Bush's War on the World's Poor
Question:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – "Compassionate conservatism" reveals itself for what it is–a frontpiece for corporate moneyed special interests that in this instance plays upon manufactured fears according to ‘conservative’-fundamentalist right-leaning Christian Coalition hypocrisy; The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.~ John Kenneth Galbraith The American Public is evidently in dire need of the truth, for when the plutocracy feeds us sweet lies instead of the bitter truth that would evoke remedial action by the People, then we are in peril of Talk by ex-CIA Agent/Marine John Stockwell http://serendipity.magnet.ch/cia/stock2.html And so it goes . . . Starman What Fresh Hell is This? BUSH’S WAR ON THE WORLD’S POOR (snip)
america is just begging for fascism, war, and the slicing and dicing of the constitution, and by george, they’re gonna get it!! s.w.
Response:
"Compassionate conservatism" reveals itself for what it is–a frontpiece for corporate moneyed special interests that in this instance plays upon manufactured fears according to ‘conservative’-fundamentalist right-leaning Christian Coalition hypocrisy; The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.~ John Kenneth Galbraith The American Public is evidently in dire need of the truth, for when the plutocracy feeds us sweet lies instead of the bitter truth that would evoke remedial action by the People, then we are in peril of Talk by ex-CIA Agent/Marine John Stockwell http://serendipity.magnet.ch/cia/stock2.html And so it goes . . . Starman What Fresh Hell is This? BUSH’S WAR ON THE WORLD’S POOR
(snip)
Response:
What Fresh Hell is This? BUSH’S WAR ON THE WORLD’S POOR by Chris Floyd Each day, one turns to the latest news from the bowels of the Bush Regime with Dorothy Parker’s immortal words sounding in the mind like a tocsin: "What fresh hell is this?" Last week, the news was particularly shameful–and the "hell," though fresh indeed, was in no way metaphorical. For last week saw two new examples of the Regime’s most egregious ongoing crime against humanity–its cold, calculated, covert war against the world’s poor. Although it’s being waged with words and policies–and not the flesh-devouring hardware now massing on Iraq’s borders–make no mistake: Bush’s war on the poor is a real war, with real casualties, and death tolls in the tens of thousands. It’s war on a global scale, on many fronts, but it’s being fought for two reasons only: personal political ambition and financial profit. Ever since he seized office, Bush has taken every opportunity to derail or destroy UN efforts to provide reproductive health services to the world’s poorest women. He has filled American delegations to policy-setting conferences on these issues with religious extremists from his devoted "Christian Right" political base. He has arbitrarily cut off funding to the UN’s family planning program for developing nations: money that health experts say could have prevented 4,700 maternal deaths and 77,000 infant and child deaths in the past year alone. But this Herodian slaughter means nothing to Bush; what’s important is that he secures his "base" for the 2004 election. And so last week he launched a fresh assault on the poor and vulnerable. His fundamentalist minions sought to kneecap a UN conference on family planning in Asia, standing adamant–and alone–against the final resolution of a plan to guide policy and determine funding for a range of international health programs for women, <Salon.com reports. Not even the mullahs of Iran joined Bush in this fundamentalist diatribe against the document. And what was Bush’s objection? The inclusion of the phrase "reproductive health" in the proposal. This demonic language, saith the Lord’s Anointed, is just a codeword for "abortion." And although abortion is of course legal in the United States–for example, Bush’s nubile daughters could freely and safely avail themselves of the practice if need arose–it is obviously not to be permitted for the lesser breeds who dwell in darkness. But the Bush blockade was not just an outburst of religious zealotry; it was something far more cynical, far more wicked than that. For the objection was based on a lie–and the Bush team knew it was a lie. The UN’s 1994 Cairo Agreement on family planning and health rights for women–which was the foundational document of the Asia conference–clearly states: "In no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning." Therefore, phrases such as "reproductive health" or "reproductive rights" could not possibly refer to the promotion of abortion in UN family planning documents. Bush knows this. The bogus abortion issue is just a smokescreen; in fact, his funding cuts to UN programs have actually led to far ***more*** abortions (an estimated 800,000, the UN says), as poor women are left without contraception or family planning advice. No, what his hard-right base ***really*** objects to is the overall aim of the UN programs: the emancipation of women from ignorance, repression and poverty. A woman in charge of her own reproductive health, outside the control of others, poses a mortal danger to the fundamentalists’ draconian mythology of "The Family," where man rules as the vice-regent of God and woman humbly submits. Whether Bush personally believes this or not is irrelevant. What matters is that he ***plays*** upon this belief, for his own aggrandizement–and that thousands of women and children die for it. And the war goes on. Just a few days after the Asian assault, Bush’s own vice-regent, Dick Cheney, torpedoed an international agreement that would have allowed the world’s poorest nations to import a wide range of life-saving drugs at low cost. Cheney’s intervention has thus consigned thousands of people in Africa, Asia and Latin America to needless agony and early death. The 140 nations of the World Trade Organization were on the brink of signing a deal that would have relaxed some of the patent laws that protect the gargantuan profits of America’s politically-connected drug corporations, the Guardian reports. Poor nations can’t afford the medicines that the druglords develop for the favored denizens of the West (those with insurance, that is). The new WTO deal–part of a much broader package of development aid agreed upon at last year’s landmark Doha conference–would have given developing countries affordable access to treatments for such ravages as cancer, asthma, pneumonia and many others. But the druglords called in their campaign chips; they haven’t stuffed Republican coffers for nothing. Cheney got on the horn to American delegates at the Geneva conference and lowered the boom: no deal–despite the fierce opposition of every other country in the WTO. Negotiators say the entire Doha agreement–with AIDs prevention as its centerpiece–may now collapse. If so, the death toll in Africa alone could reach millions. These are acts of war by the Bush Regime, the acts of despicable moral cretins–slithering, slathering and lusting for power, willing to kill the weakest on earth to maintain themselves and their loathsome kind in comfort, pomp and privilege. With callous deliberation, sugared hypocrisy and criminal indifference, they are creating a hell on earth. Chris Floyd is a columnist for the Moscow Times and a regular contributor to CounterPunch. He can be reached at:
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Thanks a lot Lynda! Btw how are you feeling? I know you had it rough for a while there…. Anything interesting happening over here in London? … any decent mental health events or anything …. ?? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -A_Customer_at_an_easyEverything_Cybercafe Hi, My doc wants to put me on mirtazapine for depression instead of paroxetine (paxil/seroxat) …. apparently it is much safer for bipolars, and it is his drug of choice….. comments? What is the antidepressant of choice for bipolars out there? My pdocs believe the MAOIs are the mst effective ADs for BP depression. There are dietary restrictions though. http://www.nami.org/helpline/remeron.html Remeron What is Remeron? Remeron (mirtazapine), manufactured by Organon Inc., is a new antidepressant medication that was cleared by the FDA for the treatment of depression in June 1997. Remeron is the first drug in a new class of antidepressants with a unique ability to target specific serotonin receptors. Along with its efficacy in the treatment of moderate to severe depression, Remeron has proven to be effective for treating anxiety, motor retardation, and cognitive and sleep disturbances associated with depression. How is Remeron different from other antidepressants? Remeron has a tetracyclic chemical structure that causes it to act differently from other common antidepressants (SSRIs, MAOIs, and tricyclics). While stimulating norepinephrine and serotonin release, Remeron also has the unique ability to block two specific serotonin receptors, thus causing fewer serotonergic side effects (decreased interest in sex, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, and diarrhea). In studies, the use of Remeron, compared with tricyclic antidepressants, also resulted in fewer anticholinergic symptoms (blurred vision, dry mouth, indigestion, and constipation), cardiovascular symptoms, and cognitive disturbances. Additionally, Remeron has a relatively high safety margin in case of overdose and a low tendency to cause seizures. It causes no significant changes in vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, or body temperature) or ECG. What are the side effects of Remeron? Side effects observed in clinical trials were mostly mild and generally have not caused consumers to stop taking Remeron. The most commonly reported drug-related side effects were drowsiness, increased appetite, weight gain, and dizziness. In studies, drowsiness generally appeared during the first week of treatment but decreased in intensity over time, even as dosages increased. Other side effects may also lessen in severity, or go away, with prolonged use of the drug. Elderly patients (especially males) are advised to use this drug with caution, as certain side effects (drowsiness, dizziness, etc.) may increase the incidence of falls. In clinical trials, two out of 2,796 consumers treated with Remeron developed agranulocytosis and a third consumer developed severe neutropenia-both potentially dangerous decreases in white blood cell counts that cause extreme vulnerability to infection. These consumers recovered after Remeron was stopped. However, it should be noted that if a consumer develops a sore throat, fever, inflammation of the mouth, or other signs of infection, he or she should discontinue treatment with Remeron under the supervision of a doctor. How does Remeron interact with other medications? Use with other antidepressants is not recommended (especially MAOIs), unless closely supervised by the prescribing physician. Use of other drugs that cause drowsiness (antihistamines, prescription painkillers, Valium, Xanax) may increase this effect and impair driving or other motor or coordination skills. Use with central nervous system stimulants (Fastin, Dexedrine, Ritalin) may cause an increase in agitation or even mania, especially in bipolar patients. As with other antidepressants, avoidance of alcohol is best. Immunocompromised consumers, consumers with HIV, and consumers on steroid therapy should call their physician at the first sign of sore throat, fever, chills, sores in and around the soft tissue of the mouth, or any general flu-like symptoms so that further immune system damage does not occur. What is the recommended dosage of Remeron? Remeron is available in both 15 mg (yellow) and 30 mg (red-brown) tablets. The recommended starting dose is 15 mg per day given in a single dose before bedtime, and it can be taken with or without food. It is recommended that one to two weeks pass before making upward dosage adjustments, in small increments. The effective dose range of Remeron is generally 15-45 mg/day. In patients with liver and kidney disease, a smaller dose may be appropriate. As with other antidepressants, it may take several weeks of therapy before improvement is noticeable. Reviewed by Matthew V. Rudorfer, M.D., assistant chief, Adult and Geriactric Treatment and Preventive Interventions Research Branch, NIMH. February 1998 The NAMI HelpLine can be a lifeline for consumers and families in need. If you found this information helpful, please help us help someone else. Now you may join the NAMI E-News Alert Listing and have all of the latest mental health updates delivered to your email account. http://www.NursesPDR.com/members/database/index.html Mirtazapine Mirtazapine (Remeron) Mirtazapine (mir-TAZ-ah-peen) Pregnancy Category: C Remeron (Rx) Classification: Antidepressant, tetracyclic Action/Kinetics: Enhances central noradrenergic and serotonergic activity, perhaps by antagonism at central presynaptic alpha-2 adrenergic inhibitory autoreceptors and heteroreceptors. Also a potent antagonist of 5-HT2 5-HT3, and histamine H1 receptors. Moderate antagonist of peripheral alpha-1 adrenergic receptors and muscarinic receptors. Rapidly and completely absorbed from the GI tract. Peak plasma levels: Within 2 hr. t1/2: 20-40 hr. Extensively metabolized in the liver and excreted in both the urine (75%) and feces (15%). Females exhibit significantly longer elimination half-lives than males. Uses: Treatment of depression. Contraindications: Use in combination with a MAO inhibitor or within 14 days of initiating or discontinuing therapy with a MAO inhibitor. Special Concerns: Use with caution in those with impaired renal or hepatic disease, in geriatric clients, during lactation, in CV or cerebrovascular disease that can be exacerbated by hypotension (e.g., history of MI, angina, ischemic stroke), and in conditions that would predispose to hypotension (e.g., dehydration, hypovolemia, treatment with antihypertensive medications). The effect of mirtazapine for longer than 6 weeks has not been evaluated, although treatment is indicated for 6 months or longer. Safety and efficacy have not been determined in children. Side Effects: Side effects with an incidence of 0.1% or greater are listed. CNS: Somnolence, dizziness, activation of mania or hypomania, suicidal ideation, sedation, drowsiness, abnormal dreams, abnormal thinking, tremor, confusion, hypesthesia, apathy, depression, hypokinesia, vertigo, twitching, agitation, anxiety, amnesia, hyperkinesia, paresthesia, ataxia, delirium, delusions, depersonalization, dyskinesia, extrapyramidal syndrome, increased libido, abnormal coordination, dysarthria, hallucinations, neurosis, dystonia, hostility, increased reflexes, emotional lability, euphoria, paranoid reaction. GI: N&V, anorexia, dry mouth, constipation, ulcer, eructation, glossitis, cholecystitis, gum hemorrhage, stomatitis, colitis, abnormal liver function tests. CV: Hypertension, vasodilation, angina pectoris, MI bradycardia, ventricular extrasystoles, syncope, migraine, hypotension. Hematologic: Agranulocytosis. Body as a whole: Asthenia, flu syndrome, back pain, malaise, abdominal pain, acute abdominal syndrome, chills, fever, facial edema, photosensitivity reaction, neck rigidity, neck pain, enlarged abdomen. Respiratory: Dyspnea, increased cough, sinusitis, epistaxis, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia. GU: Urinary frequency, UTI, kidney calculus, cystitis, dysuria, urinary incontinence, urinary retention, vaginitis, hematuria, breast pain, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, leukorrhea, impotence. Musculoskeletal: Myalgia, myasthenia, arthralgia, arthritis, tenosynovitis. Dermatologic: Pruritus, rash, acne, exfoliative dermatitis, dry skin, herpes simplex, alopecia. Metabolic/nutritional: Increased appetite, weight gain, peripheral edema, edema, thirst, dehydration, weight loss. Ophthalmic: Eye pain, abnormal accommodation, conjunctivitis, keratoconjunctivitis, lacrimation disorder, glaucoma. Miscellaneous: Deafness, hyperacusis, ear pain. Laboratory Test Alterations: ALT and nonfasting cholesterol and triglycerides. Overdose Mangement: Symptoms: Disorientation, drowsiness, impaired memory, tachycardia. Treatment: General supportive measures. If the client is unconscious, establish and maintain an airway. Consider induction of emesis or gastric lavage and administration of activated charcoal. Monitor cardiac and vital signs. Drug Interactions: Alcohol / Additive impairment of motor skills Diazepam / Additive impairment of motor skills How Supplied: Tablet: 15 mg, 30 mg Dosage Tablets Treatment of depression. Initial: 15 mg/day given as a single dose, preferably in the evening before sleep. Those not responding to the 15-mg dose may respond to doses up to a maximum of 45 mg/day. Do not make dose changes at intervals of less than 1 to 2 weeks. Consider treatment for up to 6 months. Copyright 