-Today marks the start of the National "Let's Move" campaign, an initiative led by First Lady Michelle Obama to increase awareness and reduce the statistics in childhood obesity. Michelle's focusing on four major targets: promoting physical activity, healthier foods in schools, parental education and involvement, and making healthier food more affordable. Some of the more complex initiatives, inclusive of grants that promote healthier grocery stores in impoverished communities by offering tax-breaks, require government legislation.
An ambitious undertaking as set to work alongside the numerous private, public, and government -funded organizations already in place to combat the growing epidemic. If left unchanged, younger generations run the risk of being the first slated to die before their parents due to health complications of their obesity. Diabetes and heart disease have been on the steady increase for years, both can be preventative results from obesity and a poor diet. As a **newbie vegetarian** and proponent for healthy eating, I couldn't be more pleased.
Even Michelle admits to a soft spot for junk food, stating, "We're not talking about a lifestyle that excludes all that. The question is how do we help people balance that out so that they're not facing life-threatening, preventable illnesses, but they're enjoying their food, they're eating their vegetables, they're doing their running and walking and playing and still have time to get a good, fun meal in every once in a while."
*Source: ABC News*
**newbie vegetarian- Since Jan. 2009; I eat seafood; snuck some chicken SuperBowl Sun-NEVER AGAIN!!!!**
WEEZY'S "GOIN' IIIIINNNNNNNNN"!!!!
-If you haven't heard by now, Lil Wayne was scheduled to plead guilty and begin serving in prison, sentenced to 8 months- 1 year for gun possession charges in July of 2007. *It was JUST announced that Wayne received an extension (due to dental surgery)- he won't have to appear before the judge again until March 2nd... ERR?!?!* Twitter and blogsites have been abuzz with photos from Weezy's last weekend out in Miami before his major stint. Surely you purchased Wayne's latest release, "Rebirth", his rap/rock album,or heard some Young Money family rap prophetically about their crew leader's fate on mixtapes. There's also been a media storm inclusive of the popular Rolling Stone cover/article, video message to his fans, and an exclusive MTV interview (see below) :
I received a lot of Twitter backlash because although I am empathetic to the sentiment- loss of freedom's afforded- I don't feel Lil' Wayne's situation or conviction is unjust or without merit. Meaning, we know Wayne lived a lifestyle that violated the law as he's quick to promote such in every song, video, or public appearance. So as a grown, intelligent (you ain't know Wayne was SMART?! HE's GENIUS!!), wealthy Black man in America, I'm certain he was aware of the consequences from his actions if caught or convicted. Fans should take from this example, yet another rapper jailed post-glorifying criminal behavior in their lyrics, the fact that these men end up in... JAIL.
For over 13 years I've watched rapper after rapper keep it all-too "real" by acting-out their lyrics often associated with hardened criminals. Many of the situations (especially Wayne's) could be avoided considering many rappers are affluent, have witnessed their peers fall victim to similar fates, and can devote their careers to being better artists. So WHY do we continue to see them in the headline news?? I will not be a supporter of indecent behavior, and if more folk took a stance of moral turpitude as opposed to celebrating excessive bafoonery dressed up as "REAL" "hard" or "gangsta", there would probably be less rappers in jail as they would (finally) start to loose fans.
Predictions of Wayne's popularity post his release are HIMscarical to me. Unless he'll experience a life-change as prolific as *Malcom Little's, I'm highly skeptical of any moral or lyrical difference aside from increased street cred. I'm not trying to diss Weezy's talent. I'm a HUGE fan (since he was rappin' verse-for-verse w. Turk in tha Hot Boyz) but enough is enough. I'm sure he'll make it through this life's storm, and probably serve a shorter sentence than anyone could imagine, but I'm not soliciting any additional prayer warriors on his behalf, or stressing as though he was wrongly accused. Or a Haiti earthquake victim. Or an undereducated DC youth, or even a solider in the CURRENT WAR?!?! -ok. off soap box-
*Malcom Litte- Malcom X's government name pre-Muslim conversion*
**Smaller Doses**
HOWARD STERN COURTING IDEA OF HOSTING IDOL- If anyone still cares about the lack of talent and consistency that is American Idol, Simon's on his way out and Howard Stern may step in. If Idol will pay him $100 million dollars. WOW. I stopped watching this show years ago, and now that the judge's roster keeps changing like Destiny's Child... I. Just. Can't.JOHN EDWARDS SEX TAPE???- Yes, it appears that the official sex tape of Senator Edwards and mistress Rielle Hunter, was ordered to be retrieved and maybe released. Will you watch that political porn???
Peace,
Dawnavette
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