RAW MEAT DIET EXPOSED!

The “raw food” diet trend is great – you can eat and drink vegetables that are unprocessed and get tons of vitamins and minerals. However, this should not be mistaken for the “raw meat diet.”

The average American has grown up avoiding raw meat, which can make you sick because of bacteria in the meat. But raw meat diet advocates claim that consuming raw meat brings us back to primitive times, when nothing was processed.

Celebrities, of course, have endorsed the new diet craze. Demi Moore, Natalie Portman, and Uma Thurman have all said that their raw meat diet helped them lose weight and feel healthy.

The raw meat diet claims to avoid chemical additives and genetic engineering. The diet consists of a lot of raw, “aged,” or fermented meat, eggs, and minimal dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

The diet’s not 100 percent new, though. In the ‘60s, a Dr. Blake Donaldson promoted his “Inuit meat-only diet” for weight loss after examining the skulls of dead Inuit (or Eskimos.) He claimed a 70 percent weight-loss success rate.

But doctors warn that eating uncooked meat is dangerous. I wouldn’t endorse a raw meat diet to anyone. Plus, it’s gross – watch the YouTube video to the left to see a good example of this kind of diet.

source: http://www.rantrave.com/Rant/Crazy-Food-The-Raw-Meat-Diet.aspx

STOCKS-Recovery worries weigh down Wall St

* U.S. should plan for more fiscal stimulus-Obama adviser

* Credit card delinquency soars, adding to worry over debt

* Indexes down: Dow 1.0 pct; S&P 0.9 pct; Nasdaq 1.0 pct

* For up-to-the-minute market news click [STXNEWS/US]
(Updates prices, adds AmEx, Intel shares, context)

By Rodrigo Campos

NEW YORK, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday as
investors turned cautious ahead of earnings season, and talk of
a second stimulus package underscored worries about the U.S.
economic recovery.

Signaling the economy's difficulty in rebounding from a
deep recession, a member of the Obama administration's economic
advisory panel said the United States should plan to possibly
provide a second round of stimulus funds to prop up the
economy. For details, see [ID:nSP379268]

"Talk of a new stimulus plan is actually a confidence
killer," said Joseph Battipaglia, market strategist at Stifel
Nicolaus in Yardley, Pennsylvania. "That would mean we've added
a trillion dollars to debt without anything to show for it."

Investor concerns over mounting debt was also underpinned
by a report showing cash-strapped consumers fell behind on
their credit card bills in record numbers in the first quarter.
[ID:nN07299679]

Shares of credit card company American Express Co (AXP.N)
shed 1.7 percent at $23.11 and the S&P Consumer Finance index
.GSPCFI fell more than 3 percent.

In the broader market energy stocks were among the biggest
drags, along with other economically sensitive sectors like
basic materials and industrials. Healthcare, a defensive play,
was the only notable S&P sector with gains so far in the
session.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 83.13 points,
or 1.00 percent, to 8,241.74. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index
.SPX lost 8.01 points, or 0.89 percent, to 890.71. The Nasdaq
Composite Index .IXIC dropped 18.24 points, or 1.02 percent,
to 1,769.16.

Investors also have their eyes set on the quarterly
earnings season that gets underway this week, with Alcoa Inc
(AA.N) set to report on Wednesday. Alcoa, a Dow component, is
expected to post a third consecutive quarterly loss. For an
Alcoa earnings preview, see [ID:nN06271341]

Stifel's Battipaglia said earnings are expected to
disappoint. "The anticipation is that Alcoa's report will be
even worse than expected," he said.

"The expectation of a speedy recovery is starting to slow
because there is no evidence to support it."

The loss of confidence in the economic recovery has sent
oil prices tumbling. New York crude CLc1 fell close to 2
percent and its five-session slide has pressured energy stocks,
a large sector of the S&P 500.

Oil services company Schlumberger Ltd (SLB.N) fell 2.5
percent to $50.17 while blue-chip Exxon Mobil (XOM.N) lost 1.3
percent to $67.22.

The S&P energy sector .GSPE index lost 1.6 percent.

On the upside, shares of chip maker Intel Corp (INTC.O)
rose 1.3 percent to $16.75 after Banc of America
Securities-Merrill Lynch upgraded the U.S. semiconductor
industry and five stocks in the sector, including Intel, saying
recent data suggested emerging signs of a turn in end demand.
[ID:nBNG299276]

But the PHLX semiconductor index .SOXX shed 0.4 percent.

The broad S&P 500 index rallied about 40 percent from
12-year lows hit in early March on expectations of a speedy
economic recovery. But the rally wilted in the last month, as
investors sought stronger evidence that conditions were
improving.
(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)


Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/usMktRpt/idUSN0731273620090707

Micheal jackson Kids Not Biologically HIS??

Michael Jackson is not the biological father of his three children, according to multiple internet reports.

Sources tell TMZ that Jackson did not provide sperm donations for any of his children and that Debbie Rowe was merely a surrogate for Prince Michael Jr. and Paris.

Click here for birth certificates obtained by TMZ.

According to a report in Us magazine, Jackson’s dermatologist and Rowe’s former boss Arnold Klein is the biological father to Prince and Paris.

"He is the dad," a Jackson insider told Us. "He and Debbie signed an agreement saying they would never reveal the truth."

In the case of Jackson’s youngest son Blanket, TMZ reports that the surrogate was never told that the baby was for Jackson.

A custody battle for the Jackson children has already begun, with his mother Katherine Jackson winning temporary guardianship. A hearing is set for August 3.

Rowe's lawyer Marta Almli disputed reports that her client was not the mother of the children, claiming the reports were "entirely false."




so there you have it folks
Source: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529600,00.html?test=faces

Weeds Season 5 Episode 6 OH YEAH!

Hey all: do not adjust your TV Club computer screens--Todd is off this week and I'm picking up for him on Weeds, a show I follow dedicatedly although am still unsure about after all these seasons.

So, if you're the kind of person who is sensitive to jokes about abortion, multiple abortions, Asperger syndrome and autism, then the first ten minutes or so of tonight's episode of Weeds were not for you. If, however, you like congratulating yourself on how edgy, jaded black comedy makes you feel exquisitely modern and blasé, then you would have wet your pants with glee. If you fall somewhere in the middle like me, you wonder why lines like "My point is....science!" have to get buried in a barrage of "look how far we can irreverently push the envelope" dialogue.

All this "hoovertown" hilarity ensues on when Nancy visits the ob-gyn with Andy and becomes aware of the fact, thanks to a teenager and a helpful doctor (played by Alanis Morissette) that it’s not too late to terminate her pregnancy. Andy encourages her to do this by reminding her of evils in the world such as Somali pirates, credit default swap and American Idol. I know Andy has ulterior motives for Nancy not wanting to carry Esteban's baby and that he can be less than sensitive at times but it seemed a little egregiously callous of him to place his face two inches from Nancy's and say "You have to get rid of this baby. Flush it." But that's my issue with this show: most of the time everyone on the show needs a kick in the cock/vagina, medically administered or otherwise.

After Nancy returns from the doctor with some fresh herbs to combat her pregnancy-induced heightened sense of smell, she discovers Celia squatting in her garage. As Todd noted last week, it's unclear what she's doing in this show anymore: each episode she's either coming into or emerging from some fresh random hell. As she explains to Nancy, "I just lose and lose and lose." I'm not sure why she thinks that sticking around Nancy will eventually help her get on her feet, but there she is.

Meanwhile, in a rapid character development, Shane has gone from confused to troubled to hateful. Understandably angry after getting jacked by his teacher Mr. Sandusky, Shane tracks him down in his crummy little apartment where Ignacio punches the teacher in the back, Isabelle steals his theremin (the fact that he owns and plays one makes him instantly sympathetic to me) and Shane shoots and kills his bird.

Silas and Doug's foray into medical marijuana dispensing is further teased out, as they investigate working with an agent nicknamed "The Wizard," played by character actor James Urbaniak, who we don't see much of so far except that he, like everyone else in the world, has a low tolerance for Doug's jackassery. Doug ruins negotiations with the Wizard but I'm sure we'll see more of him later.

I really haven't been feeling the plotline of Andy having to pretend to be Judah in order to obtain money from Margaret, the crazy online gaming mage bank teller. Once again though, Andy got one of the best lines of the episode. Recreating her first date with Judah at a fondue restaurant, including wearing an 80's outfit that read more American Girl doll than Molly Ringwald, Margaret discusses her active imagine and Andy laments, "I can't remember the last time I imagined anything."

Back at the house, Nancy hears Shane playing the theremin. After Isabelle starts to lie about them "finding" it, Shane says, either with disdain or pride, that there's no need to lie, and Nancy once again remembers that she's Shane's mother and attempts to intervene, upbraiding Ignacio for helping Shane rob his teacher. I like sarcastic Ignacio, who says "I am SO sorry that I exposed him to the world of criminal activity." Get her, Ignacio!

Back at the soon-to-be-dispensary, Doug and Silas duke it out after Doug is behaves in his too-ridiculously-stupid-and-obnoxious-to-be-believed manner and the two exchange insults sort of the way Doug and Andy did in the previous season over Maria. They make up, and Silas comes out as the winner of this episode for most responsible and mature.

You might think that Celia watching and chatting with the men who came to dispose of Sucio's recently-discovered body would be the most repulsive thing to go on this episode, but you’d be wrong; that would be Andy having to talk himself into boning Margaret, doggy-style, under the pier as homeless men retched and shat around them. Again: the Margaret storyline is more icky-weird (and boring) than funny-odd to me. You know, Andy schtupped a lady once with his foot, so I’m not sure why he’s suddenly so coy.

Nancy resdiscovers her own particular brand of vigilante justice, meanwhile, forcing Shane to bring Mr. Sandusky his stuff back, but choking him with a baseball bat when he threatens to give Shane an F. Nancy grounds Shane and tells him "No Tweetering," because obviously all his time online is what's caused him to go so awry. Back at the house, Celia finds HER own brand of vigilante justice, showing Nancy photos she took of Sucio's removal and threatening to blackmail the "selfish pregnant cunt." Hey, her words not mine.

Despite her best efforts, Nancy's herbs all die (an "inside job") according to Andy, who now has the money after forcing himself to do it under the pier. He tries to convince Nancy that it's time to pack it up and flee--she can write Esteban a Dear Juan note like "in olden times." I know I'm supposed to concentrate on Andy saying "We're a family...we could be more, I'd like to try it" but I thought it was more poignant when he told Nancy point-blank that "fucking Armageddon" always comes down on her because she always makes it so. Each time Nancy confronts this fact she cries and then does nothing about it. Which is how she comes to write Andy the goodbye note and takes Shane in to move in with Esteban. Not exactly parent of the year material, again, although I would be interested in seeing Esteban's point of view when it comes to childrearing.

source: http://www.avclub.com/articles/van-nuys,30048/

Mariah Cary Sings At Michale Jackson's Funeral, michael jackson live memorial coverage

Mariah Carey sings I'll be there at Michael Jackson memorial (video); Queen Latifah read a poem by Maya Angelou


Mariah Carey gave a very emotional performance at Michael Jackson's memorial. She sang "I'll be there" by the Jackson 5. Carey seemed to get chocked up while singing. Watch the video of her performance below

Queen Latifah gave a beautiful speech and she told about her first Michael Jackson record ever purchased. The record was “Dancing Machine”. Queen Latifah read a poem written by Maya Angelo for Michael Jackson. The poem was called "We had him"

Some of the words to "we had him by Maya Angelo are as follows



Beloved now we know that we know nothing
Now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind
without notice our dear loved can escape our dotting embrace

Sing our songs among the stars, and walk our dances across the face of the moon.
In the instant we learned that Michael was gone, we know nothing

no clocks can tell our time and no oceans can rush our tides
with the abrupt absence of our treasure
though we are many
each of us is achingly alone
piercingly alone
Only when we confess our confusion





We will list the complete Maya Angelo poem as soon as possible. You can watch the video of Queen Latifah below reading the compete Maya Angelou poem "We had him"

source: http://www.examiner.com/x-9259-Miami-Celebrity-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m7d7-Mariah-Carey-sings-at-Michael-Jackson-memorial-video-Queen-Latifah-read-a-poem-by-Maya-Angelou

$17,500 Nintendo Game SOLD!

i recently bought Nintendo World Championships Gold and was able to reunite the Gold and Gray cartridges together. I'm sure they missed each other. The process of getting the Gold cartridge was actually pretty interesting and full of emotional highs and lows so I thought I would share it with the VGPC readers.

The NWC Gold I bought was the one recently listed on ebay. I contacted him about the condition and the history of it. I wanted to know where he got it and call those people to see if they could verify that it was authentic. After some due diligence and talking to two other people who owned this cartridge, I was confident it was real. I gave him an offer of $17,500, which was quite a bit lower than his asking price of $25,000.

He said he would think about it but wanted more for the game so he was going to wait for some more offers. Over the course of 3 weeks I called or emailed him once a week to see where we stood. A few offers emerged that were higher than mine, but they were bogus (probably just kids using their Mom's email accounts). On May 24th he emails and tells me he is going to sell it to someone else who is going to pay $18.5K in cash and pick it up locally. At this point I figured I would never hear about the game again and had lost my one chance of getting the Gold Nintendo World Championship.

Seven days later on May 31st, the seller emails me again saying the $18.5K offer fell through. It was a scammer trying to pay with Western Union and then have a "friend" pickup the item. My offer was now the best one and the seller decided to accept for $17.5K. I had just come to grips with the fact I wouldn't get the game and then everything changes in an instant. This definitely wouldn't be the last of the emotional highs and lows.

On June 1st we agree to complete the transaction via escrow.com. I wire my money to the escrow service on Monday June 8th (I was at E3 the week before so couldn't send the money any sooner).

The next day I expect shipment, but hear nothing from the seller. I give him a one day grace period and tell myself "maybe he had to work late, don't worry about it".

June 10th rolls around, still nothing. I call him. He says "I will mail it tonight". A FedEx tracking number is emailed to me that night. I get really excited, "I'm finally going to get the game". About 10 minutes later an email comes from FedEx - "Shipment Cancelled".

The next day the seller tells me it finally shipped and gives me the address he sent it to. THE ADDRESS IS WRONG. It is my neighbors place. I call him to see about changing the address and he tells me "Sorry, I've decided not to sell it. I love the game too much."

I tell him I feel cheated because we agreed to the terms, I sent payment, and he's been dragging his feet for more than a month since I first spoke with him. Plus I'm down a couple hundred dollars in escrow fees. We end the call and I am really upset the rest of the night.

The next day, June 12th, I email him saying we have a contract and I will not accept his cancellation. He calls me 15 minutes later apologizing repeatedly saying he felt really bad the rest of the night because he felt like he had cheated me too. He says he will ship it that night via FedEx overnight with guaranteed 8AM delivery. I'm a bit skeptical but double check he has the correct address and pray for the best.

That night FedEx emails with a tracking number again. 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours go by with no cancellation email. I refresh the tracking page on FedEx about 100 hundred times and finally it shows it was actually picked-up. I might finally get the game!

The next morning at 7:30AM the FedEx man comes to the door. I'm holding my 7 week old baby, probably have a ridiculously big smile on my face, and sign for the package. I quickly open everything up half expecting some other problem.

Nintendo World Championships Gold is neatly packaged inside with a custom built display case and looks just as good as I imagined it would. I have the "Holy Grail of Gaming" and the emotional ride is finally over.


source: http://blog.videogamepricecharts.com/2009/06/how-i-got-nintendo-world-championships.html

Michael Jackson Memorial Service Televised

NEW YORK – NBC executives changed their minds yesterday and decided to join other networks that will televise Michael Jackson's memorial service live this week.

NBC joins ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment in offering the ceremony live. It's set for 10 a.m. Los Angeles time (1 p.m. here) at L.A.'s Staples Center.

NBC had initially planned only a one-hour prime-time special tomorrow night but said yesterday it would also cover the event live.

CNN has seen its ratings soar with the Jackson story and it will show the memorial on the main network and HLN (formerly Headline News). CNN International will air the ceremony to the rest of the world.

Yesterday, in a sermon at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in L.A., Rev. Al Sharpton called for nationwide "love vigils" for Jackson tomorrow.

Sharpton urged people to gather in schools, community centres and churches to honour Jackson while the public memorial service is being held.

While thousands of fans say goodbye at the Staples Center, Los Angeles police say Jackson's family is planning a private ceremony at a cemetery in the Hollywood Hills.

Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell said yesterday that his department is working with the Jackson family on a "private family function" at the Forest Lawn cemetery. He had no other details.

Jackson died at age 50 on June 25 after going into cardiac arrest in the bedroom of his rented mansion. The cause of death has not been determined.

Yesterday, a judge signed search warrants connected to the investigation of Jackson's death, a Los Angeles County Superior Court spokesman said. The warrants were sealed and the spokesman would not discuss details.

Authorities are investigating allegations that Jackson had been consuming painkillers, sedatives and anti-depressants. The powerful sedative Diprivan, which is usually administered by anesthesiologists in hospitals, was found in his home.

Tributes to Jackson continued to come in on the weekend.

Former U.S. secretary of state Colin Powell said in an interview set to air yesterday that Jackson had controversy in his life, but in death his art should be celebrated.

"Yes, there were some challenges in his life," Powell told CNN's State of the Union, which released excerpts of the interview. "Yes, there was a great deal of controversy about him. But he's now passed on. Let's celebrate his art."

In England, pop superstar Madonna honoured Jackson on Saturday night in the same arena where he was to stage his comeback.

Jackson was to begin a series of 50 concerts at the 23,000-seat O2 arena starting July 13.

A picture of a young Jackson appeared onstage while Madonna was performing "Holiday," then a Jackson impersonator came on, wearing a sequined jacket, white T-shirt, white glove and white socks.

The music then switched to Jackson's song "Wanna Be Starting Something" and the impersonator worked through Jackson's moves, including the famous moonwalk. The impersonator didn't sing.

After the number, Madonna told the crowd, "Let's give it up for one of the greatest artists the world has ever known," and the crowd roared its approval.

In an interview with The Sun newspaper, Madonna said she was "terribly sad" about Jackson's death.

"To be able to do what he did at such an early age was unearthly; everybody grew up in awe of him," The Sun quoted her as saying.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tohme Tohme, the financier with a murky past who served as Jackson's last spokesperson and business manager, described the star as "a wonderful human being."

"I saw him with his children and I had never seen a better father.... I decided to do what I could to help him," Tohme said, recalling the first time he met Jackson to discuss his finances.

Tohme had been contacted by Jackson's brother, Jermaine, who asked if Tohme could help to save Jackson's beloved Neverland ranch from foreclosure. Tohme said he travelled with Jermaine to Las Vegas, where Jackson was living after years of wandering the world following his acquittal on child molestation charges.

They bonded instantly. "For the last year and a half I was the closest person to Michael Jackson," Tohme said. He contacted Tom Barrack, the chairman of Colony Capital and a close personal friend. "He was hesitant to get involved, but I said, `Let's go see Michael,'" Tohme recalled.

After the meeting he said Barrack, who was impressed with Jackson's "intelligence and focus," bought the note for Neverland. But that was just the beginning of a business relationship that culminated in the London concerts that were to have begun next week.

Tohme, listed in public records as being in his late 50s, has been portrayed as something of a mystery man in the Jackson brain trust.

"I hate the words `mystery man,'" he said. "I'm a private man. A lot of people like the media and I don't. I respect the privacy of other people, but lately nobody respects mine."

It is known that he is of Lebanese descent. His double name is not uncommon in the Middle East. But he declined to go into detail about his own life and career, other than to say he is a U.S. citizen who was raised in Los Angeles and, "I'm a self-made man. I'm in the world of finance."

"I don't want to talk about me," he said. "I'm a nobody. I'm not important. I want to talk about Michael Jackson."

At times he appeared on the verge of tears as he discussed Jackson's death, saying, "It's unbelievable ... I'm devastated ... God bless his soul."

He said that by talking about Jackson, he was fulfilling one of the star's wishes.

"He always said to me, 'I want people to really know who I am after I'm gone.' "

In Jackson's final months, Tohme said they talked about his wish to create "a special place 10 times bigger than Graceland" where fans could come to see Jackson's memorabilia and awards. Jackson even talked about creating a veritable city for children.






source: http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/661280