Is Whole Foods Sincere About Its Support for Labeling Genetically Modified Foods?

Is it possible that Whole Foods wants to ride the GMO labeling popularity wave while it quietly works behind the scenes to prevent Prop 37, or any other GMO labeling law, from passing?

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Vietnam Veterans Of America Agent Orange Dioxin Guide 2012

This wonderful information has been provided to us by:

Children of Vietnam Veterans Health Alliance

VVA self-help Guide to Service-Connected Disability Compensation For Exposure To Agent Orange for Veterans and their families

Table of Contents

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

What Is Agent Orange?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

What Is “Presumptive” Service-connected Agent Orange
Disability Compensation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

How Do I Know If I Qualify for Presumptive Service-connected
Agent Orange Disability Compensation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

What Is the Agent Orange Registry? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

How Do I File a Claim for Presumptive Service-connected
Agent Orange Disability Compensation? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Is Presumptive Service-connected Agent Orange Disability Compensation
Available to Surviving Family Members of a Deceased Vietnam Veteran? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Is Presumptive Service-connected Agent Orange Disability Compensation
Available to Biological Children of Vietnam Veterans Born with Certain Birth Defects? . . . .................15

Is Presumptive Service-connected Agent Orange Disability Compensation
Available to Incarcerated Vietnam Veterans? . . . . . . . . . . . . .16

What Other Benefits Are Available to a Vietnam Veteran
with an Agent Orange-Related Illness? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Informal Claim Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Veterans Service Organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

References and Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Agent Orange Guide VVA 2012

Pesticide Use Rises as Herbicide-resistant Weeds Undermine Performance of Major GE Crops

PULLMAN, Wash. — A study published this week by Washington State University research professor Charles Benbrook finds that the use of herbicides in the production of three genetically modified herbicide-tolerant crops — cotton, soybeans and corn — has actually increased. This counterintuitive finding is based on an exhaustive analysis of publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agriculture Statistics Service. Benbrook’s analysis is the first peer-reviewed, published estimate of the impacts of genetically engineered (GE) herbicide-resistant (HT) crops on pesticide use.

In the study, which appeared in the the open-access, peer-reviewed journal “Environmental Sciences Europe,” Benbrook writes that the emergence and spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds is strongly correlated with the upward trajectory in herbicide use. Marketed as Roundup and other trade names, glyphosate is a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide used to kill weeds. Approximately 95 percent of soybean and cotton acres, and over 85 percent of corn, are planted to varieties genetically modified to be herbicide resistant.

“Resistant weeds have become a major problem for many farmers reliant on GE crops, and are now driving up the volume of herbicide needed each year by about 25 percent,” Benbrook said.

The annual increase in the herbicides required to deal with tougher-to-control weeds on cropland planted to GE cultivars has grown from 1.5 million pounds in 1999 to about 90 million pounds in 2011.

Herbicide-tolerant crops worked extremely well in the first few years of use, Benbrook’s analysis shows, but over-reliance may have led to shifts in weed communities and the spread of resistant weeds that force farmers to increase herbicide application rates (especially glyphosate), spray more often, and add new herbicides that work through an alternate mode of action into their spray programs.

A detailed summary of the study’s major findings, along with important definitions of terms used in the study, are available online at http://bit.ly/esebenbrookmajor. Benbrook’s study, “Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. — the first sixteen years,” is available online at http://bit.ly/esebenbrook2012.

LINK

Robin Roberts Gives Positive Update on Treatment: My Blood Counts Are Great!

Robin Roberts has some good news!

The “Good Morning America” co-anchor, who is taking a leave of absence from the show to treat MDS, a rare blood disorder, updated viewers and supporters on Thursday with an encouraging blog post.

Roberts wrote, “I have been in the hospital 25 days now. My bone marrow transplant took place exactly two weeks ago. The only numbers that matter are my blood counts and they are… GREAT!”

Including a photo of her colleagues Josh Elliott and Sam Champion’s latest visit (above), Roberts explains that her donor sister Sally-Ann’s stem cells “feel right at home in my body — an answer to so many prayers.”

RELATED – Robin Roberts Feeling “Energized” After Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant

“My doctors and rock star nurses are very pleased with my progress and I could not be more thankful for the excellent care I am receiving,” wrote Roberts.

She added, “I continue to learn so much on this journey, especially when it comes to true friendship and love. My friends near and far — like Sam and Josh who came to visit yesterday — have been lifting my spirits.”

Roberts continued, “My childhood pastor (who delivered Momma’s eulogy) is coming from down South to see me tomorrow. I am hopeful that I MAY be well enough to continue my recovery at home next week and my sisters plan to come back to NYC for that milestone in my journey.”

“I truly FEEL and thank you for your love, prayers and good wishes,” added the newswoman. “And I return it to you tenfold. Light Love Power Presence. XO.”

Here’s hoping Roberts’ treatment continues on this positive trend.

LINK

What Should a Myeloma Patient Eat?

Living Well with Myeloma Teleconference Series: 
If Cookies Are Not Good For You -
What Should a Myeloma Patient Eat?

Brian G.M. Durie, M.D., Chairman of the Board of the International Myeloma Foundation hosts a 1-hour teleconference on nutrition for myeloma patients.

You won’t want to miss this free IMF teleconference on October 11th!

Click here to pre-register for this 
event today.

LINK

The IMF’s Living Well with Myeloma teleconference series is designed to cover all the important and most up to date information regarding multiple myeloma.