UPDATES ARCHIVE FOR JANUARY 2005
HOME PAGE	Kleiner's Korner For Week of January 31, 2005 Quoting the U. S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Northern Field Office "On January 28, 2005, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released the Final Northeast National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska Amended Integrated Activity Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for public review at BLM offices in Alaska and online at link here What does this mean to you, the reader? The Bush Administration is moving ahead to allow its oil cronies to drill for oil in this vast wilderness, rather than using corporate resources to develop alternative energy sources. [Ed. Note: If the public had visited these pristine lands as has this writer, there would be outrage and just maybe more people pushing for hydrogen fuel cell technology!] link here See associated story at number 8 below! 1. PROPOSAL TO UPGRADE WA. STATE’S TSUNAMI WARNING SYSTEM “In the wake of the Indian Ocean tsunami, the deadliest in the modern era, Sen. Maria Cantwell will propose legislation today [Jan. 24] to more quickly warn and better prepare Western Washington residents for similar disasters that could hit this region… Cantwell's bill, called The Tsunami Preparedness Act, would speed repair of the malfunctioning buoys, expand the network of buoys to cover more of the Pacific, give added resources to tsunami-warning centers in Alaska and Hawaii, and provide money to assess how at-risk shoreline areas in the Puget Sound region could survive that type of oceanic attack,” quoting the Seattle P-I. link here . 2. “PATIENTS CAN BE TAUGHT SELF-HYPNOSIS" “Stanford University psychiatrist David Spiegel is testing whether self-hypnosis can help both adults and children relax during painful or stressful medical procedures that require them to stay awake…Spiegel taught a self-hypnosis technique to 23 children aged 4 to 15 who had to undergo a stressful medical test. He reported in the Journal Pediatrics that they showed less distress, and the test was easier to conduct, and took nearly a third less time, compared to 21 children who underwent routine treatment,” quoting Seattle’s NBC affiliate KING-5 TV. link here . 3. FIRST CLOSE-UP SPACECRAFT PICTURES OF MOON IN 5 YEARS "The European Space Agency's SMART-1 spacecraft has sent back the first close-up pictures of the moon taken in more than five years. The test observations show three views of ancient impact craters on the pockmarked lunar surface. SMART-1, Europe's first moon mission, used a high-tech ion engine to gradually escape Earth's gravity after launch on Sept. 27, 2003," quoting Space.com. link here . 4. POSSIBLE STEM CELL TREATMENT FOR STROKES “Stroke, the leading cause of serious, long-term disability in the United States, ‘is a disease where we do not have good treatments,’ says neurosurgeon Gary Steinberg. Americans spend $30 billion a year on stroke recovery and rehabilitation, but doctors have no way to repair the damaged brain tissue. That may soon change. Researchers in Steinberg’s lab have demonstrated that human fetal stem cells, when transplanted into the brains of laboratory rats with induced strokes, can migrate toward the damaged location and turn into neurons and support cells. On average, one third of the stem cells survived, migrating up to 1.2 millimeters— 'a very long distance,' Steinberg says. The researchers hypothesize the cells migrated in response to a chemical signal released by the animals’ brains to indicate damage…The cells they used were isolated five years ago by StemCells Inc., a Palo Alto company founded by study co-author and pathology professor Irving Weissman. They are of a sufficient grade and quality to be used for future clinical trials in humans,” quoting Stanford [University] Magazine. link here . 5. SCIENTISTS IDENTIFY KEY GENE THAT DEVELOPS CANCERS “Scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) have identified a new cellular oncogene essential for the development of cancer. Oncogenes are genes that, when mutated or dysfunctional, lead normal cells to become cancerous. The investigators have named the gene POKEMON (for POK Erythroid Myeloid Ontogenic factor). The work is being published in the January 20, 2005, issue of Nature. 'There are a number of genes that can cause cancer, the so-called oncogenes, but Pokemon is unique in that it is needed for other oncogenes to cause cancer.' said MSKCC cancer geneticist Pier Paolo Pandolfi, MD, PhD, the senior author of the study. 'More important, because the Pokemon protein plays such a crucial role in the formation of cancer, it could prove to be an effective target for new drug therapies,' quoting the MSKCC Press Release. link here . 6. MAD-COW IN OTHER COW ORGANS THOUGHT SAFE/FRENCH GOAT WITH "MAD COW" “One assumption lies at the root of efforts to keep the meat we eat safe from mad cow disease: that tissues beyond an animal's brain, spinal cord, and immune system are free of the prions that cause the disease. A disturbing study now shows that assumption to be false. Researchers have found that if an animal falls ill with another infection, its immune response can carry large numbers of prions to organs throughout its body. ‘The rules no longer apply,’ warns pathologist Adriano Aguzzi at Zurich University Hospital, Switzerland, who led the research," quoting Nature. link here And from TradingCharts.com comes this “The human food chain may not be as well protected from BSE as everyone hopes, scientists admitted Thursday [Jan. 20] in the wake of publication of new research showing the malformed proteins that cause the brain-wasting disease can be found in more tissues than previously thought.” link here "Mad cow disease has been found in a goat, the first time the brain-wasting affliction that ravaged European cattle herds and killed at least 100 people, has been diagnosed in another animal, the EU said on Friday [Jan. 28]. 'A suspected case of BSE in a goat slaughtered in France in 2002 has been confirmed today by a panel of European scientists,' the EU Commission said in a statement," quoting Reuters. link here . 7. WORLD’S LARGEST ICEBERG RUN AGROUND “The world's largest iceberg appears to have run aground near Antarctica, posing more problems to scientific bases and penguin colonies, where tens of thousands of chicks face starvation, scientists have said,” quoting the AP. link here . 8. ‘AN ECOLOGICAL TIME BOMB IS TICKING AWAY’ “Global warming is approaching the critical point of no return, after which widespread drought, crop failure, and rising sea levels would be irreversible, an international climate change task force warned Monday [Jan. 24],” quoting the AP. link here And, this story from The Independent on Sunday U.K. link here And, this from the Washington Post: link here . 9. STANFORD TEAM EXCAVATES 3,000 YEAR OLD PERUVIAN VILLAGE “In Peru 3,000 years ago priests sent their followers into a bizarre underground maze. John Rick reveals what happened down there,” quoting Stanford [University] Magazine. link here . 10. SAN FRANCISCO FIRST U. S. CITY TO PROPOSE LITTER SURCHARGE "Idea is to charge what it costs city to clean up after shopping litter” "City officials are considering a proposal to slap a 17-cent surcharge on paper or plastic shopping bags, a debate sure to be watched as a bellwether for other communities across the United States. While no other U.S. city imposes a shopping bag tax, such a strategy has been successfully employed in the nations of Ireland, South Africa, Bangladesh, Australia, Shanghai and Taiwan," quoting MSNBC. link here . 11. MAGAZINE: SEATTLE USA’S FITTEST CITY “Seattle has been named the fittest city in the United States in the February issue of Men's Fitness magazine, leaping past the buff competition from Honolulu, Colorado Springs, San Francisco, and Denver. Exercising faithfully and shunning fast food boosted Seattle to the top from No. 6 last year, Men's Fitness Editor in Chief Neal Boulton said,” from this AP report. link here . 12. IN REMEMBRANCE: This writer will always remember how Johnny Carson made everyone laugh from a vantage point every night of watching Johnny between our feet from bed at 11:30p.m. Monday through Friday nights - without violence, degradation of the human Spirit, or foul language. What a gift he gave this society - the gift of laughter before slumber. Laughter will erase years of age on a body and reverse death. Johnny delivered with style! In fond memory of a grand being, Johnny Carson who is now on to other adventures: link here And: link here . WHAT THE BLEEP – THE MOVIE NEWS The Prophets Conference will be next weekend with all of the film's scientists, filmmakers, actors, and visionaries making presentations, including Ramtha's Channel JZ Knight with a talk titled "Self as Mind, Matter as Mind, Human as Architect, Divine is Experience." This writer and his wife will be in attendance and will report observations in the next Kleiner's Korner. link here “If you're a fan of indie-movie fairy tales, try this one on for size: In February 2004, a theater owner in Portland, Ore., strikes a deal with three fledgling filmmakers. He'll screen their movie What the #$*! Do We Know!? -- a New Age-y hybrid of documentary and fiction that examines the basic precepts of quantum physics -- for five days. If the film sells at least 1,600 tickets, he'll extend its run for another week. Five days in Portland turns into five months,” quoting the Ft. Worth [TX.] Star-Telegram. link here “One of the refreshing things about this movie is that the scientists unabashedly talk about God. Scientists are supposed to dismiss the notion of a divine force, right? Not these folks. They discuss what God means and how the concept correlates with established principles of physics, psychology, and neurology,” quoting The Epoch Times. link here . OF LOCAL NOTE: 23 members are involved in the “Thurston Council on Cultural Diversity and Human Rights” to promote multicultural diversity and human rights education, support diverse cultural activities, and provide a forum for interaction between diverse cultural groups. link here Enrollment form: link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.... I bid you a very heartfelt good night.” Johnny Carson (1925-2005) American Late-Night Television Show Host from his final TV show, May 22, 1992 . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2005. For archived issues of Kleiner’s Korner, click on “Current Kleiner’s Korner and Archives” at link here Send comments to steve@kleinerskorner.com . Kleiner's Korner For Week of January 24, 2005 The recent record rains and warmth aboard a “Pineapple Express” (trade winds on a jet stream direct from Hawaii) have created quite an issue for the Pacific Northwest cities in recent days. “Northwest water managers are nervously watching the region's summer water supply melt away. This year, the Washington Cascades in the dead of winter look more like they do in late spring. The peaks that are usually covered in thick snow are barren. The snow level is receding quickly. ‘Right now it's looking really bad. We're way below normal all over the state,’ said Scott Pattee, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. In many Cascade watersheds, the snow levels are at 25 percent or worse. We should have half our snow fall for the year by now. And if something doesn't happen soon, it won't just be the ski areas that are hurting. The reservoirs that serve the thirsty communities below may be full now, but they're full of rain water. There is very little snowpack to back them up,” quoting KING-5 TV. link here 1. TSUNAMI NEWS OF WHICH YOU BE UNAWARE A. Margaret Larson, Seattle's former news anchor for NBC’s Seattle affiliate KING-TV 5, has been making news herself since the tsunami. “Having been Vice President of Communications for Mercy Corps since February 2003, after spending ten years as a volunteer and a member of the Board of Directors, reporting on Mercy Corps’ programs in Lebanon, Albania, Macedonia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, in addition she remains a Contributing Correspondent at Dateline NBC,” quoting the Mercy Corps site. link here And the Seattle P-I filed this report about Ms. Larson's efforts: link here And Mercy Corps' own story -- another Pacific Northwest (Portland, Or. based) organization worth a look: link here Further, women also acknowledge this lady’s fine work. [Ed. Note: This writer really enjoyed watching Ms. Larson when she reported the morning news on NBC’s TODAY Show.] "Margaret Larson is [was] the recipient of the 2004 Headliner Award given annually by The Association for Women in Communications...The Headliner Award is presented to an AWC member who has recent national or international accomplishments, as well as consistent communications excellence. Since AWC created the award in 1939, the association has recognized some 200 prominent leaders in communications disciplines," quoting the AWC. link here B. Submitted by this writer’s dad, “The tsunami that killed 140,000 people across southern Asia in December ranks as one of the most devastating disasters in recent decades. But the next global catastrophe could be much worse. It is likely to kill many millions of people, sicken a quarter of the world's population, and send the global economy into a tailspin. There is little we can do to stop this disaster from happening, and it could already be imminent,” quoting Forbes. link here C. A reader wrote concerning my clarification about the tsunami issue regarding native survival stories and stated, 1. "What caught my attention was the two different places...great nicobar island and surin island. Got out the atlas, but not as useful as the web these days, but still took awhile to find a decent Surin map! Surin is near the coast of Thailand, whereas Great Nicobar is way out in the Sea." link here 2. "I found several other stories of native survivals. All of these stories are interesting and give a better overview of the native situation. Some tribes only had first contact with outsiders in 1997!" link here 3. "This story shows that many of the native tribes died...12 of 15 villages wiped out." link here . 2. ONE OF WORLD’S FOREMOST PROSTHETIC CLINICS HERE IN PUGET SOUND “Northwest Prosthetic and Orthotic Clinic combines experience and advanced technology to provide you with the best clinical care possible. NWPOC, a locally owned and operated facility is accredited by the American Board of Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics, and provides a full spectrum of both Prosthetic and Orthotic services. All clinicians are licensed with the State of Washington,” quoting their website. link here This man’s story has made worldwide news leading this writer to list the aforementioned link here: “Before he went missing for five days in the snowy backcountry of the Cascade Mountains, Dan Witkowski ‘was almost a skier first, then a person,’ his father Robert says. His disappearance on New Year's Eve 2004, the subsequent search for him and his ultimate rescue was, in many ways, the quintessential Northwest outdoor adventure — on steroids. Most searches do not last so long. Most people lost in the wilderness could not survive record-breaking cold with 20 inches of snow falling on them for more than a couple of days, let alone five. Searchers termed his survival extraordinary, almost unprecedented… Dr. Douglas Smith examines x-ray images of Witkowski's amputated legs recently during an office visit at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. To stop the devastation of frostbite, both legs were removed below the knee,” quoting the Seattle Times. link here . 3. ANOTHER FABULOUS GROUP HERE IN THE PUGET SOUND “The College of Forest Resources [at University of Washington] is dedicated to generating and disseminating knowledge for the stewardship of natural and managed environments and the sustainable use of their products and services through teaching, research, and outreach,” quoting their site. link here . 4. MISSING CHILDREN'S STORY THAT OPENED THIS WRITER’S EYES “AMBER Alerts. Photographs of missing children in your mailbox. News stories about abductions. Who knew parenthood could be so scary? Yet despite what you might think, teaching children to fear strangers is not the solution. Why? Because most perpetrators are not strangers in the mind of the child. In most cases—61 percent—victims of non-family abductions did not consider the perpetrator a stranger, according to research conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice. He or she is more likely to be a neighbor or a familiar face from the child’s routine than a stranger,” quoting the Northwest Airlines World Traveler Magazine in the seat pocket on my recent flight to Europe.. link here . 5. PAPER INDUSTRY LAYING WASTE TO NORTH AMERICAN FORESTS This from the NRDC: Giant paper producers, including Kimberly-Clark -- the maker of Scott, Cottonelle, Kleenex, and Viva tissue paper products -- are forcing the destruction of our continent's most vibrant forests, and devastating the habitat for countless wildlife species in the process. Instead of making better use of materials such as post-consumer recycled fiber and agricultural residue to meet the escalating demand for toilet paper, paper towels, and other disposable tissue products, these companies buy virgin pulp from suppliers that reach deep into North American forests for timber, from northern Canada to the southeastern United States. To help halt this destruction, NRDC and other conservation groups are pressuring the tissue products industry to change its practices and educating consumers about the choices they have when buying tissue paper products. link here Kimberly-Clark and other top U.S. manufacturers are sacrificing our most ecologically rich forests to make disposable tissue paper products. What You Can Do? Write to Kimberly-Clark today! Tell one of the world's largest tissue product companies to stop using virgin fiber to produce paper throwaways. Send a message: link here Read K-C's claims: link here Buy environmentally sound tissue products. Consumers have a major role to play in preserving North American forests. For a list of environmentally preferable tissue products, click here link here . 6. CANCER NOW TOPS HEART DISEASE AS TOP AMERICAN KILLER "For the first time, cancer has surpassed heart disease as the top killer of Americans under 85, health officials said Wednesday [Jan. 19]. The good news is that deaths from both are falling, but improvement has been more dramatic for heart disease," quoting the AP. link here . 7. DAN AYKROYD WEIGHS IN ON ASPECT OF THE UFO ISSUE Dan Aykroyd reviews this book/video titled “Evidence: The case for NASA UFO’s: link here then click "Dan Aykroyd.. 8. OUTGOING USA SECURITY CHIEF CALLS FOR WORLDWIDE BIOMETRIC PASSPORTS This writer was in Europe in mid-January where I read a major story there that received scant attention in the U. S. "Tom Ridge, US Secretary of Homeland Security, gave a public lecture at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) today (Friday 14 January). Speaking to a full house of LSE staff and students, secretary Ridge spoke on "Secure Borders, Open Doors: International Cooperation in the 21st Century" before taking questions from the audience. He detailed the steps taken by America, as well as in other countries worldwide, to improve security in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedy, and emphasised that global cooperation and information sharing between countries is essential to combat terrorism effectively," quoting the London School of Economics and Political Science. link here [Ed. Note: What most in the USA are unaware of is the fact that the U. S. State Department will begin issuing new electronic or biometric passports within a few months, quoting the International Herald Tribune, from which this writer gained knowledge on this issue. link here Don't believe the USA would do this for its citizens? Orwellian "1984" and all? Think again. Here is the U. S. Dept. of State Press Release. link here . 9. HMMM! MORE RESEARCH NEEDED, YET CHILDREN SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS IN USING CELL PHONES? ”No hard evidence exists to show mobile phones damage health, but users--especially children--should take care, U.K. scientists said in a survey Tuesday [Jan 11]. Britain's National Radiological Protection Board, or NRPB, an independent advisory group, said that there have been reports of adverse health effects but that some reports have not yet been independently confirmed and they are of variable quality… Some research suggests radio frequency fields could interfere with biological systems, but it has not been possible to carry out long-term studies,” quoting Reuters. link here . 10. DEBATE WHETHER ALASKA'S ONLY ELEPHANT IS HAPPY "Maggie, the African elephant who has resided at the Alaska Zoo here since 1983 -- a creature of the tropics amid snow leopards and polar bears -- is, after all, said to be rather moody and prickly. But whether Maggie, a 22-year-old native of Zimbabwe, is depressed because she is spending another dark and freezing winter in Alaska has been the subject of a long and charged debate here and across the country. Facing growing demands that she be moved to a warmer climate where she could socialize with other elephants and get much more outdoor exercise, Alaska Zoo officials decided to keep her in Anchorage for now but came up with an unusual proposal to improve her exercise situation: They plan to build this 9,120-pound elephant a treadmill," quoting the New York Times. [Ed. Note: This writer says move Maggie to California!] link here . 11. “SCIENTISTS FIND EVIDENCE OF ELECTRICAL CHARGING NANOCATALYSTS” “Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Technical University Munch have discovered evidence of a phenomenon that may lead to drastically lowering the cost of manufacturing of materials from plastics to fertilizers. Studying nano-sized clusters of gold on a magnesium oxide surface, scientists found direct evidence for electrical charging of a nano-sized catalyst. This is an important factor in increasing the rate of chemical reactions. The research will appear in the 21 January 2005 issue of the journal Science, published by the AAAS, the science society, the world's largest general scientific organization,” quoting the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Press Release. [Ed. Note: This may be too technical for some readers, yet this writer has been taught that nano-technology is the wave of the future that will radically change how we live, work and play.] link here . 12. GREAT BOOK IF YOU ARE GOING TO VISIT SEATTLE Made to Last: Historic Preservation in Seattle and King County link here . WHAT THE BLEEP – THE MOVIE NEWS What the Bleep has now received its own page on the Yahoo movie review site. [Ed. Note: FINALLY!] link here [Ed. Note: Of course, as the longest running film in the top 40 and an “Indie” at that, plus crossing the $10 million mark in ticket sales, Bleep IS quite the revolutionary film.] "Now Hollywood is watching – literally,” says John Lippman of The Wall Street Journal. Further, Amazon.com now is taking orders for the March, 2005 release of What the Bleep on DVD: link here Additionally, the What The Bleep DVD is already Amazon's #3 Top Seller in the "Rock Concerts, Music Videos, Documentaries, World Music..." genre. link here then scroll down to "Our Top Sellers." . OF LOCAL NOTE: “The Yelm Area Chamber of Commerce proudly serves parts of Thurston & Pierce County. We are located just 17 miles east of Olympia and 25 miles south of Tacoma. Our Web site not only offers information about the Chamber but also gives us the opportunity to list our members and offer links to their web sites and email. Please visit them on our Members page [ link here ],” quoting the Yelm Chamber site. [Ed. Note: This writer recently joined as an individual member. KK readers know of this writer’s support for local businesses.] link here Join the Yelm Chamber Flag Donor Brick Program link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "Everything you can imagine is real." Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) Spanish Painter . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2005. 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 January 17, 2005 CLARIFICATION: Two KK readers wrote this writer to caution quoting "India Daily" as the only source for a story, one pointing out "India Daily's office is in a small town of Whitehouse Station in central New Jersey. A number of articles deal with rumors without identifiable sources and hearsay...They have no subscription sign-up, only one link for letters to the editor and one email address and phone number to call to advertise. This leads me to believe they are not a big operation and have no print newspaper version and no elist." So, referencing the two links I mentioned from India Daily in last week's KK, let me present other sources for such: A. Under number one, TSUNAMI NEWS, there was an article from India Daily about "the cause of tsunami is earth's melting of permafrost in Arctic Circle due to global warming." Here is another view on this BBC story titled "Earth's permafrost starts to squelch" which lists several sources: link here B. Continuing from number one last week was a story about "remote viewing Andaman - Nicobar tribals refuse to come out from jungles-as per their predictions fresh earthquakes strike the islands." Here is the CNN filed report on this subject: link here As a precaution, this Kleiner's Korner homepage quote is a fine reminder to all readers, "Never take my word for anything here. Use your own mind to discern what you will from your own readings." 1. TSUNAMI NEWS A. "Victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami will soon benefit from water purification devices the size of a marking pen that were recently developed for the military. Two companies that make the purifier and the Department of Defense are sending 1,200 of the devices and instructors to Asia for the relief effort. The miniature purifier will make only a small difference there, but it could aid many more victims of future disasters, including hurricanes and floods, as its use spreads, said Frank Downs, a senior scientist at the Panama City Naval Surface Warfare Center. Downs helped develop the 3.5-ounce, shock- and freeze-proof MSR MIOX Purifier made by Miox Corp. of Albuquerque, N.M., and Mountain Safety Research Inc. of Seattle, Wash. The device runs on a lithium camera battery and destroys common waterborne pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa as well as anthrax, bubonic plague, smallpox and other contaminants," quoting the AP. link here B. Follow-up: This Washington Post story is titled “A Sense Of Doom: Animal Instinct For Disaster, Scientists Investigate Wildlife's Possible Warning Systems” and is well worth the read. link here . 2. CSPI CALLS FOR LIMITS ON CHILDREN'S FOOD ADS "Responding to an explosion in ads for food that target children, a consumer group Wednesday proposed nutrition-based limits on marketing aimed at kids that would halt ads for sugary snacks and fatty foods. Suggested guidelines from the Center for Science in the Public Interest would restrict ads to those drinks made mostly from juice or without added sugars, and those foods low in fat, added sugars and salt," quoting MSNBC. The CSPI Press Release, "The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) today [Jan. 5] released new Guidelines for Responsible Food Marketing to Children, which call on food manufacturers, broadcasters, restaurants, movie studios, and schools to reform the way drinks, snacks, fast-food meals, and other foods are marketed to kids. The Guidelines propose curbing certain marketing techniques but unlike the food industry's self-imposed guidelines, CSPI is proposing basic nutritional thresholds for determining which foods should be marketed to kids in the first place. The Guidelines were developed with input from experts from academia, government, and industry. link here Kraft Foods took the industry lead last week when they "said it would stop advertising products like Oreo cookies and Kool-Aid beverages to children younger than 12 as part of plan to address concerns about childhood obesity. The move means ads for some of Kraft's best-known snacks will no longer appear during television shows viewed primarily by children ages 6 to 11. The change will also affect radio and print ads, Kraft said," quoting Reiters. [Ed. Note: Stay tuned for more to come as more corporations eliminate ads targeted to children. Lest you think this is a kind jesture on corporate America's part, think again. This is to stem potential lawsuits ala the tobacco industry. Corporations do not care about you or me - just their pocket book!] link here CSPI's comments about the Kraft announcement: link here . 3. MEDITATION GIVES BRAIN A CHARGE, STUDY FINDS The Washington Post: "Brain research is beginning to produce concrete evidence for something that Buddhist practitioners of meditation have maintained for centuries: Mental discipline and meditative practice can change the workings of the brain and allow people to achieve different levels of awareness." link here . 4. STEM CELL NEWS “The replenishment of missing neurons in the brain as a treatment for Parkinson disease reached the stage of human trials over 15 years ago, however the field is still in its infancy. Researchers from Kyoto University have now shown that dopamine-producing neurons (DA neurons) generated from monkey embryonic stem cells and transplanted into areas of the brain where these neurons have degenerated in a monkey model of Parkinson disease, can reverse parkinsonism. Their results appear in the January 3 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation,” quoting Bio.com. link here “StemCells, Inc. today [Jan. 4] announced the filing of its first Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Subject to approval, the Company plans to begin its first clinical investigation of its human neural (brain) stem cells (HuCNS-SC - StemCells' proprietary neural cell therapy product) in Batten disease. Batten disease is a rare, fatal genetic disorder that affects the central nervous system of children. If approved by the FDA, this would mark the first-ever FDA-approved clinical trial to use a purified composition of human neural stem cells as the potential therapeutic agent,” quoting Bio.com. link here “Stem cells from umbilical-cord blood effectively treated heart attacks in an animal study, report cardiologist Robert J. Henning, MD, and colleagues at the University of South Florida and James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital,” quoting Bio.com. link here . 5. 2004 RECORD YEAR FOR USA TORNADOES “…more tornadoes were reported in Kansas and the nation last year than at any time since records have been kept. The good news: No one died in the Kansas tornadoes, and the national death toll was far below the annual average. Kansas recorded 124 tornadoes last year, breaking the mark of 116 set in 1991. The state also set a record for most tornadoes in a single month: 66 in May. There were 1,555 tornadoes recorded in the country through September, according to statistics compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla. Even without figures for the final three months, that breaks the record set in 1998 by more than 130,” quoting the AP. link here . 6. STUDY: EXTRA GENE COPY WHY SOME LESS SUSCEPTIBLE TO AIDS “Having extra copies of a gene that produces a blocking protein helps protect people from AIDS, a finding that may explain why some people are more susceptible to the disease than others, a new study reports. Researchers wondering why people from the same ancestry varied in their ability to resist HIV and AIDS found differences in the number of copies of the gene that encodes CCL3L1, a protein that blocks HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Researchers hope the finding, reported in Thursday's [Jan. 5] online issue of the journal Science, help them identify people who have a higher or lower susceptibility to the disease," quoting the AP. link here . 7. TWO-DECADE-OLD WILDLIFE PROTECTION DROPPED BY BUSH “A key wildlife protection that has governed Federal forest management for more than two decades will be dropped under new regulations announced Wednesday [Dec.] by the Bush administration, and requirements for public involvement in planning for the country's 192 million acres of national forest will be dramatically altered. U.S. Forest Service officials said the changes, contained in an administrative rewrite of national forest rules expected to take effect next week, would free them from wasteful and time-consuming paperwork and give them the latitude to more quickly respond to evolving forest conditions and scientific research,” quoting the L. A. Times. [Ed. Note: Oh boy, another four years with the most destructive President in history! And, for those of you who care to differ, please check out the facts: link here And the L. A. Times story: link here . 8. FCC CITES RADIOFREQUENCY RADIATION EXPOSURE VERY FIRST TIME “The Federal Communications Commission today [Jan. 3] released a Memorandum Opinion and Order affirming the $25,000 forfeiture it imposed on A-O Broadcasting, Inc. ("AO''), licensee of former FM Station KTMN, Cloudcroft, New Mexico, for violating radiofrequency radiation ("RFR'') exposure limits applicable to tower transmitters, and for failing to install and operate Emergency Alert System ("EAS'') equipment. The action denies A-O's petition for reconsideration of the Commission's December 29, 2003 Forfeiture Order. The 2003 Forfeiture Order was the first time the FCC imposed a monetary forfeiture for violation of its RFR exposure limits,” quoting this FCC News Release. link here . 9. FASCINATING VIEW OF WATER “Water is the most abundant substance in our world. It has one of the simplest possible chemical formulas: two hydrogen atoms attached to one oxygen atom (H2O). Yet it is one of the most anomalous substances known to humanity…It appears to show extremely complex and unusual behavior. It is the most studied substance on Earth. Yet scientists are still puzzled over its strange properties. Even the best computers we have today cannot simulate all of the different properties of water,” quoting this fascinating story in the Fountain Magazine. link here . 10. STUDY: LOWERING OF C-REACTIVE PROTEIN LEVELS MAY SAVE LIVES "It’s not enough to reduce “bad” cholesterol to prevent heart attacks because a substance called CRP also must be kept low, doctors said Wednesday [Jan. 5] in a finding that could save tens of thousands of lives. Fortunately, it appears that statins — the same types of drugs that have been shown to reduce low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol — also bring down CRP, or C-reactive protein. Evidence has been growing that a special type of inflammation, different from the form treated with aspirin and other related drugs, contributes to heart disease. CRP measures that inflammation.," quoting Reuters. link here Yelm’s own Dr. Elmer Cranton has been a leader in chelation therapy for years that assists in this endeavor, as well and his books have become the text on this subject. His fabulous site has a wealth of knowledge and information: link here . 11. CAN DOGS SNIFF OUR CANCER? “There’s no question dogs are an integral part of the fabric of America. There are more than 65 million dogs – and two in every five American households have dogs as pets… 'When I come in in the evening, my dog always comes over and just gives a sniff. Why is she doing that? To make sure it's me? Or to find out where I've been,' Correspondent Morley Safer asked Dr. Donald Broom, a researcher at Cambridge University Veterinary School who specializes in those noses…Broom and fellow researcher Barbara Somerville have set out to prove that the value of that sense of smell may be far greater than anyone realizes. They believe that dogs, with their extraordinary noses, can smell cancer. And they’re not alone. In September a leading medical journal in Britain, the BMI, gave its blessing. The journal published the results of the first ever meticulously controlled, double blind, peer-reviewed study on the subject, stating, 'The results are unambiguous. Dogs can be trained to recognize and flag bladder cancer,'” quoting CBS News “60 Minutes.” link here . 12. WSDOT OFFER SUGGESTIONS FOR WINTER DRIVING PREPAREDNESS “Crews at the Washington State Department of Transportation are preparing for the winter weather and encourage drivers to do the same. WSDOT encourages drivers to start their preparations with these four tasks [listed on this site],” quoting this WSDOT page. link here And, YES! Puget Sound DID break rainfall records for January 17th, 2005. "Rainfall set records in Seattle and Olympia. The National Weather Service says two-point-39 inches of rain fell yesterday at Sea-Tac Airport, breaking the record of point-94 set for January 17th in 1997. At Olympia, two-point-21 inches of rain fell yesterday, breaking the record of one-point-48 set in 1986," quoting KIRO radio, whose site does not archive stories. Here is KING-TV 5's report: link here . COMMENT: This writer wishes to express his concern for the usurpation of the U. S. Constitution & American values by the announced change in U. S. policy that will now allow this Administration to hold detainees PERMANENTLY in prison in Gitmo without being charged with anything. This will open up foreign governments being able to do this to Americans, as well. NOW, the question now on my mind is the potential of this carrying over to our shores and being done to U. S. citizens here at home. Miami Herald writer Leonard Pitts, Jr. brings this issue under the light in his excellent op-ed last week titled "Presumption of guilt OK with Bush," printed locally in the Seattle Times. link here Now, "To find a killer, a town asks all its men to give a sample. Savvy policing or invasion of privacy?" is the title of this TIME Magazine story. Continuing to quote this piece, "Police in Truro, Mass., intend to collect the DNA of every one of the town's 790 males. After that, the cops may cast a wider net, reaching neighboring towns. They started by approaching men at Truro's few outposts--the post office, the pizza place, the grocery store--and politely asking each if they could swipe a lollipop-size swab inside his cheek. It's strictly voluntary, and the Truro men can say no. Then again, the police are taking the license-plate numbers of all the men they approach, and will be noting those who refuse the test." [Ed. Note: Voluntarily, yes! However, where will this then lead? The fact that this is happening in America at all and in the cradle of America's birthplace is of grave concern to this writer. This quote from this same story is VERY revealing: "O'Keefe and the police have promised that the samples will be destroyed if they do not match the evidence. But state law does not require them to keep their promise, says the A.C.L.U."] link here . WHAT THE BLEEP –THE MOVIE NEWS “Many people who watched What the Bleep Do We Know and saw Ramtha interviewed in the film have expressed an interest in the phenomenon of channeling. They want to know who Ramtha is and who JZ Knight is when she is not channeling Ramtha." Here is the outrageous interview by hosts Lucia Monetti-Steele and Cameron Steele [from Contact Talk Radio’s January 5th on-air interview]. link here The Contact Talk Radio website: link here . OF LOCAL NOTE: On a trip to Mt. Rainier last week with this writer’s visiting brother, he asked about Pioneer Farm Museum & Ohop Indian Village, of which I knew nothing. Looking up the name on the internet, I found a fabulous place worth a stop next time you are in the area; another jewel in Western Washington that proudly proclaims this area's history: link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Whenever you find you are on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” Mark Twain (1835-1910) [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] American Writer . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2005. 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 January 10, 2005 For those KK readers interested in quantum physics and its role in human physiology, two excellent speakers this writer previously interviewed are going to be on the Laura Lee Show this week: link here Monday, January 10th & Thursday, January 13th, Dr. Bruce Lipton will speak. Dr. Lipton is a scientist and lecturer who has published his "research [that] reveals the biochemical pathways connecting the mind and body and provides insight into the molecular basis of consciousness and the future of human evolution," quoting his site. link here Tuesday, January 11th, Dr. Andrew Newberg will speak. "Andrew Newberg, MD, is Director of Clinical Nuclear Medicine, Director of NeuroPET Research, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania...He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Nuclear Medicine, and Nuclear Cardiology," quoting his site. His book, "Why God Won't Go Away : Brain Science and the Biology of Belief" is groundbreaking in its research, which was featured in the movie "What The Bleep Do We Know!" link here 1. TSUNAMI NEWS “Thailand has fired its chief meteorologist and opened an investigation into why his department failed to issue a tsunami warning which might have saved thousands of lives, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced. ‘When a quake measured at 8.9-9.0 on the Richter scale struck in Sumatra, it was widely known tsunami can happen. But why weren't there any alerts? I really want to know the truth,’ Thaksin told reporters Tuesday [Jan. 4],” quoting CNN international link here “The cause of tsunami is earth’s melting of permafrost in Arctic Circle due to global warming: Indian Scientists – many more global landslides and earthquakes possible… According to some Indian scientists, the melting of permafrost has far reaching effects on earth’s crust. The tectonic plates are susceptible to forces on different parts of the world including the Arctic and Antarctic regions. The new theory says if the crust of the earth is imbalanced due to tremendous effect of global warming and melting of permafrost,” quoting India Daily. link here “Remote viewing Andaman - Nicobar tribals refuse to come out from jungles –as per their predictions fresh earthquakes strike the islands. Indian government finally confirms that threatened tribal aborigines are safe in Andaman – Nicobar islands – they sensed it coming and moved to higher grounds. They are not coming out from jungles in spite of repeated insistence of the government,” quoting India Daily. link here The USGS site lists the current large earthquakes continuing around the planet: link here "Agitated elephants felt the tsunami coming, and their sensitivity saved about a dozen foreign tourists from the fate of thousands killed by the giant waves...The elephants started trumpeting - in a way Dang, 36, and his wife Kulada, 24, said could only be described as crying - at first light, about the time an earthquake measured at a magnitude of 9.0 cracked open the sea bed off Indonesia's Sumatra island," quoting this Reuters story. link here "This website, the result of the Tsunami Risks project, seeks to introduce the insurance industry to the complexity of tsunami and the wide range of phenomena that can cause them, and to explore the implications for estimation of tsunami hazards, frequency-magnitude distributions and evaluations of the direct and indirect insurance risks that they present....The Tsunami Risks Project is sponsored by The Tsunami Initiative and the UK's Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Research has been conducted by the Benfield Greig Hazard Research Centre at University College London, and the Centre for Quaternary Science and the Coventry Centre for Disaster Management at Coventry University," quoting this site. link here . 2. ISRAELI COMPANY DISTRIBUTES FREE TSUNMAI DEVICES IN ASIA "An Israeli company said on Monday it planned to distribute free to Asian countries hit by last week's tsunami a device it says could save lives by warning holiday-makers directly that a tidal wave is coming. The system developed by Israeli inventor Meir Gitelis uses land and water sensors, smaller than a shoebox and each costing $170, to measure seismic activity and wave motion. Like other systems already in operation, the sensors can send alerts in seconds by satellite to governments anywhere in the world. Unlike others, this system can also relay warnings directly to private subscribers over cell phones, pagers, or dedicated receivers, spreading the message more widely," quoting Reuters. link here . 3. SECOND MAD COW CASE CONFIRMED IN ALBERTA, CANADA "One day after confirming the second incident of mad cow disease, the Canadian government Monday [Jan. 3] quarantined a farm in Alberta as part of its search for cattle connected to the case...Officials confirmed Canada’s second case of mad cow disease Sunday. The country’s first case was discovered in May 2003 and a U.S. case found in December 2003 was later traced back to a Canadian farm. All three animals were born before a 1997 North American ban on feeding cattle protein made from cattle, sheep, and other ruminant livestock — a practice thought to spread the disease," quoting MSNBC. link here . 4. GENESIS PROJECT – ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ENERGY SOURCE “The Genesis Project was created to quickly develop a viable, abundant, low cost and totally environmentally friendly source of energy, capable of immediately eliminating the world's dependence on oil, gasoline, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy at minimal cost, minimal conversion effort and without requiring people, businesses or industries to change the way they use energy. There were three primary objectives involved in accomplishing our mission. First, develop the underlying technology necessary to form the basis of the new energy source. Second, create turnkey energy generation devices that utilize the technology for easy and transparent replacement of traditional forms of energy. Third, advance the designs and specifications of the devices to the point where worldwide mass production and deliveries could begin within months." link here . 5. CHEMICAL IN CHRISTMAS TREES HELPS ARTHRITIS "A popular type of Christmas tree, the Scotch pine, may have a gift for people with arthritis. A chemical in its bark fights inflammation, which could ease arthritis pain. The news comes from a country close to Santa's North Pole home -- Finland. Finnish scientists studied Scotch pine bark, reporting their findings in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Scotch pine bark's potential healing powers have been tapped before. A Scotch pine bark extract is concocted for traditional folk medicine and is still used as a dietary supplement in Europe, say the researchers," quoting Newsday. link here . 6. CONCERN OVER ELECTRONIC IMPLANTS “Electronic medical implants have been in development since the 1950s with the first cardiac pacemakers. They have since expanded to include defibrillators for the heart, neurostimulators for the nervous system, including those implanted into the brain, drug delivery infusion pumps, and cochlear implants to assist hearing. The latest implants - brain computer interface devices to help the paralysed regain control and communication, and electronic tags for instant medical records retrieval - are raising many additional ethical and social concerns (see "The new body & mind control", this series). As populations in the industrialized world are getting older and sicker, an increasing demand for such prosthetic devices is forecast,” quoting this interesting story from the Institute for Science in Society. link here From the press release: "Electronic medical implants are at least 50 years old, but new devices are raising unforeseen ethical and social concerns. Dr. Mae-Wan Ho calls for thorough public debate and consultation before these devices are let loose on society," quoting this interesting story from the Institute for Science in Society. link here . 7. NASA LOOKS FORWARD The Space Agency awards grants for projects to produce wonders of the future, in this Washington Post story. link here And, “At NASA headquarters, they call it "the swamp," a broad expanse of the fifth floor where experts gather to figure out how to accomplish the most ambitious space feat ever: a multidecade plan to send humans from Earth to the moon and ultimately to Mars,” quoting the Washington Post. link here . 8. WIND FARM BAT DEATHS ALARM RESEARCHERS “The bat deaths, which have baffled researchers, pose a problem for an industry that sells itself as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional power plants. Wind proponents already have had to battle complaints about bird deaths from the blades and about unsightly turbines marring pristine views,” quoting the Washington Post. link here . 9. MARS LANDER CELBRATES 1ST ANNIVERSARY ON SURFACE "NASA celebrated the first anniversary of the Spirit rover's landing on Mars on Monday with a birthday candle that wouldn't go out — an apt symbol for an interplanetary mission that already has lasted four times as long as scheduled. Exactly one year after Spirit's airbag-cushioned touchdown in Mars' Gusev Crater, mission team leaders looked back at the close calls that almost doomed the six-wheeled, golf-cart-sized robot, and looked ahead to new scientific surprises," quoting MSNBC. link here . 10. FIRST SOLO NONSTOP FLIGHT AROUND-THE-WORLD PLANNED "If all goes according to flight plan, an exotic-looking aircraft will be piloted into the history books this month. An attempt will be made to set the record for the first solo nonstop flight around Earth...Designed by the visionary aerospace engineer Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites in Mojave, Calif. — the mind behind the SpaceShipOne rocket plane — the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer is to be piloted by millionaire businessman and aerial adventurer Steve Fossett. Sir Richard Branson, chairman of Virgin Atlantic, is bankrolling the GlobalFlyer effort and is also the project's reserve pilot," quoting LiveScience. link here . 11. LOCAL BUSINESS OFFER ATHLETES ANOTHER CHOICE Bringing the talent of our local people to the limelight has always been a passion for this writer. Another grand site by Yelm residents Laura Mooney and Sherry Milczewski is Godballs. “Here at Godballs.com our mission is to inspire and empower athletes worldwide. Our products serve a higher calling and enable athletes to make a powerful statement. Athletes can now tell the world that their Game is Empowered by God! If you are looking for inspiration and spiritual empowerment of your games, that is what we do best. Our products remind the world that it is not our humanity that gives us these abilities but the Father within us that has made it so,” quoting their site. link here . 12. THESE BOOKS REQUIRE YOUR SEPCIAL ATTENTION A. “This is a simply told story from a place of honesty intertwined with humor that is for anyone seeking something more in their life. While it is autobiographical in presentation, it is not meant to be so per se. It describes one person’s journey and how anyone can lift themselves out of any circumstances they don’t like into a greater, happier, richer life than they ever thought possible. This is about a spiritual journey in great joy that is never ending!” This book by this writer’s neighbor is touching and sincere with Ms. Rainen’s simplicity in her sharing her experiences and well worth the read. link here B. Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, a brilliant new novel, has just been released by Living Free Press in Washington State. Moving across time from present day to the age of the Apostles, Northwest writer Bettye Johnson weaves a story of suspense, romance, and adventure while answering the questions: Was Mary Magdalene the wife of Jesus, did she bear him children, and did she have her own ministry? The story features two American women, one a research lawyer and the other a teacher on sabbatical hiking in the Pyrenees Mountains of southern France, who discover by accident an unknown cave containing never before known scrolls written by Mary Magdalene herself. Not wanting the scrolls to be hidden away for years, as had the Nag Hammadi and the Dead Sea Scrolls, the pair embarks on the adventure of translating them in order to bring their shocking revelations and secrets known only to Mary Magdalene to the world," quoting the website. Bettye Johnson has delivered a masterpiece that will have you up late into the night, not wanting to put this book down. link here . WHAT THE BLEEP - THE MOVIE NEWS: This writer was told about and watched Michael Keaton being interviewed on NBC's TODAY Show on January 5th speaking of his role in the movie "White Noise" when he asked interviewer Katie Couric if she had seen the movie "What The Bleep Do We Know." Katie said "no" but she wants to, and Mr Keaton urged her to do so. See the full interview at: link here scroll to "Michael Keaton Recommends What the Bleep on The Today Show". OF LOCAL NOTE: According to the Nisqually Valley News of December 31 there will be a newspaper-hosted community forum on Tuesday, Jan. 11 on a Wal-Mart proposal to build a store in Yelm. It is from 7-9 at Mill Pond gym, and will include information tables for Wal-Mart, the City of Yelm and any opposition group interested in participating. There will be a brief Q&A from 8-9. Additionally, this article on Wal-Mart will shed more light on their practices. link here RFK, JR. TO SPEAK IN SEATTLE ABOUT "CRIMES AGAINST NATURE" "Recently lauded by Successful Meetings magazine as a man whose message supercedes his golden name, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks with an earnestness and passion rarely seen among celebrity speakers. His reputation as a resolute defender of the environment stems from a litany of successful confrontations against governments and companies polluting the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. But Kennedy's message is more than clean water and pristine rivers. It is a call to action for people to make a contribution and a difference in their world. In his inspiring and brilliantly delivered speech, he tells of time spent with his father on the Hudson River, recalls Native American folklore, and invokes a pride in America's physical landscape that leaves audiences breathless," quoting the Paramount Theater website in Seattle, where Mr. Kennedy will be speaking Saturday, January 29th at 8p.m. link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK: "The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy." Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924) 28th President of the USA . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2005. 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 January 3, 2005 The tsunami certainly deserves headlines in every news reporting venue, as this is one of the largest natural disasters in modern times. Many are asking how a God could allow this. The answer is simple: Mother Earth is a living being, too, and is doing all she can to survive amidst a humanity on her surface that continues to disregard this planet as a living organism and ravages her via an outdated, immature and destructive Industrial Age lifestyle. Stay tuned for more to come as Mother Earth attempts to heal herself of her sores. Any KK reader can get the daily tsunami updates via many sources. To that end, I will cover links not commonly found about this event below. 1. 2004 SOUTHEAST ASIA TSUNAMI ITEMS OF IMPORTANCE A. This Olympian story lists many of the agencies taking funds to distribute assistance: link here B. “The alarm now sounds with increasing frequency and urgency: the world could be on the brink of an influenza pandemic sparked by the highly virulent avian flu strain ravaging poultry stocks in Southeast Asia, experts fear. But can that virus -- known as avian influenza A (H5N1) virus -- actually acquire the ability to spread easily to and among people? And if it can, how likely is that dreaded event to occur?” link here C. Live on a shore, take what you get, says this article titled, “Earthquakes don't kill; human error does” link here D. You must see these stunning before, during and after satellite photos of the tsunami: link here Then click “Tsunami Media Gallery” E. “Dr. David Nabarro, World Health Organization crisis coordinator, tells "Today" host Matt Lauer about expectations for the spread of disease in southern Asia," quoting MSNBC in the most balanced assessment this writer has seen to date. link here then click “Disease fears” F. “Wild animals seem to have escaped the Indian Ocean tsunami, adding weight to notions they possess a sixth sense for disasters, experts said Thursday [Dec 30]. Sri Lankan wildlife officials have said the giant waves that killed over 24,000 people along the Indian Ocean island's coast seemingly missed wild beasts, with no dead animals found. link here G. "AmeriCares is a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization providing immediate response to emergency medical needs, as well as supporting long-term humanitarian assistance programs, for all people around the world, irrespective of race, creed or political persuasion. AmeriCares solicits donations of medicines, medical supplies and other relief materials from U.S. and international manufacturers, and delivers them quickly and efficiently to indigenous health care and welfare professionals around the world," from the AmeriCares website. link here "Continuing a long-standing partnership, Northwest Airlines and AmeriCares are teaming up to transport relief supplies to South Asia for victims of the the recent earthquake and tsunamis. NWA Cargo, the subsidiary of Northwest Airlines, has offered to transport up to 200 tons of supplies - the equivalent of two full Boeing 747 freighters - over the next 60 days," from NWA's Press Release. [Ed. Note: Whenever there is a disaster, this writer knows he is going to hear of Northwest Airlines donating cargo "lift" capacity for emergency supplies from the USA.] link here H. "A [WA.] state lawmaker is proposing tax incentives for developing and building tsunami-resistant shelters on the state's Pacific shore. The West Coast is vulnerable to the same kind of killer waves and Washington needs to improve its readiness, he said in an interview. The state has a warning system and evacuation routes, but other safeguards, including community shelters, are needed...," quoting the Seattle P-I. link here I. "Scientists say grinding geologic circumstances similar to those in Sumatra also exist just off the Pacific Northwest coast. They are a loaded gun that could trigger a tsunami that could hit Northern California, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia in minutes - too fast for the nation's deep-sea tsunami warning system to help," quoting the AP on KING-5 TV. link here J. “Today [Dec. 30], the World Health Organization said urgent action is needed to address the emerging public health needs of between 3 and 5 million people affected by devastating tsunamis in Southeast Asia. Priorities are clean water, adequate shelter, food, sanitation and healthcare. US$40 million is needed to address the immediate public health needs,” quoting the WHO. link here K. And finally, this great New York Times Op-Ed article titled “The Year The Earth Fought Back” link here L. “A comment on monitoring of aid workers for avian influenza” link here . 2. DECEMBER MARKS ENTRY INTO 13TH ZODIAC HOUSE "Every year in early December, something happens that can throw your horoscope out of whack. The sun enters Ophiuchus, the little-known 13th house of the zodiac. You've probably heard of Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. The sun passes through these constellations, one by one, throughout the year. They're the ancient signs of the zodiac. Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer But Ophiuchus?" quoting NASA. link here . 3. “NATURAL SELECTION ACTS ON THE QUANTUM WORLD” AND, A QUANTUM PHYSICS ANGLE TO 2004 ELECTION A team of US physicists has proved a theorem that explains how our objective, common reality emerges from the subtle and sensitive quantum world. If, as quantum mechanics says, observing the world tends to change it, how is it that we can agree on anything at all? Why doesn't each person leave a slightly different version of the world for the next person to find? Because, say the researchers, certain special states of a system are promoted above others by a quantum form of natural selection, which they call quantum darwinism. Information about these states proliferates and gets imprinted on the environment. So observers coming along and looking at the environment in order to get a picture of the world tend to see the same 'preferred' states,” Quoting the journal Nature. link here "Quantum physics points out that the way we observe the universe in this present moment literally evokes the universe that is observed. Our perception of the universe is a part of the universe that is happening through us that has an effect on the universe that we are observing. Quantum physics points out that it makes no sense whatsoever to talk of an objective universe separate or independent from the observer. To quote noted physicist John Wheeler “Useful as it is under everyday circumstances to say that the world exists ‘out there,’ independent of us, that view can no longer be upheld. There is a strange sense in which this is a participatory universe," quoting this story by / Paul Levy, who is a spiritually-informed political activist. link here Then click “Quantum Physics Looks at the 2004 Election-NEW” . 4. “SCIENTISTS DISCOVER THE CELLUALR ROOTS OF GRAYING HAIR” In a report posted today [Dec. 24]on the Web site of the journal Science, researchers from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children's Hospital Boston say they have found the cellular cause of graying hair while investigating the origins of malignant melanoma, the potentially deadly skin cancer. link here . 5. ECHO BOOMERS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON SOCIETY This is the best story this writer has yet seen about Echo Boomers, the current youth that are the children of Baby Boomers. 60 MINUTES presented this thorough story on December 26th, 2004. "Born between 1982 and 1995, there are nearly 80 million of them, and they're already having a huge impact on entire segments of the economy. And as the population ages, they will be become the next dominant generation of Americans..."I talked to the CEO of a major corporation recently and I said, 'What characterizes your youngest employees nowadays?'" says Levine. "And he said, 'There's one major thing.' He said, 'They can't think long-range. Everything has to be immediate, like a video game. And they have a lot of trouble sort of doing things in a stepwise fashion, delaying gratification. Really reflecting as they go along.' I think that's new." Levine calls the phenomenon visual motor ecstasy, where any cultural accoutrement that doesn't produce instant satisfaction is boring. As echo boomers grow up, they'll have to learn that life is not just a series of headlines and highlight reels." link here . 6. 48 STATES’ MOST PRISTINE FISHING LAKES AREA NOW MERCURY CONTAMINATED Follow-up: My wife and I love canoeing the lakes of Northern Minnesota & Wisconsin for recreation and their pristine beauty. Now, the fish we eat from these wonderful fresh water lakes may be contaminated with mercury according to the Duluth [MN.] New-Tribune: "Minnesota pollution regulators on Wednesday [Dec. 22] said mercury falling on Minnesota lakes must be cut at least 93 percent before all fish are safe to eat for everyone -- but they stopped short of proposing regulations to help meet that goal." link here . 7. U. S. LIFTS CANADIAN BEEF IMPORTS BAN "Cattle ranchers and beef industry officials were throwing cowboy hats in the air Wednesday [Dec. 29] after the United States announced sweeping plans for opening the border in March to nearly all Canadian exports of beef and live cattle.... In a release, the U.S. Department Agriculture said it will now recognize Canada as a minimal-risk region for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the scientific name for mad cow disease. Beginning March 7, Canadian producers will be able to start shipping live cattle under the age of 30 months, as well as beef products from animals over 30 months old. Ruminants such as goats and elk will also be allowed. Older live animals and breeding cattle will continue to be blocked," quoting the CBC. link here . 8. SPICE REDUCES ALZHEIMERS IN MICE, HUMAN TRIALS NEXT "The curry spice curcumin (/ker-CYOO-mun/) appears to block buildup of prime Alzheimer suspect beta-amyloid in laboratory cell cultures and reduce amyloid plaque levels in the brains of aging genetically engineered mice. These findings are from a study by Gregory M. Cole, Ph.D., and colleagues, funded in part by the Alzheimer’s Association and published in the Dec. 7 advance online edition of the Journal of Biological Chemistry,” quoting the Alzheimer's Association. link here . 9. FIRST CLONED-TO-ORDER PET SOLD IN USA "The first cloned-to-order pet sold in the United States is named Little Nicky, an eight-week-old kitten delivered to a Texas woman saddened by the loss of a cat she had owned for 17 years. The kitten cost its owner $50,000 and was cloned from a beloved cat, named Nicky, that died last year. Nicky's owner banked the cat's DNA, which was used to create the clone," quoting the AP. link here . 10. COSTS OF WAR IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN - DOLLARS AND HUMAN This is an interesting perspective at the costs of the current war: link here This is a heart warming site that gave this writer a whole new vision of the job our troops are doing in hostile lands, whether you are for the war or not. Warning: get out your hanky. This was sent in by a KK reader with my appreciation: link here then scroll down to the picture and turn up your volume. . 11. ONE OF WORLD'S OLDEST WOMEN LIVES HERE IN PUGET SOUND "Foerster, who lives in Shoreline, has just been recognized as one of the world's oldest living people. Her name is now on the Worldwide Table for Living Supercentenarians. There are 63 living supercentenarians on the list. To be accepted for this elite roster, you have to be authenticated as being at least 110 years old. Foerster turns 111 today [Dec. 28], making her the oldest person documented in the state," quoting Seattle's KING-5 NBC station. link here . 12. JZ JNIGHT & RAMTHA RECENT PUBLIC APPEARANCES NOW ON DVD JZ Knight was the keynote speaker at the Gather the Women (GTW) 2004 International Congress held October 15th in Dallas. Ms. Knight's keynote address is a call for action among all women everywhere. Quoting Ms. Knight, "Freedom is giving women the permission to live forward, not backward..." The DVD of Ms. Knight's talk is now available online: link here The Press Release for the 2004 Congress: link here Ramtha's Address at Seattle Center on November 12th is now available on DVD. This writer was in audience and found this a moving testament to our times and hope for the future. This was the first public appearance of Ramtha since he was featured in the film, "What the Bleep Do We Know." Quoting the DVD cover, "In this address, Ramtha explains with clarity and genius that the source of our greatest joy and hope is in our diving quality as creators of reality and Observers in a field of unlimited potential described by quantum physics." This is one for every library. Order yours at: link here . WHAT THE BLEEP – THE MOVIE NEWS: “Dr. Masaru Emoto, one of the scientists in the film, and author of The Hidden Messages in Water, calls on people from all over the world to pray for the recovery of the area affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami," quoting the Bleep website: link here . FOOTNOTE: Jnauary 6th is the date that the 2004 U. S. Presidential election is to be certified. Due to questions and sworn affidavits by local election officials of wrongdoing in some jurisdictions, there is a challenge to this certification being launched. If you would like more information, read this site about "Electile Dysfunction." link here . OF LOCAL NOTE: Joe Bongiorno cordially invites you to his upcoming performance at the next Solo Piano Radio showcase in Bellevue, WA. Saturday, January 8th & Sunday, January 9th! Two wonderful evenings of original romantic piano on a Yamaha concert grand in an up-close, intimate environment. For event and ticket info, click here: link here Joe's piano music site: link here Joe's piano performance/DJ site: link here . QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “When you get the message, hang up the phone.” Edward Abbey (1927-1989) American Author . Kleiner’s Korner is copyrighted by Stephen R. Klein, 2005. 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.