Sunday, December 18, 2005

Serotonin and Depression - The Big Lie

Drug companies claim that a "chemical imbalance" of serotonin in the brain causes depression and that the anti-depressant wonder drugs (like Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, etc.) correct this imbalance. In truth there is NO evidence to back up these claims, which is why you will read "depression is a serious medical condition that may be due to a chemical imbalance." Note the word "may". The drug companies never say "is" they always say "may" or "it is believed" or "experts think". Hmmm, I always thought science was a field where you could say "is". Anyway, someone has recently taken a stand and told the truth: Serotonin and Depression: A Disconnect between the Advertisements and the Scientific Literature.

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

More on Wikipedia

The man who created a false biography for another person on Wikipedia was tracked down by another man who was a victim of a similar false bio on Wikipedia. What is interesting about this is that it wasn't someone from Wikipedia who did the tracking down, it was a private individual who had his own disagreements with the Wikipedia administrators. The Wikipedia administrators didn't take the responsibility to find out who was using the site for their own purposes.

Note that although the article is entitled "Wikipedia Prankster Expresses Remorse", he didn't do any expressing until he got caught: Wikipedia Prankster Expresses Remorse

Sunday, December 11, 2005

New Citizens Commission On Human Rights Website

I was looking to see if the CCHR site had a "link to us" page and was surprised to find a totally redesigned site. The home page has an incredible Flash presentation listing facts and figures about psychiatry, its treatments, its drugs, its other abuses and its damaging results. Just go to the home page and watch it: Report Psychiatric Abuse. Visit www.cchr.org

Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Wikipedia - The Flaw

I use Wikipedia quite a lot, usually to clear up technical terms and concepts related to the computer field and I find it very useful for this purpose. Often someone has come up with a new term for something in my industry and it is not defined anywhere but Wikipedia. This is the place where Wikipedia excels. Areas where facts are facts and there is no real room (or need) for opinion. A widget is a widget and it has a specific definition. However, where Wikipedia falls down is when it allows people to make entries about things that are not so cut and dried. This is the place where opinion and bias can enter in and the area where Wikipedia's flaws really show up. It is time someone at Wikipedia figured out a way to handle this or else they are going to end up being taken to court by someone for defamation. Read this article for an example of what can happen: Wikipedia: It's Online But Is It True?

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Psychiatry and the "Science of Interrogation"

Here is an interesting article about the increasing viciousness of interrogation techniques used by the US military and intelligence agencies. Guess who brought these wonderful breakthroughs to us? Psychiatrists, such as Dr. Louis Jolyon West, perhaps one of the most evil men who ever lived, were employed by the US government to develop these techniques.

Here is the article: American science of interrogation

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Death By Modern Medicine

Here is a great book for anyone interested in staying alive and healthy: Death by Modern Medicine.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Here is a movie to see

If you know anyone who is thinking of giving anti-depressant drugs to their children then direct them to this movie: Prescription:Suicide.

Monday, September 26, 2005

My First Alligator

We just moved to Florida and today I saw my first alive, in the wild alligator. There is a large pond behind the office building where I work and it has alligators. Three babies and a big mama. This is a picture of the first one I saw.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Big Pharm Strategy Backfires?

I'm sure many drug companies thought they had it made when the Bush Administration got the prescription drug bill passed. Just think, now the US Government would be paying billions in tax-payer dollars to Big Pharm. However, it doesn't seem that it's going to be that easy for them. Hopefully this story portends greater oversight of a corrupt industry: California sues 39 drug makers for inflated prices.

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Merck loses Vioxx lawsuit: jury awards $253.4 million to widow

It seems there is some justice in this world: Merck loses Vioxx lawsuit: jury awards $253.4 million to widow

Monday, August 22, 2005

Psychiatric Drugs: An Assault on the Human Condition

Here is a fascinating interview with investigative journalist Robert Whitaker. In the interview Mr. Whitaker has this to say. "If you think about it, as long as we draw as big a circle as possible, and expand the boundaries of mental illness, psychiatry can have more clients and sell more drugs. So there's a built-in economic incentive to define mental illness in as broad terms as possible, and to find ordinary, distressing emotions or behaviors that some people may not like and label them as mental illness."

Read the complete interview here: Psychiatric Drugs: An Assault on the Human Condition.

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Merck hid Vioxx dangers for a decade

The story below talks about Merck hiding the dangers of Vioxx for a decade. If one drug company had no problem hiding the fact that their "miracle drug" killed people then do you think others will? Antidepressants have been blamed for years for suicides and murders, the evidence is mounting, yet the drug companies continue a PR and marketing barrage to protect the vast profit they make from these drugs. I just hope that soon I'll be reading an article about how Eli Lilly, Pfizer, GSK and the rest are going bankrupt due to the huge amount of money they are having to pay out in damages to the relatives of the people their drugs have killed.

Merck hid Vioxx dangers for a decade-lawyer

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

New Drug cures Love

The newly FDA approved drug "Miserexa" will cure you of that terrible disease known as "Love": New study declares Love a disease; medication may be available (satire)

Friday, August 12, 2005

Arjen Lucassen does it again

Arjen Lucassen is without doubt one of the greatest musicians and composers of our time. You'd think he'd be daunted trying to follow his masterpiece "The Human Equation". But no, he just gets on with it and forms a new band around the incredible vocals of Marcela Bovio who he discovered two years ago. This girl has the voice of an angel but with the power of the Metatron. They have an album out on Sept 26th, so mark your calendar. Check out the website for the new band: streamofpassion.com.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Protest About Dangerous Psychiatric Drugs

On August 24, 25, and 26, between 9 am and 5 pm, prominent activists from all over the nation will join victims and family members who have lost love ones due to dangerous psychotropic drugs to raise public awareness about their potential dangers. They will specifically target the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which include: Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Luvox, Citalopram, Celexa, Lexapro, and Paroxetine. Here is an article all about it: SSRI Protest - Activists Fed Up With FDA.

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Drug Companies

What do you think of this quote from a business report for Drug company executives? "The coming years will bear greater witness to the corporate sponsored creation of disease." What is this talking about? Germ warfare? No, it's talking about Drug companies marketing non-existent diseases so they can sell drugs to cure them. Here is another quote from the article: "... But it's hard to ignore the fact that eight of the nine experts who wrote the 2004 guidelines also serve as paid speakers, consultants, or researchers to drug companies - companies that stood to reap billions from overnight changes that relabeled healthy people as sick ...." I recommend you read this for your own good as well as the good of those you love: Licensed to Ill - Increasingly, drug companies aren't just selling cures. They're also marketing disease.

Another Article about Sunbelt Detecting An Identity Theft Ring

Spyware Researchers Discover ID Theft Ring

Monday, August 08, 2005

Thursday, July 28, 2005

Psychiatry, The Pseudoscience, is in Trouble Again

The US Justice Department has criticized a state run Mental Hospital in California various abuses. For example, inmates being bathed every two to four weeks! Drug overuse, excessive restraint. Read it all for yourself: Report Criticizes Calif. Mental Hospital

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

"United" Video in Canadian Movie Theaters

A Canadian movie chain will show the award-winning UNITED music video, that promotes human rights, during August in 66 theaters across the country. UNITED's popularity continues to grow with regular airings on radio and TV, both in the US and overseas.

Friday, July 22, 2005

FDA warns anew about antidepressants and suicide

Some people have been warning the world for years that antidepressant drugs cause suicide. There is overwhelming evidence. In fact in many countries around the world such drugs carry a warning about the increased chances of suicide. In America the pharmaceutical industry has such power that it is only now that the FDA has issued a warning. How many more people have to die before these dangerous and (according to the FDA) killer drugs are taken off the market?

FDA warns anew about antidepressants and suicide

FDA probes antidepressant safety for adults.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

Alert from Vice President CCHR International:

I just received this alert via a friend who gets mailings from The Citizens Commission on Human Rights.

Demand FACTS.

As many of you may have noticed, there are journalists now publishing articles and editorials regarding the "validity" of so called mental disorders and promoting them as "diseases" or "illnesses" without any evidence to support this claim. I am fascinated to know what evidence these reporters and/or editorial boards have that can substantiate their claim that any mental disorder as a disease, illness or physical abnormality. Because they are seemingly ignorant of the fact that neither the American Psychiatric Association, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, or any other psychiatric body has yet to validate such a claim. Even the President of the American Psychiatric Association admitted that there is no chemical imbalance test -- only last week.

For the editorial boards of these papers to promote mental disorders as brain diseases or medical conditions -- without any facts to substantiate this claim -- or any mention of the known dangers of the drugs prescribed to treat them is not only irresponsible, but unacceptable.

To give you an example -- The Billings Gazette, published an editorial by their own editorial board, stating that "Mental illnesses are real medical conditions that affect millions of Americans." "Rigorous, published scientific reviews prove that mental treatment works for mental illnesses" "Safe and effective treatments are available and may include medication, psychotherapy or a combination of the two" And finally, "Declaring that psychiatry is a fake is no less ridiculous than announcing that all cancer treatments or all cardiac care is fraudulent. Modern mental health care is based on scientific facts about brain disease."

So I called the editorial department -- and demanded proof of their claim. I spoke to the Editor. I asked for proof of this claim as the editorial was attacking those who point out there is no such proof. The editor had no answer or could give me no evidence. I asked how he could attack someone for saying there is no proof, then state that mental illness was a "disease" if he couldn't answer my question. I cited the fact that the President of the APE just admitted there is no chemical imbalance, that the 1999 report by the Surgeon General of the United States admitted that there is no way to diagnoses mental disorders as there is no physical basis. That there is not one mental health agency or group which has proved this claim -- and demanded sources and proof or studies or evidence to substantiate their stated facts. I got what you would expect -- nothing. Nor did the "editorial boards" who approved these statements, bother to point out that just last week the US FDA issued suicide warnings for all adults taking antidepressants.

This type of irresponsible journalism has to stop -- particularly when it is promoted and approved by the Editorial Board. They must not only publish a retraction of this claim, but alert their public that they have no such evidence, and warn them of the recent FDA warning about antidepressants.

The Editor is Prosinski@billingsgazette.com The desk is citynews@billingsgazette.com

A similar editorial was published by the DesMoines Register. Their "Editorial Board" approved of a similar piece which claimed "...mental illness, a real disease that can be successfully treated with prescription medication." Again, no evidence to substantiate the claim of "disease," and When I called the woman, Carol Hunter, whois the Managing Editor of the paper, and asked her for proof of this claim, -- she told me there was "volumes" of evidence to support this claim, but couldn't cite one reference when I pressed. Instead, she hung up on me.

Here is the email: Editor Adominick@dmreg.com Senior Editor Tapscott@dmreg.com Letters@news.dmreg.com

VP CCHR International

Charlotte Church Steps Out On The Anti-Psychiatry Stage

Teen sensation Charlotte Church (the girl with the amazing, angelic voice) has come out against psychiatric counseling describing it in true British style as "bollocks" :Charlotte Church - Therapy is A Waste Of Money

Monday, July 11, 2005

Interesting Article on the legalities of Using other people's Wi-Fi

Is it illegal or not? We won't know until someone is prosecuted and the first case is under way: FAQ: Wi-Fi mooching and the law

Saturday, July 09, 2005

Leading Psychiatrists agree that Tom Cruise was right

I found this hard to believe, but it's true. It's a video of the President of the American Psychiatric Association and a Professor of Psychiatry from Harvard Medical School talking about the comments Tom Cruise made on the Today Show about psychiatric drugs hiding the true source of a person's problems, that exercise and nutrition can help a person so why not do that instead of taking drugs with dangerous side-effects and that there was no test for a chemical imbalance. The AMA president started off attacking Cruise, but the Harvard guy told the truth and the AMA guy was forced to agree with him. Bottom line - Tom Cruise was right:NBC Today Show: Was Cruise right about psychiatry?

Friday, July 08, 2005

Suicide, Chemical Imbalance and Antidepressants

Here is an article by an investigative journalist regarding the truth of Tom Cruise assertions on the dangers of psychiatric drugs: Newshound Investigations: Psychiatrists, Heal Thyselves; FDA and Other Drug Regulatory Officials Back Cruise

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Psychiatry is a Pseudoscience

If there was any doubt in your mind as to the truth of the statement that psychiatry is a pseudoscience then take a look at the data at the end of this link and your doubts will evaporate: Psychiatry is a Pseudoscience. Also covered is data on Postpartum Depression.

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

The "Chemical Imbalance" Hoax

Isn't it amazing that we hear about a "chemical imbalance" all the time as the cause of various mental disorders, yet psychiatrists freely admit that there is no proof that such an imbalance exists! Here is an article containing a lot of quotes from leading psychiatrists and doctors on this very subject: "Chemical Imbalance" Hoax

Monday, July 04, 2005

The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR)

July 4th is a day to celebrate freedom and human rights. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to restore human rights to the field of mental health by ensuring that criminal abuses are speedily investigated and prosecuted and that people's rights are legally protected. Well, that sounds good to me, so I've been collecting links to information about the group:

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Psychiatry is a Pseudoscience

The prefix "pseudo" means: "not genuine but having the appearance of". So if we call psychiatry a pseudoscience then what are we basing it on? First let me refer you to the "Today Show" where a professor from Harvard Medical School said there is no evidence of the existence of the chemical imbalance that is supposed to produce mental disorders such as anxiety disorder, depression, ADD and ADHD. The head of the American Psychiatric Association, Steven Sharfstein, was in disagreement with that statement and said that it was open to discussion. Since when has a scientific fact been "open to discussion"? I thought a science dealt with fact. Can you see two physicists arguing about whether gravity exists or not? I think that is an obvious example of how psychiatry is in truth a pseudoscience. However, if you need more proof then visit this link and read the evidence: Psychiatry is a Pseudoscience

Saturday, July 02, 2005

American Psychiatric Association Admits There Is No Test For A "Chemical Imbalance"

Can you believe the gall of these guys? The President of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), Steven Sharfstein, actually admitted on the "Today Show" that Tom Cruise was right and that there is no test for the theoretical "chemical imbalance" that the APA claims antidepressants "cure". The July 11 issue of People Magazine will also quote Dr. Sharfstein as admitting, "We do not have a clean-cut lab test." That's a careful PR statement which I will translate for you: "We have NO test of any kind whatsoever." The truth is they are just throwing "happy" pills (antidepressants, etc.) at anxiety disorder, depression, ADD, ADHD and all the other mental disorders they've dreamed up, hoping the patient will feel better. BUT they have NO IDEA of what these drugs actually do! American Psychiatric Association Admits There Is No Test For "Chemical Imbalance".

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Accuracy of the Press (or not as the case may be)

Some people believe what they read in the press (and by "press" I mean any news media). Personally I have almost no faith in the accuracy, honesty and integrity of most of the "main stream" media - there are one or two exceptions. I've seen too many stories containing blatant lies, where I have had personal knowledge of what actually happened. So it comes as no surprise to me to read this story: Bee Can't Verify 43 Sources in Columns.

One has to ask the question, "How many more journalists are just making it up as they go along?"

Monday, June 27, 2005

Drug Company Reps Overheard

A friend just sent me an email about a conversation between two pharmaceutical company sales reps that she overheard. I think you'll find it interesting:

I just spent a very interesting lunch in a Southern California restaurant seated next to two sales representatives for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. The senior rep. was schooling the junior rep. in how to make it into the "big time" as a drug company salesperson by increasing her sales of psychiatric drugs, in this case the anti - depressant Effexor, which is approved by the FDA only for "major depressive disorders." Since no biologic marker is needed to "prove" the existence of a real disease in the case of "mental disorders" and doctors are free to prescribe nearly any drug to anyone, the sky is the limit with psychiatric drugs - - they can pass out prescriptions for them like peanuts at a ballpark.

In the 20 or 30 minutes I listened to the drug reps' conversation, not a single word was said about improving patient health or a single caution uttered about the extreme adverse effects of this drug - it was all about raising their own personal sales statistic.

They had charts of exactly how many total prescriptions for anti - depressants were filled by month in their sales area and exactly what percentage of those sales went to Effexor. They had names of doctors, with how many prescriptions and for what type of drug, etc., so they could easily see who to target and who not to bother with.

The senior member showed the younger one how to calculate an increase in market share and figure out exactly how many NEW prescriptions for Effexor that would require. Then, he told her to convince 11 doctors to agree to write "just five more 'scrips' for Effexor each week." Even if most of them "lied and didn't do it," he told her, she would still probably get five that would, and thus could meet her targeted increase in Effexor sales.

This, to me, was a pointed reminder that the psychiatric industry is not based around helping people who have actual diseases but is a willing and eager marketing tool for profitable, expensive and potentially debilitating drugs - with no thought whatsoever for the adverse consequences to any of the individual human beings who ingest them.

Friday, June 24, 2005

Interesting Development In Australia

Believe it or not, there are people out there who encourage others to kill themselves. They find their victims in suicide chat rooms and newsgroups and tell them fast ways to end it all. Rather a disgusting and ghoulish activity but such people exists, for example: Karin Spaink - Promoting Suicide. Now in Australia such people won't be able to do it anymore: Australia outlaws using Internet to incite suicide

Thursday, June 23, 2005

A Great Method of Spam Handling

A friend of mine is using this:
Spam Arrest - Take Control of Your Inbox. I haven't started with it yet myself, but I'm checking it out.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Reauthorization of the Patriot Act - The history of removing civil liberties

Here is an article on the US Government's history of taking away civil liberties in time of war: Violations of Civil Liberties are an American Tradition

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

MemoGate?

More proof has just emerged that the war with Iraq was planned for a long time and the "justifications" were contrived: How Much Proof Needed Before the Truth Comes Out?

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Quality of 50 largest Cities in America

An interesting study of the 50 biggest cities in the US. It evaluates such things as air quality, water quality, industrial pollution, etc. :
50 Cleanest (Dirtiest) Cities in America

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Get Some Great Music and Support War Veterans

In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the end of World War II, the Jive Aces, in coordination with the Royal British Legion have released a special single. Their jumping, jiving version of the wartime classic song, White Cliffs of Dover. The proceeds of the single will go to the Royal British Legion and support the families of those who fought for freedom and peace. You can purchase the single here: Jive Aces - "White Cliffs of Dover" . For more info on the Jive Aces you can check out their website: Jive Aces

Monday, May 30, 2005

Jeb Bush demonstrates his allegiance to Eli Lilly is senior to his duty to the citizens of Florida

This May 2004 article exposes the long term links between Eli Lilly and the Bush Family: Eli Lilly, Zyprexa, & the Bush Family, by Bruce Levine. In case anyone doubted the veracity of the article, Jeb Bush just demonstrated his allegiance to Big Pharma by vetoing a bill that would have required Florida schools to fully and honestly inform parents of 1) the side-effects of the psychiatric drugs they were telling parents they had to give their children and 2) the alternatives to drugging.

Jeb joins his brother George in assisting Eli Lilly and big pharmaceutical companies and following where the money leads: Bush plans to screen whole US population for mental illness

Film with a Positive Message wins Film Festival Award

I've posted about this film several times, because I am very impressed by the message, by the organization that produced it and by the film itself. You can view it online at : Youth for Human Rights International (click on the "Watch the United Video" link on the left).

So now it has won the award for "Best Short Film" at the New York Independent Film Festival. Read about it here: Youth Education Project Wins Best Short Film Award At New York Independent Film Festival

And better yet, you can now purchase a DVD of the film here: United Video

Friday, May 27, 2005

Excellent Intro to Open Source Software

NewsFactor Network - An Introduction to Making Decisions About Open-Source Software

More health dangers: Chemical used in plastics and makeup cause malformations in males

More and more it is being discovered how much damage widely used chemicals cause: New alert over gender bending chemicals

The FDA is on the job

If you never doubted that drug makers were ethical and weren't just out to make huge profits and that the FDA was an effective government regulator of that multi-billion dollar industry then you may have your certainty shaken by another report that a "safe and effective drug" causes horrible side-effect. In this case blindness: Type of blindness reported in some taking Viagra

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

UML Templates for Visio

For those of you technically inclined, I just found a great UML template for Visio: UML Template for Visio

The author has made templates for each version of Visio. I've used his previous version (the new one covers UML 2.0) and they are much better than the UML templates supplied with Visio. These ones allow you to be as free form as you like and don't tie you in to any specific way of creating your diagrams. You can get a lot more done that way.

Anyway, give 'em a try.

Monday, May 23, 2005

Applied Scholastics - Educational Solutions

I think that education is the key to a successful life. Personally I've found that the methods offered by Applied Scholastics work. What do I mean by "work"? Simply that, "work", If you use the techniques of study and education that Applied Scholastics teaches, then you will be able to understand anything. I've been using them for the last 28 years and what success I've had in my life has stemed from that use. I work in a hi-tech field where the demands for continually learning new technology is high. Without the Applied Scholastics methods I'd be lost.

Here are some links to give you more data:

I hope those give you some helpful ideas.

Friday, May 20, 2005

More on CCHR

I found some more links about the Citizens Commission on Human Rights and here they are:

Now much variation in the way of titles, but informative :)

Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR)

Human Rights is an important subject. I don't think we can ever relax, sit back and assume our rights are all safe and we can forget about it because someone else is looking after it. This world doesn't work that way. That's why it is important to support organizations that work to safeguard and protect our rights. Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) is such an organization. Here is a bunch or data about them:

Check it out, find a chapter near you and either join or make a donation.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

Emotionally Charged Music Video Brings Human Rights Message

The human rights themed movie of a nineteen year-old film director is nominated for Best Short Dramatic Film at the New York Film Festival: Emotionally Charged Music Video Brings Human Rights Message

Sunday, May 08, 2005

Fourteen-Year-Old Briefs Rotary International On "Youth For Human Rights International"

Here is a story about a young lady who is demonstrating maturity way beyond her years. It's great to see kids who are stepping up to the plate and taking responsibility for the future:

Fourteen-Year-Old Briefs Rotary International On "Youth For Human Rights International"

Saturday, May 07, 2005

Great News For Parents and Children In Florida

The Florida Legislature just passed a bill that does two main things. Firstly it says that parents can refuse to put their kids on mind-altering psychotropic drugs and the kids won't be thrown out of school or be excluded for normal school activities. Second it says that parents MUST be fully informed of the consequences of putting their kids on such drugs, e.g., that the "mental problem" is most likely physical and the parents have the right to take their child to a medical doctor, that the drugs have major damaging side-effects, etc., etc.

There is more to the bill but those are the two main things I got from it.

Kelly Preston and Kirstie Alley both were very active in supporting this legislation and I think parents everywhere should thank them as this legislation will now act as a model for other states, thus protecting the rights of parents and children all over the country.

Here is an article about it (scroll down to the section on "Psychotropic Drugs": Parents can say no to forced Psychotropic drugging of their children

Friday, May 06, 2005

Psychiatric Drugging of Kids - Take Note, or this could happen to your child

This article in Mother Jones magazine exposes a very dangerous trend in our society - psychiatric labeling and drugging of spirited children as if there was something wrong with them: Medicating Aliah (a subscription is required to read the full article).

The full text only version of the story can be read here: Mother Jones exposes psychiatric drugging of kids

Friday, April 22, 2005

Today is Earth Day

April 22nd is Earthday. So what can you do to help improve the state of the planet?

Just remember that you can always do something about it!

Thursday, April 21, 2005

More evidence of Global Warming

With the vast amount of growing evidence that global warming is indeed occurring you'd think the US government would finally catch on that something needs to be done. As usual it is going to take individuals making enough noise about it by contacting their representatives.

Study Shows Antarctic Glaciers Shrinking

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

New Environmental Organization

A friend just introduced me to a new environmental conservation organization, The Earth Organization.

Looking after our world is becoming more and more important given the amount of crap mankind is dumping into the environment and the consequent global warming and toxicity. One would think that leaders of industry and government didn't care that we are destroying the planet we live on.

Anyway, this new entity has the motto: Because None Survives Alone. How very apropos.

Monday, April 18, 2005

Human Rights Music Video Accepted at Film Festivals

The human rights video, United, directed by teenager Taron Lexton, has been accepted by seven film festivals. This is a music video created by kids for kids and sponsored by Youth for Human Rights International.

United, A Human Rights Music Video, Sweeps Film Festivals

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

Save The Income Tax

A friend just sent me this important message about a terrible threat, not only to an established American tradition, but also to a trully American institution, the IRS. Please feel free to pass this on to others.

To All Tax Lovers of America,

I wish to alert you to a serious problem. There is a movement across the country to dispose of the Federal Income Tax System and replace it with a National Sales Tax, also called a "consumption tax." It's known as the FairTax proposal.

Not only will we lose our income and payroll taxes but we will also lose our gift taxes, estate taxes, capital gains taxes, alternative minimum taxes, Social Security/Medicare taxes, self-employment taxes, and corporate taxes. All this WITHOUT reducing revenue to the Federal Government!!

The problems with this may already be obvious to you but I will go over them just in case.

NO RECORDS

First of all, you will no longer be required to keep any records for tax purposes--no record of income and no record of expenditures. Do you understand??--NO RECORDS OF ANY KIND!

Tell me--how is the federal government going to keep track of our individual personal finances if there are NO RECORDS???

Fortunately, with this proposed National Sales Tax, the businesses that sell goods and services WILL have to keep records and they will have to forward the sales tax money to the government just as they do now with state sales taxes.

But you and I, the citizenry, will NOT have to keep records. This is very upsetting! I am sure you are as upset by this as I am.

And it doesn't stop there. Under this new system, no one will be required to file an Income Tax Return!!! NO RECORDS!! NO RETURNS!! NO APRIL 15th DEADLINE!! NO IRS!!!!!!!

This is un-American. I weep for our country.

TRASHING THE 16TH AMENDMENT

In fact, the 16th Amendment to our United States Constitution (put there in 1913), which authorizes the government to collect income taxes from its citizens, will be REPEALED! That means it will be gone from the Constitution, just as PROHIBITION is now gone from the Constitution.

We let them repeal PROHIBITION! Are we now going to allow them to repeal INCOME TAXES?

With an income tax, a portion of your income goes directly to the government before you have a chance to spend it. Then the government spends it for you. What a beautiful system!! Why would anyone want to change that??

With a consumption tax, you get all the money you earn (minus any state income taxes) and the only way you will be allowed to pay federal taxes is by buying things. And here is where it gets really insidious. If you don't buy a lot of things, you will pay LESS TAXES. This drives me crazy!

It gets worse.

RICH HAVE TO PAY

If we only pay taxes when we buy things, whom do you suppose will end up paying the most taxes? RIGHT! RICH PEOPLE!!!! What will happen to all those great tax shelters and foundations and accountancy tricks and loopholes rich people use to avoid paying taxes? They will become USELESS!!!!There will be no way for rich people to avoid paying taxes because they are not going to want to stop buying things--because what is the point of being rich if you don't buy things? DUH!!!

So the rich people will end up paying the lion's share of the taxes because they are going to keep buying things--luxurious, high-priced things--because that is how you let people know you are rich and successful--you buy things! They are not going to stop this practice and this is a direct assault on our democracy--for what good is a democracy if there is no way to cheat the system!!!???

SPOILING CRIME

But this "FairTax" proposal will not just affect the rich. It will also seriously impact organized crime!

Let me ask you this. When was the last time organized crime paid taxes? RIGHT! NEVER! Organized crime does not pay income taxes because what they are making their income from is ILLEGAL and needs to remain HIDDEN! They do NOT fill out an IRS return which says they made $100 million dollars from drug sales so they can pay taxes on it.

Remember, only HONEST people pay income taxes! It is a right and a privilege reserved for honest, hardworking Americans.

But criminals do BUY things with their ill-gotten gains. Under the "FairTax"/consumption tax plan, criminals will be taxed like everyone else. Can you imagine what that will do to their bottom line? From zero taxes to a sales tax on everything they buy--suddenly they will be sharing in the support of the country. They will be helping to fund the very law-enforcement organizations that are there to put them behind bars.

Now, you may wonder what is wrong with that? I will tell you. Organized crime and all criminals are a precious part of our national heritage. Imagine life without "The Godfather" series of motion pictures or "Good Fellas," "The Sopranos," "Married To The Mob."

There is a whole criminal culture here and part of its appeal is that they get a free ride. Dent that free ride and we could lose that culture!

Criminals, who operate completely on the idea of non-contribution-- something for nothing--will now be forced to contribute to the society like everybody else, when they BUY things. Is criminal activity going to be worth the risk if they end up having to pay taxes just like the average Joe?

I don't know if the criminal psyche can deal with this, not to mention putting a lot of good cops and prison guards out of work.

I'm sure you see the seriousness of the threat and why we need to stop this "consumption tax" movement before it ruins everything.

UNTAXING THE POOR

Now you need to be alert for arguments from the other side. For example, here is a direct quote issued by one of their propaganda outlets.

"To ensure no American pays tax on necessities, the FairTax plan provides a prepaid, monthly rebate... for every registered household to cover the consumption tax spent on necessities up to the federal poverty level. This, along with several other features, is how the FairTax completely untaxes the poor, lowers the tax burden on most, while making the overall rate progressive."

Okay, there you have it in their own words. The FairTax completely untaxes the poor and they call that "progressive."

It's always the poor, isn't it, who get the short end of the stick, while the rich get to pay nearly all of the taxes because they buy so damn much.

CRASHING PRICES

Another argument that is made in favor of a consumption tax is that the current income tax system results in higher prices for consumer goods and services, because of the tremendous income tax compliance costs that end up being added into the prices of things.

Well, that is what is so fabulous about an income tax!! These costs are HIDDEN!! No one thinks about them!!! We don't know we are being charged for this!!!

With a consumption/national sales tax, it will all be right out there in the OPEN!!! Every time you buy something you will be aware of exactly what the tax is!!! A lot of people will be upset by this!!! They will start to complain and they will demand that the government stop SPENDING so much!!! That is like asking the government to stop BREATHING!!!!!!!!!!!

MY GOD, PEOPLE, I HOPE YOU ARE GETTING THIS! WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A TERRIBLE CATASTROPHE IF THIS ANTI-INCOME TAX LEGISLATION GOES THROUGH!!!

(Deep breath...) I'm sorry. It's important not to panic.

THE ANSWER

The answer to these arguments, of course, is the pure beauty of the income tax system, which only you, my fellow tax lover, can completely appreciate. I must admit, it gives me chills of pleasure just thinking about it. Here it is.

With an INCOME TAX, every working person in the country pays taxes in proportion to how much he or she earns (excepting criminals and the tax-dodging rich). Earnings are, more or less, based on production. The more a person produces or the better the product or service, the more the person earns. The more the person earns, the more the person is TAXED.

To the tax lover, this is pure joy. To the person who does not appreciate taxation the way we do, this is looked upon as "punishing" production. They make the analogy of a football team where the star running back gets FINED every time he makes a touchdown. Can you imagine? They have a problem with this!!!

OUR FABULOUS TAX CODE

But there's more. Not only do the successful producers pay more taxes, they spend countless hours each year keeping records and compiling data in anticipation of their annual tax filing. Most hire tax accountants who are needed to interpret the 7 million word tax code.

When it comes to businesses and corporations, the time and money spent on this process is HUGE! In fact, it is estimated that it costs taxpayers $225 BILLION per year for tax filing, tax record keeping and tax reduction advice.

Well, it is true that this expense is passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, and some complain about that. But they are just not looking at the big picture.

GLOBAL IMPACT

When our prices are high, people around the world cannot easily afford to buy what we produce. This helps countries like China and India take over the world markets. That means less jobs for us and more for them. Hey! What are unemployment lines for!!!???

You see how beautifully this all works? And these "consumption tax" types want to CHANGE all that! They will completely eliminate the time and expense of income tax compliance that individuals, businesses and corporations have to deal with, and our prices will come DOWN, making us MORE competitive on world markets and creating MORE AMERICAN JOBS!!!. Do you really want to live in a country where everyone WORKS!!?? I don't think so.

Needless to say, I hate and despise these "FairTax" people. But don't despair. We can defeat them if we just continue to spread the incredible logic of our position.

TO THE STATUS QUO!!!!

As always,

Tax Lover

Friday, April 08, 2005

Dangerous Psychiatric Program Exposed

Here is an article about the "TeenScreen" program. A very significant item in the article is the fact that this program was implemented in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1997 and by 2003 the suicide rate amongst teens was the highest ever. A logical conclusion is that the program makes more kids commit suicide.

The article: 'TeenScreening' for High School Suicides Overwhelmingly Opposed

Thursday, April 07, 2005

Saving Children from the Ravages of Drugs

I just came across an excellent video on one man's efforts to educate children on the truth about drugs: Saving Children from the Ravages of Drugs.

Wednesday, April 06, 2005

The Priory of Sion and the Da Vinci Code

I really enjoyed reading the Dan Brown book, The Da Vinci Code. A well written and suspenseful novel that you can't put down. The book has also gained a lot of attention because of the "Fact" section which asserts that much of the elements used in the book are true. Unfortunately, to paraphrase George Orwell, some facts are more factual than others and the "Priory of Sion" is one of the less factual of the facts.

Massimo Introvigne is an Italian professor of religion who maintains an excellent site on religious matters. He regularly writes articles and recently added a FAQ about the Da Vinci Code that exposes the truth about Pierre Plantard, his Priory of Sion and a few other things: The Da Vinci Code FAQ, by Massimo Introvigne

Ah, well, not to worry it's still a great book.

Tuesday, April 05, 2005

Rick Ross

I was amazed recently to see an article on the website of a major news outlet that quoted Rick Ross. When I looked more closely I saw that the article was from a gossip columnist so perhaps it's not that surprising. Even so I would have thought that even they had some kind of standards. By now you are probably wondering who is Rick Ross? Well, Ross is a self appointed "cult" expert who has no qualifications in the field except a criminal record and the distinction of being fined $2,500,000 for kidnapping.

Here are some links to information on Ross:

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Another Wake Up Call - But is Anyone Listening?

An new report from leaders in the field of natural resources paints a gloomy picture of the future unless we start to take action NOW! Two-thirds of world's resources 'used up'

Thursday, March 24, 2005

Prozac Strikes Again

I was not surprised to learn that the latest school shooter had been in the hands of psychiatrists and was on Prozac. No one ever seems to ask the question: "If psychiatry works then how come this child (after years of treatment) commits such a crime?" Does no one see that psychiatry is a fraud and that the treatments psychiatrists use (such as Prozac) actually CAUSE people to commit such crimes?

My wife has a saying, "See a tragedy? Spot the psych." I recommend this to anyone who is wondering about the epidemic of violence that is rampaging through this country.

'The clues were all there' / School shooter depicted as deeply disturbed, ignored teen

Wednesday, March 23, 2005

National Sunshine Week

Last week was National Sunshine Week. What's that? Well, sunshine is what you need to see into the dark, secret corners of government. It is a project to promote the Freedom of Information Act and is even more important than ever with the government paranoia following 9/11.

Check out the website for National Sunshine Week and become active in keeping government open.

Friday, March 18, 2005

Time to get busy!

Global warming, which means more extreme weather and rising sea levels, is here according to this article: No Stopping Global Warming, Studies Predict. So what can one person do? Well, for a start you can get as economical as possible in your energy use. And you can get rid of that gas-guzzler and buy a hybrid. That's what I did last year and I'm getting 45 mpg. I bought the Honda Civic Hybrid and it's a great car. Honda now has the larger Honda Accord Hybrid available too.

So do whatever you can. If enough people act then we can do something about it.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

How Trustworthy is Medical Research When Millions of Dollars in Grants Are At Stake?

A researcher is caught falsifying results in order to get millions in grants: Professor Charged With Faking Grant Info

Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Psychologist demonstrates how to use involuntary commitment laws

Got an annoying neighbor? Well in Florida a psych can get rid of him or her very easily: Florida psychologist lied to commit neighbor.

Monday, March 14, 2005

Death by Medicine

What kills more people annually than cancer or heart disease? The frightening, but true answer is "doctors". Read this disturbing article about an investigation of the statistics of iatrogenic (caused by a doctor) deaths: Death by Medicine

Thursday, March 10, 2005

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Excellent Commentary On Involuntary Commitment

Don, who has the blog "Prozac Causes Depression", gives a very cutting, to the point commentary on involuntary commitment as it is currently practiced in the USA - as a means of quieting dissent: Psychiatric Commitment Used To Shut Up Whistleblower.

Tuesday, March 01, 2005

Red Alert!!

Really Spontaneous Theatre Company has a new CD out. It's called "Homeland Security Park" and you can get a sample of it at: Meskimen Applied Silliness. (If you've ever gotten sick of airport security and putting everything on the belt, you'll appreciate this.)

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Antidepressant-Suicide Link Borne Out in Review of 702 Studies

The studies in question involved 87,650 people and proved that antidepressants double the chances of suicide: Antidepressant-Suicide Link Borne Out in Review of 702 Studies

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

Online Celebrity Auction

A friend just told me about an online Celebrity Auction to raise money for Tsunami Relief. You can't bid on any celebrities, but you can bid on stuff they are offering. How about Catherine Bell donating a walk-on part in the hit series JAG? Not only do you get to appear in the show but you get to meet Catherine too! (And who could resist that?). Or how about a personal tour of the set of the Young and the Restless by beautiful Michelle Stafford? There are lots of other goodies available - collectibles, trips to Hollywood, the list is long: Tsunami Celebrity Relief Auction

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Great Article on The Lilly Bush

The what? The article is on the corrupt practices of Eli Lilly and the strong connections of both George Bush Snr and Jnr to Eli Lilly.

Eli Lilly, Zyprexa, & the Bush Family

Once More The FDA Demonstrates Who It Works For

If you were under the impression that the FDA works for the American People then you're in for a shock. If you were one of the more enlightened who knows that the FDA work for the Pharmaceutical Industry then this will come as no surprise: FDA backs away from antidepressant warning

Thursday, February 10, 2005

The FDA is looking out for you - NOT!

In a bold move the Canadian government has banned the sale of Adderall XR due to it being linked to many deaths. The drug is used to "treat" the non-existent disease ADHD and is an amphetamine (i.e., speed). The good-ole FDA has exactly the same data as the Canadians but is going to do "further study" before it acts. So how many more children will die while they are conducting "further study"?

Well done to Canada!

FDA Says Adderall Drug Data Isn't Enough for Recall

Isn't it good to know that there is no global warming

I'm so glad we have such a smart government in the US. They know that global warming is just a myth. (FYI: I'm being sarcastic)

So why is NASA telling us otherwise? Earth Gets a Warm Feeling All Over

Tuesday, February 08, 2005

Zoloft caused boy to murder grandparents

The trial of Christopher Pittman is underway and the evidence of the destructive influence of Zoloft is being presented: AP Wire | 02/04/2005 | Psychologist Says Meds Made S.C. Boy Kill

Monday, February 07, 2005

A Horrible Statistic

Here's something you won't find being promoted by psychiatrists or drug companies. A report in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology by Dr. Timothy Wilens, Dr. Joseph Biederman, et al, child psychiatrists at Harvard's teaching hospital, Massachusetts General. The study found that "Overall, 74% of children and adolescents experienced [i.e., suffered] an adverse event to an SSRI over the course of their treatment."

74% of children and adolescents suffered an adverse [bad] event during their treatment with SSRI Psych Drugs

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Center For A More Perfect Union

There is a new website that highlights the various documents that form the constitution of the United States. Whether you live in the USA or outside it the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights are fabulous Human Rights documents that you should know so you can demand these rights from your government. For me, The Declaration of Independence is especially important because it points out that the power of Government comes from the governed, that all men are created equal and that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, which are the basic ideas underlying all Human Rights.

The Center For a More Perfect Union

Friday, January 28, 2005

Is Usenet Use Dying Out?

With AOL turning off Usenet access due to lack of interest it looks as if Usenet is gradually fading into obscurity. I find it somewhat useful for the technical forums it provides, but other than that it seems to me to be and to have always been a big waste of time. So personally I won't miss it's final demise, which will most likely be with a whimper and not a bang.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Another Psychiatric Success Story

It never fails to amaze me when nobody finds it strange that someone who has been seeing psychiatrists for years ends up doing something horrendous. There is no outcry, no headlines screaming "Psychiatrists under investigation after patient kills 11 people."

If people thought logically then the train of thought would go like this: Psychiatrists claim to be mental health experts. An expert in some field is someone who knows all about the field and can get a successful result in the field. Therefore if psychiatrists are experts they should get a result in the field of mental health. So how come this guy, who has been seeing psychs for years, ends up killing 11 people?

The answer is that they are not experts, they are frauds. Andrea Yates is one terrible example of the real results that psychiatrists produce, another is Juan Manuel Alvarez who just killed 11 people when he parked his car on the railway tracks in an attempted suicide and then chickened out at the last minute, leaving his car on the tracks so a train could smash into it. Sure, he'll probably get the death penalty, but what about the psychiatrists who have been getting paid to "help" him over the years? They should be in the doc with him, sharing the responsibility for this horrible crime.

Story: California Train Wreck Caused by Man With History of Mental Problems

Thursday, January 20, 2005

A Great Blog

I just came across an excellent blog: Prozac Causes Depression. It is full of great articles including many on the current revelations about Eli Lilly hiding, for 16 years, the fact that they knew their "wonder drug" Prozac causes violence and suicide.

Tuesday, January 18, 2005

While I wasn't looking

While I was busy pointing you to the latest news on the Tsunami relief efforts, some interesting things have been happening in the psychiatric field. It's good news for the consumer and bad news for Eli Lilly and its psychiatric drug pushers: Prozac: A class action lawsuit is filed in Montreal

Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Field Reports From The Disaster Areas

Here are all the Volunteer Minister Field Reports from the VMs on the ground in the disaster areas: Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Tuesday 11 January 2005

In India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, the task of the Volunteer Ministers (VMs) is shifting over from handling the devastation and ministering to those in shock, to assisting the survivors to rebuild their communities.

In Indonesia, the VMs are continuing to deal with the remains of the victims while ministering assists to those who survived.

More News: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Tuesday 11 January 2005.

Monday, January 10, 2005

Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Monday 10 January 2005

More Volunteer Ministers (VMs) have arrived over the last few days in Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand: Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) Update - Monday 10 January 2005.

Sunday, January 09, 2005

Church of Scientology calls for tsunami relief

The Church of Scientology is calling its thousands of volunteers to help bring aid to the four major disaster areas of Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka as part of ongoing relief efforts for victims of the worst Tsunami in recorded history. Full Story: Church of Scientology calls for tsunami relief

Rotary International President Welcomes Scientology Tsunami Relief Team

The rotary club has been working in the Tamil Nad region in co-ordination with the members of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Relief effort. This team of volunteers are specialists in Disaster relief, emotional impact assessment and trauma relief counseling and training. Full Story: Rotary International President Welcomes Scientology Tsunami Relief Team

More Help Arrives in the Disaster Area

On Thursday the German/Italian Scientology Volunteer Minister team arrived and set up in Sri Lanka. Yesterday their team headed to the south of Sri Lanka between Galle and Matara to set up disaster relief operations there. .. more: Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Friday, January 07, 2005

Asian Disaster Relief - Scientology Volunteer Ministers (VMs) - Friday 7 January 2005

Latest news of relief efforts from the tsunami disaster zone in Indonesia and India: Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Thursday, January 06, 2005

Asian Disaster Relief - Volunteer Ministers Update - Thursday 6 January 2005

Latest news of relief efforts from the tsunami disaster zone in Indonesia and Thailand: Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Asian Disaster Relief - Volunteer Ministers Update - Wednesday 5 January 2005

Latest news of relief efforts from the tsunami disaster zone in Indonesia, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka : Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

Stories of survival amidst the devastation

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers website has gathered some links to stories of successfully located family members and some miraculous escapes and tales of survival: Tsunami Aid and Disaster Relief News - Scientology Volunteer Ministers. Scroll to the "January 4, 2005: Good News Section".

Tuesday, January 04, 2005

Latest News On Relief Efforts In South-East Asia

Here is a composite of field reports from the Volunteer Ministers (VMs) of the various Churches of Scientology, who are on the ground working with the rescue services in a number of areas hardest-hit by the tsunami:

Asian Disaster Relief - Volunteer Ministers Update - Monday 3, January 2005

Monday, January 03, 2005

Prozac-We Should Have Known

The British Medical Journal recently came into possession of internal Eli Lilly documents showing that as early as 1988 the company knew that it's "wonder" drug, Prozac, caused violence and suicide. Yet Lilly executives knowingly suppressed this information and have thus caused thousands of deaths.

Ann Blake-Tracy, PhD, Executive Director of the International Coalition For Drug Awareness has been an outspoken opponent of the use of Prozac type drugs for many years. Here is her response to the BMJ article and release of the documents:

After testifying as an expert witness in criminal cases involving SSRI antidepressants for 13 years, I am very grateful for your article.

The fact remains that over the past five decades mainstream medical research on serotonin has supported the fact that when serotonin reuptake is inhibited the end result will be mania/psychosis, severe loss of memory, horrifying nightmares, tension and anxiety that appear from nowhere, cravings for alcohol and other drugs, impulsive behavior with no concern for punishment, including impulsive murder or suicide, violent crime, road rage, argumentative behavior, etc.

For 15 years I have warned that all of these reactions should be expected with the SSRI antidepressants because their mode of action is inhibition of the reuptake of serotonin. This new information from the BMJ on what Lilly knew about Prozac and when they knew it only backs up all of this existing research.

This is research that was available for anyone to read over the past five decades. So, I want to know - why did no one in a position of authority read that research BEFORE these drugs were approved?

I have never doubted that the manufacturer of each SSRI antidepressant knew their drugs would produce these results. They could not have missed it. And it was only a matter of time before it surfaced. My only remaining question has been, "How many would die before this information surfaced?"

Clearly this is an international tragedy and I am convinced that as we count the dead and damaged stemming from the use of these antidepressants all will be in shock.

Ann Blake Tracy, Ph.D.,
Executive Director, International Coalition For Drug Awareness
Website: www.drugawareness.org
Author: Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? - Our Serotonin Nightmare
    and audio tape on safe withdrawal: "Help! I Can't Get Off My Antidepressant!"
Order Number: 800-280-0730
Office: 801-282-5282

Saturday, January 01, 2005

Lilly Documents Link Prozac to Violence

Sometimes it gives one pleasure to be able to say "I told you so" but in this case - with so many deaths and destroyed lives - it gives me none at all. For 16 years Citizen's Commission On Human Rights has been saying that Prozac and the other SSRI drugs cause violence and suicide. For 16 years the drug companies have been denying it. However, slowly but surely, the evidence that the drug companies themselves had all the time is trickling out. First it was the revelation from the clinical trial results hidden for years by GlaxoSmithKline that their wonder drug Paxil (Seroxat outside the US) caused suicide in children and had no beneficial effect at all. Other revelations followed, and now comes the news that documents from Eli Lilly & Co. itself have surfaced after 10 years linking Prozac to violence and suicide.

It comes as a bitter victory to those of us who have been saying this for so very long.

Lilly Documents Link Prozac to Violence, Medical Journal Says