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27Mar2011
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27Mar2011
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27Mar2011
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Today I’m blogging a story about capital punishment, a man on death row. But to me, I’m looking at the story on another level..a deeper level. What got this man to death row? To me it’s another unbelievable story of racism.
I know that I have been blogging a lot about racism lately. But hey, if it wasn’t so prevalent in this country, I wouldn’t have the need to blog about it, nor fodder to report. Believe me, I would rather be blogging about things that make people happy….bring people joy, inspire a laugh or two…And I do. But sometimes a story that is being told, has got to be looked at in more ways than what is being reported. And this is one of them.
Although this story is about capital punishment, this is also a story about racism. A man, Abu-Jamal,who was found guilty of killing a police officer. The police officer was shot dead and Abu-Jamal, whowas shot himself, was found laying next to him. The judge who convicted Abu-Jamal, was widely considered to be a racist. A racist judge.
Abu-Jamal was found guilty of his murder in a court case presided over by Judge Albert Sabo, who was widely considered to be a racist. In just one of too many painful examples, a court stenographer said in an affidavit that she heard Sabo say, in the courtroom antechamber, “I’m going to help them fry the n****r.”
If you ever think you’re having a bad day, consider being convicted of a crime by a racist judge and then spending the next 29 years of your life on death row. Tough enough? For the average person, yes. But Abu-Jamal is no average man.
Abu-Jamal, in spite of being convicted of a crime by a racist judge and living in solitary confinement for 29 years, he has continued his work as a journalist, with weekly radio commentaries that are broadcast from coast to coast. He is also the author of six books. Amazing yes? No doubt.
Mumia Abu-Jamal has been on death row for 29 years. Now, a court rules his sentencing unconstitutional. When will we learn?
Mumia Abu-Jamal, a former Black Panther party member, has spent 29 years on death row, convicted for the 1981 killing of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner
The death penalty case of Mumia Abu-Jamal took a surprising turn this week, as a federal appeals court declared, for the second time, that Abu-Jamal’s death sentence was unconstitutional. The third US circuit court of appeals, in Philadelphia, found that the sentencing instructions the jury received, and the verdict form they had to use in the sentencing, were unclear. While the disputes surrounding Abu-Jamal’s guilt or innocence were not addressed, the case highlights inherent problems with the death penalty and the criminal justice system, especially the role played by race.
Early on 9 December 1981, Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner pulled over a car driven by William Cook, Abu-Jamal’s brother. What happened next is in dispute. Shots were fired, and both Officer Faulkner and Abu-Jamal were shot. Faulkner died, and Abu-Jamal was found guilty of his murder in a court case presided over by Judge Albert Sabo, who was widely considered to be a racist. In just one of too many painful examples, a court stenographer said in an affidavit that she heard Sabo say, in the courtroom antechamber, “I’m going to help them fry the n****r.”
This latest decision by the court of appeals relates directly to Sabo’s conduct of the sentencing phase of Abu-Jamal’s court case. The Pennsylvania supreme court is considering separate arguments surrounding whether or not Abu-Jamal received a fair trial at all. What the court of appeals unanimously found this week is that he did not receive a fair sentencing. Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams has decided to appeal the decision to the US supreme court, saying:
“The right thing for us to do is to ask the US supreme court to hear this and to make a ruling on it.”
As a result of this ruling, Abu-Jamal could get a new, full sentencing hearing, in court, before a jury. In such a hearing, the jury would be given clear instructions on how to decide between applying a sentence of life in prison as opposed to the death penalty – something the court found he did not receive back in 1982. At best, Abu-Jamal would be removed from the cruel confines of solitary confinement on Pennsylvania’s death row at SCI Greene. John Payton, director counsel of the NAACP legal defence fund, which is representing Abu-Jamal in court, said:
“This decision marks an important step forward in the struggle to correct the mistakes of an unfortunate chapter in Pennsylvania history … and helps to relegate the kind of unfairness on which this death sentence rested to the distant past.”
His other attorney, Judith Ritter, a law professor at Widener University school of law, told me: “This is extremely significant. It’s a life or death decision.” I asked her if she had spoken to Abu-Jamal yet, and she told me that the prison failed to approve her request for an emergency legal phone call. I was not surprised, given my many years of covering his case.
He has faced multiple obstacles as he has tried to have his voice heard. On 12 August 1999, as I was hosting Democracy Now!, Abu-Jamal called into our news hour, mid-broadcast, to be interviewed. As he began to speak, a prison guard yanked the phone out of the wall. Abu-Jamal called back a month later and recounted that:
“Another guard appeared at the cell hollering at the top of his lungs, ‘This call is terminated!’ I immediately called to the sergeant standing by and looking on and said, ‘Sergeant, where did this order come from?’ He shrugged his shoulders and said: ‘I don’t know. We just got a call to cut you off.’”
Abu-Jamal sued over the violation of his rights, and won.
Despite his solitary confinement, Abu-Jamal has continued his work as a journalist. His weekly radio commentaries are broadcast from coast to coast. He is the author of six books. He was recently invited to present to a conference on racial imprisonment at Princeton University. He said (through a cellphone held up to a microphone):
“Vast numbers of men, women and juveniles … populate the prison industrial complex here in America. As many of you know, the US, with barely 5% of the world’s population, imprisons 25% of the world’s prisoners … the numbers of imprisoned blacks here rivals and exceeds South Africa’s hated apartheid system during its height.”
The United States clings to the death penalty, alone in the industrialised world. In fact, it stands with China, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Yemen as the world’s most frequent executioners. This week’s decision in Mumia Abu-Jamal’s case stands as one more clear reason why the death penalty should be abolished.
• Denis Moynihan contributed research to this column.
Readers: So…yeah, we need to look at capital punishment. But in my opinion, we need to really look at those that have the power to put people behind bars. And those that have that power should not be racists.
That’s it for me today. It’s your turn. Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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Once again forewarned in forearmed. Another good one to be aware of….and this warning comes straight from the horse’s mouth. Check it out…
Credit Card Security Tips — from a Credit Card Thief
Inside information from a reformed credit card thief shows how crooks get their information by harvesting email addresses and buying stolen numbers to use on forged cards.
He told the online credit card news and information site CreditCards.com how he did it and provides useful information on what he himself now does to safeguard his own cards.
Fortunately for him (and us!), he got caught, changed sides to help the Secret Service, repaid his victims and, as this week’s report demonstrates, agreed to help others avoid falling victim to the crime.
Credit Card Security Tips — from a Credit Card Thief!
A former credit card thief has confessed online that the crime, which rakes in more than $500m a year in the US, is “ridiculously easy” to commit.
Using stolen numbers that cost $10 to $50 apiece, Dan DeFelippi manufactured genuine-looking credit cards from blanks, programming their magnetic stripes, and used them to buy hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise at stores, which he then sold online.
He was part of a loose network of crooks who, according to recent research by leading ID theft surveyors Javelin Strategy, account for around 4.5 million credit card fraud victims in the US alone every year.
Since being convicted in 2004, the ex-credit card thief has spilled the beans on the murky world of credit card fraud, even working with the US Secret Service to train agents and expose the workings of online hackers and fraudsters.
Now a website developer in New York, he recently told his story to the online credit card comparison and news site CreditCards.com.
Starting out as a teenage hacker, DeFelippi progressed to selling bogus IDs at college, realizing how easy it was to discover individuals’ personal and confidential information.
He used software that harvested email addresses from specific age groups and locales, then bombarded them with messages pretending to be from the likes of AOL and PayPal, saying their credit card details had expired.
Inevitably, these phishing messages contained a link to a bogus page asking victims to re-enter their details.
“It’s kind of scary how much information I could get,” DeFelippi tells CreditCards.com.
But he admits it’s more difficult these days for a credit card thief to get information this way because many card users have wised up to this spoof.
It was simpler and quicker to buy credit card numbers from crooks who hack computers, set up bogus online stores selling non-existent goods at bargain prices, “skim” the numbers from ATMs, or simply steal them at restaurants or from documents.
We covered the “art” of skimming in a recent Scambusters report, Gas Pumps Targeted in Latest Card Skimming Scam.
To give some idea of the scale of this crime, in March this year a British teenager was sentenced to five years behind bars after being convicted of setting up an online forum that bought and sold hundreds of thousands of credit card numbers.
The site even offered software and tutorials on how to steal and use the information.
Armed with such numbers, DeFelippi says, it was a cinch for him to produce cards. Anyone with $100 and a computer could do it, he claims.
So, what’s his advice to the rest of us to help cut the risk of becoming victim of a credit card thief?
Well, here at Scambusters we’re previously provided some useful tips that are worth checking out again.
What to Do if Your Credit Card or Wallet is Stolen Credit Card Fraud
DeFelippi thinks the most important credit card security action is to frequently check your online accounts.
Once a month just isn’t enough because, if your number was stolen early in the billing cycle, the account could be maxed out before you even look at it.
If you have teens-and-twenties in your household, make particularly certain they do the same. According to the Javelin research mentioned earlier, this is the age group least likely to check their online accounts.
The former credit card thief says he now uses the free services of Mint.com, which is owned by the financial software company Intuit (producers of TurboTax, Quicken and QuickBooks), to monitor his accounts for credit card fraud every day.
The Mint site pulls together all your online financial information into a single location, making it easier to review and spot signs of credit card theft.
If you visit the site, you’ll see that Mint, which claims to have 5 million users, stresses it can’t be used for transactions, only monitoring, and that it uses bank-level data security to protect your information.
We have no information, one way or the other, on the reliability of this site.
DeFelippi also advises: •Checking your credit report at least a couple of times a year to make sure you’re not a victim of ID theft. You can do this for free, once a year, for each of the three credit reporting agencies. See this Scambusters issue, Can You Really Get a Free Credit Report — Without Getting Scammed? for the scam-proof and free way of doing this.
•Do your online shopping with reputable established sites. Otherwise, thoroughly check out companies you don’t know or haven’t dealt with, looking for others’ comments on their experiences.
In particular, don’t be tempted to buy merchandise from an email that came from a person or company you don’t know, no matter how much of a bargain it seems.
•Double check that any page on which you’re about to give your card details is secure — that it has “https” at the start of the address (the “s” is the security indicator).
Remember that when you’re online, you’re moving data backwards and forwards. If you’re using an open wireless network, assume it’s not secure and that you could be vulnerable to credit card fraud.
•Invent your own answers to the security questions many financial sites now use. Don’t use the real information. That way, nobody will be able to guess or research it.
(Of course, you’ll have to make sure you can remember the answers you gave!)
•Use the same ATM for all your cash withdrawals. You’ll get to know the machine and therefore more likely will spot if anyone has tampered with it.
Bank locations are less likely to be vulnerable than convenience stores or clubs, he suggests.
Like us, you might be wondering how DeFelippi got caught. It happened at a Best Buy store he visited with a friend. The accomplice presented a phony driver’s license, bearing his real photo, as proof of ID.
When the store manager swiped the bogus credit card, he got a “Call For Authorization” message back from the card company, which had become concerned about activity on the account.
Realizing something was wrong, the pair made a hasty retreat — leaving the license with its incriminating photo behind.
It’s probably the best thing that could have happened to DeFelippi. Realizing the error of his ways, he struck a plea deal to pay $200,000 restitution to his victims and to do community service, instead of going to jail.
You can read his full interview: Secrets of a former credit card thief.
He’s also done us all a big favor by agreeing to tell his story. For once, we might say, it’s good to encounter a credit card thief!
That’s all we have for today, but we’ll be back next week with another issue. See you then!
*******
Zen Lill: Hey, how goes it? I was going to call you on our way to SF yesterday but it was so nice just being quiet in the car on the way, and admiring the city. It was a glorious day! I’ll try you this eve or this weekend.
Irene: Men who are homophobic in my opinion, are trying to hide their own feelings of possibly being gay themselves. Look at some of the men that speak outright against gays…the ones who practically devote their lives to try and convince others that being gay is “wrong”. We later then find out that they are having homosexual affairs and are themselves gay. A man who accepts gay people and is comfortable in the company of gays, is most likely not questioning his own sexual preferences, and therefore is not going to be putting down gays or speaking badly of them.
Doug: Thank you for posting the information about the elephant that needs help. That story and so many other animal stories are so tragic.
Readers: I know that times are tough for many. We all have our personal matters to deal with daily. And sometimes the worries of the world are overwhelming when we try to address all of our concerns. I find that when one has so many things to care about, one can sometimes get frozen and do nothing.
I’m asking you to do something. I ask that you find a place in your heart to focus on one thing outside of your own personal needs, and then devote some part of your day, your week, or even just once a month to do something for someone else, or some cause that pulls at your heart. And then be consistent with that one thing if possible.
It could be helping a friend who is at a low point in their life. Or helping to clean up a nearby beach or park. Or making a monthly donation. Or volunteering some time at an animal shelter. Sometimes when money is tight and you have time on your hands, volunteering a few hours of your time a week or a month not only helps the person or business you are assissting, but it can be so rewarding too. Some people find that when they give a little of themselves, their once a week volunteering turns into a lifetime passion, and is the impetus for doing something even greater. Do it.
& “Live it, Give it“
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
John: Thanks. I hope you and else everyone who celebrated Easter enjoyed it!
Readers: We decided to head into San Francisco. I wanted to shop and Doug was planning on seeing a movie down the street. Why I thought stores would be open on Easter just because I wanted a day to finally shop for myself for once, I am clueless. It didn’t dawn on me when I was relaxing in the Bloomingdales mall enjoying the view of the old Emporium rotunda, until a guard informed me that the mall was closed. The doors were only open for access to the movie theater.
My first thought was, “Bummer, what should I do until Doug gets out of his movie?” And then I thought hey, the theater is open; why not enjoy a movie too? So I did. That was my Easter. A Movie, and the rest of the day was spent preparing for a presentation that I am giving tomorrow. A very unusual Easter for me but I enjoyed it.
So…What’s up with my readers? I tell you what’s up with me. Astaxanthin. I’ve been taking this little gem of an antioxidant for awhile now. What have you done for you lately? See if this is for you.
Another good write by Dr. Mercola:
By now, I believe most everyone interested in natural health has heard of antioxidants and their health benefits.*
But just like many things the mainstream media and consumer marketers latch onto these days, antioxidants have become a buzz word for selling hype and added profits.
That’s not to say that many foods and supplements don’t contain some antioxidant properties.
But there are bigger questions to be asked when it comes to antioxidants.
For instance, how powerful is the antioxidant in question? If you consume foods with low antioxidant levels (antioxidant capacity is not always identified by marketers), you might need to eat massive amounts to have any effect on those pesky free radicals.
On the other hand, if you consume foods and supplements with highly concentrated amounts of natural antioxidants, you won’t need to consume as much and you have a better chance of protecting yourself from free radical damage.*
So, how do you know which sources have the most concentrated natural antioxidants?
First of all, I must reiterate how, in my opinion, eating a wholesome organic diet based on your Nutritional Type (NT) is key to optimal health. Once you have this under your belt, you can then consider supplementation to boost your vitality even more.*
And when it comes to antioxidants, I believe I’ve identified a…
Natural Super-Antioxidant Like No Other
Up until now, this natural super-nutrient has not received the attention and notoriety I believe it deserves.
What if you could…
Reduce the appearance of wrinkles, dry skin, age spots, and freckles?*
Boost your brain and nervous system protection from free radicals?*
Help reduce the visible signs of aging?*
Promote your joint and skeletal system health?*
Potentially enhance your skin protection from sun-induced free radicals?*
And if you’re an athlete, or even a weekend warrior, what if you could…
Increase your strength and stamina?*
Improve your endurance?*
Enable faster recovery from exercise?*
Reduce joint and muscle soreness after a vigorous workout?*
Enhance your visual acuity and depth perception?*
Something you might be interested in, but sounds almost too good to be true?
There is a natural super-antioxidant nutrient that can help you do all this… and more.* And it’s not just based on ‘hear-say.’ Clinical trials have researched the solid benefits of this powerful antioxidant.*
What this Super-Nutrient Does for Salmon, It Could Do for YOU*
Most folks don’t have much of a clue why salmon have such distinctive coloring. There’s something very unique that gives them their unique reddish-pink color.
If you guessed it is an antioxidant… you are correct.
But it’s not just any antioxidant… and it’s not only responsible for salmon coloring, but also provides them with the endurance they need to swim for several days against the current to reach their spawning grounds.
What Makes Pink Flamingos Pink?
Many people aren’t aware that baby flamingos are born white. They only obtain their pink color once they eat food that is loaded with astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin belongs to a class of naturally occurring pigments call carotenoids.
So, what are carotenoids?
Carotenoids are the compounds in your food that provide…
Brilliant colors from…
Beautifully-green sea grasses to…
Stunning red beets to…
Spectacular yellow bell peppers… that possess…
Potent antioxidant properties crucial to your health*
Even though there are more than 700 naturally occurring carotenoids, most people are probably only familiar with a few and the most common one is beta-carotene..
So…
Where Do Carotenoids Come From?
Many carotenoids may be easily obtained simply by eating a good diet rich in fresh organic produce. However, the carotenoid that possesses the super-antioxidant I’m referring to is challenging to come by.
In fact, there are only 2 known sources…
A very unique source of microalgae called Haematoccous pluvialis and…
Sea creatures (salmon, and krill, for example) that consume the microalgae
To take advantage of this powerful antioxidant the way salmon do, you would need to find and consume the type of microalgae identified above (highly unlikely), or eat a healthy supply of salmon itself.
The challenge with salmon is to get adequate amounts of the antioxidant, either expensive sockeye salmon needs to be consumed, or large amounts of other types of salmon (almost 2 pounds of Atlantic salmon).
Additionally, even if it’s wild salmon, there are always concerns with mercury and other heavy metal content.
I have a much more practical solution for you to get adequate amounts of this super-antioxidant artillery… to help you benefit like salmon do*… coming up.
But first let’s explore more about what this super-antioxidant can do in…
Little ‘Miracles’ To Help Reduce the Signs of Aging*
I mentioned above how this super-antioxidant helps provide amazing anti-aging benefits.*
Well, just how does it do all that?
It all gets back to the relatively unknown carotenoid… now believed to be one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature. As a source of antioxidants and vitamin A, carotenoids are critical to the photosynthesis process. Plus, as antioxidants, they protect plants and organisms from free radical damage caused by light and oxygen.
How does this apply to you?
Well, by consuming plants or organisms containing the carotenoid pigments, you can gain a similar protective benefit.*
One area this super-nutrient has shown potential is in helping reduce the signs of normal aging.*
As you probably already know, I strongly believe in using sun exposure to get your body to produce critical amounts of vitamin D. However, over exposure and burning is not a good thing… and can be risky to your health.
By adding antioxidants to your diet to help combat sun-induced free radicals in your skin, you can help to potentially avoid…
Premature skin aging*
Excessive wrinkling*
Dryness*
Excessive number of age spots*
Proliferation of freckles*
Here’s another area where astaxanthin may provide potential benefits*…
How to Help Maintain Healthy Function of this Vital Bodily Process*
There’s a vital natural biological process that occurs inside your body every day.
In many cases, this natural biological process, known better as your immune system function, is a very beneficial to help improve your health.
But, just like anything else, too much of a good thing is not always good. When immune system mediators triggered by this process occasionally get out of control, it could effect your overall health.
Thus, it’s important to help maintain your immune response at a healthy level.*
Five of the most effective things I recommend you do to help promote a healthy immune response are…
Eat a healthy organic diet based on your Nutritional Type (NT)
Exercise regularly to help control your weight
Avoid vitamin D deficiency
Keep your stress levels in check
Avoid smoking
Plus, there is one more thing I believe you can do to help promote an optimal immune response… and that’s to consume the carotenoid and super-antioxidant called astaxanthin.*
I am so convinced of this that I have been consuming astaxanthin every day since I first learned of its incredible benefits.*
And here’s how astaxanthin can help give your stamina a boost*…
An Athlete’s Secret Weapon?*
If you’ve taken my advice on using different types of exercise as key elements in an overall health and fitness plan, you know how you can occasionally have aches and soreness after a good workout.
Well, as an athlete, or even a weekend warrior, natural astaxanthin can potentially…
Help increase strength and improve your overall stamina and endurance*
Enable quicker recovery after your workouts*
Reduce your joint and muscle soreness caused by vigorous exercise*
Improve visual acuity and depth perception*
Help protect skin from overexposure due to sun-induced free radicals*
So, how does astaxanthin potentially enhance your endurance and recovery?*
One key area astaxanthin has a positive effect is on your mitochondria.*
Mitochondria are little intracellular powerhouses within your body. They produce up to 95% of your body’s energy.
So, it should not be surprising mitochondria cells are found in your muscle tissue.
That’s where you have one of the greatest demands for intense bursts of energy.
But there is a downside to this energy-producing activity… it can generate highly reactive free radicals.
These free radicals can damage your cell membranes and oxidize your DNA. The more strenuous the workout, the more free radicals you produce. The bottom line… you can end up with tired and sore muscles.
And that’s where astaxanthin comes in.
As a powerful antioxidant, astaxanthin has been shown to effectively scavenge free radicals from muscle tissue and help reduce singlet oxygen (particular type of ‘bad’ oxidation).
This is how astaxanthin can potentially give your strength, stamina, and endurance a healthful boost.*
So, how does astaxanthin stack up against other nutrients rich with antioxidants?…
How Does this Astaxanthin Compare to Other Antioxidants?
There are many properties that make this super-carotenoid unique.
Astaxanthin compares astoundingly well to other nutrients and powerful antioxidants when it comes to free radical scavenging and neutralizing singlet oxygen.*
When it comes to free radical scavenging, astaxanthin can be as much as…
65 times more powerful than vitamin C*
54 times stronger than beta-carotene*
14 times more potent than vitamin E*
Plus, astaxanthin has been shown to be more effective than other carotenoids and other nutrients at ‘singlet oxygen quenching’ by being up to…
550 times more powerful than vitamin E*
800 times stronger than CoQ10*
6000 times greater than vitamin C*
550 times more powerful than green tea catechins*
11 times stronger than beta-carotene*
Astaxanthin was even found to be as much as 2.75 stronger than lutein with regard to singlet oxygen quenching.
Pretty amazing antioxidant… wouldn’t you agree?*
The above comparisons have been made against some incredible nutrients in their own right. Yet, astaxanthin blows them away when it comes down to effective free radical scavenging and singlet oxygen quenching.*
And here’s even more on how astaxanthin is potentially so effective…
Able to cross the blood-brain barrier and the blood-retinal barrier (beta-carotene and some others don’t do this)…*
Protects your eyes, brain, and nervous system from oxidative stress*
Potentially reduces DNA damage caused by free radicals*
Any questions why I’m simply amazed at the healthful power of this super-antioxidant?* To date, I’ve never seen anything like it.
So, all you have to do is run out to your local health store or vitamin shop to pick up this extraordinary nutrient.
Correct?
Well, it’s not that simple and there are some warnings and issues you should be aware of…
Warning: Make Sure You Get the REAL Deal
Like all nutrients, you need to be on the look out for synthetic varieties and, in my opinion, avoid them like the plague.
Fortunately with astaxanthin, this is not as much an issue with supplements. How so? Well, that I’m aware of, synthetic astaxanthin is not used in any supplements for consumption by human beings.
This is the good news…
The bad news is synthetic astaxanthin is still the most commonly found form in animal feeds. So, if you believe you’re eating healthy by consuming salmon, but the salmon is not ‘wild’ or ‘naturally colored,’ there’s a good chance you’re consuming synthetic astaxanthin indirectly.
So, what’s so bad about that?
Well, the majority of synthetic astaxanthin is produced from highly-processed petrochemicals. That means you could be consuming some forms of synthetic chemicals if you eat farmed salmon.
See, fish farmers need a way to color the salmon so they look fresh (attractive pinkish-orange-red color).
That’s where often times synthetic astaxanthin fits the bill. Some aquaculture companies are considering using natural astaxanthin because it’s healthier for the salmon and has superior pigmentation advantages. There’s only one main barrier preventing most from doing this… it costs more.
So, when buying salmon, I recommend you make sure to find wild Pacific salmon because it contains astaxanthin that is…
20 times stronger than synthetic astaxanthin
400% higher in quantity than farmed salmon
100% natural in the salmon’s pigment, and not synthetic
But even if you can afford (very expensive) and find genuine wild Pacific salmon, there still is a risk of high levels of mercury and other unwanted toxins.
Plus, you’d have to eat several ounces every single day to get the dose of astaxanthin that is present in the natural supplement I’ll introduce to coming up…
So, what, in my opinion, is the best way to get natural astaxanthin?
Why Supplementation May Be One of Your Best Approaches
To me, one of the best ways to get natural astaxanthin is through supplementation. Don’t get me wrong, wild Pacific salmon is an excellent alternative.
But as a reminder and due to the following, consuming wild Pacific salmon (particularly, sockeye) might not be completely practical because…
Wild Pacific salmon is expensive for most people
You’d have to eat approximately 3-4 ounces per day, every day, to get the approximate equivalent of 4mg of a natural astaxanthin supplement
Wild salmon may contain mercury and other risky heavy metals
You may already have recognized the name ‘astaxanthin,’ because I’ve mentioned it before on my site in reference to krill oil, my favorite source of animal based omega-3 fatty acids.
Well, even with my krill oil having one of the highest concentrations of astaxanthin on the market today, new research shows you can benefit from even higher amounts.
And that’s why I recommend a natural astaxanthin supplement for those interested in the potential health benefits.*
So, with all this said, here’s my recommendations on…
What to Look for in a Natural Formula
I’ve already reviewed above some of the potential pitfalls with some of the sources of astaxanthin.
Here’s a simple list of factors that I recommend you consider when finding a natural supplement formula…
Make sure the astaxanthin formula is created from natural marine microalgae and not some form of fungus, or some other less effective form.
Due to the fact astaxanthin is best absorbed when taken with a ‘fatty’ meal, look for a formula that contains some sort of natural oil or fatty acid that will help maximize your absorption. Without this additional ingredient, your absorption could be poor and not optimal.
Don’t just settle for what’s necessarily on the label of the bottle. Dig deeper into finding out more info on how the manufacturer guarantees stability and efficacy of the formula.
In addition, make sure the manufacturer can provide solid evidence they don’t use chemical solvents or preservatives in their formulation processes.
Due to new research, most recommendations for daily dosages of natural astaxanthin can now range from 4-8mg. So, look for at least a 4mg minimum serving size so you won’t have to take as many capsules.
As you know, krill oil does contain astaxanthin (my formula = 600 mcg per serving). But due to recent research, I recommend you consider a separate astaxanthin supplement to complement krill oil.
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To read more about Dr. Mercola’s brand of Astaxanthin click here.
Disclaimer: I am not taking nor endorsing Dr. Mercola’s brand of Astaxanthin. I am only providing information so that if this interests you, you can do your own research and speak to your doctor about taking this and any other supplements and/or medications. Please see my complete disclaimer located in the right hand column of my blog.
Larry: I’m with you too. I think plastic bottles should just be banned completely, for water and all drinks if possible. If people really want to drink lousy bottled water, have it only available in those huge containers for dispensers or for sitting on the counter. Let people fill up in in their own cup or stainless steal water bottle as Doug suggested. Products for our so-called “convenience” is ruining our planet.
I know this is extreme but hey, we’re ruining the planet in extreme ways every day. It’s going to take extreme measures to make up for all we’ve been doing.
Ryuji: Thank you. Although I have always wanted to visit Japan, I agree with you that I would not like it very much right now. That thought saddens me. The entire thing saddens me.
With respect to the movies…you never know. :) I HOPE Sony is working out well for you. And I wish you and yours good health.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
…although I am normally an energetic person, the past few years, it has been a challenge to keep my energy at a high level.
The work I do is mentally and physically demanding. I have to be very focused on my clients and their needs. You’ve heard of the saying, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”? I have a similar saying, “What happens in the closet, stays in the closet.”
What I do is very personal. My clients get naked in front of me and when they unclothe themselves, they reveal more than just their bodies. My clients have a tendency to open up to me and disclose personal thoughts about themselves and their lives. Hence, some of us stylists call ourselves “Wardrobe Therapists”, and the “therapy” part of it goes way beyond the “wardrobe”.
So when I am with client for 4-5 hours, at the end of the day, I need a little taking care of myself: A little self love an pampering is at the top of my list. My biggest problem is that I during my session, I forget my needs…I forget to take care of myself…I forget to drink water.
I’m getting better at it now. At least at the end of my sessions, I am not getting headaches anymore. But I am still not hydrating myself enough, therefore, my energy gets drained quicker.
Silly I know. If I can give my best to my clients, I can certainly do the same for myself.
So in addition to the comment posted from Health info at the beginning of this month: “7 Surprising Ways to Boost Your Energy”, I decided to post this article from Dr. Mercola. Sometimes the simplest things just need to be driven home a bit harder.
If you’re feeling low in energy from the stresses of every day life, read the Health info article and check this out:
If You’re Tired, You are Probably Lacking This
By Dr. Mercola
With all the different types of water out there and all the hype that goes with each, it can be very easy to get confused about which types of water are really best for your health. And, if you find yourself struggling with the environmental concerns of bottled water versus the dangerous chemicals in tap water, I understand.
That’s why I created this page to help clear up some confusion and help you take control of your health.
Symptoms of Dehydration
Since most of you are no longer tuned in to your bodies the way your ancestors were hundreds of years ago, you may be overlooking your body’s many cries for water.
Are you one of them? The major symptoms of dehydration are thirst, dry skin, dark colored urine and fatigue but take a look at some commonly overlooked symptoms of chronic dehydration.They are:
Digestive disturbances such as heartburn and constipation
Types of Water – How Your Choice Makes the Difference
When it comes to water, there’s more to choose from than simply tap versus bottled. Let’s closely examine each so you can make informed decisions about your water and your health.
Tap Water – Danger in Every Glass
Plain old tap water: It’s easy. It’s convenient and it comes right out of your kitchen faucet. However, as I’m sure you’ve heard, most tap water is contaminated with a host of pollutants that increase your risk of serious health problems. Let’s take a look at some of these contaminants and how they can adversely affect your health and that of your family.
Arsenic
As I’ve been stating in my articles about water since 2001, the level of arsenic in US tap water is incredibly high. This poisonous element is a powerful carcinogenic, which has been linked to an increased risk of the development of several types of cancer. In 2001 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lowered the maximum level of arsenic permitted in drinking water from 50 ug/L to 10 ug/L due to the established cancer risk.
The Natural Resources Defense Council estimates as many as 56 million Americans living in 25 states drink water with arsenic at unsafe levels. For more information, see the USGS website, which offers maps showing where and to what extent arsenic occurs in ground water across the United States.
If you still believe fluoride in your drinking water prevents cavities and helps build strong teeth, you’ve fallen for a cleverly devised mass-deception.. As this recent study done on children in India shows, fluoride is anything but a cavity fighter. fluoride is a well-known toxin that actually leads toan increased risk of cavities and can cause a wide range of health problems, including weakening your immune system and accelerating aging due to cellular damage.
Prescription and OTC Drugs
You may have been told that if you dispose of your unwanted or expired prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs in the trash instead of the toilet that you do not run any risk of it ending up in the water supply. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
As I mentioned in this previous article, water that drains through landfills, known as leach rate, eventually ends up in rivers. Although not all states source drinking water from rivers, many do.
According to studies, human cells do not grow normally when exposed to even minute amounts of prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Some drugs that were never meant to be combined are mixed together in the drinking water you consume every day. Millions of people have drug allergies. Are you among them? If so, how do you know the strange symptoms you’ve been experiencing are not due to ingesting small doses of the drugs you’re allergic to from your water?
Pregnant women should be especially wary. The toxic substances you take into your body from tap water will have a negative effect on the development of your unborn child.
Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)
Most tap community water supplies are treated with chlorine and although it may not be the healthiest element you can consume, it is far better for you than what is left behind. In my video, “Tap Water Toxins – is Your Water Trying to Kill You?“, I interview water filtration pioneer Robert Slovak about the dangers of disinfection byproducts.
Disinfection byproducts are the result of disinfecting water with chlorine. It is important to note that while consuming chlorine is certainly not healthy, DBPs are TEN THOUSAND TIMES more dangerous!
In addition to being a powerful carcinogenic, DPBs have also been linked to liver, kidney and nervous system problems.
Some health conscious people have been misled into believing that distilled water is healthy for them. As I’ve stated before, this is simply not true.
The problem with distilled water is that it is boiled and evaporated away from its dissolved minerals. The water then becomes acidic and seeks to balance itself by drawing minerals right out of your body. It will also draw out contaminants from the container it’s stored in for this same reason.
What’s worse, any contaminant in the water that vaporizes at a lower temperature than the water, such as volatile organic compounds, like disinfection byproducts that are thousands of times as toxic as chlorine, will be condensed and actuallyconcentrated in the finished distilled water. So what you end up with is water that contains even more dangerous contaminants than what you started with!
I only recommend using distilled water for a short period of time and only for the purpose of detoxification, as this water can help pull toxins from your body. Drinking it long-term, however, will most likely invite health problems.
First of all, most water ionizers and alkalizers are marketed by multi-level marketing (MLM) companies with questionable ethics
Some people experience an initial “high” when they start drinking alkaline water. This can easily be attributed to detoxification, and the fact that they are likely just becoming better hydrated.
Detoxification is about the only benefit of alkaline water, and this benefit is limited to very SHORT TERM USE (no more than a week or two). An additional concern is that many individuals have stomach dysfunctions like GERD or ulcers that are largely related to having too little stomach acid. Long-term use of alkaline or ionized water can interfere with your body’s natural digestive process by reducing the acid needed to properly break down and absorb food. This could then lead to an upset of your body’s good bacteria, which can then open the door to parasitic infection, ulcers and malabsorption.
For more information, please review my special report on this topic.
“Vitamin” Waters – Do NOT Be Fooled!
If you’ve recently switched from soda to vitamin water because you believed it to be a healthier choice, you may be disappointed by what I have to say about them: Vitamin waters are nothing more than a clever marketing scheme designed to promote a product that is just as unhealthy as soda!
Now that you know which types of water to avoid, let’s take a look at the water you should be drinking for optimal health!
Filtered Tap Water – Getting to the Gold
The most economical and environmentally sound choice you and your family can make is to purchase and install a water filter for your home. I recommend three different types of water filters and weigh the pros and cons of each. Let’s take a brief look below.
Reverse Osmosis Filter
In addition to removing chlorine, inorganic, and organic contaminants in your water, an RO filter will also remove about 80 percent of the fluoride and most DPBs. The major drawback is the expense of installing an RO filter as most need a plumber to get up and running.
Ion Exchange Filter
Ion exchange is designed to remove dissolved salts in the water, such as calcium. This system actually softens the water or exchanges natural-forming mineral ions in the water with its own ions, thereby neutralizing their harmful effect of creating scale build-up.
The ion exchange system was originally used in boilers and other industrial situations before becoming popular in home purifying units, which usually combine the system with carbon for greater effectiveness.
Granular Carbon and Carbon Block Filters
These are the most common types of counter top and under counter water filters.
Granular carbon filters and carbon block systems perform the same process of contaminant removal, adsorption, which is the chemical or physical bond of a contaminant to the surface of the filter media.
Granular activated carbon is recognized by the EPA as the best available technology for the removal of organic chemicals like herbicides, pesticides and industrial chemicals. However, one of the downfalls of granular carbon filters is that the loose material inside can channel–the water creates pathways through the carbon material, escaping filtering.
Carbon block filters offer the same superior filtering ability but are compressed with the carbon medium in a solid form. This eliminates channeling and gives the ability to precisely combine multiple media in a sub-micron filter cartridge. By combining different media, the ability to selectively remove a wide range of contaminants can be achieved.
Ideally, you want a filtration system that offers a variety of methods to remove different contaminants. Most systems do not address a combination of organic, inorganic, cyst, sediment and metals.
I’m pleased to announce that I have located a family of filters that I believe are the best filters on the market in terms of effectiveness, value, and ease of use. They are all manufactured in the U.S. under exclusive contract with a company specializing in advanced water treatment products, and will include both countertop and under-counter filters.
Living Water – Keeping the Balance
In choosing the right type of water for you and your family, you want to aim for pH balance. Distilled water is too acidic and alkaline water is too alkaline. The ideal pH of your water should be between 6.5 to 7.5, which is neutral.
Mountain spring water is in this ideal range. It is some of the healthiest water on the planet because it is “living water”. Living water, like “living food is in its raw, natural state the way nature intended.
One of the main reasons I am such an advocate for eating raw, organic vegetables is because these “living foods” contain biophotons, small units of light stored by all organic organisms, including you.
Gravity-fed spring water is alive in much the same way. When you take this vital energy into your body, you are re-charging it with health and encouraging it to return to a whole and balanced state.
Now, when I mention mountain spring water, I don’t mean the two-gallon jugs you see sitting on your grocery store shelf. I’m talking about water you bottle yourself from a gravity-fed spring. There’s a great website called FindaSpring.com where you can find a natural spring in your area. This is a great way to get back to nature and teach your children about health and the sources of clean water.
The best part is that most of these spring water sources are free!
It is important to bring either clear polyethylene or glass containers on your trip to collect the water so no unsafe chemicals can contaminate your pure drinking water on the way home. If you choose to use glass bottles, be sure to wrap them in towels to keep them from breaking in the car.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
So, how much pure filtered or spring water should you drink per day? Six glasses? Eight?
Well, here’s a good rule of thumb:
You should be drinking enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow.
If you are outside on a hot day or engaging in strenuous activity, it is advisable to increase your water intake as needed. It is also important to note that as you age, your thirst mechanism works less efficiently. Older adults need to pay more attention to the color of their urine to see if their water intake is adequate.
Coconut Water and Vegetable Juicing – Adding a Little Variety
As I mentioned in a previous article, coconuts are an excellent source of fresh, pure water and electrolytes. Coconuts are also rich in lauric acid, which is known for its immune-boosting as well as its antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties so it’s an ideal choice when you’re sick.
An even better pure healthy water is vegetable juicing. I recommend buying pesticide-free, organic vegetables for optimal nutritional benefit.
Properly digest food and absorb nutrients from food
Have healthy, glowing skin
Decrease muscle and joint inflammation
Have better circulation
Detoxify your body naturally
Finally, the extensively researched and fascinating book, Your Body’s Many Cries for Water, should be required reading by all, and definitely belongs on every health care practitioner’s bookshelf.
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Hi Zen Lill. Enjoy your Sunday!
I wish the same for all of you – see you tomorrow.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
Danny:“Since no one was claiming them”? Do you even pay attention to the last thing that I add to my blog write everyday? I didn’t think so or you wouldn’t ask me such a bold and stupid question. What gall you have asking me to make it convenient for you to steal from me.
Let me reiterate to all out there…“All material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.” (Of course if it was written on a prior locations such as She’s poetry, it is not my property.)What is not clear? It is people like you Danny that inspired me to remove my blog roll, and privatize my writes.
Jarod: Sorry about that. You can thank the greedy opportunists for depriving you of a good read. As usual the greedy ruin it for everyone else.
Readers: I have no doubt that people have already stolen many ideas here for the next big hit, the next money maker movie, and they will continue to do so, but don’t think I am going to sit back and make it easy. I have sat back for too long already. I wish I had done something a long time ago. That was my stupidity.
I feel like I do a good thing here. I spent a lot of dedicated time building this blog to the status that it has risen to, and I did it not even aware that I was doing it.
Yes, in the beginning, I like everyone else who has started a blog, hoped my blog could bring in some revenue for my time. I still do and It hasn’t. I have made sacrifices in my life to continue this blog. This more than a part time job takes away time from a job that makes me money, takes away time that I could be working out, hanging out with friends and family,etc. But I give up my precious time, something that we all have so very little of, for the betterment of this world for all.
If I didn’t believe I was doing something good for people…for the world…if I didn’t believe that I had the power in this venue to do more, believe me I wouldn’t be making such sacrifices. Life is short, and as much as I am passionate about the things I blog about, I’m not that altruistic. I am not a Mother Teresa. I’d love to get paid for my time.
However, I continue to write because even though what I am doing has not brought me value in terms of the dollar, it brings the intangible value…of insight, depth, connection, to a degree I am not even aware of. I know I and this blog, including my readers, have brought about change…and that change continues to ripple throughout the world. And that is what drives me to continue. Money is not the driving force. Bringing in revenue would not make me continue to blog, nor will the lack of it prevent me from continuing to write my blog. I have made a commitment to be here either way.
And my commitment to write is out of my passion to do something good, to learn, to inspire…to give myself a voice, give women a voice, give the animals a voice, and obviously give my readers an unedited platform to vent and rant and tell their stories. At this point I don’t think I couldn’t stop blogging if I wanted to.
That being said, I don’t say this to get recognition. Many people make sacrifices much more greater in life than I. And these sacrifices are my choice. It is my contribution. And I really enjoy doing it.
So yeah, I get a little pissy when I’m not getting a financial benefit from my years here, and greedy opportunists stroll in, read, see the dollar signs flash before their eyes…and then steal from me and others, and financially benefit from copying and claiming as their own.
However…why would I think that like life in the real world, the blog world would be any different? It isn’t. Greed lives here too.
She: Unfortunately it won’t be the last reminder that humans are greedy opportunists.
I’m done with my rant. Whatever you want to say, say it here. blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog.If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
