Steve Klein Weekly Update

UPDATES ARCHIVE FOR JUNE 2004

Kleiner's Korner for Week of June 28, 2004

The last week of June 2004 revealed some phenomenal documentaries of truths being exposed to American audiences. These films will make one squirm in their seat, yet the glossed-over world view of life expressed by the "Church", Hollywood, and the Bush Administration – with their lies, subterfuge, corruption and public attitude manipulation – will always have the dark corners of their closets lit up with unabashed truth!

A. "With his provocative message of truth, Ramtha goes "Where Angels Fear to Tread" . . . . Drawing inspiration from the music of the sixties, seventies, and eighties, this is a rockumentary that will rock your soul into remembrance. In scenes never before viewed by the public, and with truth forgotten by the world, Ramtha peels away our personal hypocrisies and self-deceptions, revealing the lies propagated by world politics, world religions, and multinational corporations," according to the Ramtha website (product information at "online store"). This fabulous film heralding truth was screened at the Domani Vision Film Society at the New York University Cantor Film Center on June 25, 2004. Here is their program of featured works. link here scroll to "Program 6"
This film was produced by noted Hollywood cinematographer Mark Vicente. It was also showcased at the Boston International Film Festival on June 27, 2004. At: link here scroll to "Session 20” and click on that link for their synopsis of this remarkable work, or click here to go directly to the synopsis: link here
Read all about the producers from the Beyond the Ordinary website: link here
You can buy your copy here (Spanish version available): link here
And a fantastic, must-see introduction to this film can be found here: link here

B. Ed. Note: I no longer engage in political discourse on this page. However, that said, I want to encourage everyone who is interested in truth to check out Michael Moore's new movie "Fahrenheit 9/11". This is a masterpiece as well, and can be extremely difficult to sit through, yet is a must for anyone wishing to see another viewpoint of 9/11 and subsequent war in Iraq, focusing on the Bush Administration's ______, well, use whatever description you'd like. You will not see any of this reported on CNN or the Nightly News: link here
Micheal Moore was interviewed on CBS News 60 Minutes broadcast of June 27th: link here

C. While on the subject of evocative film documentaries, last week found more accolades going to a film covered extensively here, "What the #$*! Do We Know." This film took an award at the Maui (Hawaii) Film Festival last week. This from the Maui News: ". . . and 'What the #$*! Do We Know,' featuring Marlee Matlin exploring the nature of reality, from quantum physics to mysticism, for special recognition in a category they're still trying to think up a name for. link here
The movie continues its eastward reach by opening in Idaho and Colorado, including Denver, Boulder, Durango & Aspen. Show times and sites here: link here
Oh, and Denver's own Rocky Mountain News has now weighed in on this film, as well: link here
[Ed. Note: And Hollywood said there was no market for this film, which indicates their ignorance and level of impoverished nature of their minds!] link here

1. I received many requests last week from Kleiner's Korner readers to rerun the story from 2003 about the man from the future who came back here to trade on Wall Street. Quoting an article from World Weekly News, "Federal investigators have arrested an enigmatic Wall Street wiz on insider-trading charges -- and incredibly, he claims to be a time-traveler from the year 2256! Sources at the Security and Exchange Commission confirm that 44-year-old Andrew Carlssin offered the bizarre explanation for his uncanny success in the stock market after being led off in handcuffs on January 28 [2003]." link here
And: link here
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2. Also out of the box and beyond the reach of government being the one source for all space exploration, "The man who became the first person to pilot a privately built craft into space called his flight 'almost a religious experience' after his safe landing Monday morning [June 21]. Test pilot Mike Melvill landed at Mojave Airport, about 80 miles north of Los Angeles, California, after taking the rocket plane SpaceShipOne to an altitude of more than 100 kilometers (62.5 miles) – the internationally recognized boundary of space. . . . [The company] Scaled Composites, built SpaceShipOne with financial backing from Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft Corp., for a little more than $20 million . . . the flight, which went from a concept in 1995 to reality less than a decade later, was the realization of a long dream.”
link here
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3. Several troubling reports out in recent days about the world's climate are particularly sobering:

A. Higher Pacific Northwest temperatures and below-normal rainfall in the summer of 2004. “That's the weather outlook from the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center for July, August and September. If nothing else, the prediction reflects the trend in recent years of warmer summers in the Pacific Northwest, said Brad Colman, a meteorologist in the National Weather Service's Seattle office.” That was echoed recently with "89 degrees: hottest June 20th ever in South Sound," quoting The Olympian's print edition. Summer entered Western Washington at 5:48 p.m. on June 20th, about the time the record high was noted. [Ed. Note: High pressure consciouness in Yelm!]
link here

B. Further from The Olympian: "Drought conditions in parts of the West are the worst in 500 years, and Western governors will meet today [June 21] with federal climate officials to assess conditions and discuss what steps can be taken to prepare for what could be a dire summer for crops, wildfires and drinking water. . . . The U.S. Forest Service's national fire plan coordinator told Western governors Sunday [June 20] that the agency is prepared to consider returning a limited number of heavy air tankers to fire lines following a move to ground the aircraft over safety concerns. . . . That comes after federal officials grounded 33 tankers amid safety concerns after two planes broke up in midair in 2002, killing five people. The tankers can drop up to 3,000 gallons of fire-retardant on forest fires."
link here
"The drought gripping the West could be the biggest in 500 years, with effects in the Colorado River basin considerably worse than during the Dust Bowl years, according to scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey," from this AP story. [Ed. Note: You must see these Lake Powell, Utah photos from 2002 & 2003 to grasp the situation there!] link here

C. More super storms in Texas of late as CNN reports, "Wind gusting to 70 mph and hail the size of baseballs pounded the Texas Panhandle, smashing almost all of the windows on one end of a six-story hospital, where one patient was injured by flying glass." [Ed. Note: to the right of “Image", click on “Next” link for fantastic photos.] link here
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4. "Experts have reported a series of observations in recent months that show that the ice and the waters here [Greenland Ice Cap] are in a state of profound flux. If the trends persist, they could mean higher sea levels and widespread coastal flooding. There is also a small chance that the changes could lead to a sharp cooling in parts of the Northern Hemisphere," from this copyrighted New York Times story. link here
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5. "The overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that human activity is changing our climate. The pollutants we pump into our atmosphere are changing its composition and preventing heat from escaping the earth’s surface. Today's atmosphere contains 32 per cent more carbon dioxide, one of the main greenhouse gases, than at the start of the industrial era. The result is climate change: altered long-term weather patterns. Global warming, a rise in the average global temperature, is one measure of climate change. And it has already begun - global average temperature has risen by almost 1 degree Celsius since 1900, and the northern hemisphere is substantially warmer than at any point during the past 1000 years," quoting the David Suzuki Foundation website.
link here
"Since 1990, the David Suzuki Foundation has worked to find ways for society to live in balance with the natural world that sustains us. Focusing on four program areas – oceans and sustainable fishing, forests and wild lands, climate change and clean energy, and the web of life – the Foundation uses science and education to promote solutions that help conserve nature."
link here
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6. "Global climate patterns stretching back 740,000 years have been confirmed by a three-kilometre-long ice core drilled from the Antarctic, Nature reports. Analysis of the ice proves our planet has had eight ice ages during that period, punctuated by rather brief warm spells - one of which we enjoy today," reported by the BBC online:
link here
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7. As if this was the only environmental issue, that would be plenty. Now comes this story from the AP, "Newly obtained documents reveal the Teck Cominco smelter in British Columbia dumped tons of highly toxic mercury into the Columbia River for decades. The smelter's record of dumping contaminated slag, a smelting byproduct, has been known for years. But documents The Spokesman-Review obtained from British Columbia's Ministry of the Environment shed new light on the extent of mercury releases from the lead-zinc smelter in Trail, B.C., about six miles north of the Washington border. [Ed. Note: And just downstream from that is the Hanford Nuclear Waste Site, the most hazardous area in the U. S., right on the mighty Columbia]
link here
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8. "Scientists from around the world will soon gather to discuss how satellites could be used to address the world's energy needs by relaying solar power to Earth. But the U.S. government's decision to abandon research in 2001 could prevent the alternative energy source from ever seeing the light of day. Solar panels on Earth are inherently limited in their ability to collect energy by two things -- the lack of direct sun at night and atmospheric interference from weather. NASA's now-abandoned Space Solar Power program would avoid these terrestrial impediments by launching satellites that would collect solar radiation and beam the energy to Earth. These satellite systems could each provide gigawatts of electricity, enough power for tens of thousands of homes," according to Wired News.
link here
And, NASA's Space Solar Power site: link here
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9. "A team of scientists using the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) has discovered two new molecules in an interstellar cloud near the center of the Milky Way Galaxy. This discovery is the GBT's first detection of new molecules, and is already helping astronomers better understand the complex processes by which large molecules form in space. The 8-atom molecule propenal and the 10-atom molecule propanal were detected in a large cloud of gas and dust some 26,000 light-years away in an area known as Sagittarius B2. Such clouds, often many light-years across, are the raw material from which new stars are formed," quoting the National Radio Astronomy Observatory site: link here
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10. "Scientists have performed successful teleportation on atoms for the first time, the journal Nature reports. The feat was achieved by two teams of researchers working independently on the problem in the US and Austria. The ability to transfer key properties of one particle to another without using any physical link has until now only been achieved with laser light. Experts say being able to do the same with massive particles like atoms could lead to new superfast computers," quoting this BBC story. [Ed. Note: Beam me up Scotty may not be so far fetched. Just goes to show humanity that today's fiction is tomorrow's reality! Whatever we think can be, will be.]
link here
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11. Follow-up: Here is the latest series of pictures released by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology, taken from the Cassini-Huygens Spacecraft mission to Saturn and Titan. link here
Further from NASA's JPL, "Software on a NASA spacecraft recently made a scientific observation on its own without human interaction. The Space Technology 6 Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment captured images of Antarctica's Mount Erebus and detected volcanic activity."
link here
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12. "Using thought alone and with some electrodes placed on the surface of the brain, four volunteers were able to control a video game, U.S. researchers reported Monday. Simply by thinking the word 'move', the volunteers played the simple video game, the researchers reported. 'We are using pure imagination. These people are not moving their limbs,' said Dr. Eric Leuthardt, a neurosurgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis who worked on the study, " quoting CNN. [Ed. Note: Hello people! Quantum physics along with these kinds of reported experiments should help get it across to everyone that their thoughts create reality.]
link here

[Ed. Note: To quote the Kleiner's Korner homepage, "This website . . . lists sites describing new works from the frontiers of science, humanity's shining star. The powerful imaginations of this world's scientists and engineers are opening fabulous new avenues in . . . and exploration of the final frontier, the human mind." This story is an excellent example of how the depths of the human mind are being explored by science!] link here
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Of Local Note:

Although these are local issues, many similar situations may occur where you live, and the wisdom gained from these Yelm happenings may be beneficial in your area:

1. Congratulation to Gordon's Garden Center owner Kellie Peterson for discontinuing to use and market any toxic chemicals and going entirely organic. Her work was featured in this fine story from The Olympian: link here

2. The Yelm, WA. NASCAR track issue has now been opposed by several groups, according to this June 25th Nisqually Valley News (NVN) front page story: Note: The NVN does not archive their stories, so here is the printed version: "As speedway advocates prepare and polish their pitch to the International Speedway Corp., a local arts group has come out against efforts to bring a NASCAR-approved race track to Yelm. In a letter to the Nisqually Valley News, the Nisqually River Arts Council and Yelm Partners for the Performing Arts cite the Yelm Vision Plan and its guidelines as reason for keeping a speedway out of Yelm. The two organizations merged two years ago, keeping both names in the process. The nonprofit organization supports arts in Yelm schools through artist-in-residence programs, funded the annual Christmas program, Women In Harmony, at the Drew Harvey Theater, and coordinated the Yelm Art Walk with the Arts Consortia. In its letter, the group says that the vision plan’s purpose is “to create the hometown and region that we all wish for our children,” which means attracting a rich diversity of businesses that would enhance the arts and sciences and that the group helps serve that end."

3. Further from the NVN and another major issue for Yelm is the fact that Wal-Mart has now made moves to buy Yelm properties for a store here. [Ed. Note: Twin thieves robbing this area of its pristine beauty, NASCAR & Wal-Mart! And some locals are calling this progress. We do not want to ask these people "at what cost” in 20 years only to discover what a mistake they made!] "Wal-Mart has made offers to purchase land in the only part of the City of Yelm zoned for a so-called big box business. Yelm resident Ed Flood confirmed Monday [June 21] the company approached him about purchasing the 3.7 acres on which he and his wife live in their double wide mobile home. The property is adjacent to El Patio restaurant and the auction barn, which Wal-Mart is also seeking to buy. Flood sold the adjacent property to Miguel and Maria Contreras in 1999. Flood said the property that he occupies is currently owned by his grandson, but added that he is satisfied with the offer Wal-Mart representatives made. The Wal-Mart representative said that the mega-company needs 17 acres to build a store in Yelm, according to Flood, and that any deal could take up to two years to close. Flood carries the purchase contract on the El Patio property, but he said the Contreras are free to sell to anyone they choose. Flood said he doesn’t care who buys the property as long as he gets the balance owed him. The El Patio property is 8.9 acres.” The Protect Yelm organization will keep these issues updated: link here .

Quote of the Week:

As long as a man stands in his own way,
everything seems to be in his way:
government, society, and even the sun, moon and stars.

Henry David Thoreau
American Writer,
1817-62
In Philosophy

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Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2004.

For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on “Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives” at
www.kleinerskorner.com

Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com

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Kleiner's Korner for Week of June 21, 2004

This is to pause and honor all of our Fathers, for without their seed implanted into the "womb of man", and their being the progenitor of our life, we would not have this glorious life.

And reverence thee their great progenitor. --Milton.
Happy Father's Day to all of our Father's everywhere!

“The White House rejected calls Monday [June 14] from Ronald Reagan’s family [specifically Nancy Reagan] and others to relax President Bush’s restrictions on stem-cell research in pursuit of potential cures for illnesses,” quoting this USA Today article in a follow-up on this story. link here
Look for Nancy Reagan to pursue this further after resting from her grieving period. More humor that speaks volumes, from Mike Keefe of The Denver Post: link here

1. Have you ever heard of the name Stanton Friedman??? [Ed. Note: We all should!] Quoting his website, "He is the original civilian investigator of the Roswell Incident and co-authored ‘Crash at Corona: The Definitive Study of the Roswell Incident.’ TOP SECRET/MAJIC, his explosive book about the Majestic 12 group established in 1947 to deal with crashed saucers, was published in 1996 and is in its 6th printing. Stan was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Leeds, England, in September, 2002, by UFO Magazine of the UK. A documentary ‘Stanton T. Friedman IS Real’ was broadcast in Canada in 2002.” Also, “Stanton T. Friedman received BSc and MSc degrees in physics from the University of Chicago in 1955 and 1956. He was employed for 14 years as a nuclear physicist for such companies as GE, GM, Westinghouse, TRW Systems, Aerojet General Nucleonics, and McDonnell Douglas on such advanced, classified, eventually cancelled, projects as nuclear aircraft, fission and fusion rockets, and nuclear powerplants for space."
link here
His website is a must as he states, "Frankly I am sick and tired of the US Air Force lying to the public, the press, and members of Congress about UFOs." He further is quoted about this issue saying, "I will debate the Air Force's best ANY TIME and ANY PLACE. . . . Name the date and place. Perhaps Larry King or Walter Cronkite or Ted Koppel would be willing to act as moderator."
link here

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2. "In the race to generate high-paying jobs and underwrite local prosperity, regional leaders from across the U.S. are fighting hard to lure what many believe is the economic growth industry of the 21st century – biotechnology. According to a new study from the Milken Institute, only a handful of metropolitan areas have succeeded on a scale necessary to ensure industry sustainability." Seattle ranked 5th. link here
Here is the study:
link here

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3. Speaking of productivity in Washington state, the Washington State Department of Agriculture press release states, "Agriculture remains a major economic force in Washington according to figures released this week [June 4] by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The 2002 Agricultural Census shows statewide that the market value of Washington’s agricultural goods rose 8 percent between 1997 and 2002 to $5.3 billion. While the number of farms decreased from 40,000 to 36,000, the number of acres devoted to farming has remained relatively stable at 15.3 million acres. The census, conducted by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) every five years shows the changes in the nation’s agricultural landscape. The census is detailed down to the county level of every state and containing information ranging from the acreage and value of crops to demographic information on farm operators. ‘The census shows the continued importance of agriculture as an economic force in every county in Washington,’ said Valoria Loveland, director for the Washington State Department of Agriculture. ‘All farms, both large and small, continue to create business opportunities that have been heightened by our efforts to open more markets both regionally and abroad.’”
link here
And the 383-page full report: link here
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4. This is a story that sure opened my eyes and I want to share this information with you KK readers. Wow! In case you are interested, here is how to tell if the loose fruit, veggies, etc. you buy in the stores is conventionally grown, genetically modified or organically grown - by reading the sticker on the item. Great info! link here
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5. "A scientist says he may have found remains of the lost city of Atlantis. Satellite photos of southern Spain reveal features on the ground appearing to match descriptions made by Greek scholar Plato of the fabled utopia. Dr Rainer Kuehne thinks the "island" of Atlantis simply referred to a region of the southern Spanish coast destroyed by a flood between 800 BC and 500 BC, " according to this BBC story. link here .

6. [Ed. Note: For some of you, this will blow your socks off; for others, this is vital information. Area 51 is no longer a secret as this is a mainstream topic now]. This is a site about Area 51 of the USA's Southwest, the Hollow Earth and their inhabitants. link here .

7. "Health problems linked to aging coal-fired power plants shorten nearly 24,000 lives a year, including 2,800 from lung cancer, and nearly all those early deaths could be prevented if the U.S. government adopted stricter rules, according to a study released Wednesday [June 9]. Commissioned by environmental groups and undertaken by a consultant often used by the Environmental Protection Agency, the study concluded that 22,000 of those deaths are preventable with currently available technology," according to this MSNBC report compiled from the A-P and Reuters. HUM!
link here
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8. CNN reports this A-P story, "Scientists say they've found a "genetic signature" of aging in the human brain -- changes in key genes that may be linked to deteriorating mental function as we get older. The study suggests that some genes start working less hard soon after age 40, at least in some people . . . other scientists said they offer important insight into how the brain changes with age."
link here
And this from Newsday:
link here
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9. Follow-up: Regarding the previously reported KK story of oil found under Israeli sands, now comes word from The Observer that " . . . an Israeli company believes it [the Bible] has helped it find wealth on earth." link here
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10. More on tetrahedrons, a subject about which I received much e-mail:
Excellent site for physics exploration: link here
Tetrahedron specific: link here
And: link here
And this site includes active visuals: link here
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11. I hear so often how summer jobs are hard to come by for teens in our area and elsewhere. "Experts are predicting this will be the worst summer in 40 years for teens who are looking for summer jobs. The high unemployment rate is making it difficult for recent college graduates to find work in their career fields and thus there are fewer summer jobs for teens. On NBC’s ‘Today’ show, Jeff Allen, founder of SummerJobs.com, was invited to appear to discuss the summer job market and offer advice for teens who are looking for jobs. Here are his tips," quoted from this MSNBC story; read Jeff Allen’s tips in this story. Also on this website is an interview with Jeff Allen by Today's Katie Couric (click on “Launch” in the Free Video section just to the left of the article title).
link here
The SummerJobs.com website: link here
I am so thrilled to say that Jeff Allen is my cousin and has done a terrific job with this sorely needed concept
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12. You want to see something FANTASTIC? Check out these tornadoes – some of the best torsion field film footage ever recorded last week:
link here then click “Launch” in the Free Video section.

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The summer solstice here in the northern hemisphere begins Monday, June 21, 2004 at 12:48 a.m. Universal Time (UT) or 5:48 p.m. on Sunday, June 20, Pacific Daylight Time in Yelm, WA. And, winter begins for those of you “Down Under”: link here
And: link here
And: link here
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Of Note:

In the spirit of my May 31 KK listing of products sold via the internet by our local, resourceful people, I would be remiss if I did not introduce KK readers to the music of former Yelm resident Joe Bongiorno, pianist, composer, and audio engineer. Joe's piano music is entirely original. All tracks were composed, recorded and mastered by Joe at his private Mellow Sounds studio in suburban Seattle. [Ed. Note: Joe is like a son to me and his music is played in our home and car regularly.] Check-out Joe's reviews: link here
And his website where you can purchase CD's: link here
Joe is also the Manager at Piatti Italian Restaurante in the University District in Seattle.
This is definitely worth a stop when you are in the area. Fantastico & Magnifico!
link here
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Quote of the Week:

"The pioneers and missionaries of religion have
been the real cause of more trouble and war
than all other classes of mankind.
No man who ever lived knows any more about
the hereafter . . . than you and I;
and all religion . . . is simply evolved out of
chicanery, fear, greed, imagination and poetry."

Edgar Allan Poe
American writer and poet
(1809-1849)
Reportedly, his last words.

[Ed. Note: Being Father's Day week, I would like to acknowledge that this quote was submitted by my beloved step-son, Ron Moore. Ron and his brother Tal have given ME the blessed experience of being a father on Fathers' Day!].

Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2004.

For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on “Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives” at
www.kleinerskorner.com

Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com

Kleiner's Korner for Week of June 14, 2004

"Fifty-eight senators are asking President Bush to relax federal restrictions on stem cell research, and several said Monday [June 7] that the late President Reagan's Alzheimer's disease underscored a need to expand the research using human embryos, according to this CNN report from AP. [Ed. Note: It's time to bury the twin "bloodsuckers", religion and politics, and move forward for humanity!] link here Further, Nancy Reagan has supported stem cell research in the hunt for a cure for Alzheimer's, to which her husband, President Reagan, succumbed 10 years ago, which eventually lead to his death last week. "Ronald Reagan's death over the weekend from Alzheimer's is once again putting this incurable disease into the national spotlight — revealing both the hope of future treatment as well as a looming crisis," according to this USA Today report. link here Mentioned in many circles this last week is the hope and desire that once Nancy Reagan is beyond her grieving, she will become an activist for stem cell research. Nowhere was this more aptly displayed than Gary Markstein’s very appropriate cartoon in the June 9th Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: link here scroll down on the date menu to 6/09/04 and click “Get Image”

1. I have reported on the fine work of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) many times. Now their efforts to eliminate partially hydrogenated oils in foods such as margarine, shortening, fries, and other processed foods, which contain trans-fat that has been found to promote heart disease, is gaining a foothold. This issue is coming to the forefront as some companies are going trans-free, including most Frito-Lay chips, Nabisco's Triscuits and some Oreos, Promise margarine and Smucker's Crisco shortening (one version). CSPI Executive Director Editor Michael Jacobson and his staff deserve credit for this sea-change. Here is Mr. Jacobson's comments on this issue from the June, 2004 Nutrition Action Healthletter:
link here
On this subject, Ruby Tuesday restaurants have switched to canola oil for its fried foods as canola oil is low in saturated fat, contains no cholesterol, and contains no unhealthy trans fats, as mentioned in Mr. Jacobson's Editorial. link here
Further, CSPI has run a fabulous story educating the public on the issues of farm raised salmon and the detriments this farming method causes to the environment beyond just the chemicals in the salmon themselves. [Ed. Note: Would you eat farm raised, as opposed to wild, salmon after reading this story?]: link here
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2. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to test between 5,000 and 10,000 Washington cattle for mad-cow disease as part of a $70 million effort to find out if the infection is present in the United States, and if so, at what level. The one-time, intensive program, which kicks off Tuesday [May 25], aims to test at least 220,000 animals nationwide over the next 12 to 18 months. Agriculture Department officials say they wouldn't be surprised to find a small number of cattle infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the scientific name for the disease first detected in this country in December in a cow slaughtered near Yakima," according to The Seattle Times. [Ed. Note: OK, it's a start!] link here
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3. Diabetes is quickly racing to the top of the chart as a leading killer of Americans, with obesity being a contributing factor. Do you know your sugar and glucose levels? "There are two different tests your doctor can use to determine whether you have pre-diabetes: the fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) or the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The blood glucose levels measured after these tests determine whether you have a normal metabolism, or whether you have pre-diabetes or diabetes. If your blood glucose level is abnormal following the FPG, you have impaired fasting glucose (IFG); if your blood glucose level is abnormal following the OGTT, you have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)," quoting the American Diabetes Assn. You may want to get tested and check out where your levels stand on this chart they developed:
link here
Further: from the Associated Press last week: "Many obesity experts agree that getting down to a normal size may not be necessary to avoid much of the bad effects of being big. Dropping just 10 or 15 pounds - too little to even miss on many people - can have a surprising and substantial effect on the body processes that obesity disrupts," reports AP's Daniel Haney.
link here
And from the Seattle P-I, "Spending more time behind the wheel -- and less time on two feet -- is adding inches to waistlines and contributing to the nation's obesity epidemic, a new study concludes. The survey of 10,500 metro Atlanta residents found that for every extra 30 minutes commuters drove each day, they had a 3 percent greater chance of being obese than their peers who drove less. In addition, the survey found that people who lived within walking distance of shops -- less than a half-mile -- were 7 percent less likely to be obese than their counterparts who had to drive." link here
The abstract of the study referenced in the article above is found in the June, 2004 edition of American Journal of Preventive Medicine:
link here

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4. Now corporate America is targeting the Cumberland Forest of Eastern Kentucky and Tennessee to make toilet paper and other paper products. In a story titled "Flushing the Cumberland Plateau's Forest Down the Toilet," NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) is quoted, “Unless consumers unite and insist that such throwaway products be produced from recycled fibers instead of virgin trees, the great forest that once cloaked the southeastern U.S. is in danger of being transformed by the paper and pulp industry into a vast, biologically sterile pine plantation within the next 40 years . . . . ‘These companies are decimating one of the planet’s most biologically diverse and inspiring places to produce disposable tissue products, including toilet paper, that we use for all of five seconds.’” [Ed. Note: Please check out this story and become informed of the work of NRDC.]
link here
Recycled bathroom tissue can be found, among other places, at the following websites. [Ed. Note: I know the words "recycled bathroom tissue" sound funny, yet this is no laughing matter!]
link here
And: link here
And: link here
Additionally on the topic of environmental preservation, "NRDC and a coalition of environmental groups have filed suit in federal court to prevent the Bush Administration from opening nine million acres of the Western Arctic Reserve to devastating oil development. At 23.5 million acres, the reserve is America's largest endangered and unprotected wilderness." link here
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5. Follow-up: "Nasa's chief, Sean O'Keefe . . . has now said the US space agency would ask for proposals regarding the feasibility of a robotic servicing mission [of the Hubble Telescope]. It could take place in 2007. His announcement was made to applause at the 204th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Colorado. . . . ‘In the same can-do spirit that propelled the first Hubble servicing mission, I am very pleased to inform this community that Nasa is releasing a call for proposals today for a robotic Hubble servicing capability,’ O'Keefe said. The fate of Hubble has been in doubt since he said that a planned shuttle mission would not be carried out due to the safety recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board following the loss of crew and the space shuttle on 1 February 2003," according to this BBC story.
link here
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6. "Scientists have found a series of vents in the Nordic Seas that may have burped enough methane to cause massive global warming 55 million years ago. The early Eocene Period witnessed a dramatic increase in temperature, which was triggered by a sudden surge of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. But just where these gases came from has been something of a mystery. Nature magazine reports the discovery of gas vents dating from the right time and which could represent the source," according to this BBC story. link here
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7. "Scientists at Harvard Medical School may have unraveled some of the mystery about why up to 95% of all chromosomes are apparently non-functioning — otherwise known as "junk" DNA. If the team is right, it may be that some of that DNA has been busily working all along, but researchers just didn't realize it," according to this USA Today story. link here
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8. The disaster film about Earth changes called "Day After Tomorrow" has brought forth an understanding of the potential of Mother Earth making major changes on her surface to survive, much to the detriment of Humankind. Now a list has been put together called "Interplanetary Day After Tomorrow" that provides much for contemplation. From the website: “The entire solar system – not just our one small planet -- is currently undergoing profound, never-before-seen physical changes. This paper will address and scientifically document a wide variety of significant examples, drawing from a host of published mainstream sources.” link here
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9. Akin to “The Da Vinci Code”, this thrilling new book raises the disturbing questions of ‘what is history?’ and ‘what is truth?’ "Talisman is a roller-coaster intellectual journey through the back streets and rat runs of history to uncover the traces in architecture and monuments of a secret religion that has shaped the world. The story takes us from Heliopolis to Luxor, Alexandria, Toulouse, Florence, Rome, Paris, London, Washington DC, New York, and finally to the global pandemonium following 9/11/2001. This is the Official Website for Talisman - Sacred Cities, Secret Faith by Graham Hancock and Robert Bauval." link here
Authors and publisher websites: link here
And: link here
Published by Penguin UK in May 2004 (available now in UK, should be available in US stores in August 2004). link here
.

10. "Biodiesel fueling stations are sprouting like weeds across America, where production of the alternative fuel rose 66 percent in 2003. Experts say the rapid growth of the renewable fuel will stretch the country's tenuous petroleum supply while helping people breathe a little easier," according to Wired News. link here
.

11. Here is a neat site about the Universe with an interactive 3-D grid layout:
link here
And an interesting site on polytopes, or hyperdimensional shapes, with an interactive 4-D program:
link here
.

12. Follow-up: Mentioned here recently was the movie “Super Size Me”, which "is a super-sized hit among documentary films. The quirky movie chronicling the fallout from a 30-day, McDonald's-only diet has quietly pulled in $6.2 million since its release May 7. . . . It's already the fifth-best-performing documentary ever," according to this USA Today article.
link here

.

Follow-up: For those of you who missed the transit of Venus between the Earth and Sun last week, here are some spectacular shots: link here
And: link here
And: link here

.

Quote of the Week:

"A lie can travel halfway around the world
while the truth is putting on its shoes."

Mark Twain (Samuel Longhorne Clements)
American writer
1835-1910
.

Kleiner's Korner Special Edition

Dear KK Readers,

"On June 8th, for the first time since 1882, Venus will pass directly between Earth and the Sun. For six hours, Venus' black silhouette will crawl across the solar disk. It might be a pretty sight, or not. No one can say for sure because no one alive today has seen a transit of Venus," according to Spaceweather.com. link here
There will be live webcasts on the following websites (these links are also found on the SpaceWeather.com page at "live webcasts" ):
from Iran, the Canary Islands, the Netherlands, Denmark, Turkey, Greece,
Hong Kong, Norway, Australia, Sweden, Macao (near Hong Kong), India, & Brazil.
.

The transit will NOT be visible in the USA and Canada from roughly west of a line from Houston to Rapid City, SD to Calgary and almost no spot in Mexico except the Yucatan. That said, the Pacific Daylight Time (Yelm, WA. local time) of the event is 9 PM on 6/7/04 (Monday night) to 4 am 6/8/04 (Tuesday morning. KK readers in the U. S. east of the Mississippi River should have a good view if you have a cloudless morning on Tuesday. From NASA, the USA visibility map:
link here
The World Map and where it will be visible, including Australia and Japan at sunset.
link here
.

Viewing tips:
link here
.

Complete details:
link here

.

A lisitng of viewing times from major North American cities:
link here .

An interesting historical view of some other transits:
link here .

Kleiner's Korner for Week of June 7, 2004

"Thunderstorms pounded parts of Texas with hail as big as tennis balls and wind blasting to more than 80 mph, halting flights at two airports and blacking out more than a half-million customers." The new advertising trailers for the recently released disaster film? Nope, last week's true story quoting USA Today! link here
Further, "When the skies flashed daylight-bright at 2:40 a.m. [Thursday, June 3rd], followed by reverberations so fierce they shook walls and rattled windows, people across Western Washington found it easy to imagine all sorts of possibilities — most of them frightening. But by the time the morning commute started yesterday, the rational explanation was widely known: A meteor the size of a computer monitor plowed into the Earth's atmosphere somewhere over the region, traveling at a speed approaching 50,000 mph and creating a fireball that eclipsed the full moon before exploding into bits. About 80 of the UW's seismic stations recorded the event, which registered magnitude 1.6 on the earthquake scale — though the measure doesn't make much sense when applied to vibrations that come out of the sky, UW seismologist Steve Malone said with a laugh," quoting this Seattle Times story. [Ed. Note: Be sure to take the time and scroll to see what the Harborview Medical Center security cameras caught on tape at "Video of the Flash." Harborview sits on a promontory overlooking downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay.] link here
[Ed. Note: Do YOU really believe the explanation given was that this was all caused by a meteor? And one that can cause an earthquake? Well, neither do I.] However, this was reported locally and nationally. Check out the "Before" and "During Flash" pictures sure to send a chill up your spine from Seattle's ABC affiliate, KOMO-TV. link here
Even CNN covered this story: link here
And MSNBC ran with the Seattle P-I story: link here

1. Follow-up on two stories from last week:

A. My hat is off to CBS News and the producers of 60 Minutes, along with Andy Rooney and his commentary of May 30th, the eve of Memorial Day. I have never seen any television station pause for an uninterrupted 11 minutes during "prime time", while displaying the pictures of war dead, as in this case, all 800+ service men and women who have perished in the Iraq War. See the piece by clicking the link “Andy on Memorial Day” just under "FREE VIDEO”, which is located just under the date in the upper left portion of the page:
link here

B. Mentioned here many times is the phenomenal film “What the Bleep Do We Know”. This film has now broken out of the Pacific Northwest and is breaking records for attendance in Arizona, as it marches east from the Pacific coast. This Arizona Republic (Phoenix) review of the film is a must-read!
link here
If you want to see reviews by such newspaper giants as The [Portland] Oregonian, the Seattle P-I, the Seattle Times, and the Tacoma (WA) News Tribune, then you know what to do (scroll to the ones of interest to you!): link here
[Ed. Note: Yes, I am excited about this film's success. I want everyone to see it! My desire is to be reporting its entry into markets such as Boston, New York, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and Louisville by Autumn. I mention this title frequently because it is the most extraordinary film I have ever seen in a theater.] link here

.

2. Broccoli Sprouts fight cancer! Many sites have discussed this in recent years. Here is one that lists the details. link here
[Ed. Note: Easy enough to plant and grow in YOUR backyard!]

Better make sure YOU grow your own broccoli, as the "organic" labeling of foods is under assault. "A showdown is taking shape over the nation's organic food standards, triggered by a spate of recent rule changes that some producers and activists say are setting a pattern that could eventually render the organic label meaningless. The changes in the National Organic Program standards, made in April, expand the use of antibiotics and hormones in organic dairy cows, allow more pesticides in the organic arsenal and for the first time let organic livestock eat potentially contaminated fishmeal," according to this San Francisco Gate article:
link here

The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, part of the 1990 Farm Bill, authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to appoint a 15-member National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). The board's main mission is to assist the Secretary in developing standards for substances to be used in organic production. link here

Further, "The Bush Administration is giving Americans new reason to watch what they eat. Over the course of 10 days last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued three "guidances" and one directive -- all legally binding interpretations of law -- that threaten to seriously dilute the meaning of the word organic and discredit the department's National Organic Program," quoting BushGreenwatch. link here

.

3. "’Fluoridation honors’ were bestowed upon many communities, which happen to have the highest cavity and tooth loss rates, by the American Dental Association (ADA), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors (AASTDD). Organized dentistry neglected to check oral health before awarding their ‘2003 Community Water Fluoridation Awards.’ Dentists may be embarrassed to learn they honored the most toothless and cavity-prone Americans in the name of water fluoridation." And the key sentence in this article is, "The truth is, most American children are fluoride over-dosed, and the poorly nourished get more cavities regardless of fluoridation," says lawyer Paul Beeber, President, New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation. link here
.

4. "Free energy will promulgate a forward leap in human progress akin to the discovery of fire. It will bring the dawn of an entirely new civilization -- one based on freedom and abundance." according to one Sterling D. Allan. Here is a wonderful Free Energy Directory site, echoing Mr. Allan.
link here
.

5. "Scientists were studying a whale who died of heat exposure on Tuesday [May 25] when it became stranded on a beach on Indonesia's Java Island after 49 others were successfully pushed back into the sea. The short-finned pilot whale may have been the leader of a school of 50 whales that were found beached in Banyuwangi in eastern Java on Sunday [May 23], said Putu Riza Mustika, a researcher for World Wide Fund for Nature Indonesia. 'We think this whale may have crashed its head on a coral, ruining its navigation and leading the others astray to the beach,' Mustika said in a telephone interview from Banyuwangi," from this Associated Press article. [Ed. Note: Right! And I am the Easter Bunny! Do you REALLY believe this whale hit coral which resulted in ruining its navigation? No, neither do I. Try perturbations in the Earth's magnetic field as one possible explanation for the ruined navigation, with the potential result in the whale hitting its head on coral.]
link here

.

6. "Robonaut is a humanoid robot designed by the Robot Systems Technology Branch at NASA's Johnson Space Center in a collaborative effort with DARPA. The Robonaut project seeks to develop and demonstrate a robotic system that can function as an EVA astronaut equivalent . . . . Our challenge is to build machines that can help humans work and explore in space. Working side by side with humans, or going where the risks are too great for people, machines like Robonaut will expand our ability for construction and discovery," quoting this website:
link here
Kleiner's Korner has featured a story on the Sony Robot previously. Now comes NASA's in conjunction with DARPA. [Ed. Note: Somehow with DARPA involved, I just have a sense this project is not all benevolent! Oh, missed what DARPA stands for from previous KK's? Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.] link here
.

7. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture did not test a head of cattle in Texas that displayed central nervous symptoms even though such symptoms could be associated with mad cow disease, USDA officials said on Friday [Apr 30]. . . . Beverly Boyd, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Agriculture, said the condemned carcass in San Angelo was not held back for testing. 'There were no tissue samples taken. It was not tested at all,' she told Reuters. Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, questioned why USDA may have failed to test the condemned animal," according to this Reuters story. [Ed. Note: Yikes!]
link here
And, another twist on mad cow stories: "Cattle brains and other remains that may carry the deadly mad cow disease would be turned into biofuels under a plan announced Monday [May 17] by the U.S. Department of Agriculture," according to Reuters.
link here
.

8. "Continental [Airlines] worked with Xerox Global Services to develop a solution that would simplify processes and reduce the risk of unfavorable audit results related to routine Maintenance Advisories. The comprehensive solution they devised slashes Maintenance Advisory production costs almost in half while helping to ensure favorable audit results. As a result, Continental expects to save more than U.S. $750,000 annually," according to this case study. [Ed. Note: Why is this included, you might ask? The paper stream reduction at Continental is huge!]
link here
And link here
.

9. This website is awesome, titled “An Atlas of the Universe”. Quoting the site, "This web page is designed to give everyone an idea of what our universe actually looks like. There are nine main maps on this web page, each one approximately ten times the scale of the previous one. The first map shows the nearest stars and then the other maps slowly expand out until we have reached the scale of the entire visible universe." [Ed. Note: Of course, this is what the Universe looks like in the author's reality, based on current scientific evidence and understandings.] link here
.

10. Click on the BullFrog Films website, ". . . a leading source of educational videos, with a collection of over 500 titles. . . . Over the last 30 years, Bullfrog Films has become the leading US publisher of independently-produced, environmental videos, that point the way to living healthily, happily, and with greater concern for the other inhabitants of this planet, and for our descendants."
link here
Further, here is a site listing what has been called the "Best Photos of 2003." Check out all of these, especially the first one: link here
.

11. Local web-designer Guustaaf Damave has created a new website. He tells me, "You can easily find out what time it is in another time zone by using the world time zone map." A terrific tool!
link here
Also, here are a couple of other useful time-related websites:
link here (WORLDTIME® is a service featuring an interactive world atlas and information on local time as well as sunrise and sunset times in several hundred cities worldwide.)
And, the Official U.S. Time website: link here .

12. Here are a couple of “Totally Unique Thoughts” (TUT’s) sent in by KK readers:
link here
And: link here
If you like, you can have free, personalized “Notes from the Universe” sent to you on the days of your choice. Go to the humor-filled TUT homepage and click on the “Take the Oath” link. Great reminders of “who we really are” and our infinite possibilities! link here
.

Of Local Note:

Two tornadoes touched down on May 27th, the first in Tenino, WA, just 13 miles from Yelm. Quoting KIRO-710 radio, "The second struck about two miles north of La Center, a Clark County community about halfway between Vancouver and Longview.
According to Weather Service statistics, Washington averages fewer than two tornadoes a year, but yesterday's were the fourth and fifth to touch down in the state in the past four weeks. Thursday's [May 27] tornadoes were the fourth and fifth to touch down in the state in the past four weeks. Others were near Spokane, Sumas and East Wenatchee." In a state that gets an average 1.8 tornadoes in a year, Washington has recorded 5 so far this year. [Ed. Note: HUM! Local torsion field consciousness! I like it . . . ] Here are two links for articles on these tornadoes:
link here
And: link here
Further, "The National Weather Service said Saturday evening [June 5] that it was investigating reports of possible tornados in northwest Washington, but did not immediately confirm any," quoting the Seattle P-I. link here

.

Pausing to Remember:

Ronald Wilson Reagan, February 6, 1911 - June 5, 2004

Whatever your convictions about President Ronald Reagan and his policies, one would have to admit
that he was one of our most beloved Presidents in recent memory, for his talent connecting with all peoples through his art of communication. Kleiner's Korner would like to acknowledge President Reagan's vision and intent to uplift everyone who came in contact with him and make them feel inspired about themselves. President Reagan died last week at age 93. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his beloved wife Nancy and surviving children, Micheal, Patti, and Ron, Jr.

As Seattle's newspapers report in the headlines of their Sunday [June 6] print editions, this nation is now in official mourning as all U. S. flags are lowered to half-staff and the former President's body will lie in state in the U. S. Capitol rotunda
in Washington, D. C., with internment at the Reagan library in Simi Valley, CA. [Ed. Note: I am fortunate to have been asked to assist the Reagan White House in a project in 1985 and was given this picture shown here, signed by President Reagan, as a gift of appreciation.] link here
Some of the best coverage is provided by Reagan's hometown newspaper, the Los Angeles Times. Registration to view the articles is free: link here
Links from around the world:
From the USA: link here
And: link here
From the London-based BBC: link here
Fromn the Paris-based International Herald Tribune: link here
From Australia: link here
From Japan Today: link here
From South Africa: link here .

Quote of the Week:

"Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose-garden."

T. S. Eliot
1888-1965
American poet, dramatist and literary critic

Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2004.

For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on “Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives” at
www.kleinerskorner.com

Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com