It's Getting Worse for Brazil and Those Summer Olympics

I wrote this at the end of January this year:

This Year's Coming Summer Olympics

And then this, the middle of March:

 On These Coming Summer Olympics?

And now, things are getting just many times worse for Brazil and the possibility of their having these Olympics this year.  These are some of the latest revelations that have come out:

Brazil World Cup winner Rivaldo warns tourists to avoid Rio

Check that out. This guy is a Brazilian himself and he's telling people to stay away, first. Second, he's an Olympic athlete who would normally want, of course, people to come to the Olympics but he's, again, advising people to not attend. That's pretty incredible alone.

At the same time as all this is going on, Brazil's President is in the middle of a scandal investigation she may well be impeached for and as soon as this evening and there are other people in the government, too, accused of financial wrongs.

Brazil impeachment: President Dilma Rousseff's fate in Senate hands

The government has had the worst or near worst

How the Rio Olympics Could Cement 

a Brazilian Coup

The nation itself has had to warn pregnant women to stay away from these Olympics due to the Zika virus and because it's considered the epicenter of the problem and outbreak.

Brazil warns pregnant women to 

stay away from Olympics

Taking that one big, no, huge step further, there's this warning and to anyone and everyone who might attend:

Public Health Professor: Because Of Zika, Rio Olympics 'Must Not Proceed'

Finally, as if all that weren't far and awful enough, there's the pollution of Rio and Brazil.

Funding problems hit plan to clean 

Rio's polluted waterways

The athletes even have to train in the pollution, nearly unbelievably.

Trash and contamination continue to 

pollute Olympic training

Rio water will still be polluted for 

Summer Olympics

It's as I said. I think these are likely to be the least attended and certainly most filed Summer Olympics, in fact, Olympics, period, since likely their being begun again, all those decades ago. 

The poor people of Brazil will be made all the poorer with this, all this.

And meantime, for the Olympics overall, perhaps now the IOC will finally, finally give up taking them around the world every 4 years to different cities. It frequently ended up bankrupting cities. Perhaps they could locate it in Greece, permanently.

Kansas City on the Zika List

An article came out this past week listing 50 cities in America that may well become exposed to the Zika virus and guess who's on it?

Potential Zika virus risk estimated 

for 50 U.S. cities

Not paranoia, just awareness, folks.

Have a great weekend.

"AIDS in Black America"

If you're not watching the Major League Baseball Game tonight, out of Kauffman Stadium here in town, you might be the type person that, instead, would watch and want to watch the "Frontline" special on PBS "AIDS in Black America:



It's one of the biggest killers of Black Americans today. It's important we recognize where this came from, where we are and where it's going.

It begins this evening at 8 pm.

Link: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/endgame-aids-in-black-america/

Secrecy of "being on the DL" and "no snitching" killing African-Americans

I've written here about the insanity of the "no snitching" code in the black community in the US, generally, but here in Kansas City, specifically, when people--usually always young men--shoot and/or kill other blacks yet witnesses say nothing to the police. It's this "no snitching" rule that keeps the shooters out on the streets, in the communities, shooting still others and impervious to the police or justice.

It is insanity.

A second ugly reality struck me today, having listened to NPR's "Fresh Air" program by Terri Gross, et. al about how the secrecy of men in the black community being "on the DL" or "down-low" about either being gay and/or participating in gay sex yet not being honest about it is also killing black men and women, both.

Some statistics:

--In 1986, roughly 20 percent of all of the people in the United States who were living with AIDS were African-American," Robert Fullilove, professor of clinical sociomedical studies at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, and chairman of the HIV/AIDS advisory committee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "The most recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control indicate that 45 percent of all the new cases of HIV infection are amongst African-Americans."

--In 2009, black men accounted for 70% of the estimated new HIV infections among all blacks. The estimated rate of new HIV infection for black men was more than six and a half times as high as that of white men, and two and a half times as high as that of Latino men or black women.

--In 2009, black men who have sex with men (MSM)1 represented an estimated 73% of new infections among all black men, and 37% among all MSM. More new HIV infections occurred among young black MSM (aged 13–29) than any other age and racial group of MSM. In addition, new HIV infections among young black MSM increased by 48% from 2006–2009.

--In 2009, black women accounted for 30% of the estimated new HIV infections among all blacks. Most (85%) black women with HIV acquired HIV through heterosexual sex. The estimated rate of new HIV infections for black women was more than 15 times as high as the rate for white women, and more than three times as high as that of Latina women.

--Blacks are 13% of the US population but make up 49% of the AIDS cases in the country.




I wasn't personally aware that AIDS in the black community is epidemic and that it's killing both black men and women at record rates.

It's a horrible, unnecessary tragedy and it needs to stop.

And one of the ways it can and must stop is for all blacks in America--those of faith and those without--to stop thinking or believing that same-sex attraction is new to humanity, that it's "against nature" and "God's will" and that it's wrong. The homophobia and fear and even hate, must end.

This will be asking a great deal, at least, I know.

The social stigma of being both black and gay in the US is so strong and heavy that it's not only keeping people from being who they actually are, it's also killing these men and women.

The radio show today also pointed out that the "corrections" system in America and drug use as well as poverty is also propelling the incidents of AIDS to these record levels.

This situation has many roots. America needs to start addressing this problem, these problems, and all their sources so we can halt these unnecessary illnesses and tragic deaths.

Links: http://www.npr.org/2012/07/05/156292172/aids-in-black-america-a-public-health-crisis

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/aids/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/endgame-aids-in-black-america/

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/aa/

http://www.avert.org/hiv-african-americans.htm

http://www.womenshealth.gov/minority-health/african-americans/hiv-aids.cfm/

http://www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov/templates/content.aspx?ID=3019

A story on Missouri kids and tobacco I missed

Last month, a story was released on Missouri's rank, nationally, on how it funds programs to keep children from tobacco and smoking. Unfortunately, it's not good news: Missouri Ranks 48th in Protecting Kids from Tobacco WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Missouri ranks 48th in the nation in funding programs to prevent kids from smoking and help smokers quit, according to a national report released today by a coalition of public health organizations. Missouri currently spends $60,000 a year on tobacco prevention and cessation programs, which is 0.1 percent of the $73.2 million recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)." What's really horrible about this, besides, first, that we don't seem to care about our children's health statewide, is that Missouri collects $245 million this year "from the 1998 tobacco settlement and tobacco taxes, but will spend almost none of it on tobacco prevention programs." Making this far worse is that "•The tobacco companies spend $419.9 million a year to market their products in Missouri. This is 6,998 times what the state spends on tobacco prevention." The final travesty? That money is just shuffled off, to be spent elsewhere. Sorry, kids. Really. Sorry. Apparently there is no shame in Jefferson City at all. Link: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/missouri-ranks-48th-in-protecting-kids-from-tobacco-108682719.html

"Wanna' grab a Coke?"

Thanks and a hat tip to Matt Payton's Tumble-O-Rama.

According to the Nutrition Research Center, this is what happens to your body within one hour of drinking a can of soda:

-10 minutes: 10 teaspoons of sugar hit your system, which is 100 percent of your recommended daily intake. You'd normally vomit from such an intake, but the phosphoric acid cuts the flavor.

-20 minutes: Your blood sugar skyrockets. Your pancreas attempts to maximize insulin production in order to turn high levels of sugar into fat.

-40 minutes: As your body finishes absorbing the caffeine, your pupils dilate, your blood pressure rises, and your liver pumps more sugar into the bloodstream. Adenosine receptors in your brain are blocked preventing you from feeling how tired you may actually be.

-45 minutes: Your body increases dopamine production, causing you to feel pleasure and adding to the addictiveness of the beverage. This physical neuro response works the same way as it would if we were consuming heroin.

-60 minutes: The phosphoric acid binds calcium, magnesium and zinc in your lower intestine, which boosts your metabolism a bit further. High doses of sugar and artificial sweeteners compound this effect, increasing the urinary excretion of calcium. The caffeine’s diuretic properties come into play. (You have to GO!) Your body will eliminate the bonded calcium, magnesium and zinc that was otherwise heading to your bones. And you will also flush out the sodium, electrolytes and water. Your body has eliminated the water that was in the soda. And in the process it was infused with nutrients and minerals your body would have otherwise used to hydrate your system or build body cells, bones, teeth.

-60 minutes: The sugar crash begins. You may become irritable and/or sluggish. You start feeling like crap. Time to grab another? 

And we drink this why?

And we let our children drink this crap why?


In answer to the question, above, "How soon is too soon?"


How does not at all sound?

Links: http://mattpayton.tumblr.com/post/5013993559

 http://www.drmomma.org/2008/01/your-body-within-1-hour-of-drinking.html   

Follow up on earlier post: Wanna' know about that meat you're buying?

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Food for thought, folks.

No pun intended.

We're all going to end up vegetarians yet

A new, ugly, possibly dangerous wrinkle in both our medicine and food chain was announced today:

Some bacteria in grocery meat resistant to antibiotics: study

By Aman Ali

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Researchers have found high levels of bacteria in meat commonly found on grocery store shelves, with more than half of the bacteria resistant to multiple types of antibiotics, according to a study released on Friday.

While the meat commonly found in grocery stores is still safe to eat, consumers should take precautions especially in handling and cooking, the chief researcher for the study said.

The study by the Arizona-based Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGRI) examined 136 meat samples from 26 grocery stores in Illinois, Florida, California, Arizona and Washington D.C.

Dr. Lance Price, the head researcher on the study, said high levels of Staphylococcus aureus (S.Aureus) bacteria were found in the meat.

"Staph causes hundreds of thousands of infections in the United States every year," Price said in an interview. "It causes a whole slew of infections ranging from skin infections to really bad respiratory infections like pneumonia."

Here are the real kickers:

Staph infections also kill more people in the United States each year than HIV, he said.

The study found that in 96 percent of the meats with staph bacteria the bacteria were resistant to at least one type of antibiotic, and 52 percent were resistant to three or more types.

"The bacteria is always going to be there. But the reason why they're resistant is directly related to antibiotic use in food animal production," Price said. "Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to public health we face today."


"The bacteria is always going to be there, but the reason why they're resistant is directly related to antibiotic use in food animal production."

And on that cheery little note, ladies and gentlemen, I wish you all a great weekend.  If you're grilling out, you'd better go for medium well.

Links:  http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110415/us_nm/us_food_bacteria_study
http://www.foodincmovie.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqQVll-MP3I

First there was the MRSA anti-virus; now, CRKP is here in Missouri, too

If you've had any hospital stays in the last few years, you're likely familiar with the super anti-virus MRSA, for which hospitals have had little or no effect fighting.

It seems we've antibiotic-ed ourselves into a never-never world where little if anything fights these infections.  It can and has killed people.  You go into the hospital to get better but instead, contract MRSA and get worse.

Or die.

Honestly.

Well, now, news is out of a newer and apparently more strain-resistant infection, CRKP (carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae).  And the fact is, it's been found here in Missouri, too:

Just so you know, it's another strain-resistant bacteria.

And it's here.

    

Links:http://health.yahoo.net/experts/dayinhealth/antibiotic-superbugs-crkp-mrsa-risk

http://patients.about.com/od/medicalmistakessafety/a/CRKP-Superbug-Infection-Found-In-Hospitals-And-Healthcare-Facilities.htm

http://patients.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=patients&cdn=health&tm=14&f=00&su=p284.9.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/cre.html

It's Spring: What you should know about strawberries

Sure, it's Spring and with it comes warm weather and fresh, new, Spring asparagus and--what else?--strawberries, of course.

But instead of just blindly running to the grocery store and buying them up, day after day and/or week after week, it seems there's plenty we need to know about corporate America's strawberries.  To wit:

Strawberries may be a superfood—but they pose a potential risk unless you go organic. In addition to having up to 13 pesticides detected on the fruit, according to an Environmental Working Group (EWG) analysis, conventional "strawberries have a large surface area and all those tiny bumps, which makes the pesticides hard to wash off, so you’re ingesting more of those chemicals," explains Marion Nestle, PhD, a professor of nutrition and public health at New York University and author of What to Eat.


Not to be done there, unfortunately...

If you can, also skip conventional peaches, apples, blueberries, and cherries, which are typically treated with multiple pesticides and usually eaten skins-on.


And then there's...


Beef
You’ve probably read plenty of stories about the risks of eating chicken. But the most important protein to buy organic may well be beef. "Research suggests a strong connection between some of the hormones given to cattle and cancer in humans, particularly breast cancer," says Samuel Epstein, MD, professor emeritus of environmental and occupational medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health. Specifically, the concern is that the estrogen-like agents used on cattle could increase your cancer risk, adds Ted Schettler, MD, science director at the Science and Environmental Health Network.

Though there are strong regulations about the use of hormones in cattle, "not all beef producers are following those regulations strictly, and some studies continue to find hormone residue in cattle," Dr. Schettler says. When you buy beef that’s been certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), you’re not only cutting out those hormones, you’re also avoiding the massive doses of antibiotics cows typically receive, which the USDA says may lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in people


As they used to say on the old TV show "Hill Street Blues"-- "Let's be careful out there..."


You might want to read the entire article since it's about "11 things you should buy organic":  http://shine.yahoo.com/event/green/11-things-you-should-buy-organic-2467411/

New data on suicide--and two predictions.

From The New York Times (I actually saw a small blurb on this in last Sunday's Kansas City Star newspaper but upon doing a search just now for it, as usual, it didn't work--way to go, Star):

Rise in Suicides of Middle-Aged Is Continuing
By Patricia Cohen
Published: June 4, 2010

For the second year in a row, middle-aged adults have registered the highest suicide rate in the country, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Historically, the eldest segment of the population, those 80 and older, have had the highest rates of suicide in the United States. Starting in 2006, however, the suicide rate among men and women between the ages of 45 and 54 was the highest of any age group.

The most recent figures released, from 2007, reveal that the 45-to-54 age group had a suicide rate of 17.6 per every 100,000 people. The second highest was the 75-to-84 age range, with a rate of 16.4, followed by those between 35 and 44, with a 16.3.

The rate for 45- to 54-year-olds in 2006 was 17.2 per 100,000 people, and in 2005 it was 16.3.


My predictions:

1) While the economy is certainly, I think it can be shown, better this year than last, I believe, too, that it's going to stay "not good" and get a bit worse. Frankly, I hope I'm wrong, of course, but I think that's where we're headed and that it has an impact on these numbers;

2) These rates, above, will increase still more and dramatically, I'm afraid. (literally);

Again, naturally, I hope I'm wrong.

Link to original post:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/06/us/06suicide.html

Additional information:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/19/us/19suicide.html