Quacks, frauds and charlatans

New rule:

 You must stop using the words “toxins” and  “detoxify” unless you are referring to dialysis, alcohol/drug rehab or chelation to remove heavy metals.

The Internet, magazines and numerous other media outlets trumpet the words detox and toxins just like they really knew something. Numerous studies have shown time and time again that there are really no such things as “toxins” other than actual chemical poisons(including drugs and alcohol). Detoxifying  products, usually herbal diuretics with no real medicinal value whatever are the new “anti-oxidants.”  As previously discussed, anti-oxidants taken to excess can remove all the free radicals and oxidants, some of which the body needs to kill germs, in other words, the “anti-oxidants” which are the bugaboo of the health food industry are actually necessary in reasonable quantities for good health.

  The “health” food and nutrition   industries and their distributors like GNC and many others are protected by laws passed by an ignorant Congress influenced, of course by huge contributions and influence from the moguls of said industry. It is easier to get a colon cleanse, detox, or vitamin supplement  or other  product of questionable value  to the market than a drug which really has therapeutic value. Many Americans and in fact, consumers  world - wide take many times the required daily dose of numerous vitamins daily, apparently on the theory that if the recommended amount is good, then five times that amount is better. Linus Pauling, Nobel laureate and later certifiable nut job started this craze with vitamin C . Unlike his early work, genius level bio-chemistry, his fascination with Vitamin C came from a meeting with a charismatic charlatan, who convinced the aging Pauling that Vitamin C would cure “almost anything.”  Pauling died clinging to this belief although it has been debunked and disproven too many times to count in double blind studies. Of course the real danger of choosing mega vitamins over real medical therapy is that a disease treatable in early stages can be beyond help by the time that the duped consumer finally realizes that they’ve  been had.

                In like manner, fish oil and Vitamin E in huge doses have been trumpeted as anti-aging “wonder drugs.”  New research disproves that  claim, but has shown increases in prostate cancer among those overdosing on fish oil and Vitamin E.  Similarly, there is a current craze, started by a true loony- Suzanne Somers, that certain “natural” vitamins are better than “chemical” vitamins. Of course any serious chemistry student can find the flaw here – All vitamin molecules of a given vitamin are identical – not close, not similar, identical!  This is the same with the “Organic” crowd who somehow believe the nitrogen in rotting cow feces is better than nitrogen in chemical fertilizers. Hello! It’s nitrogen, and it’s all the same, like the ammonium and phosphate. Atoms are atoms and molecules are molecules, I just like mine not having fermented in a bovine colon prior to use.

Back to “detox.”  No company who manufactures detoxifying cleanses and drinks in any of their scurrilous advertising will name any “toxin.” Know why? Because there is no evidence that there are these diet related toxins and even worse no proof that any product they sell could remove them if they existed. A human with normally functioning kidneys has natures perfect detox system already, and it was original equipment, no extra cost. These detox “cleansing drinks” are frauds, shams, and rip-offs – diuretics and nothing more. Drink more, pee more. Duh!

We really shouldn’t be too surprised at the gullibility of some of us, though. There are still many persons who think Chiropractic is real medicine. Take a one year course and hang up a sign! Mr. Palmer, the   founding father of the trade, believed that spinal maladjustment caused smallpox. In like manner he thought he could cure deafness by spinal manipulation. Of course this was before we knew that no nerves connected with the hearing process are spinal nerves!    He even made up a term for these phantom misalignments – subluxations. Try to find a definition for it today. Many Chiropractors shy away from even using the term now, since it is meaningless. The fact that chiropractic survives in the present is a monument to gullibility and false hope.  There are some practitioners out there who are really more like physical therapists and use pain management  techniques, massage and other manual therapies with varying results, but in its heyday, Chiropractic practitioners claimed to cure liver disease, Tuberculosis and other germ related diseases. Colds are caused by rhinoviruses, of which there are over 800 varieties, and even though spinal manipulation is of no benefit at all, many go to their local quacks for cold treatment. It’s shameful and embarrassing.

A dear friend had a stiff neck, and went to his chiropractor. When I advised him to see a licensed massage therapist, since they actually can relieve muscular pain, he said his chiropractor did make some progress in relieving the pain. I asked him what was done he replied “He rubbed it for about 15 minutes!”   Hello – that’s massage! Ask your chiropractor to do that for an hour and see how much he’ll charge you!

Lastly, let’s look at Homeopathic medicines. They, and other supplements made from the same herbs are  over the counters of Wal-Mart, GNC and many other stores, even though most of these stores have pharmacies which dispense real medicine. Homeopathy and Naturopathy are old therapies which should have been discredited ages ago, but we are a gullible people. A certain Mr. Hahnemann in the late 1700s came to the conclusion that the best treatment for any ailment was a dose of a substance which could produce the same symptoms. He took Cinchona bark (contains quinine) and got a fever, which led him to this  absolutely ludicrous conclusion.  That would be bad enough, but here’s the real topper: The drug would only be effective as a cure if administered in the smallest detectable amount possible. Another example makes this easier. If one supposes quinine might “cure” malaria, one would take a solution containing quinine and dilute it 100 to one in sterile water. “But wait, Mike, you say , that would leave very little quinine in the sample!” And you’d be right, Leroy, but we aren’t done. Take the already very dilute specimen and dilute it again 200 to one in sterile water. There now might well be no molecules of the “drug” in the dose, but not to worry, before you pour it off, you must bang the sample down in a specified manner on a specified mat! Why?  So that the water “remembers” the chemical which is, in almost absolute certainty, no longer there. This then is a dose of homeopathic medication.

Why do people fall for this scam? Too many times to mention, double blind studies have proven there is no therapeutic value in homeopathic drugs. The simple truth is the placebo effect is at work in homeopathy, detox scams and chiropractic to a huge degree. If one’s parents were gulled by these scams, so will the children be and their children’s children. The real shame here is that any prescription medication has to pass close scrutiny to prove it (they) are “safe and effective, taken as directed” and even these precautions are sometimes not enough (can you say “Thalidomide?”)!  Detoxers, Vitamins in ludicrous doses and these other sham therapies are free of such burden of proof, and to a great degree are unregulated to any real standard.

                The words “caveat emptor” have rarely been as appropriate as in the world of these pseudo-medical quacks, frauds and charlatans.         

Some thoughts for theologians

Brilliant words from the Father of the United States Constitution, which all Americans of all degrees of all or no faiths really need to read and understand. This is relevant to every human being on Planet Earth who believes that their religion makes them superior and therefore fit to rule others.

“During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution.”

“What influence, in fact, have ecclesiastical establishments had on society? In some instances they have been seen to erect a spiritual tyranny on the ruins of the civil authority; on many instances they have been seen upholding the thrones of political tyranny; in no instance have they been the guardians of the liberties of the people… A just government, instituted to secure and perpetuate it, needs them not."

“Who does not see that the same authority which can establish Christianity, in exclusion of all other religions, may establish with the same ease any particular sect of Christians, in exclusion of all other sects?”

James Madison, A Memorial and Remonstrance, addressed to the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of VA, 1795

Although Madison was addressing those who then (and now to an extent) believed that the United States of America should be a "Christian nation," the thought process is as much or more relevant to Islam. Theocracies like Iran and Saudi Arabia (supposedly a monarchy, but only because they suck up to their domestic Wahabi fanatics) do little to help their populations by cramming religious dogma down their throats. Likewise Hindu dominated India has fostered for years a mindset toward women that they are having a terrible time reversing . Isn't it odd that Fundamentalist Christians, Hiindus and Muslims all denigrate women with respect to their freedom, sexuality and place as religious leaders? It seems to me that if any of the world's professed divinely inspired religions were so obviously just, right and beneficial that there would be no need to enforce their observance. If the Taliban are right, why do they have to use terrorism and force to get others to see the rectitude of their viewpoint? If Christianity is truly God's will, why were there Crusades, Inquisitions, witch burnings and continuing persecution of various minorities in his name? Why kill people in the name of a deity who allegedly loves everyone equally?

I leave the subject for now with several additional quotes which relate to my question:

 "In Christianity neither morality nor religion come into contact with reality at any point." - Friederich Nietzsche

"It's fair to say that the Bible contains equal amounts of fact, history, and pizza." --Penn Jillette

"I refuse to prove that I exist" says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing."  "Oh," says man, "but the Babel Fish is a dead give-away, isn't it?  It proves You exist, and so therefore You don't.  Q.E.D."  "Oh, I hadn't thought of that," says God, who promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.  ~ Douglas Adams, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

"Those to whom his word was revealed were always alone in some remote place, like Moses. There wasn't anyone else around when Mohammed got the word either. Mormon Joseph Smith and Christian Scientist, Mary Baker Eddy, had exclusive audiences with God. We have to trust them as reporters---and you know how reporters are. They'll do anything for a story." --Andy Rooney

"It seems to me that the idea of a personal God is an anthropological concept which I cannot take seriously. I also cannot imagine some will or goal outside the human sphere... Science has been charged with undermining morality, but the charge is unjust. A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death." - Albert Einstein

More slander

       The persons below are currently in some sort of relationship with the Obama administration, which has led to the circulation of several scurrilous e-mails. Apparently their sin is that they are Muslim. This was apparently not an issue when George W. Bush was President, since he appointed some of them,  but is an issue now, because of the undying rumor that the president is a Muslim (Baptist sect).  

     Arif Alikhan – assistant Secretary for Policy development for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Son of Pakistani immigrants, appointed by Clinton, served Bush as a career prosecutor in the DOJ (Bush kept him for 5 years after 9/11!) Guest lecturer at Yale Law school (Bush’s alma mater) Member of Ford Foundation foreign policy task force. LA Deputy mayor for homeland security, 2006-2009. His great flaw – a “Muslim sounding” name

      Mohammed Elibiary - Homeland Security Advisor Republican, Founded security firm, supports Muslim Brotherhood.  Having cultivated a reputation as a moderate Muslim -- "the country's leading Muslim deradicalization expert," according to one media report -- Elibiary has advised numerous federal, state and local law-enforcement organizations on homeland security-related matters. Many of these were states run by Republican administrations, which was not a problem until the current Administration brought him onboard.

      Rashad Hussain – U.S. Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Born in Wyoming, raised in Texas, Indian descent. Dad is mining engineer, mom and big sis are MDs. Apparently his crime is being brilliant, as he completed a BA in poly/sci and philosophy in two years at UNC chapel Hill (Phi Beta Kappa) masters from Harvard and a JD from Yale, where he edited the law review. Rashad’s position (Special Envoy) was created by President G’ W’ Bush and the Bush appointee was a Republican Muslim, Sada Cumber, born in Pakistan. He became a citizen 8 years after Rashad Hussain was born in Wyoming! One of the brightest men in America, but there’s that Muslim sounding name again!

Salam al-Marayati  - Not a great choice, but the biggest criticism of him stems from his anti-Israel stance, in which he is not alone either as a Muslim or as an American. In fact, some of his strongest critics are, themselves, anti-Semites. The target of severe scrutiny by American Jewish media persons. His former organization was praised by both the Times and The Philadelphia for efforts to decry Muslim terrorism, but he is still sort of an Islamic version of Patrick Buchanan.

Imam Mohamed Magid - Strives to create and foster dialogue and increase understanding about Islam. Part of his work with the Buxton Interfaith Initiative included forging a partnership with Rabbi Robert Nosanchuk, then leader of the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation in Reston. Both men were recognized by the Washingtonian as "2009's Washingtonians of the Year" for building bridges between their faith communities. Imam Magid continues to provide good counsel for the Muslim community through his regular contributions to ISNA's magazine, Islamic Horizons, as well as a speaker and leader of discussions on imminent issues facing the Muslim American community. He is also well known for his family counseling expertise. Imam Magid lives in Virginia with his wife and five young daughters. Rather like Billy Graham, without the racist and anti-semitic sentiments  (yes, really, no shit.  The White House tapes of the Nixon era are rife with them)

Eboo Patel - American Ismaili Muslim of Gujarati Indian heritage and founder and president of the Interfaith Youth Core, a Chicago-based international nonprofit that aims to promote interfaith cooperation. Born in Mumbai, raised in Illinois, educated at U. of Illinois and Oxford (PhD [Rhodes Scholar]). He developed the idea for an Interfaith Youth Corps, formulated through his relationship with Brother Wayne Teasdale and blessed by the Dalai Lama, that would bring young people of different faiths together around service and dialogue. While a student at Oxford, Patel ran numerous interfaith youth projects in India, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.  He officially founded IFYC in 2002 with a Jewish friend and a $35,000 grant from the Ford Foundation. Today the organization employs approximately 30 people and has a $4 million operating budget. This guy is one of our brightest and best. Apparently his great crime is being a Muslim, since in every other way he is a candidate for sainthood.

 I know, I know, why did I spend so much time looking up the bios on these guys? Well a dear friend who frequently forwards before reading sent me an e-mail criticizing the Obama administration for having these guys in advisory capacity.  Apparently any government position would be inappropriate in the eyes of the original drafter of this e-mail, which like so many these days is short on substance and long on hate speech. The only analogy I can think of would be to  criticize the White house for having  any  Catholic advisors because the terrorists in Northern Ireland are Catholic (yeah, I know half of them are Protestant).  If I wished to be able to carry on dialogue with the Amish community, to this person’s deranged hate filled mindset, I guess I’d ask a Buddhist for advice and insight.

The obvious issue here is classifying and stereotyping an entire religion, with sects as far apart (or further apart) as Mormons and Episcopalians.  As my dear friend Malik once said, “Haters are gonna hate.”  I fear more for those who read these scurrilous e-mails and refuse to exercise their minds enough to evaluate the truth or falsehoods therein. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PETA - pet killers extraordinaire!

 

       The photo below exemplifies  why PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is morally bankrupt. In their world, this older, arthritic dog would be euthanized rather than "owned" (who 'owns' who, here, lol?). PETA is the largest single killer of non-food domesticated animals in America. The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) released its yearly report on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA) shameful animal care record at its so-called pet shelter in its Norfolk, VA headquarters. Public records show PETA killed a staggering 89.4 percent of the adoptable pets in its care during 2012. Despite years of public outrage over its euthanasia program, the notorious animal rights group has continued killing adoptable dogs and cats at an average of over 30 pets per week.

        According to records from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA killed 1,647 cats and dogs last year while placing just 19 in adoptive homes. Since 1998, a total of 29,398 pets have died at the hands of PETA workers.

        “For the 14th year in a row, PETA leaders have shown yet again they don’t care about the unlucky dogs and cats that come to its shelter for help,” said J. Justin Wilson, CCF Senior Research Analyst. “PETA is talking out of both sides of its mouth – on one side preaching its “animal liberation” agenda, while on the other signing the death warrant of over 89 percent of pets in its care. It’s beyond hypocritical.” In PETA world, dead is apparently just another form of liberation.

       Despite its $36 million budget, largely garnered from emotional high  profile pitches  from celebs like Bill Maher, a funny guy who has probably never seen a healthy animal put down for convenience’s  sake,  PETA employees make little effort to find homes for the thousands of animals they kill every year. PETA President Ingrid Newkirk has  indicated to The Virginian-Pilot that the animal rights group “could stop killing pets”, but “it would mean cutting down on press stunts and celebrity photo shoots.”  “We could become a no-kill shelter immediately. It means we wouldn't do as much work."

        The bond between domestic pets and their "owner" is not exploitation or defineable as PETA would do, rather varies from case to case as do human relationships. The difference is that generally, you can trust your dog to give unconditional love in return for the same. This man's karma bank is so full it overflows. Schoep (the dog) finally died from his arthritis with his owner present,  years after PETA would have gassed him. I love this guy and I don't even know his name. I loves me some doggies and kitties!

Lies, damned lies, and statistics (again)

 

 In what has to be one of the most self serving and disingenuous acts ever to be disguised as a good deed, McDonald’s has partnered with Visa to make a website dedicated to showing its employees how “to properly budget” their meager peasant salaries. However, what it actually does is illustrate the fact that it is nearly impossible to get by on minimum wage, as shown in this “example” budget chart actually taken from that website: On first glance, the $1105 top line seems like it might be a part time McDonald’s employee’s pay, but, that is actually what you would make if you were working full-time at McDonald’s - $1,105 dollars a month. Oh, but wait; that’s actually $1160 before taxes at $7.25 hourly (national minimum wage) but less when FICA and Taxes are deducted.

Now let’s say that the “second” job that they budget in here is also minimum wage. That would mean you were working about 74 hours a week, using the national minimum wage on average. That’s almost another whole full time job.

 

And what do you get for working 74 hours a week? Well, you don’t get to heat the apartment, clearly. There’s a zero next to the line item for “heat” in that chart. In most apartments there are separate checks for gas and electric– that would mean that not only do you not get to heat and cool your home, but also that you do not get to heat your water, or cook on your stove, if you have a gas stove. Also noticeably absent in this budget - food and gas. There’s a line for a car payment, but not for gasoline, which is odd, because if you’re working two jobs it’s possible you will pay more for your gas than you’d be paying for your car.

Perhaps the biggest lie herein is health insurance for $20 a month? Maybe if your state gets off its ass and implements the Affordable Health care Act, otherwise there simply is no such thing as health insurance for $20 a month if you’re buying your health insurance on your own. A more reasonable figure is around about $200 a month– and that only covers hospital emergencies, and only for the insured him or herself.

“But Mike,” you say, “this isn’t so bad for a kid working a first job. Surely this minimum wage budget is for the under 20 young employee. Right?” Dead wrong! You may think that most of these minimum wage earners are teenagers. The Michelle Bachmanns and others in Congress who would love to hold, lower or eliminate the minimum wage incorrectly repeat this falsehood all the time. It is an incontrovertible lie!

Anyone interested in the facts? Nationally 87.9% of minimum wage earners are over the age of 20. In fact, the state with the largest percentage of minimum wage earners below age 20 only has 27% at that level or below. 28% of those minimum wage earners people are parents trying to raise a kid on this budget. That is not a good thing for our future and it is not a good thing for our economy.. In order for the economy to thrive, people have to be able to buy things. All the money going to people at the top does not help us.

The minimum wage should have reached $21.72 an hour in 2012 if it kept up with increases in worker productivity, according to a March 2013 study by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. While advancements in technology have increased the amount of goods and services that can be produced in a set amount of time, wages have remained relatively flat, the study points out. Even if the minimum wage kept up with inflation since it peaked in real value in the late 1960s, low-wage workers should be earning a minimum of $10.52 an hour, according to the study. The graph below illustrates this reality. So perhaps a better question is “If productivity has far outstripped the minimum wage, someone’s making more money, right?” Look to the graph for the numbers and to the  corporations for the answer.

Right now, The Bachmanns, Rand Pauls and others in our government are saying that we shouldn’t even have a minimum wage. That employers should be free to pay people whatever they can get someone to agree to work for. If they can get someone to work for $3 an hour, then it should be allowed. These are usually the selfsame people who comfort themselves by telling themselves that poor people are only poor because poor people are “lazy”. I’m fairly certain that someone who works 74 hours a week isn’t lazy. To repeat: If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation it would be over $10 an hour. If it had kept up with productivity It would be $21.72.

I don’t want to live in some dog-eat-dog Ayn Rand erotic fantasy. Human beings are worth more than that. Anyone who works 40 hours a week (never mind 74 hours) ought be able to take care of all the basic necessities in life. This isn’t about redistribution of wealth for Socialism’s sake. In fact, on a national basis it’s the opposite and should be embraced by those who cry for a balanced budget. Corporations shouldn’t be able to pay their workers a pittance,

keep all of the profits to themselves, and expect taxpayers to make up the difference with social programs. It’s not fair to the workers, and it’s not fair to any of us.

New Rule

New Rule - If, like one of my neighbors, you are angry that there were no fireworks at some military installations this year due to the cutbacks mandated by sequestration AND you are a die hard Republican, you may not blame President Obama. I am not terribly distressed by the sequester, although a think a more balanced approach to reining in spending might be better. I am , however, amazed that some Americans are so politically polarized and ignorant that they would look at the issue, which was forced to occur specifically due to the Republicans in the House of Representatives, and then blame the Democratic President. This is roughly analogous to blaming Lincoln for his own assassination. Hmmm - O'Reilly - Republican sycophant - Lincoln book. I get it now, Bill O'Reilly is responsible for no fireworks! The ludicrous sentence preceding this one reflects all the logic and reason exhibited by those who hate the President for their own (can you say "bigot?") reasons and will use even the most far fetched and blatantly untrue issues to blame anythong and eveything on him. Rightists are screaming about the President's Africa trip. They ignore the fact that while there he (President Obama) met with ex-President Bush. Not a peep from the rabid right about the cost of the Bush trip, which was, of course paid for at government expense.Typical!

Anyone interested in facts?

I am ready to puke over some persons criticizing the Obamas' African trip as too costly, not the right time, etc.  Rabid Rightist Mark Levin said “I’ve never seen a presidential family take so many trips" and that Obama "doesn't deny himself or his family a damn thing." Levin stated that Obama is "on welfare, presidential welfare" and that "Obama believes that this is his time to live like a king" and that "his wife is the imperial first lady." He concluded by dismissing the fact that previous presidents have made similar trips by claiming "this president's propaganda is different from other presidents, this president's Marxist class warfare is different than other presidents."  Fox Nation highlighted Levin's attack on Obama with the headline, "Levin slams Obama's $100 million Africa trip: He lives like a billionaire off you and me!"

The truth: the projected cost of the Obama trip was an estimate based on only one of  the trips the Bush family made to Africa. In like manner the cost of an Obama Christmas vacation ($4 mil) was thrown around as abusive and extravagant, while Bush spent 5 times that in travel to and from his ranch in Crawford Texas, alone.  Even more concerning is the fact that GAO numbers for the 7 Africa trips undertaken by George and/or Laura Bush are “missing.”   Apparently the playing field is never going to be level. In conversation today, some friends were blaming the President for the lack of fireworks displays at some military bases, but when I pointed out that the sequester was the reason, another said it was the President’s fault because he couldn’t control his party. Pointing out that  Boeher and the Republican House were the problem and definitely not “his party”  made no difference.    

In fact,  measured  against Clinton and Bush African trips, President Obama’s trip was a model of austerity. He visited fewer countries in less time than  either  of his predecessors, and Bush went twice – in 2003 and 2008. One of the really irrelevant comments this morning was that the economy was better when Bush went, a blatant lie based on the Dow, which is higher now than at any time during 2008, when it was beginning to become obvious that the wheels where coming off the economy.  In fact, George Bush (and his wife) in separate visits both went to Africa in 2008 at a time when anyone with a shred of economic understanding could see the trouble brewing in financial markets.  By mid 2008 the Dow had already lost 3000 points, but the trips continued. Where were the Democrats hurling curses at them?  Didn’t happen!  

I  figured out today that during my years in the Submarine Force I spent  over four years day for day, actually underwater actually deterring a real enemy, the former Soviet Union, so that a**h***s  like Mark Levin had the freedom to distort  the truth and tell outright lies to further their overtly hate filled agendas.