Water Treatment with Silicofluorides and Lead Toxicity

Jan Sharrock is one of the many people whose health is badly affected by fluoride in the water. Besides the silicofluoride in our water she is also concerned with its lead toxicity that comes along with it. Jan sent this interesting article on the subject. What our state government has imposed on us without a referendum is going totally against the principles of human rights and democracy. It is ironic that lead was taken out of petrol because of health issues, yet we put it back into our water together with fluoride, it doesn’t make sense. - Werner - Click on picture to enlarge!

SILICOFLUORIDE AND LEAD TOXICITY

“Where silicofluorides are used [in public waters systems], children absorb more lead from the environment”.

“Water Treatment with Silicofluorides and Lead Toxicity.”

By Professor Roger D Masters.

Sodium Silicofluoride will soon be flowing into Cairns water. Council has chosen a Silicofluoride formula from the 3 available options of Sodium Silicofluoride, Hydroflurosilicic Acid (known collectively as Silicofluorides), and Sodium Fluoride.

Professor Roger Masters has compared children's lead levels in communities using Silicofluoride treated water, with communities using Sodium Fluoride or non-fluoridated water. In conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency, he conducted research involving over 400,000 children, and 30 communities, which use Silicofluorides, and 30 communities that do not.

He found that Silicofluoride treated municipal water is ALWAYS significantly associated with increased lead levels in children. The children were more than twice as likely to suffer blood lead above the danger level of 10 micrograms per decilitre of blood (10ug/dL).

Lead toxicity is a highly significant factor in predicting higher rates of crime, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, asthma, irritability, aggression, lack of energy, poor hearing, poor coordination, impaired growth, headaches, digestive problems, and anaemia. Lead poisons the bone marrow which can lead to leukaemia.

Children who have been poisoned by lead are less able to handle stress, and are more prone to violent outbursts. Lead interferes with the action of calcium, which is crucial for regulating emotional response, memory and learning. Lead exposure can permanently damage the brain and impair intellectual development. Young children are especially vulnerable. A number of studies have found that for every 10ug/dL there is a lowering of IQ in children by 4 to 7 points. It is possible to produce a lead-free-fluoride product, but the process makes fluoride more expensive.

Dangerously high levels of lead in 11% of children in Mt Isa, have resulted in law suits against mining giant Xstrata, and the Queensland Government. Nevertheless, the government still requires the treatment of Mt Isa's water with lead contaminated fluoride. There is no safe level for lead in the body. However 10ug/dL is the current threshold of safety set by the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in 1991, as a lower standard, it was claimed, would have burdened the country's healthcare system.

Lead was banned in paint in 1970, and leaded petrol was phased out in 2002. Silicofluorides have been found to enhance the body's uptake of lead, whatever the source. The effects of lead poisoning are cumulative and can last a lifetime.

Any lead or lead-soldered pipes still in use in the Cairns water system, should now be non-hazardous, as the Environmental Protection Agency advises that lead stabilizes after 5 years. However Silicofluorides are highly corrosive, and can break down lead and lead-bearing brass plumbing, causing lead to leach into our water. Dr Willard E Edwards, a consultant corrosion control engineer, reported that such corrosion can be reduced by adding various chemicals to the water system, though this makes the water less pure. He advised that trouble due to pipe corrosion greatly increases within a year after fluoridation is introduced.

The Queensland Government has mandated fluoridation of our water supply, and permits lead-contaminated fluoride to be used. But the Government does not REQUIRE it.

Jan Sharrock. Brinsmeade

And here is an extract from a recent article in the Cairns Post.

Jan Sharrock won't be jumping with joy when fluoride hits the Cairns water supply. She believes her health problems began when she lived in Townsville, where the water has been fluoridated for the past 45 years.

Jan lived in Townsville for three years from the age of 29, before becoming ill with allergies and digestive problems. She eventually became so weak she had to take to bed. "I couldn't even read because my eyes wouldn't focus," she says.

"I went to doctor after doctor. It was so frustrating to be so ill. "Jan eventually researched her symptoms and discovered they could be due to an under-active thyroid. She was later diagnosed as having Hashimoto's Disease, an auto-immune disease that attacks the thyroid.

Doctors, she says, used fluoride up until the '70s for thyroid-suppression for patients with an over-active thyroid, so she believes living in a city with water fluoridation slowed down her thyroid function and had a negative impact on her health.

"My recovery was very slow," Jan says. "I didn't even make the fluoride connection until I was in Cairns and became a whole lot healthier."

For Jan, fluoride entering the public water system in Cairns is a nightmare."There is no real solution," she says. "The only thing recommended is a reverse Osmosis filter that takes out most of the fluoride, but it also takes out the minerals, so it's not ideal."

Jan is now on the committee for Queenslanders against water fluoridation.

My thought for today. - Werner
We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them. - Albert Einstein

The Swine Flu Conspiracy:

A Plan to Commit Mass Murder.

The Underground Health Reporter(TM)

"A chilling tale of conspiracy to commit mass murder by those who are responsible for protecting human lives.The Swine Flu Conspiracy: A Plan to Commit Mass Murder -- coming to a town near you."

The above reads like a suspenseful trailer for a blockbuster Hollywood movie like "The Manchurian Candidate" or "Enemy of the State." But it's not a movie at all. It's a TRUE STORY that's happening right now.

The World Health Organization, which has been predicting a massive swine flu pandemic that will infect one-third of the entire world's population, has every reason to be 100% certain of its prediction. It's because the swine flu virus is about to be deliberately unleashed upon the unsuspecting public.

If you find this hard to believe, here's proof:
A medical journalist named Jane Burgermeister has recently filed criminal charges with the FBI against the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN), and several of the highest ranking government and corporate officials concerning their attempts to commit mass murder via the swine flu. [Source: NaturalNews]

This comes in the wake of charges filed last April against US-based pharmaceutical company, Baxter AG, and Avir Green Hills Biotechnology. Baxter was recently connected to the disturbing scandal involving flu vaccines. Several sources, including the Times of India, reported that last December, Baxter inserted deadly live avian flu viruses into vaccines that were distributed to 18 countries around the world to be injected into patients as "flu shots" -- allegedly as a deliberate act to trigger a pandemic and profit from the sale of vaccines.

However, a batch of the tainted vaccines was first tested on ferrets in the Czech Republic before being shipped out for injection into humans. Every one of the ferrets died -- and the SHOCKING discovery was made.

Since the contamination of the vaccination couldn't be blamed on an "honest mistake," newspapers immediately questioned whether the events were part of a conspiracy to deliberately provoke a pandemic, following up on accusations already made by health officials in other countries. Jane Burgermeister contends that the WHO, the UN and high-ranking corporate government officials conspired with each other (and others) in a covert international program involving the pharmaceutical companies Baxter and Novartis. The conspiracy entailed the bioengineering and then releasing of lethal biological agents -- specifically the "bird flu" virus and the "swine flu virus" in order to accelerate the pandemic by making the virus ever more virulent(with the addition of the Avian flu). This would then make an otherwise mild swine flu outbreak disastrous enough to justify forced mass vaccinations.

Such a forced mass vaccination program would rake in billions of dollars in vaccine revenues -- while the hoards of people who are vaccinated run the risk of suffering serious injury or even death in massive numbers!

Can you REALLY be forced to take the swine flu vaccine?
Most people have never heard of the international health regulations and the national pandemic plans that ALLOW mandatory flu vaccinations. Most people think that no one can be FORCED to take the swine flu vaccine. Wrong!

Did you know ... that in the event of a Pandemic Level 6 emergency declaration, you would be required to follow the orders of the World Health Organization? In such an emergency, the WHO has the authority to force anyone (and that includes you) to be vaccinated and also to be quarantined. Under such circumstances, it would be a CRIMINAL OFFENSE if you refuse to be vaccinated.

So what's the worst thing that could happen if you were to be vaccinated?
For starters, if the vaccine you receive happens to be laced with live avian flu viruses, which Baxter has demonstrated itself capable of doing without being penalized -- the vaccine would be virulent enough to kill you.

This is the basis for Burgermeister's charges against the WHO and UN for conspiracy to commit mass murder. Furthermore, if the swine flu vaccine doesn't kill you, you may have an increased CANCER RISK.

According to German lung specialist Wolfgang Wodarg (who is also the chairman of the health committee in the German parliament and European Council), the swine flu vaccine's nutrient solution contains CANCEROUS cells from animals. It therefore stands to reason that injection of the vaccine might also cause cancer in humans.

The swine flu vaccine contains shockingly higher concentrations of squalene than was used in the anthrax vaccines, which caused hundreds of thousands of troops to suffer the catastrophic effects of Gulf War Syndrome. Furthermore, the swine flu vaccine, which is being rushed to market without the appropriate testing and evaluation, may cause a repeat of the swine flu vaccine catastrophe of 1976, in which people died or developed crippling Guillain-Barré Syndrome or paralysis as a result of the experimental vaccine.

In the event that forced vaccinations are implemented, what can YOU do? You can just say "No!"

Would it make you a criminal offender -- and possibly land you in jail -- if you refused the vaccine? If large numbers of people refuse the vaccination, the government would NOT have the resources to enforce a mandatory vaccination -- nor have the capacity to imprison hundreds of thousands (or millions) of people.

That's why it's necessary to urge as many people as possible to refuse the swine flu vaccine. Should you refuse the vaccine, you definitely WON'T be alone.

According to research reported in the August 25 issue of the British Medical Journal... ... more than 50% of doctors and nurses in public hospitals would refuse the swine flu vaccine because they're concerned about its side effects, and have doubts about its efficacy.

And according to a Fox News poll conducted in August, the MAJORITY of Americans now believe that the swine flu vaccine may be DEADLIER than the swine flu virus itself. Without a vaccine, what can YOU do to protect yourself from the swine flu virus?

There's a natural, scientifically proven method for creating an environment in the body which is uninhabitable by the swine flu virus, as well as other disease micro-organisms, germs and bacteria. It involves a natural oxygenating substance that makes your body immune to swine flu and virtually all diseases.

I urge you to watch the 7-minute video titled "The Swine Flu Virus Cure They Don't Want You to Know About" at http://tinyurl.com/aadomcsf . This is the video the pharmaceutical industry does NOT want you to watch. Why? Because it threatens the billions of dollars they could potentially make from the swine flu vaccine. Don't forget to forward this article to everyone you know because no one can escape exposure to the swine flu virus this flu season. It's that important. You might even end up saving someone's life.

The Hazards of Fluoride in Food & Water!

The deputy Premier, Paul Lucas, said in Parliament “the government couldn’t introduce a four year term in Parliament without a referendum, we should not cut the people out of that decision, a referendum is at the heart of democracy." Well said Mr. Lucas, but why did your government mandate Water fluoridation without a referendum and cut out the people ? Could you answer that simple question please? - Werner - Click on picture to enlarge

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Posted by Mel, selected from Natural Solutions magazine Oct 24, 2009 9:01 am filed under: Family Life, Babies, Children, Diet & Nutrition, Eating for Health, Health & Wellness, fluoride, water. By Jeff Green, Natural Solutions

They say that hindsight is 20/20 vision. Today, as the devastating effects of chemicals in our water, food and environment surface, we need to look back and see where things went wrong. In fact, it turns out that most chemicals were introduced into the environment without adequate testing, often by means of publicity blitzes that misled the public.

Fluoride is a case in point. When the House Committee on Science recently asked for studies proving the safety or effectiveness of the substances that are used in 90 percent of the nation’s fluoridation programs, the Environmental Protection Agency responded that it could not identify any long-term studies proving that fluoride is safe. Research over the past few years, however, has shown that fluoridation of water presents a danger, not an advantage, for our health.

Why we are at risk. Over 50 years ago, when public policy makers proposed fluoridation of drinking water, they presented valid-sounding arguments. Many communities rushed to add fluoride to their public drinking water, presuming that the additive would fight tooth decay. Now, that argument itself is decaying.

Policy makers, heavily influenced by industry lobbyists, had bought a bill of goods, and without proper toxicological studies had standardized what they considered to be an effective amount of fluoride. The standard was based on a hypothetical average amount of water that a person drinks each day. But they failed to consider the effect of ingesting larger amounts or to take into account other sources of fluoride–including fluoride in our foods.

According to the July 2000 cover story in the Journal of the American Dental Association, what limited benefit may be attributed to fluoride, if any, probably comes from direct application to the tooth. Even then, swallowed fluoride can cause fluorosis, a darkening or mottling of the tooth and erosion of the enamel.

More significantly, fluoride has been tied to serious health problems. This is compounded when the source of fluoride is hazardous waste from the phosphate fertilizer industry. The actual substances in most fluoridation programs are residues captured from the air quality control smokestack scrubbers of fertilizer producers in central Florida. This clever but less-than-ethical business ploy, which forces toxic waste upon an unsuspecting public in the name of good health, is thought by many to be just the tip of the iceberg.

According to Dr. Hardy Limeback, head of the Department of Preventive Dentistry at the University of Toronto, this waste contains not just fluoride but also lead, arsenic and radium–all carcinogenic–and these are dumped untreated into our drinking water. Furthermore, ingesting fluoride may increase the transport of these heavy metals across the blood-brain and gut-blood barriers.

According to studies of more than 400,000 children in three states, the presence of fluoride chemicals results in a doubling of the incidence of the danger level of lead in children’s blood, which is correlated with increased learning disabilities, hyperactivity and violence. A highly significant animal study found an increased incidence of aluminium in the brain from fluoride exposures equal to the concentrations found in fluoridated drinking water, resulting in kidney disease and brain lesions similar to those of humans with Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Limeback had been Canada’s leading authority and primary promoter of fluoridation for about 30 years. Now, he actively warns people of the dangers of fluoride, advising mothers never to make baby formula with fluoridated tap water and never ever to let children under 3 use toothpaste with fluoride. Similarly, both the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Paediatrics have had to revise their recommendations and ask parents not to prepare baby formulas with fluoridated water.

Fluoride has been long recognized as an enzyme inhibitor, causing a range of undesirable side effects, including the suppression of thyroid hormones. (In fact, in the 1920s a common treatment for patients with overactive thyroids was a bath with added fluoride in order to allow fluoride absorption through their skin.) Similarly, fluoride may have health consequences for diabetics by impacting the effectiveness of insulin. Fluoride also inhibits the hormones melatonin and serotonin, which are vital for proper health. Of grave concern is the finding that fluoride inhibits or destroys acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme essential for proper neurotransmission for learning and memory.

Several reports published in the Journal of the American Medical Association also correlate fluoridated water with increased risk of hip fractures as a result of its deleterious effect on bones, especially in women during their menopausal years, a time identified as a window of injury. And a University of Toronto study indicates that residents of cities that fluoridate have double the fluoride in their hip bones compared to the general population. Comparing the statistics on two Canadian cities, Toronto (which has fluoridated the public water supply for almost 40 years) and Vancouver (which does not fluoridate), Dr. Limeback states that Vancouver has a lower incidence of dental cavities, thus further discrediting the anti-cavity theory.

When questioned about the safety of drinking fluoridated water, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, a part of the National Institutes of Health, acknowledged that a person who drinks large quantities of water should drink bottled water. Charles Gordon Heyd, past president of the American Medical Association, put it more bluntly, stating that fluoride is a corrosive poison. (We already know that fluoride has been used as rat poison.) But that still doesn’t tell us the whole story. A significant part of the fluoride problem goes back to the original assumptions of those who heavily promoted fluoridation years ago: that the optimal amount of ingested fluoride was 1 mg and that the average child ingested 1 liter of water per day (1 mg of fluoride per litre=1 part per million, or 1 ppm). The calculations did not take into account the safety of higher exposure levels. They also assumed that there were no other sources of ingested fluoride. Hindsight now confirms that the assumptions were dead wrong.

Fluoride in our foods. New amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require that risk assessments for toxic contaminants, such as fluoride in public drinking water, take into account the total exposure from all sources. All this leads to the largely unknown fact that there is fluoride in our foods and beverages–enough fluoride to register above the level acceptable by law.

Remember that tap water is not the body’s only source of water. Because of crop irrigation, fluoride can be absorbed through the roots (as with green and black tea) or the leaves. Water added during food manufacturing is responsible for the presence of fluoride in beverages such as sodas, teas and juices, as well as in prepared foods, such as cereals and other products where water is an ingredient.

Pesticides made with fluoride present another significant source. As a result of fluoride-based pesticide residues on produce, researchers are finding that lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, raisins and other common foods are also subject to even higher exposure levels than found in fluoridated water. The common pesticide cryolite (sodium aluminium fluoride containing both aluminium and fluoride) is found at alarmingly high rates in foods that easily absorb chemicals, such as potato skins, white grapes and strawberries. Commercial iceberg lettuce, in addition to having no nutritional value, may contain 180 ppm of cryolite.

Buying organic produce is an important health matter. However, in a fluoridated community, organic produce will still absorb fluoride during irrigation. Even when the water in a given community complies with the 1 ppm rule, the concentrations found simply in foods can exceed those limits. Ten years ago, a government toxicological profile had already revealed that due to fluoride in foods, beverages and oral care products, communities with fluoridated water were ingesting three to seven times the recommended level, far surpassing the margin of safety.

Can you filter the fluoride out? It’s not as simple as it sounds. The fluoride ion is smaller than the water molecule; so simple filtration devices will not remove fluoride. A more expensive and elaborate system is needed, such as distillation or reverse osmosis purification.

Even if you can remove fluoride from your water at home, you may still be subject to ingesting fluoride from foods served at restaurants or from prepared packaged foods, because manufacturers and restaurant owners may not opt to use these expensive systems.

Labelling requirements are limited to products making health claims, so it can be difficult to determine the existence of fluoride in your foods. Even the process of turning juices into concentrates can present a problem, because the technique for removing the water leaves all additives and chemicals behind in the concentrate: If the water in the community where the juice is processed contains fluoride, it will remain in the concentrate when the water is evaporated off. If you add fluoridated water to reconstitute the juice, you have double the problem.

Fluoride from other sources.
Toothpaste, of course, is a common source of fluoride, and it is intentionally produced with much higher fluoride levels than are found in water. Check the label on your toothpaste. If you see a warning to keep the product out of reach of children and to contact a poison control centre if more than a dab is ingested, then you know that it must be dangerously poisonous.

Fluoride gel treatments from dentists contain such high concentrations (12,000 to 20,000 ppm) that if absorbed through the mouth, the gel can cause nausea and if accidentally swallowed, it can even cause death. Fortunately, the normal bodily response is to reject the acutely toxic substance by vomiting.

The amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act address the importance of studying the cumulative effect in the body of chemical contaminants, such as fluoride, and their synergistic, or combined, interactive effects with other chemical contaminants.

Since the skin absorbs water, we can also be exposed to fluoride and other chemicals–notably chlorine–from showers, baths and swimming pools. We know that both these chemicals are harmful. We do not know about their interactions. Moreover, it appears that fluoride, like other harmful chemicals, does accumulate in the tissues.

To demonstrate how pervasive the problem is, few people are aware of the presence of fluoride through yet another vehicle: commonly prescribed drugs. Antidepressants such as Prozac, diet pills such as Phen-Fen (which was pulled off the market in 1997 because it caused injuries and deaths related to heart valve damage) and the so-called date rape drug Rohypnol all contain fluoride. The most commonly used anaesthetics for general surgery are also big offenders.

Despite all this, you can take charge of your health. Monitor the products you use and voice your opposition to public fluoridation.

A cheap mini Beetle, or a motorbike with a coat - aka Volkwagen.

VOLKSWAGEN – Seats two people. NEW CAR- FOR $600-New Single Seat VW

If you could go to Shanghai for a vacation, buy two or more of these cars, one for your wife and one for yourself, and one for each of your kids have them shipped to Australia. Click on picture to enlarge! - Werner

This is not a toy, not a concept car. It is a newly developed single seat car in highly aerodynamic tear-shape road-proven real car. It is ready to be launched as a single-seater for sale in Shanghai in 2010 for a mere RMB 4,000 (US$600)!

Interested? Wait till you learn that it will cruise at 100-120 Km/Hr with an unbelievable 0.99litre/100Km (258 miles/gallon)!

Impressed? Totally, after you have read all the details below about the hi-tech and space-age material input into this car! The Most Economic Car in the World will be on sale next year. Better than Electric Car - 258 miles/gallon: (415 Km) IPO 2010 in Shanghai. This is a single seated car, from conception to production: 3 years and the company is headquartered in Hamburg , Germany . Will be selling for 4000 yuan, equivalent to US$600. Gas tank capacity = 1.7 gallons Speed = 62 - 74.6 Miles/hour (about 100 Km/hr) Fuel efficiency = 258 miles/gallon (1.1 litre per 100 Km) Travel distance with a full tank = 404 miles (650 Km

There is Space for two people, who can comfortably get in after folding back the turret-like gull wing door. An extremely lightweight construction has also been employed for the seats. The seat frames are made of magnesium, and firm, yet comfortable fabric covers are used instead of classic upholstery.

Despite the lightweight construction of all components, safety has been a major element in all phases of the development of the 1-litre car. For example, the concept vehicle's safety equipment includes anti-lock brakes, ESP electronic stability program and a driver's airbag. Deformation elements at the front end and the space frame construction provide impact and roll-over protection comparable to that of a GT racing car.

The sports-car-like design demonstrates that Volkswagen's 1-litre car is not a spartan research vehicle, but a high-tech special vehicle. It starts with the special seating arrangement. The driver and passenger sit centrally as if in a monoposto, but in tandem. The mid-engine is installed transversely in front of the rear axle. With its complex design (double wishbones at front, DeDion suspension at rear) and combined with the low centre of gravity and low overall vehicle weight, the lightweight running gear results in very agile handling.The project team have impressively succeeded in combining driving pleasure with a level of fuel consumption never seen before.

The 1-litre car also incorporates numerous details of a practical and convenient nature. For example, there is an easily accessible stowage compartment with a capacity of 80 litres under a separate flap in the rear; a reversing camera that helps when manoeuvring; automatic locking/unlocking of the gull wing door and a starter button in the cockpit that together allow keyless operation.

The concept of the 1-litre car - four wheels, low height, with two seats in tandem - gives an idea for a possible new family of vehicles, which could cover new requirements ranging from the ultra-economical vehicle, through the low-lost everyday touring vehicle for young people to the high-performance sports super car.

(From Volkswagen Press Release) At the 42nd Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Volkswagen AG in Hamburg, the most economical car in the world is presented: the 1-litre car. The prototype, which until now has been kept closely under wraps, and which many people never believed could be built, was driven under its own power from Wolfsburg to the Annual Meeting in Hamburg. Before the Annual Meeting, the current Chairman of the Board of Management, Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, drove this research vehicle to Hamburg from the company's headquarters at an average fuel consumption of 0.89 litres per 100 kilometres. This has once against impressively demonstrated Volkswagen's position at the cutting edge of modern technology.

The objective of developing a roadworthy vehicle that consumes just 1.0 litre of fuel per 100 kilometres could not be achieved through compromise. All existing technical solutions were examined, and in close cooperation with numerous suppliers, replaced by better, and principally lighter versions. The result is a vehicle that looks more like a sports car than a typical research vehicle. The conceptual necessity for a small frontal area led to an unusually narrow and very flat body form being chosen. The body was developed in a wind tunnel, is 3.47 metres long, but just 1.25 metres wide and just over a metre in height, and is made completely of carbon fibre composites. To save weight, it is of course not painted. The carbon-fibre-reinforced outer skin is tensioned over a spaceframe that is not made of aluminium, but rather of magnesium, which is even lighter.

The 1-litre car is powered by a one-cylinder diesel engine, centrally positioned in front of the rear axle and combined with an automated direct shift gearbox. The crankcase and cylinder head of the 0.3-litre engine are of an aluminium monobloc construction. The naturally aspirated, direct-injection diesel engine employs advanced high-pressure unit injection technology to generate 6.3 kW (8.5 bhp) at 4,000 rpm. This gives the vehicle, which weights just 290 kg, an astonishingly lively temperament.

Fuel consumption is a mere 0.99 litre per 100 kilometres. With a 6.5-litre tank, this gives a range of some 650 kilometres without refuelling.

Due to the restriction of space, it was not possible to adapt an existing gearbox. For this reason, a compact, automated 6-speed gearbox is employed, which is controlled from a turn switch in the cockpit.

Running gear made of lightweight alloy, tyres that offer optimised rolling resistance and 16-inch wheels made of extremely lightweight composite material perfectly complement the economical drive system.

The interior is sportingly simple in design, yet offers enough space for two people, who can comfortably get in after folding back the turret-like gull-wing door. An extremely lightweight construction has also been employed for the seats. The seat frames are made of magnesium, and firm, yet comfortable fabric covers are used instead of a classic upholstery.

Despite the lightweight construction of all components, safety has been a major element in all phases of the development of the 1-litre car. For example, the concept vehicle's safety equipment includes anti-lock brakes, ESP electronic stability program and a driver's airbag. Deformation elements at the front end and the space frame construction provide impact and roll-over protection comparable to that of a GT racing car.

The sports-car-like design demonstrates that Volkswagen's 1-litre car is not a spartan research vehicle, but a high-tech special vehicle. It starts with the special seating arrangement. The driver and passenger sit centrally as if in a monoposto, but in tandem. The mid-engine is installed transversely in front of the rear axle. With its complex design (double wishbones at front, DeDion suspension at rear) and combined with the low centre of gravity and low overall vehicle weight, the lightweight running gear results in very agile handling.

The project team have impressively succeeded in combining driving pleasure with a level of fuel consumption never seen before. The 1-litre car also incorporates numerous details of a practical and convenient nature. For example, there is an easily accessible stowage compartment with a capacity of 80 litres under a separate flap in the rear; a reversing camera that helps when manoeuvring; automatic locking/unlocking of the gull-wing door and a starter button in the cockpit that together allow keyless operation. The concept of the 1-litre car - four wheels, low height, with two seats in tandem - gives an idea for a possible new family of vehicles, which could cover new requirements ranging from the ultra-economical vehicle, through the low-lost everyday touring vehicle for young people to the high-performance sports supercar.

My thought for today:

A ship cannot sail on yesterday's wind. - Unknown author

Afghanistan, will we ever learn?

Another young Australian has died, this time in his home country on a training mission in preparation for a stint in Afghanistan. When will the Australian government wake up to the fact that this or any other sacrifice of Australian lives is in vain and not worth it.

The Australian army brass is defending the indefensible. Using live ammunition in a night time exercise would have to be considered as being devoid of good sense or judgment. Why didn’t they use “live” rubber bullets, they would have made the same bang or gunfire noises as lead bullets and would not have caused a fatality.

How could the army make such a ridiculous statement that “live ammunition exercises were a ‘very essential’ part of training, which saved lives during operations in the field?” Well, it certainly didn’t save the life of this soldier, but rubber bullets possibly would have.

Night exercises with live ammunition would be tantamount to two swordsmen having a “live” fencing exercise with sharp swords in a dark room. No matter how much praise the Army bestows now on this soldier, to justify live ammunition exercises, it will not be of any benefit to him or his family.

Many nations are now embroiled in the Afghanistan war, what is, in my opinion, futile, costly in lives and money and is not winnable. Eight years have gone by with over 100 000 troops deployed with superior fire power, yet they have not been able to make any progress against the Taliban. Even the British commander Brigadier Mark Carleton-Smith warns that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won.

Fighting the Taliban reminds me of the Second World War Yugoslavian insurgents or “the partisans” as they were called, fighting the German occupation forces and wreaking havoc and heavy casualties for the Germans for which they had no answer. They ambushed and disappeared into the rugged terrain they knew well, but the German army didn’t. This is exactly what the western nations are facing in Afghanistan and they have no answer for it either.

The war in Afghanistan is like the war on drugs: we can fight it endlessly, but it cannot be won.

Anybody who has watched the ABC’s Four Corners program “Afghanistan, on the Dollar Trail” on the 19.10.09 would have been utterly disgusted to see the corruption on a grand scale. I cannot understand why we and other countries keep pouring money into this country where it will disappear without a trace. The Millions of dollars Australia is spending in Afghanistan has to be borrowed money because the nest egg put aside by the Howard government for a rainy day has gone. This money will have to be paid back and will be a millstone around the neck of generations of Australians.

It is amazing that the Australian government can find money to support this futile war, yet there is no money, for hospitals, schools and infrastructure etc in Australia, it just does not make sense.

In 1979, the Soviet Union sent military forces to install a pro-Soviet government in Kabul. At its peak in the country, the Red Army numbered some 140,000. But, after ten years of inconclusive fighting, 15,000 dead, and tens of thousands more wounded, the battered Soviets mounted a humiliating retreat. We have now been there for eight years and one can only wonder how long before the involved governments see the folly and the futility of the Afghan engagement and do what the Russians did or what we did in Vietnam. The Question begs; will we ever learn? - Werner

Political Spin.

What is “political spin?” It is a useful tool in the arsenal of politicians and the media to twist words or statements to make the unpalatable truth look more palatable. I see the rise of spin as a real problem for democracy because it masks transparency and provides the public with distorted information. For those who are not quite sure what “political spin” is; below is a grand example. What the first paragraph states is how it in reality was, and the second shows how it looks after it had been “politically spun” to look good. - Werner

The following is a story about the great-great uncle of Senator Harry Reid. A rose by any other name still smells as sweet.

Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California , was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Congressman Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory:

On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

So Judy recently e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle, Harry Reid.

Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research:

"Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed."

NOW That’s how it's done, Folks! That's real POLITICAL SPIN!

Animal instinct or inherent aptitude?

Some time age, just prior to our wet season I witnessed an extraordinary spectacle on the overhang post of our backyard exit. A group of green ants, only about 6 mm long each, were “transporting” a 15 cm (6 inches) dead lizard up the post, their instinct must have told them that the wet season is imminent and they have to take their provisions to higher ground. The direction was up with the tail in front like a draw shaft of a wagon. Click on picture to enlarge!

I raced to get my camera to capture this amazing occurrence. Friends called this picture as one in a million. It was a mere chance that I went to the backyard earlier than usual to tend to my veggies when I discovered this amazing “show” otherwise it would never have been witnessed. Who knows, perhaps my instinct told me to go earlier.

To move 30cm (12 inches) upwards took the ants only two minutes to accomplish. As you can see in the picture this was teamwork on a grant scale of pulling and shoving.

The moral of the story is: It is a lesson for us humans as these little creatures show us what can be accomplished with teamwork, regardless of body size, by pulling and shoving together in the right direction.

To read my story, “The ubiquitous Green Ants” go to the “Tintota” link on the right side of this blog and when it is open, click on: “Select Author” (See screenshot) and when you see my name – click on it and all my stories come up. - Werner

PS. I offered this exceptional picture (for free) to our daily newspaper “The Cairns Post”, but I never got a reply from them.

Push to reveal Bligh's secrets.

QUEENSLAND'S public service watchdog has joined a growing list of independent figures attacking the Bligh Government's accountability. Click on this link!

Well, Anna Bligh is certainly not very popular at the moment and one of the many reasons, it is alleged, is the way they do business, and here is an example of their modus operandi sent to me. - Werner

Three contractors are bidding to fix a broken fence at the Queensland Parliament Buildings.

One is from Ipswich, another from Logan and the third is from Kenmore. All three go with a Parliament official to examine the fence.

The Ipswich contractor takes out a tape measure, does some measuring then writes down some figures. "Well," he says, I figure the job will run about $900. $400 for materials, $400 for my crew & $100 profit for me."

The Logan contractor also does some measuring and figuring, then says, "I can do this job for $700, $300 for materials, $300 for my crew & $100 profit for me."

The Kenmore contractor doesn't measure or figure, but leans over to the Parliament official and whispers, "$2,700." The official, incredulous, says, "You didn't even measure like the other guys! How did you come up with such a high figure?"

The Kenmore contractor whispers back, "$1000 for me, $1000 for you, and we hire the guy from Logan to fix the fence..."

"Done!" replied the government official.

And that, my friends, is politics Queensland style! ! !

* * * * *

My though for today.

I always prefer to believe the best of everybody, it saves so much trouble. - Rudyard Kipling.

Artificial Sweeteners -- More Dangerous than You Ever Imagined.

Aspartame: (artificial sweetener) what you don't know can hurt you! Aspartame is the collective name for many artificial sweeteners, (additive code E951) used in soft drinks and food and very few people are aware of the hidden dangers. Aspartame is by far the most dangerous substance on the market that is added to foods. Below is part an interesting article by Dr. Mercola.

To make matters worse, our government is adding a poisonous waste product from the aluminium and fertilizer industry to our water, so it is very difficult to avoid taking in a chemical cocktail. - Werner

Artificial Sweeteners -- More Dangerous than You Ever Imagined.
By: Dr. Mercola October 13. 2009

If you still believe sweeteners like Equal and NutraSweet are safe, you’ll want to pay very close attention to this special report.

You’re probably aware of the dangers of consuming too much sugar and that sugar is not healthy for you. You might have been led to believe that artificial sweeteners like aspartame are safer, and less likely to cause you to gain weight. Well, neither of those beliefs are true.

Slick marketing of products containing aspartame by giants in the food industry -- especially marketing that sends the message it’s healthy to consume these products -- might be giving you a false sense of security.

You might even be convinced you’re doing the right thing for your health and the health of your family by using products artificially sweetened with aspartame. You couldn’t be more mistaken.

It’s not pleasant to learn that corporations, government-sponsored regulatory agencies and politicians are more interested in lining their pockets than protecting your health and the health of your loved ones. But unfortunately, these are serious issues that you must consider for your and your family’s safety.

Manufacturers, marketers and others with financial interests have successfully convinced millions of consumers the chemicals used in artificially sweetened products are safe. Don’t believe them! The arguments used to convince you these ingredients are healthy and “natural” will be addressed later in this report.

For now, just keep in mind that the reason you feel products containing aspartame are safe is a direct result of deliberate deception on the part of big business and government.

Remember:

If you’re consuming a food or beverage created in a lab instead of by nature, you can be assured your body doesn’t recognize it. This opens the door to short-term and long-lasting health problems for you and your family. If you already avoid aspartame, the information you’re about to read will confirm the wise choice you’ve made, and cement your resolve to stay away from any product that contains this potential toxin.

How Aspartame Acts Inside Your Body.
The two primary components of aspartame, phenylalanine and aspartic acid, are amino acids that are combined in an ester bond. You normally consume these two amino acids in the foods you eat. These amino acids are harmless when consumed as part of natural unprocessed foods. However when they are chemically manipulated and consumed out of the normal ratios to other amino acids, they can cause problems.

Your body initially breaks down the ester link between the two amino acids to turn them into free amino acids. The neurotoxic effects of these chemicals in their “free form” can result in immediate health consequences such as headaches, mental confusion, dizziness and seizures.

Your body does require small amounts of these amino acids to function properly. However, the high concentration of these chemicals in the form of aspartame floods your central nervous system and can cause excessive firing of brain neurons. Cell death is also possible. This is a condition called excitotoxicity.

Your body doesn’t recognize phenylalanine and aspartic acid in their free form, but your system will try to manage them through metabolization. Whenever your body tries to process an unrecognizable substance, the stage is set for health problems.

The chemicals in aspartame will be absorbed by your intestinal cells, where they will be broken down into other amino acids and byproducts. A large percentage of the absorbed chemicals will be used immediately in your small intestine.

A Formaldehyde Cocktail.
Ultimately, aspartame will be fully absorbed into your body. Ten percent of what is absorbed is the breakdown product methanol (wood alcohol). The EPA defines safe consumption of this toxin as 7.8 milligrams a day, which is the amount found in about half a can of diet soda.

It’s not the amino acids themselves or the methanol that are toxic to your system, it’s the breakdown products they turn into along the way -- either during transport, on the store shelf, or during the metabolization process. Stored at warm temperatures or for a prolonged period of time, phenylalanine turns into diketopiperazine, a known carcinogen.

Methanol can spontaneously break down to formaldehyde, also a toxin, which can accumulate in your cells and result in severe health consequences. Methanol is found naturally in some of the foods you eat; however, it is never bound to amino acids in nature, as it is as an ingredient in aspartame. In nature, for example, methanol is bound to pectin. Pectin is a fiber which allows the methanol to pass through your body without being metabolized and converted to formaldehyde.

Since methanol in aspartame has no natural binder, nearly all of it turns into formaldehyde in your body. Formaldehyde (which is used in, among other things, paint remover and embalming fluid) is a poison several thousand times more potent than ethyl alcohol.

The EPA has determined formaldehyde causes cancer in humans. Specifically, it is known to increase your risk of breast or prostate cancer. Incidents of both types of cancer have been on the rise at a pace closely associated with the expanding use of aspartame throughout the world.

The EPA has also concluded there is no known “safe” level of formaldehyde in your body -- risk depends on the amount and duration of your exposure.

The end waste product of formaldehyde is formate. An accumulation of formate in your body can cause metabolic acidosis, which is excessive acidity in your blood. Metabolic acidosis can cause methanol poisoning and can result in blindness, fatal kidney damage, multiple organ system failure, and death.

* * * * * * *

And here is a step in the right direction by our Kiwi neighbours.

New Zealand's Phoenix Organics Launches Anti-Aspartame "Think Before You Drink" Campaign
by David Gutierrez.

(NaturalNews) New Zealand beverage manufacturer Phoenix Organics has launched an anti-aspartame campaign called "Think Before You Drink," to inform people about what it says are serious health risks from the artificial sweetener.

Aspartame is a common zero-calorie sweetener, marketed under brand names including Equal, NutraSweet, Canderel and Tropicana Slim and used in more than 6,000 products worldwide.

As part of the new campaign, Phoenix Organics has labeled 20,000 bottles of Phoenix Organic Cola with information about the potential health risks of aspartame, and plans to give out those bottles for free over the next few months. The company has also created a section on its Web site linking to information about the chemical and "the 92 different symptoms noted in over 10,000 complaints received by the FDA."

"Having read the Bressler Report of the FDA and other reports on the effects of aspartame, we had the living daylights scared out of all of us," said company directors Stefan Lepionka and Marc Ellis. "We cannot believe that the New Zealand government has declared this safe in the face of such evidence."

The Bressler Report was a 1977 FDA report on the inadequacies of aspartame maker GD Searle's trials into the safety of the chemical. In 1981, Searle Chief Operating Officer Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense for Gerald Ford and later serving the same position for George W. Bush, reapplied for FDA authorization. Aspartame was approved for dry goods in 1981 and for beverages in 1983.

Numerous studies have linked aspartame to brain damage and cancer, while others have shown that it breaks down in the body into toxic byproducts such as formaldehyde.

Lepionka and Ellis expressed concern that in the face of increasing efforts to remove sugary soft drinks from school grounds, beverage companies have suggested aspartame-containing diet soda as a good alternative.

"Phoenix Organics has contacted a number of groups that have been fighting to raise awareness of the health concerns surrounding aspartame and said the company will do whatever it can to support the overall aim to have the government restrict and ban aspartame," they said.

And,the Swine flu vaccine controversy continues!

GERMAN ARMY SAYS SWINE FLU JABS WITH MERCURY AND ADJUVANTS TOO RISKY FOR SOLDIERS. For those of you who can read German click on this link.

Last Updated on Monday, 12 October 2009 14:44 Monday, 12 October 2009 13:21

The German army announced on Monday that it is planning to give its 250,000 soldiers "swine flu" jabs without toxic heavy metals and adjuvants because of growing fears over their safety.

According to a report in the Bielefeld "Westfalen Blatt", the German army decided to switch to vaccines without mercury and squalene after doctors warned that GlaxoSmithKline's Pandemrix and Novartis's Focetria "swine flu" jabs with the untested toxins could have "incalculable side effects".

Baxter -- the company caught contaminating 72 kilos of vaccine material with the live bird flu virus in Austria in February, so nearly sparking a global bird flu pandemic -- has just announced it is putting onto a market a swine flu jab called Celvapan but in a form that is without adjuvants and apparently also without mercury in response to growing protests inside Germany, especially from the federal states.

Baxter's Celvapan is also due to be used in the mass "swine flu" vaccination campaign starting in Austria from October 27th.

The German government's vaccine advisory commission was reportedly surprised over the army's decision to use a different vaccine from the one to be given to the rest of the population. (Perhaps the German army knows a bit more about the vaccine than the government, or other governments for that matter. -Werner)

The German Health Minister Ulla Schmidt, who has been pushing the WHO-mandated swine flu jabs with heavy metals and adjuvants, said that a discussion about why the army chose to use different vaccines over safety fears was "surperfluous" during an EU meeting of health ministers in Luxembourg.

"The fuss that has been created today by this cannot be justified by anything," said Schmidt, insisting all the "swine flu" vaccines are safe.

The growing protests have resulted, however, in Schmidt having to back track on plans to give pregnant women the "swine flu" jab with adjuvants.

The decision by the German army not to give its soldiers the untested and toxic swine flu jab will raise questions about why other armies, including the US army, is going ahead with plans to give its soldiers the lethal jab in spite of the growing evidence these jabs will cause more death autoimmune diseases.

See www.theflucase.com for daily updates and reports on the swine flu vaccination program

* * * * *

Here is a response by Daniel Zalec, BA, MA from Mildura Victoria, to the recent Cairns Post Article “Swine flu jab is safe, top doctor says.” I quote. - Werner

“I just noticed, in the Cairns Post article another direct lie, in light of a new website I was made aware of since my article.

Mr Kilvert is made to appear to not understand the distinction between the two types of mercury.

"Thiomersal contains only ethyl mercury, not methyl mercury. Reports of mercury toxicity [relate to the latter]" - Christine Selvey

This is true, it does contain ethyl mercury, but the latter part of the statement is misleading. See the following extracts:

"Thimerosal is an inorganic mercury compound that is metabolized to ethylmercury and thiosalicylate and has been present since the 1930's as a preservative in some vaccines and pharmaceutical products to prevent bacterial and fungal contamination."

"Manufacturers of vaccines and thimerosal, (an ethylmercury compound used in vaccines), have never conducted adequate testing on the safety of thimerosal. The FDA has never required manufacturers to conduct adequate safety testing on thimerosal and ethylmercury compounds. Current evidence suggests thimerosal is neither "safe nor effective" when used as a preservative in vaccines."

"There are over 1500 studies and papers documenting the hypoallergenicity and toxicity of thimerosal (ethylmercury) have existed for decades."

Source: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/thimerosal.php

Selvey also states that Mr Kilvert's claims of an epidemic are incorrect. Really?

"The United States is in the midst of a tragic epidemic of autism. An analysis of the US Department of Education data from 1992-1993 in comparison to 2000-2001 indicates that there has been an average increase of 644% among all US children. In addition, 13 states have reported an almost infinite or infinite increase in autism from 1992-1993 in comparison to 2000-2001. A review of children in US schools indicates that approximately 1 in 9 children in the US is currently disabled by the US Department of Education Statistics (see attachment). Recent studies in the Journal of the American Medical Association and Paediatrics have confirmed the autism epidemic is real and not due to changes in diagnosis, populational changes nor is it explained by other factors."

"At the same time that the incidence of autism was growing, the number of childhood vaccines containing thimerosal was growing, increasing the amount of ethylmercury to which infants were exposed threefold."

Source: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/thimerosal.php

And of course, as we all know, her statement that "just as there is NO EVIDENCE of negative health effects from water fluoridation..." is a disgraceful lie:

http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/ Click on text message to enlarge!

And...

http://avn.org.au/library/index.php/table/pandemic-influenza/

“It is to be hoped that complete removal of thimerosal from all childhood vaccines will help to stem the tragic, apparently iatrogenic epidemic of autism and speech disorders.”
http://www.jpands.org/vol8no1/geier.pdf Unquote.

--
Daniel Zalec, BA, MA. Mildura Vic.

Are “geniuses” polluting our water?

Below is a letter in today’s “Cairns Post” from Margaret Phillips of Bayview Heights, Cairns. She mentioned “geniuses.” What geniuses in our Queensland government? Impossible! But people getting angrier and angrier with what they do with our water, we just have to keep up the rage till the next election - Werner

* * * * * * *

CAN it be possible that the geniuses behind the carbon emissions policies are the same idiots who endorse the poisoning of our precious water supplies with the product captured from the smoke stacks of the fertiliser industry?

We can't put carbon into the atmosphere but we can dump S6 toxic fluoride compounds into our water and it is not pollution. It is poisonous to humans and animals in low doses, it accumulates in our bodies and causes all sorts of problems, it contaminates the environment but it is not pollution? Have we all gone mad?

Margaret Phillips, Bayview Heights.

Swine Flu Pandemic? Something doesn’t add up here.

The swine flu pandemic has received a lot of attention lately. Before you decide to get a flu shot, read what Sonja Hardy from Logan, Queensland, has to say about this topic. And, if you want to read what is happening in the USA click on the link below. - Werner

Urgent lawsuit filed against FDA to halt swine flu vaccines; claims FDA violated federal law (NaturalNews) Health freedom attorney Jim Turner is filing a lawsuit in Washington D.C. mid-day Friday in an urgent effort to halt the distribution of the swine flu vaccine in America. On behalf of plaintiffs Dr. Gary Null and other licensed health care...

There is something very odd about this whole Swine Flu Pandemic. The Federal Government has launched a massive vaccination program at enormous cost to the taxpayer – not just for the vaccines themselves, but for the extensive promotion campaign that goes with it. They want EVERYONE in Australia to be vaccinated, and are doing their best to scare people into getting jabbed voluntarily. Yet, with summer approaching, surely we’re coming towards the end of the flu season.

Also swine flu has been relatively mild to this point and the W.H.O. declaration of a Level 6 Pandemic seems totally unwarranted, but has led to a push to fast-track vaccines and mass vaccinate throughout much of the world. In some countries and in some states in America this vaccination is being made compulsory. And there is a real possibility this may be pushed in Australia if people don’t line up voluntarily. This is despite the fact that there are serious concerns about the safety of this untested vaccine, and that previous swine flu vaccinations in 1976 led to serious side effects, and caused more deaths than the swine flu itself.

The CSL package insert for the Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent (Swine Flu) Vaccine states: "It is not known whether these vaccines can cause fetal (sic) harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Monovalent Vaccine should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed." Yet television and radio news broadcasts and Government advertising are urging pregnant women to be vaccinated, claiming they are an ‘at risk group.’

The CSL insert also states: "It is not known whether Influenza A (H1N1) Monovalent Vaccine or AFFLURIA is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Influenza A (H1N1) Monovalent Vaccine is administered to a nursing woman." Yet this information is not being made public.

The CSL insert also states that this vaccine is for adults 18 years of age and older – yet the Government is advising everyone over the age of 10 should be vaccinated.

The multi-dose vial of this vaccine contains Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. Mercury is extremely toxic, even in small doses, and many scientists believe vaccines containing Thimerosal have caused the increasing epidemic of autism we have seen throughout the world.

SO WHY THE GREAT PUSH TO MASS VACCINATE?

Conspiracy theories abound, but one thing is for certain – the large drug companies producing these vaccines stand to reap enormous profits. What sway do these companies hold over the W.H.O. and governments around the world? There are credible allegations that corruption is rife, but proving this would not be easy. However, the seemingly unwarranted rush to produce enough vaccines to fulfil the needs of the entire global community, push them onto an unsuspecting public without proper safety testing, and with indemnity provided to the companies producing these vaccines should major adverse reactions surface, certainly makes me question the motives of those involved.

Many highly respected medical practitioners and scientists are advising against not only the swine flu vaccine, but vaccination in general. Dr Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon, health practitioner, author and lecturer is an expert in this field. He has a wealth of information on the internet regarding the dangers of vaccinations – including their effect on the brain; and steps to take to protect yourself should you be required to have a vaccination. Dr Mercola’s website also has reliable information, and Mike Adams, The Health Ranger, has recently published a lot of information on the dangers of vaccinations in his Natural News online newsletter.

HOW CAN WE PROTECT OURSELVES?

There are much safer alternatives to the swine flu vaccination, based on the scientific evidence of its dangers. I’m not qualified to give medical advice - people need to do their own research, or see their own health practitioner - but I want to share some relevant information.

Here are Dr Mercola’s guidelines for avoiding the flu: Take care of your health to reduce or eliminate your risk of contracting the flu. The key is to keep your immune system strong by following these guidelines:

• Eliminate sugar and processed foods from your diet. Sugar consumption has an immediate, debilitating effect on our immune system.
• Take a high quality source of animal-based omega 3 fats like Krill Oil.
• Exercise. Your immune system needs good circulation in order to perform at its best for you.
• Optimize your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is the likely cause of seasonal flu viruses. Getting an optimal level of vitamin D will help you fight infections of all kinds.
• Get plenty of good quality sleep.
• Deal with stress effectively. If you feel overwhelmed by stress, your body will not have the reserves it needs to fight infection.

• Wash your hands. But not with an antibacterial soap. Use a pure, chemical-free soap.

Other ways of building your immunity include a healthy diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, including herbs such as garlic, onion, parsley, coriander, oregano, and thyme which have immune-boosting and/or anti-viral properties. For example garlic can stimulate the immune cells, kill pathogens and detoxify carcinogens.

Probiotics boost your defences against infectious diseases too - they improve your digestion and help your body absorb nutrients. It’s advisable to use a good ‘broad-spectrum’ one with a range of beneficial organisms.

Various natural supplements such as vitamin C, zinc, olive leaf extract, goldenseal, Echinacea and St John’s Wort can help boost your immunity – but allergic reactions to Echinacea or St John’s Wort have been reported by some people. Combinations such as Ethical Nutrients Immune Defence are also useful. Your local health shop or natural health practitioner can give valuable advice on natural remedies.

If you can also reduce your ‘toxic load’ your body will have more resources to fight the flu should you catch it. Avoiding known toxins is the first step, but there are also safe ways to detox the load we all carry as a result of everyday living – without necessarily fasting. Some internet research or a reputable natural health practitioner can help with this. Chlorella and Spirulina remove heavy metals from your body and can protect you from pesticides and environmental toxins. Magnesium chloride bath salts and Zeolite are also useful for detoxing – but caution is needed as there are inferior brands of Zeolite on the market which are ineffective.

WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN HEALTH.

Unfortunately I don’t believe we can trust the Government to do the right thing by us in regard to our health; nor can we trust the mainstream media - there are too many vested interests at play. Water fluoridation is another clear example of this.

We have to do our own research, make our own decisions and stand up for our rights. We also have a duty to inform others. And remember: If you think you are too small to be effective you’ve never been in bed with a mosquito (variously attributed to Anita Roddick and Betty Reese).

Sonja Hardy