WSU to Study Iraq Toxins' Effect
Spokesman-Review
by Bert Caldwell
Research to examine how exposure might damage offspring of soldiers
Washington State University scientists will use a $1.7 million grant to study what multi-generation genetic damage might be done by toxins U.S. troops could encounter in Iraq.
The research using laboratory rats, not humans, will be the first for the military to examine the epigenetic effects of pesticides, herbicides and other compounds, said lead scientist Michael Skinner, director of the university's Center for Reproductive Biology.
Previous studies have looked at the health effects of other substances, notably the Agent Orange used to defoliate jungles in Vietnam, on the soldiers directly exposed, he said, not on their children or grandchildren.
"The science really had not caught up with the trans-generational stuff," said Skinner, one of several WSU pioneers in the field of epigenetic, or multi-generational, inheritance.
Besides herbicides and pesticides – which and in what combinations has not been determined – the study also will look at the effects of explosives residues, he said.
The four-year study will allow researchers to see how any changes in genetic chemistry that develop are passed along through two subsequent generations of rats, he said, noting that only the first two years of research have been funded.
Among the problems that might develop are kidney disease, or changes in the male and female reproductive organs, he said.
If any genetic markers are identified in rats, Skinner said, follow-up research could look at whether they might show up among members of the military as well.
That would be of particular interest to Dave Holmes, interim chief operating officer of the Institute for Systems Medicine, which was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense grant passed through to Skinner.
Holmes' son, Tim Hammond, did two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.
"They sprayed all kinds of stuff on them," Holmes said.
Although the grant money, the first awarded ISM, will fund work in Pullman, he said the organization's supporters hope any subsequent clinical studies will be done in Spokane.
"There's a lot of excitement about making it happen," he said.
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Hey Congress!!! Remember The KISS Formula and Pass Immigration Reform
Thomas D. Segel
Those living along the Texas-Mexico border have heard politicians promise to solve our immigration fiasco since those days time has almost forgotten.
For example, Harlingen, Texas is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. Reviewing the history of 100 years ago we find the newly created town was very worried about cross-border raids and the criminal element moving into the Rio Grande Valley from Mexico. As is the case today, ten decades ago the federal government did next to nothing about protecting the border and, again…as is the case today, the Lone Star State had to bring in special teams of Texas Rangers to protect the citizens.
While the Presidents of Mexico and the United States have been very busy singing a duet about how bad the Arizona immigration is and how much it harms relations between the two countries, we are still being forced to contend with anywhere from 10 to 50 million illegal aliens in this country. Our government is so bad at doing math that it can’t even come up with a meaningful illegal immigration count.
Now we hear the cry once again for “comprehensive immigration reform”. The translation into real English of those words is “amnesty” for everyone who broke the law by violating our national border. The argument from our politicos has always been, “We can’t locate and send 12 or 15 million people back to their native countries.”
The reality is we can solve the entire illegal immigration with a single law that does just two things…severely punishes employers who hire illegal workers and makes it a federal requirement that every American citizen and legal immigrant carry a tamper proof identification card.
California Congressman David Dreier, a Republican from the 26th Congressional District, is attempting to obtain passage of such a law with his H.R. 98, The Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act.
This bipartisan legislation has been strongly advocated by T.J. Bonner, President of the National Border Patrol Council. He claims such a bill, if passed, would reduce illegal immigration from Mexico and other countries south of our border by 90%.
The bill is far from complex. It would never require 2,000 pages of Congressional double speak to explain the contents. H.R. 98 calls for improving the integrity of Social Security cards by including a digitalized photo as well as an electronic signature strip that will be used by employers to instantly assure that the person presenting that card is legally in the United States and is eligible to seek employment.
For those who cry out this makes it a National ID Card, he says that can be resolved by printing “Not For Identification Purposes” on the front of the card.
The second element of the bill would increase employer penalties to $50,000 fines and up to 5 years in prison for each illegal alien hired. The employer would also be required to pay all deportation costs.
Finally, 10,000 new Department of Homeland Security employees would be hired whose sole responsibility would be to enforce the new regulations, inspect employment records and prosecute those employers and illegal aliens who violate the law.
Dreier attempted to get such a law passed in 1996 and almost lost his reelection bid because of both Democrat and Republican attacks against his plan. He attempted to win passage of the legislation again in 2007, offering the bill along with 56 co-sponsors. It never left committee.
That same year, 2007, individual states started to become concerned about the lack of attention Congress was giving to our out-of-control border situation. Since that time more than 30 states have entertained various forms of immigration legislation, but to date it has been only Arizona and its citizens who have had enough backbone to stand up to the immigration lobby and amnesty groups by passing tough legislation. However, a number of states are looking closely at the Arizona law and seriously reviewing their own immigration concerns.
So, Congress, instead of parroting the Obama Administration and its lackey media cohorts, how about paying attention to the American people and do the right thing…Use the KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) formula and pass this three part, minimum page law to solve our immigration nightmare.
Semper Fidelis
Thomas D. Segel
