HIV and Swine Flu combining to form a super disease?

I'M SKEPTICAL, BUT I FOUND THIS ARTICLE TO BE VERY INTERESTING. READ IT, AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK?!
Source: Reuters
* HIV patients at high risk from flu, need antivirals most
* WHO fears complications if HIV and H1N1 viruses combine
(Adds background on HIV, seasonal influenza, antivirals)
By Laura MacInnis
GENEVA, May 2 (Reuters) - People with HIV are at high risk from the new flu strain that the World Health Organisation said is on the verge of a pandemic, the WHO said on Saturday.
The United Nations agency said people with immunodeficiency diseases -- including the AIDS virus -- will most likely be vulnerable to health complications from the H1N1 strain, as they are from regular seasonal flu, which kills between 250,000 and 500,000 people a year.
HIV and the new flu strain could also mix together in a dangerous way, as has occurred with HIV and tuberculosis, the WHO said in guidance for health workers on its website.
"Although there are inadequate data to predict the impact of a possible human influenza pandemic on HIV-affected populations, interactions between HIV/AIDS and A(H1N1) influenza could be significant," it said.
"HIV-infected persons should be considered as a high risk and a priority population for preventive and therapeutic strategies against influenza including emerging influenza A(H1N1) virus infection," it said.
The virus widely known as "swine flu" has been most severe in Mexico, where government authorities say it has killed more than 100 people, and caused more mild symptoms as it spread around the world to countries including the United States, Austria, Israel, New Zealand and South Korea. [L2430119]
Although the outbreak remains tiny in scale compared to other epidemics such as malaria, hepatitis, and meningitis, the WHO has raised its pandemic alert level to 5 out of 6 due to its rapid spread as well as the possibility that the flu could cause more devastation in poor and disease-prone communities.
Countries with high rates of HIV -- most of which are in Africa -- should work to ensure that vulnerable people get the drugs they need to fight off the flu infection, the WHO said.
Antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza decrease the duration of virus excretion and the severity of illness when used for treatment of ill patients, and may also prevent illness when used for prophylaxis.
"Patients at higher risk for complications of influenza including those with HIV infection should be among those prioritised for antiviral treatment with oseltamivir or zanamivir which shortens illness duration and severity in seasonal influenza," the WHO guidance read.
It is best if people infected with the flu strain start to take the antivirals within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms, according to the WHO. There are no known problems with taking those drugs alongside the anti-retrovirals that HIV patients take to suppress their virus.
According to WHO estimates, there are 33 million people infected with immune-weakening HIV worldwide. (For the full WHO guidance for HIV patient care, see: http://www.who.int/hiv/mediacentre/influenza_hiv.pdf) (For a factbox on global diseases, click on [ID:nL2430119]) (For more Reuters swine flu coverage, please click here: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/swineflu ) news ## for search indexer, do not remove -->

Are Black women promoting obesity with their big booties!

AS A CURVACEOUS,CARIBBEAN WOMAN, I was actually taken aback by what I read online in a article. I have included some of the article, as well as some of my thoughts.
ENJOY....

But it’s the reporter who’s the biggest ass. The tagline of the article hints at things to come: “Many blacks love big women, but having a rump the size of Buffie the Body’s can put women at risk for disease.” And it only gets better:(THIS IS TAKEN FROM THE ARTICLE.....

Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder and need not justify itself. I love (non-steroidal) body builders’ physiques and, pre-kids, I know people that are hardcore gym rats. My own mother found my buff body distasteful, though it would have taken Gitmo to make her admit it (my family deputized a representative to ask me if I was gay). So, my issue is not with a butt fetish per se. Fetishizing large rumps (though “large” doesn’t tell you the half of it without the pix) is, of course, no better or worse than fetishizing plastic blimp-breasts, except that the latter could be considered safer. Their supply can be halted, surgeons are regulated, patients are monitored and, of course, the bearers themselves can have the implants removed. But the best way to get a gargantuan ass of urban-lad-mag size is to be obese; this is also the path to ill health and early death for black women, as Buffie’s lifestyle amply demonstrates.

Yes, you read that right: It is healthier to undergo surgery where a doctor slices your breasts open and stuffs two saline-filled baggies into your chest than it is to have a naturally big ass.


Recent press reports show why black women should be alarmed: More than half of us are obese — 78 percent are considered overweight. And, according to the American Obesity Association, the pounds are not coming off easily, due to “cultural factors related to diet, exercise and weight among African-Americans.” The Centers for Disease Control finds that rates of diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature death are higher among black women, and when we get these diseases, we’re sicker than white women. But here’s the kicker: Womenshealth.gov reports that “compared with overweight white Americans, overweight black Americans are two to three times more likely to say their weight is average — even after they’ve been told they are overweight or obese by a doctor (emphasis added). It’s one thing not to “see” that you need to lose weight. It’s quite another to reject that knowledge from the medical professional you sought out.

She’s right that we should be alarmed about disproportionate obesity rates in certain communities — but instead of examining the complex causes of obesity rates, she defaults to victim-blaming. Women of color are more likely to be poor than white women. They are less likely to have adequate health care access. When you’re poor, you’re going to buy food that you can afford, and things like fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fish aren’t exactly cheap — or even available in many communities. If most of your shopping is done at the corner bodega, you’re not going to be walking out with a nice salmon fillet for dinner — you’re going to get the frozen fish sticks. If you have $20 to spend on food for your family, you’re going to buy the 10-for-$1 Top Ramen, not the $1.50-each organic apples. Government subsidies make high-fructose corn syrup incredibly cheap, further compromising the healthiness of processed food. Healthy, high-quality food is pricey, and out of reach for many people. Not to mention the fact that busy parents who work all day don’t have time to prepare complicated, health-centered meals. Plus there’s the fact that exercise is expensive — gyms cost money, athletic shoes and gear cost money, sports teams cost money, and on and on.

But instead of dealing with the hard issues — poverty, lack of health care access — the author would rather just fat-shame, and encourage men to reject fat women:

To the degree that this black fat preference is simply a determination to pooh-pooh anything “white,” blacks need to grow up. If it’s simply ignorance, well, now we know and when you know better you’re supposed to do better. Sorry, brothers, but just as I learned to reject “hard bodies” that are the result of steroids, y’all need to reject “lard bodies” that are, at least in part, the result of slow suicide to please you. Just as other cultures have had to discourage certain customs — bound feet, corsets and hoop skirts — blacks have to learn to see a seriously overweight sister not just as freewheeling and “down” enough to enjoy her fried pork chops but as a woman who might be putting her health at risk. Sisters, there ain’t nobody to blame but yourself when you Southern fry yourself, complete with coveted ass, into Forest Lawn while your kids are still in elementary school. MeMe Roth’s anti-obesity campaign may be seriously askew, but so is sacrificing your health to blimp yourself into a Buffie.


We’ll conveniently ignore the fact that men are more likely to be obese than women. They’re dudes, though, and we’re talking about self-involved bitches who will (and should) change their bodies to suit the preferences of men

CLEARLY THE WRITER OF THIS ARTICLE IS NOT CLEAR ON THEIR FACTS. Their are not just curvy "(or as they put it obese)"black women . They now come in all colors, races, and ethnic backgrounds. I dont know i'm really apalled by these two authors....WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Octomom receives visit from child services

Nadya Suleman had unexpected visitors seeking an interview on April 29, but they weren’t offering a TV exclusive. Orange County Child Services workers and two La Habra, Calif., policemen came to investigate a complaint from a teacher that her son Aiden had come to school with a black eye, scratches and bite marks. Nadya explained that “he’s autistic, he bumps into things.” She attributed the bite marks to one of her other children. The authorities left after the 45-minute visit, and Nadya insists that her visitors were “impressed by how organized everything was.”

Good Afternoon!!

By now you have heard about the infamous Swine Flu! In case you still need more info about it or confused, here are some facts about this epidemic that is affecting the world.

There have been two other epidemics of the swine flu.(1918 and 1976)

In response to an intensifying outbreak in the United States and internationally caused by a new influenza virus of swine origin, the World Health Organization raised the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 5 on April 29, 2009. A Phase 5 alert is a “strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalize the organization, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short

What is swine flu?
Like people, pigs can get influenza (flu), but swine flu viruses aren't the same as human flu viruses. Swine flu doesn't often infect people, and the rare human cases that have occurred in the past have mainly affected people who had direct contact with pigs. But the current swine flu outbreak is different. It's caused by a new swine flu virus that has spread from person to person -- and it's happening among people who haven't had any contact with pigs.

What are swine flu symptoms?
Symptoms of swine flu are like regular flu symptoms and include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue. Some people have reported diarrhea and vomiting associated with swine flu. Those symptoms can also be caused by many other conditions, and that means that you and your doctor can't know, just based on your symptoms, if you've got swine flu. It takes a lab test to tell whether it's swine flu or some other condition.

If I think I have swine flu, what should I do? When should I see my doctor?
If you have flu symptoms, stay home, and when you cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Afterward, throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands. That will help prevent your flu from spreading.

If you've got flu symptoms, and you've recently been to a high-risk area like Mexico, CDC officials recommend that you see your doctor. If you have flu symptoms but you haven't been in a high-risk area, you can still see a doctor -- that's your call.

Keep in mind that your doctor will not be able to determine whether you have swine flu, but he or she would take a sample from you and send it to a state health department lab for testing to see if it's swine flu. If your doctor suspects swine flu, he or she would be able to write you a prescription for Tamiflu or Relenza. Those drugs may not be required; U.S. swine flu patients have made a full recovery without it.

I HOPE THIS HAS HELPED YOU! IF YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS OR PROBLEMS, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL HEALTHCARE FACILITY OR DOCTOR!

Product of the Week!

Ok so I decided to try something new. My BFF told me about this and the name alone intringed me.....SKINNY COW!



Skinny Cow is a low fat ice cream. Unlike other low fat ice cream, this actually can pass as real ice cream.( LOL...Whatever that means)

This is the vanilla ice cream sandwiches..These are yummy!They are only 140 calories for each sandwich, and only 2 WW points(Weight Watcher Points if thats your thing)

Skinny Cow also has.....
MORE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES,BARS,MORE CONES, AND EVEN MILK!



CHECK THEM OUT!

Rihanna and Chris Updates!!!!!

Ok by now you know that Chris Brown assaulted Rihanna and intended to kill her. The thing is Rihanna can't be A Bajan. I say that because a True Bajan would have fought back. This man did not have a serious bruise or injury on him. Being that Im part Bajan, I would have took off my shoe & hit him in the eye with the heel. Rumor has it that they have secretly wed thanks to P.DIDDY! Puffy is the last person they should have went to for advice!


THIS JUST IN.........

Mar 6 2009 1:20 PM EST
Rihanna Will Testify Against Chris Brown If Subpoenaed
'She is willing to do anything that the law requires her to do,' her lawyer tells MTV News.
By Gil Kaufman

After Chris Brown was charged with two felony counts on Thursday in connection with his alleged assault on girlfriend Rihanna, the next question became "Will Rihanna testify in the case?"
Brown, 19, was charged with assault and making criminal threats, which, if convicted, could land him more than four years in state prison. "The DAs are facing an uphill battle now if Rihanna isn't cooperating," Los Angeles defense lawyer and former prosecutor Steve Sitkoff told People magazine on Friday (March 6) about the alleged victim in the case, who reportedly reunited with Brown last weekend at a home owned by Diddy in Miami. "At this point, her cooperation can make or break the case. But the DAs may not need her if Brown is willing to strike a plea deal."
When asked if the singer is cooperating with the district attorney's office, Rihanna lawyer Donald Etra told MTV News, "At this point, she is willing to do anything that the law requires her to do. ... If subpoenaed, she will testify." Asked to confirm reports that the couple have reunited since the alleged February 8 incident, Etra said now is "neither the time nor the place to discuss their relationship."
Experts told People that prosecutors will almost certainly subpoena Rihanna as a witness but that she cannot be threatened with jail time if she refuses to take the stand.
Loyola Law School professor Stan Goldman said the DA's case could be jeopardized if Rihanna refuses to testify because her statements to police can only be used against him if she agrees to testify. Brown did not enter a plea at his arraignment on Thursday, where his lawyer, Mark Geragos, asked for a continuance in the case, postponing the singer's arraignment until April 6.
While Etra said Rihanna did not request a "no-contact" order, which would prevent Brown from talking to or spending time with her, the judge in the case did order Brown not to "annoy, harass, molest, threaten or use force or violence against anyone," which Etra said Rihanna thought was sufficient. He explained that the judge's order does not prevent the couple from having contact and that it will stay in place until either Brown or Rihanna challenges it.

THANKS MTV NEWS FOR STORY!

Hello again to all!(A second time) I have been under another hiatus, but again I can truly say that I'm back! Thanks to my faithful readers! I really appreciate ya'll!

Many things have happened since I've been gone, but I will start from today with happenings from all over the world.Not only that, I will share my personal feelings and daily happenings of my life. Lastly, if there is something you want to see or hear, hit me up @ Missdivineb@aol.com.



Ciao!


The Mizunderstood Diva

Travis Barker, and DJ AM Escaped Plane Crash!

"[The two] told me that they slid down the wing on the right side of the plane," he said. "They said they were on fire, and that they tackled each other and put each other out said Lieutenant Josh Shumpert of the South Congaree, South Carolina, police department.

"When I got there they were on the side of the road," he continued. "They were pacing and in shock. Travis was very shaken up."

He added that Barker was given Gatorade after he asked for water.

"Travis was wearing some kind of shorts and no shirt," Shumpert said, adding that Goldstein was wearing shorts or boxers as well. "Travis had one sock on. And a black hat on his head."

Killed in the crash were Barker's assistant, Chris Baker; his security guard, Charles Still; and Sarah Lemmon and James Bland, the plane's pilot and co-pilot. Barker's clothing company, Famous Stars and Straps, has established a memorial fund for the families of Baker and Still.

Federal investigators are investigating the possibility that a blown tire could have contributed to the jet crash. Investigators have found evidence that one of the jet's tires may have blown moments before takeoff at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Audio from the jet's cockpit voice recorder indicates the pilot and co-pilot informed air-traffic controllers they'd heard a tire burst and tried to abort the takeoff.

Doctors from the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia, said Sunday that Barker and AM are expected to recover fully from their injuries.

Hurricane Ike was not a joke! This is my first post since the storm due to lost of power. A entire week without of power was so difficult, but it could have been worse. I still have a roof over my head and the gift of life. Posting will resume shortly.... Have a Great rest of the week!

Hurricane Ike

Happy Friday to all...WELL TO ALL EXCEPT FOR THE TEXAS/LOUISIANA COAST! Hurricane Ike and Tina...oops I mean Hurricane Ike is heading straight to the Houston/Galveston area. Please Pray for the families and friends that will be affected. I will give you updates periodically when possible!

Vince Young: His Ups and Downs!

Felicia Young has seen her son experience the ups and downs that go with being a football star.

On Monday night, she saw 25-year-old Vince Young sink to his lowest point. It ended with Coach Jeff Fisher calling Metro Police to search for her son for over four hours, and opened the biggest window yet into the emotional and troubled side of the Titans quarterback.


A psychologist was among those who met with Young at his Brentwood home on Monday, and what she concluded and told team officials led to a bizarre, 24-hour period that ended just after midnight Tuesday morning. That’s when Fisher met with Young and police at Baptist Sports Park.

Felicia Young said her son has grown weary of all the negativity he faces as an NFL star. On Monday, he indicated to those around him he didn’t want to play football any more.

“Vince has gone through a whole lot as a young person,’’ Felicia Young said. “And I think he has done pretty well up to this point. But it is hard, all he is going through right now. He’s hurting inside and out.

“But he will be fine if people are prayerful and help my baby boy out. He is a young man. He just needs a lot of love and support.’’

When the frantic search for Young ended, Fisher and the Titans said the incident had been blown out of proportion. So did some of Young’s friends and family.

But the events that led up to it all — and the fact Fisher called police — showed just how much concern the team has regarding the mental state of Young, who suffered a left knee injury in Sunday’s season opening win over the Jaguars. Young opted not to get an MRI of the knee on Monday; an MRI on Tuesday revealed he has a sprained MCL that could keep him out anywhere from 2-4 weeks.

The Titans, meanwhile, were making plans to go on without him.

“In a major city police department we have calls like this all the time about people who fear for their loved ones … the difference here being Vince Young’s notoriety,’’ Metro Police spokesman Don Aaron said. “When the police department gets such calls, you have to take them seriously. You never know how these issues will ultimately turn out. The concerns of (Monday) night appear to be unfounded.’’



Call for help

The Titans had concerns about Young even before late Monday night.

After Young balked at having the MRI on Monday, Fisher went out and talked to him at his Brentwood home, spending over an hour with him. The Titans also sent a psychologist, Dr. Sheila Peters, and Tina Tuggle, the team’s Director of Player Development, to meet with Young to try and encourage him.

The psychologist said Young was extremely depressed and expressed concerns to the team about Young’s safety. Later, Young left the house and sped off in his Mercedes Benz without his cell phone. He couldn’t be found for some time, which prompted a phone call to Fisher.

Fisher then called police, who began searching for Young. When Young was finally tracked down, he met with Fisher and police at Baptist Sports Park and eventually went home.

“The people that are closest to Vince inform(ed) us that he had left his house in a state of mind that had them concerned; and that he was unreachable, having left his cell phone at the house,’’ Fisher said in a statement. “(Later) it was determined that those initial concerns by his friends and family were unfounded and he returned home without incident.’’

According to police, Young had a handgun in the glove compartment of his vehicle, but it was not loaded and Aaron said officers had no concerns about Young trying to harm himself. Young was not charged with any crime because it’s not a violation of the law in Tennessee to transport an unloaded firearm with no ammunition in a motor vehicle.

“The fact the gun was in the glove compartment and was unloaded did not present an issue for the officers,’’ Aaron said. “There was no ammunition in the car. The gun was unloaded. The slide was back in a safe position, and it was in the glove box.’’



Young’s whereabouts

A friend of Young’s said on Tuesday the quarterback was with him watching Monday Night Football in Steve McNair’s office in Nashville when police were searching for Young, and neither had any idea anyone was looking for him. Earlier, the two had stopped by Nuttin’ but Wings on Jefferson Street and exchanged autographs for free wings, Raymond White said.

“We sat around watching football and eating chicken wings,’’ said White “Everything was fine. There was no problem.’’

Agent Major Adams, who represents Young, said on Tuesday the quarterback was shocked at all the attention the story generated on Tuesday.

“He understands that people care about him and all that; that is the good part of it,’’ Adams said. “But to have it all blow up like it was … Vince feels like he can’t go anywhere without people knowing where he is 24 hours a day. That’s the only negative part of it. He’s fine.’’



Point of no return?

The events of the last 48 hours, however, have clearly left a lasting mark on both Young and the Titans.

On Sunday, before Young was injured against the Jaguars, he initially refused to re-enter the game after throwing an interception and getting booed by fans. His decision to ignore the team’s request for him to have the MRI created even more friction between the player and the team, and indications last night were the Titans have turned the team over to back-up quarterback Kerry Collins.

Even when Young returns from his injury, he might not get his job back.

The Titans believe Young’s injury is one that will keep him out anywhere from 2-4 weeks.

Then there’s the question about whether Young is interested in returning, something he mentioned to those who were with him on Monday.

“What would you think, if you were tired of being ridiculed and persecuted and talked about and not being treated very well, what would you do? What kind of decision would you make?’’ Felicia Young asked. “He may not want to deal with it (all), but you have to get to that point before you make that decision first.

“But we’re not talking about football right now. We’re talking about what would make him happy, and that is the most important thing.

“… You don’t want people to be hurting like he is. But it is a growing-up process, and he will eventually come out like gold no matter what. But Vince is going to be OK. We are just going to try and give him some space.”

Reach Jim Wyatt at 259-8015 or jwyatt@tennessean.com

WWE Wrestler Rick Flair Gets Beat up by Daughter's Boyfriend!

September 10, 2008. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Most of former professional wrestler Ric Flair's fights were scripted. But Chapel Hill, N.C., police didn't find anything fake about the blood and bruises on the Nature Boy after a fight with his daughter's 22-year-old boyfriend.

Neither man was charged, but Flair's daughter, Ashley Elizabeth Fliehr, was charged for resisting police after the 22-year-old became belligerent and kicked an officer, Chapel Hill police Lt. Kevin Gunter said Tuesday.

Neighbors called police about 2:30 a.m. Friday about a fight at an apartment in the city about 30 miles northwest of Raleigh. The fight was over, but officers followed a trail of blood to Fliehr's apartment.

She told police the men had fought but it was over and things were fine. Officers found the 59-year-old Flair, whose real name is Richard Fliehr, on a bed in the back room. The boyfriend was in another part of the apartment.

Flair admitted fighting with the boyfriend but he didn't want to press charges, Gunter said. Gunter refused to give the boyfriend's name because he was not charged.

"He was kind of elusive," Gunter said of Flair. "He said everything was fine. Officers said he had a 'no problems here' kind of attitude. He just wanted everything forgotten."

Flair, known for his platinum blond hair, fur-lined robes and signature "Wooooo!" catchphrase, retired earlier this year after a 36-year career. He had wrestled for a number of big-name organizations, including World Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment.

Bristol Palin's Baby's Daddy??????!!!!!????

Father of Bristol Palin's Child Speaks


This is a video of a young black man claiming to be Bristol Palin’s , daughter of VP candidate Sarah Palin, baby’s daddy. I wonder if this is part of the Republican campaign tactic–stir up drama featuring a woman and a black person to combat the “black issue” and “woman issue” the Democratic campaign has offered this whole campaign season. The dude on the video does say he’s a registered Democrat and will be voting for Obama. And no, he’s not from Alaska. He’s from L.A. and says he impregnated Bristol while he was visiting his Uncle who works on a pipeline in Alaska.

He says he cares very much for Bristol but he understands the “boyfriend” Levi is a better person to tote around politically for this matter. Basically this dude just wants to see his alleged baby. Now if Bristol's baby comes out on the brown side...this will be very interesting!

Congrats to Serena Williams for winning The U.S. Open! Also Pics of Kimora Lee Simmons

Serena was spotted posing on the top of a police car in he NYC with her Winner’s Cup from the US Open.

Venus was spotted at a show with Mama Oracene during NY Fashion Week

Serena & Ivana Trump

Kimora Lee Simmons at Calvin Klein's Party during NY Fashion Week

Kimora & Djimon

Laurie Ann Gibson and Busta Rhymes?????????

Post-VMA Red Carpet:

WOW! Never would have thought these two would get together. Everyone needs LOVE! :)

If you missed MTV VMA'S, Here you go!

A couple of MTV performances:

T-Pain & Lil Wayne

Kid Rock said Lil Wayne barely showed up to rehearsal

Jaime Foxx giving Britney Spears her 1st ever VMA award. She won 3 that night. Strange..huh? All of a sudden...I wasnt aware that her album even sold that many copies. Is this favortism Mtv?

Chris Brown & Rihanna

Ahh so cute!

These two on the other hand....She doesnt look so happy...what you do now Kobe?

Michael Phelps & Ciara

After the show is the after party:

Solange looking cute in her black dress
Christina Millian...WTF?
The Simmons sisters
DJ A & M, Paul Wall, & Travis Barker

Happy Tuesday!

I hope everyone's weeekend went well. Let me start off with a quote of the day....
Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what you think it is you want to hear......think about it....

Moving on.....

For those who can wait until Fashion Rocks comes on tonight @ 7 Central/8 Eastern, you might not want to scroll below, but if you can't wait here are some pictures from the show that was taped last week!

Hailstorm turns part of Kenya white

NAIROBI (Reuters) - A huge hailstorm turned parts of central Kenya white, thrilling residents most of whom had never experienced such conditions, officials said on Wednesday.


Hailstorms are usual in some parts of Kenya, which straddles the equator, but the ferocity of the storm in Busara, 255 km (158 miles) northwest of the capital was unprecedented.

Excited villagers pelted each other with snowballs while some ate pieces of the icy sheet that formed over an entire hillside.

"We thought a big white sheet had been spread, so we decided to come and see for ourselves. We thought that it was Jesus who had come back," one villager told reporters.

Kenya's Meteorological Department said Tuesday's storm was caused by the convergence of cold air currents from the Indian Ocean and warm air currents from the Congo.

"The hailstones falling on the ground joined together to form expansive sheets of ice or snow flakes occupying a large area, 30 acres," a statement by the meteorologists said.

More than 12 hours after the storm, the forested hillside was still white despite the hot tropical sun.

"In fact this thing is very sweet, we have never seen anything like this. We like the ice so much because with the sun being hot, you take it and you feel satisfied," resident Simon Kimani said.

The only snow to be seen in normally sunny Kenya is on top of the country's highest mountain, 5,199-metre (17,057 ft) Mount Kenya.

Detroit mayor expected to make plea in court!

DETROIT (AP) — After months of defiantly holding onto his office, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick appeared ready to give it up as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in a sex-and-misconduct scandal that has embarrassed the nation's 11th-largest city for months.

The Wayne County prosecutor's office, which has charged Kilpatrick with eight felonies in his perjury case, said the plea would take place during a scheduled docket conference before Circuit Court Judge David Groner on Thursday morning.

And while the mayor's lawyers later insisted that no deal had been struck, Kilpatrick spokesman Chris Garrett confirmed negotiations toward a plea were continuing.

It was "apparent that they are close," Kilpatrick attorney James Thomas said late Wednesday, adding that he was unsure if the deal being negotiated included any jail time for the mayor.

The mayor would automatically be expelled from office if he is convicted of a felony. Kilpatrick also faces assault charges stemming from a confrontation in July.

The announcement of a potential deal by the prosecutor's office interrupted an extraordinary hearing Wednesday in which Gov. Jennifer Granholm is tasked with deciding if Kilpatrick should be removed from office for misconduct for his role in an $8.4 million whistle-blowers' settlement.

The governor's spokeswoman, Liz Boyd, said the removal hearing's second day would resume Thursday, an hour after Kilpatrick's appearance ends in Wayne County Circuit Court. A deal to resign would make Granholm's role moot.

The City Council has asked Granholm to use her constitutional authority to expel Kilpatrick for misconduct, saying it was misled when it approved the settlement last year with fired police officers.

Council members said they didn't know the deal carried secret provisions to keep a lid on steamy text messages between Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty, who was his chief of staff, on city-issued pagers.

Those messages, published by the Detroit Free Press in January, contradicted denials of an extramarital affair when the two testified at a trial last year involving the officers. That led Prosecutor Kym Worthy to charge the pair with perjury, conspiracy, misconduct and obstruction of justice.

Michigan governors are allowed by the state constitution to remove elected officials for misconduct, but the target never has been the leader of the state's largest city. The last time was in 1982, when Gov. William Milliken let a township official stay in office if he stopped drinking.

The mayor's legal team twice failed to persuade courts to stop the hearing Tuesday. Lawyers filed an appeal Wednesday with the Michigan Supreme Court, but there was no response from the justices.

Granholm, a fellow Democrat, has pared the case to two issues: Did Kilpatrick settle the lawsuits for personal gain because he feared release of the text messages? And did the mayor conceal information from the City Council?

A witness, Michael Stefani, an attorney for the three former police officers, said that he quickly settled lawsuits against the city after he told opposing attorneys that he planned to file text messages in court showing an affair between the mayor and Beatty.

Two officers had already won their whistle-blower trial the previous month, but the financial remedy ordered by a jury could have been appealed. Legal fees were unsettled, too.

Kilpatrick's lawyer, Sam McCargo, "looked shaken up" when he saw the messages and said he could call the mayor to pursue a "global resolution" with the officers, according to Stefani.

The assault charges against the mayor stem from a confrontation on his sister's porch. A sheriff's detective says Kilpatrick shoved him into another investigator as they were trying to serve a subpoena to the mayor's friend in the perjury case.

Mary Wineberg Wins Gold at Olympics in Beijing

I know the Beijing Olympics already passed, but I want to give props to whom props are due. With that being said, CONGRATULATIONS to Mary Wineberg. Here is some information on her:


Mary Wineberg won gold for the United States in the women's 4x400m relay final during the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. She joined teammates Allyson Felix, Monique Henderson and Sanya Richards in completing the race in 3:18.54.

A native of Cincinnati, Wineberg was initiated into the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority at Omicron Chapter at the University of Cincinnati, where she trained for the race and currently volunteers as a track coach. She was also a star runner at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, where she first starting competing—and winning.

Capturing the gold medal represents the triumphant high point of a career that began when she was four years old and raced in an annual block party street race in Brooklyn. Wineberg was the only girl in the field. Undaunted, she beat all the boys to win her first trophy for running. This was one of thousands of awards she would win during her career.

She plans to continue competing well into the future and hopes to be a member of the track and field team at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Whoppi and her Grand Kids in SoHo!

Whoopi Goldberg was spotted out and about in SoHo this weekend spending some QT with her teen granddaughters:






Amarah Skyeis the oldest in the grey hoodie and Jersey Martin is in the red hoodie. Fun times with Grandma!

Rihanna in Hollywood during Labor Day Weekend

She hit up Popeye’s for some grub. That chick loves her some fried chicken. Just like somebody else we know very well....ok *hint hint she dates Jay-Z*

Someone finally realizes her outside. She’s trying her BEST to stop the rumors of her only having $20k in the bank thanks to all her excessive spending. So she hit up the Gucci store this weekend also:

Tiger Woods is Expecting Child # 2

Tiger and his wife Elin Woods are expecting baby number 2. Their first child, Sam Alexis, is now a year old. According to his official site, Tiger states today:
“This has been a year of contrasts. I had a solid start to the season, won the U.S. Open in an exciting playoff, and then unfortunately had to shut it down after successful knee surgery. And now, I have some wonderful news to report. Sam is going to be a big sister.”

The new addition is expected to arrive late winter!

Ne-Yo wins lawsuit against R.Kelly & Floyd Mayweather is robbed AGAIN!

Ne-Yo was awarded $700k in his lawsuit against R.Kelly. Last year, the R pulled out the diva stops and dropped Ne-Yo from their nation wide tour with no warning. Apparently R was jealous of Ne-Yo’s stardum and he didn’t want to share the flashing lights with him, but he let Keyshia Cole stay even though she was cuttin’ up with her own diva antics. Ne-Yo said he would sue the dude, especially since he’s now lost respect for him as a man, and that he did.



The boxer was robbed again of $7 million worth of jewels from his Las Vegas home last week. And the guy in the photo BELOW is the culprit who was caught on a security tape.

If you know who this man is, hit up the Las Vegas Police department because you might GET A REWARD!!!!!!!!!!

MAYBE IF HE STOP FLASHING HIS MONEY AROUND...MAYBE JUST MAYBE HE WOULDN'T GET ROBBED ALL THE TIME.

THANKS TO theybf.com for the stories.