Wednesday, August 12, 2009

U.S. Posts $180.68 Billion Deficit for July

Year-to-date federal-government spending totaled $3.01 trillion
By Jeff Bater
Wall Street Jounal

The federal government spent more than it pocketed a 10th straight month during July, nearing a record last set in 1992 for a string of deficits.

Burdened by Wall Street bailout costs and shriveled corporate profits, the government was $180.68 billion in the red during July, the Treasury Department said Wednesday in its monthly budget statement. July 2008's federal budget deficit was $102.77 billion.

The deficit record for any month is $193.86 billion, in February this year.

For the first 10 months of fiscal 2009, the deficit widened to $1.267 trillion, more than triple the $388.62 billion for the first 10 months of fiscal 2008.

Fiscal years start Oct. 1. The White House has predicted the deficit will total $1.841 trillion this fiscal year. The biggest deficit for any fiscal year on record is $454.8 billion, rung up in fiscal 2008.

Wall Street was on target predicting the July 2009 deficit. A survey of economists by Dow Jones Newswires forecast $180 billion.

The string of 10 monthly deficits isn't a record. There have been 11 in a row three times, the last time being May 1991 through March 1992.

July 2009 federal government spending totaled $332.18 billion, compared with $263.26 billion in July 2008.

Year-to-date federal-government spending totaled $3.01 trillion, compared with $2.48 trillion in the first 10 months of fiscal 2008.

Gross spending on the Troubled Asset Relief Program totaled $169.13 billion year to date. TARP was created late last year to rescue Wall Street and stem a financial sector meltdown.

Spending for benefits to the nation's jobless totaled $80.24 billion. Since the recession began in December 2007, 6.7 million jobs have been lost.

Federal government interest payments on the national debt year-to-date were $167.71 billion. Defense spending ran at $552.22 billion. Veterans benefits were $82.84 billion. Social Security totaled $568.54 billion.

The Treasury report said it bought $7.22 billion in agency mortgage-backed securities during July; year to date, purchases totaled $153.25 billion.

July federal government receipts totaled $151.5 billion, down from $160.49 billion a year earlier.

Year-to-date federal government revenue totaled $1.74 trillion, compared with $2.09 trillion for the first 10 months of fiscal 2008. Individual income-tax receipts totaled $750.38 billion, compared with $943.89 billion. Corporate taxes totaled $104.48 billion, compared with $246.8 billion.

The Treasury said it plans to release budget data for August on Sept. 11.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Second Wave from Hebrew Israelite Community Receives Israeli Citizenship

KNN-Village of Peace
Dimona, Israel

Six years ago, the first member of the African Hebrew Israelite Community was inducted into the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). Now, July 29 has marked another very significant day in Hebrew Community's history as it ushered in the second wave of African Hebrew Israelites to receive Israeli citizenship.

Sar Elyahkeem Ben Yehuda, made history in January 2009 as the first member of the African Hebrew Israelite Community to receive the long-awaited citizenship status. He was joined this week by other members, the Community's first two women to receive the same recognition--Shalaymah Baht Israel and Hetsiliyah Baht Israel, as well as several of their children who also received citizenship along with their mothers.

This blessed accomplishment did not come without opposition, as for decades, Israeli authorities suggested conversion to Jewish religion as the only way by which the Hebrew Israelite Community could gain citizenship and thence fully assimilate into the Israeli society.

Under the tenacious leadership of Spiritual Leader Ben Ammi Ben Israel, the 'conversion' topic was not up for discussion. The Community had already traced its lineage back to the Biblical Israelites, identifying in particular as descendants of the tribe of Judah (from which the terms Judaism and Jewish originate). Thus, being Jewish ethnically, the Community saw no need to convert to the Jewish religion to authenticate that which it already was. From the 1970's up to today, the position has never waivered nor changed.

Historically significant is that in 1967, members of the Hebrew Israelite Community left the confines of America-referred to as the lands of the Great Captivity. In 1969, after spending two-and-one-half years in Liberia's bush, and having purged and prepared themselves for entry into the Promised Land, they arrived in Israel claiming their "Jewishness" by way of descendency of the Biblical Israelites, and were more than determined to stay.

In December 1969, the first group which arrived after the Liberian sojourn was initially received as Jews, but by the arrival of the second group 3 months later, the Law of Return had been re-written that one had to be "born of a Jewish mother" in order to partake of the privileges of a "Jewish" inheritance.

Although the journey began with exceeding difficulty, to say the least, today they are reaping the blessings of having returned to their land, and are enjoying the fruits of a peaceful, healthy and exceedingly joyfully dwelling place and a bright future. A vision not so readily apparent before has now emerged clearly as evidence that the decades-long wait for this day was not in vain.

The tide of events which, in former times, sought to flood out and uproot the Community from out of the Holy Land have made a dramatically remarkable turn. Through hard work, dedication, application of Yah-sense and committment to the vision of the visionary Spiritual Leader Ben Ammi, the Community is now, among other things, officially established as Kibbutz Shomreh HaShalom, one of the largest urban kibbutzeem in Israel. Please click here to read a statement posted on Israel's Interior Ministry's official website relative to its current position on the Hebrew Israelite Community.

In maintaining the alignment with the divine, perfect will and plan of Yah (God), Ahkote (sister) Hitsiliyah, Ahkote Shalaymah and their children have all demonstrated the stedfastness, courage, patience, faith and tenacity that is necessary to see the arduous process all the way through, as did Sar Elyahkeem.

These first 3 families having made history for their Community, now too serve as beacons of hope and inspiration for the Community's members, as symbols of victory, and as testimony that...

"Truth Has the Inherent Power to Produce the Promised Effects".

Yah Khai!!!
B'vrahkah!!!
KNN salutes you!!!

Study: Tanning beds definitely cause cancer

Using tanning beds caused about a 20% increased relative risk of developing melanoma
By Maria Cheng-Medical Writer
Associated Press

International cancer experts have moved tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation into the top cancer risk category deeming both to be definite causes of cancer.

For years, scientists have described tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation as "probable carcinogens."

A new analysis of about 20 studies concludes the risk of skin cancer jumps by 75 percent when people start using tanning beds before age 30.

Experts also found that all types of ultraviolet radiation caused worrying mutations in mice, proof the radiation is carcinogenic. Previously, only one type of ultraviolet radiation was thought to be lethal.

The new classification means tanning beds and ultraviolet radiation are definite causes of cancer, alongside tobacco, the hepatitis B virus and chimney sweeping, among others.

The research was published online in the medical journal Lancet Oncology on Wednesday by experts at the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization.

"People need to be reminded of the risks of sunbeds," said Vincent Cogliano, one of the cancer researchers. "We hope the prevailing culture will change so teens don't think they need to use sunbeds to get a tan."

Cogliano said the classification means experts are confident that tanning beds cause cancer, but he noted they may not be as potent as other carcinogens like tobacco or arsenic.

Most lights used in tanning beds give off mainly ultraviolet radiation, which cause skin and eye cancer. As use of tanning beds has increased among people under 30, doctors have seen a parallel rise in the numbers of young people with skin cancer, though most types of skin cancer are benign.

According to the studies reviewed by Cogliano and colleagues, using tanning beds caused about a 20 percent increased relative risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest kind of skin cancer.

See: Study: Tanning beds definitely cause cancer

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Unity Day 2009 Hebrew-English Seminar

Nahtahn Ben Ahmeshadye
Unity Day Planning Committee 2009
KNN-Village of Peace
Dimona, Israel


This year's Unity Day Theme:
"Servant/Leader = Total Performance = A Decade for Our Youth"

"And in the days of these kings shall the Yah (God) of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdom, and it shall stand forever".
Daniel 2:44

For this Year's Unity Day, we reflect back to this year's National History Month and inaugurated "A Decade for the Children", and like unto the National History Month directorate, we the 2009 Unity Day Planning Committee have pursued the season at hand.

Many of our future Servant/Leaders will emerge in the next decade. This being so, we must prepare out youth. 'Total Performance' is what was heard in today's seminar.

The young sons and daughters who presented today were raised in this "redemptive struggle".

Liken unto the Great Servant/Leader Extraordinaire Ben-Ammi, we bear witness to His works: Total Performance for His Yah and His people. Today, as Servants/Leaders Extraordinaire, we must prepare our youth to be Yah's (God's) Leaders: able men and women, Yah-fearing men and women of Truth, haters of covetousness, wise and understanding men and women whom are known among the people. Today, you will hear the testimonies to the vision and future of the Kingdom of Yah as seen by our youth.

The Order of the Day - WE SERVE.

The Unity Day 2009 Hebrew-English Seminar's featured speakers and their topics were:

-Ahk Yahonatan Ben Acaviyah-Chosen First Fruit (CFF)
Brotherhood Chairman of the Unity Day Planning Committee 2009
"The Historical-Prophetic Dynamics of the Servant/Leader"

-Tsifoonah Baht Sar Elyahshuv-Youth on the Move (YOM)
"The Importance of Being My Brother/Sister's Keeper"
(presentation given in the Hebrew language)

-Horaliel Ben Ahk Horaliel & Ben Immanuel Ben Nasik Immanuel-Youth on the Move (YOM)
"The Seven Principles of Divine Leadership"
(presentation given in the Hebrew language)

-Yanah Baht Tsadok-Youth on the Move (YOM)
"Rewriting the Proverbs as it Relates to the New Vision"

The New Jerusalem Fire Choir did two selections after the break.

-Ahk Ovadiyah Ben Nasik Gavriel HaGadol-Chosen First Fruit (CFF)
"Comprehending and Continuing the works (of our Fathers)"

-Ahkote Markeeyah Eshet Sapeer-Chosen First Fruit (CFF)
"Analyzing the Servant/Leader Concept from the Perspective of Health",
(presentation given in the Hebrew language)

-Ahk Elrahm Ben Zockriel-Chosen First Fruit (CFF)
"Explaining/Summarizing the Theme from the Perspective of the CFF and the YOM"

Abbah Ben Ammi's closing comments were that the youth's presentations were very impressive. It was not only the works of Dr. Ahtur Khazriel and Nasik Aharon being part of the Scholarship Body and preparing them for today's seminar, but that each and every one of the Saints of the Kingdom also contributed to their testimonies and to their overall presentations today.

Ahk Nahtahn added, that the presenters expressed that they did not come to take the place of their fathers and mothers--the great leaders of the Kingdom, but to come to assist in building this great and mighty Kingdom, for it is Truth that inherits the manifestation of what we today bear witness to.

Ahk Ovadiyah made a thought-provoking comment that, saying "We've heard the proverb that you know a tree by the fruit it bears, and that now is the time for the fruit to prove that it came from this tree!"

Friday, July 24, 2009

Unity Day 2009 Has Begun!

The Hebrew Israelite Community inaugurates its Unity Day 2009
KNN-Village of Peace
Dimona, Israel








The Hebrew Israelite Community officially inaugurated its Unity Day 2009 festivities on Yom Khamishee (Thursday) at sunset with the Unity Day Communal Prayer in all cities in the Holy Land wherein community members reside--Arad, Mitzpe Ramon, Tiberias and Tel Aviv.

Despite its name, "Unity Day" is actually a week-long celebration, normally held bi-annually, and occasionally annually in the Dimona Community, as well as in various other extensions of the Community throughout the world. Unity Day is a time wherein members and guests celebrate the diversity and the beauty of oneness within the Community.

Everyone participates in the week's activities, in particular, the Divine Jerusalem Brotherhood, the Divine Jerusalem Sisterhood and the Youth on the Move (YOM)--the body of youth from age 13 up to pre-adulthood. These two bodies encapsulate the great majority of the Community.

Following the Unity Day Communal Prayer, the Unity Day Run was held on Yom Sheshe (Friday) morning. Men, women and children of all ages including women in conception, as well as mothers pushing babies in strollers, are all geared up in red and white sports attire to run, jog or fastwalk in 'unity' while chanting praises unto the Yah (God) of Creation.

The terrain was noneother than the mountainous foothills of Judea surrounding the Dimona Community located in the Negev Desert. The Saints and many guests assembled at 7:30am and the run began at 8:00. Despite the early hour, the run took place in the blazing hot morning sun at 32ºC (that's 90ºF)!

At the completion of the run, everyone gathered together and shouted "HalleluYah!" joyously before continuing on the the family Unity softball games. It was truly a sight to behold, and an experience to never forget.



















Pictured above: (1) after of the run, the Spiritual Leader Ben Ammi addresses the Brotherhood and, (2) Sisterhood, and YOM runners. Afterwards the Unity softball game featured (3) Ahtur Ahvraham pitching to Morah Marninah, a grandmother, and then (4) to his own abbah Nasik (Prince) Gavriel HaGadol-a great-granfather and formidable slugger; (5) Sar (Minister) Elyahkeem--the celebrated first Hebrew citizen of Israel (click here to read story) is up to bat; (6) the drum section relaxes in the shade and keeps the crowd lively with Edenic rhythm.

Unique to this year will be the 'Return to Eden' theme for the Divine Cuisine Exhibit and tasting, which will feature live foods and fruit dishes made with both fresh and dehydrated foods. The concept to envision is how will we be eating 40 years from now, and the foods prepared for the Cuisine will demonstrate dishes towards optimal health to add the Community's already established 40+ years of vegan recipes.

On Erev Shabbaht (the eve of the Holy Sabbath, Friday evening), there will be a Unity Day Shabbaht service, and the Unity Day Conference on the Shabbaht day (Saturday).

Unity Day week will include:
-a Kingdom Sounds Concert featuring artists and original songs from the Community
-National Farm Day
-Kingdom Outdoor Theater
-the Unity Day Cuisine Presentations
-various Cultural Exhibits
-the Unity Day Prayer
-Unity Day proper, which will include
uniformity in entity dress,
the Unity Day Brunch
Fun and Games
Ministerial Awards Presentations
Unity Day Parade Presentations
the Unity Day Closeout Ball
Awards Ceremony
Dinner
Concert
Divine Miseebah (party)

At the close of the festivities will be the family outing for all family members to enjoy.

Please stay tuned to KNN for Unity Day coverage. Yah Khai!!! (Yah Lives!!!)

Thursday, July 23, 2009

The Evil Genius Strikes Again

E-cigarettes offer smoke-free nicotine, but experts skeptical
Delores Flynn
The Detroit News

Scott Marino was recently in Kroger puffing away on a cigarette when an employee told him he couldn't smoke in the store. The 43-year-old Shelby Township resident said "no problem" -- because the cigarette wasn't real.

Marino hasn't smoked in a little more than a month due in part to electronic or e-cigarettes, which provide a nonflammable, tar- and tobacco-free alternative to traditional cigarettes. Powered by a lithium battery, the cigarette includes a liquid nicotine cartridge, a "glowing" end and smoke-like vapors.

"It's a great option, especially in light of the state considering a smoking ban," said Marino, who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day for 25 years. "You can smoke it in restaurants or work, and carry it around with you and not need a lighter."

The electronic cigarette kits sell for roughly $99 to $129.99 and include a wall charger as well as a pack of five cartridges valued at $10 that come in four different nicotine levels: 16 milligrams, 11, 6 and 0. Various flavors such as regular tobacco, apple and vanilla are also available. One nicotine cartridge is the equivalent of 20 traditional cigarettes -- or a pack. A pack of cigarettes in Michigan costs about $6.

The technology was invented by a Chinese scientist in 2004, and Smoking Everywhere obtained the right to sell the product in the United States. It's one of about five major e-cigarette companies. Njoy and Bloog use similar technology.

Smoking Everywhere has reported sales of about $12 million in 2008 for the product marketed to ages 18 and older, Linscott said.

It has become about a $100 million industry, said Matt Salmon, president of the Electronic Cigarette Association.

The kiosk in Oakland Mall has sold more than 130 kits since it opened May 1, and sells about 20 packs of cartridges daily, according to co-owner John Mannino, who opened a second kiosk at Birch Run mall Wednesday.

See: E-cigarettes offer smoke-free nicotine, but experts skeptical

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Excitement, Fear Precede Solar Eclipse

Superstitions Surround Rare Event in Asia
By Michael Casey
Associated Press

Millions of people across Asia will witness the longest total solar eclipse that will happen this century, as vast swaths of India and China, the entire city of Shanghai and southern Japanese islands are plunged into darkness Wednesday for about five minutes.

Streams of amateur stargazers and scientists are traveling long distances to witness the once-in-a-lifetime event.

Astronomers hope the eclipse will unlock clues about the sun, while an astrologer in Myanmar predicts it could usher in chaos. Some in India are advising pregnant relatives to stay indoors to follow a centuries-old tradition of avoiding the sun's invisible rays.

The eclipse will appear first at dawn in India's Gulf of Khambhat just north of the metropolis of Mumbai.

It will move east across India, Nepal, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bhutan and China before hitting the Pacific. The eclipse will cross some southern Japanese islands and be last visible from land at Nikumaroro Island in the South Pacific nation of Kiribati. Elsewhere, a partial eclipse will be visible in much of Asia.

For astronomers, it will be a chance for a prolonged view of the sun's corona, a white ring 600,000 miles from the sun's surface. The previous total eclipse, in August 2008, was two minutes and 27 seconds. This one will last 6 minutes and 39 seconds at its maximum point.

Solar scientist Lucie Green is aboard an American cruise ship heading for that point near the Japanese island of Iwo Jima, where the axis of the moon's shadow will pass closest to earth.

See: Ominous Predictions

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Community gardens, a growing trend

It's homegrown and you can do it with your own hands
By Mary Reid Barrow
The Virginian-Pilot








Bean vines are being trained on string to grow from the ground up and twine around the umbrella spokes – a bean pole of sorts.

Other whimsical touches dot the paths , vegetables and flowers on the 20-by-20-foot plot of land that the couple rents for $400 a season.

Several times a week, Friedman and Schaefer travel 25 minutes from their home on Broad Bay Island in Virginia Beach to plant, weed and enjoy their “great little spot in the country,” as Friedman calls it.

Theirs is one of 13 organic garden plots at Pungo Naturals Farm at 1813 Gum Bridge Road. Owners Linda and Kevin Sullivan not only rent plots but also grow organic produce for Community Supported Agriculture baskets.

Spurred on by trends across the country , including Buy Fresh Buy Local and the Slow Food movements, along with symbols like Michelle Obama’s vegetable garden at the White House, Pungo Naturals and several other community gardens of sorts have sprouted in the area this year.

The economy’s downtown, a desire to reduce one’s carbon footprint to protect the environment, concern for food safety, and cravings for tasty fresh food drive folks to pick up hoes and work the earth themselves.

Food safety is one of the aspects important to Schaefer.

“I do think people should be aware of where their food comes from,” she said.

That was one of many reasons that Virginia Beach Horticulture Extension agent Susan French urged the Virginia Beach Master Gardeners to plant a demonstration vegetable garden at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market in Virginia Beach.

“Last year, I was inundated with calls from individuals seeking information on vegetable gardens,” French said.

People were not only interested in food safety, she said, but they also wanted to save money. Many had a heightened environmental awareness, and almost everybody was interested in providing good, nutritious food for their families.

See:Community gardens, a growing trend

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Can Turmeric Relieve Pain?

One Of The Most Versatile And Powerful Medicinal Herbs
KNN Staff

The health benefits of turmeric are extremely well known, stretching back to ancient times. Turmeric has a long standing reputation as a potent medicinal herb capable of improving NUMEROUS health conditions.

Turmeric has been the subject of a sizable amount of research into its potential as an anti-cancer agent as well as its tumor suppressing properties; anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidant capacity.

But There's MORE! Additional health benefits of turmeric are observed through its pain suppressing ability. Most of the studies to date have been on animals however Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine have recorded the medicinal health benefits of turmeric in humans over a long period of time.

Studies suggest the most recognized health benefits of turmeric to be:

-Treating digestive disorders
-As an anti-inflammatory agent (e.g. treatment of osteoarthritis)
-Treatment of arteriosclerosis – may cause a reduction in bad cholesterol that can lead to blockage of the arteries.
-Preliminary studies suggest a potential treatment for certain cancers – breast, colon, prostate and skin (only low-quality studies in humans have been conducted)
-Reducing activity of roundworms and intestinal worms
-Protection from liver disease
-Preventing bacterial infection in wounds
-Healing wounds
-Eye disorder – possible (natural) treatment for uveitis

Turmeric health antioxidant capacity was examined as part of a German research study during 2003 (Screening pharmaceutical preparations containing extracts of turmeric rhizome, artichoke leaf, devil's claw root and garlic oil for antioxidant capacity).

Besides being used for its therapeutic activity, turmeric is also extremely popular as a food additive (spice). It has been used in Asian cookery for thousands of years.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Don't Worry Be Happy

Sad Dads May Lead to Crying Infants
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

Don't automatically blame mom: A crying, colicky baby can be just as much the result of dad's state of mind, Dutch researchers report.

Other studies have found that depression among mothers can be related to excessive crying or colic, a common problem with newborns, but the researchers said that little was known about whether fathers' emotions and behavior also have an effect.

"Up to now, almost all attention went to the prenatal effects of maternal depression on child development, leading to the development of detection and treatment programs that focused on mental well-being of mothers," said lead researcher Dr. Mijke P. van den Berg, a psychiatrist at the Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam.

"This study showed the importance of taking paternal factors and well-being during pregnancy into account, next to maternal," she said.

The report is published in the July issue of Pediatrics.

To see how parental depression was related to excessive crying, van den Berg's team gathered data on symptoms of depression among parents of 4,426 infants who were 2 months old.

Excessive crying was defined as crying for more than three hours a day on more than three days in the past week.

Overall, just 2.5 percent of the infants in the study fit the excessive crying criteria. But, the researchers found a 30 percent higher risk for depression among parents whose infant cried excessively.

"This finding could not be attributed to co-existing depressive symptoms of the mother, which is already known to be a risk factor for excessive infant crying," van den Berg said. It could be related to genetics, a depressed father or, indirectly, through factors such as marital, family or economic stress, she said.

In fact, a dad with symptoms of depression was twice as likely to have an infant who cried excessively as was a dad who was not depressed, the study found.

"Fathers do matter, so take care for the mental well-being of fathers during pregnancy," van den Berg said.

Dr. Jon Shaw, a professor and director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Miami Miller of School of Medicine, said that the study shows how depression can lead to infant's excessive crying.

"This study demonstrates in a paradoxical way the importance of fathers, in that fathers' measurable depression during pregnancy is a risk factor for excessive infant crying at 2 months of age," Shaw said.

"This seems to be related perhaps to the enduring effects of fathers' depression on the family ambience, the parental relationship, child parenting and, perhaps as the authors suggest, there may be a genetic factor involved," he said.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

The ABC's Composting

A composting testimony I’d like to share
by Harameeyah B. Israel
KOY - Office of Environmental Affairs

Last March, I began composing my kitchen wastes and those from Soul Veg Tallahassee. These wastes include just about everything: carrot shavings/stems, onion peelings, tomato stems, rotten fruit, fruit cores (i.e., apple, etc.), avocado skin, shredded paper, coffee grounds, paper towels, etc. The main wastes, however, were green stems from the restaurant. Since we cook greens everyday, my composter was full of greens.

In January, I started to notice an odor that got worse and worse. So in March I finally buried the compost (which had become a putrid smelling sludge--like what greens or lettuce looks like when it goes REALLY bad) in an empty garden plot in my back yard that had previously been only grass and dirt. About a month later I noticed some greens coming up--a nice size plant, as if I had planted it there myself. Needless to say I was amazed.

About a month ago (early May) I found some more things growing that looked like weeds, so I turned them over and figured when I got back from Israel I’d have a nice fertile plot to start with. When I returned from Israel (4 weeks later) I found the entire plot filled with plants! I assumed they were weeds, but when I took a closer look I saw little green bulbs. The compost became a tomato garden! I could not have done better if I’d done it on purpose.

This speaks to the importance of composting. It is a simple matter of separating biodegradable wastes from trash. Not only does this reduce the amount of waste in landfills but since the decomposition of organic material sent to landfills is a principal cause of methane gas (an important greenhouse gas), this reduction is also key in fighting against climate change. It also speaks to the idea of following a divine natural order and eliminating our negative impact on the planet.

Note: The reason my compost was smelling bad is because I had too many “greens” and not enough “browns“. I currently have a successful compost pile which consists of the same kitchen/restaurant wastes as well as shredded paper (usually my junk mail), dirt, and dead leaves. This has solved the odor problem.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Benefits of Flaxseed

Is flaxseed the new wonder food?
By Carol Sorgen
WebMD Feature

Preliminary studies show that flaxseed may help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to even breast cancer.

Flaxseed may be on everyone's lips -- and in everyone's cereal -- but this new darling of the plant world has been around for more than 4,000 years, known even in the days of Hippocrates for its healthful benefits.

Flaxseed has been a part of human and animal diets for thousands of years in Asia, Europe, and Africa, and more recently in North America and Australia, says Kaye Effertz, executive director of AmeriFlax, a trade promotion group representing U.S. flaxseed producers. As flax gained popularity for its industrial uses, however, its popularity as a food product waned, but it never lost its nutritional value. "Today flax is experiencing a renaissance among nutritionists, the health conscious public, food processors, and chefs alike," says Effertz.

The reason for the increasing interest in flaxseed is its apparent benefits for a host of medical conditions, says Roberta Lee, MD, medical director of the Center for Health and Healing at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in New York.

Flaxseed is very high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, Lee explains. It's the omega 3s -- "good" fats -- that researchers are looking at in terms of their possible effects on lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, lowering the risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancers, and reducing the inflammation of arthritis, as well as the inflammation that accompanies certain illnesses such as Parkinson's disease and asthma.

Click here to see complete article: The Benefits of Flaxseed

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Dimona eliminates Tigers in semis

Dimona holds on for a thrilling extra inning victory
Jerusalem Post Sports

Dimona scored four runs in the top of the eighth and then held on for a thrilling extra inning victory to eliminate the Tigers in the Israel Softball Association semifinal on Monday night.

Pitchers Yarone Ben-Israel (6 K's) and Goose Gillett (3 K's) were locked in a scoreless pitching duel through five.

In the sixth, Tabie Ben-Israel scored on Amithan Ben-Israel's single after stealing second and third, but the Tigers answered in their half of the inning when Shlomi Mor Hayim singled in Ilan Spira.

In the extra eighth inning, Dimona unloaded. Akhaziya's 2-run single made it 3-1 and RBI hits from Elyaeed BenIsrael and Amithan stretched the lead to four.

The Tigers, not to be outdone, tallied three on RBI singles by Hernan Guinguis, Gil Nehemkin and Avi Shamir, but Yarone bore down to fan Guy Bender, representing the winning run, to end the Tigers' season.

KNN: "Go Judeans!!!!!!"

Monday, June 15, 2009

Communicators Press Launches New Web Page

Visit Communicators Press new user-friendly web page
KNN-DC

Order your books and audio visual materials online!!!!!

This collection of books and audio visual materials is dedicated to the truth, not according to the words of men but according to the universal principles that govern the earth.

Communicators Press specializes in publishing and distributing spiritually uplifting works by renowned scholars and thinkers around the world. The TRUTH is knowable...look no further.

Click Here to see CP's new web page: http://www.africanhebrewisraelitesofjerusalem.com/CP-Israel/index.htm
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Friday, June 12, 2009

Shabbaht Shalom from the Village of Peace!

KNN-Dimona, Israel

The Holy Hebraic Shabbaht commences weekly at the setting of the sun each Yom Sheshe (6th day or Friday) and ends at sunset on Mohtsai Shabbaht (Saturday evening).


This day is set aside each week to allow our minds, bodies and souls to totally rest, be repaired, restored and rejuvenated.


The sunset time at Kefar HaShalom (the Village of Peace) this Yom Sheshe, (Friday) June 12th is 7:33PM.


Please click here to find sunset times for your area.


Shabbaht Shalom. (Have a peaceful, restful Sabbath.)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

The Future of the State of Africa

Africa is enormously rich in potential
by Kofi Annan, Graca Machel and Michel Camdessus
The Huffington Post


Africa's potential is often overlooked. Yet the continent abounds in untapped natural and human resources. The United Nations, for example, estimates that there are over 800 million hectares of unused, cultivable land that could provide the basis for a green revolution in food production -- land which could be used to tackle food shortages in Africa and in other continents.

The remarkable progress that Africa has made in the past decade is also not widely recognized. Across the continent there are numerous success stories. We have seen the spread of free and fair elections, an increase in school enrollment rates and determined efforts to combat malaria. The boom in mobile phones has transformed communication and helped business.

The tragedy is that when millions of Africans believed their countries and continent were finally on the right track, their hopes are being dashed by problems whose roots lie elsewhere. While the global crisis and climate change are creations of the North, it is Africa which is worst affected and least able to cope. The social and political consequences are profound.

Yesterday, the Africa Progress Panel, on which we sit, launched its 2009 State of Africa report in Cape Town. We recognize that the roots of the development crisis often begin outside Africa. But the reality is that the main responsibility for tackling the challenges Africa faces lies with its own leaders.

This does not mean that the rest of the world can walk away. Africa's international partners have a critical part to play in supporting the continent's progress, and share responsibility for tackling imported problems. They also have an interest to do so: social tension and political instability in Africa have clear international costs and consequences.

At a time when other financial flows are dropping, G8 and donor countries have an even greater responsibility to honor their international aid commitments and to ensure that global deals, whether on trade, climate change, intellectual property, illicit drugs, crime or migration, are supportive of Africa's development needs. Aid, effectively used, can leverage other financial flows, strengthen capacities and meet urgent social and humanitarian needs.

But without bold, focused and sustained leadership from African Governments, outside assistance won't safeguard the continent's people or protect the progress already made.

Big problems create the opportunity for big thinking. Africa's leaders, who have already shown what can be achieved, now need to redouble their efforts to guide their continent through these challenges.

They also need the active participation of their citizens. Accountability of leadership is paramount. Holding those in authority to account is a tradition and practice that has long roots in Africa's culture. But in many parts of the continent, it is frayed. There are too many instances of corruption, growing inequality in wealth and opportunity, and the abuse of power.

Alongside determined and accountable leadership at the national level, a strong, united position on the global stage is vital. A forcefully negotiated common African position on climate change, for example, is needed for Copenhagen Summit. We have already seen how effective unity can be. The meeting of African leaders in London ahead of the G20 Summit ensured the needs of the developing world were not forgotten. It played a major role in the G20s funding pledges, including the $100 billion for international development banks to lend to the poorest countries.

Clear-sighted African leadership, supported by effective international partnership, can turn the challenges Africa is facing into an opportunity. The APP believes that Africa can take the lead in pioneering a new, low-carbon development model. The take off of the mobile phone in Africa ended the need for an expensive network of landlines to be put in place. In the same way, the continent can make use of its vast solar, hydro, wind, thermal and biomass resources to drive forward its renewable energy sector, leapfrogging the outdated, fossil fuel based system.

The scope for investment in Africa's infrastructure, agriculture and communications are vast. So are the benefits it could bring. The spread of financial services to the poor has shown the potential for innovative investments. A drive for investment in these sectors will not only create jobs and increased trade in Africa, but also create markets for developed countries in these difficult times.

Africa is enormously rich in potential. Amidst the gloom, there is an opportunity to be seized. If we have the courage and vision to rise to the challenge, it will benefit the 900 million people who live on the continent and create a valuable growth platform for the global economy.

Kofi Annan, Graca Machel and Michel Camdessus are members of the Africa Progress Panel (www.africaprogresspanel.org)

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

The KOY Office of Environmental Affairs Presents

The Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Summit at the Village of Peace in Dimona, Israel

Summit Agenda

Yom Shleshe (Tuesday) June 9, 2009

Opening Prayer

Welcome/Overview
Rofeh Yehoshua

Health & Ecology
Rofeh El-Rahm

Cultural Application / Recycling
Ahk Yehuda HaCohane

Solar Cooking
Ahkote Baht Ammi
-
Sustainable Building
Sar Ehliel

Sustaining the Yah Idea
in the Environment-
Sar Yadiel
-
Eco-Cleaning Products & the Environment
Moreh Khashaviyah

Eco-Friendly Housing Concepts
"Greening the Kifar"
Ahk Michael
-
Closing Prayer

ECO FRIENDLY DOOR PRIZES

For more information, please contact
Ahtur Keymah at keymah777@aol.com and/or
Ahk Yehuda HaCohane at pmhg2005@yahoo.com

African Hebrew Israelites Lifestyle Promotes Lowest Carbon Footprint Among Developing Nations

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint By Improving Your Diet
By Stephanie Richards, R.D.,M.P.A.
Wellness Solutions

Excerpts added by
Ahtur KeymahKNN Staff

So what’s a carbon footprint, and what does that have to do with the food you eat? When fossil fuels are burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are the primary cause of global warming, and each year the average American household emits, through heating the house, cooking food, running appliances, etc., 55,000 pounds of carbon into the atmosphere. The amount of carbon dioxide we leave behind is referred to as a carbon footprint.

There are many choices we can make each day to help reduce our individual carbon footprint.

One choice people can make is to switch to a more vegetarian-based diet, which is also known to help prevent chronic disease, diabetes, hypertension and certain types of cancer. Consider this:

- Per person in the U.S., an animal based diet requires 4,200 gallons of water per day. A vegan diet requires 300 gallons of water per day.

- Nine times more energy is required to produce protein from animal foods as compared to plant foods. It takes approximately 28 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of meat protein for human consumption and 3.3 calories of fossil fuel to produce one calorie of plant protein from grain for human consumption.

- For each pound of animal food produced, a farm field will lose about five pounds of topsoil. As the soil erodes, so do the minerals in the soil, thus making our food less nutritious.

The African Hebrew Israelite Community maintains a vegan diet and grows most of its own organic produce, citing Genesis 1:29,

"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”

They practice abstention from alcohol, other than wine that they make themselves, and both illegal and pharmaceutical drugs, so as to stay within the cycles of life. The group also owns and operates a chain of vegan-vegetarian restaurants throughout the world. Adult members exercise three times a week, and are advised to have at least one full-body massage each month for its health benefits.

In 1998, doctors visited the community in Israel and found that only 6% of the members suffered from high blood pressure, compared to 30% of African Americans. Furthermore only 5% of their members were obese, compared to 32% of black men and half of black women in America. The doctors concluded, "These changes in lifestyle might prevent chronic disease in American blacks, but would be hard to achieve without the unifying power of community, spirituality, and concern for the environment."

If you want lower your carbon footprint, try eating more vegetarian meals each week. It is important to become responsible global citizens. By making small changes to your diet, you will be helping not only yourself, but also the planet that nourishes you and all those you love.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Concentrated Solar Power Could Generate 25% of the World’s Electricity by 2050

The reaction creates steam that turns turbines and generates electricity
Written by Ariel Schwartz
CleanTechnica.com

A new study from Greenpeace, the European Solar Thermal Agency, and the International Energy Agency’s SolarPACES Group has shown that concentrated solar power (CSP) could generate a quarter of the world’s energy needs by 2050–and create thousands of new jobs and prevent millions of tons of CO2 from being released.

CSP uses mirror to focus sunlight on water. The reaction creates steam that turns turbines and generates electricity. Unlike photovoltaic solar panels, CSP only works in places with reliable sunny weather, such as parts of the southern U.S., North Africa, Mexico, and India.

Sven Teske, co-author of the study, estimates that current investments in CSP ($2.8 billion) could grow under a moderate scenario to over $11 billion by 2010 and produce 7% of the world’s electricity generating capacity. By 2050, investments could grow to $93 billion. This all assumes, of course, that political and investment barriers are removed in short order. But even in a modest scenario, CSP could grow to 830GW of installed capacity by 2050, providing 12% of the world’s power needs. Combined with geothermal and wind farms, alternative energies could provide a significant portion of our overall energy needs in the next few decades.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Live Weeks 2009 - 2010

KNN-Village of Peace
Dimona, Israel

In its continual effort to assist in the maintenance of perfect health and in the pursuit of Everlasting Life for the African Hebrew Israelite Community, the Ministry of Divine Health at Dimona, Israel has taken the charge in regulating Sugarless Week and Live Food Week.

Sugarless and Live Foods consumption Weeks were created by and for the African Hebrew Israelite Community and has been practiced by its many members worldwide. Thanks to the efforts of The Kingdom News Network (KNN), the Regenerative Health and Nutrition Program* (RHNP), the Soul Vegetarian Restaurant chain, and many other vehicles which have been effective in getting the word out, Sugarless and Live Foods Weeks have more recently been adopted by thousands internationally.

Numerous individuals of the global community at large, who are not a part of the Community, have resigned themselves to practicing the Healthy Hebrews' 'healthy lifestyle', testifying about its countless benefits as a viable health-enhancing lifestyle adjustment in their pursuit of excellent health, more vibrant life, more abundant strength and longevity than that which they had previously enjoyed.

In order to allow ample time for the preparation and shopping commonly associated with entering in to the cycle of Sugarless and Live Foods Weeks prior to the incoming summer, harmattan or whatever the upcoming seasonal change in your region of the world, the Ministry of Divine Health (MODH) in Dimona, Israel has released the tentative schedule for both Sugarless Weeks as well as Live Weeks for the year 2009 through the Hebraic New Year in the Spring of 2010.

SUGARLESS WEEKS
June 5–13 Summer '09                                    September 4–12 Fall '09
December 4-12 Winter '09                                March 12–20, Spring 2010

LIVE FOODS WEEK
June 13–19 Summer '09                                  September 12–17 Fall '09**
December 12–18 Winter '09                             March 20 – 26 Spring 2010

*  Please note that RHNP is an ongoing cooperation between the Community's NGO the African Hebrew Development Agency and Ghana's Ministry of Health.

** Also note that in September, Live Foods Week will end at sundown Yom Kameshe (Thursday) due to the inception of the Hebraic High Holy Day The Memorial of Blowing of Trumpets (Shabbahtone Zeekrone Thruahk).

To view KNN's previous posts regarding Sugarless and Live Foods Weeks and RHNP, either type in 'live foods' in KNN's search box near the upper left hand corner of the screen, or simply click here. Otherwise, please stay tuned to KNN for upcoming information on Sugarless and Live Foods Weeks.

For more information on holistic health, The Ministry of Divine Health can be contacted at divine.healers@yahoo.com