Tags: driving, Saudi Arabia
Lucky to be Driving? Posted on July 26th, 2011
So you thought driving was no big deal? Well, did you know that women in Saudi Arabia are prohibited from driving? Men are allowed to drive but not women. Something that we take for granted, a simple drive in our own car, has sparked controversy of late. Women driving remains a sensitive issue in Saudi Arabia. For religious conservatives, the ban on women driving is a sign that the Saudi kingdom still holds to its traditions and has not caved to Western pressure.
The ruling family has been especially dependent on this base of supporters in recent months as protests erupted across the region. The initiative for women to drive, spearheaded by 32-year-old activist Manal al-Sharif is the strongest effort so far in the kingdom inspired by the regional climate. Before her arrest, Ms. Sharif had encouraged other women to follow her example and document their acts of “driving while female” by posting video online. A small number of clips and still photographs posted on Facebook and YouTube by activists on appeared to show female hands steering cars through the kingdom’s streets – proving that you just can’t hold a good woman down.
All around the world men and women are protesting for basic human rights – one of them for women is driving a car. I learned to drive when I was 21 years of age. My boyfriend at the time taught me to drive a stick shift Volkswagen Beetle – big mistake. It slipped out of gear and ran into a sign post bending the fender. My great aunt was the first woman to drive a car in Edinburgh Scotland. Women are capable of anything – they are certainly capable of driving – anywhere. We salute our Saudi counterparts – drive on ladies!
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/17/saudi-women-protest-driving-ban/
Do You Eat Eggs? Posted on July 15th, 2011
If you’re an egg-eater I bet you thought that brown eggs were healthier than white? Well guess what – the only difference is the price!
Consider nutrition science, flip-flopping over the humble egg: villainized as an artery-clogging cholesterol bomb in the 1980s, now a centerpiece of the healthy breakfast (or dinner) plate while activists focus on the well-being of the chickens. But there is a difference between free rage eggs and eggs from caged hens. The difference is in the taste and the manner in which the chicken was raised. You want to eat eggs from happy chickens! Eggs also contain important nutrients such as; protein for cell building and balanced blood sugars; Choline for brain function and Lutein and Zeaxanthin for eye health. At only 70 calories per egg, who knew the lowly egg could be such a benefit?
Michael Pollan author of “In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto” became famous telling us that to eat healthy is to eat simply—just like our grandmothers did. Problem is, Grandma didn’t live in the Information Age, the age of the 25,000-product supermarket, Dietary Guidelines, and all those superfood health claims. It should be simple. But it really isn’t—not with this much daily nutrition info overload to contend with.
Pollan is right. The basic rules of healthy eating are very simple – eat simply. But diet is also in the details. In the crazy modern food world, you want to keep your eye on the big picture, but pay attention to the small print, too.
http://www.incredibleegg.org/health-and-nutrition/egg-nutrients
Tags: addictions, alcohol, Betty Ford, drug
Betty Ford Dies at Age 93 Posted on July 8th, 2011
We have all heard of Betty Ford and acknowledge her recent passing. Not only was she the wife of the late President Gerald Ford, but she overcame alcohol and prescription drug addictions and helped found a rehabilitation clinic that bears her name. She will be missed but her legacy lives on. Betty Ford was ahead of her time. When it was considered shameful to discuss addictions of any kind or to publicly campaign for breast cancer awareness, Betty Ford did both. She was an advocate for equal rights for woman and she took a tolerant stance on abortion. Ford’s problems with chemical dependency may have begun in 1964, when doctors prescribed her painkillers for a pinched nerve. She developed an addiction to prescription drugs and also became dependent on alcohol during the 1960s. Throughout her life, Betty Ford was an inspiration. She was admired for her courage as she faced personal struggles in the public spotlight and as a result, made a noble contribution.
http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20110709/NEWS-US-USA-BETTYFORD/?cid=hero_media