New Medical Research Paving the Way for New Innovative Treatments/Cures for Neurological Diseases/Disorders

Bruce Willis  /   Michael J. Jox  /   Jack Hanna  / Jack Nicholson  /  Robin Williams

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/989777#:~:text=We%20tend%20to%20characterize%20dementia,required%20for%20delivering%20one's%20lines.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/noninvasive-brain-stimulation-breakthrough-hypnotherapy-2024a10000gf?240111&src=FYE&ecd=WNL_recnlnew1_broad_US_perso_etid6233305&uac=296725DX&impID=6233305

https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-biotherapeutics/focus-areas/neuroregeneration

US Congress Moving Quickly with new UFO Hearings and UFO Declassification Bill

 

        This is certainly a topic that has ridicule factor and triggers many people to use labeling words like "conspiracy theories" and "crazy" and "tin-foil hat", and as I consider this long-running Google Blogger blog page to be serious and impactful and with value, it was with careful deliberation that I decided to weigh on the recent news surrounding UFOs and the UFO whistleblowers and new investigations by the news media and the U.S. Government. Even now with the latest bombshell new reports major publishing media like the New York Times and the Washington Post and other major media outlets on TV and print are hesitant and currently holding back from this giving this full coverage, but I decided that this is news worthy and has major relevance to society, education, humanity's pace of science and technology development, and even our sense of our place in the universe. Full disclosure it's been a topic of personal interest for me since my childhood and while I have maintained interest in it and like to be well-versed on the topic, it is just one of many interests I have and I do not want to be perceived as a UFO fanatic, though I think it is a very cool topic. 

        I am a US-born citizen from Los Angeles and I would like report and comment on the new information regarding UFOs as an enthusiastic private researcher. The new bombshell that came out in June 2023 is the UFO whistleblower named David Grusch who had a long and successful career in the United States Air Force (USAF) and as a high-ranking intelligence official in The Pentagon with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). This person had a high rank and is vouched for by insiders in the government as a dependable and credible and serious person who had a 14-year career and was respected by his peers. Mr. Grusch was interviewed by Newsnation and released a major interview where he stated that he has been authorized by the Pentagon to disclose to the public the information he knows namely that the the US Government, more specificially the US military and national security intelligence agencies have, for decades, had in their possession alien or non-human technological craft and even dead alien bodies, and that this fact has been covered up and the general public have been officially lied to for decades about it. Mr. Grusch stated the famous Roswell event of 1947 was extraterrestrial in nature as well. There are many fantastical claims made by David Grusch including that the US military has hired private aerospace contractors to reverse engineer UFO technology. In addition, Mr. Grusch stated that there are some UFO crafts as big as a football field that have been in the possession of the US military. As fantastical and crazy and unbelievable as it all sounds, as hard it is to take seriously or deal with it, these are serious allegations that have enormous implications and consequences for America, human society, and the world. Politicians have had to answer to their constituents and respond, as has the Pentagon, and the White House. I believe that this is historically and socially consequential news and there will be new developments to come and this will change society and the world. Hopefully for the better.

        The United States Congress led by a bipartisan group of Senators have decided to convene UFO hearings largely spurred by UFO whistleblower David Grusch. These new UFO hearings are due to held by the House Oversight committee in the last week of July 2023, and it is planned that The Pentagon will have to answer to these stunning new allegations. In addition, other whistleblowers apparently that support David Grusch are ready to testify to Congress under oath, as will David Grusch. In interviews, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) has stated that he is aware of several other UFO whistleblowers with first-hand knowledge testimony who can corroborate and support the testimony of David Grusch. All these whistleblowers worked in the US Military and were insiders. In addition, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) the Majority Leader in the Senate and the leading lawmaker has introduced a bill that would order the declassification of classified UFO documents held by the US Government, namely the US Military and intelligence agencies. Sen. Schumer has stated that his bill takes inspiration from the JFK Records Act of 1992, which ordered the eventual release by 2017 of all classified records on the 1963 JFK Assassination. Though I want to note here that as of 2023 thousands of pages of JFK assassination records are still being held classified in violation of the law the 1992 JFK Records Act, though millions of records were released with the help of the ARRB (Assassination Records and Review Board) in the 1990s, that added evidence to the widespread long-held public belief in a JFK assassination conspiracy and cover-up to this day as we approach the 60th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) also supports the new investigations and the release of classified UFO files, he stated "I think people deserve to know." Rep. Burchett also claimed that the US Government has alien tech in it's possession and that is being reverse engineered. Burchett claimed, "This thing is a huge cover-up, for whatever reason. And I just feel like America is ready, we need to know, and to stop with all the shenanigans.” Finally Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has claimed that the US Government has downplayed the reports of UFO sightings it is aware of and what it knows about them. “The number of these is apparently huge, huge. And that is something that the government has, the best I can say about it, downplayed, if not kept from the public, for a long, long time,” Hawley told NewsNation.

           In 2022 there were a UFO hearing in Congress for the first time in decades. Pentagon officials like Scott Bray testified and explained the situation with UAPs (Unidentified Arial Phenomenon) the current official term for UFOs. In 2021 the Pentagon released an official report on UAPs that concluded there was many unexplained sightings and the extraterrestrial hypothesis could not be ruled out. In 2017 the New York Times broke a story by journalist Leslie Kean about the Pentagon UAP investigation unit that made big mainstream news as it was admitted the US Government was publicly acknowledging officially that it was investigating UAPs or UFOs for the first time since Project Blue Book started and closed in the 1960s. It is an interesting question for me, an independent commentator here, why more people are not mentioning the famous case of Bob Lazar who made headline news worldwide in 1989 claiming he was hired to help reverse engineer alien spacecraft in Area 51, namely a smaller base to the south named S4. In the 3 decades since then Bob Lazar has maintained interest in his story and a degree of credibility, even a major documentary was released in 2019 about his story. Also, I note that I have not seen or read anyone mentioning the Disclosure Project in May 2001 in the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. that was organized by Dr. Steven Greer and he assembled dozens of credible military insiders and whistleblowers to attest to the reality of UFOs and alien visitation. I also think that the "Majestic 12" document controversy since the 1980s is relevant to discuss as well, though I have not read any journalists bring that up. The "MJ-12" documents were alleged U.S. Government documents that were leaked to private researchers in the 1980s that purported to described a secret group of scientists and politicians within the U.S. Government who managed and handled the UFO technology and crash retrieval and cover-up of the matter since the time of the National Security Act of 1947, a secret group for UFO study and research similar in concept to the Manhattan Project that was for atomic weapon development during World War II. Those "MJ-12" documents remain controversial and disputed and there are arguments for their authenticity and arguments that debunk them as a hoax. Some researchers speculate and theorize that the documents were released as government disinformation or part of the long process of Soft Disclure to ease the public shock of Full Discloure of the UFO reality. In any event, It seems clear to me these earlier UFO news events are echoed by the new UFO whistleblower testimonies in 2023 and are relevant to the current Congressional investigations of UFOs.

         So the concluding question is what is the significance of all this? What does all this mean how is this important meaningful for the average American and average world citizen? Where is all this leading to? Well, this has been a popular pop culture topic in America since 1947 and throughout all the decades to 2023 the government investigations and popularity of this topic with movies and TV shows and books and the media, I think the truth of the issue needs to be finally widely disseminated and accepted. I think ultimately this is a question of truth and consequences. I believe that the truth must ultimately prevail. Polling results have consistently shown in the past several decades that a majority of Americans believe that the US Government is hiding information about UFOs and knows more than it is telling the public, the latest Gallup and Rasmussen polls show that a majority of Americans believe there is intelligent life beyond Earth in the universe and that the US Government is covering-up the evidence for UFOs.  There may be things to learn and know about this matter that could be difficult for the average person to handle. There very likely have been national security considerations for concealing the full truth of this matter from the American public, the reasons probably include the risk of adversarial nations from gaining information / technology that could be used against America, and also the risk of public hysteria. It has been seen as having ramifications for religious institutions as well. But I think kids and Adults can handle the truth and deserve it. I believe there are major implications in all this information. It would be humbling and exciting to know that there are advanced races out there that have advanced technology that enable travel among the stars. Who knows that kind of magic and wonder their civilizations could have created that would Wow us and Amaze us? Maybe there is much we can learn and be improved as a human civilization by peacefully and cooperatively interacting with spacefaring advanced extraterrestrial civilizations. As to the question if aliens are friendly or not, I think that is a good question. David Grusch mentioned in his interview with Newsnation and in his testimony to the US Congress hearing that he and his wife had seen video evidence of "very disturbing" behavior of an Alien to a Human. The question of whether aliens are friendly or hostile/potentially dangerous is a question I do not have a direct answer to and I think that it is obvious that this question has national security implications, and of course global security implications as well. I think that is a scary thought that there could be hostile aggresive violent dangerous even evil Aliens out there, especially if they have super advanced technology and highly developed intelligence. However, even there I would caution people to not stereotype and jump to conclusions. I certainly don't want to see a Future where people are scared of Aliens. While I believe all kids and Adults or Grown-Ups All People Should be Safe and Protected and I don't like to see violence, I would not want Aliens to be mistreated or stereotyped or hostile actions on the part of Humans towards Aliens. I can understand there are potential logical justiciations for the relevant agencies of the U.S. Government to have withheld from the US public the full Truth over the last many decades, there are potential logical reasons like avoiding mass panic or society disruption or keeping advanced technology secrets from adversial nations and also there could potentially be scary information that many people would not be able to Handle. I think that most Kids and Adults can Handle more than what we may assume they can. I would offer that humans have not always been so friendly to even other Humans let alone other Animals on Earth, there have been historical levels of conflict and violence between different groups and between nations in different regions here on Earth. There has long been the human activity of hunting animals for Sport and Fun not just for eating or sustenance, also many animals have been killed historically for economic reasons beyond food sustenance like furs and whale oil and Elephant tusks, etc. But many humans have had demonstrated great acts of genuine Love to one another and many humans have performed great acts of love and care and protection for animals and nature as well. Even the typical modern 21st century office environment can have interpersonal politics and conflicts sometimes and many families have disputes and family quarrels that sometime turn very serious or violent, and definitely most people have dealt with bullies of some sort while going to school. I think that if alien races have been visiting Earth for some time then there would have been plenty of time for them to annihilate us if they wanted to. David Grusch mentioned that there is good reason to conclude than a higher intelligence alien civilization has been monitoring human civiliation for thousands of years, and that there is reason to believe Humanity itself was seeded by a higher alien race. I think there are so many exciting interesting cool things to learn about this matter. Also, David Grusch mentioned that a hardware technological UFO flying saucer was captured and studied by Benito Mussolini's government in Italy in the 1930s....As a Person who went to school as a Kid, I can easily deduct that it is highly likely even close to Certain that Adolf Hitler's Nazi Germany regime, as the leader and major Axis ally of Italy, also came into possesion of this UFO flying saucer or others like it, and that it is logical to conclude that Nazi Germany under Adolf hitler had access to highly advanced extraterrestrial alien technology, during the Pre-World War II environment, Before it became what remains the bloodiest most violent most deadly war in recorded Human history....even with the more recent Global Threats Stressors of the Age of Nuclear Weapons, The War on Terror, and the COVID-19 global pandemic. My best guess is that just like on Earth there may possibly be some cosmic conflicts in Space between advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, and there possibly could be Aggressive/Hostile alien races and also Friendly/Peaceful/Benign alien races as well. I would Hope that there are much more Friendly/Benign/Peaceful alien races out there than not. It could be a dangerous Universe but I personally Prefer a Hopeful Exciting Interesting Cool Universe to explore and expand frontiers of knowledge and peace. All humans are not friendly but many are, maybe not all aliens may be friendly but many could very well be, but I certainly want to believe that a unified humanity can be on friendly terms with advanced extraterrestrial civilizations and ultimately advance our knowledge and spiritualism and we can expand to new frontiers of peace and knowledge and wonders of science. Essentially a vast improvement of our human civilization in all areas sounds extremely exciting to me. David Grusch mentioned in his interview with Newsnation that there had been treaties or agreements made between some alien races and the U.S. Government that "could put our future in jeopardy." I have not seen any follow-up on that topic and I certainly would like to be more aware and learn more about the possibly treaties that were made and could be made with Alien groups and I think that I would find that fascinating to learn the truth about that and the implications for human society, for better or worse. David Grusch also stated the reason he came out publicly on the information was that he did not want to grow old and regret later not revealing the truth to the American people, call me a Boy Scout or whatever he said. Well, I was a Boy Scout of America as a kid in Los Angeles in the 1990s and as I remain a loyal United States-born citizen and also as a humble Grown Man now I feel spot on with David Grusch and I think this has the real potential to change the world for the better. 

       So to conclude as a US-born citizen from Los Angeles all my life this topic has been very popular. Yeah, I watched "The X-Files" as a kid growing up in Los Angeles in the 1990s

and even a bit in the San Franciso Bay Area in the late 90s and early 2000s as a Developing Teen Boy, and Yes I've watched countless UFO documentaries and TV specials and read books and magazine on the subject, it was a topic of interest for me starting as a Young Boy in Los Angeles like many tens of millions of Americans and people around the world. I certainly am well-versed on the subject and I know about all the government investigations since 1947. I've approached it with curiosity and a scientific fact-based search for the truth. In conclusion, I would say as a Grown Man now that the truth of this matter interests me, and I think that the American people deserve the truth. Since the dawn of the Space Age in America in the 1950s and 1960s during the Cold War the subject of UFOs and the idea of extraterrestrial visitation has captured the interest and fascination of countless Americans for decades, it has been an ongoing national security concern, and countless Americans for decades have been asking questions and studying the subject and been waiting for clear and direct Truthful answers. Many people have died without receiving the full Truth from higher authorities. I think that there are a lot of benefits and positive applications of the UFO technology to transportation and energy industries, and I think that elevating human consciousness is a good idea. I think it is a great crime to keep this is a secret reserved to a small group of people and reserved only for Special Access Programs in the US Military.  I think that it is obvious UFOs represent much more advanced technology that what is currently known and accepted by most Humans and that it is obvious it has military applications. For example, David Grusch has stated that the UFOs may not all necesarrily be from other planets in other solar systems, some could be coming from other dimension of space and time, even from the Future. It is possible that some UFOs could be arriving from other planets in the Universe though Sure. But I think in terms of the military applications we as a society and people need to be very careful about that, I personally stand for peace and cooperation, and while I think there is much I would need to learn about the reality of the situation, I would certainly say that I prefer a planet Earth where the leading developed nations are not devoting vast sums of money and resources on their militaries alone and in regional conflicts, and I would prefer a world public that is United Peaceful Hopeful Earth and has a Good Energy consciousness and that lives in international peace and good-will and harmony on Earth and can peacefully cooperate and interact with other advanced races in the universe. Humanity needs to evolve and move away from regional conflicts and in-fighting among different groups, especially when such conflicts become violent and destructive, though I recognize that it is not always an easy and simple thing to resolve conflicts peacefully between nations and groups. It is easier said than done. But I personally prefer things can be resolved peacefully and cooperatively, the effort and good acts and cooperation of doing so leads to good things, in my opinion. I believe that the vast sums of money and resources that have been spent for many decades on military applications alone can be opened up to improve childhood education and adult education and bring the technology for peaceful civilian applications and benefits. I believe that advanced alien civilizations may have long ago solved some of the problems we have had as Humans here on Earth, they may already have superior knowledge on medicine and technology and how to educate kids better and organize society better. I just think there could be such vast improvements in the quality of life for the average person on the planet Earth, such potential to ease suffering and lift the human experience. It's obvious Humanity has lots of faults with the violence, crime, negativity, disease, pollution, ignorance, poverty, extreme inequality, and the war, racism and exploitation that we have seen throughout history, but while Humanity is capable of nightmares is has also shown itself capable of great Art and Dreams and Achievement and Love and Care and I think this could be a time for Humanity to to strive for better things and make another great consistent leap Forward For Peace and Happiness and Good Health for All People For All Time, to join the cosmic galactic community. I don't think mean to sound too 'New Space Agey' or turn people off.  I am not against the US military I just believe that excessive secrecy and excessive militarism goes against the ideals of America and the US Constitution. I think that most people are just busy in their day to day lives trying to make ends meet and work and or study and be busy with responsibilities of life, but I think this is relevant to every soul on the planet Earth. It is a Spiritual matter as well to learn about the wonders of God's creation. It never made sense to me when I learned from physicists just how utterly incomprehensibly vast the Universe is including the fact there could be other dimensions of space and time even possibly other Universes, so when I learned the nature of space and time is likely Infinite, it seems very unlikely that Earth would be the only repository of life and advanced intelligent life forms. 

Update! October 24th, 2024:

A New UFO Hearing Will be Held in the US Congress after the upcoming November election cycle in America. According to UFO researchers in the media like Luis Elizando and Jeremy Corbell and others, this will be a significant event in the topic of UFOs and UFO disclosure. In the past Month there has been insider whisteblower testimony to stunning programs run from the Pentagon like Immaculate Constelation, which I find enormously exciting and interesting to Learn about.  The official statement from the Pentagon remains that there is no evidence of UFOs and alien life being held by the US Government, however there are a growing number of insider whistleblowers stating the opposite to the American public. Stay Tuned! There should be a lot to learn about this subject in the coming months! 😇😊🙏

In the next few days,  I will be revising this blog post to include references to Col. Philip J. Corso and the "Ancient Aliens" theory (And the TV show 😂) and a discussion of potential hidden UFO bases on Earth and on the moon and around the solar system.

Thank You!

https://futurism.com/harvard-scientists-unknown-civilization-cryptoterrestrials

Hawaii is The Healthiest State To Live in America - 2023

                According to several leading national Health Ranking surveys, Hawaii has again made the news as one of the top 5 list of Healthiest states to live in the United States of America, with many putting Hawaii as #1. This has been the trend for decades now. 

                There are several reasons for this. First, Hawaii ranks #1 in state Health Care service according to many rankings, and is widely respected as having one of the best Health Care systems in America. The state assigns a high tax share to each resident to cover nearly everyone and Full Medical Care IS provided to nearly everyone. They have less than 4% of residents as being uninsured without health insurance. Second, the nature and beauty and warm tropical weather of Hawaii leads many of it's residents outdoors to engage in physically active lifestyles. More exercise leads to better health. Also, Hawaii has some of the cleanest air in the world. Being located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean keeps the environment fresh and clean and Hawaii is very far from any major pollution any heavy industrial pollution.

                There are some downsides to the Hawaiian dream life that pulls down it's rankings from being even higher in all categories, for example economic rankings. There is a high economic hardship index ranking and excessive alcohol drinking ranking. To be sure, in Hawaii state the major economy is the tourism industry and hospitality sector. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the cost of living is high in Hawaii with housing being among the most expensive on average in America and there a large sectors of the state population especially Native Hawaiians who do not share in the prosperity and do not get to live in the most desirable locations. Also Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders as an ethnic group have much higher rates of obesity and diabetes and economic hardships, unfortunately, statistically, than other groups in Hawaii, and have suffered historically from discrimination, displacement, racism, and theft of their independent Hawaiian Kingdom nation in 1898 by the United States Government, a fact first officially recognized and apologized for in legislation termed US Public Law 103-150 that was signed by United States President Bill Clinton in 1993. 

                On a personal note, I was able to live for about 1 year in Hawaii as a young student. I lived in a student dorm in Waikiki and commuted to Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) in downtown Honolulu on the TheBus, one of the best public bus systems in the world. I was very young at Age 22 and found some success there and for for some time I lived the Hawaiian dream and when I was on point with my classes and staying a bit social and living a heathy lifestyle with quality sleep, a good diet, and some exercise, I really felt great there and the energy and vibrancy of the community was exciting and good and the natural beauty of the area made it easier to just get out walk around or go for jogs and go to the gym. Going to the beach and jogging trail made for great scenic adventures and I could do no wrong going to the Ala Moana Shopping Mall and entertainment complex. I remember that it was a little slower pace of life in Hawaii, which fit my needs well. There were a number of students in my dorm and campus life who were quite friendly and positive caring to me and I made a number of quality friendships and I enjoyed the positive social connections. There were many caring people in my student life there, I feel I was mostly responsible for not being as social and outgoing as I was capable of being, I made less effort to be bold and take risks socially and I was capable of being more warm and friendly to those reaching out to me, and many good people in college and the community reached out to me in friendship.

                However, like many college students, I was still juggling what my best long-term academic and career goals were and I was not having any income while I was a student there which made me feel weaker less confident and eventually my focus on classes was off and I did not maintain that healthy lifestyle that I needed to. I also ended up dropping out academically and socially, losing a lot of my focus on life to move forward, I went searching for a long lost romantic partner and for those major reasons I left my student life in Hawaii prematurely and returned to the mainland in California to try to reset and find a new path. This path I took disappointed many people and I immediately would go on to  struggle a lot in California. And for many years after being a student here, even though I left amid personal struggling circumstances, I sentimentalized and missed and longed for the good experiences and relative freedom I had in Hawaii and I have dreamed about if could still be a place to return and if not be a college student again but get my old lifestyle there back in a bigger and better way by living a stable Mature Young Adult life with my own Condo and Good Job and Family and Friends Support System and some reasonable income to support the high quality of life.

                It does not seem too feasible for me now that I have been living and working in the San Francisco Bay Area for some time now and I was married here to a nice girl and I have been raising a toddler girl with her here...we have since our marriage managed some modest savings (at the time of my marriage I had no money of my own though I had had years of work experience but that's another long story) and now after 5 years of working together here we still can't come close to affording a Good House here and Hawaii would be even more expensive than the Bay Area....There have not been very good opportunities here in the San Francisco Bay Area for me in terms of education, training, Career....Plus I personally have no support or encouragement from anyone to settle down in Hawaii now at all except negative mocking teasing sometimes angrily by my wife about her booking a one-way airplane ticket for me to fly to Hawaii and find some  desperate way to make money and then send back child support to the Bay Area for our baby girl's schooling which she my wife wants to be done in the Bay Area as it apparently is known for good schools....or was?...LOL????…This Area has really gone downhill  in my opinion. Nonetheless for years even before my marriage it still has been a dream that comes up in my Head, every once in a while, I love Hawaii and will always remember the positive Good Youthful student days in Hawaii I had that at times was a dreamlike adventure in Paradise that was a gift and a privilege.

                I feel I must be humble and reflective and accept my large share of the responsibility of what I consider to be a great setback that I did I did not at the time take the extra effort and time to work with the elders in my life better like my parents and professors and college advisors to complete my education there and try to find a Good Career that matched my talents, ability, and interests and potentially settle down in Hawaii longer-term with good housing and a good Income and overall a very Good Quality of Life.

               But that's Enough about me, Going back to the subject of Hawaii and it's status as the healthiest state in America, I would like to see and I am interested in helping Hawaii having a more sustainable future and develop and improve in other areas of it's quality of life too like environmentally, socially, and economically. There was a dip in tourism and the state's economy during the height of the COVID pandemic but I read that Hawaii as a state and as a people handled the crisis well and the tourism sector has rebounded. It would be great to see improvements in the education system in Hawaii as well in primary, secondary, and higher education. To deal with climate change in the future, there are steps that can be taken to alleviate those impacts. It would be great to see more job training and economic opportunities for the people of Hawaii so more could be part of a thriving economy. Affordable housing programs could help get more people into good housing that are currently priced out. I also believe it would be hugely beneficial to help keep low the rates of diabetes and obesity and drug/alcohol addiction, and to manage and treat better medically the population that already suffer from those diseases. In addition, there needs to be good and creative ways to handle the homelessness problem as well that can respect the complicated problems the homeless suffer with and the communities they call home. I believe the Hawaii State government and an active, engaged citizenry of Hawaii can work together to help improve not just the state's health rankings but other measures of it's quality of life as well, so that Hawaii can be known in the future as one of the best places to live not just in America but in the world.

• https://www.forbes.com/advisor/life-insurance/states-ranked-least-healthy-populations/
• https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/12/16/hawaii-news/hawaii-among-healthiest-states-new-survey-reports/
• https://nypost.com/2023/04/03/hawaii-ranked-best-place-to-live-for-a-long-and-healthy-life/
• https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/02/28/hawaii-ranks-1-life-expectancy-spam-consumption-make-it-make-sense/

Update! July 2024:

The Lahaina, Maui wildfires of August 2023 were the deadliest wildfire in modern US History and the worst natural disaster in Hawaii's history. The death toll was 102 people. It was a huge tragedy for the people of Hawaii and caused an emotional toll as well. The economic damage has been estimated to be between $4-6 Billion USD in terms of property damage and loss of tourism and a lowered economy directly as a result. 

Slowly, the island of Maui has rebounded and rebuilt. Tourism has not yet fully rebounded but the efforts and initiative of the people of Maui and Hawaii has helped the recovery both of families, property, tourism, and the economy. Tourism for the wider state of Hawaii was negatively effected but has rebounded as well. 

Much can be learned from the Lahaina, Maui wildfire to help prevent future wildfires in Hawaii and other states of America and in other areas around the world. Much can be learned both in how to help prevent such future wildfires and also in how Government, emergency first responders, and the public can work together to better respond and significantly improve responses so that loss of life and property damage can be very much lowered.  There is a debate on how much climate change played a part in the Lahaina wildfires. In my research, it seems the scientific consensus is that while climate change can't be blamed entirely for the disaster, it played a major part in the large-scale negative effects. The drier grasslands and the stronger hurricane winds were major ingredients in spreading fast the large-scale wildfire. So that's an additional consideration in preventing and preparing for the risk of future wildfires around the world. Climate change (or Referred as global warming or man-made climate change) should not in my opinion be a political issue. I think it fits better as a spiritual and moral issue, which is written in the Scriptures, which is the need for mankind to be a good steward of the gift of Nature and take care of the environment of Earth.

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/22/1195289225/lessons-maui-can-take-from-other-states-to-protect-against-future-wildfire-disas

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/18/1194505306/3-strategies-maui-can-adopt-from-other-states-to-help-prevent-dangerous-wildfire

https://www1.wsrb.com/blog/wildfire-in-maui-what-can-we-learn

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/08/25/maui-wildfire-lahaina-lessons/

COVID-19 Global Pandemic Reveals Tragedy and Hope

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a deadly and serious viral outbreak that has officially left over 5 million dead worldwide and over 300 million infected. It has been difficult and scary for kids and adults both. As of January 2022 the true global death toll may be two or three times that number. The United States has the highest national death toll at over 700,000 casualties as COVID-19 has been the worst pandemic in US history. Countries that have fared the best during this time are those that administrated the vaccines to their people efficiently and also enforced public safety measures like mask mandates and social distancing and lock-downs. The hardest hit countries was the USA, India, Brazil, many in Europe, and Latin American countries. Pre-existing health inequalities have been magnified by COVID-19 statistics in the USA and elsewhere especially as lower income countries have had very low vaccine administration rates compared to high income countries.  It is the worst pandemic on modern times that has effected everybody's life on the planet, with mask mandates, social distancing, and lock-downs becoming part of our normal vocabulary. Company offices have been closed, schools and colleges changing the the way they teach perhaps forever. It must be hard to be growing up during this COVID time for young people as this has been a virus that is everywhere and at the same time nowhere, it has crossed traditional divisions between people and nations, and has effected friend and foe alike. Hard-hit regions and nations have seen their front line health care staff overburdened and stretched to the limit. It has turned everyone, regardless of age gender race or social status, into a potential virus agent. 

But in the spite of the enormous tragedy and loss of life and suffering, there remains a lot of positives we can take out of the situation. Scientists and doctors around the world have been heroically making enthusiastic efforts to solve the pandemic by learning more about coronaviruses, and the life saving COVID-19 vaccines were developed in record time. It really has been an international effort on the behalf of talented scientists and MDs including in nations such as China and Russia and Singapore and Europe and India and the USA. I've left out a lot of countries but I don't think there is any area of the world or any nation that has not had talented and enthusiastic researchers developing the life-saving vaccine technology and cures to save lives and prevent a worse pandemic and even help prevent treat Future viral pandemics. The global rapid response to SARS-COVID-19 will help humanity be better suited to handle future viral pandemics, especially with the new mRNA vaccine technology that was put to good use by leading biotech companies like "Pfizer" "Moderna" "BioNTech" and numerous others. The mRNA vaccine technology will apparently have many many more excellent medical uses beyond SARS-COVID-19 prevention. Biotech companies around the world are also able to modify the mRNA vaccines to adjust to the latest variants like the Delta variant and booster shots will eventually be administrated to most people to offer more protection from infection and death. In addition, numerous labs are working on antiviral treatments that will treat those already infected with COVID-19. So the two mainstay complementary treatments will be vaccines and antiviral treatments will hopefully end the crisis eventually. 

Many experts predict that eventually this crisis will wind down and people will be required to take the COVID-19 vaccine as part of their normal annual immunizations. After the COVID-19 crisis winds down normal day to day workplace life and school environments may end up cleaner and more healthier due to more routine hand washing and antibacterial cleansing and the treatment of future viral outbreaks will be much better managed.

A lot of humanitarian and charity aid groups, in addition to the U. S. military, have been organizing mass distribution of vaccines and other essential medical supplies to vulnerable groups in the USA and other parts of the world.

UPDATE JULY 2023: The US Government recently declared the end of the public emergency for COVID-19. And Biotech researchers are making progress on the mRNA vaccine technology and are optimistic that a universal COVID vaccine can be developed that will protect against all future coronavirus variants and that it is already possible to prepare vaccines that will protect against future human coronaviruses that may emerge. Other good news is that scientists are developing a mRNA flu vaccine that will last for years and better protect against the flu. Some scientists also believe that a mRNA cancer vaccine is on the horizon that may cure many types of cancers and revolutionize cancer treatment, hopefully that pans out as that will save many lives and vastly improve cancer treatment. Many scientists are very optimistic about the medical potential of mRNA vaccines though it remains to be seen how much of that optimism leads to actual real new better medical treatments...For example some very optimistic studies from Moderna claim that they are developing an mRNA vaccine shot that will cure the common cold. That would be really wonderful if that becomes reality, but I think it is best to be cautious about such bold projections like that. I do hope Moderna is able to achieve that though as I would love to be rid of the sufferable symptoms of the common cold like coughing, sneezing, wheezing, fevers, runny nose, sore throat, body ache, etc. that probably everyone has had enough of and I certainly don't look forward to my next cold. 😂 LOL.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/01/health/mrna-vaccines-covid-future/index.html 

https://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2021/01/11/modified-mrna-future-treatments

https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/moderna-sets-sights-common-cold-triple-attack-against-respiratory-diseases

https://www.verywellhealth.com/biden-administration-invests-in-pandemic-antiviral-pill-5190567

Update! March 2024: New mRNA Vaccine Medical Discoveries To Boost Immunity and Cure Many Diseases: 

https://theconversation.com/customizing-mrna-is-easy-and-thats-what-makes-it-the-next-frontier-for-personalized-medicine-a-molecular-biologist-explains-216127 

https://www.drugtargetreview.com/news/110685/pure-capped-mrna-vaccine-encourages-more-effective-vaccine-development/ 

https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/01/04/1083984/making-rna-vaccines-more-powerful/ 

https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/02/1087536/the-next-generation-of-mrna-vaccines-is-on-its-way/

3 Ways to Support Students’ Emotional Well-Being During the Pandemic

  Hello all potential readers basically everyone in the USA and world, especially students of all ages, teachers, school/college staff, families, those suffering trapped alone and those who are thriving and happy and hopeful. Bascially all people. So this post is my gift and attempt to give back and contibute promote safe and healthy and positive childhoods and adulthoods. 😃

   This is a tough challenging time for all people today in the whole planet.....for all nations and people of all backgrounds...for those growing up and enjoying and having to go to school/college and those helping students here is a great link that can help out possibly those people.

   Hopefully soon scientists and doctors and medical professionals can resolve slowly by slowly sometime soon the COVID-19 virus situation with a good long-term solution that will help life return to more safety health peace and harmony and happiness and security. 

   Meanwhile I hope this link helps students and those in the school environment. Especially more so students kids adults who are struggling with emotional disorders, learning difficulties, health challenges, family stressors, abusive relationships, lack of money, and other roadblocks to optimal health and success and achievement and well-being and safety in their learning either at the school-level, at the college-level, job-training, or the workplace environment, or even at home. 😊

 More health and safety and wellness posts to come soon! 

  Disclaimer to my readers: I  want to be honest and say I am not officially an employee or personally affliated with Google or Alphabet corporation nor am I a trained professional medical professional or trained journalist....all unfortunately .I am just a struggling Working Young Adult like many others are but I feel I have interesting and useful knowledge to share and to help society and people. But I do have some good college education and some good accomplishments and I hope this good intention-ed and positive notes here on this independent Google Blog bring some sunshine and happiness and hope and positive encouragement to folks out there, including me!

   All the best in peace and health and beauty and art and happiness and love, calm, relaxation, peace of mind, fun, positivity, constructive intelligent peaceful protest, healing, intelligence, constructive hard work, progress, and achievement with creativity and imagintion and cooperation, kindness, goodness and character, peaceful cooperation, understanding and peaceful conflict resolution, safety, hope, humility, spirituality, hopes and dreams, responsibility, and stability to all....slowly by slowly...with simplicity and patience and appreciation....especially show respect and appreciation for life property and rights of adults and kids in the world to improve and lift each other up those are in strong positions in life and those are in weaker positions in life....in harmony and peace and balance....

     

    Simeet Gandhi

     💖        🙏         😇

       

https://www.edutopia.org/article/3-ways-support-students-emotional-well-being-during-pandemic

New Medical Research From Labs Around the World Provide Evidence That Human Biological "Aging" Is Plastic

New medical research adds weight to the theory that human aging can be manipulated, slowed and even reversed. One study published in the European Heart Journal concluded that cardiac stem cells implanted into old mice rejuvenated their cardiovascular system to a younger age and had rejuvenating effects on some other body processes as well. Another separate study from the University of Southern California concluded that hair loss caused by both alopecia and age-related male pattern baldness can be reversed using stem cells.

While I was a college student enrolled in Hawaii Pacific University, I first learned about and took interest in the new research studies into the biological processes of human aging, and the biotechnology and biomedical interventions that have already been proven in the laboratory to manipulate human aging. These new studies add evidence to the proof of concept. There is already a solid weight of evidence in the past 10 years from leading medical research laboratories around the world that this emerging field of regenerative medicine could one day keep humans in a biological youthful state from both a cosmetic and core health perspective without fear of age-related body degeneration, disease, and disability. It would also be a tremendous economic boost to global society when the growing population of elderly people are able to maintain their health and independence and vitality for many decades longer and continue to be productive citizens and not relying on expensive end of life medical care.

http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/14/health/cardiac-stem-cells-make-rats-younger-study/index.html

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318949.php

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20190626/Hair-loss-could-soon-be-a-thing-of-the-past-say-researchers.aspx

http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/30/health/aging-dispute-humans-live-to-125/index.html

Green Party Nominee Dr. Jill Stein's Policy Platform Supports the Greater Good for Humanity

http://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/8/green_party_nominee_jill_stein_we


    The Green Party this past weekend officially nominated Dr. Jill Stein to be its candidate in the 2016 US Presidential Election. Dr. Stein is running on a platform of a very strong progressive agenda. Her major policy aims are a major international mobilization to convert from fossil fuel energy sources to 100% clean and renewable energy sources by 2030. This will help avert the worst consequences of man-made global warming by stopping the alarming buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Her other major policy aim includes a sharp cut to the US military budget, already more than all the leading nations combined. She wants to de-escalate military campaigns in the Middle East and also lead the way for nuclear arms disarmament. In addition, Dr. Stein will fight for a living wage for all workers to raise wages and insure no working American has to live in poverty. Dr. Stein wants to improve the quality of life for all Americans. This is just a brief summary of her many progressive and world-changing policies.

    Eight years ago in 2008, I wrote in my blog that while many were hopeful popular President-elect Barack Obama would bring change and hope to the USA, I felt like some others that Obama would be similar to George W. Bush in policy and a good indicator of this was his major Wall Street campaign donors and his lack of specific policy ideas. President Obama has been a better manager of the US empire than President George W. Bush was. But President Obama let the grassroots popular movement of young people and minorities wither away early in his presidency and did not organize them into a sustained movement for change. In 2010 control of Congress shifted into Republican hands and for the rest of his presidency he has been dealing with a very obstructionist Republican Congress. President Obama has clamped down on whistle blowers like Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning and Julian Assange who are all either being prosecuted and jailed or living in exile from the USA. All these people did was hold the US government and military accountable to the US public. President Obama has also maintained and even expanded Bush's war on terror programs. The drone targeted assassinations program has been a terror campaign of unprecedented scale which led to the death of many innocent civilians. There has been no progress in the Israel-Palestinian dispute, full support for the repressive dictatorship of Saudi Arabia continues, there is rising tension with China and Russia, and ongoing bombing of Iraq and Syria. All in all the threat of terrorism and US military involvement appears to be never-ending.

    Barack Obama has not provided the kind of leadership that is needed to solve major problems. He has made a few steps in the right direction, but without the sustained popular movement behind him his efforts to end conflicts in the Middle East has failed...greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise...the cost of college education continues to rise...US working-class wages have stagnated helping lead to the rise of right-wing extremism like in Europe...and efforts to normalize relations with Cuba have been stalled due to Republican obstructionism.

    In the 2016 election, it is clear the two-party system lets down a majority of Americans and condemns the world to a dangerous future. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party nominee, has crafted this election as a referendum on Republican Party candidate Donald Trump. Choosing the lesser of two evils is not the way to lead the people to a better future. Both candidates have historically high disapproval ratings among the American public. Hillary Clinton is not a candidate who is going to support the bold and significant policy changes are needed for the USA to change course. Clinton has a record of being a hawk on US military intervention. She has long had a cozy relationship with big corporate lobbyists and Wall Street insiders. There a lot of good things about Clinton, as there was about President Obama in 2008, but she is not a candidate who is even proposing nor will push for the major changes are needed to avert environmental catastrophe, improve the quality of life of Americans of all ages and backgrounds, and de-escalate the international tensions.

   That is why I support the third party candidacy of Green Party nominee Dr. Jill Stein.

Harsh Treatment of Racial Minorities by Police a Major Social Issue in USA

Incidents of police brutality or overly aggressive police behavior towards the public are increasingly being given media attention. The reports of white police officers shooting unarmed black men seem to be endless and have sparked major organized major social protests throughout the USA. The harsh treatment of racial minorities in the USA by the police is a major issue and has gained international attention. Even further, the criminal justice system and its system of jails and prisons and probation/parole is notorious for having levels of poor racial minorities in its system that don't get the same treatment as individuals of higher social status.
Racial injustice in the USA is a major problem that has been here since the founding of the country, and even earlier when the first European immigrants and settlers moved here and clashed with Native Americans and brought African slaves.
The current racial tension and issues are indeed a continued result of the long gestating injustices.
All police officers are not bad and corrupt, but I feel the overwhelming attitude of the police towards the general public who pay their salaries...is not one of protect and serve but sometimes too much like an occupying army tasked with pacifying a hostile population. There are fundamental changes that need to take place to change this culture of violence and fear in America. Gun control legislation is badly needed to reduce what is probably the highest gun deaths in the developed world...a total societal reflection of violence in culture and media and US foreign policy...an end to the destructive and costly War on Drugs...more constructive help given to those with mental health problems...attention to pockets of poverty in racial communities and inner city areas...and improved job and educational opportunities for the young and poor, and a transformation of the way police are trained to deal with the public.
A better society is possible through changes in the way we look at problems. A less unequal society and a less violent society is certainly possible, but we all have to break free from our trapped thinking to become a more unified society.
The tensions and conflict with police will only get worse unless action is taken to work on the problems at all levels of society.

http://www.dailydot.com/politics/texas-cops-pool-party-teens/?fb=dd

Mass Produced Lab-Grown Meat Could Revolutionize Food Industry

Scientists have overcome a major obstacle to invitro meat or lab grown meat replacing the animal farm industry supplying meat to the worldwide food supply. The cost of using animal stem cells to grow meat tissue in the laboratory for human consumption was a major obstacle, and that has now been overcome based on new progress in the field. Other obstacles, both technical and cost, will surely be overcome. Experts predict that within 10-20 years lab grown meat will be available in grocery stores and restaurants worldwide. The benefits are enormous. Health-wise lab grown meat can be designed to have less fat and cholesterol, and more vital nutrients. The taste will be the same as animal meat or better.  The cost of producing lab grown meat is much, much lower than raising animals on farms and bringing the meat to stores and restaurants. Animal welfare advocates will surely be pleased as no animals will be harmed in the production of invitro meat. And the environmental impacts of animal farming are very negative, the water needed and pollution caused by the animal farm industry are huge. Lab grown meat will have minimal environmental impact and the closing of animal meat factories will be a huge win for the environment. In addition, the problem of world hunger in developing countries would be greatly alleviated by the availability of cheap, quality, and mass-produced meat. Just a fraction of the immense and wasteful resources used to maintain the animal farm and slaughterhouse industry could be used to help alleviate the human hunger issues in developing areas like Africa and Asia and the Middle East among others.

Personally, I feel this one of the extremely positive developments of human ingenuity. I was raised in the USA on a diet that included meat. I always enjoyed vegetarian meals but grew up enjoying the taste of meat as well, like most Americans. However, as a teenager and college student I realized a meat-heavy diet is unhealthy, contrary to animal rights, and environmentally unfriendly. Many times in high school and college I tried to be vegetarian. I prefer being vegetarian but still enjoy the taste of meat. Once the technical hurdles are cleared, and they will be as it only a matter of time and scientists around the world are busy working on this, I have no objection to lab grown meat. I would have no problem in the future eating a balanced diet of fruit and vegetables, grain, dairy, and lab grown meat. I would limit even my lab grown meat consumption, but as no animals would be needed and the health benefits of nutritionally optimized meat is there, I would include it in my diet. And of course regular exercise and meditation, this with a balanced diet would be an excellent part of my life routine.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/dining/ct-the-future-of-meat-20150520-story.html

US Public Has Record Low of Confidence in Government, Media

A highly regarded survey of social data run by the NORC group from the University of Chicago, which has tracked public attitudes for 40 years, has revealed that a record low of Americans have confidence in the federal government and media. Only 11 percent have confidence in the executive branch, and only 5 percent have confidence in Congress. And the media has a record low rating of confidence at 7 percent. This poll reveals a huge split between the public and the government and the mainstream media. This has been going on for decades and the crisis of democracy in the United States seems to be getting worse.

A major reason for this disconnect between the federal government and the general public could be the corrupting influence of big money in government, more specifically the way government and big business seem to operate hand in hand, often in conflict with the interests and desire of the general public. A possible solution to this crisis is to enact reforms that significantly reduce or get rid of corporate lobbying of Congress, institute public-financed election cycles, and make efforts to involve the wider public in American democracy at the local, state, and federal level. Currently a low percentage of total Americans actually end up voting.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20150311/us-poll-faith-in-government/?utm_hp_ref=media&ir=media

CNN Webcast on Quest for Longer Lives

CNN.com hosted a live webcast today about the search for longer lives, and perhaps immortality. Aging experts like Dr. Aubrey De Grey and Dan Buettner discussed practical steps to living longer and cutting-edge research that could dramatically extend human lives. Some people in remote parts of the world can live to over 100 because of healthy diet practices and reducing stress. Eating less meat and lots of fruits and vegetables can lead to longer lives. Regenerative medicine, the emerging field of stem cell therapy and gene therapy, could dramatically extend human lives in the coming decades. CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta moderated the discussion. Dr. Gupta is also the author of the book "Chasing Life."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/30/live.longer.webcast/index.html

Ralph Nader: Obama Will Be Like Bush

President Barack Obama has been US President for over six months now. It's interesting to look back at what third-party candidate Ralph Nader warned about Obama back before the November 2008 election. Nader warned that people will be very disappointed if they expect Obama to be different than Bush. In another speech at a similar time, Nader warns that Obama caters to the power structures and has taken a lot of corpoate money for his campaign.

I find all these warning prescient. Since becoming US President, Obama has not really challenged the status quo. With a few exceptions, things appear to be moving the same direction as before. There is still a large war in the Middle East with a long-term US military committment, the US military budget is actually climbing much higher than the Bush years, and Obama has pushed through trillion dollar bailouts to save Wall Street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8H92fcSOdY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE7PFbK5L88

Video - Author Douglas Rushkoff Explains Anti-Corporatism Book "Life Inc."

Rushkoff is the author of a new book explaining how corporations have transformed human society for the worse, in his opinion. He goes back to the Renaissance as the origins for the corporation and say that now every aspect of human society is influenced by coporations. Rushkoff says this is for the worse and proposes an alternative in his new book "Life Inc."

Burmese Junta Persecutes Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi

When I was a freshman in high school, I was very young at Age 14 🌱☀️😊 and I was enrolled in Mountain View High School 🏫🎒,  and our World Studies classes had an end of school year Country Report project.....All the other freshman World Studies classes had been taken by their teachers earlier and picked the more popular and well-known countries on the list by the time my World Studies class led by my teacher Mr. Art Mori  took us to pick the countries that had not already been chosen.....I chose the nation of Myanmar (which earlier had been known as Burma). If I had the full list of countries to choose from I still remember I wanted to choose a country in Europe or some cool advanced country which seemed more interesting and cool.  Though I found Myanmnar interesting too and I respected its history and Buddhist traditions.   All of us freshman year students had to prepare a formal written report and a class presentation on the nation we had chosen.  I remember putting a significant amount of time and effort in preparing both the formal report and class presentation, I asked my parents to drop me off several times to the Mountain View Public Library for the specific task of researching books on the nation of Myanmar.  I felt stress and pressure to be preparing such a big project at this age and stage, I remember I was probably sweating while researching all those books in the Mountain View Public Library because I felt such stress and pressure...LOL...😂  but I remember I got the report in and I performed the class presentation  competently enough, though I do not remember my exact grade it was likely a solid B not sure though and I long ago now lost the original report with graded comments, as it was never preserved long-term and was I remember among many of all my Mountain View High School papers Thrown Away by my mother when I was in my Twenties.  😣😅  In my report and class presenation,  I remember I made sure to highlight the story of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her prosecution by the military dictatorship in Burma. Last year there was an uprising of the Burmese monks and civilians against the corrupt military junta in control of the country. It's a disgrace that a pro-democracy leader such as Suu Kyi has been under house arrest for decades and is being prosecuted for simply allowing an American to visit her house. I believe sometimes military action is necessary, and having a coalition of world forces enter Myanmar and set up a democratic government is in my view a good thing. The population wants it and it is the right thing to do. But right now the US and Britain are focused on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. These are wars of choice against a population that generally does not want to be occupied by foreign forces.

http://www.progressive.org/mag/pal071609.html

In more recent years, I have read that Myanmar democracy leader Auung San Suu Kyi has been criticized by human rights groups and international monitors for reportedly prosecuting Muslim minority groups in Myanmar. I have not studied that issue in full detail. However, I will say that if such reports are true then I would certainly agree that such actions are wrong and immoral. Having a demoractic nation over a nation ruled by a military dictatorship does not mean it will be a society free from any problems. However, a democratic nation should mean also that groups which the majority disagree or find differences in should be able to live in peace and non-violence and in a democratic nation there needs to be respect for the rule of law and the rights of others. So I hope that any kind of prosecution and abuse or violence towards Muslim minority groups or any other minority groups in Myanmar does not continue in the future. 

Edited on July 28th, 2024 by the author, Simeet Gandhi

Stem cell-gene modification could provide cures to genetic diseases

Stem cell research is an emerging scientific research field with enormous potential. Pair that with gene therapy and you have an amazing combination. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California, have cure a cell of a devastating genetic disease using a genetically modified induced pluripotent stem cell. This news is a big step forward in the field of regenerative medicine, a field which has enormous potential to cure disease and prolong human life.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/si-csc052609.php

Hunger Group Wants Al Gore To Make Movie About Global Hunger

The campaign, which was launched in fall 2008 in Madrid and will be rolled out in Paris, London, New York City and Montreal in the next few weeks, features both posters and a trailer for the as-yet-nonexistent film. But its main component is the signature drive. Thus far, more than 37,000 people have signed on to “Ask Al Gore,” including several well-known Spanish actors and writers. “Gore is one of the most famous and media-savvy people on the planet,” says Juan Nonzioli, creative director of the Shackleton Group, the advertising firm that designed the campaign for Action Against Hunger. “Just as he has used that power to raise awareness about climate change, we’re asking that he use it for our campaign against hunger.”

Maybe there is not enough money for Al Gore to raise awareness of Global Hunger! Which kills 5 million children every year. Basic supplies and aid could prevent millions of deaths.

http://www.askalgoretomakethismovie.org/index_en.php#/campana

Foster Teens "Aging" Out of System Most At Risk

Foster teens who age out of the foster care system by age 18, when they achieve legal emancipation and have to face adulthood head-on, face dire statistics. 25 percent of aged out foster teens become homeless, only 46 percent received their high school diploma, 42 percent end up becoming parents themselves, and fewer than 20 percent are able to support themselves. Aged out foster teens are at high risk for substance abuse, domestic violence, being sent to jail, and poverty.

Foster teens who age out of the system are unprepared for adult life and the responsibilities that come with it. Most are without family support and the government no longer provides assistance. It is highly unlikely these kids end up going to college or receiving a college degree.

This is unacceptable. Foster teens are people who need the most support, and that support should continue in their quest to complete higher education and find rewarding careers. It is a sad state of affairs that foster children, the most vulnerable and needy segment of our society, are left in the cold when it comes to building their own future and life. I believe that foster teens should receive more support during their college years so that more can be able to attend college and pursue their dreams. The foster care system needs to be overhauled to provide better counseling and support services.

Report grim on teens after foster care
Aging Out of Foster Care a Disaster For Children
Challenges Facing Youth Aging Out of Foster Care
Transition From Foster Care To Adulthood Studied, UC-Riverside

Stem Cell Breakthorough Potentially Ends Ethical Dilemna

Mount Sinai Hospital's Dr. Andras Nagy discovered a new method of creating stem cells that could lead to possible cures for devastating diseases including spinal cord injury, macular degeneration, diabetes and Parkinson's disease. The study, published by Nature, accelerates stem cell technology and provides a road map for new clinical approaches to regenerative medicine.

"We hope that these stem cells will form the basis for treatment for many diseases and conditions that are currently considered incurable," said Dr. Nagy, Senior Investigator at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, Investigator at the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine, and Canada Research Chair in Stem Cells and Regeneration. "This new method of generating stem cells does not require embryos as starting points and could be used to generate cells from many adult tissues such as a patient's own skin cells."

Link

CNN Article Examines Plight of Women, Children in Third World

http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/09/28/what.matters.dust/index.html

Article from "What Matters" by David Elliot Cohen looks at child labor in Bangladesh. It is a book of photo essays looks at 18 environmental, economic and other issues

Large Hadron Collidor (LHC) To Begin Operation - Discussion with String Theorist Brian Greene

http://www.examiner.com/x-354-SF-Science-Examiner~y2008m9d11-Large-Intellect-Collider--a-discussion-with-Brian-Greene

The Large Hadron Collidor (LHC) located in Switzerland is a billion dollar project that is the world'st most powerful particle collidor. Physicists hope to learn more about quantum mechanics and also to find experimental evidence for leading theories such as string theory. Brian Greene answers questions. 

Running Slows The Effects of Aging

Regular running has been demonstrated to slow the effects of biological aging on the human body, says a new study published by the Stanford University School of Medicine. Over the course of the study regular runners had much lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in addition to many other disease, and were half as likely to die an early death compared to non-runners.

All the more reason to lace up and hit the pavement. Exercise has been shown in many studies to benefit greatly both mind and body.
http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/news/20080808/running-slows-the-effects-of-aging

10 million children die annually worldwide from easily preventable diseases due to lack of access to basic, low-cost health care

Link- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24482102/
A total of 200 million children under age 5 do not get access to basic health care, and 10 million children die annually because of a lack of availability of treatment for treatable ailments like diarrhea and pneuomonia. Nearly all of the children come from the developing world, according to save the children's global report. Poor children face twice the risk of richer children.
Eight-out of ten of the lowest ranked countries in the survey were from Sub-saharan Africa.
Laos, Yemen, Chad, Somalia and Ethiopia were found doing the worst among developing countries, the report said
The top three among the 55 developing countries ranked in the survey are the Philippines, Peru and South Africa

The simplest of therapies would save millions. 30 percent of children in developing countries do no receive prenatal care, skilled assistance during birth, immunizations, and treatment for diarrhea and pneumonia. Oral rehydration therapy- a simple combination of salt, sugar, and potassium - would cure diarrhea, and antiobiotics which cost $0.30 would cure pneumonia.

USA "War on Drugs" A Big Failure

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/17438347/how_america_lost_the_war_on_drugs
The United States has spent $500 billion on the War on Drugs the last 35 years, along with an aggresive ad campaign and school awareness programs, and it evidently has been for naught. Drug trafficking has not been stopped, drug trade has not been slowed, and drug use in the United States has not been curbed.

As a grade school student, I remember attending "D.A.R.E" programs. However, programs like these evidently have little to no effect. Basically, $50 billion a year is wasted on the drug trade and prisons are filled up with drug offenders, and it is failed policy.

Surely the solution, as adovated by Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, is to end the War on Drugs and legalize narcotics, enabling communities and families to best handle the situation. This would lower the prices of drugs, curb the drug trade cartels, ease imports, and save a lot of money. Many other countries have put this policy to good use.

Iraq War's Enormous Damage To a Generation of Children

The Iraqi Red Crescent reports that over 1.2 million Iraqi children are homeless within their own country. Many parents are forced to abandon their children to relatives or to the street, as the ethnic strife and overall war in Iraq leaves them unable to care for their children. In Iraq, most of the country is unstable, without water and electricity, and without any jobs.

The greatest concern is the ripple effect the Iraqi youth will have in the long term -- an entire generation lacking basic life skills, surviving with no education, no income and no families, and coping with the psychological trauma of a long and bloody war. Earlier UN reports concluded that 70% of Iraqi children suffered from serious mental health issues.
"The trauma of what's happening to those children is enormous," said an Iraqi spokesman.

Many parents and Iraqi officials feel helpless, as there are low funds and a lack of medical care available to treat the many injured and sick. Some analysis predict a whole new generation of terrorists and anti-American radicalism is being born out of the hell of Iraq.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/11/09/iraq.children/index.html

California Wildfires Another Ominous Warning of Global Climate Catastrophe?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21431682/

Firefighters had to admit publicly that the massive wildfires is out of control, and cannot be stopped. Over 250,000 acres have been burned, and about 1 million people evacuated from their homes. The US Government declared a federal emergency. Many climate experts including the IPCC concluded that global warming would lead to more serious wildfires. This may be a preview of more to come in the future, unless the world unites in taking action to combat global warming.

Brain "Remote Control" for Fat Metabolism Can Be Adjusted

Adding to a lot of previous research, Matthias Tschup from the University of Cincinnati led a team that concluded that the brain contains an area that regulated appetite, satiety, and fat store and metabolism. The melanocortin system is located in the a central nervous system (CNS) is known as a control loop that receives hormones from the stomach like leptin.

The research group were able to alter the signaling pathway so that calories were burned, not stored in fat cells, regardless of the amount of food intake. “We were able, in essence, to change traffic signals in so-called nutrient highways in the body so that calories were metabolized, and not dumped into fat cells,” says Tschцp. “And we did this without changing the rate of food intake. “These findings are relevant for human obesity, since mutations in the system we studied here are the most common known reason for genetically caused obesity in humans,” Tschцp added.

They anticipate that the rodent studies can be replicated in humans. The obesity epidemic in industrialized countries is a serious health risk. Individuals would benefit enormously if a safe and effective treatment allows the average person to maintain a lean body despite a high calorie diet. There currently is no safe cure for obesity, yet a huge industry of fat buster pills exists without government oversight and with potential negative side-effects. The efficacy of these pills are in question.

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Hurricane humberto slams South Texas, ominous sign or fluke disaster?

Last week Hurricane Humberto hit landfall in south Texas and devastated small towns such as High Island. Sadly, High Island the sleepy beach town of only a couple hundred is where my cousin Ketan Gandhi has a gas station and food mart. His home and store were seriously damaged in the flash hurricane. It was fun to see him on the online news clips though. High Island was without power for a week, and volunteers and National Guard and Red Cross people have arrived to help. It is wonderful to hear about that.
Hurricane Humberto was a flash hurricane, meaning it his land without warning and with winds speeds of great strength in less than 16 hours. Experts are concerned that there is a trend in recent years of hurricanes with greater frequency and magnitude. Many scientists and observers are putting climate change and hurricanes together now. Perhaps the coming years will continue to see the problem get worse, as warmer waters in the Gulf of Mexico fuel stronger and more common hurricanes and storms.
"Everyone is scratching their heads and thinking, 'Wow, that's weird,' ''says Jeff Masters, a hurricane expert with the Weather Underground Web site. "There have been 27 Category 5 hurricanes since 1944, with eight of those coming in the last five years," says Masters. "That's a lot of Cat 5's in a short time."
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Excercise Benefits Mind and Body, research confirms

It's not a new idea, but good news for health nuts, and bad news for couch potatoes. Columbia Univesity professors have found that exercise promotes neurogeneis, the creation of new brain cells. Lack of exercise, and a diet consiting of fat and sugar, actually promotes brain cell loss.

So if you want to be physically and mentally healthy, keep your body moving and eat healthy and don't smoke!
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Iraq War Dissaproval High, US Intelligence Pessimistic

An AP-Ipsos survey found that only 36 percent of those questioned believe the troop increase which President Bush initiated in early 2007 has helped stabilize Iraq. 60 percent of Americans feel troop withdrawal is a good option.
The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) has found that Iraq is still strained by deep sectarian differences and rampant violence. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that Iraq has met only four of 18 agreed political and military objectives.
Gen. David Petraeus testified to Congress that some progress has been made in defeating the Al-qaida and militia groups, but that he was dissapointed with the overal results.

Popular networking sites fail to win close friends, study

Researchers at Sheffield Hallam University published a study that questioned whether those who use popular networking sites like Facbook and MySpace actually develop close friendships as a result. The study showed that face-to-face interaction is the effective way of developing trusting and healthy relationships. While the average user will have hundreds of friends in the online network, only a few would be considered close.
“Our data suggests weak ties are (more common) but there is no difference in the number of close friends people have,” said Will Reader, an evolutionary psychologist at Sheffield Hallam University.

Scientists: "Fat" Gene Identified, potential obesity cure

One of the greatest problems facing modern industrialized society is human obesity. Heck even dog and cat obesity is a problem. Basically the modern developed-society lifestyle features a sedentary lifestyle, and unlimited and easy access to food, especially food that is high-fat and sugar content. The health blow is obesity, and the incidental high-blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and many other various physical and mental ailments that accompany it. Obesity rates have skyrocketed in the last 50 years for developed countries. Rising powers like China and India, now that they are adapting to a similar Western lifestyle with imported fast food giants as well, are also experiencing rising obesity among all sectors of the population.
Many experts have warned strongly against the idea of any quick fixes to the problem, pointing to the lifestyle choices that one has to make, like eating healthy and exercising regularly. But despite years of government programs designed to teach proper nutritional guidelines (Food Pyramid), the obesity rates continue to escalate. Some scientist even speculate that obesity is like a virus, and it is spreading uncontrollably. There does exist data that obesity may indeed act like a virus.
Popular diet pills and so-called fat burner supplements are a big industry, but nearly all physicians warn that they are not only ineffective but are dangerous.
However, the last few years research scientists have peered into the processes by which the human body stores and processes fat from the food we eat. Now many scientists are studying way to safely alter the mechanism by which the human body stores fat. Since people living in modern society no longer have the need at all to store fat beyond what is necessary to keep the body going, it would be a major health benefit to decrease the amount of fat that the body stores. In recent years scientists have targeted various avenues for fat reduction:
1) increase the amount of brown fat
2) develop a neuropeptide-Y receptor blocker (Y2R) to prevent fat cells from forming
3) target the Gene that controls fat storage
4) develop a laser or X-ray with a frequency that kills fat cells

Since credible scientists involved in cutting-edge research into fat cells have identified so many numerous ways to get rid of the excess body fat countless people struggle with, I am confident a safe and effective method will be derived soon. While nothing will be more important than a healthy lifestyle, time and energy is better spent on other things than constantly worrying about that pesky 10 pounds of fat. And eating salad is a miserable alternative. One day we can have our cake and eat it too!

Fat Cures:
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