Category: Religion

The Impact of Drug Use on Autism Rates

I don’t believe Robert F. Kennedy Jr. needs to search extensively for the cause of autism. I have been thinking much about what RFK thinks about vaccines, food and so forth. I think his concern for Autism is spot on.

This article explores the causes of the country’s falling health, Autism and birth rates.

If you have used drugs like marijuana or cocaine at parties, your child’s poor health might be a result of your actions. Read on…

Focusing solely on autism, data from the United States reveals a significant rise in diagnosed cases over the past half-century, increasing from roughly 1 in 2,000 children in the 1970s and 1980s to 1 in 36 children in 2025. This signifies a greater than 50-fold rise in the reported prevalence.

No article on Autism would be complete if we didn’t acknowledge that this rise might be because of shifts in diagnostic methodologies, heightened awareness, and enhanced reporting procedures.

So, which is it?

There is substantial evidence that prenatal drug exposure can cause a wide range of birth defects, developmental issues, and medical conditions that may significantly impair a child’s ability to grow into a fully functioning adult. These effects can be severe and long-lasting, impacting various physical, cognitive, and social development aspects. The research underscores the importance of avoiding drug use during pregnancy to minimize these risks and ensure the best possible outcomes for children.

General Effects of Drug Use During Pregnancy: Most drugs of abuse can easily cross the placenta, affecting fetal brain development and potentially leading to long-lasting implications.

Drug use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of birth defects, including structural malformations and behavioral alterations in offspring.

Specific Drugs and Associated Risks:

Opioids: Linked to poor fetal growth, preterm birth, stillbirth, and specific birth defects.

Cocaine: Associated with an increased risk of stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight.

Heroin: Linked to reduced fetal growth and low birth weight.

Alcohol: Even small amounts can negatively affect the developing fetus, leading to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

Long-Term Effects: Prenatal drug exposure can lead to congenital anomalies and long-term developmental issues, potentially affecting the child’s ability to function as an adult.

If that’s not enough to convince an expectant mother to avoid recreational drugs and even something as seemingly harmless as Tylenol, what about the father, or in many cases, the sperm donor?

Recreational drug use can significantly impair both male and female fertility, making it more difficult to conceive:

Male Fertility:

Recreational drug use, including marijuana and other illicit substances, can adversely affect male reproductive health, potentially leading to subfertility and increasing the risk of infertility by up to 70%.

Specific effects on male fertility include:

Alcohol: Can decrease testosterone levels, reduce semen volume, and cause erectile dysfunction.

Marijuana: May lower testosterone levels and negatively affect semen quality, including sperm count and motility.

Cocaine: Can impair erectile function and reduce sperm concentration and motility.

Opioids: Linked to reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, and decreased testosterone levels.

Methamphetamines: Can lead to erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual desire, and cause apoptosis in germ cells, affecting sperm quality.

Female Fertility:

Substance abuse, including marijuana and alcohol, has been linked to negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes in females, including decreased fertility.

Specific effects on female fertility include:

Alcohol: Can disrupt menstrual cycles, leading to ovulatory dysfunction and difficulties conceiving.

Marijuana: May disrupt menstrual cycles and negatively impact assisted reproductive technology outcomes.

Cocaine: Associated with an increased risk of primary tubal infertility.

Opioids: Can lead to menstrual irregularities and amenorrhea, reducing the probability of conception.

Risks During Pregnancy

If conception does occur, recreational drug use during pregnancy poses significant risks to both the mother and the developing fetus:

Miscarriage and Stillbirth: The use of recreational drugs during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

Birth Defects and Developmental Issues: Many recreational drugs are teratogenic, meaning they can cause birth defects and developmental issues with long-lasting implications for the child.

Premature Birth and Low Birth Weight: Drug use during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of premature birth and low birth weight, which can lead to further health complications for the newborn.

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS): Babies born to mothers who use drugs during pregnancy may experience withdrawal symptoms after birth, known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.

Fetal Growth Restriction: Exposure to drugs in utero can lead to poor fetal growth, resulting in babies being small for their gestational age.

Neurological and Behavioral Consequences: Prenatal exposure to drugs can lead to permanent neurological, developmental, and behavioral issues, manifesting as learning disabilities, attention deficits, and other cognitive impairments.

Long-Term Effects on Child Development

The impact of parental drug use extends beyond pregnancy and can have long-lasting effects on child development:

Physical Health: Children of parents who misuse substances may experience inadequate physical development, including stunted growth due to malnutrition in extreme cases.

Psychological and Emotional Effects: These children are at a higher risk of developing anxiety and depression due to the instability in their home environment.

Cognitive and Academic Challenges: Children of substance-abusing parents may show cognitive deficits that impact their academic performance.

Social and Behavioral Issues: These children may experience neglect and abuse, leading to behavioral problems and difficulties in forming healthy relationships.

Health Problems: Stress-related health problems are prevalent among these children, including conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, migraines, or asthma.

Risk of Substance Use: There is a heightened risk that these children will develop substance use disorders themselves.

Expert Opinions

Healthcare organizations and professionals emphasize the risks associated with substance use and having children:

The NSPCC highlights that problematic substance use can lead to chaotic lifestyles that may harm children.

The Perinatal Addictions Prevention Project (PAPP) focuses on educating professionals and consumers about substance use during reproductive years, pregnancy, and postpartum, emphasizing prevention and risk reduction.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) notes that substance misuse can lead to increased criminal activity, domestic abuse, and significant mental and physical health problems.

What about Paternal drug users? If only the sperm donor uses drugs for whatever reason and the mom to be is ok with him being the father, is that ok?

The survey says… No.

There is strong evidence that paternal drug use can cause DNA damage, chromosomal abnormalities, and epigenetic changes in sperm, which may increase the likelihood of birth defects and developmental issues in offspring. The specific risks depend on the type of drug, the extent and timing of use, and other mitigating factors. While not all paternal drug use results in adverse outcomes, the potential for harm underscores the importance of addressing substance use in prospective fathers to minimize risks to offspring. Further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and long-term implications of paternal drug use on child health and development.

Drug use, particularly substances like cocaine, opiates, alcohol, and nicotine, has been shown to cause significant DNA damage in sperm. This damage is often mediated by oxidative stress, which leads to DNA fragmentation and chromosomal abnormalities

For example, cocaine use has been linked to reduced sperm count, motility, and vitality, as well as increased DNA fragmentation. These changes can impair the genetic integrity of sperm and increase the risk of transmitting genetic abnormalities to offspring

Drug use can also induce epigenetic modifications in sperm, such as changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications. These changes do not alter the DNA sequence but can affect gene expression in the offspring, potentially leading to developmental issues or predispositions to certain conditions

Non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, are another mechanism through which drug-induced epigenetic changes can be transmitted to offspring, influencing their development and health.

Certain drugs, such as chemotherapy agents and heavy alcohol use, have been associated with chromosomal damage in sperm. This can lead to aneuploidy (abnormal number of chromosomes) or structural chromosomal abnormalities, which are known causes of birth defects and developmental disorders.

Congenital Anomalies:

Paternal drug use has been associated with an increased risk of congenital anomalies, such as heart defects, neural tube defects, and genital malformations. For example, paternal use of metformin has been linked to genital birth defects in male offspring.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders:

Drugs like valproate and cocaine have been linked to neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD), intellectual disabilities, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Behavioral and Cognitive Issues:

Paternal cocaine use has been shown to increase the risk of learning disabilities, memory loss, and conduct disorders in offspring. These effects are thought to result from drug-induced genetic and epigenetic changes in sperm.

Addiction Vulnerability:

Animal studies suggest that paternal drug use can increase the offspring’s susceptibility to addiction. For example, paternal cocaine use has been linked to changes in genes affecting synaptic connections, which may predispose offspring to substance use disorders.

Cryptorchidism and Other Specific Defects:

Paternal use of certain drugs, such as finasteride, has been associated with cryptorchidism (undescended testicles) in male offspring.

Type of Drug:

Some drugs, such as cocaine, opiates, and alcohol, have stronger evidence linking them to DNA damage and birth defects compared to others, such as certain neurological medications, which show weak or null associations.

Extent of Use:

Chronic and heavy drug use is more likely to cause significant damage to sperm DNA and increase the risk of transmitting genetic abnormalities to offspring.

Timing of Drug Use:

The period of sperm development (approximately 74 days) is critical. Drug use during this time can affect the quality and genetic integrity of sperm.

Mitigating Factors:

Some effects of drug use on sperm may be reversible with cessation of use and lifestyle changes, such as improved diet and antioxidant supplementation, which can reduce oxidative stress and improve sperm quality.

RFK’s community awakening is clearly needed, which is supported by substantial evidence.

Recreational drug use can severely harm a child, impacting everything from conception to development. For optimal reproductive health and child well-being, those planning a family should avoid recreational drugs.

Truly, we are up against addiction. It isn’t just an addiction of recreational chemistry but the chemistry in your brain. If you’re still reading, you are my people; here is more fodder for you.

With drugs, smoking or even sex here is what happens:

1. Activation of the Brain’s Reward System

The brain’s reward system plays a central role in drug-induced highs. This system includes structures such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA), nucleus accumbens (NAc), and the prefrontal cortex.

When drugs are consumed, they trigger an artificial and often intense activation of this reward system, which is responsible for processing pleasurable experiences and reinforcing behaviors.

2. Dopamine Surge

One of the most significant effects of drug use is a surge in dopamine levels:

Dopamine is a key neurotransmitter in the brain’s reward system, associated with pleasure, motivation, and reinforcement.

When drugs are consumed, they often lead to a much larger increase in dopamine levels compared to natural rewards like food or social interactions.

This intense dopamine release creates the sensation of a “high,” which is a powerful motivator for repeated drug use.

3. Neurotransmitter Disruption

Different drugs affect various neurotransmitter systems in the brain:

Stimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamines):

Increase dopamine and norepinephrine levels by blocking their reuptake.

This leads to heightened alertness, euphoria, and increased energy.

Depressants (e.g., alcohol, benzodiazepines):

Enhance the effects of GABA, the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter.

This results in relaxation, reduced anxiety, and sedation.

Hallucinogens (e.g., LSD, psilocybin):

Primarily affect serotonin receptors, altering perception and mood.

This leads to changes in consciousness and potential hallucinations.

4. Altered Brain Activity

Neuroimaging studies have revealed significant changes in brain activity during drug intoxication:

There’s often lower glucose metabolism in the frontal cortex during the use of substances like cocaine, morphine, or alcohol.

The binge/intoxication stage is characterized by heightened activity in the ventral striatum, a key region in reward processing.

5. Short-Term Effects on Cognition and Behavior

Drug-induced highs can lead to immediate changes in cognitive function and behavior:

Altered consciousness, euphoria, and impaired judgment are common short-term effects.

Changes in coordination, mood, and perception can occur, varying based on the type of drug used.

6. Neuroadaptations

Even short-term drug use can begin to induce neuroadaptations in the brain:

The brain may start to adapt to the presence of the drug, leading to tolerance (needing more of the drug to achieve the same effect).

These adaptations can persist, contributing to the risk of addiction and relapse.

7. Activation of Memory and Learning Circuits

During a drug-induced high, the brain’s memory and learning circuits are also activated:

This creates strong associations between the drug use, the environment, and the pleasurable experience.

These associations can trigger intense cravings when exposed to drug-related cues, even after long periods of abstinence.

But what about other things that are addictive, like adrenaline?

The effects on the brain during sex, eating a favorite food like chocolate, or engaging in thrill-seeking behaviors such as speeding while driving are all related to the activation of the brain’s reward system, but with some distinct differences. Let’s explore each activity and its neurological impact:

1. Sexual Activity

Sexual activity has a profound impact on the brain, triggering a complex interplay of neurological processes:

Hormonal Release: During sexual activity, the brain releases a cocktail of hormones and neurotransmitters, including:

Dopamine: Produced by the hypothalamus, contributing to feelings of pleasure and euphoria.

Oxytocin: Often called the “cuddle hormone,” released in large quantities during sex, promoting bonding and relaxation.

Norepinephrine: Contributes to arousal and excitement.

Brain Region Activation: Sexual stimulation and satisfaction increase activity in various brain networks, including:

Prefrontal cortex, Orbitofrontal cortex, Insula, Cingulate gyrus, Cerebellum

These regions are involved in processing emotions, sensations, and decision-making.

Mood and Stress Effects: Sexual activity is associated with improved mood and reduced stress levels due to the release of oxytocin and endorphins, which can lead to a calming effect and pain relief.

Cognitive Benefits: Regular sexual activity may improve cognitive function, particularly in older adults, enhancing memory performance, verbal fluency, and visuospatial ability.

2. Eating Highly Palatable Foods (e.g., Chocolate)

Consuming highly palatable foods like chocolate also activates the brain’s reward system, but through different mechanisms:

Reward System Activation: The mesolimbic dopamine pathway, including the nucleus accumbens, is activated by the sensory properties of chocolate, such as its taste and smell.

Dopamine Release: Eating chocolate leads to the release of dopamine, contributing to feelings of pleasure and satisfaction.

Cognitive Effects: Dark chocolate, rich in flavanols, may have cognitive benefits:

Improved memory and reaction times in young adults.

Enhanced memory performance in older adults with long-term consumption of high-flavanol cocoa.

Mood Enhancement: Chocolate consumption is associated with mood improvement, possibly due to its ability to modulate neurotransmitter systems involved in mood regulation. It can lead to the release of endorphins, promoting feelings of happiness and well-being.

Craving and Reward Processing: Chocolate cues can elicit specific neural responses in regions associated with reward and craving, as shown by fMRI and ERP studies.

3. Thrill-Seeking Behaviors (e.g., Speeding While Driving)

Engaging in thrill-seeking behaviors like speeding activates the brain’s reward system in a unique way:

Dopaminergic System Activation: Thrill-seeking is associated with heightened response to dopamine, which can lead to increased risk-taking behaviors.

Risk and Reward Processing: The nucleus accumbens is activated during thrill-seeking activities, processing the rewards associated with the risky behavior.

Emotional and Cognitive Factors: Thrill-seeking can be influenced by emotional states like stress or anger, which can alter cognitive processing and lead to impaired decision-making.

Adrenaline Release: Speeding can lead to the release of adrenaline, contributing to feelings of exhilaration and excitement.

Prefrontal Cortex Engagement: Thrill-seeking behaviors uniquely engage the prefrontal cortex more extensively due to the need for risk assessment and decision-making.

Comparison and Synthesis

While all three activities activate the brain’s reward system, they do so in different ways:

Sexual activity provides a more holistic activation involving emotional bonding, stress relief, and potential cognitive benefits.

Eating chocolate focuses more on sensory pleasure and potential mood enhancement, with some cognitive benefits from certain types of chocolate.

Speeding engages the reward system through risk and excitement, involving more cognitive processing related to decision-making and risk assessment.

Each activity involves dopamine release, but the context and intensity vary. Sexual activity and chocolate consumption are generally associated with more positive long-term effects, while thrill-seeking behaviors like speeding carry significant risks and potential negative long-term consequences on brain function and overall health.

I added that last part for those who might judge drug users; believe me, we all have our own ingrained addictions. Maybe you are more responsible and understand that drug use will to quote Bruno Mars, ‘funk you up.’

One wonders what the middle ground might be? How does RFK and his team MAHA?

I would encourage him to enlist the services of experts in the field of mental health. Not only do we have an unhealthy diet, but we have a mental health crises that borders on hedonism with half the country acting like spoiled brats.

How do you fix spoiled brats?

Dad’s home; hand over the remote, and go to your room until you can behave yourself.

If only it were that simple.

If it were me, I would enlist the Franklin Grahams of the world. Education, while necessary, can only go so far. Morality seems to be a large part of the problem, and we need to attack these issues on multiple fronts. We need to dig into cultural history and backtrack to see where we went askew of common sense. -Best

Feel Free to share this post, re-blog, etc. This was a lot of work and research on my part.

Should we replace our concrete streets here on Earth with gold?

Further thoughts from last Sunday. Read the previous blog for context.

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, with each gate comprising a single pearl. The main street of the city was pure gold, as clear as glass.”

“And the streets of heaven are made of gold.”

His reason for making that analogy is that gold in heaven is nothing more than asphalt. That all the girls and women want to wear here on earth is asphalt. His quote, not mine.

First off, why pick on girls and women? Most people wear gold bands to signify a symbol of marriage. By demeaning gold, does he not also degrade the symbol of marriage? What is the wedding ring all about?

The choice of gold for wedding rings is deeply rooted in tradition and symbolism. Gold has been used for wedding rings for centuries and is valued for its enduring qualities, making it a fitting symbol for the enduring nature of marriage. Using gold in wedding rings symbolizes the precious and enduring nature of the commitment being made. It represents the purity, value, and timelessness of the love and bond shared between the couple. Gold is a noble metal that does not tarnish, corrode, or rust, which further emphasizes the enduring nature of marriage commitment.

Therefore, the choice of gold for wedding rings reflects the timeless and precious nature of the love and commitment shared between spouses.

***

If you read the previous blog, you know I am critical of this person as he is flawed on so many levels.

The lesson he was attempting to teach is that what we value here on earth is nothing when it comes to the rewards in heaven. He failed.

The phrase “Do not love the world or anything in the world” can be found in 1 John 2:15 in the Bible. It states, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

This verse emphasizes the importance of prioritizing spiritual values over worldly desires and attachments.

He fundamentally criticized the message about heaven that the author of Revelations was trying to convey.

What was the Author of Revelations trying to say?

He describes the streets of the city as pure gold, like transparent glass

This depiction is part of the larger portrayal of the New Jerusalem, symbolizing the extraordinary beauty and richness of God’s dwelling place. Using precious materials like gold and pearls in the description signifies the unparalleled magnificence and perfection of the heavenly realm.

Let’s see what we can derive from scripture:

The Bible provides several vivid descriptions of Heaven, particularly in the Book of Revelation. According to Revelation chapters 21 and 22, Heaven, or the New Jerusalem, is depicted as a stunningly beautiful city coming down from God. It is described as having streets of gold, gates of pearl, and walls made of precious stones

Characteristics of Heaven

Heaven is described as a real place filled with real people, and the Bible sometimes compares it to a mansion with many rooms and sometimes to an enormous city teeming with people

The paradise of the Garden of Eden is restored, with the river of the water of life flowing freely and the tree of life available once again, yielding fruit monthly with leaves that heal the nations

Additionally, the pleasures of heaven are said to eclipse wildest imaginations, and it is a place where perfect friendships are enjoyed

Limitations of Description

Despite the eloquence in the description of heaven, the reality of heaven is beyond the ability of finite man to describe, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 2:9

The descriptions of heaven in the Bible are often symbolic and open to interpretation, emphasizing the challenge of fully capturing its essence in human language

In summary, the Bible describes heaven as a place of stunning beauty, with streets of gold, gates of pearl, and walls made of precious stones. It is a place of restoration, perfect friendships, and pleasures that surpass human imagination. However, the limitations of human language and the symbolic nature of the descriptions remind us that the reality of heaven transcends our finite understanding.

I would like to talk briefly about the book of revelations.

The author of the Book of Revelation is traditionally identified as John the Apostle, who also authored the Gospel of John and three epistles. However, the precise identity of the author remains a point of academic debate. While second-century Christian writers such as Papias of Hierapolis, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Melito of Sardis, and Clement of Alexandria, as well as the author of the Muratorian fragment, identify John the Apostle as the author, modern scholarship generally takes a different view, with many considering that nothing can be known about the author except that he was a Christian prophet

The traditional paradigm holds that the apostle John wrote both the Gospel of John and Revelation, but modern scholarship has cast severe doubts on this traditional theory

The author of Revelation identifies himself as simply “John” in the text, but his precise identity remains a point of academic debate

I will end this epistle on this note: If putting forth stumbling blocks earns a one-way ticket to the place without air conditioning, this guy should be much more careful about his pontifications.

Just to be transparent, I mainly write science fiction. Moreover, I identify as someone who engages in deep thought. Throughout my career, I have consistently been able to think creatively, which has proven advantageous to both employers and customers.

Have a blessed day!

If Paul ran for office, would we vote for him? @realdonaldtrump

Political discourse in this country, as I suspect in many others, is rife with opinions, hate, and discontent. Some with a passing understanding of the facts speak out as those who are heavily vested in the process. Many, like Armchair quarterbacks in our lazy boys we scream at the TV or our friends on social media.

The disconnect is that depending on what part of the country you are in influences your opinions.

East and west coast alike are more liberal and have a definite liberal bias in the news, radio programs, and newspapers and of course the mega elite who live in the Ivory towers of Hollywood. We hold them up there; they are Gods don’t you know? Because they are either genetically gifted with looks, or symmetry and have learned to emote when they talk, we believe them to be as their characters on our favorite movie or TV show. They are so wise in that they must certainly know of what they speak!

download (3) — I am certain that she knows about all the issues… not!

Politicians wise to the ways of the world, hob knob with these Gods as they want to be accepted, so they will talk nicely about them. Comedians also take on the liberal biased as they too are influenced by some politicians who wield power and might; with their pen and phone.

Politicians will spend vast fortunes of their own money to get the vote of the people as once there; it can be a lifetime job where suddenly the rules and laws that the little people must deal with, do not apply to them.

hillary angry 4 — It does make a difference ….

Evangelicals are looking for Jesus to run for office. They might dispute that, but they are. The problem is, even if Jesus came back and ran, I doubt few would actually vote for him because he was the son of a Carpenter, and his mother became pregnant before she was legally married.

Twenty-Six Million evangelicals stayed home in 2012 because the idea of a Mormon in the White House was unfathomable. How did that work out for you?

51COkV-g4NL._SX332_BO1,204,203,200_ — Wonder how many of these he sold?

Today we have “conservatives talk show host.” bashing Trump because of things that he did as a businessman. Some of their allegations are true, most are out of context or flat out falsehoods concocted by those that study and practice political science and social engineering.

A perfect example of that was the nude photo of Trump’s wife on the cover GQ magazine sent to all of the voters in Utah, telling them that this was their “first lady.” “Smarmy attacks like this “not to pick on the Mormons, will work because they will vote their conscience. They did, and the sycophantic lawyer won by a landslide! They were played like a Steinway! In her defense, she was a model back then and a damned fine one! She speaks five different languages and is a successful business person in her own right!

Now we are being played. We have Evangelical leaders listening to other leaders talking about things in Trump’s past that may or may not be true. They are telling their followers to vote their conscience after dissing Trump.

The last thing I read said that no matter who won, the world will still keep spinning, the country will still go on, not to worry, just vote for someone you will not feel badly about casting your vote for.

If I ever doubted that the devil was real, this is where I would have clear evidence that he is real and active.

If you vote for anyone other than Trump, you are voting for Hillary. Independents are there to funnel votes from Trump. Hillary is such a corrupt, candidate that she has to pander to those who are only looking out for what is in it for them. What is my vote worth to you?

She has peaked out, so her strategy must be to take votes away from Trump, anyway that she can.

garyjohnson-600x400 — Do you really think this guy has a chance in hell?

Established politicians know if Trump is elected that their gravy train of $600 hammers sold by their brother-in-laws is over. They would rather support the devil for their fortunes on earth than do what is right for the country!

Is Trump the perfect candidate?

“No.”

Is Hillary a better candidate? Only for the State Pen. She is, in fact, the first person to run for the office of president that could not pass a standard background check.

If Paul came and ran, would you vote for him knowing his baggage?

Wise up and do the right thing!

Trump is not perfect, so I cannot vote for him! @realdonaldtrump

Many on the extreme right saw Cruz as the model of their idea of the perfect candidate.

He said all the right things to woo the evangelicals and of course hid his dirty work under the covers so the “perfect” voters could feel good about casting their vote for a man that held their ideals and worshiped the same Jesus that they worship.

This person won Iowa by cheating and pulling Lawyer tricks.

This person took delegates that should have belonged to Trump again through Lawyer tricks, and when accosted by Trump his response was, “all is fair in love and politics” paraphrasing.

To garner his win in Utah “he” sent out a nude photo of Trump’s wife advertising to the UBER right wing Mormon class, that this was going to be their new first lady!

Twenty-Six million evangelicals stayed home in 2012 because they could not stomach a Mormon in the White House. We got Obama for a second term. How did that work out for you?

Here we are in 2016.

A self-made business man who has had ample opportunity to screw up his life, has managed to not only not screw it up but raise a family that manages to deal with wealth and not be totally rotten to the core.

This is a man that does not drink, smoke or do drugs yet he could easily afford the best, like many celebrities, athletes, etc. and he does not. His vice is a milkshake at the ballgame with friends.

yankees-v-oakland-s — If I remember correctly Oreilly bought them!

I see many evangelical posts on social media saying that they cannot vote for Trump. Alas, he is not perfect!

“No Christian should bow their knee to Trump; his past is questionable.”

Trump is not running for a theological leader of anyone. Trump is running because he wants to give back to a country that has been good to him.

Self-funded the primary, handily beat 16 qualified candidates and now he has to survive $1.5 Billion dollars of negative ads, social engineering and right wing nut jobs who think that the next president should be Jesus himself!

Jesus is not going to run to save you from yourself! He gave you a brain and reasoning skills and expects you to use them!

This next election is so important you have no idea.

The progressive agenda will utterly destroy what is left of this country after this last 8 years.

bill_hillary_rect-460x307 — He never inhaled or learned what the meaning of “is is…”

We will be $20T in debt because of this administration and have many more problems than answers for the next president to deal with.

I am not an apologist for Trump.

I know who he is. He is not perfect Folks, we could do one hell of a lot worse than him. If you stay home, you are voting for Hillary. If you are willingly voting for her, you need to stop drinking the kool-aid.

Trump_makes_friends — If you can’t chuckle at this your not trying!

Isn’t it a good thing that God does not judge you as harshly as you judge Trump?

Vote to “Make America Great Again!” It’s the right thing to do!

-Best

Bait and Switch

“Of course debating Hillary would be easy…so don’t count on it!”

As I watch the political landscape unfold into the nightmare that it is, I cannot help but wonder what is in the other hand.

“Look at this bright and shiny object while we do something underhanded…”

I truly believe that the DNC knows that currently there is not a valid candidate on their ticket.

Even she knows this but, she has to sell the lie.

While there is indeed a percentage of the population that have no idea what economics are, micro or macro; and will find communism under Bernie a great idea. $20 trillion dollars in debt, making it $40 trillion just means more free stuff for them, the ill-informed useful idiots of the world.

Never mind that they are saddling their great grandchildren with their debt.

Maybe this will help you…A familiar face that you might know…

Of course, even if Bernie won; the house and senate would hopefully block him from staying on this course … as we are headed for an ice burg. One only has to look at the state of affairs in Greece to see what we are headed for. Wait. What are the Kardashians up to? Who is playing what team and what football player is hurt? Will my team make the playoffs!? Those are what interest’s people…not politics. They only care when they don’t have enough money to purchase beer, and shoes for the kids.

This cost the republicans the election… “Not a Mormon in the white house!”

I saw a post on social media that is warning Evangelicals that Trump may not fully believe everything that they believe…I guess that means that they should stay home, again, because they did not want a Mormon in the white house…If Trump is not in lock step agreement with everything in one of the over 3000 different denominations your brand of Christianity…that will justify your non-participation… again.

When you see evil, not to speak, is to speak. When you don’t vote…you are voting for the other guy.

With a thousand top secret e-mails kept on a non-secure, illegal server; only being the tip of yet another ice burg; the fact that Hillary is not sporting an orange jump suit learning to do laundry and yes, sharing a toilette with common riff raff; defies logic. The idea of her still running for president again bespeaks of the complete ignorance of some of the people in this great nation.

I am a Clinton, what difference does it make?

Before the final deadline to announce candidacy to become president of the US occurs, I believe that the Clinton campaign will self-destruct; and much like the Hindenburg will be blamed on republicans with incredible spin from the left, and Hollywood elites as well as MSNBC, while totally ignoring the obvious design flaws.

A dark horse, as of yet to announce; will step into the ring as the “savior of the party” and the obvious choice to run for president, because she too is a women. A women that will have escaped all of the vetting process of the election; and debates, thus far.

Have you asked yourself why the democratic debates thus far have been on at times when nobody would watch them?

Did not want to use a shared bathroom…So she missed part of the debate.

Republican candidates will not be prepared to debate her she, as she was not and is not on their radar. This will cause them to scramble and be un-prepared while she, Elizabeth Warren; will have all of her research and well-practiced debates skills down. She will know each end every little detail of who the RNC selects, while they will only have surface information on her. Her jabs will resonant and theirs will fall flat.

It is akin to football; when the loosing team pulls an onside kick rather than punting the ball back to the opposition.

Many liberals love her, but again they don’t know her. Just like they don’t know the history of the American Indian as their brutality was washed over…they don’t know this women. The American Indian was the ISIS of the day, burning people alive and torturing them in dozens of different cruel and barbaric ways. Find that in your history books…

The spin doctors and the Left leaning media…most of it…will spin her as the next messiah, much like they did with Obama… They will be all so surprised when Hillary is indicted, blaming their candidates faults on lies of the republicans and Trey Gowdy. They will be so happy that Elizabeth Warren reluctantly decided to run and take one for the team… That trip that Biden made to see her, was more than likely a strategy planning trip for her, and this administration. Men and Women of all strips will fall for it as well as many on either side of the isle. It is a strategy that will probably work and remember…you heard it here first!

When the republicans say…”who would have seen that coming?” Well, I did…and now you know too..

If you don’t agree with me or you understand the election rules regarding presidential elections better than I…weigh in. I studied them for hours and they are murky at best.

If you like what you read…follow me…share this with your friends.

-Best

www.timedok.com

Featured image courtesy of Tim Pierce https://www.flickr.com/photos/qwrrty/8152000438/?

Cancer, the final frontier…

As a young person I was fascinated by the movie Fantastic Voyage which was released in 1966 as a medical Sci-Fi. The people of the day had some great imaginations.

As I age, I know too many people with cancer of some sort.

Working in Houston Texas for some time, I spent 15 years in the Texas Medical Center working with all sorts of Doctors and other health care professionals, from many different specialties.

The Texas Medical Center photographed on Thursday, May 23, 2013, in Houston. Texas Children's Hospital is in the foreground. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle ) — The Texas Medical Center photographed on Thursday, May 23, 2013, in Houston. Texas Children’s Hospital is in the foreground. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Some things I witnessed, still haunt me in my dreams; and that was some time ago. Occasionally something will stir a vison or a memory from some rogue smell which, will catapult me back to those days of working in the bowels of the medical center, and different hospitals.

Still yet, some things which are puzzling; stay just below the surface of my conscious while I am supposedly there at dinner with friends or watching something on TV or even reading a book, or writing this as I am now, some puzzles are “back ground tasking.”

This morning I was reading about a friend of mine going through cancer treatment when it hit me, most likely we all have cancer cells running around our body.

Cancer cells and “oncologist correct me if I am mistaken” are nothing more than cells that have mutated via an error in the genetic instructions either given to it or, it mis-understood them and erroneously created a cell that is flawed in some way.

When we hear of a cancer we hear of it like “they had cancer of the X.” Fill in the blanks with whatever was effected by the cancer whether it be the breast or prostate or brain or what have you.

The problem with cancer is that we don’t detect it until it has made millions of cells that are duplicates of screwed up cells. The millions of cells turn in to what we know as tumors which are really nothing more than globs of screwed up cells that don’t know how to assimilate into the body so they form a tumor.

What causes this mis-communication between cells can be blamed on many things from smoking to cosmic radiation.

Cancer needs to be addressed at the genetic level and for that we must necessarily understand the genome in its entirety. Once we understand what each little bit of the genome does we can look for errant cells and target them with something like a virus, yes a manmade virus that looks for specific types of cells and kills them.

That technology is in our future but I believe that is where we need to go to stop cancer and other diseases like aids and even the common cold.

My issue with this frankly is our technology always seems to outpace our humanity.

While some doctors in some lab are thinking that they are saving the world, some military minded megalomaniac wants to know how it can be used as a weapon.

This ought to make the generals feel happy... — This ought to make the generals feel happy…

Can we make a virus that only effects the blood type of a certain people or animal or pick your target.

Maybe you want to create a herbicide that only kills a certain plant so you modify this virus to attack the cells or genetics of that particular plant.

The problem is of course that these things mutate and thus are unstable, and thus on the loose can wreak havoc much like the plague or other flu related pandemics of our history. Ebola is one such virus that needs no introduction. Any virus created must contain an expiration date. It must die on its own accord and must be stable.

The cure for cancer and other such diseases I firmly believe will be created in a lab by someone who thinks outside the box.

Most probable this cure will take lives before it cures them, much like radiation took so many lives before it played a part in curing them.

Understanding the genome will open the doors for many opportunities. Stop the aging process and allow people to live really long times. Is that a good thing? I am not certain.

Arrest diseases which currently ravage our humanity in ways that we live with currently but; in decades to come some historian will write: can you believe that people died of things like the flue? How backward!

Friends, some of us are indeed backwards. Those that would seek to weaponized things like the “genome” are backwards.

Those that think that they are somehow special and better than others to the degree of wishing others harm, are backwards.

Great care needs to be applied when exploring the virus that will end up being a cure for such things as all living things on this planet share parts of the genome.

When we understand it, we will see that parts of the human genome contain things that are found in other animals and even the plants.

You can use this argument for evolution or God and creation. I could argue it either way. I tend to believe that there is intelligence in the design of everything that we see so, the scientist in me believes that there is a creator of all things; and we simply don’t understand or comprehend why….

“Cancer the final frontier” is really a misnomer but, it is the beginning of, and the driving force for what will end up either being the salvation of man on this planet, or its demise.

-Best

http://www.guard-protect.com

Guns, Violence and Video games, is there a connection?

My heart goes out to the people in Charleston. The senseless violence in this country seems to be more and more frequent. While the left will tell you it is the lack of gun control, and use this and every occurrence of gun violence they can to push an agenda; they are dead wrong.

Going after the law abiding citizens’ guns is like going after silverware because there are so many fat people around. Yes, it really is that ludicrous!

While the country is grieving for these folks; we have idiotic politicians out there using this as a bully pulpit to push a very liberal agenda which also happens to be a dangerous one.

In my business it is necessary to do something called a “root cause analysis.” Simply stated, what happened, how did it happen, and how can we prevent it from happening again.

It is more than putting magnetometers at the entrances of all public buildings with security guards.
Do we attend church via skype, and turn Xenophobic?
Do we use this as an excuse to not attend church?
Do we listen to it on the TV or Radio and think that is good enough?
Maybe we use this as an excuse to qualify the absolute lack of a god as a good “god” would not allow this to happen.

The problem is much deeper than this and I am glad that this kid is still alive so we can learn from him, what set him off.

Instinct tells me that when investigated, you will find that he spent untold hours playing violent video games with other on-line people, and simply took it to the next level. These games are so realistic that I fear that after enough of it, the lines between reality and fiction become so blurred that killing for real is simply a “level up” for him.

Since he gave up so easily, my guess is that he is a coward, and picked a soft-target like a church where the odds of him getting hurt were minimal. Being a black church, there may have been an element of racism involved, which made the target more palatable. His racism again would be interesting to study as how and why? Was he picked on or bullied by blacks as a school child?

With the uproar in Baltimore and Ferguson, who knows if that pushed him in that direction?

We cannot afford to ignore these “simulators for killing” any longer. Mental health needs to be a priority for this, and all future administrations as technology pervades our lives and these “kids” who have so much time on their hands and play these games for hours and hours on end.

Cars kill, knives kill, baseball bats kill, just about anything can be used as a weapon!

The common denominator is people. People kill,
and the motives need to be looked at. Go, look for yourself at some of these games and the realities of them. Go to your local game store and look at demos of them, watch these kids as they play these games.

They are dropped into a war-time situation where killing with realistic effects are over the top. I would not be surprised to find that this creep that killed those folks suffers from some sort of PTSD from video games!

Now, go take on the day!

http://www.guard-protect.com

Why II or, Gods and Insects II

I asked myself, why anyone would put this kind of hatred in a public space and on display for the secular and non-secular world to witness. I am of course talking about new signs popping up touting the killing of Jews as worship.

If you want to conquer a country you must first divide it. It would be much easier to conquer a country divided and fighting itself.
You take control of the media so you can keep control of the narrative.
You divide the folks through propaganda, provided by the media and other outlets like sitcoms and movies that attack conservative values from notable people who we see in movies and sitcoms.
You keep the people distracted through sports venues, 100’s of TV channels and other internet distractions which disseminate a narrative that is in line with an agenda.
Silence dissenting views through arms of the government and you distract with issues which demand your attention through outrageous acts of barbarism.
You pull out a page from a “magician’s handbook” by causing the world to look at the other hand and not the one containing the next “trick.”
You allow or instigate actions which are so heinous that the government is forced by its citizen’s to call out to its government to come in and revise those rights that we hold dear to protect us from the bad people in the world and finally we disarm the citizen’s making them helpless and unable to care for themselves both with armory and even through the control of their ability to fend for themselves if the infrastructure were to break down.
You destroy any candidate from either party that might actually do something to stop this train wreck from happening. Make no mistakes, there are people on both sides that want this country to change and fall in line with the rest of the world.

Let’s see, we have this imaginary war on women, we have racial strife, and we have a division between the law and the people. Now all cops are painted with the same broad brush that a few power hungry cops have used, overstepping their boundaries. We have millions of illegals in the country that the tax payer is supporting through taxes that are burdensome and unfair to say the least.

We have a media that is complicit to the left (far left) calling any kind of criticism of the current regime or the far left established empire of the Clinton’s just foolish talk. We have smoke and fire and a lot of the dots depicting these folks as a dynasty who clearly thinks of themselves as Gods and the rest as insects; being protected by the far left media.

You enlist Hollywood to get familiar faces to speak to its base and against those who see the Wizard of OZ for who he /she really is, just a power hungry money grubbing entity whose agenda is gaining more money and more power, damned the consequences. Even if that means giving control of our Uranium to Russia, though backdoor deals!

The little people, you and I are kept in the dark by this media and when we listen to or hear talk that is of a nature that is diametrically opposite of the far left they we are painted as Tea Baggers and far right loons.

“BTW a Tea Bagger is a very offensive term which means one who puts their “balls” in someone’s mouth during sexual acts, which many find offensive but yet the left really does not care if they are offensive.”

Most of the people have little time to study current events so many don’t spend their precious TV time watching the news. The newspaper is mostly liberal so if they read it they get the progressive point of view. Objectivity does not sell papers or subscriptions and let’s face it, they are left leaning. To further that, a majority of people only care what is going on in the world if they are directly affected. If someone comes to their house and demands their guns or else, they might care then, of course by then it would be too late.

Silencing the opposition through coercion, corruption, bribes and or by destroying their credibility by having people of distinction publically attack them in malicious manners, much like Harry Read lying about Romney not paying taxes to dissuade voters from voting for him. I find it interesting that he had no remorse for his lies and felt that the ends justified the means.

And finally through free speech you allow hate mongers and or other groups to sew seeds of discontent that are so malevolent the people rise up and demand that it be stopped which the government then has a free pass to modify your rights in such a way that you give them up.

That is how we got the patriot act, porn scanners, groping of grandma and children and strip searching of anyone that they like, and the government’s ability to spy on you without a warrant. Do you feel safer now?

The hateful speech in question would require a change in the 1rst amendment which conversely would affect all law abiding citizen’s ability to speak out against those things which they found offensive. By pushing the envelope by allowing these Jihad signs in New York; they are hoping to get enough people to cry out to their government to do something about it.

Top Down, Bottom up, inside out!

Do you really want to forfeit more of your rights, to stop those with hateful rhetoric from offending you?

“A word regarding the second amendment.”

We as people are lulled into a false sense of security. We have the NRA lobbying for the legal gun owner of this country to keep and bear arms. If it came down to a firefight between you and a criminal the odds are good that the criminal would already out gun you as they might have Russian made automatic weapons or even American made automatic weapons as they are not restricted by laws.

If it came down to fighting our government “you know the real reason that there is a second amendment” to stave off a tyrannical government, I know for a fact that drone strikes would not be off the table, much like we are seeing in Syria today where the government uses poison gas on its people.

So, if you are under the illusion that owning a handgun gives you some modicum of protection from anyone other than the common thug, you are dreaming.

If the NRA wants to ramp up the conversation, how about my ability to own an RPG or two?

The bottom line is to vote intelligently and get your news from something other than the liberal left or the loonies out in Hollywood who have some lollipop idea that the world would be great if we all fell in line like the rest of the countries who limit your speech, force PC speech and oh yes, limit your rights to guns or religion and keep you all working for the “common good” thus destroying capitalism.

The only wealthy people are the Gods, and the rest are insects! The insects work for the Gods; or they are exterminated, which one are you?

You don’t need the government to stop idiots. You just need yourself and a few friends who also think outside the box.

-Best

Freedom of speech @GregAbbott_tx @thefive

Freedom of speech

Here in the good ole USA we have something in our Bill of Rights called the first amendment.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This is important enough to be the “First Amendment!”

Recently a Vet tried to take away a flag from some protestors on some college. The protestors were desecrating the flag to make a point and the veteran was having no part of that.

There most certainly must be a better way for the protestors to get their point across, rather than desecrating that which most of us hold dear, it is their right to do so!

Trampling on a flag is a form of speech according to the law so I have another form of speech that is being abridged and we are doing nothing about it.

manhart-screen-capture — She denies doing this for publicity… You be the judge.

Female-vet-defends-flag — Being arrested for stopping some students from trampling on the American Flag.

If I am traveling down the road and see some cop lurking in the woods waiting for some speeder; and I flash my lights to warn fellow travelers I can get ticketed.

Folks that is wrong on so many levels and nothing is being done about it. Some days don’t you just feel like a sheep with the cops and other bureaucrats as the big bad wolf?

Flashing my lights is my right under the first amendment. Just as it is my right to flip on the CB or other communication device and warn people.

Waze-navigation-app — I have tried this with some success. It is better if you have a passenger so you don’t have to fool with something while driving.

maxresdefault (2) — From about the same time as Smokey and the Bandit.

B002LZUY8A-1 — One of the best on the market.

The problems are twofold.

First and foremost traffic tickets have been a source of revenue generation and that is wrong as it removes objectivity from the equation. In many cases it turns traffic enforcement into a game and guess what it does for public relations between citizen’s and the police?

Secondly what is flashing my lights? It is a code. What is a code? It is a form of speech, my speech!

This is actually a case for the ACLU… My free speech is being abridged here!

Not only I am well within my rights to flash my lights, I am doing a public service in that I am actually slowing traffic back to whatever the legal limit is; which is the sole purpose of the traffic cop in the first place.

This needs to be a change.org thing.

This will probably be better suited for the states to deal with rather than trying to get those inside the beltway to do anything. They have to take a poll to figure out if they should go to the bathroom much less actually vote on something that matters.

As always, I welcome your input, thoughts and enlightened conversation about this or any of my other blogs.

Why

Why?

Why are there no casinos in Texas?

Texas-Map — This is a map of the locations of Casinos near Texas draining revenue from this state and what are we doing about it? The larger question is why?

With the huge influx of aliens from Mexico and beyond, we clearly could use the revenue so again I ask; why are there no casinos in Texas?

Why should Texas Dollars end up in BFE Oklahoma or Shreveport or even Vegas?

We have the lottery; so it really can’t be religious objections. You could blame them if you want but, I for one would not believe you.

Why not Casinos with places that can host Vegas style entertainment as well as produce revenue from those with a penchant for gambling?

We have horse races for Pete Sake, why not Galloping Dominoes?

Why are we letting all of that revenue go north, or east, or to Nevada? If it is an Indian thing, we have Texas Indians too. I know this for a fact so, why? Why does it have to be an Indian thing?

I would bet that the good folks at Winstar or Choctaw or even Shreveport or possibly some of the folks in Vegas who manage an Oasis in a desert, would love to open up a casino here.

After you have scurried around trying to come up with an answer I have a bigger question than that, Why the hell doesn’t California have Casinos? They are billions in debt, why not bring some dollars to their state via Casinos. With competition everybody wins!

After asking yourself this question and going through all of the possible machinations of why, we can take it one step forward and probably answer the question.

What would happen if Texas and California allowed it, along with the other states?

What would happen to Vegas?

What would happen to Winstar, or Shreveport, or even Chocktaw, if they suddenly had competition?

And the multi-million dollar question is, why do we care?

In 2011 a town in northwest Arkansas which had been dry for ever, wanted to sell alcohol. It was put on the ballot and by a margin passed.

Previously just outside the city limits were several “boozatoriums” which were set up to sell to that city along with other surrounding cities just outside their borders.

It turns out that the people who owned those or who had interest in them, alerted the various churches that this town wanted to go wet and got the people all up in arms. The churches were the pawns for the owners of the existing stores which would lose business if the local Walmart could sell booze.

Never mind the fact that people would go out of their way to buy beer at the towns edges and start drinking it on the way home, on mountainous roads! Those folks who owned the “joints” didn’t care if people got drunk on the way home and drove off a cliff! There was the bottom line and after all, what else is there?

A dichotomy existed between those that wanted to buy booze and those that thought it was the work of Satan, the latter being stirred up by the folks who owned the existing stores on the periphery of the city. Huge vinyl yard signs were created and distributed to the town’s people both for and against; in the end Walmart and others who actually had businesses in the town won. Tax dollars for Booze now went into the city, which hosted the stores and had to provide the infrastructure for its people.

Who is pulling our chains?

People with an interest in gambling will go to where it is legal, much like those with a desire to smoke pot; they will either simply do it, damned the consequences; or they will go to where it is legal.

Instead of making all of these toll roads in Texas, which is nothing more than a hidden tax on the people, let’s use funds from gambling to build our infrastructure and stop charging the people for services that you should already be providing! Since our population is increasing from external sources who will all need medical and scholastic services, let’s find the funding for it from those that already spend the money elsewhere.

I welcome dissenting opinions and arguments, as I love good debate.

I certainly don’t have all of the answers but, if there is dialogue then maybe we can learn to at least ask why, and think outside the box!

The answers are out there, we just need to ask the questions and not be satisfied with “because,” or “that is just the way it is,” or “it’s the law.” If it’s the law and it is stupid, let’s change it, or change the people who made it!

People need to rise up and question the status quo, if the status quo does not make sense!

-Best