Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Kris Allen

Kris Allen is the winner of American Idol in its 8th season. Adam Lambert was the runner up singer in the finale to the surprise of many of the viewers as reported by the media. Read more at http://www.krisallenofficial.com/us/home Ndhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Allen

Sunday, February 8, 2009

LaToya London

I am an avid viewer of American Idol. Fantasia Barrino was the winner of American Idol the third season in 2004. I like Fantasia, however she was not my choice during the competition that year, I had voted for LaToya, because she won me over with every song.


Here ia a list of the songs that she sang in the competition
"All By Myself"
"Ain't Nobody"
"Ain't Goin' Down Til' The Sun Comes Up"
"Ooh Baby Baby"
"Someone Saved My Life Tonight"
"Somewhere"
"All The Time"
"Rhythm Is Gonna Get You"
"Don't Rain On My Parade"
"Too Close For Comfort"
"Don't Leave Me This Way"
"Love You Inside and Out"

I felt that Latoya outperformed everyone else. I was puzzled why a few of them were still in the competition and LaToya kept coming in behind. The following statement is from the Wikipedia


London was central to one of the first controversies of the show. On April 21, 2004, the night after the final seven contestants performed Barry Manilow songs, London, Jennifer Hudson, and eventual winner Fantasia Barrino shockingly ended up in the bottom three with the least viewer votes. Together, these three had been dubbed "The Three Divas" for their lush, commanding, and mature vocal capabilities and showstopping and critically acclaimed performances. London had the highest vote totals out of the three, and Hudson was ultimately eliminated. Because all three of the singers were African-American and the frontrunners of the competition, music icon Elton John deemed the voting as "racist," igniting a flurry of news and speculation over the validity of the voting system. John complained at a promotional news conference that, "The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three."

When LaToya was eliminated I was shocked and disappointed, the song that she song on her voted off exit convinced me that she was the best singer and the voting process had failed to declare her the winner. She sang "Don't Rain On My Parade" which I still have a vivid memory of her performance.

She is still continuing with her musical career, she performed in the stage musical "The Color Purple" She received great reviews ”American Idol finalist, Latoya London, gives a heart-tugging performance as "Nettie", Celie's sister who is forced to leave her. Ms. London's voice is a pristine, crystal clear soprano voice that brings magical beauty to her songs. Her chemistry with her co-star Bayardelle is both honest and touching, which at the end has the entire audience wiping away tears of joy.” - John Garcia, Pegagus News


She wrote 5 out of the 14 songs on her album. She worked with some
of the greatest producers in the business, i.e., Narada Michael Walden (who produced Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, to name a few), Barry Eastmon (Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin), Reed Vertelney (Luther Vandross), Rex Rideout Omar Edwards and Bradley Spalter.

See and hear her now on My Space

Thursday, January 29, 2009

What Are American Idol Winners Doing Now?


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As of this date the show 'American Idol' just entered its 8th season. Each year as 'American Idol' comes on, I reflect on the past singers to see if they are still in the entertainment business. The previous winners were Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, Jordin Sparks, and David Cook.

They are listed from season 1 with Kelly Clarkson to season 7 with David Cook.

Friday, December 12, 2008

Anxiety Disorders Are Real

Anxiety Disorders Are Real


We’ve all felt anxious at one point or another; it’s a perfectly normal response to stress.  Feeling fear and anxiety actually helps us to cope and accurately respond to stressful situations.  However, people with anxiety disorders feel stress even if there is no trigger there to set it off.  This can cause problems with their mental health, personal relationships, jobs, and physical health.

Not all anxiety disorders are the same; there are actually several different classes.  Plus, just because someone has one disorder doesn’t mean they can’t have another, or at least have some overlapping symptoms.   Here’s a basic overview of the broad types of anxiety disorders.  

Generalized anxiety disorder - While its normal for people to worry occasionally about things when there are lots of stressors, people with generalized anxiety disorder tend to never stop worrying.  They may be worried about finances even if they’re not tight, or constantly expecting bad things to happen even when they don’t.  This constant stress can also lead to physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, trembling, twitching, hot flashes, sweating, and difficulty swallowing.  

Panic disorder - Unlike generalized anxiety disorder, people with panic disorder don’t have anxiety all the time.  Anxiety attacks hit suddenly and without warning or cause.  A anxiety or panic attack is characterized by tight, pounding chest, terror, difficulty breathings, dizziness, shaking, nausea, numbness is extremities, chills or hot flashes, and a fear of losing control.

Social anxiety disorder - This is also known as social phobia and is an extreme fear of social interaction.  People with this disorder are constantly worried about people judging them or about being embarrassed in front of people.  For some people, the disorder is so severe they don’t participate in normal socializing activities and some are even mute in certain situations.  

Post traumatic stress disorder - This diagnosis has become much more prevalent in the past few years.  Often, people become ridden with anxiety after a traumatic event and constantly worry about similar situations happening again.  For more severe cases, the person can be left unable to live their normal life again.  While stressful events trigger the symptoms, not everyone in a similar situation will develop PTSD. 

Obsessive compulsive disorder - This is an anxiety disorder that includes persistent unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions).  Someone may obsess over germs and then compulsively clean and sanitize.  Compulsive behavior often includes rituals that must be done before a person can go on with their daily lives and activities.  

The problem with some anxiety disorders is that many people don’t even realize they have them.  If they’ve had the problem their whole life, it’s something they simply see as a normal part of life.  Others will likely just see them as overprotective or simply a worry wart and just write it off.  While it may just seem like an inconvenience, it can build into a real problem.  

The good news is that these disorders are treatable.  There are many new medications and therapies that can help you live a normal, healthy life.  

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Raw Milk and Pregnancy

Here are the reasons why pregnant women should not ingest raw milk.

Raw milk that is not “clean” or does not go through the pasteurization process contains harmful bacteria such as listeria, salmonella, and E. coli. It is estimated that pregnant women are more likely to develop listeriosis than healthier adults. This can be extremely harmful not only to the pregnant woman but the fetus as well.

For example, there is a domino effect which can cause a myriad of problems. According to doctors, there are hormonal changes in a pregnant woman which can affect the course of treatment. While medication may cure the illness, it may affect the unborn fetus. How? It can cause miscarriages, illness, and even death. Even if the newborn survives, the immune system in an infant is not fully developed and their illness can become even more pronounced which would require appropriate medications to treat the newborn. This is the domino effect.

While it is true that raw milk that is clean and acquired from a farmer whose practices are beyond repute can be utilized, there is always the possibility that the bacteria can cause severe illness in a pregnant woman, which in turn can affect the fetus. Although it is also true that the “good” bacterium in raw milk plays an important role in preventing diseases among children, it can have an opposite effect in women who are pregnant.

In addition, any foods that are made from raw milk, such as cheeses, can also be harmful to pregnant women. Some of the symptoms associated with drinking or eating foods derived from raw milk can include vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and body aches.

There are a number of online blogs wherein women state they have been drinking raw milk during and after pregnancy. Some even swear by its benefits. They have not developed any illness from it and their babies are born healthy. In fact, some women state that raw milk is part of their family’s diet.

While the controversy surrounding the question of drinking raw milk during pregnancy will no doubt continue, since the data suggests that pregnant women have a higher chance of developing illness, one has to conclude that pregnant women should not drink raw milk.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ugotinfo Timely Tips: Sleep Walking Tips

Sleep Walking Tips
























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Sleepwalking is often parodied on television and in the movies, but when it happens in our own homes it can be rather scary. Estimates vary, but some say that as many as 17% of children and 10% of adults sleepwalk. So if it is happening to you or someone you love, you're certainly not alone.

Someone who gets up in the middle of the night and walks around in a dazed manner is probably sleepwalking. But that's not all that happens. Some sleepwalkers don't walk at all, but they sit up in bed and talk. Others get up and eat, feed pets, or go for a stroll outside.

In and of itself, sleepwalking is not a dangerous condition. It usually requires no treatment unless it is happening regularly. The most important concern is keeping the sleepwalker safe. Here are some of the do's and don'ts of dealing with a sleepwalker.

Do's

* Keep the windows and doors shut and locked. If you find that the sleepwalker is trying to open them, consider putting child locks on them. Even if you have an adult sleepwalker, he will probably be incapable of figuring them out while asleep.

* Put up safety gates. This is especially important at staircases. You could also block off a small area so that the sleepwalker can't go outside of it. But if the sleepwalker is a child, it's a good idea to provide access to the bathroom and your bedroom.

* Let the sleepwalker sleep on the ground floor if possible. This will make it even less likely that he will fall down the stairs or go out a high window.

* Get rid of clutter on the floor. Sleepwalkers are prone to tripping and falling, so it is important to eliminate items that present a danger as much as possible.

* Keep sharp, breakable, and otherwise dangerous items in a safe place. Lock them up in a cabinet, or put them far out of reach.

Don'ts

* Never let a sleepwalker sleep on the top bunk. He could attempt to step out of bed and fall to the floor, possibly resulting in severe injuries.

* Don't wake someone who is sleepwalking. This could frighten him terribly. Instead, talk to him in a soothing voice and lead him back to bed.

* Don't let the sleepwalker drink a lot of liquids in the evening. In some cases, a full bladder can be a contributing factor in sleepwalking episodes. Caffeine should also be avoided in the evening, because it can cause sleep disturbances, which may exacerbate the problem.

Sleepwalking isn't cause for alarm as long as the sleepwalker doesn't harm himself or others. If he does, or if sleepwalking occurs more than a couple of times a month, it might be time to get a doctor involved. But in most cases, simply maintaining a safe environment is preferable to medical treatment.