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I just finished adapting my novel in to a screen play. I was no eay task...Nevertheless, I celebrate today because it is finished! GET A COMPLIMENTARY SIGNED COPY OF MY NOVEL... INOCULATION ETERNITY -- READ HOW BELOW Below is the OPENING ACT for the MOVIE -- A preview for your eyes only. Please be honest and write a REVIEW in my GUESTBOOK ... I will put all reviewers names in a hat and on August 1, 2008... my grandson will pull one persons name from the hat -- That person will recieve a signed copy of the original novel...Thanks in advance to all who take the time to participate. CHECK OUT THE TRAILER BEFORE YOU READ THE SCREENPLAY: Godspeed, Michelle INOCULATION ETERNITY Part One by Michelle D Starr Draft Dated: April 27, 2008 Registered: WGA/e Copyright 2008 INT.FADE IN: IN THE THIRD REALM OF ETERNITY LIGHT YEARS BEFORE EARTH "THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT" EXT. ETERNITY -- SKY A TRUMPET IS BLASTING. An aerial view reveals a massive ivory structure surrounded by vividly colored landscaping. A RIVER sparkling like CRYSTAL, flows through the property in an open meadow. FIREWORKS shoot forth from the structure, quickly engulfing the PURE WHITE SKIES of ETERNITY -- A virtual parallel to future Earth... devoid of evil -- or negativity. EXT. IVORY MANSION - COURTYARD The trumpeter is MICHAEL, a humanlike ARCHANGEL and CHIEF COMMANDER of THE SERENITY ARMY. His presence is like a GREAT ROMAN WARRIOR. Long gold hair flows out of an ANCIENT KING TYPE HELMET. Wearing a white tunic covered with a muscular shaped platinum breastplate -- its ENGRAVING depicts the face of a BRILLIANT BLUE EYED WOLF. The trumpet sounds off an ALARM that is heard throughout all of Eternity. ­ EXT. CITY OF HOLY OF HOLIES Several humanlike ANGELS stroll down the STREETS OF GOLD, near the raging CRYSTAL RIVER'S shore. They hear the trumpets sound and look up to decipher its meaning. EXT. SUN -- ENTRANCE GATE Two CHERUBIM GUARDS leap to attention, their eyes fixate toward the sound and see streams of fireworks flooding the sky. EXT. MILKY WAY GALAXY -- VENUS -- BANDSTAND A GROUP OF MUSICIANS lay down their instruments to watch and listen for the signals meaning. 12 SUCCESSIVE BLASTS alert MEMBERS OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL and THE SERENITY ARMY it is a STATE OF EMERGENCY. EVERYONE else is unaware of the alarms meaning and return to their activity. EXT. IVORY MANSION - COURTYARD GABRIEL stands transfixed observing the sky next to Michael. He's an archangel, CHIEF SCIENTIST and THE ANCIENT ONE'S HERALD. Short bushy light brown hair, large round hazel eyes defined with long lashes give him the air of a simple but respectable young being. Standing behind them are 23 MEMBERS of THE ELDER COUNCIL and their MAJESTIC looking white WINGED HORSES. Long flowing white hair, baggy white tunics and GOLDEN CROWNS distinguish them as ELDERS. THE COUNCIL consists of 24 MALE MEMBERS representing FOUR RACES; 6 ASIAN, 6 AFRICAN, 6 ANGLO and 6 MEDITERRANEAN. They are WISDOM-KEEPERS, purposed to record and preserve the ancient knowledge and traditional life-way. The Elder's IVORY MANSION is a massive structure. Huge ivory columns are carved into scrolls outside the entrance points to THE MANSIONS 24 wings. Surreal looking shrubs, fruit bearing trees, flowers and turf make up the landscape. THE COURTYARD is covered with open latticework, embellished with grape vines and other creeping plants. The sound of rushing water from the CRYSTAL RIVER reverberates throughout the luscious property. AN ORATOR shouts over the trumpet's blast. The orator is ANDRONICUS, NUMBER ONE of the 24 member Elder Council and THE ORACLE for ANCIENT OF DAYS. ANDRONICUS (O.S.) This is the STATE OF EMERGENCY we have dreadfully anticipated! Andronicus stands with his fists clutched over his head SHOUTING toward the sky, beneath the courtyard's massive archway. A deep articulate voice of authority, bronze skin, electrifying blue eyes, long wavy white hair and beard give him the air of a kind but wise man of great stature. ANDRONICUS (CONT'D) Everyone proceed to your designated bases! It is imperative that we Elders meet with THE ANCIENT ONE to discuss CONTAINMENT! CHERITH a CHERUBIM rushes toward Andronicus. CHERUBIM are HALF HUMANLIKE, HALF LION creatures of all RACES, GENDERS and AGES. Cherith is CHIEF GUARDIAN over the SUN'S GATEWAY -- a wormhole connecting THE THIRD REALM OF ETERNITY to THE MILKY WAY GALAXY... sporting a silver goatee, long bushy white dreads, piercing green eyes...he is strong and mighty despite his aged appearance. CHERITH What has happened? ANDRONICUS One of our beloved committed an act of sedition. CHERITH How can this be? ANDRONICUS He entered into the forbidden place! CHERITH What can be done? ANDRONICUS Cherith, unfortunately we have been preparing for this event ever since The Oracle was delivered. By now, most members of The Security Council should be en route to the Sun's round table chamber. When your roll call is complete, seal up the Sun's passage without delay. I am sending Gabriel as a Herald. His word is law! Tarry there until he receives word from The Ancient One regarding containment procedures. Andronicus calls out to Gabriel in an attempt to capture his attention. When Gabriel looks toward Andronicus, everything FADES TO BLACK -- except Andronicus's REFLECTION in Gabriel's EYES. FLASHBACK: Now, the reflection FADES IN...REVEALING... THE PLANET LABYRINTH -- MUSEUM OF ART The image in Gabriel's eyes now reflect a SWORD AND SHIELD moving across an assembly line with flames glowing behind them. Everything FLASHES BACK to a pivotal event in Gabriel's memory. He is standing in the MUSEUM OF ART on his home planet LABYRINTH located in the THIRD REALM OF ETERNITY. His eyes are fixated on the SWORD and SHIELD moving across an assembly line, Its engraving depicts the face of a BRILLIANT BLUE EYED WOLF. GABRIEL is talking to SAGE and ZACHARY, the museum curators and outfitters for the SUN DANCES. They are identical twins, except totally opposite in their appearance. SAGE projects a tattered young working mans image and ZACHARY is well groomed. The Museum of Art is full of humanlike angels from Gabriel's sect. They are HARD WORKING, jolly creatures singing a SONG to synchronize physical movement for the assembly line. SONG We'll sing with our friends at THE GATHERING What a wonderful time it'll be We'll sing with our friends at The Gathering What a wonderful time you will see We'll sing and praise THE ANCIENT ONE His glory we'll share over there Sing glory to The Ancient One His glory we witness to bear Sing glory to His Majesty What a wonderful time it will be... Experts in all aspects of SCIENCE and the ART OF WEAPONRY, this particular group works on glowing hot steel with hammers, pounding out elastic metal that sculpts into beautiful, functional shapes. Gabriel looks around awestruck at the magnificent displays of art inside the museum. Myriads of SWORDS, SHIELDS, BREASTPLATES, HELMETS, BELTS and SUITS OF ARMOR of all sizes -- SUSPENDED IN SPACE. GABRIEL I can't believe the vast amount of art you have produced since I last visited! SAGE You have given us our orders to complete from on high. ZACHARY We dare not disappoint the Old Chap...now would we? Gabriel picks up THE SHIELD with the image of THE WOLF coming off the assembly line -- totally fixated on every facet of it...he mumbles in a delayed response... GABRIEL ...No...not a good idea at all. Zachary leans towards Gabriel in an attempt to hear his delayed response. ZACHARY What has you so distracted? GABRIEL These pieces of art. SAGE Do you find them flawed? GABRIEL No way! They are forged into sheer perfection. I was just wondering what their purpose is other than art and the Sun Dances. ZACHARY Many of us often wonder the same thing...we dare not ask though. I'll tell you a little secret about the one you are holding. SUDDENLY, Gabriel hears a VOICE and jumps. It is ANCIENT OF DAYS -- same voice as Andronicus...He is attempting to enter into Gabriel's mind with a telepathic message. ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) Gabriel...I need to speak with you privately. GABRIEL (ALOUD) Surely, as you wish...my Lord. ZACHARY MY LORD? SAGE What has gotten into your head Gabriel? Are you OK friend? GABRIEL Forgive me my friends. I am totally distracted and my imagination has me arrested. I must return to my laboratory now. ZACHARY Don't you want to know about that breastplate? GABRIEL If it is a secret, than let us just keep it that way for now...I am sorry but I really have to go...NOW. ZACHARY Well..that had to be the shortest visit we ever had. SAGE Too bad you have to go...but work is work and right now we are all privileged to have an abundance of it. ZACHARY Speak for yourself Sage...I'd rather be at my leisure in the Sun Dances or doing anything other than this kind of hard work. SAGE Leisure...work...work...leisure, it's all the same to me...I enjoy it all! We have forever and eternity to do whatever we want. Ancient of Days only knows what would happen if we get bored. Variety is the spice of life big brother. ZACHARY Yes...yes..yes, whatever you say my little brother. Well Gabriel...I guess the next time we see you, it'll be at The Gathering? GABRIEL Perhaps...but hopefully sooner my friends. Gabriel turns to the exit path and with his thought navigation, morphs into a funnel of light that instantly takes him to his laboratory. INT. LABYRINTH -- GABRIEL'S LABORATORY GABRIEL'S LABORATORY is basic in appearance. Shelves line the walls with a vast library of SCROLLS. He finds and creates data with his mind -- TELEKINESIS. Gabriel re-manifests standing in the center of the lab in front of his glowing gold tone desk, with BLANK SCROLLS, a FEATHERED INK PEN, a SIGNET RING and WAX SEALS on top of it. ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) Gabriel, go find my son APOLLYON and make sure he attends the next Gathering. Pacing to and fro, Gabriel is obviously upset. GABRIEL (thinking to himself) This must be serious...I wonder what is going on? GABRIEL (CONT'D) (aloud) Surely...as you wish, my Lord. ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) To answer your question Gabriel... It must be understood by all of my children -- It is never acceptable for anyone to be absent from the collective body during The Gathering Ceremony. Gabriel sinks his face into his hands. Frustrated and embarrassed -- he is unable to hide his subconscious thoughts from the Ancient One during times of telepathic communication. ANCIENT OF DAYS (CONT'D) Do not be embarrassed my son. I know your motives are pure. GABRIEL FORGIVE ME for questioning you my Lord! You are always welcome to commune with me freely. Being endowed with an inquisitive brain compels me to understand what this sense of urgency is emanating from your spirit. ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) I purposed you and everyone after me to be freethinkers. You should desire to know the truth at all times and that desire will help you to remain free. GABRIEL Free??? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) All truth will be revealed in due season my son. For now, I need you to stay focused on this particular situation. I will help you -- and you will help all of them -- through me. Nodding in somber agreement... GABRIEL What damage did Apollyon's absence from The Gathering cause? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) His spirit energy completes our spirit energy and Life's Resurgence. His physical absence from our circle of fellowship caused an electric arc to jump after him into the Milky Way Galaxy. GABRIEL How does this impact us? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) It blew open a void inside us that threatens the soundness of some of your bodies and minds. GABRIEL Why does this void only threaten some of us? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) It occluded an artery within me that constricts the flow of my lifeblood from disbursing evenly through some of you. GABRIEL Will you tell me how many of us are threatened -- and what you are doing to resolve this imminent catastrophe? ANCIENT OF DAYS I never indicated this to be a catastrophe -- just a threat Gabriel. GABRIEL OK Father...I'm moving forward. May I ask about this void you speak of? -- Is it kind of like the forbidden place? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) YOU NEED TO SHARPEN YOUR SENSES FOR WHAT IS TO COME MY SON­! THE BLACK HOLE is a topic of discussion reserved for a later age. It is my challenge for you to keep studying and show yourself approved. Shaking his head in an immediate capitulation... GABRIEL How shall I proceed with Apollyon in light of this potentially grave situation? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) Simply tell him what has happened... He will understand. GABRIEL Where shall I find him my Lord? ANCIENT OF DAYS (O.S.) CONDITION YOURSELF GABRIEL! The answer is right before you. Biting down on his lip, Gabriel takes in a deep breath and exhales slowly. GABRIEL Yes...of course it is! I have an idea where to begin my search. The telepathic communication ends and Gabriel's eyes quickly zoom in on a shelf containing Apollyon's logs. The logs float off the shelf into his hands and the pages turn until he finds maps and information about some strange anomaly in The Milky Way Galaxy. According to the map it's next to Venus -- a third distance from the Sun...in the middle realm of Eternity. Turning from his desk toward the exit path, he morphs into a funnel of light -- his thought navigation sets the course to the anomaly. EXT. - CITY OF HOLY OF HOLIES - FELLOWSHIP ARENA - MOVING Traveling in the form of light, Gabriel regards the sight of THE CITY OF HOLY OF HOLIES. Purple, yellow and red smoke is rising up from Ancient of Days roofless PRESENCE CHAMBER in the center of a humongous white, oblong structure. It sits perched like an eagle's nest high on top of an incredible ivory staircase above the city's outer courtyard. Outside the limits of the courtyard are city streets made of shimmering gold. Wrapped around the entire city is FELLOWSHIP ARENA, venue for THE GATHERING CEREMONY -- a humongous Roman Colosseum type of structure. EXT. - SUN'S GATEWAY - MOVING Re-manifesting for a moment in his natural form, Gabriel yields for the gate at the SUN'S PASSAGE and waves to the gatekeeper...Cherith. The flaming gate and wormhole open... he bolts through like a shooting star into the MILKY WAY GALAXY. EXT - MILKY WAY GALAXY - MOVING The MILKY WAY GALAXY looks like a white cloud with no darkness or fixed stars during this age. GABRIEL passes the first planet -- MERCURY... shining like a jewel, with an orange glow painting its atmosphere. VENUS follows... glowing in bright purple tones, mixed with magenta. Arriving at his destination, GABRIEL re-manifests next to APOLLYON, who is fixated on the strange anomaly. A deep soothing voice, intense emerald green eyes, long flowing jet black hair give him an inviting presence. His muscular physique is covered with a white lab coat. GABRIEL Hey there my friend. Apollyon jumps to attention and looks at Gabriel. APOLLYON Master...you startled me! I would never expect you to venture out here. What is going on? GABRIEL The ANCIENT ONE has a mandate for me to deliver to you. APOLLYON It must be serious for you to have left the lab...Have I done something wrong? GABRIEL Perhaps...but He knows your heart. You must know...it was never the Ancient One's will for anyone to be absent from the circle of fellowship during The Gathering Ceremony. Apollyon's mouth opens wide in bewilderment. APOLLYON What have I done? GABRIEL He wants you to understand that the health of our body, mind and spirit is at risk when someone is physically absent from the circle. APOLLYON Master...just tell me...what damage did my absence do to us? GABRIEL I am burdened to inform you that your absence created a void within our collective body. Shaking his head back and forth. APOLLYON OH NO! I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! GABRIEL How could you have known? APOLLYON Master...with all due respect...our purpose as scientists should be to understand such things. GABRIEL PERHAPS IT IS I WHO SHOULD CALL YOU MASTER. Ancient of Days did tell me to sharpen my senses for what is to come. APOLLYON WHAT IS TO COME? Did he happen to enlighten you about what he meant by that? GABRIEL His tone was somewhat dismal, though He did not share any details about what He was alluding to...You know how He is...He expects us to sum up our own conclusions for every situation. Apollyon covers his face with his hands. APOLLYON Maybe I am wasting too much time over here...OH, how I regret my obsession with this strange little planet! Gabriel looks to the anomaly while Apollyon is speaking and becomes fixated. APOLLYON (CONT'D) Master??? Are you still with me? GABRIEL (shivering) I have to say APOLLYON...I do understand what has you so engrossed over here! I have never seen a planet in all of Eternity gestate quite like this one. APOLLYON YES...IT IS PRETTY AMAZING! GABRIEL I find it fascinating...that even though the core is set ablaze...there is what appears to be a living tissue forming around it. We should take a biopsy and examine its composition. APOLLYON I am beginning to wonder... GABRIEL Wonder what Apollyon? APOLLYON If this anomaly has something to do with what Ancient Of Days was alluding to. A characteristic trumpet signal interrupts their conversation. Known and dear to every Pole, it reverberates throughout the entire spaces of ETERNITY. APOLLYON (CONT'D) This is my cue to move in obedience to Our Lord's mandate! GABRIEL I agree!!! They turn towards the Sun and suddenly...everything FADES TO BLACK, except Gabriel's eyes reflecting the Sun's fiery image.

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins Hospital

After years of telling people chemotherapy is the only way to try (‘TRY’ being the key word) to eliminate cancer, JOHNS HOPKINS is finally starting to tell you there is an ALTERNATIVE WAY:

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells w ill be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply. CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

A. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc. are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's amines or sea salt.

B. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

C. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

D. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

E. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified or filtered water , to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Florescence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of dam aged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Daily exercising and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

To Some There Are No Limitations


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PETA HELPS ALL ANIMALS GLOBALL:

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PLEASE DON'T BE NAIVE ABOUT WHO AND WHAT IS BEHIND THE ANTI-PETA CAMPAIGN -- THESE PEOPLE HAVE AN AGENDA, AND IT'S NOT TO SAVE ANIMALS!!!


1) First take a look at the For More Information link provided on websites claiming to oppose PETAs position on Pitbulls and euthanasia:

http://www.petakillsanimals.com

This is what it says on that site under the About Us section:

"PETA Kills Animals" is a project of the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the full range of choices that American consumers currently enjoy. In addition to malicious animal-rights activists, we stand up to the "food police," environmental scaremongers, neo-prohibitionists, meddling bureaucrats, and other self-anointed saints who claim to "know what's best" for you.

Our "Daily Headlines" service provides valuable information about these activists, and analysis of their activities. If you would like to sign up for this e-mail service, click here. CCF's other websites include AnimalScam.com, CSPIscam.com, PhysicianScam, and the award-winning ActivistCash.com.

We welcome your support. Click here to make a financial contribution. Donations to CCF are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

If you have any comments, questions or gripes, feel free to contact us.


2) Read this American Prospect Article about the Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF):


January 3, 2005

The American Prospect


Berman's Battle

Richard Berman claims to help the average consumer. In fact, he works for corporate America.


By Greg Sargent

Last spring, when the anti-fast-food documentary Super Size Me began opening in American theaters, an opinion writer named Richard Berman swung into action. He cranked out a scathing op-ed for the Chicago Sun-Times that blasted the film for "serving up a flawed premise: that we're powerless to stop Big Food from turning us into a nation of fatties."

When legendary TV chef Julia Child died a few months later, Berman saw another opportunity. He wrote a piece for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that used her death as an occasion to debunk the idea that soft drinks are linked to diabetes.

And last month, when a Cleveland hospital garnered national attention for trying to evict its in-house McDonald's, Berman was invited on CNN to critique the move. "I don't see anything wrong with giving people choices," he observed mildly.

Why did these mainstream media outlets air Berman's opinions on such pressing health issues? Is he a doctor? A nutritionist? A health-policy wonk? None of the above. He's a Washington lobbyist.

Berman runs an outfit called the Center for Consumer Freedom, which says it's devoted to defending "the right of adults and parents to choose what they eat, drink, and how they enjoy themselves." From his offices a block from the White House, Berman wages a never-ending public-relations assault on doctors, health advocates, scientists, food researchers, and just about anyone else who highlights the health downsides of eating junk food or being obese.

He also targets groups that want animal-treatment standards for the meat industry, such as PETA, and trial lawyers who want to sue the food industry -- "obesity lawyers licking their chops in search of their next super-sized payday." Such people, Berman notes on the center's Web site, are "food cops, health care enforcers, militant activists, meddling bureaucrats and violent radicals who think they know what's best for you."

However, while Berman presents himself as a defender of consumers against overbearing bureaucrats and health zealots, he's really defending the interests of another group: restaurant chains, food and beverage companies, meat producers, and others who stand to see profits hampered by government regulations, or even by increased health awareness on the part of customers.

Indeed, Berman has carved out a unique -- and very profitable -- niche in Washington's ever more sophisticated PR universe. At a time when the politics of food is going mainstream -- similar to the tobacco wars a generation ago -- he is the food and restaurant industry's No. 1 weapon against those seeking to regulate or shed light on its activities.

Relying on seed money from Philip Morris, Berman launched his group in 1995, with the explicit goal of uniting the tobacco and hospitality industries against the myriad forces of overregulation, particularly those pushing smoking bans in restaurants. But over time, food issues became the organization's focus, and the center's been bankrolled by hefty contributions from the food and restaurant industries. Berman, interestingly, hasn't taken great pains to disguise his funding sources in general. (Why bother? After all, it hasn't disqualified him from appearing on CNN.) He openly describes the group as a "nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers."

To be sure, the center won't share the names of individual or corporate donors. Yet some information has come to light. The organization PR Watch, relying on an internal whistle-blower, has posted a list of the center's backers on its Web site. Among them: meat giants (Tyson Foods and Perdue Farms), soft-drink manufacturers (Coca-Cola), and fast food chains (White Castle, Outback Steakhouse). A center spokesman would only say that the list is "loaded with inaccuracies," but wouldn't say how.

Berman's strategy turns on a simple rhetorical gimmick: By employing the language of consumer freedom, he protects his client industries by demonizing (and, hopefully, discrediting) their critics -- all apparently in service of the hapless consumer. Berman has been explicit about his approach. "Our offensive strategy is to shoot the messenger," he once told Chain Leader Magazine, a trade publication for restaurant chains (whose readership presumably doesn't include too many ordinary consumers). "We've got to attack <activists'> credibility as spokespersons."

Bermans efforts might not seem all that remarkable in a city where industry-funded "astroturf" groups are so emboldened that many no longer bother concealing funding sources. Yet he stands out, if only for the sheer, unparalleled audacity with which he's straddled his dual roles as consumer "advocate" and industry lobbyist.

Consider that in addition to running the Center for Consumer Freedom, a nonprofit 501(c)(3), Berman also has another day job: He's the founder and president of an influential Washington lobbying firm, Berman & Co. According to press accounts, the firm has performed for-profit lobbying for -- you guessed it -- many of the same industries served by the center: restaurant chains like Outback, Hooters, and Red Lobster (a spokesman declined comment). Berman has also lobbied for the American Beverage Institute, which represents restaurateurs and beverage manufacturers. (On behalf of such clients, he opposed the Americans with Disabilities Act, argued against hikes in the federal minimum wage and helped defeat federal legislation that would have imposed a uniform lower blood-alcohol threshold to mark drunken driving -- all regulatory reforms that threatened the profits of his clients.) It's challenging indeed to sort out where the for-profit lobbying against regulation ends and the nonprofit consumer freedom fighting against regulation begins.

And it gets murkier. Berman's nonprofit center, it turns out, has also been paying handsome sums for research, communications, and other services to none other than ... Berman & Co. In 2002, for example, according to its Internal Revenue Service filing, the Center for Consumer Freedom paid Berman & Co. more than $1 million.

So, to recap: Berman the Defender of Consumers runs a nonprofit that collects donations from industries served by Berman the Corporate Lobbyist -- and also pays lucrative fees to Berman the Corporate Lobbyist for his services. If you managed to follow that, you'll probably agree that Berman has pulled off a pretty impressive piece of lobbying jujitsu -- one that says an awful lot about how things really function at the nexus of government policy, big corporations, and the media.

Berman's roles have grown so blurry that one good-government group has called on the IRS to revoke the center's tax-exempt status. In November, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) asked the IRS to investigate the center, pointing to its massive payments to a for-profit company controlled by its own director, along with other transgressions. CREW argues that Berman's group is about protecting industry, not aiding consumers, and therefore is not engaging in the sort of charitable activities that entitle it to tax-exempt status. Berman has dismissed the allegations as littered with "non-factual items" and "misstatements of the law" -- again without saying specifically how.

Yet by any measure, CREW has a compelling case. It's partly based on hard evidence: a host of internal Philip Morris documents that discussed the 1995 formation of Berman's group (then called the Guest Choice Network) in remarkably unguarded terms.

The documents -- correspondence between Berman and Philip Morris, plus an internal Philip Morris memo, all released during discovery on the Big Tobacco lawsuits -- provide an extraordinary glimpse into the creation of a corporate front group, one apparently designed to use the language of consumer choice to advance the interests of major corporations. In a 1995 letter to a Philip Morris executive asking for startup funds for Guest Choice, Berman wrote: "The concept is to unite the restaurant and hospitality industries in a campaign to defend their consumers and marketing programs from anti-smoking, anti-drinking, anti-meat activists ... I would like to solicit Philip Morris for an initial contribution of $600,000."

In another 1995 memo to Philip Morris, Berman explicitly described his strategy as follows: A broad coalition of industries in defense of the consumer -- and generally devoted to fighting regulations -- would provide effective PR cover for the tobacco giant's specific goals. "If externally perceived as driven by restaurant interests, there will be more flexibility and creativity allowed than if it is 'owned' by Philip Morris," Berman wrote.

Equally revealing is a 1995 internal memo written by a Philip Morris exec who approved of Berman's strategy. "<Berman's> proposed solution would broaden the focus of the 'smoking issue,' and expand into the bigger picture of over-regulation," the memo reads. "We believe his proposal is worthy of testing." (For more documents, go to www.citizensforethics.org. ) This is remarkable stuff. How often do we get such an intimate peek at a major corporation's decision to bankroll an astroturf group?

The only remaining question is whether the IRS will allow Berman's outfit to continue operating as a tax-exempt nonprofit. The group has changed names and focus over the years, and it no longer takes tobacco money. Yet it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that Berman's MO hasn't changed. His activities continue to be less about educating consumers than about safeguarding industry profits.

As Berman himself put it in the Chain Leader interview: "The fact is that other groups drive consumer behavior on meat, alcohol, fat, sugar, tobacco, and caffeine with outrageous quotes, exaggeration, junk science, and even violent acts ... . Few companies spend any serious time ... developing long-term strategies to meet these challenges. Thus our clients have encouraged us to fill this void."

Which is exactly what Berman has done.

Greg Sargent is a contributing editor at New York magazine.

Copyright 2005 by The American Prospect, Inc. Preferred Citation: Greg Sargent, "Berman's Battle", The American Prospect Online, Jan 3, 2005. This article may not be resold, reprinted, or redistributed for compensation of any kind without prior written permission from the author. Direct questions about permissions to.