Cruz Inc Blogs
Family Matters
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Cruz Sherman: Posted on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 7:56 AM
First, our thoughts and prayers for the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing. Our hearts are heavy and we pray for strenght for everyone...thanks to the many First Responders, Police, Fire, Doctors, Nurses and citizens who risk their lives to save others. As we deal with these and other horrific events, the question will loom large... WHY? Share your thoughts, feelings or comments... |
Current Events, Children, Sports News, Family Matters, Social Events, Community, Health Matters, National News, Legal / Criminal News, Religion, World News
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Cruz Inc Media : Posted on Tuesday, February 19, 2013 9:39 AM
OK, here we go again...sadly another celebrity apparently has some money management problems.  Sure, she is NOT the first and Mary J won't be the last. However, you would think people would learn from the mistake of others. The financial down fall list is long and well documented. Countless celebrities have lost millions of dollars, due to mis-management of their money due their errors or at the hands of others. Why do you think Mary J is having financial issues. This is a woman who touring, producing movies, etc...making money. Do you believe Mary J isn't paying her bills or she isn't over-seeing her finances the way she should? Everyone's situation is different; however if you have the money, why not hire a trusted CPA firm with a strong reputation to handle your financial affairs? In addition, follow up on whoever is handling your money. At the end of the day, you are still ultimately responsible for your own well-being and financial decisions. Look at what New Daily News reported on Mary J's financial problems. Here’s the 411 on Mary J. Blige’s financial troubles — they’re worse than we thought. The “No More Drama” singer’s reported money problems have gotten so bad, she was slapped with a notice on the door of her tony upper West Side apartment building after it was discovered that she “had a rent-paying problem” last November. The luxe building, the Ashley, boasts a basketball court, state-of-the-art gym and bowling alley.“It was for not paying back rent,” said a real estate source who has leased apartments at the building. A three-bedroom apartment at the Extell Development site, similar to the one Blige was renting, rents for $9,000 to $12,000 monthly, depending on the view and amenities. Our source says the 42-year-old singer was there for a little more than a year before the note was plastered on the front door of the pad.It is not clear if Blige sorted out the problem with building management. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/confidential/mary-owe-lots-rent-article-1.1267384#ixzz2LM2weWen |
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Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 12:43 PM
Our Blog Question Of The Day... Do you think Patreus should have resigned? |
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Cruz Inc: Posted on Monday, October 22, 2012 8:47 AM
Beachwood Police department filed disorderly conduct charges against bus rider Shidea Lane. In conjunction, Lane has filed assault charges against Artis Hughes with the Cleveland police department. Lane was floored by a powerful uppercut from, bus driver Artis Hughes. Multiple witnesses reported Lane hit the driver while at the wheel. One other witness reported Lane spit and hit the driver. Tom Breckenridge, journalist for " The Plain Dealer" reports, during a press release William Nix heading the union representing RTA bus and train operators, Nix had this to say: "She got in his face and spit on him." Nix said. "He has a right to defend himself." There was no mention as to whether guidelines define limits in defense. Another passenger had been video taping the incident when Hughes stopped the bus, returned a short fury of verbal assault before delivering the blow that caused another video viral sensation. The incident was the topic of numerous debates nationwide on the subject of "men hitting women." Many men and women both agree there should be an inherent moral ethic that men should not hit/fight women due to their physical advantages in most cases. However, many also concede that men have a right to defend themselves. Our question that we would like to pose to our readers: Do men have the right to defend themselves against women? When is it appropriated; or is there is an appropriated time? What do we teach our boys to do, if they are assaulted by a girl? |
Current Events, Relationships, Children, World of Religion, Family Matters, Community, Health Matters, National News, Legal / Criminal News, Religion, World News
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Cruz Inc Media : Posted on Monday, October 22, 2012 8:19 AM
Domestic violence continues to rise. Over the last three weeks, we have seen 2 national shooting sprees where there people killed or injuried as a result of domestic violence. In both cases there were court order restraining order in place or being sought. Here is another cause where a restraining order failured: Brookfield police identified 45-year-old Radcliffe Franklin Haughton, of Brown Deer, as the suspect on Sunday afternoon.Haughton is reportedly the estranged husband of one of the hair stylists who works at the spa. Online court records showed a temporary restraining order was issued against Haughton in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Oct. 8 because of a domestic abuse complaint. We would like to pose this question to the readers of this blog. Why do you feel or think the reason is that restraining orders aren't working in many cases? |
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CRUZ: Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2012 11:12 AM
Date: October 13, 2012 Time: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Location: Meadowbrook High School Stadium 4901 Cogbill Road Richmond, VA 23234 1 out 3 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. This is a curable disease, however too many men are waiting too late; mainly because they aren't aware of this disease. Cruz Inc will launch a Prostate Cancer Awareness campaign for Saturday, October 13th. Event Activities · Prostate Cancer Challenge/Dash for Dads 4 Mile Walk and Run · Home Run Softball Challenge · People's Choice "Best Show Car" · People's Choice "Best Show Bike" · Outdoor Zumba Session · Most MC Club Participation Award · Most Car Club Participation Award · Music By DJ Mike "Swagga" Dr. Peter Han, Board Certified Urologist and Southside Urologist Office Staff for informational sessions. David Buckner, Director of ZERO End Prostate Cancer Project, Washington, DC will be in attendance. The main focus will be to encourage every man to take the Prostate Cancer Screening Test. We would like your participation. If you are a Model, Car Owner/Car Club, Bike Rider, Bike Club, Photographer, Vendor, Business Owner. THERE ARE NO VENDOR FEES, WE ARE ASKING FOR DONATIONS ONLY. |
Current Events, Money Matters, Entrepreneurship, World Of Entertainment, Music Industry, Family Matters, Motorcycle Community, Social Events, Community, Health Matters, National News, World News
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Posted on Wednesday, August 29, 2012 2:39 PM
Mitt Romney isn't talking a great deal about his faith...why? Will his Morman faith dictate his decisons if he were elected President? Most people don't care about the Joseph Smith (founder of the Morman Church) era. What do Modern Mormans believe? Does the fact that they believe they will become gods is the reason why Mitt Romney's wife believe he can save the world? Here is a summary of what Modern Mormans believe and practice. Modern times During the early 20th century, Mormons began to reintegrate into the American mainstream. In 1929 the Mormon Tabernacle Choir began broadcasting a weekly performance on national radio, becoming an asset for public relations. Mormons emphasized patriotism and industry, rising in socioeconomic status from the bottom among American religious denominations to middle-class. In the 1920s and 1930s Mormons began migrating out of Utah, a trend hurried by the Great Depression, as Mormons looked for work wherever they could find it. As Mormons spread out, church leaders created programs that would help preserve the tight-knit community feel of Mormon culture. In addition to weekly worship services, Mormons began participating in numerous programs such as Boy Scouting, a Young Women's organization, church-sponsored dances, ward basketball, camping trips, plays, and religious education programs for youth and college students. During the Great Depression the church started a welfare program to meet the needs of poor members, which has since grown to include a humanitarian branch that provides relief to disaster victims. During the latter half of the century, there was a retrenchment movement in Mormonism in which Mormons became more conservative, attempting to regain their status as a "peculiar people". Though the 1960s and 1970s brought positive changes such as Women's Liberation and the Civil Rights Movement, Mormon leaders were alarmed by the erosion of traditional values, the sexual revolution, the widespread use of recreational drugs, moral relativism, and other forces they saw as damaging to the family. Partly to counter this, Mormons put an even greater emphasis on family life, religious education, and missionary work, becoming more conservative in the process. As a result, Mormons today are probably less integrated with mainstream society than they were in the early 1960s. Although black people have been members of Mormon congregations since Joseph Smith's time, before 1978, black membership was small. From 1852 to 1978, the LDS Church had a policy against ordaining men of African descent to the priesthood. The church had previously been criticized for its policy during the civil rights movement, but the change came in 1978 and was prompted primarily by problems facing mixed race converts in Brazil. Mormons greeted the change with joy and relief. Since 1978 black membership has grown, and in 1997 there were approximately 500,000 black members of the church (about 5% of the total membership), mostly in Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean. Black membership has continued to grow substantially, especially in West Africa, where two temples have been built. Many black Mormons are members of the Genesis Group, an organization of black members that predates the priesthood ban, and is endorsed by the church. Global distribution of LDS Church members in 2009 The LDS Church grew rapidly after World War II and became a world-wide organization as missionaries were sent across the globe. The church doubled in size every 15–20 years, and by 1996, there were more Mormons outside the United States than inside. In 2010 there were an estimated 14.1 million Mormons, with roughly 57% living outside the United States. A majority of U.S. Mormons are white and non-Hispanic (84%). Most Mormons are distributed in North and South America, the South Pacific, and Western Europe. The global distribution of Mormons resembles a contact diffusion model, radiating out from the organization's headquarters in Utah. The church enforces general doctrinal uniformity, and congregations on all continents teach the same doctrines, and international Mormons tend to absorb a good deal of Mormon culture, possibly because of the church's top-down hierarchy and a missionary presence. However, international Mormons often bring pieces of their own heritage into the church, adapting church practices to local cultures. Chile, Uruguay, and several areas in the South Pacific have a higher percentage of Mormons than the United States (which is at about 2%). South Pacific countries and dependencies that are more than 10% Mormon include American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga. No country currently has a Mormon majority, although Tonga is expected to be the first within the next few years. Can Mitt Romney be a President for all Americans? If you are wealthy...he can be your best friend....if you are low to middle income...you are up the creek without a paddle! His strong Morman faith will be the foundation on which he will base his decisions that will impact you and I...no sincere Christian Pastor or members of Christian chruches can vote for Mitt Romney with a clear conscience! Don't let your Hatred for President Obama, blind you to the point of cutting off your nose to smite your face!!! |
Current Events, Money Matters, Children, World Of Entertainment, Politics, World of Religion, Family Matters, Social Events, Community, National News, Religion, World News
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Cruz: Posted on Thursday, August 23, 2012 10:02 AM
Do you hate it when people complain? It turns out there's a good reason: Listening to too much complaining is bad for your brain in multiple ways, according to Trevor Blake, a serial entrepreneur and author of Three Simple Steps: A Map to Success in Business and Life. In the book, he describes how neuroscientists have learned to measure brain activity when faced with various stimuli, including a long gripe session. "The brain works more like a muscle than we thought," Blake says. "So if you're pinned in a corner for too long listening to someone being negative, you're more likely to behave that way as well." Even worse, being exposed to too much complaining can actually make you dumb. Research shows that exposure to 30 minutes or more of negativity--including viewing such material on TV--actually peels away neurons in the brain's hippocampus. "That's the part of your brain you need for problem solving," he says. "Basically, it turns your brain to mush." But if you're running a company, don't you need to hear about anything that may have gone wrong? "There's a big difference between bringing your attention to something that's awry and a complaint," Blake says. "Typically, people who are complaining don't want a solution; they just want you to join in the indignity of the whole thing. You can almost hear brains clink when six people get together and start saying, 'Isn't it terrible?' This will damage your brain even if you're just passively listening. And if you try to change their behavior, you'll become the target of the complaint." So, how do you defend yourself and your brain from all the negativity? Blake recommends the following tactics: 1. Get some distance "My father was a chain smoker," Blake confides. "I tried to change his habit, but it's not easy to do that." Blake knew secondhand smoke could damage his own lungs as well. "My only recourse was to distance myself." You should look at complaining the same way, he says. "The approach I've always taken with complaining is to think of it as the same as passive smoking." Your brain will thank you if you get yourself away from the complainer, if you can. 2. Ask the complainer to fix the problem Sometimes getting distance isn't an option. If you can't easily walk away, a second strategy is to ask the complainer to fix the problem. Recommended Videos What a Serial Entrepreneur Can't ResistHow a Disaster on Everest Inspired an EntrepreneurLeader in Motion: How Choreographer Bill T. Jones Collaborates "Try to get the person who's complaining to take responsibility for a solution," Blake says. "I typically respond to a complaint with, 'What are you going to do about it?'" Many complainers walk away huffily at that point, because he hasn't given them what they wanted, Blake reports. But some may actually try to solve the problem. 3. Shields up! When you're trapped listening to a complaint, you can use mental techniques to block out the griping and save your neurons. Blake favors one used by the late Spanish golfer Seve Ballesteros during a match against Jack Nicklaus--a match the crowd wanted Ballesteros to lose. "He was having difficulty handling the hostility of the crowd," Blake says. "So he imagined a bell jar that no one could see descending from the sky to protect him." Major League Baseball pitchers can sometimes be seen mouthing "Shields on!" as they stride to the mound, he says. He adds that his own imaginary defense is "more like a Harry Potter invisibility cloak." A related strategy is to mentally retreat to your imagined favorite spot, someplace you'd go if you could wave a magic wand. "For me, it was a ribbon of beautiful white sugary sand that extended out in a horseshoe shape from a private island," Blake says. "I would take myself to my private retreat while people were ranting and raving. I could smile at them and nod in all the right places and meanwhile take myself for a walk on my private beach." Blake first saw the picture of the island in a magazine, and the image stuck with him. Eventually, he got a chance to try it for real. "It turned out the island was for rent, and it was the same one I'd seen," he says. "So I rented it for a week. And I got to take that walk." |
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Staff: Posted on Thursday, August 02, 2012 10:17 AM
 Chick-fil-A is now serving up more than just chicken and fries. The Georgia-based fast food chain is at the center of some heated politics and the DMV area hasn’t escaped the controversyIn case you missed it, here’s a quick rundown of what’s been unfolding with Chick-Fil-A these last couple weeks: The company’s president, Dan Cathy, said in The Baptist Press that his family-owned company is against same-sex marriages and is supportive of the biblical definition of the family unit. This sparked outrage from the left and some big city mayors, including Mayor Vincent Gray, who said the food chain is not welcome in their cities. In response, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said the company has a right to its own beliefs and called for people around the country to eat at a Chick-fil-A Wednesday to show their support as part of Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day. And that brings us to yesterday, when thousands of people lined up to eat at Chick-Fil-As across the country to show their support. In Maryland, The Post reports that customers packed a Chick-Fil-A in Prince George’s County. A manager of a chain in Carroll County, according to the Carroll County Times, said she expected a 12-15 percent boost in sales Wednesday. "Their place of business saw traffic from both directions backed up several blocks on Lee Highway, people parking at other establishments across the busy highway and then hiking over 6-8 lanes of traffic to the restaurant, and many just walking over with strollers, bikes, etc." Things were relatively quiet in D.C. because the only location Chick-Fil-A has in the District is on the grounds of Catholic University (There is also a new Chick-Fil-A food truck). On Twitter recently, Mayor Gray said he would not welcome the chain in to the city and referred to its food as “hate chicken.” On the other side, Viriginia Gov. Bob McDonnell this week defended the company’s traditional values and its right to sell food. "I love chicken. If we start having governments issue permits or zoning changes, or withholding those because of someone's political or religious beliefs, we are going down a very bad road. I think people have an ability to start and grow a business regardless of their political beliefs," he said on WTOP's Ask the Governor. What are your thoughts and comments? Which side of this issue do you stand. All comments are welcome, please respect the opinions of others. |
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Cruz: Posted on Monday, July 30, 2012 1:32 PM
I am apart of a think-tank on LinkedIn. There is an on going discussion on "How African Americans are faring After The Recession." Here is an except from one of my responses to this discussion.
Economists say the Great Recession lasted from 2007 to 2009. In 2004, the median net worth of white households was $134,280, compared with $13,450 for black households, according to an analysis of Federal Reserve data by the Economic Policy Institute. By 2009, the median net worth for white households had fallen 24 percent to $97,860; the median black net worth had fallen 83 percent to $2,170, according to the EPI.
*In my opinion a couple of things are apparent, we have made great financial gains; but yet we are still lag far behind the national average. We are not investing in our 401K's or buy stock. Possible in part because our priorities by in large are out of focus. On average we will spend 125.00-175.00 on a pair of Nikes, opposed to buying stock in Nike. I know there are many other factors to consider; but if we taught our kids at an early age the value spending and investing wisely...we could begin to close the gap.
Food for thought...comments are welcomed.
Respectfully,
Cruz
CEO
Cruz Inc
888-490-1116 EXT.2
www.cruzinc.org |
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Cruz: Posted on Friday, July 13, 2012 9:33 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington Post says a police officer who worked as a motorcycle escort for the White House and other officials has been moved to administrative duty after he allegedly made threatening comments about Michelle Obama.
The Post says the officer was overheard making the comments Wednesday as several officers from the Special Operations Division discussed threats against the Obamas. The officer allegedly said he would shoot the first lady and then used his phone to retrieve a picture of the firearm he said he would use.
Asked about the report, D.C. police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump said the department received an allegation "inappropriate comments" were made" and police are investigating.
Secret Service spokesman Edwin Donovan says the agency is aware of the report and will follow up. OUR EDITORIAL: We all know politics can be a nasty, no holds-barred event. Politicians often go for the kill , ensuring that they destroy the credibility of their opponents. This presidential continues to take turns for the worst day by day in that area. It is no longer politics, but personal when you involve the families of those running for public offices. The growing hatred from the Obamas are becoming increasingly obvious. When you have an officer, who is sworn to protect lives; now threats to take a life. Not only does he make a threat, but allegedly shows off his weapon of choice. While we have freedom of speech; this would appear to have gone from idle thoughts to perhaps serious contemplation of this sinister act. I believe it is time for Mitt Romney and President Obama to take the lead and publicly come together in the same place at the same time...to say to America; we may not agree on how to run this country; but we do agree that hatred, violence and racism is will not be tolerated by either party! There are times when you have to put politics aside for the great good of this country. This could turn out to be the most divisive presidential race in the history of America, if both candidates and their camps don't come together to calm the storms, before someone gets hurt. That is my take, what's your? Cruz, Founder and CEO Cruz Inc |
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Cruz Sherman: Posted on Tuesday, July 03, 2012 11:49 AM
Most people would admit that they have done somethings they wish they had never did. I would be in that number myself; however what went on inside of Club Elements in South East Memphis would make Hugh Hefner close his eyes. I am originally from Memphis and what happened at this club is not indicative of the "Bluff City". A video has gone viral on the Internet and on Worldstar Hip Hop and has over 1.2 million hits. After one of my relatives from Memphis contacted me and asked had I heard about or seen the video...my response was no to both. since I author a blog and host a talk show, I generally don't miss many breaking news events or hot topics. Well, after viewing the video, this is one I wish I hadn't heard about or seen. I have witness a number of things in my lifetime; however this one ranks in the top if not number one of the most disturbing things. Action News 5 in Memphis broke this news...see their report on this public display of Romanesque behavior that would make Roman orgies of earlier times seem tame! MEMPHIS, TN - (WMC-TV) – An obscene video made in Memphis is going viral. In less than 24 hours, it caught the attention of angry residents, the mayor, and district attorney general. The video, which was shot at a Memphis club, is very graphic. It is so graphic that we cannot show all of it. The graphic nature of what is going on inside the club prompted the district attorney to investigate. "That video is horrible. It really is. I mean young girls," stated Samantha Brown, who was shocked by the video. The video shows sex acts shot in Club Elements on Winchester. The video is making its way all over the Internet and Twitter. "I have watched the video. We are well aware of it and we are looking into it," said District Attorney Amy Weirich. Weirich said the video shows lewd behavior that falls under the nuisance statute. The party was organized by Team Taboo, who rented Club Elements. Action News 5 learned the parties are held in different locations around Memphis. Club Elements is in a strip mall on Winchester. It shares the lot with Big Lots and other businesses. And it is just east of the World Overcomers Church. No one who works in the strip mall wanted to talk with Action News 5 on camera, however, one man came up to our crew and said the next party is this weekend down the street. He also said if we gave him $60, he would tell us where. We did not give him the $60. No one came to the locked door when our crews knocked. We called Team Taboo's CEO Datrin Delaney. He said he had some engagements and would call back. Memphis Films shot the video. Toria Davidson who owns that company said he shoots club and music videos. The Club Elements party was his first encounter with Team Taboo. "We were just shocked," Davidson said. He also said he is done with Team Taboo. "I just think I'm just going to stick with music videos and stay away from this point blank period." Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton knows about the video. He said it will be investigated. The CEO of Team Taboo never returned our calls. Editorial Continued: In addition to viewing the video, I read through the comments posted on www.worldstarhiphop.com , it was surprising at the number comments that supported this type of OPEN behavior. Many people were giving "kudos" to the City of Memphis for being a source of inspiration for the activity that went on inside Club Elements. What is NOT surprising is why STD's among African American between the age of 16-30 is so high and increasing daily. With total disregard for safety for themselves as well as others, youth and young adults are increasing their changes of receiving the "special package" (HIV/AIDS). While sexual freedom is one thing, sexual stupidity is another. This is the most clear case of sexual stupidity I have ever heard about or seen. WAKE UP YOUNG PEOPLE...YOU ARE PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR LIVES...THE NEXT PULL OF THE SEXUAL TRIGGER COULD BE THE ONE THAT ENDS YOUR LIFE!! This is my thoughts on this event, what's yours...please response with your thoughts and views. |
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Cruz Inc Media: Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2012 12:37 PM
 In a sit-down interview with ABC's Robin Roberts, Obama completed what has been a markedly long and oft-mocked evolution on the matter."I've always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally," Obama told Roberts, in an interview that will air in full on ABC's "Good Morning America" Thursday. Our question for this blog is, do you support or agree with President Obama's support of Gay Marriages? |
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Cruz Inc Staff Writer: Posted on Monday, March 26, 2012 2:57 PM
Well, it is not surprising that there would be an attack on Trayvon's character to justify Zimmerman's killing of an unarmed teen. There is a subtle movement to continue to cast a shadow over the fact that a 28 year old man confronted a 17 year old teen. Trayvon Martin had as much right to defend himself from a man who was following and perhaps attempting to apprehend him for no reason. It appears Zimmerman thought he would be able to bully and intimidate a young man while no one was present. Trayvon out of fear for his life fought to save himself. Trayvon's adrenalin kicks in and he gets the best of Zimmerman in a hand to hand combat. Even if that was the case, Zimmerman shot and killed an UNARMED TEEN!!! When will those investigating this stick to the fact that Zimmerman NEVER should have confronted Trayvon...this was a community watch junkie, want to be Charles Brunson vigilante!! This claims in the story below are just another attempt to distort the facts and continue to blame Trayvon Martin for his own death. Trayvon Martin had been suspended from his Miami high school for possession of an empty marijuana baggie, a family spokesperson confirmed Monday. Martin had been suspended for 10 days from Krop Senior High School after the baggie was found, the spokesperson told MSNBC. Meanwhile, John Schuster, the spokesman for the Miami-Dade Public Schools, said the school district has not released any student records in accordance with federal law. The news comes as authorities revealed that Martin took down George Zimmerman with one punch then climbed on top of him and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times before the 17-year-old was shot to death by the community watch volunteer, according to a report in the Orlando Sentinel. The latest report of the altercation between the teen and the 28-year-old man at a Sanford gated community on Feb. 26 has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities told the Sentinel. The Sanford Police said in a statement that the report was "consistent with the information provided to the State Attorney's office by the police department." "We do not condone these unauthorized leaks of information," said Norton Bonaparte Jr., city manager. " He said there would be an internal investigation into the leak and disciplinary action could include termination for anyone found to have been the source of the leak. City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr. named Scott acting chief and Capt. Robert O'Connor acting deputy chief, just three days after he introduced both of them as the Sanford police department's temporary leaders in the absence of Police Chief Bill Lee Jr. On Monday, Bonaparte clarified that Scott will be the top official on duty at the police department. Calls to the FBI, U.S. Justice Department and Sanford Police weren't immediately returned Monday. Zimmerman told police he had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Martin approached him from behind and the two got into a verbal altercation, the report said. Martin punched Zimmerman in the nose and began beating him on the ground, leaving him bloodied and battered, authorities said, according to the report. Zimmerman told police he shot the unarmed Martin in self-defense. Police said Martin was visiting with his father at his father's girlfriend's home in the gated community and had gone to buy a bag of Skittles and iced tea at a nearby convenience store and was walking back when the altercation happened. According to police, Zimmerman was following the teen in his SUV and then on foot and called 911 to report a suspicious person. In a recording of Zimmerman's call to 911, a dispatcher tells him to stop following the teen. Zimmerman told police he had lost sight of Martin and was walking back to his car when Martin approached him from behind. Martin asked Zimmerman if he had a problem and Zimmerman said no and reached for his phone, he told police, according to the report. "Well, you do now," Martin said, according to Zimmerman, before he threw the first punch, the Sentinel report said. Zimmerman told police he began yelling for help, though the attorney for Martin's parents said the cries for help came from the teen. Witness Mary Cutcher said she thought the cry fro help may have come from Martin. "It sounded young. It didn’t sound like a grown man is my point," Cutcher said on NBC's "Dateline." It sounded to me like someone was in distress and it wasn’t like a crying, sobbing boo-hoo, it was a definite whine." When police arrived, Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose, had a swollen lip and had bloody wounds to the back of his head. Zimmerman's attorney said he suffered a broken nose in the altercation. Zimmerman wasn't arrested and hasn't been charged in the shooting. His attorney, Craig Sonner, appeared on NBC's Today Show" Monday, where he backed up the self-defense claim. "This case has taken on a whole different meaning because it's been interpreted as being a racial issue and it's not a racial issue," Sonner said. "George Zimmerman is absolutely not a racist, whatever happened that night was self-defense." Martin's friends have said the teen never would have started a fight and Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump has called the claim that Martin was the aggressor "preposterous." The shooting has led to several rallies and marches throughout South Florida and across the country, with tens of thousands of protesters demanding Zimmerman's arrest. Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, will attend a rally at 4 p.m. Monday in Sanford. They're also expected to speak before the Sanford City Commission following the march. The U.S. Justice Department and FBI are investigating the shooting, and last week Lee, the police chief, announced he was temporarily stepping down during the investigation into the shooting. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has appointed a special prosecutor to oversee the investigation into Martin's death and has formed a task force to hold hearings on the shooting. |
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Reported by MSN.Com: Posted on Monday, March 26, 2012 11:04 AM
Friends of the man who shot and killed Florida teen Trayvon Martin say he is now afraid for his life and hiding in a secure location. As outrage has built, friends say George Zimmerman, who says he shot the unarmed boy in self-defense, has received death threats and yesterday, the New Black Panther party put out a $10,000 bounty to locate him. "What makes all these people who are threatening George any better than the person they think he is?" said Joe Oliver, a friend of Zimmerman. "You've got all these people wanting to lynch the man, and they don't know the whole story." Our Editiorial: Mr. Joe Oliver, just tell your friend that people want justice, they want Zimmerman to tell the truth about the incident that occurred a month ago today. Tell us why he continued to follow Trayvon, why did he confront Trayvon...why didn't he allow the police to do their job? |
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Cruz: Posted on Friday, March 23, 2012 9:43 AM
Take a look at the photos below and then read the storyline below. We want to know based on general perception, who would be percieved as a danger? The next question is to blacks; before the Trayvon Martin Murder; when you would seen young black men, would you assume that they were up to know good? By James Eng, msnbc.com The fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by a community crime-watch volunteer in a Florida suburb raises an uneasy question: Would he have been killed had he not been young, black and wearing a hoodie?
Most decidedly not, say some interested observers. “This kid happened to have fallen into a wrong shade of black, and coupled with the fact that he was hooded made it more problematic,” said Jason J. Campbell, a blogger and an assistant professor of conflict resolution and philosophy at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “There’s a sense that this child was naive in the way he conducted himself (by wearing a hoodie). Unfortunately, African American males cannot conduct themselves in the same way that young white males can,” Campbell, who is black, told msnbc.com. “It’s because society has said that a young black male dressed in this manner is up to no good,” Allie Braswell, CEO of the Central Florida Urban League, told msnbc.com. “Some of this is self-inflicted by dressing style, but it doesn’t mean every kid who puts a hoodie on is up to no good.” Which male would be perceived as the greater threat?? |
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Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2012 11:52 AM
IF
THERE WAS EVER A TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO LET THERE VOICES BE
HEAR, NOW IS THE TIME!!! OUR URBAN BLACK WOMEN ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE
AND IT'SGOING TO GET WORST IF WE DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, EDUCATE AND FIND
SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT IT!! WHAT IS IT? THE DANGER OF PROMISCUITY AMONG BLACK WOMEN...
JOIN ME THIS SUNDAY AT WWW.BLOGTALKRADIO.COM/4URADIO OR CALL 323-693-3317. LOOK AT THIS ALARMING INFORMATION BELOW:
A national team of AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere say they
are surprised and dismayed by results of their new study showing that
the yearly number of new cases of HIV infection among black women in
Baltimore and other cities is five times higher than previously thought.
The data show that infection rates for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS,
among this population are much higher than the overall incidence rates
in the United States for African-American adolescents and
African-American women. The data come from an ongoing, larger
series of studies supported by the HIV Prevention Trials Network, and
reflect testing and analysis of at-risk women in six urban areas in the
northeastern and southeastern United States hardest hit by the global
AIDS epidemic. The so-called “hotspots” are Baltimore; Atlanta;
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; and New York City.
Researchers plan to present their findings March 8 at the 19th annual
Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle.
Specifically, the team found that among 2,099 women ages 18 to 44, 88
percent of whom were black, 1.5 percent (32 women) tested positive at
the outset of the study and were not enrolled, while among those who
remained, 0.24 percent tested positive for HIV within a year after
joining the study. All study participants were HIV negative, including
more than 200 from Baltimore, when they volunteered for the study.
Experts say this rate of infection, or seroconversion, is five times
previous estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention for urban African-American women. |
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Cruz: Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 12:29 PM
 CNN) -- If Joseph Kony wasn't the most wanted man in the world, he may be now.In the past week, a documentary detailing accusations of vile acts committed by the Ugandan warlord has spread like wildfire on social media (at the time of writing it has had more than 50 million views), prompting international outrage and a groundswell of support for his capture. In the documentary, "Kony 2012," which was posted online by the U.S.-based group Invisible Children, the tales of atrocities are horrifying: armed supporters force abducted children to kill their own parents, brutal mutilations include the hacking off of lips and limbs, and the sexual slavery of young girls stolen from their families. The group says its aim is to raise awareness and bring Kony to justice. While some critics question whether the film captures the full scope of the conflict, one matter is without debate: Kony now ranks as one of the International Criminal Court's most wanted men, facing arrest on charges of crimes against humanity after a 26-year campaign of brutality in his failed bid to overthrow the Ugandan government. How did Kony rise to power? Kony, a former altar boy, was a young man in his early 20s when he was caught in the storm of violence that marked the final years of Milton Obote's presidency. Obote was deposed in a military coup in 1985, and soon after Yoweri Museveni's National Resistance Army (NRA) seized power. Kony's Lord's Resistance Army was among those who rose up against Museveni's NRA. Kony was a spiritual leader, known as a healer among the Acholi people. He inherited a powerful support base from Alice Lakwena, a spirit-medium. Lakwena's followers would "daub themselves in shea butter crosses which they believed would protect them from bullets and they believed that stones would explode like grenades," explains Matthew Green, author of "The Wizard of the Nile - The Hunt for Africa's Most Wanted," about Kony. "It was a mystical rebellion," Green says, adding that Kony "was very much an inheritor of her mantle." Lakwena fled to Kenya after Museveni's forces launched a brutal attack on her and her followers. Staying in northern Uganda, Kony rallied Lakwena's remaining supporters and recruited more with a powerful mix of mythical claims, charisma and unconscionable violence. What is Kony like? Green describes being one of the few journalists to ever meet Kony when the rebel leader briefly emerged from his jungle hideout in 2006. "Although he was surrounded by phalanxes of child soldiers with Kalashnikov rifles and bayonets fixed to them, he actually looked terrified of meeting strangers," Green said. Despite Kony's apparent fear and paranoia, Green says the rebel leader was charismatic and clearly a "very powerful orator" when speaking to his people. "He had an almost musical voice as he spoke in his Acholi language and you could see that the people listening were completely captivated." What are Kony's tactics? If Kony attracted supporters through his "mystical powers" and charisma, he kept them through fear. "Certainly the violence is what made his movement so terrifying," Green says. "These attacks were carried out often with machetes or clubs and the violence was designed with a very clear political purpose. It was designed to illustrate to the people in northern Uganda that the government of President Museveni could not protect them." Kony's forces are believed to have abducted thousands of children to join his cause -- however the exact number is unconfirmed. At the height of the violence during the mid-2000s, parents tried to protect their children from harm by sending them to sleep in towns, away from Kony's ruthless kidnappers. Brutal punishments were inflicted on those who were accused of disloyalty by an increasingly paranoid leader, Green says. "Kony once gave an order that anyone caught riding a bicycle should have their legs cut off. Bicycles were a very common means of transport in rural areas and he was worried that informers, if they saw the rebels, would rapidly pedal away and alert the nearest army post." And similarly he would cut off people's hands as a kind of warning not to raise any hands against the rebels," Green adds. How organized is the Lord's Resistance Army? Kony created the Lord's Resistance Army with the intention to lead, based on his version of the Ten Commandments. Since then it has grown into a "disciplined fighting force," says Green, explaining that its members occupy a rank and are rewarded for loyalty. Kony has been able to maintain his hold over them with his mix of self-proclaimed spiritual powers and military strategy, Ned Dalby, Central Africa researcher with the International Crisis Group, said in a 2011 interview with CNN. "He cultivates this image of himself as a medium for the power of the spirit and at other times, he presents himself as a ruthless military leader. So he's able to maintain cohesion as a group and maintain the loyalty of his fighters," Dalby said. He noted that some former LRA fighters from northern Uganda have given clues as to why some outside the group stayed loyal to Kony. "They expressed the feeling that because they were given a rank, they were given a certain purpose, and respect and authority," Dalby says. "And then, once they're outside the LRA, they find they've become just another poor person, trying to survive." Where is Kony now? "Kony fled back into Sudan probably in late 2005, 2006 and he has not been back into Uganda since, as far as we know," Green said. He is believed to be accompanied by a small band of supporters, though his followers are still said to be terrorizing people elsewhere on the continent. "The mass abduction of Ugandan children and the terrible atrocities, the massacres that Kony committed have not occurred for some years now," added Green. "However, his forces are still on the loose in places like Central African Republic and Eastern Congo, and they still retain the capacity to kill large numbers of civilians. So although they're not a threat to Uganda now, they certainly are a threat to the region." The U.S. has listed the LRA as a terrorist group and in October, Washington authorized up to 100 U.S. Special Operations trainers and military advisers to assist African forces searching for Kony and other leaders of the LRA. The activities of the group are tracked on a website that uses information from the Invisible Children's Early Warning Radio Network, U.N. agencies and local NGOs to map and document recent crimes. Here is a real question; do blacks here in America even care that other people of color are being subjected to this type of Warlord? What about the Joseph Kony's here in America...the Drug Dealers, some of the Rappers that depict and promote black or black violence in their songs and videos? Maybe this is why we are so numb to this type of story outside of the US, simply because we see Joseph Kony and his homies everyday in ours, in our communities, on TV. To borrow a line from "Boyz n da Hood", 'it is just another day in the hood"; both here in America and in Africa...what do you think? |
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Cruz Inc Staff: Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 10:16 AM
 Newswise — A national team of AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere say they are surprised and dismayed by results of their new study showing that the yearly number of new cases of HIV infection among black women in Baltimore and other cities is five times higher than previously thought. The data show that infection rates for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, among this population are much higher than the overall incidence rates in the United States for African-American adolescents and African-American women.
The data come from an ongoing, larger series of studies supported by the HIV Prevention Trials Network, and reflect testing and analysis of at-risk women in six urban areas in the northeastern and southeastern United States hardest hit by the global AIDS epidemic. The so-called “hotspots” are Baltimore; Atlanta; Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; Washington, D.C.; Newark, N.J.; and New York City. Researchers plan to present their findings March 8 at the 19th annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Seattle.
Specifically, the team found that among 2,099 women ages 18 to 44, 88 percent of whom were black, 1.5 percent (32 women) tested positive at the outset of the study and were not enrolled, while among those who remained, 0.24 percent tested positive for HIV within a year after joining the study. All study participants were HIV negative, including more than 200 from Baltimore, when they volunteered for the study.
Experts say this rate of infection, or seroconversion, is five times previous estimates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for urban African-American women.
“This study clearly shows that the HIV epidemic is not over, especially in urban areas of the United States, like Baltimore, where HIV and poverty are more common, and sexually active African-American men and women are especially susceptible to infection,” says principal investigator for the Baltimore portion of the study, Charles Flexner, M.D., a clinical pharmacologist and infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins.
“We, as care providers and policy makers, have our job cut out for us in devising HIV prevention programs targeted to sexually active men and women in Baltimore and other cities,” says Flexner. He says prevention tactics should include more counseling about sexually transmitted infections, distribution of condoms, and intensive education about safer sex practices. Flexner is a professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the university’s Bloomberg School of Public Health.
In Baltimore, the study conducted from May 2009 to July 2010 asked participating women who about their safe sex practices and other health issues, then asked them to come to The Johns Hopkins Hospital for HIV testing at no cost. Those who tested positive were offered counseling and treatment.
“While we have always known that African-Americans had a higher risk of HIV infection than other American racial groups, this study confirms it and underscores the severity of the national and local problem, especially in cities,” says Flexner.
Flexner says women of all races account for a quarter of the 50,000 new HIV infections each year in the United States, which adds to the more than 1 million men and women already known to have tested positive. Sixty-six percent of the women newly infected each year are black, even though African-American women represent only 14 percent of the U.S. female population. The national age-adjusted death rate for black women in the United States is nearly 15 times higher than that observed for HIV-infected white women.
The new study, formally known as HPTN 064 Women’s Seroincidence Study, was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The study site leader was co-investigator Anne Rompalo, M.D., Sc.M., an infectious disease specialist and professor at Johns Hopkins.
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Cruz Inc: Posted on Monday, December 26, 2011 12:44 PM
The 25th is over and people will return to their self-centered ways. I have been silent most of this holiday. I see that a majority of us are religious at best, but very few are spiritual. People, religion is something you do...you can religiously lie, religiously smoke, drink, etc...which leads me to said this if one more religious person says Jesus was born on Christmas....it is theologically INCORRECT. Jesus was NOT born December 25th. I am not against honoring the birth of Christ.
However and because of tradition the 25th of December, is a festive time.. (1) we should honor his birth and death everyday. (2) we should know the different between fact and fiction.
I am not trying to destroy anyone's joy....but if you are going to say or proclaim something proclaim the truth. Rather than teaching and proclaiming the 25th of December as the birthday of Jesus; teach and proclaim...we by tradition celebrate the birth of Jesus or observe the birth of Jesus on December 25th.
Here are some Christmas facts to consider:
A. Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the week long celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.
B. The ancient Greek writer poet and historian Lucian (in his dialogue entitled Saturnalia) describes the festival’s observance in his time. In addition to human sacrifice, he mentions these customs: widespread intoxication; going from house to house while singing naked; rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season).
C. In the 4th century CE, Christianity imported the Saturnalia festival hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Christian leaders succeeded in converting to Christianity large numbers of pagans by promising them that they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians.
D. The problem was that there was nothing intrinsically Christian about Saturnalia. To remedy this, these Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s concluding day, December 25th, to be Jesus’ birthday.
E. Christians had little success, however, refining the practices of Saturnalia. As Stephen Nissenbaum, professor history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, writes, “In return for ensuring massive observance of the anniversary of the Savior’s birth by assigning it to this resonant date, the Church for its part tacitly agreed to allow the holiday to be celebrated more or less the way it had always been.” The earliest Christmas holidays were celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, singing naked in the streets (a precursor of modern caroling), etc.
F. The Reverend Increase Mather of Boston observed in 1687 that “the early Christians who first observed the Nativity on December 25 did not do so thinking that Christ was born in that Month, but because the Heathens’ Saturnalia was at that time kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those Pagan Holidays metamorphosed into Christian ones. Because of its known pagan origin, Christmas was banned by the Puritans and its observance was illegal in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681. However, Christmas was and still is celebrated by most Christians.
G. Some of the most depraved customs of the Saturnalia carnival were intentionally revived by the Catholic Church in 1466 when Pope Paul II, for the amusement of his Roman citizens, forced Jews to race naked through the streets of the city. An eyewitness account reports, “Before they were to run, the Jews were richly fed, so as to make the race more difficult for them and at the same time more amusing for spectators. They ran… amid Rome’s taunting shrieks and peals of laughter, while the Holy Father stood upon a richly ornamented balcony and laughed heartily.”
H. As part of the Saturnalia carnival throughout the 18th and 19th centuries CE, rabbis of the ghetto in Rome were forced to wear clownish outfits and march through the city streets to the jeers of the crowd, pelted by a variety of missiles. When the Jewish community of Rome sent a petition in1836 to Pope Gregory XVI begging him to stop the annual Saturnalia abuse of the Jewish community, he responded, “It is not opportune to make any innovation. On December 25, 1881, Christian leaders whipped the Polish masses into Antisemitic frenzies that led to riots across the country. In Warsaw 12 Jews were brutally murdered, huge numbers maimed, and many Jewish women were raped. Two million rubles worth of property was destroyed.
YES, CHRIST IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON, EVERY SEASON...CELEBRATE KNOWING FACT FROM FICTION.
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