Having a good career and income is a dream come true for everybody. We work to earn money to buy us foods and other commodities, to pay for services and to have extra money for enjoyment. The common trap along the way is spending too much which is already beyond our means, thus resulting to mountain-high debt. This is where debt relief companies become useful. Their knowledge and years of experience will surely help you find your way out. Oftentimes, they will advice getting loans for credit card debt consolidation. Avail of the free debt consolidation services and see how they can help you.

Do you know that aside from obesity, cancer is one of the leading causes of death in America? There are several types of cancer that can affect people at all ages. In 2007, studies done by a US based institution show that diet is one big factor that can cause cancer.  They have recommended 10 ways to help prevent cancer which focuses mainly on eating nutritious foods and healthy lifestyle.

People inflicted with the disease needs our help, aside from giving them moral and financial support, car donations can also be a way of lending a hand. Yes, you can donate your car to cancer victims. Cars Fighting Cancer started a good mission of acquiring old cars from donors and sell them. The amount generated from sales will go directly to various programs that will help cancer victims such as research, education, service and support. The donor will not only have the chance to create one good deed in this world, as a sign of gratitude they will give the donor a special gift and a donate car tax reduction receipt.
May it be small or big, we can always do something to help the needy ones. Truly it is always better to give than to receive.

Chagas disease is now known as one of the most deadly parasitic diseases in the world. It badly affects more than 10 million people, especially in the Americas. Fifty thousand people each year in South America alone are killed by this disease. The diagnosis for this disease will be the best key for the war against the infection but unfortunately, it is still impossible. Dr. Momar Ndao’s team at the Research Institute of the MUHC developed a new diagnostic approach that will help in the fight against Chagas disease. Their results were recently published and can be read in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology.

Sprint Nextel Corp. had to decide to back off their former plans to offer Google Inc’s Nexus One mobile phone to abandon the device in favor of the other handsets powered by the Android operating system.

For a changed plan, Sprint will now just focus on the HTC Corp. Evo phone, which will have to set its debut this year and will run on fourth generation, or 4G, networks, said Stepahnie Vinge Walsh,the spokeswoman for the third largest US wireless carrier.

The decision to withhold sales of the Nexus One denies the Google access to more than 138 million wireless customers on the networks of Sprint and Verizon Wireless, which last month decided against plans to sell the device.

OSSINING – Malachy McCourt – author, playwright, radio host and now Green Party candidate for Governor – stood astride and atop of Main Street yesterday for several hours at the entry point to this community’s annual fair. “Don’t waste your vote – give it to me,” he said, proffering a flyer with his picture in the center. “That’s me, I’m Malachy, and I’m standing for Governor of the great state of New York.”

Ossining is not a university town; rather, it has been known – and has tried to escape its reputation – as a prison town for more than a century and a half. And so there were some here who had never heard of this prolific author, others who had heard of his equally well-known brother Frank, and one who had even heard of a brother that Malachy himself has yet to meet.

“Tom? I don’t know Tom,” he replied to an interested inquiry. “So you’re disavowing your brother Tom?” the man asked. After a short while the two reached agreement  that the questioner was indeed asking about brother Frank and that, indeed, Malachy had not spent his life ignorant of poor brother Tom.

Of those many, however, who were familiar with the author/candidate, it was interesting to watch the recognition light up first their eyes, then their faces. “You’re Malachy?” He’d reply, “Yes, ’tis I” and a huge, knowing grin would slowly capture them.

He was generous with his time – more generous than the mere politicans who were pumping hands, kissing babies and lying their way through the crowd all day to obtain signatures for their nominating petitions. In contrast to that species, he was warm, amusing, gentle, piercing and uplifting, and he brought those traits – if only for a few hours – to a piece of geography that has sorely needed them for far too long a time.

You won many a vote in Ossining yesterday, Mr. McCourt. Please do come back soon.

You have probably heard the word ‘gentrification’ being tossed around your community lately. But what does gentrification mean – for the community as a whole and for its members most directly affected? Last month, dozens of experts met in Harlem, NYC to discuss this. Moderated by Gil Noble of “Like It Is” and hosted by Nellie Hester Bailey of the Harlem Tenants Council, the many expert panelists included noted attorney Norman Siegel; John Fisher, director of Tenant.net; and author Robert Fitch (“The Assassination of New York”), among others. To see this entire eight part series.

NEWBURGH – As this city on the west shore of the Hudson ponders rapid adoption of a proposed redevelopment scheme, questions have been raised about the goals – and targets – of the proposal. The project’s lead planner boasts of shaping the redevelopment of post-Katrina Louisiana, and has thus far presented to a largely white audience, despite the fact that the Newburgh community predominantly consists of people of color.

In the past week, the city has sponsored two large public sessions and several smaller meetings in a process termed a “charrette.” However, some have instead mused if the charrette wasn’t actually a charade, conducted to provide political cover for the gentrification of the city.

On the table is the future of 30 acres of city-owned land in the heart of the city’s waterfront. Off the table, according to the planner – Andres Duany, a founding principal at Duany Plater-Zyberk & Company – is affordable housing. In reply to community interest in developing a sizable part of the waterfront with parks and ball fields, he said “This is not a Christmas tree, where you just get to hang things on – people somehow or another feel like we’re taking orders, like a waitress in a diner. ‘Um, yes ma’am and what size did you want that gymnasium?’”

Duany is one of the planners circling New Orleans for a crack at its redevelopment. But according to many in that city, the biggest problem of all is the lack of true democratic participation. With almost half of the city’s population still missing, with renters, public housing residents, and residents of the worst hit neighborhoods distracted by more mundane concerns like returning home, securing employment, a roof over their heads, or cleaning up property that will otherwise be deemed blighted soon, it appears that most residents of the Big Easy simply don’t have the resources to participate.

In Newburgh last week, the two public sessions were both held outside of walking distance from the downtown area which is home to much of the Black community. Although each meeting drew at least 200 people, only a small number of attendees were from the areas likely to be affected.

In New Orleans, Duany himself faced criticism for not addressing the claim that the new urbanist “mixed-income” design which he favors has historically created social inequality by catering to the urban needs of more affluent classes and ignoring the political and economic causes of poverty.

For those seeking some insight into his vision for Newburgh, this quote from Mr. Duany in the New Orleans Times-Picayune might be of interest: “The Gulf Coast offers the rare opportunity to start over from scratch, potentially with quick results,” said Mr. Duany, to some local skeptics.

“For a city to become a city that’s planned, it has to destroy itself; the city literally has to molt,” he added.

“Usually this takes 20 years, but after a hurricane, it takes five years. The people can see the future in their own lifetime.”
Planner Andres Duany presenting to New Orleans residents

A final meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, February 6, from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at the Newburgh Free Academy, 201 Fullerton Ave, Newburgh.

HARTFORD - State Senator Mary Ann Handley is Senate chair of the Connecticut legislature’s Human Services Committee and is the chair of its Internship Committee as well. She is also vice-chair of the Judiciary Committee and a member of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee. She is introducing a bill to stop the death penalty. Wakeup Call host Deepa Fernandes interviewed Senator Handley while our regular Regional Roundup Connecticut reporter Melinda Tuhus takes a sabbatical.

NEWBURGH – A failure to follow recommended procedures for dealing with calls involving possible cases of “excited delirium” was apparently responsible for the death last Sunday of 25 year old Nathaniel Cobbs from cardiac failure.

Standards recommended by The Force Science Research Center (“FSRC”), a law enforcement legal and procedures consultant and the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust, which provides liability coverage for more than 800 communities, include ten points of procedure which should be followed in cases of suspected “excited delirium” to avoid unnecessary death and litigation.

Most of the recommendations were apparently ignored by Newburgh police in Cobb’s case, and his ultimate death in police custody has been characterized by police as a result of “excited delirium.”

NEW YORK STATE – Record flooding has created severe conditions for residents of at least thirteen counties in Central New York State, along with dozens of counties stretching from Pennsylvania to Maryland. Although New York’s Republican Governor has requested aid for thirteen affected counties in the state, Republican President George Bush has offered aid to only eight, prompting a strong response from the Governor. Further complicating the matter is the antagonism that exists between locals and the large presence of New York City, whose water supply is largely hosted in the region.