THE DI PALMA FORUM

LOOK AND FEEL YOUNGER

2013-10-06T21:42:00.002-07:00

Some doctors are suggesting Vitamin C in place of surgery for that "younger look". Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. If this vitamin is taken in food 1-2 hours before a heavy work out it will help control oxidant buildup in the body. Strong physical activity or stress can cause "poisonous" oxidant levels. Vitamin C in many forms helps control nasty cortisol levels and stress in the body. Therefore, it appears that this vitamin is a heavy duty worker in helping to prevent high blood pressure and other health problems as it keeps you looking and feeling younger,

There are health risks when taking heavy doses of vitamins, so always ask your physician's advise before taking any vitamins or medication.

What do you think? We would like to know. Is Vitamin C AMAZING or not?

Looming Government Shut Down and the Future of Obamacare

2013-09-29T22:58:00.002-07:00

It seems Republicans and Democrats are at a standstill over the future of Obamacare, and a government shut down is likely this Monday at midnight unless one side capitulates.

Early today, House Republicans refused to pass a spending budget, which would raise the debt ceiling, unless Obamacare was defunded for at least a year. The vote also included a repeal of a tax on medical devices. Without any signs of compromise from Democrats, Republicans must decide whether they will allow a clean spending bill to pass without any measures impeding the implementation of Obamacare or watch government agencies and programs close for the first time in 17 years.

Regardless of a government shutdown; however, the new health insurance exchanges are still scheduled to open for business Tuesday because many aspects of the Affordable Care Act aren’t funded through Congressional appropriations. Plus, even in the unlikely event that a spending bill defunding Obamacare passes the Democratic majority senate, President Obama has threatened to veto it.

IS THE COUNTRY BECOMING TOO POLARIZED?

2013-09-24T21:37:00.000-07:00

Is our USA becoming too polarized by various groups? The number of minorities is increasing. Republicans and Democrats disagree among themselves on many issues. Relationships with foreign nations are becoming more complicated. Many countries have weapons of mass destruction which greatly increases the threat of war. The world's population has become more mobile and borders between countries are more porous than ever further increasing chances for hostility.

The Truth on High Fructose Corn Syrup

2013-09-16T22:52:00.001-07:00

There is a huge debate over whether High Fructose Corn Syrup is less healthy than naturally occurring sucrose found in cane sugar and sugar beets. HFCS has become a very popular less expensive alternative to cane sugar due to the US-imposed tariff on imported sugar, production quotas on domestic sugar, and government corn subsidies and is found in many popular items such as sweetened cereal, jam, ketchup, mayonnaise, bread, soda, and pastries. The media and even the health care industry have been trying to convince us that HFCS is relatively the same as naturally occurring sucrose and is no less healthy. However, while too much sugar in general is not healthy, there is evidence that shows that HFCS may be even more detrimental.

According to a Princeton University study, rats with the same overall caloric intake gained significantly more weight when consuming high-fructose corn syrup than when consuming table sugar. The study didn't really give a definitive explanation for this; however it may be due to the slightly greater proportion of fructose in HFCS. Fructose is much sweeter than glucose, and unlike glucose, which can be used for energy, converted into triglycerides, or stored as fat, fructose seems to turn directly to fat.

While high fructose corn syrup and naturally occurring sucrose both consist of the same two sugar molecules, fructose and glucose, their content ratio and metabolism are different. The molecules in high fructose corn syrup are unbound and come in a ratio of 55-41, fructose to glucose (plus 4% other sugars). Cane sugar or beet sugar is made of a 50-50 ratio of fructose to glucose, which are tightly bound. Because they are tightly bound, the enzymes in your digestive tract must break down the sucrose into fructose and glucose, which are then absorbed into the body. Because the fructose and glucose in high fructose corn syrup are not chemically bound, they are more rapidly absorbed by your blood stream. Fructose goes straight to the liver and causes lipogenesis, the production of fats like triglycerides and cholesterol. This can cause liver damage and a condition known as fatty liver. Fructose depletes ATP, our body's energy source for important cellular processes. ATP depletion may increase risk for inflammation in the liver, which promotes all kinds of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, dementia, and premature aging. The liver protects itself by producing Uric Acid, which can lead to grout, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and uric acid stones, a form of kidney stones.

HFCS also has been found to contain contaminants like Mercury because of chlor-alkali products used in its manufacturing. Other strange chemicals have been discovered in testing that are not glucose or fructose.

So the key is moderation. All sugar in excess can be harmful to your health, regardless of whether it’s cane sugar or HFCS. Studies show that HFCS is processed by our bodies differently and with its higher concentration of fructose, it’s better to keep intake at a minimum.

Interview with Billionaire and Mayoral Candidate John Catsimatidis

2013-09-09T20:37:00.002-07:00

SYRIA

2013-09-04T22:33:00.000-07:00

Pres. Obama's RED LINE COMMENT requires some action regarding Syria. Russia, China and Iran back Assad. The question is "What action should the US take, if any?" The US is pretty much committed to taking some action based on comments from Pres. Obama, John Kerry, John McCain, etc. This could range from a shot across the bow to continued bombing of Syria to destroy their military capabilities and infrastructure. Boots on the ground IS NOT an option. Missiles could be sent to destroy Syria's chemical plants and reserves. The US could also bomb Syria's airplanes, airports and runways in order to nullify Syria's air force potential. In the event that Syria retaliates against Israel for any US action, this country should be prepared to intervene on behalf of the Israeli people.

The US could also take no action against Syria since this is a civil war involving Assad and other factions which may include elements of Al Qaeda.

In the event of a regime change, who would really benefit? Bear in mind the fact that certain elements of the rebels fighting Assad are linked to Al Qaeda. Also recall that Libya is now controlled by Al Qaeda affiliated groups.

2013-03-24T11:28:00.003-07:00

2013-03-24T11:28:00.001-07:00

Are Women Too Easy?

2013-03-24T11:26:00.001-07:00

Do you think women are disrespecting their bodies?

Women Have Become Too Easy - AskMen

www.askmen.com/dating/curtsmith/42_dating_advice.html

Promiscuous women - The problem with easy women.

Women Have Become Too Easy - AskMen

www.askmen.com/dating/curtsmith/42c_dating_advice.html

Inadvertently, when men meet women, they usually categorize them into two categories: the potentially serious relationship kind, or the "have fun in the process" ...

Are American Women and Families Being Destroyed by Our Promiscuous Culture?

2013-03-17T13:26:00.001-07:00

25 Signs American Women Are Being Destroyed By The Sexual Revolution And Our Promiscuous Culture... What do you think?

New Medicare Tax

2012-12-11T23:07:00.001-08:00

After January 1, 2013 income derived from capital gains, dividends, and royalties will no longer be exempt from the Medicare Tax. The new 3.8% Medicare Tax (or Unearned Income Medicare Contribution Tax) will be in effect January 1, 2013 and applies to income not derived from ordinary course of business or trade (ie: interest, dividends, annuities, royalties, and rents not related to primary business). The tax is applied to the lesser of either your AGI above a certain threshold ($200K for single individuals or $250K for married couples) or your net investment income.

Are Psychoactive Drugs a Hoax?

2012-12-05T20:58:00.001-08:00

It seems America is being ravished by the epidemic of mental illness. Those qualifying for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) has increased from 1 in 184 Americans in 1987 to 1 in 76 Americans in 2007. Mental illness is now the leading cause of disability in children over cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. A National Institute of Mental Health survey (NIMH) found that 46% of adults met criteria for having at least one mental illness at one time in their lives. Treatment today almost always means psychoactive drugs. Gone are the days when psychiatrists would actually talk to patients. The shift to prescribing drugs instead of talk therapy, which is now relegated to social workers and psychologists, correlates with the belief that mental illness is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain not the Freudian concept of unconscious conflict stemming from childhood. Psychiatrists diagnose patients based on their symptoms as assessed in the DSM, which provides diagnostic criteria for all mental illness and basically a justification for prescribing meds to treat these illnesses. And each year the DSM expands its boundaries for diagnosis so that more and more people will fall within categories of mental illness. Often patients are prescribed with a cocktail of drugs, one to offset the side effects of the next. But are these drugs effective? While it seems the positive studies are the only ones promulgated, there have been other studies that suggest psychoactive drugs have no more than an activated placebo effect, merely ineffective except for the side effects which may temporarily camouflage the symptoms. Some studies link these psychoactive drugs with shrinkage of the brain where the prefrontal cortex just shuts down. The symptoms are reduced but so is cognition. Because the cause effect relationship is still unclear when it comes to neurotransmitters and mental illness, it is difficult to assess the effectiveness of the drugs. In the meantime, the alignment of the pharmaceutical industry with the world of psychiatry ponders the intentions of our medical practitioners. Why are these drugs so encouraged when our malaise seems to be getting worse?

The Healthcare Debate

2012-03-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

Oral arguments about the constitutionality of the individual healthcare mandate are being heard by the Supreme Court this week. The administration argues that the mandate is not severable from the law's other provisions which contravenes the Supreme Court's natural inclination to favor severability, meaning that if one part of the law is struck down, the rest of it remains intact. This is a risky "all or nothing" proposition because proponents for the law would probably rather see the rest of the law survive if it is ruled that the mandate is unconstitutional. However the question remains whether or not one provision can be excised from the law without making the entire thing untenable.

Hilary Clinton- Charitable Feats

2012-03-26T20:41:00.001-07:00

Hilary Clinton has played a large role in empowering women all over the world to make a difference. Dedicated to challenging the status quo and affording the less fortunate equal opportunities, she supports several charities and humanitarian causes including: American India Foundation, Clinton Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, Friends of the High Line, Heifer International, HELP USA, Human Rights Campaign, It Gets Better Project, My Good Deed, Stop Global Warming, The Trevor Project, US Doctors for Africa, and Vital Voices.

Oil Prices

2012-03-15T19:44:00.001-07:00

According to several sources and the US Energy Department, the US is drilling more oil domestically. Our oil exports have exceeded our oil imports for the first time since 1949, and we have more oil and natural gas drilling rigs than in any other part of the world. So why are gas prices reaching record highs? Many argue that our impending crisis with Iran is contributing to the rise in oil and it could get worse if matters escalate, but if we are producing so much domestically why should Iran make a difference?

2012-03-04T13:22:00.001-08:00

A WELL FUELED BODY FIGHTS TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY. IT IS MIRACULOUS!

We all want to be Heart Disease and Cancer FREE?

How do you feel about including the following foods in your eating routine: almonds, olive oil, steamed asparagus, oatmeal, beans, blueberries, red tomato sauce, avocado, dark chocolate, orange juice, mushrooms, onions and green vegetables everyday or at least 5 days a week? Let us know how you feel after eating these foods for three months? Do not smoke and cut down on salt intake. WHEN YOU ARE HEALTHY AND HAPPY...YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL. Check with your doctor before starting any new routines in eating and exercising. Let's work TOGETHER for good health!

Electronic Cigarettes: Healthier Alternative

2012-01-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

A Healthier and More Cost-Effective Alternative to Smoking: The Electronic Cigarette

You can still enjoy the pastime of smoking without bringing havoc to your lungs and wallet. For those who have tried the nicotine patches to no avail, this is your chance to be good to your body.

An E-cigarette contains no carcinogens or other toxins- no tobacco, carbon monoxide, nicotine, tar, arsenic, cyanide, butane, and other harmful chemicals which are all found in traditional cigarettes. It contains small doses of nicotine which is given off through a water vapor mechanism. When exhaling, only water vapor is released, making it perfectly safe for others. One can opt for the disposable e-cigarettes for one time use or the rechargeable e-cigarettes with nicotine cartridges that need to be either refilled or changed.

E-cigarettes are legal for use in public areas such as airports, restaurants, bars, and even airplanes. Many employers now are allowing their employees to smoke e-cigarettes in the office! There is no unpleasant odor. No need to worry about bad breath or contaminated clothes and hair.

With the average pack of cigarettes costing around $6-7, one saves at least around 50% equaling $1,000-$2,000 in savings a year on smoking. There are many brands of e-cigarettes and amounts and prices differ but at around $2, each cartridge will last up to around 250 puffs (equivalent to about 1 pack of cigarettes) and the battery will last through one cartridge before recharging is needed.

Hillary Clinton: Forbes Most Powerful

2012-01-07T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hillary Clinton makes # 2 on the list of the world's 100 most powerful women by Forbes magazine. Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Michele Bachmann, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce Knowles also on the list.

New Immigration Policy

2012-01-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Obama’s DREAM Act has been ratified through the back door by an executive ICE memo, after being rejected by Congress twice.

The Obama administration is suspending the deportations of thousands of illegal immigrants and helping their families gain legal status to bolster Latino support in the 2012 election.

The new policy interprets “family” to include partners of lesbian, gay and bisexual people.

Under current law, an illegal immigrant whose parent or spouse in an American citizen can apply for a green card but the immigrant must apply in the his/her home country and is not permitted to return to the US until three years, sometimes 10 years. In sympathetic situations, the illegal immigrant can request a waiver, which usually takes about 6 months for approval.

The new policy allows illegal’s to get waiver approval in advance, reducing the time they’d have to spend out of the country.

Clinton Foundation

2012-01-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

Former President Bill Clinton is doing remarkable work through his foundation to empower those around the world to "meet challenges of global interdependence", focusing on areas such as health, economy, leadership, and other global initiatives.

The SOPA

2012-01-05T22:49:00.000-08:00

The goal of SOPA (and its Senate counterpart, the PROTECT-IP Act) is well intentioned to fight copyright violators and counterfeiters who run sites beyond the jurisdiction of US courts. However it’s an overly aggressive attempt (and a costly one) by the government to censor the internet and poses serious concerns about preserving free speech.

These bills empower the attorney general to seek orders mandating thousands of (ISPs)Internet service providers to block customers from visiting purported infringing websites, compelling search engines to redact their results, excluding the targeted site, and requiring ad networks and payment processors to terminate business with the alleged site.

It expands the President’s authority to police the internet and derogates the ability of the judiciary and federal courts to handle intellectual property enforcement which they have done effectively for decades.

Essentially, ISPs, could, for instance, implement tactics used by the Chinese Firewall to target traffic going to a blacklisted site and simply block it.

What the bill can't do is block numeric IP addresses, so you could still access the censored site, if you know the numeric IP address which defeats the whole purpose of the bill. So this bill will not forestall piracy but will censor any web site that facilitates or promotes pirated content. This includes sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and many more. Something as minor as posting a copyrighted image to your Facebook page can warrant a violation. One can submit an appeal, which is ineffective most of the time, within five days, but it’s better sense to remove the questionable content to avoid expensive legal proceedings.

Understanding the NDAA

2012-01-05T22:45:00.000-08:00

The NDAA seems to reaffirm law that was already put in place with a few disconcerting changes that may give more flexibility and rights to accused terrorists and increased culpability to US citizens.

Section 1021 expands the President’s authority beyond anything that current law or court precedent now gives him. While the AUMF may imply the authority of the President to indefinitely detain US citizens accused of perpetrating or facilitating an act of terror in the context of war, the definition of those who can be detained is very narrow and lucid, targeting two kinds of people–those who helped with the 9/11 attacks and those who harbored people who did.

Section 1021 targets the same people pending disposition under the law of war and then adds an entirely new category: those who were a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners, including any person who has committed a belligerent act or has directly supported such hostilities in aid of such enemy forces.

It goes on to say that “Nothing in this section is intended to limit or expand the authority of the President or the scope of the Authorization for Use of Military Force” and that “nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.” If this were true, why did they feel the need to add those extra ambiguous words to the definition of covered persons? Why wouldn’t the AUMF be sufficient? This is very confusing.

One of the reasons the President decided to sign the recent version of the bill was because it authorized him to grant a waiver issuing an exemption to military detention for a particular prisoner so he could be brought to trial in a civilian court. The original version of the 2012 NDAA prohibited the use of civilian courts in prosecuting Al Qaeda suspects. It allowed for the use of exceptions to military detention, requiring approval by the President, the Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, and the Director of National Intelligence. However, President Obama insisted this provision be changed to allow the President to issue these national security waivers on his own. So the President can now decide unilaterally whether a suspected terrorist should be held in civilian custody or military custody. US citizens are exempt from mandatory military detention since the requirement only applies to a particular subset of covered persons, which includes members of al Qaeda or its associated forces; however, they are not precluded from the possibility. Under the definition of “covered persons” anyone suspected can potentially be detained by the armed forces pending disposition under the law of war. However this requirement is not so mandatory since the President can issue waivers for exemption that no longer need the approval of other departments.

Disposition under the law of war can include: detention under the law of war without trial until the end of the hostilities, a trial by military commission, trial by “an alternative court such as civilian trial, or competent tribunal having lawful jurisdiction,” or be transferred to another country. Theoretically, a US citizen accused of committing a belligerent act, whatever that may be, can be deported to another country.

Section 1024 grants additional rights to any unprivileged enemy belligerent held in long-term military detention and who is not already subject to habeas corpus review, such as those detainees in Afghanistan, by affording them the right to a military lawyer and a proceeding before a military judge to contest their grounds for detention. They already have access to the Detainee Review Board screening process, which is quite sufficient. Now lawyers and judges have been included in the list of benefits for those who attack Americans with human shields.

The NDAA continues to uphold the prohibition on the transfer of detainees to the US and forbids the use of any funds toward building an alternate site. Any Guantanamo detainees that may be freed must be transferred to other countries.

Essentially the NDAA empowers the President by officially granting him the authority he always claimed to have had but technically didn’t under law. This congressional affirmation could open the door to vulnerabilities down the road and may be an invitation for abuse.

A Shoppers Best Kept Secret

2011-12-29T14:19:00.000-08:00

Shhhh! At these sites, things are always on sale. Up to 90% top designer brands!

GILT.COM
HauteLook.com
Beyond the Rack
editorscloset.com
NoMoreRack.com
MYHABIT
http://www.ivorytrunk.com/
BillionDollarBabes
Rue La La

Mineral Makeup

2011-12-28T13:40:00.000-08:00

Want to cover blemishes or redness but don't want to succumb to suffocating foundation laden with harmful chemicals, preservatives, dyes, parabens, or fragrances? Try mineral makeup from natural cosmetic lines such as BareMinerals. It's lighter than traditional foundation, usually made with a sun barrier base of titanium and zinc oxides, and doesn't contain the usual suspects included in other cosmetics.

BareMinerals by Bare Escentuals

America's Challenges

2011-10-16T20:54:00.000-07:00

Below is a list compiled from our viewers of what many are considering to be hurdles facing the United States right now. What do you think?

1. Our addiction to foreign oil and our limits on domestic drilling.

2) The Dodd-Frank law (imposing unnecessary restrictions on financial institutions)
3) Free trade agreements w/ impoverished nations. We end up importing way more than we export and our companies outsource jobs for cheap labor.
4) Nationalization of health care. The restrictions imposed on physician owned private practices and hospitals will stifle innovation and entrepreneurship in medicine as the number of private practices decline after more people will be forced into medicaid because they cannot afford the private doctors who will only accept cash to opt out of increased insurance constraints. More and more doctors will either leave the field or move to a government controlled hospital on a tax payer funded salary and be encouraged unionize. The increased government controlled health care burdens and costs on taxpayers may pose ethical dilemmas as patient quality of life may be used to prioritize care.
5) a carbon tax ("cap and trade").
6) Increased government regulation and burdens on the private sector, which hinder private investment. The U.S. corporate tax rate is now the second highest among OECD countries.
7) Increased government spending and escalating debt forcing the Fed to keep interest rates artificially low, which causes commodity inflation and crowding out of private investment.

8) Overseas production and the deterioration of domestic jobs and production.

Export tax policies: Double taxation: Under our current tax law, U.S.-based multinational firms are taxed by the United States on their worldwide income, while foreign-based competitors are taxed only by the nation in which their businesses are located. This deters domestic investment and job creation, and exports.

9. Overextension of the military in expensive wars, killing off young Americans who would otherwise be working and “producing” in America.

9. Freeloaders and Government Enabling - 1 in 5 Americans rely on food stamps. That's a record high of 45.8 million Americans. Some states have expanded their definition of poverty to include more people. And the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act increased annual funding to the nationwide food stamp program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) by $10 billion and increased the maximum food stamp benefit by 13.6%, (an additional $20-24 dollars per person per month). And now unemployment benefits have been extended to last up to 99 weeks (2 years).

10. The America Invents Act 2011- We replaced our First to Invent (FTI) system and adopted the European First to File (FTF) way. Will increase backlog because of the rushed and incomplete filings which will require more filings and fees when every improvement is made. This puts small companies and individuals at a disadvantage to large companies with in-house patent attorneys. For a country that has always been the most inventive in the world, will this change discourage innovation?
11. Education: Labor Unions: The tenure system is stifling our education, providing job security to teachers regardless of merit.