Permaculture Blog

Hong Kong has voted to ban the trade of ivory in a landmark decision after years of campaigning. Politicians voted in favour of amending an existing law to outlaw sales of ivory in the Chinese territory by 2021. The proposal also includes significantly stiffer penalties for the smuggling of ivory and other highly endangered species to deter black market sales.  Researchers say Hong Kong is the world’s largest ivory market. 

Source: Hong Kong bans ivory sales

Quote The proposal also includes significantly stiffer penalties for the smuggling of ivory and other highly endangered species Endquote

YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAAA
rhinos, black bears, and other endangered animals too.

Mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) associate with various disease states. A few mtDNA mutations strongly associate with diabetes, with the most common mutation being the A3243G mutation in the mitochondrial DNA-encoded tRNA( Leu , UUR ) gene.

((snip))

The molecular mechanism by which the A3243G mutation affects insulin secretion may involve an attenuation of cytosolic ADP/ATP levels leading to a resetting of the glucose sensor in the pancreatic β-cell((snip)). The origin of the age-dependent deterioration of pancreatic function in carriers of the A3243G mutation and the contribution of ATP and other mitochondrion-derived factors such as reactive oxygen species to the development of diabetes is discussed.

Source: Mitochondrial Diabetes

Very cool article. A friend of mine was asking me about type 2 diabetes and estrogen receptors.
And in trying to find her more information I stumbled across a variety of subjects and ultimately this paper.

It was particularly interesting to me because my wife had passed away from a medical condition that was at the time was thought to be a mitochondrial disease. With my microbiology background this both tore and fascinated me.

As I have pointed out in other posts blog post1 post2 it is likely if not probable that glyphosate the active ingredient in Roundup could be playing a role in America’s ongoing difficulties with type 2 diabetes. My friends poisons even “organic” / “green” / “natural” /etc, that are designed to kill other life-forms are probably not the best way of approaching the world.

The best to you all
Bob

Biology is soooo cool.

I still want a painting of a “Bird-of-Paradise” feathered Triceratops — dancing. ☺

A duck-sized dinosaur found in China had a head and chest covered in shiny feathers similar to those seen on hummingbirds. The creature has been named Caihong juji, meaning “rainbow with the big crest” in Mandarin. When palaeontologists analysed a fossil of the dinosaur, first discovered by a farmer in northeastern China, they found evidence of brightly-coloured plumage.

Source: ‘Rainbow’ dinosaur that had shiny, colourful feathers like a hummingbird discovered

The Rev. Bill Freeman

“snip>
Perhaps you think about other homeless people during this holiday season, the homeless people we see in and around Menifee. Some cities, including Menifee, said they have a solution for homelessness. It’s called “Responsible Compassion.”

Proponents of “Responsible Compassion” said people shouldn’t give homeless people food, water, clothing or money; rather they should refer them to the proper agency or let them fend for themselves, and they’ll stop being homeless.

A church in Malibu, which gave out 100 meals a day a couple of days a week to homeless people and others at their soup kitchen, has been asked by the city to stop offering that ministry under the guise of “Responsible Compassion.” The theory being that by feeding homeless people they’re enabling them to remain homeless, and perhaps they’re enabling them to remain in Malibu, rather than moving on to another city. The church is complying with the city’s request.

So what are homeless people supposed to do in Malibu? Or in Menifee? Pick themselves up by their bootstraps? What if they don’t have boots? Is helping homeless people enabling them to remain homeless or enabling them to remain alive?

It seems to me that “Responsible Compassion” is neither responsible nor compassionate. And if the ultimate goal – in the event that homeless people aren’t able to fend for themselves – is to get them to move to another city, rather than remaining in Malibu or Menifee that seems particularly heartless.

We’re told that homeless people cost cities like Malibu and Menifee money in increased police and emergency responses. Granted it would be nice if Malibu and Menifee could be like Mayberry, the 1950s fictional town on the old Andy Griffith show, where the town drunk, Otis, would let himself into the jail each night to sleep it off. But this isn’t the 1950s; this is the 21st century, where cities have to deal with homeless people who face unemployment, addiction and mental health issues.

It reminds me of a sign I saw in a store once. It said, “Customers are not an interruption of our business; they are the purpose of it.” In the same way, helping homeless people is not a burden for cities like Malibu and Menifee; helping homeless people is part of the reason the cities exist.

So my church will continue to give food, water, clothing and money to people in need, including homeless people. If we didn’t, we’d have to stop calling ourselves a church. Because to do any less, I believe, would be neither responsible nor compassionate.

Bill Freeman is the senior minister at Menifee United Church of Christ

Exactly San Diego.

We take homeless animals and give them food, water, a warm dry bed and treat them better then we do homeless humans.

Bob

www.liberationnews.org/indigenous-lead-struggle-to-defend-wetlands-in-long-beach-2/ PuraVidaAquatic.com (310)429-8477

You think??http://www.care2.com/causes/neonicotinoids-may-harm-migratory-songbirds-too.html
The researchers note:

The specific under-lying neuronal mechanisms of long-distance migration are largely unknown but it is possible that neurotoxic insecticides that disrupt acetylcholine transmission could have effects on cognitive and motor functions that play important roles in refueling, orientation and navigation

And if you don’t even care about the songbirds and only care about yourself; regularly new types of human brain cells are identified. How is it possible to understand the effect of these neurotoxic compounds on the human brain cells that haven’t even yet been identified?
PuraVidaAquatic.com

I saw a recent post on Facebook where the poster cried that “they” continue to spray despite the safety concerns, and I responded:

The problem with pesticides in America is there is no one who is not exposed. There is substantial pesticide creep into our national parks.
www.google.com/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/38463-pesticides-frogs-california-national-parks.html
The cigarette companies successfully fought anti-smoking regulations for years– even with the scientific and statistical ability to compare smokers with non-smokers. The chemical pesticide industry doesn’t even have to defend against that kind of scientific analysis.
There is nowhere in the western world where you are not exposed to thousands of different chemical pesticides.
I have been advocating for a while for a pesticide free boundary around our national parks. A 5-mile exclusion Zone say. Where the use of any pesticide or chemical designed to be biologically toxic would be prohibited. People concerned about all these toxins could move into those regions. And additionally, it would generate a buffer around our most valuable resources our national parks.
Best to everyone
PuraVidaAquatic.com

By: Heather Williams
The study analyzed 198 honey samples from different hives across the world. A staggering 75% of all samples tested contained at least one of the five compounds of interest. Acetamiprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam. Almost half of the honey samples contained two or more of the tested compounds (at 45%). An astounding 10% of the honey samples tested contained four or five of the compounds.

Source: The Unlisted Ingredient in Your Honey: The Impact of Pesticides in Bees and Humans – Unsafe Foods

The combination of four and five pesticides is definitely worrisome. As little as many of these things have actually been tested, combinations of pesticides are unlikely to have been tested at all.
Hang in there my friends.

Answer: The area that was planted with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) world wide in 2014.

You’re not going to stop the planting, production, and development of GMOs. There is just too much money involved already. The horse is already out of the barn. But we can do something about the amount of pesticides and herbicides being sprayed on those crops. Pay attention to reports of residue being found in food, textiles, and water resouces.

Source: Ballona Institute: Environmental Leaders Blast State Plans for Los Angeles Coast’s Ballona Wetlands

My opinon:
The government’s long-term goal for this land is to monetize it in any way possible.