(This is a very informative article from the USDA. Hope it will keep us all better informed Editor’s Note)

Rule Would Help Families Make Healthier Food Choices  

WASHINGTON, December 18, 2009 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) today announced that it will solicit further public comments on the proposed rule, “Nutrition Labeling of Single-Ingredient Products and Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products.” The rule is designed to help families make more informed decisions when purchasing and consuming meat and poultry products by requiring nutrition labeling of major cuts of single-ingredient, raw meat and poultry products.

This supplement to the proposed rule responds to all comments received on the January 18, 2001, proposed rule and requests additional comments on policies for which there were significant differences of opinion.

On January 18, 2001, FSIS published a proposed rule in the Federal Register entitled, “Nutrition Labeling of Ground or Chopped Meat and Poultry Products and Single-Ingredient Products” (66 FR 4969). Because of the length of time since the publication of the proposed rule, FSIS is providing the public an opportunity to comment on this supplemental proposed rule. FSIS also welcomes comments on relevant issues for which there is new evidence since the proposed rule was issued.

Comments on the proposed rule must be received by February 16, 2010. Comments can be sent to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, 5601 Sunnyside Ave, Room 2-2127, Beltsville, Md. 20705; or through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov . Go to http://www.regulations.gov and in the “Search for Open Regulations” box, select “Food Safety and Inspection Service” from the agency drop-down menu and then click on “Submit.” In the Docket ID column, select Docket Number FSIS-2005-0018 to submit or view public comments and to view supporting and related materials available electronically.

For further information contact Sally Jones, Senior Technical Advisor, Labeling and Program Delivery Division, Office of Policy and Program Development, USDA, FSIS, 5601 Sunnyside Avenue, Block A, 2nd Wing, 2nd Floor Room 2-2124, Beltsville, MD 20705, or by phone at (301) 504-0878.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark begins December 7 through the 18th.  In anticipation of the conference, developing countries are making their stances on their percentage decrease and the 2020 deadline.  Upset that the industrial countries are not commitmenting equally.

What will happen during this Conference, is anyone’s quess. Since this Conference is happening days before Christmas, maybe just maybe we can believe in miracles.

Below please find a press release from the artist, Jens Galschiot.  We got to know him during the 2008 Olympics in Peking, posting his “Orange” articles in support of the Chinese dissadents.

This article is about his visual artwork, the red alarm.  Thousands of red LED lamps will  be place along the 7-meter stretch, designed to warn viewers of what will happen when the water will rise.

Red Alarm in Copenhagen

Thousands of red LED lamps will mark a 7-meters water rising during the COP15 climate summit. The art happening Sevenmeters.net is a visualisation by Jens Galschiot, about how Copenhagen will look like, when all the ice of Greenland has melted away.

Galschiot and his volunteers, armed with long ladders, will this Saturday and Sunday hang up the LED lamps. They will start by the three big ‘refugees’ on Vejlands Allé / Ørestads Boulevard by the Bella Center. The 2,000 LED lamps are specially made in the artist’s workshop of bicycle lamps, which are soldered and glued together with extra batteries, so the will be able to blink constantly during the meeting.

The artist, who is well-known for his poignant – yet audience-friendly, art manifestations, got the permission to put up all of the blinking lights in a 7 meter line above daily water, around the lakes and in the whole channel area in the center of Copenhagen, and along the roads to the Bella Center.  Galschiot hopes that the red blinking LED-lights will be some sort of an international grassroots’ symbol of the climate catastrophe.

With the happening Galschiot will visualize that when the water rises and drought expands, there will be many places where people no longer will be able to stay. For example the isle of Amager, where the Climate Summit is held, will be 5 meters under water, if Greenland’s ice melts. If the ice of Antarctica also melts, the water will rise another 75 meters, so the peaks of the mountains will be in great demand, and there are not plenty of them in Denmark.

”With this manifestation I will highlight the climate crisis, and the fact, that it is not only a problem for the polar bears and the nature. The global warming may be a catastrophe for humanity. UN says that over 200 million refugees will be a reality in the next 40 years.

The refugees will trigger a giant demographic crisis, with risks of closing the national borders and beginning an ‘all against all fight, to protect our territory against the refugees, which our own CO2 leak has created. A frightening scenario that will put our humanistic and democratic civilisation under intense pressure, so that war and rise of totalitarian systems might be the consequence. This is the legacy that we will leave to our children!” Galschiot says.

At the venue of the climate summit there will also be red blinking LED lamps. Small badges will be given to the delegates, so they can use them as a silent indicator about how seriously they take the climate crisis.

About the artist

The SevenMeters art events can be seen November 13 – December 19.  www.SevenMeters.net will have up-to-date pictures of the event.  The site was started by Jens Galschiot. His art installations highlight the climate issue from different angles, in cooperation with different players, such as www.peoplesclimateaction.dk  and www.Illumenarts.dk.  The focus is put on the consequences for the people on earth and the impact of the demographic changes for our society. 

The Sculptures

• The pulse of the earth (by Bella Centre metro station, the entrance to COP15). The 4½ high sculpture ’The Messenger’ counts the new climate refugees on a display, while the water graves under the metro are filled with human sized ‘Hunger Boys’. The entire installation and the actual metro are covered in red, pulsating LED-light, which follows the geological ‘pulse’ of the earth and is more than 300 metres long.

• ’Freedom to Pollute’ (The big hill at Amager Fælled). A 6 metres high copy of the Statue of Liberty which sends out smoke from the torch.

• Wandering Refugees (by Bella centre) are three 10 metres high sculptures with copper faces, which represent African women with long dresses in screaming colours. They are standing on a savannah-like area reminding us of the female refugees in Sudan. 

• Survival of the Fattest’ (in the water next to The little Mermaid). The sculpture confronts ‘The little Mermaid and the Danish self-perception with the goddess of justice of the real world.

• Balancing Act’ (at the Christiansborg palace square and other places) is 10 statues, each balancing on 7-15 metres high piles. They have been made in connection to the UN’s Decade of Education for sustainable Development (2005-2014) in cooperation with Eco-net.dk. 

• 7 meters line in Copenhagen (only 6-18 December) is a visualization of the 7 metres rising in the sea level if all the ice on Greenland melts. On a 24 kilometers long distance in Copenhagen thousands of blinking red lights mark the potential new water level in the height of 7 meters

Jens Galschiot can be reached through his website, www.aidoh.dk, or emailed at aidoh@aidoh.dk

By Ariel Heart

The old saying “if you don’t learn from history you are doomed to repeat it” is true in the Health Care debate.  On Saturday October 10, 2009, there was a Health Care Forum in Colorado Springs thanks to Change the Works (http://www.coloradoforhealthcare.org ).  One particular audience member commented that she was old enough to remember the similar fervent battle against Medicare when it was first offered up in the 1960s. 

The long fight for Medicare began when the first bill was introduced in 1952 by President Harry S Truman.  President Truman wanted universal health care.  The American Medical Assoc was against. He had to retreat in the face of the AMA’s massive funding against the idea to covering the elderly and some disabled.

President Lyndon B Johnson signed Medicare (a single payer, social insurance program for persons 65 and older) into existence thirteen years later in July 1965  as part of the Social Security Act of 1965.  The very same Democratic party who claims to be the champion to save Medicare today, safeguarding it from some invisible threat, is the very same party that for thirteen years screamed Medicare was entitlement and socialism.  Interestingly the very same recorded message is playing today…is it live or Memorex?

This past summer, we saw volatile town hall meetings with some people vehemently insisting that the government keep their hands off their Medicare.  It would be knee-slapping funny, if it weren’t so tragic.  Have we forgotten our own history?  Have we forgotten the 60’s fear rhetoric spread that Medicare was socialism coming to destroy the very fabric of our democracy.

Ronald Reagan: “[I]f you don’t [stop Medicare] and I don’t do it, one of these days you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free.”  Reagan gave this speech during his stint as host of General Electric Theater that required him to tour GE plants. These speeches to the workers were very often pro-corporation message – a company sponsored propaganda moment, if you will.  This particular speech is preserved on LP format with a cover titled “Ronald Reagan Speaks Out Against Socialized Medicine.”  Reagan was getting paid the modern equivalent of a million dollars for this job.  Not surprisingly, he soon changed his party affiliation to Republican. Even back then, big corporations were pulling out all the stops to fight people (elderly) from having affordable single payer health coverage.  Consider that Ronald Reagan is practically the patron saint of the GOP and bills have been submitted to have Reagan added to Mount Rushmore or his face on one of our dollar bills.

Another one of the old rhetoric arguments against Medicare was how it was Entitlement with a capitol E.  Sound familiar in our current health care debate?

Barry Goldwater: “Having given our pensioners their medical care in kind, why not food baskets, why not public housing accommodations, why not vacation resorts, why not a ration of cigarettes for those who smoke and of beer for those who drink.” This was during his 1964 during his Presidential campaign.  This is the same party who claims to be saving our grandparent’s medicare from the current reform bill.  If it doesn’t make you pause and seriously question their trustworthiness, it should.

Well it has been forty-four years since socialized medicine in the form of Medicare was initiated in the US.  Were the doom and gloom predictions of freedom ending because of Medicare true?   If we are one smidgen closer to being a socialist country, it is a safe bet it was not due to Medicare.  What can be said about Medicare is that it has helped our elderly have a better chance at a quality of life for longer in their lives – and it was the right thing to do. 
We also have the argument that health care is not a right in this country.  This would make it a privilege.  Again we can go back in history when this was not an issue.  All the way back to 1944, in fact.  President Franklin D Roosevelt (D – New York), in his  January 11, 1944 message to Congress on the State of the Union, he made one of the most important declarations of the century – and perhaps even the next. 
In our day these economic truths have become accepted as self-evident. We have accepted, so to speak, a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all—regardless of station, race, or creed.
Among these are:
The right to a useful and remunerative job in the industries or shops or farms or mines of the nation;
The right to earn enough to provide adequate food and clothing and recreation;
The right of every farmer to raise and sell his products at a return which will give him and his family a decent living;
The right of every businessman, large and small, to trade in an atmosphere of freedom from unfair competition and domination by monopolies at home or abroad;
The right of every family to a decent home;
The right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health;
The right to adequate protection from the economic fears of old age, sickness, accident, and unemployment;
The right to a good education.
All of these rights spell security. And after this war is won we must be prepared to move forward, in the implementation of these rights, to new goals of human happiness and well-being.
America’s own rightful place in the world depends in large part upon how fully these and similar rights have been carried into practice for our citizens.
President Roosevelt died approximately fifteen months after giving this historic speech regarding a Second Bill of Rights.  FDR was not surprisingly disliked by greed driven profiteers for such radical thinking – and regulating Wall Street.  In 1934 the McCormack-Dickstein Committee hearings began hearings on a coup purportedly to overthrow President Roosevelt backed by wealthy financiers.  Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler testified of the coup but there was never enough proof to bring actual charges against the wealth financiers who wanted Roosevelt and his radical ways out of the White House. 

Consider Franklin D Roosevelt in light of the Health Care debate of today.  Who is really against people getting adequate or affordable coverage?  Follow the money.  Health Care is big business.  If you are a health insurance company you want more money coming in (premiums) with less and less going out (coverage).  That is “good” business also know as “the profit motive.”

Yet another argument against Health Care reform claims the current bill will institute care rationing.  October 10th the Denver Post reported how a Grand Junction infant was denied coverage because at four months old and nineteen pounds the baby can be classified overweight.  October 19th Denver news channels and even the Huffington Post reported how Aislin Bates was denied health insurance coverage because she was underweight.  And then there is the case of Chris Turner, a rape victim told rape is a pre-existing condition and such a rape victim could be denied coverage.  This is the true health care rationing being done in the name of “good business” and it has been going on for a long time.  Even though this may not be historical, it would have been negligent not to mention the recent history developing around us.

History teaches us valuable lessons from those that have gone through the experience before us.  Hopefully this quick snapshot of the health care debate in history has shed some light on the current situation.  History is truly repeating itself and with one of the most critical issues to our country.  Don’t let the broken record rhetoric from the 1960s fool you.  It has taken since Truman and the initial efforts beginning in 1952 to get to this point of serious universal health care being considered.  Perhaps it is time to resurrect Franklin D Roosevelt’s Second Bill of Rights too.

Ariel Heart is a Colorado Springs native and graduate of University of Pheonix with a Bachelors degree in Business Administration.  She also holds a degree in Sacred Theology from a Bible Institute.  She has worked for Fortune 500 companies in a widely varied career for the last twenty some years.  She is currently working on her fist full length non-fiction book with the goal of getting published.

 This is commentary from Micheal Connelly with additional comments by Ariel Hart.
Michael Connelly (http://michaelconnelly.viviti.com/ ) is a
Constitutional Lawyer and has read the entire health care bill and
has some comments, not about the bill, but about the effects on
our Constitution. It’s a broader picture than just health care
reform.

All of you and those to whom you communicate had better sit up
and pay attention; once this sort of thing happens, it will be
irreversible.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THE HEALTHCARE BILLS

Well, I have done it! I have read the entire text of proposed
House Bill 3200: The Affordable Health Care Choices Act of 2009. I
studied it with particular emphasis from my area of
expertise,constitutional law. I was frankly concerned that parts
of the proposed law that were being discussed might be
unconstitutional. What I found was far worse than what I had heard
or expected.

To begin with, much of what has been said about the law and its
implications is in fact true, despite what the Democrats and the
media are saying. The law does provide for rationing of health
care, particularly where senior citizens and other classes of
citizens are involved, free health care for illegal immigrants,
free abortion services, and probably forced participation in
abortions by members of the medical profession.

The Bill will also eventually force private insurance companies
out of business and put everyone into a government run system. All
decisions about personal health care will ultimately be made by
federal bureaucrats and most of them will not be health care
professionals. Hospital admissions, payments to physicians, and
allocations of necessary medical devices will be strictly
controlled.

However, as scary as all of that it, it just scratches the
surface. In fact, I have concluded that this legislation really
has no intention of providing affordable health care choices.
Instead it is a convenient cover for the most massive transfer of
power to the Executive Branch of government that has ever
occurred, or even been contemplated. If this law or a similar one
is adopted, major portions of the Constitution of the United
States will effectively have been destroyed.

The first thing to go will be the masterfully crafted balance of
power between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of
the U.S. Government. The Congress will be transferring to the
Obama Administration authority in a number of different areas over
the lives of the American people and the businesses they own. The
irony is that the Congress doesn’t have any authority to legislate
in most of those areas to begin with. I defy anyone to read the
text of the U.S. Constitution and find any authority granted to
the members of Congress to regulate health care.

The paragraph below is really frightening

This legislation also provides for access by the appointees of
the Obama administration of all of your personal healthcare
information, your personal financial information, and the
information of your employer, physician, and hospital. All of this
is a direct violation of the specific provisions of the 4th
Amendment to the Constitution protecting against unreasonable
searches and seizures. You can also forget about the right to
privacy. That will have been legislated into oblivion regardless
of what the 3rd and 4th Amendments may provide.

If you decide not to have healthcare insurance or if you have
private insurance that is not deemed “acceptable” to the “Health
Choices Administrator” appointed by Obama there will be a tax
imposed on you. It is called a “tax” instead of a fine because of
the intent to avoid application of the due process clause of the
5th Amendment. However, that doesn’t work because since there is
nothing in the law that allows you to contest or appeal the
imposition of the tax, it is definitely depriving someone of
property without the “due process of law.

So, there are three of those pesky amendments that the far left
hate so much out the original ten in the Bill of Rights that are
effectively nullified by this law. It doesn’t stop there though.
The 9th Amendment that provides: “The enumeration in the
Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or
disparage others retained by the people;” The 10th Amendment
states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are preserved to
the States respectively, or to the people.” Under the provisions
of this piece of Congressional handiwork neither the people nor
the states are going to have any rights or powers at all in many
areas that once were theirs to control.

I could write many more pages about this legislation, but I think
you get the idea. This is not about health care; it is about
seizing power and limiting rights. Article 6 of the Constitution
requires the members of both houses of Congress to “be bound by
oath or affirmation” to support the Constitution. If I was a
member of Congress I would not be able to vote for this
legislation or anything like it without feeling I was violating
that sacred oath or affirmation. If I voted for it anyway I would
hope the American people would hold me accountable.

For those who might doubt the nature of this threat I suggest
they consult the source. Here is a link to the Constitution:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution_transcript.html

And another to the Bill of Rights:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript..html

There you can see exactly what we are about to have taken from
us.

Michael Connelly
Retired attorney, Constitutional Law Instructor
Carrollton, Texas
mrobertc@hotmail.com
bio
.. continue with the defense of Mr. Connelly of which I found the following:

Diploma, Redemptorist High School in New Orleans, La. 1966. · Bachelor of Science, Business and Public Administration, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, La. (Degree required numerous political science and business courses. Many history and public speaking courses were taken as electives.) 1971
· Juris Doctorate, Louisiana State University Law School, 1973.
· Graduate, U.S. Army Intelligence School, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, 1973.

Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Reserve, 1971.
· Active duty at the U.S. Army Intelligence School from Sept. 1973- Nov. 1973.
· Assigned to reserve duty with 352nd Army Security Agency company in Baton Rouge from Jan 1974 until Aug. 1978. (Served as Supply officer, Operations officer, and Recruiting officer.)
· Left the reserves in 1978 as a Captain.

Licensed attorney in Baton Rouge, La. since 1973.
· Qualified to practice before all Louisiana State and Federal Courts and the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
· I have also represented clients before the U.S. Supreme Court.
· Areas of practice include Constitutional Law, Personal Injury Law, Criminal Law, Family Law, Business Law, Medical Malpractice and Successions.
· Special assistant attorney general for the State of Louisiana, 1977-80.
· Of Counsel for U.S. Justice Foundation, 1980-98.
· General Counsel, Council for Inter-American Security, 1978-95.
· Still licensed, but inactive since 2001.
Currently teaching courses on Evidence Law, Constitutional Law, Courtroom Strategy and Business Law for Education to Go, an online company providing courses for numerous universities.
· Have appeared as a guest lecturer at both LSU and University of New Orleans.
· Substitute high school teacher for East Baton Rouge Parish School System, Sept. 1998-Jan. 2000.
· Temporary full time teacher of World Geography, Woodlawn High School, Baton Rouge, La., 1998-99.

 
there are comments by other people as well as the lawyer…. kind of interesting… and some info on his bio…

Michael Connelly September 8, 2009 Thanks to everyone for your comments and interest. Even when people disagree with me I appreciate what they have to say if it is done in a respectful manner. This nation was built on the right to disagree.
It is difficult to cite specific sections of HR 3200 for several reasons. First, much of what I refer to as being done by the bill may not be in just one particular section. Instead the preparers attempt to hide their actual intent by spreading things throughout the bill in different sections. Second, any specific section I refer to by number may change as the Congress returns from recess and starts trying to rework the bill to make it seem more reasonable to the American people. In other words, what is contained in Section 1173A that provides for government electronic access to private information may be renumbered and contain something totally different tomorrow.
However, here are some of the most pertinent sections dealing with some of the areas you are asking about. Section 113 gives the government control over all health insurance, private and public. Section 141 authorizes the appointment of the Health Choices Administrator. He or she will answer to no one other than the President. Sections 201 and 203 give this person the power to decide what benefits you can get in your insurance, whether public or private. This opens the door for health care rationing. This is further mandated by Section 225 that gives the administrator complete control over hospitals and doctors. It sets the fees that can be charged and the services that can be provided.
If the Administrator decides you didn’t need to be hospitalized the hospital can be fined for “breaking the government rules.” This also opens the door for the Administrator to force hospitals and physicians to perform abortions. All health procedures will mandated by the government. There is also no provision for services to be provided only to citizens or legal residents of the United States. This means that since illegal aliens get the services now, they will continue to do so.
Here is a link to the entire bill and you can look up these and other provisions: http://thomas.loc.gov/. I hope you find this helpful
Michael Connelly August 21, 2009

In fact, my comments on the 3rd Amendment are based on a Supreme Court decision which decided that the 3rd Amendment granted the right to Privacy. I cite this as the Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) case.

Michael Connelly August 21, 2009

Hi Kristopher Carlson: I admit that for a long time the 10th Amendment was considered dead. However, during the last few years of my active practice of law I successfully used it several times in cases and in recent years it has seemed to have been revived. The fact that it was ignored for years does not mean that it is not still the law of the land as envisioned by the framers of the Bill of Rights.

Michael Connelly October 1, 2009

Anne:
Your concerns are real and I respect them. Some people who sent emails in response to my articles have accused me of being paid off by the insurance companies. Nothing could be farther from the truth since believe me, after all of the times I represented my clients and fought against the private insurance companies for their arbitrary refusal to pay just claims (and often won), I am the last person the insurnace companies would hire to champion their cause. On the other hand, I spent more time fighting for clients who had paid for years into Social Security System who were arbitrarily denied coverage they had earned when they became disabled. It was even worse for the military veterans who have defended our country and can’t get proper care from the Federal Government even though they are entitled to it.
Many states have taken positive and effective actions to keep the private health insurance companies in line, yet if the health care bills in Congress pass, the states will be able to nothing for their citizens. The same people who have led the post office and the Social Security Administration into virtual bankruptcy will now be handling health care for everyone. Well not exactly everyone; the President, his cabinet members, and the members of Congress will continue to get premium health care, the rest of us will get chaos.

From Ariel Hart:

Hey, thanks for sending that email my way. 
It’s nuts how many rumors are swirling around out there about the health bills.  It’s hard to know which ones are true and which ones are just crazy internet rumors.
If this one were true, I’d be pretty upset – so I decided to see if I could find out for myself.
It seems the email originated as a blog post by Michael Connolly, who claims to be a “Constitutional Law Instructor.” That’s very misleading.  Mr. Connolly doesn’t actually work at a university or law school, but gives lessons online at www.ed2go.com whose motto is: “Learn it on Tuesday, Use it on Wednesday!” I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty shady to me.

That’s like me claiming to be a pro football coach because I have a fantasy football team.
Check out his page: http://www.ed2go.com/cgi-bin/oic3/newcrsdes.cgi?name=firstclass&aw=yyy&course=cl1
As for the content of his blog post, it seems as if the fake professor is using fake information.
The email claimed health reform would lead to rationing of health services, especially for seniors.  That’s not true.  I came across a well-researched article in Newsweek that calls this a “lie” simply intended to scare people into opposing reform.  You can read it yourself: http://www.newsweek.com/id/212131/page/2
The email also says the bills would provide free health care for illegal immigrants. Again, this is a blatant lie. The bill itself even states “No Federal Payment for Undocumented Aliens.” You can see for yourself on page 143 http://edlabor.house.gov/documents/111/pdf/publications/AAHCA-BillText-071409.pdf
The email also says reform would result in a “government takeover” of health care. That’s not true either. I found a website called FactCheck.org that looks at this assertion & flat out debunks it.  The government would not make medical decisions or force American patients to do anything they didn’t want to – it would just give people to option to purchase a reasonably priced health insurance plan.  That’s it.
The website wrote that “Obama has long said he would allow individuals or small businesses to buy insurance through a public plan – like the one now available to members of Congress. But nobody would be forced to drop his or her current insurance, and private plans would exist as they do now.” You can read more at http://www.factcheck.org/2009/04/government-run-health-care/
As for “Professor” Connolly’s claim that health care reform is unconstitutional, that’s also wrong.  This interpretation of the 10th amendment is an extremist view held by people who believe almost everything is unconstitutional. They think the same thing about Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the federal highway system, rules regulating airplane safety and anti-discrimination laws.
In reality, the Constitution gives congress the power to “lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises” and to “provide for….the general welfare of the United States.” It also allows Congress “to regulate commerce… among the several states.” Health care is a huge part of our nation’s economy, and definitely falls under the interstate commerce clause of the constitution. 

If you want to find more information on this, I found some great websites:
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/19/bachmann-unconstitutional/
http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=rally_round_the_true_constitution
I think by now you can see that pretty much every part of this email is a lie.  So hopefully that helps put your mind at ease.

This is from an email I receive today.  I don’t know who the author is.  And, I want to credit whoever is for sending this common sense, not fear-based email on how to prevent MOST flu and viruses.  ~ The Editor

Dr. Vinay Goyal is an MBBS,DRM,DNB (Intensivist and Thyroid specialist) having clinical experience of over 20 years. He has worked in institutions like Hinduja Hospital , Bombay Hospital  ,  Saifee Hospital  , Tata Memorial etc.. Presently, he is heading our Nuclear Medicine Department and Thyroid clinic at Riddhivinayak Cardiac and Critical Centre, Malad (W).
       
The following message given by him, I feel makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know (Who is this wonderfully caring person.)

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat.  In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.
       
While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):
       
1. Frequent hand-washing – This is well highlighted in all official communications.
       
 2. Hands-off-the-face” Approach – Resist all temptations to touch any part of face, unless you want to eat, bathe or slap.
       
 3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water  – Use Listerine if you don’t trust salt.  H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms.  Simply gargling prevents proliferation.  In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.
       
4. Clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water  -  Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti, both very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities.  Blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.
       
5.  Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C such as Amla and other citrus fruits -   If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.
                
6. Drink warm liquids – Drinking warm liquids (tea, coffee, broth, etc) has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction.  Warm liquids wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.
        
I suggest you pass this on to your entire e-list.  You never know 20 who might pay attention to it – and STAY ALIVE because of it.

By Amy Cook-Porter

In today’s economy who can afford to be sick?  And prescription medication – those overpriced drugs – are ranging anywhere from $1 – $10 a pill.  So is it a wonder that patients do what they can to make them last?

Now the FDA has issued a warning about splitting tablets.  They say it could be dangerous.  With that I agree.

The pharmacies selling Viagra and other male meds, made buying a larger dose and “cutting it down to size” popular.  Buy a handy pill cutting kit at the local pharmacy for $5.00 and voila, a 1 month supply (from what I hear is 9 pills) turns into 36 pills.

Now here’s the first dilemma.  Not all pills are cut alike.  Some are bigger; some smaller.  So that means the dose varies.  For the sensual male, this isn’t a big deal.  The smaller ones are good for an Afternoon Delight; the larger, for going at it all night.

But, what if we are talking about other medications that need equal doses?  Uneven cutting could be a problem.

Here are other concerns:

Forgetting to cut the pills.  This happens.  Get busy, run out of cut pills, and then need one.  Would taking a whole pill hurt.  If the original prescription dosage called for 15 mg; and this dose was 30 mg, the dosage is way too much.  Will it hurt?  Why risk it?

Being lazy or forgetful is not a good thing.  Nor is being creative.  Don’t try breaking a tablet with your teeth, hoping lessen the dosage.  Once the pill is wet with saliva, chemistry interactions begin.  Not a good thing for the half not being swallowed.

This is especially a concern if the pill or capsule has a time-release coating.  Once you break the outer seal, you’ve compromised the time release and the content inside.

So my advice, find a good health care provider who works with plants, not chemicals.  That way you won’t have to worry about time-released coatings, splitting pills and chemical interactions.  Herbs work as effectively, cost much less, and most don’t require a long term commitment.

To read the full FDA article that was posted on July 21, 2009 go to http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm171492.htm

Lightning Awareness Week is June 21 – 27, 2009
Governor Ritter has declared June 21-27 as Lightning Awareness Week.  The City of Colorado Springs is asking that people have a safety plan when they are outdoors.
While common sense should warn people to go inside.  However, many people take shelter under trees or stay on golf courses.  This is dangerous.  Already this year, there has been one fatality and numerous small fires started by lightning.  If we would only remember that Colorado has more than 500,000 lightning strikes – that’s where it hits something – per year.
•    Pay attention to the weather.  When the skies begins to cloud over (turn gray) look for shelter.  Don’t wait until it starts thundering.  By the time you hear the thunder, it’s too late.  The lightning can strike anywhere within a ten (10) mile area of where it’s raining.
•    Don’t stand under a tree.  Trees can act as lightning rods.  When hit, they can drop branches or burn.
•    Avoid water.  Lightning is attracted to water.  This includes:  swimming pools, bathtubs, showers, sinks. Wait at least thirty (30) minutes after the thunder and lightning stops before going back into the water.
•    Avoid empty spaces such as soccer fields, golf course or holding on to metal objects that can act as lightning rods like golf clubs.
•    Turn off electrical items – cell phones, corded phones, computers and televisions as well as disconnect them from phone lines.  Lightning can travel down either electrical or telephone wire, frying the equipment at the other end.  Utilize surge protectors for the equipment that is important to you as well as install ground fault protectors.

For more information go to the Office of Emergency Management’s website for more lightning safety information.

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Working as part of a team led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stood ready with a plan in place as soon as the spread of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus became evident.
HHS is coordinating efforts of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), FDA, and other federal health agencies to mobilize against the H1N1 influenza (flu) outbreak. As the situation developed, FDA instituted an H1N1 incident management system to protect the public’s health.
Teamwork is Key
Through the incident management system, FDA is ensuring effective coordination in the areas of operations, logistics, and communications—as well as among several cross-cutting teams involving the agency’s centers.
“Among us are laboratory scientists, medical reviewers, epidemiologists, product experts, and field inspectors,” says FDA Acting Commissioner Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D. “We are fully committed and engaged in protecting the nation during this difficult time.”
The system made it possible for FDA to quickly
• initiate close collaboration with CDC and other HHS agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and foreign governments
• issue several emergency use authorizations
• provide timely updates on a Web page devoted to the outbreak (www.fda.gov/h1n1flu/)
• partner with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to alert the public about fraudulent products claiming to diagnose, prevent, treat, or cure the H1N1 flu virus
FDA’s Cross-Cutting Teams
• The Vaccine Team focuses on making a safe and effective vaccine for the H1N1 flu available as soon as possible.
• The Antiviral Team works on issues regarding antiviral drugs that can be used to prevent and treat illness caused by this novel flu virus.
• The In Vitro Diagnostics Team identifies and evaluates diagnostics that can help test for the H1N1 virus.
• The Personal Protective Equipment Team works to identify and evaluate personal protective equipment such as respirators, face masks, and gloves that may help reduce the risk of exposure to the H1N1 virus, and to increase the availability of such equipment.
• The Blood Team is dedicated to the safety and availability of blood and blood products needed for transfusion by the public during this flu outbreak. (The H1N1 flu outbreak has not affected the U.S. blood supply, but FDA is monitoring the situation for any developments.)
• The Drug Shortage Team works to ensure the availability of medical products such as antiviral drugs.
Emergency Use Authorization
Through an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), the Project BioShield Act of 2004 gives FDA authority to make promising drugs, biologics, and devices quickly available in emergencies.
This Act allows FDA, based on an evaluation of available data, to
• authorize the emergency use of unapproved or uncleared medical products
• authorize the unapproved or uncleared use of approved or cleared medical products
The authorization may remain in effect for the duration of the declaration justifying the emergency use (up to one year). The declaration may be terminated prior to one year or renewed at the end of one year. FDA can revoke an EUA if, for example, the criteria for issuance are no longer met.
Soon after HHS declared a nationwide public health emergency on April 26, 2009, FDA issued authorizations for the emergency use of certain influenza medicines, diagnostic tests, and certain personal respiratory protection devices.
A Warning Against Fraud
On May 1, 2009, FDA and the FTC warned that consumers who purchase products which claim to protect against or treat the 2009 H1N1 virus, but are not approved by FDA for the treatment or prevention of influenza, are risking their health and the health of their families.
These fraudulent products come in all varieties and could include dietary supplements, medical foods, or products that claim to prevent or cure the 2009 H1N1 influenza.
FDA announced that it has initiated an aggressive strategy to identify, investigate, and take regulatory or criminal action against individuals and businesses that wrongfully promote purported 2009 H1N1 influenza products in an attempt to take advantage of the current flu public health emergency.

 
This article appears on FDA’s Consumer Health Information Web page (www.fda.gov/consumer), which features the latest updates on FDA-regulated products. Sign up for free e-mail subscriptions at www.fda.gov/consumer/consumerenews.html.
For More Information
2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu Virus
www.fda.gov/h1n1flu/
FDA Press Release: Emergency Use Authorizations
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW02002.html
FDA Press Release: Beware of Fraudulent Treatments
www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2009/NEW02007.html
FDA 101: Health Fraud Awareness
www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/healthfraud051209.html
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Date Posted: May 12, 2009
From the May by Dr Joshua Sharfstein in front of Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, United States Senate

INTRODUCTION
Chairman Kohl and Members of the Subcommittee, I am Dr. Joshua M. Sharfstein, Principal Deputy Commissioner and Acting Commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.  Among its other responsibilities, FDA protects the public health by facilitating access to safe and effective human and animal drugs, human biological products, and devices.  Recognizing the global nature of public health issues, we collaborate with foreign counterpart regulatory agencies and international organizations to carry out our mission. 
FDA plays a vital role in the Nation’s preparedness for, and response to, challenges such as the one presented today by the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus.  FDA is part of a team led by the Department of Health and Human Services.  Since the beginning of the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus outbreak on Thursday, April 23, FDA has worked closely with HHS, our sister HHS agencies, other U.S. government agencies, the World Health Organization (WHO), and foreign governments. 
I appreciate the opportunity to discuss FDA’s response, including our approval of several emergency use authorizations and the efforts of internal FDA response teams.
FDA 2009 H1N1 FLU VIRUS RESPONSE
Emergency Use Authorizations
Section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which was added by the Project BioShield Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-276), permits the FDA Commissioner to issue an Emergency Use Authorization following a determination and declaration of a public health emergency, provided certain statutory criteria are met.  An Emergency Use Authorization allows the use of an unapproved product or of an approved product for an unapproved use in a declared emergency.  To authorize the emergency use of a product, FDA must generally find that the agent (in this case, the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus):
• can cause a serious or life-threatening disease or condition
• that based on the totality of the scientific evidence available it is reasonable to believe that the product may be effective against the disease or condition
• that the known and potential benefits of the product’s use outweigh the known and potential risks, and
• that there is no adequate, approved, and available alternative. 
Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act provides that, before an Emergency Use Authorization may be issued, the Secretary of HHS must declare a public health emergency justifying the authorization based on one of three grounds.  One of these is, “a determination by the Secretary of a public health emergency under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act that affects, or has a significant potential to affect, national security, and that involves a specified biological, chemical, radiological, or nuclear agent or agents, or a specified disease or condition that may be attributable to such agent or agents.”

On Sunday, April 26, 2009, the Acting HHS Secretary issued a nationwide public health emergency declaration in response to recent human infections from a newly discovered influenza A virus, the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus.  In the days that followed, the Acting Secretary issued declarations justifying emergency use of certain antivirals, in vitro diagnostics, and personal respiratory protection devices.
On April 27, 2009, FDA issued four Emergency Use Authorizations in response to requests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Two of these Emergency Use Authorizations extend the circumstances in which two FDA-approved drugs, Relenza and Tamiflu, can be used to treat and prevent the 2009 H1N1 Flu Virus.  A third Emergency Use Authorization makes available an rRT-PCR test for diagnosing infection with the virus.  The fourth authorizes the emergency use of certain personal respiratory protection devices, specifically certain disposable respirators certified by CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, known as N95 respirators. 

FDA later approved a fifth EUA for a diagnostic panel for laboratory screening.
By statute, these authorizations expire in one year unless previously revoked by FDA.  However, the authorizations can be renewed if the conditions giving rise to the determination and declaration continue to exist.
Tamiflu has previously been FDA approved to treat uncomplicated illness due to influenza and prevent influenza in patients 1 year and older.  Relenza had been approved to treat acute uncomplicated illnesses due to influenza in adults and children 7 years and older who have been symptomatic for less than two days, and to prevent influenza in adults and children 5 years and older.
One of the emergency use authorizations now allows for Tamiflu also to be used to treat and prevent influenza in children under one year.  In addition, under the emergency authorizations, both medications may be distributed with information pertaining to emergency use to large segments of the population without complying with the label requirements otherwise applicable to dispensed drugs.  Both medications may also be distributed by a broader range of health care workers, including some public health officials and volunteers, in accordance with applicable state and local laws or public health emergency responses.

By Dr Janet Hull
www.janethull.com/newsletter/0509/how_to_prevent_the_swine_flu.php

Listen to the radio, watch television, read any newspaper – swine flu is creating a panic. Jury trials are postponed, public events have been cancelled, school districts are shut down, and President Obama says the horse is out of the barn – now what do we do?
First, you don’t panic and second, you activate some serious good sense and some nutritional ER!
Prevention is what all human beings must practice daily to avoid any threat to their safety. You change the oil in your car to prevent your engine from burning and cracking, don’t you? You rotate your tires regularly to prevent wear and tear on your tires to prevent an unexpected flat, don’t you? You balance your bank checking account to prevent bouncing checks, I assume.
So, to prevent catching the flu, take extra supplements to boost your immune system when the threat of a flu outbreak is eminent. Here are some tips that we all should do daily to prevent exposing our bodies to any disease, and don’t just practice these health tips in the eleventh hour when a outbreak of a virus or bacteria or pollutant looms near; practice these daily, for the rest of your life to prevent exposure to ALL those nasty bugs that threaten your immune strength!
• Avoid chemicals in your diet. Not only have most food chemicals been proven to cause disease, but also, they offer your body NO NUTRITION. They are NOT nutrient sources, and they wear the body down because your body cannot process them nor use them in any healthy way. THIS breaks down your immune system, and opens the barn door to disease and viruses like the swine flu.
• Eat healthy foods at every meal and snack. This offers your body the tools it needs to stay strong, so when you are exposed to a virus, your body can excrete that toxin before it takes hold of you.
• Maintain a healthy vitamin supplement program, regularly. Back in the 1960s when the quality of food was more natural and processed foods were not as predominant as today, doctors used to say that taking vitamins was a waste of time and money. That belief has gone out of style along with the VW van and big bubble-cut, hair bobs. With the depletion of healthy soils, plus the chemicals added to both farmland and the plants and animals grown on those grasslands, and with the number of fake food chemicals saturating our food supply, human beings need to add natural nutrients into their daily lives through high-quality vitamins and minerals. And this need begins at a very young age. For those that maintain a healthy vitamin and mineral protocol, their immune systems stay strong, and they suffer less colds and flu, and they typically do not fall victim to degenerative diseases, osteoporosis, cancer, or flu epidemics. Do you ever wonder why your neighbor is always sick, but you are not?
• Take an extra antioxidant supplement when pandemic disease is a threat. An extra antioxidant is good to take when your immune system is compromised, at any time. If you smoke, if you have been diagnosed with a degenerative disease, if you have chronic allergies, if you have Candida or any chronic fungal or bacterial issues, or if you want to prevent catching the swine flu, taking an extra antioxidant supplement is a very wise thing to do.
• Increase you vitamin C to bowel tolerance. I have repeatedly written about the critical need of using vitamin C daily for health! Humans do not make their own vitamin C in their liver, like all other animals do. When THEY are exposed to toxins, viruses, and other elements that weaken their immune systems, all other animals produce as much vitamin C as needed to combat the unhealthy invader. So if your cat or dog is exposed to the swine flu, it will kick in its immune system, produce more vitamin C needed to destroy a virulent disease, it will sleep more, eat less, and drink more water to allow its body to win over the toxin. Humans must do the same, but if you are not eating and drinking whole foods to supply you extra vitamin C to prevent catching the flu or a cold, then you MUST supply that through a quality vitamin C supplement from pure ascorbic acid.
How do you know how much extra vitamin C to take? Well, here is your first clue that you need it, especially if you are getting sick: your stools will begin to dry up, and you may become constipated or have difficulty having a complete bowel movement. At this first clue, increase your ascorbic acid by 1,000 mg a day, and you can do this three times a day if needed. When you have a loose stool for 2-3 days in a row, then begin backing down by 1,000 mg daily until you return to your normal bowel routine. This provides your immune system the extra defense mechanism needed to resist and excrete any viruses or other causes of disease.
• Sniff a solution of warm salt-water up your nostrils every night before bed. I was raised in Florida, and a dunk in the ocean can prevent many illnesses from getting into your body through your nose and mouth. When you keep nasty bugs and viruses from entering your body, and keep a pH balance in these cavities, you can prevent many colds and flu. Mix a solution of one-teaspoon sea salt with one-cup warm water. Cup your hand and sniff into one nostril at a time. Then bath your eyes with the salt-water solution, and gargle with the leftovers. You will have to blow your nose shortly afterwards because the solution will come right back out into your handkerchief, but the contagious elements will come out with it. You are blowing OUT of your body what would have GONE IN.
• Keep Lysol® on hand. Spraying Lysol on door handles, your telephone, on TV remotes, on your computer keyboard and mouse, and on anything that you “touch” is a good way to prevent spreading disease from a contact point into your body.
• Carry baby-wipes with you. Keep a travel pack of baby wipes in your car, briefcase, backpack or purse, and wipe off shopping cart handles, all kind of things in public restrooms, use at school, work, or in public activity centers.
If you do catch the swine flu, immediately activate all the recommendations above to help boost your immune system. Nutritional ER always compliments any medical efforts to remove the virus and restore your heath.
Wishing you healthy swine flu prevention. Now, go take a nap with your cat.