Friday, April 27, 2007

The State of Black America

Race Matters – or Does It? – in Growth, Progress of Black Community
By: Jackie Jones
BlackAmericaWeb.com

On average, black people have one-eighth of the family wealth of their white counterparts. U.S. census data show that 30 percent of white adults had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2005, compared to 17 percent of black adults. The median income for white households was $50,622, compared to $30,939 for black households, and three-fourths of white households owned their homes in 2005, compared with 46 percent of black households.

See: BAW: The State of Black America, Part One: Race Matters – or Does It ...

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Dr. AviMelech Speaks at Chicago Public Libraries

Dr. AviMelech present the Hidden Ones Multi-media Presentation
KNN-Chicago

This is a special announcement that we will present the Hidden Ones Multi-media Presentation to the the City of Chicago through the Chicago Public Library system.

Please notify and invite friends and family that might be in the area to attend and support our lecture series.

Whitney Young Branch-Tuesday, April 24th at 6:30 pm; West Pullman Branch-Thursday, April 26th at 7:00 pm; Bessie Coleman Branch-Monday, April 30th at 6:00 pm. For more info contact Dr. AviMelech at futureofafrica@yahoo.com

Monday, April 23, 2007

Obesity rising in Europe, especially in children

More than 80 percent of kids are overweight, studies show
Reuters News Service

BUDAPEST - The number of overweight people in Europe is rising and there is an especially worrying trend of increasing childhood obesity and in the number of people who are grossly obese, according to recent studies.

Europe is facing major health and social burdens and the rise in obesity is reaching "epidemic" proportions, the 15th European Congress on Obesity in Budapest was told on Sunday.

Estimates show there are around 1.1 billion overweight people in the world, of whom 312 million are obese, and that in Europe 10-20 percent of men are obese and almost half the population is overweight. See: Obesity rising in Europe

Despite hardships, Cubans live long lives

Free medical care, mild climate may make up for food and water shortages
Associated Press

HAVANA - “Fidel: 80 More Years,” proclaim the good wishes still hanging on storefront and balcony banners months after Cubans celebrated their leader’s 80th birthday.

Fidel Castro may be ailing, but he’s a living example of something Cubans take pride in — an average life expectancy roughly similar to that of the United States.

“Sometimes you have all you want to eat and sometimes you don’t,” said Raquel Naring, a 70-year-old retired gas station attendant. “But there aren’t elderly people sleeping on the street like other places.”

They ascribe it to free medical care, mild climate, and a low-stress Caribbean lifestyle, which they believe make up for the hardships and shortages they suffer.

Laid-back lifestyle
Most Cubans live rent-free, and food, electricity and transportation are heavily subsidized. But the island can still be a tough place to grow old.

But most prescription drugs and visits to the doctor are free and physicians encourage preventive care. “There’s a family doctor on almost every block,” said Luis Tache, 90 and blind from glaucoma but still chatty and up on the news.

A relaxed lifestyle, which prizes time spent with family over careers, helps keep Cubans healthy, Tache said.The government runs residence halls for seniors with no family to care for them, though space is severely limited. Community groups make sure older people look after one another.

“It’s a very happy society. There aren’t so many worries and problems and that helps,” said Alida Gil, 57, leader of a community group in Old Havana known as “Circle of Grandmothers 2000.” See Complete Article: Despite hardships, Cubans live long lives

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Soul Vegetarian Chicago bakes Mayor Daley B-Day Cake

Chicago puts on green face as Green Festival opens
By Bob Burgdorfer
US News

CHICAGO - Chicago put on its green face this Earth Day weekend as Mayor Richard Daley opened the Green Festival on Saturday by boasting about the city's aggressive tree planting effort and other actions to clean up the environment.

'It is not just for beauty, it is for the environment,' said Daley of his tree planting campaign. 'Everything that we plant cleans the environment. ... I am very passionate about green technology.'

Billed as the world's largest environmentally friendly consumer event, the Green Festival is expected to draw about 30,000 people during its two-day run. Daley urged attendees to join the nation's third-largest city in helping the environment by switching to more efficient florescent lightbulbs, turning off water while brushing teeth, drive less, walk or bike more and replace plastic shopping bags with reusable ones.

While Daley was talking about the city's environmental efforts, the Chicago Park District was conducting Earth Day clean-up efforts at the city's parks. After his speech, Daley, who turns 65 on Tuesday, was given an organic birthday cake made by Soul Vegetarian Restaurant.

For the elect sake - these days must be shortened

Scientists Offer Frightening Forecast
By Ker Than and Andrea Thompson
AOL News

(April 22) -- Our planet's prospects for environmental stability are bleaker than ever as the world celebrates Earth Day on Sunday. Global warming is widely accepted as a reality by scientists and even by previously doubtful government and industrial leaders. And according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), there is a 90 percent likelihood that humans are contributing to the change.

The international panel of scientists predicts the global average temperature could increase by 2 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 and that sea levels could rise by up to 2 feet. Scientists have even speculated that a slight increase in Earth's rotation rate could result, along with other changes. Glaciers, already receding, will disappear. Epic floods will hit some areas while intense drought will strike others. Humans will face widespread water shortages. Famine and disease will increase. Earth’s landscape will transform radically, with a quarter of plants and animals at risk of extinction.

While putting specific dates on these traumatic potential events is challenging, this timeline paints the big picture and details Earth's future based on several recent studies and the longer scientific version of the IPCC report, which was made available to LiveScience. See: Scientists Offer Frightening Forecast for Earth