A Closer Look at the Benefits of Robotic Surgery

Quite simply, robotic surgery is the use of robots in performing surgical procedures. Today, doctors all over the world are starting to learn to use sophisticated robots to perform or aid in performing surgical procedures on patients because of better accuracy, miniaturization, and incisions. As a result, patients may benefit due to less pain, decreased blood loss and quicker healing time. The computer technology in robots can also facilitate doctors by allowing immediate research, necessary information gathering from its database, and video call to other doctors, if needed.

While robots have a natural advantage of better precision and data gathering, surgeons are still needed for their intelligence and ability to make complex decisions. Hence, surgeries cannot be done by a robot alone. There are three kinds of robotic surgery systems based on the robot's level of involvement; telesurgical systems, supervisory controlled systems, and shared control systems. On one end of the spectrum, robots perform surgical procedures and techniques without any direct involvement from the surgeon. On the other end, it is the surgeon who performs most of the surgical procedure with the assistance of a robot either physically or through the robot's computer system. Further, there are also three main steps that can be pointed out in a general robotic surgery intervention: data gathering and subsequent planning, intra-operative assistance, and post-operative patient control.

Data gathering and subsequent planning

Before the patient undergoes surgery, a series of tests will be performed. During this pre-operative phase, several medical imagery techniques such as MRI, Ultrasonics and scanners will be applied to the patient so that the robot may detect, locate and model the anatomical entities involved in the surgical procedure. At the same time, the robot will create a mechanical model in its computer system based on the gathered results from the medical tests. This will be used to describe and simulate the surgical procedure, as well as discuss potential problems that may occur during the intervention.

Intra-operative assistance

The results obtained and the mechanical model created in the previous phase will then be used as a guide during the operation itself. The surgeon, as a result, can calibrate his techniques and decisions in accordance with the robot's data. The robotic system is able to provide interactive assistance, as well as constrain the movements of the surgeon to allow better and more efficient precision during the surgery. In addition, supplementary 3D visuals of organs from tele-operated robots would allow speedier operations.

Post-operative patient control

The use of a robotic system allows complete recording of previous surgical procedures including crucial moments, for future reference. More importantly, the healing time of a patient that underwent surgery is significantly decreased when done or aided by a robotic system. For instance, in 2007, a surgical team led by Dr. Pier Giulianotti performed a liver resection, removing 60% of a patient's liver with the use of a fully automated robotic system. To the surprise of many, the patient left the hospital just two days after the operation, in very good condition. The patient also stated that due to the four puncture holes rather than a scar brought about by the surgery, he was able to heal quicker and with less pain. GP

About the Author:
Ruhfus are specialists in hydraulic cylinders and recommends Emics, a privately owned laboratory specialising in calibration services.

Pharmaceutical Companies Accused of Bioterrorism Plot For Profit

Two pharmaceutical companies, Avir and Baxter, are been reported to the FBI for knowingly distributing vaccine material contaminated with the bird flu virus H5N1. They are also accused of bioengineering the current swine flu virus. This "swine virus" is a hybrid of part swine flu, part human flu and part bird flu, something that can only come from laboratories according to many experts.

The person making these criminal charges is an Austrian investigative journalist by the name of Jane Burgermeister. Ms Burgermeister alleges that Avir and Baxter produced and distributed the contaminated vaccine material and created the swine influenza virus for the purpose of creating a world swine influenza pandemic from which they would make billions of dollars in profits from their new vaccine which is due to be released in July.

That the vaccine material was contaminated was discovered by a member of staff at BioTest in the Czech Republic. When it was tested on ferrets the ferrets died.

There is an alternative explanation as to why the material contained the H5N1 virus. The contamination was accidental, caused by "human error". The vaccination material came from Baxter's lab in Austria which is known for being one of the worlds most secure biosecurity labs. However good security systems and procedures are, there is always the possibility of human error causing accidents in the vaccination production process. For example one of the best known cases of vaccine contamination is the Polio immunisation.

The Salk and Sabin Polio immunisation which was distributed between 1954 and 1963 was polluted with the Rhesus monkey simian virus, code name SV-40. What's so special about this? In 1959 a government researched named Bernice Eddy suggested that SV-40 may be causing cancers in humans. Much later two doctors Ben Sweet and M.R. Hilleman, at the Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, confirmed that SV-40, from Rhesus monkey kidneys used in production of Polio immunisation, had the potential to trigger cancers.

We had to wait over twenty years for proof but now we know. During the 1990's various studies confirmed the presence of the Rhesus monkey simian virus in the tumours of many cancer victims. One such study conducted at the Loyola Medical Center in Chicago, showed that almost 4 out of 10 patients with bone cancer, almost 6 in every 10 mesothelioma cancer victims, plus many brain cancer victims had the SV-40 virus. It seems that SV-40 can interfere with a cell's ability to resist malignancy due to blocking a key protective protein.

There are now hundreds of millions of people around the world who are more susceptible to developing cancer.

The above is just one incident among many. Vaccinations are often withdrawn from use because of some fault in the production process or pollution with live viruses. In many cases the vaccination has been in use for some time before the problem is identified.

Are Avir and Baxter guilty? We will not know until the FBI conclude their investigation, that is if they take the allegations seriously. Whatever the outcome the story of two pharmaceutical companies plotting to start a world influenza pandemic in order to boost profits would make a good work of fiction. Ms Burgermeister should consider writing a book.

Vaccine Safety and Vaccination Information http://www.healthforyou.org

News Until You Puke

I listen to way too much news. I feel if I don't, I'll miss the Second Coming, spreading Tsunami, in coming meteor, rising melt water from glaciers, a solar flare that might fry me, alien invasion or next terror attack that has been promised for the past four years. Since I don't want to miss these things, I listen to way too much news.

Beause I listen to way too much news, I know way too much about beheadinigs and bullet riddled bodies. I know way too much about car bombs and body parts lying around. A few days ago they found a few dozen heads in boxes in Iraq. This is no way to get ahead in war. I wish I didn't know about that, but I do. It makes me wonder where the rest of them went. I only know this stuff because I watch and listen to way too much news.

I know too many darn opinions about way too much stuff. I used to listen to Limbaugh, but I don't think he believes himself sometimes and O'Reilly is just way too angry, smart assed and repressed for my taste, but I know about these guys, because I listen to way too much news. I did hear a few things...in the news about their personal lives, and that was pretty cool to know they aren't as righteous as they would have me believe. I learned that on the the news. I listen to way too much you know. I listen to Air America. Now that's a pretty newsy bunch if ever there was one. I like them. They scare the hell out of me, but I like them. They say everything about government and this administration that all the other news I read about them makes me think. They make me feel that the thoughts I have about about all the other news I read about is at least normal. At least I don't feel so alone in my reaction to all the news I read way too much of.

I know way too much about Politicians, especially Republican ones that love Jesus so much, some of them seem to love making war more and more so he can return or something it seems. They make love too, but seem to often get caught doing it with the wrong people and even the wrong sex. Yikes, but honest, I read it in the news. I read Mrs. Bush moved out of the Whitehouse recently because Mr. President was goofin around with...well, others. Wow, that's pretty darn big news. Didn't see it on Fox or AOL though, so maybe it's not news, or maybe it is but not news for the masses, who knows? Some news tells me I won't see this news on the news because they won't make it news, so I guess we lose. Gosh, the news even tells me that this President might not even be the real President and that so many people had their vote thrown out, ok Democratic voters did. Now that would be depressing, but seems true to me. I hear it is true, from the news, twice!

Because of the news, I know way too much about CEO's who take way too much from everyone else to enrich themselves. I mean a LOT of them do. The news fills me in on how much Congressmen and Reps take from the public till, but CEO's are getting pretty darn good at it too. I see it in the news. Million dollar birthday parties, retirements that make God jealous since now he doesn't own all the cattle on a thousand hills after all. That former CEO does! Or at least he can. Smirking chimps all, because they always seem so sorry AFTER they get caught, and so shocked because they are soooooo innocent, but I just bet if no one noticed, they'd not be sorry a bit and take some more. But then at least later, we'd have more news. I read in the news where Enron just didn't hand out the power they said they didn't have, but did and got big bucks from old people in California trying to keep warm or cool...I forget which. Made me kinda mad. Those guys went to jail, but I hope we don't read in the news that their best friend, Mr. President, pardons them or something on his way out the door. I read in the news he can do that. It concerns me because I also read that when the President left Texas as Governor and was asked who would clean up after all the damage he did, he said it was not his problem. I hope I don't read he said that again when he leave office this time. I bet he does. I read in the news once that people don't change much in their lives and what they were they still are for the most part.

Why do I do this to myself...you know, reading and listening to all the news and opinions about the news and the people in the news who make the news and wish the news never found them? How many heads in boxes do I really want to know about or squashed humans in earthquakes? I have to say, I am worried that if I don't keep up with the news, I'll miss the really big one, whatever that might be. I tried once to not watch or listen to the news or the opinions the big boys have about it, but it didn't work. I got nervous not knowing what I was missing. I read in the news once where they want us to be nervous about the news because fear makes a good factor in controling us and changing all the rules so we don't have the same freedoms we had before they made us afraid. Gosh, I can't win with this news thing! Now I even read news about why the news is the way it is!
I read once where what I thought was news was really not. It was more like a government advertisement that was made to look like news. But they got caught. I saw that on the news.

Well, I guess it's news, news, news, until we puke or at least until Jesus comes back and shuts down the presses and makes us all go to the church of someone else's choice so we can be happy. I read where then we'd have to go by Bible rules and stone our rebellious kids and women who were naughty and tithe to the chosen leaders of God. It would be like Jesus Land but for our own good and gay people and whoremongers, but not WARmongers, (what's a monger?) would get slain and we could only watch stuff like Oklahoma and Nemo finds Noah...and and and..oh never mind, I read about the rapture in the news and I am hoping that at least that will get these people out of here so we can fix the stuff they broke. I'm scaring myself again with stuff I read in the news. I'm breathing hard again..I gotta take a walk. Gosh, I hope if I am blown up or gassed by some terrorist while out walking, they at least get my name right. I read on the news where they mixed up two accident victims...doh...see what I mean!

Michael Jackson Biography

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958-June 25, 2009)[2]

Was an American Pop Icon known as the king of pop. He was born into the Jackson family as the 7th child of Joseph Jackson. When Michael Jackson was very young, 11 years old, he and 4 of his siblings began a band with their father Joseph Jackson as the manager. The band was called "the Jackson 5" and the group attained much commercial success. It was not until 1971 that Michael Jackson left the Jackson 5 and began his solo career. He went on to become one of the most famous recording artists of all time and eventually became the "king of pop" a title he bestowed upon himself. His solo albums hold many titles for their astounding number of sales. 5 of his albums hold records for number of sales.

His career really began to take off in the early 1980's. and he was one of the first and most popular black artists to gain a prominent following on MTV. This was due in large part to the huge budget and extravagant budgets of his music videos for his songs. Songs with record holding videos include: Beat it - Billie Jean - and Thriller. Some of these videos are so influential that they are credited with changing music videos from a recording of the song into mini movie works of art. This led further to Michael Jackson's popularization of amazing and complicated dance choreographing and musical numbers. This dancing featured prominently in his live shows. His record breaking live shows earned him enormous amounts of money.

Some of the dances moves popularized at these live shows include the robot and the moonwalk. Michael Jackson's musical influence stretched across many musical genre's including hip-hop, pop and R&B in part because of his eccentric and distinct style of vocals and music.

One thing that many do not know about Jackson is that he raised and donated MILLIONS of dollars to over 39 charities for a multitude of causes through his namesake foundation. This is often overlooked due to his appearance and increasingly bizarre and changing appearance. Not to mention a string of child molestation accusations...

For more information about Michael Jackson's Death go to http://www.michaeljackson-died.com

100 Facts of Life

Here are 100 facts of life:

1. People who spend lots of time in other people's lives are avoiding dealing with their own
2. People who confess "I shouldn't tell you but....." will do the same thing to you as they do to everyone else
3. Speaking your truth is not telling other people that they are wrong and you are right
4. If you have to ask someone else if he/she is right for you then they probably aren't
5. Without the journey there is no point to the destination
6. People who stick their head in the sand will eventually get their butt's kicked
7. What you see on the surface is rarely what lies underneath
8. Courage is not to stand in the path of the lion but to seek to understand why it wishes to harm you in the first place
9. We are not born parents we have to learn how to be parents
10. Words only have as much power as you give them
11. Wise people sit in silence only then will the hear their own voice
12. Angels are not there to do the work for us but to show us the work to be done
13. There is no such thing as the perfect relationship
14. Never put the milk in before the hot water when making a cup of tea
15. We control nothing but our own thoughts and actions
16. No one can make you happy except yourself
17. It is only a mistake if you learn nothing from the experience
18. I don't know everything so teach me I can't hear everything so tell me I won't see everything so show me together we will grow
19. There is more to life than increasing its speed ~ Gandhi
20. Regrets are choices we failed to make
21. What you hold in your heart is what you will take into the next life
22. Just because you don't see the seed once you have planted it doesn't mean it isn't growing
23. It is only there because you believe it to be there if you had believed it was not there then it would not of existed
24. There is no ultimate truth because truth is merely perception combined with a judgment
25. Gender does not exist everyone has ying and yang traits
26. Your experiences are not who you are
27. Assumptions are those things we make when we are too lazy to check out the facts
28. No one is totally objective
29. Family is not always the one you were born into sometimes it can be an outstretched hand and a welcoming smile
30. You are not always going to be right
31. Humility is the ability to admit you were wrong
32. Character someone said was the thing you do when no one else is looking
33. The measure of a man is not what he carries in his wallet but how he carries himself
34. Speedos are not attractive no matter who is wearing them
35. If you give an inch chances are you will gain a mile
36. If you would not want it done to you then you shouldn't do it to others
37. If you are not dealing with reality than all you are doing is creating an illusion
38. Pride is a badge only a fool wears
39. The person who knows the most is usually the one who talks the least
40. Everyone deserves to be valued and to be loved
41. No one has your answers but you
42. You can only create with the tools you have so don't hesitate to add more to your toolbox
43. Some days are going to suck life is not perfect
44. You never get it wrong you only learn another way that doesn't work
45. It is people not things which give life meaning
46. You can't take it with you when you go no one has ever slipped a Mercedes past the pearly gates
47. The world will not fall apart if you are not there to hold it all together
48. Its okay to say no people do it all the time
49. There are some things you will never know the answer too
50. The future does not exist nor does the past you only have this moment
51. Relatives don't always know better
52. Skeletons in family closets will always be there to haunt you
53. Standing in your truth means respecting the right of others to theirs
54. You cannot hear anyone if you are talking
55. You don't have to live life with the hand you were dealt you can always shuffle the deck
56. Potatoes won't grow out of your ears if you fail to wash them
57. Adult eyes have a tendency to make the world small, yet are always looking for the big things, child eyes make the world big and yet are fascinated by the small things
58. We should try to see not how people with disadvantages are different from us but how they are the same
59. It is easy to be a big fish when you live in a small pond
60. Adults should not let children take responsibility for their life choices
61. No matter how shitty a job your parents did eventually you have to take responsibility for your own choices
62. Those who seek enlightenment will never find it
63. If you need to say it say it now if you need to do it do it now
64. The biggest regret of those whose time is cut short is all the things they never said and all the things they never did
65. We only have the moment we are in
66. You don't need an inner critic you need to be your own best friend
67. Change requires action
68. Misery likes company
69. We have to be careful that helping doesn't turn into enabling
70. Not everyone is going to like you and you are not going to like everyone
71. Stuff happens that's just life
72. Everyone should grow fairy wings and splash in the puddles occasionally
73. If you keep doing for people they will never learn to do it for themselves
74. Please and thank you are highly underrated
75. Nothing is more contagious than a smile
76. The best gift you give anyone is your time and patience
77. Patience is the ability to understand it is not always about you
78. There are many rivers which lead to the same ocean you just have to be willing to look for them
79. True beauty is not determined by a look but by a thought and a deed
80. Times stands still for those who are in the moment not rushing by it
81. Having knowledge does not make you wise this requires a knowing as well
82. Meditation does not require whale music and contortions just the ability to go to your happy place
83. You are not going to see the bigger picture until you have all of the pieces
84. No matter which way you plate tofu turkey is not turkey
85. It is wise to take a moment before you take a step that way you get a chance to see where your feet are going to land
86. You may have a seed of greatness within you but you still have to nurture it
87. Everyone has to find their own pathway
88. You are not limited to one act of greatness in your lifetime
89. The only way to stop an argument is to find a solution
90. Every thing you do or say will come back to you eventually it just may not be in a form you are expecting
91. Asking for help means you are smart enough to get the things you need to create the life you want
92. Just because one chapter in your life is closed doesn't mean you cannot write another one
93. People are not perfect and we all need a break every now and then
94. Never leave unsaid words in a room
95. Nothing is ever about what is we think it is about
96. Boundaries are the things adults use to make sure no one colors outside of the lines
97. Every one is more than they believe themselves to be
98. Every footprint counts no matter who made it
99. Love with always be the way
100. Lists fall under the category it seemed like a good idea at the time!

Robin is an Australian Psychic who took a leap of faith and landed in Alberta Canada. She is a life guide challenging people to think beyond their world as they know it and become Master of their own destiny. You can get her free ebooks, monthly newsletter and much more at http://robinsguidetolife.com

H1N1 - Swine Flu - The Inconvenient Truth

The media blitz about swine flu is overwhelming. Every time you read or tune in to any kind of media be it print, online, radio or television we come to very quickly realize that a pathogen not visible to the naked eye has taken over our lives, like it or not. Not so long ago, we were concerned we would be hurt or destroyed by the sinister Osama bin Laden and his ominous cadre of destruction. Well it seems those in charge of our welfare were wrong again the massively greater threat was ignored to our mutual undoing. Swine Flu is the real "terrorist" because right now most of us are more scared of it than we were or could ever be, of Mr. Bin Laden. He never needed to bother with airplanes and "dirty bombs"; he could have saved a lot of money and just bought a "hog farm" and done a whole lot more damage. The H1N1 virus is doing what he never could, force people worldwide to live in fear. H1N1 virus and the pork industry with its corporate and government minions, without sending us a single threatening video tape, has done it, and the sad thing is we are paid them to do it! Now when we meet strangers it is in the back of all our minds "wonder if he/she has it or is a carrier?". With H1N1 virus there is no such thing as "safe sex", unlike its distant cousin the HIV virus, it kills quickly. We don't go to public events without at least privately wondering if the H1N1 virus, will it be there too. Every surface we touch away from home," Is it there?" We awake with a sore throat, a runny nose, a sneeze, a head cold, a pain, a back ache, or a cough and wonder, "do I have it?, Will I become a statistic? Well, maybe or maybe not, how can we tell, we most go on living and taking chances.

In the media however we are still agonizingly submerged in stories about were Swine Flu has struck and how many it has killed so far. Then the good news, if you want to call it that, the fact that things are not as bad now as they may become when Flu season finally kicks in, in the fall. Irrational fear no, just irrational inept negligent and down right criminal behavior from the pork industry and the governments involved. We have been told to wash our hands after touching things, to cook pork to 160 degrees, to stay away from live stock shows and locations if pigs are present, to stay away from school or work if there is an outbreak of Swine Flu. We have been told to sanitize surfaces pigs have come in contact with. We have been shown what the virus looks like under a microscope. We have been made aware the genetic characteristics of the H1N1virus. We have been told not to attend gatherings, not to go work or school if we suspect we have Swine Flu. We have been told do not plan trips to Swine Flu hotspots like Mexico.

"Savage asks "Could this be a terrorist attack through Mexico?" Michelle Malkin, Bill O' Reilly and Neil Boortz agree: "[W]hat better way to sneak a virus into this country than give it to Mexicans?" When in fact the transporters and the purveyors of Swine Flu are the corporations and governments we trust so unconditionally. Gregg Schmidt, president of international operations for Murphy-Brown LLC, Smithfield's hog production subsidiary, does not appear to be of Mexican ancestory.The trick that is being used in the media is to put terrorism and Immigration together with H1N1 virus to punish a minority group of color that is not responsible for H1N1 virus but merely has direct relation to the Mexicans in Mexico. The great majority of all Mexicans in Mexico are just victims of corporate and governmental neglect conspiracy and insatiable greed, just like us! The pig meat produced on those filthy hog farms in Mexico was meant for the table of the American consumer because money and plenty of it was and is involved. Most Mexicans were never asked if this is what they wanted and those that were asked didn't have many alternatives by which to earn a living so they accepted by default. Oh, I get it now; if one is poor it is easy to be demonized in the media by people who are not use to living with poverty. The pork industry and their puppets want to change the name of the Swine Flu to the "Mexican Flu", such a change would accomplish two things 1. To break the association between pork and the Swine Flu 2.to blame the victims for something they never had control of, however the change has not caught on because the American public is not as "stupid" as the pork industry had assumed.

Pork sales are down the American consumer is fighting back by voting with their wallets and choosing not to buy pork or buying a lot less. Never the less there is ample work to be done to totally sever the umbilical cords of pork industry propaganda and mental conditioning. Pig products and meat are certainly cheaper for people with limited financial means. The American consumer has been conditioned by the pork industry for many years to consume pigs based on taste. Of course the pig is often portrayed as being a cute cuddly and harmless icon of American life. The fact is we must all wake up from our conditioned slumber on this issue and realize no matter how many rerun episodes of "Green Acres" portray "Arnold" the pig as a benign lovable comic character, it will never expunge the fact that pork is infected with deadly dangerous pathogens, H1N1 virus is killing people. Bend the truth as they might, the pork industry has been and is involved in the obvious cover up of the fact that hogs have been infected with these pathogens for years and they did not stop selling the contaminated hog flesh to the uninformed unsuspecting consumer since at least 1930.If this were not so then why have they spent millions and millions on antibiotics and antiviral used in pig feed. The greatest threats originate from within and something must be done to correct this situation, late is better than never. The media for obvious reasons prefers to show pictures of the pig culls in Egypt and berate the Egyptians for their cruelty to animals, when we all know if given the choice between the lives and health of our own families or having "hog farms" there is no contest. Hogs, pigs, swine are not worth "one" human life not now not ever! Let's cut through media created hype and get to the point. We can never stop H1N1 virus with useless words and weak attempts at prevention when we have no resolve or intention to do the hard work of dismantling the pork industry which is harboring the toxic H1N1 virus.

Habib
Seattle, Washington, United States
An independent writer that seeks to bring to the forefront alternative and non staus quo ideas on dieting.he is committed to seek and pass on views on dieting that delve into the non conformist views while highlighting the human factors of individuality par circumstance.

Finding News on the Internet with News Blogs

Interested In Making Money On The Internet, Full Or Part Time, Easy Proven And Succesful Methods, http://www.keys2prosperity.net/

With printed newspapers losing subscribers every day, people are finding other options to stay up to date with their news. Newspaper sales reached their peak in 1970 when approximately 62 million newspapers were sold in the country every day. However, with the population in the U.S. on the rise, newspapers sales are not keeping up. It is estimated that approximately 55 million newspapers are sold every day.

In the 1920's the average newspaper purchased per household peaked at 1.3. In the 1970's that figure started to dip to below 1 paper per house. By the year 2000, the number dropped to .53 newspapers per household.

One reason is that people just don't read as much as they used to. People seem to be busier then ever and just don't take the time to read any more.

Many are switching their news habits by watching the big three network news and cable news programs in place of the newspaper. With so many options on TV news, it seems that there is a news station for every taste.

While many "older" adults still prefer newspapers, "young" adults have seemed to prefer to get their news from the internet. TV news still is the most accessed news source, but the internet is quickly becoming the favorite source of news, especially in the form of news blogs, news portals and online newspapers.

Online news is gaining popularity every day. Virtually every major newspaper has a version of an online newspaper. Pioneers like Mike Drudge have been leading the way in independent news providers. And there are countless news blogs across the web.

Part of what makes news blogs so popular is that they can be used as an RSS feed. This allows the news feed to be used on other blogs across the web and also allows the news feed to be read by many more viewers. People also love news blogs because you can leave comments and this creates a dialogue on the story which is a great way to feel like you are a part of the story.

Although newspapers may be on the decline, it does not mean that people have stopped reading the news, only where they read their news from. So it seems that if you are not getting your news online, you may soon be in the minority.

Interested In Making Money On The Internet, Full Or Part Time, Easy Proven And Succesful Methods, http://www.keys2prosperity.net/

The Awful Truth About Television: Fake News and Other Reasons Not to Watch TV News

DO touch that dial to avoid fake news

Government agencies, corporations, industry groups, and other large organizations contaminate the airwaves with fake news. These organizations produce pre-packaged news segments called VNRs, or Video News Releases. These segments look like real news. In fact, VNRs are little more that propaganda pieces for their producers. Stations have routinely used these fake news segments since at least the 1980s, usually without disclosing their source.

There is nothing inherently wrong with the government and other social actors creating interesting audio or video pieces to communicate with the public. The problem is that these propaganda pieces do not properly identify the source. They are made to look and feel like independent news casts with government actors pretending to be reporters.

Government attempts to regulate fake news

There have been a few efforts to control this phenomenon. The Government Accountability Office ruled in February 2005 that government-sponsored TV "news" reports are covert propaganda, unless their source is apparent to viewers. The Senate introduced the Truth in Broadcasting Act (S. 967) in 2005 into committee. This act would require all pre-packaged, government-produced audio and video news releases to include a clear disclaimer that the government was the original source. This act would not apply to VNRs produced by corporations, industry groups, or charitable foundations. As of this writing, the full Senate has yet to vote on the bill and the no one has introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives.

Media is controlled by only FIVE corporations

Looking at the amount of programming available, you might think that there is a wide variety of choice. There are literally hundreds of TV stations with options to choose from sports, news, cartoons, history, painting, and more. On the surface, the amount of options appears staggering. However, only five major corporations control the majority of the media. These five huge corporations—Disney, Time Warner, Bertelsmann of Germany, Murdoch's News Corporation, and Viacom (formerly CBS)—own not only most of the television stations, but now own most of the newspapers, magazines, books, and radio stations in the United States as well.

Television puts your logical brain to sleep

There is a reason people's eyes glaze over and they assume a zombie-like stare, when they are watching TV. Their brains are in a hynotic, alpha brainwave state.

In the Mulholland experiment, 10 children watched their favorite television program, while the researchers monitored their brainwave patterns. The researchers expected that the children would show a preponderance of beta waves. This would indicate that they were involved and responding to their favorite programs. Instead, they stayed in alpha. "They just sat back. They stayed almost the whole time in alpha. That meant that while they were watching they were not reacting, not orienting, not focusing, just spaced out," said Dr. Eric Peper.

Similarly, in the early 1980's, researchers in Australia found that the left-brain "sort of went to sleep" once TV was switched on, but the right brain was busy "storing information in its memory bank."

What these studies show is that the right side of the brain may be dutifully absorbing all the images from your television screen, but the left side is lulled into a stupor by the television's flicker. This makes analysis of the images difficult. It also makes it difficult to remember exactly what you have been watching. Furthermore, the research suggests that the left side of the brain may remain in a stupor even after you turn the TV off.

What is a concerned citizen to do? How to dig for real news

1) The first step is to start reading, instead of watching, your news. Television generally takes a lot of time to get across a little bit of information. With reading you can absorb information much faster. A five minute story on the news can be read online or in the newspaper generally in less than a minute. The spare time can be used to analyze the story.

2) The next step in developing a good picture of the world is to get several good news sources. Begin with a mainstream newspaper or website to simply get an idea of the basic issues that are at stake.

Then, select a couple of alternative news sources outside the mainstream. I am not going to recommend a particular source, because I do not wish to become engaged in liberal/conservative partisan discussions. These distinctions start to fall away once you start to analyze the news for yourself anyway.

3) The next step is simply to start critically viewing the material that you read. Does it make logical sense? Are there inconsistencies? Does the story change from one day to the next? Are there any patterns to events? Finally, the most important question to ask for any given situation is: who benefits? Rarely do events happen by chance in the world and asking that one, little question can lead to much greater understanding of any situation. Put that left brain into hyper-drive.

4) Finally, if there are inconsistencies or notable patterns, it is time to start researching. Whenever possible it is best to go to the source of an issue. For example, if the government passes a new law about security, don't waste time watching or reading the petty analyses of pundits. Find a copy of the law! Do not rely on someone else to give an interpretation. The internet makes it much easier to find source documents.

In short, the good news is that you do not need TV news to become informed about the world.

About 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series:

What happens when the average American spends 4 hours 32 minutes every day watching television? Trash Your TV's 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series explores the multifaceted problems with TV in eleven hard-hitting articles. Read the full series and you will never look at your television set the same way again.

Smashing the Myth of the Press Release

A musician spends years honing his craft. He writes world-class
songs and performs them in a manner that moves his listeners to
tears. He records a demo tape and sends it to record labels. He
gets a contract and becomes rich, famous and adored.

The lesson: demo tapes are the secret of becoming a famous
musician.

Wait, you say, the demo tape was just a tool, just his way of
conveying his talent. It's his ability as a musician that got
him the contract and made him famous.

You're right, of course. He could have become just as famous if
a record executive saw him in person, or heard about him from a
friend, or as a result of a variety of other events.

Which brings us to the press release.

Somehow, the press release has taken on a magical reputation as
the alpha and omega of publicity. Wanna become rich? Send out a
press release. Wanna become famous? Press release. Wanna get
on the cover of Newsweek? Press release.

Publicity "gurus" are springing up all over the Internet touting
the press release as the answer to all marketing ills. Just
knock out a release, mass e-mail it to journalists, sit back and
wait for Oprah to call.

It's a cruel joke.

Here's the reality: the press release is no more important to
your potential of scoring free publicity than the demo tape was
to our musician friend. If he had no talent, if his songs
sounded like garbage, the best recorded demo tape in the world
wouldn't get him signed. Ditto for the publicity seeker. If you
don't have a story to tell, your press release is utterly
worthless.

I'm not knocking the press release -- it's an important tool. But
it's just that: a tool. It's not the first thing you need to
think about when it comes time to seek publicity. In fact, it's
one of the last. And it's not even absolutely necessary (I've
gotten plenty of publicity with just a pitch letter, a quick e-
mail or a phone call).

If you worship at the shrine of the press release, it's time to
rearrange your priorities. Here, then, are the things that are
MORE important than a press release in generating publicity:

1. A newsworthy story. This is the equivalent of our musician's
talent. It's the very basis for your publicity efforts. Without
it, your press release means nothing. To learn about how to
develop a newsworthy story, take a look at
http://publicityinsider.com/questions.asp and scroll down to "Is
my company/website/life really newsworthy?"

2. Learning to think like an editor. Oh, what an edge you'll
have in scoring publicity over all those press release
worshippers once you learn how to get inside the head of an
editor. Give an editor what he wants in the way he wants it and
you'll do great. I've got an entire article on the subject at
http://publicityinsider.com/freesecret.asp Go there now and
absorb it all. Trust me, it will make a world of difference.

3. Relevance. Tie in with a news event, make yourself part of a
trend, piggyback on a larger competitor's story, but, by all
means, make your story part of a picture that's bigger than just
your company. Stories that exist in a vacuum quickly run out of
oxygen.

4. Persistence. Sending out a press release and waiting for
results is lazy and ineffective. If you really believe in your
story, and you believe that it's right for a particular media
outlet, you need to fight to make it happen. Call or e-mail the
editor to pitch your story BEFORE sending the release. If one
editor says no, try somebody else. If they all say no, come back
at them with a different story angle.

Getting publicity involves so much more than just sending out a
press release. Treat it as seriously and with as much respect as
our newly minted rock star treats his craft and you'll be well on
your way to success.

Bill Stoller, the "Publicity Insider", has spent two decades as one of America's top publicists. Now, through his website, eZine and subscription newsletter, Free Publicity: The Newsletter for PR-Hungry Businesses http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp :>http://www.PublicityInsider.com/freepub.asp he's sharing -- for the very first time -- his secrets of scoring big publicity. For free articles, killer publicity tips and much, much more, visit Bill's exclusive new site: http://www.PublicityInsider.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Stoller

Don't Be Fooled by the Media

I used to teach a couple of college level mass communication courses. On the first day of class I would explain that one of my goals was to help the students be better consumers of news.

The general population understands that the news media seems to be biased, but what people don't realize is how much information is skewed either conservatively or liberally.

Twenty years ago, we might say that a newspaper in Omaha, Nebraska, might be more conservative than a newspaper in Los Angeles. What was meant by that is the editorial pages usually show a particular political slant. But no matter what viewpoint was taken on the editorial pages, the rest of the newspaper should have articles written in the traditional journalism method-which is equally explaining both sides of a story and letting the reader determine his own opinion.

Today, we find even traditional hard news stories can have a slant and often both sides of the story are not explained. In some news publications and television news programs, they don't even try to be neutral but only give one side.

The traditional method of journalism that I was taught in the 1980s is where a reporter tries to remain as neutral as possible and tell the story from both sides. My editors would admonish me if it looked like the article was taking a particular view.

Today, there are few newspapers and even fewer, if any, television news programs that practice good journalism. Sensationalism and political favoritism is rampant, throwing consumers into two different types: those who are so disgusted they don't watch or read any news, or those who believe everything they read or watch.

What's a person to do? Here are some tips:

1. When watching a television news program, ask yourself these two questions: Is only one side explained and if it is, is it the conservative or liberal viewpoint? Fox News is an example of a very conservative newscast, while MSNBC is an example of a more liberal news show.

2. When reading your local newspaper, do you find even traditional news stories, which are those that discuss crime, government or the economy, giving one viewpoint. Typically, the editorial page of any newspaper will show one viewpoint-either conservative or liberal, but if the slant is creeping into the hard news articles, then cancel your subscription.

3. With the news media now owned by large business conglomerates, the focus is on making money, not delivering important fact-filled news. That's why stories about celebrities are featured news, and important news stories are relegated to the end of a broadcast, if at all.

4. Never believe everything you read in a newspaper or newsmagazine or watch on a television news program. Because so much of the news is slanted, one can never believe all of the so-called "facts." One needs to read different publications to get a good overall view of the topic. A good weekly newsmagazine is The Week, because it pulls out quotes from various newspapers and magazines-both conservative and liberal to show the points of view of an issue. The reader can decide which side he wants to take.

5. Television news programs never have time to fully develop a story unless they are doing a feature type article, such as a three-part series. Even then, the story can be one-sided. Determine whether the broadcast is conservative or liberal, then watch understanding the slant of the programming. One of the better newscasts is actually BBC America, as they deliver the news in a more traditional manner, stating both sides of an issue and allowing the viewer to decide. Yes, it's owned by the British government, yet it does a better job of reporting U.S. news than most of the U.S. television news outlets.

6. Understand who owns the media. Check out the following website (http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main) to discover the top six corporations that own the majority of the media in the U.S. Why is this important? Because these six companies control what we watch and read. That's why it is so important to search out independent media channels.

7. When checking out news sources on the Internet, always look at the "About us" or "About the company" link that is listed at the bottom of the home page. If a news site does not have a link so that you know who's behind the site, then move on. Do not believe anything you read on a site that will not disclose information about the company that owns the site. I have found more "news" sites that give "unbiased" information that are funded by organizations or individuals trying to push a particular point of view. They typically have the word "unbiased" somewhere on their home pages, trying to lure in unsuspecting consumers. Instead of being "unbiased," they are just the opposite. Beware of these sites.

8. Some straightforward news sites on the net include the International Herald Tribune, the Associated Press and the ProPublica, a non-partisan, non-profit newsroom dedicated to investigative journalism. The reporters for all three of these sites are some of the best in the business.

9. One can always learn what's going on from Comedy Central's The Daily Show. Although a comedy program, its stories are built around actual quotes that politicians make-one often discovers that the politician made the opposite remarks only a few months ago. They actually do more research for their comedy sketches than the regular news media. Fortunately, the mainstream media is taking a page from the show and doing more background research to see what a politician has done or said in the past and comparing that to today's news. Only in America could a comedian teach the mainstream media how to do its job.

10. Why is the media protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution? Because the press is suppose to be the watchdog over government first and foremost. Our founding fathers realized that there needed to be some entity that polices Congress and the White House. Ask tough questions; hold politicians accountable for how they spend taxpayer dollars and for the decisions they make that affects all U.S. citizens. So, when a politician complains bitterly about the big bad press, consumers should be thinking, "That's right! And I hope the press continues to be tough on you." When politicians complain about the press, that's usually a sign that the press is doing something right. The problem has been in the past decade the press hasn't asked the tough questions and has not stood up for the people's right to know. Consumers need to demand more hard-hitting news programs and news articles instead of complacently watching yet another story about a celebrity gone bad.

Charity Cicardo has been in the communications field for the past 20 years beginning her career as a newspaper reporter, then book and magazine editor. Currently she owns a social networking site devoted to RV and manufactured home owners and blogs about news and events. http://www.mymobilehomespace.com/Blog_Home2.html?cat2=100000007&member=guest Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charity_Cicardo