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Natural Health Remedies | Jon Barron's Newsletter
Written by: Jon Barron
Sympathy for the FDA – If You Will
Recently, the FDA has been on a tear, going after companies for making medical claims for non-pharmaceutical products. This is something the FDA does every now and then — kind of like a locust plague — predictable that it will happen, unpredictable as to exactly when it will be. Here are just a few examples of the latest assault:
On September 28th, the FDA issued warning letters to three companies that manufacture and market mouth rinse products accusing them of making claims that their products remove plaque above the gum line or promote healthy gums. According to the FDA, "These claims suggest the products are effective in preventing gum disease when no such benefit has been demonstrated." The three companies/products involved are Johnson & Johnson (Listerine Total Care Anticavity Mouthwash), CVS Corporation (CVS Complete Care Anticavity Mouthwash), and Walgreen Company (Walgreen Mouth Rinse Full Action).
On September 9th, the FDA notified Enriching Gifts International that their products — Plant Enzymes, Sterol Max, Pro Biotic with FOS™, Metabolic Complete™, Heart Algae™, Lightning Colloidal Silver™, and Aloe Ace Max™ — were being promoted for conditions that cause the products to be drugs under section 201(g)(1)(B) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. In their letter, the FDA went on to explain that the therapeutic claims on the company web sites established the products as drugs because they promoted them for use in the "cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease."
On October 1st, the FDA posted an announcement recommending that people avoid consuming a product known as the Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) on the grounds that it was effectively bleach. As the FDA announcement said, "Some distributors claim MMS mixed with citric acid is an antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial liquid that is a remedy for colds, acne, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, H1N1 flu, and other conditions. But FDA experts say they aren't aware of any research that shows the product can effectively treat any illnesses." In addition, the announcement stated that "FDA experts say MMS is dangerous, and they're advising consumers to stop using the product immediately."
This spate of announcements raises several questions:
Why now? Why is the FDA taking on these products and claims at this particular time, especially considering that these products have been available and making similar claims for years.
Are the company claims true or not? And in the case of Miracle Mineral Supplement, is it safe, or is it dangerous as the FDA claims?
Does the FDA care if the claims are true, or is there a different issue involved here?
And finally, why is the title of this newsletter, "Sympathy for the FDA — If You Will?"
At first glance, it might seem that with 10,000 employees, the FDA is a bloated bureaucracy capable of watching and punishing every single supplement company in the United States that fails to toe the party line — at least that's the way it sometimes seems to those of us in the world of alternative health. But once you look at the responsibilities that Congress has assigned to the FDA, you quickly realize that they are dramatically understaffed. Specifically, Congress has made the FDA "responsible for protecting the public health by assuring the safety, efficacy, and security of human and veterinary drugs, biological products, medical devices, our nation's food supply, cosmetics, and products that emit radiation. The FDA is also responsible for advancing the public health by helping to speed innovations that make medicines and foods more effective, safer, and more affordable; and helping the public get the accurate, science-based information they need to use medicines and foods to improve their health." This is an exact quote from the FDA website as to what their purview is.
One of the first things you might notice on this list is that nutraceuticals and herbal supplements do not even rate a mention in their list of responsibilities. Why? Quite simply, total sales for all herbal supplements in the US are about $4 billion a year. That sounds like a lot until you realize that just one single statin drug, Lipitor, produced $12.4 billion dollars in revenues for Pfizer in 2008 alone! Supplement sales/companies are like an annoying gnat to the FDA. And remember, the FDA's kingdom includes not just drugs, but also cosmetics, veterinary/pet products, and the nation's food supply. Again, although important to us, alternative health is a low priority to the FDA, one they are loathe to expend resources on. The bottom line is that it's easy to see that 10,000 agents aren't close to enough to truly monitor even one aspect of their primary responsibilities — the food supply, for example — let alone waste them on supplement companies (and mouthwashes, as cited above).
That means that the FDA has to function like a terrorist organization. They must rely on fear and uncertainty to assert their will — especially when it comes to low priority items. In effect, they let a huge number of supplement companies get by with stretching and breaking the law for extended periods of time, and then when they least expect it, make a public show of assaulting a small handful of unlucky victims. The word then goes out through the grapevine that the threat from the FDA has risen to "red," at which point most companies start self-regulating, start "cleaning up their act" so to speak. In fact, the natural products industry has developed several large associations that actually work to support the FDA and government legislators in their work. The guiding principle seems to be a bit like Little Shop of Horrors — if we serve the beast through self-regulation and informing on transgressors, then maybe it will leave our law-abiding members alone. It's an approach, but it may also be a deal with the devil. Only time will tell.
In the meantime, because its resources are insufficient, the FDA relies more on fear and intimidation than on actual oversight to control its empire. And this is especially true in the world of alternative health. And yes, Listerine and the other mouth rinse products are not alternative health products, but their marketing claims are fully in line with things regularly seen in the alternative health industry, so the FDA treated them in the same manner.
Are the claims true?
Before we answer this question, there's something you must understand. Proving the claims are true, even if they are, may not be to a company's advantage. Prove that a supplement actually produces a medical benefit, and it no longer qualifies as a supplement. It's now a medicine, subject to a whole different set of regulations, costly manufacturing requirements, and sales restrictions. If you get your product labeled a cancer cure, you might no longer be able to sell it except by prescription through authorized channels, which are completely dominated by medical doctors and the pharmaceutical companies and their sales reps. And what doctor is going to prescribe an herb over a drug that they've been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote throughout their state? So alternative health companies play a delicate game — alluding to benefits, without actually stating them so they can continue to sell their products to the public at large.
It also should be noted that it is the FDA that determines what claims are true and can therefore be promoted. For example, it is the FDA that determined that Prozac, Paxil, and Effexor can be sold as "antidepressants" despite studies that indicate they work no better than a placebo for most patients who take them. In fact, exercise works better than Zoloft according to a number of studies. And yet, the FDA allows these drugs, with all their harmful side effects, to be sold as medicines, complete with label claims — but nothing for numerous herbal ingredients despite multiple studies backing their efficacy.
With that in mind, let's look at the claims.
I don't have time to cover all three mouthwashes cited by the FDA, so let's take one, Listerine Total Care Anticavity Mouthwash, and see what the story is. The big no-no according to the FDA is Listerine's claim that the product, "Fights Unsightly Plaque above the Gum Line." The FDA goes on to state, "No mouthwash with sodium fluoride as the active ingredient has been included or proposed for inclusion in any monograph for the antiplaque/antigingivitis indications claimed for Listerine Total Anti-cavity Mouthwash." Ergo, "As formulated and labeled, Listerine Total Anticavity Mouthwash is not generally recognized as safe and effective for the antiplaque indications in its labeling." But this is true only if one ignores the "inactive" ingredients in the Listerine formula. In fact, a long term study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association demonstrated that rinsing twice daily with Listerine Antiseptic mouth rinse is as effective at reducing plaque and gingivitis in areas between the teeth as flossing once daily. And this is hardly unique to Listerine. Most any good mouthwash with antibacterial properties will produce the same results. Bottom line: despite the FDA's refusal to accept them, the claims by the mouthwash companies are true. The problem is that the antibacterial ingredients in the rinses are considered inactive ingredients that therefore have no ability to combat bacteria at all.
Ahh, perhaps you're thinking, "Yes, but maybe the studies supporting these so-called antibacterial ingredients don't come up to the FDA's rigorous standards." And I would respond, "Do you mean like the rigorous standards they applied when approving the safety studies supporting the release of Vioxx and Avandia?"
Enriching Gifts International
The FDA letter to Enriching Gifts primarily chastises them for connecting benefits that may be associated with individual ingredients in their formulas with the formulas themselves. For example, the FDA cites the company for saying, "BROMELAIN [ingredient in product] … • fights arthritis … • fights cardiovascular problems, such as blood platelet aggregation, phlebitis, varicose ulcers, peripheral venous disease, blood clots, and heart attacks … • fights viruses and bacteria … • fights cancer and activates a tumor-fighting substance in the body called tumor necrosis factor (TNF)." And yet there are numerous studies to support each and every one of these assertions about bromelain. The FDA just chooses not to recognize them — or hasn't got around to evaluating them.
Incidentally, the issue of bromelain brings up another key issue working against approval of non-proprietary ingredients: simple economics. It now costs anywhere from 110 to 800 million dollars (depending on whose numbers you use) to get a new drug approved. This makes economic sense if you have exclusive rights to the drug and can expect to earn several billion dollars a year from them for the life of the patent. But spend several hundred million as a company to get bromelain certified for its ability to "fight arthritis" and what is it worth? Because you can't patent bromelain, any company in the world can now pop bromelain into a pill and market it for arthritis relief based on your studies. And since they didn't have to "invest" several hundred million getting it approved by the FDA, they don't have to build those costs into their product. They can easily undercut your prices and drive you out of business. The bottom line is that in the world of alternative health all economic incentives are to keep ingredients such as bromelain listed as "inactive" with no medical claims attached to them. Cross the line and refer to studies that indicate it might actually do something, and you will receive a letter from the FDA. The only alternative is to wait — many, many years — until enough independent studies build up so that they can no longer be ignored. At which point, the FDA finally devotes resources to "approve" what has been generally known for several decades. And even then, it usually takes a big company to push the FDA into action. It wasn't until the behemoths Coke and Cargill got behind stevia (combined with erythritol) that the FDA finally allowed stevia to be used as a sweetener in foods.
Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS)
The complaint against Miracle Mineral Supplement is of a slightly different order. Like the other two complaints, the FDA has problems with the health claims made for the product, stating in their announcement, "Some distributors claim MMS mixed with citric acid is an antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial liquid that is a remedy for colds, acne, cancer, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, H1N1 flu, and other conditions. But FDA experts say they aren't aware of any research that shows the product can effectively treat any illnesses."
In addition, the FDA questions the safety of Miracle Mineral Supplement. As they say in their complaint, "Distributor websites describe MMS as a liquid that's 28 percent sodium chlorite in distilled water. Product directions tell consumers to mix the sodium chlorite solution with citric acid — such as, lemon or lime juice — or another acid before drinking. When the acid is added, the mixture becomes chlorine dioxide, a powerful bleaching agent, says FDA expert Charles Lee, M.D. Lee says both chemicals are the active ingredients in disinfectants, and they have many other industrial uses."
So what about these claims by the FDA?
First of all, chlorine dioxide is NOT chlorine, and it is not household bleach (a mixture of sodium hypochlorite and sodium perborate)! Let me restate this, since the FDA seems to be implying that it is when they refer to it as "Potent Bleach": chlorine dioxide is not chlorine, and it is not household bleach. In fact, chlorine dioxide is used as a safe replacement for chlorine in water treatment systems, and it does indeed kill a wide variety of bacteria, viruses, spores, and other pathogens. And as to its safety, the EPA released a report attesting to the safety of chlorine dioxide and all its metabolites — as have numerous studies. (Note: chlorine dioxide can cause lung irritation, but that is not an issue when consumed in water.)
The FDA bolsters its objections by stating that sodium chlorite and chlorine dioxide "are the active ingredients in disinfectants, and they have many other industrial uses." But if that's a valid objection, how can they allow propylene glycol, the antifreeze you put in your car, to be used in everything from cosmetics to pharmaceutical drugs? And for that matter, what about oxygen? It too is used as a disinfectant and has many industrial uses. Anyone think breathing oxygen is unhealthy? The bottom line, though, is that just because something is used as a disinfectant or industrial chemical doesn't necessarily make it unhealthy to use in a supplement. How it's used and how much is used matter. The FDA knows this and yet still chose to use it as a false argument against MMS. Not good!
The FDA concludes its arguments by stating, "FDA has received several reports of consumers who got sick from drinking the MMS and citrus juice mixture. The reports say consumers suffered from nausea, severe vomiting, and life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration." I have two issues with this statement. First, what percentage of people are we talking about; was it verified that MMS caused the problems; and did they follow directions or deliberately overdose thinking to "maximize" benefits? And second, the FDA's concern would be more touching if they published a similar announcement for aspartame, which has generated more complaints of severe side effects (everything from tumors to blindness) than any other substance in FDA history; and yet, instead of publicizing this fact, the FDA continues to maintain that it is safe for consumption. There are many ways to describe this contradiction; the gentlest would be to call it a "double standard."
So what's the bottom line on Miracle Mineral Supplement? Does it work as promised? I've never tested it so I can't say, but there is scientific evidence to indicate that it might do at least some of what's promised. Does it cure cancer and AIDS as some websites proclaim? Not likely — at least there is no convincing evidence currently available that indicates it does so. On this point, at least, the FDA's position is correct.
Is it safe? If used as directed, it appears to be far safer than aspartame. In any case, the purpose of this newsletter is neither to endorse nor trash the product — merely to analyze the FDA's response to it.
The simple fact is that the FDA doesn't really care if the claims are true or not. Again, like any good terrorist organization, the question is not whether your position has any validity — it's whether it inspires fear so that the objects of your campaign modify their behavior according to your desires. It's a control issue — the ability of an undermanned force to insinuate its will on a much larger, better funded army. Match the FDA's 10,000 employees against a single large MLM company with 500,000 distributors (Amway alone has 3 million distributors), plus all of the companies selling lotions and potions on the internet and in stores, and you begin to see the scope of the problem for the FDA.
On the other hand, the FDA certainly has a bias in favor of pharmaceutical drugs. They let pharmaceutical companies get away with murder…literally. And in one of my "favorite" policies, they allow doctors to make health claims for drugs that have never been tested or approved by anyone — based entirely on anecdotal evidence. And we're not talking about hundreds of years, or even decades of anecdotal evidence involving millions of users as can be found with many traditional remedies. We're talking about anecdotal evidence experienced by as few as one or two doctors over a few weeks. It's called off-label usage, and the standards are getting looser all the time! One doctor observes what they see as a beneficial side effect of a drug; they write it up; and instantly every doctor in the country can now prescribe the drug for that benefit — without ever testing its efficacy or safety for that use! What alternative health companies wouldn't give for that privilege!
But bias is not conspiracy. Many in the alternative health community believe that there is a grand conspiracy between the FDA, medical doctors, and the pharmaceutical companies to crush the alternative health industry. The simple truth is that you don't need a conspiracy when many of the top people in the FDA and the pharmaceutical companies regularly move back and forth between high level positions in each group. Self-interest, greed, and the old-boy network are more than adequate to explain their actions. It also doesn't hurt when the doctors advising the FDA on what drugs to approve happen to be stockholders in the pharmaceutical companies submitting those same drugs for approval. All in all, the supplement industry is too small to warrant a conspiracy against it. It is more a pissant irritant to the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry than a substantive threat. Nonetheless, if it weren't for the passionate support of holistic adherents and their constant hectoring of the FDA and Congress, the FDA would be only too happy to see the alternative health industry simply go away — just so they wouldn't have to deal with it. Given that they can't make it go away, they try and do the next best thing — throttle it, handcuff it, and control it through fear and intimidation rather than with bodies on the ground.
Sympathy for the FDA
Now, I titled this newsletter, "Sympathy for the FDA." After reading this newsletter so far, you might be wondering how I could possibly have any sympathy for the FDA. The simple truth is that they have an impossible task.
They are short of both money and personnel to effectively do the catch-all job that Congress has assigned them.
They catch holy hell every time anything goes wrong such as an E. coli outbreak in bagged salads. (No wonder they want to see all food irradiated — just to be done with the problem, long-term health consequences be damned.)
As often as not, they can't win no matter what they do. Genetically modified food is a great example. Growers and grocery stores are pressing hard for its widespread approval — with no labeling requirements. On the other hand, consumers and that part of the food industry involved in exporting their goods to countries where GMO foods are either banned or vehemently opposed by consumers just as adamantly don't want GMO foods to go unlabeled since it would taint their products by association. As far as the FDA is concerned, they're damned if they do and damned if they don't. So like any good bureaucracy, they keep straddling fences, calling for public meetings, and pushing their decision out into the future, thereby making no one happy.
And when it comes to alternative health, they are at a total loss. Coming from a pharmaceutical/medical bias, they have no understanding or feel for the industry or its products. For the most part, they view it all as mumbo jumbo and cannot understand how so many people buy into it. And yet they are charged with overseeing it. So they make a botch of it. And no wonder so many people on the internet virulently loathe them and rail against them. It's as if the owners of the National Football League were suddenly put in charge of international soccer (football). For the most part, they don't like the game, have no feel for it, don't understand it, and view it as competitive to their primary interest — American football. What could they possibly do but make a mess of it and make everyone angry in the process.
All that said, I would advise my colleagues in the industry to keep one thing in mind — that as much as we may hate what the FDA does when it comes to alternative health, we actually have more choices and more options available to us in the United States than in almost any other major country in the world. So every now and then, between our battles with their outrageous rulings and double standards, maybe we should send them a kind thought — a little sympathy for the devil, if you will.
PS: On Oct 14th, the FDA sent out notices to eight companies that sell heavy metal chelation products. And the locust swarm continues!
Dietary SupplementsDoctors and DrugsPublic Policy
Guest	on November 4, 2011 at 2:34 pm
I have been ingesting MMS for
I have been ingesting MMS for 3 weeks now. 3 drops and hour for 8 consecutive hours every day. Also taking baths with up to 40 drops of MMS and 1/4 cup of medical grade DMSO. I have had no adverse side effects to date. None whatsoever. I also know many people who are using it in the same manner. Some do get nauseous and have diarrhea at first and are told to back off or lesson the amount taken each hour.
Though I can not yet tell of any benefits, that will be demonstrated at a later time when I have lab work done. I am taking it in the hopes that it will cure HIV, allowing me to eventually get off of the toxic drugs that I take daily, which have not been proven to do anything other than eventually cause the same symptoms that are diagnosed as AIDS.
"Your articles on health have opened a new way of understanding why we are constantly under attack from viruses and..." Continue
Eteng Otu, Thank you!
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Recipe from My French Kitchen For variations, try using red wine instead of water, or chiles for extra bite.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions and garlic, and saute for 3 minutes. Add the peppers, eggplants, and zucchini; mix well and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have gained a little color. Then add the tomatoes, 1 2/3 cups water, the oregano, marjoram, parsley, salt, and pepper; mix well and simmer gently over medium-low heat for 1 hour, stirring from time to time. Stir in the remaining 6 tablespoons olive oil and check the seasoning. Serve hot or at room temperature.


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Chabad Rabbi's Online Torah Class Grows Popular
by R. C. Berman - Los Angeles, CA
(lubavitch.com) Five million minutes. That's how much time users have logged joining an online broadcast hosted by a Chabad rabbi as he delivers a daily dose of Torah and Tanya simply, entertainingly and with healthy doses of humor.
After just six months on the web, on Encinolive.com, Collive.com and Chabad.org, Rabbi Joshua B. Gordon, executive director of Chabad of the Valley, is still a net newbie, but 40 years of Torah teaching experience have polished his delivery. His knack for communication also helps explain how a boy from Newark, NJ grew up to head a network of 24 Chabad centers in the San Fernando Valley, a freeway hop north of Los Angeles.
Classes delivered over the computer are no novelty, ditto those that get a lot of views. But the commitment of the viewers, and the sheer number of comments they leave (and their passion for his) class are a standout.
His topic is basic. Rabbi Gordon reads the few lines of the Torah portion that correspond to the day of the week. First portion on Sunday, second on Monday and so on, along with Rashi's commentary. Then he reads the daily portion of Tanya, the core text of Chabad Chasidic philosophy. With these he covers two of the three components of the CHITAS, a cycle of daily study and prayer promoted by the past two Lubavitcher Rebbes.
German Zeidner grew up in Tel Aviv and never studied Torah formally. He learns with Rabbi Gordon daily now, via the web in his living room or in person each day.
"Listening to Rabbi Gordon is like hearing your father or grandfather tell you a fairy tale. He uses modern terminology, examples from everyday, so you can really absorb what he is saying," Zeidner told Lubavitch.com from his Encino home. Before meeting Rabbi Gordon Zeidner tried other classes, "but they were uptight. They spoke to your brain, not to your heart."
For years, Rabbi Gordon brushed off requests to broadcast his class on the web. What would be the point if his teaching style, fast and funny, suffered major self-censorship before the camera and the knowledge that all would be archived?
Then, about a year ago, community member Daniel Aharonoff dropped a bombshell. With a pocket digital recorder, he had been taping Rabbi Gordon's class for a year and had a hard drive to prove it.
"I had hit a hard patch business-wise and I was depressed. I asked Rabbi Gordon what to do, and he challenged me to attend his class for three months." Aharonoff recalled. Despite being a yeshiva high school graduate, the thought of committing to study again was "torture." But "I couldn't get my head on straight" and he was willing to try anything.
To his surprise, "Going to class kept me centered and gave me food for thought. I cannot explain how much it helped me. Given the state of the economy, it is even more important to align yourself with the constant that is Torah," Aharonoff said. More people, he decided, beyond the 25 present each morning after services needed Rabbi Gordon's class, hence the covert recording.
Aharonoff broke the ice with the audio archive and just as Rabbi Gordon celebrated his 60th birthday, he went online with his classes.
"On my birthday, I committed to undertake a mitzvah I had never done before," said Rabbi Gordon.
The leap to teaching the world via internet became Rabbi Gordon's birthday mitzvah.
"What I am doing is very much my father's legacy to the family." His father, Rabbi Sholom Ber Gordon was among the first Chabad representatives in the United States. Known for his brilliance, warmth and way with words, he taught his son that "No Gordon goes through a day without teaching. It is from him that I inherited my humor and my passion to teach."
Before each class, Aharonoff or another community member sets up the lights, checks the camera, the software, and the audio and drops a clip-on mike at Rabbi Gordon's spot at the u-shaped table. Hollywood lights and California sunshine filtering in through the French doors light the spacious room. The daily class attendees remain off camera, and very quiet throughout the class, some munching on the scrambled egg and bagel breakfast served most days.
Those who attend in person say that Rabbi Gordon's off hand remarks have been toned down to suit the web, but it's still an enjoyable way to spend 45 minutes to an hour each morning.
They also take pride in the veritable United Nation of viewers who download class. The live and archived lesson has no fancy name, no catchy bumper music, but he has fans from Buenos Aires to Germany, from Down Under to high up in the Rockies. Zeidner's wife Anava tunes in from Taiwan. Thank you notes come from Laredo, TX; Maiden, N,C; Toronto, Israel, and beyond, and Rabbi Gordon personally answers questions left in the comment section.
Jayne Shapiro, president emerita of World Alliance for Israel Political Action Committee and a member of the national executive committee of AIPAC, joins Rabbi Gordon from her Beverly Hills home or wherever she finds a computer when she travels.
"I had a Tanya for years at home and was very frustrated. I couldn't grasp it. Rabbi Gordon's explanations really open up the Tanya and the Torah. He has an incredible way of bringing it all right to you."

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


How does an idea of creating a very personal or unique album cover of a function shoot seem to you? And that too by shooting tabletops!
I have noticed that function photographers are generally interested in portraits or photographing models, but turn a blind eye to tabletops. They seem to pose a question, «What's the use?» They crib that the market is competitive, but at the same time they fail to think 'broadly, on how to deliver or present their pictures in a different way to make a mark of their own.
Aug. 20: Bobby McFerrin, a virtuoso who never met a musical genre he couldn't wrap his supple vocal chords around convincingly, turns to spiritual music with his «Spirit-youall» album.
The first issue of Rock City we already wrote about the Moscow thrashers, calling themselves the Shah. Since then, enough time has passed to again talk with Antonio Garcia and find out what happened to a group of the above-mentioned period of time. Moreover, the group at the moment is really stabilized and any problems in this respect is not expected.


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2018 65+ National
By Men's Senior Baseball League | April 5, 2018
LA Athletics 13, TSP Fire 2
'Danny 'the Beast' Pawelek Shows Off Hall of Fame Form'
By Russ Christ, special to MSBL national
October 26, 2018, Mesa, AZ…Winning pitcher Danny Pawelek threw a complete-game, scattering eight hits, walking one and striking out three to lead the LA Athletics over Team Sport Pro (TSP) Fire 13-2 at Fitch Park in Mesa in the 65 National championship.
Craig Aramaki, one of 26 men on the roster, earned MVP honors for the Athletics. Gino Suter was 3-4 and Mike Denevi was 3-3 with two RBI. Pawelek was 2-2 with four RBI. The Chicago-based Fire never had a chance.
Pawelek and his battery mate, Dave Howard, combined to make sure of it. "Defense is the name of the game," Pawelek said. "I have a catcher and he gets me 12 strikes I don't get on my own. But it's good to have a bunch of guys because everyone's a little sore. It's still a lot of fun though. We are all so lucky to be here."
Earlier in the tournament Pawelek took a line drive off his knee. The injury briefly prevented him from pitching. But the tall, right-hander put some tape on it and added a sleeve for his quad. "If we waited until we felt good to come out and play we wouldn't be playing," he said.
"Danny's the beast," Howard said. "The biggest thing a catcher can do for him is find out what's working and what spots he's throwing to and exploit those. They were very good hitters. I actually came yesterday and took notes on them to try and find some weak spots. Every single one of them could put a bat on the ball, but our defense played great. Paul McPherson made that great backhand play at third that took the wind out of their sail."
The Athletics jumped on Fire southpaw pitcher Chuck Heatley, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first. They brought 11 men to the plate. Denevi and Pawelek each drove in two runs with solid hits.
In the fourth the Athletics did it again, with Suter, Mark Flatau, Pawelek and John Arnold all getting hits to chase Heatley from the game.
No TSP player had more than one hit. Joe Tarka, a substitute who got hit by a pitch and singled, scored both runs for TSP. Bobby Buffa and Ray Moon, who pitched three plus innings, had the RBI's for the Fire.
Bob Sherwin, the Athletics' longtime manager, said his team's depth was important. "Jumping out and getting six runs against a good team makes it easier," Sherwin said. "I knew they were a good squad and knew they were going to hit. I think the difference with our team is we carry a lot of pitchers and we had our best pitcher ready to go for the championship game."
Team Sport Pro 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 —2
LA Athletics 6 0 0 6 1 0 0 0 x—13
Double: M. Thatcher (LA)
DP: TSP (2), LA (1)
HP: J. Tarka (TSP)
LOB: TSP (9), LA (10)
Key Stats: M. Thatcher 2-5, 2R, G. Suter 3-4, 2R, M. Denevi 3-3, 2R, 2 RBI, M. Flatau 2-4, 2R, C. Aramaki 1-3, 2R, D. Pawelek 2-2, 4 RBI, A. Alt 2-2, J. Arnold 2-3, RBI, B. Sherwin 1-3, RBI (LA);
WP: Danny Pawelek
LP: Chuck Heatley
Posted in World Series


The ViaLiteHD 3U Chassis can hold up to 13 GNSS RF dual cards (up to 26 links) plus an SNMP card, for remote monitoring and control, and dual power supplies for redundant operation. The chassis design uses an integrated backplane for connectivity. All ViaLite modules are hot swappable, avoiding the need to power-down the chassis. This can be combined with blind mate connectivity and/or redundancy to ensure almost zero downtime.
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Please see the Datasheets tab for a list of available RF and support cards in the ViaLiteHD range.


Wash your face GENTLY--and if acnes is a real problem, go to the doctor! They have so many things to take care of this. "Natural" isn't always good for you! Arsenic is 'natural", but it will KILL you!
Not really natural, but I would definitely like to recommend ProActive if/when you run out of other options. I had used over the counter products, dermatologist recommended products, even prescription products and nothing has ever worked more effectively that ProActive. Hopefully you will find something organic that works for you, but if not, consider it!
Tea Tree Oil is recommended by dermatologists as an alternative to pharmaceuticals. It is also a good idea to try to have them avoid touching their face when not necessary...spreads germs! Good luck!
Goes without saying, but stay away from junk food entirely. Includes soda, fast food, sit-down fast food (i.e. applebees), chips, etc.
Like cb said..go to the doctor asap. The longer you fool around with acne, the harder it is to get under control and avoid damage to the skin.
If changing your diet or patting cow dung on your face cured acne, then no one would have it.
zinc vitamin supplements. i had tried everything. zinc pills killed my acne and i havent had a pimple since back in the 8th grade. im sure you can find something about it online or in books. i found out about it in a home remedies book.
Um ok..whatever. Acne will not kill you and I dont think you need to rush off to the doctor for pills etc that havent been through a generational study to see what they really do to you. Not to mention those pills have made some teens become violent.
Wash with neem or tea tree soap. Tea tree can be more oil zapping and harsher. Neem is mild enough for everyone but works the best for daily use. You can order it online or get it at a health food store.
Crush an asprin and add some honey to make an anti pimple mash to wash with.
save a bit to dab and keep on post face washing & mask to spot treat the pimples.
Leave the mask on for 15 minutes if acne is all over.
Lemon is a great mild exfoliation tool for teens. It gets rid of excess grease and mildly softens the top layer of skin to prevent a build up that can clog pores. Just cut it in half and scrub it all over the face and other acne type areas. I think its best in the shower because you dont have to worry about making a huge mess.
If they have body acne make a bottle of 75/25 white ving in a spritzer for the shower.
Spritz off and wash with soap as usual.
Ving kills pimples and exfoliates the skin.
You can use it on your face as a rinse too...but its kinda burny to me.
Maybe if you were oily or had less sensitive skin it would work.
Viactiv makes calcium chews for teens. They are like tootsie rolls.


Taking the art of DGAF to a whole new level, Jared Leto wore sequined, palm tree print lapels to the Wall Street Journal Magazine Innovator Awards, a prestigious and well-attended event held at NYC's Museum of Modern Art, and he was a masterpiece to behold. Did I mention that he recently colored his hair pink, and that upon closer inspection it appears that the black button-down he wore was not a simple black button-down, but a black-on-black tropical shirt? Did I mention that those who posed next to Leto on the red carpet appeared to wear expressions of barely contained bemusement? Did I mention that Leto is the only man I think to check out on the red carpet, since so many famous dudes wear the same black and white suit on the red carpet as if it would actually kill them to break out something else?
In a world where men's fashion is so hostile toward experimentation that a news anchor can wear the same suit every day for a year and have nobody notice, Leto's quirky personal style draws criticism like I'm drawn to red lipstick — he was once named GQ's Worst Dressed Man in the World and routinely lands on other worst dressed lists. However, are Leto's choices really so outlandish when compared to women known for their boundary-pushing personal style, such as Lady Gaga, who, let's not forget wore a dress made of meat? In comparison, Leto's sequined lapel seems downright tame.
While I'm glad to see Leto pushing the boundaries of men's fashion, here's hoping that some day it won't be an uncommon occurrence for men to wear skirts or rock the latest hair color fad if that's what they want to do. Until then, let's all take minute to appreciate the craziest of Leto's red carpet looks.
Leto wore this beauty to the 2015 Oscars. The color looks great on him, and I'm digging his ombre hair and beard.
It evokes cowboy and '20s gangster!
Am I the only one wishing man skirts would go mainstream?
While I mourned when Leto cut off his magnificent flowing locks earlier this year, I'm digging his Billy Idol look here.
Is anything more American than a jean jacket and the still-warm skin of your fresh kill hanging over your shoulders? No. No, there isn't.
This is the closest to real life anime hair I have ever seen a human being achieve without the aid of a wig.
Is he a grandpa or a hipster? Is there really much of a difference?
Here's to Leto! Let's hope for more awesome outfits in the future.
Want more fashion? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle's YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!


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In 2017, the U13 and U15 age groups will be in the North Premier 1 Division of the YDL Lower and the U17 and U20 age groups will be the North West 1 Division of the YDL Upper. Club teams compete in three nationally based leagues covering all age groups from U13 to Senior, male and female. There are four matches in each league during the summer season. Team selection, usually two per event per age group, is decided by team mangers and/or captains elected at the club AGM on the basis of performance.
Details of the Youth Development League (YDL), including results from 2016 can be found on the league web-site:
http://www.ukydl.org.uk/
Senior athletes compete in the Northern T&F League Division 3 West. With some restrictions athletes in the U17 and U20 age groups can be selected for this league. Details can be found on the league web-page on the Northern Athletics web-site:
http://www.northernathletics.org.uk/track-field-league/
Members can enter the Merseyside and Northern Championships and subject to the appropriate performance level, their Home Country and British Championships. There are also regular Open meetings organised by clubs in the North West including Wirral AC please see the fixtures page.


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In case you are interested by how will the Figo enter its subsequent era and what modifications and upgrades will it characteristic, now we have gathered all of the exising data on the brand new mannequin and secured an unique rendering picture that can assist you think about the Figo of the long run.
The brand new mannequin will arrive available on the market in a hatchback and compact sedan variations, whereas the opportunity of the compact crossover is but to be confirmed, however we're adamant that the Figo Cross model is inevitable someplace down the road. The Cross model will function a stable two tone exterior therapy with black plastic panels that rework the car into a stark and rugged crossover. The black panel continues into the bumper, that differs from the unique by being bulkier and ponderous. Persevering with with the theme, the crossover model could have a extra rugged entrance bumper and the grille so as to add to its indimidating look. Serving to break the monotony are the physique coloured therapies, facet skirts, and fog-lamp housing.


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Taking the initiative to adapt to technology trends can help to future-proof your business while ensuring you're not running behind your competitors. For growing, ambitious businesses, 'digital transformation' is especially important as technology has rapidly become a key definer of success.
Technology can help businesses to remain innovative, competitive, and match the current challenges that many organisations are struggling to overcome. Most importantly, digital transformation can have significant growth outcomes. So what technology should businesses utilise so that they can transform? We've identified the 7 key areas businesses should tackle with technology in order to help their business grow.
It is no secret that productivity and performance are two aspects of business that come hand in hand. The more successful and motivated your workforce is, the better performing and profitable your business becomes. In this case, it is rightly so that workforce productivity has become a priority for many ambitious mid-sized businesses (MSBs) looking to give their business a boost. Attracting top talent has become more important for MSB's as it gives them a competitive edge, and providing prospective employees with the opportunity to access cutting-edge technology is proven to have an effect on employee satisfaction.
In a study conducted by Dell, 42% of employees said they would quit a job over poor technology, highlighting the importance of access to innovative tech to keep employees happy and attract the newest talent. This is typically a struggle for ambitious mid-sized businesses, as key recruits are naturally drawn to larger companies instead, and over half of mid-sized businesses think they are limited in their ability to recruit talented graduates because they do not use the latest digital technology. Tackling this challenge can help businesses to grow their talent.
Operationally, digital transformation can streamline processes, cut waste, and speed up 'time to market'. These are benefits that no business can ignore- no matter how big or how small they are- but especially future-thinking mid-sized businesses who can only stand to excel and grow with these benefits. In a report by McKinsey, the benefits of digitisation (and digitalisation) are found to be huge, with some businesses experiencing cost cuts up to 90% and turnaround times improved significantly. This marks the urgency that forward-thinking businesses should be embracing to digitally transform. Businesses who do not take actions to assess their current business processes are less likely to grow, and are at risk of spending more with less efficiency in comparison to their competitors. For the mid-sized, this is critically important due to competition from large enterprises or more digitally-savvy competitors.
Profitability is key to a successful business. The ways in which businesses can achieve this in 2018 is intrinsically tied to implementing digital transformation initiatives. This is because digital transformation can become a virtuous circle, with each transformation becoming a stepping stone for further transformation and growth. By selecting technology that will enhance business processes and achieve business objectives, your business will gradually become more efficient. This will help you identify and eliminate processes that are not profitable. For instance, as desktops and workplaces have been digitised to save on space and paper, new opportunities to share information and collaborate have arisen, in turn helping business to grow by streamlining processes and encouraging productivity.
A huge challenge that businesses currently need to tackle is their ability to provide quality products and handle processes efficiently. Mid-sized organisations sit in a position where they are not small enough to have amateur processes, yet not big enough to match the exceedingly fast-paced efficiency of an enterprise organisation. Likewise, their product offering can exceed that of smaller organisations, but struggle to keep up with the larger offerings often displayed by their bigger competitors.
Despite this, the mid-market is placed in a position where their customers expect more than what they are capable of, leading to higher expectations. If ambitious businesses do not utilise technology to streamline their processes or improve the quality of their product offering, they may struggle to grow and meet expectations for their customers and lose out to their competitors.
With no surprise, business growth is a priority for ambitious businesses. If we all knew how to naturally grow a business with simplicity and efficiency, all businesses would be flourishing. Obviously, this is not the case, and one of the key disrupters for mid-sized businesses is their ability to grow.
Practically all enterprises use IT to some extent, however, systems and processes that work for a £25 million company may no longer be suitable for a £250 million company. IT often needs to be retaught and architected to support and encourage growth, instead of holding it back. In a mid-sized business, the skills and resources may not be available in right quantities to drive the digital transformation desired, and a business may not always have enough of either. In this case, a suitable third-party service provider can bring what is missing.
Mid-sized businesses are currently forecasted to do well, with insights from Accountancy age suggesting that ambitious and growth focused mid-sized businesses saw 11% growth turnover in the months since the June 2016 EU referendum, but there is still the important issue of managing uncertainty. With the current uncertain financial climate, mid-sized businesses need to continuously assess risks and strategically make digital transformation choices that will have tangible effects on their business objectives.
For the mid-sized business, uncertainty can be hard to tackle as they are often too big to benefit from incentives aimed at smaller businesses, and too small to grab the attention like FTSE companies. This places them in a tricky position, but the right technology choices can help to boost and grow these businesses over the bridge of uncertainty. For example, digital transformation is the right time to single out processes, products, equipment, and customers who have zero or negative impact on profitability.
Extending the customer experience is critical, as customer loyalty can give a boost over competitors. For large enterprises, this is not as much of a problem as their reputation builds stronger loyalty- but leaves the mid-market at a disadvantage. In order to attract, retain, and grow customer-base, businesses need to invest in technology that extends customer relationships.
Whether this is technology that reinforces customer omni-channel touch-points, customer experience enhancing technology, or marketing-enabling tech – investing technology that can help to attract and retain new customers will propel mid-market businesses forward towards increasing customer loyalty and growing their business.
Do you want to know more about how these challenges can be overcome? Download a FREE copy of The IT Transformation Guide for Ambitious Businesses eBook and learn why aspirational tech-driven businesses are the sweet spot of Digital Transformation.


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Marvel Phase 4 Announcements Won't Happen Until After Avengers 4
With everyone expecting a big announcement about Marvel Phase 4, Kevin Feige confirms that fans won't know what's next until after Avengers 4.
by Tom Chapman
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are excited to learn more/anything about Phase 4 of the MCU, but Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige has confirmed that major announcements won't be arriving until after Avengers 4 hits theaters.
Since soaring to glory with Iron Man in 2008, the MCU has grown from a tiny acorn into the blockbusting goliath that it is today. With possibly the most expensive superhero movies ever coming in the forms of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4, it may be difficult to picture what comes after Captain America and his many super-friends have toppled the Mad Titan Thanos. While the next two years of Marvel Studios movies are already sketched out, audiences shouldn't expect to learn what comes after that until 2019 rolls around.
Related: 25 Movies Marvel Should Consider For Phase 4
Speaking to Collider, Feige himself addressed the constant questions surrounding Phase 4 of the MCU and confirmed that audiences will have to wait until the "Infinity Saga" is done and dusted before they can find out anything else (sidenote: this isn't the first time Feige has indicated that Phase 4 news won't arrive until after Avengers 4 is released in theaters):
"It won't be for a while. Our focus is on the next six movies. Finishing the first three phases, getting Untitled Avengers out into the world in May '19 before publicly focusing on anything else."
Grilled on whether he knew what Marvel's 2020 movies were, Feige confirmed that he did, and also interesting dropped hints that the near future of the MCU would likely explore another Doctor Strange installment.
Since the first Avengers movie back in 2012, the entire MCU has been building toward a showdown, so there are big questions about what comes next after Josh Brolin's long-awaited stint as Thanos. There are obviously other huge storylines to tackle, but Thanos sticking on that bejeweled glove is about as big as Marvel comics get. Had that proposed Fox/Disney merger gone through, it was plausible that the X-Men would've played a large part in Phase 4 - but with talks having stalled, that possibility no longer appears to be on the table.
Not that there is anything wrong with the MCU's current business model of solo features leading to big ensemble movies every couple of years, but Thor: Ragnarok is a prime example of how adding a few more famous Marvel faces can break the mould for the best. Apart from promises of a third Guardians of the Galaxy kicking off a more cosmic MCU, it's still unknown if the MCU will even have more 'phases' after Avengers 4. However, so long as Marvel Studios and Disney keep their winning streak alive, the MCU itself won't be going anywhere anytime soon.
MORE: James Gunn Says Phase 4 is a 'Whole New Story'
Source: Collider
Black Panther (2018) release date: Feb 16, 2018
Avengers: Infinity War / The Avengers 3 (2018) release date: Apr 27, 2018
Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018) release date: Jul 06, 2018
Captain Marvel (2019) release date: Mar 08, 2019
Tom Chapman is a Manchester-based writer with square eyes and the love of a good pun. Raised on a diet of Jurassic Park and Jumanji, this '90s boy had VHS movies flowing in his blood from a young age. Heading into further education, Tom turned his passion for the silver screen into a degree in Broadcast Journalism at Leeds University. These days, he is addicted to all things Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, and Westworld, while reading up on what the X-Men are doing and imagining a life in Gotham City. Having previously worked at What Culture, Movie Pilot, and Digital Spy, Tom is now finding his way at Screen Rant and CBR. No topic is too big or too small for this freelance writer by day, crime-fighting vigilante by night.
More About Tom Chapman
Someone Was Kidnapping Jedi During The Clone Wars - But Star Wars Never Revealed Who
RDJ's Dolittle Movie Predicted To Bomb Terribly At Box Office


Robinson has been a steadying presence for the Panthers in his senior season at Pitt, starring on both ends of the floor. The point guard surged in the City Game against Duquesne University last Friday, totalling 18 points, eight assists and two steals on the evening. He played well in limited time against University of Cental Arkansas on Sunday, scoring nine and adding five assists and four rebounds in a blowout. He's significantly improved his 3-point shooting this year, going from 29.8 percent last season to 42.9 percent so far this campaign. Robinson and the Panthers return to the court on Friday, taking on Eastern Washington University at 7 p.m. at the Petersen Events Center.
Even though the team floundered in a loss to University of Michigan last Thursday, sophomore Yacine Diop had perhaps the best game by a Pitt player this season, totalling 26 points on 12-15 shooting against a talented opponent. She also compiled eight rebounds, two steals and a block in the contest. And while Diop's statline wasn't quite as impressive Sunday against College of the Holy Cross, she still managed to play solid basketball in her limited playing time due to foul trouble, finishing with four points, two rebounds, an assist and a foul. Diop and the Panthers are back in action Saturday, when they travel to New Jersey to take on Princeton University at 3 p.m.


This post contains a brief overview of what turmeric is, its nutritional value as well as tips on Cooking with Turmeric.
Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma Longa plant. It has been grown in Indonesia and southern India for over 5000 years. A relative of ginger, turmeric has a tough brown skin and bright orange flesh. Its roots, or rhizomes, are generally boiled, then dried and ground to a powder, which is an essential ingredient in curry dishes.
Turmeric has recently gained popularity outside Asia no doubt due to an increased interest in healthy foods, which seems to be a worldwide phenomenon. Turmeric is an excellent source of manganese and iron, as well as a good source of fiber, copper, Vitamin B6 and potassium. It contains curcumin, an antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties, which has historically been used to treat a variety of conditions. Curry powders generally contain much less curcumin than turmeric powder, so for maximum health benefits it's a good idea to buy turmeric powder separately and add a desired amount to dishes.
Turmeric has a mild, slightly bitter and peppery flavour and subtle, sweet aroma, which complement both savoury and sweet dishes, adding depth without overpowering the dish. In addition to being an essential curry ingredient, turmeric can be sprinkled on eggs, added to soups and stews, rice dishes, breads and cakes, ice cream and smoothies, salad dressings and marinades. The possibilities are endless. It adds nutrition, flavour as well as colour.
In this homemade chicken noodle soup I used a bit of turmeric for colour. It didn't affect the flavour but added a nice yellow tint to this plain soup.
My healthy pumpkin cake has a bright yellow colour which looks beautiful paired with the dark chocolate drizzle. I only added 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric to the cake batter.
These healthy banana yogurt pancakes also contain a little turmeric for added colour and goodness. They are so delicious no one will know you've added a healthy ingredient to the batter.
My simple butternut squash coconut curry uses turmeric in a more traditional way.
You can use fresh turmeric rhizomes in cooking but it is not as easily available as turmeric powder so most recipes include the latter.
Store the rhizomes in the fridge and keep turmeric powder in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Pin Turmeric Facts + Cooking with Turmeric!
I am sharing Turmeric Facts + Cooking with Turmeric with Fiesta Friday, which I am co-hosting this week along with Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau.


Season two of K.C. Undercover premieres on Sunday, March 6, which means that the series' resident BFFs—played by Zendaya and Veronica Dunne—are back on your screens. But as fans of Disney's undercover teenage spy series already know, the duo's friendship doesn't stop when the cameras turn off. They're good pals IRL, too.
Ultimately, Marisa "realizes she actually likes it," said Dunne, and it's one of many major turning points for her character. "You really get to see beneath the surface and learn about some of her insecurities," Dunne said. "She comes across as super confident and like she has everything together, but she has insecurities just like any normal teenager—and I think that's important for girls out there to see." Before you learn more about her character in season two of K.C. Undercover (Sundays, 8 p.m. ET on Disney), scroll down for seven things to know about Dunne.
1. When it comes to fashion, she's all about the accessories.
2. She prefers one-of-a-kind pieces to trendier styles.
3. Her red carpet style icon is another blonde bombshell.
4. She takes being a good role model very seriously.
5. When it comes to crushing on Hollywood's hotties, age is nothing but a number.
6. Her beauty arsenal contains a mix of high- and low-end products.
7. She knows the value of a good workout.


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All Tied Up and Nowhere to Go
Hope is given for the sake of the hopeless
Political Document
Solidarity during the austere age
5.27.2013 Leave a comment
Aditya Chakrabortty, writing for the Guardian, considered Sweden's recent and surprising troubles:
More than 20 cars torched in one night. School classrooms gutted by fire. Fifty far-right extremists chasing immigrants around a suburb.
You probably haven't seen much about it in the papers, but for the past week Sweden has been racked by rioting. The violence began in a suburb of Stockholm, Husby, and spread around the capital's edge before other cities went up in flames. Police have been pelted with stones; neighbourhoods have turned into no-go areas, even for ambulances. Such prolonged unrest is remarkable for Stockholm, as those few reporters sent to cover it have observed. Naturally enough, each article has wound up asking: why here?
It's a good question. Don't surveys repeatedly show Sweden as one of the happiest countries (certainly a damn sight cheerier than Britain)? Isn't it famous for its equality, its warm welcome to immigrants? Whatever happened to Stockholm, capital of progressivism, the Mecca towards which Guardianistas face for their daily five minutes of mindfulness?
We all know the cliches, but the reality is they no longer fit the country so well. Whether it's on the wealth gap, or welfare, or public services, Sweden is less "Swedish" than it has ever been. As in other continental capitals, the Stockholm version of the "European social model" is an increasingly tattered thing, albeit still appealed to by the political elites and still resonant in the popular culture. But the country seized by turbulence last week is becoming polarised, and is surrendering more of its public services over to private businesses (sometimes with disastrous effects). Those riot-scene correspondents ought not to be asking: why here? A better question, surely, is: if such instability can happen here, what might unfold elsewhere — including Britain?
Rioting has occurred in other OECD countries. Most notably, they took place in Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, Spain and Turkey since the onset of the Great Recession. The United States also produced the peaceful Occupy Movement, which the various governmental bodies suppressed with rioting police forces. The causes of unrest are the same across Europe and in the United States: Growing inequality, social polarization, austerity and, in some instances, economic stagnation. Sweden is a special case, as Chakrabortty avers. Its welfare state was notable for its commitment to collective security and to economic growth. The Swedish economy continues to grow. But the Swedes are slowly jettisoning their commitment to collective security, to solidarity. This is when the authorities need the police to keep order. This is when the democratic class struggle becomes class warfare.
Night 7 in Sweden: Cars ablaze, police attacked as nation debates immigrant policy (rinf.com)
STOCKHOLM RIOTS Leave SWEDEN'S DREAMS OF PERFECT SOCIALIST SOCIETY UP IN SMOKE (secretsofthefed.com)
Sweden: Muslim riots rage in Stockholm for sixth night (warsclerotic.wordpress.com)
Contagion: Muslims Riot For Sixth Night In Sweden As Red Cross Warns 'Civil Unrest' May Spread Across Europe (midnightwatcher.wordpress.com)
Sales success at Borgarfjord 4, Stockholm (savills.co.uk)
Sixième nuit d'émeutes dans la banlieue de Stockholm – 24 mai 2013 (berthoalain.com)
Sweden Riots Put Faces to Statistics as Stockholm Burned (bloomberg.com)
Sixth night of riots in Stockholm as immigrants protest shooting (heraldsun.com.au)
Stockholm calls in reinforcements over riots (nation.com.pk)
Filed under News Tagged with Austerity Politics, Austria, Britain, Class Conflict, Class War, Economic Stagnation, european social model, France, Germany, Greece, Inequality, Occupy Movement, oecd countries, political elites, Politics, Popular Contention, Spain, Stockholm, Sweden, Turkey, United States, wealth gap
Neoliberalism is an ideology and a compulsion
2.23.2012 1 Comment
Mike Whitney and Dean Baker argue that those leading the European Central Bank, the European Union, and the International Monetary Fund (The Troika) find it difficult to experience the world but through the lens of their idiotic economic theory. Baker had the recent opportunity to observe the Troika in action. He drew this conclusion:
There is no economic reasoning behind the troika's positions. For practical purposes, Greece and the other debt-burdened countries are dealing with crazy people. The pain being imposed is not a route to economic health; rather it is a gruesome bleeding process that will only leave the patient worse off. The economic doctors at the troika are clueless when it comes to understanding a modern economy.
Mike Whitney's analysis affirms Baker's assessment. Whitney notes that, "If Greece's €130 billion loan was going to be used for fiscal stimulus, then it might be worth the commitment. Because that kind of money could put a lot people back to work and kick-start the economy fast." Yet…he continues by observing:
But the loan isn't going to be used for stimulus. It's going to be used to recapitalize the banks and pay off creditors, neither of which will do anything to boost activity or create jobs. So, why bother? Why dig an even deeper hole if it achieves nothing? If that's the case, then Greece should just default now and start rebuilding the economy ASAP. There's no point in putting it off any longer.
Indeed, why would Greece accept the bitter medicine dispensed by the European Union?
The troika (the European Central Bank, the European Union, and the International Monetary Fund) is demanding another €3 billion in spending cuts even though unemployment is tipping 20 percent and the economy shrank 7 percent in the last quarter. What sense does that make? You don't have to be a genius to figure out that Greece won't reach its budget targets if tax revenues continue to fall because everyone's either been laid off or taking a pay-cut. It will just make a bad situation even worse. But the troika doesn't worry about these type of things. They don't care that their lamebrain economic theories have failed miserably so far, or that their austerity measures have been a complete flop. They just keep plugging along making the same mistakes over and over again, impervious to the criticism of reputable economists, oblivious to the abysmal results, they remain steadfast in their commitment to belt tightening, sure that a strict diet of breadcrumbs and water is the best way to nurse an ailing economy back to health. It doesn't bother them that the facts prove otherwise.
An austerity politics entails personal suffering for many people. It immiserates them by design. This effect is considered a feature of an austerity regime. And the Greeks have already suffered, as we know. But an austerity politics also makes little sense during a recession. It is a policy regime a crazy person recommends.
The upshot: The government of Greece, if it were rational, would take the Argentinean path to recovery. Country debt and risk are not perpetual prison sentences. If Greece were to take this path, it would default on its obligations and exit the European Union (advocated here). It ought to do so because its current predicament and the proposed — or imposed — 'remedy' for it will only serve to transfer wealth to the financial institutions holding Greece's debt and, of course, to plunder the country of those assets worth owning (discussed by Michael Hudson here). Greek "have-nots" have and continue to protest this imperial imposition on their country. It is rational for them to do this just as it is rational for the Greek government default on its financial obligations and jettison the Euro.
Greece gets a reprieve, but crisis not over (money.cnn.com)
€130bn plaster leaves Greece independent in name only (guardian.co.uk)
Greece bailout: UK faces added £1bn bill to save crisis-hit euro (dailymail.co.uk)
Greece bailout: six key elements of the deal (guardian.co.uk)
Greece to cut minimum wage in troika deal: report (marketwatch.com)
Greek PM office: Agreement with troika completed (marketwatch.com)
Eurozone agrees €130bn bail-out for Greece (telegraph.co.uk)
Despite riots, Greece pushes ahead with austerity (csmonitor.com)
Dutch demand 'permanent' control in Greece (business.financialpost.com)
Christine Legarde's IMF Jenga Gambit (ayannanahmias.com)
Austerity Push in Greece Leaves Citizens Hungry for Alternatives (ibtimes.com)
Greece, troika reach staff-level deal: minister (marketwatch.com)
You: Greece reaches deal on austerity (nation.com.pk)
Filed under Commentary Tagged with Dean Baker, Economic Predation, Eurocrisis, European Central Bank, European Union, Greece, Imperialism, International Monetary Fund, Mike Whitney, Neoliberalism, Politics of Greece
The consequences of an asuterity politics
2.16.2012 5 Comments
Filed under Video Tagged with Austerity Politics, Class War, Economic Crisis, Economic Predation, Eurozone, Greece, Neoliberalism, Poverity
Greece under the yoke
Reuters reported that:
Greece must surrender control of its budget policy to outside institutions if it cannot implement reforms attached to euro zone rescue measures, the German economy minister was quoted as saying on Sunday.
The fact that the German Economic Minister made this already credible statement indicates that Greece lacks control over its budget. The issue at hand is whether the European Union would exercise direct or indirect control over the Greek budget, not whether Greece would control its own budget.
It's Official: German Economy Minister Demands Surrender Of Greek Budget Policy, Says It Is First Of Many Such Sovereign "Requests" (zerohedge.com)
Germany's Schauble: Greece bailout not guaranteed (marketwatch.com)
It's Official: German Economy Minister Demands Surrender Of Greek Budget Policy, Says It Is First Of Many Such Sovereign (livingstrongandhappy.blogspot.com)
A fitting epilogue (firedoglake.com)
Germany Demands Greece Give up Control of its Budget (ibtimes.com)
Greek Premier Seeks Backing for Reforms; Debt Deal Near (ibtimes.com)
We're on the brink, warns Greece ahead of summit (telegraph.co.uk)
Greece Rejects Proposal to Cede Budget Control (02varvara.wordpress.com)
Now Greece Is Just One Step Closer To Leaving The Euro (businessinsider.com)
Filed under News Tagged with Austerity Politics, European Union, Eurozone, Financial Crisis, Fiscal Crisis, Fiscal Politics, Greece
Serge Halami of Le Monde Diplomatique appropriately compared the recent European Union, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund ("the troika") intervention in Greece's affairs to the Soviet Union's termination of the Prague Spring:
For people in countries suffering under austerity measures, the history of Europe provides some outstanding examples. In some ways, recent events in Athens recall Czechoslovakia in 1968: the crushing of the Prague Spring and the removal of the Communist leader Alexander Dubcek. The troika has played the same part in reducing Greece to a protectorate as the Warsaw Pact did in Czechoslovakia, with Papandreou in the role of Dubcek, but a Dubcek who would never have dared to resist. The doctrine of limited sovereignty has been applied, though admittedly it is preferable and less immediately lethal to have its parameters set by rating agencies rather than by Russian tanks rolling over the borders.
Having crushed Greece and Italy, the EU and the IMF have now set their sights on Hungary and Spain.
Both interventions were intended to undermine democratic accountability in a peripheral state. Both, by the way, were successful.
Filed under Quote of the Day Tagged with Czechoslovakia, Empire, European Central Bank, European Union, Fiscal Politics, Greece, International Monetary Fund, Prague Spring, Soviet Union
12.9.2011 Leave a comment
Michael Hudson wrote:
The easiest way to understand Europe's financial crisis is to look at the solutions being proposed to resolve it. They are a banker's dream, a grab bag of giveaways that few voters would be likely to approve in a democratic referendum. Bank strategists learned not to risk submitting their plans to democratic vote after Icelanders twice refused in 2010-11 to approve their government's capitulation to pay Britain and the Netherlands for losses run up by badly regulated Icelandic banks operating abroad. Lacking such a referendum, mass demonstrations were the only way for Greek voters to register their opposition to the €50 billion in privatization sell-offs demanded by the European Central Bank (ECB) in autumn 2011.
Hudson follows this passage by making a case for the euthanasia of the rentier class (Keynes) and for fiat money. To be sure, his solutions are as politically improbable as they are humanly necessary.
Europe's Transition From Social Democracy to Oligarchy (3eintelligence.wordpress.com)
Democracy and Debt: Has the Link been Broken? By Michael Hudson (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
Iceland's Fair Value Vultures by Olafur Arnarson, Michael Hudson and Gunnar Tomasson (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
Trade Theory Financialized by Michael Hudson (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
Debt Slavery – Why It Destroyed Rome, Why It Will Destroy Us Unless it is Stopped (anationbeguiled.wordpress.com)
Canadian Markets: Canada stocks fall as ECB rejects more bond buying (marketwatch.com)
Michael Hudson: Finance is the new mode of warfare (dandelionsalad.wordpress.com)
Currencies: Dollar edges higher against euro ahead of ECB meet (marketwatch.com)
Debt Slavery – Why It Destroyed Rome, Why It Will Destroy Us Unless It's Stopped (zerohedge.com)
Currencies: Dollar rises more as Europe spurs risk aversion (marketwatch.com)
Filed under Quote of the Day Tagged with European Central Bank, Finance Capital, Greece, Iceland, John Maynard Keynes, Michael Hudson
A note on the obliteration of the 'responsible' left in Europe and the United States
Serge Halimi rightly points out that:
The Occupy Wall Street protests in the US are also directed against the Street's representatives in the Democratic Party and the White House. The protesters probably don't know that Socialists in France still consider Barack Obama exemplary, since, unlike President Sarkozy, he had the foresight to take action against banks. Is there a misunderstanding? Those who are unwilling or unable to attack the pillars of the neoliberal order (financialisation, globalisation of movements of capital and goods) are tempted to personalise the disaster, to attribute the crisis in capitalism to poor planning or mismanagement by their political opponents. In France it's Sarkozy, in Italy Berlusconi, in Germany Merkel, who are to blame. And elsewhere?
Elsewhere, and not only in the US, political leaders long considered as models by the moderate left also face angry crowds. In Greece, the president of the Socialist International, George Papandreou, is pursuing a policy of extreme austerity: privatisations, cuts in the civil service, and delivering economic and social sovereignty to a ultra-neoliberal "troika" (1). The conduct of the Spanish, Portuguese and Slovenian governments reminds us that the term "left" is now so debased that it is no longer associated with any specific political content.
The current French Socialist Party spokesman explains the impossible situation of European social democracy very clearly: in his new book Tourner la page, Benoît Hamon writes: "In the European Union, the European Socialist Party is historically associated, through the compromise linking it with Christian democracy, with the strategy of liberalising the internal market and the implications for social rights and public services. Socialist governments negotiated the austerity measures that the European Union and the International Monetary Fund wanted. In Spain, Portugal and Greece, opposition to the austerity measures is naturally directed against the IMF and the European Commission, but also against the socialist governments … Part of the European left no longer denies that it is necessary, like the European right, to sacrifice the welfare state in order to balance the budget and please the markets. … We have blocked the march of progress in several parts of the world. I cannot resign myself to this" (2).
Others think the debasement is irreversible because it is connected to the gentrification of European socialists and their lack of contact with the world of work.
The upshot: Leftist reformers in Europe and America's legacy parties will never implement radical and desirable reforms unless large and active movements compel them to do so.
Greece Set to Name Papademos Leader (online.wsj.com)
In Turmoil, Greece and Italy Deepen Euro Crisis (nytimes.com)
Greek Referendum Wins Backing (online.wsj.com)
François Hollande chosen by French socialists for presidential elections (guardian.co.uk)
Greece's Papandreou faces key confidence vote (msnbc.msn.com)
Socialists Square Off: Who's to Face Sarkozy? (online.wsj.com)
François Hollande chosen by French socialists for presidential elections – The Guardian (news.google.com)
Greeks Hit Blocks in Bid to Name Government (online.wsj.com)
Greek power-sharing talks in second day (seattlepi.com)
Filed under Commentary Tagged with Barack Obama, Democratic Party, European Commission, European Union, George Papandreou, Greece, Nicolas Sarkozy, Serge Halimi, Social Democracy, Socialists, United States
Italy's Silvio Berlusconi offers to leave office
11.8.2011 1 Comment
"There is no alternative…."
According to the New York Times, Italy's battered and irrelevant Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi:
…offered a conditional resignation on Tuesday, agreeing to step down but only after Parliament passes an austerity package — before the country will go to early elections, government sources said on Tuesday evening.
The move comes in the face of an escalating debt crisis that has hobbled Greece, threatens Italy and could infect the rest of Europe.
Infect? Italy's national crisis is also a significant component of the Eurozone's system crisis. It is not an agent external to the Eurozone. Italy is Europe's third largest economy. Because of Italy's size and importance, it should come as no surprise that:
Speaking after a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, Olli Rehn, European commissioner for economic and monetary affairs, said Italy's economic and financial position was "very worrying." He added that the European Commission was "concerned about the situation and we following the situation very closely."
Ironically:
"'The problem in Italy is not primarily the real data," Germany's finance minister, Wolfgang Schaüble, said in Brussels on Tuesday. "The debt is high, the deficit is not — economic data are not that bad. The problem is a lack of trust from the financial markets and that of course is a realistic situation. And this trust has to be strengthened."
It is a matter of "trust," and thus, in the first instance, "a political crisis as much as an economic crisis," as David Dayen points out. Finance capitalists across the world just do not trust Italy to resolve its problems, to solve them, in other words, to their satisfaction. This mistrust is contagious. The economic crisis is a political crisis because Italy's sovereign debt crisis, like those found in Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, etc., ineluctably threatens the core institutions of the Eurozone system. Whence the Euro, we might wonder, when so many national economies collapse?
To be sure, Italy's sovereign debt crisis will not spare Italy's political institutions and political culture. The imposition of an austerity regime on Italy will necessarily modify its political institutions, and thus kinds of politics Italians can feasibly give themselves in the future. Alterations of this sort are features of the austerity project. They amount to an economic and political constraint placed on Italy's democratic institutions.
From the part to the whole: The Eurozone's political crisis — will it exist tomorrow, the day after? — also helps to determine its financial crisis. After all, imposing austerity regimes on Italy and Greece will fail to resolve the Eurozone's economic problems. It will, at best, transform them into a diminished quality of life for many living in those countries now suffering sovereign debt crises. This 'best case' outcome will, in turn, merely create another political problem for the Eurozone and, naturally, for those countries forced to endure an austerity regime. Europe's transnational institutions and some of its national institutions will appear less than sufficiently rational and thus able to provide in the future an acceptable standard of living for many living in the Eurozone. In fact, this rationality deficit has already appeared as such: The Europeans and the G-20 have no answers, according to Barry Eichengreen. Consequently, "[t]he republic of the centre [in Europe] has institutions and media behind it, but it is tottering," according to Serge Halimi. Armies await their orders, for civil order — Which civil order? Whose civil order? — must be kept intact even if the new transnational order demolishes the lives of millions.
Filed under News Tagged with European Commission, European Union, Eurozone, Greece, Italy, Political Crisis, Silvio Berlusconi, Sovereign Debt Crisis, System Crisis, System Disintegration
Chairs moving around the deck
According to a New York Times report:
After crisis talks on Sunday night, Prime Minister George Papandreou and his main rival agreed to create a new unity government in Greece that will not be led by Mr. Papandreou, according to a statement released Sunday night by the Greek president, who mediated the talks.
Mr. Papandreou and the opposition leader Antonis Samaras agreed to meet again on Monday to hammer out the details. The name of the new prime minister is not expected until then.
The new government is intended to govern for several months to put in place a debt agreement with the European Union, a step European leaders consider crucial to shoring up the euro. Then it is to hold a general election and dissolve.
The new government will unify around imposing a new austerity regime on Greece. It will exist only to serve that end. To be sure, this will not be an all-inclusive political settlement. After all, the government will not include representatives of the Greek protesters who have made their will known on this matter. It will merely be a unified Greek elite who will stand alongside of European Union political elite.
Greek prime minister won't head interim government – USA Today (usatoday.com)
Euro debt crisis: Greek prime minister George Papandreou to resign once coalition deal is struck (telegraph.co.uk)
Euro debt crisis: Greek PM George Papandreou to resign (guardian.co.uk)
Greek PM George Papandreou Expected to Resign (blippitt.com)
Greece works throughout weekend to avoid bankruptcy – Christian Science Monitor (csmonitor.com)
Papandreou out as Greek leaders agree unity government deal (guardian.co.uk)
Papandreou to resign when coalition deal made: lawmaker (business.financialpost.com)
Greek president to host key talks (bbc.co.uk)
Greece prime minister struggles to form coalition (msnbc.msn.com)
Greek Pm Happy Believers Movement (socyberty.com)
Filed under News Tagged with Antonis Samaras, Austerity, European Union, Eurozone, Fiscal Crisis, George Papandreou, Greece, Popular Contention, Reactionary Economics, Sovereign Debt Crisis
Alexander Cockburn avers:
I've no doubt that if by chance the left in Greece today were to evict the local political agents of the international banks, it would not be long before a NATO intervention, covert and then overt, was under way, using the usual arsenal of assassination, drone attacks and armed support for whatever security forces do not defect to the left.
Filed under Quote of the Day Tagged with Alexander Cockburn, Greece, NATO, Police Repression, Popular Contention, United States, Warfare and Conflict
Jesse Jackson on poverty
Voting and the 'rule by law'
Wendy Brown on neoliberalism and democracy
Thomas Ferguson discusses our situation
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I Understand Your Loneliness, 12x12", mixed media on canvas. Lorette C. Luzajic.
Another butterfly piece inspired by John Fowles' The Collector, a terrible and beautiful novel about a deranged man who collects butterflies. His ultimate specimen is a woman he kidnaps and keeps trapped in a hidden room.
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