Guarding the Queen

Recently, a man tried to crash his car into a bus carrying Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.  The Netherlands generally has enjoyed low rates of violent crime, and the fact that someone would want to attack the Queen came as a shock to the populace.

It reminds me of a story by Bill Bryson, although his story is about Copenhagen, not Amsterdam:

"In 1982, a year for which I just happen to have the facts at my fingertips, there were six murders in Copenhagen, compared with 205 in Amsterdam, a city of similar size, and 1,688 in New York.  The city is so safe that Queen Margarethe used to walk from Amalienborg Palace to the shops every morning to buy flowers and vegetables just like a normal citizen.  I once asked a Dane who guarded her in such circumstances, and he looked at me with surprised and replied, 'Why, we all do," which I thought was rather sweet."  -From Neither Here Nor There

image: Queen Beatrix, by Carla Rodenburg

Cyberspace: No Vacancy

Starting next year, you could have 'brownouts' while using the internet. Cyberspace is filling up. Internet traffic is growing at 60% a year. Why all of a sudden? More people are working online, the popularity of You Tube, and we haven't even factored in India and China yet where the Internet is growing by leaps and bounds. Companies are investing billions into expanding the Internet's infrastructure, but demand may grow faster than supply.

New Bargain Basement Price for Yankees Tickets

I am a baseball fan. Specifically, I am a Mets fan. Baseball fans either love or hate the Yankees. I fall into the latter category. When the Yankees decided to close the old stadium, I thought I have to go. It was difficult to have a good time, but I survived.

Well, this year with a new 1.5 billion dollar Yankee Stadium, I wanted to check it out. Turns out the Mets play the Yankees at Yankee stadium in June. Great! I was ready to pay $100 for each ticket. Try $900 each. I was a wee bit upset. I am getting to a point here.

Now I hear the Yankees are slashing prices to fill the stands. People are not buying the expensive $2,600.00 seats and it looks bad on TV. My tickets are still $900, but I am glad someone is getting a bargain.Check out this tour of the stadium.

What a concert, ball game or experience worth to you?

Unlucky Strikes

Have you ever been in a public place and asked someone to stop smoking?  Say you are waiting for a bus or a train, and you think the waiting area is nonsmoking - and then a great big gust of cigarette smoke wanders into you.  If you were very sensititve to cigarette smoke, maybe you'd make a show of being affected by the smoke, waving your hands in front of your face and coughing.  Or maybe you'd simply ask the smoker to put out the cigarette.

But then what if the smoker didn't put out his or her cigarette?  What if, instead of putting out their cigarette, they punched you in the nose?

That's exactly what happened to a woman in Melbourne, Australia.  Police are asking the public's assistance in finding the assailant.

Raising a future billionaire

Can you imagine raising Bill Gates? His father, Bill Gates Sr. writes about it in his book called "Showing Up for Life."



Sr. says his son became an adult around the age of 11. Apparently, the young boy gained the intellect of an adult almost overnight.



There were a lot of disagreements over the years, but some things remained constant. Sunday family dinners at the same time every week and matching PJ's for the entire family at Christmas. Unfortunately that picture wasn't published with the article.

Tomato Idol

The Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain is holding auditions to find the next "Idol"... for plants.  As the BBC puts it: "For 30 days tomato plants at Wisley in Surrey will "listen" to voices through MP3 headphones attached to their pots."  Those plants will be compared to a control group that will not "listen" to voices.  The voice which produces the most fruit will be crowned the Voice of Wisley.  So far 40 people have auditioned. Stay tuned for the results!

picture at cafepress.com

Enough with bar games, try real games

A company called Timeless Entertainment Concepts is trying to redefine how people meet and date. They're replacing clubs with a playdate. PlayDate is a monthly social event in 20 cities where single adults play board games like Monopoly, Connect Four and Twister.



That's just the start of the evening. After board games, the night continues with school yard games with an adult twist like Simon Says break dance and Musical Chairs where the woman end up on a man's lap rather than a chair.



Lets not forget the adult cocktails.

Enjoy the fizz of Prosecco

I did not start out today wanting to blog about Prosecco, but I like Prosecco's versatility.

The Wall Street Journal did a nice job of reviewing Prosecco from $9.99 to $25 per bottle.

You can find their recommendations here. I started using Prosecco for New Year's Eve and I like it. I think it's a good idea to keep a bottle in the refrigerator. Prosecco and maybe some good cheese.

Top This

Have you ever been on a bad date?

Contributors at myveryworstdate.com have told of some pretty bad ones.  My favorite is the date with the guy who's missing two front teeth.  He slips in protein powder into the salad dressing, and then reveals that's he's under house arrest.

No more crazy names for babies

That's what a judge in the Dominican Republic says. He wants to ban names like Acura, Pineapple or Dummy. He says the names are confusing and some give no indication of gender. The proposal will come in front of his commission later this year.

I'd imagine some school teachers might appreciate this.

All I have to say is no such rule guides celebrities.

If you could choose your name, what would it be? I met a Vietnamese man who changed his first name to Bryant when he became a citizen. He says he doesn't know why he selected Bryant.

Fess up to your FB addiction

Therapists are seeing a new symptom of social networking sites... addiction to the world of people who only show their best side online and a disconnect from the real world.

They say there are 5 signs of addiction:
1. You're up too late on Facebook and you're tired the next day
2. If you spend more than an hour a day on FB.
3. You become obsessed with an old fling.
4.You ignore work to be on Facebook
5. The thought of leaving FB puts you in a cold sweat.

There are so many surveys on FB, it's only appropriate that you should take a quiz to find out if you're addicted to Facebook.

Let's Not Talk About Single Parents or Divorce, Shall We?

In the recent kerfuffle over Miss California Carrie Prejean's answer to Perez Hilton's question about gay marriage, Dan Savage pointed out in the New York Times that "no contestant would stand on that stage and argue for a ban on interracial marriage or come to the defense of a country clubs that banned Jewish members or condemn single mothers. All those positions were once considered thoroughly respectable, and people could argue for them on TV — pundits, candidates, beauty pageant contestants — without fear or repercussion. Not true today."

But that's an interesting point.  With divorce rates hovering around 40%, and 35% of births happening outside of wedlock, single-parent households are not uncommon.  And what's more, the public discourse surrounding divorce and single-parenting today is either nonexistent, indicating an ambivalent attitude on the part of the public, or shows it in a negative light, according to a study in the Journal of Marriage and Family.

Have we in the United States, as a society, really changed our views from 100 years ago?  Or have we simply swept our views under the rug?

photo: www.insolvency.co.za

Fan Mail via Snail Mail

It may surprise you to hear people still send fan mail to stars via the post office. In an age of instant messaging, texts and tweets, can you imagine someone waiting more than 24 hours for a response?

In the case of a busy celebrity, he/she can hire a company like Mail Mann to handle all correspondences.

It doesn't sound like you'll get special attention from the stars for sending an e-mail. Mail Mann also handles e-mails.

I do appreciate getting a hand written note in the mail. Maybe that's the thought behind writing to the stars. Have you ever written to a star? I have written thank you notes to stars but I met them as part of my work so I don't think that counts.

Super, this market

Supermarket loyalty runs deep.  Well, maybe as deep as the point card on your keychain.  But nevertheless, if you're like me, you have a favorite supermarket.

Consumer Reports recently published results of surveys on 59 different US supermarket chains.  All supermarkets were graded on service, quality of produce and meat, price, and cleanliness.  Then the grades were combined into an overall score, and the supermarkets ranked. 

Some near the top: Trader Joe's, Publix, Costco, and Whole Foods.  

Some near the bottom: A&P, Wal Mart Supercenter, and Food Lion.

Feathers fly at pillow fight

Police arrested a man in Burlington, VT for allegedly organizing a mass public pillow fight. The man apparently got word out about the pillow fight via Facebook. The rules were simple, bring a soft pillow to Church Street. Wait for the signal and start to swing. About 50 people participated in the event.

In an era when we're fighting 2 wars and people are stressed out over the economy, what a great way to reduce your aggression. Get a sense of humor. It's not like they are blocking traffic. It's a pedestrian walkway. Besides, stranger things have happened on Church Street in Burlington.

The best part of this story is there is video of the fight.

Eat This Not That

In this economy, many people are finding that there's less money to go around.

I've personally noticed that people are getting more agressive about saving money at the supermarket.  There's more use of coupons, and shoppers are more insistent on achieving savings.  One guy the other day sent a checkout clerk to the back of the store to see if the Italian sausage was $3.00 like the cashier said, or $1.50 like he thought the sign said.  (It was $1.50 for the spicy Italian sausage, $3 for the regular.  He declined to buy the regular and didn't want the spicy, either.)

It can be a challenge to eat healthily on a limited budget, as this article in the New York Times described.  Junk food beckons with its lower prices.

If you are looking for healthy alternatives, here's a great resource.  Eat This, Not That describes what's the healthiest - and unhealthiest - choices on the menu at many of your favorite, and dollar-saving, fast food restaurants.

photo: ukumillion.com

Slum child for sale

"Slumdog Millionaire" star Rubina Ali is back in the slums of India and allegedly up for sale. Reporters posing as tourists looking to adopt the now famous 9 year old say her father wanted nearly $300,000 for the girl.

The father now says he was just being polite ...that you don't say 'no' to guests.

To paraphrase someone: Is This What It Boyles Down To?

The headline entry says it all:

British singing sensation Susan Boyle offered $1 million to star in porn flick

All I can say is... Susan, don't!

Incidentally, Nadya "Octomom" Suleman was also offered $1 million to star in a porn flick.  She declined, but trademarked the moniker "Octomom" for use in a line of clothes and diapers.

Designer Deals Upset Designers

Department stores have been reducing the price of high end designer clothing.

That means you could buy a pair of slacks for $500.00 and two weeks later, it could be on sale for $150.00. That makes people who are slaves to designer clothing pretty upset.

The designers aren't much happier either. They have no control over when the item goes on sale or which items. Some designers are looking at renting space at department stores so that way they control their destiny.

What does that mean for the consumer? Artificially high prices continue?

**picture from http://cityfile.com/dailyfile/5370

Thirty Million and Counting...

So by now, you've probably seen Susan Boyle audition for "Britain's Got Talent".  When I checked this morning, the video - posted by BritainsSoTalented, with lyrics - has garnered more than 30 million views.  Other versions of her performances, posted by other users, have gotten more than 18 million views combined.

Forty-eight million views sounds like a lot, but it doesn't come close to the all-time most viewed video on YouTube.  Can you guess what it is?

That's right! It's "Evolution of Dance" by Judson Laipply, which has been viewed more than 118 million times in three years.

Who knows?  Perhaps Susan might be able to break the record set by Judson?

A glass by any other name

That's what Georg J. Riedel, the maker of Riedel wine glasses told a crowd recently. The question has been fermenting for a while now. Does the glass make the wine taste better? Riedel will tell you the shape of the glass matters, but lets face it, he's a bit biased.



Here is something you wouldn't expect him to say though... he hates the stemless tumblers (pictured on right) called the O line. He also doesn't care for beer even though his company sells beer glasses.

If you prefer your wine straight out of the book, Riedel says his stemware will make your boxed wine taste even better. I know, that's hard to believe.

Looking for a place to stay?

So, you've stayed in a treehouse, a cave, and a hotel made of ice.  Feeling jaded?  What's next?  How about a hotel made of salt? The Uyuni Salt Flats of Bolivia now has a hotel, made of locally available salt, to house the tourists who are just now beginning to discover the natural beauty of the region.

It's not the only building in the world made of salt.  For example, there is a salt building in Grand Saline, TX.  But, it isn't a hotel.

Next: an underwater hotel in Fiji, coming in 2010.

Freedom in Marriage

Is that an oxymoron? Marriage and independence?

A new book called "The Marriage -Go-Round" says Americans hold two conflicting views. Apparently we're looking for the ideal partner and to be fulfilled. When the wedded bliss dims, we seek divorce. This is a problem when children are part of the equation.

Sociologist Andrew Cherlin says we are more concerned now about personal growth than ever before. Is that another way of saying we want it all? I wonder if we can have it all? Or do we, dare I say it, have to settle?

Grilling

So, in addition to sunscreen, summer means it's time to break out the grill.  An easy way to test doneness of steaks on the grill: use your hands.

According to the Niman Ranch Cookbook:

Restaurant grill cooks, who may have to monitor a dozen steaks at once, rely on their fingertips to "read" doneness.  Depending on how readily the meat yields to their touch, they can judge its progression from rare (soft) to well done (firm).  With practice, you can master this techinique, too.  It works best on thin cuts, such as steaks and chops.

Gently press the cooking meat at its center or thickest part, then compare it to your own hand.  Relax your hand, letting it hang loosely from your wrist.  Touch the fleshy pad between your thumb and index finger.  It will feel soft, giving easily when you press.  That's the texture of rare meat.

Now form an open circle with your thumb and index finger.  The pad will be firmer and springier.  Meat cooked to medium will have a similar feel.

Now make a fist, tucking your fingers in snugly without gripping hard.  The pad between thmb and index finger with be firm and unyielding.  That's what well-done meat feels like.

 

photo credit: lawrys.com

Too Fat to Fly

Maybe the seats are too small. Don't tell United Airlines that. United flight attendants are keeping a watchful eye on large passengers.

If you can't buckle your seat belt or put your arm rest down, then you'll either have to buy the seat next to you or upgrade to a larger seat. If those options are not available, you may have to get a ticket on another flight.

Can you see the Advertisement for United... fly with skinny people. We won't squeeze you.

Are they just picking on large people or is this just a sign of the times?

Update on Colbert and NASA

NASA did not name the module after Stephen Colbert even though he won the online vote. The node will be called Tranquility. NASA broke the news to Colbert on The Colbert Report.

The treadmill on board Tranquility will be named Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill or COLBERT. Colbert will get his own mission patch.

Whopper of an apology

Burger King has been making headlines. Maybe not for the right reasons, but the fast food giant is getting attention for its Advertisements.

Burger King's new Texican Whopper AD shown in Spain says it is "inspired by the land where a man 'aint afraid to sink his teeth into something hot and spicy."
The AD depicts a squat Mexican draped in the country's flag next to a cowboy.
Mexico's ambassador to Spain complained and just hours ago, Burger King said it will change the Ads.

Here in the U.S, the company using the song 'Baby Got Back' to promote SpongeBob SquarePants kids meals to parents. The women in the commercial all have square bottoms in homage to Sponge Bob. Needless to say, some people are upset about the commercial.

In this country, lets say for argument's sake that the commercial did not violate any FCC rules, but it might be offensive to some people. Just don't buy the product. Isn't that more effective if you're offended than drawing attention to the commercial? Hurt the bottom line and Burger King will get the message.

Sunscreen

Summer is around the corner, which means it's time to check your supply of sunscreen.  As you probably know, UV light comes in several flavors, none of which are very good for you, but UVB is the one that can directly damage your DNA, which can lead to skin cancer.  Remember, UV"B" is for Bad.

Most sunscreen contains oxybenzone, an organic chemical which absorbs UVA and UVB radiation.  One study found that it can also penetrate the skin where it promotes the production of free radicals when exposed to light.  This led some consumer groups to release lists and lists of sunscreens that contain or don't contain nanoparticles. 

Consumer Reports tests sunscreens for their efficacy in preventing sunburn and found several which are effective.

One that seems to be okay: Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Sunblock Lotion, SPF 30.  (Effective against sunburn, no oxybenzone)

One to avoid: Coppertone Dry Oil Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 15. (Oxybenzone, nano particles, and does not protect well against sunburn.)

photo: http://www.bertagnolli.net/mandalay.2002.05/sunscreen.jpg

I found your missing sock

Stop blaming the dryer. We now know the whereabouts of your missing sock. Well, at least one family does. It's in the stomach of the family pooch. The family's golden retriever has been hoarding clothing in his stomach for years.



Concerned that the bulge in the dog's stomach was a tumor, family members took him to the Vet. The Vet pulled out 17 garments including socks, stockings and gloves.


I wonder if he has my homework.

Taking the sting out of 'sexting'

Vermont's Legislature is thinking about legalizing 'sexting.' Consensual exchange of graphic images would be legal under this new bill. Right now, a teen convicted of sexting is treated like a pedophile. The bill passed the State Senate and is heading to a House Committee.

Picture: Mtv.com via Getty Images

Inhale your chocolate guilt free

From chocoholics to puffaholics? If you have always wanted to inhale chocolate, here is your chance. A Harvard professor has come up with a way for you to get a whiff of chocolate without the calories. The mini inhaler, called Le Whif shoots a burst of chocolate flavor in your mouth. It will cost $2 for four puffs. The inhalers will be available later this month.

The professor isn't done. He's working on putting other foods in aerosol containers... foods like steak and carrots. The professor goes on to say this is the future of food. What foods would you like to have in an inhaler?

Easter Lilies are awesome

They seem so pure and perfect in their crisp whiteness. Easter lilies seem so perfect if only for a few days. Hey, how many days of perfection do you get? I digressed.

These lilies have a fascinating history. The lilies from the US are grown on farms along the California-Oregon border, but they're originally from the southern islands of Japan. Somewhere between 10-15 million lilies will be sold this season.
Lilies are associated with all sorts of myths, but one thing is for sure. They're just beautiful. Enjoy!

Green Eggs & Peeps

Even though "green" as a verb, or to mean "environmentally friendly" made it onto this year's list of Banished Words published by Lake Superior State University, it's showing no signs of stopping.

The White House, after announcing plans for a vegetable garden, has announced that this year's Easter Egg Roll will be a green one.

And if you celebrate Easter, here are some tips on how to make your celebrations greener.

Further on the "green" front, good news! Peeps are available in green, both the bunny and chick shapes, but no word on how environmentally friendly they are.

The Effects of Kids on Marriage

Let me start off by saying we're all discussing this subject because our parents decided to have kids. We should be grateful for that (I think.)

People say kids change your life. I have never heard anyone add 'for the better.'

There is a new study out (yes, I am fascinated by studies) that says 90% of couples saw a decrease in their marriage satisfaction after the first child.

Childless couples also saw a decrease but at a slower pace. Apparently you can prolong wedded bliss by waiting to have children. It also helps if you're financially stable.

As if that wasn't enough, a Daily Mail reporter asks 'Why DO babies turn so many brilliant women into slummy mummies?' She says women should maintain their good looks after giving birth if they want to keep their husbands. So there. Motherhood is not an excuse to let yourself go.

:-)

Emoticons are ubiquitous. Which is impressive, considering hardly any of us had even heard of the word just ten years ago. But where did emoticons come from?

Some suggest that the first recorded instance of an emoticon is in the transcript of a speech given by Abraham Lincoln, published in 1862, wherein a semicolon and parenthesis in sequence wink at the reader from the printed page.

But in more modern history, the combination of colon, hyphen, and parenthesis to convey emotion when read sideways was first proposed in an 1982 memo by Scott E. Falman, then a researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. He proposed smiley faces and frowny faces to mark jokes and not-jokes.

Bow Ties not Just for Geeks!

People like Charles Osgood, George Will and Pee Wee Herman are hip, fashionable and in style. There is a long list of distinguished bow tie wearers.
Hey maybe these guys were never out of style, perhaps we were out of fashion for years.

Thanks to the shows "Mad Men" and "Gossip Girl," bow ties are making a comeback. It's now cool to wear a bow tie.
If you're wondering where to find a bow tie, check out these hand made ones from Beau TiesLtd. of Middlebury, VT.

And the Wall Street Journal offers a how to tie a bow tie tutorial here.
One guy told the WSJ that women smile when he wears a bow tie. I can see that. It's so charming. So, what does a bow tie say about a man?

From White Castle to White House

Actor Kal Penn is joining the Obama Administration. Penn will be associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison. The actor turned politician played a doctor on TVs "House" recently.

Penn stumped for Obama during the campaign and expressed interest in being a part of the White House staff. He also says his grandparents marched with Gandhi in the Indian independence movement.

This latest appoint to the White House prompted the New York Post to make a list of White House hotties. Check them out.

American Idol (people in their 30's need not apply)

Tonight's "American Idol" was a reminder of several things, among them the fact that one of the qualities we appreciate in our Idols is their youth. All of this year's Idol top 8 finalists were born in the 80's save one -- who was born in the 90's.

So what were these mysterious 80's that gave birth to all these Idol contestants? The answer is complicated, but if you had to explain the 80's to someone who had never been there -- a time traveller from medieval France, say, or a member of the Dani tribe -- you would do well to begin at the top: the hair. See? Here. And here.

pictured: Singer Adam Lambert (born 1982) and singer Robert Smith (born 1959, but pictured circa 1982)

Yes, you probably look like your dog

Apparently people tend to pick out dogs that look like them. That would certainly explain how and why pets often become like children to many people.

People who are physically small tend to get dogs on the smaller side while bigger people get bigger dogs.

Sperm Expiration Date

Hey guys, your sperm comes with a best if used by date. That's right, it's not just women.

For generations women heard their biological clock tick. They knew the there was a correlation between their age and possible birth defects in their children.

Now you can put that same burden on men. Australian scientists looked at 33,000 American children and found children with older fathers scored less on tests.
Other research has shown that the propensity for bipolar disorder increases with fathers older than 29.



Are we moving closer to gender neutrality?

***Picture of Pablo Picasso, 66, with his son Claude from NYT

The Ettiquette of Unfriending

Have you ever been unfriended on Facebook?  And I mean, not as a way for someone to get a Whopper.

It's time to evaluate your relationship with the person who unfriended you.

This page may help if you are trying to come to terms with the fact that you aren't friends anymore -- or if you weren't as good friends as you thought you were.  Steps include writing (but not sending) a goodbye letter to your former friend, getting even, and more.

Havana Day Dreamin'

There is a Jimmy Buffett song called "Havana Day Dreamin' " that makes me think of Cuba and the pictures my Cuban-American friends paint of the country before Fidel Castro.

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Barack Obama will lift the travel ban on Cuba, allowing Cuban-Americans to visit family members in Cuba as often as they want and to send as much funds.

I am excited about this because I have been dreaming of a trip to Cuba for a long time. This will be just a small opening, but could eventually open the door wider allowing all Americans to travel to Cuba without going to Canada first for a visa.

I came across this story about Spring Break in Cuba. Check out the picture of the Cuban woman kissing the German tourist. lol.

Put me in the front of the line for a trip to Havana Day Dreamin.'

Madonna's Adoption Hits a Snag

Just when it was looking good for Madonna, a judge has blocked her effort to adopt a second baby from Malawi, pointing out that she hasn't been a resident of the country for 18 months, a condition required of adults who wish to adopt Malawian children.

But it seems like a problem with a pretty simple solution: live in Malawi for 18 months!  Surely if Madonna can achieve 12 #1 singles in the United States, she can manage to live in a developing country in Africa for 18 months...

The Happiest Place on Earth

No, not Disney World. Bhutan.

A few nights ago, I caught Michael J. Fox on David Letterman plugging his new book, Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist.

Fox found an entire country of optimists in Bhutan where he says leaders are not just judged on the GDP (Gross National Product) but also the GNH (Gross National Happiness.) Fox went on to say leaders make decisions to ensure the happiness of the country.



On the whole, Fox says the Bhutanese seem pretty happy.



I wonder if there is a GNH index. How do we know people are happy?

White House Sex Line

White House reporters were given an 800 number for a call-in interview session with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Turns out it was a good old fashioned sex line.

The White House says it gave out the correct number, but obviously everyone did not get the new memo.

If it wasn't a day late, I would have thought it was an April Fool joke.

The Washington Post recorded the outgoing message. Here is the audio.

Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie

How much space do you need?

I mean, really.

Check out apartmenttherapy.com's annual contest for "smallest coolest home" and think again.

picture: one view of Emily B.'s 300-sqft apartment in Chicago, on apartmenttherapy.com

Spring has Sprung

You know we're on the verge of Spring when Major League Baseball is just a matter of days away and Cherry Blossoms are hours from blooming. Blossoms smell great, look too perfect for a fleeting moment and reminds us of Spring's hope.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC runs through April 12, but the blossoms are expected to peak this weekend.

More than one million people come to catch a glimpse of the blossoms lining the Tidal Basin.

Feels like it's time to celebrate Spring. What are you doing? Maybe take a hike or just go out for a walk?

**Picture by Alex Wong, Getty Images

Cult mom starves son to death... waiting for boy's resurrection

Every so often we are reminded about the power of cults. Perhaps the most famous being Jim Jones and Jonestown.


Ria Ramkissoon was a member of a cult called 1 Mind Ministries. Her 21-month old son would not say "Amen" after meals so Ramkissoon and other cult members apparently decided to starve the child. The baby's mom plead guilty but told prosecutors if the boy comes back to life, she wants to change her plea to child abuse leading to death.


Cult members believed the boy would not say "Amen" because he was a demon. They prayed for the boy's resurrection after his death, but it did not happen.

Ramkissoon is competent to stand trial.

What a great name for a cult. One Mind Ministries.