adiaha.com

and contradicts himself terribly.

The magnitude of this health hazard has suddenly hit me and not only is my head spinning but my entire body feels paralyzed. The puzzle has started to fit together in my head and the picture is none to pretty.

Bisphenol-A was first synthesized in 1891 but it was not until the 1930’s that the estrogenicity of the monomer was first recorded (Dodds and Lawson 1936, 1938). Diethylstilbestrol was found to be a stronger estrogen and interest in Bishenol-A declined until scientist discovered its polymerization abilities with plastics. Bishphenol-A is also a known hormone disruptor or endocrine disruptor. The chemical has been shown to mimic estrogen, a female hormone.

In April 2000, the WWF UK presented a report on the possible environmental effects Bisphenol-A. They cite a growing international concern over man-made endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC’s) because they can directly affect the development of offspring in the womb. Some of the possible effects listed in this April 2000 report are: “the decline in sperm counts, and the increased rates of hormone related cancers, such as cancers of the breast, testes and prostate. They are also suspected of causing birth defects of the reproductive tract (including un-descended testes), and other hormone related effects, such as earlier puberty
in girls.”

Bisphenol-A is a monomer used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are clear nearly shatter proof plastics that have replaced glass in many facets of everyday life world wide. Epoxy resins are used to line the inside of cans the contain baby formula and other food products. Unfortunately, these plastics and resins utilize a chemical bond with a weak link. The polymers created with PBA and polycarbonate plastics and resins are weak and decay over time and when heated. PBA is then released into the substance held in the polycarbonate or PVC plastic, or coated with a epoxy resin.

How much PBA is too much? Here is the crux of the issue which is being so hotly debated. There is so much money at stake here for the plastic industry and major chemical companies world wide. Are these reports a smoking gun with similar ramifications to the tobacco industry? Part 3 tomorrow continues the saga in the meantime, here are some links with more information.

http://www.ewg.org/node/20944?gclid=CIj_zOuLq5MCFQrPGgodRn4zoQ

http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out128_en.pdf

http://www.wwf.org.uk/filelibrary/pdf/bpa.pdf

http://www.bisphenol-a.org/index.html

http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/positions/statements/bisphenola.asp

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=plastic-not-fantastic-with-bisphenol-a

http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_plastics/index.asp

http://www.factsonplastic.com/

There is a raging debate about plastic that has my head spinning. Bisphenol-A found in polycarbonates and resins worldwide is scientifically proven to leach from plastics into our food. What is not known or can be agreed upon are the levels of Bisphenol-A that are safe in the human body.

Researching all of the possibilities was really crazy because the plastic and chemical industries are in damage control mode and are releasing general statements, which are in conflict with the statements made by mass media. I used primary sources to understand the crux of the debate and really understand what is at stake.

The following video from Israeli television outlines the issue.

Earth Birth is a project run by midwives and doulas to help mothers in war and trauma affected areas give birth safely and peacefully.

Our pilot program is based in Gulu, Uganda. We are setting up small on site birthing centers in refugee camps where women can come for comprehensive services, counseling, education and care. We are linking with community organizations and hospitals in these areas to help “child mothers” (women who were impregnated as victims of political abduction and rape) gain access to jobs, school and childcare so that they can mother with every possible opportunity.

Our goals include community sustainability, lowered maternal and infant mortality rates, lowered HIV/AIDS transmission rates from mother to child, access to supplies and local herbs, access to trauma therapy and counseling, the experience of a ‘positive’ birth to facilitate empowerment and mother/child bonding and the ability to articulate one’s story.

The ability to articulate one’s story is an integral theme of the Earth Birth project. Women have always told stories as a form of information transmission and ownership of events. To have safe spaces for the sharing of taboo and traumatic events allows for understanding and processing of events in context, ownership of experience and networking among women- all of which are integral to a healthy women’s movement and improved practice of motherhood. Our spaces function as a community centers for story circles, workshops in active listening and sharing.

Traditional birth attendants live throughout the refugee camps, most of them victims of war and mothers themselves. These women are the cornerstone of the birthing center sites. Our international group of midwives work with the TBAs to develop practices that are community centered, culturally competent and sustainable. The TBA’s are offered professional development, training, counseling and jobs.

We are partnering with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, school director, midwife and winner of the CNN Hero’s award to create a project that is truly of and for women’s health in this area. Safe and peaceful birth experiences are necessary for a generation that is to live without war.

Earth Birth has begun fund raising and are using an incredible fund raising site called givemeaning.org. On this site anyone can develop a project and allow potential funders to see and donate. We have set up a site and now we need ‘votes’ from the community in order to make it an active project. You do not need to give money, you just have to read the description and vote for us!  VOTE HERE!

All content is from Rachel Zaslow - Midwife

Wow! How honored Senator Obama must feel. Regardless of your political view this Op-Ed piece, from the daughter of one of the most iconic and effective presidents in U.S. history, says a great deal. I experienced the heart felt warmth, faith and trust Mrs. Kennedy-Schlossberg has for Senator Obama and am very pleased with her endorsement of him.

Congratulations to Senator Obama for eliciting such an incredible response from a well known intelligent and kind person.

Peace Beloved.

Dear friends,

The Belfast Branch have received the following urgent Press Release from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights based in Gaza, which is under a murderous siege from Israeli forces at this very moment.

We need to raise awareness - please forward this on.

Press Statement

“Tightened Siege on Gaza Reaches Unprecedented Levels and Endangers the Life of 1.5 Million Civilians”

Israel has imposed a severe siege on the Gaza Strip since Hamas’ winning of the parliamentary elections in January, 2006. Furthermore, Israel has tightened this siege following Hamas military domination over the Gaza Strip in June, 2007 when Israel declared that the Gaza Strip is an enemy entity.

Two weeks ago, Israel has tightened the siege and embargo imposed on the Gaza Strip reaching unprecedented levels. This action included various sanctions such as: cut-off fuel and electricity provisions to Gaza as well as all other energy resources. Israel has also imposed strict closure on all Gaza Strip border crossings, preventing movement of civilians including patients’ for medical services. Such procedures led to entire shut-down of the sole energy producing station in the Gaza Strip, two days ago. As a consequence, Gaza is drowning in darkness whereas electricity from all homes, industrial, and health facilities in the Gaza Strip was cut-off entirely.

The electricity cut-off, therefore, has paralyzed all aspects of life in the Gaza Strip as water supply couldn’t reach the homes of Palestinians; elevators in the high-rise towers have not functioned properly; and household electrical instruments have been shut down completely. Nonetheless, what is more critical is the water and sewage systems are about to shut down in addition to electricity generators in major hospitals and sanitation vehicles. All such matters warn of a humanitarian, health and environmental crisis.

Due to the denial of deliveries of vital supplies of food, fuel and humanitarian aids to the Gaza Strip, there has been a crisis in obtaining necessary food supplies for the people in Gaza. This situation added to the already existing crisis due to the fact that 85% of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip depends mainly on the humanitarian aids for securing their basic needs of survival. Furthermore, the stoppage of electricity and fuel as well as flour cut-off have caused even more paralysis in the bakeries in the Gaza Strip, thus preventing the Palestinians from receiving their necessary needs of bread.

All forms and consequences of the siege imposed by Israel aggravate the Palestinians’ sufferings in Gaza Strip, coinciding with the economic crisis and high rate of poverty and unemployment. The new procedures of siege have led to significant rise of burdens on the Palestinian civilians and families, as well as an emergence of a new wave of feelings of panic, anger, suppression and helplessness. As a result, the psychological sufferings of people are intensifying in the presence of the economic hardships.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) is gravely concerned over the continuation of the tightened siege and isolating Gaza from the outside world. Further, GCMHP warns against the critical humanitarian, health and mental ramifications of this siege on the civilians which threaten their life and significantly deepen their suffering. Such consequences are becoming more apparent as reports warning of the death of patients in intensive care units and
deterioration of the health conditions of chronic disease patients including cancer and kidney failure.

In this critical time, GCMHP calls upon the international community, human rights organizations and all peace activists around the world to hold their moral and legal responsibilities to end the Israeli inhumane siege and its repercussions that reach the levels of war crimes. Additionally, GCMHP demands the international community not to remain silent towards the Israeli crimes and to immediately intervene and pressure Israel to end its siege and collective punishment imposed on the Gaza Strip that threatens the life of 1.5 million innocent civilians.

Gaza Community Mental Health Program

All day long reports of fraud using the Diebold voting machine have been cropping up on the internet from smaller news outlets. The major news conglomerates have yet to weigh in with any new information.

What tipped people off was the fact the votes for Ron Paul were not reported at all. Folks who voted for him did not see their votes reflected in their town’s final tally and started to voice concern.

According to various websites, Obama actually won…….

Hoax? Maybe, but my eye-brow is raised. Sitting back on this one. Waiting to hear more.

Here are more site discussing what the major outlets refuse to touch.

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/23647

http://www.prisonplanet.com/index.html

http://ronrox.com/paulstats.php?party=DEMOCRATS

http://www.deepjournal.com/p/7/a/en/1191.html

http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/archives/cat_vote_fraud.html

Noami Wolf has written a rather outspoken article called, Fascist America, in 10 easy steps, in which she implies the current Bush administration will make a grab for power before or at the end of its tenure. The concept of Bush extending his presidential term, does not surprise me. I am impressed, however, by Wolf’s ability to connects dots to see the larger picture.

Ms. Wolf outlines nine steps various leaders completed before taking the tenth, making themselves dictators. She clearly illustrates how the Bush administration have accomplished each of nine steps and notes the recently passed legal sanctions needed for step ten. She ends with the contention that a population willing and able to look the other way, was key in allowing each dictators the latitude needed to create political upheaval resulting in fascism.

I agree. Americans are looking the other way and allowing freedoms we were born into erode, such that our children will not indulge in them . However, unlike Ms. Wolf I see this not as a “leisurely,” consent. Rather I see it as a symptom of a larger reality; POVERTY.

A growing apathy toward our nation’s political well being is caused by working poverty. More and more people who were in the working class or the middle class are falling into the indebtedness of poverty a.k.a indentured servitude.

More daunting than watching families slide straight into the hole, is knowing that it was a Democrat (whose wife is now running for the presidency) who systematically dismantled the social safety network in our nation. We, the American public, were convinced of a lazy, uneducated, and immoral underclass who were robbing us of our tax dollars. We were overwhelmed with images that played on our fears and offered a solution to the fleecing. A once in a life-time opportunity arose. We could easily rid ourselves of the images of fat, lazy and ignorant people by to getting rid of the system. A system of social benefits created to enable families to overcome temporary setbacks and/or transcend poverty was revisited and restructured. Today’s system offers indentured servitude to any person who falls into the abyss.

After the Depression, Welfare was seen as a benefit for American citizens who were having a rough spell. During the seventies and the eighties Welfare became known as a social benefit that lazy people received which allowed them to stay home and never work again. Today, the Welfare system is indentured servitude. Depending on the state, a family has up to five years to receive welfare benefits, a life-long limitation which numerous states have shortened. In various states, a condition of receiving social benefits is a welfare-to-work program.

Many Americans who have fallen down the rabbit hole find themselves in a quandary. They want to work and be independent but find the conditions of the social “leg up” unforgiving and strangely supportive of their dependency on these programs. They quickly become part of a unnervingly cruel cycle, which at the its very best provides just enough to feed the members of unfortunate families. And at its worst, permanently entraps families. Compounded by failing schools poverty ensnares the next generation and the cycle begins again.

So yes, Americans are looking the other way, we are either diligently working to avoid the poverty abyss, or trying to get out of the deep hole of indentured servitude. Dare I beg the question, “What is the solution?” A population busy trying to keep a roof over its head, put food on its table and keep clothing on its back just does not have the time to fight the “good fight.”

Donate to the charity of your choice.