Journal

The silent killer

2011-02-21T03:04:23Z

Two years ago, I brought a killer into my home. At the time, I was unaware of this silent killer. After all, many times before, it had been displayed without inflicting any harm.

I still cringe each time that I walk by the floral department of my favorite grocery store. I wonder-- whose pet will fall victim to this beautiful but deadly plant?

It is not at all unexpected that the events of July 30th, 2008, have forever been etched into my mind. That afternoon, I had just cut two stems of oriental lilies from my yard, placing them in a vase of water. After taking a few photos of the lilies, I left the flowers on the coffee table.

At dinner, I noticed a yellow powdery substance on my cat’s face. Without a doubt, lily pollen was on Morgan’s face.

Seeing the pollen, I felt uneasy and called my vet. I hoped that she would assure me not to worry. How shocked I was when she told me otherwise: that all parts of the lily, including the pollen, are highly toxic to cats. And if left untreated it will cause kidney failure and death.

My vet then instructed me to wash the pollen off Morgan’s face and call the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-800-213-6680 for further instructions.

The Pet Poison Helpline, a 24 hour, seven day service, consults pet owners and veterinarians for a small fee of $35 per case. They are the only poison control center with board-certified veterinary internal medicine, emergency critical care specialists and a veterinary toxicologist.

The Pet Poison Helpline asked me a series of questions and then told to take Morgan to the nearest emergency vet clinic.

At the emergency clinic the vet was expecting Morgan. The Pet Poison Helpline had contacted and discussed the case with her. Morgan was admitted to the hospital and was given intravenous injection. Three days later, after repeated blood tests, non-stop IV drips, Morgan was released.

Not all cats are as lucky as Morgan.

Most pet owners don’t realize the danger of this beautiful flower until it is too late. With lily poisoning, time is of the essence. It is imperative that the pet is given IV as soon as possible.

The treatment itself is very expensive and can cost $1000 or more.

These days, lilies seem to be in just about every kind of flower bouquet. Not surprisingly, it is also number one cause of poisoning in cats.

In the last five years, the Pet Poison Helpline alone has received a 1000 phone calls in regard to lily poisoning.

Oriental lilies are not the only lily toxic to cats. Japanese lilies, tiger lilies, day lilies, easter lilies and are also very poisonous and will cause kidney failure and death in cats.

I was thrilled to read that the Cat Protection Society in Australia is developing laminated posters to be displayed by florists. They are designed to warn unsuspecting customers of the dangers of lilies to cats.

Shouldn’t all poisonous plants come with a warning tag?

After all, it is not uncommon for gardeners to purchase plants disliked by the deer. This fact is prominently displayed with a tag inside the plant.

Wouldn’t you as a pet owner want to see the same thing done for the most toxic plants?

Shouldn’t florists and grocery store owners be more responsible and offer non-toxic plants and flowers to their customers?

In conclusion, how can we eliminate cat related deaths due to lily poisoning?

http://www.wnca.com.au/Lilies%20toxic%20Malik.htm

Our hate/love relationship with weeds

2011-02-19T13:08:51Z

Our never ending war against weeds!

We do everything in our powers to eliminate the unsightly plants. Each spring, we begin the season by pulling, digging and drenching the weeds in herbicides. But, what is a weed?

Ralph Waldo Emerson defined a weed as, “A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” (1)

Is that really true?

In contrast, Peter Gail, an ethnobotanists, defines weed as ”A plant for which we once knew the use but we’ve forgotten it.” (1) According to Gail, dandelions are not a weed but a vegetable-- 80% of the “weeds” are plants that were brought to this country as food or medicine. (2)

But surely, all weeds are a gardeners nightmare!

It wasn’t that long ago when people felt differently about “weeds”. For example, at one time it was prestigious to have clover in the lawns. Homeowners not only appreciated the beauty of clover, but the fact that it provided nitrogen to the soil. Clover seeds were bought as mixture with grass seeds or sold separately.

Certainly, public opinion changed when the chemical companies produced pesticides that could eliminate weeds without killing the grass. This was the beginning of the advertising campaigns against weeds. (3)

Until this time, clover was the main source of nitrogen used to feed the lawns. Without clover, homeowners needed to buy more fertilizers.

According to the UCLA turf breeder, “People were taught by advertising to be proud when they show their neighbors and friends a pure grass lawn. So dandelion and clover became weeds.” (4)

Are they any benefits to having dandelions in our lawns or garden?

The answer is yes. Dandelions gives protection to areas that are prone to armyworms. Dandelions also help to loosen the dirt and bring up nutrients needed by shallow rooted plants. They are a good companion plant for tomatoes. (5,6)

That’s right, tomatoes!

Who would have thought of using dandelions as a companion plant for tomatoes? Then, I never imagined finding organically grown dandelion leaves in a grocery store.

Dandelions are known to be very nutritious. I know what you are thinking. I had the same thoughts myself.

A cup of dandelion greens contains 112% of the daily recommendation for vitamin A, 32% of vitamin C and 535% vitamin K. (7) It also contains vitamin B6 and folate and minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium. (8)

Dandelions have been for centuries in food and in medicines that are used to treat a variety of illnesses.

All parts of dandelions are edible. The root can be roasted and used like coffee-- without caffeine. Dandelion flowers have been made into wine. Most people are familiar with the use of dandelion green as a cooked vegetable, in salads, or in sandwiches. (9)

Dandelion leaves are best harvested in early spring a month before the flowers appear.

Amazingly, Gail has collected more than a 1000 dandelion recipes. These recipes, gathered from 64 countries, were published into two cookbooks. (1)

During World War II, Americans, Germans and Russians used dandelions to produce rubber. Dandelion rubber is ideal for use in hospitals as it does not cause an allergic reaction.(10)

Reflecting back to an earlier quote by Emerson-- clover and dandelions should not be classified as weeds since their virtues have already been discovered.

Barbie the girl next door

2011-02-19T12:58:03Z

Toys!

They bring so much magic to one's childhood. Growing up, I loved playing with my dolls. I did not had any "fashion" dolls, they were mostly regular plastic dolls.

My first job in college was to baby sit six- year- old Sarah. Little Sarah had a large collection of Barbie and Ken dolls. She liked to pretend Barbie and Ken were making out.

I was speechless.

Toys are supposed to be an outlet to allow our children to express their individuality. Barbie dolls have been an inspiration to girls all over the world. Over the years Barbie had more than 500 jobs. She has been as a nurse, a doctor, an astronaut and even an aerobics instructor.

Not surprising, 90% of American girls under 11 own at least one Barbie doll. Over the years, Barbie has seen her share of controversy. Recently, some parents were hesitant about buying tattoo Barbie. They were worried that it would send the wrong message to their daughters.

In 1993, the Barbie Liberation Organization bought 300 talking Barbie and G.I Joe dolls. The organization switched their voice boxes and placed them back to on the store shelves later. Some people were pleasantly surprised to hear their Barbie shout out phrases like "Vengeance is mine," while the G.I. Joe doll repeated in feminine voice, "Let's plan our dream wedding" and "Will we ever have enough clothes?"

A message left on the answering of the Barbie Liberation Organization said, "Obviously, our goal is to get media attention. We are trying to make a statement about the way toys can encourage negative behavior in children, particularly given rising acts of violence and sexism."

Do you believe toys affect our children's behavior or attitudes?

In October 1992, talking Barbie doll was criticized for saying, "Math class is tough." By itself, that seems pretty harmless--unless it comes from Barbie.

A 2008 study by the National Science Foundation found that girls scored as well as boys on standardized math tests. Yet business schools don't have as many female applicants as they would like. This has been attributed to a lack of female role models and the fact that some girl are intimated by math.

In 1965, Slumber Party Barbie came with a fixed scale reading 110 pounds, which was 35 pounds underweight for someone of Barbie's height.This set also came with a book titled, "How to Lose Weight." It advised, "Don' eat." (The same book was included in 1963, "Barbie Baby Sits" outfit.)

Barbie has been very successful at showing girls how to dress. Was she also successful at teaching them how to become anorexic?

One of the major criticisms of Barbie has been her unrealistic body image. As a woman she would be 5'.9" tall, with 36" chest, an 18"waist and 33" hip. According to a Finland study, Barbie would lack the body fat to menstruate.

The old saying must be true,"You can't be too rich or too thin."

But Barbie is only a doll and it was not modeled after a "real" person. Did you know that her predecessor was a German fashion doll, "Lilli," who was based on German prostitute cartoon character? That's right, a prostitute!

Lilli was an interesting character, always discreet and her wardrobe made her" the star of every bar." She liked rich men and wore sexy clothes.

In one comic strip, a policeman told her that two piece swim suits were not allowed. Her response was, "Which piece do you want me to take off?"

What is so fascinating about this doll is that this doll was originally marketed as a sex toy to adults in bars and tobacco shops. Lilli doll was produced from 1955 to 1964 and ceased production when Mattel acquired the rights to the doll.

What is the harm of a little plastic doll?

From an early age, girls are bombarded with messages of sexualization. This is done through significant others (parents, teachers, peers) as well as toys, television, the internet, magazines, music lyrics and video games.

Sexualization may be defined as a ,"person's value coming only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified-that is, made into a thing for others' sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making, and /or; sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person."

Sadly, in a recent report released by the American Psychological Association, girls and women suffer intellectual, psychological and physical problems as the result of messages that push sexualization. This has been linked to eating disorders, low self esteem and depression in girls and women

Society as a whole has been affected by increase in sexism, sexual harassment and increased demand for child pornography.

Because of sexualization girls hesitate to study science, math and engineering.

Because of sexualization boys and men are unable to relate appropriately to women, seeing them as a sex object. Some men may have difficulty finding an "acceptable" female partner.

Some women may unnecessarily suffer through trying to attain unrealistic standard of beauty. An extreme case is that of Sarah Burgee, who has undergone more than 100 surgeries so she can become a living Barbie doll.

Is Barbie just another plastic toy?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1874769,00.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie

http://www.womensenews.org/story/business/100121/business-schools-sweeten-lures-women

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/girls-are-just-as-good-as-boys-in-mathematics_1002997

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_Liberation_Organization

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/21/business/company-news-mattel-says-it-erred-teen-talk-barbie-turns-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild_Lilli_doll

http://jezebel.com/5069981/living-dolls

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/America_s_sex-mad_culture_4777.shtml

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/03/09/barbie.50th.anniversary/index.html

-

2011-02-19T12:56:06Z

Toys!

They bring so much magic to one's childhood. Growing up, I loved playing with my dolls. I did not had any "fashion" dolls, they were mostly regular plastic dolls.

My first job in college was to baby sit six- year- old Sarah. Little Sarah had a large collection of Barbie and Ken dolls. She liked to pretend Barbie and Ken were making out.

I was speechless.

Do you believe toys affect our children's behavior or attitudes?

In October 1992, talking Barbie doll was criticized for saying, "Math class is tough." By itself, that seems pretty harmless--unless it comes from Barbie.

eat." (The same book was included in 1963, "Barbie Baby Sits" outfit.)

Barbie has been very successful at showing girls how to dress. Was she also successful at teaching them how to become anorexic?

The old saying must be true,"You can't be too rich or too thin."

Lilli was an interesting character, always discreet and her wardrobe made her" the star of every bar." She liked rich men and wore sexy clothes.

In one comic strip, a policeman told her that two piece swim suits were not allowed. Her response was, "Which piece do you want me to take off?"

What is the harm of a little plastic doll?

linked to eating disorders, low self esteem and depression in girls and women.

Society as a whole has been affected by increase in sexism, sexual harassment and increased demand for child pornography.

Because of sexualization girls hesitate to study science, math and engineering.

Because of sexualization boys and men are unable to relate appropriately to women, seeing them as a sex object. Some men may have difficulty finding an "acceptable" female partner.

Is Barbie just another plastic toy?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1874769,00.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie

http://www.womensenews.org/story/business/100121/business-schools-sweeten-lures-women

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/sci-tech/girls-are-just-as-good-as-boys-in-mathematics_1002997

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbie_Liberation_Organization

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/21/business/company-news-mattel-says-it-erred-teen-talk-barbie-turns-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bild_Lilli_doll

http://jezebel.com/5069981/living-dolls

http://www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/National_News_2/America_s_sex-mad_culture_4777.shtml

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/03/09/barbie.50th.anniversary/index.html

Ban of pesticides in Canada- Doctor June Irving, a spark that brought pesticide revolution to North America!

2011-02-19T12:47:58Z

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For indeed, that’s all who ever have.” Margaret Mead

What is your vision of the American dream? Does it include a house with a two car-garage? A white picket fence? A beautiful lawn?

Each year in the United States, homeowners spread 80 million pounds of pesticides on their lawns.(1) We, as Americans, take pride in our lush green lawns, which we achieve mainly through the use of pesticides.

But are pesticides safe?

There is an assumption that the registration of pesticides with EPA insures their safety. However, that is not true. (2) Concern about the safety of pesticides is the reason why the town of Hudson in Canada banned the use of pesticides on private and public lawns.

According to the documentary movie, “A Chemical Reaction,” it all started in September 1984, when a patient of Dr. June Irwin developed a rash on her feet. Despite treatment the rash spread to the rest of her body. By November, the patient’s condition had worsened. She lost her hair, finger nails and was delirious. She was hospitalized for a few months.(1)

Dr. Irwin’s diagnosis was poisoning.

A blood test on the patient revealed the presence of the chemical 2,4-D in her body.The only history of toxic exposure came from her husband using a weed killer containing 2,4-D. (1)

Doctor Irwin was alarmed by her findings. People all over the town were getting sick. She contacted various medical departments with no outcome. On May 6, 1985, Dr. Irwin went to her first town meeting to voice her concerns. (1)

Consequently, she attended every meeting for the next six years, each time presenting pages of medical documentation.

Amazingly, on May 6, 1991 Hudson made North American history by being the first town to ban the use of pesticides in public and private land (with the exception of farms and golf courses).

The war, however, was far from over. In 1993, two large lawn care companies sued the town of Hudson. This was just the beginning of a ten-year court battle as the case moved from a local court to the Supreme court to the Court of Appeal.

Finally, on December 7, 2000, Hudson defended itself again, this time in front of the Superior Court of Canada.

The Superior Court of Canada, on June 28, 2001, handed out a unanimous decision in favor of Hudson. (1)

The town of Hudson won again.

Home owners in this country will find many kinds of pesticides for sale in hardware and garden supply stores. The label on each pesticide lists two kinds of ingredients: active ingredients and inert ingredients.

The active ingredients are responsible for repelling, controlling or killing of pests. The names and percentage of each active ingredient or chemical are listed on the package. However, the inert ingredients are given as a single percentage with no chemical name.

What are inert ingredients?

Inert ingredients help to dissolve the active ingredients. They also make application easier and maybe used as a preservative. (3)

Why does the EPA require that inert ingredients be listed in food, non-prescription drugs and cosmetics, but not in pesticides? (4)

Don’t consumers have the right to know all the chemicals that are used in pesticides?

Some of the inert chemicals are possible, probable or known carcinogens. Others have been linked to birth defects, diseases of the central nervous system and kidney and liver damage. Short-term problems such as dizziness, nausea, and eye and skin irritation have also been noted. (5)

The EPA does not require that the inert ingredients in pesticides to be listed as they are supposedly trade secrets. (5)

Shockingly, most pesticides are composed of 90 to 95 percent inert ingredients. (6) Some of the chemicals used as active ingredients are also used in inert ingredients.

In the case of accidental poisoning, don’t we need to know all the chemicals that are used in pesticides? Isn’t this information critical for treatment?

In 1991, an EPA inspector reported, ”EPA is not sure how many chemicals registrants are using inert ingredients because the inerts were not accurately coded into..[the EPA database].. there were about 600 registrations for which... the chemical names were not available.” (5)

According to Phyllis Spaeth, the assistant state attorney general in New York, “ EPA registration is not a determination of safety. It is a balancing, a cost-benefit analysis. If there is a chemical needed for agriculture, for example, and it’s the cheapest one out there, so we’ll let them use it.” (7)

Does cheaper means safer?

Sadly, nobody knows how unsafe these products are. In 1981, the Pesticide Incident Monitoring System was shut down.(8)

Certainly, there are plenty of arguments in favor of using pesticides.

Some people feel that since pesticides have been around for decades, they must be safe. Otherwise we wouldn’t live longer than ever before.

Oddly, even though we treat diseases more aggressively, childhood cancer has been increasing at the rate of 1% between the early 1970s to early 1990s. (9)

Statistics are just as alarming when it comes to women’s breast cancer. Forty- four years ago, women had one in 20 chances of developing breast cancer. Today, it is one in nine women.(10,11) At this rate, what will the probability be in another 50 years?

Recently, the President’s Cancer Panel published a 240-page report, urging people to take steps to reduce their exposure to carcinogens. As the report noted, “The true burden of environmentally induced cancers has been grossly underestimated.” (12)

Is the cumulative exposure to chemicals bad for our health?

Chemical companies claim that there is no proof that pesticides harm people or the environment. They say the risk is minimal since they use such a small quantities of the chemicals.

Should we take a risk when there are safe alternatives?

As Dr. Irwin has noted, “In order to see there is a problem you got to measure it in the body.” She has been measuring herbicides, pesticides and insecticides in the urine, fat and breast milk of her patients. In more recent years, she has also been testing the sperm of men’s semen. (1)

How can we declare pesticides to be safe when of the nearly 80,000 chemicals used in the United States, only a few hundred have been tested for safety? (12)

According to the EPA, “Children are at a greater risk of some pesticides for a number of reasons. Children’s internal organs are still developing and maturing.” (13)

Shouldn’t we try to minimize the exposure of our children to these unknown and possibly dangerous chemicals?

You probably have heard or read about methyl iodine. This pesticide, approved by EPA in 2007, has been used on strawberries, peppers and tomatoes. Yet, it is a known carcinogen. (14)

Surprisingly, the ban of pesticides is not new.

For example, the chemical 2,4-D has been banned in Kuwait since 1975,and in Norway since 2000. Similarly, Sweden has withdrew its use in 1991. Restrictions are also placed in Belize, Denmark and Korea. (1)

The chemical 2,4-D is commonly found in 1500 weed killers. (15)

The spark started in a little town of Hudson has spread to the rest of Canada. Right now, more than half of Canada has bans on the use of cosmetic herbicides on lawns.(16)

In addition, two years ago, Home Depot and other major retailers in Canada voluntarily removed synthetic pesticides from their shelves. (1)

In this country, nearly ten years ago, Marblehead, Massachusetts, became the first town to ban the use of pesticides on town property. Other places, such as the State of Connecticut and the cities of New York, Camden, Maine and Ashland, Oregon have placed, or are placing restrictions in their communities.(1,17, 18)

In conclusion, in the words of Superior Court Justice Claire L’ Heureux- Dube who gave judgement in favor of the town of Hudson, “The context of this appeal includes the realization that our common future, that of every Canadian community depends on a healthy environment.(1)

She continued, “Twenty years ago, there was very little concern over the effect of chemicals such as pesticides on the population. Today, we are more conscious of what type of environment we wish to live in, and what quality of life we wish to express our children to.”(1)

Looking back in history, It wasn’t that long ago when was when DDT and nicotine were considered safe. We now know better because something is considered safe today, it might not necessarily be safe tomorrow.

1.The documentary movie, A Chemical Reaction. http://safelawns.org/chemical-

reaction/

2.http://www.mofga.org/Default.aspx?tabid=527

3.http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pi081

4. http://www.mindfully.org/Pesticide/Inerts-Pesticides-NY-AG-May00.htm

5. http://www.safe2use.com/government/ny-inert.htm

6. http://www.pauldonahue.net/pesticides.html

7.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/01/BAP71DG7KH.DTL

8. http://www.ecochem.com/ENN_mother_child.html

11http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Detection/probability-breast-cancer

12,http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/health/research/07cancer.html?scp=1&sq=cancer%20society%20criticizes&st=cse

13. www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/kidpesticide.htm

14..http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/01/BAP71DG7KH.DTL

15.http://www.signaloflove.org/clearcutting/articles/latimes24d.html

16.http://www.safelawns.org/blog/index.php/2010/02/why-ban-lawn-pesticides-let-us-

count-the-reasons/

17.http://www.beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/?p=3278

18.http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/

national-126/1274893415312980.xml&storylist=orlocal

1929 Easter parade: "Torches of Liberty" and the women's liberation

2011-02-19T12:40:37Z

Women certainly have come a long way!

In 1922, a woman was arrested for lightning a cigarette in the streets of New York. Imagine that! At the time, it was illegal for women to smoke outside. How unfair was this?

The public perception was that only bad girls smoked. Women who smoked were labelled as sluts or whores.This certainly was a problem for cigarette companies as they wanted to increase their sales. For that reason, George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Company, hired Eddie Bernays to market cigarettes to women.

Eddie Bernays, a nephew of Sigmund Freud, hired a psychologist to determine how to make smoking socially acceptable. The psychologist concluded that cigarettes were symbolic of male power.

At this time, Bernays developed a very successful "Torches of Freedom" campaign. On March 31st 1929, a group of beautiful debutantes, dressed in their Sunday-best, marched down Fifth Avenue lightning up "Torches of Liberty". The torches of liberty were nothing more than lucky strike cigarettes. Bernays, supposedly obtained a list of the debutantes from the Vogue magazine. He then successfully convinced the ladies that they could help with the expansion of women's right, by smoking cigarettes at Fifth Avenue.

Bernays was a very fascinating man. He liked to call himself the father of public relations. One of Bernays' favorite techniques for changing public opinion was the indirect use of "third party authorities". According to him, "If you can influence the leaders, either with or without their conscious cooperation, you automatically influence the group which they sway."

The media was warned in advance that the ladies in the Easter parade were going to light cigarettes. Local, national and international reporters were all there at the parade ready and waiting to capture the historic moment. In New York Times paper, dated April 1,1929, reported that, "Group of girls puff cigarettes as a gesture of freedom."

Overnight the negative labeling of women smoking cigarettes disappeared. Women associated smoking with female liberation.

Even with this success, the Lucky Strike company still had to overcome another hurdle. A survey in the 1930s showed that women were not purchasing as many cigarettes as the company had hoped they would buy. Many women felt that the forest green packaging of the cigarette clashed with their clothing. Some companies might have changed the color on their packaging, but not Lucky Strike. The president of the American Tobacco Company felt that he had already spent far too much money on advertising. There was only one thing to do.

Edward Bernays, once again came to rescue and advised the cigarette company, "If you won't change the color of package, change the color of fashion-- to green."

And changing the color of fashion to green is exactly what Bernays did, in 1934. He accomplished this objective by a variety of methods such as: throwing a green ball, convincing leading textile manufacturer to sponsor a Green Fall Luncheon and inviting fashion editors, art historians and psychologists to discuss the impact of green as a color. Among other things, he also persuaded department stores to use green clothes on their window displays. Within six months green became the new hot fashion color. Now the green clothes did not clash with the cigarette packaging. Which must have been a relief.

Did women became freer by taking up smoking? Today, more than one sixth of American women are liberated and smoke. That is about 21 million women who are smokers. Each year more than 178,000 women die because of smoking-related diseases. Women who smoke, on average die 14.5 years sooner because of smoking.

The Torches of freedom campaign was without a doubt successful. George Washington Hill, said that getting women to smoke,"Will be like opening a new gold mine in our front yard."

Without a doubt, women have come a long way.

http://looking-for-mabel.webs.com/torchesoffreedom.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_public_relations

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/12/consumer.aspx

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4559

http://www.no-smoking.org/march99/03-11-99-5.html

http://www.nytimes.com/books/98/08/16/specials/bernays-father.html?_r=2

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/PED_10_2X_Women_and_Smoking.asp

Chicken laced arsenic does the body good!

2011-02-19T12:33:55Z

Do you eat chicken? Would you eat chicken laced with arsenic or feed it to your children?

You may have already consumed arsenic in chicken. Roxarsone, an organic form of arsenic, has been used as an additive to poultry feed.

This is not something new. It was approved, 1944 by the Food and Drug Administration .That's right, 1944!

We all know that arsenic is bad for health. Long term exposure to inorganic arsenic can cause cancer. It contributes to heart disease, diabetes and mental decline among other health problems."None of this was known in the 1950s when arsenicals were first approved for use in poultry,"stated Ellen K. Silbergeld, a toxicologist at John Hopkins University Blooberg School of Public Health.

The poultry industry claims that organic arsenic, that is arsenic combined with carbon and hydrogen, is harmless when used in poultry feed. However, it is not safe because organic and inorganic arsenic generally convert to each other. This conversion could happen in the environment, in chicken's body or the human body. There is strong evidence that this conversion in chicken's body pose the greatest health risks to humans.

When I first read this, I wondered why arsenic is added to chicken feed. Roxarsone is added to chicken feed to fight parasites and increase growth in chickens. It also promotes growth of blood vessels in chicken, which gives the meat its pink appearance. Unfortunately, It also has the the same effect on human cells. The first step in cancer and many diseases.

Some people might argue that a little arsenic must be safe, or the FDA wouldn't have approved it.

However, Americans eat considerably more chicken than they did five decades ago when this first additive was first approved. Forty-five years ago, each American consumed only 28 pounds of chicken per year. In contrast, five years ago the amount chicken consumed had increased to 87 pounds per person. Yet the FDA acceptable level of arsenic in chicken has not been revised. Why? In Europe no arsenic is used in animal feed.

In a 2004 the Department of Agriculture study on arsenic concluded, "The higher than previously recognized concentrations of arsenic in chicken combined with increasing levels of chicken consumption may indicate a need to review assumptions regarding overall ingested arsenic intake."

Moreover, recent studies show that most Americans are exposed to levels of arsenic that are three to 11 times more than safety recommendation of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Why would we even want a small amount of arsenic in our food? Is it necessary? A few chicken growers, including Tyson foods and Perdue, have eliminated the use of roxarsone in their feed. Organic chickens are always raised without the aid of arsenic.

It is estimated that at least 70% of chicken raised in the U.S. have supplemental arsenic in their food. Based on 1998 production data, this translates each year to nearly two million pounds of arsenic given to chicken.

Compounding the problem is the fact that arsenic is also added to turkey and pig feed as well as it being found in our drinking water, and in rice, fish and other foods.

According to Dr. David Wallinga, "Regulators should prepare and release to the public estimates of how much arsenic Americans are exposed to cumulatively, from all sources—including from chicken and other dietary sources, from contaminated drinking water, from soils contaminated with arsenical pesticides, and from decks and playground equipment treated with arsenic (CCA) preservatives. Cumulated arsenic exposure should be calculated for children and others who may be 'above average' in their arsenic exposures."

Does arsenic simply break down? No. Arsenic, an element that does not simply disintegrate or disappear.

The arsenic added to poultry feed is passed onto us when we eat chicken. Chicken manure, spread on land as fertilizer, can eventually end in our air, food and water. The chicken waste is fed to cattle and the vicious cycle continues.

How can you protect your family? You can buy USDA certified organic chicken. Legally they are not allowed to use arsenic. Tyson and Perdue have stopped using arsenic in their poultry feed. Sadly, the federal government does not verify all private claims.

You can call poultry companies and ask them if they use arsenic in their chicken feed. Here is a list and phone number of some of them:

MBA Poultry( Smart Chicken). (402) 335-2501

Gold Kist Inc. (770) 393-5000

Gold'n Plump Poultry Inc. (320) 251-3570

Empire Kosher Poultry (717) 436-5921

Foster Farms (800) 255-7227

Kadejan (320) 634-3561

OK Foods, Inc. (Spring River Farms) (800) 635-9441

Gerber's Amish Chicken (800) 362-7381

Petaluma Poultry (800) 556-678

Cambridge Packing Co.(Raised Right Natural) (800) 722-6726

This, does not protect our children at school, who eat whatever is on the menu. Children are especially vulnerable as they consume far more food for their size than adults.

Is there anything you can do to stop this unsafe practice?

Yes, you can ask your representative to co-sponsor H.R. 3624 Bill, the poison-free poultry act of 2009. This Bill was introduced in September 2009 by Representative Steve Israel of New York. If passed it will ban the use of roxarsone as feed additive.

This problem will not go away. It affects all of us, our children and their future.

http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:aozk0JW3NHAJ:www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm%3FaccountID%3D42

http://pubs.acs.org/cen/government/85/8515gov2.html

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3624

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062503381.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/05/dining/05well.html

http://www.eco-usa.net/toxics/chemicals/arsenic.shtml

Tiadora Anderson | Post a Comment |

tagged chicken in arsenic

Will you eat horse meat for dinner?

2009-08-26T14:14:31Z

Do you eat chicken or beef? What about horse meat? Some people strongly oppose the eating of horse meat while others do not.

Horse meat is supposed to be tasty, low in fat and high in protein. It is healthier than beef. It is used in Austria, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, Canada and Japan. Each year over four million horses are slaughtered.

We do not slaughter horses in America. The last slaughter house was shut down in 2007. However, we ship horses to Canada and Mexico to be slaughtered. Last year 133,000 healthy horses were sent abroad to be slaughtered.

If it is wrong for us to kill horses in the United States, wouldn’t it be just as inhumane to ship them to another country to be slaughtered?

Or, is it all right as long as we don’t have blood on our hands?

Some might argue that the horses that we kill are old and dying.This, in fact, is not true. Ninety percent of the horses slaughtered are healthy young horses. The horses come from different backgrounds. No horse is safe from being slaughtered.

Horse thieves make a quick buck by stealing and selling the horses for their meat. A horse thief can make from $300 to $700 per animal. Unlike other thefts, there is no evidence left to tie them to their crime.

A second argument is that slaughtering horses is acceptable as they are no different from other farm animals that we eat such as cows, pigs, sheep and chickens.

Horses are expensive to feed and keep. It costs several thousand dollars a year to keep a horse, and on average they live for thirty plus years. Disposing of the dead horse’s body is expensive.

Most owners prefer to bury their horse in the pasture, but that practice is restricted and illegal in many states. Moreover, the horse owner must own, buy or rent a backhoe--an expensive item-- to dig the grave.
Then there is the option of pet cemeteries. Depending upon the services rendered, that can cost from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars.The horse’s body can be cremated after it has been transported to one of these facilities. Cremation can be especially expensive if the owner wants the ashes returned as the incinerator is used for one animal, instead of many animals. Most landfills will not accept horses.

For many owners, it is cheaper to sell the horse for its meat. No part of the horse is wasted. The meat is used by the butcher, the hoofs are used to make glue and the tail to make paint brushes.

Should we reopen our slaughter plants? Are animals are treated more humanely in U.S. facilities than those of other counties?

Do we treat our animals humanely in the United States? What does that mean?

A USDA document of 906 shows graphic photographs of horses with their legs severed or eyeballs detached.
Likewise, an exhausted investigation by Animals’ Angels found that horses suffer greatly on the way to and during the slaughter.

Some of these cruelties include horses left to die bleeding and submitted to freezing temperatures.

Several horses were eating hay that was left on top of decaying horse’s bodies. This practice “This contradicts biosecurity recommendations by the USDA and the National Agricultural Biosecurity Center Consortium who specify the necessity of keeping livestock and scavenging animals away from composting carcasses. They warn the tuberculosis and anthrax will survive the composting process and the pathogens in the compost can spread diseases in humans, animals, soil and plants.”

Investigators at a slaughtering plant pen found newborn foals and dead foals. Trucks carried dead horses and horses that couldn’t get up.The plant owner said that dead horses were too lazy to drink water.

Over the weekend I was at a horse show. I asked an owner how slaughtering a cow differed from slaughtering a horse. She said, ”Horses bond with their owners, like a dog does.”

Does that mean other farm animals don’t bond with their owners; therefore, it is okay to kill them?
What are your thoughts on this subject? Why?

These bills would prohibit the export of horses for slaughter to other countries.
The Prevention of Equine Act (H.R. 503) and the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act (H.R. 503/S. 727 Please ask your senators to support these bills.

http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/undercover_investigation.html
http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=74451
http://www.stophorseslaughter.com/
http://www.kaufmanzoning.net/
http://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=74451
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_meat
http://www.igha.org/USDA.html
http://www.manesandtailsorganization.org/funerals.html
http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/obama_policy_downers_031409.html

points to consider when you buy a pure breed kitten

2009-08-04T14:09:10Z

I have been searching for a purebred kitten for a year now. It has been difficult to interview breeders and narrow my search.

Here are my findings after talking to numerous breeders:

1. Buyers beware. Not all breeders know the health problems of the breed, or the available genetic testing. It is the buyers task to research all important information.

2. Ringworm is a big concern in a cattery. Not all catteries will admit to this problem. I have heard from numerous breeders, who say,”Any breeder who claims they have not had ringworm is lying.” Additionally, one breeder said, “I purchased a kitten without knowing it had ringworm. It took me a year and a half to completely clear it out of the house.”

3. Read the buyer’s contract carefully. On a breeder’s web site, she claimed that her kittens were ringworm free. However, her contract stated that it could not guarantee that her kittens were fungus free. Yet ringworm is a type of fungus.

4. Don’t buy a purebred animal without registration paper. One breeder sells her “purebred” kittens for the full price without their registration paper. When asked why the kittens did not have their registration papers, she replied, “I was not supposed to breed the mother so that is why I do not have the papers. People don’t really care about the registration papers.”

It is not uncommon for people to pick free purebred pets without paper for and then breed them.

5. Ask for health guarantee. It varies from breeder to breeder.

6. Beware of the bait and switch method. The breeder might tell you one thing and change her story after receiving your deposit. A reputable breeder, who cares about the welfare of her animals, will not sell them to just anyone. She usually require a signed contact with a return clause if things don’t work out.

7. In my opinion the “Pick of the litter” is a joke. The breeder will sell you an animal that she doesn’t want.

8. Do not take the breeder’s word on genetic testing. Ask for documentation. I bought my pet from a reputable breeder who claimed she tested her animals every year. Upon asking for documentation, I learned that she had not tested them for three years.

9. Inbreeding may occur even with so called reputable breeders. According to another breeder, they do this for a couple of reasons. For instance, they don’t have to wait for the stud or queen to mature before breeding the animal. Although this practice insures that some desirable traits are passed to the offspring, it is risky since the inbreed animal can have poor health.

I no longer want to buy from a breeder. A few months ago, I thought that I had found a reputable breeder. I had been waiting for a kitten since last November. After the birth of the kitten, my breeder told me, “Whoever pays more for this kitten will get him.”

I objected, by saying, “I wasn’t aware that this was an auction. I thought you were an honest seller.”

She replied, “I have not yet shown the kitten to anyone.”

That was the truth. However, she neglected to tell that she had an ad on the internet to sell this kitten for breeding purposes.

I now search through Craig’s list for owner give ups. With some persistence I should find another amazing cat. My last adopted cat, a Persian came from Craig’s list. He was free.

I am wondering how many people out there have had similar experiences? To whom do you report a problem with a breeder? Good or bad, I would love to hear from you.

Questions to ask an MRI facility before having an MRI

2009-07-18T19:50:11Z

Before scheduling for an MRI, you need to ask the facility a few questions:

1. What types of MRI machines do they have?

There are two types of MRI machines, closed MRI and open MRI. A closed MRI is cylindrical in shape and has a higher radio frequency than an open MRI, as well as a clearer image. An open MRI is suitable for larger or claustrophobic patients.

An open MRI is usually open on two or three sides, and the procedure takes longer with an open MRI.

2. How does the facility protect its patients? Is there a special room with lockers where patients can place their possessions? Is the furniture in the room MRI-safe?

3. Can the prospective patient visit the facility and the MRI room so they will know exactly what to expect?
There are some newer MRI machines where patients can sit, stand or lie down while they are being scanned.

4. How long does the scanning procedure take? Do they start at the scheduled time? Please read my article, “is MRI safe?”

5. If a patient experiences a problem during an MRI, will the technician respond immediately? Has the facility made special provisions for patients with physical disability? Usually patients are asked to squeeze a ball- like device for help. If the patient is unable to push the emergency ball can he or she use an intercom to ask for help?

6. Can patients wear their own clothing? In Some places patients wear their own clothing as long as it does not have metal buttons or zippers.

7. Does the facility or hospital have an infection control procedure in place? According to Dr. Peter Rothschild, an MRI specialist, “Any patient lying on an imaging table could be a carrier capable of contaminating surfaces in the radiology suite." He continued, saying, “MRSA and other pathogens can live on common MRI table pads and positioners for periods as long as several months. This is why all MRI centers must have written infection control procedures."

Dr. Rothschild recommends visiting the facility before having an MRI. He said, “Ask to see the center's written infection control policies. If there are no written policies, I can assure you that infection control has a low priority at that MRI center, and I would look for another MRI center where infection control is taken seriously.”

http://progressivemri.com/services/openmri.htm
http://www.healthline.com/sw/hr-ad-ask-the-doctor-regular-mri-vs-open-mri
http://finance.boston.com/boston/?GUID=8954520&Page=MediaViewer&ChannelID=3198