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Thu, 30 Sep 2021
The World for People who Think

Flashlight

Shame on the American Heart Association - Big Business' Interests Take Precedence Over Human Health

O wad some Pow'r the giftie gie us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:
What airs in dress an' gait wad lea'e us,
An' ev'n devotion!

"To A Louse, On Seeing One on a Lady's Bonnet at Church" by Robert Burns
jamon iberico
© CC BY-SA 3.0
"Iberian ham", eaten since time immemorial without any ill-effects.
Over the last few years an increasing number of publications have absolved saturated fat from being implicated in cardiovascular disease. I've lost count of how many studies I've read on this subject, but perhaps the most straightforward recent paper was written by Gerhard Spiteller of the University of Bayreuth (Germany) and Mohammad Afzal of the Biological Sciences department of Kuwait University.

Spiteller has a PhD in organic chemistry, a basic science, knowledge of which is a fundamental prerequisite for entering any medical school. In a most fascinating study, Spiteller shows why a basic understanding of organic chemistry explains why the Lipid Hypothesis - where a high intake of saturated fat and elevated LDL ("bad") cholesterol are the most important causes of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease - doesn't make sense from a chemical point of view. In other words, if doctors and nutritionists would only apply their basic training in organic chemistry, they would be embarrassed to support the cholesterol myth.

Evil Rays

Australia - Goodbye Internet Privacy, Hello Police State

Five eyes
It hasn't been a Good News Week over the last seven days in Australia. You all remember us, right? We may be on the other side of the world, way down under, and not very significant politically, but as a vassal of the American empire, what happens down here is usually pretty indicative of what's happening in the rest of the "international community". So let's see what this latest week had in store for us.

On Friday morning, the 14th of July, the prime minister of the 'Lucky Country' informed the multiverse that math was no longer relevant in Australia. Here's the quote:
Malcolm Turnbull: "Well the laws of Australia prevail in Australia I can assure you of that. The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia.
Apparently, laws written by politicians and enforced by judges and juries, can somehow overrule basic mathematical concepts such as "1+1=2", proven in the early 20th century and documented in the Principia Mathematica by Whitehead & Russell, and intuitively known by humans for millennia if not longer. Clearly, Malcolm Turnbull has joined the neocon "reality creator" club, where a person can just "act" and the rest of us can then "judiciously" study the 'reality' they just supposedly created. The laws of government trump those that govern reality. Obviously.

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The Health & Wellness Show: The Misguided Quest For Happiness

happy person
© kati / Global Look Press
Happiness is ill-defined, elusive and fleeting. Yet, it is relentlessly pursued by millions of people all over the world through classes, 'happiness counselors', workshops and cruises. Entire bookstore sections are devoted to this topic and a whole branch of psychology -- positive psychology, or 'joyology' -- is dedicated to its study and propagation.

Numerous studies have been conducted on happiness. In some, people choose money over well-being, others say that love and friendship are the keys to happiness. Still, other studies show that a person's level of happiness always returns to baseline despite tremendous suffering or episodes of intense joy. Some researchers consider happiness a state of mind that can be cultivated while other lambast the pursuit of happiness and positivity as a denial of reality and lying to the self.

Join us on The Health and Wellness Show as we discuss the topic of happiness and whether seeking it out is even worth the trouble. And stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Health Segment on the topic of emotions in pets and finding happiness in nature.

Running Time: 01:23:35

Download: MP3


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Behind the Headlines: Trump Jr. Meeting Prompts Full-Scale Meltdown: Russia!

Trump Jr. and Trump Sr.
© Jewel Samad / AFP
The big news this week - just like every other week - is all about Trump. But this time it's Trump Jr. A year ago a shady British publicist set up a meeting between the junior Donald and a Russian. Now that the whole world knows about it, people are freaking out. Meeting with Russians is bad.

Unfortunately for the Russia-baiters, this latest scandal is the same as all the previous ones. As the story grows with every telling, its substance diminishes with equal rapidity. The meeting was a waste of time. There was no Russian collusion. And the hyper-focus on what the anti-Trumpers desperately want to be there - but which cannot be found - only exposes their own hypocrisy and double standards.

It was the Clintonista crew that top to bottom invented the 'dodgy dossier' on Trump, and Hillary's DNC actually colluded with Ukraine's illegitimate "government" to help undermine Trump. If that isn't bad enough, Bill Clinton's former political operatives Michael Caputo and Dick Morris are coming out to plainly admit that they were tasked to help Boris Yeltsin get re-elected as Russian President in the 90s. A big win for team USA - and a disaster for Russia. Now, these stories would make great burgers (with all the toppings!) if the corporate media served up a semblance of objectivity.

Tune in Sunday, July 16, to Behind the Headlines, 4-6pm UTC (6-8pm CET, 12-2pm EST) as we take a look at this latest anti-Russian nothing-burger, and what the real story is that everyone is missing.

Running Time: 01:43:12

Download: MP3


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The Health & Wellness Show: Hazed and confused: The psychology of hazing

hazing
Hazing is defined as any activity required implicitly or explicitly as a condition of initiation or continued membership in an organization whether it be a college fraternity, sports team, military unit or social club. Hazing negatively impacts the physical and psychological well being of initiates and is said to create bonds between members, but is that really the case? Does shared PTSD make people closer? Is hazing really effective in making people want to join a group and even like the group they are joining? Some researchers believe that hazing produces cognitive dissonance and wears down an individuals sense of identity. Undergraduates prone to hazing are reported to have lower self esteem, relying too much on peers and suffering from a dislike of solitude.

Today on the Heath and Wellness show we will discuss the psychology of hazing. At least one hazing death a year has occurred on a college campus every year since 1969 - and many years, multiple deaths have transpired. Is hazing part of evolutionary psychology as some suggest or is it just bullies out of control? Join us as we discuss hazing stories that have captured headlines and what is being done to address the issue.

Running Time: 01:11:52

Download: MP3


Bulb

Here's Why Americans Shouldn't Blindly Support US Foreign Policy

Iraq Saddam Statue
Americans vigorously debate domestic issues, but rarely question U.S. foreign policies. This is partly because the mainstream news media and the politicians are often on the same foreign policy page and use identical and simplistic talking points. In addition, and thanks to our abysmal educational system and the entertainment media, Americans are apathetic or awfully misinformed about history and world affairs. The illusion is that we are always fighting either to spread freedom and democracy or to defeat an evil regime (somewhere most Americans know nothing about). However, here are the real reasons why the elites manufacture wars and why we must challenge their propaganda.

Comet

SOTT Earth Changes Summary - June 2017: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs

ECS June screen shot
June was a real 'doozie' in terms of climate chaos around the world. Literal 'sheets of rain' were recorded in many different areas causing widespread flooding and deadly mudslides, along with impressive 'down bursts', seriously large hail and unseasonable snow. Tornadoes and waterspouts also made their presence felt this month from China and Russia to New Jersey. And of course, the increasingly common fireballs, sinkholes and wildfires also featured.

Check it out below, and thanks for watching!


Comment:
Check out the other releases of 2017:



Cheeseburger

Trump Jr. Releases Emails: Everything You Need To Know About the Trump Jr.-Russian Lawyer Nothing-Burger

Donald Tramp Mlađi
© AP Photo/ Carolyn Kaster
By all means, head on over to the New York Times for the full story on how evil Donald Trump Jr. met with an evil Russian lawyer offering up all the dirt on Hillary Clinton, directly provided to her (the Russian lawyer) by evil president Vladimir Putin's evil Russian government minions, all to ensure evil Donald Trump's election as president. Or, if you'd rather not waste your time reading reams of overinflated garbage, here's everything you need to know about the latest FakeNews nothing-burger.

The story has now had three incarnations, courtesy of the failing New York Times. During the Trump campaign,
  1. Trump Jr. met Russian lawyer. (Not juicy enough.)
  2. Trump Jr. met Russian lawyer who promised the dirt on Hillary. (Juicier, but not quite there yet!)
  3. Trump Jr. met Russian lawyer working directly for the Kremlin who promised the dirt on Hillary. (Almost there!)
It's only a matter of time before phase four introduces some Russian honey traps and personal notes written to Trump in Vlad's elegant handwriting. We're not there yet, but version three is being called a bombshell. Hardly. The only reason the story gets inflated with each passing day is because it's a big, fat nothing-burger. The NYT knows that, so they're intentionally embellishing another non-story.

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Behind the Headlines: Trump Tweet Triggers CNN Self-Destruction, Tremendous Trump-Putin Handshake Grips G20

Trump vs CNN
The pen is mightier than the sword. CNN may know that, but a tweet just might be more powerful than both. And CNN hasn't yet figured that one out. Last week Trump dealt what may just turn out to be the blow that will put CNN out for the count. After a string of journalistic failures, all it took was Trump re-tweeting a humorous meme of Trump pummelling a cartoon CNN to send the network into a spasm of self-destruction. Funnily enough, CNN is seemingly unaware that they have been played, and defeated, and that they are only digging themselves deeper with every response. It seems they've met their match.

Trump's CNN TKO (Twitter knockout) had good timing too: right before his first meeting with the man CNN considers the most evil in the world. Vlad "the Democracy-Impaler" Putin. After a handshake that most likely sent CNN and anyone dumb enough to watch them into convulsive fits of hysterical outrage, the two presidents apparently had a great time, with the minutes turning into hours. While nothing huge has come out of the meeting, by all accounts it was amicable and agreeable. Topics included: North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, and cyber warfare, among others.

Tune in Sunday, July 9, to Behind the Headlines, 4-6pm UTC (6-8pm CET, 12-2pm EST) as we discuss the G20 and CNN's steady demise.

Running Time: 01:36:30

Download: MP3



Here's the transcript of the show:

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The Health & Wellness Show: Suicide and Euthanasia: A valid choice or the easy way out?

depression
© makler0008/Shutterstock
According to the World Health Organization a person commits suicide every 40 seconds and it is the leading cause of death in 15 to 29 year olds. There is a high rate of suicide among veteran and active service members and the mentally ill, whether severely depressed or psychotic, are at greater risk. Suicide and suicide attempts are still considered criminal acts in many countries and continues to be stigmatized and spoken about in hushed tones.

To many, suicide goes against a human being's innate sense of self-preservation while others claim that it is the ultimate act of freedom and taking control of one's own fate (as in assisted suicide). On this episode of The Health and Wellness Show we'll discuss the factors that could cause a person to take their own life, suicidal clusters, live-streamed suicides and whether, for some people experiencing extreme emotional of physical pain if suicide is, indeed, a valid choice.

Stay tuned for Zoya's Pet Segment where she shares her thoughts on euthanasia from a veterinarian's perspective.

Running Time: 01:16:49

Download: OGG, MP3


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