Journal ISSN 1078-1935 – Page 1936 – Public Intelligence Blog

2013/05/222013/05/22

Michelle Monk: Chinese Plant Compound Wipes out Cancer in 40 Days, Says New Research + Innovation and Technology Repression RECAP

07 Health, Commerce, Corruption, Design, Earth Intelligence, Government, Innovation, Knowledge

Chinese Plant Compound Wipes Out Cancer in 40 Days, Says New Research

A little-known plant with a truly bizarre name is now making headlines as a cancer killer, with the compound of the plant vanishing tumors in mice with pancreatic cancer.

Known as the ‘thunder god vine’ or lei gong teng, the Chinese plant is actually integrated into Chinese medicine and has been used for ages in remedying a number of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis.

According to the new research out of the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Cancer Center, the thunder god plant compound led to no signs of tumors after a 40 day period — even after discontinuing the treatment. Published in the journal Science Translational Medicine and funded by the National Institutes of Health, even the scientists working on the project were stunned by the anti-cancer properties of the compound. Known to contain something known as triptolide, which has been identified as a cancer fighter in previous research, it is thought to be the key component that may be responsible for the anti-tumor capabilities.

Study leader and vice chairman of research at the Cancer Center explained to Bloomberg how he was blown away by the effects of the simple plant:

“This drug is just unbelievably potent in killing tumor cells,” he said. – See more.

And just like with numerous other powerful substances like turmeric and ginger, mainstream science is still slowly confirming what many traditional practitioners have known for their entire lives. This is, of course, due to the fact that there is simply no money for major corporations in researching the healing powers of natural herbs and compounds such as the compound found in the thunder god vine. Turmeric and ginger, for example, have been found to be amazing anti-cancer substances that are virtually free compared to expensive and dangerous cancer drugs.

Nevertheless, the Big Pharma sponsored corporate scientists have managed to ignore these spices as much as possible. In fact, they have even been caught time and time again faking thousands of studies to fraudulently demonstrate the supposed value of pharmaceutical drugs pushed by major pharma juggernauts — many of which are later forced to pay millions in fines which only slightly stack up against their billions in profits.

Profits that are threatened by the many real studies that were performed by scientists examining the rejeuvenating power of cheap ingredients like turmeric, which has been found by peer-reviewed research available on PubMed to positively influence over 590 conditions.

Continue reading “Michelle Monk: Chinese Plant Compound Wipes out Cancer in 40 Days, Says New Research + Innovation and Technology Repression RECAP”

2013/05/222013/05/22

Sepp Hasslberger: Compressing Air Into Earth for Energy Storage

05 Energy

Not just blowing in the wind: Compressing air for renewable energy storage

Study IDs 2 compressed air energy storage methods, sites for the Northwest

RICHLAND, Wash. – Enough Northwest wind energy to power about 85,000 homes each month could be stored in porous rocks deep underground for later use, according to a new, comprehensive study. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Bonneville Power Administration identified two unique methods for this energy storage approach and two eastern Washington locations to put them into practice.

Compressed air energy storage plants could help save the region's abundant wind power – which is often produced at night when winds are strong and energy demand is low – for later, when demand is high and power supplies are more strained. These plants can also switch between energy storage and power generation within minutes, providing flexibility to balance the region's highly variable wind energy generation throughout the day.

“With Renewable Portfolio Standards requiring states to have as much as 20 or 30 percent of their electricity come from variable sources such as wind and the sun, compressed air energy storage plants can play a valuable role in helping manage and integrate renewable power onto the Northwest's electric grid,” said Steve Knudsen, who managed the study for the BPA.

Geologic energy savings accounts

All compressed air energy storage plants work under the same basic premise. When power is abundant, it's drawn from the electric grid and used to power a large air compressor, which pushes pressurized air into an underground geologic storage structure. Later, when power demand is high, the stored air is released back up to the surface, where it is heated and rushes through turbines to generate electricity. Compressed air energy storage plants can re-generate as much as 80 percent of the electricity they take in.

Read full press release from DOE Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

See Also:

05 Energy (215)

Environment (Solutions) (145)

2013/05/222013/05/22

David Swanson: Connecticutt Takes First Step Toward Peace Economy

Civil Society, Commerce, Ethics, Government, Peace Intelligence

Connecticut Advances Conversion from War to Peace Economy

The Connecticut legislature has sent to the governor to sign a bill that would create a commission to develop a plan for, among other things:

“the diversification or conversion of defense-related industries with an emphasis on encouraging environmentally-sustainable and civilian product manufacturing. On or before December 1, 2014, the commission shall submit such report to the Governor and, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce.”

The commission “shall Advise the General Assembly and the Department of Economic and Community Development on issues relating to the diversification or conversion of defense-related industries” among other things.

Read the full text.

According to Peace Action, sponsor State Senator Toni N. Harp from New Haven has said,

“The proposed Futures Commission will set up a framework that allows us to convert many of our military related jobs and infrastructure into non-military industries.”

This is a remarkable breakthrough that didn't just come out of nowhere:

“In November 2012, a ballot referendum passed in New Haven that called for moving the money from war to jobs rebuilding our infrastructure and human needs. This referendum won support nearly 6 to 1! This winter in Connecticut, the US Peace Council, No Nukes No War, the City of New Haven Peace Commission with the support of the state AFL-CIO and International Association of Machinists worked to get SB619 introduced in the state legislature calling for a Futures Commission whose goals is to investigate how to convert the weapons manufacturing industries to producing civilian, green products and retain and develop manufacturing in the state. The Commission that this bill creates will include representatives of labor, peace and environmental organizations.”

Continue reading “David Swanson: Connecticutt Takes First Step Toward Peace Economy”

2013/05/222013/05/22

SmartPlanet: US Encouraged to Allow Private Retaliation Attacks Against Hackers — Pathetic Insanity Spurred on by Incapacity of USG — + Cyber-Idiocy Meta-RECAP

Idiocy, Ineptitude, IO Impotency

U.S. encouraged to allow firms to retaliate against hackers

Throwing money at creating cyberpolice forces and technology to keep up with digital threats may not be the only tactics the U.S. will employ in the future.

As a meeting between President Obama and the new president of China, Xi Jinping, draws near, former senior officials in the Obama Administration will recommend a series of steps to deter hackers from the country from stealing U.S. industrial secrets.

Dennis C. Blair and Jon M. Huntsman Jr., leaders of the private Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property, suggest that if less forceful measures to deter hackers fail, then companies should be granted the right to protect their systems on their own terms.

The right to retaliate against cyberattackers is detailed in the commission’s report, due for release today.

China and the United States have constantly clashed over the prevalence of cyberattacks. A recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Defense laid the blame for widespread cyber espionage campaigns against U.S. targets squarely at the Chinese government and military’s feet.

China denies these claims, and has said that accusations are “groundless.”

If hacking counterattacks are made legal, the report argues, then “there are many techniques that companies could employ that would cause severe damage to the capability” as long as law enforcement agencies are aware of what’s going on. However, if attacking becomes the best defense, then some government officials fear that the cyberwar between nations will quickly escalate and could end up out of control.

As a last resort, the report says that tariffs or restrictions could be placed on the import of Chinese products, a measure that Senators have already considered. This month, a new bill was proposed that would block the import of products which contain U.S. technology stolen through cybercrime.

Read More at ZDNet which in turn riffed off NYT.

Continue reading “SmartPlanet: US Encouraged to Allow Private Retaliation Attacks Against Hackers — Pathetic Insanity Spurred on by Incapacity of USG — + Cyber-Idiocy Meta-RECAP”

2013/05/222013/05/22

Chuck Spinney: Syrian Use of Chemical Weapons? Bullshit. + Syria Regional Meta-RECAP

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Proliferation, Officers Call

Pressure is mounting for the US to become involved in the Syrian civil war. Advocates of intervention have all sorts of motives. Once of the most attractive talking points from the perspective of the interventionists is the Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons on its own people. This short and well focused essay addresses that allegation …. The author is one one of the most seasoned reporters now covering the Middle East.

MAY 20, 2013

Why the Claims of Sarin Gas Don't Add Up

Syria Has No Reason to Use Chemical Weapons

by PATRICK COCKBURN, Counterpunch

‘I am not afraid of anything except for God and poison gas,” said an Iraqi officer who had fought in the Iran-Iraq war. “It’s like a ghost. You have no defence against it.” Though not a target of poison gas as a member of the army using it, he knew what it did to its victims.

Poison gas is a terrifying weapon. People are still dying in Iran from the effects of ingesting it a quarter of a century ago. It is one of the few weapons to be banned with partial success between its first use on a mass scale in the First World War and again by Saddam Hussein with even greater intensity against Iranians and Kurds in the 1980s.

It is right, therefore, that the alleged attack by the Syrian armed forces using chemical weapons against Saraqeb, a rebel-held town south-west of Aleppo on 29 April, should be carefully investigated. Doctors told the BBC’s Ian Pannell that after an artillery bombardment they treated eight people with breathing problems, some of whom were vomiting and others who had constricted pupils.

Continue reading “Chuck Spinney: Syrian Use of Chemical Weapons? Bullshit. + Syria Regional Meta-RECAP”

2013/05/222013/05/22

Chuck Spinney: Hezbollah’s Moment — Historical Force?

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 06 Genocide, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Wild Cards, 09 Justice, 10 Security, 10 Transnational Crime, 11 Society, Civil Society, Ethics, Government, Military, Officers Call, Peace Intelligence

The popular perception of Hezbollah as simply an Islamic terrorist organization has been colored by American-Israeli propaganda (particularly wrt to relations with Iran and Syria), sloppy reporting, and a growing sense of Islamophobia in American culture.

Rami Khouri is a prolific Lebanese intellectual who writes widely on the Middle East. His austere, direct form of writing lays out arguments clearly and concisely. Like all writers of Middle Eastern affairs, his predictions are often wrong, but unlike most, his fault lines, when they occur, are easily traced. In short, Khouri is always a good read and well worth following, because even if his arguments turn out to be erroneous, they are a fount of useful information.

Attached below is his fascinating take on Hezbollah. I reformatted it to highlight his points but have not changed a word or the order of his words. Some readers find my highlighting distracting, others like it; if you are one of the former, the link below will take you to the original.

Chuck Spinney

Hezbollah’s Moment of Reckoning in Qusayr

22 May 2013

BEIRUT — The most fascinating aspect of the war in Syria this month — and perhaps also the most significant in terms of long-term regional geo-politics — is the direct involvement of Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese Shiite party and resistance group that is closely allied to Iran and Syria. The significance of Hezbollah’s participation in the battle for the Syrian town of Qusayr comprises several distinct elements:

Continue reading “Chuck Spinney: Hezbollah's Moment — Historical Force?”

2013/05/222013/05/22

Sterling Seagrave: OSINT & Truth Network (Bottom Up) versus Fascist Coven Network (Top Down) — Adds Nordic & BENELUX, Switzerland Evaluations

#OSE Open Source Everything, Collective Intelligence, Communities of Practice, Cultural Intelligence, Earth Intelligence, Ethics, Gift Intelligence, Peace Intelligence

Responding to 2013 Robert Steele Answers on OSINT to PhD Student in Denmark

You refer several times to what you call “unethical private sector parties whose only focus is on money in, not intelligence out.” This is what corrupted Truman's initiative. Covens like this go way back in history, but in the US more recently it coalesced around the group that set up the Fed, expanded to include globetrotters like Wild Bill Donovan and the Dulles Brothers. They, in turn, brought in collusion with Meyer Lansky, a merger of Mafia with highest level Masons, and a very powerful group of attorneys (Paul Helliwell, etc), financiers (Averell Harriman, etc), who were vigorously engaged in financing the Bolsheviks, the Nazis, the Fascists, Imperialists, and eventually Neo-Cons. While financing these groups to put power into dictatorship-of-the-State (everyone else being disposable serfs), they profited from moving heroin and other drugs, and siphoned off all the gold they could to personal offshore caches. In effect, this created a covert government-within-a-government, enabled them to take over mass media, and to use pharmaceuticals to stupefy the general public. The formal government of the US is now 90% corrupted into what's been called “a parliament of whores”. Huge sums provided to “rescue” Greece, etc., vanish. The coven has brought together as many fascist foreign governments as possible, so in effect it is attempting to set up its “invisible government” as the new global government. In doing so it has subverted the UN, and virtually all global organizations such as the FAO. This is why OSINT is having such a difficult time, reversing the poisonous current. The last thing the coven wants is an honest, moral, and open source of truthful information for the public.

How many and which fascist governments?

Continue reading “Sterling Seagrave: OSINT & Truth Network (Bottom Up) versus Fascist Coven Network (Top Down) — Adds Nordic & BENELUX, Switzerland Evaluations”