What the BARONS of big money do not want you to know

By Cynthia A. Janak

With the onset of rising fuel prices, rising costs of goods and services, more record breaking profits and news reports dooming us because of global warming, here are some items of interest that would break the back of the big business barons who are doing everything in their power to hobble us.

My first focus will be on wind energy production.

One of the main reasons why it has not caught on in the United States of America is because of a problem with noise. This noise is caused when the blade passes the tower and creates a rhythmical thumping sound. This sound can be heard even at low wind speeds. It has been found to be more of a problem at night because there is less background noise. In the study that I read the thumping could be heard a mile from the turbine.

http://www.ref.org.uk/images/pdfs/Press_Release_20.09.04.pdf

Also, I do not know of any incentives for the private citizen to install a wind turbine. But our government will fund big business in their R & D for wind farms. What is wrong with this picture?

I am going to tell you about a wind turbine that has the name of "Hush Turbine." From what I have read this new innovative design won the People's Choice Award for the best invention at the Watts 'n' Drops expo, September of 2005, in Sidney, Australia.

Here is an excerpt from the April-June 2006, ReNew magazine, Issue 95.

UNIQUE DESIGN
Arthur's wind turbine is designed to run at relatively low speeds compared to conventional horizontal axis turbines. Because of this, and the use of an annular ring that joins the tips of the many angled blades, the turbine is virtually silent. It is also capable of being accurately balanced to minimize vibration, and the blade design can make much better use of turbulent air than standard two- and three-blade turbines.

PERFORMANCE
A five metre (16.4 foot) diameter Hush turbine was fitted to an 18 metre (59 foot) tower in Diggers Rest in September 2003. This turbine produces enough energy to run several homes or a small factory.

http://www.ata.org.au/wp-content/articles/95_hush_turbine.pdf

Unlike the 2 and 3 blade turbines, this turbine configuration will pose less risk to birds due to the semi-solid appearance of the rotor when the blades are rotating.

The inventor of this turbine is now in the manufacturing phase and plans rollout of the turbine in September of 2007. I hope he considers building a plant in the United States for our use. I would like to have one in my backyard.

Let us go on to solar energy.

The picture at the left shows us the typical solar cell array. It is large, expensive and, in my opinion, just not practical. This is what "How Stuff Works" had to say.

http://www.howstuffworks.com/solar-cell7.htm

"...quite a bit of hardware is needed. Currently, an installed PV system will cost somewhere around $9 per peak Watt. To give you an idea of how much a house system would cost, let's consider the Solar House — a model residential home in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a PV system set up by the North Carolina Solar Center to demonstrate the technology. It's a fairly small home, and it is estimated that its 3.6-kW PV system covers about half of the total electricity needs (this system doesn't use batteries — it's connected to the grid). Even so, at $9 per Watt, this installed system would cost you around $32,000."

Like I said, not practical for the average home owner.

I did find a company that will make the big solar panels a thing of the past. It is innovative and very versatile in the uses for this new technology.

The name of the company is Konarka. It is located in Lowell, MA. What this company had developed is light-activated Power Plastic TM . http://www.konarka.com/

What is Power Plastic TM ? It is "flexible, lightweight, lower in cost and much more versatile in application than traditional silicon-based solar cells."

This product is not available to the public but it is available to industry. This is what Konarka has to say. "delivers compelling value to consumers by extending and enhancing the functionality of existing devices, systems and structures. Rather than undertaking an installation project, consumers could simply purchase existing products that feature a new, valuable functionality. With integrated power... building can be self-sufficient energy generators without making aesthetic sacrifices. ...the power of design is enhanced, not undermined."

Below is a nice picture of applications for this technology. It has far reaching abilities in what it can be used for. I like the part that it can be used in toys. I would love to never replace batteries in my grand children's toys. What a wonderful thing especially around Christmas time.


The other thing that I noticed was the applications that would be available to the municipalities. They would be able to lower their reliance on the grid to power traffic signals, street lights and if this technology can be incorporated into the municipality's buildings it would lower the budget costs for building maintenance. It could also lower the maintenance cost of stringing wiring and maintaining the wiring when a severe storm hits an area.

On a personal level, let's say you need new shingles on your roof or you want to put awnings on your home. You would need to find a manufacturer that has this product integrated within the shingles or awnings. This is a great concept. But will this technology make the product that you buy cost effective?

According to Konarka, "Konarka's manufacturing process enables production to scale easily and results in significantly reduced costs over previous generations of solar cells. The process is environment-friendly and does not expose the materials to harmful high temperatures. Another significant advantage is that it does not require the invention of a new factory to do this — instead it can use existing coating and printing machines and technologies."

"Konarka's polymer photovoltaic materials are manufactured in a continuous roll-to-roll process that is significantly less expensive and capital intensive than the multi-step assembly of traditional solar cells. This proven process, similar to making photo-graphic film, is simple, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, replicable and scalable."

There is only one problem and that is finding a company that has this technology integrated in their product line. I did a web search and did not find any commercial applications. I did find articles stating that the U.S. Army and U.S. Airforce are using this product because of the versatile nature of the Power Plastic TM .

The way I look at this is that if the military sees the value behind this product, companies that manufacture products for domestic use should not be far behind. My thought is that if the public creates a demand for this technology maybe it would spur business to incorporate it faster.

My opinion is that this would just be another product that would lower our reliance on foreign oil. It would also create a more self-sustaining home environment for people around the world. It would not matter where they are located. Can you imagine some remote village in Africa using this technology and having electricity for the first time to power a pump to bring water up to the surface? I can.

Now getting away from wind and solar energy, this technology can revolutionize the early detection of breast cancer.

This one is my favorite. FLIR (forward looking infrared) systems.

http://www.flirthermography.com/media/articles/medical_infrared_thermal.asp

I never understood the reasoning behind smashing and radiating the breast every year to diagnose breast cancer. Being a lay person, it is my thought that radiation focused on one part of the body would damage cells even minutely. I am not a scientist so I am going to ask these questions because I would like to know. Wouldn't there be a build up of radiation or does the radiation dissipate over time and how long does that take? If you compress the breast and there is a tumor present couldn't the compression rupture the tumor and cause cancer cells to invade other parts of the body? I would love to have a medical professional answer these questions because it will help in the understanding of mammography and its importance.

Now back to this technology.

This technology has been around since 1982 when the FDA approved it. It also states on the web site that:

"and it has been recognized as a viable diagnostic tool since 1987 by the AMA council on Scientific Affairs, the ACA Council on Diagnostic Imaging and the Congress of Neuro-Surgeons since 1988, and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation since 1990. Research indicates that it is extremely effective in diagnosing most types of back, neck, and limb pain, especially latent or intractable types of pain syndromes."

I am impressed with these credentials. As I read the rest of the article I became in awe of this technology. It surprised me that this technology can detect the presence of conditions that are the precursors to breast cancer which are vascular changes and increase in temperature because of the changes. Here is an example.

This 35 year-old patient (above) had a normal mammogram the month prior to examination with a thermal imager. Armed with a diagnostic report that indicated severely abnormal findings in the right breast, the patient requested a biopsy and discovered Stage I cancer with a 1cm lump, a second smaller lump, and lymph node involvement. Chemotherapy was initiated. (Note two abnormal thermal image findings consistent with cancer: vascular signs of neoangiogenesis, shown in grayscale, and abnormally-high temperatures, shown in color.)

Wow. While I was reading the article there was one thought I had. What, if any, studies were done since the FDA approval? I am going to quote again from the web site because I do not feel that I would be able to do justice to this technology by condensing the information. Hey, at least I am honest.

"Thermal imaging studies of the breast have been researched for over 30 years, and over 800 peer-reviewed studies exist in the index-medicus. Over 3,000 articles are accessible through MedLine. Over 300,000 women have been included as study participants, with many studies including 37,000 to 118,000 women. Some of these studies have followed patients up to 12 years.

Studies show that:

• Thermal imaging of the breasts has an average sensitivity and specificity of 90%.
  
  
• An abnormal infrared image is the single most important marker of high risk for developing breast cancer, 8 times more significant than a first order family history of the disease.
  
  
• A persistent abnormal thermogram carries with it a 22x higher risk of future breast cancer.
  
  
• When added to a woman's regular breast health checkups, a 61% increased survival rate has been realized.
  
  
• Finally, when used as part of a multimodal approach (clinical examination + mammography + infrared imaging) 95% of early stage cancers will be detected.
  
  

In the absence of other positive tests, an abnormal picture obtained with a thermal imager gives a woman early warning and the need for intervention, or change in lifestyle, diet, or other breast health factors. With close monitoring and serial thermal imaging, a woman can monitor breast health and has a much better chance of detecting cancer at its earliest stage and preventing invasive tumor growth."

Ladies, this is a must read. The information about this non — invasive technology is an eye opener. At the beginning of this article it does state that it is 100% safe and highly accurate. We no longer need to suffer with the cold hands of an x-ray tech or the pain of smashing our breasts in a viselike system.

I do have to say one thing. I am not suggesting that this is to take the place of a mammogram but I feel it can be used as the precursor to the use of the mammogram and would save more women from having biopsies before it is needed. This is my opinion and you need to do what is best for you. Also, at the bottom of the page there is a disclaimer. Please read it.

Now, on to other innovative technologies of a more vain nature.

One of the market trends is anti-aging and how we can age more gracefully. More men are going to salons to get their hair cut a certain way and to even get facials to look younger. I think this is a great thing. My reasoning for this is that we are living longer and finally it is becoming important to the individual their overall physical health. I look at it as live better, longer. Now, about this company.

The company is called NuSkin Enterprises. This company is publicly traded (NUS).

I am going to limit my focus here to two divisions of this company. The first is the NuSkin division. What they have are two innovative technologies, the ProDerm™ skin analyzer and the Galvanic Spa. These two technologies have brought skin care to a new level. Let me start with the ProDerm.

The Nu Skin ProDerm™ Skin Analyzer takes a measurable approach to skin care, revealing what your mirror and best friend can't. Developed by combining the worlds of pattern recognition science, optical imaging, and dermatology, this portable tool provides a scientific assessment of skin and skin care.

One of the questions I had about this technology when I first heard about it was in regards to "pattern recognition science." At first I did not truly understand how this pertained to the skin. This is what I found out.

A ProDerm analysis consists of taking a series of six images directly on the face. The software then uses a proprietary P.O.D. technology to map variances in the skin around four attributes: Lines & Wrinkles, texture, pore size and discoloration.

http://www.nuskin.com/intercom/editorial.do?contentId=us.ns.news.proderm

How ProDerm Works
ProDerm™ consists of two cameras, an internal computer system and proprietary software to analyze images of the skin. The first camera takes customer identification photos. The second camera optimally illuminates the skin with programmed LEDs, and captures six separate images of specific skin attributes including discoloration, lines and wrinkles, texture, and pore size. ProDerm™ then analyzes each attribute and displays the results with a bar graph, showing current levels and opportunity for improvement.

"The Nu Skin® ProDerm™ Skin Analyzer uses our proprietary software to convert the images into quantifiable data," said Bush. "The program calculates the difference between the outcome for each attribute and one's ideal skin potential. It's like a skin report card. "

The Nu Skin® ProDerm™ Skin Analyzer was developed by the company's research and development team in partnership with leading image analysis and skin care experts, including Dr. Zoe Draelos, M.D. , a practicing, board-certified dermatologist and clinical associate professor of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.

"In determining what ProDerm™ should measure, I felt strongly it should be the same skin attributes that I look for in my patients," said Dr. Draelos. "When determining how to best improve the appearance of an individual's skin, I specifically look at discoloration, lines and wrinkles, texture, and pore size. The Nu Skin® ProDerm™ Skin Analyzer scientifically assesses those same skin attributes that are considered important by dermatologists."

I have tried this technology and was amazed at the results. This technology really does what it claims to do.

Now the Galvanic spa. This is another interesting piece of technology.

http://spabeautyathome.com/gs.html

This multi-armed machine is what is in use at salons today. Here is a little history behind the galvanic current.

Luigi Galvani, in 1789, was the first to use electric currents in experiments regarding the muscles. His celebrated theory of animal electricity he enunciated in a treatise, "De viribus electricitatis in motu musculari commentarius," published in the 7th volume of the memoirs of the Institute of Sciences at Bologna in 1791. Today the galvanic current is used for cosmetic purposes to facilitate the delivery of beneficial ingredients to the skin.

Wow, what technology can do today. The picture on the left shows you what NuSkin has done with technology. Look at this little hand held device. From everything that I have read, this has the same functionality as the multi-armed machine.

What impressed me the most about this technology were the before and after pictures. The difference was amazing. Take a look for yourself.

http://spabeautyathome.com/ba.html

More information about the technology behind this can be found at http://www.nuskin.com/corp/index.shtml

The Pharmanex division deals with supplementation. What impressed me was the technology that was invented by the University of Utah. That is called the BioPhotonic scanner. This technology measures your anti-oxidant levels without drawing blood. Also, this technology has won the Stevie Award in 2005.

What is the Scanner?
It's a revolutionary tool developed by Pharmanex to measure the carotenoid antioxidant levels in your skin and prove the effectiveness of your supplements in improving your overall antioxidant health.

What does the Scanner do?
Place the palm of your hand in front of the Scanner's safe, low-energy blue light laser and you will obtain an immediate reading of the carotenoid antioxidant levels in your skin — your Skin Carotenoid Score.

Why should I be scanned?
By measuring the stable level of carotenoid antioxidants in your skin and generating your Skin Carotenoid Score, the Scanner provides a more accurate and reliable biomarker of your overall antioxidant health status than other methods of measuring antioxidants.

Getting your Skin Carotenoid Score makes you aware of the antioxidant levels in your body and gives you the push you need to improve your overall antioxidant health.

http://www.pharmanex.com/intercom/editorial.do?contentId=us.px.scanner.overview

As I have written about my parents in past articles, health is of a major importance to me. This technology is going to revolutionalize the way we look at our health. My hope is that this will make health a more important part of our daily lives. Better yet, would be changes in our lifestyles as to our diet. I would love to see obesity and childhood diabetes disappear off the face of the earth.

The funny thing about this is that there are dog food commercials that say that they are rich in antioxidants which improve your dog's immune system. The first time I heard that I nearly fell off my chair I thought it was so funny. I envisioned a pooch putting his paw on the scanner.

But, the bottom line is that it is true. The more fruits and vegetables that you eat the healthier you are. I remember my mother telling me when I was little that I had to eat my vegetables because they were good for me. Well, here is a company that can prove that to be correct. Mother knew best.

Today, August 4th, 2007, I read a Reuters article about our President getting together with other heads of governments to have discussions about reducing greenhouse gases.

Bush calls meeting on global warming Fri Aug 3, 2007 5:40PM EDT

By Matt Spetalnick

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — U.S. President George W. Bush unveiled plans on Friday for global warming talks next month that will bring together the world's biggest polluters to seek agreement on reducing greenhouse gases.

Under pressure for tougher action against climate change, Bush invited the European Union, the United Nations and 11 industrial and developing countries to the September 27-28 meeting in Washington to work toward setting a long-term goal by 2008 to cut emissions.
http://www.Reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSWBT00734620070803

This is a wonderful thing. I am happy that we are finally hearing about something positive from the White House in the reduction of pollution. I am going to tell you about how you can do your part to reduce emissions.

There is a technology that is cheap and will reduce vehicle emissions by 75–90%. It is called the MPG-CAPTM distributed by Fuel Freedom International. http://myffi.biz/

I have been to their web site and read their brochure. Everything that I found there was very interesting and informative. Here are my findings.

What are the MPG-CAPS^TM?

...revolutionary combustion chamber treatment that increase fuel economy.

...consist of 100% active ingredients, with no dilutents or fillers, and are safe to use and handle.

...manufactured in a convenient, easy to use, solid caplet, which you simply drop in your fuel tank prior to fill up.

How do they work?

MPG-CAPSTM technology is a patented combustion chamber treatment. MPG-CAPSTM treat the metal in the combustion chamber by forming what is called a catalyst — a very thin coating — that alters the burning curve of combustion, making fuel burn quicker.

MPG-CAPSTM are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)... #:201220 001

Emissions testing with the use of MPG-CAPSTM have shown reductions of smog producing emissions such as Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide and Nitrogen Oxides. These emissions are harmful to the Earth's atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

This company also states that it will increase your MPG (miles per gallon) by 7–14%. I liked that because what that told me was that I would be buying less gas.

What I did was try this in my own vehicles to see the results for myself. I have to admit that it does work.

In all three of the cars in my household we have seen an increase in mileage. In both of my Saturns (2006 Ion and 2007Vue) we have seen an increase of approximately 30+ miles per tank with local driving and approximately 45+ miles per tank highway driving. In my 1998 Chevy Lumina the engine knocking disappeared and it also gets better mileage. I was happy with this finding because I was looking at either selling this car or getting the valves replaced which is a very costly repair.

There are two other things that I found of interest with this company. The first is the founders vision.

"Our vision is that we provide people with the MPG-CAP™ around the world," says Wendy. "It helps in the savings of ever-rising fuel costs by increasing the miles per gallon and reducing gasoline usage. By doing so, it also reduces the harmful emissions spewed into the environment. If we do reduce our usage and get more miles to the gallon, that actually cuts down as a nation on the importation of foreign oil, which is a serious issue for our country."

"We're not just providing a cost-effective remedy to rising fuel costs," Randy adds. "We're doing this for our kids and grandkids and everybody else's kids. This is the world they live in, we need to protect and maintain it now."

The second thing that I found of interest is that they are located in Altamonte Springs, Florida. This is one of the few companies left that I can say "Made in the US."

A little footnote here, the EPA (U. S. Environmental Protection Agency) does not endorse any product. The registration number just means that there are no harmful ingredients in the MPG-CAPSTM that will harm your vehicle.

As with everything that I wrote about today, I expect you to do your own due diligence and research these technologies. I did and liked what I found but you need to make your own decision.

Sorry folks that this article was so long but there are just so many new technologies out there I had to inform you about only a few of my favorites. There are so many I could probably write a book.

The bottom line is this. We need to make choices in our daily lives and how we are going to lower greenhouse gases. I know what the big business barons are going to say. They are going to say that jobs are going to be lost because we will be eliminating certain jobs. My comment to them is that on one hand some jobs will be lost but on the other hand jobs will be created around the world because of these new technologies.

Let us make a better world for the future generations.

Call your senators and representatives to sponsor bills that would give credits to homeowners for buying and using technology to limit our reliance on foreign oil and coal. Let them know that there are technologies available that, if implemented, will put the United States of America ahead on reducing greenhouse emissions.

We need to do something and that something starts with you.

NOTE: The one hope that I have with this article is that it makes you think about improving your own life and reducing pollution. More importantly, having a healthy society means to me that people will be able to live a longer and happier with their families. I wish I had more time with my mom and dad so I could give them one more hug.

© Cynthia A. Janak