SO FAR AND YET SO NEAR - METEORS SIGHTED OVER U.S.AND CANADA - MARCH, 2013

 

At about 8 p.m. Friday, March 22, people in the U.S. East – from North Carolina to Maine, and as far inland as Ohio – reported seeing a bright flash streaking quickly across the sky. It appears to have been a small meteor, or rock from space. The object didn't explode and cause damage like the Russian meteor on February 15, 2013. The object over Russia is now believed to have been 17 meters in diameter before it struck Earth's atmosphere. The March 22 meteor was probably much smaller, more like one meter, according to NASA experts.

Did you see the meteor? Post your pictures or videos to EarthSky's Facebook page

When is the next meteor shower?

This is what the American Meteor Society (AMS) calls a "heat map." It's a compilation of eye-witness reports of the March 22, 2013 meteor. Read more about the March 22 meteor from the AMS here.

Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, told The Associated Press that, based on the reports, it was a "single meteor event." He said:

Judging from the brightness, we're dealing with something as bright as the full moon. The thing is probably a yard across. We basically have (had) a boulder enter the atmosphere over the Northeast.

The video below is from a security camera in Thurmont, Maryland.

There were no reports of damage from the March 22 meteor. It was just over a month ago that a meteor exploded over Russia's Ural mountains. That explosion, which occurred some 8-12 miles (14-20 kilometers) above ground, shattered windows in and around the city of Chelyabinsk, Russia and caused some 1,000 injuries, but thankfully no deaths. Scientists are now saying it was the most powerful meteor explosion in Earth's atmosphere since the Tunguska event in 1908.

This next video comes from security camera footage uploaded by CBS WUSA 9.

Astronomers sometimes use the word bolide to describe an exceptionally bright fireball such as this one, especially if it makes a sound (no reports so far of sound from this one, that we know of). The term bolide comes the Greek word bolis, meaning a missile or to flash. Bright meteors are seen pretty often, if you consider the whole Earth. In 2012, bright meteors or bollides were seen in the U.K. and New Zealand, and over San Francisco on October 17. So they are not uncommon.

However, from any one spot on Earth, they are uncommon, Among astronomers, it's sometimes said you might witness one bolide, or very bright fireball, in your lifetime. So if you saw this one, this was yours!

If you observed it, you might want to tell someone what you saw. Here's a place to report your meteor sighting.

Here's an estimated trajectory model for the March 22, 2013 meteor. This model is calculated by computing the intersection points of each witness with all other witnesses. The points are then averaged for the starting and ending points of the meteor. Via American Meteor Society.

Bottom line: Many across the U.S. East on March 22, 2013 saw a very bright meteor streak across the night sky. It was a rock from space – probably about one meteor across – that vaporized in Earth's atmosphere.

http://earthsky.org/space/meteor-lights-up-sky-over-us-east-coast

 

WHAT MATTERS IS REALITY - METEOR STRIKES RUSSIA - MANY MORE ARE OUT THERE

 

 

Friday February 15, 2013 3:40 pm EST

CHELYABINSK, Russia (Reuters) - A meteorite streaked across the sky and exploded over central Russia on Friday, raining fireballs over a vast area and causing a shock wave that smashed windows, damaged buildings and injured 1,200 people.

People heading to work in Chelyabinsk heard what sounded like an explosion, saw a bright light and then felt the shock wave, according to a Reuters correspondent in the industrial city 1,500 km (950 miles) east of Moscow.

The fireball, travelling at a speed of 30 km (19 miles) per second according to Russian space agency Roscosmos, had blazed across the horizon, leaving a long white trail that could be seen as far as 200 km (125 miles) away.

Car alarms went off, thousands of windows shattered and mobile phone networks were disrupted. The Interior Ministry said the meteorite explosion, a very rare spectacle, also unleashed a sonic boom.

"I was driving to work, it was quite dark, but it suddenly became as bright as if it were day," said Viktor Prokofiev, 36, a resident of Yekaterinburg in the Urals Mountains.

"I felt like I was blinded by headlights."

The meteorite, which weighed about 10 metric tons and may have been made of iron, entered Earth's atmosphere and broke apart 30-50 km (19-31 miles) above ground, according to Russia's Academy of Sciences.

The energy released when it entered the Earth's atmosphere was equivalent to a few kilotonnes, the academy said, the power of a small atomic weapon exploding.

No deaths were reported but the Emergencies Ministry said 20,000 rescue and clean-up workers were sent to the region after President Vladimir Putin told Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov to ease the disruption and help the victims.

The Interior Ministry said about 1,200 people had been injured, at least 200 of them children, and most from shards of glass.

WINDOWS BLOWN OUT

The early-morning blast and ensuing shock wave blew out windows on Chelyabinsk's central Lenin Street, buckled some shop fronts, rattled apartment buildings in the city center and blew out windows.

"I was standing at a bus stop, seeing off my girlfriend," said Andrei, a local resident who did not give his second name. "Then there was a flash and I saw a trail of smoke across the sky and felt a shock wave that smashed windows."

A wall and roof were badly damaged at the Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant but a spokeswoman said no environmental threat resulted.

One piece of meteorite broke through the ice the Cherbakul Lake near Chelyabinsk, leaving a hole several meters (yards) wide.

The region has long been a hub for the Russian military and defense industry, and it is often the site where artillery shells are decommissioned.

A local Emergencies Ministry official said meteorite storms were extremely rare and Friday's incident may have been connected with an asteroid the size of an Olympic swimming pool that was due to pass Earth.

But an astronomer at Russia's Academy of Sciences, Sergei Barabanov, cast doubt on that report and the European Space Agency said its experts had confirmed there was no link.

The regional governor in Chelyabinsk said the meteorite shower had caused more than $30 million in damage, and the Emergencies Ministry said 300 buildings had been affected.

Despite warnings not to approach any unidentified objects, some enterprising locals were hoping to cash in.

"Selling meteorite that fell on Chelyabinsk!" one prospective seller, Vladimir, said on a popular Russian auction website. He attached a picture of a black piece of stone that on Friday afternoon was priced at 1,488 roubles ($49.46).

RARE EVENT

The Emergencies Ministry described Friday's events as a "meteorite shower in the form of fireballs" and said background radiation levels were normal. It urged residents not to panic.

The first footage was shot by car dashboard video cameras and soon went viral.

Russians also quickly made fun at the event on the Internet. A photo montage showed Putin riding the meteorite and Nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovksy said in jest it was really a new weapon being tested by the United States.

Experts drew comparisons with an incident in 1908, when a meteorite is thought to have devastated an area of more than 2,000 sq km (1,250 miles) in Siberia, breaking windows as far as 200 km (125 miles) from the point of impact.

Simon Goodwin, an astrophysics expert from Britain's University of Sheffield, said that roughly 1,000 to 10,000 metric tons of material rained down from space towards the earth every day, but most burned up in the atmosphere.

"While events this big are rare, an impact that could cause damage and death could happen every century or so. Unfortunately there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop impacts."

The meteorite struck just as an asteroid known as 2012 DA14, about 46 m in diameter, was due to pass closer to Earth - at a distance of 27,520 km (17,100 miles) - than any other known object of its size since scientists began routinely monitoring asteroids about 15 years ago.

($1 = 30.0877 Russian roubles)

(Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Thomas Grove; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Michael Roddy)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/15/us-russia-meteorite-idUSBRE91E05Z20130215

 

PLAYING GAMES? HERE IS WHAT IS HAPPENING WHILE YOU SLUMBER.

 

While fools focus on games and circuses, reality continues to fly above our heads and brew beneath our feet. You may choose not to notice, but here is the truth. 

Phyllis Carter

At one time, volcanic eruptions were thought to be a punishment from the Gods.

Nowadays, we know volcanic eruptions are a result of glowing hot magma being forced up from the mantle through vents in the earth's crust. Of course, that doesn't make their explosive effects any less devastating.

Here is a list of volcanoes most likely to erupt and wreak tragedy on surrounding communities and the environment at large:

 

1. Yellowstone Caldera, United States of America

Yellowstone Caldera (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The bubbling sulfuric hot springs and erupting geysers of Yellowstone national park have long attracted tourists from far and wide. The park is breathtakingly beautiful and awe inspiring. But underneath the beauty of Yellowstone lies a super-volcano that has the potential to wipe out the Western United States and alter the course of human history.

As the name suggests, super volcanoes are volcanic eruptions that are, well, big. Really big. In fact, super volcanoes are a phenomenon that has never been observed by mankind. The last supervolcano explosion we know of occurred 640,000 years ago in Yellowstone. The first known super volcano explosion 2.1 million years ago was an incredible 25,000 times larger than the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens which killed 57 people and hurled volcanic ash around the world.

Unlike traditional volcanoes, super volcanoes don't have a cone shaped mountain, instead they form what are known as calderas – the sunken areas that are left over from previous super volcano eruptions. Essentially, all of Yellowstone is a giant caldera, ready to blow and devastate humanity. Experts estimate that a Yellowstone eruption would kill 87,000 people immediately, while the clouds of ash and gas would enter the jet stream and have untold effects on the world's food supply.

2. Mt. Vesuvius, Italy

Mount Vesuvius (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mount Vesuvius in Campagnia, Italy has a history of activity that makes it one of the world's most dangerous volcanoes. It last erupted in 1944, but it usually has an eruption cycle of just 20 years. Moreover, 3 million people live relatively close to the crater, as it sits just 5 miles east of Naples. This makes it the most densely populated volcanic region in the entire world.

Mt. Vesuvius is the only volcano to have erupted on the European mainland within the last hundred years, and is probably most famous for its massive eruption in 79 AD, when it buried the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii.

3. Popocatépetl, Mexico

Popocatépetl (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Popocatépetl is a large, glacier covered peak that lies around 35 miles from Mexico City. Around 9 million people live within Popocatépetl's blast radius, and it has erupted more than 20 times since 1519.
It last erupted in 2000. Thank fully, preventative evacuations of 41,000 people from surrounding towns prevented a major catastrophe.

4. Sakurajima, Japan

Sakurajima (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This composite volcano in Japan was once its own island, but lava flows in its 1914 eruption caused it to connect to the mainland. Many experts refer to it as the "Vesuvius of the east", due to its high level of volcanic activity.

Every year, thousands of small explosions come from Sakurajima's peak, throwing up ash over the surrounding areas. However, a major eruption could have deadly consequences for the 700,000 residents of Kagoshima, who live just miles from the Volcano. The city even has special volcano shelters where people can go to take cover from falling debris.

5. Galeras, Columbia

Galeras (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Located in Southern Columbia near the border with Ecuador, Galeras has been active for at least 1 million years. It erupts frequently, with its first recorded eruption dating back to 1580. More alarming is the fact that a city of 450,000 residents – the city of Pasto – lies on its eastern slope.

While it went dormant in 1978, it went active again in 1988 after just 10 years. When scientists held a Decade Volcano conference in 1993 to address the dangers of Galeras, an unexpected eruption occurred, killing 6 scientists and 3 tourists. Since 2000, it has erupted almost every year, spouting out ash and lava and causing tremors in the region.

6. Mt. Merapi, Indonesia

Mount Merapi (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Translated, Mt. Merapi means Mountain of Fire, an apt name for the most active volcano in Indonesia, and a mountain that has produced more lava flow than any volcano in the world. Mt. Merapi has erupted regularly since 1548 and has been active for the last 10,000 years. Experts believe that its activity led to the demise of the Hindu Kingdom of Mataram. Currently near its slopes lies the city of Yogyakarta, home to thousands of inhabitants.

Mt. Merapi's infamous lava flows usually travel around 3-4 miles from the peak, though some eruptions cause lava to flow as far as 8 miles. These lava flows can travel as fast as 70 miles per hour. In 2010, an eruption killed 353 people and left 320,000 local residents homeless.

7. Mt. Nyiragongo, Democratic Republic of Congo

Mount Nyiragongo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mt. Nyiragongo is one of the most active volcanoes on the African continent. It's well known for its large lava lakes, which frequently appear in its crater. Nyiragongo poses a unique threat to surrounding communities, as nowhere in the world does a steep sided stratovolcano carry such a large lake of fluid lava.

In fact, from 1894 to 1977, Nyiragongo's summit crater was filled with a large, active lava lake. When the walls of the crater fractured on Jan 10, 1977, the lava lake drained within an hour, causing massive lava flows of over 60 miles per hour. These flows quickly overwhelmed local villages, causing several thousand people.

In 2002, another major eruption at Mt. Nyiragongo caused a lava stream to flow through the provincial capital of Goma. Fortunately, the 400,000 residents had already been evacuated, but 147 people still died as a result of the eruption. 4,500 buildings were destroyed in Goma, leaving 120,000 people homeless. Ensuing tremors destroyed even more buildings.

8. Ulawun, Papua New Guinea

Ulawun (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ulawun is one of the most active volcanoes in Papua New Guinea. Eruptions from Ulawun originate from its central crater. There have been 22 eruptions recorded at Ulawun since the 1700s. In recent years, the activity at Ulawun has been consistent, with local residents constantly witnessing relatively small explosions which deposit ash and lava in the surrounding areas.

Due to its height, the biggest threat posed by Ulawun is a catastrophic structural collapse, which could generate an eruption that would cause devastation to 100s of square km of surrounding land.

9. Taal Volcano, Philippines

Taal Volcano (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Taal Volcano is a cinder cone volcano. It is located on the island of Luzon, Philippines where it lies at the middle of Lake Taal. It lies just 31 miles from Manila – the capital of the Philippines and home to 1.6 million people.

The Taal Volcano has had 33 recorded eruptions since 1572. While most of these eruptions are confined to the intracaldera area, some eruptions devastate the entire region with its fallout. Altogether, it's estimated that 5,000-6,000 people have been killed by eruptions at Taal. Even today, the only safe way to view the active Taal Volcano is from a safe distance. Of course, that doesn't stop adventurers from trekking on "Volcano Island".

10. Mauna Loa, Hawaii

Mauna Loa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In terms of volume and surface area, Mauna Loa is the largest volcano in the world. It is also one of the 5 volcanoes that make up the Island of Hawaii, all the way in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

Mauna Loa has been erupting regularly for at least the past 700,000 years, with its most recent eruption occurring in 1984. The most significant hazard Mauna Loa poses to surrounding communities are its lava flows. Although most of the flows from Mauna Loa advance at a slow pace, posing little danger to human life, major eruptions can cause fast moving flows. In 1950 for example, the village of Ho'okena Mauka was destroyed by flowing lava. The intense 1984 eruption saw lava flows that moved towards the highly populated Hilo, but didn't reach any buildings.

Another rarer, but potentially more devastating hazard posed by Mauna Loa is the potential for massive landslides triggered by a collapse of the volcano's flanks. Such a collapse is rare, but it can cause severe earthquakes and megatsunamis.

http://www.curiosityaroused.com/nature/10-most-dangerous-active-volcanoes-around-the-world/

 

RELIGION

 

 

REVELATION

 

Nobody owns God.

 

 

Call me Jeremiah

 

 

 

I WONDER WHAT HER MOTHER IS LIKE

FACEBOOK

March 29, 2013

 

Cheryl L Bullock shared T.J. Kelley Eubanks's photo.

 

Phyllis Carter -  If that isn't the sickest sight, I don't know what is. There seems to be a lot of people who need psychiatric help, but in western society today, anything goes and decent people are afraid to protest.

 

CRIME VICTIMS ORGANIZE NOW !

  

VICTIMS OF CRIME AND ABUSE,

VICTIMS OF POLICE NEGLIGENCE AND CORRUPTION,

FRIENDS OF CRIME VICTIMS,

NOW IS THE TIME TO ORGANIZE

AND GET READY TO MARCH !

THE POLICE HELP BULLIES AND CRIMINALS,

THE POLITICIANS IGNORE OUR PLEAS FOR JUSTICE,

THE MEDIA FOCUS ON LADY GAGA

AND IGNORE CRIME VICTIMS.

WITH THE WARM WEATHER,

THE STREETS ARE OPEN  -

AND THE STREETS ARE OURS !

LET EVERYONE SEE

HOW BADLY CRIME VICTIMS ARE ABUSED BY CRIMINALS,

 

AND ABUSED AGAIN BY THE POLICE.

 

AND BY THE COURTS.

 

AND BY GOVERNMENTS.

MAKE OUR PLIGHT KNOWN TO THE WORLD.

 

THE PUTREFICATION OF COMMUNICATION

 

They seemed like friendly people. I encountered the woman and her young adult son as I was waiting to see a doctor at the Jewish General Hospital yesterday. The woman spoke politely and the son moved a laundry basket out of my way so I could pass with my wheelchair.

 

I was assigned a small examining room and the couple had the one directly across the small aisle. The doors of both rooms were open. There was no way to avoid hearing their conversation.

 

They were planning to attend a Passover seder - a special dinner accompanied by the retelling of the biblical story of the escape of the Jewish people from Egypt led by Moses. 

 

And every sentence out of the mouths of the well-groomed mother and her helpful son included references to fornication and defecation.

 

I slammed my door. Do you?

 

HOW POLICE HELP BULLIES AND CRIMINALS -YOUR SILENCE HELPS THE CRIMINALS

 

 

FACEBOOK

March 27, 2013

 

Cheryl L Bullock shared Matthew Bent's photo.

 

YESTERDAY, MY SON WAS BODYSLAMMED 3 TIMES BY A BULLY, THE SAME BULLY THAT HAS BEEN MAKING MY SON'S SCHOOL YEAR A NIGHTMARE, INCLUDING STEALING A NECKLACE I GAVE... MY SON AS A SPECIAL GIFT FOR HIS FIRST YEAR OF LITTLE LEAGUE. LAST NIGHT,

 

I CALLED THE COPS TO PUT A STOP TO THIS, AND WHEN THE COP CAME OVER, HE SAID THE SCHOOL POLICE OFFICER WOULD HANDLE THE CASE. WHEN I GOT A CALL TODAY FROM THE RVMS PSLO, HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE MY SON VOLUNTARILY WALKED INTO THE AREA THAT THE BULLY WAS, THAT IT WAS MY SON'S FAULT FOR GOING "INTO THE LIONS DEN" AND THERE WAS NOTHING HE WOULD DO ABOUT IT.

 

WHEN I TOLD THE OFFICER THAT THIS BULLY HAD BEEN BULLYING MY SON ALL YEAR, HE SAID HE ONLY TAKES ONE ISSUE AT A TIME AND THE PAST WAS DONE, AND THE NECKLACE WAS THE BULLY'S BECAUSE THE BULLY WAS ABLE TO NAME A STORE WHERE THEY SELL THEM.

 

THE KAUKAUNA AREA SCHOOLS IS PROTECTING BULLIES AND IGNORING THEIR VICTIMS!

 

PLEASE SHARE AND SEND A MESSAGE TO EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT PROTECTING BULLIES AND DOING NOTHING ABOUT THEIR ACTIONS IS WRONG!! MY SON HAS BEEN BULLIED ALL SCHOOL YEAR BY THIS GROUP OF THUGS, AND NOT ONE TEACHER, ADMINISTRATOR, COUNCILLOR OR OFFICER WILL DO ANYTHING TO MAKE IT STOP, THEY ONLY OFFER EXCUSES AND BLAME THE VICTIMS!!!

 

PLEASE HELP ME IN THE EFFORT TO STOP BULLYING!!!

 

See also

THE DAWN MCSWEENEY CRIME CASE 

http://dawnmcsweeney.blogspot.com to see how Montreal Police help criminals.

I am offering a 5,000. reward. Now with more than 73,500 readers around the world.

 

IS CAMPBELL'S SOUP KILLING ME ?

 

    

 

I like to use Campbell's mushroom soup as a sauce for pasta and rice and chicken, but I can't help wondering if Campbell's soups are killing me. If the lining of the cans is dangerous to our health, why does the government of Canada allow this to continue?

 

Sure, they will say the amounts of BPA in the cans is too low to be dangerous. How do they know? Are they relying on Campbell's to tell them the truth ... as industry has in tobacco and asbestos and nuclear energy? Who is protecting us? How many cans of Campbell's Mushroom Soup per week will it take to stimulate my cancer cells ?

 

Phyllis Carter

 

CONSUMER ALERT:

TOXIC HORMONE DISRUPTING CHEMICAL BPA LEACHES FROM CAN LINERS

 

As a new mother-and a scientist-I've watched with concern the glacial movement of state legislation seeking to ban toys and bottles that contain the hormone-disruptor bisphenol A. Bills first introduced in 2005 continue to plod through the state Assembly and Senate. Meanwhile, San Francisco, with a different view of risk, last year banned these types of toys and bottles from sale within city limits. While laudable, my own sense of urgency is not appeased because I've recently learned from the Organic Consumers Association that neither law addresses the biggest contributor of bisphenol A (BPA) in our bodies: canned foods.

A study by the Environmental Working Group tested commonly eaten canned foods from grocery stores in three US cities, including Oakland. Out of 97 cans, 57 percent contained detectable and often high levels of BPA. Pastas, soups, and infant formula accounted for some of the highest levels. The group estimates that BPA exposure is unsafe in 10 percent of all canned food and a staggering one-third of infant formula.

First synthesized in 1891, bisphenol A is an artificial estrogen that is particularly useful in creating plastic polymers. It is used in a wide variety of products manufactured around the globe, including CDs, fax paper, car parts, adhesives, and bullet-proof laminates. It creates hard plastics, like #7 water and baby bottles, and is also used in epoxy can liners to reduce spoilage of the food inside. BPA has been detected in rivers, soil, and household dust-and is turning up increasingly in studies of human chemical loads. One study found BPA in 95 percent of 400 American adults. It has also been detected in the amniotic fluid surrounding human babies.

For many years now, exposure to BPA has been associated with cancer, insulin resistance, and birth defects. Tests beginning in the '30s showed that high doses are toxic to rodents. In 1997, it was discovered that low levels of BPA produced harmful effects in male mice exposed in the womb, enlarging the prostate and lowering sperm count. What was most unexpected-and alarming-was that low-dose experiments produced worse effects in the mice than high-dose. Since then, nearly a hundred studies have shown BPA to be toxic in low doses on animals, producing such effects as insulin resistance, damaged DNA, miscarriage, decreased testosterone levels, early puberty, and the production of breast cancer and prostate cancer precursor cells.

Other tests suggest that some people, due to specific genetic makeup, may have a harder time ridding BPA from their bodies, which could make them more susceptible to BPA's toxic effects. These effects are most dangerous to pregnant women, babies, and young children. For example, in one Japanese study, women who had frequent miscarriages were found to have higher levels of BPA in their bloodstream than women who could carry pregnancies to term. In general, the hormone-unbalancing effects of BPA are not diagnosable as BPA exposure; rather, they may show up as early onset of puberty, reduced fertility, type II diabetes, and an increased risk of cancer. The rise of cancer rates over the last few decades is correlated with the increased use of BPA in industry, although cause and effect is difficult to prove since BPA joins a long list of possible culprits.

While California legislators are at least wrestling with the issue, the Feds last reviewed BPA exposure in food in 1993, when the FDA tested some canned baby formulas and a few other canned foods. It estimated the level of BPA exposure in babies and adults and declared these levels safe, according to the high doses assumed to cause harm at the time. Then the low-dose studies started coming out in the late 1990s. In 1999, the FDA's George Pauli wrote in the Endocrine/Estrogen Letter that the FDA was unimpressed with these studies. In 2005, George Pauli sent a letter to a concerned California legislator saying there was "no reason [for the FDA] to change its long-held position that current [BPA] uses with food are safe." Therefore, the FDA does not measure or regulate the amount of BPA in food containers.

To decrease my family's own chemical load, I purchase organic foods, avoid plastics, buy wooden toys for my son, and use a fabric shower curtain rather than vinyl. But as a busy mom, I often resorted to easy recipes, many of which use canned foods.

After learning about the working group's study, I contacted nine companies that manufacture the canned foods my family uses. Only one, Trader Joe's, does not use epoxy liners containing BPA in its cans. All the others, including four makers of organic canned foods, said their can liners contain BPA. I was shocked to learn that the organic foods I was serving my family to keep toxins and pesticides out of our bodies contain BPA! A few of these companies sent me long explanations of why they use BPA in their linings, falling back on FDA guidelines as an indicator of BPA safety. Three claimed that there are no safe alternatives to using BPA liners to protect the canned food from spoiling.

"Not true," says Jovana Ruzicic of the testing group. "There are alternatives." I contacted eight companies-General Mills (including Muir Glen organics), B&G Foods, Campbell's, Amy's Kitchen, Natural Value, Early California Foods, Acirca (Walnut Acres organics), and Whole Foods 365 (including the company's organics)-to tell them I am no longer purchasing their products.

What can you do? Let's lobby the FDA to ban the use of bisphenol A in any food container, including metal can liners. At the very least, food containers containing BPA should be labeled as such. And support bills in the state legislature, such as California Assembly Bill 1108, that would ban bisphenol A and phthalates from toys and baby bottles. Ruzicic suggests that we push on the federal level for the reintroduction of the Kids Safe Chemical Act to protect children from BPA exposure from many sources.

And take the plunge: ask the manufacturers of the canned foods you eat if they use bisphenol A in their can liners. It's easy: their phone numbers and web page addresses are on the labels.

Here are a few other tips from Ruzicic:

Â¥ Choose fresh foods over canned.

Â¥ Do not use canned infant formula-or at least contact the manufacturer to see if bisphenol A is in the can liners.

Â¥ Avoid using #7 plastics and never microwave plastic containers or put them in the dishwasher. Throw out old, scratched plastic bottles and containers. Elephant Pharmacy carries a line of plastic baby bottles, Born Free, that do not contain BPA.

Â¥ Use stainless steel drinking bottles that do not have plastic liners, like those made by Real Wear and Kleen Kanteen.

In the meantime, I am learning how to make refried beans from scratch!

For the full report from the Environmental Working Group, go to http://ewg.org/reports/bisphenola/execsumm.php. A longer list of ways to avoid bisphenol A is at ewg.org/reports/bisphenola/consumertips.php. For a comprehensive report on bisphenol A (its uses, history and toxic effects) by the World Wildlife Federation, see: http://assets.panda.org/downloads/bisphenol.pdf.

DAVID CROMBIE, MAIRUTH SARSFIELD, THE KENYAN AMBASSADOR AND CLIFF CARTER

 

FACEBOOK

March 23, 2013

 

Linda Vincent-Pelletier shared a link.

 

 

David Crombie, Toronto's 'Tiny, perfect mayor,' still making a mark on civic life | Toronto Star

www.thestar.com

It's been decades since David Crombie served as mayor of Toronto, but he remains quietly ubiquitous in the hallways of civic life.

 

Avril Attfield Fernley - Now THERE was a mayor to make Toronto proud!

Phyllis Carter  - 

 

Interesting to see a picture of David Crombie. It was around Christmas time, 1982 - can't access my files right now - when my husband, Cliff Carter and I were invited by author Mairuth Sarsfield to perform in Parliament for Harambee in the Parliamentary lounge during their Black Orpheus Ball.

 

In conjunction with that honour, we were invited to dinner at the home of the Ambassador from Kenya in Ottawa. He was not only the Ambassador, he was also a high ranking officer - a general, if I recall correctly.

 

We learned that we were taking the place at the table that was originally intended for David Crombie and his wife. But David Crombie was out of the country at the time, I believe, and so Cliff and I had the pleasure and the honour of taking their places at the table. It was a small dinner party - perhaps a dozen guests - so this was a very special occasion.

 

For more about Cliff and me, see -
Mr. Nostalgia, Cliff Carter at - http://cliffcartermrnostalgia.blogspot.com.

 

MR. NOSTALGIA, CLIFF CARTER

http://cliffcartermrnostalgia.blogspot.com

Group portrait of W. E. B. Du Bois and others who were a part of the Emancipation Proclamation celebration. Caption: New York Emancipation Proclamation Celebration (1913), 15th Amendment (1915).

 

CANADIAN AUTHOR MAIRUTH HODGE SARSFIELD AND MRS. ANNE PACKWOOD

 

My husband, Cliff Carter, and I had the honour of visiting the esteemed Mrs.Anne Packwood in her home in Westmount with her daughter, Mairuth Sarsfield, in 1982 or 1983. I cannot provide more details here because all my files, albums and journals are out of reach in my small apartment these days.

Mairuth Hodge Sarsfield

Mairuth Hodge Sarsfield is the daughter of renowned elder Anne Packwood and sister of Lucille Vaughan Cuevas and Susan (Emily Mault). Anne Packwood taught her children to remember those who built the bridges for this succeeding generations.

Last year when the United Nations celebrated its 50th anniversary, 50 Canadians were honoured with medals for their contributions to Canada, United Nations environment work. Mairuth was one of the fifty Canadians chosen. The award was for her environmental work, with the highly successful and renowned project, For Every Child a Tree. Again she used the arts to advantage and had artists creating posters for this campaign, material that is still being used over a dozen years later.

In Nebraska she had already received an award for her environmental work. In 1984, the year she left the United Nations, she was in Nebraska, her host hadn't realized she was black, they expected a "Canadian". They kept looking for her at the plane and
could not find her. They had a child there to meet her with a bouquet of roses.

Later they asked her to speak to the Nebraska House of Representatives. Nebraska had conquered the desertification. They should send their sons, the sons of farmers to Africa to teach them how they too can succeed and overcome desertification. The House gave her a standing ovation.

It was in 1984 as well that Mairuth Sarsfield became the first black woman to serve on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She was involved as researcher, interviewer, on-camera hostess or producer of over 30 film, television and public affairs items. She wrote and directed The Aware Game for Alatalia Airlines about the slave castles on the coast of Ghana to earn money for her M.A. in Communications.

In 1989 she retired to work on a book and film bequeathed to her by her daughter, Jennifer, called No Crystal Stair.

Lucille's sister, Mairuth had and has an interesting face for portraiture, and she was asked to model for a number of Montreal artists. They knew many of the Montreal artists of that time including Arthur Lismer, who was involved in his celebrated art classes at the Art Gallery.

http://papergirls.wordpress.com/positive-presence-of-absence-a-history-of-the-african-canadian-community-through-works-in-the-permanent-collection-of-the-national-gallery-of-canada/mairuth-hodge-sarsfield/

 

TELL YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX TRAFFICKING - THEY NEED TO KNOW

 

 

Here are some ways you can help your children

understand a pimp's tactics:

 

• A pimp will often single out a girl or boy who appears to be alone, apart from the crowd or without parental support/care;
• A pimp does not typically look like a pimp, but rather like an attractive, fun, engaging and trustworthy person;
• The mall has become one of the most common places for pimps to target pre-teens and teens;
• A pimp will tell your child that he/she is beautiful, smart, unique and (often) misunderstood. A pimp will do everything possible to gain the trust of your child;
• The seduction of your child may take months; but the pimp is patient, considering this as a business investment.

---

What You As A Parent Can Do

1. Check your teens' phone -- know who they are calling, and monitor text messages.
2. Monitor your teens' Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts and have their passwords.
3. Know the children your kids are hanging out with (and their parents).
4. Always have a chaperon with teens while they are at the mall.
5. Inform your children and community about the reality of trafficking: it spans every race, gender and neighborhood in America -- including yours.
6. Have clear family rules such as: Under no circumstances are your children and teens to approach a stranger's vehicle; and your teens are to hang around age appropriate friends.
7. Request your teen's give you their cell phone over night. 
8. Use this website as an important resource for honest conversations with your children.
9. http://www.courtneyshouse.org/how-to-prevent-trafficking.html

RAISING A CRIMINAL - WHAT MADE DAWN MCSWEENEY A THIEF ? THE LAST SECRET?

 

Even when she was a school girl, Dawn McSweeney was always after money. My sister, Sheila and her husband, provided for our niece, Dawn's desires because Dawn's mother, Debbie, and her father, Ed, were not able to. Sheila and her husband took Dawn to the ballet and bought her clothes. But Dawn wanted cash money.

 

One day Dawn phoned Sheila and told her she needed money for school books. Sheila told her that her uncle would meet her downtown and take her to the book store and buy her what she needed. But Dawn refused. She wanted cash. Sheila told me she refused to give her cash that time because she believed Dawn wanted the money to buy drugs.

 

Ed McSweeney seemed a capable man at first. He wrote computer manuals for a big company. But Ed suffered from mental illness. He went through many years of treatments, made a few suicide attempts, and he finally left his job.

 

Thereafter, for years, he sat around the house smoking cigarettes, fiddling with computer parts and burning holes in the carpet and sofa. The walls and windows of their house were covered in a coat of brown guck and Dawn's poor little baby sister reeked of tobacco.

 

When Debbie first met Ed, I was suspicious. Debbie, was sweet and kind, but she was overweight and she was a homebody. As far as I know, she never had any friends, let alone boyfriends.

 

Ed was an American she met at Sir George Williams' College's "unschool". It was at the time of the Viet Nam war. I worried that Ed might be an army deserter. To protect my naïve "baby sister:, I checked with the U.S. Consulate. They told me he was not wanted, and I was relieved.

 

What I suspected, but did not find out until much later, was that Ed's parents were severe alcoholics. Furthermore, Ed's mother had spent some time in a mental institution. In later years, as Ed's father lay dying, he pleaded for another drink, and Ed's mother fed him the alcohol through a straw. So Dawn's father had a difficult background that I did not find out about until years later.

 

Debbie left Ed on at least two occasions that I know of. I helped her leave on one occasion, carrying the bird cage wrapped in blankets against the winter to a neighbour's home. Unfortunately, the poor bird died thereafter, and I felt so sorry for it. Another casualty of the McSweeney Tragedy. Sheila took Debbie and Dawn into her home on these occasions and provided for their every need.

 

But Ed threatened Debbie. He said he would burn the house down if she didn't come back. And so, meekly, as usual, Debbie went back.

 

Ed demanded Debbie give him a second child. Debbie was against it. But Ed threatened that he would go out and make a baby with a prostitute. So Debbie gave in and they had their second daughter.

 

There is one thing about Dawn McSweeney's upbringing that I reported to the police in 1996, but I did not make public. I think it's time to reveal that secret in the interest of bringing justice to my family ... the whole truth. 

 

I was told that when Dawn was a young girl, she would take showers with her father, Ed McSweeney. I was appalled. 

 

Her mother Debbie's excuse to me was that it was better for Dawn to know her father that way so she would not try to find out with other men. I was told to mind my own business.

 

Should I have reported this to the police as soon as I was told? Perhaps I should have. But I was grieving over the death of my beloved husband and I was too overwhelmed to deal with anything more. Ed McSweeney is clinically manic depressive. There was no knowing what would have happened to Debbie or to me if I brought the police into it at the time.

 

So you can see what Dawn McSweeney comes from and why she is what she is. I first became a target for Dawn's venom because I dared to speak up about her abuses when she was young, like the time she attacked a school mate with an iron fence post and the way she used foul language to her parents. 

 

Later, circa 1994, she envied the fact that I was living with my parents. In the summer of 1996, she was jealous that I had friends. She was angry that I became a Christian and she used it to turn my mother against me.

 

Read all the details at - http://dawnmcsweeney.blogspot.com.

 

If anything I have said or written is less than the absolute truth, the criminals in this case should sue me without further delay. I am eager to go to court and expose all the details of the crimes of Dawn McSweeney and those she calls her "partners in crime" on her own blog.

 

Since I was robbed by Dawn McSweeney on October 7, 1996, and I called 911 for help, the Montreal Police have refused to investigate these crimes and take the appropriate legal action.

 

Detailed reports at -

 

HOW TO RAISE A CRIMINAL - THE TRAGEDY OF DAWN MCSWEENEY
http://phylliscartersjournal.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-to-raise-criminal-tragedy-of-dawn.html
THE RAPE OF A JEWISH FAMILY
http://dawnmcsweeney.blogspot.com/2010/09/rape-of-jewish-family.html
THE DARK SIDE OF DAWN
http://phylliscartersjournal.blogspot.com/2012/09/dawn-mcsweeney-reveals-her-dark-side_5894.html 

"MRS CARTER'S RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED THREE TIMES" - MARLENE JENNINGS, M.P..

http://phylliscartersjournal.blogspot.com/2011/11/mrs-carters-rights-were-violated-three_3713.html

 

 

 

 

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND - THIS IS OUR CHILDREN'S LEGACY

 

 

‎"There are no really historical records of the volume and type of material that was spilled in the oceans before the establishment of an anti-dumping law. However, it is estimated that in 1968, 38 million tons of excavated material, 4.5 million tons of industrial waste, 4.5 million sewage sludge, 100 million tons of petroleum-based product (plastic), 2 to 4 tonnes of chemical waste, more than 1 million tons of heavy metals were released into the ocean. The U.S. archive shows that between 1946 and 1970 over 55,000 containers of radioactive waste were disposed in 3 sites of dumping of the Pacific Ocean. In addition, 34,000 tons of radioactive wastes were disposed in 3 sites of dumping of the U.S. east coast between 1951 and 1962. No law on dumping radioactive waste has been put into force before 1972."

Source : Epa : united states environnemental agency

 

World wide freedom's photo.

 

THE HORROR OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION - CIRCUMCISION - CUTTING

 

Women suffer from FGM as young children from the operation, at the time of their marriage as adults and later during their child delivery. Female genital mutilation has detrimental effects on the physical and psychological health of the infants, girl-children and women operated. The degree of complications depend on various factors including the nature of the mutilation (excision or infibulation), the types of tools used, the physical environment of the operation, the skill of the operator and the physical response of the operated individual at the time of the operation.

The consequences which begin immediately at the time of the operation can be grouped into long- and short-term. The latter manifests itself within a very short period extending from a few hours of the operation to some ten days. Long-term complications are life-long, irreversable and require medical attentions to mitigate their effects. One study, for example, found out that 83% of women whose genitals have been mutilated required medical attention at some time in their lives for problems related to the procedure they went under (African Env't 1999). Lack of access to health facilities and ignorance of the cause of their suffering prevents most of the women to look for medical attention. Of all of the forms of FGM, excision and infibulation lead to severe complications.

Immediate complications and consequences

• Shock from bleeding, pain and stress resulting from cutting very sensitive and delicate area of the genitalia without the use of anaesthetic.
• Bleeding or hemorrhage: the cutting of the blood vessels in the vulva (clitoral artery) during the operation leads to bleeding. Serious bleeding can also cause shock. Protracted bleeding can lead to anaemia and even death.
• Urinary retention from fear of pain, tissue swelling or injury of the urethra cause pain and discomfort which could easily lead to bladder and urinary tract infections.
• Infection caused by the use of unsterilized instruments in unhygienic environment may lead to other complications and even to death. Infections can also cause pelvic inflammation. It could result directly in blood poisoning and in having tetanus, and if untreated finally death may follow. There is also high risk of HIV transmission through the use of one instrument for multiple operations.
• Damage to organs such as the anus, urethra and the bladder from unexperienced circumcisers.
• 
  In the case of infibulation, the consequences are compounded by frequent cutting and stitching. Thus, bleeding and the risk of hemorrhage, pain, risk of infection and urine retention are much severe and serious.

Long-term consequences
Infibulation and excision cause long-term complications of gynecological, obsterics and urinary tracts. The main ones are the following (MGR 1992/3; African Env't 1999; Toubia 1993; Smith 1995; Leye 1998; WHO)

• Repeated urinary infection because of the narrowing of the urinary outlet which prevents the complete emptying of urine from the bladder.
• Extremely painful menustration due to the build up of urine and blood in the uterus leading to inflammation of the bladder and internal sexual organs.
• Formation of scars and keloid on the vulva wound. The growth of dermoid cysts which may result in abscesses.
• Formation of fistula – the rupture of the vagina and/or uterus.
• Vulval abscesses.
• Severe pain during intercourse which may consist of physical discomfort and psychological traumatization.
• Difficult child birth which in case of long and obstructed labour may lead to foetal death and brain damage of the infant.
• In the case of infibulation acute and chronic pelvic infection leading to infertility and/or tubal pregnancy.
• Accumulation of blood and blood clots in the uterus and/or vagina.
• 
  A study of the physical effects of FGM leading to genital malformation in 269 cases in western Sierra Leone shows that 168 had keloid scars, fistula 1, prolapse 82, cysts 8, abscesses 4, and none 86. Another study of 100 girls between the ages of 8-12 in the same country 10 had vaginal bleeding, 8-10 pain, 8 acute urine retention, 5 tetanus, 50 vaginal discharge and 15 dysuria [difficult urine discharge] (Statistical Record of Women World Wide). Another study by Population Council in Mali among 3590 women attending health centers, 7% of the women had complications, the most common being blood clots and tears in the perineum (35%), hemorrhage (33%), vaginal adhesions (8%) and keloids (4%) (Population Council Programme briefs).

Sexual, gynecological and child delivery consequences
FGM is the mutilation of the sexually sensitive organ of women, resulting in the loss of woman's natural sexual sensitivity. This can affect martial relationship, child birth and create fear and suppression of interest and feelings during sexual intercourse. The nerve endings of the clitoris is sensitive and serves the purpose of pleasure. Toubia describes the removal of the clitoris through excision or infibulation as follows "In effect, the delicate area where female genital once existed is turned into tough scar tissue that bears more resemblance to cured hide than to human tissue. Women ... have no perception or experience of soft, tender female genitals on adult women." In cases that the clitoris has been replaced by scar tissues, orgasm is difficult to achieve (Toubia 1993). The presence of the scar makes penetration difficult and the intercourse itself a painful ordeal for the woman. Women face fear during the first weeks of marriage from sexual intercourse and defibulation. Penetration in the case of infibulated women may take weeks, may even require the use of the "knife" to open her up.

The effect of FGM operation on the vaginal opening, narrow in the case of infibulation or too scarred by excision, will make vaginal intercourse difficult and painful. In the case of infibulation where the cutting and stitching of the vaginal opening are repeated frequently, all the complications associated with the initial operation will repeat themselves.

The other sexual problem related to FGM is the difficulty experienced during child birth in particular with infibulated women. The vaginal canal loses its elasticity due to excision and the vaginal opening is closed in cases of infibulation. This needs a cut to get the child out of a wall of flesh, which if done improperly will lead to bleeding, infection, fistula formation (inability to control urine). If the vaginal opening is narrow, the mother's labour will be prolonged and delayed which may be fatal to both mother and foetus. In the obstructed delivery the head is forced to press on the scar which may lead to arrest labour, rupture of the scar or uterine rupture, tearing of the vulva and perineum.

 

Psychological consequences
Of all aspects of FGM, the psychological or the emotional aspect is a less known area. Toubia (1993) cites three psychological cases: "anxiety state" originating from lack of sleep and hallucinations; "reaction depression" from delayed healing, and "psychotic excitement" from childlessness and divorce. Other problems include traumatic experience, sense of being betrayed by family members, elders, and joining peer groups by force through the FGM operation.

http://www.african-women.org/FGM/consequences.php