Big chill clamps down on upper Midwest

Friday it was -10 in Cleveland, -6 in Detroit and -11 in Chicago
Associated Press

A bone-numbing Arctic blast drove temperatures down Friday to 11 below in parts of the Midwest and Northeast, closing schools to spare children from freezing at bus stops and prompting police to keep a watchful eye out for the homeless.

Forecasters said temperatures in the upper Midwest could turn into the coldest in years as frigid air keeps spilling south from Canada. The cold snap has claimed at least six lives and contributed to dozens of traffic accidents as vehicles slipped and slid on icy roads.

Scores of schools in Michigan, Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and upstate New York canceled classes for Friday as officials feared it would be dangerous for students to walk to school or wait for buses.
"They're waiting 30 minutes at a bus stop; there's the fear of frostbite and hypothermia," said Champaign Assistant Superintendent Beth Shepperd. "We also have more children walking to school without adequate outerwear."

At 5:30 a.m. Friday it was minus 10 in Cleveland, minus 6 in Detroit and minus 11 in Chicago.

In Philadelphia, an alert issued Tuesday remained in effect Friday, calling on residents to report sightings of homeless people. City crews worked to repair a number of water main breaks after pipes ruptured due to the cold.

Elsewhere in Pennsylvania, wind chills as low as 25 below were reported in the greater Pittsburgh area. Forecasters expected 25-below wind chills in parts of northern Pennsylvania through Saturday morning.

See: Big chill clamps down on upper Midwest

U.S. group sues Coke over VitaminWater health claims

The 33 grams of sugar in each bottle do more to promote obesity than good health
Reuters News Service

A U.S. consumer group said Thursday it filed a class action lawsuit against Coca-Cola Co, accusing the company of making deceptive health claims about its VitaminWater beverages.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) said Coke made a range of claims that go beyond those allowed by the Food and Drug Administration.
"Coke markets VitaminWater as a healthful alternative to soda by labeling its several flavors with such health buzz words as 'defense,' 'rescue,' 'energy,' and 'endurance,'" the group said in a statement.

The company also claims the drinks reduce the risk of chronic disease and eye disease, promote healthy joints and support immune function, CSPI said.

"In fact, according to CSPI nutritionists, the 33 grams of sugar in each bottle of VitaminWater do more to promote obesity, diabetes and other health problems than the vitamins in the drinks do to perform the advertised benefits listed on the bottles," the consumer group said.

Coke officials were not immediately available for comment.

First US Count Finds 1 in 200 Kids Vegetarian

By Medical Writer Mike Stobbe,

Ap Medical Writer

Sam Silverman is co-captain of his high school football team — a safety accustomed to bruising collisions. But that's nothing compared with the abuse he gets for being a vegetarian. "I get a lot of flak for it in the locker room," said the 16-year-old junior at Westborough High School in Massachusetts. "All the time, my friends try to get me to eat meat and tell me how good it tastes and how much bigger I would be," said Silverman, who is 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds. "But for me, there's no real temptation."

Silverman may feel like a vegetable vendor at a butchers' convention, but about 367,000 other kids are in the same boat, according to a recent study that provides the government's first estimate of how many children avoid meat. That's about 1 in 200. Other surveys suggest the rate could be four to six times that among older teens who have more control over what they eat than young children do.

Vegetarian diets exclude meat, but the name is sometimes loosely worn. Some self-described vegetarians eat fish or poultry on occasion, while others — called vegans — cut out animal products of any kind, including eggs and dairy products. Anecdotally, adolescent vegetarianism seems to be rising, thanks in part to YouTube animal slaughter videos that shock the developing sensibilities of many U.S. children. But there isn't enough long-term data to prove that, according to government researchers. The new estimate of young vegetarians comes from a recent federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study of alternative medicine based on a survey of thousands of Americans in 2007. Information on children's diet habits was gleaned from about 9,000 parents and other adults speaking on the behalf of those under 18.

Vegetarians say it's animal welfare, not health, that most often causes kids to stop eating meat. "Compassion for animals is the major, major reason," said Richard Schwartz, president of Jewish Vegetarians of North America, an organization with a newsletter mailing list of about 800. "When kids find out the things they are eating are living animals — and if they have a pet...." Case in point is Nicole Nightingale, 14, of Safety Harbor, Fla. In 2007, Nightingale was on the Internet to read about chicken when she came across a video on YouTube that showed the birds being slaughtered. At the end, viewers were invited to go to the Web site peta.org — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

Nicole told her parents she was going vegan, prompting her mother to send an angry letter to PETA. But the vegan diet is working out, and now her mother is taking steps to become a vegetarian, too, said Nightingale, an eighth-grader. She believes her experience was typical for a pre-adolescent vegetarian. "A lot more kids are using the Internet. They're curious about stuff and trying to become independent and they're trying to find out who they are," she said.

Eating vegetarian can be very healthy — nutritionists often push kids to eat more fruits and vegetables, of course. For growing children, however, it's important to get sufficient amounts of protein, vitamins B12 and D, iron, calcium and other important nutrients that most people get from meat, eggs and dairy.

Also, vegetarian diets are not necessarily slimming. Some vegetarian kids cut out meat but fill up on doughnuts, french fries, soda or potato chips, experts said. "Vegetarian doesn't mean low-calorie," said Dr. Christopher Bolling, who directs weight management research at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. He said roughly 10 to 15 percent of the overweight kids who come to his medical center's weight loss program have tried a vegetarian diet at some point before starting the program.

Rayna Middlebrooks, 15, last year started a weight-loss program offered by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, a nonprofit hospital organization. Although Rayna does a great job of cooking vegetable-rich stir-fried meals for herself, she also loves pasta, soda and sweets. "I have to watch her with the candy," said mother Barbara Middlebrooks, of Decatur.

On the flip side is Silverman, the Boston-area football player. He's pleased with his health and has no problem sticking to his diet. Rather than try to negotiate the school cafeteria line, he brings his lunch to school. It's the same lunch every day — rye bread, some chicken-like tofu, cheese, a clementine and an assortment of Nutrigrain, Cliff, granola and Power Bars. He was raised vegetarian and said it's now so deeply ingrained that the idea of eating meat is nauseating. Recently, he ate something he belatedly realized might contain chicken. "I felt sick the rest of the day, until I threw up," he said.

To view full article, please click here.

Registeration Available Online Now

KOY Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Summit
KNN-Dept. of Environmental Sciences

Register online now for the KOY Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Summit to be held in Atlanta, Georgia at the Return to Royalty Banquet Hall (Soul Vegetarian Restaurant Complex-West End).

Please note the correct Summit dates are JANUARY 23-25, 2009
(FRIDAY-SUNDAY).

The $75.00 conference fee includes conference packets, divine inner-attainment, vegan meals (free of meat, dairy, animal products & by-products) and workshops. Please see agenda below:

Conference Agenda

Friday, Jan. 23rd 2009:
8:00PM-10:00PM
Check-In & Registration, Meet & Greet

Saturday, Jan. 24th 2009:
9:00AM-12:00Noon
Morning Session, Conference Overview & Purpose

Topic I: The Future of Water
Topic II: Renewable Energy

-Break-

Topic III: The Restoration Village
Topic IV: Global Sustainability

-Lunch-

1:00PM-4:00PM
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
-Economics-Sar Aytahniel
-Agriculture-Ahk Yaneev
-Architecture-Ahtur Ariel

-Break-

7:00PM-10:00PM
Resolution Statements (10 mins each)

-Dinner-

Keynote Topic: "Sustaining the Yah Idea"

Closeout

Entertainment

Sunday, Jan. 25th 2009
9:00AM-12:00Noon
Closeout Breakfast
Special DVD Presentation - Sar Yadiel (Israel)

Closing Statements

2:00PM-5:00PM
Breath of Life Class

To register online, please click here, or go to http://www.africanhebrewisraelitesofjerusalem.com/, scroll down and click on the globe.

For more information on the Summit, please contact Ahtur Keymah at keymah777@aol.com.

We'll see you there!

Gaza and the Dimona Hebrews

The Chronical Review
John L. Jackson, Jr.

In 1966, amid race riots and related urban unrest in America’s poorest neighborhoods, one of Chicago’s native sons, a 26-something African-American named Ben Ammi, led a group of African-Americans out of the “wilderness” of 1960s America.

Every Sunday morning, Ammi (born Ben Carter) delivered his emigrationist message atop a literal soapbox on Maxwell Street in one of the city’s crowded shopping districts. After convincing some 400 people to sell their homes, stockpile canned goods, ignore jeering relatives, and purchase tents for the journey, Ammi began to lead this exodus in the heat of July the following year.

Their first stop, Liberia, proved to be a temporary sojourn. Ammi (who is still alive and well) believes that African-Americans are actually descendents of ancient Hebrews, which means that West Africa was never necessarily their final destination. So, in 1969, these African-Americans moved their emigrationist experiment from West Africa to “Northeastern Africa,” the modern state of Israel. Not quite knowing how to respond to their genealogical claims, the Israeli government allowed them to enter the country in 1969 on “temporary” visas. And these African-Americans have been there ever since.

By the summer of 2004, when I first visited them in the quaint and quiet desert town of Dimona in Israel’s Negev region, about 40 miles southeast of Gaza, I was surprised to learn that the initial 400 emigres had ballooned to several thousand, and that these African-American immigrants who invoke the “right of return” to justify their presence in the area have established themselves as a recognizable (if small) segment of contemporary Israel’s multicultural landscape.

I’ve been conducting ethnographic research with this group (on and off) for the last five years. Most of that research has taken place among community members here in the United States, but I’ve also spent several shorter stints with the group in southern Israel. During one of those visits, Israel’s government was forcibly removing Israeli settlers from Gaza. I remember watching those conflicts and skirmishes on a television set in Dimona. Although not too far away from Gaza (objectively speaking), it still seemed light years away. The “African Hebrews of Jerusalem” traveled without fear. And they made sure I took note of how safe Dimona’s night’s felt, full of children playing in the streets and household doors opened and unlocked well into the wee hours of the morning.

When I found out about the bomb that fell in Beersheba last week, a city about midway between Gaza and Dimona, and someplace community members took me several times during my trip, I e-mailed to make sure that they were all OK. They relocated some community members who were residing there, but they explained that they were otherwise safe. In fact, they claimed to be more worried about how I was doing over here.

As we each follow this escalating conflict, it probably makes sense to think about the many ways, big and small, that we are all differently invested (and even implicated) in the conflagration.

Source:

http://chronicle.com/review/brainstorm/index.php?id=1092

Another Reason To Avoid High-fat Diet

It Can Disrupt Our Biological Clock,
Say Hebrew University Researchers

MedicalNewsToday.com
Nutrition / Diet


Indulgence in a high-fat diet can not only lead to overweight because of excessive calorie intake, but also can affect the balance of circadian rhythms - everyone's 24-hour biological clock, Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers have shown.

The biological clock regulates the expression and/or activity of enzymes and hormones involved in metabolism, and disturbance of the clock can lead to such phenomena as hormone imbalance, obesity, psychological and sleep disorders and cancer.

While light is the strongest factor affecting the circadian clock, Dr. Oren Froy and his colleagues of the Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition at the Hebrew University's Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment in Rehovot, have demonstrated in their experiment that there is a cause-and-effect relation between diet and biological clock imbalance.

To examine this thesis, Froy and his colleagues, Ph.D. student Maayan Barnea and Zecharia Madar, the Karl Bach Professor of Agricultural Biochemistry, tested whether the clock controls the adiponectin signaling pathway in the liver and, if so, how fasting and a high-fat diet affect this control. Adiponectin is secreted from differentiated adipocytes (fat tissue) and is involved in glucose and lipid metabolism. It increases fatty acid oxidation and promotes insulin sensitivity, two highly important factors in maintaining proper metabolism.

The researchers fed their subjects either a low-fat or a high-fat diet, followed by a fasting day, then measured components of the adiponectin metabolic pathway at various levels of activity. In the low-fat test subjects' diet, the adiponectin signaling pathway components exhibited normal circadian rhythmicity.

Fasting resulted in a phase advance. The high-fat diet resulted in a phase delay. Fasting raised and the high-fat diet reduced adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels. This protein is involved in fatty acid metabolism, which could be disrupted by the lower levels.

In an article soon to be published by the journal Endocrinology, the researchers suggest that this high-fat diet could contribute to obesity, not only through its high caloric content, but also by disrupting the phases and daily rhythm of clock genes. They contend also that high fat-induced changes in the clock and the adiponectin signaling pathway may help explain the disruption of other clock-controlled systems associated with metabolic disorders, such as blood pressure levels and the sleep/wake cycle.


Source http://www.alphagalileo.com/ , http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/134216.php

U.S. loses another 524,000 jobs

U.S. lost more than half a million jobs last month
by G. Scott Thomas
Business First Magizine


The nation lost more than half a million jobs last month, while the unemployment rate soared to 7.2 percent, it was announced Friday morning.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a loss of 524,000 jobs between November and December. That continued a four-month losing streak, which saw 1.93 million jobs vanish between August and December.

The national unemployment rate crossed the 7 percent mark in December, rising from 6.8 percent in November to 7.2 percent.

The biggest decline occurred in the manufacturing sector, which lost 149,000 jobs in December alone. A total of 791,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared in the 12 months of 2008, an average loss of 66,000 per month.

The nation also lost 101,000 construction jobs in December -- and 632,000 in the entire year.
Employment in the retail trade sector declined on a seasonally adjusted basis, despite the holiday season. There were 66,600 fewer retail trade jobs in December than in the month before. Total retail losses for the year totaled 522,300 jobs.

Good news was hard to come by in Friday’s report. The only sectors to register increases between November and December were health care, which picked up 31,600 jobs nationally; educational services, up 7,000 jobs; and government, which added a total of 7,000 jobs at the federal, state and local levels.

The unemployment rate reached 7.2 percent in December, the first time it had crossed 7 percent since 1993.

Unemployment stood at 4.9 percent one year ago.

See: US loses another 524000 jobs

Ahtur Keymah Class-ics Available on CD!!!

KNN-Staff
Advertising Dept.


Are you in need of some grounded spiritual inspiration beyond the immediate, however short-lived, emotional refreshments you receive from your usual hum drum lecturing circuit?

Do you remember the first time you were inspired to reach higher and deeper spiritual realms by having mastered the art of "hear"-ing?

When was the last time you feasted your ears and mind on enlightening discourse on the relativity of tried and proven Truth concepts and ideals on a very real and personal level?

When was the last time you heard something so powerful, so riveting that it served as a catalyst for some much needed life-altering breakthroughs to take place in your mind and in your life?

Well, now the timeless teachings by Nasik Aharon's son and personal understudy Ahtur Keymah are available to you on CD.

Many have testified about Ahtur's keen ability to dismantle complex concepts, to expound on profound revelations, which inspire life-changing thought patterns which bring about the "breakthrough" via the removal of spiritual blockages.

Also recognized for his organic, introspection-provoking teaching style, Ahtur Keymah was inducted into the Divine Scholarship Body at Jerusalem as well as elevated into the cadre of the Body's "Master Teachers".

Also a master student of the Resurrection Series-the total of 9 writings to date of Abbah Ben Ammi Ben Israel, the Anointed Spiritual Leader of the African Hebrew Israelite Community of Jerusalem, Ahtur Keymah's teachings reflect the great writings of The Master Teacher.

Timeless lessons such as "The Breakthrough Series", "The Law of the Harvest", "The Elect", "The Pleasure Principle", and "Two Men, Two Ways, Two Destinies", and many more great class-ics are available to you wherever you are through KNN.

To secure your copies or for more information, please contact Ahkote Tovleeyah at knn.tovleeyah777@gmail.com .

We assure you, great things await you...

John Atta Mills claims Ghana's Presidential Seat in runoff election

KNN-Ghana, West Africa

In a cliffhanger presidential race between Ghana's two dominant parties NPP and NDC, opposition leader NDC's flag bearer Prof. John Atta Mills (NDC) has prevailed as Ghana's President Elect, announces Ghana's Electoral Commission.

The Commission's chairman Kwadwo Afari-Gyan has confirmed that Mills won the runoff by a narrow margin having secured 50.23% of the votes, while his opponent, the ruling party's candidate Nana Akufo-Addo made out with 49.77%.

NDC 's (National Democratic Congress) narrow victory over ruling NPP (New Patriotic Party) party was declared on Saturday in the wake of a crucial makeup vote held Friday in Tain, a western district where due to a shortage of ballots and late arrival of electoral materials, voters had not been able to cast their second round ballots on December 28, 2008.

The ruling NPP party had requested cancellation of the makeup vote and vowed to boycott it. Nonetheless, the vote was conducted and helped to seal the marginal win increasing NDC's lead from 50.13% to 50.23% of the votes.

Both NDP and NPP parties claimed abnormal voting procedures in various district, however the evidence that each submitted did not substantiate any foul play.

Ghana's exiting President John Kufour (NPP), stepping down after having served the maximum of two 4-year terms, called for peace during Friday's runoff election as well as in its aftermath. NPP's lawyers withdrew its court complaints to preserve the country's stability.

President Elect Mills is a 64-year-old lawyer, law professor who served as Vice President under former President Jerry J. Rawlings. Mills had attempted twice previously to win the presidential bid in 2000 and 2004.

Among the many privileges he will enjoy as Ghana's new President elect, the win grants Mills the right to decide how revenues from Ghana's recent commercially significant oil and hydrocarbon discoveries will be managed. His decision may thrust Ghana into the likes of its neighbors as an oil exporter as early as 2010.

Ghana ranks as the world's largest cocoa grower as well as Africa's second gold producer. To add to its wealth, one find at a Ghanaian oil-field has been estimated at 1.8 billion barrels of crude petroleum.

Eat Produce in Season for Better Health

Family Food & Nutrition

From essortment.com

Get the maximum health and nutritional benefit from the fruits and vegetables you eat by choosing produce at peak ripeness, locally grown & freshly harvested.

Today's food shopper has choices our ancestors never dreamed of. Year-round, they can go to the grocery store and buy produce that was once available for only a few months or weeks of the year. Have strawberries in November, corn on the cob in February!

Given these options, why would one want to eat like our ancestors did, eating produce in season, grown within a short drive from their homes? Because it's better for you, and it tastes better too. Produce is at its peak nutritional value when it is ripe. But fruits and vegetables that will be traveling long distances to market aren't picked when they are ripe, but before ripeness. While the produce gains color and softness on its journey to the supermarket, once harvested, a vegetable is as nutritious as its going to get. Its nutritional value comes through the stem from the living plant, and its nutritional value actually decreases every day past harvest.

Nutritional value is not on the top of the large commercial vegetable farmer's agenda. In times past, when all produce was local, horticulturists' primary criteria for developing new strains of fruits and vegetables were taste and nutritional value. But today, with much of the growing, harvesting, handling by machines and shipping of produce around the world, other criteria such as sturdiness, shippability, uniformity of size and grocery case eye appeal take precedence.

While these new criteria are important to the grower's profits, they add nothing to the consumer's health, rather, they detract from it. Sturdy produce that stands up to lengthy shipping loses nutritional value with every day that passes between harvest and eating.

So for your health's sake, when you're shopping for produce, find your local vegetable stand, preferably one on the road right in front of the farm where the fruits and vegetables are grown, selling what was picked that day. Eat produce intended to be grown in the area where you live, and buy it at its peak of ripeness, rather than produce that was picked unripe and shipped thousands of miles.

If you live in the city, finding the farm stand might take some doing, and getting there will require some driving. Look for a farmer's market or your local health food store's fresh produce section, or maybe add some healthy outdoor exercise into the mix and grow your own! If you lack the yard space, time, or inclination, by all means, support your community fruit and vegetable growers by buying your produce ripe, locally grown, and freshly harvested.

http://www.essortment.com/family/foodnutritionh_smqt.htm

Violent protest over Ghana poll results

American Free Press (AFP)
ACCRA

Ghanaian police fired water cannon late Wednesday on ruling party supporters who besieged the country's electoral commission in protest at presidential election results, witnesses and local media said.

Dozens of angry protesters wielding machetes and sticks attacked passing vehicles and local journalists after partial results from the run-off vote gave the opposition candidate a lead.

Completed official results for 229 of the 230 constituencies have shown opposition leader John Atta-Mills maintaining a slim lead over governing party candidate Nana Akufo-Addo.

The demonstrators only dispersed after the regional minister for greater Accra addressed the crowd and assured them of victory after the decisive vote in a remote constituency which has emerged as decisive.

Quiz: Are You Eating Enough Vegetables?

From AOLHealth.com

True or False?
1. According to the new USDA-issued food pyramid everyone needs 3 cups of vegetables a day?

2. It takes 2 cups of raw leafy greens (i.e. spinach, romaine lettuce) to equal one cup of your daily vegetable requirement.

3. Eating tofu is a good way to get your veggie requirement?

4. Adding avocado slices to your sandwich will boost your vegetable quotient.

5. Onions add flavor to your pasta, but don't count as vegetables.

6. Only raw or cooked vegetables not frozen, canned or dried count as servings of vegetables.

7. A baked white potato is not a vegetable.

8. Which of the following salad toppings will give you the most servings of vegetables?
A. 1/2 large tomato, 1/2 cup of mushrooms
B. 1 large stalk of celery
C. 1/2 cup kidney beans, 1/2 cup broccoli
D. They are all equal


Answers:
1. False. The amount of vegetables you need to eat depends on
your age, sex and level of physical activity. For example,
women ages 31 to 50 need 2 1/2 cups a day while men the
same age need 3.

2. True. One cup of raw greens only counts as a 1/2 cup of your
daily vegetable requirement.

3. True. Eight ounces of tofu counts as a cup of vegetables.

4. False. Avocados are fruit, not vegetables.

5. False. One cup of cooked onions (chopped) counts as a cup of
veggies.

6. False. Vegetables may be raw or cooked, fresh, frozen, canned,
dried or dehydrated.

7. False. One medium baked potato is the equivalent of one serving
of vegetables.

8. D. They are all equal.


http://www.aolhealth.com/healthy-living/nutrition/eat-enough-vegetables

Food Phosphates Might Spur Lung Cancer

Food Phosphates Might Spur Lung Cancer
Accelerated growth of tumors seen in study
By Ed Edelson, HealthDay Reporter

A diet rich in the inorganic phosphates found in many natural and processed foods accelerated the growth of lung cancers in test subjects, South Korean researchers report.

"Our study suggests that dietary regulation of inorganic phosphates may be critical for lung cancer treatment as well as prevention," Myung-Haing Cho, lead author of a report in the first January issue of American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, said in a statement.

Natural sources of dietary phosphates include leafy vegetables, fruits, meats and poultry products. Phosphates also are added to a number of foods, including baking powder, carbonated cola drinks, ice cream, bread, rolls, macaroni, fruit jellies and preserves. Food phosphates are listed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as GRAS -- generally recognized as safe -- with no limits on their use.

The South Korean study was done with two subjects, one genetically inclined to have lung cancer, the other with induced lung cancers. They were fed either diets containing phosphates in roughly the same amounts found in human diets or phosphates at twice that level. After four weeks, more and larger lung cancers were found in the subjects given the higher-phosphate diets, the report said.

Phosphates appear to activate a metabolic pathway that stimulates the growth of the lung tumors, the researchers said. There is "good scientific rationale" for believing that phosphates can stimulate the growth of lung cancers and other tumors, Heffner said. But for lung cancer, he said, "the first thing is not to smoke." Genetics can also play a role in risk, Heffner added, since "some smokers get lung cancer, and some don't."

"I'll be more cautious about inspecting foods I ingest for phosphate addition, trying to keep dietary phosphate ingestion in the healthy range," he said.

Studies are planned in South Korea to determine what the healthy range is, the researchers stated. In the 1990s, phosphate-containing food additives contributed an estimated 470 milligrams a day to the average adult diet. Their wider use has increased intake by as much as 1,000 milligrams a day, equivalent to the higher dose given to the rats in the experiment, Cho noted.

Please click here to view the full article.

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/cancer/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100230103

Holy Jerusalem Writer's Conference 2008/9

Please click flyer to enlarge.

For more info on the Conference, please contact the Directorate:

Dr. Ahtur Khazriel Ben-Yehuda at drkazriel@yahoo.com ,

Gamariyahu Ben-Yehuda at gemariyahu@yahoo.com , or

Aturah E. A. Khazriel at ahturah@yahoo.com

Turmeric: powerful antioxidant, superfood

Health News
KNN Staff

From the root of the curcuma longa plant, turmeric, this relative of ginger not to be confused with Javanese turmeric, has been traditionally called Indian saffron because of its deep yellow-orange color. Turmeric is a peppery, warm, bitter flavored and mildly fragranced herb used throughout history as a condiment, textile dye and has been long-touted as a healing remedy. It’s best known a key ingredient in curry and it also colors common mustard.

An excellent source of manganese, iron, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), dietary fiber, potassium, turmeric’s active ingredient, turmeric's active ingredient curcumin, a centuries-old chemical used in Chinese and Indian traditional medicine as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, pain reliever and antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. Researchers are now investigating its effects to better understand how it might be used for health purposes.

Studies demonstrate its antibacterial properties, its anti-tumoral effects against melanoma cells, its promising effects in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, multiple myeloma, Alzheimer’s disease, colorectal cancer, cystic fibrosis, enhancement of the effect of taxol (a breast cancer drug) in reducing metastatis of breast cancer, and is eefficacity in the reduction of joint inflammation, to name a few. Further clinical trials are underway to discover possible treatments for the alleviation of arthritis symptoms.

Traditionally, turmeric's finger-like underground stems (rhizomes) are dried and taken by mouth as a powder or in capsules, teas, or liquid extracts. It can also be made into a paste and used on the skin to treat eczema and in wound healing. In India, where its dermatological efficacy is well known, turmeric-treated band aids were commonly purchased in stores. Researchers are now working to develop a curcumin-based topical remedy to control cold sore outbreaks common in Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1).

Turmeric is used as a dietary supplement which allegedly helps with stomach problems, aids in digestion, liver function, relieves arthritis pain, and regulates menstruation, treats heartburn, stomach ulcers, gallstones, as and anti-cancer agent of prevention and treatment, lowers blood pressure, reduces susceptibility of hemorrhagic stroke and aids with other ailments.

Scientists speculate that curcumin in the turmeric lessens insulin resistance and prevents type 2 diabetes by dampening the inflammatory response provoked by obesity. Turmeric treatment lessens susceptibility to developing type 2 diabetes based on blood glucose levels and glucose and insulin tolerance tests, as well as its significant reduction in inflammation in fat tissue and liver. A recent study has shown that turmeric slows the transference of breast cancer into lungs and other body parts.

A Yale University study revealed that curcumin might also decrease the accumulation of destructive beta amyloids in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients, while preventing and breaking up existing plaques in the brain. Curcumin treatment also restores physiologically-relevant levels of protein function. Though considered safe for most adults, however, high doses or long-term use of turmeric may cause indigestion. People with gallbladder disease should avoid using turmeric as a dietary supplement.

Homicides among black males spike

Six major cities have seen spikes in the number of young black males killing one another
By Maria Cramer
Boston Globe Staff

A study analyzing homicides across the country shows that Boston is among six major cities that have seen the sharpest spikes in the number of young black males killing one another between 2000 and 2007, an alarming trend that comes at a time when the state is cutting back on programs geared toward helping troubled youths.

The number of black males between 14 and 24 years old who killed in the city went up 78 percent to 64 between two two-year periods, 2000 to 2001 and 2006 to 2007, according to a Northeastern University study to be released today.

Out of 28 cities analyzed, five - Houston, Las Vegas, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and San Francisco - had sharper increases than Boston.

The Rev. William E. Dickerson II, pastor of Greater Love Tabernacle Church in Dorchester, said he hopes the study will help those living outside minority neighborhoods realize the trend among young black males is everyone's problem. Earlier this month, he presided over the funeral of a 17-year-old youth. Later, he realized that 16 years ago, he had led the funeral of the victim's father, who was gunned down when he was just a teenager.

See: Homicides among black males spike

Enjoy the gift of the KOY Toolbar

by Chashavyah Israel
KNN-Texas

Hundreds of people around the globe have requested to view the recent video of Israeli President Shimone Perez's historic visit with Spiritual Leader Ben Ammi Ben Israel at the home of the African Hebrew Israelite Community - the Village of Peace in Dimona, Israel.

To answer this request, a toolbar has been developed that can be downloaded with links to yahkhai.com, KNN, KOY Media and the official Kingdom of Yah website.

Please click here to install http://yahkhai.ourtoolbar.com/ . Download this toolbar and enjoy the Presidential visit and many other exciting and informative videos on the Hebrew Israelite Community- truly a blossom and a miracle in the desert.

Soon we will be broadcasting live content from YAHKHAI.COM.

Enjoy!

2009 economic predictions

by Ted Allrich

The Online Investor

The Worst:
More mortgages default. As loans that were made with teaser rates (lower so borrowers could qualify) move up from teaser levels, some borrowers won't be able to make payments because they've lost their jobs or their income isn't sufficient. In residential and commercial mortgages, credit card defaults will grow. Jobs will become more scarce. As demand for goods and services decline, more people will be laid off. While the government will create jobs, the private sector will continue to show weakness and be reluctant to hire until demand for goods and services shows consistent strength. Housing won't rebound for a while, maybe not until 2010. Foreclosures will stay high as more people lose their jobs. Autos will continue to stack up on lots. Again, with unemployment high, buying a car isn't a priority. The automakers will get loans to keep them going but with plenty of government oversight. Government may take control of one or more manufacturers. If you like the post office, you'll love a government-run auto company.

Even with very low interest rates, borrowing will be limited as banks will only lend to the most highly qualified borrowers and only on certain types of assets (mostly houses or other real property). Consumers are shell-shocked at the moment, worried about their jobs, their mortgages, their futures. The psychology of borrowing too much has been broken. While interest rates will be low, getting people to borrow money will be harder.

The Best:

A new president takes office with a different approach from the last one. Whether he'll be right or wrong will take time to judge. The new WPA (Works Project Administration from the '30s) will absorb some of the jobless. The new administration is talking about building up the U.S. infrastructure-more highways and bridges or repairing old ones. Interest rates will stay low. With weak demand for housing and autos, credit will be cheap, for those who qualify. Qualifying will be the hard part, but loans will carry very low interest rates. Housing will stay cheap. With too much inventory, too much unemployment, too many foreclosures, and too many restrictions on borrowing, homes will stay at bargain levels.

As always, I could be wrong, hopefully on the worst part, not the best. But given where we are today, these predictions seem reasonable.

To view full article, please click this link

http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/12/20/comfort-zone-investing-2009-predictions/

Bitter cold, high winds chill Midwest

CHICAGO – Heavily bundled Midwesterners were shuffling quickly from place to place in a bid to spend as little time as possible outside in bone-chilling, subzero cold that was expected to last through Monday morning.

The big freeze was expected to last through Monday morning, the first full day of the official winter season, when wind chill advisories for the region were to expire. Snowfall was scant after the frigid air mass rolled in, but ice and high winds whipped up snow along roadways and made driving hazardous for holiday travelers. But the worst danger was from the cold — exacerbated by 20-to-30 mph winds that drove wind chills to 25 degrees below zero, or even lower, according to the National Weather Service.

Monday morning commuters in Dayton, Ohio, were greeted with zero-degree temperatures, the National Weather Service reported. It was in the single digits in Toledo, Cincinnati and Columbus. The gusty winds and cold also added to power-outage headaches, with more than 7,100 Ameren customers without power Sunday night, mostly in the Peoria area. In northwest Ohio, about 5,000 homes were without power. "We have a blizzard. We just can't see anything," said Sheila Hyde, an emergency dispatcher for Ottawa County along the hard-hit Lake Michigan shoreline. "I think people have finally figured it out and are staying home."

Authorities in Boston, no stranger to chilly weather, canceled public schools Monday and Tuesday in the face of an overnight freeze and wind gusts of up to 50 mph. In North Dakota, the National Weather Service said Bismarck was on track to break a 1916 record for snowfall in December. The city has had 19 inches of snow so far this month, and with 4 more expected Monday night, the record of 21.7 inches could be shattered.


Associated Press writers Carla K. Johnson and Megan Reichgott in Chicago, Amy Lorentz in Des Moines, Iowa, and Gene Johnson in Seattle contributed to this report.

Please click this link to view the full article
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081222/ap_on_re_us/winter_weather

Satisfy your palate this holiday at Soul Veg

Soul Vegetarian Restaurants are OPEN throughout the holiday season

BY ALICIA ELER
Talk2Us@CenterstageChicago.com
Picture this: you're done with the whole gift thing, and the entire family is itching to get out of the house. If cooking or warming questionable leftovers just doesn't sound appealing, we have good news for you: There are more than a handful of restaurants open on any holiday. And no matter what your religious views on the holiday, make sure to tip your server with something more than good cheer.

(Photo caption: Nashamyah Isreal offers vegan cheer to all at Soul Vegetarian East, 205 E. 75th, one of the many eating-out options on Christmas Day.)

Go meatless at Soul Vegetarian East, 205 E. 75th, (773) 224-0104.

Spread cheer to your vegan and soul food-lovin' friends at this South Side stalwart. If you live up north, it's worth the trek. And because it's run by African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem, they're open Christmas Day.

Break away from your meaty traditions with appetizers like battered cauliflower or hearty brown lentil soup. Try the wheat gluten Garvey Burger, named after Marcus Garvey, the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League (UNIA-ACL). If it's available, don't miss the vegan sweet potato pie for dessert.

Please click the link to view the full article:
http://www.suntimes.com/holiday/1338269,WKP-News-open19.article