text:
Archive for January, 2010
The Making of "Precious" pt.5
by Ishmael Reed
A book promoted by the magazine in which all of the crack addicts were black and in which one photo showed a black crack addict, a mother, fellating a John while a baby was strapped to her back even offended Brent Staples, a black member of the editorial board. That crack is a black drug, exclusively, is just another media hoax meant to entertain whites of the kind that dates to the very beginning of the American mass media.
So I wasn't surprised that the magazine section featured a spread about "Precious" featuring Gabourey Sidibe, the 350 pound actor in the title role, on the cover certainly an act of black exploitation. However the interviewer, gossip writer Lynn Hirschberg, did perform a service by catching Lee Daniels, the "director" of Precious in a couple of exaggerations. In an effort to follow the marketing plan, the title of the article was "The Audacity of Precious," after Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" subtitled "Is America Ready For A Movie About An Obese Harlem Girl Raped And Impregnated By Her Abusive Father?" Lionsgate spent big bucks to advertise the movie in the Times.
During Lynn Hirschberg's interview with Daniels, he claims that he directed Monster's Ball, about a black woman so dimwitted that she begins a relationship with her husband's white executioner (though as a porn movie it was superior to Co-Ed Confidential). The husband was played by Sean Puffy Combs.
Turns out that Daniels didn't direct the film. It was directed by Marc Forster a white director. So, did Daniels direct "Precious" or is really he playing the flak catcher for this heinous project like Oprah Winfrey and Perry? When he went on the set to exercise his role as "director" did the white people who own the movie and provide the crew for this film call security? Hard to say.
He also said that he grew up in the ghetto. His aunt disputes this.
The Times has printed no less than four articles all of which have either praised Precious, or gave those who defend the movie the most lines. Two were written by A.O. Scott, who said that this movie about fictional characters was part of a "national conversation about race." This is the problem with films like "Precious." White critics like A.O. Scott, who hog all the criticism space as black, Hispanic, and Asian American journalists are being fired in droves, get a chance to pick and choose which cultural products that will ignite a discussion about race usually ones that show blacks as depraved individuals, individuals that are used to blame black men and in this case black women, collectively. He suggests that based upon a movie adapted from a fiction, all black males are incest violators, the kind of group libel aimed at the brothers when Gloria Steinem said that The Color Purple told the truth about black men.
Why didn't Dexter, Paris Trout or Dorothy Allison's Bastard Out Of Carolina, begin "a national conversation," about race? Ted Turner tried to suppress Bastard Out Of Carolina, this white incest film and only through the intervention of Anjelica Huston was the film aired. Turner pronounced it too graphic to be shown on his network CNN, which poses blacks as degenerates 24/7. In several states, Bastard has been banned from classrooms and school libraries.
Also, why doesn't the Times open its Jim Crow Op Ed page so that a member of Precious's target, black men, as a class, could respond to this smear, this hate crime as entertainment, this Neo Nazi porn and filth. There are hundreds of black male intellectuals (yes, black men are more than athletes, criminals and entertainers) who would take up the challenge. But the Op Ed page is only open to one black writer, consistently–Orlando Patterson–, who, like the '20s writer Claude McKay, is the kind of Jamaican who has nothing but contempt for African Americans.
Sapphire (Ramona Lofton), who wrote the novel Push, also has a biography like Daniel's that shifts about. First she told Dinitia Smith of the Times (July 2, 1996) that Precious was an actual person. "She lives there," she said, "pointing at a dowdy building over check cashing store." Don't you think that if such a person existed that Lionsgate wouldn't include her in its marketing plan so ubiquitous that an ad for this film appears on my email screen when I sign in at AOL. It figures? AOL's expert on black culture and politics is DNesh D'Souza .Their coverage of black culture is limited to black NFL and NBA athletes who get into trouble outside of strip clubs.
Part of the packaging of both the novel and the film has been to cash in the culture of recovery. Sapphire says that she was a former prostitute and a victim of incest (Lee Daniels does his pity party routine during the Times' interview). She also said that she is a recovering lesbian. In 1986, she began to "remember things." "An incident of violent sexual abuse " when she was "3 or 4." Her father, an Army Sergeant, denied her claim. He died in 1990. (Lee Daniels also "remembered" abuse by his father. I wonder what his aunt would say.)
Her "remembering things," and being inspired by two other profitable black incest products led Alfred Knopf to give her a $500,000 advance for two books one of which, entitled "American Dreams" included a poem called "Wild Thing," which blamed the rape of a Central Park Jogger on black boys.
Ishmael Reed is an award-winning novelist, author & essayist. He was born in Tennesse & raised in Buffalo NY and is a former journalist for the Buffalo Challenger. His next book "Barack Obama and the Jim Crow Media: the Return of the Nigger Breakers" will be published in the Spring by Baraka publishers of Quebec. He is the editor of Konch. He can be reached at:
Wall Street has a lot of nerve!!!
Main Street Needs to Protest Wall Street Bonuses
by Gloria Dulan-Wilson
Generally, I make it a rule to never go to sleep with the news on. (Yes! I'm one of those people who live with TV in the background.) However, I dozed off around 4:30AM after having spent the night "fighting material" (a Lincoln University old school term for studying hard). Around 6:25 I heard something so disturbing, I was compelled to get up and write this article: Wall Street is Leading a Protest Against President Barack Obama! Today!
My subconscious said, "That can't be possible. You're having a nightmare. Pay no attention to that nonsense. You know they have better sense than that." But the other side of my brain argued, "No they don't. They'll do anything to duck responsibility, maintain the status quo, and continue to suck off society until not even the marrow is left, while they collect their bonuses, and we collect unemployment and welfare!" With that my eyes popped open, I couldn't sleep.
So, here I am, 6:40 in the morning, writing this piece. If this true, and it most likely is, then Main Street (the rest of America) has to protest Wall Street. Main Street needs to put Wall Street on notice that we are not going to let this nonsense go unchallenged.
Of course, it's no accident that they chose the day of President Obama's State of the Union Address to pull this prank. They have been trying to weasel out of their responsibility for collapsing the economy for the past two years. They've turned a blind eye to the plight of Main Street for decades. They had the temerity and the gall to flip Main Street Mortgages, securitizing them, and selling them, over encumbering them (I.e. loading them up with debt), while the home owners were being gouged with higher and higher prices, for lower and lower valued properties — and at the same time dealing with an economy where increasingly lower and lower salaries were being offered for fewer and fewer jobs (with the bulk of the better paid positions being sent overseas). So eventually, and inevitably, the house of cards collapsed, literally — along with cars, banks, insurance companies — whole systems that were being carried by frustrated and beleaguered home owners.
When the great collapse came — guess who was in charge of the United States of America? Bush and all his cronies. It was like having Dracula in the White House. Were they surprised that this happened? Probably not. Did they care? As long as their cash kept flowing, most definitely not. Were there prepared to — or even interested in — doing something to help the struggling families who suddenly found themselves without a roof over their heads? Not in the least!
Were they prepared to help the Wall Street investment firms who caused the problem, and were righteously teetering on the brink of disaster, brought on by their own greed, stupidity, avariciousness? Can you say cover up, boys and girls? Remember that taxing the poor to save the rich has been around at least as long as the Bible. It's nothing new. You can bet that when they came on TV that Sunday morning in 2008, saying to the American public that they should do absolutely nothing, but that the President (Bush) should give them billions of bail out dollars, they were not in the least bit concerned about you. You were going to foot the bill, no matter what. Foot it, but not benefit from it. They were only about covering their asses — er, I mean assets (sorry).
These "smartest minds" as they called themselves, announced that they're planning to protest President Obama! How dare they! The smartest minds are who got us into this mess to begin with. We really need to send a signal to them. Ain't no business as usual in Wall Street. The President, via our Attorney General, should not stop until a forensic investigation of every transaction that has negatively affected us and the US in general is conducted.
President Obama is calling for greater regulation of the financial sector, and it's quite probably they are now feeling the heat breathing down their necks. And it's about time. I suspect the reason we didn't have financial literacy classes in elementary, middle, and high school, is because, armed with the appropriate information, Wall Street would have never have been able to undermine the stability of the economy. When everybody knows and understands how a system works, and has an interest and involvement in it, it's pretty difficult to get away with what they've been able to get away with.
Think about it, we in New York City, live in a society where the biggest industry we have is money and investment, but I daresay, less that 12% of New Yorkers in the five boroughs of Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island, have working knowledge of Wall Street; much less ongoing investments in the mid to high end stocks, let alone municipal bonds. It's certainly not taught in any of the 19 schools Bloomberg's henchmen just closed. Hmmmm! When adult education courses are offered, rarely are programs offered in financial literacy or demystifying Wall Street.
While the rank and file of Wall Street live in a home where the median income is $250,000 annually and upwards to $millions, we, the "little people" are acting as though $35,000 puts us in the middle class income bracket (well it does if both husband and wife are earning $35,000 each); but you're struggling if it turns out that you have an over priced apartment, or if your mortgage exceeds $1200 a month, and you have children; possibly a car. You're struggling.
I love money just as much as the next person. I'd love to be independently wealthy. But not by climbing on the backs of the rest of society to do so. And if my actions caused the severe privations currently faced with rampant foreclosures, business failures, people losing their jobs, how could I (or Wall Street) in clear consciousness, expect to receive a bonus?
Now, these same proposed Wall Street protesters who may have caused you to lose even your basic means of support, have the temerity and the gall to try to protest President Obama. Obama, who has assiduously worked to restructure the broken toy (the economy is like a broken toy that your big brother or sister gives you after he or she has ruined it, taken all the fun and life out of it, and then sits back smugly while you try to make it go, knowing all along they still have a key piece in their back pocket). These characters (oops! I almost called them cretins — but how could the smartest guys in the room be cretins? Duh) want to protest him?
Don't you find it interesting that they didn't protest the bogus wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan? Don't you find it amazing that none of them have been sent overseas? But you can bet that they are underwriting some of the weaponry that is purchased for the war. Remember elementary economics: Guns and Butter. Guns are more important than butter. (by the reason they are asking dumb questions about how the Health Care Bill will be paid for is because they are making far more money paying for a losing war — their return on their investment (ROI) is through the stratosphere. And when it looks as if we are moving in the direction of pulling our troops and ending the war, the pull an old photo and recording of Bin Ladin out of somewhere with some new threat, and we end up sending more troops whether we needed to or not. They'd protest ending the war, not because we don't need to be there, but because it's messing with their favorite cash cow.
So let's protest Wall Street. Let's protest them for trying to collect bonuses for a job poorly done. Let's protest Wall Street for lying to the public. Let's protest Wall Street until every penny of those so-called bonuses go to underwrite New York's economy. Let's protest them until every one of those homes that went up in flames via mortgage backed securities (please don't put the blame on the so-called sub prime loans — it's really all Wall Street, either overt or covert), get's at least $100,000 to pay down some of their mortgage or move into a new home, after their home was foreclosed upon. Let's protest Wall Street, and put a freeze on any and all funds over and above salaries that they are trying to sneak and give to each other, while the rest of us go twisting in the wind.
In other words: Don't let Wall Street get away with this garbage! Tie their feet to the fire. Make them understand that we are all human beings, and deserve to be treated with honesty, integrity, respect — i.e. humanely! And at the same time, we should demand that our education system immediately implement ongoing financial literacy education and training programs, beginning with our first graders, and continuing through college FREE of charge; as well as a remedial Adult Education Financial Literacy program for those of us who went through this system and did not receive the basics.
By the way, for those of you who think that the Wall Street protest is nothing serious, just remember these facts: Barack Obama is the first Black President in the United States; he's taken on a system that was morally bankrupt from beginning to end. He's catching hell in the press, not because he's not doing a good job. In fact, check the real records. He's doing an excellent job. But Mephistopheles is in the game; Machiavelli is setting the tone for the Republicans — because this is the way Republicans operate — and remember who runs the mainstream media and Wall Street — oh, yes Right Wing, conservative, Republicans.
Remember two years ago when there were seas and seas of Obama buttons because America finally woke up and found itself in the middle of a mess (once again) thanks to the Bush Administration? We once a member of the opposition party gets into office, they do their best to try to make his life and administration a living hell. They did it Clinton. They did it to Carter. They will try to do it to Obama, too. But we're not going to sit back and let that happen this time. This time we should be astute enough to recognize their m.o. (method of operation/modus operandi) by now.
So, with that in mind, let's not only protest Wall Street protesters, because they are part and parcel the reason we're in the mess we're in now; but let's get those financial literacy classes going — whether in the schools, or in our many churches (probably better if done in church, it may actually keep the greed factor in church if economics is taught from the standpoint of being our brothers and sisters keepers).
And while you're at it, get out your Obama buttons, tee shirts, posters, caps, cups, clips, pens; support OFA, and any other organizations that support President Obama, or form one of your own, locally, nationally, internationally. It's going to be a long haul and a bumpy ride. If you think that you've done something by electing him — you're definitely right, and have a great deal to be proud of. But we now have to make sure that the agenda we helped him become elected on is implemented, and not circumvented via political expediency and yellow striped blue dogs, filibustering miscreants who are only concerned about party issues, not people issues.
Every time an election comes up, a referendum, or any measure, think "how does this affect Obama, therefore me and my family. You have to vote the same way you did when Obama was running for president. You have to line up to the polls the same way you did on November 4, 2008. You have to send a signal for all times that we are alive, large and in charge, and are using our activism and our constitutional right to vote to make sure the guy we put in office doesn't get sidelined by insidious, duplicitous activities that in the long run undermine us.
Now more than ever YES WE CAN has to be our watchword when it comes to supporting President Barack Obama. Supporting him is supporting America – black, brown, yellow; Red, white, blue.
Stay Blessed &
Gloria Dulan-Wilson Is a veteran New York City Journalist who is new to the bullet. Her experiences, perspective & sense of history are an invaluable combination. "check out my blog:" www.gloria-dulan-wilson.blogspot.com
My Resume
by Dr. Waine Kong
I was born at Kingston Jubilee Hospital in Kingston on July 18, 1943. Within my first four years of life, World War II ended, my father moved back to China and my mother migrated to the United States and started another family. So, I grew up in "The Bush" (Woodlands District, St. Elizabeth) being nurtured and protected by my Granny, Mrs. Rosella McKenzie (Miss Rosie). After my fifteenth birthday, (April 3, 1959) my brother Earl and I rejoined my mother and her new family in the United States.
In the fifty years since 1959, I lived in Morristown, NJ; Indianola, Iowa; Washington, DC; Columbia, MD; Baltimore, MD; York, PA; Sacramento, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Miami, FL., and Atlanta, GA. After all my roaming, I returned to Jamaica after I retired in 2008 and began to get to know my birth country for the first time!
I am currently, President of Heart Institute of the Caribbean Foundation (HICF) where I facilitate open access to cardiovascular care for people who cannot afford it. Contributions are being solicited and would be appreciated. We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization in the United States as well as a registered NGO in Jamaica with the Registry of Companies. I love to write and give talks on a wide range of topics and to a wide range of audiences. Hopefully, my sermons and speeches, as well as the books and articles I publish will help to improve the human condition.
I have been a college professor, a hospital administrator, Director of a medical research center and, between 1986 and 2008, served as the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) based in Atlanta. I have dedicated a great deal of my life trying to reduce the ravages of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Dr. Elijah Saunders and I pioneered several community outreach efforts including being first to organize churches as health promotion centers starting in 1979. I developed the "Community Health Advocates" as well as the Barbershop and Beauty salon blood pressure control programs. I also coined the mantra: "Children should know their grandparents so they will become great grandparents" that was adopted by the ABC in 1998 as well as develop the "Seven Steps to Good Health."
I received his B.A. from Simpson College (1967), an M.A. from American University (1970), my AGS in rehabilitation (1974) from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. from Walden University (1977) in educational psychology. I am also a lawyer. I received a JD from Dickinson School of Law in 1990 and I continue to be a member of the Georgia Bar.
Among my awards are: Chairman's Award (American Heart Association/Howard County);Leadership in Public Health (Centers for Disease Control/CDC); Health Promotion (American Legacy Magazine); Humanitarian Service Award (Simpson College); Father of Church High Blood Pressure Programs (Maryland Association of Blood Pressure Measurement Specialists); Distinguished Research Award (International Society on Hypertension in Blacks); Leadership in Public Health (COSEHC).
I am married to Dr. Stephanie Kong, a Pediatrician who has been a managed care executive for 30 years. We are the parents of four children (Jillian, Freddie, Melanie and Aleron) and grandparents to five beautiful grandchildren (Mackenzie, Brooks, Audrey, Vincent and Kai). Our hobbies include traveling (we have visited over 100 countries), dancing, swimming, golf, dominoes, bid whist and bridge. However, as I walk through the wilderness of this world, my passion is to pursue the truth about my God, myself and my environment. "Nam et ipsa scienta potestas est."
Between 1994 and 2008, we were active members of Providence Missionary Baptist Church (Rev. Gerald Durley) in Atlanta where I faithfully served the pastor and the congregation on the Deacon Board while my wife served on the Board of Trustees. We know the Lord. A little time in The Son saved me from being burned. A lot of kneeling keeps us in good standing because he who kneels before God, can stand up to anyone.
Bullet Columnist Basil Waine Kong has written several pieces for this journal and especially likes to expound on his favorite subject: his beloved Jamaica. He is a former Atlien (resident of Atlanta GA), and was the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) for 22 years before his retirement in 2008 to return to Jamaica. This article is reprinted with his permission from his blogsite; Coming in From the Cold… Bob Marley
Pam Africa on the Supreme Court ruling against Mumia
reprint from the SF Bay View Newspaper
Thursday Jan 21st, 2010
On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and granted the Philadelphia DA's petition for a writ of certiorari. Basically, the Supreme Court went against the lower federal circuit court's 2001 and 2008 rulings, which granted a new sentencing phase jury trial if the death penalty was to be reinstated in Jamal's case. Now the case goes back down to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, who will decide whether they will re-impose the death penalty without the jury trial.
Pam Africa on the Supreme Court ruling against Mumia
by Minister of Information JR
Pam Africa, chairwoman of International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal, was a key organizer of the large demonstration outside the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals when Mumia's case was heard there on May 17, 2007. Now the Supreme Court has ordered the case back to that court.
On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against political prisoner Mumia Abu Jamal and granted the Philadelphia DA's petition for a writ of certiorari. Basically, the Supreme Court went against the lower federal circuit court's 2001 and 2008 rulings, which granted a new sentencing phase jury trial if the death penalty was to be reinstated in Jamal's case. Now the case goes back down to the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals, who will decide whether they will re-impose the death penalty without the jury trial.
In a recent interview with the Block Report, Mumia spoke about the Spisak case, in which the death penalty has since been reinstated for the white supremacist murderer Frank Spisak. The question is how this will affect Mumia's case since they both dealt with the Mills issue, which addresses confusing jury instructions.
We are now at the highest level of Code Red in the case of Mumia Abu Jamal. The people must come to this tireless souljah's defense.
I interviewed Pam Africa, the chairwoman of the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal, about the direction of the "Free Mumia" movement at this critical time …
M.O.I. JR: Now that we have this information on how the Supreme Court wants to move on Mumia's case, how is the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal moving? And what do they need from the people?
Pam Africa: One thing that people need to understand is that this is a very crucial time. What we're doing today, we're having a press conference in front of the District Attorney's Office here in Philadelphia.
This is the first Black DA in the city of Philadelphia. His name is Seth Williams, who ran on the platform that when he became district attorney, he would execute Mumia. That's why we're having the demonstration there, because it eventually will end up in the hands of the district attorney.
The district attorney are the ones that are applying for this death sentence on Mumia. I know that they are battling Mills (the case concerning jury instructions) and everything else, but people must stay focused. The time is very short in dealing with the case of Mumia.
People must organize around the world. There are two petitions that are happening: One is by a group of people over in Germany with Mumia's attorney, Robert Bryan, calling on President Obama to get involved in the case and get Mumia a new case, because he never had a trial, really.
But we're calling on the attorney general. When I say we, I'm saying there are several groups and organizations that is spearheaded by the New York (Free Mumia Abu-Jamal) Coalition that is calling on the attorney general, because what we're pointing out is that Mumia cannot get any fairness whatsoever.
Brewing right here is another example of what it is we're talking about. Mumia cannot get any fairness in this court system, so we're calling on the U.S. attorney general to do a civil rights investigation into this case, because Mumia's civil rights from the beginning to the end, and our civil rights as citizens of this United States who have pointed out the evidence very clearly (are threatened). That nobody can get around: Mumia is innocent. He is factually innocent.
And what we're asking people to do is to sign both of the petitions on behalf of Mumia. The one that the attorney is putting out there, because when he petitions and all, Obama, Obama's next move is that he has to go to the U.S. attorney general. And when he comes to the U.S. attorney general, he will fully know that our last person who signed the petition for the civil rights investigation was Skip Gates, who sat down and had a beer after he was beat up by the police, you know, at the White House. I'm saying, he signed the petition. We have people that are right in the ear of Obama and the attorney general.
And I want to point out very clearly, we have no hope whatsoever in the system. Our faith, Mumia's faith, is in the people. Will the people rise up and do what is right? Shaka Sankofa is dead because the people didn't consistently stay on top of these people when they did wrong.
Tookie Williams, when they executed him, when they murdered him in cold-blood when the movement was moving, it should've continued to move that way. There are magnificent things that are happening in California around the death penalty, but everybody must unite together and move as one up against this government for the sake of Brotha (Troy) Davis, for the sake of all the brothas that's on death row right now.
Again there is Academics for Mumia, who are at Princeton University, who is having a meeting pulling academics together, and we're asking the academics to sign both of these petitions while they educate people. I'm telling you people, we are not without the evidence. If you go to the website at Journalists for Mumia, if you go into the Bay View, you will find all of the evidence that you need to bring the system down to its knees.
Once again, do not be duped by time; time is running out. And I know that when this next step is made, as I understand, things might be like six months and then it will go to the DA. The time might be a little bit off, but we don't have much time. It's time for them people to get into them churches, make them ministers get up, make these politicians get up, you know, make the people rise up, as they did in 1999, when we did Millions for Mumia. The time is now for organizing, organizing with all of the strength that you have.
And I just want to thank people like the Partisan Defense Committee, Labor for Mumia, the Mobilization for Mumia, Millions for Mumia. These people have stayed steadfast, and if I haven't mentioned the names of other people, there is a lot of individuals – JR and the Bay View – for keeping this issue up front in the people's eye.
The time is now for organizing, organizing with all of the strength that you have. People must pull together to abolish the death penalty. Save this brotha who has been on the front lines, from deathrow, on every issue of social justice that there is.
And I will be down (in the Bay) on Feb. 18. I'll be in California, from the 18th to the 23rd. I'm coming down there for the brotha of the San Francisco 8 (Francisco Torres') hearing. I'm coming down there for Brotha JR's hearing, and I wish I could be in LA when they bring this murderous cop (who murdered) Oscar Grant there, but I'm going to be pushing for people to get there – everybody who can.
This death sentence that was handed out to this brotha; we can't allow it, people. And I'm saying y'all have been an example to all of the people around the world of resistance (of what can be done) when people be consistent at what they do. Y'all have had something done here when y'all had that murderous monster arrested. It must continue. This dude must sit on deathrow. That is where he needs to sit with all of the other people. And let people fight to get his behind off of deathrow.
You know, it can't be enough said: People must pull together. You must abolish the death penalty because it is wrong, all the way across the board. We must support JR and all of the brothas and sistas that was arrested. This is what Mumia is pushing for; this is what we're pushing for.
When we come to California, we'll be having more information about Mumia. The movement is moving real fast, so please while you are organizing for everything, tell people that they must get into the streets in order to save this brotha who has been on the front lines, from deathrow, on every issue of social justice that there is.
Email POCC Minister of Information JR, Bay View associate editor, at blockreportradio [at] gmail.com and visit http://www.blockreportradio.com &
Seek First to Understand
by Brenda Lee
It's important to understand why a loved one won't have contact with you. Understand the group's dynamics and how the group thinks as one mind. This means that you must research the group thoroughly and try to understand why your friend/relative wants to believe in this group's mission/utopia/idealistic endeavor. What are the payoffs/downsides? What vulnerabilities does the group manifest? What doubt is your loved one secretly fostering—is he/she tired of the endless and non-climactic routine, the eternal carrot, the hypocrisy, the financial outlay, the disassociation from loved ones?
There is a common component in all relationships which Dr. Stephen R. Covey, cites as a good habit #5 in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is: Seek First to Understand , Then to be Understood. Seeking first to understand can pay huge dividends in all relationships.
A caution, however, based upon my own personal observations: While you are researching your loved one's high-control group, be careful that they do not indoctrinate you! Keep yourself grounded by reading books about thought/mind control and having your own support network. Remember that most people fall prey to cults because of some emotional need that isn't being fulfilled. Think about it—what stronger emotional need do you have right now than to have your loved one back in your arms? Are you vulnerable at this time? You bet you are!
Lee is a regular bullet columnist who has appeared as a regular on the TV documentary The Secret Lives of Women "Cults" segments. She has written several pieces in our starting rotation but her first essay for the bullet was on Mothers Day "An Author's Reflection on Mothers Day…" She overcame her mother's (mis)using religion like a scalpel in a power-mad effort to break her will, only to write a powerful book of revelation and triumph.
3 Reasons Why Haynes may be a Good Fit for Ellicott
by Chris Stevenson
One of the great privileges of being a part of the press is the ability to show people that no one is such an icon that he or she at some point are beyond criticism or scrutiny whether white or black. Very important in a city like Buffalo. You'll find that the poorer a city is, the more delusional some of it's leaders become. My suspicion regarding Buffalo is that for decades what a good number of black politicians wanted from black voters and residents, was the right to screw up and have as little notice or backlash & accountability as possible. 'Why Not, the White Boys is Doin' It!' they would shoot back.
My last column previously urged the Council (particularly the Council majority) to respect the choice of the people or in this case as represented by the Ellicott District Committee. Some of you probably think I should take issue with how things transpired, for in truth the final decision for the Ellicott Councilman was determined by people living outside of Ellicott. Would any Buffalo Bills fan appreciate the Cleveland Browns picking our next Head Coach? Yet on one hand this seems to have been the case with this choice. On the other I also told you a way was made shortly after Byron's first Mayoral election to go around the votes of the committee if the Council (Majority) wasn't approving of mid-term appointments by them. While I take issue with the methodology, I also have some reservations on how certain actions by the eventual loser of the Council vote; Pastor Darius Pridgen, campaigned for Ellicott & personally question if this didn't have some intimidating influence on any of the committeemen. Was the committee vote tainted in some way?
Part of the reasons I think Dr. Curtis Haynes Jr. is a good choice. 1-I never heard of him. This goes a long way with me, especially in a politicians paradise of revolving doors here in Buffalo. 2-His credentials. An Economics Professor in a notoriously economically-deprived business district seems like a godsend at the outset. Certainly can't hurt (knock on wood). 3-What we missed Pridgen and Bryon McIntyre & a host of others. Joe Golombek picked a candidate who wouldn't even arrive for interviewing. Who gets a job without being interviewed? Like I said delusions, imagine the drama she had planned for Ellicott. We missed Pridgen theatrics. Whether he would have been a Brown crony or not I see him bringing more style than substance to the Ellicott seat. Why do I say that? Hmmm… a Pastor or Reverend in a political position is almost never a godsend. Even if he claims it is. Would have been entertaining but not very effective. The stories about his followers circling the building on Swan Street in their vehicles seven times with their horns blasting ala the Biblical story of the Walls of Jericho tumbling down, along with his subtle inference that it's actually God's will that he have the Ellicott seat is outrageous to say the least.
Dozens of people (I hear upwards of 200) showing up in red in the Council Chamber audience is-no pun intended-one hell of a show (my mean old boss made me drive to Cleveland that day). Over on Ferry and Grider the Book of Darius is a bad mamma-jamma. Darius can move people, he could make Precious lose 200 lbs. Pridgeon has a zealous following like nothing I have ever seen since white teamster and labor unions of the '70's and early '80's. I remember the Wildcat Walkouts of Greyhound. I remember one driver jumping in front of a bus in order to stop a replacement driver from pulling out at what was then the new downtown station. These was white boys, no one was really shocked. Pridgen comes the closest to getting that same kind of unity and camaraderie and he doing it with blacks, Buffalo blacks. That's no small feat. You think I'm hating, you're wrong. I'm envious, I think it's great. It's always a wonderful thing for blacks to be tightly united in things other than BS ("no snitching" for example). We needed those blaring horns for former officer Cariol Horne. Y'all understand me? We needed Pridgen's wildcats to turn out for Elizabeth Taylor Oliver. We needed Darius' denizens to circle the Rath Building 7 times when Dorothea McDonald was assaulted by a Sheriff's Deputy.It's not like Pridgen hasn't shown hints of this kind of activism before, he organized townhall meetings in Cheektowaga against response to complaints of their persistent & ongoing racial-profiling and brutality and organized a boycott on Walden Galleria years ago.
But this struggle is ongoing, blacks always say they're tired of doing this or pretend the movement is over. Whites tirelessly continue racism and brutality without letup. Someone is lying. Meanwhile for his 3rd election in a row Bryon McIntyre came close, but not quite close enough. Say what you will about the maneuverings of "Champ" Eve, the secret ballots, backdoor deals or whatever, Mac is still a people's leader, but he doesn't move the people whom he needs, to get him where he wants to be. To use my Temptations analogy, Bryon can sing, dance, and is a good dresser, but for whatever reason, he is not tempting. This is my 3rd time supporting Bryon, I'm 0-for-3 with him in two different newspapers. Bro! You're killin me. I don't know what to say. If people like you for weeks before the election, but all the behind-the-scenes plans go around, over, beneath and behind you, then it's probably you. I'll leave it to him to tell you how close he came, I don't have the space, but I think a little killer-instinct is lacking. Buffalo is a funny city, nice guys like McIntyre finish last here, but so do crude guys, so I'm mystified. I expect both him and Pridgen to return this fall.
Chris Stevenson is a syndicated columnist, his articles also appear in the Buffalo Challenger. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook, you don't have to join either. Respond to him on the link below.
The Making of "Precious" pt.4
by Ishmael Reed
This is the third black man as sexual predator and the second black incest film that Ms. Winfrey has either endorsed or performed in, yet, only a few titles by black male authors have been adopted by her book club. On Sunday, Nov. 23, during a phone interview with Keifer Bonvillin, author of Ruthless, an inside look at the Oprah operation, I asked him about her embrace of the black male as a sexual predator trope. He wrote:
Last year, I published 'Ruthless', (a true story based on conversations I had with Oprah Winfrey's office manager). The book detailed the unfair treatment African American men received from Oprah Winfrey and the negative stereotypical images of African American men that Oprah sent out in her films. The office manager also gave me a rare glance of Oprah Winfrey's private life.
This was the first time one of Oprah Winfrey's employees spoke openly about her as they are prevented from doing so by strict confidentiality agreements. Oprah tried hard to block publication of the book. She and her attorney went so far as to have me arrested. The charges were dropped and the book was published.
Since the publication of 'Ruthless,' I noticed several profound changes in the way Oprah Winfrey is doing business.
1) Oprah produced 'The Great Debaters,' which was the first film produced by Harpo Films (in my opinion) to not have negative stereotypical images of black men.
2) This season, JayZ, became the first African American rap artist to perform on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
3) This season Oprah's book club selection, 'Say You're One
of Them,' was written by a black man, Liwem Akpan. This was the first time in years a black man who is not one of Oprah's friends was featured in the book club.
I was very encouraged by what I was seeing. Then came 'Precious!' Like her addiction to food, Oprah does well for a little while but she just can't help herself.
Another reason that Ms. Winfrey supports the film is because she endorses the policy points the movie makes about welfare recipients. Precious is encouraged to take a job as home care worker for $2.00 per hour. Throughout the movie, poor women are guided to WorkFare. The movie almost becomes a commercial for the program. The policy message is that welfare recipients are black women who wish to avoid work, who use their time having sex with their daughters, watching television and dining on pig leavings. They don't intervene when their boyfriends rape their children (even the grandmother refuses to intervene). Oprah's attitude toward welfare recipients was described by Pat Gowens, editor of "Mother Warriors Voice." She said that "Oprah Winfrey" is "someone who reinforces the U.S. war on the poor and unequivocally supports white male supremacy." She writes about what happened to welfare mothers who were invited to appear on her show after threatening to picket the TV megastar.
For 30 minutes before the show, Oprah's cheerleader worked the audience into a frenzy of hatred against moms on welfare. When the show started, Welfare Warriors member Linda, an Italian American mom with 3 children, was sandwiched between two women who attacked and pitied her. The African American mom on her right claimed to have overcome her 'sick dependence on welfare' and bragged about cheating on welfare and allegedly living like a queen. The white woman on her left was not a mom but had once received food stamps. Both women aggressively condemned Linda for receiving welfare. Throughout the show Oprah alternated between attacking Linda and allowing panel and audience members to attack her. Poor Linda had been prepared to discuss the economic realities of mother work, the failures of both the U.S. workforce and the child support system, and the Welfare Warriors' mission to create a Government Guaranteed Child Support program (Family Allowance) like those in Europe. But instead Linda was forced to defend her entire life, while Oprah repeatedly demanded, 'How long have you been on welfare?'
Later we complained to Oprah and her producer about the false promises they had used to lure us onto the show. (We had engaged in extensive negotiations prior to agreeing to appear. We said yes only after they agreed to discuss welfare reform, not our personal lives.) The producer shoved an Oprah cup (our pay) into our hands and pushed us out the door, angrily denying their treachery.
By the time we arrived home, we had received calls from moms on both coasts warning us about the promos Oprah was using to advertise her show: 'They call themselves welfare warriors and they refuse to work. See Oprah at 4:00.'
Well, as my great grandmother often said, "If you dig a ditch for someone, dig two." Kitty Kelley, winner of a PEN Oakland Award for censorship has an Oprah biography due from Crown. This might be Oprah's ditch. The publication of this book is the real reason why Oprah is quitting her show. Kelley has never been sued for libel and her book about the Bush family was so hot ( and useful) that the Bush Klan succeeded in shutting it down with the help of Bush 1st's golf caddy, NBC's Matt Lauer. Editors of The New York Times Magazine section hold the same position about welfare recipients as Oprah.
I stopped reading The New York Times Magazine years ago weary of its parade of flesh eating black cannibals, lazy and shiftless welfare mothers. (The Times' coverage of Africa could be written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.) It is a section of the newspaper where Daniel Moynihan is treated as some kind of Celtic god. This is the guy who accused unmarried black mothers of "speciation."
Ishmael Reed is an award-winning novelist, author & essayist. He was born in Tennesse & raised in Buffalo NY and is a former journalist for the Buffalo Challenger. His next book "Barack Obama and the Jim Crow Media: the Return of the Nigger Breakers" will be published in the Spring by Baraka publishers of Quebec. He is the editor of Konch. He can be reached at:
Why Haiti? (open letter & relief info)
Whatever you do, don't forget to read the article below my message. It details the "Radio" show that is coming on tonight! I'm looking for more information about Wyclef Jean's foundation called "Yele Haiti." I don't know if I have the correct spelling. So, associates, please come to my aid! Thanks for supporting me and remember, when you reply, especially in large numbers, I'm inspired more to do the work that I do! I also know that many of you have great opinions and I want and need your input!! Come on board at FaceBook, at this medium, or give us a website that you want to introduce us to. In that introduce to fashion, I would like all of you to go to www.GameOverSportz.com and join, give your input, and start discussions. We also must use these networks to solve OUR problems. All we must do is work together!!
Dear Family of Friends,
I'm writing you this note because of my deep concern about the catastrophe that has struck "OUR" Brothers and Sister in Haiti! I will not dwell on the devastation, because most of you have read, listened, or seen the destruction on television. Now, we must come together with our nickels and dimes and donate to the proper charity to make sure the needy people get the funds we send to the Island. One of my questions has been which group do I trust in this death of so many people caused by mother nature erupting!
My first question to myself was why is Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, being hit with such a tragedy? I caught myself because who am I to ask about God's work? Never the less, the question came to my mind along with many others about the terrible conditions OUR Brothers and Sisters are "existing" under on the Island. Why Haiti? What's going on with the rest of the World that we would sit by and let 75% unemployment exist right in our backyard? What does the unhealthy and terrible existence the Haitian people live under say about HUMAN BEINGS, especially all of the nations in the western hemisphere? The deviant and deplorable living conditions that OUR Black Haitian Brothers and Sisters are existing under is proof that White Supremacy is alive and well. It's also proof that the Black Family is a co-conspirator to what has been happening to the people of Haiti for centuries!
I regret seeing the death and suffering that is taking place on the Island, but this situation is an opportunity for people of Color all over the world to put together a plan to "REALLY" change the poor conditions that have been killing Haitian families for decades. In America and around the Globe, we have sat silently and did only things that destabilized the Haitian Government and caused the cruelest living conditions for the people!
This earthquake and the destruction that must be resolved is the door that has opened for the world to once and for all fix the myriad of problems the Haitian people are facing. You see, the misery that exist in Haiti is a reflection of how far "WE", the people, will let humanity drop without doing anything. For the United States and France, it's time for both of YOU to go into Haiti and correct all of the devastation that Your countries are specifically responsible for over many decades.
I'm going all the way back in Haitian history when the leadership inspired the people to "FIGHT" for their freedom and throw of the yolk of Imperialism and colonialism! I believe this Black Nation has been punished by White Supremacist down through time for having the tenacity to challenge white folks in armed battle and WIN!! So, I'm reaching out to the Black Family for your expertise in all of the areas that are needed to build Haiti back up to the prominence the Nation should have as "Template" for fighting for freedom. The "first" country to fight for freedom from Imperialism and WIN! We need to celebrate all over the planet and give Haiti and it's people their due recognition!! This is our Black Family legacy and it is our destiny to Save Ourselves. We must be focused and not let "White Supremacist" devilment throw US of course! We have a lot of work to do, but OUR winning History is the conclusion if we do what is right!!
In the interest of putting Haiti and it's people on the lofty recognition stage they should be on,
Brother Zachary C. Husser, Community Organizer
Note: I'm asking my long time friend and Haitian Brother in the struggle, Mr. Ernst Perodin, to please send US the information we need to know about what "Group" to send OUR money to. I'm also asking those of you with "Skills" that are needed to save lives, to use your resources to go to Haiti and help our Brothers and Sisters. We must become United Black folks to solve the many ills that have plagued our Black Nation since the introduction of "White Supremacist" into all of our Black Societies!!
G.O.P. Grief and Grieving
by CHARLES M. BLOW
The attack on the Republican establishment by the tea party folks grabs the gaze like a really bad horror flick — some version of "Hee Haw" meets "28 Days Later." It's fascinating. But it also raises a serious question: Are these the desperate thrashings of a dying movement or the labor pains of a new one?
My money is on the former. Anyone who says that this is the dawn of a new age of conservatism is engaging in wishful thinking on a delusional scale.
There is no doubt that the number of people who say that they are conservative has inched up. According to a report from Gallup on Thursday, conservatives finished 2009as the No. 1 ideological group. But ideological identification is no predictor of electoral outcomes. According to polls by The New York Times, conservative identification was slightly higher on the verge of Bill Clinton's first-term election and Barack Obama's election than it was on the verge of George W. Bush's first-term election.
It is likely that Republicans will pick up Congressional seats in November partly because of the enthusiasm of this conservative fringe, democratic apathy and historical trends. But make no mistake: This is not 1994.
This is a limited, emotional reaction. It's a response to the trauma that is the Great Recession, the uncertainty and creeping suspicion about the risks being taken in Washington, a visceral reaction to Obama and an overwhelming sense of powerlessness and loss.
Simply put, it's about fear-fueled anger. But anger is not an idea. It's not a plan. And it's not a vision for the future. It is, however, the second stage of grief, right after denial and before bargaining.
The right is on the wrong side of history. The demographics of the country are rapidly changing, young people are becoming increasingly liberal on social issues, and rigid, dogmatic religious stricture is loosening its grip on the throat of our culture.
The right has seen the enemy, and he is the future.
According to a Gallup report issued this week, Republicans were more than twice as likely as Democrats and a third more likely as independents to have a pessimistic outlook for the country over the next 20 years. That might be the fourth stage of grief: depression.
So what's their battle plan to fight back from the precipice of irrelevance? Moderation? A stab at modernity? A slate of innovative ideas? No, their plan is to purge the party's moderates and march farther down the road to oblivion.
Erick Erickson, the incendiary editor of the popular conservative blog RedState, appeared on "The Colbert Report" on Monday and said that "no one really knows what a Republican is anymore."
Split hairs about labels if you must, but the Republican brand already has begun a slow slide into obscurity. And turning further right only hastens its demise. Quiet as it's kept, many in the party know this. That, alas, is called acceptance.
Once again the bullet is proud to present New York Times Columnist & nationally known commentator Charles M. Blow with several hundred words of blistering political commentary: "I invite you to visit my blog By The Numbers, join me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter, or e-mail me at email@example.com."
Jamaican Bureaucrats Do Not Serve the People
Jamaican Civil Servants Do Not Serve the People Well
by Basil Waine Kong
The lead story in the Observer on May 21, 2009 concerned the slackness of Civil Servants in Jamaica. The town fathers and business leaders have had enough and demanding that our government straighten out the mess. This struck a nerve. As an expatriate who returned almost 2 years ago, I continue to enthusiastically encourage other expatriates to return. It was a good decision for my wife and me. We are having a fabulous time. Most of us, if not all, can contribute a wealth of experience, capital and human resources to this incredible country. However, my experiences working through the bureaucracies have not been encouraging. My experience so far leads me to believe that the institutions of Jamaica are incapable of functioning efficiently.
Whether applying for a US phone number or assisting my wife with a permanent visa and work permit, the system seems to be designed to prevent or stymie citizens from transacting business in an efficient and effective manner. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that they go out of their way to obstruct progress if you don't know "somebody". This emphasis on citizens having to be "nice and respectful" and not being facey is completely out of control. Everyone walks on needles and are deathly afraid to offend public servants or their paperwork will be sabotaged or they will be made to jump through additional hoops. Public servants here actually believe that having citizens wait all day hungry, thirsty and tired for services to which they are entitled is acceptable; and you dear not object or you will go to the end of the line. Whether it's to cash a check or getting something approved, the lines are endless. There is no respect for citizens time. Shouldn't the government try to facilitate rather than hinder? Are civil servants our bosses or should they serve the people?
Expatriates have lived in countries that have an infrastructure designed to assist the average person to transact business because transactions means that money is exchanging hands and if money exchanges hands, the system is that much richer. What I have run into instead, much to my chagrin and dismay, are civil servants who are inefficient, disrespectful and at times seem to make up rules to suit themselves. This level of bureaucratic morass is beyond any reason that I can fathom.
I offer this as an example, as a returning resident, I have had to register a business, obtain a driver's license, an NIS number, a TRN number as well as open several bank accounts. My experience is mixed. On the one hand, the Registry of Companies and the Drivers License Division are in a class by themselves for inefficiency. These divisions are a travesty. Whoever devised them must have attended the Rube Goldberg School of Business. Rube Goldberg as you may know, devised contraptions for making the simplest transactions into the most complicated. On the other hand, obtaining the NIS and TRN numbers were faultless. Some departments do get it right.
Due to government regulations, the requirements for opening a simple bank account is defies logic. I have a few rass words for bureaucrat who devised the banking rules. They actually hold onto checks written on American banks for 90 days before you can use your money and no interest is paid in the interim.
For the uninitiated, here are the steps to open an account:
1. You must account for how you got the money you are proposing to deposit;
2. Obtain two letters of recommendation from a Justice of the Peace, notary
or some similar VIP attesting to your character; (If you lie, cheat and cannot get someone important to attest to your character, you cannot open an account no matter how much money you have.)
3. Submit a projected income and expense for the upcoming year as well as anticipate how many transactions you will have per year;
4. Show proof of your residence in the form of a bill from a utility company with your name as the owner of the property; (If you are a cultivator living in country, do not have bills as well as people who live in hotels or "Cotching", you cannot have a bank account;
5. Purchase a "seal". (The only purpose for this requirement is to generate income for the people who make these seals. The cost is $3,000!)
6. Have a Tax Payer Registration Number and a driver's license. (I gave up trying to get a Jamaica credit card.)
7. Have your signature card certified by a Justice of the Peace or Notary.
This is madness. Consider the simplicity of opening a bank account in the United States. You produce your social security number, put down your money and get a bank book and checks. You can establish a savings or checking account in five minutes. In Jamaica, it takes weeks and then you even have to pay a fee each time you withdraw money if you do not use the ATM machine.
I suspected all along that Bureaucrats purposefully made the process of obtaining licenses and permits almost impossible to force citizens into submission and beg these public servants to take extra money to get it done "the easy way".
The Registry of Companies otherwise known as the "Office of Circumlution" is particularly troublesome. By comparison, it takes about an hour to complete the paperwork and submit the documents to register a company in the United States—no attorney required. With the tremendous cost of registering a business in Jamaica, I now share the belief that it was designed to guarantee that poor people will never own a legitimate business. I don't believe most lawyers could negotiate the process in Jamaica, so the public must almost always rely on expensive attorneys who specialize in registering companies. This is an un-necessary cost and headache.
Registering our company took three months of concentrated effort. When they found an error on page one, they stopped their review and return our application. After eight rejections and after addressing all their concerns, they still had a few more requirements that did not come up before.
Victory at last, the prized certificate is obtained. You are then directed to drive across town to the tax office to obtain your TRN number (not the personal one which is easy, but the business TRN). This office then directs you back to the dreaded Registry of Companies to obtain certified copies of all your submissions. The cost is J$150.00 per page and my application was 30 pages. Why couldn't the Registry of Companies also issue the TRN? This is not pro-business and does not encourage citizens to become legitimate tax paying companies. Our police can then close down those who are not registered and blame them for not having a certificate. Is this any way to run a country? I completely agree with Mr. Butch Stewart and the business leaders quoted in the Observer article. We can and should do better.
Bullet Columnist Basil Waine Kong has written several pieces for this journal and especially likes to expound on his favorite subject: his beloved Jamaica. He is a former Atlien (resident of Atlanta GA), and was the CEO of the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) for 22 years before his retirement in 2008 to return to Jamaica. This article is reprinted with his permission from his blogsite; Coming in From the Cold… Bob Marley


text: lawnmower- I agree that using heat protecting products can help hair to stop breaking. However, these products will not solve the entire problem. I recommend cutting down on the amount of time you spend using heat styling tools. If you normally blow dry your hair five days a week, cut that down to three days a week. I also recommend only flat ironing your hair once in awhile. Using a flat iron is very bad for your hair and can cause massive amounts of breakage.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The verdict
I made the spaghetti bake today, and it was good. It could have used a little more sauce, so the next time I make it I think I will be using my own sauce, that way I know I will have more than enough.
I have a few more recipes to try out, and will be doing this over the next few weeks, as I need new ideas to incorporated into my menu planning.


text:
On yer bike, pedestrians! Council paints giant cycle lane on footbridge
STUNNED pedestrians have slammed a council for painting this giant cycle lane on a footbridge - forcing people on foot to shuffle across in single file.
The new cycle lane in Stevenage, Herts., occupies almost the entire footbridge and leaves less than a foot either side for pedestrians.


text:
From the site that once made everyone an admin for a day: Reddit will be distributing invites to Reddit Mold today, an anti-premium version of the site that lucky Redditors can then gift to other users.
So what (mis-)features will they get? We're keeping that under wraps for now, but we will say that if you give someone reddit mold, you get to leave a gift note, which will appear in the right sidebar just like an ad. So one of the features will be that they get to look at whatever you wrote — all day long, on every page. (We should mention that everything goes back to normal on April 2, so you don't have to worry about long-term implications.)
You can get a Reddit Mold "spore" by hanging out on Reddit today and convincing one of the admins to give it to you–but if you make a misstep, they might Mold your account instead. The surefire way to get a spore is by purchasing a Reddit Gold subscription. Muahaha! Reddit wins!
Thanks for posting this! i really had good time reading this.
If you continue publishing articles similar to this then I am going to continue returning back to your website. Amazing material.


text:
I still remember landing on the island and how welcoming and helpful everyone was. From that day on, I knew that I had made the right decision of choosing IAU. The class sizes were just right; for the first time, professors actually knew my name and cared about my education...
Despite how many students wish to become doctors, most don't follow through with their plans due to prohibitive costs and the limited number of slots available in their local institutions. At a Caribbean university, students can enjoy excellent education with higher acceptance rates and a reasonable tuition.
International American University - College of Medicine is located in the Eastern Caribbean Sea, on the island nation of St. Lucia. Our medical school features a program based on the US model and offers education using the latest technology and teaching methods. At our Caribbean med school, students can enjoy a shorter pre-med program done in partnership with Texas A&M University-Commerce. This allows students at our college of medicine to complete the entire Pre-medical and MD program in six years rather than the traditional eight.
Aside from allowing students to achieve their dreams in a shorter span of time, we also provide opportunities to maximize their time in school. A major part of our curriculum includes extensive preparation for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) which ensures that our students are well-prepared for the exam that may ultimately decide their career.
Among Caribbean medical school programs, ours stands out for the progressive approach we take to education. While others expose their students solely to classroom-based didactics for their basic science coursework, our students are immediately introduced to a problem-oriented curriculum that emphasizes research, discussions, and other active forms of learning. This method is similar to many of the best schools in the US, and helps to build our students' confidence in their skills.
We also offer many opportunities for students to learn through experiences close to the actual practice. As early as their first semester, students will begin interacting with patients through supervised activities at local clinics. After their basic science semesters at our Caribbean medical college in St. Lucia, students spend the remaining semesters in affiliate teaching hospitals located mainly in the US. Upon completion of post-graduate residency training, our graduates become eligible for a license in many countries including the United States and Canada.
Finally, qualified foreign medical graduates intending to enter post-graduate residency training in the US or Canada may also be interested in the externship program our Caribbean medical university offers. Specialized training for foreign doctors is also available through this program.
Pursuing your dream to become a medical professional at home or in other parts of the world shouldn't come to an end due to the high cost of tuition or low acceptance rates in local universities. Visit our academics page to learn about the different programs we offer or see our admissions page to find out how and when to apply.


text:
Your FAFSA application takes a "snapshot" of your family's financial condition based on your family's income for the previous year. If you have had a significant change in your family's income or have had unusual expenses since you have filed your FAFSA, the school may take these circumstances into account when determining your eligibility for aid. Instead of using your previous year's family income, we can base your eligibility on your estimated current year family income. This is called a Professional Judgment. You should only apply for a professional judgment when there are circumstances beyond the control of the family that significantly affect the family's ability to contribute to the student's educational expenses. Follow the links below to apply.
Professional Judgment Request – Dependent Student Professional Judgment Request – Independent Student


text:
You've read all of your free items this month.
To register, get added benefits and unlimited access to articles, Become a Member. Already a Member? Sign in.
Mindshare Opens Mobile Hub in India for Global Clients
In Bangalore, WPP Sibling Ogilvy Expands Its International Hub Beyond Lenovo
Want more Access, Content & Connections? Upgrade to Membership.
We are glad you are enjoying Advertising Age. To get uninterrupted access and additional benefits, become a member today.
Already a member? Log in.


text:
Rolls-Royce demonstrates technology leadership in Paris
Thursday, 23 June 2011
World-leading technology developed by Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, was one of the highlights of this week's Paris Airshow, where the Group launched the latest member of the Trent family and won significant new orders.
Rolls-Royce confirmed development of an enhanced Trent XWB engine, capable of delivering 97,000lbs of thrust, for the enhanced Airbus A350-1000, while also securing orders of $2.9 billion from customers in South America, the Middle East and Asia.
The Trent XWB continued its strong success with a $2.2bn order from TAM Airlines for engines to power 27 Airbus A350-XWBs, along with TotalCare® long-term support services.
The Trent XWB is the world's most advanced civil aircraft engine and the Group's fastest selling, having already won orders for over 1,100 engines. Responding to customer demand, this higher thrust variant will deliver increased range and capacity for the aircraft.
In another significant milestone, the Group received certification from the Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau for the cutting edge Trent 1000, which will power the Boeing 787 Dreamliner's entry into service with All Nippon Airways later this year. The Trent 1000 is the most efficient engine on the 787 Dreamliner. It offers the lowest fuel consumption, noise and weight and will help the aircraft to reduce CO2 emissions by 20 per cent, when compared to previous generation aircraft.
Rolls-Royce also announced a contract to supply Enhanced Performance (EP) kits to Etihad, which will improve the efficiency of the market-leading Trent-700 engine. EP kits enhance engine performance by more than 1 per cent, and will reduce Etihad's annual CO2 emissions by up to 24,000 tonnes when applied to 30 of their Airbus A330's. The $360m agreement also includes provision of TotalCare support.
The Group highlighted its commitment to introduce new technologies into existing engine lines with the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement with Lockheed Martin. The agreement covers the provision of engine enhancements for T56 engines, used by a range of military operators on C-130 Hercules and P-3 Orion fleets. These improvements can deliver a 9 per cent reduction in fuel consumption and have a significant impact on emissions.
Rolls-Royce is a senior partner in International Aero Engines, which received orders for V2500 engines, worth $310m to Rolls-Royce.
- Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.
- As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 2,500 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in nearly 120 countries, with an installed base of 54,000 gas turbines.
- Annual underlying revenues were £10.8 billion in 2010, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at £59.2 billion at 31 December 2010, providing visibility of future levels of activity.
- Rolls-Royce employs over 39,000 skilled people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 11,000 of these employees are engineers.
- In 2010, Rolls-Royce invested £923 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions.
- Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company's engineers with the forefront of scientific research.
- The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.
- Rolls-Royce is a market leader in modern wide-body aircraft, with a family of six Trent engines covering all major platforms. The Group has achieved a 50 per cent market share in the wide-body market, with 1,790 Trent engines in service and more than 2,400 on order.
- The Trent XWB is the most advanced civil turbo fan engine in the world and the fastest selling Trent ever. Orders are in place for 574 aircraft, from 36 customers.


text:
Copyright © Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.
Fibromyalgia is a complex, chronic, and disabling disorder. It causes widespread pain. It also causes poor sleep and fatigue.
The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown.
The following are some of the conditions that are commonly associated with fibromyalgia:
- Depression and anxiety
- Chronic headache, such as tension headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- Dysmenorrhea
- Female urethral syndrome (irritable bladder)
Risk Factors
Fibromyalgia is more common in women, and in people aged 20-60 years old. Physical or mental stress may also increase your chance of getting fibromyalgia.
Symptoms and severity of fibromyalgia are different for everyone.
Fibromyalgia may cause:
- Generlized pain and tenderness
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Poor sleep
- Reduced physical endurance
- Problems with concentration, thought, or memory
Factors that may trigger or worsen symptoms include:
- Weather changes, especially cold, damp weather
- Stress or anxiety
- Overexertion
- Medical illness
- Surgery
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.
The doctor will look for the following signs:
- Widespread pain lasting three months or longer
- Tenderness (on physical exam) in specific areas of the body
Your doctor may do tests to make sure your symptoms are not due to other conditions.
The goal of treatment is to relieve or control the symptoms. Talk with your doctor about the best treatment plan for you. Options include:
Therapy Programs
- Physical therapy
- Heated pool treatments
- Alternative treatments, such as massage , acupuncture , relaxation training , trigger point therapy, biofeedback, and yoga
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
Lifestyle Changes
Your doctor may also recommend that you make lifestyle changes, such as:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Learning to cope with physical and mental stress
- Maintaining a regular sleep schedule
- Participating in a regular exercise program that includes aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Gentle exercises that may not strain painful areas include walking, biking, and swimming. Talk to your doctor to make sure it is safe for you to start exercising.
Your doctor may recommend the following to help manage symptoms:
- Antidepressants
- Anticonvulsants
- Sedatives
- Muscle relaxants
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Opioids
Last reviewed August 2013 by Rimas Lukas, MD; Brian Randall, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.


text:
The Canadian Friend
The Canadian Friend is the magazine of Canadian Yearly Meeting, and is currently published four four times a year to further the work and witness of the Religious Society of Friends in Canada.. Sent by group subscription to allinterested members and regular attenders, , the current and back issues are also available for download. For enquiries concerning submissions, and for advertising rates and details for advertising, contact the .
Please use our style guide when writing articles.
Purchase an individual subscriptions ($30 in Canada; $44 Canadian funds to U.S. and $54 Canadian funds to all other countries) or to change your address contact the Canadian Yearly Meeting Office.
We hold ISSN 0382-7658. Copyright for each issue belongs to Canadian Yearly Meeting. Please request permission before quoting pieces longer than 200 words
Selected articles are available to read on-line:


text:
Anyone know a good smoothie recipe that uses fruit, yogurt and ice (no Splenda, Aspartame, honey, etc.)?
I never eat breakfast because I can't find anything I like that doesn't take an extra hour to make. I like the new fruit smoothie things on the market, but they are full of sugar. One brand has 50g of sugar! I feel terrible after all that sugar, but I think I if I modified them, it would be a good thing for me. If I could find a recipe that used fruit to sweeten them, I could eat more often and speed up my metabolism and be less likely to eat the vending machine junk. Please help? Thanks! -Robin |
Follow-Up Postings:
Can you tolerate fruit juice? I often make smoothies with apple or orange juice as part of the liquid. For fruit I usually use frozen strawberries and bananas, then also some yogurt. |
Would you consider using fructose? It is a natural sugar, you use much less than table sugar and there is no aftertaste. Or apple juice concentrate. Either in small amounts should give you the sweetness that you want. RL |
My 11 year old daughter had to have her mouth wired shut for a month after a car accident. We made lots of smoothies and the one we liked the best was just this: Orange juice We peeled the bananas and froze them whole and bought pre-frozen strawberries. You could add yogurt if you wanted to. ~P |
I always freeze fresh bananas, strawberries and blackberries. In addition to the recipes listed I like frozen blackberries and diluted cranberry juice. I find if I use regular strength it is a little to overpowering. I dilute with a few ice cubes, into which I've frozen blackberries. But I still put more blackberries in. I also like to freeze left over coffee in icecycle trays to make my own granditas. Try this sometime with not only frozen coffee but a few of those frozen blackberry ice cubes. Yum Alexis |
I put any very ripe bananas in the freezer for just such a time as this. any combination of banana, blueberries, strawberries-(any berry), (actually any fruit you like), add a cup of flavored or unflavored yogurt in a blender for a few seconds makes a great smoothie. The frozen banana takes the place of ice and it becomes nice and thick. I suppose I would not use any melons because of the consistancy!! I also really enjoy putting 3 tablespoons steelecut (uncooked) oatmeal in a container of yogurt-any flavor- let it set overnight, and eat for breakfast. It's chewy enough to be satisfying and so yummy.-provides good fiber, too. |
Bump |
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Special Diet Recipes Forum
Information about Posting
- You must be logged in to post a message. Once you are logged in, a posting window will appear at the bottom of the messages. If you are not a member, please register for an account.
- Please review our Rules of Play before posting.
- Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review your post, make changes and upload photos.
- After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
- Before posting copyrighted material, please read about Copyright and Fair Use.
- We have a strict no-advertising policy!
- If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
- If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.
Learn more about in-text links on this page here


text:
The latest version of Adobe Flash Player is required to watch this video. Please click on the link below to download the latest version. Thanks!
A slow moving storm system has dumped more than 16 inches of snow in some areas of the Midwest.
Though some say it's the perfect winter weather, the snow is creating a nightmare for many drivers. The Minnesota State Patrol has responded to more than 600 car crashes since Sunday. Over 60 injuries have been reported and at least one person has died in that state. Also, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning Monday for parts of Wisconsin. They say people there can expect at least another nine inches of snow.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting? Are you facing a difficult situation?
Find peace with God, discover more about God or send us your prayer request.
Call The 700 Club Prayer Center at 1 (800) 823-6053, 24 hours a day.
A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.
CBN News is a national/international, nonprofit news organization that provides programming by cable, satellite, and the Internet, 24-hours a day. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.
Sign up for the CBN News Dispatch and receive CBN News Reports in your inbox each day.Subscribe Now >>
Add CBN News, articles, latest videos and blog feeds to your favorite RSS reader. Subscribe Now >>
E-mail us your news tips, story ideas, questions & comments. Contact Us >>


text:
Full Question:
Please I do have earache before the migraine starts is this normal? I learnt chocolate triggers the headache is this true? Lastly is there anything I could do to stop or prevent the headache? Thanks, Olaoluwa.
Full Answer:
Dear Olaoluwa;
Some people do experience earache during the beginning phases of a Migraine attack and even through the end of one. That said, if this is a new symptom for you, it should be discussed with your doctor to be sure it's...


text:
Large Print
View Donors
Live on New Server
Home Page
Latest News
Fandoms List
Latest Stories
Latest Completed Stories
Search TtH
Search Multiple Sites
Advanced TtH Search
Top Fic
Most Recommendations
Hits Per Chapter
Total Hits
Most Reviews
Most Reviewers
Overall Length
Random Fic
Any Story
Unreviewed Story
Short Story
All Challenges
Donors' Challenges
Unanswered Challenges
Answered Challenges
Official Challenges
Open Pairings
Completed Pairings
Site Rules
Frequently Asked Questions
Beta Readers Wanted
Resources for Authors
Site Statistics
RSS Feeds & Syndication
Customising the Site
Privacy Policy
List of donors
TtH Forums
Member Blogs
Crossing Over Awards
TtH Community Live Journal
TtH Drabbles Live Journal
Twisted Shorts Live Journal
Contact Us
Oz, Dan Oz
Related Stories
1. London, 1985
2. London, 1986
3. Kuala Lumpor, 1988
4. Rome, 1990
5. Scotland, 1992
6. London, 1996
7. Sunnydale, 1998
8. Sunnydale, December 1998
Whole Story
Standard View
Printable HTML
Offline HTML (no images)
Plain Text (no images)
EPUB Ebook (no images)
Mobipocket/Kindle (no images)
Report to moderator
Summary: Special Agent 007 faces the most difficult mission of all - fatherhood
James Bond
24 Jul 04
8 Dec 04
London, 1985
Title: Oz, Dan Oz
Author: Dulcinea
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor will I be making any profit from this story. I believe MGM owns the James Bond franchise, and Joss Whedon owns Buffy, but I'm not positive on those, so please don't sue me. In keeping with Challenge #289, there will be quotes from "Desperado" by the Eagles as well.
This is in response to-
Challenge # 257 (Father, Real Father) :
"And you're quite sure that he's the father?"
"No doubt whatever."
"How many does that make?"
"I'm sorry, I'm afraid that I've lost count."
"Very well. Get the legal department to handle any child support claims," said M, "Oh, and ask 007 to step in please, I think it's time we talked about that vasectomy again..."
The usual "real father" plot, the difference is that the real father is
(a) the world's greatest secret agent and
(b) not exactly a caring parent.
Almost anyone in the Buffyverse can be the child - Bond's career in fiction began in 1953 with mention of a career in World War 2, so his children could include Giles, Joyce, Hank Summers or Nikki Wood as well as the usual Buffyverse suspects. Or take a look at the film Casino Royale, maybe everyone in the Buffyverse is related to him!
And, Challenge # 289 (Oz, the Desperado):
Oz: a character of many colors (literally). Does he ever find peace, a cure, a steady hair color? Take your inspiration from the Eagles' song "Desperado" for an Oz-centric fic, set in the 'verse of your choosing. Any movie, book, cartoon, etc. is up for grabs. You don't have to directly quote the song if you don't want to.
Summary: Special Agent 007 faces the most difficult mission of all – father hood.
"How on earth did you get that scar, Bond?"
"Well doctor, I could tell you…"
"… but then you'd have to kill me?"
"I was actually going to say a gentleman never kisses and tells." James offered up a winning smile as he hopped off the table.
"Ah. Still claiming to be a gentleman? What a pity." The doctor tsked in false reprimand. She couldn't help but enjoy the view as Bond buttoned his shirt. He was such a cad, but after so many years, the doctor had given up trying to reform him. She had finally convinced herself that the day 007 quit flirting was the day the apocalypse would come. Her musings were interrupted by the intercom blaring to life.
"Doctor, is agent 007 down there?" The voice of MI6's director echoed through the room.
"We were just finishing up his physical."
"Indeed." The director hmphed, indicated just what she thought of that. "Please send him to my office as soon as you're through."
"I'm on my way." James called out. As the intercom clicked off, he turned back to the doctor. "Well, madam, your company was a pleasure as always. Until we meet again." Bond kissed the doctor's hand in farewell and was down the hall before she could remind him to ice that bad shoulder. Really, how many poisonous darts could a shoulder take and still perform perfectly?
"You called?" Bond tapped lightly on his boss' door and peeked his head in.
"Yes. Come in, and shut the door behind you." James took his normal seat facing M. "Tell me, do you remember Paris?"
"Quite a lovely city this time of year." Bond replied wryly.
"Do you remember Paris six years ago?"
"Are you referring to the attempted bombing of the International Physicist Conference?" The tilt in his brow dared M to contradict him.
"Your memory is as sharp as ever."
"You would expect no less. Now what seems to be the problem?" His lips were set tightly to avoid revealing any reaction, but inside he shuddered with the thought that he would have to return to this year's conference. That had been by far one of the dullest assignments he'd ever taken, undercover for nearly week around people who could only talk physics. If it hadn't been for that plucky American redhead, he would have bit his arm off to get away. He prayed M wasn't sending him back.
"Do you remember your extracurricular activities at the conference?" M asked pointedly.
"The American?" He had learned long ago not to dally with M.
"Yes. Dr. Fairchild Osbourne."
"Ah yes, how is she?" James asked with a reminiscent smile.
"Dead? Are you quite sure?" M nodded. "Well that is a pity. She had quite a brilliant… mind. But I'm afraid I don't see how this relates to me."
"You were named in her will." Bond gave a short cough of surprise. "You now have sole custody of her child, or shall I say, your son."
"I'm sorry, what? My son? How is that possible?"
"Really 007, if I have to explain that to you, then I'm not sure you're up to your job." Bond knew she was teasing despite her perfectly straight face.
"But we only knew each other for one night."
"And that is all it takes."
"Are you sure it's mine?"
"Good grief, Bond, do you think we're that careless? There's an entire wing of special services looking after the bastards you've scattered around the world. If you weren't so good at what you do, I doubt the ministry would pay the millions in child support, but frankly, MI6 has classified you as indispensable. However, this was not expected."
"Well, you see, none of your liaisons have died before, or if they have, they certainly have not named you in their wills, and they most certainly would not include a clause barring you from putting the child up for adoption."
James frowned. "I can't raise a son. My job is too dangerous."
"Actually, I think it will be good for you." M smiled at the look crossing James' face. "Face it, Bond, you're not getting any younger. Perhaps it's time to hang up your playboy image and try fatherhood. You are a master of improvisation; surely you can find a way to make the child an asset?"
"I don't have a choice, do I?" M shook her head. "Very well. Where is the child?" He sighed in resignation.
"I left Daniel with Q. Might I suggest…" M paused. "I know this is rather sudden and you are not looking forward to this, but please try not to take it out on the boy. He's just lost his mother."
James had the good sense to look properly chastised. He took his leave and headed down to the engineering labs. It didn't take long to find Q, and sure enough, there was a five year old perched on the work bench. He caught Q's attention first and his old friend came over, leaving the boy to fiddle with some gadgets left on the table. "So that's the boy?"
"Yes, you got lucky." Q smiled fondly at the boy he'd been watching all morning. The boy's strawberry blond hair looked like it needed a haircut soon. It was clear whoever dropped the boy off wanted him to look proper in his Sunday best, but after a morning playing in the lab, his tie was flipped over his shoulder, his sleeves were rolled up, and there was some sort of oil stain on his slacks. Bond would have his work cut out for him, if he was going to emulate the polished image his father always portrayed.
"He looks nothing like me."
"Really? I was just thinking how similar you are."
"In what way?" Bond asked in disbelief.
"Well, he's only been here a few hours, but he's already taken apart several of my inventions."
"Any five-year old would."
"Yes, but they wouldn't do this." Q brought Bond over to where the little boy was busy tightening the screws on a gun. "Is it finished?"
The boy nodded gravely and handed the small gun to Q, straightening his tie as he noticed the visitor standing beside the funny old man.
"Alright, now aim this at the boy and shoot." Q instructed.
"Are you mad? I'm not going to shoot him!" Bond stared at Q incredulously.
"Check the barrel, it's not loaded. Or, look, I'll fire a test shot." Q fired one round into the floor tiles. Clearly he was firing blanks.
"Alright." Bond took the gun from his friend and aimed it at the little boy. He pulled the trigger, and gave a little gasp as the boy made a startle yelp and clutched his chest. "Are you alright?" Bond immediately stepped forward to assist the boy, when the boy pulled back his hand and smiled.
"What is the meaning of this?" Bond gave his friend a serious glare.
"Daniel, the mirror." Q instructed the little boy. The boy picked up a mirror sitting next to him and held it up so that Bond could see his face. There, on his forehead was a little red laser dot.
"What is this?"
"Well, you see, I wanted to make a laser sensitive tie tack so that if someone was aiming a gun at your chest, as in an assassination attempt, it would let you know. The only problem was I was having interference issues with the line of sight. Little Daniel here came up with a solution. Instead of the signal from the tie tack sending a beam back at the would-be-assassin, it submits a trigger to this portable radio airborne device." Q picked up a small robot cleverly disguised as a house fly, "which can then track the shooter with a matching red beam. If the shooter tries to leave the fly will just follow, making it easier to catch him. Here, try to move around." Q released the fly, which flew back up to the lights.
Bond stepped forward, backwards, left and right, still the red dot stayed on his forehead. "That's fascinating." He muttered. "And you say the boy built it?"
"Well, I helped with some of the wiring, but yes, mostly it's his invention." Q nodded proudly.
"Wonderful." Bond smiled and then turned to the five year old, his new son. "Hello, I'm Bond, James Bond."
The boy stared at the hand the man stuck out in front of him. He thought carefully about what his mother said about greeting strangers politely. Finally he stuck out his hand and mimicked the man's greeting. "Hello, I'm Oz, Dan Oz."
"Oh yes, I can see you two are going to get along splendidly." Q smiled.
Next Chapter
Related Stories
Published Authors [3203/20745]
Crossover Stories [19297/23586]
Answered Challenges [928/5589]
Complete FFAs [2761/4307]
Site code originally based on Storyline ©IO Designs 2002. All stories posted remain the property of their respective authors; permission from the author is required to publish them elsewhere. Any trade marks that appear on the site are used without permission and remain the property of their respective owners. All donations are used to provide the service; no profits are made by the site owners, developers, or authors from publishing works on this site.