S: Is for Spilling the Truth about Teeth!

Continuing from last weeks S column, Our rights are slowly being taken away and now, just for telling the truth. If you talk about the dangers of Mercury and you are a dentist in the US you will lose your license. What ever happened to freedom of speech? Right now in the court of appeals the fight for our dental rights is in progress. On Nov. 14, 2007 a demand to Congress was sent requesting an accounting from the FDA for refusing to classify mercury fillings and to perform an Environmental Impact Statement. On December 28, 2007 the FDA was sued by the Consumers for Dental Choice, seeking the removal of mercury fillings from the market. As I write this it is the court of appeals.The USA as always is behind. Two months ago Norway became the first nation to ban the use of amalgam fillings. Sweden has just united in that fight to save lives. Where before only the vulnerable, such as pregnant women and children, were recognized as needing protection. Now it is banned for all. Mercury has also been banned from a products produced, imported, exported, sold, and used in the two countries as well. Mercury is among the most dangerous of environmental toxins. Amalgam fillings are primarily composed of mercury. On December 16, 1990, CBS's 60 Minutes presented an expose on dental amalgam fillings. Needless to say the dental establishment was furious with CBS. The ADA attacked in full force starting with Consumer Reports. It then went on to promoted its message in a two-minutes news video sent to 700 TV stations, cruelly bashed them on their weekly radio show and in their magazine which was prominent in every dental office. The immense amount of pressure had CBS pulling the program, but there were those who believed the message needed to be heard. Log on here to see what had the ADA up in arms and maybe you to will be willing to fight for your life. http://www.talkinternational.com/PDF/tooth_traitors.pdf#search=%22Tooth%20Traitors%22

The insidiousness of what is going on started in 1833. The Crawcours (two brothers from France) introduce amalgam filling in the United States. The unscrupulous methods sparked what was known as the “amalgam wars,” a bitter controversy within the dental profession over the use of amalgam fillings. The American dentist banned together and bought the brothers out but continued what they themselves have stated "unscrupulous methods" and formed the ADA to keep the secret. Don't believe me log onto www.ada.org/public/resources/ history/timeline_ancient.asp

As a society we are brainwashed into believing we are cared about. The truth is the almighty dollar rules and we have become but a pawn of fortune. Can you imagine how jammed up the courts would be if we banned together to fight this negligence of human life? This site will help you learn more www.toxicteeth.org and these are disturbing F.A.C.T.S.

T: Is for Toxic Thirst!

A vast array of antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones have been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans. In Philadelphia they discovered 56 pharmaceuticals or byproducts in treated drinking water and utilities insist their water is safe. But the presence of so many prescription and over the counter drugs is of consequences to human health. Tests were done all around the country and no where was safe. We are a society that is pill orientated as our bodies absorbs, the drugs pass through and down the toilet they go. The water is supposably cleansed at a treatment plants and the cycle is completed as it returns to the consumers. The effects are alarming on human cells as well as the wildlife, so much so that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are voicing their concerns. In Philadelphia, 56 different varieties were found including medicines for pain, infection, high cholesterol, asthma, epilepsy, mental illness and heart. Sixty-three were found in the city's watersheds. In Southern California epileptic and anxiety medications were what 18.5 million people were ingesting. New Jersey saw 850,000 people who weren't sick taking angina and carbamazepine which is a mood-stabilizing drug. Good old San Francisco gave out sex hormones. The federal government doesn't require testing and safety limits for drugs in water have yet to be set. The natural sources of most of the nation's water supply, are also contaminated. The New York state health department and the USGS tested the source of the city's and upstate and found heart medicine, infection fighters, estrogen, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizer and tranquilizers. The officials still insisted that "New York City's drinking water continues to meet all federal and state regulations regarding drinking water quality. The problem isn't confined as it is even permeating aquifers deep underground, the source of 40 percent of the nation's water supply. Perhaps because Americas love affair with taking drugs, accounts for the growing amounts. Over the past five years, the number of U.S. drug prescriptions rose 12 percent to a record 3.7 billion, while nonprescription drug purchases held steady around 3.3 billion. Veterinary drugs also play a role. $5.2 billion was spent over the past five years, according to an analysis of data from the Animal Health Institute. Ask the pharmaceutical industry whether the contamination of water supplies is a problem, and officials will tell you no. But at a conference last summer the director of environmental technology for Merck stated: "There's no doubt about it, pharmaceuticals are being detected in the environment and there is genuine concern that these compounds, in the small concentrations that they're at, could be causing impacts to human health or to aquatic organisms." Laboratory research has found that the medication has affected human embryonic kidney cells, blood cells and breast cancer cells. The cancer cells proliferated too quickly; the kidney cells grew too slowly; and the blood cells showed biological activity associated with inflammation.
On a positive note Albuquerque, Austin, Texas and Virginia Beach were negative.

But the negatives continue, even users of bottled water and home filtration systems don't necessarily avoid exposure. Bottlers, some of which are simply repackage tap water, do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals, according to the industry's main trade group. The same goes for the makers of home filtration systems. And contamination is not confined to the United States. Asia, Australia, Canada and Europe are all infested.

Dr. David Carpenter, director for the Institute for Health and the Environment of the State University of New York at Albany "We know we are being exposed to other people's drugs through our drinking water, and that can't be good." What I con not understand is that they know about this and yet deny the F.A.C.T.S and that boggles my mind.

C: Is for Cabaret Comebacks!

There was a time in New York when the nightlife included singers in smokey rooms interpreting the lyrics and melodies by great musicians long gone. Piano bars were sought after and cabaret performers swooned over the stately, romantic elegance of the Oak Room at the Algonquin. Slowly and methodically that world started to slide away until a few years ago when The Metropolitan Room opened. Located at 34 W. 22nd Street, this sleek, two year old spot revived the feeling of such established institutions. Critics, insiders, and even talent burst back onto the scene. Its perfect layout, and insightful bookings of an amazing array of talent crooned again. The venue has hosted the much heralded ongoing engagement by vocalese legend Annie Ross, in addition to blowout shows by British channeler Dylan and collaborators Christine Ebersole and Billy Stritch. all of whom took home coveted Nightlife Awards for their efforts. With the Manhattan Association of Cabaret awards looming in the air next week it is sure that those award winners will shortly be booked into this venue. It also won a best of the best award in Time Out this year. Performing in April this year are two old friends. I performed with Larry Gatlin in his first musical theatre attempt called "Alive and Well and living in the land of Dreams". Larry is a GRAMMY Award winning country music legend. He is renown for his classic hits such as " "Love Is Just A Game," and "Statues Without Hearts " which are both from that show. Larry and his Brothers continue to perform across the country. Diva Sharon McNight and I have shared many of a venue and she makes her eagerly awaited return to New York City on April 25 and 26 in "GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN", Saluting the late great character women of the stage and screen. Martha Raye, Pearl Bailey, Ethels Merman, Madeline Kahn among and more will re-live. Sharon made her Broadway debut in "Starmites" and earned a Tony Award nomination, a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Sharon delivers a song like no one else and her trashy yet delightfully crass interpretations will leave your sides aching for reprieve. Cabaret is an art that should be kept alive as it allows tradition to carry on and that is a tuneful F.A.C.T.

A: Is for auction that links history with art.

Last night I was at the famed auction house Christie's enjoying the raw explosive talent of Russian artists. Due to their huge success in London in raising approximately 84 million, on April 18 New York will have it's chance to make it's mark. Russian art right now according to Forbes magazine is on the rise by 45% so the Christie's auction should be an exciting event. I have long been a fan of Faberge as was thrilled to learn Included would be a series of Fabergé pieces including a nephrite elephant. The 7 1/2 inch tall elephant, carved in circa 1890 from a single block of jade, is a rare example of stone carving on a large scale. Alas no eggs. I have always wanted to see one up close and discover it's secret. All Faberge eggs do something magical. I found it interesting that a candelabra by Nicholls & Plincke came from the estate of Leona Helmsley. There are two paintings that are commanding over a million. The 1st is Aleksandr Iakovlev’s Loge de Théâtre à Pékin a rare work from the Chinese Theatre series. Iakovlev was a painter, theatre designer and graphic artist, whose art interprets his vast travels. The 2nd piece is a work was by one of the great 19th century landscape painters, Ivan Ivanovich Shishkin. According to Shishkin, “the forest is the basic element of the universe, along with the sea and the sky.” It was another piece however that caught my eye, a portrait entitled Russian Beauty by Konstantin Egorovich Makovskii. The painting captured my senses and transported me to another era far away from the noise of NY. A large propaganda vase, made in the State Porcelain Factory in 1927, shows peasants and a man plowing a field. The other side depicts Red Army soldiers beneath a Soviet flag. An inscription on its base reads: "The Red Army, defender of the Soviet working class." Being a Russian history buff and especially the story of Nicholas and Alexandra it was thrilling to see up close "A Maid of Honor Badge" from that period. Forming the Cyrillic initials 'MA', are rose-cut diamonds mounted on silver-topped gold, surmounted by a rose-cut diamond-set crown.
Maid of honor badges consisted of the reigning Empress's initials surmounted by the Imperial crown. When a new empress ascended to the throne, or upon the death of a dowager empress, the design was changed. The present badge is in the form of the Cyrillic initials 'MA', which stand for Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna and Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, dating the badge to the reign of Nicholas II. The placement of the initial of the Dowager Empress on the left signified her higher rank within the court hierarchy. What is so unique about this badge is it made it out as the royal family was shoot and that is an intriguing historical art a F.A.C.T.

F: is for the the cycles of food.

Restaurants open and close, and some get to enjoy the elation of making it through another year. Momofuku Ko is the newest hurrah in the world of those eager to try the newest and the latest. Created by one of the hottest chefs in town David Chang, Momofuku Ko has people sweating to get in. Due to an online reservation system that's meant to level the playing field no longer does money, prestige and looks rule. The only way to land a spot is to go to Ko's Web site, create an account, register with a credit card and take your chance. Seats are released at 10 a.m. everyday for the current seven-day period. There are only 12 seats so you can imagine the competition. It is not cheap what an $85 tasting menu but it beats his other venues where it can run $400 for 2. Watch out for the scalpers, for at this level of desire they made their appearance even before the restaurant opened. For those who neither have the patience nor the tolerance you can always eat at Momofuku Noodle Bar and Momofuku Ssam Bar.

The place I dream of when I think Mac and Cheese celebrated their 2 year anniversary last Tuesday. 24 Prince street threw a party that had chic clients and neighborhood locals clamoring for space. Hosted by part owner and Top Chef, Chicago celebrity Nikki Cascone and her business partners Brad Grossman and Chris Heller this was a well run event. Sumptuous hors d’oeuvres and signature cocktails were passed in abundance. I was given a Rosemary-Mint Watermelon Mojito and I have now found a great summer cooler. Unfortunately no mac and cheese so I will definitely be back.

Showing staying power is Bill Telepan an avid Greenmarketeer, whose seasonal cooking has 72 West 69th Street purring with contentment. Telepan, is known for their blini's. There's an assortment including buckwheat, sweet-potato (it’s layered with spaghetti squash and crushed almonds). If you crave Eastern European style there are potato dumplings, borscht, pierogi and short ribs. The ambiance is stylish, comfortable and, oh yes, great food. The food looks like works of art and the dishes are creatively served up on dilapidated floor boards. tonight if you are looking for something to do they are serving a wine dinner featuring pasta's and the wines of Piemonte. Expect a Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto d'Alba and a few surprises, not bad for a winner of the best of excellence by the Wine Spectaor.

Restaurants remind my of the Byrds song "Turn, turn, turn for everything has it's turn and that is a F.A.C.T.