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Cell Phones Are Tracking Devices That Governments, Police, Big Corporations And Stalkers Can Use To Easily Track Your Movements If you regularly carry a cell phone around with you, you might as well say goodbye to your privacy . The truth is that any cell phone you buy is going to track you wherever you go 24 hours a day. Just as you leave “footprints” wherever you go on the Internet, so also your cell phone is constantly recording wherever you go in the physical world. Most people do not realize this, but the reality is that cell phones are tracking devices that gov ernments, law enforcement authorities, big corporations and even stalkers can use to easily track your move ments. If you do not know about this yet, then you are going to be absolutely amazed by what you are about to read. Not only do cell phones track you wherever you go, they can also be used to listen to your private con versations even when they are turned off. We live in a brave new world, and there are a lot of control freaks out there that love to monitor where we go and what we do. Unfortunately, it seems like every time technology advances, we lose a little bit more privacy . Eventually, we may wake up someday in a world where there is absolutely no privacy left. On Black Friday , two U.S. shopping malls started actively using the FootPath Technology tracking system to monitor their customers. This system captures the unique identification num ber that is assigned to each phone, and thus it enables the malls to constantly monitor what stores their customers enter. The malls are putting up signs that warn customers about this system and that instruct them that they can “opt out” by turning off their cell phones. But should we really have to “opt out” in order to maintain our privacy? A new article posted on CNN described the “test” that will be running for the rest of the year at these malls.... Starting on Black Friday and r unning through New Year’s Day, two U.S. malls — Pr omenade Temecula in southern California and Short Pump T own Center in Richmond, Va. — will track guests’ movements by monitoring the signals from their cell phones. While the data that’s collected is anonymous, it can follow shoppers’ paths from store to store. The goal is for stores to answer questions like: How many Nordstrom shoppers also stop at Starbucks? How long do most customers linger in V ictoria’s Secret? Are there unpopular spots in the mall that aren’t being visited? It is being ar gued that since our movements on the Internet are tracked, we should not object when our movements in the physical world are tracked. But if we say this is okay, where will it all end?
Will we eventually live in a world that makes the movie “Minority Report” look tame by comparison? So exactly how intrusive is the FootPath Technology tracking system? A Time magazine article recently explained how the system functions.... It works like this: A network of monitoring units are set up acr oss a mall to track shoppers’ cellphone signals, locating them within a couple of meters. The data is then fed to a central pr ocessing center. Afterwards, management can gain insight into their customers’shopping habits, letting them know which stores complement each other or which pathways have the most foot traffic so they can allocate their maintenance cr ews and ad posters accordingly. It is not as intrusive as it could be. But the thing is, once you give these control freaks an inch, eventually they will take a mile. In fact, governments all over the world are already using cell phones to track down “enemies of the state”. For example, a recent Bloomberg article described how the government of Iran is aggressively using cell phones to crack down on dissidents.... The Iranian officers who knocked out Saeid Pourheydar’s four front teeth also enlightened the opposition journalist. Held in Evin Prison for weeks follow ing his arrest early last year for pr otesting, he says, he learned that he was not only fighting the r egime, but also companies that armed T ehran with technology to monitor dissidents like him. Pourheydar, 30, says the power of this enemy became clear as intelligence officers brandished tran scripts of his mobile phone calls, e-mails and text mes sages during his detention. About half the political prisoners he met in jail told him police had tracked their communications and movements thr ough their ce ll phones, he says. Christians in Iran have learned that they must take the batteries entirely out of their cell phones before they gather at their secret meeting places. Otherwise, the secret police are likely to show up and drag them of f to prison. Eventually, most of the governments on earth will be utilizing these kinds of capabilities. In the United States, cell phone companies are actu ally required by law to be able to pinpoint the locations of their customers to within 100 meters. Of course most cell phone providers are able to track their customers much more accurately than that. Law enforcement authorities all over the U.S. are already using cell phones to track the locations of crim inal suspects and to listen to their conversations.
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What it is: UniquelySanDiego.com is a new online website highlight ing the city’ s multicultural news, events, attractions, travel deals, and more. The website showcases the various facets of San Diego’ s ethnic communities, encouraging locals to learn more about the city’s culture, while enticing visitors and meet ing planners to book meetings and conventions to San Diego. Some of our currently offered features include: • A multicultural calendar that local businesses, or ganizations and residents can contribute to “FREE” • The ability for individuals, businesses and organizations to share news and promotions at no char ge • A business directory allowing restaurants, stores, hotels, and service providers to promote themselves • A discussion forum that allows people from around the county to engage with others on local issues • Look for the following features and functionality in 2012: • Additional community resources including a guide to restaurants, health and beauty , social or ganizations, chambers, churches, and more • Greater involvement from community groups and or ganizations • Media partnerships, advertising programs, and event sponsorship opportunities • Contests, Giveaways, Fundraisers and more Get a jump start into your 2012 Online Marketing plan, by engaging with UniquelySanDiego.com, it’s simple, user friendly and it’s “FREE”. Family FUN Holiday Events: Get ready for the return of San Diego’s favorite holiday musical, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (Nov. 19th - Dec. 31st) at Old Globe Theater in Balboa park. Tickets Range: $24 - $57 For additional information: (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623) or www.theoldglobe.org/tickets
Balboa Park’s Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony – Located at the Organ Pavilion Stage Friday, December 2, 2012 - 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm Opening remarks by Mayor Jerry Sanders December Nights – 34th Annual Balboa Park event, Friday, December 2, 5-10pm, and Saturday, December 3, noon-10pm – FREE family fun event, entertainment, food, spirits, and enjoy selected museums free of charge from 5-9 pm both evenings! Check out San Diego’s award-winning group, The Choice Entertainers (Doo Wop) performing at December Nights, Dec. 3rd @ 2:20 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. (Palisades Stage, located by Hall of Champions) http://www.balboapark.org/decembernights/ Ice Skating in San Diego? Yes, we have seasonal events happening throughout the city. Here are a couple unique venues to check out this holiday season for F AMILY FUN!! Fantasy on Horton (located directly across from Horton Plaza Mall),
November 17, 2011 - January 8, 2012, Open daily from 10am to 10pm Prices: Adults - $14.00, Children - $12.00 (Under 12) *Admission includes rental ice skates. Skating by the Sea @ the Hotel Del – Another unique Southern California experience November 23 – January 1, 2012, Open daily: 2pm - 5pm & 6pm - 9pm weekend & holiday matinee: 11am - 1pm Prices: Adults - $25, Children - $20 (ages 10 & under) for the 3-hour session. The 2-hour matinee session is $20 for adults/$15 for kids (ages 10 & under) Admission includes skate rental Planning Holiday events can be stressful. Save yourself time and money – allow this seasoned Event Specialist to assist with your hotel venue selection and planning needs. Call our of fice today, 619-265-2561 and ask for Clara or email sales@mccsn.com. Like Us on Facebook @ MCCSN and UniquelySanDiego.com About UniquelySanDiego.com – your online guide highlighting the city’s multicultural news, events, attractions, communities, daily deals, and more. Want to drive more traffic to your business or store front? Upload your daily coupon specials and enter your “FREE” business listing by clicking on the “businesses” tab www.uniquelysandiego.com . Have an event you want to share? Simply submit your community event to our calendar by clicking on Event’s tab and follow the prompts - it’ s “FREE”!!
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Second Chance to Get it Right! Second Chance is a not f or profit committed to serving individuals who’ve been incarcer ated off ering them job training skills and placement. Recently, a new prog ram has been added w orking specifically with y oung adults between the ages of 17-21 who’v e also been pre viously incarcer ated. This job training prog ram teaches y oung adults to f arm here in the city . The y outh are given tr ainings and w orkshops in composting, star ting w orm farms, b uilding cool w eather hoop houses , f ood production and har vesting. They also ga in skills in mar keting and selling the pro duce at the local f armers mar ket in Southeast SD. These y oung adults also receiv e classroom instr uction helping them to achieve their GED or High school diploma. For compensation they also receive a weekly stipend.A v acant lot in Encanto has a lot in common with youths who frequently r un into troub le with the la w, according to one staff
member with Second Chance’s Juvenile Options for Lifelong Transition program. Second Chance launched its urban
farm program, a comm unity garden on a 5,000-square-foot patch of land ne xt to the Encanto-based center that spe-
cializes in prepar ing the area’ s least employable with prof essional and lif e skills. Youths betw een the ages of 16 and 21 ha ve been cultiv ating the first batch of crops since May. The specializ ed JOL T prog ram focuses on juv eniles and y oung adults who ha ve had a histor y of troub le and been in and out of the system, b ut are intent on turning things around. “Watching something g row from nothing creates a f amily en vironment,” Second Chance f ounder and president Scott Silverman says. Things ha ve worked out so w ell f or the garden so far that there are already plans to expand it. On top of that, once the crops star t bearing fruit (or v egetables), the goods will be tak en to the Chollas View F armers’ Market and put up for sale. Over the past 10 weeks, the group has star ted g rowing tomatoes , jalapeños, onions , cor n, squash, egg plant, tur nips, broccoli, kale and g reen pepper among other things.
Healthier Lifestyle and self esteem, is there a connection? Brian Pollard I am sure most people are aware of the Health warnings we have been bombarded with regarding our lack of fresh produce we have access to in our community as well as our unhealthy eating lifestyles. We have heard it from national news as well as our local news outlets, through our churches and various non-profits in Southeastern San Diego. However I read an article recently that may make sense of the health state of our community and our race specifically . It suggested our eating lifestyle has a direct correlation to our selfesteem as a race. It states our lack of selfesteem stems from our history of slavery , the breaking up of our families, and our treatment since those days. In short we lack the ability to think well of ourselves. On an individual basis people that have low self-esteem typically get involved in over consumption of bad food, alcohol, drugs, anger, victimization, sex, etc. All of these bad behaviors can be a direct result of us feeling “not good enough” about ourselves….and all
of these behaviors are slowly killing us. It is time for us to break the chain. We have been selfinflicting these injuries to ourselves long enough. The only persons we are hurting are ourselves, and our families. Continuing these unhealthy behaviors is like taking poison and expecting someone else to die from it. Don’t get me wrong, we have certainly had our share of injustices, and I am sure they will continue. However don’t you think it is time for us to change our ways of addressing these wrongs? Individually and families need to take a dif ferent approach. Instead of killing ourselves it may make better sense to start living healthi er lives. Instead of ‘acting out” by overindulging of fried foods, drugs and alcohol, anger and “playing a victim”, perhaps we should start taking a perspective of “bring it on” and work through our issues with healthier strategies. I am sure this is something at one point or another we have all thought of, so I thought I would “put it on the table” for us to discuss.
Let’s start with food. Drive around our community and I am absolutely positive we will see more fried food joints, taco stands and fast food “restaurants” than any other form of business. On Euclid and Imperial there are at least three taco stands, one liquor store, and a couple of grocery stores with low quality produce. Near the corner of Federal and Euclid we have a fried chicken establishment, a McDonalds and less than a half a mile away , on Euclid and Market we have another fried chicken drive-through. This is just in my neighborhood! What about your neighborhood? We all know we have a shortage of major grocery chains in Southeastern San Diego that provide healthy produce and our only Farmers Market is struggling at best, hopefully this will change but the answer once again lies with us. The only reason these unhealthy establishment is in our neighborhoods is because it is financially beneficial to the owners. If we stop supporting these unhealthy eating establishments they will stop opening up in our neighborhoods. Once again we are responsible for our own neighborhoods, we are killing ourselves. We can learn to cook with the same taste without using all the fat and szalt with which we use to cook. We can limit the amount of sugar we put in our food by using more organ-
ic products, we can attend cooking classes at St. Ritas, and other locations that have sprouted up to re-train us to cook healthy . Angela Harris, a friend of mine has a neighborhood cooking group that proves we can maintain our taste and eat healthy at the same time… and we can lose weight. Let’ s start changing our behavior so we can live healthier . I am sure we are all aware of the health issues associated with being over weight….no obese. The statistics are staggering, and our health is suffering. Are our bodies truly the “temple of the Lord”? 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 In no way do I expect us to quit eating BBQ, nor should we. What I am suggesting is we become more aware of our lifestyle and eating habits. More exercise, walking at Chollas Lake for instance. Slowing down with the BBQ and pork, and in general eating healthier. Remember this can be a self esteem issue and it is time for us to break the chain. We have to think better about ourselves, and have more self pride in us as a race, and it can start with changing our lifestyle. We deserve more and better . Think about this over the holidays and change the menu a bit to high light healthier menus and less fast foods. More “color’ on our plates folks, simple strategy that may help us live longer and healthier lives.
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Education Has Failed Black Americans
Bigger worry: drivers on phones or speeding?
The amount of money spent on educating Black Americans rivals every other ethnicity . Statistics show that Black people are actually the most educated people in modern day times. When I visited the African country of Senegal a few years back, I learned that the average age of the population was 30; howev er most of these young adults were totally lit erate with college degrees. It was surprising to me to see so many educated young people in a third world country that America considers itself to be more advanced than. The picture is dif ferent here in America. Bla ck Americans wanted to build a bird’s nest on the ground for everyone, while the Senegalese built a bird’ s nest for only the Senegalese. Anyone and everyone can prey on a bird’s nest on the ground, but if you build it in a tree, only tree climbers can prey on that nest. Now if Black folks are so educated, why has the pendulum swung from Blacks trying to get education, to trying to keep a job? The pendulum has only rewarded White America. White America gets the top tiers of all of the educated minorities. All of the educated Blacks move out of the hood, work for Corporate America, and spend little to no time reaching back to help other Black people. Education results in a migration out of the community. We call it “movin’ on up” to a better job, a better house, and a better life overall. But why is it that the children of the so-called educated class are no better educated then children in the hood? Private schools that keep children in a Black environment and teach the importance of being Black have not been proven to be the best for Black students. Education has proven to only help Blacks that wish to climb the corporate ladder . Black Americans have to put aside their culture and their cultural dif ferences —- their hair and their physical prefer ences. They begin to drop Ebonics to be accepted by White America. Blacks have to take off the Black armor if they expect to suc ceed in White America. Where does that put our children? They are dismissed from White firms and corporations and thrown back into the Black community based on their skin color, not their education. In California where we live, Blacks are
Move over aggressive and speeding drivers. Your fellow Californians now see drivers talking on cell phones and texting as the biggest safety problems on state roads. Yes, speeding and aggressive driving are so 2010. These are some of the findings in the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) second annual Traffic Safety survey. Last year, 21.5 percent of drivers surveyed felt that speeding and aggressive driving were the biggest problems. Only 18.3 percent saw the combined issues of cell phone talking and texting as a threat. The anti-social behaviors have switched places – rather dramatically . This year ’s survey finds 38.8 percent worry about texting and talking drivers while only 17.6 percent worry about obnoxious or speeding drivers. Among the 1,801 drivers over age 18 who were surveyed at gas stations around the state, safety concerns don’t end there. Other things that bother California drivers are: drunk driving (12.6 percent), bad road surfaces (1 1.6 percent) and internal car distractions (3.8 percent). While 15.6 percent professed to not know what issues concern them, that is a significant improvement in clarity from the 37.5 percent who held no opinion last year. While the sight of other drivers talking on cell phones is bothersome, nearly 48 percent con fessed to doing the same thing at some point in the past 30 days. Half of them said they rarely talked on the phone. Likewise, just over 28 percent acknowledged texting while driving; although nearly 72 percent said they have never typed something like “LOL” or “LMAO” to a friend while driving. The hands-free law seems to be working:
EDITORIAL questioning how the education industry is being run. We have been placed on every educational board in the country, but being placed there has not helped us one iota. In San Diego, we have had a Black board member and a Black superintendent. But the educational environment has not changed. We have had private schools, charter schools, and home schools. It has not upgraded us culturally . Businesses, trade schools, and entrepreneurship has not increased, but declined. Education has failed Black America miser ably. When Black America was segregated from White America, Black Americans fended for themselves and were competitors to White America. But when integration came, we for got that there was a buying and a selling end. We bought into the idea of getting a good education, going to college, and being able to compete. We sold our soul to hell. We exited the Black community. We had to totally shed our Black culture and our way of life. Until Next Week, Willie Morrow
More drivers (40.4 percent) say they talk less on their phones while driving than last year (34.5 percent) because of the law. Some other findings in the survey: * 30.3 percent: 18-to-35-years-olds who find drunk driving the biggest safety concern. (Up from 11.5 percent last year.) * 45.8 percent: Drivers who say they have made a mistake while talking on a cell phone while driving. * 60.1 percent: Drivers who say they have been hit – or nearly hit – by another driver who was talking or texting at the time. * 71.9 percent: Think that police have made more DUI arrests with the help of the “Report Drunk Drivers – Call 911” campaign. * 88.3 percent: Support the use of DUI checkpoints by police. * 6.7 percent: Drivers who drove in past 30 days after having too much to drink. * 34 percent: Drivers who don’t drink at all. (A significant hike from the 22.7 percent who didn’ t last year.) * 75.2 percent: Drivers who think penalties for driving under the influence of drugs should be the same as alcohol. * 95.3 percent: Drivers who wear their seat belt. (That’ s a percentage point lower than last year, even though the percent who think they’re more likely to get caught not wearing a seatbelt rose from 64.5 to 70 percent.) “This second year of surveying the opinions and habits of California’ s drivers shows how quickly they react to the real problems we all face on the road,” said OTS Director Christopher J. Murphy. “This information provides us with unique insight into the concerns of Californians. Murphy finds the shift in concerns from speeding drivers to cell phone users “very telling.”
Community colleges focus on student veterans SD summit addresses special needs as schools prepare for an influx By Robert J. Hawkins SAN DIEGO — California’ s community colleges have taken a budgetary hit in recent years that has resulted in program and student reductions but there is one growth area in the future: military veterans. As the nation draws down troops from Iraq and Afghanistan, community colleges are gearing up for a fresh wave of new students, some with unique needs. Many of those war veterans will join the 1.97 million resident California veterans — 234,000 who live in San Diego County. “More and more war veterans are applying and many of them have special needs, like post-traumatic stress,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott. Today, Scott who will preside over a con ference in San Diego today focusing on the needs of community college student veterans. Scott, who oversees the state’s 112 community colleges, is currently on a dual mission — to make the schools more accessible to veter ans and to meet any special needs they may have transitioning from the military to a col lege campus. The summit will tackle such issues as mental health needs, military culture, financial aid and other needed resources for returning veterans. Some benefits are already in place, such as tuition through the GI Bill. “We are looking at ways in which we can be more ef fective,” said Scott, who served two terms in the state Assembly and as president of two community colleges before being named chancellor. Scott joined forces with Peter James Gravett, secretary of the California Department of Veterans affairs, in early November to ease the path for veterans into community colleges, mainly by sharing enrollment and financial aid information and guiding veterans to the cam pus that could best serve their interests. “Returning veterans face so many chal lenges in their attempts to re-enter civilian life,” said Gravett. “It’s wonderful to be able to simplify a process that might otherwise over whelm a veteran and discourage them from pursuing their college education.” Scott and Gravett appear at the conference which will also feature Rep. Bob Filner, D-San Diego, the ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and Dr . Jon Nachison of San Diego, chief of psychology for Paradise Valley Hospital and co-founder and director of National Stand Down for homeless veterans. The conference is being held at the Holiday
Inn San Diego On the Bay on Harbor Drive north of the cruise ship terminal from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The session is jointly sponsored by the California Community Colleges Chancellor ’s Office, the Faculty Association of California Community Colleges Education Institute and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and is supported by a donation from JP Morgan Chase. Scott said that up to 80 percent of the returning veterans who make use of the GI Bill tuition benefits at California higher education institutions start their journey at a community college. The San Diego Community College District, for example, has more than 1 1,000 service members, veterans and dependents enrolled in programs. The district has four education programs specifically tailored to active duty military and veterans. Additionally the district provides education services to 145,000 active military on bases around the world, according to spokesman Richard Dittbenner. The reasons that community colleges appeal to veterans are numerous. “W e are the open door to getting into the UC and CSU college systems,” said Scott. “We’re also relatively inexpensive.” Additionally, “a lot of veterans are not interested in living on campus,” he said. “A lot are married.” The local four-year universities have expe rienced an increase in student veterans and like community colleges are anticipating more as U.S. forces overseas are brought back home. One way community colleges are addressing the feeling of alienation that war veterans might feel is by forming veterans’ centers on campus, said Scott. “Between 2009 and 2010, around 20 of our campuses set up veteran cen ters,” he said. “These are places — it could be just a single room — in which veterans can share experiences, study, watch TV. “We try to have staf f members with previous war experience — some are Vietnam vets — available at these centers to work with stu dents.” Scott says recruiting veterans to campus will be good for the schools but it is also good for the community . He said a study of World War II veterans who went back to school on the GI bill found that their increased income from a better education far surpassed the cost of the program. He’s confident society will reap the same return from well-educated Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.
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San Diego Black Health Associates San Diego Black Health Associates is a non-profit 501(c)3 communit y-based, health related, educational, and professional development organization focused on improving the health of African Americans in San Diego Count y. Administrative Assistant – Part-time
The Administrative Assistant is a part-time position char ged with providing highly responsible secretarial/ administrative support to the SDBHA. The successful candidate will answer phones, or ganize the office and establish procedures, files and handle e-mail as needed for the organization. Administrative experience is required; office management is preferred and outstanding customer service skills are necessary; Must have excellent organizational, editing, proofreading, grammar and typing skills; must be detail oriented, competent in composing routine correspon dence, and have knowledge of Microsoft of fice suite including power point and excel. Nonprofit experience preferred. Must have reliable trans portation. Salary $13 - $16 per hour based on experience.
Men’s Health Project Project Coordinator - Part-time This part-time coordinator position reports to Executive Director . The Coordinator will be Responsible for conducting a men’ s health project for Southeastern San Diego. Responsible for planning and executing educa tional programs and events focused on Men’s Health issues Must be able
to work on collaborative relationships with tar geted organizations; and be able to outreach to companies and individuals to solicit participation and donations for the project. Nonprofit experience preferred. BA in health related field a plus; computer skills necessary. Must have reliable transportation. Salary Based on experience.
Bookkeeper – Part-time
This position requires Knowledge of finance, accounting, budgeting, and cost control principles including Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Knowledge of federal and state financial regulations. Ability to analyze financial data and prepare management reports, statements and projections. A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, four to five years of accounting experience OR an Associate degree with minimum of 6 yrs. experience is required. Proficient in Excel, Word, Quick books Pro and Outlook is a must. Salary based on experience. To apply for these positions please submit cover letter and resume to info@sdbha.org. For more information regarding positions contact San Diego Black Health at (619) 906-4002
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Congratulations San Diego Monitor News For 25 years of printing. What would we do if we did not have you? Thank You, From Wanda Rogers
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Political Burglary in the Union By Ezrah Aharone
During President Obama’s first State of the Union address, there were over 100 applause lines, no shouts of “you lie,” and no reality show contestants (that we know of) breached security on a schmooze mission. Aside from these successes, the Union is being politically bur glarized and is in immediate need of rescue — Rescue from the collapsing weight of national debt and unregulated greed throughout America’s “Free Market Capitalism,” and rescue from the fast-sinking quicksand of mili tary mishaps. This plundering for profits and power, long superseded Bush’ s arrival and will long subsist beyond Obama’s departure. World capitalism (costs of labor , value of currencies, controls over resources) did not evolve haphazardly in isolated fragments that are unrelated to coercion, occupation, and military might. With few exceptions, nations with the strongest currencies also have the strongest militaries and records of hegemony . Capitalism euphemistically has “free mar kets,” but as Ron Jacobs wrote in CounterPunch, capitalism is neither moral nor immoral — it is “amoral.” And “in order to survive, it must expand... The fact that the US spends more money on weaponry and war is directly related to this phenomenon.” America was not only born with foreign debts from war -costs of its revolution, but it has bled annual debts in all but two years since its founding. Of the $3.8 trillion in Obama’s proposed 2011 federal budget, $738 billion is for defense and over $1 trillion will be borrowed from foreign creditors. Now with double-digit unemployment and a $12 trillion national debt, at least 45 cents of every US dollar is owed to governments like Kuwait and China. Sovereign Wealth Funds (financial institu tions of foreign governments that invest in other nations) are pouring into America faster than immigrants. At one point from November
2007 to January 2008, the governments of Kuwait, China, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and South Korea invested over $40 billion in US banks. Since 2001, the dollar has tail-spun in value to the point where it is no longer the world’ s strongest currency . And if you notice, some US businesses will now accept payments in Euros. In a Charles Darwin-like fashion of “natural selection/survival of the fittest,” the financial services industry has subsequently resorted to cannibalizing the financial meat of f the bones of the disadvantaged public, via subprime mortgages, usury interest rates, excessive penalties, Ponzi schemes and predatory lend ing practices. Consumers who’ve lost homes, investments, and retirement funds have had little government recourse, unless you count state-operated Power Ball lotteries. Had this burglary been orchestrated by individuals instead of institutions, it would be criminal. But under the guise of “too big to fail,” rather than prosecuting, the government is subsidizing some of these same institutions with billions in tax-funded bailouts. And in a classic case of “wolves watching the hen house,” some of the same Wall Street execs are being rotated into musical-chair appointments as “experts” to run the Federal Reserve, Treasury Department and other fiscal agencies. But how could the so-called best and brightest people of government and Washington think tanks, who supposedly safeguard society , sit back and watch clusters of companies become “too big to fail” in the first place? Whether it’s incompetence or complicity, here’s what they should know before more ransom is given to bailout corporations that later split multimillions of loot “bonuses” among execs û If any business, in any industry, is deemed “too big to fail,” then that alone should stipulate it as a “modern-day monopoly” which, under expanded Antitrust Laws should subject it to be broken-up long before its failure can burglarize society. As for healthcare, once you mix corporate greed with the political influence and endless lobbying dollars of the insurance industry , it’s easy to understand why “affordable” insurance is so controversial among congressmen who
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known practices of “dollars and dealings” within a thriving plutocratic culture, where society’s elite moneychangers engage in “Payto-Play Democracy” to influence policymak ing, party platforms, and election outcomes. Bluebloods who “donate” $25,000 per -plate to attend political fundraisers, don’ t waste their “bargaining chips” by trying to moralize capi talism. Besides, it would be rudely inappropri ate to advocate for the burglarized public while plutocrats dine on braised stuffed pheasant.
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OCCUPY WALL STREET: WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? In Los Angeles (Nov . 30), hundreds of Occupy La activists, joined by supporters streaming into the area in a show of solidari ty, crowded the lawn, sidewalks and streets around City Hall as hundreds of helmeted officers moved into the encampment with eviction notices. Except for some initial minor scuf fling, there was still resistance. Several demonstrators climbed into trees setting off fireworks, as large numbers of police, dragged the remaining protestors of f their feet. The Movement is not what it used to be when it first started. Eviction notices are spreading across the US, claiming “unlawful assembly,” and protestors are diminishing dramatically. Protesters began to move to Los Angeles’ City Hall park on October 1, and within weeks the encampment had grown to many as 500 tents, with between 700 to 800 full-time residents. But when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced last week that he wanted protesters to pack up their tents and other belongings and leave by Monday or face forcible removal, their numbers soon decreased sharply afterwards. So went wrong? Occupy Wall Street (OWS) was going to be the movement that would take over Wall Street, New York, San Diego, Los Angeles and even Philadelphia. They even compared themselves as the “New Civil Rights Movement.” What went wrong was they first compared themselves to the Civil Rights Movement—portraying MLK’ s teachings of non-violence—and secondly they sat around and did nothing, but campedout, philosophized amongst each other , and complained. You can’ t camp out! Constant demonstrations of action must be utilized. However if you dare compare yourselves as non-violent protestors, then the first step you need to do is “dress appropriately!” It’s true that Martin Luther King combat ted resistance with non-violence, but he did n’t do so un-bathed, unshaven, or poorly
dressed. Martin Luther King made it clear to White America and to the world that he wanted to be recognized as a “Man;” not “a boy.” And how did he do that? He did so by dressing as an upright gentleman. Even though Malcolm X, found Martin Luther King’ s tactics of nonviolence to be benign, he still intimated White America with his appearance—a Negro who looked and talked intelligently. It is also true that he advocated violence—in the form of self-defense—against the police (“by any means necessary”) but he still remained unharmed by police. Reasonably speaking they were too scared to pick a fight with him. If Occupy Wall Street, wants to be recognized—but as “equal” citizens of the United States—with equal rights and oppor tunities, then hygiene is definitely in order. Then lastly on what must be done with Occupy Wall Street are the protests itself: civility. Even though Malcolm X advocated violence, he did not lower himself from a civilized man—staining his tongue with vulgar language or speech. He knew that the status quo of Black Americans was uneducated and uncivilized human beings; so, what good would it bring to his campaign, if he were to sound uneducated or appeared uncivilized? Gandhi may not have worn suits, but he still maintained his dignity as an Indian. He dressed “appropriately” in accordance to his ancestors and his campaign was civilized— he is now considered as the father of Civil Rights. All great campaigns of non-violence were done with civility and cleanliness. So if you dare call yourselves [OWS] as non-violent protestors, then do so justifiably , or else stop talking. My final recommendation is this: use our Continued on page 14
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The Women of Vision Presents
Christmas for Children We are The Women of Vision, Each year we help bring joy to the children of parents that are incarcerated. As it is no fault of the child, we felt that it is important that they are given an opportunity to have a Merry Christmas despite their situation. You too can share in helping these children. Your donation of toys or monetary gifts will support us in making sure these children are not left out during the Christmas Holiday. So donate today and help a child have a Merry and Joyous Christmas. _____________________________________ A Heart of Compassion Christmas comes but once a year Each year The Women of Vision elects to go into the convalescent homes to spread Christmas joy to the patients there by handing out socks. This small act brings a smile to their face. We need support to continue this charge. Your support can be in the way of socks donation or monetary gifts. our Donations may be brought to the address below For Information Please contact December 16, 2011 - 4pm JoAnneBe Hooks (619) 934-7298 The Women of Vision 3774 Grove Street, Ste A Lemon Grove, CA 91945
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Wading Into Dangerous Waters I may get kicked out of my column for this, but I’m wading into this political thing. I know, I’ve already stated that I was a candidate for political office. For those of you who don’t know, I have ceded my candidacy for the 79th Assembly District to Dr . Shirley Weber. That is to say, I have withdrawn from the race and I am supporting Dr . Shirley Weber, who I’ve known and worked with for more than 30 years, and who comes with a bangin’ resume (http://drweber4assembly.com/bio/). I know I’m wading into dangerous waters with what I am about to say. So, read it, think about it, then draw your own conclusion. First – Why did I drop out of the race? Actually, I didn’ t. I have not stopped working on the campaign for the 79th Assembly District, among others. I got into the race by request and consultation with numerous community members, Black, white, Asian, Latino and others, and many conversations with people I trust. I still have every confidence that I could win this race. But I didn’t get into it so I could win it. I got in so WE could win! So when the same commu nity members I talked to about running, asked me to support Dr. Weber, I agreed. I have every confidence that Dr. Weber will win this race! It is not my responsibility to convince the com munity that I can win a political race. It is my responsibility to convince this community that I can SERVE this community and its interests. The collective wisdom of the community is greater than any individual’s wisdom. This is part of Umoja – Unity, “To strive for and maintain Unity in the family and community.” Some consider “community” to be a contraction for “ commonunity.” So I threw my support behind Dr . Weber, an outstanding candidate, for our common success and to promote unity in the community. Which brings me to my point: Who will we suppor t as a community? Some say that the political process, campaigning and voting, is how we make this decision. To an extent this is true. My challenge to that is that the unique history and current reality of some groups of people make the political process itself insufficient for seeing to the needs of these groups. POOR AND MARGINALIZED PEOPLE in San Diego, the 79th Assembly District, in California, this country and the world ARE NOT ALWAYS SERVED BY THE GENERAL POLITICAL PROCESS. As I have been trying to tell you with the Nehemiah Project, mar ginalized groups of people must work together inside and outside of the political process to get our needs met. I’m supporting Dr. Weber, for the common unity of community. More on this next week. Love Your Neighbor. CMH [Timmy Thomas - Why Can’t We Live Together] clovis.honore@yahoo.com
Shut your mouth! Sometimes we really need to shut our mouths. We need to think before we speak and be clear as to who we’re speaking too. Not everything you know or think should be told to whoever comes across your path. Something’s you think are profound really make you look stupid, and the sad part about it you don’ t even realize that you’re conducting yourself in a manner that screams “how stupid could one person be!”. Now some of you are saying she’s simply ranting and not making her point so here we go. It is extremely important to understand who is in your circle and which conversations you have and with whom: • Co- workers • Church members • Business acquaintances • Family If you have questions you would • At arm’s length friends/acquaintances like answered or topics discussed, • Inner circle friends (close to your chest and heart) please send all questions to face • Children book.com/connectwithangelahar• Spouses ris or email: Now you should be able to see from this list not all conver theharrisgroup@cox.net or sations are meant for all sections of people in your life. There are conversations you will have with your inner circle of friends twitter@KeepingitealAH. For more articles that would not be appropriate for you to have with your chil www.keepingitrealwithangela dren, your church members, co-workers, or business acquainharris.blogspot.com tances. There are some conversations that you will have with your spouse that are to remain between you and your spouse and no one else. Here’s my perfect example to that: A husband and wife have a disagreement. It’s potentially pretty heated and some things are said that cannot be taken back no matter how sorry the person professes to be. All upset you run to your friends (both the inner and outer cir cle) and family telling them all about your disagreement. Now those close to you are upset with your spouse, you and your spouse make up – for give each other and the rest of the clan you told are angry with that spouse and the atmosphere is now too dif ficult to be in. See this is a shut your mouth instance. All relationships will have their ups and their downs and when you bring the world into your relationships you find many unhealthy things, counsel that may not be healthy, anger towards your spouse and now you just want everyone to get along, or worse people you thought were your “friends” are comforting your spouse trying to get next to him or her . Some of you discuss your personal lives during business acquaintance situations. This is a really “SHUT YOUR MOUTH” situation. No one needs to or truly wants to hear about your personal life, the personal life that should be left at the door of your home – ie; Internet dating, your unruly children and your inability to handle them, your absentee spouse/baby daddy , your incarcerated mate, and/or your bad past client relationships. What you are successfully doing is running away potential business. You see the person you’re speaking with is having their own mental conversation that goes something like this, “this man or woman is crazy . I don’t want them anywhere around me.” Can you blame them? Oh that’ s right you don’t get it because you think you’re within your right. This is for free – what you may believe is your right, and it is, doesn’t necessarily translate into positive outcomes or views about you. Don’ t believe the hype just because you see a lot of this type of dialogue on television doesn’ t make it right or sane. Use some common sense. Identify some people in your life who you trust and who will be hon est and get their opinion. Be prepared for some reflections that may not be favorable – just remember this – many are the wounds of a true friend deceitful are the kisses of your enemy . All this simply means is those who love you and don’ t want you to look like a fool will take the hard words, anger, and silent treatment because your wellbeing means more to them than your personal like of them. Enemies will let you walk out looking crazy and tell you just what you want to hear because it’s about your liking them and not about them truly caring for you. Parents you have conversations with your children that were never meant for the ears of your children and you’re jacking them up. You’ve got them so confused they don’ t know when they’re supposed to be a child or the adult. ST OP IT. SHUT YOUR MOUTH! There are conversations you should have at the appropriate time. Example: If you and your spouse are having problems – don’t do it in front of the children or discuss them with the children in the absence of the one you’re feuding with. Financial issues are tough. Limit your dialogue to need to know . They’re don’t need to have the financial worries on them that’ s your job not theirs. I could go on but there’s a limit to the space I have. Take this to heart. Stop telling every body everything. Choose your words carefully and guess what? Something’ s are so ridiculous that you simply need to keep them to yourself and don’ t tell anyone. This dish from the hot internet talk show Keeping it r eal with Angela Harris: Topic discussed this week Why men don’t commit. The following were the general reason men said they didn’t commit: Ladies you act sweet to get them then change you colors once you’ve closed the deal. You don’t give them enough space. You suffocate them. Give them some room let them breathe. You don’t say what you mean and you expect the men to be mind readers. Boring sex. The men want you to diversify your intimacy . Be more creative and don’ t withhold sex to get your way. They say that’s a complete turn off. Ladies they say you bring up past relationships too much. They don’t want to be held hostage for what some other man did to you and being a drama queen will completely shut them down. Catch hot internet talk Monday-Friday 1 1AM to 12NOON PST Keeping it real with Angela Harris kepxradio.com.
OCCUPY Continued from page 10 law system and congressional appeal. Civil Rights Movement in America did not begin with Martin L. King, but with Thurgood Marshall in the Brown vs. Board of Education case. Forcing white schools to integrate black children, was the first the brick in tearing down the wall of segregation. File lawsuits to the office of New York State Attorney Eric T. Schneiderman, to investigate and prosecute criminal charges on Wall Street, one of them being “money laundering.” If he won’t do that then sue him for job negligence—check his pockets to see if he has “bribe money” left over. And lastly Congressional appeal is a must now . When the Tea Party first began,
everybody (including myself) laughed at them. Everyone concluded that they were just a small group of extreme white conser vatives that were really going nowhere. Today, there are sixty-two Tea Party mem bers in the House, four members in the Senate, and one on the way in becoming the next President of the United States: Michele Bachman, who so happens to chair the Tea Party Caucus in Congress. What started out as a political folly turned out to be a political power house. One thing is for certain, even though the Tea Party carried out similar demonstrations of non-violent protests, like the OWS, they were still treated kindly by the police. Status Quo: (extreme) white con servatives are better treated than white democrats, college students, & minorities. A call for OWS reform!
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Rosa Parks’ Estate Drained
DETROIT (AP) - A lawyer involved in a long-running dispute over the estate of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks claims that a judge allowed two other lawyers to pile up fees that ate away about two-thirds of the estate's $372,000 cash value. The financial condition of Parks' estate was outlined in a recent filing with the Michigan Supreme Court by Steven Cohen, who represents Parks' caretaker Elaine Steele and the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, the Detroit Free Press reported Thursday. "Since Mrs. Parks' death ... the court system of her adopted city has embarked on a course to destroy her legacy , bankrupt her institute, shred her estate plan and steal her very name," Cohen said in the filing. The legal filing contends that Wayne County Probate Judge Freddie Burton Jr . allowed lawyers John Chase Jr . and Melvin Jefferson Jr. to get fees that drained nearly $243,000 from the estate. Messages seeking comment were left Thursday morning by The Associated Press for Chase and Jefferson. Parks left virtually all her estate to the institute, which was founded to teach young people leadership and character develop ment. The dispute involves Parks' relatives
and what share of Parks' estate they should get. Cohen wants the state Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court decision that stood behind Burton's handling of the case. Michigan Court of Appeals also credited Chase and Jefferson for increasing the value of the estate by recognizing the worth of Parks' memorabilia, which is expected to be sold at auction. Burton told the Free Press: "Unfortunately, I can't say anything at all because it's a pending case. It's a very con troversial case, and I certainly will wait to see what the Supreme Court decides." Lawrence Pepper , a lawyer who represents Parks' nieces and nephews, defended the lawyers and Burton. "I have no issues with what Chase and Jefferson have done, and the judge has con ducted the proceedings in a fair manner ," he said. Parks was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery , Ala., bus to a white man. Parks died in 2005 at age 92. In the filing, Cohen also claims that the coat Parks wore on the bus ride is missing. He said it would be a valuable part of Parks' memorabilia collection. Pepper said Parks gave it to one of her nieces who was attending college in the '60s or '70s and didn't have the coat. He said the niece wore it and eventually got rid of it. "She didn't realize it had any value," Pepper said. Guernsey's Auctioneers in New York is trying to sell Parks' memorabilia. Its presi dent, Arlan Ettinger, said it wants to sell the collection to an institution that can care for and use it to educate and inspire future gen erations. "In dif ficult economic times, very few museums are sitting around with huge bank accounts ready to spend," he said. "That's why this has been a long haul. In the end, I feel this will come to a happy conclusion that will make everyone proud."
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SAN DIEGO MONITOR COMBATING CHRONIC DEPRESSION
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GOOD FOOD!
By Lady Topaz On a pure physiological level, certain nutri ents can help you experience a healthy nervous system and emotional balance. Foods that are heavily processed and/or full of artificial ingredients can cause physical damage to your nervous system and make it dif ficult for you to experience optimal emotional health. Please keep in mind that I am writing about developing, and maintaining, the capacity to effectively deal with life’ s challenges. Bouts of depression are normal - staying chronically depressed is not. The nutrients that are most needed to promote a healthy nervous system and emotional balance are: OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS- EPA AND DHA VITAMIN D THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF B VITAMINS VITAMIN C MAGNESIUM CALCIUM IRON OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS Although we do not yet fully understand exactly how two omega-3 fatty acids – EP A and DHA work in our bodies to prevent and treat chronic depression, many scientific studies indi cate that both are essential for optimal nervous system and emotional health. The healthiest sources of naturally occurring omega-3 fatty acids are: Fish oils – Including cod liver oil, fish oils provide rich amounts of EP A and DHA that are easily absorbed into your bloodstream. Because omega-3 fatty acids are inherently unstable when exposed to heat, light, and excessive processing techniques, it is important that you take fish or cod liver oil that is made by a quality manufacturer . I highly recommend all types of fish oil made by Carlson labs , but there are other manufacturers who make equally ef fective fish oil products. If you are unsure of which brand to take, you may
consider visiting www.consumerlab.com, a membership-only site that ranks various fish oil sup plements according to independent laboratory testing for purity and freshness. Seaweed – All types contain naturally occur ring EPA and DHA. Rather than spend big dollars on seaweed at a health food store, look to buy seaweed for reasonable prices from Asian grocery stores. For sheets of dried seaweed that you can eat with rice-like sushi rolls, be sure to read the ingredients to ensure that no MSG has been added. For long packages of dried, stringlike seaweed that you can turn into soup, the list of ingredients should read “brown seaweed.” Be sure to dunk the latter kind in a basin of water for an hour to allow the seaweed to rehydrate, and rinse several times before turning it into soup. Resource: Traditional Kor ean Seaweed Soup Recipe Eggs fr om fr ee-range bir ds – When cooked over low heat or simply soft-boiled, eggs are eas ily digested by people who do not have an overt egg allergy. Soft boiling in water is the healthiest cooking method, followed by frying over low heat using olive oil, coconut oil, or or ganic butter if you can eat butter without experiencing discom fort. Walnuts – For optimal freshness of their nat urally occurring omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts should be purchased whole, in their shells, and cracked open just before eating. If whole walnuts are unavailable, walnut halves will do, but be sure to store them in an air-tight container in the freezer when not in use to help preserve their delicate fatty acids. As is the case with all raw nuts, soak ing them in a bowl of water for a few hours before eating can help to promote optimal digestion. Flax seeds and chia seeds – Yeees, thoooose Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Pet seeds. These seeds should be freshly ground with a cof fee grinder or powerful blender right before eating. Blending ground flax and/or chia seeds into fruit and green smoothies is an easy way to increase your daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids. Wild salmon, anchovies, and sardines – These fish are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids and Continued on page 18
Ladies, Ladies, Ladies…… 2 of 2
The Ladies Luncheon was a great kick of f to celebrate with some of my closest friends and show my appreciation of their friendship, support and encourage ment throughout the years. Think about it, when was the last time you spent a day with the girls? It’s been since high school for some of us. When was the last time that you and your friends have taken the time out to get all dolled up and sit at a banquet style event encouraging one another to fulfill each others dreams, passions, and or visions? For some it may have been at the last wedding you were in and even with that your focus was on the bride/groom. I love being a Lady and all that it encompasses but sometimes I get bogged down with life issues and for get to pat myself on the back and say, “Ebony you’re doing a great job”. That is just what I was about to say to each of my closest friends gathered at the table then something miraculous happened. The host of the luncheon, Prophetess Fannette Douglas, approached our table and expressed gratitude and thanks for taking the time out to join her in celebrating the Ladies. She continued to express heartfelt appreciation to each of us at the table and gave us a personal gift. With nearly 200 women in the room, we watched her go to each and every table. My guest and I were in total awe. I have been to many banquet style events and not ONE host/hostesses of the event personally thanked anybody for coming. At that very moment tears watered in my eyes at the thought of “What if I had given up?” The ladies and I would have missed out on the level of excellence put into the luncheon and the heartfelt words of gratitude from host. The keynote speaker , Maura Gayle, an actress and writ er encouraged us to do better and strive for greatness in our lives. When we thought we were full of food and our spirits were on high the best part of the event began. Two ladies were honored for their work behind the scenes that go unnoticed. One of the ladies that were honored was sitting at my table. She has mentored me through the years, took me in her home when I was homeless, chastened me when it was called for and has been a wonderful friend. Mrs. Ericka Hayes was astounded when they called her name to come up and receive her award. I kept it quiet for 2 whole months while planning with her what we were going to do for the Ladies Day. The whole table was surprised and overjoyed that Ericka received a well deserved award. She wobbled up to the stage in total shock fighting back the tears of joy. She couldn’t even eat her desert and Ericka loves her some cheesecake. It was a wonderful ladies day filled with fun, fellowship, laughter and encouragement with some of my closest friends. You may contact me for all your vacation needs at (619) 757-0175 or visit my website at www.straighttravel.biz • Your Chief Vacation Specialist: Ebony Hope Taylor
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TOPAZ
Continued from page 17 known to be least contaminated with mercury and other environmental pollutants among dif ferent types of fish. Still, it is best for pregnant women and young children to limit their consumption of fish of any type to a few servings per month. Low temperature cooking methods like steaming and boiling are the healthiest ways of preparing all types of fish. Dark green vegetables and herbs – Kale, leafy lettuce, Swiss chard, broccoli, bok choy , collard greens, wheatgrass, purslane, super green food mixtures, and all other dark green vegetables pro vide omega-3 fatty acids that can be converted to EPA and DHA. Drinking juices made out of any of these vegetables is an excellent way of bolstering your intake of omega-3 fatty acids. White and r ed meat fr om land animals (chick en, turkey, lamb, cow , wild game) – These foods can be healthy sources of omega-3 fatty acids if they are cooked at low temperatures and if the animals are raised in free-range environments. It is also important that the animals were allowed to feed on foods natural to them. White and red meat are best prepared with a crockpot, within stews, or via steaming to ensure that they are not exposed to high cooking temperatures which can create harmful chemicals and ruin some of their nutrients. VITAMIN D As is the case with omega-3 fatty acids, we do not know exactly how vitamin D helps to prevent and treat depression. We only know that multiple studies indicate that people who are low in vitamin D have a much stronger tendency to develop depression compared to people who have adequate amounts of vitamin D in their system. For now, the best guess as to why vitamin D is important for preventing and treating depression is that it can elevate the level of serotonin in the brain, which is essentially what antidepressant drugs aim to do. Four healthy sources of natural vitamin D are: Exposure to UV-B rays from natural sunlight – Is truly the healthiest source of vitamin D, since your body knows when you have made enough and will not produce excess amounts. In general, UV-B rays are only able to create adequate amounts of vitamin D in your skin from about 10 am to 2 pm.
The San Diego Monitor If you live at higher latitude and your winter cli mate is generally cold and devoid of sunshine, it is likely that you cannot produce adequate amounts of vitamin for about half of the year . Cod liver oil – If it is produced by a reputable manufacturer, cod liver oil provides naturally occurring vitamin D. For Carlson cod liver oil, it is safe to say that most people do well with about one teaspoon per 50 pounds of body weight per day . The only way to ensure that you do have too much vitamin D in your system is to do a blood test with your health care provider . In general, the vast majority of people living in industrialized coun tries are deficient in vitamin D. Wild salmon and sar dines – Like cod liver oil, these fish are excellent sources of both naturally occurring vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Again, it is important that pregnant women and children limit their consumption of all types of fish to a few servings per month to avoid potential exposure to dangerous levels of mercury and envi ronmental pollutants. For this reason, cod liver oil that has been screened for environmental contami nants is a healthier choice than actual fish. Organic egg yolks – They contain only about 1/20th the amount of vitamin D that cod liver oil and wild salmon do, but are still a healthy food choice that can help to prevent and treat depression because they contain both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM OF B VITAMINS B vitamins play numerous critical roles in pro tecting the health of your nervous system and sup porting the basic, everyday metabolic processes of each of your brain cells. Of particular importance are vitamins B6 and B12. Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, helps your body produce serotonin and other chemicals that are essential to the health of your brain. Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, helps your body create and maintain myelin, which is a pro tective insulating sheath of fat that needs to sur round your entire nervous system in order for your brain, spinal cord, and nerves to work properly . The best food sources of B vitamins are: Brown rice – Provides vitamin B1, B3, and folate. For optimal digestion and to prevent the development of mineral deficiencies, it is best to soak brown rice in water for a few hours before cooking with fresh water – 2 cups of water for each Continued on page 19
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TOPAZ Continued from page 18 cup of brown rice. Oats – Are an excellent source of vitamin B1 and folate. Oats are also a relatively good source of vitamin B6. Of all the varieties of oats on the mar ket, the best choice is steel-cut oats, which are whole oat groats that have been cut into small pieces. No heat is used to make steel-cut oats, which translates to better nutrient preservation than other processing techniques that produce rolled oats or quick oats. If you have to choose between rolled oats and quick oats, choose the rolled vari ety. Rolled oats are made with a steaming process that does not destroy many nutrients, while quick oats are made with dehydrating and pre-cooking processes which typically leave oats nutrientdepleted. As is the case with brown rice, it is best to soak oats in water for a few hours before preparing them to eat. Other whole grains – Quinoa, millet, and buckwheat are also high in multiple B vitamins and are best prepared using the method described above to cook brown rice. Grass-fed beef and beef liver – Are excellent sources of multiple B vitamins, particularly vita mins B12 and B2. Flesh and organ meats should be eaten in moderation due to their protein density . They should be cooked with low-temperature methods, preferably boiling. VITAMIN C Vitamin C plays an important role in the con version of an amino acid called tryptophan to serotonin, which is essential to the health of your ner vous system. It is best to obtain your vitamin C from foods that are naturally rich with it, not from synthetic supplements. If you would like to include a vitamin C supplement in your diet, I recommend that you find a food-based vitamin C supplement – acerola cherry powder and amla berry powder are two good examples of food-based vitamin C sup plements. Goji berries are also an excellent con centrated source of the full vitamin C complex. Healthy food sources of vitamin C include: Sweet red peppers – Are best eaten raw and are easily digested by most people. If you cannot find an organic source of sweet red bell peppers, be sure to wash them well with running water to minimize consumption of pesticides that can be on the outer skin. Strawberries – Should be eaten raw and should
also be or ganic, if possible. As is the case with sweet red bell peppers, be sure to give them a thorough rinse with running water before eating. Oranges & grapefruits – Be sure to brush your teeth after every meal of oranges and/or grape fruits. [Fun Fact] Their citric acid can cause den tal cavities in a hurry if they are left in contact with your teeth. Brussels sprouts, collard greens, cabbage, and broccoli – Most people extract the greatest number of nutrients, including vitamin C – out of these green vegetables when they are lightly cooked. Cooking helps to break down their fiber , which makes it easier for your digestive tract to gain access to the nutrients within these vegetables. Steaming is best, followed by boiling in water for a few minutes. Cantaloupe – A nutrient-rich cantaloupe will have a relatively firm skin and a sweet aroma toward its ends. Cantaloupes will ripen to this stage if you leave them out in your kitchen for a day to a few days. Tomatoes – Can be eaten raw or cooked for the purposes of providing your body with vitamin C. MAGNESIUM Magnesium is essential to preventing and treating depression because it plays a critical role in allowing proper nerve signaling within your ner vous system. A magnesium deficiency can, in and of itself, cause depression. The healthiest food sources of magnesium are: Brown rice – As mentioned before, be sure to soak brown rice in water for a few hours before cooking – two cups of water for every cup of brown rice. Raw almonds - Soaking raw almonds in water for a few hours before eating them can significantly improve your ability to fully digest them. It is best to eat only up to one to two small handfuls of raw almonds per day . A small serving every other day is optimal for most people. Swiss chard and spinach – Lightly steamed or boiled in water are the best cooking methods for these greens. FYI – Spinach should not be eaten every day, as naturally occurring acid in spinach can weaken your teeth. Lima beans, cooked – Although it is best to buy dry lima beans, soak them in water overnight, and then cook them for an hour or two the next day , canned lima beans are also a relatively healthy source of magnesium and other health-promoting nutrients. If you use the canned variety , be sure to rinse them thoroughly in water and dunk them in Continued on page 22
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The San Diego Monitor
Judge Says Dr. Murray “Abandoned” Michael Jackson, Gives Maximum Sentence, Denies Bail
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Jonathan Harris – Columnist December 3, 2011 – The doctor convicted of killing Michael Jackson was sentenced Tuesday to four years in prison (the maximum sentence the law would allow for the char ges he faced) and denied bail, but not without receiving a roughly 15minute verbal dismantling from the Judge. Judge Pastor, before during and after hand ing down the sentence, assailed Dr . Conrad Murray for the reckless behavior he exhibited that resulted in Michael Jackson’s death. In a documentary Murray participated in prior to sentencing, on the subject of Michael Jackson’s death, Murray said, “I don’ t feel guilty because I did not do anything wrong.” Judge Pastor told the court at least in part to Murray’s comments, “Not only isn’ t there any remorse, there’ s umbrage and outrage against the decedent.” Pastor took particular issue with one of Dr . Murray’s actions: his recording of Michael Jackson during a time when the King of Pop sounded extremely out of it. Pastor told Murray and the court, “Of everything I heard and saw during the course of the trial, one aspect of the evidence stands out the most, and that is the surreptitious recording of Michael Jackson by his trusted doctor. I find that Dr. Murray abandoned his patient who was trusting him; his patient was vulnera ble under those circumstances, having been administrated potentially dangerous drugs by his medical provider. Dr. Murray’ s course of conduct extended over a period of time, he repeatedly lied and engaged in deceitful misconduct and endeav ored to cover up his transgressions. He violated the trust of the medical community, of his colleagues and of his patient and he
has absolutely no sense of remorse, absolutely no sense of fault and remains dangerous.” Watching the sentencing live, I have to say that it was nice to hear Judge Pastor stand up for Michael Jackson and the truth, thereby ver bally and legally holding Conrad Murray accountable for his actions while he “cared” for Michael Jackson. Thankfully Judge Pastor did not succumb to the tabloid-esque attempt to annihilate Jackson’ s character by Murray’ s defense who (with no proof) tried to paint Jackson as a drug seeking junky and Murray as some kind of failed, attempted savior . I’m not quite sure how a doctor can heavily drug someone, record them but then supposedly be con cerned with their care. During a conversation with a friend she pointed out something that I
hadn’t thought of before. She said that there are all kinds of avenues for people to be made aware of medications; online, commercials, etc. but in all of those instances they are told to consult their doctor. It then becomes the responsibility of a person who is trained and educated in medicine and health care, who takes an oath to do no harm to give someone the proper medical advice instead of prescribing the patient some thing because they see dollar signs and not that person’s health. And if a person trusts their doctor and their knowledge, it can literally put their life in that person’s hands. Michael Jackson died at his Beverly Hills mansion on June 25, 2009 as he prepared to perform a 50-date sold-out “This Is It” concert series at London’s 02 Arena.
In the Spirit of Service Clando Brownlee Founder & President of The San Diego Brotherhood Lions Club a newly chartered club of Lions Clubs International and the first African American club in the State of California (Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization. We have 1.35 million members in more than 45,000 clubs worldwide. Lions are everywhere. We’re active men and women in more than 206 countries. Our motto is “W e Serve.”)The club is just one year four months old but has focused its ener gy on serving lowincome & communities of color , one of the ways they serve is by educating people on environmentally friendly and sustainable lifestyle choices. Will MR. Brownlee make history again? Club moves in New Direction!! Introducing: The San Diego Brotherhood Communities of Excellence Group ™ Launched November 14th-16th 2011 Their first Community project began early November in a joint collaboration between the Community of Encanto, the peoples produce Famers Market, The San Diego Brotherhood Communities of Excellence Group ™ & Style Green. The project will assist and scholarship certifications for local food growers so they’ll be able to sale their produce at the farmers markets, creating jobs and a positive impact on local neighborhoods. The first phase of the funding will be raised from an E-waste event we’re hosting on January 14th @ the Saville Theatre 1313 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92101 recycle your electronics for FREE! Support San Diego City College – Students in Free Enterprise & help provide healthy foods / clean air and fresh drinking water for kids and their families: The San Diego Brotherhood Communities of Excellence Group ™ made up from a group of or ganizers & partners dedicated to Communities service a steering committee will be assembled of members from San Diego’ s under privileged communities & service or ganizations they will identify the strengths & resources of a community or neighborhood. Assessing what is easiest to change fist, the team will work together with community lead ers to develop projects & events that resonates with the community’ s needs, addressing the local economic & environmental issues.
Whether they plan to do a neighborhood clean up, E-waste collection, plant backyard gardens or a roundtable discussion on green jobs devel opment, they’ll make sure it is relevant, posi tive and takes steps towards lasting change for a sustainable community. There are E-waste collections events planed through April 2012 to fund the Communities of Excellence programs that range from certifica tions for back yard garden growers to clean water / air campaigns that educate and serve the community. Whether it is access to information on healthy foods or how to decrease ener gy bills, we’ll examine, assist and take action with the community . Upon request an Or ganizers guide can be obtained, it provides tips and resources for anyone who wants to or ganize their own Communities of Excellence service events. Can’ t wait to see what we can do together! I’d like to take this time to thank our sup porters & advisors Media partners, Natural Awakenings Magazine, Indian Voices News, San Diego Monitor News. Food Justice partners, Black Farmers Agriculturalists, The Peoples produce Famers Markets, The South Coast Interfaith Network, Faith-Based partners, California Interfaith Power & Lights Earth Keepers, Organization partners, The Health Hair Project, Kool Climate Kids Green For All, Green The Block, Water For Children Africa, Sunset Rotary Club, San Diego Children’ s Coalition, The Charter / Founding Members of The San Diego Brotherhood Lions Club, Business partners, Toyota of Elcajon, US Green Chamber , Real Goods Solar , Edco Disposal, Allan Company, Replanet. For information 619-321-7698
The San Diego Monitor
SAN DIEGO MONITOR
Deficit Cutting Will Widen Retirement Gap for Minorities New research finds an appalling 20 to one chasm in net worth between white and black Americans, and an 18 to one gap between whites and Hispanics. The Pew Research Center found that the net worth gap has widened during the Great Recession, mainly because the hous ing bust disproportionately cut into the wealth of African-Americans and Hispanics. The housing crash hurt these households disproportionately because they tended not to have much in the way of other assets, especially when it came to retirement savings. So, the Pew report — an analysis of the comprehensive U.S. Census Bureau Survey of Income and Program Participation for 2009 – points to a terribly important social problem we face today – and the growing retirement security gap confronting minority households. This is worth keeping in mind as Washington’s debt ceiling and deficit reduction circus continues – and as the politicians and policymakers continue their flirtation with danger ous cuts to programs that will be absolutely critical to minority households in the years ahead, namely Social Security , Medicare and Medicaid. These programs are very important to all Americans, of course. But they will be nothing short of a lifeline for households approaching retirement with little or no retirement savings, through no particular fault of their own. Traditional defined-benefit pensions have all but disappeared in the private sector, and voluntary saving through Individual Retirement Accounts or 401(k) plans are tied to several important factors where minority populations are at a disadvantage: Income. You can’t save what you don’t earn. While there’s nothing new here, Pew reports the disparities in joblessness and income have con tinued during the Great Recession. Jobless rates at the end of 2009 stood at 12.6 percent for Hispanics, 15.6 percent for African-Americans and 8.0 percent for whites. Income losses also were greater for minority households. Access. Minority workers are less likely to work for employers that of fer a workplace
retirement plan. Just 33 percent of Hispanic workers – and 49 percent of African-Americans – had access to a workplace plan in 2009, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. That compares with 53 percent of white workers. Tax breaks. The tax breaks granted to 401(k) and IRA savers are most beneficial to highincome households. Taxpayers in the highestearning quartile by income claim nearly 80 per cent of the total benefits of entitlement pro grams for retirement accounts, and more than 40 percent goes to the top 6 percent of taxpayers alone, research shows. The gap in retirement savings are cumula tive, reflecting not just the current recession but years of inequality in income and tax policy . Pew’s data shows that Hispanic households had 53 percent less saved than white households in taxable portfolios, 401(k) accounts and IRAs at the end of 2009, while African-American households had 62 percent less than whites. The disparities aren’t much different if you exclude taxable accounts and consider only tax-advantaged retirement savings vehicles. For many of these households, retirement security will rest entirely on Social Security , Medicare and Medicaid, the latter serving as a last resort source of nursing care. More than 25 percent of elderly African Americans and Hispanics depend on Social Security for more than 90 percent of their fami ly income, according to AARP, and it keeps 30 percent of these senior minority groups out of poverty. These households also are least able to afford the various out-of-pocket expenses required in Medicare, or to set aside savings for healthcare expenses outside Medicare. So, consider what it would mean to slash Social Security and Medicare for these vulnera ble retiree groups. Deficit hawks want to boost Social Security’s retirement age and cut the program’s annual cost-of-living adjustment – moves that will reduce monthly benefits 20 percent and 8 percent, respectively . And they want to increase the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67.
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SAN DIEGO MONITOR
Page 22 - November 19, 2011
TOPAZ
Continued from page 18 boiling water for a minute or two to ensure complete removal of any preservative residues that remain on their skins. Avocados – Should always be eaten raw. If you do not enjoy eating raw avocados on their own, try them with a whole grain dish like brown rice or quinoa. They have a natural, buttery consistency that makes them a natural pairing with a hearty grain dish.Another option is to make fresh guacamole out of avocados and eat it with your favorite crackers or baked corn chips. CALCIUM Calcium is one of the most important minerals needed by your central nervous system for proper nerve signaling. Healthy food sources of calcium are: Canned sardines and canned wild salmon– Do not be shy about eating bones that come with these food products. Chinese cabbage, spinach, bok choy, broccoli, and
kale – For optimal extraction of calcium and other nutrients from these vegetables, it is best to steam them before eating. If you choose to boil them in water before eating, consider having some of the water as soup, as calcium can emanate into the boiling water . White beans, red beans, and pinto beans – If you use canned varieties, be sure to rinse them well and boil them for a minute or two before eating to ensure removal of preservatives that are sometimes added to canned beans. Sesame leaves and sesame seeds – Both are readily available for reasonable prices at Korean grocery stores. Resource: Health Benefits of Sesame Organic, unpasteurized dair y – Should only be consumed if you know that your body can handle dairy without any health problems like nasal congestion, joint inflammation, digestive issues, and skin rashes. Broths and soups made with or ganic bones – For centuries, people of various cultures from Africa to Asia, India to the Caribbean and South America, have relied upon mineral-rich broths made out of chicken, goat or beef bones for their primary source of calcium. IRON
RELIGIOUS
The San Diego Monitor
Because iron is essential to your ability to deliver oxygen to your cells, being deficient in iron can cause you to experience many symptoms that are related to being depressed, the most common of which are fatigue and impaired mental and motor skills (mainly in children). Healthy food sources of iron include: Beef liver – If possible, it should be from a grassfed cow or at least one that is raised in a natural setting (not factory-farmed). If beef liver of this variety is not available, then factory-farmed beef liver is acceptable to eat on occasion, as it is extremely dense in iron and other nutrients. Beef liver should be steamed, boiled, or lightly sautéed with no more than medium-level heat. Spinach – In order to extract as much iron out of spinach as possible, it is best to cook it. Steaming is best. If you boil spinach, drink the water or use the water to make a soup and have that as well; iron and other minerals, from this hearty vegetable, seep into the cooking water. Lima beans – It is fine to use canned lima beans; just be sure to give them a thorough rinse before eat -
ing. You can boil them for a minute or two after rins ing them to ensure maximal removal of preservatives. If you cook dried lima beans, be sure to soak them in water overnight, as this will make them easier to cook and extract nutrients from when you digest them. Lentils – As recommended with lima beans, dried lentils should be soaked overnight before being cooked to allow for optimal extraction of nutrients during digestion. Potato with skin – Steaming is the cooking method that best preserves the nutritional value of potatoes. Cut potatoes into small pieces to decrease cooking time. Here is to your EXCELLENT health! And, of course, a FABULOUS holiday season without any of the holiday blues! *********************** For additional information on healthy , holistic, nutritional supplements that will assist you with your healthy lifestyle visit Topaz’s website at: www.sherrytheus.isagenix.com or e-mail her with your thoughts and/or inquiries at topazstjames@gmail.com.
D I R E C T O RY
6126 Benson Avenue, San Diego, CA 92114 619-262-8384 • www.bayviewbc.org
MINISTER DONALD R. WARNER SR. Dr.William A. Benson and First Lady Rachelle Y. Benson
Total Deliverance Worship Center
Sunday 8:00 am • Sunday 10:45 am • Wednesday 7:00 pm
2774 Sweetwater Spring Blvd. Spring Valley 91977 (619) 670-6208 www.totaldeliverance.org
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For the Best legal Rates in Town 619.668.1007
Linda Vista Second Baptist Church 2706 Korink Avenue, San Diego, CA 92111 Tel. (858) 277-4008 / Fax (858) 277-8441 Email: second-baptist@sbcglobal.net “Welcome to Praise City” Weekly Order of Service Sunday: Early Morning Worship Power Hour Mid-day Worship
7:45 a.m. 9:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday: Noon-Day Bible Study Evening Prayer Bible Study
12:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Dr. David C. Greene Sr. Pastor
SAN DIEGO MONITOR LEGALS
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December 3, 2011 - Page 23
NOTICE OF REQUEST FORREQUEST PROPOSAL OTICE OF FOR PROPOSAL ************************* ***********************
The Neighborhood House Association sociation requests forofthe purchase of General Office requests proposalsproposals for the purchase General Officemust Supplies qualified on or before 4:00 pm (PST) on ors. Proposals befrom submitted vendors. Proposals must be details submittedmay be obtained by visiting osal package with further on or before 4:00 pm (PST) on and clickingDecember on the 16, “Request for Proposal” link at the bottom of the 2011.
A proposal package with NHA Procurement Department at (858) 715-2642 x 183. further details may be obtained by visiting www.neighborhoodhouse.org and clicking on the “Request for Proposal” link at the bottom of the Home page or contacting the NHA Pr ocurement Department at (858) 715-2642 x 183.
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