UM is one of a number of universities to get deeply involved in drug development
work. The state’s universities and colleges are among the nation’s most prolific
when it comes to patenting new biotech IP. …
Month: May 2009
Something Smells at Whole Foods (SocialistWorker.org)
When rumors recently began circulating that a union drive might be brewing in
San Francisco, the response from the company was immediate–including mandatory
“Morale Meetings” to dissuade employees. But company leaders failed to address
workers’ complaints that they have gone without any pay raises, sometimes for
more than two years, because Team Leaders have neglected to hold “Job Dialogue”
meetings (known as “annual performance reviews” in traditional
corporate-speak).
…
Ray Kurzweil: The Singularity that Will Transform the World
If Kurzweil is right, there will be supercomputers more powerful than every
human brain on the planet combined within a few decades. …
The Quiet Coup — How Bankers Seized America (Mercola.com)
A serious financial crisis is inevitable when you live too far above your means
for too long. This applies whether you’re talking about a single-family
household or an entire country. As this article points out, countries in crisis
need to learn to live within their means – just like you and I. This may mean
increasing exports and cutting imports. …
Medicare skeptical of gene-guided warfarin use (FiercePharma)
Some trials have shown that having this info on genetic variation can help docs
pinpoint the proper warfarin dosage. And that’s important, because even small
changes in dosage can have big effects, either on the not-enough-thinning side
or the so-much-thinning-it’s dangerous side. …
H1N1 prompts action on FDA nominee (FiercePharma)
Hamburg, not-so-coincidentally, is an expert on pandemics as well as
bioterrorism, the Wall Street Journal
reports. A spokeswoman for Sen. Ted Kennedy, who chairs the committee,
told the paper that it’s a “high priority” to get Dr. Hamburg confirmed,
stat–at least in part because her expertise “will be an invaluable resource” in
handling the H1N1 outbreak. …
Politics, Profits & Pandemic Fear Mongering
The international drama playing out right now before our eyes is an example of
how citizens around the world can be easily manipulated by doctors and
politicians engaging in fear mongering in the name of disease control to forward
agendas that have more to do with ideology, power and corporate profits than
health. …
Germany Bans Genetically Modified Corn (Mercola.com)
Under the new regulations, the cultivation of MON 810, a GM corn produced by
Monsanto, will be prohibited in Germany. A clause in EU law allows individual
countries to impose such bans. Environmental groups welcomed the ban, pointing
out that numerous scientific studies demonstrated GM corn was a danger to the
environment. …
Could Monsanto Be Responsible for One Indian Farmer’s Death Every Thirty Minutes? (Mercola.com)
Monsanto has been ruthless in their drive to use India as a testing ground for
genetically modified crops, and it gives us a very clear picture of what could
be in store for the rest of the world’s small farmers if they’re allowed to
continue. …
Kary Mullis has the cure for the flu (BioTechniques)
Mullis told an audience of students and faculty at San Jose State University
(SJSU) during a lecture last week that he was confident with his current
development of a flu treatment …