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Daily Moderate Consumption of Beer or Other Alcohol Beverages May be Healthy from PhysOrg.com
The moderate, daily consumption of beer and other alcohol beverages can play a role in a healthful lifestyle and in reducing the risk of several serious diseases, including coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cognitive disorders and osteoporosis, according to medical and scientific researchers who presented papers at a recent conference on the role of beer and alcohol in a healthful lifestyle. […]

Newest First Oldest First
Salon - 9 hours ago
Academy Award-winning director Barbara Kopple talks about
her new Dixie Chicks movie, “Shut Up & Sing,” and why she
hopes their fans will forgive them. …

When you use celebrity status to promote your personal
opinion, have the courage to accept the consequences. Some
of the discussion has centered on freedom of speech. A good
rule of thumb when it comes to freedom of speech is to remember
just because you can does not mean you should. Good intentions
alone do not necessarily make it right. It is rather naive to expect
everyone to agree with you.

The Dixie Chicks Ad NBC Doesn’t Want You To See
Think Progress, DC - 12 hours ago
It’sa sad commentary about the level of fear in our society that a
movie about a group of courageous entertainers who were blacklisted
for exercising their …

Again, accept the consequences of your actions. Just because you
can air your opinion does not mean you can’t pay a price. Freedom of
speech is not free. There is a price. Make sure you want to pay it before
you open your mouth. Question: Is Think Progress, DC a left leaning
entity? Is being pro Dixie Chicks a matter of being left and liking insults
toward the opposition? To disagree is one thing, to casually lob an insult
to the Office of the President is quite another, regardless of who holds
the office.

why I will always love the Dixie Chicks
ProgressiveU.org, CA - Oct 26, 2006
… The Dixie Chicks have always been about taking chances when it
came to their music, but why should it be so dangerous to criticize a
government that has laws …

Criticizing is one thing. Merely insulting is another. It helps to
understand the difference. All of us pay a price for our actions. It may
be helpful for the Dixie Chicks to take note that freedom of speech is
not universally applied. A typical example would be most of their fans
and former fans are not allowed to exercise freedom of speech when they
are working. You are not free to say what you want at work while on the
clock or on the premises. That freedom stops at the door. When self-
employed or operating your own business, that business may suffer due
to your expressed opinions. Why are they so shocked by the reaction?
You have the right to your opinion and others have the right to disagree.
The above link displays content likely from another left leaning .org
who would likely be satisfied with any discontent toward their political
opponent.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

We were late getting into the most recent net neutrality debate that is
identified by the relatively quiet passing of HR 5252 in the House and
its expected quiet passage in the Senate in the lame duck session after
the mid term elections.
However, we are not seeing enough discussion on this anywhere on the
net. Internet users should not be apathetic or too lazy to participate in this
legislative matter. Going down the wrong road could ruin the internet.
Stanford Matthews, MoreWhat.com staff

Net neutrality gives equal access to Internet

By Devin Hansen, Rock Island | Sunday, October 22, 2006
Whether you are left wing or right wing, or preferably somewhere in the
middle, there is an issue of dire necessity that you must work to defeat.
Lobbyists in Congress are pushing for the end of Net neutrality, which
prevents companies like AT&T and Verizon from deciding which Web
sites upload the fastest based on who pays them the most.

Another good reason to oppose COPE Act and favor net neutrality. If the
RBOC’s (regional bell operating companies) are only in favor of the COPE
Act to increase profits and have the public and customers of their choosing
pay for their costs of doing business, that’s reason enough to oppose COPE.
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com staff

New US Congress could push ‘Net neutrality, hurt RBOCs

Jim Duffy
A Democratic victory in November could introduce IP networks to
government regulation by bringin net neutrality and other issues
back to the front burner. Democratic control of Congress, expected next year caused by unease over
the Iraq War and a Republican sex scandal, would be “negative” for the
RBOCs by “bringing the government regulation to the IP networks for the
first time” that would discourage investment and inhibit profitability, states
investment firm UBS Warburg in a research report issued Thursday.

The phrase above, “hurt RBOC’s” should not alarm you. It means hurt their
bottom line and/or profit margins. That is preferable to hurting internet users
universally and big biz controlling who gets what on the internet.
C. Harris MoreWhat.com staff

Oregon Speaks Out For Net Neutrality

MedfordNews.com, OR - Oct 19, 2006
… by creating discriminatory networks that play favorites,” said Senator Wyden, the first
member of Congress to introduce legislation protecting Net Neutrality.”. …

Does it really matter? Does any single version upgrade really
provide improvements worth the fuss? Maybe MS is releasing
an IE upgrade to take some heat off the other loser…..Vista?

Week in review: Browser battles
CNET News.com, CA - 6 hours ago
Hot on the heels of Microsoft’s IE 7, Firefox 2 emerges with a new look
and bulked-up security. By Steven Musil. Mozilla fired a …

A different take down under?

Microsoft scores a goal with IE7
iTWire, Australia - 19 hours ago
By Stan Beer. Having being an avid Firefox user for quite some time, I used
to resent being forced to use clunky old IE6 on the odd …

Don’t be messin’ with open source Mozilla unless you have
an exceptional point to make.

Mozilla team downplays first Firefox 2.0 bug reports
Computerworld, MA - Oct 26, 2006
October 26, 2006 (IDG News Service) — Bug trackers have had a couple
false starts with the release of Firefox 2.0, a top Mozilla Corp. engineer
said Thursday. …

COPE Act, Net Neutrality & the Telecom Industry It is likely in your own best interest to pay attention to this legislation and help defeat it in the Senate since it has a version that passed the House. The roll call voting results will be provided in a subsequent post this week.
Stanford Harris
MoreWhat.com staff

First paragraph of the CRS Summary of HR 5252, as amended and passed on June 8, 2006 by the House. H.R.5252 (with blogger comments in red text)

Anti-virus vendors take on Microsoft

Microsoft, a company that rarely blinks, did the blinking in a
battle with anti-virus vendors over Windows Vista, the next
version of Windows. This was a battle you may not have been
paying attention to but one that I found pretty fascinating.

Simply put, when Microsoft entered the security market in a
big way a couple years ago, vendors such as Symantec and
McAfee were in deep trouble. After all, when the owner of
the operating system builds in the utility, there is little reason
to buy a third-party utility.

After all the problems with MS software security flaws you
would think most people could understand that MS is either
incompetent or not concerned about security
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com

Duke scientists create a cloak of invisibility

Posted: 10/23/2006 04:30 pm
It is a power that used to belong only to super heroes, wizards
and evil villains.Now, scientists at Duke University have created
a cloak of invisibility.They created this material, made up of
circuits and copper that deflects waves around it. But, for now,
it is only invisible to microwaves, not the light spectrum that we
see.

Another story about an experiment that produced some results
with no indication that a viable, practical application would be
forthcoming. Similar to all the medical research news that shows
“great potential” or a possible “next step” or an equally incomplete
objective . Why not wait until you really have something tangible
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com

British adults ‘fear youngsters’

Britain is in danger of becoming a nation fearful of its young people,
a report has claimed. It says British adults are less likely than those in
Europe to intervene when teenagers commit anti-social behaviour.

The Institute for Public Policy Research blamed changes in the family,
communities and the economy for the “increased risk of youth crime”.

Seombody has watched too many reruns of “A Clockwork Orange”.
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com

Wolfowitz criticizes China over Africa lending

Mon Oct 23, 2006 7:36 PM ET
LONDON (Reuters) - World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz was
quoted on Tuesday as saying China and its banks were ignoring
human rights and environmental standards when lending to developing
countries in Africa.

Large Chinese banks ignored the “Equator Principles”, a voluntary
code of conduct under which projects financed by private banks meet
social and environmental standards, he told Les Echos, Paris-based
sister newspaper of the Financial Times.

So Paul, if they don’t comply will you recommend invading China or
will you go for sanctions first? Like everyone else is playing by the
rules.
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com

Bartlett: White House Flexible on Iraq

The Associated Press
October 23, 2006
he fledgling Iraqi government must ’step up and take more responsibility’
for the country’s security, a high-ranking White House official said
Monday.At the same time, Dan Bartlett denied in a television interview that the
Bush administration’s war policy has been a sweeping ’stay the course’
commitment, saying ‘what we aren’t doing is sitting there with our
heads in the sand.’

Bush says the Dems want to cut and run. He has also stated his intention
to stay the course. Dems say we are the reason for the violence and if we
leave things will be better. Whatever happened to finishing what you
started? What happened to letting the military run a war? Some claim the
similarities between Viet Nam and Iraq do not exist. With civilian bosses
intervening in military matters during the prosecution of a war, similarities
abound. Do you really think the military would have come up with these
strategies for the successful outcome of a war? And finally, how is timing
withdrawal without victory anything more than cut & run?
C. Harris, MoreWhat.com

Two doctors sound alarm on heart stents

Stents like the ones produced by Cordis of Miami
Lakes may be causing hundreds of unnecessary
deaths a year, two doctors charge in an editorial.

BY JOHN DORSCHNER

jdorschner@MiamiHerald.com

While federal authorities sounded huge alarms after one death
was caused by tainted spinach, they have done virtually nothing
to reduce the more than 2,000 unnecessary deaths a year caused
by drug-coated stents, alleges an editorial on the website of a
major medical society.

Isn’t this wonderful? A great example of why people are so mad
at the arrogance of the medical profession. Just below are several
links to articles by a Doctor at About.com with views from earlier
years on drug coated heart stents.

FDA: “Never mind, Cypher is fine.”

Previous warnings on Cypher drug coated stents were false alarms
This week the FDA released its latest data on the drug coated Cypher
stent, concluding that the incidence of early restenosis due to subacute
thrombosis (SAT) is no higher with this stent than expected.

Problems with the drug coated stent
Problems reported with the drug coated stent. … Drug-coated stents do
nothing to reduce the incidence of SAT - only antiplatelet drugs can
accomplish this …

Drug coated stents
Update on drug coated stents. … The results of two large
clinical trials using drug-coated stents were presented last week at the
Transcatheter …

AMA, FDA and all manner of medical manufacturers and medical
schools just keep doing it to the public. Best medical care on the planet
except for too many of these problems.

Why does it seem so often that headlines for medical research appear
anxious to announce news in such dramatic form when it merely states
some event that shows no practical purpose outside the laboratory. The
following headlines are offered as examples.

Targeted tumor therapy has paramount consequences for future
expansion of nuclear medicine

Scientists discover how brain turns on system designed to protect
nerve cells from toxic “free radicals”

Scientists identify gene called HTRA1 that contributes to a major
risk of Age Related Macular Degeneration

Gene mutation explains type of brittle bone disease

CCR5 receptor discovery could help fight against tuberculosis, HIV

PGC-1 alpha implicated in Huntington’s disease neurodegeneration

Gene called Kibra plays an important role in memory

Important first step towards designing new therapies for shingles

The only headline lately indicating the likelihood of a near term
practical application for results of research is the following.

Novocell says it has manipulated stem cells to fight diabetes
By Terri Somers
Union-Tribune Staff Writer

October 20, 2006 The tiny San Diego biotechnology company Novocell announced yesterday that it has learned how to efficiently use human embryonic stem cells to create pancreatic cells that produce insulin and other
hormones.

Senator Obama for President, along with Hillary, Sen. Kerry and
whoever else the Dems can enlist. Saying the Dems don’t have a
clue or have no direction or strategy or plan makes some kind of
sense now. These announcements appear to be their way of testing
the water on who they should have for their next sacraficial lamb.
C. Harris
MoreWhat.com staff

Sen. Obama mulls bid for White House in 2008

Reuters
Sunday, October 22, 2006; 1:27 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Sen. Barack Obama on
Sunday said he has thought about running for president in
2008 and will give it more serious consideration after the
mid-term congressional elections on November 7.

And it would seem the Republicans only have one choice thus far
who has not made an announcement and does not give any indication
one is forthcoming. The traditional two choice presidential race may
be another “who cares” proposition for anyone not tied to either party.

Romney’s 2008 Bid Faces Issue of Faith

Massachusetts’ GOP governor has political promise,but voters may
not embrace a Mormon.

DES MOINES — In seeking a presidential candidate for 2008, why
would Republicans look further than the governor of Massachusetts?

Tall and urbane, Mitt Romney has a prime political pedigree, an
unblemished personal life and the cool confidence of a CEO. He
is a conservative Republican who won easy election in a fiercely
liberal state — then streamlined Massachusetts’ government and
enacted the country’s most sweeping healthcare overhaul.

Republican ragging for bleeding heart Clint

The Australian - 22 hours ago
MORE than 50 years after he first appeared in Hollywood as a bright young
Republican, Clint Eastwood has been attacked by his old allies as a bleeding
heart liberal for his latest film, Flags of Our Fathers.

Stanford Matthews

Despite increased spending:
- Less than one-third of our fourth graders read proficiently.
- Reading performance has not improved in more than 15 years.
- Less than 20 percent of our nation’s 12th graders score proficiently in math.
- And, among the industrialized nations of the world, our 12th graders rank
near the bottom in science and math.

As if the teachers in this country are the only ones subjected to
real wage declines, the NEA is doing its usual biased reporting
to promote more spending in education. The largest part of
spending in education is for teacher’s salaries and benefits, yet
the typical slogan is that the spending is for the children.

The information below is from Congressman Ed Markey’s website and it seems he is passionately supporting legislation to oppose the COPE Act without Net Neutrality language inserted. HR5252 passed in the House and has been sent to the Senate. It is out understanding it is awaiting judgment and may or may not get shoved through in a lame duck session after the mid terms. We suggest you involve yourselves in this one if you like the net the way it is. Things may change drastically if the COPE Act is allowed to survive without net neurtrality protections in place. As we get our collective heads wrapped around this one we will do our best to keep you informed.

C. Harris
MoreWhat.com staff

October 21 2006
Become a Citizen Co-Sponsor of the Net Neutrality Amendment
We, the undersigned, oppose the lack of Network Neutrality protections in the the COPE Act, sponsored by Rep. Joe Barton. We strongly urge passage of the Network Neutrality amendment sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey, along with Representatives Rick Boucher, Anna Eshoo, and Jay Inslee.

Click Here to Co-sponsor!

Whereas, the free and open nature of the Internet has fostered unprecedented innovation and economic growth;Whereas, a fundamental part of the Internet’s nature is the fact that no one owns it and it is open to all comers;

Whereas, the Barton Bill would block the FCC from restoring meaningful protections for Internet consumers and entrepreneurs, and from prohibiting the imposition of bottleneck taxes and other discriminatory actions on the part of broadband network operators, such as AT&T and Verizon;

Whereas, the imposition of additional fees for Internet content providers would unduly burden web-based small businesses, start-ups, as well as communications for non-commercial users, religious speech, civic involvement, and exercising our First Amendment freedoms;

Whereas, the Markey amendment will effectively thwart attempts by broadband behemoths to block, impair, or degrade a consumer’s ability to access any lawful Internet content, application, or service; will protect my right to attach any device for use with a broadband connection,; will ensure that phone and cable companies cannot favor themselves or affiliated parties to the detriment of other broadband competitors, innovators, and independent entrepreneurs; and it will prohibit the broadband Internet providers from charging extra fees and warping the web in a multi-tiered network of bandwidth haves and have-nots.

Therefore, I join as a citizen co-sponsor of the Markey Amendment to save the Internet as we know it.

Click Here to Co-sponsor!