More Flooding in US

New England rain, flooding ‘going to get worse’-State of emergency declared in N.H. and Mass. as rain swirls over region-MSNBC News Services Updated: 12:11 p.m. ET May 15, 2006
PEABODY, Mass. - A four-day deluge has turned streets into rivers across New England, flooding homes up to their door knobs, forcing dozens of schools to close because the buses couldn’t get through, and threatening dams and communities as rivers rise.
The rain was still falling Monday morning, and forecasters warned the worst was yet to come. The rain totals could hit 15 inches by afternoon, triggering the worst flooding in some areas since 1936, the National Weather Service said.
The Merrimack River, which chased more than 100 people from homes in Manchester, N.H., was more than eight feet over flood stage early Monday and rising, and the Charles and other large rivers could swamp entire neighborhoods if they spill their banks. “This is the tip of the iceberg. It’s going to get worse,” Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Peter Judge said Sunday. “We fear that 15 rivers will be pushed over flood level or right up to flood level.” Click here for complete article: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12786790/?GT1=8199

Being Israeli is music to his ears

By Viva Press May 14, 2006
As he performs his soulful number at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Athens on May 18, 34-year old Eddie Butler will not just be representing his country, but the unique community in which he grew up. Butler may not look the part, but he is a native son of Israel - born in the Negev. Butler's parents are Americans, and members of the Black Hebrews African-American community that believes they are a lost tribe of Israel. His mother and father came to Israel for a visit 37 years ago and decided to stay. "I'm more than happy to represent the country I was born in. I love Jerusalem, I love Israel, I live for this country," Butler told ISRAEL21c. "This is my home." For Full Article:Click here: Israel21c

All Natural?????

7-Up Ad Claims Soda is '100 Percent Natural'-Group Threatens to Sue Beverage Maker for Using the Healthy Title-ABC News by Lisa Stark
May 11, 2006 — Amidst the juices and waters you might choose when looking for a healthy beverage, you probably wouldn't think to grab a soda to satisfy that thirst. But can you? The makers of 7-Up are now promoting the carbonated beverage as "100 percent natural," and a non-profit group wants the ads changed.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says the ad is misleading, and wants the company to be honest with consumers. The lemon-flavored drink contains high fructose corn syrup, which they say is artificially made by extracting starch from corn and altering it with enzymes or acids.
Cadbury Schwepps, the maker of 7-Up, and says it is in fact natural, because sugar made from corn is made virtually the same way as many ingredients that are called natural.
Define Natural? Click Here:http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1951838

Are We Too Dependent on Oil?

Products Made From Oil-Ink, Dishwashing liquids, Paint brushes, Telephones, Toys, Unbreakable dishes, Insecticides, Antiseptics, Dolls, Car sound insulation, Fishing lures, Deodorant, Tires, Motorcycle helmets, Linoleum, Sweaters, Tents, Refrigerator linings, Paint rollers, Floor wax, Shoes, Electrician's tape, Plastic wood, Model cars, Glue, Roller-skate wheels, Trash bags, Soap dishes, Skis, Permanent press clothes, Hand lotion, Clothesline, Dyes, Soft contact lenses, Shampoo, Panty hose, Cameras, Food preservatives, Fishing rods, Oil filters, Combs, Transparent tape, Anesthetics, Upholstery, Dice, Disposable diapers, TV cabinets, Cassettes, Mops, Sports car bodies, Salad bowls, House paint, Purses, Electric blankets, Awnings, Ammonia, Dresses, Car battery cases, Safety glass, Hair curlers, Pajamas, Synthetic rubber, VCR tapes, Eyeglasses, Pillows, Vitamin capsules, Movie film, Ice chests, Candles, Rubbing alcohol, Loudspeakers, Ice buckets, Boats, Ice cube trays, Credit cards, Fertilizers, Crayons, Insect repellent, Water pipes, Toilet seats, Caulking, Roofing shingles, Fishing boots, Life jackets, Balloons, Shower curtains, Garden hose, Golf balls, Curtains, Plywood adhesive, Umbrellas, Detergents, Milk jugs, Beach umbrellas, Rubber cement, Sun glasses, Putty, Faucet washers, Cold cream, Bandages, Tool racks, Antihistamines, Hair coloring, Nail polish, Slacks, Drinking cups, Guitar strings, False teeth, Yarn, Petroleum jelly,Toothpaste, Golf bags, Roofing, Tennis rackets, Toothbrushes, Perfume, Luggage, Wire insulation, Folding doors, Shoe polish, Fan belts, Ballpoint pens, Shower doors, Cortisone, Carpeting, Artificial turf, Heart valves, LP records, Lipstick, Artificial limbs, Hearing aids, Vaporizers, Aspirin, Shaving cream, Wading pools, Parachutes. Wow!!!

The History Of Gasoline

Gasoline is a volatile, flammable liquid obtained from the refinement of petroleum, or crude oil. It was originally discarded as a byproduct of kerosene production, but its ability to vaporize at low temperatures made it a useful fuel for many machines. The first oil well in the United States was struck by Edwin L. Drake near Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859 at a depth of almost 70 feet (21 m). With the development of the four-stroke internal combustion engine by Nikolaus Otto in 1876, gasoline became essential to the automotive industry. Today, almost all gasoline is used to fuel automobiles, with a very small percentage used to power agricultural equipment and aircraft. Petroleum, a fossil fuel, supplies more energy to the world today than any other source. The United States is the world's leading consumer of petroleum; in 1994, Americans used 7,587,000 barrels of oil per day. Petroleum is formed from the remains of plants and animals that have been held under tremendous pressure for millions of years. Ordinarily, this organic matter would decompose completely with the help of scavengers and aerobic bacteria, but petroleum is created in an anaerobic environment, without the presence of oxygen. Over half of the world's known crude oil is concentrated in the Persian Gulf basin. Other major areas include the coasts of Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico.
Petroleum products, including gasoline, are primarily a mixture of hydrocarbons (molecules containing hydrogen and carbon molecules) with small amounts of other substances. Crude oil is comprised of different lengths of hydrocarbon chains, with some short chains and some very long chains. Depending on how much the oil is broken down, or refined, it may become any number of products. On average, 44.4% of petroleum becomes gasoline. There really are no waste products from petroleum. The lighter chemicals are natural gas, liquified petroleum gas (LPG), jet fuel, and kerosene. The heavier products are used for the manufacture of lubricants, plastics, and asphalt. In addition, many less valuable products can be chemically converted into more saleable compounds.

The Importance of Minerals in Your Diet

By Yoeelah E.N. Aharon (KNN Writer)

“Minerals are the most important aspect of a man’s diet. There are approximately 102 minerals in the earth and the same in the body of man. Their consumption in their “whole” form (whether cooked or raw) holds the key to the health and well-being of the Adamic soul.”

p. 114 The Resurrection by Ben Ammi

What are these minerals? Minerals. Minerals have a broad range of functions. As many as 20 minerals play significant roles in the body. “Microminerals,” (called trace minerals) or minerals that the body only needs traces of, can fight off serious illness. These include copper, iodine, chromium, iron, fluorine, tin, zinc, nickel, vanadium, manganese, silicon, molybdenum, and selenium. “Macrominerals,” or minerals that the body needs large amounts of include magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, and sulfur. Zinc is responsible for helping metabolize proteins and keeping enzymes functioning. Copper is needed by enzymes for metabolizing. Iodine assists the thyroid gland in working properly. Calcium and phosphorus build bones and teeth. Iron delivers oxygen to the body’s cells. Potassium helps muscle contraction, maintains the fluid balance of cells, helps transmit messages through the body’s nerves, and keeps the kidneys and heart working correctly. I have only listed a few. Remember there are 102 minerals in man and in the soil. The scientific world has not even discovered all the minerals that will be available to you and they all will be found in the food that we eat. Here are a few examples: Calcium - leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli, Potassium - bananas, broccoli, tomatoes, Iron and Zinc - legumes, such as beans, peas, lentils, and peanuts. I will close with the words of our Divine Minister of Agriculture Sar Yadiel:

“A Yah soil-dynamic will produce plants grown in liberated soil of a superior nutritional value. They will contain Truth-complex vitamins and minerals of therefore unknown biological value and benefits. It is the qualitative-quantitative Yah-yield of Adamah/soil, combined with the Yah-righteous character, which will stimulate the Adamic-body to function on a higher level of metabolic-regenerative activity. Biologically speaking, we enter into the cycles of Divine health and longevity or simply stated, the cycles of everlasting life.”
Divine Agri-Writings of the KOY Ministry of Divine Agriculture

A Snapshot Of The Whole Foods Market

Stocks are up in health foods......Whole Foods Market, Inc.: Snapshot
Quotes delayed 15 minutes. Quick Quote fyi Latest price 72.34 Change +0.26 % Change +0.36% Previous Close 72.08 Day's Low 71.76 Day's High 72.53 fyi Volume 1,613,413 StockScouter Rating 7 Detailed Quote Financial data in U.S. dollars 1-Year Chart Advanced Charts: Intraday 1 Year 3 Year

Obesity and Diabetes: How They Affect Children

BY MATTHEW KENT, SOUTHERN HEALTH CONTRIBUTOR
As juvenile obesity rates in the United States continue to escalate, parents need to be aware that their children are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Normally observed in individuals over the age of 45, Type 2 diabetes is now more commonly seen in young people.Approximately 177,000 youngsters under the age of 20 have diabetes, according to the National Diabetes Education Program. Diabetes continues to be on the rise and is clearly an ongoing problem. More Info Click Here: The Southern Health Magazine

Is The American Dream Still Possible

By David Wallechinsky Published: April 23, 2006 -Cleveland Plain Dealer Newspaper

The traditional American Dream is based on the belief that hardworking citizens can better their lives, pay their monthly bills without worry, give their children a start to an even better life and still save enough to live comfortably after they retire. But many average Americans are struggling—squeezed by rising costs, declining wages, credit-card debt and diminished benefits, with little left over to save for retirement. (See statistics below.)
http://parade.com/articles/editions/2006/edition_04-23-2006/Middle_Class_feature

Mean Judean Softball Update

From Jerusalem Post Sports May. 4, 2006 3:54
In a busy ISA softball week, the Dawgs upset the Galil Twisters 8-5, Shimshon Hi-Tech defeated Otzma Eilat 15-9, Dimona Mean Judeans took two, 16-1 over Eilat and 9-5 over Zion Tours, and Penticon bested the Tigers 8-2. In a women's game, the Beit Shemesh Fireballs fended off the Dimona Lady Judeans 15-13 who then beat ISP Tel Aviv 13-12. Dimona ran over Eilat 16-1 behind 12 strikeouts from Elyaheed Ben Israel who allowed only a bunt single to Yoni Weiss while walking six. Akazia Ben Israel tripled and drove in four runs, Yehuda Ben Israel had three hits and two RBI's and Elyaheed helped out with a triple of his own. Dimona also downed Zion Tours 9-5. Yaron Ben Israel stymied a powerful ZT offense, while the Mean Judean's loaded the bases twice on bunts. Horaliel Ben Israel knocked in three runs and Oved Ben Israel two as Dimona scored seven unearned runs on eight ZT errors.
Carmiah, Dimona's new pitcher threw respectably and strengthened towards the end, as her teammates fought back from a 15-5 deficit, but Yaakov shut the door. A walk-off game-ending single allowed Dimona to save face, 13-12 over ISP Tel Aviv.

The Hidden Ones

Peace and Blessings from Jerusalem Northeast Africa !
Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
Dr. AviMelech will return this friday to Chicago to present the awe-inspiring "HIDDEN ONES" PLUS presentation. He will expose the indigenous Africa presence in Israel, Northeast Africa, The Bible and the Bible Lands.
Please seek to attend and or encourage attendance by others. He will also deal with popular questions on the Bible as well. Look forward to seeing you there.
WHERE: SOUL VEGETARIAN RESTAURANT-INTERNATIONAL ROOM
WHEN: FRIDAY MAY 5, 2006
ENTRANCE: $10.00
TIME: 7:30 P.M. -9:30 P.M.

I'm Going Bananas!!!

After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again!
Bananas Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet. Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier. PMS: Forget the pills -- eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia. Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect way to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke. Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert. Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives. Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system. Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief. Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness. Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation. Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady. Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach. Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan. Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal. Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack. Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine," eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%! So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrates, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

What will it take to make people change?

As Gasoline Prices Soar, Americans Resist Major Cuts in Consumption By JEFFREY BALLMay 1, 2006 (Wall Street Journal)

With gasoline prices in the U.S. approaching an average $3 a gallon, Americans are moaning about the rising cost, but so far they are resisting big changes in their gas-guzzling ways. Click Here to see full article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114644818224940150.html?mod=home_whats_news_us

Hydrogenation in food

Hydrogenation is widely applied to the processing of cooking oils and fats. Complete hydrogenation converts unsaturated fatty acids to saturated ones. In practice the process is not usually carried to completion. Since the original oils usually contain more than one double bond per molecule (that is, they are poly-unsaturated), the result is usually described as partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, that is some, but usually not all, of the double bonds in each molecule have been reduced.Hydrogenation results in the conversion of liquid vegetable oils to solid or semi-solid fats, such as those present in margarine. Changing the degree of saturation of the fat changes some important physical properties such as the melting point, which is why liquid oils become semi-solid. Semi-solid fats are preferred for baking because the way the fat mixes with flour produces a more desirable texture in the baked product. Since partially hydrogenated vegetable oils are reasonably priced, are available in a wide range of consistencies and have other desirable characteristics such as greater oxidative stability (longer shelf life), they are the predominant fats used in most commercial baked goods. Fat blends formulated for this purpose are called shortenings.

Click on links in article for more info.

Stolen Body Parts Scandal

Stolen Body Parts Scandal Leads to More Testing of Patients Who May Have Received Diseased Human Tissue Grafts
Date Published: Sunday, April 23rd, 2006 By Steven DiJoseph
The ghoulish tale of stolen body parts, missing persons, diseased human tissue grafts, and the possibility that thousands of innocent patients are now at risk of developing everything from HIV/AIDS and syphilis to hepatitis B and C has become a scandal of nationwide proportions that has health officials in several states as well as the FDA and CDC extremely concerned.
Reports are now appearing that almost 100 more patients (this time in the Atlanta area) have been informed that human tissue grafts they received may have been from diseased body parts that were stolen from corpses in funeral homes and never properly screened for a wide range of serious and even life-threatening infectious diseases.
Clich Here to see full article: http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/1108

Got Ginger? Ginger Fights Cancer

By Dr. Baruch

Ginger can kill ovarian cancer cells while the compound that makespeppers hot can shrink pancreatic tumors, researchers told aconference. Their studies add to a growing body of evidence that atleast some popular spices might slow or prevent the growth of cancer.Dr. Rebecca Liu, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology atthe University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, and colleaguestested ginger powder dissolved in solution by putting it on ovariancancer cell cultures. It killed the ovarian cancer cells in twodifferent ways. First, through a self-destruction process calledapoptosis and second, through the process of autophagy in which cancercells digest themselves, the researchers told a meeting of the AmericanAssociation for Cancer Research. There is "some support" for an association between ovarian cancer andthe consumption of milk products, Swedish researchers report in theInternational Journal of Cancer. From 1991 through 1998 in our nation’s capital, African American womenrepresented two-thirds of all deaths from ovarian cancer, while farmore cases were diagnosed in Caucasian women.Ovarian cancer kills 16,000 out of the 22,000 U.S. women who arediagnosed with it every year, according to the American Cancer Society.Ginger has been shown to help control inflammation, which can contributeto the development of ovarian cancer cells. “In multiple ovarian cancer cell lines, we found that ginger-inducedcell death at a similar or better rate than the platinum-basedchemotherapy drugs typically used to treat ovarian cancer,” said Dr.Jennifer Rhode, who helped work on the study. Ginger Mint Dressing made with the Wholefood Farmacy’s Heart of Gold isa great way to add ginger to your daily meal plan.

Heart of Gold Ginger Mint Dressing:½ cup freshly grated ginger1 ½ cups Heart of Gold 1 ½ cups fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice1 cup finely chopped fresh mint Combine ingredients and blend for 30 seconds in a blender. Add moremint or your favorite spices to taste. Great on salads, great for tossing with steamed veggies or drizzlingover fresh veggies!

America's Fall Since the 60's-What was the Cause?

Quantifying America's Declineby William J. Bennett
The Wall Street Journal,Monday, March 15, 1993

Is out Culture declining? I have tried to quantify the answer to this question with the creation of the Index of Leading Cultural Indicators.
In the early 1960s, the Census Bureau began publishing the Index of Leading Economic Indicators. These 11 measurements, taken together, represent the best means we now have of interpreting current business developments and predicting future economic trends.
The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, a compilation of the Heritage Foundation and Empower America, attempts to bring a similar kind of data-based analysis to cultural issues. It is a statistical portrait (from 1960 to the present) of the moral, social and behavioral conditions of modern American society--matters that, in our time, often travel under the banner of ``values.'' Perhaps no one will be surprised to learn that, according to the index, America's cultural condition is far from healthy. What is shocking is just how precipitously American life has declined in the past 30 years, despite the enormous government effort to improve it.
Since 1960, the U.S. population has increased 41%; the gross domestic product has nearly tripled; and total social spending by all levels of government (measured in constant 1990 dollars) has risen from $143.73 billion to $787 billion--more than a fivefold increase. Inflation-adjusted spending on welfare has increased by 630%, spending on education by 225%.
But during the same 30-year period there has been a 560% increase in violent crime, a 419% increase in illegitimate births; a quadrupling in divorce rates; a tripling of the percentage of children living in single-parent homes; more than a 200% increase in the teenage suicide rate; and a drop of almost 80 points in SAT scores. Click Here to See Stats: [data tabulated below]

Senate panel recommends abolishing FEMA

Disaster agency beyond repair, Senate inquiry decides

Updated: 11:06 p.m. ET April 26, 2006
WASHINGTON - The nation’s beleaguered disaster response agency should be abolished and rebuilt from scratch to avoid a repeat of multiple government failures exposed by Hurricane Katrina, a Senate inquiry has concluded.
Crippled by years of poor leadership and inadequate funding, the Federal Emergency Management Agency cannot be fixed, a bipartisan investigation says in recommendations to be released Thursday.
Taken together, the 86 proposed reforms suggest the United States is still woefully unprepared for a disaster such as Katrina with the start of the hurricane season a little more than month away.
“The United States was, and is, ill-prepared to respond to a catastrophic event of the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina,” the recommendations warn. “Catastrophic events are, by their nature, difficult to imagine and to adequately plan for, and the existing plans and training proved inadequate in Katrina.”
The recommendations, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, are the product of a seven-month investigation to be detailed in a Senate report to released next week. It follows similar inquiries by the House and White House and comes in an election year in which Democrats have seized on Katrina to attack the Bush administration.
Bush to visit region againPresident Bush will visit Louisiana and Mississippi — which bore the brunt of Katrina’s wrath — on Thursday.
The inquiry urges yet another overhaul of the embattled Homeland Security Department — FEMA’s parent agency — which was created three years ago and already has undergone major restructuring of duties and responsibilities.
It proposes creating a new agency, called the National Preparedness and Response Authority, that would plan and carry out relief missions for domestic disasters. Unlike now, the authority would have a direct line of communication with the president during major crises, and any dramatic cuts to its budget or staffing levels would have to be approved by Congress.
It would also oversee efforts to protect critical infrastructure such as buildings, roads and power systems, as well as Homeland Security’s medical officer. But the inquiry calls for keeping the agency within Homeland Security, warning that making it an independent office would cut it off from resources the larger department could provide.
The proposal drew disdain from the Homeland Security Department and its critics, both sides questioning the need for another bureaucratic shuffling that they said wouldn’t accomplish much.
“It’s time to stop playing around with the organizational charts and to start focusing on government, at all levels, that are preparing for this storm season,” said Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke.
Former FEMA director Michael Brown said the new agency would basically have the same mission as FEMA had a year ago, before its disaster planning responsibilities were taken away.
‘Beyond repair’“It sounds like they’re just re-creating the wheel and making it look like they’re calling for change,” Brown said. “If indeed that’s all they’re doing, they owe more than that to the American public.”
But Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who led the inquiry, said the new agency would be “better equipped with the tools to prepare for and respond to a disaster.”
Describing FEMA as a “shambles and beyond repair,” Collins said the overall report “will help ensure that we do not have a repeat of the failures following Hurricane Katrina.”
Many of the rest of the recommendations were far less dramatic, ranging from creating a Homeland Security Academy to better trained relief staff, to encouraging people and state and local governments to plan for evacuating and sheltering pets during a disaster.
Most of them offered common-sense reforms, like better coordination among all levels of government, providing reliable communications equipment to allow emergency responders to talk to each other and ensuring urban evacuation plans are up to date and adequate.
Concluding that FEMA was seriously underfunded, Senate investigators called for more money for disaster planning and response at all levels of government. They did not specify, however, how much money was needed and skirted around whether the federal government should be providing all the funding.
The recommendations also called for clarifying responsibilities for levee maintenance — highlighting the structural weaknesses of the New Orleans flood walls against Katrina. They also urged better contracting procedures to avoid waste or fraud in the rush to get aid to disaster victims.
“There is no federal dollar that is spent on disaster relief and recovery for which the government is not accountable to taxpayers,” the recommendations said.

China Looks Toward Africa

China stirs up and causes jitters globally-Kenya Times Newspaper-->BY WYCLIFFE ASALWA
CHINA is increasingly targeting its economic and cultural ‘eye’ to the ground in Africa and Kenya is one of its interest zones on the continent. In recent years, Beijing has been focusing on building ties with Africa through boosting mutual economic and strategic interests, a fact that has threatened Western influence in the continent. The Chinese balancing act is yet to be fully grasped but her determination is unmistakable. President Hu Jintao took his economic wand to Washington on April 18 and will also touch base with Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. To see complete article Click Here: http://www.timesnews.co.ke/22apr06/nwsstory/opinion1.html

HIV's new target: Black women

By Ronnie Agnew ragnew@clarionledger.com
The story has bounced off the front pages of American newspapers and barely found a spot at the bottom of newscasts.
But the problem is no less serious and no less deadly. In reality, the HIV/AIDS crisis in America has found an anchor in Mississippi. Like the rest of the country, it's no longer out front, so people have gone about their lives without fear of the sexual consequencess.
The promiscuity, blind sexual trust and intravenous drug use that gave life to this incurable disease is just as prevalent today as when former NBA great Magic Johnson gave HIV/AIDS a recognizable face.
Jarring, isn't it? Jarring that in 2006 this health crisis still looms even though attention to it is relegated to National AIDS Week or when someone pens a new book. See Full Article:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060423/COL0402/604230381