Category Archives: Society

How to Protect Beneficial Microorganisms from HUMAN ACTIVITIES

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I was this week at a Mining Conference in Antofagasta, Chile. For those that do not know in this area is located Chuquicamata the world’ largest copper, gold and molybden open pit mine, in terms of excavated volume. It is located in the north of Chile, just outside Calama, at 2,850 m above sea level.

Among many great presentations and an a Fireside Chat with me and my friend Osvaldo Pasten a figure in the Mining industry and from the region; but then one expositor called my attention, the CEO of Domolif, Pamela Chavez took the audience over a trip inside our body and how with so many contaminants we are killing all those living good bacteria that is part of the human body ecosystem. So this is what I learn and remember, plus some of the conclusions we came with in the after conference meeting and conversation, especially with Lab Director at Domolif, PHD Valeria Garcia.

MICROBIOTA

The human body is a remarkable ecosystem teeming with a diverse array of microorganisms, collectively known as the microbiota. These microorganisms, particularly the “good bacteria,” play a vital role in maintaining our overall health and well-being. Unfortunately, human activities have inadvertently put these beneficial microorganisms at risk. Pollution with heavy metals, silica dust, and other contaminants can have detrimental effects on the delicate balance of the microbiota. In this article, we will explore the impact of human activities on these microorganisms and suggest ways to protect and improve their survival for the benefit of human health.

The Importance of Beneficial Microorganisms:

Beneficial microorganisms, especially those residing in our gut, play crucial roles in various bodily functions. They aid in digestion, bolster the immune system, produce essential vitamins, and even influence our mental well-being. Their presence is vital for maintaining a healthy gut and overall body function.

Human Activities and Microbial Destruction:

  1. Pollution with Heavy Metals: Human industrial activities have led to the release of heavy metals like lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic into the environment. These metals can find their way into our food and water sources. When ingested, they can disrupt the balance of the gut microbiota and reduce the abundance of beneficial bacteria, leading to potential health issues.
  2. Silica Dust Exposure: Certain occupations, such as mining, construction, and manufacturing, expose workers to silica dust, which can be inhaled and ingested. Silica dust exposure has been linked to alterations in the gut microbiota, affecting the diversity and composition of beneficial bacteria.
  3. Pesticides and Chemicals: Widespread use of pesticides and chemicals in agriculture and other industries has raised concerns about their impact on the microbiota. These substances can have unintended effects on beneficial microorganisms, potentially leading to imbalances in the gut ecosystem.
  4. Antibiotics Overuse: While antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections, their excessive and improper use can harm beneficial bacteria. Antibiotics do not discriminate between harmful and beneficial microbes, leading to a decline in the diversity of the gut microbiota.

Protecting Beneficial Microorganisms:

  1. Reducing Pollution and Contaminant Exposure: Governments, industries, and individuals must work together to reduce pollution and minimize exposure to heavy metals, silica dust, and other harmful contaminants. Stricter regulations and sustainable practices can help mitigate their impact on both the environment and the microbiota.
  2. Promoting Organic Farming and Bio-fertilizers: Organic farming practices can significantly reduce the use of synthetic pesticides and chemicals. By avoiding the use of harmful agrochemicals, organic farming is generally more environmentally friendly and has a less detrimental impact on the microbiota when consuming organically grown produce. Additionally, the adoption of bio-fertilizers, which are derived from natural sources like compost, manure, and beneficial microorganisms, can enrich the soil microbiota, fostering healthier plant growth and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers that can harm the microbial balance.
  3. Responsible Antibiotic Use: Healthcare professionals and individuals alike should exercise caution when using antibiotics. Only use antibiotics when prescribed by a qualified healthcare provider and follow the prescribed dosage and duration strictly. Antibiotics should not be used for viral infections.
  4. Probiotic and Prebiotic Consumption: Including probiotics (live beneficial bacteria) and prebiotics (nourishment for beneficial bacteria) in the diet can help maintain a healthy gut microbiota. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut are excellent sources of probiotics, while foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, serve as prebiotics.

Conclusion:

The symbiotic relationship between humans and beneficial microorganisms is essential for our health and well-being. Unfortunately, human activities, such as pollution and improper antibiotic use, can disrupt this delicate balance. By taking proactive measures to reduce pollution, promoting sustainable practices, transitioning to organic farming and adopting bio-fertilizers, and making conscious choices about antibiotic use, we can protect these valuable microorganisms and pave the way for a healthier future for both ourselves and the environment. Remember, the well-being of the microbiota is intricately linked to our own well-being, and protecting them is a step towards safeguarding our health.

“False Consensus” & the “Majority Illusion”

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Since I was a kid, I would read anything that end up near my hands.  Old newspapers, magazines, medical books, mechanical engineer manuals, old enciclopedias, everything.

So I keep doing this as a matter of fact, i click and go to places in the metaverse that most people have never been or would not even venture there. For me it became obvious that I can read anything I want, most sites, even those closed have always a way to get in, a promotion, a special key, a partnership that exposes their content and a lot of them have RSS feeds that is easy to bring into your own site.

While I was doing this during my moments of rest from work, I have the 24/7 video feed from the Political Conventions to watch. First the Republican and now the Democrat. Think of this, two full weeks of so many speeches, so many concepts to dig on.  It is like having a kid in a candy store.

Then it hit me that almost all of them, both sides seem to be totally disconnected from the real world, their assumptions and what they believed to be truth were totally far away from what the rest of Americans and the rest of the world are living day to day.

There are very smart people dedicated to analyze social behavior, people like me that have a specialization in Sociology, just they have more time in their hands and have been able to

  •  “Majority illusion”
    • When people are convinced that what is common among their friends and relatives, co-workers, sports club, etc. is more common than it actually is in the rest of the world, they enter this amazing zone.  
    • Constant visitors and some permanent residents here are Presidents, Prime Ministers, CEO’s and a lot of those that fall into the famous Marie-Antoinette (bride of France’s King Louis XVI)  “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” … 
    • What happen in the augmented networking capacity that the WEB has brought is that this illusion is causing even more people, to reach wrong conclusions about how common a behavior is, leading them to accept as a norm a behavior that is globally rare.
    • This is why a very small amount people can create a big BOOM and send it as a a global issue, bu also it also helps to understand why observations and inferences individuals make of their peers are often incorrect.
  • “False Consensus”
    • The “False Consensus” effect arises when individuals overestimate the prevalence of their own features in the population, believing their type to be more common. Thus, Democrats believe that most people are also Democrats, while Republicans think that the majority are Republican.
  • “Pluralistic Ignorance” is another social perception bias. This effect arises in situations when individuals incorrectly believe that a majority believes something or accept as absolute rules that themselves do not share.

This America seems to apply to everything.. that is why we can have fake news, fake friends, fake personas, fake everything and they will be believed and followed..

 

Is the USA becoming a POLICE STATE?

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I remember the times when people around the world used to admire how American will respect and trust their Police. when I was a kid, growing up in Mexico City and traveling around the country and Central America, my Father will always remind us to be careful specially with the Police and to never approach them unless there was an adult with me. Police in many countries around the world is perceived as “Pirates with the King’s license”… For many years

We used to fight against ANY State where police could detain you for any reason, that will hit you and beat you for just watching them the wrong way.

There was this dream among many around the Globe that now they all became corrupt, the typical first step for any “Police State” that we talk and hated so much about Communism. Our US scholars used to call the regimes of URSS, China, Cuba, Yugoslavia, etc. the “POLICE STATES”.

USA history of intervention to bring down so many governments because they have NO respect for the locals and the heads of those States have decided that they were THE LAW. In must cases POLICE or ARMY was not worried about the safety of society but they were defending a condition that allows them to become above the LAW.

Some will say that this POLICE or ARMIES acquired a life of their own imposing their own laws and became a rogue body inside those countries.

We seem to be heading the same way.

Once again, our best and finest NYPD – the way Giuliani, Bloomberg, Bush, etc. called the best int eh country- have attacked again. Like a POLICE MOB, they move and beat the hell out of a single person. How are we supposed to trust the efficiency and training of our Police if they can not deal with ONE single person ? This finest POLICE men and women – video is clear both participate equally – are the same that are not able to find those in motorcycles ( some of them police on their free day) attacking and scaring a little girl when they hit his father and his mother. Of course that will be too much to ask, they are not going after their own. That is exactly the definition of the MOB or a POLICE STATE.

Ironic, as these “brave” men and women were piled on top of one man, pummeling him into the ground, the brave and finest NYPD look nervous and concerned about being surrounded and outnumbered by an angry (but non-violent) crowd.

The video is very clear, when our Police have to always beat people, outnumber them, we should all be concerned.  When our children look at this, what is going to be their reaction when a member of the Police Department in an y City in the US , ask them to stop ? If it was me I will be running…

I remember how many bystanders were beaten by the NYPD during Mr. Bloomberg Dictatorship ( yes, he was that at the helm of NYC, he modified the local laws so he can reelect himself an extra period, just like the same people the US fights around the world, Chavez or Maduro in Venezuela, La Junta in Argentina, Pinochet in Chile, Mao in China, Stalin and Lenin in the USSR) just because they were in the wrong place, during the Occupy Wall Street movement?   The Police didn’t came as Heroes except for the Bankers and the Wall Street Tycoons – useless leaders at running their own companies that the Government had to intervene and save them – that sounds to me like so much government intervention, but of course our friends at Fox News won’t see it that way.  Government, too much of it, is ok as long as it defend the CAPITAL, not the SOCIETY.

I was reminded by so many people that in the US you can NOT demonstrate freely, you need a permit, but we think that the Chinese Government is wrong because one guy started a demonstration in front of the Tanks in Tiananmen or because a large number of people in HongKong decided to demonstrate and were taken out of a Park – sounds familiar Mr. Bloomberg?- or we decide to bomb a whole country because the local government decides to “control popular demonstrations”… of course as long as it happens in other places is wrong but we will NOT accept people demonstrating against ANYTHING popular in the US without beaten them and making sure they are hospitalized or even dead by choking.

According to the WashingPost 559 people shot dead by police this year, that is much more than crazy people going into theaters or schools or public places armed and shooting randomly.

We are in the brink of a revolution : REMEMBER THAT THE WOLF LIVES UNTIL WE SAY BASTA!!