The Riverman Reports - Inc. Huttz World

Thursday, March 04, 2010

The spectre of eugenics raises its insidious face in New Zealand...

Chris Ford writes: The pronouncement by Act NZ MP David Garrett that he would like to see abusive mothers paid an incentive to sterilise themselves has exposed the New Right's hidden agenda towards the poorest sections of our society.

While the Act Party have publicly distanced themselves from Garrett's comments, I would go so far as to say that this exposes the real eugenics agenda on the part of some prominent individuals on the New Right. Indeed it was during the Industrial Revolution in the nineteenth century that eugenics caught on as a means of exerting control over the ability of so-called 'undesirable' people, namely, the poor, disabled people, people with mental illness, sex workers and those experiencing drug and alcohol addiction, etc, to reproduce children.

The first person to espouse eugenic theories at great length was the British scientist Sir Francis Galton who drew on the work of his half-cousin Charles Darwin (the father of modern evolutionary theory). Eugenic theories caught the attention of both neo-classical theorists on the right and (sadly) some early socialists on the left. Therefore, eugenics attracted the support of people across the ideological spectrum during that period including Sydney and Beatrice Webb (early Fabian socialists), Peter Fraser (Labour Prime Minister of New Zealand), John Maynard Keynes (liberal economist), Marie Stopes (one of the world's first family planning advocates) and most notoriously Adolf Hitler (Nazi German dictator).

Each of these individuals believed in the application of eugenic theories to contain certain 'undesirable' sectors of the population. For example, the Nazi German programme of genocide against the Jewish, ethnic minority, disabled and gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities in Germany and Occupied Europe was one of the most well known eugenics programmes of its kind. However, those otherwise great exponents of social democracy, the Swedes, continued with their own eugenics programme until 1975. Other countries (including New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Canada) through the promotion of low level policies of social control over indigenous peoples, ethnic minorities and disabled and mentally ill people continued to apply eugenic theories, albeit, on a smaller scale until the mid-1970s.

But back to covering the real reasons behind the emergence of eugenics. Nascent capitalist societies in the pre-Welfare State era, such as Britain, New Zealand and Australia, saw a burgeoning in the numbers of poor and unemployed people. This was due to the inherently fickle, cyclical nature of capitalism and the introduction of new mass production techniques which saw many groups considered to be previously economically valuable in the pre-industrial age such as, for example, disabled people, cast out into the margins of society due to the rise of unemployment and underemployment. In those times as well, the notion grew up of the need to classify the poor into two convenient categories, the so-called 'deserving' and 'un-deserving' poor. The bourgeois (wealthy) and petty bourgeois (middle class) were encouraged to dispense charitable aid to the 'deserving poor' who were seen as people with the ability to motivate themselves back into lowly paid work. The 'undeserving poor' who constituted people within the abovenamed groups were left to fend for themselves as best they could and through, for example, the near mass institutionalisation of disabled people and those with mental illness, they were sometimes completely excluded from society altogether. The ultimate hope was that many would die as a result and no longer be a burden upon the bourgeoisie and many sadly did.

The modern broad left has largely discarded eugenics and has placed greater emphasis on improving the social and economic status of marginalised groups such as single parents, disabled people, people with mental illness and those living in extreme poverty. On the other hand, the New Right and some of their supporters continue to cling onto some notions of eugenics in order to scapegoat unpopular minority groups who are viewed on the right as the new 'undeserving' poor. These include indigenous groups ( for example, Maori and Aboriginal peoples), ethnic minorities (who mostly hail from immigrant backgrounds) and single parents, amongst others. With the emergence of the New Right and their neoclassical agenda of shrinking the size of the state, there has been a need to scapegoat these and other groups. This has been done in order to popularly advance free market economic and social agendas which have seen the rise of social inequality. Therefore, it's a pretty easy shot to call for the sterilisation of criminals, drug users and violent single mothers. It gets the talkback lines humming, it gets the letter writers clicking pen and clacking keyboard, it gets the bloggers (like me) debating the issues in cyberspace.

But the 'dog whistle' code is there for those who are most receptive to it. With David Garrett's call think Maori. Think Pacific Island. Think state house. Think 'poor white/brown trash'. Think welfare bludger. Think social parasite. Garrett and his right wing ilk (who include such luminaries as Paul Henry, Michael Laws, etc, who have all been known to make similar comments) find it easy to plant these ideas into the popular subconsciousness.

Therefore, eugenics hasn't completely died off in the 21st century. It is alive and well. To exploit a terrible and real issue like intergenerational child abuse in this way is wrong. What is really needed to address this issue are anti-poverty programmes; social support for all parents across the socio-economic spectrum that recognises the value of raising children; violence prevention, drug and alcohol counselling and parenting courses for those deemed most at risk of perpetrating intergenerational abuse; and ongoing support from adequately funded state and community agencies for this at-risk group.

The reality though is is that Garrett and other right wingers of their ilk don't want to pay more taxes to do this. They are more interested in propagating seemingly easy fix solutions like offering one-off bribes to the poor to control their reproductive ability. They would, therefore, deny the right of people to seek help in order to become better parents. After all, we want a violence free world for all our kids - and it isn't going to be achieved by what is, on the face of it, a highly racially discriminatory solution.

Acknowledgements: Chris Ford: Read here

Wednesday, March 03, 2010

More than a thousand activists and experts attended this week's Fourth World Congress...

Image by Cowtools via Flickr

GENEVA, Feb 25 (IPS) - More than 1,000 activists and experts attending this week's Fourth World Congress Against the Death Penalty in this Swiss city are building a network of cooperation to support local organisations campaigning for human rights in countries that retain capital punishment.

One-third of the world's countries still apply the death sentence, and 1,290 persons were executed in 2008, according to Amnesty International (AI).

Nevertheless, there was marked global progress towards abolition of the death penalty in 2008, said the London-based rights watchdog.

In fact a real change in the history of the death penalty has occurred over the last 30 years, said Mario Marazziti, spokesman for the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Rome-based organisation that promotes international relations founded on human rights and North-South interdependence.

Back in the 1970s, only 23 countries had abolished the death penalty, by removing it from the statute books or ceasing to practice it, whereas today United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reports that 141 nations have taken this step, or 139 countries according to AI, said Marazziti.

The discrepancy arises because "specialist organisations may have access to confidential information that one or two executions have been carried out in a couple of countries, without any publicity," so there is doubt about the status of one or two countries, the Italian expert said.

So "we have around 140 countries without the death penalty, out of 192 in the world," said Marazziti, who added that the figures "indicate a real acceleration in at least the past 20 years."

As well as strengthening an international support network for those campaigning against court-ordered executions, the World Congress, which ends Friday, is planning a common strategy for the U.N. General Assembly session in December that is due to discuss a resolution for a moratorium on the death penalty.

An appropriate strategy must include simultaneous action in every region of the world, Marazziti told IPS. The Community of Sant'Egidio is calling on South Africa, Russia and Brazil to commit themselves to this effort, and help bring in other players like Mexico and Chile, he said.

That way, it cannot be argued that this is a European initiative, or the product of a single school of thought. It will be a demand made by the whole world, the expert said.

Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of Spain, which currently holds the EU rotating presidency, confirmed that he will push for approval of the death penalty moratorium resolution at the U.N. General Assembly.

Opening the World Congress on Wednesday, Zapatero said his government wishes to establish an International Commission Against the Death Penalty. Such a body would be a great help in securing universal application of an effective moratorium by 2015, as a step towards total abolition, he said.

The year 2015 was not chosen at random: it coincides with the deadline approved in 2000 by U.N. member countries for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which set targets for slashing hunger, poverty and disease and improving education, health, equality and preservation of the environment.

"As well as slavery and torture, the death penalty must be consigned to history. It's a barbaric and old-fashioned way of interpreting justice," said Marazziti.

"I think the MDGs mean that life must be respected under any circumstances, even when there is suspicion of a crime," he said. "I want that to be respected, because not all the MDGs are respected."

The countries where the most executions took place in 2008 included China (1,718), Iran (346), Saudi Arabia (102), the United States (37), Pakistan (36), Iraq (34), Vietnam (19), Afghanistan (17), and North Korea and Japan (15 each).

Changes are happening in the United States, Marazziti said. Even in the state of Texas, where there is a high level of support for the death penalty, "only eight new death sentences were handed down in 2009 whereas the previous annual average was 48. And (the states of) New Jersey and New Mexico have abolished the death penalty within the last two years," he added.

In China, two things have happened. "The Supreme Court removed the power to pass death sentences from the local courts two years ago, and observers said that this should bring about a reduction of up to 30 percent in new death sentences," he said.

And a few days ago, "the Supreme Court published official guidelines instructing tribunals not to give the death penalty except for very heinous crimes or crimes against the state. So, this is another good sign," Marazziti said.

Last month, Mongolia abolished the death penalty. Uzbekistan had already done so, and Kazakhstan has eliminated it for ordinary crimes.

Marazziti highlighted the cases of Cambodia, Rwanda and Burundi, "three countries that have really suffered the last three big genocides in contemporary history, yet feel that only without the death penalty can a reconciliation process be started in their societies. Otherwise revenge, and the thirst for revenge, will never end."

These countries' abolition of capital punishment is "a very symbolic and meaningful step that can be an answer to those countries that say: 'We have a high level of violence, we need the death penalty'," he stressed.

"I think that we are experiencing a positive trend to eradicate the death penalty in the world," said the Italian expert.

Originally many African societies did not have the death penalty. It arrived hand in hand with colonialism, because African nations copied European constitutions and many other customs, he pointed out.

But on this issue, Africa is now changing faster than the other continents, he concluded.

One World Net

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Monday, March 01, 2010

Chile earthquake toll expected to surpass 1,000...

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News | International2 Mar 2010 17:06| ho

Chile quake toll expected to pass 1,000:

The official quake death toll in Chile is over 700, but that is expected to soon pass 1,000 as more bodies are discovered

A World Vision worker in Chile is predicting a dramatic rise in the earthquake's death toll.

The official count is just over 700, but rescuers are making grim discoveries by the hour and say the toll could hit 1,000 soon.

Michael Black from the aid agency in the capital Santiago says it is still difficult to communicate with the worst hit town of Concepcion, with telecommunications down and roads torn up.

"The Pan-American Highway that connects Chile from north to south is cut down in several places. Both the airports, in Santiago and the main airport in Concepcion, are severely damaged and down."

World Vision works with between 25,000 and 30,000 children in the region, and the only way to find out what is happening to them in the worst hit city of Concepcion is to fly in by helicopter. Mr Black says looting has become a very serious issue.

"Last night the Government decided to call for a curfew. As of 9pm there were 1,500 military forces in the city of Concepcion guarding especially supermarkets."

Residents have no electricity, no water and no food. Even if they have money, there is nowhere to buy food. Mr Black says World Vision hopes it can start getting food and water in by tomorrow.

New Zealand businessman and motorcycle adventurer Gareth Morgan has arrived in the Chilean capital of Santiago. He says despite the city being quite away from the epicentre, it has suffered a lot of damage, with infrastructure hit hard, particularly water supplies.

"Pedestrian walkways across the motorways have all collapsed. So they're all lying on their side. You see four storey retail buildings with the whole front just fallen off."

Mr Morgan is now heading to Concepcion, but says the roads are so badly damaged it may not be possible.

Officials are now trying to contact 20 New Zealanders thought to be in Chile and not heard from since the earthquake. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has contacted around around 250 others to confirm they are safe. It says communication networks in Chile remain disrupted but are improving.

Acknowledgements: 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

One World Net

Monday, February 22, 2010

The Balibo Five - A New Zealand perspective...

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The Balibo Five - A New Zealand Perspective...

The Balibo Five as they have become known were a group of journalists working on assignment for an Australian television channel, Channel Seven. There were five in the initial group who were shot, gunned down, executed by Indonesian troops, or caught in a crossfire between them and rebels. Just who were the insurgents has ben a matter of opinion for decades. There was another journalist who came to investigate the missing journalists, who was also killed in the area. It has been claimed also that Indonesian troops responsible for the deaths were special forces troops whose role was to prepare the ground for the actual invasion forces. President Suharto allegedly did not want flags or identification markings on these particular troops.That has to be treated as hearsay evidence at this stage until the current enquiry proves otherwise.

The Balibo Five comprised two Australian and two British journalists and a New Zealnd cameraman, Gary Cunningham. It has been claimed the five men were killed to prevent them from reporting to the outside world the prevalent abuse of local Timorese citizens by Indonesian special forces troops.

What has followed for the family of Gary Cunningham has been three decades of injustice, lack of information, and a shameful lack of action by the New Zealand Government. The latter has, for reasons of their own, failed to give a satisfactory account of the Balibo Five massacre. Successive administrations apparently just shelved all information concerning the late Gary Cunningham and his colleagues over many years. Australians were also denied the facts starting with former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam's denial. An existing Australian investigation should soon make these facts available. The Indonesians are also bemused by the apparent inaction over the years.

Gary Cunningham's family has been frustrated over many years by the failure of apparent gutless New Zealand Government administrations to reveal the truth they were, undoubtably, well aware of. A memorial to the late Gary Cunningham will be installed at Charles Plimmer Park, Mount Victoria, in the New Zealand capital, Wellington City. Mr Cunningham lived in Wellington until he ws 21 years old. A commemorative plaque, park bench and tree will comprise the memorial at the park. Gary's late father Jim, died in 2001 and would undoubtably be pleased with the memorial.

An Indonesian Committee for Human Rights, Maire Leadbeater, who organised the memorial with the Media Freedom Committee secretary, reportedly called Gary Cunningham a "true hero". To the East TImorese people he is a martyr.

A war crimes investigation was carried out by the Australian Federal police last year and what has been described as a "powerful film", Balibo, was released on Feb 18 2010, this year.

It is hoped the local memorial would provoke some action from the so-far gutless New Zealand government, which has not been any better than its predecessors and has turned its back on this incident, and should at least give some public recognition, something shared by Wellington City mayor, Kerry Prentergast - but as they say, don't hold your breath!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

The Untold Story of the Balibo Five: A killing field in East Timor

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The Untold Story Of The Balibo Five

The depressing saga of Australian efforts to establish the fate of the five Australia-based TV reporters killed in Balibo illustrates the bind that Australian diplomats had created for themselves.

They knew Indonesian forces carried out the attack on Balibo and had been warned by Harry Tjan, the director of the quasi-academic think tank that was their key source of information on Indonesia's intentions towards Portuguese Timor. But they wouldn't say so publicly, for fear of cutting off their source and jeopardising relations with Jakarta.

Death Of "Balibo Five" Was Premeditated War Crime 20/11/2007
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On October 13, 1975, Tjan told the Australian embassy in Jakarta that Indonesian forces were finally about to enter the territory.

The main thrust would begin on October 15, through Balibo and Maliana/Atsabe. President Suharto had insisted "no Indonesian flag" be used, giving Jakarta the cloak of deniability.

Portuguese Timor's ordeal was about to enter a new and terrible phase. The five journalists had little more than two days to live.

In Canberra on October 15, Timor dominated Prime Minister Gough Whitlam's discussions with visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Abdul Razak. Whitlam complained of biased Australian media reporting. The trouble was the reporters had easy access to Dili and Baucau, he said, but didn't go to the border areas, so they gave a one-sided picture. The five reporters, now in Balibo on the border, had only hours to live.

On the morning of October 16, Indonesian troops disguised as Timorese anti-Fretilin forces attacked Balibo. The five reporters were killed.

In the documents released yesterday, the first reference to the journalists' fate is a transcript of an ABC news item on October 17, reporting the journalists were missing. The transcript was sent to the embassy in Jakarta, requesting urgent inquiries. So began extraordinary efforts by Australian diplomats to establish what happened to the journalists, which at times bordered on farcical charade.

As well as not wanting to jeopardise their Indonesian sources, the diplomats wouldn't compromise more secret sources. It is known Australian intelligence agencies that intercepted Indonesian radio traffic were aware of the deaths on October 16, and that the Federal Government was informed that night. All references to intelligence material have been expunged from the documents.

On October 17, when Gerald Stone of Channel Nine rang the embassy asking

if it had more information on the journalists, he was told nothing more was available.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry and Tjan both told the embassy that any information on Balibo would have to come from anti-Fretilin forces, in line with the fiction that Jakarta was not involved in the Balibo operation. "We said we understood this completely," the embassy said in a cable on October 17.

The following day ambassador Richard Woolcott cabled Canberra: "As you will know (half a line of intelligence material is expunged) it now appears likely that at least four and possible all five of the Australian journalists were killed in the fighting in and around Balibo."

If true, this was a "sad and dreadful development".

The cable made no other reference to remorse for the journalists or their families. Rather, Woolcott was concerned about the risk of "serious consequences" if Australian public opinion was inflamed "if it appears that Australian casualties are the result of Indonesian intervention".

The cable went on to shift blame for the reporters' fate, pointing the finger at Canberra's responsibility to alert Australians to the dangers of the border area.

Woolcott's cable prompted a stinging response from Foreign Affairs head Alan Renouf, who replied personally, complaining about the "tone and language", which was "quite inappropriate and is resented here".

On October 19, Woolcott had a frosty encounter with Indonesian Foreign Minister Adam Malik, who was angry and dismissive. Any information on the journalists would have to come from anti-Fretilin forces, not Indonesia,

and he raised the question of whether the journalists had worn Fretilin uniforms.

In the following weeks, Australian diplomats engaged in a fruitless and humiliating series of representations with Jakarta officials, seeking some confirmation on the fate of the journalists that could satisfy distraught families and an increasing alarmed Australian public.

On October 20, Tjan told the embassy that four bodies had been found at Balibo. The embassy passed on the information to Canberra but, because of the source, warned it should not be used in any public statements.

Daily the embassy contacted the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, which daily held out hopes for information. "Each day we are disappointed," the embassy reported on October 23.

The embassy suspected information on the "missing" journalists could be produced at the "drop of a hat", but said "influential elements", apparently the BAKIN intelligence agency, "are clearly preventing us from receiving it".

Eleven days after the reporters' deaths, a BAKIN officer told the embassy they were dead, but this could not be publicly released as it would imply Indonesian involvement in the Balibo attack.

Final confirmation of their deaths, if not how they died, came on November 12, when Woolcott met Lieutenant-General Yoga Sugama, head of BAKIN, who handed over four boxes of remains. The embassy doctor "confirmed to the best of his knowledge they were human remains".

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE: http://www.pmw.c2o.org

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Chinese schools linked to hack attacks on Google...

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Chinese schools deny links to hack attacks on Google...

Two days after a New York Times report linked two Chinese schools to hack attacks on Google and other Silicon Valley companies, both schools are denying those claims.

Security experts traced the attacks to computers at Shanghai Jiaotong University and Lanxiang Vocational School, The New York Times reported Thursday. But on Saturday, according to the Associated Press, China's official Xinhua News Agency cited a representative of the university calling the accusations "baseless" and an official from the vocational school saying its investigation turned up no evidence the intrusions originated on school machines.

Shanghai Jiaotong University is known for its computer science program. The Lanxiang Vocational School was established with military support, according to the Times, and trains computer scientists for the military.

Google announced January 12 that e-mail accounts belonging to human rights activists in China had been compromised in "a highly sophisticated and targeted attack" probably originating in China. The company said it discovered the attacks in mid-December.

The revelations led the search giant to announce that it would stop censoring search results in China and possibly back out of the Chinese market altogether--a proclamation that underscored the troubled history, and uncertain future, for Internet companies doing business in China.

After warning of strained U.S.-China relations, China denied involvement in the attacks, and investigations by experts including the National Security Agency have only led to servers in Taiwan, the Times says. Findings implicating the Chinese schools in the intrusions could be a breakthrough in the case, though they don't automatically mean the attacks came from the Chinese government (sources have said it is typically difficult to find evidence specifically leading back to Chinese officials in computer attacks)--or even from Chinese sources.

Li Zixiang, the Communist party official speaking for Lanxiang school, disputed the Times report that evidence linked the attacks to a specific computer science class taught by a Ukrainian. "We have never employed any foreign staff," Xinhua quoted Li as saying. Another school official challenged the Times' statement that Lanxiang has close ties to the military, saying that students may join the military after graduating but are not required to.
Leslie Katz, senior editor of CNET's Crave, covers gadgets, games, and most other digital distractions. As a co-host of the CNET News Daily Podcast, she sometimes tries to channel Terry

Monday, February 15, 2010

Lowering the drinking age down to 18 years in New Zealand was a mistake...

Image via Wikipedia

Most New Zealanders think lowering the drinking age to 18 a decade ago has had a negative impact on society, a Research New Zealand poll has found.

Three-quarters of the poll's 500 respondents said changing the drinking age had had a negative effect, five percent said it had a positive effect, and 17 percent said it had no effect at all.

Older people and higher income households were most likely to say lowering the drinking age had a negative effect.

Respondents were split down the middle on whether they agreed with the recommendation of a report by the Law Commission in July of a split purchasing age, where 18-year-olds could buy alcohol at bars and restaurants but had to be 20 to buy it at stores.

Fifty-one percent agreed with the recommendation while 46 percent disagreed.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents agreed with another commission recommendation – that anyone found drunk in a public place should receive an instant fine.

The drinking age was controversially lowered from 20 to 18 in 1999 and since then attempts to reverse the decision have failed.

Commission president Sir Geoffrey Palmer released a discussion paper in late July with a raft of recommendations for liquor law reform to be studied by ministers.

"New Zealand has some serious problems with the use of alcohol," he said.

"Not everyone drinks in a manner that is harmful but the consequences of harmful drinking affect us all."

Sir Geoffrey said the evidence indicated heavy drinking and drunkenness were generating the most acute harm.

He wanted public submissions on the discussion paper over the next three months.

The commission's recommendations would have a significant impact on liquor laws if the Government decided to implement some or all of them.

They include:

* Increase excise tax overall on alcohol or reduce it for low-alcohol products;

* Set a minimum price below which alcohol products can't be sold – a measure being developed in Scotland;

* Splitting the purchase age, leaving it at 18 for on-licence and raising it to 20 for off-licence;

* Making it an offence for an adult to supply liquor to a young person unless it is at a private social gathering, and the adult has the consent of the young person's parent or guardian;

* Putting the Liquor Licensing Authority under a District Court judge and increasing its powers to monitor trends and obtain data;

* Strengthen law enforcement by giving senior police officers the power to close bars; and

* Consider making it an infringement offence to drink in a public place

Saturday, February 13, 2010

huttriver - Lower Hutt, New Zealand

THE KIWI RIVERMAN POST

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Brain Day 2010: Unlock the secrets of your brain:

Mark 20 March 9am-4pm in your diary as the day you get practical tips to encourage optimum brain health for yourself and brain development for your children. All for free!

The Centre for Brain Research and the Neurological Foundation are to present a free public open day as part of International Brain Awareness Week.

Neuroscientists, clinicians and community groups invite the public to learn more about everyone's greatest asset, their brain. As well as the pratical tips seminar, the event features talks from New Zealand's leading brain experts discussing the latest research and treatment trials for brain health and disease.

Visit a science lab

The Science Lab is a rare treat for children and families, offering free science experiments and demonstrations. Practising psychologists, clinicians and neuroscientists will encourage hands-on interaction for kids - and big kids too! Fun sensory games, brain teasers and activities will round the experience off.

A Community Expo will provide advice and support for people living with brain and sensory disorders. Around 20 community support groups will be on hand to answer any questions families and whānau may have. See the full list of lectures and community groups.

Where is it being held?

The University of Auckland Business School, Owen G Glenn Building, 12 Grafton Road, Auckland. Easily accessible, Serviced by public bus services 50, 348, 487 and LINK Undercover parking for $5 all day.

The event is organised by the Centre for Brain Research at The University of Auckland in association with the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand.

More about brain disorders

It's estimated that one in five New Zealanders will suffer from brain disease in their lifetimes. Disorders such as stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and deafness affect hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders every year.

Neurological diseases are among the top five most common causes of death and long-term disability. The cost to families and society, both financially and socially, is enormous.

It is not until you have a family member sufering fro mental illness, you become aware and sympathetic to the needs of those with various mental disorders.

Sunday, February 07, 2010

The Empty Chair...

The following story touched me so much I decided it would be the feature story for the week here at THE KIWI RIVERMAN POST. Please enjoy it as much as I did:

A man’s daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit.....

“I guess you were expecting me,” he said.

“No, who are you?”

“I’m the new associate at your local church,” the pastor replied.

“When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up.”

“Oh yeah, the chair,” said the bedridden man. “Would you mind closing the door?”

Puzzled, the pastor shut the door.

“I’ve never told anyone this, not even my daughter,” said the man.

“But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about
prayer, but it always went right over my head..”

“I abandoned any attempt at prayer,” the old man continued, “until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, ‘Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here’s what I suggest. Sit down on a chair, place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It’s not spooky because he promised, ‘I’ll be with you always.’ Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you’re doing with me right now.”

“So, I tried it and I’ve liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I’m careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she’d either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm.”

The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church.

Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon.

“Did he seem to die in peace?” he asked.

“Yes, when I left the house around two o’clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, In fact, beyond strange-kinda weird.

Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed.”

Unknown Author

Acknowledgements: THE OLD GEEZERHere

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Haiti is undoubtably the poorest country in the world - deliberate policies of IMF, World Bank, and Multinationals made it so...

Working together and on behalf of the United States, Great Britain, France, and other western countries, a conglomerate of multinational banks has imposed economic, social, and political policies on Haiti deliberately intended to keep the nation poor, according to a Jan. 2010 report by Richard Kim of National Public Radio.
“Haiti's vulnerability to natural disasters, its food shortages, poverty, deforestation and lack of infrastructure, are not accidental. To say that it is the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere is to miss the point; Haiti was made poor … by the IMF and the World Bank,” Kim said.
Historically, Haiti was once a slave colony of France before a revolt in 1804 led to the nation’s independence. However, as a condition of their freedom, the liberated Haitians agreed to pay 150 million francs in reparations to their former slave owners in France to prevent embargos against Haiti. “In order to do that, they borrowed millions from French banks and then from the US and Germany ... (B)y 1900, Haiti was spending 80 percent of its national budget on repayments,” Kim said.
It took Haiti 122 years to pay off the total compounded debt of 90 million francs—valued at more than $21 billion in 2003 dollars—which was not settled until 1947, Kim said.

Building a Global Economy After World War II
Enter the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).
The IMF and the World Bank emerged from international negotiations held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, following the end of Word War II in 1944.
“The IMF was originally charged with providing a stable monetary system that would promote world trade, while the (World Bank) was founded to aid in the reconstruction of Western Europe,” according to a 2002 World Bank Report from the Solidarity Center.
By comparison, the Inter-American Development Bank, also headquartered in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1959 to support energy, transportation, telecommunications, agriculture, urban development and health care projects. The IDB—the largest multilateral lender in the Americas—has provided $140 billion in loans and grants to governments and private corporations in 26 Latin American and Caribbean nations, according to a report by Food and Water Watch.
“IDB investments are approved by its shareholders, the 21 member nations that provide funds. With 30 percent of the shares, the United States is the bank’s largest single shareholder. Collectively, the borrowing nations hold just over 50 percent of the voting power. The United States owns three times as many shares as the next-largest individual shareholders, Argentina and Brazil. It makes the US the most influential member country and awards the United States executive veto power over IDB decisions,” reported Food and Water Watch.
Although the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank may outwardly appear to be three different lending institutions, they are all controlled by the same multinational corporations, according to a 2009 article by Will Petrik of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs.
“(T)he power structure of these financial institutions is quite similar, and their lending policies have traditionally been informed by neoliberal ideology. Inevitably, the social, economic and political contracts these banks imposed on recipient nations also have been quite similar from country to country in the region,” Petrik said.
Haiti first borrowed money from the international development banks during the 1980s, according to a 1993 report from the National Labor Committee titled "Haiti After the Coup: Sweatshops or Real Development?"
Economic After-Shocks of Natural Disaster
Following the massive earthquake that struck the island on Jan. 12, the IMF has approved a $100 million loan to Haiti--to be added to the country’s current $165 million debt to the bank.
However, in order to get the new funds, the Haitian government must raise prices for electricity, refuse pay increases to all public employees except those making minimum wage, and keep inflation low. “In other words, in the face of this latest tragedy, the IMF is still using crisis and debt as leverage to compel neoliberal reforms,” Kim said.
“A 2008 report from the Center for International Policy points out that in 2003, Haiti spent $57.4 million to service its debt, while total foreign assistance for education, health care and other services was a mere $39.21 million,” Kim said.
Haiti currently owes the Inter-American Development Bank about 13 percent of its annual gross domestic product (GDP), reported Dan Beeton of the Global Policy Forum. $429 million of the country’s current debt of $891 million—which accumulated from 2004 onward—is held by IDB. Haiti is scheduled to make $10 million in payments to IDB next year, Kim said.
Recently, the IMF and the World Bank forgave about $1.2 billion of Haiti’s debt. Before the debt cancellation, the Haitian government was paying $1 million a week to service the loans, according to a report released June 23, 2008, by the Robert F. KennedyRobert F. KennedyRobert F. KennedyRobert F. Kennedy Memorial Center, Partners In Health, and the Center of Human Rights and Justice.
“Massive debt has precluded spending on desperately needed infrastructure projects. In 2003, for example, Haiti’s debt service was $57.4 million; the Haitian government’s combined budget for education, health care, environment, and transportation was $39.21 million. Meanwhile, the Haitian people continued to endure crushing poverty, which has been exacerbated by the failure to disburse the IDB loans,” reported Tom Spoth in 2008.
Coerced Globalist Policies
In order to receive loans from the IMF, World Bank, or the Inter-American Development Bank, debtor nations are required to implement a variety of neoliberal social, economic, and political policies—including forced downsizing and privatization of state-owned industries, higher interest rates, and cuts in social spending.
These "strict conditionalities" established by the IMF, known as Structural Adjustment Policies (SAPs), “gave the IMF enormous influence over domestic economic policies in borrowing nations, as it was essentially the 'gatekeeper' for access to foreign credit. The SAPs included implementing fiscal austerity (including public social spending cuts), higher interest rates, the privatization of state owned industries, and rapid liberalization of capital and commercial markets,” Petrik said.
On Sept. 8, 1995, Haitian Prime Minister Smarck Michel announced Haiti’s continued commitment to privatize nine state-owned companies—including Haiti’s flour mill, a cement factory, its air and seaports, telephone exchanges, and electricity. The forced privatization was one of the conditions to receive $170 million in structural adjustment loans from the IMF, World Bank, IDB, and European Union—part of a five-year, $1.2-billion aid program, reported Inter-Press Service in 1995.
“The support of the international financial institutions for economic reform and progress in countries around the world has always been conditioned on measures to ensure that the money is able to be put to good use and is not simply wasted,’’ said Al GoreAl GoreAl GoreAl GoreAl Gore during a visit to Haiti in October 1995 as vice president under Bill ClintonBill ClintonBill ClintonBill ClintonBill Clinton, reported Dan Coughlin of Inter Press Service on Oct. 16, 1995.
Gore’s visit coincided with the arrival of UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali to discuss the continuation of a UN presence in Haiti scheduled to end February 1996. At the time of Boutros Boutros Ghali’s visit, the UN had a military force of 6,000 on the ground in Haiti, plus a team of observers, Coughlin said.

Acknowledgements: Ken Boyte

Read further

Saturday, January 23, 2010

THE DISCLOSURE PROJECT - TRUE OR FALSE - YOU BE THE JUDGE

Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence

The Disclosure Project

Steven M. Greer, MD, Director and Founder

www.DisclosureProject.org www.CSETI.org

Copyright 2009 Steven M. Greer, M.D.

Dear Friends of Disclosure,

Nine months after the inauguration of a new and potentially transformative American President, we await significant progress on official Disclosure on the UFO/ET subject. While the UK, France, Denmark, Brazil and other countries around the world have increasingly opened their official government files, the US is found lagging behind her sister nations.

This is, in large part, because - up until now - the President has been denied access to such files. The so-called Majestic group illegally compartmentalized their secret operations away from Presidential and Congressional oversight. This secret, satellite government, which is transnational and answers only to itself, must now answer to the people and to this new President.

As you can see from the attached summary of the Special Presidential Briefing (SPB) that we have provided to the President and to his senior military and intelligence team, the full Briefing contains detailed information on the projects, project code numbers, names, corporations, locations etc., associated with the UFO/ET subject. (The full briefing is too lengthy to release at this time.) In short, the President now has the key information that he needs to act. The President must now engage in executive action to oversee, control, and direct these operations for the benefit of the American people and the world.

This SPB has also been provided to the head of state of at least one G7 country, senior members of Congress, and other key government officials via known and reliable points of contact (POCs) directly to these leaders.

Now it is time for we, the people, to be heard! Please write to these leaders and ask that they act NOW, as they are sworn to do, on our behalf. Please write to the President, to your two US Senators, and to your member of Congress and ask:

That President Obama investigate the matter, gain proper control over these operations, end for once and forever the secrecy surrounding the UFO subject, and work with other nations to quickly coordinate an official Disclosure;

That President Obama stand-down any covert offensive targeting of ET spacecraft;

That President Obama, working with other leaders around the world, initiate open, peaceful Contact with these Extraterrestrial Civilizations;

That President Obama move swiftly to release the Earth-saving new energy technologies contained within these illegal covert Majestic programs so that we may be freed from the death grip that oil, gas, coal, and nuclear energy have on the planet;

That the Congress hold open, secrecy-free hearings on these matters immediately.
If you are or know of a reliable, bona fide POC to a member of Congress, or other senior government official in the US or other country, who would like the full Briefing, please let us know.

The President was elected with the vision of transformative change. Nothing would so transform the world as the ending of this secrecy, peaceful open contact with the Extraterrestrial Civilizations visiting Earth and the release of these wondrous new energy technologies for peaceful energy generation. In just a few years, the world will be made anew.

Thank you for acting NOW to ensure the good future that most assuredly awaits humanity.

Steven M. Greer, MD
Director
CSETI and The Disclosure Project

White House phone number: 202-456-1111
White House fax number: 202-456-2461
Email: president@whitehouse.gov or comments@whitehouse.gov
Address:

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500

U.S. Senators - http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
U.S. Congress - http://www.house.gov/

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL BRIEFING

FOR

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

THIS BRIEFING CONTAINS SENSITIVE INFORMATION INTENDED FOR POTUS

BRIEFING DEVELOPED BY

STEVEN M. GREER MD

DIRECTOR

THE DISCLOSURE PROJECT

WWW.DISCLOSUREPROJECT.ORG

"Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change."

Robert F. Kennedy 1966 Speech

"No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it."

Albert Einstein

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence

The Disclosure Project

Steven M. Greer, MD, Director and Founder

www.DisclosureProject.org www.CSETI.org

Copyright 2009 Steven M. Greer, M.D.

January 23, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Since the mid-1950s, classified projects connected to extraterrestrial matters have operated outside of constitutionally required oversight and control by the President and Congress. This constitutes a grave and ongoing threat to US national security and global security and peace.

The implications of this subject are such that no aspect of life on Earth will be unaffected by its Disclosure. We are acutely aware that this subject is highly controversial and suffers from great social opprobrium within certain elite circles and within the mainstream media.

Indeed, secrecy on the subject has, in part, been maintained by a carefully orchestrated psychological nexus of ridicule, fear, intimidation and disinformation that makes it difficult for any public figure to openly address the matter.

Moreover, the 'bubble' of security and access restrictions that surround the Office of the President makes it very difficult for POTUS to receive accurate information and advice on the subject. The consequences of this secrecy, combined with the psychological aspects mentioned above, have ensured that none of your predecessors have been able to effectively manage this problem. This has led to an unacknowledged crisis that will be the greatest of your Presidency.

Because of this misguided secrecy, the wondrous new sciences related to advanced energy generation, propulsion and transportation have been withheld from the people. These advances include the generation of limitless clean energy from the so-called zero point energy field and quantum vacuum flux field from the space around us, and propulsion that has been termed (incorrectly) anti-gravity. The field of electromagnetic energy that is teeming all around us and which is embedded within the fabric of space/time can easily run all of the energy needs of the Earth - without pollution, oil, gas, coal, centralized utilities or nuclear power.

The disclosure of these sciences and their wise application during your first term as President is the most pressing matter before you. These sciences will create a true new energy economy allowing mankind to solve our most pressing problems of global warming, poverty and resource depletion.

The constellation of problems that include global warming, biosphere degradation, air pollution, energy security, Mid-East policy, a collapsing geo-economic order, growing disparity between the poor and rich of the world, over-population and human sustainability on Earth, to name but a few, are all interconnected and directly affected by the secrecy surrounding this subject. The solutions lie not in old thinking and technologies but in a new consciousness applying new sciences. These sciences were born in the late 19th and 20th centuries but were abandoned and suppressed due to the lust for power, greed and out of fear of unsettling the status quo.

It is time for a new Emancipation Declaration - one that frees all of humanity from the shackles of economic slavery that results from secret centralized power, corruption and global economic hegemony. The world will not find justice and peace so long as half of the world's population lives in poverty while the other half cannibalizes the Earth to maintain its standard of living. This dire situation can and must be transformed into a world of abundance, clean and plentiful energy and genuine sustainability. On this foundation, with these new sciences, technologies and a new consciousness, we can move forward as a people, united and in peace. Then and only then will we be welcome amongst the other civilizations of the cosmos.

That we are not alone in the universe is now a scientific given. That we have been visited already by advanced civilizations - whose interests here are likely ancient - is controversial. However, in my discussions with European, Vatican, Canadian and other leaders around the world, a growing consensus exists that we have been visited and the time for disclosing this information is long past due. More importantly, an appropriate diplomatic initiative is needed to communicate with these extraterrestrial visitors within a framework of universal peace, free from the past dominance of militarism and paranoia.

Insofar as upwards of 80% of the American people think that 'UFOs' are real, and that some aspect of the government is lying to them about it, continued secrecy redounds only to the benefit of the precious few who profit from such secrecy. This secrecy undermines the credibility of the US and other governments, and allows the cancer of unchecked covert power - forewarned by President Eisenhower in his last address to the nation - to metastasize throughout the world. It now threatens the very life of Earth.

Moreover, there exists a secret, 'unacknowledged' operation that has used very advanced electromagnetic weapon systems to track, target, and on occasion, but with increasing accuracy, down extraterrestrial vehicles. This reckless behavior constitutes an existential threat to all of mankind and must be reined in immediately.

The so-called MJ-12 or Majestic group that controls this subject operates without the consent of the people, or the oversight of the President and Congress. It functions as a transnational government unto itself, answerable to no one. All checks and balances have been obliterated. While as a governing entity it stands outside of the rule of law, its influence reaches into many governments, corporations, agencies, media and financial interests. Its corrupting influence is profound and, indeed, it has operated as a very powerful and embedded global RICO whose power to date remains unchecked.

Upwards of $100 billion of USG funds go annually into this operation, also known as the 'black budget' of the United States - enough to provide universal health care to every man, woman and child in America.

When I first briefed Director of Central Intelligence James Woolsey on this matter in December of 1993, only a third of this governing group was in favor of what we were recommending: Disclosure of the fact that we are not alone in the universe and the careful release of advanced energy generation systems that would replace oil, gas, coal and nuclear power. Sources now inform me that upwards of two-thirds of this group now support such an initiative.

Interests in Europe, the Vatican and Asia, especially France and China, are urging Disclosure. If the United States does not move forward, these other interests will, and America will be left behind and become increasingly irrelevant in the world. This cannot be allowed to happen.

The European and Asian arenas will move with or without US involvement at some point in the very near future, as well they should. Six decades of secrecy is enough.

We are also morally obliged to warn you of an existing highly secretive plan to use advanced technologies to hoax an 'alien attack' on Earth. There exists within the direct control of this Majestic group assets capable of launching such a false flag operation and virtually every person on Earth, as well as most leaders, would be deceived by it. Components of this operation have been tested on the public over the past 50 years and include, but are not limited to:

Alien Reproduction Vehicles (ARVs) - these are advanced anti-gravity aircraft that have been fully operational since at least the late 1950s to early 1960s. Many so-called UFO reports by civilians and military personnel are of such ARVs. They constitute an unacknowledged or 'black' Air Force and these ARVs are capable of extraordinary speed, maneuverability and lift/hover. By 2009, these technologies had gone through many generations of refinement and, if deployed, could easily hoax or simulate an Extraterrestrial Vehicle (ETV). (Note that a UFO is a nonspecific term and could be either an ARV or an ETV.)

Programmed Life Forms (PLFs) - these are well-crafted alien-appearing creatures that, while completely manmade, often deceive unknowing people as 'aliens'. The stagecraft, genetics and other sciences associated with these creatures are beyond the scope of this brief, but are very well developed. I have personally been briefed by multiple independent corroborating sources regarding the development and deployment of PLFs. These creatures, used in conjunction with ARVs, have convincingly launched the pop culture fervor over 'alien abductions'. Victims of such paramilitary human-controlled abductions genuinely believe that they have been abducted by 'aliens' and often have physical stigmata and 'implants' to prove it. These implants are also manmade and we have information about the laboratory and corporation making these items. (See attached documents)

Chemical, optical and electromagnetic systems to assist with creating an alteration in awareness are components of the 'stagecraft' used to hoax an 'alien' event.
The vast majority of information in the public domain on the UFO subject is, therefore, carefully orchestrated disinformation designed to prepare the populace, as well as our leaders, for a non-existent 'alien threat'. The psychological warfare implications of this were described in the 1950s in CIA documents and are further elucidated by other documents and testimony. No less a figure than Wernher Von Braun warned of this cosmic deception.

The objective of such a false flag operation is the creation of an enemy in space that would unite the world behind a global military power against such an 'alien threat'. President Reagan and other leaders have been targeted with such disinformation, which is designed to secure their silence or cooperation with the agenda of secrecy and space weaponization. The President needs to be careful to avoid being similarly deceived.

After very careful review of all data and documents and after interviewing hundreds of top secret witnesses, we have concluded that the actual extraterrestrial presence is distinctly non-hostile. In light of the reckless and aggressive nature of many of our covert military actions and the extraordinarily advanced technologies that permit interstellar travel by these extraterrestrial civilizations, if they were hostile, human civilization would have been dealt with decisively at the dawn of the nuclear era.

These visitors, however, appear to be very concerned with unchecked human hostility, war-making and weapons of mass destruction, combined with our early potential for space travel. The tendency for people to engage in anthropocentric projection leads many to assume a threat where none exists. It is more likely that humanity may be seen as a threat to the cosmic order, insofar as we have failed to restrain the expansion of weapons of mass destruction while attempting to push farther and farther into space. Moreover, we have failed to initiate an enlightened and peaceful diplomatic mission to these extraterrestrial visitors. This needs to change immediately.

Disclosure of this subject must be very carefully planned and positioned as a hopeful and elevating moment in human history. A poorly positioned Disclosure that demonizes these visitors or frightens the public may prove more harmful than secrecy.

As you may know, my uncle was the senior project engineer who worked on the Lunar Module that took Neil Armstrong to the moon. The reason we were not welcome in space then is because the passport to traverse the universe is a stable peaceful world civilization that will go into space united and in peace.

In this regard, world peace and universal peace are two sides of the same coin. Once we vow to live peacefully on Earth and go into space only in peace, we will be welcome with open arms. Until then, a type of cosmic quarantine exists - rightly - around the Earth.

Unfortunately, the media and movie industry are highly penetrated by interests loyal to the Majestic group, which has used the media to, in turns, ridicule the subject and present terrifying images of 'alien invasion'. In short, the populace is almost thoroughly brainwashed on the matter, and this presents a further hurdle that must be carefully taken into account when planning Disclosure.

Nevertheless, the status quo can no longer hold and fundamental change is urgently needed. To this end, we urge the President to undertake a number of initiatives as soon as possible. We recommend that the President:

Appoint a Special Presidential Task Force to investigate this matter, identify covert facilities and assets (see attached summary) and reassert Executive control over these projects;

Identify and immediately stand-down operations that are covertly targeting Extraterrestrial Vehicles, weaponizing space and engaging in rogue disinformation projects;

Develop response plans to minimize the risks related to potential false flag operations that intend to hoax a hostile 'alien' presence, including preparations with military, intelligence and international institutions;

Form The Council on Interplanetary Relations to coordinate a peaceful, forward looking and non-militarized response to the extraterrestrial presence. The Center for the Study of Extraterrestrial Intelligence (see www.CSETI.org) has an 18 year ongoing project to establish such contact and can assist with this process. CSETI, working with other governments and world figures, will form such a Council if the US government decides not to do so within the next 12 months;

Immediately fund the study, development and careful release of those new energy technologies that can quickly replace fossil fuels and nuclear power. (See www.TheOrionProject.org). Note that these technologies, since they acquire energy from the zero point energy field of space/time, will allow for the retirement of the electric energy grid. We are in possession of documents and information regarding key facilities and assets connected to these technologies (see attached documents). We recommend that the propulsion and transportation aspects of these technologies (electro-magneto-gravitic systems) be released at a later time when the world security situation has improved;

Establish high-ranking liaisons with Congress, the UN and other governments to coordinate these projects and the release of the new energy technologies;

The National Security Council needs to form a section specifically addressing the international, interplanetary and macroeconomic implications of this disclosure and urgently prepare for the release of these technologies;

The Orion Project (www.TheOrionProject.org) has identified key scientists to assist with the development of these new energy technologies. They have agreed to work with us, but are being prevented from doing so, one by a compartmented operation (TS SCI) to which he is assigned. We request an action by the Office of the President to specifically permit them to work with us with the full support and protection of the President. We cannot over-emphasize how important it is that these people be assigned to this critical task: In less than 1 year, we would have new energy generators developed to run America free from oil, gas, coal or nuclear power.

President Obama, we stand ready to assist you and your Administration with these and other tasks, and pledge to you our full support. I will personally fulfill any request from your office with the utmost integrity, discretion and confidentiality.

Please be assured of my heartfelt prayers on your behalf for your guidance, protection and success as you begin your historic role as President of the United States.

Respectfully,

Steven M. Greer, MD
Director
The Disclosure Project

The Disclosure Project Here

Friday, January 22, 2010

Weeding out Marijuana - to create drug-free Cannabis Plants...

In a first step toward engineering a drug-free Cannabis plant for hemp fiber and oil, University of Minnesota researchers have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in marijuana. Studying the genes could also lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions.

Weeding out marijuana: Researchers close in on engineering recognizable, drug-free Cannabis plant

U of Minnesota researchers identify genes producing THC

In a first step toward engineering a drug-free Cannabis plant for hemp fiber and oil, University of Minnesota researchers have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in marijuana. Studying the genes could also lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions.

The finding is published in the September issue of the Journal of Experimental Botany. Lead author is David Marks, a professor of plant biology in the College of Biological Sciences.

The study revealed that the genes are active in tiny hairs covering the flowers of Cannabis plants. In marijuana, the hairs accumulate high amounts of THC, whereas in hemp the hairs have little. Hemp and marijuana are difficult to distinguish apart from differences in THC.

With the genes identified, finding a way to silence them—and thus produce a drug-free plant — comes a step closer to reality. Another desirable step is to make drug-free plants visually recognizable. Since the hairs can be seen with a magnifying glass, this could be accomplished by engineering a hairless Cannabis plant.

The researchers are currently using the methods of the latest study to identify genes that lead to hair growth in hopes of silencing them.

"We are beginning to understand which genes control hair growth in other plants, and the resources created in our study will allow us to look for similar genes in Cannabis sativa," said Marks.

"Cannabis genetics can contribute to better agriculture, medicine, and drug enforcement," said George Weiblen, an associate professor of plant biology and a co-author of the study.

As with Dobermans and Dachshunds, marijuana and hemp are different breeds of the same species (Cannabis sativa), but marijuana contains much more THC than hemp, which is a source of industrial fiber and nutritious oil.

Hemp was raised for its fiber — which is similar to cotton but more durable — in the United States until legislation outlawed all Cannabis plants because they contain THC. Today, marijuana contains as much as 25 percent THC, whereas hemp plants contain less than 0.3 percent.

Hemp was once a popular crop in the upper Midwest because it tolerates a cool climate and marginal soils that won't support other crops but, after drug legislation, hemp fiber was replaced by plastic and other alternatives. Recent popular demand for hemp products has led some states to consider the economic and environmental benefits of hemp. North Dakota legislation aims to reintroduce it as a crop, and Minnesota is considering similar legislation. At the same time, California and other states permit the medicinal use of marijuana.

"I can't think of a plant so regarded as a menace by some and a miracle by others," says Weiblen, who is one of the few researchers in the United States permitted to study Cannabis genetics. In 2006, Weiblen and colleagues developed a DNA "fingerprinting" technique capable of distinguishing among Cannabis plants in criminal investigations.

By University of Minnesota - Sep 15, 2009 5:35:30 PM

Weeding Out Marijuana

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Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Medical Marijuana - been used medicinally for 4,000 years

Marijuana is one of the most beneficial and therapeutically active substances known to man.

Medical Cannabis refers to the use of the drug cannabis as a physician-recommended herbal therapy, most notably as an antiemetic.

Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for approximately 4,000 years. Writings from ancient India confirm that its psychoactive properties were recognized, and doctors used it for a variety of illnesses and ailments. These included a whole host of gastrointestinal disorders, insomnia, headaches and as a pain reliever frequently used in childbirth.

In the 1970s, a synthetic version of THC, the primary active ingredient in cannabis, was synthesized to make the drug Marinol.

Due to the prohibition of marijuana however; it's use as a medicine is restricted. However, recent Canadian government legislation have made it more available to patients. Patients are now able to apply for personal possession and even a limited cultivation license.

Few herbs offer a wide variety of therapeutic applications like these:

Relief of muscle spasms

Relief of chronic pain

Reduction in interlobular pressure inside the eye

Suppression of nausea

Weight loss - increase and restore metabolism

AIDS - Marijuana can reduce the nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting from the condition itself and the medications as well.

Glaucoma - Marijuana relieves the internal eye pressure of glaucoma, and therefore relieving the pain and slowing or even stopping the condition.

Cancer- Many side effects of the medication to stop cancer can be relieve with Marijuana, some studies suggest that Marijuana tends to slow down the progress of some types of cancer.

Multiple Sclerosis - Muscle pain, spasticity, tremors and unsteadiness are some of the effects caused by the disease that can be relieved by Marijuana.

Epilepsy - in some patients, epileptic seizures can be prevented with Marijuana use.

Chronic pain - Marijuana helps to alleviate the pain caused from many types of injuries and disorders.

Anxiety, Depression or Obsession - Even though mild anxiety is a common side effect in some users, cannabis can elevate your mood and expand the mind

"With the expansiveness that occurs with marijuana, the subject may begin to notice infinite possibilities to raise the quality of his/her life that would otherwise have remained hidden from normal, defensive consciousness. And feelings of health and happiness naturally lead to hope, which of itself can be curative." - Joan Bello

Many obsessions or quick fixes to psychological problems can be eleviated by Marijuana as well. Many people eat because they're depressed. If the depression is treated, the obsession to eat should be gone as well.

Any of these phycological conditions can be treated by a psychiatrist; marijuana should be an alternative therapy, used in conjunction with psychiatric therapy.

Physical Addictions

There have been testimonies from opiate users that report an easing of addiction cravings. Some cannabinoids in cannabis are believed to have similar effects as ibogaine, a medication used to treat heroin addiction.

The cannabinoids in Marijuana mimic the healing effects of a naturally occurring chemical in the brain called Anandimide. However, this naturally occurring cannabinoid also produces the negative effects that one would experience from high concentrations of cannabinoids in marijuana.

Medical marijuana can also benefit you psychologically and spiritually.

Marijuana can be used to enhance personal Spirituality. The herb tends to reveal your true self. It uncovers inner confusion and reveals your true direction - if you let it. Marijuana offers an effect that is both energizing and relaxing at the same time. This balanced effect will help some to think more clearly and more efficiently afterwards.

"Marijuana will not tolerate repression. Tranquillizers and depressants relax the body and release tension, but the state of mind associated with these drugs is "unconsciousness" whereby we escape rather than resolve our dilemmas. Alcoholism is an extreme need of both the body and personality sometimes to release the nervousness that has accumulated and continues to build up to an unbearable degree. It serves the same function for the collective personality for the society, as well A culture in which alcohol and tranquillizers are the prevalent form of release prefers not to witness internal confusion and actually choose to act without conscious participation, maintaining a semi-numb condition." - Joan Bello

"Marijuana can act as the loosening agent, so that whatever has been banned from consciousness may come cascading forth. To uncover our deceptions without our usual rationalizations can be unpleasant, an experience that has turned many psychologically fragile individuals away from marijuana despite its therapeutic catharsis." - Joan Bello.

Cannabis also acts as an antispasmodic and anticonvulsant and is indicated for neurological conditions such as epilepsy especially complex partial seizures, multiple sclerosis, and spasms. As an analgesic and an immunomodulator it is indicated for conditions such as migraine, arthritis, spinal and skeletal disorders.

As a bronchodilator it is beneficial for asthma. It also reduces the intraocular pressure and is indicated for glaucoma.

Recent studies have shown the drug to be efficacious in treating mood disorders and mental health issues such as depression, post traumatic stress disorder, clinical depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, and bipolar disorder.

It is also indicated for premenstrual syndrome, hypertension, and insomnia. It is also reported to be an effective treatment for constipation and alcohol hangovers.

A pharmaceutical product, Marinol, is widely available through prescription. It comes in the form of a pill and is also being studied by researchers for suitability via other delivery methods, such as an inhaler or patch. The active ingredient of Marinol is synthetic THC, which has been found to relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients and to assist with loss of appetite with AIDS patients.

Illegal, Legal, and Semi Legal Marijuana use by country and state

Australia
Medical Cannabis - Politicians in the Australian Capital Territory voted to allow doctors to determine when marijuana is medically appropriate. The decision enraged the Australian Federal Police and intensive lobbying efforts began to reverse the legislative action. Legislators caved-in to the demands of the police, reversed their earlier action, and voted to block doctors from legally prescribing marijuana.

Australian Capital Territory - possession of up to 25 grams, or two plants, is not a criminal offence but carries a $100 fine.

South Australia - Possession of cannabis is a moderate offense, with fines ranging from $150 to $300 for possession and cultivation of small amounts.

Western Australia - Possession of up to two plants is accepted for private use, excess of the latter can face fines of over $150.

New South Wales and Tasmania - Cannabis use is illegal and attracts fines.

Queensland - It is a criminal offence to be in possession of any amount of cannabis, people charged must face court and can be convicted. Possession of cannabis or any schedule 1 or 2 drug specified in the Drugs Misuse Regulation 1987 carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years in Queensland. Possession of smoking utensils or anything used to smoke cannabis is also a criminal offence in Queensland.

Belgium
Individual use of marijuana by adults has the lowest priority to police, if the use doesn't cause any problems to his environment. Which basically means the use in public places, possession of more than 3 grams, or the sale are pursued in court.

Medical Cannabis - the Belgian government has recently initiated trials to determine the effectiveness of medical cannabis, and may soon decriminalize possession of small amounts.

Canada
Medical Cannabis - A court declared Canada's Marijuana Medical Access Regulations unconstitutional "in not allowing seriously ill Canadians to use marijuana because there is no legal source of supply of the drug." In effect, this means that Canadians cannot be prosecuted for using marijuana medically because the Marijuana Medical Access Regulations gives patients the right to do so, but does not set up any legal apparatus for obtaining cannabis.

Canada produces about 400 kg of medical cannabis annually, in an abandoned mine in Flin Flon, Manitoba. On April 19, 2005, the Canadian government additionally licensed the prescription sale of a natural marijuana extract - effectively liquid marijuana - called Sativex.

The federal department Health Canada now provides detailed advice (for its own citizens), including not only the medical information needed to make an informed choice, but the law enforcement aspects, and how to apply for authorization to possess marijuana for medical purposes. There is also information that may be of help to the patient's health professional. Apply to the Office of Cannabis Medical Access (OCMA) or Medical Marihuana Access Division (MMAD).

Germany
Medical Cannabis - Consumption is legal, possession of small amounts is treated differently between federal states. In most cases possession of less than 5g Cannabis herb or resin is not prosecuted. There are no special laws for medical Cannabis. In November 2007 some patients get an exception approval for using medical marijuana from the public health authority.

Ireland
Under Irish law cannabis is not recognised as having any medical benefits. The most recent Misuse of Drugs lists cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabinol and its derivatives as schedule 1 drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Acts of 1977 and 1984.

Netherlands
The possesion/purchase of Cannabis is "tolerated" in small amounts. One can purchase cannabis in special shops (called "coffee shops") if one is age eighteen and over. Cultivation and wholesale of cannabis is likewise "tolerated" in small amounts (guidelines here are no more than five plants).

Medical Cannabis - Since 2003 it is a legal prescription drug known as "Mediwiet", available at pharmacies. However laws remain on the books classifying possession and sale as illegal, but due to a non-enforcement policy, it has been de facto legalized.

New Zealand
Possession of any amount of cannabis is illegal in New Zealand and can result in a fine of up to $500 or even a 3-month prison sentence. Anyone caught in possession of more than 28 grams of cannabis or 100 cannabis joints is classed as a dealer unless s/he can prove they are not.

Medical Cannabis - Health Minister Annette King has stated that she is not "unsympathetic to using cannabis in a medicinal form, but that's different to saying we should let everybody smoke it." Her official position is that more conclusive studies are needed, and a method of regulating dosage is necessary before she support medical access to cannabis.

United Kingdom
Cultivation and use of cannabis was generally outlawed in 1928. Cannabis was downgraded from a Class B to a Class C drug in January 2004. Possession: If one is caught with even a "small" amount of cannabis on him or her person or premises, the person is liable to be prosecuted.

Medical Cannabis - In 1999, a House of Lords inquiry recommended that cannabis be made available with a doctor's prescription. Though the government of the U. K. has not accepted the recommendations, new long-term clinical trials have been authorized. Sometimes juries have returned verdicts of "not guilty" for people charged with marijuana possession for medical use.

USA
Medical Cannabis - The United States federal government does not currently recognize any legitimate medical use. However 12 state laws currently allow for the medicinal use of cannabis but the United States Supreme Court has later ruled that the federal government has the right to regulate and criminalize marijuana also in these states, even for medical purposes. Smoked cannabis is today not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Since 1996, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington have passed laws to let sick people who qualify use marijuana.

Lately a leading US doctors group has endorsed using marijuana for medical purposes, urging the US government to roll back a prohibition on using it to treat patients and supporting studies into its medical applications.

The federal government of the United States continues to argue that smoked cannabis has no recognized medical purpose (pointing to a definition of "medical purpose" published by the DEA, not the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, or the office of the U. S. Surgeon General and the U. S. Public Health Service).

Alaska - 1 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) - Approved Conditions: Cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures, glaucoma, HIV or AIDS, multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity, and nausea. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services.

California - 8 oz usable; 18 plants (6 mature, 12 immature) - California was one of the first. In 1996 California voters passed Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, legalizing marijuana for medical use. Proposition 215 permits seriously ill Californians to use marijuana, provided they first obtain a doctor's recommendation. Proposition 215 also gives doctors a legal defense against professional or legal sanctions for recommending marijuana use. Approved Conditions: AIDS, anorexia, arthritis, cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, migraine, persistent muscle spasms, including spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, seizures, including seizures associated with epilepsy, severe nausea; Other chronic or persistent medical symptoms.

Colorado - 2 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) - Approved Conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS positive, cachexia; severe pain; severe nausea; seizures, including those that are characteristic of epilepsy; or persistent muscle spasms, including those that are characteristic of multiple sclerosis. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Colorado Board of Health.

Hawaii - 3 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature) - Approved conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for HIV/AIDS; A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures, including those characteristic of epilepsy, or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn's disease. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Hawaii Department of Health.

Maine - 1.25 oz usable; 6 plants (3 mature, 3 immature) - Approved diagnosis: epilepsy and other disorders characterized by seizures; glaucoma; multiple sclerosis and other disorders characterized by muscle spasticity; and nausea or vomiting as a result of AIDS or cancer chemotherapy.

Maryland - Passed a medical marijuana affirmative defense law in 2003 which dictates that if a person is arrested for marijuana use but is found to be using marijuana out of medical necessity, she or he will only face a modest fine.

Montana - 1 oz usable; 6 plants - A qualifying patient and a qualifying patient's caregiver may each possess six marijuana plants and one ounce of usable marijuana. "Usable marijuana" means the dried leaves and flowers of marijuana and any mixture or preparation of marijuana.

Nevada - 1 oz usable; 7 plants (3 mature, 4 immature) - Approved Conditions: AIDS; cancer; glaucoma; and any medical condition or treatment to a medical condition that produces cachexia, persistent muscle spasms or seizures, severe nausea or pain. Other conditions are subject to approval by the health division of the state Department of Human Resources.

New Mexico - 6 oz usable; 7 plants (4 mature, 3 immature) - Approved Conditions: Under current state law, the only qualifying conditions for the medical cannabis program are cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, spinal cord damage with intractable spasticity, HIV/AIDS. Also, any patient in hospice care could qualify.

Oregon - 24 oz usable; 24 plants (6 mature, 18 immature) - Approved Conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for HIV/AIDS, or treatment for these conditions; A medical condition or treatment for a medical condition that produces cachexia, severe pain, severe nausea, seizures, including seizures caused by epilepsy, or persistent muscle spasms, including spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Health Division of the Oregon Department of Human Resources.

Rhode Island - 2.5 oz usable; 12 plants - Approved Conditions: Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, or the treatment of these conditions; A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe, debilitating, chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures, including but not limited to, those characteristic of epilepsy; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including but not limited to, those characteristic of multiple sclerosis or Crohn’s disease; or agitation of Alzheimer's Disease; or any other medical condition or its treatment approved by the state Department of Health.

Vermont - 2 oz usable; 9 plants (2 mature, 7 immature) - Approved Conditions: Cancer, AIDS, positive status for HIV, multiple sclerosis, or the treatment of these conditions if the disease or the treatment results in severe, persistent, and intractable symptoms; or a disease, medical condition, or its treatment that is chronic, debilitating and produces severe, persistent, and one or more of the following intractable symptoms: cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe pain or nausea or seizures.

Washington - 60-day supply - Approved Conditions: Cachexia; cancer; HIV or AIDS; epilepsy; glaucoma; intractable pain (defined as pain unrelieved by standard treatment or medications); and multiple sclerosis. Other conditions are subject to approval by the Washington Board of Health.

Further Information Regarding Medical Marijuana
Colorado Medical Marijuana License Negotiations
Health Sciences Group, Inc. would like to announce that it has engaged in negotiations with The Healing Center to assist with the acquisition of a Medical Marijuana license in the State of Colorado.

Weeding out Marijuana - Drug-free Cannabis Plants
In a first step toward engineering a drug-free Cannabis plant for hemp fiber and oil, University of Minnesota researchers have identified genes producing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive substance in marijuana. Studying the genes could also lead to new and better drugs for pain, nausea and other conditions.

Marijuana rivals mainstream drugs for HIV/AIDS symptoms
Those in the United States living with HIV/AIDS are more likely to use marijuana than those in Kenya, South Africa or Puerto Rica to alleviate their symptoms, according to a new study published in Clinical Nursing Research, published by SAGE.

Marijuana Smoking Increases Risk of COPD for Tobacco Smokers
Smoking both tobacco and marijuana increases the risk of respiratory symptoms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a study has found. Smoking only marijuana, however, was not associated with increased risks.

Daily Use of Cannabis Predisposes to the Appearance of Psychosis and Schizophrenia
The daily consumption of cannabis predisposes to the appearance of psychosis and schizophrenia, and those episodes of psychosis which are fruit of this substance present certain specific characteristics, both before their appearance and in the clinical presentation of the psychosis.

Legalization of Marijuana in Canada
On July 30, 2001, the "Narcotic Control Regulation" was amended and the "Marijuana Medical Access Regulation" came into force. This sparked the beginning of a heated national debate, the subject in question being the legalization of marijuana for medical purposes in Canada.

Medical Marijuana Viewpoint
Over the years I have read a lot about the pros and cons of medical marijuana, and from time-to-time there is a piece on the news about it, usually profiling somebody who is in trouble with the law. The debate continues.

Medical Marijuana Regulations in Canada
Canada's initiative to decriminalize marijuana is focused on terminally ill patients who benefit from the use of medical marijuana to relieve unbearable symptoms of chronic and terminal illnesses. The Marijuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) lists specific rules for Canadians to follow.

Medical Information
Pharmaceutical

Acknowledgements: Disabled World

Medical Marijuana

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