Archive of
Positive Commentaries
June 2008
Archived Positive Commentaries
Wednesday, June 4th 2008
Conditions for domestic workers may be starting to change. According to an article published by the Associated Press, workers are suing employers who abuse them, organizing cooperatives to demand fair wages, and lobbying politicians to change laws that exclude household workers from labor protections most employees take for granted. Twenty organizations have banded together under the host organization, Domestic Workers United, and are pushing state lawmakers to sign a Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights. According to the article, the legislation, which would be the first of its kind in the country, would require that domestic workers receive such rights as one day of rest per week and advance notice of termination—standard practice for most other workers. Labor centers like La Raza Centro Legal—a place where people can call when they need help—are also assisting workers. Workers are assured hourly wages of at least $11 to $17 an hour, with a 3-hour, $42 minimum. They also get the legal support from the women's collective should the employer fail to treat them fairly. The organization serves numerous women not only helping them with labor issues, but empowering women from Mexico, South and Central America, who were once scared, powerless, and limited in their English language skills, to organize marches, bring speakers who discuss their legal rights, and talk about change. Encouraging the members of society to move out of selfishness and greed should be a cause embraced by true leaders. "In economics, profit motivation is to service motivation what fear is to love in religion." (The URANTIA Book, p. 805)
Tuesday, June 17th 2008
Will Dunham reports in an article recently published by Reuters, that U.S. researchers have found in a small study that “Comprehensive lifestyle changes including a better diet and more exercise can lead not only to a better physique, but also to swift and dramatic changes at the genetic level.” The study followed 30 men with low-risk prostrate cancer. Rather than undergo medical treatments of the dominant culture such as surgery or radiation, the men “underwent three months of major lifestyle changes, including eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy products, moderate exercise such as walking for half an hour a day, and an hour of daily stress management methods such as meditation.” Besides the expected results of weight loss and lower blood, the researchers also noted genetic changes as well. “The activity of disease-preventing genes increased while a number of disease-promoting genes, including those involved in prostate cancer and breast cancer, shut down, according to the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.” Dr. Dean Ornish, head of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California and who led the research stated, "It's an exciting finding because so often people say, 'Oh, it's all in my genes, what can I do?' Well, it turns out you may be able to do a lot."
"Granted the possession of a normal body and reasonably good health, we must next look for those lures which will act as a stimulus to call forth man's slumbering spiritual forces." Indeed, when a person's mind isn't preoccupied with health concerns, opportunties are then available for loftier explorations.