Gemini Press

Any health information provided herein is for educational purposes only.
IT IS NOT INTENDED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR
EVALUATION OR TREATMENT BY A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.

Sun, 23 Apr '06 Article: Mass exodus

Response: Mass futility.

Jobs, cheaper housing, key factors behind growing migration of residents from state, says the sub-head. Little do the fleers know that you can run, but you just can't hide. Because the impending crash will just be too far reaching--unless you become independent of the infrastructure and status-quo economics.

Most interesting is the aspec of stress on state finances resulting from decreasing population. There it is once more: we have become dependent for survival on self-destructive ways and means--in this case, overpopulation is required to run the monstrous machine of state.

Sun, 23 Apr '06 S&E editorial: Jeff McMenemy: Community urged to support drug resistance programs

Response: Course par: Dangerously inadequate.

Jeff McMenemy once again gives us a misguided tour of the illegal drug problem. Misguided (for one thing) because, as usual, Jeff falls far short of dealing with a larger issue of which street drugs are only a component: Child health and safety.

It seems this is partly because the majority of the larger picture involves "legitimate" business, and partly because, as Jeff admits, the drug issue is seen as a deterrent to the area's economic growth potential, often championed by the paper.

In other words, it's mostly about business.

One gets the impression, therefore, that it's OK to abuse the health of kids as long as it's legal and doesn't impede business. Either that, or Jeff simply doesn't get how serious the rest of the larger picture is (worse by orders of magnitude than street drugs). Since I've tried numerous times to communicate this to him and to offer resources, all to no avail, the first impression seems the probability.

What is that larger picture? To put it concisely: We are poisoning the kids with our way of life to a far greater extent than street drugs are doing. In fact, we are poisoning them in ways that predispose them to drug abuse and addiction (illegal and legal). The illegal-drug issue thus becomes more of a politically correct bandwagon from which drums can be beaten.

Here, Jeff is appealing to the the community to support the North Central Mass Alliance for a Drug Free Future. He begins, as usual, by reminding us of the "award-winning" drug series the paper did (which award was given by folks who apparently also ignore the larger issue, and therefore didn't see the omissions of the series).

Jeff cites the "impressive list of city and community leaders" who comprise the Alliance. Some of these have also been recipients of information on the larger issue, including the Fitchburg and Leominster mayors, police chiefs, community leaders, and business people. None has responded—not even to tell me I'm crazy or completely off base for what I'm reporting. Some just block the emails. Pretty good, eh? Sometimes silence says a lot, though.

A few specifics from the editorial:
1) One Alliance member, Bob Antonucci, Fitchburg State College president, says, "...there's no excuse for youth to use drugs, there's no excuse for drug dealers to be tolerated, there's no excuse to have to walk down Main Street and see people using drugs."

It has the ring of proper concern. But, as I've reported in emails, the first two statements can also be applied to the egregious abuse of young brains with medical drugs, such as Ritalin and Prozac. To add to the insult, society's poisoning frequently leads to the trumped up 'need' for Dr. Pharmastein's noxious medicaments. Do you know that Ritalin and cocaine act on the same brain chemicals, and are in the same DEA drug category?

The third statement can be interpreted as the "image" motive, which relates to the business aspect of Jeff's concern. Mr Antonucci repeats this concern later in the article. The game plan is to grow, grow, grow the community (another arguably misguided policy), and people won't come here if the town's "unsafe."

However, there may be some serious question as to just what "unsafe" is. The status quo we embrace is laced with "unsafe" factors that poison the kids, steal our money, and indulge in other criminal behavior. Furthermore, were economic/environmental sanity to prevail, we'd feel better off without the influx of people. That's largely a tax concern, which challenge is itself a reflection of political apathy and slavery to the rigged economic system. Interesting that the system also creates dependence upon overpopulation.

But the unpleasant sight is also arbitrarily assigned stigma, because "legitimate" people walk all over the place stoned on society's condoned substances of use and abuse, including caffeine, nicotine, and sugar. Is it because we look down our noses at street people, marginalize them, and deprive them by law of the dignity of choosing their substance of abuse, that the sight of them so disturbs sensibilities? I'm guessing there is  a bit of elitism going on due to previous complaints in the paper about service organizations drawing the "wrong kind" of people.

How many desperate housewives are slamming lattes, popping pills, travelling around stoned in their SUVs, burning brains with microwave phones, and buying toxic slave-labor goods down at the retail orgy? All perfectly legal, just as addictive and harmful, depending on dose.

2) The Summer Up program. Jeff says the kids are given "a good lunch." Without knowing the menu, I'd venture to say that's highly debatable; especially if that lunch resembles what they get in the school lunch program, which is atrocious. "State" food comprises way too much industrial-ag, poison-grown, nutrient depleted, chemicalized, processed nonfood. Oh, it masquerades as food, all right. Sometimes, it's just how you define it.

The kids are also given someplace to go. Where is that, the Mall? Not to be a wise guy, but kids are considered safe down there, with a slurpie in one hand and a walkie talkie in the other. Don't smoke pot, Kiddo, but take a trip through Chuck E Cheese. Now, if we had a number of large-scale local organic farming projects as a hedge against the energy disaster about to slam us (to which the retail growth mongers and road wideners seem completely oblivious), that would be a great place to send kids.

Try another experiment: Connect kids to the land instead of technoconsumerism, plastic, and corporations. Review what is taken for granted as the parameters of "success," instead of just feeding them a "paycheck." And teach them about the dangers of legal drug use and trafficking, about the danger of chlorine in municipal water that's said to be safe to drink, and about what things in society aren't defined as drugs, but really are, like addictive chemicals such as aspartame, MSG, and refined sugar.

3) And, speaking of drugfood, let's see if we can get the paper to cease the following hypocritical nonsense:

 

Sun, 16 Apr '06 S&E editorial: Solving the immigration issue

Response: So much left out...

This one is pretty much the standard rhetoric, such as, "We need to be humane to the illegal immigrants as long as they tow the line, and we need to control our porous borders, which not only let in illegals, but terrorists, too."

And it's funny--after covering the morals of the issue (we are a country of immigrants; and making illegal ones legal isn't fair to the ones doing it right, etc) the overriding factor is, as usual, the dollar: "If tomorrow they all disappeared, it would be a tremendous blow to the ... economy." The great American reason-for-being.

A few things to consider:
Most people who think themselves bona fide American citizens are merely the descendants, or co-perpetrators, of those who came and stole the place from its real inhabitants, who were murdered and imprisoned on reservations to achieve the goal. "A country of immigrants" is a euphemism for virtual colonial invaders--reaping the benefits of what we love to hate in Saddam and Osama. The real Americans are all but destroyed, or have become casino owners.

Many people fleeing to the US are hapless victims of criminal oppression committed against them by multinationals, many of whom are US-based, or by governments in league with these corporations, whose purpose is to rape the earth, steal resources, and enslave labor. If it were not for intolerable conditions, how many people would want to leave their home. Would you?

For example, Alabama's Drummond Corp, a huge mining firm operating in S America, hires death squads to kidnap, torture and kill union leaders or those attempting to unionize its slave-driving operations. These death squads are most probably trained at the School of the Americas--now Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Policy--at Fort Benning Georgia, the biggest terrorist training camp in the world.

And one thing people never understand is that, before elitist money systems and their money changers, and then capitalism, there was no poverty--just people living with the land.

If we were to begin with loyalty to our source of life, Mother Earth and to her children in general, including animals, the wind and water, rather than to national political hubris, we might find the result to be peace and justice, or at least the preservation of the future for our kids, as opposed to the unspeakable violence and destruction resulting from the self-important desire/need for chauvinism, and "national security."

Oh, never forget the Holy Grail: "growing the economy." Pay those legal immigrants real cheap and grow with pride.

And the politically correct rhetoric-beat goes on. Gollygosh.

Wed, 12 Apr '06 Article: State orders city to explain water issues to residents

Response: Welcome idea, but questionable info.

Despite the problems that have been exposed concerning Leominster's water, including an uncertified inspector and a reservoir with no filtration plant, we are assured by the DPW director that the water is safe to drink.

I'm sure the director means well, but that statement is based partly in unawareness and partly in withheld information.

The unawareness is that no municipal water containing chlorine (which is given as a safety factor) is safe to drink. Chlorine is a bacteriacide that kills indiscriminately, and does so to our essential intestinal bacteria, a mainstay of health, digestion, and immune function.

And, chlorine reacts with any organic (petro-based) contaminants to form very nasty compounds that cause cancer. As chlorine makes its way into the environment via the sewer system it also reacts to form nasty compounds, which Greenpeace has shown end up in fish that we eat. So, it comes back to bite.

The funny thing is that the chlorine industry will tell you that it's just about the most beneficial chemical there is.

The withheld information is that there are literally thousands of contaminants that the city/DEP never tests for. That means, that to say the water is safe is simply a best-guess proposition bordering on wishful thinking.

It's an ass-covering official story based on established standards. But the truth is, the water could pass all the standards and still poison you.

And, where I live, my toilet periodically builds up a brown scum in the bowl, and I have to assume that this scum would be in the water I would drink from the tap (I've given up drinking from the bowl).

Mon, 10 Apr '06 Article: Disney cell phones aim to help parents and kids keep in touch

Response: There is no substitute for madness.

There is one overriding factor: Microwave radiation is much more threatening to youngsters than to adults--and it is threatening enough to adults.

The industry is in denial--PR denial, that is, because it knows the dangers, but keeps denying them.

Disney, despite parading its kid-oriented and kid-loving image, is just another greedy profit-driven corporate entity now attempting to make hay in the fear/safety/security market.

Technology now allows cell phone tracking via satellite also. Indeed, in the impending fascist state, Total Information Awareness is BigBro's wet dream. Here's one more component.

Interestingly, none of the commenters in the article, parent or child, pro or con, cited the dangers of microwave radiation as a consideration. Nor was there even a hint of "1984." Typical America: Oblivion reigns supreme.

Sun, 9 Apr '06 Headline: Route 12 project 'widens' tensions

Response: As this ill-advised, fascist operation should.

The masters of eternal economic growth want to confiscate people's property, homes, and businesses in order to widen the pavement to make way for more traffic.

The purported reason for this insult is to "improve traffic flow." But a real reason is to support the bloated growth and development goals piling up between the Twin Cities. After all, the "consumers" who are going to populate the new downtown condos and apartments and renew the economic life of Fitchburg might have to get down to Leominster's obscene Conehead retail orgy and buy their blenders and HD TVs. Yes, consumerism is THE condoned drug.

There seems to have been no consideration given to the possibility that the problem is not a narrow road, but too many cars--resulting from the same, age-old, shortsighted, self-defeating economic philosophy that drives this latest mistake.

And it might well be noted that this is just one more in a long line of capitulations to greedy outside (and local) interests who seem to care nothing about our quality of life, but who sit around in boardrooms sticking pins in maps trying to figure how to squeeze every last dollar out of every last square foot of local land.

You will hear the weak-minded excuse that "If they meet the zoning requirements, they can come in." But I haven't heard one remark from anyone saying, "Aha! There's the rub." That is, the zoning laws have a serious flaw, and cannot really protect us. Could this be by design, in that the law must be configured to allow tax-collecting compensation for a self-devouring system called debt/inflation/growth economics?

It apparently has not occurred to the growth mongers that we have been building and widening roads since the automobile was invented, and we are still in a traffic jam. It will always be so until we come to our senses and stop growing.

"Widen it, and they will come."

Not only is this project futile (offers temporary relief like a drug fix), but it is extremely ill-advised given the energy, climate, economic, and pollution crises we face. It is a spoiled-brat behavior and operation. The whole thing is predicated upon putting our source of life into liquidation.

To top it off, the 'eminent domain' law must be invoked. I'm not sure there is anything more Un-American than not respecting the rights and wishes of the individual. Because the masses want it or need it, doesn't make it right. Oh, I know--'the needs of the many' and all that. But it still comes down to mob rule or fascism, whereas a Republic (not a democracy) should respect individual rights.
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Sun, 9 Apr '06 S&E editorial: Jeff McMenemy: Local problems can only be fixed by raising taxes

Response: Can you say "Pavlov"?

Yes, folks, like energy, water, and hard natural resources, your pockets are inexhaustible. Just keep raising taxes forever to "fix" local problems, including ones that don't originate locally. Oh, it's a fix all right--much like the heroin addict fixes himself.

Mr. Jeff portrays himself as a "conservative Republican," and then proceeds apologetically to explain why such values must now be abandoned. Well that certainly seems a broad category, because a true conservative would be screaming his head off about the source of local fiscal crises: our phony-currency system, criminal Fed, and debt/inflation/growth economics, which Jeff fairly worships.
His views in general are almost diametrically opposed to another conservative Republican, Ron Paul of Texas, who understands America's fatal flaws, as well as those of democracy itself (which the Founders despised), and puts his finger very close to right on the issues.

Sat, 8 Apr '06 Article: Finneran bullish on state economy

Response: "Bullish" is almost the right word :-)

Our former House Speaker asserts proudly that Mass. is now "on the map" since lawmakers paved the way for biotech here by lobbying to get Bristol-Meyers Squibb to build a new $660 million manufacturing facility in Devens.

Being a Pharma giant automatically puts BS Squibb in the corporate-criminal category, as has been demonstrated numerous times when pharma ruthlessness, greed, irresponsibility, and government manipulation have shown up in the news and in investigative journalism.

Let's put it this way: For the most part, biotech is a new, expensive, energy intensive technology that purports to correct the health damage we've done to ourselves with technology, and by ignoring ancient principles of wellness. Biotech has arisen as a direct result of the corporate medical industry's avoidance of wellness. Not to mention that it entails a nasty waste stream and is highly polluting.

Of course, it's all about money/jobs/economy. But it is ironic for two reasons: 1) Biotech will drive the cost of health care up, while doing nothing for wellness; 2) Finneran, like most local pols and business pundits, seems oblivious to the impending climate/ecological/economic collapses that will destroy us if we don't drastically change our ways. But it's full steam ahead in this and other venues, such as commercial/retail growth, like there's no tomorrow.

The MassBioTech 2010 Report estimates 100,000 jobs will be created in Massachusetts by 2010. One company, AVANT, has already located in Fall River. This has Finneran all a-twitter: "In expanding AVANT's operations into Southeastern Massachusetts, (MBT Chairman) Dr. Una Ryan is sending a clear message ... that Massachusetts is a great place for life science companies to perform not only R&D but also product manufacturing," stated Finneran. He calls it the "highly important life sciences industry."

For the most part, biotech is Frankenstein Medicine squared, and it is only to the detriment of all that it is taking off to the extent that it is. What do I mean by Frankenstein Medicine? The fatal flaw of Mary Shelley's character was arrogance--the manipulation of life, thinking of himself as God-like. He was going to create life, but instread created a 'monster.'

Biotech intends to manipulate life. The monster being created is perpetual illness at a high price. It isn't "life science," but "insult-to-life pseudo-science." Lucrative technomasturbation: "New technique helps identify multiple DNA regulatory sites: Understanding the complex regulatory mechanisms that tell genes when to switch on and off is one of the toughest challenges facing researchers attempting to discover how life works." Of course, once it's understood "how it works," the next step will be to "improve" it.

Another example of what we're getting: Public release of pig genomic sequences. In addition to the genome survey, 100 libraries of expressed sequences from different pig tissues and developmental stages have been analyzed.

And "AVANT's 11,000 square foot process development and pilot manufacturing facility in Fall River, MA will support the clinical development of its portfolio of bacterial vaccines, including vaccines for biodefense..." Anyone with an ounce of health sense can see the horrendous direction this is taking:

"If you were a kid in the 60s, you probably received less than 10 vaccines before you were 18. For the past decade, the total number has hovered at 40. On 7 Feb 05, with no media whatsoever, the CDC suddenly jacked up the total number of vaccines mandated to an American child before age 18 to a whopping 58." - Dr. Tim O'Shea, "The Sanctity of Human Blood: Vaccination is Not Immunization," 8th Ed.
Please see article on vaccine nonsense

In a meeting in front of the local Chamber of Commerce, one soul with integrity asked Finneran about the federal indictments he faces on perjury and obstruction of justice concerning crooked redistricting. Naturally the corporate lapdog denied all.

A most interesting aside is Finneran's comment that the state has to build many more housing units per year to control the costs of ownership and keep young professionals in the state. Yikes! It's age-old supply/demand 'logic,' whereas Mr. F seems not to have a clue that the housing market is vigorously manipulated and inflated, thus the rising cost. The only thing holding up the market now is the Fed's willingness to print phony, inflated money. Old Tom has but to wait a little while for the inevitable crash, when housing prices will 'adjust' :-)

Finneran also had great praise for the new Massachusetts health care bill, which has the appearance of a good effort, but which effectively enslaves the people to Pharma malfeasance and monopoly control--to whit: you must buy in or face tax penalties. The 4/5/06 S&E report on the bill somehow omitted this fascist aspect (see immediately below, and see article on stem cell research).

Wed, 5 Apr '06 Article: Health care bill described as first step

Response: The question is, in which direction?

The effort is to get most people insurance coverage. One of the prospective hopes is that this will lower costs by getting people into regular channels of health care as opposed to many emergency-room visits by uncovered people. This has some logic to it.

But the fundamental problem in health care is not, and will not be, addressed by administrative and coverage reform--the dangers and ineffectiveness of conventional medicine itself.

The noted transition will have a reducing effect on costs, but costs are still going to soar for a varety of reasons, not the least of which is the rapaciousness of the corporatists of the Pharma and the medical supply/device industries who control the whole thing.

Another major reason is that wellness is not conferred by conventional treatment methods, predisposing people to deteriorating health profiles and more visits and treatments.

Here's the question left unanswered by all the commentators, such as lawmakers and hospital officials: Of what interest is widespread wellness to an industry whose financial health depends upon widespread illness?

"When we give government the power to make medical decisions for us, we, in essence, accept that the state owns our bodies." - US Representative Ron Paul

Please read Meaningful Health Care Reform for more detail.

Wed, 5 Apr '06 Article: Study: Low-calorie diet may equal longer life

Response: Ah, modern science once again to the rescue.

As it was with acupuncture, which was "voodoo" for many years until "science" was forced into admitting that it works, science is now making a pronouncement about something Holistic practioners have long understood: overeating, especially of high calorie foods (grains would be major offenders) predisposes to illness and thus shortens life.

Well, now that science has made this "exciting study" we can be sure that a diet emphasizing vegetables and fruits IS actually good for us. Whew! Glad they got that one under control--and not a moment to soon!

Sun 2 Apr '06 Headline: Land of Opportunity

Response: Opportunity to destroy ourselves.

As usual, the S&E is focusing on economic development, and several local pundits join in on what can be argued to be a very shortsighted discussion, depsite it's pretense to long-range planning.

One disturbing aspect is Leominster Mayor Mazzarella's comment that this deluge of growth madness is unavoidable--"If they meet all the requirements of all the local ordinances and zoning, then they're eligible to come," he says.

EXCUSE me? Just who is it that establishes these regulations? Isn't the next logical question, where is the law that allows us to protect ourselves from being overrun by corporate greed? Because that's all this is--a greedfest overkill of consumer addiction. Worse, many local people worship this stuff, including, unfortunately, the newspaper, which fails in its responsibility to deal thoroughly with the downside.

But when you've got a publication whose favorite word is "upscale," what can you expect? And the politicians, such as local councilors, seem more like sheep when it comes to this than persons having taken responsibility to protect the community.

The best Chamber President McKeehan can come up with, is that if we're going to have this development, there's no better place than at the junction of the two highways. In a conversation I had with him years ago, I learned that he thinks the local water supply is infinite.

The Mayor says either Leominster or Lancaster is going to get it. Lancaster, some folks might recall, is the town now fretting about overdrawing its wells--a major threat to building that portends big fiscal deficits, according to one town official. One wonders just how much it takes to get officials off the treadmill of convention to the point of actually questioning the wisdom of the economic system we hold dear.

Exemplifying this treadmill inertia is Lancaster Town Administrator Pacheco, who says Lancaster "wants more economic development; if it turns out to be retail, then so be it." Where's the water going to come from? Granted, a department store uses only bathroom-amounts of water, but a big staff can draw a lot. A restaurant, however, is a voracious user of water. Put your head on the block and surrender.

Greedmonger William R. Cronin Jr, VP of New England Development, which is now planning a massive 400,000 square-foot retail debacle in Leominster offers words of wisdom. "The more options for shoppers, the more people will be willing to drive to Leominster."

Then to put the cap on the rhetoric and rationalization, the green-eyed pundits all agree it won't create a traffic problem because it's all near the highways. Everyone who goes to these places will be coming on the highway. Get it?

And see? There's no energy problem, no climate problem, no pollution, no threat to resources, no deadly trade deficit, and no burgeoning waste stream. Just a funny-fun-fun, whoopdedoo Conehead consumer orgy. Hey, it brings in the tax dollars we use for things like schools.

That's good, because when the kids get out, they're really going to have to be smart to deal with, even survive, the awful circumstances being created for them by the bigbizness boyz and their local panderers.

Fri 31 Mar '06 Article: Local legislators hail Lottery 'victory'

Response: Fortunate. Hopefully not taken as a solution.

The decision has been made to 'uncap' state lottery money early and distribute it to communities. Naturally, recipients are thrilled. Hopefully, the respite time will be used to regroup and focus on the real reasons for financial crises--the currency, market and economics games of the central bankers.

We must target their mechanisms of theft here in the US: the Federal Reserve, IRS, and debt/inflation/growth economics. Essentially, the country is being run on a credit card.

But a 'funny' thing in this piece is a quote from Mass Senator Bob Antonioni, who said, "With the economy improving, I think it's essential we uncap the Lottery." MUST be a misquote. That should read, "With the economy going into the dumper...

Mon, 27 Mar '06 S&E Editorial: Petition makes sense for city

Response: Sense within the insane world.

There is currently a 'brooha' about a local developer's sleazy petition to change some zoning to his advantage, that was signed by most city councilors in advance of a Planning Board meeting to consider it. Won't go into the details of that, but the point is the project has added a few big retailers and some restaurants to the area, and may add more. The paper expresses its wet dreams of retail/commercial biz that "pays taxes to the city." Typical and tired old economic rhetoric.

Below is a letter I sent to our school superintendent who is expressing concern that busing costs are going to price themselves out of our market in a few years--mainly due to fuel costs. It addresses the question of economic growth and development, and related matters:

Dear Marilyn,
You may recall that after our last class reunion, I asked if I could catch up with you in your office for a chat about some things. I failed to do so, much to my shame. But that meeting might have taken a half hour to an hour. The following is a bit long, but still shouldn't take nearly as long to read. So I beg your indulgence. Let me preface by saying I hope I'm wrong.

I saw the 3/19/06 article in the paper about the escalating cost of busing. You're quoted as saying we'll be facing "A" problem we can't solve. Not to imply that you don't, but it would seem wise to at least consider it as just one item in a litany of interrelated 'insoluble' challenges ahead--and not just for the schools, but for every aspect of community.

This letter suggests that traditional approaches will fail us, because circumstances require a wider focus than is customary. This is where your question comes in: "Where do we go from here?" If we keep on as in the past, we will scoot off the cliff like the Road Runner and have nowhere to go but splat.

There seems to be a dogged, business-as-usual drive around here to proceed with same-old palliatives, and pursue policy that is ultimately self-defeating. A good example is growth and development. I frequently compare this to a drug addiction, where it seems like that next fix is all we need to focus on until the next time, as we slide into the pit.

I've sent numerous emails over the past several years about this. Thus far, there has been virtually stony silence--not that anyone is required to respond to me (although I know some folks call me names :-) But no one has explained why the info shared should not be part of the community discussion of where we go from here.

There are city councilors, for example, that 'smile at my face' when I run into them, but 'call me names behind my back.' Some know there is truth in what I report, but say nothing openly. Others think I'm crazy. One councilor blocks my emails. None responds. They're all aware of my local-cable TV show, Radical Communion. None makes any comment, question, or reply to the suggestion that the city is being dragged into disaster. The newspaper happily follows suit and would be the pied piper. Of course, the Twin Cities aren't alone in the self-destruct department.

It may be helpful when considering challenges not to get compartmentalized. Most of the challenges communities face, especially fiscal ones, are symptoms of non-local situations. Our wealth is being stolen. For example, health care relates to the busing issue, because the minimally useful, ultimately self-defeating health care reform bill about to be produced by the state legislature perpetuates the ongoing revenue theft (more below).

There is little question: The old ways will fail us. The widening of Rte 12, the retail expansion, population increase, the increased demand on vanishing space and resources (ask Lancaster)--it's all a form of futile, energy-wasting, Pavlovian madness. And it would be so even if we didn't have a potentially imminent major enviro/energy/eco crash on the way that our pundits ignore and our addictive behavior is hastening. Depending on the intensity of this crash, we may be able to do virtually nothing, like being swept along in a rushing river. Funny how easily we see the addiction of a heroin addict, but can't see the analog in community behavior. And if you don't believe me, listen to the bear, deer, and moose that are trying to tell us something :-)

A capsule statement of where we are: We depend for survival upon ultimately self-destructive mechanisms. Quite the corner we've painted ourselves into.

How can we understand soaring fuel costs for busing kids, but not see that the same holds for transporting tomatoes? Instead of huge retail outfits and restaurant outlets for the poison industrial-ag fossil-energy sink, the city should be focusing on ZERO-growth and moving as much as possible toward self-sufficiency. We should be planning multiple organic farms, maybe even some year-round facilities, and local means for the production of staples and energy. Cottage industries. Such an arrangement would be valuable whether or not there is a crash. But local leaders, planners, and developers would rather massage egos with the big boys and therefore are taking us on the path to hell, frankly. Here's a pretty good piece on this.

The time for a radical approach is here. It means shedding unquestioning faith in the system, or status quo. Being able to question our cherished beliefs and behaviors. It may mean standing up as a political entity--Leominster, and as many communities as we can muster--against the federal juggernaut (and to a lesser extent the state) that is destroying the country and stealing our wealth and the kids' lives and futures. The sad thing is, some people defend this travesty as Americanism. Worse, many of them are in politics. Worst of all, partisan politicians adolescently sling mud at each other and can't see that both parties dance with the wolf in the federal fold. At the end of the day it comes down to lyin,' cheatin,' stealin,' and killin.' And the citizens allow it.

We need an all-partisan revolution in understanding and thought. We need to make noise, and keep making it, until Congress is overhauled. However, the human flaws that manifest as failed government, fiscal crises and energy disaster exist right down to our neighborhoods. So, local politics suffers in its own way. There's almost always someone on the take or operating in a self-serving way. When this is not the case, denial, unawareness, or disbelief take over, it seems.

Coming back to fuel cost and supply per se, here's an interesting statistic, for one example. During peacetime (which we never get, of course) our military uses enough fuel in one year to run the entire mass transit system of the US for 14 years. I'd wager that in one month in Iraq we could run every school bus in America for a year. Throw in the waste of Afghanistan and add another 6 months. But think about 725 military bases in 122 countries. It's too insane for words. The oxymoron: This, along with Conehead consumer madness, is holding up the economy. So is disease.

To be fair, military fuel consumption might be less per vehicle now that many bigger ships, such as aircraft carriers that used to gulp 5628 gallons per hour are nuke powered (which is its own form of insanity). But you get the idea. If people could really get it: that trillions of dollars have been stolen by an elite cabal (super wealthy and powerful families) that have usurped the federal government, why, they might finally get more upset than they are about Adam kicking them. For example, what if we had some of the 20 trillion dollars we've spent on the military since WW II? Or even some of the 5 trillion dollars for nuclear weapons alone (and it's not enough--they want more!) The mongers are now creating technology to make Earth itself a weapon.

People hear the military 'bell' and salivate obediently. Wave the flag and all that. Nothing is more dangerous than blind, unquestioning patriotism, because the elites have used our government and military for their own ends for centuries. And if enemies need to be created to prove that this obscene expenditure on machines of death is unavoidable, enemies will be provided. History proves this contrivance beyond any question, if only we will look at it. But most prefer conventional history, and to deny, disbelieve, or ignore hidden history in favor of playing the system. Local players don't see that the system they manipulate and pander to will smilingly devour them or their children.

Speaking of children, the oft-stated concern for them is belied by our behavior. For example, the paper was recently on its high horse about car crashes. But if we're talking about threats to kids, what about war death, medical death, and the serious poisoning of the kids by our vaunted way of life? The paper won't touch those horses. Example: You may have seen my letter to the editor on 3/27 about Matt Marro and DEP. I noted the ill-advised policy of chlorinating drinking water. After that, neatly excised was the following: "This is a major cause of immune insufficiency, bowel disease, poor digestion, and a mountain of illness (including allergy, Molly Bish Institute/ 'Health' Alliance. Yoohoo, people!)"

Because the paper had recently run a long piece by the Molly Bish crowd on kids and allergy, completely ignoring this fundamental principle and related matters. These people, who should know better, are freely given space to misguide everyone. This sets the stage for sick kids and sick adults. This, in turn increases health costs. So-called health care reform then perpetuates this, thereby squandering money that could be used for busing--if that were a wise thing to do.

Frankly, the school lunch program is a bigger overall threat to kids than car crashes. So are cell phones. Naturally, our quite-concerned local paper is notably silent on such issues, preferring instead to publish cute pics of toddlers eating sugarized nonfood, while cashing in with human interest stories about families in health crises.

Speaking of war death, until we create the political will, LOCALLY first, then nationally to convert the military industrial complex, we will jump from one war to the next because our country's economy is addicted to military production. Weapons are the number one industrial export of America today, and the global marketing strategy for that product line is endless war. To effect this result, such things as Pearl Harbor are allowed and the Reichstag fire, Gulf of Tonkin, and 9/11 are contrived.

The other major underlying challenge: the phony-currency system, the unconstitutional Federal Reserve, and the rigged, debt/inflation/growth economy.

Since its secret formation in 1910, and subsequent illegal passage during the Wilson administration, the Federal Reserve has held the American economy hostage: creating inflation and boom & bust cycles through managed money supply and interest rates. The dark 'secret' is, that even though many have become wealthy, the astronomical flow of wealth has been from the people to the system manipulators (all at the ultimate expense of our source of life). These few manipulators now have the power to impoverish millionaires.

Every dollar printed is merely debt charged to the federal government. This paper, our "money," doesn't even become "money" until it's borrowed! Thus while it costs only 10 cents to print a $100 bill, the US government (We the Sheeple) fits the bill for the full $100 to the privately held Fed.

The unconstitutional and criminal nature of the Federal Reserve, owned largely by the Rockefeller, Morgan, and Rothschild interests (elite cabal) has eluded most of us. No one is discussing the proven role of the Fed in creating recessions and depressions in order to purchase assets at a fraction of their value. This is exactly what 1929 and following was, and it was no accident, but a long-range plan by the Masters of the system.

Local pols, planners and developers ignore the role of the fiat currency system which inflates itself and prices, puts economies under the iron claw of a few elite families, is the driving force behind our suicidal development policies, and sets the stage for a massive collapse. Because it is simply more profitable to let people die and accelerate collapse through excessive consumption than it is to behave in a manner commensurate with survival.

Since the dollar is the base currency for worldwide trade and the current economic house of cards, shouldn't these topics be discussed?

Good summary and history of the Fed.

And here's an interesting quote:
"The Economist magazine calls the real estate boom larger than the stock market bubble of 2000. Will real estate continue to appreciate? Nobody knows the answer to that question, but we do know the government will do everything in its power to keep the real estate bubble expanding. That's because a sharp decline in real estate values would lead to deflation. To forestall such an event, the Federal Reserve regularly expands money and credit. They do this in ever larger amounts, whenever they feel it necessary.

"Economist Hans Sennholz reminds us, 'If a government resorts to inflation, that is, creates money in order to cover its budget deficits or expands credit in order to stimulate business, then no power on earth, no gimmick, device, trick or even indexation can prevent its economic consequences.'

"You can continue to believe the wizards of Wall Street and Washington, who claim their inflationary brew will perpetuate prosperity, or you can listen to the classical economists who have combined the lessons of history with the basic principles from two centuries of sound economics. [[That latter point, like capitalism itself, is questionable, but you get the idea - P.]]

"Whether you choose to listen or not, be assured that the following inevitable consequences of inflation will cloud your future: an ongoing financial and economic crisis, moral and cultural disintegration, stagflation, bigger government, escalating hatred of business, runaway social spending, the criminalization of success, higher taxes and a shrinking dollar. Somewhere out there lies complete and total collapse. That utter collapse is coming as surely as the sun will rise tomorrow and the government will keep inflating until the bitter end." - James R. Cook, conservative economist

The "dollar" is the unbacked liability of a bankrupt nation. This WILL put an end to all busing.

The US is now the world's largest debtor, swimming in debt. Consumerism comprises 70 percent of the GDP, but many consumers spending more than they earn. We're buying things we don't need with money we don't have. The savings rate of the US consumer has now gone negative. The consumer orgy also explodes the life-threatening trade deficit and is predicated upon slave labor and widespread pollution. The paper irresponsibly cheers this on.

The national debt is now pushing $8 trillion. In the previous four years, debt increases have totaled $3 trillion, which amounts to an increase of 50 percent in the total national debt. But increases go on.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are costing roughly $5 billion a month. Not to mention the New Orleans disaster. We don't have the money to rebuild there, but are 'intelligently' trying to reconstruct that which could easily be destroyed again next year. President Bush keeps asking a hypnotized, lapdog Congress for more multiple billions. Some estimates are that Katrina will cost $120 billion or more, and this is probably conservative. Iraq? One estimate: 1 to 2 Trillion. Afghanistan? Forgotten. But the banksters have got the heroin flowing.

All this suggests strongly that the current local policies of economic growth and development, which are predicated upon the above credit-card-currency seduction, even if they were not environmentally suicidal, are ultimately doomed. They will in fact accelerate the onset of a disaster that will make 1929 look like a walk in the park, especially if/when the energy crunch truly sets in. The same goes for energy-intensive and trash-mountain pursuits such as airport concerts and the Longsjo race. All are predicated on Earth in liquidation, and would be considered totally frivolous post-crash.

GIVE US MORE MORE MORE DEVELOPMENT! The local paper cheerleads this suicide. Fitchburg is also in a ridiculous mode, which the paper swoons over. It's going to try to rescue itself by "upscaling" (the paper's favorite word) the downtown, getting the fast train from Boston, and providing yuppie housing that will allow commuting to the high-paying Boston jobs that will support the shopturbation-fest being prepared locally. And when we're space-locked, look out Westminster, Templeton, Phillipston (not to mention bear, deer, moose)--the fast train is coming.

Communities, developers, and planners playing along with conventional fiscal and growth policies--especially in retail, infrastructure expansion, and condo construction--are setting the future up for extreme misery. We would be hard pressed to do anything worse for the kids. Focus on school bus budgets in the midst of such a maelstrom would be funny if not so tragic. Not busing them to school will be small among the discomforts handed down.

Thanks for your time, and congratulations on a valued tenure as Superintendent. You're a credit to the Class of '61 :-)

Best,
Peter

Mon, 27 Mar '06 Editorial letter: Peter G Tocci (me!): Reader put blame for lapse on DEP, too

Response: S&E shows it's colors.

See the the letter below on 16 Mar. Note that the main point was not what the title chosen by the paper suggests. Note also the portion in bold. This is what the paper, in its 'wisdom,' decided to edit out. Wouldn't want to cause any embarrassment to the drug dealers.

Wed, 23 Mar '06 Article: Schools putting obesity on notice

Response: Weight-normal people get sick too.

No doubt, obesity is a problem among kids. But here's a great example of the danger of bureaucratic regulation of the school lunch program--one of the worse overall threats to kids in our society. Take aim at one issue, miss the point—wellness, that is.

Picture of one first-grader sucking on a Hawaiian Punch. He's got another on his tray, with a chockie milk and some abortion called a "Zesta." Another kid's got a thing that says "Campbell's Soup" on it. Run, kid, run!

Pray this is the 'Before' picture.

Pundits fret over the junk stuff kids seem to be "drawn" (addicted?) to (a symptom of built-in cultural/dietary stupidity that has altered their chemistry and jaded their palates), but then turn around and feed them "spaghetti with meat sauce," or "peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." Yikes. There isn't even one good component in a SAD (Standard American Diet) PB&J, never mind ingesting them at once.

And here's a goody: "Fruits and vegetables go on every tray, along with low-fat chocolate or white milk," says the principal of Northwest Elementary. Now imagine slogging down the spaghetti, the dead animal, a fruit, a vegetable, and the processed modified cow sweat, all in one sitting.

This might be construed to prevent obesity, but to imagine that it confers wellness suggests the distance officials have to go to learn the first thing about health. One is, don't eat fruits and vegetables together. Of course, that's the least of the threats hidden in the conglomeration served up.

Another goody: Northwest's cafeteria manager decries pre-packaged lunches, like Lunchables. "They don't have good meats or cheeses..." Well, at least we know we can have good bad things instead of bad bad things. And what is it again that makes what the school serves not pre-packaged? Fruits you might be able to argue, but most of the rest is in the dead zone, enzymatically speaking.

One big question--is anything the kids get organically grown, or is it all depleted industrial-ag output (distantly trucked in), with its pesticide, hormone, and mycotoxic residues?

But the absolute, final, 'pluperfect' kick in the ass in this one is the earth-shattering revelation by the principal that she thinks the new health regulations will "even improve academic performance." Glory be.

The article doesn't mention why all this is being brought up now as some kind of revelation, and why the kids have been fed shit in America for so many decades.

Sun, 19 Mar '06 Article: Leominster schools will face tough issues

Response: Tough is too nice a word--but not just the schools.

School Superintendent says escalating transportation costs will present an unsolvable problem in the next few years. No more buses to take kids to school. Already, the city of Gardner has removed busing for high schoolers. This is just the tip of the berg, folks.

The article doesn't say what's behind the cost increase, but one must assume it's fuel. There is nothing to say but "just desserts" for the country that has consumed fuel in a selfish, oblivious, raging madness.

How's this for a stat: during peacetime (which we never get, of course) our military uses enough fuel in one year to run the entire mass transit system of the US for 14 years. I'd wager that in one month in Iraq we could run every school bus in America for a year.

To be fair, it might be less now that many bigger ships, such as aircraft carriers that use to gulp 5680 gallons per hour are nuke powered (which is its own form of insanity). But you get the idea.

While we scratch heads trying to "figure out solutions" to such problems, the corrupt federal juggernaut runs away with our money, health, sanity, and the lives of our young men and women.

When the heck will local pols, pundits and officials yank their heads out of, well, the sand, and get a clue? These issues cannot be solved locally.

Sun, 19 Mar '06 Special column: Healthy Kids Initiative of the Molly Bish Institute for Child Health and Safety at Mount Wachusett Community College and HealthAlliance Hospital: Ingrid Cruise, MD, pediatrician, Medical Associates Pediatrics, HealthAlliance Hospital, Leominster Campus: Protecting children from allergies

Response: Holy credentialmania, Batman! There's a mouthful of where-ya-from, who-are-ya.

Here are four very tall columns of official pronouncement about allergy, and the jewel of wisdom at the center is, "The most effective way to treat allergies is to completely avoid exposure." Yikes! If this is the best conmedicine has to offer, the kids are in deep pucky.

The cause of this affliction? Why, it's that darn old immune system, which, in some people, just happens, for some ungodly, unknown, unrevealed reason, to "develop antibodies to harmless substances."

In all of the tall four, there is not a peep about one of the major factors (of several) in allergy--intestinal dysbiosis with hyperpermeable membrane. What's that? Your internal bacteria are dead and your gut is leaking crap into your blood, irritating the hell out of your immune function.

Nope, it's all about managing the outer environment instead of balancing the inner one. The only thing done for the inside is Dr Frankenstein's antihistamine medicaments, with their bevy of side effects. Histamine is responsible for those awful allergy symptoms, goes the wisdom. That stupid body just causes all manner of mess, doesn't it?

Yes, because those symptoms comprise a method of cathartic detox by the body, which is smarter than the allergists who give not a thought to toxicity as an irritant.

If there was ever a clearer picture of medical misguidedness, I'm not sure what it might be. Well, their concept of cancer comes close. They've got that backwards too.

But this is how medicine ensures continued profit: avoid wellness—charge 'em big and drug 'em high.

Sat, 18 Mar '06 Article: WTC developer offers new proposal, hoping to bring Port Authority back to table

Response: Wolf once more sniffing fold.

Larry Silverstein, the leaseholder on WTC 7, the building that was admittedly demolished on 9/11 "to prevent further loss of life," and who made hundreds of millions on insurance claims, has been in negotations to rebuild the WTC site.

Apparently, FIVE (!) new office towers are being planned, including a 1776-foot "Freedom Tower." Was there ever a more clear indication of human arrogance and stupidity?

In any case, NY State officials have been upset with old Lar' for wanting "too large a share of billions of dollars in rebuilding money (where is it coming from?) and other concessions in exchange for giving up rights to build two out of five..."

Well, boys and girls, they should be happy to be rid of him. Because after 9/11, no one even asked him, "Say, Lar,' just exactly when was it those explosives were set in WTC 7?" Because, you know, it customarily takes weeks of careful planning and arranging charges to set a building for demolition...

Fri, 17 Mar '06 Headline: Longsjo adds fifth day to event

Response: Visions of dollar signs dance in their heads.

Letter to be sent to George Gantz, president of Fitchburg Cycling Club and VP Unitil:
Dear Mr Gantz,

I just saw the news article about expanding the Longsjo event. I usually take in some of the mountain race and criterium. I had the pleasure of meeting Art at a speedskating race when I was a teen.

Of all the volunteers that make this great event possible, there is one sine-qua-non 'volunteer' that seems to have been somewhat neglected or taken for granted over the years--our source of life, the Earth and its resources.

I have a feeling that if the 'cost' of the event included 'staying even' with what we demand of the Earth (being sustainable, in other words), nothing close to a $million in revenue would be realized.

Also, a number of conservative economic analysts (not the Wall Street and Fed Wizards) are quaking in their boots at the state of America's finances. It's rather like a stilt house in a raging flood at this point. Would you run Unitil on ever-increasing credit card debt? These analysts say that America's consumer madness, as well as the suicidal growth addiction, is exacerbating and accelerating the crash, which if not mitigated will make 1929 look like... a day at the races.

Like most big parties, the event packs a pretty good environmental impact in a number of ways. One is fuel consumption, especially during the mountain event, not to mention all the fuel consumed by everyone getting here. Although there is big money behind the teams, the day could easily come when petro shortage begins to put a crimp in the style. That day may not be too far off.

Like much human activity to which we're addicted, the race would become an inexcusable, if not impossible, frivolity in another frame of reference--like watering lawns in Lancaster is about to become. And, as we've already seen, energy situations can change rapidly. There is some thought that the energy-intensive industrial-ag global food supply is in jeopardy. It would seem prudent to frame and pursue future plans within such perspective.

Another race impact is the huge amount of trash generated. Truth be said, we haven't 'grown up' enough as a culture regarding this to even deserve to stage such an event. Of course, the trash will 'disappear' and be out of mind, and so not be a deterrent to the fun and profit (I'm not singling out the Longsjo here--it's just the way we behave in general, and the same goes for beerfests, Independence Day celebrations, concerts at the airport, and so on). I often say, that to get a vivid sense of how we're living, everyone should be required have one day's trash collection dumped in his front yard.

It would be nice to see the environmental/energy factor take as much precedence in the Longsjo as possible going forward. Maybe even a little more :-)

There might be one way to make some difference immediately, which would be to provide for the recycling of the many thousands of empty water bottles. I understand they're trashed. Since plastic is a petrochemical, this represents a responsible way to create savings in that respect.

Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
Peter Tocci
Leominster

Thu 16 Mar '06 Article: DEP: Marro's certification expired

Response: Not the worst threat to drinking water safety.

Leominster's environmental inspector (resigned) was allegedly without certification for three years. Yes, he and the City must take responsibilty, but where was the Department of Environmental Protection oversight?

DEP sets the standards and should be at least as culpable for not tracking this as City officials. I mean, try letting your driver's license lapse. This isn't particle physics!

In any case, there's a difference between certification, a bureaucratic formality, and knowledge/skill. Colletta says no danger arose from the situation.

In any case, one area of concern is bacteria, and herein lies a 'funny.' DEP spokesman Colletta said the water had insufficient chlorine (odd, I have the sense my tap water comes from the municipal swimming pool. It reeks.)

The 'funny' is that chlorine should not be in drinking water at all, because it's an indiscriminate killer and wipes out people's essential intestinal bacteria. This is an underlying cause of immune insufficiency, bowel disease, poor digestion, and a mountain of illness.

Safe and effective oxygen systems are in use. What stands in the way of this for Massachusetts communities--Unawareness? Inertia? Incompetence? Politics? Malfeasance?

I might add that the Mayor has been informed about this in the past on several occasions.

There might be a financial penalty on the city for this, says Colletta. In a sane world, the DEP would be prosecuted for requiring the poison chlorine, thus threatening everyone's health and life. I'd guess someone as smart and engaged as Matt Marro is aware of this, and if there was less chlorine on his purpose, I'd guess he was doing us all a favor by adjusting for DEP's ill-advised policy and probable overkill.

Is Leominster's water safe to drink? "No question about it," says Colletta.

Is this official spokesperson unsafe to believe?

Archive of Editorial Letters

Peter G. Tocci is a Holistic wellness consultant and health writer dba Associated Health Services in Leominster, Massachusetts.

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