Is General Motors Covering Up Serious Ignition Switch Issues?

The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building in Washington, D.C., headquarters of the United States Department of Justice. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You may have seen in the news that General Motors is being investigated for a massive cover-up of a serious flaw in some of its cars: The ignition switches sometimes turn off while driving, shutting down the cars' power steering, brakes, and airbags. I believe this flaw and this cover-up is why my cousin Sarah is dead.Now I am fighting to get her justice.

My cousin Sarah was one of the sweetest, most caring people I knew. She was a freshman in college, and her dream was to be a pediatric cardiologist. But one morning in 2009, as Sarah was driving home to see her new puppy, her car veered off the road and hit a tree. We thought she might have fallen asleep behind the wheel, but then we learned her car should have been recalled and may have shut off while she was driving. Her airbag never deployed. She didn't have a chance.

Congress and the Department of Justice are investigating GM's massive cover-up, which caused the deaths of at least 13 people. Cases like this often result in monetary settlements, but I think it's ridiculous that the people responsible for so many deaths could come away with no consequences whatsoever.

According to the investigations happening now, GM first became aware of the problem with their ignition switches in 2001. The first reported death occurred in 2005, which prompted a Congressional investigation, but still, cars like Sarah's remained on the road. We recently found out that Sarah's car was one of 2.6 million that should have been recalled.

The faulty part in the GM cars cost only 57 cents to replace. Instead of spending a measly 57 cents, GM was willing to let my cousin Sarah and at least 13 other people die.

GM is far from the only company to have done something like this -- in fact, the government just completed a similar yearlong investigation of Toyota. But these investigations almost never lead to criminal charges, which is why corporations keep behaving this way. This time, for Sarah and the other victims, things will be different. This time, the people who caused their deaths will have to answer for what they did.

Karlie Brighton Yarbrough
Jacksonville, Florida

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Broke, A Man Without A Dime

English: Homeless man, Tokyo  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Broke; A Man Without A Dime, Free eBook from Chuck Thompson

INTRODUCTORY

I was born on the 28th day of April, 1857, in the village of Port Byron, Rock Island County, Illinois. The waves of the grand old Mississippi sang my lullaby through a long and joyful childhood. So near at hand was the stream that I learned to swim and skate almost before I was out of kilts. My father, A. J. Brown, at that time was the leading merchant and banker in the town. We were an exceedingly happy and prosperous family of six.

My father died when I was seven years of age. My mother, a woman of exceptionally brilliant intellect and lovable character, has been with or near me almost all my life. She died in 1909 at the ripe age of eighty-four.

When a boy in my teens I attended school in Boston, where I spent four years. In the early eighties I moved to Colorado and have lived there ever since. In 1897 I was married, and the intense interest and sympathy my wife has shown in my crusade for the homeless has been one of my greatest encouragements. With no children for company, it has meant a great sacrifice on her part, for it broke up our home and voluntarily separated us for nearly two years.

I have often wondered why I should have been the one to make this crusade, for all my life I have loved solitude, and have always been over-sensitive to the criticism and opinions of others. My mission is not based upon any personal virtue of goodness, but I have been inspired with the feeling that I had taken up a just and righteous cause, and the incentive of all my efforts has ever been that of compassion—not to question whether a hungry man has sinned against society, but to ask why he is not supplied with the necessities of existence.[A]

I am trying to solve these questions: Are our efforts to help the unfortunate through the medium of our “Charities,” our “Missions,” and our churches all failures? Why is crime rampant in our cities? Why are our hospitals, almshouses, our jails, and our prisons crowded to overflowing? And these questions have resolved themselves for me into one mighty problem: Why is there destitution at all,—why is there poverty and suffering amidst abundance and plenty?

I am convinced that poverty is not a part of the great Eternal plan. It is a cancerous growth that human conventions have created and maintained. I believe it was intended that every human being should have food and shelter. Therefore I have not only asked “Why?” but I have tried to find the remedy. My crusade has been constructive and not destructive.

My mission is not to censure but to disclose facts. I am without political or economic bias.

I shall ask my reader to go with me and see for himself the conditions existing in our great cities,—to view the plight of the homeless, penniless wayfarer, who, because of the shortsightedness of our municipalities, is denied his right to decent, wholesome food and to sanitary shelter for a night. And my concern is not only the homeless man, but the homeless woman, for there are many such who walk our streets, and often with helpless babes at their breasts and little children at their sides. And after my reader has comprehended the condition that I shall reveal to him, I shall ask him to enlist himself in the cause of a Twentieth Century Free Municipal Emergency Home in every city, that shall prove our claims to righteousness and enlightenment.

To-day there is everywhere a growing sense of and demand for political, social, and economic justice; there is a more general and definite aim to elevate the condition of the less fortunate of our fellow-citizens; there are united efforts of scientific investigators to discover and create a firm foundation for practical reforms. I am simply trying to show the way to one reform that is practical, feasible, and—since the test of everything is the dollar—good business.

If I can succeed in showing that old things are often old only because they are traditional; that in evolution of new things lies social salvation; that the “submerged tenth” is submerged because of ignorance and low wages; and that the community abounds in latent ability only awaiting the opportunity for development,—then this volume will have accomplished its purpose.

I am determined to create a systematic and popular sympathy for the great mass of unfortunate wage-earners, who are compelled by our system of social maladjustment to be without food, clothing, and shelter. I am determined our city governments shall recognize the necessity for relief.

Let me not be misunderstood as handing out a bone, for an oppressive system. “It is more Godly to prevent than to cure.”

In these pages I shall undertake to show by many actual cases that the so-called “hobo,” “bum,” “tramp,” “vagrant,” “floater,” “vagabond,” “idler,” “shirker,” “mendicant,”—all of which terms are applied indiscriminately to the temporarily out-of-work man,—the wandering citizen in general, and even many so-called criminals, are not what they are by choice any more than you or I are what we are socially, politically, and economically, from choice.

I shall call attention to the nature and immensity of the problem of the unemployed and the wandering wage-earner, as such problem confronts and affects every municipality.

We find the migratory wage-earner, the wandering citizen, at certain seasons traveling in large numbers to and from industrial centers in search of work. Most of these wandering wage-earners have exhausted their resources when they arrive at their destination, and are penniless—“broke.” Because of the lack of the price to obtain a night’s lodging, or food, or clothing, they are compelled to shift as best they may, and some are forced to beg, and others to steal.

For the protection and good morals of society in general, for the safety of property, it is necessary that every municipality maintain its own Municipal Emergency Home, in which the migratory worker, the wandering citizen, can obtain pure and wholesome food to strengthen his body, enliven his spirit, and imbue him with new energy for the next day’s task in his hunt for work. It is necessary that in such Municipal Emergency Home the wanderer shall receive not only food and shelter, but it is of vital importance that he shall be enabled to put himself into presentable condition before leaving.

The purpose of each Municipal Emergency Home, as advocated in this volume, is to remove all excuse for beggary and other petty misdemeanors that follow in the wake of the homeless man. The Twentieth Century Municipal Emergency Home must afford such food and lodging as to restore the health and courage and self-respect of every needy applicant, free medical service, advice, moral and legal, and help to employment; clothing, given whenever necessary, loaned when the applicant needs only to have his own washed; and free transportation to destination wherever employment is offered. The public will then be thoroughly protected. The homeless man will be kept clean, healthy, and free from mental and physical suffering. The naturally honest but weak man will not be driven into crime. Suffering and want, crime and poverty will be reduced to a minimum.

In looking over the field of social betterment, we find that America is far behind the rest of the civilized world in recognizing the problems of modern social adjustment. We find that England, Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland, Sweden and Norway, and other nations have progressed wonderfully in their system of protecting their wandering citizens. All these nations have provided their wage earners with old-age pensions, out-of-work funds, labor colonies, insurance against sickness, labor exchanges, and municipal lodging houses.

Because of the manifest tendency to extend the political activities of society and government to the point where every citizen is provided by law with what is actually necessary to maintain existence, I advocate a divorce between religious, private, and public charities, and sincerely believe that it is the duty of the community, and of society as a whole, to administer to the needs of its less fortunate fellow-citizens. Experience with the various charitable activities of the city, State, and nation, has proven conclusively to me that every endeavor to ameliorate existing conditions ought to be, and rightly is, a governmental function, just as any other department in government, such as police, health, etc. The individual cannot respect society and its laws, if society does not in return respect and recognize the emergency needs of its less fortunate individuals. Popular opinion, sentiment, prejudice, and even superstitions, are often influential in maintaining the present-day hypocritical custom of indiscriminate alms giving, which makes possible our deplorable system of street mendicancy.

The object of the personal investigation and experiences presented in this volume is to lay down principles and rules for the guidance and conduct of the institution which it advocates.

The reader has a right to ask: How does this array of facts show to us the way to a more economical use of private and public gifts to the needy? Are there any basic rules which will help to solve the problem of mitigating the economic worth of the temporary dependent? I shall give ample answers to these queries.

In the hope that the facts here presented may bring to my reader a sense of the great work waiting to be done, and may move him to become an individual influence in the movement for building and conducting Twentieth Century Municipal Emergency Homes throughout our land, I offer this volume in a spirit of good-will and civic fellowship.

E. A. B.

Denver, September, 1913.

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Governor McAuliffe continues to push for a better transportation system and a stronger Virginia economy

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Good Morning,

I wanted to make sure you saw the Virginian-Pilot editorial and Daily Press article below highlighting the Governor’s continued efforts to improve Virginia’s transportation system and grow our economy.

Reforming Port Authority -- again

The Virginian-Pilot Editorial Board

Gov. Terry McAuliffe's decision last week to reshape the Virginia Port Authority's board marks the latest effort to correct the bustling port's financial condition and stabilize an economic juggernaut rocked by turmoil in recent years.

By replacing five of the board's 11 appointed members, including the board's chairman and vice chairman, McAuliffe has implemented significant change. The scope of that change, however, is designed to inflict less disruption than the 2011 overhaul by his predecessor, Bob McDonnell.

McDonnell replaced 10 of 11 members that year, an unprecedented move among a series of abrupt changes during his term that hindered the port's finances and operations. The former governor's inability to articulate a clear vision for the port, and stick to it, injected uncertainty that adversely affected business.

In a span of three years, his administration negotiated a 20-year lease of APM's sophisticated terminal in Portsmouth, sought to purchase the terminal outright, then entertained bids for companies to operate state-owned terminals in Norfolk, Portsmouth and Newport News.

The privatization plan collapsed last year, after the port authority board rejected the offers and stuck with Virginia International Terminals Inc., the quasi-public organization that built the port into the third-busiest on the East Coast.

The tumult of the past few years at the port, however, provides no excuse for the continuing financial losses posted by the port. McAuliffe has pointed out the losses were greater than previously disclosed, and he has leaned heavily on the port authority's leadership, including new Executive Director John Reinhart, to improve its fiscal condition.

Reinhart has helped shepherd some organizational changes that should slow the losses, but more work will be needed to help the port realize the profits that ought to come with the recent record cargo volume.

The newly appointed members to the port authority's board include names recognizable across Hampton Roads and Virginia: G. Robert Aston Jr., CEO of Suffolk-based TowneBank; former state Del. Alan Diamonstein; Gary McCollum, Cox Communications senior vice president; John Milliken, chairman of the port authority's board until 2011; and Val McWhorter, a Northern Virginia attorney.

Their breadth of experience and knowledge should help to provide effective oversight of a hub that supports more than 340,000 jobs and brings in $40 billion-plus in revenue to public coffers each year.

VDOT fast-tracking I-64 widening project, hoping to ease Hampton Roads traffic

By Cathy Grimes – The Daily Press

On Tuesday Jim Utterback, Virginia Department of Transportation Hampton Roads District director, and consultant project manager Steven Chapin briefed James City County supervisors on the state of the $144 million Interstate 64 widening project at their monthly meeting.

With both Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne pushing the effort to alleviate congested traffic in Hampton Roads, the project is gathering steam.

It will widen I-64 to six lanes from the Jefferson Avenue exit to just south of the Lee Hall exit, roughly 5.5 miles. The new 12-foot lanes will be added inside the existing east and westbound lanes, and the agency will widen six bridges along the route.

Utterback said the department issued a request for qualifications and has had five bidders respond. He told the James City supervisors the department hopes to issue request for proposals this summer "with the goal of awarding the contract this December."

VDOT spokeswoman Jennifer Gwaltney said construction may begin in early 2015. VDOT officials estimate the project will be complete in Winter 2018.

During the presentation, Chapin said the agency is fast-tracking the project to "provide as much congestion relief as possible as quick as possible."

He noted the Federal Highway Administration issued its record of decision on the project on Monday, and VDOT will hold a design public hearing on April 30 at Woodside High School in Newport News. The three-hour event begins at 4 p.m.

Gwaltney said the hearing gives community residents a chance "to review the project exhibits on display and to provide comments and/or suggestions on the proposed project."

The Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization board ranked the widening effort first on its list of projects on which to use new regional transportation revenue made possible by the 2013 transportation law. The money comes from regional sales and gas taxes. The HRTPO voted to use $44 million of the new funds to extend the widening project to Lee Hall from its original termination point of Fort Eustis Boulevard. State and federal funds also are part of the mix.

Utterback said the extension will ease problems when the interstate narrows back to four lanes as opposed to doing so near the Fort Eustis Boulevard exit.

Chapin said the project will affect property owned by Newport News and will require about 15 acres for stormwater management. Additionally VDOT may install sound barriers along some sections of the road.

Local officials have expressed some concerns about proposed landscape designs for the widened interstate. Chapin said the median currently in place ranges between 64 feet to 88 feet wide. VDOT plans to use three landscape techniques on medians after widening: a mix of shrubs and trees with concrete barriers on two stretches, grass with no barriers on one wide section south of the Fort Eustis Boulevard exits and double guardrail barriers on most of the rest of the road.

Newport News officials had expressed concern about the proposals when VDOT met with them at a recent City Council Work Session.

"This is our gateway into the city and it's really important we show off," said City Manager Jim Bourey. "It makes a huge difference if we have landscaping."

At the James City County Board meeting, Supervisor John McGlennon echoed Bourey's words, saying it was important to have "an attractive entryway" to the county from the south.

Utterback said VDOT is looking at other interstates and considering possible low-maintenance landscape treatments to improve the appearance of the medians.

"We're still early on," Utterback said.

VDOT spokesman Ron Watrous said the agency will work closely with the localities "to deliver a project that meets regional travel needs and inspires a sense of pride in Hampton Roads communities."

The widening project is the first of three segments that eventually will widen I-64 to Exit 234 north of Williamsburg. VDOT officials estimate the entire project will cost is $583 million.

Grimes can be reached by phone at 757-247-4758. Daily Press reporter Michael W. Shapiro contributed to this story.

Interstate-64 widening public hearing

When: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30

Where: Woodside High School, 13450 Woodside Lane, Newport News

What: VDOT officials will present an update on the project and potential designs for landscaping and bridge widening.

There will be time for questions and answers, and officials will be available to discuss the project.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth

Office of the Governor

Ryan O’Toole, Special Assistant, Constituent Services

Ryan O'Toole worked previously in constituent services for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Congressman Richard Neal, and has spent the past two years working as a community organizer throughout Virginia.  He is a native of Washington, D.C., and holds a B.A. in Political Science from Fordham University.

Secretariat of Public Safety and Homeland Security

Ryant L. Washington, Special Policy Advisor for Law Enforcement, Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control

Prior to joining the Administration, Ryant Washington served as Sheriff of Fluvanna County.  He has served in law enforcement since 1990 both as Deputy Sheriff and Virginia State Trooper.  His education and training includes a diploma in Business Administration from National Business College, studies at the Criminal Justice Program at Piedmont Virginia Community College, and completion of the Executive Management Training at the National Sheriffs’ Institute. Sheriff Washington is Past President of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, and he serves on the Board of Directors for the National Sheriffs’ Association. He is a member of the National Commission on Forensic Science and the Piedmont Virginia Community College Advisory Board. Sheriff Washington and his wife, Camilla, a registered nurse, have twin sons, Christopher and Nicholas.

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Governor McAuliffe Marks 100 Days of His Administration, Launches 100Days.Virginia.gov

Terry McAuliffe - Caricature (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

Governor McAuliffe today marked his administration’s hundredth day and launched100Days.Virginia.gov, a website highlighting key accomplishments his administration has made so far in critical areas such as economic development, transportation, and education.

“Since my first day in office, I, along with members of my administration, have worked hard to find mainstream, common-sense solutions to problems and create a stronger and more economically competitive Commonwealth,” stated Governor McAuliffe.  “We have already made significant progress in investing our transportation dollars wisely, creating more jobs in every region of the Commonwealth, and preparing our workforce for a 21^st Century economy. I am proud of the accomplishments my administration has made, and I am confident that we will continue to put people above politics to build a stronger economic foundation for the next generation of Virginians.”

For an overview on the progress made during the McAuliffe Administration’s first 100 days in office, visit 100Days.Virginia.gov or Governor McAuliffe's 100 Days Report.

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Black Garlic and Sprouted Garlic Have Enhanced Health Benefits

Bulb of Garlic (Photo credit: lowjumpingfrog)

 

By Dr. Mercola

Of all the foods Mother Nature provides, few foods offer more of a “botanical bonanza” for your health than garlic. Garlic is a bulbous root closely related to the onion, mentioned in historical documents dating back 5,000 years—before its fame wafted into the rest of the known world.

Speaking of wafting, garlic’s nickname “stinking rose” is well-deserved due to its undeniably pungent aroma that some find objectionable, but others find intoxicating.

Numerous studies show garlic’s amazing health potential in nearly every area of your body, from clogged arteries to gangrene to preventing insect bites and ear infections. There is even evidence that garlic is able to help slow your aging process. When it comes to this magical bulb, what’s not to love?

Garlic Epitomizes a ‘Heart Healthy Food’

Like so many other complex plant foods, garlic contains a wide range of phytocompounds that act together to produce a wide variety of responses in your body. Garlic is rich in manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and vitamins B6 and C, so it’s beneficial for your bones as well as your thyroid.

Garlic also helps your body cleanse itself of heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.1 Green Med Info has also assembled a list of studies demonstrating garlic's positive effects for more than 150 different diseases.2 In general, its benefits fall into four main categories:

1. Reducing inflammation (reduces risk of osteoarthritis as mentioned in the video above)
2. Boosting immune function (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties)
3. Improving cardiovascular health and circulation (protects against clotting, retards plaque, improves lipids, and reduces blood pressure)
4. Toxic to 14 kinds of cancer cells (including brain, lung, breast, and pancreatic)

The fact that garlic is so effective in fighting multiple types of cancer is probably related to its potent antioxidant effects. Garlic contains the precursors to allicin—a compound I’ll be discussing in detail shortly. Allicin is one of the most potent antioxidants from the plant kingdom.

In fact, researchers have determined that sulfenic acid, produced during the rapid decomposition of allicin, reacts with and neutralizes free radicals faster than any other known compound—it’s almost instantaneous when the two molecules meet. And as an anti-infective, garlic has been demonstrated to kill everything from candida to herpes, MRSA, drug-resistant tuberculosis, and even HIV.

Garlic’s Secret Weapon: Allicin

Researchers have found that allicin is an effective natural "antibiotic" that can eradicate even antibiotic-resistant bugs. An added benefit is that the bacteria appear incapable of developing a resistance to the compound. However, the garlic must be fresh because the active agent is destroyed in less than an hour after smashing the garlic clove.

Garlic technically does not contain allicin, but rather, it contains two agents in separate compartments of the clove that react to form the sulfur-rich compound allicin when the plant needs it: alliin and an enzyme called allinase. So, what makes them react?

Garlic has a robust defense system to protect itself from insects and fungi. It enzymatically produces allicin within seconds when it is injured. The crushing of its tissues causes a chemical reaction between the alliin and the allinase, and allicin is produced—nature’s “insecticide.” This is what makes garlic such a potent anti-infective, as well as what produces that pungent aroma when you cut into it.

But allicin is short-lived, lasting less than an hour. Therefore, cooking, aging, crushing, and otherwise processing garlic causes allicin to immediately break down into other compounds, so it’s difficult to get allicin up to biologically active levels in your body.3

Plus, an Army of Sulfur-Rich Phytochemicals

More than 100 different compounds have been identified in garlic, some of which come from the rapid breakdown of allicin itself. The absorption, metabolism, and biological effects of all these compounds are only partially understood. So, although garlic is known to possess a wealth of health benefits, we still do not know exactly which benefits come from which compounds, what compounds get into which tissues, etc.

As powerful as allicin is as an anti-infective, it only makes sense that garlic’s other health effects come from the synergism of those many OTHER compounds. This is a complicated topic, and if you want to explore it further, the Oregon State’s Linus Pauling Institute has a comprehensive article in their online Micronutrient Information Center.4

What About Garlic Supplements?

Most commercial garlic supplements perform quite poorly when it comes to actually being able to form allicin in your body. Allinase is destroyed by the strong acids in your stomach, which is why most supplements are “enteric coated,” to keep them from dissolving until they enter your small intestine. But most supplements tested produce only minimal amounts of allicin under these tough digestive conditions. Many garlic supplements list “allicin potential” on the label, which refers to how much allicin could be formed when alliin is converted, not how much allicin is actually produced.

Claims of actual “allicin release” may be more reliable, but with digestive conditions being so individual and variable, I would be less than confident you’re getting what the label promises. Therefore, when it comes to garlic, I believe it is much better to eat the real food rather than rely on a supplement. And due to the fact that allicin won’t be formed unless the garlic clove is crushed, you have to crush it before swallowing to get the full benefit, or chew it up. If chewing up raw garlic is a bit too hardcore for you, then you may have cause for celebration: aged black garlic to the rescue!

Aged Black Garlic Has Arrived!

Developed in Korea, black garlic has been gaining popularity among Western foodies for several years now, but it has recently caught the eye of the health-minded due to studies revealing its impressive nutritional properties. Black garlic is produced by “fermenting” whole bulbs of fresh garlic in a humidity-controlled environment in temperatures of about 140 to 170 degrees F for 30 days. No additives, no preservatives... just pure garlic. Once out of the heat, the bulbs are then left to oxidize in a clean room for 45 days. This lengthy process causes the garlic cloves to turn black and develop a soft, chewy texture with flavors reminiscent of “balsamic vinegar” and “soy sauce,” with a sweet “prune-like” taste. Aficionados claim the flavor will impress even the most avid garlic-hater, as the pungency and spiciness is gone.5

Although the process is consistently described as “fermentation,” it really isn’t that in the strictest sense, as the transformation does not involve microbial processes—specifically, enzymatic breakdown and the Maillard Reaction are responsible for the caramelization of the sugars, dark color and deep, complex flavor profile.6  As the pearly white cloves slowly transition into their final black appearance, compounds in the fresh garlic transform into a whole new range of compounds. Compared to fresh garlic, black garlic is low in alliin but it is astonishingly high in other antioxidants!

Double the Antioxidants of Fresh Garlic

In a 2009 mouse study, Japanese researchers found that black garlic was more effective than fresh garlic in reducing the size of tumors. The study was published in the journal Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Science and Technology.7 In another study, black garlic was found to have twice the antioxidant levels as fresh—the aging/fermenting process appears to double the antioxidants. Black garlic is packed with high concentrations of sulfurous compounds, especially one in particular: s-allylcycteine (SAC).8Science has shown a number of health benefits from SAC, including inhibition of cholesterol synthesis.9

Perhaps this is why Mandarin oil painter Choo Keng Kwang experienced a complete reversal of his psoriasis after just four days of eating half a bulb of black garlic a day—this, after trying countless medically prescribed skin creams that were all complete failures.

An advantage of SAC is that it is well-absorbed and much more stable than allicin and 100 percent bioavailable. Researchers are confident it plays a significant role in garlic’s overall health benefits.10 Be mindful, however, that black garlic’s benefits may be more effective than fresh garlic for some conditions but not others, given its allicin content is low. For example, I suspect it may not be as effective if you have an infection, as allicin is thought to be the primary anti-infective agent in garlic, and fresh garlic is higher in allicin than black.  According to Blue Fortune Farm (which admittedly sells black garlic), black garlic has the following favorable nutrient profile:11

	SAC (mg/g)	Calcium (mg)	Phosphorus (mg)	Protein (g)
Black Garlic	5.84	36.66	80	12.5
Raw Garlic	0.32	5.0	40	2.2

Sprouted Garlic Is Fresh Garlic, Multiplied...

Do you toss your garlic into the compost pile when it begins sending up those bright green shoots? You might want to stop doing that after you read the most recent report about sprouted garlic. In an article published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,12 garlic sprouted for five days was found to have higher antioxidant activity than fresher, younger bulbs, and it had different metabolites, suggesting it also makes different substances.

Researchers concluded that sprouting your garlic might be a useful way to improve its antioxidant potential. Extracts from this garlic even protected cells in a laboratory dish from certain types of damage.13 This isn’t really surprising when you consider the nutritional changes that typically occur in plants when they sprout. When seedlings grow into green plants, they make many new compounds, including those that protect the young plant against pathogens. The same thing is likely happening when green shoots grow from old heads of garlic.

Sprouting—Intentionally!

Growing your own sprouts is a great way to boost your nutrition, especially if you have limited space for gardening. Sprouted seeds of various kinds can contain up to 30 times the nutrition of homegrown organic vegetables and allow your body to extract more vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fats from the foods you eat. If you want more information, please refer to our earlier article about sprouting. While you can sprout a variety of different beans, nuts, seeds, and grains, sprouts in general have the following beneficial attributes:

1. Support for cell regeneration
2. Powerful sources of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes that protect against free radical damage
3. Alkalinizing effect on your body, which is thought to protect against disease, including cancer (as many tumors are acidic)
4. Abundantly rich in oxygen, which can also help protect against abnormal cell growth, viruses, and bacteria that cannot survive in an oxygen-rich environment

Black Garlic or White, They're Both Good

Whether you choose to go raw or adventure into the black, you can’t go wrong with garlic. It gives new meaning to the term “heart healthy food”! And garlic goes with just about everything. You can smother your roasting chicken with it, sauté it with veggies, add it to your salad dressing, or run it right through your juicer along with the other veggies for a real immune-booster. Whatever form of garlic you prefer, you can have some fun experimenting as you widen your culinary repertoire, and build your health at the same time!

 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/21/sprouted-black-garlic.aspx

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