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POPSWhat Ideas Will Shape our Future? The 10 Ideas of the 21st Century "More than money, more than politics, ideas are the secret power that this planet runs on." "The 21st century will overturn many of our basic assumptions about economic life. The 20th century saw the end of European dominance of global politics and economics. The 21st century will see the end of American dominance too, as new powers make their voices heard on the world stage." "The challenges of sustainable development—protecting the environment, stabilizing the world's population, narrowing the gaps of rich and poor and ending extreme poverty—will render passé the very idea of competing nation-states that scramble for markets, power and resources." "The defining challenge of the 21st century will be to face the reality that humanity shares a common fate on a crowded planet." "6.6 billion people living in an interconnected global economy producing an astounding $60 trillion of output each year."
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POPSInsect genes to make crops drip lube. We've found chemicals for use in industry and health in plants, fungi, and bacteria, but the insects rule the planet, and some of the poisons,venoms,pheromones, antibiotics, and other defensive chemicals, produced by insects, designed through natural selection, over millions of years, are perfect for specific tasks, while we struggle with artificial substitutes. There are billions of undiscovered insect chemicals, many will give us a greater insight into chemical engineering, materials sciences, and protein construction, Some will be so exotic, that they will cause the creation of new threads, even new scientific fields.. All we have to do is look - before we leap.
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POPSNo, Not Fat-Free, BPA-Free It's been a day since the US Department of Health and Human Services National Toxicology Program released a draft evaluation of bisphenol A, acknowledging that the chemical may pose a health threat to infants and children. And as the NY Times reported yesterday, the Canadian government is likely about to declare the chemical, commonly used in plastic baby bottles and cans (food and soda), toxic. Not surprisingly, I'm already getting pitches about BPA-free products, which are sure to see a boost in sales in the coming months. As a new mom and a health reporter, I became aware about many researchers' concerns about BPA last year while working on a story. I have to admit that it frightened me. Whatever the truth is about how big a threat BPA poses, I'm guessing few parents want to risk their babies' health while waiting for further study results. These days, a BPA-free label means a whole lot more to me than most nutrition labels.
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POPSOestrogen may help treat shizophrenia I wonder sometimes if there are more than a few conditions with similar symptoms all tagged bipolar or schizophrenia. There are symptoms observed by the treating doctor, which can be qualified by an interview with the patient who is generally not in a state to give an objective description. Often the questions can be suggestive, and the answers can depend on whether the patient is prepared to co-operate, or be contrary. This study does point to an imbalance that can occur as a matter of course, and may show that many cases of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, are not necessarily unusual, hereditary or chronic but can strike due to something as simple as an unbalanced diet, sleep deprivation, or a hormone deficiency. An unbalanced lifestyle can throw our minds off balance. It's all part of the same unit. Mind Body and soul
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POPSDEET messes with mosquito 'nose' Known as an insect repellent, Scientists were not sure how it worked until now. DEET does not so much repel mosquitoes and ticks which are attracted to carbon dioxide, and other human odors which give a signal that there is a blood supply somewhere, It masks these signals so the mosquitoes go and look for their blood supply somewhere else. DEET has been available to the to the public,for over 50 years and is an active ingredient in many insect repellents, but adverse health effects have been noted such as rashes and seizures, is toxic to some marine species. The risk of DEET side effects are generally rare and must be matched with the risk of mosquito borne disease. Advice is given to avoid using on broken skin, and to wash off if no longer needed. The standard warning on an insect repellent can. I've always found that any itch or sting from an insect repellent is better than the itch of a mosquito bite.
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POPSStingray beats burgers any day
I know what they mean. Remember home cook food? No? Anything made at home beats takeaway hands down. For a start you know exactly what goes into it. Second you can choose your own ingredients, and cook what you feel like. People forget how when the Australian Aboriginals lived off the land there was an almost limitless variety of foods, that could be gathered in different seasons, They managed to survive this way for around 80,000 years. of course many of their traditional sources have become limited or endangered, and the advent of 'civilization' has meant much of this traditional knowledge is being lost. There is a man named Major (retired Army)Les Hiddins, also known as the 'Bush Tucker Man' who has written several books about Australian Native foods still in the bush. They are big books, with hundreds of examples and have photographs and locations, but as Australia is becoming more and more mined, fished and cultivated more and more sources are disappearing.
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POPSAirport noise lifts blood pressure as you sleep I heard once that in some places they solved two problems at once by building an airport in a relatively remote area. They reduced the noise over populated areas, and a transport industry developed between the airport, and the city. (as if the city isn't loud enough anyway) I live under a flight path, and the planes don't bother me. I remember a line in the Blues Brothers, When Jake (John Belushi) said to Elroy(Dan Akroyd) regarding the nearby railway line "There seem to be a lot of trains going by, don't they bother you?" Elroy "So many you won't even notice"- or something like that
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POPSThe Winter Health Threat The studies on the importance of vitamin D - the sunshine vitamin - just keep coming. This Seattle Times article highlights, among others, a recent study of 1,700 Boston-area residents, which showed that the rates of heart attack, stroke and heart failure were about 50 percent higher in those with low levels of vitamin D. But are you convinced that it's time to start taking a vitamin D supplement?
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POPSMiddle age truly depressing says study They were amazed at the constancy, but it is not inevitable. The fact that it is the half way point may be a factor, and the fact that many dreams of youth are no longer possible eg too old to repay a home loan. No doubt there are those who have had more realistic dreams. Experience can shatter many illusions. There is the bright side in that after a point people can realize they are too old to dream, and start living each day as though it is a bonus. What worries me is after being classified as depression, there can be a determination to classify it as an 'illness' or a 'syndrome' that can be remedied with medication, to the point where people become depressed without the medications (which can often be addictive) Often the only thing that is needed is time. After realizing you're 'over the hill' it is a matter of accepting the inevitable, and making the most of the ride.
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POPSBlack Death 'discriminated' between victims While many apparently healthy people died, the black death was more likely to kill people people in poor health, poor nutrition, or with compromised immune systems. While this sounds obvious there seems to have been the allusion that the black death killed whoever it crossed. No doubt there were people in good health who had an immune system that was capable with dealing with it
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POPSThreat To Medicines From Plant Extinctions The world's most widely-used cancer drug, is Paclitaxel, which is derived from the bark of several species of yew tree. Its complex chemical structure and biological function has so far made it impossible to produce artificially. ----- 80 per cent of the global population - rely on traditional plant-based medicine as their primary form of healthcare. -----
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POPSBotswana Confirms cases of resistant TB Tuberculosis testing facilities in southern Africa, exist in Botswana, and South Africa. The resistant Tuberculosis has been found in both places. They have no idea how many cases exist beyond these two countries. Considering the lack of testing and treatment facilities, the number is likely to be significant.
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POPS8 U.S. immigrant escapees DEAD: Virus free. Attempt to escape to China fails. Health scare scaled down. Birth place not certain. Over Taiwan is one possibility. Honolulu disown mice. Chicago claims a mouse could not get by its clapped-out body searcher or dog sniffer.
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POPSDoctors without borders Also known as Medecins Sans Frontieres they take health care where it is needed, anywhere in the world. Politics is not an issue. They provide medical care, and health services to people who are victims of war, starvation and disease, who otherwise would have had no hope.
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POPSMedical clinics expanding care to needy In the same way there can be a food pantry for the needy, so health care can be provided. There are free clinics, but the uninsured aren't as likely to go there for health problems. When they need food, they are also given a checkup targeting things like high blood pressure and diabetes. The principle of Medicine is to heal the sick regardless of position. Doctors cannot be expected to heal the poor. They should do it voluntarily, because they became Doctors to heal people. There are clearly Doctors who still believe this is a fundamental principle.
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POPSMaine law on Prescription Data overturned The judgement claimed the first amendment right to free speech to justify the decision. The law had been challenged by companies that collect and sell Medical statistics and details. They claim it will improve treatment facilities, and make drugs cheaper ??? -(and be a fundamental contributor to their means of making a profit. The bottom line. Now you can't tell your doctor anything in confidence. How's that for free speech. It won't be long before the priests and doctors are wired. It would be nice if the Administration was subject to the same scrutiny.
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POPSW.H.O. Urges vigilance as Bird Flu Spreads They are still waiting for the first case of human to human transmission, but there is the problem that many of the affected areas are remote, and far from medical facilities, so there can be a gap in communication, and action, and the disease can spread before action is taken. There is also the no-doubt crippling effect of having total populations of poultry destroyed for the sake of containing the disease, when they can be a communities primary source of food and income.
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POPSStudy: Monthly fasting may help heart The monthly cycle is based on a Mormon fasting ritual, once a month. Seems like a kind of Detox. The period does not seem as important, as the practice of relieving the body of toxins and fats among other things, that are part of the average high carbohydrate, processed food diets, that our systems still have trouble dealing with. Giving the digestive system a 'break' and some 'recovery time'.
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POPSLandmark heart study expands to genetics A study that has been going on for three generations, or 60 years. The study is noted for it's duration, and findings such as cigarettes, cholesterol, and high blood pressure, contribute to heart disease, and physical exercise is one of the things that reduces it
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POPSTB - Tuberculosis - dreaded past plague or next one? So you thought TB, like Polio had been eradicated? Not! Wrong on both counts. The "terror" that the world's political leaders should be actively worried and working on to provide security for their peoples are the ancient terrors of disease and hunger! Security from those terrors would be better protection from those who might want to recruit your people to become a "terrorist."
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POPSWorld's coal dependency hits environment. Where do the products go, that the energy from coal in China is used to make? When China burns coal the damage is obvious, and it contributes to the pollution and global warming effects. All over the world including the U.S. The Chinese are using the U.S. as a Role Model. and Chinese coal use cannot deny the use of coal in other parts of the world including the U.S., particularly the per capita use. The Pollution? All toxins that are released into the environment, are being evenly distributed around the world. While there are 'hot spots' as time passes tests in the most unexpected places in the world are giving the same positive results. Chinese Acid rain and heavy metal pollution no doubt falls on other countries. as do the same pollutants in the U.S.
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POPSChanges ahead for Medicare drug program They want to ensure the stability of the drug companies, and health insurance companies. There is also a mention something called 'pingponging' that is described as something that should be prevented. I'm sure this suggests the practice of people who change their insurance company because they've found a better deal. Competition obviously causes trouble from people who make little contribution to profit. They don't want to sell Health insurance to someone who is likely to be sick.
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