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ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

By now, most people know that orcas and dolphins possess extremely high intelligence, with larger brains and perhaps even higher IQs than humans. Some researchers also claim that orcas have the ability to heal various ailments in humans. One scientist speculates that orcas are able to "see through" people with their sonar, and heal their afflictions with soundwaves. To learn more about this subject, attend a free lecture entitled "Swimming with dolphins and whales‹the magic and the medicine", presented by psychologist and international dolphin authority Dr. Jason Cressey, on November 1, 7:00 p.m. at Langara College. Info at www.people-oceans-dolphins.com.

ON THE NOT-SO-BRIGHT SIDE

A new study shows that orcas living off the coast of British Columbia are loaded with high levels of PCBs, and scientists fear this may be the cause of declining whale populations off the southern end of Vancouver Island. Because whales are at the top of the food chain, pollutants like PCBs accumulate in their fat cells. Dr. Peter Ross, of the Institute of Ocean Sciences says "killer whales (orcas) in British Columbia can now be considered among the most contaminated animals in the world." (Newsworld)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

It turns out that all those stories we've heard of poisoned halloween treats and razor blades in apples are more urban myth than fact. California researchers Joel Best and Gerald Horiuchi have studied data going back to 1958 and found only 76 reports of any kind of tampering, and those turned out to be mistaken or fraudulent. For example, in one case a boy was intentionally poisoned by his father, who made up the story about tainted Halloween candy; in another case a child had eaten his uncle's drugs, who concocted a tainted candy story rather than risk jail for possession. Criminologist Richard Moran has also studied this subject, but concluded that not "a single case of child murder could be attributed to Halloween sadists."

TREATS FOR FREAKS

Need a recipe for Bloody Eyeballs on the Rocks? How about Boogers on a Stick? These recipes, along with Nose Blow Burritos and Chicken Pox Pancakes, can be found at http://soar,Berkeley,EDU/recipes/holiday/halloween/indexall.html. Other favourites include Maggot Stew, Kitty Litter Cake, Puked Up Potatoes, Sewer Soda and Toasted Tongues.

FIRST KILLER BEES, NOW THIS

The Annals of Internal Medicine,vol 131, describes two cases of nursing home residents who were "identified as food" by marauding fire ants. Special thanks to Dr. Richard de Shazo for the lovely euphemism.

BETTER GET A SECOND OPINION

You wouldn't believe it from any other source, but direct from the Journal of the American Medical Association,this chilling admission. The top five causes of death in the United States, in order, are: tobacco, alcohol, medical malpractice, traffic and firearms. Such routine errors as misdiagnosis, prescribing the wrong drugs, mistakes during surgery, misinterpreted or contaminated test results and substandard cleanliness in hospitals kill roughly the amount of people that would die if three jumbo jets crashed and killed everybody on board, every single day. It may be better to take your chances with illness rather than see your doctor.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

The London Telegraphreports "Nuclear missiles, tanks, thousands of goose-stepping troops and hundreds of thousands of chanting civilians paraded past Tiananmen Square to the sound of a 1,200-piece military band to mark the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The streets had earlier been swept clean of beggars, street children and the homeless, as well as the city's mentally ill. Dozens of dissidents were detained in the run-up to the celebrations and hundreds of criminals executed after sentencing in public at special rallies."

CHEAP THERAPY

Neurologists at the Fukushima Medical University in Japan are trying to understand how a stroke cured a 66-year-old man of a lifelong stuttering problem and apparently improved his personality. He awoke in the hospital after days in a deep coma, shocking his family by speaking fluently and acting cheerful and childlike, in direct opposition to his pre-stroke serious and taciturn demeanor. (New Scientist)

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Copyright 2000 by Andreas Ohrt (604) 803-7485
Email:aohrt@hotmail.com
Website:www.curioustimes.com