Video Clip Of “Canned” Surgery Place On YouTube

Sometimes a close encounter can be hazardous to your health and life as well.

National HIV/AIDS Commission – Forget The Parents, Give Us The Law Instead!!!

A previous article headlined ’16 and up’ of the Friday edition of the Nation newspaper [4th] caught my attention not so much the title but the contents that follow.

According to the story, the National HIV/AIDS Commission is ”seeking the support of Minister of Family, Youth ,Sport and the Environment Dr Esther Byer Suckoo in bringing to Cabinet proposals to eliminate the current anomaly between the age of consent [16 years old] and the age at which young people can seek medical services [18] on their own without parental consent.”

Is Pastor Sandra Holford [Deputy Chairman] in agreement with this? Would she like a law that says a 16 year old can seek medical services without her consent? Now that Dr Jacobs has been reappointed as Chairman, how will the secular and spiritual views square up with each other in tacking this HIV/AIDS situation in Barbados among the youth?.

I ask the question. What is so wrong that the Commission cannot launch an awareness program to sensitize and educate parents on the need to gave their 16 year olds permission to seek medical advice and get counselling when warranted in such cases? Why rush headlong to strip parents of their paternal rights?. What is the reason or reasons parents do not give their support when their 16 year olds want to be tested and seek medical advice.

I search and in my searching unfortunately those questions were not asked or answered.

Director Alies Jordan added, ”we will be asking for that amendments to be made to the existing legislation along with other types of amendments or drafting of new legislation that will create the right type of enabling environment which will allow our HIV prevention efforts to be successful.”

What other amendments?. What new legislation?. Again the newspaper fails to ask such a question. Does these other types of amendments includes having 15 & 16 yrs olds abort babies without their parent knowledge and approval?.

The Commission has done a poor job in curbing the promiscuity of young people and seeking Ministerial support to eliminate the anomaly that exists as you rightly say would only ”put a dent in the spread of the deadly virus.”

We don’t need a dent. We need an Impact!.

Christain Group Sues Google After Search Engine Refuses To Take It’s Abortion Adverts

Here’s an interesting article on the dailymail web site. It says that, “A Christian group is suing Google over the internet giant’s refusal to take its anti-abortion adverts.

The Christian Institute, a “non-denominational Christian charity”, wanted to pay Google so that whenever the word “abortion” was typed into the popular search engine, its link would appear on the side of the screen. The link would have read: “UK abortion law – news and views on abortion from the Christian Institute. http://www.christian.org.uk.”; But Google refused the advert because it said it had a policy of declining sites which mixed the issue of abortion with religious views. Its Dublin-based advertising team replied: “At this time, Google policy does not permit the advertisement of websites that contain ‘abortion and religion-related content’.”

Google does, however, accept adverts for abortion clinics, secular pro-abortion sites and secularist sites which attack religion.

The Christian Institute has now started legal proceedings against Google on the grounds that it is infringing the Equality Act 2006 by discriminating against Christian groups. It is seeking damages, costs and the permission to publish its advertisement. Mike Judge, Christian Institute spokesman, said: “For many people, Google is the doorway to the internet. “To say that religious sites with material on abortion are ‘unacceptable content’ (while) advertising pornography is ridiculous”.

Downright hypocrisy if you ask me.

The Anorexic Woman Who Dropped To Three Stone After Walking Up TO 12 Hours A Day

An anorexic woman who dropped to three-and-a-half stone after walking up to 12 hours a day has battled back to health. Lauren Bailey’s condition sent her weight plummeting to that of an average five-year-old and nearly killed her.

The 26-year-old, who would obsessively pace the streets from 6am to 6pm, spent 18 months in hospital in a last-ditch bid to overcome her anorexia.

Lauren’s weight plunged to less than four stone in 2006 – she says problems stemmed from the early onset of puberty which led to bullying because of her size

It has taken her more than a decade to overcome, and now the articulate young woman is speaking out about her ordeal to prove to others that they can battle back from the brink.

She said: “I have always suffered from anxiety, depression and obsessive compulsive disorder since I was a child.

“What triggered my anorexia was a combination of things. I was going through puberty at nine years old, which was very early then, and I was the only one – because of that I was bigger than the others.

“I was bullied because I was different – I was into rock music and playing my guitar.

“When it developed into anorexia, it was after someone told me I should go on a diet – at the time I was 14 and it is very young to be thinking about those things.”

“It was then that my obsession with exercise started.”

Lauren began walking 12 hours a day, and when she was at home she would pace around her room. Even when not walking, she would set up puzzles on her ironing board so she could remain standing up.

She said: “I was walking the streets from 6am in the morning to 6pm at night, or going up and down any stairs I could find.

“I really don’t know how I did it, I shouldn’t have been able to walk that far. It was the anorexic adrenaline.”

Lauren only realised she was anorexic after reading a magazine article by a husband speaking about his wife’s battle with her illness.

She said: “I thought, ‘Oh my god, that’s me – I do all of those things’.

“I always thought everyone else had the problem and I was doing the right thing. Everyone is obsessed with celebrities and diets and I thought everyone wanted to be like that. I was just the same.

“It got out of control. It wasn’t about wanting to be thin, it was about wanting to disappear.”

One of Lauren’s worst points was in 2004 when she was 23 and her weight dropped to three stone.

Doctors told her mum Alison Williams, who now works for a mental health charity, they feared her daughter would die.

Lauren said: “I remember being transferred to an eating disorders unit and they didn’t think I would make it through the night.

“My mum was so worried about me but until I accepted I had a problem there was nothing anyone else could do.”

She managed to put on weight but when out of hospital her old problems returned.

In March 2006 she was again admitted to hospital after her weight plunged to less than four stone where she spent 18 months.

But even while on the wards in Addenbrookes in Cambridge, Lauren still was not ready to accept help and continued to continually pace round and round her room.

After months in the hospital, she finally made a breakthrough.

Lauren said: “They let me dig my own grave and let me get bad again. In the end they sectioned me because I insisted on going on leave when I was too ill to do so and I refused to give up my exercise.

“My mum and my friends were great but everyone else was getting on with their lives outside.

“I got to the point when I thought, ‘This isn’t getting me anywhere’. I was really miserable and I had no time left in my day because of my obsessions.

“I am a young woman and I was missing out on so much.

“I thought, ‘I’m living the same sad life in hospital as I was outside. Life can’t be any worse – why don’t I just give it a go?’”

Lauren finally left hospital in August 2007 and since then she has been back on track. Although she does not like to talk about her weight, just a glance at her healthy figure shows how far she has come from the skeletal images at the height of her illness.

She also hit out at the glossy magazines sending out “mixed messages” to vulnerable teens.

Lauren said: “It annoys me that these magazines complain about size zero celebrities then the next minute they go on about slimming down for summer. It sends out a mixed message.

“I still have problems but I am enjoying life now.

“I want to give others hope that they can get over anorexia and rebuild their lives.”

{ Taken from the Daily Mail}

Drinking Eight Glasses Of Water Can Do More Harm Than Good – Really!!!

Drinking eight glasses of water to stay healthy, rid the body of toxins or improving the skin tone is a myth and downright harmful according to new research by two kidney experts.

Dr Goldfarb and Dr Negoianu of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia have further found no evidence that drinking lots of water benefits the body’s organs.

I beg to differ. When I used to drink between 2 – 4 litres of water, yes 4 litres {that’s a tall pep bottle 2L each}, I felt on top of the world. More vitality and alertness. Not only was it not downright harmful but I felt a different in the face; more smoother and fuller, that is because the cells were flushed with water. The elimination process is more frequent, even the pathway is moist so dryness & soreness is out the window.

Dr Goldfarb continues “Many people drink water before and during meals to try to supress their appetite.”

Well I can clearly remember my mother giving us water to drink at mealtime or it was a matter of using your own saliva. Never encourage us to drink anything sweet. It would be afterwards. Food digest better that way. Well of course we are now big hardback men and women now and anything goes but to me water works better. As for the appetite thing drinking water before and during meals – and we are talking about a lot here right? – definitely cuts down my portions.

“There is no data to suggest that it {water} actually improves your skin.”

I beg to disagree again. I have dry skin and my water intake definitely improves my skin tone.

“In long distance runners, more harm is done by long distance runners over-drinking during races than by long distance runners {who} under-drink.”

Anyone with half a brain knows that running on a full stomach whether it’s food or liquids can be very uncomfortable. It would be better to take sips in between running or full up your tank before the actual race.

The kidneys specialists found also solid evidence that people living in hot dry climate{s} as well as some athletes have an increased need for more water.

Well blown me down. I could of told them that!!!!.

“People with certain diseases like kidney stones may benefit from increased water intake.”

Taking the position that water {to me] cleanse the body of toxins, if there were increased water intake to begin with there would be no need to take that amount after the person develop kidney stones!!!!!!!. The kidneys are the filters in the body. There need water to work with. If none is available for use, they will have to ‘steal’ it from somewhere in the body. The less water, the more the kidneys have to overwork, until finally it give up the ghost. Hence dialysis machines. It’s the same way if some part of the body need calcium and there is not sufficient to begin with, it is taken from the bones. If calcium is not replenish the ‘stealing’ will continue and the bones will become brittle and weak. Then again I am no specialist so what do I know.

In conclusion this study to me is nothing more than an attempt to discredit increased water intake since the water bottle industry alone in the States is worth approximately $10b. I’m sure the soft drink manufactures will ‘lash on ‘on this ‘vital’ information.

This of course will be welcome news for those that detest water but for the rest of us we will continue to extol the virtues of water drinking. I say the more the merrier in this case.

{Taken from International Press Reports}

Oregon’s Solution To Healthcare Set Up Lottery!!!

    We in Barbados sometimes don’t know how good we have it here  until we see, heard or read something that makes us go huh!!!. The public health care services {I deliberately did not use the word industry for a very specific reason} we have in this country  though not up to scratch{with the long waits, shortage of doctors, need I say more?}, are still reasonably well and even though we had some persons objecting to the Q.E.H being run by a board of directors, fees increasing and some insightful Bajans noticing the trend of shifting more emphasize on private care, still  Bajan governments have never {let’s hope it continue so} run health care in Bim as a profit making venture.

That doesn’t mean others aren’t doing it though.

There is basic health care at the polyclinics and to a larger extent the Q.E.H – with some paid services – and private care – fork money out front - {if no health insurance} or if in dire straits send out an appeal and some kinds folks will help out financially.

So when I read up on  this piece from salem-news.com I remember the old adage – desperate times calls for desperate action. The health care industry in America,  yes, industry, is nothing more than a bloodsucking profit making venture design to squeeze every cent out of the ordinary man in order to line the coffers of the health related corporations.

Every legislation passed, aided by lobbyists, have done nothing but make health care in the US expensive, unaffordable and unattainable.

So desperate is the situation that the state of Oregon have resorted to a health care lottery. You got that right. Health care lottery. For those that cannot afford it.

With 45m Americans uninsured, approximately 600,000 of them Oregonians, a state computer will randomly select the names of 3000 people – on a reservation list that have attracted 91,675 uninsured names – who will be mailed applications. For be considered for eligibility, individuals must complete and return the applications within 30 days of the date stamp on them.

Thank God that is not happening here !!!. With mail taking sometimes 3weeks to get from one destination to another on this 166 sq miles of rock, lots of people would sure miss out!.

Of course something as huge as this calls for a public awareness program and the authorities pull out all the stops. With 5000 posters written in English & Spanish, 670,000 brochures in 10 languages, 330,000 households receiving direct mail and materials to 1800 community partners.

The selection process will continue over a period of months until the required quota is filled.

World On The Brink Of Food Shortage !!! – 10 More Years Of Expensive Food: Says UN

As of December 2007, 37 countries faced food crises and 20 had imposed some sort of price controls. Foods costs worldwide spiked 23% from 2006 to 2007, according to the UN food organisation. Grain went up by 42%, oils 50% and dairy 80%.

Already the Paris based UN World Food Program is facing a $500m shortfall in financing this year to feed 89m needy people. The UN in a 20th March letter  has sent out an appeal to donors so as not to scale back food aid.

Petroleum prices are one of the driving forces increasing the cost of everything from fertilizers to transport to food processing. In rapidly developing countries like China and India, rising demand for meat and dairy is sending up the cost of grain used for cattle feed, as is the demand for raw materials to make bio-fuels. Raising prices  also mean that the world’s poorest people will have to spend a large proportion of their income on food, the the UN agency said, and they will buy less food, food that is less nutritious.

Although farmers will grow more grain for fuel and food as is happening with wheat, with more more crops to be planted in the US, Canada and Europe next year, according to UN projections, consumers still face at least 10 more years of expensive food.

Here in the Caribbean, Caricom governments have issued a list of food items in which the CET {Common External Tariff} have either been reduced or removed for 2 years on the recommendation of the Caricom’s Council For Trade and Development which held a meeting in January. CET is meant to protect local supplies from similar ones being imported.

At a recent concluded conference held in Bahamas, the Director General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, Mr Jacques Diouf warned Caricom governments that the world is on the brink of a serious food shortage. Mr Diouf impress upon the Caricom Heads the gravity of the situation and “that they must do everything possible within their borders to produce what ever they can because the prognosis is that food on the world market would become more and more in short supply and automatically become more and more expensive.”

Reports reaching us is that Trinidad plans to convert up to 20,000 acres of state-owned lands into large farms and are looking to Cuba for expertise in mass-producing fruits and vegetables for local consumption to offset food prices.

Here in Barbados, petrol, flour, electricity, have attracted subsidies whilst lamb and beef have a temporary reprieve.

KFC Grilled Chicken Coming To Barbados?

Barbados health concious eaters will be very pleased to know that they can walk in KFC restaurants and have grilled chicken as an alternative to fried chicken.

That’s because if KFC grilled chicken becomes a hit in the US markets it may introduced the concept worldwide . The company is planning a series of TV ads in test markets promoting grilled chicken on its menu. The chain which serves approximately 12m customers daily at more than 14,000 outlets around the world is hoping to lure back health concious customers who dropped fried chicken from their diets or cut back on indulging.

Viagra Perks Up Dog

Viagra has gven Tasliker, a border collie from Northampton UK a new lease of life. 

Vets there prescribed the Viagra to improve blood flow to the heart of the dog, correcting a potentially fatal condition. The dog passe out when excited because his blood cannot pump quickly around his body.  Talisker’s owmer, Lesley Strong 58, said “It causes great hilarity at the chemist’s when I pick up the prescription.” I bet!!!!!.

             On a more serious note

Over in Gloucester,UK, OliverSherwood 2, have to take Viagra to keep him alive. That’s because he has a rare condition that causes chronic high blood pressure.

The condition – pulmonary hypertension – can be controlled with four doses of Viagra a day. Pulmonary hypertension causes the blood pressure in the arteries in the lungs to rise, straining the heart and reducing blood oxygen levels, causing breathless and exhausion. Symptoms include severe coughing and breathing problems as blood filled the lungs, constant nose bleed, dizziness and chest pain.

Most often use to boost erectile function, Viagra also opens the veins and capillaries to aid circulation in rare cases like Oliver’s. This month marks 10 years Viagra was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on March 27th 1998.

{Adapted from International Press Reports}

Millions Starve As Tons Of Food Rots In Haitian’s Ports

Bureaucratic red tape  have led to a back log of containers full of food stacking up in Haiti’s ports which is being felt as far away as 600 miles in Miami.

Governments attempts to clean up the  corrupt port system that has help make Haiti a major conduit for Columbian cocaine has added new layers of bureaucracy – leaving millions of Haitians starving. So deperate is the situation that many are forced to eat cookies made of dirt, salt and vegetable oil.

The flies, crockroaches and rotting stench are faced by the port workers daily.

All because in part, of  government efforts to clean up a port system that the World Bank recently ranked as the second-worst in the region behind Guyana.

Haiti’s custom reforms effort have the backing of the international community with the US government helping fund port security and the UN peacekeepers stepping up anti-smuggling patrols along the coast and Dominician borders.  

Of course if one wanted their goods out in a timely manner I suppose some greasing would take place somewhere…………………..

{Adapted from International Press Reports}

Mexico’s Coke Zero Drops Deadly Sweetner

CocaCola has reformulated the Mexico version of CocaCola Zero removing an artifical sweetner that is banned in the US and which caused an outcry from consumer advocates.

The sweetner – sodium cyclamate – banned in the States 39 years ago by the Food and Drug Administration, was found to be link to cancer based on lab findings.

Coco Cola made the change because of ”significant advances in food technology that we did not have when we launched the formula in Mexico” {February 2007}, the company spokeman Rafael Fernandez said.

Sodium Cyclamate - still legal in more than 50 countries - was replaced with a combination of two other artifical eweetners, aspartame and acesulfamek.

{Adapted from International Press Reports}

Bear Convicted For Theft Of Honey

   The sweet taste of honey was just too tempting for a bear in Macedonia which repeatedly raided a beekeeper’s hive.

Now it has a criminal record after a court found it guilty of theft and criminal damages.

However there was an empty dock in the  city of Bitola, where the no handcuffed bear was convicted in its absence.

The case brought by an exasperated beekeeper, came on the heels of trying for a year in vain to protect his precious beehives.

For a while, he kept the bear away by buying a generator, lighting up the area and playing thumping Serbian turbo-folk music.

But the generator ran out of pwer, the music fell silent, the bear was back and the honey gone once more.

”It attacks the beehives again” said beekeeper Zoran Kiselosi.

The court ordered the state to pay damages to the hive – around $3,500 {£1,1750, 2,238 euros} because the animal had no owner and belonged to a protected species.

The bear is still at large - somewhere in Macedonia.

                                                                                                                             

Millions Of Europeans Lack Safe Drinking Water

Over 100 million Europeans still lack access to safe drinking water, resulting in the deaths from diarrhoea of nearly 40 children everday.

The United Nations today reported that it has resulted in the deaths from diarrhoea of nearly 40 children everyday.More than 170,000 cases of water-related diseases – including over 120,000 cases of viral hepatitis A – were reported in 2006.

In Eastern Europe, some 16% of the population does not have access to drinking water in their homes.In the rural areas, more than half of all people do not have a reliable supply of safe water and adequate sanitation.

{Adapted from International Press Reports}

Cytotec – The Abortion Pill

 The Ministry of Health in Barbados is investigating the illegal use of a drug in abortions.

Misoprostol best know by the brand name – Cytotec - is known in the drug class – gastric mucosa protectant.

Misoprostol {Cytotec} is commonly use to prevent stomach ulcers in paients  using  nonsteroidal antiflammatory drugs {NSAIDS – the drugs commonly used for arthritis, inflammation and pain }.

Cytotec reduces the amount of acid produced in the stomach and protects the stomach lining from the effects of acid.

 Cytotec is also use in unwanted pregnacies. Taken orally or broken in pieces and inserted vaginally can ripen a woman’s cervix and induce labour. Without the proper medical supervision, however it can cause serious adverse effects including maternal or fetal death, uterine rupture and severe vaginal bleeding and shock.

And because of this Chief Medical Officer Dr Joy St. John has confirmed authorities will be stepping up their vigilance on the medication after reports surfaced about the rising use of the drug from women and men mainly in their 20′ and 30′ inquiring  according to one pharmacist.

The abortion drug can be brought over the counter for about $100.00, as opposed to a supervised abortion which would cost about $700.00.

{Adapted from http://www.nationsnews.com}