Scientists Invent Particles That Let You Live Without Breathing
This may seem like something out of a science fiction movie: researchers have designed microparticles that can be injected directly into the bloodstream to quickly oxygenate your body, even if you can't breathe anymore.
It's one of the best medical breakthroughs in recent years, and one that could save millions of lives every year.
Monsanto Corporation Threatens Food Sovereignty, Biodiversity, Environment and Health.
Immediate steps must be taken to preserve our food system and future. We recommend the following actions:
1. Immediate moratorium on development and certification of new pesticides and genetically engineered (GE) crops.
2. A long-overdue, thorough, science-based examination of GMO and pesticide safety, by scientists not tainted by the revolving door or financial ties to agribusiness industry giants and all research, past and present, must be available to the public. 3. Clear labeling of all foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
4. An urgent phase out of existing GMOs and pesticides not demonstrated to be safe for people and the environment.This would begin immediately, targeting highest risk GMOs/pesticides first. 5. Urgent public investment in crop breeding to increase the supply of a broad diversity of traditional seeds to meet our agricultural needs.
6. Immediate creation of economic and agricultural supports to expedite conversion from toxic industrial agriculture to sustainable, organic farming – which is healthy for people, the environment and our economy.
7. Public investment in research and education on agro-ecological (organic) farming practices.
8. Monsanto must pay for cleanup of the environment, the remediation of the supply of traditional seeds, remuneration to farmers whom they have adversely affected and the ongoing costs of health effects caused by their products.
9. End production of ethanol for fuel until it can be done in a way that does not adversely affect access to food and does not consume more energy than is produced.
10. End Monsanto’s influence over government agencies. As a start, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor must resign from his position, and the Monsanto Protection Act must be repealed.
Food production needs to serve the function of nourishing our communities. And food production needs to be transformed to sustainable, primarily local and organic agriculture that uses less water and energy and creates better soil and healthier food. Monsanto takes the global food system in the opposite direction toward increased use of pesticides, increased use of energy and water, a less bio diverse agricultural system and a food supply of unknown safety.
The people must unite and stand up. Together we will stop Monsanto.
Here is the official statement from Wholefoods By Walter Robb and A.C Gallo
Whole Foods Market commits to full GMO transparency by giving supplier partners five years to source non-GMO ingredients or to clearly label products with ingredients containing GMOs.
Today, we stood up for the consumer’s right to know by announcing that all products in our US and Canadian stores containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) must be clearly labeled within five years. We heard our customers loud and clear asking us for GMO labeling and we are responding where we have control: in our own stores.
We are the first national grocery chain to set a deadline for full GMO transparency. By 2018, we will require our supplier partners to label products containing GMO ingredients, and we will work in collaboration with them as they transition to sourcing non-GMO ingredients or to clearly labeling products with ingredients containing GMOs.
This is a complicated issue, and we wanted to give our supplier partners enough time to make this change. Fortunately, many of our suppliers are already well on their way to moving to Non-GMO ingredients and a good number are already there. While five years is the deadline, we know there will be progress much sooner and we plan to announce key milestones along the way.
The prevalence of GMOs in the US paired with nonexistent mandatory labeling makes it very difficult for grocery stores to source non-GMO choices and for consumers to choose non-GMO products. Yet we know our customers care passionately. In fact, Non-GMO™ Project verified products are among the fastest growing sellers in our non-perishable grocery category.
For many years, we’ve sourced our 365 Everyday Value products to avoid GMOs in their plant-based ingredients and in 2009, we began putting this line through the Non-GMO Project verification program and encouraged our grocery supplier partners to do the same. Whole Foods Market currently sells 3,300 Non-GMO Project verified products from 250 brands, more than any other retailer in North America. We will continue this important work and our customers will see more and more Non-GMO Project Verified labels on products throughout our stores.
While the US and Canada still have no labeling laws, more than 60 countries do. However, many US states are currently considering mandatory labeling initiatives, like the one in Washington state, where 500,000 citizens signed a petition last year to move the initiative the next step to their state legislature for consideration. Whole Foods Market supports that ballot measure in Washington and hopes it and other such state initiatives will finally lead to one uniform set of rules in support of the consumer's right to know. There are also efforts that have made GMOs now part of a national conversation. JustLabelIt.org, for instance, has collected over 1.5 million signatures in support of mandatory federal labeling. And while we are encouraged by the many mandatory labeling initiatives, we are committed to moving forward with our own GMO transparency plan now.
Until the GMO labeling requirement is fully effective, shoppers can rely on Non-GMO Project verified products and certified organic products if they want to avoid GMOs. The US National Organic Standards prohibit the intentional use of GMO seed in the production of organic crops. As a pioneer in the US organic food movement for the past 32 years, we offer thousands of organic products, the largest variety in the country. To ensure a growing supply of non-GMO options for our customers, we are stepping up our support of organic and certified products, and we are growing the non-GMO supply chain with our supplier partners.
We are as excited about this announcement as we are dedicated to supporting transparency and our customers’ right to know what’s in their food.
Did you hear about the 800 esteemed scientists who came together and demanded the production of genetically modified crops and products be stopped? Scientistswho called on world powers to re-evaluate the future of agriculture and seek sustainability rather than corporate profits? Don’t be surprised if you haven’t, as the mainstream media won’t touch this one.
Eight-hundred scientists did make such a demand. They made it first over a decade ago and they have updated it over the years, adding signatures and release dates. Still global powers have all but ignored their calls.
The Institute of Science in Society is a non-profit group of scientists from around the world, dedicated to bringing an end to what they refer to as the “dangerous GMO “experiment. In their open letter to the world, they have highlighted why governments need to stop genetically modified crops now – before there are irreversible effects on the health of the people and the health of the earth at large.
The Open Letter from World Scientists to All Governments calls for “the immediate suspension of all environmental releases of GM crops and products, both commercially and in open field trials, for at least 5 years.”
They also want patents on organisms, cell lines, and living things revoked and banned. Such patents (a sort of corporate version of “playing God,”) “threaten food security, sanction biopiracy of indigenous knowledge and genetic resources, violate basic human rights and dignity, compromise healthcare, impede medical and scientific research and are against the welfare of animals.”
This would be bad news for Monsanto following the recent Supreme Court decision that they have the ‘right’ to patent life.
Scientists Speaking Out
In the beginning, after its first draft in 1999, the letter had just over 300 signatures. Since then, it’s grown significantly. At the writing of this article, the document has 828 signatures representing 84 different countries.
While we are told by Monsanto and the FDA that GMOs are nothing to worry about and instead safe tools for the future of agriculture, a growing number of esteemed scientists seem to disagree. So, who’s listening?
The letter has been presented to numerous governments and organizations, including the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development, the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Trade Organization, and yes, even the U.S. Congress. The letter has been shared at these venues, but it doesn’t seem like anyone was listening.
The populous has to dig for information like this. We have to seek out the news sources willing to cover it, because we won’t hear about this letter on the nightly news or through a governmental agency. No, the U.S. government wants you to fear what they want you to fear (“terror” and crime, for instance), but they certainly don’t want you to fear the information and the food they are putting on your table. Or the GMOs they are funding with your taxpayer dime.
The Evolution video condenses years of history into just 1 minute, it's a self-contained timepiece. Like a specialized clock, it gives one a sense of perspective.
David Crane and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote an excellent op-ed in the New York Times calling for Solar Panels for Every Home, the price of which has dropped by 80% in the last five years.
Crane and Kennedy start by noting that utilities are urgently rebuilding the exact same antiquated electric power grid build of vulnerable copper wire and wooden poles that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, instead of superior 21st century options that should include solar panels on every home and building.
And, while many are investing in dirty, noisy, and expensive portable gas-powered generators to gain some degree of "grid independence," Kennedy and Crane suggest that placing solar panels on every home and building would be a far more cost-effective way of improving our energy security, reducing our energy costs, and reducing fossil fuel emissions.
Solar photovoltaic technology can significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and our dependence on the grid. Electricity-producing photovoltaic panels installed on houses, on the roofs of warehouses and big box stores and over parking lots can be wired so that they deliver power when the grid fails.
Solar panels have dropped in price by 80 percent in the past five years and can provide electricity at a cost that is at or below the current retail cost of grid power in 20 states, including many of the Northeast states. So why isn’t there more of a push for this clean, affordable, safe and inexhaustible source of electricity? ...Today, navigating the regulatory red tape constitutes 25 percent to 30 percent of the total cost of solar installation in the United States, according to data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and, as such, represents a higher percentage of the overall cost than the solar equipment itself.
By comparison, the federal government of Germany streamlined and standardized permitting which can now be done in as little as 8 days, instead of the 120 to 180 days it can take in the U.S.
More than one million Germans have installed solar panels on their roofs. Australia also has a streamlined permitting process and has solar panels on 10 percent of its homes. Solar photovoltaic power would give America the potential to challenge the utility monopolies, democratize energy generation and transform millions of homes and small businesses into energy generators. Rational, market-based rules could turn every American into an energy entrepreneur. That transition to renewable power could create millions of domestic jobs and power in this country with American resourcefulness, initiative and entrepreneurial energy while taking a substantial bite out of the nation’s emissions of greenhouse gases and other dangerous pollutants.
I agree with Crane and Kennedy that we need to eliminate complex and fragmented web of "regulatory hurdles impeding solar generation" and also and renew the "renewable energy tax credit — which Congress seems poised to eliminate — to balance the subsidies enjoyed by fossil fuel producers."
What a tremendous opportunity for a jobs stimulus plan. As Kennedy and Crane conclude, "the technology is here, we just need the political will" to do it."
Please let your representatives know you care and support national streamlined regulation, (which I believe is sponsored by Senator Bernie Sanders,) and an extension of the renewable energy tax credit so we can build a better future.
Utah State University presented a first-of-its-kind electric bus that is charged through wireless charging technology.
The Aggie Bus rolled onto the streets carrying passengers ; just 16 months after USU demonstrated the first high-power, high-efficiency wireless power transfer system capable of transferring enough energy to quickly charge an electric vehicle. In July 2011, the USU Research Foundation demonstrated 90 percent electrical transfer efficiency of five kilowatts over an air gap of 10 inches. The demonstration validated that electric vehicles can efficiently be charged with wireless technology.
USU’s Wireless Power Transfer team, in cooperation with the Utah Science Technology and Research initiative’s Advanced Transportation Institute at USU, has designed a more efficient way to meet the nation’s transportation needs. By carefully applying a mix of modern advances in engineering and Nikola Tesla’s principles of induction, USU engineer Hunter Wu and his team have solved one of today’s vexing problems in WPT.
Their research has led to the development of a robust prototype, which has been fitted to the Aggie Bus. The prototype transfers power over an air gap where no physical contact is required. Wireless power transfer technology delivers a multitude of benefits to consumers that include greater reliability due to no moving parts or cords, added convenience through the elimination of plug-in charging, the assurance of safety by removing the risk of electrocution and aesthetically pleasing devices as a result of no visible wiring.
USU’s Aggie Bus has achieved several significant milestones. It is the first bus developed and designed by a North American organization that is charged with wireless power transfer technology and is the world’s first electric bus with WPT technology combining the three following performance metrics: A power level up to 25 kilowatts, greater than 90 percent efficiency from the power grid to the battery and a maximum misalignment of up to six inches.
“The unveiling of the Aggie Bus today is a historic achievement and a great leap forward in the science and engineering related to electric vehicles,” said Robert T. Behunin, Ph.D., USU vice president of commercialization and regional development. “As a result of the work done by Utah State engineers, scientists and partners, EV owners and operators will now be able to simply drive over a pad in the ground to recharge their batteries, the benefits of which reach far beyond convenience.”
WAVE Inc., a Utah State University spin-out company, worked in cooperation with the USTAR Advanced Transportation Institute to develop the Aggie Bus. WAVE tackles the problem of heavy and expensive electric vehicle batteries through wireless power that transfers electricity between vehicles and the roadway. The Aggie Bus represents a market-ready product that will be used to retire significant technical risk as WAVE moves onto full-scale projects next year.
WAVE, in partnership with the Utah Transit Authority, will launch its first commercial demonstration in mid-2013 on the University of Utah’s campus. It will feature a 40-foot transit bus on a public transit route and an increase in wireless power transfer charging from 25 kilowatts to 50 kilowatts. The project has been funded by a $2.7 million TIGGER grant from the Federal Transit Administration and the University of Utah which purchased the bus. WAVE intends to deliver a commercially ready product that operates with the same reliability as current public transit bus options, including diesel and compressed natural gas buses.
“Current battery limitations prevent an all-electric transit bus from operating all day from an overnight charge. WAVE solves that problem by charging the bus wirelessly during its daily operations when the bus stops to load and off-load passengers,” said Wesley Smith, CEO of WAVE. “This technology makes electric buses competitive with their diesel hybrid and CNG counterparts.”
Utah State University has refashioned the way in which it conducts its technology transfer operation. The office of Commercial Enterprises, a division of Commercialization and Regional Development, provides a one-stop-shop for industry partnership and intellectual property development. The Utah Science Technology and Research initiative is an innovative and far-reaching initiative of the Utah legislature to bolster Utah’s high-tech economy by investing in university research programs and recruiting new, high caliber faculty. Utah State’s wireless power transfer team is a significant part of USU’s USTAR portfolio.
Social Media Activists Pressure CNN To Stop Ignoring Global March Against Monsanto
The power of alternative media and activists continues to influence the national debate, forcing propaganda news outlets to cover more real issues. The March Against Monsanto had activity in 400+ cities and saw millions of people turn out to voice their opposition to GMO food. The mainstream media had done all it could to ignore it, but after the huge turnout, and the RT.com articlel, more news outlets started to pick it up. CNN ignored the march for as long as possible, but between requests on Twitter and Facebook, the network decided to address it.
Simon, the other judges, and the entire audience laughed as this boy and his friend came on stage. But then those laughs quickly turned to applause and tears when Jonathan and Charlotte started to sing. WOW.
Public outrage over case of newborn boy who was apparently dumped down toilet and had to be cut free by doctors.
Firefighters had to remove the pipe and take it to a nearby hospital, where doctors carefully cut around it to rescue the baby boy inside, the report said.
The child was in a stable condition and the police are looking for his parents, state television said.
The case has been widely discussed due to the graphic nature of the footage, with calls for the parents to be severely punished. "The parents who did this have hearts even filthier than that sewage pipe," wrote one user.
The Associated Press said the child had been named Baby No 59 from the number of his incubator. Police were treating the case as an attempted homicide, and looking for the mother and anyone else involved.
It’s among the most basic, most critical, and most overlooked resources needed to run a hospital: electricity.
But in Haiti’s Central Plateau, the flow of energy is intermittent at best. Consider that in Mirebalais, located 30 miles north of Port-au-Prince, the power goes out for an average of three hours each day. This poses an enormous challenge to running any hospital; surgeries are jeopardized, neonatal ventilators stall, the cold chain is interrupted, and countless everyday tasks get derailed. As Partners In Health co-founder Paul Farmer noted during a recent lecture at the Harvard School of Public Health, “It’s not great if you’re a surgeon and you have to think about getting the generator going.”
To make sure the patients and staff at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais (University Hospital) aren’t left in the dark, PIH and its partners looked toward the sun. Stretched across the roof of the new 200,000-square-foot hospital is a vast and meticulously arranged array of 1,800 solar panels.
On a bright day, these panels are expected to produce more energy than the hospital will consume. Before the facility even opened its doors—the official opening is slated for March—the system churned out 139 megawatt hours of electricity, enough to charge 22 million smartphones and offset 72 tons of coal. Perhaps most important is that the excess electricity will be fed back into Haiti’s national grid, giving a much-needed boost to the country’s woefully inadequate energy infrastructure.
Sustainable Savings
In a country ravaged by deforestation, the ecological benefits of this alternative energy source cannot be overstated: Annually, the system is expected to save 210 metric tons of carbon emissions.
And while a sea of solar panels perched atop a hospital in the mountains of Haiti is certainly eye-catching, it’s just one part of a comprehensive environmental strategy. Other green-friendly features at the hospital include natural ventilation that minimizes the need for air conditioning and motion-sensor activated lights that cut energy consumption by 60 percent when compared with traditional lighting.
This push toward sustainability and energy self-sufficiency translates into significant financial savings. In Haiti, electricity is expensive: The price per kilowatt hour is 35 cents, compared with 5.5 cents in New England. Using solar is expected to slash $379,000 from the hospital’s projected annual operating costs.
When fully operational, University Hospital is expected to be the largest solar-powered hospital in the world that produces more than 100 percent of its required energy during peak daylight hours, an impressive feat for the first-ever teaching hospital in central Haiti. The many lessons learned from the project will prove invaluable as PIH, its partners, and others undertake similarly ambitious and sustainable projects.
Monsanto's Agent Orange caused over half a million Vietnamese children to be born with deformities.
Since the Vietnam War ended and the effects of Agent Orange have become more apparent, many are beginning to look back at the effect it had on the people of Vietnam. Tran is one of many. Her story represents millions living in the shadows of a lasting legacy.
These children will never live a normal life; their deformities are physical signs of human decay. Although their parents were not even born until after the Vietnam War, 18 million gallons of the toxic herbicide, sprayed through the jungles of South Vietnam, is still penetrating the DNA of those born today.
"There are millions and millions of victims still alive and are suffering from illnesses and from cancers," said Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, the Director General of Ngoc Tam Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Dr. Nguyen is Tran's doctor and accompanied Tran to testify on Capitol Hill.
The US government has acknowledged a connection between Agent Orange and the health defects and ailments that continue to plague the lives of Vietnam War veterans for generations. But the US has refused to make the same link for the millions of Vietnamese War victims whose lives have been devastated as a result of Agent Orange.
This is why delegations are here in Washington following a report issued by lawmakers, scientists and doctors calling on the US government to own up to its Agent Orange legacy in Vietnam today.
Government records show nearly 95 percent of all US Agent Orange related aid is committed to contain and remove dioxin contamination. In fact, the US has been providing medical aid for everything but Agent Orange treatment and medical exploration.
Those fighting for justice in the case of Vietnamese Agent Orange victims want the physical and psychological damages to be acknowledged.
"If they accept, they have to pay to compensate for millions of people, not only in Vietnam but also in the United States and also to the other countries, like Korea, the Philippines, Australia and New Zealand," said Dr. Phuong.
Jonathan Moore, an attorney from New York, says US chemical companies at the time of the Vietnam War knew the purpose of the Agent Orange they produced. He says they should be held responsible for its impact.
"The Agent Orange -- used in Vietnam -- that was manufactured by Dow, Monsanto and other chemical companies in the US at the time, contained dioxin rates that were unnecessary and had no effect on the purpose that the herbicides were used for. It wasn't a defoliant, it was simply a chemical that was created because Dow and Monsanto used a process which even at the time was contrary to industry standards," Jonathan Moore says. "Any way you look at it -- from the moral, or ethical, or legal standpoint, we believe these corporations should be held responsible for the harm they caused because they knew what was going to happen."
When finding a steady source of portable water is challenge enough in the developing world who has the time—or water—to take a shower? One South African student may have the answer with a unique, water-less shower gel—that he invented on his dumb phone.
DryBath, as the gel is called, was developed by 22 year old college student Ludwick Marishane in response to the rankness of a friend. Rubbed onto the skin, like Purell, the gel kills bacteria, moisturizes the skin and, unlike Purell, leaves a fresh scent, according to Marishane's company website, Headboy Industries. One packet—priced at $0.50 for rural communities, $1.50 for corporate types—is enough to wash the entire body and kill 99.9-percent of germs, which should cut down on the disease rate in rural areas onset by by poor hygiene. Marishane also sees the technology being adopted by militaries, hotels, and even airlines.
What's really amazing is that Marishane brought the product to market using only his feature phone. From the initial research to building his business plan to developing the patented blend of biocide, bioflavonoids and moisturizers, he did it all without a computer.
Mora County, N.M., has a message for the oil and gas industry: “You’re not welcome here.”
The county commissioners also adopted a bill of rights that asserts Mora County’s right to block drilling, even if the state or federal governments try to allow it. Again from the AP:
In addition to putting the county off limits to oil and gas development, the ordinance establishes a bill of rights aimed at affirming the county’s right to local autonomy and self-governance.
The ordinance states that any permits or licenses issued by either the federal or state government that would allow activities that would compromise the county’s rights would be considered invalid.
“This is the fight that people have been too chicken to pick over the last 10 years, which is essentially deciding who makes decisions about the future of the places where we live,” said Thomas Linzey, executive director of the Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund. “Either it’s the people who live there or it’s the corporations that have an interest in exploiting them. It’s very basic.”
Congratulations, Mora County. May you continue to conserve and enjoy your precious groundwater supplies and clean environment.
The founder and president of a Connecticut military museum was shot and killed at his home by police on memorial day weekend following an alleged domestic disturbance call.
75-year-old John Valluzzo, veteran and president of a Connecticut military museum was shot and killed by police when they came to his house in response to a domestic disturbance call. The police are suggesting that he pulled a gun on them and they had no choice but to shoot him, but there is no evidence of that it happened that way.Witnesses say they heard several shots fired inside the residence.
Valluzzo was a decorated Korean War veteran and founded the Military Museum of Southern New England in 1995.The museum called Valluzzo's death at the start of the Memorial Day weekend a "senseless tragedy.""Sorrow fills our hearts at this sad moment," the museum said on its website. "The news of the untimely death of John Valluzzo comes as a great shock to all who knew him. His departure was sudden, unexpected and particularly distressing."
An autopsy is planned for Valluzzo.
State police said Sunday they're investigating the circumstances at the request of the Danbury state's attorney and Ridgefield police.
"Huge numbers of people on Earth are keen to leave the planet forever and seek a new life homesteading on Mars. About 78,000 people have applied to become Red Planet colonists with the nonprofit organization Mars One since its application process opened on April 22, officials announced Tuesday."
Two weeks into a nineteen week application period, more than 78,000 people have applied to become a settler of Mars in 2023.
Mars One, the nonprofit with the goal of establishing a human settlement on the planet, announced the milestone.
"This is turning out to be the most desired job in history," said Bas Lansdorp, co-founder and CEO of Mars One, in the announcement. "These numbers put us right on track for our goal of half a million applicants."
All applicants have to pay a registration fee, between $5 and $73, depending on what country they hail from, and submit a one-minute video that should convince "people around the world and the Mars One selection committee that you would be a great candidate to become one of the Mars One astronauts," according to the organization's website.
The journey to Mars is one-way because after a prolonged stay in a weightless environment, the human body will not be able to adjust to the higher gravity of Earth upon return, according to Mars One.
Applicants so far come from across the globe, with the most coming from the United States (17,324), China (10,241), and the United Kingdom (3,581). Many of the applicants are younger than 40.
Anders, 51, an applicant from Sweden, said in his video: "I often fantasize to just get on board a spaceship and go, to explore the universe. I often get the feeling that I don't belong here, but up there, in space."
Katarina, 23, an applicant from the United States, said that she's an adventurer and an explorer and grew up in a "sci-fi loving household."
"I've always dreamed of being an astronaut and being able to explore new planets," she said. "I want to go to Mars so I can learn so many amazing things, and share it with Earth to help inspire people to want to continue exploring space and push the boundaries of human knowledge and what we can achieve."
There will be four selection rounds: during the first round the Mars One selection committee "forward the most committed, creative, resilient and motivated applicants," said Dr. Norbert Kraft, Mars One chief medical officer.
Mars One leaders outlined what they are looking for in potential astronauts:
"Applicants need to be at least 18 years of age, have a deep sense of purpose, willingness to build and maintain healthy relationships, the capacity for self-reflection and ability to trust. They must be resilient, adaptable, curious, creative and resourceful. Mars One is not seeking specific skill sets such as medical doctors, pilots or geologists. Rather, candidates will receive a minimum of eight years extensive training while employed by Mars One. While any formal education or real-world experience can be an asset, all skills required on Mars will be learned while in training."
After receiving all the applications (online submission is possible through Aug. 31, 2013), regional reviewers will select around 50-100 candidates from different regions on Earth for Round 2.
The selection process will end in 2015 with 28-40 candidates, who will train for the one-of-a-kind mission for around seven years. On the first mission, slated to take off in 2022 and arrive in 2023, four astronauts will launch. Other groups of four will follow every other year.
The first mission is slated to cost about $6 billion and the organization is looking for a round of funding to pay potential suppliers to do conceptual design studies, so it can better calculate costs. Go to www.mars-one.com if you want to apply.
EXPOSED: Angelina Jolie part of a Clever Corporate Scheme to protect Billions in BRCA Gene Patents, influence Supreme Court decision
Angelina Jolie's announcement of undergoing a double mastectomy (surgically removing both breasts) even though she had no breast cancer is not the innocent, spontaneous, "heroic choice" that has been portrayed in the mainstream media. We believe it all coincides with a well-timed for-profit corporate P.R. campaign that has been planned for months and just happens to coincide with the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court decision on the viability of the BRCA1 patent.The signs were all there from the beginning of the scheme: Angelina Jolie's highly polished and obviously corporate-written op-ed piece at the New York Times, the carefully-crafted talking points invoking "choice" as a politically-charged keyword, and the obvious coaching of even her husband Brad Pitt who carefully describes the entire experience using words like "stronger" and "pride" and "family."
But the smoking gun is the fact that Angelina Jolie's seemingly spontaneous announcement magically appeared on the cover of People Magazine this week -- a magazine that is usually finalized for publication three weeks before it appears on newsstands. That cover, not surprisingly, uses the same language found in the NYT op-ed piece: "HER BRAVE CHOICE" and "This was the right thing to do." The flowery, pro-choice language is not a coincidence.
What this proves is that Angelina's Jolie's announcement was a well-planned corporate P.R. campaign with carefully-crafted messages designed to influence public opinion. But what could Jolie be seeking to influence?
...how about trillions of dollars in corporate profits? -
The so-called Monsanto Protection Act signed into law earlier this year caused such an outrage that people around the world are planning to protest the biotech company later this month. Now a United States Senator is expected to try and repeal that law after mounting pressure.
Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland actually went and released a statement apologizing for allowing the Monsanto Protection Act through and vowing to fight against GMOs and Monsanto. Ultimately, multiple Senators had entered damage control after the jig was up. That is besides Senator Roy Blunt from Missouri, who actually worked with Monsanto (as in he let them write it while he received funding) on the Monsanto Protection Act rider. A rider he says is perfectly reasonable. After all, why not give Monsanto full immunity from the legal system the rest of us are subject to?
Even Obama was getting blasted on his Facebook page following the approval of the Monsanto Protection Act, with the majority of comments coming into his page criticizing his signature on the bill that contained the rider.
Thanks to this activism, it looks like the Monsanto Protection Act may soon be repealed after this new bill hits Washington. This time, we will have plenty of time to let the Senators know that they are voting against the public if they choose to side with Monsanto. And with such a specific agenda for this bill, I see it doing well in the Senate. -
Caught on Tape, Californai Police Hit Restrained Man In The Head At Least 10 Times With A Baton
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man taken into custody by the Sacramento Police Department has died, according to the police department.
Video obtained by CBS13 of the arrest on the 8300 block of Folsom Boulevard shows a suspect being restrained by a male officer’s legs, while a female officer strikes him 10 times with a baton.
According a statement from Sacramento Police Department, a man in his early 40s entered the Metro PCS store and made unintelligible statements to a female employee. She called 911 fearing for her safety. The man left the store, but went back in when officers arrived and attempted to barricade himself inside by trying to secure the front door.