John McCain’s Medical File Is A National Secret — Death To The Traitor Who Leaks Medical Details Of America’s Oldest President

A little noticed remark in the press is generating heat for McCain’s presidential campaign. On Wednesday, McCain’s campaign told CNN that the Arizona senator’s medical file would be produced May 15. Trouble is, they previously said they’d be released April 15, and they’ve refused to turn the records over to the New York Times on at least three occasions. This has led some on the left to question, “What’s he hiding?” — as is the banner headline on the politics section of liberal blog, The Huffington Post. “Mr. McCain has yet to make his full medical records or his physicians available to reporters,” the Times veteran medical correspondent Dr. Lawrence Altman penned in March. “At least three times since March 2007, campaign officials have told The New York Times that they would provide the detailed information about his current state of health, but they have not done so. The campaign now says it expects to release the information in April.” McCain’s previous encounter with skin cancer: The Times has taken issue with McCain’s health before. In early March of this year, the paper ran a Sunday splash titled “On the Campaign Trail, Few Mentions of McCain’s Bout With Melanoma.” “Along with his signature bright white hair, the most striking aspects of Senator John McCain’s physical appearance are his puffy left cheek and the scar that runs down the back of his neck,” Altman wrote. “The marks are cosmetic reminders of the melanoma surgery he underwent in August 2000. Mr. McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, sometimes tells audiences that he has ‘more scars than Frankenstein.’” The recent ducking of questions on his medical history stands in contrast to his release of detailed files in 1999, “In 1999, during Mr. McCain’s first race for president, he gave the public an extraordinary look at his medical history — 1,500 pages of medical and psychiatric records that were amassed as part of a United States Navy project to gauge the health of former prisoners of war,” Altman wrote in March. “This reporter, who is a physician, interviewed the senator’s doctors in 1999 with his permission.” The CNN report was featured in a blog post on their political ticker Wednesday. It was not picked up by news agencies or even the subject of a CNN report. The Carpetbagger blog, however, caught the CNN blog post and raised a storm. McCain said he’d release files on 60 Minutes. The Times report “was the standard line in early March. McCain sat down for an interview with Scott Pelley on 60 Minutes, and was asked about his health. McCain said it’s ‘excellent’ (three times), and said his campaign would be ‘doing the medical records thing’ soon,” Carpetbagger’s Steve Bennen wrote. “Pelley followed up, “There has been some criticism that you have not released your medical records. You’re saying in this interview that you’re about to do that. McCain replied, ‘Oh, yeah, we’ll do it in the next month or so, yeah.’” “For a candidate who has nothing to hide, he’s acting like he has something to hide,” he continued later. “And given that McCain is running to be the oldest president ever elected, and he has a history of medical problems including melanoma, this is a little unsettling. “If McCain had a history of secrecy,” he added, “it’d be easier to just chalk this up to a character flaw. But his previous disclosures actually make the problem worse. He was an open book during his first campaign, and now he can’t even explain the delays in releasing his records. “As I said,” he concluded. “There’s probably nothing to this. But the campaign’s conduct on the issue raises questions, doesn’t it?”

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/McCain_delays_releasing_medical_records_again_0404.html

http://www.johnmccain.com/

How To Make Sane Men Go Crazy

Iraq vets suffer mental health woes. A week before Army Gen. David Petraeus updates Congress on the war in Iraq, two new studies have found that soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan are suffering from especially high rates of post-combat psychological problems, exacerbated by an unusually high rate of repeat deployments. Some of the most severely affected troops are in the National Guard, often detailed to front-line combat positions. The studies were conducted by Veterans for America, a nonpartisan advocacy organization led by Bobby Muller, whose efforts to ban landmines earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Politico received early copies of the reports, set to be released Friday. Muller is particularly concerned because Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, is expected to tell Congress that overall troop reductions should be put on hold, pending a reassessment. Muller’s group argues that changing overall deployment policies to give troops time to recover from combat situations would have a far greater impact than piecemeal mental health legislation. “We are compounding the injuries for those who already served,” Muller said, calling multiple deployments without sufficient rest a “prescription for catastrophe.” Veterans Affairs spokeswoman Laurie Tranter said the department would have no comment because officials had not seen the studies. But in a hearing before a House defense panel last month, Secretary of the Army Pete Geren said the military is trying to deal with the mental health issues. “It’s a challenge for us,” he said. “The military has always struggled with it in wartime.” And he acknowledged that the mental health problems follow the troops home and “affect their families.” A report by the Department of Defense Task Force on Mental Health last year found that the military health system “lacks the fiscal resources and the fully trained personnel to fulfill its mission.” The veterans group’s findings come as Congress is considering numerous legislative initiatives to help veterans deal with the stress of the war, with programs ranging from counseling to suicide prevention. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) praised the veterans group’s work and called for “humane deployment cycles.” “These critical reports reveal how our overstretched and misused military is among the most devastating costs of this war,” Reid said in a statement to Politico. “Our nation’s bravest volunteers deserve our gratitude for their service and sacrifice; they do not deserve to be sent on extended and repeated tours in an endless civil war.” The studies found that National Guard troops do not receive the same level of care as regular Army soldiers when they return home. They often do not have the same on-base medical clinics as the regular Army and are often quickly thrust back into civilian life with little support. Psychological effects were found in 49 percent of National Guard troops after returning from the battlefield — 29 percentage points higher than for regular soldiers. The National Guard troops are treated like “bastard stepchildren,” Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) said in a recent meeting with Maryland veterans. In total, more than 1.6 million troops have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than a third have served at least two tours of duty, and some, as many as four. Post-combat psychological problems for troops increased by 125 percent between their first and third or fourth deployments, according to one of the studies, which cited internal military statistics. The military acknowledges the problems of lengthy deployments but says it needs to maintain troop levels. In testimony last month before the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey said the Army’s research showed that combat tours of “15 months is too long; 12 months home is too short.” He said that the Army’s goal this summer is to reduce deployment time to one year but that there were no immediate plans to increase leave times. Over the past three years, the Army has begun a program to send mental health counselors to Iraq and Afghanistan. The Army is also providing counseling to military families and is seeking more recruits in order to ease the burden on existing troops. “We are doing everything we can to mitigate [the stress on soldiers] in a time of crisis,” Army public affairs spokesman Paul Boyce said Wednesday.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9360.html

Penis Enlargement — Scientific Breakthrough And Medical Miracle

Are You Really Satisfied With Your Penis Size?

***After doing the measurements, you discover that you have a small penis you can begin to search for the best treatment. Exploring your options is a good way to go but realize that besides pills and extenders, the most common types of penis enlargement procedures are surgery, pumps and weights. However, even with medical technology making any type of enhancement possible, it is still hard to assure anybody of the success and risk-free factor of penile enlargement surgery. The procedure is far from having breast implants or facelifts that can be done easily. It is a very risky procedure which requires time, money and a pain threshold of a woman. One has to realize that this includes the risk of any other surgery and there is no guarantee of success. Some may even have to wear special contraptions after the operation to ensure that the length remains and will not retract. Other popular methods include vacuum pumping which is used to suck the air surrounding the penis, and ultimately draw blood to the penis. The disadvantage is obvious. This method will involve a tool which would be hard to bring around, even in a backpack and in sex, timing is important. A vacuum pump destroys all possibilities of timing. Other ways include penile stretching using weights, natural methods like penile massages and lotions which has yet to prove their efficacy. Pills, for their part are very safe considering the fact that most of them are either organic or herbal. If they be synthetic, they usually comprise of hormones that assures the taker increased libido. They’re inexpensive and risk is greatly reduced compared to other methods. If they are herbal, the risk is almost zero. It’s safe and in most instances, more effective than the other methods. Penis extenders are also relatively safe because they are natural methods of lengthening the penis with the help of specially made devices. They can be used in your spare time and not necessarily before sex. If used regularly, they can lengthen the size of your penis to at most two inches, depending on the product. These two methods can ensure our future Adonis the realization of their dreams minus the pain and money***

http://www.fun.from.hell.pl/2005-03-31/penis-enlargement.jpeg

This Is Not Scare Reporting, It’s Fact Reporting. Facts That Some People Don’t Like

“Sex Infections Found in Quarter of Teenage Girls”

Also, some Internet people don’t like the use of the word “infected” in this news report.

This word means that germs or bacteria are causing a disease to spread among people.

And that is exactly what is happening.

Welcome to reality.

**The first national study of four common sexually transmitted diseases among girls and young women has found that one in four are infected with at least one of the diseases, federal health officials reported Tuesday. Nearly half the African-Americans in the study of teenagers ages 14 to 19 were infected with at least one of the diseases monitored in the study — human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, genital herpes and trichomoniasis, a common parasite. The 50 percent figure compared with 20 percent of white teenagers, health officials and researchers said at a news conference at a scientific meeting in Chicago. The two most common sexually transmitted diseases, or S.T.D.’s, among all the participants tested were HPV, at 18 percent, and chlamydia, at 4 percent, according to the analysis, part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Each disease can be serious in its own way. HPV, for example, can cause cancer and genital warts. Among the infected women, 15 percent had more than one of the diseases. Women may be unaware they are infected. But the diseases, which are infections caused by bacteria, viruses and parasites, can produce acute symptoms like irritating vaginal discharge, painful pelvic inflammatory disease and potentially fatal ectopic pregnancy. The infections can also lead to longterm ailments like infertility and cervical cancer. The survey tested for specific HPV strains linked to genital warts and cervical cancer. Officials of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the findings underscored the need to strengthen screening, vaccination and other prevention measures for the diseases, which are among the highest public health priorities. About 19 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year among all age groups in the United States. “High S.T.D. infection rates among young women, particularly young African-American women, are clear signs that we must continue developing ways to reach those most at risk,” said Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., who directs the centers’ division of S.T.D. prevention. The president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecile Richards, said the new findings “emphasize the need for real comprehensive sex education.” “The national policy of promoting abstinence-only programs is a $1.5 billion failure,” Ms. Richards said, “and teenage girls are paying the real price.” Although earlier annual surveys have tested for a single sexually transmitted disease in a specified population, this is the first time the national study has collected data on all the most common sexual diseases in adolescent women at the same time. It is also the first time the study measured human papillomavirus. Dr. Douglas said that because the new survey was based on direct testing, it was more reliable than analyses derived from data that doctors and clinics sent to the diseases center through state and local health departments. “What we found is alarming,” said Dr. Sara Forhan, a researcher at the centers and the lead author of the study. Dr. Forhan added that the study showed “how fast the S.T.D. prevalence appears.” “Far too many young women are at risk for the serious health effects of untreated S.T.D.’s, ” she said. The centers conducts the annual study, which asks a representative sample of the household population a wide range of health questions. The analysis was based on information collected in the 2003-4 survey. Extrapolating from the findings, Dr. Forhan said 3.2 million teenage women were infected with at least one of the four diseases. The 838 participants in the study were chosen at random with standard statistical techniques. Of the women asked, 96 percent agreed to submit vaginal swabs for testing. The findings and specific treatment recommendations were available to the participants calling a password-protected telephone line. Three reminders were sent to participants who did not call. Health officials recommend treatment for all sex partners of individuals diagnosed with curable sexually transmitted diseases. One promising approach to reach that goal is for doctors who treat infected women to provide or prescribe the same treatment for their partners, Dr. Douglas said. The goal is to encourage men who may not have a physician or who have no symptoms and may be reluctant to seek care to be treated without a doctor’s visit. He also urged infected women to be retested three months after treatment to detect possible reinfection and to treat it. Dr. Forhan said she did not know how many participants received their test results. Federal health officials recommend annual screening tests to detect chlamydia for sexually active women younger than 25. The disease agency also recommends that women ages 11 to 26 be fully vaccinated against HPV. The Food and Drug Administration has said in a report that latex condoms are “highly effective” at preventing infection by chlamydia, trichomoniasis, H.I.V., gonorrhea and hepatitis B. The agency noted that condoms seemed less effective against genital herpes and syphilis. Protection against human papillomavirus “is partial at best,” the report said.**

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/science/12std.html?_r=1&oref=login&ref=todayspaper&pagewanted=print

Do you believe sexual orientation is determined at birth?

Yes
No
Not Sure / Undecided

http://www.vizu.com/poll-vote.html?n=82410

More Than 60,000 Iraq, Afghanistan Vets Diagnosed With PTSD

Jonathan Schulze was awarded two Purple Hearts in 2005 after a lengthy tour of duty in Iraq. But the Marine veteran couldn’t escape the war inside his head. Drugs and alcohol temporarily numbed his pain. Yet the guilt he carried around with him having been one of a handful of soldiers in his unit to survive combat was impossible to run away from. Schulze was suicidal. On January 11, 2007, he sought treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. His parents drove him to the VA hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Schulze told the VA staff that he “felt suicidal,” his mother, Marianne Schulze, recalled. The hospital didn’t admit him. Instead, he was told to call back the following day. He did. He was given a number: 26. The VA staff told him he’d have to wait at least two weeks to be admitted. Apparently, there were other veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan who were also suffering from PTSD. It’s unknown whether they met the same fate. On January 16, 2007, Schulze placed a framed photograph of his one-year-old daughter beside him. He wrapped an electrical cord around his neck and hung himself in the basement of a friend’s house in New Prague, Minnesota. He was 25 years old. This week, Schulze’s story is being retold in a federal courthouse in San Francisco as evidence of the widespread, systemic failures by the Veterans Administration to treat tens of thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans who suffer PTSD. Attorneys for two veterans advocacy organizations are hoping to convince a judge that a lawsuit filed against the Department for Veterans Affairs last year and several government officials associated with the VA should receive class-action status. In their lawsuit, Veterans for Common Sense and Veterans United for Truth, which represent about 12,000 veterans combined, claim Iraq and Afghanistan war vets are dying while waiting for the VA to treat PTSD and work through a backlog of at least half-a-million disability claims. The groups want Conti to issue a preliminary injunction to force the VA to immediately treat veterans who show signs of PTSD and are at risk of suicide. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can develop in a person who witnesses, or is confronted with, a traumatic event. PTSD is said to be the most prevalent mental disorder arising from combat. According to the lawsuit, “more than any previous war, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to produce a high percentage of troops suffering from PTSD,” due to the widespread use of improvised explosive devises, multiple rotations, the ambiguity of fighting combatants dressed as civilians, and the use of National Guard members and Reservists. In their complaint, the plaintiffs’ attorneys allege that numerous VA practices stemming from a 1998 law violate the constitutional and statutory rights of veterans suffering from PTSD by denying veterans mandated medical care. “Because of those failures, hundreds of thousands of men and women who have suffered grievous injuries fighting in the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are being abandoned,” states the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for Northern California. “Unless systemic and drastic measures are instituted immediately, the costs to these veterans, their families, and our nation will be incalculable, including broken families, a new generation of unemployed and homeless veterans, increases in drug abuse and alcoholism, and crushing burdens on the health care delivery system and other social services in our communities.” VA attorneys had argued in court papers filed last month that Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were not “entitled” to the five-years of free healthcare upon their return from combat as mandated by Congress in the “Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act.” Rather, the VA argued, medical treatment for the war veterans was discretionary based on the level of funding available in the VA’s budget. On Tuesday, the second day of testimony before U.S. District Court Judge Samuel Conti, Dr. Gerald Cross, the undersecretary for health at the Veterans Health Administration, made a startling admission during cross-examination by the plaintiffs’ attorneys that would appear to contradict the agency’s position. Cross admitted that veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan were not only entitled to free healthcare, “there is no co-pay,” he said. Perhaps most startling, however, was testimony by Cross stating that of the 300,000 veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars treated at VA hospitals, more than half were diagnosed with a serious mental condition, 68,000 of which were cases of PTSD. His testimony marks the first time a Bush administration official has provided detailed information about the psychological impact of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars on combat veterans. Cross testified that five years after the invasion of Iraq, the VA has still not completed a study on the link between suicides and PTSD among combat veterans. However, he said such a study is currently in the works and may be published soon. Paul Sullivan, the executive director of Veterans for Common Sense, Paul Sullivan, said more than 5,000 veterans commit suicide per year. Dr. Arthur Blank, a renowned expert on PTSD who has worked closely with the VA, testified that about 30 percent of Iraqi war veterans are likely suffering from PTSD due to multiple deployments and the VA is not doing enough to care for them. “I think it’s because of multiple deployments, which means one is exposed to trauma over and over again,” Blank testified. Last week, Daniel Cooper, the VA’s undersecretary for benefits, who is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, abruptly resigned. Sullivan’s group had called for Cooper’s resignation two weeks ago in light of the huge backlog of benefits claims that have yet to be processed by Cooper’s department. Last August, the Pentagon’s Inspector General revealed that Cooper used his government position to promote the work of a fundamentalist Christian organization, a violation of the laws governing the separation of church and state. Cooper, and several high-ranking military officials, appeared in a promotional video for Christian Embassy, an evangelical organization that evangelizes members of the military and politicians in Washington, DC via daily Bible studies and outreach events. The group holds prayer breakfasts on Wednesdays in the Pentagons executive dining room, according to the organization’s web site. Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of The Military Religious Freedom Foundation, whose organization called for a federal investigation after government officials were discovered to have participated in the Christian Embassy promotional video, said Cooper is a “disgrace.” “The D in Dan stands for disgrace,” Weinstein said in an interview. “He’s a disgrace to the United States Naval Academy, the United States Navy, the US armed forces, the Veterans Administration, and the United States of America. Why? Because we have him on videotape making it very clear to the world that the most important part of his job was to push the fundamentalist agenda of the Christian right over his specified duties at the Veterans Administration. Dan Cooper has used the United States Constitution as his personal roll of toilet paper. I wish him as much good fortune as he has provided to our honorable and noble veterans; none.”

[1]
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0803/S00119.htm
[2]
http://www.vsuspectator.com/?p=1014
[3]
http://freeinternetpress.com/story.php?sid=15610
[4]
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/06/terror/main3913026.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3913026
[5]
http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=what_happened_to_mental_health_care_for_vets
[6]
http://www.truthout.org/issues_06/030308HA.shtml
[7]
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107ap_iraq_the_wounded.html?source=rss
[8]
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/traumatised-diggers-denied-proper-mental-care/2008/03/07/1204780065923.html?s_cid=rss_national
[9]
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080228/NEWS02/802280311/1009/rss04

Point to debate:

Nothing new in any of this. Every war since the Napoleonic Wars has produced soldiers with mental wounds. It’s only since the Vietnam War that military doctors have had a name for it: Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD).

http://schools-wikipedia.org/wp/n/Napoleonic_Wars.htm

Testosterone — The Sexy Hormone

Testosterone is the major hormone responsible for our sex drives. Women produce small amounts of testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands and experience a drop in both estrogen and testosterone levels with the onset of menopause or from menopause caused from chemotherapy or the removal of the ovaries. For many women, a loss of libido is connected to this dramatic loss of hormones. Many women also report that lower testosterone levels lesson the intensity and frequency of sexual fantasies. They just don’t have the urge anymore, which affects their intimate relationships with their mates, which can cause much distress as the sexual bond diminishes. Between the ages of 20-40 our testosterone levels drop by 50%. When we hit menopause we lose another 30-50%. Many of us who rely on medications such as certain antidepressants, birth control pills, and some drugs that lower blood pressure are under double jeopardy, as these can lower testosterone levels also. testosterone000.jpg Testosterone, responsible for the sex drive in both women and men, diminishes as we grow older. Lower testosterone levels are also responsible for lack of sensitivity in the nipples and clitoris, which can impede many women from achieving orgasm. Physical examples of lowered testosterone show themselves through loss of pubic hair, dry skin and the shrinking of genital tissue. Muscle tone decreases dramatically as our testosterone levels decline. Men also are subject to a 35% testosterone loss between the ages of 20 and 80. The amount of androgens (male hormones) steadily decreases after the age of 25. Lowered levels of testosterone cause penis shrinkage and loss of libido. Men also suffer from decreased muscle tone, moodiness and depression as their testosterone levels decline. Many people experiencing these symptoms from plunging hormonal levels are turning to hormone replacement therapy, which can have positive results in getting their libidos back to normal. Many physicians are reluctant to use synthetic hormone replacement therapy because of the many possible side effects and the lack of long- term clinical studies. They’ve found that the side effects include: acne, unwanted facial hair, oily skin, and the concern that testosterone has a tendency to lower the HDL (the good) Cholesterol levels, especially when taken in pill form. According to Brian Walsh, MD from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, 50% of women taking testosterone notice no change in their libido. In rare cases, testosterone taken in pill form can impair liver function. Testosterone is not going to help someone suffering from years of sexual incompatibility or dissatisfaction. The general agreement from many studies show that testosterone causes a decrease in sexual inhibition and increases the sex drive. So many people believe the benefits of increased libido outweigh the side effects and enjoy the new-found help for their lagging desires! You and your doctor must make the decision jointly whether hormone replacement therapy is for you. Natural Alternatives to Synthetic Testosterone Replacement Zinc. The male sex organs use more zinc than any other part of the body. Due to zinc deficiency in the foods we eat, we often are not getting what we need. Many men with impotency problems are found to be deficient in this mineral. Zinc also stops the pituitary gland from making prolactin, according to research done by Alan Judd at the University of Virginia Medical School. Prolactin stops testosterone production. The body absorbs zinc citrate easier. Low levels of zinc in women are related to vaginal dryness and lower sex drives. ASD. Scientists have been able to synthesize the main precursor to testosterone - androstenedione or ASD. ASD works with the body, making just the amount of testosterone that it needs. Lycopene. testosterone001.jpg Tomatos contain lycopene, an essential ingredient for men’s reproductive health. Lycopene is an important nutrient found in tomatoes, which seems to be important for sexual health in men. The testicles contain more lycopenes than any other part of the body; impotent men have very low levels of it. Being recently discovered, scientists haven’t figured out why the testicles contain such a high amount, except that this plant extract acts as a shield to the sex organs. Lycopene is one of the strongest antioxidants found, hundreds of times more powerful than vitamins C, E and pycnogenol or grape seed extract. So give your man lots of tomato concentrated foods to help ensure his sexual longevity! Herbs. There are many herbs to help balance your hormonal levels. By working with your doctor or naturopath you can find just the right herbs. Whether experiencing PMS, menopause or peri-menopausal symptoms, there are herbs that can help bring your body chemistry back into balance. It may be safer to let the body use the mild forms of phytohormones in herbs to help bring back sexual potency, before resorting to concentrated and controversial forms of hormones that can have strong and undesirable side effects. Remember that a healthy lifestyle is the best way to ensure a full and satisfying sex life. Fresh air and nature can invigorate and stimulate us. Regular exercise can increase blood flow and thereby help to stimulate the life force and libido. Sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t, so here are a few more hints. Herbal Preparations: Damiana. Damania herb has been used throughout the ages to cure sexual impotence. It has a strong tonic action on the central nervous system and the hormonal systems, acting as an anti- depressant for treating sexual dysfunction. Traditional native Mexicans have used this herb to increase the libido. It is sometimes mixed with Saw Palmetto Berries as a general tonic for the reproductive organs. Be careful, this one is potent! False Unicorn Root. This root is used primarily in the treatment of female sterility and sexual impotence. It highly increases fertility in women, so if you don’t want to get pregnant, use it carefully. It helps to prevent miscarriage and aids in the relief of morning sickness when taken in small doses throughout the day. It is a strong sexual stimulant. Angelica Root. Angelica is another potent root used to improve circulation, warm the body and is helpful in the treatment of colds, coughs and all lung diseases. It’s also used for treating rheumatic problems and is a general tonic for improving sexual function. Do not use this root during pregnancy. Diabetics should not use it either, as it increases blood sugar levels. Astragalus. This is a general tonic and stimulant used to increase energy and build resistance to weakness and disease. It’s a valuable diuretic and is frequently used in Chinese formulas for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. Ginseng Root. Red ginseng root is an excellent choice for treating sexual dysfunction. It is considered the king of eastern tonics. Ginseng stimulates the entire system to overcome stress and fatigue and is a beneficial stimulant for the heart and circulatory system. Ginseng reduces “bad” cholesterol and prevents atherosclerosis. It is not recommended for women that have excessive menstrual flow. Sika Red Deer Antler. The antlers of the Sika Red Deer from Northern China are used as a powerful aphrodisiac for both men and women. Deer Antlers are ground and generally made into a tincture form. It stimulates the hormonal system.

http://alternativeapproaches.com/pnuke1/Article24.html

Better Sex At G-Shot Parties? — Controversial Gatherings A Cause For Concern?

Parties for an injection said to help increase women’s sexual sensation has some sexual health experts worried. Forget Botox parties and sex toy soirees. A new and controversial type of get-together has some women claiming enhanced sexual pleasure — it also has some sex experts worried that these women could be putting their health at risk. The gathering in question is called a G-shot party. And the women in attendance hope that a doctor can help to increase their sensitivity during sex through a special injection on the area on the inside front wall of the vagina, known as the G spot. Heather Greene, who requested her real name not be used, is a 42-year-old Los Angeles woman who attended a G-shot party Feb. 12. “When I first heard about it, I just started laughing hysterically because it was the funniest thing I had ever heard of,” Greene said. “It was just so outrageous.” But she says despite the initial humor, the shot gave her sex life a serious boost. “There is no way you can miss where the G spot is now,” she said. “That was kind of shocking to me.” It’s precisely the type of review that David Matlock, gynecologist and innovator of the technique, hopes to achieve through the gatherings, which he says always occur at a doctor’s office. “Our study showed that 87 percent of women reported enhanced sexual arousal because of an enhanced G spot,” he said. “What we’re doing is basically talking to women in a small group about this procedure, with individual exams and procedures in the office.” But the G shot is not a risk-free procedure. And a number of sexual health experts say that until there is more research behind the techniques, women should be wary of the injection. “This is a medical procedure, it is invasive, it involves inserting something into the vagina, it has never been tested, and it has never been approved by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration],” said Jennifer Bass, director of communications for the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction in Bloomington, Ind. She added that she is concerned the promotion and advertisement of the technique may drive women to seek it out and ignore the potential health risks.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PictureOfHealth/story?id=4312986&page=1

Casualty Rates Of Some Units In Afghanistan Comparable To Those In The Second World War

Casualties rise with no end to bloody conflict The conflict in Afghanistan has been bitter and bloody, with casualty rates in some units comparable to those in the Second World War Since British forces deployed in October 2001, 89 British forces personnel or Ministry of Defence civilians have been killed - 63 in action and 26 as a result of illness or injury. The majority have come since forces deployed to Helmand province in May 2006 to fight Taliban insurgents. In one four-month period last year, one in two British soldiers on the front line was wounded. Within a month, coalition forces had taken Kabul, the capital. Shortly afterwards, they took Kandahar and the Taliban began to collapse. Remaining militants retreated to the caves of the Tora Bora region, but there was no sign of bin Laden. Since 2006, attacks on British forces have increased, leading to a sharp rise in casualties. The beginning of 2007 saw a renewed coalition offensive as the Government announced it would increase the number of British troops in the country to 7,700. They are committed to stay until at least next year. Much of the attention is focused on the south of the country, allowing Taliban forces to increase in the north. By the end of last year, Taliban forces were thought to number about 10,000, with 2,000-3,000 hardcore insurgents. Senior Taliban are now talking about attempting to retake Kabul, showing that there is no end to the conflict in sight, and indicating that the casualty rate will continue to rise. Opinion polls in Britain and America suggest support for the war has dropped sharply since it began.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/02/29/nharry329.xml

Points to debate:

(a) Should Prince Harry be on the front line?
(b) Yes — That’s how they earned their throne a few hundred years ago.

Injured While Playing Baseball

Being hit by the ball is the cause of approximately five in ten of all baseball injuries.

Being hit by the bat is the cause of approximately one in ten of all baseball injuries.

The Military Is Denying Crucial Care To Soldiers With Mental Health Problems, Making Them Vulnerable On The Battlefield

Since 9/11, one Army division has spent more time in Iraq than any other group of soldiers: the 10th Mountain Division, based at Fort Drum, New York. Over the past 6 years and and six months, their 2nd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) has been the most deployed brigade in the army. As of this month, the brigade had completed its fourth tour of Iraq. All in all, the soldiers of BCT have spent 40 months in Iraq. At what cost? According to a February 13 report issued by the Veterans for America’s (VFA) Wounded Warrior Outreach Program, which is dedicated to strengthening the military mental health system, it is not just their bodies that have been maimed and, in some cases, destroyed. Many of these soldiers are suffering from severe mental health problems that have led to suicide attempts as well as spousal abuse and alcoholism. Meanwhile, the soldiers of the 2nd BCT have been given too little time off in between deployments: In one case they had only six months to mentally “re-set”; following an eight-month tour in Afghanistan — before beginning a 12-month tour in Iraq. Then, in April 2007, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates decided to extend Army tours in Iraq from 12 to 15 months — shortly after the BCT had passed what it assumed was its halfway mark in Iraq. As the VFA report points out, “Mental health experts have explained that ’shifting the goalposts’ on a soldier’s deployment period greatly contributes to an increase in mental health problems.” Perhaps it should not come as a surprise that, during its most recent deployment, the 2nd BCT suffered heavy casualties. “Fifty-two members of the 2nd BCT were killed in action (KIA),” the VFA reports and “270 others were listed as non-fatality casualties, while two members of the unit remain missing in action (MIA).” This level of losses is unusual. “On their most recent deployment,” the VFA report notes, “members of the 2nd BCT were more than five times as likely to be killed as others who have been deployed to OEF and OIF and more than four times likely to be wounded.” One can only wonder to what degree depression and other mental health problems made them more vulnerable to attack. When they finally returned to Fort Drum, these soldiers faced winter conditions that the report describes as “dreary, with snow piled high and spring still months away. More than a dozen soldiers reported low morale, frequent DUI arrests, and rising AWOL, spousal abuse, and rates of attempted suicide. Soldiers also reported that given the financial realities of the Army, some of their fellow soldiers had to resort to taking second jobs such as delivering pizzas to supplement their family income.” What has the army done to help the soldiers at Fort Drum? Too little. In recent months, VFA reports, it has been contacted by a number of soldiers based at Fort Drum who are concerned about their own mental health and the health of other members of their units. In response, VFA launched an investigation of conditions at Fort Drum, and what it found was shocking. Soldiers told the VFA that “the leader of the mental health treatment clinic at Fort Drum asked soldiers not to discuss their mental health problems with people outside the base. Attempts to keep matters ‘in house’ foster an atmosphere of secrecy and shame,” the report observed “that is not conducive to proper treatment for combat-related mental health injuries.” The investigators also discovered that “some military mental health providers have argued that a number of soldiers fake mental health injuries to increase the likelihood that they will be deemed unfit for combat and/or for further military service.” The report notes that a “conversation with a leading expert in treating combat psychological wounds” confirmed “that some military commanders at Fort Drum doubt the validity of mental health wounds in some soldiers, thereby undermining treatment prescribed by civilian psychiatrists” at the nearby Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, NY. “In the estimation of this expert, military commanders have undue influence in the treatment of soldiers with psychological wounds,” the report noted. “Another point of general concern for VFA is that Samaritan also has a strong financial incentive to maintain business ties with Fort Drum — a dynamic [that] deserves greater scrutiny.” Because some soldiers do not trust Samaritan, the report reveals that a number of “soldiers have sought treatment after normal base business hours at a hospital in Syracuse, more than an hour’s drive from Watertown … because they feared that Samaritan would side with base leadership, which had, in some cases, cast doubt on the legitimacy of combat-related mental health wounds. “In one case,” the report continued, “after a suicidal soldier was taken to a Syracuse hospital, he was treated there for a week, indicating that his mental health concerns were legitimate. Unfortunately, mental health officials at Fort Drum had stated that they did not believe this soldier’s problems were bona fide.” According to the VFA, the problem of military doctors refusing to back soldiers with mental health problems is widespread: “VFA’s work across the country has confirmed that soldiers often need their doctors to be stronger advocates for improved treatment by their commanders and comrades. For instance, soldiers need doctors who are willing to push back against commanders who doubt the legitimacy of combat-related mental health injuries.” While talking to soldiers at Fort Drum, VFA also discovered “considerable stigma against mental health treatment within the military and pressure within some units to deny mental health problems as a result of combat. Some soldiers who had been in the military for more than a decade stated that they lied on mental health questionnaires for fear that if they disclosed problems, it would reduce their likelihood of being promoted.” Soldiers at Fort Drum are not alone. In an earlier report titled “Trends in Treatment of America’s Wounded Warriors” VFA disclosed that leaders of the military mental health treatment system have been warning Department of Defense leadership of the magnitude of the mental health crisis that is brewing. A report by the Army’s Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) that was released last May found that the percentage of soldiers suffering “severe stress, emotional, alcohol or family problem[s]” had risen more than 85 percent since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom. MHAT also found that 28 percent of soldiers who had experienced high-intensity combat were screening positive for acute stress (i.e., Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD). Finally, MHAT disclosed that soldiers who had been deployed more than once were 60 percent more likely to screen positive for acute stress (i.e., PTSD) when compared to soldiers on their first deployment. VFA’s most recent report notes points out that, despite these warnings, soldiers at Fort Drum do not have access to the care they need: “More than six years after large-scale military operations began in Afghanistan and, later, in Iraq, a casual observer might assume that programs would have been implemented to ensure access for Soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division to mental health services on base. Unfortunately, an investigation by VFA has revealed that [soldiers] who recently returned from Iraq must wait for up to two months before a single appointment can be scheduled … “Given the great amount of public attention that has been focused on the psychological needs of returning service members, a casual observer might also assume that these needs would have been given a higher priority by Army leaders and the National Command Authority — the two entities with the greatest responsibility for ensuring the strength of our Armed Forces. These needs have long been acknowledged but,” the report concludes ” there has been insufficient action.” Last month the army tried putting a band-aid on the problems at Fort Drum by sending three Army psychiatrists from Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) to the Fort D on a temporary basis to treat the large influx of returning soldiers requiring mental health care. But, as the VFA points out, “this is only a temporary fix”, as the Walter Reed-based psychiatrists will likely return to Washington, DC, within a few weeks. Fort Drum will again be left with the task of treating thousands of soldiers with far too few mental health specialists. In addition, for those service members who were initially treated by psychiatrists from Walter Reed, their care will suffer from discontinuity, as their cases will be assigned a new mental health professional on subsequent visits.” And the war drags on. Earlier this month, the UK Times reported that “the conservative Washington think tank that devised the “surge” of US forces in Iraq [the American Enterprise Institute] now has come up with a plan to send 12,000 more American troops into southern Afghanistan. A panel of more than 20 experts convened by the (AEI) has also urged the administration to get tough with Pakistan. “The US should threaten to attack Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters in lawless areas on the border with Afghanistan if the Pakistan military did not deal with them itself, the panel concluded.” Where do conservatives expect to find those troops? More soldiers are likely to suffer the fate of the soldiers at Fort Drum. They will be sent back to combat, again and again — until finally, they break. Soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression or a host of other mental problems are not in a good position to protect themselves. Sending them back only guarantees that fatalities will rise.

http://alternet.org/waroniraq/77867/

Betrayed

I recall that first lie told by the federal government about the risk at Ground Zero to workers, one that came through the Bush mouthpiece, Christie Todd Whitman, then head of the Environmental Protection Agency, now a lobbyist for nuclear power. The first Bush betrayal was the unscientific, false reassurances which endangered so many; and according to John and others, was not the result of ignorance but done by design. It seems that the federal government and the city wanted to reopen Wall Street quickly, fearing the economic repercussions of 9/11. We won’t know about future ramifications until years from now, but right now there are thousands of people who might otherwise be healthy today who are suffering from some form of respiratory disease or cancer, thanks to the Bush government’s criminal reassurance, and continuing negligence. It is hard to forget that this is the Republican government that profited politically from the fear of terror brought on by 9/11, both on the national level through Bush’s red alert re-election, and on the local New York level in terms of that B-movie ghoul who impersonates a human so ineptly, Rudy Giuliani; a man who built his fortune on other men’s misfortune from 9/11.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sherman-yellen/betrayed_b_88484.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080226/cm_thenation/917290718