STRONG BLACK WOMEN & OTHER MYTHS ABOUT 21ST CENTURY BLACK AMERICA

STRONG BLACK WOMEN & OTHER MYTHS ABOUT 21ST CENTURY BLACK AMERICA

BEFORE WE ARE STRONG, BLACK PEOPLE ARE HUMAN BEINGS FIRST.

Sources: The New Black Magazine, TheNIB.com, Youtube

In the video above I address the centuries old myth of how American society has frequently used the phrase "Strong Black Women" as an excuse to continue forcing Black Women to accept Abuse, Disrespect and Poverty versus living their lives as the Queens they were created by GOD to be.

Contrary to popular propaganda broadcasted about Black Women by the Mainstream Media:

Black Women are not resilient and strong when their Sons are Murdered due to Police Brutality or Gang Violence.

Black Women are not resilient and strong when their Sons are sentenced to Prison for petty, non-homicidal crimes.

Black Women are not resilient and strong when our Black Men can't find JOBS due to RACISM.

Black Women are not resilient and strong 24 hours a day.

Black Women are human beings first who need love, relaxation and time to heal from our losses or from being overworked.

***** Black Women Mythology

The myth of the STRONG BLACK WOMAN (SBW) is so simple and so clear that it is somewhat amazing that we are still bamboozled.

The myth of the STRONG BLACK WOMAN (SBW) is so simple and so clear that it is somewhat amazing that we are still bamboozled.

You see, we - being the black women who are the “johns” of this particular scam - think that being an SBW is something to which one should aspire; we feel complimented when we are included in the category of others similarly valorized; and we blame ourselves for any indication that we are falling below the standards of the SBW.

Is this not the most delicious trick ever played on anyone? 

The greatest achievement the rest of the world ever achieved was convincing black women that SBW existed, and that our job was to grow up into one. Black women are raised to be SBW in the most exemplary fashion possible, and faithfully to remain one without pause or rest until the grim reaper relieved us of the burdens of our mortality.

It is really terrifyingly, astonishingly and ineffably well-crafted, this myth. Insofar as, so long as we are kept either desiring, or believing ourselves actually to be, Strong Black Women, there is no amount of pure nonsense, abuse, overwork, ingratitude, exploitation, underappreciation, and just plain shit that we will not put up with. 

You see, SBW, of course, can make $10 stretch into meals for a week, clothes for everyone, payment of bills, and school fees, etc.,— this is just a well known and, indeed, required characteristic of SBW. 

SBW are, by nature, ready, nay, eager to work five jobs at a time so as to feed and clothe their nearest and dearest without expecting, and more properly, absolutely rejecting any help. 

One has, after all, one’s pride as a Strong Black Woman. SBW are also expected to give command performances as free, endlessly sympathetic and reliable therapists, counselors, substitute mothers, and wise women, who willingly provide free emotional and mental labour to everyone else.

You have a problem? Go and cry on an SBW shoulder, which is guaranteed (why else are they SBW?) to be there, to provide cleenex, food and appropriate ego validation and finally, to manage to complete the four hours worth of work interrupted and delayed by your tales of woe. 

This function of the SBW is usually taken advantage of by non-Strong Black Women  This is because of course non-SBW’s problems are real and agonizing, 

SBW, it is understood, do not suffer emotionally as much as the other, more fragile and helpless non-SBW population: because they are strong, and thus, better able to endure better. 

This is like having a bullet-proof vest when the shooting starts: the unprotected get to scream and wail and run for cover whilst the SBW who are already armoured and thus have no fear, should promptly assume their assigned rescue service, feeding service, administrative, and problem-solving roles. 

Whence, in addition to everything else, comes the ugly fact that SBW are granted less time for grieving, assumed to have less sense of loss and suffering and required to have a faster recovery time from trauma than everybody else, so that they can go and take care of the anguish and malaise of others. Well, naturally. It is an SBW thing: you wouldn't understand and are very careful not even to try.

Do you know how much crap that a black woman has had to go through? 

Do we ever ask ourselves what sort of toll it took on her, what scars were left, whether she ever needed to lock herself in the bathroom and weep, if she ever thought of giving up and why she didn't? 

Do you know what demons plagued her at night whilst the world slept, what private spaces of knowing pain and knowing suffering her poetry comes from? 

Whether she ever lost her faith and her certainty in the cause, and if, indeed, by now she is not so tired by all those years of giving, giving and giving--to us?

Many of us who have or have had the kind of mothers or aunts or honorary aunts whom we admire and who make us proud and to whom we owe everything – those we see as Strong Black Women.

Whilst acknowledging all their sacrifices, their struggles overcome and their achievements, have you ever thought that they accomplished then not because of some spurious “extra” strength but despite the weaknesses common to us all? 

I’ve thought of my own mother, whom I have idolized my whole life, because she did just amazing things. 

She was the first this and the first that. She was the only African woman ever to do x. She left a lasting legacy through her work in y. She also managed to bring me up, protect and shelter me, and mould me into a competent human being.

But what about her life? 

How often do I ask myself if she was ever frightened, insecure, confused, lost? How often do I ask if she ever yearned for opportunities lost, regretted decisions made, missed absent friends? 

The answer to that would be “once.” Today. 

Because before today, she was just absolutely perfect and pristine. Before today I would have reacted to such a suggestion of human failings and fears in my mother with snorting and indignant incredulity—except I realised how wrong that would be. Pedestals do not really give one much room to move or to be.

The problem with the myth of the SBW is this. It falsely supposes that SBW have powers, skills and capacities beyond those of ordinary mortals - sort of like super heroes – 

So much so that their achievements are not as difficult to attain as they would be for others and somehow inhere in the very quality of SBW-ness, itself. 

When you look at this logic for long enough, it becomes pretty obvious that we don’t need to thank SBW or even to congratulate them. 

After all, they have only achieved what their innate SBW-ness allows, nay, compels them to achieve. Where is the agency of these women here? How do we honour them by making their achievements banal by not contextualizing them in human frailty? 

If Superman leaps over a tall building at a single bound, well, yawn, stretch and change the channel. If I were ever to leap over a tall building at a single bound, I would expect some serious attention, astonishment, adoration and for everyone to realise that having done all this leaping about, I would fairly obviously need a good long rest.

Conversely, I most certainly would not appreciate having immediately presented to me another building, over which I am also expected to leap without question or hesitation.

Well, that is it for me. 

Strong Black Women are permanently off the list of things that I want to be when I grow up. I am going to treasure and revel in and treat tenderly all my weaknesses and mistakes and failures—all of which I have in amazingly copious quantities - because they make my achievements that much more precious to me.

Let the age of the Weak Black Women begin!

CURLY PROVERBZ, THE HENNA QUEEN: DON'T SLEEP ON HER YOUTUBE CHANNEL

CURLY PROVERBZ, THE HENNA QUEEN: DON'T SLEEP ON HER CHANNEL

Sources:  Black Girl Long Hair, YouTube 

If you've never visited the YouTube channel of Natural hair/ Health Vlogger Curly Proverbz I encourage you to please do so today.

Curly Proverbz (real name Farida) is from Ghana but currently resides in the UK.

She is married, has children, works and manages a successful YouTube channel.

She is a beautiful, pleasant young woman with a head full of naturally long, healthy hair who shows other women how to grow and maintain their own hair via the use of Henna and DIY Oil mixtures.

**** Farida // 3C/A Natural Hair Style Icon

Introduce yourself!

F: My Name is Farida, also known as Remedy on my YouTube channel and I am from London.

Why did you make the decision to go natural?

F: I have been relaxer free for just over two and a half years. There was a time that I thought going relaxer free was crazy, I mean why would anyone choose that? Boy have my views changed. My mum used to texlax my hair every 8 weeks, however around the time I was due a relaxer she was on a vacation and for the first time in over 18 years I saw some of the texture, which I had previously avoided like the plague. It was a revelation and I loved what I saw.

How would you describe your texture?

F: I have a thick head of hair, which is 3a in the back and 3c at the front.

Describe your styling regimen over the course of the month.

F: I do a three week rotation in my regimen. I do a monthly henna treatment after washing my hair with African Black Soap to strengthen my hair, and always follow this with a moisturizing deep conditioner. The following week I cowash and deep condition. In the final week of my rotation I cleanse with Rhassoul Clay and follow with a deep condition again. This ensures a balance of strength and moisture.

What does wash day look like for you?

F: I prepoo with a coconut oil such as Vatika whilst I lightly detangle. I wash with either Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Shampoo or liquid African Black Soap. I then mix up my Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner with a tablespoon of my favourite oils – raw virgin coconut oil, avocado oil and extra virgin olive oil as well as a couple of drops of lavender and rosemary. I leave it in my hair for at least an hour with or without heat (my steam without a steamer method). I then proceed to finger detangle and rinse. I then carry out my wash and go routine putting in my Giovanni Direct Leave-in Conditioner and sealing with aloe vera juice and raw virgin coconut oil.

Describe your favorite go-to hairstyle for days when you don’t have a lot of time to style.

F: I just moisturize, seal and throw my hair up into a simple bun.

How do you combat shrinkage?

F: I am not too bothered about shrinkage, but whenever I do want to stretch out my hair I detangle dry hair with coconut oil and place my hair into large twists to stretch it out. Alternatively I use the banding method.

What are some of your problem areas (if any) that require special care and attention?

F: Single strand knots – I seem to be getting more and more of these with increased length.

What are 2 do’s for your texture?

F: Do use aloe vera juice to get curls popping and shiny, and to minimize tangles. Use twists as a protective style to minimize tangles.

What are 2 don’ts for your texture?

F: Do not go for longer than a week without a deep condition and detangle. Do not comb out curls and leave hair out.

Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?

F: Curly Proverbz on YouTube and Facebook. Instagram: Remz316. You can find videos of my hair journey, wash and go routine and regimen on my channel.

ATLANTA'S DEADLY FOOD DESERTS: IT'S ALL ABOUT BLACK POPULATION CONTROL

ATLANTA'S DEADLY FOOD DESERTS:

IT'S ALL ABOUT BLACK POPULATION CONTROL

DOES MAYOR KASIM REED CARE??

ATLANTA'S WORST DESERTS & DIRTIEST WATER COMMUNITIES ARE SOUTHWEST, EAST POINT & BANKHEAD.

ATLANTA, Ga is the birthplace of Civil rights beacon Dr Martin Luther King Jr, a regional Mecca "too busy to hate", Hub for Southeastern Federal Govt offices and home of the Real Housewives of Atlanta.

ATLANTA is also a city infamously known for its many FOOD DESERTS and Poor Quality, Bacteria-filled Drinking water.

How can such a Progressive, Wealthy city of six millions residents, mostly BLACK, with so much Business Commerce, allow the majority of its BLACK citizens to prematurely Die from preventable diseases I.e. Obesity, Cancer, Diabetes, Kidney Failure and HIV, all of which derive from Atlanta's Food Deserts, abundance of Greasy Food, and Bacteria-Filled drinking water?

Is this being done intentionally for the purpose of Killing off low income BLACK residents of Atlanta?

~ Starving for nutrition

Poor diets and inaccessibility to healthy foods are creating a crisis of chronic disease.


By Gracie Bonds Staples | The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In many ways, Evie and Ricky Sanders are lucky, and they know it.

On a good day, if their used 2004 Honda Pilot isn’t on the blink, it takes them no more than 10 minutes to drive the 10 miles from their home in Cumming to the nearest Kroger.

Ricky, 57, is a former flower nursery worker who is HIV-positive and struggles with the side effects of his medications. His wife, Evie, 58, is a former nursing assistant who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They live in a three-bedroom wood frame house atop a small hill in rural Forsyth County, where they eke out a living from $1,500 in monthly disability checks and $25 a month in food stamps.

What the Sanders have learned is that, for them at least, even good days have a bad side.

“Most of our shopping is done from the carts where the markdowns are,” Evie says. “We can’t afford name brands.”

To make ends meet, they rely on the monthly supply of staples they get from There’s Hope for the Hungry, a nonprofit organization that feeds 26,000 North Georgia families a year, many of whom, like the Sanders, live in what the USDA calls food deserts. Their homes are located in low-income areas more than one mile from a supermarket or other reliable source of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Nearly 2 million Georgia residents, including about 500,000 children, live in food deserts. The USDA has classified more than 35 food deserts inside the Perimeter. More border I-285 in the suburbs of Cobb, South Fulton and east DeKalb counties.

Some experts say there is a direct correlation between food deserts and the state’s high rates of obesity and chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and cancers. Stroke and heart disease are among the top three leading causes of death in Georgia, accounting for nearly one-third of all deaths in the state.

One day last January, the Sanders piled into their black Honda and headed to Kroger before the weekend rush. Ricky tuned the radio to 99.3 FM, his favorite country station.

Five minutes later they pulled into the parking lot and headed inside. Evie made a beeline to the restroom on the other side of the store while Ricky secured a shopping cart and waited near the store’s produce section.

He doesn’t make a move without her.

They are a team, and this day was no different.






Sources: AJC, YouTube

"Instant Heart Attack Sandwich" Wins Lawsuit For NYC 2nd Avenue Deli: FREE Enterprise Reigns!

Deli Wins 'Instant Heart Attack' Sandwich Suit; High Cholesterol Ensues

If you walk into the Second Avenue Deli - a kosher eatery that relocated from the East Village, when it actually was on 2nd Avenue, to Midtown - with $24.95 in your wallet, you'll have just enough moolah to buy a little snack called the 'Instant Heart Attack.'

The 804-calorie towering sandwich, made up of sliced pastrami and fried potato latkes, is like the Tim Tebow at Carnegie Deli - a symbol of food excess that tastes delicious all the way to the doctor.

Except the one at Second Avenue faced a bit of a legal problem.

Enter The Heart Attack Grill.

This properly-named Las Vegas joint opened in 2005 and, to describe it in a nutshell, the website for the restaurant has a banner that says "Fight Anorexia!" and a sign that showcases its Guinness World Record for the Grill's healthy serving known as the Quadruple Bypass Burger.

So that's the image it's going for - a cholesterol-laden reputation that it was willing to sue the Second Avenue Deli over.

Unfortunately for the Grill, the suit was brought here to New York, where we take our food very, very seriously. For that reason, a Manhattan judge decided yesterday to let the Second Avenue Deli continue to sell the calories, handing owner Jack Lebewohl a victory over his Vegas rivals.

A trademark infringement case over a sandwich called the 'Instant Heart Attack'... God bless America.

As well as the 'Instant Heart Attack,' the Deli will also be able to sell their new option, the Triple Bypass sandwich, which owner Jack Lebewohl described as including "everything but the kitchen sink." It includes three latkes and is an additional $10, raising the price of your surgery to $34.95.

As the story goes, the judge must have had the time of his or her life making the decision - one that was based on noting the clear differences between the two sandwiches. One of the main ones: Second Avenue Deli is a kosher deli and The Heart Attack Grill is not. In the gastronomic world, that's like black and white.

But, nonetheless, if we are to learn anything from this suit, it's that no one can come between New Yorkers and their food. No one.


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Sources: NBC New York, Village Voice, Youtube, Google Mapse

HPV (Gardasil) Vaccine Linked To 68 Deaths (CDC)! Targeted At Black & Hispanic Girls!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Reports of Health Concerns Following HPV Vaccination


VAERS Limitations

VAERS data cannot be used to prove a causal association between the vaccine and the adverse event. The only association between the adverse event and vaccination is temporal, meaning that the adverse event occurred sometime after vaccination. Therefore, the adverse event may be coincidental or it may have been caused by vaccination, however we cannot make any conclusions that the events reported to VAERS were caused by the vaccine.


HPV Vaccine Safety

There are two licensed HPV vaccines, Gardasil® and Cervarix®, available to protect against the types of HPV infection that cause most cervical cancers. Gardasil® was licensed for use in females, age 9-26 years in June 2006 and for males age 9-26 years in Oct 2009. Cervarix® was licensed for use in females age 10-25 in October 2009.

The safety of HPV vaccines was studied in clinical trials worldwide before licensure. For Gardasil® , over 29,000 males and females participated in these trials. For Cervarix®, over 30,000 females participated in several clinical trials.

Since licensure, CDC and FDA have been closely monitoring the safety of HPV vaccines. There are 3 systems used to monitor the safety of vaccines after they are licensed and used in the U.S. These systems can monitor adverse events already known to be caused by vaccines, as well as detect rare adverse events that were not identified during pre-licensure clinical trials. The 3 systems are:

The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)–a useful early warning public health system that helps CDC and FDA detect possible side effects or adverse events following vaccination.

The Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) Project–a collaboration between CDC and 10 health care organizations which monitors and evaluates adverse events following vaccination.

The Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) Network– a collaboration between6 academic centers in the U.S. which conduct research on adverse events that might be caused by vaccines.

Reports to VAERS Following Gardasil®

As of June 22, 2011, approximately 35 million doses of Gardasil® were distributed in the U.S. and VAERS received a total of 18,727 reports of adverse events following Gardasil® vaccination: 17,958 reports among females and 346 reports for males, of which 285 reports were received after the vaccine was licensed for males in October 2009. VAERS received 423 reports of unknown gender. Of the total number of VAERS reports following Gardasil®, 92% were considered to be non-serious, and 8% were considered serious.


Non-serious adverse event reports

VAERS defines non-serious adverse events as those other than hospitalization, death, permanent disability, or life-threatening illness.

The vast majority (92%) of the adverse events reports following Gardasil® vaccination have included fainting, pain, and swelling at the injection site (the arm), headache, nausea, and fever. Syncope (fainting) is common after injections and vaccinations, especially in adolescents. Falls after fainting may sometimes cause serious injuries, such as head injuries, which can be prevented by closely observing the person for 15 minutes after vaccination.

Serious adverse event reports

Any VAERS report that indicated hospitalization, permanent disability, life-threatening illness, congenital anomaly or death is classified as serious. As with all VAERS reports, serious events may or may not have been caused by the vaccine.


Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) has been reported after vaccination with Gardasil® . GBS is a rare neurologic disorder that causes muscle weakness. It occurs in 1-2 out of every 100,000 people in their teens. A number of infections have been associated with GBS. There has been no indication that Gardasil® increases the rate of GBS above the rate expected in the general population, whether or not they were vaccinated.

Blood Clots

There have been some reports of blood clots in females after receiving Gardasil®. These clots have occurred in the heart, lungs, and legs. Most of these people had a risk of getting blood clots, such as taking oral contraceptives (the birth control pill), smoking, obesity, and other risk factors.


Deaths

As of June 22, 2011 there have been a total 68 VAERS reports of death among those who have received Gardasil® . There were 54 reports among females, 3 were among males, and 11 were reports of unknown gender. Thirty two of the total death reports have been confirmed and 36 remain unconfirmed due to no identifiable patient information in the report such as a name and contact information to confirm the report. A death report is confirmed (verified) after a medical doctor reviews the report and any associated records. In the 32 reports confirmed, there was no unusual pattern or clustering to the deaths that would suggest that they were caused by the vaccine and some reports indicated a cause of death unrelated to vaccination.

VAERS Reports Following Cervarix®

Since licensed in October 2009, uptake of Cervarix® vaccination in the U.S. has been low. As of June 2011, there have been 39 VAERS reports of adverse events following Cervarix® vaccination in the U.S. The majority of these reports (97%) were considered to be non-serious.

Cervarix® has also been in use in other countries such as England and Europe prior to licensing from the FDA.

Summary

Based on all of the information we have today, CDC recommends HPV vaccination for the prevention of most types of cervical cancer. As with all approved vaccines, CDC and FDA will continue to closely monitor the safety of HPV vaccines. Any problems detected with these vaccines will be reported to health officials, healthcare providers, and the public and needed action will be taken to ensure the public's health and safety.


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Sources: Center For Disease Control.gov, CNN, MSNBC, Youtube, Google Maps

Michelle Obama Vs. "Food Deserts" (Fresh Produce; Fighting Obesity)

Big Retailers Make Pledge of Stores for ‘Food Deserts’

Executives from Wal-Mart, Walgreens, SuperValu and other stores joined Michelle Obama at the White House on Wednesday to announce a pledge to open or expand a combined 1,500 stores in communities that have limited access to nutritious food and are designated as “food deserts.”

With the pledges, secured by the Partnership for a Healthier America, which is part of Mrs. Obama’s campaign to reduce childhood obesity, the stores aim to reach 9.5 million of the 23.5 million Americans who live in areas where finding affordable healthy foods can be difficult. In those areas, many people turn to fast food restaurants or convenience stores.

“The commitments that you all are making today have the potential to be a game changer,” Mrs. Obama said at the event. “When these stores succeed, they can serve as anchors in our communities.”

The Department of Agriculture defines “food deserts” as low-income areas where more than 500 people or 33 percent of the population lives more than one mile from an affordable food store. In rural towns, the distance is 10 miles.

Walgreens, the Illinois-based retailer with more than 7,000 stores, pledged to reach 4.8 million people in such areas by turning 1,000 of its locations into “food oasis stores” that will sell fruit, vegetables and other groceries that they do not typically stock.

Wal-Mart said it would open or expand food sections in 275 to 300 stores by 2016, employing an estimated 40,000 people. SuperValu, which owns many regional grocery chains like Jewel-Osco and ACME, will open 250 new Save-A-Lot stores in five years.

Childhood obesity is a signature cause adopted by Mrs. Obama. One of every three American children is overweight or obese, leading some scientists to predict that today’s youth could become the first generation to have shorter lives than the previous generation, according to the White House.

Mrs. Obama said that food deserts, where 6.5 million American children live, contribute to the phenomenon. The government and the private sector need to work together to eliminate food deserts, she said.

“With your commitments today, you all are showing us what’s possible,” Mrs. Obama said. “This isn’t some mysterious issue that we can’t address. We know the answer. It is right there.”

The Obama administration’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative, begun by Mrs. Obama in February 2010, aims to financially assist stores that open in food deserts.

The initiative received a $35 million budget this year, well short of the hundreds of millions requested by President Obama. The administration asked for more than $300 million to be approved for it in the next budget.

In 2009, New York started its Food Retail Expansion to Support Health, or Fresh program, a joint state-city effort that offers incentives to stores to open in underserved communities. Fresh is credited with being one of the largest efforts to combat food deserts at a state or local level.


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Sources: Huffington Post, NY Times, Progress Illinois, White House, Youtube, Google Maps

Brooklyn Farmer's Market A Huge Success! Fighting Obesity!

Real life FarmVille Brooklyn - borough has more farms than any other, giving access to healthy food


Forget the trees. More farms grow in Brooklyn than any other borough.

Community-run plots are springing up in poor neighborhoods better known for bodegas and fast food, bringing fresh and affordable produce to the places that need it most.

In parking lots, schoolyards and even between apartment buildings, Brooklyn farms have sprouted up this year like never before.

"People are planting farms wherever they can find space," said Stacey Murphy, founder of the Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service on Kingston Ave., in East Flatbush. "Brooklyn's got more farms because there's room for them and people are motivated to do it."

The Secret Garden Farm in Bushwick opened in May - between two apartment buildings on busy Linden St. About half of all sales come from food stamps.

"We aren't here for the trendy residents," said farm manager Kendall Morrison, 47, of Bushwick. "We're here for the neighborhood folks."

Tarah Auguste, a nurse from Bushwick, visits the market on Linden St. every week to buy vegetables for her family.

"In this neighborhood you only have a couple of options for food and most of them are questionable," said Auguste, 33.

"I love the fact that I'm digesting natural food."

The Youth Farm at the High School for Public Service transformed a vacant schoolyard into a colorful 10,000-square-foot farm. Also, in a school parking lot in Bensonhurst, another farm will open next spring.

The new farms join four older farms in Red Hook, East New York and Bed-Stuy that are doing more business than ever.

They grow everything from collard greens to tomatoes and sell their goods at markets during the harvest season of May to November.

The farms and markets are good news in neighborhoods where healthy food is hard to come by, said city Health Department assistant commissioner Dr. Aletha Maybank.

Seven out of 10 central Brooklyn adults are overweight or obese and 45% of kids are in the same boat, she said.

"People don't have enough access to healthy food," said Maybank. "These farms are helping to change that."

With more farms and markets taking food stamps, more residents of low income neighborhoods are willing to shop at them, she said. Four years ago, only four farmers' markets in Brooklyn accepted food stamps. Now there are 18.

At East New York Farms, about 60% of the 70,000 pounds of fresh vegetables and fruit sold at the farmers' market each season are paid for with food stamps.

"I'd rather spend my money on healthy stuff than unhealthy supermarket products," said Janet Brown, 42, a skin therapist who lost 26 pounds this year in part, she says, because she's eating more fresh produce from the East New York farm.

"Many people in this neighborhood are obese," said Brown. "Now they have healthier choices."


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Sources: NY Daily News, Youtube, Google Maps

Romney Releases Anti-Obama Web Ad: Jobs! Obama's Fire??

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Today 2012 GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney Released A Web Attack Ad That Hits At Pres. Obama's Citizenship & The Current Unemployment Crisis. (i.e., "Bump In The Road")

You Know Folks I say Its About Time Pres. Obama Start Displaying Some "Fire In His Belly" By Defending His Record & Agenda With A Little More Gusto.

Of Course I'm Voting For Pres. Obama In 2012 But I Still Need Him To Strike Back Against Some Of The GOP's False Negative Rhetoric! Like Right Now!!

Especially As It Relates To TRUTH About The Unemployment Rate.

For Example Pres. Obama Needs To Let The American People Know That Since Regaining The U.S. House In November 2010, GOP Leaders Have INTENTIONALLY Refused To Pass Any Jobs Creation Bills Because They Don't Care About Helping Unemployed People.

They Just Care About Taking Down Pres. Obama By Any Means Necessary!

Even If It Means Sinking The U.S. Economy Via EXTREME, RADICAL Unfair, Unequal Budget Cuts Disguised As "Deficit Reduction".

And By The Way Where Is The Progressive Barack Obama Of 2008?

I Miss Him!

ALL Democrats & Independents Miss Him!!

We All Know That Pres. Obama Is Only Human (What A Revelation!).

If He's Tired, Then He Should Do What All Of The WHITE Former Presidents Always Did When They Were Tired, Even During An Economic Crisis!

Not Excluding Former Pres. George W. Bush!

Go To Camp David Or On Vacation To Get Some Rest & Relaxation Each Weekend.

After All Its A Scientific Fact Human Beings Function & Think Best After Resting.

Contrary To Popular GOP Belief, Pres. Obama Is NOT A SLAVE!!

He Is The Legally ELECTED Leader Of The United States Of America!

Who Cares If GOP Leaders On Capitol Hill Or 2012 GOP Candidates Talk About Pres. Obama If He Does Take A Short Break From The White House Each Weekend.

Its Better To Rest On The Weekend In Order To Be Fully Alert & On Point Monday Thru Friday, So He Can Best Serve His Constituents, Then Allow GOP Lawmakers To Break Him Down Mentally & Physically.

Which Is What They Have Been Trying To Do For 2 Years Straight!

Yes! Obama Supporters Really Need Pres. Obama To Be On Task & To Begin Striking Back At Attack Ads Like Mitt Romney's Recent "Bump In The Road" Web Ad.

I Repeat.

By The Way Where Is The Barack Obama Of 2008?

I Miss Him & I Believe Its Time He Resurfaces.

VOTE OBAMA IN 2012!!


Romney Hits ‘Bump In The Road’: Attack Ad Blasts Obama For Phrase Romney Used


Today, Mitt Romney released a new web ad excoriating Obama for saying that there will be “bumps in the road” to economic recovery. The ad features a bunch of people laying down in the road who slowly rise up and say, “I’m an American, not a bump in the road.”

Before Romney’s consultants decided the phrase would be a potent political weapon, he used it himself in the same way as Obama. From the AP, May 1, 2006:

Romney Warns of Potential ‘Bumps in the Road’ for Health Care Law

Massachusetts faces potential “bumps in the road” as it tries to turn the promises of its new health care law into a reality, Gov. Mitt Romney said Monday even as he announced another crucial step in the state’s experiment with near universal coverage. [...]

One of the most daunting tasks is the creation of an entirely new state bureaucracy, known “Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector” the bureaucratic infrastructure on which much of the new law’s innovative reforms rest.

The connector is supposed to work as a clearing house matching the uninsured with new health care plans.

Romney said for the connector to work, “the computer systems are going to need to be able to deal with a half a million people buying insurance through an entity that doesn’t exist today.”

“So many parties have to come together that achieving this timetable even if there are no bumps in the road will be very difficult,” he said.

So in this instance, Romney is telling people who need health insurance to expect “bumps in the road” before they get health care coverage. This is the same message that Obama is communicating about the recovery to people who need jobs in America.

As Romney knew then (and likely knows now), using the phrase does not communicate that those impacted are merely “bumps.” The latest ad demonstrates his willingess to exploit anything Obama says for even the smallest political advantage.


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Sources: MSNBC, Think Progress, Vanity Fair, Youtube, Google Maps

Charlotte's Famers Markets Eliminates "Food Deserts" With Food Stamps

Charlotte Farmers Markets Trying To Take Food Stamps


They are called "Food Deserts", Charlotte neighborhoods where people have little or no access to fresh produce and other healthy groceries.

But a new farmers market in South End is trying provide an oasis for those food deserts.

The Atherton Mill Farmers Market just decided to open more days and more hours because there’s been such a demand.

“I like to buy local produce and meat and this is the only farmers market that carries all local stuff, so that's why I like to come here,” Patti Kelly says.

She lives nearby, in South End, just outside of uptown, a part of town a recent study called a food desert.

A food desert is an area where fresh produce is hard to find or hard to get to for the people in the neighborhood. The goal is to bring more farmers markets to Charlotte and make them accessible to everyone.

“We would be able to make fresh food available to record number of low income individuals in this area,” says Lynn Shanklin Caldwell, who runs the market.

Caldwell and the vendors are trying to get permission to take food stamps.

But it's a process; right now they're trying to get approval for a state grant.

“It would be great to keep food dollars in our local economy supporting local farmers, versus supporting big box grocery store,” Caldwell says.

It would also be great Kelly says, if everyone had equal access.

“Food loses its nutrients as it travels, knowing it came less than a few hundred miles from where you live is important.”

If you want to check out the Atherton Mills Market, they are located at 2104 South Boulevard in Charlotte and have new, extended hours.

Tuesday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Wednesday: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.


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Sources: WCNC, Whitehouse.gov, Youtube, Google Maps

Michelle Obama On Larry King Live: Childhood Obesity, Health Care, etc.,

First Lady: Childhood Obesity Fight Is About Fitness, Not Looks


Michelle Obama says her call for the country to fight childhood obesity isn't about physical appearances, but rather quality of life.

"Teachers are seeing the challenges that kids with weight issues are having -- not being able to participate in gym, feeling a little more sluggish," the first lady told CNN's "Larry King Live" on Tuesday. "It's not about weight ... it's about fitness and it's about overall nutrition."

Obama earlier Tuesday introduced the "Let's Move" campaign, which aims to reduce childhood obesity in the United States within a generation. Obama asked parents, teachers, physicians, coaches and kids to get involved and suggested they look at the new Let's Move Web site for helpful tips, strategies and updates on beating obesity in children.

The first lady, during the "Larry King Live" interview, said a doctor got her own family to take a hard look at its exercise and eating habits, even though she thought she already was doing everything she could to promote healthy lifestyles for her own grade-school daughters.

The family, while her husband was campaigning, was eating too much fast food, she said. A pediatrician "saw a little uptick in the kids' [body mass index], and he kind of pulled me aside," she said.

"I was shocked at first because I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do, and I hadn't noticed any changes in my kids, so it was a little bit shocking and a little disorienting," Obama said. "But I went home, and it was kind of a wake-up call, and we made some changes even with busy schedules."

The changes, she said, included smaller portion sizes, more cooked meals, a dessert ban on weekdays and substituting sugary drinks with milk, water and fresh-squeezed juices. "The point is that small changes made a difference," she said.

That interview aired hours after she announced the Let's Move initiative at the White House. The program focuses on what families, communities and the public and private sectors can do to help fight childhood obesity, which she and health experts have termed an epidemic in the United States.

"There are more and more kids with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure today than ever before. Things we used to see only in adults," she said at the White House.

From more farmers markets to increasing physical activity in schools or expanding and modernizing the President's Physical Fitness Challenge, the first lady said the Obama administration will partner with public health professionals and private companies to address the obesity issue.

"About one-third of our children are overweight or obese. None of us want that for our country," she said. "It's time to get moving."

Mayors, doctors, members of the Cabinet, and leaders in sports, entertainment and business joined the first lady for the announcement.

Former NFL player Tiki Barber introduced several speakers, including a pediatrician, an urban farmer and mayors from Mississippi and Massachusetts.

President Obama signed a memorandum earlier Tuesday morning establishing a federal task force to tackle childhood obesity, calling it "one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country."

"We think that this has enormous promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that oftentimes are very difficult," he said.

The task force, according to the memorandum, will have 90 days to craft a plan encouraging "optimal coordination" between the federal government and both the private and nonprofit sectors. Several Cabinet members, including the secretaries of Interior, Agriculture and Health and Human Services, will serve on the task force to complement Michelle Obama's public awareness effort.

In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the first lady urged America's parents to turn off the television, drink more water and serve smaller portions to curb the growing public health problem.

She stressed that parents need the tools to make it easier to understand how to help their kids stay healthy. She said many parents know certain foods are bad for their kids, but don't know the solutions.

"They feel like the deck is stacked against them. They feel guilty," she said. "We need to help them."

The administration, in partnership with public health professionals and private companies, will address these issues in several ways:

First, according to Obama, package labels should be easier to read.

By the end of the year, the Food and Drug Administration will begin working with retailers and manufacturers to adopt new nutritionally sound and consumer friendly front-of-package labeling to provide 65 million parents in America and other caregivers with easy access to the information they need to make healthy choices for their children.

The average soda contains 110 calories, yet many kids drink one or more a day. In an effort to make kids and parents more aware of these calories, the American Beverage Association has voluntarily committed to put calorie labels on the front of its cans, bottles, vending and fountain machines within two years. The label will reflect total calories per container, up to 20 ounces and 12-ounce serving size in multiserve containers.

School lunches also will play a big role.

According to the White House, on school days, many American children consume more than half their daily calories at school, and more than 30 million of these kids participate in the National School Lunch Program.

With this program, students will have access to healthier food in schools through several initiatives:

• The Obama administration is requesting an investment of an additional $10 billion over 10 years, starting in 2011, to improve the quality of the school lunch and breakfast programs, increase the number of kids participating and ensure that schools have the resources they need to make program changes.

• With the money, more fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods and low-fat dairy products will be served in school cafeterias.

• Major school food suppliers are to decrease the sugar, fat and salt in school meals over 10 years, and also increase whole grains and produce served within 10 years.

Obama also set an ambitious goal to eliminate food deserts, which are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

"Let's move to ensure all our families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities," she said. "We're making a commitment to completely eliminating food deserts in America. And we plan to do that within seven years."

The Center for Science in the Public Interest applauded Obama for taking on childhood obesity.

The "first lady has the clout and visibility to change that and mobilize the nation's resources to address the problem," the nonprofit health advocacy group said.

Obama encouraged doctors and parents to work together to help kids stay healthy.

In this initiative, the American Academy of Pediatrics will educate its members about obesity to make sure pediatricians regularly measure a child's body mass index and identify a weight problem early. If a child is getting heavy, the physician can write an official prescription for healthy, active living.

Body mass index is a number -- calculated from height, weight, age and gender -- that measures body fat.

On Tuesday, Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said there are ways to encourage activity -- like making charts recording children's TV time and having children set jump-roping, running and fitness goals.

"This is a long-term commitment to our children's health," she said. "It will take a concerted effort among all of us -- the whole nation -- to create healthier communities for our children. We must take on this challenge."

The number of overweight children ages 6 to 19 has tripled since 1970, a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study found.

Obama concluded her statements quoting President Franklin Roosevelt.

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."


Sources: CNN, Larry King Live, Let's Move.gov

Michelle Obama Launches Childhood Obesity Prevention Program..."Let's Move!"

First Lady Calls For United Effort To Fight Childhood Obesity


Michelle Obama is telling America that it's time to get moving.

In a news conference at noon Tuesday at the White House, the First Lady introduced a national effort to combat childhood obesity.

"We're determined to take on one of the most serious threats -- and that's the epidemic of childhood obesity today," she said.

Called The Let's Move campaign, the program focuses on what families, communities and the public and private sectors can do to help fight childhood obesity, which she and health experts have termed an epidemic in the United States. The campaign aims to take steps to reduce childhood obesity within a generation.

Mayors, doctors, members of the Cabinet, and leaders in sports, entertainment and business joined the First Lady.

Former NFL player Tiki Barber introduced several speakers including a pediatrician, an urban farmer, and mayors from Mississippi and Massachusetts.

President Obama signed a memorandum earlier Tuesday morning establishing a federal task force to tackle childhood obesity, calling it "one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country."

"We think that this has enormous promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that oftentimes are very difficult."

The task force, according to the memorandum, will have 90 days to craft a plan encouraging "optimal coordination" between the federal government and both the private and nonprofit sectors. Several Cabinet members, including the secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services, will serve on the task force to complement Obama's public awareness effort.

In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the first lady urged America's parents to turn off the television, drink more water and serve smaller portions to curb the growing public health problem.

Obama was to comment on how many parents understand the impact of unhealthy food choices and the lack of exercise on their children's health, yet don't know how to make the simple changes to help their kids.

The administration, in partnership with public health professionals and private companies will address these issues in several ways:

First, according to Obama, package labels should be easier to read.

By the end of the year, the Food and Drug Administration will begin working with retailers and manufacturers to adopt new nutritionally sound and consumer friendly front-of-package labeling to provide 65 million parents in America and other caregivers with easy access to the information they need to make healthy choices for their children.

The first lady is also expected to emphasize the need to cut calories.

The average soda contains 110 calories, yet many kids drink one or more a day. In an effort to make kids and parents more aware of these calories, the American Beverage Association has voluntarily committed to put calorie labels on all of front of its cans, bottles, vending and fountain machines within two years. The label will reflect total calories per container, up to 20 ounces and 12-ounce serving size in multiserve containers.

And school lunches also play a big role.

According to the White House, on school days, many American children consume more than half their daily calories at school, and more than 30 million of these kids participate in the National School Lunch Program.

With this program, students will have access to healthier food in schools through several initiatives:

The Obama administration is requesting an investment of an additional $10 billion over 10 years, starting in 2011, to improve the quality of the school lunch and breakfast programs, increase the number of kids participating and ensure that schools have the resources they need to make program changes.

With the money, more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products will be served in school cafeterias.

Major school food suppliers are to decrease the sugar, fat and salt in school meals over 10 years, and also increase whole grains and produce served within 10 years.

The first lady encouraged doctors and parents to work together to help kids stay healthy.

In this initiative, the American Academy of Pediatrics will educate their members about obesity to make sure pediatricians measure a child's body mass index on a regular basis and identify a weight problem early. If a child is getting heavy, the physician can write an official prescription for healthy, active living.

Body mass index is a number -- calculated from height, weight, age and gender -- that measures body fat.

On Tuesday, Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said there are ways to encourage activity -- like making charts recording children's TV time and having children set jump-roping, running and fitness goals.

"This is a long-term commitment to our children's health," she said. "It will take a concerted effort among all of us -- the whole nation to create healthier communities for our children. We must take on this challenge."

During a speech last month at a Virginia YMCA, the first lady spoke about health issues caused by childhood obesity.

"We've seen the surge in obesity in this country is nothing short of a public health crisis, and it's threatening our children, it's threatening our families, and more importantly it's threatening the future of this nation," she said. "Higher rates of obesity are directly linked, as you've heard, to higher rates of chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer and diabetes."

The number of overweight children ages 6 to 19 has tripled since 1970, a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study found.

During her speech at the YMCA, Michelle Obama shared strategies she has used with her own children.

She helped her daughters stay active by limiting television watching, she said. The first lady also cut back on meal sizes and sugary drinks, and added more fruits, vegetables and water to their diet.

"It was really very minor stuff. But these small changes resulted in some really significant improvements," Obama said.


Sources: CNN