Gambia's president claims he has cure for AIDS

BANJUL, Gambia - From the pockets of his billowing white robe, Gambia’s president pulls out a plastic container, closes his eyes in prayer and rubs a green herbal paste onto the rib cage of the patient — a concoction he claims is a cure for AIDS.

He then orders the thin man to swallow a bitter yellow drink, followed by two bananas.

“Whatever you do, there are bound to be skeptics, but I can tell you my method is foolproof,” President Yahya Jammeh told an Associated Press reporter, surrounded by bodyguards in his presidential compound. “Mine is not an argument, mine is a proof. It’s a declaration. I can cure AIDS and I will.”

In a continent suffering from the world’s worst AIDS epidemic, Jammeh’s claims of a miracle cure are alarming public health workers already struggling against faith-healers dispensing herbal remedies from inside thatched huts.

The biggest concern is that the Gambian leader requires patients to cease their anti-retroviral drugs, a move that risks weakening their immune systems and making them even more prone to infection, said Dr. Antonio Filipe Jr., head of the World Health Organization in neighboring Senegal.

WHO’s Filipe was diplomatic about Jammeh’s claims, saying his organization respects the president’s point of view. But, he added: “As the World Health Organization, we would like to state quite clearly the following — No. 1: so far there is no cure for AIDS.”

ref: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17244005/
pic from: Cabdace Feit / AP

Animal Testing Company Products!

Before reading this Alex's of Alex's Guides, wishes that everyone could repeat this:

"I will no longer give my hard-earned dollars to companies that torture animals and spray their faces with banal products." Below, you will find a fairly comprehensive list of companies that still test their products on animals. If you do not care that some poor animal was tortured for your eye shadow or toothpaste, then feel free to continue to support these companies.

As a consumer, you can help by avoiding their products (e.g.,) in favor of companies that do not test. Believe it or not, that list is actually far more comprehensive than the below list and includes several big names. CHECK IT OUT!"

A

• Allergan Inc.
• Alcon Labs
• Applewoods [ROLLING PLAN]
• Arm & Hammer (Church & Wright) [per PETA]
• Astley Dye & Chemical Company (ACDO) [ROLLING PLAN]
• Andrew Jegens Co. (Ban, Bioré, Curél) [per NAVS]
• Aziza

B

• Bay House Aromatics [ROLLING PLAN]
• Baush & Lomb (Curel, Soft Sense, Clear Choice)
• Betterware [ROLLING PLAN]
• BioForce UK [ROLLING PLAN]
• Bic Corp. [MORATORIUM] [per PETA]
• Blistex, Inc.
• Block Drug Co. (Sensodyne, Carpet Fresh, Lava, Polident) [per PETA]
• The Body Shop Int'l (L'Oreal)
• Boots Plc *Tests through BASF
• Boyle-Midway (Reckit Benckiser, Coty, Jovan, Lancaster) [per PETA]
• Brodie & Stone [ROLLING PLAN]
• Braun (Gilette Co) [MORATORIUM]
• Breck [MORATORIUM]
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (Clairol, Ban, Final Net, Redmond, Herbal Essences, Sea Breeze, Aussie, Keri)
• Bronnley [ROLLING PLAN]
• Burberry *Because of Fur promotion or marketing

C

• Calvin Klein (Unilever)
• Carabay Seaweed [ROLLING PLAN]
• Carlonina Herrera
• Chesebrough-Ponds (Aziza, Fabergé, Cutex, Oil of Olay, Vaseline) [per PETA]
• Chanel Inc. *Because of Fur promotion or marketing
• Church & Dwight (Arm & Hammer, Arrid, Lady's Choice, Nair, Pearl Drops) [per PETA]
• Clarion (Sea Breeze)
• Clairol Inc. (Proctor & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Clorox (Pine Sol, Armor All, Tilex, S.O.S., 409, SoftScrub, Fresh Step) [per PETA]
• Colgate-Palmolive Co. (SoftSoap, Palmolive, Ajaz, Speed Stick, Mennen, Hill's Science Diet {sadly!}) [per PETA] [MORATORIUM]
• Consumer Value Stores *House brands
• Corine de Farme [per Uncaged]
• Cosme Decorte
• Coty (Davidoff, Joop!, Jovan, Lancaster, Rimmel, Stetson) [per PETA]
• Color Me Beautiful [ROLLING PLAN]
• Cover Girl (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Crimpers Pure [ROLLING PLAN]

D

• Dana Perfumes
• Del Laboratories (Sally Hansen, Natural Glow, Naturistics, Flame Glow, Commerce Drug) [per PETA]
• Dial Corp. (Purex, Renuzit) [per All for Animals]
• Dome Cosmetics [ROLLING PLAN]
• Donna Karan Beauty Company *Because of Fur promotion or marketing
• DowBrands (Glass Plus, Fantastik)
• Dracket Products Co. (S.C. Johnson & Son) [per PETA]
• Dolce & Gabbana [IT] *Because of Fur promotion or marketing

E

• EcoLab Inc.
• Eli Lilly & Co.
• El Sanofi Inc. (Oscar de la Renta)
• Elizabeth Arden (Unilever)
• Enamelon Inc.
• Erno Laszlo [per PETA]
• Estée Lauder Cos. (Aramis, Clinique, Prescriptives, Origins, M•A•C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown, Tommy Hilfiger, Jane, Donna Karan, Aveda, Stila, Jo Malone, Bumble and bumble, Kate Spade, Darphin, Michael Kors, Rodan & Fieldsr) *Because of Fur promotion or marketing
• Ettusais

F

• Faberge
• Fendi (Elizabeth Arden)
• Fernsoft [ROLLING PLAN]
• Flame Glow
• Fort James [ROLLING PLAN]
• Gallery Cosmetics [ROLLING PLAN]
• Gehe UK [ROLLING PLAN]
• Gillette Co. [per NAVS]
• Givaudan-Roure [per PETA]
• GWP Group [ROLLING PLAN]

G

• Helene Curtis Industries (Finesse, Unilever, Suave) [per PETA]
• Henkel (Schwarzkopf, Dep) [per PETA]

I

• IAMS (SHOCKING!) *Please Boycott!
• Intimate Brands *Bath & Body Works tests ingredients, Veronica's Secret sells fur
• ISO
• IPSA

J

• JCB Developments [ROLLING PLAN]
• Jhirmack (Playtex)
• Jergens, Andrew Co. (Bioré) *Parent Company (KAO) tests
• Johnson & Johnson (Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Roc) [per PETA]
• Johnson Products Co.
• Jovan (Quintessence)

K

• KAO Cosmetics (John Frieda, Jergens, Bioré)
• Kanobe
• Kimberly-Clark Corp. (Kleenex, Scott Paper, Huggies) [per PETA]
• Kinarese (Valeant Pharmaceuticals)
• Kingsmill Cosmetics [ROLLING PLAN]
• KMS Research Labs [ROLLING PLAN]
• Kose

L

• Laboratoires Garnier (Ambre Solaire, Maybelline, Synergie, Movida, Fructis, Nutralia) *Have adopted policy against testing, however for now, NAVS lists them as "questionable" and no other group seems willing to endorse them
• LaCoupe Salon [per own reply]
• Lamaur (Willow Lake, Colorsoft) [per PETA]
• L & F Products
• Lever Brothers [per PETA]
• Lifestyles [ROLLING PLAN]
• Lloyds Chemists [ROLLING PLAN]
• L'Oréal (Anais Anais, Biotherm, Body Shop Int'l, Cacharel, Cosmair, Gemey, Giorgio, Gloria Vanderbitl, Inné, Helena Rubenstein, Jade, Kiehl's Since 1851, La Roche Posey, Lancôme, Lanvin, L'Oréal, Matrix, Ombrelle, Phas, Polo, Ralph Lauren, Redken, Soft Sheen, Vichy)
[per AAVS] *May Still be Testing Ingredients
• LPI Cosmetics [ROLLING PLAN]

M

• Manetti & Roberts
• Mars Candy (Snickers, M&M's, Twix, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Starburst, Dove, Skittles) Yes, the candy company is conducting all sorts of hideous experiments!
• Marlene Klein Cosmetics
• Marshall Pet Products *Make pet products, while selling animals to research labs!
• Max Factor (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Mead [per PETA]
• Melaleuca Inc. (Nicole Millers) [per PETA]
• Mennen Co. (Colgate-Palmolive) [per PETA]
• Micol Direct [ROLLING PLAN]
• Miss Selfridge [ROLLING PLAN]
• Murphy Phoenix Co. (Colgate-Palmolive) [MORATORIUM]

N

• Nalgene *Water bottle maker, imports lab animal restraints!
• National Trust [ROLLING PLAN]
• Natural Eco Trading [ROLLING PLAN]
• Nature's Sunshine Products [ROLLING PLAN]
• Naturelle
• Neoteric Cosmetics (Alpha Hydrox) [per PETA]
• Neutrogena
• Noxell (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]

O

• Olay Co./Oil of Olay (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Oral-B (Gillette Co.) [per PETA] [MORATORIUM]
• Original Additions [ROLLING PLAN]

P

• Pantene (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Parfums Givenchy SA (Givenchy, Extravagance, Amarige) [FR]
• Parfums International (White Shoulders) [per PETA]
• Parker Pens (Gillette Co.) [per PETA] [MORATORIUM]
• Pennex
• Perrigo
• Pfizer Inc. (Bain de Soleil, Visine, Plax, BenGay, Viagra!) [per PETA]
• Phoenix Brands LLC (Fab, Dynamo, RIT Dye) [per NAVS]
• Playtex Products Inc. (Banana Boat, Woolite, Baby Magic) [per PETA]
• PPR Group/Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Boucheron, Sergio Rossi, Printemps, Redcat) *No known policy
• Prada Group (Fendi) *No known policy
• Prince Matchiabelli
• Procter & Gamble Co. (Secret, Crest, Vidal Sassoon, Tide, Cover Girl, Max Factor, Old Spice, Hugo Boss, Wella) [per PETA]
• Publix Super Markets
• Purex Corp. [MORATORIUM]

Q

• Quintessence

R

• Reckitt Benckiser (Coty, Lysol, Mop & Glo, Resolve, Spray 'N Wash, Woolite) [per PETA]
• Redmond Products (Part of Bristol-Myers Squibb)
• Reflect.com (P&G Spinoff)
• Richardson-Vicks (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Rimmel (supplied by Unilever)
• Ronson International [ROLLING PLAN]

S

• Sara Lee [ROLLING PLAN] *However, Sara Lee, is reportedly planning to divest it's personal care division, and, on a positive note, working with animal groups to stop the cruel animal experiments sponsored by March of Dimes.
• Sally Hansen (Del Laboratories) [per PETA]
• Schering-Plough (Coppertone, Ban de Soleil, Dr. Scholl's) [per PETA]
• Schick (Warner-Lambert)
• Scott Paper Co.
• Scottish Fine Soaps [ROLLING PLAN]
• S.C. Johnson & Son (Pledge, Drano, Windex, Glade)
• Seven Seas [ROLLING PLAN]
• Shiseido Company Ltd.
• SmithKline Beecham (AquaFresh, Contac, Tums) [per PETA]
• Sofina
• Softsoap Enterprises (Colgate-Palmolive)
• Sterling Drug
• Suave [per PETA]
• Sunshine Makers (Simple Green)
• Sun Star
• 3M (Scotch, Post-It) [per PETA]

T

• Tom's of Maine (Colgate-Palmolive) This was once a GREAT company, and unfortunately, is no longer. Colgate's even gone so far as to start putting Fluoride into their toothpastes which were free of it. AVOID.

U

• Unilever (ALL™ detergent, Lever Bros., Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden, Helene Curtis, Ben & Jerry's, Aim, Close-Up, Dove, Finesse, Salon Selectives, Pond's, Vaseline, Sure, Pepsodent, Mentadent) [per PETA]

V

• Vidal Sassoon (Procter & Gamble) [per PETA]
• Victoria's Secret *Sell fur products at stores
• Viktoria Apothekere (Phas)
• Virgin Vie [per Uncaged]
• Vogue International (hair care)

W

• Warner-Lambert (Lubriderm, Listerine, Schick) [per PETA]
• Wellbeing [ROLLING PLAN]
• Westwood Pharmaceuticals
• Whitehall Laboratories

X

• Xynergy Health Products [ROLLING PLAN]

Y

• Yves Rocher Group (Stanhome, Petit Bateau, Pierre Ricaud, Le Monde de Parfum, Kiotis, Sante Naturelle) [per Uncaged]
• Yvonne Gray [ROLLING PLAN]

Source from: Source from: "Alex's Guide to Compassionate Living"

LOST

The greatest fear is love; the greatest love is fear,
Be awaken from a mysterious dream
Seeing the past and dwelling in it
Recognizing consciousness yet unable to rationalize

Vulnerability and insecurity taunts thy,
As echoes of a million chanters call thy,
Trap now as one…
As one losses his sense...

Get lost my child…
Go get really lost…
[My baby child] (Guitar Solo Short)

So
Get lost … Go get lost (x2) Get fucking lost…
Gonna Get fucking lost… (x2)
Today….. (x5) (Guitar Solo Long)

The door is a portal watched by the gatekeeper….
All which is pointless unless you posses the spark
The spark which is lost in the mind

So
Get lost … Get fucking lost (x2)
Get fucking lost child… Gonna Get fucking lost … (x2)
Tonight….. (x5) You’re getting high...
You’re getting high… You’re getting way too high (x2)
To high you can’t you can’t see yourself…
When your quest is to reach the middle,
The core
The center…
The AXIS…

The SPARK…

Turnaround

Hidden messages, Hidden words, Hidden actions, meant with a purpose, a reason!
If for right or wrong.... U be the judge then jury,
We live for this moment of trial,
To succeed, To prevail is a matter of choice,


Be wise my brother-in, be wise of your choice,
Once the wheel is turning, you can’t change its course,
It takes a sacrifice of the highest level,
Maybe a life on a silver platter,

Spare no change for the lost and confused,
Spare no mind as they have given up,
The deal is close… Turnaround now

Erase now past, Erase all the feelings…
Ride on with the caretaker… as he guides you to your destiny?
The deal is close… Turnaround now

Walk now the road today,
For tomorrows the road is a long long way,
Listen for the piper… Listen to his tunes well,
The deal is closed… Turn it all around… NOW!

Redemption is only a fools tale…

8GB iPhone Price Cut by $200, "4GB iPhone Gone"

The price of an 8GB iPhone just got lower, and the 4GB iPhone is on its way out, according to Apple CEO Steve Jobs. He announced the 8GB iPhone's new price will be $399, down $200 from its original $599 price. Well now, how does that make those early adopters who dropped $600 on the first ones feel? Hmm.

Apple Sets iPhone Price at $399 for this Holiday Season

SAN FRANCISCO—September 5, 2007—Apple® today announced that it is on track to sell its one millionth iPhone™ before the end of September, and to make iPhone affordable for even more customers this holiday season, it is lowering the price of the most popular iPhone model with 8GB of storage from $599 to just $399.

"The surveys are in and iPhone customer satisfaction scores are higher than we've ever seen for any Apple product," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We've clearly got a breakthrough product and we want to make it affordable for even more customers as we enter this holiday season."

The 8GB iPhone is available immediately for $399 in the US through Apple's retail and online stores and AT&T retail stores. The iPhone 4GB model will be sold while supplies last.

This press release contains a forward-looking statement about the Company's expected iPhone sales that involves risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. These risks and uncertainties include those found in the Company's public reports filed with the SEC, including the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2006, and its Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended December 30, 2006, March 31, 2007 and June 30, 2007. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market this year with its revolutionary iPhone.

source from: http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/apple/8gb-iphone-price-cut-by-200-4gb-iphone-gone-296705.php

Greenpeace

URGENT: Greenpeace whale activists arrested in Japan

Two Greenpeace activists who exposed a whale meat embezzlement fraud in Japan -- Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki -- have been themselves arrested -- for allegedly stealing the whale meat that they turned over to police as evidence. Demand the Japanese government free the activists

This is the backlash. We've uncovered a scandal involving powerful forces in the Japanese government that benefit from whaling, and it's not surprising they are striking back.

What is surprising is that these activists, who are innocent of any crime, would be arrested for returning whale meat that was stolen from Japanese taxpayers. Theirs are, to date, the only arrests that have been made in the Tokyo public prosecutor's investigation into the embezzlement we documented of millions of yen worth of whale meat.

This was not a police action -- it was an intimidation tactic by the government agencies responsible for whaling -- and the kind of harassment of whistleblowers that a modern democracy should not allow. Our first news that an arrest was imminent came from Japanese television stations. Someone leaked the information to ensure images of Greenpeace activists in handcuffs appeared on news reports in Japan.

More than 40 police officer raided our offices and the homes of the activists, and spent 10 hours seizing cell phones, documents, and computers, despite the fact that we had documented every step of how we obtained the whale meat, turned the full dossier over with the evidence, and made ourselves available to police to help with the investigation at any time. A simple phone call could have brought Junichi and Toru to the police station. Instead, the government made a public spectacle of shutting Greenpeace down.

Don't let Japan shut down the truth. Demand the release of Junichi and Toru and demand an end to the whaling programme in Japan. The corruption of a few bureaucrats who profit from whaling should not be an excuse for harassing those who have exposed it. The domestic and international shame which this scandal is bringing on the Japanese agencies responsible for whaling is just one more reason that Japan should stop its sham scientific whaling programme in the Southern Ocean forever.

Please, take action now and pass this message along to your friends. Let's get Junichi and Toru back with their families, and demand the real criminals go to jail.

Thank you,

The Greenpeace whale team

Surely you can't import illegally logged timber and sell it in Europe, right? Wrong.

There's an important EU vote on July 23rd, which should close this illegal logging loophole. The European Commission has ignored the need for a new law for almost five years. Even now European Commission President José Manuel Barroso is being lobbied by companies who profit from illegal timber to reject legislation.

We need European Commissioners to vote "YES" to stop illegal logging on July 23rd.

Please write to the European Commission

Kaskade - 4AM (Adam K & Soha Remix)

Thanks Vag-Nessa for passing the video.... Trip Trip Trip

Kaskade - 4AM (Adam K & Soha Remix)



Pearl Jam - Rearview Mirror Live @ Pink Pop