WHY DID THE SUPER COMMITTEE FAIL?

WHY DID THE SUPER COMMITTEE FAIL?

The so-called Super Committee was doomed to fail. Why? Because Congress wanted it to fail!

On the one hand the Senate Majority leader selects his six individuals – all very liberal persons who have been known not to compromise.

On the other hand, the Republicans also select six very conservative individuals who could be counted on not to compromise.

And there you have it. So why would anyone think the 12 could ever get together to come to any agreement?

I tend to sympathize with the conservatives because there is no doubt in my mind that we do not have a revenue problem in Congress. WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM. The Democrats must spend for that is the way they buy the votes of those in our society who want to receive a government payout. Look at history. One does not have to be a student in Logic to see the obvious.

In every nation and for time immemorial we have had a disparity between the rich and the poor. And we will continue to do so. People who work hard tend to have more than those who are lazy who tend to have less. I realize this may be an oversimplification. But the poor masses will always be with us. Income redistribution will never work. No socialistic approach has ever worked and will never.

Nicola Michael Tauraso, M.D.
21 November 2011
Equador
www.drtauraso.com
drtauraso@drtauraso.com

EQUILIBRIUM OF ENERGY: A SOLOUTION TO THE GREEK DEBT PROBLEM

EQUILIBRIUM OF ENERGY: A SOLUTION TO THE GREEK DEBT PROBLEM

Most economists believe that the Greek economy can only be solved if the Greek were to devalue their economy by at least 40%. Can this be done? I believe it can but it will take enormous sacrifice. But do the Greeks have a choice?

The Greeks have enjoyed the unwarranted largess of feeding at the trough of government too long. It is estimated that 20% of the Greek population work in one way or another for the government. I have seen many estimates. I believe the 20% figure may be a reasonable one.

When one considers that governments are not structured like businesses to make money and that they must obtain their income from taxes that do not come from a profit-making venture, it is difficult to see how they can sustain feeding such a large percentage of the population. And as we can see eventually the economy will collapse. This is what is happening now in Greece, and it looks like Italy may be on a similar track.

To really solve the problem, it is suggested as mentioned above that a solution can be found if the Greeks were able to reduce the totality of their economy by 40%. Apparently they have instituted austerity programs by about 5% and reduced their economy by that amount. But this apparently has and is not enough.

I am suggesting that in order to achieve a 40% reduction that the Greeks reduce their overall economy by 10% every year for four times. Everyone would necessarily have to take a pay reduction of 10%. All businesses would be required to lower the prices for good by 10% every year until the goal is reached. The only ones who would really suffer are businesses because the goods they are selling today cost them 10% higher. I will explain how this might be accomplished later.

The problems facing Greece, Italy, and some other nations are coming from the fact that they are going against the Laws Governing the Equilibrium of Energy in the Universe. I have somewhat alluded to this in a previous not-very-much-read book entitled “God, Man, and the Universe – An Holistic Perspective” in which is described the Laws of the Universe in the three Realms of Reality: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.

The Laws Governing the Equilibrium of Energy would be as it relates to the Physical Realm. I shall explain.

We who study Medicine know that, if we consume too much saturated fats and bad cholesterol, these substances promote the deposition of cholesterol/calcium plaques in the inner walls of arteries essentially hardening and clogging them. These damaged arteries within the heart leads to heart attacks. If the cholesterol-laden arteries are in the legs insufficiency of blood flow ensues and in a severe form, seen frequently in diabetics, tissues may actually die as a result leading to the need for amputation.

But Nathan Pritikin has shown that this deposition of cholesterol is a two way street. If one begins to consume a diet extremely low in cholesterol and saturated fats, these substances begin to leave the plaques returning the arteries to a more normal condition. This is because the Law of Energy Equilibrium governs the flow of these substances both ways.

Another medical analogy is the calcium going into and out of bones. There is a constant flow of calcium in and out of bones so that the calcium that exists within our bones today was not there 6 months ago. There is a constant flow into the bones when the bones need to be strengthened and calcium flows out from the bone repository when needed in its ionic form to control muscle tension and other functions.

Also in the Physical Realm, we observe the daily ebb and flow of the oceans because of the gravitational forces exerted by the moon. With this ebb and flow the waters of the ocean move affecting how marine creatures live.

Returning to the Greek debt problem, most economists believe that the problems arose because the Greeks were spending capital they did not have to sustain social issues. Eventually, there was not enough money flowing in to sustain the outflow and the economy collapsed. Relating this to the Law Governing Energy Equilibrium, if not enough money flowing in caused the debt problem, increasing the input can solve the problem. Or since increasing the input cannot be accomplished, as in the Greek case, decreasing the output or spending can accomplish the same thing.

We understand that the Greek debt problem did not develop overnight. It took years of intake/output imbalance to create the problem. It will take years of a potential solution to reverse the process. Pritikin realized that it took years of dietary indiscretion to cause hardening of the arteries, and is might take a similar number of years of dietary discretion to solve the problem. This is exactly what he observed in his clinic in Santa Barbara, California. Although it took years to develop arteriosclerosis, within months of a strict diet, he began to observe a reversal. In time the arteries of individuals in his study returned to a more healthy condition. Heart disease was reversed and individuals were able to walk greater distances without experiencing arterial insufficiency.

The diet we are suggesting to solve the Greek debt problem is to reduce all expenditures by 10% annually but in increments of 1%/month for the first 10 months of the year with a 2 months rest period each year. In 4 years the reduction will reach about 40%, that is what many economists believe is the imbalance in the Greek economy.

We realize this is an extremely rigid monetary diet, but we also believe there is no other choice. We believe that 1% haircut is drastic but it can be done. The Greek population will not like it. It will take will power in those responsible for correcting the problem. The politicians created the problem in the first place, and they will have to develop the fortitude to correct their past mistakes. One cannot continue to ignore a Law of the Universe and get away with it, at least not for very long.

Although Italy’s disease has not yet progressed to the severity of Greece, Italy should begin doing the same. A country just cannot sustain an imbalance of intake and output to the degree practiced by some countries.

Those in the economic community who have championed free and universal trade are beginning to realize that with a so-called free universal trade we are all tied together like dominos on a game table. Be careful when one domino begins to fall. The entire table can eventually be affected. Remember the Law of Energy Equilibrium. Everything is in equilibrium. It is prudent to appreciate what might occur at both ends of the equilibrium span.


nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Equador
12 November 2011
www.drtauraso.com
email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

WHY DID WE KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN?

WHY DID WE KILL OSAMA BIN LADEN?

Why did we kill Osama Bin Laden and not just capture him? After all he was essentially unarmed. They said he was about to reach for some rifles in the corner of the room, but they could have wounded him. But the President ordered the Seals to kill him and they did.

It is generally believed that Bin Laden was responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Although he was the Founder and Leader of Al Qaida and essentially responsible for 9/11, he was not the mastermind of 9/11. We know the mastermind to have been Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the number three in command of Al Qaida; we have him imprisoned in Guantanamo since he was captured on 1 March 2003. He has been sitting there for 9 plus years and we have been unable to prosecute, convict, and sentence him. A logical question would be “why.”

Our Justice Department and essentially the President are totally inept at handling the potential trial of this man. We should have tried him within the first year after capture. We could learn some things about swift justice from the Iraqis, who did not take very long to try and administer justice to Saddam Hussein.

The real reason why we killed Bin Laden is because, if he were just captured, he would wind up in one of our prisons where he would stay indefinitely because we could not ever make up our minds on what to do with him. He could have joined his number 3 man there where they both could enjoy TV and reading their beloved Koran.

We have an Attorney General who is more interested in harassing Gibson Guitar than he is in protecting our Country from real criminals.

Sometimes I wonder how we profess to be so intelligent when in reality our government is so stupid.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Ecuador
9/15/2011
www.drtauraso.com
drtauraso@drtauraso.com

MISINFORMED REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

MISINFORMED REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES

As a physician I must protest the lack of understanding of the value of immunizing young girls with a most useful vaccine to prevent cervical cancer.

It has been shown that four types of human papillomaviruses (HPV) cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90 Y of genital warts. This vaccine is one of the most significant medical discoveries in the past 10 years.

Texas Governor Rick Perry, as he admitted in a recent debate, probably made a mistake in how he tried by mandate the immunization of young girls, but he was right on target on attempting to accomplish a good medical deed. He probably should have made it voluntary and allowed families to opt into taking the vaccine.

The criticisms, mainly from Michelle Bachman and Rick Santorum were nothing less than demagoguery. If I hear Bachman say again that it was wrong to inject young 12- year old girls with the vaccine, I am going to vomit. Bachman just does not appreciate the value of the vaccine, the recommendations of which are to administer to 12–13 year young girls.

The government in almost all states requires the children be vaccinated against Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Whooping Cough, and Tetanus. Parents cannot opt in for these vaccines. These vaccinations are required by law. Parents can opt out usually for religious reasons.

So what is the beef about giving a vaccine to prevent one of the leading causes of cancer death for women in the United States? Although in the past 40 years, the number of cases of cervical cancer and the number of deaths from cervical cancer have decreased significantly – a decline largely the result of many women getting regular Pap tests, which can find cervical pre-cancer before it turns into cancer -- , the usefulness of the HPV vaccine as a tool for prevention cannot be denied.

I suggest that Bachman and Santorum get off their demagoguery of mentioning the injection of 12-year old girls as if it were a crime and learn about the usefulness of vaccines before they speak and attack a Governor who was trying to do the right thing.

I was a great supporter of Bachman but after her display in the debates, she comes off to me a “just another politician.”

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Equador
9/14/2011
drtauraso@drtauraso.com
www.drtauraso.com

GREEK BUREAUCRACY

GREEK BUREAUCRACY

No wonder Greece is in trouble. I thought we had a large bureaucracy. Greece has a population of about 10.7 million with a parliament of 300, that is, there is one representative for every 35,600 people.

In the US we have a population of about 307.2 million with a congress (representatives, 435 + senate, 100 = 535), that is one member of congress for every 574.2 thousand people. One representative in the US represents 16 times more individuals than in Greece.

Another very interesting fact is that 25% of the Greek population is employed by the government. How can an entity that does not produce any product to sell or make an income sustain a population? Really, it cannot. It must tax the other 75% to pay for the 25% it employs. This situation is unsustainable. It is no wonder that the Greek government is bankrupt.

Look at all the mouths the Greek population must feed to be represented! In the US we have too many representatives who fall over each other trying to make too many laws. I will admit the less does not seem to be any better. Look at our senate with only 100 senators. As long as I can remember our senate has been dysfunctional. They seem to not be able to make up their minds about anything. I believe that the number may not be as important as the number of years they can serve. Being able to stay in the senate for 6 years gives senators a feeling of vulnerability. They seem to act as if they are insulated from their voters and think they can think for themselves.

Representatives, whether they are representatives or senators, should not think for themselves. They should think for the people they represent. But the electorate is basically stupid. Over the years I have watched representatives and senators get reelected even though they vote against their electorate. I have known individuals who have voted for people just because they admitted knowing them and not knowing their opponent – what they call “name recognition.” How uninformed!
I have known individuals who have voted democratic or republican just because their parents were democrats or republicans.

My parents came to the US and were hard working individuals. They were in the Boston area and voted democratic because they believed the hype that democrats were for the “working people” and republicans were for the rich. Buy did I teach my parents a thing about life.

In the greater Boston area the democrats were telling the Italians that they represented the minorities and that they would protect them from the Irish. The same democrats would tell the Irish they represented the minorities and they would protect them from the Italians. They would go into the polish districts and tell them the same but that they would protect them from both the Italians and the Irish. All of a sudden it dawned on me. If the democrats were the party of the minorities, then it would be prudent for them to insure the minorities were alive and well. It was a con shell game. The republicans who could get votes to save their souls spoke in generalities and rarely got elected.

The poor always want to blame others for their poverty. So why not blame the rich. Were it not for the rich who were stealing their money they too would be rich. Isn’t that the logic? Who would think that the rich were rick because they worked harder, had more of an entrepreneurial spirit. Or they inherited their money from their parents who had similar traits.

I was a republican almost my entire life, since I was about 11 years old and began to think about these things. But several years ago I realized that it took both the democrats and republicans to get our country in the mess were are in. I now believe we need less government, and government should protect the population from our enemies, then to get off our backs so that we can be free to prosper. So I became a Libertarian. But it will take years before the general population become educated enough to think beyond the democratic and republican propaganda.

So how did we get from Greece to Libertarianism? Basically too many politicians tend to feed themselves more than the people they serve. Greece is a typical example of what we eventually will become if we do not see the light.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Costa Rica
3 July 2011

MORE ON MISINFORMATION ON TV: Crude Oil vs Gas prices

MORE ON MISINFORMATION ON TV

I have written on this subject many times before. But today, on Fox News a pundit was asked about the relationship between the prices of crude oil and gas at the pump. He stated that when crude prices increase it takes about 10 days before gas prices increase. This in an absolutely false statement! I have been watching crude oil and gas prices for well over 55 years. It takes about 1-2 days for gas prices to increase after crude prices increase, but I will grant the pundit the when crude prices decline it then takes 7- 10 days for gas prices to decline. It is a skewed relationship.

There is little doubt that gas suppliers benefit from crude price increases almost immediately by increasing gas prices, and when crude prices decline they also benefit by delaying the decrease in gas prices.

This is my comment for the day.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Costa Rica
2 July 2011

OPEN NOTE TO MY READERS WHO WRITE COMMENTS TO MY BLOG

OPEN NOTE TO MY READERS WHO WRITE COMMENTS TO MY BLOG

I am informing my readers the rules I follow when comments are made on the articles I publish in my Blog. If an anonymous comment is made I may not publish it if the comment is negative or ridiculous. I may or not publish it if it is a reasonable one. If a comment is made and the commentator identifies himself by adding an email address, if the comment is negative I may publish it. If it is ridiculous to the trash can it will go. If positive, it will be published.

I do not see why we should give our good space to individuals who desire to be frivolous, nasty or uncivilized. They can dump their garbage elsewhere. Our Blog attempts to discuss issues in a serious way. This does not mean that we write only on serious issues however.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Costa Rica
2 July 2011

MORE ON THE E COLI OUTBREAK IN EUROPE

Fox News reports that German disease control center says locally grown vegetable sprouts are to blame for the deadly E. coli outbreak. This is to keep my readers informed. I hope they will finally make up their minds.

COW MANURE AS ORGANIC FERTILIZER -- FOLLOW UP#1

Earlier today I posted a blog on Cow Manure as Organic Fertilizer and suggested we be careful about consuming organic vegetables until we know whether the cows manure used in some organic growing operations is free of the deadly strain of E coli O157:H7. I also mentioned that the most recent outbreak was said to be related to the eating of contaminated bean sprouts. This morning German health officials stated that bean sprouts are not the culprit source of the contamination. I guess we will have to see how this works out.

But the warning of potential contamination of organically grown vegetables should be heeded.

nicola michael tauraso. M.D.
Ecuador
6 June 2011
www.drtauraso.com

BUSYCON CANICULATUM -- BUSYCON CANALICULATUM -- THE CHANNELED WHELK -- CONCH

Busycon caniculatum -- Busycon canaliculatum – the channeled whelk

Today was an usual day. I spent the day watching the Bolsa (stock market) tank because of a series of bad economic data. Bored in the early afternoon, I decided to rest in bed. While day dreaming I was brought back to a time many, many years ago when I was at a very small beach across the street from the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. I spent 2 summers there between after my fourth year of college and the first year of medical school. I worked at the MBL in the chemistry lab dispensing chemicals and making chemical solutions for the scientists working there. It was a great job where I met many of the top scientists around the world working on biological projects, many on experiments with marine animals.

Every day after work and on weekends I used to lie on the very small beach with Ginger, my loyal Golden Retriever, across the street from MBL. It was not a swimming beach, so I snorkeled and watched marine life in the 2 – 3- feet of water. It was very quiet there so much so that while snorkeling with my ears under water I began to hear faint grinding sounds. Further observations drew me to these amazing conches that I used to see in the Italian seafood markets in Boston. They were edible and the Italians, and I am sure other people bought them for cooking. In fact, my father bought some home to cook one day. Boy, were they rubbery. I guess we did not know how to prepare them because I have tasted conches in restaurants over the years and they were tender.

So this was my introduction to conches, otherwise known as the channeled whelk, Busycon caniculatum or canaliculatum. These crustaceans are found in waters of Cape Cod (where I was) south to Northern Florida. They were also introduced into San Francisco Bay. Commercial fishermen who sell them in local markets harvest the channeled whelk. Many fishermen kill them because they destroy large numbers of quahog, which are harvested commercially and is a source of livelihood for many.
These large snails growing up to 8 inches are also known as conches or winkles. They are most active during the months of March through October. Both species of conchs are carnivorous predators, spending most of their time gliding along or just beneath the sand on the ocean floor, in search of food, consisting of other snails or clams or other shellfish. Conches are also attracted to traps or pots baited with dead limulus (Horseshoe crabs), or fish that is used for lobster bait.

So what was this grinding noise? For many, and I mean many, hours I observed that the grinding noise was coming from a conch that was attached to a large clam we called a quahog. After the grinding noise stopped quahog I noticed that at the edge of the quahog the shell was flattened exposing the mantle of the clam at the early stage. Eventually, the clam was dead with all its contents empty.

I took a conch to the lab and prepared the tissues of the pseudopodium for sectioning, staining, and embedding on a slide for microscopic examination. I used the usual Haematoxylin and Eosin staining but obtained more intense color staining when I used what was called a tri-chrome stain. I noticed intense staining of what appeared to be glands, probably gland that produced digestive juices. I made careful colored drawings at the time, which have since been lost after over 50 + years. I concluded that the conch grinded the edge of the clam and when the inside mantle was exposed the conch poured digestive juices into the clam killing it, of course, and sucking the digested contents out killing the clam.

Today I decided to Google how a conch eats a clam. One account, which coincides with what, scientists told me at the time of my observations, is the following:

“Snails that have an aperture canal, like the whelk, are carnivores. (Herbivores do not have this nose-protecting structure because they do not need to smell in order to find food.) Whelks are predators on burrowing clams. They use the nose, or proboscis, to bind these buried animals by sensing the stream of water flowing out of the clam’s feeding tubes. Once its prey is located the whelk digs down into the sand to capture it. To open the clam it wraps its muscular foot around the shells and pries the shell apart. Large clams may be opened by striking it with the whelk’s own strong shell until the clamshell cracks. Often the whelk will wedge the clam’ shell with the aperture canal and chip away pieces until an opening is formed. The mouth of the whelk is normally hidden deep within the body. When feeding it extends this structure, which resembles an elephant’s trunk, out to the food. (A large whelk’s “trunk” may be up to six inches long.) The mouth is at the very tip and, like most snails has a radula at the opening. The radula is a tooth-studded organ used to tear the food into small pieces to be swallowed.”

I have emboldened that part which was not supported by my observations. I do not see how a conch can pry the shell apart. Starfishes can do and actually do pry open a clam, but not a conch. How can a whelk strike the clam with its strong shell? It would take a third party to do this, and I never found a clam with a cracked shell. Chipping away pieces of the clam is not a correct description of the process. The conch actually grinds away at the border of the clam’ shell until the mantle of the clam is exposed.

Nothing beats actual observation. And this is mine.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Ecuador
6 June 2011
www.drtauraso.com

COW MANURE AS ORGANIC FERTILIZER -- E. coli CONTAMINATION

COW MANURE AS ORGANIC FERTILIZER –E. coli CONTAMINATION

I have told this story before. But, in light of the recent outbreaks of deadly E. Coli infections in Germany, my story demands repetition.

A number of years ago, about the time when there were outbreaks of E. Coli (O157:H7) infections associated with Jack-in-the-Box restaurants in Seattle (1993), I was travelling around the country giving lectures on Stress, Nutrition, and Holistic Health. I had just finished a lecture in Seattle, WA and had to travel across the Cascade Mountains on my way to Yacima, WA for my next lecture. It rains considerably in Seattle with the highest rainfall accumulation close to the Pacific and decreasing as one travels east. As one travels down the east side of the Cascade Range, the rainfall is considerably reduced until one arrives in the high desert area of Washington State where it is quite dry.

As one travels down the eastside of the mountain range there on the right of the main highway there is the very large facility of the Washington Beef Company. To the right of the main facility there is a tremendous feeder lot where cows are herded and grain fed to finish the process of fattening them up before slaughter. Since I travelled around the country once per year for about six years, I made the following observation on at least three occasions. Because I started my late winter tour in January in the eastern southern states, I continued my lecture tour along the middle southern states, then towards California, up the Western coast to Seattle, crossing the upper western states of Washington, Montana. N. Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Ohio then returning home to Frederick, MD at about May. The reason of going in such detail is to explain why I was in Washington State about March, a time of considerable rainfall.

I observed on at least three occasions the feeder lots completely muddy to the point that the cows in most of the lot were knee deep in mud eating at the food troughs. Now I know that the cows may be washed when they enter the slaughterhouse. Can we really believe the all that mud can be washed off entirely? I cannot believe that the washing can be that complete. This together with the fact that the Washington Beef Company is the most likely source of beef feeding the Seattle area might explain why outbreaks occurred in Seattle.

One year at the end of my tour after arriving home, I decided to call the USDA in Washington, DC. I finally spoke with a man who said he was in charge of such matters. I described my observations. His response was that they were “on top of the situation.” Well if he was indeed “on top of the situation,” why was I able to make similar observations the following year? Obviously, I got the typical beaurocratic response that was intended to keep my mouth shut. To me the USDA were not interested, did not care, or incompetent. I have yet to meet an individual who works for government admit that he does not know or that he ever made a mistake. If you find one tell me and I will award him a medal.

Fast forward to about 5 years ago when E. coli contamination of vegetables in the West were discovered to be due to cow fecal contamination from water run off from fields where cows were grazing in to areas where vegetables were being grown.

Fast forward to our current problem of vegetable contamination in Germany. Today, I heard that the contamination was traced to contaminated bean sprouts. On TV they showed a greenhouse but I had no way of knowing that the sprouts were actually grown in the greenhouses shown on TV.

I was thinking whether these sprouts were grown organically. In organic farming cow manure is allowed. I am bringing up the question whether the cow manure or cow manure compost used in organic farming is checked for the presence on the toxin-producing E. coli, and whether these bacteria are destroyed in the composting process. I will continue my research to get more answers.

We know that the sources thus far of the toxin-producing E. coli have been cows. It would be prudent to determine the association of cows with each outbreak.

At this point before we fully know how widespread is the use of cow manure in the growing of organic vegetables, it would be prudent to be cautious. When buying organic vegetables all one sees on the grocery shelf is that the organic vegetables are certified, what ever that means!


nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Ecuador
5 June 201
email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com
site: www.drtauraso.com

WHAT WAS THE LARGEST OIL SPILL IN THE UNITED STATES? Part 2

On 21 November 2010, I posted a blog on: WHAT WAS THE LARGEST OIL SPILL IN THE UNITED STATES? I believe it has gone essentially unnoticed. It is disturbing to see the trend changing in Panama where I sometimes live. When I first moved to Panama about 5 years ago, most of the roads were paved in concrete. But lately I have notice more and more roads paved in asphalt. This is disturbing because I truly believe that many do not know the serious health challenge cause by asphalt paving.

Asphalt is an oil derivative. When all the more volatile hydrocarbons are extracted from crude oil, what is left is essentially tar. This tar is mixed with gravel and smaller stones to make asphalt that is used to pave roads. The volatile fumes continue to spew forth from the asphalt, especially on hotter days, when sometimes one can actually see the asphalt bubble. I remember when I was a child some kids chewing the asphalt tar. I never did because it did not look as savory as the Italian food my mother was cooking for me!

As the asphalt cures there is less volatile fumes emanating from asphalt roads. But consider in any hot day tens of thousand of cars on the road and the friction of the tires just scraping along the asphalt and the hydrocarbon fumes released into the air. Consider the hundred of thousand individuals breathing those fumes. It cannot be healthy. The government has instituted practices to lessen a person’s breathing fumes at the gas station, but what can be done to prevent the inhalation of fumes emanating from asphalt-paved roads? Almost nothing can be done. Wear a gas mask? Impractical.

What can be done? The only solution is to cease the asphalt paving of roads and use cement.

Let us consider the increased incidence of most disease that could have a link to poisons and toxins in the air we breathe. I will not list them all, but consider almost any condition related to improper brain function: Alzheimer’s, ADHD and related conditions, schizophrenia and autism, and all conditions I discuss on my web site related to cerebral allergies and vitamin deficiencies. Hydrocarbons are toxins and have ready access to the nervous system by inhalation.

I am sorry to say I do not yet have the solution, but we need to be aware of the amount of hydrocarbon fumes entering our environment from asphalt-paved roads. This cannot be a good thing.

nicola michael Tauraso, MD
Ecuador
5/31/11

BLEEDING GUMS

BLEEDING GUMS

I suffered from bleeding gums for most of my adult life. But not anymore since I discovered my deficiency.

Many people suffer from bleeding gums. And I have not yet found a dentist who can tell you how to prevent it. I recently saw a dentist here in Ecuador. Not having been to a dentist for 20 years, I obviously needed some work done on my teeth! I asked him if he had many patients suffering from bleeding gums. He said he had but had no real suggestions on its prevention. I shared with him my experience.

Many individuals are deficient in a particular supplement. Deficiency of this supplement can result in bleeding gums. People taking anti cholesterol drugs are especially deficient in this supplement because anti cholesterol drugs interfere with the body’s own production of this natural metabolite. If you are taking anti cholesterol drugs and experiencing muscle pain or cramps in the legs or elsewhere, be careful because this is an indication that you are deficient in this supplement. If you are experiencing muscle pain, eventually the heart muscle might be affected. The end result might be cardiac failure. There has been a markedly increased incidence of heart failure with the increased use of anti cholesterol drugs. This supplement will prevent this.

What is this supplement? CoQ10. Rather than me saying more, Google CoQ10 and read more about it. Just remember the doses usually recommended, I believe are too low. If you desire to know more and have specific questions, email me. I will try to answer your questions.

nicola michael Tauraso, MD
Ecuador

GERALDO RIVERA IS A PHONY

GERALDO RIVERA IS A PHONY

Of all the commentators on Fox News, Geraldo Rivera can be given the title “The Great Phony.” You can count on him to wait for an event and then he spends a few days in the midst of a conflict just to obtain exciting videos for his portfolio collection. Most recently he appeared in Libya in the midst of cross fire that gave him the videos he craved. He is such a phony. His performance history reflects his craving for the bizarre. He is no different than Maury Povich and others of that ilk. The only difference is that the other bizarre behavior specialists are honest and make no bones about what they do. Geraldo masks himself in legitimacy. It was most interesting to have watched Rivera dodging the bullets in the apparent cross fire occurring at the time in. Do we not wonder about the problems his cameraman was experiencing!

If there is a hurricane you can expect Geraldo to be there waste deep in water and almost being swept away by flooding waters. He is so predicable. If he is being swept away by the currents, his cameraman appears to have a steady hold on things. Rivera is very adept in creating the illusion of danger with himself in the midst of it all.

Every time he takes a point of view different than some of his Fox piers, he reminds everyone that he is a Republican. I am willing to bet that he voted for Obama and Mayor Bloomburg and that he has not voted for a Republican in years. That is OK but tell the truth and not lie about your philosophy. Geraldo recently showed a video montage of his television career and a most remarkable career it has been. Only a man with Geraldo’s fortitude and perseverance could have accomplished what he has considering the prejudice he experienced in his early day.

The most recent Libyan experience is typical of Geraldo for seeking out exciting video footage. I give him credit for being a great showman. P. T. Barnum would have been proud of him!

And just yesterday (5/29/11) as he is accounting the trial of Casey Anthony in Florida, he is showing video of testimony given at her trial. But as the video is being shown there is mood music in the background to set the melodramatic stage. There was no mood music in the courtroom, but there was in Geraldo’s presentation. He is not a serious commentator. He is a Hollywood producer. He likes to show the bizarre, very similar to one of his previous TV shows. He is such a phony! Can you not see through it all?

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Ecuador

THE MYTH THAT OUR SOLDIERS DIE TO PRESERVE OUR LIBERTY

THE MYTH THAT OUR SOLDIERS DIE TO PRESERVE OUR L;IBERTY

Today is Memorial Day 2011. It is fitting, especially today, to discuss the topic of this blog.

Having been a loyal Republican for most of my life, but becoming a Libertarian a few years ago, I must speak out against both Republicans and Democrats who spew forth the propaganda and outright lies that soldiers who die in war do so to preserve our liberty. Nothing could be further from the truth. The lives of our good soldiers are lost to the desire of politicians to preserve their own power or cater to whom they believe are their constituents.

As far as I am concerned the last just war was WWII. Our battle to defend Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq were nothing more than a misguided attempt to divert the public from the real truth. What freedom was at stake in these wars? I know that it is easy to fool young men who are loaded with testosterone into believing that fighting is a worthy adventure to preserve the peace. They are being lied to and many give up their lives towards this end. So what if South and North Korea were one Korea under Communist rule? It would just be another country with an opposing point of view – a country that might have collapsed, as did some other Communist countries had done.

Look at Vietnam. We fought there to prevent Communists from taking over which they eventually did. We now trade with them as a friendly nation. All our young men died in Vietnam to establish a Communist country with which we are now friendly. Does that make any sense?

Look at Iraq and all our soldiers who died there for freedom. -- freedom for whom? Consider all the Iraqis who died, tens of thousand, most of them killed by other Iraqis, yet the liberal media blame all the deaths upon the Americans. Arabs have been killing themselves for centuries and will continue to do so for centuries to come because of problems in the line of succession that led to the Sunni and Shi’a factions. Why should we save them from their ridiculous religious beliefs? Let them kill themselves. We are or should be free. They are free people. Let them practice population control in the ways they know how!

Look at Afghanistan. Perhaps the first Afghanistan war was just to teach them a lesson not to attack us, but then we should have finished that war at that time. Now, what are we doing there? We are losing American men to somehow establish freedom there. That is not our responsibility. Let us get out and let them fend for them selves. They will never appreciate our efforts to establish freedom for them. They believe in a flawed religion. Rather, it would be more correct to say that the leaders of their religion are teaching flawed concepts and therefore are flawed them selves. As long as there are Mullahs who teach Jihad – and there are many all over the world including the United States -- the populations of Muslims will want to kill anyone including them selves.

I am sorry I voted for McCain. He is such a hawk. He wants to enter every country and correct their faults. He advocates that we should have never let up in Libya. If we stayed there all along it would have been all over by now. That may well be true, but why are we there? My take on Libya is that, if we wanted to justify our actions there, we should have gone in directly and arrested Muamar Gadafi and try him for the murder of all the Americans in Pan Am flight 103 that went down in Lockerbie, Scotland in 1988. But to fight in Libya to free the citizens is flawed in its concept.

As I reflect on this Memorial Day, I am so sorry for all the Americans who have lost their lives and to the families who have lost loved ones in unjust and unnecessary wars, but please do not spew the propaganda that they died to preserve our liberty. This is just not true.

nicola michael Tauraso, MD
Ecuador

WHAT WAS THE LARGEST OIL SPILL IN THE UNITED STATES?

WHAT WAS THE LARGEST OIL SPILL IN THE UNITED STATES

I bet you do not know the answer posed in the title; “What is or was the largest oil spill disaster in the United States.” If you answered the most recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, you are wrong because this is the second largest. If you answered the Exxon Valdez incident which occurred 21 years ago on March 24, 1989 in Prince William Sound, Valdez, Alaska over 20 years ago, you are again wrong. Both of these incidents were accidental and, although they could have been prevented, they were not intentionally caused.

I wrote on this subject on 9/30/2007. Readers of this Blog may have noticed that I have written nothing for almost 1 ½ years. But now upon my return to writing Blogs I wish to make my re-debut on a most timely subject – that of oil spills.

The largest oil spill which is both non-accidental and intentional is the asphalt paving of the 10's of thousand of miles of roads and highways not only here in the United States but all over the world. We recently saw on television people picking up tar balls on the Southern Beaches affected by the Gulf Oil spill, and many people reacted at what a catastrophe this was. But what about the millions of gallons of tar paving our roads? Why is this not the same thing?

If you drive over a newly paved asphalt road you can smell the sometime sweet smell emanating from the pavement. The driving public is paying little attention to this breathing of very toxic fumes. Sad to say the fumes continue for many years especially in the hot summer months. Tar which is the oil derivative remaining after crude oil has been refined still contains volatile components which the public is forced to breath. There is little wonder, at least to me, why the incidence of cancer is ever increasing!

Federal and State regulations closely regulate at gas stations the protection of individuals pumping gasoline. Why should this regulatory protection stop there?

The paving or roads is constantly occurring al over the United States. There is a non-toxic alternative – the use of cement that does not emanate fumes. Here in Panama where I am writing this blog they appear to use both cement and asphalt, probably more cement. It is definitely a cleaner substance.
I wish more attention would be given to the toxic elements coming from asphalt. In my opinion asphalt should not be used to pave roads. It may well be more expensive to use cement, I do not know, but the long-term savings in preventing cancer may pay for the endeavor in the long run.

I know that replacing asphalt with cement for road paving will probably not occur because of the amount of money being made by the industry, but I can dream and hope the public will see the light.

Additionally, there has been an increasing incidence of many diseases over the past 50 - 75 years – ADHD, cancer, mental illness, etc. – and there may be multiple causes for these situations, such as diet and exposure to other chemicals, but the toxic exposure to petrochemicals cannot be healthy.

nicola michael c. Tauraso, M.D.
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
240-415-1315
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

MORE ON THE DISHONEST AND CORRUPT FREDERICK COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE AND THE DEA

MORE ON THE DISHONEST AND CORRUPT FREDERICK
COUNTY DRUG TASK FORCE AND THE DEA

In order to give the reader some indication of how corrupt the Frederick County Drug Task Force and the DEA are, I would like to reiterate a story described in my letter to Det. Tom Leone, Head of the Task Force. I know that the letter was quite long and the reader might have slept while reading the letter – a reason why I am relating the story again.

Sometime in late 2009 my office was broken into. The intruder(s) stole some money and a pad of unused prescription scripts. While the sheriff’s deputy was investigating the incident, I asked whether he was going to take fingerprints. He told me that taking fingerprints only works in TV but not in the real world. He wanted only to write a report for future insurance needs. I thought: “What a bunch of inept deputies!”

About 8-9 months later a patient was in the office. He told me that several days before he was with several other persons “just chewing the fat.” One of the persons was bragging how he was making money selling blank scripts he stole from Dr. Tauraso’s office.

I called the sheriff’s department to relay the story and discovered that the bragging individual (an ex patient) was presently in the Frederick County Detention Center. We knew this because his arrest was in the newspaper several days before. The deputy would not take a statement from me because my testimony would be considered hearsay. He wanted the name of my informer. I told him I would have to get clearance because the information was told to me in confidence. I telephoned the informer who agreed to speak with the police because he was interested in getting rid of the criminals who were destroying the ability of legitimate patients to obtain Opiods for their pain.

I called the deputy and gave him the name of my informer. NEVER DID ANY ONE FROM THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT CALLED THE INFORMER. The individual was eventually discharged. Later we checked this person's criminal record – something we did on all our patients. If my memory does not fail me, the individual eventually appeared in court. He received a nolle prosecui . This indicated that a deal had been struck and he most likely became an informer – probably against me.

In my experience the Task Force and DEA would believe an informer if the informer told them what they wanted to hear. Not only are these law enforcement people dishonest, they are also very stupid and corrupt. I have met several individuals who told me that they were informers. They told me the police would believe whatever you tell them and they we so easily fooled.

So here we are, not only is the local sheriff’s department unable to investigate simple break-ins, they act like keystone cops in their investigation of crime and criminals. It is little wonder that they are failing in their efforts in solving the problem of the sale of dangerous prescription drugs.

More later.

nicola michael Tauraso
www.drtauraso.com
for access to the Blog: check the link on “Dr Tauraso’s Blog”

FOLLOW UP ON THE DASTARDLY DEA

FOLLOW UP ON THE DASTARDLY DEA

On October 4th, I wrote about "My tribulations with the DEA." Today i am publishing my letter to the Head of the Frederick County Drug Task Force and DEA. I swear to the facts contained in this letter and hope the reader realizes that the DEA and their minions are not really serious about solving the problem of the sale of illegal sale of Opiods. Enjoy the read.

A NON CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION

TO: Det. Tom Leone
DEA Agent Shields

DATE: 20 August 2010

FROM: Dr. nicola michael Tauraso, MD

SUBJECT: Your Dastardly Treatment of Me

1. You will notice that this is a “non confidential communication” which means just that. Since you and the Maryland Board of Medicine chose to make your one-sided view of my case public, I am forced to do the same. This communication –and all future communications regarding these matters will be published on my Blog: www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm -- for everyone to see and evaluate for himself.
2. To begin we must define some terms. This communication is addressed to two individuals. The use of the pronoun “you” refers to both individuals and those members of the Frederick County Drug Task Force and DEA who have conspired to present a biased case against me by concentrating and making public some aspects of my medical practice which may appear negative while completely ignoring and not making public those aspects of my practice which were innovative and designed to solve some of the potential problems of working with patients requiring Opiod medications. We called attention of our efforts to run above board pain management clinic also to the medical board investigators who also chose to completely ignore mentioning these efforts in their presentation of charges against me. The selective inclusion of some aspects of my practice and exclusion of others demonstrate outright bias.
3. Before I begin my narrative, let me begin to emphasize the fact that, contrary to what was portrayed in the newspapers, I have voluntarily not prescribed Oxycontin since 8 June 2010, two months before you and the Medical Board descended upon my office to suspend my license.
a. My lawyer was supposed to communicate this to you, but had not, informing me that he was playing phone tag with you, meanwhile holding on to my retainer – a two months phone tag doing nothing while “Rome burned!”
b. I discontinued using Oxycontin because I wished to help you accomplish something that I thought you wanted – to try to get Oxycontin “off the street.” But Your actions has only proved to me that you are not as interested in getting the illegal sale of Oxycontin on the street as you are trying to shut down a Doctor – the former being just another futile effort, the latter possibly giving you a promotion.
4. My narrative will now begin. You may remember that IT WAS I who first contacted you to set up a meeting late in 2009. At the time, you (Det. Leone) LIED to me when I asked you whether I was under investigation. You told me “no” on the phone – an outright lie as it turned out to be.
a. I was warned by friends that the police do not have to tell you the truth, while they expect you to tell the truth – somewhat of a double standard, don’t you think?
5. When you and DEA agent Shields arrived at the meeting in my office – might I remind you, a meeting for which I asked – I specifically asked both of you if I were under investigation. Shields answered “yes.” Det. Leone did not answer.
6. Previous to the meeting I sent to you a list of about 85 patients I had discharged from my practice because of questionable and some illegal activity – that list now being greater than 185.* I soon discovered that you were not interested in arresting and prosecuting individuals who we had proof that they did illegal things. NEVER ONCE did your office contact me about gathering the evidence we already had of these illegal activities.
a. On one occasion I had a patient who was given a prescription for Opiods. He returned to the office 2 hours later saying that he had discarded the script when he discarded his empty cigarette pack on the highway. I refused to give him another script informing him of our policy of not replacing lost or stolen scripts. One hour later we received an anonymous phone call informing us that this patient was a DEA informer. This patient never returned to our office, essentially confirming that he was not legitimate.
b. This brings up the question about the number of DEA informers who were listed in the Medical Board charges. These individuals were so-called “confidential” informers and I was not afforded the right to know who they were to attempt to corroborate their accusations. All of their testimony was published for the entire world to see. I did not know who they were. I could not refute their testimony. This is the type of “dirty tricks” you have up your sleeve to destroy my credibility. The public should know this. You do not play fair, yet you destroy an individual’s reputation without giving it a second thought.
c. How many individuals did you clandestinely send into my office who did not corroborate your charge that I was not practicing medicine legitimately? Only the negative cases were listed in the charges of the Medical Board. I know that, if we eventually went to court, I would have been able to face my accusers, but short of that, I could not know who they were. You and the Board conspired to present evidence upon which the Board acted without and prior to my appearance before the Board eventually suspending my license and depriving me of the funds necessary to mount a defense. This is the way licensing boards operate. They still have the power of the state and its unlimited resources to prosecute while depriving one of the funds necessary to defend one self. I do not have the money necessary to defend myself, so I am resorting to the only avenue I have to mount a defense – whatever good that will do!
7. My quarrel with you is that you were not interested in following up on the evidence that I had about illegal activities of some of my patients. As I said previously, you never once contacted me about the list of patients I sent to you. Why?
a. We did criminal checks on all patients entering our practice. Many were arrested, but eventually the outcome was that they were not prosecuted. The criminal reports stated that deals were made and they were not prosecuted as a consequence. We are only to assume that they made deals with you in return for a “quid-pro-quo.” You make deals every day with criminals so that you can gain evidence against someone you think to be a greater criminal – in this case me.
8. I had many patients. I assume that they would tell me the truth when I take a history and perform a physical exam. If they lied to me, is that my fault? If they present falsified documents, such as x-rays and MRI’s, am I at fault? When we discovered that some patients were supplying us with forged documents, we notified you BUT YOU MADE NO ATTEMPT TO INVESTIGATE. Why? We had the evidence, but you were not interested. I called for our original meeting. You did not. I was hoping that you might have been interested in stopping the illegal activities. But you were not. Your behavior in these matters is an indictment of what you are all about. The public should know your motives and what you are doing. You are wasting the taxpayers’ money doing what you are not doing.
a. Let me tell you something: you will never solve the so-called “war on drugs!” Why? Have you not learned from prohibition? As long as there is someone willing to buy, there is someone willing to sell. The government has wasted so much money trying to solve this problem and the problem gets worse every day. And you all are treading water.
9. Do you know the personal damage you have done to my patients who had legitimate needs for Opiods? Do you care that many of my patients were forced into withdrawal? You, AND THE MEDICAL BOARD, do not care. Many patients legitimately need Opiods. Who are you to say that they do not? I have the medical degree, but you attempted to tell me how to practice medicine. I do not tell you how to arrest criminals – a job that you are not doing very well. Why should you tell me how to practice medicine?
a. Since you did not have the evidence to prosecute me, you conspired with the Medical Board by supplying them with non-corroborated information to build a case against me. And the Medical Board suspended my license as a result. They do not need to supply court-type evidence – proof.
b. Another aspect of this situation is the fact that pharmaceutical companies manufacturer Oxycontin and Oxycodone – in this case Perdue – but no on is attempting to stop the manufacturing. If individuals are selling these drugs on the street – something you consider illegal --, and as a physician I prescribe an Opiod – something you want to consider illegal --, why do you not also go after the manufacturer? Because they have the money to defend themselves. I do not. If you stop the manufacturing of these Opiods, I could not prescribe, the drugs would not get into the hands of the illegal sellers, and the problem would be solved. But the fact is that these drugs are legal, there is a need for the use of these drugs in selected patients, and you are powerless to do anything about it except to go after the physician.
10. Lastly, although I might be able to forgive you of many things, what I cannot forgive is what you did to ruin my reputation. Since coming to Frederick almost 40 years ago, I contributed much to the community, having been on the boards of the National Foundation, Scott Key Center, and the Group Homes, not to speak of my contribution as Superintendent of the 4-H Horse and Pony Project and the sponsoring of teen dance every Friday and Saturday nights on my property. But I remember what I used to teach my students during my lecturing days for the GoTaCh Center for Health that you can do all the good you can do throughout your life, but make one mistake and the world will turn on you and make you a pariah. Not that I am admitting any mistake. I treated my patients to help alleviate their intractable pain. I would have welcomed an honest review, not a lynching. You have ruined my reputation and some day you will reap what you have sown. The Universe will take care of that

Cc: Charles Smith, States Attorney for Frederick County
Maryland Board of Medicine
Frederick News Post
* A copy of the list of patients discharged from the practice because of cause is sent as an attachment.

nicola michael Tauraso, MD
www.drtauraso.com
email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

My Tribulations with the DEA

We have been treating patients with severe intractable pain. Soon after opening our clinic we were being harassed by the Frederick County Drug Task Force (Frederick MD) and the DEA who tried to dictate how we were to prescribe Opiods. We resisted their attempts. After all, I had the medical degree and was knowledgeable in what we were doing. We were not telling them how to arrest people It is not my expertise. But their actions and tactics are not what one would expect in a so-called "free country." But then, who really believes we are truly free.Since I did not have the resources to fight them legally, I have to resort to what I can afford and can do -- the reason why I am publishing my response on my Blog for the entire world to see.
The eventual outcome of their efforts was the suspension of my license to practice medicine. One cannot fight these people because few have the resources to fight the power of the state. The following Blogs allow me to present my case. I will let the public judge.

nicola michael Tauraso, M.D.
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com

WHY ARE WE SO STUPID?

HOW CAN WE BE SO STUPID?

I know I have not written any Blogs for quite some time. I am sorry. I have undergone a dry period. But I am returning in full force. Be careful and watch out!

Although we claim to have the best form of government in the world and we run it with some of the smartest people in the world, basically we are so stupid. We could solve many, if not most, of our financial problems, we are unable to solve anything because of our form of government which give so many minority interest groups leverage over the needs of many.

If we just think about what happened to the Soviet Union not too long ago when president Reagan toppled them. He was able to accomplish it because essentially the Soviet Union went bankrupt and they were unable to pull themselves out of their financial rut. This would not happen today If the Soviet Union was able to sell their oil, it would not have happened then. Oil changed the entire landscape. Russia will again become a world power because of their oil which gives them financial power.

Contrast that situation with the United States which has so much oil, we could become a financial world power, if we were able to get the oil out from the ground and sell it. But no. The people in California, along the East Coast, Florida, and the Gulf States do not want to drill there. The people in Colorado still resist the harvesting of oil contained in their shale. And so on down the list of a minority of individuals who would rather develop alternative sources of renewable energy. I believe this is a noble venture, but we do not have time. Meanwhile, let us harvest the oil as Russia is doing and compete in the marketplace.

In Russia, if Putin says: “drill there,” they drill there. In the US we cannot do similarly. There are too many minority interest groups who must be satisfied. We could satisfy our financial needs and prevent the almost 10 trillion deficit expected over the next 10 years. So why not? Because WE ARE SO STUPID!

In my opinion, there is and will be enough oil to last hundreds of years because deep within the core of planet Earth, oil is continuing to be produced. The problem is using so much oil does result in abnormal effluents which contribute to so-called Global Warming. Although I believe in Global Warming, the majority of it is caused by natural phenomenon. A single eruption of one moderate sized volcano results in so much CO2, CO, sulfur-containing gasses – all those gasses which result in Global Warming – that it overwhelms what humans might be able to do burning hydrocarbon fuels. Global Warming is also caused by the sun getting warmer. Evidence of this are the facts that Mars and Venus are also getting warmer. This is cyclical and must be analyzed over a period of thousands of years. This being said we should do what we can to control human factors contributing to Global Warming.

If other Countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia are drilling for and selling their oil, why not us? Why do we not see this?

We have the technology to use oil and eliminate the outpouring of so much noxious gasses. Why not develop further such technology so we can continue to burn oil with the least amount of a negative impact upon the planet’s environment?


nicola michael ©. Tauraso, M.D.)
Director, Tauraso Medical Clinic
7051 Poole Jones Road
Frederick, MD 21702
301-682-8717
Web site: www.drtauraso.com
Blog site: http://www.drtauraso.com/blog/index.htm
Email: drtauraso@drtauraso.com