Shady Business

"...in established black neighborhoods like Westwood, where banks and brokers targeted vulnerable longtime homeowners and lured them into needless and rapidly recurring mortgages they clearly couldn't afford and from which they never stood to gain. More than half of all refinance loans made to African-Americans in 2006 were subprime, according to an analysis by the advocacy group ACORN. That's nearly twice the rate among white borrowers. Among low-income black borrowers, 62 percent of refinance loans were subprime, more than twice the rate among low-income whites."

Get the full story by clicking here.

Because I Care About My Good People

Once again I want to pass on some food knowledge that will help keep you in good health.

Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.
How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power.

Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.
How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches.

Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.
How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil.

Cinnamon: Helps control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal.

Pomegranate juice: Lowers blood pressure and loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants.
How to eat: Just drink it.

Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but packed with cancer-fighting antioxidants.
How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked.

Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.
How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad.

Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.'’ They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.
How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread.

Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,'’ it has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.
How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish.

Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.
How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds.

Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Source: New York Times

Bridesmaid, Never The Bride

Nora Ephron has this flight of fantasy regarding Obama asking Al Gore to be his running mate. It's actually not a bad idea. But, I don't think Al wants to serve a third term as a vice-president.

"I know it's not a great job. And I know you didn't like it the first time. But that was because of Bill and Hill. They won't be there. I will.

Here's the deal: we'll redefine the job. I know, I know -- everyone says this, but I mean it. I'll throw every power in my possession behind you and together we'll attack global warming, save the environment, and create a twenty-first century energy policy. We'll be partners in every way.

In return, you'll be vice president of the United States and everything I need in a running mate:

You're white.

You're experienced.

You're older than I am and younger than John McCain.

You're qualified to be president, and yet I have no fear of being upstaged by you.

You were right on Iraq.

You're from the South.

You have an Oscar, an Emmy and a Nobel Prize.

And more than any politician, you're an exemplar of change because you changed yourself.

What about it, Al?"
Source: huffingtonpost.com

The Victim

This is Coco Rocha. The poor girl that freaked out when she ate an apple (see the previous post). Poor thing. I'm guessing someone else at the shoot, bit into that piece of fruit for her.

Baby girl seek out experiences that are about you loving yourself for who you are. It's a damn shame what the world of fashion does to young girls, and some boys.

People Crack Me Up: 4

June 12, 2008 – "I was so obsessed with food that I would flip out if I ate an apple," said Coco Rocha at Tuesday night's CFDA-hosted discussion "The Beauty of Health: How the Fashion Industry Can Make a Difference." ... Rocha's statements were a sobering reminder of how much of a difference the industry still needs to make. ... Kors chided his peers: "Stay away from making child-size clothes unless you're making clothes for a child." He also urged casting agents and bookers to be realistic about a model's body type and to not "try to force a square peg into a round hole."

Following the speeches, the discussion was opened up to the floor. Casting agent James Scully entreated designers to remain loyal to models who may have gone up a dress size. "Don't treat them like greyhounds that need to be taken outside after the race and shot," he said. "Why can't you alter the clothes to fit them?" Designer Doo-Ri Chung, however, felt that the blame lay elsewhere. "I would love to make adjustments for someone who had a hip," she said after the discussion. "But we have a limited choice of girls and as they get smaller, we as designers have to adjust to that."

At the end of the night, guests united to lend their names to a petition demonstrating the industry's continuing support of the CFDA initiative. And Rocha's words were still very much in everyone's ears: "The pressure to be thin in this business is unbearable," she had said earlier. "People would say to me, 'We don't want you to be anorexic. We just want you to look it.' "
Source: style.com

Just Got My Daily Hearty Laugh. Thanks Betty!

Courtesy of Betty Bowers

Crazy Bird

Okay good people, I need your help here. For the past couple of days there has been a group of songbirds singing at night. They are tuck safely within the trees and around 1:00 am they get to chirping. I was raised to believe that birds only sing when the sun comes up, or is shining in full glory.

I think this birdy is giving his all in the name of enticing with his mating call, and my inner-queen says, these birds like to cruise at night. What is this about? Does anyone out there know anything about chirping birds at night? Is it Nightingale? I've heard they sing at night.

Please enlighten this city-boy that only grew up with pigeons.

Willie Is A Proud Mother In Heaven

Willie Ninja taught his children well. Here they are serving it at some event that would have been a bore, if they didn't show up, and serve it fiercely to the tenth power. Werk!

The House of Ninja brings the ovahness in loving memory of Willie. Props go out to father of the house Benny Ninja (in the plaid pants) for maintaining the love.

R.I.P. George Carlin

"Now, there's one thing you might have noticed I don't complain about: politicians," he explained in a routine that challenged all the premises of today's half-a-loaf reformers. "Everybody complains about politicians. Everybody says they suck. Well, where do people think these politicians come from? They don't fall out of the sky. They don't pass through a membrane from another reality. They come from American parents and American families, American homes, American schools, American churches, American businesses and American universities, and they are elected by American citizens. This is the best we can do folks. This is what we have to offer. It's what our system produces: Garbage in, garbage out. If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you're going to get selfish, ignorant leaders. Term limits ain't going to do any good; you're just going to end up with a brand new bunch of selfish, ignorant Americans. So, maybe, maybe, maybe, it's not the politicians who suck. Maybe something else sucks around here... like, the public. Yeah, the public sucks. There's a nice campaign slogan for somebody: 'The Public Sucks. Fuck Hope.'"
-- George Carlin

M.I.A. Due To Trials and Tribulations

Good people, it has been rough these past few days. I'm alive and well. I remain grateful for this body, this life and these experiences. Here is what I have to share:

- Karma is real. When it comes back to you, Karma's purpose is to make you understand, what you were not able to understand, because you lacked an essential experience that could only be provided when, Karma bites you in the ass. Karma is a gift. Karma is designed to inform you and connect you to your fellow human beings. Karma's ultimate gift is to make you reach the divine that churns within you.

- Putting it all out on the table for the sake of love is a good thing. Whether the results are good, bad or indifferent, you have to unburden yourself. You have to say what you feel, how you are hurting, and what you had hoped for. After this release, then you can work with what is in front of you. The fantasy will sneak in to distract you from the reality, however, you have to stay honest. Work with that honesty and tilt it towards your need to heal yourself.

- Keep seeing life as a journey. It reminds you there are points of interest, tourist traps, and moments where you are excited. Always remember your resources, and what you set out to experience. Put that itinerary aside at times and just let in what the universe is offering you.

Why You Should Vote Republican.

Dave from Long Island, posted this little gem of a video.



It makes one consider whether or not they want to be fucked over for another four years.

Amor In The Digital Age

Good People I know you have fallen in love. That is why I find you to be good people. I know you have cried or become angry because of love. I bet you've used your divine imagination to, for a moment, connect with that other bieng. That is to me, when you are most divine, and reveal what GOD is all about.

In my opinion the divine, GOD, is all about knowing the connections we share. It's like those a-ha or wow moments when we see ourselves in others. You've all had those experiences when you saw the following:

- You knew that pain or joy that someone was experiencing, because you've also experienced it.
- You saw someone uplift their mask and reveal the real person.
- You looked at someone, in a particular moment, and transferred an understanding without speaking a word.

And, then you fell in LOVE.

This divine connection all falls apart in matters of love. We become so selfish. I would argue these moments of connection, are chained to us receving praise or wanting a certain outcome, because, we are in the free-fall of loving.

The quick answer is that we are more vunerable emotionally when we engage in a relationship. The shakey ground of love propels some of us to act out. Hey! There is a lot invested, in fact, it's called the heart.

We invest so much mentally, physically, and spritually. And, it sucks when you don't get it what you expected and have to stop investing. But, ask yourself did I offer the best and got the least, or did I play it safe and wanted the other to make the risk. It take two to tango. Often the missteps are blamed on the other person, and we don't look at what we did to fall off the beat.

The Internet/Digital age is a blessing and a curse when it comes to love. This tool has expanded our options, but, also makes us ask what is next. This poison of what is next, drips into some people's heart. It makes them ask what is around the corner. It also offers us images of physical ideals and lies, that make us think, the grass is greener elsewhere, therefore, I won't tend to what is in front of me. I didn't have to physically move. I didn't have to practice empathy. All I have to do is point and click at something that will make me fell better about myself.

Click away lost ones. You are basically chasing that old high in a new way.

Survival 101

Good people, I care about you. I am motivated to create this post, because, I believe one should live, love, learn and pass it on.

Mother Jones: The risk of us dying from terrorist attacks is incredibly low. So why do we put so much money and resources into preventing them instead of a more likely cause of death like heart disease or car crashes?

Amanda Ripley: By sort of combining the research of a lot of smart people, I came up with an equation for dread:

[dread=uncontrollability+unfamiliarity+imaginability+suffering+scale of destruction+unfairness].

The dread equation is a simplification, but it's a way to explain why we fear something so much when it is so unlikely. Part of it is the lack of control. That's why we're more scared of plane crashes than car crashes even though we know rationally which is more dangerous.

Click here for the full story.

Jíbaros

I'm watching an episode of "A Different World" on tv. The story revolves around the conflict the African-American students have about the Mammy image being presented in an art show. One side says it's important to have these Mammy images presented in order to reclaim the past and redefine it. The other side is saying that was the past and leave it there.

I'm taking some time right now to reflect on my ancestral history. I'm choosing to zoom in on the story of the Jíbaro, prounouced He-Ba-Row. Jíbaro is a term meaning forest people, commonly used in Puerto Rico to refer to mountain dwelling peasants, but in modern times as a broader cultural meaning. Its original use is often attributed as a Taíno Indian word, however some claim that it may originate from Spain as a combination of the ancient castillian words Jiba, meaning hill, and Ero, meaning man. Source: Wikipedia

Okay, enough of the academic definition, fueled by the investigation to support the theorization, concerning the manifestation of civilization of the human population. While the "itons" are often useful they can often shun the importance of knowing how we are designed to relate to each other as human to human.

I was taught as a child to be a Jíbaro was a bad thing. Being a Jíbaro meant you was poor, uneducated, unsophisticated, and had way too much African, and for some, Taino indian blood in your family tree. Basically, being labeled a Jíbaro, meant you were a part of the lower class.

This is what I have to say about the Jíbaros:

Jíbaros are divine people. They are a mix of the Taino, European, and African ancestors of the island of Puerto Rico. The blood that flows through their veins is magical.

Jíbaros will welcome you into their home with honest eyes. A Jíbaro will take you in and understand you on a level that is human and not based on your resume.

Jíbaros have gave birth to, and nurtured Puerto Rican culture.


A Jíbara (female) will cure what ails you with natural medicine and caress you with touches from her gifted hands because she knows the exchange of that loving energy can seal the deal with god, and the part of your spirit that wants to heal you.

A Jíbara will take $10 dollars and feed a family of four for a week if she has to.

You can never ask for a better lover than a Jíbara. There is no shame in her game. If she loves you, she loves you completely and without shame. Love her back and the world is yours. If you betray your Jíbara lover, I feel pity for you. You just gave away your strongest ally in life.


A Jíbaro (male) will give you a honest day work, so give him a honest day pay.

A Jíbaro, like a Jíbara, has a tremendous amount of courage.

Jíbaros believe in loyalty, but you must earn it.

A true Jíbaro shows up to work everyday, on time, and ready to get the job done right.

A Jíbaro lover will whisper adoration into your ears, as he savors you, while sharing all of him between the sheets, in the midnight hour.

Jíbaro are at times fragile people. When they came to NYC, for some their spirits were not ready for it. As a result, many Jíbaros lost their connection to the divine. But, that is another story to tell and will be part of another post. Just think about racism, slums, and slave wages. Get the picture?

God bless you Jíbaro power. I was suppose to be dead, or in jail, or strung out on drugs. This world underestimated my Jíbaro ancestry. Thanks to my Jíbaro family. I am here to share my gifts. La Le Lo Lai!

When Hillary Shines, She's Brilliant

"Now, when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the path to peace, prosperity and progress. And that's exactly what we're going to do, by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.

Now, I understand — I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight, but the Democratic Party is a family. And now it's time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love.

We may have started on separate journeys, but today our paths have merged. And we're all heading toward the same destination, united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country around, because so much is at stake."

Does He Even Remember What He Had For Lunch?

Looks like McCain can't keep himself from letting out lies or misinformation from his mouth. I'm hoping that he keeps it up and that people realize the absurdity of electing him president.

"McCain was asked by a New Orleans reporter why he voted twice against an independent commission to investigate the government’s failings before and after Hurricane Katrina, and he incorrectly stated that he had "voted for every investigation."

McCain actually voted twice, in 2005 and 2006, to defeat a Democratic amendment that would have set up an independent commission along the lines of the 9/11 Commission. At the time of the second vote, members of both parties were complaining that the White House was refusing requests by Senate investigators for information.

The McCain campaign accused the Obama campaign of "tired negative attacks" for pointing out and documenting McCain’s gaffe." Source: factcheck.org (click here for the full story.)

Sinful Sims

Okay I'm being sinful. Forgive me, but hey, people fuck. It amazes me that someone spent days if not months writing up the code for this. You know he or she needed to get laid.

It's Getting Tight

The U.N. predicts that by the year 2025 about 50% of the world's population will experience drastic water shortages. This includes several regions within the U.S.

So with the pending oil and water shortages, the world is going to be very Mad Max meets Waterworld.


I plan on rolling like this:

Me Talk Pretty

A few years back I was in the habit of checking out Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day. I enjoy adding to my vocabulary, plus it helps me with my papers at school. Here are the selections for the month of May. How many do you know? I knew the definition of 13 words. My favorite new word is "chockablock," because it's definition and usage is something a fierce queen would use. Click here to get the definitions.

salad days
anneal
modicum
kindred
posthaste
veritable
beau geste
scavenger
chockablock
livid
treacle
iconoclast
attitudinize
foursquare
titivate
puckish
incandescent
hierophant
propensity
ramschackle
opine
subreption
arriviste
penury
buttress
decorous
etiolate
heliolatry
durable
garrulous
impeccable

U.S. Senate Plays Catch-Up

This recent fake ass newsflash made me laugh, then I wanted to vomit. It's like Duh! Such bullshit.

Why the fuck didn't all of the mainstream media perform some due dilgence way back before the madness started. And, why didn't the damn Senate grow a set of balls and or ovaries and stop this chump from unleashing Dick's master plan. Fucking pathetic.

Maybe the goal is to dot the "I" and cross the "T" in an official report so that they can tarnish Georgie's legacy and create historical documentation to prevent another a-hole from repeating the same madness.

I doubt it. History gets repeated over and over and over again. So not in a good mood today.

"The Senate Intelligence Committee says the Bush administration skewed intelligence to bolster its case for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The distortions include misstating Saddam Hussein's links to terrorism and ignoring intelligence about Iraq's arms programs, according to the report." Source: Reuters

Applause, Applause. Now Join The Cause

What happened to Hillary? She has exceptional experience, intelligence, and put tons of money into her run for the presidential nomination of the democratic party. Alas, she's expected to bow out of the race and let Obama become the main focus.

I was for the most part impressed with her ideas. She took on the hard questions, and rarely faltered. Never once did you see her sweat while on the hot seat. I think she is an amazing person. And, would have voted for her, without thinking I was voting for the lesser of two evils, but rather a person that would move this country in a better direction.

She did trip up with putting out an easy to expose lie about her trip to Bosnia. Then she pandered to the crowd by telling stories of her Annie Oakley-ish childhood. She showed she's human by holding back a few tears, while she spoke about her fears for the country.

Maybe these things turned people off. Maybe she came off too much like a politician. Maybe Bill was a liability. Maybe people are not ready for a female president. Maybe people had enough of the Clintons.

I'm really not interested in hearing too much about what I'm sure will be a long list of theories as to why she didn't win. What I'm more eager to hear is how we can spare the country a McCain administration. I pray that Hillary licks her wounds, and joins the good fight to put Obama into the White House.

This is not a time for sour grapes. There is so much at risk right now for this country, and all of the most clever and resourceful people in the Democratic party need to BRING IT, so that McCain won't know what hit him.

Something To Think About

"Last week, three prominent neurosurgeons told the CNN interviewer Larry King that they did not hold cellphones next to their ears. “I think the safe practice,” said Dr. Keith Black, a surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, “is to use an earpiece so you keep the microwave antenna away from your brain.”

Dr. Vini Khurana, an associate professor of neurosurgery at the Australian National University who is an outspoken critic of cellphones, said: “I use it on the speaker-phone mode. I do not hold it to my ear.” And CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, a neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital, said that like Dr. Black he used an earpiece.

Along with Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s recent diagnosis of a glioma, a type of tumor that critics have long associated with cellphone use, the doctors’ remarks have helped reignite a long-simmering debate about cellphones and cancer." Source: NY Times

Fight Club

There's a dirty little secret in the lovely state of CT. This year I've noticed a lot of the young guys on campus have been walking around with bruised and battered faces. I assumed they were the results of bar brawls or a rough game of football.

A fellow student filled me in on the somewhat shocking truth. Young guys in CT are participating in "Fight Clubs" to earn some extra cash, and get in touch with their inner caveman.

According to my source, fights are held in out of the way places, because these bouts are illegal. The gloves and face protection are minimal at best and the action is really intense. It's all very "Ultimate Fighting" style of brawling.


Looks like the pendulum is swinging and the Machoman is replacing the Metrosexual. I'm figuring the situation will get full coverage in the news once one of these boys dies from his injuries. But, for now, no one talks about fight club.