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 was enrolled in Mountain View High School 🏫🌞 and was viewed by many of my teachers as a Promising, Good-Looking Student with a lot of Potential.....My freshman year World Studies class 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 Myanmar 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 academic books on the nation of Myanmar and start drafting my report.  I felt stress and pressure to be preparing such a big project at this age and stage, I remember I was like sweating while researching all those history 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 B+ not sure though and I long ago now lost the original report with graded comments, even Though while I had made sure to save all my freshman and sophomore year school binders I do remember that all of my old Mountain View High School papers were forcibly Thrown Away by My Mom 🙏, All Due Respect to Her, When I was Still in my Twenties 😣😅As She Thought and probably some others too that I was now "Older" and not very promising anymore (Especially After I Ended My High School Career Pretty Poorly in a Different High School and Had Struggled in College to be an Overall Success)...And Thus I did not need all my old school stuff and Such Forced Action Would Help Me Move On or Something...LOL 😅😓.. (Though I Did have Some Success as a young college student in Hawaii a few years Earlier than This Event, Though I Did Regrettably End Up Dropping out There Ultimately Which Greatly Disappointed My Parents and Everyone in my Life and Led Me to Years of Great Personal Struggles Suffering....And Earlier When I Had Just Turned 20 I Was, With the Support/Encouragement of my Father, Able to Travel a Little Bit Around Western Europe Looking for a good University to Potentially Study and Earn a College Degree in I Was Able to Travel Alone and Visit within England seriously considering Cardiff University (with the encouragement support of the late  Great  Professor Verma) and Then I had a stop at a cool German airport and a neat Swiss Airport But I Did Not Find Myself in the Right Situation/Circumstance/Confidence/Motivation to Actually Just Do It (Trying and Being Knocked Out of the UC-Davis College of Engineering at Age 18 Had a Lot to Do With my Anxiety of Returning to a Big University).....However, In Fairness to my Family When I was  Around  24,  Still Very Young, I Was Sent to Cancun, Mexico with my Parents who were on vacation there and I was given introductory Snorkeling lessons and my Father good-naturedly asked me if I wanted to Stay in Cancun and take classes to be professionally certified in Snorkeling/Diving maybe Teach tourists, Etc. (I Remember this seemed like a really cool Relaxing Idea Especially if I could live/study/work in Cancun comfortably long-term as a Young Adult) And Then while still Pretty Young at Age 26 My Father good-naturedly encouraged me to study in New York City like in "City University of New York" for graduate school and live move into my older sister's apartment there and Also at 26 My Father and a close good business associate/partner/family friend in Taiwan positively encouraged me, after I had the privilege of a very nice visit to Taiwan at that time, to study in a good University in Taiwan and settle down there with a nice Asian girl....All the above exotic more Fantastical possibilities/opportunities as a Young Adult I considered seriously as viable options and I had real personal interest...However, None of them materialized Though As Actionable Items for me for various reasons....I still Earned by Age 25, still very Young, a Perfectly Respectable Bachelor's Degree from "San Jose State University", a well-respected University in the Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area...Though kind of the Feeling still residual is I was Not Not Studying at my Best Conditioning and Ended Up Graduated in Bad Shape and Not Great Conditions...Basically not living up fully to expectations Nor Doing as Well As I Should Be Doing and Since Then Shortly After that Graduation I have Mostly Entirely Left Formal Education and While I considered graduate school for a while that didn't work out so Since my Mid-Twenties I've been trying to succeed in professional workplaces and make a living as a Bay Area Young Professional (BAYP) 😇🌟💖To Varying Degrees of Success....Anyway back to my main topic of Myanmar, the Academic topic of Myanmar was never covered in any class and given any attention at all in any way for the rest of my Formal Education Up to my Graduation from University.....In my report and class presentation,  I do remember I made sure to highlight what was at the time the popular social issue the story of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was widely seen at this time as a heroic virtuous leader promoting democracy and human rights and opposed to corruption, and her prosecution by the military dictatorship in Burma. Also the history of Buddhism in Myanmar along with its beautiful countryside landscape of Pagodas. 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 and was removed from her government leadership position and put into house arrest again. 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 democratic nation over a nation ruled by a military dictatorship does not mean that 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. So I would say Now in conclusion and summary that in my opinion that whether a nation is governed as a democracy or as a military dictatorship there can be law and order, checks and balances on gross corruption, respect for the rights of others, and a policy of non-violence towards people and property. Certainly I believe it is possible for internal problems in a nation to be resolved peacefully and productively without resort to violent protests or major disruptions or wars...even if there are opposing forces going on between the supporters of democratic rule and a military dictatorship... I would wish Aung San Suu Kyi could live out the rest of her life in peace and freedom as well...The best example I Can think of is the development model of Singapore, which I was privileged enough to enjoy a brief tourist visit There while on summer break as a young American schoolboy in the year 1994 (I Remember Vividly my mom commenting out loud Her many positive impressions of the conditions in Singapore like a feeling of Safety she felt while walking at night in the city even she stated she felt she could walk alone safely at night, the Cleanliness, the Impressive Infrastructure and Both My Parents Enthusiastically Supporting the Discipline and Law and Order Culture which was like the "No Gum Chewing Law" and the Caning of the American Youth which were both big news item of the 1990s...LOL! 😂)......I do Remember my perspectives of conditions in Singapore at the time of my visit to Singapore at around Age 9 was similar to my parents and echoed such positive feelings (Though not necessarily the Intense Discipline Punishment Part...LOL 😅😂)....I remember as a Boy a feeling of Calm and Peace and Quiet while traveling within Singapore like on a public bus there, however it was a relatively short visit we took to Singapore as a Family and it was tacked on as a quick last stop before returning to our home in Whittier, Los Angeles in America after our bigger longer summer trip to India and we had less time energy for a really good vacation visit to Singapore and we were also probably kind of already drained exhausted tired from the long grueling trip to India (Where conditions were NOT VERY GOOD AT ALL in my opinion)....Back to my main point is that Singapore was rapidly developed post-World War II under a one-party state and developed so successfully from a poor Third World nation under their famous historical Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in only a few decades, and in more Recent Decades, Singapore has seen itself widely acclaimed respected as one of the most Advanced Successful Well-Educated and Healthiest places to live in the world with some of the highest international rankings of metric scales in several key categories.

I've never been able to visit Myanmar personally and since the Country Report I presented in my high school when I was 14   Nobody has ever wanted to talk with me about Myanmar  LOL! 😂 ...But I do wish a great future for the nation of Myanmar, the quality of life and freedom for its people...it's national development...and it's countryside. Peace!  🩷☮😇

Revised/Updated on July 28th, 2024 by the author, Simeet Gandhi from the original article

Reedited on July 17th, 2025 by the author, Simeet Gandhi

New Edits on October, 13, 2025 and October 18, 2025 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."

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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.

Link

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!
Link

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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Study: Depression Worse for Health than Major Physical Ills

The World Health Organization has published a study that demonstrates depression poses a far greater health threat than previously believed, and can be more damaging in itself than asthma, diabetes, or angina.
Previous studies have demonstrate the depression link to poor health, but the true connection between mind and body is probably far more complex and little understood.
Studies have shown that treatment for depression should include talk therapy and community outreach programs, and that long-term positive outcomes usually always include some form of re-adjustment into a social setting.
Mental health treatment around the world is staggeringly inadequate, reports the World Health Organization. Individuals from Third World countries stand the least chance of receiving any kind of treatment. Depression is a major worldwide problem, with the poor receiving the least treatment. Yet, even the United States, only 18 percent received minimally adequate mental health services, lower than Japan, Germany, and France. The rich poor gap is also seen in the general population lifespan statistic. Mental health is correlated with lower lifespans.

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Faster Wireless Connection Seen in Works

The online download business is an emerging field. Many top analysts predict that by 2011 it will be a billion dollar a year business. Apple and Amazon are among the few companies offering online downloads. But market hindrances to increased consumer demand are the current speed limits of the internet, and the lack of widely available PC-to-TV connections to view videos.
Researchers at Georgia Tech see in the near future the wide use of wireless networks capable of sending large amounts of data in super-fast speeds. This would enable a user to download a full-length DVD-quality video in a span of a few seconds. Currently it would take about a day for most connections.
The new technology to enable these fast speeds would utilize very high radio frequencies, currently untapped except for special military applications. In the coming years, circuit boards and computers in general will be evolved and adapted to deal with the increased speed requirements.
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Food additives tied to "hyperactivity," study

Artifician sweeteners in drinks have caused a lot of controversy as of late, and now scientists reporting in the Lancelot medical journal state that common food additives, chemicals added for coloring and preservation, are tied to hyperactivity and other behavioral side-effects.
This is a significant report that should be studied further, and it casts real doubt on the safety of many common drinks, possibly putting the muli-billion dollar industry in a negative light. It also should bolster the appeal of "organic" products, that offer 100% natural ingredients.
Link

Mind-Controlled Robotic Arm: One Step Closer To Intelligent Robots?

Scientists at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency have devised a prosthetic arm called the Proto 2 that can play the piano and do other complex motions through pure thought control. This development increased expectations that one day a robot like seen in popular science fiction movies like "Terminator" and "Robocop" and "Star Trek" could be a reality. That day is far off, but the Proto 2 could be in the market in a matter of years. This is a great sign of hope for those who have have lost limbs to one day fully function again.
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Report: CIA Was Negligent Prior to 9/11

A newly declassified report slams senior CIA officials for not taking threats seriously, not cooperating, and not following up on sensitive information indicating an al-qaida terrorist threat. This information confirms my own strong belief that the September 11, 2001 attacks could have been prevented by American intelligence agencies. I remembering being stunned to learn that President Bush and other top US officials received strong warnings in the summer of 2001. Former vice president Al Gore, in a October 2004 speech, also included a strong critique of the handling of pre-9/11 warnings.
Link
Update - March 2024: There were also intelligence warnings given to the US Government from several leading international intelligence agencies prior to the 9/11 terror attack....I remember reading online years ago a website page with a list of such warnings from international intelligence agencies of an impending terror attack being plotted by terrorists, but I can no longer find that website page or link, here are 3 active links of now of this information. As a college student, such information was of interest to me and now I feel it is an academic question and public policy question of historical interest. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_intelligence_before_the_attacks https://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0523/p11s01-coop.html

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/think-again-remember-bushs-vacation/

Arctic Sea At Lowest Recorded Level Ever

The National Center Snow and Ice Data Center shows that Arctic Ice levels have dropped dramatically, surprising many observers. It is my opinion that this one of the many signs that global warming is showing up much more dramatically than scientists have anticipated. I don't expect us all to drown any time soon, but I believe the effects of global warming will continue be demonstrated strongly in the years to come. Most of the scientific community also believes that there will be increased heat waves, droughts, record high temp, flooding, airborne diseases, and water shortages among many other effects.
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Scientists Hope To Create Artificial Life in 10 years

A 21st century breakthrough in bioengineering will be the creation of artificial cells, according to scientists. The creation will perhaps allow new ways to fight diseases, deal with climate change, and ultimately find out more about the creation of life in the universie. These are not all the functions it could have. Scientsits at Harvard Medical School plan in the next year to create the first articial cell membrames. This would be an important step to eventually create whole DNA structures from scratch.
CNN-Link

U.N. Report: 2007 was Record Year for Weather Extremes

Global warming is a serious issue, and I have considered it one for years now, and the latest U.N. report states that 2007 was likely the warmest year on record and the record floods, notably the England flood of the summer, are merely a sign of more devastation to come. I agree with these conclusions.
I feel the time to act is now, and the United States must take the lead of all industrialized countries and enact immediate greenhouse gase emissions caps and research heavily in renewable energy and new forms of energy. So far, not enough action has been taken. And the latest President George W. Bush summit on climate change a few months back only committed to reducing greenhouse gase emissions in more than a decade. I feel global warming is a man-induced problem that should be stopped now before it gets out of control, and the solution will require innovation and dedication. There is according to some estimates by top scientists, less than a decade remaining to enact changes.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20159606/

Global Warming Causes More Storms

It has been a matter of scientific dispute for years, but new research from the National Center for Atmospheric Research provides evidence that global warming in the last century has steadily increased the average number of hurricanes and tropical storms. This is important information since Hurricane Katrina in 2004 was blamed in part on global warming. The study concluded that tropical storms have doubled in intensity in the last century. This new study should be studied to understand how the future climate change will cause changes to the world.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aAUXceyBLp5I&refer=europe

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/07/29/tropical.storms.ap/index.html

New "X-Files" Movie On the Way?

    David Duchovny, for several years now, has been promising another X-Files big screen movie. Now it appears closer to reality. Mr. Duchovny is reportedly to review a script next week, and production may start as soon as this fall. Both Duchovny and co-star Gillian Anderson of the long-running hit TV series "The X-Files" have signed on for the new movie. The first "X-Files" movie in 1998 grossed nearly $200 million worldwide. The show, about FBI agents Mulder and Scully solving paranormal cases and chasing conspiracies, remains popular and a sequel has been rumored even since.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19794062/
Comment: I grew up watching this show! During its first few years the show was immensely popular, and the series had focused on horror and monster-of-the-week type cases in addition to the alien conspiracy mythology. As I recall, when the show delved deep into the conspiracy mythology the ratings went downhill, and when David Duchovny left the full-time work on the show after the 7th season, the show really crashed. I stopped watching regularly after the 3rd season. But the new movie sounds good because it seems to be going back to its roots of scary stories.

Update! May 23, 2026:

    The "X-Files" movie sequel did materialize, it was released in the United States of America in the summer of 2008 with the title "The X-Files: I Want to Believe." It was written and directed by the series creator Chris Carter and starred the original leading duo David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Mulder and Scully. There was some level of media interest and hype in the film, However since the original hit TV-show "The X-Files" had already concluded it's 9 season Run in 2002....With ratings and fan interest already having dipped by Season 7....And there had not been a "X-Files" movie since 1998.....As a long-time fan I was even personally skeptical if there was enough narrative content left for a new feature film....Unfortunately, "X-Files: I Want to Believe" was met with mixed reviews and a modest box office gross. There was not that much fan interest especially in contrast to the first film in 1998, which had a blockbuster media release. The "X-Files" sequel earned in 2008 less than half of the first film's box office in 1998, however the sequel film was still modestly profitable. The DVD and Blu-Ray releases were not big sellers either if I remember correctly.  A major new development regarding this film is that in June 2026 a new Director's Cut version from Chris Carter will be released on Streaming online on Disney+....This will be an entirely new version of the film one...a more scary mature Horror element Tone that Chris Carter originally sought to capture, but had to tone down trim down a bit in 2008 to meet studio demands to be commercially viable.  I thought the original film was Good enjoyable and well-made if a bit serious downbeat and underwhelming....I Certainly am interested to see the new version and see for myself if it improves the film.

    So my personal experience with this TV show is now a long one...I was an All-American 1990s kid in Los Angeles in Southern California and this show was an immediate cultural sensation and ratings hit...I remember neighborhood kids recommending me to start watching this show upon it's release in 1993 and I did so....And quickly the TV show would become immensely popular. Even some of my schoolteachers openly expressed their Love/Interest in "The X-Files" and their admiration and respect for the quality of the series. This was the era some years before online Streaming video content really started to emerge as the mainstream platform for Home Entertainment in the mid-2010s....This show would Air on Friday nights and then Sunday nights and it was watched on a set TV schedule. It became quickly a part of pop culture in America in the 1990s.  I remember even my older sister and I would watch the show together every week at our family home in Whittier,  Though that was only for a short while as we never really got along that well as siblings And also "The X-Files" tv series may have been too scary for her as well.  

 In terms of pop culture, "The X-Files" quickly became very popular for a bunch of reasons. The show was fresh new interesting and had genuine moments of horror scares and developed mind-expanding out of the box theories about government conspiracies and the paranormal and extraterrestrials and spiritual religious topics and various mythologies. Another major reason was that the show was so watchable...the leading stars Duchovny and Anderson had chemistry and were very talented and good-looking and the writing music and production was at a high quality level...the stories and human drama scenes were interesting and good and usually very serious and somber....even the humor in the show was usually done in good taste and was actually funny. There had not been a like quite like this before in modern television. Many of the minor characters in the show added depth and interest as well, and were filled with capable actors. As my schooling progressed and I Went on to middle school and high school I certainly essentially was not watching and keeping up with the show anymore...I just did not have the time energy to put into keeping up with a serialized show with all my school and extra-curricular responsibilities and I remember this was pretty much the case with all my classmates in middle school and high school...I Also was very interested in having relationships with girls in school and at least all the cool beautiful popular girls I Knew were busy being cool popular successful in school And planning for a Golden Future and were not really investing much if any time energy resources into Escapist Fantasy science fiction diversions like this even for Fun Entertainment.   Anyway, I was still interested and liked the show Though I guess for sentimental childhood reasons, and as it was still a good cool show, as were many millions of other fans in America and around the world...In 1998 the "X-Files" was at its height of popularity the TV show ratings were high and the feature film release "The X-Files: Fight The Future" was met with a lot of media hype and fan interest and the film was a critical and commercial success....I Remember I was living in the San Francisco Bay Area and I Had Just Turned 14 and I was on summer break before the start of my high school life....I remember that my older sister, who was ahead of me and in the middle of high school, went with her group of high school friends to see the film in the movie theater...That was cool ok with me however I still remember I was feeling a little hurt inside she did not even ask me If I wanted to go along and kind of coldly inconsiderately dismissed me as a person I don't remember her even talking to me  or taking any interest in my reaction to the movie release or asking me about the film at all...This hurt sad feeling was greatly Amplified by the fact that Unfortunately at this Age I was Kind of Submerged in a dark empty cold Hole / Rut / Cocoon as I was not having any of my own Life to take a girlfriend or Good Group of Friends to See the Movie With or Even a Movie Fan Club Something I was living in Village Lakes apartments in Mountain View I was a pretty privileged kid to be Honest with lots of pretty cool stuff (cool PC games, my own desktop PC to browse the internet, cool DVDs, music CDs, books, I wandered around interesting places both in my mind and body LOL!....Yet my life was in a bit of Darkness, Regrettably and Unnecessarily, because I did not yet have a Proper Good Direction Control of my Life with good friends and activities and such....So I did not see the film until it was Released the Next year in May 1999 on DVD I was able to as a somewhat privilege Age 15 Teen Boy to be excited at the Fry's Electronics store in Sunnyvale to see the DVD promotional release and watch it by myself in my Young Teen Bedroom in our family's rental home in Mountain View.  I thought it was a neat film and entertaining and well-made and everything.  I think that it is Obvious for my Age it was not Healthy to be spending too much time alone watching DVDs or playing video games or other solitary hobbies....I don't think it' due to "The X-Files" but Yeah it is pretty disappointing for me and sure Unhealthy underachievement to say Yes! that I had aspirations and ambitions to be "popular" and "successful" and "very good-looking" and "get the girl" and "win the future lottery" as a Very Young high school Teen kid (Actually I had real potential there was something in me that one could see that potentially was very possible to be Actualized in My Life...but by the end of my Senior year of high school I had already performed poorly and been earlier sent to a 2nd high school and I was an even more poor performing socially awkward high school "loser" dork nerd (no real friends, no GF, no extra-curriculars, kind of upset Angry frustrated middle-class Parents who expected Much Much More Achievement Results out of me than whatever I Was able to accomplish in School, and I Was ending up kind of a depressed defeated deflated lazy cough potato)...LOL!....Actually a Shame What a Waste of a Good Teen!  LOL! Tears!   By the end of my Senior year in a 2nd high school I did watch the Series Finale of The X-Files in spring 2002. (I did buy from Amazon.com and take time to rewatch many episodes of Season 1 on DVD at my Age 16 in the year 2000....Surely a reasonable person would ask in hindsight why I didn't use the time energy money even ample Youth I had available to be better channeled into Healthier more Fruitful pursuits In All Areas of my Life like School Health Friends Relationships Work Family Activities Etc....Sure however the situation for me was not as straightforward and simple and Easy as one may Think to just make friends be happy Play Sports and Study and Work Learn and Be Happy I had Superiors above me to contend with and I had to ask permission to do even the smallest basic things I did not yet have much control power over my own in life in the basic areas like Housing Schooling Health Care Future Planning and Transportation Even Etc. Etc. Etc. ....But I watched those DVDs purely as way to offer some comfort me during a time I felt kind of Alone and Weak and Pressured/Stressed and Uninvolved even Left Behind Misunderstood....Perhaps that also was a bit too isolating and unhealthy and I can Grant that I needed to have devoted more time to Healthier more Active areas of Life)    The X-Files Series Finale was moderately hyped in the media....I had an interest due to my childhood sentiments and I watched it on TV...I was living in yet another different home, a larger home, in a different city San Jose....I found the 2-Part series finale  somewhat interesting and good...it kind of meandered a bit and was weird somewhat a bit boring...the Helicopter rocket attack on the Cigarette Smoking Man was well-done cool...it was ok Decent Overall...I guess the main issue was my Life Being Still in a Rut....LOL!!!....As I progressed into Later Adolescence and Early Young Adulthood I did try to catch up or Watch some of the best coolest episodes of The X-Files some of the more entertaining good ones...That was just good pass time and Stress Relief harmless Fun except again for the time that being glued to the Screen watching the DVDs at home on a computer or TV screen took away from possibly better more Fruitful activities. Finally I want to share that I had the privilege to watch "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" as a Youth in a movie theater and I was lucky to enjoy it with some food and beverages...but yeah I can totally Agree watching it Alone was not that Healthy anymore and I can admit I probably was not living the best life I needed to be living I let myself and others down...I had prematurely left a dreamlike student adventure in Hawaii Pacific University for several reasons...like many young adults I Was not finding a certain successful 

Michael Moore Returns, Top General Sizes up Iraq, and New Hope for Fat Buster

Michael Moore dished the cold hard truth to CNN's Wolf Blitzer about the state of media coverage and the distortions surrounding the facts of the new docu-movie "SICKO."
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/07/09/michael-moore-demands-apology-from-wolf-blitzer/

-Gen. Petraeus, the head of US forces in Iraq, has compared the War in Iraq to the long-struggle in Northern Ireland and said the war may be "decades long". This follows a White House push to liken the Iraq War to long-term military affairs. President Bush compared the 50-year military presence after the Korean War to what may happen with the Iraq War. This information comes at the same time that a government report on Iraq progress reveals that none of goals set by the Iran government have been met. Iraq is not making any progress. So the original fear of WMDs and the al-Qaeda/Iran link have been proven to be false. The prospect of bringing democracy and freedom to Iraq is not happening and will happen under current conditions. The belief that "we must fight them there so we don't have to fight them here" is a Orwellian twist of reality. And finally the Bush White House proclamation that the Iraq War is a fight to defend the Iraqi people and give them a chance to build a free society also holds no water. The Iraqi people overwhelmingly support US troop withdrawal, and what is the US military occupation achieving when the Iraqi government is basically not making any impact?
It is my impression that US strategists are in a bind. To pull out of Iraq means to see the US lose control of the Middle East. To stay would witness continued violence and fatalities. Political negotiation would have to involve Iran, and its uranium enrichment program would be a strong card. US policymakers really do not seem to have any good choices. Of course, my solution would be implement a one-year troop withdrawal plan, a comprehensive settlement with Iran regarding Iraq and the Israel/Palestinian conflict, and at the same time invest heavily in renewable energy.

-In a health breakthrough, new serious hope for obesity and overweight people! Georgetown University scientists have identified a natural chemical, Y2P blocker, that melts away fat, at least in mice. Putting in a chemical that promotes the neuropeptide transmitter builds fat.
ABC News Link

• A negative assessment of the health gap between rich and poor in America: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19570119/
• Sign of Global Warming? Record heat in Las Vegas and Southern California this week. Firefighters warn about a long and hard fire season as well. There have been serious wildfires in Santa Barbara, Catalina, and Lake Tahoe so far.
  

This Fourth of July 2007 I would like to reflect on what makes America a great country. In this United States, the greatest strength is the people and the opportunities for a good life. I am not happy with a lot about America, but I do have to point out that there is a lot of creativity and beauty in America. There is no shortage of people in America that are motivated and passionate in their life. The best thing about America is that you will always see people striving to do better.

Yet, I have to point out that I am very unhappy with this "War on Terror" and the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The September 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City were an awful event and I can't see the justification in acts of violence, yet I am proud to see so many people stand up and speak out against that act of terror and violence. Yet I can't help feel that people should speak out against acts of violence everywhere it occurs. In this campaign to defeat terror, countless innocent civilians have been killed in the Middle East. I feel it makes no sense. This link illustrates the unequal weight some people give to human life.
http://www.prosebeforehos.com/government_employee/06/22/civilian-death-statistics-in-iraq-afghanistan-compared/

The daily reporting of the Iraq War is not truthful. One excellent piece of evidence is the way many military attacks can be assumed to be against "Al-qaida." However, as this link reveals many times the Al-qaida victims are actually innocent civilians.
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2007/06/30/war_reporting/index.html

Bush Vetoes Embryonic Stem Cell Bill

US President George W. Bush vetoed the embryonic stem cell research bill passed by the Congress. What a terrible decision. To appease his Christian right-wing base, Bush for the second time vetoed a bill that would give hope to millions suffering from devastating disease ranging from Parkinson's to arthritis.
However, breakthroughs in stem cell science continue every day, and today it was announced that human therapeutic cloning is one big step close after successful results with cloned rhesus monkeys.

-Is war with Iran on the way? Many indications are that it is. Today, President Bush met with Israeli PM Emud Ohmert and they discussed plans to attack the nuclear facilities of Iran.

I downloaded a DVD quality copy of "SICKO" and I think it is a good film. Very important topics.

Michael Moore came out to the media and raised questions about the official story of 9/11. I also have a gut feeling that that the truth about 9/11 is being kept from the public.

I trust scientists a lot and top onces came out today with a strong warning about the threat of global warming. Six scientists published an article in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society and warned that mankind is underestimating the threat of global warming.

US, and Iraqi troops launched a major offensive in northern Baghdad today. About 10,000 combat troops are involved in addition to air support. My feeling is that they will kill a lot of people, but will no control any area for very long. As soon as the troops leave, the insurgents will again regain control of the area. That's been the story so far. I feel the whole operation is a waste of lives, money, and effort.

This week I went to my cousin's middle school graduation. It was great to see the family happy and celebrating a good event. My cousins will start high school this fall and soon will be so grown up I probably won't recognize her!

I came across an article that discusses topics here in the USA that the mainstream media does not cover much if at all. In fact, they probably don't cover it all. Sometimes covering events like Paris Hilton, Anna Nicole Smith, or the latest missing young blond woman is too great a ratings grabber to cover more serious issues that are more important if not less sensational. I don't believe in rapid conspiracy thinking, but I believe it cannot be denied that decisions and events that affect everyday life are made behind closed doors.

Read this article which details the devastating statistics regarding the state of Iraqi children today, over 4 years since the March 2003 US-led military invasion and occupation. I believe this one story is enough to convince anyone that what has happened is a true travesty and crime against humanity. President George W. Bush is personally responsible for it. And I support his impeachment. The situation for US combat troops also is terrible, as they are burdened with the load of a military conflict with no plan and no strategy. It was reported that more troops are suffering mental health problems and are not getting help, and not to mention that increasing numbers of Army troops are questioning the whole point of being in Iraq now.

Today I learned about the record heat wave in North India. Temperatures there have gone over 115 degree F and is not getting any better soon. Droughts, water shortages, and dozens of deaths are reported. Back here in the United States there are record droughts all over the country.
Is all this a sign of global warming? You bet. Time to do something about it. But nothing really is changing. The G8 summit meeting with world leaders failed to reach an agreement that would begin to deal with climate change within this generation. Al Gore correctly called the Bush plan "smokes and mirrors."

In others news, the war in Iraq takes it latest sick and ironic turn. As reported on CNN, the US military is now providing arms and ammunition to Sunni groups. Yes, the same Sunni group in Iraq that supported President Saddam Hussein and that has been fighting the Shiite Maliki government since the war began. The same Sunni group that has killed many American soldiers. I guess the US military finally realized that the Shiites were very close to Iran, so they will not back the Sunnis, which is an ethnic group comprising also the Saudi Arabian lands. The Iraqi government was not consulted about this and they are not happy about it.

The hypocrisy of this is astounding. Previously, the Bush administration had strongly denounced the arming and violence of any groups outside of the government and police force. It seems that by funding and providing arms to Sunni groups in Iraq, in addition to the recent reports that the CIA is giving aid to Al-Qaeda terror groups within Iran, it makes you wonder what this "war on terror" really is all about.

Meanwhile most Americans are obsessing over the "Sopranos" finale.

I went to a neighborhood high school graduation party on the weekend, it was great to be part of a happy event.

"Wireless power" could eventually mean end of the age of power cables and batteries
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19098305/