Bay Area Health and Healing Information

The Truth about Melamine

11:59 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

FDA Sets Melamine Standard for Baby Formula

Federal food regulators previously said they were unable to set a safety threshold for the industrial chemical melamine in baby formula. Now, however, they have found a way to settle on a standard that allows for higher levels than those found in U.S.-made batches of the product. Food and Drug Administration officials have set a threshold of 1 part per million of melamine in formula, provided a related chemical is not present.

They insisted the formulas are safe. The development comes days after The Associated Press reported that FDA tests found traces of melamine in the infant formula of one major U.S. manufacturerand cyanuric acid, a chemical relative, in the formula of a second major maker FDA approved an increase in melamine content of baby milk products!!!

China milk poisoning incidents make everyone afraid to look at the daily news report. Every day, the reports are changing. No one can clearly tell us what to eat and not to eat.1. What really is poisoned milk?It is the milk powder mixed with 'MELAMINE'

What is Melamine use for? It is an industrial chemical used in the production of melawares.It is also used in home decoration. ' US resistant board'

Do you understand?

Melamine is used in industrial production & it cannot be eaten.

Why is Melamine added in milk powder?

The most important nutrient in milk is protein. And Melamine has the same protein that contains 'NITROGEN'

Adding Melamine in milk reduces milk content and it is cheaper than milk so it lowers capitalization. It can give the business man more profit!

Below is Melamine; doesn't it look like milk?It doesn't have any smell, so cannot be detected.

When was it discovered?

Year 2007, US cats and dogs died suddenly, they found that pet food from China contains Melamine.Starting 2008, In China , an abnormal increase in infant cases of kidney stones.

August 2008 China Sanlu Milk Powder tested with Melamine Sept. 2008, New Zealand gov't ask China to check this problem

Sept. 21, 2008, lots of food products in Taiwan tested with Melamine

What happens when Melamine is digested?

Melamine remains inside the kidney. It forms into stones blocking the tubes. Pain will be eminent and person cannot urinate. Kidney will then swell.Although surgery can remove the stones, but it will cause irreversible kidney damage. It can lead to loss of kidney function and will require kidney dialysis or lead to death because of uremia.What is dialysis?

In fact, it should be called 'blood washing'; it is filtering all of the body's blood into the machine and then go back to the body.The whole process takes 4 hours and it is necessary to dialysis once for every 3 days for the rest of your life.Here is a dialysis centerLarge dialysis centerA small hole is required in the arm to insert the sub-dialysis catheter.Why is it more serious in babies? Because the kidney is very small and they drink a lot of milk powder. Here is a baby undergoing dialysis.

China currently has 13,000 infants hospitalized

It does not matter how much a human being took Melamine. The important point is 'It cannot be EATEN!'

What are the foods to be avoided?

Foods that contain dairy products should be avoided.Remember: Foods with creamer or milk should be avoided.

Which companies are affected?

Hereunder are the companies affected with Melamine.

What do we do next?

Avoid the above foods for at least six months.If you have snack bar, restaurant or coffee shops, stop selling dairy products for the meantime.If you have infants at home, change to mother's milk or find other substitutes.Finally, share this information with friends so they will understand the risk of milk poisoning. The whole world is scared of China made 'black hearted goods'.

Can you differentiate which one is made in the USA , Philippines , Taiwan or China ? Let me tell you how... the first 3 digits of the barcode is the country code wherein the product was made.

Sample all barcodes that start with 690.691.692 until 695 are all MADE IN CHINA.

471 is Made in Taiwan

This is our human right to know, but the government and related departments never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves.Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products 'made in china', so they don't show from which country it is made. However, you may now refer to the barcode, remember if the first 3 digits is 690-695 then it is Made in China . 00 ~ 13 USA & CANADA 30 ~ 37 FRANCE 40 ~ 44 GERMANY 49 ~ JAPAN 50 ~ UK 57 ~ Denmark 64 ~ Finland 76 ~ Switzerland and Liechtenstein 628 ~ Saudi-Arabian 629 ~ United Arab Emirates 740 ~ 745 - Central America All 480 Codes are Made in the Philippines. Please inform your family and friends for them to be aware.

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The 5 dirtiest foods - Healthy Living on Shine

11:54 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (1)

How would you rate your food-safety IQ?

I know someone who never washes their fruits and vegetables after bringing them home from the market because he believes that they're washed at the store. Um, no. Read on to learn about what some call the "5 dirtiest foods" and for a food safety wake-up call...

****The dirty food list, according to this fascinating piece I found over at AOL Health include the following:

Eggs: While most eggs aren't going to make anyone sick, experts estimate that more than 2 million germy eggs (as in Salmonella infected) get into circulation each year, sickening 660,000 people each year and killing as many as 300. Um, maybe we should think twice about eating that cookie dough (or, judging by our conversation on Vitamin G, perhaps you'd rather take your chances?). How to buy cleaner eggs? Make sure the carton says they're pasteurized and never buy a dozen that contains any obvious cracks or leaks.

Peaches: They're pretty, but that's just skin-deep. Health experts warn that peach skins are doused in pesticides before they make it to grocery store to prevent blemishes. On average, a peach can contain as many as nine different pesticides, according to the USDA. This is one fruit you might want to buy organic (which may have blemishes, but won't have pesticides). (Here's How Peaches Can Help You Build Muscle.)

Pre-packaged salad mixes: Surprise! "Triple washed" doesn't mean germ-free say experts. Pathogens may still be lurking so be sure to wash your greens before tossing in your salad bowl. (Don't make these salad mistakes!)

Melons: Get ready to be grossed out. According to the article, "when the FDA sampled domestically grown cantaloupe, it found that 3.5 percent of the melons carried Salmonella and Shigella, the latter a bacteria normally passed person-to-person. Among imported cantaloupe, 7 percent tested positive for both bugs." Ewww. Your best bet: Scrub your melons with a little mild dish soap and warm water before slicing. (Stay healthy with these delicious winter fruits!)

Scallions: Blamed for several recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A, and other bugs like the parasite Cryptosporidium, Shigella and Salmonella, scallions present a food safety problem because of the way they grow (in the dirt) and lack of proper washing. While you can't control what happens in restaurant kitchens, you can give them a super-duper washing at home before cooking with.
Other dirty foods in the article include chicken, ground beef and turkey, raw oysters, and cold cuts. Click here to read 5 more.

The bottom line: Don't be afraid to eat these foods, just be aware of the precautions you need to take before enjoying them. Most food-borne illnesses are the result of hygiene carelessness somewhere in the food chain. Protect yourself!

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your food safety awareness and diligence? Do you wash all your produce? How about pre-packaged salad mixes? And what about melons? Do any of you wash the exterior with soap and water before slicing. I do, and I'm patting myself on the back right now.

7 Health Don’ts in a Down Economy

11:42 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

Health Is Wealth

by Charles Noe Reviewed by: David Slotnick, M.D.

Times are tough and look as if they may get tougher. We’re all trying to stretch a dollar. But some corners you cut may endanger your health and that can be expensive in the long run. Not to mention sickening.

For example, Americans are filling fewer prescriptions for the first time in over a decade, according to The New York Times. Saving money on drugs for chronic conditions now can lead to major medical costs later.

So here are seven money-saving temptations you should resist. And since every "don't" needs a "do", check out these seven positive alternatives.

Don’t Stop Taking Your Medication - Do ask your doctor if you're overmedicated
Never decide on your own to stop taking prescribed medication. This could have serious consequences. It could even be fatal.

But do take a good close look at your medications with your doctor. You may be able to save money and improve your care in the bargain. Maybe you’ve been prescribed redundant medications by several doctors, or were given a temporary prescription that you don’t need to take any more.

So bring your primary doctor a list of all your drugs and supplements, or better yet, bring them all into the office in a bag. Then ask if any can be discontinued … or if there are cheaper but effective alternatives... or if it’s safe to split your pills.

Don’t Fill Up on Starch and Sugar
It's tempting to cut food bills by stuffing yourself with cheap white bread, white rice, sugar and $1 fast-food burgers. But junk food makes you feel lousy and is expensive in the long run because it promotes obesity and disease.

Good food doesn't have to cost a lot. Check out ethnic markets and produce stands, where some vegetables and fruits cost half of what supermarkets charge. Eat more beans (they really are good for your heart!). Oatmeal is cheaper and more nutritious than packaged cereals. Forget filet mignon, but try a few slices of flank steak on a bed of sautéed greens. Eggs have gone up in the past year but remain a filling nutritional bargain.

Cook together as a family to eat better and get closer. Pack your lunch. Drink tap water instead of overpriced bottled water. When you do dine out, split an entree. You don't need to overeat to enjoy yourself. And you'll save money.

Don’t Hole Up and Stop Exercising - Do keep on trucking
When you're feeling blue or anxious, you probably feel like curling up on the couch or losing yourself in a TV show or video game. But now it's more important than ever that you take part in regular physical activity.

Motion is good for your emotions. Exercise releases natural endorphins that lift your mood and improve your outlook. It also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, several cancers, osteoporosis and other diseases.

You can spend a fortune on fancy gyms and workout fashions if you want, but all you need to get started is to put on your shoes and put one foot in front of the other .

Don’t Skip Recommended Checkups and Tests - Do ask what is necessary
Medical tests that catch a problem early can avert a catastrophic and catastrophically expensive health problem. Yet sometimes they find something that doesn't need to be addressed but gets treated anyway because of a patient's anxiety. And sometimes doctors practice "defensive medicine" and order unnecessary tests to get by in a lawsuit-prone society.

Ask your doctor how often you need a checkup – some no longer recommend one every year. When your doctor orders a diagnostic test or treatment, ask if it is necessary or just a precaution and what may result if you decline. As for recommended screening tests, check out this lifetime guide.

Don’t Act Out - Do manage stress
Remember the Goofus and Gallant comic strips in Highlights magazine? Here's how an adult Goofus would react to financial stress: Fight with the family, booze, pig out, toke up, hit the racetrack, go on a spending binge and generally freak out.

But here's how a grown-up Gallant would deal: Stay informed but calm, review finances, make arrangements with creditors, set budgets, cut spending, take comfort in family and friends, exercise and get professional help if needed.

Don't be a Goofus: Find out more about how to cope with financial stress.

Don’t Skip Therapy or Avoid Counseling - Do reach out for help
The stress caused by a sour economy increases the need for mental health services. Yet many patients cut back during hard times, when they're most vulnerable.
Instead, explore your options. Try negotiating a reduced fee with your therapist or get a referral, or schedule a shorter session if necessary. Check out this list of mental health resources, complete with hotlines, and more tips on finding a therapist.

By the way, if the massive bailout of Wall Street firms made your blood boil and teeth gnash, here's one thing you can take comfort in: The legislation included a long-sought requirement for many health insurers to cover mental illnesses like other diseases. This means, for example, that if they charge a $15 co-pay for an visit to your heart doctor, they can't charge more than a $15 co-pay for a visit to your therapist for a disorder covered by the plan.

Don’t Assume You Can’t Afford Health Care - Do investigate resources
The high cost of health care is leaving millions of people out in the cold, even those who have medical insurance but struggle with deductibles or co-payments. But don't give up. You have a surprising number of options.

A growing number of drug companies and pharmacies are offering discounted and sometimes even free medications. Many eligible people fail to take advantage of the government programs that cover millions of Americans.

The solution: Scope out these 70 resources for cutting your healthcare costs.

After Katrina, it was literally open season on Black folks

11:35 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

A new report in The Nation1 documents what many have claimed for years -- for some Black New Orleanians the threat of being killed by White vigilantes in Katrina's aftermath became a bigger threat than the storm itself.

After the storm, White vigilantes roamed Algiers Point shooting and, according to their own accounts, killing Black men at will-- with no threat of a police response. For the last three years, the shootings and the police force's role in them have been an open secret to many New Orleanians. To date, no one has been charged with a crime and law enforcement officials have refused to investigate.

The facts are finally seeing the light of day. Now we must demand action. Given Louisiana's horrible record when it comes to criminal justice and Black folks, it's the only path to justice.
You can help. Join us in calling on Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Louisiana's Attorney General Buddy Caldwell, and the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a full investigation of these crimes and any police cover-up. It takes only a moment to add your voice and to invite your friends and family to do the same:

http://www.colorofchange.org/nation/?id=1720-609963
In the two weeks after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the media created a climate of fear with trumped-up stories of Black lawlessness. Meanwhile, an armed group of White vigilantes took over the Algiers Point neighborhood in New Orleans and mercilessly hunted down Black people. "It was great!" said one vigilante. "It was like pheasant season in South Dakota. If it moved, you shot it."

The Nation's article tells the story of Donnell Herrington, Marcel Alexander, and Chris Collins -- a group of friends who were attacked by shotgun-wielding White men as they entered Algiers Point on September 1, 2005. As they tried to escape, Herrington recalls, their attackers shouted, "Get him! Get that nigger!" He managed to get away. Alexander and Collins were told that they would be allowed to live on the condition that they told other Black folks not to come to Algiers Point. Herrington, shot in the neck, barely survived.

And there's the story of Henry Glover, who didn't survive after being shot by an unknown assailant. 2 Glover's brother flagged down a stranger for help, and the two men brought Glover to a police station. But instead of receiving aid, they were beaten by officers while Henry Glover bled to death in the back seat of the stranger's car. A police officer drove off in the car soon afterward. Both Glover's body and the car were found burnt to cinders a week later. It took DNA analysis to identify the body.

Then there's the story of White militiamen who tried to drive their Black neighbors from their homes. Reggie Bell, who lived just two blocks down the street from the vigilantes' ringleader, was told at gunpoint, "We don't want you around here. You loot, we shoot." Later, another group of armed White men confronted him at his home, asking, "Whatcha still doing around here? We don't want you around here. You gotta go."

These are only a few of the stories of Black folks who were accosted in Algiers Point, and you can read more in The Nation. But unless you speak out, we may never learn the full extent of the violence. Journalists have encountered a wall of silence on the part of the authorities. The coroner had to be sued to turn over autopsy records. When he finally complied, the records were incomplete, with files on several suspicious deaths suddenly empty. The New Orleans police and the District Attorney repeatedly refused to talk to journalists about Algiers Point. And according to journalist A.C. Thompson, "the city has in nearly every case refused to investigate or prosecute people for assaults and murders committed in the wake of the storm."

The Nation's article is important, but it's just a start. For more than three years now, these racist criminals have by their own admission gotten away with murder, while officials in New Orleans have systematically evaded any kind of accountability. We have to demand it.
Please join us in calling on state and federal officials to investigate these brutal attacks and the conduct of Orleans Parish law enforcement agencies, and please ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://www.colorofchange.org/nation/?id=1720-609963
Thanks and Peace,
-- James, Gabriel, Clarissa, William, Dani, and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team December 18th, 2008
References
1. "Katrina's Hidden Race War," The Nation, 12-18-2008 http://www.colorofchange.org/link/?id=1720-609963&cat=nation&link=1
2. "Body of Evidence," The Nation, 12-18-2008 http://www.colorofchange.org/link/?id=1720-609963&cat=nation&link=2

Jazz great Freddie Hubbard dead at 70

11:31 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

By JOHN ROGERS, AP

LOS ANGELES -Freddie Hubbard, the Grammy-winning jazz musician whose style influenced a generation of trumpet players and who collaborated with such greats as Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Sonny Rollins, died Monday, a month after suffering a heart attack. He was 70. Hubbard died at Sherman Oaks Hospital, said his manager, fellow trumpeter David Weiss of the New Jazz Composers Octet. He had been hospitalized since suffering the heart attack a day before Thanksgiving.

A towering figure in jazz circles, Hubbard played on hundreds of recordings in a career dating to 1958, the year he arrived in New York from his hometown Indianapolis, where he had studied at the Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music and with the Indianapolis Symphony.
Soon he had hooked up with such jazz legends as Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley and Coltrane.

"I met Trane at a jam session at Count Basie's in Harlem in 1958," he told the jazz magazine Down Beat in 1995. "He said, `Why don't you come over and let's try and practice a little bit together.' I almost went crazy. I mean, here is a 20-year-old kid practicing with John Coltrane. He helped me out a lot, and we worked several jobs together."

In his earliest recordings, which included "Open Sesame" and "Goin' Up" for Blue Note in 1960, the influence of Davis and others on Hubbard is obvious, Weiss said. But within a couple years he would develop a style all his own, one that would influence generations of musicians, including Wynton Marsalis.

"He influenced all the trumpet players that came after him," Marsalis told The Associated Press earlier this year. "Certainly I listened to him a lot. ... We all listened to him. He has a big sound and a great sense of rhythm and time and really the hallmark of his playing is an exuberance. His playing is exuberant."

Hubbard played on more than 300 recordings, including his own albums and those of scores of other artists. He won his Grammy in 1972 for best jazz performance by a group for the album "First Light."

As a young musician, Hubbard became revered among his peers for a fiery, blazing style that allowed him to hit notes higher and faster than just about anyone else with a horn. As age and infirmity began to slow that style, he switched to a softer, melodic style and played a flugelhorn. His fellow musicians were still impressed.

"The sound he gets on just one note. I know he does all the flashy stuff and the high stuff and it's all great but ... he'd play `Body and Soul' on the flugelhorn and it was just that much better again than everyone around him," trumpeter Chris Botti said in an interview earlier this year.
—
Associated Press Writer Charles J. Gans in New York contributed to this story.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
2008-12-29 19:05:31
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Spiritually Juicy Circle Series 101

11:24 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Saturday, January 10, 2009

8:30 am to 12:00 noon

Richmond, CA

Who is the Spiritually Juicy Circle Series for?The Spiritually Juicy Circle Series is a powerful small group experience for women who are ready and willing to be transformed! This group is for women who feel there's something missing and are ready to make a change, who are willing to examine themselves and receive feedback, and who are willing to move beyond their old patterns and behaviors.

Using engagement dialogue, coaching, music, and spiritual development exercises, The Spiritually Juicy Circle Series provides a comfortable, safe space for women to connect to reveal the answers they are seeking. This group is designed to help you listen intently, listen inwardly, be more true to yourself, and to get clear about what's important for you. What is a Spiritually Juicy Woman? She's a woman who:
Chooses Ease & Grace over struggle
Chooses Thriving over surviving
Chooses Relationships that Energize her over relationships that drain her
Chooses to be In Charge of her Emotions vs. allowing herself to be at the mercy of her emotions
Chooses to use Words that Feed her Spirit vs. words that dry up her juice

Spiritually Juicy Circle Series 101 - LAYING THE FOUNDATION

Investment per person: $55.00

Saturday, January 10, 2009 -

8:30 am to 12:00 noon

The Jackson Retreat Home in Richmond, CA

Includes Continental Breakfast, Snacks, Circle Materials, and Spiritually Juicy Gift

To create the greatest impact, this group is limited to only 6 participants.

For questions, Call 510-236-8371

TARGET TONING & BODY SHAPING INDOOR FITNESS CAMP

11:21 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

Gloria Kamil Total Fitness Transformation

Presents

Saturday Mornings; January 10th, 17th,24th & 31, 2009
4 session 75 minutes
$80.00
8:00 - 9:15 a.m.

Holy Redeemer Center (in the chapel)
8945 Golf Links Road, Oakland, Ca. 94605

Ladies start 2009 with Girlfriends Target Toning & Body Shaping Fitness Camp and firm up your entire body before Summer.

Did you know that weight training is a girl best friend it will:

Firm up and trim down your hips and thighs
No more hiding your arms this Summer; look great sleeve-less
Reshape and lift up those buns
Have a flatter and trimmer midsection

Join us for a fun filled 75 minute Total Body Weight Training Workout

Nutrition Tips & Suggestions

For more information and RSVP contact Gloria Kamil @ 510-654-6629 or gkamil2000@yahoo.com

Cost: $80.00

Four 75 minutes sessions
Drop-In $25.00 please RSVP space is limited.

Supplies Needed

Dumbbells: Beginners 3, 5 and 8 pounds set
Non-Beginners 5, 8 and 10 pounds set
Exercise mat, small pillow, towel and water

Ankle weights are recommended for non-beginners but optional.
If you decide to purchase a pair of ankle weights they come in adjustable and non adjustable, I prefer the adjustable because as you become stronger you can easily adjust the weight. They come in pairs of 3 and 5 pounds but are usually non adjustable but the 10 pound pair are adjustable from 1 -10 pound.

If you have any questions about the weights please call or email.

Learn to drum. Up your skills in the New Year

11:16 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

KELE'S DRUM CLASS

Every Sunday

2pm @the Chateau L'orange

227 Orange street

Oakland

510 978 5363

Cost: $15 dollars per class. (please pay for at least 4 classes at a time.)

bring a drum if you got one.

Reactions from Around the World - Obama!

5:35 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

Obama's half-brother Malik is carried through Kogelo village, Kenya. The president-elect's relatives erupted in cheers Wednesday, singing "We are going to the White House!"

Basra, Iraq

New York City

Jerusalam

Moscow

Kuwait

Christine King Farris, Martin Luther King Jr.'s sister, reacts to the news at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

At Obama's former school in Jakarta, Indonesia

Barack's step-grandmother Sarah Obama in Kogelo, Kenya.

Paris, France

Iraq

We are asking schools to do what schools cannot do!

5:19 PM / Posted by Muhsana / comments (0)

"For decades, we have been asking schools to do what schools cannot do! We are asking schools to substitute for broken family structures and decimated communities; to give moral and spiritual values to children; to teach children discipline and self-control; to teach children to want to learn and to inspire them to succeed; and to teach children to make positive and proper life choices. Schools do not do any of these things well." - Phillip Jackson Sunday,

December 28, 2003
By Phillip Jackson

Schools cannot eliminate the racial academic achievement gap because schools do not create the gap.

This gap must be eliminated at the source--at home, in the family and in the community.

However, schools can and do aggravate the gap. Studies show that this gap comes to the school with the child from the home, family and community.

The gap, which is well established before kindergarten, widens during the first three years of schooling. And from third grade through high school graduation, the academic achievement gap between white and black students is relatively steady.

According to recent statistics from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the average 12th grade black student has the reading and math scores of the average 8th grade white student.

Schools and teachers in America usually do a good job.

They have made the American educational system, generally, competitive with other international education systems, as shown by the "Progress in International Reading Literacy Study."

This study also shows, however, that most black and Latino students in American schools get an education similar to that of students in third world, underdeveloped countries.

Good teachers and administrators are critical to the educational process, but they are not miracle workers.

Very few teachers can compensate for years, and sometimes decades, of educational deficiencies in homes, families and communities.

Education, like wealth, is generational. It is something that is accumulated and enhanced by one generation and passed on to the next generation.

There is an intrinsic relationship between the education and learning of parents, the education and learning levels of communities, and the education and learning of students.

In a real sense, schools do not educate children; they simply reinforce and expand what children already know when they come to school.

Parents, families, communities, societal structures, value systems, peer groups, networks, cultures and institutions educate children.

Good schools seldom create good communities; but good communities usually create good schools.

In many of the best schools in the country, principals are almost interchangeable. Teachers are usually in a child's life for one or two years.

Without involved, invested and engaged parents, supportive families and effective community institutions and structures, even the best schools will struggle to educate children.

For schools to succeed, they must have students with basic skills who want to learn; parents who are active, engaged and involved in their child's life; and teachers and administrators who are skilled and passionate about their profession.

For decades, we have been asking schools to do what schools cannot do!

We are asking schools to substitute for broken family structures and decimated communities; to give moral and spiritual values to children; to teach children discipline and self-control; to teach children to want to learn and to inspire them to succeed; and to teach children to make positive and proper life choices.

Schools do not do any of these things well. Schools are best when they are responsible for teaching reading and math, history and science, not discipline and self-control, and notions of right and wrong.

And because schools spend so much time trying to teach things that they cannot teach, many times they fail at teaching the things that they ought to be teaching.

Parents must be the first, best and most important teachers for their children.
Government and schools also have important responsibilities for educating children; however, they have failed miserably at one of their most important responsibilities: Getting parents involved in the educational lives of their children.

Effective parents, families and communities can do what no school can do - create the structure, lay the foundation, set the trajectory and start the momentum for learning and educational success for all children in the every community.

Phillip Jackson is executive director of the Black Star Project in Chicago. Further information is available by calling The Black Star Project at 773.285.9600.

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