Organs for sale

 

I am not sure if this is true, but it is well known that China uses organs from prisoners for transplant.

but don't feel superior: Canada is using organs from depressed people asking to be killed, and indeed even sending the organs into the USA to be transplanted.

...

of course, this will encourage people to die instead of getting proper help

Indeed, we are already seeing propaganda films about how wonderful it is for folks to kill themselves to do this.

with all the high prices of treatment, and when proper experts might not be available for those in the inner city or in rural areas, how many people will easily be seduced to kill themselves to get proper pain relief, and not know that thee is treatment including proper pain relief for their disease.

Don't believe mme?? Scott Adams got pills to kill himself but admitted he was in pain (i.e. poor pain control by his doctors) and had was not given hormone blockers because he didn't want it, even though variations of this has been used to treat prostate cancer since the 1940s. However, after he posted about this, some people came to his aid and got him decent treatment. True, it only prolonged his life for six months, but according to his vlog, when he died he was pain free and able to vlog until the day before he died.

But how many others never got proper treatment?

the irony is that minorities often refuse to sign living wills, or sign up as donors on their drivers license, because they fear that the (white or foreign) doctors will just let them die.

I would like to say this is paranoia, and that things like the Tuskeegee experiment, where those with syphilis were divided into two groups, and some were never treated (I had one of these patients as a medical student: He had a huge Aortic aneurism, which 40 years ago was not operable). \

And it's not just in Black patients:  In the 1950s some Red Lake Indians were not treated for impetigo despite the danger of acute glomerulonephritis in a previous epidemic, just to see what would happen 

And then there was the triage of babies with Meninomyelocoel, where if you don't meet a criteria that included poverty/education, you didn't get treatment: A few years later, a black doctor checked it out and found out that it meant most of the patients not offered life saving treatment were black.

And the case of La Diabla, got little publicity in the USA:

Mexican authorities arrested Martha Alicia Mendez Aguilar, “La Diabla,” in Juarez last month for allegedly presiding over an infant smuggling and organ harvesting operation. Aguilar, reportedly a leading member of the Jalisco Nuevo Genaracion cartel, would capture poor, pregnant mothers and force them to get a C-section before murdering them. The women’s organs were harvested and sold. Their babies were trafficked into the United States for between $13,000 and $14,000 each.

 one would think I could find a video about this explosive story but all I could find was this, where it is meneioned near the end of a short report

and don't get me into the part about buying organs from poor people, something that is illegal here in the Philippines but alas happens.

family news

my daughter on law is wearing the yellow dress

 She teaches organic farming and runs a co-op of farmers with government sponsorshop for outreach projects

the three dimensional chess board in Greenland

 Hannibal is often portrayed as the greatest general in history. But do you know how he was defeated? 

By going behind him to destroy his supplies and reinforcement, so for 15 years all he could do is terrorize the locals in Italy wandering around stealing their food etc.

And he was finally stopped when Scipio Africanus invaded North Africa.  . And no, those terrible elephants which was their superweapon, didn''t work. (or maybe not).

so why am I pointing this out?

Because China is weaponizing against a weak Europe (and Canada) in many ways: 

and Trumpieboy is hitting them at their periphery so they can't exploit Latin America (stopping China from taking over Venezuelan oil and rare earth metals, and giving a headsup to other countries where there is already resentment against Chinese tactics of lending them aid and then taking over the projects when the loans are not repaid: i.e. exploitation worse than the Yankees, sort of like better the devil you know than the devil you don't know).

and now by publicizing the importance of Greenland, Trump is giving a headsup about China trying to use their economic stranglehold by usual means to take over that land's wealth (build stuff by importing their own workforce, and then take over the ports/resources when the country can't pay them back).

This is the geostrategy behind Trumpiboy's moves.

I may not like it, but we see how weakness shown by PNoy and Obama allowed China to take over the West Philippine sea, build and weaponize shoals into artificial islands which have the ability to block shipping and the internet that goes through this area.

Someone said Trump plays three dimensional chess, a term that refers to the game popularized by StarTrek and as Wikipedia notes it that term is now used to describe geopolitical moves:

The expression "three-dimensional chess" is sometimes used as a colloquial metaphor to describe complex, dynamic systems with many competing entities and interests, including politics, diplomacy and warfare. To describe an individual as "playing three-dimensional chess" implies a higher-order understanding and mastery of the system beyond the comprehension of their peers or ordinary observers, who are implied to be playing "regular chess"

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  

Factoid of the day

 There are 1100 Filipino OFW in Greenland, the largest number of outsiders after Denmark.

And although the Philippines is keeping an eye on them, there are no plans to help them leave.

it's a Filipino story

......https://youtu.be/2UkTBuEx-ek?si=Zfxq84gCGm9VMAD7

History of cats

scientists  are finding wild cats that lived near humans and ate vermin were found in a lot of the world, but these cats were never really domesticated: Most domesticated cats originated in North Africa. and spread with trade etc...even Chinese cats came via the Silk Road.

,,,,,

here is a Smithsonian article 

summary: local small cats did live with farmers before then but were not domesticated but essentially wild cats who came to eat vermin. But then the domesticated (i.e friendly) cats arrived and spread thanks to the Romans etc.: and this wasn't just true in Europe, but also in Asia:

using genetic testing, researchers have discovered that pet cats likely arrived in China around 600 C.E.—over 1,500 years after their introduction to Europe. According to a study recently published on the preprint server bioRxiv, cats were one of the many assets that traveled east on the famous Silk Road, the lengthy trading network that connected Asia with Europe between the second century B.C.E. and the 15th century C.E.

another Smithsonian article here:

An analysis revealed that the cats from before 200 B.C.E. were wildcats, and that their domestic counterparts didn’t reach Europe until about 2,000 years ago. Moreover, these feline friends came from North Africa, not east of the Mediterranean....

the other new study traced the history of domestic cats in China, differentiating them from wildcats there. The team studied 22 feline bones from 14 archeological sites in China spanning about 5,000 years. The analysis revealed that although wild leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis) lived among humans for around 3,500 years, they were a “clear example of a ‘failed domestication,’ 

in Japan, of course, cats are popular: Hello Kitty for example in today's world. and cats are mentioned in books from 900/1000 AD: They are mentioned in both Tale of Genji (where a guy steals the cat from a married girl he loves so he can feel a connection with her) and in the Pillow Book,  where the local watchdog attacks the emperor's cat and the dog is (almost) beaten to death to punish it.

Usually cats are a symbol of welcoming home, and this smiling cat that waves at you is also seen in the Philippines as a decoration

but then there are stories of the evil side of cats:

here in our area of the Philippines, we have feral cats who wander into our business compound to catch mice/lizards and eat what the cook leaves out for them. About four years ago, all the cats in our area disappeared (?infection) but now they have come back. 

The bad news: Our dogs kill cats. The cats that lived here when they were puppies were left alone but they will try to kill any new cat that wanders into our home. So the cats tend to stay in the storage and workshop areas, not in our house any more.

===================

update: according to AI: Maine coon cats and Norwegian forest cats are genetically related to the smaller domesticated cat we all know and love but developed their traits due to harsh conditions

Remembering slide rules

and who invented it?

Parody time

 Hollywood seems to be rewriting all the classics, so some nerds have done it for them:

some AI suggestions for remaking LOTR:

,,,

...

...

the book was originally sold to Hollywood, but they wanted to rewrite the whole book, so luckily it didn't get filmed. But if it had been made here is an AI video of how it might have been casted:

Rand Paul discusses covid

 

posted for later listening on my tablet.

Rand Paul is a dangerous guy: He is a doctor and honest and won't obey the propaganda of either side.

In our prayers

Musical interlude of the week

things are getting crazy again, so it's time for a musical interlude:

 

Bishop Barron puts his two cents in

As we wrestle in my home state of Minnesota with the fact of deep corruption in the political and economic orders, I want to draw attention to the “social justice” dimension of this problem. Catholic social teaching has a good deal to say about official corruption, insisting that…

— Bishop Robert Barron (@BishopBarron) January 12, 2026

Bishop Robert Barron

full post: @BishopBarron · 1h 

As we wrestle in my home state of Minnesota with the fact of deep corruption in the political and economic orders, I want to draw attention to the “social justice” dimension of this problem. 

Catholic social teaching has a good deal to say about official corruption, insisting that it undermines confidence in our leaders, compromises the integrity of the institutions of government, and subverts the rule of law.

But even more importantly, it deeply harms the poor, stealing resources from them, increasing inequality, and blocking essential services such as health and education.

 italics mine.

And if the widespread fraud in Minnesota is also present in a number of other states, we are dealing with a massive violation of human rights and a heinous attack upon the poor and needy.

This should not be a matter of partisan politics. Rather, wherever this corruption exists, it should be fought and those responsible for it brought to justice.

This is true, and is one reason I am so angry at protesters who are essentially being manipulated to distract attention from this very real harm being done by the corrupt politicians in that state. 

Nurses strike in NYC

 UKGuardian article:

Close to 15,000 nurses are participating, making it the biggest nurses strike the city has ever seen. Most union members voted last month to authorize the walkout. Anticipating the possibility of a strike,

New York’s governor, Kathy Hochul, declared a state of emergency on Friday and urged hospital administrators and union leaders to reach a last-minute agreement. She warned that a strike “could jeopardize the lives of thousands of New Yorkers and patients”. “I’m strongly encouraging everyone to stay at the table, both sides, management and the nurses, until this is resolved,” Hochul said. 

 

 As in the 2023 labor dispute, the current conflict centers on a complex mix of grievances, rebuttals and hospital-specific concerns. Staffing remains a key source of contention, with nurses arguing that well-funded hospitals are unwilling to commit to standards that ensure safe and manageable workloads....

and the socialist Mayor is backing the nurses.

 

The nursing shortage is constant, and with the aging population and with the increase in paperwork required in hospitals that distracts nurses from doing actual nursing, you can see how the emphasis is about money for the paper pushers, not the nurses.

But does the influx of overseas nurses to fill the gap in the nursing shortage depress wages for US Nurses?   

I examine this in my medical blog, but the answer is probably not.

How to start a revolution

 

,,,,,,

.....

How to put together a film: Not a documentary but a reframing of history

the remake by netflix was not a hit because it missed the point: The author was brought up by a relative who was strict and she was unwelcome by her father's second wife.

so it is rewriting her story, with hope.

this scene in Saving Mr Banks sort of explains how artists refashion their memories to redeem the past:

FYI

 

am I the only one thinking this is not about pretending that this was because of a poor choice by a professional activist, but about distracting the news from the millions of dollar stolen in MN?

BREAKING: Alpha News has obtained cellphone footage showing perspective of federal agent at center of ICE-involved shooting in Minneapolis pic.twitter.com/p2wks0zew0

— Alpha News (@AlphaNews) January 9, 2026

again I had to turn off my VPN to get a link because my european VPN location won't let me copy one.

:

right out of the BLM playbook. LINK

Heinlein has a book that gives an example of how it is done and why: The left with the help of billionaires, the deep state, and the elite media, is following the playbook to overthrow a democracy. No I don't like Trumpieboy, but if these bozos win we will have a dictatorship by the rich elite who sees us as deplorables.

I was trying to figure out why this angered me so much, and I finally figured it out.

The expression on the face of the driver was not of anger, or fear. It was one of mockery as if it was a game. And her partner was also mocking the cops while egging her on,, as if it was a game.

But it wasn't a game: These cops put their life on the line arresting felons who are dangerous and by any just society would have been jailed except for the PC laws thanks to DAs refusing to charge them.

Their victims are lower class people, not these upper class twits who think it is a game to stop their arrest to virtue signal.

so luckily for them, the deplorables are busy working, which is the only reason there hasn't been a civil wars. And that is an ominous worry.

.....

,,,,LINK.... Sponsors who sign Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support) enter a legally binding contract to reimburse the government for any benefits received by the sponsored migrant. Covered benefits typically include programs like Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, and SSI administered through HHS or related agencies. The obligation remains until the migrant becomes a U.S. citizen, accrues 40 quarters of qualifying work, departs the country permanently, or dies.

the big procession in Manila

Protestants quote the Bible but Catholics attend fiesta masses and processions which is how they learn about God and the saint.

With the Black Nazarene, locals identify with Jesus as their personal savior, and as one who understands their sufferings because He suffered too.

lifestyle recommendations for the week

,,,,

I believe this is a parody:

china moving in on Korean waters

 

It appears Lee Jae-myung did not defend South Korea’s rights in the Yellow Sea. https://t.co/QnW69XgvS3

— Gordon G. Chang (@GordonGChang) January 6, 2026

Chinese overfishing: The eco NGOs are silent of course

 

LegalInsurrectionblog has a long post about Chinese fleets overfishing and destroying fish stocks: Not just in the West Philippine sea, but off the coast of South America and Africa. They have a long essay at the link, and they embedded these tweets with videos in case you are interested.

 

The South American countries have deployed their Navies to combat the menace of Chinese illegal fishing fleets in their Waters. Yet, the problem is far from getting over.

As a result of China's Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing, nations like Argentina, Chile, Ecuador… pic.twitter.com/x00Vq0CqaS

— Isabella Anderson (@IsabellaAn67) January 2, 2026

and also off the coast of Africa:

An update on illegal fishing in #Somalia (🧵):

Late last month, the trawler Liao Dong Yu 578 was hijacked near the #Puntland town of Eyl. The vessel was part of a #Chinese fishing fleet that has been pillaging Somali waters for years, aided by senior Somali politicians. pic.twitter.com/VPe4nKQjSh

— Jay Bahadur (@PuntlandPirates) December 23, 2024

Heh. The Somali pirates finally attacked a non western nation that is actually destroying their fishing areas. 

Years ago, the pirates were attacking only western ships claiming they were destroying the ecosystem, but now Trump says he will take them out if they keep doing this, so I guess they noticed the Chinese who have actually been destroying their fishing grounds  and figured they will not shoot back...But I suspect now that China knows they are not safe, they will fight back.

Expecting a Wolf Warrior 3 movie about this in the near future.

well, anyway the left wing ecology types tend to stay silent on these things, (yes Greenpeace Asia complained about it... in 2017 and in the only recent post lauded China for signing a treaty saying they wouldn't do such things....LOL...) 

but not everyone is so naive and looking the other way: LI notes that Japan is offering to help South America.  

🇯🇵 Japan Steps Up to Arm South America with Drones

Japan has launched a bold assistance program to supply surveillance drones and patrol boats to four South American nations—Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay—to combat China's massive illegal fishing fleets in their waters.… pic.twitter.com/HLr8I05MFY

— In Milei We Trust (@InMilei) January 3, 2026

...

and again I had to turn off my VPN to get the embed code, and on the list about what you want to do, it doesn't just have a "report this post", but a line: Report EU illeggal content.

Sigh.

Three Kings fiesta today, and other Filipino celebrations

 our city's main church has the Three Kings as their patron saint.

So tomorrow is the feast of the Epiphany, that celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ child. This older blog has photos and the story of the local church.

So we will have a big parade and parties in homes.

But we aren't the only ones celebrating:

in Manila they are preparing for the Black Nazarene procession. which essentially shuts down parts of Manila as millions join the procession.

  the Black Nazarene is a figure of Jesus carrying his cross, and people in the procession identify their sufferings with those of Jesus and ask him for help in their daily problems.

Wikipedia article.

secular video on the procession.

Later in the month: The El Nino celebrations,. 

The El Nino here is the Christ child, often pictured as a child with a hat. This depiction points to the legend of Christians jailed in a dungeon by the Muslim rulers of Spain. and a child brought them food. So this ElNino is also the patron of miners and POWs...this is from an AI summary but I don't know how to link it:

The devotion to "El Niño" in Spain centers on the Santo Niño de Atocha, the Holy Child of Atocha, a revered image of the infant Jesus depicted as a pilgrim in pilgrim's attire (hat, cloak, staff) who miraculously brought food and water to Christian prisoners in 13th-century Spain. Originating near Madrid under Moorish rule, this devotion highlights the Child's role as a protector of the vulnerable, pilgrims, and travelers, a tradition that spread from Spain to the New World, particularly Mexico and the Philippines. Key Aspects of the Devotion Origin Story: During the Moorish occupation, only children under 12 could bring sustenance to Christian prisoners in Atocha. A mysterious child, believed to be Jesus, appeared daily, carrying a basket and gourd that never emptied, providing hope and sustenance. Iconography: The image typically shows the Santo Niño in pilgrim's garb, often with a brimmed hat, cloak, staff, and a basket (sometimes of roses or food) and a water gourd, symbolizing his journey and aid. Patronage: He is the patron of pilgrims, travelers, prisoners, and children, invoked for protection, healing, and assistance in difficult times. Tradition: The worn shoes of the statue in Spain became a significant sign, as they were replaced but always found dusty and worn again, signifying his tireless journeys to help those in need. Spread: Spanish explorers brought the devotion to the Americas, where it flourished, especially in Mexico and the Philippines, becoming deeply embedded in local culture and traditions

 

the geopolitical story of 2025

 from StrategyPage, a site that gets things correct when they discuss areas of the world where I have personal knowledge, so their opinions are worth listening to. 

....

If you prefer to read the summary: LINK.

the long summary includes the dirty little secret of radical Islam. But it includes a summary of other possible war points.

more here: Trump policy.

Hello Kitty post of the day

,,,,,

that is the founder of Sanrio, the company behind Hello Kitty.

Wikipedia on the history of Sanrio

after he added making sandals to his company, he  found that adding cartoon characters to sandals made them sell to more people, but it was expensive to pay royalties, so he hired his own designers.

BBC article: 

 In 1974, Yuko Shimizu started working for a company called Sanrio, which specialised in rubber sandals decorated with strawberry prints. Eager to create another best-selling product, the company started hiring lots of young illustrators to come up with a new winning design. Yuko and her fellow illustrators had a simple brief centred around the word 'kawaii', meaning cute. 

So Hello Kitty was not the only design they made. Back to the BBC article:

 Is Hello Kitty a cat? 

The inspiration for Hello Kitty came from Yuko’s childhood. I was thrilled and the memory stayed with me, so, I decided to create a character from the little kitten. “When I was a child, I got a small white kitten from my father for a birthday present,” she said. 

however as Hello Kitty fans know, the company has written the history of the character herself: 

 Sanrio have provided a detailed backstory for Hello Kitty. According to the company, Hello Kitty’s real name is Kitty White and she was born in England. She isn’t a cat. Instead she’s an eight-year-old girl and she has her own pet cat of her own called Charmmy Kitty.

bbc interview link 

caregivers: The Filipino OFW

 

....................

A reminder that the important things are not the wars but the family you love.

FYI

 

 this guy is Venezuelan and happy.

And checking X, I find that someone noted all the signs of the leftist demonstrators in the USA were identical.

CHECK THIS OUT They’re getting sloppy

4 protests in 4 different states, pay very close attention to solid white signs with black letter writing

4 protests in 4 different states all have the EXACT SAME signs made in under 24 hours

Proof this is all PAID and ORGANIZED

1) New… pic.twitter.com/aoM8iGJsSd

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) January 4, 2026

and you know what is interesting about that post?? When I tried to embed it with my VPN/netherlands I get a page saying it is not available, but when I turned off the VPN I got the page to post that tweet.

So is Europe blocking these posts?

🚨 BREAKING: Chinese Communist Party-linked nonprofit is BEHIND today's pro-Maduro, anti-Trump protest in NYC

The People's Forum has ADMITTED to receiving over $20 MILLION from Neville Singham - an individual with well-documented ties to the CCP and living in Shanghai.

IMAGINE… pic.twitter.com/MqPijllA4U

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 4, 2026

Of course, most are leftist who believe in what they are protesting> but apparently they have no jobs or they have jobs they easily can take off from (e.g. NGOs) to protest.

when I was in medical school the ones involved in protests often hated medicine and often became involved in medical politics for that reason. However, even though to this day the anti Vietnam war protesters from back then still see themselves as heroes, they never bothered to pay attention to the refugees, either those with the SV govt, the Hmong, the Catholics, or (later) the Chinese ethnics who were ethnically cleansed from that country. Indeed, when I would bring it up, they would be clueless and indeed it might be because it was so poorly covered in the US MSM (but covered in the Catholic and Christian press, mainly because their NGOs worked in camps where these refugees fled).

it says a lot that there is only one movie about the Cambodian holocaust, and except for the beginning of Three Body problem, I can't think of any film/TV show that showed the horrors of the Red Guard revolution against teachers and traditional people.

so yes the USA is not perfect, but a China that is attacking the Philippines to steal their land, and also stealing islands from Japan, who recently is behind the coup in Korea, and is trying to steal land from India gets away with it. And all those lamenting Gaza care nothing when China reeducated one million Uighars.

at least on X we can find out what is going on and argue about it freely

Saber Rattling by China

 

Pangilinan: China’s military drills alarming to Taiwanese, Filipinos https://t.co/MSZL07rtlT

— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) January 1, 2026

.....

China doesn't need to invade the Philippines: They run the economy, undermine local businesses by dumping substandard goods that destroy local businesses, have thousands of military age men working for our casinos or here illegally, and could easily destroy the economy.

and something to remember: Obama pressured the Philippines not to stop China when they started digging up the seabase in the West Philippine Sea and said to take it to the UN: The UN courts said China did not have the right to do this but did not do anything to stop them. In other words, the UN was toothless, and the US was too busy pressuring the Philippines not to respond to China stealing their resources (fishing, and potentially oil) off the coast.

But China is also threatening Japan and India...

the bad news? A pro Chinese faction has manipulated Korea into getting rid of their president and take over, so Korea might not help.

Sigh.

 

Plsstics....

 

,,,,

🚨Massive MAHA win today on phthalate chemicals!

The Trump EPA just completed our TSCA risk evaluation of phthalates; the most comprehensive assessment of phthalates ever conducted by EPA. We are now announcing that, following gold standard science, promoting radical…

— Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) December 31, 2025

,,,,

Phthalates and Their Impacts on Human HealthP

thalates are a series of widely used chemicals that demonstrate to be endocrine disruptors and are detrimental to human health. Phthalates can be found in most products that have contact with plastics during producing, packaging, or delivering. Despite the short half-lives in tissues, chronic exposure to phthalates will adversely influence the endocrine system and functioning of multiple organs, which has negative long-term impacts on the success of pregnancy, child growth and development, and reproductive systems in both young children and adolescents.

essentially, these are some of the chemicals in plastics that leech out into the enfvironment: or directly to you (plastic bottles leech it to you).

and these chemicals induce problems, including metabololic syndrome, aka pre diabetes and obesity.

Grok summary because it is easier to understand than my descripgionn or the description on many medical sites like the one I posted above:

What Are Phthalates?Phthalates are a group of synthetic chemicals primarily used as plasticizers to increase the flexibility, durability, and longevity of plastics, especially polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Common examples include:

• DEHP (di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate)
• DBP (dibutyl phthalate)
• BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate)
• DEP (diethyl phthalate)
• DINP (diisononyl phthalate)

They are also used as solvents in cosmetics, fragrances, and personal care products to retain scents or improve texture.

Examples of phthalate chemical structures (e.g., DEHP, DBP, and others).Sources of Human ExposurePhthalates are ubiquitous due to their widespread use and ability to leach from products. Primary routes include ingestion, inhalation, dermal absorption, and medical procedures.

Source Category	Common Examples	Primary Exposure Route
Plastics & Packaging	Food containers, vinyl flooring, shower curtains, toys	Ingestion (leaching into food), inhalation (dust)
Personal Care Products	Fragranced lotions, shampoos, perfumes, nail polish	Dermal absorption, inhalation
Food Processing	Gloves, tubing in factories	Ingestion (contamination of processed foods)
Medical Devices	IV tubing, blood bags	Direct (during procedures)
Household Items	Paints, adhesives, air fresheners	Inhalation, dust

Visuals showing common sources like cosmetics, plastics, and pollution pathways.Nearly all humans have detectable phthalate metabolites in urine, with higher levels in children and women due to product use.Impacts on Human HealthPhthalates are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), interfering with hormone systems. They have short half-lives but chronic low-level exposure causes cumulative effects. Vulnerable groups include fetuses, infants, and children.Key health concerns, supported by epidemiological reviews and animal studies:

• Reproductive Health — Strong evidence links prenatal exposure to reduced anogenital distance in boys, lower semen quality, altered hormone levels (e.g., testosterone), endometriosis, and fertility issues in adults.
• Developmental Effects — Associations with neurodevelopmental issues (e.g., ADHD, autism traits), lower IQ, behavioral problems, and childhood asthma.
• Metabolic & Other — Links to obesity, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, thyroid disruption, and potential cancers (e.g., breast).
• Mechanisms — Anti-androgenic effects, oxidative stress, epigenetic changes, and interference with nuclear receptors.

Infographics summarizing health effects and exposure risks.While some industry sources emphasize benefits (e.g., in medical devices saving lives) and low exposure risks, scientific consensus from bodies like the EPA and reviews highlights unreasonable risks at real-world levels, especially cumulatively.Regulations and Trends (as of 2026)

• US Federal → CPSIA bans 8 phthalates (>0.1%) in children's toys/childcare articles. EPA is evaluating risks for additional phthalates under TSCA, with recent findings of unreasonable risks in industrial uses.
• State-Level → Bans/restrictions in cosmetics (e.g., Washington), food packaging, and toys (e.g., New York effective 2025).
• FDA → Revoked many food contact authorizations; monitoring remaining uses.
• Global → EU has stricter limits; some countries ban specific phthalates in more products.

Exposure to some phthalates has declined due to substitutions, but replacements (e.g., DINCH) need monitoring.Reducing Exposure

• Choose phthalate-free or fragrance-free personal care products.
• Avoid heating food in plastic containers; use glass/stainless steel.
• Minimize processed foods and vinyl products.
• Dust/vacuum regularly to reduce household accumulation.

Overall, while phthalates provide practical benefits in plastics, substantial evidence supports minimizing exposure, particularly for reproductive and child health. Ongoing research and regulation aim to balance utility with safety.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

,

one problem: how does one replace this chemical without a huge increase in prices and maybe replacing it with something else that ha it's own dangers?