Does Mark Probert ever read what he posts??

The opinion supports arguments by some dentists and governments, who have
said the material is safer and more durable than alternatives. But the
results caused a stir among patients' organizations who argue amalgam is
dangerous, because of the known side effects of mercury.

"The facts do not add up -- mercury is the third most toxic poison in the
world and we are still putting it in people's mouths," said Becky Dutton of
patient organization Mercury Madness.

"All I can say is that if *mercury/amalgams* are so safe why have three
countries just banned them?" anti-mercury campaigner Dutton asked.

This month the Swedish government is expected to decide on a ban, while
Denmark and Norway are taking similar steps.

Another patient organization in Spain said it rejected the provisional
report because it was partial and ignored the World Health organization
(WHO) and other scientists' recommendations.

"The main dentist organization before the ADA (the American Association of
Dental Surgeons), already in the 1830s saw a clear relation cause-effect
with amalgam...and prohibited its members to place amalgams in people's
mouths," the Spanish National Association MERCURIADOS told Reuters in an
email.

The opinion provides the EU with scientific advice needed when preparing
policy in relation to its wider mercury strategy, which has for example
banned the use of mercury in barometers.

The report was prepared by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly
Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) and is made up of external experts.

Most countries advise against use of amalgam for children and pregnant women
due to its impact on brain development, but patient organizations believe
the rest of the population, carrying an average of 2.5 grams in their
mouths, is also at risk.

The list of effects from mercury poisoning goes from mild tremors due to
neurological damage and kidney problems to autism and even Alzheimer's,
according to advocates for a European ban.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSL1581973520080115?sp=true

===

Scientific *opinion*.
Adopted.
===

EU Corruption Exposed. Again
By Thomas Lifson

The European Union, the would-be global rival of America, is a deeply
corrupt institution. Its design insulates its bureaucrats, and even its
ostensibly democratic representative body, the EU Parliament, from public
accountability. Eurocrats make their rules in private, and determine winners
and losers in the vast European marketplace. Few 'citizens' of the EU even
know who their European parliamentary representatives are.

Cynical bureaucratic insiders in Brussels, and members of the
Strasbourg-based EU parliament, in [both cities French-speaking gastronomic
capitals], know that if they don't rock the boat, they will be very well
taken-care-of, financially and otherwise. Their pay and perquisites are
legendary in their munificence.

Scandals are discovered with disarming regularity, because
checks-and-balances are alien to the traditional European sensibility. The
very idea of such awkward conflict is an alien philosophy, embraced by those
crude Yankees, well-known for the savagery of their devotion to similarly
chaotic and conflict-filled markets.

The Continental European tradition has always presumed that Government Knows
Best. Allowing the ignorant masses to poke their noses into the affairs of
state would only hinder the smooth functioning of an enlightened ruling
class.

The latest imbroglio involves allegations of massive fraud on the part of
representatives to the Euro-Parliament. According to Britain's left-leaning
Independent,

A senior member of the European parliament yesterday exposed what he claimed
was widespread corruption at the Strasbourg assembly by revealing that
nearly 200 of his fellow Euro MPs had faked attendance at parliamentary
sessions in order to pick up generous daily allowances.

Hans-Peter Martin, an Austrian Social Democrat MEP, said he had seen scores
of colleagues signing on for parliamentary sessions which they had missed,
to claim a daily attendance allowance of £262 [$315 - Ed.].

"I have witnessed almost 200 MEPs hurrying to the central register to sign
on for a session and then watched them drive to the nearest airport or
station," Mr Martin told Germany's Bild Zeitung newspaper. "There are
countless MEPs who go to Strasbourg and Brussels simply to pick up the £262.
They have told me so themselves."

We are not holding our breath waiting for the wheels of justice at the
European Court. In all likelihood, no one will be held accountable.

It is far past time for the American people and government to realize that
Europeans are in the process of constructing a monster -- an unaccountable,
pseudo-democratic, proto-totalitarian [the 'rights' enjoyed under its
proposed Constitution are mostly entitlements, not limits on the power of
government] super-state. Even worse, the only really unifying principle
among its constituent former-sovereign states is opposition to 'American
hegemony.'

The Twentieth Century saw Americans shed blood twice, solving problems which
the Europeans created amongst themselves. It would be a catastrophe if
Europe once again reaches its potential for mischief in the Twenty-First
Century, but the signs are not promising.

Page Printed from:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2004/04/eu_corruption_exposed_again.html at
January 17, 2008 - 12:54:49 AM EST

Dental Amalgam and Mercury Bans
Norway and Sweden Ban Mercury and Reduce Pollution

Jan 5, 2008

Since dental amalgam contains mercury its use has been banned in Norway and
Sweden. Other countries discourage dentists from using it since alternatives
are available.

Dental amalgam has been used for over 100 years but there remain concerns
about its effects on health and the environment.

Some people are not aware that their fillings are made with toxic mercury.
The word mercury has been avoided for so long in dental amalgam, its not
common knowledge that they contain 50% mercury.
Only about 30% of dental amalgam is silver, although they are often referred
to as silver fillings.
Mercury from dental amalgam is absorbed into the body through chewing,
brushing and grinding teeth. Dental amalgam fillings can also break down so
particles are possibly swallowed over time.
Alternatives to Dental Amalgam
Alternate material for fillings and dental repairs include plastics,
ceramics and metal. Dental amalgam use has declined worldwide. The quality
of dental work done with these alternatives depends on the training and
experience of the dentist. Because dental amalgam is durable, familiar and
costs less, there is resistance to change from some dentists.

Mercury Bans
Norway recently banned the use of mercury including dental amalgam. It took
effect January 1, 2008. "These bans clearly indicate that amalgam is no
longer needed. There are viable non-mercury filling substitutes that are
used everyday in the US," said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury
Policy Project. "By eliminating amalgam use, which is 50% mercury, we can
reduce mercury pollution much more efficiently than end-of-the-pipeline
solutions." (OSLO, Norway, Jan. 3, 2008) Sweden announced a similar ban that
will come into effect April 1, 2008.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency 187 incinerators nationwide
emit 70,000 pounds of mercury into the environment every year. This makes
medical waste incinerators one of the leading causes of toxic mercury
emissions.
Dr. Mark Richardson released the report "Assessment of Mercury Exposure and
Risks from Dental Amalgam" in 1995. The model and methods used were
controversial but it was the first study of risk assessment on mercury
exposure from dental amalgam in Canada.
Levels from amalgam fillings do not usually become high enough to be
recognized as mercury poisoning so this has added to the controversy and the
confusion.
Dental Amalgam Filling Removals
The more fillings people have that contain mercury the higher the mercury
levels are in their blood. Once the fillings are removed, the mercury levels
decrease. Some people who have had reactions to dental amalgam report
improved health after removal. The removals need to done carefully so that
neither the dentist nor the patient is exposed to mercury vapors.

Pregnant women and children are discouraged from either getting dental
amalgam fillings or having them removed. The fact that mercury can cross the
placenta makes it a concern for pregnant women since a fetus is more
vulnerable to toxins. Since mercury is a neurotoxin, it affects the brain
and nervous system as well as the kidney and lungs.

It is ironic that medical workers contribute to mercury exposure when their
job is to improve health. There is still much controversy and debate over
"safe" amounts of mercury exposure if there is such a thing. As research
continues, there becomes more evidence that even low levels of mercury
exposure can lead to problems with people's memories and ability to learn.
Mercury in our soil and water affects the whole eco-system's health. Proper
disposal of mercury is important so it doesn't pollute our environment and
dentists are encouraged to use safer alternatives.

Sources: Health Canada, The Safety of Dental Amalgam, 2002, Stason .org,
Amalgam and Mercury Free Dentistry, 2002

http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/dental_amalgam_and_mercury_bans

21 December 1993, Degussa AG, Germany's largest producer of dental amalgam
announced that it would no longer provide the product. This was followed
shortly thereafter, on 25 January 1994, by the public announcement of a
research study conducted at the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the
University of Munich by Professor Dr. Gustav Drasch. The study measured the
mercury content of the kidneys, liver and brain tissue of deceased foetuses,
newborn and young children. The mercury levels in the deceased foetuses,
babies and children correlated directly to the amount of dental amalgams in
the teeth of the mothers. These results clearly demonstrated that the
mercury from the dental amalgams of mothers is inherited by their offspring.
It confirmed previous findings in animals reported by scientists at the
University of Calgary, Canada. The German BGA immediately repeated their
warning that pregnant women should avoid dental amalgam treatments.

In spite of these events, the leadership of the German Dental Association
and the Federal Dental Board continue to maintain that mercury exposure from
dental amalgam is harmless to patients and the material of choice for dental
fillings.

http://www.davidhoward.com.au/resources/article15.html