As most of the world knows, the Republican National Convention descended on St. Paul last week.  In more ways than I can list the event gave us a front row seat to witness how divided we have become as a nation.  Most was to be expected; the traffic congestion, the protests, the months of planning beforehand.  But the thing that surprised me the most was how the National media distorted the protests, downplayed the intensity of them or even swept them aside. 

A few other things that weren't reported are, about a year before the convention the city began a plan to decrease the pigeon population downtown.  Birds were mysteriously decreasing in numbers, drastically so in the weeks leading to the convention.  Due to the close proximity of the city's homeless shelter to the Xcel arena, the homeless where pursueded off of the streets. The city was polished like a gem to glimmer in the late summer sun.  In reality, some of the very things that the politicians needed to see were hidden from them.  Maybe this is the reason that there is such a disconnect between our citizens and those who are running to represent us. I work downtown and am hassled for money on an almost daily basis on the streets.  Maybe this is something convention goers should have experienced.

Right now, most people I know are angry and if the truth be told a little scared. It feels as though all control of our future has been taken away from us. We face skyrocketing unemployment, decreasing home values, rising gasoline prices that affect most everything we buy and we're heading into a winter where natural gas prices are forecasted to be 40% higher than last year. Not to mention the war in Iraq and Global Warming.  Never in my life has it seemed that so much on so many fronts is spiraling out of control.  

In times like these, there is no hiding from reality.  To turn a blind eye only allows the negativities to gather strength.  My only hope is that in the months leading to the election that people research the candidates stances on the real issues and not only be swayed by charisma, a fresh face and a good speech.  Now more than ever, our very futures hang in the balance.

Tea...is a religion of the art of life.  ~Okakura


All true tea lovers not only like their tea strong, but like it a little stronger with each year that passes.  ~George Orwell, "A Nice Cup of Tea"


Tea does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade
And keeps that palace of the soul serene.
~Edmund Waller, "Of Tea"


A Proper Tea is much nicer than a Very Nearly Tea, which is one you forget about afterwards.  ~A.A. Milne


The first cup moistens my lips and throat.  The second cup breaks my loneliness.  The third cup searches my barren entrail but to find therein some thousand volumes of odd ideographs.  The fourth cup raises a slight perspiration - all the wrongs of life pass out through my pores.  At the fifth cup I am purified.  The sixth cup calls me to the realms of the immortals.  The seventh cup - ah, but I could take no more!  I only feel the breath of the cool wind that raises in my sleeves.  Where is Elysium?  Let me ride on this sweet breeze and waft away thither.  ~Lu Tung, "Tea-Drinking"

Steep yourself in the culture of tea at:  http://www.theperfectpause.com/

We've heard of the benefits of green tea but what about the evidence? The scientific community has shown strong interest in uncovering just what the benefits might be. Some have been cautious and say that there is limited long term evidence that green tea can combat certain diseases.

However, a recent study (reported on the ScienceDaily site) has found green tea improves the risk factors involved in heart disease. Drinking green tea improves the way cells in the lining of the circulatory system work. These cells are called endothelial and if they are not working well, then atherosclerosis may take hold. So the function of the endothelial cells are an indicator of cardiovascular risk.

A team of researchers at the Athens Medical School (Greece) led by Dr. Nikolaos Alexopoulos conducted a trail where volunteers had their brachial artery measured after consuming green tea, caffeine and hot water. The brachial artery was measured for the amount it had dilated. Dilation occurs when there is an increase in blood flow, and increased blood flow is good news.

Dilation was significant after drinking green tea, while it wasn't after drinking hot water or caffeine. It is known that black tea also impacts positively on endothelial function, but green tea is likely to have stronger antioxidants as it undergoes less oxidisation during processing.

What is positive for us is that antioxidants reverse the effect of oxidisation in the human body. This has to be good for many diseases. In fact another study mentioned in the ScienceDaily report (ibid) showed that damage to the endothelial cells caused by smoking can be reversed by green tea. Overall tea drinking is linked to reduced cardiovascular problems and mortality rates.

Another study, whose researchers were motivated by the value of green tea in oral hygiene, has looked at antibacterial activity in inhibiting bacteria. A bacteria called DNA gyrase locates a site or binds itself to a location. Drugs cannot be used to remove the bacteria because of serious side effects.

A team of researchers at the National Institute of Chemistry in Ljubljana (Slovenia) found that green tea catechins, in particular one known as EGCG (short for epigallocatechin), are able to target the DNA gyrase. The benefit of green tea, according to the lead researcher Roman Jerala, is its safety record as opposed to toxicity associated with drugs.

Further related research has found that green tea helps overcome the resistance of certain bacteria to antibiotics. Dr. Mervat Kassem from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Alexandria University in Egypt found that drinking green tea at the same time as taking the antibiotics improved the efficiency of the drugs to kill the bacteria including the strain of superbugs.

The antioxidant levels of green tea is reported to be a hundred times that of vitamin C and 25 times that of vitamin E. It is the catechins that are the most effective antioxidants in the tea. If these have the potency to reverse damage to cells, what other effects does green tea have? The cautions showed by some are valid; but they are a little behind given the conclusions of the recent research which has positive news about the benefits of green tea.

Steep yourself in the culture of tea at:  http://www.theperfectpause.com/

I can't take credit for this but had to share it:

I'm against the $85,000,000,000.00 bailout of AIG.

Instead, I'm in favor of giving $85,000,000,000 to America in a We Deserve It Dividend.

To make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bonafide U.S. Citizens 18+.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child. So 200,000,000 might be a fair stab at adults 18 and up..

So divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billion that equals $425,000.00.

My plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a We Deserve It Dividend.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free.

So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes.

That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in thei r pocket.

A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads

Put away money for college - it'll be there

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car - create jobs

Invest in the market - capital drives growth

Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else

Remember this is for every adult U S Citizen 18+ including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. And of course, for those serving in our Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( 'vote buy' ) economic incentive that is being proposed

by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it.

Sell off its parts.

Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.

Sure it's a crazy idea that can 'never work.'

But can you imagine the Coast-To-Coast Block Party!

How do you spell Economic Boom?

I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion

We Deserve It Dividend more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC

And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.

Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.

Kindest personal regards,

Birk

T. J . Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic

PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!