Friday, February 11, 2005

First Iraq, now Iran -- Global Domino game succeeding

Now that the truth has come out regarding the lack of weapons of Mass destruction in Iraq, and the Benefit of all the chaos reaching oil companies, the "Coalition of the Greedy" (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Blair, Howard, etc.) have turned their eyes towards Iran. It's not enough that Iraqi oil is now being exploited, not to mention the Iraqi populace, but that's not nearly enough for the Greedy. Seeking Natural gas, and a government that will bend over to allow itself to be exploited for the benefit of Western Imperialism, the Coalition of the Greedy have decided that Iran's time has come. What does it matter to them, that the current state of affairs in Iran, can directly be attributed to manipulation. When the Shah of Iran was overthrown by the US, and replaced with a weak, pro-Western leader, the resentment built to revolutionary levels. Ayatollah Khomeini took advantage of the growing dissatisfaction, and ever since, Iran has been dominated by religious clerics. What was meant to be a grand scheme of exploitation backfired, and now, thanks to the added push by Israel, Iran is in the crosshairs. The Domino effect does not end with Iran -- Syria and Lebanon are also on the agenda. There are three main reasons why such bold and reckless behavior, endangering the world, and driving us to the brink of WWIII, is being practiced. First, the ever expanding need for resources by a machine exploiting capital and resources from nations that cannot defend themselves is applied as though generously painting a house. Second, the security of Israel, thanks to their influence in Western Politics. As soon as one reveals the global dominance that Israel has, they are branded anti-Semitic and a threat to peace. Yet, the truth is in front of everyone's eyes. With Israel claiming that Iraq is just the first to fall, and Iran, Syria, as well as Lebanon are also on the agenda (as long as it's American troops, and American youth that have to die), is not only criminal, but extremely reckless. It seems at times, that they are forever inviting conflict, but it's no surprise that a fascist state must be run as a war machine. Ever expanding borders, claiming to be defending their territory, using the resources of others for their malicious purposes, is not something that has been buried with Nazi Germany. Israel today is very much like the fascist state that Nazi Germany was. A government that is always militarily ready, thirsts for warfare and conflict, and oppresses minorities is present in this day and age, not to mention the Propaganda that is globally present, showing a picture of peace and stability. The worst part is that most people, being uneducated, believe the lies they are fed, and actually think that every Muslim is waiting to commit Jihad. This is the single greatest propaganda that has befuddled us in this generation. Without knowing any Muslims, many are misled towards a faulty premise. Every group has extremists, whether it's Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, or Hindus. This does not mean that the majority of the people support those views. For those who don't know, the bridge between Greek advances in the sciences to the modern times was bridged by Muslim Arabs. It was the Arabs that translated and preserved many of the documents that the fanatical Christians destroyed during the Middle Ages. Considering all non-Christians as heretics, and their advances as devil's work, science stagnated for centuries in Europe. However, science was advancing in the Arab world. Just because currently, many of the fanatical Muslims seem to adopt non-modern ways of living, does not mean that this will always be the case, or that most progressive Muslims (which are definitely the majority in the world) also believe this. But I digress, the Third reason why the world's being endangered by the war machine I call the "Coalition of the Greedy" is the fanatically conservative belief of those in charge. They, called Born Again Christians, or Right Wingers, believe that they can only be saved spiritually, following extremist Biblical Destiny and Dogma, if they allow Israel to become a powerful state, with control over the Middle East. Thus, with Exploitation of resources, Israel's ability for Propaganda and Fundamentalist belief by the Architects of this Domino effect, the world is rapidly headed towards a very chaotic Epoch.

Going back to Iran, the saber rattling we currently hear, regarding Iran's development of a nuclear program is unbelievably hypocritical. Just because a nation, struggling to incorporate nuclear power as a cleaner and alternative source of energy is marginalized and isolated, does not mean their goals are malevolent. Do Western Imperialists actually expect Iranians to go on burning coal and wood for the rest of this century? And what is wrong in Iran defending themselves (definitely not by Nuclear weapons, which are just a propaganda tool to exploit Iran) from such aggressive neighbors? Iran would not endanger its status with Russia or any of the other economic partners, without a pre-emptive strike first. Now that North Korea publicly admits to having Nuclear Weapons, there is no chance an invasion will take place. Nuclear Weapons are deterrents, and one would be suicidally stupid to invade a country that can defend itself. Knowing that Iraq did not possess any WMD's made the invasion seem that much easier, although with typical lack of foresight, never realizing the fact that the dissatisfied would not fight a direct war, but would blend into the crowd and fight a Guerilla war, as they do now. Guerilla wars have been fought since time immemorial, and for those who have no other option, who can't match troops, or technology, can only retaliate in one way. Sometimes, from a military standpoint, it's better to allow yourself to be captured/occupied, knowing that you can inflict higher casualties later, as time moves on.

In short, all the prodding and forcing that the US and Israel is pushing on Iran will not stop, until the goals of this global domino effect are reached. Having direct control of the Middle East, is just one step towards a larger solution to the global domino players. What does it matter to the power Elite if other's children die for a cause that cannot be ethically justified.
Hopefully things are now clearer, with Fascists and Crusaders presently abound, unilaterally acting on a self-righteous belief in their dominance and superiority. What those people do not realize is that Earth is an extremely small place, and in the long run, their petty grappling over land, and resources means little to the grand scheme of the Universe. They are ants, struggling over ant-hills, without realizing that existence is more then material possession and greed. Stepping outside one's self, and looking at things objectively, with an open mind willing to accept new ideas, flexible enough to embrace that which makes universal sense, should be the ultimate goal, not greed, politics, or power.

Monday, February 07, 2005

Corporate Greed and the Synonymous Nature of the Pharmaceutical Industry

The underhanded behavior of the Pharmaceutical Industry has only recently reached the forefront of mass media. For at least five decades, these greedy and ruthless corporations have been hiding important information that would require extreme caution on behalf of the consumer. They have blocked research data that would reveal the true dangers and nature of the very drugs that they vehemently push upon the American public. Only through recent widespread news, has the truth come out on the manipulation exerted upon the Physicians and Patients that have been tricked into a false sense of security regarding the effects of their products.

The recent news that Vioxx and Celebrex, touted as the "next generation anti-inflammatory drugs", are over prescribed and have had a large part to play in recent heart attacks was known for many years. Further research and unbiased data reveals the damage that these products can do to the heart muscle, resulting in an increased rate of heart attack and stroke. There are a number of reasons these drugs were prematurely pressed on the public, and few outside the industry understand the reasons. Many physicians were pressured to switch to the "new generation", because Aspirin, used as the primary anti-inflammatory, often had the side-effect of stomach and intestinal distress. As many know, Aspirin is not the friendliest drug on the stomach, and can lead to bleeding ulcers, and pain. Another reason for the proliferation of "next generation" anti-inflammatory was the dependence of patients on opiates such as Vicodin and Codeine. Physicians are split between different treatment methods to joint and body pain. For example, when a patient with a chronic history of lower back pain is examined, some physicians prescribe a combination of Anti-Inflammatories and Acetaminophen (Tylenol) for the pain. Others, especially physicians who have lower back pain themselves, and can sympathize with their patients, prescribe opiates for the pain. Since the advent of the Next Generation Anti-inflammatory, more of the latter physicians were encouraged to switch treatment methods, because of the reduced side-effects by the new medication (remembering the stomach problems that the previous treatment, Aspirin, had on the patient). As it happens, all this prodding and encouragement was a result of manipulated data on the safety of the "new and better" treatment method. (http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice/overview.htm?topic=Celebrex).

Many may question how Physicians, an intelligent and trusted group of people can be manipulated into dumping their time tested medication, to new and rather experimental drugs. This is where the Pharmaceutical Representatives come in. Physicians, being trapped in their offices all day, seeing sick and infirm patients not on their best days, light up when a very well dressed and attractive woman arrives selling a pharmaceutical product. They come with "free gifts" and expect to eventually receive some recognition of their product. The amount of money spent on advertising and marketing by these corporations is much greater then the national product of many countries around the globe.

Not only do pharmaceutical companies manipulate data, but they function as any ruthless corporation would. First, their research labs are fortified with security barriers, electric fences, and thick concrete walls. Further, they have their employees sign confidentiality agreements, with no right to privacy if they are suspect on leaking data. This means that they can tap phone lines, and have private investigators intrude upon their private lives. The prices for the products they sell are hyper inflated, and only with significant monetary resources can one take the recommended treatment offered. Another method of generating great income is through expanding an existing disease to include "new" standards. The current trend in prescribing drugs on children for various "diseases" need not be fully elaborated upon. Any learned person knows the over prescription of Ridalin and Prozac because the parents and educators of these children do not have the patience to deal with the issues. There may be a few individuals who are truly in need of such medication, but they are highly outnumbered by those that do not need these drugs. Recent news has also revealed the increased rates of suicide that results from adolescents taking anti-depressants such as Paxil (http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice/news.htm?story_id=9004&topic=Paxil).

As one scans through the isles at the store, it's hard to avoid the large amount of space devoted to pharmaceutical products. Many of these are typical treatments, which do not aim to cure the underlying ailment. This is where alternative medicine, often times used in conjunction with contemporary treatments, works. Alternative medicine, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies, aims to cure and soothe the ailment in a natural and homeopathic way. Even if the treatments don't work chemically, the placebo effect they invoke of those that use them is instrumental in a patient's recovery. Building and acquiring immunity is not solely based on chemical means, but also, on a stronger immune system. As long as patients believe in the treatment or cure, the process itself, goes a long way in recovery. These are not attributed to magical means, but the natural act of one's immune system strengthening based on a suggestion from their mind.

The best way to counteract the dominance of Pharmaceutical companies is first, to realize when it's important to avoid taking medication (such as antibiotics) for simple things as the flu, and limiting the amount of relief obtained through drugs. Further, it's important to realize that some medicine, such as those involved in Chemotherapy, are important, but can be used in conjunction with alternative sources (as long as they don't counteract each other). And of primary importance is Preventing, and not just treating an illness. A good diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle are important ingredients for prevention of most illnesses.