Unfriendly TSA: Invasive in Seattle

I just got through the TSA screeners at the Sea-Tac Airport. I am very, very upset with the service of the TSA employees. Is this really necessary?

As I approached the screener today, I had made up my mind that I was going to opt out of going through the X-RAY machine. There are three purposes for my decision:

1. PRIVACY - Have you seen the images that are taken by those x-ray machines? They take a snapshot of your body in the NUDE. I have no shame when it comes to my body. I really don't. If it were up to me, I would never wear a bra or tshirt again in my life because I prefer being in a lavalava than being fully clothed. The issue with me is that none of the TSA workers or the Feds need to see any of it. This is my body and I prefer that strangers NOT be allowed to view it without my permission.

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2. HEALTH - Who knows what kind of x-ray radiation our bodies are being subjected to by going through the machine? Even at the dentist you have to wear protective gear when they x-ray your mouth. They stuff all that cotton in your mouth then put that hard cardboard thing in too. Then they put that heavy blue apron on you before they snap the picture. Even the technician has to stand behind a partition when they do the x-ray'ing. With that being said, why would I want to subject myself to that type of radiation?

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3. POLITICAL DEFIANCE - The final reason is that I am not a political pawn to be used to justify the use of taxpayers dollars to purchase the scanners. The TSA director is purported to have a vested interest in the company that produces the x-ray machine. In other words, he holds stock in the company that will produce and sell the machine to the TSA. If that isn't a conflict of interest, I don't know what is! He has also been quoted as having said that the x-ray machine would not have detected the explosives on the shoe-bomber guy. So once again... why do we need the x-ray  machine? Ugghh!!!

So as I approach the scanner thing I politely tell the woman screener, "Ma'am, I'd prefer to be pat down instead of going through the scanner."

She yells to someone off in the distance, "We have an opt-out." She points to a specific place for me to stand to wait for someone to do the pat down.

I have to point out that the gentleman two people in front of me was not thrilled with the process. He had not taken off his shoes or his belt. He was giving the TSA screener a hard time. I felt his annoyance with the TSA workers because they were very rude. As the man is beginning to remove his belt, she yells to the worker on the other side of the xray machine, "This guy is giving me a hard time." Okay -- embarrassing and very unprofessional even if it's true. Just because someone works for a pseudo-government agency doesn't give them a pass to be an ass.

Annoyed man enters xray machine. This extremely round man on the other end begins to bark out instructions to the man. Okay -- once again, embarrassing and very unprofessional.

Another guy follows the annoyed man and everything goes off without a hitch. Of course it does -- compliance is always the easiest route, right? Is it? Is compliance easier, rather, is compliance more important than PRIVACY, HEALTH, and REFUSAL TO SUBMIT TO UNFAIR PRACTICES? At what point is enough, enough?

So there I am standing at the appointed location to await my pat down. Husband is right behind me and he opts out as well. The very young woman behind him opts out also. So there we three are awaiting our pat down. I agree with all the people who say that these invasive practices are in violation of the 4th Amendment. As a refresher, the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States (it was included in the original Bill of Rights) says:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Everyone complies with this "unreasonable searches and seizures" under the guise that this will protect us from the terrorists. The topic of terrorists could take this post into another discussion but I will reserve that for future examination and remain with the topic at hand.

As I'm standing there in the appointed position, a woman in the other line is attempting to get through. She has a very young baby in tow. He could have possibly been about 9 months. Her diaper bag is, of course, full of stuff for the baby from formula to baby food and the male TSA worker is giving her the hardest time about ziplocs and appropriate ounces. As she attempts to walk through the scanner, a female worker comes from behind and tells her that she has to remove the baby from her person and walk through the scanner. The mother tells the worker, "Are you going to carry my baby? I am traveling alone." I reach over and offer to carry the baby. The TSA woman comes over quickly and grabs the baby, tells the mother that she has to put the baby on the stainless steel table while she walks through the scanner. Really? Terrible!

As I am watching this whole scene unfold, the woman that will pat me down finally retrieves me. I must tell you that the 'pat-down' is very, very INVASIVE. If I were lesbian, the groping she did might have done something to me. It was THAT invasive. On top of that, they do it right there in front of the ENTIRE crowd of people waiting to come through the gate. The worker feels every inch of my body and it is NOT a pat down and more like a FEEL DOWN. Husband is getting the treatment next to me from a male worker.

After the gloved feel down, the worker then do a swab down of our clothing with this large cotton pad. They wiped both husband and I with the swabs then put it into this machine. The machine came back with no interesting results so I am free to dress and head to my gate while my husband's swab comes back POSITIVE for explosive material. Really? We were together all day. How is mine negative and his POSITIVE? hmmm... sounds random to me!

Two male workers take husband into a private area and question him. I can hear them.

"Where were you today?"
"Have you been in contact with anyone...?"

It was nonsense! When husband came out he told me that they did an even more invasive feel down in the private area. As a U.S. citizen, why is this ok? Innocent until proven guilty or are we all guilty to begin with?

I am going to let my the congress people in Washington D.C. know about how I feel about this. One voice can turn into many if more people would care more about their rights and less about willful obedience. All the young people are revolting around the world, upset with the powers in their governments. And here is America, with the most powerful military on the planet and the most apathetic, indifferent citizenship in the world.

We are laden with rights endowed from our Creator to force the government to obey its citizens or revolt until they do.

REVOLUTION!

Why Fluoride Worries Me

In a previous post I touched on the subject of fluoride. I felt like I had to go further into it so that you, the reader, can understand my stance on the subject. I really, truly am endeavoring to be the most healthy I can be. I want to honor my body and the beautiful temple that has been gifted to me. The lifestyle changes I've made supports that. From going almost totally veggie to including a daily workout, really contributes to a more healthy lifestyle... one that is about longevity and quality of life.

Fluoride was used in Nazi concentration camps for mind control experiments. They fluoridated the water to be ingested by their prisoners. Believe it or not! Glen Yeadon, author of Hydra in America: Supressed History of a Century, "fluoride was added to drinking water in the prisoner of war camps to take away their will to resist." Is it any wonder that the United States is full of so much apathy? In the book, Water: The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life, it relates the following:

Adolf Hitler sought a means to make people docile and suggestible. He discovered that odorless sodium fluoride slowly poisons and makes dormant the small tissue in the brain's left rear occipital lobe that normally helps a person resist domination. Fluoride allows muscles to move one way, but not relax. In large doses fluoride can cause paralysis and death. [1]

I'm happy to say that Hawai'i is one of the very few states that does not have fluoridated water. If you live there, you must fight the use of fluoride in your water at ALL COSTS! If you live in a state that has fluoridated, chlorinated water (which is everywhere else) -- get a filter immediately or switch to drinking reverse-osmosis filtered water. Here is a list I found on fluoridated water, by state. Washington DC is 100% fluoridated. What an indicator of the forced compliance of politicians to the will of the big corporations. Hawai'i ranks 49th, with Utah at #50 being almost totally free of fluoride.

Another interesting point of view from Water: The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life.

At first, industry could dispose of fluoride legally only in small amounts by selling it to insecticide and rat poison manufacturers. Then a commercial outlet was devised in the mid 1930s when a connection was made between a water supply bearing traces of natural fluoride and lower rates of tooth decay. Even after this connection was proven erroneous, it became a political, not a scientific issue! Many opponents originally started out as proponents, but changed their minds after closer looks at mounting evidence. They started viewing it as a capitalist-style con job of epic proportions poured down their American throats. [1]

Quick Facts

Fluoride is found in sarin nerve gas - the stuff that was released in the Japanese subway train tragedy a couple years ago.

Fluoride is found in Prozac - the stuff prescribed to people with "nerve" issues.

98% of Western Europe has chosen fluoride-free water.

There is so much information out there regarding fluoride. These are just a few "scary" facts but are a great introduction to why fluoride worries me. This all sounds so academic and that is not the note I'd like to end on. Deep, down inside, in the gut, in the na'au, at the seat of the soul is pure intelligence which will tell you what's right for you. Quieting the mind and blocking out all the indoctrination is essential!

I speak from experience in saying that I have not used fluoridated products in years and my teeth are more healthy than when I did use fluoride. The bone and calcium inside the teeth are much more healthy now. The density has increased rather than deteriorated. That is my experience. Hopefully, you'll make the decision to be fluoride-free also and have your own experiences to share.

Source
[1] Bragg, Patricia & Bragg, Paul C. Water: The Shocking Truth That Can Save Your Life. Health Science. 2004. California.

Photo Credit

Out With the Junk... LITERALLY!

I'm tired of reading everyone else's epiphanies about 2009 and goals for 2010 so I will forego all of that. I was getting pretty tired of reading all the Happy New Year status updates on FaceBook and am quite happy that 2010 is finally here.

Husband and I are getting ready to move into our apartment. We've been hangin' with husbands family for the past three months and "temperatures are rising", even in the midst of winter. Our super-healthy-eating got pushed to the back burner and I am so longing to be in my own kitchen again. I need to control what is stocked in our pantry, thus making it easier to control what goes in my belly. Seriously! I'm anxious and excited to have healthy fare again. My body can feel the difference.

First on my agenda, after we move in, is to do a cleanse. There are several ways to achieve a cleanse. The most effective one for me has been Dr. Natura.

Dr. Natura - This cleanse is assisted by psyllium husk drinks. It's like Metamucil on steroids. I have tried other brands of psyllium husk but it doesn't quite compare to Dr. Natura's concoction. Before you click on the link, I must warn you that it is VERY graphic. I purchased this product for the first time in November 2008. I was totally disbelieving the pictures on the website. Can I tell you that those pictures are absolutely REAL?! I experienced the SAME results! I even took pictures of it as proof but quickly deleted them because who cares about how excited I am about my own poo?

Everything that is claimed on the website is FACT. At least, for me it is. I lost an easy ten pounds within the first couple of weeks. I had more energy. My skin got really clear. I lost all food cravings. I felt amazing! FYI: This is my independent opinion! They're not paying me for this. (I wish they were.)

This is not a total detoxification program. The basic program I got was a colon cleanse. Dr. Natura does offer detox products as well. I will be purchasing them this time around. This past August, I removed all the amalgamams from my mouth. These are the standard, silver fillings. These are filled with mercury and that is VERRRRRY bad for your health. They never tell you that when they're putting them in and more than likely parents have no idea how bad it is to the body. Anybody that took basic biology in high school can understand the osmosis process and how mercury can enter your blood stream. Totally different subject but definitely one of the reasons why I'll be doing a cleanse and a detox from Dr. Natura.

Another bad thing about the dentist, I just have to get this in here, is their promotion of FLUORIDE. This DRUG FACT you see pictured here are required by the FDA. This means that there is something in the item that is harmful to the human body. You can find these warnings on many common, household items like peroxide, Nyquil, even anti-perspirant deodorant.

Aluminum is added to an anti-perspirant to stop a natural process, perspiration. This process is essential to the body. Perspiration helps get rid of toxins and helps keep the body cool. Why would anyone, in their right mind, want to stop a function that God made? Also, aluminum enters your body by osmosis when you use anti-perspirants. We live in such a twisted world! (I soooo digressed) I want you to pay close attention to these labels. In fact, go check your toothpaste label right now and contact the Poison Control Center if you've ingested any of it. FLUORIDE IS BAD, BAD, BAD! I switched to an herbal toothpaste back in 2003 and have not had a cavity even though I tossed the fluoridated toothpaste out with the garbage.

Anyway, this post is about the colon cleanse. Dr. Natura is my favorite. I highly suggest it if you're interested in cleaning out your colon. Good stuff.

What's In Your Belly?

We are on the brink of the DVD release of Food, Inc. For those who can't wait for its release.

I have casually mentioned in previous posts that I have sworn off meat. This phase in my life is fairly new, as husband and I went totally veggie in March of this year. It has been quite a journey, a very worthy journey. We've had to tweek our menu and change it up to re-include organic meat because we desperately needed the protein. Soy, thanks to the Monsanto corporation, is almost TOTALLY genetically modified. Thus, we've kicked the soy habit also. I find it alarming that amongst the industrialized nations of the world, America DOES NOT require labelling of genetically modified foods.

The majority of the papaya in Hawai'i is genetically modified. This caused quite a stir in the 80's and 90's when Japan refused to import any papaya grown in Hawai'i. Japan has still not approved GMO papaya for sale in their country. Egypt, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, India, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Algeria, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Norway, England, Italy are all amongst the nations of the world that require some type of labelling of genetically modified or engineered foods.[1] If you're unfamiliar with the debate, I suggest you start to become familiar with it if you're at all concerned with the future of your food. Coincidentally, The Future of Food is the title of an excellent documentary detailing the predicament of modified foods and the corporations responsible for its proliferation.

The husband and I have become quite concerned with our health in the past couple of years. At a routine physical, my blood-sugar was elevated at 123. That isn't an alarmingly high number yet my doctor was quick to insist that I immediately begin medication. Me being a total sceptic of clinical medicine decided against it. My husband was nearing the 300 lb mark and I was following right behind him. At his routine physical, he found his bad cholestorol to be elevated. After finding out all this information, we began researching how we would be able to increase the quality of the life we were living.

What we found is that the foundation of good health is FOOD. Everything the body needs to be healthy can be found in FOOD. There is nothing a pill can do that can't be done better with food! The side effect of good, healthy, organically raised food is GOOD HEALTH. How profound is that! How simple and yet so radical in today's market-driven economy. The necessary nutrients and vitamins to make our body work at maximum efficiency can be found in fruits and vegetables. All the disease of the modern day, essentially, begins with what we put in our mouths for sustenance.

THE COW

Lets take factory raised cows as an example of how toxins enter our food supply and how big corporations drive the demand. Cows are a major source of the food supply in America. We eat the meat, we use the hide, we milk them for butter, cream, cheese, and a host of dairy products. Thanks to Monsanto, the rbgh hormone entered the milk and dairy supply. It synthetically replicated a natural hormone found in cows to increase each cows milk yield.[2] Pfizer, Fort Dodge a Division of Wyeth, Intervet are among the largest manufacturers of vaccines for cattle.[3] At two months of age, a calf is vaccinated. The synthetic hormone, the vaccine enters your food supply if you so choose to consume beef or dairy. The side effects of the hormone on the cow and consequently on humans is absolutely diabolical.

Other things to think about in relation to cow product consumption: Cows milk has enough fat and calcium to progress a newborn calf to an adult within a year. What kind of effect does that have on the human body? While we're questioning that, what other species in the animal world relies on another animal for nourishment? Even at the beginning of human life, we become consumers of the dairy industry. Baby formula is either dairy or soy based. Monsanto has its hands in both the dairy industry and the soy industry. (Even though Monsanto started out as a chemical manufacturer.)

Majority of non-organic cattle are corn-fed to make them fatter, quicker. Corn cannot be digested properly by cattle and as a side effect their body becomes the ideal petrie dish for the e.coli bacteria. Cattle are not genetically wired to handle corn. I haven't asked a cow lately but according to cattle farmers, cows prefer to eat grass. Organically grown cattle are free range, grass eaters. They are not kept in closed quarters, in the dark, standing in their own feces, day in and day out. So here we have it, the cattle industry relies on the production of corn as feed for their cattle. And who owns several patents on corn seed? You guessed it! Monsanto! We could also discuss the corn industry as well but we'll save that for another post. (It deserves one of its own.)

I could go on and on about this subject. I used the example of the cow but you see how so many of the big corporations are all in bed with each other. From vaccinations to chemical growth hormones. They all seem to find their way onto your plate and into your body. The final thought on this is that the cattle ranchers and big business are not in the market to make you healthy. Their objective is to consistently turn a profit. In Capitalistic America, money greases the axle that spins the world. (My ex-husband used to say that to me often.)

MY CONCLUSION
To tie this all together, my personal journey began with an interest in how to make my body as healthy as my mind. How can I increase my quality of life not just in the present moment but in the future? It has led me down this road toward enlightenment. My husband has dropped 50 pounds and counting. I've released 25 pounds and counting. We run and are not weary! I hope you begin your journey also. Soon!

If the economics of purchasing organic food is not an option for you now then you are choosing a future of dis-ease, disease. Even if you begin by replacing 10% of your food consumption with healthier fare, you're starting to free yourself from the chains placed on you by the big corporations. Change the trends in the industry by changing how you spend your money. The big corporations will follow suit. If you are spending more of your money on organic, non-GMO food then the food industry will begin to spend more money developing ways to bring this food to you.

Peace be with you on this journey of balancing your life and finding true health in natural, organic food.



Works Cited:
[1] http://www.citizen.org/documents/GMObackgrndr.pdf ; Downloaded and viewed on 11 November 2009
[2] http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/bgh.htm ; Viewed on 11 November 2009
[3] http://www.qualitysupply.com/index.asp/fuseaction/livestock.vaccines ; Viewed on 11 November 2009

Photo Credit:
Cow