Beware Impaired Drivers

Tennessee wouldn't be the first state to come to mind for being forward thinking, but how's this for progressive action? Tennessee is on the verge of enacting a novel law that would see impaired drivers be held responsible for child support if their drinking and driving caused the death of a parent.

The House and Senate passed the bill unanimously. All that remains is Governor Bill Lee to sign the bill into law. All indications are that he will do so.

Beware impaired drivers in Tennessee. If you choose to drink and drive and you cause the death of a parent, you will be on the hook for supporting the offspring of that parent until they reach the age of eighteen. This is in addition to other redresses existing, such as jail and fines.

Great news. Other states and provinces should follow suit. 

3D Printing Human Sperm

 According to the Government of Canada, roughly 1 in 6 couples experience infertility in the country, presumably half of which can be attributed to reproduction issues in each gender. This number has doubled since the 1980’s. For those males unable to produce sperm, little in the way of treatment is available. But hold on to your hats folks, because recent breakthroughs at the University of British Columbia (UBC) may hold the key to artificially stimulate sperm production in some men.

How is human sperm produced?

The science is too complicated for the average Jane and Joe to wrap their heads around, so allow us to explore this topic by dumbing it all down a few notches so we can begin to understand.

What is known is that tiny microscopic tubes called seminiferous tubules are located in the testicles, measuring 300-400 microns across each. A micron is a millionth of a metre. An average male will have 750-1200 of these which are around 50cm in length and heavily coiled, each with the mysterious instructions on how to produce sperm. As a comparison, a human hair is about 70-90 microns across in size, and the human eye can see objects no smaller than 40-50 microns. So, these tubules are not microscopic.

The tubules communicate within the body (somehow) to collect the relevant sequences that make up the sperm, which delivers the man’s DNA to a friendly egg, and wham-o, you got yourself a fetus.

In some men experiencing infertility issues, the tubules malfunction and fail to produce sperm. The ‘why’ is not clearly understood.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) connection

Dr. Ryan Flannigan is an assistant professor of urology at UBC. He and his team have successfully created seminiferous tubules using a 3D bio-printer that saw stem cells survive 12 days, maintain themselves, and begin to specialize themselves in sperm production.

The goal is to develop this medical science to the point where seminiferous tubules producing sperm can be implanted in the testicles of men experiencing this type of infertility issue, to the relief and delight of countless wanna-be parents.

But, it is too early to be lining up at your local infertility clinic to receive the implants. Flannigan indicates more needs to be discovered about the interplay of seminiferous tubules with the rest of the body, albeit the results thus far are encouraging.

The trouble with science

Will we, one day, regret medical science advancements such as 3D printed human parts? To be sure we will, insofar as another power-hungry dictator such as a Hitler could become hell-bent on creating a master race, or perhaps some elements of an eugenics society could emerge to become commonplace. Ethics aside for now, this argument could be attached to any scientific breakthrough in any field and, unless we are prepared to return to a pre-Industrial Revolution era, the Pandora’s Box of 3D printed body parts is only going to become more prolific. And more normal.

Now, More Than Ever, We Need Alberta Oil

Recent world events have seen a return to Cold War-era tactics by Russian forces as they invade Ukraine to capture oil-rich deposits and feed off the bread basket of the East. And there is no telling what Russia’s end game is.

One thing is certain, however. Putin’s oligarch friends who have enjoyed an obscene free for all in the accumulation of their wealth are feeling the pinch of world pressure as real estate holdings, professional sports teams such as the famed Chelsea football (soccer) club, luxury retail brands such as Rolex, and international banks such as Credit Suisse, all of which have strong ties to Russia’s super rich, come under fire of their own.

Aeroflot, Russia’s national airline, lost its capacity for accepting reservations, and getting replacement parts for routine maintenance is now impossible. Cargo ships carrying goods to and from Russia are not being loaded or unloaded in most places around the globe. Wines and spirits made in Russia are removed from store shelves in the West. The cumulative effects of these relatively minor sanctions are causing grave concern for Russia’s elite.

Putin has a cache of weaponry all his own in the form of oil and the pipelines that carry his Black Gold. His cunning and foresight into developing key world markets for his oil, particularly that of Europe, during the kinder, gentler period of his reign is serving him well as he turns off the taps to his reserves. GazProm, Russia’s national oil and gas company, is currently squeezing Germany by suspending all agreements for oil to that country. Perhaps it is an attempt to hedge against the world boycott of Russian goods and gain a strong and empathetic voice among the European Union. Nonetheless, Germany finds itself a target of Russia while it scrambles to replace a supply of fossil fuels, which has the very real potential of developing strange bedfellows.

Canada is friends to the world, and within its borders produces enough crude oil to export around the globe while maintaining a lucrative supply for its own use. What it lacks is sufficient capacity in its pipelines to bring that crude from Alberta’s oil producing areas to ports that can then ship to markets, without limit. A groundswell of environmental and Indigenous groups in practically every direction leading out of Alberta have exterminated or severely limited new pipeline construction to a dangerously low output.

What does this mean? Immediately, it means our rate of inflation in Canada will soar, as we remain reliant on imported oil for our needs. Remember the 70’s when OPEC turned off its taps? That is exactly the course of events we are likely to see in the foreseeable future. Even if all the pipeline construction projects were to be approved today, it would be years before they would be operational. There underlies why now, more than ever, the world needs Alberta oil.

What it also means is that an oil-rich country like Canada, with an oil-rich province like Alberta, cannot properly supply itself and its allies with the fossil fuels on which the world still relies. Imagine how much smaller the impact on world events would be if there were a safe, steady supply of crude oil from Alberta to replace that from a dictatorship like Putin, or anyone else for that matter.

Spanish Flu of 1918 vs. Covid-19 of 2020

The Spanish Influenza swept around the world with the lightning speed with which we now observe Covid-19. It was 1918 and the First World War was winding down. In Canada, the Spanish Flu killed some 55,000 Canadians by the time the pandemic ended in 1920.

Canada quickly became a Covid-19 victim, likely spread initially by Patient Zero in Wuhan, China. Because Canada enjoys a favored nation status, Chinese nationals are permitted to travel to Canada and enjoy the scenery and visit relatives.

There was no television in 1918. No internet either. Radio was not yet the familiar entertainment box it would soon become. Newspapers were the king of media and how most folks received news. And the news in 1918 was grim.

As the numbers of dead were being finalized for Canada’s involvement in World War One, the numbers began trickling in of dead due to the Spanish Flu. Approximately 61,000 soldiers killed during the Great War. By the end of 1920, Canada would count 55,000 people dead due to the Spanish Flu. Canada’s population in 1918 was 8.2 million, so losing 116,000 of its citizens represented a significant portion of her being.

A new normal had arrived for Canadians. And today, a newer normal takes its place with Covid-19 already challenging the Spanish Flu numbers for supremacy.

Computer generated models for Covid-19 appear to show that late May 2020 will deliver the highest number of infected persons, along with high rates of deaths, up to 44,000. If Covid-19 continues on such a trajectory of death, it will surpass the Spanish Flu in infections and deaths in Canada within the first several weeks of the pandemic.

Today, Canada’s population stands at around 38 million. Percentage-wise, Covid-19 is projected to take a bigger chunk out of Canada’s population initially, with accumulated losses to rally that portion even higher.

One sombre attribute to both the Spanish flue of 1918 and Covid-19 of 2020 is that they both absolutely paralyzed the Canadian economy.

Rationing in a Digital Age

With little warning, and so many people ignoring and dismissing tales of the coming Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, one area that was tested, and continues to feel the impact, is our food security.

Supermarket shelves lay half bare and store management is limiting quantities for purchase of some items. Another word for this, despite government’s reluctance to use it, is rationing.

It is difficult to treat food security as a priority when, living in a relatively wealthy nation, I am afforded the luxury of throwing food away, shunning leftovers, and being able to choose when I eat. Others, in fact most of the world’s human inhabitants, do not share in the bounty I feel privileged to consume.

With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing the world’s economies to their respective knees, rationing of key staples in food, fuel, and other commodities, as experienced during the world war years, will become a certainty. It will be followed by mass unemployment, homelessness, and civil unrest. It will happen sporadically in Canada and United States, perhaps even much of the European Union. New laws designed to limit your freedoms will be enacted in secret and without parliamentary debate. Poor people will be made into criminals by the state.

The trickle will begin in the poorer countries of the world who are unable to withstand the punishing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. What happens there is a template for repetition in neighboring countries, with a ripple-like tide washing over the planet.

We have seen major architypes throughout history where monarchs, governments, and corporations have been toppled. When people are unable to feed their families, they tend to get a tad antsy. Not the kind of people you need working against you. Passion is a great motivator. So is hunger. And fear.

In today’s world of instant gratification, no amount of coding, no amount of texting, and no amount of consumerism will ensure we have available, and can afford, a loaf of bread for feeding one’s family.

Plant a garden, even ever so small.

Fort McMurray is Not the Enemy

Few small cities can lay claim to the celebrity connection that Fort McMurray does. And likely none wants to shed the limelight those celebs bring, faster than this city of 67,000 located in Alberta’s northeast.

Typically, when stars of song and screen mention your city’s name, it’s a boon for tourism, recognition, and to some degree, legitimacy. However, when celebrities pontificate to the masses of the evils of industries such as Fort McMurray’s oil sands, citing dubious information or playing the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do game, it does a disservice to the image of the community, to its residents and workers, and to those companies investing billions of dollars into the economy while producing the most in-demand product in the world.

The Inconvenient Truth

Regardless of the method used, discovering and producing oil and gas is not the most sanitary of businesses. The demand for oil and gas has been increasing steadily for decades, and despite our plentiful reserves, we are still largely reliant on foreign oil from countries such as Russia, Venezuela, and those in the Middle East.

The inconvenient truth is that this burgeoning demand for oil is not created by countries. It comes from you. You soccer moms, commuters, and anyone stepping on an accelerator. Your plastic totes storing stuff you’re convinced you will use again, the film wrap protecting your sandwiches at lunchtime, and even your toothbrush are made from products that started their life, at least in part, as oil. Let’s face it, fossil fuels have become an inseparable part of our daily life. That’s okay. Our evolving and prevailing demand now is that we find cleaner ways to produce and process fossil fuels. And that’s okay too.

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Public sentiment and internal corporate pressure to become more efficient drives resource companies to find and invest in new technologies for producing their products. Fort McMurray’s oil sands industry can be held in high esteem for their inventions and applications in reducing emissions, reclaiming land used in the production of heavy crude, aggressively mitigating the effect their operations have on wildlife, recovering tailings previously thought to be waste, and being the unsung heroes in driving the economy of our nation.

Is there more work to be done? Definitely. And nobody in Fort McMurray would argue the point.

Comparing Apples to Apples

Comparatively speaking, however, putting Fort McMurray on trial for being dirty and destructive while ignoring current environmental disasters wreaking havoc on countless ecosystems is misleading at best.

A mammoth underwater well spewing raw oil into the Gulf of Mexico akin to that of BP’s 2010 much-hyped and devastating Horizon Deepwater leak that saw roughly 5 million barrels of oil contaminate the waters and shorelines of Gulf states, threatens to put BP’s record-breaking blight to shame. Nobody is talking about Taylor Energy’s sunken platform #23051 leaking up to a reported 700 barrels of oil per day, and it has been leaking since Hurricane Ivan ripped through the Gulf in 2004. Damage estimates already run into the billions of dollars with no end in sight. Nobody is accepting responsibility. No celebrities here wagging their admonishing finger and demanding someone clean up their act.

Even “green” energy solutions come with dark clouds. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 300,000 birds are killed annually in those huge rotating blades of wind turbines. Again, no celebs speaking out with the disgust levied against Fort McMurray’s oil sands.

Fracking. Nuclear reactors. Coal-fired electric generating plants. There are plenty more examples in North America that pose environmental complications, the point being that picking on the low hanging fruit of Fort McMurray’s oil sands only serves to ingratiate celebrities to a well-meaning, albeit, ill-informed public and spread misinformation, all the while these same celebrities engage in behaviors that are wasteful beyond that of the average Joe and Jane.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leo to his friends, Mr. DiCaprio finally garnered the support he needed and was awarded his first Oscar in 2016 for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his part in The Revenant, a film shot partly in Alberta. DiCaprio used the platform of his acceptance speech to state (in part), “Climate change is real, it is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species, and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people out there who would be most affected by this. For our children’s children, and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed.”

DiCaprio is a fine actor and leading man in Hollywood. He personally visited Fort McMurray to “research” the oil sands for a documentary. Somewhere along the way of his ongoing critical commentary of the oil and gas industry in general, and the oil sands in particular, he forgot to inform his adoring fans of his wasteful energy practices.

Owning multi-million dollar homes, using private jets and the world’s fifth largest yacht, Topaz, (owned by a Middle Eastern oil tycoon) and measuring a whopping 453 feet in length, destroys DiCaprio’s moral authority to be preaching restraint while his carbon footprint sprawls. 

Topaz photo source moneyinc.com

Neil Young

It would be difficult to name a more recognizable Canadian singer and songwriter than Ontario’s own Neil Young. With over 50 years of award-winning recording under his belt, his music is iconic and often reflects the moods of the era.

Flying over Fort McMurray in 2013, Young later reportedly commented (in part), “The fact is, Fort McMurray looks like Hiroshima. Fort McMurray is a wasteland.” There can be no confusion over where Young’s line in the proverbial sand is.

Neil Young owns multiple homes, including a 1500 acre ranch in California, flies in private jets, and takes upwards of five tour busses and several semis when he tours.

Here is a link to a view of Neil Young's massive home from VirtualGlobtrotting.com

Integrity is what seems to drive Young these days, unless you count his ranch built on indigenous lands (the tribe seemingly slaughtered long ago, as was the norm), or the straggling carbon footprint from his touring operations, or the 23 million dollar home in Hawaii that he recently sold. It takes utilities to run those houses. Where does the energy for them come from, Neil?

Other notable celebrities spouting their negative opinions about Fort McMurray have included Jane Fonda, James Cameron, and Jann Arden.

Speaking Out is Okay

It is doubtful anyone would want to stifle intelligent conversations from occurring on what is perhaps the most important topic in the history of mankind. The way each of us has contributed to the waste on this planet is cause for concern and we all must be part of the solution. But the answer does not include those with celebrity platforms spreading what amounts to as gossip while attempting to enhance their public relations credibility or making themselves seem otherwise relevant.

Celebrities are entitled to their opinions. However, when they speak publicly about any issue, it generates media coverage, and we all know media just loves negativity. If the same celebrities noted above were to expound the virtues of discovering and processing fossil fuels, nary a peep would be reported, and the masses would think their fuel, and products derived from petroleum products, somehow just came into being, much in the same way those who believe their food comes from the supermarket but don’t want any animal slaughtered.

Let us communicate and debate significant issues with respect, armed with rational data, and commit to solving complicated topics together. Mudslinging by celebrities at hard working men and women just out earning their daily bread, at a community not reduced to sucking at the dry nipples of government handouts, or at an industry at the forefront of delivering world-class scientific innovation and the energy you demand, is as ugly and greedy as the Fort McMurray they claim exists.

Everybody Should Own At Least One Gun

We have, unfortunately, become such a wimpy overly politically correct society that it is a challenge to have an open and honest dialogue about the many issues we face in a world manufactured by oligarchs who plant fear through propaganda and reap trillions in profits yearly from their smoke and mirrors.

Let’s take the renewed passion regarding gun control as an example.

Mainstream media unapologetically tugs at the emotional heart strings following any school shooting involving more than three or four victims. Yes, it is tragic that some people in this plastic world which we created see no alternative to their angst and are propelled into making whatever bold statement they have conceived, by slaughtering children who are in an environment where they believe, as do their parents, that of all places that could possibly be chosen as a backdrop to such dastardly deeds, an education facility certainly adds to the hysteria.

I happen to live in the second most violent community in my city, and I happen to live in Canada where gun control laws are incomparably restricted than most of the United States. I recently moved here from the most crime ridden community of the city. A step up perhaps. I am also a double amputee who spends a great deal of time in a wheelchair, so I am always an easy target once I roll around the neighborhood. I believe I have a something of a unique perspective on crime from, literally, the ground floor.

Despite the restrictions Canadians face on gun ownership, I can easily roll outside and obtain a handgun and most other weapons in the time it takes me to reach the supermarket. I choose not to; however, I am compelled by recent events to rethink my current passive position on gun ownership.

The FBI released their crime statistics for the United States from 2011 (most recent year for which data is available as of this writing) intimating that where gun ownership is more permissible, violent crimes such as rape, aggravated assault, murders, robberies, etc. markedly decrease. Presumably someone about to commit a violent crime in these communities may think twice, fearing their intended victim might be packing heat.

I understand such an extrapolation. As a counter to this, violent crime generally in Canada and United States has reduced. So, the comparative literature from academia, law enforcement agencies and other credible sources such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), American Gun Facts, and Fact Check.org can seem foggy for the average bloke such as I. Like all statistics, they are subject to bias and interpretation.

So, lets take the statistics out of the equation for a moment.

The second amendment to the United States constitution, essentially the right to bear arms, was expertly crafted so that government cannot prohibit gun ownership nor the right to protect oneself, their property and their family. During the 20^th century, somewhere around 200 million people were eliminated worldwide. The first tenet of being able to annihilate entire populations by deranged dictators is to greatly restrict, and then ban, gun ownership by their citizens, depriving them of any means of defence.

It is easy to imagine how the comfort and peace of mind armed citizens would feel, and how risky and audacious any despot would have to be, to march their robotic military, crushing any opposition, subverting intelligent debate, burning books, rewriting history to sanitize their carnage, and cleansing their little spot on Earth of whatever they consider vermin. Hitler. Stalin. Mao. Pol Pot, Idi Amin, and right on back to the colonial powers throughout antiquity that invaded and enslaved entire populations.  And it continues to more recent times. Rwanda, Yugoslavia, South Africa, Chechnya, Ukraine, Iraq, blah, blah, blah. I wonder how much different the world would be if the victims of such oppression and horror were armed. And it’s that very thought that has me purposely rolling my wheelchair to the right to bear arms camp.

In February 2016, I interviewed David Thweatt, Superintendent of the Harrold Independent School District in Texas, and the spirit and driving force behind being the first school in North America to arm teachers and staff. You can read the article HERE. In it, you probably can hear my fence-sitting posture, trying to imagine what school would have been like for me knowing at least one teacher or staff member was armed. School for me was difficult with many “interactions” with teachers and principles, receiving various degrees of admonishment. Could one of those interactions have created a scenario where I would have been on the wrong side of a concealed gun? I can recall a few testy sessions where physical contact was used and can conceive the possibility. Would I have behaved differently having that little kernel planted in my head when I first enrolled?

It is also true that some people should not own guns. The system is broken. There are plenty of examples where assassins slipped through mental health cracks, law enforcement gorges, and other points of contact, failing to protect the public. Our social systems must learn to talk to each other, share pertinent information, arrive at solutions that limit infringement of personal rights while identifying and intervening where high-risk factors are imminent.

It’s a mountainous task indeed. So many lines in the sand are blurred. But we must be honest with ourselves and others, approach the conversation with an open mind, and most of all, we must be courageous enough to take those first bold baby steps. There will not be a magic wand that, when twirled, will be the one eureka moment.

Limiting gun ownership is not the answer. If someone wants to get a firearm, it’s almost as easy as ordering a pizza. The answer must be deeper, more intrinsic, thoroughly involved, and somehow more relevant than the systems we have, or arguably don’t have, now.

Here’s a baby step. Perhaps we can start by demanding background checks, waiting periods, and safety training across the board for anyone wanting to own a gun. I have not yet met a gun owner that opposes these basic foundations. Some jurisdictions already have components of this move forward. In this regard, the Canadian gun ownership process is far superior to any of those in the United States. It’s not perfect. No system is.

It’s also easy to pick on the low hanging fruit, in that the United States is always in the spotlight over gun ownership. Other countries also experience mass shootings. We don’t get to hear much about them in mainstream media. Some assassins use bombs rather than guns. We certainly hear about most of those. The IRA, the Unabomber, and whatever Muslim core we are fighting this week are but a few examples.

It’s rather easy to construct a bomb in your garage with rudimentary everyday items. The internet is rife with DIY bomb making tutorials. We don’t seem to be in any rush to restrict or ban the ingredients for explosive devices.

More people are killed in the United States and Canada every year with automobiles than with firearms. We are perfectly happy to welcome each new unveiling of these weapons of mass destruction.

The bottom line is anything can be used as a weapon. The concern surrounding mass shootings (beyond gun ownership) seems to dwell in the capacity of guns. Monstrous magazine clips and what are condemned to be called assault rifles appear to be the epicenter of eruption each time a mass shooting is overly hyped.

I get it. I don’t need a firearm that can shoot 50 rounds a second to hunt a deer. But if there are enemies, domestic or foreign, that want to ravage my country, I am guessing that 50 rounder is going to come in mighty handy.

The Casting Couch

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last several decades, you must have heard and been aware of what is euphemistically called The Casting Couch, a phrase attributed to those (mostly) female actors and models who trade sexual favors in return for roles in movies, television, the stage, and in magazines, on billboards, etc.

The practice is so widespread that the stately Oxford Dictionary and Merriam –Webster Dictionary both have included Casting Couch as inclusions in their reference tomes.

The recent barrage of accusations of sexual impropriety by high profile celebrities against equally high profile directors, producers, and the like, are impossible to ignore in the mainstream media. Certainly, one must give credit to those brave enough to come forward to publicize the obnoxious behavior of their perpetrators. Sexual assault in all its forms is repugnant, illegal, and has long lasting psychological affects for the victim that, for them, shred the fibers of morality and peacefulness in their community.

What we are not hearing in the mainstream media and from the so-called victims is a discussion about the trade-offs these “victims” made for cashing their multi-million dollar pay cheques. In many circumstances, one can liken the plight of the adult accusers to that of prostitution rather than sexual assault. The appearance of swapping sex for huge money and fame cannot be overstated. Where was their outrage when they were depositing those fat paycheques?

There are, sadly, a tremendous amount of sexual assault survivors on this planet who, unlike the celebrities now coming out of the woodwork to air their dirty little secrets, do not have the voice, the means, nor the strength, to confront their perpetrators and hold them accountable. Some statistics state that one in four females will experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime. That’s 25% of the population of mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, and nieces that will have to heal from the trauma and devastation that this crime envelops on these true victims. No big, fat, multi-million dollar paycheques and accompanying fame for them.

If the mainstream media would commit as much air-time and publishing space to the real victims of sexual assault as they are to the few celebrities who prostituted themselves for fame and fortune, then perhaps major in-roads can be made into eliminating sexual assault from the behavior of all its perpetrators.

Volksdrog - How Armed Forces Used Crystal Meth to Win Their Wars

The first thing one should recognize is that what is now known as crystal meth is not a new drug. First developed and used as far back as the 19th century by Asians, the highly toxic cocktail was used to induce a sense of euphoria and drive in their military ranks, allowing soldiers to march all night and fight all day. And love it!

But it was the Nazis and their war mongering industrial enterprises who took things to a whole new level. Pharmaceutical companies, now household names such as Bayer, IG Farben, BASF, Hoechst, and Merck, produced billions of methamphetamine tablets to be distributed to the various German Reich branches of military. Volksdrog (The People’s Drug) was chic, hip, and wildly successful in pushing the limits of human endurance on all fronts leading up to and continuing into the Second World War. Among its most devoted supporters (and users) were Hermann Goring and Adolph Hitler, although Goring’s drug of choice initially was morphine.

The edicts set forth by the puritanical Nazis emphatically stated that substance abuse was far beneath that of a true Aryan. As the world would learn soon enough, this would be but one of the many contradictions to swirl unabated throughout the supposed thousand-year reign of National Socialism.

The Nazi version of crystal meth needed a non-chemical sounding name to make it more palatable and sterile so as to sound like a health food, or vitamin (Hitler always referred to his injections as vitamins). Henceforth all crystal meth developed in Germany became marketed under the brand name Pervitin. It wasn’t long before Pervitin was being handed out to factory workers to boost productivity of the munitions and wares needed to mount a campaign of world domination. The rest of German society eagerly followed (Joseph Goebbels ensured his Ministry of Propaganda touched the lives of all), and in this context, one can appreciate how a demoralized and repressed nation was able to secretly manufacture and amass the advanced armaments and supply chain, in violation of the Versailles Treaty, that would soon stun a continent, and then envelop the world.

In his exceptionally well researched New York Times best selling book, Blitzed, author Norman Ohler focuses principally on the rampant drug abuse of the National Socialists of Germany, but is quick to point out that there are no clean hands among any of the warring nations of the period. The Allied nations were only too willing to fight fire with fire and began feeding their respective militaries methamphetamine to achieve similar results as those being realized by the Third Reich, rarely with the permission and knowledge of its own troops. The Axis nations quickly adopted the Fuhrer’s secret potion.

Nazi Germany would hardly be the first nation to foray into mind altering substances to increase bravado and fearlessness. Zulu warriors in Africa, Inca and Mayan dynasties of Mezo America, the Navaho and Apache of Southwest United States, Amazonian tribes of South America, and a virtual cornucopia of indigenous and ancient peoples worldwide have used artificial means to achieve sometimes unimaginable military conquest, creating cult-like rituals of dance, extreme physical exhaustion, and intoxicating fanaticism from which to feed.

The victorious Allied Forces were quick to rewrite history, as is the prerogative of all victors, and it is therefore tremendously difficult to secure documentation exposing Allied use of methamphetamine by their militaries. This was not the case with Germany, who documented everything in minutia. In fact, were it not for such detailed accounts of Nazi rule in general, the likelihood of evidence existing against top ranking German officers on trial at Nuremberg post World War Two would be paltry to non-existent.

Some Allied Forces fed methamphetamine to unsuspecting front-line troops to fine tune dosage amounts and tweak performance (pun intended). They became human guinea pigs. Pilots often took methamphetamine prior to a sortie. It sharpened their reflexes and heightened their awareness of surroundings, both critical attributes in any aerial combat. As the Top Secret clearances expire on related documents in the West, the Allies are sure to be exposed for conducting the very methamphetamine program on their own soil as used by Nazis. In fact, we already know that the British fed Benzaprine to their military, as it has less adverse side effects than the German Pervitin.

Japanese kamikaze (Divine Wind) pilots were flying high, literally and figuratively. How else does one convince otherwise proud and patriotic pilots to dive their planes into targets of opportunity without question?

German ingenuity being what it is and was, the pharmaceutical manufacturers produced a purity of crystal meth unrivalled at the time, and perhaps since. Maintaining strict quality control over all output gave military leaders in Germany predictable results of behavior of users. A drugged up soldier is pliable in the iron grip of a sinister regime. Together with the right dash of propaganda, is it any wonder Hitler could conquer as many nations as he did in such a relatively short time span?

It would be wrong to credit methamphetamine use/abuse for Germany’s conquests during World War Two, just as it would be equally wrong to credit crystal meth use/abuse for the eventual and rapid decline of the Third Reich. However, in its context of the day, perhaps it could be said that the widespread methamphetamine use/abuse was one of the key contributing factors to both the rise and the fall of the Third Reich. 

And while we begin to lay to rest the few remaining fighting men and women from World War Two, one has the sense that methamphetamine use/abuse in the militaries of the world has neither ebbed nor been terminated. Now painfully obvious spilling into the streets of suburbia, methamphetamine abuse world wide has skyrocketed beyond the highest aspirations of Hitler and Goebbels. The difference now is that the neighbor’s twelve year old kid can make crystal meth using chemicals found under the kitchen sink and rudimentary access to the internet. And the tween need not follow any protocols for quality control.

To visit Norman Ohler's web presence CLICK HERE

Common Street Names for Crystal Meth:

Batu
Biker’s Coffee
Black Beauties
Blade
Chalk
Chicken Feed
Crank
Cristy
Crystal
Crystal Glass
Crystal Meth Glass
Go-Fast
Hanyak
Hiropon
Hot Ice
Ice
Kaksonjae
L.A. Glass
L.A. Ice
Meth
Methlies
Quick
Pint
Poor Man’s Cocaine
Quartz
Shabu
Shards
Speed
Stove Top
Super Ice
Tina
Trash
Tweak
Uppers
Ventana
Vidrio
Yaba
Yellow Bam

Preparing To Die - The Bittersweet Opportunity Of A Lifetime

The fact remains, we will all die. We just don't know when. One well-heeled adage claims that the only sure things in life are death and taxes. To counter this, however, if one has a good accountant, the taxes become less certain. Death, on the other hand, not so much.

We live in a rat race society, selfishly accumulating 'stuff' before someone else has the opportunity of amassing it in their collection. We cherish our 'things' and alter our behaviors by our very ownership of these inanimate objects, whether they be toys, gadgets, art, commemorative widgets, or whatever.

Circumstances change quickly when facing our imminent demise. Suddenly, those trinkets of artificial value become worthless reminders of how we got wrapped up in a consumer culture at the cost of sharing the experiences life offers. Few of us can honestly admit to a life of chasing dreams, having fun, enjoying the moment, smiling more, and regretting less.

Those faced with a terminal illness share a common, if not unlikely, bond with inmates on death row as well as those mere seconds away from a mortal infliction. They all have time to prepare for death. The amount of time may differ, but the fortuity remains nonetheless.

A perilous journey ensues when you know you are about to die. One of the most immediate thoughts harken to the unrealized ambitions in one's life. "If only..." could be heard their inner most thought.

Therein begins a journey within oneself of identifying the many regrets that can accumulate during a lifetime. We all have them. Some we quietly tuck away in our cerebral vault. And some are so strong and prominent as to actually help define us as a person.

We worry about loved ones, particularly our children, and what effect one's passing will have on their impressionable beings. Not being there for important milestone events, seemingly insignificant boo-boos, or shepherding them to become productive and responsible adults, all cloud prevailing thoughts.

Such notions can occur in nano-seconds, as is the case if someone is becoming the victim of a violent end. Others have the luxury of having more time to contemplate their impact on Earth and what sort of legacy we leave behind to inspire those who choose to remember and follow.

Having precious time to 'fill in the blanks' allows one to bring closure to life chapters that, for whatever reason, remain unexperienced. Some choose to travel, seeing the marvels of the world from a somewhat unique perspective. Others find the strength to educate us of the warning signs of their affliction. Still others might embark on an oddessy to fill their backpack with experiences, outlandish or otherwise. Sadly, some opt to curl up in a dank corner somewhere in a pitiful cocktail of 'woe is me'.

Religion plays a hefty role in the lives of some. Even those who barely practice their faith turn to their creator in these desperate times. For each, these pious explorations are very personal, reflecting the nature and nurture of their lifetime.

There is, perhaps, no other more profound contemplation than that undergone between the moment one learns of his or her sentence of death and when that inevitable day actually occurs. Values shift. Senses are awakened. Motivation is refocused. All is compared to how things were yesterday when everything was so routine. Regardless of the person facing this liberty, a decision is made about how our remaining time will be invested.

Those outside the fold see those facing mortality as brave, courageous, and unfailing. How can we deny the whims of someone not long for this planet?, we reason. Yet we fail to absorb those same passions and empathies for ourselves as we cling to the familiarity of our daily rut, afraid of making the changes, perhaps even enduring sacrifices, that could lead to a more fulfilling life while we still have the wherewith all to truly enjoy it. There is always a 'but...', an excuse, why we choose to continue on an unsatisfying path of blah rather than embrace the adventure awaiting around every corner.

Raise a glass and toast to those facing imminent mortality, to those who choose to complete whatever chapters in their book of life, with feats of valor, despite the challenges that await. Hail to the bravado in grabbing Death by the gonads forcing it to wait until you accomplish a few more deeds. It is something we shouldn't lack in undertaking while we can. Today. Now.

The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth of the hole.