America's oil disaster

America's worst environmental disaster is wreaking havoc on the Marine wildlife in the Gulf Coast, and many are worried that after the oil is cleared up the long term effects could prove to be ever so frightening.

A government report released a week ago stated that 75 percent of the oil that gushed into the Gulf of New Mexico has been collected. According to the head of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, the oil is being degraded and cleaned up on shore. There is a lot of damage below the surface that we can't see, and no one knows if the marine wildlife will ever be the same. BP has taken responsibility for their actions, but the cost for this disaster is having harmful effects on the already shaky economy.

Two hundred and sixty million gallons of oil has proven to be America's worst nightmare, and the local ecosystem and fishing communities still haven't recovered. The U.S. has just recently opened around 9 percent of the Gulf of Mexico's fishing areas closed by the BP Oil Company saying the seafood is safe to eat. Many tests were given to insure this.

The seafood industry is feeling the effects of this crisis as the seafood production is down 60 percent from last year. You can help out by simply going online to a variety of websites no-hunger.org, and ccstb.org to those affected by the oil spill, and you can also sign up to volunteer online or by phone to help with the cleanup efforts.

Leonardo DiCaprio's road to success

The Sci-Fi blockbuster hit "Inception" is catching movie-goers all around the world. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the Sci-Fi thriller playing an espionage expert who has a highly specialized way of stealing corporate secrets, which involves extracting them from within the dreams of his targets. The opening of the movie goes on the list for being DiCaprio's biggest opening movie yet, topping "Titanic" in 1997.

Let's go back many years to explore the man behind the screen who went on to achieve much triumph. When the movie Titanic came out in 1997 women fell in love with DiCaprio's personality and his sheer good looks, but movie critics had the opposite opinion: they claimed his role in "Titanic" was anything but talent. Throughout the years after Titanic DiCaprio would prove them wrong.

DiCaprio's opportunity for a comeback came in 2002 when he starred in the movie "Gangs of New York," which was set amidst urban uprisings, and the 1863 Civil War Draft Riots. His role captures the violence and the character of a young Irish American who sees his father, the leader of an Irish immigrant street gang, get killed in a street brawl. Critics everywhere applauded DiCaprio's role in the movie. Many were stunned by his performance and would be stunned again and again.

DiCaprio tested his skill and talent in the movie "The Aviator," which required him to jump from one extreme emotion to the other. His performance in this film was highly praised as he played the eccentric Howard Hughes, which depicts the early years of the legendary director and aviator's career.

DiCaprio went on to make many more films including "Blood Diamond" in 2006, "Revolutionary Road" in 2008, and his latest film "Inception" is wowing audiences everywhere. His career has had some ups and downs, but he has always come out on top. If you haven't seen Inception, you might be in for a mind-bending roller coaster.

Phone jailbreaking made legal

Owners of Iphones along with other smart phone users can now legally jailbreak their phone due to a recent government ruling. The controversial practice of jailbreaking has been an issue with many phone companies, and Apple along with other companies fought hard against legalizing jailbreaking, but as of July 26, it is now legal.

Jailbreaking is the practice of unlocking a phone so it can be used on another network or run other applications other than the network it belongs to. Jailbreaking has been illegal for years, but with the legalization this will bring many benefits for smart phone users.

I don't see what the controversy of jailbreaking is because it gives cellphone users choices and benefits, but Apple argues that it was a form of copyright violation. Not only are you getting applications for free by jailbreaking, but you get many options for what phone you want along with what service provider best fits you.

When jailbreaking was illegal Apple announced that one million Iphones users have jailbroken their handsets. So either way it's going to happen.

Even though many cell phone providers are not happy with the ruling, I think this is a celebration for many smart phone users. Now smart phone users can breathe easier knowing that there won't be any legal penalties for jailbreaking.

June: Hottest Month Ever Worldwide

According to reports released by National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), June was the hottest month ever recorded worldwide, since temperatures readings have been recorded.

The heat waves hit close to home in America as many people noticed much warmer temperatures during the latter part of June. In Albuquerque, New Mexico temperatures rose about 10 to 15 degrees above average. Many cities across New Mexico reached above the 110 degree mark.

As for the month of July, weather forecasters have said we will be cooling down, because of cooler waters around the Equator which will lower temperatures on land.

But there are always precautions to make when the summer heat hits. Whether you work inside or outside make sure to drink plenty of liquids all day long, preferably water. Wear light clothing, and try to stay in the shade if you can. Always put on sun-screen, because many of us have had at least one painful sunburn and know how much it hurts. Putting on sunscreen is essential to protecting you from the sun's harmful UV rays. Not everyone has an air conditioner they can enjoy during the summer, so if you don't make sure to have plenty of air circulation, and buy a fan. The elderly need to be especially careful in the heat because they are more at risk for having heat strokes.

If you have to be out in the heat, make sure to take precautions. If not, enjoy the air conditioning. The heat is hard on people of all ages, and proper precautions could save you a trip to the ER because of a preventable heat stroke.

Mel Gibson Madness

Rumors have circulated that Mel Gibson would flee the country after much media buzz has been surrounding him after his ex girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva leaked tapes of Gibson screaming at her and threatening to burn down the house along with other hostile language.

Gibson will have to reconsider leaving the country and fleeing to his home town of Australia because he is now subject to a domestic violence investigation. Other reports have said this to be false, and that Gibson is not leaving the country and is focusing on work.

The evidence that Grigorieva has gathered against Gibson in regards to the recordings won’t change the direction of the case, because in the state of California live recordings are admissible in court unless the person is not told that they’re being recorded. Mel reportedly had no idea that he was being recorded.

Regardless of whether he was told or not that he was being recorded, he should be held accountable for his actions. Though the laws in California will dismiss the evidence I believe that Grigorieva shouldn’t stop there. There are also other reports of Gibson admitting on one of the tapes that he hit their child. If this were to be true, would the courts still dismiss that evidence?

When it comes to a child in any violent situation, I think there should be quick action taken to keep that child safe. There are still custody battles between Gibson and Grigorieva, but Gibson is still allowed visitation rights. It has been said that if you have power, money and fame that you could do anything and get away with anything. I hope this is not true in Mel Gibson's case, because he is clearly a disturbed man who needs medical and psychiatric evaluation.

Lindsay Lohan Sentence A Joke

Last month 24-year-old Lindsay Lohan was sentenced to 90 days of jail time for violating her probation by missing alcohol education classes that a court ordered her to take. So Tuesday, the actress surrendered herself to a court and was taken to the Century Regional Retention Facility in Lynwood to start her sentence of, get this, not 90 days, but two weeks. The reason? Overcrowding at the jail. To add to the mockery, Lohan will have her own cell, in seclusion from the rest of the general population.

Here's a little more about the three-year probation Lohan violated. First there was the arrest on Memorial Day weekend in 2007 for a hit-and-run crash; then there was the arrest two months later for leading a chase in an SUV. In August 2007, she pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of being under the influence of cocaine; no contest to two counts of driving with a blood alcohol level over 0.08 and one count of reckless driving. 

So she was sentenced to three years probation and still can't get it right. And to punish her and teach her a lesson she will serve only 14 days? Something's familiar here. That same isolated 12x8 cell that Lohan will have to put up with for two weeks was also inhabited by Paris Hilton ... for a lot shorter stay. In fact, the cell isn't the only thing the two celebrities have in common. Hilton's legal troubles were almost identical to Lohan's. 

In September 2006, "The Simple Life" star was arrested on charges of drunk driving. In January 2007, she was sentenced to three years probation which she also later violated. 

On Sunday, June 3, 2007, Hilton started what should have been a 45-day sentence. Instead, she walked out five days later on that Thursday. Why? "Medical considerations." From what I recall, her doctor was concerned because Hilton was "depressed" due to her circumstances. So she served the rest of her "sentence" at home wearing a monitoring bracelet. Okay. No one is doing cartwheels in jail. It's jail. It's not the Four Seasons!

I dare say that there is an obvious pattern. It seems that if you are wealthy, famous, and used to getting whatever you want on a whim, you shouldn't serve time in jail - at least not for any significant amount of time. It seems that this applies whether or not you drive drunk, engage in life-endangering high speed chases, snort cocaine, drive on a suspended license and violate court-ordered mandates.

What about a "regular" person? Do you think he/she will have to sit out the full sentence in jail? I think they will. Do you think that if he/she were to become depressed because jail just plain and simple SUCKS, he/she would be freed due to "medical considerations"? I think not. And can you imagine an inmate being secluded from the general population just because? I can't.

It's a joke. If celebrities have the gumption to do drugs, drive drunk, endanger lives repeatedly, they should have the gumption to serve the time. They are human like we all are. The only difference is that the world does not know the "regular" person; the regular person isn't popular, "attractive", wealthy or spoiled. That's it!! I guess Lohan can't separate fact from fiction, nor can the people swooning around these celebrities waiting on them hand and foot. This isn't "Mean Girls". This is real life and Life has consequences. So for goodness sakes, grow up, do your time, and get over it. 

You've made your bed. Lie in it. 

Health discovery may be answer to HIV vaccine

Researchers and scientists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious diseases say they have found three human antibodies that neutralize more than 90 percent of the current HIV-1 strands.

In order to find three human antibodies, doctors had to find someone who had a good immune response against the virus that causes AIDS. It's very rare to find someone who has a good immune response, but now they have found one.

This is astonishing to me that there is a good chance that researchers have found a vaccine to cure HIV/AIDS. This virus is the worlds leading infectious killer according to the World Health Organization. An estimated 2 million people are living with AIDS in America and the numbers keep rising. Around the world there are 33 million people living with the virus, and among many cities and countries around the world India has had the most AIDS cases with 5.7 million.

There are many circulating myths of how HIV evolved, and how it became the deadly pandemic of today. The virus has stunned doctors, scientists, and researchers all over the world raising questions of its origin and how it affects people. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) attacks the immune system, but its harmful affects happen slowly, so many people who could have it won't show any symptoms in some cases, years after they have it according to research. It is now generally accepted that HIV came from SIV (Simian Immunodeficiency Virus) found in monkeys of west Africa. These viruses could have crossed species over to humans, but there is much debate over how exactly humans contracted HIV.

The next step after finding these three HIV antibodies is to put them to the test, and make sure other people who aren't infected other than the ones who are can create those same antibodies. The ultimate goal is to produce a mass amount of antibodies to wipe out Aids completely in the future.

The number of people living with AIDS has increased dramatically from 8 million in 1990 to 33 million today. This health discovery of three vital antibodies may be hope for many who are struggling everyday for a life because of HIV.

Cavaliers owner gets heated when Lebron signs with the Heat

Though it was a tough decision for Lebron about which team he would choose between five other choices, his decision was finally set on Miami. He announced his decision on a televised sports special from the Boys and Girls Club in Greenwich, Conn.

Though it was a happy day for Lebron James, I can't say the same for Cavaliers' owner Dan Gilbert. After hearing news that Lebron chose Miami, Gilbert expressed his feelings about Lebron's decision by saying that "This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional, build up culminating with a national TV special of his decision." Gilbert goes on to say that Lebron is bringing the curse with him to Miami Heat.

Dan Gilbert is only worried about championships, and his words will definitely come back to haunt him. It's unprofessional and child -like that he would go and say these things about a player that fulfilled his obligations, and this goes for any player.

Along with Lebron choosing Miami, the Heat have also brought back six-time All-Star Dwayne Wade, and Miami has also agreed to contract terms with five-time All-Star Chris Bosh. They will combine their skills to try and win a championship.

As for Lebron choosing Miami, it was his choice, and Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert should respect his decision whether he likes it or not. Gilbert should understand the business by now and how it works instead of calling people names.

Tiger's wife to get 100 million

According to reports Tiger Woods' wife Elin will get 100 million in their divorce settlement. With Tiger reportedly being worth 600 million, both Tiger and Elin agree that they don't want an ugly public divorce.

What started a roller coaster of events happened in November when much of Woods private life became public after he crashed his car into a tree at his Florida home. Rumors of lovers along with email messages Tiger had sent to multiple women about explicit sexual content became public and Tigers' humiliation was on the mainstream.

Tiger then went forward and released a statement explaining his deepest apologies, and how he was worried about the welfare of his kids because of much publicized and media attention following them. If Tiger didn't want all this attention then maybe he should of thought about that before he became intimately involved with multiple women. I sympathize greatly for the well-being of these children who have been through so much because of their father's bad choices.

I think Elin absolutely deserves the divorce settlement money not only for the pain and agony that her and her children went through, but for the public embarassment and humiliation that their family had to go through. No one should ever have to deal with a family crisis along with millions of people watching.

The king's glove sells for 190K

Michael Jackson's swarovski crystal-studded glove that he wore at his 1984 victory tour has been sold at an auction for $190,000, which is more than 10 times its value. He is the most collectible sought after celebrity and biggest entertainer of all time. It's not a big shock that his glove drew so much money, when people from all over the world came to the auction.

The original price for the glove was estimated to be worth around $20,000 to $30,000. Nearly one million dollars worth of Michael Jackson memorabilia was sold at the auction.

Many people grew up listening to the The Jackson Five, and I never can forget the song "ABC." When Michael broke out to a single vocal career I knew he he had amazing talents, but I never thought he would be gone one day. He has definitely made a mark on not only the music industry, but everyday people who loved hearing his songs or watching him perform.

Michael has left behind his music and his performing phenomenon that has shook the world and made it dance through their hearts. As Michael would say " I will never stop helping and loving people the way Jesus said to." Michael Jackson

Mom has triplets at 66

After undergoing in vitro fertilization 66-year-old Bhateri Devi gave birth to triplets in India after being married to her 64-year-old husband for 44 years. The babies are underweight, weighing less than three pounds each, which causes concern.

In vitro fertilization is a dangerous procedure in which egg cells are fertilized by sperm outside the womb, and is a major treatment to infertility. In 2008 the success rate for in vitro fertilization was 57 percent success for women under the age of 35. Now that percentage goes down as women who are older try the procedure.

According to Norwegian research women who undergo in vitro fertilization are five times at risk for developing complications during pregnancy known as placenta praevia, where the placenta attaches over the mother's cervix.

I understand that there are many women who can't have children, but undergoing in vitro vertilization is not the safest way to have a child. Risks of bleeding, miscarriage and premature delivery are all risks to keep in mind. I don't think it's worth it when you run the risk of hurting yourself and your child for that matter.

There are other means of raising children, such as adoption. There are many children around the world who need good homes and a parent to love them. Although it may not be your own child, love is love and a child out there needs it.

I think that it's great that this woman had children after being infertile for so many years, but these children run risks of health complications. Anyone who should decide such procedures should consult their doctor, and do research of their own before making a decision.

Texting while driving

Of course every teen always gets the lash for texting while driving. Although they are culprits of texting while driving, a new study says that adults are just as likely to do it.

The study found that nearly half of adults said they had sent messages while driving, and 26 percent of teens agreed that they had sent messages while driving as well. Texting while driving is extremely dangerous not only for you, but for drivers around you. Around 6,000 people die each year because of texting and driving.


Texting while driving can be related to drinking and driving because like drinking and driving, you have delayed responses and are not paying attention to the road because you are distracted. Studies have shown that texting and driving is worse than drinking and driving in some cases. Whether you think you are the best texter while driving, think again before you put other people's lives at risk, and know the risks.

Several states have banned texting while driving because of many accidents that is caused by them. So play it safe and wait till your car is parked before texting, because whoever you are texting, I'm sure they can wait for you to respond.

Chicago subway fire leaves 19 injured

A Chicago subway fire sends 19 to the hospital this past Sunday afternoon, and track grease is to blame according to CTA subway officials. The fire occured just north of downtown Chicago on the underground Red Line tracks. One hundred rescue workers responded to the blaze and the fire was put out in five minutes according to fire officials.

According to a spokesman for the Chicago fire department the sparks were ignored by passing trains. If someone sees sparks they should automatically be alerted to get help, so why didn't the train conductors alert anyone to avoid a dangerous situation?
There have been many instances involving trains where CTA personnel didn't take the proper precautions. For example a little less than a year ago I think many of us remember hearing about a 22 month year-old in her stroller being caught by the redline doors as it was moving, while the mother watched in hooror. Although the child is fine, this is still a very sad story that could be prevented.

Train conductors are supposed to watch and make sure that people aren't stuck in the doors before they start moving the train. If proper precautions were taken in the subway fire, we would have 19 less people who sustained injuries.

More To Love? Study Shows Marriage Linked to Obesity

We've all heard the old saying "Letting yourself go." More often than not, this has been attributed to gaining weight once people are in a solid relationship. While it may be easy to laugh this concept off, a recent study is believed to have proven a link between obesity and marriage.

Researchers followed 6,949 American adolescents into young adulthood report that those who married proved twice as likely to reach obesity as opposed to their single/dating counterparts. Living together also suffered similar results with higher odds of weight gain. Women were more greatly affected than men.

Reasons behind the unhealthy weight gain are attributed to more frequency of eating and larger portions when eating. Many people already make note of their own lack of ambition to keep up with fitness once they have "hooked" and been "hooked" in return.

A good question to ask is: Do we really stop working once we're off the market? Hopefully this article will serve as a warning to couples everywhere to focus on getting and staying healthy. Ask yourself the last time you and your partner set goals of weight loss and exercise. If it's been awhile, it's time to get yourselves in gear. Make sure you do everything you can to support (not nag) one another about being healthy. Watch what food gets brought home and what temptations (eating out, drinking) you present to one another.

Time also proved to be a factor as partners who lived together over two years showed higher results. On a bright note, married people tend to overall be healthier and live longer than single individuals. The full article on the relationship/obesity study can be found here in the Calgary Herald.

Electronic Entertainment Expo

It’s a gamer's dream, something they look forward to all year. The 16th Electronic Entertainment Expo is the largest gaming convention in the world, where the biggest news in the video gaming world is made. The convention is located in Los Angeles, California June 15-17.

To attend the convention you’ll need an invitation to see the latest products that companies are showcasing to the world and the next generation in computer and video games entertainment. Only registered interactive entertainment industry professionals are allowed to attend the show.

Updates to the "Halo," "Gran Turismo" and "Little Big Planet" franchises are on the list for the big announcements of new games as well as featuring video gaming in 3-D. For extreme gamers there will be displays of social-gaming efforts hoping to be the next "FarmVille" or "Mafia Wars."

This is a great opportunity for gamers not only to check out the latest games in the industry, but to meet gamers like themselves as well. Networking is another opportunity that these gamers can take advantage of.

Almost every home in America has some sort of pc or video game that they play. Games have become a part of people’s lives to learn problem solving techniques as well as socially and physically interactive games such as the Wii. Let’s see what the convention has to offer this year.

Testing limits

WWE wrestling has been known for its share of violence, vulgar language, and for its biggest athletes in the world. On June 7 during Monday Night Raw the limits seemed to be tested.

Towards the end of the show John Cena, one of the top wrestlers of WWE raw faced CM Punk in the ring. During the match between Cena and CM Punk, eight NXT rookie wrestlers interrupted the match. They continued toward the ring from the crowd as they surrounded Cena, and knocked the referee out of the ring. They didn’t look happy, and what happened next left me speechless. As Cena was beat to the ground with punches to the face and kicks to the chest, the crowd became silent. The eight wrestlers then started attacking the time keepers, innocent bystanders, and started tearing apart the stage and ring in its entirety. After they finished what they came there to do, they left the ring. John Cena


Although I understand that this may have been staged, I know a lot of children who watch this show and take it seriously. Children look up to these wrestlers as role models and tremendous athletes.

How do you think this makes a child feel watching one guy get beat up by eight wrestlers his size or better? It’s not to be taken lightly, and parents should monitor what their kids watch, because often times children will mimic what they hear or see. This is a dangerous concept, and it teaches kids that eight guys on one will always win and get their way. It shows violence as being the only alternative.

Anyone who watches WWE raw should know that these athletes are highly trained, and qualified to do the stunts they do without getting hurt. This show should not be taken seriously.

Slim Thug, Black Women and the Truth

The comments that rapper Slim Thug made about Black women and relationships have been under heavy fire for the past week, and let's just say that Black women are livid.

In a nutshell, the rapper-turned-relationship-expert-extraordinaire compared Black women with White, and Black women came out on the bottom, per his opinion. But this is not all that is to be said on the topic. Here is the article for reference, then continue on to the rest of the blog:

http://www.vibe.com/posts/slim-thug-black-women-need-stand-their-man-more

First, those comments were Slim Thug's opinions on women, plain and simple. Yet it's lit a fire under Black women that seems impossible to quench - so intense is the anger. I doubt that it's because Black women everywhere are upset at the notion that they will never be a part of Slim Thug's life. I don't think that it's because their lot is the same when it comes to Slim Thug's brother who also won't date Black women either.

Is it possibly because it was WHITE women who were celebrated in this article compared to Black women? Jackpot!

The fact that Slim compared White women to Black women and drew the conclusion that White women were more desirable than they, is more than a Black woman can take.

I don't believe in extremes, so to credit all White women with the ability to treat their men right and to doom Black women as companions that will never get it right is wrong. And since I don't believe in extremes, I'm not about to flip the script and dog white women either. Slim's approach was less than tasteful, but sadly, there was a lot of truth in what he said. Before I dive into those treacherous waters, there is something that Slim left out. He brags about what his half-white girlfriend does for him; he boasts of his brother's taunts that "Y'all gotta go through all that shit but my White woman is fine;" but there is no mention whatsoever of what he is doing for his woman. More on that later. Let me dive.

I sincerely believe that Black women DO need to stand by their men more, and I'll explain what I mean. Don't conjure up images in your head of being a doormat because that's the exact opposite of what it means to stand by your man. Does this sound familiar? "I don't need no man to take care of me," "I pay my own bills boo boo," "Ain't no man gonna tell me what to do!" It's the ATTITUDE behind these words that I'm addressing. The ATTITUDE.

It's this I'm-A-Stong-Black-Woman syndrome that keeps pushing men away. It's a defensive attitude that makes it impossible for Black women to treat men right! Black women carry this attitude into a relationship, and the man can't be ... a man. This defensive woman is always ready for an attack to come her way even where there is none. Here's an example, a REAL example. A couple is out on a date; this is very early in the relationship. The date is over, and the guy pulls to the curb in front of the girl's house. He gets out and runs around to her side to open the door for her. Her reaction? He's holding out his hand for her to take it, and she goes, "You don't have to do that for me; I know how to get out of a car." DAMN! Let the man be a man. (See, she doesn't NEED a man; this is how it's manifest in little situations.) Black women are so "strong" they don't realize that they are hiding fear, disappointment, cynicism, hurt and bitterness and calling it strength.

We can't have it both ways. I've seen the reaction on the faces of Black women when a Black man enters a room with a White woman on his arm.

Here are the comments from the Black women. "He's only with her for status;" "He must be rich or something;" "He only likes her because she's white;" "She's only with him because he's rich;" "He's a sell-out." And they are literally MAD at this guy that they don't even know! Who he dates is his business. Period. And here is the double standard. Chances are that if that same guy tried to approach one of these sisters he'd get shot down if he wasn't tall enough; dressed well enough; wasn't driving the right car .... There are so many things Black men have to do and be before they are suitable. No wonder they're sick and tired!

Let me ask the ladies this question. What are YOU bringing to the table. I'm tired of the "My man ... "conversations. You know what I mean. "My man will do this; my man will do that." What will YOU do for YOUR man? What are you offering? Are you educating yourself? Are you taking care of your body? Are you an independent thinker? Are you a leader? Are you willing to pamper your man? What are your goals? Can you carry a conversation about life, politics, art, music, community? Are you humble enough to cook for him if he wanted, or is that another, "Ain't no man gonna tell me ..." Are you willing to let him be a MAN? There is a word Slim used: King. Are you willing to treat your man like a KING? We always want to be some kind of queen.

Well you're only a queen if you are with a king. Can you make him feel that way day in and day out just by your actions? Can you? Or will it be all about you and what you want?

The old pining, "There are no good men out there" is false. They're out there. Some of you just don't see it because your definition of a "good man" needs adjusting. You date the player with money, nice car, great house, he spoils you rotten with material things, then when he cheats on you your heart is broken and you cry "There are no good men out there!" You looked for the wrong things as your criteria. It's like this. Let's say that you think the color red is really called "blue" and you're looking for a red shirt. You will go shopping and stare at red shirts all day, and eventually cry, "There are no red shirts anywhere!" It's right in front of you but because you aren't programmed to see it as red, because you think it's blue, you miss out. Good men are right in front of you, but if you don't see money, status, a certain look, or hear the right lyrics, you miss out. Revisit your definition of "good man."

I was not born or raised in this country. I'm not American, but I have lived here for quite some time, and I can tell you that Black women in America are very, very different. Of course I haven't met all the African American women in this country, but of those I HAVE met, I found many of them to have a defensiveness when it comes to men. It's like them against the men! And I understand that it comes from past hurt, pain and disappointment, but if you remember anything at all from this blog, please remember this - you CAN have meaningful, loving and LASTING relationships with your men. And I mean drama-free, gentle, fun, healthy, exciting, loving and faithful relationships. My husband is African American and he is amazing! I suppose I got one of the "good men;" but my point is that there is nothing more beautiful to me than letting my man be a MAN, and because he is a real man, hey, I don't mind cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, meeting his needs, because a real MAN reciprocates it right back to you. He does the same and more for me. It works BOTH ways. And this is where I go back to Slim and his neglect to mention what HE brings to the relationship.

Slim-the-counselor says that relationships should be 50/50, yet his article celebrates only what the White women are doing! Slim what are you bringing to the table?

And I'm not talking about being a rapper and making money and wearing bling. A real man does not want his woman to be a doormat that waits on him hand and foot. A real man doesn't brag that his woman does whatever he wants. My dog can do that - he's very well-trained. A real man isn't happy with a partner who isn't his equal. A real man wants to walk side-by-side with his woman - Black or White - and enjoy the journey together. And a real woman won't step in front of her man, put her hands on him, belittle or disrespect him. But she doesn't walk behind him either.

Slim is also off on another point. He says that relationships should be 50/50. WRONG!! They should be 100/100 with each person giving his or her all to the other. If you are not complete in yourself, you won't be able to really give anything to another person. Instead you will drain them in attempts to find fulfillment in them.

I may not have liked the way that Slim spoke in his article, but it doesn't mean that a message wasn't in there. Cut through it all, and be honest with yourselves: Black women need to step up and be the women they are meant to be. The impression the world is getting isn't a favorable one. Things have to change and it starts with just one woman.

It starts with you.

Sandra Bullock

Oscar Winner Sandra Bullock received a standing ovation from a supportive crowd of fans at the MTV Movie awards. Accepting the generation reward, people were more concerned about cheering her on in wake of the Jesse James cheating extravaganza.

She spoke to the crowd about people going back to normal and treating her like they always used to. "No matter what you might have seen or heard or read lately, I like what I'm doing and I'm not going anywhere. Speaking of what you might have seen or heard, I wanted to clarify some things: Number one, I'm not dead. Number two, everyone has cellulite, not just me."

Sandra appeared calm and collective, but I couldn't help but notice the hurt in her eyes. Behind her smiles and laughter seemed to be pained Sandra. Throughout her entire speech I couldn't help but think why people cheat and what cause them to do so. At the same time I thought of how opposite Jesse and Sandra were. Jesse being the tough biker kind of guy who must have been used to having several women around him at a time. Then Sandra is the laid back actress who seems to laugh and enjoy life without living on the edge like her ex-husband.

I tend to think that people always fall back into their old ways. In a weird way it was expected that Jesse would eventually go back to what he was used to. It is unfortunate that now Sandra is stuck dealing with this, but she should try to keep focusing on her own career and moving forward, never addressing the scandal in an acceptance speech of hers. He no longer deserves any attention on her part.

Pound for Pound Feeds America

Ever heard the phrase, "If you can't do it for yourself, do it for someone else"? Well, the motivation to lose weight might be as simple as that.

The hit reality series "The Biggest Loser" launched the Pound For Pound Challenge to help Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization that reaches all of America. Feeding America has hunger initiatives like their Backpack for Kids program. Here's an example of the work they are doing to fight hunger.

All you have to do is pledge to lose weight. For every pound you pledge to lose, up to 50 pounds, The Biggest Loser and General Mills will donate 14 cents to Feeding America - this will allow one pound of groceries to be delivered a local food bank in your area.

It's amazing how effective this is. All over America, people and organizations have banded together to lose weight. Companies have created dance and exercise classes so their employees can lose weight together and support each other while doing it. Individuals have joined with neighbors and friends to do the same. So far, 6,134,911 have been pledged by 210,538 U.S. participants.

So you can lose weight and do your part to end hunger at the same time. Talk about a win/win situation! Here are some ways you can help:

Pledge to lose weight at PFPChallenge.com to get started. Pledges are being accepted through June 30th.

Spread the word. The website offers you excellent options to share your journey with others. You can create a Pound For Pound Challenge team or become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/poundforpoundchallenge.

Donate directly to Feeding America at http://feedingamerica.org.

The program is in its final stages. Pledges are being accepted till June 30, so pledge right away. And remember, you can still fulfill your pledge goal by continuing to lose weight past the deadline.

So pledge to lose weight, and when you feel like you need some motivation, remember your commitment to improving your life is doing the same for someone else.

Summer Beauty

The extended days of hot summer calls for long lasting make-up to take you from day to night. The key to having a flawless face is moisturizer and foundation. Moisturizing your face is extremely important when it's hot outside, it keeps your face refreshed and hydrated giving you a smooth, untouched look.

Foundation is your next step. You always want an extra special glow to your face, beginning with basic foundation. Christian Dior's Capture Totale has a range of different shades for all skin types. For $76 this foundation will last you and make you feel flawless.

The next step to a perfect summer face is a highlighter on your cheeks. Peach and pink tone blushes are so in this season. Bronzed faces and thick powders are no longer the trend. Make sure to emphasize the features you already have by adding simple blushes to the apples of your cheeks. A simple tip, apply blush two fingers away from the bottom tip of your nose for a sexy cheek bone.

Now for the eyes. The most attractive thing on a woman is her alluring eyes. With a simple liquid liner on the top lid and long lashes, your eyes will stick out in a crowd. For a day time look, an all over shimmer eye shadow on your eyelid and mascara can be natural and beautiful. You don't want to look overdone in the summer days. As night falls, amp up your look by adding a dark shadow to outer crease of your eye and eye liner to the bottom lid. This smokey eye look is perfect for a night out.

Your last step to being a perfect summer beauty is a nude lip. This season nude lips are popular. This simplistic and clean lip allows attention to go to your dreamy eyes and flawless skin. Nouba by Nars is a sexy nude lip with a hint of sparkle in it. Adding Turkish Delight pink lip gloss really brightens your lip and finishes off the look.

There you have it, your summer tips for beauty. Remember to not go to heavy on make-up, especially in the summer. Enhancing the features you already have is what will make you feel beautiful. Walk with confidence and remember that you wear the make-up the make-up doesn't wear you.