McDiabetes

If it doesn't Bio-degrade, It's NOT FOOD. Eat fast! Die fast! If you think this isn't killing you, your are affected by McNormalcy Bias which will result in McIntenstinal Diseases, McCancer, and an early McDeath.

There’s no rib in a McRib. There are about 70 other ingredients. The greatest amount of them come from ground-up low-value pork trimmings mixed together with salt and water to create “meat logs” that are then carved to size. So in what forest do you find a meat log?

1. It’s made up of “restructured meat technology.”
According to Chicago magazine , it includes tripe, heart, and scalded stomach.

2. It has about 70 ingredients, “including a flour-bleaching agent used in yoga mats.”
That flour-bleaching agent is called azodicarbonamide, according to the article.

3. Processing the McRib takes about 45 minutes.
That’s how long it takes to go from fresh pork to flash-freezing it, the report said.

Mary Elizabeth Frye

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die. 
 

No te detengas ante mi tumba y llores,
no estoy allí. No duermo.
Soy mil vientos soplando
Soy el centelleo del diamante en la nieve
Soy la luz solar sobre el grano maduro
Soy la tenue lluvia de otoño.
Cuando despiertas en la quietud matinal
soy la prisa rauda, ligera
de quietos pájaros volando en círculos en el cielo
Soy la tenue luz de las estrellas en la noche.
No te detengas ante mi tumba y llores
No estoy allí. No duermo.
No te detengas ante mi tumba y llores,
no estoy allí. Yo no morí.

Hanuman

Hanuman, el rey mono, nació para ayudar a Rama en su enfrentamiento contra Ravana. Y su nacimiento fue previamente planificado por el propio Visnú, el cual pidió a los dioses que crearan una raza especial de monos que fueran capaces de luchar contra los temibles demonios.
Todo comenzó cuando el Rey Dasaratha, que ansiaba ser padre, regaló a sus tres esposas ricos dulces para endulzar sus espíritus y hacer nacer en ellas sentimientos maternales. Pero una de ellas, de nombre Kaikeyi, sintiéndose ofendida al ser la última en recibir su porción del manjar, lo dejó a un lado dispuesta a no probarlo. Fue entonces cuando pasó por allí un pájaro que, cediendo ante la tentación, lo atrapó en pleno vuelo.
Pero poco duró en su poder el botín pues terminó dejándolo caer sobre un frondoso bosque, en donde Vayu hizo que fuera a parar ante Anjana, una mona que se lo comió tras recibir esa petición del mismísimo Siva. Tras esto Anjana quedó embarazada y el fruto de su estado de buena esperanza fue Hanuman, el rey mono.

Y nació Hanuman, y era tal su apetito que pronto Anjana se dio cuenta de que era casi imposible saciarlo. Poco podía hacer sino intentar constantemente satisfacerlo.
Y hasta tal punto llegó que cierto día Hanuman, ansioso por encontrar qué llevarse a la boca, quiso comerse el Sol, al que veía como un inmenso y apetitoso fruto de piel dorada. Saltó entonces el rey mono en dirección al Sol para atraparlo y devorarlo, pero éste consiguió escaparse. Hanuman, que no estaba dispuesto a perder tan tentadora delicia, lo persiguió a través del cielo utilizando para ello su capacidad para volar.
Pero Indra, dios del cielo visible, enfadado, lanzó un rayo sobre el osado mono que lo hizo caer hasta la tierra. Ésto desagradó bastante a Vayu, siempre atento a los pasos dados por Hanuman, el cual levantó un viento tan intenso sobre todos los dioses hasta conseguir producirles una terrible indigestión. Indra tuvo entonces que disculparse ante Vayu y, como muestra de su arrepentimiento, concedió el don de la inmortalidad al rey mono.
 

Hanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu pantheon. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshiped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion. Hanuman's tale in the epic Ramayana - where he is assigned the responsibility to locate Rama's wife Sita abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka — is known for its astounding ability to inspire and equip a reader with all the ingredients needed to face ordeals and conquer obstructions in the way of the world.
 The birth of Hanuman released Anjana from the curse. Before she returned to heaven, Hanuman asked his mother about his life ahead. She assured him that he would never die, and said that fruits as ripe as the rising sun would be his food. Mistaking the glowing sun as his food, the divine baby leapt for it. Indra struck him with his thunderbolt and hurled him down to earth. But Hanuman's godfather, Pavana carried him to the nether world or 'Patala'. As he departed from the earth, all life panted for air, and Brahma had to beg him to return. In order to appease him they conferred a lot of boons and blessings on his foster child that made Hanuman invincible, immortal and super powerful.

William Blake

Pequeña mosca,
tus juegos veraniegos
mi atolondrada mano
se ha llevado.

¿No soy yo
una mosca como tú?
¿No eres tú
un hombre como yo?

Pues bailo
y bebo y canto
hasta que alguna mano ciega
se lleve mi ala.

Si el pensamiento es vida
y fuerza y aliento
y carecer
de pensamiento es muerte

soy
una mosca feliz
así viva
o muera.

Primo Levi

Primo Levi (Turín, 1919-1987) es un escritor italiano, autor de relatos, memorias, ensayos, artículos y novelas, que escribe, preferentemente, en su condición de superviviente de Auschwitz, donde vivió esclavizado desde el mes de febrero de 1944 hasta la liberación del campo en enero de 1945. Perteneciente a una familia judía turinesa, Levi se gradúa en Química en 1941. A principios de año de 1944 se une a un grupo de la resistencia antifascista italiana, con tan mala suerte que es detenido por la milicia de Mussolini al poco tiempo. Desde ese momento comienza la mala fortuna; o su «buena suerte», al fin y al cabo. Para no confesarse partisano (lo que conllevaba la ejecución sumaria), Levi declara ser judío, siendo así entregado a las SS nazi y trasladado a Auschwitz. Es de los pocos judíos internados en el Lager alemán que pudo cruzar vivo la puerta del campo, esta vez de salida, presidida por el rótulo ¿irónico?, ¿cínico?, ¿blasfemo? «Arbeit macht frei» (El trabajo os hace libres). Mala suerte o buena fortuna, al fin.


La existencia de Primo Levi es trágicamente real —soportando sobre sus espaldas los mayores horrores consumados en la humanidad— pero, asimismo, legendaria por el valor simbólico que representan su vida y su testimonio. Una leyenda que impregna la misma vida, pero sin escaparse tampoco a la propia muerte del escritor. Sobre su presunto suicidio sigue habiendo hoy discusión. No dejó nota del mismo y ha sido negado por sus amigos íntimos. Con todo, el hombre que salió vivo del tenebroso destino de Auschwitz no pudo escapar a la larga sombra de la leyenda sobre su muerte. Sería, desde luego, un macabro asunto enfrentarse a otro capítulo del «negacionismo», aplicado, en este caso, a la verdad y a la mentira, no sólo de su cautiverio y al exterminio de millones de judíos como él, sino al de su propia y definitiva desaparición. Sobre estas graves cuestiones ha reflexionado y escrito Levi, entre muchos otros temas relacionados con la Shoá. Su libro más conocido lleva por título Si esto es un hombre (1947), donde narra con detalle su terrible estancia en Auschwitz. Otros textos igualmente célebres del escritor italiano son La tregua (1963) y Los hundidos y los salvados (1986). En 1997 la editorial italiana Einaudi publicó sus obras completas.
El breve volumen que ahora reseñamos es una compilación de textos poco conocidos de Levi, editados por Arnold I. Davidson, profesor de Literatura en la Universidad de Chicago y de Historia de la Filosofía Política en la Universidad de Pisa. Los escritos aquí incluidos (artículos de prensa, reseñas de libros, pequeños ensayos, cartas, intervención en una mesa redonda, etcétera) vienen agrupados en tres secciones «La masacre como fin en sí misma», «Verdad y mentira» y «La huelga moral del fascismo». El libro lleva, por lo demás, un inspirado Prefacio a cargo del editor («Los ejercicios espirituales de Primo Levi») y una nota final firmada por Piero dal Bon. Una edición, pues, como puede comprobarse en este sucinto resumen, muy competente y muy meritoria en todos los aspectos.
Declara el editor del volumen, Arnold I. Davidson que escogió el título para la presente edición española —Vivir para contar— releyendo un fragmento de un ensayo del propio Levi que refiere su firme decisión de relatar la dura realidad y profundo significado de Auschwitz: «no vivir y contar, sino vivir para contar». Primo Levi no se dedica a escribir por ser superviviente, sino que es superviviente porque escribe. La energía que le da fuerzas para sobrevivir en las condiciones del Lager nazi proviene, principalmente, del hecho de hacerse cargo de la circunstancia que le ha llevado hasta el límite. A él, y a millones de personas como él: por ser judío, por pertenecer a un pueblo condenado al exterminio. La mayoría de personas internadas en los campos de trabajo —aquellos que no han sido seleccionados, nada más llegar al Lager, para pasar directamente a la cámara de gas: ancianos, enfermos, mujeres, niños— mueren a las pocas semanas de estancia: el trabajo agotador, las palizas y las humillaciones, la ansiedad y el terror, la alimentación que no merece tal nombre, las enfermedades, les consumen rápidamente.
Primo Levi siente que no tiene derecho a desfallecer, a abandonarse a la muerte en esas condiciones. Debe sobrevivir para contar al mundo el Holocausto y lanzar al rostro de lo que queda de la humanidad graves preguntas: «Estos son los hechos; funestos, inmundos y sustancialmente incomprensibles. ¿Por qué, cómo llegaron a producirse? ¿Se repetirán?» (pág. 35). Esta misión le da fuerzas para salir con vida del infierno nazi y dedicar el resto de su existencia quebrada y quebrantada a dar testimonio de Auschwitz.
«No es lícito olvidar, no es lícito callar. Si nosotros callamos, ¿quién hablará?» (pág. 30). Levi sabe muy bien que tan descomunal horror de Auschwitz no sería fácil de mostrar —y demostrar— ante el mundo. El régimen nazi actuaba con ese presupuesto, los mandos militares alardeaban de ello en el mismo Lager, borraron huellas y, secuela clásica de toda barbarie y toda atrocidad, dan por descontada la colaboración presente y futura de quienes rebajen —o nieguen, sin más— la veracidad y dimensión de la catástrofe.
Y es que las víctimas del Holocausto (de cualquier crimen, pero sobre todo de este crimen) no sólo deben soportar el cartel acusador e infame de «victimistas» (y vengativos) por el simple hecho de denunciarlo y clamar justicia. También cae sobre ellas la lacra siniestra y repugnante del «negacionismo». A este atroz asunto dedica el libro la segunda sección «Verdad o mentira». Un oscuro profesor francés, un tal Faurisson, o el «Institute for Historical Review» de Los Ángeles, dedicado a revisar la historia oficial de la Segunda Guerra Mundial («sólo se preocupa de negar o minimizar los delitos del nazismo» (pág. 105), representan algunas ignominiosas muestras de esta labor que aspira a no dejar descansar a los muertos o, mancillando su memoria, volver a asesinarlos. Para semejante tarea monstruosa, como la llevada a cabo por los carceleros del campo, siempre habrá sujetos dispuestos llevarla a cabo. Levi, en este punto, protesta y exige un mínimo de sensatez en este océano de perversidad: «Un poco de cordura, ¡diantre!: si la masacre os complace, ¿por qué negar que ha ocurrido? Y si no os gusta, ¿por qué la imitáis y os convertís en sus apologetas?» (pág. 106).
La tercera parte del libro, «La huelga moral del fascismo», reproduce una mesa redonda sobre «La cuestión judía». Hace bien el editor en recoger, junto a la intervención de Levi, las demás intervenciones en el acto. De esta manera, por contraste, puede comprobarse mejor el vibrante estilo del escritor turinés. Su mente, lucida y fría, analiza los hechos con gravedad y sin concesiones, utilizando para expresar sus ideas y sentimientos frases breves, impactantes, esenciales, radicales, porque van al núcleo del asunto. Un asunto que no sólo ha sentado ante el tribunal de la Historia al régimen nazi, a sus colaboradores y cómplices, sino a la humanidad en su conjunto. Porque no fueron demonios los culpables de la bestialidad, fueron hombres, después de todo. Una bestialidad, en fin, que puede volver a repetirse mientras las trazas del totalitarismo sigan nublando el horizonte. ¿Qué ha pasado? ¿Qué puede volver a pasar?: «Es la realización de un sueño demencial, en el que uno manda, nadie piensa, todos caminan siempre en fila, todos obedecen hasta la muerte, todos dicen siempre sí.» (pág. 37).
Ariodante
Agosto 2010

VIVIR PARA CONTAR. ESCRIBIR TRAS AUSCHWITZ, Primo Levi
Edición de Arnold I. Davidson, traducción Albert Fuentes
Revisión y nota final de Piero dal Bon
Alpha Decay, 2010, 167 páginas.

Are You Alive or Just Breathing?

10 Ways to Feel More Alive

Joe Martino February 10, 2013 2

Have you ever noticed that sometimes we go about life doing things everyday and we end up in a bit of a rut? Maybe we lost sight of the magic in life; or the excitement that was once there as a kid but now seems to be lost in the piles of responsibility and hustle of our everyday lives. I of course have felt these things in my life as well and at various times, I’ve noticed that the only way out of these situations you may feel stuck in, is to really shake things up. While most of these things can be related back to fear in the end, just me telling you to “address the fear,” isn’t going to be much help is it? So let’s get practical with it. Let’s throw out 10 ideas to start bringing more experiences into our life and spice things up a little. Before we get into this list fully, remember that we must also look within when it coms to how we feel in life, more often than not, the dis-ease we feel with life starts within!

1. Since fear relates to this article, why not start with a simple one. Share your fears publicly with people. Have you ever noticed that when we are afraid of something we sometimes don’t want others to know? Maybe we are embarrassed, maybe we think that by not saying it that it will go away. I have found that by being very open and upfront with fears, you can begin seeing them in a new light and sometimes others can assist you in being accountable for moving beyond them. Plus, many people have awesome advice to share, by speaking up, you open yourself up to the opportunity to hear some great wisdom.

2. We can also tell someone how you really feel about them. Whether it’s a loved one, a person you may have been having some issues with or someone you admired but haven’t told them, share your feelings with them. You may notice just by reading this that a few people may have popped up in your head. Ask yourself why you haven’t told them already. This can be a powerful exercise in recognizing what is holding you back in sharing your feelings. Taking action on this will let you feel things out and better understand yourself. In the end you might notice you will feel very empowered.

3. Another great step is to be honest with yourself when it comes to the changes you wish to make in life. This is important because it allows you be honest with yourself about the choices you want to make and why you want to make them. This way you will avoid trying to convince yourself of why you might be doing certain things.

4. Speak to a friend about how you really feel about how you spend your time. Much like being honest with yourself, taking the time to talk to someone else about it can be very powerful as it becomes more real. Others can also offer their advice and ideas so that you can be better prepared to keep on going. Most of this still comes down to self observation in the end, so remember the honesty with self.

5. One way to start doing more things is to make a list of things you think you might enjoy. How often have we been in a conversation and something someone says triggers us to say “Oh ya! I have always wanted to do that!” Try to remember what those things were and make a list. By making a list of things you want to do, you can visually see how many things you may be pushing aside. You can then prioritize and start taking some steps.

6. Once you have your list, take the steps to sign up for a class to learn a new skill. There is probably something that you have wanted to learn or at least try, and maybe you didn’t have all the equipment for, or know how to do it. Why not take a class and see if it’s something you truly want to do? Who knows, you might find it to be something you become very passionate about. It’s always better to try things than to continue wishing you had done them.

7. Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help or advice. Sometimes when we choose to do something new, we realize we may not know what to do, how to take a step or what the best choice might be. This is when it might be a good idea to talk to someone else who may have done what you are looking to do and see if they have advice. Remember though, you can never make mistakes in life, everything is a learning lesson no matter the outcome.

8. Meeting new people is also an awesome way to start experiencing more of life. Think of all the friends you have today, the memories, the good times, the connections, there was once a time when you didn’t know these people at all. There is a whole world out there of awesome people with so much to offer, meeting them by saying a simple “hello” at work or in public or going out to that meet-up you always decide to avoid.

9. Take a trip! Whether we have a little bit of spare cash or a lot, there are always options available to see another area of the world; even if its only a couple hours away. There are plenty of ways to travel inexpensively and see the places you have wanted to see. Sometimes it’s a matter of looking around at what is possible.

10. Take action with this list! Chances are you red this list and said, “Oh, neat. Maybe I will do some of those.” Then by the time you go get a drink of water, you will forget all about it. When we want to make changes in our life, it usually requires a bit of action. I always like to start by looking at myself. How do I feel? Am I lacking a feeling of peace within myself? I don’t tend to use external things to generate that peace, but sometimes a change of scenery, doing something new or meeting new people can kickstart areas of internal reflection that can’t be had just sitting alone all the time. We are human, here to experience this world. Go out and have fun.

Maharishi Effect

In 1975, Maharishi inaugurated the dawn of a new era, proclaiming that 'through the window of science we see the dawn of the Age of Enlightenment'. Scientific research found that in cities and towns all over the world where as little as one per cent of the population practises the Transcendental Meditation Technique, the trend of rising crime rate is reversed, indicating increasing order and harmony. Research scientists named this phenomenon of rising coherence in the collective consciousness of the whole society the Maharishi Effect, because this was the realization of Maharishi's promise to society made in the very early days of Maharishi's Movement (started in Madras, India in 1957). The Maharishi Effect establishes the principle that individual consciousness affects collective consciousness. Nearly 50 scientific research studies conducted over the past 25 years verify the unique effect and wide-ranging benefits to the nation produced by the Maharishi Effect. These studies have used the most rigorous research methods and evaluation procedures available in the social sciences, including time series analysis, which controls for weekly and seasonal cycles or trends in social data. (Refer to: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme—Collected Papers 98, 166, 317-320, 331, and 402.) Research shows that the influence of coherence created by the Maharishi Effect can be measured on both national and international levels. Increased coherence within the nation expresses itself in improved national harmony and well-being. In addition, this internal coherence and harmony generates an influence that extends beyond the nation's borders, expressing itself in improved international relations and reduced international conflicts.

In 1976, with the introduction of the more advanced TM-Sidhi Programme including Yogic Flying, a more powerful effect of coherence in collective consciousness was expected. The first major test of this prediction took place in 1978 during Maharishi's Global Ideal Society Campaign in 108 countries: crime rate was reduced everywhere. (Refer to: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme—Collected Papers 321-323, 325-330, 332-335, and 401-410.) This global research demonstrated a new formula: the square root of one per cent of a population practising Transcendental Meditation and the TM-Sidhi Programme, morning and evening together in one place, is sufficient to neutralize negative tendencies and promote positive trends throughout the whole population.

Research has shown that groups of individuals practising Yogic Flying—all enjoying very high brainwave coherence—create coherence in collective consciousness, and generate a unifying and integrating effect in the life of society. This results in a decrease of negative trends throughout society—such as crime, accidents, and sickness —and an increase in positive social, economic, and political trends. Scientific studies on this phenomenon have demonstrated that a group of at least 7,000 individuals practising Yogic Flying can produce this coherence-creating effect on a global scale, reducing violent and negative trends worldwide.

Research studies have repeatedly confirmed the Maharishi Effect on a global scale. For example, during assemblies of ten days to three weeks in which the number of individuals practising the TM-Sidhi Programme of Yogic Flying approached or exceeded the square root of one per cent of the world's population—about 7,000 people—global social trends improved immediately, including improved international relations as measured by reduced international conflict and reduced incidence of terrorism. (Refer to: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation Programme—Collected Papers 335-337, 410, and 411.)
The secret of the Global Maharishi Effect is the phenomenon known to Physics as the 'Field Effect', the effect of coherence and positivity produced from the field of infinite correlation—the self-referral field of least excitation of consciousness—the field of Transcendental Consciousness, which is basic to creation and permeates all life everywhere.
Through the Maharishi Effect, Extended Maharishi Effect, and Global Maharishi Effect, with positive trends and harmony rising in individual and national life, the problems of the nation will disappear, as darkness disappears with the onset of light.

WE WANT TO BE FREE!"

If the world were...

 

The Thinking Atheist

El vendedor de humo

Erich Fromm

erich fromm: freedom and alienation, and loving and being, in education

Erich Fromm was both a practicing psychoanalyst and a committed and insightful social theorist. We explore his continuing relevance to educational practice and focus on his deeply instructive appreciation of freedom, love and human flourishing. 

To have faith means to dare, to think the unthinkable, yet to act within the limits of the realistically possible; it is the paradoxical hope to expect the Messiah every day, yet not to lose heart when he has not come at the appointed hour. This hope is not passive and it is not patient; on the contrary, it is impatient an active, looking for every possibility of action within the realm of real possibilities. Least of all it is passive as far as the growth and liberation of one's own person are concerned.... 

The situation of mankind is too serious to permit us to listen to the demagogues - least of all demagogues who are attracted to destruction - or even to the leaders who use only their brains and whose hearts have hardened. Critical and radical thought will only bear fruit when it is blended with the most precious quality man is endowed with - the love of life. Erich Fromm (1973) The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness, page 438

Erich Fromm (1900-1980) was both a practicing psychoanalyst and a committed social theorist. He had the ability to look, as Mills (1959) would have put it, to both individual troubles and public issues. Erich Fromm He also brought to his work a strong religious understanding, a humanistic ethic and a vision of possibility. He had the ability to write for a popular audience, to develop a strong social critique, and to combine psychological insight with social theory (drawing on diverse sources such as Freud and Marx). These qualities did not endear him to a number of his colleagues who viewed his efforts with some suspicion and even alarm. Today, Erich Fromm's work is not a major focus of academic attention - but it still repays study. His insights into the nature of society and human activity have a lot to say to educators - especially those committed to working for fairer and more convivial forms of living. In this article we will briefly review his life and contribution, and look to four areas of his work that directly impact upon the work of educators: freedom, alienation, love and being. We do not explore in any detail his contribution to psychoanalytical thinking and practice.

Erich Fromm – his life

Born in Frankfurt on March 23, 1900, Erich Fromm was the only child of Orthodox Jewish parents. Funk (1999) reports that he characterized his parents as "highly neurotic" and himself as "a probably rather unbearable, neurotic child”. Erich Fromm experienced a religious but cosmopolitan education. As Burston (1991) has noted, his adolescent role models were all scholarly Jews. Hermann Cohen was liberal and well known as an neo-Kantain thinker;  Rabbi Nehemia Nobel was a celebrated Talmudist who was also versed in psychoanalytic literature; and Rabbi Salman Baruch Rabinkow was a student of Jewish mysticism with a strong sympathy for socialism. Given these early influences it is perhaps not surprising that Erich Fromm’s orientation was committed, open and critical. It is also not surprising that his initial vocation was rabbinic. However, the events of the First World War shook Fromm’s thinking.

When the war ended in 1918, I was a deeply troubled young man who was obsessed by the question of how war was possible, by the wish to understand the irrationality of human mass behavior, by a passionate desire for peace and international understanding. More, I had become deeply suspicious of all official ideologies and declarations, and filled with the conviction ‘of all one must doubt. (quoted by Funk 1999)

His studies took him to the University of Frankfurt where, in 1920, he helped to found of the Freies Judisches Lehrhaus (directed by Martin Buber and Franz Rosenzweig), Erich Fromm then went on to undertake a doctorate (in sociology) at Heidelberg (completed in 1922). In 1924 he began his studies in psychoanalysis (studying first in  Frankfurt, then at the Berlin Institute of Psychoanalysis). He also began to turn away from religious observance. Fromm also got married (in 1926) to Frieda Reichman – but this was to be a short union. Reichman was ten years his senior - and had previously been his psychoanalyst. The marriage lasted four years, but Fromm and Freida Fromm Reichman continued to be friends and professional collaborators (Reichman made a notable contribution to the development of pyschoanalysis in relation to schizophrenia ).
On finishing his studies he helped to found the Frankfurt Psychoanalytic Institute, and was invited to join Frankfurt Institute for Social Research by Max Horheimerthen (and by so doing became a member of the so called ‘Frankfurt School’). From 1929 to 1932 he lectured at both the Psychoanalytic Institute, Frankfurt, and at the University of Frankfurt and worked on a study of the authoritarian character structure of German workers prior to Hitler’s coming to power (published many years later in 1984 as The Working Class in Weimar Germany).
Erich Fromm looked to bring together insights from psychoanalysis and an appreciation of the impact of social structure (influenced, in particular, by his reading of Marx):

I wanted to understand the laws that govern the life of the individual man, and the laws of society-that is, of men in their social existence. I tried to see the lasting truth in Freud's concepts as against those assumptions which were in need of revision. I tried to do the same with Marx's theory, and finally I tried to arrive at a synthesis which followed from the understanding and the criticism of both thinkers. (quoted by Funk 1999)

The Frankfurt Institute was forced out of Germany by the tightening grip of Nazism first to Geneva and then in 1934 to Columbia University. At the time Erich Fromm was suffering from tuberculosis. He stayed in Davos for a number of months before settling in the United States and lecturing at the New School of Social Research (1934–39), Columbia (1940-41), Yale (1949-50), and Bennington (1941-50). He began to publish papers that were critical of Freudian thinking (which both alienated him from some of his Frankfurt school colleagues, and many within US analytical circles). His focus, it can be argued, shifted from a Freudian concern with unconscious motivations, to a recognition that humans are social beings whose beliefs and motivations are deeply inscribed by the societies and cultures of which they are part.

In 1941, the first of Erich Fromm’s deeply influential books appeared: Escape From Freedom (published 1942 as The Fear of Freedom in the UK). It argued that ‘freedom from the traditional bonds of medieval society, though giving the individual a new feeling of independence, at the same time made him feel alone and isolated, filled him with doubt and anxiety, and drove him into new submission and into a compulsive and irrational activity’ (Fromm 1942: 89). This alienation from place and community, and the insecurities and fears entailed, helps to explain how people seek the security and rewards of authoritarian social orders such as fascism. His critique of Freud led to him being suspended from supervising students by the New York Psychoanalytic Institute in 1944. As Burston (1991) has noted Erich Fromm then joined with Clara Thompson, Harry Stack Sullivan, and ex-wife Frieda Fromm-Reichman (among others) to found the William Alanson White Institute (of which he was Clinical Director from 1946 to 1950).

Fromm married for a second time in 1944 (to Henny Gurland) and become and American citizen. In 1950 he relocated to Mexico and a post at the National Autonomous University, Mexico City (at which he taught until 1965). The move was spurred by his second wife’s illness – and physician’s advice that a favourable climate would benefit her. Sadly she soon died (in 1952). Erich Fromm still practiced as a psychoanalyst and after his wife’s death he was invited to found the Mexican Institute of Psychoanalysis in Mexico City, which he directed till 1976.

Erich Fromm’s writing continued with Man For Himself (1947) and The Sane Society (1956). ‘Life in twentieth century Democracy’, Fromm wrote, ‘constitutes in many ways another escape from freedom’ (1956: vii). The analysis of this ‘escape’ via the notion of alienation was particularly powerful. These books, as Kellner (undated) has noted, ‘popularized the neo-Marxian critiques of the media and consumer society, and promoted democratic socialist perspectives during an era when social repression made it difficult and dangerous to advocate radical positions’.

Fromm remarried in 1953 (to Annis Freeman) , and continued to pursue a punishing schedule. He taught for around three months a year in the USA until 1967 (becoming a Professor at New York in 1961/2) and still worked in Mexico. He was also active politically. He was involved in the civil rights movement, campaigns for nuclear disarmament, in anti-Vietnam war activities, and the ecology movement. Erich Fromm's writing continued to be extremely popular through the 1950s and 1960s (although not with the psychoanalytical establishment). A number of ‘classic’ books appeared including The Art of Loving (1957) and Sigmund Freud’s Mission (1959). His continuing engagement with religious thinking (although he was himself a humanist) and notions such as ‘love’ was a source of irritation not just to orthodox Freudians – it was also to be the basis of a series of sharp disagreements with some on the left like Herbert Marcuse (with whom he conducted a series of exchanges on the subject).
In the 1960s Erich Fromm began to explore a further fundamental orientation present in western societies - a fascination with death and things (objects). This theme first appeared in The Heart of Man (1964) and grew into full realization in The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness (1973). As before, Fromm believed that the central driving force was the desire to make up for a lack of authentic being and selfhood. Funk (1999) describes this thus, 'One escape route from this malaise encountered ever more often is to identify with the lifeless, to find attraction in each and every thing as long as it is reified and devoid of life (or else can be reduced to this condition)'. To describe this orientation toward, or love of, death Erich Fromm used the notion of necrophilia. He was concerned to go beyond the popular usage of the term (to refer to sexual contact with the dead; and/or the desire to be near to corpses), and to look to necrophilia as a character-rooted passion - the passion to transform that which alive into something unalive (Fromm 1973: 332). Classically he set this passion to 'tear apart living structures' within a proper social and political context. 'With the increasing production an division of labour, the formation of a large surplus, and the building of states with hierarchies and elites', he wrote, 'large-scale human destructiveness and cruelty came into existence and grew as civilization and the role of power grew' (Fromm 1973: 435).
To Have or To Be (1976) was Erich Fromm's last major work. In it he argues that two ways of existence were competing for 'the spirit of mankind' - having and being. The having mode looks to things and material possessions and is based on aggression and greed. The being mode is rooted in love and is concerned with shared experience and productive activity. The dominance of the having mode (as he argued in The Anatomy of Human Destructiveness) was bringing the world to the edge of disaster (ecological, social and psychological). Erich Fromm argued that only a fundamental change in human character 'from a preponderance of the having mode to a preponderance of the being mode of existence can save us from a psychological and economic catastrophe' (1976: 165) and set out some ways forward.
Erich Fromm retired to Locarno, Switerzerland, in 1976. He died of a heart attack at Muralto, Switzerland on March 18, 1980. Fromm was survived by his third wife, Annis Freeman Fromm. She died in September 1985.

Puppy Bus Surprise

Jim Rohn

By Mr. Self Development

Jim Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. He’s been an inspiration to many leaders in the personal development field including Tony Robbins, Mark Hansen, Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield.

When Jim was 25 his life was in a rut, he was in debt, and he was uncertain as to how he would get out. During this time in his life he met John Shaoff. Jim joined John’s direct sales organization and began to work on his personal development. By age 31, Jim was a millionaire.

Jim has addressed over 6,000 audiences and 4 million people worldwide. He was the recipient of the 1985 National Speakers Association CPAE Award. Jim is also the author of 17 different books, audio and video programs.

7 Life Lessons from Jim Rohn:

1. You Attract Success

“Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.”

So few people realize this.  Success is not something that you chase, it’s something that you turn into.  Success comes from growth; it comes from growing bigger than the problems and obstacles that surround you.

Don’t search for success – commit to grow, commit to become, commit to do what you know to do, and you will attract success.

2. You Must Change

“Work harder on yourself than you do on your job.”

If you want change, you must change!  You must work harder on yourself than you work on anything else.  The greatest investment you will ever make is in yourself.  Don’t invest in the stock market, if you haven’t first invested in yourself.  Labor to become a better person; everyday you want to be slightly better than you were the day before.

3. Never Give Up

“How long should you try? Until.”

Never give up.  If you just keep at it, eventually you will reach the top.  It probably won’t happen in a year, but just imagine what could be achieved if you stayed focused for 20 or 30 years, or longer.  When I say never give up, I don’t mean to imply that you should wait around for something to happen; what I’m saying is that you should make something happen.

Success is not that complicated.  I like what Jim said, “Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.”

4. Atmosphere is Critical

“You must constantly ask yourself these questions: Who am I around? What are they doing to me? What have they got me reading? What have they got me saying? Where do they have me going? What do they have me thinking? And most important, what do they have me becoming? Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay? Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.”

Who are you talking to?  Who are you listening to?  What seeds are being planted into your life?  Atmosphere is critical!  In order for your life to produce fruit, it must be planted in the right atmosphere.  You wouldn’t try to plant tomato seeds in the dessert because it’s not the right atmosphere for a tomato seed to produce.  Likewise, don’t try to become successful surrounded by negative people.  Create an atmosphere where you can flourish.  Learn to guard what you hear; guard what gets planted in your thoughts, so you can become all that you were destined to become.

5.  Steady Progress

“Success is steady progress toward one’s personal goals”

My mother use to say, “Slowly but surely.”  That’s exactly how your dreams come to pass when you commit to achieve them.  Nothing happens overnight, look at anyone who’s successful.  It’s taken them years to get there, sometimes decades, don’t think you are any different.  If it took them years, don’t be surprised when it takes you years.  In other words, manage your expectations, so you don’t get disappointed unnecessarily.  Success is possible, but it won’t happen tomorrow, if you just began today.

Remember, success is not a single event; you don’t become a success in a moment.  Success comes from moving in the right direction every day.

6. Set Your Sail

“It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.”

Set your sail, or set your mind on what you want to accomplish.  It’s not the circumstances of life that determine where you end up, it’s your commitment to arrive at your intended destination that determines your success.

7. Learn to See the Value of Time

“Time is more valuable than money. You can always get more money, but you cannot ever get more time.”

There is nothing more valuable than time.  You can sow your time and get anything you want.  You can sow your time and get more friends, more money, or better health.  Nothing is more priceless than time, so never waste this precious gift.  I’ve never met a rich man who didn’t value his time, and I’ve never met a poor man who did.

Learn to see the value of time because with time, anything can be accomplished!

Aminetou Haidar

Tras los pasos de Ghandi y Luther King: Aminetu Haidar, la voz femenina de la rebelión no violenta del pueblo saharaui

El símbolo vivo de la lucha pacífica del pueblo saharaui era una niña cuando Marruecos invadió su país, estudió literatura, estuvo ‘desaparecida’ y fue torturada

25/11/09. Sociedad. EL OBSERVADOR / www.revistaelobservador.com ha estado en dos ocasiones con Aminetu Haidar. La primera, para una extensa entrevista que ya se publicó y de la que extraemos algunos fragmentos en este reportaje. La segunda, una muy larga conversación de varias horas que también fue grabada en vídeo. En ella, pedimos a Aminetu que narrara su vida. Está pendiente publicar su biografía, pero en estas líneas ofrecemos parte de un intenso relato que no puede dejar indiferente a nadie.

AMINETU nace en 1967. En 1975 fue testigo de cómo los marroquíes subidos a sus camiones insultaban a los saharauis, de cómo les bombardearon con napalm, y después, durante toda su vida restante ha visto cómo Marruecos instauraba un feroz sistema de represión en una tierra que no es ni ha sido nunca marroquí, porque siempre, desde el inicio de los tiempos, ha sido saharaui. La vida de Aminetu no es excepcional entre los saharauis, en el esquema de su relato.

originaria de El Aaiún, Aminetu creció y estudió allí; donde también tiene a su familia. Lo que Aminetu ha vivido en su infancia y su juventud es exactamente la historia reciente del pueblo saharaui. El dominio marroquí no se ha limitado al control estricto de las zonas que le interesan. También ha extremado las medidas de represión contra el pueblo saharaui. La brutalidad de Marruecos se manifestó desde el principio, pero con los años, lejos de apaciguarse, ha ido ganando en perfección y violencia. La vida de los saharauis, por el contrario, ha ido evolucionando en la clandestinidad y la discreción entre sufrimientos físicos, mentales, económicos, sociales…

cuenta Aminetu que tuvo contacto con la conciencia de ser saharaui en su adolescencia. A través de un primo algo mayor que ya había entrado en el activismo, esta mujer descubre qué es ser saharaui y también que es indispensable reaccionar contra los verdugos que invaden su tierra y convierten su vida en un infierno. En ese tiempo comienza a militar en organizaciones estudiantiles y a participar en actividades de oposición al invasor.

en una de sus primeras acciones, en 1987, es capturada, junto a otros estudiantes, de los cuales, 64 quedaron sin liberar. Aminetu pasó tres semanas retenida por la policía marroquí y durante ese tiempo fue torturada sistemáticamente. En este punto, comienza la parte excepcional de su vida, partiendo de algo que comparte con muchos de sus compatriotas, mujeres y hombres.

esta mujer, madre de dos hijos, no se ha erigido por casualidad como símbolo de la resistencia pacífica saharaui. No es irrelevante que sea una mujer, musulmana, con la columna vertebral hecha añicos quien mejor represente el miedo vencido, el orgullo sereno de quien sabe que sus razones son justas, que su reivindicación es legítima. En la voz y en la mirada de Aminetu cobra todo el sentido la condena de la barbarie de la ocupación. Sus palabras tienen el valor ético de quien ha superado la tortura y el odio al verdugo. Pero que nadie busque en ella complacencia ni sumisión, su coraje no se detiene en precauciones diplomáticas, sus denuncias al poder impuesto se mantienen firmes.

AMINETU ha sido detenida multitud de veces desde entonces, y su vida es seguida muy de cerca por los servicios policiales marroquíes. En diferentes ocasiones ha sido capturada y torturada. En una de ellas, es trasladada a una de las cárceles secretas que Marruecos tiene en el desierto. Estos lugares son verdaderos campos de concentración donde las personas allí internadas pierden absolutamente todos los derechos y quedan en manos de un cuerpo de carceleros especialmente adiestrado para la tortura. Allí se sufre toda clase de sevicias a manos de hombres que llevan un uniforme que representa al Estado de Marruecos. Un detalle que define al invasor es que los familiares de los internos jamás reciben ninguna noticia de ellos, Marruecos no informa de nada al respecto, de modo que las familias piensan que sus hijas, hermanas o maridos, han muerto o están en uno de estos terribles centros.

ELLA estuvo encerrada en cárceles secretas durante tres años. Allí se encontró conviviendo con un tipo de personas –delincuentes comunes- que desconocía por completo, marroquíes en su mayoría. En un principio compartió una celda de dos metros con otras diecisiete mujeres de todas las edades. Fue trasladada a otra prisión secreta, donde conoció el uso de perros adiestrados para la violencia.

Y de nuevo se encontró con la brutalidad más descarnada. Impresiona el relato de las torturas. La lejía en el rostro, la asfixia, las palizas… Aminetu no trata de impresionar, no da pie al espectáculo, no trata de forzar en quien la oye ningún sentimiento de lástima ni de horror. Pero es difícil seguir su recorrido por esta barbarie que ella ha sufrido sin trastorno. La calma, esa serenidad que despide, su voz grave y su discurso lento no permiten un resquicio al chantaje emocional. Es una persona excepcionalmente fuerte. Sin que exista ni una sola ocasión de pensar en que es dura o fría. Su relato resulta próximo, directo, podría estar contando esto mismo en un salón de actos repleto, como es habitual en cada una des sus intervenciones públicas, y cualquier podría creer que está a solas con ella. Y la violencia y la maldad tienen una parte tan importante de su relato, que resulta extraordinario que transmita con tanta claridad que pueden haber destrozado su salud y buena parte de su esqueleto, pero que no ha entrado por sus poros el menor soplo de esa maldad en estado casi puro de la que ha sido objeto. Ni siquiera ha sido capaz de doblegar su voluntad y convertirla en una víctima profesional.

POR esto quizás su mensaje no ha perdido fuerza. Al contrario, su ejemplo ha amplificado el eco de los gritos que exigen un Sáhara Libre. El reconocimiento internacional a esta Madre Coraje, Pasionaria, Flor del desierto, se sucede en forma de galardones y premios. Aminetu es, quizás sin pretenderlo, quizás sin habérselo imaginado nunca, la mejor embajadora de la causa saharaui en la escena internacional.

SALIÓ en 1991, y su vida continuó en el punto de mira marroquí. Se le retiró el pasaporte y se le vigilaba de cerca. Ella siguió en su militancia y se incoporó a diversos grupos de acción. En 1994 crea junto a otros militantes una asociación de víctimas de las cárceles secretas y con ella comienzan sus contactos internacionales. Aminetu nunca quiso dejar de tener una vida personal, algo que Marruecos intentó sabotear desde su adolescencia. Hasta el año 2000 impidieron a Aminetu matricularse en la universidad, donde ella deseaba acabar sus estudios.

SU militancia pacífica se mantuvo, su proyección internacional ha crecido con el paso de los años y Marruecos, intentando eliminar su influencia ha cometido tropelías que a la larga se han vuelto contra su política represora. En 2006, Aminetu volvió a prisión, a la Cárcel Negra de terrible fama mundial, donde pasó siete meses. De nuevo se emplearon a fondo con esta mujer, y de allí salió de nuevo con la salud muy quebrantada. La agenda de sus viajes al extranjero suele incluir visitas al hospital, donde recibe tratamiento por sus múltiples lesiones.

LA figura de Aminetu Haidar no ha hecho sino crecer con el tiempo. Tiene el apoyo internacional de Amnistía Internacional, Human Rights Watch, la Organización Mundial Contra la Tortura y el Comité Español de Ayuda a los Refugiados. También ha recibido numerosos premios: Premio Juan María Bandrés a la Defensa del Derecho de Asilo y la Solidaridad con los Refugiados. En julio de 2007, recibe del Parlamento europeo el premio Silver Rose Award 2007. En octubre de 2008, recibe en Washington el Premio de Derechos Humanos Robert Kennedy por su compromiso "con la no violencia y la resistencia pacifica" en defensa de los Derechos Humanos.

EL OBSERVADOR habló con ella por mediación de la Asociación Andaluza para la Solidaridad y la Paz (ASPA). Ataviada con una melfa de vivos colores, desgranó la situación por la que atraviesa su pueblo sin ahorrar acusaciones a los organismos internacionales ni al Estado francés, ni por supuesto a Marruecos. Sus gestos y movimientos son delicados y en un momento de la conversación atisbó una sonrisa, que la expresión de sus ojos, acostumbrados a mirar de frente al horror, se encargó de matizar. Esto es lo que dijo.

GENOCIDIO. “Desde la invasión en 1975 Marruecos se planteó el objetivo de hacer desaparecer a todo el pueblo saharaui. Hablamos de desapariciones colectivas, de mujeres, de hombres y de niños. Hablamos de un genocidio, de tirar a personas desde los aviones. Eso pasó en la época de Hassan II y hasta ahora seguimos insistiendo para que se desvele el destino de 500 desaparecidos saharauis. Y no significa que las desapariciones terminaran con la muerte de Hassan II, porque hay casos similares que sucedieron en el reinado de Mohamed VI. Sirva de ejemplo la desaparición de 15 jóvenes entre el 25 y 26 de diciembre de 2005. Las familias no tienen ninguna información sobre dónde están y el régimen marroquí afirma que desconoce el destino de esos jóvenes”.

DERECHOS HUMANOS. “Las violaciones a los Derechos Humanos empeoran cada vez más. En 2008, en los territorios ocupados se sigue sin disfrutar de los derechos básicos sean sociales, políticos o económicos. Los saharauis no tienen el derecho a opinar ni a expresar libremente sus ideas. No pueden manifestarse de manera pacífica, no pueden formar asociaciones. El régimen marroquí utiliza una política de hambre: hay familias que viven con 120 euros al mes, esos trabajadores no tienen derechos en el trabajo, ni vacaciones, ni seguridad social, ni finiquito, ni nada. La represión ocurre en la calle, en las casas, contra jóvenes, mayores y menores, sin importar la edad o el sexo. La zona se ha convertido en el escenario de un gran despliegue de las fuerzas militares marroquíes. La violencia contra los estudiantes saharauis también se da en las universidades marroquíes. Este mismo año, en la Universidad de Marrakech estudiantes saharauis fueron atacados con armas blancas por grupos armados que estaban apoyados por la policía. Es una represión programada y estudiada. A día de hoy hay 60 presos políticos saharauis diseminados por cuatro cárceles de Marruecos”.

SAQUEO. “El Sáhara Occidental es rico en fosfatos y en pesca pero los saharauis nunca hemos disfrutado esta riqueza, lo ha hecho el régimen marroquí y sus aliados, como la Unión Europea, que aprueba que se estén llevando la riqueza del Sáhara ilegalmente”.

CÁRCEL NEGRA. “Las imágenes que han salido a la luz son poco comparado con lo que está sucediendo dentro. Las condiciones de vida son extremadamente difíciles, lo peor que se pueda imaginar: el hacinamiento, la humedad, el olor, los insectos, las infecciones, el trato de los carceleros a los presos, el trafico de drogas, la explotación, las violaciones sexuales a menores…”.

FRANCIA. “Los saharauis sabemos perfectamente que Francia representa el obstáculo más importante a superar para conseguir nuestra independencia porque desde París siempre han apoyado políticamente las intenciones de Rabat. Es a Francia a quien hay que presionar para que cambie de postura”.

INTERNET. “Todavía sigue existiendo un embargo informativo casi total. Lo que los saharauis pedimos es que los medios de comunicación internacionales vengan a visitarnos para que la opinión pública conozca de verdad lo que está sucediendo; esto es especialmente importante en el caso de Francia. Estoy segura que la información generará una mayor concienciación de la gente, del público, que es el que puede obligar a los gobiernos a que tomen medidas con el Sáhara. Ahora, gracias a Internet y a la posibilidad de acceder y conectar con el mundo exterior, los defensores de los Derechos Humanos hemos podido hacer llegar nuestra voz y las imágenes de lo que en el Sáhara ocurre al resto del mundo”.

ONU. Las últimas declaraciones del hasta hace unos meses enviado especial de las Naciones Unidas para el Sáhara Occidental Peter Van Walsum en las que asegura que la independencia del pueblo saharaui “no es una meta alcanzable”, ponen de manifiesto para Aminetu Haidar que ya no quedan dudas “de qué lado está Naciones Unidas”. Suponen además una eliminación de la legalidad internacional que protege y avala el derecho del pueblo saharaui a su independencia. Si antes el pueblo saharaui se fiaba poco de Naciones Unidas ahora ya no se fía nada. Un informe realizado por este organismo en 2006 sobre la situación de los Derechos Humanos en el Sáhara constató las numerosas violaciones que allí se producían y que la base de estas violaciones radicaba en que Marruecos no respetaba el derecho de autodeterminación. Las presiones de Maruecos y Francia evitaron que la ONU publicase ese informe. (Este informe está accesible en Internet).

Perfect Food

Avocado Health Benefits: The World's Most Perfect Food?

Did you know that the avocado has been called the world's most perfect food and has many health benefits? It has achieved this distinction because many nutritionists claim it not only contains everything a person needs to survive — but it has also been found to contribute to the prevention and control of Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions.

The avocado (Persea gratissima or P. americana) originated in Puebla, Mexico and its earliest use dates back to 10,000 years B.C. Since AD 900, the avocado tree has been cultivated and grown in Central and South America. In the 19th century, the avocado made its entry into California, and has since become a very successful commercial crop. Ninety-five percent (95%) of U.S. avocados are gown in Southern California.
The avocado, also called the alligator pear, is a high-fiber, sodium- and cholesterol-free food that provides nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, is rich in healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (such as omega-3 fatty acids), vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate) — as well as potassium.

Foods naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as avocados, are widely acknowledged as the secret to a healthy heart, a brilliant brain and eagle eyes.

Dr. Daniel G. Amen, a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, brain-imaging expert and author of the New York Times bestseller Change Your Brain, Change Your Life counts avocados as one of the top brain-healthy foods that can help prevent Alzheimer's Disease.

That's not only because of the avocado's health benefits omega-3 fatty acid content but also its…

Vitamin E content — An international journal called Alzheimer's Disease and Associated Disorders, reported its findings from years of clinical trials — high doses of Vitamin E can neutralize free radicals and the buildup of proteins to reverse the memory loss in Alzheimer's patients; reverse symptoms of Alzheimer's in the early stages and retard the progression of the disease;

Folate content — helps to prevent the formation of tangled nerve fibers associated with Alzheimer's.

The virtues and benefits of the avocado are too numerous to mention.

But Here Are Just a Few More Avocado Health Benefits That Its Nutritional Profile Provides:

• Monounsaturated Fats — These types of fats help control triglycerides in the bloodstream, lower blood cholesterol and control diabetes.
• Folate — This water-soluble B vitamin promotes healthy cell and tissue development. According to the National Institute of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements, “This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate is also essential for metabolism of homocysteine and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.”
• Lutein — This is a carotenoid (a natural pigment) that protects against cataracts and certain types of cancer, and reduces the risk of macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in adults 65 years of age and older. Avocados contain 3 or more times as much lutein as found in other common vegetables and fruits.
• Oleic acid and Potassium — Both of these nutrients also help in lowering cholesterol and reducing the risk of high blood pressure.

You can add these avocado benefits to your diet in many ways:

1) The easiest way is to cut the avocado in half and sprinkle it with herbal seasoning or maple syrup.
2) Chop the avocado and add it to a salad, or use it as a topping or side garnish for soup.
3) Mash an avocado and spread it on bread or a bagel (in place of butter or cream cheese).
4) Cut an avocado in half and fill the little hollow (left after you remove the pit) with your favorite healthy topping such as herbed rice or couscous.
5) Make an avocado dressing or the crowd-pleasing guacamole dip to add flavor to raw or steamed vegetables. You can easily find many avocado recipes online.

Blended with fruit, avocados make a rich and delicious snack, side dish or dessert — and produces highly-nutritious baby food which delivers “good fat” for baby's brain and physical development.

Before you indulge in avocados to your heart's content, however, remember that they have lots of calories because of their fat content. According to WebMD, “A medium-sized avocado contains 30 grams of fat, as much as a quarter-pound burger”.

That's why diet experts have long urged Americans to go easy on avocados in favor of less fatty fruits and vegetables. But now nutritionists are taking another look.

They're finding that most of the fat in an avocado is monounsaturated — the “good” kind that actually lowers cholesterol levels. Thanks to this new understanding, the U.S. government recently revised its official nutrition guidelines to urge Americans to eat more avocados.

Generous

Exposing The Truth compartió la foto de EndoRIOT.

#20 Coffee for the less fortunate

This story will warm you better than a coffee in a cold winter day !

We enter a little coffeehouse with a friend of mine and give our order. While we're aproaching our table two people come in and they go to the counter :
'Five coffees, please. Two of them for us and three suspended'
They pay for their order, take the two and leave. I ask my friend:
'What are those 'suspended' coffees ?'
'Wait for it and you will see'
Some more people enter. Two girls ask for one coffee each, pay and go. The next order was for seven coffees and it was made by three lawyers - three for them and four 'suspended'. While I still wonder what's the deal with those 'suspended' coffees I enjoy the sunny weather and the beautiful view towards the square infront of the café. Suddenly a man dressed in shabby clothes who looks like a beggar comes in throught the door and kindly asks
'Do you have a suspended coffee ?'


It's simple - people pay in advance for a coffee meant for someone who can not afford a warm bevarage. The tradition with the suspended coffees started in Naples, but it has spread all over the world and in some places you can order not only a suspended coffee, but also a sandwitch or a whole meal.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have such cafés or even grocery stores in every town where the less fortunate will find hope and support ?
If you own a business why don't you offer it to your clients...I am sure many of them will like it :)

Brasil: McDonalds, multada con 4 millones por explotar empleados

La cadena norteamericana de restaurantes McDonalds, fue condenada este domingo a cancelar 4 millones de dólares por abusos cometidos a sus empleados de Brasil con métodos ilegales de pago laboral.

Después de un largo juicio la cadena, que también ha sido cuestionada por los índices alimenticios de sus productos, tendrá que pagar una indemnización individual a sus empleados, y al mismo tiempo tendrá que poner fin a la famosa jornada móvil que viola los derechos de los trabajadores bajo las leyes del país.

El abogado encargado del caso, Rogrigo de Souza Rodrigues, dio a conocer que el importe de la multa por orden judicial de la cadena estadounidense, es por “daños morales y colectivas” a sus empleados.

El dinero pagado por McDonalds, será “dado a la caridad para continuar apoyando la campaña del Gobierno por este tipo de casos”, aseguró Souza Rodrigues.

Por su parte, el representante del Sindicato de Hoteles y Restaurantes de Brasil, Gilberto José Silva, afirmó que “los brasileros queremos que las empresas extranjeras vengan a nuestros país (Brasil), pero respetando las leyes, nuestra legislación laboral”.

Asimismo, advirtió que no aceptarán que extranjeros “apliquen la esclavitud y exploten a jóvenes” del país suramericano.

Los trabajadores de la cadena de comida rápida, deberán dirigirse a los tribunales para obtener la indemnización individual que será otorgada por las violaciones cometidas por la empresa.

teleSUR