Obama Signs Historic Healthcare Bill As Republicans Began Mobilizing Opposition

With the strokes of 22 pens, a buoyant President Barack Obama on Tuesday signed into law the most far-reaching healthcare overhaul in two generations, vindicating a yearlong struggle on which he had staked his presidency.

'We . . . mark a new season in America' is what the commander-in-chief proclaimed, even as GOP leaders vowed to let the people decide in the 2010 elections whether they are really "feeling this!".

In a crowded White House ceremony that was both partisan celebration and recognition of history in the making, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) raised their arms like victors at a pep rally; Victoria Kennedy, widow of health reform champion Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, blew a kiss; and Vice President Joe Biden -- as he embraced Obama -- was caught by an open microphone using an obscenity, exclaiming "This is a big . . . deal."

Obama said the moment was proof that a polarized political system could still produce substantial change to help everyday people.

"Today, after almost a century of trying; today, after over a year of debate; today, after all the votes have been tallied -- health insurance reform becomes law in the United States of America," the president said. "It is fitting that Congress passed this historic legislation this week. For as we mark the turning of spring, we also mark a new season in America."

He spoke from a lectern in the East Room, surrounded by congressional Democrats and guests who played parts in the law's adoption.

Victoria Kennedy and Obama wore blue plastic wristbands that said, "TedStrong." The bands had been distributed last summer as a sign of support for the senator during his battle with cancer.

And Obama gave a wide-swinging handshake to Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), a target of presidential arm-twisting who switched his vote from no to yes in the final days.

An administration official later described Biden's gaffe -- whispered into Obama's ear as the two embraced -- as "rational exuberance."

Standing in front of the red carpet leading into the East Room, Obama said: "With all the punditry, all of the lobbying, all of the game-playing that passes for governing in Washington, it's been easy at times to doubt our ability to do such a big thing, such a complicated thing; to wonder if there are limits to what we, as a people, can still achieve. It's easy to succumb to the sense of cynicism about what's possible in this country.

"But today, we are affirming that essential truth -- a truth every generation is called to rediscover for itself -- that we are not a nation that scales back its aspirations."

Still to be dealt with is a package of proposed changes in the law designed to deal with features that many House Democrats objected to. The changes are contained in a so-called budget reconciliation bill that was approved by the House and now goes to the Senate, where Democrats hope for speedy approval under rules that bar filibusters.

After his remarks, Obama sat at a small table and signed the bill, using two pens for each of the 11 letters in his name. Twenty of the pens would go out as souvenirs; two were reserved for his presidential archives.

With the multiple pens strokes, Obama achieved something that had eluded presidents since Theodore Roosevelt in the first decade of the 20th century -- winning congressional approval of a wide-ranging overhaul of healthcare.

And he made good on a pledge that originated in Iowa City in May 2007, when -- as a first-term senator from Illinois and underdog presidential candidate -- Obama first rolled out a plan to cover millions of uninsured Americans.

The signing ceremony was packed with Democratic lawmakers who spent the last year writing, shaping and arguing about a healthcare bill that consumed Washington and forced other legislative priorities to the back of the line.

Not a single Republican voted to make the Senate blueprint the law of the land. Underscoring the partisan divide, not one GOP lawmaker was present in the East Room; only those who voted for the bill were invited.

When Obama and Biden entered the room, the crowd leaped out of their chairs and clapped. Someone started the chant from Obama's campaign: "Fired up, ready to go!"

Obama welcomed the waves of applause and whistles and encouraging standing ovations for everyone he thanked.

The new law is a "testament to the historic leadership and uncommon courage of the men and women of the United States Congress, who've taken their lumps during this difficult debate," Obama said.

Continue reading...

President Obama Gets Deeper Into The Health Care Debate, Embraces Internet Talk With Blogtalkradio Appearance

This Guy Gets It... New Media That Is!

You know that 3BAAS Media Group has been using Blogtalkradio for almost two years now. We've produced The Content Black Woman, and the ongoing Current Events program The Kevin Ross Show. So while this incredible platform is not new to us, when Barack Obama decides to get on board, it's a whole new ballgame.

President Obama will be making an appearance on a special program called “40 Minutes For Health Reform” which will stream live exclusively on Blogtalkradio. Specifically, the Commander-in-Chief's part will be the last 10 minutes of the show after he listens in on the first 30 minutes during which there will be a roundtable discussion about the topic with the leaders of the non-profit group, Faithful America

“I’ve been impressed by how President Obama has adopted innovative social-media technology during his campaign and into his administration,” says Alan Levy, CEO of Blogtalkradio. “We’re honored that he has selected BlogTalkRadio as his newest requisite platform for communicating directly with the American people.”

Tech Crunch has all the details.

Cold Season Taking It's Toll...Perhaps It's Your Lack Of Sleep

People who sleep less than seven hours a night are three times as likely to catch a cold as their more well-rested friends and neighbours, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

The study supports the theory that sleep is important to immune function, said Sheldon Cohen and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.


Volunteers who spent less time in bed, or who spent their time in bed tossing and turning instead of snoozing, were much more likely to catch a cold when viruses were dripped into their noses, they found.

People who slept longer and more soundly resisted infection better, they reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

"Although sleep's relationship with the immune system is well-documented, this is the first evidence that even relatively minor sleep disturbances can influence the body's reaction to cold viruses," Cohen said in a statement.

"It provides yet another reason why people should make time in their schedules to get a complete night of rest."

Cohen's team tested 153 healthy volunteers, locking them in a hotel for five days after infecting them with a cold virus.

They had been interviewed daily for the previous two weeks to get details on their sleep patterns. They were tested for cold symptoms after the five-day lockup and had blood tests for antibodies to the virus.

The men and women who reported fewer than seven hours of sleep on average were 2.94 times more likely to develop sneezing, sore throat and other cold symptoms than those who reported getting eight or more hours of sleep each night.

Maggie Fox & Will Dunham over at Reuters have the rest of this story

BREAKING NEWS: Michael Jackson Responds To Rumors That He's Dying Of A Rare Lung Disease!!!

Rumors, innuendo and gossip aside, the world may need to prepare itself for the passing of the 'king of pop', Michael Jackson. Or not!

The Internet is going crazy over reports Michael is suffering from a rare lung condition and needs to undergo an emergency transplant operation. And his normally outspoken publicist hasn’t denied the allegations.

“He’s not doing so well right now. This isn’t a good time...,” said Jermaine Jackson.

UPDATE - MICHAEL BREAKS HIS SILENCE!

Michael Jackson, through a spokesperson, has categorized as "wild allegations" and a "total fabrication" recent claims by the writer of a forthcoming unauthorized Jackson biography that Jackson's health is failing.

The statement, attributed to Jackson's "official and sole spokesperson, Dr. Tohme Tohme," came in response to writer Ian Halperin's claims that Jackson is suffering from a number of ailments, including Alpha 1-anititrypsin, a potentially fatal lung disease that, according to Halperin, has left Jackson in need of a lung transplant.
"Michael wants to have the lung transplant, but because of other illnesses he's fighting, he's too weak to undergo such a major procedure," Halperin, in an item posted at his website, quotes an unnamed friend of Jackson's. "He's taking one painkiller after another. I've known him over 20 years and have never seen him in such a frail state. It's very sad."

"He's had [Alpha 1-anititrypsin] for years, but it's gotten worse," Halperin reportedly said during a recent interview with In Touch magazine. "He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it. He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It's the bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him."

"Concerning the author's allegations, we would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote [Halperin's forthcoming] unauthorized [Jackson] 'biography,'" Tohme said in a press release. "The writer's wild allegation concerning Mr. Jackson's health are a total fabrication.

"Mr. Jackson is in fine health," Thome's statement continues, "and finalizing negotiations with a major entertainment company and television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances.

The King of Pop may be fighting for his life, New York Times bestselling biographer still insists.

Halperin, author of such tomes as “Love & Death: The Murder of Kurt Cobain” and “Stalking Britney: Under Siege With Britney Spears,” says Jackson has been diagnosed with Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency, an occasionally fatal genetic condition. “He’s had it for years but it’s gotten worse,” Halperin told In Touch. “He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it.

He also has emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding, which his doctors have had a lot of trouble stopping. It’s the bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him.” According to Halperin, Jackson “can barely speak” and is having trouble seeing: “The vision in his left eye is 95 percent gone.”

Jackson, who has lived largely out the public eye in recent years, shocked fans in July when he was photographed in wheelchair. The 50-year-old also received help walking when stepped out in Los Angeles earlier this month wearing a Zorro-style face mask.

Source

Viagra For Women?... Putting the Fire In Your Desire

When I read all the recent articles on enhancing a woman's sexual desire I'm really confused about the medicine cabinet of cures. The one thing all the surveys do agree... is that men's Viagra will increase my orgasms and well, that's a good start.

It doesn't cure the big problem need, that being need, want, desire; just getting me interested in having sex in the first place. Sexually dysfunctional women in the United States are, well, mostly out of luck.

Unlike men, there are no approved drugs to take. If you go strictly by the rules, the best medical science has to offer is counseling, or a device that applies suction to your clitoris, or physical therapy for your vagina. While not to diminish these choices, where's that convenient, little blue pill for women?

That's what Joanne wanted to know. This isn't her real name, but she's a 26-year-old nurse at the Cleveland Clinic who felt no sex drive -- nothing, nada, zilch -- for eight years. She wasn't happy, and neither was her boyfriend

In the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Viagra was proven helpful for men who suffered from erectile dysfunction associated with the use of antidepressant medications.

In a current study, undertaken at seven research centers, they turned their attention to women. The study included 98 women -- half of whom received Viagra and half who received a placebo -- who were told to take the pills before sexual activity.

Women taking Viagra reported an improved ability to reach orgasm and increased orgasm satisfaction, according to the study authors. (Serena Gordon HealthDay Reporter)

This was the case with Joanne, but Viagra did not get to the core of her sexual dysfunction, that being desire to have sex at all. Read on as we find with Joanne 5 Ways to Get Your Love Life Going. by Elizabeth Cohen

Breast Cancer Awareness Part 1: Ladies Get Busy! Physical Activity Equals Lower Breast Cancer Risk

It has long been known that physical activity has a great impact on our health. Now, new research comes to support that by saying that exercising between the ages of 12 and 35 cuts women’s risk of developing breast cancer.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard University in Boston evaluated questionnaires from 64,777 premenopausal women involved in the Nurses Health Study II. The women detailed their physical activity starting from the age 12 to the present.

The study found that the women whose activity equaled 13 walking hours a week or 3.25running hours per week had a 23 percent lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer compared with the less active women. Within six years of enrolling, 550 women were diagnosed with breast cancer before menopause.

Sista's we gotta give eFLUX MEDIA all the credit this life altering article. Go there and read the rest.

Former Baller Herschel Walker Is Crazy! No, Seriously!!!

Personality disorder threatened Walker's life

Herschel Walker, a University of Georgia football legend, successful businessman and father of one, said in his book "Breaking Free" and during an interview with ABC's "Nightline" that he nearly took his own life and the lives of others as he struggled with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

In the "Nightline" interview, the 46-year-old brotha talked about playing Russian roulette with a loaded gun at his kitchen table shortly after his retirement from football in 1998.

"To challenge death like I was doing, you start saying, there's a problem here," Walker said in the interview.

The interview coincides with the release of Walker's book, which chronicles Walker's lifelong struggle with DID and his therapy since being diagnosed in 2002. Since that time, Walker has worked with Dr. Jerry Mungadze to understand the disease, in which alternate personalities aid a person who is dealing with traumatic events.

In the prologue of Walker's book, he describes how a business deal over the delivery of a car so enraged him that he checked his glove box for his Beretta while driving to the meeting.

"The logical side of me knew that what I was thinking of doing to this man — murdering him for messing up my schedule — wasn't a viable alternative," Walker wrote. "But another side of me was so angry that all I could think was how satisfying it would feel to step out of the car, pull out the gun, slip off the safety and squeeze the trigger.

"It would be no different from sighting on targets I'd fired at for years — except for the visceral enjoyment I'd get from seeing the small entry wound and the spray of brain tissue and blood — like a Fourth of July fireworks — exploding behind him."

His former wife, Cindy Grossman, told ABC how Walker put a gun to her temple."There was somebody there that was evil," Grossman told ABC.

Walker started writing the book three years ago as a way to reach out to others with DID.

Before word started to leak about the impending publication of "Breaking Free," friends and family were unaware of Walker's diagnosis. And the diagnosis is somewhat controversial. Many in the psychiatric profession feel alternative personalities can be implemented by therapists as way to mask other feelings.

"My goal is to help bring freedom to the lives of those who have it and understanding to those who have never experienced it," Walker said.

Those who have DID have experienced a traumatic event or events in their lives, such as abuse. Walker makes it clear in his book that he was never physically, mentally or sexually abused as a child in his home. He was bullied at school and made fun of for a speech impediment and being overweight as a child. [AJC]

Tony Braxton, Get Well Soon

Six time Grammy winner Toni Braxton will be canceling the rest of her April performances at the Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel. The exact cause of Braxton’s chest pain hasn’t been made public.

She has been treated in the past for pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the heart. We wish her well and I'm dedicating this Toni classic "Breathe Again" to my dad Andrew.

Wait, I'm not done yet...

The 40-year-old songstress has more medical tests following her April 7 hospitalization for chest pain. Braxton was released the following day, but last week’s shows were canceled. The Flamingo Las Vegas says Braxton’s show will remain dark this week while the 40-year-old. Toni is schedule to appear at the Flamingo on the strip for two years.

Flamingo President Don Marrandino said her Tuesday-through-Saturday shows are also off, and Braxton will take advantage of a previously scheduled two-week break.
She is due to resume her show at the Flamingo Showroom on May 6. AP source

Toni Braxton Hospitalized With Chest Pains

UNBREAK MY HEART?

Toni Braxton canceled her Las Vegas show tonight after being hospitalized overnight with chest pains, hotel officials said. The 40-year-old Grammy winner spent Monday night at a Las Vegas hospital and was expected to be released after precautionary tests, Flamingo Las Vegas hotel-casino and Harrah's Entertainment Inc. spokeswoman Deanna Pettit said.The cause of the chest pain...

was not immediately known. But Pettit said Braxton, a six-time Grammy winner for songs including "Un-break My Heart" and "Breathe Again," has been treated in the past for pericarditis, a viral inflammation of the heart.

"We wish Toni a quick recovery and would like her to take the time she needs to regain optimal health," said Don Marrandino, Flamingo president. "We are looking forward to her return at the end of the week."

The hotel was offering refunds to the canceled Tuesday show. Pettit said no immediate decision was made whether Braxton's Wednesday show would be canceled.

Braxton's act, "Toni Braxton: Revealed," also has shows scheduled Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the vintage 720-seat Flamingo Showroom. Her two-year run at the Flamingo began in August 2006. KEN RITTER shot this one out on the AP wire.

Emergency Health Scare For Idol Favorite David Cook

"American Idol" contestant David Cook was rushed to the hospital last night after experiencing heart palpitations and high blood pressure.

Released a few hours later, the white rocker's condition was still not resolved.

As first reported by TMZ, Cook was not feeling well during the day and his condition worsened after his performance. Cook was examined by show medics who determined his blood pressure was "far too high." Cook was urged to leave but wanted to wait it out.

An "A.I." exec tells us Cook has been completely stressed out because his brother, who has been sick with cancer, had a setback within the last week. Earlier in the season, just before a performance, David collapsed and said he could not go on -- though he pulled it together at the last minute.

NEW EMERGENCY C.P.R. HAS MORE COMPRESSIONS AND SAVES LIVES

More people can survive a cardiac arrest when emergency medical workers use a new resuscitation method that starts with a round of 200 chest compressions before a defibrillator shock, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Rescue teams in Arizona who used the new approach on people who had a cardiac arrest outside the hospital tripled the survival rate of the standard approach

"Cardiac arrest is incredibly common and survival is poor," said Dr. Bentley Bobrow, medical director for emergency services for the state of Arizona and a researcher at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale.
The new resuscitation method, which is not intended for bystanders, increases blood flow to the heart and brain when the heart stops pumping blood.
"Even if you could improve survival by a few percentage points, you will save thousands of people across the country," said Bobrow, whose study appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
For bystanders, the most important thing is to give chest compressions while waiting for an ambulance, many experts say.

For more go to REUTERS Health Trends

Off The Catwalk, Black Supermodel Naomi Campbell Is Hospitalized In Brazil Over Mysterious Infection

Stop the presses family! 37-year-old British supermodel Naomi Campbell has something terribly wrong with her.

Treated at a hospital and having had a small cyst removed, speculation is running rampant over exactly what caused this latest health scare for the black beauty with style, flair, killer legs, and much attitude.

"Following the successful procedure, she is now resting and is looking forward to getting back to work. She would like to thank the doctors who have kindly looked after her, " according to her publicist.

Naomi Campbell has been hospitalized in Sao Paulo and is being treated by one of Brazil's top specialists in infectious disease, the hospital's press office said Tuesday. Campbell, a frequent visitor to Brazil, celebrated Carnival earlier this month in the northeastern city of Salvador. She was hospitalized Sunday in Sao Paulo's Sirio Libanes Hospital.

She is under the care of David Uip, a specialist in infectious diseases, and gynecologist Jose Aristodemo Pinotti, the hospital said in a statement.

"The patient and her advisers have determined that the hospital's medical staff will not issue any formal or informal information on her medical condition," the hospital statement said. [CNN]

Listen Up Brothers: Talking On That Cell Phone Is Killing Your Sperm Count!

Spending hours on a cell phone each day may affect the quality of a man's sperm, preliminary research suggests. Oh, so that's the deal with Diddy.

In a study of 361 men seen at their infertility clinic, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic found an association between the patients' cell phone use and their sperm quality.

On average, the more hours the men spent on their cell phones each day, the lower their sperm count and the greater their percentage of abnormal sperm. Meanwhile, looks like P Diddy's real issue is not making babies. Truth be told, Sean John's just decided to abandoned that burgeoning music career and will focus on his incredible thespian endeavors.

Our Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin May Want To Consider Putting That Fork Down Right About Now

While Aretha Franklin may be proudly showing off more of her "fullness", a natural woman she ain't. Seen here at the Kennedy Centre honors just days ago, the 65-year-old powerhouse is a heart attack just waiting to happen.

Last week on NBC's Nightly News series on the state of African American women they focused on heart disease. My grandmother had it. My uncle has had two triple bypass surgeries. And we all know that the best way to not deal with this drama is diet and exercise -- something that many of us, including the 16-time Grammy Award winner, seems allergic to. Find out what she looked like back in the day AFTER THE JUMP...

Heart disease is a leading cause of death of African American women. To compound the problem, we are less likely to get preventative treatment than white women when diagnosed.

Shown above, Aretha is practically twice the size of the svelte sista in the Sixties and Seventies with the string of hits with songs such as Respect, Say a Little Prayer and You Make Me Feel (Like a Natural Woman). Having spoken about her battle with her weight, Franklin said she spent decades starving herself to stay slim:



"For a long time I suffered so much trying to be what other people expected me to be and look like," she told a US website. "I definitely was never meant to be a model type walking down a runway - I'm just Aretha singing what she feels in her heart and soul."

African Americans Ain't Crazy, We Just Have More Folks Suffering From Dementia

By large numbers, elderly African Americans are dealing with the silent epidemic known as Alzheimer’s. This isn't the first time we've heard this, with USA Today writing back in 2005 about how Blacks are more susceptible to the brain-wasting condition than any other group in America.

Despite this, the first in-depth study to interview African Americans caregivers on how they seek help in caring for people with dementia was just completed by Travonia Brown-Hughes at the University of Kentucky.

She interviewed 17 caregivers who had received confirmed diagnoses of Alzheimer’s for a family member. Although this seems like a small sample, in qualitative studies the researchers stop when they find people telling the similar stories over and over.

Over half of the caregivers thought the elder’s symptoms were the result of a stressful event, emerged as one theme. Typical was one man who told Brown-Hughes, his grandfather had died, and four years later they noticed their grandmother’s symptoms but thought: “Oh, it’s still the stress. Cause she was having to deal with probate court and all that. Had the cousins wanting their share. We thought the stress would go away…her memory would start to come back. And it got worse.” This response is usual for this group: the older person’s not recovered from the loss of a friend, or they moved house. Their symptoms are seen as part of a transient state, or as the product of natural aging. The man with the ill grandmother said he knew, “something’s not right but I really didn’t associate it with Alzheimer’s.”

Click here for the rest of the story.

Black Friday Means Lots Of Shopping, Eating, And Yes Black People ... Working Out!

AJ Johnson Gives Tips On Staying Slim This Holiday
*Diddy Apologizes to Tyson Beckford

*Kanye West to Sell Beverly Hills Home
*Hip-Hop Artists Support Charities During Holidays
*T-Mobile & UNCF Launch Scholarship Partnership Program
*400 Sickened by Bromide Poisoning in Angola
*Teaching Young Men to Be Men
*Federal Funds to Help Katrina Tenants
*DrJays.com Pulls All Gang Related Apparel
*Miami-Dade NAACP Calls for Justice in Police Shootings

Folks Who Get It: GMA's Robin Roberts Has African Americans And The Internet Cheering Her On!

ABC’s Good Morning America Anchor Is Making Black Folks Proud As She Stands Up To Cancer

Robin Roberts, 47, let cameras film her as she made the decision to shave her head on camera. Roberts has been losing her hair due to chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer. In her own words:

"It was devastating and draining. And as so many who have traveled this path before me had encouraged, as hard as it was, I knew what I had to do. I shaved it all off. You know everyone tells you to shave your head preemptively. To go ahead and do it before it starts falling out and I thought, no, not me, that’s not going to be me, because some chemotherapy patients don’t lose their hair. But let me tell you, I’ve joined that choir. That’s a bit of advice I now preach, because when it starts to fall out, phew, that’s rough. To wear a wig or not to wear a wig is a very personal decision for everyone who goes through this. This is my work, and I love my job, being part of your morning each day, but I never want to distract you from the story I’m reporting.

Source: ROBIN ROBERTS SHAVES HEAD ON T.V. [concrete loop]

Because I lost my father to cancer almost a year ago, everytime I hear that someone else is dealing with this bitch of a disease, I can help but feel connected to them. Keep your head up Robin. You got even more love coming your way then you could ever imagine.

My folks would have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary November 29th and everybody, especially my mother, is dealing with this incredible loss the best way we can. Love em while they're here family. You never know when it's your turn.

Do Big Black Girls Like Queen Latifah & Jill Scott REALLY Rule???

CHICAGO (AP) — Being 25 pounds overweight doesn't appear to raise your risk of dying from cancer or heart disease, says a new government study that seems to vindicate Grandma's claim that a few extra pounds won't kill you.

Released just a few weeks before Thanksgiving, the findings might comfort some who can't seem to lose those last 15 pounds. And they hearten proponents of a theory that it's possible to be "fit and fat."The news isn't all good: Overweight people do have a higher chance of dying from diabetes and kidney disease. And people who are obese — generally those more than 30 pounds overweight for their height — have a higher risk of death from a variety of ills, including some cancers and heart disease.

However, having a little extra weight actually seemed to help people survive some illnesses — results that baffled several leading health researchers."Excess weight does not uniformly increase the risk of mortality from any and every cause, but only from certain causes," said the study's lead author Katherine Flegal, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, which appears in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, analyzed the body-mass index of people who died from various diseases. In many cases, the risks of death were substantial for obese people — those with a body-mass index, or BMI, of at least 30. Also surprising was that overweight people were up to about 40 percent less likely than normal-weight people to die from several other causes including emphysema, pneumonia, injuries and various infections. The age group that seemed to benefit most from a little extra padding were people aged 25 to 59; older overweight people had reduced risks for these diseases, too.Why extra fat isn't always deadly and might even help people survive some illnesses is unclear and in fact disputed by ...

Continue reading SIZE 12 IS THE NEW 4: EXTRA WEIGHT WON'T RAISE DEATH RISk.

Healthcare Horror Stories From The Hood: Burnt LA Black Man Turned Away From "Good Samaritan?" Hospital

African American Brother With 3rd Degree Burns Treated Like A Dog From Hospital Claiming He Was Given "Appropriate" Treatment

David Arnold Kirkpatrick, 58, was sleeping soundly early Saturday morning last week in his Los Angeles home when he was roused by the acrid smell of smoke.“I jumped up and opened the door,” said Kirkpatrick. Flames leaped from the burning structure as Kirkpatrick tried to escape. “I ran from the bedroom to the living room, but the whole room was on fire.”

Kirkpatrick, who escaped the fire dressed only in his boxer shorts and slippers, was surprised by the ‘cool’ treatment he received at Good Samaritan hospital. “They told me that I could not be admitted because they needed the bed space for another patient,” recalls Kirkpatrick.

This Black man's badly burned body was rushed to the urgent care unit at Good Samaritan Hospital by paramedics. Writhing in pain, the retired cook had no idea how the fire started. What he would later find out, however, was that he suffered first, second and third degree burns to his chest and back, covering 30 percent of his body.

“Not only did David have burns on his back, but on his head, neck, arms and feet as well,” said Elestine Easley, 48, Kirkpatrick’s ex-fiance. “He had blisters on his scalp where the fire had burned his hair off.”

But "Good Samaritan" Hospital didn't seem to find these injuries all that serious. “They didn’t even ask me if I had medical insurance,” recalls Kirkpatrick, who receives general relief and lives with his mother. This from a California hospital that prides itself on "providing superb patient care in state-of-the-art facilities."Well, not according to Kirkpatrick, who claims nurses prescribed a burn cream for his wounds and then wrote a prescription for 20 Vicodin pills. Afterwards, he was issued a pair of red flannel pajamas and a red T-shirt which he said promptly stuck to his wounds. Kirkpatrick said a nurse called his fiancé and requested that she come and pick him up from the hospital. “But my fiancé does not have a car,” said Kirkpatrick. “I told the hospital personnel that I did not have transportation home.”

When contacted by phone about the incident, Katrina Bada, public relations manager at Good Samaritan, issued the following statement: “Mr. Kirkpatick was transported by paramedics to Good Samaritan Hospital on Sunday, October 28th with 2nd degree burns and was given the appropriate level of treatment before being discharged.”

In an effort to return home, Kirkpatrick appealed to a sympathetic hospital security guard who gave him two bus tokens. “But a bus pass is five dollars,” said Kirkpatrick, who said that without enough bus fare, he was forced to walk several blocks on blistered feet before finally being able to catch the bus to his fiance. Easley recalled. “I was shocked by David’s condition and wondered why the hospital didn’t admit him.”

On Monday, the Easley and her mother escorted Kirkpatrick to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center where she had to wait four hours to see a doctor. According to Elestine. “When the nurse finally saw us, she was astounded by David’s burns and she retrieved a doctor from the emergency unit. They gave him Vicodin for pain and cleaned his wounds. Then they covered them with gauze.” Elestine said that three or four doctors came to examine Kirkpatrick’s wounds. “The doctors asked if David had been discharged from Good Samaritan or if he had walked out,” said Elestine. “We told them that he had been discharged.

They said that he should never have been released from the hospital,” said Elestine. Kirkpatrick said he is still upset about the treatment he received at Good Samaritan. “They made me feel like sh**,” like less than a human being,” Kirkpatrick said, shaking his head. To add to his woes, Kirkpatrick is homeless since the fire completely destroyed the family home.

Thanks Our Weekly and editor Kathy Williamson for calling our attention to this travesty. Are you as pissed-off as we are about how little regard folks have for other people's lives???

Staph, MRSA, Schwarzenegger Caves in to Hospital Lobbyist, One Women's Mission To Set Him Straight and Save Your Life: The Risk of Infection Part 2

(Considering Fibroid surgery? You NEED to read this article!)

This is Arnold Schwarzenegger; Movie Star, Bodybuilder, and "I'm so rich I don't take money from special interest groups" ... Uber Governor of California.

This is his lovely wife Maria "I'm like any other Kennedy trying to make this world a better place" ... Shriver.

And this is Alicia Cole, the Hollywood starlet that has come between them ...

... as she battles to save her life and yours.

In the last two gubernatorial elections, current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger ran on a platform of having so much money that "he didn't need special interest money like the other candidates running." But from recent decisions, we see Arnold's "learning curve" not only includes taking special interest money, but it also includes not willing to work with the California Legislature (another promise he continues to break.)

His wife Maria Shriver, as I mentioned above, is a true "Kennedy" and really seeks to improve our lives. Combining her television visibility with her family contacts and position as First Lady of California, Maria really takes the lead in important issues. One of Maria's important issues -- her "pet project" -- is to increase awareness of Childhood Obesity. It has been a huge undertaking and very effective for the last three years.

Alicia Cole, the above mentioned actress, is the spokesperson for her Childhood Obesity campaign. The advertising includes radio, television, and thousands of billboards all over the state of California.

STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND? OK ...

Here is another picture: Alicia vacationing during the ad campaign ...

And this is how Alicia looks after her body was ravaged by the flesh eating bacteria Necrotizing Fasciitis, ... a type of staph infection she contracted at a Burbank California hospital.

Q: How did this happen? A: Relaxed hospital sterilization practices.

WHAT IS NEEDED ... A law that would make it mandatory that all hospital and surgical centers would have to reveal their infection rates, so we the public, can hold them accountable for their lack of quality sterilization. We would then be able to decide intelligently which places we would like to have surgery. They would then have to change the way they do business.

THE PROBLEM ... California Legislature passed such a bill. But last week, backing hospital lobbyist (special interest), Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed it.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN TO ALICIA??

A year ago Alicia was going into the hospital to have a "small procedure", to have fibroids removed from her uterus. In the past I have known three other women including my wife, who went through the same "relatively simple surgery." After going through this with my first friend, I could pretty much tell my other friends what to expect. In basic terms; approximately two hours surgery, tiny bikini cut below the navel, one to two days in the hospital max, six weeks of soreness and walking very slowly. All had a relative or best friend sleep over, for about five days so they could get assistance. Post surgery, years later, all are doing quite well and two have had children after their fibroids were removed from blocking conception.

So my friend Alicia went in to the hospital to have her fibroids removed, and both her mother and father flew in town to be with her. Both of them, a first among my friends that would later prove to be a critical blessing.

The first thing that got my attention, was two days after surgery, I was surprised to hear on the third night she was still in the hospital. After talking to her mother I learned of a low grade fever Alicia had and how "they" (the doctor and nurses) were trying to "get it under control." I visited the hospital that night and outside in the hall, away from Alicia I told her father of my concern that this fever was not normal from what I knew of fibroid surgery and a sure sign of infection and that, "after this weekend (the next two days) if "they" were still trying to get this "fever under control", he should pull the coattail of one of the nurses and get another doctor in here, one who's specialty is infection," he agreed. But that weekend things accelerated quickly ...

BREAKING NEWS: Black 12 Year-Old Brooklyn Boy Dies From Staph Infection

Alicia's mother noticed a small black dot below Alicia's navel, like the dot a magic marker might leave. She questioned the doctor about it. His answer was that "the dot was probably there with Alicia all her life". Well, no matter how old you get, nobody knows ya' like ya' momma and she let that doctor know, under no certain terms was that dot there before "her baby" arrived at that hospital. Like I said nobody knows you like your momma.

Within the next day, that cute little bikini cut this same doctor had given Alicia after the surgery was radiating heat and started to swell? To the point that the doctor walked into the room and announced, "If this is what I think it is, we don't have time to get her down to surgery. I'm going to have to operate on her right now, cut her open right here in the hospital room and you, Alicia's mom (not a nurse) is going to have to assist me!" By the time he cut the stitches off, out oozed a bloody infected mess. Houston, we have a problem ...

Alicia's status each day got worse and worse. Multiple doctors were coming in and out of the room. She was being pumped with antibiotic after antibiotic, each day. The doctors still didn't know what it was. The infection specialist gave only temporary hope with a new barrage of drugs. Their temporary remedy was to subject Alicia to several surgeries, day after day as they cut away new infected tissue that would not stop growing.

(Note in this picture the nurse with no gloves)

Each day the wound got wider and wider and the infection sunk deeper and deeper into her abdomen. The bloody whole stretched from one hip to the other. it was 7 inches wide and at it's peak 5 inches deep. Imagine a shark biting you and ripping the meat off your stomach. On three different occasions the doctors pronounced a "death watch", informing her parents that the infection was close to vital organs. Each time, they asked Alicia's parents if they would like to summon a minster or clergy as, "Alicia probably won't make it through the night." Alicia's mom and dad, Betty and Ron from Cleveland Ohio, who by the grace of God were by her side, one minute comforting her, the next minute keeping that hospital on point, putting nurse and doctors on notice. Like a scene from the movie "Terms of Endearment", Betty's demanding at every turn for doctors and administration to, "Damn it, do something". And Ron her father, fervently and steadfastly declaring each day that" Alicia you walked in this hospital and you gonna' walk out of this hospital", saying as much for his own confidence as well as Alicia's.

It was on the last of these three "death watch" occasions that the doctors called the National Center for Disease Control. It was here they were given the names of other doctors who were familiar with what was going on. The diagnosis: the flesh eating bacteria; Necrotizing Fasciitis.

It was then the doctors were able to try other drugs and finally stop the progress of the infections. We now realize how blessed Alicia is , because those same drugs have not been able to help everyone, others who have gotten Staph Infections, MRSA or the new, antibiotic resistant, Super Bug infections.

Where is Alicia now?

Victorious, healing, depressed, detoxing from hospital morphine, relieved, aching, mad, joyous over friends and family who stood by her and a God who is "more than a conqueror. " This month celebrates one year of coming home after five months in the hospital.

THE BATTLE IS NOT OVER!

Alicia and others like her have other needs that you would not imagine. She has set up web sites, linked blog sites and mailed to hundreds of agencies, requesting they address the following issues. We encourage you to check them out and help:

AmendThecap.com. There is a little known $250,000 cap on pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other non-economic damages for those injured through negligence. With out amending the cap attorneys are not interested in representing patients in California.

Have your Congress person support The National Medical Error Disclosure and Compensation (MEDiC) Act. S.1784, 109th Cong., 1st Sess. (2005). Introduced to the Senate by Senators Clinton (D-NY) and Obama (D-IL), ***hospitals disclosure its errors , ***national patient safety database

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 2 million patients a year will acquire a nosocomial infection during their hospital stay and 90,000 of them will DIE!!! You can make a difference.

Read and support these sites:

Alica's Story, More Details and support from NNFF

Contact Alicia and her supporters on myspace

StopHospitalInfections.org by sending this letter to your US Rep.

Dirty Hospitals Blog

Necrotizing Fasciitis Common Q & A s

Alicia Cole, Actor Spokesperson

National Necrotizing Fasciitis Foundation (NNFF)

Victory with New Hampshire Hospitals