hey bill, how are you? bob mcgee here, b troop 69. hello to all from b troop. keep cool bill.
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Heres another trooper I haven't heard from for some time. John Pappalardo was the 3rd Plt Ldr for A Troop at Ft. Riley and Vietnam in 1965. John was Severly wounded in the Battle of Ap Bau Bang, Nov 65 and now makes his home in Harwich, MA. BB
Hi Bill, Hope all is well with you and your family.
I would like to attend a reunion to see you guys... perhaps some day when your on the east coast again. I am not doing much traveling these days as I will discuss below.
Retirement is going well and still doing some volunteer work at the local hospital in Hartford. I am spending a lot of my time on cape cod. I built a new home in Harwich,MA last year and we spend half the year here and the other half in CT.
I saw Earl Evans this spring on Cape cod.. Earl was a Lt with HQ of the 1/4 horse at Phu-Loi and a former classmate. Another friend from CT who I have know for about 55 years since grammar school served in 65>66 with the 557th Light Engineer Company at Phu-Loi. I know everyone has heard of agent orange, but have you heard of agent white? My friend Joe Luzzi was the platoon leader spraying both off trucks and sometimes off their backs. He has a lot of medical problems he suspects because of it.
Have a great summer!
John P
Dear Bill ,
Today, history was made.
Just this morning, President Bush signed the new GI Bill into law. Since we are only a few days away from celebrating the 4th of July, this milestone is a fitting way to honor our veterans who have bravely served this nation.
IAVA has led the fight for the new GI Bill from the beginning, and your dedication over the past year and a half ensured that our lawmakers kept it a top priority. Over 20,000 of you called your representatives in Congress, spread the word in your communities and signed the petition at www.GIBill2008.org. Thanks to your hard work, we finally achieved our goal.
Generations of veterans to come will benefit from this bill. Your support in this fight has been overwhelming- very few bills in recent history have received such an outpouring of public support. Together, we can be extremely proud of this victory.
In a few days, we'll let you know more about this remarkable bill and how IAVA plans to help veterans take full advantage of these new benefits.
Thank you for standing with IAVA throughout this fight.
Sincerely,
Paul Rieckhoff
Iraq Veteran
Executive Director
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
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This might make a few of you stop and think. Thanks to Jim Dempsey for sharing. BB
It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born.
These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...
God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body!
God's Pharmacy! Amazing!
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye. The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye... and YES, science now shows carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart has four chambers and is red. All of the research shows tomatoes are loaded with lycopine and are indeed pure heart and blood food.
Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds on the nut are just like the neo-cortex. We now know walnuts help develop more than three (3) dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.
Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and many more look just like bones.
These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet, the body pulls it from the bones, thus making them weak. These foods
replenish the skeletal needs of the body.
Avocadoes, Eggplant and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just l ike these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats one avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight, and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? It takes exactly nine (9) months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the mobility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm as well to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
Olives assist the health and function of the ovaries.
Oranges, Grapefruits, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.
Onions look like the body's cells. Today's research shows onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells. They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes. A working companion, Garlic, also helps eliminate waste materials and dangerous free radicals from the body.
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Speaking of not hearing from someone in awhile, William John sends this to us all them way from Hawaii. BB
Thank you to all my friends and family who currently serve, or have served in the past.
pretty neat.....(30 second video)...
When you see one of our military walking past and you want to convey thanks, but aren't sure how or it feels awkward?
A gentleman from Seattle created a gesture which could be used and has started a movement to get the word out.
Please, take just a moment to watch..... The Gratitude Campaign ...and forward it to your friends!
http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/shortmovie.php
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Gary Chenett sends us some facts and figuars to think about on this Holiday weekend. BB
**************************************
TRICARE Cuts Pharmacy Costs **************************************
DoD Provides Flood Information **************************************
Free Mental Health Counseling **************************************
TRICARE Availability Still in Jeopardy **************************************
Featured Job: Security Guard **************************************
DoD Issues Medication Safety Notice **************************************
TRICARE Benefits Remain During Flooding **************************************
$$$ From New Army Program
NOAH
In the year 2008, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States , and said:
Build another Ark and save 2 of every living thing along with a few good humans.
He gave Noah the blueprints, saying: You have 6 months to build the Ark before I will start the
Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard - but no Ark.
Noah! He roared, I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark ?
I needed a building permit.
I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system.
My neighbors claim that I've violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and
Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines
Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban on cutting local trees in order to save the spotted owl.
When I started gathering the animals, an animal rights group sued me.
Then the EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they'd conducted an environmental impact study on your
I'm still trying to resolve a complaint with the Human Rights Commission on how many minorities I'm supposed
Immigration and Naturalization are checking the green-card status of most of the people who want to work.
The trades unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only Union workers with Ark-building experience.
To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.
So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish this Ark.
Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.
Noah looked up in wonder and asked,
'You mean you're not going to destroy the world?'
'No,' said the Lord. **************************************
Allthough shroaded in secreacy, Dave Snavely managed to get a photo of a member of Mexico's eleite.
Mexican Seals (Top secret)....
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I'm sure we all have known a woman or two that this refers to. Thanks to Dan Horn for sending this one in.
-----To the powerful women I know - Keep the faith!!!
Live your life
in such a way
that when your feet
hit the floor
in the morning,
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Tony Moscicki is having computer problems again.
I can't respond to any emails today, something has crashed on my computer and the mouse is missing.
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Dan Horn sent in this guide to Red Neck language.
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Cigarette Use Among High School Students
The biennial national YRBS, a component of CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, used independent, three-stage cluster samples for the 1991--2007 surveys to obtain cross-sectional data representative of public and private school students in grades 9--12 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia (2). Sample sizes ranged from 10,904 to 16,296. For each cross-sectional national survey, students completed anonymous, self-administered questionnaires that included identically worded questions about cigarette use. School response rates ranged from 70% to 81%, and student response rates ranged from 83% to 90%; therefore, overall response rates for the surveys ranged from 60% to 70%.
For this analysis, temporal changes for three behaviors were assessed: lifetime cigarette use (i.e., ever tried cigarette smoking, even one or two puffs), current cigarette use (i.e., smoked cigarettes on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey), and current frequent cigarette use (i.e., smoked cigarettes on 20 or more days during the 30 days before the survey). Race/ethnicity data are presented only for non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, and Hispanic students (who might be of any race); the numbers of students from other racial/ethnic groups were too small for meaningful analysis.
**************************************
Fake Virus Could Make Safe New Vaccines
The team at the State University of New York, Stony Brook, had created the first artificial virus, a synthetic version of polio, in 2002.
Reporting in the journal Science, they said they used it to vaccinate mice, and then infected the mice with what should have been a deadly dose of polio. The mice survived.
"Ultimately we created a wimpy poliovirus that can be customized and does not cause disease unless given at high doses," Bruce Futcher, a professor of molecular genetics and microbiology who worked on the study.
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Different Type of Colon Cancer Vaccine Reduces Disease Spread
Reporting online Tuesday, June 24, 2008 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Scott Waldman, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University and his co-workers have shown that mice immunized with an intestinal protein developed fewer lung and liver metastases after injection with colon cancer cells than did control animals that were not immunized. The work may portend the development of a different kind of cancer vaccine, the researchers say, that may help prevent disease recurrence.
One of the reasons that cancer vaccines have been disappointing in many cases is the lack of immune system-alerting protein antigens that are specific for tumors only. According to Dr. Waldman, mucosal cells, which line the intestines (colon cancer arises from mucosal cells, and mucosal cell proteins continue to be expressed even after they become cancer) are essentially compartmentalized and possess a separate and distinct immune system from the body's general immune system. He and his group thought that such proteins would be seen as foreign by the latter system and be useful for anti-cancer vaccines.
Dr. Waldman, postdoctoral fellow Adam Snook, Ph.D., and their colleagues engineered viruses - adenovirus, vaccinia and rabies - to express the protein guanylyl cyclase C (GCC), which is normally found in the intestinal lining (and in metastatic colon cancer). The researchers injected the animals with colon cancer cells before or after immunization.
**************************************
Marijuana May Be Effective For Neuropathic Pain
Researchers at University of California Davis examined whether marijuana produces analgesia for patients with neuropathic pain. Thirty-eight patients were examined. They were given either high-dose (7%), low-dose (3.5%) or placebo cannabis.
The authors reported that identical levels of analgesia were produced at each cumulative dose level by both concentrations of the agent. As with opioids, cannabis does not rely on a relaxing or tranquilizing effect, but reduces the core component of nociception and the emotional aspect of the pain experience to an equal degree. There were undesirable consequences observed from cannabis smoking, such as feeing high or impaired, but they did not inhibit tolerability or cause anyone to withdraw from the study. In general, side effects and mood changes were inconsequential.
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Computers as Safe as Medical Experts for Prescribing Blood Thinning Drugs
Increasing evidence of the value of these anticoagulant drugs in a wide range of clinical disorders such as abnormal heart rhythm, or atrial fibrillation, has led to a rapid rise in their use around the world.
However, prescribing the right oral dose of anticoagulant to patients, even for experienced medical staff, can be problematic as individuals differ greatly in response to a given dose and a single patient's response can change over the period of an illness. Too high a dose for an individual and the blood becomes too thin and can lead to internal bleeding, too low and the blood clots too readily.
Previous studies supporting the use of computer-assisted dosage have depended solely on laboratory results and have not been sufficiently large to determine whether prolongation of normal blood clotting - measured as the 'international normalised ratio' or INR - resulted in clinical benefit and improved safety.
**************************************
Study Sheds Light on Role of Abortion Drug in Causing Rare, Fatal Infections When Used Off-Label
The drug misoprostol is FDA-approved to be taken by mouth along with RU-486 to end a pregnancy. But many women have received the drug vaginally as part of the two-drug combination, a method of delivery not evaluated by the FDA.
In animal and cell culture studies, the U-M researchers found that misoprostol, when given directly in the reproductive tract, suppresses key immune responses and can allow a normally non-threatening bacterium, Clostridium sordellii, to gain the upper hand and cause deadly infection. When absorbed through the stomach, however, the drug did not compromise immune defenses or cause illness.
The study, which appears online ahead of print in the Journal of Immunology, also has implications for understanding dangerous infections that occur during pregnancy.
**************************************
Blue Light Used to Harden Tooth Fillings Stunts Tumor Growth
"The light sends wavelengths of blue-violet light to the composite, which triggers hardening," says Alpesh Patel, a rising MCG School of Dentistry junior. "The light waves produce free radicals that activate the catalyst and speed up polymerization of the composite resin. In oral cancer cells, though, those radicals cause damage that decreases cell growth and increases cell death."
Mr. Patel, who has been working with Dr. Jill Lewis, associate professor of oral biology, Dr. Regina Messer, associate professor of oral rehabilitation and oral biology, and Dr. John Wataha, adjunct professor of oral rehabilitation and oral biology, studied 10 tumor-bearing mice, five treated with the light and five untreated.
He exposed half the mice to the blue light for 90 seconds a day for 12 days. Then the tumors were extracted and each one was split into two sections. Half were used to create slides for tissue analysis, and half were frozen to prepare protein extracts.
**************************************
Believe it or not
Man auctions off his life, sale price disappoints
Ian Usher, 44, held the seven-day auction of all his belongings, including his three-bedroom home in the west Australian city of Perth and a trial for his job at a rug store, after the break-up of his five-year marriage.
Bids had reached as high as $2.2 million, only for Usher to discover there had been a glitch on eBay's system which allowed the participation of non-registered bidders who had put in bogus offers.
In the end, the winning bidder agreed to pay $399,300 *(190,656 pounds) for all of Usher's worldly goods, which also include his friends, a motorcycle and a jetski. According to the eBay website, the mystery buyer, whose user name is "mslmcc", is in Australia and has a 100 percent feedback score.
Usher, who gave regular updates on the auction on his Web site www.alife4sale.com, now plans to travel in search of a new life.
He's not the first person to put his life on the block.
American John Freyer started All My Life For Sale (www.allmylifeforsale.com) in 2001 and sold everything he owned on eBay, later visiting the people who bought his things.
Adam Burtle, a 20-year-old U.S. university student, offered his soul for sale on eBay in 2001, with bidding hitting $400 before eBay called it off, saying there had to be something tangible to sell. Burtle later admitted he was a bored geek.
*($1 = $1.05)
**************************************
Dental Insurance Legislation Introduced **************************************
DoD Issues Medication Safety Notice **************************************
Sacramento Valley Cemetery to Expand **************************************
Chairman Highlights Plight of Homeless Veterans **************************************
VA Establishes New Committee **************************************
Grant Awarded to Illinois Veterans Homes **************************************
Grant for Indiana Veterans Home **************************************
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder **************************************
Thank You for My Life
Dear God, thank you for my life on this earth, however challenging or not.
Thank you for giving me free will to love and be loved, to make my own
decisions, to learn from my mistakes, to laugh when I am happy, to cry
when I am sad.
Thank you for my family, my friends, my pets, my colleagues, and for
every other living creature I meet along my journey.
Thank you for giving me strength to overcome adversity, to do what's
right for the benefit of the greater good, to rise above negativity.
Thank you for giving me hope for an end to world suffering, pain, and
war, for a beginning of a world filled with light and everlasting love.
Amen
Thats all the news for this week. Check back next Saturday. Thanks, Ole' Bill
For a reference please use this email addy. http://www.infoplease.com/pa/Aooo4615.html
Now read and weep.
This is a total of all Americans who served died and so on.
Once you go onto the website you can get a breakdown by conflict or war.
This is startling... By the way I am a brought 100% disabled Vietnam combat Vet.
America's War Totals
Military service during war...43,185,893
Battle Deaths, I have added all deaths together,
if you would not have served in my opinion you would not have likely died.
Battle deaths 653,708
other deaths in service (non theater) 14,560
other deaths ( non theater) 525,930
These deaths total ...............How about 1,194,198...Heroes who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Wounded in all wars,,,,,,
Non Mortal woundings 1,447,281
Living War Veterans 17,835,000
Living Veterans 23,976.000
Where are the other Veterans who have served? We are short of these Patriot's by 1,374,893,
This does not include wounded or deceased...
As we all know these number are growing quickly....by 1,500 to 2,000 a day..
Global War on Terror. This is as close as I could get. ( as of Sept,30 2006)
Total Service members World Wide....1,384,968
Deployed in Iraq and Afganiston 165,000 we know this is higher now,
Battle deaths 2,333. We know we have surpassed the 4,000 mark of losses of these Hereos.
other deaths, again I am sure way short 707
Non Mortal Wounding, again a short number but as of 2006 is was 21,649
Living Veterans of just this conflict. 588,000
If you believe in America and believe in supporting our Patriots, who as you can see , then Thank a Vet.
Visit this site for the numbers of our enemies we have killed over our losses, It is incredible.
If you would like me to give you more detailed info let ,e know.
It's time America recognizes these New Veterans and stop letting them walk through airports or any area without
Thanking them for their service.
I would be Honored to give you the break down by war of these losses if you are interested.
Welcome Home
Gary Chenett
Vietnam 1967/68 The Big Red One 1st/4th Calvary
Ron Davidson
Peter Arp
Jorge Esquilín
Bill Baty
Dan Slaughter
Joe Dabney
Dan Thompson
Joe West
Richard Guerine
Terry Valentine
Paul Miller
Sie Moore
Bob Corbini
Steve Determann
SGT ROck
Wayne Laura
Dennis Swindle
Larry Laney
Alan Benoit
Willie Siebert
Dan Baker
James Smith
Jerry McDonald
The USA.gov website has set up a webpage with information that is regularly updated on the flooding in the Midwest along with response and recovery operations and informational links. For mor information, check out the (http://www.usa.gov/flooding.shtml) Midwest Flood Response and Recovery webpage.
TRICARE is sending letters to its beneficiaries who receive regular maintenance prescriptions at network retail pharmacies informing them of the savings they can experience with the TRICARE Mail Order Pharmacy (TMOP). One easy call to the Member Choice Center (MCC) at (877)363-1433 can start home delivery. Beneficiaries can also register for (http://www.express-scripts.com/TRICARE) TMOP at the Express Scripts website. For more information about TMOP and other pharmacy programs. visit the (http://www.tricare.mil/) TRICARE website.
Defense Department officials have issued information to assist federal employees and agencies affected by the recent flooding throughout the Midwest and Mississippi River Valley. Information on flexibilities currently available, such as family support, telework and emergency hiring, are on the department's (http://www.cpms.osd.mil/disasters/) Civilian Personnel Management Service Disaster Preparedness and Response Information website, which includes a link to an (http://www.cpms.osd.mil/disasters/docs/PayLeaveBenefitsSevereWeather.pdf) Office of Personnel Management handbook on pay and leave benefits for federal employees affected by severe weather or other emergencies. Families can call the department's emergency employee toll-free phone number at 888-363-4872.
Mental health practitioners nationwide are donating their time and services to provide free, confidential counseling to military people and their families. "Give an Hour" is a nonprofit organization that educates servicemembers and their families about the seriousness of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the importance of taking steps to combat it. The services offered by (http://www.giveanhour.org/skins/gah/home.aspx) Give an Hour are free and ongoing, and providers stay in the network a minimum of a year. To receive support or to register to become part of this support network, visit the (http://www.giveanhour.org/skins/gah/home.aspx) Give an Hour website. People seeking help can search for the nearest participating provider by entering their ZIP code.
In an effort to give Congress time to block a scheduled 10.6 percent Medicare (TRICARE) fee cut, the Bush administration plans to delay paying doctors for treating Medicare patients in early July. The administration's decision merely delays the cut, scheduled to take place Tuesday. It's up to Congress to decide whether to block it or not. Congress will almost certainly act quickly when it returns to Washington the week of July 7 to prevent the cuts in payments for some 600,000 doctors who treat Medicare/TRICARE patients. The cuts are scheduled because of a formula that requires fee cuts when spending exceeds established goals.
If you're looking for the benefits of joining an industry leader, with a high-charged, energy-filled environment, then you can stop looking, because you have found what you're looking for in the Security Guard position at our Los Angeles airport location. Bring your energy, drive, and motivation to Hertz, and set your goals on cruise control! The Hertz Corporation, a world leader in the car rental industry, currently seeks energetic team players to (http://tracking.military.com/cgi-bin/outlog.cgi?url=http%3A//jobsearch.military.monster.com/getjob.asp%3FJobID%3D73257408%20&code=MR_063008_job) join our team.
Recent reports linking varenicline (Chantix) - a prescription drug - to hallucinations and even suicide, prompted the Military Health System to re-issue its Medication Safety Notice concerning the use of the drug in smoking cessation programs. While the drug is not on the (http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/tricare-pharmacy/tricare-pharmacy-program) TRICARE formulary, many MHS patients have prescriptions for it. It is highly recommended that a doctor be consulted immediately in rare cases of psychiatric side effects including nightmares, paranoia, or feelings of suicide. For more information, read the DoD Medication Safety Notice issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the FDA's Public Health Advisory on Chantix.
TriWest Healthcare Alliance wants to assure TRICARE beneficiaries and families affected by the flooding in Iowa and Missouri that their health care benefits will be maintained and that service and support will continue during this critical time. TRICARE beneficiaries can manage their health care, 24/7, from any location with an Internet connection by visiting the (http://www.triwest.com/) TriWest Healthcare Alliance website. Beneficiaries can also call 1-888-TRIWEST (874-9378) for more information to find a service center or an authorized provider still operating in their area. They can also find general updates and flood-related resources at TriWest's newly launched " (http://www.triwest.com/corporate/frames.aspx?page=/unauth/content/member_services/plans/hurricane/default.asp)
Active-duty enlisted Soldiers and future Soldiers in the Delayed Entry Program can now serve as assistant recruiters and earn extra money in their off-duty hours. The Army Recruiter Assistance Program (A-RAP) will pay these Soldiers $1,000 when a recruit they refer enlists and another $1,000 when that recruit ships to basic combat training. That is months sooner than the bonuses all Soldiers, active-duty, reserve-component and retired are eligible to receive under the $2,000 referral program. Soldiers can participate in both recruiting programs, but not by referring the same prospect twice. For additional information or to apply for
Once again, the earth has become wicked and over-populated, and I see the end of all flesh before me.
unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights.
Forgive me, Lord, begged Noah, 'but things have changed.
exceeding the height limitations. We had to go to the Development Appeal Board for a decision.
and other overhead obstructions, to clear the passage for the Ark 's move to the sea.
I told them that the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it.
I tried to convince the environmentalists that I needed the wood to save the owls - but no go!
150
They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will.
They argued the accommodations were too restrictive, and it was cruel and inhumane
to put so many animals in a confined space.
proposed flood.
to hire for my building crew.
'The government beat me to it.
Cigarette use is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States (1). A national health objective for 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of current cigarette use among high school students to 16% or less (27-2b) (1). To examine changes in cigarette use among high school students in the United States during 1991--2007, CDC analyzed data from the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that the prevalence of lifetime cigarette use was stable during 1991--1999 and then declined from 70.4% in 1999 to 50.3% in 2007. The prevalence of current cigarette use increased from 27.5% in 1991 to 36.4% in 1997, declined to 21.9% in 2003, and remained stable from 2003 to 2007. The prevalence of current frequent cigarette use increased from 12.7% in 1991 to 16.8% in 1999 and then declined to 8.1% in 2007. To resume the declines observed in current cigarette use during 1997--2003 and achieve the 2010 objective, communitywide comprehensive tobacco-control programs that use coordinated evidence-based strategies should be implemented and revitalized.
A "wimpy" artificial virus protected mice against polio, and the approach might be used to make a range of safer new vaccines against viruses, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.
Taking advantage of the fact that the intestines have a separate immune system from the rest of the body, scientists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Jefferson in Philadelphia have found a way to immunize mice against the development of metastatic disease.
The growing body of evidence that marijuana (cannabis) may be effective as a pain reliever has been expanded with publication of a new study in The Journal of Pain reporting that patients with nerve pain showed reduced pain intensity from smoking marijuana.
The largest ever study into the administration of blood thinning drugs, principally Warfarin, has concluded that dosages calculated by computer are at least as safe and reliable as those provided by expert medical professionals.
The off-label use of a drug given with RU-486 to terminate a pregnancy may be responsible for a handful of rare, fatal infections seen in women taking the drugs since 2000, a study by University of Michigan scientists suggests.
A blue curing light used to harden dental fillings also may stunt tumor growth, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
A man who put his life up for auction on eBay found it wasn't worth quite as much as he thought when he settled for around A$100,000 (48,000 pounds) less than his target price.
U.S. Senator (http://capwiz.com/military/bio/?id=202&lvl=C&chamber=S) Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, recently issued a statement urging caution regarding the Department of Veterans Affairs' research on smoking and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Media outlets reported that the VA is testing a drug with potentially dangerous side effects on veterans, including returning servicemembers with mental health disorders. At issue is whether VA should have notified study participants in November 2007, when the FDA first learned of Chantix's side-effects, which include suicidal thoughts, and aggressive and erratic behavior.
U.S. Senator (http://capwiz.com/military/bio/?id=444&lvl=C&chamber=S) Richard Burr (R-NC) introduced legislation that would provide veterans with access to dental insurance. The bill would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a dental program for all veterans, surviving spouses, and certain dependent children who are enrolled in VA's health care system. The vast majority of people receiving care from the department do not have access to dental care through VA. Burr's legislation is modeled after the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) in which military retirees are given the option to purchase dental coverage under a private contract managed by the Department of Defense.
Recent reports linking varenicline (Chantix) - a prescription drug - to hallucinations and even suicide, prompted the Military Health System to re-issue its Medication Safety Notice concerning the use of the drug in smoking cessation programs. While the drug is not on the (http://www.military.com/benefits/tricare/tricare-pharmacy/tricare-pharmacy-program) TRICARE formulary, many MHS patients have prescriptions for it. It is highly recommended that a doctor be consulted immediately in rare cases of psychiatric side effects including nightmares, paranoia, or feelings of suicide. For more information, read the DoD Medication Safety Notice issued by the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the FDA's Public Health Advisory on Chantix.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) awarded more than $18 million to two Sacramento, Calif., companies to expand the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. The expansion will encompass 60 acres and be completed in the fall of 2011. Information on VA burial benefits can be obtained from national cemetery offices, from (http://www.cem.va.gov/) VA's Burial and Memorials webpage, or by calling VA regional offices toll-free at 1-800-827-1000. To make burial arrangements, call (800) 535-1117. For information on the Sacramento Valley VA National Cemetery, contact the cemetery staff at (707) 693-2460.
Addressing an audience of about 200 members of various organizations that make up the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Navy Admiral Mike Mullen, said the nation must fully integrate efforts to help homeless veterans. "We need to do everything we can, as a country, to fully integrate our efforts to understand and help those - our veterans - who have given so much," Adm. Mullen said. The coalition is dedicated to strengthening and increasing funding for homeless veteran assistance programs, ranging from employment to housing issues. For more information on initiatives to help homeless veterans, visit the (http://www.nchv.org/) National Coalition for Homeless Veterans website.
Veterans of the 1990-91 Gulf War will gain additional access to the leadership of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with the recent creation of the department's new Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans. The 14-member, independent panel will advise the Secretary and the department on the full range of health care and benefits needs of those who served in the conflict. Serving on the committee are veterans of the Gulf War as well as other conflicts, veterans service organizations' representatives, medical experts, and the surviving spouse of a Gulf War veteran. Members were selected to provide a variety of perspectives, experiences, and expertise.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is awarding construction grants totaling more than $1.2 million for the state veterans home in Manteno and Quincy, Illinois. The two facilities, along with state-run veterans homes in Anna and LaSalle are open to veterans who served in the military during wartime. To be eligible, veterans must have entered the military in Illinois or have been a state resident for a year before applying. More information about Illinois veterans homes is available by contacting the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs at (800) 437-9824.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is awarding a construction grant totaling more than $1.1 million for the state veterans home in West Lafayette. The grant will pay for renovations to the fire alarms, oxygen storage, sprinklers and electrical system. The facility is open to veterans who served in the military during wartime. To be eligible, veterans must have been a state resident for three years before applying. For more information about the Indiana veterans home, call 765-497-8537 or visit the (http://www.in.gov/dva) Indiana Department of Veterans' Affairs website.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops after a terrifying ordeal that involved physical harm or the threat of physical harm. People with PTSD may startle easily, become emotionally numb (especially in relation to people with whom they used to be close), lose interest in things they used to enjoy, have trouble feeling affectionate, be irritable, or become more aggressive. The symptoms of PTSD can often be treated very effectively. For more information on post-traumatic stress disorder, visit the (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml) National Institute of Mental Health's website, the (http://www.medicinenet.com/posttraumatic_stress_disorder/article.htm) MedNet.com website, (http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/index.jsp) VA's National Center for PTSD webpage, or read the Military Veterans (http://www.ptsdmanual.com/) PTSD Reference Manual.
Prayer for Soldiers Going Off to Battle
O Holy Master, Almighty Father and Pre-Eternal God,
Who alone made and directs all things and Who rises up
quickly against the evil and impious ones.
Condescend, out of Thy mercy, to grant them
the fear of Thee, together with humility, obedience
and good endurance; that they kill no one
unrighteously, but rather preserve all righteousness
and truth; that they may fear Thee and honor Justice;
that they run in friendship to those who are scattered,
extending thy love to those near them, serving the
elderly with justice; and that their ranks fulfill all
things righteously;
For thou art our God, and to Thee do we ascribe glory;
to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
Amen.
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