johnalexwood #navbar-iframe { display:block } function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener("load", function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } skip to main | skip to sidebarjohnalexwoodAn eclectic mix of press releases, reviews, announcements and positive newsScientology Blogosphere Headline Animator ↑ Grab this Headline Animator Church of Scientology London Takes Part in the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay 7 of the 10-member Church of Scientology London relay teamA surprise last minute entrant to the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay (which took place on Thursday 25 Sept 08) was the Church of Scientology London. Believed to be the first religion to take part in the race, the Church opened its doors in the City, in Queen Victoria Street, in October 2006.The Scientology team, which came 62nd out of 100 (as we all know, it's the taking part that matters, hey?) are happy to have contributed to the £5,000 prize that was donated by the winning team - Legal & General - to the Children's Trust (presented by British Lions rugby ace, Richard Hill) and to have been part of the whole event. It was a great atmosphere and a lot of fun!And well spotted, yes that is Hayley (second from left in the above photo) in the centre of the photo on the Bloomberg Square Mile Relay webpage!Click here for 3 pages of photos and video clips! The Church of Scientology London, located at 146 Queen Victoria Street, EC4V 4BY, welcomes visitors interested in learning more about Scientology for themselves to its permanent free 1st-floor exhibition, open 7 days a week. The exhibition includes audio-visual presentations of the Church’s work across society in the fields of drug prevention, education and rehabilitation; criminal reform; literacy; human rights (particularly within the psychiatric profession); and morals. Links and Media:Bloomberg Square Mile Relay - http://www.squaremilesport.com/relay/bloomberg/City sprinters come out to race - http://www.cityam.com/index.php?news=21965My Scientology Blog - http://myscientology.blogspot.com/2008/10/church-of-scientology-london-runs-for.htmlPosted byUpTone Business Newsat7:13 PM0comments  Labels:charity,city of london,relay,runIsaac Hayes - musician, humanitarian Soul legend, Isaac Hayes, with the well-known photographer, Hy Money, at the 2004 Saint Hill Gala Charity Concert, East Grinstead, West Sussex.Click here for more info: http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-58507Posted byUpTone Business Newsat11:58 AM0commentsLabels:charity,concert,crystal palace,humanitarian,isaac hayes,music,photographer,shaftWhy Scientology is so against PsychiatryWhy are Scientologists so against psychiatry, psychiatrists and psychiatric treatment? You'll have a good idea why once you've seen this video; an overview of what is on display at the Industry of Death Museum at 6616 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028: Better still, if you plan to visit LA or if you live there, go and see the museum for yourself.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat7:07 PM0commentsLabels:big pharma,drugs,ect,fraud,los angeles,museum,pharmaceutical,prescription,psych,psychiatric,psychiatrist,psychiatrists,psychiatryThe Truth About L. Ron HubbardWho was L. Ron Hubbard? This new video goes some way to answering that question: Posted byUpTone Business Newsat3:45 PM0commentsLabels:dianetics,exteriorization,founder,human spirit,l ron hubbard,past lives,philosophy,religion,scientologyInside a Church of ScientologyWhat's it like being a Scientologist?This new video goes some way to answering that question: Posted byUpTone Business Newsat3:29 PM2commentsLabels:counselling,depression,dianetics,education,help,hope,philosophy,religion,scientology,self-help,studyGERMAN RE-ARMAMENT and MILITARY OPERATIONS1933 to 1941 A Nazi Rally at The Stadium in Nuremberg in 1934Adolph Hitler was the most evil dictator the world has ever known*. During Hitler’s 12 years in power, some 11 Million people were put to death and, as a result of the World War he caused, some 70 Million military and civilian people died.This paper is not about Hitler; it is an account of the re-armament and the military operations of the German armed forces in the eight years from 1933, when Hitler and the Nationalist Socialist Democratic Workers Party (Nazi party) came to power, to the year that Germany was at the peak of its power, 1941.At the beginning of 1933, the unemployment rate in Germany was over 30%. The standard of living was low; the country was in a demoralized state. The Versailles Treaty limited the German Army to 100,000 men for security duties only. There was no Air Force. The Navy was restricted to 24 old WW1 ships and 15,000 men.As soon as Hitler and the Nazis took power in 1933 they set about dismantling the existing democratic form of government and installing Nazism throughout Germany. By 1934, Germany was a totalitarian state. From the start, Hitler’s policy was World Domination. In 1935 the Versailles Treaty was torn up and a Four Year Re-armament Plan was launched.In 1935, the whole nation was put on a war footing. Over the next four years enormous and wide-ranging projects were undertaken. Industry was expanded to produce armaments in large quantities. Over 2,000 Km of motorway (autobahn) was constructed. Strikes were illegal. Every fit man had to take part in the war effort or was conscripted into the armed forces. Unemployment went down to zero.The German Armed forces underwent massive expansion. The military strategy of Germany’s new armed forces was to be the ‘Blitzkreig’ (lighting war). There were to be Stuka dive-bombers to terrorise the enemy ground forces; highly mobile ‘motorized’ infantry and artillery to overwhelm them; the tanks were to be of greater speed and fire-power than of any other European army; the Luftwaffe was to have a greater number of, and more advanced fighter and bomber aircraft, than any other European Air Force; the Navy was to have ‘pocket battleships’ (small, fast and superior fire-power cruisers) as well as some modern battle ships, destroyers etc; the main naval weapon was to be the ‘U-Boat’ (submarine), in numbers greater than in any other Navy,By 1940, at the end of the Four Year Plan, the German Army had 2.5 million men and 2,500 tanks. The Air Force had been re-established and was equipped with 3,200 warplanes. The Navy had some 40 new warships and 67 submarines -- and a U-boat building programme which launched several hundred more in the following years.In 1938, Hitler started to implement his plans for world domination – “Greater Germany”. First was the annexation of Austria. Next that year was the annexation of Sudetenland, a part of Czechoslovakia.In 1939 the rest of Czechoslovakia was invaded by German forces and occupied. Next, Poland was invaded and the Polish armed forces were quickly overcome. Poland was divided in two – half being occupied by Germany and the other half by USSR.In 1940 the German Army attacked and overran the Armies of France, Belgium, Holland, Norway and took control of Denmark by non-violent agreement. The British Expeditionary Force in France comprising some of 400,000 men was defeated. Later that year, the German Army occupied Hungary and Romania.It was in 1940 that the German forces suffered their first set-back. Having occupied most of Western Europe, the German Army prepared to invade Britain from France. This required German air supremacy over the English Channel. The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) attempted but was unable to achieve this while suffering heavy losses in the attempt. The invasion was abandoned and, instead, the Navy’s Submarine fleet was given the job of securing the UK’s submission by denying the Atlantic to Britain’s merchant ships and thus cutting the vital supply line between the UK and the USA and Canada. In this the U-boats nearly, but not quite, succeeded.In 1941 the German military occupations continued. Greece, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Crete fell. The German Army landed a force in North Africa which threatened to conquer Egypt and the Suez Canal, and onwards to the Middle East and the oil-fields. (In the event, that plan failed.) In June that year, the German Army invaded the Soviet Union and in the following six months they took control of a very large area of Western USSR – by December they were nearing Moscow.At this point, the end of 1941, just eight years after Hitler came to power, Germany had gained control of 15 countries, a territory several times greater than Germany itself, and the number of people now under German rule was several times greater than Germany’s own population of 80 million. In the annals of history, for one nation to accomplish such industrial and military results in just eight years has to be unique.POSTSCRIPT By the end of 1941, the advance on Moscow had failed and the German Army was forced to retreat. It was the beginning of the end of Hitler’s plans for world domination. By 1945, 12 years after he came to power, the Germans had left all the territories they had occupied, Germany itself was occupied and in ruins, millions of Germans had lost their lives in the war, and Hitler had killed himself.* A possible exception is Joseph Stalin, Dictator of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1953, who put to death an estimated 20 Million to 30 Million people.L.BerneyJuly 2008Posted byUpTone Business Newsat6:03 PM0commentsLabels:dictator,fascism,germany,hitler,nazi,rearmament,second world war,world domination,world war 2,wwiiDEMOCRACYThe foreign policy of the USA is to install Democracy in every country throughout the World.What constitutes a Democracy? "Government of the people, for the people." ---Abraham LincolnDemocracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.---Sir WinstonHow many people live in a Democracy?How many do not?by L. Berney THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA President George W.Bush and his Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Condoleezza Rice, frequently reiterate that, “…in the National Interests of the United States of America…”, all the countries in the World which are not Democratic should be converted to Democracy. Regime change -- converting non-Democratic governments to Democratic governments -- is one of the stated principle objectives of the American government’s foreign policy. The reasons they give are, primarily, to “prevent the destabilization of international order” which, they presume, will inevitably threaten the security of the USA; Democratic states are likely to be more stable than non-Democratic ones. Another reason is “the fight against terrorism” -- to protect US interests at home and overseas from acts of terrorism. It is thought that terrorists are supported by non-Democratic countries and that Democratic governments would help the USA to fight terrorism. A third reason (not usually emphasized) for the USA’s need to install Democracy in non-Democratic countries (at least, in certain ones) is concerned with the supply of oil and gas. For the survival of the Americans’ way of life, the uninterrupted availability of oil and gas is not a luxury, it is a basic necessity – just as vital as the other necessities: water, food, clothing, and shelter. The USA’s own oil and gas fields cannot supply all the country’s needs and it is essential, therefore, for the USA to import oil and gas from overseas. It is thought that the security and continuity of this foreign supply is more certain if the supplying country is Democratic than if it is not. (It is interesting to note that neither the United Nations, nor the European Union, nor any sovereign country other than the USA has a policy of imposing Democracy on any other country – the USA is alone in this.) So, the USA wants to install Democracy throughout the World. But what is a Democracy? I was interested to find out what constitutes a Democratic Government. HISTORIC BACKGROUND TO 21st CENTURY DEMOCRACY From the beginnings of human civilization, some 10,000 years ago, mankind has formed communities, then states, then nations. For a civilization to exist, there has to be some form of government. From the beginning, the form of government has been “Autocracy”, a one-person all-powerful Ruler, a King or Queen, a Pharaoh, Caesar, Mogul, Kaiser, Tsar etc. In Islamic lands the religious leaders, the Ayatollahs and Imams, were the autocratic Rulers. The Ruler laid down the rules (laws) that the people over whom he ruled must obey. The Ruler gathered around him a group of barons (or Ministers as they are now called) to enforce his rules. The barons appointed their own enforcers. All Rulers have the same personal objective: the attainment of personal POWER and WEALTH. Power to enforce other people to obey his laws and to punish them if they don’t -- Wealth to enjoy a high standard of living for himself and his family, and to accumulate personal enrichment. The objective of the barons (Ministers) and enforcers is, likewise, attaining their own personal Power and Wealth. Throughout history, the people being governed have wanted to have some say in the rules they have to obey, and especially in the taxes they have to pay, and on how that money is spent. To appease this pressure, Rulers have allowed the existence of advisers, councils, parliaments etc., but the Rulers always maintained their ultimate and overall power. From the beginnings of civilization, this ‘one person ruler’ form of government (Autocracy) was universal. It was virtually the only known form of government until the latter part of the 19th Century when a new form of government, named “Democracy”, started to take root. (The word ‘”Democracy” is derived from the Greek, demos, ‘the people’ and ‘kratia, ‘power, rule’.) In 1775, 13 of the British Colonies in North America rebelled and declared themselves independent of the rule of the British King (then King George III) and formed the ‘United States of America’. A Congress (a National Government) was formed consisting of 65 Representatives of the people of those ex-colonies. This was the World’s first Government by Representative Democracy. Representative Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people who rule through freely elected representatives. All rules/laws were to be enacted by these representatives by majority vote “for the general good”. All men were to be equal under the law. There was a written Constitution to protect minorities and there was to be a system of “checks and balances” Over the next decades, the concept of government by Representative Democracy slowly replaced government by one person Autocracy (Monarchy) throughout Europe. First was France – the French Revolution in the 1789 replaced King Louis XVI. In Britain, during the 19th and early 20th Centuries, the Monarchy gradually and finally handed over its powers to a democratically elected parliament. In all of the new European Democracies, it was the parliaments that made the laws and decided on the taxes; the Monarchs either became Constitutional Monarchs or the Monarchy was abolished. In the 10,000-year history of civilization, government by Democracy, commencing only just over 200 years ago, is still very new. In the last two Centuries we have seen autocratic Monarchy and Colonialism replaced by several other forms of government: Communism, National Socialism, Fascism, Apartheid, Authoritarian Regime, and of course Democracy. Some failed – Communism, Authoritarian Regimes and Democracy still exist. As to the future of Democracy, some think, “the jury is still out”! DEMOCRACY AS IT IS PRACTICED TODAY The USA wants every country to be Democratic. But what, exactly, is Democracy? How do you measure it? To answer that question, in January 2007 the Economist newspaper conducted a survey of the level of Democracy in 167 countries, the inhabitants of which comprise 95% of the total population of the World. They said about measuring Democracy: There is no consensus on how to measure democracy, definitions of democracy are contested and there is an ongoing lively debate on the subject. The issue is not only of academic interest. For example, although democracy- promotion is high on the list of American foreign-policy priorities, there is no consensus within the American government on what constitutes a democracy. As one observer recently put it, “the world’s only superpower is rhetorically and militarily promoting a political system that remains undefined. They graded each country in five basic areas of Democracy: Electoral Process – Free, fair, and competitive elections. Civil Liberties – Protection of basic human rights; freedom of speech, religion and assembly; the right to judicial process; decisions by majority rule. Functioning of Government – the quality of government; the implementation of decisions. Political Culture – acceptance by losing parties of the judgment of the majority; peaceful transfer of power. Participation – citizens’ active and freely chosen participation in public life. Out of a maximum score of 100 points, the results of the 167-country survey were Fully Democratic, over 80 points 28 countries with 13.0% of World population Partially Democratic, 60 to 80 points 54 countries with 38.3% of World population Not Democratic, less than 60 points 85 countries with 48.7% of World population The Economist scored the USA at 82 points out of 100; the UK 81 points. The highest score was Sweden with 99 points out of 100. Clearly, with half the peoples and half the countries of the World not Democratic, to convert all countries to full or even partial Democracy, there is a lot of regime change to be done! DEMOCRACY HAS MANY DIFFERENT FORMS From an examination of how Democracy is applied in the 28 countries that the Economist rates as “Fully Democratic”, it is apparent that the form of Democracy is use today varies greatly from one country to another. For example: Head of State – in some Democratic countries the Head of State has executive powers, in others none.Legislative body – in some there is an Upper and a Lower chamber, in others one only.Political Parties – In some there are only two parties, in others many parties.Voting –Some are “first past the post”, some have proportional representation.Written Constitution – some have a written constitution, others do not.Prime Minister -- some are appointed by the President, others are the leader of the party in power.Civil Service – Some heads of departments are appointed by the political party in power, others have permanent heads. Which form of Democracy is it, one wonders, that the USA would impose on non-Democratic countries? IS DEMOCRACY RIGHT FOR EVERY COUNTRY? For the government of a country to be Democratic, certain pre-conditions must exist. All, or the great majority, of the citizens of the country must have a sense of loyalty, of belonging to, that country. They must be willing to be subject to “rule by majority” -- to comply with by laws so passed. There are many countries in the World today whose boundaries were set by colonial powers in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The boundary lines between one colony and another were set arbitrarily for the convenience of those powers. They paid little or no heed to the ethnicity, religions or languages of the people living within those boundaries. As an unfortunate result, some countries are populated by two or more different peoples who are antagonistic to each other. Parliamentary representatives of such countries form groups of their own ethic origin and no Democratic consensus is possible. In these countries, probably Autocracy, not Democracy, is the only form of government that can ensure reasonable security and normality for its citizens. It seems to me, therefore, that Democratic government is not practical in all countries. Posted byUpTone Business Newsat9:16 AM2commentsLabels:democracy,government,parliament,party politics,republic,state,West CountryPRESIDENTS and PRIME MINISTERS(In the following, for ‘he’, ‘him’, and ‘his’, read ‘he/she, ‘him/her’, and ‘his/hers’.)by L. Berney British Prime Minister, Gordon brown with US President, George BushOn the face of it, the job of being a President or Prime Minister has many serious disadvantages.It is potentially dangerous. There is a constant risk of an attempted assassination.Considering the responsibility, he is paid less than comparable jobs in industry and commerce.Everything he does or says is minutely scrutinized. Every opportunity is taken by the media, the opposition, even by some members of his own party to criticize him.It is impossible, at best very difficult, for him or his family to enjoy a private life.The work schedule and pressure must be tremendous.Why, then, do Presidents and Prime Ministers undertake such a job? Why do they fight tooth and nail to get it?If one were asked, “Why do you want to be the President / Prime Minister?” his answer would probably be something like this:“I have been a life-long member of the XXX party and I firmly believe that our policies are absolutely right for our country -- for all classes of society, for the young, the students, for families, for the elderly. Our policies will ensure financial stability and economic growth, for this generation and for generations to come”.“I vow to strive for the good of all, and I will devote the whole of my abilities for the welfare of our people I believe I am the right person to lead the Party and the Country”.If he were to speak the truth, the real reason why he wants the job would go something like this:“Many years ago, I had to decide what career I would follow; I liked the Power and Status that professional politicians have. People look up to them; they make the laws which people have to obey, whether they like them or not. Their work-load seemed not too onerous; they have long holidays; as an MP they have an office and a staff paid by whatever political party they belong to. The pay is quite good and there is a generous expense account”.“I reckoned I was good at making speeches and convincing people. I decided to become a Career Politician, a Member of Parliament. I wasn’t too concerned about which party I would join.”“My ambition, having become a MP, was to be the President / Prime Minister. Think of it! To be the Most Powerful Person in the whole country! I knew that, in addition to the substantial salary, there would be considerable additional incomes from newspaper articles and after-dinner speeches. And, of course, while in office, a luxury all-expenses-paid life-style, for me and my family. At the end there will be substantial incomes from memoirs and lectures, and an appointment to the board of one or more of the major private sector companies I had been able to ‘help’ while I was in office -- with a REAL financial reward. And, no doubt, a Title for services rendered”.That is something worth fighting for, fighting very hard for.It is very clear that the motivation of the person fighting for the President’s / Prime Minister’s job is solely SELF-INTEREST – it is NOT what it is supposed to be: the welfare of the people. Is this the ultimate in hypocrisy?In the light of this, the question about a would-be or an incumbent President / Prime Minister that every citizen must, or should, ask himself is this:A mentally well-balanced normal person would not want the job. As this man is so clearly desperate to get, or to hold on to the job, he must be to some degree unbalanced, not normal. Moreover, his basic motive is egotistical, self-seeking; it is not what it should be: ‘for the good of all’Question: Is he a fit and proper person to govern?Answer: Almost certainly NO!It is exactly this problem – the ‘one-person Ruler’ problem – that resulted in the American Revolution of 1775. The British American colonies broke away from having their lives governed by King George III and set up their own form of government; a Democratic Government. It was to be a Government of the people by the people and for the people. Most essentially, there would be no ‘one-person Ruler’. Over the next decades, Democracy spread throughout Europe.The first few meetings of the people’s Representatives in the new United States Congress were indeed Democratic -- matters were decided by ‘free majority vote’. But it was not long before Political Parties and their Leaders emerged. The form of government changed from the original ‘…Government by the People’ to ‘…Government by the Political Party in power’. The leader of the party in power became ‘the President’, a `’one-person Ruler’. The system of government returned to (almost) the same system as it was before.In the new Democratic Governments of Europe, party leaders, as ‘Prime Minister’ or ‘Premier’ took over as ‘one-person Rulers’ with overall power, just as they had in America. And that is still how it is today.IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE?The style of government practiced in Western called Democracy, in spite of the name, is not a Democracy (rule by the people); what we have is an Autocracy (rule by one person). The ‘one-person Ruler’ system of government we have today is, for the reasons set out above, seriously flawed.There is an alternative: Return to the original concept of what a Representative Democracy was meant to be – a Parliament without Political Parties and without Leaders or Rulers or Prime Ministers or Presidents – a Parliament that enacts legislation by its members exercising a ‘free majority vote’- a True Democracy.Government of the people, by the people, for the people.Is a Government without a one-person Leader or Ruler possible? I believe it is.(See This Can't Be The Best Way To Run The Country! series: “Democracy and Party Politics”)Posted byUpTone Business Newsat8:49 AM6commentsLabels:country,democracy,government,parliament,party politics,president,prime minister,republic,stateThe Middle East ProblemThe State of Israel was established in 1948 60 years ago In spite of the efforts of many world leaders, in spite of many peace plans, a permanent solution to the Middle East Problem seems as far away as ever. May 2008 THE MIDDLE EAST PROBLEMby L. Berney Map thanks to the Perry-Castañeda Library, University of Texas There are, in fact, two separate problems; The Palestinian people and the loss of their homeland.The Israeli-Islam conflict. THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE AND THE LOSS OF THEIR HOMELAND Israel occupies the territory of what used to be Palestine. Living In that territory there are some 1.800,000 Palestinian Arabs. In the countries surrounding Israel there are some 4,500,000 Palestinians, mostly in Refugee Camps. A 2005 census showed the number of refugees by country as: Jordan - 1,827,000Gaza - 986,000Syria - 432,000Lebanon - 404,000Saudi Arabia - 240,000All Palestinians, those living in Israel as well as those living in the surrounding countries, want their former homeland, the country of Palestine, to be reinstated and they want to be governed by a Palestinian government.There are some 5,500,000 Jewish Israelis in Israel. Virtually all were born in Israel or arrived there as children. They regard the territory of Israel as their homeland. THE ISRAELI-ISLAM CONFLICT For many centuries, and until the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Palestine had been the homeland of the Palestinian Arabs and part of the Nation of Islam. By 1947 some 630,000 Jewish survivors of the holocaust had arrived and were physically in Palestine. The British, who held a mandate to maintain law and order in Palestine, were under attack by Jewish militants and gave notice that they would no longer accept that responsibility, that they were handing over that responsibility to the newly formed United Nations “forthwith”. The UN faced a difficult situation; the Jewish settlers demanded independence and the British were leaving. The UN declared a “Palestine Partition Plan”. There was to be an independent “State of Israel” with borders within the country of Palestine. Israel was to occupy about two-thirds of the territory of Palestine while an “Arab Palestine” occupied the remainder. The city of Jerusalem was to be under International control. The partition of Palestine in this way was opposed by the Arab and Muslim leaders of the time. From then until now, the Islamic world has never recognized the State of Israel, nor it’s right to exist. Under the ideology of Islam, a land once part of the Nation of Islam is always part of the Nation of Islam. If any land that is part of the Nation of Islam is occupied by non-Muslims, “infidels”, it MUST be recovered. Islam will NEVER accept the presence of the State of Israel on Islamic land – no compromise is possible. Islamic ideology demands that Israel has to be destroyed and the land of Palestine and its people have to be returned to the Nation of Islam. As at 2007, in Israel and the “occupied territories” (areas of the original Palestine not specified as Israeli territory by the UN, plus the Golan Heights, a part of Syria) there were some 5,500,000 Israeli Jewish, ”infidels”. Accordingly, a state of holy war (jihad) exists between Islam and the Jewish infidels occupying Palestine. Islam’s front line soldiers (the Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Hamas in Gaza, and others) are trying in every way open to them to destroy Israel, and presumably will fight to do so for the foreseeable future. PEACE PLANS Over the 60 years of Israel’s existence, there have been many peace plans. Here are some of them :1971 Jarring Mission1982 Reagan Plan1991 Madrid Conference (The Quartet)1993 Oslo Accords1995 Oslo 21997 Hebron Agreement1998 Wye River Memorandum1999 Sham e Sheikh Memorandum 2000 Camp David2000 Summit2001 Taba Summit2002 Arab Peace Initiative 2002 Israel Initiative (Elon Peace Plan)2002 Road Map for Peace2003 Geneva Accord2004 Lieberman Plan2006 Franco-Italian-Spanish Plan2007 Annapolis Conference1948 to 2007 13 United Nations Security Council Resolutions1948 to 2007 Numerous Cease Fire arrangementsNone of these plans has succeeded in bringing about a solution.THE TWO-STATE SOLUTION A “two-state solution” to solve the Israel-Palestine conflict envisions two separate states existing side by side in the historic region of Palestine, one Jewish and the other Arab. All the existing Arab inhabitants would be given citizenship by the new Palestinian state; Palestinian refugees would be offered such citizenship as well. Arab citizens of present-day Israel would have the choice of staying with Israel, or becoming citizens of the new Palestine. The first “two-state solution” was the basis of the original UN Partition of Palestine Resolution of 1948 which established the State of Israel. This partition resolution was never implemented.A "two-state solution" is currently under discussion by the key parties to the conflict, most recently at the Annapolis Conference in November 2007. The stumbling block of a “two-state solution” always was, and still is, that neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians can agree on the border line between the two states. There is also the problem of the city of Jerusalem that both sides demand as their own Capital City. In any case, Islamic leaders will not, under any circumstances, accept the presence of a Jewish state on any part of what they regard as the soil of Islam.ISSUES RELEVANT TO THE PROBLEMThere are several issues that have a relevance to the Middle-East Problem. Here are three. History shows us that military occupation and civilian settlement of a territory populated by an indigenous people (as has happened in Palestine) eventually fails. It is possible that the same fate will befall Israel. Spain. Occupied by the Moors and eventually reverted to the indigenous Spanish population.Ireland. England invaded Ireland and large number of English settlers occupied the country. Eventually England was forced to withdraw to a small area in the North of the country.Rhodesia. Invaded and populated by the British. Eventually ceded to the indigenous population.South Africa. Occupied and colonised by Europeans. Eventually the ruling white government gave way to a black government.It is an acknowledged fact that, without the financial and military support of the USA and the financial support of the Jewish community of the USA, the State of Israel could (almost certainly) not exist. Moreover, back in 1948, without that support, the State of Israel would (probably) never have been established. At some time in the future, will that support be weakened or even removed? The Middle East Conflict presents serious potential dangers to the rest of the world. The fact that the UN and its member countries recognize the State of Israel seemingly incites ‘militant’ Muslims to carry out murderous attacks world-wide. If Iran or Syria should ever develop a nuclear weapon facility, few doubt that they would use such weapons to destroy Israel. That could well result in the whole world being drawn into a catastrophic new world war. THE FUTUREIn spite of the efforts of many world leaders, and in spite of many peace plans, a permanent solution to the Middle-East Problem seems as far away as ever.The most likely scenario, at least in the short and medium term, is that there will be no ‘breakthrough’ and that the present confrontational situation will continue. Hopefully, the possibility of the conflict developing into an international war will be averted. Another scenario is that, over the next two or three decades, the financial support from future USA governments will decline or be cut off. It is possible that the UN, which established the State of Israel originally, could “in the interests of world peace” decide to disestablish the state and to reinstate the country of Palestine under an Arab Palestinian government. In that event substantial numbers of Israeli Jews might lose their resolve to fight on and may choose to emigrate. Others will come to accept the reunification of Palestine and stay on as Palestinian citizens.There are precedents. The Union of South Africa was occupied and governed by white Europeans until 1994 when white rule ended and a largely black government took power. Some white South Africans emigrated, some stayed on and accepted the new mostly black regime. There was a similar situation with British Hong Kong -- after 100 years of British control, Hong Kong was handed over to Chinese rule. Some Hong Kong citizens left the territory, the great majority stayed on.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat12:01 AM0commentsLabels:black box warnings,displaced persons,holocaust,israel,palestineTHIS CAN’T BE THE BEST WAY TO RUN THE COUNTRY!Prime Minister’s QuestionsAbsolutely outrageous behavior!Party Political LeadersObjective: personal Power and WealthConduct of MPs in the House of Commons…more like a zoo than a parliament…An outline for a True Democratic Government Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865),16th President of the United StatesTHIS CAN’T BE THE BEST WAY TO RUN THE COUNTRY!by L. Berney June 2008(Note – Throughout this paper read ‘he’, ‘him’ and ‘his’ as ‘he/she’, ‘him/her’ and ‘his/hers’).How the Prime Minister the other ministers and the MPs conduct themselves in the House of Commons is outrageous. To know that these are the people who make the laws and decide on the taxes for the population of the United Kingdom is horrific.The UK is supposed to be governed by a Representative Democracy. Democracy was defined by Abraham Lincoln as ‘Government of the people, by the People, for the People’. The UK is not, in fact, governed by a Democracy. The form of government is Autocracy -- rule by a one-person ruler, the head of the Political Party in power, the Prime Minister.Every four or five years, the electorate of the UK votes for which of several candidates is to represent them in parliament. But those candidates are beholden to one or other political party. Thus the population is not voting for the candidate – it is voting for the political party he belongs to. These representatives, once elected as Members of Parliament (MPs), become virtually redundant. The only function of an MP of the party in power is to ‘rubber stamp’ the laws his Party Ruler has decided to enact. An MP of a party in opposition votes as the Ruler of his own Party dictates. To ensure that MPs do not step out of line, each party employs ‘Party Whips’ – MPs who do not ‘toe the party line’ i.e. vote as they are told, run the risk of being ‘de-selected’ at the next election.And what of the political parties and their leaders? A Political Party is a group of people who share the same ideas about the way the country should be governed -- a way that is to their advantage and to the disadvantage of the rest of the population. The aim of a Political Party is to win an election and to take control of the Parliament, the Legislation and the Government. Political Parties are run by Career Politicians. The objective of a Career Politician is the achievement of personal POWER and WEALTH. His objective has very little or nothing to do with those of the rank and file members of his party; even less with the welfare of the population of the country as a whole. It has everything to do with the Power and Wealth of the Career Politician himself.We see the fight for personal Power shamelessly exposed at elections. Elections descend into individual politicians fighting each other; it is about ‘being in power’, ‘winning’ and ‘losing’, about ‘victory’ and ‘defeat’. Politicians` public speeches and statements are entirely hypocritical -- promises are made with impunity, many of which are forgotten as soon as the individual achieves power. The political ‘campaign’ is designed entirely and solely to get the concerned candidate and his Party elected and into a position of power.In the parliament itself, there is a ‘Ruling Party’ and one or more ‘Opposition Parties’. In all parliaments, the party rulers and their lieutenants take every possible opportunity to score points off of and to belittle the other party’s rulers and lieutenants. We have ‘Punch and Judy’ debates (Cameron v Brown). The only objective of the Ruler and the party in power is to stay in power – the only objective of the parties in opposition and their Rulers is to oust the current ruling party and to take power themselves. The Democratic concept of the ‘welfare of the people’ and ‘the good of all’ is not even on the menu!What is clearly apparent is this. The purpose of a Political Party is to pervert the concept of Democracy. Instead, the purpose is for the Party to take power and to rule the country. For this reason, and by definition, all Political Parties are anti-democratic.The only democratic aspect of the present form of government is that, every few years, the electorate is asked to vote for which of the three main political parties to put into power. Typically, on a 60% turn-out, the winning party will receive perhaps 50% of all the votes cast. That means that the whole population will be ruled and taxed by the leader of a group which, in fact, received the votes of only 30% of the population!Given the way the House of Commons conducts the nation’s business – the absurd spectacle of the point-scoring and school-boy slanging matches between the opposing parties – the animal howls and cat-calls more appropriate to a zoo than a parliament -- the Party Leaders’ very obvious obsession for personal Power -- important issues being debated with only a few MPs attending – the scandal of ‘loans’, ‘donations’ and ‘cash for honours’ – and the many other shortcomings – this can’t be the best way to run the country!It is amazing how the nation’s tax-paying citizens continue to put up with the current Autocratic Political Party form of Government, and with the behavior of Politicians who earn their incomes from it.It has been said that the UK’s form of government is NOT “Government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is, “Government of the people, by a Political Party, for the benefit of the Party’s Leaders!Since the current Autocratic Party Political form of government is clearly undemocratic and incompetent, why does the British public allow it to continue? I have asked a number of UK residents:“Are you satisfied with the way the country is governed?” Most reply, “No.”“Do you think the system should be changed?”Most reply, “Yes, but I don’t know how.”“Do we still need Political Parties?”Most reply, “There have always been Political Parties so I suppose we do.Perhaps, one day, tax-paying citizens will rebel against the current system and demand that the way they are governed is reformed to become non-partisan and truly democratic.Following is a proposal for a True Democracy government.A ‘TRUE DEMOCRACY’ GOVERNMENTThe form of government in United Kingdom is Democracy.A Democratic government has three branches:Legislative: The Houses of Parliament, comprising the House of Commons and the House of Lords, which are responsible for enacting new laws (and amending old laws).Executive: Responsible for applying and enforcing the laws of the land. The Executive branch comprises 16 Government Departments (Ministries) and under them many central and local Government bodies. There is a Select Committee of about 12 MPs to scrutinize the working of each of the Departments.Judicial: Through ‘courts of law’ Judges and Magistrates are responsible to try persons accused of infringing the law and to settle disputes between citizens. The Judiciary is independent of both the Legislative and Executive branches.Thus, every branch of a democratic government Is in place right now i.e. already exists. Legislation is the responsibility of the Houses of Parliament – new laws are debated and enacted or rejected by majority vote of the democratically elected MPs. The Executive branch applies the existing laws, frames new laws, and manages the day-to-day business of the country. Its work is monitored by several Select Committee of MPs. Justice is administered by the independent Judiciary.I submit that, in this 21st Century, there is no longer any need for Political Parties. There is no longer any need for a Ruler or Leader, for a Prime Minister or for any other Ministers, or for Party Politics. There is no place for autocracy of any kind. The country’s laws and taxation should no longer be decided, as it now is, by a group of own-agenda self-seeking Party Politicians.An outline of how a True Representative Democracy government might function is set out in the Appendix.APPENDIXTRUE DEMOCRACY GOVERNMENT – AN OUTLINEThe following is a proposal for how a True Representative Democracy non-partisan United Kingdom Government would be conducted. The objective and over-riding principle of a True Democracy Government must be “Government of the people by the people for the people”.This proposal sets out the major changes that would be made to the existing UK Political Party form of government. The main changes:All Political Parties will be abolished There will be no Party in Power, no Prime Minister, and no Cabinet Ministers.New laws will be put before Parliament by the appropriate Select Committees.Members of Parliament (MPs) will enact or reject laws by ‘free’ majority vote.The Executive Branch, i.e. the appropriate Government Department, supervised by its Select Committee (not by a Minister), will ensure that the laws are applied and enforced.A written Constitution, including Citizens’ Rights, will be drawn up and enshrined in law.Detailed requirements for a True Representative Democracy would include:CANDIDATESAs at present -- any registered voter may put himself forward as a Candidate for a Constituency.To receive recognition, a Candidate must obtain the endorsement of 20 voters of the constituency. Candidates will have no political or party loyalties other than to represent the wishes of the citizens of their constituencies to the best of their ability.CANDIDATES’ ELECTION EXPENSESThe electioneering expenses of all recognized Candidates will be funded by the State up to a maximum of £5,000. Electioneering expenses e.g. for printed matter, hire of meeting halls, etc. will be paid by the Town Hall (not paid to the Candidates themselves). It will be illegal for a sum greater than £5,000 to be spent on any one Candidate’s behalf.ELECTIONSAn MP’s term of membership of the House of Commons will be approximately two years. An Election will be held in each constituency every approximately two years. Retiring MPs will be able to stand for re-election.Constituency election days will be spread approximately evenly over a two-year cycle. There will be no country-wide election day.VOTINGThe electorate will vote for the candidate who they consider will best represent the interests of the constituency. Candidates will not be members of or affiliated to any Political Party since all Political Parties will have been dissolved.Voting will be obligatory (fines for those failing to vote). Votes will be cast by Postal Vote, or by Internet, or by personal attendance at a Polling Station.HOUSES OF PARLIAMENTThe House of Commons will, as now, have approximately 650 Members (MPs) each of whom will have been elected by his constituency.MPs will be obliged to attend the House without absence for all the hours the House is in session. Permission for essential absence may be granted by the Speaker.The House of Lords will have approximately 500 Members representing the Professional and Special Interest bodies of the nation, and will be appointed by those bodies themselves. E.g. Architects, Construction Industry, Nurses, Police, the Aged, Child welfare, Trade Unions, major Religions, the CBI, etc.SELECT COMMITTEESThe executive government of the country will, as now, be managed by the various Departments of Government (there are currently some 16 Departments). As now, for each Department there will be a Select Committee to monitor the workings of that Department. The Select Committees will consist of about 12 MPs selected for their expertise in the remit of their respective Department.The duties of the Select Committees will be enhanced to include, together, with their Government Departments, the formulation of new laws (and amendments to existing laws) on matters within the responsibility of their Department. The Chairman of each Select Committee will propose and introduce such new (or amended) laws to the House of Commons.To coordinate the business of the House of Commons, the Chairmen of the Select Committees will form a Coordinating Committee, which will appoint its own “Chairman of the Chairmen’s Committee”.LEGISLATIONEach proposed new law will be proposed by the chairman of the appropriate Select Committee, debated in parliament by the assembled MPs and then voted upon by a ‘Majority Free Vote’. (In a True Democracy Government, ALL votes will be ‘Free Votes’.) Laws approved by majority vote will be sent, as now, to the House of Lords for detailed scrutiny.Parliamentary time will be set aside for “Select Committees’ Questions (now Prime Minister’s Questions), giving the opportunity for individual MPs to ask questions of the Chairman of any of the Select Committees on the workings of that Committee’s department.Additionally, Private Member’s Bills (laws proposed by an individual MP) will be possible.The House of Lords will, as now, debate each proposed new law and, if deemed necessary, refer it back to the House of Commons for amendment. The House of Commons will, as now, have the power to override the House of Lord’s rejection.INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIONThe Chairman of the Chairman’s Committee will represent the nation in place of a Prime Minister. The Chairmen of the Select Committees will act in place of Ministers e.g. the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee will replace the Foreign Secretary.CONSTITUENCY OFFICESTo assist the MPs in their duties, each constituency will have a Constituency Office located within the constituency, with a small permanent ‘civil service’ staff. The cost of the office and the staff will be paid for by the state.ACCOMMODATION and EXPENSESMPs and members of the House of Lords will receive appropriate salaries but no expense allowances other than the refund of traveling expenses from their constituency to the Houses of Parliament for the period when Parliament is in session.The State will own and operate an hotel-style facility near the Houses of Parliament for the use of Members (free of charge while the Houses are in session). Expense claims for a “London home” will not be eligible for payment.PRIVATE FUNDINGIn keeping with the principles of a True Democracy,Elections - Payment in cash or kind to, or any form of coercion of, a candidate by any individual or group, will be a criminal offence, both for the party making the payment or attempting coercion, and for the Candidate accepting same.Members of Parliament - Members of both the Houses of Commons and Lords will vote on bills put before them purely on their unbiased assessment of the ‘good of all’. Payment in cash or kind to, or any form of coercion of a Member by any individual or group, will be a criminal offence, both for the party making the payment or attempting coercion, and for the Member accepting same.LOBBYINGIndividuals or associations will be permitted to ‘lobby’ MPs – that is to present the case or a petition for a new or amended law – but strictly subject to the prohibition described in the previous paragraph.COUNTY COUNCILS and LOCAL GOVERNMENTThe ‘True Democracy’ principles as outlined above – i.e. no political party affiliations, no funding and ‘free votes’ etc -- will apply to County Councils and Local Government.THE MONARCHYAll remaining legislative and executive powers and duties of the Monarchy will be dissolved. E.g. the ‘royal assent’, ‘reserve powers’ ‘opening of parliament’ etc.The Monarchy will continue as now to perform ceremonial and charity-sponsoring functions, both at home and overseas.ARMED FORCESThe armed forces will swear allegiance to “The Constitution and Government of the UK”.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat9:56 PM0commentsLabels:democracy,election,government,parliament,party politics,votingNew Alter Bridge photo at the Berlin Wall An Alter Bridge page on ShareNow.comA new photo of the band taken at the Berlin Wall from their last European tour has been added to: http://alterbridge.sharenow.comPosted byUpTone Business Newsat5:46 PM0commentsLabels:alter bridge,heavy metal,mark tremonti,rock musicGENERATION RX - a film by Kevin P MillerGENERATION RX - The Trailer Common Radius Films is a private documentary and media development company based in Vancouver, British Columbia. This production entity draws on the experience of an internationally recognized team of writers, producers, directors, and executives, led by International award winning and Emmy nominated Kevin P Miller. GENERATION RX marks the first film partnership between Common Radius Films and Miller, and documents how an entire era of children have been caught in the middle of an unprecedented change in Western culture: that of drugging children with psychiatric medications earlier, and more often, than ever before. This dynamic film, narrated by the actor David Suchet OBE, has already garnered the support of some of the most respected names in Hollywood, including writer/director Paul Haggis, who won back-to-back Academy Awards® for "Million Dollar Baby", and "Crash". GENERATION RX, Mr. Haggis said, "is a powerful and often chilling eye-opener. Weeks after viewing, the stories continue to haunt me." GENERATION RXScheduled for release in Summer 2008.MORE INFORMATION:http://www.generationrxfilm.comSIGN THE PETITION AT:http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Drug-Warnings/ hyperactivity, adhd, side-effects, suicide, ritalin, antidepressants, big pharma, chemical imbalance, depression, hoax, school shootings Posted byUpTone Business Newsat1:27 AM0commentsLabels:adhd,antidepressants,big pharma,chemical imbalance,depression,hoax,hyperactivity,ritalin,school shootings,side-effects,suicideLANIK’S WEEKEND – bad qualifying followed by a crashSunday 13th April 2008 Rockingham Speedway: Niki Lanik, racing for the Youth 4 Human Rights Miracle Drywash team, lost his 6th position in the 2008 ELF Clio Cup Championship last weekend at Rockingham Speedway due to changeable weather conditions. The 21-year old Austrian race driver didn’t take the English weather for granted during qualifying. The outcome was a bad weekend all due to changing the tyres 2 laps too early during qualifying; Niki qualified 27th for Round 3 and 24th for Round 4. Niki having finished on the podium last time out at Brands Hatch and having won the Clio Cup Winter Championship twice was not too happy about this.Race-winning Lanik was 5th quickest on Friday’s testing and was expecting two top five finishes for the weekend. As the field of Clio Cup race cars went out for the 30-minute qualifying session on Saturday afternoon, the weather was dry and windy with changeable conditions every 20 minutes. Three laps into qualifying Niki decided to come into the pits to get two brand new tyres put on the Miracle Drywash-sponsored Clio, but it turned out this was a bad decision. On Niki’s out lap the heavens let loose and it was impossible to set any time near the top twenty drivers. Niki had to settle for 27th and 24th for the two rounds. “Rockingham is one of my favourite tracks, and I know I’m quick there. It was my mistake for coming in the pits too early. I should have stayed out there for another two or three laps like most other drivers did, just before it started raining hard. I’m used to qualifying 3rd, but not 3rd last!” commented Lanik on his disappointing qualifying performance.Round 3 of the championship saw Niki have a great start from 27th on the grid, overtaking five cars by the first corner and another five by the end of lap 1. On lap 4 Lanik put in the 3rd quickest lap in the entire race. Aggressively moving forwards through the pack of cars, the double-Clio Winter Champion came to the tail of cars from 10th place with Niki in 17th place. A top 10 finish was in sight. Three laps later Niki slotted into 14th place on the inside of Turn 6, but was soon found to be on the grass and gravel with 100mph+ just missing the wall by two feet. Niki rejoined 21st and went on to finish 16th after having lost approximately five seconds in the gravel incident.“I saw both drivers in front going wide, and saw a gap on the inside. So I dived down the inside. We were three abreast into Turn 6 and all drivers gave each other room, until the driver on the outside starting oversteering and aimed towards the middle driver. I avoided it by moving another few inches over ever tenth of a second, and within a second found myself on the kerb and grass. It was good I did that, as the accident could have been huge if I wouldn’t have backed off.” explained Niki after a near 100mph crash.Sunday’s Round 4 was a definite dry race with all drivers selecting slick tyres all around. Starting 24th on the grid, Niki was keen on having a good start and aggressive first lap. The warm-up lap was enough to heat the tyres up and get used to dry conditions. Niki had a blistering start passing six cars by the first corner, when suddenly disaster struck. Wood, Robinson, Boston and Lanik touched their rims at 110mph. Niki’s suspension instantly snapped on both sides, with Wood’s car jumping two feet in the air to shot across the track to collect Boston; Robinson was lucky to get away without too much damage. Three Clios, including Lanik’s, smashed into the solid concrete barrier. All drivers were unhurt, but certainly not happy. The Clerks of the Course considered this a racing incident and no driver got penalised.“It really was pretty bad weekend, especially having had so many high expectations. Nevertheless, I could see an interesting pattern occurring after finishing on the podium in one race and then not finishing the next. It’s all about making the best of qualifying. The front of the grid is safe. People are aggressive but still give each other plenty of room. I’m out at Donington next and that’s my favourite circuit, so I’m sure I’ll do well there.”The Youth For Human Rights Miracle Drywash Race Team promotes the in class\75\47item-control blog-admin\47\76\n\74a class\75\47quickedit\47 expr:href\75\47data:widget.quickEditUrl\47 expr:onclick\75\47\46quot;return _WidgetManager._PopupConfig(document.getElementById(\\\46quot;\46quot; + data:widget.instanceId + \46quot;\\\46quot;));\46quot;\47 expr:target\75\47\46quot;config\46quot; + data:widget.instanceId\47 expr:title\75\47data:edit-link\47\76\n\74img alt\75\47\47 height\75\04718\47 src\75\47http://img1.blogblog.com/img/icon18_wrench_allbkg.png\47 width\75\04718\47/\76\n\74/a\76\n\74/span\76\n\74/span\76\n\74div class\75\47clear\47\76\74/div\076'}, 'all-head-content': {'varName': 'page', 'template': '\74data:blog.latencyHeadScript\76\74/data:blog.latencyHeadScript\76\n\74meta expr:content\75\47\46quot;text/html; charset\75\46quot; + data:page.encoding\47 http-equiv\75\47Content-Type\47/\76\n\74meta content\75\47true\47 name\75\47MSSmartTagsPreventParsing\47/\76\n\74meta content\75\47blogger\47 name\75\47generator\47/\76\n\74data:blog.feedLinks\76\74/data:blog.feedLinks\76\n\74data:blog.meTag\76\74/data:blog.meTag\76\n\74data:blog.openIdOpTag\76\74/data:blog.openIdOpTag\76\n\74b:if cond\75\47data:page.isPrivate\47\76\n\74meta content\75\47NOINDEX,NOFOLLOW\47 name\75\47robots\47/\76\n\74/b:if\076'}});_WidgetManager._RegisterWidget('_BlogArchiveView', new _WidgetInfo('BlogArchive1', 'sidebar',{'main': {'varName': '', 'template': '\74b:if cond\75\47data:title\47\76\n\74h2\76\74data:title\76\74/data:title\76\74/h2\76\n\74/b:if\76\n\74div class\75\47widget-content\47\76\n\74div id\75\47ArchiveList\47\76\n\74div expr:id\75\47data:widget.instanceId + \46quot;_ArchiveList\46quot;\47\76\n\74b:if cond\75\47data:style \75\75 \46quot;HIERARCHY\46quot;\47\76\n\74b:include data\75\47data\47 name\75\47interval\47\76\74/b:include\76\n\74/b:if\76\n\74b:if cond\75\47data:style \75\75 \46quot;FLAT\46quot;\47\76\n\74b:include data\75\47data\47 name\75\47flat\47\76\74/b:include\76\n\74/b:if\76\n\74b:if cond\75\47data:styressants following the death of her nineteen-year-old daughter Caitlin in 1998 after she started taking Prozac.In the presence of Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing their countries from around the world, as well as the Mayor of East Grinstead, Councillor Anne Jones (left) made the presentation at Saint Hill Castle in East Grinstead, where she told the dignitaries the award was presented for Linda’s bravery and persistence in the face of tragedy and adversity.They heard how following a 7-minute interview with her doctor, where no medical tests were carried out, Caitlin was prescribed the antidepressant drug Prozac. Sixty-three days later, she committed suicide by hanging.In accepting the award, Linda said, “When you lose a beloved child for any reason, perhaps more acutely when the death is by self-execution, the savage teeth of grief rend with a particularly tenacious power.”She referred to her anger following a recent study from the University of Hull that received international press in concluding that Prozac was no better than a placebo. Linda said, “I am fortunate to be a teacher and writer, and the personal recovery tools have been through publishing and speaking out.”Linda also referred to her most recent efforts to fight the move to lift a ban in Europe on advertising prescription drugs. Caitlin was made aware of Prozac through direct-to-consumer advertising while on holiday in the United States. Linda is determined to fight any move to allow pharmaceutical advertising in Europe.CCHR also recognised Dr Robert Verkerk, an internationally acclaimed and highly respected authority in the field of sustainability. As the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health, Dr Verkerk was acknowledged for his tireless work in bringing about awareness of and challenging a European directive to regulate the use of vitamins and minerals in everyday diets. Like Linda, he is aware of the potential dangers of European directives that could have serious consequences on the health and well being of consumers in Britain.The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an international psychiatric watchdog group co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights.For more information, please contact:Brian DanielsCCHR UKP.O. Box 188East GrinsteadWest SussexRH19 4RBTel: 01342 313 926 / 07980 934 984Email: brian@cchr.org.ukWeb site: http://www.cchr.org.ukself-harm,side-effects, suicide, prozac, antidepressants, big pharma, chemical imbalance, depression, hoaxPosted byUpTone Business Newsat11:40 PM0commentsLabels:antidepressants,big pharma,chemical imbalance,depression,hoax,prozac,self-harm,side-effects,suicidePioneer of Natural Healthcare Across Europe Awarded by Human Rights OrganisationDr Robert Verkerk awarded for protecting natural healthcare across Europe Dr Robert Verkerk (left) receives hisCCHR UK Human Rights Awardfrom Mr Bill TruemanEAST GRINSTEAD: On Saturday 19 April, Dorking-based Dr Robert Verkerk was awarded for his work to protect natural healthcare across Europe.The Award, presented at the 39th Anniversary of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights United Kingdom (CCHR), recognised Dr Verkerk for his work to expose the multinational pharmaceutical interests and giant food companies to limit the public's access to herbs, vitamins and other therapies.In the presence of Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing their countries from around the world, as well as the Mayor of East Grinstead, fraud expert Mr Bill Trueman made the presentation to Dr Verkerk at Saint Hill Castle in East Grinstead, for taking the lead in challenging fundamental rights to take vitamins and minerals, and for having brought a landmark legal challenge to the EU Food Supplements Directive.Featured in a new documentary called 'We Become Silent' and narrated by Dame Judi Dench, a supporter of the Alliance for Natural Health, Dr Verkerk highlights the grave dangers posed by European and global regulation to medical freedom of choice.In accepting the award, Dr Verkerk said, "In recent years, conventional psychiatrists, drug companies and regulatory agencies around the world have launched full scale assaults on natural treatments that has seen them relegated to the fringes of mainstream medicine."The Alliance for Natural Health, which I founded over 6 years ago, has been at the forefront of resisting these pressures on natural medicine, working to protect and promote natural health using the tools of ‘good science’ and ‘good law’."We have taken a case to the European Court of Justice, exposed the flawed science and disproportionate law being promulgated by European regulators and have helped to protect some of the leading pioneers and innovators in the natural health field.”CCHR also recognised Linda Hurcombe, a mother, teacher and a campaigner against the use of psychiatric drugs. She lost her nineteen-year-old daughter Caitlin in April 1998 after she started taking Prozac.She saw an advertisement for the drug on television while on holiday in the United States. After returning to the UK, Caitlin decided she wanted Prozac and sixty-three days after starting, she committed suicide by hanging.Linda also referred to her most recent efforts to fight the move to lift a ban in Europe on advertising prescription drugs. Since Caitlin’s death, Linda has fought any move to allow pharmaceutical advertising direct-to-the-consumer in Europe.Like Dr Verkerk, she is aware of the potential dangers of European directives that could have serious consequences on the health and well being of consumers in Britain.The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an international psychiatric watchdog group co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights.For more information, please contact:Brian DanielsCCHR UKP.O. Box 188East GrinsteadWest SussexRH19 4RBTel: 01342 313 926 / 07980 934 984Email: brian@cchr.org.ukWeb site: http://www.cchr.org.ukhealthcare, FDA, europe, prozac, antidepressants, big pharma, chemical imbalance, depression, hoaxPosted byUpTone Business Newsat10:57 PM0commentsLabels:antidepressants,big pharma,chemical imbalance,depression,europe,FDA,healthcare,hoax,prozacHow to Get Off Psychiatric Drugs Safely The Road BackThe Road Back is an effective, doctor approved, tapering program, designed to help overcome drug dependency with little or no withdrawal symptoms.Developed by Dr James Harper in 1999, it has helped well over 30,000 individuals taper off their medication to date.The Road Back Program handles side effects caused by the following medication:benzodiazepineantianxietyanticonvulsantsleep aidantidepressantsantipsychoticADHDThe Road Back Program, "How to Get Off Psychiatric Drugs Safely," details the entire process and is available for free at http://www.theroadback.co.uk/workbook.htm"The Road Back Program is simple to use, effective, and extremely powerful, when applied correctly. You too can have resounding success in getting off your psychiatric medications and getting your life back. Based on extensive research, specific “super foods” have been formulated for this program. Their use, in conjunction with the full and complete Road Back Program, have resulted in an estimated 80% success rate in helping people to get off their psychiatric medications, while also enormously reducing the potential and feared side effects from withdrawal.You Can ChangeYou Can Change How You FeelYou Can Be a Positive Influence For OthersYou Can Make It." Dr James HarperOther links that may be of interest:Label me Sane - http://www.labelmesane.comBeat the Benzos - http://www.benzo.org.uk/btb2.htmCCHR's videos - http://www.cchr.org/video/SSRI Stories - http://www.ssristories.com/Antidepressant Facts - http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/Death from Ritalin - http://www.ritalindeath.com/Fight for Kids - http://www.fightforkids.org/CCHR UK - http://www.cchr.org.ukCCHR London - http://groups.msn.com/CCHRLondonPosted byUpTone Business Newsat5:51 PM0commentsLabels:addiction,antidepressants,dependency,drugs,psychiatry,tapering,withdrawalBe the first to buy tickets for Alter Bridge at The Rock in Maplewood, MN on 22 May 2008 Hello Alter Bridge Nation,We are giving all of you internet fans first shot at purchasing tickets to our 5/22 concert at The Rock in Maplewood, MN. That's ten miles away from St. Paul.Just click on the link below and register to buy tickets first! This goes live at 5:00PM CST on 04/09/08.https://tixx1.artistarena.com/alterbridgeGood luck!Alter Bridgehttp://www.alterbridge.com/http://www.myspace.com/alterbridgehttp://alterbridge.sharenow.com/Posted byUpTone Business Newsat9:23 PM0commentsLabels:alter bridge,concert,gig,heavy metal,mark tremonti,rock musicRacing for Human Rights Racing 4 Human Rights Racing TeamTwo local motor racing drivers - Niki Lanik who races in the Renault Clio Cup and has won the Winter Championship two years running, and Andrew Chalmers who races a classic Porsche 911 in the UK and European Heritage GT Challenge – have set up www.racing4humanrights.org to promote Human Rights issues through their motor racing.Both drivers support the international charity Youth for Human Rights which promotes greater awareness of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, particularly to young people, endorsing the charity with logos on their race cars. They have now extended this to bring on board other drivers to do the same and Race for Human Rights through www.racing4humanrights.org. As well as Youth for Human Rights, the volunteer group promotes other human rights-based charities, including Amnesty International, International Alert, and Witness.“The aim of the group is to have as many race drivers as possible around the UK, Europe and America promoting Human Rights groups on their cars, and so help make Human Rights a reality, not just a dream. The more race drivers we get on board, the larger impact we’re able to make,” said championship-winning Niki Lanik, who races in the Miracle Drywash-sponsored Youth for Human Rights Race Team. “I race because I love going fast and winning, and I also love the fact that I am able to promote a good cause to millions of people every year.”Niki Lanik, who finished 3rd in the Renault Clio Cup race at Brands Hatch just last weekend, is now in his 4th year of motorsports. Niki is known in the motorsports community as a race driver, not just racing for himself, but also for an admirable cause. The 20-year old has now won several Human Rights awards including the Ambassador of Peace award which was presented to him by the Universal Peace Federation. You can read more at www.NikiLanik.com.“This website is all about getting many more people forwarding the same message. Supporting Human Rights campaigns is one of the things we all need to do, to try to make a difference in today’s society. Niki and I already reach hundreds of thousands of spectators, and millions of TV viewers with our human rights message, as both of our race series are televised, and we are aiming to get much more exposure this year by encouraging more drivers to do the same. We have already gotten our first new driver who joined us after only one day of the web site being live, so it’s looking really positive. Most people like to support a good cause and we are just making it easier for them to do so,” said Andrew Chalmers.If you’re a race driver (or any kind of racer – not just cars!) and would like join us and Race for Human Rights, email us on info@racing4humanrights.org, and please also visit www.racing4humanrights.org for more information.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat3:10 AM0commentsLabels:andrew chalmers,human rights,niki lanik,race team,racing car,renaultThe Kiss of the SunThe Kiss of the Sunby Dorothy Gurney, 1858 - 1952(adapted by Michael Parkin) The kiss of the sun for pardonThe song of the birds for mirthYou will find you will be nearer to Ron when in his gardenThan anywhere else on Earth Michael ParkinMichael Parkin was L. Ron Hubbard's gardener in charge of maintaining the grounds at Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex in the early 1960s. (Saint Hill Manor was L. Ron Hubbard's home from 1959-1967).He enjoyed a very special and unique relationship with L. Ron Hubbard (founder of Dianetics and of the Scientology religion) because he used to spend time with him almost every day during Mr Hubbard's coffee break, on the terrace of the Manor, over a period of several years. During this time, they discussed many subjects such as:the Saint Hill Lake and its maintenance. In fact, Mr Hubbard gave Michael special permission to fish in the lake in perpetuity. Mr Hubbard also told Michael that his father used to take him fishing when he was youngerthe history of the Manor and the source of the sandstone from which it was builtphotography - Mr Hubbard, a keen photographer himself, advised Michael that, to take photos of fish in their natural environment, he would need special lensesarchery, which had always been one of Michael's interests. Mr Hubbard told Michael that he could practice his archery in the grounds as long as he didn't shoot towards the ManorMichael's outdoor life and his background such as where he was born (Grimsby, Lincolnshire) and Michael's family, some of whom were deep sea fishermen who sailed from Grimsby. Mr Hubbard was interested in this because he thought that some of his ancestors could have come from Denmark with the name 'Hubar the Dane' (which over the years became 'Hubbard'). Grimsby is thought to have originated as a Danish settlement.In approximately 1965, as a result of the Selective Employment Tax, Michael was unfortunately selected to leave the employment of the Manor by one the Manor's administrators. But when Mr Hubbard heard about this, he told the administrator to keep Michael on. However, on hearing the news that Michael might be leaving, Mr Hubbard presented him with a hammer that had been used in the initial stages of the building of Saint Hill Castle. On presenting it to him, Mr Hubbard said, "I present you with this hammer Michael. Don't lose it. When you are using it, think of me."This experience has stayed with Michael to this day. The hammer is one of his most revered possessions. If ever he has any problems in his life, he has found that by simply holding the hammer in his hands, a solution usually comes to mind within a short space of time and it has helped him on many occasions throughout his life.Michael, born in 1934 and father of four, today lives in Polegate, East Sussex in retirement.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat5:12 PM2commentsLabels:dianetics,east grinstead,gardener,l ron hubbard,poem,poet,poetry,saint hill manor,scientologySpamalot London Exclusive: Diva's Lament Lyrics Change Again! Alan Dale as King ArthurI've now seen Spamalot 5 times! The scoop is that the lyrics to 'Diva's Lament' sung by the Lady of the Lake (Nina Soderquist) changed again yesterday! First it was Britney Spears, then Elaine Paige and Posh Spice - and now...Heather Mills! I've blogged about it here (plus photos).Posted byUpTone Business Newsat2:39 AM0commentsLabels:comedy,monty python,musical theatre,Nina Soderquist,Nina Söderquist,spamalotYouth 4 Human Rights Miracle Drywash Race Team Finishes 3rd PlaceLANIK FINISHES ON PODIUM TO KICK-OFF HIS SEASON Sunday 30th March 2008DOUBLE Clio Cup Winter Champion, Niki Lanik, started off his 2008 racing season at Brands Hatch last weekend with a well-deserved podium finish. For 2008, Austrian Lanik is racing for the Youth 4 Human Rights Miracle Drywash Race Team. Niki helps promote Human Rights to millions of people through car racing with the idea of making the world a better place.QUALIFYING took place Saturday morning where the Miracle Drywash-sponsored race driver had a 30 minute session to set two of his best lap times to determine his start positions for Round 1 and 2. Setting a 53.006 and a 53.039, Niki secured 5th and 3rd for the weekend’s two championship rounds. “PRIOR to the season I did three test days at Brands Hatch and these have definitely paid off. My qualifying laps were fast, consistent and with brand new slicks I felt more confident than ever around the Indy circuit,” commented Niki on his qualifying performance.ROUND 1 of the 2008 Clio Cup saw the youngster start from 5th on the grid out of 28 keen starters. Tricky conditions tempted most teams to choose slick tyres instead of wets; this was a bad decision as light rain came down once the race started. Lanik, having wheelspun too much as the lights went off, lost three places by the first corner. By the end of lap one Niki fought his way back up the 6th place. Two laps before the race ended, the driver in 5th place lost control at Surtees. Dodging the sideways car and securing 5th place, Niki had to break and turn right for Clearways, the last bend, when suddenly there was a knock and Niki shot left instead. Niki rejoined and finished 17th.SUNDAY’S Round 2 attracted 30,000 spectators and live ITV4 coverage. The Y4HR Miracle Drywash Clio was sitting 3rd on the grid behind Ben Winrow and Paul Rivett (double Clio Champion). Next to the Austrian champion was the ex-touring car driver, Gavin Piper. Ashurst Wood-based Niki Lanik had a fantastic start retaining his 3rd place. Running a little bit wide out of Graham Hill Bend, Lanik lost a little momentum nearly loosing a place to Derek Pierce, who was lying in 4th. Niki then drove defensive for three more laps until he was clear to cruise a remaining 14 laps to a 3rd place and well-deserved podium finish. This was Niki’s best official result in the National 2008 Clio Championship up to date. “I had a great start and managed to tag onto Winrow and Rivett by the first corner. Defending from Pierce wasn’t too difficult either as he never got close enough to make a move. I felt very comfortable in the car, and knew that if I just drove consistently I would finish in 3rd and that’s exactly what I did.” said the Austrian Niki Lanik.To find out more about Niki Lanik visit www.NikiLanik.com.The Youth For Human Rights Miracle Drywash Race Team promotes the international Youth For Human Rights campaign – www.YouthForHumanRights.org. The team sponsors include Miracle Drywash (www.MiracleDrywash.com), GridGirlz (www.GridGirlz.co.uk), G&G Vitamins (www.GandGVitamins.com), Wealden Workwear (www.WWPE.co.uk), and Luxury Sign Design (www.lsdsign.co.uk). If you would like to sponsor Niki Lanik, e-mail him on niki@lanik.info.ROUND 3 and 4 of the Clio Cup will take place at Rockingham Speedway on 12th and 13th of April, as well as live TV coverage on ITV4. For more information about the 2008 ELF Clio Cup visit www.renaultsport.co.uk.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat12:11 PM0commentsLabels:car wash,carwash,human rights,racing car,waterlessAnonymous and Misinformed A note on terrorists, whoever they areAuthor and TV documentary maker, Michael Burleigh, author of ‘Blood & Rage: A Cultural History of Terrorism’ (published by Harper Press) which investigates the terrorist mindset, said on ‘Start the Week’, BBC Radio 4, Mon 18 Feb 2008:“Many terrorists have a very dim perception and understanding of the actual intellectual causes they purport to represent. One of the Bader Meinhof people said, “We half read a lot of theory which we fully understood…Police interrogations and studies of [terrorists] who have been arrested in this country have shown that they have quite a limited understanding of their religion.”Michael Burleigh was a Distinguished Research Professor in Modern History at the University of Cardiff and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.Who are Anonymous?Love & Hate: What is Greatness? What is Scientology?Posted byUpTone Business Newsat8:45 PM1 commentsLabels:anonymous,dianetics,scientology,terrorism,terroristsScientology.org Video Channel Launches with 82 Scientology Videos The Scientology.org video channel answers the question "What is Scientology?" while offering 82 informative and engaging Scientology videos and clips addressing Scientology beliefs and humanitarian programs.The Church of Scientology announces the launch of the official www.Scientology.org online video channelNoting that 75% of Internet users watch video online according to Internet metrics leader Comscore, the Church is excited to announce this launch to utilize cutting edge technology to more broadly disseminate information about Scientology via an official Scientology Video Channel that can be viewed from anywhere there is an Internet connection.Through 82 broadcast-quality videos, comprising almost 3 hours of content, the Scientology.org Video Channel provides an overview of the basic beliefs and practices of the religion, as well as information on the many humanitarian programs sponsored by the Church - programs addressing drug abuse, illiteracy, human rights and disaster relief. Included in the online content are statements from Scientology parishioners themselves expressing why Scientology is their chosen faith.Users can elect to watch any of the Scientology videos or clips individually, or watch the presentation in its entirety. Additionally, anyone wanting further information on Scientology at the Scientology.org video channel can request a free book entitled "A Description of the Scientology Religion" or obtain basic books about Scientology or Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard.The Church has produced many videos over the years. They have been available for viewing by the general public in Church exhibitions around the world. Sharing the videos with the Internet community is a logical and immersive extension of that experience that will benefit video viewing users who can access them 24/7 from any Internet connection in the world.The Church of Scientology has always considered the Internet a resource for sharing accurate information about the religion -- concentrating on using the Internet to promote its message and mission in the world. Since 1996, Church sites have provided hundreds of thousands of individual pages of material and images on the religion. These sites are available in most major languages and are visited by tens of millions each year. Now, online video technology will better enable the Church to provide far more expansive and enlightening information.The Church firmly believes that understanding is achieved through knowledge and information. It is in this spirit that the Church is putting this special video channel online designed to answer the question most often asked: What is Scientology?The Church of Scientology encourages anyone desiring information about the Scientology religion to visit the Church Video Channel at www.Scientology.org.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat11:43 PM0commentsLabels:answers,depression,dianetics,life,mind,problems,purpose,scientologyFree Fine Arts Exhibition to be Held at Wealden House Wealden HouseThe work of 2 artists on display in Sussex for 4 weeksEast Grinstead: Artists Brian King, from London, and Andrew Dixon from Berkhamsted, Herts will be exhibiting their paintings in the beautiful wood-panelled room at Wealden House, East Grinstead for 4 weeks from Monday 17th March 2008. Brian King Andrew DixonThe paintings, mainly oils, include landscapes from the West Country and Sardinia, portraits and still life. They can be viewed free of charge from 9am-5pm Monday to Saturday (closed Sundays) from Monday 17th March until Friday 11th April.“We've worked together on mural projects many times and we often talk about what we've got on our easels so, recently, because of our long association since art school, we thought it would be a good idea to put together a joint exhibition,” explains Brian King.Seeing these paintings side by side emphasises the luminous spaces and colours that characterise the artists’ work. “West Country landscape is full of an ever-changing light and I’m constantly attempting to capture the essence and geography of the area,” says Andrew Dixon, “while portraiture requires the artist to catch the essence of a person and bring them to life. It’s about spontaneity in mark-making, being spontaneous in the act of painting.” Burning Branches by Brian King The River Isle in Flood by Andrew Dixon“We had considered several possible London venues but I remembered noting how lovely the wood-panelled room in Wealden House was when we happened to visit it a few weeks ago.” Brian continues, “So we are very happy to be exhibiting there. This show signals a move for both of us towards exhibiting on a regular basis.”Both artists studied fine art at Bournemouth & Poole College of Art in the 1980s.Andrew's main focus at art school was in the life room and it was there that the importance of good draughtsmanship was learnt. After leaving college he spent a number of years teaching life drawing to supplement his painting, at the same time branching out into mural and trompe-l'oeil painting on a commercial basis which he still does to this day. His painting is about colour and light in the natural world and his interpretation of that world, whether in portraiture, landscape or still-life. His work constantly draws him back to the west country where he was born. Recently he has been working in Somerset attempting to capture the particular light, essence and geography of the area. He takes commissions for portraits, landscapes, murals and trompe-l'oeil, recent examples of which can be seen in the Rex cinema, Berkhamsted.Andrew Dixon07801 144962info@andrewcochranedixon.comhttp://www.andrewcochranedixon.comBrian spent 4 years at art school in the 80s and then a similar amount of time training as an actor in the 90s. Income was coming mainly from decorative paint effects and the occasional mural. For a variety of reasons, none of them particularly good, his easel had stood relatively undisturbed for several years until he met Maria-Teresa, his Sardinian fiancée, who encouraged him to get back to it. He has since spent a lot of time in Sardinia and this beautiful island has inspired much of his recent work. The figures that appear in his landscapes have all played some part in his life out there. This is also true of any dogs, sheep and geese on show. He paints mainly in oils and accepts commissions for portraits, landscapes and murals.Brian King07710 465576info@briankingartist.comhttp://www.briankingartist.comThe exhibition is being held at:Wealden HouseLewes RoadEast GrinsteadWest SussexRH19 3TB01342 335335help@wealdenhouse.comhttp://www.wealdenhouse.comfine arts, oils, landscape, portrait, still life, West Country, Sardinia, light and colour, spontaneity of mark-making, bringing people to life and believing in the person as a living beingThis press release was sent to:http://press-releases.blogspot.com/2008/03/free-fine-arts-exhibition-to-be-held-at.htmlhttp://www.pr-inside.com/the-work-of-2-artists-on-display-in-sussex-for-4-weeks-r485851.htm http://www.openpr.comhttp://pr-gb.comhttp://www.pressbox.co.ukhttp://www.prlog.org/10057357-free-fine-arts-exhibition-to-be-held-at-wealden-house.htmlhttp://www.clickpress.comhttp://www.ukprwire.comhttp://www.usprwire.comhttp://www.malebits.comhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/2286311/Free-Exhibitionhttp://www.edocr.com/doc/526/free-fine-arts-exhibition-be-held-wealden-househttp://www.theopenpress.comhttp://www.bestsyndication.comhttp://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=40472&ret=AccountDtl.aspxhttp://ma.gnolia.com/people/johnalexwood/bookmarks/vruzilebuhttp://eventful.com/events/east-grinstead/art-free-fine-arts-exhibition-/E0-001-009743905-2http://www.ents24.com/web/whatson/daysout/rh19.htmlhttp://technorati.com/posts/Gq4dd0Lsg4%2BzkFj2L3JlZXVFm4mbD9pYLcBWIpyo2%2Fo%3Dhttp://del.icio.us/johnalexwoodhttp://digg.com/arts_culture/Free_Fine_Arts_Exhibition_to_be_Held_at_Wealden_Househttp://faves.com/users/johnalexwood/dot/111772202611http://johnalexwood.newsvine.com/_news/2008/03/17/1372081-free-fine-arts-exhibition-to-be-held-at-wealden-househttp://johnalexwood.stumbleupon.com/http://reddit.com/info/6bsax/comments/c03f9f8http://www.shoutwire.com/comments/143163/Free_Fine_Arts_Exhibition_to_be_Held_at_Wealden_Househttp://www.nowpublic.com/culture/free-fine-arts-exhibition-be-held-wealden-househttp://www.wikio.com/user/johnalexwoodhttp://www.zvents.com/east-grinstead-west-sussex-rh19-3-united-kingdom/events/show/81710236-free-fine-arts-exhibition-to-be-held-at-wealden-househttp://www.wherecanwego.com/events/EventInput.aspx?tab=2&ID=0&sid=49b56be2-9b8f-43fc-afcb-58f4f3926b20#Search results:Google NewsGoogle WebExtras:http://en.redtram.com/go/88831543/http://technorati.com/posts/Gq4dd0Lsg4%2BzkFj2L3JlZXVFm4mbD9pYLcBWIpyo2%2Fo%3DPosted byUpTone Business Newsat4:07 PM0commentsLabels:fine arts,landscape,light and colour,oils,portrait,Sardinia,still life,West CountrySuicide Warnings ‘Buried’ on Antidepressant Drugs that ‘Don’t Work’ The UK drug regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) ‘buried’ an announcement that all antidepressant drugs are to carry warnings regarding ‘suicidal thoughts and behaviour,’ says an international psychiatric watchdog.The MHRA’s decision to implement warnings on all antidepressants was made before the recent release of a damning study from the University of Hull, which was highly critical of a particular class of antidepressant, describing them as being no better than placebo, and which made ‘no difference to patients.’The ‘buried’ announcement on the warnings followed an MHRA Working Party, which considered the results of adult clinical trial data for SSRIs and other antidepressants that had been completed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. This was the data used by the team lead by Prof Irving Kirsch at the University of Hull, but is unlikely to have included the data the Hull team obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, and which brought about the determination that the drugs ‘don’t work.’The outcry has prompted Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin to issue an Early Day Motion in Parliament regarding antidepressants, where he has noted “…that there is zero cost-effectiveness to drugs that do not work” and “…that large numbers of people are involuntarily addicted to these drugs and suffer bizarre and severe side effects which leave them unable to work.”He has called upon the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to review the approval of these drugs and has urged the Government to investigate how the manufacturers and distributors obtained product licences.Between 1999 and 2006, the NHS in England has paid out an astonishing £2.7billion on antidepressant drugs, while two well-known antidepressant drugs have pulled in combined revenue of £895million in England alone. Citizens Commission on Human Rights Internationalheadquarters on Sunset Boulevard, Los AngelesThe Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the international psychiatric watchdog established by the Church of Scientology in 1969, says it is scandalous and tantamount to fraud that psychiatric drugs which ‘don’t work’, are raking in billions and bleeding the NHS of much-needed funds that could be spent in areas of the medical profession that actually achieves results.The use of antidepressants relies on the theory introduced by psychiatrists that a ‘chemical imbalance' is the cause of so-called mental illness. The antidepressant drugs are supposed to fix an ‘imbalance’ that according to scientists, can’t be scientifically proven.Brian Daniels, national spokesperson for CCHR in the UK, said, “ There is no test to confirm or deny the existence of a ‘chemical imbalance.' The concept that this theory underlies mental illness is entirely false and is testimony to the worldwide psychiatric propaganda that has thoroughly duped well-meaning people and politicians alike.”While popularised by heavy marketing, it is simply psychiatric wishful thinking. As with all of psychiatry's disease models, it has been thoroughly discredited by researchers.”Jonathon Leo, associate professor of anatomy at Western University of Health Sciences said, “If a psychiatrist says you have a shortage of a chemical, ask for a blood test and watch the psychiatrist's reaction. The number of people who believe the scientists have proven that depressed people have low serotonin is a glorious testament to the power of marketing.”CCHR is calling for NICE and the MHRA to review their approvals and warnings based on the entire body of data obtained by the team from the University of Hull.The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an international psychiatric watchdog group co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights.For more information, please contact:Brian DanielsCCHR UKP.O. Box 188East GrinsteadWest SussexRH19 4RBTel: 01342 313 926 / 07980 934 984Email: brian@cchr.org.ukWeb site: http://www.cchr.org.ukantidepressants, big pharma, chemical imbalance, depression, hoax, psychiatric, psychiatrists, psychiatry, serotonin, SSRI, watchdog, black box warningPosted byUpTone Business Newsat9:37 AM0commentsLabels:antipressants,big pharma,black box warnings,chemical imbalance,depression,hoax,psychiatric,psychiatrists,psychiatry,serotonin,SSRI,watchdogSo the ‘drugs don’t work.’ But what were they supposed to do if they worked?The Emperor would have been proud of the disease mongers and their marketing techniques  With all of the coverage concerning antidepressant drugs, there is a question that hasn’t been asked yet. It’s this: if ‘the drugs don’t work’, what then were they supposed to have been doing if they worked? It’s a question that has been carefully avoided as it exposes the scandalous hoodwinking that has occurred through disease mongering, the marketing of mental illness and the consequent mass drugging of millions. What were the drugs supposed to do? The answer lies in the cornerstone of psychiatry’s disease model, the theory that a ‘brain-based chemical imbalance’ is the cause of mental illness. The antidepressant drugs are supposed to fix this so-called imbalance that purportedly exists in the brain. If this is the case, where is the scientific evidence to support the theory? There is none. There is no test to confirm or deny the existence of a ‘chemical imbalance,’ and the concept that this theory underlies mental illness is entirely false. While popularised by heavy marketing, it is simply psychiatric wishful thinking. As with all of psychiatry’s disease models, it has been thoroughly discredited by researchers. According to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), the ‘chemical imbalance’ theory fed to the public in order to rationalise the widespread use of psychiatric drugs, is a marketing tool, and is not based on scientific evidence. Jonathon Leo, associate professor of anatomy at Western University of Health Sciences said, “If a psychiatrist says you have a shortage of a chemical, ask for a blood test and watch the psychiatrist’s reaction. The number of people who believe the scientists have proven that depressed people have low serotonin is a glorious testament to the power of marketing.” And psychiatrist David Kaiser said, “Patients [have] been diagnosed with ‘chemical imbalances’ despite the fact that no test exists to support such a claim, and…there is no real conception of what a correct chemical balance would look like.” Ty C. Colbert, a clinical psychologist said of the theory, “Biopsychiatrists have created the myth that psychiatric ‘wonder’ drugs correct chemical imbalances. Yet there is no basis for this model because no chemical imbalance has ever been proven to be the basis of a mental illness.” And Elliot Valenstein, author of Blaming the Brain, said, “[T]here are no tests available for assessing the chemical status of a living person’s brain.” No “biochemical, anatomical, or functional signs have been found that reliably distinguish the brains of mental patients.” According to Valenstein, “The theories are held on to not only because there is nothing else to take their place, but also because they are useful in promoting drug treatment.” The whole theory was invented to push drugs. Even today’s brain imagery photos, said to prove mental illnesses are physical diseases, are deeply flawed. Indeed, prescribed psychotropic drugs most likely cause the changes seen in the brain. Steven Hyman, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, admits that indiscriminate use of such brain scans produce “pretty but inconsequential pictures of the brain.” Brain imagery photos - "deeply flawed"So the idea of a ‘chemical imbalance’ is thoroughly discredited as the cause of mental illness, and scientists at the University of Hull have said ‘the drugs don’t work.’ As a commercial, profit-driven enterprise, claiming that an illness exists, even though it cannot be proven, and telling ‘sufferers’ that they should take an expensive drug is extremely lucrative and nice work if you can get it. In 2006, the cost to the NHS for antidepressants in England alone was £291million. As if that wasn’t bad enough, throw in the datum that the drugs, which ‘don’t work’, have been shown to create suicidal ideation, violence and aggression. Earlier this month, the UK drug regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued a direction that warnings of the dangers of suicidal thoughts and behaviour are to be included in the packages of antidepressants. It’s an untenable situation. Manufacture a fraudulent psychiatric theory for an illness, and then prescribe drugs that are supposed to correct the fraudulent theory, but which don’t, but can cause suicide, aggression and violence, and charge the taxpayers millions of pounds for it all. It is a criminal activity that any law-abiding individual would be outraged at, if he or she really knew about it. The Citizens Commission on Human Rights is an international psychiatric watchdog group co-founded in 1969 by the Church of Scientology and Dr Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus, to investigate and expose psychiatric violations of human rights.For more information, contact:Brian DanielsCCHR UKP.O. Box 188East GrinsteadWest SussexRH19 4RBTel: 01342 313 926 / 07980 934 984Email: brian@cchr.org.ukWeb site: http://www.cchr.org.ukantidepressants, big pharma, chemical imbalance, depression, hoax, psychiatric, psychiatrists, psychiatry, serotonin, SSRI, watchdogPosted byUpTone Business Newsat4:41 PM0commentsLabels:antidepressants,big pharma,chemical imbalance,depression,hoax,psychiatric,psychiatrists,psychiatry,serotonin,SSRI,watchdogSpamalot London Video WallThis is neat hey? It's the latest in modern technology, not dissimilar to a lapin de bois.Posted byUpTone Business Newsat12:09 PM0commentsLabels:alan dale,comedy,london,monty python,musical theatre,Nina Soderquist,peter davison,spamalotStephen Kazmierczak had been taking Paxil and other antidepressantsFollowing on from Columbine, Omaha, Finland, Virgina, another victim of antidepressants goes berzerk. When will these SSRI antidepressants be banned? Until they are, expect more mass killings in institutions of higher learning!  Stephen KazmierczakExcerpted from http://la.indymedia.orgThe gunman was known as a quiet, polite, engaging student at NIU, but a darker side of Stephen Kazmierczak is now coming to light.Authorities have not figured out what motivated the man, described as a hardworking, award-winning former honor student by NIU faculty, to go on a shooting rampage that killed five students.Kazmierczak, 27, was treated for mental illness nine years ago. He was considered volatile, according to a staff member who worked at the facility at the time, and violent if he stopped taking the antidepressant and anti-anxiety pills prescribed for him. Including Paxil, it was medication he was supposed to still be taking and apparently stopped a cou | |
