I am not an expert on this. I do know a decent amount on Alzheimer's disease's protein misfolding. I don't know much about Al's issues in particular, but I know that metal ions, particularly Zn, can cause protein folding when there otherwise not be any.

Is there any way to understand the chemical composition of a healthy brain and compare it to the compounds found in the brains of those suffering from Alzheimer's disease?

Have you heard anything about mineral deficiency diseases? And how simple diet changes could reduce severity or their incidence altogether?

I am concerned with the use of aluminium flocculation as a part of water treatment making a overabundance of aluminum a problem that the body has trouble eliminating.

Some, but far from all, Alzheimer's plaques have either Al or Zn.

I was reading "minerals for the genetic code". It suggests that the body will substitute elements if it cannot find enough to run the metabolic pathways.

Looking at the periodic table, aluminium is in the same column as boron; which has been suggested as deficiency aids in arthritis pain.

I thought that plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients contain aluminium.

Any comments?

Well, they're trying mightily to piss their citizens off... they are passing a law that requires people to register *simulated* guns - Toys, replicas, even a bar of soap carved like a gun - and lock it up and treat it as if it were a real firearm. If it looks like or resembles any kind of firearm, it's covered under the legislation. Looks like it will pass...

I am SO glad my folks didn't emigrate there when I was younger. Kicks down under right off my map. Only thing they need to add now is "People's republic of..." before the name.

What is fascinating to me is, that with a few exceptions, I watch our freedoms being eroded, and its like the rest of the world has to play catch-up and erode THEIR people's rights even further.

I'm closely watching Italy... if they go the way of Terra Australius Incomprehensabilis, I know a chunk of property there that will be going on the blocks. So far it's not... fingers definitely crossed there.

I bet your friends who moved to the US didn't come expecting the current environment.
However, I do understand what you meant. The free market attitude that is still inside many people in the US (ignoring the bankster elite) is not ingrained in Aussies or Kiwis. The propaganda from the US looks so good, but the reality is not (any longer.) When the US dollar loses its world currency staus, there will be a lot of Aussies returning down under and a lot of US citizens will wish they could, too.
I admit to being biased in favor of Oz (and to a lesser extent NZ.) Unlike their US cousins, the Aussie politicians haven't had a chance to piss me off completely yet. ;^) I suspect that regardless of where I go, the politicians and bureaucrats will be unsatisfactory.
Significant advantages: English speaking, great climate, low population density, rich natural resources, good natural border defence, history of law and order, common ancestry and similar culture, self reliant in food production, managable debt.

I agree! You know, DB, that would make one heck of a novel!

You never know what in ones life will be the calling for them to "go Galt". I relate to this in a strange way - that "boxcar" for me was the Forge - gave up both the cool house in the Bay Area and the "power position" I held at Headquarters, cashed in the investments to buy what was a long-dormant shop in the middle of what even the locals call "the sticks", unhooked my cart from the liberal socialist connections I once cherished (yeech!) and lived for my own self, not for the "other man" (or woman!).

People thought I must be off my rocker. I was warned of wildfires, bears and other wild animals, raving bands of rednecks, meth heads, religious fanatics, and cartel pot growers. I was giving up a sure thing and chance for advancement to do a minor job someplace where no one wanted to go... and of course, how would I survive up there, miles from the city and "civilization"... and starting my own business? Tales of gloom and doom and bankruptcy and no way I would make it work away from my "friends". One even had the audacity to declare that I must have taken some "bad acid"...

Oooh yeah. That boxcar of ones fate has strange callings, but would I rather be where I was? Slaving for the good of others, draining my talent and my soul into the abyss of associates who not only didn't give a whit about me and mine, but about themselves as well...

Yeah. I could have "all that" and end up a hollow shell. Or I could live for me, and my dreams, not their wants. So in a real way I relate to the uncle and his boxcar... he found his truth. And he found HIS Gulch.

Not a problem. Each of us must live within our comfort zone. Some folks is a little more expansive than others and I understand. I, too, am in my 6th decade, approaching my 7th and still get the itch to see what's over the next hill. Right now. there are things to which I am committed and cannot forsake but, circumstances my force me to change my mind. There is a story in my family of one of my uncles from my grandfather's first family who lived in Nashville AR, and worked at the local rail station. The story goes he had a wife with a sharp and biting tongue. One day, he went to work and never came home. Seems a boxcar with his name on it called out to him and he followed. He was recognized several years later in East TX when he stopped to cadge a meal and a hay bale bed. He was gone the next morning and never heard from again.

Don't get me wrong... It was treasure mapping that got us our home and 11 hectares of olives in Umbria, our home and business here in ne cal, and the things we love... But I need to rain cognizant that doing the gulch is an expensive proposition, not just in $$ but in the things I love and enjoy - the forge and where it's going, staying active in competitive shooting, not having to rely on others... And having and building financial stability. I looked at living down under and it's restrictive as hell; a close friends family is
from the Caribbean - Tahiti, Haiti, and Trinidad - and left over severe repression.

I do have dreams and plans to see them to fruition, but I also will not go into bankruptcy for something that if I cannot afford I would do to be part of a crowd. It is a failing of mine, but at 6 decades I realize that I sometimes have to stand alone and speak my mind rather than be a sheep. I was a follower when I was a slimeball commie wannabee, and I regret that to this day I fell so low and sold out those I love...

Hope you understand!

S

Thanks for the encouragement. I needed a bit of a pick me up. Not from this but things around here. Been a helluva day.

That's awesome... I'm left wanting to hear more though. :(

Well said. There IS more than one way to shrug. For some of us it's feeding the beast as little as possible, laying low, preparing, and finding and communicating with like minds. Anything more is a risk too big.

You know I started talking about hiking the Appalachian Trail in high school, people were indulgent. They thought it was cute, but when I got to the specifics they said I would never do it. I kept talking about it for 7-8 years, when someone said let's do it next summer. We made some plans, but had to go back to college. I ordered books, starting making plans. My partner did almost nothing. My roommate in college was excited, but then said you'll never do it. One of my best friends had the chance to go bumming around Europe that summer and invited me. It was tempting and I wrote a letter to my hiking partner. He said he was still in, so I set my course for the Appalachian trail. My best engineering buddy had been in on all the most important conversations, but he had no interest until a month before we were ready to leave. Then he wanted in. My dad jumped in and helped me with the practical details - very little help from my hiking partners. A week before we left we were bombarded with stories about people who were killed on the trail. There were many problems getting to the trail and along the trail, but in the end I hiked the Appalachian trail for a month. I still torture my family and friends with stories from that adventure. Including K who was duly impressed as a college coed. I could tell you the same story about many of the things I have undertaken. It starts with a dream. You have to discuss the dream. My dream was to walk the entire Appalachian trail, but that could not be done in month. The reality was not exactly the same as the dream, but I did it

When I saw people mention Australia and NZ (both countries I considered moving to years ago) I did the research - and while I love visiting there, I'm not sure I'd want to live under their system. I have too many friends who have emigrated from both places for these reasons - to here.

There *are* a couple I have considered as well, but there are language barriers, and of course, you would still fall under that country's legal code, which to some could be pretty onerous.

Besides - if everyone sinks everything into some relocation overseas... who's gonna stay here and fix the disaster we have right here at home... or afford to come back once we're at that point? (Darned if that doesn't sound like Scab Dagny, thinking about it...)

Good points, Suzanne. +1. We may be getting the proverbial cart before the horse.

If someone wants to start a commune or country club, fine...but, I don't see that as having anything to do with "Gulch" values.

What we may need to be doing is figuring out what legal code we will abide and how best to implement it. Then, locations become more flexible. For any of us to invest assets, we would need to know the structure that protects our rights.

Reality Check time, folks.

One - people need to define exactly what one is "going galt" from, and why. It seems that people are all about living a less-restricted, freer life - then willing to look at places that are more restrictive than the US Mainland.

I think we need to decide exactly how restricted we wish to be - no guns, criminal penalties for speaking out against the government,

I keep seeing people mention this country or that - without realizing people are going Galt FROM those countries to here, because of the restrictions those countries place on them, or the absolute socialist nature of their dotgovs, or their tanking economy, or the rising tide of islamofascism at their door or the threat of conflict on their shores.

Are you really serious? Fiji? Australia? Tahiti? Are we looking at a timeshare, or a viable place to live?

Just saying... I'm reading a lot of pie in the sky, but not really hep on plunking down residency somewhere that would get me a lengthy prison sentence in a rathole and then deported (with my name on the "potential enemy combatant" list for leaving) for writing whats on my mind like we all do here.

Maybe I'm wrong... maybe I am mising the rosy pie in the sky, no one will look at us illusion and want to cash in everything to move to New Zealand (who would then not want me because I don't have the requisite deposit to insure I'm not a drain on society)...

Two - I also see something else here that is disturbing - the question keeps coming up "Who is Midas Mulligan"... which should be taken as a warning. A serious warning. IF we're unable to even finance the initial buy-in, and have the requisite capital to make this "start up business" work, what makes one think this venture would even survive the first year? I remember those 60's communes (I am that old) and they failed for much the same reasons I can see the Gulch tanking. Most everyone here has Champagne dreams and Caviar visions but has a Budweiser Budget, and even less resources. Who here owns a vehicle company? A Steel mill? A bank? Hell, I have a small business and can't give up my day job to make ends meet. What when you have a 10K a day ship to run to get stuff to you - NOT counting purchasing said stuff? Not counting building a power plant (no free power in this gulch) and having fresh water and 2 years to get food growing (ever do any food raising? Remember – it’s not up to “someone else” it’s all on YOUR shoulders, and a lot of people don’t realize that chickens don’t come from the Styrofoam and plastic wrap plant… And that someone has to raise, tend to, and plant that food – and take the hit when crops go bad, as they sometimes do.

Sorry, but I need a reality check. Got half a million as a BUY IN and then do you have the other 2.5 Mil to build something and have a way to get food and water and power there? Hell, I cash EVERYTHING in I can barely make the quarter million someone else said here, then I'm done - flat broke bankrupt and BETTER have a welfare nanny state (or a rich daddy Midas) to take care of me. Eh? Can you pull capital out of the air? Can you produce from Nothing? I sure as hell can’t…

To me, being a Producer means being able to make my own decisions and live somewhat independent of restrictions and regulations, to have a comfortable life and to not live hand to mouth and rely on someone else to make my way in life. That’s how I live now. Do I really want to trade that in for a timeshare that will put me and my family in the position of NEEDING to be a moocher because I sunk everything into the Gulch and have nothing left?

It's okay. Let's see how the rest of this turns out.

I barely know this faculty member. I see him about once per year.

I, too, would want some conveniences but they are not absolutes. I can live with some primitive conditions and still thrive. It's all in what you make up your mind to do.

You might sound him out. If he does, he might be a good source of info on what can be done, marine wise.

The list of conveniences will be an important part of any marketing survey. Atlantis citizens want things just so, and rightfully so.

There are a few such faculty at my university. One started his own aquaculture company. I am not sure whether he has Gulch values.

No streams. Fresh water is likely from deep well or one helluva desal plant. Satellite shows what appears to be a coral reef-like collar around the entire island. Hence the 300' pier. The development of aqua culture and/or marine research also applies here. Maybe open our own marine university with some top flight profs who haven't been corrupted by the university system.

Well, I will need a place to cook and sleep while I manage the project, don'cha think?