Brain Dead Teen Leaves Hospital | Jahi McMath

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Patrice Ellerbe, Staff WriterLast Modified: 15:30 p.m. DST, 6 January 2014

Jahi McMath, 13-Year-Old Brain Dead Teen, Photo Courtesy of The Daily Mail

CALIFORNIA, United States - After battling obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder causing 13-year old Jahi McMath to stop breathing while asleep, doctor’s decided it was best for the teen to have her tonsils removed to ensure a better quality of life.

Just days after the tonsillectomy, what was supposed to be, simple surgery, the teen was declared brain dead.

Jahi, though still on a ventilator and without a feeding tube, was released into her mother’s care with the Alameda County coroner’s consent, on the evening of Sunday, 5 January 2014. According to CNN, Jahi McMath left the hospital with a critical care team.

According to the family’s attorney, Christopher Dolan, they have received threats from around the country, and for Jahi’s safety, they have chosen to sequester her in an undisclosed location.

The 13-year old went into surgery on 9 December 2013, and would have her tonsils, adenoids and extra sinus tissue removed, CNN states. Post-surgery the teen was normal, and according to McMath’s uncle, had a simple request for a Popsicle so she could soothe her sore throat.

According to CNN, the family stated, not long after the surgery something went terribly wrong. Jahi began to bleed excessively while in the intensive care unit at Childrens Hospital and Research Center Oakland. Jahi then went into cardiac arrest, and was announced brain dead on 12 December 2014, just days later.

McMath’s family had been fighting to keep her on life support, despite the hospital and an Oakland judge telling them she is legally dead. Childrens Hospital disagree with the family’s decision to removed Jahi from the hospital, however, according to CNN, after weeks long struggle between Childrens Hospital and Research Center Oakland, Jahi was released from the hospital and into her mother’s custody while they seek a hospital which will provide long-term care for Jahi.

New Beginnings Medical Center located in Medford, New York, stated they may be an option. Allyson Scerri, founder of New Beginnings, gave this statement:

“At this time we're named as the potential facility that Jahi and her family will be coming to, but we will know more details in a couple of hours, and we'll certainly be happy to let you know as we know.” In court documents from the previous week, Scerri stated in a letter, “"We are aware of Jahi McMath's dire situation, and we are willing to open our outpatient facility to provide 24-hour care as an inpatient, long-term facility for Jahi with the required and appropriate medical staff that she depends upon," says CNN.

Hours ago it was announced by The Daily Mail that a New York clinic run by the daughter of Al Barone, who sustained a traumatic brain injury in a motorcycle accident in 2007 according to the facility's website, has offered the McMath family a safe haven for their little girl. It is a facility that is acutely aware of the needs of patients such as Jahi, as well as providing comfort and understanding for a family that is facing a painful and bewildering ordeal.

Follow Patrice Ellerbe on Twitter
Twitter: @nahmias_report Staff Writer: @PatriceEllerbe

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Carrying on Nelson Mandela's Legacy

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Jessamy Nichols, Africa CorrespondentLast Modified:03:02 a.m. DST, 17 December 2013

Nelson Mandela

QUNU, South Africa - Last week, the beloved Nelson Mandela passed away at the age of 95, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of mourners across the globe.

Mandela spent his entire life inspiring others and trying to make the world a better place, which made him more than deserving of an entire world grieving his absence.

Although he will be greatly missed, it is very important for those who respected and adored Mandela to carry on his legacy.

He advocated for equality for all of mankind, regardless of race, nationality, income level, or gender and this is an enormous struggle that most of the world still struggles with.

Racism and discrimination is evident across the world, and unnecessary war and strife continue to result because of it. In Mandela's eyes, most invasions and warmongering across the globe were unnecessary and imperialistic.

For example, he criticized the US invasion of Iraq as an act of "wanting to plunge the world into a holocaust." In many ways, he was right, evident in the recurring violence currently in Iraq despite us attempting to install a new, more democratic regime. If more leaders felt this way about international relations, there could potentially be a lot less tension and destruction.

Mandela also firmly believed that freedom from poverty is a "fundamental human right," which is an especially paramount point. He pointed out that in today's incredible advances in science, technology, medicine, and economics, there is the widest income inequality gap that there has ever been.

While the rich get richer, the poor become even poorer and more entrenched in this cycle. To anyone who wishes to honor Mandela's legacy, consider that Mandela called ending poverty a basic human duty. In today's world of excess and gluttony, there is no reason for more to not be done to end poverty.

“Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.” ~ Nelson Mandela

Follow Jessamy on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Africa Correspondent: @JessamyNichols

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Life-Changing Water Found Below Kenya's Surface

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Jessamy Nichols, Africa CorrespondentLast Modified:12:28 p.m. DST, 23 September 2013

African Child Drinking Clean Water, Photo by The OptimizersKENYA, Africa - The Lake Turkana region of Kenya is known for the skeleton found in the region that dates back to 1.5 million years ago, making it one of the suspected origin locations for humans.

Over the eons of cradling human civilizations, the Turkana region has gradually become more and more arid over time to become the drought-stricken area it is today.

However, there has been a recent discovery by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that revealed that below the region's surface, there is 200 billion cubic meters of freshwater reserves in an underground aquifer. Furthermore, this vast supply can supply the entire country's population of 42 million people for 70 years!

This statistic is an unbelievable figure, as this water source has the potential to completely change the livelihoods of Kenya's 17 million citizens who lack access to safe water.

Despite this highly welcomed news, it is imperative that the Kenyan government assures that the water is managed and distributed in an equitable, appropriate manner. The supply has grand economic potential, but the country's leaders should instead look to the human rights potential and ensure that the masses have access to it. Fulfilling people's right to clean water could completely change the lives of millions and improve the standard of living.

This is a crucial opportunity for Kenya and the following decisions about the aquifer could play a huge rule in the country's trajectory.

Follow Jessamy on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Africa Correspondent: @JessamyNichols

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Central African Republic's Tragic Conditions

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Jessamy Nichols, Africa CorrespondentLast Modified: 21:41 p.m. DST, 12 September 2013

CAR Malaria Victim Helped by Aid Victim, Photo by Merlin-Frédéric Courbet-PanosCENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC, Africa - A few United Nations agencies have released new reports that disclose the dire statistics of the current status of the Central African Republic (CAR). Although a peace agreement was reached in January between the national government and the Séléka rebel coalition, the rebels soon reclaimed the capital of Bangui and have since repeatedly stirred up violence and lawlessness through the volatile country.

The newest UN reports reveal that villages are still being burned to the ground by armed militants which has forced thousands to flee their homes and seek basic human necessities. It is has been calculated that over a third of the country's population of 4.6 million people are in desperate need of food, shelter, healthcare, water, protection and sanitation.

This is clearly a huge humanitarian crisis, and poses a threat to the ever-increasing unstable region. The DRC to the south has its own civil conflict raging on, and refugees from the CAR are fleeing into neighboring Chad and Cameroon daily.

As torture, looting, kidnapping, assaults and extortion continue through the country, UN agencies are trying to provide all of the assistance they can, but it is imperative that the central government regain control of the country and put an end to the rebels' stronghold on power. As long as the rebels have unchecked power, they will continue to ravage the countryside for food, supplies, and potential human capital.

Follow Jessamy on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report Africa Correspondent: @JessamyNichols

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Women’s Health – Healthy isn’t Hard Work

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Julie Rowley, Contributing AuthorLast Modified: 12:47  p.m. EDT, 30 July 2013

Yoga

Yoga

With so much in the media written about health generally and women’s health in particular, it is hard to know where to start with ensuring that we have a diet which supports a healthy body. The almost emaciated archetype which has been portrayed as the ideal woman for many years is not helpful as it encourages poor diet, which in turn can lead to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia or EDNOS.

Once we have waded through the advertising, the newspaper and magazine articles, the websites and realized that we are surrounded by conflicting information and advice on every side, we eventually come to the conclusion that to have a balanced and healthy diet means going back to basics. We need to start at the beginning with understanding the nutrients that women need to sustain health through all the vagaries of our body’s chemical seesaw; with the fluctuations throughout puberty and adulthood, into menopause and beyond.

Balancing Finances and Diet

It is difficult for those with restricted incomes to ensure that they eat a healthily balanced diet which contains all the nutrition the body needs to maintain it. It often seems easier to just go with the flow of pre-packaged, processed convenience foods. But it is these very foods which are the basis of society’s obesity problems today. Even making room in our lives for some fresh produce is better than none at all. For those who can’t afford to buy all local organic meat and produce, there are still some things in our diet which we can change for the better. Weight for weight, fresh food contains more nutrition than convenience foods and far less in the way of chemicals that our bodies consider toxic.

Saffron Chicken

Looking at the elements which go to make up a balanced diet, it's clear that we need to eat grains (including some wholegrain whenever possible); fresh fruit and vegetables; lean red meat; poultry (preferably without the skin); eggs; dairy (preferably low fat); fish; and nuts. We should use poly- or mono-unsaturated fats, such as olive oil for cooking and try to grill or bake rather than roast or fry (either shallow or deep).

The key ingredients for a well balanced diet are essential in providing women with sustainable weight control, abundant energy and remaining healthy throughout life.

What do these foods contain that we need?

High on the list of essential ingredients that our bodies need are vitamins. Fresh foods contain an abundance of natural vitamins, while many packaged foods contain laboratory produced vitamins. Natural vitamins are carbon-based organic compounds which are essential to our health. Some of these vitamins our bodies are able to produce in small amounts; while others we need to take in from external sources as these are the only way we can obtain them.

Trace minerals are necessary to help our bodies function properly. Found in many of the fresh foods that we should eat daily: zinc; iron; manganese; copper; chromium; selenium; these are some that our body needs in the right quantities to support good health.

Aside from vitamins and minerals, the foods we eat should contain fiber, a little fat, carbohydrates and protein. Fiber is invaluable in helping our body systems process the foods that we eat and maintain digestive health; it also works to reduce cholesterol in the body and to regulate blood sugar; as well as being known to significantly reduce the risk of colorectal cancers. The fat we eat is used by the body for heating and insulation and for energy production (in tandem with protein). It acts as a regulator for Vitamins A, D, E and K (fat soluble vitamins) and is a source of Vitamin F (essential fatty acids).

Carbohydrates are needed by the body to provide energy and to support good brain function. Our bodies break down carbohydrates into simple sugars, which are either used by our cells as energy or stored by the liver as glycogen when the body has more than it needs. There are both simple and complex carbohydrates, although complex carbohydrates are more beneficial as they have less effect on our blood sugar and insulin levels and support better weight control.

Protein is a very important part of our diet. We get proteins from a number of sources, such as lean meat or eggs; even vegetables and grains can contribute towards the steady supply of protein our body needs for the healthy function of every organ, including the skin. The body takes proteins from food and breaks them down into the amino acids it needs. Without protein our bodies cannot function properly.

Calcium Supplements with Vitamin D

Supplementing our Nutrition

There are times or circumstances in our lives that supplementing our nutrition is advisable or necessary. This might be during pregnancy when our doctor prescribes iron for us; later in life when we need additional calcium to help guard against health issues such as osteoporosis; perhaps we are in a position where our immune system is depressed, through stress or illness, and we need a good multivitamin product to help us get back on track. Many women use products such as evening primrose oil for arthritis; or for pre-menstrual or menopausal symptom control. In cases where for some reason our body is not manufacturing or processing nutrients properly, it can help to give ourselves a boost using reputable and high quality supplements. Supplements are readily available in many supermarkets and health stores and it is a matter of personal choice whether we prefer to take healthy supplements in powder form; or perhaps in capsules, tablets or liquid.

Food for Thought

All too often we sacrifice what we know to be good nutrition and a balanced diet in favor of family members with their personal likes and dislikes. When this happens, we can find ourselves missing out on foods that we really do need to help keep our sensitive body systems in kilter. This leads to health problems down the line which we can avoid by periodically re-assessing our own dietary needs and adjusting our eating habits as necessary.

Follow Julie Rowley on Twitter Twitter: @nahmias_report

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The Demise of China's Inhuman One Child Policy?

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Sam Hargadine, ContributorLast Modified: 16:04 p.m. DST, 19 March 2013

China One Child Policy PropagandaCHINA - As incomes rise, the fertility rate falls – or so says demographic trends. Unique to China though, this trend did not evolve naturally, it was mandated by the government.

China’s one child policy was instituted in 1979 and has underdone modest reforms in the three decades since. However during this month’s National People’s Congress, China’s legislature approved a radical reshuffle over the bureaucratic office in charge of the policy. A sign the rule may soon be scrapped.

On 10 March, it was announced that the family planning office would be merged with the health ministry to create a new super agency, the Health and Family Planning Commission. By routing decisions through the health ministry, the effect is likely to curb the influence of one-child bureaucrats on the national level.

According to Zuo Xuejin of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, the combining of the two offices will weaken the family planning wing because health ministry officials are far more competent. As the two agencies combine, health officials will likely crowd out once all-powerful bureaucrats from the family planning office.

This change is gradual and behind the scenes, indicating a trend in itself for the new Presidency of Xi Jinping. The President understands that the Communist Party’s rule is partly owed to a perception of stability and indefatigability. Radical changes, such as a quick scrapping of the one child policy, could unleash a call for even greater reforms in areas more sensitive to one party rule. An outcome Mr. Xi hopes to avoid.

In actuality only 35.9 percent of China’s population is subject to one-child restrictions. These Chinese are largely urban and therefore more likely to be middle class. Ethnic minorities, rural households, and households where both parents are only children are allowed more than one child. Specific to China’s largest and wealthiest city, Shanghai, the fertility rate has dipped to 0.7 births/woman, one of the lowest rates in the world.

In South Korea and Japan the fertility rates are well below replacement, at 1.21 and 1.27 respectively. Hong Kong and Macau round out the bottom of league tables at 0.97 and 0.91. This suggests that the average urban Mainland home will follow this demographic trend. Thus asserts Mr. Zuo, the policy is simply not needed anymore.

The likely course of action will be a gradual relaxation of enforcement rather than outright repeal. Already provincial level governments largely enforce the policy, further reducing the influence of family planning mandarins in Beijing.

As is often the case in China, change comes slowly. Because demographic trends will likely make one-child homes a preferred choice on the mainland as it has with China’s neighbors, a radical shift does the government little good. Slow and steady wins the race – at least so thinks Mr. Xi.

Follow Sam Hargadine on Twitter
Twitter: @nahmias_report Contributor: @SamHargadine

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United Nations Accused of Cholera Outbreak Coverup

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Alex Hamasaki, Student InternLast Modified: 23:41 p.m. EDT, 4 March 2013

Zimbabwe, Children Carrying Water, Photo Courtesy of IRIN NewsOn March 1, 2013, Aljazeera reported that the United Nations (UN) was accused of covering up the 2008 cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe. The UN dispute tribunal in Nairobi, Kenya, found that the UN did not inform the Robert Mugabe government of the potential for a cholera outbreak.

Aljazeera further reported that George Tadonki, the then head of the UN humanitarian office in Zimbabwe, warned his superiors of the potential outbreak, but no actions were taken.

Tadonki claims that he was fired in January 2009 in part because he “sounded the alarm about the cholera crisis.” Supposedly, the UN did not want to upset the government of Robert Mugabe, therefore did not warn the government of the upcoming outbreak. Tadonki pursued the issue, and the UN dispute tribunal in Nairobi ruled that he was unjustifiably removed from his job.

The UN dispute tribunal concluded that there should be disciplinary action taken against four senior UN officials, including the former humanitarian chief of the UN, John Holmes. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told Aljazeera that they intend to appeal the judgment.

Upon reading reports of this incident, I embarked on an effort to verify the Aljazeera news report. I was unable to located independent verification of Tadonki's assertions on any news sources. This seemed inconsistent and smacked of a coverup given the magnitude of this story both in terms of the adverse health impact, as well as the political ramifications of an organization as high-profile as the UN failure to live up to one of its core tenets.

I finally found the original report, Tadonki v. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Case number NDT/NBI/2009/36, on the United Nations Dispute Tribunal website. Published on February 26, 2013, the report suggested that the failure of the UNCHA to renew Tadonki’s contract was “unlawful,” and that the UNCHA ignored humanitarian values in their dealings with Tadonki. Further, the UN report said on page 304 of their report, the Applicant being Tadonki:

308. Even ASG [Assistant Secretary-General] Bragg had testified that there were problems with the RC/HC and Mr. Mukhtar and that the UNCT was weak so that by January 2009 deaths from cholera had reached the thousands. In spite of this, the Tribunal finds that whenever something went wrong in Zimbabwe at the material time, the blame was laid at the door of the Applicant. It appeared that while he achieved some positive results no credit was given to him. In fact, ASG Bragg told the Tribunal that the achievements made by the Applicant in Zimbabwe were nothing extraordinary because it was his job. Management listened to rumours from all quarters instead of objectively assessing the situation and the performance of the Applicant.

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Published: 4 March 2013 (Page 2 of 2)

309. The matter of the Applicant’s said interpersonal relationships with some of those in the humanitarian community in Zimbabwe at the material time and the criticisms of him by these people or groups constituted the singular issue that informed his removal by OCHA. The critical question is: what was the Applicant doing wrong? Principal among his wrongdoing is that by the time he had spent one month in the country, he had published an early warning ˗ suggesting that the UNCT, which had been operating before he came on the scene was ill prepared for an impending humanitarian crisis. In spite of the fact that no one could successfully counter his prediction, he appeared to have stepped on some big toes by stating the obvious. Thus the Applicant, a new-comer, had attempted to upset the applecart in a situation where, clearly, humanitarian considerations only played second fiddle to political issues.

There are several inconsistencies in the initial two paragraphs alone. First of all, this is unlike any UN report I’ve ever read. As a previous member of Model UN, we read several UN reports, none of which were this informal.

Second, the tribunal in Nairobi claims, “whenever something went wrong in Zimbabwe at the material time, the blame was laid at the door of the Applicant.” Ignoring informalities, the suggestion that “whenever something went wrong” is extremely ambiguous, and the tribunal could hence claim that the UN blamed Tandonki for anything including actions he had no control over.

Third, the report leaves me unclear to why the UN didn’t want to upset the corrupt government of Mugabe. Mugabe is responsible for a multitude of human rights violations during the time that Mr. Tandoki was stationed there. If the UN was attempting to cover up the outbreak, then we have an example of a serious violation of human rights.

This an ultimate lack of transparency for the UN, which was established in part to encourage transparency. Further, this suggests that the UN is in collusion with Mugabe. One can speculate that the UN nations did not want to upset Mugabe because they wanted to remain in Zimbabwe to continue humanitarian operations. Hence, attempting to move Tadonki to the OCHA Regional Office in Johannesburg to take the position of Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer in order to cover up the cholera outbreak. Further, if the UN was ill prepared as this report suggested, then what exactly is our money doing?

This leaves me at another set of problems. Was the government of Kenya involved in the tribunal’s decision to find the UN guilty of covering up a cholera outbreak? Kenya and Zimbabwe have a long history of conflict, and further considering the strangely informal wording of the report, I am left suspicious. Further, I was unable to find any concrete information about the Nairobi dispute tribunal itself.

Perhaps this is just the tale of the disgruntled employee. Angry that the OCHA was not going to renew his contract, Tadonki made up the tale that the UN was covering up the cholera outbreak. When the tribunal in Kenya caught wind of this story, Kenya was eager to find a reason to prosecute their long-term enemy, and thus produced this report.

Ultimately, I am unable to ascertain what really happened in Zimbabwe in 2008. Is the UN caught up in a conspiracy of colluding with a corrupt government to cover up a cholera outbreak warning? Is Tadonki just upset that he got fired, and Kenya wanted to find a chance to stick it to their enemy? These are all questions that should have been asked in advance of publicizing this story, but regardless of the internal machinations of this organization, the internecine intrigue between Kenya and Zimbabwe, the ultimate victims are the Zimbabwean people who continue to suffer from lack of access to basic necessities such as clean water.

Follow Alex Hamasaki on Twitter
Twitter: @nahmias_report Student Intern: @aghamasaki
 
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Sources: Aljazeera; Tadonki v. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Case number NDT/NBI/2009/36
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A Fisherman vs Businessman on Living

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An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large yellow fin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied, "Only a little while."

The American then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The Mexican said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The Mexican fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and could help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then Los Angeles and eventually New York where you will run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Mexican fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

To which the American replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the Mexican.

The American laughed and said that's the best part. "When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

The American said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos."

Editor-in-Chief: @AyannaNahmias
LinkedIn: Ayanna Nahmias

 

Israel Admits to Sterilizing Ethiopian Jews

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Some people who read this post may believe that it is impossible for this to happen in 2010; however, I can attest to the veracity of one aspect of this story. Recently my mother attended a school sponsored event in Potomac, Maryland. Upon her arrival the hostess glanced at her and imperiously informed her that the kitchen was in the back. My mother with aplomb, informed the lady that she was attending the event on behalf of her grandson who was a student attending the school. Upon hearing this, the woman grudgingly accepted my mother's proffered hand before stepping aside to let her pass. As my mother entered, the woman wiped her hand on her dress.

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Pop Quiz

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1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five World Cup champions.

3. Name fifteen famous historical figures.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress from the 1950's.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson?

The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care.

Editor-in-Chief: @AyannaNahmias
LinkedIn: Ayanna Nahmias

Dying to Walk Fashion Week Catwalks

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 18:03 PM EDT, 7 September 2012

Skeletal ModelNEW YORK CITY, New York - Once again attention is being focused on professional models and their struggles with body dysmorphia, bulimia, and anorexia. To be fair the initial push for models to strive to become ever thinner was driven by an industry that desired to use them in the truest sense as mannequins versus actual human beings.

The women in the modeling industry are no longer emblematic of anything that most American women, indeed most women globally, could hope or want to achieve. The industry has strayed so far from functional fashion as to inhabit the milieu of performance art. The complicit victims of this macabre dance are the girls and women who model in a fiercely competitive industry which demands that they achieve a size “0” in order to grace the runways of the fashions centers of the world.

Unfortunately, the diet methods used by women who are 5’8” to 6’0” ft. (176 cm to 183 cm) tall is appalling and extreme by any measure. Diet regimes include excessive use of laxatives; self-induced vomiting (bulimia), extreme caloric restrictive diets including those that eliminate all forms of carbohydrates which sometimes leads to (anorexia), and using medication prescribed for ADD/ADHD because it is an amphetamine that also suppresses the appetite.

Then, there are some who try more drastic measures such as consuming illegal street drugs such as speed and cocaine, and more recently hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women. This product has not been approved by the FDA which has issued warning to manufacturers against its sale and use.

There have been a number of high-profile deaths over the years. In 2006, Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston, 21, died of anorexia on the eve of a Paris photo shoot after existing on a diet of apples and tomatoes.’ (Source: Daily Mail UK).  In 2007 ‘Uruguanian model Luisel Ramos, 20, died of complications from anorexia. ‘Her sister Eliana Ramos, 18, also an anorexic model, died three months later from malnutrition.

All three had a  Body Mass Index (BMI) under 18, which is severely underweight, though this has been set by the industry as a minimum threshold. The World Health Organization considers a BMI of 16 to be starvation. Most recently, British model Bethany Wallace, 19, suffered heart failure in May 2012 after succumbing to anorexia and bulimia. (Source: The Sun UK)

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Published: 7 September 2012 (Page 2 of 2)

In an effort toward self-governance and to manage public relations, the industry established guidelines to ensure that models stay healthy during Fashion Week. This includes “models showing ID on the day of show to affirm they are at least 16 years old, supplying healthy meals and snacks backstage, educating the industry to identify the early warning signs in an individual at risk of developing an eating disorder, and encouraging models who may have an eating disorder to seek professional help while prohibiting any model from continuing in the profession without first being approved by a medical professional.” (Source: Fox News)

However, these guidelines are not enforced as designers strive to achieve the ultimate presentation of their designs at unimaginable cost to the models. Once someone develops an eating disorder and is body dysmorphic, the only way to treat the condition is with serious psychological intervention that includes overseeing food intake and supplements. This is definitely not occurring or enforced despite the fact that the girls present healthy meals and snacks to gain admittance.

And unfortunately in the case of the deaths of the models above, the designers callously absolved themselves of any culpability by claiming that the women had preexisting eating disorders. However, there are some signs in the industry that designers who target their clothing to average women are attracting models that have been scouted because they are healthy and more representative of the population.

It remains to be seen how long it will take for the industry to reverse this unhealthy trend, but it can only occur if there is a concerted effort by the female models to reassert their power and desire to control their bodies and their health. Let’s hope that no more models or the young girls who aspire to look like them die before this is achieved.

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German Thalidomide Manufacturer Apologizes

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 00:25 AM EDT, 2 September 2012

Thalomid Birth Defect Prothesis, Photo by Gaetan LeeLONDON: Nearly 50 years ago an estimated 10,000 children worldwide were born with birth defects that left its victims limbless or with flipper like appendages.

The cause of these gross malformations was a drug called Thalidomide which was manufactured by the German company Grunenthal GmbH.

The drug was originally manufactured and sold to treat morning sickness in pregnant women during the 1950s and 1960s. However, the women who took the drug gave birth to disabled children who, if lucky to survive infancy, lived challenging lives with severe disabilities.

Thalidomide was sold in 46 countries but never gained FDA approval in the United States. An estimated 40 babies were born with thalidomide-related deformities in the United States, according to the New York Times until it was pulled from the shelves in 1961.

On Friday, 1 September 2012, Grunenthal CEO Harald Stock apologized at the unveiling of a statue for the drug's birth defect victims in Stolberg, Germany. He made the apology on behalf of the company for its culpability in manufacturing the drug without adequately testing its safety for use by pregnant women, as well as its lack of response to victims of the drugs over the last 50 years.

"We apologize for the fact that we have not found the way to address you person to person for almost 50 years. Instead, we have been silent and we are sorry for that. We had no reason to imagine that it could seriously harm their unborn children.”

For the victims of the drug this apology is too little and too late. Some even feel that the apology is an insult to those who have lived with the effects of thalidomide for the past 50 years without redress. Despite the controversy surrounding the drug and its obvious detrimental effect, the drug is still in use.

It is currently used in a limited capacity in the United States for treating multiple myeloma (a cancer that starts in the bone marrow). When prescribed as a course of treatment for women, they must be menopausal for at least two years or have had a hysterectomy.

Even then, they are informed that according to the National Institutes of Health severe birth defects can result from a single dose of thalidomide and thus are subjected to regular pregnancy tests while taking the drug.

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Besse Cooper, Supercentenarian, Turns 116

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 15:56 PM EDT, 29 August 2012

Besse Cooper, Oldest Woman in World, Photo by Waltonemc.comGEORGIA, United States – On Sunday, 27 August 2012, Besse Cooper, who is currently the world’s oldest person, celebrated her 116th birthday. She is the eighth person in the world to be verified by Guinness World Records as reaching this esteemed age.

Cooper was born in Tennessee in 1896, and has been certified by Guinness as the fourth oldest American supercentenarian. At her birthday celebration, according to MSNBC , Cooper was presented with “a plaque by Guinness World Records senior consultant of gerontology Robert Young during her birthday festivities at her nursing home in Monroe, Georgia.”

According to Guinness, Cooper is seven years shy of the 122 years lived by Jeanne Louis Calment, a French native who died on 4 August 1997. As expected, Cooper, who married in 1924 and had four children, is now, a grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-grandmother of numerous off-spring.

Every person is unique and there is no one secret to living a long and healthy life, but Cooper attributes it in part to “not eating junk food” and “minding my own business.” Most of the individuals who have been fully authenticated by Guinness as being the oldest people in the world, have primarily been women, which supports the empirical evidence that women live longer than men.

However, the oldest undisputed lifespan for a male supercentenarian is that of Christian Mortensen, who lived for 115 years and 252 days.  The oldest living man since the death of 114-year old Walter Breuning on 14 April 2011 is 115-year-old Jiroemon Kimura of Japan. He was born on 19 April 1897.[Wikipedia]

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Advice on Caring for Aging Parents

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Anonymous AuthorLast Modified: 23:08 PM EDT, 17 July 2012

Old Man Eating, Photo by Shusthan NToday, nearly nineteen million Americans are caring for aging parents over the age of 75.

Most of the caregivers who are between the ages of 45-64 years old are providing 75 to 80 percent of all long-term care for parents or a grandparent.

Women are twice as likely as men to be the primary caregiver, but often in economically challenged families, the parents are moved in with their adult children families.

The story which follows is humbling and thought-provoking. It is especially poignant in light of the fact that most of us live with but rarely think about aging. But denial of this inevitability does not invalidate the reality that the majority of us will one day be old.

A frail old man lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and his four-year-old grandson. His eyes were blurry, his hands trembled, and his step faltered.

The family would eat together nightly at the dinner table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and failing sight made eating rather difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon, drooping to the floor. When he grasped his glass of milk, it often spilled clumsily at the tablecloth.

With this happening almost every night, the son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess.

"We must do something about grandfather," said the son.

"I've had enough of his milk spilling, noisy eating and food on the floor," the daughter-in-law agreed.

So the couple set a small table at the corner.

There, grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed their dinner at the dinner table. Since grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in wooden bowls. Sometimes when the family glanced in grandfather's direction, he had a tear in his eye as he ate alone. Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food. The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening, before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor. He asked the child sweetly: "What are you making?" Just as sweetly, the boy replied, "Oh, I'm making a little bowl for you and mama to eat your food from when I grow up." The four-year-old smiled and went back to work.

These words so struck the parents that they were speechless. Then tears streamed down their cheeks. Though no words were spoken, both knew what must be done. That evening, the husband took grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.

For the remainder of his days, grandfather ate every meal with the family. And for some reason, neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk was spilled or the table cloth was soiled.

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Higgs Boson Discovered by CERN

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 01:12 AM EDT, 5 July 2012

Higgs Boson, God Particle, Photo by Lucas Taylor - CERNAbrahamic religious traditions believe that God created matter itself; through the creation of atoms, molecules, heat, and stars and that He ordered this matter into a multidimensional space-time continuum.

Non-orthodox religious individuals and people in the scientific community ascribe to the Big Bang theory, which posits that the Universe originated approximately 13.75 billion years ago from a hot, dense singularity which has continuously cooled and expanded since the bang.

However, this theory did not explain accretion, the process by which particles clumped together to form stars, planets, or life itself.

The Higgs boson, named in honor of Albert Einstein's Indian collaborator Satyendra Nath Bose, forms a bridge between these two systems of belief. The existence of this particle, which is in the same class of particles as the photon, was first postulated in 1964 by Professor Peter Higgs.  Now 83, he developed his hypothesis while at Edinburgh University, and was among six theorists who proposed that an unseen force made up of particles governed the mechanism by which matter in the universe gained mass.

Though the journey began nearly a half century ago, the existence of the Higgs boson subatomic particle was finally confirmed on Wednesday, 4 July 2012, by scientist at the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) based in Geneva, Switzerland. CERN's Large Hadron Collider is the world's biggest and most powerful particle accelerator, and was used to create the conditions that enabled the euphemistic ‘God particle’ to be seen.

Two beams of protons are fired in opposite directions around the 27-km (17-mile) looped pipe built under the Swiss-French border before smashing into each other. The collisions, which mimic the moments just after the Big Bang, throw off debris. Two independent studies of data produced by smashing proton particles together produced a convergent near-certainty on the existence of the new particle.”  (Source: CERN) 

For decades scientists argued about the existence of such a particle, with proponents of the theory hypothesizing that this subatomic particle acts as the glue that holds all the parts of an atom together, and thus gives everything in the universe its size and shape. To scoffers who believed the idea was fallacious, and even if such a particle existed it would be too small to measure or decay so fast that it would be nearly impossible to verify.

Rolf Heuer, CERN director general made the announcement confirming the discovery:

"We have reached a milestone in our understanding of nature. The discovery of the existence of the Higgs boson opens the way to more detailed studies, requiring larger statistics, which will pin down the new particle's properties, and is likely to shed light on other mysteries of our universe. (Source: Reuters)

This news was greeted with awe by Higgs who didn’t think that he would live to see his mathematical theorem proven through the hard work of thousands of men and women who tireless devoted time to the practical experiments required to prove his hypothesis.

Scientist and laymen alike rejoiced at the discovery of the Higgs boson which opens the door to the possibility of understanding other baffling components of the universe, like multiple dimensions, string-theory, and ‘dark matter,’ which makes up 70% of the universe. (Source: NASA)

A new day has dawned for humanity’s understanding of the wonderful universe we inhabit. The Higgs boson discovery highlights the best qualities of our species - ingenuity, cooperation, persistence, and achievement as we continue to push beyond ‘flat world’ thinking.

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Tom Cruise Katie Holmes Split | Scientology in the Middle

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 23:30 PM EDT, 3 July 2012

Tom Cruise & Katie Holmes, Photo by Gossip GirlsTom Cruise is an international superstar who is known for his action packed movies. Less well-known is his wife Katie Holmes, who was a burgeoning actor in her own right, but seemed to have lost her professional momentum after her marriage to Cruise.

The dissolution of their marriage if fodder for tabloids the world over, but what is most interesting is the issue of Scientology.

Called a religion by its adherents, it has a dubious history with overtones of ‘cultish’ practices, and is front and center in the melee surrounding the Holmes-Cruise split.

Suri, who is 6, or more specifically, the religious training of their daughter is a point of contention between Holmes and Cruise who is reportedly emphatic that she become an ardent follower of Scientology. The Church of Scientology’ has been clouded in controversy since its inception almost sixty-years ago.

Started by L. Ron Hubbard in Los Angeles in 1954, it was originally based upon a philosophy he developed for psycho therapeutic purposes. Subsequently, Hubbard applied for a tax-exempt status based upon the fact that he now considered his philosophy to be a bona fide religion and the IRS granted the tax-exempt status in 1957.

Though Scientology is clearly a profit driven organization operating under the guise of religion, it leverages big names like John Travolta, Kirstie Allen, Greta Van Susteren, and Tom Cruise, each fervent Scientologists who by virtue of their high profiles lend an air of credibility to what many call a cult. (View A-List Scientologist Here)

In a December 30, 1997 edition of the Wall Street Journal, Elizabeth MacDonald, Staff Reporter wrote an informative article about The Church of Scientology. Specifically, she reported on the outcome of a suit which the Scientologist brought against the IRS for questioning its tax-exempt status. They also claimed that they were being harassed and persecuted by the federal government because they were a new religion.

The federal government claimed that founder L. Ron Hubbard and his family were enriching themselves with church funds and was therefore breaking the financial rules and regulations governing tax-exempt, religious organizations.

The courts also noted that the church makes money from the sale of Scientology books and materials, as well as its "sacrament" of "auditing," in which members generally are required to pay church-trained "auditors" to hook them up to a device that is supposed to purge negative thoughts. (Source: The New York Times)

The Scientologist subsequently lost their suit and had to pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $12.5 million for operating as a for-profit organization under the guise of providing altruistic spiritual guidance. This was a hefty sum at that time, but the quick payment to the IRS demonstrated the elitist nature of Scientology then as now, because the funds were easily raised by influential, well-heeled members.

“Operation Clambake,” a website dedicated to debunking Scientology as well as educating potential victims; notes that prospective members must be extremely wealthy to gain the 'full benefits' of the program. They go on to state that “The official Scientology organization is composed of a number of ‘levels’. One begins as a “preclear” and then you work your way up.

One must purchase virtually every service crucial to advancement directly from the "church" at staggering prices. "Auditing", for example, is purchased in 12½ hour blocks, costing anywhere from $750 for introductory sessions to between $8,000 & $9,000 for advanced sessions, with a conservative estimate of $380,000 for the total cost of moving up the Scientology hierarchical ladder.”  (Source: Zero Cool and Xenu)

There was public speculation at the beginning of the Holmes-Cruise relationship about what role Scientology would play in Holmes’ life and if she would adopt its precepts. She subsequently ‘converted’ and from the outside looking in, it seemed as if Holmes acquiesced to and accepted a lifestyle with which she was never really comfortable.

It is sad to see anyone, particularly a young woman with so much potential, subjugate her career and her will to that of her partner. Cruise, her juggernaut husband, clearly dominated her in every aspect of their life together, which ultimately diminished her youthfulness, joie de vivre and earning capacity.

Holmes is definitely on losing side of a bad proposition, and one can only hope that the tenacity she lacked in protecting herself will once again reassert itself when it comes to protecting her daughter.  A mother is capable of incredible sacrifice and strength in the face of adversity when it comes to protecting their children and in the case of Scientology, Suri needs all the protection she can get.

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Feng Jianmei Loses Battle And Baby

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Ayanna Nahmias, Editor-in-ChiefLast Modified: 20:53 PM EDT, 27  June 2012

Feng Jianmei, Chinese Woman Forced Abortion, Photo by Calle.comSHAANXI PROVINCE, China – Feng Jianmei, 23, fought and lost the battle against the Chinese government and its one-child policy. Unlike other Chinese dissidents who risk torture and imprisonment, Feng paid an excruciating physical and psychological price for her defiance while she waited 36 hours for her body to abort her dead fetus after being forcibly injected with a chemical.

But it was her seven month old child who paid the ultimate price after experiencing an unknown amount of suffering. Abortion is a difficult and personal choice for any woman; however, in most countries legal options for aborting a fetus past the first trimester are rarely undertaken unless the mother’s life is in danger. It would be nearly impossible to find a reputable doctor to perform this procedure simply because the family is unable to bear the financial burden.

In Feng’s case, she was forced to abort her child not because of any medical reason, but because of financial constraint. What makes this case even more reprehensible is the fact that the child was most likely viable and at seven months could have survived outside of her womb and if the family had chosen could have potentially been put up for adoption.

According to the Economist, “Breaching China’s one-child policy carries a severe financial penalty. Parents in Shanghai pay between three and six times the city’s average yearly income in what are called “social-maintenance fees” (SMF) for extra children. He Yafu, an independent scholar and critic of the one-child policy, estimates the government has collected over 2 trillion yuan ($314 billion) in SMFs since 1980.

Failure to pay the fine carries grave repercussions. The second ‘black child’ cannot get a household registration, a hukou, which carries with it such basic rights as education. But backlash can be more severe. When Ms Guo’s brother refused to pay his SMF, family-planning officials destroyed his house, pulling down the walls and wrecking the furniture.” (The Economist)

Unfortunately, the Feng’s family was not even allowed the opportunity to live with the consequences of their obvious decision to have the child despite the policy.  Feng was forced to undergo an abortion on June 2 simply because her family could not afford a 40,000 yuan ($6,300) fine for having a second child.

In response to the forced abortion, the family posted photographs of Feng lying in her bed next to the dead child minutes after she aborted. Though this is not the first time that a family has chosen to defy China’s one-child policy, but it is the first time the ramifications of the one-child policy has been escalated to international attention. Usually, parents who find themselves in the untenable position of the prospect of bearing another child without the financial means to pay the requisite fees opted for an abortion, but the choice was not brutally imposed upon them.

In the past any resistance to this policy was quickly and easily squelched by the government as anti-China propaganda. However, in the case of Feng Jianmei, and despite attempts by the government to persuade the press that her assertions were nothing more than a hoax and publicity stunt; the viral nature of social media where the photos were posted has made it difficult for them to discredit this family’s claims.

In light of this, the Ankang city government has openly apologized to the Feng family; suspended three officials involved in the case, and promised to initiate an immediate investigation into the matter.

As if the execution of her child was not enough, the hospital in which she was forced to undergo the abortion has apparently been instructed to detain her despite numerous requests by Feng and her family for her immediate release so that she can continue to recuperate at home.

To date this has not occurred and according to news sources, Feng and her family are under immense pressure to retract their statements to the foreign media.

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