Working Class Hero

by Philip A. Faruggio / August 4th, 2025

As soon as you’re born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool
Till you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they’ve tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function you’re so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you’re so clever and classless and free
But you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There’s room at the top they’re telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be
If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

Songwriters: John Winston Lennon
© Downtown Music Publishing
For non-commercial use only.

This was powerful stuff in the 70s as it should be now, 50+ years later. Sadly, nothing has changed for the better for us working stiffs. Matter of fact, it is even worse in 21st Century Amerika! As this writer and countless other great writers have offered, the disparity between the Haves (1/4 of 1 % of our nation) and Have Nots (the rest of us, especially the working poor or ‘near poor’ is comparable to the Gilded Age (1870s to 1900 approx.). This Military Industrial Empire has seen corporations literally eating up Mom and Pop America for generations. All one has to do is observe those Amazon delivery trucks flowing through your neighborhoods to realize the impact. Drive by those Wal-Mart Supercenters any hour of the day to see how powerfully these giants control things. How many Wal-Mart Associates (don’t you just love how they call clerks such a nice name?) have to get food stamps and need Medicaid? As it is, over half of the corporation’s employees are Part Time, which means they get less in the way of benefits. Of course, both Amazon and Wal-Mart are NON UNION, thus, not so great for any such benefits that even ‘Sweetheart’ unions would secure them.

This writer remembers, with a sad prism, of when my late parents were in a nursing home from 2000-04. Of course, this was one of the millions of corporate owned and operated nursing homes, where top management made out like the bandits they were. How about the janitor they employed, who earned less than $8.00 an hour? This fellow, with an infirm mother at home, had to work 33 hours weekly at the place (this was so he would not qualify as a Full Time employee), and then he picked up a 2nd job as janitor at the local hospital (also P/T) at about the same wage. No sick pay, no vacation pay, no holiday pay (I actually wrote about him when I saw him working on Christmas day), no health coverage… no nothing!

One day, when I visited my parents (I went by three times a week) I arrived as an aide was going to give my mom a shower. It was very difficult to move my semi-invalid mother in and out of the bathroom and shower.

I asked the aide, “How much do you make an hour?”

He replied “Nine dollars an hour.”

Nine dollars!! I knew that the nurses at the place were getting around $ 22 and hour… and they deserved more! But $9.00 and hour to wipe our parents’ asses clean when they sometimes shit themselves? Can one even imagine how difficult it is to do such work? For $9.00 and hour? No union, no real benefits to speak of.

I remember, before my mother passed away, I received, as their legal representative, a printout of the monthly medications she was getting , along the costs billed to Medicaid. It was astounding! What they were pushing into her old and frail body was incredible! Did anyone ever hear of homeopathy? Of course, the elder care doctor assigned to her came and went ‘whenever’ as the nurses and aides did all the grunt work. Her doc did such a great job that my mom died because she got gangrene in her foot from an infection that it seems no one even noticed. They finally hospitalized her and had to cut off BOTH her legs from the knee down… and she died a few days later… better for her, believe me.

As the late Edward R. Murrow would say it: “This is America.” Maybe this tragic Trump 2.0 pandemic will finally wake up the Sleeping Giant of our mass of working stiffs. Yes, the Wobblies were correct. We need ONE BIG UNION to save us from the vipers of this empire.

Philip A Farruggio is regular columnist on itstheempirestupid website. He is the son and grandson of Brooklyn NYC longshoremen and a graduate of Brooklyn College, class of 1974. Since the 2000 election debacle Philip has written over 500 columns on the Military Industrial Empire and other facets of life in an upside down America. He is also host of the It’s the Empire… Stupid radio show, co produced by Chuck Gregory. Philip can be reached at paf1222@bellsouth.net. Read other articles by Philip.

PARACELSUSIAN HOMEOPATHY

Review supports introducing small amounts of food allergens during early childhood

Wiley

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A review in Clinical & Experimental Allergy concludes that exposing young children to small amounts of foods that they’re allergic to is safer than avoiding the foods altogether, which could be very dangerous if accidental exposure occurs.

The review notes that exposing preschool-aged children to small amounts of food allergens—called oral immunotherapy—can lessen the severity of a reaction following an accidental exposure. Also, delaying exposure until a later age misses the window of opportunity when oral immunotherapy is safest, and it prolongs unnecessary dietary restrictions. Also, after early childhood avoidance, some people who outgrow their allergy will not reincorporate the food into their diet due to fear and anxiety, thus potentially increasing their chance of redeveloping the allergy.

A growing body of evidence indicates that oral immunotherapy is safe and effective in preschoolers, but additional research is needed to clarify its impact on children’s health and quality of life.

“This research highlights a critical shift in how we approach food allergies—moving from strict avoidance to controlled exposure in early childhood, which not only reduces the risk of severe reactions but also helps prevent long-term negative consequences of living with food allergies,” said corresponding author Lianne Soller, PhD, of the University of British Columbia, in Canada.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/cea.70013

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Clinical & Experimental Allergy is the official Journal of the British Society for Allergy & Clinical Immunology, publishing clinical and experimental observations in disease in all fields of medicine in which allergic hypersensitivity plays a part. Clinical & Experimental Allergy strikes an excellent balance between clinical and scientific articles and carries regular reviews and editorials written by leading authorities in their field.

About Wiley      
Wiley is one of the world’s largest publishers and a trusted leader in research and learning. Our industry-leading content, services, platforms, and knowledge networks are tailored to meet the evolving needs of our customers and partners, including researchers, students, instructors, professionals, institutions, and corporations. We empower knowledge-seekers to transform today’s biggest obstacles into tomorrow’s brightest opportunities. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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Journal

Clinical & Experimental Allergy

DOI

10.1111/cea.70013 

Article Title

Oral immunotherapy should play a key role in preschool food allergy management

Article Publication Date

5-Mar-2025

Nih.govpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1297514/

Immunology and Homeopathy. 1. Historical Background - PMC

The main principle of homeopathy, a unique scientific system of medicine established by Samuel Hahnemann two centuries ago, is that of 'similia' or 'simile' ( ...

Hpathy.comhpathy.com/homeopathy-papers/paracelsus/

Paracelsus - Hpathy.com

Feb 18, 2019 ... Homeopath Ann Sorrell explores the life and career of Paracelsus, the Swiss-German philosopher, physician, botanist, astrologer and general ...

Aaas.orgwww.aaas.org/taxonomy/term/10/paracelsus-man-who-brought-chemistry-medicine

Paracelsus, the man who brought chemistry to medicine - AAAS

Paracelsus, is the man who pioneered the use of minerals and other chemicals in medicine. Mercury, lead, arsenic and antimony—poisons to most—were cures in his ...

Homeoint.orgwww.homeoint.org/morrell/clarke/dudgeon.htm

Similarities Between Hahnemann and Paracelsus by R.E. Dudgeon

Paracelsus's system, as far as we can learn it from his works, was a rude homeopathy, an attempt to discover specifics for the various diseases to which man is ...

Oup.comacademic.oup.com/toxsci/article-abstract/53/1/2/1673334

Paracelsus: Herald of Modern Toxicology - Oxford Academic

The father combined his interests in chemistry and medicine with his patients' experiences in the mines and in the smelting plants and became an expert in ...

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Hahnemann and Paracelsus - a Heavenly Dialogue - Peter Morrell

PARACELSUS - I despair that medicine, the holiest of arts, is now so debased these days. They are such literal-minded simpletons. They should seek to improve ...

Sciencedirect.comwww.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214750021000299

Theophrastus Bombastus Von Hohenheim (Paracelsus) (1493–1541)

Paracelsus introduced the use of chemical substances, such as minerals, into medicine. · Paracelsus theorized the constitution of matter based on three elements: ...

UK

‘Conspiracy’ school teaching pupils ‘we’ll be eating bugs after the Great Reset’

Gergana Krasteva

Published Apr 26, 2024, 

METRO UK

Universallkidz has been described as a ‘conspiracy theory’ school

Dinosaurs never existed; viruses are not real; vapour from planes in the sky causes dementia and crystals could cure serious illness – these are just some of the conspiracy theories staff at a school in Manchester allegedly believe.

Universallkidz was set up in October 2020 to ‘de-indoctrinate’ children from ‘the lies’ that they are taught by ‘the system’.

Ladan Ratcliffe, who worked as a teacher in Greater Manchester for more than 20 years, got the idea during an anti-lockdown rally.

Her team – made up of other former teachers and even a cryptocurrency trader – are now teaching pupils, aged between eight and 14, about homeopathy and moon cycles.

An undercover investigation by The Times shows what Universallkidz considers curriculum.

Classes were held in a tumble-down Victorian mansion, which had until recently been a nightclub.

In the hallway, leaflets were left lying around that stated that Covid-19 vaccines, climate science and 5G were all means by which the government is trying to subjugate the population.

The leaflets concluded: ‘Resist! Defy! Do not comply!’

Another conspiracy theory being embraced by staff – perhaps the most concerning of all – is that the government is in a league with organisations such as the World Economic Forum (WEF) and wealthy businessmen, who are covertly working to depopulate and enslave the world.

It is a conspiracy known as the ‘great reset theory’, which gained great popularity during the pandemic.

One teacher allegedly told children that they would one day be eating cockroaches if ‘Klaus [Schwab, head of the WEF] and [Bill] Gates have their way’.

It is reported that Universallkidz goes to great lengths to conceal its activities. On its website, it describes itself as a provider of ‘holistic alternative education’ that seeks to raise ‘autonomous’ and ‘sovereign’ young people.

To education officials who might come asking questions, it presents as a support for home schooling parents.

It is understood that parents pay £30 a day for tuition.

Ms Ratcliffe helps them to remove their children from mainstream state education and then encourages them to lie to local authorities by claiming that they are now home educated, the newspaper warned.

The school operates four days a week from 10am to 3.30pm. Not all the children go every day, but most go at least three days a week.

One of the incidents that The Times detailed during the investigation is how one of the teachers allegedly tried to dupe the students – but some of them did not buy it.

During one of the lessons, a teacher told the children that human energy is linked to the subconscious and that when we lie our energy stops flowing.

To demonstrate this, she asked the reporter working undercover as a teacher to say ‘I am Tom; while she applied downward force on his hand.

His arm dropped an inch. But then sheasked him to say ‘I am Maggie’, pressing down again.

This time though, she pushed much harder and his arm dropped much lower. But the students were not fooled.

In response to the Times findings, Ofsted has started an urgent investigation into Universallkidz.

Metro.co.uk has contacted the institution for a comment.

SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

New compound from blessed thistle promotes functional nerve regeneration

UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

 

IMAGE: 

DRIED BLESSED THISTLE (CNICUS BENEDICTUS)

view more 

CREDIT: DIETMAR FISCHER

Blessed thistle (Cnicus benedictus) is a plant in the family Asteraceae and also grows in our climate. For centuries, it has been used as a medicinal herb as an extract or tea, e.g. to aid the digestive system. Researchers at the Center for Pharmacology of University Hospital Cologne and at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Cologne have now found a completely novel use for Cnicin under the direction of Dr Philipp Gobrecht and Professor Dr Dietmar Fischer. Animal models as well as human cells have shown that Cnicin significantly accelerates axon (nerve fibres) growth. The study ‘Cnicin promotes functional nerve regeneration’ was published in Phytomedicine.

Rapid help for nerves

Regeneration pathways of injured nerves in humans and animals with long axons are accordingly long. This often makes the healing process lengthy and even frequently irreversible because the axons cannot reach their destination on time. An accelerated regeneration growth rate can, therefore, make a big difference here, ensuring that the fibres reach their original destination on time before irreparable functional deficits can occur. The researchers demonstrated axon regeneration in animal models and human cells taken from retinae donated by patients. Administering a daily dose of Cnicin to mice or rats helped improve paralysis and neuropathy much more quickly.

Compared to other compounds, Cnicin has one crucial advantage: it can be introduced into the bloodstream orally (by mouth). It does not have to be given by injection. “The correct dose is very important here, as Cnicin only works within a specific therapeutic window. Doses that are too low or too high are ineffective. This is why further clinical studies on humans are crucial,” said Fischer. The University of Cologne researchers are currently planning relevant studies. The Center for Pharmacology is researching and developing drugs to repair the damaged nervous system.

The current study received funding of around 1,200,000 euros from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the framework of the project PARREGERON.

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JOURNAL

Phytomedicine

DOI

10.1016/j.phymed.2024.155641 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Cnicin promotes functional nerve regeneration

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

14-Apr-2024

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for SPAGYRIC 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for HOMEOPATHY 

 

New paradigm of peace through health: Traditional medicine meditation in the prevention of collective stress, violence, and war

MAHARISHI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

A breakthrough perspective article in Frontiers in Public Health, "Peace through Health: Traditional Medicine Meditation in the Prevention of Collective Stress Violence and War," sheds light on the profound impact of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program on fostering global peace. The article reviews and analyzes the demand for public health and medicine to help prevent collective violence and “intractable” wars in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Africa and elsewhere and the crucial role of meditation practices in public health strategies to mitigate collective stress and armed conflicts.

Highlighting compelling research, the article presents data demonstrating significant reductions in crime rates and war intensity when relatively small groups of people engage in the practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi Program. For instance, "The introduction of group meditation was associated with a noticeable decrease in violent incidents and improved quality of life metrics in conflict zones, underscoring meditation’s potential to influence societal peace," the authors note.

Robert H. Schneider, MD, FACC, Dean of the College of Integrative Medicine at Maharishi International University, explains, "Our review indicates that when a relatively small group (square root of 1%) of a population participates in these meditation programs there's a correlated drop in societal stress and violence indicators. This underscores a collective consciousness effect that can be scientifically measured. Indeed, recognizing the profound effects of meditation on public health and peace represents a paradigm shift in both public health and medicine—fostering peace through health."

The article delves into the neuroscience behind these observations, particularly through the lens of population neuroscience. It suggests that group meditation practices may synchronize brain activities across individuals, leading to enhanced societal coherence and reduced stress-related behaviors. "Population neuroscience offers us a framework to understand how collective meditation can stabilize societal stress and what we may call collective consciousness, potentially averting collective violence and wars," states Tony Nader, MD, PhD, a leading expert in the neuroscience of consciousness.

Gunvant Yeola MD, PhD (Ayurveda), Principal of the DY Patil College of Ayurveda in India, adds, "Ayurveda and Yoga have long recognized the interconnection between individual wellness and societal health. These findings provide a modern scientific validation of ancient wisdom, highlighting meditation's role in public health and peacebuilding."

In advocating for integrating traditional meditation practices into public health initiatives, the authors envision a new paradigm where meditation becomes a foundational strategy for preventing violence and promoting peace globally. "This research represents a beacon of hope, illuminating a path forward where peace is cultivated from within each individual, radiating outwards to transform societies," concludes Schneider.

As the world continues to navigate the complexities of global conflict, this perspective article highlights and explains the transformative power of meditation, offering a scientifically grounded approach to achieving peace through health.

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JOURNAL

Frontiers in Public Health

DOI

10.3389/fpubh.2024.1380626 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Commentary/editorial

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Peace Through Health: Traditional Medicine Meditation in the Prevention of Collective Stress, Violence and War

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

3-Apr-2024

Nccih.nih.gov

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ayurvedic-medicine-in-depth

Ayurvedic Medicine: In Depth | NCCIH 

Ayurvedic medicine is one of the world's oldest medical systems and remains one of India's traditional health care systems. Ayurvedic treatment combines ...

Hopkinsmedicine.org

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda

Ayurveda | Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Ayurveda is a system of medicine based on the idea that disease is caused by an imbalance or stress in a person's consciousness.

Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5198827

A glimpse of Ayurveda – The forgotten history and principles... 

Feb 28, 2016 ... The other allied systems of medicine in India are Unani, Siddha, Homeopathy, Yoga and Naturopathy. Ayurveda is the most dominant system amongst ...

En.wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda

Ayurveda - Wikipedia 

Ayurveda is a system of traditional medicine developed during antiquity and the medieval period, and as such is comparable to pre-modern Chinese and European ...