asbestos prime minister

Source images: Freedom Forum; Theodore Gray; Mavericks Cricket Institute

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper (in a parallel universe not so far away) holding up a sample of asbestos ore, the very substance used to fabricate the armor-like hairpieces he is so famous for. Reagan was known as the "teflon president"; Mr. Harper will no doubt go down in history as the "asbestos prime minister."

"The Conservative Leader made a campaign stop in Quebec’s Eastern Townships to show the failing asbestos industry some support, a move the Tories are hoping will enable them to win a seat in the area.
One of Mr. Harper's own cabinet ministers, Chuck Strahl is a victim of asbestos.
     Mr. Strahl, not seeking re-election, has been diagnosed with incurable lung cancer – mesothelioma – believed to be triggered by breathing asbestos when he was younger.
     Mr. Harper’s stumping, however, sparked renewed pressure on him to end Canadian production and export of the cancer-causing mineral.
     He said it’s not fair to deny a Canadian enterprise export markets for a product that’s in demand elsewhere. And he declined though to reconsider a ban on using asbestos in homes and schools.
     'We have no plans to do that but chrysotile, specifically, is permitted internationally under conditions of safe and controlled use,' Mr. Harper said. [...]
      The Conservatives [...] support the industry. Ottawa funds an asbestos industry lobby group and fights international efforts to restrict trade in asbestos.
     'The science is indisputable that all asbestos is deadly. Not a single reputable authority supports your claim that chrysotile asbestos can be safely used,' the Rideau Institute's Kathleen Ruff said in the letter on behalf of more than 15 activist groups. 'Canada is becoming known as an immoral asbestos pusher and as an enemy of global public health. This is not the role Canadians want to play in the world.'"
— Steven Chase, The Globe and Mail
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"Canada is the world’s biggest hypocrite when it comes to asbestos."

"In recent years, numerous studies have documented the anticipated rise in mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases over the next several decades in Asia. One recent study, in the Journal of the Asian Pacific Society of Respirology, said that Asia, with its large, developing countries, currently accounts for about 64% of the world’s asbestos use. This represents a steady increase -- the continent accounted for a 33% share from 1971 to 2000, and 14% from 1920 to 1970. [...]
     Many public health experts, such as [Dr. Arthur] Frank of Drexel University, have called for a ban on asbestos exports to Asia. Last year, Frank led a group of 120 medical doctors and other health professionals in a campaign to stop Canada from exporting asbestos to developing nations. Canada, which has largely banned asbestos for domestic use, is the second-largest exporter of asbestos to Asia, behind only Russia.
     In an appeal to Canadian medical experts, Frank and his colleagues warned that Canada is morally obligated to consider the 'enormous harm to health for generations,' if the exports continue – a plea that so far has gone unheeded.
     In the recent interview, Frank reiterated the urgency to stop developed nations such as Canada from exporting asbestos to the Third World, along with the need for Asian nations to ban asbestos and start using available non-lethal substitutes.
     'What needs to be done is very simple,' Frank told me. 'They should stop using asbestos in Asia.'
     However, this is unlikely to happen as long as established countries continue to chase the profits from exporting the carcinogen. 'Canada is the world’s biggest hypocrite when it comes to asbestos,' said Frank. 'It is taking it (asbestos) out of Parliament buildings but willing to sell it overseas.' [It] has banned the use of asbestos domestically and is scheduled to begin a $1 billion renovation project to clean its parliamentary buildings of asbestos this summer. Yet Canada remains one of the world’s biggest exporters of asbestos to the Third World."
— Gary Cohn, The Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance Blog
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the new dark ages (part 3)

Michelangelo's Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons

"Televangelist Pat Robertson recently made headlines for suggesting that homosexuality may be driven by 'demonic possession.' In recent years, Robertson has labeled a wide (and frequently bizarre) range of things as demonic, including: feng shui, yoga, karate, horoscopes, Twilight, paintings of Buddha, television shows about ghosts, Halloween, psychics, young girls levitating their friends at sleepovers, and (sometimes) adopted children from other countries."
— Ben Dimiero & Oliver Willis, County Fair/Media Matters
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"Demonic possession is a very rare phenomenon. Although it happens more often that people realize, it is still considered rare. Science has swept away much of what used to be considered demonic possession. Diseases of the mind such as Schizophrenia, Tourette’s syndrome and various forms of psychosis were once regarded as sure-fire signs that diabolical infestation was taking place. We have come a long way over the years and many of the people suffering from the above diseases can live active lives while on medication. Many use this as proof that possession does not exist. After all, some reason, science has proven that it does not exist.
     The Church fuels this line of thinking today. In this modern era, the Church seeks to write off the devil as a concept, as opposed to being an intelligent force. However, it is flawed thinking. For openers, science does not have close to all the answers and science is always changing. What we once believed as scientific fact now comes under scrutiny itself. In addition to that, there are some very unusual manifestations that take place in demonic possession. These things cannot be explained by science and they offer no cure for them either."
— Tom Cooney, FSPP
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"The following is a guide for the extraction and maintenance of unclean spirits of all types. It is designed to assist people during moments of critical spiritual attack and its aftermath. If followed, it will deliver you from the attacks of unclean spirits, and put you under the covering and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
     1. If you are being attacked in a dream or in person by a demon, devil, incubus, succubus, Satan, unclean spirit, unclean bird or alien, immediately cry out the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and plead the Blood of the Lamb of God. If you have the mind, say the following: 'The Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth bind, rebuke you. The Lord Adonai rebuke you. I claim the Blood of the Lamb, the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you leave. In the Name of Jesus get out!' Repeat until it leaves. It will leave.
     If you don't have the mind, let's just say you are in a complete panic or overwhelmed with a total oppressive paralyzing terror, say: 'Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus...' Repeat for effect. This will absolutely work. [...]
     It should also be noted that calling on the name of Solomon, Mohammed, Buddha, or Krishna is not effective. You must be specific. Use the name above all names: Jesus Christ of Nazaerth the lamb of God. Trust me on this one. An exorcism or an attack is not the place to be experimenting with names. Use Jesus Christ. He will help you.
     Never use the name of Mohammed! Mohammed and Muslims would consider that blasphemy anyway. We love Muslims and we do not want to offend them, as Paul (1 Timothy 1:13), what they do, they do in ignorance and in unbelief. Muslims are probably covered under the mercy of the Lord like Paul. Muslims can be saved like Paul also. 'There is only One God and He is God.' according to the Koran. Muslims may in fact invite jinnies of suicide, terror, and mayhem in order to conduct Jihad."
— Chris Ward, Logos Christian Fellowship
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enlightenment

From: Retrogasm

"Senator Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) has announced that he plans to introduce legislation to reverse the ban on incandescent light bulbs which is scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2014. The ban was included in a comprehensive energy bill that President George W. Bush signed into law in 2007 as an amendment, and was intended as a means of saving energy and limiting pollution. [...]
     'Washington needs to stop picking winners and losers in the marketplace and micromanaging how Americans live their lives,' said Senator DeMint, the lead co-sponsor of the bill. 'Americans are fully capable of choosing the best way to light their own homes and what best fits the needs and budget of their families. When Congress dictates which light bulbs folks in South Carolina must buy, it’s clear the "nanny state" mentality has gotten out of control in Washington.' "
— Daniel Sayani, The New American
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"The Supreme Court on Monday ruled by a 5-to-4 vote that officials may strip-search people arrested for any offense, however minor, before admitting them to jails even if the officials have no reason to suspect the presence of contraband. [...]
     According to opinions in the lower courts, people may be strip-searched after arrests for violating a leash law, driving without a license and failing to pay child support. Citing examples from briefs submitted to the Supreme Court, Justice Breyer wrote that people have been subjected to 'the humiliation of a visual strip search' after being arrested for driving with a noisy muffler, failing to use a turn signal and riding a bicycle without an audible bell.
     A nun was strip-searched, he wrote, after an arrest for trespassing during an antiwar demonstration."
— Adam Liptak, The New York Times
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chicken feathers... again

From: jalopyjournal.com

"Hydrogen fuel cell technology is full of promise, but it's being held back by the problem of storing the dangerous gas safely and efficiently. Some U.S. scientists have been tackling this, and their solution is as ingenious as it is odd: Carbonized chicken feathers.
     The University of Delaware team realized that the protein keratin, the main ingredient in chicken feather fibers, had fabulous properties when it's heated. Basically the keratin creates very strong cross-links when it's carbonized, and the feather fibers become extremely porous, which dramatically increases their surface area. As a result, the carbonized feathers can absorb huge amounts of hydrogen into their structure."
— Kit Eaton, Fast Company
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the circle of life

From: Lulososo

"In a joint study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Arizona State University found evidence suggesting that a class of antibiotics previously banned by the U.S. government for poultry production is still in use. Results of the study were published March 21 in Environmental Science & Technology.
     The study, conducted by the Bloomberg School's Center for a Livable Future and Arizona State's Biodesign Institute, looked for drugs and other residues in feather meal, a common additive to chicken, swine, cattle and fish feed. The most important drugs found in the study were fluoroquinolones — broad spectrum antibiotics used to treat serious bacterial infections in people, particularly those infections that have become resistant to older antibiotic classes."
— Science Daily
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"Feather Meal is the protein finished product derived from feathers. Hydrolyzed feather meal is produced in a pressure cooking rendering process. This finished product is used as a protein source for animal feed. It is one of many ingredients that a nutritionist will use to formulate a complete feed. Hydrolyzed Feather Meal is high in nitrogen and because the nitrogen is released slowly, it is useful for organic farming applications. [...]
     Non-Ruminant Animal Blood Meal is a finely ground protein product derived from avian and porcine blood. Blood Meal is used as a protein source for animal feed. It is one of many ingredients that a nutritionist will use to formulate a complete feed. This finished product is high in nitrogen and can be used in organic farming."
— West Coast Reduction Ltd.
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"Baytril is the brand name for a veterinary drug, enrofloxacin, of the antibiotic class of fluoroquinolones. Health Canada recently approved Baytril 100 (a specific dose of Baytril - 100 mg/mL injectable solution) for therapeutic use against bacterial respiratory disease in beef cattle. Before Baytril 100 was approved for use as a veterinary drug, a comprehensive scientific review was undertaken to assess the drug's safety, efficacy and quality. Before approval of Baytril 100, no fluoroquinolones were approved in Canada for use in food-producing animals, however, Baytril has been approved for sale in Canada for use in dogs and cats for many years. [...]
     Baytril 100 will provide veterinarians with an alternative course of treatment for bovine respiratory disease only when other available drugs are not effective.
     If fluoroquinolones are used in human medicine, with growing concerns about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), why would they be used in animals?
     It is anticipated that the use of Baytril 100 in beef cattle will be very limited. Baytril 100 is a prescription only drug, and the warning statements on the label stipulate the conditions in which it should be used. This drug should not be used in an extra-label manner, i.e., a manner that is not consistent with what is indicated on the label, package insert or product monograph. Baytril 100 will be used for treating individual relapse cases of bovine respiratory disease after initial treatments have failed."
— Health Canada
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kiddie preen

"Charles Dickens Costume" from: Victorian School

"Over the past five years, print-on-demand technology and a growing number of self-publishing companies whose books can be sold online have inspired writers of all ages to bypass the traditional gatekeeping system for determining who can call himself a 'published author.'
     They include hundreds of children and teenagers who are self-publishing books each year — a growing corner of the book world that raises as many questions about parenting as it does about publishing.
     Critics say it is wonderful to start writing at a young age, but worry that self-publishing sends the wrong message. [...]
     'What’s next?' asked the novelist Tom Robbins. 'Kiddie architects, juvenile dentists, 11-year-old rocket scientists? Any parent who thinks that the crafting of engrossing, meaningful, publishable fiction requires less talent and experience than designing a house, extracting a wisdom tooth, or supervising a lunar probe is, frankly, delusional. There are no prodigies in literature,' Mr. Robbins said. 'Literature requires experience, in a way that mathematics and music do not.'"
— Elissa Gootman, The New York Times
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shut up, run away, drop dead

From: Modern Mechanix

"They called him ‘Death Ray Matthews.’ It wasn’t a name he chose for himself, but of all the inventions Harry Grindell Matthews was known for, it was the death ray for which he was both feted and vilified. Was he a charismatic mixture of visionary and charlatan, or an ignored and embittered inventor who could have shortened both World Wars? Whatever the answer, his story is a fascinating one, not least because it brings into sharp focus how the British Government viewed fortean ideas in the early years of the 20th century."
— Dr David Clarke and Andy Roberts, Fortean Times
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"The Active Denial System (ADS) beams a high-frequency, man-sized electromagnetic wave 1,000 meters.
     A person affected by ADS feels a sudden blast of heat that many compare to opening a very hot oven. The target feels pain and reflexively steps or runs away. During the presentation US servicemen managed to immediately disperse a group of disguised marines who played the role of an aggressive crowd.
     The US military say this weapon’s injury risk is far lower than other weapons like rubber bullets or pepper spray. The ray does not cause cancer or exacerbate existing cancer, nor does it causes fertility problems or birth defects. That is according to Stephanie Miller, with the biological effects branch of the    Air Force Research Laboratory as quoted by Stars and Stripes web edition.
     She also said the weapon has been tested on more than 11,000 people, and in just two of those cases, it caused second-degree burns."
— The European Union Times
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"It will not cause the person pain, but it will stress them into shutting up - recreating an uncomfortable feeling that most people will have experienced when they hear their own voice echo back to them during a phone call or on Skype.
     'In general, human speech is jammed by giving back to the speakers their own utterances at a delay of a few hundred milliseconds,' the scientists say in a new research paper for the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Tskuba and at Ochanomizu University, both in Japan.
     'This effect can disturb people without any physical discomfort, and disappears immediately by stop speaking.'"
— Martin Robinson, The Daily Mail
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