AGENT ORANGE MAN (Better Living Through Chemistry)

New song illustrates the frustrating plight of despair for those unfortunate enough to be poisoned by their own government during the Vietnam War.

(DA NANG Vietnam) - The song "AGENT ORANGE MAN (Better Living Through Chemistry)" is Recorded by Michael Gram (Former LHI Records Recording Artist). It tells the story of the Chemical Poisoning of Military Veterans and the environment both in Vietnam and here in the United States of America.

The producer and song writer Michael Glasser is a 100% disabled veteran who never served in Vietnam but was exposed to Agent Orange amongst several other carcinogenic chemicals at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Illinois back in 1962-1964.

The EPA'S own website {see link below} tells a fighting story that an Air Force base closed in 1993 is and was a TOXIC Superfund site which the US Government has not even started to clean up after twenty years since it's closure.

For a frightening fact check go to the EPA'S website: cfpub.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0501172

from our friend Chuck Palazzo, in DaNang

 

Children with disabilities overcome the legacy of Agent Orange

http://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Field-Stories/May/Children-with-disabilities-overcome-the-legacy-of-.aspx
Dang Hong Dan is just three years old but he’s a victim of the Vietnam War. He was born with disabilities because of Agent Orange – a chemical sprayed during the war to destroy crops and forests. Although the war ended almost four decades ago, Agent Orange still contaminates fields and rivers in the Mekong Delta. It gets into food and drinking water, causing birth defects in children.
Hong Dan was born with a cleft lip, which has been partly repaired with surgery, and a deformed hand and foot. He is too young to be aware of his disability and the stigma that sometimes surrounds it. He is a happy and active child, with an enormous sense of curiosity and clearly intelligent for his age. “Dan likes to play with anything,” his mother Oanh, 30, says with a laugh as he tries to figure out how to use UNICEF’s digital camera.
Oanh had a difficult pregnancy. “I was sent to the hospital twice because of heavy bleeding,” she says. “After Dan was born, the doctor did some tests and told us that the cause of his disability was Agent Orange.”
READ MORE: http://www.unicef.org.au/Discover/Field-Stories/May/Children-with-disabilities-overcome-the-legacy-of-.aspx

The Great Styrofoam Boycott

http://www.parkrecord.com/news/ci_23339779/great-styrofoam-boycott

Styrofoam is not only bad for the environment, but it's bad for you. And it's not actually called Styrofoam that is a name trademarked by our friends at Dow Chemical, the ones who brought us such environmental and health wonders as Agent Orange, napalm, silicone breast implants, and DBCP (a pesticide known to cause human sterility). So we should call it polystyrene which is the technical name for it.
Polystyrene is hazardous to human health. It contains the neurotoxins styrene and benzene, both of which are classified by the EPA and NTP as "known carcinogens" (as opposed to the lesser level "suspected carcinogens" or how about, "not carcinogens"? There's a novel concept). There is growing evidence that these cancer causing toxins can leach into food that's acidic, warm, alcoholic or oily and then into the environment after exposure to rain and other weather. If this is true, it means that it's critical that you don't microwave food in polystyrene or put hot food into polystyrene containers. Out of an abundance of caution, you shouldn't eat from polystyrene at all.

READ MORE: http://www.parkrecord.com/news/ci_23339779/great-styrofoam-boycott

May 30 - Traditional Memorial Day

How agent orange and depleted uranium affect the body

http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/05/27/part-3-how-agent-orange-and-depleted-uranium-affect-the-body/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-3-how-agent-orange-and-depleted-uranium-affect-the-body

Since the use of AGENT Orange in both Vietnam and to some extent in Korea, all will acknowledge that dioxin (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin-TCDD) has become one of the most controversial issues our military has ever faced. IARC, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, classified dioxin as a known human carcinogen in 1997. The September 2000 draft of the U.S. EPA’s Health Assessment document on dioxin also classifies dioxin as a known human carcinogen. In January 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program came around and finally classified dioxin as a known human carcinogen. I find it remarkable that with all the evidence dating back to the 1940′s, that the US bureaucracy didn’t come to the conclusion that dioxin was a carcinogen until the early 2000′s.
Effects on the immune system appear to be among the most sensitive endpoints studied. Animal studies show that dioxin decreased immune response and increased susceptibility to infectious disease. In human studies, dioxin was associated with immune system depression and alterations in immune status leading to increased infections. Dioxin can also disrupt the normal function of hormones—chemical messengers that the body uses for growth and regulation.
Certain human cells, such as liver cells, contain a large molecule called an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which can be thought of as shaped like a pocket. Compounds like dioxin that are foreign to the body, fit snugly into this pocket. Once in the pocket, dioxin activates the AhR and the whole unit can travel to the cell nucleus which contains our genes. Once in the nucleus, the unit may either activate or suppress specific genes that control the normal cell cycle. For example, certain cells may begin to grow preferentially, or other cells may not die appropriately, as normal cells do. It is important to note that gene suppression or activation is not the same as DNA damage.
READ MORE: http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/05/27/part-3-how-agent-orange-and-depleted-uranium-affect-the-body/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=part-3-how-agent-orange-and-depleted-uranium-affect-the-body

Notes from the Field: Exposures to Discarded Sulfur Mustard Munitions — Mid-Atlantic and New England States 2004–2012

 http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6216a7.htm 

Before the 1970s, the United States sometimes disposed of at sea excess, obsolete, or unserviceable munitions, including chemical munitions (1). Chemical munitions known to have been disposed of at sea included munitions filled with sulfur mustard, a vesicant (i.e., an agent that causes chemical burns or blisters of the skin and mucous membranes) (2). Signs and symptoms of exposure to a mustard agent can include redness and blistering of the skin, eye irritation, rhinorrhea, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and (rarely) diarrhea and abdominal discomfort. Since 2004, CDC has received notification of three separate incidents of exposure to sulfur mustard munitions. In one incident, a munition was found with ocean-dredged marine shells used to pave a driveway. The other two incidents involved commercial clam fishing operations. This report highlights the importance of considering exposure to sulfur mustard in the differential diagnosis of signs and symptoms compatible with exposure to a vesicant agent, especially among persons involved with clam fishing or sea dredging operations.
Case Reports
Case 1. In 2004, U.S. Air Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel responded to discovery of an artillery shell protruding from a Delaware driveway paved with crushed clamshells (3). They recovered the shell and moved it to Dover Air Force Base for destruction using standard EOD procedures. During handling a "black, tar-like substance" began to drip, and two members required treatment for chemical burns after large pus-filled blisters developed on their hands and arms. One EOD team member required hospitalization as a result of the exposure. Sulfur mustard exposure was confirmed by chemical analysis. After this incident, the Department of Defense made the Army's policy and procedures for addressing liquid-filled munitions applicable to the Air Force and all other military services.

READ MORE: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6216a7.htm

Veterans exposed to Agent Orange have an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer, analysis finds

http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/05/veterans_exposed_to_agent_oran.html
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A veteran of the U.S. Air Force and the Air Force Reserve before his retirement in 2005, Terry Dillon served in Vietnam as a member of the 14th Air Commando Wing at Nha Trang Air Base.
He was there for only one year, from June 1967 to June 1968, but it was long enough to potentially affect Dillon's health decades later.
Millions of Vietnam War veterans were exposed to Agent Orange, an herbicide that contained dioxin and other dangerous toxins and potential cancer-causing agents. Throughout the 1960s until 1971 in Vietnam (as well as in the Korean Demilitarized Zone and, until 1975, in some parts of Thailand), the military used the herbicide to wipe out the foliage and trees to impede the enemy's ability to hide.
"Nobody thought a thing about it," said Dillon, 68, of suburban Columbus. "Basically we knew they were defoliating the jungle areas, but no one I talked to thought there was anything bad about the stuff.
"[Agent Orange] was the least of our worries, we would be hit with mortars and 122 mm rockets," he said.
In 1981, Dillon was diagnosed with and treated for testicular cancer, but he didn't link his disease with exposure to Agent Orange.
READ MORE: http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2013/05/veterans_exposed_to_agent_oran.html

Protesters march against GMOs

http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20130525/NEWS01/305250008/Protesters-march-against-GMOs?nclick_check=1

CEDAR CITY — The downtown area of Main Street reverberated with shouts of “No, no GMOs” Saturday afternoon when approximately 100 people hoisted signs and marched in protest of Monsanto, a company being accused of attempting to control food supply through its creation and use of genetically modified organisms.
The Associated Press reported that organizers said “March Against Monsanto” protests were held in 52 countries and 436 cities around the world Saturday, including two in Southern Utah.
Along with the march in Cedar City, one was held in Washington City, with 60 people taking part.
Carin Miller, one of the organizers of the Cedar City event, said the protest was directed at Monsanto because it produces the majority of genetically modified organisms in the United States food supply.
READ MORE: http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20130525/NEWS01/305250008/Protesters-march-against-GMOs?nclick_check=1 

From Agent Orange to Pesticides and Genetically Engineered Crops. Why Not to Trust Monsanto

http://www.globalresearch.ca/from-agent-orange-to-pesticides-and-genetically-engineered-crops-why-not-to-trust-monsanto/5336444
he Monsanto Corporation is among the largest pesticide and biotechnical corporations in the world today.
Their products are used in most sectors of agriculture, public land upkeep, landscaping/gardening and can be found in most markets across the United States. Monsanto is a multi-billion dollar company with a diverse product base and is among the largest producers of genetically engineered crops.
As a company, Monsanto promises to be the creator of new, safer, pesticides as well as stronger bio-engineered crops. Unfortunately, the reality of what Monsanto will deliver to the world is likely very different from what they promise, or what we, as a society, desire.

Monsanto has produced many products, from new types of pesticide to genetically engineered crops, and has been the center of several severe controversies. In numerous cases, the Monsanto Corporation produced and marketed products which they knew to be potentially toxic, yet they still sold them in order to reap a profit. While not illegal, largely due to Monsanto’s massive lobbying efforts aimed at reducing safety standards (Monsanto Spent $6.3 million dollars in lobbying during the 2011 fiscal year alone – Follow this link for more information on Monsanto’s lobbying), the sale of toxic chemicals for a corporate profit is both highly immoral and very relevant to those in society who wish to assess the use of Monsanto products. Put plainly: Monsanto’s history of selling poison, labeled as a useful product, casts doubt on whether any product that they sell should be trusted.
During its early years, Monsanto produced PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyl) to be used in various industrial applications. PCBs, while very stable and good at acting as a liquid insulator, are extremely toxic to virtually all forms of life – they are carcinogenic, highly toxic, and corrosive upon contact with skin or mucus membranes. Even as evidence mounted of the toxicity of PCBs, Monsanto continued to produce them until they were forced to stop when the government banned all domestic production of PCBs in 1977.
The Monsanto Corporation has a long and sometimes unfortunate history of creating new and powerful pesticides. The infamous “Agent Orange”, used in Vietnam to destroy jungles, and the powerful pesticide DDT were two of the primary pesticides produced by Monsanto during its early years. While Agent Orange and DDT are now outlawed due to the massive damage they cause human life as well as the environment, Monsanto continued producing them for as long as the law allowed. The gigantic costs to human health and to the environment caused by the sale of Monsanto pesticides, even once they were deemed too dangerous to use, resulted in many ruined lives and destroyed ecosystems for society, but huge profits for Monsanto.
READ MORE: http://www.globalresearch.ca/from-agent-orange-to-pesticides-and-genetically-engineered-crops-why-not-to-trust-monsanto/5336444

Memorial Day 2013

Remember Traditional Memorial Day, May 30

Mother's Day for Babies

WILL YOU HELP?

BDRC has been helping mothers since 1982 and we turn to you to help fund-raise on the behalf of mothers, fathers, and their children. What better way to celebrate Mother's Day by showing mothers how appreciated they are through supporting Birth Defect Research for Children(BDRC) Mother's Day for Babies Campaign.
For the month of May we want to celebrate Mother's Day in unity. Mothers are the supporting foundation of affection and nurture in a child's life. When a child is scared and lonely they have their parents to turn to, when a mother is scared or lonely they have us to turn to. 
Listed below in the photo section is our Mother's Day for Babies campaign. It consists of a short story of a veterans' life, an Orlando Sentinel article, and fundraising ideas from. Most importantly we want you to enjoy this campaign by sharing it with the ones you love and have fun while hosting these events.
Thank you in advance and if you decide to join our campaign please contact Nina at Nina@birthdefects.org

Agent Orange ingredient in proposed new GMO crops prompts USDA halt on Monsanto, Dow

http://www.huliq.com/10178/agent-orange-ingredient-proposed-new-gmo-crops-prompts-usda-halt-monsanto-dow

Had the feds approved Monsanto's and Dow Chemical's new genetically modified crops, the Center for Food Safety said it would file suit. The Center for Food Safety has won several lawsuits against the government. USDA is supposed to issue an EIS (environmental impact statement) in the event a government regulation, like approving a new GMO crop, may potentially affect man's natural environment.
Dow Chemical wanted to push forth its new herbicide Enlist crops: cotton, soy, and corn.
Enlist, the herbicide resistant crops proposed by Dow, (soybean, cotton and corn crops) contain a substance ( 2,4-D, or 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) found in the herbicide Agent Orange. Agent Orange is cited as a cause for a neurological and other ailments suffered by those who came in contact with it during and after the Vietnam War.
GMO crops are specialties with Monsanto, Dow and farmers because GMO foods are resistant to herbicides. "Botox apples", biotech Granny Smith apples from Canada are seeking approval for sale in the U.S.
READ MORE: http://www.huliq.com/10178/agent-orange-ingredient-proposed-new-gmo-crops-prompts-usda-halt-monsanto-dow