Happy New Year 2013

US used Agent Orange against environment, humanity in Vietnam

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/27/280354/vietnam-war-us-against-humanity/

“Not only crop destruction, but US policies of extensive bombing, defoliation, and relocation of people from the countryside seem clearly to fall within the definition of crimes against humanity and war crimes,” wrote the Stanford Biology Group in a report entitled The Destruction of Indochina.

As part of a deliberate campaign of environmental destruction during its war against Vietnam, the US sprayed the countryside with herbicides containing carcinogenic chemicals to destroy tropical forest foliage and agricultural crops. The objectives of this diabolical program, which perhaps should be called “death by defoliant,” were threefold: first, to deprive the Vietnamese resistance fighters of the National Liberation Front (NLF) of hiding places and cover; second, to starve them into surrender by wiping out their food supply; and third, to drive rural peasants to urban areas controlled by the US-backed regime in an attempt to decimate popular support for the NLF.
Code-named Operation Hades and later Ranch Hand, the aerial application of the defoliant known as Agent Orange, which was manufactured by Dow Chemical and Monsanto, extended from August 1961 until August 1970, before being suspended by Deputy US Secretary of Defense David Packard. Some 49 million liters of the lethal herbicide were sprayed over 12 percent of the land area of Vietnam using average application rates 13 times higher than those recommended by the US Department of Agriculture for domestic weed control.
Agent Orange, so called because of the herbicide’s orange striped container, is a mixture of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and n-butyl-2,3,4-trichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4,5-T), both of which are likely carcinogens according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO).

READ MORE: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/12/27/280354/vietnam-war-us-against-humanity/

Group seeks aid for Agent Orange victims in Vietnam

http://africa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-12/27/content_16060260.htm
The Vietnam-USA Society plans to mobilise more humanitarian aid and prioritise the improvement of healthcare and education, poverty reduction and dealing with the consequences of Agent Orange and war mines.
The society's meeting in Hanoi yesterday also affirmed the need to enlarge society membership with businesses and increase its English centres.
Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations chairman Vu Xuan Hong said he appreciated the society's contribution to developing relations between the Vietnamese people and the US.
The society had worked hard to boost cooperation with American partners, particularly organisations of American veterans, to help trace the remains of Vietnamese soldiers.
So far, with 300 documents provided by American partners, the Vietnamese authorities had located the remains of about 1,000 dead soldiers.
The society had also mobilised its sources to help deal with social problems in poor and remote areas in Vietnam.
During the past six years, non-governmental partners of the society had offered sponsorship of about $8 million for humanitarian activities in Vietnam.
A notable partner was the Starkey Hearing Foundation, which offered 4,400 hearing devices for thousands of Vietnamese hearing-impaired children at a cost of US$2.2 million.
At the meeting, former deputy minister of foreign affairs Nguyen Tam Chien was elected chairman for the next five years.

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers & sisters,

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell...

National Birth Defect Registry Video

National Birth Defect Registry Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSHloVPXRV8&feature=youtu.be
Betty Mekdeci
Executive Director
Birth Defect Research for Children
http://www.birthdefects.org <http://www.birthdefects.org/>
976 Lake Baldwin Lane, Suite 104
Orlando FL 32814
407-895-0802
new donate <https://www.givedirect.org/give/givefrm.asp?CID=510>

Take Action Now!

Please ask your member of Congress to oppose including Section 733 in H.R. 5973, the FY 2013 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

 If you are concerned about the health of your children and your grandchildren, take heed of an attempt to include Section 733 in H.R. 5973 in any omnibus spending bill, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) warns. 

He describes Section 733 as “a dangerous policy rider intended to weaken the ability of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the judicial branch to protect our nation’s agriculture sector.

If you are concerned about the health of your children and your grandchildren, take heed of an attempt to include Section 733 in H.R. 5973 in any omnibus spending bill, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) warns.
He describes Section 733 as “a dangerous policy rider intended to weaken the ability of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the judicial branch to protect our nation’s agriculture sector.
“In recent years,” DeFazio notes, federal courts have ruled that several USDA approvals of genetically engineered (GE) crops have “violated the law and required further study of their economic, health and environmental impacts.” Their judgments came down at odds with the manufacturers of GE seed, and that continued planting “may cause harm to the environment and/or farmers.”  They ordered interim planting restrictions on future plantings; however, they did allow continued cultivation of those already planted, pending further USDA analysis.
Section 733 is specifically intended to:

• Prohibit federal courts from imposing reasonable restrictions when a GE crop approval is deemed unlawful and potentially hazardous;
• Eliminate the critical roles of our most important  environmental laws;
• Remove federal agency discretion over GE crop approvals; and
• Establish a backdoor approval mechanism for unlawfully approved GE crops

“Judicial review is an essential element of U.S. law, providing a critical and impartial check on government decisions that may negatively impact human health, the environment or livelihoods. Inclusion of this rider,” DeFazio said, “is a brazen overreach into the authority of the independent judiciary and its ability to protect the rights of all Americans.”

Google Launches VetNet Website - New resource hub for transitioning veterans

 

Google recently launched "VetNet," an online hub to help American men and women exiting the military. The site offers veterans three distinct "tracks" to plot and organize their next life moves – from "basic training," which aids job hunters; to "career connections," which links users to corporate mentors and other working veterans; to "entrepreneur," which offers a roadmap to starting a business.

 Google partnered with three leading nonprofits in veteran employment to create the new website: the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes program, the Institute for Veterans and Military Families, and Hire Heroes USA.

To access VetNet, click here.

Barney Miller - 705 - Agent Orange

Barney Miller - Agent Orange episode 

 Season 7, Episode 5, December 1980

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjPtSatym90

Wojo takes a personal interest in a fellow vet whose 
crime spree may be related Agent Orange exposure 
during the Vietnam War.

EPA & Consumer Product Safety Commission Collaborate to Research Health Impacts of Nanomaterials

http://us.mg205.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.partner=sbc&.gx=1&.rand=8g3r2cbiv13ku
WASHINGTON, DC—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are collaborating in a worldwide research effort to assess any potential impacts of nanomaterials on people’s health and the environment. Nanomaterials appear in many household products ranging from clothing to building materials. For example, one ongoing study evaluates the potential human and environmental effects from exposure to copper nanomaterials, an ingredient in wood treatment products used on wood for building decks and fences.
 
The emerging field of nanotechnology has led to substantial advances in energy, medicine, electronics, and clean technologies. The field relies on using materials at the nanoscale level, these nanomaterials are made up of very small particles, which are about 100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. Because of the unique properties of these materials, it is important to conduct research to identify methods that will allow manufacturers and other stakeholders to ensure that products containing these materials do not harm people or the environment. 
 
“Nanotechnology and nanomaterials used in the development of these products improve our everyday lives, but it is important that we understand how humans are exposed to nanomaterials and to assess the risks they may pose to people’s health and the environment,” said Dr. Tina Bahadori, national program director for EPA’s Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research. “This innovative research greatly improves what is known about nanomaterials and will inform the future design of more sustainable, effective nanomaterials.” 
 
“These tiny nanomaterials are widely used in products ranging from clothing to sunscreen, but the need for additional research and knowledge on how they affect consumers is great. The CPSC staff is working diligently to meet the challenges involved in regulating this emerging technology and is pleased to be collaborating with staff at EPA to develop test methods and exposure data to adequately address health and safety concerns” said Dr. Treye Thomas, program manager for the CPSC Nanotechnology program.
 
EPA's collaborative research with CSPC is part of a larger international effort that focuses on: 

• Identifying, characterizing and quantifying the origins of nanomaterials
• Studying biological processes affected by nanomaterials that could influence risk
• Determining how nanomaterials interact with complex systems in the human body and the environment
• Involving industry to develop sustainable manufacturing processes
• Sharing knowledge through innovative online applications that allow for rapid feedback and accelerated research progress

CPSC, in working with other federal agencies, ensures that common public health concerns are met and will use research findings to inform: 

• Protocol development to assess the potential release of nanomaterials from consumer products 
• Credible rules for consumer product testing to evaluate exposure
• Determination of the potential public health impacts of nanomaterial used in consumer products

This research is a part of the U.S. government’s efforts to assess the potential risks of nanomaterials. These efforts are coordinated by the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). NNI is a collaborative project comprised of 25 agencies, including EPA and CPSC. 

More information about EPA’s nanomaterials research: http://www.epa.gov/nanoscience/ 

More information about CPSC’s nanomaterials research:   http://www.nano.gov/node/139

More information about the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative:  http://www.nano.gov/

Frederick family sues U.S. over scientist's mysterious death

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-scientist-death-lawsuit-20121128,0,3664418.story
The sons of a Cold War scientist who plunged to his death in 1953 several days after unwittingly taking LSD in a CIA mind-control experiment sued the government Wednesday. They claimed the CIA murdered their father, Frank Olson, by pushing him from a 13th-story window of a hotel — not, as the CIA says, that he jumped to his death.
Sons Eric and Nils Olson of Frederick sought unspecified compensatory damages in the lawsuit filed in federal court, but their lawyer, Scott D. Gilbert, said they also want to see a broad range of documents related to Olson's death and other matters that they say the CIA has withheld from them since the death.

Olson was a bioweapons expert at Fort Detrick, the Army's biological weapons research center in Maryland. Their lawsuit claims the CIA killed Olson when he developed misgivings after witnessing extreme interrogations in which they allege the CIA committed murder using biological agents Olson had developed.
The CIA had a program in the 1950s and 1960s called MK-ULTRA, which involved brainwashing and administering experimental drugs like LSD to unsuspecting individuals. The project was investigated by Congress in the 1970s.
Olson consumed a drink laced with LSD by CIA agents on Nov. 19, 1953, the suit says. Later that month, after being taken to New York City, purportedly for a "psychiatric" consultation, Olson plunged to his death.
At the time — when Eric and Nils Olson were 9 and 5 years old, respectively — the CIA said he died in an accident and did not divulge to his family that Olsen had been given LSD.
READ MORE: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-scientist-death-lawsuit-20121128,0,3664418.story

Vietnamese still fighting for recognition of Agent Orange impact

 http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1299264--vietnamese-still-fighting-for-recognition-of-agent-orange-impact
HUE, VIETNAM—The walls of the Hope Centre, a small garment factory founded in 1999, are covered in peeling paint. The bedrooms where the workers live are basic: a handful of simple metal bed frames and a few personal possessions. The donated sewing machines are outdated.
“We get very little financial support and it is hard for us to get contracts and compete against other businesses that employ able-bodied workers,” explains Nguyen Thi Hong.
The 54-year-old founder of the centre employs disabled young people. They are, she believes, victims of the Agent Orange dumped on Vietnam’s jungles 40 years ago.
The problem is proving it.
Medical reports have found “compelling evidence” linking a rise in birth defects and miscarriages in Iraqi cities to toxic waste left over from years of fighting. But in this central Vietnamese city the cause-and-effect of modern disabilities and Vietnam War chemicals is not so clear. Or it is not accepted as clear.
Part of the issue is whether the American government and chemical manufacturers owe support and restitution to those suffering from bad health and deformities that appear to be linked to Agent Orange.
READ MORE: http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1299264--vietnamese-still-fighting-for-recognition-of-agent-orange-impact

REMEMBER

Agent Orange: Alphabetized Ships Listed

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/list.asp
If your vessel is not included in the Mobile Riverine Force, ISF Division 93 or listed designations (see "Find Your Ship"), check the alphabetized list of ships below.
To search for your ship, look under the first letter of the formal ship name. For example, if your ship's name is Dennis J. Buckley, look under the letter "D" for Dennis.
Ships will be regularly added to the list based on information confirmed in official records of ship operations. Currently there are 244 ships on this list.
Ship not on the list and you think it should be?
Questions about your eligibility for disability compensation? Contact your nearest VA benefits office.
Last updated: November 2012
 US Navy & Coast Guard Ships in Vietnam: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/index.asp#find 

GO TO: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/list.asp

Birth Defects Found in Vietnam Veterans’ Children

Petition needs signatures for Children’s Research Center for diagnosis and treatment of serious health conditions linked to dioxin exposures.  

We have reached 2417 petition signers for the Children’s Center, but our goal is 25,000 so we bring the petition to the attention of the government petitions site.

Thanks,

Betty Mekdeci

Executive Director

Birth Defect Research for Children

http://www.birthdefects.org

976 Lake Baldwin Lane, Suite 104

Orlando FL 32814

407-895-0802 http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/12/04/birth-defects-found-in-vietnam-veterans-childrens/
There’s mounting scientific evidence that birth defects are associated with dioxin-contaminated herbicide exposure in Vietnam. Over 2.8 million Americans served in Vietnam.  Americans, allied troops and Vietnamese are dying today of cancers and non-cancerous heath effects of exposure to dioxin, a toxic byproduct contaminant of Agent Orange and the other rainbow herbicides. There’s growing scientific evidence that the children of Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and other rainbow herbicides suffer from birth defects, developmental disabilities, cancers and other serious diseases linked to the parents’ toxic exposures.

READ MORE: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/12/04/birth-defects-found-in-vietnam-veterans-childrens/

'Were we marines used as guinea pigs on Okinawa?'

Growing evidence suggests that the U.S. military tested biochemical agents on its own forces on the island in the 1960s

 http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121204zg.html

Newly discovered documents reveal that 50 years ago this week, the Pentagon dispatched a chemical weapons platoon to Okinawa under the auspices of its infamous Project 112. Described by the U.S. Department of Defense as "biological and chemical warfare vulnerability tests," the highly classified program subjected thousands of unwitting American service members around the globe to substances including sarin and VX nerve gases between 1962 and 1974.

According to papers obtained from the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, the 267th Chemical Platoon was activated on Okinawa on Dec. 1, 1962, with "the mission of operation of Site 2, DOD (Department of Defense) Project 112." Before coming to Okinawa, the 36-member platoon had received training at Denver's Rocky Mountain Arsenal, one of the key U.S. chemical and biological weapons (CBW) facilities. Upon its arrival on the island, the platoon was billeted just north of Okinawa City at Chibana — the site of a poison gas leak seven years later. Between December 1962 and August 1965, the 267th platoon received three classified shipments — codenamed YBA, YBB and YBF — believed to include sarin and mustard gas.

For decades, the Pentagon denied the existence of Project 112. Only in 2000 did the department finally admit to having exposed its own service members to CBW tests, which it claimed were designed to enable the U.S. to better plan for potential attacks on its troops. In response to mounting evidence of serious health problems among a number of veterans subjected to these experiments, Congress forced the Pentagon in 2003 to create a list of service members exposed during Project 112. While the Department of Defense acknowledges it conducted the tests in Hawaii, Panama and aboard ships in the Pacific Ocean, this is the first time that Okinawa — then under U.S. jurisdiction — has been implicated in the project.

READ MORE: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20121204zg.html

Monsanto's Aspartate (and Glutamate) Cause Damage

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/06/aspartame-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-food.aspx

Aspartate and glutamate act as neurotransmitters in the brain by facilitating the transmission of information from neuron to neuron. Too much aspartate or glutamate in the brain kills certain neurons by allowing the influx of too much calcium into the cells. This influx triggers excessive amounts of free radicals, which kill the cells. The neural cell damage that can be caused by excessive aspartate and glutamate is why they are referred to as "excitotoxins." They "excite" or stimulate the neural cells to death.
Aspartic acid is an amino acid. Taken in its free form (unbound to proteins) it significantly raises the blood plasma level of aspartate and glutamate. The excess aspartate and glutamate in the blood plasma shortly after ingesting aspartame or products with free glutamic acid (glutamate precursor) leads to a high level of those neurotransmitters in certain areas of the brain.
The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.
The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) ALS Memory loss Hormonal problems Hearing loss Epilepsy Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease Hypoglycemia AIDS Dementia Brain lesions Neuroendocrine disorders

READ MORE:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/06/aspartame-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-food.aspx

DuPont Sends in Former Cops to Enforce Seed Patents

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-28/dupont-sends-in-former-cops-to-enforce-seed-patents-commodities.html
DuPont Co. (DD), the world’s second- biggest seed company, is sending dozens of former police officers across North America to prevent a practice generations of farmers once took for granted.
The provider of the best-selling genetically modified soybean seed is looking for evidence of farmers illegally saving them from harvests for replanting next season, which is not allowed under sales contracts. The Wilmington, Delaware-based company is inspecting Canadian fields and will begin in the U.S. next year, said Randy Schlatter, a DuPont senior manager. 
DuPont is protecting its sales of Roundup Ready soybeans, so called because they tolerate being sprayed by Monsanto Co. (MON)’s Roundup herbicide. 
For years enforcement was done by Monsanto, which created Roundup Ready and dominates the $13.3 billion biotech seed industry, though it’s moving on to a new line of seeds now that patents are expiring. That leaves DuPont to play the bad guy, enforcing alternative patents so cheaper “illegal beans” don’t get planted. 
READ MORE: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-11-28/dupont-sends-in-former-cops-to-enforce-seed-patents-commodities.html

Congress Is Back. And So Is Monsanto’s Sneak Attack.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_25791.cfm

For related articles and more information, please visit OCA's Genetic Engineering page, Millions Against Monsanto page, and our USDA Watch page.
While many Americans were firing up barbecues and breaking out the sparklers to celebrate Independence Day, biotech industry executives were more likely chilling champagne to celebrate another kind of independence: immunity from federal law.

A so-called "Monsanto rider," quietly slipped into the multi-billion dollar FY 2013 Agricultural Appropriations bill, would require - not just allow, but require - the Secretary of Agriculture to grant a temporary permit for the planting or cultivation of a genetically engineered crop, even if a federal court has ordered the planting be halted until an Environmental Impact Statement is completed. All the farmer or the biotech producer has to do is ask, and the questionable crops could be released into the environment where they could potentially contaminate conventional or organic crops and, ultimately, the nation's food supply.

Unless the Senate or a citizen's army of farmers and consumers can stop them, the House of Representatives is likely to ram this dangerous rider through any day now.

In a statement issued last month, the Center For Food Safety had this to say about the biotech industry's latest attempt to circumvent legal and regulatory safeguards:

Ceding broad and unprecedented powers to industry, the rider poses a direct threat to the authority of U.S. courts, jettisons the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) established oversight powers on key agriculture issues and puts the nation's farmers and food supply at risk. 

READ MORE: http://www.alternet.org/story/156195/the_%27monsanto_rider%27%3A_are_biotech_companies_about_to_gain_immunity_from_federal_law

AND MORE: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=8644

CONCRETE SHOES FOR EL TORO’S WELLS

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/11/30/concrete-shoes-for-el-toros-wells/
Marine disagrees with Navy and EPA who reported El Toro’s ‘historical wells’ not contaminated.   
(IRVINE, CA) –  I don’t believe in ghosts. If I ran into one, maybe I’d change my mind. The stories of lights on in the El Toro control tower after the power was cut off decades ago may be just be the product of someone’s wild imagination.  At night, the former base takes on the appearance of a ghost town.  With the power to buildings cut off and hundreds of dilapidated buildings still standing, moonlight can play tricks on your mind.  Shadows move or seem to move and it doesn’t take too long before normally rational people see things that are not there.  The one thing I know for sure is that the risk of exposure to ingestion of toxic chemicals from the base wells was real; too real for those on  the base who drank, showered, and cleaned with the well water.
Trichloroethylene (TCE) has an excellent reputation as a degreaser.  TCE is a human carcinogen and a non-carcinogenic health hazard. Exposure to TCE can occur through ingestion (contaminated water), inhalation (hot showers, vapor intrusion in buildings), and dermal contact.
READ MORE: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2012/11/30/concrete-shoes-for-el-toros-wells/

AGENT ORANGE MAN (Better Living Through Chemistry)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOCM2DZVV2s&feature=youtu.be

Just Label It Calls on Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to Deny Approval of 2,4-D Resistant Corn

WASHINGTON, Nov. 28, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Citing the human and environmental health risks of 2,4-D, an ingredient in the notorious Vietnam era defoliant "Agent Orange," the national Just Label It (JLI) coalition called on Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack to deny approval of genetically engineered (GE) 2,4-D resistant corn.
"Corn may be as American as apple pie, but if it's genetically engineered it may jeopardize both human and environmental health. It needs to be labeled," said David Bancroft, JLI Executive Director.  "We urge Secretary Vilsack to work to to ensure that GE crops are thoroughly researched and safe before they go on the market. It's in the best interest of all Americans, including our farmers.  It's the right thing to do."
In a letter to Secretary Vilsack, Bancroft noted that 2,4-D poses health threats to consumers, and its use will only proliferate if 2,4-D resistant corn is approved. Studies have linked the herbicide to reproductive abnormalities, birth defects, liver dysfunction and Parkinson's disease and several forms of cancer.  Approval of 2,4-D corn could lead to an additional 50% increase in herbicide use per acre, studies show, just as the approval of previous herbicide resistant crops have increased the use of the herbicides exponentially.
Rushing to approve 2,4-D without proper testing is similar to the path taken to bring  Round Up ready corn to market.  Now ten years later, French scientist Gilles-Eric Seralini  found that Round Up Ready corn produced tumors and multiple organ damage in laboratory rats.  Criticism of his study raised issues concerning the original industry-generated studies used to gain GE food approvals, e.g., access to the GE seeds needed for this research has been restricted by the GE seeds' patent holders. Dr. Seralini had to smuggle seeds out of Canada to France in order to conduct his research.
"Sufficient testing on the long-term effects of GE foods has never been conducted.  The notion that USDA will approve 2,4-D resistant corn without proper testing is irresponsible and a disservice to American consumers," warned Bancroft.  He noted that Americans deserve the same right to know about their food as citizens in more than 50 nations worldwide, including the European Union, India and China, where GE foods are already labeled.
JLI spearheaded the drive to get 1.2 million signatures on a F.D.A. petition for mandatory federal GE foods labeling. For further information, sign the petition, or view JLI's new celebrity video, go to www.justlabelit.org, or visit them on Facebook or Twitter.

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/28/5015504/just-label-it-calls-on-agriculture.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/28/5015504/just-label-it-calls-on-agriculture.html#storylink=cpy

Deployment Health News

Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness

During 2002-2011, among active component U.S. military members, the rates of idiopathic hypothyroidism were 39.7 and 7.8 per 10,000 person-years among females and males, respectively. Unadjusted rates of idiopathic hypothyroidism and chronic thyroiditis (e.g., Hashimoto's disease) were at least twice as high among white, non-Hispanic as black, non-Hispanic service members. However, black, non-Hispanic service members had higher rates of goiter and thyrotoxicosis. Increasing rates of thyroid disorders during the period were accompanied by increases in numbers of screening tests for thyroid function recorded during outpatient visits. 
Study provides more clues to Gulf War illness
Gulf War illness, the series of symptoms ranging from headaches to memory loss to chronic fatigue that plagues one of four veterans of the 1991 Persian Gulf war, is due to damage to the autonomic nervous system, a study released Monday shows. "This is the linchpin," said the study's lead author, Robert Haley, chief of epidemiology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

CAUTION: Do Not Take With Grapefruit Juice

http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0206d.shtml

Grapefruit and grapefruit juice are healthful, providing enough vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and other nutrients to earn the American Heart Association’s “heart-check” mark. That’s the good news. The bad news is that grapefruit juice can interact with dozens of medications, sometimes dangerously.
Doctors are not sure which of the hundreds of chemicals in grapefruit are responsible. The leading candidate is furanocoumarin. It is also found in Seville (sour) oranges and tangelos; although these fruits have not been studied in detail, the guidelines for grapefruit should apply to them as well.
Grapefruit’s culprit chemical does not interact directly with your pills. Instead, it binds to an enzyme in your intestinal tract known as CYP3A4, which reduces the absorption of certain medications. When grapefruit juice blocks the enzyme, it’s easier for the medication to pass from your gut to your bloodstream. Blood levels will rise faster and higher than normal, and in some cases the abnormally high levels can be dangerous.
 Certain chemicals that grapefruit products and citrus fruits contain can interfere with the enzymes that break down (metabolize) various medications in your digestive system. As a result, more medication stays in your body. This can increase the potency of your medication to potentially dangerous levels, causing serious side effects. 
Grapefruit interaction 


http://finance.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/grapefruit-linked-to-medication-overdoses-31211134.html

Art honoring veterans on display at Portland business

Attorney Patrick Duff exhibits brother Bernie's paintings; proceeds to benefit Agent Orange victims.

http://www.sentinel-standard.com/article/20121123/NEWS/121129855/1003/NEWS
A collection of paintings entered in this year's ArtPrize juried art competition in Grand Rapids is making a mark on its visitors in Portland through the end of the month.
"Price Tags," a series of seven painting in acrylics/mixed media by Bernie "Doc" Duff, is on exhibit at the law office of Patrick Duff, Bernie's brother, at 108 Kent St. in Portland.
Bernie Duff served for 10 years in the military, including as a medic in Vietnam. Originally from Muskegon, he has lived in Vietnam since 2006, working with families who still suffer from the effects of Agent Orange.
READ MORE: http://www.sentinel-standard.com/article/20121123/NEWS/121129855/1003/NEWS
 

Agent Orange Ship List

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/shiplist/list.asp
If your vessel is not included in the Mobile Riverine Force, ISF Division 93 or listed designations (see "Find Your Ship"), check the alphabetized list of ships below.
To search for your ship, look under the first letter of the formal ship name. For example, if your ship's name is Dennis J. Buckley, look under the letter "D" for Dennis.
Ships will be regularly added to the list based on information confirmed in official records of ship operations. Currently there are 244 ships on this list. Ship not on the list and you think it should be?
Questions about your eligibility for disability compensation? Contact your nearest VA benefits office.
Last updated: November 2012

No Health Risk Found in Times Beach, Missouri Soil

http://www.semissourian.com/story/1916103.html
EUREKA, Mo. -- Soil samples show no significant health risks for visitors or workers at an eastern Missouri state park.
The park was established in 1999 on the former site of a Times Beach, a St. Louis County town shut down due to dioxin contamination, according to a report by the Environmental Protection Agency. The contamination was the result of material sprayed on streets to keep dust down.
The EPA released its report this week on the soil sampling it conducted on Route 66 State Park in Eureka at the request of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The sampling used new technology that tests for trace amounts of dioxin.
The EPA report released Monday found "very low" levels of dioxin at the state park, "showing that the past remedial actions on site were effective in meeting the cleanup goals," according to the report. 
READ MORE: http://www.semissourian.com/story/1916103.html

Agent Orange Documentary Wins Award

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tRkP2b3dsM

Best Wishes To All

 

       Happy Thanksgiving

Pass Agent Orange Act

http://triblive.com/opinion/2942595-74/bills-vietnam-veterans-exposure-act-agent-orange-sick-war-airmen#axzz2CPNwFQdj

With the elections over, the new House and Senate will have their first session in early 2013. They will be faced with many issues — old and new. It is time for the new Congress to put aside politics and become legislators.

There are still two major bills in committee of interest to Vietnam veterans, HR 3612 and SB 1629. These bills would restore Veterans Affairs benefits for Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

The current House and Senate still have time to act upon these bills before January. These bills must come out of committee and go to the floor of both houses.

I ask the American people to urge our legislators to act on these bills. The Vietnam veterans who are sick from Agent Orange dioxin exposure need these bills to be passed into law before the new Congress convenes.

A new legislative session will require us advocates for Vietnam veterans to start again. This means longer delays for veterans’ VA approval and thousands won’t be approved because they did not have boots on ground, even though they were awarded the Vietnam Service Medal.

Many sailors, airmen and Fleet Marines who served during that war are sick from exposure to the deadly herbicide. The passage of these bills means these members of the armed forces will receive equality for VA benefits.

John J. Bury

Media, Delaware County

The writer is retired from the U.S. Navy and is a Vietnam veteran.

Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/2942595-74/bills-vietnam-veterans-exposure-act-agent-orange-sick-war-airmen#ixzz2CPOLQaOf
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/2942595-74/bills-vietnam-veterans-exposure-act-agent-orange-sick-war-airmen#ixzz2CPOLQaOf
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

With the elections over, the new House and Senate will have their first session in early 2013. They will be faced with many issues — old and new. It is time for the new Congress to put aside politics and become legislators.

There are still two major bills in committee of interest to Vietnam veterans, HR 3612 and SB 1629. These bills would restore Veterans Affairs benefits for Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

The current House and Senate still have time to act upon these bills before January. These bills must come out of committee and go to the floor of both houses.

I ask the American people to urge our legislators to act on these bills. The Vietnam veterans who are sick from Agent Orange dioxin exposure need these bills to be passed into law before the new Congress convenes.

A new legislative session will require us advocates for Vietnam veterans to start again. This means longer delays for veterans’ VA approval and thousands won’t be approved because they did not have boots on ground, even though they were awarded the Vietnam Service Medal.

Many sailors, airmen and Fleet Marines who served during that war are sick from exposure to the deadly herbicide. The passage of these bills means these members of the armed forces will receive equality for VA benefits.

John J. Bury

Media, Delaware County

The writer is retired from the U.S. Navy and is a Vietnam veteran.

Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/2942595-74/bills-vietnam-veterans-exposure-act-agent-orange-sick-war-airmen#ixzz2CPOLQaOf
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

With the elections over, the new House and Senate will have their first session in early 2013. They will be faced with many issues — old and new. It is time for the new Congress to put aside politics and become legislators.

There are still two major bills in committee of interest to Vietnam veterans, HR 3612 and SB 1629. These bills would restore Veterans Affairs benefits for Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.

The current House and Senate still have time to act upon these bills before January. These bills must come out of committee and go to the floor of both houses.

I ask the American people to urge our legislators to act on these bills. The Vietnam veterans who are sick from Agent Orange dioxin exposure need these bills to be passed into law before the new Congress convenes.

A new legislative session will require us advocates for Vietnam veterans to start again. This means longer delays for veterans’ VA approval and thousands won’t be approved because they did not have boots on ground, even though they were awarded the Vietnam Service Medal.

Many sailors, airmen and Fleet Marines who served during that war are sick from exposure to the deadly herbicide. The passage of these bills means these members of the armed forces will receive equality for VA benefits.

John J. Bury

Media, Delaware County

The writer is retired from the U.S. Navy and is a Vietnam veteran