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    Rolling blackouts cloud Hawaii’s energy future

    Grassroot Institute
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    Rolling blackouts cloud Hawaii’s energy future

    By Keli‘i Akina

    If you spent part of this week sitting in the dark without any electricity, you probably have some questions about the state’s energy plan. So do I.

    Power shortages on Monday forced Hawaiian Electric Co. to institute rolling blackouts that left 120,000 customers on the island without power for 30-minute periods throughout the late afternoon and evening.

    Keli’i Akina

    HECO has blamed those shortages on bad weather, problems at the H-POWER and Waiau power plants, and inadequate solar and wind reserve power.

    But as a policy issue, the blackouts have raised questions about why state regulators were comfortable with requiring HECO to shut down its only remaining coal power plant in September 2022 when it was problematic that it had adequate energy reserves to compensate.

    State Sen. Glenn Wakai told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that the blackouts were evidence that closing the coal plant was premature.

    “The recent rains showed us solar, wind and batteries are incapable of ensuring we have a reliable grid,” he said.

    In fairness, at least one case of rolling blackouts happened a few years before the coal plant was shut down, in 2015, which affected 27,000 customers.

    But one outage from nine years ago doesn’t negate the fact that the state still seems to be over its head when it comes to grid reliability and its ambitious renewable energy goals.

    The fact is, we are being squeezed between two big projects: HECO’s efforts to upgrade its 80-year-old electrical infrastructure, and the plans of state lawmakers to have Hawaii achieve “net zero” carbon emissions” by 2045 through greater reliance on renewable energy sources.

    Both are complex endeavors in themselves. Having them happen simultaneously highlights our need for reliable backup power.

    The main problem with renewables is that they seem to work well only under ideal weather conditions — and in the case this week, a merely moderate storm was enough to turn out the lights. In other words, renewables are not reliable.

    Combine that with the problems that go along with HECO’s existing antiquated power grid and we’re bound to see more rolling blackouts in the future.

    Basically, it’s looking like state lawmakers have rushed into switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources before Hawaii is really ready for it.

    Improving Hawaii’s electric grid is critical. Exploration of sustainable energy is also important. But if we want our lights to stay on during rough weather, we need to ask tough questions about the feasibility of the state’s renewable energy mandates — and demand good answers.
    __________

    Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

    How to Give Yourself Breast Cancer in 10 Easy Steps

    Sydney Ross Singer
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    How to Give Yourself Breast Cancer in 10 Easy Steps

    If you are a woman who wants to get breast cancer, or if you know of any woman who wants to get breast cancer, then you’re in luck. It’s easier than you think. 

    I am a breast cancer researcher, especially of the cultural causes of this disease, such as the exposure to toxic chemicals, or the wearing of tight bras for long hours daily. 

    In the early 1990s, my wife and I performed the world’s first study that looked directly at the bra and its impact on breast cancer incidence. We described our research in the book Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, and there are now dozens of studies confirming a bra-cancer link. For example, Wearing a Tight Bra for Many Hours a Day is Associated with Increased Risk of Breast Cancer .  You can see more references on my website BrasAndBreastCancer.org. 

    My study, which included nearly 5000 US women, half of whom had breast cancer, asked about past bra wearing behavior and attitudes, and showed that bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men. The tighter and longer the bra is worn, the higher the risk rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra user compared to a bra-free woman. 

    You would think the American Cancer Society would be happy to have this new way of preventing breast cancer. Simply reduce bra usage, and make sure it is not tight. And according to the bra industry, 90% of women wear bras too tightly. But the ACS isn’t happy about this at all. Bras are not something they ever considered, and they sell mastectomy bras and get funds from bra companies. They also get funds from mammography and cancer drug companies. 

    When there is money involved, forget about getting the truth from the media or industry or government. We live in a bra-using culture, with a multi-billion dollar bra industry, and a multi-billion dollar breast cancer detection and treatment industry. Lots of money is at stake. Lawsuits are feared. Don’t expect to hear the truth from the medical business about preventing disease, especially something as profitable as breast cancer.

    But truth does have a way of getting out. For an issue that the ACS says is ridiculous and unfounded, there are more women who know about it today than 30 years ago. That’s because they stopped wearing bras and their breasts got healthier. They then spread the news. 

    The leading cause of breast disease is the daily constriction and compression of the breasts with bras. And while it’s not a disease, bras also make breasts droop, as the natural suspensory ligaments in the breasts atrophy and weaken due to the artificial support from the bra.

    It is also increasingly clear that we live in a toxic, plastic world, although the plastics industry will deny their poisonous products are leaching toxic chemicals everywhere. Many of these chemicals cause cancer, and most bras are made of plastic material, like polyester, which break down into toxic chemicals. These synthetic fabrics leach chemicals into the breast skin and tissue, and the tight bra keeps the toxins in the breasts longer due to impaired circulation.

    After 30 years of studying breast cancer, I have developed a list of 10 things you can do to get breast cancer. 

    1. Get a training bra as early as possible. The younger you are when you begin constricting the breasts, the greater the harm from tight bras. This will help prevent your breasts from developing properly.

    2. Make sure your bra is synthetic. Cotton, silk, and hemp bras do not leach chemicals into the skin, so make sure you use leachable fabric to get a good daily dose of plastic chemicals in your breasts. 

    3. Create cleavage, the more the better. Use the bra to push your breasts as close together as possible, which is the best way to impair the lymphatics. The more pressure, the greater the impairment to circulation. So lift and shape your breasts however you want. If you leave them where nature intended then they will have proper circulation, which makes it difficult to get cancer. 

    4. Make sure the bra leaves marks and indentations in your skin. The deeper and darker the mark is, the better for your goal of getting cancer. Skin marks and indentations are great signs that you are cutting off some circulation, and maybe even compressing nerves. Way to go, girl!

    5. If you have large breasts, make sure to wear underwires to hold them up. These dig nicely into your chest wall, and can even cause scar tissue. You want this scarring, since that is known to impair lymphatic circulation. 

    6. Try to keep the breasts tight and immobilized in the bra. Immobilization will prevent the pumping of lymph fluid in your breasts as you move. The lymphatics are tiny and have one-way valves to propel fluid when you move, so don’t move your breasts. You want the lymph fluid in your breasts to stay stagnant so it can become toxic.

    7. Make sure you have plenty of toxins in your food. Opt for highly processed foods in plastic packaging. Avoid whole foods like meat, milk, cheese, eggs, and whole grains, and don’t grow your own garden. If you do grow your own food, make sure to use as many pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides as possible. The more synthetic chemicals in your food, the better it is for developing cancer. 

    8. Believe everything the American Cancer Society says. They are interested in early detection and treatment of cancer, which means you get cancer. So listen to what they say, since Cancer is their middle name.

    9. Get regular mammograms, which are x-rays. Not only can mammograms spot your cancer early, so you can begin on your cancer adventure; x-rays also cause cancer. So get your breasts x-rayed as often as you can, since radiation is cumulative and the harm to your genes from the x-rays adds up. 

    10. Wear a bra as long each day as possible, preferably 24/7. Only take it off to shower, and then put it back on immediately. Sleep in the bra. The more you wear the bra, and the tighter it is, the better it is for developing cancer. 

    Clearly, with a little life planning, and ignoring her body, any woman can get breast cancer. The key is to stay with the bra despite the discomfort. Work through the pain. Know that you are helping support the lingerie and cancer industries, including thousands of young workers in sweat shops around the world who need the money. Cancer makes the world go around. You can even get to wear a pink ribbon and attend a march for funds for the American Cancer Society, or for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which copies the ACS. 

    Yes, you, too, can have breast cancer and be special. Just follow the advice above, and your tumor is almost guaranteed. 

    Tax Word Find

    Tom Yamachika
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    Tax Word Find

    The ball has dropped in New York and it is now 2024, and we are waiting for our lawmakers to convene and, among other things, remedy the consequences of some other folks who dropped the ball.

    As we did at the beginning of last year, we are taking some of the ideas we have been following and we put them into a Word Find puzzle.

    Some of the heat was on the Department of EDUCATION when legislators found out that nearly a half billion dollars of capital improvement projects would LAPSE because the Department wasn’t able to spend the money on time.  Many legislators had inserted PORK PROJECTS, specific improvements within their districts, that they wouldn’t be able to take credit for.  The deputy superintendent in charge of facilities was SHOWN THE DOOR.  The IRONY is that he will be working at the Legislature this session.

    The Department of Education, of course, is not the only agency that has had trouble spending appropriated money.  The Department of HAWAIIAN HOME Lands has often faced that problem over the years, and is now in the middle of working with a HISTORIC LEVEL of funding, $600 million, that was appropriated in 2022.  Legislators hoped that the money would make a dent in a DECADES-LONG waitlist for Hawaiian HOMESTEAD lands.

    Because the BUDGETARY surplus, once projected to be over $3 billion, has VAPORIZED, some lawmakers undoubtedly will introduce REVENUE RAISER bills to hoist taxes, user fees, or both.  Proponents say that they are necessary to pay for WILDFIRE RELIEF.  Critics would rather the government cut back on spending.

    Governor Green introduced and championed legislation last session targeting TAX RELIEF to ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families, which earn more than the federal POVERTY LEVEL but are one emergency away from financial ruin.  His bill was amended beyond recognition in the Legislature but passed.  This year, he plans to reintroduce concepts like INDEXING income tax brackets for inflation. 

    The Governor also indicated that he would reintroduce legislation to advance the visitor GREEN FEE, envisioned as a DIRECT levy on tourists.  Lawmakers will have to be careful that the legislation does not violate the U.S. CONSTITUTION because the Privileges and Immunities Clause guarantees the right of FREE travel interstate.

    The terms in all capitals in this article can be found in the Word Find 15X15 matrix below.  Words and phrases can be forward, backward, up, down, or diagonal.  And please look carefully at the unused letters, because they contain a message.  Good luck in the New Year!

    Solution here.

    What Breast Cancer, Inc. Doesn’t Want You To Know About Bras

    Sydney Ross Singer
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    What Breast Cancer, Inc. Doesn’t Want You To Know About Bras

    Why is there still a breast cancer epidemic despite billions in research funding?

    In the pre-pandemic days, when we were able to focus on other diseases besides COVID, there were annual gala events to raise awareness, and funds, for breast cancer research. Literally billions of dollars went to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, which made a lucrative art out of fundraising off of breast cancer, as well as to the venerable  American Cancer Society, all with the promise of finding a cure. 

    Corporate virtue signaling in those days meant showing you were “pink” for breast cancer awareness month. Everything went pink, including football games. You couldn’t leave the grocery store without being hit up for a donation to some breast cancer charity, usually the ACS or the Komen Foundation. They made breast cancer fun, and profitable, for everyone, except for the women who went on to develop breast cancer. 

    Now, after decades of this highly-funded war on breast cancer, the incidence and death rates from this terrible disease are — get ready for it — about the same. 

    What went wrong? 

    Why did billions of dollars and decades of research fail to make a significant dent in the breast cancer epidemic? 

    Obviously, money can’t buy everything. It can’t, for example, make these researchers question their approach, which is still failing to explain the cause of over 70% of breast cancer cases. 

    Why can’t they change? The goal of the medical and research community is to make money for shareholders. Clearly, their current approach is a great business model.

    Indeed, breast cancer is now a multi-billion dollar business, offering genetic screening, tamoxifen, and preventative breast removal (prophylactic mastectomy) to prevent breast cancer before it occurs; mammography, ultra-sound, and thermography for diagnosing the tumor as early as possible; radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy for treatment of the cancer; and mastectomy bras, lymphedema support groups, and breast implants afterwards. 

    These people have the audacity to call themselves “experts”. Of what? Of their failed research and treatment approach? 

    Time for a change

    Their problem is the way modern medicine is framing breast cancer theories. They are using a biochemical model of breast cancer, hoping to come up with a drug to block some yet undiscovered biochemical process that causes cancer. They consider the body to be a biological machine, and believe the same mechanisms apply to other animals, too, making rats and mice the most studied organism for human breast cancer. 

    It never occurred to these breast researchers to consider what human women do to their breasts that rats and mice do not. Women wear bras. And bras are designed to be tight. 

    It should not be news to anyone, even the genius scientists studying the mammary glands of mice, that tight clothing can interfere with circulation. There are lots of studies showing the negative impacts of tight bras, including a reduction in immune function, the congestion of the breasts with lymph fluid, and overall reduction in blood and lymph circulation, compression injuries to nerves resulting in headaches and backaches, and even changes in body temperature, menstrual cycle duration, digestion and melatonin secretion, and breast cancer.

    Dressed to Kill

    My wife and I performed the world’s first study directly examining the bra-cancer link, called the 1991-93 US Bra and Breast Cancer Study, published in the 1995 book, Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, updated for a Second Edition in 2018. 

    Our study consisted of about 4,700 women, nearly half of whom had breast cancer, and asked about their past bra usage habits. Our results were stunning, and suggested that bra-free women have about the same risk of breast cancer as men, while the tighter and longer a bra is worn the higher the incidence rises, to over 100 times higher for a 24/7 bra-user compared to a bra-free woman. 

    The theory behind the bra link to cancer is that bras are tight and impair the circulation of blood and lymph in the breasts. This results in fluid accumulation and breast pain and cysts, as well as the progressive toxification of the breasts. This can ultimately lead to cancer. See the article, How Bras Cause Lymph Stasis and Breast Cancer. 

    At first, we were ignored by governmental and private cancer organizations and women’s groups. Questioning bras was too titillating and embarrassing for even medical people to discuss without blushing. Merely suggesting a connection was considered absurd, and all the experts, including the National Cancer Institute, arrogantly insisted bras could not cause cancer. 

    Nevertheless, our book was a media success, but it could have been bigger were it not met with disdain and denials by the experts, like the American Cancer Society. The bra industry threatened my publisher with a lawsuit if he published, which never materialized, a story the publisher shares in the Second Edition of the book. 

    Bra-dom versus Freedom

    Since announcing this discovery in 1995, many women who heard about it tried loosening up or eliminating their bras, and discovered for themselves how much healthier they felt without a tight brand around their breasts and chest.  We document women’s experiences becoming bra-free in our ongoing International Bra-Free Study. The preliminary findings are in the report, If Breasts Could Talk. 

    For 20 years, the American Cancer Society led the pack of experts in denying any bra-cancer link. They discouraged further research, and claimed the link was implausible. The ACS also receives funding from the bra industry, and sells mastectomy bras. For the medical cabal opposing the link, the growing awareness of, and support for, the bra-cancer issue demanded some drastic action. So the National Cancer Institute, which mirrors the ACS position on this issue, funded research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to disprove the bra-cancer link. 

    In brief, this study was only on post-menopausal women, and did not include any women under 55, so the results have limited applicability to young and middle-aged women. There were also no women who were bra-free, so there was no control group for comparison. However, you can’t determine scientifically if wearing a bra is a problem if you don’t have bra-free women for comparison. 

    This lone study opposing the bra-cancer link was clearly biased and designed to find no difference in bra usage and cancer incidence, and it did what it had set out to do. The lead researcher, named Ms Chen, who was a graduate student, said this in a press release by Fred Hutchinson about the study, “We weren’t really surprised. We knew that the biological plausibility of a link between bras and breast cancer was really weak.”  

    Given the power of the medical industry and its control over the media, this one flawed study was touted as the final word on the matter. Around the world women were told they can wear bras without fear, due to this one, flawed study.   

    Positive Studies Ignored

    This fake negative study from the US was followed by positive studies from Brazil, Kenya, China, Iran, Singapore and elsewhere, all showing a bra-cancer link. You will never hear about these studies, though. (See below for references.) They are taboo and hidden by western medicine’s censors. 

    It is now 30 years since the cancer industry has been resisting, suppressing, and censoring the bra-cancer link. You would think breast disease experts would first ask about bras when considering the cause of breast disease, just as podiatrists ask about shoes when considering the cause of foot disease. How can these breast disease “experts” now admit that this issue is valid and warrants further research, including a warning to women about this simple way to prevent breast cancer, when they have been working so hard to deny it all these years?

    It is medically known that tight clothing is bad for circulation, if you bring the subject up with your doctor, although they will play it down. They will say there is a lack of research showing how bad tight clothing is to blood and lymphatic circulation, and will say they don’t know what happens from a lifetime of chronic clothing constriction. They also assume that if it was a significant problem, then there would have been tons of research showing that by now. 

    You would think cancer organizations would look at all leads to find a preventable cause of breast cancer. It’s amazing how negative they are on this lead.

    Here is what the ACS says about the bra-cancer link as of 1/1/23, under Disproven or Controversial Breast Cancer Risk Factors:

    “Online and social media rumors and at least one book have suggested that bras cause breast cancer by obstructing lymph flow. There is no scientific or clinical basis for this claim, and a 2014 study of more than 1,500 women found no association between wearing a bra and breast cancer risk.”

    They are referring to the 2014 Hutchinson study mentioned above. Nowhere are other studies mentioned that support the link, or the fact that the 2014 study had no bra-free control group and only looked at post-menopausal women.

    Why the resistance? 

    Why can’t they do further research, or even encourage further research? Why are they insistent that tight bras have nothing at all to do with breast cancer development? 

    It’s hard to put yourself into their heads, but my feeling is that the cancer industry cannot admit this issue has merit because it invalidates all their billions of dollars of research that ignored this vital risk factor for breast cancer. It’s like ignoring smoking while researching lung cancer, which researchers and the ACS did for years, denying the link and promoting smoking for health. 

    The psychological dependence women have on bras has helped this medical corruption continue. The cultural pressure to wear bras created a crisis for some women who heard about the hazards of bras. They needed to choose between comfort and health, or fashion and cultural norms. Women feeling the pressure to wear bras were happy to accept the denials from the medical industry, relieving their anxiety about the issue. 

    Where’s the Outrage!!!

    You would think that women would be up in arms against the ACS and NCI for their corrupted denial of any merit to this issue, and their censorship of the many studies which show a link. There should be outrage. The cancer industry has pandered to women for breast cancer funding, only to deliberately and systematically ignore the one factor that women have control over to prevent this disease.

    Unfortunately, the biases of the ACS are considered truth by new AI programs, like ChatGPT. It is nearly impossible to get past the misinformation, denials, and biased nonsense coming from AI about the bra-cancer link. Much of the misinformation comes from the Wikipedia page about Dressed to Kill, which is biased and managed by editors to exclude any support of the bra-cancer link. 

    Essentially, denial of the bra-cancer link has become dogma, institutionalized by the NCI, the Komen Foundation, the ACS, and all their copycat groups invested in early detection and drug treatments. Bras just get in the way of their business model.

    It may be difficult to face this truth about the corruption of medicine. We want to have trust in our researchers and public health leaders. But we can’t. Disease is a business for them. And the more money they get, the more invested they become in the disease continuing. 

    What can you do about this? Must women be victims of this corruption? Here are some ideas:

    1. Don’t wait for the ACS to tell you how to prevent cancer. If they knew, it would impact detection and treatment profits, so they wouldn’t say unless if could make more money than currently made. If you have concerns about something causing cancer, then avoid it. 
    2. It’s your life. Don’t rely on others to save you or give you the truth about your needs.
    3. Stop wearing bras. You can get support by joining the International Bra-Free Study.
    4. Do NOT donate to the ACS, Komen Foundation, or any other cancer nonprofit until it presents information about the bra-cancer link in an unbiased way and calls for more studies. 
    5. Any breast cancer organization that does not mention the bra-cancer link is probably a shill for the drug industry, which controls medicine and the media narrative about health and cancer. 
    6. Avoid tight clothing of all types. 
    7. Avoid synthetic fabric next to your skin. It leaches toxins as it breaks down. 
    8. Do not put cellphones in a bra. See my article, The Real Reason Why Cellphones Cause Breast Cancer.
    9. Avoid mammograms since these are x-rays and have a cumulative harmful impact on the breasts. 
    10. If you opt for thermography as a safer alternative to x-rays, stop wearing a bra one month prior to your thermogram. See my article, How Thermography Can Prevent Breast Cancer. 
    11. Imagine all the other causes of disease that the medical industry is ignoring and censoring.

    Your health is your responsibility. Don’t expect the medical business to see you for anything more than a pawn for profit.

    Housing regulations add up to solid brick wall against homebuilding

    Grassroot Institute
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    Housing regulations add up to solid brick wall against homebuilding

    By Keli‘i Akina

    There is something very telling in the fact that it’s taken almost half a year to see anything come from the governor’s emergency proclamation aimed at speeding up homebuilding in Hawaii.

    The governor’s order, announced in July 2023, established a 36-member Beyond Barriers Working Group to guide the hastening of housing construction, but it wasn’t until late December that it was able to approve its first application.

    Keli’i Akina

    This highlights the challenges faced by the governor’s attempt to remove government barriers to housing construction and the severity of the problem.

    The first application to be approved by the working group was a request to waive the state-mandated school impact fee for a project in downtown Honolulu involving the conversion of an office building into 52 affordable rental apartments.

    The request was submitted by the project builder about two weeks before the working group’s Dec. 20 meeting, and had the support of the state Department of Education.

    But the seemingly minor request actually has called attention to a major issue.

    According to Honolulu Star-Advertiser reporter Andrew Gomes: “A couple members of the working group, which had difficulty establishing a quorum for the recent meeting, expressed frustration over spending what ended up being nearly 30 minutes assessing the school fee waiver request instead of five or 10 minutes.”

    Sterling Higa, executive director of Housing Hawaii’s Future and a member of the Beyond Barriers Working Group, told Gomes there is no good reason to charge downtown projects a school impact fee at all.

    “The schools in this area have shrinking student populations,” he said, “so whatever impact fee would be paid by the residents of this building isn’t actually going to help them get new schools in the area.”

    To make matters worse, the state Office of the Auditor has sharply criticized the DOE’s administration of impact fees, even questioning whether they violate the constitutional requirement that there be a “nexus” between the proposed new units and the need for more classroom capacity.

    Not surprisingly, some housing advocates say the Legislature should abolish or reform school impact fees, since they have not proven to be particularly useful in addressing education needs.

    They also can add up to be quite costly. The downtown area has a school impact fee of $3,864 per unit, which would have amounted to $200,928 for the 52-unit project that sought the exemption.

    My hope is that the 2024 Legislature will take a hard look at school impact fees and align them with our modern realities.

    More important, we must remember that the slow, expensive process of constructing homes in Hawaii isn’t caused by just one regulation or fee — it’s due to an endless web of regulations, mandates, fees, approvals and permitting delays that we have been forced to endure for many decades.

    Further proving my point: Gomes reported that this downtown conversion project has been proceeding under a 2019 city law intended to create 500 affordable rental units a year through financial incentives and regulation and fee waivers. Yet, as of November 2023, only two projects have been completed under the program.

    But don’t let that get you down. Resolving Hawaii’s housing crisis is possible, and there are numerous simple fixes available to lawmakers now that could make a big difference at no cost to taxpayers.

    You can learn about many of those possible fixes in a new report from the Grassroot Institute Hawaii titled “How to facilitate more homebuilding in Hawaii,” which you can read or download for free at the Grassroot website.

    Reforming school impact fees would remove one brick from the wall that stands between us and more affordable housing. Our goal must be to remove many more so we can resolve Hawaii’s housing crisis once and for all.
    __________

    Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

    The Real Reason Why Cellphones Cause Breast Cancer

    Sydney Ross Singer
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    The Real Reason Why Cellphones Cause Breast Cancer

    Nobody these days is without a cellphone. 

    We all live through our cellphones. But like every other human innovation that comes to define our lives, there are side effects and problems caused that must be discovered after the new technology is introduced.

    Cellphones stored in a bra are being shown to cause breast cancer. But is the cause of cancer the radiation from the cellphone, or is it the bra, or both?

    Why are cellphones a problem?

    Cellphones emit non-ionizing radiation that heats things around it, including the human body. There are also magnetic fields created. While heat and magnetic fields are something the body knows how to handle, the cellphone concentrates these energies to levels that could theoretically exceed body limits, resulting in disease. This can potentially include cancer, which has been associated with heated tissue. 

    However, the research on the impact of cellphone radiation on health is unclear, especially since there is so much invested in cellphone use in our culture. Given the money involved, and the potential for liability for damages caused by this technology, there will always be conflicting results. 

    So it is not surprising that the industry-influenced National Cancer Institute takes a non-committed approach on the actual harms caused by cellphone radiation.  But they do say concerned people may choose to not hold their phones next to their heads, since radiation from the phone dissipates with distance. 

    This means using earbuds or the speaker would be a good idea if you are concerned about cellphone radiation, and don’t want to wait until the cellphone industry admits that their products are causing cancer. 

    But what about cellphones and breast cancer? 

    Recent research shows a clear association between cellphones and breast cancer, linked to storing the phone in a bra. You could see the tumors occurring where the phone was pressed against the breast.

    There are now lots of articles on the Internet about the hazards of placing the cellphone in a bra. It seems like a no brainer once you think about it. But the research results are mixed, as you can imagine. The American Cancer Society, which accepts industry funding, refuses to commit one way or the other about this. 

    What about the bra?

    But let’s step back a minute. We are talking about putting a phone in a bra. The bra has to be tight enough to hold the phone. But tight bras are a health risk by themselves, since they interfere with blood and lymph circulation in the breasts.

    This means that the heat from the phone will not dissipate from the breasts as it would without a tight bra interfering with circulation. 

    Of course, if a woman were bra-free and she held a cellphone to her breast for hours, the heat from the phone radiation would be flushed away with normal blood and lymph circulation. The skin may get warm, but the temperature would not go too deeply into the tissues. However, applying a bra to  hold the phone there will keep the heat in the breast longer. 

    Here is a thermographic image of a woman taken 15 minutes after she removed her bra. Note the shoulder grooves and indentations made by the bra, which are signs of compression and constriction. Note also the deeper red color between the bra straps, showing how the bra is altering circulation and increasing heat in that area.  

    Impaired circulation means toxin accumulation

    We are exposed to poisons everyday in our polluted air, food, and water, as well as from medications and our own metabolic waste. These are normally flushed away from the breasts through blood and lymph circulation. However, compression and constriction of the breasts impairs this drainage system, resulting in fluid and toxin accumulation in the breasts.

    This fluid accumulation in the breasts is common in bra-using women, over 90% of whom wear too tight a bra. The resulting backed-up lymph fluid causes pain and cysts. Over time, the cysts can become scar tissue and fibrous. This is how fibrocystic breast disease forms from the use of bras. 

    Failure to adequately flush away cancer-causing toxins due to the bra results in longer toxin exposure in the breast. This increases cancer incidence in the breasts relative to other, non-constricted organs where toxins are more adequately cleared. 

    There is another problem

    Bras also can be toxic, depending on the fabric and the chemicals used in its manufacture, storage, and cleaning. Synthetic fabrics include polyester and nylon and all elastic clothing. Phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, “forever chemicals”, and other toxic substances are used in the production of synthetic bra materials, and leach out of the material and onto the skin, which can cause rashes, allergic reactions, infections, inflammation, and even cancer. 

    The bra company knows this about synthetic bras, and tells consumers to not over heat them when washing or drying, since heat speeds up the breakdown of the fabric of the bra, making it deteriorate. Of course, this means the bra becomes more toxic as it breaks down and releases toxic chemicals. 

    However, there is another way to heat the bra besides washing and drying. How about heating it with a cellphone placed against it? 

    It is likely (although don’t hold your breath for the research) that the radiation emissions from the cellphone can heat and accelerate the leaching of chemicals from the bra, increasing the toxin exposure of the breasts.

    This means that the cellphone not only heats the breasts, but it also heats the bra, and makes it deteriorate. The resulting heat and toxins are kept in the breasts for a longer time due to the bra. 

    But wait! There’s more!

    A tight bra also prevents the immune system from attacking infections and cancer cells that are developing in the breasts. The lymphatic system happens to also be the circulatory pathway of the immune system, carrying white blood cells, as well as transporting important chemical messages from the tissues to the lymph nodes for an immune response. White blood cells, which are the immune system’s army, cannot mobilize and properly do their jobs in bra-impacted breasts that are constricted and congested with backed-up lymph fluid (lymphedema). 

    This means that any insult to the breasts is made worse by constricting the breasts with tight bras. It could be heat, or ionizing radiation from mammograms or non-ionizing cellphones, or chemical toxins, or a punch to the chest. Whatever the insult, the immune system is charged with fixing the problem and cleaning it all up, but can’t do its job properly when the breasts are constricted by bras. 

    Flawed research ignores bras

    Getting back to the research on cellphones held in bras, there is a glaring problem. These studies do not recognize the impact of the bra on breast health, and ignore that variable completely. They tried to control for other variables that affect cancer incidence. But they ignored the bra completely, which is a big flaw.

    As a result, they never asked the women in the study about bra material, whether the fibers are synthetic and toxic, or nontoxic natural fibers. They didn’t ask about bra tightness, which affects how much interference there will be with circulation and the ability to remove heat from the breasts. They didn’t ask about how long each day these women used bras, with or without a cellphone.

    This is why research on breast cancer and cellphones is conflicting, as are other studies on lifestyle and breast cancer which ignore the bra. How long and how tightly a woman wears a bra has a major impact on breast cancer development, as studies around the world have shown. 

    You can’t study breast disease, including cancer, without considering bra usage, just as you can’t study lung disease without considering tobacco usage.

    Cellphones are clearly a problem for the breasts when held in a bra. The cellphone-caused damage is exacerbated by the bra-caused impaired circulation. But the solution is simple:

    1. Never wear a bra or any garment that leaves marks or indentations in your skin. These marks mean it is impairing circulation, and over time will cause tissue deterioration. 
    2. Only wear natural fabric next to your skin.
    3. Avoid bra usage as much as possible. This will also help eliminate breast pain, cysts, and help avoid breast cancer. 
    4. Never sleep in a bra.
    5. If you don’t wear a bra, you will not be able to store your phone next to your breasts, so this helps you avoid the habit of storing your phone there. No bra, no phone holder on your chest.
    6. Don’t store your phone in your pants pocket, either. Try avoiding keeping it next to your body. How about storing it in a purse or backpack, instead? 
    7. Don’t wait for the health authorities to come to your rescue. They will admit a problem only when they can no longer deny it. You can be dead by then.

    In conclusion, your bra is a greater risk to the breasts than the cellphone. If you get rid of the bra, you eliminate this cellphone problem completely, and reduce your overall risk of breast cancer, and other breast diseases. 

    For those who want more on the bra-cancer link, here are some references.

    SOME STUDIES THAT SUPPORT THE BRA-CANCER LINK

    • 1991 Harvard study (CC Hsieh, D Trichopoulos (1991). Breast size, handedness and breast cancer risk. European Journal of Cancer and Clinical Oncology 27(2):131-135.). This study found that, “Premenopausal women who do not wear bras had half the risk of breast cancer compared with bra users…”
    • 1991-93 U.S. Bra and Breast Cancer Study by Singer and Grismaijer, published in Dressed To Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras (Second Edition, Square One Publishers, 2018). Found that bra-free women have about the same incidence of breast cancer as men. 24/7 bra wearing increases incidence over 100 times that of a bra-free woman.
    • Singer and Grismaijer did a follow-up study in Fiji, published in Get It Off! (ISCD Press, 2000). Found 24 case histories of breast cancer in a culture where half the women are bra-free. The women getting breast cancer were all wearing bras. Given women with the same genetics and diet and living in the same village, the ones getting breast disease were the ones wearing bras for work.
    • A 2009 Chinese study (Zhang AQ, Xia JH, Wang Q, Li WP, Xu J, Chen ZY, Yang JM (2009). [Risk factors of breast cancer in women in Guangdong and the countermeasures]. In Chinese. Nan Fang Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2009 Jul;29(7):1451-3.) found that NOT sleeping in a bra was protective against breast cancer, lowering the risk 60%.
    • 2011 a study was published, in Spanish, confirming that bras are causing breast disease and cancer.  It found that underwired and push-up bras are the most harmful, but any bra that leaves red marks or indentations may cause disease.
    • 2015  Comparative study of breast cancer risk factors at Kenyatta National Hospital and the Nairobi Hospital     J. Afr. Cancer (2015) 7:41-46.  This study found a significant bra-cancer link in pre-and post-menopausal women.
    • 2016  Wearing a Tight Bra for Many Hours a Day is Associated with Increased Risk of Breast Cancer     Adv Oncol Res Treat 1: 105. This is the first epidemiological study to look at bra tightness and time worn, and found a significant bra-cancer link.
    • 2016 Brassiere wearing and breast cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis  World J Meta-Anal. Aug 26, 2015; 3(4): 193-205  This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between 8 areas of brassiere-wearing practices and the risk of breast cancer. Twelve case-control studies met inclusion criteria for review. The meta-analysis shows statistically significant findings to support the association between brassiere wearing during sleep and breast cancer risk.
    • 2018 Lymph stasis promotes tumor growth Journal of Dermatological Science “(t)hese findings come as no surprise to us who for a long time have been aware that alterations in regional lymphatic flow may produce dysregulation in skin immune function and consequent oncogenesis. In fact, since 2002, our team has held the view that lymphedematous areas are immunologically vulnerable sites for the development of neoplasms as well as infections and immune-mediated diseases. In recent years, increasing evidence has confirmed this assumption.”
    • 2018 How Bras Cause Lymph Stasis and Breast Cancer Academic.edu  “Recent studies are showing that lymph stasis causes cancer by reducing immune function. This article draws on these studies to further explain how constriction from tight bras results in lymphatic impairment in the breasts and an increased incidence of breast cancer.
    • 2019  Wearing Brassiere – A Less Well Known Factor Associated with Breast Cancer in Women Nurs Midwifery J 2019, 16(12) 891-901. Wearing of brassiere is also a lifestyle-related habit that has sparked many debates today as a risk factor for breast cancer in women. This study was conducted to determine the behavioral Habits of wearing brassiere in women with and without breast cancer. Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed differences in some behavioral habits of wearing brassieres in women with and without breast cancer. So, in preventive interventions for breast cancer, women’s education should be considered in order to be aware of the proper behavioral habits in wearing brassieres.

    Three New Year’s resolutions I hope Hawaii lawmakers will take to heart

    Grassroot Institute
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    Three New Year’s resolutions I hope Hawaii lawmakers will take to heart

    By Keli‘i Akina

    The new year is almost upon us, which means it’s time for one of my favorite traditions: making a list of resolutions for Hawaii’s policymakers.

    First and foremost, I suggest they resolve to reduce Hawaii’s tax burden.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: One of the best ways to increase tax revenues is to grow our economy, and one of the best ways to do that is to cut taxes.

    Keli’i Akina

    Since Hawaii has one of the biggest tax burdens in the country, there are plenty of places we could start — such as giving private practice physicians an exemption from the state general excise tax, which would make it easier for doctors to stay in Hawaii.

    Or pegging the state income tax brackets to inflation, which was part of the governor’s plan to reform the state income tax, presented during the 2023 legislative session. That way, our taxes won’t go up just because we receive a raise to keep up with inflation.

    State lawmakers could also cut the state corporate income tax, which would encourage business investment. And they could cut or repeal Hawaii’s estate or “death” tax, which interferes with building intergenerational wealth and essentially amounts to double taxation.

    My second resolution for legislators is to restrain their spending. This relates to my first resolution, because less spending would ease the need for taxes.

    Of course, some expenses are inescapable, such as relief for fire-ravaged Lahaina. But even so, state and Maui lawmakers still should look for ways to reduce spending and present a balanced budget that doesn’t require borrowing or spending-cap shenanigans.

    Third, isn’t it about time we start removing some of the many regulatory barriers to housing growth?

    As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii has issued a new report that lists multiple zoning and permitting reforms lawmakers could enact to facilitate more homebuilding at all levels of affordability — without having to launch massive and costly construction projects at the expense of Hawaii taxpayers.

    Such reforms include lot-splitting, upzoning, greater use of ohana units, reducing parking mandates, “adaptive reuse” of commercial and office buildings, by-right permitting and more.

    Considered separately, many of those proposals might seem like small steps. But implemented comprehensively, they would make a big difference in getting Hawaii residents into the homes they need — before they simply give up and leave for less expensive pastures elsewhere.

    Additionally, Hawaii lawmakers should resolve to join more interstate medical licensing compacts to allow more healthcare workers to come to Hawaii; remove the barriers to trading cryptocurrency; and curb the governor’s excessive use of emergency powers.

    Or would that be asking too much? If so, let’s go with the three big resolutions for 2024: Cut spending, lower taxes and increase Hawaii’s housing supply.

    That is a good, workable list, and the Grassroot Institute has provided a wealth of resources that could help our state and county lawmakers achieve those goals.

    Let’s start off 2024 with big dreams, big plans and a renewed dedication to making Hawaii more prosperous and free.

    But above all, I wish you a very happy and safe New Year!
    __________

    Keli‘i Akina is president and CEO of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii.

    Restaurants Getting Cooked

    Tom Yamachika
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    Restaurants Getting Cooked

    A number of restaurants are in a pinch recently.  Here’s what happened to them.

    A few years ago, the COVID-19 pandemic began.  In the initial months of the pandemic, many governments including ours locked down the populace.  People who were shut in couldn’t spend money like they usually could, and businesses of all stripes suffered.

    Because of the national impact of the pandemic, various relief programs were enacted by the federal government and helped ease the pain of individuals and businesses throughout the State.  Four federal programs in 2020, for example, did much to alleviate the suffering caused by the national economic catastrophe:  the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).  Some of these programs offered grants, or loans that were forgiven later, which normally result in income to the recipient of those benefits.

    At the end of 2020, the Department of Taxation published Tax Information Release 2020-06 (“TIR 2020-06”) in which the department concluded that despite a lack of any statutory exemption, our General Excise Tax (GET) would not be imposed on these federal benefits “in light of the severity of the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

    In 2021, the federal government granted further relief to affected individuals and businesses, and in the American Rescue Plan Act it provided two more significant programs for affected businesses:  the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program, and the Shuttered Venu Operators Grant (SVOG) program.  The RRF program was structured as a reimbursement program in that although it provided a funding amount to affected restaurants on the basis of their historic sales, the government specified certain categories of expenses on which the monies were to be spent, and informed the restaurants that unspent monies, or monies not spent on the proper expenses, needed to be returned to the federal government.

    In May 2022, we published an article calling on the Department to make up its mind about these programs.  However, no guidance came out in 2022.

    In 2023, however, as KITV reported, the Department started targeting restaurants and similar businesses that had received benefits under RRF.  The department said that those benefits were taxable and demanded back GET taxes from the businesses although the restaurants already had spent the money (which they were required to do under the federal program).  Some of these restaurants already had received benefits under PPP, which, under TIR 2020-06, were not subject to GET.

    When KITV asked the Department to explain why, they said “PPP loans were not considered income, as they were used to pay employees or rent.  But the RRF was considered replacement income and so would count toward a business’ bottom line.”

    For affected businesses, it is an unwanted big tax bill right in the middle of the businesses’ attempts to get back on their feet after being clobbered by the pandemic.

    And the Department’s position does not seem to be well founded.  The explanation it gave for the difference in GET treatment between PPP and RRF money does not seem to be true.  And even if it were, the Department itself expressed a rationale for exempting the proceeds – that the pandemic caused severe economic effects so federal programs giving relief from those effects should not be GET taxable – that seems to apply to RRF just as it does to PPP.  To be consistent, uniform and fair, as its own mission statement demands, RRF should get the same treatment as PPP.  And if the Department itself doesn’t recognize this, perhaps lawmakers could take steps to correct the injustice.

    KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR AT BLUE NOTE HAWAII – January Features Some of Music’s Most Iconic Performers like Sister Sledge, The Four Tops & the 50th Anniversary of Los Lobos

    Daniela Stolfi-Tow
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    KICK OFF THE NEW YEAR AT BLUE NOTE HAWAII – January Features Some of Music’s Most Iconic Performers like Sister Sledge, The Four Tops & the 50th Anniversary of Los Lobos

    HONOLULU – 2024 kicks off with a roster of local and international recording artists beginning with two-time American Idol finalist DeAndre Brackensick. The Blue Note Comedy Series continues with Luenell for one-night only, two local comedy showcases and the hilarious Dan Cummins. Reggae giants Big Mountain return for two nights and Broadway star Morgan James takes the stage for one-night only. The Mike Lewis Big Band returns and the Candlelight Series continues with four productions including a tribute to the music of Taylor Swift and Queen. Legendary 70’s super group, Sister Sledge, make their Blue Note Hawaii debut and George Kahumoku Jr. performs with Daniel Ho and Tia Carrere in their renowned Slack Key Show®. Motown legends The Four Tops grace the stage and 12-time GRAMMY® nominee Musiq Soulchild performs for three nights. Tavana is joined by Keith Batlin for a night of rock, blues and everything in between and Latin-rock legends Los Lobos celebrates their 50th Anniversary to round out the month.

    Parking is validated at the OHANA East Hotel for $6 for four hours and at the Outrigger Waikiki for $15 for four hours valet.

    Blue Note Hawaii 2024 SCHEDULE

    DeAndre Brackensick

    Tuesday, January 2

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    DeAndre Brackensick fell in love with music at four years old and began performing on stages by the age of 12. He was a two-time finalist on American Idol before being discovered by Russell Wilson and Ciara. His vocal prowess on social media caught their attention and they immediately knew they had to be involved. “Dre is a once in a lifetime vocal talent, and Russ and I are so inspired and grateful to play a role in sharing his gifts with the world,” Ciara says. Now signed to Beauty Marks Entertainment, and represented by West2East Empire, Dre is poised for a breakout 2024 with his limitless vocal ability and commanding stage presence.

    Luenell – Blue Note Comedy Series

    Thursday, January 4

    Tickets: Premium Seating $40, Loge Seating $35, Bar Area $30

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Luenell is the self-proclaimed “Original Bad Girl of Comedy.” She may be small in stature, but she more than makes up for it with her big personality, booming voice and infectious laughter. Luenell, has been thrilling audiences with her brand of comedy for more than 30 years. With the touch of a remote control, her body of work in television and film can be found on network and cable television as well as popular streaming services. Plus, fans can also tune into her popular YouTube show — that is, Hey Luenell — for comedic thoughts on her mind.

    Big Mountain

    Friday, January 5 & Saturday, January 6

    Tickets: Premium Seating $45, Loge Seating & Bar Area $35

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Big Mountain first hit the charts in 1992 with the song “Touch My Light,” from their debut album “Wake Up.” They followed it up with “Baby, I Love Your Way,” written by Peter Frampton, which became one of their most well-known commercial hits. Big Mountain tours extensively to this day, headlining festivals and international stages.

    Morgan James

    Sunday, January 7

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:30 p.m.

    Doors: 6:00 p.m.

    Morgan James is a Juilliard trained singer, songwriter, and actress. On Broadway, Morgan was in five back-to-back original companies: The Addams Family, Wonderland, Godspell, Motown: The Musical, and Kristin Chenoweth’s For The Girls. Her most recent studio albums, “A Very Magnetic Christmas” and “Memphis Magnetic,” are full of classic and original soul music.

    Mike Phillips

    Monday, January 8

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    World renowned saxophonist Mike Phillips is known as one of the most electrifying instrumentalists today. Mike is the first musician signed by Michael Jordan to the Nike Jordan Brand, home of the Air Jordan, and is the only musician in the world to have recorded and toured with the legendary “Big Three” of American soul and pop music: Michael Jackson, Prince, and Stevie Wonder, not only as a member of the band, but as a featured soloist.

    Blue Note Comedy Series & Comedy U Presents

    Local Comedy Showcase

    Tuesday, January 9 & Wednesday, January 24

    Tickets: Premium Seating $20, Loge Seating & Bar Area $15, +$5 Day of Show

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Comedy U is back for another night showcasing Hawaii’s local comics.

    Candlelight: Tribute to Taylor Swift

    Wednesday, January 10

    Tickets: Zone A $66, Zone B $63, Zone C $54, GA Standing $32

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Honolulu. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Taylor Swift at Blue Note Hawaii under the gentle glow of candlelight.

    Candlelight: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons

    Thursday, January 11

    Tickets: Zone A $58, Zone B $47, Zone C $36, GA Standing $32

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Honolulu. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at Blue Note Hawaii under the gentle glow of candlelight.

    Sister Sledge

    Friday, January 12 & Saturday, January 13

    Tickets: Premium Seating $65, Loge Seating & Bar Area $55

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Sister Sledge are known as one of the most iconic female groups of all time. As the pages of the Chicago Tribune have asserted, Sister Sledge “has the stuff legends are made of.” Sister Sledge became a household name with the blockbuster release of the iconic “We Are Family” album, which featured the hit songs “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” the seminal title track, “We Are Family” as well as “Lost in Music,” “Thinking of You” and “All American Girls.”

    George Kahumoku Jr, Daniel Ho & Tia Carrere

    From Maui’s Renowned Slack Key Show®

    Tuesday, January 16

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Featured regularly at Maui’s renowned “Slack Key Show®,” this group shares the uniquely Hawaiian styles of slack key guitar, ‘ukulele, and songs both traditional and new. Their music’s origins reach back to the early 19th century when Portuguese immigrants brought the ‘ukulele and Mexican cowboys brought guitars to Hawai‘i along with their ranching knowledge. Since then, Hawaiians made these instruments their own and these dynamic musicians reflect the best of traditions, musical virtuosity, and sparkling compositions.

    The Four Tops

    Wednesday, January 17 & Thursday, January 18

    Tickets: Premium Seating $85, Loge Seating & Bar Area $75

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    The Four Tops occupy a place of high honor among Motown and rhythm and blues royalty. Their breakthrough hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving,” released in 1964, was followed by “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” in 1965, becoming the group’s first number one hit and shooting them to super stardom. Since then, the Tops have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and have received the GRAMMY® Lifetime Achievement Award.

    Musiq Soulchild

    Friday, January 19 to Sunday, January 21

    Tickets: Premium Seating $55, Loge Seating & Bar Area $45

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    12-time GRAMMY® nominee Musiq Soulchild has built a reputation for being musically gifted. Deeply inspired by the R&B and soul sounds of the ’70s he uses the name “Soulchild” as a way to show respect and admiration to his biggest musical influences, including Stevie Wonder, Donny Hathaway and Marvin Gaye.

    Mike Lewis Big Band

    Monday, January 22

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Local trumpeter and bandleader Mike Lewis returns to the club with his 17-piece big band!

    Candlelight: A Tribute to Queen

    Tuesday, January 23

    Tickets: Zone A $57, Zone B $46, Zone C $35, GA Standing $32

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Honolulu. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Queen at Blue Note Hawaii under the gentle glow of candlelight.

    Tavana With Special Guest Keith Batlin

    Thursday, January 25

    Tickets: Premium Seating $35, Loge Seating & Bar Area $25

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m.

    Tavana is joined by Keith Batlin for a night of rock, blues and everything in between.

    Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer

    Friday, January 26

    Tickets: Zone A $60, Zone B $46, Zone C $36, GA Standing $33.50

    Showtimes: 6:30 p.m. & 9:00 p.m.

    Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Honolulu. Get your tickets now to enjoy the best of composer Hans Zimmer at Blue Note Hawaii under the gentle glow of candlelight.

    Hawaii News Now Presents

    Dan Cummins

    Blue Note Comedy Series

    Saturday, January 27

    Tickets: Premium Seating $50, Loge Seating $40, Bar Area $30

    Showtimes: 7:00 p.m. & 9:30 p.m.

    Increasingly popular stand-up comic and podcaster Dan Cummins will be playing 40+ cities on his 2023 Burn It All Down Tour. He released his third one-hour standup special, “Dan Cummins; Get Outta Here Devil!” in the Spring of 2020. And he released his eighth comedy album, “Live in Denver,” in 2020 as well. His podcast, TIMESUCK, is regularly featured in the top of the Apple podcasts comedy charts and was downloaded almost thirty-five million times last year alone.  His second podcast, SCARED TO DEATH, is quickly becoming popular as well, staying in the top ten of both the Apple and Spotify fiction podcast charts and getting over ten million downloads in 2022.

    Los Lobos: 50th Anniversary

    Sunday, January 28 & Monday, January 29

    Tickets: Premium Seating $75, Loge Seating & Bar Area $55

    Showtimes: 8:00 p.m.

    It’s a matter of time. 50 years to be exact. And in that time five-time GRAMMY® winners, Los Lobos, have created an unprecedented body of work, a legacy of greatness. The numbers are staggering, 100+ gigs a year for five decades running, crossing millions of miles to rock millions of fans. As proud Chicanos, their songs have always glistened with the distillation from their Mexican and Latin American roots — nourished by Norteña and rancheras, buoyed by bolero and cumbias, soaring on the rhythms of son huasteco and son jarocho. Los Lobos have helped spread the rich diversity of cultures across every continent, throughout the global community.

    Coming up in February at Blue Note Hawaii:

    PraiseJesus Artis                                                                                                                February 1

    John Cruz                                                                                                                             February 2-3

    The Abyssinians                                                                                                                 February 4

    Jake Shimabukuro & Mac McAnnally                                                                         February 5-6

    Julian Marley & the Uprising                                                                                         February 7-8

    Marlon Wayans                                                                                                                 February 9-10

    Candlelight: Romeo & Juliet                                                                                          February 13

    Josh Tatofi                                                                                                                           February 14-17

    Keep it Aloha Podcast                                                                                                     February 18

    Local Comedy Showcase                                                                                                February 20

    Carnivale with the Honolulu Brass Quintet                                                              February 22

    Hiromi’s Sonicwonder                                                                                                     February 23-25

    Mike Lewis Big Band                                                                                                        February 26

    Candlelight: The Best of Hans Zimmer                                                                      February 28

    Jonathan Butler                                                                                                                 February 29


    About Blue Note Hawaii

    Located in the heart of Waikīkī, Blue Note Hawaii features a year-round lineup of world-class entertainment, from local favorites to international sensations. The intimate, 326-seat club showcases leaders in jazz, blues, reggae, rock, Hawaiian, R&B, pop, comedy and more. Performances are enhanced by a locally inspired dinner menu, featuring shareable small plates, hearty entrees, house-made desserts and a thoughtful beverage program. View the performance lineup at bluenotehawaii.com and follow @bluenotehawaii on Facebook and Instagram.

    How Thermography can PREVENT Breast Cancer

    Sydney Ross Singer
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    How Thermography can PREVENT Breast Cancer

    According to the medical industry, for some unknown reason most women in the US have sick breasts, with over 80% of women experiencing some degree of breast pain and discomfort and/or cysts, and many developing cancer. Doctors say 5-10% of the cancers may be related to genetics, and scratch their heads as to the cause of most other breast cancer cases. 

    Since they can’t prevent breast cancer without knowing the cause, early detection and treatment has been sold as the best alternative. They tell women to get regular x-rays of their breasts, called mammograms, to look for a developing tumor so they can cut it out, irradiate it with more x-rays, and/or poison it with chemotherapy. At the end, if necessary, and if you survive, you can get implants that will look better than new, they say.

    The Thermography Alternative

    Some women, however, do not want to expose their breasts to x-rays, or to this approach to breast care, and have opted for getting a thermogram. Unlike mammograms, thermograms do not emit any radiation, but only detect the skin temperature of the breasts. 

    This makes thermograms completely safe to get, unlike x-rays, whose damaging effects are cumulative. This means a lifetime of breast thermograms will cause no harm, while a lifetime of mammograms might cause the cancer it is trying to detect.

    The thermogram only measures heat, and the body produces heat as part of normal metabolism. This means thermograms give a picture of the current physiological state of the breasts, as reflected by surface temperature. This will let you know the current state of breast health. 

    If the breasts are healthy, due to proper circulation, then they should be cool on a thermogram. 

    Unhealthy tissue, however, can have a different heat signature. Cancerous tumors show up as hot areas, for example, since these are areas with increased blood circulation feeding the tumor. This heat shows up on the skin surface, and is picked up by the thermography camera. 

    However, there is a clothing factor that needs to be addressed, and undressed. Thermograms are very sensitive to heat, and the clothing you wear before the thermogram can impact the skin temperature. So you must remove your blouse and bra, first.

    And there’s the rub! The bra! 

    Bras are tight by design, since they reshape and reposition the breasts on the chest wall for fashion purposes. This requires constant pressure applied to the breasts, which interferes with blood and lymphatic circulation. 

    While push-up and other cleavage-enhancing bras are the worst for tightness, along with underwire bras, any bra worn too tightly can impair circulation and cause damage. Over 80% of women are wearing bras that are too tight, which the bra industry admits.

    Unfortunately, you either circulate or deteriorate. Breasts that are constricted by bras are not just uncomfortable. They are literally stewing in their own toxic juices that cannot be properly flushed away due to bra-caused constriction. 

    Bras themselves are pretty toxic, containing phthalates, parabens, formaldehyde, and a host of “forever chemicals” which leach from the material into the skin. The tight bra then keeps these toxins in the breasts longer, and prevents the immune system from attacking any developing cancer cells. 

    Thermograms Show Bra Impacts

    All this shows up in breast skin temperature. Areas of inflammation, compression, constriction, and irritation caused by the bra will scream out from the thermogram, giving a clear warning of the impact of the bra on the breasts.

    This impact on the breasts does not disappear once you remove the bra for the thermogram. It could take weeks to months for the breasts to recover. 

    This means that, when you take a thermogram within minutes of a woman removing her bra, what you are mostly seeing are the impacts of the bra on the breasts. It will show the disease process in action resulting from tight bras. 

    If the bra is removed one month prior to the thermogram, then there will be a different picture, usually much cooler. The thermogram will be of a natural breast, not one that is regularly bra-constricted. It will show breast health and circulation at its best, without the pressure and constriction of the bra. 

    Avoid False Positives

    When reading the thermogram, you are looking for heat anomalies, which suggest cancer, or some other disease process, may be forming. If the heat is caused by the bra, there is essentially a false positive result, which can lead to stress, fear, panic, and unnecessary treatments. 

    It would be wise for any positive results showing heat to be reassessed after at least one month of eliminating the bra. Since the bra can also cause heat, you need to eliminate that variable to understand whether the heat is caused by a disease process or by the bra.

    The Bra-Cancer Link

    Eliminating the bra may also help you prevent breast cancer. Numerous studies are now showing that there is a significant link between tight bras and breast disease, including breast cancer. For details, see https://brasandbreastcancer.org/supportive-references. 

    The bra-cancer link is an inconvenient truth for the bra industry, and an embarrassment to the medical industry (which has defensively been fighting against women knowing about this link). But women who stop wearing bras feel the difference in comfort and health, and are doing the best thing they can to prevent breast pain, cysts, and cancer. 

    Since thermography has the ability to show women the state of their breast health with and without a bra, women can see for themselves, on themselves, how their bra has been harming their breasts.

    Women can see that by eliminating the bra, they will have cooler, happier breasts. And that’s the way to prevent, not just detect, breast cancer. 

    From “Bra-dom” to Freedom

    Life is about choices. Bras are a choice, and a harmful one for the breasts. 

    Thermography can help women through their journey from breast-bondage and disease, to bra-freedom and health.  

    Women who would like to transition from “bra-dom” to freedom can get help from the International Bra-Free Study. This online, ongoing research project has women from over 38 countries currently enrolled in a self-study where they stop wearing bras and report their results. Join the study for free at BraFreeStudy.org. 

    Here is an article about the preliminary results from the study: If Breasts Could Talk.

    In conclusion, we live in a bra-using culture that is rife with breast disease because of the bra. Too much money is at stake for this information to be uncensored, so you are on your own. Fortunately, you can stop wearing bras right away and reap immediate benefits of health and comfort. 

    And the next time you think about irradiating your breasts with x-rays, maybe try a thermogram instead. Get rid of your bra first, though. That will likely resolve any issues you may currently have with your breasts, and you can see the results in living color.

    Reference:

    Dressed to Kill: The Link Between Breast Cancer and Bras, Second Edition, by Sydney Ross Singer and Soma Grismaijer, Square One Publishers, 2017) 

    Dressed to Kill—Second Edition
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