The Tao of Politics

One of my main concerns is: how can I make a difference? There are thousands of political blogs out there. It’s easy to get lost in that ocean. So I may blog about politics on occasion, or I may blog about health issues, depending on where my interests lead me, and where I feel I can contribute something of significance.

Friday, March 31, 2006

The Great Eric has some interesting musings. More Americans now identify themselves as Democrats. The National Debt Clock in Times Square will soon need another digit. A Bill is signed into law without passing both chambers of Congress. Interesting stuff, interesting perspective.

Vitamins are taking a hit these days. There was the article I read about how vitamin C is consumed faster by cancer cells than by normal cells, thereby protecting a cancer instead of fighting it. Now there is an article about how certain vitamins may cause problems with pregnancy. While that in particular is not a problem for me, I have pretty much stopped taking vitamins for the time being. Sometimes you don’t know what to do, especially with conflicting stories in the media, and I certainly don’t want to cause more harm than good.

Some Native Americans in Minnesota seem to be weighing in on the controversy surrounding genetically modified crops, claiming that wild rice, for example, is sacred, and should be protected from genetic modification. I’m glad this is happening, but I doubt it will have much of an impact in the long run. The USA does not have a good track record of protecting Native American rights, and corporations in this country have not been known for putting consumers ahead of profits, but it’s good news nonetheless.

Migrating birds are likely to bring bird flu into the United States by this summer. That’s nothing to worry about, of course. Just put an extra can of tuna under the bed. But make sure it’s not Chicken of the Sea.

Do you want to lose weight and be healthier? A vegetarian diet may be the answer.

Latif’s Cavern has an interesting UN Survey: A worldwide survey was conducted by the UN. The only question asked was: "Would you please give your honest opinion about solutions to the food shortage in the rest of the world?" The survey was a huge failure. In Africa they didn't know what "food" meant, in India they didn't know what "honest" meant, in Europe they didn't know what "shortage" meant, in China they didn't know what "opinion" meant, in the Middle East they didn't know what "solution" meant, in South America they didn't know what "please" meant, and in the USA they didn't know what "the rest of the world" meant!

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

President Carter is speaking out against the recent Bush nuclear deal with India. Thank God we have people of stature in this country who serve as a balance to the policies of the current administration in the White House. We need more people like Jimmy Carter and Al Gore to speak out, instead of acting like a rubber stamp, like most of the Republican members of Congress usually do.

And speaking of Congress, the Democrats seem to be trying to get their act together. It’s about time, with less than eight months remaining until the 2006 midterm elections.

Congressional Republicans seem to be dividing on what to do with the new budget, and they accuse the Democrats of election year stunts, but I think those Republicans who are expressing reservations about the budget are just playing politics and trying to save their jobs in the upcoming election. They were all happy enough to support the president’s policies when his approval rating was high. Now that his approval rating is low, they’re all afraid of not being reelected. Good. Let them be scared. And let them all lose this fall. The Republicans are the problem. Get them out, and the sooner the better.

Before I forget it, when the news is reporting that President Bush was determined to go to war, that makes our president look like a liar, because he was telling the American people that he would go to war as a last resort, and it now seems that war was not a last resort. I don’t want a president who is a liar, or who appears to be a liar, or whatever spin you want to put on it. I’ll be glad when 2009 comes and this president leaves office. Good riddance.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

ska skA sKA SKA SKEET! says that “Every religion if you think about it came from the imagination of a man.” I can’t argue with that. I think she’s correct. She has a lot of other good, correct ideas. We need more young people like ska skA sKA SKA SKEET! thinking and writing and saying the truth. But you see, I don't think the Right would encourage her like she ought to be encouraged. Such a waste, and so wrong.

starla dear quotes Ghandi when he says, "the things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice." Politics without principle, eh? Sound like anyone we know? How about business without morality? Right on, starla dear. Right on Ghandi. The bible says the truth will set you free, doesn't it? Keep on saying the truth.

im a toy vaniiee<3 has a humorous joke about politics, and it’s not far from the truth either.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

I’m sorry, but this just sounds like we have a warmonger for a president. I don’t want a warmonger for a president, and I really don't want this president anymore. I'll be glad when he's gone.

Speaking of the war, it’s just going great, isn’t it?

At home, we have a stable government.

And everybody is happy.

Are these great times we’re living in or what?

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Monday, March 27, 2006

The shouting of a multitude begins with a single voice.

If half a million people speak in Los Angeles, do they make a sound in Washington?

Would you believe that scientists have genetically engineered pigs to produce omega-3 fatty acids? Am I the only one who finds that news disturbing?

Would you believe that culling of flocks is not having the desired effect of controlling the spread of bird flu? So scientists are being forced to change their strategy for combating the disease, while conceding “there is little that can be done to stop its spread across the globe.”

Worried about mad cow disease, bird flu, Teflon cooking pans? Here’s a discussion of the hype vs. the real facts about these health scares.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Saturday, March 25, 2006

I’m glad to see the Dixie Chicks coming out with a new record. I thought their treatment after their 2003 remarks about President Bush was unfair. After all, we are supposed to have freedom of speech in this country, aren’t we? Some people act like they forget that sometimes.

Just when I thought the world was going to hell in a hand basket, Wal-Mart comes out with organic food. There might actually be hope for us after all (but I still doubt it.)

In Genetic Engineering news, Terminator seeds have been rejected by participants at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. I’ve got to be careful. I could get used to reading good news like this for a change, and I’m just afraid it’s not going to last.

There are people who actually eat a lot of frozen dinners. Is that good for them?

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Friday, March 24, 2006

President Bush’s 2007 budget reduces funding for the CDC. Well, isn’t that a good idea? With bird flu literally on the horizon, and with infectious disease seemingly on the rise around the world, let’s cut funding to the CDC. Does anyone feel that sometimes the current administration is out of touch with REALITY? I mean they cut taxes in the middle of a war, and now they want to cut funding in the middle of a pandemic. I know there are other psychotic actions taken by the White House. These are just two that jump out at me. This seems like a president who is determined to follow his agenda regardless of the consequences, and regardless of changing circumstances. There are less than eight months left until the 2006 elections. Let us hope that the people send more rational representatives to Washington.

Breast Cancer Cure? Scientists have an idea for treating breast cancer which involves virtually starving the patient. Participants in the study will consume about 600 calories per day. One might ask, what is this supposed to accomplish? There are theories circulating out there that when you severely restrict a person’s calorie intake, the body goes into a survival mode, and all the bodily processes are channeled toward survival. There have been many studies dealing with calorie restriction as it relates anti-aging and life extension. Now they hope it may help fight cancer. This may be a good idea. At least it seems like a natural approach and doesn’t involve taking drugs, so it’s worth a try. Who knows, maybe it will work.

Health Notes Combining certain foods helps lower cholesterol – No strong evidence that Omega 3 reduces heart attacks – pesticides may cause cancer in children (is this really news???) – Alzheimer’s disease may be related to lack of insulin in the brain – and, can vitamin C really cure the common cold?

Leave my apples alone Now the scientists want to tinker with apples. Will this ever end? Only when they run out of food to genetically engineer and patent. Leave my apples alone!!!

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Wednesday, March 22, 2006

Leave my wine alone Yesterday I bemoaned the fact that scientists were trying to genetically engineer grapes. Today I read that scientists in Italy have decoded the genome of the pinot noir grape, and plan to use their research to produce superior wines. There’s nothing wrong with the wine now. Why do you have to start tinkering with it? You’re going to screw it up, you know, and then we won’t have it anymore. That would be a sad day. Leave my wine alone!

Any Takers? You may remember that I wrote on Saturday about six men who became ill while involved in clinical trials for a drug to treat leukemia. That drug, it turns out, is genetically engineered, and is derived from a human/mouse hybrid gene. Oh, the wonders of biotechnology! Now we have doctors giving us drugs derived from human/mouse genes. Don’t you just love it? Do we have any volunteers to try more of these drugs? Come on, the scientists know what they’re doing. You can trust them.

Health Notes ADHD drugs can cause psychosis, mania, and hallucinations in the young people taking them. Seniors now have to worry about muscle loss. Proper diet can lower blood cholesterol. An organ in the brain called the choroid plexus may keep us from developing Alzheimer’s disease. A cancer vaccine may be on the way. Fish oils are effective against prostate cancer.

Bird Flu Update Five young people die in Azerbaijan – bird flu spreads to Pakistan – China may finally turn over its bird flu samples, but don’t hold your breath – finally, is bird flu really caused by gays?

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Did the US military execute eleven civilians last week in Iraq? I originally heard this story on NPR. Several other discussions include: the Guardian Unlimited, and Reuters. And here are photos of some alleged victims, not for the faint of heart. (This video seems to be related to the situation, but does not directly address the eleven civilians.) It breaks my heart that these people are dead, and the US military is accused of their murder. I sometimes wonder if any good can ever come from this war, and if the good that does come could possibly balance all the bad. I doubt it.


H5N1 has evolved into two separate strains, one that infected people in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, and the other that infected people in Indonesia.


Leave my grapes alone Now scientists are talking about being able to genetically engineer grapes so they contain more vitamin C. If they can do this with grapes, wine can’t be far behind. This was one of my biggest fears, that they would start tinkering with grapes and wine and totally screw things up. There is nothing wrong with the grape as it is. In many ways it is a perfect food, with even anti-cancer properties, not to mention its role in various religious ceremonies. Is nothing sacred anymore? Do the scientists and corporations have to ruin everything in nature? For God’s sake, leave my grapes alone.


Speaking about screwing things up, everyone who looks askance at people who eat organic food should probably read this article, which discusses the impact of pesticides on our health.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Monday, March 20, 2006

In a speech today in Cleveland, Ohio, President Bush seemed to go through a litany of atrocities committed by the terrorists and insurgents in Iraq. But I wonder, would any of these atrocities have happened if our troops had not gone into Iraq? I doubt it. There are two sides to every coin. President Bush and his associates only want us to see one side. Also, he, his speechwriters, and Karl Rove think that if they say the words "terrorists and insurgents" in the same breath it makes them the same. It doesn't, and the American people are not buying it.

The world blames us for the mess in Iraq, and the world is not wrong. We have a chance to put an end to this long global and national nightmare in November.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Iraq remains the major story Secretary Rumsfeld published a column in the Washington Post yesterday discussing the situation in Iraq, and trying to make an analogy with Nazi Germany. Several prominent people have questioned that analogy. General George Casey was on Meet the Press yesterday denying there was a civil war in Iraq, and Dick Cheney was on Face the Nation talking about the war. President Bush says he has a strategy for victory in Iraq. That reminds me of when President Nixon said he had a plan to end the war in Vietnam. He didn’t, and thousands of brave, young Americans died. If President Bush says he has a strategy for victory in Iraq, I think that statement is purely political. You know, in several recent elections the Democrats have been accused of saying anything to get elected. The truth of the matter is that the Republicans really would say anything to further their political agenda (mushroom clouds, WMDs?) and they are the ones we need to keep our eyes on. The political pressure is only going to intensify as the 2006 elections grow closer. We cannot relax. We must bring the message to the American people: the Republicans are the problem. We can solve that problem in November by voting Democratic.


Slow Day on the Bird Flu Front? I’m sure that the people affected by bird flu don’t feel that today is a slow day. As I have said before, it is not my intention to report every time someone sneezes, but I also don’t want to minimize what is happening. For those who do want to keep up with what is happening, I can mention Denmark – parts of Asia Ethiopia Israel – and Egypt.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Sunday, March 19, 2006

The GOP IS the problem Jim Vandehei has published an article in the Washington Post that talks about how the GOP has been secretly disenchanted with President Bush for some time, and how they are just now getting around to venting some of their frustrations with the administration. One question I have: does Jim Vandehei actually believe all the stuff he has written in this article? I think this may just be one more example of the GOP using the media, like they used the media in the run up to the Iraq war. Now Jim Vandehei is saying that, oh the Republican-led Congress really didn’t like the president all that much, but they went along with him anyway, implying that now if we just give them a chance they’re going to change. I think this is an election year strategy to rehabilitate the image of the Republicans in Congress, and to keep the midterm elections from turning into the disaster for them that seems to be looming. And I wonder if Jim Vandehei is unwittingly helping that strategy, in somewhat the same way that Judith Miller aided the White House strategy by publishing articles about Iraq leading up to the war. Does anyone actually believe that the Republicans do anything that is not politically motivated? Does anyone actually believe that the Republicans would be talking candidly to Jim Vandehei if they didn’t think it would help them POLITICALLY?

I believe some of what the article says. I believe that some GOP members of Congress are worried about reelection. And I believe they want to distance themselves from the president so they aren’t defeated in November in a sort of reverse coattail effect, swept out of office instead of into office on the basis of the president’s un-popularity. The Republicans would do anything to win, and they don’t deserve to win. Everything that is wrong with America is their fault. Besides, sometimes things get so bad that you just have to clean house and start over. Let’s clean house in November, elect a lot of Democrats, and let the healing begin.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Saturday, March 18, 2006

Scientists are such dopes Yesterday I spoke at some length about my disdain for scientists and their efforts regarding genetic engineering. Today, coincidentally, there are some articles in the news that support my position. Six men undergoing clinical trials for a drug to treat leukemia ended up in the hospital, two in intensive care, with multiple organ failure. Eleven patients testing a drug to treat Alzheimer’s disease died! (We are told there were no deaths among the placebo group.)

I know we need doctors and scientists, and I know they have to be able to test new drugs, but they don’t have to kill us in the process. People generally don’t do enough thinking for themselves. They place too much faith, blindly, in authority figures and institutions that are often just as blind, or in the dark, clueless, as they are. Sometimes scientists and doctors don’t know what they are doing! Can I ever say that enough? Sometimes it is all just an experiment. If you want to be part of an experiment, fine, but I don’t. That goes for medical experiments and genetically modified food experiments. Include me out.

Bird Flu Update Egyptian woman is bird flu victimFour Israelis hospitalized. Bird flu?

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Friday, March 17, 2006

Leave my strawberries alone Scientists say that strawberries may be effective in fighting cancer. Great. So with that information established, what do scientists do? They start tinkering with the strawberry. One article here says “Scientists create super-nutritious strawberries.” Another article is clearer in explaining that these strawberries are genetically engineered. Now you might say, what is the problem? Don’t you want more nutritious food? I mean, this is a good thing, and after all the scientists know what they’re doing.

First, there is nothing wrong nutritionally with the strawberry as it is, so I see no reason to change it. You say, well they’re not changing all the strawberries, just some of them. That may be true now, but I fear that some day the only strawberries (grapes, broccoli, tomatoes, etc.) that exist will be genetically engineered varieties. You say, that’s not going to happen. You want to bet?

Second, the food is already nutritious enough, if people would just eat it. The problem with nutrition is not with the food, it is with the people eating (or not eating) it. I have no problem with taking supplements, but I do object to changing our food supply, just as I would object to changing our air supply, or our water supply.

Third, do the scientists really know what they’re doing? I wish they did. (Did anyone read, Why Things Bite Back: Technology and the Revenge of Unintended Consequences, by Edward Tenner? It is full of instances where scientists were wrong.) Much of the time scientists don’t really know what they’re doing, and their actions often amount to experiments. Most of what I read says that we still don’t know the long term effects of eating genetically engineered food. Until we do, I’d rather not be part of an experiment.

I don’t always trust our leaders to tell us the truth, or to even know what the truth is. They said there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They said there would have been mushroom clouds in American cities if we hadn’t toppled Saddam when we did. I don’t even trust our leaders to always act in the public’s best interest. I believe our leaders often do things to benefit corporations. I’m not a corporation. And I don't trust them to get it right with genetic engineering. So for now, at least, leave my strawberries alone.

The Consequences of War I’d like to believe the United States always has the moral high ground, but that belief is difficult to maintain when I think about what happened in Vietnam.

Bird Flu Update H5N1 reported in Israel

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

Patriotism
I have gained new respect for Sandra Day O’Connor. She gave a speech last week in which she said, in effect, that the United States is getting close to being a dictatorship, especially in view of recent attacks on the judiciary. The judiciary is, and needs to be, an independent, co-equal branch of the government. Attempts to unduly influence it, or silence it altogether, undermine the very fabric of our republic. Those who attack the judiciary just because they don’t like the decisions handed down are doing a huge disservice to our country. Unfortunately I think that the people who genuinely care about this country are greatly outnumbered by the people who don’t. Sandra Day O’Connor seems to really care about our country. Hers is a voice of reason in this often irrational world. It is too bad that she no longer sits on the Supreme Court. I hope that those who still sit there have heard what she has said and will heed her wise words. Also, when our citizens go to the polls this November, I hope they remember Justice O’Connor’s concerns, and I hope they will make their choices accordingly. Just remember, it is not the Democrats who are pushing us toward dictatorship.

Again Patriotism
Several towns in Vermont have approved resolutions to impeach the president. Some people are bent all out of shape about that. In a lot of ways it is like The Emperor’s New Clothes. Some people admired the emperor’s new clothes while others said, “Hey, he’s naked.” The people today who are admiring our president’s policies are seriously deluding themselves. The people who are speaking up and telling it like it is have a right, even a duty, to do so. George is not King.

Bird Flu Update
Afghanistan -- India, Myanmar, Malaysia, SwedenDenmark –- stray dog in Azerbaijan (a bird dog?)

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

The Right to Choose
Greenpeace claims that genetically modified rice was found in Heinz baby food sold in China. Heinz denies it, of course, and now the matter is under further investigation. I don’t know what to say about this. I’m not a big fan of genetically modified food to begin with. I’m all for using genetic engineering to help fight disease, but I just wish they’d leave our food alone. A lot of people feel the same way, and that’s why this is potentially such a big deal in China. Genetically modified rice has not been approved there for use by humans. Here are some of the concerns that have been voiced about genetic engineering by some people and groups. To me it comes down to a matter of choice. I should be able to choose to eat what I want to eat. If I want to eat GM foods fine, but if I choose to eat organic foods, I should have that choice. The way that genetically modified crops are spreading, and the way that some of the genes are actually contaminating organic food, at some point in the future I may not have a choice. The only food that may be available will be genetically modified, and I don’t think that is right.


Here’s what I think biotech is good for: stopping Alzheimer’s disease, for example, and curing Parkinson’s disease. Just leave our food alone.

Diet
Here is an interesting article on being vegan. I have flirted with being vegan myself. It’s not easy. It takes a real commitment, which I don’t currently have. And there are ethical considerations, as discussed in the article. But I do prefer being closer to the vegan end of the scale than being closer to the opposite (meat) end.

Speaking of eating meat, a study of 22,000 people over five years showed that those who stopped eating meat gained less weight than those who continued eating meat.

And concerning cholesterol, here is one way to lower it and keep it down.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Al Gore 2008
In looking around the internet today for information about Al Gore, I found some interesting things:

Left Coaster says Gore is racking up IOUs in Florida. That’s good. He would need plenty of them if he were to run in 2008.

Raw Story says that maybe Gore’s time has come.

p m carpenter says Gore may be the Democratic “Great Southern Hope.”

Unfortunately, there is potential fierce opposition. (I can’t believe that someone could think that sodomy with a flashlight is not a terrible abuse.)

Then there is the Al Gore Support Center, Al Gore 2008, DraftGore.com, and a petition urging Al Gore to run. There may be more than these. I’ll keep a lookout in the future for more.

The Al Gore movement, if there is one, seems to be growing fast, and of course Gore himself is making more public, partisan appearances. I think he’s running. I could get really excited about this, especially after 5+ years of George W. Bush.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Bird Flu Notes
Bird flu may be rapidly spreading, and the overall death toll may have recently topped one hundred with three human deaths in Azerbaijan, but scientists say that we are now no closer to having a pandemic than we ever were.

Here is an article about survivalism versus preparedness in view of all the recent threats thrown at us from many natural and manmade sources, including bird flu.


Health Notes
Crestor, a popular statin drug, has been shown to reverse some aspects of heart disease, but it also has some troubling side effects. I’m glad that the medical establishment seems to be figuring out a solution to this problem. I may need their help somewhere down the road. For the time being, however, I plan to stick to a natural approach. (Here is more on HDL)

The US is reporting another confirmed case of mad cow disease, this time in Alabama, but that shouldn’t have any effect on our beef exports to Asia.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, anytime, visit Miss Cellania online.

Monday, March 13, 2006

Politics
Now Tom Daschle is talking about running for president in 2008. I like Tom Daschle, and I think he might be able to win, and he would be a good president, but the one thing I keep going back to is, who voted for the Iraq War, and Daschle voted yea. Al Gore didn’t vote for the Iraq War, so he is not part of the problem, he is part of the solution. Of course I’d rather see any Democrat in the Oval Office than any Republican. George Allen is going to be the next GOP nominee for president, a prospect which I personally find scary. I think he is very conservative. Tim Russert said that he voted 96% of the time with George W. Bush, so those who want a president who is 96% Bush can vote George Allen. I think it’ll be Allen vs. Al in 2008. Of course, I’m pulling for Al.

Disease
For those who don’t think bird flu will get to the United States, even mad cow disease got here, so I feel like it is only a matter of time before H5N1 arrives also. And it’s not necessarily how many deaths any of these diseases cause, although that could be bad, but the inconvenience and aggravation, not to mention the economic costs. Right now we are having to convince Japan that our beef is safe, after finding another possible case of mad cow. Will the Japanese buy it, figuratively and literally? That remains to be seen. These diseases are all a nasty business, but at least it hasn’t gotten as bad here as it got in England a few years ago when they were burning heaps of cows afflicted with hoof and mouth disease; and it hasn’t gotten as bad here as it has been recently in countries like Turkey, where they have been rounding up every bird they could find, stuffing them into bags, and burying the bags, with the birds still alive and writhing inside. Let us hope that nothing like any of that happens here, but with the way that diseases have been spreading around the world, I wouldn’t bet on it.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, visit Miss Cellania online.

The Tao of Bird Flu
39. In fighting bird flu, let us all hope for strong immune systems, as well as effective vaccines and antivirals.

There may be more installments of The Tao of Bird Flu at some time in the future, but the one today will be the last regular installment for a while. I also just wanted to mention that the reason I write so much about bird flu is that there is so much to write, it is fascinating to watch something like this develop, and it is interesting to try and understand the developments.

Miss Cellania did a very nice and insightful review today of my new book, The Tao of Politics Anthology. Thank you, Miss Cellania.


Bird Flu Notes
Bird flu spreads to Myanmar and Afghanistan. The situation worsens in Russia, Europe and Africa.


Wondering how bird flu might impact life in the United States? This article has a good discussion of those possibilities.

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NOW AVAILABLE

As reviewed by Miss Cellania, you now get four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love. And for a good time, visit Miss Cellania online.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

The Tao of Bird Flu
38. Bird flu will be around as long as there are birds.

Political Notes
Al Gore is appearing at a Victory 2006 Reception today in West Palm Beach, Florida, near the site of his 2000 debacle. Tickets are only $50. There’s nothing in the notice that says you get to meet the former Vice President. You may remember that Hillary made an appearance in Florida a couple of weeks ago, and you could actually meet her if you ponied up a thousand dollars or something like that. Whether you get to meet Gore or not, I’m glad to see him out there. This is obviously a political event, and is not the kind of thing that a “recovering politician” attends unless he has fallen off the wagon and intends to jump into the political fray again. Also it is not the kind of thing that a cable TV executive does on a regular basis. Couple this with his Martin Luther King Day appearance and Gore is definitely out there. I couldn’t be more pleased. Al Gore needs to be our next president. I hope he feels the same way. He certainly has the moral high ground.


Why is it that so many people associated with the Republicans are getting arrested these days? I’m just wondering.


Bird Flu Notes
Donald Rumsfeld is making mucho dinero from the bird flu scare. Check this out.

Cameroon becomes the fourth African country to be hit by bird flu. There are more deaths in Indonesia, as well as more cases in Poland and Greece.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

NOW AVAILABLE

Four books in one volume, including, for the first time in print, The Tao of America. Click here for more information about this volume, including excerpts.

The Tao of Politics Anthology, now available as e-book (only $6.00), or as paperback.

Also check here for The Tao of Love.