Monthly Archives: August 2016

Nucleic acid double helix – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Posted: August 23, 2016 at 9:19 am

In molecular biology, the term double helix[1] refers to the structure formed by double-stranded molecules of nucleic acids such as DNA. The double helical structure of a nucleic acid complex arises as a consequence of its secondary structure, and is a fundamental component in determining its tertiary structure. The term entered popular culture with the publication in 1968 of The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA, by James Watson.

The DNA double helix polymer of nucleic acid, held together by nucleotides which base pair together.[2] In B-DNA, the most common double helical structure found in nature, the double helix is right-handed with about 1010.5 base pairs per turn.[3] This translates into about 20-21 nucleotides per turn. The double helix structure of DNA contains a major groove and minor groove. In B-DNA the major groove is wider than the minor groove.[2] Given the difference in widths of the major groove and minor groove, many proteins which bind to B-DNA do so through the wider major groove.[4]

The double-helix model of DNA structure was first published in the journal Nature by James D. Watson and Francis Crick in 1953,[5] (X,Y,Z coordinates in 1954[6]) based upon the crucial X-ray diffraction image of DNA labeled as "Photo 51", from Rosalind Franklin in 1952,[7] followed by her more clarified DNA image with Raymond Gosling,[8][9]Maurice Wilkins, Alexander Stokes, and Herbert Wilson,[10] as well as base-pairing chemical and biochemical information by Erwin Chargaff.[11][12][13][14][15][16] The previous model was triple-stranded DNA.[17]

The realization that the structure of DNA is that of a double-helix elucidated the mechanism of base pairing by which genetic information is stored and copied in living organisms and is widely considered one of the most important scientific discoveries of the 20th century. Crick, Wilkins, and Watson each received one third of the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their contributions to the discovery.[18] (Franklin, whose breakthrough X-ray diffraction data was used to formulate the DNA structure, died in 1958, and thus was ineligible to be nominated for a Nobel Prize.)

Hybridization is the process of complementary base pairs binding to form a double helix. Melting is the process by which the interactions between the strands of the double helix are broken, separating the two nucleic acid strands. These bonds are weak, easily separated by gentle heating, enzymes, or physical force. Melting occurs preferentially at certain points in the nucleic acid.[19]T and A rich sequences are more easily melted than C and G rich regions. Particular base steps are also susceptible to DNA melting, particularly T A and T G base steps.[20] These mechanical features are reflected by the use of sequences such as TATA at the start of many genes to assist RNA polymerase in melting the DNA for transcription.

Strand separation by gentle heating, as used in PCR, is simple, providing the molecules have fewer than about 10,000 base pairs (10 kilobase pairs, or 10 kbp). The intertwining of the DNA strands makes long segments difficult to separate. The cell avoids this problem by allowing its DNA-melting enzymes (helicases) to work concurrently with topoisomerases, which can chemically cleave the phosphate backbone of one of the strands so that it can swivel around the other. Helicases unwind the strands to facilitate the advance of sequence-reading enzymes such as DNA polymerase.

The geometry of a base, or base pair step can be characterized by 6 coordinates: Shift, slide, rise, tilt, roll, and twist. These values precisely define the location and orientation in space of every base or base pair in a nucleic acid molecule relative to its predecessor along the axis of the helix. Together, they characterize the helical structure of the molecule. In regions of DNA or RNA where the "normal" structure is disrupted, the change in these values can be used to describe such disruption.

For each base pair, considered relative to its predecessor, there are the following base pair geometries to consider:[21][22][23]

Rise and twist determine the handedness and pitch of the helix. The other coordinates, by contrast, can be zero. Slide and shift are typically small in B-DNA, but are substantial in A- and Z-DNA. Roll and tilt make successive base pairs less parallel, and are typically small.

Note that "tilt" has often been used differently in the scientific literature, referring to the deviation of the first, inter-strand base-pair axis from perpendicularity to the helix axis. This corresponds to slide between a succession of base pairs, and in helix-based coordinates is properly termed "inclination".

At least three DNA conformations are believed to be found in nature, A-DNA, B-DNA, and Z-DNA. The "B" form described by James D. Watson and Francis Crick is believed to predominate in cells.[24] It is 23.7 wide and extends 34 per 10 bp of sequence. The double helix makes one complete turn about its axis every 10.4-10.5 base pairs in solution. This frequency of twist (known as the helical pitch) depends largely on stacking forces that each base exerts on its neighbours in the chain. The absolute configuration of the bases determines the direction of the helical curve for a given conformation.

A-DNA and Z-DNA differ significantly in their geometry and dimensions to B-DNA, although still form helical structures. It was long thought that the A form only occurs in dehydrated samples of DNA in the laboratory, such as those used in crystallographic experiments, and in hybrid pairings of DNA and RNA strands, but DNA dehydration does occur in vivo, and A-DNA is now known to have biological functions. Segments of DNA that cells have been methylated for regulatory purposes may adopt the Z geometry, in which the strands turn about the helical axis the opposite way to A-DNA and B-DNA. There is also evidence of protein-DNA complexes forming Z-DNA structures.

Other conformations are possible; A-DNA, B-DNA, C-DNA, E-DNA,[25]L-DNA (the enantiomeric form of D-DNA),[26] P-DNA,[27] S-DNA, Z-DNA, etc. have been described so far.[28] In fact, only the letters F, Q, U, V, and Y are now[update] available to describe any new DNA structure that may appear in the future.[29][30] However, most of these forms have been created synthetically and have not been observed in naturally occurring biological systems.[citation needed] There are also triple-stranded DNA forms and quadruplex forms such as the G-quadruplex.

Twin helical strands form the DNA backbone. Another double helix may be found by tracing the spaces, or grooves, between the strands. These voids are adjacent to the base pairs and may provide a binding site. As the strands are not directly opposite each other, the grooves are unequally sized. One groove, the major groove, is 22 wide and the other, the minor groove, is 12 wide.[34] The narrowness of the minor groove means that the edges of the bases are more accessible in the major groove. As a result, proteins like transcription factors that can bind to specific sequences in double-stranded DNA usually make contacts to the sides of the bases exposed in the major groove.[4] This situation varies in unusual conformations of DNA within the cell (see below), but the major and minor grooves are always named to reflect the differences in size that would be seen if the DNA is twisted back into the ordinary B form.

Alternative non-helical models were briefly considered in the late 1970s as a potential solution to problems in the replication of DNA in plasmids and chromatin. However, the models were set aside in favor of the double-helical model due to subsequent experimental advances such as X-ray crystallography of DNA duplexes and later the nucleosome core particle, as well as the discovery of topoisomerases, and these non-double-helical models are not currently accepted by the mainstream scientific community.[35][36]

Single-stranded nucleic acids do not adopt a helical formation, and are described by models such as the random coil or worm-like chain.[citation needed]

DNA is a relatively rigid polymer, typically modelled as a worm-like chain. It has three significant degrees of freedom; bending, twisting and compression, each of which cause particular limitations on what is possible with DNA within a cell. Twisting/torsional stiffness is important for the circularisation of DNA and the orientation of DNA bound proteins relative to each other and bending/axial stiffness is important for DNA wrapping and circularisation and protein interactions. Compression/extension is relatively unimportant in the absence of high tension.

DNA in solution does not take a rigid structure but is continually changing conformation due to thermal vibration and collisions with water molecules, which makes classical measures of rigidity impossible. Hence, the bending stiffness of DNA is measured by the persistence length, defined as:

This value may be directly measured using an atomic force microscope to directly image DNA molecules of various lengths. In an aqueous solution, the average persistence length is 46-50nm or 140-150 base pairs (the diameter of DNA is 2nm), although can vary significantly. This makes DNA a moderately stiff molecule.

The persistence length of a section of DNA is somewhat dependent on its sequence, and this can cause significant variation. The variation is largely due to base stacking energies and the residues which extend into the minor and major grooves.

The entropic flexibility of DNA is remarkably consistent with standard polymer physics models, such as the Kratky-Porod worm-like chain model.[citation needed] Consistent with the worm-like chain model is the observation that bending DNA is also described by Hooke's law at very small (sub-piconewton) forces. However, for DNA segments less than the persistence length, the bending force is approximately constant and behaviour deviates from the worm-like chain predictions.

This effect results in unusual ease in circularising small DNA molecules and a higher probability of finding highly bent sections of DNA.[citation needed]

DNA molecules often have a preferred direction to bend, i.e. anisotropic bending. This is, again, due to the properties of the bases which make up the DNA sequence - a random sequence will have no preferred bend direction, i.e. isotropic bending.

Preferred DNA bend direction is determined by the stability of stacking each base on top of the next. If unstable base stacking steps are always found on one side of the DNA helix then the DNA will preferentially bend away from that direction. As bend angle increases then steric hindrances and ability to roll the residues relative to each other also play a role, especially in the minor groove. A and T residues will be preferentially be found in the minor grooves on the inside of bends. This effect is particularly seen in DNA-protein binding where tight DNA bending is induced, such as in nucleosome particles. See base step distortions above.

DNA molecules with exceptional bending preference can become intrinsically bent. This was first observed in trypanosomatid kinetoplast DNA. Typical sequences which cause this contain stretches of 4-6 T and A residues separated by G and C rich sections which keep the A and T residues in phase with the minor groove on one side of the molecule. For example:

The intrinsically bent structure is induced by the 'propeller twist' of base pairs relative to each other allowing unusual bifurcated Hydrogen-bonds between base steps. At higher temperatures this structure, and so the intrinsic bend, is lost.

All DNA which bends anisotropically has, on average, a longer persistence length and greater axial stiffness. This increased rigidity is required to prevent random bending which would make the molecule act isotropically.

DNA circularization depends on both the axial (bending) stiffness and torsional (rotational) stiffness of the molecule. For a DNA molecule to successfully circularize it must be long enough to easily bend into the full circle and must have the correct number of bases so the ends are in the correct rotation to allow bonding to occur. The optimum length for circularization of DNA is around 400 base pairs (136nm), with an integral number of turns of the DNA helix, i.e. multiples of 10.4 base pairs. Having a non integral number of turns presents a significant energy barrier for circularization, for example a 10.4 x 30 = 312 base pair molecule will circularize hundreds of times faster than 10.4 x 30.5 317 base pair molecule.[38]

Longer stretches of DNA are entropically elastic under tension. When DNA is in solution, it undergoes continuous structural variations due to the energy available in the thermal bath of the solvent. This is due to the thermal vibration of the molecule combined with continual collisions with water molecules. For entropic reasons, more compact relaxed states are thermally accessible than stretched out states, and so DNA molecules are almost universally found in a tangled relaxed layouts. For this reason, a single molecule of DNA will stretch under a force, straightening it out. Using optical tweezers, the entropic stretching behavior of DNA has been studied and analyzed from a polymer physics perspective, and it has been found that DNA behaves largely like the Kratky-Porod worm-like chain model under physiologically accessible energy scales.

Under sufficient tension and positive torque, DNA is thought to undergo a phase transition with the bases splaying outwards and the phosphates moving to the middle. This proposed structure for overstretched DNA has been called "P-form DNA", in honor of Linus Pauling who originally presented it as a possible structure of DNA.[27]

The mechanical properties of DNA under compression have not been characterized due to experimental difficulties in preventing the polymer from bending under the compressive force.[citation needed]

The B form of the DNA helix twists 360 per 10.4-10.5 bp in the absence of torsional strain. But many molecular biological processes can induce torsional strain. A DNA segment with excess or insufficient helical twisting is referred to, respectively, as positively or negatively "supercoiled". DNA in vivo is typically negatively supercoiled, which facilitates the unwinding (melting) of the double-helix required for RNA transcription.

Within the cell most DNA is topologically restricted. DNA is typically found in closed loops (such as plasmids in prokaryotes) which are topologically closed, or as very long molecules whose diffusion coefficients produce effectively topologically closed domains. Linear sections of DNA are also commonly bound to proteins or physical structures (such as membranes) to form closed topological loops.

Francis Crick was one of the first to propose the importance of linking numbers when considering DNA supercoils. In a paper published in 1976, Crick outlined the problem as follows:

In considering supercoils formed by closed double-stranded molecules of DNA certain mathematical concepts, such as the linking number and the twist, are needed. The meaning of these for a closed ribbon is explained and also that of the writhing number of a closed curve. Some simple examples are given, some of which may be relevant to the structure of chromatin.[39]

Analysis of DNA topology uses three values:

Any change of T in a closed topological domain must be balanced by a change in W, and vice versa. This results in higher order structure of DNA. A circular DNA molecule with a writhe of 0 will be circular. If the twist of this molecule is subsequently increased or decreased by supercoiling then the writhe will be appropriately altered, making the molecule undergo plectonemic or toroidal superhelical coiling.

When the ends of a piece of double stranded helical DNA are joined so that it forms a circle the strands are topologically knotted. This means the single strands cannot be separated any process that does not involve breaking a strand (such as heating). The task of un-knotting topologically linked strands of DNA falls to enzymes known as topoisomerases. These enzymes are dedicated to un-knotting circular DNA by cleaving one or both strands so that another double or single stranded segment can pass through. This un-knotting is required for the replication of circular DNA and various types of recombination in linear DNA which have similar topological constraints.

For many years, the origin of residual supercoiling in eukaryotic genomes remained unclear. This topological puzzle was referred to by some as the "linking number paradox".[40] However, when experimentally determined structures of the nucleosome displayed an over-twisted left-handed wrap of DNA around the histone octamer,[41][42] this "paradox" was considered to be solved by the scientific community.

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Nucleic acid double helix - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Funding Aging Research for Life Extension and Human Longevity

Posted: at 9:19 am

Maximize investment returns while Minimizing risk and Maximize health and longevity in Minimum time. How to Profit from the Coming Revolution in Anti-Aging Science... Even If You Do Not Invest

Why not get involved in an emerging trillion dollar industry... while developing technologies that are designed to extend healthy lifespans by 25 years or more?

My name is David Kekich. I founded and managed the biggest marketing arm of a Fortune 500 life insurance company until an unfortunate accident changed the direction of my life thirty two years ago. (It could also impact your life in a very positive way.)

then, I have devoted myself to a single passion:

I have invested the remainder of my time to say nothing of considerable financial resources to advancing life extension technologies. In other words, I understand the anti-aging industry. Over the past nine years, I helped build a world-class, star-studded scientific team.

As you will see in the following pages, there is a compelling case to be made for the potential rewards for individuals who embrace an appropriate and sound approach to this emerging growth market.

The Next Big Investment Sector Can Make Early Participants Very Wealthy

All it takes is one glance at the chart below to see where the biggest money will be made in the health care field in the years just ahead. Its going to be in treating and preventing diseases and conditions related to AGING.

U.S. Population Aged 80+

It is still some time before Wall Street will put the full force and power of their resources behind solutions to the aging problem.

But now, a world-class investment management team headed by the former CEO of Citicorps pioneer venture group (he built it into a $50 million fund that earned over $7 billion) has set its sights on the opportunity.

And the opportunity for you reading this Special Report today is twofold, because:

1) You can be part of an elite inner circle who are on the cutting edge of information and treatment as research postpones the debilitating effects of aging by years or even decades; and

2) You can participate financially with a group of unusually dedicated and extraordinarily credentialed investment professionals as they pursue maximum returns in this exploding field of research and development.

The prize is a longer and healthier life, coupled with what could become the most important and exponentially lucrative investment youve ever made.

Aging: An Impossible Problem. Or the Ultimate Opportunity?

We all consider aging to be lifes ultimate reality. On our birthdays, our friends often joke with us that its better than the alternative! Thats because, all our lives (and all throughout human history up to this point), there has been no alternative to aging and the symptoms and diseases of aging. But you and I are fortunate to be living at the precise moment in history when mankind is experiencing a veritable explosion of science and technology. Our entire world is changing virtually every day due to exciting, breakthrough innovations in every industry from telecommunications to travel from computers to cars from farming to pharmaceuticals and everything in between. But nothing is more exciting, in my view, than the technological advances that have already been made (and continue to be made nearly every day) in the rapidly growing science of anti-aging. What Does Anti-Aging Really Mean? First of all, dont let the term anti-aging (as its used and abused today) fool you. The science-based anti-aging industry emerging today is qualitatively different. It targets products that will substantially extend lifespan as well as make that lifespan healthier even for those with all the right lifestyle habits including eating right and exercising regulary with these Muscle Building Workouts. Today anti-aging is already a multi-billion dollar business even though most of the products have little or no basis in medical science. Many promoters mislead, exaggerate and make false claims to sell to a market eager to hang on to their youth. The anti-aging were talking about isnt about snake oil; its about the emerging (and serious) field of life-extension medicine. Anti-aging science is quickly coming of age and being taken very seriously by esteemed universities, respected research institutions, and giant pharmaceutical companies. Breakthroughs in Life Extension Are Already Here In fact, some new inventions and innovations in anti-aging medicine have already proven themselves behind the closed doors of our nations top research and testing agencies. Theyre already here. They just havent been released yet to the general public. Thankfully, however, many of these breakthroughs dont take as much time as do other health care innovations, such as new drugs. And because of the rapidly approaching urgency and the looming, overwhelming demand for anti-aging innovations, were soon going to see wave after wave of anti-aging products getting introduced to a TRILLION-DOLLAR world market of people who are literally dying to hold onto their health, youth, beauty and vitality. Its what we all want, actually. And now, thanks to the unique research and marketing strategy weve developed here at Maximum Life Foundation, you can learn about the development and distribution of the very innovations that will one day very soon benefit you directly and help you lead a longer, healthier, wealthier and happier life. SAP Training - Training and certification in over 30 different SAP career paths.

This white paper will take you on a journey into the exciting world of anti-aging science and show you the virtually unlimited opportunities that await savvy people like you who get on board the train to the future and do it now.

Welcome aboard. David A. Kekich President, Maximum Life Foundation January 2010

One final note before we begin: I want you to know that nearly all of my personal financial return from my activities goes to The Maximum Life Foundation. In other words, Im in this for the money but not the way you think.

Special Report on Life Extension Technology By David A. Kekich

AGING: A Growing Problem Becomes an Enormous Opportunity

Its happening all over the world

Imagine the potential profit if you participated in even one of these! And our research is uncovering dozens of similar opportunities. Its no accident venture capitalists and major medical companies are investing billions of dollars annually in research leading toward the treatment and cure of incurable diseases. Why? They readily recognize the upside to such investment. Today, the biggest returns both to investors and to individuals who want to live longer, healthier, and therefore more productive lives will come in the field of anti-aging medicine. And heres why: Back in the year 2000, the number of Americans (for example) aged 65 or older reached an estimated 35 million and accounted for almost 13 percent of the total U.S. population. The rapidly aging U.S. population is very significant especially when you consider the number of older Americans has increased more than ten-fold since the turn of the last century. This trend is mirrored in other developed countries. And, its projected to accelerate even faster over the next 30 years. This is both a problem and an opportunity. Its a problem because the diseases associated with aging will put a tremendous burden on our health-care system (along with the younger taxpayers who will have to foot the bill).

The table below lists just a few of the adverse health events that our older population is now experiencing

Health events that increase with aging

These aging-dependent chronic diseases and conditions are now the most common forms of illness in the United States. Heart disease and stroke alone account for almost 40% of all deaths.

Consider this chart

Altogether, the groups of degenerative diseases we link to aging are directly responsible for the deaths for roughly 75% of all deaths in the United States.

Whats more, the list of diseases above has contributed to a quadrupling of health care expenditures per person in the U.S., rising from $1,067 in 1980 to $4,358 in 1999.

By 2010, those expenditures are expected to double again. Total national health expenditures are projected to equal $2.6 trillion and reach 15.9 percent of the Gross Domestic Product by 2010, up from 13 percent in 1999.

Why?

Its pure demographics. You see, the burgeoning number of baby boomers in our society will begin to turn 65 in 2011. And by 2030, the proportion of the population 65 or older will be one in five or 70 million U.S. citizens.

In the United States, the population 80 and older is currently 9.2 million (3.35 percent of the U.S. population). This age segment is projected to grow to 14.9 million (4.4 percent of population) by the year 2025 and to 31.6 million (7.82 percent of population) by the year 2050.

In other industrialized countries around the world, the percentage of the population age 65 or older is even higher than in the U.S. The percentage of population over 65 in the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan is 24%, 44% and 34% higher than in the United States, respectively.

This is truly a growing problem, worldwide. And it cries out for a solution.

Fortunately, timing is on our side because science MAY NOW HAVE solutions to some of the age-related diseases listed above.

Happily, the catastrophic effects of such a huge percentage of our population getting old and getting sick all at the same time can now be virtually eliminated IF the science of anti-aging proceeds on the fast track and quickly develops the treatments and cures to life-threatening (and life-shortening) diseases we now passively accept.

And thats what we at the Maximum Life Foundation are all about: Helping to get anti-aging science into the mainstream before its too late for you.

Whether youre young or old, herein lays one of the major investment opportunities of the 21st century.

ANTI-AGING MEDICINE: An Emerging Solution

Think about it

If the illnesses and deaths weve been talking about were preventable, shouldnt we stop them if we can?

Let me put it another way: If a loved one (or yourself) had a major medical condition such as cancer, heart disease or suffered a stroke., wouldnt you ask that they (or you) receive the very best medical care for those conditions?

If there was a treatment that could reverse Alzheimers, Parkinsons, osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis or diabetes who in their right mind would turn it down?

What ties all these diseases together is the underlying processes of aging.

But now, science is gradually coming to the realization that aging itself could be classified as a disease. Why? Because its not necessarily normal or inevitable for the bodys vital organs to stop functioning properly. Scientists now know that our cells could live and grow in the same healthy manner as when we were in our 20s!

Am I just blowing smoke?

No.

Heres the hard-core evidence that gives everyone involved in anti-aging science so much cause for optimism

How the EXPLOSION of Scientific Progress Is Revolutionizing Our Lives

To properly understand what Im about to share with you, you need to know that the pace of scientific advancements today far outstrips what you and I have been accustomed to during our lifetime.

Whereas science used to proceed at a snails pace, thats not the case anymore. Now its approaching the speed of light!

Its all because several sciences and technologies are finally coming together and working synergistically on the problems that face mankind.

For instance, medical researchers are now able to use supercomputers to speed up experiments that used to take years. The key? Theyre using a new technology known as bioinformatics.

Bioinformatics is a computer-assisted data management discipline that assists in accumulating, analyzing and representing biological processes. Emerging in the 1990s, this field is accelerating the drug discovery and development process through in vitro (in test tubes) and in vivo (in animals or humans) testing processes. Now theyre adding in silico (computer simulations) to turbo charge anti-aging science.

The major task of bioinformatics is utilizing the power of supercomputers to convert the complexity of the genetic codes of the human genome into useful information and knowledge that can be harnessed to understand the aging process and its attendant diseases.

The result? Faster and faster progress in the anti-aging sciences

Its not a surprise. In the modern era, our knowledge has been advancing by quantum leaps compared to most of human history. For instance, scientific knowledge doubled from the year 1 A.D. to 1500 A.D. But by 1967, it doubled five more times... and each time, faster than before.

And several experts estimate that today, biotech knowledge doubles about every 48 months. Some computer scientists project that by 2010, scientific knowledge in general will double every 100 days!

Part of the reason? As I said, supercomputers, like the kind now being used in bioinformatics. These computers can do experiments in 15 seconds that used to take years. Its no wonder were gaining on the aging problem so fast!

Heres another anti-aging advance: Newly developed research tools called gene chips can do tissue studies in hours or even minutes that used to take years of animal studies. These gene chips are actually laboratories on a chip. Theyre simply amazing.

But perhaps the most profound observation is the rate of change itself is accelerating. This means the past is not a reliable guide to the future. The 20th century was not 100 years of progress at todays rate but, rather, was equivalent to about 20 years, because weve been speeding up to current rates of change. And, well make another 20 years of progress at the year 2000 rate, equivalent to that of the entire 20th century, by 2014. Then well do it again by 2021.

Because of this exponential growth, the 21st century will equal 20,000 years of progress at todays rate of progress 1,000 times greater than what we witnessed in the 20th century, which in itself was no slouch for change.

And youre probably aware that the power of technology per dollar doubles every 12 months. This means our tools could be 1,000 times more powerful in just 10 years and a billion times more powerful by 2035.

On top of that, scientists just launched an emerging discipline known as nanomedicine that will revolutionize cell repair.

In a nutshell, nanomedicine, the medical application of nanotechnology, could eventually build or repair almost every cell in the body, from the bottom up, atom-by-atom. It promises to give us complete control of matter and a very efficient way to cure aging damage, injuries and diseases.

More Anti-Aging Breakthroughs

For your information, here are some of the anti-aging and life-extension breakthroughs that took place just in the last few years

That means someday, we could completely understand how the human body works at the most basic level. This will greatly speed up the time it takes to develop new treatments for all diseases.

By understanding how eating less calories works to extend life in something like yeast, scientists can use this information to figure out the same pathway in humans. Then, we could develop drugs to do the same thing. In fact, Dr. Guarente co-founded Elixir Pharmaceuticals to do just that, and now, several caloric restriction mimetics have been discovered.

This is the first time drugs dramatically extended the lifespan of a complex form of life. This could perhaps result in a pill that would greatly extend your lifespan and your healthspan.

Once again, turning the right genes on or off can extend lifespan.

Stem cell research could eventually lead to a cell-by-cell replacement of the human body, substituting old cells with new young cells.

With good gene therapy techniques, the same type of thing might add about 30 years to our lives. Thats not an exaggeration.

Resveratrol is now available as a supplement for human consumption.

Theres more.

Recently, a group at the University of Wisconsin developed a technique to locate many genes that are involved in the aging process in mice. This may soon allow us to control the aging process itself.

At Sierra Sciences, a biotechnology company, researchers have been working on shutting off the cellular aging clock, the telomere.

There are far too many examples to list them all.

What does all this research mean?

Very simply this: With todays astonishing pace of scientific progress, well most likely develop technologies in the next 5 to 10 years in the lab that could eventually slow aging to a crawl.

Maybe halt it.

Maybe even reverse it by 2029.

And even before these technologies are translated to humans, they will be worth BILLIONS.

Where the Money Will Be Made in Life Extension Technology

Aside from the sheer humanitarian benefits of anti-aging science and the promise of a disease-free, healthy and happy society, theres also a lot of money to be made in this sector for those who are savvy enough to see the trend and invest early.

Link:
Funding Aging Research for Life Extension and Human Longevity

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US Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

Posted: at 9:18 am

BMJ. 2000 Nov 4; 321(7269): 11531154.

British Medical Association, London WC1H 9JP

The pomegranate was chosen as the logo for the Millennium Festival of Medicine from a shortlist that included DNA, the human body, and a heart beat. Not only has the pomegranate been revered through the ages for its medicinal properties but it also features in the heraldic crests of several medical institutions involved in the organisation of the festival.

The pomegranate has been held sacred by many of the world's major religions

It has been revered through the ages for its medicinal properties

Preparations of different parts of the plant have been used to treat a variety of conditions

It features in the coat of arms of several medical associations

Before its medicinal properties were described the pomegranate was held sacred by many of the world's major religions.

In the Greek myth of Persephone's abduction by Hades, lord of the underworld, the pomegranate represents life, regeneration, and marriage.1 One day while out gathering flowers, Persephone noticed a narcissus of exquisite beauty. As she bent down to pick it, the earth opened and Hades seized her and dragged her down to his kingdom. By eating a few pomegranate seeds, Persephone tied herself to Hadesthe pomegranate being a symbol of the indissolubility of marriage. Inconsolable at the loss of her daughter, the corn goddess Demeter prevented the earth from bearing fruit unless she saw her daughter again. Zeus intervened and worked out a compromise: Persephone should live with Hades for one third of the year and the other two thirds with Demeter. Persephone's return from the underworld each year is marked by the arrival of Spring.

The pomegranate probably originated in Iran and Afghanistan and was much used in Zoroastrian ritual and domestic observances.23 In Persian mythology Isfandiyar eats a pomegranate and becomes invincible.4 In The Persian War Herodotus mentions golden pomegranates adorning the spears of warriors in the Persian phalanx.5

Pomegranate seeds are said to number 613one for each of the Bible's 613 commandments.6 The pomegranate was revered for the beauty of its shrub, flowers, and fruitsymbolising sanctity, fertility, and abundance.7 The Song of Solomon compares the cheeks of a bride behind her veil to the two halves of a pomegranate.8 Depictions of the fruit have long featured in architecture and design. They decorated the pillars of King Solomon's temple and the robes and regalia of Jewish kings and priests.

Along with the citrus and the peach, the pomegranate is one of the three blessed fruits. In Buddhist art the fruit represents the essence of favourable influences.9 In Buddhist legend the demoness Hariti, who devoured children, was cured of her evil habit by the Buddha, who gave her a pomegranate to eat. She is depicted in Buddhist art holding a child. In Japan she is known as Kishimojin and is invoked by infertile women.10

In China the pomegranate is widely represented in ceramic art symbolising fertility, abundance, posterity, numerous and virtuous offspring, and a blessed future.11 A picture of a ripe open pomegranate is a popular wedding present.

A symbol of resurrection and life everlasting in Christian art, the pomegranate is often found in devotional statues and paintings of the Virgin and Child.

In medieval representations the pomegranate tree, a fertility symbol, is associated with the end of a unicorn hunt. The captured unicorn appears to be bleeding from wounds inflicted on him by the hunters.12 The wounds are actually pomegranate seeds dripping their blood red juices on his milk white body. Wild and uncontrollable by nature, unicorns can be tamed only by virgins. Once tamed, the unicorn was held in an enclosed garden and chained to a pomegranate tree, symbolising the impending incarnation of Christ.13

The heavenly paradise of the Koran describes four gardens with shade, springs, and fruitsincluding the pomegranate. Legend holds that each pomegranate contains one seed that has come down from paradise.5 Pomegranates have had a special role as a fertility symbol in weddings among the Bedouins of the Middle East.14 A fine specimen is secured and split open by the groom as he and his bride open the flap of their tent or enter the door of their house. Abundant seeds ensure that the couple who eat it will have many children.

Preparations of different parts of the plantflower, fruit juice, rind, barkhave been used for a wide variety of conditions, although gastroenterological ailments predominate. Dioscorides describes some of them:

All sorts of pommegranats are of a pleasant taste and good for ye stomach . . . The juice of the kernells prest out, being sod and mixed with Hony, are good for the ulcers that are in ye mouth and in ye Genitalls and in the seate, as also for the Pterygia in digitis and for the Nomae and ye excrescencies in ulcers, and for ye paines of ye eares, and for the griefs in ye nosthrills . . . The decoction of ye flowers is a collution of moist flagging gummes and of loose teeth . . . ye rinde having a binding faculty . . . but ye decoction of ye roots doth expell and kill the Latas tineas ventris.15

The use of pomegranate rind and root bark as a treatment for tapeworm infestation (Latas tineas ventris) was recommended by several early Roman medical writers and is still listed as a treatment for tapeworms and diarrhoea in a current encyclopaedia of medicinal plants.16

The British Medical Association and three royal colleges feature the pomegranate in their coats of arms. The pomegranate was part of Catherine of Aragon's coat of arms and was accepted into English heraldry when she married King Henry VIII in 1509. The Royal College of Physicians of London had adopted it in their coat of arms by the middle of the sixteenth century.17 The heraldic meanings of the pomegranate hark back to the meanings of the pomegranate in the myth of Persephonethe persistence of life, fertility, and regeneration.

Competing interests: None declared.

British Medical Association

Royal College of Midwives

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Royal College of Physicians

1. New Larousse encyclopedia of mythology. London: Hamlyn; 1983.

2. Trees at the Chelsea Physic Garden. London: Chelsea Physic Garden Company; 1997. p. 14.

3. Modi JJ. The religious ceremonies and customs of the Parsees. Bombay: British India Press; 1922.

4. Curtis VS. Persian myths. London: British Museum Press; 1996. p. 54.

5. Herodotus . The histories. London: Penguin; 1996. p. 389.

6. Good A, Nurock M. The fruits of the Holy Land. Jerusalem: Israel Universities Press; 1968.

7. Wigoder DE. The Garden of Eden cookbook. San Francisco: Harper & Row; 1988.

8. Holy Bible. Song of Solomon 4, 3.

9. Hall J. Hall's illustrated dictionary of symbols in eastern and western art. London: John Murray; 1995.

10. Munsterberg H. Dictionary of Chinese and Japanese art. New York: Hacker Art Books; 1981. p. 241.

11. Cooper JC. An illustrated encyclopaedia of traditional symbols. London: Thames and Hudson; 1995. p. 134.

12. Freeman MB. The unicorn tapestries. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art; 1976.

13. Cherry J. Mythical beasts. London: British Museum Press; 1995. pp. 4752.

14. Garrison W. Strange facts about the Bible. Nashville: Festival Books; 1980. p. 184.

15. Gunter RT. The Greek herbal of Dioscorides. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 1934. pp. 8081.

16. Chevallier A. Encyclopedia of medicinal plants. London: Dorling Kindersley; 1996. p. 257.

Original post:
US Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health

Posted in Immortality Medicine | Comments Off

Doug Malewicki’s patented inventions and engineering …

Posted: at 9:17 am

To see pictures from each of the races listed below - Click HERE

7,000+ crazy runners (Geezer Doug proudly included, of course!)

Article and photos by columnist David Whiting: OC Register ___________________ Doug has enjoyed running Big Baz's Winter Trail Run Series since 1998! 15 years worth! http://www.BigBazTrailRaces.com

"Sportsman of the Year"

Check out the "DOUGumentary" QuickTime Movie Trailer at: http://www.3launch.com

Gore-Tex TRANSROCKIES http://www.Transrockies.com (Doug's Facebook page has 100's of photos from TransRockies) The 2012 TransRockies 6 day endurance race covered a total of 125 miles of trails between 8,000' and 12,538' elevations and had 21,000' of total ascents!

Team California Old Goats Doug (age 73) and ultra running legend Gordy Ainsleigh (age 64) - also ran the2011 six day TransRockies endurance trail race together.

2012 was Doug's 5th year in a row running the 6 day TransRockies race. Gordy & Dous are already signed up for the 2014 TransRockies! Doug's 6th year.

August 14, 2012 Team California Old Goats Gordy & Doug at the top of HOPE PASS - 12,538' elevation.

Hah! 6 pack abs compliments of PHOTOSHOP & Mark Kelly, PhD.

March 2013: I hit 74 on March 28, 2012. To celebrate my 74th birthdayI ran a bit more than 74 miles of my favorite trails in 4 days (74.13 miles according to my Garmin GPS).

I also did 70@70 in 3 days w/19,000' of climbs four years ago; 71@71 in 6 days; 72@72 in 5 days & 73@73 in 4 days

Doug & Yoda birthday present w/grand daughter Sierra & daughter Michelle (Do or do NOT.. There is no TRY!)

SkyTran - Personal MagLev Transportation

Malewicki has been an invited keynote speaker on SkyTran and our new Wind Turbine retrofit business (based on our SkyTran technology and patents) to Dubai (April 2010 with Dr. Greg Smedley CEO/founder of One-Cycle-Control, Inc.) and to Macau, China (July 2011). Details on these and several local presentations in California HERE

The photo on the left is Doug pointing to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is the world's tallest building at 2,716.5'. That is just over 1/2 mile up! http://www.burjkhalifa.ae

In Macau & Beijing, China

The interview is mostly about my SkyTran invention, but also talks about the advanced Wind Turbine work we are doing and even the low cost electric first stage boosters for Micro-satellite launches. Some of that was discussed in the IEEE paper that you can read below.

My SkyTran invention was featured on the cover of he July 2008 issue of Popular Science (or their artist's version of what THEY think our pods should look like). "GREEN MEGALOPOLIS - An eco-savvy blueprint for tomorrow's megacity points the way to fresh air, clean water and traffic that never jams."

Starting on page 49, five more pages have our MagLev SkyTran in the future city art done by a second artist. Includes a nice paragraph that mentions our company UniModal LLC. Love their online animation at: http://www.popsci.com/futurecity/plan.html (SkyTran is the 4th- click on their FLASH animation).

Check out: http://www.SkyTran.us

The key to this solid state, personalized MagLev systems capacity performance falls out of math and physics analysis. SkyTran will greatly reduce energy used in the transportation of people; eliminate the pollution associated with commuting; greatly enhance safety of personal travel and reduce travel costs.

The California Commuter - 157 MPG at freeway speeds

The California Commuter PLANS & TECHNICAL BOOKLET are also available as electronical PDF's. (Faster, cheaper & ZERO shipping costs!)

157.192 MPG

156.53 MPG

The improved eCC will have 25% less aerodynamic drag and will obtain 400 MPGe at a steady 65 MPH.

IMAGINE a penny per mile!

Robosaurus - the FIRE BREATHING monster robot

ROBOSAURUS THE FIRE BREATHING, CAR EATING, ELECTROHYDROMECHANICAL, 40 foot tall, 58,000 pound, TRANSFORMING MONSTER ENTERTAINMENT ROBOT. GOING ONCE... GOING TWICE... GONE! On January 19, 2008 after 18 years of operation, Robosaurus was sold at the famed Barrett-Jackson Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona . MORE Two of Dougs USA Patents are for his Robosaurus invention. He founded Monster Robots, Inc. and was involved in finding all investors and product sponsors. Doug did all the structural design and engineering (loads determinations, weights and stress analysis). Along with all the electronic, hydraulic and control system packaging and functional testing. The creature, which was built in 1.5 years, has been doing shows since 1990. The most recent NDT (non-destructive-testing) inspection of all welded joints was performed at 250,000 miles and showed no weld fatigue degradation.

One man sitting up in the creatures cranium controls Robosaurus. Doug had to develop an innovative wearable control system to enable a single pilot to simultaneously control 18 proportional hydraulic motions. Each hydraulic valve is controlled by a P-Q Controls Inc. of Bristol, Connecticut computer valve board that converts the simple on-off electrical switch signals given by the pilot in the head into proper proportional fluid flow rates to the various hydraulic cylinders and pumps.

Much of the Robosaurus structural design involved tradeoffs to enable transformation to a legal trailer for hauling the 58,000-pound, fire breathing, beast from show to show. Robosaurus meets highway size and weight requirements for all 50 States.

FLYING and DARPA FLYING MACHINES

UMAAVs (Unmanned Morphing Aerial Attack Vehicles)a conceptual development contract for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency).

Rather than just doing a extensive theoretical aerodynamic and structural analysis for his innovative designs,Doug's company AeroVisions, Inc. built and flew Radio Control modelsto demonstrate his various morphing concepts.

July 2005, Doug was the plenary speaker for the DARPA Morphing Aircraft Structures Conference in San Diego.After sensing & confirming the bad guys, morphing UAVs of the future will be able to transform and divedownat Mach 0.9 and pull 5 g maneuvers to take out targets. Will save calling in the F-16 jet jocks and waiting 20 minutes for them to arrive. A computer generated movie of a typical mission of Dougs favorite proposed UMAAV, aptly named THE DROID OF DEATH, can be seen at the above UMAAV link.

DAREDEVIL Engineering Projects

NOTICE: April 18, 2014 AeroVisions, LLC and the Big Ed (Beckley Media LLC) have mutually terminated the relationship to build a rocket powered motorcycle system for Big Ed to jump the Snake River Canyon. We are no longer involved in engineering or developing his jump bike system. There were numerous reasons we could not participate:

1) AeroVisions negotiating with Beckley Media's attorney for months without reaching a fair agreement.

2) AeroVisions agreed to warrantee the jump bike & jump system. Beckley wanted us to warrant the rider as well.

3) In April, Beckley insisted on changing the engineering funding source to a new 3rd party. Negotiating with that party's attorney would have just added more delay.

4) AeroVisions constantly expressed urgency to start engineering, since time was rapidly evaporating to complete the project with confidence by September 7, 2014. We needed adequate time to design, engineer, fabricate and fully test all systems plus train the pilot to establish a high level of confidence to insure a 99.5% probability of success for the rider. Rushing and only achieving 70% probability of success by starting at this late date to us was unacceptable.

5) Extending the jump date to July 4th, 2015 was also unacceptable to Beckley Media.

6) The AeroVisions proposed jump bike would be a genuine drivable motorcycle that could "jump" over 1/2 mile in distance and land on its wheels on the other side. It would NOT be a non-road worthy, non-motorcycle, rocket powered missile that would slide up a launch rail like a child's model rocket toy.

All we can say is best of luck to Big Ed in "gettin' er done" safely this September.

Rest in Peace Oct 17,1938 - Nov 30, 2007.

Doug Malewicki was the designer and engineer of Evel Knievel's steam rocket powered SkyCycle X-1 canyon jumping motorcycle. Doug is shown here shaking hands with Evel at the machine's unveiling at the Twin Falls, Idaho Snake River canyon jump site on May 6, 1972. On the left is rocket pioneer, Robert Truax who invented and holds the patents on Steam Rocket engines. Wearing sunglasses is Facundo Campoy, one of Truax's partners.

Niagara Falls Aerospace Museum Rocket Belt Conference PHOTOS Click HERE to see the online PBS interviews & flight videos from the conference

NUCLEAR WAR - Doug's 1965 Game Invention

As time passed, the weapons used in the basic game became obsolete, so expansion sets with newer futuristic weapons were created:

1965 - The original Nuclear War 1982 - Nuclear Escalation 1992 Nuclear Proliferation 1996 Nuclear War Booster Packs 2004 Weapons of Mass Destruction (YES - that is THE DROID OF DEATH on the cover of the newest game!)

Doug and his original Nuclear War game were inducted into the Adventure Game Hall of Fame in 1998. 2015 will be the 50th Anniversary of Nuclear War! F. B. I. will celebrate with a NEW SPECIAL EDITION!

Droid phone screen shot Still ticking after 48 years! The RadioAPPtive Fallout Spinner is now available in the DROID & iPhone marketplaces. (SEARCH: Nuclear War Spinner)

You use the touch screen to swipe the arrow to get it moving. As it spins, it makes Geiger Counter ticking sounds. When it stops you will hear the results. Hilarious voiceover comments in an over-the-top Russkie accent by actress Claudia Christian, well known for her TV character - Commander Ivanova of the SciFi hit series Babylon 5. [Special thanks to Rick Roszko, Rick Loomis & Steve Johnson]

"LOST WORLDS" COMBAT FANTASY BOOKS

Michelle has taken up trail running like her dad & has evolved into a top ranked ultra distance speedster. Over the years Michelle set numerous female course records for 50K and 50 mile race distances - including six as overall winner where she "chicked" all the men!

She won first female & fourth overall at the Javelina Jundred 100 mile trail race in Arizona in a 19:42 time. She was 4 hours ahead of the second place female! Pictures

ORDER PAGE Hard to find Rocket Books on 90% Hydrogen Peroxide, Steam and Solid Propellant rocket systems; California Commuter Car plans; Air Car plans; Nuclear War games/T-Shirts! We take PayPal payments for USA & foreign orders. PayPal processes most credit cards too.

Click HERE to see MORE pictures of Doug Malewicki's other inventions and read his free TIPS for new inventors.

Doug's favorite quotes (besides Yoda!)

"Life is what you make it; always has been; always will be." -- Grandma Moses

See more here:
Doug Malewicki's patented inventions and engineering ...

Posted in Futurist | Comments Off

Germ Warfare Against America: Part I What Is Gulf War …

Posted: August 21, 2016 at 11:18 am

by Donald S. McAlvaney, Editor, McAlvaney Intelligence Advisor (MIA), August 1996

GWI is a communicable, moderately contagious and potentially lethal disease, resulting from a laboratory modified germ warfare agent called Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus). [ED. NOTE: There were actually up to 15 such agents used in Desert Storm by Iraq only three have been identified at this writing: mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus), mycoplasma genitalia, and Brucella species.]. Myco- plasma fermentans (incognitus) is a biological which contains most of the (HIV) envelope gene, which was most likely inserted into it in germ warfare laboratories.

GWI spreads far more easily than AIDS, by sex, by casual contact, through perspiration, or by being close to someone who coughs. Your children can be infected at a playground or school. The Nicolsons, who have isolated the micro-organisms, say that it is airborne and moderately contagious.

Joyce Riley had an American Legion chapter leader call her in mid-95 who said, I was visiting the Desert Stormers at the VA Hospital and after two weeks I had the same illness they did just from visiting them at the VA. It sounds almost like tuberculosis-type contagion.

To illustrate the moderately contagious nature of the biologicals Saddam used, Dr. Garth Nicolson cited the case of a young woman who served in a transportation squad who contracted GWI while assigned to a graves registration unit during the hostilities. She is currently the sole survivor of the 16 members of her unit.

She has severe GWI, is partially paralyzed, has multiple chemical sensitiveness (which complicate treatment) and has the mycoplasmic infection. All of the other 15 members of her unit are dead from what we suspect were infectious diseases. These (graves registration) units had to deal with the registration and disposal of thousands of dead Iraqi soldiers who were, we strongly suspect, exposed to GWI.

GWI is the direct health consequence of prolonged exposure to low (non-lethal at the time of exposure) levels of chemical and biological agents released primarily by direct Iraqi attack via missiles, rockets, artillery, or aircraft munitions, and by fallout from allied bombings of Iraqi chemical warfare munitions facilities during the 38-day war.

The effects of these exposures were exacerbated by the harmful and synergistic side effects of unproven (untested) pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills (nerve agent pre-treatment pills) forcibly administered to our troops; botulinum toxoid vaccines (also untested and experimental) forcibly administered to our troops; anthrax vaccines and several other experimental vaccines, all forcibly administered to our troops like so many laboratory guinea pigs.

Estimates of the number of vets who are sick are just that estimates. Estimates of 50 to 90,000 sick vets are now obsolete. Over 160,000 Gulf War vets have reported to the Gulf War Registry (kept by the Department of Defense which still maintains that the disease does not exist). Dr. Garth Nicolson estimates the number of veterans sick with GWI to be closer to 100,000 to 200,000 with approximately 15,000 dead. This does not include wives, children or other family members, friends or associates (secondary infectees) who are sick, disabled, dying or dead.

By August 15, 1991, 17,000 out of 100,000 reservists and National Guardsmen who served in the Gulf conflict had reported to the VA that they were ill. Four years later (in August 96) that number is likely to have tripled to 51,000, or over half of the total. Joyce Riley estimates that 1/2 of all Desert Stormers may now be positive for Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus). Riley (and the Nicolsons) also estimate that a large percent of all GWI victims may ultimately die from the disease, or suicide.

On 7/31/96, Tony Flint, spokesperson for the British Gulf War Veterans Association, reported that the number of GW veterans deaths in U.K. is l.233 out of 51,000 Brits who participated. Of these deaths, 13% or 162 were from suicide. These are huge numbers of suicide victims who took their lives due to their lack of treatment and incredible pain levels.

Whole families are now ill. Nor do the above numbers include babies which are being born dead or severely deformed like the thalidomide babies of the 50s. Some of the baby deformities are Goldenhar syndrome, wherein babies are born with one or more limbs missing, a missing eye or other deformity. It is now estimated that a large percent of babies born to infected veterans are being born deformed or with birth problems.

The study done for former U.S. Senator Don Riegle (D-MI) concluded that 78% of wives of veterans who are sick are also likely to be sick, that 25% of their children born before the war are also likely to be sick, and that 65% of children born to sick Gulf War veterans after the war also are likely to be sick.

The Nicolsons, after listening to health complaints of many veterans of Desert Storm (including their step-daughter, then Staff Sergeant Sharron McMillan, who served with the Armys 101st Airborne Division-Air Assault, in the deep insertions into Iraq), concluded that the symptoms can be explained by aggressive, pathogenic mycoplasma and other microorganism infections.

Mycoplasmas are similar to bacteria. They are a group of small microorganisms, in between the size and complexity of cells and viruses, some of which can invade and burrow very deep into the cell and cause chromic infections. According to the Nicolsons, normal mycoplasma infections produce relatively benign diseases limited to particular tissue sites or organs, such as urinary tract or respiratory infections.

However, the types of mycoplasmas which the Nicolsons have detected in Desert Storm veterans are very pathogenic, colonize in a variety of organs and tissues, and are very difficult to treat. [ED. NOTE: The Nicolsons tested thousands of veterans blood samples (free-of-charge) while at the M.D. Anderson Center].

These mycoplasmas can be detected by a technique the Nicolsons developed called Gene Tracking, whereby the blood is separated into red and white blood cell fractions, and then further fractionated into nucleoproteins that bond to DNA, the genetic material in each cell. Finally, the purified nucleoproteins are probed to determine the presence of specific mycoplasma gene sequences. [ED. NOTE: Obviously this is no ordinary blood test and can only be understood or done by a small handful of pathologists or microbiologists in the world today].

As the Nicolsons wrote in a recent paper entitled Chronic Fatigue Illness and Desert Storm Were Biological Weapons Used Against Our Forces in the Gulf War?: In our preliminary study on a small number of Gulf War veterans and their families, we have found evidence of mycoplasmic infections in about one-half of the patients whose blood we have examined.

Not every Gulf War veteran had the same type of mycoplasma DNA sequences that came from mycoplasmas bound to or inside their white blood cells. Of particular importance, however, was our detection of highly unusual retroviral DNA sequences in the same samples by the same technique. These highly unusual DNA sequences included a portion of the HIV-1 (the AIDS-causing virus) genetic code, the HIV-1 envelope gene, but not the entire HIV-1 viral genomes.

The type of mycoplasma we identified was highly unusual and it almost certainly could not occur naturally. It has one gene from the HIV-1 virus but only one gene. This meant it was almost certainly an artificially modified microbe altered purposely by scientists to make them more pathogenic and more difficult to detect.

Thus these soldiers were not infected with the HIV-1 virus, because the virus cannot replicate with only one HIV-1 envelope gene that we detected. [ED. NOTE: But, infected soldiers do exhibit many of the symptoms of AIDS while testing HIV negative. Garth Nicolson says that Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus) contains about 40% of the HIV virus which causes AIDS. He told this writer on 8/9/96 that some soldiers do test HIV-1 positive, but do not have the HIV virus only the envelope gene product].

Interestingly, the specific DNA sequence that we detected encodes a protein that, when expressed on the surface of the mycoplasma, would enable any myco-plasma to bind to many cell types in the body, and even enter those cells.

Thus this genetic manipulation could render a relatively benign mycoplasma much more invasive and pathogenic and capable of attacking many organ and tissue systems of the body.

Such findings suggest that the mycoplasmas that we have found in Gulf War veterans are not naturally occurring organisms, or to be more specific, they were probably genetically modified or engineered to be more invasive and pathogenic, or quite simply, more potent biological weapons.

In our rather small sample of Gulf War veterans, it seems that the soldiers that were involved in the deep insertions into Iraq and those that were near Saudi SCUD impact zones may be the ones at highest risk for contracting the mycoplasmas that we feel are a major culprit in the Desert Storm-associated chronic fatigue illness. Our preliminary research indicates that the types of mycoplasmas found in some of the Desert Storm veterans with the most severe chronic symptoms may have been altered, probably by genetic manipulation, suggesting strongly that biological weapons were used in Desert Storm.

We consider it quite likely that many of the Desert Storm veterans suffering from the symptoms (described below) may have been infected with microorganisms. Quite possibly aggressive pathogenic mycoplasmas and probably other pathogens such as pathogenic bacteria as well, and this type of multiple infection can produce the chronic symptoms even long after exposure. [ED. NOTE: Three to seven years later, Joyce Riley calls it a time-release form of illness].

[ED. NOTE: Joyce Riley and the Nicolsons believe that the microbe just described is only one of 10 to 15 different microbes or different types of germ warfare that could have been utilized].

Micotoxins are toxins that are associated with fungus. Fungi and micotoxins have long been a very secret carrier of germ warfare agents. Micotoxins are very difficult to destroy with temperature, weather, or anything else.

Mycoplasmas have for many years been studied as potential germ warfare agents. Add a recombinant DNA to the mycoplasma such as the HIV envelope gene, and youve got a very virulent form of disease that is going to be passed easily throughout the population.

Mycoplama fermentans (incognitus) (and the other 10 to 15 microbes the Nicolsons believe could have been used by Saddam) are easily manufactured and have been made for the past 15 years in America, Russia, Iraq, China, Israel and even in Libyas new biological (germ) warfare facilities.

One of the more ominous aspects of GWI is that the microorganism is communicable between humans and dogs and cats (and presumably other animals). Veterans pets are coming down with the GWI symptoms and dying. Remember one of the Nicolsons cats contracted it and died. So, the disease is contagious between species. As Joyce Riley has said, The fact that the disease is being transmitted from people to animals is almost unprecedented. To find an organism that can be transmitted to animals is truly frightening.

In England, a viral researcher friend says that he has treated a number of people with the human form of Mad Cow Disease which he says has many common characteristics with GWI. Remember, most of the cattle herd of England had to be destroyed because of Mad Cow Disease. The British researcher says he is presently seeing (and treating) dozens of new, never-before-seen viruses in the U.K.

There is a large list of signs and symptoms which can begin from six months to six or seven years from the time of exposure, and once they begin, can get progressively worse until the victim is partially or totally disabled, or dies. [ED. NOTE: With severe exposure to heavy doses of biologicals, the symptoms can show up in a few days]. These symptoms include (not listed in order of severity or frequency): (1) Chronic fatigue; (2) Frequent (or constant) throwing up and diarrhea; (3) Severe weight loss (wasting away) very similar to an AIDS patient; (4) Severe joint pains; (5) Headaches that dont go away; (6) Memory loss, concentration loss the brain begins to go; (7) Inability to sleep [ED. NOTE: Severe sleep disorders are one of the worst and most frequent symptoms. Victims often sleep in the day, awake at night, or dont sleep for days or weeks]; (8) A rash on the stomach, groin, back, face, arms often looks like a giant ring worm. Whole families often get the rash; (9) Lymph nodes begin to swell; (10) Nervous system problems begin to appear (Parkinson-like symptoms, numbness and tingling around the body which can degenerate into paralysis and death); (11) Night sweats; (12) Bizarre tumors many brain stem tumors; [ED. NOTE: the active duty tumor rate in the U.S. military has increased 600% since 1990, according to data obtained from the Veterans Admini-stration. This data is available from Joyce Riley at the American Gulf War Veterans Association, 3506 Highway 6 South #117, Sugarland, TX 77478-4401 (1-713-587-5437)]; (13) Bizarre personality changes (victims become violent, have wide mood swings, severe depression, they hibernate in a dark room, begin to drink heavily, use drugs, become violently angry. Denial is a major facet of the disease; (14) Cant work often go bankrupt; (15) A large number of victims (perhaps 50%) end up committing suicide. GWI victims are walking time bombs!

Many of the symptoms are similar to AIDS because they are both immuno- suppressive and attack the immune system. Most victims will have half to two-thirds of these symptoms (some more severe than others). Wives married to GWI victims are likely to get the disease via sex and other close contact, and their symptoms can even include cervical cancer, ovarian cysts, ovarian tumors, endometriosis, painful intercourse, chlamydia, and herpes (sexually transmitted diseases [STDs] but with no extra-marital sexual activity). About 90% of the wives of veterans who are sick with GWI are now complaining of these symptoms.

When Joyce Riley had the disease she had some of the above symptoms in addition to the following symptomology: (1) She felt like a part of the body (like a foot, a leg, a calf, an arm) was missing; (2) She felt like a pan of hot water had been splashed on her one side of her body burned; (3) She felt like a foot was in ice; (4) She had bone pain, muscle pain (like a cramp or charley horse that doesnt let up for weeks); (5) She had central nervous system symptoms (knife-like pain from the upper back to tailbone).

Bleeding and hemorrhaging are symptoms associated with GWI. In Ebola Zaire, the body bleeds out in about 48 hours. Ebola Riston (a variation of Ebola Zaire) takes about two years to cause death with severe bleeding. A number of Gulf War vets who have called Joyce Riley have told her that they are bleeding from every orifice of their body. And their doctors dont have a clue as to what is happening they just know they dont have long to live. [ED. NOTE: She gets dozens of calls each day].

The Ebola Riston virus is a version of the Ebola Zaire virus (which may have been laboratory produced) but it takes about two years or more to kill a victim, beginning with the onset of the symptoms, versus 48 hours for Ebola Zaire. [ED. NOTE: Readers of this report are strongly encouraged to buy and read the book, The Hot Zone and rent the movie Outbreak both of which deal with the Ebola Zaire virus. However, in the real world, Ebola did not come from an African monkey, cave or rain forest but probably from a biological warfare laboratory].

Lekoencephalopathy is similar to Mad Cow disease the brain dissolves! It is now spreading among the populace of England. 25 to 30-year-old paratroopers are now dying of lekoencephalopathy. Other symptoms of GWI include: recurring fever, menstrual disorders, stomach upsets and cramps, heart pain, kidney pain, thyroid problems, and in extreme cases, autoimmune-like disorders such as those that lead to paralysis.

Many GWI victims are getting medical diagnoses of MS (Multiple Sclerosis) or Guillian Barre Syndrome, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrings Disease), their neurological problems eventually lead to paralysis and death. Thousands of Gulf War vets are now being diagnosed as having MS when they really have GWI.

The reason for the autoimmune symptoms maybe related to the cell penetrating mycoplasmas and bacteria of GWI. When these microorganisms proliferate and leave the cell, they can take a piece of the cells membrane with it, resulting in host immune responses against the microorganisms as well as the normal parts of membrane associated with the microorganism. This type of response is called a concomitant immune response.

In August 95, researchers at the University of Glasgow released a report entitled, Neurological Dysfunction in Gulf War Syndrome, which was published in the March 96 issue of the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry which said, The results between the two groups [Desert Storm vets and non-military control group] showed significant differences between the two groups in terms of nervous system function. The Gulf War veterans performed less well. They all displayed the classic symptoms of nerve damage.

Graves Disease (a disease of the thyroid) is another problem or symptom associated ith mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus) infection. If it settles in the wheart, then you can get a severe enlargement and necrosis (or degeneration) of the heart, and in some autopsies of GWI victims, the coroner says, their heart exploded.

The most severely affected (sickest) units in our military are the 101st Airborne, the 82nd Airborne, and the Big Red One out of Ft. Riley, Kansas, and the 3rd and 5th Special Forces.

[ED. NOTE: 99.9% of the medical doctors in America cant recognize GWI, dont believe it even exists because of the government and medical establishment saying it doesnt exist, would have no idea how to test for it and even less idea how to treat it. Most alternate medical practitioners are in the same boat although many of them would try detoxification and immune system therapy which would be helpful. These are answers (if the disease is not too far advanced) both in the tradition (mainline) medical area and in the alternate medicine field which will be discussed in Section VI below. If you or a family member reading this report are discouraged at this point, turn to Section VI on Methods of Treatment before continuing].

Life (11/95) featured a special report entitled: The Tiny Victims of Desert Storm, which described in heart-rending detail (with numerous photos) how the children of our veterans are being born with horrendous disfiguring birth defects. The article was subtitled, When our soldiers risked their lives in the Gulf, they never imagined that their children might suffer the consequences or that their country would turn its back on them.

In the months and years following Desert Storm, thousands of babies have been born to vets with horrible deformities (missing limbs, one eye, missing ears, incomplete or missing organs reminiscent of the Thalidomide babies of the 1950s but in far greater numbers. [ED. NOTE: Thalidomide was another experimental drug (administered to pregnant mothers) which went awry].

Meanwhile, the Department of Defense is working overtime to cover up the crisis with Gulf War babies, denying it exists, denying benefits or medical assistance to veterans with birth defected children, and even going so far as to censor the Life article cited above off of the Internet.

Dr. William Campbell Douglass is the editor of the Second Opinion newsletter and author of the book, Who Killed Africa (about how the World Health Organization smallpox inoculations may have triggered the AIDS epidemic in Africa). Dr. Douglass, a close friend of this writer, wrote in his January 1994 newsletter regarding Gulf War Illness: The symptoms are now having serious repercussions. Half or more of the babies born to Gulf War vets since the war have had some sort of birth defect or blood disorder.

Nation Magazine (1/95) estimates that 67% of babies being born to Gulf War vets who are ill are having serious birth problems. Over half of the babies now being born in Iraq today have deformities or major birth defects, according to reports Dr. Garth and Nancy Nicolson have received.

According to the Life Magazine article: In 1975, a landmark Swedish study concluded that low-level exposure to nerve and mustard gases could cause both chronic illness and birth defects. The Pentagon denies the presence of such chemicals during the Gulf War. [ED. NOTE: Even though over 18,000 chemical alarms sounded during the Gulf War] but the Czech and British governments say their troops detected both kinds of gas during the war. A 1994 report by the General Accounting Office says that: American soldiers were exposed to 21 potential reproductive toxicants, any of which might have harmed them or their future children.

A number of examples of babies born to Gulf War vets with devastating birth defects were cited in the Life Magazine article:

1) Kennedi Clark (Age 4) Born to Darrell (an Army paratrooper in the Gulf War) and Shona Clark. Kennedis face is grotesquely swollen sprinkled with red, knotted lumps. She was born without a thyroid. If not for daily hormone treatments, she would die. What disfigures her features, however, is another congenital condition: hemangiomas, benign tumors made of tangled red blood vessels. Since she was a few weeks old, they have been popping up all over on her eyelids, lips, etc.

(2) Lea Arnold (Age 4) Born to Richard and Lisa Arnold. Richard was a civilian helicopter mechanic (working for Lockheed) with the Armys 1st Cavalry Division during the Gulf War. Lea was born with spina bifida, a split in the backbone that causes paralysis and hydrocephalus (i.e. water on the brain). She needed surgery to remove three vertebrae. Today, she cannot move her legs or roll over. A shunt drains the fluid from her skull. Her upper body is so weak that she cannot push herself in a wheelchair on carpeting. To strengthen her bones, she spends hours in a contraption that holds her upright. Just about our whole world is centered around Lea, says Lisa Arnold. Huge medical bills and the unwillingness of insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions force the family to live in poverty in order to qualify for Medicaid.

(3) Casey Minns (Age 3) Born to Army Sgt. Brad and Marilyn Minns. Casey was born with Goldenhar Syndrome, characterized by a lopsided head and spine. His left ear is missing, his digestive tract (i.e. esophagus) was disconnected. Trying to repair his damaged organs, surgeons at Walter Reed Army Medical Center damaged his vocal chords and colon, says Brad and Marilyn. His parents feed and remove his wastes through holes in his belly. His mother Marilyn, says, Sometimes it just overwhelms me, but I try to take it one day at a time.. its made worse by people who say that Gulf War Syndrome doesnt existtheyre turning their backs on us.

(4) Michael Ayers (Died at 5 Months of Age) Born to Glenn (a battery commander in the Gulf War) and Melanie Ayers. Michael was born with a mitral-valve defect in his heart. He sweat constantly until the night h woke up screaming, his arms and legs ice-cold. he died that night of congestive heart failure. As Life Magazine wrote: After Michaels death, Melanie sealed off his bedroom; she tried to close herself off as well. But soon she began to encounter a shocking number of other parents whose post-Gulf War children had been born with abnormalities. All of them were desperate to know what had gone wrong and whether they would ever again be able to bear healthy babies. With Kim Sullivan, an artillery captains wife whose infant son, Matthew, had died of a rare liver cancer, Melanie founded an informal network of fellow sufferers. Kim is here. So is Connie Hanson, wife of an Army sergeant her son, Jayce, was born with multiple deformities. Army Sgt. John Mabus has brought along his babies Zachary and Andrew who suffer from an incomplete fusion of the skull. The people in this room have turned to one another because they can no longer rely upon the military.

(5) Cedrick Miller (Age 4) Born to Steve (a former Army medic in the Gulf War) and Bianca Miller. Cedrick was born with his trachea and esophagus fused; despite surgery, his inability to hold down solid food has kept his weight to 20 pounds. His internal problems include hydrocephalus and a heart in the wrong place. Cedrick suffers, like Casey Minns, from Goldenhars Syndrome. The left half of his face is shrunken, with a missing ear and blind eye.

(6) Jayce Hanson (Age 4) Born to Paul (a Gulf War vet) and Connie Hanson. Jayce was born with hands and feet attached to twisted stumps. He also had a hole in his heart, a hemophilia-like blood condition, and underdeveloped ear canals ..a cherubic, rambunctious blond, hes the unofficial poster boy of the Gulf War babies seen by millions in People Magazine. But since his last major public appearance, he has undergone a change. His lower legs are missing. Doctors recently amputated his legs at the knees to make it easier to fit him with prosthetics. Hell say once in a while, My feet are gone, says his mother Connie, but he has been a real trooper.

(7) Alexander Albuck (Age 3) Born to Lieutenant and Kelli Albuck after two miscarriages. Alexander was born with underdeveloped lungs, Strep B infection, spinal meningitis, cranial hemorrhage, collapsed heart valve, calcium deposits in the kidneys, bleeding ulcers, cerebral palsy, vision and hearing impairments, bronchia pulmonary dysphasia, etc. Having exhausted the lifetime limit on their health insurance in the first three months, the Albucks because responsible for paying for his treatment. The first bill they received was for $154,319!

There are thousands of young children like Kennedi, Lea, Casey, Michael, Cedrick, Jayce, and Alexander (the tiny victims of Desert Storm) who have been born to Gulf War vets with horrible birth defects or who have died from these deformities. The government (especially the Defense Department) denies that the problem exists and no government medical or financial assistance is forthcoming unless a parent is still in the military (and over 2/3 of the Gulf War vets have been separated from duty since Operation Desert Storm).

As Life wrote: For parents of these children, the going is grim. They are denied insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions. They are being driven into poverty. Some join the welfare line so Medicaid will help with the impossible burden. You could be a millionaire, and there is no way you could take care of one of these children, says Lisa Arnold.

Because the U.S. government and military will not help, a Gulf War Baby Registry has been formed (in Orlando, Florida) by Dr. Betty Bekdeci to track as best as possible the birth defected children. Call 1-800-313-2232 for more information.

Offshore JOBS – RIGZONE

Posted: at 11:17 am

Company / Job Title Location Date Leap29 Electrical Manager - Offshore Wind Farm Zwijndrecht, Belgium June 27, 2016 T & NB STAFFING INTERNATIONAL Offshore Utility Worker / Catering GULF OF MEXICO , US July 26, 2016 ARCHELONS Consulting Drilling Supervisor - offshore 10002 , Kuwait July 26, 2016 ARCHELONS Consulting Drilling Engineer - Offshore 10002 , Kuwait July 26, 2016 Worldwide Recruitment Solutions Steward Vlissingen, Netherlands July 22, 2016 XstremeMD Remote Offshore Paramedic LA, US August 10, 2016 PROJECT CONTROL MANAGER Doha , Qatar August 14, 2016 Lofton Energy Services Offshore Well Test Operators LA, US June 15, 2016 Advance Global Recruitment Limited Offshore Installation Manager (Marine CoC) Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates May 29, 2016 Transocean Senior HSE Advisor TX, US August 2, 2016 Spencer Ogden Rope Access 6G Welder / NDT Tech LA, US August 1, 2016 Oceaneering Shop Foreman, Service, Technology, & Rentals-Decommissioning LA, US June 24, 2016 MPH Global Head, Project Engineering (Tops/Manif/Umbil) Qatar , Qatar August 4, 2016 Fircroft Maintenance Mechanical Supervisor Malaysia, Malaysia August 15, 2016 Fircroft Discipline Engineer (Electrical&Instrumentation) Atyrau August 15, 2016 INPEX Operations Australia Pty Ltd Offshore Hook Up Manager WA, Australia August 19, 2016 International Development Company Head of Engineering Core Team Qatar August 3, 2016 Amine Operator - Gulf of Mexico Gulf of Mexico , US August 1, 2016 G.A.S Unlimited Commissioning Manager - Offshore TX, US August 8, 2016 Leap29 QHSE Engineer - Offshore Wind Project Zwijndrecht, Belgium June 24, 2016 Grand Isle Shipyard SCADA TECH Port Fourchon , US July 25, 2016 Fircroft Welder Hartlepool , United Kingdom July 1, 2016 Teekay Offshore Production HSEQ & Compliance Lead Rio de Janeiro , Brazil July 29, 2016 BW Offshore Operations Control Room Operator United Kingdom , United Kingdom August 16, 2016 Ably Resources Barge Engineer - Jack Up Saudi Arabia , Saudi Arabia June 13, 2016 Spencer Ogden 2nd Assistant Engineer TX, US August 17, 2016 Spencer Ogden QMED/Motorman TX, US August 17, 2016 NES Global Talent Mechanical Technician Scotland, United Kingdom August 19, 2016 Sofomation Senior Contracts Engineer Doha , Qatar August 6, 2016 International Development Company FEED Manager Qatar , Qatar August 7, 2016 Fircroft Project Instrument Engineer Norwich August 1, 2016 MPH Global Sr. Process Engineer Qatar , Qatar August 4, 2016 BW Offshore Marine Control Room Operator United Kingdom , United Kingdom August 16, 2016 Head Structural Engineering Doha , Qatar August 2, 2016 BW Offshore Senior Operations Technician United Kingdom , United Kingdom August 19, 2016 Fircroft start up engineer Aberdeen-Offshore August 1, 2016 Worldwide Recruitment Solutions Principal Electrical Engineer Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia August 4, 2016 International Development Company Risk Coordinator Qatar August 3, 2016 Fircroft Onshore Material Controller Baku August 1, 2016 Trainor Asia Ltd Chief Officer offshore vietnam , Vietnam July 11, 2016 Offshore Instrumentation & Electrical Technician GOM , US July 13, 2016 Teekay Offshore Production Supply Chain Lead - Brazil Rio de Janeiro , Brazil July 29, 2016 SOS HR Solutions Rigger Abu Dhabi , United Arab Emirates June 26, 2016 Amec Foster Wheeler Workpack Coordinator Aberdeen, United Kingdom August 19, 2016 BW Offshore Operations Technician United Kingdom , United Kingdom August 19, 2016 Raeburn Recruitment Senior Project Engineer (Safety and Utility Systems) Aberdeen, United Kingdom August 18, 2016 Complete Logistical Services, LLC Electricians LA, US June 17, 2016 Complete Logistical Services, LLC Senior Subsea Engineer Louisiana, United States , US June 17, 2016 Oceaneering Inspector I TX, US June 17, 2016 Oceaneering Inspector II TX, US June 17, 2016

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Map – Fellowship for Intentional Community

Posted: at 11:16 am

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SoNNoS (Spirit of Nature) GlowHouse God's last church Godsland Goin' Om Gold Light Ranch Golden Eagle Friends Golden Girls on The Hill Golden Heart Village Golden Nectar Farm Goldenrod Land Co-op Golem Housing Co-operative Gondwana Sanctuary Good Roots Intentional Community Goodenough Community Goolawah Rural Land Sharing Co-op Goose Pond Community Gorge Cohousing Gorham Cohousing Govardhan Ecovillage Govinda's Sanctuary Grace Heart Fellowship Grace Life Community Grace Sustainable Community Grateful 4 Grace Great Oak Cohousing Greater World Community Green Acres Green Acres Permaculture Village Green Bridge Farm Green Earth City - Pilot Project Green Grove Cohousing Community Green House Green House Cooperative Green Menagerie Green Quill Farm Green Street Urban Farm Health and Spiritual Homestead Green Valley Village Greenbriar greenhaus Greening Life Community GreenLife EcoRetreat Greenmount eco-co-housing GreenSong Sanctuary Greensoul Greenwave Gregory House Greyrock Commons Gricklegrass GRO-Rainbow-Community Grow Community Growing Home Gulf Islands Eco-Community Forming Gut Stolzenhagen Guwahi Eco Village GYMNOS - A neo-primitive tribe forming Gypsy Heart H.E.R. Co-operative Tribal Living Hacienda Guaraguao Hairakhandi Love Center Hakugyokoru Halcyon Commons Cooperative Urban Neighborhood Haley House HamakuaHarvest hammer house artist's collective Handy Booboo Hanoar Haoved Vehalomed - Tnuat Habogrim (Adult movement) Happy Acres Happy Camp Republic Happy House Harambee Cooperative Harbin Hot Springs Harbourside Cohousing Harmonious Earth Community Foundation harmony & health Harmony Commune Harmony Farm Harmony Green Village Harmony Lakes Cohousing Harmony Living Harmony Village Harper Valley Farm Harrisonburg Cohousing Harrow Ashram Hart's Mill Ecovillage Hartford IC Hayes Co-Housing Hazelwood Farm Community Headlands Headwaters Garden & Learning Center HEAL Heal The Soil Healing Castle Healing Earth New Amish Healing Grace Sanctuary Healing Hearts Sufi Dargah Healing Rain Health in Hawaii / Kolapa House of Charity Heart and Spoon Community House Heart House Medicine Heart Land Heart-Culture Farm Community HeARTbeat Collective Heartbeet Lifesharing Hearth Hearthstone Heartland Heartland Ecovillage Heartsong HeartTribe Village & Chrysalis Heartwood Cohousing Heartwood Community Incorporated Te Ngakau O Te Rakau Heartwood Institute Heartwood Refuge Heathcote Community. HeavenOnEarth Hebrews West Hedonisia Hawaii Sustainable Community Heinzist Tribe Hemp Nation Hen House Sangha Henderson Cooperative House Hermitage Foundation Hertha Hesed Community Cooperative Het Carre Hickory Grove Hickory Nut Forest Hickory Ridge Hidden Creek Cohousing Hidden Grove Hidden Meadow High Cove High Desert Coho High-Desert Permaculture Research Institute Higher Ground Cohousing Highland Goddess Temple and Commune Highline Crossing Cohousing Community HighTop Village Hikki Hermitage Hillegass House Hilo Cohousing Himalayan Institute Hip Mama's In-town Village Hippie Arbor Hippie for Life HM157 HMS Possibility Hobbitstee (De) Hockerton Housing Project Hoffman Collective Hollow's End Neighborhood Cooperative Holy Angels Monastery Home Alive Home for art Homeland Homeport Collective, The Homestead Sanctuary homestead point permiculture Homewood Cohousing Honey Acres Farm Honeyeaters Honolulu Housing Hui Honua Oia'i'o Kauai Hopewell Community House of Yacob Houston Access to Urban Sustainability HUB Hamt-Drbrn Humanity Healing Humble House Hummingbird Community Hundredfold Farm Cohousing Community Huntington Open Women's Land (HOWL) Hygieia Homestead Hypatia Cooperative House I Street Co-op I-City Ian Southwest IC-Neo ICC Austin IDA IDEAAS Ranch IDEAL SOCIETY, Institute for the Development in Education, Arts and Leisure Immaculate Conception Benedictine Priory In La Kesh In Lak'ech Village InanItah Indiana Cohousing Indiana Self-Sufficiency Indigene Community Indigo (Big Island of Hawaii) Industrial Revolution Infintel - The Glenville Center for Conscious Evolution INGENIUM Expressive Arts Village Inner Peace & Prosperity - Creative Community Innisfree Village Intentional Communities Desk (ICD) Intentional Community House in West Louisville Intentional Faith Community Houses Intentional Living NYC intentional permaculture community Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC-Michigan) International Cooperative House (ICH) Into the Amazon Jungle Intown Neighborhood Place Intuitive and Intentional Living Iowa City Cohousing/Prairie Hill Ipsalu House Iron Mountain Ishmael Acres Island Cohousing Isle of Erraid It's Really You - IzReaL.eu Ithaka Ittoen Iya for LandCulture and Resistance iYi TANGRA Alternative Community Jackson Place Cohousing Jamaica Plain Cohousing James Russell House Jasper Hall JehushuaCommune Jesus Christ's Community at Hebron Jesus Christians Jesus People USA (JPUSA) Jesus' Lakeside Retreat Jewel Creek Organic Farm & Ecovillage Jewel of the Sun (La Joya del Sol) Jewish Intentional Community Jindibah Intentional Community Jourdan Valley Joy of the Lord Covenant Community Worldwide,Inc Joy Town Farm Joyful Lifestyle JP Custom Living Jubilee Cohousing Julian Woods Community Jump Off Community Land Trust Juniper Hill Farm Jupiter Hollow Kailash Ecovillage Kakwa Ecovillage Cooperative Kalani Oceanside Retreat Kalikalos Kana-Gemeinschaft Kanatsiohareke (Ga na jo ha lay gay) Kanjini Co-Op Kapievi Karmily Haven & Farm Kashi Ashram Kasteel Nieuwenhoven Katywil Farm Community KaWay Monti NGO Kent Cooperative Housing Kentucky Tiny House Builder Community Kerala Commune Keveral Farm Keystone Ecological Urban Center Khakalaki Farm Ki bhavana Buddhism Kibbutz "Shoshana" (Rose) Kibbutz Kahila Buhyahad Kibbutz Ketura Kibbutz Migvan Kibbutz Mishol Kibbutz Tamuz Kibeti Ecovillage Kids Gardening Eden Kimbercote Farm Kin's Domain Ringing Cedar Project Kindred Spirits King House Kingdom of Bahoudii Kingfisher Cohousing on Brookdale Kingman Hall Kingston House Kins Oases Foundation Kintore Farm Knotty Forest Kohatu Toa Eco-Village Koinonia Farm koLeA - Klosterdorf Komaja Kommune Niederkaufungen Kommunity Kondoria Kommunitt Beuggen Konohana Family Kookaburra Park Eco-Village Koots Ecovillage Kopali Communities Koro Island Community Kotare Village Kristian David School Kulana Goddess Sanctuary Kumah South Florida! Kwei Yagola L'Arche Australia L'Arche Canada L'Ecovillage du Prigord L'Inuksuk L'isola La Bergerie La Casa Querencia La Cit cologique de Ham-Nord La Ecovilla La Florida La Grande Cense Cohousing La Madera Community La Paz Eco Village La Poudrire La Rocca La'akea Community La'akea Permaculture Community Lafayette Morehouse Lah Lah Land Lake Claire Cohousing Lake Ellen Community Lake View Community Lake Village Homestead Farm Lama Foundation Lammas Lanark Ecovillage Land Lifeways Farm Land of Dawes Land Share BC Landelijke Vereniging Centraal Wonen Landsby Initiativ Lane County Catholic Worker Larimer Cohousing Community las Indias Laughing Dog Farm/CSA Laurel Nest Laurieston Hall Housing Co-operative Ltd. Lawrence Road House of Hospitality Laytonville Ecovillage LE CASE Ecovillage Le Manoir LEAPNOW: Transforming Education Lebensgarten Steyerberg Lebenshaus Schwbische Lebensraum Lee Abbey Aston Household Community Lemuria Center Lemurian Embassy Eco Village Retreat Lester House Lethbridge Sustainable Living Association Lettuce Bee Farm Leyton co-housing Libertalia Libertarian Village Liberties Liberty Village Cohousing Lichen Life Center Association Life community Noah's Ark Life Works - A Home for Men who want to belong and have fun doing it. Lifeseed LifeWay Covenant Community Light Light of Freedom, Inc. Lily Plain Green Linder House Lindsbergs Kursgrd Listening Tree Cooperative Lisu Lodge Hill Tribe Adventure Little Flower Community Little River Tenancy in Common Little White Pines Live the Dream : Penfield House Living Earth Village Living Energy Farm Living Miracles Worldwide Living Presence Living Roots Ecovillage Living Spaces Living Well Community LivingStone Monastery Loaves and Fishes Community Loblolly Greenway Cohousing (LGC) Logan Square Cooperative Lolia Place Ecovillage Lomah Ecovillage London Community Lonesome Coconut Ranch Long Branch Environmental Education Center Long Haul Long Ridge Lane Los Angeles Eco-Village Los Portales Los Visionarios Lost Pine Earth Builders and Educational Center Lost Valley Education Center Lothlorien Farm (Lothlorien Rural Co-op) Lothlrien Cooperative House Lotus House Lotus Lodge Lovare Homestead love and wisdom estates Loving Earth Sanctuary LUBINKA Luminaria Sanctuary Luquillo Farm Sanctuary Luther House Lydia's House Lyons Valley Village Maa Land Co-op Machaseh Mackenzie Heights Collective Madison Community Cooperative (MCC) Madison Street House Madre Grande Monastery Madrigal Madrona Center Magic Maharishi Peace Palace Fairfield Iowa Maiden, Mother, Crone Collective Maison Emmanuel Centre ducatif Maitreya Mountain Village Maitri House Malu 'Aina Mama Roja Mammoth Pools Mana Gardens Mandala Mannawood Community Land Trust Many Tribes - New Tribalists Australia Manzanita Village Map Map Map Map Map Map Map Map Map Map Maple Ridge Marin Cohousing Mariposa Grove Marsh Commons Masala Co-op Maxwelton Creek Cohousing May Creek Farm Mayfair village of Denver- mcusa Mobile Communities USA Me Lucky Farms Meade County Kentucky Meadow Sky Meadow Wood Cohousing Community Mechatigan Garden Medieval/Fantasy Village Melbourne Cohousing Network Mele Nahiku Men's Cohousing MendoDragon Mens Vision House Mercy & Grace Community Meristem Cooperative Merri Cohousing Merry Springs Health & Wellness Messiah Ministries Small Christian Community Messianic Hebrew Nazarene Israelite Vision metasofa artists community Metro Cohousing at Culver Way Mexico Oasis Micah House Micah Village Micah's House Miccosukee Land Co-op Michigan Ecovillage Michigan House Michigan Womyn's Music Festival mid-Missouri Cohousing Adventure Middle Road Community, The Middlesex Senior Cohousing Initiative Milagro Bay Milagro Cohousing Millrace Cohousing Mills Community House Millstone Co-op Millworks Cohousing MIM's Place of Community Cooperative-Indiana Mimosa House Minnie's House Misignwa Tribe Mission Peak Cohousing in Fremont Molino Creek Farming Collective Monan's Rill Monasterio Mysticos Monkey Bone Ranch Monkton Wyld Court Mont Hope City Monterey Cohousing Moonlight Meadows Moonlighting Moonshadow Moonshine Tribe Moora Moora Co-operative Community Morningland Monastery Morninglory MorningSun Mosaic MOSAIC Co-op Mosaic Commons Moss Milk Commons Transformational Learning Community moss on the rocks farm Mother Earth Mother Earth Green Center Mother tribe in NYC Motheroak permaculture coop Mothers Trust Ashram/Lakeshore Interfaith Community mothership sanctuary Mount Madonna Center Mountain View Cohousing Community Mourne Grange Camphill Village Community MSU Student Housing Cooperative Mt. Joy Ecovillage Mt. Murrindal Cooperative Muddy Creek Satyagraha Muir Commons Mulberry Hill Mulvey Creek Land Co-operative Munksgrd Music Jamboree Muyol Willka Hampi (Project Taruka) MyHood Mystique Community N Street Cohousing Nahziryah Monastic Community Nakamura House Nama Namaste NAMASTE... Multi-Cultural, Sustainable Living Community of Belize C.A. Namast Greenfire Nanjemoy Collective Narara Ecovillage Nashville West Cohousing Natewa Bay Homestead Native Way Eco Naturafoundations Natural Farming, a Life Practice. Living Directly, Closely with the Earth Natural Island Dragonmill Natural Wisdom NATURALMENTE - Retreat Center (Nucleum for the Reconnection with the Essence within the Being) Nature's Pace Sanctuary Nature's Path Eco-community Nature, On It's Way Naturist Eco Village Nazarenes of Niagara NBCOHO Free Land Net Zero Community Neighborhood for Mindful Living, A Cohousing Community Nelson Land Group Neopolitan Neot Semadar Nerd vs Nature.com Neruda Network for a New Culture Nevada City Co-housing New Braj New Brighton Cohousing New Community Cooperative New Covenant Farms New Creation Christian Community New Culture DC New Dawn Project New Earth New Earth Mountain Village New Earth Song Cohousing LLC New England Farm Village Project New Jerusalem Community New Jewish Communities New Koinonia New Kurukshetra New Leaf Eco Commuity New Lebanon Mobile Home Park New Medina Village New Mexico Farmer Nomads Circuit Community New Natives New Oasis For Life-the Second Home of Lifechanyuan (New Site I ) New Roots Cooperative New Talavana New Tribal Nation New View Cohousing New Vrindaban New World at Anela's Hawaiian Farm New York City Cohousing Group Newberry Place Cohousing Community Newbold House NEXT EVOLUTION COMMUNITY Next Step Integral Niche / Tucson Community Land Trust Nickel City Housing Cooperative NieuCommunities No Name No name No Name no where ranch Noldorath Forest Community Nomad Cohousing Nomadic Peoples Republic none Noosa Forest Retreat Holisitc Permaculture Community North American Students of Cooperation North Coast Retreat North Mountain Community Land Trust Northern Berkshire Cohousing Community Northern California EcoVillage Network Northern Lights Northern Sun Farm Co-op not yet named Nottingham Cooperative Nsumi Collective Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm NW NJ Ecovillage Nyland O'Keeffe House O'Quinn Mountain Village World Community O.U.R ECOVILLAGE Oak Creek Commons Oak Forest Collaborative Oak Park Community Oak Spirit Sanctuary Shamanic Wiccan Church of Nature Oakcreek Community--Stillwater Oklahoma Oakland Morehouse Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing Oasis Oasis - Women's Hacker House Oasis de Lentiourel Oasis Eco-Village Oasis Farm Oasis Gardens Oasis Homestead Obed Hostel Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) Oblate Community of St Paul - IOCU Occupy DFW OE Fenghuang Collective Ofek Shalom Cooperative House Ohio Homestead Community OIKOS INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY OJAI PRIVATE CO-OP Okanogan Permaculture School - Community Okunevo Ol' Wondermoth Olam Habah Village Old Catholic Benedictines of the Resurrection Olympia Cooperative Housing Association Omaha Green Cohousing Omega House Omega Institute for Holistic Studies One Accord One Another Community One Community One Heart Community One Island One New Man - Kingdom Of God One Song Eco-Spirit Village one world commune/philippines chapter Ontario Eco-Village (s) Project (s) Open Circle Open House OpenFree Optimum Living Alliance Oran Mor Community Orange Twin Conservation Community Orca Landing Order of Melchizedek Order of Saint Benedict organic music space Organic Tribe Foundation Organic Vegetarian Tantra Yoga Homestead ORIGO WELLNESS SANCTURARY Orthodox Commune Osa Mountain Village Osho Miasto Osterweil House Oswego Center For Sustainable Living Otamatea Eco-Village Our community vision, Looking for a tribe! Our Lady of Mepkin Abbey ourtowncommunity Outpost Homestead Owen House Oxen Community (working title) Ozark Dawn for Women Only! (Male Visitors Welcome) PAANCI International Pachamama Bliss Monkey Healing Center PachaMama Village Pacific Cultural Center Pacific Gardens Cohousing Community Pacifica Pacifica Intentional Community PaciVegan Pair O'Dice Machers Farm Paititi Ecovillage Panterra Paradise Paradise Gardens Paradise Hills Organic Farm Paradise in Argentina Park Ridge Nonprofit Center Parker Street Co-op Pathways CoHousing PAZ Ecovillage PDX Commons Peace and Freedom Peace Trail International Peaceatorium Peacefield Farm Peaceful Babe Farm PeaceMob Gardens Peachtree Community peleaina peaceful arts Penington Friends House Peninsula Park Commons Pennine Camphill Community Penyon Bay Ecological Village People's Research Center peregrinus perma Nomadbase north lower Austria (osterreich PermaBurn Permaculture-inspired Farming Community Permala Permalogica Permaship Phoenix Commons Pi'ilani Piedmont Ecovillage Pika at M.I.T. pika at MIT Pilot House Pinakarri Community Inc Pine Grove Community Forming Pine Street Cohousing Pinecone Farms PinellasCohousing Pineolia Pinnacle Cohousing Pioneer Co-op Pioneer Living Community Pioneer Valley Piracanga EcoCommunity Piscataquis Village Project Pitt st Placitas Sage Cohousing Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent Planet Repair Institute Plankton House Plants for a Future Play nexus Pleasant Glade Pleasant Hill Cohousing Pleasant Valley Sanctuary Plenitude Ecovillage Plow Creek Plowshare Farm Polcum Springs Polestar Gardens Community Poo Frog Ranch Poole's Land Popai Hawaii Eco Beachfront Homestead/Organic Sustainable Farm Pope Street Reserve Cohousing Porlammin Luontoyhteis Port Townsend EcoVillage Portland Cohousing Possibilitarian Regenerative Community Homestead (PORCH) Pot Luck Farms Powhatan Ecovillage PRAG House Pragtree Farm Prairie Creek Settlement Prairie Onion Cohousing Prairie Sky Cohousing Cooperative Prairiemoon sustainable living Praterra Pratt-Ashland Cooperative Prescott College Primitive Spring House Primitive Vegan/Vegetarian Princeton Cooperative Progressive Valley Co-op Project Anononia Project Humanity & Earth Project Off Road Project PA house co op Project TriStar PROJETORGONE Providence Zen Center ProWoKultA Proyecto O Couso Prudence Crandall House Psalm 133 Ministries - A Hebrew Roots Mindset, Spirit-Filled, Yahshua is Messiah - Torah Observant Puget Ridge Cohousing Pumpkin Hollow Retreat Center Puna Green Angel Farm Punta Mona Pura Fruta Pura Tierra Eco Village Intentional Community - Costa Rica Purani Valley Purple Rose Collective Putney Commons Q Q'Inti Calli, Spiritual & Holistic Health Retreat Quailamoon Quaker House Residential Community Quaker Intentional Village-Canaan Quaker Monastery Quayside Village Que Fina Collective Quercus QuestionMark Farm Quetzalcoatl Community Quetzalcoatl, Shaman's Community Quince Cohousing Quindaro Gardens Mutual Aid Society for Low-cost Living and Retirement in Kansas City Quinta do Vale do Carvalho Qumbya Co-op Radical Living Radish Collective Rainbow Cottage Rainbow Mansion Rainbow Valley Agricultural Cooperative Rainbow Valley Community Rainbows End RainSong Raleigh Cohousing Ralston Creek CoHousers RanchHome - Your Farm and Ranch Home Rancho Delicioso rancho gallo rico Rancho La Chicotona (Survival community) Rancho La Salud Village Rancho Margot Rancho San Roque Rancho Sol y Mar Rancho Amigos Eco Village Rancholargo Granja Cultural RareBirds Housing Cooperative Ravens' Roost Cohousing Ravin&Savvy Raw-Wisdom Vegan Community Raw/Organic/Superfood/Permaculture/Low-no impact housing Rawtreat RealityCheck Reba Place Fellowship Rebel! Rebuild! Rewild Red Clover Red Clover Collective Red Earth Farms Red Horseshoe Ranch Red Water Acres Redding Revival Community Redfield Community Reevis Mountain School Refsnsgade Refugio Regen Co-op of Pomona Renaissance Gardens Renaissance House Renaissance Humanist Community Renaissance Village Homes Cohousing Reservoir Hill Mutual Homes Rest For Weary Homes - Oshawa Intentional Community - Ecovillage - http://www.durhamtakesaction.ca Community / Social Justice / Fun Restoration.community Retiringearlyfromratrace Co housing Initiative Revelation Sky Rhiannon Community Richmond Cohousing Riddle Farm Rio Tranquillo Riparia River City Housing Collective River Farm River Ridge River Rock Commons Rivers Edge DWCC Riverside Co-housing Riverside Cohousing Riverside Community Riverside Raincross Cohousing Riverton Community Housing Road to Home co-living Roberts Creek Cohousing RobinWood Berlin Rock Garden Springs Rock Ridge Community, Inc Rocky Corner Cohousing Rocky Hill Cohousing Rocky Top Living Roots Cooperative Rose Creek Village RoseWind Cohousing Rosewood Manor Roughcraft Ecovillage Round River Community Rowe Camp & Conference Center Ruby Farms Russmaican the world a better Race Ruths' House Saba Cooperative SabbathHouse Sacred Earth Sacred Earth Community Sacred Garden of EdenHope Sacred Garden Sanctuary Sacred Mountain Sanctuary Sacred Spiral Family - Open Source Creed and Intentional Community Sacred Suenos Saddiqi Rose Sadhana Forest Safe Haven Ranch Safe Haven Village Sage Valley SageHill Place sailing the farm - sailing/boatbuilding coop. Saint Francis & Therese Catholic Worker House Saint Francis Catholic Worker House of Hospitality Saint Michael's Eco Village Sal's Place Salmon Falls Land Association Salt Spring Centre of Yoga San Andres San Antonio Cohousing San Diego Eco-housing San Diego Spiritual Retreat Center San Diego Spiritual Retreat Center - Lakeside House Base Camp San Mateo Ecovillage Sanctuary Sanctuary in NW Ohio Sanctuary of DRAGOYOGARD & EISMER (European Institute for SOUND MEDICINE Education & Research) Sanctuary Village Sanctuary: Urban Axis Sand River Cohousing Sandhill Farm Sandywoods Farm Sangha of Earth Awakening Sanna Culturemanor Santa Barbara Student Housing Cooperative Santa Monica CoHousing Group Santa Rosa Creek Commons Sapling Community Sasona Cooperative Sassafras Bandits Permaculture Farm Sat Yoga Ashram Savannah Tribe Intentional Community Savitar Kin's Domains Sawyer Hill EcoVillage SBA Farms Collective Schloss Blumenthal School of Integrated Living (SOIL) Seattle Aging in Community Secular-humanist collapse preparedness group Sede Kavannah Sede Kavannah, Livermore Sedona Unlimited SEED International Ecovillage near Cahuita National Park SeedPod Co-op SEEEDs Seekers and Settlers Seekers of Unity in the Body of Christ Self-Sustaining Society SelfDesign Learning Community Selva Rica Seneca Treehouse Project Senior Activists Living Together Sequoia Village Cohousing Serene Light Gardens Serenity Serenity Cabin Serenity Gardens Eco Village Servants of Jesus Community Setivalley Integrated Organic Farm Seven Acres Cooperative Seven Suns Community Shadow Mountain Cohousing Shadowlake Village Shakty Global Shalom House Shamanic Living Center Shambala SHANGRI LA Shannon Farm Community Shanti-shanti village Sharing Circle Gardens Sharing Springs Sharingwood Cohousing She Farm Sheep River Commons Eco Village Shekinah Eco Village Shepherd Village Shepherdsfield Community Sherman St. Artists Coop Sherwood Co-op Shiloah Valley Community Shiloh Springs EcoVillage Short Mountain Sanctuary, Inc. Sieben Linden Ecovillage Silver Leaf Silver Sage Village Silver Sage Village Senior Cohousing Silver Sun Womyn's Community Simon Community Simone Weil and Peter Maurin House Monastic Simple Joys Sircadia Sirius Community Siskiyou Householder Refuge Sister Brother Tribe Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm Sketch Pad Collective Skokomish Farms Skrplanet Sky Meadow Retreat Skyview Acres Slade Hall Slocum House SLVOrganics Thrive Community Small Farm Training Center SmallWorld Cambodia Smart Progressives Smiltenei un Latvijai (for Smiltene and for Latvija) Smithfield Community Snow Lake Keep Social Progress Agents Community Socially Different Sockenstugan SoFair Farms Sofia Cooperative House SOHOland Sojourner Truth House Solairus, EcoVillage Solarium Solborg Some Place Special SomerVille Ecovillage Song of the Morning Songaia Cohousing Community SongCroft Sonoma County Cohousing Sonora Cohousing Soulshine Soul~Hive Farm and Retreat Source Temple South Jersey Village - Intentional Community Meetup Group South knowlesville Landtrust South of Monadnock Community Southern Nevada Cohousing Southside Park Cohousing Southwest Sufi Community Sovereign Christian Patriot Mission Sowing Circle Sparrow Hawk Village speargrass spectrum garden Spectrum Gardens Spinnaker Eleos Community SpiritServ Senior Cohousing Spiti ton Kentavron | Pelion Holistic Education Centre Spooky Hollow Spring Valley Springhill Cohousing Community Springtree Community Springwater St Johns Hurst Green St. Ambrose Catholic Worker St. Gregory's Abbey St. Joseph Farm St. Louis Ecovillage Network St. Thomas Catholic Worker House Stacken Stahlhammer STAND Center Etho-Community Stardust Center for Sustainability and Community Stargazer EcoVillage Starland Retreat Center/Campground Starseed Gardens Starseed Healing Sancuary Staten Island Parent Collective Stealth Wilderness Survival Village Stelle Community stelle turchine Stepping Stones Housing Co-op Steward Community Woodland Stewart Little Co-op Stiftelsen Stjrnsund Still Spirit Community Project Stolplyckan Stone Curves Cohousing Community Stone Soup Cooperative Stottville intentional community Struggle Mountain Student Housing NYC Students' Cooperative Students' Cooperative Association Su Casa Catholic Worker Community Suderbyn Summit Avenue Cooperative Sun Lotus Sun Sea CanYon Yang Sunburst Sunburst Fellowship Sunflower Co-op Sunflower Cohousing Sunflower House Cooperative Sunflower River Sunhouse Co-op SunPoint Farm Sanctuary Sunrise Farm Community Sunrise Ranch Sunset House Sunshine collective Sunshine Ranch Sunward Cohousing Sunwise Co-op SUPERNATURAL SANCTUARY SurrealEstates Sushi Tribe Sustainability park Istra Sustainable Earth EcoFarm SUTIWABY SW Missouri Unschoolers Swan's Market Cohousing Swedish CoHousing Network Sweet Pond Eco Community Sweetwater Community Land Trust Sweetwater Zen Center Sydney Cohousing Inc. Symbiosis Ecovillage SynchroniciTree Sacramento Synchronicity Central Texas SYNERGY COMMUNITY - MAUI CONSCIOUS COMMUNITY Synergy House Cooperative Syntropy Cooperative House Slheimar Tacoma Catholic Worker Tadpole Manor Taiz Community Take Old, Make New Takes a Village Takoma Village Cohousing Taliesin Collective Tam House Taman Petanu Eco Neighborhood Tamarack Knoll Community Tamera - Healing Biotope I Tanglemoss Homesteading Community Tar River Permaculture Project Tara Cotta Tara Mandala Retreat Center TaraEden EcoVillage Tashirat Tasman Ecovillage Tate Estate - Hartford IC Teaching Drum Outdoor School TecaOtoka Co-Housing Self Sustainable Community Technicolor Tree Tribe Tecoma Valley Township Tel Keshet Temescal Commons Cohousing Temescal Creek Cohousing Tempelhof Template Homestead Temple Druid Community Ten Stones Tent City (Lakewood) Terra Firma Terra Frutis TerraSante Village & Terrasante Community/Sacred Earth neighborhood TerraVie Terre Rouge creek farm Terripin Valley Community Test Community Test Community - DO NOT APPROVE Test Community 2 Texas Intentional Living Community (to be renamed later) The Alchemical Nursery The Arcadia Ranch for Community Care The Ardens The Barley Jar - Urban Ecovillage and Spiritual Community The Barnyard Homestead The Best is Yet to Come The Big Earth House The Blackburn House The Blueberry Patch The Bonobo Odyssey The Bridge House The Camp at Ozark Acres The Cascadia Society for Social Working The Cauldron Community The Chai Life The Chicago Collective The church near Springfield, Missouri The Circle of Natural Diviners The CoLibri Urban Housing Project The Common Unity Project The Commons at Windekind The Commons on the Alameda The Community The Community in Pulaski The Community of the Holy Trinity The Community Project The Cottages At Willett Brook The Draw Permaculture Sanctuary The Earnshaw Ecohouse The Ecovillage at Currumbin The Elements The Establishment The Farm CA The Farm Community in Summertown, Tennessee The Father's House The Feedbag Ann Arbor The Fellowship Community of the Rudolf Steiner Fellowship Foundation The Fellowship for Mother Earth The Freehaus open source housing project (GERMANY) The Frum Farm - Shaare Shamayim The Garden The Garden of Autism The Garden of Eden The Gardenhouse The Gathering Place The Gathering Place The Glen Ivy Center The Grail The grove The Grove The Hampton House The Hedge The Hella Tight House The Hill Circle The Hive The Hive Co-op The Hive Mind The Holliston House Share and Homestead Project The Home Farm The Homestead at Denison University The House - Commune Thailand The House of Commons The HUB Housing Cooperative The International Temple of Satan the jaguar tribe The Julian Project The Kibbutz Movement The Land Community The Laurel Manor: Food not Lawns The Lavra The Love Israel Family The Mac House The Mariposa Group The Mennonite Worker The Metahive Project The Midden The Mothership The Mountain Of The Lords House The Neo Brotherhood The Neobrotherhood The Next.Us of Arizona The North Hill at Staurolite The Nuit House - The Abrahadabra Institute LLC's Kibbutzim The Nyingma Mandala Training Program The Ojai Foundation The Olympia Light House Homestead The One Second, One Year After community The Open State Community The Orchard The Orion House The Othona Community The Paradise Builders The Patchwork Cooperative The Phoenix Cooperative House The Pittsburgh Cohousing Group The Play Lands The Portal The Postlip Community The Primal Village The Priorities Institute The Red House Community, Saint Paul The Responsible Community The Retreat at New Covenant The Rogue Elephant The Roost The Rose Colored Forest The Rose Colored Forest The Rose Colored Forest The Rose Colored Forest The Roundhouse Community The Sage Projects The Sage Projects The San Diego Wake Up House The Sanctuary -- Vegan Community The Sanctuary Community The Seventh Way The Shalom Project The Shire The Shire ( Granja La Comarca) The Sugar Shack The Telaithrion Project by Free and Real The Transition Headquarters The Tribe of Kelta The Vale The Vandwellings The Village on Sewanee Creek The Village Project The Well at Willen The Weyst The Wild Cooperative The WingSeed IC Project the world commune nepal the yellow and purple house The Yoga Farm The Zen Society The andu Project Theotokos House This Common Life Three Arrows Co-operative Society, Inc. Three Rivers Tribe Three Springs Three Trails CoHousing ThreeHands Ecovillage Thrifty & Green Creative Collective Thrifty Acres ThrowBackTothegoodolddays Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center Tierra Nueva Cohousing TierraLuz Tiller Ecovillage Timbaktu Collective, The Tina Yoxtheimer, Home/Land Owner Tinggrden Tipi People Tir Tairngire To Be Determined Tolstoy Farm. Toronto Activist House Toronto Ecovillage Project Torri Superiore Ecovillage Tortuga Tortuga Bay Touching Earth Sangha Touchstone Cohousing ToyKalapawMi ToyKalapawMi Rural Community Traditional Catholic Community Tranquility Transcendent Seeds of Paradise transitions Tree of Life TreeStone Village Tres Hermanos Tres Placitas del Rio Tribal Simplicity Tribe of Likatien Tribodar Learning Center Triform Camphill Community Triform Camphill Community Triform Camphill Community Triform Camphill Community Trillium Creek Trillium Farm Community Trillium Hollow Cohousing Community TRINITY Christian PRIORY Trinity Living Triple Point Cohousing True Nature Community/ La Comunidad de Verdadera Naturaleza Trying to Start a Community Tuatha-carrig Tiny Home Eco-village Tui Spiritual and Educational Trust Tullstugan Collective housing unit Tulsa Senior Cohousing Community (forming) Turanga Farm Eco-hamlet Turtle Village Project Turtle's Back Land Cooperative Twelve Tribes Twelve Tribes - Preserved Seed Farm/Uchovan Semnko Twelve Tribes Communaut de Sus Twelve Tribes Community at Peppercorn Creek Farm Twelve Tribes Community at the Morning Star Ranch Twelve Tribes Community at The Woolshed, Picton Twelve Tribes Community in Boulder Twelve Tribes Community in Cambridge Twelve Tribes Community in Chattanooga Twelve Tribes Community in Ithaca Twelve Tribes Community in Katoomba, Blue Mountains Twelve Tribes Community in Manitou Springs, CO Twelve Tribes Community in Nelson Twelve Tribes Community in Plymouth Twelve Tribes Community in Rutland Twelve Tribes Community in Vista Twelve Tribes Community in Winnipeg Twelve Tribes Community on the Lake of the Ozarks Twelve Tribes Comunidade de Londrina Twelve Tribes of Israel (Hawaii) Twilight Farmstead and Learning Center Twin Oaks Intentional Community Twin Pines Country Plantation and Guest Ranch Two Acre Wood Two Echo Cohousing Two Piers Ubuntu Ecovillage Udgaarden Umphakatsi Peace Eco-Village South Africa Unadilla Community Farm Union Acres Union Corners Cohousing Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry Unity Unity Kitchen Community of the CW Universe Community University Earth Upper Langley Upper Ridge Cottages Urban Oasis Urban Village CoHousing Urban Vision Urdhva Uruguay World Community USALL Christian Monastery Utah Valley Commons Utopiaggia Utopian Garden UU Cascades Retreat Project Vaia (Vilda apostlar i action) Vail House Valhalla Valle de Sensaciones Vallersund Grd Valley Dunes Valley Oaks Village Valley Of Laughter Valley of Light Valley of the Moon(TM) Eco Demonstration Community Valley Veg Cohousing Valslillegrd Valterra Village eCohousing Valverde Commons Vancouver Cohousing Varsity House Vashon Cohousing Vedrica Forest Gardens Vegan Hills Vegan Homeland Vegan Peaceful Virginia Community Vegan Village vegans gathering for intentional community Veganville Ecovillage Vegetable Ranch Ventura Urban Homestead Cooperative Venusins Verein Keimblatt Vesta Co-op Vesta Community Concepts Vialen Vibe Village Victorian Park Village Active Adult Cohousing villa villa koola 2 Villa Westergrd Village Cohousing Community Village Hearth Cohousing Village Hill Cohousing Village of the Shining Stones Village of Values Village Terraces Cohousing Neighborhood Villages at Crest Mountain VillaNueva Vince's Veggie Vault Vine & Fig Tree Farm/Community Virtue Land(planning) Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat Center Vivekananda Vedanta Society Vlierhof Volunteer-Apprentice at Shamanic Healing Lodge Wahat al-Salam ~ Neve Shalom (Oasis of Peace) Walden Farm Walden Somogy Walker Creek Community Walnut City Homestead Walnut Commons Walnut Grove Walnut House Cooperative Walnut Street Co-op Wanderers End Sanctuary -TN Wasatch Commons Washington DC Hobbit House Village Project Washington Home Share Washington Village Waterloo Co-operative Residence Inc. Waterloo Region Cohousing Ecovillage Watermargin Cooperative Watermyn (part of PEACH - Providence Eastside Association for Cooperative Housing) Waterside (closed) Wave Way Truth Life Community We Grow From Here & Growing Together We'Moon Land Weekapaug Grove Welcome Here Circle of Light Community Network - Rainbow Tribes Welcome to the Tribe Wellspring Community Wellspring Lifestyle Retreat west side Role Playing Game co-operative co-housing Western ME Homestead/Prepper Group Westport Cohousing Westwood Cohousing Wheelock Mountain Farm White Buffalo Farm White Buffalo Farm, a Farm-Based Ecovillage White Cloud Sanctuary White Hawk Ecovillage White Pine Cohousing Community White Rock Crossing White Rose Catholic Worker Farm Whitehall Intentional Society, Inc. 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Map - Fellowship for Intentional Community

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CryoCare Foundation – Cryonics Services

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CryoCare Foundation was established in 1993 to provide state-of-the-art human cryopreservation with assistance from two separate, independent businesses: BioPreservation, which provided our remote standby, transport, perfusion, and cooldown capability, and CryoSpan, which managed the long- term maintenance of patients at liquid-nitrogen temperature.

Ultimately we hoped that growth in cryonics would encourage the formation of additional service providers. We envisaged a future in which our members would benefit as BioPreservation and CryoSpan found themselves in a free market, bidding against competitors.

Unfortunately, we overestimated the potential growth and profitability of cryonics. Also we underestimated the tendency of volunteers and enthusiasts to burn out, especially in a high-stress occupation such as remote standby work. BioPreservation opted not to renew its contract with us in 1999, and no longer provides any cryonics services. CryoSpan still exists, but its majority shareholder wants to wind down the company and transfer the patients elsewhere.

Consequently, CryoCare now finds itself without any service providers.

We received ample advance warning of this situation, and attempted to find other ways to maintain service. These attempts were unsuccessful. Consequently, in 1999 we notified our members that we could not continue to provide cryonics coverage.

While our original plans were overoptimistic, we still believe our business model is the best one for long-term stability, if cryonics ever reaches a point where it is large enough to sustain multiple competing service providers. At that time, our organizational structure and bylaws may be of some value. Until then, we encourage you to learn as much as possible about the history, theory, and practice of cryonics, and visit the web sites of other organizations that are still accepting new members at this time:

The directors and officers of CryoCare wish to express their deep appreciation to everyone who placed their trust in us, and assisted us, during the past seven years. At no time did any of our members suffer a health emergency in which we failed to respond; and our two human patients are still being cared for, with their maintenance costs fully covered for the indefinite future.

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CryoCare Foundation - Cryonics Services

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Alternative Medicine | Glaucoma Research Foundation

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Alternative medicine may be defined as non-standard, unconventional treatments for glaucoma.

Use of alternative medicine continues to increase, although it must be noted that some of these treatment alternatives have no proven clinical effect.

Regular exercise and relaxation techniques can be beneficial for lowering eye pressure and may have a positive impact on your overall health and other glaucoma risk factors including high blood pressure.

Always talk to your doctor before starting any alternative therapies.

Proponents of homeopathic medicine believe that symptoms represent the bodys attack against disease, and that substances which induce the symptoms of a particular disease or diseases can help the body ward off illness.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not tested homeopathic remedies for safety or effectiveness. There is no guarantee that they contain consistent ingredients, or that dosage recommendations are accurate. It would be a mistake to use homeopathic remedies and dismiss valid therapies, delaying proven treatment for serious conditions.

Holistic medicine is a system of health care designed to assist individuals in harmonizing mind, body, and spirit. Some of the more popular therapies include good nutrition, physical exercise, and self-regulation techniques including meditation, biofeedback and relaxation training. While holistic treatments can be part of a good physical regimen, there is no proof of their usefulness in glaucoma therapy.

No conclusive studies prove a connection between specific foods and glaucoma, but it is reasonable to assume that what you eat and drink and your general health have an effect on the disease.

Some studies have shown that significant caffeine intake over a short time can slightly elevate intraocular eye pressure (IOP) for one to three hours. However, other studies indicate that caffeine has no meaningful impact on IOP. To be safe, people with glaucoma are advised to limit their caffeine intake to moderate levels.

Studies have also shown that as many as 80% of people with glaucoma who consume an entire quart of water over the course of twenty minutes experience elevated IOP, as compared to only 20% of people who dont have glaucoma. Since many commercial diet programs stress the importance of drinking at least eight glasses of water each day, to be safe, people with glaucoma are encouraged to consume water in small amounts throughout the day.

The ideal way to ensure a proper supply of essential vitamins and minerals is by eating a balanced diet. If you are concerned about your own diet, you may want to consult with your doctor about taking a mulitvitamin or multimineral nutritional supplement.

Some of the vitamins and minerals important to the eye include zinc and copper, antioxidant vitamins C, E, and A (as beta carotene), and selenium, an antioxidant mineral.

An extract of the European blueberry, bilberry is available through the mail and in some health food stores. It is most often advertised as an antioxidant eye health supplement that advocates claim can protect and strengthen the capillary walls of the eyes, and thus is especially effective in protecting against glaucoma, cataracts, and macular degeneration. There is some data indicating that bilberry may improve night vision and recovery time from glare, but there is no evidence that it is effective in the treatment or prevention of glaucoma.

There is some evidence suggesting that regular exercise can reduce eye pressure on its own, and can also have a positive impact on other glaucoma risk factors including diabetes and high blood pressure.

In a recent study, people with glaucoma who exercised regularly for three months reduced their IOPs an average of 20%. These people rode stationary bikes 4 times per week for 40 minutes. Measurable improvements in eye pressure and physical conditioning were seen at the end of three months. These beneficial effects were maintained by continuing to exercise at least three times per week; lowered IOP was lost if exercise was stopped for more than two weeks.

In an ongoing study, glaucoma patients who walked briskly 4 times per week for 40 minutes were able to lower their IOP enough to eliminate the need for beta blockers. Final results are not available, but there is hope that glaucoma patients with extremely high IOP who maintain an exercise schedule and continue beta-blocker therapy could significantly reduce their IOP.

Regular exercise may be a useful addition to the prevention of visual loss from glaucoma, but only your eye doctor can assess the effects of exercise on your eye pressure. Some forms of glaucoma (such as closed-angle) are not responsive to the effects of exercise, and other forms of glaucoma (for example, pigmentary glaucoma) may actually develop a temporary increase in IOP after vigorous exercise. And remember -- exercise cannot replace medications or doctor visits!

The long-term effects of repeatedly assuming a head-down or inverted position on the optic nerve head (the nerve that carries visual images to the brain) have not been adequately demonstrated, but due to the potential for increased IOP, people with glaucoma should be careful about these kinds of exercises.

Glaucoma patients should let their doctors know if yoga shoulder and headstands or any other recreational body inversion exercises that result in head-down or inverted postures over extended periods of time are part of their exercise routines.

The results of studies regarding changes in IOP following relaxation and biofeedback sessions have generated some optimism in controlling selected cases of open-angle glaucoma, but further research is needed.

However, findings that reduced blood pressure and heart rate can be achieved with relaxation and biofeedback techniques show promise that non-medicinal and non-surgical techniques may be effective methods of treating and controlling open-angle glaucoma.

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Alternative Medicine | Glaucoma Research Foundation

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Alternative Medicine – Christian Research Institute

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Summary

Over the past decade, governmental agencies, medical schools, influential voices in the media, and the public at large have seen a remarkable surge of interest in alternative medicine in the United States. While many therapies focus on unproven but otherwise spiritually neutral approaches (for example, nutritional supplements), others arise from or validate worldviews especially the monism (All is One) of the New Age movement that are hostile to the teachings of Scripture. The cultural developments that have brought alternative (still often called holistic) therapies into the cultural mainstream are complex and often understandable. However, a number of general cautions are still in order regarding this movement.

Twenty years ago a nurse tending to pediatric patients at Santa Monica Hospital handed me a rather unassuming publication bearing the title, Journal of Holistic Health. Along with more than 2,000 health-care professionals and other interested parties, she had just attended a conference in San Diego entitled, The Physician of the Future. In more ways than one, she had got religion at this meeting, and spoke with great enthusiasm about the new paradigm that would soon revolutionize our understanding of health and disease.

The future of health care, she explained, lay in the concept of holism, understanding the whole person body, mind, and spirit who was in fact a great deal more than the sum of several organ systems. It would become much more important to understand the patient who had the illness, not merely the illness that had the patient. Prevention, lifestyle, stress reduction, and self-awareness would displace the invasive and often destructive approaches specifically, drugs and surgery that had for so long dominated Western medicine. Eventually, we would begin to define health in more uplifting terms: not merely as the absence of disease, but as a state of increasing energy, productivity, insight, and personal transformation.

RISE OF HOLISTIC HEALTH

It sounded intriguing. After all, I was training as a resident in family practice the specialty whose interest extended not only to the whole patient, but also to her or his family, work, relationships, and even the community where she or he lived. I glanced through the articles in this home-grown journal (which actually was a transcription of the previous years conference), and then began to read more carefully, with increasing concern. This movement appeared to have more on its mind than changing dietary habits, encouraging exercise, and coping with stress.

The conference director, David J. Harris, who bore the title Founder and President of the Association for Holistic Health, had rhapsodized in his opening remarks that this gathering is part of a process that is bringing about a new way of thinking, a new science merged with religion. James Fadiman, Ph.D., at that time Director of the Institute of Noetic Sciences at Stanford University, declared that we are not primarily physical forms. We are primarily energy around which matter adheres. Richard Svihus, M.D., President of the California Academy of Preventive Medicine, proclaimed that the holistic health movement is desired by higher forces and consciousness within the universe. Harold Bloomfield, M.D., a psychiatrist who had written the best-selling TM: Discovering Inner Energy and Overcoming Stress, extolled the benefits of Transcendental Meditation. Dr. Elisabeth Kbler-Ross, widely recognized as the worlds authority on the dying process, stated unequivocally that death does not exist, and that after transitioning from this life, you will have the opportunity not to be judged by a judgmental God, but to judge yourself. Many others with strings of initials after their names and impressive titles used engaging anecdotes that described healing through aligning the bodys invisible energies, developing psychic abilities, and most important altering, expanding, and transforming consciousness.

The pediatric nurse really had gotten religion but not a gospel that would set well with Luke, the doctor who followed Jesus. It was, instead, a gospel better suited to Luke Skywalker, master of the Force, the impersonal energy allegedly pervading the universe. The holistic health movement, it turned out, appeared to be yet another banner under the We are all energy / All is One / I am God / You are God / We are all God / Aint that great? spirituality of the New Age movement. Such spirituality was storming the gates of Western culture and hoping to be welcomed with open arms.

In my subsequent explorations of the holistic phenomenon I attended two of the annual Association for Holistic Health conferences in San Diego. For the most part, the speakers were interesting, energetic, and sincere in their desire to promote health and healing, while the audiences were far more attentive than many I had observed at other medical conferences. These total immersion experiences left no doubt in my mind that the spiritual agenda of the new medicine at least as presented by its most active proponents was of utmost importance. Furthermore, a few direct questions to some of the speakers made it abundantly clear that this spirituality, which presented itself as generously inclusive of all religious traditions, did not in fact harbor warm and fuzzy feelings about such concepts as the sinfulness of humankind, Christs atoning death on the cross, or our need for individual repentance.

Ask a speaker about Jesus, and you would hear He was a Master Teacher, Enlightened Healer, Bearer of the Christ Consciousness, and so forth. Mention atonement, and you would be gently corrected, for Jesus demonstrated at-one-ment an understanding of His (and our) unity with God. Bring up repentance, and you would be told that what we really need is enlightenment a direct experience of our own divinity. Bear down on that distasteful event at Golgotha, and the air would suddenly become rather chilly.

Over the next several years, I both wrote and spoke of my concerns about the holistic health movement in a variety of settings, and while doing so, made a few observations:

First, a number of conventional medical practitioners were miffed over the idea that unorthodox healing systems were promoted as treating the whole person more effectively. Indeed, even the most narrowly focused subspecialist could truly keep the patients entire life in focus, attending to the mind and spirit as well as the body. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that an unorthodox practitioner might not see a patient as little more than a tangled wad of energy fields needing to be balanced through some esoteric formulation. (Take these supplements/herbs that I have chosen for you through the most inscrutable and subjective criteria, and call me in the morning.)

Second, many people including committed Christians who would go to the mat over the interpretation of a grammatical detail in a passage of Scripture appeared quite willing to lay critical thinking aside while dealing with unorthodox healing methods. Does it work? or, more specifically, Does it make me feel better? were often far more important questions than Does it make any sense? or Is there any empirical proof? or On what world view is this healing system based?

Third, the holistic health movement appeared to be having little impact on the practices of mainstream physicians. It had somewhat greater success among nurses, particularly with a specific healing technique known as therapeutic touch (see below).

Fourth, the new medicine also seemed to be making little headway within medical schools, government bodies, and insurance companies. Holistic health proponents repeatedly expressed a desire to leave the fringes and enter the cultural mainstream via research, public policy, and finance, but for many years this goal proved elusive.

Indeed, the persistent inability of holistic practices to gain widespread acceptance by the powers that be was undoubtedly a sore point for this movement for a number of years. Despite the grandiose optimism expressed during the San Diego conferences and others during the late 1970s and early 1980s, holistic health seemed to sputter through the 1980s, keeping itself alive primarily through paying clients who beat a path to the doors of unconventional practitioners. I concluded that there would always be holistic voices crying in the wilderness, but that our culture would probably keep them there.

My unspoken prediction, however, was proven wrong by some startling developments over the past few years. A dramatic turnabout has brought the gamut of holistic therapies including those with New Age and Eastern mystical flags fully unfurled squarely into the mainstream of American culture under a new banner: alternative medicine. Some proponents prefer the more conciliatory term complementary medicine, while a few describe themselves as promoters of integrative medicine, seeking to unite all forms of health care into a coherent system. Alternative medicine, however, is the most widely used term.

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE TODAY

It is difficult to pinpoint when or how this reversal began. Promoters of alternative health care would likely argue that this movement hasnt actually enjoyed a revival, but that it has been alive and well all along, and that the power elites of the press, government, and medicine have only recently noticed. This idea is supported to some degree by a now-famous 1993 article in the New England Journal of Medicine, a publication not exactly known for tabloid excesses.

The report detailed the findings of a 1990 survey of health care utilization in the United States, suggesting that more than 30 percent of American adults availed themselves of at least one form of alternative therapy that year, paying an estimated 425 million visits to providers of such treatments about 40 million more than the number made to primary care physicians! The tab for this care was nearly $14 billion, of which more than $10 billion was not covered by insurance and thus was paid out of pocket. The survey indicated that unconventional therapies were used mostly for chronic rather than life-threatening conditions, that most people using these alternatives didnt discuss them with their physicians (no great surprise since conventional practitioners tended to dismiss such options with eye-rolling disdain), and that the elderly represented a significant proportion of the clientele.1

A RECENT SURGE IN PUBLIC INTEREST

It would not be surprising if a survey taken today showed even more widespread involvement in alternative practices. Recent indications of a surge in public interest include the following:

A Time cover story entitled Faith and Healing (24 June 1996) painted its subject with broad strokes, encompassing traditional faith in God, meditative techniques, and biochemistry. It described controlled studies designed to determine whether patients who were the recipients of prayer defined in a variety of ways fared better than others.

A bumper crop of books on alternative therapies now line the shelves of the Health and Medicine section of the typical neighborhood bookstore. No longer limited to the off-label and self-published material that was once the staple of New Age outlets, the newer titles come from mainstream publishers, and place unconventional treatments on equal footing with Western medicine. One prominent example is The Medical Advisor: The Complete Book of Alternative and Conventional Treatment,2 published last year by Time-Life Books. This handsome volume describes health problems in encyclopedic detail, noting for each the conventional medical approach and then listing several alternatives: ancient Chinese, homeopathic, herbal, and so on.

The Public Broadcasting System (PBS) has repeatedly broadcast presentations of alternative healing. Bill Moyerss 1993 series, Healing and the Mind, attracted almost twice the normal PBS viewing audience. Andrew Weil, M.D., a popular author who now teaches Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona School of Medicine, has offered articulate distillations from his book Spontaneous Healing on a program of the same name. Deepak Chopra, M.D., a publishing hot-ticket and Americas foremost purveyor of Indias ancient healing system known as ayurveda, captivated viewers in the PBS specials, Body, Mind and Soul: The Mystery and the Magic and The Way of the Wizard.

Websites devoted to alternative therapies abound on the Internet. If one tells the Yahoo search engine to look for alternative medicine, he or she will be escorted to more than 200 sites, many of which provide links to dozens of others. On the other hand, cautionary notices and critical analyses by organizations such as the National Council against Health Fraud and the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP, a humanist think tank that publishes Skeptical Inquirer) are few and far between.

Periodicals promoting alternative therapies are now available both for the general public (for example, Natural Health) and health care providers. The monthly journals Alternative and Complementary Therapies and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine contain articles and studies of variable quality, which in some cases (unlike standard medical journals) freely wade into metaphysical and promotional material.

The most striking foray into the realm of conventional medicine occurred last November when American Family Physician, the official journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians (normally a reliable resource), published as its cover article, Alternative Medicine and the Family Physician.3 Authored by James M. Gordon, M.D., who directs the Mind-Body Center in Washington, D.C., the article offered a bland overview of alternative care, admonished family physicians to convey a sensitive acceptance and an openness to.their patients interest in alternative therapies, and encouraged practitioners to explore this realm themselves starting with Gordons own book, Manifesto for a New Medicine. An accompanying editorial strongly endorsed physician involvement in alternative therapies, and a duplicable information sheet did likewise for patients. Nowhere in these materials was there a note of caution or concern about any of the approaches mentioned.

NEW LINKS WITH CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE

Manifestations of increasing interest in alternative health care have not been limited to the general public and news media. In 1991, Congress mandated the formation of the Office of Alternative Medicine (OAM), now permanently established within the National Institute of Health (NIH). OAMs mission is to encourage and support the investigation of alternative medical (AM) practices, with the ultimate goal of integrating validated alternative medical practices into health and medical care (emphasis added).4 To this end, 10 exploratory centers have been established at institutions such as the University of Minnesota Medical School, Stanford University, and Columbia Universitys College of Physicians and Surgeons. NIH guidelines for these centers call for a systematic analysis of alternative treatments and their effect on major diseases, health, and wellness.5

It remains to be seen whether the centers, each of which will focus on a specific health care issue, will approach alternative therapies with open arms along with open minds. Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, for example, has already established the Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the first of its kind at an American medical school. A quote in the Rosenthal Centers brochure from Woodson Merrell, M.D., sounds less than dispassionate: The fact that medical schools are beginning to incorporate alternative modes of healing into their curriculum is a major step in medical education. It is very exciting.

The enthusiasm for alternative medicine displayed by those involved with OAM certainly raises some doubt that its programs will provide evenhanded analysis of the therapies they study. Representative John E. Porter (R-Ill), Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services Education Subcommittee, which oversees funding for NIH, not only supports OAM but also sees it as fulfilling a specific mission: As I see it, the most important contribution the OAM can make to the practice of medicine is to provide that link between alternative and conventional medicine.Therefore, it is important to continue making contacts on Capitol Hill and to deliver the message: alternative medicine is integral to biomedical research, provides effective results, and is a priority for spending decisions.6 James Gordon, M. D., who wrote the above-noted Manifesto for a New Medicine, also serves as Chairman of the Program Advisory Council for OAM.

WHY THE INTEREST?

What might explain this surge of interest in alternative therapies? There are many possible reasons, but the heart of the matter is this: for all of its technological prowess, especially with acute and critical conditions, Western medicine continues to bump against the limits of its effectiveness when dealing with many disabling chronic conditions especially those related to aging, such as degenerative arthritis as well as complex diseases, such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. A massive tide of baby boomers is now facing mid-life and menopause, and, having challenged the status quo at every stage of life, this generation is not about to accept a just deal with it approach to the health problems of its golden years.

Moreover, stress and common lifestyle-induced problems, such as chronic fatigue and depression, do not always find sympathetic ears and definitive solutions in the doctors office. Many conventional practitioners drive large numbers of people to alternative therapists by spending as little time as possible with their patients and by clinging to outmoded authoritarian roles (I know whats best for you, so dont ask me those irritating questions.). Alternative practitioners may listen more attentively to their patients, and they frequently promote themselves as encouraging a more collaborative relationship.

Yet encouraging mutual respect, open communication, and informed decision-making are not the exclusive province of alternative therapies. In fact, many conscientious doctors within the conventional model have inadvertently contributed to the popularity of alternative therapies by candidly admitting the limits of their capabilities and carefully explaining the pros and cons of treatment options. Maintaining this evenhanded approach requires using words such as might, maybe, and I dont know. Furthermore, an increasing and appropriate emphasis on informed consent over the past few decades requires physicians to present both the risks and the benefits in connection with a given medication or surgery.

As a result, in many situations a physician may not be able to bring the power of positive expectation to bear on the patients problem. Alternative therapies, on the other hand, are typically brimming with optimism, often inversely proportional to their ties to reality. After hearing more than one doctor say, I dont know what is causing your problem or what we can do about it, someone with a complex illness may feel a breath of hope when the alternative practitioner announces, I can find out why you feel so poorly, and I have a specific plan that will get you on the road to recovery.

Other reasons for the rising interest in alternative therapies include:

1.) The appeal of natural approaches often touted as helping the body to heal itself over drugs and surgery. There is no question that ounces of prevention are better than pounds of cure, and positive lifestyle choices (regular exercise, prudent eating habits, and avoidance of harmful substances) are very likely to reduce medical problems in the future. But all too often the term natural is misapplied to bizarre, illogical treatments or the use of huge (and unnatural) amounts of vitamin and mineral supplements. Eating a variety of wholesome foods every day is natural; taking a tackle-box full of supplements is not.

2.) The current cultural enthronement of choice the need to have options, to have it my way has become a national credo. The word alternative implies that there is a choice to be made regarding health care, as opposed to simply following doctors orders.

3.) Skyrocketing costs, especially related to high-tech procedures and expensive medications, continue to plague the conventional health care system. Because alternative therapies tend to be relatively lowtech and often stress activities that the individual can do for himself or herself, some managed care/HMO systems are investigating their potential for lowering health care bills.

4.) A deep and widespread spiritual hunger. A number of therapies serve as a gateway to spiritual technologies and world views that address needs for meaning, knowledge, and power.

So what is the problem with alternative medicine? Before addressing that question, it is important to state what is not at issue.

1.) Turf battles. As a conventional, Western-trained practitioner, I can readily affirm that any concerns that I or others raise about alternative practices are not driven by possessiveness for patients or the income derived from them. Furthermore, it is important to counter an allegation that circulates with variable fervor in alternative circles: The A.M.A., the medical establishment, the pharmaceutical industry, or some other nefarious conglomerate is suppressing effective alternative treatments especially for cancer as part of an evil scheme to keep people sick so that billions of dollars can be made treating them. This paranoid delusion has as much basis in reality as a Stephen King novel, and begs the obvious question: What do these plotters do when any one of them or a loved one develops cancer? This rumor needs to be given a decent burial.

2.) Optimizing lifestyle. Many alternative devotees pay close attention to their daily living habits and make wise decisions (although sometimes for odd reasons). Primary care physicians are always delighted to have low maintenance patients who make wholesome dietary choices, exercise regularly, shun harmful substances, and deal effectively with lifes stresses. If this were the sum of alternative or holistic health, there would be little to be concerned about and much to applaud.

3.) Effective treatments based on rational thinking and solid research. One of the potential benefits of the Office of Alternative Medicine is the sponsorship of studies to separate alternative wheat from chaff. For example, the Rosenthal Center is conducting a double-blind, randomized study to determine whether a specific Chinese herbal preparation is effective in treating menopausal hot flashes. If such research validates this particular herbal remedy as a useful therapeutic tool and provides guidelines for its appropriate use, many women will be grateful beneficiaries.

4.) Recognizing the spiritual dimension to health. Human beings are indeed more than a collection of complex biochemical reactions, and their spiritual values can play an important role in both health and illness. Research psychiatrist David Larson, M.D., at the National Institute for Healthcare Research has collected a large number of studies that indicate that regular churchgoers are, among other things, more likely to have a reduced risk of coronary artery disease, lower blood pressure, less depression, and fewer anxiety-related illnesses. Furthermore, these benefits appear to be independent of lifestyle decisions (such as abstaining from smoking) that might arise from spiritual commitments. However, a number of alternative therapies and conceptions of health embrace metaphysical orientations overtly hostile to the teachings of the Old and New Testaments.

PROBLEMS WITH ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Presenting a detailed critique of even a sampling of alternative therapies is beyond the scope of this article. The following basic problem areas are presented, however, as a caution to those involved in this realm.

Excessive promoting. To say that the realm of alternative medicine is characterized by optimism is an understatement, and undoubtedly much of its success is due to its unabashedly positive outlook. Unfortunately, this buoyancy tends to pervade even its serious journals, such as Alternative and Complementary Therapies, raising doubts about the willingness of alternative practitioners to engage in any serious form of peer review. For all of its faults, Western medicine has progressed by honoring skepticism and doubt, and by demanding that the efficacy of its interventions be validated by controlled studies. Even the extensive advertising to physicians and patients by the pharmaceutical industry is governed by strict guidelines regarding claims that can be made about a given product.

There is no similar oversight for the myriad of herbal formulations, supplements, homeopathic remedies, and other concoctions heavily promoted in magazines, health food stores, and infomercials. (On weekends, some Christian radio stations literally transform into alternative therapy flea markets, without any apparent regard for the credibility of the material emanating on their airwaves.) Expansive claims abound for restoring energy, improving digestion, and solving a variety of poorly defined ailments (heart problems, kidney disease, etc.), all unspecified. Testimonials and anecdotes serve as proof positive, and any attempt by the Food and Drug Administration to bring some order to this Dodge City are met with howls of protest from merchants and buyers alike.

Everything you know is wrong. A number of alternative therapies also postulate alternative realities convoluted explanations of how things work in the human body (or the universe in general) that are totally at odds with the most basic facts of physiology. These are politely referred to in OAM literature as traditional and ethnomedicine therapies, and include such far-flung systems as ancient Chinese medicine and its offshoots (classical acupuncture and acupressure, among others), ayurvedic medicine from India, and homeopathy. Each operates as a self-contained system with its own internal logic, and while they seem to coexist happily under the big tent of alternative medicine, each is quite incompatible with the others. Questions about the validity of each systems basic assumptions are usually deflected with references to the accumulated wisdom of thousands of years of careful observation or the hundreds/ thousands/millions of treatment successes/satisfied customers or (best yet) the many scientific studies documenting the effectiveness of _____ . What proof is there, for example, for the ancient Chinese notion that invisible energy called chi circulates in equally invisible channels called meridians, and that disease results from disturbances in that flow?

The reference to many scientific studies is the most ironic because the methodology of modern scientific inquiry clearly came up with an understanding of health and disease that bears absolutely no resemblance to the precepts of these systems. For a quick reality check, imagine for a moment the reception that would greet an alternative system of mechanical engineering, aeronautics, or navigation based on ancient Eastern mysticism. Imagine, for that matter, an effort by your local emergency room to revive Hippocratess doctrine of the four humours as the basis for diagnosis and treatment.

Postmodern thinking. The fact that fanciful healing systems thrive in industrialized nations is partly due to the fact that postmodernism has penetrated Western cultures to a significant degree. This world view rejects both scientific rationalism and biblical notions of absolute truth, and substitutes for them intense subjectivism: Truth is defined by my experience/my feelings/my understanding. The scientific method and all that it entails rational hypotheses, logical deductions, controlled studies, and revising ones opinions based on this arduous process are seen as no more valid a way of understanding the world than any individuals mystical experiences or intuitive hunches. Any claim that one approach to obtaining knowledge might, in fact, be better than another, or that there is any absolute truth especially a transcendent God who is the truth is viewed as a power play, an attempt by one person to suppress and oppress someone else.

One alternative well suited to a postmodern culture is therapeutic touch, a practice that has continuously gained in popularity among nurses since its introduction in 1975 by New York University Professor Dolores Krieger, R.N., Ph.D. Now taught at more than 80 universities and hospitals, therapeutic touch purports to detect and adjust invisible energies supposedly flowing within and emanating from the human body. This involves entering a meditative state, moving the hands slowly about two inches above the patients skin in an effort to detect subtle sensations such as tingling or heat, using the hands to sweep away excess energy that might have been detected, creating mental images of desirable energy states, and then directing these images to the patient through the hands.

Aside from its misleading title (it should be therapeutic nontouch), the utter lack of objective validation for an invisible human energy field and the spectacular subjectivism of its technique (how in the world can anyone tell whether someone is doing it correctly?), therapeutic touch possesses a mystical heritage that should chill any practitioner who possesses even the faintest belief in the veracity of Scripture. Dr. Kriegers book The Therapeutic Touch makes it clear that she views Eastern mysticism and the Hindu concept of a universal energy called prana as the cornerstone for her therapy. She writes, The idea that prana might be transferred from one individual to another may not be so readily apparent to us unless we have gotten into the practice and literature of hatha yoga, tantric yoga, or the martial arts of the orient.7

Whenever therapeutic touch is called into question, a chorus of protest even from some Christian nurses who embrace this technique (often erroneously equating it with the laying on of hands in the New Testament) is a virtual certainty. But regardless of the benign intentions of its practitioners and its frequent proclamations of validation by some scientific studies, this technique represents a florid invasion of Eastern mysticism into the corridors of Western medicine.

The hijacking of prayer. Alternative medicine has embraced prayer as a healing modality, and in doing so, it has repeatedly fooled even mature Christians. This has occurred in two ways. One is exemplified by a 1988 study reported in the above-noted Time article, Faith and Healing. Nearly 400 patients in the coronary care unit at San Francisco General Hospital were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in the experimental group were prayed for by born-again Christians, while those in the control group were not. Neither group of patients knew this was being done. Lo and behold, the prayed-for group had one-third the number of complications. Some Christians who become aware of such studies are thrilled: Finally science is validating what the Bible says about prayer.

But is God Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, an appropriate subject for a controlled study? Is the potter going to be subject to a randomized protocol of the clay? Is prayer merely a form of spiritual technology? This type of experiment encompasses the worst of both worlds misdirected science and presumptuous theology and indirectly validates the misguided assumption (prevalent even among many Christians) that prayer is a cosmic call button, in response to which an omnipotent butler automatically fulfills human desires.

The other fake-out, involving some inventive verbal sleight of hand, is exemplified by the writings of Larry Dossey, M.D., author of the bestselling Healing Words and the more recent Prayer Is Good Medicine. Dossey is widely quoted even in reputable Christian publications because of his encouraging thoughts about the role of prayer in healing. But his notions of prayer extend well beyond the basic concept of communication between a human being and the omniscient, omnipotent, and loving Creator. He views prayer as a nonlocal extension of human consciousness: Prayer actually enlarges the reach of human consciousness. It is a way for us to transcend our physical limitations to be nonlocal, like gods.8 It doesnt matter much whether one prays to Jehovah or to the entire universe, or merely extends positive thoughts in another persons direction. To him its all prayer and its all good.

In the Bible, however, the importance of worshiping and honoring the one true God is of paramount concern. It does matter to whom we pray, and with what attitude. Furthermore, doing so requires that we have a clear understanding that God is God, and we arent which brings us full circle to the last and most serious problem with alternative medicine.

Health is godhood. As noted at the beginning of this article, the holistic health movement of 20 years ago embraced a concept that was in fact deeply embedded in many of its therapies: Matter and energy are different forms of the same reality. We are all congealed energy the same energy that fills the universe, which some call God. Therefore we are God. Alternative medicine in the 1990s has in no way distanced itself from this world view.

Perhaps the most successful proponent of this philosophy in the United States is Deepak Chopra, M. D., author of numerous best sellers including Ageless Body, Timeless Mind and The Way of the Wizard, ubiquitous endorser of other alternative medicine books, and favorite of PBS viewers and movie stars. Originally trained in Western-style endocrinology and once the prime promoter of Maharishi Mahesh Yogis foray into health care, Chopra is now in command of his own Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla, California.

Chopra shouts the virtues of ayurveda from the media housetops. He promotes the notion that we are all local nodes in the infinite, universal energy field (call it God if you wish): All of us are connected to patterns of intelligence that govern the whole cosmos. Our bodies are part of a universal body, our minds an aspect of a universal mind.9 So when the physical body dies, we have nothing to fear. As he explains in a recent column in Natural Health, Once our physical body disintegrates, we go through a period of deep slumber as an astral body.after which we gradually awaken to experiences that we need to work out. Eventually we get in touch with our karmic software and then re-emerge on the physical plane with a higher level of awareness. With each cycle of life and death we move into a higher or more refined vibratory frequency of consciousness.10

THE SAME OLD LIE

This is, of course, the old reincarnation shuffle, presented to reassure readers of this alternative health magazine that all will be well during their next several appearances on earth, until ultimate health a final unity with the universal mind takes place. Obviously, in such a scenario there is no need for God to have become a man to become a ransom for many, and no need for repentance, but only a need for each of us to experience our godhood.

These are yet another presentation, in all of their primal seduction, of the two most basic lies ever told to human beings: You shall be as gods, and you will not die. Unfortunately, despite an abundance of optimism and good intentions, many who are involved in alternative medicine especially those who claim to detect and manipulate invisible energies are unwittingly distorting Gods true identity as creator and Lord, and our true identity as creatures who need first to be saved by Him and then to serve Him.Paul Reisser, M.D., is a family physician in private practice in Southern California. He is the coauthor of several books, including New Age Medicine (InterVarsity Press, 1988) and the upcoming Focus on the Family Complete Book of Baby and Child Care (Tyndale). He is a member of the Focus on the Family Physicians Resource Council and medical commentator for the radio broadcast Family News in Focus.

NOTES

1D. M. Eisenberg, R. C. Kessler, C. Foster, F. E. Norlock, D. R. Calkins, and T. L. Delbanco, Unconventional Medicine in the United States: Prevalence, Costs and Patterns of Use, New England Journal of Medicine 328 (1993): 246-52.2The Medical Advisor: The Complete Book of Alternative and Conventional Treatment (Alexandria, VA: Time-Life Books, 1996).3James M. Gordon, Alternative Medicine and the Family Physician, American Family Physician 54,7 (1996): 2205,124Exploratory Centers for Alternative Medicine Research, NIH Guide, vol. 23, no. 15 (RFA: OD-94-004), 15 April 1994.5Ibid.6John E. Porter, OAM Funding: A Shared Responsibility, Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine 1,3 (1995): 80.7 Dolores Krieger, The Therapeutic Touch: How to Use Your Hands to Help or Heal (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1979), 13.8 Larry Dossey, Prayer Is Good Medicine (New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1996), 79.9Emperor of the Soul, Time, 24 June 1996, 68.10Deepak Chopra, Soul Searching, Natural Health, January/February 1997, 192.

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