Value of Vaccines Fast Facts and Myths

(As taken from a GlaxoSmithKline Pamphlet)

Fast Facts
Vaccination is a proven method for controlling and in some instances eradicating disease.  Every year due to vaccines, approximately three million deaths are prevented and 750,000 children are saved from disability.  With the exception of clean, safe drinking water, no treatment has rivalled vaccination in its ability to reduce mortality rates.  Immunisation campaigns are among the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions. Some experts suggest they have saved in the vicinity of 20 million lives in the last two decades.4
Globally, 24 million children – almost 20% of children born each year – do not have access to the complete routine immunisations which are recommended to be scheduled for their first year of life.  In 2002, the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that 1.4 million deaths among children under five years of age were due to diseases that could have been prevented by routine vaccination; accounting for 14% of global mortality in children of this age.
Vaccines have been demonstrated to dramatically reduce and, in some instances, eradicate disease: The global eradication of smallpox has resulted in savings of US$1.3 billion a year in treatment and prevention costs ever since. Polio cases fell by over 99% from over 300,000 per year in the 1980s to fewer than 2,000 in 2009.7 Over 20,000 deaths from neonatal tetanus are prevented annually due to high rates of vaccine coverage.

Since the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in national immunisation programmes in 2006, considerable reductions in severe and fatal cases of childhood diarrhoea have been observed in countries with a range of economic statuses.
“Vaccines prevent children from death and disability, enabling families to break out of a cycle of poverty and ill health.” GAVI Alliance Economic benefits of vaccines Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective public health measures available, presenting an economic benefit for individuals, communities and nations with healthcare systems.2 Immunization reduces the social and financial costs of treating diseases, offering opportunities for poverty reduction and greater social and economic development. For example, a Kenyan study estimated that a one week ‘supplemental immunization activity’ against measles carried out in 2002 – in which approximately 13 million children were vaccinated – would result in a net saving of $12 million in healthcare costs over the following ten years; during which time it would prevent over three million infections and 125,000 deaths.
Socioeconomic benefits of vaccines Vaccines have been used to protect those in greatest need of protection against infectious diseases, such as pregnant women, cancer patients and the immunocompromised. Investment in the area of vaccination is an important contributor to poverty reduction, improved quality of life, and economic development and prosperity.12 High levels of vaccination can also offer ‘herd immunity’ – this is a state at which immunisation levels in a given population are so high that even the small minority not immunised may be protected.
What are vaccines?

The vaccine concept is based on stimulating the body’s defence mechanisms against a specific pathogen to establish this immunological memory. By definition, all effective vaccines lead to the development of immune memory, by mimicking the threat of an infection and providing antigens derived from the specific pathogen. The ability to generate immune memory is the key attribute of the adaptive immune system, which is crucial for the long-term protection of individuals and populations. Through the addition of compounds called adjuvants, a vaccine’s ability to elicit a strong, durable protective immune response can be enhanced, therefore making them more effective. ‘Adjuvant Systems’ are specific combinations of individual adjuvants.

Vaccines have an impact around the world In Kenya, introduction of Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type B) vaccine into the routine childhood immunisation programme reduced the incidence of Hib disease among children younger than five years of age by 88%, reducing overall mortality in under-fives by 4%. The launch of RotarixTM saw hospitalisations in Brazil due to rotavirus gastroenteritis decrease by almost 60% in children younger than five, in post vaccines period. Up until 1999, meningitis C was the most common cause of death in children in the UK aged between one and five. Through the introduction of various vaccines for meningitis C, including MenitorixTM, incidence rates of meningitis have fallen significantly; since 2000, the meningitis C vaccination programme has prevented over 9,000 cases of serious disease and more than 1,000 deaths.

GSK is at the forefront of vaccine technology with significant advances to optimise protection from infectious diseases. 70% of our pipeline is based on vaccines containing Adjuvant Systems (AS). GSK has been investing in AS technology for almost 20 years. We have a large portfolio of adjuvant systems on which to draw to enrich the company’s expanding vaccine pipeline.

GSK is committed to providing global access to vaccines GSK is committed to making our vaccines available to developing countries and developed countries. For over 20 years we have made our entire vaccine portfolio, such as our combination vaccines, available at preferential prices to developing countries using a tiered pricing system. In 2010, GSK delivered 1.4 billion vaccine doses to 179 countries – this equates to almost 3 million doses each an every day. Over 70% of the vaccine doses distributed in 2010 were to developing countries.

Are vaccines safe?

Today, vaccines have an excellent safety record. Vaccine manufacturers can only sell their vaccines after they have satisfied regulatory authorities of the positive risk/benefits balance of the vaccines. All vaccines must be evaluated by the relevant national vaccine committees, for example the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Are vaccines safe in babies and children?

Regulatory authorities carefully assess the data available for each vaccine before they grant it a license, and it is only once authorities are satisfied that the benefit outweighs the risks in children, that a vaccine will be authorised for use in this age group. Babies and children are given vaccines at a young age because this is when they are most vulnerable to vaccine preventable diseases. Routine vaccination helps to protect children from diseases that can be detrimental to their well-being.

Are vaccines dangerous for the immune system?

No evidence suggests that the recommended childhood vaccines can ‘overload’ the immune system. In contrast, from the moment babies are born they are exposed to numerous bacteria and viruses on a daily basis.

Do vaccines contain harmful ingredients?

Vaccine manufacturers can only sell their vaccines after they have satisfied regulatory authorities of their safety as well as their efficacy. If a vaccine contained a harmful ingredient it would not be deemed to be safe by the authorities and would not be licensed for sale.

Do vaccines cause disease and illness?

Vaccines prevent up to 3 million deaths and save 750,000 children from disabilities every year.2 Some vaccines may very rarely cause side-effects, which are almost always short-term in nature.

Do vaccines cause autism?

There is no scientific evidence that any vaccine formulations, including those containing thiomersal/thimerosal (contains ethyl mercury), cause neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. The WHO’s Global Advisory Committee on Vaccines Safety (GACVS) reviewed this issue in 2002 and concluded that there is no evidence of toxicity in those exposed to thiomersal in vaccines,20 and in 2008 maintained the view that there is no evidence supporting any change in WHO’s recommendation for thiomersal-containing vaccines, including for low-birth-weight infants where indicated.

Do vaccines work?
Most childhood vaccines are 90-99% effective in preventing disease. They have kept children healthy and saved millions of lives around the world for more than 50 years.

Is it really necessary for babies/children to be vaccinated?

Maternal immunity passed to a baby by its mother only lasts for a few months and does not protect them against the vast number of vaccine preventable diseases they may encounter.19 It is therefore highly recommended that babies and children are vaccinated.

Are additional vaccine doses really needed once one dose has been administered?

Multiple doses are generally needed to provide sufficient stimulation of the immune system and booster doses may be needed to induce or maintain persistent immune responses.

Is ongoing vaccination necessary?

Many diseases which used to be major childhood killers are now rare. However, in certain parts of the world, some of the pathogens that cause vaccine preventable disease are still common and can be passed on to individuals that are not protected by vaccination. For this reason the need for vaccination is ongoing.

Why do newer vaccines cost so much?

Although highly effective, older vaccines such as the polio vaccine are based on well-established technologies that have been in widespread use for many decades. They are single antigen vaccines, which mean that they contain a single molecule designed to trigger production of an antibody and as a result are relatively simple and inexpensive to produce. In contrast, newer vaccines often contain multiple antigens and use advanced technologies (such as GSK’s Adjuvant Systems) designed to enhance their efficacy, which is needed for some diseases. These innovations induce a more enhanced, targeted stimulation of the immune response, producing strong, sustained and a broad protection that is of an improved efficacy to older vaccines.

References
1 UNICEF. Vaccines bring 7 diseases under control. The progress of nations 1996 – Health. February 2006. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/pon96/hevaccin.htm (accessed 18th April, 2011)
2 Ehreth J. The global value of vaccination. Vaccine 2003; 21: 4105-4117
3 Plotkin S, Orenstein W, Offit P. A short history of vaccination. Expert Consult. Vaccines. 2011
4 UNICEF. A short history of vaccination. Fact Sheet – Immunization 2010. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/media/media_46851.html (accessed 18th April, 2011)
5 WHO, UNICEF, World Bank. State of the world’s vaccines and immunization, 3rd edition. Geneva, 2009
6 WHO. Immunzation surveillance, assessment and monitoring. Available at: http://www.who.int/immunization_monitoring/diseases/en/ (accessed 19th April, 2011)
7 WHO. Poliomyelitis fact sheet. November 2010. Available at: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs114/en/index.html (accessed 18th April, 2011)
8 UNICEF. Improving equity by eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus. Available at: http://www.unicef.org/publications/files/5524_Unicef_6pg_final.pdf (accessed 18th April, 2011)
9 Patel et al. Real-world impact of rotavirus vaccination. The Pediatric Infections Disease Journal 2011; 30(1): S1-S5
10 GAVI Alliance. GAVI and its role in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Available at: http://www.gavialliance.org/media_centre/features/gavi_mdgs.php#MDG1 (accessed 19th April, 2011)
11 WHO. Fact sheet – Immunization against diseases of public health importance. March 2005. Available at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/fact_sheet/2005/FS_288.pdf (accessed 9th May, 2011)
12 Andre F.E. et al. WHO. Vaccination greatly reduces disease, disability, death and inequity worldwide. Bulletin of the WHO 2008; 86(2): 81-160
13 Garcon, N. et al. Understanding modern vaccines – Perspectives in vaccinology. Elsevier. 2011; Vol 1 Issue 1
14 Akumu A.O. et al. WHO. Economic evaluation of delivering Haemophilus influenza type b vaccine in routing immunization services in Kenya. Bulletin of the WHO 2007; 85(7): 511-518
15 Safadi et al. Hospital-based surveillance to evaluate the impact of rotavirus vaccination in Sao Paolo, Brazil. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2010; 29(11): 1019-22
16 Department of Health. Meningococcal C vaccine (Meningitis C) Factsheet. October 1999. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Planners/vaccinations/Documents/mencfsht[1].pdf (accessed 4th May, 2011)
17 Health Protection Agency. Meningococcal infection factsheet. 2011 Available at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733822509 (accessed 3rd May, 2011)
18 GSK Challenging the world of Vaccines Corporate Brochure 2011
19 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vaccine Safety – Frequently asked questions about multiple vaccinations and the immune system. 2011. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccines/multiplevaccines.html (accessed 19th April, 2011)
20 WHO. Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety. Weekly epidemiological record 2002; 47: 389-404
21 WHO. Joint WHO-CDC conference on laboratory quality systems, Lyon, April 2008 – joint statement and Recommendations. Weekly epidemiological record 2008; 32: 285-292
22 American Academy of Pediatrics. Vaccine safety: The facts. 2008. Available at: http://www.cispimmunize.org/pro/pdf/VaccineSafety_parenthandout.pdf (accessed 18th April, 2011)

The truth about vitamins

Vitamin C was thought to ward off colds
Every day millions of people in Britain take vitamin supplements.
It is an industry that is worth £300 million a year, but the pills are surrounded by controversy.

Some people claim that by taking them in large doses, they will prevent or even cure illnesses like cancer and heart disease.

But others fear that taking large doses of some vitamins could in certain cases be dangerous.

“For most people there’s absolutely no benefit in taking high dose vitamin supplements,” said Catherine Collins, chief dietician at London’s St George Hospital.

“At best they are a waste of money and at worst they could seriously affect your health.”

Both sides of the argument are investigated in a Horizon documentary to be broadcast on BBC television on Thursday.

Cold claim

The huge popularity of taking large doses of vitamins can be traced back to one of the greatest scientists of the 20th Century, double Nobel prize winner, Linus Pauling.

Taking Vitamin C supplements is not going to help prevent the common cold.
Professor Balz Frei
He claimed that by taking large doses of Vitamin C, the equivalent of the amount found in hundreds of oranges you could prevent or even cure the common cold.

Many scientists accused him of quackery, but the public loved it.

Professor Pauling even claimed that huge doses of vitamins could help you live longer.

His work inspired a new generation of health advisors, who remain convinced that large doses of vitamins improves your health.

“I believe taking that vitamin supplements, not only adds years to your life, but also adds life to your years,” said Patrick Holford of the Institute for Optimum Nutrition.

Vitamin C is the most popular vitamin sold in Britain, but was Linus Pauling right that it helps you fight the common cold?

New findings

Professor Balz Frei, the director of the Linus Pauling Institute, thinks that the latest scientific evidence reveals that Pauling was both right and wrong.

Vitamin A has been linked to weakened bones
For the general population, taking large doses of Vitamin C does not to stop you catching colds – but it can relieve the symptoms and reduce the cold’s duration.

But lots of people take Vitamin C for a very different reason. It is one of a group of vitamins called anti-oxidants that are claimed to help prevent diseases like cancer or heart disease.

The idea comes from scientific studies that have shown that people who eat a diet rich in anti-oxidants, are less likely to develop these illnesses.

One explanation for this is that anti-oxidants can help prevent damage from harmful molecules called free radicals.

“Why we grow old is in part due to the activity of free radicals,” said Professor Jeffrey Blumberg, of Tufts University Boston.

Absorption

Vitamin E is one of the most popular anti-oxidant vitamin supplements on sale.

But earlier this year an American scientist warned that people could be missing the potential benefit of their supplements if they took them on an empty stomach, because the Vitamin E might not be absorbed properly without the presence of some of fat.

New research from King’s College London, commissioned by Horizon, has investigated this idea further and yielded some surprising results.

The supplement they tested contained a tiny quantity of fat in itself and this seemed to be enough to enable the supplement to be absorbed.

Scientists are also still locked in debate about whether taking high doses of Vitamin C and E really can reduce your risk of chronic disease, but most safety experts agree that even in doses several times greater than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA), they are still relatively safe.

But in recent years there has been some worrying evidence emerging about a possible harmful effect of Vitamin A, even at quite low doses.

Research has shown that long term intakes of Vitamin A at around twice the RDA, may be linked to weaker bones and an increased risk of bone fracture.

The theory remains controversial, but if it’s correct it means that people with high intakes of Vitamin A, either from food or the use of supplements may be slowly, silently weakening their bones.

How Flanders Helped Shape Freedom in America

A great story I found while on a business trip to Brussels.  I had no idea this place was so important in the US Declaration of Independence…

From the desk of Paul Belien on Sun

July 11 is Flanders Day. The date refers to the day in 1302 when an army of Flemish burghers defeated a superior army of French knights by driving them into a swamp. Historically the term Flanders refers to the mediaeval county of Flanders centered around the town of Brugge (Bruges in French). Today, the term Flanders is used in a broader sense, referring to the Dutch-speaking part of contemporary Belgium i.e. the historical counties of Flanders, Brabant and Loon. Brussels, the historical capital of Brabant, is currently the capital of Europe, Belgium and Flanders (in its contemporary, broad sense).

Flanders today: the northern, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium

Most Americans do not know that they owe a lot to the freedom-loving Flemings. A significant portion of the roots of American democracy can be found in the mediaeval Flemish towns of Brugge and Ghent and in the Brabant towns of Brussels and Antwerp. To find these roots we must return to the early Middle Ages, the period following the disintegration of Charlemagne’s empire. Ironically, the European Union claims to go back to the same roots.

Indeed, part of the original mystique of the movement for European unification can be found in the name that was given to the Brussels building which for almost 50 years has housed the European Council of Ministers. The building is called the Charlemagne Building. Charlemagne, king of the Germanic tribe of the Franks, was crowned Emperor of the West in 800 AD. He was the first ruler France and Germany ever had in common. His son Louis the Pious was the last. His grandsons, Charles the Bald and Louis the German, became the first kings of respectively France and Germany when in 843 at Verdun the Carolingian empire was divided and the kingdoms of France (the West-Frankish kingdom) and of an entity encompassing present-day Germany (the East-Frankish kingdom) were established.

Charlemagne is considered the father of the political unification of Europe just as he is considered the father of both France and Germany, the two nations whose alliance constitutes the political backbone of the process for European unification after the Second World War. The territory of the original six member-states of the European Economic Community (France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg) was an almost exact copy of this Carolingian Empire. Only Switzerland was missing.

But Charles the Bald and Louis the German were not the only grandsons of Charlemagne. They had a brother, Lothar, who inherited the imperial crown and the lands lying between France and Germany – the Middle-Frankish kingdom. This Kingdom of the Middle was named after him: Lotharii Regnumor Lorraine. Lothar’s realm comprised all the countries lying between France and Germany today (the three Benelux-nations plus Switzerland) as well as the Eastern part of present-day France and the Western part of contemporary Germany plus the northern half of Italy.

Carolingian Empire after the Treaty of Verdun, 842

 

When Lothar’s son died without offspring in 875 the middle territories were divided between Charles the Bald and Louis the German. However, as these regions lay on the periphery of their heartlands generations of kings of France and emperors of the so-called “Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation” trying to consolidate their powers were never able to establish a firm rule over them. The result was that throughout the Middle Ages, and for some of them up to the 18th century and even today, the lands of the ancient middle part of Charlemagne’s empire were made up of virtually self-governing republics of farmers (as in Switzerland), independent countries controlled by burghers (as in the Netherlands and along the Rhine) or city republics (as in the North of Italy).

Virtually self-governing, with little interference from greedy princes, their tax collectors and meddling civil servants, these lands became very prosperous. Capitalism originated here. This whole axis from Amsterdam in the north to Siena in the south evolved into the economic spine of continental Europe. During the course of history in some of these middle regions (notably in the Netherlands in the Burgundian era and at the time of the United Dutch Republic, and in Switzerland) these small, independent states merged gradually into federations where the constituting parts and the individual citizens retained a large degree of autonomy. In these regions sophisticated political theories were devised which ensured that the Prince or the government did not embody the highest authority and were accountable to the Law. Switzerland has been a republic since the 13th century and the Netherlands was a republic from the 16th to the 18th century. The Burgundian Netherlands had a Prince, but whenever he wanted to raise taxes this prince, the Duke of Burgundy, had to ask the 17 counties of the Federation (and in the most prosperous of these counties, like Flanders and Brabant, even the different cities) for permission. The former Carolingian Middle Lands saw not only the birth of capitalism but also of limited government.

Historically, the formation of the Dutch nation started at the end of the 14th century when the Dukes of Burgundy through a series of marriages united 17 hitherto independent territories in the delta of the Rhine, Maas (Meuse) and Scheldt rivers, that were commonly referred to as the Nederlanden in Dutch (literally: the Low Countries) or the Provinciae Belgicae in Latin. This area comprised contemporary Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg as well as a part of northern France.

The 17 Provinces, map by Nicolaes Visscher (North is right)

Because these 17 provinces were situated on the periphery of the two kingdoms that they nominally belonged to (i.e. the Kingdom of France for Flanders and Artois, and the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation for the other 15 counties and duchies) they became a cluster of very prosperous and virtually independent city states where neither the overlord (the King of France or the Emperor) nor the feudal lord of the various counties and duchies had much to say. The burghers of towns like Brugge, Ghent, Antwerp, Brussels, Leuven, Mechelen, Breda, Middelburg, Rotterdam and Amsterdam ruled themselves. Very soon a republican tradition developed, where the nominal lord was tolerated only so long as he did not harm the interests of the cities, allowed them to rule themselves, and respected the charters and liberties which his predecessors had granted.

The Privilege of the Burghers

As early as the beginning of the 12th century, the citizens of Flanders had already formulated the principle that they were entitled to depose their Prince if the latter did not fulfil his duties towards the people. When in February 1128 Count William Clito of Flanders, son of Duke Robert Curthose of Normandy and grandson of William the Conqueror of England, introduced a new tax, despite an earlier promise not to, the Flemish cities rebelled. The burghers demanded that the Count be brought before an independent court, consisting of “barons from both parties and responsible men from the clergy and the people,” to decide whether or not the Count had broken his promise and, if so, to depose him. Instead of recognizing that the Prince had been appointed by God the Flemings insisted that he, too, was subject to the law and, if he did not accept this, he would be removed by an impartial court.

The Count objected and raised an army to teach his subjects a lesson, but he was defeated and killed in a battle with the Ghent militia in July 1128 whereupon the nobles and cities of Flanders convened to choose themselves another count from a different family. When the King of France, the overlord of the County of Flanders, tried to interfere the city of Brugge issued a proclamation, stating quite bluntly: “Let it be known to everyone […] that the King of France has nothing to do with the appointment or election of a Count of Flanders. […] This is the privilege of the nobles and burghers of this land.” During the following three centuries various Kings of France tried to meddle with Flemish affairs but never succeeded in establishing a permanent hold on the richest county of their kingdom.

From Brugge and Ghent the new principle of “government by consent” and under the Rule of Law spread into neighbouring Antwerp, Brussels and other Brabant cities and towns. From 1356 onwards every new Duke of Brabant, upon his accession, had to take a solemn vow, the so-called Joyful Entry. In this vow the prince promised to respect the liberties of the citizens and formally acknowledged that they had a right to rebel and “separate” from him if he did not do so. By the time the Dukes of Burgundy became lords of the various Low Countries it was an accepted principle in all the 17 provinces that the prince succeeded as Lord of the Netherlands only at the moment that he took this vow.

When in the middle of the 16th century the direct descendant of the Burgundians, the Habsburg King Philip II of Spain, tried to introduce Spanish absolutism in the Netherlands, the Dutch states rebelled. Their States-General convened in The Hague on 26 July 1581 where they issued the Plakkaat van Verlatinge (Statement of Separation) to justify their secession from Spain. “It is common knowledge that […] the sovereign is there to serve his subjects, without whom he would not be sovereign,” the document stated. When the sovereign violates the rights of the people “he must be regarded not as a sovereign but as a tyrant. Then his subjects may freely choose no longer to acknowledge him as their sovereign – especially after the States of the land have taken counsel together – but to separate from him and in place of him to choose another to be their sovereign and to protect their safety.” The Dutch provinces decided to establish a confederation of sovereign republics. This new state, inhabited by Catholics as well as Calvinist Protestants, issued a proclamation of religious tolerance (the so-called Pacification of Ghent) and vested supreme authority in representatives whose mandate was provisional and temporary. The military leadership was assigned to a Stadholder(literally: a defender of the city), Prince William “the Taciturn” of Orange.

Eventually, however, Spanish troops succeeded in reconquering 10 of the 17 provinces. The fall of Antwerp in 1585 marked the end of independence in the southern provinces but the Spanish troops were unable to subdue the lands further to the North because the Dutch had flooded the estuary of the Maas and Rhine, thus creating a barrier of water against the Spanish. After the Spanish conquest of the South more than ten percent of the population of southern provinces such as Flanders and Brabant fled to the North and resettled in and around Amsterdam and other towns in Holland and Zeeland. The population of Antwerp fell from 84,000 in 1583 to 42,000 in 1589; Ghent from 45,000 to 22,000; Brugge from 35,000 to 17,000; Mechelen from 30,000 to 10,000. In the North, Amsterdam boomed from 30,000 to 60,000; Haarlem from 16,000 to 40,000; Middelburg from 10,000 to 30,000; Leiden from 13,000 to 26,000.

Crossing the Atlantic

While the southern (Spanish) Netherlands remained under foreign rule and became a colony first of the Spanish Habsburgs, later of their Austrian relatives, the confederation of the seven northern provinces – theConfoederatio Belgica or United Dutch Republic – became a global power. It established its own colonies all over the world, from America to South Africa, the Far East and Japan. The Dutch colonists took their political ideas along with them, also to Nova Belgica, New Netherland, with its capital Nieuw-Amsterdam, known today as New York.

Nova Belgica et Anglia Nova, map by W.J. Bleau (North is right)

It was a 30-year old adventurer from Amsterdam, Arnout Vogels, who in 1610 became the first fur trader along the Hudson river. Vogels was born in Antwerp and had fled Brabant with his parents after the Spanish conquest. In 1624 Nieuw-Amsterdam was founded by the West India Company, a Dutch trading company established by Willem Usselincx, an Antwerp businessman who had also fled to Amsterdam in 1585. According to Russell Shorto in his 2004 bestselling history of Manhattan, The Island at the Centre of the World, the Dutch gave America its cosmopolitan outlook and shaped it into the open and democratic society it is today. The democratic traditions of the Netherlands were brought to America by Adriaen van der Donck, a lawyer from Brabant.

There is a direct historical line linking Brugge to Antwerp, Antwerp to Amsterdam and Amsterdam to New York. The “centre of the world,” as a beacon of self-governing democracy and liberty where capitalism originated, evolved along this line. Brugge was the Manhattan of the 13th century, as Antwerp was the Manhattan of the 16th century and Amsterdam that of the 17th century. Likewise Antwerp was the Brugge of the 16th century, Amsterdam that of the 17th, and New York that of the 20th century.

A number of typically American things such as cookie (koekje), dollar(daalder) and Santa Claus (Sinterklaas) have a Dutch origin which dates back to mediaeval Flanders. The same is true for the concept that free trade liberates people and that political and economic freedom are indivisible. Professor Stephen E. Lucas of the University of Wisconsin at Madison writes in “The Plakkaat van Verlatinge: A Neglected Model for the American Declaration of Independence” (his contribution to Hofte, R., and H. Kardux, eds. The Netherlands in Five Centuries of Transatlantic Exchange. Amsterdam: VU Press, 1994) that the text of the Declaration of Independence issued by the American Continental Congress on 4 July 1776 was clearly modelled on the 1581 Dutch Plakkaat van Verlatinge. The American Declaration stated: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that […] whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends [i.e. to secure the liberties of the people] it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

This is exactly what the Flemings had said in 1128 when they deposed Count William Clito of Flanders and the burghers of Brugge declared that “the appointment or election of a Count of Flanders […] is the privilege of the nobles and burghers of this land.”

 

Be Prepared: An Introduction to Food Storage

In the age of the 24 hour supermarket, food storage may seem like a crazy concept. But economic forces are converging in such a way that skyrocketing food prices no longer seem like a possibility, more and more they appear to be an impending certainty. Don’t be the person holding up a sign looking for help, be the person with a life raft. Look at the information on food storage and decide what’s best for you and your family.

THINGS TO CONSIDER

- No refrigeration, plan for emergency assuming no electricity.

- Be nutritious, there may be some more physical activity required (ie. Blizzard requires more shoveling)

- Keep calorie count

FOOD

- Recommend you start with 2 week supply of food
- Good no-cook food items

- Energy bars / breakfast bars
- Almonds
- Peanut butter
- Tuna packages
- Canned pasta
- Dried fruit / canned fruit
- Dry milk
- Instant coffee
- V-8 juice

- Plan around the way you already eat.

- Build around 3 categories of food

- Grocery store goods:  often inexpensive, and it’s all familiar stuff.  (i.e. mac & cheese)
- Freeze dried foods:  lightweight and don’t take up much room.  more expensive up front, but priced out per serving, it’s budget friendly.
- Bulk dry food:  rice, beans, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, cornmeal, wheat, dried milk, etc.  It will be the backbone of your food storage and last up to 20-30 years.

- Don’t stock up on it unless you know you like it.

- Look at ingredients. You don’t want something high in sodium or preservatives

- Pay attention to shelf life. Take a look at package, can. Soup doesn’t need water and can store this for a few years.  Plastic bags and cardboard boxes – 1 yr max

WATER

- Easiest way to store is by using cleaned out 2 liter soda bottles. You can easily clean out with hot water, drop of soap. Rinse thoroughly. That type of plastic is safe for storage.

- Recommend 2 liter soda bottle / per person / per day. For consumption and washing.

- If a situation where water is an issue, be sure to have stash of paper plates & freeze dried meals.

- If you can heat water, then at least you can enjoy a hot meal (i.e. mac & cheese, pasta, soup)

STORAGE

- 5 main enemies to storing food

- Temperature:  ideal is 40 degrees -  72 degrees.  For every 18 degrees above 72, food will lose its’ nutritional value by half
- Humidity: Store food off the floor and away from outside walls
- Pests: Keep food in air-tight containers clean up food particles on the shelves or floor
- Oxygen: Use oxygen absorbers, rotate food, vacuum packing food to reduce oxidation
- Light: Keep your pantry area dark.  If food is in clear containers, keep them in labeled boxes with lids.

- Look for places where can you declutter (I have water bottles stored under my kids’ beds)

- You can store food in bin under a bed, clear out space in closet and designate a shelf.

- I recommend pieces of furniture that can double as storage. (i.e. Bench that opens up with a storage component – especially good for small homes)

- Store in a place that you won’t be dipping into constantly.

NON-FOOD ITEMS

- Items like toilet paper, can be bulky but it can be stored in garage, attic, shed, etc. moisture will affect it but temperature won’t.
- Non-food items, purposefully 1-2 weeks supply
- Go through entire day and jot down every non-item used. Soap, shampoo, contact solution, etc. buy extras of those.
- Keep easily organized in buckets (i.e. dental, laundry, etc.)
- Give serious consideration to how your family will cope when power is down. Communication, entertainment, What would we do to take care of pets? Keep things cool in the home, etc?

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation

Storage information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/store.html

Canning information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_home.html

Drying information
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/dry.html

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Working with FDA, Standard Homeopathic Company Voluntarily Recalls Hyland’s Teething Tablets to Address Manufacturing Process

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Working with FDA, Standard Homeopathic Company Voluntarily Recalls Hyland’s Teething Tablets to Address Manufacturing Process.

New BLOG!!!

Check out my new Political and Religious Blog at http://ldsPatriots.wordpress.com mirrored at http://ldspatriots.blogspot.com

Santa Claus is Real

Santa Claus is as real to me as he is to millions of children around the world.  No I am not crazy and my family does not need to worry about me losing my mind.

Santa, to me, represents the spirit of giving, of love, of  peace, and of unity in the world.  The twinkle he puts onto a child’s face, especially a child who has been withdrawn from the light for so long, is precious and should be cherished.

Santa is a symbol of the goodness that we as a people all have inside of us to share, especially at this time of year when we remember the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  He is a symbol of how the love of Christ can be shared among all mankind.
As was said by the famous Francis Pharcellus Church :

Yes Virginia there really is a Santa Claus.  He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

To all my friends, have a very merry Christmas.  May your minds be filled with the wonder of imagination, the joy of giving, and the spark of adventure.  May your hearts be filled with the love of Jesus Christ, peace, and love for those around you.

Time for the 6 month post…

Wow, I really suck at blogging!  I guess I just lost motivation with all the termoil that occured this year.  First, I lost my wife’s Grandmother to stomach cancer, then we lost my Grandfather to parkinsons disease.  Mix in the wedding of my brother, layoffs at work and all the fun politics and you have my life so far this year.  Due to this eclectic atmosphere I have really not done anything to better my personal health.  In fact I am just about in the same place I left off.

I have done a few things though.  I found out that I am predispositioned for type II diabetes but luckily my A1C came back as normal.  My sugar is still a bit high in the mornings at 110 (<100 is desirable) and my cholesterol is normal although the medication I take (Advicor) seems to be causing my liver a little trauma.  The DR. says there is nothing to worry about, I just need to get checked again in 6 months.

So, now what… Here I am once again on the path of recovery. I have cut back on sugars and am reading a new book that I have found very informative and entertaining.  It is called “You on a Diet” by Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz.  Both men are medical doctors and know their stuff.  I am going to give it a serious try and start over again.

If you are interested, come along for the ride.  I can’t promise to blog every day but I will try to get on here at least once a week.  I think I have all of about 2 readers now woohoo!  Let’s see if that improves.

Overall I think I am writing this more for me than for anyone else but I hope those who do read get something out of it.

Catch you on the thin side of life..

Bryan

Been away for awhile…

Sorry for anyone who has actually been reading this blog.  I have been away and have not had a chance to really work on anything new.  I would like to get back in the habit and let you in on the adventures I have been having as of late.  I promise to update you more once I get settled back into my routine.

Keep smiling!  I will be back soon

Dumbest Teenager Ever!

This has to be the funniest thing I have seen come out of a teenagers mouth in a very long time.  His parents cut short their Gold Coast holiday after a party at their house attracted up to 500 alcohol-charged youths — who damaged police cars with bottles and had to be dispersed with the help of a police helicopter.

…

It could get worse, the Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said the police were considering billing him up to $20,000 for the intervention. Neighbours called police after the number of teenagers, attracted via text messages, the internet and email, swelled to 500. Ms Nixon said if the young man did not pay, the community in effect would pay for his irresponsibility. Up to 30 police attended the party in Galloway Drive along with dog squads, transit police, divisional vans and a critical incident response team.

As a follow up, it was reported that the teen was arrested as he attempted to plan another party in two weeks time.  He has yet to take off the yellow sun glasses.