A study conducted at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, found that statin drugs ( cholesterol-lowering drugs like Zocor ) have an adverse effect on skeletal muscles....cause muscle cramping, fatigue, " potential myopathy" ( weakness ). They also stated that statins may" alter the ability of skeletal muscle to repair and regenerate".

      The Center for Disease Control is adding children aged 5 to 18 to the list of those who should take yearly flu shots. Those 50 and older as well as younger adults with chronic illness such as diabetes, asthma and AIDS, health workers, pregnant women and those who work with infants were already advised to get the shots. Children aged 6 months to 8 years are advised to get two shots spaced a month apart. A nasal spray is an alternative for those aged 2 to 49.

      Swedish researchers ( University of Gothenburg ), in the British Medical Journal, advise that feeding fish to babies before they are 9 months ( as little as one portion ), may cut their risk of developing eczema....a chronic condition affecting 10 to 15 % of children that can cause " the skin to become itchy, red, dry and cracked ".

      U.S. Scientists have told a Congressional subcommittee, of a potential link between mobile phones and brain cancer. David Carpenter, Director of the Institute of Health and Environment at the University of Albany, said the link maybe similiar to that between lung cancer and smoking. Also Robert Heberman, Director of the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute--one of the top US cancer research centers, said that " studies claiming that there is no link between cell phones and brain tumors are outdated ". They both told the committee that the brain cancer risk from cell phone use is far greater for children than for adults.....radiation from a cell phone penetrates far deeper into the brain of a five year old than that of an adult.

     Several Scandinavian studies ( where cell phones were first developed ),show that radiation emitted by cell phones have deffinite biological consequences. Swedish cancer specialist Lennart Hardell, in a 2008 study, found frequent cell phone users are twice as likely to develop " a benign tumor on the auditory nerves of the ear most used with the handset compared to the other ear ". A study in Israel " determined that heavy cell phone users had a 50% incereased likelihood in developing salivary gland tumor " and a pare published recently by the Royal Society in London found that " adolescents who start using cell phones before age of 20 were five times more likely to develop brain cancer at the age of 29 than those who didn't use a cell phone "

      " It's only on the side of the head where you use the cell phone ,"said Carpenter.

      Finally, drinking chamomile tea ( also known as manzanilla ),  daily with meals " may help prevent the complications of diabetes, such as loss of vision, nerve damage and kidney damage ", researchers in Japan and the Uniteed Kingdom are reporting. The findings could lead to the developmentof a new chamomile- based drug for type 2 diabetes, which is spreading worldwide. Rats fed chamomile extract for 21 days, showed a significant decrease in blood glucose.        

      The campaign is revealing the real Stephen Harper and his band of shallow, prejudicial and fundamentalist Crappers.  First there was the " dysfunctional parliament " excuse to get around his own law on fixed election date,  then to begin the campaign they, with their "pooping puffin "ad, signalled that they will wage a personality war on Dion and there is Tony Clement, the Health Minister who chose to go to Denver during the listeriosis crisis and leave the Minister of Agriculture, who proceeded to show his callousness, by joking about " cold cuts " and wishing for the death of his Liberal critic. This was followed by references to aboriginal drunkenness and limiting access to local candidates. What is Harper afraid of ? That these buffoons  would let their true nature and their feelings about women, guns, immigration, gays, abortion, school prayer, religion, the environment etc,be known ?

     These are after all the old Reform/ Canadian Alliance/ joined by the orthodox Conservatives. They are truly C.R.A.P. Their social agenda has not changed. They have even borrowed very heavily from the tactics of their southern ( Right wing Republican ) pals. The Canadian voters must not be fooled. They must realise that Harper and his coterie are anti-environment, anti-women rights, anti gay and lesbian, anti- immigration ( unless it is white European ), anti-abortion, anti-culture and opposed to individual rights. 

      If you believe in these ideas, then vote for CRAP, but do so from knowledge ( I know that this may be difficult for real Craps), and not from ignorance , for after all, in a democracy, we always get the government we deserve. 

      On Sept 13, I stated that the strategy of McCain was to " distract and attack, emphasise personality and not issues and keep Obama off-balance and off-message ". This has worked well , and thus, it has continued.

      McCain cannot win on issues and substance, and so rely on a series of lies, smears, sleaze, and chicanery. He accused Obama of wanting to introduce a government run health care system, ( Obama favors a market based system, subsidised by the government ).He says that Obama wants to teach sex education to kids in kindergarten , when Obama made it clear that he wanted them to be taught to be aware of sexual predators and inproper touching. He stated that Obama is against off-shore drilling and nuclear plants, but Obama has made it clear that he is open to both. When Obama talked about " pigs in lipstick "( a phrase that McCain used on many occasions ),McCain accused him of referring to Palin and then he had the temerity to question Obama's patriotism, when he said that Obama would rather " lose a war than lose an election ". McCain who claims to live by the military code of honor has dishonored that code.

      The recent Wall Street collapse and the upcoming debate may be the key to changing the tone and get the campaign to deal with the issues. Obama, if he is to stop his downward spiral, has to seize this opportunity to press McCain on substance. Failure to do so dooms his chance in November. 

     

           Hello Karl Marx, my name is George Bush and I need your help to save the economy. I was a friend of Adam Smith and his laissez faire/ invisible hand, free market theory, but it has allowed greed to run rampant , and the " free riders " have mismanaged and destroyed the market place.

       I have decided that the only way to save what remains and to restore confidence, is to adopt some of your theories, specifically, government takeover and the nationalising of A.I.G. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac , and other banks, investment houses, insurance companies and mortgage companies. In other words , this massive Government intervention ( not seen since the 30's ), is the only means available for me. I admit that I do not know ,( like my buddy John M cCain ), much about economics. I have criticised you in the past, and I have , like Reagan and my father before me, denigrated Keynes, and the result has been a feeding frency of greed, from Enron to World Com. to Fannie and Freddie, as well as Bear Stearns and Lehman Bros  My country has been the bastion of Capitalism and free enterprise, but now my government has become the largest mortgage holder, and insurance company. It shames  me to say this, and I am embarassed to act in this way, but I have to accept that you were right to warn about the evils of unrestraint Capitalism..... and the greed that is its credo.  

        These last months have not been good for me. I cannot seem to catch a break. I am desperate and thus I embrace you............Your comrade- in arms George W. Bush.......you can call me Goergie!!!! and welcome to the United Socialist State of America.!!!!!

         

      Harper's visit to Newfoundland was a disaster. He was unable to get past Premier Williams refusal to support him and so he came up with the lame excuse that Williams did not get along with the previous federal gov'ts.......failing to point out that they were not Conservatives, but Liberals and thus were not expected to get his support .Harper's message and his personality have failed to make a dent in seat-rich Ontario and in Quebec he is losing ground to the Bloc.

      Voters are increasingly concerned with his " hidden agenda ",........ the  fundamentalist, right- wing Reform programme of social values ( anti-abortion, anti-gay, and tax cuts that penalises consumers and favor the wealthy, as well as the anti-environment policy ( which has earned Canada the condemnation of many countries and groups ),the depleted surplus and the economic downturn. Continued job losses in Ontario, risiing casualties in Afghanistan, grave concern about the ecological destruction of the Tar Sands development, and the general lack of leadership and vision ( his refusal to attend the Olympics in China ) are millstones around his neck.

      Dion grows on you. He is a bit hard to take , but this is beginning to change. His message is getting through, especially after the Ref/Con " boo boo " about bird  "doo doo ". Cnadian voters remember the vain attempt by Kim Campbell to denigrate Jean Chretien and as they punished her, they will punish Harper, especially if  the Ref/ Con try to emphasise personality  over issues. The Liberals will gain from the Greens poaching of NDP supporters in B.C. and Ontario.

      The Quebec strategy of the Ref/ Con. will founder on the enviroment, Afghanistan and the social agenda, especially on Harper's comment that the country is getting more conservative ( wishful thinking ). A split vote between the Bloc and the Ref/ Con will benefit the Liberals in close races, and therefore the Liberals have a good chance of increasing their seat couint in Quebec.

      It looks like a minority Liberal.    

 

      John ( Truth Teller ) McCain, the noble, honorable reformer has revealed himself as just another unctuous politician, Realising that he cannot win on the issues, he has scurried over to the lies, distortions and misrepresentation of Swift Boat tactic....  whether it is " lipstick on a pig ", comprehensive sex education, tax cuts, energy or health care.

     Distract and attack is the ploy. Emphasise  personality not the issues  and get Obama off-balance and off-message is the gambit. Win at all cost and to hell with the American people.

      McCain has used " lipstick on pigs " at least 3 times and in reference to Hilary and her health package. He once stated that Chelsea Clinton is ugly, because Janet Reno was her mother.....crude, repulsive and sexist attack on a child. How can he get away with this?

      Obama will win, but it is going to get nastier. Americans will see the real McCain...the blustery, nasty, vulgar bully, who always want to get his way ( ask his Senate colleagues ).  It is too bad, because he can be a good man , when all is well.

      Pay no attention to the national polls. This pretend science, that the media fawns upon, is misleading, and is about yesterday. Instead, pay attention to Florida ,Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The race will be closest here. Watch for hanky-panky a la Florida and Ohio. There is a too much at stake for " the usual powers that be ". 

      There are about 55 million unregistered voters......5 million Afro- Americans, 5 million Hispanics, 7 million young. Are they being registered and by whom?   

 

      It is one year earlier than the law Harper had fought for, but under the guise of ending " a dysfuntional parliament ",he has gambled and called an election. John Turner and Paul Martin also held fall elections, when they were not necessary, and both suffered losses. The same fate awaits Harper.

     His agenda has been stalled and he has run out of new ideas, and so he blames the other parties and hopes to fool the electorate. . Wearing a sweater and holding a reluctant baby will not be enough to mask his image as a bully and a control freak with a hidden agenda...........he still has a Reform party soul. His cuts to the  arts, culture and legal assistance programmes, his misuse of the huge surplus he inherited from the Liberals, the downturn of the economy, his shoddy record on the environment,  the mounting casualties in Afghanistan  and the continued job losses in Ontario, all point to trouble for him.

      The Liberals, if they can get their act together and if they can stop their sniping at their leader and if they can mount a coherent message  can benefit the most . However Dion must shed his image as a bumbler leadig a cabal of ambitious  wannabees", ready to strike at any seeming weakness. The Liberals are successful when they campaign on the left, and Dion has recognized  this with his Green Shift " richer, fairer, greener ", and promised tax relief.

      The N.D.P. must not be caught between Harper's right wing agenda and Dion's move to the left. Layton must do more than act as the Obama of the north. He has to offer more than " winds of change ",and........."priorities of the kitchen table, not....boardroom table ". Canadians are not seduced by rhyming couplets . He has to deal with both the Green  Party and the Liberals poaching on his turf. He should try and learn from the  NDP's 1974 and 1984 elections.

     The Bloc Quebecois has to hit the Reform/ Conservative hard on the environment, on Afghanistan and their " right wing, American style idealogy ". Harper will try to make the B.Q. irreelevant, stressing  that they have done little for Quebec. Harper's rally in Quebec City, is the first of many forays he plan to make to this province. Any chance to form a major or even a majority government rest on Harper's ability to sell himself here.

     The next few weeks will certainly be interesting....... 

  

McCain flip flops on anything that used to define him, when it jeopardizes his ambitions. From maverick to Bush hugger, from special interest attacker to give me some money, from media friend to media is the enemy, from Swift Boat critic to come run my nasty campaign, from opposer of Martin Luther King's holiday to win support from Arizona to apologiser of convenience, from confederate flag to etc.

His claim to fame is being shot down over Vietnam, captured, beaten and imprisoned by people he was bombing from the safety of the skies....this makes him an expert on foreign affairs....hello Wesley Clark. He was a bully in high school, a womanizer at Annapolis, an adulterer in Hawaii and Time (Sept 8), in an attempted fluff piece repeatedly refer to his being " noble ". So was BRUTUS, when he murdered Caesar for his country.

Which is the real McCain? Nancy Gibbs visited Cindy, who was sitting in her tailored outfit , by the running river, under a sycamore tree equipped with a ceiling fan and tells us about her bootlegger father, her gold Mercedes, lying about her age to the married McCain, who also lied about his age and who had a sick wife waiting at home for him but which did not stop them from having an affair...oh, they later married.Oh yes, she adopted a sick child from Bangladesh and named her Bridget....proof positive of her concern for the less fortunate.

Now he has given us the eminently unqualified Sarah " Barracuda " Palin. God help America!!!

— Ishwar Prashad retiredprof.com, Montreal

      Stephen Harper tried to con the three other parties, but it has not worked. He tried to fool the public into thinking that he was doing all he can to make parliament work, but this has failed.He ,now has to back down or call an election.

      The Reform-Conservative Govt. is facing many problems and does not want parliament to further investigate elections overspending, the Cadman affair in which Harper is allegedly implicated, the listeria outbreak ( China has just halted meat imports ), the underperforming economy, and the threat of a recession. Harper will be seen as going back on his fixed election ( Oct. 2009 ) law. He has accused the opposition of creating a dysfunctional parliament, but this will not fly. It is the Ref-Cons. who have, by their antics, stalled parliament.

      The last time a Prime Minister called a premature relection to avoid parliamentary scrutiny, it resulted in the defeat of the John Turner, and The Paul Martin governments. Voters do not like political charade. They do not like to be treated like ignorant fools. They will punish Harper, should he decide  to call an unnecessary election, under the guise of blaming the opposition.   

      What a tawdry affair, this has become. A 17 year old is pregnant and rather than thinking of the consequences for her, she is exploited by religious and political expediency, robbed of the best years of her life, forced to grow up and raise a child, rather than preparing for graduation and the prom, probably giving up on her dreams of following her mother as a beauty queen and going to college,  Bristol Palin ,is the latest sacrificial lamb on the altar of bigotry, narrow-mindedness and ambition.

      Her mother, driven by the thouights  of high office, is using her child to accentuate her credentials as a conservative, Christian fundamentalist." Look at me ", she is saying," I taught my child that pre-marital sex is a sin, that sex out of marriage is a sin, that contraception is a sin, I do not believe in sex education, I believe in abstinence, but now that my 17 year old daughter is pregnant, I forgive her  and will stand by her and support her and her decision to marry the father of the child ". There is something very wrong here. Is any one thinking about the welfare of this child who is about to have a child?

      She has to face the feeding frenzy of the media and the blogs. The rumour mill is runnimg overtime. She is going to be subjected to all manner of direct scrutiny and indirect insinuations. Her pregnancy became public only after questions were raised about her mother's 4 month baby,.......that it was her baby and not her mother's. It was in order to squelch this, that it was disclosed that she is 5 months pregnant.

      Barak Obama, must be commended  for his forceful statement that " family is off limits", " children are off limits " and that he will immediately fire anyone on his staff who does not respect this.

      Let us hope that Bristol will be spared any extra grief. She has enough to deal with.