Oh the Dumbth!!!

Check out this video posted on the Southern Poverty Law Center's website which originally appeared on CNN a couple of days ago. The reporter, Jim Acosta, takes a closer look at one militia whose numbers are increasing after the election of President Obama.

My question is, where were these fools when Bush 43 was shredding the Constitution?

We're Doing Something Right

Finally some good news. It looks like a few cities in this country are moving in the right direction. A recent article in Forbes ranks the top 10 cities for the cleanest commutes. Not surprisingly, New York City ranks high at #5.

"... Nearly one-third of the 8.8 million workers in the New York metro area use the system, by far the best rate in the nation. In New York's densest pockets, some 80% of commuters use mass transit. The Big Apple and outlying suburbs are home to nearly half of the nation's 7.5 million mass-transit commuters."

Here's the breakdown:
10. Los Angeles, CA
9. Chicago, IL
7. Portland, OR (tie)
7. Boston, MA
6. Trenton, NJ
5. New York, NY
4. Seattle, WA
3. Washington, DC
2. Honolulu, HI
1. San Francisco, CA

Los Angeles at #10 is a bit unexpected given their sprawl and love of cars. But, as the article explains, their carpool rate is far above the national average and 6.3% of its residents commute via mass transit--again, above the national rate of 5.3%.

Meet Your New Friend....

Aedes albopictus,
The Asian tiger Mosquito

The media has a tendency to look for the 'next big thing'. In terms of infectious diseases, this could be it for Europe and the Americas. It's a virus more exciting than West Nile--it's called the Chikungunya virus. It means "that which bends up". I can imagine news reporters stumbling over the name even as I type.

The virus has been around since at least 1952 when it was discovered in Tanzania. Since 2005, the disease has spread to India, Italy, France and the French Island of Reunion. The Asian tiger mosquito, the vector used by this virus (meaning the way the virus is spread), is already found in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. Within the United States, the mosquito can be found in most southern states, New Jersey, Texas and Minnesota. Like most infectious diseases, our ability to move quickly from country to country via air travel increases the risk that the virus will spread globally.

Researchers are concerned about this virus because unlike West Nile, where 9 out of 10 infected people will show few, if any, symptoms, Chikungunya will make the vast majority of people extremely ill.

This is a very serious disease. Infection may cause fever, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, rash and joint pain and can even be fatal. Symptoms can last anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. And of course, there is no vaccine.

Keep your eyes and ears open and your bug spray at hand, as I'm sure we all will be hearing much more about this virus in the weeks and months to come.

The Sweet Taste of Stupidity

Remember the good old days when the only worries linked to high fructose corn syrup were obesity and diabetes? Now we get reports like this in Mother Jones. Looks like we might be able to add impaired neurological development and reduced cognitive thinking to the list. A recent study suggests that our beloved national treasure, high fructose corn syrup, may indeed be contaminated with mercury. Sweet.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is widely found in processed foods--sweetened beverages, breads, cereals, breakfast bars, lunch meats, yogurts, soups and condiments to name but a few. Scientists estimate that 1 out of every 10 calories Americans eat comes from HFCS. Given such widespread exposure, one would think that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) might be interested in digging a little deeper to see whether or not there really is cause for concern.

Contamination happens something like this: The process of separating corn starch from the kernel requires the use of lye and some chemical companies manufacture lye using mercury. Health effects vary depending on the type of mercury we are exposed to. And as one might guess, those most at risk for development of negative health outcomes when exposed are children and fetuses. Health effects include impaired cognitive thinking, memory, attention and language difficulties. Exposure also affects the growing brain and nervous system of the developing fetus. A major limitation is that we still do not know which type of mercury contaminated the HFCS. What could really hurt some feelings is the fact the FDA has known about this possible contamination since at least 2005 and has refused to pursue any additional research.

It is important to remember that the FDA:

"...is the federal agency responsible for ensuring that foods are safe, wholesome and sanitary..."

and that

"FDA also ensures that these products are honestly, accurately and informatively represented to the public."

(quoted from the FDA's website)

Many argue that the FDA fails on both counts and some suggest that the agency is more invested in guarding the profits of major corporate interests than protecting the health of Americans. On the other hand, perhaps the FDA, like other regulatory agencies in the US, is severely underfunded. Or better yet, maybe they are just plain lazy.

There is a bit of good news. Approximately 90% of US manufacturers employ mercury-free production techniques. Unfortunately, 4 US plants and 60% of European production still rely on mercury cell technology and a fair number of our processed foods happen to be imported.

Obvious next steps should be to 1) determine which form(s) of mercury can be detected in HFCS and 2) compare the mercury levels in found in HFCS to background mercury levels reported in other foods. Given that previous estimates of mercury consumption have never before included HFCS as a possible source of exposure, one would hope that the pursuit of a well-informed risk assessment would be on top of somebody's list. You can be sure, though, that certain industries want no part of it.

Now THIS is embarrassing....

Now this really is a shameful way to get a ticket. If you can't outrun a couple of horses, you really shouldn't be driving a car.

Thanks Sofie_Fatale for sharing.....

Not Even Localvores are Safe

Just when you thought it was safe to eat food grown in your own backyard, this article comes out in the New York Times. Beware: lead contaminated soil. Apparently, food grown in soil contaminated with high levels of lead isn’t safe to eat. Go figure.

Of course those who shoulder the major risk burden also happen to be those who did not create the problem:

"Fetuses and small children, because of their rapidly developing nervous systems, are more sensitive to and suffer the most harm from lead exposure. Adverse effects include damage to the brain and nervous system, lower I.Q., behavior problems and slow growth. Adults may suffer cognitive decline, hypertension, nerve disorders, muscle pain and reproductive problems."

But wait. How can this be? Lead was eliminated from paint and gasoline back in the 1970s. How can we still be paying the price several decades later? Unfortunately for us, lead is persistent in the environment. How does soil become contaminated with lead? Though use of leaded gasoline was a big source back in the day, the problem persists with the improper disposal of lead batteries, automotive parts and the demolition of properties/structures containing lead (just to name few). So, those greedy buggers who recently tore down the neighborhood eyesore in favor of the McMansion may have contributed to this threat to their (and/or your) personal food supply. At least we can say this potential risk “knows no socioeconomic boundaries”.

But there is hope.

"…some experts advise planting greens, specifically Indian mustard and spinach, for a couple of seasons as phytoremediation, or plant-based mitigation, before growing crops intended for food. By growing spinach for three months, researchers at the University of Southern Maine lowered the lead count in one garden by 200 p.p.m."

Great news, right? Not so fast.... “Of course, the lead-leaching crop cannot be eaten or composted and must be disposed of as toxic waste.” (emphasis mine)

Nice.

Fear the Air(line)?

Here is an interesting video I saw online. It deals with a relatively unknown (at least to the public) toxic exposure that can potentially occur during commercial airline flights. The chemical of concern, tricresyl phosphate (TCP), is used as a lubricating compound in jet fuel. It is a known neurotoxin and also happens to be a component of nerve gas. The exposure happens like this: the air that we breathe while on board the aircraft actually comes from the engines through a ‘bleed air’ system. The system works by taking air drawn through the engine, cooling it, then piping the cooled air into the cabin. If there are any faulty or leaky seals inside the engine, the vapors from the hot engine oil can mix with the air that is pumped into the cabin, leading to potentially toxic exposure to passengers and crew.

The immediate health effects are many and resemble intoxication in some affected individuals. Other health outcomes are potentially long-lasting: confusion, uncontrollable shaking, tremors, paralysis and chronic fatigue. The bad news, is that passengers are not the only ones at risk. The crew, including pilots, can also inhale this toxic gas and become impaired during the flight.

The airlines are, of course, resisting monitoring cabin air for this, and other chemicals. Monitoring air quality in the cabins seems like a good idea as first step in safeguarding the public’s health. However, one must ask, what action would they (could they) take if high levels of TCP were detected in cabin air? Are there alternative fuels that could be substituted for what is used now? And how would any changes in operating procedures or fuel used affect the cost of an airline ticket? The last time I flew, I was charged an extra $12 per flight just to choose my seat in advance. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that any action taken by (or against) the airline to confront this issue will come back to bite you in your wallet. Fly the friendly skies…..