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Eminem's 21 Year Old daughter Releases hot Pics
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'The Best Investment Is Lifting The Poor Out Of Poverty' – Daddy Freeze
Nigerian broadcast journalist, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, has offered his bits of wisdom on what the best kind of investment is.
The popular radio host and convener of the 'Free The Sheeple' movement is of the view that the best kind of investment is assisting the underprivileged within the society.
In his words:
"The best investment in life is not buying property or starting a business. Don't let motivational speaker fvck with your mind… The best investment is lifting the poor out of poverty..
Your houses and businesses could be destroyed in seconds if you don't invest in uplifting the youths around you from poverty!
Read Also: #EndSARS: 'Why Are Church Leaders Silent?' – Daddy Freeze
Secure your future, don't invest in businesses or property or your children alone, invest on the youths around you! ~ FRZ"
See his post below:
'Small Businesses Need Support' – Mr Macaroni
Nigerian comedian, Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, has urged the youths to help small businesses who need support regarding cleaning up after the recent violence witnessed in Lagos state.
The social media skit maker took to his Twitter page to share his views thus:
"Let's focus on small businesses around us. If a lot of cleaning has been done or is being done already, then those businesses would need support. The government already said they will do that but there are also people and organizations willing to support."
Read Also: #EndSARS: Mr Macaroni Lambasts APC-Led Govt
Mr Macaroni also advised his fellow youths to be careful of trigger-happy men in uniform.
See his posts below:
'End SARS Protest Is Beyond Police Brutality. It Is Battle Between The Rich And Poor' – Filmmaker Chika Lann
Nigerian filmmaker, Chika Lann, has tagged the ongoing violence resulting from the End SARS protests as a 'rich vs poor' fight. According to the television personality, it's a sort of uprising against the rich.
Taking to her Instagram page, the actress and former model advises her fellow celebrities to go out there and help as many people as they can before things get out of hand.
Read Also: Nigerian Model, Chika Lann Throws Sister Out Of Her House For Allegedly Trying To Snatch Her Oyibo Husband
In her words:
"This #ENDSARS protest is obviously beyond Police Brutality. It's a sort of uprising against the rich! The poor are coming for the rich. This is obviously RICH vs POOR. How else would you explain the wanton vandalism? I advise my fellow celebrity to go out there and help as much people as they can before it's too late. #onelove"
See her post below:
- National News22 hours ago
#EndSARS: TVC Back On Air — Four Days After Mob Attack
- National News24 hours ago
End SARS Protest: Abia Govt Relaxes Curfew
- Entertainment23 hours ago
BBNaija's Ka3na Set To Give Free Publicity To Business Owners Whose Stores Got Looted
- Entertainment18 hours ago
Singer D'Banj Shares Cryptic Post On Instagram
- Entertainment20 hours ago
'May We Never Lose Hope For A Better Life' – BBNaija's Erica Prays
- Entertainment21 hours ago
Burna Boy Apologizes Over Insensitive Tweets
- News Feed23 hours ago
"Passport secured" – Nigerian man flaunts Canadian lover (Video)
- Entertainment17 hours ago
#EndSARS: 'Please Stop The Violence', Dammy Krane Pleads


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When Chris Preuss was appointed OnStar's President last March, he was tasked with revitalizing the crown jewel of automotive telematics systems. He's since developed a new marketing campaign and a push into consumer electronics. Go ahead, ask him anything.
Chris will be with us until 12:45 PM EST today and answering questions in the comments below.

subset: commoncrawl


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Latest in Events
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Questions and Answers
from Robert Rothwell Sep 18, 2010 Category: EventsPrior to breaking for lunch, attendees at our Being a Christian in a Post-Christian World regional conference were treated to a question-and-answer session in which Dr. Robert W. Godfrey (G), Dr. Albert Mohler (M), and Rev. Burk Parsons (P) responded to questions from those attending the seminar. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Session 5 - Burk Parsons
from Karisa Schlehr Sep 18, 2010 Category: EventsWe kicked off day two of the 2010 Regional Conference with Burk Parsons who was tasked with the topic of "The Gates of Hell." The term "post-Christian" is not a new word. We see it throughout history and as a country we have been post-Christian for a long time. We have come to a place where many of the people who surround us not only don't know the simple truths of what makes Christianity our faith, they don't even understand things as basic as what a pastor is. Christianity has lost its influenced. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Session 4 - R.C. Sproul Jr.
from Robert Rothwell Sep 18, 2010 Category: EventsDr. Sproul Jr. began his talk by noting how it has become a habit of his to remind the church of the character of the Devil and the nature of the war between the serpent and the people of God. The first place to start in looking at Satan's methods and goals is Genesis 3:1, wherein we are told that "the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made." Notice that the text doesn't say that the serpent is the most powerful tempter but that he is crafty. His most potent weapon is his cunningness — that is what makes him so dangerous. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Ask R.C. Sproul
from Robert Rothwell Sep 18, 2010 Category: EventsDr. R.C. Sproul was unable to travel to Washington, D.C., this year to speak at our regional conference in person, but on Friday evening he appeared live via video feed to answer questions from our conference attendees. Here is what he had to say. Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Session 2 - Robert Godfrey
from Karisa Schlehr Sep 17, 2010 Category: EventsIn this second session from Ligonier Ministries' 2010 Regional Conference in Washington, D.C., Dr. Robert Godfrey addressed the topic of "Christ, Kingdom, & Culture." Robert Godfrey is President and professor of church history at Westminster Seminary California, serves on the board of directors for Ligonier Ministries, and is one of Ligonier's teaching fellows. As Christians, we have a dual citizenship, and we must have a clear sense of what that means and its implications for how we are to live and function. We are part of this world and yet Jesus says we are not of this world. So what does it mean to be dual citizens? Keep Reading
2010 Ligonier Regional Conference - Session 1- Thabiti Anyabwile
from Robert Rothwell Sep 17, 2010 Category: EventsThabiti Anyabwile, senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands began our Being a Christian in a Post-Christian Culture conference with his lecture "When the Foundations are Destroyed." Traveling recently, Anyabwile noted how he has witnessed the world going on about its business, conceiving of this life as the only life that there is, and worried little about the foundations of society. Among American evangelicals, however, there is great concern about the foundations of our society, with lamentation over the erosion of Western culture and its biblical moorings. Keep Reading
Early Bird Rate for Our 2010 Pastors Conference Ends Friday
from Karisa Schlehr Sep 06, 2010 Category: EventsThis Friday, September 10th, is the last day to get the Early Bird Registration Rate of $79 (spouses get 50% off) for the 2010 Pastors Conference in Sanford, FL. This conference is open to all church leaders — ministers, teachers, elders, deacons, youth directors, music directors, Bible study leaders, women's ministry directors, and more — as well as anyone who wants a better understanding of what it takes to keep the local church unified, holy, and at peace. Keep Reading
2010 Washington D.C. Conference Is Only Two Weeks Away
from Karisa Schlehr Sep 03, 2010 Category: EventsOur 2010 Washington D.C. conference is only two weeks away. How are we to live in an anti-Christian society? Join Thabiti Anyabwile, Robert Godfrey, Albert Mohler, Burk Parsons, R.C. Sproul Jr., and R.C. Sproul (live via video feed) as they address this very timely issue in our day. There's still time to register and get the discounted rate of $99. Keep Reading
Misrepresenting Darwin?
from Chris Larson Aug 25, 2010 Category: EventsDr. Albert Mohler has responded to critics claiming he misrepresented Charles Darwin's views as he set sail on the Beagle. Keep Reading
Is Google Making Us Stupid?
from Karisa Schlehr Aug 17, 2010 Category: EventsThis conference, titled "Christian Communication in a Hypersocial World" acknowledges that every day we communicate through various media. In this segment of our 2010 pre-conference question & answer session, Albert Mohler answers the question, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" To see the complete Q&A session or the other lectures from the entire 2010 National Conference, click here. Keep Reading


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Hacking Chinese Resources
Click one or more tags to show relevant resources. Follow @ChineseLinks on Twitter, to get notified about new resources!
7 resources found.
Chinese Breeze: Graded Chinese Readers
A series of graded readers for early stage reading. The levels progress from 300 to 500 to 750 words. The stories contain a lot of repetition to ensure learning but at the same time tell more e... Read more.
kdgbalmer – over 6 years
Grass-Mud Horse Lexicon (focusing on terms used online to avoid censorship)
From the introduction page: The Grass-Mud Horse Lexicon is an online glossary of terms created by Chinese netizens and frequently encountered in online political discussions. This project is ... Read more.
Olle Linge – over 6 years
Simulated Tests of the New Chinese Proficiency Test HSK
Recommended and introduced by Trevor [here](http://www.hackingchinese.com/extensive-listening-challenge-october-2014-wrapping-up/#comment-646686). Each book (one for each level of the new HSK ex... Read more.
Olle Linge – almost 6 years
Non-fiction book summaries written in easier to understand Chinese (with audio)
I've taken some book summaries of interesting non-fiction books, rewritten them into simple English and had them translated into Chinese. This way, the vocabulary and grammar will be easier to unde... Read more.
Nick Dahlhoff – about 1 year
chinaSMACK Glossary (Popular Chinese Internet Memes, Slang, Expressions, Acronyms)
A useful list of common Chinese internet memes, dirty words, slang, expressions, puns, and acronyms used by Chinese people on the internet & even in daily life. Olle's comment: As is the case wi... Read more.
Olle Linge – over 5 years
Urban Dictionary Chinese
Urban Dictionary is a user-edited dictionary of colloquial language and slang. This is the Chinese edition. Words are usually explained in English, but sometimes only in Chinese. There are also exa... Read more.
Olle Linge – over 5 years
Jason D. Patent on "An Anatomy of Chinese: Rhythm, Metaphor, Politics" by Perry Link
This is a review of Perry Link's book about Chinese. This passage sums it up pretty well, and although I haven't read the book (yet), it's high on my list of books to get my hands on: "In writin... Read more.
Olle Linge – over 6 years


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A Sandwich A Day: Home Depot Jerk Cheesesteak from Rocco's in Philadelphia
A different sandwich profiled every single day.
In this great country of ours, one could eat a different sandwich every day of the year—so that's what we'll do. Here's A Sandwich a Day, our daily look at sandwiches around the country. Got a sandwich we should check out? Let us know. —The Mgmt.
We visited Rocco's—a sandwich shop in front of the South Philly Home Depot, constantly bustling with contractors covered in drywall dust—a while back for their awesome italian sausage sandwiches. I couldn't help but notice a wild menu of exotic-sounding cheesesteak flavors like "cajun chipotle" and "teriyaki."
So on my next trip to pick up drain cleaner and picture wire, I stopped in to try Rocco's Jerk Cheesesteak and, wow, this thing was outstanding. The steak is cooked up with some sort of super spicy dry jerk seasoning, just barely cooled down by melted American cheese. It's like no other cheesesteak I've had before, in a good way. It also helps that they start out with tender, high quality steak, nicely carmelized onions slow cooked on the flat grill, and fresh, soft Amoroso rolls.
Rocco's Sausages
1601 S. Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19148 (map)
Hawk Krall is a Philadelphia-based illustrator who has a serious thing for hot dogs. Dig his dog drawings? Many of the illustrations he has created for Hot Dog of the Week are available for sale: hawkkrall.net/prints/.
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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Why does it seem that there are so many atheists who want to go the exact opposite extreme of religion? Maybe I'm more of a humanist then because I do still have a very strong ethical code that I decided on using logic and a true sense of compassion towards others. Moral judgment can be based on the net positives it can provide for the whole of society. Aren't we all striving to improve ourselves and our communities? Freedom is a wonderful thing worth fighting for, but if those freedoms are not for the betterment of society then we must question if that particular freedom would be best if regulated instead.
Views: 390
As for me, I think real morals are helping your fellow homo sapien for the altruistic act of it rather than doing it to appease your deity or the hopes of preferential treatment in an afterlife. For me, real morals are being a good person in helping with the advancement of the world and mankind. For me, real morals are not "waiting until marriage for sex" or "remaining a virgin". In contrast, I think it is unhealthy for anyone past the age of 20 at the latest to be a virgin. I think to suppress your sexuality like that is to suppress a part of who you are and has been imposed upon you as an ideal by people who think they have morality on their side; in which I believe to be utterly immoral. So, what exactly is morality? It depends on how you define it.
Freedom is a wonderful thing worth fighting for, but if those freedoms are not for the betterment of society then we must question if that particular freedom would be best if regulated instead.
Can you please provide an example as to what you might be alluding to?
1. Every atheist have different perspective tho some are similar, some are even against.
2. what is moral actually ? to define whats right and whats wrong..and religion teach that, right....i forgot how human unable to learn by themselves on how to decide.
3. logic & compassion.....and why do atheist turned being one ?
4. its better you state the actual thing that you are having problem with rather than an abstract thing which anyone can define in many ways.
I do not believe that morality has anything to do with religion. A christian friend of mine asked me the other day what was stopping me from murdering my neighbour and taking his posessions. I replied by saying that his view would suggest that he tows the line only because he fears God. At least atheists are genuine in their actions.
Anyway, read the bible and then tell me about morality!
I'm not really sure what you're getting at. If you're asking "why are there so few extremely conservative atheists" my answer would have to be...
Reality has a well-known liberal bias.
-Stephen colbert
The OP wanted to know why so many atheists go the exact opposite extreme of religion and the last thread she posted on was regarding legalizing prostitution where the responses surprised her. She's not wrong. There aren't many extremely conservative atheists who share the majority of extremely conservative religious values. In fact, SE Cupp aside, I don't think I've ever known one.
Of course there are ignorant people from every political label, as well as freethinkers who find themselves on all sides of various issues. But extremely conservative views (particularly on social issues like the one it seems sparked this post) most often stem from religious dogma and indoctrination, not logic and critical thinking about reality. My comment was no different than saying "religion has a well known conservative bias." I was also half joking because the original post seems a bit vague.
It depends on how you define conservative. There are quite a few Objectivist Atheists. Libertarianism is the the very peak of conservatism.
Even though most people believe republicans to be conservative, Id dare say someone who holds an Ayn Rand like view of conservatism would laugh at that given their constant need to encroach on personal freedom a pure tenant of conservative values.
A valid point. Language is imperfect. But rather than get into a semantics wank over each of our personal definitions of a half dozen political terms due to a joke I made, I'll just link everyone to the thread I believe sparked this post since the OP has yet to clarify what she means by atheists abandoning moral ideologies or not having a strong ethical code.
Ugh. Anarchists drive me crazy. Lol, I'm sure that's part of the appeal. It's just so juvenile.


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Welcome to Just People, Inc.
"Just" People, Inc. is a private not for profit agency that provides a wide variety of support services to adults with developmental disabilities (Downs, Autism, Aspergers, MMR, and Learning Disabilities), people with Mental Illnesses, and Head Injury. The program which was developed in the Fall of 1995, works with people who are considered "high-functioning", people who do not need bathing, feeding, and dressing. Support services are provided in Metro Atlanta, serving people in Gwinnett, Fulton, Cobb, and Dekalb County. The consumers the agency works with have the ability to live in an apartment without live-in staff but need staff available to them some daily and some weekly and most with staff members on property overnight that are available to them in emergencies.
Some consumers live in their family's homes but need living skill training before going into an apartment, as well as a social outlet with peers. The program which was the brainchild of Becky Dowling is run like a family, after all, her husband and both daughters work at Just People, Inc. Becky and Kevin live at the "Just" People Village in Roswell Georgia, an apartment complex that leases primarily to the population "Just" People serves, as well as overseeing the day to day services provided at Village Walk in Lilburn Georgia a similar complex. To find out more about the various services provided, contact the "Just" People office located in Norcross, Georgia at 770-441-1188.


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Diversity Toolkit: Class and Income
Vast class and income differences exist in the U.S. today - and there is mounting evidence that differences are widening to an extent not seen since the 19th century. These class and income differences lead to differences in school funding across states and districts, which in turn, result in differences in school quality and, ultimately, in students' learning.
Main Issues
Because 90 percent of K–12 education funding comes from state and local sources, students' access to a quality education varies depending on the states and communities in which they live. For example, K–12 funding from state sources ranges from a high of 71 percent in Minnesota to a low of 30 percent in Illinois, and funding from local sources—primarily local property taxes—ranges from 96 percent in Connecticut and Rhode Island to 38 percent in Louisiana.
According to NEA Research, inequities in student funding ratios have been as high as 3-to-1 in many states—with property-rich districts having per-student expenditures three times as high as property-poor districts. The inequities have led to lawsuits on the grounds of equity and adequacy, which NEA Research defines as follows:
- Equity is about fairness in per pupil spending; in the condition of school facilities; and in student outcomes. A funding system that is equitable does not provide equal dollars for all students, but instead promotes fairness by providing more dollars per student to districts with above average numbers of at-risk students, including English Language Learners; districts where the cost of living is higher than average so they can offer competitive employee salaries; and small districts that, on a per student basis, have larger administrative overheads.
- Adequacy means the amount of per pupil resources needed to provide all students with a realistic opportunity of meeting state performance standards. This means providing students with the resources they need to obtain the knowledge and skills that are assessed by the standards.
Realizing that adequacy can never be achieved by focusing on school funding in isolation from other economic realities, NEA Research developed NEA's TEF Strategic Goal. TEF integrates three concepts: 1) Tax structures; 2) Economic development policies; and 3) Funding for public education. TEF's central premise is that a fair and equitable tax system; a level economic development playing field for business; and adequate and equitable funding of public education will provide public schools with the resources they need to do what is asked of them.
To address class/income differences in their states and communities, NEA Research recommends that NEA affiliates and members:
- Argue for tax structures that are fair, broad-based, stable, and in sync with our economy. Taxes for the poorest 20 percent of Americans are twice as high as for the richest 1 percent. On average, the richest pay about $5 of every $100 of income in state and local taxes while the poorest pay about $11.
- Advocate for adequate and equitable school funding, the first step toward building schools' capacity to do their job. No state currently provides adequate or equitable funding for its public schools.
- Seek state and local economic development policies that level the playing field for business. Currently, big business enjoys tax subsidies, without accountability or regard to the impact on schools and children, while small businesses struggle to compete. All businesses should have a fair chance to compete in the new economy.
Related Links
- EDStats - Rankings of the States 2008 and Estimates of School Statistics 2009. NEA Research's resource that tracks school funding and statistical information.
- Center for Benefit-Cost Studies of Education - Economic research on the benefits and costs of alternative educational policies and interventions. (Teachers College, Columbia University)
- Educational Policy Institute - Policy analyses of the consequences of government action (or inaction) related to addressing class/income differences and other issues; offers alternatives.


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ESSAY- Tough question: Figuring out who's the real you
Worried about the future?
One of the perennial concerns of some bioethicists is that some portion of humanity will rush– to their detriment, say the conservatives– to adopt various biotech enhancements.
Consider this scenario: you've developed some nagging doubts about your partner's fidelity. Although you sometimes think your doubts are irrational, you remember certain lingering looks at parties, and your happiness is spoiled. You're not the sort to hire a private detective, but you've heard of a new pharmaceutical, the anti-doubt pill.
Let's call the pill Credon; it lulls your suspicious nature, but doesn't make you gullible to car sales people. It works only in the context of intimate relationships. The manufacturer does warn that Credon has sometimes generated excessive trust between lovers. So off you go to The Pharmacy of the Future for some Credon.
Once there, the conscientious pharmacist confirms that Credon does usually work, but asks if you've considered alternatives. For example, why not take the new anti-possessiveness pill Libermine? Patients using Libermine don't care if their partners have an occasional fling. Or why be a couple at all? Solox, the emotional independence pill, enables patients to have a wide and emotionally satisfying circle of friends but liberates them from the tedium of having only one intimate partner.
Oh, Credon costs about as much as a candy bar, while Libermine and Solox cost as much as a good bottle of wine. On what grounds do you choose?
This is a future dilemma laid out in a recent essay by English philosopher David Owens. While Owens suggests that one response might be that it's "normal" to want to be in relationship, the pharmacist reminds you that people born with extra Solox in their brains are just as "natural" as people without it. Surely you would agree that such free spirits should not be regarded as somehow inadequate. Another response is that taking Libermine would so change you that you wouldn't be you anymore. Of course, the whole point of taking Credon is to change you so that you, in some respects, aren't you anymore.
So why not flip a coin? Would that mean that the choice doesn't matter any more to you than choosing between two brands of coffee? Surely one's emotional state and the state of one's most intimate relationship should matter more than choosing between Greenberry's and Starbucks.
Let's quote Owens:
"For Trotsky, the better we understand how human beings work, the freer we shall be. But The Pharmacy of the Future suggests that the more we learn about ourselves, the less free we will be. A scientific understanding of man is a threat to our freedom because it undermines our capacity to govern our own lives by making decisions. If man is just a bag of chemicals, once we know what these chemicals are, we can re-mix them at will. And by re-mixing them at will, we can give ourselves whatever character we like. But if we can choose a character at random, our current needs and interests lose their authority as grounds for making any decision. And what other grounds for making decisions are there?"
What other grounds might people use to justify their decisions?
"In Western Europe, religious belief used to be the source of those fixed points that make decision making possible," writes Owens. "In the rest of the world, it still is." Owens laments that scientific disenchantment is undercutting the authority of religious belief.
The "fixed points" supplied by religious belief may have been useful guides in earlier, less prosperous times. Before the 20th century, most women who bore children out of wedlock could not earn enough to support them, so religion sanctioned stoning and honor killing to discourage fornication. Another previously "fixed point" in Western Europe was that divorce was not permitted. With prosperity and the advent of effective birth control pills and pharmaceutical abortions, the "fixed points" of religiously sanctioned stoning and marriage-for-life were overthrown.
Americans and other modern societies are still working out how the pill and burgeoning prosperity have shifted the battle lines in the immemorial war between the sexes, but stoning as a punishment for fornication is still condoned only in some backwards regions of the world. That will change as the 21st century progresses. So even some guides long-established by religion are not "fixed." (On the other hand, given everyone's interest in the preservation of their bodies, one point that is fixed is that murder is wrong.)
Owens' larger concern seems to be an anxiety about authenticity. Are you the real you? But what is the real you?
Were you you when you were 10 years old? 20? 45? Were you the real you before you had graduated from college? Were married? Were a parent? Were you more real when you were shy before you "came out of your shell" after joining the basketball or debate team? Are you the real you when you drink coffee to boost your concentration in order to finish that new sales report? Or are you the real you when you take Viagra to boost your sexual performance?
Turn the question around: are people who choose to use Viagra, cosmetic surgery, hair-coloring, propranolol to overcome stage fright, fakes? A strong case can be made that people who take advantage of modern technologies are seeking to become more authentically who they believe themselves to be. Demands for authenticity turn out to be just a way for other people to impose their views of your proper social status on you.
Owens concludes that religious beliefs "may all be delusions but, as technology advances, the need for such fixed points becomes more, not less, pressing."
However, as we've seen, such "fixed points" don't really exist– certainly not as Owens likens the human journey to following the signposts of a well-marked Rand-McNally atlas. Instead, humanity is a team of explorers who constantly push forward into undiscovered territories. With many false starts and dead ends, we chart the map of the future as we go along. We not only make the map, we also create the landscape– the landscape of human possibilities through which we travel.
We are not following a pre-determined blueprint as we build our societies. We are constructing the scaffolding and the edifice as we go along. Sometimes whole wings that housed us for a long time must be dismantled and rebuilt to fulfill our new requirements.
Just as humanity is still learning how to use the contraceptive pill and to handle divorce, so too will we engage in a process of trial-and-error social learning about how to use (or not) new psycho-pharmaceuticals.
Not only is that as it should be, it's as it has always been. Nothing could be more human.
Downtown Charlottesville resident Ronald Bailey is the science correspondent for Reason, the magazine for which this essay was written. He's the author of Liberation Biology: A Moral and Scientific Defense of the Biotech Revolution.


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Motives: Why Are You Wanting to Get Fit?
- Dino Nowak Author & Celebrity Fitness Trainer
- 2005 30 Apr
Here's a tall tale for you. Let's peek inside the life of a couple on their anniversary.
All day long the wife has been looking forward to seeing her husband so she can give him the gift she's spent so much time searching for. It's something very special to him. She spent lots of thought and effort getting it for him.
The husband, on the other hand, has been caught in meeting after meeting at work. As the day winds down and his co-workers begin leaving for the home, he feels a knot in the pit of his stomach. What am I forgetting? When he turns down the street that leads to his neighborhood he's thinking about how much he's looking forward to sitting down to the delicious, hot meal his wife always makes for him. She's such an amazing cook. I'm so blessed to have her as my…
"My wife! Oh no, I forgot our anniversary!" He makes a razor-sharp U-turn, tires squealing, and heads for the local florist.
Nice story, Dino, but what does it have to do with motives? Okay, look: both the husband and the wife are doing something nice for one another. But one is doing it out of love and the other is doing it out of fear. One is doing it to give; the other is doing it to avoid pain.
We're the same way when it comes to our motives for getting fit. Have you received a disturbing report from your doctor? Has all the fitness information around you finally scared the living daylights out of you? Are you after a promotion or some other goal and you feel you won't be able to achieve it without dropping that fat?
Your motives for getting fit will determine whether or not you succeed and whether or not you stick with it for the long term. Did you know that 95–98 percent of people who start a program quit? A bad motive is the first big landmine on the road to good health.
To get you thinking correctly about this, I'm going to go through a few bad motives I've encountered in people trying to get fit. Then we'll move to the right reason.
Wrong motives
Let's look at a few wrong motives. It's not an exhaustive list. Feel free to add others in!
Wrong motive #1: Trying to be what the culture says you should be
None of us has escaped the images of beauty and health that come at us through the media and in the opinions of people and groups around us. Maybe you saw a model in a magazine or someone on the street, and you thought, "That's what I should look like." All of us want to be accepted. If that's the image that will be accepted, it's very easy to aspire to look like that. We want to fit the mold and be the ideal.
The problem is that we become slaves to that mold. We leave behind other elements of identity and focus only on physical appearance and a certain clothing size. It negatively impacts our body image, self-esteem, and our relationships with others. We become social outcasts because we're so self-conscious of our bodies and appearance. This slavery keeps us from participating in activities because we don't "look" like we belong or have the body to be engaging in those activities. It ends in bondage.
The Bible says there is a way that looks right, but it ends in destruction (Proverbs 14:12). Wanting to get fit so you will find acceptance by the culture is a bad motive. Culture, like all slave drivers, is a cruel and ever-changing master. It won't bring you the peace you seek.
Wrong motive #2: Finding your identity in fitness
You already know my story and how this was a path I tried to follow. I'm here to tell you, it's a dead end road.
Maybe you have the figure of a model. You are the embodiment of the ideal this culture adores. People practically bow down to worship you. Heads turn. Jaws drop. Or maybe you just want to reach that place because you feel that if you could look like that, you would have arrived.
If you want to be fit so you can be worshiped like this, you're in for more bondage. If your identity is in this, you're bound to maintain it forever or you'll cease to be who you think you are. Who are you when your body betrays you and you can't maintain that image? Time is not your friend.
Wrong motive #3: Seeking happiness and contentment
Do you think that if you lost weight and looked like the cultural ideal you would be happy and content? You need to know that's a big lie. Some of the most beautiful people on the planet are among the most insecure.
Think about it: if the reason people want to be around you is to bask in the glow of your outward appearance, don't you begin to wonder if they like you for who you really are? If you didn't look the way you do would those same people still be around or would they find someone else? Is that happiness? And then you become afraid to even go down to the supermarket without getting all dolled up lest someone see you looking less than perfect. Is that contentment?
Getting fit is a good objective, but if you're doing it to achieve some kind of bliss you're going to be sorely disappointed.
Wrong motive #4: Trying to snag a mate
Now let me speak a moment to my single friends out there. Are you wanting to start a fitness program to look better so you can attract a mate? If so, that's a bad motivation.
If you're a man, are you comparing the girls you meet to the ideals you're fed in magazines, movies, and television? Are you comparing yourself to the abs-of-steel men on the fitness magazines, thinking that if you could only look like those guys then a girl would like you? If you're a woman, do you think that if you looked like the Cosmo cover then you could score a husband?
I don't have to tell you this is not even close to being the right motivation. "Why?" you may ask, "What's wrong with wanting to get in better shape and health to find a spouse?" Guess what happens when you do find that special someone: you stop doing all those healthy activities. Maybe not right away, but eventually. You figure, "Hey, who do I have to impress? I have someone now. My work is done. Honey, where are the chips?"
Don't think I know what I'm talking about? Well, according to a study done at Cornell University and published in the Journal of Social Science and Medicine, researchers discovered that newlyweds gain more weight than singles or even people who are divorced or widowed. Interesting, you say. Another study, reported in Obesity Research, demonstrated an average weight gain of six-to-eight pounds in just the first two years of marriage.
Here's the other thing: if the person you married wanted you for your looks and then you let your looks go, what's going to happen? Do you really want to be married to someone who cares about you only for your appearance? How long are you willing to keep it up after you get your mate that way?
The right motive
Have you ever rented a car? I want you to picture a trip on which you get stuck with your least favorite car in your least favorite color. Now, even though you're not exactly crazy about this car, you still exercise a certain degree of caution when driving it, right? You also you don't get depressed over it because, guess what, you'll be giving it back soon.
You take good care of it while it's signed under your name. You don't run into curbs, scrape the tires, bang it into things, or anything else. Why is that? Because the car is not really yours, and eventually it has to be returned. While you have it, it's your responsibility, so you treat it well.
It's the same with this body God gave you. As much as those of us who are Christians would like to think otherwise, our bodies are not our own: "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit … and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
You see, your body is merely a rental. It houses your spirit until that day when you will be given a perfected and glorious new body (Philippians 3:20–21). When you realize you've been entrusted with this body, it should cause you to think twice about how you treat it.
This body you've been born with doesn't belong to you. You've got it on loan. And anyway you'll be getting a new one later. You're not stuck with it forever! So does it make sense to become depressed and not enjoy life while we're here? Does it make sense to isolate ourselves because we think we don't compare to this culture's standards? Of course not. This is the body God has given you for this life. Learn how to rejoice in it.
However, let me ask you something. Would you intentionally ding up that rental car or pour cheese wiz into the gas tank? I hope not. One, it's not smart, and two, it doesn't belong to you. In the same way you should not mistreat your body. You are a steward that has been entrusted with a special gift. You're to care for it and keep it in good condition until it's called in for return, regardless of shape or size it's a blessing.
The proper motivation for getting fit is to be a good steward of the body God has given you.
You have a spiritual responsibility to care for your body. Why? Because your physical health directly affects your ability to serve God. Christians are the hands and feet of Christ on this earth until He returns. How effective you are in this is directly related to your stamina, strength, endurance, and perseverance.
Look at it as if you were a soldier in God's army (which you are). Would you be fit to serve if the call came today? Are you in shape to do whatever your commanding officer requires? Or would you be disqualified from some amazing mission because you're just not physically able to do it? A good soldier must be able to take the physical challenges, tests, and training required by the job. You don't want to be passed over for assignments. You want to be ready at a moment's notice, whether it's to hike to some African village or be on your feet all day at a soup kitchen.
The right motive for getting fit is so you can do anything and everything God calls up on you to do. Your body is the vessel God has put you in for these years. It's the rental car. Treat it well and it will take you far.
From "The Final Makeover." © 2005 by Dino Nowak. Used by permission of Siloam – A Strang Company. All rights reserved.
A physical fitness expert, Dino Nowak has trained and consulted high-profile artists in the entertainment industry in both the mainstream and Christian markets. He writes and produces a weekly radio program and is a frequent contributor to several fitness magazines. Nowak is certified through the American Council on Exercise, and the Cooper Institute.


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Empire is the debut album release for GRMLN, a project from Japanese-born/California-raised Yoodoo Park. Having built up a reputation with the release of last year's EP Explore, Park has cast aside the dreamy surf-pop of that release in order to capture a live, rock and roll sound, expanding GRMLN to a trio in order to best encapsulate that energy. Although the album had a short gestation period of just a few days and is a relatively brief affair (clocking in at less than 24 minutes), Yoodoo & co manage to do some interesting things with the standard rock arrangement.
The sound of Empire can be neatly split into two halves - the first five tracks follow the formula of scuzzy indie-rock coupled with strong pop hooks, and comprise by far the strongest part of the album. Opener 'Teenage Rhythm' marries a simple yet effective guitar riff with a strong chorus of "Get out, get out, get out" with an onslaught of youthful vigour. 'Blue Lagoon' is a strong example of Japandroids-esque noise-rock, whilst both 'Coastal Love' & 'Do You Know How It Feels' demonstrate a working knowledge of how to formulate an effective upbeat hook. The only real weak track on this part of the record is 'Hand Pistol', a track which feels far too indebted to the Pixies to be enjoyed on its own merits.
The final four tracks on Empire sees GRMLN take the album into several different territories. Whether intentional or not, these tracks play like a series of short tributes to the music styles of yesteryear, albeit ones which have passed through GRMLN's garage-rock gaze to reach this stage. In some cases, this works out to the group's advantage. The highlight of this half of the album, '1993', is a bass-led rock throwback, one which sounds like the best Tom Petty song that The Stokes never ripped off. The closer, 'Dear Fear', is a surprisingly fragile acoustic track which harks back to Nick Drake and Simon & Garfunkel, and acts as a perfect antidote to the scuzzy guitars that preceded it.
However, some of these musical pastiches fail to really make an impact. 'Summer Days' attempts to mimic the sound of glam-rock, and although it is not a bad track, it just doesn't have enough oomph to really sustain it. 'Cheer Up' is another song to add to the growing list of dreary modern 'Earth Angel' copyists, the occasional feedback blast helpfully reminding us that this song was indeed recorded after 1959. Although there are some interesting sounds in play in the latter part of the album, it lacks the consistency and enjoyability of the album's opening half.
All in all, Empire is a rather decent garage rock album. Yoodoo Park has a knack for a good pop hook, and although the album would have been considerably stronger had the closing tracks been more in keeping with its promising start, it is an album worth investing time in.
6Christopher McBride's Score


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MEXICO CITY — Mexican drug gang hitmen shot two U.S. immigration and customs agents, the governor of the state where the men were attacked said Wednesday. If the allegation proves true, such an attack could be a major provocation to the United States.
The uncommon shooting of U.S. officials also highlights the risk such agents face as the United States increases its cooperation with Mexico in battling organized crime. ICE said the two men were the first of its agents shot in the line of duty in Mexico.
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Special Agent Jaime Zapata, 32, died Tuesday when gunmen attacked the agents' blue Suburban vehicle as they drove through the northern state of San Luis Potosi. Zapata was on assignment to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement attache in Mexico City from his post in Laredo, Texas.
The Americans were shot in the mid-afternoon, south of the city of San Luis Potosi, which is roughly half way between Mexico City and Monterrey, the country's business capital, where drug-related violence has soared over the past year.
The second agent, Victor Avila, was released from a U.S. hospital after receiving treatment for two gunshot wounds to a leg, federal officials said.
Avila provided a "harrowing and very detailed" account of the attack to a doctor, who was interviewed by Telemundo correspondent Raul Torres.
The two were driving down Highway 57 just outside of San Luis Potosi when they noticed two SUVs following them, the doctor said. The two attackers up behind them at a high rate of speed, "aggressively."
The gunmen started firing at them from inside the two vehicles as they approached, and eventually rammed them off the road. The agent said that he remembers then how one of the men got out, assault rifle in hand, and somehow either through window or door ... went inside their vehicle and opened fire point blank at them.
He took nothing, which would eliminate robbery as reason. They were not ambushed by a "fake" road block, the doctor told Telemundo.
The gunmen apparently knew they were attacking law enforcement officers judging from comments they made before opening fire, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The law enforcement official refused to reveal the specific comments, but said the blue Suburban had diplomatic plates that also may have indicated who was on board.
Texas Congressman Michael McCaul, who was briefed on the incident as chairman of the Homeland Security Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, said the gunmen opened fire after the agents identified themselves as U.S. diplomats.
"This was an intentional ambush against two United States federal agents," he said in a statement. "This tragic event is a game changer. The United States will not tolerate acts of violence against its citizens or law enforcement and I believe we must respond forcefully."
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the fatal attack on American law enforcement, the highest-profile since the 1985 torture and killing of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, won't change the U.S. commitment to supporting Mexico in its crackdown on organized crime.Video: Special agent killed in Mexico (on this page)
"Let me be clear: Any act of violence against our ICE personnel — or any DHS personnel — is an attack against all those who serve our nation and put their lives at risk for our safety," Napolitano said in a statement. "We remain committed in our broader support for Mexico's efforts to combat violence within its borders."
San Luis Potosi state governor Fernando Toranzo blamed the attack on drug gangs.
"There was an attack where drug gang members ... tried to kill two U.S. officials on a federal highway," Toranzo said in a radio interview.
But federal officials told NBC News' Pete Williams that it's still not clear if the gunmen targeted the men because they were U.S. agents.
It's possible the incident was a carjacking gone awry, as SUVs are highly prized in that area of Mexico, one official told NBC. Texas missionary Nancy Davis shot to death last month in northern Mexico while traveling in a large 2008 Chevrolet pickup, and police believe the attackers were trying to steal the truck.Video: U.S. agents shot in Mexico (on this page)
Additionally, the official told Williams, the area is not under the control of any single cartel, so turf battles have been known to erupt.
U.S. and Mexican officials said they were working closely together to investigate the shooting and find those responsible.
Napolitano and Attorney General Holder said Wednesday they would establish a joint task force between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, led by the FBI, to work with Mexico on the investigation.
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The two agents were driving a four-lane, federal highway from Mexico City to the northern city of Monterrey on routine business and not as part of an investigation, said a U.S. federal law enforcement official who is not authorized to discuss the case publicly. ICE, the agency for immigration enforcement inside the U.S., also investigates drugs, money laundering and smuggling of weapons and other contraband in Mexico, according to former director Julie Myers.
The agents were stopped at what may have appeared to be a military checkpoint, according to one Mexican official, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the case. Mexican military officers said they had no checkpoints in the area.
After they stopped, someone opened fire on them, the official said.
Television footage showed a blue sports utility vehicle with several large bullet holes sitting in the median of the highway, which was guarded by heavily armed Mexican federal police.
While San Luis Potosi has seen sporadic incidents of drug violence, it borders two states where cartels are waging a bloody fight for territory.Slideshow: Narco culture permeates Mexico, leaks across border (on this page)
Mexico is fighting heavily armed and powerful drug cartels that supply the U.S. market. Since President Felipe Calderon launched a military crackdown on organized crime shortly after taking office in December 2006, almost 35,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence.
The U.S. has increased equipment and training support for Mexico in recent years through its $1.4 billion Merida Initiative.
As of January last year, 26 ICE special agents also had trained over 4,000 new Mexican police recruits, according to the embassy.Video: El Paso school mourns students slain in Mexico
Zapata, who joined ICE in 2006, served on the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit as well as the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. He also served as a member of the U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, Arizona. The agency didn't provide his age but said he was a native of Brownsville, Texas, who graduated from the University of Texas at Brownsville in 2005.
On Wednesday, President Barack Obama called Zapata's parents to give "his and Michelle's heart felt condolences on the loss of their son.," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.
"The President told them that no words could express the sadness of the loss of a loved one, their son served our country admirably," Carney said.
Americans attacked
Though Mexico is seeing record rates of violence, it is rare for U.S. officials to be attacked. The U.S. government, however, has become increasingly concerned about the safety of its employees in Mexico.
In March, an U.S. employee of the American consulate in Ciudad Juarez, her husband and a Mexican tied to the consulate were killed when drug gang members fired on their cars as they left a children's party in the city across from El Paso, Texas.
The U.S. State Department has taken several measures over the past year to protect consulate employees and their families. It has at times authorized the departure of relatives of U.S. government employees in northern Mexican cities.
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In July, it temporarily closed the consulate in Ciudad Juarez after receiving unspecified threats. Earlier this month, the consulate in Guadalajara prohibited U.S. government officials from traveling after dark on the road to the airport because of cartel-related attacks in Mexico's second-largest city.
If there is any evidence that drug gangs targeted the two agents, it would mark an escalation in the conflict.
"What we would hope is that there would be an incredibly strong response from the U.S. government ... Otherwise we could have a situation where it's open season on U.S. federal agents at the border," said Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington.
The Associated Press, Reuters and NBC News contributed to this report.


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