Eleven Reasons Why You and your Family are Poor-and likely to stay Poor

by Alfred Adask

The Wall Street Journal reports in "Five Reasons Why You are Poor" that, according to the Federal Reserve,household net worth rose to $80.6 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2013, up from $70.83 trillion for the same period in 2013-an increase of nearly $10 trillion over the last four quarters-thanks to rising values of homesand U.S. stocks.

Maybe so, but those numbers don't make sense to me.

There are about 120 million households in the US.  If their total net worth is $80 trillion, their average net worth is about $670,000.  I don't know how the Federal Reserve computes average household net worth, but I don't know very many people whose average household net worth is anywhere close to $670,000.  If America's average household net worth were really $670,000-and if that wealth were distributed on a bell curve basis-I can't imagine that we'd have any economic problems at all in this country. There's something wrong and fundamentally misleading about the $80 trillion number the Fed used to describe American total household net worth. . . .

The Wall Street Journal continued to report that "But . . . employee pay as a share of national income has fallen to its lowest levels since 1951.

"Here are five reasons Americans still feel poor:"

"1. Childcare costs surge

"Childcare payments for families with employed mothers rose 50% from 2002 to 2011 and 250% over the last three decades, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. . . .  Family income after taxes and other deductions, meanwhile, rose by just 0.6% . . . ."

  "2. Rent-to-income ratio

"Many young Americans can't afford to save for the down payment for a home, partly because a large portion of their income is being eaten up by rent.  50% of U.S. renters spent more than 30% of their gross income on rent  in 2010, up a record 12% from the 38% of households grappling with such high rent-to-income ratio a decade prior."

"3.  Student loans

"The average cost of tuition and fees at public four-year colleges jumped 27% from 2008 to 2013. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, student loan debt increased $114 billion in 2013 alone to $1.08 trillion. The average college graduate's debt load was $29,400, up roughly 6% a year since 2008. . . . [M]any students can't pay: 11.5% of student loan balances are more than 90 days delinquent (this is the highest rate of delinquency among credit cards, mortgages, auto loans and home-equity loans), according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

"4. Savings

"Top-tier interest rates on savings have fallen from 5.3% in October, 2007 to around 1% today. . . . For those on a fixed income, including many retirees who rely on CDs and other fixed-income investments, this is bad news since low interest rates dramatically reduces their purchasing power. For all Americans, these low interest rates will not outpace inflation.

"5. Wages

"A study by the Economic Policy Institute found that the median worker saw wage growth of just 5% between 1979 [!!!  Note that the dollar became a pure fiat currency in A.D. 1971] and 2012, despite productivity growth of 74.5%. 'The vast majority of U.S. workers-including white-collar and blue-collar workers and those with and without a college degree-have endured more than a decade of wage stagnation.' The Census Bureau found similar wage stagnation with the real median income of $51,017 being virtually unchanged from the late 70s and early 80s.

And I'll offer six more reasons of my own as to why some of you are poor and you and your children are likely to stay poor:

6.   We have a fiat monetary system that violates Article 1 Section 10 Clause 1 of the Constitution of the United States and is sure to eat away at any paper savings that you or your employers might otherwise acquire.

7.  Big government has imposed a mass of regulations on American businesses that cost each household at least $15,000 per year.

8.  Big government, in its infinite wisdom, shipped many American industries and their jobs to third world countries, leaving you with less opportunity to get a good job and a higher probability of becoming a McDonald's hamburger-flipper or a welfare dependent.

9.  Big government has encouraged the invasion of millions of illegal aliens to take some of our remaining jobs, and also depress our wages towards a minimum wage level.

10.  Overall tax rates (local, state, federal and hidden) have increased from 15% in A.D. 1950 to at least 60% today.

11.  Most Americans are still dumb enough to trust big government.

The First Danger of Debt-based Monetary Systems  

by Alfred Adask

There are a number of dangers associated with debt-based monetary systems.

The first danger is that debt is deemed to be form of wealth.  As mad as it seems, under this presumption, the more debt we have, the wealthier we become (or at least appear to become).   The wealthiest people would be those who lend the most currency to others, or at least those who acquire the most debt instruments (intangible promises to pay) rather than tangible assets. 

Under the debt-based monetary system, if you borrow $250,000 to build a new home, the resulting paper-debt instrument (the promissory note to the bank bearing your signature) is deemed to be more valuable than the physical/tangible house that was built by means of that debt instrument (intangible promise to pay). 

Think about that.  Thanks to fractional reserve banking, your signature on your mortgage documents is more valuable that the tangible house the mortgage was used to purchase.

That's because, under fractional reserve banking, banks can use your $250,000 note (promise to pay) as collateral to justify lending up to 10 times as much ($2.5 million) in additional currency to consumers to buy more flat-screen TVs, computers and groceries with their MasterCard or Visa.  Your $250,000 promise to pay can be used to "stimulate" the economy with the creation of up to $2.5 million in additional consumer loans.  As a result, the nation becomes seemingly richer every time someone borrows currency from a bank and signs a promissory note that can be used as collateral. 

*  Fractional reserve banking is not an example of higher economics or more sophisticated finances. It's a brilliant Ponzi-scheme fueled by mere promises to repay debts.  

Most Ponzi-schemes fail because they claim to generate fantastic returns on investments, but actually rely on attracting more customers to invest more assets into the Ponzi-scheme to create the illusion of wealth.   The new customers' deposits are used to pay off the earlier customers' alleged "investments".

For example, so long as Bernie Madoff promised to deliver a 18% to 20% return on investment, he attracted more clients who invested more money.  Bernie used the new clients' investments to pay 18% to 20% return on investment to his previous customers.   Bernie claimed to earn 18% to 20% on the stock market each year, but most of his additional "income" really resulted from the growing deposits of his newest customers. 

Bernie was robbing Peter to pay Paul.  The scheme was based on fraud, but worked so long as new customers kept coming in the door to invest more of their money in Madoff's investment firm.   But once Bernie ran out of new customers, he couldn't pay his phenomenal returns to his existing customers, the fraud was exposed, his business collapsed, he was sentenced to 150 years in prison and his son committed suicide.  Like (almost) all Ponzi-schemes, the Madoff investment scheme collapsed when he ran out of "greater fools" willing to "invest" more currency in his company.

Fractional reserve banking is a far more brilliant Ponzi-scheme because, in the context of a debt-based monetary system, you don't feed that Ponzi-scheme with ever more tangible assets-you feed it with evermore intangible debt.

Inevitably, every Ponzi-scheme that relies on attracting more tangible assets fails because there's always an absolute limit to the supply of any tangible asset.  There are only so many potential customers with ever more assets to invest in the scheme.  When the Ponzi-scheme operators reach the limit their ability to attract more customers willing to invest more tangible assets, the scheme collapses.

But, with fractional reserve banking, people don't invest actual assets.  They invest debt.  They invest promises to pay (debts) rather than actual payments (assets). 

Fueled by mere promises to pay, the debt-based, fractional reserve banking system becomes a kind of cornucopia . . . a proverbial money tree . . . a perpetual monetary motion machine that produces a seemingly fantastic amount of "wealth" that doesn't depend on actual work or tangible assets but only on promises to pay.  

*  The classic examples of fractional reserve banking were "liar loans" for "sub-prime borrowers".  It didn't matter if borrowers actually earned enough money to repay their loans.  Sub-prime borrowers (people who shouldn't be able to qualify for a loan) could exaggerate their claims of income (lie) in order to borrow more money from the bank to buy a bigger and more expensive home.  

The banks wouldn't even investigate to see if these sub-prime borrowers were lying about their incomes.  The banks knew they were lying.  But the banks didn't care because in a debt-based monetary system, even a sub-prime borrower's promise to pay (promissory note to the bank; debt) was deemed to be more valuable than the physical house (asset) that was purchased or built with the money from the loan.  

Because a new Cadillac is enormously more valuable than a gallon of ice cream, you'd have to be crazy to pass up an opportunity to trade a gallon of Rocky Road for a new Escalade.   Similarly, since a promissory note is more valuable than the house it's used to purchase, the banks regarded it as crazy to pass up a chance to effectively trade a new, tangible house for an intangible promise to pay (debt instrument).

Given that anyone, even a sub-prime borrower, even a homeless bum, could promise to repay a loan and thereby create more debt, the fractional reserve Ponzi-scheme seemed almost foolproof.  As long as people could get something tangible (a house, perhaps) for nothing (their mere intangible promise to pay), there would always be a steady stream of greedy and immoral people willing to exchange mere promises they couldn't keep for valuable, tangible properties that they could keep or consume.

If the banks ran out of "prime borrowers," they would lend currency to "sub-prime borrowers".

If they ran out of "sub-prime borrowers," they'd lend to young adults needing college loans.

If they ran out of young adults willing to issue promise to pay in return for their college educations, the government and fractional reserve system would rely on "deficit financing" by means of which they'd saddle future generations of as yet unborn children with "promises to pay" (full faith and credit of the American people) with the growing national debt.

If the native people of The United States of America became unable or unwilling to borrow more currency and produce more debt instruments, the government might even seek to stimulate immigration (even by illegal aliens) who would eventually borrow currency to build more homes.

*  In a debt-based, fractional-reserve monetary system, so long as there were more people willing and even eager to trade their intangible promises to pay (debts) for tangible, valuable things like land, cars, factories, and homes (assets), we could live forever in the earthly paradise of consumerism.    We could consume forever, without actually working to produce tangible wealth needed to actually pay our debts.  All we had to produce were more promises to pay, and we could shop 'til we dropped.

It was like having a checking account that never required your deposits.  You could write all the rubber checks you wanted and no one would ever bother to send them to your bank.  All you had to do was affix your signature to one of your checks, and people would give you things like homes, cars and computers. 

So long as debt was deemed a form of wealth, and there was someone, anyone, willing to go deeper into debt, we were golden.  The fractional reserve banking system could make us all rich without ever having to work to produce tangible assets. 

We could consume without the need to produce.  This seeming possibility might be part of the reason why our government was willing to send some of our industries and jobs to China and other third-world countries during the last twenty years.  Who needed those stinking, polluting industries when we had an endless supply of borrowers willing to merely sign more debt-instruments and thereby create more apparent wealth?   Let the idiot Chinks produce tangible things (assets) and life-threatening pollution, and we would consume those tangible assets by means of merely giving the Chinks our intangible "promises to pay" (US Treasuries; paper debt-instruments).  

And that's pretty much what happened.  The Chinese became a primary supplier of tangible assets to the United States in return for our mere debt instruments (intangible promises to pay).  Result?  China now holds $1.2 trillion in US promises to pay (debt-instruments) which they know to be almost worthless.

But, can the Chinese complain? 

No. 

Why?  Because once China admits or even acts as if their $1.2 trillion the US debt-instruments are nearly worthless, those US treasuries will actually become worthless in the eyes of the world.  Then, China will lose the last illusion of having that $1.2 trillion in debt-based "wealth".

If China hopes to ever exchange their $1.2 trillion in US debt-instruments (intangible promises to pay) for $1 trillion worth of tangible assets, they'd better keep their mouths shut and continue to support the illusion that debt is an asset.  But, in truth, the real value (purchasing power) of $1.2 trillion in US Treasuries held by China may be falling by up to 10% per year towards the value of $1.2 trillion in Confederate dollars.  

*  In a sense, the Chinese (at least to the extent of their $1.2 trillion in US debt-instruments) have become a source of the "full faith and credit" in the US dollar and US debt instruments.  The "wily Orientals" (and the rest of the world) have been conned to a degree that Bernie Madoff could only envy.

In the end, the difference between Bernie Madoff and our deb-based, fractional reserve banking and monetary system is that Madoff didn't have access to nuclear weapons.  If Madoff had had the bomb and was able to thereby intimidate his "customers" into silence, he'd still be in business rather than in prison.

The Chinese accepted the fundamental lie of the debt-based, fractional reserve system: That debt (intangible promises to pay) could be treated as assets (tangible wealth).  Being dumb enough to accept that lie, the Chinese will inevitably lose much, probably most, of the purported $1.2 trillion in wealth (assets) stored in US Treasuries (debt-instruments). 

It'll be a good lesson for the Chinese.  They deserve to lose $1.2 trillion because they were dumb enough, greedy enough, to believe that a promise to pay (debt) was not merely as valuable, but even more valuable, than an actual payment (asset).

It'll be a good lesson for the American people, too, when they learn that an intangible promise to pay (debt) can never be as valuable as an actual payment (tangible asset).   When they get that lesson, it'll be painful.   Americans will scream, shout and maybe even shoot.  But the truth is that the American people were sufficiently ignorant, greedy and immoral to believe the lie that paper-debt instruments were even more valuable than tangible assets, that "consumerism" was a valid basis for a successful economy, that jobs and industries could be shipped overseas, and we could still shop 'til we dropped. 

Those who play the fool, inevitably pay the fool's price:  poverty.  That's true for men.  It's true for nations.

GOT GOLD??

(Reuters) - In the desert on the outskirts of Dubai, one of the world's biggest gold refineries is under construction. When completed next year, it will help to alter the balance of power in The global gold industry.

Growth in demand for the precious metal is shifting east, to Asia's fast-growing economies. But key industry activities such as refining and clearing - matching investors' buy and sell orders - remain dominated by Europe and the United States.

The $60 million refinery being built by Kaloti Precious Metals in Dubai is part of efforts to change that pattern, as is a plan by the Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange to introduce a spot gold contract this June.

"Dubai is already a top global centre for gold trading," Tarek El-Mdaka, chief executive of Kaloti Precious Metals, said in an interview. "The refinery is part of the next stage, making Dubai a top centre for physical gold refining and clearing."

If Dubai succeeds, it will be a new example of how the emirate can use its proximity to top consumers in India and China, low-tax environment and highly developed transport sector to muscle in on industries controlled by others.

TO READ THE COMPLETE STORY: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/05/05/emirates-dubai-gold-idINKBN0DL0LJ20140505

REFINING

Gold imports and exports handled by Dubai shot up to $75 billion in 2014 from $6 billion in 2003; nearly 40 percent of the world's physical gold trade passed through Dubai last year, according to the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.

But the region's refining clout has lagged. Annual capacity in the United Arab Emirates is about 800 tonnes, including a 450-tonne refinery currently operated by Kaloti; Switzerland dominates the industry with over 3,000 tonnes, accounting for roughly 50 percent or more of global refining.

Kaloti's new refinery will have an annual capacity of 1,400 tonnes of gold and 600 tonnes of silver, making it more than three times the size of any of the UAE's current refineries.

The project is a bet that gold demand in Asia will grow strongly in coming years. That cannot be guaranteed; last year India, seeking to cut its current account deficit, imposed a record 10 percent import duty on the metal.

_______________________________________________________________

US consumer borrowing rose $17.5 billion in March

WASHINGTON (AP) - Consumers increased their borrowing in March by the largest amount in more than a year, using their credit cards and taking out more auto and student loans. The Federal Reserve says consumer borrowing increased $17.5 billion in March, up from a gain of $13 billion in February. It was the biggest monthly increase since a $19.3 billion advance in February 2013. The category that includes auto and student loans rose $16.4 billion while the category that covers credit card borrowing increased $1.1 billion. The overall increase in consumer debt pushed total borrowing to a record $3.14 trillion. Gains in borrowing are seen as an encouraging sign that people are more confident and willing to take on debt.

_______________________________________________________________

Report: California has $340 billion in debts; action urged on pensions, retiree health care

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A new report says California state government faces $340 billion in debts, or more than $8,500 for each resident. The nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office said Wednesday that the state should set priorities for paying down its key long-term liabilities. It first should address the $74 billion shortfall in the teachers' retirement system, a debt that could cost $5 billion a year to resolve. Paying down the $65 billion shortfall in health benefits given to retired state employees and their dependents should come next. That could cost the state nearly $2 billion a year. The report comes a month before the Legislature must send the state budget to the governor. It feeds debates over whether California should spend or save its budget surplus and how to create a rainy day fund.

Obama announces removal of Russian trade benefits in midst of fight over Ukraine involvement

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is removing special trade benefits for Russia because the country is too economically advanced to need them and Moscow's involvement in Ukraine made it an appropriate time to take the step, the White House announced Tuesday. Obama notified Congress that he plans to remove Russia from the Generalized System of Preferences program, which gave Moscow a $544 million break on import taxes in 2012 on products ranging from metals and minerals to tires and ceramic wares. The program, which allowed $19.9 billion in imports to enter the U.S. duty-free in 2012, is designed to help developing countries boost their economy through trade. The program expired in July 2013, but the Obama administration supports legislation under consideration in Congress to extend it

______________________________________________________________

Office Depot plans to close at least 400 stores in US by the end of 2016

BOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) - Office Depot is planning to close at least 400 U.S. stores, as its merger with OfficeMax resulted in an overlap of retail locations that can be consolidated. The combined company's financial results beat Wall Street estimates for the January-March quarter and it raised its full year forecast for operating income on Tuesday. Its shares jumped 17 percent in morning trading. The office supply retailer had 1,900 stores in the U.S. at the end of the first quarter, so the plans call for closing about 21 percent of them. Office Depot and OfficeMax Inc. completed their $1.2 billion deal last November. Office Depot said it has not quantified the number of jobs that will be affected by the store closures but that it will look to place its best talent impacted by the store closings into new roles, wherever possible.

_______________________________________________________________

US oil giant Chevron starts exploration for shale gas in Romania

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - U.S. oil company Chevron says it has begun drilling for shale gas at its exploration well site in northeastern Romania, a project which has drawn protests from local residents. The company said the drilling, which will probe to a depth of 4,000 meters (13,000 feet), started Tuesday after "safety and performance checks" had been completed and rock samples will be taken to determine if natural gas is present. There were no protests reported at the site in the village of Pungesti, 340 kilometers (210 miles) northeast of Bucharest. Environmentalists say that extracting shale gas - by pumping water and chemicals at high pressure into deep rock formations - could contaminate ground water supplies. Chevron says it will drill in an environmentally responsible manner.

_______________________________________________________________

General Motors recalls about 60,000 Saturn Auras to fix cable problem linked to 28 injuries

DETROIT (AP) - General Motors is recalling nearly 60,000 Saturn Aura midsize cars because the automatic transmission shift levers can show the wrong gear, and says it has known about the problem for at least a year. The problem, caused by failure of the transmission shift cable, has led to 28 crashes and four injuries but no deaths during the past seven years, GM said in a statement issued Tuesday. The Auras can roll away unexpectedly because the driver may think the car is in "Park" when it's in another gear. In a letter detailing the recall submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, GM said it had a plan as of May 23, 2013, to reimburse owners for transmission cable repairs. It was unclear why the cars weren't recalled sooner. Spokesman Alan Adler said he wasn't aware of the plan referred to in the letter. "We're continuing to review this with NHTSA even now," he said. "They know what we're doing.

_______________________________________________________________

DETROIT (AP) - The city of Detroit's latest plan to get out of bankruptcy includes a lump-sum payment of about $195 million from the state to shore up pensions and prevent the sale of city-owned art. The money would be invested and grow over time and carry a 20-year value of $350 million. But it's not a done deal. The Republican-controlled Legislature still needs to embrace it, and Detroit's bankruptcy plan would have to be approved by a judge by the end of September. Foundations and philanthropists also have to kick in millions of dollars. The details emerged Monday in the city's latest strategy to get out of bankruptcy. The amended plan comes a week before ballots are sent to thousands of creditors, including roughly, 30,000 retirees and current city employees.

The Obama party is over. The people aren't laughing anymore

ON MAY 5TH, 2014 Join me daily as I scream about this stuff on my national radio show you can hear from 7-10pm PAC at www.therothshow.com.

Signs are everywhere now.  The Obama Presidency and dictatorship is failing.  We have a puppet president who from his very first year in the White House treated his role as pretend and make believe.  I wouldn't be surprised if there are propped up 'Barbie' and 'president Ken' dolls lying all over the White House offices. Like all good 'con artists,' Obama shows up looking good and talking smoothly (although he is looking washed out and worse all the time) with his known goal to cram lies, deception and camouflage down our throats.  We must take our Communist/Islamic medicine or be punished if not destroyed by Obama and his tentacles.

There are untold reasons to impeach Obama.  In fact, there are 100s...too many to fit in one place. Several train cars are needed just to contain the breaches in ethics, law, U.S. Constitution, Judeo-Christian values, attacks on conservatives, energy, patriotism, reputation, property, foreign policy, business and speech.  Along with this growing smorgasbord of attacks shredding America, we have attacks on our very health and lifespan with Obamacare.  "I'm still standing in line Obama."

Several have written up Impeachment papers and campaigned in public for this.  Michael Connelly, Constitutional attorney and Executive Director of United States Justice Foundation www.usjf.net is boldly campaigning for Obama's impeachment and has his papers and reasons posted on his site www.michaelconnelly.jugsy.com.  I have talked with him numerous times on my national radio show and been impressed with his courage and focus.  When I asked him about pushing this without the votes in the Senate he says it is still most important to do from the House because it will give the investigators legal subpoena powers to demand all documents.  Obama will no longer be able to hide behind 'executive privilege' and games.

Judge Pirro, Fox news Star also called this week for impeachment of Obama focusing on his dereliction of duty and cover up regarding Benghazi.  She didn't mince any words with her statements as to why this must happen.  I say bravo Judge Pirro.  It is about time some Fox news hosts find some guts and walk away from the Obama 50 yard line of kiss up with an occasional, minor scold.  Whoop tie do!  All at Fox had better grow some real backbone or they will be delegated into the 'failed' 'Obama controlled media' as most others. Now, she and other Fox hosts must keep on this though the threats will come.

Liberals and Democrats come out from among the fascists, socialists, Marxists and communists that have clearly taken over the leadership in your party.  You are no longer the Democrat party of old as in the days of John F. Kennedy.  Instead, by your own hands you have become a perverted, controlling, transformation machine that instantly wipes out freedoms, steals income from the masses, punishes for achievement and topples Judeo-Christian values.  Knowing the controls, fines, threats, taxation, controls, lines and death panels all through Obamacare, you all voted it into law.  You attacked the entire country with your signatures.  The imperfect and many times compromising GOP did not sign on.  Because of this and Obama's endless lies and scandals, now Benghazi coming finally to the forefront, I predict Democrats will lose and Republicans will win in 2014 and also 2016. 

What the GOP does to repair things depends in large part on us and our focus.  There must be no compromise.  Obamacare must be repealed.  The NDAA Bill must be repealed and all Executive orders of Obama crushed and reversed.  The regulations, illegal and UN Constitutional behavior attacking the people at the hands of the BLM, NSA, IRS, EPA and others must be confronted, exposed and stopped.

I and other alternative media have been all over exposing the evil and criminality of Obama for years.  Join me daily as I scream about this stuff on my national radio show you can hear from 7-10pm PAC at www.therothshow.com.  Stay informed.  Stay prayed up and stay tough.

In May 2010, the United States Government Accountability Office sampled and tested dietary supplements to check for potentially dangerous ingredients and deceptive marketing. The report was sent to the US Senate's Special Committee on Aging. The report had some good information but I believe its main purpose is to usher in more legislation over the dietary supplement market through the FDA. Some may think that more oversight over supplement products is a good thing. Ask has FDA oversight made prescription drugs less expensive and 100% safe? Let's take a look at this report and the impact it has had on your supplements.

TOXIC CAUSE

In their report they tested some common herbs for hazardous contaminants such as: lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and residues from organichlorine and organophosphorous pesticides. The negative health consequences from consumption of these contaminants were based on a review of relevant health standards and discussions with FDA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The study wanted to check for contaminants in the natural herbs to avoid health problems such as the ones listed below:

Arsenic - known to increase the risk of some cancers such as skin and lung cancer

Cadmium - known to increase the risk of leukemia and testicular tumors. Long-term exposure can cause kidney, lung and bone damage.

Lead - increases the risk of lung, stomach and bladder cancer

Mercury- causes insomnia, fever and shift in mood. Too much can cause blindness, deafness and renal damage.

According to the report, some basic herbs such as garlic, ginseng, ginkgo and chamomile can be life threatening to the elderly because the herbs interfere with prescription drugs and it is assumed that all elderly are on some prescribed medications. The report states; approximately 85% of the elderly take at least one prescription drug over the course of a year and 58% take three or more prescribed drugs. In my opinion the report mislead Congress by stating that there were no scientific studies to support the health benefits of these herbs such as garlic. The report stated, "There are no studies that confirm that garlic lowers blood sugar or increases the release of insulin in humans." The report did mention that the herbs they tested did not pose any risk of acute toxicity or contamination according to FDA or EPS regulations and by the FDA Pesticide Analytical Manual. Natural plants can have trace amounts of some lead but are not considered toxic. According to Steve Mister President of the Council for Responsible Nutrition he said, "With regards to the dietary supplement industry it is not surprising that supplements may contain trace amounts of heavy metals because they are routinely found in other plants." The report was, conducted from September 2009 through March 2010, and is listed as being performed in accordance with standards prescribed by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency.

THE GARLIC STUDIES

So, the report sent to Congress said there were not studies showing the health benefits of garlic especially where diabetes was concerned. Obviously either they did not research this area very well or purposely withheld this information when so many studies have been done and published. A study published by Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that garlic restores antioxidants and reduced free radical damage involved in vascular disease (diabetes and high blood pressure). In this study they took rats and fed them diets that induced diabetes and hypertension and then fed them a garlic extract of 500mg per day for 3 weeks. The results were that the blood antioxidant levels significantly rose in both the rats with diabetes and those with hypertension. In the rats with diabetes, the increase in antioxidant serum levels paralleled a decrease in glucose serum. In the rates with hypertension, the systolic blood pressure was lowered. The Department of Biological Sciences at Kuwait University also did a study with garlic and determined that the allicin in garlic had a definite power over serum lipids and lowering blood pressure in rats on a high cholesterol diet. The study reported that the garlic had a direct impact on serum cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, protein and systolic blood pressure. The researchers concluded that garlic may have a beneficial effect on the risk factors for atherosclerosis (hypertension). This study also noted that when using fresh garlic it was effective at reducing the formation of platelets. Another study by the Department of Epidemiology Health Care Research at the University of Limburg, Netherlands found that the claims of garlic reducing cardiovascular risks were confirmed when using fresh garlic in large doses. They also concluded that garlic may be beneficial in regards to aging and cancer due to garlic's ability to offer more antioxidants. This is why one tenth of the medical literature states that garlic thins blood, lowers blood pressure and lowers blood sugar.

HERBS & FOODS

Herbs are just like foods and where they are grown, treated and harvested will impact the purity of the food or supplement source. The organic standards are under attack in order to level the playing field between organic and conventional food sources. Herbs just like conventionally grown foods can contain pesticide residues within or outside the legal limits depending on the supplier. Herbs covered with anti-mold, anti-fungi, and at least one of the 865 registered pesticides is very likely unless you demand certified organic supplements. Organic supplement manufacturers have to be more vigilant in obtaining certified organic herb ingredients for their products.

THE SUPPLEMENT SHARKS

Who owns the majority of supplement companies? Corporations in China and the pharmaceutical industry own the bulk of supplements sold in the US. A majority of these products are not made from plant material but from synthetic chemicals. There is a push to reduce or eliminate the plant-based supplements through market takeover and legislation. A health enthusiast, Jonathan Bechtel, started his supplement company called Health Kismet totally trusting the big supplement companies that do private labeling. According to Jonathan it is fairly easy to cash in on the supplement market and he says,

"When it comes to actually making the product the whole process is automated and much of the thinking has already been done for you.  Most private label manufacturers have a large variety of ingredients stocked and machines that can make the different categories of products: powders, capsules, gels, liquids, etc.  Most have a variety of stock recipes in place, and if you look hard enough you'll probably find one that's close to your imaginary product.  If they don't have anything in stock they can simply order on your behalf and usually get it much cheaper than you could." Jonathan Bechtel owner of Health Kismet supplements

A majority of the health store products are made and marketed by what I call "supplement sharks." Whatever is novel and makes the money is what they push onto consumers. Their heart and soul is not invested in the venture and the intension is to do the minimum and make tons of money and then get out.

WHY ORGANIC?

Insisting that your supplements are as organic as your three meals is extremely important. Researchers from RMIT University in Australia published their research in the Journal of Environmental Research (April 2014) regarding what non-organic foods do to your health. In their study they showed that by removing the conventional foods treated with pesticides and synthetic chemicals it was evident in the urine within seven days. There is an average of six different chemicals (phosphate pesticides) found in the urine. These chemicals are scientifically proven to be neurotoxins and attack the central nervous system not just on the insects but humans also. These chemicals block our enzymes responsible for neutralizing toxins and poisons. Pesticides and phthalates, found in plastics and pesticides, sabotage the human endocrine system (hormone production). People who consume conventionally grown foods and supplements which are not certified organic have low enzymes and hormonal disruption. Add in the antibiotics the agriculture industry is spraying to kill fire blight on fruit trees and the toxic overload is enormous. The Australian study pointed out that even if we limit the conventional foods and synthetic supplements the health effects are significant. Getting off the pesticide laced foods and chemical supplements reduced the toxins in the body by 89% within one week. The organic diet improved the enzyme production in the participants in the study and it was also reported by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) who has a list of foods you'll want to avoid called the Dirty Dozen List and the Clean Fifteen you can eat(http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php and  http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php).

SAVED BY ORGANICS

Consumers must be more aware of their foods and supplements than ever before. The products made by Apothecary Herbs have been tested by the ATF National Laboratory Center in Maryland. Chemical and organic-oleptic analyses were performed on their products and were found to be within normal limits. There are few companies making herbal supplements which will go through the 18-month testing by this lab to document the purity of the ingredients. Insist on certified organic ingredients at Tilth Standards (highest organic standard) to protect your supplements. Apothecary Herbs has 100% organic, non-GMO and no synthetic ingredients in their organ cleansing and immune boosting formulas. Stop by their online store and take advantage of what organic really means. Call Apothecary Herbs toll free to order or for a free product catalog 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277 http://www.thepowerherbs.com, where your healthcare options just became endless.

THE NEW HMO

Apothecary Herbs is introducing their version of the HMO (Herb Medicine Options). Unlike insurance companies, our HMO is not about drugs, co-pays and deductibles. Our HMO is about a healthy lifestyle without drug dependency. Our HMO members are savvy and can often take advantage of the HMO discounts. There are no member fees and you can simply request to sign up by emailing or calling Apothecary Herbs support@thepowerherbs.com or 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277.  Current members can take advantage of discounts. I like discount coupons but they tend to expire. HMO members you can use your discount when they want.   

HMO1 offers FREE ground ship on orders over $75 (US orders)
HMO2 offers 15% off orders over $100.00 
HMO3 offers $15.00 off plus FREE ground ship on orders over $250.00 (US orders)
*These discounts will be active for about 3 months and will change. Members will also receive special offers on selective items in our store.

NEW - HERBAL DETECTIVE

People have lots of questions about herbs and often ask, "What herb can I use for...? Now you can find out with a phone call or click of a mouse with our Herbal Detective. Visit http://www.thepowerherbs.com and click on the Herbal Detective banner or call toll free 866-229-3663.

IMPORTANT: THIS FROM NATIONAL HEALTH FEDERATION (non-profit)

The powers in government are at it again to control (harmonize) your nutrition and the US is bent on ushering in the Codex Alimentarius. Their new angle is the make changes to the labeling guidelines and the nutritional panel. The agenda is to reduce the RDA values on nutrients in supplements and foods. The changes won't happen right away.  These are proposed changes and are not final, yet. Secondly, the FDA is accepting comments from the public for a ninety-day period, which ends on June 2, 2014.  You should weigh in with your opinion, now.

Anyone who is opposed to this Proposed Rulemaking send their comments electronically to the FDA at http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=FDA-2012-N-1210-0002 or in writing to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5360 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061, Rockville, Maryland 20852. Mention Docket No. FDA-2012-N-1210.

The National Health Federation has given us permission to use the following outline when communicating with the FDA on this very important issue:

"On Docket No. FDA-2012-N-1210, I am adamantly opposed to your proposed reduction of vitamin-and-mineral Reference Daily Intakes as shown in your Table 2, on page 11931.  At a time when toxin intake is increasing and nutrient intake is decreasing, Americans need more vitamins and minerals on a daily basis, not less. Your unsupported goal of harmonizing our food laws to Codex standards and guidelines has been specifically prohibited by Congress, and I demand that you obey the law and immediately withdraw Table 2 and all supporting paragraphs of your Proposed Rulemaking for revision in line with modern nutritional science, which shows that we need a higher daily intake of  B's and other vitamins as well as more magnesium and other minerals such as selenium.  Please act immediately to correct your serious errors."

If people ignore this opportunity to be heard, the supplement industry will have two years to comply with the label changes and are estimated to cost more than $2 billion, which will be passed onto consumers like you. So, you will not only pay more for your supplements but they will contain less nutrition. Don't delay in fighting for your health and contact the FDA today.

NEW EASY FIND WHAT YOU NEED SECTIONS

See our new sections online for stocking up on a budget and if not on a budget. New sections for energy, cardio, depression & anxiety, allergies, digestion and diabetes make it easier to find what you need at http://www.thepowerherbs.com.

"NEW" from Apothecary Herbs POWER GREENS FOR PETS - Keeps you away from the vet.  Natural herbs for dogs and cats. Because we want organic pets

Power Greens is a blend of organic plants and natural herbs containing vitamins, minerals and 22 amino acids found naturally in these whole-food plants. Easy to digest with healthy digestion enzymes. You will notice the vibrant color of the greens and other ingredients in Power Greens for Pets because it is made with certified organic herbs grown to Tilth Standards (the highest organic standards in the industry). Compared to Dinovite�, Power Greens for Pets is made with superior grade ingredients and will produce much faster and better results in the health of your pet. No need for large scoops of our Power Greens for Pets to get results. Depending on the size of your pet 1/2 teaspoon to one tablespoon is all you'll need. Your pet will be healthier and you'll save money. For more info call 866-229-3663 http://www.thepowerherbs.com/herb/Natural-Pet-Food.html

MORE HERB SECRETS IN THE POWER HERBS e-BOOK. By popular demand The Power Herbs e-book is available with symptom/herb reference guide, information on organ cleansing and how to make your own herbal tinctures plus a whole lot more. Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com/Books-And-Newsletters/The-Power-Herbs-e-Book-cleansing-immune-boosting.html and click on Books. You must have email to order and receive the e-book a PDF version of The Power Herb book for just $14.99. At this time, we do not offer this title in hard copy.

COMING UP ON HERB TALK LIVE

Herbalist Wendy Wilson on Herb Talk Live

Saturday morning show:

7 am EST on GCN

5/10/14 Dr. Rebecca Carley

Weekday show:

7 pm EST on AVR

5/20/14 Dr. Rebecca Carley

Shortwave show 8 pm EST WWCR 4840

Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com/archive.html Herb Talk Live & Radio Archive area for network link access and past shows to download and share. For Android users you can download a FREE app for Herb Talk Live on GCN. See the download link under radio archives at top of page. 

NEW DANDELION ROOT LIQUID

Try Dandelion Root Tincture for inflammation, blood purification, respiratory infections, digestion and cancer protection at http://www.thepowerherbs.com/herb/Dandelion-Inflammation-Blood-Purifier.html. 

HERB KITS EXTEND YOUR FIRST AID KITS

Do you have your Pandemic Kit yet? Here is what folks are saying about the 100% organic Pandemic Kit made by Apothecary Herbs. "I have this kit and recommend everyone have at least one on hand (or more depending on family size) for a pandemic." Rebecca Carley, MD, Hickory, NC and "I have one and glad I do; just in case. I like the long shelf life." Melody Cedarstrom, Port Matilda, PA (more customer feedback at http://www.thepowerherbs.com) or call 866-229-3663 to order your kit today.

PURE ZINC ENERGY

Pure energy is organic and instantly absorbed - transporting nutrition to every cell in your body. It is a super food for the body to repair, build and fortify itself. Where do you get it? It's called Body Foundation Food Mix and is at Apothecary Herbs 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277 http://www.thepowerherbs.com. This pure energy food source is so efficient; you won't feel hungry between meals and can safely lose weight.

DETOX PRODUCTS

Apothecary Herbs has released a new product called Liver Detox Tea. You can layer this tea with Milk Thistle Tincture for a gentle yet effective liver cleanse. This is a nice option if you can't do the Liver/Gall Bladder Flush using olive oil. You will find this new product under Herbal Teas at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. Also new is the Liver & Gall Bladder Tincture with dandelion root for more anticancer protection. This formula is available in 1 oz, 2 oz and 4 oz sizes. You will find this item under Organ Body Cleanses at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. You can layer this tincture with the Liver Detox Tea and be well!

BE PREPARED

Being prepared is never a waste of time. Get your own organic garden growing and stock as much healthy foodstuffs as you can. You'll also need backup medicine but the over-the-counter and prescription medicines have a limited shelf life of two years or less. However, your organic medicines have a ten year shelf life without side effects. Call the folks at Apothecary Herbs for their Natural Medicine Starter Stock-up Package or make sure you get one of their many herb kits for boosting immune system and protecting you from viruses, bacteria and other pathogens. Call Apothecary Herbs 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277 online http://www.thepowerherbs.com, where your healthcare options just became endless.

ALLERGY RELIEF

If you suffer from allergies (sneezing, itchy watery eyes, stuffy or runny nose, sinus pressure or sinus infections) try the Echinacea Deluxe formula and Herbal Eyewash both around $20.00 from Apothecary Herbs. Call now toll free 866-229-3663 http://www.thepowerherbs.com.

APOTHECARY HERBS VITAMIN VAULT - STOCK UP AND SAVE!

You already know that you can save on the half and full case discounts in the Vitamin Vault area at http://www.thepowerherbs.com. Apothecary Herbs has added a new item called the Natural Medicine Starter Stock-up Package. This package is designed for those preparing for their medical future and contains immune boosting, pain & inflammation, organ cleanses, vitamin, mineral, amino acid and protein products plus a Pandemic Kit and it comes with a savings. Visit http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call toll free to order your Starter Stock-up Package 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277.  

MALE & FEMALE ORGAN CLEANSES KITS - Don't give disease a foothold. You will have the power to cleanse the bowel, urinary, liver, gall bladder and blood system with this cleanse package. For added cleansing, ask about how you can upgrade your order to include the prostate cleanse for men or the Kidney/Bladder cleanse for females.  Go to http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call their 24-hour live customer service line 866-229-3663, International 704-885-0277.

STARTER KIT & ONE-YEAR SUPPLY OF HERBAL MEDICNE (shelf life 10 to 15 years)

See Apothecary Herbs One Year Supply of Herbal Medicine at http://www.thepowerherbs.com or call 866-229-3663, 704-885-0277. Call for a customized year supply or to set up installment payment for this package.