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Days of Celebration - The Wiccan Sabbats
Once again, I find myself receiving requests for information from various sources about one subject. Seems like interest comes in droves at times! I will share this article from my website, A Rainbow of Spirituality, to provide some enlightenment to those who seek answers.
Every religion honors special days of the year set aside for celebrations of various events
that are important to the specific religion's theology, and Wicca is certainly no exception. The Wiccans annually celebrate eight special holidays, or Sabbats, derived from the French word meaning "to frolic and revel." The purpose of this section is to provide information on each Sabbat, the day it is usually celebrated on (minor disagreements are evident among different traditions and practitioners), various other names of each Sabbat, and what the holiday is actually celebrating. Most of these Sabbats will be familiar to the non-Wiccan, as the Christians have adapted most Pagan celebrations into its own holidays, making a few cosmetic changes in the process, and I have endeavored to specify the Christian equivalent of each holiday wherever possible. The Roman Catholic Church undoubtedly did this in order to make it easier for the Pagans to be converted to the new religion. Hence, most Pagan holidays have been "Christianized" by the clergy of the Church. All of these holidays encompass the Wheel of the Year (sometimes called the "Wheel of Life" for obvious reasons), a circular symbol used to illustrate the holidays and their effect on the Wiccan consciousness throughout the year. You will notice that each of the Sabbats taken together is symbolic of human existence, as well as every living thing in nature, utilizing the Goddess and God to personify the travel from birth to death to eventual rebirth in an unending, oscillating cycle.
Here, then, are each of the Sabbats:
Associated Stones: Obsidian, onyx, carnelian
Other Names: All Hallow's Eve, Ancestor Night, Feast of the Dead, Halloween
Christian Equivalent: All Saint's Day (Halloween itself is celebrated commercially, but is not considered a holy day by Christianity), and All Soul's Day
Day: October 31
Purpose: Samhain (which is supposed to be pronounced sow-en, though some modern Pagans pronounce it as spelled) is the most important holy night of the year. In fact, it is considered the Celtic New Year. It is believed to be the evening in which the veil between the realm of the living and the dead is thinnest, allowing members of the spirit realm to walk the earth in great numbers. It is thereby considered the evening where our loved ones who have gone over to the other side of the veil are honored with a special feast. This is certainly the reason All Saint's Day was created by the Roman Catholic Church to celebrate honored individuals who have passed on, as well as the similar All Souls Day, which honors the memories of our individual loved one's who have passed on. The association with spirits of the dead walking the earth, as well as faeries and other etheric beings roaming the material plane in large numbers that evening, is probably the basis for the modern Halloween's emphasis on ghosts and goblins, and the popular stereotypical image of the witch as a swarthy old crone with green skin was derived from negative images of real witches as being corrupt harbingers of evil or mischief. The jack o' lantern, a still popular decoration, is derived from the image used by ancient Pagans to keep unwelcome spirits from the hearth during the celebration. Calls to your ancestors and loved ones for assistance is appropriate for those practicing spell work on this day, as is spell work for endings and calling upon the Crone aspect of the Goddess.
The God symbolically dies of old age at this point, though the Mother Goddess is now pregnant with the reborn Sun God in her womb.
Associated Stones: Bloodstone, garnet, ruby
Other Names: Yule, Winter Finding, Saturnalia
Christian Equivalent: Christmas
Day: December 21
Purpose: Winter Solstice celebrates the rebirth of the Sun God into infancy. All the major pantheons of deities have their version of the Sun God: The Greco-Roman Dionysus/Bacchus, the Egyptian Osiris, and the Norse Balder, just to name a few. Many myths exist to describe a kind and beloved being who dies and is subsequently reborn. The Christians adapted this day as the "official" birthday of Jesus Christ, the great prophet that Christian theology revolves around, and who has been deified as the Christian equivalent of the Sun God (the death and resurrection story of Jesus was by no means original, but has its variants in Pagan religions far older than Christianity). This day also celebrates the return of the sun, as the days begin to grow longer.
The Christian practice of putting up a Christmas Tree derives from the ancient Pagan tradition of bringing a yule tree in the home in order to welcome the nature spirits into the festivities of the day. The burning of the yule log derives from an ancient Germanic custom in honor of the god Thor, to whom yule wood was considered sacred.
The concept of Santa Claus is also distinctly Pagan. The image of this portly, joyous being derives from three main sources, each described below.
As for the first source, Santa Claus is partly an updated version of the Pagan Holly King, a benign and possibly devalued god-form who rules the year from the Summer Solstice to the Winter Solstice. On this day, he engages his rival, the Oak King, who rules from just after Winter Solstice to the beginning of the Summer Solstice, in a symbolic "combat," ending with the Holly King's "death" (he will be reborn and retake rulership of the Wheel of the Year from the Oak King in the summer). The modern image of Santa Claus in many ways resembles the Holly King, since the latter's colors were green and red (today considered the official "Christmas colors," as well as colors being popular for the garb of many types of elves and nature spirits), reindeer were a sacred animal to him (note the mostly Germanic names of Santa's reindeer), and who was said to be accompanied by elves who worshiped nature alongside him. Elves are a staple of Pagan belief, but are absent in modern Christian theology, which further underscores the Pagan origins of the Santa Claus image. This, of course, is the origin of the idea that elves were the "helpers" of Santa Claus in his toy-making duties.
The second source for the modern image of Santa Claus is the king of the Norse deities, Odin, who, according to Germanic tradition, walked the earth this night and granted "gifts" such as wisdom and prosperity to the virtuous; this is the original origin of the act of gift giving on Christmas. Though Odin was far from a joyous being, and his sometimes severe sense of justice was often beyond the ability of mortals to comprehend, he bore a superficial resemblance to the modern image of Santa Claus in that he was often depicted in the Germanic myths as resembling an elderly (albeit quite robust) man with a white beard, though unlike the modern image of Santa Class (often referred to today as "Sinter Klass" in some Northern nations), Odin wasn't corpulent, and was missing one eye (he sacrificed it to the Well of Mimir in exchange for the gift of omniscience), thus causing him to wear an eye patch.
The third source of the modern version of Santa Claus (which cemented the gift giving legend in the eyes of modern Christians completely) are from historical records of a kindly 6th century bishop who made toys and distributed them to needy kids each year at a certain time of the year, which more or less established the popular idea that Christmas is primarily for kids. This bishop was thus canonized by the Catholic Church as Saint Nick. It should be noted that the imagery associated with the modern Santa Claus in the Dark Ages and Middle Ages often depicted a violent hairy man of the wild, also emblematic of various Pagan species of solitary fay (or "faerie"), before the modern, jolly image based on more benign imagery and archetypes took its place.
The evolution of these various images finally reached their apex by the 19th century, and it was then that modern, familiar image of Santa Claus was born.
Hence, due to the fact that Santa Claus is in many ways a 'modernized' version of the classical Holly King, it can be said that he actually exists as a part of astral reality, and modern Wiccans pay homage to him in this manner, rather than contriving a whimsical story to children that Santa Claus is actually a seemingly immortal flesh and blood elderly man of material reality who literally physically travels to every home in the world on Christmas night, enters via the chimney, and leaves physical gifts behind for the children [which puts many parents in the position of explaining the popular company logos adorning the boxes of many of those gifts; this conundrum was actually dealt with in an animated Christmas commercial in the early 1980's, where Santa Claus was depicted as actually shopping in contemporary toy stores, such as K-Mart and Toys 'R' Us, for all of these gifts, rather than building them from scratch, as many of the popular stories describe his elves as doing! Both building or shopping for that number of toys every year would end up costing Santa many millions of dollars per year if he was truly a being of material reality, and astute children will often pick up on this discrepancy!].
As stated above, the God is a newborn at this time, being dutifully nursed by the Goddess.
Associated Stones: Amethyst, turquoise
Other Names: Sometimes spelled Imbolg.
Christian Equivalent: Candlemas
Day: February 2
Purpose: Imbolc celebrates the eventual return of spring. Fertility rites are important and appropriate now. The ancient Celts honored the fertility goddess Brigid at this time, who was adopted into Catholic theology as Saint Bridget. The God is now being raised by the Goddess as a young boy.
SPRING EQUINOX
Associated Stones: Aquamarine, moonstone, rose quartz
Other Names: Ostara, Eostre's Day
Christian Equivalent: Easter
Day: March 21
Purpose: Ostara is a celebration of the thriving fertility of the land. The holiday is named after the Norse fertility goddess Eostre, also called Ostara, to which this day was held sacred by the Germanic tribes. Spellwork for abundance is appropriate, as are continued fertility spells. The word 'Easter' derives from the name of the goddess Eostre, who was honored on this day. The rabbit and eggs are ancient Pagan symbols of fertility for obvious reasons, and were adapted by Christianity into the whimsical image of the Easter Bunny delivering colored eggs, as the decoration of eggs was also an old Pagan custom of celebrating the holiday. The origin of the concept of the Easter Bunny and his famous practice of delivering Easter eggs can be traced back to the following story from Germanic legend.
Long ago, according to legend, many animals attempted to win the favor of the goddess Eostre, but as she is so difficult to impress, all of them failed utterly. However, one day on March 21, a rabbit decided to attempt to impress her by taking an egg from a local hen's nest and decorating it beautifully with paint. Much to the surprise of the other animals, Eostre was extremely enamored by the beautiful gift, and as a result, she gave the rabbit the task of creating and delivering such beautifully decorated eggs, which he carried in a basket, to everyone in the local villages on this same day every year in the future.
The God is now grown into adolescence, and he feels the first yearnings for the Goddess, who is no longer viewed as his mother.
Associated Stones: Bloodstone, sapphire
Other Names: May Day, Walpurgisnacht, sometimes spelled Bealtaine
Christian Equivalent: May Day
Day: May 1
Purpose: Beltane celebrates the successful beginning of the growing season, as well as honoring human sexuality (which the Christians disdained, and still do in matters of religion, though to a lesser extent, today). Many May Day traditions culled from the ancient Pagans are still carried on in various forms at the present time. The nut hunt that goes on today is a variation of ancient symbolism: the nuts symbolized the human testicles to the ancient Pagans (and is probably where the modern slang for testes being referred to as "nuts" comes from...honest!). The ancient Greeks honored the promiscuous nature god Pan and the nymphs at this time, and spell work for love and sex would be especially powerful now.
Other modern practices carried over from ancient times for this holiday include dancing around the maypole, which was symbolic of the male phallus to the Pagan cultures in the past, and of jumping over the fire, something women used to do for blessings and fertility (as a masculine element, the fire was also seen as a symbolic phallus). Of course, modern people in societies with a Judeo-Christian ideology have obviously long since forgotten the original basis of these activities. At this time, the God and the Goddess have now become young lovers.
Associated Stones: Emerald, jade, lapis, tiger's eye
Other Names: Midsummer, Litha
Christian Equivalent: None
Day: June 22
Purpose: The Summer Solstice is the celebration of the full growth of the harvest. The growing season is in full bloom and nature is most bountiful. Spellwork for childbirth and good health are very appropriate, as is spelling for abundance and money. The Christians, curiously, have not adapted this holiday into a corresponding summer celebration, though they probably have a day for saints earmarked for the occasion.
The Holly King retakes the rulership of the seasons from the Oak King at this time.
During this time of the Wheel of the Year, the God is now middle aged, and the Goddess remains his consort.
Associated Stones: Citrine, peridot
Other Names: Lughnasadh, Lunasa
Christian Equivalent: None, except for any celebration honoring St. Michael
Day: August 1
Purpose: Lammas is the celebration of the darkening of the year, as winter comes ever closer, and it entails the thanking of the Goddess and God for the past harvest and bounty of the land earlier in the year. Spellwork for the arts is very appropriate, as this holiday honored the Celtic god Lugh, which is why it is often called Lughnasadh (though I refer to it by its alternate name Lammas here to be responsive to those readers who are not Celtic Wiccan). Lugh was later adopted by the Roman Catholics as Saint Michael.
At this time, the God is elderly, and his time with the Goddess is near its end.
AUTUMN EQUINOX
Associated Stones: Amethyst, topaz
Other Names: Mabon
Christian Equivalent: Thanksgiving (though it occurs much later on the Christian calendar in America)
Day: September 21
Purpose: This day celebrates the second harvest. The Greek god Dionysus, the patron god of wine and revelry, and his Roman equivalent, Bacchus, was honored here. Thus, spell work for happiness and revelry (i.e., partying!), along with invocations of gratitude to the Goddess and God (or any deity who embodies the harvest and abundance) for having sufficient food on the table this year and the company of many loved one's with whom to share it with, is very appropriate at this time.
It is a common opinion in the Wiccan community (which I wholeheartedly share) that the Christian celebration of Thanksgiving, which ostensibly celebrates the ill-fated peace between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans, though not truly religious in a strict sense (but nevertheless celebrated by modern Christians, particularly since the Pilgrims themselves were Christian), is the modern equivalent of the Mabon celebration of abundance. Hence, due to the similarity of celebration and the aforementioned thanks for abundance, which is what the Pilgrims were celebrating, I can state my belief that this holiday is a takeoff of the Autumn Equinox without stretching the imagination too far.
This day is named for the Celtic god Mabon, the divine child of the Celtic war goddess Morrigan, who was later "Christianized" by the Roman Catholic Church as Saint Andrew (which is also an amalgamation with the well known friend and disciple of Jesus Christ).
At this point in the Wheel of the Year, the God has died of old age, but the Goddess is pregnant with the reincarnated Sun God, who will be reborn on the Winter Solstice.
Native American Sacred Medicines
During recent days, I have had several ask questions about the information covered in this post. Maybe there is something going on in the spiritual planes that is making folks seek this information out. With that in mind, I decided to post the article here and share the knowledge with others that may be seeking such.
Herbs/Incense
Sweetgrass, sage, cedar and tobacco encompass the four sacred plants. Burning these is a sign of deep spirituality in Native practices. Cedar and sage are burned to drive out negative forces when prayer is offered. Sweetgrass, which signifies kindness, is burned to invite good spirits to enter. Participants also use these purification rituals to smudge regalia, drums and other articles before taking part in a pow-wow. Tobacco is considered the most sacred of plants.
Rattles are shaken to call up the spirit of life when someone is sick. The Elder also uses a rattle to summon the spirits governing the four directions to help participants who are seeking spiritual and physical cleansing to start a "new" life during a sweat lodge ceremony.
Very sacred objects, drums represent the heartbeat of the nation, the pulse of the universe. Different sizes are used depending on the ceremonial purposes.
Pipes are used during both private and group ceremonies, the prayer itself being wafted through the smoke of the burning plant material.
Feathers are the connection to the "air" forces; air being one of the four elements. The remaining three elements are water, fire, and earth. A healer can incorporate the use of feathers in different ways. The feather is useful in cleaning auras. Different types of feathers are used depending on the need of the client.
Used mainly for communal prayer purposes, the Sweat Lodge may also provide necessary ceremonial settings for spiritual healing, purification, as well as fasting. Most fasts require a sweat ceremony before and after the event.
Medicine Pouches
Prescribed by an Elder, plant material can also be worn in a medicine pouch by a person seeking the mercy and protection of the spirits of the Four Directions.
The Medicine Wheel
The symbol of the circle holds a place of special importance in Native beliefs. For the Native American, whose culture is traditional rather than literate, the significance of the circle has always been expressed in ritual practice and in art. The lives of men and women, as individual expressions of the Power of the World move in and are nourished by an uninterrupted circular/spiral motion. This circle is often referred to as the Medicine Wheel. Human beings live, breathe and move, giving additional impetus to the circular movement, provided they live harmoniously, according to the circle's vibratory movement. Every seeker has a chance to eventually discover a harmonious way of living with their environment according to these precepts.
Role of Spirit & Connection:
A major difference between Native-American and conventional medicine concerns the role of spirit and connection. Although spirituality has been a key component of healing through most of mankind's history, modern medicine eschews it, embracing a mechanistic view of the body fixable pursuant to physical laws of science.
In contrast, Native-American medicine considers spirit, whose life-force manifestation in humans is called, ni by the Lakota and nilch'i by the Navajo, an inseparable element of healing. Not only is the patient's spirit important but the spirit of the healer, the patient's family, community, and environment, and the medicine, itself. More importantly, healing must take in account the dynamics between these spiritual forces as a part of the universal spirit.
Instead of modern medicine's view of separation that focuses on fixing unique body parts in distinct individuals separate from each other and the environment, Native Americans believe we are all synergistically part of a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts; healing must be consider within this context. Specifically, we are all connected at some level to each other, Mother Earth (i.e., nature), Father Sky, and all of life through the Creator (Iroquois), Great Spirit (Lakota), Great Mystery (Ojibway), or Maker of All Things Above (Crow).
This sense of wholeness and connection is implied by the concluding phrase of healing prayers and chants "All my Relations," which dedicates these invocations to all physical and spiritual relations that are a part of the Great Spirit. To metaphorically describe our universal connection, the Lakota use the phrase mitakuye oyasin – "We are all related," while Southwest pueblo tribes, who consider corn as a life symbol, state "We are all kernels on the same corncob."
In Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence (2000), Dr. Gregory Cajete uses modern science's chaos theory to support the Native-American concept of connection. Sometimes called the "butterfly effect," this theory postulates that a butterfly's wing flap may initiate a disturbance that ultimately leads to a hurricane or another phenomenon across the world. Whether it is this flap, a prayer for healing, or one's stand against oppression, chaos theory, as well as Native American philosophy, implies that everything is related and has an influence no matter how small.
Moreover, we all have "butterfly power" to create from the inherent chaos of our universe, which Cajete describes as "not simply a collection of objects, but rather a dynamic, ever-flowing river of creation inseparable from our own perceptions."
Cultural Rebirth:
Although you cannot appreciate Native-American medicine without its spiritual dynamics, surprisingly, the practice of Native-American spirituality was banned in the land of religious freedom until the 1978 passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. For example, in Coyote Medicine: Lessons from Native American Healing (1997), Dr. Lewis Mehl-Madrona tells how he risked jail for attending an early 1970's healing ceremony.
Because of this ban, which forbid congregating and keeping sacred objects, much of Native-American healing was driven underground or to extinction. It is the equivalent of telling physicians they can't practice medicine if they do surgeries or prescribe drugs. Since the prohibition's lifting, however, world-wide interest in Native-American wisdom has soared, in part, because it is perceived as an antidote to modern society's soul-depleting and environment-damaging aspects.
The idea of wholeness is paramount in understanding Native-American perception of disability. Unlike many cultures that shun people with disabilities, Native Americans honor and respect them. They believe that a person weak in body is often blessed by the Creator as being especially strong in mind and spirit. By reducing our emphasis on the physical, which promotes our view of separation from our fellow man and all that is, a greater sense of connection with the whole is created, the ultimate source of strength.
Overall, in treating physical disability, Native-American healers emphasize quality of life, getting more in touch with and honoring inherent gifts, adjusting one's mindset, and learning new tools. By so doing, the individual's humanity is optimized.
This article is posted from my website: A Rainbow of Spirituality


Special thanks to T. Vivien, Rush plus, Bedouin records, and Project 13 for letting me showcase their forthcoming material in this mix.
About 4 years ago but started playing out regularly a year ago.
Breathe, a bass music night at Milk Bar on haight street in 2012.
Brouhaha in Oakland during summer of last year, it was one of the first times I'd go to play a full vinyl set and the energy of the music and crowd was really feeding off one another.
Helena Hauff – her impeccable selections and technical ability makes her someone I really respect. Also, someone else who's not necessarily known for her DJing but whose skills I find equally impressive as her music is Bjork.
Best record you've ever bought?
I finally got my hands on the shinichi atobe's butterfly effect recently and I can't stop playing it.
How would you define the term Discwoman?
Any musician who identifies as female as a social construct. As someone who grew up in the 90s, I also find this to be a clever play on the 'discman', which challenges preconceived notions of gender in dance music and society as a whole historically. If the discman is a relic of the past then discwoman is paving the path for a more equally represented present and future.
Do you dance when you DJ?
Anywhere and everywhere with a good sound system, crowd, and vibe!


NASA has developed a new forecasting tool that can predict which cities will be affected as different portions of ice sheets melt due to global warming. The tool looks at the Earth's spin and gravitational effects to predict how water will be "redistributed" globally.
LOS ANGELES: NASA has developed a new forecasting tool that can predict which cities will be affected as different portions of ice sheets melt due to global warming.<br/> + The tool looks at the Earth's spin and gravitational effects to predict how water will be "redistributed" globally.
"This provides, for each city, a picture of which glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps are of specific importance," researchers said.
"As cities and countries attempt to build plans to mitigate flooding, they have to be thinking about 100 years in the future and they want to assess risk in the same way that insurance companies do," said Erik Ivins, senior scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the US.
Three key processes influenced "the sea-level fingerprint," the pattern of sea-level change around the world, according to the study published in the journal Science Advances.
These include gravity, "push-pull influence" of ice, and the rotation of the planet itself.
"We can compute the exact sensitivity - for a specific town - of a sea level to every ice mass in the world," said Eric Larour told 'BBC News'.
The tool provided a way for governments to work out which ice sheets they should be most worried about + .
For New York, the area of concern is the ice sheet's entire northern and eastern portions, researchers said.


The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has contributed comments to a working group overseen by the U.S. National Telecommunications and Information Administration, tasked with producing guidance to ensure IoT users are properly informed about new security updates for their connected devices.
manufacturers should consider conveying to consumers to help them make better informed purchasing and use decisions. Such key elements include whether the device can receive security updates, how it will receive them, and when support for the device would end.
when describing [a] support period, manufacturers should consider whether they can disclose a minimum security support period in addition to, or instead of, an "anticipated timeline" for support. In the Commission's experience, aspirational claims can mislead consumers under certain circumstances. It is possible, for example, that consumers would perceive a statement that a company "anticipates" supporting a device for, say, 30 months as a guarantee of the full 30 months of support.
Another concern was that vague statements such as "two years of support" do not indicate exactly when the clock started ticking.
if a "smart" device will stop functioning or become highly vulnerable when security support ends, and if consumers would expect a similar "dumb" device to have a longer, safer lifespan, then manufacturers should disclose those key use limitations to consumers prior to purchase.
It was also suggested that manufacturers adopt a uniform standard for update notifications, if indeed such updates are not to be automatic. Finally, the comments encourage frameworks for signing up consumers so they can receive email or other alerts about ongoing support, which should include a real-time push notification (or similar) at the precise moment when support ends.


Adding extra traits in CAS?
The only mod for adding more than 3 traits that I can find doesn't seem to allow me to add actual CAS traits, just the hidden ones. Do you guys know of any? Can I do it via MCCommand center?


Integra Masterpiece 35mm & 50mm Wood Curtain Poles, bringing a rich, warm and opulent feel with this new collection of outstanding curtain poles.
The new Masterpiece collection exudes opulence and style and will be a stunning statement piece for any room. The beautifully crafted pole and resin finial designs are influenced by the architectural styles of some of the world's finest homes.
* Available in 35mm and 50mm diameter.
* Available in beautiful colour finishes.
* A choice of five outstanding resin finial designs.
* Curtain poles are supplied complete with all fittings, including brackets, rings and resin finials.
* Curtain poles of 2.4m and above are supplied in two pieces with a hidden joiner and a third bracket.
* Matching resin hold backs, recess brackets and extra rings are available to purchase.
All the wood used in this collection comes exclusively from the sustainable resources of well-managed forests.


Project management is an area that many companies struggle with even today. You may have a good product or service to offer, but if it is not managed well at every step, it can lead to disastrous and often disappointing results for the company. Poor management leads to wastage of time, resources and decreases the value of your offering for the customer. Your ability to make timely decisions can also hugely impact various projects being worked on by your company.
LEAN is a management system that focuses on improving the overall quality of how an organization works. It takes into consideration every process in the organization and helps improve efficiency and effectiveness of each employee and each process. It helps reduce wastage of time and resources, while improving the quality of the product or service and giving better value for money to the end customer.
The management system is a process in which every project is managed and executed in small parts. Each such section is completed, reviewed, critiqued and the project is continued taking into account the fresh insights gained from the last bit of work. The aim of the system is to help make better decisions and solve issues more effectively with less wastage of time and resources.
Are these management systems very different?
Many people consider these two project management systems to be similar. They are, however, quite different in the way they work and are applied to various aspects of an organization.
LEAN methodology comes from the manufacturing sector, while Agile methodology comes from software development.
LEAN management is a long term process improvement system for a company, while Agile management is used for quick decision making in individual projects.
LEAN methodology manages the overall work of an organization, and applies to all areas of management to get a more efficient and effective overall process. Agile methodology concentrates on making good quick decisions and solving issues the best possible way in the least possible time.
As you can see, LEAN is a larger long-term mechanism to change the way a business works over a period of time. Agile, on the other hand, helps with individual projects and processes in the short term. LEAN is a continuing process while Agile is about concentrating on specific tasks in relation to a larger project. Choose the right methodology and processes for your business based on requirements to ensure that the methodology works well for you and your organization.


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Source: Guy Bell/Shutterstock
Lockdown legal challenge raises £182k and heads to High Court
Almost 5,500 people have committed to funding a legal challenge against the government's lockdown policy, it was revealed today.
The Crowdjustice campaign, led by businessman Simon Dolan, has now raised more than £182,000 and is set to go before the High Court on 2 July. The court will hear an application for permission to seek judicial review, with Dolan represented by Michael Gardner of London firm Wedlake Bell, Philip Havers QC of One Crown Office Row and barrister Francis Hoar of Field Court Chambers.
Dolan owns or part-owns 10 businesses in the UK employing 600 people, and he argues there has been no democratic process for imposing the lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. His stated aim is to scrutinise the government's response and for lockdown to end immediately.
The judicial review will seek to challenge the government on three main points:
Whether lockdown is unlawful because the government implemented regulations under the Public Health Act 1984 instead of the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 or the Coronavirus Act 2020.
The legality of the continuation of lockdown, and whether the tests for lifting it are too narrow, failing to take account of the economic and social impacts of lockdown.
Whether the restrictions brought in by the government contravene European Convention rights to liberty, family life, education and property.
Dolan said: 'July 2 will be just over 100 days since lockdown and what has happened every day in this period underlines how important the judicial review is.
'In that time, £2.5bn has been wiped off the UK economy each day, millions of children are shut out of school, the NHS faces a waiting list explosion, and the freedoms of everyone in the UK have been trampled over. In all this time, the government has shown the agility of a beached whale.'
Ironically, the lockdown itself means that Dolan will not physically be in court – instead the hearing will take place via video link with the public and media given access to follow proceedings.

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Iran General NewsGhana company says U.S. plane seen in Tehran broke...
Ghana company says U.S. plane seen in Tehran broke no laws
By Shahin Mahmoudi
Reuters: A U.S.-flagged plane which landed at an airport in the Iranian capital Tehran last week was carrying business executives from Ghana and did not flout international laws, according to the mining firm which leased it.
By Kwasi Kpodo
ACCRA (Reuters) – A U.S.-flagged plane which landed at an airport in the Iranian capital Tehran last week was carrying business executives from Ghana and did not flout international laws, according to the mining firm which leased it.
The New York Times reported on Thursday that the plane, owned by the Bank of Utah, was parked at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport on Tuesday.
Its presence caused a stir as the United States and Iran have been at loggerheads for decades and the Islamic Republic is subject to economic sanctions, which would generally prohibit U.S.-registered aircraft from flying to the country.
It was later reported that the aircraft was leased to Ghana-based mining firm Engineers and Planners (E&P), founded by the Ibrahim Mahama – a multi-millionaire and brother of Ghana's President John Mahama.
"The said trip was made in conformity with all international aviation laws," said a statement signed by the company's executive director, Adi Ayitevie, and seen by Reuters on Sunday.
Ayitevie said the plane had carried a delegation of Ghanaian business executives to Iran and had since returned to Ghana.
"We wish to also state that the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E John Dramani Mahama, has never been transported by the said aircraft," the statement added.
The New York Times quoted a Bank of Utah executive, Brett King, as saying the company had no idea why the plane was at the airport and it was investigating further.
In Washington, a State Department spokeswoman said on Friday the U.S. Treasury Department would look into the matter to determine if there were any violations of sanctions imposed on Iran.
Iranian authorities said the Ghanaian delegation was in Iran to follow up on agreements reached between the two countries two years ago.
Speaking to Iranian state news agency IRNA, the head of Mehrabad Airport, Mansour Shirazi, called the publicity surrounding the flight politically motivated.
"The plane was carrying the brother of the Ghanaian president, who entered the country on invitation from foreign ministry. But the plane he arrived in belongs to an American airliner," he said, adding that Iran's presidency handled arrangements for the flight.
An aide to President Mahama on Saturday denied the president's brother had been part of the delegation and Engineers and Planners declined to address the issue in its statement.
Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Ghana last April as part of an effort to expand ties with African countries. His campaign yielded little in terms of trade and votes at the United Nations against sanctions targeting its nuclear program.
Mahama is an ally of the United States and U.S. President Barack Obama visited Ghana in 2009.
(Additional reporting by Mehrdad Balali in Dubai,; Editing by Joe Bavier and Angus MacSwan)
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text:
The 1954 Penn Quakers football team represented the University of Pennsylvania during the 1954 college football season.

Schedule

References

Penn
Penn Quakers football seasons
College football winless seasons
Penn Quakers football

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Donate to Support Ed!
Ed is a national leader and a powerful, progressive voice in the U.S. Senate, fighting every day for the families of Massachusetts and our nation. He's a champion of environmental, climate change, privacy, consumer protection, and gun safety legislation, and is working tirelessly to make progress in these important areas.
Help Ed continue fighting for the issues that matter to move our country forward — please consider donating today!


Denise, passionate about horses from an early age was keen to convert a couple of redundant farm buildings into stables to help sustain the family. 28 years later they now have 70 liveries, a contracting business and even recycle their own horse muck into compost. However, with the increase in livery numbers came the need to expand on their only outdoor arena.
Sunday, 31 July 2011 saw the first British Showjumping Club Show to be held in Northumberland and indeed the first show ever to be organised by Denise and Lane Farm Equestrian. Since then L.F.E. has gone from strength to strength. 'Club' Shows are ran every second Sunday of the month at Lane Farm. Aimed at encouraging the grass-root riders to regularly compete under the spear head of British Showjumping and improving their performance, as they strive for more points and better position in the Northern league.
Lane Farm Equestrian have now progressed and are running more British Showjumping, not only have they added more 'Club' dates to the British Showjumping Calendar but also dates for Senior British Showjumping Progressive Shows too. The next Senior Progressive show will be held on the 25 February and the Fun and Club show on the 11 March.
Denise and the boys would like to thank the loyalty and tireless help from our greatly valued 'team' at Lane Farm and the support of Morpeth Hunt Pony Club and the Bedlington Blyth District Riding Club, not to mention all of our competitors and friends who regular attend our events.


I don't do many family portraits (Enna does) and I only accept a few bar/bat mitzvah commissions a year. So this post is a bit of a rarity for me:) Jacob's bar mitzvah will be this coming October and promises to be a fantastic party. I know this because I documented his sisters bat mitzvah a few years ago. His family is fun, energetic and really enjoy time together. The following images are from their pre-event photo session on a beautiful late summer day. It was great to see them again and I'm really looking forward to seeing their party plans come to life!
A Bar Mitzvah Like No Other!
Enna and I recently photographed Adam's bar mitzvah at the Franklin Park Zoo. This was pretty cool way to celebrate a bar mitzvah. The Thursday before the party I did some formal portraits at their temple, then the family hosted about 150 of their friends for food and drinks at the zoo's rain forest two days later. The gorillas seemed to enjoy watching everyone watching them and also had fun giving the occasional scare by beating on the plexiglass. The zoo gave the kids a behind the scenes tour, and towards the end of the night everyone played a serious game of Family Fued.
Mazel Tov Adam! We had a blast!


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New Evidence Links Mercury Emissions to Rates of Autism
Mercury is bad news, what more do I need to say? In the natural world, exposure to mercury was limited to things like emissions from exploding volcanoes. Now our body burden is enormous from so many sources--including the fillings in your mouth. The autism rate used to be 1 in 10,000 not so long ago, now it's 1 in 150 or even more.
P.S. forget about those compact flourescent lights--they have mercury! When you break 'em you'll be sorry. Get LEDs instead por favor!
(NaturalNews) Researchers at the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) say that "for the first time in scientific literature, a statistically significant association between autism risk and distance from the mercury source" has been established.
Lead researcher Raymond F. Palmer PhD says, "This is not a definitive study, but just one more that furthers the association between environment mercury and autism". The study, Proximity to point sources of environmental mercury release as a predictor of autism prevalence appears in the journal Health & Place (2008).
"We suspect low-dose exposures to various environmental toxicants, including mercury, that occur during critical windows of neural development among genetically susceptible children may increase the risk for developmental disorders such as autism".
Mercury sources evaluated in the UTHSC study included "coal-fired utility plants (33 percent of exposures), municipal/medical waste incinerators (29 percent) and commercial/industrial boilers (18 percent)". Concrete manufacturing was also listed as a source of mercury emissions.
Autism rates were gathered in 1,040 Texas school districts and distance from mercury sources were measured to a central point in the communities studied.
Researchers noted that children with autism not enrolled in the school districts studied were not included in the data. Therefore autism rates presented in this study may be somewhat under-reported.
Key findings from the UTHSC study news release
* For every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by all industrial sources in Texas into the environment in 1998, there was a corresponding 2.6 percent increase in autism rates in the Texas school districts in 2002.
* For every 1,000 pounds of mercury released by Texas power plants in 1998, there was a corresponding 3.7 percent increase in autism rates in Texas school districts in 2002.
* Autism prevalence diminished 1 percent to 2 percent for every 10 miles from the source.
Adding up the mercury body burden
Considering other sources of mercury exposure, from fish consumption, mercury amalgams and mercury preserved vaccinations along with the data from this revealing study, it isn't hard to see that the total body burden of mercury to pregnant and nursing mothers and young children is increasing at a potentially dangerous rate.
Iodine deficiency despite iodized salt
MAN FERTILITY and I were just on Block Island, a pristine (as these things go--almost half the island is conservation land) island with lots of free food just lying around: seaweed! During our romantic walks, I also went a little nuts grabbing all the fresh irish moss and kelp that had just washed up on the beach. People often joke that it's Koreans' consumption of seaweed that gives us our nice hair. However, it's not tat far fetched: you need sufficient iodine for thyroid health, and if deficient, guess what, your hair falls out. In Korea it isn't unusual so see these very elderly men with huge, bushy heads of hair. From Natural News:
(NaturalNews) ...It is highly accepted that iodized salt is sufficient to meet the body's requirements. Although this assertion has been taught in medical schools for several decades, many studies counter that claim. Furthermore, researchers have found that the iodine in salt has poor bioavailability, meaning that the body does not fully absorb the dosage.
...Iodized salt hasn't eliminated iodine deficiency disorders in the U.S. Recent studies by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicate low levels in more than 50% of the population (accounting for all demographic categories including ethnicity, region, economic status, race, and population density).
Adequate iodine levels are crucial for all aspects of health and well-being; in fact, in generations past, physicians routinely used iodine in medical practice. The typical dose was 1 gram of potassium iodide (KI), containing 770 mg of iodine, which far exceeds the current U.S. RDA of 150 mcg.
Iodine's Role in the Body
Principally known for its job in proper metabolism and thyroid function, iodine is also necessary for a healthy immune system and has many therapeutic benefits including antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral and anticancer properties.
The thyroid is the body's main storage site for iodine. The mineral is also concentrated in the glandular system, including the body's sweat glands. The ovaries, breasts, prostate and the brain contain high concentrations of iodine, and virtually every cell in the body is dependant on this important element. When a deficiency exists, the thyroid competes with other storage sites and all become depleted. An unmet deficit puts one at risk for a variety of conditions and illnesses, including cancer.
Iodine is also essential for children's growth and development, and a deficiency in pregnant women is the primary cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage, as disclosed by the World Health Organization.
A GreenFertility tip: regular table salt is bleached and has also sort of excipients (i.e., crap!) to make it flow better, etc. I found this out when we put our son on a gluten-free and special low-carb diet, and we were warned to watch out for dextrose, aluminum anti caking agents, etc., in table salt. We've always since then used sea salt and get our iodine the natural way, via seaweed.
To do your own at-home experiment to see what icky things may lurk on your Morton's:
Understanding Heath Ledger's death: How drug company advertisements, doctors, pharmacies and patients intertwine to cause an overdose
I got this from Salon.com, a nice article that explains it in layperson's terms, but from a clearthinking physician:
Understanding Heath Ledger's death
How drug company advertisements, doctors, pharmacies and patients intertwine to cause an overdose.
By Larry Zaroff, M.D., Ph.D.
Mar. 06, 2008 | Heath Ledger stopped breathing. An accidental overdose of prescribed medicines is the presumed cause of death. Ledger's toxicology report revealed that he had ingested two sleep medications (Restoril and Unisom), two potent narcotics (oxycodone and hydrocodone) and two tranquilizers (Valium and Xanax). The dosages, not documented, were enough to kill him.
The public occasionally hears of drug-related deaths among the famous. Often the drugs involved are illegal: heroin or cocaine. But death or near death from prescribed drugs, as in the cases of Judy Garland and Anna Nicole Smith, is not unusual, and may not be related to addiction or suicide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, motor-vehicle crashes rank first among unintentional deaths in America. But poisoning is second, most commonly from the abuse of prescription and illegal drugs. Unintentional deaths from accidental drug ingestion rose significantly from 1999 to 2004. This trend is primarily due to increasing use of prescription opioid analgesics, and not heroin, methamphetamines or other illegal drugs.
Where does the problem start? How do drug company advertisements, doctors, pharmacies and patients intertwine to cause an overdose?
If a tired, stressed-at-work patient is sick, depressed over a relationship, having pain and develops insomnia -- as Ledger apparently did -- what does he do? He has no doubt been exposed to a media blitz, a tsunami of public proclamations asserting the prowess of a sleeping medication. Pop a pill and you get a perfect night's sleep, eight hours of bliss. Only after you see the beautiful people sleeping and waking refreshed to win a Nobel, and after a sweet voice describes the pill's perfection, do you hear a mellow reminder of the side effects. Be careful, don't drive or drink and, oh, yes, sleeping pills can be addictive. The warning may even advise you to talk to your doctor about other medications.
However, no notation is made that with prolonged use, the pills tend to be less effective so that you will want to increase the dose. For the average person, without knowledge of pharmacology, the risk of such blandishments can be high -- serious side effects and death. The risks are also high for the pharmaceutical companies: millions spent for media buys and billions in revenue accrued from the sales.
Now, any patient, unable to sleep because her back aches or her work overwhelms, feeling protected by the Kevlar of information from Big Pharma, goes to her doctor -- internist or family doctor -- or maybe in the case of a prominent athlete or actor, a physician-friend.
What determines the doctor's reaction when he hears of chronic pain or inability to sleep night after night? The doctor's education -- four years of college, four years of medical school followed by a residency of four to eight years -- has been focused on science, emphasizing prompt relief of symptoms. Medical students learn that pills solve problems. Commonly only allowed a 20-minute visit with patients, a limit insisted on by administrators, the physician is often quick to prescribe without probing for the underlying problem.
The physician may not take the time to ask the patient what other drugs are stored in her medicine cabinet, or if she has seen additional doctors for her problem. Even if the doctor asks, "What other medicines have you been on?" the patient may have forgotten, or not wish to tell the doctor, wanting to keep a large supply on hand to meet an increasing need or even an addiction.
Consider the best-case scenario: The doctor gives the patient a prescription for a small supply, warns of side effects, cautions against overdose and interactions with other drugs. But the patient, worried, ill, does not pay attention to the doctor's words. Particularly if she is alone, she forgets or discards the information.
Next the patient brings the script to a drugstore to pick up her medicine. The pharmacist is too busy to chat with her or too overworked (a nationwide shortage of pharmacists exists) to warn of side effects, or the patient is in too great a hurry to listen, so a clerk hands over the pills without any information. Along with the pills, the manufacturer has inserted a parchment, often written in small hieroglyphics, that lists all the information a patient should absorb before absorbing the pills. Stand outside any pharmacy and ask 10 patrons if they have read or plan to digest the onion skin that tells all. You will find, I venture, nine who have no plans to even glance at the printout.
After leaving the drugstore, the patient realizes the wise doctor has given her only 30 pills, not enough, since one pill no longer gives her what she requires: deep, worry-free sleep or relief of pain or anxiety. If she has all three problems, she will need more pills or other kinds. She goes to another doctor and gets a second supply. She is set for the moment. But her work requires travel, sometimes out of the country. She can locate other doctors in other places who will prescribe. Now she has a fine stash both in her medicine cabinet and in her suitcase.
She is young, smart, well regarded by her associates. She is the opposite of careless. But she has no understanding of physiology, how the body works, what controls vital functions -- breathing, heartbeat, circulation -- and how drugs can affect these functions. How drugs work, their rate of absorption, their peak level of activity, is of no interest to her. She only wants relief of her insomnia, her pain, her worries. She has no idea that drugs have an optimum dose, that combinations of drugs might be like taking too much of a single drug, that often dissimilar medicines can affect the same organs and stop their activities. Unknown to her, she may even have a genetic abnormality that makes her more susceptible to the synergistic effects of the drugs.
The patient is not an addict and suicide is the last thing she would consider. But she has a tough day ahead of her. She needs her sleep. She decides to take two sleeping pills since one did not work well enough the previous night. Because she strained her back yesterday and feared the pain might keep her awake, she takes a narcotic, a single dose. She feels edgy despite the sleeping pills and the narcotic, and so she takes a tranquilizer. The witches' brew works. She dozes off but awakes in two hours, her mind jumbled. She must sleep. She slips into the bathroom and repeats the doses. She lies down, sleeps soon, too deeply. An hour later she stops breathing. She is alone, no one to aid her.
What is the answer to prescription drug overdoses? There is no perfect solution, any more than there is a drug without side effects. But a nationwide database of patient records, including a list of prescribed drugs, would help. The database would be available to all prescribing professionals and pharmacists. A similar program is in place in the Kaiser system. Of course, many patients would object vehemently for privacy reasons. A patient who needed codeine for an episode of acute back pain might worry how a prospective employer would interpret the information. Safeguards to protect patient data would need to be maximized.
The prevalence of increasing drug use in our society with the complication of overdose demands a solution. At a minimum, patients need to learn and understand the dangers of mixing and overdosing drugs, which can lead to the collapse of lung, heart and nervous systems. More informative commercials would help. Using Ledger's tragic death as a case study to educate students and other medical personal would be a powerful reminder.
Your Baby is What You Eat
From NYtimes.com:
How much a mother eats at the time of conception may influence whether she gives birth to a boy or a girl, a new report shows.
The report, from researchers at Oxford and the University of Exeter in England, is said to be the first evidence that a child's sex is associated with a mother's diet. Although sex is genetically determined by whether sperm from the father supplies an X or Y chromosome, it appears that a mother's body can favor the successful development of a male or female embryo.
Parents of Autistic Kids Take Income Hit
You know, they put the mercury and aluminum in vaccines to save fifty cents per dose, to keep it clean (ugh, or clean-er) in these multi-dose vials where they could put it in individual doses for just a little more money.
And for parents who have children with "autistic-like" symptoms due to vaccine damage, the psychic cost is overwhelming, there's an over 90% divorce rate, and this study confirms that vaccine damage/autism is so overwhelming that it even affects a family's earning power. I can attest to that, given the endless visits (hospital all day Wednesday, osteopath Thursday, social worker home visit next week etc.) we have to do, and, the thousands and thousands of dollars we pay out of pocket (hello, home equity loan!). We know this, but in case you don't:
Study Shows 14% Lower Income Among Families Facing Autism
By Miranda Hitti, WebMD Medical News
April 2, 2008 -- Parents of children with autism earn 14% less than parents who don't have autistic kids.
That news appears in April's edition of Pediatrics.
The finding is based on 11,000 U.S. children in kindergarten through eighth grade. The group included 131 children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, according to their parents.
The kids' parents reported their earnings -- including salaries and interest on investments -- along with their education level, age, and other factors.
The survey results suggest that "families with a child with autism attain lower income than expected based on their educational and demographic characteristics," write the researchers, who included Guillermo Montes, PhD, of the Children's Institute in Rochester, N.Y.
"The average loss of annual income associated with having a child with autism spectrum disorder was $6,200," Montes and colleagues calculate.
That figure is only about income. It doesn't include expenses related to autism, such as out-of-pocket costs for therapies and schooling.
Review: Le Creuset Cookware
Okay, okay, everyone's been asking re: all the posts about the crap in cookware, which one is okay? We were so sad to retire our wedding Calphalon cookware because (1) nonstick surface and (2) aluminum.
Even too much iron is not good for you, so cast iron is not our everyday cookware, either.
We mostly were using Visions glass cookware, something that's been discontinued (and they can explode if the temperature change is too abrupt--eeek!), and that's what I use exclusively for our rice because I can see how it's doing (no more automatic rice cooker--sigh!). You can find them by scouring garage sales and Ebay. But sometimes we need something a bit more heavy duty.
Our chef friend tipped me off about Le Creuset, she mentioned that chefs like it because it's "non-reactive" with food. Aha, that says to me, does not leach crap into the food! Le Creuset has been made since 1925 in France and it's enamel over cast iron (makes for some heavy lifting). The enamel is inert and as long as you use enough oil, food doesn't stick. You can go straight from the fridge to the stove and then dishwasher. It says the knobs are okay to 325 degrees in the oven but they ARE plastic, so I'm not recommending that. It also takes a little more love and care--we only use wooden utensils with ours.
In the search for safe, inert cookware, I've also noted that some healthy advice types like Dr. Mercola have their own LeCreuset lookalike stuff. However, I will mention that we were given a Le Creuset lookalike (Belgian made) and it's become so pocked it looks like it has smallpox, and obviously the iron will be leaching through it. I do think you get what you pay for. The sticker price of the Le Creuset is scary, but remember to amortize it over 3 meals/day, 365 days/year and no icky teflon or aluminum of nickel (most stainless steel contains some nickel--if a magnet doesn't stick to it, there's enough corrupting nickel to make it un-magnetic. Nickel isn't going to do you a lot of health favors, either).
Not to mention that it makes cooking a pleasure. Simmer a sauce all day, heat up milk for yogurt, sautee some onions and then add water for soup. Nice heat distribution, makes you want to wear a chef's toque, I like to threaten MAN FERTILITY with the very heavy fry pan (if only Silda Spitzer had had one of those!).
Treat yourself to a pot you'll use 151 different ways and a fry pan and you're set for good cookin' and good lookin'.
Check it out at www.LeCreuset.com
Prior posts Nonstick cookware continues to prove toxicity
Consumers More Open To Marketing Messages If Persuaded To Doubt Their Knowledge About A Brand
You could say the same thing about drugs: time pressured people probably forget the heparin/Vioxx/Zyprexa/ [fill in the blank] scandal when their harried time pressured doc is getting out the prescription pad and telling you to just take the pill and don't call him in the morning.
I actually remember a thyroid doctor trying to get me to doubt my own knowledge of TSH ranges, throwing all these big words at me, while he was actually just talking quickly out of his butt. That's one of the purposes of jargon, to make things seem more difficult.
Caveat emptor!!!
From Newswise, the journalists-only site:
Newswise — Opening yourself up to new ideas may be as easy as furrowing your brow or reading blurry print, according to the research of a Kansas State University marketing professor.
Kyoungmi Lee, an assistant professor of marketing, found that consumers were less likely to hold onto existing ideas about a brand if they were made to feel a sense of difficulty thinking about it, especially when they are time-pressured. That is because a sense of difficulty can lead consumers to doubt their understanding of a brand.
Lee said it's the same thing that happens at a busy fast-food restaurant. If you feel time-pressured to make a decision because there is huge line of hurried people behind you, anything that makes you feel that you don't understand the brand -- a new menu, a redesigned logo or a change in packaging -- may prompt you to choose your meal quickly based on whatever information you have, including in-store advertising telling you the menu item is "new" or "fresh."
Lee's research was conducted with Sharon Shavitt, a professor in business administration at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They studied consumer perceptions about the healthfulness of foods offered at McDonald's. Their research will appear in a coming issue of the Journal of Marketing Research.
Carcinogens in "Organic" Bodycare Products
This is disappointing, to say the least. Half the products at Whole Foods are on this list!
GreenFertility likes Dr. Hauschka; their products are biodynamic, which goes beyond organic and of course have to hew to much stricter German safety standards. The rare times when I go on TV and I have to wear makeup and want to skip the blechy professional stuff they use, I always go with a German company, usually my pal Dr. H.
Prior GreenFertility posts of interest:
Lead in lipstick.
Hair potions.
From the Organic Consumers Association:
Ethoxylation, a cheap short-cut companies use to provide mildness to harsh ingredients, requires the use of the cancer-causing petrochemical Ethylene Oxide, which generates 1,4-Dioxane as a by-product. 1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical "known to the State of California to cause cancer" under proposition 65, and has no place in "natural" or "organic" branded personal care products. 1,4-dioxane is also suspected as a kidney toxicant, neurotoxicant and respiratory toxicant, among others, according to the California EPA, and is a leading groundwater contaminant. Although previous studies have revealed 1,4-Dioxane is often present in conventional personal care products, this new study indicates the toxin is also present in leading "natural" and "organic" branded products, none of which are certified under the USDA National Organic Program. The products/brands tested are listed on the attached page with the level of 1,4-Dioxane detected, if any, along with ethoxylated ingredients listed on the label.
Some of the Leading Brands Found to Contain 1,4-Dioxane:
JASON Pure Natural & Organic
Giovanni Organic Cosmetics
Nature's Gate Organics.
View this page or download this leaflet for full listing.
Both the OCA and Steinman are calling for misleadingly labeled "Organic(s)" brands which include ethoxylate ingredients or otherwise utilize petrochemicals in their ingredients, to drop all organic claims from their branding and labeling. "The practice of ethoxylating ingredients or using other petroleum compounds must end for natural personal care, and is that much more outrageous in so-called 'organics' brand products," says Ronnie Cummins, Executive Director of the OCA.
"At a time when our nation is dangerously dependent on foreign oil and attempting to wean itself off unnecessary dependence on petroleum-based ingredients in major consumer products for national security reasons, it is self-defeating that we are literally bathing ourselves and our children in toxic petroleum compounds," says Steinman. "But consumers should also take heart in the emergence of a growing number of companies who've received the message and who are seeking to completely avoid petrochemicals in their cosmetic and personal care products. Your best bet is to purchase products whose ingredients you can pronounce or better yet are certified under the USDA National Organic Program."
Brands Found not to Contain 1,4-Dioxane:
All USDA Certified brands tested in this study were 1,4-Dioxane-free, including:
Sensibility Soaps (Nourish)
Terressentials
All German Natural "BDIH" Certified brands tested
were found to be 1,4-Dioxane-free:
Left Brain, Right Brain = WATCH THIS
Wow, I can't even remember who sent me this (good karma to you!). As they say, there are no coincidences. This is fro mone of those TED talks. Please take some time out of your day and watch this--it's worth it! And pass it on!
http://www.microclesia.com/?p=320
NORWAY TO BAN MERCURY FILLINGS
I think I guest-blogged on Lipstick Chronicles about my uber-cute and charming dentist in NYC--not the greatest way to pick a dentist (recommended by a friend who was also going to him because he was cute), but what was really cool, was that when I dragged MAN FERTILITY in to see him, he needed some fillings (no cavities for the FertilityBitch!), and our adorable dentist automatically put in composite, not mercury fillings. Of course back then what did we know? MAN FERTILITY recently got his mercury fillings out (put in by a different dentist, not Dr. Kent!) and feels so much better. Mercury doesn't belong in your head! Or anywhere near the human body!
(NaturalNews) Effective January 1st of this year, Norway has become the first nation to legislate a sweeping ban on the use of amalgam fillings in dental work. Previous laws forbid the use of mercury-containing fillings in more vulnerable segments of the population, such as pregnant women and children, but the new law is the first to forbid the use of the toxic metal without exemption. Mercury has also been banned from all other products produced, imported, exported, sold, and used in the country.
In a prepared statement, Norway's Minister of Environment and Development, Erik Solheim stated that "Mercury is among the most dangerous environmental toxins. Satisfactory alternatives to mercury in products are available, and it is therefore fitting to introduce a ban."
Sweden has followed suit with a ban on mercury fillings effective April 1st, 2008, and other countries are now contemplating similar moves.
Amalgam fillings, which unbeknownst to many are composed primarily of mercury, raise the level of mercury circulating in the blood. Mercury is listed as one of the most toxic substances on earth and many who are sensitive to the substance have reported improvements in health upon removal of the toxic fillings. The Norwegian and Swedish bans come at a time when alternative composite fillings have become strong enough to replace amalgams under practically any circumstance.
Morgellons Disease May Be Linked to Genetically Modified Food
This is really creepy. I keep hearing about Morgellons disease, and any time doctors call a bunch of people crazy, my ears perk up (CFS, which I have,had been recognized as a real disease by the CDC, decades of telling it was telling us we're crazy). I also can't imagine a mass hysteria of people claiming they have colored fibers coming out of their skin.
This is an explanation that makes sense: GMOs! We have no idea what the long term effect is, and maybe it's this!
(NaturalNews) The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has given care giant Kaiser Permanente over $300,000 to test and interview 150 to 500 patients suffering from Morgellons Disease. The study will be done in northern California where many Morgellons patients live.
Prior to this news, people had written off the disease as a hoax or the result of hypochondria. But recent evidence suggests that the disease is indeed real, and may be related to genetically modified (GM) food.
What is Morgellons Disease?
On August 1, 2007, the CDC issued the following statement regarding Morgellons Disease: "Morgellons is an unexplained and debilitating condition that has emerged as a public health concern. Recently, the CDC has received an increased number of inquiries from the public, health care providers, public health officials, Congress, and the media regarding this condition. Persons who suffer from this condition report a range of coetaneous symptoms including crawling, biting and stinging sensations; granules, threads or black speck-like materials on or beneath the skin; and/or lesions (e.g., rashes or sores) and some sufferers also report systemic manifestations such as fatigue, mental confusion, short term memory loss, joint pain, and changes in vision. Moreover, some who suffer from this condition appear to have substantial morbidity and social dysfunction, which can include decreased work productivity or job loss, total disability, familial estrangement, divorce, loss of child custody, home abandonment, and suicidal ideation."
As of February, 2007, approximately 10,000 families had registered with the Morgellons Research Foundation (MRF) and felt they or a member of their family met criteria for Morgellons as defined by the MRF. Of the U.S. families in the MRF registry, 24% reside in California with geographic clustering in the San Francisco metropolitan areas.
Health Benefits from Tea
This is from Newswise, the journalists'-only website. What the FertilityBitch finds interesting is that tea supplements do not seem to provide the same benefits that drinking tea does. If you see our kitchen counter, it's full of jars of fermenting kombucha, kimchi, and some of Chang's chickens boiling on the stove to make a minteral rich broth. Our son has recently discovered he really likes bone marrow, so we scrape it out of the chicken bones. I think the word of the day is MICRONUTRIENTS. As much as scientists try to isolate, synthesize, etc., no one really knows all of the cool particles and things that make up food, so while we DO take supplements, we try to get as much from food as possible.
It seems, for e.g., that while you can take capsules of probiotics, if you eat kimchi, you get the good little critters already bathed in lactic acid, which is the correct pH for them, plus enzymes, plus all the cancer-fighting stuff from cabbage, PLUS, the naturally occurring strain of lactobacilli in cabbage, l. plantarum is incredibly hardy. Plus, it's delicious. MAN FERTILITY and I just ate a load of kimchi chigae last night. There you go.
Newswise — Tea drinkers who opt for black, oolong, green or white teas may find that these beverages offer health benefits. The April issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter covers what is -- and isn't -- known about the health effects of drinking tea.
Black, oolong, green or white teas have a common origin. Each is produced from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. The leaves are loaded with flavonoids and other polyphenols that work as antioxidants, possibly lowering the risk of some diseases.
While numerous studies have found possible benefits, the actual benefits of drinking tea are not certain. Most research about tea's benefits is based on population (epidemiological) studies. Findings are limited because factors other than tea consumption could influence the results. Here's some of what's known about tea's potential benefits:
Cardiovascular: It's still uncertain if drinking tea over long periods might positively affect cholesterol levels, blood pressure and atherosclerosis. There's some early evidence that regularly drinking green tea may reduce heart attack risk or atherosclerosis. There's conflicting evidence on black tea consumption and heart attack risk reduction.
Cancer: It's still unknown whether regular black tea consumption influences cancer rates. Early lab tests with white tea indicate it may protect against colon cancer in particular. So far, well-designed studies haven't proven this.
Bone and joint health: Early laboratory research indicates green tea could be beneficial in reducing inflammation related to arthritis and slowing cartilage breakdown. Some early data indicate that regular tea consumption might improve bone mineral density in older women.
Memory: Studies are limited, but a recent one found that older adults in Japan who drank green tea daily showed less risk of memory difficulty, compared with those who didn't drink tea regularly.
While there's still much to learn about tea's health benefits, the potential benefits seem to be in the cup, not in supplements or tea extract capsules. So far, there's no certainty that the compounds in supplements are the same ones in tea, and even less certainty that these supplements might provide the same potential health benefits as tea.
REVIEW: Fertell--Do tell!
From what I have heard on the blog and beyond, there is nothing sadder that going to the fertility specialist (sometimes having to sit in a room full of pregnant women!) and do all the icky fertility tests. Especially the poor guys and those sticky magazines...
Well, now with Fertell, you can do some of it at home.
The male test looks at sperm motility and quantity (sorry, no pornos included) in some kind of base that simulates cervical mucous. MAN FERTILITY tried it out and his advice was to make sure you have a good hour and a half to concentrate on this because there are a lot of steps.
The female test measures follicle stimulating hormone, FSH (a measure of ovarian reserve) via urine, very simple (you need to let it sit for 30 mins). It worked great for me sending out beams of gratitude for a very healthy ovarian reserve. It doesn't give you a number, however, as a blood test would, but it will indicate if you "need" to see a doctor.[**]
The company says the results are 95% accurate.
Again, I'm all for anything that makes this process more humane and private. And of course I have to say, don't let this test take the place of medical advice.
[**] in an interview I did for my Natural Health article, of course the infinitely wise Dr. Christiane Northrup cautions that one should not put all one's eggs in the FSH basket, i.e., don't let that one number become a hex, if it is high. Lots of times docs will say, you have high FSH, so you're fertility toast, let's start the IVF! That is so not the case. Stories abound of women with high FSH conceiving naturally.
Check it out at fertell.com
AP: Estrogen linked to breast lumps
With all the "bonus" estrogen you're getting in the aforementioned patch, not to mention, plastics, cosmetics, the water you drink, please please please do not add in any extra! Note, also that these "benign" breast lumps mean "not yet cancerous." I'm still so mad at our family doc for putting my mother on hormone replacement therapy for decades for no reason other than "it's time" (for more free pens). And her current doc now is telling her she should still consider it, "weigh the risks vs. benefits," estrogen-only HRT is okay, etc. EEEEeeeeeek!
WASHINGTON - Add another risk to hormone therapy after menopause: Benign breast lumps. One type of hormone therapy — estrogen plus progestin — already is well-known to increase the risk of breast cancer. But a major study of women able to use estrogen alone didn't find that link.
About one in five women undergo a breast biopsy within a decade of starting annual mammograms, and most are of those abnormalities turn out to be benign. Yet under a microscope, there are different types, from simple fluid-filled cysts to what's called proliferative breast disease because it's made of growing cells.
The latest work, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, re-examines data from the landmark Women's Health Initiative that found a variety of health risks from long-term hormone therapy.
Mislabeling Drug OK by FDA even if it hurts people...
Speaking of birth control pills--eeeek! Got this from the Age of Autism.
PHARMA BITES THE HAND IT FEEDS
"People" wonder why so many of us do not trust the safety of vaccines or the integrity of the agencies that approve, oversee and administer them. Check out this circuitous debacle. The NYT reported yesterday (HERE) that J&J is claiming it can not be sued for problems with one of its birth control products because the FDA, a federal agency, approved the drug. And it appears that they might win.
Next, Reader's Digest has a scathing report (HERE) about the state of the FDA, saying that the agency is a shambles and that it receives upward of 50% of its funding from "industry."
From the J&J story: For years, Johnson & Johnson obscured evidence that its popular Ortho Evra birth control patch delivered much more estrogen than standard birth control pills, potentially increasing the risk of blood clots and strokes, according to internal company documents.
But because the Food and Drug Administration approved the patch, the company is arguing in court that it cannot be sued by women who claim that they were injured by the product — even though its old label inaccurately described the amount of estrogen it released.
This legal argument is called pre-emption. After decades of being dismissed by courts, the tactic now appears to be on the verge of success, lawyers for plaintiffs and drug companies say.
From the Reader's Digest Online Story: There's pressure to speed decisions, and there's pressure to soft-pedal problems. That means drugs may go on the market without adequate vetting -- or follow-up. Critics of the FDA like to say it's the best agency the pharmaceutical industry can buy. That's a political jab, and agency advocates say it's unfair. "The extraordinary efforts of these committed staff members are the very reason further catastrophic food-and-drug events have been averted," an otherwise scathing review by the FDA's Science Board concluded last November.
But most agree that there's at least a problem of perception, and perhaps more than that, caused by the growing chunk of the agency's budget that comes directly from drug companies. Industry dollars now pay for more than half of the FDA's drug-review budget; in five years, that proportion is expected to jump to 70 percent.
Essay on Fake Memoirs on Bookslut
I have an essay, "Fake Memoirs and the New Racial Passing" on the site Bookslut.com. My friend Adrian would say, "That's where it belongs!" Actually Bookslut is a great literary site for booklovers. No dirty stuff, sorry.
Anyway, if you want to read it, it's here: www.bookslut.com
Posted by GreenFertility at 11:22 PM
Female vets run twice the risk of miscarriage because of anaesthetic gases and pesticides
Anyone who's regularly exposed (or maybe not so regularly!) to pesticides and/or anesthetics might want to take note. I remember the abandon with which we used to spray the horses for bot-flies in the summer. Who knows WHAT was in that stuff!
From Newswise, the journalists'-only site:
Newswise — Female vets run twice the risk of miscarriage as a result of exposure to anaesthetic gases and pesticides, suggests a study published ahead of print in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The findings prompt the authors to call for young female vets to be more clearly advised of the risks they run, should they want to become pregnant.
The study is based on a survey of women taking part in the Health Risks of Australian Veterinarians Project (HRAV).
This surveyed all those graduating from Australian veterinary schools between 1960 and 2000.
Of the 5700 graduates contacted, some 2800 responded, of whom 1200 were women.
Between them, these women reported a total of 1355 pregnancies, 940 of which occurred while working in clinical practice, and so were eligible for inclusion in the study.
Women carrying out surgery and exposed to anaesthetic gases that were not filtered out of the atmosphere, for an hour or more a week, were almost 2.5 times more likely to miscarry.
Female vets who used pesticides during the course of their work were also twice as likely to miscarry.
And those who performed more than five x rays a week were around 80% more likely to miscarry than those performing fewer procedures.
When the researchers restricted their analyses to those women graduating more recently—between 1980 and 2000—the results were similar.
The authors warn that female vets of childbearing age "should be fully informed of the possible reproductive effects of ionising radiation, unscavenged anaesthetic gases, and exposure to pesticides."
Women should take protective measures when they are planning to conceive and during pregnancy, they warn. But all staff working in these areas should be aware of the risks and protect themselves accordingly, they suggest.
Click here to view the paper in full:
http://press.psprings.co.uk/oem/april/om35246.pdf
ANOTHER reason not to use birth control pills
I've heard from Ali and others about the weird things birth control pills seem to do to people healthwise. It's already known that they can cause blood clots (so DO NOT use if you have any kind of thrombophilia, e.g., if your doctors say you are at risk for conditions like deep vein thrombosis), and people report that their cycles became irregular even after only a few cycles.
Last I spoke, Julie Indichova (author of Inconceivable) is also conducting a study on birth control pills and their effect on infertility. It's especially important to make one's self aware of the risks, especially when they are using the pills to STOP MENSES COMPLETELY (eek) and to treat ACNE (double eek).
(NaturalNews) Women who take oral contraceptives may have more plaque buildup in their arteries, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Ghent, Belgium, and presented at a conference of the American Heart Association.
Researchers conducted a long-term observational study on 1,300 healthy women living in the small town of Erpe-Mere, Belgium. Approximately 81 percent of participants had taken birth control pills for at least a year at some point in their lives, and 27 percent were currently taking the contraceptives.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 80 percent of U.S. women use oral contraceptives at some point between the ages of 15 and 44.
For Local Yokels: World Championship Cheese
This is Louella Hill, my friend and local food activist extraordinaire. Besides bringing local food to the Brown campus via the Refectory (a.k.a. the Rat Factory) and the wonderful weekly farmers' market, Louella makes raw milk cheese!
Narragansett Creamery is currently the only producer of cheeses in Rhode Island. Making cheeses locally with fresh, local milk not only helps local dairy farmers (our heroes!) but helps Planet Earth as well. Instead of flying cheeses in from far away, our cheeses are produced RIGHT HERE on the very ground you're standing on.
It's out-of-this-world delicious (someone got an invitation to the cheese and wine tasting party!) AND it won best of class in the 2008
Wisconsin World Championship Cheese Contest, where, one assumes, they know their cheese.
You find 'em at local stores here:
Venda Ravioli (Federal Hill)
Winter Farmers' Market at AS220 (Saturdays, 12-3)
Farmstead Cheese Shop (Wayland Square)
Eastside Marketplace (Pitman Street)
Why Italians grab their crotches to ward off bad luck.
I'm really surprised MAN FERTILITY didn't find this article on ancient fertility rituals before I did. From the most excellent Slate.com:
Italy's highest appeals court ruled that a 42-year-old workman broke the law by "ostentatiously touching his genitals through his clothing" and must pay a 200 euro fine, the Telegraph reported Friday. The U.K. paper also noted that crotch-grabbing is a common habit among superstitious Italian males, who believe the gesture wards off bad luck. What does the crotch have to do with luck?
It's the seat of fertility. The crotch grab goes back at least to the pre-Christian Roman era and is closely associated with another superstition called the "evil eye"—the belief that a covetous person can harm you, your children, or your possessions by gazing at you. Cultural anthropologists conjecture that men would try to block such pernicious beams by shielding their genitals, thus protecting their most valued asset: the future fruit of their loins. Over the centuries, the practice shifted. Men covered their generative organs not only to defend against direct malevolence but also in the presence of anything ominous, like a funeral procession.
These days, an Italian man might also grab his crotch in risky situations, like a high-stakes poker game. In such cases, the grab isn't a defense mechanism against bad luck but rather a way to generate good luck. Once again, this practice relates to the folk belief that the phallus is auspicious because it's the source of masculinity and reproduction.
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A relatively well-preserved prehistoric bakery from the Chalcolithic (Aeneolithic, Copper Age) has been discovered during the recent excavations of the Kaleto Fortress in the northwestern Bulgarian town of Mezdra.
Vratsa Municipality in Northwest Bulgaria has drafted a joint cultural tourism project with a partner in Romania in order to seek EU funding for creating an open-air museum at the Early Neolithic site Valoga near the town of Ohoden.
Vratsa Municipality in Northwest Bulgaria has gained ownership over the archaeological site Valoga near the town of Ohoden, which harbors the remains of a unique Early Neolithic settlement said to represent Europe's earliest agricultural civilization.
The archaeological excavation site of the unique Early Neolithic settlement near the town of Ohoden in Northwest Bulgaria, which is seen as representing what might be Europe's earliest civilization, is under threat of being flooded by the Skat River.