Monday, October 28, 2013

The BoringTusker Project Fame



Sunday evenings are usually boring, i spend most of my time recovering from the weekend damage caused by the amazing Tusker lager. And part of my heeling is listening to good music. When i heard Tusker Project Fame was coming back for season 6, I thought i had something to look forward to.

In this season’s Tusker Project Fame, the contestants are terrible. Really, I don’t know whether to blame the sound system or their voices. I blame the judges, those who were traveling the region in search of East Africa’s next big music act. I don't believe this is the best talent they can find in East Africa.

Granted, their performances aren’t doing it for me but the sound system needs more work. Surely there must better microphones in the worldwide market? Ones that don’t look like they were plucked out from the local church?

And at times those coaches go on and praise this guys who choose complex songs and can't even deliver. Judges, Ian and Hermy try to give honest opinions but at times the singing from all the contestants is so bad, forcing them to just give positive comments.

I know, this show helps in strengthening the bond of East Africans, but seriously it looks like a joke. I just can't handle watching this thing on TV. By the way,where did the previous winners go?


Friday, October 25, 2013

Movie Review; 12 Years a Slave



One of the things that have been thrown around for months now is the notion that awards season voting bodies won't respond to it because it's too "difficult" to sit through. Let's define difficult, shall we? Is it difficult to see the first openly gay politician gunned down by his closeted colleague? Is it difficult to see a reformed convict put to death by our country for his crimes? Is it difficult to see a mother choose which one of her children dies during the Holocaust? I'd argue that these answers add up to a resounding yes. Yet, no one threw those phrases of "too difficult" around.

I've watched hundreds of films throughout my short 22-year history and I've seen some difficult cinema. Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" can make anyone quiver in shame as it shows the despicable reality of the Holocaust. Paul Greengrass' "United 93", which is almost an emotional biopic of America's darkest hour, makes me want to crawl up into a ball and cry. And finally, Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ", one of the highest grossing films of all-time, shows the labor of our sins fleshed out into the beaten skin of an honest man. And still, no one threw these hyperbolic terms out saying, "it's too hard watch." Is it because this is an American tragedy, done by Americans? Is it the guilt of someone's ancestors manifesting it in your tear ducts? I can't answer that. Only the person who says it can. The structure of this country is built on the backs and blood of slaves. But slavery didn't just exist in America, it was everywhere. It was horrifying what occurred for over 200 years and believe it or not, still exists in some parts of the world TODAY.

Now when approaching the powerful film by McQueen and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures, there is a resounding honesty that McQueen and screenwriter John Ridley inhabit. There are no tricks or gimmicks, no cheap takes on a side story or character that is put there for time filling or a life-lesson for Solomon to learn. Everything is genuine. Is the film heartbreaking? Oh my God yes. Did I cry for several minutes after the screening? Embarrassingly so. I was enamored the entire time, head to toe, moment to moment.

I have long admired the talent that's been evident in the works of Chiwetel Ejiofor. I've known he was capable of what he has accomplished as Solomon Northup and he hits it out of the park. He has the urgency, worry, and drive to get home to his family and executes every emotion flawlessly even when all hope seems to be lost. Where he shines incredibly are the small nuances that he takes as the story slows down, you notice aspects of Solomon that make him even more believable.

As Edwin Epps, Solomon's last owner, Michael Fassbender digs down deep into some evil territory. Acts as the "Amon Goeth" of our tale, he is exactly what you'd expect a person who believes this should be a way of life to behave. He's vile and strikes fear into not only the people he interacts with but with the viewers who watch. As Mrs. Epps, Sarah Paulson is just as wretched. Abusive, conniving, entitled, and I loved every second of her.

Mark my words; Lupita Nyong'o is the emotional epicenter of the entire film. The heartache, tears, and anger that will grow inside during the feature will have our beautiful "Patsey" at the core. She is the great find of our film year and will surely go on to more dynamic and passionate projects in the future. You're watching the birth of a star.

Hans Zimmer puts forth a very pronounced score, enriched with all the subtle ticks that strike the chords of tone. One thing that cannot be denied is the exquisite camera work of Sean Bobbit. Weaving through the parts of boat and then through the grassroots of a cotton field, he puts himself in the leagues of Roger Deakins and Seamus McGarvey as one of the most innovative and exciting DP's in the business. Especially following his work in "The Place Beyond the Pines" earlier this year. Simply marvelous.

Oscar chances, since I know many of you are wondering. Put the Oscar's in my hands, you have a dozen nominations reap for the taking. Best Picture, Director, Lead Actor, Supporting Actor, dual Supporting Actresses, Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, Cinematography, Costume Design, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score. There's also a strong and rich sound scope that is present. The sounds of nature as the slaves walk or as Solomon approaches his master's house is noticed. The big question is, can it win? I haven't seen everything yet so I cannot yet if it deserves it or not. I can say, if critics and audiences can get off this "difficult" watch nonsense and accept the cinematic endeavor as a look into our own history as told from a great auteur, there's no reason it can't top the night. I'm very aware that seeing this film along with Steve McQueen crowned by Oscar is nearly erasing 85 years of history in the Academy. Are they willing and ready to begin looking into new realms and allowing someone not necessarily in their inner circles to make a bold statement as McQueen and Ridley take in "12 Years a Slave?" I remain hopeful.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Hisia Might Just Have What it Takes to Win The Tusker Project Fame

Hisia.jpg

Its safe to say that Tanzania hasn't been particularly shinning in the Tusker Project Fame. We have seen considerable success through Peter Msechu and by distant from Hemed. We haven't really had impressive singers with star quality. In Hisia maybe trend might change

Young, funny and vastly talented, Hisia might just be what Tanzania needs to prove to the rest of East Africans we have what it takes. With our two contestants out on the first day, who with honesty were not all that great. We now look up to Hisia and Angel to bring the money and pride back home.

From the minute Hisia walks into a room, the room lights up. Charming and funny, this International Business Major at USIU – Africa is always cracking a joke and telling a funny story. However, Hisia is serious about one thing, and that is performance.Hisia loves his mother (who shares his deep passion for singing). Hisia knew he wanted to be on Tusker Project Fame from a while back, and he chased his dream to take the stage.
 
Q: What habits annoy you the most?
A: Hypocrisy
 
Q: What is the one thing you cannot do without?
A: Water and my guitar
 
Q: What is your favourite colour?
A: Red, It looks good on me... at least the girls say so.
 
Q: Who is your music role model and why?
A: John Legend, because I like the emotion in his voice
 
Fun Facts about Hisia:

Hisia is the KiSwahili word for Emotion.

If Hisia won Tusker Project Fame, he would invest half the money, and the rest in the entertainment business.

Hisia is single... and figured that when the time is right, it will happen.

Hisia has been to the UK to attend Primary School.

Hisia’s ideal night out on a Saturday would be a place where there is live music



       Goodluck hisia, and bring the money home

Monday, October 14, 2013

Julius Kambarage Nyerere:


Today all across the country (Tanzania) we celebrate  Nyerere Day, marking the day of Julius Nyerere's death in 1999. We celebrate his life in remembrance of the great things he had done to this nation and Africa as a whole.





One of Africa’s most respected figures, Julius Nyerere (1922 — 1999) was a politician of principle and intelligence. Known as Mwalimu or teacher he had a vision of education that was rich with possibility







 
Julius Kambarage Nyerere was born on April 13, 1922 in Butiama, on the eastern shore of lake Victoria in north west Tanganyika. His father was the chief of the small Zanaki tribe. He was 12 before he started school (he had to walk 26 miles to Musoma to do so). Later, he transferred for his secondary education to the Tabora Government Secondary School. His intelligence was quickly recognized by the Roman Catholic fathers who taught him. He went on, with their help, to train as a teacher at Makerere University in Kampala (Uganda). On gaining his Certificate, he taught for three years and then went on a government scholarship to study history and political economy for his Master of Arts at the University of Edinburgh (he was the first Tanzanian to study at a British university and only the second to gain a university degree outside Africa. In Edinburgh, partly through his encounter with Fabian thinking, Nyerere began to develop his particular vision of connecting socialism with African communal living.

On his return to Tanganyika, Nyerere was forced by the colonial authorities to make a choice between his political activities and his teaching. He was reported as saying that he was a schoolmaster by choice and a politician by accident. Working to bring a number of different nationalist factions into one grouping he achieved this in 1954 with the formation of TANU (the Tanganyika African National Union). He became President of the Union (a post he held until 1977), entered the Legislative Council in 1958 and became chief minister in 1960. A year later Tanganyika was granted internal self-government and Nyerere became premier. Full independence came in December 1961 and he was elected President in 1962.

Nyerere’s integrity, ability as a political orator and organizer, and readiness to work with different groupings was a significant factor in independence being achieved without bloodshed. In this he was helped by the co-operative attitude of the last British governor — Sir Richard Turnbull. In 1964, following a coup in Zanzibar (and an attempted coup in Tanganyika itself) Nyerere negotiated with the new leaders in Zanzibar and agreed to absorb them into the union government. The result was the creation of the Republic of Tanzania.

Ujamma, socialism and self reliance

As President, Nyerere had to steer a difficult course. By the late 1960s Tanzania was one of the world’s poorest countries. Like many others it was suffering from a severe foreign debt burden, a decrease in foreign aid, and a fall in the price of commodities. His solution, the collectivization of agriculture, villigization (see Ujamma below) and large-scale nationalization was a unique blend of socialism and communal life. The vision was set out in the Arusha Declaration of 1967 (reprinted in Nyerere 1968):

"The objective of socialism in the United Republic of Tanzania is to build a society in which all members have equal rights and equal opportunities; in which all can live in peace with their neighbours without suffering or imposing injustice, being exploited, or exploiting; and in which all have a gradually increasing basic level of material welfare before any individual lives in luxury." (Nyerere 1968: 340)

The focus, given the nature of Tanzanian society, was on rural development. People were encouraged (sometimes forced) to live and work on a co-operative basis in organized villages or ujamaa (meaning ‘familyhood’ in Kishwahili). The idea was to extend traditional values and responsibilities around kinship to Tanzania as a whole.

Within the Declaration there was a commitment to raising basic living standards (and an opposition to conspicuous consumption and large private wealth). The socialism he believed in was ‘people-centred’. Humanness in its fullest sense rather than wealth creation must come first. Societies become better places through the development of people rather than the gearing up of production. This was a matter that Nyerere took to be important both in political and private terms. Unlike many other politicians, he did not amass a large fortune through exploiting his position.

The policy met with significant political resistance (especially when people were forced into rural communes) and little economic success. Nearly 10 million peasants were moved and many were effectively forced to give up their land. The idea of collective farming was less than attractive to many peasants. A large number found themselves worse off. Productivity went down. However, the focus on human development and self-reliance did bring some success in other areas notably in health, education and in political identity.


Liberation struggles

A committed pan-Africanist, Nyerere provided a home for a number of African liberation movements including the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan African Congress (PAC) of South Africa, Frelimo when seeking to overthrow Portuguese rule in Mozambique, Zanla (and Robert Mugabe) in their struggle to unseat the white regime in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He also opposed the brutal regime of Idi Amin in Uganda. Following a border invasion by Amin in 1978, a 20,000-strong Tanzanian army along with rebel groups, invaded Uganda. It took the capital, Kampala, in 1979, restoring Uganda’s first President, Milton Obote, to power. The battle against Amin was expensive and placed a strain on government finances. There was considerable criticism within Tanzania that he had both overlooked domestic issues and had not paid proper attention to internal human rights abuses. Tanzania was a one party state and while there was a strong democratic element in organization and a concern for consensus, this did not stop Nyerere using the Preventive Detention Act to imprison opponents. In part this may have been justified by the need to contain divisiveness, but there does appear to have been a disjuncture between his commitment to human rights on the world stage, and his actions at home.


Retirement

In 1985 Nyerere gave up the Presidency but remained as chair of the Party - Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM). He gradually withdrew from active politics, retiring to his farm in Butiama. In 1990 he relinquished his chairmanship of CCM but remained active on the world stage as Chair of the Intergovernmental South Centre. One of his last high profile actions was as the chief mediator in the Burundi conflict (in 1996). He died in a London hospital of leukaemia on October 14, 1999.

 "We will always remember you" : Msongo

Sunday, October 13, 2013

J. J. Abrahams:

Biography for
J.J. Abrams

 
Date of Birth
27 June 1966, New York City, New York, USA

Birth Name
Jeffrey Jacob Abrams

Height
5' 7" (1.70 m)   



Mini Biography
Jeffrey Jacob "J.J." Abrams (born June 27, 1966) is an American film and television producer, screenwriter, director, actor, and composer. He wrote and produced feature films before co-creating the television series Felicity (1998–2002). He also created Alias (2001–2006) and co-created Lost (2004–2010), Fringe (2008–present), and Undercovers (2010). Abrams directed the films Mission: Impossible III (2006), Star Trek (2009), and Super 8 (2011) and produced the films Cloverfield (2008) and Morning Glory (2010). 

Early life
Abrams was born in New York and raised in Los Angeles where he attended Palisades Charter High School. He is the son of television producer Gerald W. Abrams and executive producer Carol. Abrams, who is Jewish, attended Sarah Lawrence College. 

Career
Abrams's first job in the movie business started when he was 16 when he wrote music for Don Dohler's film Nightbeast. During his senior year at college, he teamed with Jill Mazursky to write a feature film treatment. Purchased by Touchstone Pictures, the treatment was the basis for Taking Care of Business, Abrams's first produced film, which starred Charles Grodin and Jim Belushi. He followed that up with Regarding Henry, starring Harrison Ford, and Forever Young, starring Mel Gibson. 

Abrams collaborated with producer Jerry Bruckheimer and director Michael Bay on the 1998 film, Armageddon. That same year, he made his first foray into television with Felicity, which ran for four seasons on The WB Network, serving as the show's co-creator (with Matt Reeves) and executive producer. He also composed its opening theme music.

Under his production company Bad Robot, which he founded with Bryan Burk in 2001, Abrams created and executive-produced ABC's Alias and is co-creator (with Damon Lindelof) and executive producer of Lost. He later co-wrote the teleplay for Losts third season premiere "A Tale of Two Cities". As with Felicity, Abrams also composed the opening theme music for Alias and Lost.
In 2001 Abrams co-wrote and produced the thriller Joy Ride, and wrote an unproduced screenplay for a fifth Superman film in 2002. 

In 2006 he served as executive producer of What About Brian and Six Degrees, also on ABC. Abrams directed and wrote the two-part pilot for Lost and remained active producer for the first half of the season. That same year he made his feature directorial debut in 2006 with Mission: Impossible III, starring Tom Cruise.

In 2008 Abrams produced the monster movie, Cloverfield. In 2009 he directed the science fiction film Star Trek, which he produced with Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof. While it was speculated that they would be writing and producing an adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels, they publicly stated in November 2009 that they were no longer looking to take on that project. 

He is one of the creators of the Fox Network series Fringe, for which he again composed the theme music.
Abrams is featured in the 2009 MTV Movie Awards 1980s-style digital short "Cool Guys Don't Look at Explosions", with Andy Samberg and Will Ferrell, in which he plays a keyboard solo. 

Personal life
Abrams is married to public relations exec Katie McGrath and has three children: sons August and Henry and daughter Gracie. He resides in Pacific Palisades, California. 

Abrams has made donations to the Democratic Party. Campaigns he has contributed to include those of Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Bill Bradley, John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, Bob Casey, Jr., Mark Udall, Harry Reid, Russ Feingold, and Patrick J. Kennedy. However, he has also donated $2,000 to the Republican Robert Vasquez.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Hopeful Futures:

Hopeful Futures Foundation” Dedicated to improving the lives of the poor through education, economic and social development programs.


HFF is an international educational NGO registered both in the United Kingdom and Tanzania. It was founded in September, 2009. Seeing the lack of educational level in several institutions of Tanzania, Anike Lawal created Hopeful Futures Foundation, an educational NGO, which would help children in need. The organization aims to ensure equal access to quality education for all disadvantaged youth by increasing enrollment, quality of learning, and the number of programs available. Hopeful Futures collaborates closely with local and national government, communities, parents and volunteers. The work of Hopeful Futures includes implementing Education, Health Care and Economic and Social Development programs.
. “Hopeful Futures” Educational NGO currently implements 3 projects pre-school program, recycling program and  English learning center.


KEY FACTS
HFF is concerned with young children’s overall development and therefore promotes and implements a holistic approach including education, health, nutrition and economic sustainability:
  • Believes that the growth and development of a child depends upon his parents and therefore actively highlights empowerment of parents especially mother’s capacity to support them, to support their children.
  • Gives high priority to participating approach, involvement of community in all process of development and decision-making, therefore actively promoted the need based programmes, which are initiated by the community for development.
  • Also believes in creating people’s institution and local strength for sustainable development and therefore provides encouragement and skill training for building up local organizations, leadership capacity of resources and working in solidarity with networking.
Moreover, concentrating on the development of young children and their environment will have a preventing and lasting effect and will generate sustainable benefits.


Hopeful Futures focuses its resources on helping children and young people, ages 3-24, from rural communities in Africa. Students come from impoverished homes that work in agriculture to make less than 1.25 USD a day. The children and young people who are being helped are often orphans or have only one parent due to HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other killing diseases.


Hopeful Futures Foundation has a school for 130 children in preschool up to form 1. These children are provided with education, two nutritious meals a day, and health services at no cost.


"We are setting up schools in Nigeria and Senegal.
We believe in using innovative methods to provide free education to as many children as possible."


For more information please visit http://www.hopefulfutures.org.uk 

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

True Myth about Vampires:

The public's thirst for vampires seems as endless as vampires' thirst for blood. Modern writers of vampire fiction, including Stephenie Meyer, Anne Rice, Stephen King and countless others, have a rich vein of vampire lore to draw from. But where did the vampires come from?

 

The vampires most people are familiar with (such as Dracula) are revenants — human corpses that are said to return from the grave to harm the living; these vampires have Slavic origins only a few hundred years old. But other, older, versions of the vampire were not thought to be human at all but instead supernatural, possibly demonic, entities that did not take human form.

Matthew Beresford, author of "From Demons to Dracula: The Creation of the Modern Vampire Myth" notes that "There are clear foundations for the vampire in the ancient world, and it is impossible to prove when the myth first arose. There are suggestions that the vampire was born out of sorcery in ancient Egypt, a demon summoned into this world from some other." There are many variations of vampires from around the world. There are Asian vampires, such as the Chinese jianshi, evil spirits that attack people and drain their life energy; the blood-drinking Wrathful Deities that appear in the "Tibetan Book of the Dead," and many others.

Interest and belief in revenants surged in the Middle Ages in Europe. Though in most modern stories the classic way to become a vampire is to be bitten by one

The belief in vampires stems from superstition and mistaken assumptions about post-mortem decay. The first recorded accounts of vampires follow a consistent pattern: Some unexplained misfortune would befall a person, family, or town — perhaps a drought dried up crops, or an infectious disease struck. Before science could explain weather patterns and germ theory, any bad event for which there was not an obvious cause might be blamed on a vampire. Vampires were one easy answer to the age-old question of why bad things happen to good people.

How do you protect your self from vampires?? Well In some traditions the best way to stop a vampire is to carry a small bag of salt with you. If you are being chased, you need only to spill the salt on the ground behind you, at which point the vampire is obligated to stop and count each and every grain before continuing the pursuit. If you don't have salt handy, some say that any small granules will do, including birdseed or sand. Others say that there's an unwritten rule of vampire etiquette that they cannot enter a home unless formally invited in.
Centuries ago, it was not uncommon for suspected vampires to be staked in their graves. The idea was to physically pin the vampire to the earth, and the chest was chosen because it's the trunk of the body, not because of any particular symbolic connection to the heart. Other traditional methods of preventing vampires included burying (or re-burying) the bodies face-down and decapitation, which often included stuffing the severed head's mouth with garlic or bricks.

These are some of the myth we have researched so far. If you think you know more about vampires or you have seen one please write to us and tell your own story exclusive here in Msongo.

Movie Review: Gravity

Arguably the best tagline for a movie EVER, "In space no one can hear you scream" Alien's "In space no one can hear you scream" tagline is arguably the best tagline for a movie of all-time. That same tagline could easily be effectively utilized for Alfonso Cuarón's latest thriller, Gravity.

Starring two unknowns by the names of George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, Gravity puts the two A-listers together as a medical engineer and an astronaut that must work in tandem to survive once a freak accident leaves them adrift in space.



Their struggle takes place after debris from a Russian satellite comes speeding through their orbit ripping their space shuttle to shreds causing Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) to float untethered in space. Coming to her aid is astronaut Matt Kowalsky (Clooney) who estimates that the debris will again circle the earth and again zip past their location in approximately 90-minutes. Their mission quickly changes into a race to survival 600km above the earth where help from anyone outside of each other is impossible.

Alfonso Cuarón is chiseling himself quite a career. He was last behind the camera for Children of Men (2006) which was nominated for three Academy Awards and he was also responsible for the best film in the Harry Potter film series with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). But Gravity is his best work to date.

Bullock carries the film (expect some murmurs for a Best Actress nomination) and Gravity centers on the two main characters only. There are no other developed characters. Two other astronauts and a radio voice from Houston, Texas are the only other character influences and their parts wouldn't amount to 2 minutes if strung in order.

With only two actors to carry the entire 90-minute runtime, the movie relies heavily on its visuals of space and the various orbiting stations with the earth always prominent in the background. And the visuals are fantastic. There are no side-stories, sub-plots, unnecessary fluff or sexual tension between the characters. Just a desperate attempt to make the most of the oxygen they have left.

Gravity is the best 3D film ever. Ever. Add to the mix the incredible visuals and perfect sound (both loud and quiet) and you have a faultless mix. Gravity will contend for Oscar's in Visual Effects, Sound and Editing.

Cuarón incredibly is able to give his audience a sense of claustrophobia whether his cast are inside an orbiting capsule or in the vast darkness of space. And as the astronauts deal with each new developing tragedy, the audience will themselves be gasping for air rooting for the character's success in each new attempt at survival.

With still a few months left in the year, it's too early to call a film the year's best. But Gravity will definitely be there on many lists at the year's conclusion. It's that breathtaking. It's that good.

Why breakfast is a must..

 

I never got the point why my mom had to force me to drink "uji wa ulezi" (porridge) early in the morning,at some point i thought she was such a bully forcing me to eat in the morning while am not hungry.

In today's busy world most of us skip breakfast and wait for lunch,i understand some do it on purpose thinking its the best way to lose weight ...i strongly believe they are wrong..breakfast helps set the tone for the rest of the day.. after reading this article am quite sure you will not miss breakfast everyday..

1. Break the fast. Ever think of what "breakfast" means? Your body responds to not eating for hours and hours by slowing down it's metabolic rate. By eating breakfast, you wake up your metabolism and get your engine humming, burning those calories you need to burn to lose weight. 

2. Eat more, weigh less. Researchers have repeatedly shown that people who eat breakfast have a better chance of losing weight, and keeping it off. When you skip meals, you’re so hungry by lunchtime you'd eat an entire cow! Research carried out at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh has shown that eating breakfast cereal in the morning helps aid weight loss. 

3. Are you interested in doing better at work and school? Don’t be a bed head... breakfast helps wake you up. Studies show that people who eat breakfast are more alert and do better on tests than people who skip breakfast. Conversely, a hungry child can be apathetic, disinterested, and irritable when confronted with difficult tasks. Breakfast is the key." No doubt adults need breakfast as much as kids do. 

4. Breakfast is your chance to eat the foods you may not eat the rest of the day. You can have whole-grain cereal and berries with non-fat milk - here is your fibre, folic acid and calcium in one easy-to-grab bowl. Low-carbers need to go very easy on grains, so opt for the highest-fibre brand you can find. However, why not indulge instead in the typical eggs and lean bacon breakfast most other eating plans frown upon? 

5. Skipping breakfast makes you grouchy. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to be in better moods (when I’m hungry - watch out!). Breakfast gets you started on the right track for the day. If you start out with a healthy breakfast, then you set the mood for lunch. You're more likely to choose something reasonable for lunch if you’ve paid some attention to your breakfast choices.

6. Cancel the Danish or sugared doughnut first thing in the morning - they cause a blood sugar dip a couple of hours later. You’ll be desperate for something to perk you up, and are more likely to grab another high-sugar refined carb, for a quick sugar rush. 

7. Breakfast makes your machine run better. Get yourself on a schedule with a healthy breakfast, and you’re ready to take on the world. 

8. If you’re a parent, set a good example. By skipping breakfast, your kids will think it’s not important. Breakfast doesn' have to be a big affair, but don’t wimp out... make it a habit, and your kids will be way ahead of the game too. 

9. Don’t eat dessert for breakfast. If you think a cereal bar with 30 grams of sugar is a breakfast item, then think again. Some cereal bars contain nearly as much sugar and fat as a regular chocolate bar. 

10. One more word about labels... if it says, "Nutritious," it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. Cereal manufacturers are experts in marketing, using words that send a message of health, but unless you read the labels, eat at your own risk. Kids’ cereals often have more sugar than sweets. Protect your kids from getting hooked on these cereals... they’ll get used to all the sugar, and will want only pre-sweetened cereals.
Whatever your diet you follow... breakfast is one meal you don’t want to miss.

13 things women should have done in their twenties..

 Shutterstock

1. When that man you have a crush on asks, "Are you a good girl or a bad girl?" laugh in his face, spin on your heel and ignore his calls.

2. Wear sunscreen. At least around your eyes and above your currently pert upper lip's cupid's bow.

3. Just because you share blood with people doesn't mean you have to give them the time of day if they are hell-bent on making you feel small, misunderstood and wrong. You've given them enough chances. Cut the cord.

4. Sign up for small automatic savings deposits that kick in every time you get paid. You'll be making down payments on your own future freedom.

5. Rejection is not a sign that you should stop doing what you love. It is married to doing what you love. It should not be kneecapping you. Embrace it.

6. If you have a problem with a valued friend, bite the bullet and talk about it. Don't just disappear on her or him.
7. Tell the truth. People really do sense it when you lie to them, and it makes them distrust you or themselves. It's the darndest thing.

8. You were raised to think that you should be married well before 30 -- and that everything else you fill your life with adds up to failure if you remain single. That's a giant bucket of steaming dookie. Be choosy. The happiness you're chasing is actually suffusing your life right now. You will look back on this time very wistfully when you've got spit-up in your hair and a husband who expects hot meals, a sparkling-clean house and you to resemble the cutie he married.

9. Reconnect with your gut. I know you were raised to ignore it, and to first please others. Without a connection to your gut, you have no compass. Listen to it. If it squawks, pay attention. The more you listen to it, the more you'll avoid messy/self-destructive detours and align with your own satisfying path.

10. You are so beautiful right now. Your skin is amazing. Your metabolism is forgiving. You have epic amounts of energy and curiosity. Do not look to others to fuel up your self-esteem. You're made of awesome. Own it and others will see it.

11. Go easier on your mother. Every single thing (except for maybe three) that annoys and disappoints you about her will be something you recognize in yourself as you get older. That's one big bakery full of humble pie you're cooking up right now.

12. Don't be competitive. Be collaborative. There's plenty of room at the table.

13. Your dream life is not something that will appear to you, or not, like an elusive, mythical unicorn. You build your own specifically perfect life every time you listen to your gut, shake off rejection, honor friends, embrace choosiness, feed your savings account, recognize your own arrogance and ignore dudes who speak bimbo.

Benefits of Orgasm

 



  • Aids Your Emotional Health
when you know what it takes to make yourself orgasm, you may increase your emotional confidence and intelligence. "When you understand how your body works and ... [that it] is capable of pleasure on its own, regardless of your partner status, you make much better decisions in relationships," says Logan Levkoff, Ph.D., a sexologist and certified sexuality educator. "You don't look to someone else to legitimize that you're a sexual being."

  • Gives You A Healthy Glow
 There actually might be something to the idea that we "glow" after sex. The hormone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), which shows increased levels during sexual excitement, can actually make your skin healthier.

  • It Relieves Stress
 Most of our lives are so hectic that it's hard to even imagine being relaxed. However, it turns out that sexual release can double as stress relief. Not only do the hormones help with this task, Berman says that being sexual also gives our minds a break: "When we're stressed out and overextending ourselves, [we're] not being in the moment. Being sexual requires us to focus on one thing only."

  • It's A Natural Painkiller
 One thing that Victorian practitioners may have been onto is that orgasms can work to soothe certain aches and pains -- namely migraines and menstrual cramps. (So now you know what to do next time you have a headache if you don't feel like popping an Excedrin.) According to Berman, the contractions that make up an orgasm can actually work to evacuate blood clots during your period, providing some temporary relief.

  • Keeps Your Brain Healthy
Having an orgasm not only works out your heart, but also your head. Barry Komisaruk, Ph.D. told Cosmopolitan that orgasms actually nourish the brain with oxygen. "Functional MRI images show that women's brains utilize much more oxygen during orgasm than usual," Komisaruk says.

  • Helps You Sleep
A little pleasure may go a long way towards a good night's rest. A recent survey of 1,800 women found that over 30 percent of them used sexual release as a natural sedative.

  • Lifts Your Mood
Feeling down in the dumps? An orgasm might be just what you need to pick yourself up. In addition to endorphins, dopamine and oxytocin are also released during orgasm. All three of these hormones have what Berman terms "mood-enhancing effects." In fact, dopamine is the same hormone that's released when individuals use drugs such as cocaine -- or eat something really delicious.

  • It's A Form Of Cardio
Although it can't be considered an alternative to daily exercise, having an orgasm is a cardiovascular activity. "Your heart rate increases, blood pressure increases [and your] respiratory rate increases," says Berman. And because it's akin to running in many physiological respects, your body also releases endorphins. Sounds like a pretty fun way to work your heart out.

  • Keeps Your Blood Flowing
According to Dr. Jennifer Berman, co-founder of the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA, orgasms increase your circulation, keeping the blood flowing to your genital area. This in turn keeps your tissue healthy!


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