Scandalous celebrities are an American obsession. Everywhere we go there is some new tell-all headline, book, or T.V. show about them. We love to love celebs and love to hate them. The purpose of this page is not to trash celebrities. There is enough of that going on as it is. My goal is to show people it is okay to admire superstar celebs and become avid fans of the stars or their work. It is not okay to worship and glorify their salacious antics on and off the red carpet.

Here is a list of my top 10 notorious celebrities who continue to feed our wicked obsession:

1. Madonna, ‘Like A Virgin’ Ritchie
2. O.J., ‘If I Did It’, Simpson
3. Britney, ‘Oops, I Did It Again’, Spears
4. Lindsay, ‘Party Hearty’, Lohan
5. Paul, ‘Pee-Wee Herman’, Reubens
6. Amy, ‘I Have A Megaton Of Issues’ Winehouse
7. Whitney, Bobby!!, Houston
8. Bobby, Whitney!!, Brown
9. Mariah, ‘The Whistler’, Carey
10. Tom, ‘Dr. Nooooooooooo’, Cruise

Seriously, though…

As far as I know, only one of the celebs listed above has practiced total abstinence until marriage. But she fell off the wagon years ago - and stayed off. This decision did not bode well for Britney Spears as her life has been in shambles ever since she chose to ditch her innocent, girl-next-door persona.

Despite the accolades they receive for their raucous behavior, some superstars are paying a high price for their notoriety. Amy Winehouse, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and O.J. Simpson are destroying their own lives or are responsible for destroying the lives of others. As a result, their lives are absolute train wrecks. It is never fun or easy to watch anyone fall down and not get back up. It’s certainly not fun or entertaining. But their lack of restraint has become a cultural norm and they are infamously adored. We applaud when they come away unscathed. We slam them when their destructive behavior turns to tragedy. The sad, tragic tale of the late Anna Nicole Smith comes to mind. She lived a decadent lifestyle at the expense of herself and her children. Abstinence, modesty, chastity, and self control were the furthest things from her mind - and she paid the ultimate price for her indiscretions.

Others, like Hugh Grant, developed more discretion in their personal lives. They have wisely stepped up to their game and have distanced themselves from any hint of debauchery. Even so, worshiping at the feet of celebrity idols has become a cult-like endeavor.

Fanaticism At Its’ Worst

I’m just as guilty as everyone else of being a celebrity uber-fan. When a fanatic public justifies bad behavior, the impact on society is immense.

Think about all the little five year old girls bemoaning the fact that they’re not sexy enough for some little boy they like at school. And the little boys who learn to view females as sexual objects. Or the preteens who develop eating disorders, and other abnormalities, because they compare themselves to some anorexic-looking models and actresses. Let’s not forget about the teens and young adults who become sexually active because they saw some hip love scene in an R-rated movie or online video.

Celebrity worship promotes a message that is just the opposite of total abstinence until marriage - to the detriment of impressionable children. To be fair, many genres are culpable in creating this breakdown of societal morals - including the media and music industries. Because the moguls of these businesses are raking in tons of money, the American public turns a blind eye to their destructive exploits - to the detriment of impressionable children. The effect is a society full of people who don’t know the first thing about maintaining a lifestyle of total abstinence until marriage - to the detriment of impressionable children.

An adoring public, the media, and the music industry have all played a part in promoting scandalous behavior in those who are too weak or too young to resist its’ temptations.

Sources:

Entertainment Weekly: Top 25 Celebrity Scandals

Sonya provides information to help advance the message of total abstinence until marriage and its’ advantages for people of all ages.

They say a college degree or a stellar work history is proof of expertise in a given field of study or profession. If that’s the case, I’m in my junior year at the college of Total Abstinence Until Marriage. I’ll graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Spring 2009. Then I’ll concentrate on pursuing my Master’s degree.

Seriously, though…

If you haven’t figured it out by now, I have maintained a lifestyle of total abstinence until marriage for the past three years…with no regrets and a lot less headaches. Discover the advantages of total abstinence until marriage at: http://www.abstinence-is-sexy.com/ - While you’re there, please sign up for my free ezine, Fabulous Abstinence, and my RSS feed to the Abstinence Blog.

The driver was used to the area and having traveled extensively in the rural areas of Sri Lanka, he chose more interior-roads than the main roads in the last hours of our journey.

He asked all of us whether we liked to visit an ancient Kingdom of the Island and the ruined fortification and the archaeological interests.

Though I heard about Panduvasdeva’s Kingdom in Panduwasnuwara I hadn’t visited it. I thought it was a good opportunity. There was an apparent excitement in Steffani, Yong and Romy’s faces as well.

He was driving through a narrow passage along the isolated rural areas. The remaining walls of the ruined ancient Kingdom were the first sight for all of us.

Still the walls were standing so strongly, proclaiming its glorious majestic days several centuries ago.

Panduwasnuwara, the oldest of the capitals in Panduwasnuwara, which according to legend, was the capital of king Panduvasdeva, who succeeded Vijaya, the first king of Sri Lanka around 5th century B.C.

The moated tower where Princess Unmada Chitra, so beautiful that she drove men crazy, was confined because of an ominous prophecy of untimely death in the family. A forested mound is also identified as the tomb of king Vijaya.

Panduvasnuwara’s many other archeological remains date from the 12th century when it was known as ‘Parakramapura’ and was used by Sri Lanka’s great medieval king Parakramabahu I as a stepping stone to his great capital - Polonnaruwa.

Among the many impressive ruins are the citadel walls and moat, the royal palace with carved pillars and guard stones, and a beautiful Bodhigara, the edifice round the bo-tree, sacred to Buddhists.

Street vendors were selling various flowers and ritual items for those visiting the adjoining Buddhist temple. Everywhere around there were small shops selling various items, targeting those who were visiting the ruined kingdom. When we visited some areas of the ancient kingdom, I saw a culvert with a Tamil inscription which was a pointer to Tamil influence in the Kingdom.

That the ancient culture of the Island of some thousand years was a blend of Sinhala and Tamil was evidenced in the culvert.

Yong was asking me, when we went inside a Buddhist temple a lot of questions to which I had no answer.

We bought some jaggery which was filled in a tiny pockets weaved either by a kind of weed or palm leaves. My German friends were savouring to the full the culture and the way of living around there which hasn’t lost its centuries old purity in that highly isolated rural area from the rest of the world.

The calm and quiet that pervaded the surroundings was enchanting. We walked amidst the ruins of the ancient Kingdom which were under large shady trees which might have been centuries old.

The large trees and ruined remains of the kingdom was reminiscent of the scenes of Angelina Jolie casting Hollywood blockbuster “Tomb Raider” which was filmed around the temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, one of the world’s most isolated and strife-torn countries.

It was such a marvellous experience to walk in the ruined palace where memories of the past glories of the Kingdom captivated my mind and took on a reality though I had never heard anything about the Kingdom in the past.

Romy was capturing the ancient wonder with her digital camera. I too went near a Buddhist ruined statue and took some photos to remember the lost kingdom and its wonders several centuries old.

We departed after reliving some of the ancient past and our passage was once again through the rural area of the Island passing many beautiful ponds with lotus flowers and paddy lands.

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Did you know that how you take care of yourself during pregnancy will almost always determine how easy labor and delivery of your baby is? Of course, there are other circumstances that can arise, but, for the most part, how your body reacts during and after labor can be in your own hands. I’m not talking simply about learning how to breathe or getting to know your anesthesiologist on a first name basis. You can have a healthy pregnancy and therefore easier birth by how your diet and exercise is controlled during that time.

Your pregnancy is one of the most important times to really pay attention to your diet. Healthy eating and exercise during pregnancy is simple to do. Follow your doctor’s suggestions and always take your vitamins. This is one of the easiest rules to follow and you and your baby’s health will rely heavily on it. If your prenatal vitamins make you nauseas, try taking them at night. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Although your bladder feels full from the constant pressure of Junior and his right hook, constant hydration is necessary. If you need more motivation, think about how hydration will help with stretch marks and constipation; both of which are a huge problem with pregnancy.

However, a well balanced diet isn’t the only thing that is going to keep you healthy. During pregnancy, there are doctor approved stretches and exercises that will help your body adjust to the weight gain. Not only will these exercises aid you in a healthy weight, your body will be able to cope better during labor, not getting tired as quickly during delivery, and recover more quickly afterwards. During your pregnancy, walking, stretching and relaxation techniques will help keep your emotions even and your body flexible. During labor, delivery, recovery, and at home, your body is going to need these ongoing physical and mental stimulations to help you cope.

Losing the weight after pregnancy will also be a challenge. With the proper balanced diet and continued exercising, you will be back to your ideal weight more quickly, have more energy and stamina, and heal faster than if you did not exercise. You will need to start off slowly as your pregnancy has softened the ligaments in your body so you could carry your baby as it grew. It takes a few weeks for everything to heal properly and you to be able to get into a routine that is slightly higher than the simple walk to the crib or changing table.

Pregnancy is an occasion for change and growth; both mentally and physically. You will be spending a lot of time learning about what your body can do. While you are working on keeping yourself healthy, make sure that you pay attention to your own needs; body and mind. The delivery of your baby is something you will always remember. If you are able to focus on healthy habits during your pregnancy, you may be able to focus more on the joyous event of your child being brought into the world.

WeightGainAndPregnancy is an online portal with expert articles regarding weight issues during and after pregnancy. To learn more about losing weight effectively after pregnancy, visit http://www.weightgainandpregnancy.com for free access.

I often make the journey from Northampton to Somerset, but yesterday I did so under a cloud…

At just after 1pm yesterday, the cloud from the Buncefield Depot had reached the edge of Northampton. Around Oxford the road visibility was down to about 200 yards, and we stayed under the cloud until Bristol.

As I looked up at the sunlight filtering through the cloud I got to thinking that we have to do more to stop this kind of pollution happening.

Right now, we’re hamstrung by the oil industry. We need their produce to run our cars, to fuel our homes, power our computers and even transport our groceries to our local supermarket.

And what would happen if the oil industry hiked the prices to an even crazier level, or our supply got cut off? Do you have the skills and knowledge to survive: to produce, food, heat and light?

It seems that we like being spoon-fed. We like the easy life, especially when it comes packaged as cheap or more importantly, when it’s convenient. It seems we don’t ask questions anymore. We just accept what we’re told or accept that their is only one way. And because of this acceptance our air is polluted, water contaminated and our soil full of toxins.

Something must be done… and we need to do it.

Start today, become aware that you might be burning more fuel than necessary. Drive at the speed most economical for your car, usually between 50 & 65 miles per hour and turn off electricity when you don’t need it on - even the time clock on the oven or the stero or DVD player. If it has a red dot showing it is on standby and using 1/3 of the regular power.

More importantly start to look at the alternatives - after all Iceland is now producing 70% renewable energy, why can’t we?

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During pregnancy, a low sodium diet may be required for some women who are holding extra water in their bodies. This condition is called pregnancy-induced hypertension, and can be very dangerous to the mother and the baby. In many cases, a low sodium diet is recommended to help relieve the condition. Sodium, or salt, as it is more commonly called, causes the body to retain water, which in turn increases blood pressure.

If you have been placed on a low sodium diet during your pregnancy, or if you just want to improve your health before or after pregnancy by following a low sodium diet, then read on for some indispensable clues to following your low sodium diet!

The first step to compliance with a low sodium diet is to analyze what your usual diet contains. For at least 24 hours, write down everything that you drink and eat, as well as the sodium content of these foods. Ideally, you should be under the sodium limit that your doctor has given you. Under 1,200 mg of salt is considered to be a low sodium diet, in or out of pregnancy.

Chances are that you ate much more sodium that was recommended. In or out of pregnancy, most people do not naturally follow a low sodium diet. We tend to eat a variety of high sodium foods, some of which do not even taste salty! A good place to start for your pregnancy low sodium diet is to try not to eat fast food. Fast food is inherently salty; fast food may be some of the saltiest food on the planet!

Another huge source of sodium in the diet is from processed foods. Processed foods include most of the foods that come packaged in boxes, cans, or bags. Many people eat exclusively processed foods throughout the day; this does not help them to stay on their pregnancy low sodium diet.

To decrease your overall intake of sodium throughout the day, focus on eating fresh foods instead of packaged foods. Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic, low sodium options that are good for you and your baby. If you fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables before you eat other foods, chances are that you will have much less room for all of the high sodium foods that you used to put on your plate.

The next simple step to follow your pregnancy low sodium diet is to avoid adding extra salt to foods. Try a sodium-free seasoning mix like Mrs. Dash, and pile on the flavor!

A few small changes can help you to have a healthy pregnancy! A low sodium diet will help you to lower your blood pressure to a healthy level.

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It has been six years since that terrible day and the horror still fresh in our memory. No one, who watched the towers crumble will ever be able to put those memories to rest. People who have since visited New York City, and have gone to the site, have trouble grasping the enormity of it. Looking down at this tremendous hole in the earth, where workers look like ants walking about, and then remembering looking up to where the towers literally blocked out the sun, is still mind boggling to me.

This scar on our memory is nothing compared to what the people who lost loved ones have endured. This horror in our minds is nothing compared to the suffering of all the people who rushed in to try and save others. They are still suffering from all kinds of illnesses because of inhaling the toxic fumes released.

Many people feel there was a coverup regarding this fateful day. They say the towers fell too quickly for it to only be the airplanes hitting the buildings. They say the towers fell faster than the speed of gravity. They claim the shearing of the support beams show explosions in the sub basements.

I do not know what happened. All I do know is that September 11th, 2001 will be remembered, along with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, as one of the most terrible days in our countries history.

To everyone personally affected by 9/11/01, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Know there is such a thing as karma and the karma these terrorists have to face is a thousand times worse than the pain of their victims.

I wrote a poem about that day. The last stanza reads … I do not know if they believe in hell, but this I know in my very soul. They will feel the horror of every cell, of their victims in their own death knoll.

http://www.athenalouise.com