All Sorts of Cancers . . .
here’s an interesting bit of news on the AP today about those RFID chips you can have implanted in your pets and/or kids. RFIDupdate.com reports that several small studies may indicate that these chips, implanted in pets and children to help with identification if the pet or child is lost, might cause a malignant cancer.
When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved implanting microchips in humans, the manufacturer said it would save lives, letting doctors scan the tiny transponders to access patients’ medical records almost instantly. The FDA found “reasonable assurance” the device was safe, and a sub-agency even called it one of 2005’s top “innovative technologies.”
But neither the company nor the regulators publicly mentioned this: A series of veterinary and toxicology studies, dating to the mid-1990s, stated that chip implants had “induced” malignant tumors in some lab mice and rats.
”The transponders were the cause of the tumors,” said Keith Johnson, a retired toxicologic pathologist, explaining in a phone interview the findings of a 1996 study he led at the Dow Chemical Co. in Midland, Mich. (AP story)
Those of us who are old-skool Shadowrunners realize that this means the RFID chips exceed the body index. Never install first-gen tech in your body, folks. (Those of you who don’t game, or don’t game Shadowrun, have no idea what I just said. Sorry. Move along, move along. Nothing to see here.)
General Petraeus has delivered his long awaited report about the “troop surge”, and he seems to think it’s working. Sure it is. Let’s ask the Iraqis how well it’s working.
The general was giving his assessment of progress in Iraq since the US troop surge started six months ago as he appeared before Congress alongside US Ambassador Ryan Crocker.
Gen Petraeus said military objectives were “in large measure being met”, Iraqi security forces continued to “shoulder more of the load”, and the US will be able to reduce troop levels to pre-surge levels by next summer. But he said improvements were “uneven across Iraq”.
The commander of US forces in Iraq was greeted by Democrats who praised him while sharply criticising the war he commands as he delivered his long-awaited assessment.
As I’m sure most of you realize by now, if the Bush Administration told me it was blue skies and beautiful weather, I’d take my winter coat and umbrella with me. I just don’t believe them. Especially considering that the report was already leaked, partly, I’ve read, to be sure the numbers didn’t get cooked too much, and partly like, oh, I dunno, those viral memes on the Net that result in things like Snakes on a Plane being a cool movie.
We’re hearing a bit more about the new bin Laden video, which will apparently be released on 9/11, and which will be a reading of one of the hijackers’ last will and testament. Also, nice picture of bin Laden at the article — makes him look like a complete gomer.
I actually read about this a few years ago, and couldn’t believe it wasn’t being talked about more in the news. It just seemed horrific to the point of being unreal, at the time, and is no less so today.
Over the last six years, hundreds of teenage boys have been expelled or felt compelled to leave the polygamous settlement that straddles Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah.
. . . *snip* . . .
The polygamous settlement is largely controlled by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and allies of its jailed prophet, Warren S. Jeffs, who is about to stand trial on charges of sexual exploitation.
. . . Utah officials say they realized the extent of the problem only about four years ago, when they learned that hundreds of boys from the sect were roaming on their own and often in distress. While most have construction skills to help earn a living, few have more than a junior high education.
At the time, I read that some of these boys who were forced out had not been taught English, on purpose, and/or had been taught wrong words for common things, so they wouldn’t be able to communicate what was going on in the town to outside authorities. I’m not sure how true all that is, though.
Fucking fundies, anyways. No good comes of extremes or isms, and nothing but troubles when you combine the two.
(Photo credit: AFP.Google.com.)
