New York Liberty Star

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NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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Sept. 29-oct. 12, 2011

| NYLIBERTYSTAR.COM | VOL. XI ISSUE 233

Local News

DUDUS SCRIBES MERCY PLEA

Christopher “Dudus” Coke writes a seven-page letter, begging for leniency in his drug smuggling trial in New York City.

Inside

The Lesson Of 9-11: Let’s Never Forget, P4 Law Allows Immigrants To Attend College, P5 Accepting Oneself: Know Who You Are, P10 Richards Leads Red Bulls Over Timbers, P19 Semper Fidelis

Who’s

MJ

Michael Jackson’s Doctor Faces Rap For Singer’s Surprising Death

Liberty or Death

full story Page 4.

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Witness Says Coke Is Hitler Of Caribbean Highlighting the Spirit of the Caribbean Lenecia Hines Editor-In-Chief IVROL HINES Managing Editor Ainsley Rowe Circulation & Marketing Nekisha Telemaque Retail Sales Leonardo Harrison Webmaster & Community Relations Deidre Olivera-douglas Brownsville Advocate Editor Sen. john Sampson Contributing Writer Telephone: (718) 785-9722 Fax: (215) 294-5903 Submit Articles nylibertystar@yahoo.com Visit us online @: www.nylibertystar.com NEW YORK CITY CORPORATE OFFICE 397 Rockaway Ave Brooklyn, NY 11212 Send all Mail to: New York Liberty Star 1930 Rockaway Pkwy.

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Coke Sends Seven-Page Letter To Judge Outlining His Good Deeds In Jamaica

local news Dudus letter available online at www.nylibertystar.com

Mercy Plea

Christopher “Dudus” Coke, in a seven page hand-written-letter, begged United States Justice Robert Patterson, Jr. for leniency in his drug smuggling trial, held here in New York City.

In his final act of desperation, as he awaits sentencing, the Tivoli Gardens’ strongman recently penned a drawn out list of humanitarian acts that he said he personally engaged in and or oversaw during his reign over the poverty-stricken neighborhoods in and around the Jamaican capital.

In the open letter to Justice Patterson of Federal District Court in Manhattan, Coke said he accepted responsibility for his actions.

However unapologetic, Coke petitioned Patterson use his “discretion” and, if posible, impose a sentence “below the guideline range”.

Coke, 42, was arrested in Jamaica last year and extradited to Manhattan, where he has since pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges. He could receive a 23-year sentence.

“Good day to you, sir,” he said in the letter to “Justice Patterson,” “I am humbly asking if you could be lenient on me.”

Coke listed 13 reasons why the judge should be lenient, stating, among others, that he recently lost his mother, who had bemoaned his incarceration.

“I was told that while she was on her deathbed, she was crying and kept calling my name,” he wrote.

He also said his eight-year-old son has been traumatized by his arrest.

“I was told that he is constantly asking for his daddy. He cries all the time,” the letter stated.

Coke told Justice Paterson that, after serving his sentence, he would be deported back to Jamaica and would not get the “possibility of ever visiting” his brother or other relatives who reside in New York.

In addition, Coke said his “charitable deeds and social services” helped many in his West Kingston community, including the elderly, the un-

employed, and parents.

Coke’s lawyers said he wrote the letter unaided.

Frank A. Doddato, one of his lawyers, said the letter “humanized” his client.

“There are two sides to Christopher Coke,” said another lawyer, Stephen H. Rosen. “Everyone only talks about one side.”

Prosecutors charged that Coke led a trafficking ring from an armed stronghold in Kingston, “moving guns and drugs between Jamaica and the United States.”

They charged that Coke and his “soldiers patrolled the streets and guarded stash houses.”

Prosecutors also charged that Coke ordered murders, shootings and beatings, and, when one man stole drugs, Coke killed him with a chain saw.

Judge Patterson is expected to also hear from prosecutors and victims.

At least one victim has already written. Maxine Riley, who described herself as a resident of the western Kingston area, asked the judge to impose a life sentence.

She charged that Coke was personally responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Jamaicans, including her son, Dexter, who she said was killed by Coke’s gunmen when he was 16.

“I hope that you exercise your judicial discretion to put him away forever,” she wrote.

“Mr. Coke is the Hitler of the Caribbean. This is an opportunity for him and his murderous organization to be permanently dismantled,” she added.

Douglas A. Berman, a sentencing law expert at Ohio State University, said there was debate among legal scholars about how much weight judges should give to a defendant’s comments before sentencing.

“Most defense attorneys, I think, would view

Christopher Dudus Coke pleads guilty in drug trial. this kind of correspondence, if done effectively, as a kind of sentencing chicken soup. We’re not sure if it’s going to help, but it certainly can’t hurt,” he added.

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Doctor Faces Rap For Singer’s Death LOS ANGELES — First, prosecutors showed a photo of Michael Jackson’s pale and lifeless body lying on a gurney. Then, they played a recording of his voice, just weeks before his death.

The Bushes and the Obamas at “Ground Zero” in New York City.

9-11 Still Rings True

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aribbean American congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke remembers the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States of America, stating that their “ultimate sacrifice and heroic legacies will forever be honored and revered.”

“We will never forget the nearly 3,000 lives lost on that day, including 343 firefighters and 23 police officers,” said Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who represents the predominantly Caribbean 11th Congressional District in Brooklyn. “In remembrance of the lives lost and heroic sacrifice, I encourage us all to volunteer in our communities on Sunday, which has been designated as a National Day of Service. As Americans.”

“We have an enduring strength, resolve and resilience that bind all of us together. Let us unite and share that strength with others as great examples to future generations of Americans to come,” she continued.

Clarke said the rebuilding of the World Trade Center site is “symbolic of our nation’s endurance and determination to live our lives free from tyranny. Just like the One World Trade Center Tower, our nation stands tall as a beacon of hope to people from around the world.”

As the only New York City delegation member on the US House of Representatives’ Committee on Homeland Security, Clarke said she joined other New York Congressional representatives in filing a petition requiring US federal health officials to consider adding cancer coverage under the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. “As a co-sponsor of this legislation, I believe we owe it to these brave first responders who answered the call to service,” she said at ground zero. “I will continue to fight on behalf of our 9/11 families so that they have access to the medical support they need to fully heal from the after effects of these attacks.”

“My continued prayers go out both to the families that suffered the loss of a loved one and to those who have survived one of most violent attacks on American soil,” Clarke continued.

US President Barack Obama and his predecessor, George W. Bush, recently stood next to each other, with their wives, listening as the families of the victims of the September 11 attacks read the names of lost loved ones.

Behind them a vast American flag billowed from One World Trade Center, the tower that is rising where two fell a decade ago.

It was the first time Obama and Bush had stood together at ground zero. Bush declined President Obama’s invitation to join him at the site last spring, days after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

But on a bright Sunday morning, they stood shoulder to shoulder behind a bulletproof screen — two commanders in chief whose terms in office are bookends for considering how the United States has changed since September 11, 2001, particularly in its response to terrorism.

Obama read from Psalm 46: “God is our refuge and strength.” Bush read a letter from Abraham Lincoln to Lydia Bixby, a widow in Massachusetts who was believed to have lost five sons in the Civil War. For Obama, September 11 underpins what has become one of the great paradoxes of his presidency, experts say.

According to some experts, the president who opposed the Iraq war and still is pulling troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan has, at the same time, notched up a record as a lethal, relentless hunter of terrorists.

Obama, who banned torture in the interrogation of suspected terrorists and pledged (unsuccessfully, so far) to close the military prison in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, carried out more drone strikes in Pakistan in his first year in office than Bush did in his eight years, experts say.

In the process, the White House said, it has killed more Al Qaeda officials in the last twoand-a-half years than were eliminated by the Bush administration in all the preceding years.

“We have taken the fight to Al Qaeda like never before,” Obama said in a recent weekly address.

Slow and slurred, his words echoed Tuesday through a Los Angeles courtroom at the start of the trial of the doctor accused of killing him. As a worldwide audience watched on TV and Jackson’s family looked on from inside the courtroom, a drugged Jackson said: “We have to be phenomenal. When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, ‘I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I’ve never seen nothing like this. Go. It’s amazing. He’s the greatest entertainer in the world.”’

Prosecutors played the audio for the first time during opening statements as they portrayed Dr. Conrad Murray, 58, as an incompetent physician who used a dangerous anesthetic without adequate safeguards and whose neglect left the superstar abandoned as he lay dying.

Defense attorneys countered that Jackson caused his own death by taking a drug dose, including propofol, after Murray left the room.

Nothing the cardiologist could have done would have saved the King of Pop, defense attorney Ed Chernoff told jurors, because Jackson was desperate to regain his fame and needed rest to prepare for a series of crucial comeback concerts.

A number of Jackson’s family members were in the courthouse, including his father Joseph, mother Katherine, sisters LaToya and Janet, and brothers Jermaine, Randy and Tito.

LaToya Jackson carried a sunflower, her brother’s favorite flower.

Murray, who arrived at court holding hands with his mother, is charged with involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison and the loss of his medical license.

Speaking for more than an hour, prosecutor David Walgren relied on photos and audio recordings to paint Murray as an inept and reckless caretaker.

Walgren showed a photo of a lifeless Jackson on a hospital gurney. He juxtaposed the image with those of Jackson performing.

Walgren also played the recording of Jackson speaking to Murray while, the prosecutor said, the singer was under the influence of an unknown substance roughly six weeks before his death.

Jackson trusted Murray as his physician, and “that misplaced trust in Conrad Murray cost Michael Jackson his life,” Walgren said.

The recurring theme was Jackson’s never ending quest for sleep and propofol, the potion he called his “milk” and that he believed was the answer. Jurors were told that it was a powerful anesthetic, not a sleep aid, and the pros-

ecutor said Murray severely misused it.

The prosecutor said while working for Jackson, the doctor was shipped more than four gallons of the anesthetic, which is normally given in hospital settings.

Chernoff, the defense attorney, claimed the singer swallowed several pills of the sedative lorazepam on the morning of his death and that was enough to put six people to sleep. After taking propofol, Jackson did not even have a chance to close his eyes, Chernoff said.

Chernoff, who had long hinted that the defense would blame Jackson for his own death, added a surprise. He claimed that Jackson died not because his doctor continued to give him the drug but because he stopped it, forcing Jackson to take extreme measures.

“What we will hear is that Dr. Murray provided propofol for two months to Michael Jackson for sleep,” Chernoff said. “During those two months, Michael Jackson slept. He woke up and he lived his life.

“The evidence will not show you that Michael Jackson died because Dr. Murray gave him propofol. The evidence is going to show you Michael Jackson died when Dr. Murray stopped,” the attorney said. He said Murray was trying to wean Jackson off of propofol and had been giving him other sleep aids known as benzodiazepines trying to lull him to sleep.

On June 25, 2009, the last day of Jackson’s life, Chernoff said, he was in the third day of a weaning process and it didn’t work.

“Michael Jackson started begging. He couldn’t understand why he wasn’t sleeping....

When Michael Jackson told Dr. Murray ‘I have to sleep. They will cancel my performance,’ he meant it,” Chernoff said.

Murray, in a recording of his interview with police detectives, acknowledged that he relented and agreed to give Jackson a small dose of propofol.

Walgren said Murray’s claim that he gave the singer a minuscule dosage, enough to keep him asleep perhaps five minutes, was not true.

He also accused Murray of deception when he hid from paramedics and hospital emergency staff that he had given Jackson propofol. He said they were desperately trying to revive him but didn’t know about the drug.

He returned repeatedly to the fee Murray was to be paid — $150,000 a month — and pointed out that he first had asked for $5 million.

“There was no doctor-patient relationship,” Walgren said. “... What existed here was an employer-employee relationship. He was not working for the health of Michael Jackson. Dr. Murray was working for a fee of $150,000.”

Chernoff countered with a description of Murray’s history of treating indigent patients for free. At times during the defense attorney’s opening statements, Murray appeared to be crying and wiped his eyes with a tissue.

Jackson’s family members appeared pained as Walgren described the singer as a vulnerable figure, left alone with drugs coursing through his body.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

LOCAL news

COMMUNITY LEADERS

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HoldingPost

Eugene Demands Justice For Rape Victim

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Caribbean Students In USA To Benefit From Cali Dream

State Set To Finance immigrants’ tuition

By Nelson A. King

T

he California Legislature is poised to pass a law that would allow illegal Caribbean immigrants to receive state-financed aid for college.

Known as the California Dream Act, immigration advocates say the bill underscores the ways states are navigating their own way through controversial immigration issues, as the Obama administration has been unable to make headway on plans for an overhaul of immigration laws.

While the California state law would do nothing to provide a path to citizenship for illegal Caribbean and other immigrants, it would provide them with more education benefits than they have in any other state, advocates say.

They also say the legislation

would send a powerful message to President Barack Obama and the US Congress, forcing them to reconcile a patchwork of state laws that contradict one another.

California Governor Jerry Brown, a Democrat, said during his campaign last year that he would support such a law and signed legislation this year that gave illegal immigrants access to privately financed state scholarships and other aid.

But while he has not publicly said that he would sign this second measure, Brown’s staff members have been working with legislators to amend the bill in order to trim some costs.

The California Democraticcontrolled Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill on Wednesday along a party-line vote. The amended bill is expected to pass the Democratic-controlled State Assembly next week.

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo the lead author of the bill, has persistently made an economic argument to convince his colleagues.

“We will soon have to replace one million workers who leave the work force. Why would we cut ourselves off from students who have demonstrated since they got here that they have tremendous talent and resilience?

This is a very smart decision for the state,” he said. “It’s not necessarily popular or without controversy, but we have to get these students fully educated.”

The bill is particularly controversial at a time when the state is facing major budget problems and drastically cutting spending on higher education.

The legislation is expected to cost about US$40 million, according to an analysis by the State Senate, about one per cent of the state’s total US$3.5 billion budget for college financial aid.

The law would allow illegal Caribbean and out-of-state students who attended California high schools for three years or more to apply for the financial aid.

In 2001, the state passed a law allowing those same students to be eligible for in-state tuition.

aitian-American Councilmember, Dr. Mathieu Eugene, condemns the heinous act of the United Nation’s Uruguayan troops (MINUSTAH), and he asked for justice and compensation for 18 year-old Johnny Jean, who was allegedly gang raped on video in Haiti.

Haiti’s President, Michel Martelly, called it a collective rape carried out against a young Haitian, and said it will not go unpunished. Uruguayan President, Jose Mujica, has apologized to the Haitians and the family of Johnny Jean. Uruguayan Defense Minister, Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro, signed a letter and said that Uruguay would compensate the victim.

Last week Haitians in New York braved the heavy pouring rain and demonstrated in front of the United Nations Headquarters, demanding swift justice and immediate compensation for Jean. The troop were sent to Haiti to bring peace and stability in the historic Caribbean nation, following the devastating earthquate that rocked the nation two years ago. The protesters also asked for compensation for the victims of cholera, a bacteria brought by the UN troops, that has already killed close to 10,000 Haitians. They also demanded that UN troops in Haiti respect the sovereignty of the nation.

Williams Challenge NYPD Stop And Frisk

“I am glad that the case against stop and frisk is moving forward. This is the validation so many of us have been seeking, validation that we could not find from the Mayor or the police department,” said Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams.

“Stop and frisk is a legitimate tool that has been misused and abused in communities of more color; in no other community would this behavior be tolerated. This is clearly a case of racial profiling, a fact that even studies commissioned by the NYPD have shown to be true. The 2007 report from the RAND Corp. research organization showed that ‘black pedestrians were stopped at a rate that is 50 percent greater than their representation in the residential census.”

“This type of policing creates a fissure in communities like mine between residents and law enforcement, and frankly there are no real results to show for it in terms of making these communities safer. Gun violence is on the rise in many of the neighborhoods that see the most stops from stop and frisk. Police officers should be empowered to patrol our streets using their instincts and solid evidence, not with racial quotas their superiors have pressured them to fill.”

U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled in Manhattan federal court recently that the 2008 class-action lawsuit, seeking to hold New York City and the New York Police Department liable for any failures to carry out its stop and frisk policies in an unbiased manner, has presented valid allegations sufficient for trial.

Disaster Unemployment Assistance Available For New Yorkers

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esidents who are program, state and federal unemployed as a officials announced, last direct result of the recent week.

DUA program extends coverflooding and devastation age to“The self-employed people, farm workcaused by Hurricane Irene ers and others who have lost employas a direct result of the disaster,” may be eligible for week- ment Andrew X. Feeney, state coordinating ly benefit payments under officer, said. “It is specifically designed assist those who are otherwise inelithe Disaster Unemploy- to gible for state unemployment benefits.” ment Assistance (DUA) The availability of this program was

initiated by President Obama’s August 31 disaster declaration for parts of New York State and extends to those living or working in any of the 20 counties eligible for individual assistance. They are: Albany, Clinton , Delaware , Dutchess, Essex, Greene, Montgomery , Nassau , Orange , Otsego, Rensselaer, Rockland , Saratoga , Schenectady , Schoharie, Suffolk , Sullivan , Ulster , Warren , and Westchester counties.

“This program is designed to help those whose employment was interrupt-

ed by the disaster,” said Philip E. Parr, FEMA’s federal coordinating officer.

“It will help them make ends meet until they can get back to work.”

To apply for DUA, call the Telephone Claims Center (TCC) at 1-888209-8124 or 1-877-358-5306 if you live out of state. Have your Social Security number, earnings from your most recent tax year and employment history available when you call. The deadline to apply for DUA is October 3, 2011.

Governor Andrew Cuomo speaks after Irene hits NYS.

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

opinion

Growing Number Of Young Men ‘Failing To Launch’

F The Lessons Of 9-11

By State Senator John L. Sampson Leader, Democratic Conference

O

n the 10 anniversary of arguable the most brutal act of terrorism on U.S. soil, eclipsing even the infamous Pearl Harbor Attacks, we are admonished to always remember and never forget what happened on that day. However, remembering is but one part of what we must do as Americans.

The other is to draw from these events the pertinent lessons that will inform our future actions in what undoubtedly is “the age of international terrorism.” th

There some immediate conclusions to be drawn from the events of September 11, 2001. The first is that we failed to prevent the attacks. The second is that from all available evidence America is still not adequately prepared today to deal with a catastrophic act of terror 10 years later.

What is also unfortunate is that this event has become a political football with both the Democratic and Republican parties pointing fingers at each other and engaging in the blame game.

Lost in this distraction are the ignored and real lessons of 9-11.

America was changed forever when a group of terrorists exacted a heavy toll in American lives on September 11, 2001. In a very real way this attack forced America to grow up; to re-access its relations across the world, and finally understand that a new 21st century reality of international terrorism would demand many social, economic and political changes both at home and abroad.

For ordinary Americans anger, shock and grief spawned a climate of insecurity and a willingness to forego historical privileges and rights in exchange for more security at home.

Understandably, many wanted justice or revenge against those who were responsible for the loss of over 3,000 innocent lives. Many still believe forgiveness and love is too soft a response. As much as we might want to ‘turn the other cheek,’ there are times when might and military force are the

only actions we can take. America must protect its citizens from attack.

Now 60% of Americans say that 9/11 has had an impact on their everyday lives. The lesson here is that the events of 9/11 have forced Americans to reevaluate how they go about their daily lives. And no amount of political sniping, name calling or finger pointing will dispel the fact that 10 years after 9/11 Americans still do not feel safer in their own homes.

Indeed, a failure to understand why 9/11 happened and 10 years latter still looking for a bureaucratic screwup to explain the whole thing have dramatically compounded the problems all Americans and the world face. Today, the world is a much more dangerous place even with the killing of the 9/11 terror mastermind, Osama Bin Laden.

Terrorism is not about poverty or other social ills. It is about hate – pure and simple.

On the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001 let us rise about that hate.

Let us be Americans; better than those who hate us. But let us also remain vigilant, ever ready to defend our way of life and fight for those things that are the envy of the world.

[Senator John L. Sampson represents Brooklyn’s 19th Senatorial District that includes Canarsie, East Flatbush, Parts of Brownsville, Crown Heights, East New York, portions of Old Mill Basin, Spring Creek Towers, and parts of Midwood and Kensington in Brooklyn].

inancing college, starting a career and becoming a self-sufficient member of society - these are just a few of the milestones most early 20-somethings strive to achieve today.

Meanwhile, roadblocks such as the current economic downturn make these tasks more difficult to accomplish than ever, and seemingly impossible for some.

A dramatic influx in the number of today’s young people struggling to gain independence has led to many being labeled as “boomerang kids.” In many cases - especially with young adult men - the problem is even more severe.

According to the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Boys Project, a national “failure to launch” epidemic is impacting today’s young males, ages 18 to 25, at increasing rates. Those affected are struggling with issues deeper than a tough job market or general adolescent lack of motivation; they are overwhelmed and underprepared for the responsibilities of early adult life, often living with depression, anxiety, compulsive behaviors and dependence issues.

Many have attempted college, employment or independent living and failed. Some haven’t tried at all.

Researchers agree that several factors contribute to the much higher incidence of “failure to launch” in males than females.

These include outdated conceptions of masculinity that leave boys lacking the interpersonal skills needed to thrive within the modern education and employment landscape. Additionally, the high number of single mothers in today’s society also may isolate boys from productive male role models and an increase in Internet and video game usage detaches males from social settings.

While “failure to launch” has become increasingly widespread in the past couple of years, few solutions are available. Many affected young men have tried conventional treatment programs, including wilderness or therapeutic schools and rehab, but these programs typically only address a portion of the problem, not providing the life skills necessary to transition successfully back into independence. Health and wellness industry expert Joseph DeNucci created a more comprehensive solution - a program called Insight Intensive at Gold Lake.

DeNucci is widely known for his work in developing integrated health and wellness programs for companies including Sierra Tucson Treatment Center, Miraval and Duke University Center for Integrative Medicine.

“With so many young men currently living at home and unemployed, it can be difficult for parents to determine whether their son is simply another victim of

A dramatic influx in the number of today’s young people struggling to gain independence has led to many being labeled as “boomerang kids.”

Warning Signs Parents Should Look For

the economy, experiencing a normal adolescent lack of motivation, or ‘failing to launch,’” says DeNucci. He advises the following may be some key warning signs for parents to look for if they’re concerned their sons may be the latter: * Compulsive use of video games and/or Internet, playing for hours a day, and showing no desire for interpersonal socialization. * Using and abusing various drugs, including prescription medications, creating negative consequences and has little to no desire to seek treatment or stop. * An attempt at higher education or employment, only to quit shortly after without reason and with no plans to return. * Signs of depression, anxiety and being overwhelmed, with little to no competence, confidence or clarity and no motivation to change.

Parents searching for solutions may find help in Insight Intensive, a short-term residential program that uses an integrated approach to help young men strive for adulthood. Clinical services, health and wellness, mentoring, coaching and life skills training, recovery support and customized academic or vocational preparation have proven successful in the program.

“Thousands of young men are reaching adulthood completely unprepared for its responsibilities and demands,” says DeNucci.

“They’ve tried other programs that rarely address the entirety of the problem. That’s where Insight Intensive comes in.”

To learn more about Insight Intensive at Gold Lake, visit www.InsightIntensive.com, or call (877) 952-1444.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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Can you fit the words correctly into the grid? (Solution, Page 10) ADAPT NERVE QUAINT ENSURED ADEPT NOISE SCORER IGNORED CAMEL QUEST SIESTA PAINTED CRAMP REACT STICKY POPCORN CUPID TENSE ABSENCE RAPIDLY LINER EDITOR COMFORT SCIENCE NAIVE EVENTS CYCLIST TORRENT

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travel europe

Can you find the hidden words? They may be horizontal, vertical, diagonal, forwards or backwards.

AUSTRIA, BELARUS, BELGIUM, BULGARIA, CROATIA, CZECH REPUBLIC, DENMARK, ENGLAND, ESTONIA, FINLAND, FRANCE, GERMANY, GREECE, HUNGARY, ICELAND, IRELAND, ITALY, LATVIA, LIECHTENSTEIN, LITHUANIA, LUXEMBOURG, MACEDONIA, MALTA, NETHERLANDS, NORWAY, POLAND, PORTUGAL, ROMANIA, SCOTLAND, SLOVAKIA, SPAIN, SWEDEN, SWITZERLAND, UKRAINE, WALES.

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

GOSPEL

Reinvention: We’ve Come This Far By Faith!

By Thelma Wells

T

he other day I was recounting the seasons of my life and discovered that every 12 years my business life is reinvented. With each season, I’ve learned some life lessons that have shaped my outlook and my attitude.

And, with each reinvention, I’ve understood that I’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in His Holy Word. He’s never failed me. As I have graduated from season to season, I’ve walked in a lot of different shoes, stepped in many cracks of life, and broken some heels in life a few times trying to get where I was going.

I vaguely recall wearing little black patent leather, high-top shoes. They took me from the servant quarters where my crippled, unwed, teenage mother worked, to the loving quarters of my great grandparents where I learned lessons in moral character and respect and where I received the greatest gift anyone can get − a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Yes, I was four years old when I made a commitment to Jesus and I have been depending on Him ever since.

I walked out of the high tops into red patent leather big-girl shoes where I was still learning lessons that shaped my life. I got a taste of the emotions you feel when you have failed and when you’ve succeeded: It was on a beautiful Easter morning when I stood on the pulpit of my church, St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Dallas, and proceeded to sing a very difficult song. I had learned it and practiced it and was told that “practice makes perfect.” I expected nothing less, so I

began to sing: “Last night I lay a-sleeping, there came a dream so fair. I stood in old Jerusalem beside the temple there.”

As I proceeded to the chorus, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, sing for the night is ore,” I looked up in the balcony over the 1500 worshippers and saw a little boy that I liked. I forgot what I was singing, what tune I was in, and everything about that song. I was dumb founded − struggling to get back to the song. I couldn’t.

I heard voices in the congregation saying, “It’s okay, you did a great job, that song is so hard to sing.” Others were encouraging me with their handclaps and amen’s. None of that helped to keep away the tears and the feelings of failure.

I was so embarrassed and humiliated. That’s the first time I experienced the feeling of failure. I grieved for days.

One day Mr. Oliver, a gentleman in our church, asked my Granny if he could make a recording of me singing and told her how beautiful my voice was. She agreed to let me sing on a record and that was one proud day for me.

I successfully completed that song and Mr. Oliver played it for the church to hear. What joy!

What success! I got to feel the sweetness of success and my grieving went away. I learned that regardless to how hard you try, no matter how hard you fall into failure, there is always an opportunity to grip success. Things won’t always work out like you practiced but they can be turned into success if you allow it. Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight! You can graduate from failure to the sweetness of success.

When I stepped out of the big girl shoes into high heel shoes, I stepped into adulthood where life opened my eyes to many things including cracks in life that can break your step.

These experiences changed my life for the better, and I learned so much. Being physically thrown out of a school in my hometown because of the color of my skin was horrifying and degrading. But, being picked up and

brushed off by a lady of a different color and hair texture than mine was one of life’s lessons I needed to show me that it’s not the color of your skin, the place you live, the education you have, your financial status, or anything like that that makes you noble and kind − it’s the quality of your character. That’s why I cannot judge a person by anything except the condition of their heart. The Bible even indicates that God does not see a difference in anyone, Greek or Jew, male or female. Jesus loves all the people of the world.

During this season, I learned another fact: that bling is my thing! I’ve worn rhinestone shoes, sequin shoes and even big fake diamond shoes. I now wear black patent leather low-heel bling-bling shoes that have a bumblebee on them that helps me hold fast to Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” You see, in addition to bling shoes, I wear a bumblebee pin everyday that reminds me, “Thelma, in Christ you can be the best!” It is my mission to take this simple message to the nations. I’ve gained the title, “Mama T”, because I’m old enough and have experienced enough to know what I’m talking about. It’s not my message, it’s HIS message.

So, these flat-heel shoes are walking me into another season of reinvention. For 12 years, I’ve be humbled to speak for the largest women’s movement in the world, Women of Faith. I have spoken to more than 400,000 women each year.

Now, it time for another season.

In Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (New International Version) Solomon says: There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: A time to be born and a time to die, A time to plant and a time to uproot... ... it’s time now for me to graduate from this assignment to seasons unknown and territories uncharted by me. But God says, “Thelma, you’ve come this far by faith and I’ve never failed you. Walk on by faith and I won’t fail you.

February 9, 2008, was my last conference as a core speaker with Women of Faith.

What will I do? Where He leads me, I will follow ... I’ll go with Him all the way!

Just like any other graduation, we really don’t know what to expect, but I can sing this song with confidence...

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day. I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for the skies may turn to gray. I don’t worry ore the future, but I know what Jesus said.

And today He walks beside me, for He knows what is ahead. Many things, about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand. But I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.

If you’re experiencing a different season that might cause you fear, apprehension or stress, recite this simple truth everyday: “I know who holds my hand!”

God bless you, Thelma

ASK LISA-ANNE

Knowledge is power

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

9

I Want My Kids To Eat Healthy At School Q. I make sure that my daughter has healthy meals at home.

However, last year she did not eat the school lunch because the food is not what she is used to. I spoke to the principal about this situation and he stated that children will not eat fruits and vegetables if provided at school. Do you think that children would eat healthy meals if they were offered at school?

Concerned Mom A. Great question! As a society we have to really care about childhood obesity and diet.

It leads to childhood diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, and causes social alienation. I feel that children will eat healthy meals if that’s the only choices at school. That doesn’t mean they can’t have hamburgers and pizza.

However, there needs to be lean meats, fruits, and vegetables, too. I feel snack and soda machines should be banned. We have already

seen improvement in districts and much more awareness since First Lady Michelle Obama’s crusade against childhood obesity!

Getting kids to take a healthy lunch from home is one way to fight the high-fat, high-sugar, and high-sodium offerings found in many school cafeterias and vending machines, says McAllister, author of Healthy Lunchbox: The Working Mom’s Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim.

The crusade to get children to eat more healthfully during the school day is one that McAllister and other health-care professionals, educators, and parents are serious about -- and with good reason. Public school lunches must meet U.S. Department of Agriculture standards for nutrition (for example, no more than 30% of their total calories can come from fat).

Many schools take pains to make sure their offerings include healthy choices. But that’s not necessarily translating to our children eating better at school. What does the research say?

A 2003 study by University of California-San Diego researchers found that middle school students were taking in too much fat at school. A May 2004 study by the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that vending machines in public schools are stocked mostly with high-fat snacks and sugary drinks and may be undercutting federal efforts to improve the nutritional quality of school meals.

A March 2004 study by Baylor College of Medicine researchers found that when children

moved up to middle school from elementary school, they started consuming less fruit, milk, and vegetables, and more sweetened drinks and high-fat vegetables (like french fries).

Kids will eat healthy foods if available.

In an article by Steve Karknoski, a staff writer for Minneapolis Associated Press is a report from a University of Minnesota study that found that school lunch sales don’t decline when healthier meals are served, and that more nutritious lunches don’t necessarily cost schools more to produce.

“The conventional wisdom that you can’t serve healthier meals because kids won’t eat them is false,” said Benjamin Senauer, one of three economists who wrote the study.

Previous studies have concluded that students prefer fatty foods and that healthier meals cost more to make, the authors noted. This study will appear in the December issue of the Review of Agricultural Economics, which analyzed five years of data for 330 Minnesota public school districts. It looked at compliance with federal standards for calories, nutrients, and fats.

I always advise parents to send their children to school with a healthy snack and an extra drink in case the children do not like what’s being served on a particular day. Many students especially in middle and high school are becoming health conscious and will eat healthy if there are choices. That is the key for preteens and teens. Information gathered from the Health

Lisa-Anne Ray-Bayers

File photo

and Diet Guide from the website WebMD.com and the Minneapolis Associated Press.

Lisa-Anne Ray-Byers is a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist who has worked in education for over two decades. She holds graduate degrees in speech-language pathology and multicultural education. She also holds certification in educational administration. She is the author of the book, They Say I Have ADHD, I Say Life Sucks!

Thoughts From Nicholas available at www.

Amazon.com. She is currently employed in the Hempstead School District. You may contact her speechlrb@yahoo.com or by visiting her website at www.AskLisaAnne.com.

Stress vs. depression: Learn The Difference And How To Help Yourself

T

imes of sadness, stress and anxiety are common to everyone and can be triggered by numerous factors. In response to tough situations, about 25 percent of Americans will experience sadness that may seem like depression, but the good news is that these feelings are often temporary.

Sometimes, overwhelming feelings of sadness remain persistent and significantly interfere with a person’s behavior, physical health

and interaction with others. In these situations, depression could be the underlying cause.

Depression can be serious and is most likely caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental and psychological factors. Depression can be linked to substance abuse and even suicide. If you feel sad, worthless, and hopeless every day for two weeks or more, it’s time to take a mental health screening to see if you are at-risk for depression.

Anonymous, online screenings are available at www.helpyourselfhelpothers.org. Screening for de-

pression and other mood disorders is important as it allows you to identify warning signs early on, before things become serious. Depression screenings can help you determine whether what you are experiencing is a simple case of the blues or something more serious that requires seeing a health professional.

“Just like any other disease, there are certain risk factors that can lead to depression,” says Dr. Douglas G. Jacobs, president of Screening for Mental Health, a non-profit organization committed to promoting the improvement of mental health. “It’s important to learn the signs and symptoms of depression, such as changes in appetite, loss of energy or loss of interest in your usual activities, as well as the necessary steps you can take to improve your health.”

Depression can cloud your mind, zap your energy and make

anyone feel discouraged. It can be difficult to take action and get help, but there are ways you can help yourself, starting right now. First, take a free, anonymous screening at www.helpyourselfhelpothers.org.

Additionally, you can try these selfcare tips: Take care of your mind and body. * Take part in activities you usually enjoy (movies, concerts, community events, sporting events, etc.). * Avoid drugs and alcohol. * Eat a well-balanced, healthy diet. * Get enough sleep.

Focus on what’s doable. * Do not expect to suddenly “snap out” of your depression. * If you have a decision you feel overwhelmed by, discuss it with others who know you well and have

a more objective view of your situation. * Break up large tasks into small ones, set some priorities and do what you can, as you can.

Celebrate small steps. * Often during treatment for depression, sleep and appetite will begin to improve before your depressed mood lifts. * Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. * Remind yourself that positive thoughts will replace negative feelings as your depression responds to treatment.

If you or someone you love is in immediate danger because of thoughts of suicide please call 911 immediately. If you are not in immediate danger but need to talk to someone, you can call the national suicide prevention line at 1-800273-TALK (1-800-273-8255).

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

City Tech Celebrates Black Solidarity Day Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, willspeak on Black America and the criminal justice system at New York CityCollege of Technology (City Tech), Atrium Amphitheater, 300 Jay Street, Downtown Brooklyn, on Monday, November 7, 2011, 11:30 a.m. The public isinvited to this free event, part of the College’s celebration of BlackSolidarity Day, which this year has the theme “Empowering Black America: Continuing the Legacy of Arturo Schomburg.”

A former professor of AfricanAmerican history at Indiana University, Dr. Muhammad was selected in late 2010 to take over the helm of the historic Schomburg Center, currently celebrating its 85th year. He will share his vision for the Schomburg as well as explain its valuable research holdings to the City Tech community in his talk.

“Arturo Schomburg was a Puerto Rican born archivist. He was inspired to start collecting the works of Black writers after he was told by white teachers that people of African descent had made no significant contributions to the society,” says Marta Effinger-Crichlow, chairperson of City Tech’s Department of African American Studies.

As an academic, Dr. Muhammad is at the forefront of scholarship on the enduring link between race and crime that has shaped and limited opportunities for African Americans. He is the author of The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America, published recently by Harvard University Press. A great-grandson of Elijah Muhammad, he has deep roots in Black history and in Harlem. His father is the noted Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times photographer Ozier Muhammad.

Dr. Muhammad, a native of Chicago’s South Side, is now working on his second book, Disappearing Acts: The End of White Criminality in the Age of Jim Crow, which traces the historical roots of the changing demographics of crime and punishment so evident today.

He has been an associate editor of The Journal of American History, and was recently appointed to the editorial board of Transition Magazine, published by the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University.

Dr. Muhammad graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA in Economics in 1993. After working at Deloitte & Touche LLP, he received his PhD in American History from Rutgers University in 2004, specializing in 20th-century U.S. and African American history. He spent two years as an Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow at the Vera Institute of Justice, a nonprofit criminal justice reform agency in

features

Accept Who You Are

By WendyGladney

Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad New York City, before joining the faculty of Indiana University.

Black Solidarity Day also will include a performance by the New York City College of Technology choir prior to Dr. Muhammad’s talk and a presentation by Black theatre students afterwards.

According to Dr. EffingerCrichlow, City Tech’s annual Black Solidarity Day event is “an opportunity to remind City Tech student voters about the rights of citizenship and to vote on Election Day.” Black Solidarity Day at City Tech is sponsored by the College’s Department of African American Studies, Office of Student Life and Development, Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Affairs, Black Male Initiative, Coalition of Black Faculty and Staff, Black Students’ Union, Black Women’s Networking Committee and the City Tech Foundation.

New York City College of Technology (City Tech) of The City University of New York (CUNY) is the largest public college of technology in New York State. Located at 300 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, the College enrolls more than 16,000 students in 62 baccalaureate, associate and specialized certificate programs.

Additional information: Hazel Gibbs, Department of African American Studies, at 718.260.5205 or hgibbs@citytech.cuny.edu.

From Page 8

W

e all come into this world as blank canvases waiting for the various colors of life to be painted into our world.

As children, our first knowledge of who we are comes from our parents. If our parents continue to feed us positive affirmations of our worth and value, we tend to grow with a positive self-esteem. However, if we are told over and over again that we are nothing and that we won’t amount to much in life, we will begin to believe this is true.

As a child I used to hear people say, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” This is not true. Even the bible tells us that the tongue can both cut and heal. We must be careful what we say to others, especially children.

Accepting Oneself We live in a time when accepting who we are can be difficult.

Most of us compare ourselves to unrealistic standards set by advertising agencies, movie stars and the lives of the rich and famous. What we fail to realize, is that oftentimes these standards are a facade like movie sets on the lot of a studio.

They represent a “front” with no real substance, constantly having to be propped up because they can’t stand on their own. I’ve had the opportunity many times to talk to people that others would often admire or envy.

What I have discovered is, the very people we put on pedestals would love to trade places with people that could be classified as ordinary. I have learned that we must be careful what we desire because many times what we think we are running to, is often what we are running from.

Historically in the African American Community, the subject or discussion of “self esteem”

has carried mixed emotions. When we look up the definition of selfesteem in the dictionary, we see that it means belief in oneself. We know that if we do not believe in ourselves and what we do, neither will anyone else.

However, oftentimes people confuse “belief” in oneself with “vanity.” If we look at success models over time, the ones that have truly made a difference were those who not only accepted who they were, but did so with pride. Many who have left their mark on history were those who had to stand-alone or convince others to see things their way. It is important for you to know 1) who you are, 2) understand where you have come from and 3) determine where you want to go, if you are ever going to accept who you are to be.

Knowing Who You Are When I was a little girl my grandmother would often say, never let anyone tell you who you are. I have a friend who always says, “never let anyone call you out of your name.” We have all heard the saying, “if you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” I believe that it is very important to know what you stand for in life. When I speak at various functions around the country, I often share with people that it is important for you to know your meaning in life, so that you can prepare your message, in order to carry out your mission. When you know and understand your purpose and why you are here, it is much easier for you to accept who you are and the person that God has made you to be.

We are all pieces of a puzzle that fit together to make a beautiful picture.

If we are constantly trying to be someone else, we will not “fit” into the spot that has “our” name on it.

If you are currently struggling with who you are, what you look like or comparing yourself with others, I urge you to do the following three steps.

Empowerment Points: Write down on a piece a paper, all of the positive things that have happened in your life over the

past year. If you can’t think of any let me give you a few suggestions.

You have your health, a roof over your head, a job, a sound mind, and people that care about you. I heard a minister once say that if you count all your blessings, it will be hard to be depressed.

Make a list of all the positive things that people say about you.

Once again, let me give you a few suggestions; she really has a nice personality, she has really nice skin, she is so thoughtful, she’s really a kind person. Maybe people comment on your discipline to work out, or your compassion for others.

Never underestimate the gifts that God has given you, to make you unique. Remember, one man’s junk is another man’s treasure. What you would easily throw away, others would take in a minute. I had a friend once tell me that she thought I had the gift of hospitality and encouragement. I thought to myself “what kind of gift is that?” Growing up in church, I wanted the gift of singing or playing the piano or something that the other girls had.

Little did I know that the gifts of hospitality and encouragement would be the very way I would live my life and help others today.

Finally, make what I call a “wish” list. Write down the things that you would like to have or accomplish and then set a reasonable timetable to begin making them happen. The key here is to make sure you set realistic goals or expectations. Don’t wish that you were 5’11 if you are 4’9. But if you’ve always wanted red hair and your hair is brown, dye it! If you want a better body, diet and exercise. Just make sure whatever standards you set, you are doing it for yourself and that it is what you want, not what others say you should be.

Remember that we are all little kids in adult bodies. We all get up in the morning and put our underwear on one leg at a time. We all have good days and bad days. The next time you look into the mirror, say to yourself that you are wonderfully and beautifully made just the way you are. God does not make junk!

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Travel

Fly For Less

Great American Road Trips For

fall foliage

P

ull that fleece jacket out of the back of the closet, order up a pumpkin-spice latte, and breathe in the crisp morning air. Yes, fall is here. And that means the trees are beginning their yearly transformation into blazing glory. And what better way to enjoy the show than to hop in the car, roll down the windows, and let the beautiful sights coast by. Here are the top scenic drives to see those vibrant leaves: Route 7 (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont) Prime Time: mid-September through early October “Vermont gets all the fall foliage glory, but southern New England has its fair share of blazing hillsides and quaint roadside towns,” says Pieter van Noordennen, editor of travel advice site Away.com and a Connecticut native. U.S. Route 7 runs 308 miles from Norwalk, Conn., to Highgate, Vt., passing through the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts and Connecticut, and continuing to the Green Mountains in Vermont. Fifty percent of the trees in this area are red and sugar maples, creating the scarlet red and warm orange glow that is legendary in these parts. These spots are no doubt a mecca for serious leaf-peepers.

Make a weekend of it with a bed and breakfast in Middlebury or a camping spot at Kent Falls State Park. And if you need a break from snapping leaf pictures, head to Waterbury, Vt., for a yummy tour of the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream factory. Route 7 was not unscathed by Hurricane Irene. But the damage is isolated to a few sections in Vermont, and detours are in place. Besides, doesn’t taking a detour every now and then make for a good adventure? Call (800) VERMONT if you have questions about Route 7.

Blue Ridge Parkway (Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee) Prime Time: mid- to late-October The Blue Ridge Parkway starts in Shenandoah National Park and winds 469 miles through western North Carolina to the Great Smoky Mountains in eastern Tennessee. The ups and downs along this parkway range from 650 feet to over 6,000

feet, with leaf color peaking at the higher elevations first. You will find a brilliant canvas created by the deep red dogwoods, the bright yellow hickories, and the vivid orange sassafras. Orbitz recently launched an iPad app that makes booking hotels on the go easy, so you don’t have to plan too far ahead. So make pit-stops along the way in the “Blue Ridge Capital” of Roanoke, Va., hippy-chic Asheville, N.C., and the spectacle that is Gatlinburg, Tenn.

Natchez Trace Parkway (Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi) Prime Time: mid- to late-October The Deep South breathes a collective sigh of relief as the blistering summer heat gives way to pleasant fall temperatures, and lovely foliage to go along with it. The Natchez Trace Parkway begins in Natchez, Miss., and stretches a little over 440 miles to Nashville, Tenn. In late October you will see the maples, oaks, and other hardwood trees showing off their vibrant red, yellows, oranges, and purples. And leaves aren’t the only attraction.

Hiking and biking trails dot the way, as do historic sites and charming craft centers, inviting you to park the car and stretch your legs. Camping is a budget-friendly option for a multi-day trip, or you can detour off the track for a comfortable hotel room.

Yosemite (California) Prime Time: mid- to late-October Yosemite is a beautiful park year-round, but visit in October and you’ll see the maples, oaks, and dogwoods boasting their color among the evergreens. Yellow is the favorite fall color of these deciduous trees, with some red and orange splashed in. Near the Yosemite Chapel, check out the non-native sugar maple that turns a bright red; there are several short walks and stops along the way where you can get great leaf photos. To make the drive more than just a day trip, roll into little towns like Mariposa and get a restful night’s sleep at the adorable bed and breakfasts.

If you need a dose of closer-to-home fall foliage, GORP.com’s interactive fall color map shows peak seasons around the country.

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NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

Award Winning Playwright Theo London Presents the Gospel Comedy Stage Play

LOVING HIM IS KILLING ME

Jammins & Tavon’s Entertainment Present Award-Winning Playwright, Theo London’s Inspirational Gospel Comedy Staged Play, “Loving Him Is Killing Me” Starring Soul Singer -Shirley Murdock, Reality TV Queen - NeNe Leakes, Inspirational Balladeer- Kenny Lattimore, from VH1’s Fantasia Barrino Reality show, Joe “Teeny” Barrino, from the hit TV sitcom Family Matters Darius McCrary, New Jack Swing Soul Singer Tony Terry, and from Madea’s Family Reunion D’Atra Hicks.

Don’t miss this inspirational staged play that is filled with endearing characters, hilarious moments, and a family who uses faith and the power of prayer to overcome the temptations which lurk between their walls.

Captivating Philanthropist, Elizabeth Johnston, has lived the perfect life.

Devoted wife, loving mother, cherished friend. Seemingly, she has it all until the rug is suddenly ripped beneath her feet and turns her world upside down. Now, lonely and forlorn, she distances herself as her alluring teenage daughter opens Pandora’s box by bringing her strapping, chiseled boy toy into their home.

The play features heart thumping comedy, drama and scandal that no one can resist? When three women are obsessed with the same man, family bonds will be put to the test. Is blood thicker than water?

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

Do Men Need Earlier Colorectal Screenings?

Health

By Matt McMillen

M

en and women should be screened for colorectal cancer starting at different ages, a new study suggests.

The Austrian study, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that men frequently have advanced polyps that could lead to colorectal cancer at ages 45 to 49, a decade earlier than women.

These findings have prompted the researchers to conclude that men should likely have their first colonoscopy earlier than 50, the age that current guidelines recommend.

“Our study underlines the results from previous studies on this field, and I hope that now is the time for sex-specific age for referring patients to screening colonoscopy,” researcher Monika Ferlitsch, MD, of the Austrian Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Vienna, writes in an email. “Try to go at age of 45 if you are a man and at age of 50 if you are a woman.”

Not everyone agrees, however. David Bernstein, MD, chief of gastroenterology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhas-

set, N.Y., says that more research needs to be done before doctors change what they tell their patients. Also, given that the study was conducted in Austria, its results may not apply to American patients.

“Making recommendations based on gender rather than age is something that needs to be explored,” says Bernstein, who was not involved in the research, “but our current screening regimen seems to be impactful for reducing the risk of colorectal cancer.”

The study, conducted across Austria between 2007 and 2010, included 44,350 people whose average age was 60. A nearly equal number of men and women participated in the study.

Each of them underwent a colonoscopy, a procedure in which a tube-mounted video camera is inserted into the rectum and then snaked through the colon, where it is used to identify cancerous and potentially precancerous growths. Colonoscopies are

considered the gold standard tests for detecting colorectal cancer.

Just over 60% of the study participants were given a clean bill of colon health -- no abnormalities were found. Among those whose exams revealed a type of precancerous polyp known as an adenoma, men were much more likely to develop them at a younger age than women. For example, 18.5% of men aged 50 to 54 had adenomas compared to 10.7% of women that age.

It isn’t until women are 65 to 69 years old that their likelihood of adenomas matches men in their early to mid 50s, the researchers note.

According to the study, the likelihood that women have polyps increased as they entered their 60s. For men, a similar increase occurred when they were much younger, between the ages of 45 and 49.

Men were also twice as likely as women to have advanced adenomas, growths that have

greater potential to lead to cancer.

Overall, men were twice as likely to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer for men and women, according to the American Cancer Society. They estimate that just over 100,000 new cases of colon cancer and nearly 40,000 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed this year. In 2011, nearly 50,000 people will die from both cancers combined.

Diagnosing precancerous colon polyps and colorectal cancer at an early stage -- the goal of screening -- vastly improves a patient’s chances of survival.

For colorectal surgeon Meagan Costedio, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic, the study results may influence current recommendations on when men should have their first colonoscopy.

“People might be willing to decrease the age to 45 in men and see if it changes things,” says Costedio, who was not involved in the research. “If we see a drop in incidence of cancer, that would be a good change in practice.”

However, she cautions that colonoscopies are not risk-free procedures. Tears, bleeding, and perforations of the colon are rare but possible complications.

“We don’t want to increase the risk of hurting people,” Costedio says.

Lack Of Sleep For Teens Linked To Risky Behavior

By Jennifer Warner

T

eenagers who don’t get enough sleep on school nights may be more likely to take risks with their health.

A new CDC study shows high school students who sleep less than eight hours on school nights are more likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, seriously consider suicide, and engage in a variety of other risky behaviors.

The study showed that more than twothirds of high school students did not get at least eight hours of sleep on school nights.

Students who did not get enough sleep were more likely to engage in at least 10 different risky behaviors than students who got enough sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation recommends 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep for children aged 10 to17.

Researchers say it’s the first large-scale study to link lack of sleep to risky behavior.

They say chronic lack of sleep may decrease teens’ ability to comprehend the consequences of risky behavior and increase their susceptibility to peer pressure.

In the study, researchers surveyed 12,154 high school students as part of the 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey. The students were asked: “On an average school night, how many hours of sleep do you get?”

Eight or more hours of sleep was considered sufficient sleep and less than eight hours was considered insufficient.

Lack of Sleep and Risky Behavior The results showed 68.9% of high school students reported insufficient sleep. Students who did not get enough sleep were more likely to engage in 10 different risky health behaviors.

For example, teens who reported not getting enough sleep were: 86% more likely to have seriously considered attempting suicide.

67% more likely to smoke cigarettes.

64% more likely to drink alcohol.

62% more likely to feel sad or hopeless.

52% more likely to use marijuana.

41% more likely to be sexually active.

40% more likely to be in a physical fight one or more times.

Teens who didn’t get enough sleep were also more likely to drink soda, be physically inactive, and use a computer for three or more hours per day.

“Many adolescents are not getting the recommended hours of sleep they need on school nights,” researcher Lela McKnight-Eily, PhD, of the CDC’s Division of Adult and Community Health, says in a news release.

“Public health intervention is greatly needed,” she says, adding that delayed school start times may help remedy the problem.

Sinus Health Tips:

Feel Better Through Flu And Cold Season

I

f you’re a “seasonal allergy” sufferer, you know the term “seasonal” can be a misnomer.

Allergy symptoms can flare up year-round, even during the height of cold and flu season.

Just as cold and flu season doesn’t stop when winter ends, allergies don’t necessarily disappear just because summer is over. Taking care of your sinuses year-round can help you feel better whatever the season.

“Sinus health is the foundation for good respiratory health,” says Mike Tringale, vice president at the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “And we are increasingly finding that relieving nasal congestion makes a huge impact on the quality of life for people of all ages.”

AAFA offers some tips for reducing sinus symptoms, whether they’re caused by allergies, a cold or the flu: * To reduce your chance of catching a cold, avoid touching your face or nose. Wash your hands with hot water and soap regularly, especially after being in public places like stores, transit stations, schools or offices. * To clear out nasal congestion, consider naturally derived saline moisturizers, available at most retailers, year-round. Drug-free and preservative-free options like Arm & Hammer Simply Saline can be used as frequently as needed because it’s made of purified water and sodium chloride. * Talk to your doctor about getting a flu shot each year to try to avoid getting the flu.

However, if you feel flu-like symptoms, talk to your doctor within the first few days to get medications that will reduce the severity. * Manage your seasonal allergies by reading daily pollen counts and limiting your outdoor exposure on high-pollen days, and keep windows and doors closed during the morning hours before noon, when pollen tends to be most prevalent in the air.

You can also log on to www.SimplySaline. com, the website of Arm & Hammer Simply Saline, for more information and allergy-management advice.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

money matters

How To Put Money Back In Your Pocket During Open Enrollment

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O

pen enrollment is the time of year when employees have the opportunity to review and select their benefits package for the following year.

It is especially important for employees to know their companies’ open enrollment schedule, which typically takes place between September and December, because if they miss it, they might not be able to change their health benefits until the following year.

In making their benefits decisions, people typically don’t spend very much time researching their options - one hour or less according to a survey for UnitedHealthcare, compared to 10 hours researching a new car.

“Consumers who don’t take the time to review and understand their benefit options might be leaving a lot of money on the table,” says UnitedHealthcare senior vice president Yasmine Winkler.

When choosing your benefits this open enrollment season, Winkler suggests the following tips that could help improve your health while also putting money back in your wallet: 1. Look for incentive-based wellness programs. Many companies are now offering wellness programs that reward employees for making healthy choices and being more personally engaged in

improving their health. Incentivebased health plans may provide financial and other rewards for lowering your cholesterol, losing weight, or even signing up for a health coaching program or gym membership. Winkler cites UnitedHealthcare’s Personal Rewards program - which is already nearing 1 million participants after being introduced just a year ago - as an example.

2. Open a Health Savings Account. More employers are offering health plans that include a Health Savings Account option. A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is like a personal bank account specifically for health-related expenses: you own all the money in it, including contributions from your employer.

And, unlike a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), HSAs have no “use it or lose it” provision. They also offer a triple tax advantage: money is deposited pre-tax from your paycheck, accrues interest tax-free, and withdrawals are not taxed as long as funds are used for health-related expenses.

3. Get your preventive care.

The new health reform law requires nongrandfathered health plans to cover preventive care with no cost sharing by the consumer. These services - which include children’s immunizations, annual physicals, mammograms and colonoscopies - may help you stay healthy and increase your chances of detecting possible future health risks earlier on.

4. Compare treatment costs.

Some health plans offer tools to estimate your health care costs. For

example, UnitedHealthcare’s Treatment Cost Estimator enables you to compare the estimated price of various medical treatments and services among different physicians.

Some tools also enable you to compare the quality ratings among physicians who participate in your health plan’s network, in addition to their cost.

5. Don’t overlook other important benefits. Many employers offer a variety of supplemental or voluntary benefits that can also put money back in your wallet. Critical illness and disability plans are designed to protect your income and help pay bills in the event that you are out of work for extended periods of time due to illness.

The average cost of these plans can cost as little as $7 per month while providing thousands - even tens of thousands - of dollars in coverage.

In addition, dental and vision plans typically cost only about $1 per day combined but cover annual cleanings and eye exams, and offer reduced pricing on frames and lenses.

Many employers and health plans offer resources at no additional cost to help you navigate through this open enrollment period. One place to start is www.HealthCareLane.com, a free, easy-to-use website with fun, interactive videos that simply and clearly explain different kinds of health benefits programs and terminology. This year, don’t miss the opportunity to review your benefits and save some money while taking steps toward better health.

NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR

dining

Man is what he eats.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Ingredients: 1/2 cup Hellmann’s(R) or Best Foods(R) Real Mayonnaise 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

4 teaspoons Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs Directions: Preheat oven to 425 F. Combine Hellmann’s(R) or Best Foods(R) Real Mayonnaise with cheese in medium bowl. Arrange chicken on baking sheet.

Evenly top with mayonnaise mixture, then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Makes 4 servings.

Swapping

Recipes

Simple Ways To Break Out Of Dinner Menu Monotony * Make Mealtime Easier And More Interesting

W

ith mom’s and dad’s work schedules running up against after school activities and homework time, the opportunities to share delicious meals are fewer and further between than ever before.

If your family is crunched for time, relying on the same old dinnertime standards can become a habit. However, it might be easier than you think to break out of your routine and incorporate something different into your evening meal.

Sissy Biggers, lifestyle expert and mother of two, says she’s always been on the lookout for new recipes that help her move away from the tried and true.

“Because busy schedules are the new norm and were for me when my kids were growing up, everyone is looking for ways to cut cooking time and prepare meals that don’t require a laundry list of ingredients or preparation steps,” notes Biggers.

The following are her top tips for making mealtime easier and more interesting. * Use staples in a new way. You’ve probably got a pantry and refrigerator door packed with products that you rely on but don’t use too often. But don’t let those staples sit unused -

they can be the key to making dinner different and more delicious. For instance, adding Hellmann’s(R) Real Mayonnaise to chicken recipes like Parmesan Crusted Chicken, which has just four steps and four ingredients, can produce a juicier, crispier meal that your family is sure to love. * Incorporate a single new item. There’s a whole grocery store full of options just waiting for you - why not look for an ingredient you haven’t yet tried?

Adding a single new ingredient is an easy way to break the monotony without going overboard and cooking an entirely new type of meal. The bonus is that you’ll be exposing your family to what could become a new favorite - and if they like it, you can try new cooking methods in the future. * Get everyone in the kitchen. The old adage about too many cooks spoiling the broth isn’t necessarily true. By gathering the family in the kitchen to help with dinner prep, you’ll not only be distributing the workload to make things go faster, you may inspire a new interest in cooking. That, in turn, could lead your kids to look for recipes that they want to debut on your evening menu.

Adding a new taste to your dinner can start as early as tonight. In just 30 minutes, you can have a delicious dinner of Parmesan Crusted Chicken ready to wow your family.

Visit hellmanns.com for quick and easy meal ideas and vote for your favorite Hellmann’s(R) recipes.

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NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR * September 29 - october 12, 2011

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libertystarsports

Samuels Cleared To Bowl Again

M

arlon Samuels has been cleared to bowl again in international matches more than three years after he was banned for an illegal bowling action.

The International Cricket Council, the sport’s World governing body, said on Wednesday that the West Indies batsman, who also peddles uncomplicated off-spin, was cleared following significant remedial work, and an independent test in Perth, Australia.

“It feels really good to know that I can bowl again in international matches,” said Samuels. “I have been waiting for this moment for a while now. I am mainly a batsman in the team, but it feels good to know that I can again contribute to the team in another area – with the ball. I am the kind of player who likes to be always involved in the game so this is great news for me and for the team.”

The 30-year-old Samuals was reported by umpires Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel following the third Test between South Africa and West Indies from January 8 to 10, 2008, in Durban.

Samuels has also endured a two-year ban for links with an alleged Indian bookie during that time before making a return to the game last year.

He is presently in Dubai with the West Indies team on a one-week training camp as they prepare for their upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

Samuels hailed the help and advice he received from former Jamaica and West Indies captain Jimmy Adams and current West Indies coach Ottis Gibson.

“I really want to thank Jimmy for working with me in the nets and helping me through this process,” he said.

“After I came back into the West Indies set-up, Ottis continued the work from where Jimmy left off, and helped me to get the positive result for which I was aiming.”

He said: “I have been spending a lot of time doing a lot of bowling in the nets so that I could get my body accustomed to the work, and that anytime the captain calls on me, in any of the three formats of the game, I will be ready.”

Samuels’ latest independent analysis was performed

by Professor Bruce Elliott, member of the ICC Panel of Human Movement Specialists, and his team at the School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, University of Western Australia on September 14.

“It is important to point out that under this process, as with all bowlers, Samuels’ action will continue to be scrutinised by match officials to ensure it remains legal,” said an ICC media release.

Samuels has so far taken seven wickets in 32 Tests and 57 wickets in 117 One-Day Internationals for West Indies.

Jack Jewsbury #13 of the Portland Timbers and Dane Richards #19 of the New York Red Bulls play for position on a loose ball during the game at Red Bull Arena, Sept. 24 in Harrison, New Jersey.

Richards Leads Red Bulls Past Timbers, Into Fourth

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ane Richards struck a first-half goal that sparked a crucial 2-0 victory for New York Red Bulls over 10-man Portland Timbers on Saturday in Major League Soccer.

The Jamaican striker nailed a solo effort that gave the Red Bulls a 1-0 halftime lead before Luke Rodgers’ stoppage-time item formalised a result that handed the home team sole possession of the 10th and final playoff spot.

“We came out with great energy from the start,” Richards said. “After we lost Wednesday (3-1 to Real Salt Lake), we knew that we needed to give a good performance. It was important to get the early goal.”

The result gave New York their first home victory since July 6, putting them one point ahead of DC United and two in

front of Portland. After some early pressure from the visiting Timbers, the Red Bulls got an early goal after 21 minutes.

Joel Lindpere received the ball on the left wing and the Estonian dropped a pass back to Richards, who had moved into his support.

“Joel actually set a nice pick for me,” Richards said. “Once I beat the player (Chara), I knew it was a tough angle, but I got it to the far post.”

Richards drove into the penalty area, beating Portland’s Diego Chara to the endline, just a yard away from goalkeeper Troy Perkins’ near post, and amazingly

slotted a right-footed shot just inside the far post for his sixth goal of the season.

Several half chances marked the start of second half for New York, including a spectacular, reaction save from Perkins on a right-footed effort from Henry, after Richards made another sensational run down the right wing and fed him the ball.

But the goal to seal the match came in the 66th minute from the penalty spot from a Lindpere corner kick.

Henry fired a shot that appeared headed into the back of the goal, but was handled by Khalif Alhassan.

Rodgers stepped up confidently to the spot and fired an effort past Perkins and into the roof of the net to essentially seal the victory for the Red Bulls.

The Red Bulls will continue their playoff push on the road next Saturday at BMO Field when they take on Toronto FC.

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September 29 - october 12, 2011 * NEW YORK LIBERTY STAR