CURRY KILLS CANCER CELLS

LONDON - A MOLECULE found in a curry ingredient can kill oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory, suggesting it might be developed as an anti-cancer treatment, scientists said on Wednesday.

Researchers at the Cork Cancer Research Centre in Ireland treated oesophageal cancer cells with curcumin - a chemical found in the spice turmeric, which gives curries a distinctive yellow colour - and found it started to kill cancer cells within 24 hours. The cells also began to digest themselves, they said in a study published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Previous scientific studies have suggested curcumin can suppress tumours and that people who eat lots of curry may be less prone to the disease, although curcumin loses its anti-cancer attributes quickly when ingested. But Sharon McKenna, lead author of the Irish study, said her study suggested a potential for scientists to develop curcumin as an anti-cancer drug to treat oesophageal cancer.

Cancers of the oesophagus kill more than 500,000 people across the world each year. The tumours are especially deadly, with five-year survival rates of just 12 to 31 per cent. Ms McKenna said the study showed curcumin caused the cancer cells to die 'using an unexpected system of cell messages'.

Normally, faulty cells die by committing programmed suicide, or apoptosis, which occurs when proteins called caspases are 'switched on' in cells, the researchers said.

But these cells showed no evidence of suicide, and the addition of a molecule that inhibits caspases and stops this 'switch being flicked' made no difference to the number of cells that died, suggesting curcumin attacked the cancer cells using an alternative cell signalling system. -- REUTERS

LA IGLESIA ROMANA "ROBA" A LAS OVEJAS ANGLICANAS?

Detras las sonrisas y reuniones ecumenicas, la Iglesia Romana no escondio su intencion de llevar a los Anglicanos a su redil.

El Papa Benedicto XVI en una accion rara esta semana proporcionó una estructura eclesiástica especial para los Anglicanos descontentos a unirse a la Iglesia Romana.

Segun el documento, los Anglicanos pueden mantenerse algunos de sus distintivos y ser católicos. Será interesante ver los detalles de esta nueva iniciativa.

Hay muchos anglicanos descontentos en estos días debido en gran parte a la falta de Rowan Williams, el arzobispo de Canterbury, y sus facilitadores para disciplinar a los dirigentes de la Iglesia Episcopal de EEUU haber consagrado un homosexual practicante! Rowan William, de acuerdo a sus acciones, están en el lado del lobby gay. Hay gente de conciencia que no puede reconocer Rowan como líder espiritual de la Comunión Anglicana. Entonces no era una sorpresa que muchos obispos ortodoxos boicotearon el Lambeth Conference del año pasado.

En medio de este desorden el Santo Padre vio la oportunidad de invitar y recibir anglicanos, especialmente a aquellos tradicionalistas en Bretania y Estados Unidos que quieren salir de la Anglicana. Acaso esto no es robo de ovejas? Ninguno de los Primados Anglicanos, de las regiones que se verán afectados por este último mover de la Iglesia Romana, no ha dicho nada en contra de la accion de la Romana.

Ni uno de los Primados de la Comunión Anglicana ha respondido a este desafío mediante la exposición de la confusión doctrinal en Roma a la luz de la verdad bíblica. La Comunión Anglicana después de haber no disciplinado el liderazgo de la provincia que consagró un homosexual practicante como obispo, no tiene ahora la base moral para refutar los errores de Roma y proporcionar un refugio para los católicos que luchan con cuestiones de fe y de conciencia. Esperamos que algunos de nuestros Arzobispos ortodoxos, Akinola, Jensen y el obispo Nazir Ali, respondan con claridad al desafio Romano.

Hay que admirar la Iglesia Romana, especialmente el Papa, por su audacia. Planificaron bien su mover con su gente y cuando llegó el momento propicio, lo hicieron sin renuencia. El Papa Benedicto XVI, como una águila, vio a su presa desde lejos y simplemente se abalanzo para recoger el premio: ovejas Anglicanos!

ROMAN CHURCH STEAL ANGLICAN SHEEP!

Behind the ecumenical smiles, handshakes and documents, Rome has never hid its intentions of wanting Anglicans back to the fold...their fold!

Pope Benedict in an earth shaking move this week provided a special ecclesiastical structure for disaffected Anglicans to join the Roman Church. Yup, Anglicans can now hold on to some of their distinctives and be Roman Catholics. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds as the Pope's plan is implemented.

There are many disaffected Anglicans these days due in large part to the failure of Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and his enablers to discipline the leadership of the American Episcopal Church for having consecrated a practising homosexual! Rowan William's sympathies, judging by his actions, are clearly on the side of the gay lobby. Is it any wonder that many Anglican bishops boycotted last year's Lambeth Conference?

In the midst of this disarray, the Holy Father saw an opportunity to draw Anglicans, especially from the Anglo Catholic mould. And he seized it! Isnt this sheep stealing? None of the Anglican primates, from regions which will be impacted by this latest move from the Roman Church, seem to think so.

Not one...yes, not one Primate from the Anglican Communion has responded to this challenge by exposing Roman doctrinal confusion in the light of Biblical truth. And the reason is simple: the worldwide Anglican Communion in NOT disciplining a province which consecrated a practising homosexual as Bishop, does not have the moral standing to refute Rome's errors and provide a shelter for Roman Catholics struggling with matters of faith and conscience. Hopefully some of our top guns, Arcbishop Akinola, Jensen and Bishop Nazir Ali, will rise to the Roman challenge.

You gotta give Rome an A for audacity. They planned the move and struck when the time was right. Pope Benedict, like an eagle, saw his prey from afar and simply swooped in to gather the prize: Anglican sheep!

So is this sheep stealing?

Bible believing Anglicans of the more reformed variety with roots in the 39 articles will view this Roman intiative as interference and sheep stealing. Some might welcome it as an opportunity to rid the church of Roman fifth columnists. Traditional Anglican sacramentalists in liberal Anglican Provinces however will welcome this as a lifeline and an indirect rebuke to their ecclesiastical leaders.

BOLIVIA BEAT BRAZIL 2-1

Bolivia's victory over Brazil in the World Cup though wonderful is meaningless.

Brazil are through to the World Cup in South Africa; Bolivia are once again in the cellar of the qualifying rounds. But still, its sweet to parade Brazil's scalp in public. Congratulations to the Bolivian team. This was not a fluke; on their day Bolivian football is mesmerizing. Dont forget, they mauled the Argentinians 5-1.

Our problem has been constancy. Why they cant repeat their genius aganist lesser teams is a mystery. We'll have to wait for 2014!

Dunga, the Brazilian coach, in the tradition of coaches who lose in Laz Paz, blamed the high altitude. This is a lame excuse. World champions, like armies of Alexander, must have the skill and fortitude to dominate opposing teams wherever their ambition takes them, be it in badly maintained bumpy pitches or in the high or low altitude.

If Dunga wants to win the World Cup in Africa, he has to build a team which can win anywhere in the world!

AT LAST!

Brazil, is the first Latin American nation to host the Olympic Games. All of South America celebrate with Brazil's triumph in getting this golden opportunity to host a major world event.

Why did it take so long?

Most countries in Latin America are third world and may not have the infraestructure to host such a massive event. The Brazilians have their limits but they should do a good job. Besides must the Olympics have such fancy opening and closing ceremonies? No, absolutely not! Sadly many nations confuse national prestige with mind blowing and expensive opening and closing ceremonies i.e Beijing Olympics

Congratulations Brazil!

SANTA CRUZ: EUROPEAN STYLE SENSUALITY

Latin Americans love beauty! Venezuelans and Colombians regularly sweep the board in the miss world and universe competitions.

Bolivia have their fair share of pretty girls, many of them in Santa Cruz. Beauty pageants and famous models are very popular in the lowlands of Bolivia.

South American girls, especially fair skinned blonds, are trained from young to be beauty queens. They keep a trim figure; wear right clothes; walk the catwalk sensually and flaunt branded products. Its hard not to see western and european physical features dominate judges's perception of beauty in pageants.

Beauty is decidedly euro-centric: Nordic, Latin and Anglo Saxon. Beauty queens with very distinct non european local features almost never win anything. Ever seen a chinese girl with mongoloid features walk the aisle with the miss universe crown? How about dark stubby nosed girls from South India? Some girls from India have been doing relatively well in the past decade or so. Are they the exceptions to the rule? Not so. Take a close look at them. They're tall, fair, possess sharp noses, are from the north, speak very good english - a european language. None of the Indian girls who've done well in pageants have ever violated the canons of european style aesthetics.

Its not surprising therefore if Santa Cruz's babes tend to accentuate their European heritage because pageants have marked out a criteria of beauty that's euro-centric. This is not meant as a put down of local indigenous features but a sober observation of what's happening

Sadly, beauty is also commercialized and vulgarised in Santa Cruz. At a trade fair several years ago, the semi clad buttocks of a female model were compared to a cow's behind! Something crass was said about the model's anatomy. Beauty queens are props; their bodies are hangers for the latest swim suit bikini and revealing dress. Why young ladies allow themselves to be used like meat in a butcher's shop, remains a mystery.

SANTA CRUZ EXPOCRUZ 2009

September is a special month for the city of Santa Cruz. We celebrate the anniversary of the city's founding with parades and speeches.

The highlight is a huge trade fair called EXPOCRUZ where one gets to see the latest and best technology, livestock, concerts, beautiful girls, new products; farming utensils n machines, overseas imports and lots of businessmen from all over Latin America cutting deals.

Here's a photo of the trade fair.

SANTA CRUZ 199 YEARS

PARADE

Here is another photo of the civic leaders of Santa Cruz. You guessed right, green is the color of the city. The grey headed guy is waving the flag of Santa Cruz.

SANTA CRUZ 199 YEARS CELEBRATION

Here is a photo of the Santa Cruz's political elite celebrating the city's anniversary.

The mayor of Santa Cruz, Percy Fernandez is waving to the crowd. On his right is the governor, Ruben Costas.

SANTA CRUZ, 199 YEARS!

Yesterday Santa Cruz celebrated its 199th anniversary. Note the fireworks on the photo on your right!

My wife, son and I lived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia for 14 years. Elijah, my son, was only 3 years old when we first arrived. Michelle and I, being young missionaries, were struggling with learning the language and adapting to Bolivian culture. Cruceños, know how to celebrate and have a great time. Brass bands fill the air with the sound of drums, trumpets and trombones during all sorts of celebrations. I kinda miss the people dancing and milling in the streets, amplified music blasting away from sound systems in cars, laughter, animated conversations, traffic jams. I certainly dont miss the urine on the streets, broken beer bottles, and the permissiveness these celebrations unleash.

Anyone reading the news would also know that Santa Cruz is the centre of opposition against the central government and the president Evo Morales. I have written many posts on this subject. Just click on Current Affairs. In recent months the nation has been preocuppied with the upcoming general elections in December. The president is expected to win and his party will probably be returned to the legislative assembly with a majority.

Santa Cruz, a gateway city, is a spiritual hub. You just get the feeling that this city has a special place in the Lord's overall plan for the nations. The churches here are vibrant and there have been concerted efforts to reach out to the lost and get involved in overseas missions. Private universities with a young student population are also springing up.

To say that we miss Santa Cruz is an understatement! The good news however is that we shall be returning soon to this city. More news about this in my next post!