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U.S. Study to Target Blacks in Vitamin D, Fish Oil Test

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 27, 2009 at 10:07am

Two of the most popular and promising dietary supplements — vitamin D and fish oil — will be tested in a large, government-sponsored study to see whether either nutrient can lower a healthy person's risk of getting cancer, heart disease or having a stroke. It will be one of the first big nutrition studies ever to target a specific racial group — blacks, who will comprise one quarter of the participants. People with dark skin are unable to make much vitamin D from sunlight, and researchers think this deficiency may help explain why blacks have higher rates of cancer, stroke and heart disease. "If something as simple as taking a vitamin D pill could help lower these risks and eliminate these health disparities, that would be extraordinarily exciting," said Dr. JoAnn Manson. She and Dr. Julie Buring, of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, will co-lead the study. "But we should be cautious before jumping on the bandwagon to take mega-doses of these supplements," Manson warned. "We know from history that many of these nutrients that looked promising in observational studies didn't pan out." Vitamins C, E, folic acid, beta carotene, selenium and even menopause hormone pills once seemed to lower the risk of cancer or heart disease — until they were tested in big studies that sometimes revealed risks instead of benefits. In October, the government stopped a big study of vitamin E and selenium pills for prostate cancer prevention after seeing no evidence of benefit and hints of harm. Vitamin D is one of the last major nutrients to be put to a rigorous test. For years, evidence has been building that many people are deficient in "the sunshine vitamin." It is tough to get enough from dietary sources like milk and oily fish. Cancer rates are higher in many northern regions where sunlight is weak in the winter, and some studies have found that people with lower blood levels of vitamin D are more likely to develop cancer. Fish oil, or omega-3 fatty acid, is widely recommended for heart health. However, studies of it so far have mostly involved people who already have heart problems or who eat a lot of fish, such as in Japan. Foods also increasingly are fortified with omega-3, so it is important to establish its safety and benefit. "Vitamin D and omega-3s have powerful anti-inflammatory effects that may be key factors in preventing many diseases. They may also work through other pathways that influence cancer and cardiovascular risk," Manson said. However, getting nutrients from a pill is different than getting them from foods, and correcting a deficiency is not the same as healthy people taking large doses from a supplement. The new study, which will start later this year, will enroll 20,000 people with no history of heart attacks, stroke or a major cancer — women 65 or older and men 60 or older. They will be randomly assigned to take vitamin D, fish oil, both nutrients or dummy pills for five years. The daily dose of vitamin D will be about 2,000 international units of D-3, also known as cholecalciferol, the most active form. For fish oil, the daily dose will be about one gram — five to 10 times what the average American gets. Participants' health will be monitored through questionnaires, medical records and in some cases, periodic in-person exams. "We're hoping to see a result during the trial, that we won't have to wait five years" to find out if supplements help, Manson said. Researchers also plan to study whether these nutrients help prevent memory loss, depression, diabetes, osteoporosis and other problems, Buring said. The $20 million study will be sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and other federal agencies. Pharmavite LLC of Northridge, Calif., is providing the vitamin D pills, and Ocean Nutrition Canada Ltd. of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, is providing the omega-3 fish oil capsules. Source: BlackNews
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French cosmetics giant L’Oréal guilty of racial discrimination

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 26, 2009 at 10:00am

L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant, whose advertising campaigns proclaim “because you’re worth it”, was found guilty of racial discrimination for considering black, Arab and Asian women unworthy of selling its shampoo. France’s highest court was told that the group had sought an all-white team of sales staff to promote Fructis Style, a haircare product made by Garnier, L’Oréal’s beauty division. The word went out that Garnier’s hostesses should be BBR — “bleu, blanc, rouge” — the colours of the French flag. The expression is widely recognised in the French recruitment world as a code for white French people born to white French parents, a court was told, in effect excluding the four million or so members of ethnic minorities in France. La Cour de Cassation, the equivalent of the US Supreme Court, said that the policy was illegal under French employment law, upholding a ruling given by the Paris Appeal Court in 2007 That image already suffered a battering when L’Oréal executives were forced to deny claims that they had lightened the singer Beyoncé Knowles’s skin for a campaign last year. The ruling also hinted at widespread prejudice among French shoppers since L’Oréal believed that they were more likely to buy shampoo from white sales staff, the court was told. The ruling will fuel anger among black and Arab French people, who complain that they face widespread discrimination when seeking employment. The court ruled that Adecco, the temporary recruitment agency whose Districom division hired the hostesses, was also guilty of racial discrimination. The Paris Appeal Court had fined both L’Oréal and Adecco €30,000 (£25,500) and ordered them to pay a further €30,000 each in damages to SOS Racisme, the anti-racist campaign group, which brought the case. The court upheld the fines but told the appeal court judges to reconsider the damages. L’Oréal expressed “disappointment” at the judgment, which ends three years of legal wrangling over the discrimination claims. Adecco declined to comment. Samuel Thomas, the vice-chairman of SOS Racisme, described the ruling as a “very great victory”. He said: “Whatever the size of the company, none is able to escape prosecution.” The court was told that a Districom executive had sent a fax to its headquarters in 2000 saying that Garnier’s hostesses should be aged 18 to 22, wear size 38 to 42 clothes (British sizes 8 to 12) and be “BBR”. Prosecutors said that Garnier wanted to exclude members of the ethnic minorities on the ground that they would be less likely to sell its shampoo in French shops. The court was told that only 4.65 per cent of the hostesses hired for Garnier’s campaign were black, Asian or Arab. Before the BBR fax went out, the agency had been offering a pool of candidates in which 38.7 per cent were from ethnic minorities, suggesting that they had been blocked during the final stages of recruitment. Districom employees said that they were given oral instructions to favour white sales staff. But Thérèse Coulange, the deputy managing director of Districom, who sent the fax, said that she had merely wanted hostesses able to “express themselves correctly in French”. She said that the fax had been a personal initiative and not the implementation of company policy. Laurent Dubois, Garnier’s former managing director, told a lower court that he had “never given the slightest order to discriminate against anyone” and described racial prejudice as “foreign to L’Oréal’s genes”. Source: Times Online
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Michael Jackson Doctor M.I.A.

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 26, 2009 at 9:53am

We've learned law enforcement is looking for a doctor who lived at Michael Jackson's home -- and the doctor is nowhere to be found. Law enforcement sources tell us a BMW belonging to the doctor was towed from Jackson's home last night. Cops are looking to interview the doc. A law enforcement source says the doctor gave Jackson an injection before he died. Jackson reportedly may have OD'd on Demerol. As we first reported, family members were concerned that Jackson was taking too much morphine. Source : TMZ
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Perez Hilton Sticks His Big Foot In His Mouth Regarding Michael Jackson's Death

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 25, 2009 at 10:38pm

One would think Perez Hilton would be on his best behavior. Earlier in the week, Perez completely disrespected the Gay community by calling Will.i.am a “faggot.” Well, against all odds, Perez Hilton became a bigger douche this week. Immediately after reports surfaced that Michael Jackson had a heart attack, Perez basically called the entire event a sham. But don’t take my words for it, read what Perez wrote…. “We knew something like this would happen!! Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance from his Holmby Hills home to a nearby Los Angeles hospital on Thursday afternoon!! Supposedly, the singer went into cardiac arrest and the paramedics had to administer CPR!!! His mother is even on the way to visit him!!! We are dubious!! Jacko pulled a similar stunt when he was getting ready for his big HBO special in ‘95 when he “collapsed” at rehearsal! He was dragging his heels on that just like his upcoming 50 date London residency at the 02 Arena, of which he already postponed the first few dates!!! Either he’s lying or making himself sick, but we’re curious to see if he’s able to go on!!! Get your money back, ticket holders!!!!” Source : Blog.InGameNow
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Manny Pacquiao gets nod from Evander Holyfield & Lennox Lewis

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 25, 2009 at 2:15pm

Former world heavyweight champions Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield have shared their sentiments over a possible showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr. "Well, until you beat the guy, Pacquiao's the best and that's the thing. Floyd hasn't done that yet," Holyfield told FightHype.com. "When Floyd left, he became the best because Floyd left, but now that Floyd is back, I guess they have to get it on to see who is the best." Mayweather held the No.1 pound-for-pound ranking of Ring Magazine until he retired in 2007. The title now belongs to the Filipino boxing icon. Holyfield thinks that fighting Pacquiao immediately after coming out of retirement is not a good move for Mayweather. "I don't think that would have been smart. I don't think he needs to fight him immediately. That guy is good," Holyfield said of "Pacman." "I think he'll give Floyd trouble. He's got fast hands too, he's left-handed and he's got a lot more speed than pretty much all the guys Floyd has fought," continued the four-time heavyweight champion. Talks about a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight gained ground after Floyd Jr. came out of retirement last May. Mayweather was supposed to have his comeback fight on July 18 against Juan Manuel Marquez but he sustained a rib injury during training. The fight has been postponed. “Whether or not he believes that or if the fight will even happen, we will have to wait and see, but I would like to see it," Lewis, meanwhile, said of the Pacquiao-Mayweather match up. “I think Floyd’s got the talent to beat Pacquiao,” said Lewis, who was recently inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Lewis, a three-time heavyweight champion, also has praises for Pacquiao for his accomplishments in boxing. “He’s putting the Philippines on the map and showing the world that the Philippines is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to boxing,” he said. “I’m glad they don’t have any heavyweights.” “He’s a hero in his country and he could quit fighting any time now and become President,” he added. Lewis said the Filipino reminded him of himself in the way he prepares for each fight. Lewis and Holyfield faced off twice in the ring. The first Lewis-Holyfield fight in March 13, 1999 ended in a draw. Eight months later, Lewis beat Holyfield by unanimous decision to retain his WBC heavyweight title and win the WBA, IBF and vacant IBO heavyweight belts. ABS-CBNNEWS
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R.Kelly Back In More Legal Trouble

Posted by ChasinDatPaper on June 25, 2009 at 1:17pm

R. Kelly isn’t very good at staying out of trouble. The artist has been dragged into a massive investigation in South Africa after a woman, who is now accused of scamming more than 50 people, claimed to be collecting money for an R. Kelly tour that never existed. The woman says the R&B star was part of the plot, which he is now vehemently denying. Source : Egyptsaidso
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