Like the majority of the populace, I have an allopathic physician. As with many of the populace…particularly in the last twenty years or so, I’ve been an advocate of homeopathy, herbals, acupuncture, massage therapy and, yes…the proven granny’s remedies, the proverbial “old wives” treatments for what ails one and I write this not as a practitioner but as a consumer.

When I lived in Maryland back in the early to mid ‘90’s, I had acupuncture treatments (including Chinese herbal medication) once every week for over a year. Complimentary to that, I took massage therapy once a week for over three years and greatly benefited from both modalities. In fact, never felt better in my life…either before or since and the only reason I haven’t undertaken either since being here is…well, silly but true. It’s as difficult to change a successful and trusted healer, such as those two, as it generally is having to change a trusted MD. But in recent months I have been strongly considering finding similar practitioners here. On my own, I research the “alternative” modalities and continue to use the herbals, energy work etc. so it came as quite a disturbing shock to me, listening to Dan’s discussion with Gertie this morning…and learning that there is a Bill ready to change…no, to remove the choice of how I nurture and treat my OWN body. Yes…MY body!

Allopathic physicians certainly have their place as do dietitians and nutritionists choosing to come under a government blanket. Let them have it…but do they have the right to dictate whom I wish to consult? Depending upon whether or not we have medical insurance co-pay, no medical insurance, pharmacologic coverage our medical treatments are not free or cheap and it seems to me since I must pay whatever the going rate is, I ought to maintain the right to spend it where I choose. And, frankly, it’s my opinion…and experience…that anyone having a required license is no guarantee to quality or successful care. My massage therapist in MD, for instance, was not board certified…when she began her practice there was no such thing as licensing for massage therapists. Her clientele came from all walks of life and were so numerous it was often more difficult to secure an appointment with her than it was with a physician. Additionally, many of her clients benefited so much from their treatments that they went on to become massage therapists themselves…the consensus being that they wished to help others as much as they had been helped. I never looked around her office for a certification of any kind. She came highly recommended to me by a very reputable Physical Therapist, among others. After my first couple of treatments, I had no doubt about her ability. Yet, I had a friend…also a client of her’s…who decided to enter the profession which, by then required board certification, took the classes, became certified and even after several years, didn’t even come close. As I said, a license is not necessarily a guarantee.

I’m angry at the very idea a practitioner of herbals, homeopathy, dietary or any other modality may, in the future, be unable to discuss or suggest our preferred method of treatments because of a threat of fines or arrest. This is not even banal enough to term ridiculous…it’s nothing short of criminal and to my somewhat cynical eye, removing this freedom is the first step towards the FDA and Pharm Society succeeding in eliminating anything they do not consider medically proven. Which is odd since few, if any, of the aforementioned alternative routes cause harm while we certainly cannot state that all medically approved drugs/treatments don’t. And, by the way, THEY are licensed! One only has to watch a couple of hours of tv during a day or evening to find the ads for prescription medications which tout the benefits but follow each one with a long list of disclaimers and eye-popping side-effects, some of them fatal. I don’t know about you but each time I view those things I have to wonder…”Who in their right mind would trade an ache, pain, sleepless night for those possibilities??”

Please write your State Reps and ask them not to sign on to HB38. Even if you are not “into” alternative treatments or modalities, it IS another freedom of choice we stand to lose should it pass.

Good news reported this weekend on yet another potential benefit of Adult Stem Cell Research. Studies are showing this to be very optimistic in treatment of heart failure and heart attack with additional reporting due tomorrow. Now, if one looks at what ASC can accomplish, I’m not even sure why we are even discussing or arguing over ESC…other than the fact that “we have them, let’s use them”. Sure…but why open a whole ’nuther can of worms when such successes (and they are NOT limited as many claim) have come from ACS?

And, today, it’s a pity Elizabeth Edwards was pushing for continued or increased funding of stem cell research while specifically trying to advance the embryonic. It’s a great pity that her cancer has resurfaced and I certainly wish her well and the strength to be so but does it justify the push for ESC clearance? Obviously, ASC is working and, apparently minus possible rejection or other difficulties…we don’t yet know this about ESC. Even if we did, does it mean we have to go that route given the good results from the other…and what about the positive potential from amniotic and placenta cells? The way I see it, such use is to be from consenting donors and, particularly from amniotic and placental waste…which is certainly discarded…shouldn’t be difficult to acquire. On the other hand, like it or not the possibility does exist for there to be a potential “market” for egg donations and who’s to say we would never go down this path?

Many years ago people donated blood for the good of their fellow-man in need and then it became a means by which hundreds, if not thousands, sold their blood to help them through tough times, buy the next bottle, whatever…reasons good as well as nefarious. Later it was selling sperm. Call me cynical but I really don’t believe we would never make that small leap from simply making use of “unwanted eggs” to “$??? per dozen”. I understand as well as anyone, perhaps better than some, we’d do anything for a cure for a loved one…even to that level. Some are willing to have a Bill passed allowing any type of stem cell research while, at the same time, discounting and discarding more benign, alternative treatments. I’m not against appropriate SCR but we’re doing pretty damn good with the adult version. Maybe it would behoove us simply to ensure funding for what IS already available will be there for anyone in need of such treatment, not just if they can afford it or have insurance to cover it for the general argument is it is unfair to have the possibility of embryonic stem cells being a life-mind-body saver and not be able to do so. Yet it is no less fair than already having adult cell therapy available for many of the same illnesses if those who need or can use it cannot afford it.

Given the news today I have to wonder if anyone checked into the possibility that those who tested positive on the PPD’s had ever had the BCG vaccination? Many countries take this preventative step, including some, if not all, of the Latin American countries, Sweden, several Eastern European countries and, if not now at one time, the UK. Were I to be tested tomorrow I’d show positive because, at thirteen years of age British schoolchildren were, with parental consent, vaccinated for such. In more recent years, many children were vaccinated against TB in infancy.

I could see where the problem might arise. Not long after I arrived in this country a family member was exposed to someone found to have TB. PPD was carried out, tested positive and made to daily medication for one full year even though he did not have active TB. Then again, as a toddler, his mother had had it, he probably contracted it then which served only to scar his lungs. Since he had a family, we had to then also be tested at the time he was ordered to take the medication. I went for the skin test, told the nurse I would likely test positive, she asked why and ridiculed me for my response. A nurse…and she was not aware that there was such a thing as a BCG vaccination nor the positive Tyne or Heaf tests following. I did have to have the second PPD which, of course, showed positive. On my return for the reading she was insistent upon me taking the same medication for a year until I insisted on discussing this with someone perhaps more qualified. I finally succeeded and the corpsman concurred with me, suggesting the nurse do a little more research. This wasn’t a small medical practice…this was at a military dispensary with a civilian, registered nurse. Thank heavens for a navy corpsman. At the same time, shot records had to be red-flagged so that further PPD’s not be given. What I didn’t know at that time was if one has had a Tyne/Heaf test, vaccination and then the subsequent Tyne/Heaf test for results, no other skin tests should be given.

Today, the thirty-three ’suspects’ were cleared. Did somebody panic, others jump to conclusion and I can’t help but wonder…did anyone know enough to ask if those people had ever been vaccinated in the past? Let’s hope the news today calms others amongst us, down.

Being somewhat cynical, at best, with regards to the FDA, pharmaceutical companies and ‘traditional medicine as being held to what’s right for us, the general public, perhaps it should not be appalling to learn, again, of a new wonder-drug seeking approval for use in our cattle. But it is…and why not? As reported on WGMD by ABC News and, of course, here and here.

Have you ever paused to wonder why we are being reported as more and more resistant to antibiotics or other drugs? Doesn’t it seem reasonable (to at least theorize) that every “preventative” medication being pumped into our food source and then ingested by humans is going to have a lingering…and maybe devastating effect? Perhaps not for everyone but for many…or even ‘enough’.

Seems to me our bodies are becoming chemical cesspools…antibiotics in our food sources, pesticides on our produce and preservatives in everything else. Isn’t there a vicious cycle of using pharms to pump into these animals and on our produce to prolong health and shelf-life which then wanders through and permeates our human cellular structure, ostensibly to support life, but creates a dichotomy of physical environment which may become resistant to health and life-prolonging treatments?

Notice the location of the U.S. HQ of the pharm company…once again “It’s good being First”?

Ummm…choose organic!

Here we go again! A couple of weeks ago we had thousands on the Mall protesting a woman’s right to abortion…the bottom line of which is choice, letting people…specifically women…choose for themselves what they do with their bodies, and when. Now, several States…and the number is growing by the day…want to mandate a vaccination for, not women but little girls from the age of nine, for HPV, because they run the risk of cervical cancer later in their lives. The State of Va. wants to require that children who don’t have this vaccination not be admitted to school. This equates to removal of choice yet again. And, again, pertaining only to women.

Listen, those who are opposed and have no wish to have this vaccination foisted and forced on their daughters, may feel this way for many reasons and don’t they have every right to that choice ? How dare govt., the medical fraternity or anyone else require that our female children, from a very young age, be vaccinated in this manner and for the reason given? For one thing, this vaccination hasn’t been around nearly long enough for anyone to know what, if any, long term effects are. Like most vaccinations for a variety of health situations, it’s not a lifetime guarantee of eliminating the threat of cervical cancer. And why do most of the voices I heard this morning…in favor of said vaccine for our little girls, belong to men?

What about preventative treatment in our little boys? It’s long been said that circumcision of males appears to reduce the chances of cervical cancer in women, as seems to be evidenced in Jewish society. Why haven’t we mandated circumcision in every male birth? Heaven forfend!! And no, I certainly am not a proponent of this, either. It’s just incongruous to me that we, as a society, feel we can and should mandate perceived health concerns on our females. And just a thought…over the last few years we have discussed, debated, argued and chosen as our ‘defense’, the bringing of human rights for Muslim women with the threat that, if we don’t fight it now we all will be subject to Sharia Law, women relegated to second class citizenry ad infinitum. Just what do you think laws such as the Texas and VA proposal are offering?

Were I to be raising a daughter, now, you can be sure I would refuse this on her behalf.

It is, isn’t it?? Guess I slept through February and March only to awaken this morning with little but farce in the news. A candy bar is banned from the airwaves and now Prince is being accused of questionable behavior during his half-time SB show. LOLOL! Please!

Hands up those who thought his ’symbol’ guitar was suspiciously transformed into a phallic symbol? Okay…look in the mirror. See your arm? Better put it down…now. It is…was…a guitar and the most interesting thing about it is the unique design. Looked more like a banjo with pony-tails, I thought…and how easy was this to play, anyway? How about the marching band…with fluorescent piping outlining their bodies? Anybody think they magically were not wearing any clothes?

The only flaw in his/their performance or attire was his doo-rag-doo-rag-doo-rag-do, which was more of a “don’t”. Otherwise, his performance was brilliant, the marching band (and their uniforms) terrific…geez, it didn’t even look as though the rain touched any of them. The only reason I even watched the SB and well worth the wait.

But…if there is anyone who sees the guitar in a like-manner as the clothing/equipment police maybe you’d best check your own and if it does look like that guitar run…do not walk…to your nearest emergency room.

Why do the good people of Delmarva fear snow?

What is it about the white puffy moisture that causes so many people to fear for their lives? Why does normal life come to a complete end on this peninsula every time a stupid weatherman mentions that unmentionable,….”Chance of Snow”?

Like a flock of screaming children at recess, you run to the supermarkets, mini-markets and roadside stands to purchase Milk, Eggs, Bread and Toilet Paper. OK, so this leaves me to believe that the fear of snow brings about the massive hankering for French Toast which you apparently don’t have the digestive tract to properly handle, hence the toilet paper.

Question: When was the last time people in this area were literally ’snowed-in’ so bad that they were unable to leave their home because of the high snow? When was the last time the roads were so un-navigable that nobody, and I mean nobody, was able to drive including Police, EMS and newspaper delivery people? How many of you live so far from civilization that if you were snowed in and ran out of toilet paper, you would be too far away to walk to a neighbor’s house and borrow some? And finally, why are the elements to make French Toast so important to you in the event of snow?

I was transferred to North Carolina some years ago by the retail company I worked for at the time. My store was in Hanes Mall in Winston Salem, we lived in a tiny town called Advance. Our first winter there was the worst in anyone’s memory. The snow wasn’t so bad, it measured almost 12 inches, but the following ice storm took out power lines all over the area. We were without power for 5 days. Since the state had very little snow in this area, local municipalities never felt the need to purchase snow plows or even road salt. Being from Pennsylvania, I was accustomed to driving in heavy snow and easily drove to and from work while many stayed home to wait it out. In our home, no electricity meant no cooking, we had an electric oven. We did have a fireplace and actually made some stew in it as well as heated up leftovers and such. Mostly, we ate out during the outage. The locals, who were not used to driving in snow made the most of it by working together. Farmers drove their big tractors around to neighbor’s homes, seeking lists of needed supplies before driving to the local filling station/mini-market. Folks with 4-wheel drive or who were brave ventured to Mocksville, to the supermarkets, armed with many shopping lists, especially for the elderly.

People just automatically came together to help one another in the ‘crisis’ as I believe they would here as well! They also used the time to play. A neighbor with a four-wheeler stopped by our home to let the kids grab their sleds and hold a rope as he pulled them through the neighborhood. He told us of a plan to gather at the top of a local road which had a nice hill for sledding that night. We drove (much to their astonishment) instead of walking the 3 miles with our sleds. They had a huge bonfire and a large farm tractor which would drive down the hill with a huge tow-rope, pulling the kids back up the hill so they could have more fun without getting so tired of the reverse trek.

But here, well, that’s a different story. As some of you may know, I run nearly 2 dozen weekly trivia gameshows at local (and not-so-local) restaurants and other venues. One such venue is a new game inside the private gated community, The Peninsula. For our premiere event last Sunday the staff had acquired reservations for more than 50 people to sit in a nice restaurant inside their community, with a warm fire, protected by a back-up generator, where their was plenty of eggs, bread and milk as well as a supply closet full of toilet paper, and enjoy a trivia game with a house-cash prize. Slowly but surely these reservations cancelled one-by-one until we had but one team left for the game. Why? “Chance of snow.”

By the end of the game that first massive snowfall of 2007 had grown to nearly an inch with ‘bitter’ temps in the upper 20’s and virtually no wind. Why should such a minor meteorological event prevent people from going out to have a good time? Why do we scare so easily? I don’t let such occurrences prevent me from events. When I was young I didn’t let blizzards prevent me from honoring my commitment to a girlfriend for a date to the movies. Why should I start fearing the white fluff now?

My final point is to encourage you folks to stop being so scared of your own shadows! You have to live your life to enjoy it. Your end will come, but here on Delmarva it is very unlikely it will be caused by hunger due to a snowstorm. Get out and live!

With the old, current and about-to-be enacted laws directed at smokers and smoking, wonder how long it will be before this becomes mandatory treatment for smokers or, at least, accepted regimen for those who may wish a smoker to quit…be it family, personal physician or govt. body…despite the smoker’s defiance?

Can’t happen, you say? Well, not today, not tomorrow…the further research has to be carried out, clinical studies and trials, aftereffects. But “what if”? Seems to me smokers are seen to be a much bigger, more serious threat to society at large, than those who suffer from…let’s say severe depression. The above article talks of several modalities to administer this “therapy”:

a technique called deep brain stimulation, in which electrodes are implanted in the brain to switch off particular areas

Can you say ECT…often used, even in the unwilling, to treat depression and a variety of other illnesses, many times as an aversion therapy and too frequently among the young.

Just curious…but wouldn’t surprise me a bit

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge manager Jonathan Schafler continues his crusade against cigarette butts in Delaware, by posting these signs in areas where smokers drop a lot of butts.  (That’s everywhere if you start looking around!)

Click for large version.

Jonathan tells me, he is developing a character that will accompany the slogan. I like his idea of a 5 cent deposit on cigarette butts.

 

RonR, asked that I comment on last nights meeting at the Lewes Library on Wind Power, so here it is.

The meeting was very well attended, including Representatives Gerald Hocker and Joe Booth. It was standing room only. A Representative from the MD legislature was also in attendance, as well as representatives from other interested citizen groups, plus the general public.
The film Kilowatt Ours speaks for itself, a documentary that highlights all the negatives of using coal to generate electricity, from strip mining off mountain tops in WV and KY and the resultant waste, floods and mud slides that destroy towns and negatively impact people’s lives, to the emission of greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and worst of all to the emission of mercury. We here who are down wind of the Indian River Power Plant get sprinkled with the mercury, as do the fish.
UD Professor Willett Klempton’s excellent presentation covered the advantages to Delaware if we sign on to off shore wind farms to generate electricity. Obviously it is clean, would not contribute to global warming, can generate more electricity than DE needs thus can be sold at a profit to the state, will withstand a Cat 3 hurricane, and can be easily positioned not very far out as to be invisible from the beaches. The downside is that the cost to the user would be about 3 cents more per kwh than coal, but much cheaper if the environmental costs are added to the cost of coal.
He also included an update on global warming, which is increased by the burning of fossil fuels like coal. The most striking and dramatic and worrisome part were the maps indicating the impact of the melting of Greenland’s ice on our Delaware and the Delmarva Peninsula with the rise in sea levels. (By the way, the melting of the arctic ice caps does not raise ocean levels, because the ice is already part of the ocean. Greenland ice is over land, therefore not part of the ocean.) Even by 2040, there will be significant inundation of our coast, and by 2100 Delmarva will become an archipelago! Lewes, Rehoboth, Dewey, Bethany and Fenwick will be submerged, and the Chesapeake will inundate portions of western Delaware.
People have to begin to accept this and act upon it, with the rest of the globe, right now. The longer we wait inactive, the closer we get to the point of no return in this rather sudden global crisis that we people have wrought upon ourselves.

Now we understand what to do: Minimize the emission of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels. Wind, solar and geothermal energy, and CO2 recyclable fuels like ethanol from trees and plants, all then become no-brainers, except to the brainless!!!