The Hundred-Year Lie: How to Protect Yourself from the Chemicals That Are Destroying Your Health

The Hundred-Year Lie: How to Protect Yourself from the Chemicals That Are Destroying Your Health

From Publishers Weekly:

This provocative and frightening look at the synthetic chemicals used by the processed foods, pharmaceutical and chemical industries delivers an excellent, up-to-date summary of “what is really in our food, water, vitamins, prescription drugs, childhood vaccines, cosmetics, and in our homes.” Former Wall Street Journal investigative journalist Fitzgerald (Mugged by the State) takes aim at the belief that “lab-created synthetics are as benign as—and more effective than—naturally occurring foods and medicines.” The “hundred-year lie” dates from 1906, the year Congress enacted the Pure Food and Drug Act. Utilizing a range of articles from science journals and government reports, along with interviews with scientists and environmentalists, Fitzgerald looks at synthetic chemicals—from artificial sweeteners to antidepressants—that are diminishing our health. Throughout, Fitzgerald explodes various myths such as that one right dose of a particular drug works for everyone and that all food additives have been tested for safety. Still, Fitzgerald’s faith in Eastern and other natural healing processes will not convince everyone. The author concludes with practical steps for “choosing a diet of pure foods and a lifestyle free of synthetics.”

Diane Rehm interviews founder of National Resources Defense Council

James Gustave Speth appeared on The Diane Rehm Show, Thursday March 27th. He is the dean of the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University and co-founder of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
 
Mr. Speth and Mrs. Rehm discuss environmental issues, State policies and the way things are. From the interview link: “A leading environmentalist explains how American-style consumer capitalism harms the planet and what must be done to save the earth for future generations.”
 
Listen to the interview or read the transcript here.
 
His recently published book on these subjects is entitled “The Bridge at the Edge of the World” (Yale Univ. Press) (Amazon.com).

Examining the Origins of America’s ‘Founding Faith’

Highly recommended. Click the first link to listen to the 39 minute interview and to read an excerpt from Steven Waldman’s book:

Fresh Air from WHYY, March 11, 2008 · Was America meant to be a Christian nation? Author Steven Waldman attempts to answer this and other questions related to America’s religious history in his new book, Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America.

Waldman is the co-founder of Beliefnet.com, a website devoted to spirituality and faith issues. In tandem with his book, Beliefnet has opened an online archive of historical documents related to the separation of church and state, and religious freedom in America.

BookMooch in the NY Times

Clear the Bookshelf and Fill It Up Again, All Online - New York Times

A good introduction and some background on this wonderful social site.

Google starts “My Library” at Book Search

Google Book Search’s “My Library” feature could be another free contender to LibraryThing with the added benefit of being able to search your custom library’s book texts.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2007/09/collect-share-and-discover-books.html
http://booksearch.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-own-library-on-book-search.html

Reader2.com or BiblioPhil.org have more capabilities, and both are also free, but that text search capacity is darn nifty.

LibraryThing still appears to have the best interface and functionality of all. So in the case of social library databases, I think you get what you pay for.