Friday, August 28, 2009
Corrupt Doctors: The Untold MOLD Story
Sharon Kramer, an expert on mold and ACOEM spoke at a press conference called by the California Coalition For Workers Memorial Day for injured workers at the Downey toxic dump site. She spoke on the conflict of interest between the trade group ACOEM and the need to defend people who are sickened by mold. She also reported on her efforts to get a Congressional investigation on this conflict of interest by ACOEM and the role of Senator Edward Kennedy on deleting this aspect in this important expose in a Congressional study. www.workersmemorialday.org
source: http://www.blip.tv/file/2520407
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Monkey scientific advance raises hope for the “Genetically Engineered Child”.
- Yes, it is true. In the future it looks like a child may be born from three biological parents. But just like the hype with human embryonic stem cells promising that “the paralyzed will walk”, here comes more “save mankind from disease” propaganda in an attempt to legalize genetic engineering and cloning of humans.
A team of scientists from Oregon have cloned a monkey from three different parents using an advanced genetically engineered reproductive technique.
Let me explain. In a natural birth in forming a fertilized egg, the mother contributes both the mitochondrial DNA and her female set of chromosomes in her egg, while the father contributes only his male set of chromosomes from his sperm. All three sets of DNA are needed for normal development of the fetus.
In this monkey experiment, the scientists engineered a fertilized egg from three parents by artificial means: They isolated mitochondrial DNA from one female donor, isolated a female set of chromosomes from another female donor and retrieved a male set of chromosomes from a male donor. Add all three sets of DNA to an egg in a test tube and Waaaalaaa…a cloned genetically engineered fetus from three different parents! (Well the later was simplified a bit..but you get the point.)
What was the scientist’s explaination to why they genetically engineer these baby monkeys? To cure inherited mitochondrial disease.
What were their real reason to do this experiment?…To initiate the first step toward legalizing the ability to genetically engineer and clone human beings.
The fact of the matter is that this technology CANNOT cure any born human being who carries a defective mitochondrial DNA. It can only be used to scientifically create a test tube baby whose one of two mothers has a known transferrable mitochondrial defect.
Before we start singing alleluia over this scientific advancement we should ask ourselves these questions:
If a woman KNOWS she has bad mitochondrial genes, then why doesn't she adopt a child instead of making a genetically engineered child that is essentially not naturally her own but is constructed from three different parents?
Alternatively why doesn’t the mother who has defective mitochondrial genes choose to do surrogate birthing instead of the genetically engineered option?
Why does our society have such a fetish of finding all types of scientific ways to create children, when our earth is already over-populated with limited resources?
What purpose does this advanced reproductive technology really serve humanity in allowing parents to genetically engineer their children?
What is the cost of this technology to our society?
In light of our current healthcare cost and access woes, is our public funding of these advanced reproductive technologies being used efficiently and appropriately in regards to our limited resources?
Again, this advanced reproductive technology cannnot be used to help any born human being. Using mitochondrial disease as an excuse to create cloned genetically engineered babies from three parents is the first step toward using advanced reproductive technology to clone human beings for any purpose.
Yes, human mitochondrial disease is a very serious and debilitating disorder, but should we as a society permit genetic engineering of a fetus to make babies from three parents when there are other viable options? Or alternatively should parents have the rights to scientifically create any baby they want when society has to pay for the development of this technology?
What do you think?
Other links:
http://watchdogonscience.blogspot.com/search/label/human%20cloning-gene%20therapy http://www.news-hub.eu/2009/08/monkey-advance-raises-diseases-hope/
Biotech Worker's Rights DENIED
Biotech worker, David Bell is denied Health and Safety Protections and Workers' Compensation after exposure to Agraquest's biological agents.
Below is a complaint written by David Bell's mother to the Commission on Health and Safety and Worker's Compensation in California.
August 27, 2009
Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation
1515 Clay St,
Oakland, CA 94612
RE: Complaint
California is NOT protecting employees rights to work in safe and healthy
environments nor are injured employees given the right to know of the hazards they
have been exposed to.
California employers, who willfully violate Federal and state laws are not held
accountable, they are given the green light to continue to violate the law and there
misdeeds of fraud and concealment are hidden under the umbrella of protection
within the corrupt California worker’s compensation system.
My son, David Bell worked as a laboratory Assistant Researcher/Microbiologist (to
obtain lab hours for his Bachelor of Science Degree) for one of these employers,
Agraquest Inc. (AQ) a biotechnology company that discovers, screens and
experiments with known and unknown microorganisms, AQ searches the world for
microorganisms; and brings them into the U.S., mostly in soil, They receive
microorganisms from “microbe hunters” and other biotech companies; not known is
whether they were natural or mutations and had been genetically modified. At last
count there were over 23,000 microorganisms in AQ’s “microbe collection”.
David also worked with and was exposed to larvae and live insects.
After 5 months and 9 days at AQ, after vomiting and being sick for days David had
purulent bloody pus draining from his nose. He told his supervisor he was sick and
clocked out. He then went to Immediate Care Medical Clinic; was placed on the broad
spectrum antibiotic Zithromax and told to see an ear, nose and throat specialist. This
he did; now the left side of his face and teeth were numb. He was scheduled for the
first, of what would become four major sinus surgeries only seven ( 7 ) days after
seeking emergency medical care. He’s had countless other sinus procedures in
physicians offices through the years.
David stopped producing enough B-cells for an intact immune system; for 3 years,
every 28 days he was hooked up to an IV pump receiving IMMUNOGLOBULIN
infusions at the hospital; each lasting up to 7 hours.
Several of David’s vital organs have been affected as the result of his employment at
the AQ laboratory; respiratory, lungs, heart, liver, spleen and GI tract.
Denied by AQ as being the result of David’s workplace illness and disease were
nineteen (19 ) fungus and bacteria that have been identified in David’s blood, sputum
and/or nose cultures and/or lab results showing levels of antibodies as a result of
exposure; ranging from positive to HIGH POSITIVE. ALL of these fungus and bacteria
are linked to AQ’s products, patents and/or other companies patents that the
scientists at AQ are listed as inventors.
This is David’s medical from 1995-1998; seven ( 7 ) pages total, 1 page is a
Confidential Health Information Form. This is his medical costs after working for AQ
beginning 1999 through 2005 with a cost of over $333,000, mostly paid by medicare
and none by AQ’s workers comp carrier. I stopped calculating after 2005 although to
this day he is still sick and has mucous of every shade of the rainbow coming from
his nose. That is, when he can get it out.
As David’s mother, I swear to you; he has never been sick like this before he went to
work at AQ. He had seasonal allergies, normal colds and flu and he did have a
hernia surgery at the age of 6 because of a car accident.
California has to stop protecting businesses and start protecting it’s workers.
Thank you,
Sandi Trend
cc: file
attachments: Three ( 3 ) photo’s
1) David Bell medical prior to working at AQ; 3 years (1995-1998)
(7 pages ; (1 page is a Confidential Health Information Form) and
comparison to David Bell Medical billings after working at AQ;
(1999-2005)
2) David Bell medical billings after working at AQ (1999-2005)
3) Comparison of David Bell medical prior to working at AQ; 3 years
(1995-1998) and David Bell medical billings after working at AQ (1999-
2005)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Biodefense Industry and It's Public Health Threat
Here is a link to an excellent article on America's Biodefense Enterprise and how it presents problems for public health and safety. It is entititled, "A Dark Winter for Public Health: Meet Homeland security's New Bioterror Czarina, by Tom Burghardt.
Also see: http://antifascist-calling.blogspot.com/2009/08/bringing-bio-war-home.html for more info on our biodefense industry
Friday, August 21, 2009
LAWSUIT TO STOP FEDERAL FUNDING OF DESTRUCTION OF EMBRYOS
Like it or not, the questions remains...Is it against freedom of religion to force taxpayers to pay for research which destroys human embryos when they believe it to be immoral and therefore, against their religion and moral principles?
A lawsuit was recently filed against Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Francis Collins as head of the National Institute of Health in trying to stop federally funding toward embryonic stem cell research since it involves the destruction of human embryos. This lawsuit does not use freedom of religion as its basis of complaint, but rather alleges that the NIH guidelines which establish parameters to use and destroy human embryos for research are illegal since they violate the Dickey-Wicker appropriations provision.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
UBS Whistleblower Thrown in Jail While BAD Guys Get Away.
This isn’t rocket science. No it has nothing to do directly with science. Its about money and fairness and protection for those who speak out about injustice…which indirectly affects science as well as you and me. But most importantly, this story provides a clear example of how whistleblowers are treated in this country. And it ain’t a pretty picture. See this link from the government accountability project regarding Brad Birkenfeld, a UBS banker who blew the whistle on UBS and offshore tax havens.
Monday, August 17, 2009
NY and STEM CELL Researchers Prostitute Women for Eggs
Payment to cull ovum is unethical
Essays – August 15, 2009 - 3:00am
ref:http://rocnow.com/article/essays/2009908150309
The Empire State Stem Cell Board approved compensation for women who “donate” their ovum to the tune of $10,000 per cycle. The board, which overwhelming supports human embryo research, was created through a funding allocation buried in a 2006 spending bill and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
New York State stands alone in its plan to give money to women who undergo ovarian hyper-stimulation and surgery to cull their eggs. Embryonic stem cell researchers, not satisfied using leftover embryos, need money directed to women because few will volunteer for medically invasion procedures with unknown consequences.
As unethical as that proposition is, we really do know a lot about the risks of egg harvesting. Women undergoing ovarian hyper-stimulation for infertility treatment suffer side effects from mood changes to increased risks of stroke and death.
Who among us is not aware of the risks of anesthetic? Every invasive procedure increases susceptibly to antibiotic resistant infections.
Consider who will accept $10,000 to sell eggs. It won’t be educated women. The vulnerable woman, for whom $10,000 represents a huge amount of money, will be targeted
Payment for eggs is an outrageous plan to exploit women’s bodies, objectionable in itself. However, two other critical issues are raised. If an egg is worth $10,000, then what’s the price of a kidney; a piece of liver; how about bone marrow?
The week this mercantile arrangement was pronounced, two ethical stem cell announcements were also made.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared a Phase I Clinical Trial to treat congestive heart failure using stem cells from the patients’ own thigh muscles. In another major story, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation awarded $750,000 to scientists making progress evaluating adult stem cell therapy for Type I diabetes.
How sad that New Yorkers pay for patients to wait for some possible future treatment requiring human embryos while progress using ethical stem cells continues in other states. These states will attract patients and professionals establishing careers in cutting-edge medicine.
The Empire State Stem Cell Board approved compensation for women who “donate” their ovum to the tune of $10,000 per cycle. The board, which overwhelming supports human embryo research, was created through a funding allocation buried in a 2006 spending bill and serves at the pleasure of the governor.
New York State stands alone in its plan to give money to women who undergo ovarian hyper-stimulation and surgery to cull their eggs. Embryonic stem cell researchers, not satisfied using leftover embryos, need money directed to women because few will volunteer for medically invasion procedures with unknown consequences.
As unethical as that proposition is, we really do know a lot about the risks of egg harvesting. Women undergoing ovarian hyper-stimulation for infertility treatment suffer side effects from mood changes to increased risks of stroke and death.
Who among us is not aware of the risks of anesthetic? Every invasive procedure increases susceptibly to antibiotic resistant infections.
Consider who will accept $10,000 to sell eggs. It won’t be educated women. The vulnerable woman, for whom $10,000 represents a huge amount of money, will be targeted
Payment for eggs is an outrageous plan to exploit women’s bodies, objectionable in itself. However, two other critical issues are raised. If an egg is worth $10,000, then what’s the price of a kidney; a piece of liver; how about bone marrow?
The week this mercantile arrangement was pronounced, two ethical stem cell announcements were also made.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared a Phase I Clinical Trial to treat congestive heart failure using stem cells from the patients’ own thigh muscles. In another major story, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation awarded $750,000 to scientists making progress evaluating adult stem cell therapy for Type I diabetes.
How sad that New Yorkers pay for patients to wait for some possible future treatment requiring human embryos while progress using ethical stem cells continues in other states. These states will attract patients and professionals establishing careers in cutting-edge medicine.
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