Coffee - The New Health Drink

Can it possibly be true? Coffee is a health food?

Perhaps so; there has been, in the last fifteen years, a flurry of basic research on coffee, primarily at Vanderbilt University (Nashville) and Harvard Medical School (Cambridge). As reported by the media, the news is music to a coffee lover's ears; coffee is good for our health. Kathryn Wilson, a researcher at Harvard reports: "When people find out that they are at risk for developing disease, coffee can be one pleasure which they don't need to deprive themselves, and then they can focus on other life-style choices."

One study found that men who drink six or more cups of coffee a day have up to a 60% lower risk of advanced and lethal prostate cancer. The results being almost the same for decaf and caffeinated coffee. A study done in Sydney, Australia, concluded that drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 25 to 35 %. Coffee also seems to help "prevent cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, and liver cirrhosis." Coffee is safe for heart-attack survivors and its antioxidants may reduce inflammation and protect blood vessel walls. There is, in addition, evidence that coffee "decreases the risk of premature death, especially in women."(Costco Connection, Feb., 2010)

Perhaps it's time for a cup (or more) of java.

Wells Fargo, Wachovia Charge for Donations to Haiti

After the public outrage over credit card companies charging transaction fees for donations to Haitian relief, four major credit card companies stopped the practice. On the other hand, Wells Fargo, the parent company of Wachovia continues to charge 3%.

Heather Lynn, a student at Old Dominion University, has begun a Facebook page for those unhappy about this, and it reveals other questionable fees being charged by Wells Fargo. The Facebook page is: Wachovia=Fail.

Supreme Court Ignores Thomas Jefferson

In their Congressional confirmation hearings, Supreme Court Justice Roberts and the other four conservative (i.e. Republican) justices went to great lengths to insist that there is no place on the Supreme Court for "activist" judges and judges should not legislate from the bench. In fact Justice Roberts used the analogy of an baseball umpire who interprets the rules to the situation but does not make the rules. They have demonstrated in the recent Citizen United Decision that they did not believe what they were saying; they were saying what the public and Congress was hoping for and had the right to expect.

As has been pointed out frequently in the last week, their research and scholarship is also suspect. They conveniently overlooked Thomas Jefferson's statement: “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their money, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them (the banks) will deprive the people of their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent that their fathers conquered.” (Dan Burnard, "The New Corporatocracy," Toledo Free Press, 1/29/10) Obviously Thomas Jefferson did not think that corporations and big Wall Street banks were persons and had the same 1st Amendment rights as an individual.

One would think that real conservatives like Barry Goldwater would be screaming to the high heavens, but we haven't heard from them. Obviously it is not about principles; it's about politics. On the other hand, we have not yet heard from George Will. It will be interesting to learn his position.

J.D. Salinger Achieves Ultimate Isolation

J.D. Salinger, whose Catcher in the Rye (1951)

became a classic and introduced us to Holden

Caulfield, one of literature's memorable

anti-heroes, has died of natural causes at age 91

in his isolated home in Cornish, NH.

After fame came his way, he retreated to

Cornish where he was almost paranoid about

maintaining his isolation.

His novel struck a cord with many of us growing

up in the 1950's and perhaps even suggested

that we had to be independent and take

responsibility for our lives or we too might end up

in a mental ward.

The question is: What was J. D. Salinger

afraid of? What was he hiding from? What demons

possessed him?

Lake High Girls BB

Kaysie Brittenham

Lake Flyers

Congratulations to the Lake (Millbury,OH) High School

Girls basketball team for extending its regular-season

winning streak to 36 wins and going strong.

Orhan Pamuk's "Museum of Innocence"

The Museum of Innocence is Turkish author Ohran

Pammuk's first novel after winning the Nobel prize for

Literature in 2006.

The story which takes place in the 1970's in Istanbul

is of Kemal's pathetic, pathological obsession with

a beautiful, younger woman, Fusun. It's a story that

has been told many times ( e.g. Nabokov's Lolita),

but it becomes a new story in Pamuk's hands,

partially because of Pamuk's style of story-telling as

well as the local color of Istanbul and the Bosophurus.

Kemal, a thirty year-old whose family is of wealthy,

upper-class society, is engaged to Sibel, a young

lady of like circumstances. Before his official

engagement party, Kemal quite by accident meets

Fusun, a beautiful eighteen year-old store clerk he

had known as a child. Smitten, he begins his

journey of erotic obsession. Soon Kemal becomes

a pathetic fool and develops another obsession--

collecting , actually pilfering, items that have been

associated with Fusun. His collection of earrings,

wine glasses, hair barrettes, and even cigarette

butts become the basis of his peculiar museum.

His justification of this odd behavior is that he is

"the anthropologist of his own experience."

The reason this apparently simple story requires

over 500 pages is that Kemal's quest involves

discussion of political unrest, the conflict between

tradition and westernization, and the developing

Turkish film industry.

Since both Sibel and Fusun lost their virginity to

Kemal, it is also an issue. Virginity was the

prized possession of Turkish women living in a

conflicted time--a time of change from the

tradition of the past to a more westernized

society. Pamuk writes:"virginity was still

regarded as a treasure that young girls should

protect until the day they married."

Although he takes a long time telling it, the

story is worth the journey.

A State Divided

OHIO

NASA' s "Puffin"--Personal Fying Suit

"Puffin"

It's not a 1950's sci-fi jet pack, but it is a personal flying "suit." NASA named this experimental vehicle "Puffin," and explained that it is quite different than the old jet packs attached to a pilot's back.

For one thing, it is self-contained; the operator steps into the suit which has a cockpit area. It has helicopter-like wings for vertical take-off and when the vehicle is leveled off, the same blades function like an airplane engines for high altitude flying.

It is relatively quiet and lightweight since it is powered by electric motors and is environmentally friendly.

To view a video of "Puffin," go to an article by Dan Salzstein "NASA Announces Designs for Personal Flying Suit," NYT, 1/21/2010

Beware of RNC "Census"

Michael Steele

RNC Chairman

For all of my Republican friends (unfortunately there are far too many of you): beware of a fundraising letter in the form of a "survey" which is designed to mislead people into thinking it is the 2010 U.S. Census. It has been sent out by the Republican National Committee and calls itself the "Congressional District Census" and comes with the warning, "DO NOT DESTROY OFFICIAL DOCUMENT" and has a label on the envelope saying it is a "census document."

The letter from Michael Steele, the chairman of the National Republican Chairman, reads: "That is why I have authorized a census to be conducted for every congressional district in the country." He obviously would like us to confuse his assumed "authority" with that of the U.S. Constitution (Art. 1, Sec. 2).

And not only does the party admit the duplicity, they are proud of it. " 'Of course, duping people is the point. ... That's one of the reasons why it works so well,” said one Republican operative familiar with the program, who said it’s among the RNC’s most lucrative fundraising initiatives. “They will likely mail millions this year [with] incredible targeting.”" (Politico,1/25/10)

If I were disposed to contribute to the RNC, which I am not, I would use another avenue than this attempt to confuse their supporters.

Supreme Court Welcomes Foriegn Influence on US Elections

In addition to being a blatant political decision based on shoddy research, the Supreme Court's Citizen United decision may have unintended consequences. The five conservative Republican-appointed justices decided that the free speech provisions of the First Amendment could be applied to corporations as well as individuals. As a result huge, multi-national corporations, in addition to spending millions on lobbying, are now allowed spend as much as they want to influence U.S. elections.

It goes without saying that these corporations, with one check, can wield more influence than thousands of individual contributors. It is now become "government of corporations, by corporations, and for corporations. Corporations have the rights of individuals, but on the other hand they cannot be penalized like individuals. Not a bad deal--for wealthy corporations.

In addition to the anti-democratic aspects of this decision, it also provides an avenue for foriegn entities to influence U.S. elections. "A very large percentage of U.S. corporations are owned by foreign persons or entities. In 2006, USA Today reported: 'Nearly one in five U.S. oil refineries is owned by foreign companies. Foreign companies also have a sizable presence in running power plants, chemical factories and water treatment facilities in the United States.' It was also reported that, 'Roads and bridges built by U.S. taxpayers are starting to be sold off, and so far foreign-owned companies are doing the buying.' In 2008, it was reported that foreign ownership of U.S. companies 'more than doubled' between 1996 and 2005. To get a fix on the spending power, consider this: 'The total receipts of foreign-owned companies were $1.7 trillion in 1996 and just $39 billion in 1971.'" (Jason Linkins, HuffingtonPost, 1/21/2010)

These five conservative and activist justices have given foreign persons and entities a monumental opportunity to influence U.S. elections.

Supreme Court Chooses "Metaphor Over Reality'

William Rehnquist was nominated for the Supreme

Court by President Richard Nixon in 1972 and became

the most conservative member of the court.

This week the five conservative judges of the US

SupremeCourt overturned the 100-year-old concept

that corporations, since they are not individuals, do not

possess the same rightto free speech as do individuals.

As a result, huge multi-national corporations and unions

will now be able to spend millions of dollars trying

to influence elections--without consulting their

shareholders or members. This decision is obviously

contrary to the opinion of the conservative and former

Chief Justice.

"Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist once warned that

treating corporate spending as the First Amendment

equivalent of individual free speech is 'to confuse

metaphor with reality.' Today that metaphor won a

very real victory at the Supreme Court. And as a

consequence some very real corporations are feeling

very, very good."

(HuffingtonPost,1/22/10)

Why Are Fans Harassing Israeli Tennis Star Sahar Peer

The world has come to realize that we cannot separate sports and politics, but is fair to harass individual athletes for the policies of their homeland? That, it seems, is what is happening to Sahar Peer, an Israeli tennis star. Apparently boisterous peace protesters are heckling her at every match at the Australian Open and prior to that at a tournament

in New Zealand. The protesters are heckling Peer because of "Israeli human rights

abuses against Palestinians."

One has to wonder why it is that these protesters focus on Peer when there are many players from other countries (China and Russia) with terrible records of human rights abuse. Is it about human rights or antisemitism?

US Democracy Takes Another Blow

One has to wonder whether the five conservative judges on the US Supreme Court ever stop to think about what they said in congressional hearings prior to their appointment.

The five conservative judges that decided the the 2000 presidential election were "state's rights" jurists when they appeared before Congress because at that time states rights meant that states were entitled to determine their own voting procedures. However, in the case of the 2000 election, they flip-flopped and reversed the opinion of the Supreme Court of the State of Florida, awarding the election to George W. Bush. Their political persuasion was more important than their professed belief in states' rights.

Now again, in 2010, the five conservative justices ( yes, you can read that as "Republican") who went on in great length in their congressional hearings railing against the danger of "activist" judges have indeed become activist judges in overturning a hundred years of opinions that said corporations did not possess the same right to free speech that individual citizens were entitled to by the First Amendment. Now corporations and unions can spend as much money as they wish in their efforts to influence an election. And they can do this without even consulting their shareholders and members.

Wow! No wonder countries around the world question our democracy, and suggest it is in fact plutocracy..

Bill to Move New Mexico State Money out of Big 4 Wall Street Banks

"New Mexico state representative Brian Egolf has introduced a bill to move the state's money out of Bank of America and into banks and credit unions chartered in New Mexico."

What a great idea! If other states did the same, the citizens' money would be available on the local level, and small businesses would be able to secure loans and hire employees.

A Fix for the NFL

The NFL has yet to come to grips with the problem of teams throwing games once they have achieved a desirable playoff position. Such gamesmanship attacks the very integrity of sport and is an insult to the fans who have every right to expect a real football game for their money.

Since I wrote of this problem in a Jan. 8th blog, "NFL Playoffs vs. BCS," I have been challenged to offer a solution. Thus, today's blog.

The NFL probably has given this more thought than I have, but as of the present, has chosen to nothing about it. In light of their inaction, I am offering the following solution.

Since we are dealing with professionals whose agents negotiate contracts with the owners, the best incentive for coaches and players to give their best effort in all 16 games is financial. Their contracts should provide financial incentives, much like Wall Street types who receive bonuses based on their company's annual performance. The NFL would have to agree on a uniform bonus structure which would be a part of each player's and coach's contract.

By way of example, a team that achieves 11 wins would give bonuses of 10K; 12 wins, another 20K; 13 wins, another 30K; 14 wins, another 45K; 15 wins, another 75K; 16 wins, another 125K. Granted, these bonuses may not be even close to what is needed, but they exemplify what such a system might look like. And, of course, this money would not be included in any salary caps.

Whatever the system, the NFL must do something to insure that every NFL game is a "real" game.

If you wish to show me the error of my way, please email me at: rjlanghals@msn.com

DeWine's Demeaning Remark

After Gov. Ted Strickland chose Yvette McGee Brown as his running mate for the next election, Ohio GOP Chairman, Kevin DeWine, dismissed her as a "social worker with no experience in public finance or state government." I beg your pardon, Mr. DeWine; what do you have against social workers?

A former common pleas judge, Mrs. Brown is along-term attorney who has served as chief legal counsel for two state agencies and runs the multi-million dollar Center for Child and Family Advocacy for Nationwide Children's Hospitals. Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, said of Judge Brown: "Gov. Ted Strickland made an excellent choice with his selection of Yvette McGee Brown as his running mate. She brings an incredible array of expertise and intellect to the ticket and is fully prepared to serve as Governor of our great state if circumstances necessitate it." Mrs Brunner went on to say that Mr. DeWine should apologize for his demeaning remarks

On the other hand, the GOP candidate for governor, Mr Kasich, a former congressman and former Fox News political show host, has had financial experience; he most recently worked for the failed Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers. Hardly the kind of "financial experience" we need in the governor's office.

Credit Card Companies Cash in on Charity

When confronted with a human tragedy like the Haitian earthquake,the charity of the American people is prodigious. A movie star in Hollywood donates a million dollars; a seventh grade student in Toledo sells his Nintendo games and donates the money to the Red Cross. It seems as though everyone, except the millionaire Rush Limbaugh, is doing something to help.

But when we donate, we usually do so with credit cards, and the credit card companies are cashing in on our charity. "In some cases they keep 3% of the donation as a 'transaction fee,' even though that's far more than it costs them to process the donation." (MoveOn.org, 1/16/10)

I am not suggesting that we donors stop using credit cards for donations. The ease of credit card technology has helped all charities in their money-raising activities, but I am suggesting emailing your credit card company and asking them how much they are skimming off the top.If nothing else, it will inform them that you are aware of their greed. They could dispense with "transaction fees" for all charitable donations, and still be making their customary large profits on regular transactions.

In Defense of Crocs

In one the the year-end lists ("What's Hot & What's Not") that magazines love to do, I noticed that once again some self-appointed guru of fashion has declared the death of crocs. This must be the seventh year in a row that the "cool" fashionistas have made that very same prediction. Among other things, it has been called the shoe of dorks and the footwear of clowns; and consumers still insist on purchasing pair after pair.

It is not surprising that the fashion mavens in New York and Los Angeles, who in reality are hucksters pushing the wares of the apparel industry, want to see the death of a comfortable, light-weight, durable, and inexpensive shoe. If consumers have the option to buy crocs, how many pair of $250 shoes which will be uncomfortable, beat-up, and --God forbid- out of style in two years, will they be able to sell.? Probably, quite a few; for there are many consumers who ,if nothing else, want to be "fashionable." But they are not going to sell those pricey leathers to the vast unwashed masses like me.

They should not underestimate the ability of us dorks to choose a comfortable, lightweight, durable, and inexpensive pair of crocs.

Palin and Ahmadinejad

Sometimes a progressive liberal in one country frequently shares a world-view with a progressive liberal in a "enemy" country. A liberal in the U.S. sympathizes with the aspirations of a liberal in China or Russia. But the odd thing is fundamentalist, conservative, religious, and nationalistic politicians, although they share these same traits, want to destroy their counterparts in another country. But what is really strange is that they are so similar, and not just in their fear and hate.

Consider the case of Sarah Palin and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The following article from Salon.com demonstrates the interesting similarities. To view, click on the title.

Sarah Palin, meet Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Wall Street and Haiti

Noticed this on Twitter and had to pass it on:

livia

Here's an idea. Why don't these Wall Street dudes give their "bonuses" to Haiti: http://tiny.cc/Egwv3