“Dr. Mercola” - Is Zinc Really Good for a Cold?

Posted By Dr. Mercola  

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/03/is-zinc-really-good-for-a-cold.aspx

A review of the medical research on zinc shows that when it is taken within one day of the first symptoms, it can cut down the time you have a cold by about 24 hours. It also greatly reduces the severity of symptoms.

The authors of the review did not make any suggestions as to what type of zinc product to buy. They also did not suggest an optimal dose or formulation, stating that more research was needed before such a recommendation could be made.

Zinc supplements also have downsides -- they can cause nausea and a bad taste in the mouth, and they may interfere with your body's uptake of other key minerals.

According to the New York Times:

"Zinc experts say that many over-the-counter zinc products may not be as effective as those studied by researchers because commercial lozenges and syrups often are made with different formulations of zinc and various flavors and binders that can alter the effectiveness of the treatment."

Colds are transmitted only by droplets, such as from sneezing, that come from a person who's infected. These droplets can, however, remain on surfaces for some time. Colds normally last about seven days.

Cold medicines are not recommended for children under 4, and no cold medicines are cures -- they only relieve symptoms. Washing your hands is still the number one recommended way to keep yourself free of colds.



“Agence France-Presse” - Gaddafi has lost legitimacy, must leave: Obama

By Agence France-Presse

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/03/gaddafi-has-lost-legitimacy-must-leave-obama/

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi has lost legitimacy and must leave office, US President Barack Obama said Thursday.

"The United States and the entire world continues to be outraged by the appalling violence against the Libyan people," Obama told a press conference at the White House.

"Going forward, we will continue to send a clear message: The violence must stop. Moamar Kadhafi has lost legitimacy to lead and he must leave."

Aircraft struck the Libyan town of Brega on Thursday, as a rag-tag army of rebels holding the eastern strategic city manned machine-guns on pick-up trucks after two bombs fell near the local oil refinery.

The attack sparked fears of a new bid by troops loyal to Kadhafi's regime to recapture the key port, 200 kilometres (125 miles) southwest of the main eastern city of Benghazi.

Libya has been rocked by the revolt against Kadhafi's four-decade rule which erupted on February 17 following uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia which ousted their long-time leaders.

Obama also said he has authorized the use of US military aircraft to move Egyptian refugees who have fled Libya to Tunisia.

The US was helping "to lead an international effort to deter further violence" and trying to respond quickly to the developing humanitarian crisis, he said.

"Those who perpetrate violence against the Libyan people will be held accountable. And the aspirations of the Libyan people for freedom, democracy, and dignity must be met," Obama said.

A major European operation was under way Thursday to airlift out of Tunisia thousands of people, most of them Egyptian workers, stranded at the border after fleeing the bloodshed in Libya.

The first French plane involved in the mass evacuation took off from the Djerba airport mid-afternoon, carrying 168 Egyptians to Cairo, following airlifts by British crews that took hundreds out overnight, officials said.



“Sahil Kapur” - Federal judge stays his ruling against health care law

By Sahil Kapur

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/03/03/federal-judge-stays-his-ruling-against-health-care-law/

A federal judge on Thursday issued a temporary hold on his recent ruling voiding the health care law, offering the Obama administration one week to appeal.

US District Judge Roger Vinson of Florida ruled on January 31 that the individual mandate was unconstitutional -- and, because the law lacked a severability clause, he ordered the Administration to halt its implementation. The decision came in a lawsuit filed by 26 states asking the courts to declare the measure's individual mandate -- which is scheduled to begin in 2014 -- unconstitutional.

On Thursday, Vinson issued a stay on the ruling, asking the Justice Department to conduct an expedited appellate review and file an appeal within seven days.

"After careful consideration of the factors noted above, and all the arguments set forth in the defendants' motion to clarify, I find that the motion, construed as a motion for stay, should be GRANTED," he said in his decision, obtained by TPM. "However, the stay will be conditioned upon the defendants filing their anticipated appeal within seven (7) calendar days of this order and seeking an expedited appellate review, either in the Court of Appeals or with the Supreme Court."

The Obama administration says it will move forward with the implementing the law, and intends to vigorously fight challenges to its constitutionality.

Vinson was one of two federal judges who ruled against the reforms. Three federal judges have ruled in its favor. The case is widely expected to reach the Supreme Court.



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“Alexander Burns & Jonathan Martin” - Newt Gingrich's route: 2012 path paved with questions

By ALEXANDER BURNS & JONATHAN MARTIN | 3/3/11 4:25 AM EST

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50569.html

Newt Gingrich appears poised to become the first major Republican to enter the race for president, a step that would give him a first-mover advantage in a slow-forming GOP field.

He’ll need it.

Before the former House speaker can start competing against his Republican rivals in earnest he must bring order to the unruliness and chaos that surrounds almost every aspect of his candidacy – from Gingrich’s organization, to his message, to the candidate himself.

His tumultuous political universe became clear this week, when one of his senior advisers told the Des Moines Register that Gingrich would announce an exploratory committee in Atlanta on Thursday.

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“Kenneth P. Vogel” - Videos a Weapon in Wisconsin Fight

By KENNETH P. VOGEL | 3/3/11 4:24 AM EST Updated: 3/3/11 12:00 PM EST

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0311/50566.html#ixzz1FZIW6ga7

Stung by allegations of incendiary, racist and homophobic rhetoric at tea party rallies last year, conservative activists with flipcams and camera phones have circulated at the union protests sprouting up across the country in hopes of catching violent or abusive behavior by their liberal adversaries.

The resulting photos and videos have ricocheted around the conservative blogosphere in recent days, prompting mounting outrage on the right.

Union Hate Rally in Wisconsin: Protests Rife With Hitler, Gun Targets, Death Threats,” blared a headline on Fox News’s opinion site Fox Nation over a video taken at a union rally in Madison by the state Republican Party that showed protestors’ signs including one in which crosshairs were superimposed on a photograph of Republican Gov. Scott Walker next to the words, “Don’t Retreat, Reload,” and others in which Walker is compared to Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hosni Mubarak.

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“Maddogg” - Budget Deficits Don't Matter... EVER!

by maddogg

Thu Mar 03, 2011 at 07:00 AM EST

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/03/03/952010/-Budget-Deficits-Dont-Matter-EVER!

If nothing else, I hope you take away two things from reading this diary:
1.  Federal Budget Deficits Don't Matter(at least not in the way you think)
2.  It is impossible for the federal government to be broke

The conservative movement in this country is attempting to eliminate all social programs.  Most of these programs, like social security, medicare, and food stamps are popular so they are not trying to eliminate them directly.  Instead they're using an end-run around them by claiming "we can no longer 'afford' these programs."  It is a compelling argument that draws lots of people in.  The problem is, the traditional counter-point to it is weak.  Progressive's can protect these vital, popular programs, by obliterating conservatives claim that we're "broke".

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'Death By Medicine' at the Queens World Film Festival - This Saturday

MSNBC poll: Nearly everyone supports mandatory GMO labeling

A recent MSNBC Health poll that asked the question, "Do you believe genetically modified foods should be labeled?" concluded with overwhelming public support for transparency in food labeling. Nearly 90 percent of respondents, representing more than 9,000 votes, answered "Yes. It's an ethical issue -- consumers should be informed so they can make a choice."

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World Food Prices Hit Record Highs Amid Oil Jitters

World food prices have hit record highs and oil price spikes could push them even higher, the UN food agency warned on Thursday, as increasing violence in Libya sent jitters through commodity markets.

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David Swanson: Will Sweden Kill Assange?

Sweden banned censorship and guaranteed free speech in 1766, 10 years before the Declaration of Independence in the American British colonies, and -- apart from shameful episodes of caving in to dictatorships and Nazis -- has pretty well kept it in place.

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