Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
MASTER CLEANSE
Monday, February 04, 2008
 | Master cleanse So .... yesterday as a good friend of mine, Elli (or so we will call her), and I were driving back from New York city when we started discussing weight. Now many of you know that weight is not a topic of discussion on should have among friends because we are all our own worst critics and it is even worse when your friends agree with your worst critic. The Master Cleanse (or the Lemonade Diet as it is also called) is divided into two parts: The Agitator and The Rinse Cycle. By not eating, you enable your digestive system to use its energy to eliminate old waste. Additionally, the lemonade dissolves the old waste and the laxative herb tea stimulates the intestines' contractions to slough off old waste. With all that going on, if you don't drink enough lemonade and water, and if you don't do the salt water flush each morning, you will have mobilized toxins which are not being eliminated. The result is you will feel tired, sick, achy and have cravings. Most people know that citrus fruit (including lemons) are a good source of vitamin C. What many people do not know is that lemon juice is also a good source of potassium. However, that's beside the point. The idea that people cannot exist without protein for 10 days may be a dream of the meat industry, but it is not true. Fasting, as recommended in the Bible, has been recognized by many doctors for hundreds of years. The most current, visible American MD who is a major proponent of fasting is Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of Eat to Live and Fasting and Eating for Health. He has had numerous successes curing with diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In Europe, there are many health spas run by doctors that practice fasting for healing and rejuvenation. Ok guys so I am going to do it, starting wednesday morning, tuesday night I am competing in a karaoke contest and will more than likely be drinking, or tomorrow morning depending on how well I do in the contest tonight. I will keep you posted here as I go through my 10 day fast journey. Hey if it works out maybe I will go the full 40 days. That is uber optimistic! Here are two photos of me. one from 2 years ago at my sisters graduation and one from two weeks ago  There is a bigger copy of this picture and others in my photo album on myspace. [IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e57/collegechix2002/onphone.jpg[/IMG]  [IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e57/collegechix2002/befroethecleanse.jpg[/IMG] I will post pictures when I am done and blog about the entire experience each day. Wish me luck. o and if you wish to do the cleanse with me i recommend purchasing the book "Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days." leave a comment let me know how it is working out for you each day. |
fascinated Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Expectations (Relationships) Continued
Those who know me know that I am not one to have a "boyfriend." I have boys who are friends (really just friends) guys who aren't just friends and guys but boyfriend has never really been my thing. I have always believed that if you make someone your your significant other you can see them in your future. for example I would not date a guy unless I could see him as the father of my kids. (bit far in the future i know but if i don't see you as that there is no reason for us to play the whole game of meeting parents and all that jazz. I thought it kept things simple. Many of my friends would call that fear. afraid of being hurt. I call it smart. Not wasting time titling and tying yourself down with someone you don't have potential with..... more on this later
CONT: Well, back again. I mentioned earlier that I don't title a guy my boyfriend unless I could see a future with him and well I find myself in a bit of a predicament. I find myself with a, yes I will say it, BOYFRIEND. At 23 years of age you would think I would know what that entails but...(The problem)... I don't have boyfriends. I am travelling in uncharted waters on a stormy day with no life vest hoping the rain will stop and I will safely reach shore. Not the most promising scenario.
I look back on what my friends would say to me about being afraid, not wanting to let someone get to close to me for fear of getting hurt and fear of losing my freedom (losing everything that makes me, me. ) I am afraid . I am not afraid of losing my freedom, I am afraid of giving someone too much emotional power over myself. I love deeply and passionately and to open myself up in such a way that I am handing someone else the skeleton key, to me it's like standing on the edge of an airplane at 50,000 ft and being deathly terrified of heights. Those who do jump say the risks involved in the fall are worth it, I am almost there holding on to the plane with one pinkie to far out to get back on the plane but comforted by the fact that the plane is still nearby.
Now, I am rambling. Do any of you know what I am talking about??? Send me some advice. BE back soon.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Expectations (Relationships)
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I think I am going to be a vegetarian
If the government cant ensure the bridge I am driving on wont collapse, without cause ie earthquake, tornado) then why am i going to trust that cloned animal meat is safe. Run some tests over a 15 year period and see if any mutations oppf adverse effects occur before they just say it is safe to market to the population. The only strength and protection a society has is to educate itself. I will do My best to bring you news from around the counrty and world but we all need to inform ourselves. Let me know what you think. Would you eat cloned meat?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MEAT and milk from cloned farm animals are safe to eat, the US Government has announced, in a move that paves the way for the sale of the food.But production limits are expected to keep the products from reaching grocers' shelves for years, and customer scepticism has prompted the US Department of Agriculture to ask for an indefinite delay to educate shoppers before they are given the choice.After reviewing numerous scientific studies, the US Food and Drug Administration found that food derived from cloned cows, pigs, goats and their offspring is as safe to eat as products from conventionally bred livestock. Stephen Sendoff, director of the FDA's food safety division, said: "The likelihood that anything would go wrong from a food safety standpoint is unimaginably small."The US announcement follows the beginning of public consultation on the issue by the European Food Safety Authority. In a draft opinion, the European regulator gave provisional backing on the grounds that there was no evidence for food safety or environmental concerns."No differences exceeding the normal variability have been observed in the composition and nutritional value of meat and milk between healthy clones or the progeny of clones and their conventional counterpart," the report said. It did, though, highlight animal welfare concerns.The European Commission said this week that it would consult the public before making a ruling in May.The US food industry has been holding off selling food products from clones since 2001. Bruce Knight, the US Department of Agriculture under-secretary for marketing and regulatory programs, expected a voluntary moratorium on products from the 600 clones at present on farms to continue for several months.Even after the ban is lifted in the US, it is unlikely pork chops and steaks from cloned livestock will reach shops because the technology is too expensive to use clones for anything but breeding.The moratorium does not apply to the offspring of clones, but given that there are 200 million meat- and milk-producing farm animals in America, it will probably take several years before there are enough progeny to have a significant impact on the food supply.Also, many in the food industry want to wait before introducing food derived from clones. Food makers and sellers fear a trade backlash. They also worry the possibility will scare away customers in the same way that use of hormones to increase milk production spurred many people to turn to organic products.for the rest of the article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/cloned-meat-good-enough-to-eat-us-ruling/2008/01/16/1200419886043.html
WOW!!! BIl O'Reily
Friday, October 27, 2006
The People Speaking for our country are idiots! Current mood: annoyed
I just watched Bill O'Reily on the Oprah Winfrey show and I am completely angry! This man, who speaks nothing other than right wing ideology and biased information, is delivering the message to the American people to stay away from ideology and speak only of facts. He was saying that the terrorists in the Middle East need to be eliminated and that they "blow up babies" there with all of the bombing. A lady in the audience asked, "well havent the American Soldiers done the same thing?" and he responded with NO!!!!!!!!!! Many innocent people in the Middle East have died. WHat about the school that the military accidentally bombed in February and killed hundreds of innocent children???? There is no right actions in war; many innocent people will die, it is collateral damage, so do not Mr. Bill O'Reily, come and say that the U.S. has done nothing wrong. Also, he commented on the fact that for the people in the Middle East this is a Religious mission, a Jihad. A closer examination reveals that the literal Arabic definition of Jihad means simply warfare and any person who has some common sense that the U.S. and the Mid East, their battle is stricly on a political agenda. What about President Sheron, who in 1974 drew the line in the dirt and said any Egyptians that cross to Jewish territory will die; and he butchered thousands of women and children for the name of Judaism,( interestingly, the U.S. protected SHeron with a passion, have you ever wondered why? Think geographically, of how close Jersualem is to the "enemy" and how easy it is to access the land via the water!!!!!!!!!!!) He also mentioned that Iran is our next enemy because they have WMDs, and because "Iran wants to blow up all the Jews on the face of the earth" WHAT THE FUCK! That is a very bold statement not rooted in facts; coming from someone who says to stay away from ideology and stick to facts. THis is an embarrasing comment to make and is so ignorant that it is just painful. Where is the evidence to back up that outrageous comment, that will now cause controversy. THis is not true and I am embarrased for O'Reily and for his kids who have to see their father saying something so foolish. This is not a helpful comment to make, because O'Reily is not helping to ease the tensions that are already so high in the world, and this will just create more problems and spread more hate as now more unaware and uneducated people will take this comment to heart and really believe this. Hatred and tension will never be eased when you just fuel the fire. As a public figure with resources, he has a humanitarian responsibility to try to help our world and spread education not hate. Spread tolerance, not tunnel-vision, spread humanity! For the love of God, people and friends, educate yourselves with what is really going on and review history because it will open your eyes. Make your own decision, but make and EDUCATED decision.
Minneapolis bridge part designed too thin
Article taken from LaTimes.com
Email Picture
Spencer Weiner / Los Angeles Times
Inspectors over the decades wouldn’t have been looking for the kind of mistake that was a key factor in last summer’s collapse, the National Transportation Safety Board chairman said. It’s unclear whether the error was made in calculations, drafting or some other stage.
The error in the fallen I-35W span was present from the start, federal officials say. The inquiry isn't over.
By P.J. Huffstutter, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer January 16, 2008
CHICAGO -- Federal investigators announced Tuesday that a "serious design error" was a key factor behind last summer's deadly collapse of a Minnesota bridge, but also said that the mistake would not likely have been discovered during routine state inspections.National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said the Interstate 35W bridge had been built with gusset plates -- the steel parts that connect the girders, which support the bridge -- that were too thin to hold up the bridge with increased traffic and additional weight of infrastructure improvements.
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Structurally unsound
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Bridge construction, fighting underway in Minn.
The Aug. 1 collapse killed 13 people and injured more than 100.Investigators have found 16 fractured gusset plates from the center section of the steel-deck truss bridge, Rosenker said Tuesday at a news conference."Basically, those 16 gusset plates were too thin to provide the margin of safety expected in a properly designed bridge such as this," Rosenker said. "These gusset plates were roughly half the thickness that would be required -- half an inch thick rather than an inch thick."Safety board officials said their investigation was far from over, and the exact cause of the collapse was still unknown. But investigators don't think that deficiencies in materials, maintenance or inspections played a significant role.A final NTSB report on the rush-hour tragedy is expected by the end of the year.In the days immediately after the bridge collapse, the NTSB had raised concerns about the plates.The board's finding, which suggests that the 40-year-old bridge was structurally unsound from its debut, could alter national debate over maintaining the transportation infrastructure.It is unknown how or why "there was a breakdown in the design review procedures that allowed a serious design error to be incorporated into the construction of the I-35W bridge," Rosenker said.Investigators haven't located the original designer's calculations, he said, so "we cannot determine whether the error was a calculation error, a drafting error, or some other error in the design process."Inspectors don't look for design problems that could date back decades, Rosenker said."The National Bridge Inspection Standards are aimed at detecting conditions such as cracks or corrosion that degrade the strength of the existing structure," he said. "They do not, and are not intended to, address errors in the original design."The bridge was designed by Sverdrup & Parcel, a Missouri-based civil engineering firm that also designed and oversaw construction of the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which was once designated one of the Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World.The company was later bought by Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. in Pasadena, which did not return calls for comment Tuesday.Experts had warned for years that the I-35W bridge needed expensive repairs. In 1990, a federal inspection declared the bridge "deficient," noting a history of fractures along the plates that hold together its structural arches.After opening to traffic in 1967, the I-35W bridge -- like many others -- was modified. Such modifications, which included thickening the driving deck, probably added strain to the bridge's weaker spots. And over the decades, traffic increased on the downtown bridge.At the time that the bridge gave way, dropping traffic into the Mississippi River, maintenance crews were using tons of equipment and construction material on the bridge's deck.The safety board urged that all states and contractors take extra care with how much weight they place on steel-deck truss bridges -- of which about 465 remain nationally -- and reexamine the original designs before adding to or otherwise modifying them.In Minnesota, 23 state bridges and 36 bridges under the jurisdiction of local governments have similar steel-deck truss designs.State investigators had been reviewing seven of the largest."Now we're going to expand that to all of the state bridges and try to work with the local governments, to see if they're looking at the same things," said GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.The $500,000 review is expected to be complete by June, he said.Rebuilding of the I-35W bridge, estimated at $400 million, is underway.The 10-lane bridge is to open this year.That project has sparked federal and state political infighting, while weary commuters have been forced onto crowded surface streets.And victims and their families have called for new state laws to compensate them.
Monday, January 14, 2008
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD
2 year-old-girl murdered by mother under the eye of social services
Current mood: 
pissed off
How is it that the news is constantly covering random things like Hilary crying boosted her points but they dont mention anything about a government agency faulting on their job resulting in the death of a baby. States services were being provided to the childs family for the childs safety and yet after numerous reports of abuse the agency did not remove the child from the home. Not that I am an advocate for taking children from their homes, but this is clearly a case where that should have happened, especially considering the childs older sisters had been taken away on many occasions. How is it that in 2008 we still cannot protect the children in our cities , the innocents, the ones who we speak for. This is so heart breaking and disturbing. The supervisor of the agency received a demotion for not doing her job of protection this child, and as a result the child lost her life. Where is the justice in that? If you cant do the job necessary than there should be a more sever punishment then just a demotion.
What do you think???? is her punishment just?? the partial article is below with the full article at www.AFRO.com
State office calls for probe of DSS in death of 2-year-old
Thursday, January 10, 2008
By Ernest Alexander
AFRO Staff Writer
Would little 2-year-old Bryanna Harris still be alive if the Department of Social Services had done its job?
Why didn't the agency take her away from her neglectful mother like they did the woman's other children?
That's what Brenda Donald, secretary of the Maryland Department of Human Resources and members of the child's family want to know.
With the child's mother now charged with her death, Donald has launched an investigation of how DSS handled the case to see if the agency improperly handled the case.
Vernice Harris, 29, is charged with the murder and child abuse in the overdose death of her daughter. Police determined six months after the child's June 5, 2007 death that Bryanna Harris died from an overdose of methadone and blunt force trauma to her stomach.
After months of investigation and witness statements, detectives said they have determined that the mother was the one who gave the child the drug.
"Detectives have witnesses that claimed to have witnessed the mother beating the child as well as the mother giving her methadone when the child would cry or just reach out for attention," said Donny Moses, Baltimore City Police spokesperson.
Donald expressed remorse over Harris' death.
"We are saddened whenever a child is seriously injured or killed when state services are being provided to that child's family," she said in a statement. "And the death of Bryanna Harris is very disturbing.
"We need to learn from tragic incidents like this how to improve systems in our local departments of social services to protect children in our care."
The death of Bryanna triggered the demotion of a child protective services supervisor last July and a further investigation will determine what other actions will be taken in the case," Donald said.
"I have ordered a joint investigation by the Office of Inspector General of DHR and the new Deputy Director of Baltimore City DSS into the case review involving Bryanna Harris and her mother Vernice Harris," Donald said.
According to the Maryland Department of Human Resources, DSS provided services to Bryanna and her mother immediately following the child's birth.
After DSS received an initial report of child neglect by Harris, workers were sent out immediately to offer intensive family services, spending 35 hours in face-to-face engagement with Harris for over four weeks.
During that process Harris was connected to specialized services to ensure that Bryanna was safe.
Last April, however, DSS responded to a second neglect report on Harris, with CPS workers immediately going to the home and assessing that the child was safe.
The child's primary doctor was also contacted and expressed no concerns and confirmed that her immunization records were current.
The worker conducted a satisfactory follow-up visit the following week in which he observed the child and interviewed Harris and her mother.
Human Resources spokesman Norris West says that despite this most recent incident of a possible mishandling of a child neglect investigation, Donald has had a much broader review of the agency going on for quite some time.
"Since October, the secretary has ordered an examination of the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, which is on going," West said.
Harris' cousin, Ebony Moore, 38, said signs of neglect were quite evident and that DSS simply dropped the ball when it came to Bryanna.
"In May of 2007 they notified her, so it wasn't an unannounced visit, so she had a chance to clean up and actually set the stage for CPS when they came in," Moore said.
(Full story www.afro.com)
Thursday, January 10, 2008
New Jersey to be the first northerrn state to apologize for slavery???
If an apology was enough to make all black people forgive, it may have happened a long time ago. New Jersey apologizing for slavery is not going to alter the mental and physical state of many African-Americans, nor is it going to erase 400 + years of racial oppression and seclusion.
"Who living today is guilty of slave holding and thus capable of apologizing for the offense?'' asked Republican Assemblyman Richard Merkt. ``And who living today is a former slave and thus capable of accepting the apology? So how is a real apology even remotely possible, much less meaningful, given the long absence of both oppressor and victim?''
Though I agree with some of Republican Assemblyman Richard Merkts' comments, his idea that there has been a long absence of both oppressor and victim is making light of the oppressive institution set in place during slavery. The very foundation of this country is based on an institution of oppressor and victim, with African Americans, and usually black men, at the helm of such oppression. Would New Jerseys apology make a difference? This many years later, does it even matter? If your going to apologize how about those 40 acres and a mule. What do you think??
N.J. could become first northern state to apologize for slavery
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ New Jersey lawmakers begin considering this week a measure that would make theirs the first northern state to offer an expression of regret for slavery, an institution that one Republican lawmaker said blacks today should remember led to their becoming Americans. Image courtesy WNBC.
The resolution, which is to be discussed in a state Assembly committee on Thursday, expresses ``profound regret'' for the state's role in slavery and apologizes for the wrongs inflicted by slavery in the U.S. If approved, it would make New Jersey the fifth U.S. state to offer a similar apology or expression of regret for the institution that served as a catalyst for the U.S. Civil War, the only war to be fought on American soil.
Republican lawmakers spoke out against the bid, with one saying it would be meaningless.
"Who living today is guilty of slave holding and thus capable of apologizing for the offense?'' asked Republican Assemblyman Richard Merkt. ``And who living today is a former slave and thus capable of accepting the apology? So how is a real apology even remotely possible, much less meaningful, given the long absence of both oppressor and victim?''
Another Republican, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, said "If slavery was the price that a modern American's ancestors had to pay in order to make one an American... The full story can be found at www.Afro.com
