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Zeitgeist
A DVD exposing Christianity, the Banking System and 9/11

Big Bird Triumphs!

From Science Daily --
Climate change is altering North American winter bird communities in ways that models currently favored by ecologists fail to predict. Based on patterns of animals found in different climate zones today, ecologists would expect that as habitats warm, numbers of species found there will increase, and that those species will be smaller in size and restricted to narrower geographic ranges. However, ecologists at the University of California have found that only one of those three predictions has held for North American birds over the past quarter century.

Instead, their analysis has revealed that warmer weather has favored "weedy" species, those that are adapted to a wide range of habitats and therefore easily extend their ranges. Larger birds, which are typically better disperses than smaller species, seem to have gained an advantage, they report in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the Royal Society on June 10.

Telepathic Solidiers?

from wordpress.com --
Forget the battlefield radios, the combat PDAs or even infantry hand signals. When the soldiers of the future want to communicate, they’ll read each other’s minds. At least, that’s the hope of researchers at the Pentagon’s mad-science division Darpa.

The agency’s program called Silent Talk will “allow user-to-user communication on the battlefield without the use of vocalized speech through analysis of neural signals.” That’s US Army contracted the University of California to investigate the potential for computer-mediated telepathy.

Before being vocalized, speech exists as word-specific neural signals in the mind. Darpa wants to develop technology that would detect these signals of “pre-speech,” analyze them, and then transmit the statement to an intended soldier. Darpa plans to use EEGs to read the brain waves. It’s a technique they’re also testing in a project to alert soldiers to threats faster than the conscious mind can process. The military has been funding a handful of  mind-tapping technology recently, and already have monkeys capable of telepathic limb control. Telepathy may also have advantages beyond covert battlefield chatter. Last year, the National Research Council and the Defense Intelligence Agency released a report suggesting that neuroscience might also be useful to “make the enemy obey our commands.” The first step, though, may be getting a grunt to obey his officer’s remotely-transmitted thoughts, next potential TV consumer audience targets

Ginko Can Ease Pain

and again from Science Daily --
An extract of ginkgo biloba shows scientific evidence of effectiveness against one common and hard-to-treat type of pain, according to data reported in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia Dr. Yee Suk Kim and colleagues of The University of Seoul, performed experiments in rats to evaluate the effectiveness of ginkgo against neuropathic pain, a common pain problem associated with herpes, limb injury, or diabetes. Affected patients may feel severe pain in response to harmless stimuli like heat, cold, or touch.

In the experiments, rats with neuropathic pain were treated with different doses of a standardized ginkgo biloba extract or with an inactive solution. Objective tests were performed to see how ginkgo affected neuropathic pain responses to cold and pressure.

For both cold and pressure stimuli, pain responses were significantly reduced qith the ginkgo. This was so on before-and-after treatment comparisons and on comparison of ginkgo versus a placebo. The higher the dose of ginkgo extract, the greater the pain-relieving effect. Pain was reduced for at least two hours after ginkgo treatment. The study provides no evidence as to how ginkgo works to reduce pain. Several mechanisms are possible, including antioxidant activity, an anti-inflammatory effect, or protection against nerve injury—perhaps in combination.

Time to Go North Folks
from goodnews.com--
A survey released this week has shown that Canadians are providing more help and caring more about others. The Institute of Wellbeing's first report says Canadians are participating more in organizations and volunteer activities, and that property and violent crime are going down. In Ontario, a tough drinking-water standard has been proposed. There were also numerous favorable economic and environmental stories coming form Canada. On the subject of Canada, we received word this week that Kevin Ennis, the Liberty Dollar man, and the man that has been showing conspiracy films in Asheville was indeed arrested and is being held on $100,000 bond, which we also heard was rescinded since it appears that Kevin is also an illegal alien from Canada, and is about to be deported. Well. Maybe it won't be that bad after all Kevin. By the way you may write him, we're sure he'd love to hear form you, His address: Innes, William K., PID 377054, PO Box 34429, Charlotte, NC 28234-4429,

If you read or hear of some interesting news for us, let us know. Call 828-254-6620, or go to our website, viratolive.com and contact us.