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From the Middle Ages to the 19th century, bloodletting?bycutting or using leeches?was one of the major “cures” usedby doctors. It was abandoned in the mid-20th century afterantibiotics were invented. It seems primitive and dangerousto us today, but scientists have found that there was areason behind it.

Microbiologist Eric P. Skaar has discovered that the staphgerm, a leading cause of infections, fuels itself with iron.Removing red blood cells from the body removes the iron thisbacteria feeds on.

Iron specialist Tracy Rouault says, “How could a procedurepopular for 2,500 years have really been completely worthless?”
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We’ve written before that the problem with Iraq is that itis really threedifferent countries. The recent Shi’ite and Sunniinsurgencies make this clear. Now a report by the RoyalInstitute of International Affairs says there will be civilwar in Iraq when the U.S. pulls out.

The report says that not only will the three major factionscontinue fighting each other (the Kurds, the Shi’itemajority and the Sunni minority, who were in power duringthe reign of Saddam Hussein), but Iran and Turkey willprobably join the fighting as well. Since Iran either has orsoon will have nuclear weapons, this could be a major problem.
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Ham radio operators across the western U.S. and Canada havebeen picking up a mysterious signal. It doesn’t come fromspace, but from an area near Sedona, Arizona. To hear thesignal yourself, click “Dreamland” on our masthead andscroll down to “Mystery Signal.”

So far it’s been heard in New Mexico, Nebraska, Colorado,Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota and Arizona, as well as partsof Canada. Radio operator Bob Gonsett says it?s coming “?perhaps from one specially modulated transmitter, perhapsfrom transmitters at different locations.”

Operator Don Moman says, “This signal looks a lot moreinteresting than it would sound?just a broad tone/hum/buzz,depending on where you tune.”
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According to DNA studies, Jews are the genetic brothers ofPalestinians. Geneticist Harry Ostrer says, “Jews and Arabsare all really children of Abraham. And all have preservedtheir Middle Eastern genetic roots over 4,000 years.” The researchers analyzed the Y chromosome, which passesunchanged from father to son, of more than 1,000 menworldwide. Every so often, mutations occur in thischromosome, leaving variations that identify people who areclosely related. Jewish men shared a common set of geneticsignatures with non-Jews from the Middle East, includingPalestinians, Syrians, and Lebanese, and these signaturesare very different from those of non-Jewish men outside ofthe Middle East, meaning that Jews and Arabs share a commonancestor.
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