Press Release - Pressenza

Monday 16 November, 2009.

Pachauri rubbishes govt-backed report on melting of glaciers

Rubbishing the claim by a government-backed study that melting of glaciers was not due to climate change, leading environmentalist R K Pachauri on Sunday dubbed it as "totally unsubstantiated scientific opinion" and flayed Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for endorsing it.

Pachauri, the head of Nobel prize winner Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), said it was universally acknowledged that glaciers were melting because of climate change and the same applied to Indian glaciers.

"Everywhere in the world, glaciers are melting due to climate change, the Arctic is melting because of climate change. What is so special about Indian glaciers?" Pachauri told a new agency.

The study by former deputy director general of the Geological Survey of India V K Raina has claimed that while most glaciers are in the process of retreat, some Himalayan glaciers, such as the Siachen glacier, are actually advancing and some others are retreating at a rate lower than before, such as the Gangotri glacier.

The study, which was released by Ramesh last week, also claimed that climate change can't be cited as a reason for melting of glaciers in the absence of conclusive scientific evidence, a view that contradicts that of IPCC.

Questioning the basis of the study supported by the Environment Ministry, Pachauri asked, "How can you come to the conclusion that it is not climate change and something else?

You give the reasons first. I don't know why the minister is supporting this one-man research."

Mincing no words in criticizing the author of the report, Pachauri said, "it is the observation of the entire scientific community that glaciers are melting.

He alleged that the study has no references, no citations and is a totally unsubstantiated scientific opinion.

IPCC is world's leading body for assessing climate change and in its fourth assessment report in 2007, it said Himalayan glaciers are retreating faster than in any other part of the world, and if this continues, they are likely to disappear by 2035, or perhaps sooner.

He, however, welcomed Environment Ministry's move to conduct more scientific research and study on glaciers.

"We do need more extensive measurement of the Himalayan range and there are only two-three glaciologist in the country. We need to strengthen this area," Pachauri added. (HS-15/11)

#7507

From: Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...>
Date: Sun Nov 15, 2009 5:00 pm
Subject: Is Anyone More Secular than the Army

vhjokhi

Offline

From: deepak govekar
Date: 11/14/2009 11:17:44 PM

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ajay Shah <ajjuabha@...>
To: undisclosed recipients: ;
Date:
Subject: Fwd: Is Anyone More Secular than the Army

Fantastic mail received today. Regretfully, I do not have the name of
the author!

Quote

Any one more secular than the army?

As a serving army officer, I never stop marvelling at the gullibility
of our countrymen to be provoked with alacrity into virulence in the
name of religion. I have never heard the word 'secular' during all my
service -- and yet, the simple things that are done simply in the army
make it appear like an island of sanity in a sea of hatred.

In the army, each officer identifies with the religion of his troops.
In regiments where the soldiers are from more than one religion, the
officers -- and indeed all jawans attend the weekly religious prayers
of all the faiths. How many times have I trooped out of the battalion
mandir and, having worn my shoes, entered the battalion church next
door? A few years ago it all became simpler -- mandirs, masjids,
gurudwars and churches began to share premises all over the army. It
saved us the walk.

Perhaps it is so because the army genuinely believes in two central
'truths' -- oneness of god and victory in operations. Both are so
sacred we cannot nitpick and question the basics.

In fact, sometimes the army mixes up the two! On a visit to the holy
cave at Amarnath a few years ago I saw a plaque mounted on the side of
the hill by a battalion that had once guarded the annual Yatra. It
said, 'Best wishes from -....- battalion. Deployed for Operation
Amarnath.

On another instance, I remember a commanding officer ordered the
battalion maulaviji to conduct the proceedings of Janamashtmi prayers
because the panditji had to proceed on leave on compassionate grounds.
No eyebrows were raised. It was the most rousing and best-prepared
sermon on Lord Krishna I have ever had the pleasure of listening to.

On the Line of Control, a company of Khemkhani Muslim soldiers
replaced a Dogra battalion. Over the next few days, the post was
shelled heavily by Pakistanis, and there were a few non-fatal
casualties.

One day, the junior commissioned officer of the company, Subedar
Sarwar Khan walked up to the company commander Major Sharma and said,
"Sahib, ever since the Dogras left, the mandir has been shut. Why
don't you open it once every evening and do aarti? Why are we
displeasing the gods?"

Major Sharma shamefacedly confessed he did not know all the words of
the aarti. Subedar Sarwar went away and that night, huddled over the
radio set under a weak lantern light, painstakingly took down the
words of the aarti from the post of another battalion!

How many of us know that along the entire border with Pakistan, our
troops abstain from alcohol and non-vegetarian food on all Thursdays?
The reason: It is called the Peer day -- essentially a day of
religious significance for the Muslims.

In 1984, after Operation Bluestar there was anguish in the Sikh
community over the desecration of the holiest of their shrines. Some
of this anger and hurt was visible in the army too.

I remember the first Sikh festival days after the event -- the number
of army personnel of every religious denomination that thronged the
regimental gurudwara of the nearest Sikh battalion was the largest I
had seen. I distinctly remember each officer and soldier who put his
forehead to the ground to pay obeisance appeared to linger just a wee
bit longer than usual. Was I imagining this? I do not think so. There
was that empathy and caring implicit in the quality of the gesture
that appeared to say, "You are hurt and we all understand."

We were deployed on the Line of Control those days. Soon after the
news of disaffection among a small section of Sikh troops was
broadcast on the BBC, Pakistani troops deployed opposite the Sikh
battalion yelled across to express their 'solidarity' with the Sikhs.

The Sikh havildar shouted back that the Pakistanis had better not
harbour any wrong notions. "If you dare move towards this post, we
will mow you down."

Finally, a real -- and true -- gem....

Two boys of a Sikh regiment battalion were overheard discussing this a
day before Christmas.

"Why are we having a holiday tomorrow?" asked Sepoy Singh.

"It is Christmas," replied the wiser Naik Singh.

"But what is Christmas?"

"Christmas," replied Naik Singh, with his eyes half shut in reverence
and hands in a spontaneous prayer-clasp, "is the guruparb of the
Christians."

UNQUOTE

--
Dear Friends,
Sending this mail keeping you in mind. If you do not want to receive
such mails let me know.
Please consider the environment before printing this message.
Sincerely,
Dr. Vispi Jokhi
MS (Orthopedics)
660/6 S. Palamkote Road, Parsi Colony,
Dadar, Mumbai-400014.
91 22 32440710
9323351529
e mail: vhjokhi@...

#7506

From: "Dr.V.N. Sharma" <vnsh44@...>
Date: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:38 pm
Subject: Comment on "Dialogue with Maoists" by B G Verghese

vns44

Offline

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Dialogue+with+Maoists&artid=PYzgjmhAxzA%3d&SectionID=d16Fdk4iJhE%3d&MainSectionID=HuSUEmcGnyc%3d&SectionName=aVlZZy44Xq0bJKAA84nwcg%3d%3d&SEO

The following comment is on the Article written in the link above.

The truth is that the whole Police and Armed Forces action plan under execution by Sri P. Chidambaram / Govt of India is to force Adivasis to surrender their land in the name of development for industrialists. On the surface , the opposition by Adivasi groups and organisations is made visible to gullible people as a Naxal menace. This is incorrect. Also that Naxals violence is limited to whoever comes or acts as their enemy like the Police forces, Police informers, corrupt officers and non working contractors and officers and other groups acting ang taking extortion money on their (Naxal's) behalf. Sometime they seem to act , like in Rajdhani hold up case, to expose the fallacy of existence of the Governance for the poor, dalits and adivasis. They are the beneficiaries of the corruption existing in the Govt. system because only 10-15% reaches the site of work. No body has got to go far away in search of corruption. Look at the Jharkhand Ministers and Officers facing CBI enquiries. The Nation State converted into Corporate State has only two things to do. Allow corruption to reach higher and higher levels and block all courts of justices in hearing bail petitions for the corrupt. Violance by the State is much more unjustified as it is enormous in comparision to the violence by the Naxals. Their violence is from a weaker position(Majboor) than that of the Govt. (Majboot). If the Corporate interest is not supreme before the present Govt. the well meaning people could have got the Govt and Naxal representatives the Table for talk. But the Corporate State does not seem to desire such an end because negotiations do not permit them to take all the cakes and eat it too. The Govt at this stage must own responsibility for such an inequality as to convert ordinary poor mass of people to Naxals.

--
Dr.V.N.Sharma
http://tinyurl.com/drvnsharma

"Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act." Albert Einstein

"The only thing necessary for Evil to Flourish is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke

#7505

From: "kraig carroll" <thehavens@...>
Date: Sun Nov 15, 2009 3:05 pm
Subject: Fw: Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

thehavens@...

Great information about old, natural things!

Thanks,

Kraig

----- Original Message -----

From: Vispi Jokhi

To: undisclosed-recipients:

Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 12:25 PM

Subject: [prakruti] Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

From: SB
Date: 11/12/2009 6:08:19 PM
To: SB
Subject: Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a
staple. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that the
oil not only tastes good but that it is good for you. It's an amazing
source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending
cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this
superhero food.

IT CUTS YOUR CANCER RISK
Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are lab legends. Which substances
get the credit? Polyphenols, for one -- these potent plant
antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also
looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anti-cancer effects,
which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Some people-proof:
Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer among
Southern Europeans -- whose diets flow with olive oil -- compared to
their northern neighbors.

IT HELPS YOUR HEART
There is virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it
comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad
LDL, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). And that's
not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to
cardiovascular disease.

IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN

Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it's not below
120/80, you need to get it there. And yes, olive oil plays a role. It
can help enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent
polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which brings blood pressure
down. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal
processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and
heat-sensitive vitamins.)

IT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
"Great taste, less filling" -- that light beer slogan rings true for
olive oil. While ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories,
olive oil has a fuller flavor so less is needed for tantalizing taste.
Plus research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some
fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than
those who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick
with the program.

IT EASES YOUR ACHING HEAD

If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try
routinely dressing your salad or crisp-tender veggies in extra-virgin
olive oil.. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like
ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but
without the risk of stomach upset. While daily oleocanthal doses
aren't the pain killer's complete equal, they could lower your risk
for heart disease, cancer, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a
trade-off!!

--
Dear Friends,
Sending this mail keeping you in mind. If you do not want to receive
such mails let me know.
Please consider the environment before printing this message.
Sincerely,
Dr. Vispi Jokhi
MS (Orthopedics)
660/6 S. Palamkote Road, Parsi Colony,
Dadar, Mumbai-400014.
91 22 32440710
9323351529
e mail: vhjokhi@gmail.com

#7504

From: Sundeep Jalan <sundeep_jalan@...>
Date: Sun Nov 15, 2009 8:38 am
Subject: CAN CITIZENRY SEEK DAMAGES...

sundeep_jalan

Offline

CAN CITIZENRY SEEK DAMAGES SOUNDING IN MONETARY COMPENSATION-

FROM STATE GOVT CONCERNED-

WHEN IT IS FOUND THAT POLICE STATION CONCERNED IS FOUND FAILED IN DUE DISCHARGE OF ITS ENTRUSTED LEGAL DUTY TO PREVENT AN OFFENCE OF NATURE WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED-

HAD THE POLICE PERSONNEL / CONSTABLES REMAINED PRESENT AT THE PLACE OF INCIDENCE WHEN THE OFFENCE IS ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED-

RESULTING IN CONSEQUENCES OF LOSS OF LIFE OR OF LIBERTY OR OF DIGNITY OR OF PROPERTY TO ANY OF THE CITIZENRY ? ? ?

MY ANSWER IS SIMPLE YES !!

FOR REASONS-

1) PROTECTING LIFE AND PROPERTY OF EVERY PERSON IS THE PRIMARY DUTY OF EVERY GOVT OF THE WORLD FOR WHICH WE ALL PAY TAXES REALLY SPEAKING;

2) POLICE LAWS CAST CATEGORICAL AND UNAMBIGUPOUS DUTY ON POLICE MACHINERY TO PREVENT COGNIZABLE OFFENCES;

3) THE DUTY OF POLICE IS NOT TO SIT IN THE MERE POLICE STATION AND RUN TO THE SITE OF OFFENCE WHEN IT IS CALLED UPON;

4) THE DUTY OF POLICE STATION CONCERNED THUS INCLUDES TO CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE WITHIN ITS JURISDICTION WHEN THE POTENTIAL OFFENDER COMPEL TO THINK THE PRESENCE OF POLICE IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY IF HE IS VENTURED TO COMMITT AN OFFENCE;

IN MY VIEW, OFFENCES LIKE OF ROBBERY, THEFT, STREET VIOLENCE, KIDNAPPING AND ANY OFFENCES COMMITTED WITHIN PUBLIC EYE CAN BE DEEMED AS OFFENCES WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD THE POLICE MACHINERY EXISTED AT THE TIME AND PLACE OF OFFENCE COMMITTED.

BUT WHOM TO GO SEEK DAMAGES ?
ANSWER: HIGH COURT CONCERNED BY WRIT OF MANDAMUS.

WHAT YOU SAY ?

ONE OF THE READER OF MY MAIL RAISED VERY APPLICABLE QUESTIONS.

(1) QUESTION RAISED: The police can not be present at all places. They simply don’t have the manpower.
MY TAKE: In my view it is instead much easy for Police to create an impression of being present at all places at all the time in comparison to what they do are to do while investigating any crime..... filing chargesheet ... proving guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt.... maintaining prisoners and prison....

Moreover the shortcomings of manpower cannot be a ground for nobody has prevented the State to employ needed man power.

Moreover our present Chief Justice of Bombay High Court in a case before it observed- "in fact police should have been present at every corner of the city"

In Ajmal Kasab's trial 11,000 page chargesheet was filed.

Next, the media makes a big deal about his letter to his magistrate about requiring toothpaste and permission to take a walk!!

And then finally, he claims NOT GUILTY to 86 charges and the "TRIAL" still continues??

MOREOVER THE PLEA OF PAUSITY OF MANPOWER IF IS ALLOWED AS DEFENSE IN FAILURE OF LEGAL DUTY ENTRUSTED, THEN YOU MAY FIND THE STATE GOVT TAKING ANOTHER STAND OF INCOMPETENCY OF THE CONSTABULARY THAT IS THE PRESENT CONSTABULARY ARE POOR FAT THIN, OLD, THEY HAVE MERELY DANDA, HOW THEY WILL COUNTER THE ARMED OPPONENT AND SO ON.

BUT THEN WHO HAS POSITIONED THIS “POOR FAT THIN OLD DANDA ARMED CONSTABULARY.”

(2) QUESTION RAISED: But you know the practical difficulties.....the time for the case to come up, the stamp duty and the lawyers fees. And then courts give so inadequate damages, that in the end you feel it was not worth the trouble.
MY TAKE: In my view Writ Jurisdiction under Article 226 can be invoked which doesnt involve stamp duty. In my view lawyers should be avoided and simple Writ should be filed with Written arguments as contained in our CPC 1908 and court may be asked to pass reasoned orders. This may seem idealistic and theoritical and it is. But can be tried. Thank you.

What you say ?

Sandeep.

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

#7503

From: "kraig carroll" <thehavens@...>
Date: Sat Nov 14, 2009 6:45 pm
Subject: Fw: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health

thehavens@...

----- Original Message -----

From: kraig carroll

To: stopthepoisons@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 1:45 PM

Subject: Fw: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health

----- Original Message -----

From: AboveTheFold

To: thehavens@...

Sent: Saturday, November 14, 2009 9:12 AM

Subject: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health


Above the fold. News aggregated by www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org	Don't miss the link to today's good news Read today's editorials
For much more news about climate change, please visit our other website, DailyClimate.org. You can also subscribe to a daily free e-newsletter, The Daily Climate.
Daily links to top stories in the news about environmental health. Huge rise in birth defects in Falluja. Doctors in Iraq's war-ravaged enclave of Falluja are dealing with up to 15 times as many chronic deformities in infants and a spike in early life cancers that may be linked to toxic materials left over from the fighting. London Guardian, United Kingdom. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/13/falluja-cancer-children-birth-defects China faces reckoning over lead production. Since late summer, there has been a spate of lead poisoning cases in Hunan, Henan, Yunnan and Shanxi provinces. More than 3,200 cases have been confirmed, most of them in children. Now, thousands of Chinese are trying to flee a landscape poisoned by decades of lead manufacturing. Los Angeles Times, California. [Registration Required] http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fg-china-lead14-2009nov14,0,4897003,full.story 'Catastrophic' e-waste fuels global toxic dump. A "catastrophic accumulation" of millions of tonnes of "e-waste" from computers, cellphones and television sets is fuelling a global pile of hazardous waste, an international body warned Friday. Agence France-Presse http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gYUlBYRTFfxF-TdqWYp83fYd8lPw Boeing suit seeks to set aside higher standard. The Boeing Co. filed suit Friday to scuttle a state law requiring the highest cleanup standards at one of the nation's most polluted sites. It contends that only the federal government, not the state of California, has the authority to oversee cleanup at nuclear energy sites. Contra Costa Times, California. http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_13786082 Big profit from nature protection. Money invested in protecting nature can bring huge financial returns, according to a major investigation into the costs and benefits of the natural world. BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8357723.stm Brookfield natives expose bottled water industry. By 2030, two-thirds of the world's citizens will not have access to clean drinking water, according to the United Nations. Thirty-five states in the U.S. are experiencing drought now. One of the causes of the impending water crisis is something millions of Americans use every day -- bottled water. Danbury News Times, Connecticut. http://www.newstimes.com/ci_13784076 Blizzard renews storm over China making snow. Heavy snowfall in northern China is testing the country's disaster preparedness and prompting fresh questions about Beijing's efforts to alter its weather. China's water supply relative to its 1.3 billion-person population is roughly a fourth the world's average, and the shortage is worse in the north. Wall Street Journal [Subscription Required] http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125814710015847539.html Restoring China's disappearing wetlands. The Sanjiang Plain Wetlands, China's largest freshwater wetlands, are disappearing at a frightening speed after decades of agricultural conversion. Scientists link increased droughts, floods and sandstorms afflicting northern China in recent years to the shrinking wetlands. China Daily http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2009-11/09/content_8933093.htm Arab experts predict Mideast water wars. There is a widely held fear in the Middle East that global warming, dwindling water resources and burgeoning populations will trigger wars over water in the not-too-distant future. United Press International http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2009/11/13/Arab-experts-predict-Mideast-water-wars/UPI-56281258138250/ Plastic roads offer greener way to travel in India. For two of India�s biggest problems, battered roads and overflowing landfills, Ahmed Khan has a single solution: streets made with recycled plastic. New York Times [Registration Required] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/business/global/14plastic.html Turtle tours, and turtles, are casualties of climate change in Costa Rica. Warmer temperatures and rising seas that scientists link to global warming have vastly diminished the turtle population that has dwelt in the Pacific for 150 million years. New York Times [Registration Required] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/earth/14turtles.html Navy�s Vieques training may be tied to health risks. The federal agency that assesses health hazards at sites designated for Superfund environmental cleanups said it had reversed its conclusion that contamination posed no risks to residents in Puerto Rico. New York Times [Registration Required] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/earth/14vieques.html GE: Magazine wrong, PCB cleanup working. General Electric Co. hit back at a Harper's Magazine article critical of its handling of the Hudson River dredging project, with a point-by-point disputation of the story. Glens Falls Post Star, New York. http://www.poststar.com/news/local/state-and-regional/article_8a7cbe70-d0a0-11de-b705-001cc4c03286.html Town that lost its water. Twenty years ago, Elmira discovered that industrial chemicals from the Uniroyal factory had poisoned the town�s water supply. A groundwater cleanup is planned to conclude in 2028 but now, halfway through the process, fresh debate has erupted over whether it is working. Waterloo Record, Ontario. http://news.therecord.com/News/Local/article/629333 Chicago canal to be poisoned to stop Asian carp. A $1.5 million project's goal is to temporarily kill a 6-mile stretch of river with poison so a new electric fish barrier can be briefly shut down for maintenance. It is a drastic attempt to keep Asian carp from invading Lake Michigan. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin. http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/70000317.html Obama's pesticide-pushing nominee. The administration has nominated a senior executive from the pesticide lobby�which slammed Michelle Obama's organic garden�to be chief agricultural negotiator for the office of the US Trade Representative. If confirmed, he will be responsible for negotiating international agreements governing the use of pesticides. Mother Jones http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/11/obamas-pesticide-pushing-nominee If EPA's Air chief loves a brawl, she's come to the right place . U.S. EPA air chief Gina McCarthy has a thick Boston accent, a shock of cropped white hair and a penchant for a good fight. As the nation's top air regulator she may be in the center of a political free-for-all over climate regulation and other air pollution policies. Greenwire http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/13/13greenwire-if-epas-air-chief-loves-a-brawl-shes-come-to-t-30096.html Industry groups want to restart legal battle over smog standard. Industry groups and the state of Mississippi are asking a federal appeals court to move forward on legal proceedings over national smog limits, despite U.S. EPA's plans to reconsider the George W. Bush administration's controversial standard. Greenwire http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/13/13greenwire-industry-groups-want-to-restart-legal-battle-o-64715.html Food agency delays ban on oysters after outcry. The FDA on Friday indefinitely delayed a ban on the sale of raw oysters harvested on the Gulf Coast during warm months in the face of opposition from the oyster industry and legislators from the region. New York Times [Registration Required] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/health/policy/14oyster.html Welcome to the Clone Farm. Of the 400-some cattle in Barry Pollard's herd of mostly Black Angus cattle there are 22 clones, genetic copies of some of the most productive livestock the world has ever known. Despite controversy about whether tinkering with nature is safe, or even ethical, consumers are likely already eating meat and drinking milk from the offspring of clones without even knowing it. Reuters Health http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/11/13/eline/links/20091113elin013.html More contamination troubles for Genzyme. Genzyme Corp., the Cambridge biotech giant that has been scrambling for five months after detecting a virus at its Allston plant, is facing a new contamination problem: bits of steel, rubber, and fiber found in drugs made by the company and shipped from the same site. Boston Globe, Massachusetts. http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2009/11/14/more_contamination_troubles_for_genzyme/ More news from today �> 130 more stories, including: �FDA chief defends H1N1 vaccine supply �Swan river dolphins in danger of dying out �Are algae mass murderers? �Climate: Greenland's ice sheet melting faster than ever; Lucky they brought a paddle; Secret life of ancient trees; Farms on radar at Copenhagen �Insulation today: greener and healthier �Stories from UK, Azores, S Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada �US stories from ME, MA, NY, MD, VA, FL, OH, IN, TN, MO, CO, CA, AK �Smokers take heat for dumping butts �Editorials: Fish stew: Bacterial Gulf oysters, tainted Asian catfish, polluted lakes; Changing the climate Shortcuts to stories from today about The good news, Avian flu, Katrina, Climate, Children's health, Air pollution, Cancer, Reproductive disorders, Endocrine disruption, Birth defects, Learning and developmental disabilities, Immune disorders, Environmental justice, Superfund, Water treatment/sewage, Food safety, Integrity of science, Green chemistry. You can also read last weekend's news. Plus: If you were on vacation last week, don't miss last week's top stories... Would you like to display the news stories from EnvironmentalHealthNews.org on your own web site? Check out our RSS feeds. Compiled by Environmental Health Sciences 421 Park Street, Suite 4 Charlottesville, VA USA 22902 www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org feedback@... Having problems viewing this e-mail? View the newsletter online. To ensure delivery to your inbox, please add AboveTheFold@... to your address book. If you received this email from a friend and would like to start receiving our newsletter yourself you may subscribe here. This message was originally sent to thehavens@.... You are receiving this e-mail because you have subscribed to receive AboveTheFold. To end your subscription unsubscribe here.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (28)

#7502

From: Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...>
Date: Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:25 pm
Subject: Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

vhjokhi

Offline

From: SB
Date: 11/12/2009 6:08:19 PM
To: SB
Subject: Five reasons why olive oil is the ultimate healthy fat

Whether in Rome or at home, do as the Romans do: Make olive oil a
staple. If you already eat the Mediterranean way, you know that the
oil not only tastes good but that it is good for you. It's an amazing
source of antioxidants, capable of dousing inflammation, defending
cells from menacing molecules, and more. Here's the latest on this
superhero food.

IT CUTS YOUR CANCER RISK
Olive oil's cancer-preventing powers are lab legends. Which substances
get the credit? Polyphenols, for one -- these potent plant
antioxidants protect against cancer-causing cell damage. But it also
looks like the oil's monounsaturated fat has anti-cancer effects,
which means olive oil packs quite a one-two punch! Some people-proof:
Check the lower rates of breast, ovarian and prostate cancer among
Southern Europeans -- whose diets flow with olive oil -- compared to
their northern neighbors.

IT HELPS YOUR HEART
There is virtually nothing better than the big "double O" when it
comes to your heart. Olive oil ups good HDL cholesterol, lowers bad
LDL, and reduces other harmful blood fats (triglycerides). And that's
not all. It also reduces inflammation, another contributor to
cardiovascular disease.

IT KEEPS YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN

Speaking of your heart, how's your blood pressure? If it's not below
120/80, you need to get it there. And yes, olive oil plays a role. It
can help enough to reduce the need for daily meds. Those potent
polyphenols appear to dilate arteries, which brings blood pressure
down. (Always choose extra-virgin olive oil, by the way -- its minimal
processing preserves the maximum number of antioxidants and
heat-sensitive vitamins.)

IT HELPS YOU LOSE WEIGHT
"Great taste, less filling" -- that light beer slogan rings true for
olive oil. While ounce for ounce, all oils have the same calories,
olive oil has a fuller flavor so less is needed for tantalizing taste.
Plus research shows that overweight people who eat a diet with some
fat -- including olive oil -- are more likely to shed pounds than
those who slash fat. Why? Oil's rich flavor makes it easier to stick
with the program.

IT EASES YOUR ACHING HEAD

If you're prone to headaches and wary of overdoing ibuprofen, try
routinely dressing your salad or crisp-tender veggies in extra-virgin
olive oil.. It contains oleocanthal, a natural compound that, like
ibuprofen, blocks pain-producing and inflammatory substances -- but
without the risk of stomach upset. While daily oleocanthal doses
aren't the pain killer's complete equal, they could lower your risk
for heart disease, cancer, arthritis and possibly Alzheimer's. Quite a
trade-off!!

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Sending this mail keeping you in mind. If you do not want to receive
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#7501

From: Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...>
Date: Sat Nov 14, 2009 5:21 pm
Subject: Fwd: Lessons from Noah's Ark

vhjokhi

Offline

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ashok pagrut <ashok.pagrut@...>
Date: Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
Subject: Fwd: Lessons from Noah's Ark
To:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: derrick lopez <lopezderrick@...>
Date: Thu, Nov 12, 2009 at 2:54 PM
Subject: Lessons from Noah's Ark
To: Louis Colaco <louis_colaco@...>, Henry Dsouza <denri@...>

Very interesting. Always remember.

This is really beautiful.

Noah's Ark Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark .
ONE: Don't miss the boat.
TWO: Remember that we are all in the same boat!
THREE: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
FOUR: Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
FIVE: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
SIX: Build your future on high ground.
SEVEN: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
EIGHT: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
NINE: When you're stressed, float awhile.
TEN: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
ELEVEN: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

My instructions were to send this to the people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you.

Most people walk in and out of your life.......but FRIENDS leave footprints in your heart.

Everyday is a gift. N' joy !

Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy! Try it!

Hotmail: Powerful Free email with security by Microsoft. Get it now.

New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.

http://windows.microsoft.com/shop Find the right PC for you.

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Dear Friends,
Sending this mail keeping you in mind. If you do not want to receive such mails let me know.
Please consider the environment before printing this message.
Sincerely,
Dr. Vispi Jokhi
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91 22 32440710
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1 of 1 Photo(s)

image001.jpg

#7500

From: "Dr.V.N. Sharma" <vnsh44@...>
Date: Sat Nov 14, 2009 8:32 am
Subject: Re: Reclaiming Kosi from Myopic Engineers & Contractors

vns44

Offline

Dear Sri Gopal Krishna,

First thing first. Remember what was said by the former CBI Director, Sri Jogindar Singh a little over two years ago. A human has 32 joints in his spine. A Govt. employee loses one each year. So by the time he reaches his superannuation no spine is left. Sri NK Singh was not only an employee but a super employee. As long as he was in service he did 'Yes Minister' or 'Yes Sir/ M,m'. I find such creatures in post -retirement era to be very busy either with some NGO or on an extended job in the Govt. which gives them a position to finish whatever backbone the country is left with. I find no body retiring in Jharkhand. All ex-Chief Secy./DGPs are their in position with red light facilities etc.

I do not understand what was left for Sri NK Singh to do now what he could not do in 35 years of service. And where were his great ideas about the country and Bihar when he was in position including on KOSI? All his patriotism has become visible now. Therefore, what ever he says now is meaningless. No body gets benefitted by his write ups now.

In view of this, I do not open any link or write up related to many of the ex-bureaucrats.

With regard to Kosi dam/ embankments and other rivers in North Bihar. Where was Sri NK Singh when the declared life span of 35 years of Kosi embankment was over in 1988. It looks like he was waiting for KOSI 2008 to happen to give his opinion.

In one sentence "Even a child could have said without his mathematical tool that 'with the amount of muck flowing through the Kosi from upstream the dam was to have shorter and dangerous life for the people downstream and so no dam/ embankment was to be built at all. Naturally such a project was taken for wise money makers, mafias and contractors to inflate their deposits and party funds.

vns

2009/11/14 Gopal Krishna <krishnagreen@...>

Reclaiming Kosi from Myopic Engineers & Contractors

It appears that N K Singh, a Member of Rajya Sabha from Bihar lives in a time warp. He says, "The political parties in the State failed to secure meaningful arrangements with Nepal for better harnessing its river and hydro electric potential. The Kosi and Gandak embankment, the result of international treaty with Nepal, did bring significant relief to a large population in North Bihar from the vulnerabilities of floods but could not convert these transitional arrangements to permanent solutions. These temporary structures have long outlived their expected life span, and in any case they were designed to be transitional arrangement to be followed by taming these rivers upstream to harness the irrigation and hydel potential. These remained unimplemented. Durable infrastructure wasn't created to withstand the destruction due to periodic floods and other vulnerabilities."

He remains obvlivious of the fact that Kosi basin's crisis is one of the most under-rated environmental disasters of Asia. The Kosi treaty between India and Nepal was/is a historical blunder. It provides the basis for misplaced structural interventions in the Kosi basin. The treaty must be re-visited and must adopt a river basin approach. Kosi, a major tributary of Ganga, a Himalayan river that carries the heavy load of sediment therefore, it is a mistake to build any barrage, dams and embankments on it.

Projects like Kosi High Dam and interlinking of rivers are ecologically and socially disastrous is being promoted as the panacea of all ills by Bihar government and APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India. Fortunately, the central government seems to have realized that interlinking of rivers is fraught with catastrophic consequences and distanced itself from it.

Unmindful of the havoc caused by embankments, the "Government of India is also providing assistance to Nepal for strengthening of existing and construction of new embankments along Kamala, Bagmati, Lalbakeya, Sunsari, Trijuga, Lakhadehi and Kankai rivers. The detailed project report for strengthening of embankments along Khando river is under consideration. The design and implementation of these schemes is carried out by the agencies of the Government of Nepal."

The hydro engineering experiments being undertaken with political consensus of sort has turned citizens of North Bihar and Nepal into guinea pigs. It is such experiments which eventually make migrants out of Biharis and Nepalis who face humiliation and assault all over the country.

Refusing to learn anything from past mistakes the embankments are still being built or repaired in Kosi and Bagmati by the governments. Kosi flood disaster of 2008 was spread over 5 districts, 35 blocks, 993 villages affecting 33.29 lakh people and spread over an area of 3.68 lakh hectares in India alone which resulted in loss of nearly 600 persons and destruction of 2.37 lakh houses. And nearly 1.5 million people spread over 414 villages trapped between the two embankments of the Kosi which is the route of the normal river flow in a normal year. There is no reason to believe that similar crisis be witnessed this year too.

The National Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of the Congress-RJD-LJP led Central Government had made a solemn pledge to the people of the country in 2004 to undertake “Long-pending schemes in specific states that have national significance, like flood control and drainage in North Bihar.” Despite acknowledging the problem, it is shocking that neither the Central nor Bihar Government conducts any survey to assess the effect of flood control measures on the socio-economic conditions of society and chooses to ensure that status quo is manitained to safeguard the inhuman selfish interests of contractors in repair and construction.

Rashtriya Barh Ayog (National Flood Commission) was constituted in 1976 to evolve a coordinated, integrated and scientific approach to the flood control problems in the country and to draw out a national plan fixing priorities for implementation in the future. Its report was submitted in 1980 and accepted by Government but the implementation of its recommendations did not happen. Union Ministry of Water Resources set up an Expert Committee to review the Implementation of recommendations of Rashtriya Barh Ayog (RBA) in October. The Committee identified the bottlenecks faced by the state government in its implementation and suggested measures for implementation of RBA recommendations for effective Flood Management in the country. Despite 207 recommendations of the National Flood Commission, it is clear that the frequency and intensity of floods has grown in the country over the years primarily because of the increased encroachment of flood plains. It is clear that none of the recommendations have been acted upon.

On August 19, 2008, the chairman of this Expert Committee on the Implementation of recommendations of Rashtriya Barh Ayog (1980 report) said, “It is my impression that not much has been done to implement the suggestions made by the committee’s report.”

After the Kusaha breach, a Commission of Inquiry was constituted by the Government of Bihar under the chairmanship of Justice Rajesh Balia to enquire into the causes of breach in the Eastern Kosi Afflux Bund on 18th August 2008 so as to prevent occurrence of such disaster in future as if the same is not clear from the reports of the previous Commissions, Committees and Task Forces.

Does anyone know as to what happened to the report of the Justice Balia Commission on Kosi?. While one awaits its report, it would be appropriate for the Bihar government to come out with a white paper on Kosi basin.

The 'National' Ganga River Basin Authority, although so far it seems to confine itself to Indian side of the Ganga basin, must expand its ambit and undertake a rogorous environmental assessment of Kosi basin to assess the damage done to it by the engineers who acted under tremendous political pressure against even their own engineering wisdom. The assessment would help comprehend ways to restore natural flooding and damaged land scape.

Gopal Krishna

The future of Bihar
NK Singh

The economic backwardness of Bihar remains an enigma. Historians recall the great heights of culture, development and the territorial sweep of the erstwhile Maurya and Gupta period, who ruled from Patliputra, the present day capital of Bihar. Those engaged in the reconstruction of Nalanda University recognise the intellectual and educational pre-eminence of that University located in this State from the 3rd century to the 12th century AD.

Lately, however, many have described Bihar as quicksand which draws you in with inevitability. Bihar suggests awkward complexities which have no easy answer. It is true that Bihar remains a land of riches inhabited mostly by poor people. Biharis may be rich but Bihar is poor. Biharis, who migrate out of the city, excel in the profession they persue. But, back home it makes no dent on the backwardness of the State. The large Gangetic plain with its fertile soil, abundant water resources available from a multitude of rivers that flow through the region and the potential of the hardworking people of the state are of no avail.

Soon after Independence, during the 1950s, the administration of Bihar was assessed as one of the best in the country by Paul Appleby. But owing to its prolonged poor governance and stratified social order, the State, now, has come to be referred as the �prosperous poor�. For last few decades, the State was mentioned in two topics of discussion - politics and poverty. Not, the �poverty of politics�, rather the politics with poverty. In recent years, subjects relating to the development challenges of Bihar had been acrimoniously debated. Bihar was increasingly considered a �Basket Case�, with no prospect of a better future. Recently, there have been concerted efforts to improve the overall climate of development in the State. This has aroused a sense of optimism and ushered a glimmer of hope among Biharis.

Moreover, it is imperative to understand why things have come to such an impasse in Bihar? History can gives us some pointers. Several interrelated issues -- poor agricultural growth, deindustrialization during the colonial period, high population growth and migration � have lead to its long-term decline. These were coupled by poor governance, neglect by the Central Government, unreliable infrastructure, low energy availability and poor agricultural yields over a long period. The result: it has crippled the State, its economy, its society and human development.

Trends in GDP Growth
The table below shows the pattern of Bihar and India�s long-term growth. There are two distinct growth periods for India and Bihar
- Phase I from 1950 to 1980
- Phase II from 1980 to 2005

For India, Phase I is characterised by slow growth in both absolute and per capita terms when compared with growth in Phase II. India grew at an average pace of only 3.6 percent per annum in absolute terms and 1.2 percent in per capita terms in Phase I. However, growth accelerated to 6.0 percent in absolute terms and 4.0 percent in per capita terms in Phase II.

In case of Bihar, the State grew at an average of around 3 per cent in Phase I, but economic growth worsened in Phase II vis-�-vis the national average. Within these two broad phases there are some interesting variations. A look at the table below would indicate how the trend in Bihar has been since the 1950s in comparison to the national average.

Trend of economic growth in India and Bihar (percent per annum)

State/Year Bihar India Average

1950-60 --- 3.9

1960-70 2.3 3.7

1970-80 3.1 3.1

1980-90 4.8 5.6

1990-2000 3.6 5.7

2000-2003 0.2 6.0

The gist
To sum up, there are five factors leading to endemic economic backwardness of Bihar:

1. In the post-independence period, the policy of freight equalisation did not enable Bihar to derive the advantage of its rich mineral resources as well as a large growing market. This policy which remained effective from 1952 to 1993 had serious repercussions in neutralising Bihar�s comparative factor advantage.

2. Notwithstanding Bihar�s considerable clout in the Central Government, central investments, (except by Public Sector Undertakings in what is now Jharkhand), there was little investment North of the Ganges or in the drought-prone areas in the South of Bihar.

3. The failure to break away from the past in implementing tenurial land reform changes resulted in excessive social stratification which prevented both vertical and horizontal mobility. Excessive preoccupation with caste and even communal factors dominated political discourse. Successive Governments were not held accountable on indices of improvement in life quality and other developmental indicators either in the overall growth achievement or performance of Index of Human Resource Development.

4. The failure to transit from a feudal-based economy to a market-oriented economy emphasised value systems which did not facilitate rapid economic development. This coupled with poor quality of infrastructure, social indicators and governance quality did not enable the State to attract meaningful private investment even in areas of its comparative factor advantage. Poor governance also resulted in decline of education and health.

5. The political parties in the State failed to secure meaningful arrangements with Nepal for better harnessing its river and hydro electric potential. The Kosi and Gandak embankment, the result of international treaty with Nepal, did bring significant relief to a large population in North Bihar from the vulnerabilities of floods but could not convert these transitional arrangements to permanent solutions. These temporary structures have long outlived their expected life span, and in any case they were designed to be transitional arrangement to be followed by taming these rivers upstream to harness the irrigation and hydel potential. These remained unimplemented. Durable infrastructure wasn't created to withstand the destruction due to periodic floods and other vulnerabilities.

During the last four years, the initiatives taken by the Nitish Kumar Government have concentrated on six factors.
- Improved Governance
- Macro Management
- Human Resources Development
- Emphasis on factor endowments
- Enactment of key legislations to improve climate for private investments.
- Improvement of Infrastructure.

The future of Bihar would depend on five key variables.
1. To what extent fiscal federalism works in a manner which is in line with the spirit of the constitution? This concerns four components.

 The compensatory additional central investment in a State considering that in the near future private investment will remain shy.

 To what extent will the State be enabled to take fuller advantage of Central investments already made, namely a higher percentage of allocation from Central power projects? The present agreements are discriminatory and unequal. These agreements do not enable the State to secure a fair percentage of the energy produced in the State.

 Permitting the development of downstream industries from existing Central investment, say from the Barauni refinery as well as other investments which may be in the offing.

 A degree of fairness in access to raw material inputs like coal for new power generating companies necessary to meet the energy deficiency in the State.

2. The State has to succeed in harnessing its rich water potential through the optimum utilisation of resources and adoption of new technology. It�ll prove their comparative factor advantage in agriculture. The extent to which agricultural productivity can be enhanced by diversified agriculture practices, creating and implementing an enabling policy framework.

There is also a broader issue of mitigation and adaptation to Global Warming and Climate Change. Does it make sense for planners in India to pursue, say water intensive cultivation in other parts of India which are water deficient than say North Bihar, where water is abundant? What special assistance can be given for enabling Bihar to become the food granary of India?

In Punjab water aquifers have fallen significantly and rice production may become increasingly more expensive. This is an opportunity for Bihar to enhance both the production and productivity of its agriculture even as further research and development is needed to develop strains and cropping patterns which better factor the consequences of global warming.

3. To what extent can its very young population be harnessed and vocational skills imparted to create the �Missing Middle�. This entails increasing urbanization very significantly through many more satellite towns and skill inculcation programme which can provide gainful employment activities outside agriculture sector, even while agriculture can gain advantages of externalities in scale instead of an exclusive reliance on agricultural produces.

4. To what extent can Bihar leverage its political power to create an enabling international framework on sharing our river basins, particularly with Nepal for generating irrigation and hydel potential to optimise the resources of this region.

5. The issue of whether Bihar can rewrite its history, and foster new green shoots of investments, employment and diversification in its activity patterns?
All these, of course require continued good governance and stable policy framework and institutions which can incentivise private investment.

Is there a future for Bihar?
I remain optimist because given continued good governance; its demographic advantage, and improving agricultural productivity can make Bihar the granary of India and also an educational hub.

The State is now getting its act together. Continuity and stability of good governance will enable a speedy transit from feudal to a market-based economy. Improved prospects for the future kindles hope and while breaking down social stratification will enable leap frogging the typology of growth to more rapidly developing economies.

The restoration of Bihar�s lost glory will demonstrate the success of strategic initiatives and technology can do to one of the most backward and densely populated regions in India. Unless backward States become growth drivers, India would find it difficult to grow at 9 per cent. In some ways the future of India is linked with the future of Bihar. Bihar has demonstrated that it would not allow its future to become a hostage of the past and to shape the future in consonance with its rich historical, cultural and economic leadership.

Nov 13, 2009
The author, NK Singh is a Member of Rajya Sabha, Government of India.
Source: Moneycontrol.com

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#7499

From: "kraig carroll" <thehavens@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 6:10 pm
Subject: Fw: Organic Bytes: Will Obama Walk His Talk on Organics?

thehavens@...

Organic Bytes on the Radio

----- Original Message -----

From: Organic Consumers Association

To: thehavens@...

Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 1:04 PM

Subject: Organic Bytes: Will Obama Walk His Talk on Organics?

November 13, 2009

Organic Bytes #199: Will Obama Walk His Talk on Organics?

Health, Justice and Sustainability News
from the Organic Consumers Association

Edited by: Alexis Baden-Mayer and Ronnie Cummins

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In This Issue

Quote of the Week: Will Obama Walk His Talk on Organics?
Alert Updates of the Week: Organic Standards Board Votes, Organic Cosmetics Fraud, GMO Vaccines in Organic, Organic Animal Welfare, Nanotechnology in Organic
Victory of the Week: New York Times Echoes OCA's Charges Against Siddiqui
Art Project of the Week: The Organic Answer to Climate Change
Video of the Week: Stop Gambling on Hunger
Book of the Week: Poisoned Profits. The Toxic Assault on Our Children
Little Bytes: BPA, Silk, GE Corn, Climate Change and the Nitrogen Fix
Grassroots Netroots News: Planting Peace, Justice, Democracy, Health and Sustainability

Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate

Quote of the Week

Will Obama Walk His Talk on Organics?

"I was just reading an article in the New York Times by Michael Pollan about food and the fact that our entire agricultural system is built on cheap oil. As a consequence, our agriculture sector actually is contributing more greenhouse gases than our transportation sector. And in the mean time, it's creating monocultures that are vulnerable to national security threats, are now vulnerable to sky-high food prices or crashes in food prices, huge swings in commodity prices, and are partly responsible for the explosion in our healthcare costs because they're contributing to type 2 diabetes, stroke and heart disease, obesity, all the things that are driving our huge explosion in healthcare costs."

-Barack Obama, campaigning for the Presidency, during an interview with Joe Klei in TIME, October 23, 2008

National Organic Standards Board Votes to Crack Down on Labeling Fraud

Victory on Organic Body Care and Cosmetics Products

In a milestone victory after years of work by the OCA and the organic community to demand an end to blatant labeling fraud in the organic marketplace the National Organic Standards Board voted 12 to 1 at their November 2009 meeting to direct the USDA National Organic Program to enforce the law for organic personal care products - just as they do for organic food. This means that shampoos, body care products, and cosmetics that claim to be organic but are not certified would be forced to drop their organic label and advertising claims, or else reformulate their products (getting rid of petrochemicals and problematic synthetic ingredients) to meet "USDA Organic" or "made with organic ingredients" standards.

The Organic Consumers Association is initiating a letter-writing campaign asking the USDA to take quick action on the NOSB recommendation. While we wait for the USDA to begin enforcement actions, we're calling on consumers to boycott fake, falsely labeled organic body care brands, and instead to buy only USDA certified organic products.

Get GMO Vaccines out of Organic

Vaccines are allowed in organic animal husbandry, but genetic engineering is excluded from organic. There is one exception: genetically modified vaccines. Under current law, genetically modified vaccines must be petitioned for use and reviewed by the National Organic Standards Board to be included on the National List of allowed substances. The problem is, the USDA National Organic Program hasn't been enforcing the law. Instead of asking the USDA to enforce the law, the National Organic Standards Board is instead recommending that the USDA change the law to remove the GMO vaccine review requirement. The recommendation they passed would require non-GMO vaccines to be used whenever they are available, so it's not quite as bad as it could have been, but it would still allow any type of GMO vaccine to be used without review, as long as a certifier could be convinced that there were no non-GMO alternatives.

The Organic Consumers Association is taking action to prevent this misguided recommendation from being adopted by the USDA. We're calling on the USDA to enforce the current law, and to disallow GMO vaccines, unless there is absolutely no other alternative to saving the animal's life. The USDA should train certifiers on identifying genetically modified vaccines and preventing their use.

Victory on Organic Animal Welfare

Current organic regulations prescribe livestock living conditions which accommodate the "health" and "natural behavior" of animals. The regulations require access to the outdoors, pasture for ruminants, clean bedding, and appropriate shelter, while placing restrictions on confinement. However, many organic consumers and farmers have complained that the current regulatory language is insufficiently precise.

The National Organic Standards Board passed a recommendation last week that attempts to remedy this situation, by adding measurable standards for the treatment of animals and prohibiting practices like tail docking and debeaking (cutting off animals' tails or beaks) that hadn't been expressly addressed before. As the NOSB minority opinion points out, the recommendation isn't perfect and doesn't go far enough. For instance, it could have limited the frequency of milking for dairy cows to twice a day, and could have required certifiers to monitor the overall health of farms by keeping track of animals that die prematurely or have to be taken out of organic production.

Nevertheless, the Organic Consumers Association supported the recommendation, as we believe that it will encourage the USDA to enforce and strengthen existing laws. Please write to the USDA to ask them to do a better job of enforcing current animal welfare standards and use the new NOSB recommendation as the starting point for even stronger and better defined requirements.

Get Nanotechnology Out of Organic

Over the objections of the OCA and thousands of our members, the National Organic Standards Board decided to table the recommendation to prohibit nanotechnology in organic. The NOSB member who fills the scientist slot, Katrina Heinze of General Mills, delayed the process by insisting that the Board consider a compromise position that wouldn't exclude nanotechnology from organic altogether, but would classify it as a "synthetic" that could be petitioned for use in specific instances. Please write to the NOSB and tell them to ban untested, unlabeled and hazardous nanotechnology products and ingredients in organic.

Click here to learn more!

OCA Needs Your Help to Spread the Organic Revolution

OCA and our national, now international, network of organic consumers understand that we have a positive healthy solution for the nation and the globe's food, health, economic, and climate crisis: organic food, farming, and ranching. But to get out our all-important message we need your support and your donations. For the next two weeks, our strongest ally in the organic industry, the Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap Company, will be matching your donations dollar for dollar. So please send us a tax-deductible donation today.

PLEASE DONATE

Victory of the Week

New York Times Echoes OCA's Charges Against Biotech and Sewage Sludge Advocate Siddiqui

"The White House has nominated Mr. Siddiqui for the position of chief agricultural negotiator in the office of the United States trade representative. He is presently a vice president at CropLife America, a coalition of the major industrial players in the pesticide industry, including Syngenta, Monsanto, Dow Chemical and DuPont. That job doesn't seem to square with the Obama administration's professed interest in more sustainable, less chemically dependent approaches to agriculture.

"Nor does much of the rest of Mr. Siddiqui's r�sum�. The White House has touted his role in the first phase of developing national organic standards. But those standards, as they first emerged in draft form in the Clinton years, were notoriously loose about allowing genetically engineered crops and the use of sewage-sludge fertilizers to be labeled as 'organic.'"

OCA press release? No, it's actually the New York Times editorial page.

Art Project of the Week

The Organic Answer to Climate Change Art Project

With just over a month to go before the critical UN climate talks in Copenhagen, we're trying to spread the word about organic agriculture's amazing potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester climate-destabilizing CO2 in the soil.

OCA is joining the 1Sky Campaign's "Make Art for Climate" project that brings people together to decorate large pieces of cloth with images conveying the urgency around climate change and the need for positive solutions.

If you send our Washington, DC, office an artwork on cloth, OCA Political Director Alexis Baden-Mayer will incorporate your art into a large banner for use in public actions and demonstrations. Prior to the start of the Copenhagen Summit on December 7, the art pieces will be delivered in DC to the Obama administration and key Senate offices. This DC delivery will be complemented by public actions and similar art deliveries to local Senate offices across the country from December 1-4, all aimed at drawing media attention to the need for President Obama and the Senate to take bold action on climate.

To get involved contact alexis{at}organicconsumers.org or mail your artwork to 1858 Mintwood Place, NW #4, Washington, DC, 20009.

Video of the Week

Stop Gambling on Hunger

Remember when gas was over $4 a gallon? Remember the global food crisis that resulted in dozens of food riots around the world and plunged over 100 million people around the world into hunger?

These crises where not caused by shortages of oil or food. Instead they were caused by massive bets made on Wall Street. A large portion of the higher prices were brought on by the same thing that caused the global economic crisis - market deregulation. While we had to pay more for our gas and food, fat cat investors made a bundle.

Watch this video to learn how speculators brought about last year's food and oil bubbles and how we can get Wall Street to stop gambling on hunger.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Book of the Week

Poisoned Profits, The Toxic Assault on Our Children

Philip Shabecoff, former chief environmental correspondent for the New York Times, and Alice Shabecoff, former executive director of the National Consumers League, contend that there is a link between corporate pollution and the high percentage of the children being born with or developing health problems.

With indisputable data, the Shabecoffs reveal that the children of baby boomers ― the first to be raised in a truly "toxified world" ― have higher rates of birth defects, asthma, cancer, autism and a frightening range of other neurological illnesses from ADHD to mental retardation, and other serious chronic illnesses compared to previous generations.

They reveal that one out of two pregnancies fails to come to term or results in a less than healthy child and that premature births and infertility are on the rise as this generation matures.

You can watch a BookTV event with the authors, read Alice's new blog postings on MomsRising.org, and browse information on the victims and perpetrators of toxic pollution at PoisonedProfits.com.

LITTLE BYTES

1) BPA: Chemicals in Our Food and Bodies
Your body likely contains a hazardous chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA. It's a synthetic estrogen that United States factories now use in everything from plastic bootle and food can liners to epoxies ― to the tune of six pounds per American per year.
READ MORE

2) Grocers Irked to Find Out Soy Milk Nonorganic
Organic food shoppers are making a rude discovery at their grocers' refrigerated display case. White Wave Silk Soymilk is no longer Organic.
READ MORE

3) Transgenic High-Lysine Corn Withdrawn After EU Raises Safety Questions
A Monsanto/Cargill joint venture has quietly withdrawn its application for high-lysine transgenic corn after EU regulators on the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) GMO panel raised questions about its safety for human consumption.
READ MORE

4) What Kind of Agriculture do We Need in an Era of Climate Change?
The challenge is to design an agriculture that adapts and responds to changes in climate, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This challenge can be met through biodiverse, agro-ecologically-based farming.
LEARN MORE

5) The Nitrogen Fix: Breaking a Costly Addiction
A single patent a century ago changed the world, and now, in the 21st century, Homo sapiens and the world we dominate have an addiction. Call it the nitrogen fix.
READ MORE

Planting Peace and Grassroots Netroots News

1) HEALTH:
Kucinich: Why I Voted NO
READ MORE

2) JUSTICE:
Robert Jensen on War, Ecological Crises, and the Quest for Justice
READ MORE

3) SUSTAINABILITY:
Global Oil Supply 'Far Worse Than Admitted'
READ MORE

4) PLANTING PEACE:
Watch 'Rethink Afghanistan' and Tell Congress to Get Out!
READ MORE

5) DEMOCRACY:
Government by the Rich: 237 Millionaires in the U.S. Congress
READ MORE

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#7498

From: y treasurer <hindiyash@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:06 pm
Subject: World Chamionship Ice Skating on Indian Music

hindiyash

Offline

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0IHQBBNMog

American, Meryl Davis and Charlie White -2009 Rostelecom Cup - OD(Indian Folk Dance) are not only skating on the indian music but also wearing indian dress while skating.

AMAZING - - WATCH IT

#7497

From: "kraig carroll" <thehavens@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:07 pm
Subject: Fw: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health

thehavens@...

Daily links to top stories in the news about environmental health.

----- Original Message -----

From: kraig carroll

To: stopthepoisons@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 8:07 AM

Subject: Fw: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health

----- Original Message -----

From: AboveTheFold

To: thehavens@...

Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 9:28 AM

Subject: Links to articles in today's press about environmental health

Above the fold. News aggregated by www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org

Don't miss the link to
today's good news

Read today's editorials

Busting emissions in the 'Boulder bubble.' Amid increasing gloom that the Copenhagen talks will produce a global climate accord, state and local leaders pushing their own reductions efforts in the United States see only one choice: Proceed. Daily Climate
http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2009/11/localgovt

BPA, sexual problems may be linked. Chinese factory workers exposed to huge amounts of bisphenol A had a substantially higher risk of sexual dysfunction, according to a new study that is expected to add more urgency to the question of the plastic chemical's safety. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin.
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/69725107.html

More than 200 Paraguay villagers thought sprayed with pesticide. More than 200 indigenous people who refused to vacate their land in eastern Paraguay were sprayed late last week with what some believe was pesticide, sending seven to the hospital, a government cabinet member said this week. CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/11/10/paraguay.pesticide.attack/

Plans for tours of Bhopal tragedy site anger survivors. Survivors of the world's worst industrial disaster in India's Bhopal city are outraged by plans to throw open the site to visitors 25 years after the tragedy that killed thousands. Agence France-Presse
http://www.terradaily.com/2007/091111014332.qcb25tu0.html

Cause of WA oil spill revealed. An oil spill off the WA coast regarded as one of the worst-ever environmental disasters in Australia was caused by poor decision making and corporate greed, a senior industry source claims. Western Australia Today, Australia.
http://www.watoday.com.au/environment/cause-of-wa-oil-spill-revealed-20091109-i59k.html

Fuel firm flouted safety rules. The fuel company whose tank farm in Puerto Rico exploded in a massive fire last month has been cited for sweeping environmental violations for 10 years, costing $1.3 million in penalties and fines for leaking hazardous waste in the water, air and soil, a nonprofit investigative news organization reported. Miami Herald, Florida.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation/story/1327183.html

Virginia waterways rank second-dirtiest in country. Based on numbers reported to federal authorities, only Indiana had more toxic chemicals released into its waterways by industry than Virginia's 18 million-plus pounds in 2007. Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot, Virginia.
http://hamptonroads.com/2009/11/virginia-waterways-ranks-seconddirtiest-country

EPA: Toxic chemicals in freshwater fish widespread. A new federal study has found that nearly half of lakes and reservoirs nationwide contain fish with potentially harmful levels of the toxic metal mercury, a pollutant primarily released from coal-fired power plants. Associated Press
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5h08xpuugceAVNixvp3RzLOj2fccgD9BT0BL00

Plan for coal ash landfill draws fire in Labadie. "Save Our Bottoms." That's the mission of a group organized against Ameren UE's plan to construct a 400-acre coal-combustion waste landfill located in the Missouri River bottomlands. Opposition is growing to a form of toxic waste that had largely been outside the public spotlight before the catastrophe in Tennessee. St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Missouri.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/2E5041A3192828EE8625766B0007EBA8?OpenDocument

Property owner near TVA ash spill says contaminants have his wife's eyes swollen shut. Ten months after millions of cubic yards of coal ash spilled from a Tennessee Valley Authority dam, Gary Topmiller and his wife, Pam, said they are trapped in their home across the Emory River from the site and "living in hell." Associated Press
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-coal-ash-spill,0,7665660.story

W.Va. pols vow to speak in single, pro-coal voice. An array of West Virginia's top political leaders stood shoulder-to-shoulder Tuesday with executives from the state's top coal producers, vowing to form a united front in the face of what they call mixed signals and heavy-handedness from federal mining regulators. Associated Press
http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/1014273.html

Energy industry well acquainted with Senate finance panel's lawmakers. Oil and gas companies and electric utilities over the past two decades have poured $8 million into the campaign coffers of lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee who could now look to shape climate legislation. Greenwire
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/10/10greenwire-energy-industry-well-acquainted-with-senate-finan-61.html

Congress tells EPA to study hydraulic fracturing. Five years ago the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency assured the nation that the technology credited with opening vast new natural gas supplies was safe. Now Congress has ordered the agency to take another look. ProPublica
http://www.propublica.org/feature/congress-tells-epa-to-study-hydraulic-fracturing-hinchey-1110

Las Vegas gambles with an uncertain water future. For more than 70 years, the Hoover Dam's massive walls have tamed the flows of the Colorado River. But these days, what's most striking is the lack of water stored behind the dam's arch. For water planners, it is yet another reminder that worries about climate change are reshaping their future. ClimateWire
http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/11/10/10climatewire-las-vegas-gambles-with-an-uncertain-water-fu-61314.html

State wants help in fighting bedbugs. Faced with a growing invasion of bedbugs, Ohio has asked the federal government for permission to turn them back with a pesticide that is not labeled for use in homes. Columbus Dispatch, Ohio.
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2009/11/10/bedbugs.html

Confirmation shifts 4th circuit court toward Democrats' appointees. The Senate yesterday confirmed a long-stalled judicial nominee to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, swinging the ideological balance of a conservative-leaning bench that has issued a string of decisions unfavorable to environmental interests. Greenwire
http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2009/11/10/10greenwire-confirmation-shifts-4th-circuit-court-toward-d-17981.html

Tainted food surprisingly deadly in adults. Millions of adults die every year from bugs and toxins in what they eat, according to new World Health Organisation data that shows food-borne diseases are far more deadly than the U.N. agency previously estimated. Reuters
http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE5AA0CO20091111?sp=true

Evidence mounting but still fuzzy on cell phones, cancer. In the year since a U.S. cancer researcher's warning drew wide attention, more evidence is emerging that long-term cell phone use is associated with cancer, but there's still not a definitive explanation or proof of cause and effect. CNN
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/11/10/cell.phones.cancer.tumors/index.html

In Vietnam only briefly, vet, 61, battles illness. Robert Kwak has a pre-existing condition - serving in the Vietnam War and being exposed to Agent Orange - that led to his recent diagnosis of terminal multiple myeloma. But he will likely die before he can ever prove any such link exists. Merrillville Post-Tribune, Indiana.
http://www.post-trib.com/news/davich/1876236,kwak-vet-1111.article

Bioplastics man. The very characteristics that have made plastic a wild success�extreme durability and resistance to degradation�also make it a huge environmental liability. Oliver Peoples, founder and chief scientific officer of Metabolix, is convinced that there is a natural solution to these myriad problems. Seed Magazine
http://seedmagazine.com/content/article/bioplastics_man/

More news from today
�>150 more stories today, including:
�New microbe map of human body
�H1N1: 4K American swine flu deaths; Asthmatics, diabetics hit harder; Legislation mandates sick leave; Vaccine for Afghan detainees
�Climate: Rising seas will spare some deltas; Ocean as air conditioner; Earth still absorbing CO2
�Stories from UK, Lebanon, S Korea, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, India, Australia, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, Jamaica, Canada
�US stories from NY, NJ, PA, WV, NC, FL, MI, OH, IL, KY, TN, MS, TX, MT, ID, WA, CA
�Smoky air back at Omaha bar
�Editorials: EPA appointment could be coup for clean air; In praise of Yvo de Boer; Misinformation strangling oilsands business

You can also read last weekend's news.

Plus: If you were on vacation last week, don't miss last week's top stories...

Would you like to display the news stories from EnvironmentalHealthNews.org on your own web site? Check out our RSS feeds.

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (28)

#7496

From: Kabir Arora <kabir_khan1989@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 9:12 am
Subject: Environment and Health Public Lecture Series (20th November 2009)

kabir_khan1989@...

Toxics link has been organizing monthly public lecture on different issues related to Health and Environment from around last 8 years, you are cordially invited to November 2009 lecture. lecture is open for everyone, you may confirm your entry simply by replying this mail.

Environment and Health Public Lecture Series Impact of Climate Change on Urbanscape: Sustainability Issue
Film screening followed by panel discussion

Climate change has long-since ceased to be a scientific curiosity, and is no longer just one of many environmental and regulatory concerns. As the United Nations Secretary General has said, it is the major, overriding environmental issue of our time, and the single greatest challenge facing environmental regulators. It is a growing crisis with economic, health and safety, food production, security, and other dimensions that include designing sustainable city forms.

Coastal zones are particularly vulnerable to climate variability and change. Key concerns include sea level rise, land loss, changes in maritime storms and flooding, responses to sea level rise and implications for water resources. Rising sea levels inundate wetlands and other low-lying lands, erode beaches, intensify flooding, and increase the salinity of rivers, bays, and groundwater tables. The impacts of climate change in small islands like the Union Territory of Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea manifests itself in myriad forms.

Today�s crop of city planners and designers strive to achieve sustainable urban development. In other words they try to achieve a balance between the development of the urban areas and protection of the environment with an eye to equity in employment, shelter, infrastructure, transportation and various basic amenities

Film : The Final Tide � Duration 10 minutes by Vikram Mishra

Panelists :

� Dr A.K. Gosain, Head Of Department, Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi

� Dr K.T. Ravindran, Head of Department, Department of Urban Design, School of Planning and Architecture, Delhi

� Mr Vikrm Mishra, Environmental Filmmaker

Date: 20th November 2009, Friday
Time: 6:30 PM
Venue: Conference Room I, India International Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. (In collaboration with India International Centre)

RSVP:

Suparna Dutta: suparna@...
Nitin Jain: nitin@...

For any feedback please write us at feedback@...
Subscribe to our Newsletter and other updates http://toxicslink.org/subs-req.php

Toxics Link
H2, Jungpura Extension
New Delhi - 110014
Tel: +91-(11)-24328006, 24320711
Email: info@...

http://www.toxicslink.org

New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.

#7495

From: "R. Santhanam" <rsanthanam_delhi@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 8:24 am
Subject: One billion hungry petition

rsanthanam_d...

Offline

http://agropedia.iitk.ac.in/?q=content/keshav-krishi-alternative-sustainable-agriculture

Hello!

Pls read and join the online petition. Pass it on to your contacts.

Web site: http://www.1billionhungry.org/

Sincerely,

R. Santhanam

____________________________________________________________________________

Passing on request for signing on to the �1billionhungry� petition.

By lending your voice to this growing global movement, you are helping to send a powerful message to world leaders: it is unacceptable that one billion people live in chronic hunger, and changing this reality should be our top priority. Want to stay involved? Here are some ideas:

Ask your family, friends and colleagues to sign on to the petition at www.1billionhungry.org.
Learn more about hunger in the world by visiting FAO's "Hunger portal": www.fao.org/hunger.
Monitor the global food situation: www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation.
Make a donation to support small-scale community food production projects: getinvolved-donate.fao.org
Follow the Hunger Summit via Web cast and photo galleries, starting 16 November: www.fao.org/wsfs/world-summit/en/

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
for a world without hunger
www.fao.org

#7494

From: <vhjokhi@...>
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2009 2:34 am
Subject: Rs. 32,000 crore lost!

vhjokhi

Offline

Hi prakruti,

How much must we lose before our leaders take action?

Over 5 million people have been left homeless in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh due to extreme rainfall. The colossal loss for both states is being estimated at an unbelievable 32,000 crore rupees! At the same time India is reporting a shortfall of 20 million tonnes in its rice production this year due to droughts in some parts of the country.

These enormous damages to life, property and food security due to the erratic weather will only get worse if we do not take a stand against Climate Change NOW!!!

I have taken a stand today and written to PM Dr. Manmohan Singh asking him to go to Copenhagen and show leadership on this issue which threatens our very existence. I would like to encourage you to do the same.

Click here to write directly to the Prime Minister of India .

thank you

vhjokhi@...

You are receiving this email because someone you know sent it to you from the Greenpeace site. Greenpeace retains no information about individuals contacted through its site, and will not send you further messages without your consent -- although your friends could, of course, send you another message.

#7493

From: Sudhir Gandotra - सुधीर गन्दोत्रा <sudhir@...>
Date: Thu Nov 12, 2009 6:03 pm
Subject: PRESS RELEASE : The Nobel Peace Laureates Summit and Silo: «For a non-violent world» - http://www.nobelforpeace-summits.org/

sgandotra

Offline

Photos - other participants

Press Release - Pressenza

12 November 2009

The Nobel Peace Laureates Summit and Silo: «For a non-violent world»

Ariane Weinberger

Silo, the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, addressed the 10th Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. His talk, “The Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence in the Present Moment,” spoke to the possibility of constructing a Universal Human Nation founded upon a culture of active nonviolence.

3dd4139f5a788cacbd877793c00f97b87d8ba2d0.1280x960

Image by: Miguel Angel Invarato

Silo, 10th Nobel Summit, Berlin

Pressenza
Berlin, 2009-11-12
Silo, the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, today addressed the 10th Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, which was held in Berlin in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall. Silo‘s talk, “The Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence in the Present Moment,” spoke to the possibility of constructing a Universal Human Nation founded upon a culture of active nonviolence. He was introduced by Mairead Corrigan Maguire, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1976 for her mediation work between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland.

Silo described the present situation in the world as “extremely complex,” characterized by a growing nuclear threat, a resurgent arms race, widespread poverty and the clash of cultures, and a crisis of the international financial system. In his view, these are not isolated crises, however, “but rather a picture that reveals the global failure of a system whose method of action is violence and whose central value is money.” In particular, Silo denounced the irresponsible interests of the world’s nuclear powers and the madness of violent groups with possible access to nuclear weapons, which have put the entire planet at risk of an accident or confrontation of disastrous proportions.

The way out of this crisis, he insisted, is to create global awareness of peace and disarmament. “But it is also necessary,” he went on, “to awaken a consciousness of Active Nonviolence that allows us to reject not only physical violence, but all forms of economic, racial, psychological, and gender violence.” Here he cited the importance of exemplary social actions that permit broad participation, illustrated by the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, an unprecedented social mobilization that was initiated on October 2nd and is involving one million people in 100 countries on 6 continents. “For the first time in history an event of this magnitude has been put in motion by the participants themselves,” Silo said. “The true strength of this impulse is born in the simple act of one who, out of conscience, joins a dignified cause and shares it with others.”

Silo was joined on the stage by Rafael de la Rubia, spokesperson for the World March, and together they were presented with the Summit’s own “Charter for a World Without Violence” by Corrigan Maguire. Silo promised, in the name of the Humanist Movement and its affiliated organizations, to be emissaries for the Charter and to disseminate it widely through the World March, urging world leaders to adhere to its proposals of nonviolence.

****************************************************************

In the following location we are uploading the Berlin videos subtitled in different languages:

http://www.loshumanistas.tv/archivos.php?path=pressenza%2Fberlin/

You can find the English, Russian, Portuguese, Danish and German low resolution versions and the English high resolution version of the 30 second spot.
*********************************************************************

Full text of Silo's speech:

The Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence in the Present Moment. The World March.

Mario Rodríguez Cobos, Silo

The following is the complete text of Silo's speech made at the Tenth World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates that took place November 11, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. After an introduction by Irish pacifist and Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Silo spoke as the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

54a38f76b1df5fae5c3951bb77948a3bd43558c2.1280x960

Image by: Miguel Angel Invarato

Silo en la Cumbre de los Premios Nóbeles de la Paz

A march is crossing the world. The March for Peace and Nonviolence.

It is as the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March that I would like to speak briefly to the forum. The March has galvanized numerous initiatives and activities, such as the symbolic journey of a team of enthusiasts who, having begun on October 2nd in Wellington, New Zealand, are traveling for three months through a number of countries until the conclusion on January 2nd, 2010 at the foot of Mount Aconcagua in Punta de Vacas, midway between Argentina and Chile.

The March was launched at the Symposium of the World Center of Humanist Studies, at the Park of Study and Reflection in Punta de Vacas on the 15th of November 2008, one year ago, with the clear intention of creating awareness of the dangerous global situation in which we are living, which is marked by, an increased probability of nuclear conflict, by the arms race, and by violent territorial military occupations.

This proposed social mobilization is galvanized by the Humanist Movement and its organizations. In only a few months, the World March has the support of thousands of people, groups supporting pacifism and nonviolence, various institutions working for human rights, and important figures who are sensitive to the urgencies of the moment, from the worlds of science, culture, and politics. It has also inspired an enormous number of initiatives in over 100 countries, forming a rapidly growing phenomenon of cultural diversity. In this vein I must report that the initial core team has been joined by another that is travelling through various countries of the Middle East and a third that is doing the same in Central America...

We know very well that in all latitudes the current situation is critical and characterized by poverty across vast regions, by the clash of cultures, and by the violence and discrimination that contaminates daily life for large segments of the population. Today there are armed conflicts in numerous points, and simultaneously a profound crisis in the international financial system. On top of all this is the growing nuclear threat, which is certainly the greatest emergency of our time. It’s an extremely complex situation. To the irresponsible interests of nuclear powers, and the madness of violent groups with possible access to compact nuclear weapons, we must also add the risk of an accident that could unleash a devastating conflict.

All of that is not the sum of individual crises, but rather a picture that reveals the global failure of a system whose method of action is violence and whose central value is money.

To avoid the nuclear catastrophe that appears to threaten the world in the more or less immediate future, we must work, starting today, to surpass social and personal violence while we call for:

Global nuclear disarmament.
The immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories.
The progressive and proportional reduction of weapons of mass destruction.
The signing of nonaggression treaties between countries, and
The renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts.

The most urgent task is to create awareness of Peace and disarmament. But it is also necessary to awaken a consciousness of Active Nonviolence, which allows us to reject not only physical violence, but all forms of economic, racial, psychological, and gender violence. Of course, we hope that this new sensibility can take root in and inspire social structures, opening a path to the future Universal Human Nation.

The World March calls on all people to join forces and to take into their own hands the responsibility to change our world, overcoming personal violence and supporting the growth of this positive influence in their immediate environment.

During this time many cities and towns are holding marches, festivals, forums, conferences, and other events to raise awareness of the urgent need for Peace and Nonviolence. And throughout the world the campaigns of endorsement of the March are spreading this signal beyond what had been imagined until now.

For the first time in history an event of this magnitude has been put in motion by the participants themselves. The true strength of this impulse is born in the simple act of one who, out of conscience, joins a dignified cause and shares it with others.

During the March and until January of 2010 when the Humanist Movement will be restructured, Rafael de la Rubia, representative of the humanist organization World Without Wars, and the spokespersons for each continent – Michel Ussene for Africa, Sudhir Gandotra for Asia, Giorgio Schultze for Europe, Tomas Hirsch for Latin America, and Chris Wells for North America – have taken on the task of receiving from the Nobel Peace laureates at this Berlin Summit, the “Charter for a World Without Violence” with the commitment to disseminate it in all the countries through which the World March passes.

Precisely in this charter are embodied the principles to which people of good will in all latitudes can subscribe.

Without dwelling too long on this I would like to highlight the ninth principle of the Charter, which says: “We call on the United Nations and its member states to consider means and methods to promote a meaningful appreciation of ethnic, cultural and religious diversity in the multi-ethnic national states. The principle moral for a non-violent world is “Treat others as you want to be treated.”

This moral principle goes beyond all policies and all legalities to establish its preeminence in the human terrain, through the register of our collective recognition that surpasses all calculation and all speculation.

This principle, known since antiquity as the "Golden Rule" of coexistence, is one of the thirteen considered in this wonderful document, which must be widely disseminated.

In addition, we must not let pass some topics that will allow a greater understanding of our activities in the field of Nonviolence. It is evident that the negative preconceptions towards us were born and developed in South America during our sustained, nonviolent struggle against the military dictatorships there. It is clear that the discrimination we suffer in various fields stems from the systematic disinformation and defamation to which we were subject for decades in our home countries, including Argentina and Chile. The dictatorships and their organs of “disinformation” were spinning their web since the times when our activists were prohibited, imprisoned, deported, and killed. Even today, in different latitudes one can examine the persecution we suffer, not only at the hands of fascists but also at the hands of the “sanctimonious pundits” of some sectors. And it should be noted that as our activities have developed, many who recite the word Peace have thrown up their hands in horror, demanding our silence and even lashing out at any group or individual who mentions us publicly.

Even though these insults are a thing of the past, today they continue denigrating nonviolent action, arguing that beyond making declarations nothing more can be done in the face of the “real” powers that determine world situations. To illustrate, let’s look at some cases.

The first concerns the campaigns against mandatory military service carried out a few years ago by Humanists in Argentina.

At that time some maintained that it was impossible to change the law that made military service obligatory. Especially after one and a half million signatures, gathered during a year of activity, were rejected without justification. Then, the Executive Power launched a publicity campaign about how misguided this project was, which would “leave the nation defenseless against possible aggression from neighboring countries.” However, public opinion had been so sensitized that this debate (without mentioning the authors of this project) came to light and the media was its echo. Finally, there came a moment when the President of the Republic signed a "decree annulling compulsory military service," replacing it with voluntary military service. At the time it was said he had taken this measure because a soldier had died in a barracks due to maltreatment. OK so that’s how things are. But it became clear that the long campaign and mobilization of the humanists was not in vain because this arbitrary law was laid to rest.

The other, more recent, case occurred in the Czech Republic.

The so-called "Missile Defense Shield" had been planned since 2002 without the knowledge of the people of the Czech Republic or the European Union. In June of 2006, the Humanist Movement started to promote an alliance of grassroots social and political organizations, which made it clear that 70% of the population was against the missiles. And at the same time that they demanded a referendum, they also asked that the project be suspended given its dangers. Two humanists began a hunger strike, and the protests began to receive the support of nonviolent peace organizations. This kind of protest was maintained for over a year, engaging artists, scholars, scientists, and mayors. Finally, the protest spread to the European Parliament. In March 2009 the government fell, through a confluence of several factors, but popular protests and parliamentary opposition delayed ratification of the treaty between the Czech Republic and the USA. In September 2009, Obama gave up the star wars shield in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Let us now consider two subjects whose social impact is not yet understood.

As we all know, the themes of ecology and environmental protection have taken root in our societies. While some governments and certain stakeholders deny the dangers of neglecting the ecosystem, they are nonetheless being obliged to take progressive steps because of the pressure of a population increasingly concerned about the deterioration of our common home. Even our children are becoming more aware each day of the dangers of the situation. Through the media, and even in the humblest schools, attention is paid to issues of preventing environmental deterioration, and no one can escape these concerns.

But we are considerably behind this when it comes to concern over the issue of violence. What I mean is that the defense of human life and the most basic human rights have not yet taken root at a global and general level. It seems we are still apologists for violence when it comes to arguing that it is for defense, or even "preventive defense," against possible aggression. And even massive destruction of defenseless populations doesn’t seem to horrify us. Only when violence touches us in our civic life through violent crimes do we become alarmed, but we still do not stop glorifying the bad examples that poison our society and children, starting in earliest infancy.

It is clear that neither the idea nor the sensibility that would provoke a profound repudiation and moral disgust that would move us away from the horrors of violence in its various forms have yet to take hold.

For our part, we will make every effort to install in the social environment the validity of the themes of Peace and Nonviolence, and it is clear that the time will come when both individual and mass reactions will be produced. That will be the moment of a radical change in our world.

To conclude my brief remarks I wish to again consider the "Charter for a World Without Violence," proposed by the Nobel Peace Laureates and Nobel Peace Organizations, in order to promote their proposals during the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. We are honored to share its principles in concrete actions of social activity that will surely lead us towards this new world we have mentioned.

Nothing more, thank you very much.

Biography of Silo

Silo, Mario Rodríguez, Hispanic-Argentinean, founder of Universalist Humanism, inspires the World March for Peace and Nonviolence. Since 1969, through gatherings, conferences, seminars and public events, Silo has publicly denounced the growing violence in the world and promoted the need for active nonviolence.

His thought has been expressed in numerous writings – poetic prose, descriptive psychology, short stories, letters, historiological discussions, studies on myth – which address multiple aspects of human life and the process of humanity which is close to an unprecedented turning point.

He has been awarded a degree Honoris Causa by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

From his thought and teachings the Humanist Movement arose and it has implemented the methodology of active nonviolence in social, cultural and political activism through countless grassroots organizations throughout the world.

All his works may be freely accessed at http://www.silo.net.

The above freely for use of the Media, quoting source Pressenza.

-- Sudhir Gandotra
Spokesperson for New Humanism, Asia-Pacific Region
"Working for a Violence-free Asia-Pacific"
Web: http://www.sudhirgandotra.org/
General Secretary - Humanist Party of India
"Education, Peace and Progress for all"
http://humanistparty.org/
World March for Peace & Non-violence
http://www.worldwithoutwars.in
http://www.sudhirgandotra.org/wm-english.ppt
Phone : +91-98101-20918, +91-93124-65666
E-mail: sudhir@...

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#7492

From: Sudhir Gandotra - सुधीर गन्दोत्रा <sudhir@...>
Date: Thu Nov 12, 2009 5:23 pm
Subject: PRESS RELEASE : The Nobel Peace Laureates Summit and Silo: «For a non-violent world» - http://www.nobelforpeace-summits.org/

sgandotra

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Photos - other participants

Press Release - Pressenza

12 November 2009

The Nobel Peace Laureates Summit and Silo: «For a non-violent world»

Ariane Weinberger

Silo, the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March for Peace and Nonviolence, addressed the 10th Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. His talk, “The Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence in the Present Moment,” spoke to the possibility of constructing a Universal Human Nation founded upon a culture of active nonviolence.

Image by: Miguel Angel Invarato

Silo, 10th Nobel Summit, Berlin

****************************************************************

Full text of Silo's speech:

The Meaning of Peace and Nonviolence in the Present Moment. The World March.

Mario Rodríguez Cobos, Silo

The following is the complete text of Silo's speech made at the Tenth World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates that took place November 11, 2009 in Berlin, Germany. After an introduction by Irish pacifist and Nobel Peace Laureate Mairead Corrigan Maguire, Silo spoke as the founder of Universalist Humanism and the inspiration behind the World March for Peace and Nonviolence.

Image by: Miguel Angel Invarato

Silo en la Cumbre de los Premios Nóbeles de la Paz

A march is crossing the world. The March for Peace and Nonviolence.

All of that is not the sum of individual crises, but rather a picture that reveals the global failure of a system whose method of action is violence and whose central value is money.

To avoid the nuclear catastrophe that appears to threaten the world in the more or less immediate future, we must work, starting today, to surpass social and personal violence while we call for:

Global nuclear disarmament.
The immediate withdrawal of invading troops from occupied territories.
The progressive and proportional reduction of weapons of mass destruction.
The signing of nonaggression treaties between countries, and
The renunciation by governments of the use of war as a means to resolve conflicts.

Precisely in this charter are embodied the principles to which people of good will in all latitudes can subscribe.

This principle, known since antiquity as the "Golden Rule" of coexistence, is one of the thirteen considered in this wonderful document, which must be widely disseminated.

The first concerns the campaigns against mandatory military service carried out a few years ago by Humanists in Argentina.

The other, more recent, case occurred in the Czech Republic.

Let us now consider two subjects whose social impact is not yet understood.

Nothing more, thank you very much.

Biography of Silo

He has been awarded a degree Honoris Causa by the Russian Academy of Sciences.

All his works may be freely accessed at http://www.silo.net.

The above freely for use of the Media, quoting source Pressenza.

-- Sudhir Gandotra
Spokesperson for New Humanism, Asia-Pacific Region
"Working for a Violence-free Asia-Pacific"
Web: http://www.sudhirgandotra.org/
General Secretary - Humanist Party of India
"Education, Peace and Progress for all"
http://humanistparty.org/
World March for Peace & Non-violence
http://www.worldwithoutwars.in
http://www.sudhirgandotra.org/wm-english.ppt
Phone : +91-98101-20918, +91-93124-65666
E-mail: sudhir@...

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (3)

#7491

From: Krishna VG Thambu <iscop_cbe@...>
Date: Thu Nov 12, 2009 8:31 am
Subject: Re: Researchers Explore Growing Ocean Garbage Patches - NYTimes.com

iscop_cbe

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Dear Vispi Jokhi,

Greetings. Thanks for the mail on Growing Ocean Garbage Patches, It is indeed nice to know that researchers are exploring the ocean garbage patch details; however, much serious efforts are needed to solve the Garbage Problem on ocean as well as land. I am sure that developed countries would provide more funds in solving the problem of accumulated plastic wastes. We can pray for useful results.

Kind regards,

Secretary, ISCOP, Coimbatore.

--- On Wed, 11/11/09, Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...> wrote:

From: Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...>
Subject: [prakruti] Researchers Explore Growing Ocean Garbage Patches - NYTimes.com
To:
Date: Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 12:22 PM

http://www.nytimes. com/2009/ 11/10/science/ 10patch.html? _r=1

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

#7490

From: Krishna VG Thambu <iscop_cbe@...>
Date: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:18 pm
Subject: Fw: [accosa] Fw: Fw: India is Richest now!!!!!!

iscop_cbe

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Forwarded.

ISCOP, Coimbatore.

--- On Wed, 11/11/09, Oblisami G <profdroblisami@...> wrote:

From: Oblisami G <profdroblisami@...>
Subject: Fw: [accosa] Fw: Fw: India is Richest now!!!!!!
To: "ISCOP CBE" <iscop_cbe@...>
Date: Wednesday, 11 November, 2009, 8:21 AM

Forwarded

G.Oblisami, Coimbatore.

--- On Tue, 10/11/09, Muthu Rangarajan <muthuranga@...> wrote:

From: Muthu Rangarajan <muthuranga@...>
Subject: [accosa] Fw: Fw: India is Richest now!!!!!!
To: accosa@yahoogroups.com, chelliahs@...
Cc: mbalasubramanian2002@..., shivakumhar02@...
Date: Tuesday, 10 November, 2009, 5:05 PM

Note: Forwarded message attached

-- Original Message --

From: ranganathan rajagopal wgcdrranga@yahoo. co.in
To: undisclosed recipients: ;
Subject: Fw: India is Richest now!!!!!!

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Kannan Srinivasa <lord_skay@...>
To: Air Cdre Ramaswamy <rama200a@...>; Bhushan Kalyan <bhushankalyaan@...>; Gopika Kannan <gopika.kannan@...>; j.john brian <erc_brian@...>; Mythily Srinivasan <mythilys@...>; priya Venkateswaran <priyakam@...>; Ranganathan Rajagopal <wgcdrranga@...>; sucherita <sucharitar@...>; Uma Kannan <nolapani@...>; vani hardev <vani.hardev@...>
Sent: Tue, 10 November, 2009 11:40:45 AM
Subject: Fw: India is Richest now!!!!!!

---

From: Peter.Subbu@...

Sent: 09 November 2009 18:40 hrs BST
To: Friends

Subject: India is Richest now!!!!!!

Subject: Fwd: India is Richest now!!!!!!

Presently, India is the richest country in the world ! Wondering how? It's really amazing.

(1) It's due to Mr. G Vaidyaraj, who donated all his wealth, about which he actually did not know.

He is a descendent of Raja Krishnadev Raya from Mysore district.

For the last 300 years or so, three stones were worshipped in his house.But nobody tried to see what it was, except this person, who is a
lawyer by profession. One day, when there was nobody in his house, he took the stone out to see what it was that they worship.
Due to the dust deposited on it, from many many years, it looked only like a simple stone.
But when he touched it, some portion of the stone was cleansed.
And he saw a bright ray of light.
He saw something which attracted his attention. And he was amazed when he cleaned all of them.The whole room was filled with light.
He discovered they were diamonds of about 4600 carats each.

He informed the Govt. of India and the news is censored with its security.
It's now deposited in a Swiss Bank.
The cost of single diamond exceeds the GDP of USA + UK .

Even World Bank does not have enough money to buy it.
India can buy virtually 7 developing nations.

One diamond costs thrice the debt of World Bank over India .

One such diamond can buy 10 Bill Gates to you.
And the World Bank has proposed the Indian Govt. that it can pay India in Installment if it wishes to do so.

India 's GDP is 34.25 billion dollars.

Bill Gates property is 95 billion dollars approximate so that is the way 'nature changes'.

Our Prime Minister has refused to sell it.

He said it will be sold or mortgaged for credit when we need it. Otherwise right now we have no problems.

You can go through Times of India with a small column on it a week ago.

Star TV presented a 115 min documentary on it about 15 days ago.

The Hindu with its half page article in it.

After that it was censored as classified.

(2) Another good news is that in the Desert of Thar a deposit of Oil and
Natural gas have been found.. This stores what Kuwait has in its stomach.

India can go with this ONGC energy reserve with another 30 years.
And moreover it can export it to other counties.
It's incredible!! But true.

(3) An Indian boy in his 12th standard has disproved Einstein's 'Theory of Relativity'.
Shocked? Read on...

Sudarshan Reddy has theoretically proven the existence of a sub-atomic particle, which can travel at speed greater than that of light, thereby challenging one of the fundamental postulates of the 'Theory of Relativity'.

In his recent research paper submitted to the Institute of Advanced Physics (IAP) at Trieste ( Italy ), Sudarshan has proved the existence of a class of sub-atomic particles called leptons', which can travel faster than light.
The international physics community is shocked by this discovery.

Dr.Massimo Martelli, President of the IAP has this to say about the paper submitted by Sudarshan. 'After long, careful and critical analysis, I can confidently say that Sudarshan's research papers show tremendous leap in our understanding of physics. His investigation
mounts up on 'leptons'... His work builds substantially on the work of Einstein and others in the field of relativity.'
When physicists from Princeton University tried to measure Sudarshan's IQ with an IQ-meter (at the American Embassy in Delhi ), the meter broke down.
Sudarshan, incidentally, is the brother of Madhu Reddy, the Indian whiz kid who developed an operating system superior to Microsoft Windows.
We should all be very proud of these boys.

Please forward this email to as many Indians and also the Americans who think Indians are Poor !!! .....Jai Hind !!!!

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

#7489

From: Vispi Jokhi <vhjokhi@...>
Date: Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:22 pm
Subject: Researchers Explore Growing Ocean Garbage Patches - NYTimes.com

vhjokhi

Offline

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/science/10patch.html?_r=1

#7488

From: Krishnaraj Rao <sahasipadyatri@...>
Date: Tue Nov 10, 2009 4:10 am
Subject: Re: my web site PILWRIT.ORG

sahasipadyatri@...

Very nice, very attractive website, Sundeep.

�

Sincere compliments,
Krish

On Tue, Nov 10, 2009 at 8:02 AM, Sundeep Jalan <sundeep_jalan@...> wrote:

�

�

may pls visit my web site http://www.pilwrit.org/

--
--
iN APPRECIATION,
Sandeep Jalan.

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

#7487

From: "Dr.B.K.Sharma" <Gwalior.Hospital@...>
Date: Tue Nov 10, 2009 3:41 am
Subject: In memory of Rev. John Bradley , Our patron. http://www.justgiving.com/Snehalaya-thehomewithlove-Rev-Bradley

Gwalior.Hospital@...

Dear friends and supporters,

It is with great sadness, we inform you that our Patron Rev. John Bradley (RIP) passed away suddenly on 12th Aug. 09 following a massive heart attack. It is an irreparable loss to me personally as well to our work by this charity. John had supported me althroughout since inception of this charity (in fact even before this charity was officially registered in UK in 1997) with fund raising, by publicising its needs as well by volunteering at Gwalior helping us to provide for poor, disabled and destitute children in India, bringing it to this stage details on www.helpchildrenofindia.org.uk

We know that John will live with us forever. To make it better and befit his thoughts, we have decided to make a pucca road to connect Snehalaya to the main road and name the road after Rev. John Bradley. It will cost �10000 (US$ 17500 or Rs. eight lakhs). We have made a fund raising page on justgiving exclusively for this purpose and we are sure you will be generous and contribute maximum to this cause. You can donate now using your credit or debit cards by clicking this link at http://www.justgiving.com/Snehalaya-thehomewithlove-Rev-Bradley

Please ask all your friends and associates to help us in this endeavour. For any reasons if you prefer to contribute otherwise, please send your cheques made to "Gwalior Childrens Hospital Charity- in memory of Rev. John Bradley" to our address at 14, Magdalene Road, Walsall, West Midlands. WS1 3TA (U.K.). Please do not hesitate to ask for any questions or further information if desired, thanks for your support, with regards,

Dr.B.K.Sharma,
For Gwalior Childrens Charity (formerly known as Gwalior Childrens Hospital - Regd. Charity No. 1063694), Snehalaya Trust & GHECT (India),
14,Magdalene Road, Walsall, West Midlands. WS1 3TA (U.K.)
Tel. +44(0)1922 629842 Fax. 01922 632942 Mobile. 07729929982 (send sms if not answering or phone 00919425113822, I am possibly in India).
Email: Gwalior.Hospital@...

(alternative e mail: snehalaya.gwalior@...)
Website: www.helpchildrenofindia.org.uk and updates on http://gchvols.pbwiki.com

If you like to know details for work carried out from 1998 to 2007 and for reference visit, www.gwalior.hospital.care4free.net

To help and provide for poor, underprivileged, disabled and destitute esp. Children, Women and The Aged of Gwalior and Chambal region, one of the most deprived regions in India. All donations in UK, USA and India are exempted for tax as per rules of the country. Any help in cash or kind or by any means, however small is much appreciated. You can donate on line now visiting our website and click on 'donate'. We welcome volunteers from all walks of life from their own place or to work with us in India to help us in this Endeavour, including students and trainees. Just ask us.

Disclaimer:

You are getting this mail from us as a supporter for GCHC having shown an interest for this work. If you do not want to receive updates or news from us, please reply with request to remove your name from our mailing list of supporters. Thanks for your help and support.

#7486

From: Sundeep Jalan <sundeep_jalan@...>
Date: Tue Nov 10, 2009 2:32 am
Subject: my web site PILWRIT.ORG

sundeep_jalan

Offline

may pls visit my web site http://www.pilwrit.org/

--
--
iN APPRECIATION,
Sandeep Jalan.

The INTERNET now has a personality. YOURS! See your Yahoo! Homepage.

#7485

From: "kraig carroll" <thehavens@...>
Date: Mon Nov 9, 2009 5:36 pm
Subject: Fw: from "thehavens" a place of healing and repair! We have ONE EARTH !

thehavens@...

----- Original Message -----

From: kraig carroll

To: stopthepoisons@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 12:35 PM

Subject: Fw: from "thehavens" a place of healing and repair! We have ONE EARTH !

The more I dig into Shirley's old files, the more good stuff I find. This piece is the opening , in her words, of "thehavens" [a place of healing and repair] website she created in our search for the "cure" for her, from the toxic chemically induced, type 1 diabetes that dominated and finally ended her life! I hope to have the site up and operational again before long, along with the "rest" of her amazing story!

Kraig L. Carroll

We have ONE EARTH !
It belongs to each of us
Let us make sure our children have an Earth
to live and prosper in also

And a merchant said, Speak to us of Buying and Selling,
And he answered and said:
To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but
know how to fill your hands. It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth
that you shall find abundance and be satisfied. Yet unless the exchange be
in love and kindly justice, it will lead some to greed and others to
hunger. -- Kahlil Gibran from "The Prophet"

Five years ago [ now 14+ years ago] a diagnosis of breast cancer seemed to threaten our existence. Instead it has enriched our ilfe. What we have experienced since is a miracle - a blessing that continues each day!!!

#7484

From: Rishi Aggarwal <rishiagg@...>
Date: Mon Nov 9, 2009 2:52 pm
Subject: Come join me on Mumbai Environmental Social Network

lceag

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