DID YOU KNOW...

Dr. Robert Atkins, guru of the protein-rich Atkins diet, was technically obese when he died. According to his death certificate, he was 6 feet tall and 258 pounds at the time of his death. Dr. Atkins fell into a coma and died after he suffered a head injury from a fall outside his New York clinic.

His widow and other proponents of the Atkins diet claim that he weighed 195 pounds upon entering the hospital, but due to fluid retention during his coma, he gained the additional weight while in the hospital. They supported their claim with hospital records that they turned over to USA Today, indicating that Atkins did indeed weigh 195 pounds upon admission.

In April 2002, Dr. Atkins suffered a heart attack. Atkins claimed that the cardiac arrest was due to a heart infection he had suffered from for a few years and that it was unrelated to his diet.

What Does Research Show?

A recent study found that an Atkins diet improved cholesterol and triglycerides and was better at achieving weight loss at six months than a conventional low-fat diet. The study went on to show, however, that at one year, the benefits of the Atkins diet had dissipated, and the diet was no more effective than a conventional low-fat diet for weight loss. Also, this study did not address some important health risks associated with the diet.

Keep in mind that the healthiest weight-loss goals are for the long term (generally defined as one year or longer). While just about any calorie-restrictive diet can work to quickly get you into a smaller size, long-term weight loss is rarely achieved this way. And there still hasn’t been a study demonstrating that low carbohydrate/high protein diets are more effective than a low-calorie diet for long-term weight loss.

There has not been a definitive long-term study on the health effects of the Atkins diet. I've had friends drop weight dramatically, but some of them have had their bad cholesterol go up, even though their overall cholesterol came down. Others have complained about fatigue.

Read more about Atkins' death.
Urban Legends:Death of a Diet Doctor (Snopes)
Detroit News Health

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THEME THURSDAY - "EVERYDAY THINGS"

Colored Pencils
Originally uploaded by Rene.

Theme Thursday - "Everyday Things" Submission

I ran across this box of colored pencils when trying to find something to photograph for today's photo meme.

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EMAIL, WISHLIST & OTHER NEWS

A blogger I visit regularly just got a nice gift from a reader, so being that my husband just broke our blender and we need some other kitchen appliances, I've put a link to my Amazon Wishlist in the right column. What the hell. I might get lucky.

On the email front, I got my first email subscriber the other day! Sorry to single you out, but you're kind of... singular at the moment. I made him confirm twice, just to be sure.

I write my blog for me, primarily, but it's nice to know that other people find it interesting. For those that don't want to visit everyday but still want to read my blog, you can sign up, at right, to receive my posts in your email inbox, or click this link.

In other news, I just found out that my Uncle Sam (yes, he's really my uncle and his name is Sam) has been battling stomach cancer for the past year and half. He has had 70% of his stomach removed, and he expects to be in treatment for another 3 and a half years. Initially, they didn't give him a very good chance for survival. After his first operations, he was taken to the ICU instead of recovery.

His treatments make him tired, and he also can't eat much, but he said that eating a lot was never good for him anyway. He says he feels fine, and he sounds good. I think he expects to make a full recovery.

When I found out he had cancer, I phoned my father and cousin, only to discover that I was the only one that didn't know. Somehow, I've become a "connected" Robinson Crusoe. I've got email. I've got a phone. Why wasn't I told?

The only other person I can think of that probably doesn't know is my Uncle Tom because he doesn't have email and whatnot. That's right. I have an Uncle Sam and an Uncle Tom. I've got the makings for my own comic strip, but who am I kidding? He probably knew.

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PHOTO FRIDAY

Photo Friday - "Family" Submission

Brothers
Originally uploaded by Rene.

Click on the image to view a larger image.

Sorry. This keeps getting re-posted because I'm never sure how much to write about my photos, and I'm trying out Flickr. The resolution I was getting with Blogger was just bad.

Almost all of these photo memes require me to take new photos because I just don't have very many, and I certainly don't have many photos of family. Since these guys are the most photogenic in our family, I had to get them to hurry up and finish their homework before dinner so I could get the shot.

These are my little cousins. They're normally very sweet albeit rambunctious. They always fool around when they're having their picture taken, but kneeling on the floor was apparently pretty uncomfortable, so they complained and were a little more cooperative, in order to get it over with.

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LETTER OF CONGRATULATIONS FROM BOB JONES TO BUSH

They've pulled this letter off the website, but Google has it cached. In case you were wondering, they say that Bush has not responded to the letter.

November 3, 2004

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:
The media tells us that you have received the largest number of popular votes of any president in America's history. Congratulations!
In your re-election, God has graciously granted America—though she doesn't deserve it—a reprieve from the agenda of paganism. You have been given a mandate. We the people expect your voice to be like the clear and certain sound of a trumpet. Because you seek the Lord daily, we who know the Lord will follow that kind of voice eagerly.

Don't equivocate. Put your agenda on the front burner and let it boil. You owe the liberals nothing. They despise you because they despise your Christ. Honor the Lord, and He will honor you.

Had your opponent won, I would have still given thanks, because the Bible says I must (I Thessalonians 5:18). It would have been hard, but because the Lord lifts up whom He will and pulls down whom He will, I would have done it. It is easy to rejoice today, because Christ has allowed you to be His servant in this nation for another presidential term. Undoubtedly, you will have opportunity to appoint many conservative judges and exercise forceful leadership with the Congress in passing legislation that is defined by biblical norm regarding the family, sexuality, sanctity of life, religious freedom, freedom of speech, and limited government. You have four years—a brief time only—to leave an imprint for righteousness upon this nation that brings with it the blessings of Almighty God.

Christ said, “If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my father honour” (John 12:26).

The student body, faculty, and staff at Bob Jones University commit ourselves to pray for you—that you would do right and honor the Savior. Pull out all the stops and make a difference. If you have weaklings around you who do not share your biblical values, shed yourself of them. Conservative Americans would love to see one president who doesn't care whether he is liked, but cares infinitely that he does right.

Best wishes.

Sincerely your friend,

Bob Jones IIIPresident
BJIII:lw

PS: A few moments ago I read this letter to the students in Chapel. They applauded loudly their approval.
When I told them that Tom Daschle was no longer the minority leader of the Senate, they cheered again.
On occasion, Christians have not agreed with things you said during your first term. Nonetheless, we could not be more thankful that God has given you four more years to serve Him in the White House, never taking off your Christian faith and laying it aside as a man takes off a jacket, but living, speaking, and making decisions as one who knows the Bible to be eternally true.

A note on Bob Jones University. When I was younger, I had a pastor from BJU. He was a white southern male. Really, one of the nicest and most generous men I knew. He gave up much of his own financial comfort in order to give back to our non-white church. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he lived in poverty, but by any standard, he was poor. One thing about him really bothered me, though. He taught, and he said that Bob Jones University taught, that interracial marriage was a sin against God. As a sin against God, it would not be recognized as a true marriage by God.

He pointed to numerous excerpts in the Bible when God commanded the Israelites not to marry people of other nationalities, God's commands to smite certain peoples, etc. Interracial marriage as sin, along with women not being permitted to speak in church, pray out loud in church, Christians listening to non-classical radio or hymnals (even modern Christian hymnals) and dancing were all taught to be sinful.

Were these the authorized teachings of BJU? He claimed they were. He was very proud to have graduated from BJU. I don't know if they still teach that or if they, like the Mormons, just don't believe that anymore.

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