"An evil man is held captive by his own sins; they are ropes that catch and hold him. 23 He will die for lack of self-control; he will be lost because of his incredible folly.
" -Proverbs 5:22-23
This website is on illegeal drugs (not the over the counter stuff), which has been a big problem everywhere I've lived. Yes, even in small town Morris- Minnesota! Especially lately as the big talk around town lately was a drug bust in the Coburns parking lot-the town hangout for teens! A 50 something old-guy from out of town was caught dealing drugs, which undercover cops caught him. I just attended a weekly prayer with the teen I mentor at his high school and one of the teenagers around told me 8 squad cars (exaggerrated?) and a undercover truck were at the scene (sometime in the last week of March 2004)!
This is somewhat an answer to prayer for this guy getting caught, so this won't happen again. However, it makes one think how many do not get caught! Yes, we can try to get as many advance technology to find these drug dealers. However, the main source are the drug users.
Why do people use drugs in the first place?
From my personal perspective growing-up, I first noticed the drug problem in junior high in St. Paul. They would go the "bridge" (a hangout in an actual bridge over a creek in a forestry/woody area across the street from our school) to avoid adults. The people I knew that did drugs came from severe broken homes (e.g. divorced parents, no parental guidance, drug/alcohol families, etc...). A lot of them smoke, which many started because of the stresses in their life-my personal explanation of why people do it!
Another reason is peer-pressure along with curiosity, which many youth feel a need of belonging! I remember some peers were hanging out and one of them asked me if I wanted a cigaratte; knowing the harmful facts-I said "no". Then one time I was working at Taco Bell, and a co-worker of mine asked me if wanted to have some "marijuana". Of course, I said "no" too.
Addiction on one "substance" become an addiction of another one. It seem like when one gets hooked on smoking, they become prone to alcohol, and then drugs or any other way around! I hear that in order for one to get over an addiction, they need to replace it with something "positive" because their body is totally dependent on the "physical". I'm no health expert, but former drug addicts need to replace thier addiction with something else="positive"!
We live in a greedy world and of desperation for "fast money". Some are stress out because of their financial problems, so they look desperately for a way out of it!
My Personal "Passive" Encounter Experience
Unfortunately, our particular Taco Bell store was known as a drug haven, which many of my co-workers would deal drugs (users too!) through the drive-thru window! I remember one time a co-worker of mine would weigh some cocaine that was used to measure the ingredients on particular food items. It was crazy at the time, which never really hit me until I went to Morris. I was surrounded by all this "stuff" so much that it became a normal fact of life. Lastly, a sift-manager came to work one Saturday morning and told me how he got high on acid last night. Of course he wasn't feeling good, which he didn't feel like working that day. He told me a story of a guy he knew who was so high on acid that the cops couldn't get him down. Despite the small size of this acid user, he was strong as Hercules-the effects of it!
College Epdidemic Too!
While I was attending UMM (95'-99'), I was too busy in my academics and spiritual search of Jesus! However, I would encounter the illegal drug problem now and then. For example, I just found out recently a guy I knew dealt drugs privately, who now lives out of the state! Don't ever think college is an escape from the real world, the "real world stuff" happens in close doors or we sometimes choose to not want to see it! Trust me, I was an RA (97'-98'), which God opened me eyes to many issues/problems that I never knew existed here! As Christians, we can sometimes get too caught up from "reality" that we forget or don't know what's really going on. It's good to some extent as we are separated from the "darkness" of worldly "things". However, God wants to use us to be His light to the people around us that wants to escape their "dark" life! It's a spiritual warfare out there, which one needs to be equipped!
"The Harvard survey also revealed a clear relationship between drinking and other substance use: abstainers were the least likely to have used other drugs during the past year, while binge drinkers were the most likely to have used other drugs. Marijuana, for example, was the most commonly used illicit drug....more from The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
I'm currently living in my 5th year since graduation at UMM in this small rural city/town. I've notice that living here to avoid city life is not possible. They have a drug problem here too as anywhere else-maybe less as severely! However, from my personal experiences so far, I can share many drug stories from Morris like I did earlier above from just working at Taco Bell in St. Paul alone. Since this is too a small town, I would have to keep these stories confidential for now! However, please feel free to ask me, but the main point is-the Good News!
Local On-Going Testimony
I had the opportunity to sit-down (morning of Friday, February 4th of 2005 at Don's Cafe) with a friend, who has been off of drugs for sometime. Yes, he still struggles, but with the help, accountability, and support of Christian friends-he can do it with God's help! His name is Clint, who grew-up in Lakeland, Florida. It was a community close to the beautiful popular tourist coastal areas of eastern Florida. Behind this "tourist image" community there is "hidden" underground life of the "drug-torn" war zones. He grew-up in a home where his dad wasn't really around, like for most "lost" kids. His parents got divorce when he was 8, and lived with his biological mom and step-dad. At age 12, he was introduced to the "devil"-Jeff, an older man that would be a bad influence growing-up as a teenager.
"33Do not be misled: �Bad company corrupts good character.� 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God�I say this to your shame.-1 Corinthians 15
Clint told me the story how he first met him: Jeff challenged Clint to "knock-him" down with a stick, which he did and this won his respect. Since this time, Jeff and Clint would be working together on "illegal" stuff. Clint did drugs for the first time at age 13. Then at age 14, he ran away from home after his mom found out some "stashes" (drugs) in the house. Clint shared his story as the "racial-minority" in the Duncan Opportunity Center (alternative school), where majority of the youth were "non-white". He ended up getting beat-up and ended up getting in trouble for this. He would later get into serious trouble that his biological dad came all the way down from Sauk Rapids, Minnesota to attend his court case. The dad agreed to the judges' conditions that the charges will be dropped and be on parole-monitered..if he takes his son to Minnesota with him away from this drug environment. Well, Clint did "ok" when he came up to Minnesota, but wasn't helped by his dad and step-mom as they did drugs too. Despite Clint entering a drug treatment center at age 15, he went back to his "old ways".
His wife Steph started to refocus on God after coming home where she first started. Clint later came along through the help of others at the local church Steph went to. He met with the associate pastor-Neil, who ended-up sharing his personal story at Common Cup that connected with Clint. Before this meeting, they were supposed to just share about snowblowing, but they ended up talking more. Clint has grown to be a typical Minnesota outdoorsmen-ice fishing, bow hunting, and just loves working with his hands!
A year later-It's Sunday, February 4th of 2006! There is so much awesome praise reports where God has brought Clint since last year. I see him at church on Sundays-now with 2 kids (the recent was around Christmas last year)! He has personally been a blessing to me in many ways: help get my lock keys in my car (after a Sunday service last summer), helped a friend (UMM Int'l student from Japan) of mine move her furniture, pulled my old Chevy Blazer with a tow rope when it broke down, etc... Currently, he is helping minister to folks through our local church's ministry-Most Excellent Way-Praise God!
I was captivated this past Sunday on a special (Twin Cities local "sports" news after the 10 o'clock show) feature on Minnesota Twins, Tori Hunter. He "openly" shared about his dad, who is a "crack" addict. I then decided to look for resources out there that may be helpful to Tori...
"In all, Thursday's 409-page report identified 86 names to differing degrees, but, while he vehemently denied it through his lawyer, Clemens was the symbol."
BASEBALL & STEROIDS: MLB's Selig, Fehr Testify @ Congress
"A 24-year-old Minneapolis man was arrested in north Minneapolis Thursday, one day after being charged in the death of his 5-month-old son from Morris, Minn.
It is the second such case out of Morris this summer, Police Chief Jim Beauregard said.
"It goes to the heart of the community," he said of the cases -- the western Minnesota city's first homicides in 50 years. "It just uproots the community and its sense of well-being."
Jurez L. Slaughter gave authorities different accounts of how his son, Paul M. Cohen, suffered traumatic brain injury -- including hemorrhages and a skull fracture -- on June 2 in the boy's home, according to a second-degree murder charge filed Wednesday in Stevens County District Court.
Slaughter and the baby's mother, Marnie M. Cohen, took Paul to the Stevens Community Medical Center emergency room June 2. He had no heartbeat and was not breathing, according to court documents.
He was revived and airlifted to Children's Hospital of Minneapolis, where he was removed from life support June 9, the documents said.
According to the complaint:
Slaughter first said he was in the bathroom when the baby turned over on a pillow; he said he found the boy lying face down with formula coming out of his mouth. Slaughter then said he was carrying the baby when he tripped over sneakers and dropped him, causing the baby to hit a footstool.
Doctors told investigators that Paul's injuries could not have been caused by either scenario, the complaint said. When confronted with that information, Slaughter said, "I don't know what happened to my son, man," the documents said.
The baby's mother was asleep in the next room, the documents said; her 3-year-old daughter from a previous relationship was also at home at the time.
A funeral notice said Paul died in his mother's and big sister's arms.
"Paul was a very sweet baby boy," the notice read. "His big brown eyes and curly hair made him special. He loved to watch TV, go on walks with special friends. ... In his short five months with us, Paul touched many lives and will hold a special place in everyone's hearts."
Beauregard said Slaughter was not arrested until Thursday because authorities wanted to conduct a thorough investigation. The Minnesota Fugitive Task Force arrested him at 7:20 a.m. without incident in the 3600 block of Penn Avenue N., where he lived.
The case is especially troubling because a second boy was also killed in Morris, Beauregard said. David Rutherford, 2, died Sept. 7 after he was allegedly hit in the chest by his stepfather. Juan Carlos Herrera-Serrano, 25, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder for hitting David so hard that his liver was almost torn in half. He also had cuts to his right lung.
The boys' deaths are among at least a half-dozen deaths of children this year in Minnesota that have resulted in murder or manslaughter charges.
Chao Xiong � 612-673-4391 � cxiong@startribune.com
David Parnell had been up for nearly a week straight doing Methamphetamine (Meth). He was so sick that he couldn't even stand up - he'd just lie in bed using dope. When his wife Amy told him she was leaving him and taking the kids with her, he snapped.
Parnell grabbed his loaded SKS assault rifle, kicked off the safety and put the weapon under his chin. To Amy's horror, he pulled the trigger.
The bullet exited between his eyes, breaking every bone in his face except for his left eye socket. It blew out nearly all of his teeth, obliterated his nose and totally disintegrated his mouth. In fact, it literally split his face in two - one half of it was hanging down to his shoulder.
Despite these horrific injuries, Parnell didn't lose consciousness. He remembers talking to his mother who had arrived at the family home after a frantic call from the kids. "My mother was screaming, 'Why did you do that?' I was laying on the floor and I told her, 'I'm sorry, I don't know,'" said Parnell. "I have a beautiful wife, six wonderful kids and a good job. But I was miserable from years of drug addiction."
They call Parnell the "miracle man" at the hospital in Nashville. His injuries were so severe that he was written off as dead by the sheriff's department. Because of the extent of his injuries he should not have been able to talk - he had no mouth left. But, he spoke with his wife, his mother, the paramedics and the police.
This was Parnell's second suicide attempt. The first one, an attempted hanging, ended with a broken rope. With 18 surgeries resulting in the implantation of over 30 titanium plates and screws that hold his sinuses in and his face together, Parnell once again survived.
The biggest miracle of all is that after 23 years of heavy drug use, Parnell, 37 is clean and sober. This soft-spoken man from rural Tennessee is taking his message about the dangers of Meth to schools and organizations all around the nation. Since his recovery, Parnell has devoted his life to fighting Meth addiction.
As a full-time motivational speaker, he travels around the country to schools, churches, jails, rehabilitation centers and community groups telling his story in hope of deterring others from following in his footsteps. In the last six months he has spent nearly half of his time in Minnesota.
The Methamphetamine Education and Drug Awareness (MEADA) Coalition of Wright County sponsored a youth event in Buffalo on July 20 that was attended by nearly 1,000 people.
Methamphetamine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that affects the central nervous system. Meth can be smoked, snorted, injected or ingested. Made from common, easily accessible materials, meth can be manufactured virtually anywhere. Heavy users are often violent and extremely dangerous.
Meth is becoming an alarming problem throughout Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and MEADA:
In 2003 more than 500 Meth labs were seized statewide.
In some counties, as much as 75-95 percent of all crime is now Meth-related.
In 1999 there were 18 Meth busts. In 2002 that number jumped to 214, and spiked to 425 in 2003.
Many high school students say it is easier to find Meth on their high school campuses than alcohol
Minnesota Teen Challenge (MTC), a faith-based drug and alcohol treatment program, has seen a disturbing trend among residents. "In our last survey of the adults enrolled in our year-long program, over 62 percent of those surveyed said that Meth was their major drug of choice," said the Rev. Rich Scherber, executive director of MTC.
Meth robbed Parnell of his health, sent him to prison and nearly cost him his life. He is reminded of his bad choices every time he looks in the mirror.
The day he woke up in the hospital he committed his life to the Christ. " I knew then that I wanted to speak to kids, the Lord had put that on my heart since the day I woke up," he said. "I thank the Lord every day ... and it's been over two years."
His life has changed drastically over those two years. "I want to do what the Lord wants me to do, and I want him to use me in hopes that I might find favor and I won't ever have to go back to that dark place again," said Parnell. "It's amazing what the Lord has done. He has blessed me over and over."
"Today Haggard admits buying methamphetamines from Jones, but claims he did not take them. He also admits getting a massage from Jones, who, Haggard says, was recommended by a Denver hotel. He continues to insist that they did not have sex." Good Morning Evangelicals, from Christianity Today
" I�m Brad and I�m from Mankato Minnesota. Meth had destroyed my life; no one had hope for me, not even myself. I was a meth dealer and a meth user and I was constantly high. I was using three grams of meth every single day, and more on the weekends. In the last two years of my addiction, I averaged only seven hours of sleep a week. I�d sleep for a couple of hours and then skip sleeping for three or four days. I�ve also been homeless and lived out of my car."...
I attended a community meeting recently (April of 2005) on the awareness of meth. They showed this very distubing graphic, but effective educational 20 minute video on this drug. Then they brought up a panel of 6-8 adults (young and old) to share their stories of their usage of this drug.
"
One of the goals when you take medication for high blood pressure is to be sure the drug is working effectively to lower your blood pressure. One way to do that is to avoid certain other drugs because:
* Some medicines can make blood pressure rise. If you have high blood pressure to begin with, it can rise to dangerous levels.
* Some medications may interact with your blood pressure medicine. This can prevent either drug from working properly.
Here are common types of drugs that can make your high blood pressure worse...
Children
Kids with ADHD uses Biofeedback for help
"Added On June 2, 2011
CNN's Thelma Gutierrez reports on a center that uses neurofeedback to help kids with ADHD."
"Lawndale, North Carolina (CNN) -- It's before sunrise, and the janitor at Burns High School has already been down the length of a hallway, cleaning and sweeping classrooms before the day begins.
This particular janitor is painstakingly methodical, even as she administers a mental quiz on an upcoming test. Her name is Dawn Loggins, a straight-A senior at the very school she cleans.
On this day, she maneuvers a long-handled push broom between rows of desks. She stops to pick up a hardened, chewed piece of gum. "This annoys me, because there's a trash can right here," she says.
The worst, she says, is snuff cans in urinals. "It's just rude and pointless."
With her long, straight dark blonde hair and black-rimmed glasses, Dawn looks a bit like Avril Lavigne. But her life is a far cry from that of a privileged pop star.
She was homeless at the start of the school year, abandoned by her drug-abusing parents. The teachers and others in town pitched in -- donating clothes and providing medical and dental care. She got the janitorial job through a school workforce assistance program.
She's grateful for the work. But it's where she's going next, beyond the walls of Burns, that excites her most. She applied to four colleges within North Carolina and one dream university. She'll graduate soon before heading off, leaving her dust pan behind.
For now, there's still work to be done. She stops for a quick bite to eat in the custodial closet amid Pine-Sol and Clorox. She then darts to classes -- three advanced placement courses and an honors class.
Overheard on CNN.com: Teen janitor's story 'like Good Will Hunting,' readers say
Growing up without electricity
Dawn grew up in a ramshackle home with no electricity and no running water. She often went days, even weeks without showering. She and her brother Shane -- who was equally studious in his schoolwork -- would walk 20 minutes to a public park to fetch water.
"We would get water jugs and fill them up at the park, using the spigots in the bathroom. And we would use that to flush the toilet or cook with. Stuff like that," she says.
She confided in a staff member at school. She had trouble doing homework at nighttime because her home had no electricity and she couldn't afford candles. It was difficult to read in the dark.
"OK, we'll get you some candles. We'll take care of that," said Junie Barrett, Dawn's supervisor.
Another time, Barrett says, Dawn and her brother asked if they could use the school's washing machine to clean their clothes. "I said, 'Just leave them with me. We'll get them washed, dried,' " Barrett recalls.
"We let them use our shower facilities in the locker rooms because they had no running water. They had nothing to bathe in."
Burns High was their fourth high school since middle school, as they moved from town to town. Living the life of a rolling stone, the two had missed several months' worth of classwork when they first arrived two years ago, putting them well behind other students' progress.
Shane was outgoing, but Dawn always appeared more reserved.
Guidance counselor Robyn Putnam saw the potential in Dawn and Shane early on and enrolled them in online classes to get them caught up. The work paid off.
Abandoned by parents
Last summer, Dawn was invited to attend a prestigious six-week residential summer program, the Governor's School of North Carolina, at Meredith College in Raleigh, 200 miles east of Lawndale, to study natural science. It was a field Dawn had never studied before.
The program is reserved for the state's top students.
Putnam ferried Dawn to Raleigh to attend the elite program and took her shopping, making sure she had the clothes she needed. Other faculty members contributed funds, too.
Putnam worried Dawn's home situation could worsen while she was away. "We weren't even sure where her parents were at that time. And there was an eviction notice on the house," she says. "We kept telling her to get everything she could; we knew this was a possibility."
Dawn saw her parents for 30 minutes during the middle of the summer program during a short break. They talked about her school and how she was doing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. "It was just a regular conversation," she says.
She wouldn't hear from them again for weeks.
As she prepared to leave the summer program, she kept calling her parents' phone, only to learn it had been disconnected. Putnam picked her up and brought her back to Lawndale.
"When I returned, my grandmother had been dropped off at a local homeless shelter, my brother had just left, and my parents had just gone," she says. "I found out later they had moved to Tennessee."
Her voice is steady, matter of fact. "I never expected my parents to just, like, leave."
Dawn was abandoned.
"I'm not mad at my parents. My mom and my stepdad both think that they did what was best for me," she says.
Dawn Loggins maintained an A-average despite her hardships.
In fact, she used her parents' example to drive her. "I just realize that they have their own problems that they need to work through," she says. "They do love me; I know they love me. They just don't show it in a way that most people would see as normal."
Stability in Lawndale
For a while, Dawn lived on the odd couch at friends' homes, while she figured out what to do. Sometimes, she slept on the floor. The only thing that was clear was that she wanted to stay in Lawndale, where she was active in extracurricular activities, had a boyfriend and had a job.
Her classmates there didn't make fun of her, though she had been mercilessly mocked in middle school. "It was the worst. That's when I would come home crying because the teasing was so bad," Dawn recalled.
Helping Dawn
For those wanting to help, Dawn appreciates the generosity. She wants to use funds to form a nonprofit organization to help other homeless children. Any contributions can be sent to: Burns High School/Dawn Loggins Fund, 307 East Stagecoach Trail, Lawndale, NC 28090
She had lived with her grandmother until she was 12 and attended junior high at a school about an hour away from Lawndale during that time.
"My grandma loved me, and she taught me a lot. She had lots of crafts around and watched History Channel with us. But ..."
Dawn's voice halts, then begins again a few seconds later. "She never really explained to me and my brother the importance of bathing regularly. And our house was really disgusting. We had cockroaches everywhere. And we had trash piled literally 2 feet high. We'd have to step over it to get anywhere in the house."
Dawn would go without showering two to three months at a time and wear the same dress to school for weeks straight. "When I was little, it seemed normal to me. I didn't realize that other families weren't living the same way that I was. And because of that I got teased, the kids would call me dirty."
In Lawndale, a town of about 600 in the Appalachian foothills of western North Carolina, things were different. Dawn felt comfortable.
With her parents gone, she processed the options with her guidance counselor.
She could move yet again to Tennessee to be with her mother, or she could be turned over to the Department of Social Services. Putnam feared what that might bring. "If Dawn were to go into the system, she could be uprooted again and moved around," she says.
Dawn would turn 18 during the second semester, Putnam knew, making her an adult by law. So Putnam asked Dawn: "What do you want to do? She said, 'I want to graduate from Burns. To be in the same school two years.' "
So the community and Burns staff became her family.
Sheryl Kolton, a custodian and bus driver for Burns Middle School, had met Dawn before and knew her but not well. She wasn't expecting the phone call she received. "The counselor at the high school just called me one day and asked me if Dawn could come live here," Kolton says.
A few days later, she and her husband, Norm, agreed.
Shooting for the stars
With a roof over her head and the contributions of Burns staff to supplement the Koltons' income needed to house and feed a growing teenager, Dawn was seemingly in a stable environment. She admits that having her parents out of the picture helped.
"Honestly it was kind of a relief," she says. "I mean, I have a place to stay, and I have a job, and I'm going to school."
As she began her senior year, Dawn turned her laser-beam focus to her future: college. She knew she wanted a different path than her parents.
"When I was younger, I was able to look at all the bad choices -- at the neglect, and the drug abuse, and everything that was happening -- and make a decision for myself that I was not going to end up like my parents, living from paycheck to paycheck."
A straight-A student, Dawn was president of the photography club. She also had started a community service program collecting thousands of letters for active military troops and was involved in National Honor Society and band club. Before she took her custodian job, she ran cross country.
She wasn't top of her class, and she didn't have a perfect GPA, but she was smart. On paper, she had always fared well.
"I was looking at her transcript, and one of the lowest grades on her transcript is a 94 and that was for a class called Success 101, and the irony of that is just really amazing," Putnam says with a laugh.
Dawn Loggins says the worst thing about cleaning is snuff cans in urinals.
Dawn applied to four colleges within the state: the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; North Carolina State University; Davidson College; and Warren Wilson College. In December, she sent one final application off in the mail, to her reach-for-the-stars choice, Harvard.
No one from Burns High had been accepted to the elite Ivy League school.
"I thought about it and just figured, 'Why not?' "
She asked her history teacher, Larry Gardner, for a recommendation letter. "I don't know how many times I started that letter of recommendation," he recalls. "Because how do you articulate her story into two pages? How do you explain this is a young lady who deserves a chance but hasn't had the opportunities?"
But after a prayer for wisdom, the words flowed.
"Once again, words fail me as I attempt to write this letter of recommendation," Gardner began. "I can promise I've never written one like this before and will probably not write one like this again. Because most students who face challenges that are not even remotely as difficult as Dawn's give up. This young lady has, unlike most of us, known hunger. She's known abuse and neglect, she's known homelessness and filth. Yet she's risen above it all to become such an outstanding young lady."
Months passed. She was accepted to the four schools in North Carolina. Each time, the acceptance letter came as part of a thick package with fat brochures and congratulatory notes.
Days went by. Nothing from Harvard.
But on a sunny day earlier this year, she came inside after tending the garden. There was a letter from Harvard, the type of letter every high school senior dreads from a university -- a regular-sized envelope, the ominous sign of rejection.
Cautiously, she opened it: "Dear Ms. Loggins, I'm delighted to report that the admissions committee has asked me to inform you that you will be admitted to the Harvard College class of 2016. ... We send such an early positive indication only to outstanding applicants ..."
She gasped when she read those words.
Gardner had the same reaction when she handed him the note at school the next day. "I just looked up at her, and kind of teared up because this is a young lady who ... " he stops, his voice breaking.
"When I first met her and had her brother in class, they were living in a home without electricity, without running water, they were showering at a local park in a restroom after most of the people at the park had left. This is a young lady who's been through so much and for her to receive this letter -- pretty awesome."
Not only was Dawn accepted to Harvard, she got a full ride. She was offered tuition, room and board, as well as assistance finding an on-campus job.
The tiny town of Lawndale rallied around Dawn again. They raised money to get her to Boston so she could see the school in person in April.
"We in a sense had a collective responsibility to get her to Harvard," says Aaron Allen, Burns High principal. "Even though Harvard was going to pay for Dawn to go on her own, this is a girl who's had multiple moves, never flown, never ridden a subway, never really been outside small town USA, North Carolina foothills, and you're expecting her to go to Cambridge all by herself?"
Barrett, her custodial supervisor, traveled to Cambridge with her. "When we went up there, it was just like she was at home. She will succeed, and she will excel."
For Dawn, it wasn't a foregone conclusion that she would attend, but her inaugural visit solidified the decision. "I just could not picture myself anywhere else, at any other college."
Helping others
Since Dawn's story has come out, she's attracted attention worldwide from well-wishers sending her everything from simple encouragement to monetary donations.
Dawn doesn't want the money. "When I get to college, I can work for what I need. And I know my future is going to be great."
She hopes to start a nonprofit organization to help other teens who've had obstacles in their educations, using the funds that have been sent to her. There are more than 200 students listed as homeless in Cleveland County, where Lawndale is located.
"There are so many kids whose futures aren't so sure, and they need help more than I do," she says. "I want them to be able to use my story as motivation. And I want the general public to realize that there are so many kids who need help."
The final pages of Dawn's high school chapter are nearing a close. She will walk across the stage today -- June 7 -- to accept her diploma. She has invited her parents but isn't sure they will be able to attend. "If they're not there, it would be for good reason."
But the one person she will look for in the crowd is her brother Shane.
"Throughout the years, no matter where I've been or been through, he's always been there for me," she says, with a rare ghost of a smile.
Shane will attend Berea College in Kentucky on a scholarship.
Dawn has learned the sort of lessons that can't be learned in school. "I love my parents. I disagree with the choices that they've made. But we all have to live with the consequences of our actions," she said.
She takes it all in stride. "If I had not had those experiences, I wouldn't be such a strong-willed or determined person."
She might just find Harvard to be easy."
THE CIA DRUG DEALERS BUSTED, FINALLY. Michael Ruppert
"Michael Ruppert from FromTheWilderness.com confronts Bill Clinton's CIA Director John Deutch about the CIA's involvement in cocaine smuggling. He goes further in this documentary in detail about how exactly drug money is laundered into Wall Street. He concludes that 9/11 was orchestrated as a pretense to further Wall Street's cause of laundering opium money from Afghanistan and America's conquest in securing the world's natural resources in the face of PEAK OIL "
*see 9-11-01 & GoodnewsEverybody: Science-Environmental Oil
Michael Ruppert
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
History "...After graduation from UCLA, he was assigned to Wilshire Division patrol, and excelled at patrol work and was subsequently sent on detective assignments, including burglary and homicide. He was later recommended by the narcotics officer-in-charge to attend a two-week DEA training school held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Narcotics was Ruppert's chosen specialty, and has given expert court testimony on the subject 27 times.
In 1977, Ruppert discovered an extensive drug trafficking operation run by the Central Intelligence Agency and went on record about this ongoing criminal activity. He resigned from the LAPD in 1978 despite earning the highest rating reports possible, over the tolerance of continued CIA drug dealing activities.[3] Ruppert's personal experience with death threats, 3 shooting attempts on him, aggressive intimidation over his attempted exposure of these illegal drug activities within Los Angeles, and his ethical conflict with tolerance of these activities, was the catalyst for the resignation.[4].."
In 1996 Ruppert achieved some justice through his comments at a televised visit of then Director of Central Intelligence John Deutch to South Central Los Angeles. Deutch had made the trip to Los Angeles to dispel rumors in the black community that followed the publication of Gary Webb's series in the San Jose Mercury News revealing evidence of CIA connections to cocaine dealers in the city, and evidence of CIA and Contra's cocaine trafficking in the US. Webb was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American investigative journalist, best known for his 1996 Dark Alliance investigative report.[5] In Webb's three-part series (later published as a book titled Dark Alliance: The CIA, the Contras, and the Crack Cocaine Explosion), Webb investigated Nicaraguans linked to the CIA-backed Contras who had allegedly distributed crack cocaine into Los Angeles and funneled profits to the Contras. Webb also proved that this influx of Nicaraguan supplied cocaine sparked and significantly fueled the widespread crack epidemic that swept through urban areas...
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com African-American Outreach "...Ruppert went on to become an aggressive investigator and Journalist,[8] as well as establishing the publication From The Wilderness, a watch dog group that exposes governmental corruption, including his experience with CIA drug dealing activities.[9] From The Wilderness, was read, before being shut down,[10] in more than 50 countries around the world. Its subscribers include 60-plus members of the US Congress, professors at more than 40 universities around the world, and major business and economic leaders. Since 9/11 Ruppert has been in demand as a university lecturer and has spoken on Peak Oil and 9/11 in nine countries. Recently, at the request of Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, he served as an official questioner during a Congressional briefing looking into unanswered questions and the unaddressed flaws of the Keane 9/11 Commission report.
History Channel - America's Secret War 3 of 5
"History Channel's "History's Mysteries": Mind Control - America's Secret War 3 of 5
US Gov't, CIA & Cold War: Mind control experiments on unknowing/unwilling human guinea pigs by the US Government: NOT crackpot conspiracy theorys but documented facts! "
"... Prescription drugs can be grouped into different classification systems. A commonly used system developed in 1959 is called the AHFS (American Hospital Formulary Service) Pharmacologic-Therapeutic Classification System. Drugs are classified in a four-tier system; there are 30 primary classifications and hundreds of sub-classifications. Prescription drugs are grouped according to similar action and chemical structur.. Drug Classes drugs.com "
A drug may be classified by the chemical type of the active ingredient or by the way it is used to treat a particular condition. Each drug can be classified into one or more drug classes...
Classification of Drugs According to Use and Effect
Generic Name: levothyroxine (LEE voe thy ROX een)
Brand names: Levothroid, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Tirosint, Unithroid "...evothyroxine is a replacement for a hormone that is normally produced by your thyroid gland to regulate the body's energy and metabolism. This medicine is given when the thyroid does not produce enough of this hormone on its own.
Levothyroxine treats hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone). It is also used to treat or prevent goiter (enlarged thyroid gland), which can be caused by hormone imbalances, radiation treatment, surgery, or cancer...
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.
Overdose symptoms may include chest pain, pounding heartbeat, tremor, shortness of breath, leg cramps, confusion, vomiting, diarrhea, or seizures....
What should I avoid while taking levothyroxine?
Do not change brands or change to a generic levothyroxine drug product without first asking your doctor. Different brands of levothyroxine may not work the same. If you get a prescription refill and your new pills look different, talk with your pharmacist or doctor.
Avoid the following food products, which can make your body absorb less levothyroxine: infant soy formula, cotton seed meal, walnuts, and high-fiber foods. Pub Med Health, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov "What side effects can this medication cause?
Levothyroxine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
*
weight loss
*
tremor
*
headache...
"...Oral Warnings
There may be a slightly increased risk of serious, possibly fatal side effects (such as stroke, heart failure) when this medication is used in elderly patients with dementia. Discuss the risks and benefits of this medication, as well as other effective and possibly safer treatments for dementia-related behavior problems, with your doctor.
If you are using risperidone in combination with other medication to treat depression, also carefully read the drug information for the other medication... risperidone, Risperdal, from medicinenet.com "..is an atypical antipsychotic drug that is used for treating schizophrenia, bipolar mania and autism...
Tegretol
*my sis got so lethargic and fell while taking this (10mg-15mg dosage increased for some reason?) today (Saturday, June 4th 2011)
Tegretol (Carbamazepine) (kar ba maz' e peen)
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov "...is used alone or in combination with other medications to control certain types of seizures. It is also used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (a condition that causes facial nerve pain). Carbamazepine extended-release capsules (Equetro brand only) are used to treat episodes of mania (frenzied, abnormally excited or irritated mood) or mixed episodes (symptoms of mania and depression that happen at the same time) in patients with bipolar I disorder (manic-depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Carbamazepine is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. It works by reducing abnormal electrical activity in the brain....
Brand names
*
Carbatrol
*
Epitol
*
Equetro
*
Tegretol Tegretol (Carbamazepine) Drug Information: User Reviews, Side ... , rxlist.com
Learn about the prescription medication Tegretol (Carbamazepine), drug uses, dosage, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, reviews and patient ...
"..WARNING
SERIOUS DERMATOLOGIC REACTIONS AND HLA-B*1502 ALLELE
SERIOUS AND SOMETIMES FATAL DERMATOLOGIC REACTIONS, INCLUDING TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS (TEN) AND STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME (SJS), HAVE BEEN REPORTED DURING TREATMENT WITH TEGRETOL (carbamazepine) . THESE REACTIONS ARE ESTIMATED TO OCCUR IN 1 TO 6 PER 10,000 NEW USERS IN COUNTRIES WITH MAINLY CAUCASIAN POPULATIONS, BUT THE RISK IN SOME ASIAN COUNTRIES IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 10 TIMES HIGHER. .. Tegretol (carbamazepine), crazymeds.us
Users: Bipolar Medication change Lithium to Carbamazepine/Tegretol personal experience , from youtube.com "..I'm bipolar and when everything else failed, I turned to exercise, which led me to nutrition... anyway. i was bad, now i'm in college, and in great physical shape, and i owe it all to God. :P If you want to know more. message me....-neirfane 3 months ago "or all those who do suffer from various forms of metal illness do not let doctors convince you that drugs are the only way there are other solutions-
noedig1000 4 months ago
Zprexa
Zyprexa Drug Rep
"PharmedOut, a new project that educates physicians on how pharmaceutical companies influence prescribing, is previewing a timely video about Zyprexa (olanzapine), an antipsychotic drug approved by the FDA to treat
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In this video Shahram Ahari, a former pharmaceutical company representative, tells how he sold the
drug. Nearly a decade after its introduction, a drug once hailed as a breakthrough treatment is being assailed for its negative side effects.
Antipsychotic drugs are not risk-free, but doctors and patients have long complained that Zyprexa causes obesity and diabetes. This week, the New York Times reported that studies on the frequency of weight gain were underreported by the manufacturer. PharmedOut is an independent
physician-run project funded through the Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education grant program."
Comments: "..i hate zyprexa ¡¡¡ for your fault i'm a fat now ¡¡¡ 94kg ¡¡ i was only 68 kg ... i had to take that shit for 3 years ¡¡ .. now i'm a fuck fat , i lost visibility.. i'd have died before living this shit life
lesteralex83 3 months ago .. Zyprexa (Olanzapine) Olanzapine(oh lan' za peen)
Last Revision: May 16, 2011 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov "Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (a brain disorder that affects the ability to remember, think clearly, communicate, and perform daily activities and that may cause changes in mood and personality) who take antipsychotics (medications for mental illness) such as olanzapine have an increased chance of death during treatment. Older adults with dementia may also have a greater chance of having a stroke or mini-stroke during treatment.
Olanzapine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of behavior disorders in older adults with dementia. Talk to the doctor who prescribed this medication if you, a family member, or someone you care for has dementia and is taking olanzapine...
Why is this medication prescribed?
Olanzapine is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions) in adults and teenagers 13 years of age and older. It is also used to treat bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods) in adults and teenagers 13 years of age and older.Olanzapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain....
....you should know that olanzapine may cause fast or slow heartbeat, dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking olanzapine. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up....
"Andrew Thomas Weil (Born June 8, 1942) is an American author and physician, best known for establishing and popularizing the field of integrative medicine. Weil is the author of several best-selling books and runs a website and monthly newsletter, where he answers questions relating to health. He is the founder and Program Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine (formerly the Program in Integrative Medicine), which he started in 1994 at the University of Arizona.[1] He has become one of the leading proponents of integrative medicine. He founded Weil Lifestyle LLC.
Andrew Weil was born June 8, 1942 in Philadelphia, PA to parents of German and Ukrainian descent. His parents owned a millinery store.[2] While disconnected from the natural world as a child, he excelled academically. He attended both college and medical school at Harvard University. As an undergraduate, Weil took the class Plants & Human Affairs, an ethnobotany class taught by Richard Evans Schultes. He went on to major in botany and wrote his thesis on the narcotic properties of nutmeg,[3] and also served as an editor of the Harvard Crimson and the Harvard Lampoon.[4] After medical school, Weil unconventionally did not seek residency. He completed a medical internship at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco then worked for a year with the National Institute of Mental Health. From 1971-1974, he traveled throughout South America as a fellow for the Institute of Current World Affairs.[5] He published his first book, The Natural Mind, in 1972. The book's basic theme is that highs come from within the body, and that drugs access these states rather than produce them. Weil has written or co-written nine books since, and was a regular contributor to High Times magazine from 1975 to 1983.[6] His early works explored altered states of consciousness, but has since expanded his scope to encompass healthy lifestyles and health care in general. As Weil entered his 60s, he began shifting his focus to the health concerns of older Americans. His most recent book, Healthy Aging, looks at growing older from a physical, social and cross-cultural perspective, and emphasizes that aging cannot be reversed, but can be accompanied by good health, "serenity, wisdom, and its own kind of power and grace.
Homepage: http://www.drweil.com/
Splitted from Lorenzo's Podcast.
Link: http://www.matrixmasters.net/blogs/?cat=187" `
Military
Basic 2003 movie from sonypictures.com (official site)
Basic, movie (video) trailer preview and review
Basic (film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "...Dunbar also claims that Mueller and Kendall were selling prescription drug injection kits called "combat cocktails" which help dull physical pain and sharpen the mind, and that Mueller shot West because West was aware of their drug dealing....At Hardy's request, Dunbar provides proof of the alleged drug-dealing operation. He also says that it was Vilmer who supplied the drugs to Mueller and Kendall....There is rumored to be a group of ex-Rangers in Panama, trained under West, who turned rogue and became drug-dealers. They call themselves Section 8....To prove his story, he gives Hardy, Osborne and Styles (who is also present at this interrogation), the number of a crate where Vilmer had stowed cocaine...It is revealed that Section 8 is actually a special black-ops anti-drug unit led by Hardy...
"Shawn talks about his past life with Drugs and how he became a Christian...
Bible Verse:
Acts 20:24 But I hold not my life of any account as dear unto myself, so that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. "
-Country ""Drugs Or Jesus" (lyrics)
In my home town
For anyone who sticks around
You're either lost or you're found
There's not much in between
In my home town
Everything's still black and white
It's a long, long way from wrong to right
From Sunday morning to Saturday night
Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
We follow the roads that lead us
To drugs or Jesus
My whole life
I've tried to run, I've tried to hide
From the stained glass windows in my mind
Refusing to let God's light shine
Down on me
Down on me
Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
There's not much space between us
Drugs or Jesus
Everybody wants acceptance
We all just want some proof
Everyone's just looking for the truth
Everybody just wants to get high
Sit and watch a perfect world go by
We're all looking for love and meaning in our lives
We follow the roads that lead us
To drugs or Jesus"
I heard this cool song for the first time when my housemate (Shalon) and I were watching CMT this afternoon (Wednesday, September 21st of 2005). I thought the video had an awesome message that folks in Morris can relate too!
-Gospel/Contemporary
Jason Morales of the Imperials talks about getting off drugs
"Jason Morales of the Imperials tells how he was distracted in high school by drugs and alcohol and didn't want God to be in control. When he started running sound for the Imperials he began to see what the real Christian life looked like. Jeremiah 29:11-12 got his attention and brough him back to the Lord and off drugs. And he hasn't looked back since. "
*see Bible
-Heavy Metal/Rock
Korn - Head2Christ - The FULL video
"Korn Guitar Player turns to Christ from Fame and Drugs"
-Pop
Michael Jackson Died From Demerol Overdose?
"Michael Jackson's autopsy is underway after he reportedly received a deadly demerol injection. Family members say Jackson was addicted to morphine and prescription drugs " Michael Jackson - Morphine (DEMEROL), from youtube.com
"But according to a senior law enforcement official briefed on the initial investigation of Jackson's death, it's probable drugs played a part. He told ABC News that Jackson was "heavily addicted" to the powerful pain killer Oxycontin and received "daily doses" of it and of another pain killer, Demerol. ...
" The painkiller Demerol can be summed up in just a few words: Highly addictive with a slew of side effects.
It’s also the same drug that is rumored to have been given to Michael Jackson in the moments before he “collapsed and stopped breathing,” according to a report in the British newspaper The Sun.
“Demerol has a tremendous amount of side effects,” Dr. Patrick Annello, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at St. Francis Hospital on Long Island told FOXNews.com. “It can cause rapid heart rate, arrhythmias — and given in high enough doses — it can cause respiratory depression or shallow breathing.”
That is exactly what a source told The Sun happened shortly after Jackson was administered an injection of the drug.
“After taking the Demerol, he started to experience slow, shallow breathing,” the source told the newspaper. “His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped.”
There are also reports the icon was taking a cocktail of prescription drugs including antidepressants.
If antidepressants are accidentally given in conjunction with Demerol, it can cause a very bad hypertensive reaction, and the patient can have a heart attack and stroke as a result, Anello said.
Dangerous reactions can occur if Demerol is administered while a patient is taking other narcotic pain medications, sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, or other medications that can make them sleepy or slow respiratory function.
Brian Oxman, Jackson family attorney, confirmed Jackson's use of other medications when he told CNN Thursday that they had gotten in the way of doing rehearsals.
"His injuries, which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way,” Oxman said. “I do not know the extent of the medications that he was taking.”
If he took other medications that are sedating – which pain medications usually are – in conjunction with Demerol, it can definitely cause shallow breathing and decreased oxygen levels, ultimately leading to respiratory arrest or heart attack, Anello said."...
Related Sites: Demerol (Meperidine) Drug Information: Uses, Side Effects, Drug ..., rxlist.com " TABLETS: Calcium Sulfate, Dibasic Calcium Phosphate, Starch, Stearic Acid, Talc. ORAL SOLUTION: Benzoic Acid, Flavor, Liquid Glucose, Purified Water, Saccharin Sodium.
Chemically, DEMEROL is 4-Piperidinecarboxylic acid, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-, ethyl ester, hydrochloride and has the following structure:" Demerol Side Effects, from drugs.com "Side Effects of Demerol - for the Consumer
Demerol
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Demerol:
Constipation; dizziness; drowsiness; lightheadedness; loss of appetite; nausea; sweating; vomiting.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Demerol:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chest pain; difficulty urinating; fainting; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes; numbness of an arm or a leg; seizure; severe or persistent dizziness; slowed or difficult breathing; sudden severe headache, nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain; tremor; vision changes.
.."
"In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Whitney Houston was asked how Michael Jackson's passing affected her -- and the singer's words are particularly chilling given her own untimely death at age 48.
The King of Pop died at age 51 from a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol in 2009.
Houston told Winfrey that his passing was "devastating".
PHOTOS Whitney Houston throughout the years
With her voice shaking, the troubled songstress added, "I thought, 'This can't be true. This can't be true.' I knew he was on painkillers at one time. I didn't know how far and how deep it was."
Houston recalled taping Michael Jackson's 30th Anniversary Celebration with the King of Pop in 2001. Both stars appeared extremely frail at the event.
The singer remembered looking at Jackson and then looking at herself. "I was getting scared," she admitted. "I was looking at myself going, 'No, I don't want this to be like this. This can't happen. Not both of us.'"
VIDEOS 10 weird Whitney Houston sports moments
Houston —- whose own substance abuse issues have long been documented -— revealed to Winfrey that she had been doing drugs at the time of the Jackson taping.
She said she "was worried" for him -- and for herself. "Mike and I were very close," Houston said. "No one have I ever met [was] quite like that young man," she later added. "And to have it in like that saddens me."
"Was he a mirror for you," Winfrey asked Houston.
WATCH Michael Jackson's music videos
"In some ways, yes," the diva replied. "I didn't want to go down that road."
Like Jackson, Houston was on the verge of a career comeback before her Feb. 11 passing.
A coroner's official says Houston's body was discovered underwater in a hotel bathtub (some prescription drugs were in her room).
It will take weeks to determine precisely how the megastar died.
A private funeral is set for Saturday in the New Jersey church where Houston first showed off her singing talents as a child.
-Miscellaneous
"
LONDON, UK (ANS) -- Singer Amy Winehouse, 27, was found dead today (Saturday, July 23, 2011) at her north London home after a long battle against substance abuse.
Amy Winehouse
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that a 27-year-old woman had died in Camden and that the cause of death was as yet unexplained.
The Brit and Grammy award-winner had struggled with drink and drug addiction and had recently spent time in rehab.
Her record label Universal called her “a gifted musician, artist and performer”, adding: “Our prayers go out to Amy's family, friends and fans.”
The singer with a gravelly voice and eclectic style, is the latest in a long list of “rock stars” like Elvis Presley, Jimmi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain, as well as many others, who also tragically had a talent for self-destruction that finally saw their untimely deaths.
In announcing her death, the BBC said that Winehouse had won comparison with some of the great female singers such as Sarah Vaughan and Nina Simone.
Amy Jade Winehouse was born on September 14, 1983 in the well-to-do area of Southgate, north London.
“Her taxi driver father, Mitchell, was a jazz enthusiast and often sang songs to his daughter as she grew up,” said the BBC. “She trained at the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School from the age of eight and, by the time she was 10, had formed a rap group with one of her best friends.
Amy battling her demons
“Winehouse later attended the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School.
She began writing music at the age of 14 and a former boyfriend sent a tape of her singing with a jazz band to an A&R man.”
The BBC went on to say, “Her debut album Frank, released in 2003, was described by The Times newspaper as ‘earthy, warm, lived-in and astonishingly versatile.’
“She co-wrote all but two of the songs and won praise for what one reviewer described as ‘the cool, critical gaze’ in the lyrics.
“Frank was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize for album of the year in 2004, and Winehouse won the Ivor Novello songwriting award for best contemporary song with Stronger Than Me.
“But it was the critical praise that followed the release of her follow-up album in October 2006 that propelled her to international stardom.”
Rehab, the first track released from Back to Black, reached number seven in the UK singles chart. The song, about her refusal to attend an alcohol rehabilitation center, generated huge publicity, with Winehouse frequently being photographed drinking on stage and in pubs.
In February 2007, she scooped the title for best British female at the Brit Awards and, four months later, she picked up song of the year at the Mojo Awards.
Winehouse was again nominated for the Mercury Prize and went on to be named artist of the year at the MTV Europe Music Awards in November.
But as her popularity soared, her health began to suffer and her behavior became more erratic. The singer had been plagued by problems with drug and drink addiction. It led to a contract with the Island/Universal record label and a publishing deal with EMI.
“She appeared to be drunk on Channel 4's The Charlotte Church Show in 2006, and took part in Never Mind The Buzzcocks in a similar state,” said the BBC.
Amy Winehouse secretly married Blake Fielder-Civil during a trip to Florida in May 2007. Her weight plummeted during an exhausting schedule of promotional appearances and concerts in the UK and US.
Janis Joplin
She admitted punching a female fan at a gig in London and attacking her boyfriend when he tried to calm her down.
She confessed to self-harming and spoke of battles with eating disorders. And she shocked a journalist from US magazine Spin when she carved the name of then-boyfriend Blake Fielder-Civil into her stomach with a shard of mirror during an interview.
“It was a break-up with Fielder-Civil that inspired much of Back To Black,” said the BBC story. “But she surprised fans, and her own family, when she secretly married him during a trip to Florida in May 2007.
“In November of that year, there was further turmoil when Fielder-Civil was arrested and accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm and attempting to pervert the course of justice.”
Winehouse herself was arrested and released on bail in December 2007 but no charges were brought against her. A month later she went into a rehab facility following the publication, by a tabloid newspaper, of pictures of a woman they claimed was Winehouse, allegedly smoking crack cocaine.
She played a number of gigs in 2008 but it became increasingly apparent that the turmoil of her private life was having a severe effect on her ability to perform.
Following a diagnosis of what could have been the onset of emphysema, she managed a creditable performance at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday concert in June 2008. But her performance at Glastonbury a few days later was described by one critic as “dismal” and tabloid interest centered on an incident where she appeared to punch a fan.
Amy Winehouse took some time off after a slew of festival appearances in 2008. In 2009, she was found not guilty of assaulting a burlesque dancer at a charity ball in central London.
She made a low-key return to the stage in a surprise performance at her local pub in London in October 2010.
Earlier this year, Winehouse was admitted for treatment at the Priory clinic in south-west London.
Elvis Presley
Last month, she pulled out of her European tour after she was jeered at the first gig in Serbia for appearing to be too drunk to perform. For 90 minutes, she mumbled through parts of songs and at times left the stage - leaving her band to fill in.
“In her short career Winehouse gave us just a glimpse of what might have been, before she was undone by her own personal demons,” concluded the BBC story. “But the songs she recorded, and the string of awards they brought her, served to underline what a talent she was.”
Here is a rundown on some of the rock tragedies from garnered from : http://youknowyoucare.com/tag/amy-winehouse/
* Jimi Hendrix - Autopsy showed he asphyxiated on vomit after combining sleeping pills with wine.
* Janis Joplin - Probable heroin overdose.
* Jim Morrison - Cause of death listed as “heart failure”; however, no autopsy was performed.
* Kurt Cobain - Ruled as suicide by shotgun.
* Robert Johnson - Unknown, but typically credited to strychnine poisoning.
* Brian Jones - Drowned in a swimming pool. The coroner’s report stated “death by misadventure.”
* Ron McKernan - Gastrointestinal hemorrhage associated with alcoholism.
* Jean-Michel Basquit – Speedbal overdose.
*Amy Winehouse – TBD – autoposy on the way.
Of course, there was also Elvis who died on August 16, 1977 in the bathroom at Graceland. After being found on the bathroom floor, Elvis was rushed to the hospital where he was officially pronounced dead. The coroner recorded the cause of death as cardiac arrhythmia. While true in the strictest sense (cardiac arrhythmia basically means that the heart was beating irregularly and in this case, finally stopped), the attending physicians deliberately omitted the fact that what had apparently caused Elvis' heart to beat irregularly and then stop was an overdose of prescription drugs. These drugs included codeine, Valium, morphine, and Demorol, to name a few. After this information was revealed, Vernon Presley, Elvis' father, had the complete autopsy report sealed. It will remain sealed until 2027, fifty years after The King's death. Elvis' body is buried at Graceland.
Note: Having covered the London rock scene for several years in London, I saw at first-hand the pressures and temptations that many musicians face. They have to try and cope with all of the adulation and media attention and when their careers begin to slip, the tabloid press hounds them unmercifully and often they then resort to alcohol and drugs to try and deal with it all. Sadly, Amy Winehouse is just the latest in a long line of talented but tortured individuals that have discovered that fame and fortune do not result in happiness – in fact just the opposite. That only comes from one source -- Jesus Christ.
..... Amy Winehouse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (Live Belgrade 2011 drunk or stoned), RIP 23-07-2011.mp4
"Uploaded by Rots777 on Jul 23, 2011
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (Live Belgrade 2011 drunk or stoned)
RIP 23-07-2011
...LONDON: Troubled British singer Amy Winehouse was found dead at her flat in north London, police said. She was 27 years old.
The Grammy award-winning soul singer struggled with well-documented drink and drug addictions. Her death is being treated as unexplained.
"Police were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square shortly before 4:05 pm (local time) today, Saturday 23 July, following reports of a woman found deceased," a police statement said.
"On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Enquiries continue into the circumstances of the death. At this early stage it is being treated as unexplained."...
Early life:
- Amy Winehouse was born on Sept. 14 1983 to a Jewish family with a history of jazz musicians....
Amy Winehouse - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow
Amy Winehouse - You Sent Me Flying
Amy Winehouse - Rehab
-Interviews
Amy Winehouse found dead.R.I.P Interview
"Heathcare giant GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to an unprecedented $3 billion settlement with the U.S. government over allegations that the company advertised drugs for uses not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and then used lavish gifts to convince doctors to prescribe the drugs.
The multi-billion dollar settlement is the largest in U.S. history for alleged healthcare fraud, government officials said.
In one instance, a drug was widely promoted to help treat depression even though the FDA had never tested it for such a use, according to the Department of Justice. In another, prosecutors said GlaxoSmithKline, or GSK, advertised the drug Paxil for use on children, despite the FDA not having approved antidepressant for anyone under 18. A notice posted on the website for the U.S. National Library of Medicine warned that a small number children to young adults taking Paroxetine -- which is sold under the brand name Paxil -- in clinical studies "became suicidal."
GSK is a major manufacturer of prescription medication, vaccines and consumer healthcare products. On its website, the company boasts, "every minute more than 1,100 prescriptions are written for GSK products."
In a 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report, GSK addressed the government's allegations broadly, saying, "Some people are concerned that marketing by pharmaceutical companies may exert undue influence on doctors, that sales representatives may not always give doctors full information about the products they are promoting, or that there may be promotion of medicines for unapproved uses."
GSK goes on in that document to say that the company has "fundamentally changed our procedures for compliance, marketing and selling in the USA to ensure that we operate with high standards of integrity and that we conduct our business openly and transparently."
But critics at the Taxpayers Against Fraud non-profit group said that while recovering the money was a positive step, little is being done on a personal level to combat widespread fraud from the industry's top moneymakers – including putting executives behind bars.
"The bad news is that monetary penalties are not enough to stop rampant fraud... If we want to stop fraud, we need to recover America's stolen billions and we need to make sure that key players lose their jobs, their bank accounts, and their freedom," said Patrick Burns of Taxpayers Against Fraud. "Once the pain is personal and well-timed, the change in conduct in fraudster-companies will be very rapid."
ABC News' Lee Ferran and Brian Hartman contributed to this report.
"
"New York (CNN) -- New York authorities are searching for a gunman wanted in the killings of four people shot to death inside a Long Island pharmacy, police said.
The shootings, which took place Sunday morning at Haven Drugs in Medford, occurred during a robbery of the pharmacy, Suffolk County police said.
Police identified the dead as Raymond Ferguson, 45, and Jennifer Mejia, 17, both pharmacy employees, as well as customers Bryon Sheffield, 71, and Jamie Taccetta, 33.
The suspect, who police said should be considered "armed and extremely dangerous," made off with prescription drugs after the shootings.
CNN's Jason Kessler and Max Markham contributed to this report."
Narconon of Georgia talks about the dangers of prescription drug abuse Pt 1.
"Narconon of Georgia talks about the dangers of prescription drug abuse Pt 1. What's in your medicine cabinet?
Narconon of Georgia uses the sauna detoxification program.
Contact Narconon at 1-877-413-3073.
Visit Narconon at http://www.drugsno.com/addiction.htm"
"..Taking prescription drugs in a way that hasn't been recommended by a doctor can be more dangerous than people think. In fact, it's drug abuse. And it's just as illegal as taking street drugs...
"..A Consumer Reports investigation has now found that tens of millions of people may unknowingly have been exposed to the rare but serious side effects of a dozen relatively common prescription-drug types. Collectively, the drugs, sold in 140 brand-name or generic versions, accounted for some 266 million prescriptions in the U.S. and almost $25 billion in sales during the 12 months ending in September 2005, according to NDCHealth, an Atlanta-based health-care-information company...
An absence of leadership
The problem with the drug-safety system starts with the FDA. The agency's regulatory might has been undercut by constraints on its enforcement power, limited resources, dependency on drug-company fees to help finance the approval process, and what critics claim is a lack of will to enforce tough requirements.
In a statement by e-mail, Susan Cruzan, an FDA spokeswoman, said, “Drug safety has been and will continue to be a top priority for us." Cruzan added that “a recent internal audit showed that our professional staff spends about one-half its time addressing safety issues.”
But at a time when strong leadership is most needed, the FDA has had only temporary, acting commissioners for three of the past five years. At press time the agency still had no permanent commissioner to replace Lester Crawford, D.V.M., Ph.D., who resigned in Setember 2005 after less than three months on the job...
Link Between School Shootings and Prescription Meds
"http://www.encognitive.com
Since 1988, the year after Prozac was approved for adult use, there have been 46 incidents of school violence. Of these: 18 were reported to be taking psychiatric drugs or withdrawing from them at the time; 18 kids, age 11 to 19, killed 47 people and wounded 104; 9 were on antidepressants; 5 on stimulants Ritalin or Dexedrine; 1 was taking a tranquilizer; and 3 others took unspecific psychiatric drugs.
How widespread is the drugging of our children by a profession that claims they are only helping? The Journal of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry reported a 500 percent increase between 1987 and 2002 of children age 18 years and younger. 500%!
Reports of 930 acts of violence over an eight year period were caused by individuals of all ages shown to be on SSRI antidepressants. Does this sound alarming to anyone?
FDA warning labels are now mandatory on such drugs. Why then do we as a people continue to allow these drugs to exist? According to Harvard Medical School report, "people feel like jumping out of their skins... make people suicidal of homicidal.".
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/470339/the_link_between_psychosis_dr...
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A Male Prostitute Is Saved from Addiction by Jesus Christ
"Michael Thornton became a male pros#$$!ute to pay for his drug addiction. But beyond the pain and the shame, he found a Love who could truly redeem him. See his testimony and how Jesus Christ saved his life from cocaine, suicide, drugs and depression. The Christian Broadcasting Network . To see more testimonies from CBN and The 700 Club , go to http://www.cbn.com"
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Social Issues-Gay, Lesbian, Bi-Sexual, Homosexual, Transexual, etc.. Outreach
Steve Schupp's Testimony
"
Investigation to follow Council of Europe Health Committee Chairman’s accusations that WHO officials ‘re-defined pandemics’ to deliberately create demand for the ’swine flu’ vaccine in spite of insufficient testing on its safety or effectiveness..
Drug firms collaborated with WHO officials to deliberately create a "campaign of panic" and a ‘false disaster’ over swine flu pandemic fears when one was not evident, top European health official Wolfgang Wodarg has indicated.
Wolfgang Wodarg, head of health at the Council of Europe, claims that the threshold for alert was deliberately lowered at the WHO, allowing a "pandemic" to be declared despite the mildness of the ’swine flu.’ That designation would force a demand for the vaccine, which was subsequently purchased by governments or health facilities and pushed on the public through a full-scale fear campaign in the media.
Wodarg told Al Jazeera that:...
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While destroying a field of opium poppies in Uruzgan Province, members of the Afghan Eradication Force came under fire in an ambush apparently orchestrated by the Taliban. Photograph by Aaron Huey.
...Working first with the D.E.A. and then with the State Department, Wankel helped create the Afghan Eradication Force, with troops of the Afghan National Police drawn from the Ministry of the Interior. Last year, an estimated four hundred thousand acres of opium poppies were planted in Afghanistan, a fifty-nine-per-cent increase over the previous year. Afghanistan now supplies more than ninety-two per cent of the world’s opium, the raw ingredient of heroin. More than half the country’s annual G.D.P., some $3.1 billion, is believed to come from the drug trade, and narcotics officials believe that part of the money is funding the Taliban insurgency...
AFGHANISTAN OPIUM: Financing the Enemy; Expanding the War
"CIA says Afghan Opium Trafficking pays for al-Queda's world-wide terror attacks and also pays for the IED's that kill and cripple our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan:"
Afghanistan's Great Film Hope
By Aryn Baker / Kabul Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009 time.com "...Opium War, Afghanistan's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars and the follow-up to Barmak's Osama, which won a Golden Globe in 2004, is a black comedy. Barmak wasn't expecting the making-of story to be quite as absurd. Still, he is sanguine. "All these disasters, this struggle and search, that's what making a film is all about," says the 46-year-old director. "It's the perfect parable for Afghanistan: nothing ever works the way you think it will."
Which, in a way, is what Opium War is all about. The film follows the story of two American soldiers who barely survive a helicopter crash behind enemy lines, only to land in a far more dangerous situation — the convoluted and toxic dramas of a refugee family forced to rely on poppy to survive. As the soldiers and the Afghans warily circle each other misunderstandings abound. The refugees have taken shelter under abandoned Soviet army tanks, which the soldiers mistake for a Taliban encampment. They open fire, setting the stage for anger and frustration. The Afghans fear the soldiers are after their opium crop, or, when one of the soldiers tries to make friends with a toddler, that the foreigners want to take their children. For Barmak, it's a thinly veiled criticism of how the U.S. has conducted its war in Afghanistan...
-China
"...also known as Pastor Hsi, was a Chinese Christian leader. He was born Xi Liaozhi in a village near Linfen, became a Confucian scholar, and after his conversion to Christianity changed his given name to Shengmo or Conqueror of Demons. Having been an opium addict himself, he ran a ministry to opium addicts in many locations over a considerable area. There is more written about Xi than any other 19th century Chinese Protestant, due largely to the two-volume biography written about him by Geraldine Taylor of the China Inland Mission.
David Hill was instrumental in introducing Xi to Christianity. After his conversion, Pastor Xi fabricated his own medications made of morphia to treat opium addicts and many sick people were brought to him for healing. Prayer was a major factor in his treatments and a number of the recoveries were considered miraculous[1]:
At this time I still smoked opium. I tried to break it off by means of native medicine, but could not; by use of foreign medicine, but failed. At last I saw, in reading the New Testament, that there was a Holy Spirit who could help men. I prayed to God to give me His Holy Spirit. He did what man and medicine could not do; He enabled me to break off opium smoking. So, my friends, if you would break off opium, don’t rely on medicine, don’t lean on man, but trust to God. (Transcribed oral testimony of Xi from "Days of Blessing in Inland China")
Xi also wrote numerous Chinese Christian hymns, which were considered more to the liking of the local people than the hymns introduced by the missionaries. But perhaps the most notable thing about him was the way in which he led out in the Christian missionary work in his area. The general pattern was for Western Christians to enter an area, raise up churches and then train local people as pastors and evangelists. Xi Shengmo took hold of the work with such skill and energy that the missionaries stood aside, to a considerable extent, as he established clinics and churches...
-Iran
"..American newspapers have paid little attention to what the London Daily Telegraph pointed out on Wed., June 7, that during the CIA’s “secret war” in Laos in the 1960s and 1970s, “Vang Pao's forces, 40,000-strong at their peak, were largely funded by the heroin trade, with raw opium transported on the airplanes and helicopters of Air America, the private airline of his CIA supporters."
During the Vietnam War Vang Pao trafficked with impunity through the CIA bases of Long Tieng, which eventually was home to a heroin lab, and Pakse in southern Laos. For years the American press turned a blind eye, until 1971, that is, when it was clear that his dope was reaching not just U.S. troops in Vietnam but the continental United States....
Vang Pao’s CIA handler, Anthony “Tony Poe” Poshepny, once told the PBS program Frontline that Vang Pao “was making millions” from the drug trade. “He had his own avenue for selling heroin. He put his money in U.S. bank accounts and Swiss banks, and we all knew it.” Poshepny also complained about Vang Pao’s acquisition of “Mercedes Benz, apartments and hotels and homes."
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Issues: Greedy, Rich, Wealthy, etc... "...In 2004 Laos joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and since then, with U.S. and CIA support, has been collaborating in the ASEAN plan for gradual elimination of opium poppy cultivation. The 2006 World Drug Report announced that, for the first time in memory, Laos “is no longer an important producer of opium."
The entire "golden triangle" (Laos, Myanmar, northern Thailand) now produces twelve percent or less of global production. Once dominant in the world heroin market, the “golden triangle” has been displaced by Afghanistan, especially since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001....
...Once again, as in the past, reluctance to explore these questions involving the CIA and drugs could end up protecting and contributing to our national drug scourge."
THE MOST SECRET PLACE ON EARTH - CIA'S COVERT WAR IN LAOS
"--take us on a journey into the physical heart of the conflict: Top secret Long Cheng, where the CIA built its headquarters in 1962. It was from this base that the Secret War was largely planned and executed. As the war dragged on, Long Cheng became the busiest airbase in the world and a major center for the global opium and heroin trade. As we journey into Long Cheng for the first time --
"Guerrilla Armies, Opium Payrolls
The USA recruited 60,000 Hmong hill tribe villagers to fight in the war. These soldiers were paid with special funds earned through CIA-supported opium trafficking...
*see GoodnewsEverybody Asian -Hmong Outreach
Drug Submarine Seized By Authorities Near Ecuador-Colombia Border (VIDEO)
| 07/ 4/10 06:30 AM | AP huffingtonpost.com "WASHINGTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration said Saturday it has helped seize a submarine capable of transporting tons of cocaine.
DEA officials said that the diesel electric-powered submarine was constructed in a remote jungle and captured near a tributary close to the Ecuador-Colombia border. Ecuadorean authorities seized the sub before it could make its maiden voyage....
"...Mexico, a country with a nearly 2,000-mile border with the United States, is undergoing a horrifying wave of violence that some are likening to a civil war. Drug traffickers battle fiercely with each other and Mexican authorities. The homicide rate reached a record level in 2008 and indications are that the carnage could be exceeded this year.
Every day, newspapers and the airwaves are filled with stories and images of beheadings and other gruesome killings. Wednesday's front page on Mexico City's La Prensa carried a large banner headline that simply said "Hysteria!" The entire page was devoted to photos of bloody bodies and grim-faced soldiers. One photo shows a man with two young children walking across a street with an army vehicle in the background, with a soldier standing at a turret machine gun....
Pastor and Hakim note that the United States helps fuel the violence, not only by providing a ready market for illegal drugs, but also by supplying the vast majority of weapons used by drug gangs.
Pastor says there are at least 6,600 U.S. gun shops within 100 miles of the Mexican border and more than 90 percent of weapons in Mexico come from the United States.
And it's not just handguns. Drug traffickers used a bazooka in Tuesday's shootout with federal police and army soldiers in Reynosa, Mexico, across the border from McAllen, Texas....
In one recent instance, Noe Ramirez Mandujano, who was the nation's top anti-drug official from 2006 until August 2008, was arrested on charges that he accepted $450,000 a month in bribes from drug traffickers while in office...
Terrorists May Exploit Mexico Drug Cartels
Submitted by Homeland Security NTARC News on Tuesday, 17 October 2006t "Mexican drug cartels are strengthening and pose a risk that terrorists will exploit them to smuggle weapons of mass destruction across the U.S. border, according to a new report by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin.
In his report, McCaul highlighted recent capture reports along the Mexican border that worry him: the discovery in South Texas’ Jim Hogg County of a jacket with patches depicting Arabic military badges, planes heading to a tower and the word “martyr,” the capture of a Hezbollah operative who bribed his way into Mexico and was smuggled across the border and the discovery of Iraqis in Brownsville this summer, among other detentions.... hezbollah and hamas a terrorist gang sold drugs (Mexico: Alerta Pueblo Mexicano), from youtube.com "Hezbollah and Hamas a terrorist gang sold drugs and serve God say "what god?" satanas that even is god
U.S. Government: Hamas, Hezbollah Collaborating with Mexican Drug Cartels ...
Editors note: Of course, this is utter nonsense. The CIA — in collaboration with Wall Street banks and the Pentagon, is behind the Mexican drug cartels — not Muslims. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, as is by now well-known by anyone who has cared to be informed, has long been deeply involved in the international trafficking of the addictive drugs heroin and (since the early 1980s, if not earlier) cocaine, the enormous profits from which have financed, and continue to finance, both U.S. covert operations and the U.S. military (via payments to Pentagon contractors). — The CIA
Americas Premier International Terrorist Organization.
Mexican Drug Cartels & Islamic Radicals Working Together.."
*see GoodnewsEverybody.com Religious: Islam, Muslim, Qu'ran/Koran, Allah, Mohammed, etc...
Civil War In Mexico!
"Civil war and vigilantism gripping Mexico
Link to article:
http://pimpinturtle.com/200..... Beheadings in Mexico: The Foreign Element in Mexico's Drug Wars
May 13, 2006 | 0000 GMT stratfor.com "On May 8, authorities in the town of Aguaje in Mexico's Michoacan state found the beheaded body of Hector Espinoza, a lawyer whose client had been detained by authorities on suspicion of belonging to a drug cartel. The gruesome discovery came nearly three weeks after two police officers were beheaded in the resort city of Acapulco. Although beheadings bring jihadist groups to mind, these more likely were perpetrated by criminals or militants from elsewhere in Latin America.
Espinoza was defending Armando Sanchez Arreguin, an alleged member of an independent drug cartel led by Juan Farías, also known as "the Grandfather." Arreguin was captured after being wounded in a shootout with the rival Millennium cartel. His lawyer's severed head was hung from an archway that serves as one of the entrances to Aguaje. A homemade "welcome" sign was affixed nearby. ....
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