A great deal of what we read in newspapers, magazines, and books, and what we see in the movies and on TV is written and produced in New York City or Los Angeles. Much of the "political wisdom" comes from the PR machines of the White House, the Congress, and from the Washington media corps.
In short, one might conclude that all knowledge, wisdom, and wit are confined to those who inhabit New York City, Washington, DC, or Hollywood.
As I creep gingerly up on my 7th decade of life experience - which was gained in many cities in the U.S. and in about 30 foreign countries, I decided to put down some ongoing thoughts in a series I call "The View From the Outback." That experience has included the U.S. Marines, law school, the ATF, the CIA, Fortune 500 executive, writer, public speaker, educator, editor, and publisher - for openers. For over 20 years, I have written articles off and on for various magazines and newspapers. I've had an enormous number of letters published in major national publications. The Outback is the rural area in Northeast Texas where I have lived for the past 10 years. Each Monday I will attempt to post a new set of musings from the Outback.
In these days of political-correctness, it is so refreshing to see ethnic or minority groups not take themselves so seriously. In Dallas, I had a dining room in my home with an Italian-restaurant theme. There was a big green slate on the wall with the Menu written in chalk. Fettuccine al Ricardo, Antipasto, Red Wine, White wine, etc. , all with the prices. A Jewish lady friend was munching on some bread sticks and looked up at the menu. She got up and chalked in a new entry. "Jewish Whine $20 an hour."
The furor over the Bush TV commercial with RATS in it is ridiculous. It is most likely the result of a sloppy graphic artist leaving the remnant of the word Bureaucrats or Democrats in the commercial. Or, a pro-Gore mole inserting the RATS to discredit Bush. Or some propeller-head juvenile graphic artist who thought he or she would have some "fun." If George W. Bush were to take the chance on using a subliminal message, I suspect that he would have insisted on "assholes." RATS doesn't have any impact. It is a sad commentary on network pundits that they seriously believed George Bush was behind the "RATS" thing. The only good news is that people will be recording Bush commercials and playing them back in slow-motion - thus giving each commercial more time in front of the viewer.
Have you noticed the fine print at the bottom of many ads for merchandise on TV that it says "Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery"? Where is the warehouse - in China? If you order something from PCMall or PCConnection, you can get it the next day, three to four days tops. Yet another reason to ignore those TV ads for the $19.95 terrific value!
Tongue-Tied
Older geezers in the Outback are still baffled by the body-piercing craze. Primitive tribes on several continents pierce their bodies in all sorts of strange ways. Why would anyone want to emulate that kind of behavior? This is progress? The Infectious Disease Society of America reports that tongue piercing could lead to nasty, even life-threatening infections. One can only hope! But my fondest dream is to see two pierced individuals locked in a passionate kiss and get their parts hooked together - till death do them part.
In Australia - Vote or be Fined
In Australia you must register as a voter at age 18. Failure to vote in Federal elections carries a fine. My ham-radio friend said that as he recalled, the fine was about $50. According to an Australian university web site, approximately 94-96% of eligible people voted in recent years in Federal elections. Some simply do not register and some who are registered opt to pay the fine. Some are excused for health reasons or "good reasons." Australia is one of about 20 countries that have some form of compulsory voting law. Among them, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, and so on.
In the last presidential election in the U.S., fewer than 1/3 of 18-24 year-olds voted. Older Americans had a better percentage, but nothing to brag about. There are 7.4 million Hispanics registered to vote, and over 90% say they are going to vote in this election. Sr. George Bush, Hablo Espanol Mucho Mas!
A voting law in this country might help with the voter apathy. In the meantime, maybe all the voter's names could be posted on the Internet. Only those on the voting list would be allowed to send a letter-to-the editor, or e-mail their Congressman, or complain in any public way about the manner in which government is run. If someone not on the list complained to a friend, that person would be able to say, "When you vote, you will have a right to complain. In the meantime, you are part of the problem."
The Power of the People,
In an earlier column, I suggested that if you were offended by the crude jokes on late-night TV that, among others, you write to the sponsors of the programs. Dr. Laura Schlessinger is known for her anti-gay position. Shortly after her new TV show debuted, so many people complained to the sponsors that many withdrew their ads. Among them are: Xerox Corp., American Express Corporation, and United Airlines - 27 in all!
The Actor's Soapbox, A Never-Ending Soap Opera
Yet another actress has launched a vicious diatribe during this political campaign. Referring to Gov. George W. Bush, Susan Sarandon is quoted as saying," We stand a chance of getting a president who has probably killed more people before he gets into office than any president in the history of the United States."
Dear Ms. Sarandon, your Oscar was awarded for your work in films, not as a vindication that you are ethically and morally on par with Desmond Tutu or Mother Teresa. Perhaps like many in Hollywood, without a screenwriter's help you are incapable of constructing two consecutive coherent sentences.
In the first place, George Bush did not "kill" anyone. That is the most egregious form of hyperbole and exaggeration. The first killings were done by those on death row, often in the most gruesome of circumstances. They were killed because they were tried and convicted of murder. Juries sentenced them to death. And it is employees of the State of Texas that "kill" the inmates - as required by the due process of law - not the Governor.
As to the numbers of people who were executed, Texas is a large state with a significant proportion of people who seem to have no regard for human life. Another reason that we have so many people on death row may be that Texas juries demand that people be accountable for their actions. This concept of accountability seems to be a foreign idea to California juries.
Very few governors intervene in death-row cases, except in one state where there is a moratorium on executions. George Bush is no better or no worse than his peers in that regard. He did not write the death-penalty-law nor sign it into existence. He simply has done his duty to uphold the law. To say that George Bush "killed" a bunch of people on death row is simply asinine, but that is what we have come to expect from the Hollywood elite.
I am in favor of doing away with the death penalty, partly on humanitarian grounds and partly because I fear there are more innocent people on death row than we care to admit. Also, it would take away another "cause" for the Hollywood Liberal Elite to bitch about. The latter alone would be worth it.
Medical Information Privacy - Insurance Underwriting
There was a report from the insurance industry the other day in which it cited statistics about what drivers are more prone to have accidents. Those with arthritis (especially women), older drivers with heart disease, those who have had a stroke, or those taking certain kinds of medicine, were said to be accident prone. Just to publish the report is pretty ominous.
We hear a lot about health insurance possibly being denied or premiums hiked based on a person's DNA showing a predisposition to a certain condition. The report cited above is perhaps an indication that insurers would like to start profiling driver health in setting automobile- insurance rates. Insurance underwriters already squeeze the Nickel so hard you can hear the Buffalo scream. We must be ever alert at any attempt to profile a person's auto insurance by his or her medical condition.
Most people are not aware of the information that is weighed by insurers in setting rates and issuing policies. While in law school, I worked summers for The Retail Credit Corp. of America, which is now known by another name. I did investigations of people who had applied for life and car insurance. I remember the profiling that took place, even 40 years ago. If a man was a house painter, among several occupations, there was usually a note to "pay special attention to drink habits." We checked to make sure the applicant was not lying that there were no drivers under age 25, that they did not drive the car to and from work (if they said they did not), that it was garaged, and on and on.
The Medical Information Bureau maintains health records on 15 million people. Only life insurance companies can be members of the bureau, but it would take only a few strokes of an executive pen to open the database to more "customers." This fall the Federal government will issue regulations regarding the privacy of electronic health information. Be alert for that announcement.
Several years ago, I applied for renter's insurance on an apartment I rented in Dallas. I listed my occupation as free-lance writer. The insurance company called me and wanted to know what kind of writing I did. I asked what the hell that had to do with renter's insurance. The insurance clerk said that if I wrote articles where people came to my house for interviews, or that I wrote on controversial subjects, that might increase my risk under the liability coverage on the policy. I probably told them I wrote children's books under a pen name. Ridiculous! Can you hear the Buffalo scream?
Property and liability insurance and bank loans are a lot alike. You can only get a good deal if you prove that you really don't need them.
In England, Prime Minister Blair announced that a substantial sum of money would be provided so that police could take DNA samples from suspects in everything from car theft to murder. The KGB is dead. But, Big Brother is alive and well all over the world.
Herbal Remedies, Supplements, and Alternative Therapies
Dietary supplements are not regulated by the government in this country. We spend billions of dollars a year on vitamins, minerals, and supplements and have no idea of the quality or purity of the products. The supplement industry has fought a war with those who would attempt to impose government regulation on it, such as the FDA does with prescription medicines.
Government does very little that cannot be done better in the private sector. But, in my view, government does a pretty good job of protecting consumers. We have Federal meat inspectors, egg inspectors, safety standards for cars, and on and on. Do you have any idea of the number of rear-end collisions, injuries, and deaths that have been averted by the Federal regulation that mandated a high-center brake light on cars? Just one example.
With supplements, we are in large part "buying a pig in a poke." Untold sums of money are spent on products for which there are no standards. Many can have serious health consequences, both positive and negative. Why should supplements be unregulated? I have not seen a convincing argument.
In 1978 in Germany, the government created an independent agency, Commission E, which was charged with developing monographs of hundreds of supplements based on clinical trials, scientific reports, and a host of other sources. They also regulate the quality and set standards for each supplement. Doctors prescribe the supplements, as an adjunct to, or in place of many prescription drugs. Medical students are required to study herbs and plant medicines. In various resources, you will see that a particular supplement has been approved by "German Commission E" for a specific use.
It would seem that the first step in the United States would be to establish a separate authority, possibly under the FDA, or outside government, whose first job would be to ensure that all vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements met purity and strength standards. There is probably sufficient information available to allow the consumer to decide (in concert with his or her doctor) which supplements to take. I will cite some references at the end of this article.
There is already a precedent for this type of oversight. When you buy a generic Aspirin or Ibuprofen, you may see "USP" on the label. USP is a not-for-profit, non-governmental agency recognized by the U.S. Congress and about 30 foreign countries as providing official standards for drug substances, drug products and test methods. The designation USP indicates that the product is represented as complying fully with all the requirements (purity, potency, content uniformity, dissolution etc.). That means, for example, that the generic (house-brand) Ibuprofen with a USP label has met the same standards as brand-name Ibuprofen, such as Advil and Motrin.
Here are just a few examples of supplements that have demonstrated their effectiveness:
Coenzyme Q10 -- Although there are some doctors who say that CoQ10 has not been proven, don't try to tell that to Peter H. Langsjoen, M.D., a Cardiologist in Tyler, Texas, who treats his congestive heart failure patients (among others) with CoQ10. Or Stephen Sinatra, M.D., another respected Cardiologist who cannot say enough good things about CoQ10. Q10 also seems to improve the health of gums in many who take it. Both of the above Cariologists also have their patients take L-carnitine. Read the research on both Q10 and L-carnitine and you will see why.
St. John's Wort -- This supplement has been shown in several studies to be as effective in treating mild to moderate depression as some of the prescription drugs - with fewer side effects than the equivalent drug. It is approved the German Commission E for anxiety and depressive moods.
Saw Palmetto -- The herb has been used around the world for the treatment of benign enlargement of the prostate in men. Many users report less frequent need for nighttime urination and a stronger urine flow, for example. Approved by the German Commission E for prostate complaints and irritable bladder.
Valerian Root and Kava Kava -- These herbs act as sedatives, much in the way of a prescription tranquilizer. Valerian Root is approved by German Commission E for nervousness and isommnia.
Many people drink Chamomile tea to help them relax. A brew of Kava Kava tea is probably more potent. In fact, it may impair your ability to operate a motor vehicle. In a recent case, a man was pulled over by the police for suspected drunken driving. He had consumed several cups of Kava Kava tea at a gathering of some of his fellow South-Pacific islanders. Both Valerian and Kava Kava have their devotees, although each works in different ways to accomplish the same general end. Read the literature! Both are available in capsules.
Cholesterol-lowering Supplements -- This is a very complex issue, as there are perhaps 15 or so
supplements and foods that claim to lower Cholesterol.
One of the most controversial is Cholestin (patent pending by Pharmanex). This is Chinese Red
Yeast which is fermented on rice, and is used as a condiment in Peking Duck as well as for
"medicinal purposes." In 1998 the FDA declared that Cholestin was an "unapproved drug." It
based this conclusion that the product contained Lovastatin, which is an active ingredient in the
prescription cholesterol-lowering drug Mevacor. In February, 1999 , a Federal judge reversed
that ruling (the medical reasoning is not important to the consumer). In many trials, Cholestin has
been shown to lower overall Cholesterol and raise HDL Cholesterol (the good guy).
The Cholestin label warns against use if you are pregnant, at risk for liver disease, you consume
more than two alcoholic drinks per day, you have a serious infection - and a few more warnings.
If you look at the information for Mevacor, you will see very similar warnings. A one-month
supply of Cholestin is about $40.00. You should discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of
this supplement - and the use in general of the cholesterol-lowering drugs versus "natural
methods." One very simple "natural" way is to eat less Saturated Fat!
Benecol and Take Control are margarines that contain natural substances which has been shown
rather conclusively to lower Cholesterol. The FDA has even approved the use of the phrase
"Helps Promote Healthy Cholesterol Levels" on the product labels. There is also a Take Control
brand of salad dressings (Italian and Blue Cheese in the Outback). Yes, Virginia, there is actually
a blue cheese salad dressing that will lower your Cholesterol.
Both the margarine and the salad dressing are grossly overpriced! My friends in Finland, where
the products got their start, say that there is no "price penalty" for buying the cholesterol-
lowering margarine there. The companies who make this margarine in the U.S. are obviously
trading on the near-hysteria that we have about lowering our Cholesterol - especially without
taking prescription drugs. This product may not get you all the way to where you need to be, but
it will help. If you don't go broke.
There is significant evidence that taking in some Psyllium husks each day will lower Cholesterol.
Psyllium is contained in Metamucil, for example, and in several generic-brand equivalents to
Metamucil. You can also buy Psyllium husk capsules at your favorite nutrition center.
Garlic is also touted to lower Cholesterol, and there is good evidence this is true. And eating
flaxseed oil, and fish oil, and fish, oatmeal, and oat bran, and olive oil are all alleged to lower
Cholesterol. That is not the end of the list.
There is overwhelming evidence that some combination of the natural things I have listed will
lower your Cholesterol. There is little hope for you though, unless you eat a reasonably low-fat
diet.The American Heart Association suggests that you eat less than 30% total fat and less than
10% Saturated Fat. Many doctors now believe that it is not the Cholesterol in eggs or meat or
shellfish that makes your Cholesterol high, it is Saturated Fat. In fact, my doctor insists that I eat
eggs as they are a very good source of nutrients. My Cholesterol is 160 - but I take a variety of
Cholesterol-lowering supplements and eat cholesterol-friendly food. And I consume less than 7%
Saturated Fat each day.
If you total daily calorie allowance is 2000, and you want to eat less than 10% Saturated Fat,
you are allowed only 22 grams of Sat Fat per day. For example, one egg has about 1.5 grams of
Sat Fat, while a small chocolate bar has about 9 grams of Sat Fat. Two strips of bacon have about
2.5 grams of fat. A Quarter Pounder with Cheese is 13 grams of Sat Fat. Large Fries are 4.5
grams of Sat Fat. You will be astounded if you start checking Sat Fat levels in the foods you eat.
And very depressed.
High Homocysteine Levels -- Many doctors, including Dr. Kenneth Cooper of the famed Cooper
Clinic in Dallas, say that high levels of Homocysteine in your blood increases your risk of
Atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) - among other problems. Fixing this is a slam dunk.
Each day, you need to take 400-1000mcg of Folic Acid, 500-1200mcg of B 12, and 50-100mg of
B 6 (the doses can be adjusted after you have your blood test).
These are just a few of the hundreds of vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements that may help
you. If you are taking prescription drugs, you should discuss with your doctor any supplements
you take or plan on taking. I print a list of all my supplements for my doctor to include in my
file. Some doctors still turn a deaf ear to the possible benefits of supplements. But, if you turn to
the clerk in the nutrition center for advice, you take a gamble. Few have any background in the
subject. Read, read, read. Study, study, study. You might even make a convert of your doctor to
Coenzyme Q10, L-carnitine, Saw Palmetto , or whatever. It happens.
Here are some references:
Physicians Desk Reference (PDR) for Herbal Medicines. You will need a medical
dictionary to understand much of this work. It is a treasure of information, including citations to
various studies and which supplements are approved by the German Commission E - and for
what purposes.
Practical Guide to Natural Medicines, The American Pharmaceutical Association. An
alphabetical listing of supplements and glossary of ailments and the appropriate supplements.
Very authoritative book.
The Natural Pharmacy (from Prima Health). Contains four sections, Health Concerns
(what is ailing you? with solutions), Nutritional Supplements, Herbs, Homeopathic Remedies.
Terrific book and well documented.
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, James F. Balch, M.D. (Avery Publishing Group).
This book is arranged primarily around disorders. There is a list of what supplements might be
helpful for a particular problem. There is also an alphabetical list of herbs. The sources of the
information are not well-documented. A useful book, sometimes found in nutrition centers.
Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing is a terrific newsletter. For those who don't know him,
Dr. Weil is a Harvard trained doctor who focuses on natural healing. 800-523-3296.
A fascinating book about the therapeutic power of sound, voice, and music is:
Sounds of Healing, Mitchell L. Gaynor, M.D.
Before you dismiss this as possibly another book by a new-age wacko, who sits around tapping
Tibetan bowls with his patients (which he does), you should know that Dr. Gaynor is Director of
Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine at the Strang-Cornell Cancer Prevention Center-
associated with New York Hospital.
The Healing Path of Yoga Nischala Joy Devi. Dr. Dean Ornish is well known as the
originator of a plan to prevent or reverse heart disease, by a vegetarian diet, exercise, meditation,
and yoga. Nischala Joy Devi taught meditation and yoga at many medical retreats for Dr. Ornish.
This is a wonderful book.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Richard C. Rhodes
You are welcome to quote sections from this page - or the whole page, as long as the source URL is included. Of course, I would be flattered if anyone linked to this page. It is very hard to be the writer, editor, fact checker, copy editor, and publisher of anything. So, I welcome corrections of fact, notes of misspelled words, and so on.
Richard C. Rhodes
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