The Stupid Gene and Fetal Fecal Syndrome

The always interesting Sue's Blog brought this article to readers' attention yesterday, a commentary from the web site called This Canada. (You should read it to see a Kramer type racist rant) The writer definitely has a prejudice towards NL and frequently mentions the "get of your duff" stereotype, in his write up and also in comments made at Sue's Blog. So here is a response to his attitude.

It has been overdue for a central Canada "journalist" to do the Newfoundland stereotyping so brave Erik Sorenson stepped up and painted "you people", Newfoundlanders, not sure about Labradorians, as all wailers and moaners. But I see this display as a cry for help. As a matter of fact, I think this ill individual has sabotaged the This Canada website and inadvertently gave readers a rare glimpse into the mental processes of someone afflicted by the "Stupid Gene Disease".

Perhaps because it is socially embarrassing for families, relatives are often reticent on the disorder and sadly fail to seek help for the diseased. This Canada fell victim to the trickery of an afflicted individual in yesterday’s editorial. Whether the real writer was held at gunpoint, or may have fallen asleep just before print (oops), we may never really know. But for scientists and researchers who have sought proof that the "stupid gene" exists, yesterdays posting by victim Erik Sorenson, was a goldmine of evidence.

One doctor from the University Health Network of Ontario was quoted as saying, "As rare as a picture of the giant squid, we have seen through print media, the manifestation of the ‘stupid gene’." Ten years ago The New England Journal of Medicine published the now infamous "Relationship Between Smog, Dirty Water & the Stupid Gene". In this controversial research study, it was proposed that some individuals who live near smog soaked and polluted water environments, may develop FFS, or Fetal Fecal Syndrome. Those predisposed to the disease have the stupid gene. Specifically, chromosome 21 is mutated.

In normal individuals, the liver filters out toxic fecal fluid or matter. But for people with damaged chromosome 21, the liver is dysfunctional, and thus the victims become full of fecal toxins, which causes a neuritic plaque build up on the hippocampus cells of the brain. This in turn causes cognitive impairment (stupidity), learning disorders, and severe distortions of reality (Mengele et al., NEJM, 1995). To satisfy their constant need for the security of attention, the diseased such as Mr. Sorenson, exhibit childish and impudent outbursts or rants like that seen in Monday's This Canada commentary.

It was probably just a coincidence that a couple of years ago, we were treated to another rare peek at the disease in action, when Margaret Wente wrote "her article" for the Globe. Of course, not all journalists from this region of the country have the stupid gene, this would be stereotyping, and that would be stupid. However, researchers who wrote the NEJM article say that several environmental factors are at play in the activation of the stupid gene. Likely factors are: breathing thick smog, drinking dirty lake water, and having high cholestoral. All factors block oxygen to the brain. The high cholestoral build up results from the typical Toronto diet of fries, burgers, and other entrail food products.

There is good news. We can change what we can control, environmental factors; and there is also the promise of stem cell treatments, and transplants. First of all, isn’t it about time we cleaned up the water supply from Lake Ontario and Lake "Urine"? We CAN prevent fetal fecal syndrome and the full-blown "Stupid Gene Disease", by simply cutting the corporate dirty work, i.e., smog, stop drinking the water we pee out, and stop eating killed animal sinew. Ironically, taking Omega-3 rich seal oil capsules can lower cholesterol.

No, Sorenson's parents were not brother and sister, nor man and sheep. It’s time society took the stupid gene disease seriously, brought it out of the closet, and demanded Medicare coverage for treatments. With an upcoming election, let’s use the sad case of Mr. Sorenson in a positive way, and get our elected officials to put money into treating the problem. Dr. James Watson, co-discoverer of the DNA double helix, is a strong advocate of harvesting stem cells from healthy umbilical cords, which can replace the stupid gene cells. As well, stem cell transplants are done at both Mount Sinai and Princess Margaret Hospitals. If you have a family member with the stupid gene disease, you may be a genetic match. However, doctors from the UHN of Ontario, advise that perfect matches are most likely when the donor is not living in the Great Lakes region. Otherwise there would be a high risk of stem cell transplant rejection, due to similar geno-codes.

So while there is hope for the Erik Sorensons of the world, let’s be patient with the diseased, while we wait for a cure. Let’s clean up our attitude about the stupid gene disease, and for Cod’s sake let’s clean up the water, and air that stimulate the stupid gene in the first place. Let’s understand Sorenson, put money into research, and maybe someday he too can become a real fire fighter, garbage collector or even web editor. For now, Erik’s only career options are being a disease study subject, or a member of the Ontario Prejudice faction. But, good luck Erik, I pray you will go far!