And there's this...

New Drug Trial Seeks to Stop Alzheimer’s Before It Starts

Most participants will come from the world’s largest family to experience Alzheimer’s, an extended clan of 5,000 people who live in Medellín, Colombia, and remote mountain villages outside that city. Family members with a specific genetic mutation begin showing cognitive impairment around age 45, and full dementia around age 51, debilitated in their prime working years as their memories fade and the disease quickly assaults their ability to move, eat, speak and communicate.

Three hundred family members will participate in the initial trial. Those with the mutation will be years away from symptoms, some as young as 30.

“Because of this study, we do not feel as alone,” said Gladys Betancur, 39, a family member. Her mother died of Alzheimer’s, three of her siblings already have symptoms, and she had a hysterectomy because of her fears that she has the mutation and would pass it on to her children. “Sometimes we think that life is ending, but now we feel that people are trying to help us.”

Bananas, money, and Marxist rebels

Chiquita finding bittersweet for families of men killed in Colombia

Chiquita, which has admitted making payments to the rebels and was fined $25 million by the U.S. Justice Department, says it was victimized.

'Chiquita acquiesced to extortion payments to protect the lives of its employees,' company spokesman Ed Loyd said.

To some analysts, the issue highlights the difficulties of conducting business in war-torn areas. Marxist guerrillas who call themselves the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia, commonly known as FARC, declared war on the government in 1964. Chiquita had more than 200 banana farms in Colombia before selling them in 2004.

'It's really tough doing business in an environment that is lawless and the state is largely absent,' said Bruce Bagley, professor of international studies at the University of Miami.

For Julin, though, the issue is deeply personal. She had been married to Mark Rich for 3½ years when FARC rebels burst into their home in Pucuro, Panama, across the border from Colombia, on January 31, 1993. The rebels abducted Rich while his wife and two daughters -- ages 11 months and 2½ years -- watched in horror.

Her husband was killed three years later by the rebel organisation to which Chiquita paid money, ostensibly to protect their employees. Chiquita sold their banana farms in Colombia in 2004, but for a time up to 10% of their revenue was going to the terrorist group. They admitted providing $1.7 million to yet another group there as well. Now five widows of men killed by FARC are suing the company for damages.

Chiquita argues that it was trying to protect its employees in a lawless, war-torn area. But Gary M. Osen, an attorney for the families, said, 'There's no law that says you have to operate in areas where you have to pay terrorists. That's something they chose to do.' He has a very valid point. Big business' aim, of course, is to make money, but that doesn't abrogate their responsibility to conduct business in an ethical manner.

Now, of course, Chiquita bananas come from other areas. But for a time they were grown there and in a way, bathed in the blood of the rebels' victims--and FARC is responsible not for a handful of murders, but the murder of thousands in Colombia, and our money went to help fund that bloodshed. I think it is our responsibility as consumers to find out what the companies we patronise do in terms of human rights, environment, and other concerns such as this.

Here is a snippet of an interview done for '60 Minutes' from last year regarding Chiquita's payments:

No pun intended, but you must admit, it is food for thought, and a serious matter that we should consider in our consumer choices.

How one man and his burro are changing lives (and you can help!)

Read more at the New York Times: Acclaimed Colombian Institution Has 4,800 Books and Ten Legs and learn how you can help.

Thanks to Buffy, who shared a post from Gargoyles loose in the library, who in turn got it from Jessamyn West.