Friday, February 27, 2009

Drop That Burger Before It Drops You

Do you want to tempt fate? Do you want to roll out the red carpet for Alzheimer's disease to enter your life and not leave? I didn't think so. But if you continue a daily diet that includes hefty amounts of fats, sugars, and cholesterol, you're doing just that.

Susanne Akterin, a researcher at Sweden's Karolinska Institute's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, ran a study in which mice were fed junk food for nine months.

Reuters news service reported:

"Alzheimer's disease is incurable and is the most common form of dementia among older people. It affects the regions of the brain involving thought, memory and language.

While the most advanced drugs have focused on removing clumps of beta amyloid protein that forms plaques in the brain, researchers are also now looking at therapies to address the toxic tangles caused by an abnormal build-up of the protein tau.

In her research, Akterin focused on a gene variant called apoE4, found in 15 to 20 percent of people and which is a known risk factor for Alzheimer's. The gene is involved in the transport of cholesterol.

She studied mice genetically engineered to mimic the effect of the variant gene in humans, and which were fed a diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol for nine months -- meals representing the nutritional content of fast food."

At the conclusion of the study, Akterin reported:

""On examining the brains of these mice, we found a chemical change not unlike that found in the Alzheimer brain. We now suspect that a high intake of fat and cholesterol in combination with genetic factors ... can adversely affect several brain substances, which can be a contributory factor in the development of Alzheimer's."
Click here to read more

In the past, we could blame McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, KFC, et cetera for providing only items that were bad for us. No longer. The so-called 'fast food' industry now at least gives us the option to choose salads instead of greasy burgers and fries. We have a choice.

Let's heed the warnings about the bad fast foods and their connection to Alzheimer's disease. I know it's not easy. I love a juicy burger and fries every now and then myself. But I've started substituting the occasional salad and slice of whole grain bread once or twice a week. We all can do it if we try. Consumption of food that's bad for our health is cumulative in its effects. So is the consumption of healthy foods. Moderation in all things.

Ask your doctor for a blood test to determine your cholesterol levels. Knowledge is power. Give it a try.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Pensions + Politician's Plunder = Pensioner's Peril

Billions in public pension fund assets are targeted to be used for rebuilding or refurbishing schools, because private financing has either disappeared, or proposed loans are not large enough. These funds have been collected from worker's paychecks and employer's matching contributions over the years for the specific purpose of providing pensions.

But when politicians want to spend money on a project like this, and private sector financial firms say "No", what's the next step? Convince the bankers that better schools are an investment in the nation's future? Postpone, or downsize the project until the economy stabilizes and lending returns to normal? Or salivate over, and greedily grab from public pension funds, thereby threatening the stability, and possibly the ability, of these funds to pay retirees so their chance of living out their lives with a modicum of dignity is diminished? I'll give you three guesses, and the first two don't count.

Oh, have I mentioned yet that I'm not talking about the outrageous 'reappropriation' of U.S. Social Security funds by our own short-sighted politicians and bureaucrats? Those thefts are legendary, distressing, and immoral enough. In August, 2001, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that Social Security money would be used to cover other government deficits in these amounts: $9 billion in 2002; $18 billion in 2003; and $3 billion in 2004.

No. Today's blog refers to Great Britain. The London Times, on February 20, reported that:

"Billions of pounds could be taken from council staff pension schemes to bail out the Government’s PFI school projects, The Times has learnt.

Partnership for Schools, the government body responsible for the £55 billion building programme, has approached several local authorities to ask for emergency cash from pension funds because private finance has dried up.

The funds, worth £100 billion, cover final-salary pensions for two million council staff including social workers, cleaners, refuse collectors, lollipop ladies and town hall officials. Unlike other public sector schemes, they are made up of contributions from staff and employers.

Under the proposal, a council would invest pension cash in a school building project. The cash would be paid back by the Government in instalments with an agreed rate of return." Click here to read more

#1. Isn't it more than a little bit ironic that public pension plans are being used to bail out projects known as PFI (Private Finance Initiative)? One might dare to imagine that a "Private Finance Initiative" would involve, well, PRIVATE FINANCING!

#2. Public pension funds should be a separate and distinct line item in any country's budget. Investments allowed in federal government securities only.

#3. Even though this project appears to be structured as a loan, doesn't it sound like a very risky one, in that the private banking sector has declined to fully fund it?

#4. This project did not manifest itself overnight. If it was so vital to the nation's future that it could not wait, then it should have been funded in the budget by reducing expenditures in other areas, rather than relying on public pension funds.

#5. This type of scheme is actually a safety valve for Great Britain's politicians. Instead of doing the hard work required to help fix the foul economic climate besetting us all, they chose the easy road. Tap pension funds now - pass the problems on to the politicians who'll be there when the bills come due.

I'm reminded of a poster from the 1960s that I saw in the Old Town neighborhood in Chicago. It read: "it will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need and the Air Force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber."

Friday, February 13, 2009

Bye Bye, Dubai?

The worldwide economic house of cards continues its collapse. The latest victim? Dubai. On February 11, the New York Times carried an article entitled, "Laid-Off Foreigners Flee as Dubai Spirals Down" Click here to read more. Before examining this report, let's look at a bit of background on Dubai.

What and where is Dubai? It is a city/emirate within the country known as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) See Dubai map. An 'emirate' is defined as a domain that is ruled by an emir. An 'emir' is the term applied to a leader, or chiefain, especially in the Middle East. The UAE is located in the Middle East. It borders Saudi Arabia and Oman. See UAE map. It is made up of seven emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain) that were previously known as the Trucial States.

What is Dubai's recent history? The following is a partial quote from an official Dubai government website: Click here to read more

"In the 1980s and early 1990s, Dubai took a strategic decision to emerge as a major international-quality tourism destination. Investments in tourism infrastructure have paid off handsomely over the years.

Dubai is now a city that boasts unmatchable hotels, remarkable architecture and world-class entertainment and sporting events. The beautiful Burj Al Arab hotel presiding over the coastline of Jumeira beach is the world's only hotel with a seven star rating. The Emirates Towers are one of the many structures that remind us of the commercial confidence in a city that expands at a remarkable rate. Standing 350 meters high, the office tower is the tallest building in the Middle East and Europe.

Dubai also hosts major international sporting events. The Dubai Desert Classic is a major stop on the Professional Golf Association tour. The Dubai Open, an ATP tennis tournament, and the Dubai World Cup, the world's richest horse race, draw thousands every year."

The world's tallest building is being built there. Man-made recreational islands were constructed for those in the world's wealthiest class to enjoy. At least one could admire Dubai's attempts to diversify its economy.

These projects were begun when oil was approaching $100 a barrel, and economic boom times seemed to have no end in site. Tens of thousands of people from around the world flocked to Dubai for good-paying jobs and low, sometimes non-existent, taxes. As a matter of fact, 90% of Dubai's population is comprised of these foreigners.

That brings us to Sofia's story in the Times article:

"Sofia, a 34-year-old Frenchwoman, moved here a year ago to take a job in advertising, so confident about Dubai’s fast-growing economy that she bought an apartment for almost $300,000 with a 15-year mortgage." ... “I’m really scared of what could happen, because I bought property here,” said Sofia, who asked that her last name be withheld because she is still hunting for a new job. “If I can’t pay it off, I was told I could end up in debtors’ prison.”

Well, debtor's prison certainly worked wonders during the Middle Ages, didn't it? It worked so well that it totally eliminated the problem of people going in over their heads in debt, right? Similarly, when punishment for stealing a loaf of bread resulted in the thief's hand being cut off resulted in the virtual end of theft as a category of crime. But back to Dubai.

Dubai may also have the dubious distinction of having the world's largest used car lot. It's known as the Dubai airport parking lot.

"With Dubai’s economy in free fall, newspapers have reported that more than 3,000 cars sit abandoned in the parking lot at the Dubai Airport, left by fleeing, debt-ridden foreigners (who could in fact be imprisoned if they failed to pay their bills). Some are said to have maxed-out credit cards inside and notes of apology taped to the windshield."

The Dubai government has officially declined comment on this economic collapse-in-progress. However, the word on the street, in the form of real estate and auto sales, says it all:

"Some things are clear: real estate prices, which rose dramatically during Dubai’s six-year boom, have dropped 30 percent or more over the past two or three months in some parts of the city. Last week, Moody’s Investor’s Service announced that it might downgrade its ratings on six of Dubai’s most prominent state-owned companies, citing a deterioration in the economic outlook. So many used luxury cars are for sale , they are sometimes sold for 40 percent less than the asking price two months ago, car dealers say."

Many people must wonder if no corner of the globe is immune from this recession/depression. We might have thought that even though oil prices are down to ~$35 a barrel, the oil-producing Middle Eastern countries would still stay monetarily afloat, minus a few Mercedes or so. But look at Dubai. Its foreign population is fleeing. And what of its native populace? Neighboring emirates of the UAE are not helping Dubai. Neighboring Middle Eastern countries are not helping. It has become every group for itself.

Now is the time for a unified vision and approach. Not fractured fearful reactions. Yet what has history shown us? The Great Depression of the 1930s did nothing to unite nations in the common bond of economic despair. It was followed by World War II, setting the world chessboard for the matches we've been playing the past 65 years.

Will this current economic free fall result in a reshuffling of the chess pieces? Maybe, it's time to change the game.

See my other posts on emirates: Exploring Abu Dhabi, Exploring Ajman, and Exploring Fujairah

Friday, February 6, 2009

California Octuplets, a/k/a Irresponsibility

On Monday, January 26, Nadya Suleman, an unemployed 33 year old single mother of six children in California, gave birth to eight more. Was this some natural, multiple birth? No. Nadya has been quite calculating about her baby production. Her six existing children had all been born as a result of in-vitro fertilization.

Was raising six children while unemployed and living with her parents enough of a challenge for this self-obsessed baby machine? Quite obviously, no.

So she had multiple embryo implants and, voila, eight more babies pop out. That means 14 grandchildren, and 1 daughter, will soon be living with the oh-so-proud grandparents.

Her parents declared bankruptcy. Kind of goes with the moral bankruptcy of their daughter.

What are her plans? She has hired (?!) a public relations firm to arrange for the inevitable tour of the talk shows that have come to pass as our society's culture/entertainment/education/loosener of bowels. Nadya's price? Well, we know what she is, so it's only a matter of negotiating a price, is it not? On February 2, Fox News reported that she is seeking $2 million from Oprah, et cetera. Obscene. Degrading. Disgusting.

Will companies pander to her for her endorsement of everything from baby food to diapers in exchange for free products? Will 'newspapers' like the National Enquirer pay big bucks for exclusive photos? You betcha.

Just think, she's still plenty young enough to have several dozen more. This is America. She only TIED the record for multiple births. She can do better than that! Maybe The Guinness Book of World Records will arrange for live video coverage of Nadya's World Record Birthing Attempt! Nine? No. Ten. Hogwash. A Baker's dozen! 13!

Does Nadya not care about personal responsibility? What about a sense of social responsibility? Why employ extra-ordinary medical methods to add 14 children to an already overpopulated planet? What will young girls think when they read about the publicity and riches that will undoubtedly be showered upon Nadya? Positive role model, huh?

Let's hope that these 14 children can adapt to this bizarre situation, and live healthy, happy, well-adjusted lives. Unlike their mother.