Bishop Thomas Weeks Talks about Juanita Bynum

Bishop Thomas Weeks, III recently did a series of interviews to discuss the situation with Juanita Bynum, his estranged wife. Weeks was indicted by a grand jury for aggravated assault, terroristic threatening and two counts of simple battery.

However, the charges were dropped due to insufficient evidence (the procedure is legally known as "dead docketing"). This has led to some controversy, as some have accused Juanita Bynum of attempting to profit from the glow of publicity coming from the events that took place in her life. She labeled herself "the new face of domestic violence", and took interviews while the trial was taking place.

Bynum's husband, Thomas Weeks III, has been on a major media campaign to defuse the negative publicity surrounding the events that occured with his wife. His church has lost 1500 members during the past 4 months.

According to media sources, Weeks has claimed that his wife is behaving in the way she has because she desperately needs money for her ministry and wants her ex-husband in prison so no other woman can marry him. Weeks argues that the ordeal is the result of a setup.

Weeks told Lee Bailey of EUR Web: "The truth is it wasn’t a beat down and the truth is that I am not an abuser. The truth is that I’ve been the one abused previously in my marriage and kept it silent. The fact still remains that I was the abused at any level in this relationship."

Weeks also challenged the legitimacy of the bruises obtained by his wife.

"And then 4 and a half hours later after these bruises appear she uploads them to a website," said the Bishop.

Weeks has eluded to the fact that his wife has "emotional and mental challenges" in her past in which she "goes in and out of reason and wisdom and fact and truth". He continues his media campaign, which has tarnished the image of both individuals.

Congo Rape Victims Seek For Justice - by Asha Castleberry

The epidemic of rape and sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. This year, thousands of women have been raped and sexually assaulted. Rape has been used as a weapon of war in the civil war between North and South Kivo in Eastern Congo. Amnesty International reported that 20 armed groups, government soldiers from DRC and Rwanda, police officers, and civilians are the perpetrators involved in these attacks.

It is an everyday reality for a woman to be tortured and raped in front of families and friends. Some have been forced to eat feces or drink urine. Pregnant women have lost their babies from perpetrators that have cut open their stomachs. Above all, perpetrators have enjoyed forcing foreign objects, such as the barrel of a gun and sticks into the rape victims. This type of torture caused victims excruciating abdomen pain while sitting and jeopardized the possibility of ever having children. Some women suffered from internal permanent injuries, such as fistulas or rips in vaginal walls and the anal areas, which required extensive surgical treatment. Recently, an 80 year old woman died from permanent damages. She was gang raped by several militiamen. There were over 40,000 untreated rape victims that contracted the HIV virus.

According to the United Nations Patch News, a 28-year old rape victim said, "Every woman in the village leaves at night to sleep in the bushes because of the raping. They still loot but if they can't find us they can't rape us. Women in many villages dare not sleep in their own homes. Others are too afraid even to go to the outskirts of their communities to tend to crops because so many women have been seized in the fields, contributing to the rise in malnutrition and disease that has claimed so many lives. People live in fear so they live in the bush. They expose themselves to diseases: malaria, gastro-enteritis. It's cold at night. All of this claims lives.”
Van Woudenberg of Human Rights Watch, claimed that women who want to bring charges of rape have little rights. "The investigation is never properly conducted and there are hardly any women magistrates or investigators. Women are treated so badly when they raise these issues and when they go through court proceedings."

Many women are fearful of turning to the country's courts for help. There is a widespread of lack of faith in the system where justice is available to the highest bidder. This is quite typical, and only 200 of the thousands of rape victims have dared to legally pursue their attackers. Another major problem is the lack of access to the legal system. There are courts in the North Kivu towns of Goma, Butembo and Beni, but most women are attacked in rural areas, miles from the nearest police station, court house or lawyer. Only two percent of the sexually violent victims have access to legal assistance. In the near future, the Human Rights Watch advocate plans to implement a new law on sexual violence which was passed by parliament in 2006. It was designed to speed up the prosecution of rape cases and impose stiffer penalties.

Young boys are rape victims as well. North Kivo reported 40 male rape victims.

Dr. Boyce Watkins on NPR: State of the Black Family

As a finance professor, I see regular misconceptions in media about black people, black families and black wealth. America somehow has chosen to believe that the reason for wealth disparities in America is that African-Americans have simply chosen to be lazy and engage in the practice of bad money management. They also cite the fact that black families are not married as regularly and that this is a reason for poverty in the black community.

I could not disagree more.

The reason for the wealth disparity between blacks and whites is very simple: For 400 years (a very long time), America had a clear tradition of not allowing black people to pass wealth onto their children. As a result, all the big buildings in Manhattan, all the major media companies, and all the large corporations in America are owned, run and controlled by the white community. Period. Most wealth is inherited wealth and we were not allowed to inherit.

Black people choosing not to get married is no worse nor better than the fact that many families in America choose to get divorced. Honestly, I think divorce is far more devastating to the life of a child than not getting married. If one throws in the fact that non-custodial parents are obligated to pay child support, then the income gap, in a perfect world, should disappear. One can argue that two parents are better than one, but at the same time, 3 parents would be better than 2, and 4 parents would be better than 3. You could make this argument forever, and to use the one vs. two parent disparity as the fundamental basis to explain America's commitment to racial inequality is ridiculous.

Bottom line: Love is what matters, and if you look at the lives of Al Gore's son and kids in the suburbs who engage in just as much deviant behavior as kids in "the hood", you will see that a parent's decision to get married or not can be good for the child or bad, depending on the circumstances.

In other words: I get sick of people trying to say that black families are immoral or culturally inferior. Our culture is just fine thank you. Also, racial inequality and wealth gaps are due to one thing: historical discrimination. If you want to talk about creating a fair america, then you must first correct the huge imbalance created by racist ancestry. Trying to be fair from this point on (as Ward Connerly tries to argue) is like a lifelong crook stealing billions and then promising not to steal anymore. A fix must be applied to past wrongs before you can move forward in fairness.

I did this NPR interview on the topic not too long ago. It was done with Farai Chideya, a woman I had a huge crush on during my time in graduate school. Don't tell her I said that (haha!).

Oprah Winfrey’s Dream School Faces A Nightmare

Almost a year ago, Oprah Winfrey made a promise to Nelson Mandela that she would open an Academy in South Africa. January, 2008, will be the one year mark for Oprah Winfrey’s Leadership Academy. Unfortunately, Winfrey’s 1^st year anniversary was stigmatized with a child abuse scandal. On December, 20, 2007, Winfrey issued a response to the arrest of the dorm matron regarding child abuse allegations. The 27 year old dorm matron, Tiny Virginia Makopo was charged by Johannesburg court with 13 counts of assault, indecent assault, crimen injuria (injuring another person's dignity) and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts. Makopo pleaded not guilty and was placed on a $450 bail. Winfrey claimed that school officials tried to hide the truth from her and in doing so; she announced that she would not be renewing the contract of the headmistress and other staff.

Winfrey expressed her appreciation for the investigation. According to Associated Press, Winfrey stated, “I’d like to thank the South African Police Services for bringing this investigation at my Academy to a timely resolution. Nothing is more serious or devastating to me than an allegation of misconduct by an adult against any girl at the academy. This serves as a reminder that any time a child has the courage to step forward it is our duty as adults to listen and take immediate action.”

Oprah Winfrey named Black Woman of the Year

There is not much else you can say about Oprah. She makes black people proud, white people comfortable, all women strong and all Americans better. She has built schools, cried on stage, made films, given away automobiles and risked all of her credibility to get behind a black presidential candidate. She is loved by many and hated by just as many. She is rich, strong, intelligent and relentless. Oprah just keeps on ticking.

Her endeavors are not without controversy, as some wondered why she chose to build a school in another country when she has troubled educational systems in her home city. Others have wondered if she has a problem with black men, as reflected in her beef with rappers 50 Cent, Ludacris and Ice Cube. Her Town Hall Meeting on hip hop was interpreted by some to be a staged platform allowing only those who agree with Oprah to have a voice in the debate. Even the lone rapper invited to the meeting, Common, has never uttered a sexist lyric in his career.

All the while, Winfrey's fortune grows and so does her legacy. She finds herself on top of the world, with all the power that lies in it. She is able to gather celebrities with one swoop and they all respond when she calls. Her magic is undeniable and her legacy is permanent. Oprah will die as one of the most significant Americans in history.

Why Gift Certificates May Not Be a Good investment

by Dr. Boyce Watkins


My mother, who is one of the wisest people I know, was talking to me the other day about gift certificates. We were having this discussion while debating what to get our needy-ass, yet loveable relatives for Christmas (only a couple of them are needy, most of them are loveable). Christmas is that overly commercialized holiday that seems to come every single year. I don't mind Christmas, but it seems that the word "Christ" has been removed in exchange for the last part "must". "I MUST have this", "we MUST do that", it's crazy!

At any rate, we were wondering if gift certificates were the best gift to give, since it avoids the awkward, yet inevitable reality that you are going to always end up giving something to someone that they just bought, don't want or don't need as much as something else. So, you have then graced your loved one with the burden of yet another trip to the pawn shop or the 50 mile long Walmart return line right after the holidays are over. They are also burdened with the guilt of having to pretend that they like your gift, even though they really don't. You know, those fake, awkward smiles that make your face hurt and stomach turn.

We both concluded in our scientific analysis (My Mama and Me Labs, Inc.) that gift certificates were better than regular gifts, since you can get what you want.

But I had to put the brakes on our ground breaking analysis....I then said, "Well, based on that logic, it would seem that money is the best gift certificate, since you can not only get whatever you want, but you can use it at any store."

That led us to wonder: "What exactly do companies give us in return for exchanging a hard earned $50 dollars that can be used ANYWHERE for their pathetic, multicolored little piece of paper that can is also worth $50, but can only be used in ONE PLACE?"

Nothing.

The companies typically give us nothing in exchange for the purchase of a gift certificate. It would be one thing if they allowed us to purchase a $30 gift certificate for $25. That would make our decision to limit the stretch of our money at least partially worth while. But when you give them $30 dollars that can be spent anywhere, they give you back the same $30 dollars that can only be spent at one place.

That's not all they do to screw us for the holidays.

Companies also get over on the fact that many of us never use the gift certicates anyway! According to Needham, Mass.-based consulting-firm TowerGroup, over $5 billion dollars in unused gift certificates allow corporations to fill the stockings of their stock holders. And believe me, they aren't giving that money to charity.

So, my mother and I both came to the grim conclusion that gift certificates, from a financial standpoint, are not very good gifts. Cash is the best gift certificate there is. It's the thought that counts, and my mother and I put quite a bit of thought into our decision. We hope our relatives appreciate it.

So this year, everyone we love is going to get a card with cash in it. That's the same gift that makes every third grader smile (Remember when that old relative you never talked to sent you that ugly card every year that always had cash in it? Don't pretend like that WAS NOT the first card you opened!). Perhaps the third graders are onto something, since this gift can make adults smile even more.

Tina Turner’s decision not to attend her ex-husband’s funeral

Tina Turner, decided not to attend her ex-husband’s funeral on Dec. 12, 2007. Ike Turner died at his home in suburban San Diego, California. Turner’s widow, Jeanette Turner, reported no immediate cause of his death, but claimed that he had emphysema. He was 76 years old.

Ike Turner was married to Tina for 16 years. During that time, he physically abused her. After the release film, “What’s Love Got To With It ?,” (1993), he has been notoriously known for drug addiction and spousal abuse.

According to VHI News, friends of Tina claim that there is no way “Private Dancer” will attend the funeral.” “ The last time Tina did see him he treated her appallingly, so there’s no way she will be going to the service to pay tribute to him.”

Tina Turner’s agent, Mike Schweitzer said: “Tina hasn’t had any contact with Ike for more than 35 years. No further comment will be made.”

Jeanette Turner, married Ike back in 1995. She has asked Tina to try and forgive Ike. She said: “I know that she was hurt, but there’s something called forgiveness and I know Ike really forgave himself, which is really hard to do.” She added: “ I’m not defending what he did.” “I’m not saying he didn’t do what he did when he was with Tina or me, but he was human being.” “And being all of that, he’s still a childlike person—pure and a good person always willing to help people”

During their marriage, Ike and Tina performed as a duo with hits including 'Proud Mary'. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991. Ike made what most music critics believe was the first rock 'n' roll record ever, "Rocket 88", in March 1951.

BET Executives Shoulder the Majority of the Blame for Airing BET Uncut on its Regular Cable Programming from October 6, 2001 until July 8, 2006

Written by Syreeta McNeal, CPA JD

Catherine Pulsifer states that we should “fix the problem, not the blame.” As I viewed “Hip-Hop vs. America ” on Black Entertainment Television (BET) for the fifth time (no pun intended), I was excited to see people discussing and sharing their views without violence on important social issues. But, I realized one thing as I watched the show and contemplated why I incurred thousands of dollars in debt for a doctorate of law: why were no legal analysts participating on the round table? Not that I have a bias, but some of the issues that were discussed especially regarding BET Uncut were legal in nature and many of the participants did not have the expertise to adequately address the issue and formulate solutions that had previously been in practice since the 1980’s.

Many women advocates on the panel were taking the opportunity to express their resentment to Nelly for creating the “Tip Drill” video. As an African-American woman, I was offended by the notion that a black woman would allow a black man to swipe a credit card through her backside. I did not view this as “having fun” as Nelly mentioned on the panel because this display continues to make black women look like property to be sold on slavery blocks for sex. However, instead of just criticizing Nelly which has been done extensively, let’s take a look at why BET executives should not have run BET Uncut from October 6, 2001 until July 8, 2006, on its regular cable programming.

Background on Government Restriction on Cable Programming

Federal, state and local government have the right to regulate television programming that impacts the health, safety and welfare of its residents. With the advent of cable television in the 1980’s, government agencies wrestled with how to protect the health, safety and welfare of children while not infringing on the constitutional rights of adults to view pornography. One of the solutions implemented is to have adults pay an “extra fee” to watch shows displaying adult pornography on restricted channels. HBO’s Real Sex, Showtime’s The “L” Word, and the Playboy channel are examples of this programming restriction. Restricted access allows the cable industry to minimize youth purchasing and watching the adult programming. This form of restricted programming is effective because it acts as a proper balancing test of competing interests designed to ensure that constitutional rights for adults (e.g. adult pornography) are not infringed while simultaneously protecting health, safety and welfare of children.

Dilemma of BET Uncut Airing from October 6, 2001 until July 8, 2006

On “Hip-Hop vs. America” specials, many of the rappers stated that it is the responsibility of parents to protect what children should watch on television. To some extent that is true. However, as have been shown during the 1980’s debate regarding cable access to adult form of entertainment, leaving this battle for parents to fend does not ultimately minimize the potential negative impact to children. That is one of the reasons why you have the federal, state and local governments’ goal in regulating cable programming is to ensure that this balance is achieved. Now, I am wondering why BET executives (including legal counsel) did not show BET Uncut on subscription programming where adults could pay an extra fee to watch as they had done for shows like BET Jazz or BET Movies?

Cable television has evolved from being an exclusive programming purchased by wealthy consumers. As indicated by the change of Monday Night Football broadcasting from ABC to ESPN, more U.S. consumer households access regular cable programming. As a result, regular cable programming has become the new vehicle for the federal, state and local governments to regulate to ensure that programming does not negatively impact children.

BET Uncut is a racy form of adult pornography that features music videos. BET Uncut resembles programming like HBO’s Real Sex and the Playboy Channel. Like HBO’s Real Sex and the Playboy Channel, BET Uncut should have been aired on subscription programming. So it is puzzling to me that BET offered airing BET Uncut in the late hours of the evening on its regular cable programming. This was not a viable alternative especially since other programming like HBO’s Real Sex and Playboy channel had more restricted access. So, what BET executives should have done on October 6, 2001 was air BET Uncut on a subscription service as they had done for BET Jazz and BET Movies. This would allow adults like Nelly, 50 Cent, Ludacris and David Banner to get their “freak on” legally and simultaneously help parents, who have children who act like “Curious George”, minimize the risk of youth accidentally viewing adult programming. Much of the negative criticism from the black community to Nelly’s “Tip Drill” and other hip-hop artists’ videos would have been minimal because the impact to the black youth would have been lessened.

In business, we usually state that we do not want to “reinvent the wheel” because it breeds inefficiency and has people focusing on unproductive things. It seems like BET executives failed to execute this business motto. BET executives had historical precedent to show them how to properly balance the competing interests. I guess the need for press and ratings, whether it is morally, socially and legally questionable, allowed BET Uncut to stay on regular cable programming from October 6, 2001 until July 8, 2006. It seems like BET executives proved that smut sells and keeping BET Uncut on the air for that long, as well commercials for “Girls Gone Wild,” is the way to ensure that the balancing test designed to protect adults’ constitutional rights and the health, safety and welfare of children just laid to the wayside. U.S. Congresswoman Shelia Jackson Lee stated it best at the recent Jena 6 hearings, “shame on you.” BET executives (including legal counsel) could have avoided the backlash regarding BET Uncut by restricting the programming. People want to attack Nelly, Ludacris, 50 Cent, David Banner, and other rappers. They do deserve their portion of the blame. However, the real culprits in the BET Uncut duration are the BET executives (including legal counsel). BET executives are in charge of ensuring that there is a proper balance in protecting the welfare of programming suitable for children while allowing adults to get restricted access to adult entertainment. BET’s legal counsel is responsible for presenting an analysis of the 1980’s debate and solution crafted in regards to programming termed as adult pornography. Also, BET’s legal counsel should use the art of persuasion to reiterate that BET, like other cable programming, are bound by precedent and required to follow the solution crafted unless they can prove the solution they offer is the better alternative. The fact that BET Uncut suffered a significant backlash from the black community and BET ended its programming after almost a five year reign is proof that airing BET uncut on regular programming was not a better alternative. Also, with restricted access generated for BET Jazz and BET Movies, the financial burden of including BET Uncut under restricted programming appeared minimal. So, BET Uncut proved to do more harm than good and this could have been avoided if BET executives would have restricted its access.

Now, I don’t know what happened during the BET board meeting when the decision to air BET Uncut on regular cable was made. So, if BET’s legal counsel did show the legal precedent and analysis and the BET executives still decided to ignore the legal advice, shame on those other BET executives. But, if BET’s legal counsel did not present the legal precedent and analysis and just went with the flow to be what I consider solely a form over substance lawyer, then BET’s legal counsel deserves to suffer the same fate as “Brownie” because the controversy over BET Uncut could have been avoided. Now, the lingering impact of black youth thinking that it is okay to have a credit card swiped through a black woman’s backside is “having fun” is what our community has to seriously counter.

But, what is amazing is that the airing of BET Uncut occurred while the Bush Administration and “Do Nothing” Republican controlled U.S. Congress maintained regulation over cable programming. There Federal Communication Commission (FCC) was outraged after Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction at the Super Bowl XXXVIII’s halftime show. Where was the outrage from the FCC on the potential damage that BET Uncut did from October 6, 2001 to July 8, 2006 to the youth? Hmmmmm (tribute to Arsenio Hall), makes you think this form of degradation is not a coincidence from 2001 to 2006. Maybe, Kanye West’s statement after the Katrina disaster is right after all. “Bush doesn’t care about black people” because if he did the Bush Administration, through the FCC, would not display such an inconsistent treatment in regulating offensive programming. However, BET executives, you are still not off the hook. Shame on you for not following social and legal precedent as it comes to adult programming in your airing of BET Uncut!


This essay was submitted by Syreet McNeal, CPA JD

Barack or Hillary?

Lately,

I've been involved in consistent conversations with women about our support of presidential candidate, Barack Obama. The conversation of some who appear to be in support of Hillary Clinton have openly shared sentiments such as "I'm for Barack, but a woman needs to be president". This, and other comments are shocking and a bit disturbing as I continue to weigh my options, carefully considering the candidates' records and backgrounds as senators and prior to their bid for the white house. We really must be aware of the issues and the records of both Barack and Hillary and all of the candidates. The issues that face us as Americans, not just African-Americans or black folk as some would say, are critical and must be carefully addressed.

Here's what I believe: (1) anybody that openly votes against a war in the midst of opponents...a war that we will be paying for for years to come, a war that has done much more harm than good...automatically gets a nod of approval from me; (2) Barack has done much for welfare reform that has contributed to welfare reform recipients having opportunities to develop and gain much needed skills in the work force.

Please know that I'm not against Hillary Clinton, I just think Barack is truly the best for America right now. The other thing is that Barack represents a more honest and just government based on his record. With the New Hampshire primary near, I hope you are open to discussions about who the best American president would be right now. More importantly, a vote for Hillary just because she's a woman, will not serve America, men, women or children in the best way.

Woman Accused of having 10 Husbands at the Same Time

A 26- year old woman is accused of having 10 different husbands, all at the same time.

Eunice Lopez of Miami has been charged with bigamy after allegedly marrying 10 different men in a 4 year period. She arrived from Cuba to South Florida in 2002 and is a legal U.S. resident.

"I can tell you that none of the individuals she married had any type of residency," said Terry Chavez, a spokesman for the Miami-Dade office of the state attorney.

Authorities claim that Lopez charged men money to help them secure their immigration status. She would then continue to ask for money, threatening to expose them if they told the police.

Chavez said the state attorney's office began investigating after being tipped off by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

African Dance at it's Best!

The young lady doing all the dancing is Latia Webster. She is a talented young college student who recently traveled to Africa.

Bishop Thomas Weeks Apologizes to his Wife Juanita

Bishop Thomas Weeks, estranged husband of Gospel personality Juanita Bynum, publicly apologized to Bynum this week. According to Essence Magazine, Weeks sent out an e-blast with the following statements:

“In the book I share my weaknesses as a husband. I also share weaknesses on the other side of my spouse. From that I have wounded her and I want to say publicly, and privately from my heart, ‘I’m sorry,’” he says.

According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, the book contains chapters entitled, “Opposites Attract, But Do They Last” and “She Wanted to Be the Next Oprah at Any Cost.”

Weeks had planned a major media tour to promote the book, including appearances on The Tom Joyner Morning show and 1380 WAOK in Atlanta. Weeks has promised that anyone who purchased the book can now get a refund.

The message was sent in an 8 minute video email sent to thousands of worshippers. Weeks calls the message "The Most important message ever sent".

According to Weeks, the couple has not spoken since August 21, when Weeks was accused of beating, choking and stomping his wife in an Atlanta airport hotel parking lot. Since that time, Bynum has been under scrutiny, as some have accused her of using her experience as a chance to gain greater fame and opportunity.

Related story: Juanita Bynum Opens Up to Essence Magazine

Dr. Jan Adams - The Man who Operated on Kanye's Mom

FIERCE411.com Special Report by Andrea Johnson




He’s been called the killer of Dr. Donda West, mother of Kanye West, who died after undergoing surgery at his private practice in California. The California Board of Medicine wants to revoke his license to practice as a result of DUI’s. He walked off on America’s favorite nighttime host.


He’s been labeled a quack, a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”, and a negligent uncertified surgeon.l However, Dr. Jan Adams is also a graduate of Harvard College and the Ohio School of Medicine. He is an author, lecturer, television personality, and has developed a line of skin care products for women of color. In his general surgery residency at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, he served as chief surgical resident from 1989-1990. From 1991 to 1992, he also served as chief resident in plastic surgery during his plastic and reconstructive surgery training at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

But Dr. Adams is probably most well-known for hosting Discovery Health Channel’s, “Plastic Surgery: Before and After.” He has also appeared on Oprah, and as an expert on some major news shows. Although degrees and awards are impressive, his legal resume is peppered with malpractice suits, client complaints, and threats of a revoked license. His most recent press time has been spent defending himself against accusations of causing the death of Kanye West’s mother.

In the spotlight of tragedy, flaws in Dr. Adams’s background have been exposed. Is he truly a poor surgeon or simply the scapegoat for the unfortunate death of a celebrity?

How many people die from plastic surgery?


The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports that death from cosmetic plastic surgeries remains rare, occurring in one of 57,000 cases. About 2 million such surgeries were done in the United States in 2005. Still, there are a large number of uncertified plastic surgeons in private practices that are not required to submit their numbers to ASPS. Experts believe that number is much higher.


What about Dr. Adams’ malpractice issues?
Dr. Adams legal record in recent years doesn’t speak well of his capabilities. In a lawsuit filed in Orange County Superior Court on October 31, 2007, Rhonda McClain claims Dr. Adams and Euclid Outpatient Surgery Center were responsible for "mental, physical and nervous pain and suffering." McClain’s surgery was completed on March 10, 2007. She told TMZ that she was left with one implant and nearly bled to death.
In another lawsuit against Dr. Adams, McClain claimed to have been "negligently and carelessly examined, diagnosed, cared for, treated and performed surgery upon plaintiff, failing to follow the standard care …" The patient Terri Cage alleges she was "rendered sick, sore, lame and disabled" from her surgeries.


Bonita Hovey, another patient receiving a tummy tuck, filed a suit claiming Dr. Adams and other doctors "negligently failed to possess and exercise, in both diagnosis and treatment, that reasonable degree of knowledge and skill that is ordinarily possessed and exercised by other physicians and surgeons …” As a result of poor postoperative care she contracted an infection that led to two more surgeries to remove sutures and revise her scar.
In yet another malpractice lawsuit against Dr. Jan Adams, Jana Beighle claims no one mentioned the malpractice claims against the doctor. She felt deceived by Dr. Adams and Euclid Outpatient Surgery Center. After her surgery in August 2005, she suffered from fluid collection and had to have her implants removed.
Even experts make mistakes. How often does this happen?

Dr. Adams isn’t alone in his malpractice problems. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in the 75 largest counties in the United States, almost 50 percent of all medical malpractice trials are against surgeons. Furthermore, in approximately 26 percent of those cases, the settlement was given to the plaintiff. A new study has shown that most settlement cases are tied directly to merit and the quality of care, which seems to be an obvious answer, but hasn’t always been the case. Some lawyers have claimed settlements in malpractice suits are a ‘lottery”, where fault and the settlement are not related. The stronger a case is in the lack of care the patient has received, the more likely that a settlement is offered.

Dr. DiSaia, a board certified surgeon in California diagnoses the problem rather concisely, “Here is a very simple malpractice synopsis: “Medical malpractice is not bad outcome or complication but is inadequate training (didn't know how to do it) inadequate informed consent (didn't tell you the risks) error in technique (did it wrong), error in care (didn't diligently follow test results, treat problems, etc). These things are hard to prove.” Both parties should have one main thing priority : the patient’s overall health . The patient’s best interests equal that of the surgeon’s, because if something goes wrong, then he or she is often to blame. That means keeping the patient informed or even saying no large amounts of money. The patient has to honestly digest the risks and decide what they are willing to do.


So who do we blame?

Adams told People Magazine that the 11 malpractice suits uncovered by TMZ don't represent his deficiencies as a surgeon, but instead, "represent a bad decision in terms of choice of patient."

While some critics interpret this remark as a lack of responsibility or remorse, other experts agree with this viewpoint. Dr. DiSaia fromLocation: San Clemente, California, is a board certified plastic surgeon in San Clemente, Ca. His blogs are designed to help readers learn from the outcomes of other cosmetic surgery patients. DiSaia believes, “One of the most difficult things for people to understand in health care seems to be the fact that bad outcomes and malpractice suits do not always constitute poor or negligent care. Often the choice to operate upon an inappropriate patient is the surgeon's biggest mistake. Some people are in poor health, smoke and/or take poor care of themselves or simply have unrealistic expectations. These are often "no win propositions" for the surgeon.”
On his website, OCBody.com, Dr. DiSaia expounded on his view, stating “If you have a bad outcome or a wound healing problem, this is not necessarily malpractice. People don't understand that when things go wrong, it is not always because something was done incorrectly.”


He adds, “Sometimes people kinda "ask for problems." An example is the case in which a very small woman asks for really large breast implants. We all know that going beyond a certain volume for a given patient increases the possibility of a poor outcome. I turn these patients away. Other surgeons operate on them figuring that it is their problem. These rules are not carved in stone. They are all relative. So when the woman has problems later on down the line and complains about her surgeon, malpractice will probably not be found. I have had patients like this that I have turned away return after their surgery with Dr "X" blaming him for their ugly breasts. I had warned them of the problems of the really large implants …and refused to do the surgery. These women chose the doctor that would do as they asked and got that which I had predicted. Is that the other surgeon's fault?”


It could be that Jan Adams has poor judgment, trouble saying no, or even too much confidence in his ability to overcome risks. It could also be that his patients are ill-informed, unwilling to hear advice, or wanting the quickest fix so badly, they forget (refuse to acknowledge) that minor surgery still presents risks---especially if you are not currently in good health. Whatever the case, Dr. Adams has cost himself over $500,000 in settlement money and a solid reputation.


Sources: TMZ.com, OCBody.com

Latest News in the world of black women

Lt. Emily Perez, first African American and Hispanic to serve as Corps Command Sergeant Major at West Point Academy died on Sept. 12 2006 during a combat operation in Iraq. She was only 23 years old. She was killed from a roadside bomb explosion under her HUMVEE as she led her platoon in a convoy south of Baghdad.

The War on Terrorism is the most critical issue that America now faces. African American Women that served to defend our country should receive the utmost recognition. It has been over a year now that Perez has died. America will always remember Perez for her outstanding achievements. Many described her as the "Crème of the Crop or a Little Superwomen. "

In July 2001, Perez attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. She was a star student and talented athlete. Perez became the first minority female Command Sergeant Major in history of the U.S. Military Academy. She also was the Captain of the Track and Field team and sang in the Gospel choir. Perez graduated in the top percentile of her "Post-911" class with a B.S. in Sociology. Upon her graduation, Perez was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Armed Forces. She was a medical Service Corps Officer assigned to the Charlie Company, 204th Support Battalion, 4th Infantry Division in Fort Hood, Texas. She was deployed to Iraq in December of 2005.

Her overall accolades were as follows: Purple Heart, Bronze Star Medal, Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, Medical Service Officer Basic Course, and the Combat Action Badge.

Perez was the first student killed in Iraq and buried at the West Point Cemetery. She is the 64th female killed in the War on Terrorism.

Why Women Cheat

Forbidden fruit seems so much sweeter. Cheating spouses is nothing new. However, studies have shown that the number of cheating women is nearly parallel to unfaithful men. I spoke with two women who we shall call “Sally” and “Darla” to protect their identity, regarding extramarital affairs. The question is, “Why do women cheat?”


According to Darla, she was married to a minister. Her husband focused his energy on helping the church and others. Emotionally, Darla felt neglected. Feeling lonely, and missing her husband’s affection, aided in Darla’s decision to seek companionship outside of her marriage. Although she knew that her behavior conflicted with her spiritual beliefs, she still indulged. For Darla, sex with her husband had become stale and predictable. Largely due to the emotional disconnect. Living a double life wreaked emotional havoc on her psyche. She became depressed, and extremely confused. Unable to trust her own judgment, she sent mixed messages to her husband. On the one hand, she showed him love motivated by guilt. On the other, she no longer desired his touch, which caused additional marital breakdown because of the lack of intimacy. When asked if it was worth it, Darla replied, “No. If I could do it over again, I would be far less selfish. When my husband found out about the affair, it nearly killed him. He suffered a heart attack, and was hospitalized. Now we’re divorced, and I have paid the price. I had to file for bankruptcy, lost my house, car, and friends. In order to deal with the guilt and shame, I took Prozac.”


Sally has had multiple extramarital affairs, and is the mother of three. When asked why she cheats on her husband, Sally replied, “Because I don’t love him the way a wife should love her husband.”


“Then why not divorce him,” I inquired.


“I don’t know. I have thought about it lots of times, but I don’t want to leave him without having someone better to go to.” Her eyes watery, she continued, “My marital relationship is volatile at times. When we fight, we yell, throw things, and sometimes it gets physical. I have a lot of built up resentments toward him, and it’s hard for me to respect him.”


“It sounds to me like you have fallen out of love with him. Is that true?”


“My feelings have changed, and I don’t love him like I used to.”


“Does your husband know that he is loving on borrowed time?”


“No.” She laughed.


“Do you regret cheating on your husband?"


“I know it’s not right, but it helps me cope. It’s an outlet.”


“Have you considered marriage counseling?”


“I have, but he won’t go. He says that it’s a waste of time and money.”


“What about talking to your clergyman?”


“We did that before we got married, and it helped for a little while. Then he went back to his usual ways.”


“Seeing fault with someone else is easy. Looking within and finding flaws with our own character is difficult. Would you consider seeking individual counseling instead?”


“I never thought about it.”


“I’ve heard lots of therapists say that change comes from within. We can’t change anyone but ourselves. Perhaps you should do a self evaluation to find out why your response to a bad relationship is to cheat.”


Crying, she said, “It’s the coward’s way of dealing with a situation. It doesn’t solve the problem, but it gives you temporary relief. I will go to counseling, because this is a pattern that I’ve been dealing with for years. It’s time for a change.”


After speaking with Sally and Darla, I had a better understanding of “Why women cheat.” I’m not a psychologist or psychiatrist, but I am a woman. The common thread between both women was pain. They were each involved in dysfunctional relationships that took an emotional toll on them. Feeling helpless, they sought refuge in the arms of other men. There is no one reason as to why women cheat. The reasons vary from woman to woman. Some women cheat for emotional support, others for money, and some for sex. Whatever the reason, it’s a problem. In order to deal with unfaithfulness, the cheater must want to reform. If not, there won’t be a change. Don’t wait until you get caught to straighten up. If you love the person you’re with, you owe it to them and to yourself, to be faithful. Infidelity destroys families, and has cost people their lives and livelihood. If you’re unhappy, look within for the answers. If that does not suffice, seek professional help. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are, and you don’t have to depend on someone else for your survival. Even if you need to go back to school to further your education in hopes of getting a better job, and increasing your earning potential. The bottom line is that you are where you are today because of the choices you made yesterday. Henceforth, choose wisely.