About Me : "And we know that all things work together for them who love God" Romans 8:28

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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Let Christ Live through You

Let Christ Live through You

November 30

The life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
Galatians 2:20


Some people need to unlearn some things before they can start learning what God wants for them. For example, some people try to manipulate others with their self-pity or anger. They believe these emotional tools will get what they want from others. Some people who have been hurt or abused feel that they have to take care of themselves because nobody else will.

Both attitudes display the common fear, “What about me? What about me?” But Paul offers us a life-changing principle to follow: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20 NIV). When Christ lives through you, you will enjoy every day of your life.


From the book Starting Your Day Right: Devotions for Each Morning of the Year by Joyce Meyer. Copyright © 2003 by Joyce Meyer. Published by FaithWords. All rights reserved.

Spiritual Wellness Segment: How to Become a Christian

Written By Monica Rowland:

People always ask me how I have achieved a certain level of peace in my life. How I balance multiple projects and still deal with the demands of parenting, health issues, family issues. Financial ups and downs.... My answer to them is always Jesus Christ.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHOULD NOT PARISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.

JOHN 3:16


I am a Christian and because God loves me so much, I get to walk in his grace and allow him to take care of my everyday woes. He also guides me to my everyday successes as well. It has always been my belief that in order to be successful, and truly happy....you have to have a deep personal relationship with Christ. So many folks seem happy and successful, yet they are not content with themselves, or their lives. I am not saying that my life is perfect... it most certainly is not. But one thing I know is that I will always be taken care of as I continually seek his presence in my daily life.

Below is a post from Joyce Meyers' website on how to become a Christian. I hope that if you do not know the Lord that you will take this time to read it through, and follow the instructions. Whether you are rich or poor, black, white, asian, latino etc... trust me... you need HIM.
He will make a difference in your life.

Be Blessed!



Linked from JoyceMeyer.org

Ask, Believe, Pray, Receive

Why am I here? Who am I? What will happen when I die? These questions have intrigued people throughout the ages. And the answers can be discovered by understanding God’s plan of salvation.

You have probably heard the story of God's love referred to as the "Gospel" or "Good News." What is the Good News? Simply this: Because of what Jesus has done, your sins can be forgiven and you can live forever.

What did Jesus do? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world as a human being, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and rose from the dead.

Because Christ died to pay for our sins, your sins can be forgiven. And because He conquered death, you can have eternal life—you can know for sure what will happen to you after you die.

But this gift of forgiveness and eternal life cannot be yours unless you willingly ask for it. God requires an individual response from you.


Ask

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."

What does this mean? Jesus Christ wants to have a personal relationship with you. He is waiting for you to receive Him into your heart and life. All you have to do is invite Him in.

But your first step is to ask for forgiveness:

Repent...that your sins may be wiped out and times of refreshing may come from the Lord. —Acts 3:19


Believe

Once you’ve asked for forgiveness, your next step is to believe and trust in the gift God is giving you.

Understand, this gift of forgiveness and eternal life is free. It’s something you can’t earn.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. —Ephesians 2:8,9

The word grace means "undeserved favor." It means God is offering you something you could never provide for yourself. You don’t have to work for this gift. All you have to do is believe with all your heart that Jesus Christ died for you. Do you believe?


Pray

The Bible promises that when you sincerely ask God for forgiveness and trust in Jesus, you will experience new life in Christ.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. —Romans 10:9

Today, with all your heart, surrender your life to Jesus Christ. Confess your sins. Ask God to forgive you. Say that you'll trust in Jesus. And thank Him for the gift of everlasting life. Pray now:

"Father, I know that I have sinned against You. Please forgive me. Wash me clean. I promise to trust in Jesus, Your Son. I believe that He died for me—He took my sin upon Himself when He died on the cross. I believe that He was raised from the dead. I surrender my life to Jesus today.

"Thank You, Father, for Your gift of forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to live for you. In Jesus' name, Amen."

There is nothing magical about the words you use. It is the attitude of your heart that God cares about.


Receive

Your final step in becoming a Christian is to receive this free gift of forgiveness and eternal life. The Bible teaches:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. —John 1:12

When you receive Christ into your heart, you become a child of God. You have the privilege of talking to Him in prayer. At any time. About anything.

The Christian life is a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. And best of all, it is a relationship that will last for all eternity. Joyfully receive it!

If you just made a commitment to Christ today, let us know. We’d like to send you some helpful information about your new life in Christ.

Read these other scriptures to help you in that new life:

John 3:16

Ephesians 2:8,9

1 Corinthians 15:3,4

1 John 1:9

1 John 4:14,15

1 John 5:1

1 John 5:12,13


All scripture references are from the New International Version (NIV).

FOR THE GREENER GOOD

by Annette Ferstenberg
Contributing Writer
CTNGREEN.com/blog


With the economy imploding, sales of homes down, mortgage interests up, Iraq warring, unemployment rising, Wall Street plummeting, lifelong savings evaporating and natural disasters devastating, why should we care about going green? Why should we focus on our measly individual and collective efforts to impact positively on the environment for a future we’re not even sure we’ll have when we’re barely surviving the present? Why should we conserve our collective energy when expending it, assuming the funds, on flights of fancy like cars and trips will at least help to distract us from our woes?


We all know that harbingers of gloom and doom don’t serve to motivate people. In fact, human nature generally wants to sprint in the other direction, for why bother trying when the outcome is so grave? And we all know equally well that being flogged with admonishing, nagging “shoulds” makes us all revert to our childhoods, dig in our heels and do the proverbial opposite. We also know that the sober, empirical, factual approach delineating the scientific reasons for action can just as easily be countered with alternative theories using the same or contradictory facts, until the experts have confused us into a headache or lulled us all to sleep.


So why go green?
I have a simple answer: because it’s good to be green. Nothing makes a person feeling powerless amid chaos feel better than to assume control over at least one aspect of his or her life. We may be unable to stop global warming or prevent the next flood, but each of us individually can start with one area of our life and change something about it that will make a difference, something discrete and manageable, like driving the speed limit or taking shorter showers or buying fuel efficient appliances or turning off air conditioners, all of which are GOOD for us anyway because they translate into financial savings, even apart from their contribution to the environment. And that action multiplied by millions, or better yet, billions of others, will make an exponential difference, will be GOOD for the environment as a whole. Actions having positive outcomes are reinforcing; thus, the more we see we’re saving money or feeling good about ourselves, the more we’ll be motivated to do more, which will then make us feel even better, save even more money, feel even more in control, and so on and so on. It’s like a diet or learning a new skill: you start small and build from there.


But there’s another even more important reason why going green is good. Today’s world is a paradox, huge, bureaucratized, specialized and compartmentalized on the one hand, and global, interconnected, interdependent and symbiotic on the other. Industrialization, manufacturing, commerce, finance, technology and the Internet have made the world very small indeed.

Our shrinking resources have made the world even smaller. And, in spite of hatred and the multitudinous reasons that war, terrorism, abrogation of human rights, genocide, colonialism, totalitarianism, imperialism and their ilk exist on the planet, we all have one salient thing in common that transcends all of that venom: we all have to live here together. And that is GOOD. That is what makes going green good.


Conserving our planet transcends race, gender, ethnicity, religion, political orientation; it is the one characteristic we share – we reside on this planet at the will and whim of Mother Nature and because of that, Darwinism aside, we have to cooperate to preserve her. It is the one hope for our future that can unite us. Global warming is thus a paradox, too. It can damn us but, if we work together, it can save us – on more than a physical level, for, just as it takes baby steps to change our environmental behavior, those same steps can be catalysts to changing our socio-political behavior. Going green can be the global movement of the 21st century, much like the movements that defined and transformed the twentieth—for the better. So, we have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving green a chance.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

What About Solutions? The Socio-historical Development of Adolescent African American Women’s Sexual Scripts

How African American Girls/Women become freaks, gold-diggers,

We know what the problems are. What About Solutions? WAOD is starting a series to focus on people or groups who are doing their part to fight the War on Black women. Our first What About Solutions Contributor is Njeri Santana, the founder and owner of Urban Playdates. Urban Playdats is a FREE social-networking site connecting parents & caregivers that are raising or involved in raising children of color www.urbanplaydates.com

By Njeri Santana:

Have you checked out the avatars on some of these black gossip sites? Is it me or doesn’t it seem like some of these women are posting pics from their soft porn portfolio? Sad part is that these soft porn pics are more prevalent on teen myspace pages. Why?

Looks like Dionne P. Stephens has the answer. I came across Dr. Stephens’ paper Freaks, Gold Diggers, Divas and Dykes: The Socio-historical Development of Adolescent African American Women’s Sexual Scripts. After reading her paper I had what Oprah likes to say was my “aha” moment.

Dr. Stephens’ “examines socio- historical factors shaping minority populations’ sexual health processes, with emphasis on gender and ethnic/ racial identity development. Her most recent research examines the constructions of sexual scripts and their influence on sexual risk outcomes across ethnic groups.”

What is a sexual script? Sexual scripts are culturally defined as a set of guidelines prescribing appropriate forms of sexual behavior and ways of managing sexual encounters. Think of it as the blueprint or roadmap that outlines visual descriptions or actions of characters and their dialogue.

Dr. Stephens not only breaks down the history of the sexual scripts that African American teens are bombarded with. She provides extensive examples of these scripts as well as how men view women within each script.

Let’s take a look at one…. the Gold Digger.

According to Stephens the Gold Digger trades social status for sex describes the Diva, it is the Gold Digger who trades sex for a harder currency. A Gold Digger is a woman who explicitly seeks material and economic rewards above all else, and is willing to trade sex for it. Sex is her commodity because it is the only valuable thing she has in society. …Gold Diggers seem to have the most obvious awareness that sex is their most powerful commodity. Sex may be used to barter for basic needs such as a bag of groceries, getting rent paid, or making sure their lights do not get turned off. However, manicures and pedicures, new clothing, vacations, or having a car note paid are also possible wants that Gold Diggers may be willing to trade sex to get…..the sexual links to poverty and its relevance to survival are clear. Their lives have been called “ghetto fabulous,” where they are socially embedded in a culture of poverty, yet have the economic means to procure middle-class goods. The song “Project Chick” (2001) by male rappers Big Tymers discusses how their financial means can entice a Gold Digger to give up and put out”

How often have you seen a teen looking like a video vixen on the street and said to yourself “what is going on in that child’s mind”? After reading Dr. Stephens paper you will have a clear idea and that’s what makes this paper sooo powerful.

Dr. Stephens’ is truly a warrior in the fight against the media’s distorted perceptions of African American women. She’s fighting the war by “identifying developmental factors promoting resilience and buffering negative health outcomes” Yes negative outcomes like rape, HIV, domestic abuse and teen pregnancy. Can’t be made at that can we?

Want to play a game. Here’s a list of the sexual scripts listed in Dr. Stephens’ paper. Write the first image that comes to your mind. Once you’ve completed this exercise read her paper and compare your images to her definition.

Jezebel

Mammy

Welfare Mother

Matriarch

The Diva

Gold Digger

Freak- aka slut ho chicken head hood rat floozy women

Dykes

Gangster Bitch

The Sister Savior

The Earth Mother

Baby Mama

Dr. Stephens’ goal is to identify developmental factors promoting resilience and buffering negative health outcomes. I interviewed Dr. Dionne P. Stephens on The Urban Playdates podcast where she spoke about her work.

If you’ve found a solution or know of a group or individual taking action to fight the War on Black Women, feel free to contribute a What About Solutions? guest post so that we can highlight them. Contact us for more information. Note, WE aren’t writing the post, YOU ARE!

The Sensitive Seven - Most Allergenic Foods

Posted from: http://realnutritionsupplement.blogspot.com/2008/11/sensitive-seven-most-allergenic-foods.html

I'm still eating on the detox program. I'm on the eating out phase of the 5 day intensive juice fast (which went very smooth and I feel wonderful!).

One of the things we do on easing back into solid food is watch for any food allergies we might find. Signs of food allergies can be post nasal drip, headaches, upset stomach, itching, a variety of things.

Here are the seven foods I'll add back into my diet one at a time so I can test for any sensitivity.

The Sensitive Seven (from Elson Haas, The False Fat Diet)

Most common allergenic foods, including organic forms of these and all products made from these foods:



1. Wheat
2. Pasteurized dairy especially cow's milk
3. Sugar
4. Corn
5. Soy
6. Supermarket eggs
7. Peanuts


I haven't tested any of these foods yet. I don't eat supermarket eggs or soy but I'm certain I've consumed these products in other foods. I will test them just to see how my new squeaky clean body reacts to them.

I'm still going to write more about how my cell memories have changed and I was able to get over the nicotine cravings in a week. Hope to have that post by Monday.

Thank you for all the notes of congrats I've gotten about letting go of the nicotine. That is the reason I did the detox. Dr. Heidi helped me do something for my health and maybe my life that I haven't been able to do alone for 30 years!

Happy weekend all

Robin

Did the Surgeon General get it wrong about weight? Free Report

Surprise source of vitamin D



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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Barbara Lee to Chair Congressional Black Caucus



I read over at Acts of Faith that the Congressional Black Caucus has selected California Representative Barbara Lee to be the next chair.

I saw Congresswoman Lee speak this summer at the Democratic National Convention. The White House Project along with Mills College sponsored a reception in honor of Shirley Chisholm. Barbara Lee worked on Chisholm’s 72 campaign and told the story about how Shirley Chisholm convinced her to register to vote. Lee was one of the people interviewed for Unbought & Unbossed, the documentary chronicling Chisholm’s run for the White House…. the one everybody forgot. ( Nah Jesse wasn’t first).

It was interesting seeing Congresswoman Lee respond to some of the scenes from way back when. The CBC did Shirley wrong. Intentionally undermined her and of course her male peers threw out the “C” word.. no not THAT one… the other one CRAZY. Because you know that any Black woman fighting passionately about anything is going to have that one thrown out a time or two. Wear it as a badge of honor.

I can so relate to Barbara Lee, she’s a Black woman who is not afraid to stand alone with nothing but the courage of her convictions. WHEW. I know what that’s like. Barbara Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization of the use of force after 9-11. Remember those days? Whether you agreed with her or not, that took guts.

At the reception for Shirley Chisholm, who she refers to as “Mrs C,” Congresswoman Lee gave a loving recount of her time working on Shirley Chisholm’s presidential campaign. She also gave a running nonverbal/verbal commentary as we viewed the documentary during the tribute.

One of the sad things about this election is that while many people have made the comparison between Martin Luther King and Barack Obama, they’ve left out an important part, Shirley Chisholm’s run. In fact, I think for all of the comparisons with Jesse Jackson’s run, I think this year had a lot more in common with Chisholm’s run. You should check out the documentary and some amazing Chisholm campaign literature for those of us who weren’t around back then.

Will this mean a Congressional Black Caucus with a legislative agenda that is more responsive to their under served constituents as opposed to their corporate benefactors? Who knows, but Barbara Lee is not boring or afraid to challenge the status quo. After all, that book she is signing in the first photo is called RENEGADE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE ( That’s actually my copy she’s signing!). We’ll see.

Here is a picture of Barbara Lee with the filmmaker, Shola Lynch.

One day when I get time, I am going to put up all of my DNCC photos. I got some great ones at this tribute.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Clinton Is Said to Accept Offer of Secretary of State Position

Damon Winter/The New York Times
Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton campaigning in Florida in October.


WASHINGTON — Hillary Rodham Clinton has decided to give up her Senate seat to become secretary of state in the Obama Administration, making her the public face to the world for the man who dashed her own hopes for the presidency, confidants of Mrs. Clinton said Friday.

The accord between the two leading figures of the Democratic Party was the culmination of a week long drama that riveted the nation’s capital. President-elect Barack Obama and Mrs. Clinton fought perhaps the most polarizing nomination battle in decades, but in recruiting her for his cabinet, Mr. Obama chose to turn a rival into a partner, and she concluded she could have a greater impact by saying yes than by remaining in the Senate.

Her selection is still to be formalized and will not be announced until after Thanksgiving. It would be yet another direction in the unlikely journey of a onetime political spouse in Arkansas who went on to build a political base of her own and become a symbol of achievement to many women.

The role, though a supporting one, would make her one of the most influential players on the international stage, and it would represent at least one more act for one of the nation’s most prominent public families, as former President Bill Clinton would also become an ad hoc member of the Obama team.

The sometimes awkward dance between Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton in the eight days since he invited her to Chicago for a meeting culminated in a telephone call on Thursday. Before the call, Mrs. Clinton was skeptical about the prospect of joining the cabinet, said her confidants, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the situation. But Mr. Obama addressed her concerns about access, personnel and other issues, leading her to conclude she should take the job, they said.

“She’s ready,” one of Mrs. Clinton’s confidants said. The first meeting in Chicago “was so general” that she needed to have a better sense of how she would fit into Mr. Obama’s administration, and the call helped her “just getting comfortable” with the idea of working together, the confidant said.

Mr. Obama’s advisers said that although no offer had been formally accepted, her nomination was “on track” and would probably be announced after the holiday. Mrs. Clinton’s Senate office broke a week of silence to acknowledge the talks but cautioned that they had not been made final.

“We’re still in discussions, which are very much on track,” said her spokesman, Philippe Reines. “Any reports beyond that are premature.”

Mr. Obama wants to announce the members of his national security team at once. Advisers said he was weighing whether to make retired Gen. James L. Jones, a former Marine commandant and NATO supreme commander, his national security adviser, installing a formidable counterweight to Mrs. Clinton. The president-elect was still trying to decide whether to keep Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on an interim basis or install another choice to run the Pentagon right away.

The choice of Mrs. Clinton pleased many in the Democratic establishment who admire her strength and skills, and they praised Mr. Obama for putting the rancor of the campaign behind him. “Senator Clinton is a naturally gifted diplomat and would be an inspired choice if she is chosen by President-elect Obama as secretary of state,” said Warren Christopher, who held that job under her husband.

But it could also disappoint many of Mr. Obama’s supporters, who worked hard to have him elected instead of Mrs. Clinton and saw him as a vehicle for changing Washington. Mr. Obama argued during the primaries that it was time to move beyond the Clinton era and in particular belittled her claims to foreign policy experience as a first lady who circled the globe.

Advisers said Mr. Obama concluded after the election that the problems confronting the nation were so serious that he needed Mrs. Clinton’s stature and capabilities as part of his team, notwithstanding their past differences. The bitterness that inhabited the Obama team for much of the year has faded with time, advisers said.

And many of the aides working on the transition with Mr. Obama are not campaign veterans with scars from the primaries, but rather former Clinton administration officials like Rahm Emanuel, the incoming White House chief of staff, and John D. Podesta, the transition co-chairman, who admire Mrs. Clinton.

For Mrs. Clinton, becoming secretary of state would require her to sacrifice the independence that has come with a Senate seat and the 18 million votes she collected in the primary season. She has found it liberating the last eight years to speak for herself, not as someone’s spouse. But friends said she could still have her voice while subordinating her ambitions to Mr. Obama’s agenda.

“Hillary Clinton will always be seen as her own person,” said Mickey Kantor, a longtime friend who served as commerce secretary in her husband’s administration. “But you know, Hillary Clinton’s a terrific lawyer. She knows how to represent a client, and she’s good at it. And I don’t have any doubt in my mind that she’ll be a team player.”

Mrs. Clinton had to accept that she might never become president, a former aide said. “There’s a very small chance that she could run again,” he said. “You’re not going to be the president, so you want to make sure your next few years, which may be your last in public life, really make a mark.”

Two advisers to Mrs. Clinton said she was concerned about establishing her role in the administration before agreeing to the job. She wanted assurances that she would have direct access to Mr. Obama and not need to go through a national security adviser, they said. And she wanted the authority to pick her own staff at the State Department.

This was particularly important because her relationships with members of Mr. Obama’s foreign policy team fractured during the bruising primary season. Gregory B. Craig, a longtime friend of the Clintons' who broke with them to back Mr. Obama and helped savage her foreign policy background during the primaries, was selected as White House counsel and removed from direct involvement with the secretary of state.

Mrs. Clinton wanted to avoid the situation that faced another celebrity chosen as secretary of state, Colin L. Powell, who found hawks like John R. Bolton given top jobs under him after he took the job under President Bush.

“Powell had to take neocons like Bolton, and that just created problems,” said one Clinton adviser. “On the other hand, it would be dreadful if only Clinton loyalists worked at State and Obama loyalists at the N.S.C.,” the National Security Council.

It is also not clear how Mrs. Clinton’s selection would affect the role and influence of Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., whose expertise in foreign policy was a main reason Mr. Obama chose him for the job.

Another complication was Mr. Clinton, whose extensive business and philanthropic activities around the world could pose conflicts of interest. Lawyers for both sides spent days combing through his finances and crafting guidelines for his future activities.

People close to the vetting said Mr. Clinton turned over the names of all 208,000 donors to his foundation and library and agreed to every condition requested by Mr. Obama’s transition team, including restrictions on his paid speeches and his role at his international foundation. The lawyers agreed to notify all of the donors that their identities would be revealed to the Obama team, but it was not clear if they would all be made public.

Mrs. Clinton would bring a distinctive background to the State Department. As first lady, she traveled the world for eight years, visiting more than 80 countries, not only meeting with foreign leaders but also visiting villages, clinics and other remote areas that rarely get on a president’s itinerary.

While Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama agree most of the time on foreign policy, during the campaign she made a point of highlighting their differences, seeking to paint him as unsophisticated. Now those differences will be brought into stark relief as she seeks to become into Mr. Obama’s emissary to the world.

On Iran, for instance, Mrs. Clinton staked a position during the primaries to the right of Mr. Obama. She voted in favor of a measure more hawkish than what even most of the Bush administration had been willing to venture, asking Mr. Bush to declare Iran’s 125,000-member Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terrorist organization. Mr. Obama did not show up to vote that day but said that if he had, he would have opposed the bill.

Many Iran experts criticized the bill, saying it was similar to Iran’s declaring the United States military a terrorist organization because it carried out Mr. Bush’s orders. Even some members of the Clinton campaign’s foreign policy team at the time privately disagreed with the vote.

But the bigger fight between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama was over the issue of talking to Iran, which Mrs. Clinton could soon find at the top of her portfolio. When during a debate Mr. Obama termed “ridiculous” the notion of not talking to adversaries, Mrs. Clinton sharply criticized him, calling that position “irresponsible and frankly naïve.”

The difference between Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama on the issue is more perception than reality, advisers to both now say. Mr. Obama has said he would have a lower-level envoy do preparatory work for a meeting with Iran’s leaders first, and Mrs. Clinton has said she favors vigorous diplomacy and lower-level contacts as well.

“She’s not against talking to enemies; it was a question of how it’s done,” said Martin Indyk, the former United States ambassador to Israel. “That was the critical issue.”

On Israel, the other chronic foreign policy issue that will bedevil the next secretary of state, Mrs. Clinton would bring baggage as well. She is seen as fiercely loyal to Israel, which can be both a plus and a minus, Middle East experts say.

While her pro-Israel record as a senator from New York might cause her to be viewed with suspicion in the Arab world, it could give her credibility to ask Israel to make tough choices for peace.

A New Wind Is Blowing in Chicago

Sally Ryan for The New York Times
FAVORITE SON Banners filled Chicago streets after the election.


JEFF ZELENY

CHICAGO

SO long, Crawford, Tex. Even before President-elect Barack Obama takes office in 61 days, effectively crowning Chicago as the site of the Western White House, the city is basking in a moment of triumph that is spilling well beyond the confines of politics.

A bid for the summer Olympics in 2016, which once seemed like a fanciful pitch, suddenly feels far closer to a sure thing. (No, the ban on lobbyists at the White House does not apply to a little presidential persuasion on the International Olympic Committee.)

A spire is finally poised to be placed atop the Trump Tower here, bringing the skyscraper to 1,361 feet, the tallest American building since the Sears Tower was built three decades ago.

A new Modern Wing for the fabled Art Institute is set to open next spring, including a Renzo Piano bridge to Millennium Park, which sat in the distance of Mr. Obama’s election night victory speech here.

Yet this moment of renaissance for Chicago is about much more than architecture and athletics. For the first time in the country’s history, an American president will call this city home. And as he moves to Washington, a dose of the Chicago mood is sure to follow.

“We’re not Little Rock and we’re not Texas,” said Rick Bayless, a friend of the Obama family, who owns Frontera Grill and is among the city’s celebrity chefs. “It’s easy to put on your cowboy boots and eat all that barbecue. You can’t do that from Chicago. We’ve got a lot of muscle and it’s far too complex of a place for that.”

The complexity of Chicago, a city that is multiplying in its new diversity even as it clings to a segregated past, is rooted in the 200 neighborhoods that make up the nation’s third-largest city. America may well know Oprah Winfrey, who became a billion-dollar name through her rise to fame here, but the city holds a far broader identity.

One sign that the Obama brand is replacing the Oprah brand? The talk show tycoon is not mentioned in the city’s new tourism campaign, which invites visitors to “Experience the city the Obamas enjoy.” Ms. Winfrey’s studio is not mentioned along the list of stops, which range from Mr. Bayless’s restaurants to a bookstore in the Obamas’ Hyde Park neighborhood to Promontory Point along Lake Michigan. And souvenirs are on sale across town, with Obama shirts, hats and knickknacks arriving just in time for holiday shopping.

“It seems like there are eight million people walking around here congratulating each other,” said Scott Turow, the best-selling novelist who was born in the city. “Chicagoans are unbelievably proud of Barack and feel of course that he’s ours, because he is.”

Catching himself, he added: “I guess I should get out of the habit of calling him Barack.”

The marketing pitch, in the wake of Mr. Obama’s victory, offers a window into the two-fold psyche of the city: It is a big enough metropolis not to be easily fazed by events, though the fabric of the community is stitched just tight enough to burst in a rare moment of giddiness.

Chicago has long been a place that seems comfortable — or, at least, well adjusted — to losing, a place where you put your head down and shoulder through whatever hand is dealt you. (How could it be otherwise, considering all the practice that the cursed Chicago Cubs have provided over the years?)

In 1952, when an article in The New Yorker derisively referred to Chicago as the Second City, little offense was taken. It became a marketing pitch, with the thinking that second fiddle was far better than no fiddle at all.

But that gawking, out-of-town amazement — gee, there really is a city here! — has long outlived its currency. Well before Mr. Obama was elected as the nation’s 44th president — a fact that was proudly amplified by Mayor Richard M. Daley, who ordered up banners with a sketch of the president-elect to hang throughout the city — Chicago was experiencing one of its most blossoming periods in food, fashion and the arts.

Now, people around the country and the world are simply noticing.

Jeff Tweedy, the leader of the band Wilco who grew up in downstate Illinois and lives in Chicago, said the city never felt the inferiority complex that outsiders spend so much time musing about. Still, he said, the election of Mr. Obama, a friend for years, has given an unusual boost of confidence in a city that is usually nonplussed.

“I think people really do enjoy the idea that we’re living in the center of the world all of the sudden,” Mr. Tweedy said. “There have been all these prevailing stereotypes, and people don’t know how big and urban Chicago actually is. People think of it as being in a cornfield.”

If the country is set to see more of Chicago over the next four years — many people across the city here are too humble, nervous and practical to automatically assume Mr. Obama will be in office for eight years — at least one introductory lesson is in order.

If you had always assumed that Chicago earned its nickname as the Windy City from the chilly gusts coming off Lake Michigan, you would be wrong. The city is windy, according to most local legends, because of the hot air bellowing from politicians.

That was among the early lessons about Chicago that scores of young political operatives may have picked up when they moved to the city nearly two years ago to work in Mr. Obama’s headquarters. But while his campaign was located here — largely to escape the tentacles of Washington — the around-the-clock hours kept few of his young aides from truly experiencing the place that helped shape the next president.

“There is a really strong sense of self in Chicago: People aren’t defined by wealth or by work or accomplishments, but rather who they are,” said Alex Kotlowitz, an author who makes his home in Chicago because he believes it is a place to peer into America’s heart. “Obama seems so comfortable in his skin and with who he is. That’s so Chicago.”

It remains an open question just how much, if any, of Chicago will rub off on Washington. For starters, perhaps the president may be less inclined to shut down his government when a few flurries of snow are spotted. Mr. Obama has already lived in the capital — for a few nights a week, anyway — since arriving in the Senate four years ago.

The Obamas are, however, taking a bit of Chicago with them.

Michelle Obama’s mother is moving to Washington. (No, she is not living in the White House.) So Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, aren’t alone, a family that lives near the Obama home in Hyde Park is also moving, so the girls have built-in friends in the new world surrounding them.

And, friends say, look for them to spend at least a bit of time back in Chicago. (There is, after all, no Crawford ranch available to this first presidential family.)

Lois Weisberg, the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs for the city of Chicago, is a bit worried by the entrepreneurial rush surrounding Mr. Obama’s election. She hopes that while the Obamas are away the city remains a dignified tourist destination, not where buses are simply hawking rides around Obama points of interest.

“It’s too much luck for one city,” Ms. Weisberg said. “You get the president, you get the tourists, you get the Olympics. There is a wonderful feeling. I don’t think there was anything wrong with us before, but I think we’re better now.”

Friday, November 21, 2008

Protein PowerPHYSICAL WELLNESS SEGMENT: PROTEIN... A BASIC BUILDING BLOCK PART 2

posted by Kashi
http://www.kashi.com/articles/protein_power


Protein Power

You have probably heard about high-protein diets or maybe you have actually tried one. All kinds of protein-focused diet books are available promising weight loss based on different menus and diet plans. Typically, most of these books are based on the author’ own experiences or theories without any real scientific support. However, science is proving that there may be some benefit in eating a higher-protein diet. Research over the past several years has shown that protein may help with weight loss and improve risk markers for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, soy protein has gained attention for its own potential health benefits.

Benefits of high-protein diets

Studies suggest that protein actually helps you feel fuller longer. This can help to decrease the amount of calories you consume throughout the day. Several studies were able to demonstrate not only a decrease in hunger and total calories consumed but also that high-protein diets can facilitate weight loss. Experts believe this is partly due to an increase in thermogenesis, meaning the body burns more calories just to digest higher-protein foods. Additionally, the higher-protein diets favorably impacted cardiovascular health by promoting healthy blood lipid levels, including increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). It is important to realize however, that these studies used lean protein sources and replaced high-fat or highly refined carbohydrates. Simply eating more high-fat protein foods will not help you to achieve the beneficial effects mentioned here. So what is a higher-protein diet? Well, there is no regulated, defined term; however, researchers have seen results with diets containing 25 to 30% of calories from protein.

Increase your protein in a healthy way

For example, a higher-protein diet may look something like this: 45% carbohydrate, 25% protein, and 30% fat. For a 2,000-calorie diet this would translate into 225 grams of carbohydrate, 125 grams of protein, and 67 grams of fat each day. Here are some tips to help you increase your protein intake in a healthy way:

  • Replace refined carbohydrate snacks with whole grain snacks providing at least 3 grams of protein.
  • Eat lean protein sources such as beans, nuts, seeds, low-fat and nonfat dairy products, fish, and lean poultry.
  • Replace fatty fried foods such as french fries with lean protein sources such as beans.
  • Replace spreads such as mayonnaise and butter with protein-containing spreads like all-natural peanut and almond butters.

What about soy protein?

There are now all kinds of soy products available. You may have heard or read about the benefits of working soy into your diet. The news is based on recent studies that suggest soy protein may promote cardiovascular health, bone health, and may even reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. In fact, soy protein helps lower cholesterol so predictably that in 1999 the Food and Drug Administration approved the following health claim for food labels:

As part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, 25 grams of soy protein a day may reduce the risk of heart disease.

Soy protein is also currently being studied for its potential to help with a variety of diseases and conditions, some of which include weight management, diabetes, kidney disease, and women’ health issues. There are several ways to increase your soy protein intake:

  • Look for soy-containing snack foods and cereals.
  • Try soy milk with your morning whole grain cereal.
  • Make fruit smoothies with tofu and top with a soy-containing cereal.
  • Snack on soy nuts, which come in several varieties including honey roasted.
FoodsProtein content
Kashi GOLEAN Cereal13 g / ¾ cup
Kashi GOLEAN bars8–13 g/bar
Ostrich10 g/oz
Soybeans (dry)10 g/oz
Milk8 g/cup
Beef7 g/oz
Cheese (such as cheddar)7 g/oz
Egg (large)7 g/egg
Fish7 g/oz
Peanuts7 g/oz
Poultry7 g/oz
Lentils (dry)6.5 g/oz
Almonds6 g/oz (23 kernels)
Red beans6 g/oz
Cashews5 g/oz
Baked potato (medium)4 g/oz
Bread3 g/slice
Vegetables2 g/ ½ cup

USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18 (2005)

PHYSICAL WELLNESS SEGMENT: PROTEIN... A BASIC BUILDING BLOCK PART 1

Written By Monica Rowland

In order to kick of the Physical Wellness Segment this month, I thought we could start out talking about some key nutritional basics. Protein has had both good and bad press in the last ten years, with people yo yo-ing back and forth between high protein, and low fat diets.

Let me start off by saying that protein is a basic building block in our bodies. We need it to build healthy muscle and tissue, as well as for other important bodily functions. Fat is also a basic building block, and is important to ingest, as long as it is the right kind of fat. We need it to metabolize certain foods, as well as; move them through our digestive system. Depriving ourselves or overwhelming our bodies with either of these important nutrients can be detrimental to our health; and is not in keeping with a balanced body.

Below is an article talking about the basics of Protien, and how we should use it to maintain a proper balance nutritionally.

posted by Kashi
http://www.kashi.com/articles/protein_basics

Proteins are truly amazing nutrients because they are involved in just about everything that happens to your body. About 15% of your body is made up of protein, most of which is in your muscles. However, there are different types of proteins throughout the body, such as enzymes, hormones, immune factors, and blood-clotting factors. Proteins also help regulate fluid balance (how much water your body stores), your ability to see, and your acid-base balance (the pH of your blood). They also provide energy when necessary at 4 calories per gram. See, we told you they were important!

Amino acids

Protein is made up of individual building blocks called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids the body uses to make various proteins. However, the body itself can make about 11 of these amino acids, leaving 9 that we must get from food. These remaining 9 are called essential amino acids, meaning it is essential that we get them from our diet.

Calling amino acids the building blocks of proteins is an understatement. Your body arranges the 20 different amino acids in an almost infinite number of configurations to form proteins. It's the configuration that ultimately determines the role and function of each protein. And if the amino acids are arranged incorrectly, it may mean the difference between health and disease. For example, sickle cell anemia results from just one single wrong amino acid being used to make hemoglobin. Okay, now that you get how important they are, where do you get them?

Protein sources

Nearly all animal foods, such as meat, dairy products, eggs, and fish, are concentrated sources of protein because they typically contain all 9 essential amino acids. However, some animal protein sources are also high in saturated fat, which can raise cholesterol levels, so you have to choose wisely.

An often overlooked source of protein is plant foods. Specifically nuts, seeds, beans, and peas can be terrific sources of protein. One thing to keep in mind with plant sources of protein, especially if you’re eating a vegan diet (no animal foods whatsoever), is that not all plant proteins are equal. Plant foods tend to have lower levels of certain essential amino acids compared with animal foods, but certain plant foods complement each other with their amino acid profiles. For example, beans tend to be low in one amino acid that grains are high in, so combining these foods helps to form a more complete protein. Although ideal, combining these foods in the same meal isn’t necessary to ensure you meet your protein needs. If you eat a wide variety of plant foods and meet your calorie needs, getting enough protein is rarely an issue.

Nowadays there are numerous meat and dairy substitutes that are delicious and have plenty of high-quality protein. Be adventurous and try the wide variety of veggie burgers, veggie dogs, veggie deli-slices, alternative milks (like soy milk), and other products now widely available.

How much protein should you eat?

The amount of protein needed per day differs from person to person. For healthy adults, the Institute of Medicine publishes a report — the Dietary Reference Intakes Report — that recommends a range of protein between 10 and 35% of calories. For a 2,000-calorie diet, that would mean consuming between 50 and 175 grams of protein. The reason for the wide variability in protein allowance is that research indicates a healthy diet can be achieved consuming levels anywhere within this range. Your goals, personal preferences, and lifestyle choices can dictate where your protein intake should fall. As long as your protein choices come from lean sources and/or plant sources (so that your intake of saturated fat isn’t too high), consuming more protein than had been previously recommended can be considered part of a healthy diet.



Beyond Black and White: Diverse Reactions to the Obama Election


by Maria Niles

Much of the perspective provided during the campaign and reactions to the election of Barack Obama have been framed by the legacy of America's long history of blacks, whites, racism, oppression and the struggle to realize civil rights.

However members of many other groups who do not fit the traditional black-white American racial paradigm, including Native Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans, have expressed their views on what Obama's victory and presidency might mean to their communities.

Some reactions are general hopes, dreams and explanations of what the election of a black president means to them. Others are looking at what policy changes they would like to see from an Obama presidency while there are those who are interested in whom he will appoint to serve in his administration.

Maegan la Mala of VivirLatino notes that Afro-Latinos were overlooked and seen only as discrete groups, has a round up of some reactions and writes:

One point that we, and other blogfriends have been trying to make ever since the start of the very long road to the White House, was that the way race and racial politics are talked about and analyzed needs to change. There was a clear reason why being Black and Latino was viewed as two mutually exclusive realms of being.

Claire at Hyphen Magazine explores the concept of Obama as Asian-American and concludes:

I don't know what that means for the future, except that Obama is my president. He is the only political leader I've ever seen who truly represents not just my experience, but my point of view on domestic and foreign policy. This is a view that is shaped by knowing and understanding -- as only a child living across two cultures can -- that America is not the only country, that American ways are not the only ways, and that we as a nation and a people have much to learn from others. That's not so much where race breaks down as it is where race gives way to things that have more meaning.

Ennis at Sepia Mutiny asks What Obama's victory means for me (and perhaps you):

What does this mean for desis? Well, not much in some ways. We’re still a small group, and we’re not going to get singled out for ponies and party favors.

But I think, for the first time, we’ve been truly seen and recognized. Obama knows both South Asia and South Asians. We aren’t just some weird American fringe ethnic group to him. He has called himself desi, cooked dal, and travelled in the desh.

His campaign drew upon desis not just for topics to do with South Asia, but for every day campaign issues. The director of my local Obama campaign office was actually a Ugandan Desi ABD whose father was born in Jinja. One of the core staff members in the office was a desi female, one of the Patels from Kentucky.

I am hopeful that under an Obama administration our background will not be seen as a liability or as something intrinsically un-American. And that, to me, is change that we sorely need.

That is my birthright as an American, what all of us are promised as citizens, that we will be part of one nation, indivisible, where all are acknowledged as equal. I think that, on Tuesday, we took a small step in the right direction.

Angela Pang at AsianWeek has a round up of Asian American reactions:

Locally and nationwide, Asian American groups are excited about President-elect Barack Obama. Here are some thoughts on how Obama’s historical election will affect the Asian American community in general and the work these organizations are doing in the community.

Ginny of Ginny's Thoughts & Things shares her Thoughts From An American Muslim Obama Supporter and she is very cautiously optimistic:

As a Muslim who voted for Obama, I didn’t see him as the “mahdi”, I didn’t have this vision of grandeur in my head that my life, and the lives of others, Muslims and non-Muslims alike, would all of a sudden, miraculously, get better upon his election and/or his assumption of the office of President come January 20th....

As far as the issues regarding Obama’s cabinet and governing choices and how they will affect Muslims both here and abroad, I’m taking a wait and see approach as far as that goes.


Jessica Yee, Special Correspondent to Racialicious writes about Barack Obama and the Native Vote
:

Like millions of people all over the world, I’m ecstatic, over-the-moon inspired by Obama’s win. If for no other reason (and all the others too in which we share the same opinion, like abortion for example) than his win is actually a good thing for the people in my community. Yes indeed, the new leadership of Barack Obama in the United States of America is good for Native people, and you can sure as hell bet that a whole lot of us voted for him, and are counting on him to really give a crap about the issues we are facing.

Some bloggers are focusing on specific policy they would like to see enacted after January 20th. Maegan la Mala at VivirLatino highlights What a Colombian Indigenous Group Wants from Obama:

During a pre-election debate, Barack Obama made a clear point about one of the reasons he did not support the Colombian Free Trade agreement, the violence against workers. The Association of Indigenous Councils of Northern Cauca, ACIN, were appreciative of Obama's position, but wanted to shed light on their specific struggle and the struggles of other Native peoples in Colombia. So they, like so many others are doing, sent a letter to the President-Elect.

La Macha at VivirLatino and Marisa Treviño at Latina Lista both call for a moratorium on immigration raids.

Marisa writes:

The unprecedented turnout of Latino voters for Barack Obama signaled not just a desire for change in the country but a change in how federal immigration policy is adversely impacting Latino communities....

So I vote that Obama make immigration reform a priority. Unlike the financial help being afforded Wall Street and debated for the auto industry, which takes a trickle down effect to reach Main Street USA, the Obama Administration can implement a form of help that would immediately relieve countless Latino communities across the nation — put a moratorium on immigration raids.

La Macha links to a petition asking Obama to make this policy change.

And, although the media has focused on the possibility of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Obama has also met with Bill Richardson about the role. Latino and Asian bloggers are buzzing about the possibility of Richardson and others serving and also looking at who is participating in the transition.

Jennifer at VivirLatino notes that a group of Latino activists are lobbying for Richardson.

Seneca at LatinoPoliticsBlog.com is not optimistic:

Hispanics will not fare high in initial appointments in the new Obama administration. Only three have been even mentioned: Richardson, Salazar (Sen. Ken) and perhaps Frederico Peña, but really only Richardson gets any real play.

And Seneca suggests that perhaps eyes should be on some different prizes:

Most Latinos have not yet figured out that most often an appointment to a regulatory agency (FCC, FDA, FTC, Nuclear Energy Commission, Highway Commission et al) is far more coveted by the economic movers and shakers because the regulatory process is the realm of the true economic gatekeepers in Washington not the normal executive departments.

Until the new administration takes office there is the transition team (which could be a farm team for some plum assignments). Eugenia Beh at Asian Americans for Obama '08 reports that transition team Executive Director, Chris Lu, is the most searched for person at their site. Beh also spotted several Asian American members of the Agency Review Teams.

It is wonderful to read the range of reactions from diverse communities. And while many are hopeful after Obama's election, most seem to understand that while a president of color inspires, his victory does not erase the need to continue seeking representation and policy of specific interest to those communities.

What policy changes impacting communities of color would you like to see President Obama make? Is there anyone in particular you are hoping will serve in a diverse cabinet?


BlogHer CE Maria Niles blogs about both race and politics at her personal blog PopConsumer

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Should you Buy Organic for Your Kids?


By Allison Reyna

linked from: www.sheerbalance.com

October 26, 2008 - “Organic” is one of the most popular buzz words in the area of health and nutrition in the past decade. Sales of organic food surpassed $10 billion in 2004, and are expected to reach $32 billion by 2009. The expected growth rate of 17-20% far outweighs the growth rate for conventional food at 2-3%. With the emergence of such a lucrative market, it is not surprising that the information reported is also very confusing. Each new report seems to contradict the previous one. Is organic food more nutritious than conventional food? And more importantly, especially to parents, is it worth the higher price? Skeptics wonder if this is just another fad that will soon join the graveyard alongside the no fat and low carb faze of previous years.

Let’s start with the basic definition of organic. Organic food is generally described in terms of what it is not. It is not produced or grown with the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilizers, antibiotics, growth hormones, genetically modified seeds (GMOs) or pesticides. Before WWII, farming without the use of synthetic chemicals and pesticides was the only method used by farmers. The development of agri-business farming practices brought many changes to how our food supply is produced. Now, 98% of the foods in the U.S. are produced with the use of toxic pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, and/or genetically modified seeds. Isn’t it odd that organic farming really is our conventional farming method, and what we consider conventional is our modern farming practice?

Organic food is generally priced two or three times higher than its conventional counterparts. This is one of the biggest obstacles to getting more organic food in more homes. Organic food is more labor intensive to produce because the supply is smaller. The smaller supply also means the marketing and distribution channels in place are relatively inefficient. Lastly, the supplier probably does not produce enough of one product to reduce the overall price. It is my belief that once people realize the invaluable health benefits or organic food, the cost will not be as big of a barrier.

It is no secret that the U.S. is in the middle of a healthcare crisis. Since 1990, obesity has increased 60% and diabetes 80%. In 2010, 40% of children born will get diabetes sometime during their lifetime. We spend more money on healthcare than any other industrialized nation yet we are still one of the sickest nations. These are staggering statistics. Whatever we have been doing the past few decades has not been working. What exactly have we been doing? What has changed? Remember, before WWII farmers only practiced organic farming.

Since this change, we have been exposing our bodies to over 70,000 toxic chemicals. Whether it is in the clothes we wear or the shampoo we clean our hair with, it is impossible to avoid all the chemicals that have infiltrated our lives. Considering only 25% of these have ever been tested, it is enough to raise an eyebrow in concern. Most of these chemicals reach our bodies directly through what we put in our mouths. Our food supply has changed more in the past 60 years than ever before. Small, local farmers have been replaced with big agri-businesses whose profit depends on producing lots of food the cheapest way possible.


Many adults first consider purchasing organic food when they have a baby. Then, they start to evaluate more closely the connection of what they put into their bodies and their health and well being. A baby’s body is even more sensitive to these toxic chemicals since it is smaller and any exposure, no matter how small, has a more pronounced effect on its system. An interesting study by University of Washington scientists was published recently analyzing children's exposure to pesticides and chemicals. Researchers divided a group of preschoolers into two groups, one that consumed all conventional foods and one that consumed only organic food over a 24 hour period and analyzed their urine before and after. The conventional food group had a mean of 9 times higher levels of pesticide residues in their urine sample, far exceeding safe levels as stated by the EPA.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) consists mostly of processed, refined foods laden with chemicals and pesticides. Think of the traditional foods Americans eat daily? Bagels, cereal, sandwiches, cookies, pretzels, chips, crackers, etc. Then throw in dairy and meat products tainted with antibiotics and growth hormones and vegetables grown with chemicals and pesticides. All of these processed, chemical-laden foods draw more energy and nutrients out of the body than what they can deliver. To digest food and run the Krebb’s cycle, the body needs nutrients and if it can’t get it from the food it is fed, it will draw it out of other parts of the body. No wonder we are all walking around with chronic ailments such as fatigue, headaches, allergies and achy joints.

I challenge you to incorporate more whole, organic foods into you and your child’s diet on a daily basis. Pay attention to how you feel when you do this. You will be amazed at the difference in your energy and vitality. Yes it may cost more in terms of money and effort. But who would you rather pay? Yourself now or your doctor later?

Related Topics:
Is Organic Worth it?

Allison is the founder of Food As Life, a private nutritional & wellness counseling business based in Dallas, TX. She attended the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC and is certified through Columbia University's Teachers College and the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Ask Allison a question...

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Dining out, Travelling about, and Drinking Water

linked from www.waterbottlepeople.com

Waste not…

Many restaurants in the Western Hemisphere instinctively dispense a glass of water as you sit down. A wasteful cliché, and one that needs revising.

If you plan to drink tap water, a glass fresh off the tap is of course welcome. For those who choose other sources of liquid refreshment, it is wasteful. If you do not want to drink the restaurant’s tap water, inform the wait staff as they seat you. Over the course of years, and as it catches on, this trend will prevent a large amount of water from needlessly spiraling down the drain. I suspect that in the next 2-3 years, carrying your own reusable water bottle into a restaurant will become culturally acceptable. Hopefully, no corking fee will be charged to twist open your Klean Kanteen. But then, some water bottle-sized ice cubes on a hot day might be worth it.

When travelling, To bottle or not?

Despite the hypothetical corking fee, reusable water bottles are a good idea. Drinking bottled water has become a societal evil, and rightly so, with the large amount of pollution, resources, and landfill space all of the small plastic water bottles take up.

But when travelling in foreign lands where water quality is far from reliable, what is the best solution? Brands such as Katadyn and New Wave Enviro offer on the go “swoop and scoop” style filtered water bottles. These bottles allow you till fill them with plain water from wild or tap sources, which is filtered as you drink it. Katadyns are far more advanced, filtering out nearly anything contained in a forest pond, while New Wave Enviro’s water filter bottle made of corn, is more mainstream. These are excellent options to travel with. Katadyn offers an extensive line of water filter solutions for travel and adventure, as does Platypus.

Another option is to carry your reusable water bottle and fill it with spring water. In my soon-to-arrive reusable water bottle review, I will test all of those water bottles mentioned here, including the Katadyn, and many more, and report back to you. I will even test the Katadyn’s filtering – though there are not many wild sources near me, and I do not plan to swoop and scoop parking lot water.

Bottled spring water in large 5 gallon containers is available almost universally. The quality may not remain equal as you hop from country to country, but in some cases it may be better than the options available in the municipal water supply.

Iceland’s water supply comes from a pristine spring, and every household tap spews forth sulfur-rich spring water. So, fill up on it and feel happy. Countries less fortunate have been reported to have many water quality issues. The US Department of State publishes useful travel advisories, which are helpful to read.

Know before you go

It is always best to know before hand, and I recommend reading a few country guides, such as Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, other travel guides, talking to friends who have travelled there before, or even with your general practitioner to inquire about necessary vaccinations.

FAA guidelines and reusable water bottles

The FAA changes its travel regulations frequently regarding carrying liquids, so I recommend checking their website before you go. The safest method is to pack your reusable water bottle empty, but have it easily accessible if it’s in your carry on; metal bottles cannot easily be penetrated by airport X-Rays, and will need to be manually inspected.

On the road with your water

The World Health Organization (WHO), a part of the United Nations (UN), estimates that 80% of all illness during travel is directly related to water quality. Having travelled extensively to remote regions of the world, I strongly advise considering the water that you drink. Research beforehand into the municipal water quality of your destination is a valuable hefty ounce of prevention that weighs against the pound of cure you earn as you wander through less developed countries, forgoing a nasty souvenir such as amoebic dysentery. Even an upset stomach from differing water composition can throw your trip off for a few days. To err on the side of safety, Katadyn offers a line of water purification tablets, under their Katadyn Micropur label, as well as portable desalinators that I recommend. Katadyn is a high quality Swiss-made product that outfits the military. But, wherever your destination, a reusable water bottle travel sling, tote, or loop top is a must have. Can you imagine summiting Mont Blanc with your Sigg in one hand?


Water and health: 13 important tips when travelling

  1. You may not know the source of the water in a restaurant’s ice cubes. If the restaurant is not trustworthy, ask for no ice.
  2. When ordering a bottle of water, only accept it if it has been factory sealed. Open bottles brought to your table may have been refilled with potentially contaminated water. 3. Ask for the vegetarian meal on flights when making your reservation. Statistically, food poisoning occurs in meat-containing airline meals.
  3. Drink at least 2 liters of water during the flight if it is from 2-9 hours. Drink more depending on the length. Getting up more frequently to use the restroom will help keep blood flow moving throughout your legs. Better hydration will help alleviate jetlag.
  4. Do yoga or stretch every hour on any length of flight, rail, or car travel.
  5. If you must eat meat or animal products while travelling, ask for them well done, and always avoid anything not fully cooked, seafood, mayonnaise, and dairy products in less developed countries (LDCs).
  6. Shy away from “roach coaches” or street food.
  7. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables to keep your digestive tract healthy, but avoid those that cannot be peeled. Fruit and vegetables washed in safe water with castile soap, or travel soap, should be safe.
  8. Avoid unpasteurized dairy products completely.
  9. Juice contains higher levels of sugar, in which many bacteria thrive; avoid these if possible.
  10. Generally, beverages that have been heated at some point during production are safe: coffee, tea, beer, alcohol, and wine. Alcohol should not be used to “disinfect” the digestive system.
  11. Brush teeth and consume medication only with clean water. Small amounts of bacteria can cause massive upset in the digestive system.
  12. Wash hands frequently.
  13. Most importantly: take Probiotics containing several strains of friendly bacteria and yeast, daily. Those with enteric coating are optimal, such as Jarrow Formulas brand, Jarro-Dophilus EPS. This is the product that I personally use.
  14. Eat a minimum of 20 grams of fiber daily, aiming for 30 grams or more. Avoid harsh fiber supplements, and instead opt for fresh fruit, quinoa and grains, and other whole foods. If you do want a supplement, look for hemp protein, flax seed, or unfortified brewer’s yeast. All three of these options have 2-6 grams of fiber per tablespoon and are easily mixed with beverages or added to cereal or smoothies. Always drink plenty of water (minimum 2 liters) with higher fiber intake. Fiber absorbs water in the intestinal tract, and needs additional water to aid in peristalsis (movement of intestine’s smooth muscle that aids in digestion).

Monday, November 17, 2008

Ten marketing lessons from the Barack Obama Presidential campaign.

By David Meerman Scott

I wanted to make a few observations about why Obama was elected to be the 44th President of the United States.

This is a marketing blog, not a political blog. These are not political observations, but thoughts about marketing. It doesn't matter who I supported or voted for or who you supported or voted for us all to learn from Obama's victory.

1. Social media and the new rules of marketing are essential. The other campaigns seemed to be fighting using the playbooks of past campaigns. Hillary Clinton was relying on what worked to elect Bill Clinton. John McCain was relying on what worked to elect George W. Bush. Obama realized that to become president, he had to deliver information to people online as a primary tool, not an afterthought. In my opinion, Barack Obama is the most successful "new marketer" in history.

2. Embrace citizen journalists.
My friend Steve Garfield is a well-known video blogger. He's got tens of thousands of followers. During the primaries, Garfield attended several rallies held by various candidates. When he asked to go to the media section at a Hillary Clinton rally in Boston he was tuned away (because he was "not a real journalist") and had to cover it from the back of the crowd. However, Obama's campaign immediately brought him up to the media section where he was placed with print reporters from the major dailies and TV crews from the networks. The Obama campaign understood that citizen journalists have immense power.

Change2
3. Clearly and simply articulate what you want people to believe. From the beginning, Obama was about "change." The word "change" was everywhere in his campaign, so much that the entire world knew what Obama stood for. I asked a group of 300 people in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia what was the one word they think of when I say Barack Obama and all in the room said "CHANGE". Amazing. Quick: What do the following candidates stand for? John McCain, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, or any others. Hard to say isn't it?

4. People don't care about products and services, instead they care about themselves and about solving their problems.
Obama understood that his job was to solve the problems facing voters. He also knew that voters were buying into solutions, not just an individual. Did you notice in speeches how often Obama referred to his audience compared to how often he referred to himself? How about the other candidates in the primaries? How about John McCain? The other candidates talked about themselves a hell of a lot more than Obama did. Obama was the most tuned in candidate.

5. Don't obsess over the competition. Did you notice that Obama rarely talked about his competition? Once in a while he would, but mainly he talked about the problems facing voters. McCain talked a lot about Obama. Interestingly, Clinton and McCain both tried to associate themselves with the "change" word (the competition's word) but both failed because people already associated it with Obama.
Bidentwitter

6. Put your fans first. Obama had many ways to make an inclusive campaign and alert fans about developments first. I found out on Twitter that Joe Biden was to be Obama's running mate. Amazing. Obama told his fans first BEFORE mainstream media. (Of course, smart reporters were following his Twitter feed).

7. People don't like tele-marketing.
Do you like getting phone calls at dinnertime? McCain supporters seem to think so as they unleashed a barrage of so called robo-calls, which seemed to have backfired.

8. Negativity doesn't sell. Obama’s theme of hope and the idea that life can be better with change was uplifting to many people. The other campaigns of fear didn’t work this time around.

9. When someone becomes a customer, they want to talk about it. Obama tapped over 3 million donors who provided $640 million to the campaign. The majority contributed small amounts online. Once someone donates money, they have a vested interest in the candidate. So lots of small donors are better than a few fat cats.

10. Take time for your family.
(Okay maybe this isn’t really a marketing observation). Obama took time to be with his wife and daughters when he could have done another rally somewhere. He took several days at the end of the race to spend time with his ailing grandmother. While he was pulled away from "work" I think people respected his devotion to family.

Anyone have any other observations?

Marketers can learn a great deal from political campaigns. I encourage you to take a look at these ten lessons and apply them to your business.

The Momonomics of Healthcare

Health Care For All Kids

One of my best friends called me this week and told me that she just started clipping coupons for the first time in her life. All across the country, moms and dads are sitting down at their kitchen tables and figuring out how to make their money stretch farther. If we are thinking carefully about our money, it's only fair that our leaders do the same. How? By stretching our healthcare dollars farther by making sure that all kids have healthcare coverage.

There are close to 9 million children in the US who do not have health insurance. When children have gaps in coverage and do not get timely preventive care, they often end up requiring more expensive health care, such as hospitalizations and emergency room visits.
In California, a study of 9 local Children's Health Initiatives (CHI) found that providing children health insurance reduced hospitalizations in the CHI counties by 25 percent and saved up to $7.35 million annually in preventable hospitalizations. If all low-income children had health insurance, the state could save $24.3 million per year in preventable hospitalizations. Not enough to convince you?

Not only does healthcare for all kids save money now, it can affect kids' long-term educational outcomes. Children covered by Healthy Families (low-cost health insurance for kids living just above the federal poverty level) showed a 63% improvement in "paying attention" and a 64% improvement in "keeping up with school activities" over their performance when uninsured. The result? Fewer children will need costly educational interventions.

Covering all kids is something that we can do now. Children are the least expensive population to insure. Children make up over half of the Medicaid population, but they account for only 23% of the total Medicaid spending. But when primary care is delayed because mom and dad can't afford to take their child to the doctor, a toothache can become a serious infection, pink eye can leave a child blind, and kids who should be home for a day miss weeks of school.

So what are we waiting for? Move over Ben Bernanke. Our leaders need a lesson in Momonomics 101 from moms and dads who know that we can't just blindly cut essential programs, we need to spend wisely. MomsRising.org is asking its members to tell our leaders that covering all kids makes economic sense.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Special Money Mom Series: Wealthy Healthy and Whole.

Written By Monica Rowland

One of my mantras is "I am Wealthy, Healthy , and Whole. It's actually a favorite and has gotten me through some tough, and lean times. As we move towards the end of 2008, I would like to share with you some tips and advice on how to achieve the balance that most of us are looking for. Starting today we will have Segments on Financial, Spiritual, and Physical Health and Wellness.

I am excited about this series , because I think that it is very important to incorporate all three of these areas of your life in order to achieve balance. Hopefully this series will help to enable some of you to get started and finish strong!

Five Reasons All Women Should Love Michelle

Posted by SjP of Sojourner’s Place.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Heather Wood Rudúlph, co-founder and editor of SirensMag.com, for setting out the top 5 reasons why all women should love soon to be First Lady, Michelle Obama.

Reason #1: She’s a good mother.
Reason #2: She’s smarter than you.
Reason #3: She’s a realistic fashion icon
Reason #4: She’s a feminist.
Reason #5: She’s a [B]lack woman.

I encourage you to read the impassioned and compelling arguments put forth by Rudolph here. Perhaps you will find yourself “gushing” right along with Rudolph as she urges no one to “underestimate the power of Michelle’s image and presence in the White House:

…a descendent of slaves will be hosting White House dinners!—is an extremely powerful image for our country, and for the world.

Yes, thank you Heather for giving your permission and providing us with 5 reasons for women to “love” our new First Lady who has so aptly been named by the Secret Service Renaissance. I only hope that the next article you elect to write about Michelle Obama would be entitled Two Reasons to Respect Michelle Obama:

Reason #1: She is the First Lady of the United States.
Reason #2: She commands it.

What the Heck Is Web 2.0?

Written by Monica Rowland

In case you were wondering what this new term is that is being thrown around like a baseball on opening day at Yankee Stadium.... I thought I would post a few things to help you out. Now if you don't know what it means, don't feel badly... because most people don't. Even people participating in it, using it and in some cases LIVING it! (You know who you are! You fall asleep in front of your laptop each night on your bed. You are on facebook, MY Space or your favorite blog. Then you wake up with the light on at 4:00am, and a crick in your neck. Yeah..that's you!)

Web 2.0 is the new generation of the internet. It's the internet's offspring or baby so to speak. It is a term that encompasses the entire phenomenon of social networking, blogging, Instant Messaging, and so forth. It is used to describe the world of places on the web like this blog, or other applications like My Space, Facebook, LinkedIn, Classmates.com, Yahoo Instant Messenger, Wikipedia, Second Life, Google Adsense, Napster..... and believe me the list goes on and on!

By now you are probably scratching your head and thinking... "Hey! I am pretty web savvy! How did I miss this baby shower?" Well... you didn't. It sort of just happened. Tech companies came up with one thing after another over time, and now there are really too many of these programs and applications to count.

To describe it better... I thought I should get a "real" definition for you. This is a very long but informative article....however; I only provided a short excerpt. You can read the rest on your own. :wink:

(excerpt from an article What is Web 2.0? by Tim O'Reilly)
http://www.oreilly.de/artikel/web20.html

The concept of "Web 2.0" began with a conference brainstorming session between O'Reilly and MediaLive International. Dale Dougherty, web pioneer and O'Reilly VP, noted that far from having "crashed", the web was more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity. What's more, the companies that had survived the collapse seemed to have some things in common. Could it be that the dot-com collapse marked some kind of turning point for the web, such that a call to action such as "Web 2.0" might make sense? We agreed that it did, and so the Web 2.0 Conference was born.

In the year and a half since, the term "Web 2.0" has clearly taken hold, with more than 9.5 million citations in Google. But there's still a huge amount of disagreement about just what Web 2.0 means, with some people decrying it as a meaningless marketing buzzword, and others accepting it as the new conventional wisdom.

This article is an attempt to clarify just what we mean by Web 2.0.

In our initial brainstorming, we formulated our sense of Web 2.0 by example:

Web 1.0 Web 2.0
DoubleClick --> Google AdSense
Ofoto --> Flickr
Akamai --> BitTorrent
mp3.com --> Napster
Britannica Online --> Wikipedia
personal websites --> blogging
evite --> upcoming.org and EVDB
domain name speculation --> search engine optimization
page views --> cost per click
screen scraping --> web services
publishing --> participation
content management systems --> wikis
directories (taxonomy) --> tagging ("folksonomy")
stickiness --> syndication

The list went on and on. But what was it that made us identify one application or approach as "Web 1.0" and another as "Web 2.0"? (The question is particularly urgent because the Web 2.0 meme has become so widespread that companies are now pasting it on as a marketing buzzword, with no real understanding of just what it means. The question is particularly difficult because many of those buzzword-addicted startups are definitely not Web 2.0, while some of the applications we identified as Web 2.0, like Napster and BitTorrent, are not even properly web applications!) We began trying to tease out the principles that are demonstrated in one way or another by the success stories of web 1.0 and by the most interesting of the new applications.