I feel enlightened. I've just finished reading an article that has finally explained, to my satisfaction, just why things are the way the are in this country, and why most folks will never tumble to Y2K awareness until it's way too late. Here's the URL - I'd post it here, but it's well over 60K.

American Mental Health And Politics - A State Of Mind

Mr. Kocher's article had solidified what I've been feeling for some time, but had never been quite able to adequately express, even to myself: that a good 50% of the people in the U.S. are suffering from some form of mental illness.

-- sparks (wireless@home.here), April 08, 1999

Answers

If you look into just what chemicals are included in all public water systems under the name "fluoridated" -- fluoride being such a small part -- and then look into how these same chemicals are used for other purposes, such as passifying cows for instance, well, things start to get more clear....

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), April 08, 1999.

For a truly serious answer:

Joseph Chilton Pearce wrote a book called "Evolution's End." If you are truly interested in this topic -- the state of humanity today, the development of individuals and societies -- you will not miss reading this landmark book. Most of it relates to the scientific findind of the last few decades in regards to neurology, childhood and other development, the birthing process, et al. The last part of it explains all that stuff in layman's terms and hands-on examples.

I bawled my head off through parts of it, because it was so true -- so painfully, horribly true -- that it's one of those things where all of the sudden, you can no longer believe anything else, you can no longer pretend certain things don't matter, and all the chaos in the world suddenly makes perfect sense and you wish it still didn't.

It's not all depressing; much of it is truly fascinating, and the information about the birthing process is invaluable to anybody who ever plans to have children (and full of grief for anybody who already has, and it's too late). In any case, you should be able to find it or order it in any bookstore.

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), April 08, 1999.

This article, like the earlier one at the Sightings site claiming an 8:33 ratio of military interventions to make Clinton look bad, makes a number of statements early on that are just not factually supportable, then founds its conclusions on them. Beware of illogic.

-- No Spam Please (No_Spam_Please@anon_ymous.com), April 08, 1999.

The article at the site he referred to is ranting. The book I referred to is nothing like the article. It just happens to relate to human development both individually and culturally so I thought if he was interested in that he'd like the book. Just FYI in case I wasn't clear.

PJ in TX

-- PJ Gaenir (fire@firedocs.com), April 08, 1999.

PJ I did a search for the Pearce book and was amazed what I found. It is heartening to know that these ideas aren't dead. Not sure why I've never heard of this book, but could be that I stopped looking. In the 1970s when Dr. Frederick Leboyer's Birth Without Violence and Jean Liedloff's Continuum Concept came out I fully expected the world would wake up to the realities being revealed about the birthing process and childhood. Now in the 1990s caesarians, induced labors and hospital births in general are more popular than ever, and the label "ADD" is believed to really diagnose something, and we are still not asking the question, How is it that we can look, and not see what is in front of our very eyes???

Sparks: Personally, I like your rants much better than the fancy sociological b.s. theories in this article. The difference is, you aren't pretentious!

-- Debbie (dbspence@usa.net), April 08, 1999.

I've long bemoaned and mourned the passing of rational thought among Americans who're are supposed to be leading the world in same, though I am a member of the "Me" Generation, myself. I went to college late in life (age 33yrs) and was utterly appaled at what passed for reason and analytical thought among the openly male/heterosexual/ conservative-hating faculty. Now I at least have a bit more understanding of where they were coming from--I had origianally thought most of them were simply doing a little CYA in their political enviroment. The college itself was overtly attempting to remove this blight from its student roles in its drive for diversity It went so far as to get me, never one to keep my mouth shut, black- balled in the Honors Society--the school refused to sponsor my presentation of a paper at the Nat'l Honors Society Symposium (I was the only one from this college invited to do so, too!)after the heretically conservative school paper's editor (he put on quite an act to get the job!) published an article of mine critical of the administration's stealing National Science Foundation funds (awarded to the Education Dept. to revamp the way teachers are taught to teach math and science) and channeled it instead into the administration's "diversity" program. My God, they were so proud of this theft they trumpeted itfrom the ramparts, the president (a lesbian Baby-Boomer) beaming and proclaiming some sort of "victory" for the "oppressed."

We live in sick times.... JM

-- JM (tmtrschell@aol.com), April 08, 1999.

I agree with you sparks. I also feel most people have some mental problems. I think it's called stupidity... As an example... I had something interesting happen to me the other day. I was watching one of those old bible shows on Easter Sunday. It was at the part where Lot was leading his people out of Sodom, and he was trying to get others to follow him. He went over to one man, who laughed at him and said "oh, go away and leave me alone, can't you see we're happy." I got chills up my spine as I then remembered someone who I was talking to about y2k a few days before, who had said almost the EXACT SAME thing!! Spooky, huh?? I hope it's not a sign, but I'm taking it as one, and preparring even more. Hopefully everyone here will too... Coincidence? Possibly, but I don't think so... Good luck, we'll need it! :-)

-- Crono (Crono@timesend.com), April 08, 1999.

Crono,

"It was at the part where Lot was leading his people out of Sodom,..." What book were they getting that from? Lot was lead out of Sodom and later on in history came "his people."

Thinking let alone rational thinking...

-- freeman (freeman@cali.com), April 08, 1999.

"Joseph Chilton Pearce wrote a book called "Evolution's End." If you are truly interested in this topic -- the state of humanity today, the development of individuals and societies -- you will not miss reading this landmark book. Most of it relates to the scientific findings of the last few decades in regards to neurology, childhood and other development, the birthing process, et al. The last part of it explains all that stuff in layman's terms and hands-on examples."

PJ provides the most concise and appropriate introduction to this book that I've seen yet. If you are puzzled by the present state of society, if you suspect that more constructive options are available, find a copy of Evolution's End. It's in print, and available, but often shows up discounted on remainder shelves.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), April 08, 1999.

Thanks for suggesting this book. I'll check it out. I would also like to suggest a book whcih sould be of interest to anyone who has ever worried about cancer, or what is in our food and water. It's the true account of Susan Steingraber, who developed cancer of the bladder, a rather rare type, and her quest to find an explanation. She's a biologist, and she backtracks to locate all the chemicals she was exposed to as a child in Illinois. It will scare the socks off of you.

Since children are so much more at risk than adults, it isn't any wonder that cancer is on the rise in children. I'm not a very tearful person, I tend to swear, rather than cry. But when I read this book I did plenty of both. We are killing ourselves with chemicals. If you want to get your mind off Y2K for awhile, read "Living Downstream."

We should all throw off our complacecy and rise up en masse and protest what is being done to us, while our government happily jumps in bed with the polluters. Want to know how where you state stands? Check out the Environmental Defense Fund's Website. It's under EDF Scorecard.

-- gilda jessie (jess@listbot.com), April 08, 1999.

Thought you all might be interested in these stories:

"EARTH-CHANGES WEEKLY": THE TOP TEN STORIES OF 1998

by Peter P.

As picked by your ECW editor, these are the top ten stories of the past year. Not the most reported, nor which affected the most people at the time they occurred, but those that *will have* the most repercussions both in 1999 and years that follow. Some may have been woefully under-reported in '98, but will, by their very nature, make headlines in the future. Others may never generate a lot of copy, but their effects will be widely felt nonetheless. When possible, a website URL for more and/or background information is included.

10. ASPARTAME CAUSES TOXICITY

Artificial sweetener (aka NutraSweet and Equal) that breaks down into several chemicals, including methanol (wood alcohol) which is then absorbed and converted to formaldehyde in the body. (As an aside, it has been reported that methanol found in alcoholic beverages & fruits doesn't convert to formaldehyde in the body, as both contain natural protective factors which prevent conversion.)

Formaldehyde is known to cause damage to the immune system, nervous system and irreversible genetic damage at very low-level, long-term exposure. New evidence in '98 indicated that the formaldehyde from aspartame ingestion accumulates (in your body) with each dose. The Aspartame/NutraSweet Toxicity Info Center is at -

http://www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

9. EXCRETED PHARMACEUTICALS TURNING UP IN WATER SUPPLIES OF EUROPE

,From rural mountain lakes to rivers flowing through densely populated areas, and even in groundwater beneath sewage treatment plants, concentrations of an assortment of pharmaceutical drugs - cholestoral lowering medication, analgesics, chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics and even hormones to name but a few - were detected by researchers in Europe.

The ubiquity of these pollutants argued against contamination from an accidental spill of some sort, making it apparent that it came from human waste. Many of the bodies of water tested were sources of drinking water.

What elevates this story to being list-worthy is the fact that little research has been done, especially on U.S. water supplies, and it isn't yet known if recurring exposure to low concentrations of pharmaceutical drugs in water pose a health risk to humans or animals, if they affect aquatic ecosystems, or could possibly contribute to antibiotic resistance. To make matters worse, as reported by ABC News, "in most countries drugs are regulated by health departments, which have little expertise in protecting natural ecosystems and water supplies. The issue has apparently fallen through the cracks." And so it stands. (First covered by ECWeekly in its "March 22-28 '98" edition.)

8. HERMAPHRODITIC ANIMALS

From fish in Britain and elsewhere, to alligators in Florida, and polar bears near Norway, cases of animals born with both male and female sex organs have cropped up in the last year or two. Isolated anomalies or a harbinger of things to come? For those who read my 1999 predictions (published in Nov. 29 - Dec. 5 edition), you know I favor the latter. How long before an unusual number of human cases comes to light? It may be coming, most likely in a coastal community near you, sooner rather than later.

7. CLONE CLONE

Whether it be "designer herds" - such as cows that give human milk or make drugs, or pigs that grow human organs - or the cloning of human organs inside a so-called (human) "embryonic sac" which contains only a heart and circulatory system (plus the cloned-to-order organ in question), scientists have their collective foot in the door to a brave new world ahead. Once he steps through that door, what will our scientist find waiting on the other side? Before too long, a reasonable facsimile of him/herself. As the song says, "send in the clones..."

6. GENETICALLY-MODIFIED (OR BIO-TECH) FOOD

A relatively simple procedure called "gene insertion", soon blossoming into such tasty sounding treats as insect-resistant maize or herbicide-tolerant soy, is but the first shelf on the soon-to-be overflowing marketplace of GM foods. Plants that grow plastics, and other such on-the-cusp of sci-fi applications, are in the works. But many questions, and possible unintended consequences, remain when it comes to genetically modified crops. "You are what you eat" becomes more than just food for thought, as questions about labelling, health and environmental risks await answers.

http://193.128.6.150/consumers//campaigns/biotech/whylabel.html

5. PRE-Y2K SOCIAL CHAOS

While some experts foresee a worldwide social & economic meltdown as a direct consequence of Y2K, society as a whole may beat this "computer bug" to the punch before January 1, 2000 rolls around.

The palpable uneasiness felt in '98 should soon escalate as the media frenzy builds throughout '99.

Bank runs, food hoarding, social strife, armed confrontations - the list goes on - may very well occur in the days *preceding* the Y2K rollover, as people - stoked by Y2K fears *and* your run-of-the-mill millennium madness - tear up the social fabric in their mad dash to beat the deadline.

4. INEVITABLE GLOBAL WATER SHORTAGE

Some twenty-two nations worldwide are currently dependent on the flow of water from other countries for much of their supply. The Middle East. India and Pakistan. Ethiopia-to-Egypt.

Water shortages have recently hit Malaysia, Fiji, and parts of South America - to name but a few.

By 2050, close to half of the world will have insufficient water. Soon, disagreements over land or ideology may be superceded by armed conflicts brought on by water disputes.

For more information, the book "Tapped Out" (by former Sen. Paul Simon) is a good place to start.

3. TERMINATOR SEED TECHNOLOGY

,From the "good folks" at Monsanto comes the future of agriculture - the so-called "terminator seed". Gentically engineered so that crops grown contain sterile seeds, preventing seed saving by farmers who must then return to the commercial seed market each season.

As first reported by ECWeekly last March, the "terminator seed" has continued to be a controversial flashpoint in both agricultural and genetic-engineering circles.

For more information, click here -

ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/p/ptp/seed

2. POSSIBILITY OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE

In the past year, the possibility of life elsewhere remained tantalizingly close as more evidence mounted of life flourishing in the harshest of earthly environments. From the coldest depths of long- buried ice to the hottest extremes of underwater volcanic vents, scientists continued to find life.

The case for Europa became stronger as Galileo beamed back the sharpest images yet of the ice-covered Jovian moon.

But, if I were a betting man, my money would be on Saturn's moon - Titan. Due to be explored further by the Huygens probe in late 2004, one must wonder what will be revealed as the onboard camera captures pictures of the Titan panorama.

Closer to home, but reaching out to the farthest stars, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) project literally brought the search *into our homes* in late '98. Unveiling the "seti@home" program, it has asked PC owners to help in the search via a screen- saver program that analyzes a small portion of data collected daily by the Arecibo Observatory.

For more on possible life in our solar system, click here -

ftp://ftp.primenet.com/users/p/ptp/life.on.outer.planets

For more on the "seti@home" program, click here -

http://www.discovery.com/indep/newsfeatures/setiathome/setiathome.html

1. EVIDENCE OF MASS EXTINCTION

The single biggest story never told. Are we on the brink of a sixth mass extinction? From the oceans, to the forests, and dying populations across the land. The evidence seems to suggest it. As reported in an original ECWeekly article last August, which is now archived at -

http://www.sightings.com/earthchanges/massextinction.htm

-- Cary Mc from Tx (Caretha@compuserve.com), April 08, 1999.

As soon as you're born they make you feel small By giving you no time instead of it all 'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all A Working Class Hero is something to be...

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool 'Til you're so f*cking crazy you can't follow their rules A Working Class Hero is something to be...

When they've tortured and scared you for 20 odd years Then they expect you to pick a career When you can't really function, you're so full of fear A Working Class Hero is something to be...

Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv and you think you're so clever and classless and free But you're still f*cking peasants as far as I can see A Working Class Hero is something to be...

There's room at the top they're telling you still but first you must learn to smile as you kill If you want to be like the folks on the hill A Working Class Hero is something to be...

If you want to be a hero, well, just follow me If you want to be a hero, just follow me...

-- John Lennon (.@heaven.gov), April 08, 1999.

PJ, if you haven't already, I suggest any book by Alice Miller, i.e., For Your Own Good, Thou Shalt Not Be Aware, Banished Knowledge, etc. I have the original LeBoyer book among my treasured books.

Thanks to John Lennon for the timely recitation,...As soon as you're born they make you feel small By giving you no time instead of it all 'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all A Working Class Hero is something to be...

-- Donna Barthuley (moment@pacbell.net), April 08, 1999.

It seems to always come down to CHOICES.

Question is, do people make them with eyes, ears, and minds closed, or wide open?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), April 08, 1999.

Sparks,

Thanks for the post. Great article!

-- Texan (spring@ranch.com), April 08, 1999.