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AUTISM FIRST STEPS
AUTISM DAILY NEWSLETTER
Thursday January 17, 2002
INDEX:
* The very legality of the
U.S. income tax system goes on trial 2/27th
* Inspirational Story
* Chronic Stress During
Pregnancy May Increase Developmental Delays
And Behavioural Abnormalities
* Official Advice for
Avoiding Pregnancy After Receiving a MMR Vaccine
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
* Genetic-Immune Clue to Attention Disorder
* New York Mom Wins Award For Helping
Families Of Autistic
******************************
The very legality of the U.S. income tax system
goes on trial February 27th
The very legality of the U.S. income
tax system goes on trial February 27th at a congressionally sponsored public
hearing on Capitol Hill!
This is a must-read! If you are moved to contact your congressman, the
contact information is in this article.
What an eye-opener!
============begin article=============
Wait to File Until the Trial!Read our letter that's being mailed to 300,000
people Read our newspaper Ad (pdf - 333K) Read this message at our
website:http://www.givemeliberty.org/features/taxes/waittofile.htm The We The
People Foundation for Constitutional Education has launched Operation
"Wait to File Until the Trial." This effort is to inform as many
Americans as possible that:The very legality of the U.S. income tax system goes
on trial February 27th at a congressionally sponsored public hearing on Capitol
Hill. This historic event is the result of a three-year effort by the We The
People Foundation For Constitutional Education and thousands of supporters
nationwide. At the 2-day hearing, we expect to prove conclusively that the IRS
does not have the legal authority to force employers to withhold taxes from the
paychecks of their employees, or to force most Americans to file a return or
pay the income tax. If the research is confirmed publicly, most Americans may
be entitled to a refund of 100% of the income tax paid or withheld in 2001. All
Americans should wait until the public hearing before they file their tax
returns. Hear the facts. Judge the truth. Over the next several weeks we intend
to announce Operation "Wait to File Until the Trial" to tens of millions
of Americans. To accomplish this objective, we will conduct a comprehensive
nationwide media and direct mail campaign on several different fronts
concurrently. Efforts are currently under way to place high-impact "Wait
to File" ads in USA TODAY and other major newspapers. Our direct mail
initiative will be targeted at a broad cross-section of individuals,
professional associations, political groups and institutions.Our media and
direct mail campaign is expected to generate a critical mass of awareness about
the February 27th hearing, and promote heightened nationwide interest and
discussion of the event. The initial direct mail effort will target several
hundred thousand individuals and numerous professional and political
organizations nationwide, including but not limited to the following:American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Considering that it is tax season
and these folks have a vested interest in keeping the IRS and income tax system
alive and well, our ad should create quite a reaction from this group-and
possibly some free media attention. Tax section of the American Bar
Association. Another IRS-aligned group that should react vocally to the ad.
National Federation of Independent Businesses Libertarian Party national member
list. Every U.S. Senator, Congressman, Supreme Court Justice, Federal Court
Judge, Executive Cabinet Member. Every State Representative in all 50 states.
Every talk radio show host in America. The editors of major newspapers across
America. The editors of major magazines and nationally distributed print media.
To succeed in this unprecedented effort to inform the American people about the
unlawful income tax system, and to conduct the hearing in Washington DC on
February 27th, we need the support of tens of thousands of citizens. Freedom is
not a spectator sport. For all those who love our country and the principles of
truth, justice and personal liberty, we now have a choice. We can remain
forever enslaved to this unjust, unlawful income tax system, or, WE THE PEOPLE can
change it.How You Can HelpMake a donation.Please help us in this historic fight
for freedom. The personal income tax has no place in a society that believes in
equality, fairness and the rule of law. The personal income tax has destroyed
the integrity of our Constitutional form of government and undermined our
birthright as Americans-our right to life, liberty and property. With courage
and determination, we can, together cause the bell of freedom to ring once
again in America. No person associated with We The People Foundation For
Constitutional Education receives any form of compensation for our work. Your
financial contribution to this cause will go directly to the "Wait To
File" national media campaign, newspaper ads, web ads, costs to produce
the Washington Hearing on February 27th, etc. We must stand united in this
cause. If you do not help, who will? Time is of the essence. Please consider a
wire transfer or credit card donation.Get the word out: WAIT TO FILE UNTIL THE
TRIAL!Print, copy, e-mail and distribute the "Wait To File" ad.Tell
your co-workers, friends and family about the February 27th Hearing.Call your
local radio talk show hosts and news desks.Call financial columnists in your
local papers. Ask them to write a story.Run the ad yourself in your local
shopper or paper.Run small ads in the messages section of your classified
advertising(example: "Wait to File Until the Trial"!
www.givemeliberty.org)Put copies out in supermarkets, truck stops, etc.Hand out
copies in front of tax preparation services.Be imaginative!Encourage people to
visit our web site for details: www.givemeliberty.org.Contact the media.Ask
them to cover the trial. Write a letter to the editor.Go to the website:
http://capwiz.com/washtimes/. Under "Guide to the Media", fill in
your zip code. The media contacts in your area will appear + Letters to the
Editor.Contact your Congressmen.Ask them to attend the hearing, then fix the
tax problem.Phone the Capitol: 800-648-3516. Ask to be connected to your
congressman's office.Go to the website: http://capwiz.com/washtimes/. Under
"Elected Officials", fill in your zip code. All contact information
for your Senators and Representative will appear: phone, fax, addresses, and
e-mail links. CALL, WRITE and FAX (e-mails are largely ignored).Contact the
President.His "Comment Line" number is 202-395-3000.Speak to a live
operator. Tell her you expect straight answers from the government at the
income tax trial on Feb 27th and 28th.Fax The President: Fax:
202-456-2461.Write the President: The White House, Washington, D.C.
20500.E-Mail the President: president@whitehouse.govContact the IRS and the
Department of JusticeDemand that they "Show you the law!" at the
hearing!Demand that they uphold their oaths of office and the Constitution!DOJ
E-Mail web@usdoj.gov Web Site www.usdoj.gov Phone (202) 514-2000 Address 950
Pennsylvania Ave NWWashington, DC 20530 Treasury E-Mail opcmail@do.treas.gov
Web Site www.ustreas.gov Phone (202) 622-2000 Fax (202) 622-6415 Address 1500
Pennsylvania Ave NWWashington, DC 20220 IRS Web Site www.irs.gov Phone (800)
829-1040 Address 1111 Constitution Ave NWWashington, DC 20224 Watch the Hearing
Yourself - Get the Evidence!Much expense has gone into producing a live,
gavel-to-gavel webcast of the 2-day Washington hearing. You will be able to see
and hear the IRS and DOJ witnesses as well as print out copies of the evidence
as it is presented. VHS and CD-ROM copies of the hearing will also be made
available. For details visit www.givemeliberty.org.Remember: Phone calls, faxes
& mail to public officials are much more effective than e-mail.
******************************
Inspirational
Story
Tess was a precocious eight year old
when she heard her Mom and Dad
talking about her little brother, Andrew.
All she knew was that he was very sick and they were completely out of
money. They were moving to an apartment complex next month because Daddy
didn't have the money for the doctor's bills and our
house. Only a very
costly surgery could save him now and it was looking like there was no-one to
loan them the money.
She heard Daddy say to her tearful Mother with
whispered desperation,
"Only a miracle can save him now."
Tess went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly
jar from its hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the
floor and counted
it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be
exactly perfect.
No chance here for mistakes. Carefully placing the
coins back in the jar and
twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door
and made her way 6
blocks to Rexall's Drug Store with the big red Indian Chief sign above the
door.
She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her
some attention but he
was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing
noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she
could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter
from her jar and banged
it on the glass counter. That did it!
"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of
voice.
"I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I
haven't seen in ages", he
said without waiting for a reply to his question.
"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,"
Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone.
"He's really, really sick... and I want to buy a
miracle."
"I beg your pardon?" said the pharmacist.
"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and
my
Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle
cost?"
"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help
you" the pharmacist said, softening a little.
"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it
isn't enough, I will get the rest. Just tell me how much it costs."
The pharmacist's brother was a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the
little girl,
"What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"
"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling
up.
"I just know he's really sick and Mommy says he needs an operation.
But my Daddy can't pay for it, so I want to use my money".
"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.
"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audibly.
"And it's all
the money I have, but I can get some more if I need
to."
"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven
cents-the
exact price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took her money in one hand and with the other
hand he grasped her mitten and said
"Take me to where you live. I want to see your
brother and meet your
parents. Let's see if I have the kind of miracle you
need."
That well dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon, specializing
in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn't
long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily
talking about the chain of events that had led them
to this place.
"That surgery," her Mom whispered. "was a real
miracle. I wonder how much it would have cost?"
Tess smiled. She knew exactly how much a miracle cost... one dollar and
eleven cents ...... plus the faith of a little child.
A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but
the operation of a
higher law...... (A TRUE STORY)
******************************
Chronic Stress During Pregnancy May Increase
Developmental Delays
And Behavioural Abnormalities
'Alterations induced by gestational stress in brain morphology and behaviour
of the offspring'
M. Weinstock
Progress in Neurobiology, 2001, 65:5:427 - 451
Manuscript received 25 January 2000 Accepted 22 August 2001;
Retrospective studies in humans suggest that
chronic maternal stress
during pregnancy, associated with raised plasma levels of CRH, ACTH and
cortisol may increase the likelihood of preterm birth, developmental delays
and behavioural abnormalities in the children.
In adulthood, it may contribute to the
significant association between
the incidence of schizophrenia, increased left or mixed handedness,
reduction in cerebral asymmetry and anomalies in brain morphology. Our
studies and others have shown that prenatal stress in rats can mimic these
developmental and behavioural alterations.
These rats show a reduced propensity for social
interaction, increased
anxiety in intimidating or novel situations and a reduction in cerebral
asymmetry and dopamine turnover, consistent with those in schizophrenic
humans. Prenatally-stressed (PS) rats also show behaviour consistent with
depression, including a phase-shift in their circadian rhythm for
corticosterone, sleep abnormalities, a hedonic deficit and greater
acquisition of learned helplessness under appropriate conditions.
These behavioural abnormalities are associated
with impaired
regulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis response to stress and
increased CRH activity. PS males may show demasculinisation and feminisation
of their sexual behaviour. The developmental and behavioural abnormalities
in PS offspring could occur through sensitisation of the foetal brain by
maternal stress hormones to the action of glucocorticoid and CRH and to
neurotransmitters affected by them.
This may have long-lasting consequences and could
explain the
precipitation of depressive symptoms or schizophrenia by psychosocial stress
in later life. The character of the behavioural abnormalities probably
depends on the timing of the maternal stress in relation to development of
the particular neuronal systems
******************************
Official
Advice for Avoiding Pregnancy After Receiving a MMR Vaccine
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
On the basis of these data, ACIP shortened its
recommended period to avoid pregnancy after
receipt of
rubella-containing vaccine from 3 months to 28
days.
The goal of the U.S. rubella vaccination program
is to
prevent congenital rubella infection.
2001;50:1117
On October 18, 2001, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
(ACIP) reviewed data from several sources indicating that no cases of
congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) had been identified among infants born to
women who were vaccinated inadvertently against rubella within 3 months or
early in pregnancy. On the basis of these data, ACIP shortened its
recommended period to avoid pregnancy after receipt of rubella-containing
vaccine from 3 months to 28 days.
Data were available from the U.S. Rubella Vaccine
in Pregnancy
Registry,1 the U.K. National Congenital Rubella Surveillance Programme
(National Congenital Registry Surveillance Programme, unpublished data,
2001; P. Tookey, Ph.D., Center of Paediatric Epidemiology and Biostatistics,
Institute of Child Health, London, personal communication, April 2001), and
Sweden and Germany (G. Enders, M.D., Laboratory of Enders and Partners, and
Institute for Virology, Infectology, and Epidemiology, personal
communication, September 2001) on 680 live births to susceptible women who
were inadvertently vaccinated 3 months before or during pregnancy with one
of three rubella vaccines (HPV-77, Cendehill, or RA 27/3).
None of the infants was born with CRS. However, a
small theoretical
risk of 0.5% (upper bound of 95% confidence limit = 0.05%) cannot be ruled
out. Limiting the analysis to the 293 infants born to susceptible mothers
vaccinated 1-2 weeks before to 4-6 weeks after conception, the maximum
theoretical risk is 1.3%. This risk is substantially less than the greater
than or equal to 20% risk for CRS associated with maternal infection during
the first 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and its
component vaccines should
not be administered to women known to be pregnant. Because a risk to the
fetus from administration of these live virus vaccines cannot be excluded
for theoretical reasons, women should be counseled to avoid becoming
pregnant for 28 days after vaccination with measles or mumps vaccines or MMR
or other rubella-containing vaccines.
The goal of the U.S. rubella vaccination program
is to prevent
congenital rubella infection. ACIP recommended that MMR vaccine should be
offered to all women of childbearing age (i.e., adolescent girls and
premenopausal women) who do not have acceptable evidence of rubella
immunity.
Most rubella cases in the United States occur
among young Hispanic
adults born outside the United States,2 and most infants with CRS are born
to foreign-born mothers. Ensuring immunity in women of childbearing age,
especially those at highest risk for exposure, will help to prevent CRS.
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5049a5.htm
******************************
Genetic-Immune Clue to Attention Disorder
[BBC Online
London, UK.]
Faulty levels of an immune system chemical may make some children more
prone to a condition which causes unruly behaviour, research suggests.
Children with attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) tend to
be hyperactive, impulsive and have difficulty concentrating.
Untreated, the condition can lead to serious
problems at school, and
in fitting into society.
Some experts believe ADHD may affect up to one in
ten of all children,
although this is hotly disputed by others who believe doctors have been too
quick to use the condition as a convenient way to explain away behavioural
difficulties.
The causes of the condition are unknown. One
theory is that it is
linked to an imbalance of brain chemicals such as dopamine and
norepinepherine.
Drugs such as Ritalin, which boost the activity
of these chemicals,
have successfully reduced ADHD symptoms.
Key chemical
Now new research suggests a chemical called
interleukin 1 may play a
vital role.
Interleukin 1 helps to regulate the immune
system, but also appears to
play a role in helping to keep brain cells in good condition, and to aid
their development before birth.
Researchers from Israel tested the theory that an
imbalance of
interleukin 1 leads to problems in the brain cells that respond to chemicals
such as dopamine and norepinepherine.
They found that children carrying a genetic
variation which upsets the
function of interleukin, were at greater risk of developing ADHD.
Researcher Dr Ronnen Segman, of Hadassah Hebrew
University Medical
Center, Jerusalem, told BBC News Online that the study suggested that immune
system chemicals may play a role in a range of psychiatric disorders.
He said: "This extends our understanding on
the causes of such
disorders, and may form a basis for future novel preventive or interventive
opportunities."
The research is published in the journal
Molecular Psychiatry.
Professor Julio Licinio, editor of the journal,
told BBC News Online:
"This is in my view, the first report of a possible immune dysfunction in
ADHD.
"If confirmed these findings will lead to
new research on treatment
strategies targeted to correct such an immune defect.
"ADHD is a serious health problem in
children, affecting not only
school performance but social relations and family dynamics.
"Current treatments are not always
effective, and the search for new
approaches is critically needed."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/health/newsid_1746000/1746944.stm
******************************
New York
Mom Wins Award For Helping Families Of Autistic
[By Barbara Livingston Nackman In The
Journal News.]
Mahopac, NY — Maureen Benson of Mahopac first became a parent
advocate
for her own child, who has autism and cerebral palsy. Quickly, she became a
resource for other parents, a path that led her to be named Parent Advocate
of the Year by the state's Mental Health Association.
The award recognizes one parent in New York whom
the agency feels
demonstrates dedication and leadership aiding others in finding and getting
mental health services for children with serious emotional disabilities and
their families.
Benson, 43, recalls that her life changed when
Kathryn, 9, was born.
It was immediately clear that her daughter had
cerebral palsy, which
affects her mobility and speech, Benson said. Her daughter's condition was
later diagnosed as autism, a developmental disability causing difficulty in
verbal and nonverbal communication and social interaction.
"You spend your whole life on the phone," she said. "You
have to watch
your child much more carefully, and you have to seek out services that most
of us have never heard of." She sought help from home- care agencies and
advice on dealing with health services and on finding professionals and
other parents of children with similar afflictions.
By 1996, Benson had become certified as a
special-education teacher,
with a master's degree from Long Island University in Dobbs Ferry, and was a
paid parent advocate for Putnam Family Support and Advocacy Inc., a
nonprofit group in Carmel. Previously, she worked in the purchasing
department at Kraft General Foods in White Plains, leaving the corporation
in the early 1990s.
"She has faced hardships in her own life and
has dedicated her time
and energy to others," said Patricia Musantry, executive director of
Putnam
Family Support.
The need for services to help families navigate
the complex web of
social services is rapidly increasing. In 1996, the 2-year-old Putnam group
advised 96 families. By last year, the staff had registered more than 500
families, Musantry said.
Evening support groups, recreational activities
and an annual resource
fair are innovations that Benson brought to the advocacy group.
The professional and personal aspects of Benson's
life made her a
perfect choice for the Parent Advocate award for 2001, said Joseph Glazer,
president and chief executive officer of the statewide association, which
has 33 regional affiliates.
"Her own circumstances and the way she exemplifies both parenting
and
advocacy jumped out at us," he said.
Local parent Barbara Paynter of Carmel is a
recipient of Benson's
services.
"She is resourceful and has good
ideas," said Paynter, the mother of
an autistic son, who participates in a support group at the Putnam center.
"She is the glue that keeps us together." Benson is proud of her
award, but
she hopes the recognition helps shed light on autism, a condition she said
many people don't understand.
Autism is the result of a neurological disorder
and occurs in 1 in 500
individuals, according to figures from the national Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. It is four times more prevalent in boys than in
girls.
Children and adults with autism typically have
difficulty
communicating, making it hard for them to relate to others. In some cases,
aggressive and self-injurious behavior are present.
The windows and doors of Benson's home in her
Lake Secor neighborhood
are locked in a few different ways. Kathryn has been known to leave the
house and could easily get hurt without supervision, her mother said.
Even the refrigerator is locked, Benson said, so
that Kathryn won't
gorge and get sick.
As a single mother, Benson said, she relies on
family members to help
with baby-sitting and for emotional support.
Kathryn's sister, Kimberly, 8, a third-grader at
Austin Road
Elementary School, said it is sometimes hard having a sister who is
different.
"Other kids don't always understand,"
she said, explaining that her
sister jumps around the room, doesn't let others play and can't really speak
more than one word at a time.
"I am hoping Kathryn can go into my school
soon," she said.
Kimberly alternates between snuggling with her mother and following
after Kathryn as her mother talks to a reporter.
"I found what I'm supposed to be
doing," she said of her job as a
full-time mom and a part-time advocate and special-education tutor.
http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/011402/14benson.html
******************************
Study:
U.S. A Pill-Popping Nation
Reuters
CHICAGO (Jan. 15) - Eighty-one percent of U.S. adults use at least one
medication, vitamin or herbal supplement in any given week, according to a
survey published Tuesday.
Among prescription and nonprescription drugs, pain relievers like
acetaminophen, ibuprofen and aspirin lead the top five list followed by
pseudoephedrine -- a cold remedy -- and estrogen drugs used for birth control
and hormone replacement therapy.
The report, which was published in this week's Journal of the American Medical
Association, is based on telephone interviews done by researchers from the
Boston University School of Public Health. A total of 2,590 people were
interviewed in 1998 and 1999. The report gave no margin of error.
''Among ... participants aged at least 18 years, 81 percent used at least one
medication in the preceding week; 50 percent took at least one prescription
drug; and 7 percent took five or more (medications),'' said the report.
''The highest overall prevalence of medication use was among women aged at
least 65 years, of whom 12 percent took at least 10 medications and 23 percent
took at least five prescription drugs (and 94 percent had taken at least one
medication),'' it added.
For purposes of the survey ''medications'' included prescription and
nonprescription drugs, vitamin and mineral supplements and herbal supplements
as well as preparations used externally such as eye drops and drug-based
salves.
''Herbals/supplements were taken by 14 percent of the population,'' the report
said. ''Among prescription drug users, 16 percent also took an
herbal/supplement. ... The substantial overlap between use of prescription
medications and herbals/supplements raises concern about unintended interactions.''
REUTERS
13:13 01-15-02
AOL News: Study: U.S. a
Pill-Popping Nation
******************************
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