classical neural-level computation can provide a partial explanation, the Orch OR model allows far greater information capacity, and addresses issues of conscious experience, binding, and non-computability consistent with free will. Functions like face recognition and volitional choice may require a series of conscious events arriving at intermediate solutions. For the purpose of illustration consider single Orch OR events in these two types of cognitive activities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Imagine you briefly see a familiar woman's face. Is she Amy, Betty, or Carol? Possibilities may superpose in a quantum computation. For example during 25 milliseconds of pre-conscious processing, quantum computation occurs with information (Amy, Betty, Carol) in the form of "qubits"3/4superposed states of microtubule tubulin subunits within groups of neurons. As threshold for objective reduction is reached, an instantaneous conscious event occurs. The superposed tubulin qubits reduce to definite states, becoming bits. Now, you recognize that she is Carol! (an immense number of possibilities could be superposed in a human brain's 10<sup>19</sup> tubulins).</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 29</strong>. Face recognition. A familiar face induces superposition (left) of three possible solutions (Amy, Betty, Carol) which "collapse" to the correct answer Carol (right). Volitional choice. Three possible dinner selections (shrimp, sushi, pasta) are considered in superposition (left), and collapse via Orch OR to choice of sushi (right).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a volitional act possible choices may be superposed. Suppose for example you are selecting dinner from a menu. During pre-conscious processing, shrimp, sushi and pasta are superposed in a quantum computation. As threshold for objective reduction is reached, the quantum state reduces to a single classical state. A choice is made. You'll have sushi!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How does the choice actually occur? In a conventional neural network scheme, the selection criteria can be described by a deterministic algorithm which precludes the possibility of free will. The non-computable influence in Orch OR may be useful in understanding free will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The problem in understanding free will is that our actions seem neither totally deterministic nor random (probabilistic). What else is there in nature? As previously described, in OR (and Orch OR) the reduction outcomes are neither deterministic nor probabilistic, but involve a factor which is "non-computable." The microtubule quantum superposition evolves linearly (analogous to a quantum computer) but is influenced at the instant of collapse by hidden non-local variables (quantum-mathematical logic inherent in fundamental spacetime geometry). The possible outcomes are limited, or probabilities set ("orchestrated"), by neurobiological feedback (in particular microtubule associated proteins, or MAPs). The precise outcome3/4our free will actions3/4are chosen by effects of the hidden logic on the quantum system poised at the edge of objective reduction.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 30</strong>. Free will may be seen as the result of deterministic processes (behavior of trained robot windsurfer) acted on repeatedly by non-computable influences, here represented as a seemingly capricious wind.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Consider a sailboard analogy for free will. A sailor sets the sail in a certain way; the direction the board sails is determined by the action of the wind on the sail. Let's pretend the sailor is a non-conscious robot zombie run by a quantum computer which is trained and programmed to sail. Setting and adjusting of the sail, sensing the wind and position, jibing and tacking (turning the board) are algorithmic and deterministic, and may be analogous to the pre-conscious, quantum computing phase of Orch OR. The direction and intensity of the wind (seemingly capricious, or unpredictable) may be considered analogous to Planck scale hidden non-local variables (e.g. "Platonic" quantum-mathematical logic inherent in space-time geometry). The choice, or outcome (the direction the boat sails, the point on shore it lands) depends on the deterministic sail settings acted on repeatedly by the apparently unpredictable wind. Our "free will" actions could be the net result of deterministic processes acted on by hidden quantum logic at each Orch OR event. This can explain why we generally do things in an orderly, deterministic fashion, but occasionally our actions or thoughts are surprising, even to ourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="evolution" name="evolution"></a>9. Consciousness and evolution</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When in the course of evolution did consciousness first appear? Are all living organisms conscious, or did consciousness emerge more recently, e.g. with language or toolmaking? Or did consciousness appear somewhere in between, and if so, when and why? The Orch OR model (unlike other models of consciousness) is able to make a prediction as to the onset of consciousness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Based on E = h/T we can ask, for example, is it feasible for single cell organisms such as paramecium (which exhibit complex behavior such as graceful swimming, mating and learning) to be conscious? Single cells including paramecium should contain approximately 10<sup>7</sup> tubulins, so T would be 50,000 msec, or nearly one minute. This seems unlikely. Larger organisms such as the nematode worm (e.g., C. elegans) with 300 neurons (3 x 10<sup>9</sup> tubulins) would need to maintain quantum isolation for only 133 msec - not unreasonable. Such organisms (tiny worms and urchins) were prevalent at the beginning of the "Cambrian explosion," a burst of evolution which occurred 540 million years ago. Did primitive consciousness (via Orch OR) accelerate evolution and precipitate the Cambrian explosion?</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 31</strong>. A time-line of when consciousness could have arisen.</span></i></div>
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<tr><td valign="bottom" width="63%"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img height="465" src="http://www.quantumconsciousness.org/presentations/images/slide71x.jpg" width="400" /></span></td><td align="left" valign="bottom" width="37%"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Cambrian explosion was a burst of evolution 540 million years ago. Organisms present at the Cambrian onset included small worms and urchins. Did consciousness (Orch OR) cause the Cambrian explosion?</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 32</strong>. Organisms present at the early Cambrian explosion (e.g. tiny urchins, worms and suctorians) are the right size for primitive consciousness by Orch OR.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 33</strong>. Actinosphaerium is a tiny urchin like those present at the early Cambrian explosion. Each has about one hundred rigid axonemes about 300 microns long, made up of a total of about 3 x 10<sup>9</sup> tubulins (with permission from L.E. Roth).</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><strong>Figure 34</strong>. Cross-section of single axoneme of actinosphaerium - a double spiral array of interconnected microtubules. Scale bar: 500 nm (with permission from L.E. Roth).</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would consciousness be advantageous to survival (above and beyond intelligent, complex behavior)? It seems that, yes, consciousness would indeed be advantageous to survival, and hence capable of accelerating evolution. Non-computable behavior (unpredictability, intuitive actions) would be beneficial in predator-prey relations. Having conscious experience of taste would promote finding food; the experience of pain would promote avoiding predators. And the pleasurable qualia of sex would promote reproduction.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So "what is it like to be a worm?" Lacking our sensory apparatus, associative memory and complex nervous system such primitive consciousness would be a mere glimmer, a disjointed smudge of reality. But qualitatively, at a basic level, such primitive consciousness would be akin to ours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What about future evolution? Will consciousness occur in computers? The advent of quantum computers opens the possibility, however as presently envisioned quantum computers will have insufficient mass in superposition (e.g. electrons) to reach threshold for objective reduction. Instead, superpositions will be disrupted by environmental decoherence. Conceivably, future generations of quantum computers could satisfy requirements for objective reduction and consciousness.</span></div>
<h5 style="background-color: white; color: #330066;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="conclusions" name="conclusions"></a>10. Conclusions</span></h5>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Brain processes relevant to consciousness extend downward within neurons to the level of cytoskeletal microtubules.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">An explanation for conscious experience requires (in addition to neuroscience and psychology) a modern form of pan-protopsychism in which proto-conscious qualia are embedded in the basic level of reality, as described by modern physics.</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Roger Penrose's physics of objective reduction (OR) connects brain structures to fundamental reality, leading to the Penrose-Hameroff model of quantum computation with objective reduction in microtubules (orchestrated objective reduction: Orch OR).</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Orch OR model is consistent with known neurophysiological processes, generates testable predictions, and is the type of fundamental, multi-level, interdisciplinary theory which may account for the mind's enigmatic features.</span></li>
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<h5 style="background-color: white; color: #330066;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6675825798575605751" id="acknowledge" name="acknowledge"></a>11. Acknowledgments & References</span></h5>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some of the newer ideas expresssed here may not necessarily reflect Roger's view. Thanks to Dave Cantrell for illustrations, and Carol Ebbecke for expert technical assistance. For a list of testable predictions of the Orch OR model, see Hameroff, 1998c or e.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">References</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose, R. (1989) The Emperor's New Mind, Oxford Press, Oxford, U.K</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose, R. (1994) Shadows of the Mind, Oxford Press, Oxford, U.K.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose, R., Hameroff, S.R. (1995) What gaps? Reply to Grush and Churchland. Journal of Consciousness Studies 2(2):99-112.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S.R., and Penrose, R., (1996a) Orchestrated reduction of quantum coherence in brain microtubules: A model for consciousness. In: Toward a Science of Consciousness - The First Tucson Discussions and Debates, S.R. Hameroff, A. Kaszniak and A.C. Scott (eds.), MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.pp. 507-540. Also published in Mathematics and Computers in Simulation 40:453-480.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S.R., and Penrose, R. (1996b) Conscious events as orchestrated spacetime selections. Journal of Consciousness Studies 3(1):36-53.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose, R. (1996) On gravity's role in quantum state reduction. General relativity and gravitation. 28(5): 581-600</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose, R. (1997) On understanding understanding. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 11(1):7-20.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Penrose R. (1998) The large, the small, and the human mind</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998a) Did consciousness cause the Cambrian evolutionary explosion? In: Toward a Science of Consciousness II - The Second Tucson Discussions and Debates. Eds S Hameroff, A Kaszniak, A Scott. MIT Press, Cambridge MA pp 421-437</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998b) "More neural than thou": Reply to Churchland's "Brainshy" in: Toward a Science of Consciousness II - The Second Tucson Discussions and Debates. Eds S Hameroff, A Kaszniak, A Scott. MIT Press, Cambridge MA pp 197-213</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998c) Funda-mental geometry: The Penrose-Hameroff Orch OR model of consciousness. In: The geometric universe - Science, geometry and the work of Roger Penrose. Eds. S.A. Huggett, L.J. Mason, K.P. Tod, S.T. Tsou, and N.M.J. Woodhouse. Oxford Press, Oxford, U.K. pp 135-160</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998d) "Funda-Mentality" - Is the conscious mind subtly connected to a basic level of the universe? Trends in Cognitive Science 2(4):119-127</span></div>
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<div style="background-color: white; margin-bottom: 3px;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998e) Quantum computation in microtubules? The Penrose-Hameroff 'Orch OR' model of consciousness. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A (London)356:1869-1896</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hameroff, S. (1998f) Anesthesia, consciousness and hydrophobic pockets - A unitary quantum hypothesis of anesthetic action. Toxicology Letters 100/101-31-39.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://www.quantumconsciousness.org/presentations/whatisconsciousness.htm" target="_blank">Quantum Consciousness</a></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-35504693409775358142013-10-21T13:08:00.000-05:002013-10-21T13:08:09.639-05:00Monumental Plant Sculptures<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mosaiculturesinternationales.ca/en" style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mosaïcultures Internationales de Montréal</a> is an international mosaiculture competition held in Montréal, Canada. According to their website, <em style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">mosaiculture</em> “is a refined horticultural art that involves creating and mounting living artworks made primarily from plants with colourful foliage (generally annuals, and occasionally perennials).” The 2013 competition and exhibition opened June 22 and runs through September 29 at the <a href="http://espacepourlavie.ca/en/botanical-garden" style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Montréal Botanical Garden</a> and features some 22,000 plant species and cultivars distributed throughout 10 exhibition greenhouses and 30 themed gardens.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can see hundreds more photos over on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=Mosa%C3%AFcultures&ss=1&s=rec" style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Flickr</a>, however all photos here are copyright <a href="http://www.guyboily.com/" style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Guy Boily</a> courtesy MIM. If you liked this, also check out the <a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2012/11/towering-sculptures-made-of-flowers-on-parade-at-bloemencorso/" style="border: 0px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bloemencorso</a> parade in Zundert, Netherlands.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34595 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-1.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="551" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-1.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34596 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-2.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="800" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-2.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34597 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-3.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="534" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-3.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34598 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-4.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="618" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-4.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34599 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-5.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="534" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-5.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34600 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-6.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="1200" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-6.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34601 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-7.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="533" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-7.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; line-height: 1.714285714; margin-bottom: 1.714285714rem; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal plants gardening " class="lazy alignnone size-full wp-image-34602 data-lazy-ready" data-lazy-src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-8.jpg" data-lazy-type="image" height="1200" src="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/montreal-8.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Monumental Plant Sculptures at the 2013 Mosaicultures Internationales de Montréal" width="800" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/07/monumental-plant-sculptures-at-the-2013-mosaicultures-internationales-de-montreal/" target="_blank">This Is Colossal</a></span><br />
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</script>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00587736283348610778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6675825798575605751.post-78347607423960037162013-10-21T12:13:00.000-05:002013-10-21T12:16:58.927-05:00How Science Goes Wrong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MvL9LTsrfKkhVt3Qwv8ispjVH2CzGvsEAsnJgmw6lMydrAR5_vO9Jb5YJYD_9efJnYqjWSY1lvxOFKws_1w55_4F-IblVsDyqO0jq9BeGuWKULjvTE5_SO3Di3lukDnhZ9WVpINcPekr/s1600/science-goes-wrong.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1MvL9LTsrfKkhVt3Qwv8ispjVH2CzGvsEAsnJgmw6lMydrAR5_vO9Jb5YJYD_9efJnYqjWSY1lvxOFKws_1w55_4F-IblVsDyqO0jq9BeGuWKULjvTE5_SO3Di3lukDnhZ9WVpINcPekr/s400/science-goes-wrong.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 2.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A SIMPLE idea underpins science: “trust, but verify”. Results should always be subject to challenge from experiment. That simple but powerful idea has generated a vast body of knowledge. Since its birth in the 17th century, modern science has changed the world beyond recognition, and overwhelmingly for the better.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; color: #4a4a4a; line-height: 2.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But success can breed complacency. Modern scientists are doing too much trusting and not enough verifying—to the detriment of the whole of science, and of humanity.</span></div>
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<div style="border: 0px; line-height: 2.3rem; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Too many of the findings that fill the academic ether are the result of shoddy experiments or poor analysis (see <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21588057-scientists-think-science-self-correcting-alarming-degree-it-not-trouble" style="border: 0px; color: #4a4a4a; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_self">article</a>). A rule of thumb among biotechnology venture-capitalists is that half of published research cannot be replicated. Even that may be optimistic. Last year researchers at one biotech firm, Amgen, found they could reproduce just six of 53 “landmark” studies in cancer research. Earlier, a group at Bayer, a drug company, managed to repeat just a quarter of 67 similarly important papers. A leading computer scientist frets that three-quarters of papers in his subfield are bunk. In 2000-10 roughly 80,000 patients took part in clinical trials based on research that was later retracted because of mistakes or improprieties.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What a load of rubbish</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even when flawed research does not put people’s lives at risk—and much of it is too far from the market to do so—it squanders money and the efforts of some of the world’s best minds. The opportunity costs of stymied progress are hard to quantify, but they are likely to be vast. And they could be rising.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One reason is the competitiveness of science. In the 1950s, when modern academic research took shape after its successes in the second world war, it was still a rarefied pastime. The entire club of scientists numbered a few hundred thousand. As their ranks have swelled, to 6m-7m active researchers on the latest reckoning, scientists have lost their taste for self-policing and quality control. The obligation to “publish or perish” has come to rule over academic life. Competition for jobs is cut-throat. Full professors in America earned on average $135,000 in 2012—more than judges did. Every year six freshly minted PhDs vie for every academic post. Nowadays verification (the replication of other people’s results) does little to advance a researcher’s career. And without verification, dubious findings live on to mislead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Careerism also encourages exaggeration and the cherry-picking of results. In order to safeguard their exclusivity, the leading journals impose high rejection rates: in excess of 90% of submitted manuscripts. The most striking findings have the greatest chance of making it onto the page. Little wonder that one in three researchers knows of a colleague who has pepped up a paper by, say, excluding inconvenient data from results “based on a gut feeling”. And as more research teams around the world work on a problem, the odds shorten that at least one will fall prey to an honest confusion between the sweet signal of a genuine discovery and a freak of the statistical noise. Such spurious correlations are often recorded in journals eager for startling papers. If they touch on drinking wine, going senile or letting children play video games, they may well command the front pages of newspapers, too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conversely, failures to prove a hypothesis are rarely even offered for publication, let alone accepted. “Negative results” now account for only 14% of published papers, down from 30% in 1990. Yet knowing what is false is as important to science as knowing what is true. The failure to report failures means that researchers waste money and effort exploring blind alleys already investigated by other scientists.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The hallowed process of peer review is not all it is cracked up to be, either. When a prominent medical journal ran research past other experts in the field, it found that most of the reviewers failed to spot mistakes it had deliberately inserted into papers, even after being told they were being tested.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If it’s broke, fix it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All this makes a shaky foundation for an enterprise dedicated to discovering the truth about the world. What might be done to shore it up? One priority should be for all disciplines to follow the example of those that have done most to tighten standards. A start would be getting to grips with statistics, especially in the growing number of fields that sift through untold oodles of data looking for patterns. Geneticists have done this, and turned an early torrent of specious results from genome sequencing into a trickle of truly significant ones.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ideally, research protocols should be registered in advance and monitored in virtual notebooks. This would curb the temptation to fiddle with the experiment’s design midstream so as to make the results look more substantial than they are. (It is already meant to happen in clinical trials of drugs, but compliance is patchy.) Where possible, trial data also should be open for other researchers to inspect and test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The most enlightened journals are already becoming less averse to humdrum papers. Some government funding agencies, including America’s National Institutes of Health, which dish out $30 billion on research each year, are working out how best to encourage replication. And growing numbers of scientists, especially young ones, understand statistics. But these trends need to go much further. Journals should allocate space for “uninteresting” work, and grant-givers should set aside money to pay for it. Peer review should be tightened—or perhaps dispensed with altogether, in favour of post-publication evaluation in the form of appended comments. That system has worked well in recent years in physics and mathematics. Lastly, policymakers should ensure that institutions using public money also respect the rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Science still commands enormous—if sometimes bemused—respect. But its privileged status is founded on the capacity to be right most of the time and to correct its mistakes when it gets things wrong. And it is not as if the universe is short of genuine mysteries to keep generations of scientists hard at work. The false trails laid down by shoddy research are an unforgivable barrier to understanding.</span><br />
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<a class="source" href="http://www.economist.com/printedition/2013-10-19" style="border: 0px; color: #7b7b73; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 3px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">From the print edition: Leaders</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Originally posted on: <a href="http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21588069-scientific-research-has-changed-world-now-it-needs-change-itself-how-science-goes-wrong?spc=scode&spv=xm&ah=9d7f7ab945510a56fa6d37c30b6f1709/" target="_blank">Economist</a></span></div>
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