The Software Testing Club recently put out an eBook called "99 Things You Can Do to Become a Better Tester". Some of them are really general and vague. Some of them are remarkably specific.
My goal for the next few weeks is to take the "99 Things" book and see if I can put my own personal spin on each of them, and make a personal workshop out of each of the suggestions.
Suggestion #25: For non-native English speakers: Improve your English. For native English speakers: Learn another language. - Stephan K?mper
When I was growing up, I had the opportunity to take various classes in school that focused on foreign languages. In elementary and middle school, I took a couple years of Spanish. In High School, I took three years of German. During my adult life, I have, through various media interests, become very interested in learning both Japanese and Korean (as spoken and written).?
To tell the truth, while I can hear a lot of these languages around me every day, and through various mediums experience Spanish, German, Japanese or Korean, and understand a fair bit of what I hear and read, I struggle with speaking it in any way that doesn't come off sounding ridiculous.?
The reasons for why I'm not better with these languages are many, but I believe it comes down to one fundamental issue. We learn, and remember, what we use and directly interact with. My Spanish and German probably would be a lot better today if I had more of an opportunity (and took advantage of the opportunities that I did have) to daily use those languages. Hearing, reading, writing, but most of all actually speaking with other people in that language. The fact is, I grew up in an area where, at the time, there were not many Spanish or German speakers. Even today, while I love watching Anime and K-Drama, the biggest hindrance so far has been having access to a limited number of fluent speakers to interact with (and to be fair, would be willing and patient enough to interact with me ;) ).
Language acquisition is easiest when we are young, because we hear it while our minds are making the mental map of our world. We are able to associate sounds and actions early on, and those become part of our everyday language. Our "Native Tongue" is easiest because it's where all of our formative experience are associated. Later on in life, as we try to learn a new language, we find that we struggle to make the same kind of connections. I find myself actively translating what I hear, formulating what we want to say in English, then translate it again to say it back to the person I am speaking with. The tighter I can make that feedback loop, the more likely I will be to gain comfort and fluency in that language.
Workshop #23: Commit to Listening to, Reading, Writing and Speaking a Different Language
This workshop will not be easy, and it will not be something that can be accomplished in a short period of time. Anyone can make some progress, but to get genuinely good (i.e. fluent) could take years! While there are some software applications that can help with this (Rosetta Stone, etc.), and of course we could take language classes at a local college, I want to explore some low cost or no cost ways to do this.
The examples below are going to use Japanese because that is the language I'm currently focusing on. Anywhere you see Japanese, replace with the language of your choosing.
1. Find several books in Japanese and English (or online sites if you prefer), a translation dictionary, and some books (or sites) purely in Japanese (I've found that Manga works great for this).
2. A pad of paper and a comfortable pen. This is for me to practice regularly writing out Kana and Kanji characters. I say them out loud as I write them, and I speak out the words that they form as I do.
4. Movies, television shows and audio programs in Japanese (decades of love for Anime helps a lot here. If the option exists to toggle subtitles on or off, even better).
3. Some friends that speak Japanese fluently, and are willing to spend time talking to me. Seriously, this last one is crucial, and I know I have to be really nice to them. My plan is to buy them dinner or take them out for drinks? frequently :).
Using each of these tools, I then spend as much time as I feel comfortable listening to, reading, writing and speaking Japanese. Reading helps me see the flow of the words, and how they relate. Listening to dialogue helps me hear words in context as well as proper pronunciation. Writing things out help me recognize words as I become more familiar with them (especially true with Kana/Kanji, since they have no resemblance to my familiar Roman alphabet at all).
While all of these will be helpful, to really make it stick, having access to people who will take the time to talk to me in Japanese will be the biggest factor. Since I'm still on the early part of the learning curve, those people will need to be remarkably patient, and I will need to reward their patience and willingness to put up with me (I am totally serious about the buying dinner for them from time to time). The consistent speaking and varying of conversation, I feel, is the most effective way to really learn a language, to be able to adapt and begin to "think" in that language.?
Bottom Line:
It's not enough to casually read or "get the gist of a language", I will have to do enough and be involved with it enough so that I can genuinely make it a part of my everyday interactions. Barring an opportunity to move to a location where I can be fully immersed in Japanese (I would love to move to Tokyo or Sapporo for a year or two, but that's just not practical and my wife might strenuously object), the next best option is to utilize various media and interact with real people. All of this will have me regularly reading, writing, hearing and speaking Japanese. I wish all good luck in the language you choose? and if any out there fall into the camp of wanting to improve your English, I'm happy to help where I can (I'll leave whether or not I'd be an acceptable coach as an exercise to the reader ;) ).
Nancy Andrews, M.D., Ph.D., and Elaine Jaffe, M.D., honored with 2013 Henry M. Stratton MedalPublic release date: 1-Aug-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kaitlin Bressler Kbressler@hematology.org 202-552-4925 American Society of Hematology
(WASHINGTON, August 1, 2013) The American Society of Hematology (ASH) today announced that it will recognize Nancy Andrews, MD, PhD, dean of Duke University School of Medicine, and Elaine Jaffe, MD, of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, with the 2013 Henry M. Stratton Medal for their outstanding accomplishments in the fields of iron homeostasis and erythropoiesis and lymphoma, respectively.
Each year ASH honors two senior investigators, one in basic research and the other in clinical/translational research, with the Henry M. Stratton Medal for their well-recognized contributions to hematology. The award is named after the late Henry Maurice Stratton, co-founder of Grune and Stratton, the medical publishing company that first published ASH's journal Blood.
Dean Andrews, the recipient of the 2013 Stratton Medal for Basic Research, is also Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Duke University. She is the first woman to be appointed dean of Duke's School of Medicine and is the only woman to lead one of the nation's top 10 medical schools. Dr. Andrews earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and her PhD in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After completing a residency in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital and a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at Boston Children's and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Andrews made several critical discoveries early in her career central to the understanding of erythropoiesis. Following her post-doctoral training, Dr. Andrews remained at Harvard, rapidly climbing the academic ranks and eventually serving as Dean for Basic Sciences and Graduate Studies at Harvard Medical School. In 2007, she assumed her current role at Duke University School of Medicine.
Dr. Andrews is a model physician-scientist and a recognized leader in the study of molecular biology of iron metabolism. She has maintained an active National Institutes of Health-funded research laboratory dedicated to the study of genetic approaches in mice to identify key genes regulating iron balance and has created more than 30 mouse models of iron-related diseases and pathways. Her countless critical achievements in non-malignant hematology are unrivaled, and her research creativity and productivity were rewarded by her status as a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator from 1993 to 2006.
In addition to her seminal contributions to the field, Dr. Andrews has become a visible leader among her colleagues through service in professional societies and receipt of prestigious awards. She has served many different roles for ASH, including Scientific Program Committee Chair and Councillor, and received ASH's 2011 Mentor Award for Basic Science for her sustained, outstanding commitment to the training and career development of junior hematologists. She has also served as past president of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Jaffe, the recipient of the 2013 Stratton Medal for Clinical/Translational Research, is Head of the Hematopathology Section of the Laboratory of Pathology in the Intramural Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). After receiving her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completing an internship at Georgetown University, Dr. Jaffe joined the NCI as a resident in anatomic pathology. She has remained at the NCI for more than 40 years, working her way up from Senior Investigator to directing the Hematopathology Section of the Institute.
Dr. Jaffe is regarded by her peers as one of the most pre-eminent hematopathologists of her generation. She is most widely known for her work regarding the pathophysiology and prognosis of malignant lymphomas, as well as her unparalleled work to understand how they respond to treatment. She has completed intriguing work on the interrelationship between Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell lymphomas, focusing in particular on grey zone lymphomas that appear to represent the missing link between classical Hodgkin lymphoma and other B-cell malignancies and exploring the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that cause a B cell to become a Hodgkin cell.
Dr. Jaffe's impact on hematology has been amplified by her leadership roles in ASH and other national and international societies and activities. In addition to serving as an ASH Councillor, Advisory Board member, and Awards Committee member, Dr. Jaffe has served as a past president of both the Society for Hematopathology and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. She currently serves on the Lymphoma Research Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board and is a former Chair of the Medical Sciences Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Jaffe led the effort to develop the World Health Organization classification of tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues published in 2001, a classification that rapidly became the international standard.
Dr. Jaffe's awards include the Fred W. Stewart Award from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Mostofi Award from the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the Lennert Prize from the European Association for Haematopathology, and the Honoris Causa from the University of Barcelona. She was elected as a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in 2008.
"It is a true privilege to award Dr. Andrews and Dr. Jaffe with the 2013 Henry M. Stratton Medal not only for their seminal research discoveries but also for the resilience, dedication, leadership, and innovation they have exhibited throughout their careers in hematology," said ASH President Janis L. Abkowitz, MD, of the University of Washington. "We deeply appreciate the profound contributions that these distinguished scientists have made to the field and their service as role models for scores of students, trainees, and colleagues."
Drs. Andrews and Jaffe will accept their awards at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday December 10, during the 55th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.
###
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (http://www.hematology.org) is the world's largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 50 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. The official journal of ASH is Blood (http://www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Nancy Andrews, M.D., Ph.D., and Elaine Jaffe, M.D., honored with 2013 Henry M. Stratton MedalPublic release date: 1-Aug-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Kaitlin Bressler Kbressler@hematology.org 202-552-4925 American Society of Hematology
(WASHINGTON, August 1, 2013) The American Society of Hematology (ASH) today announced that it will recognize Nancy Andrews, MD, PhD, dean of Duke University School of Medicine, and Elaine Jaffe, MD, of the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, with the 2013 Henry M. Stratton Medal for their outstanding accomplishments in the fields of iron homeostasis and erythropoiesis and lymphoma, respectively.
Each year ASH honors two senior investigators, one in basic research and the other in clinical/translational research, with the Henry M. Stratton Medal for their well-recognized contributions to hematology. The award is named after the late Henry Maurice Stratton, co-founder of Grune and Stratton, the medical publishing company that first published ASH's journal Blood.
Dean Andrews, the recipient of the 2013 Stratton Medal for Basic Research, is also Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Duke University. She is the first woman to be appointed dean of Duke's School of Medicine and is the only woman to lead one of the nation's top 10 medical schools. Dr. Andrews earned her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and her PhD in Biology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. After completing a residency in pediatrics at Boston Children's Hospital and a pediatric hematology-oncology fellowship at Boston Children's and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Dr. Andrews made several critical discoveries early in her career central to the understanding of erythropoiesis. Following her post-doctoral training, Dr. Andrews remained at Harvard, rapidly climbing the academic ranks and eventually serving as Dean for Basic Sciences and Graduate Studies at Harvard Medical School. In 2007, she assumed her current role at Duke University School of Medicine.
Dr. Andrews is a model physician-scientist and a recognized leader in the study of molecular biology of iron metabolism. She has maintained an active National Institutes of Health-funded research laboratory dedicated to the study of genetic approaches in mice to identify key genes regulating iron balance and has created more than 30 mouse models of iron-related diseases and pathways. Her countless critical achievements in non-malignant hematology are unrivaled, and her research creativity and productivity were rewarded by her status as a Howard Hughes Medical Investigator from 1993 to 2006.
In addition to her seminal contributions to the field, Dr. Andrews has become a visible leader among her colleagues through service in professional societies and receipt of prestigious awards. She has served many different roles for ASH, including Scientific Program Committee Chair and Councillor, and received ASH's 2011 Mentor Award for Basic Science for her sustained, outstanding commitment to the training and career development of junior hematologists. She has also served as past president of the American Society of Clinical Investigation and is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Dr. Jaffe, the recipient of the 2013 Stratton Medal for Clinical/Translational Research, is Head of the Hematopathology Section of the Laboratory of Pathology in the Intramural Program of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). After receiving her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and completing an internship at Georgetown University, Dr. Jaffe joined the NCI as a resident in anatomic pathology. She has remained at the NCI for more than 40 years, working her way up from Senior Investigator to directing the Hematopathology Section of the Institute.
Dr. Jaffe is regarded by her peers as one of the most pre-eminent hematopathologists of her generation. She is most widely known for her work regarding the pathophysiology and prognosis of malignant lymphomas, as well as her unparalleled work to understand how they respond to treatment. She has completed intriguing work on the interrelationship between Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell lymphomas, focusing in particular on grey zone lymphomas that appear to represent the missing link between classical Hodgkin lymphoma and other B-cell malignancies and exploring the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms that cause a B cell to become a Hodgkin cell.
Dr. Jaffe's impact on hematology has been amplified by her leadership roles in ASH and other national and international societies and activities. In addition to serving as an ASH Councillor, Advisory Board member, and Awards Committee member, Dr. Jaffe has served as a past president of both the Society for Hematopathology and the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. She currently serves on the Lymphoma Research Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board and is a former Chair of the Medical Sciences Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. Jaffe led the effort to develop the World Health Organization classification of tumors of the hematopoietic and lymphoid tissues published in 2001, a classification that rapidly became the international standard.
Dr. Jaffe's awards include the Fred W. Stewart Award from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, the Mostofi Award from the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the Lennert Prize from the European Association for Haematopathology, and the Honoris Causa from the University of Barcelona. She was elected as a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in 2008.
"It is a true privilege to award Dr. Andrews and Dr. Jaffe with the 2013 Henry M. Stratton Medal not only for their seminal research discoveries but also for the resilience, dedication, leadership, and innovation they have exhibited throughout their careers in hematology," said ASH President Janis L. Abkowitz, MD, of the University of Washington. "We deeply appreciate the profound contributions that these distinguished scientists have made to the field and their service as role models for scores of students, trainees, and colleagues."
Drs. Andrews and Jaffe will accept their awards at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday December 10, during the 55th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.
###
The American Society of Hematology (ASH) (http://www.hematology.org) is the world's largest professional society of hematologists dedicated to furthering the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting the blood. For more than 50 years, the Society has led the development of hematology as a discipline by promoting research, patient care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. The official journal of ASH is Blood (http://www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Video marketing for real estate brokers is now available nationwide from ARME Realty.com, a Clearwater, FL real estate web design and development company.
Clearwater, FL (PRWEB) August 01, 2013
Video marketing for real estate brokers in now available nationwide. ARME Realty.com, a real estate web design and development company located in Clearwater, FL has announced that they will be offering their video advertising package as an individual service to real estate brokers.
ARME Realty.com has been using video marketing as part of their web development strategy since they began developing websites for the real estate industry. The service is considered to be a very necessary part of creating a website that has all of the proper Internet connections.
"The real estate industry has had a very positive reaction to the video marketing portion of our services. By using keyword data to not only develop the content portion of the website, but we can develop the video portion as well. This allows us to create videos that show up on the first page of Google within 24 hours of being posted, and they will often climb to the top of the first page within a few weeks," states Simon Landers, spokesperson.
Mr. Landers continues, "Video marketing for real estate brokers has a very interesting impact on the real estate industry because most of what individuals are looking for when they look at the pictures of homes is the aesthetics. If you have ever heard the term a picture is worth a thousand words, it is very true. Individuals have to like what they see about the home first, before they will even be interested in the more pertinent information, like how many bedrooms the house has."
If you are a real estate broker and you are interested in learning more about video marketing for real estate brokers, and how ARME Realty.com can help please call (727) 459-8841 and speak with an agent.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/video-marketing-for/real-estate-brokers/prweb10989648.htm
BAMAKO (Reuters) - Mali tallied votes from its high-stakes election on Monday cheering a robust turnout and lack of violence as proof Malians were eager to turn the page on more than a year of turmoil, war and an army coup.
Official results were not due until Tuesday, but that did not stop ex-prime minister Ibrahim Boubacar Keita's camp from saying a first round victory was within reach.
Mahamadou Camara, a spokesman for Keita, universally known by his initials, IBK, said their tallies showed him scoring well above the 50 percent needed to avoid a run-off, which will take place August 11 if required.
Keita's rivals, who include ex-finance minister Soumaila Cisse, Modibo Sidibe, a former prime minister, and Dramane Dembele, the candidate of Mali's biggest party, said they were sure a second round would be needed.
The three, all members of the FDR coalition set up against the junta last year, met to issue a joint statement on Monday.
"There cannot be a victory in the first round," Amadou Koita, the coalition's spokesman, said in the statement.
Local newspapers lauded the vote on Monday morning, with state-run L'Essor saying the turnout was "exceptional".
"There were women, old people, blind people. Everyone wanted to vote," said Mariam Diallo-Drame, a youth leader who had encouraged people to take part in the election.
"This is the first time ever we had a truly democratic election. We have never seen that in Mali...We understood what happens if we don't fulfill our obligations. People are saying it is now up to the politicians to understand," she said.
Gamer Dicko, a spokesman at the Interior Ministry, which organized the vote, said it would take time to transport the results sheets across the country, which is twice the size of France, and collate them.
The vote was the first since a coup in March last year led to the occupation of Mali's north by separatist and Islamist rebels. French forces intervened in January to defeat the al Qaeda-linked fighters, whose threats to disrupt the election did not materialize.
However, the candidates - 26 men and one woman - are known quantities and few expect the kind of radical overhaul of Mali's political class that many say is necessary.
Groups of Keita's supporters had spilled onto the streets of the riverside capital overnight after local media announced results showing him scoring heavy victories in individual polling stations there.
They whistled and chanted "IBK, IBK" and "Takokele" - which means just one round in the local Bamabara language - reflecting confidence in Keita's camp of an outright win.
Rivals called their actions a provocation.
Cisse, seen as Keita's strongest challenger, said he would contest the results if there was no run-off.
"Across Bamako, there was organized fraud. Fraud is fraud, there is no such thing as small fraud," he told Reuters.
NOT WITHOUT PROBLEMS
Chief EU observer Louis Michel said on Monday the election took place in a calm atmosphere and participation exceeded 50 percent in some places.
Turnout at some polling stations visited by Reuters on Sunday was more than 50 percent, while participation in previous presidential elections has never exceeded 40 percent.
"No major incidents were reported even though there were some imperfections," Michel told journalists in Bamako.
"But none of these incidents, none of these imperfections could jeopardize the legitimacy of the results," he said.
In a few examples of reported problems, some Malians had difficulty finding the right polling station, and thousands who were displaced by the conflict are likely to have missed the vote as they would not have received the newly-printed ID cards.
Voting in Kidal, the heart of the Tuareg rebellion in Mali's desert north that sparked the crisis last year, was muted, observers and residents said. The future president must still secure a long-term peace with separatist rebels.
Observers said there were some protests against the vote in Kidal and a U.N. source said Tuareg MNLA rebels had sought to prevent some people from voting in Menaka, another northern town.
Results were meant to be posted outside all polling stations after local counting was completed, but they were missing from most locations visited in Bamako by Reuters on Monday morning.
The relatively high turnout and the lack of violence support those in Mali and world powers, especially France, who pushed for the vote to be held despite rushed preparations and fears of marginalizing thousands of voters.
A successful vote will also pave the way for donors to disburse some 3 billion euros in reconstruction aid promised in May.
(Additional reporting by Adama Diarra; Writing by David Lewis; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)
PIERMONT, N.Y. (AP) ? The driver of a speedboat carrying a bride-to-be and five others that crashed on New York's Hudson River late Friday night has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.
Rockland County Sheriff's Department Chief William Barbera said Saturday 35-year-old Jojo John of Nyack was also charged with vehicular assault. Barbera says John may have operating the boat while intoxicated.
Earlier Saturday, a body matching the description of 30-year-old Lindsey Stewart, of Piermont, was found in the water. Stewart was set to be married Aug. 10.
Rescuers are still trying to locate her fiance's best man, 30-year-old Mark Lennon. The search for him was suspended Saturday evening.
Officials say the groom-to-be and three others were hospitalized after the boat carrying six friends crashed into a construction barge near the Tappan Zee Bridge.
Questions regarding web giant Google and precisely how far they pry into each and every interaction you have on the internet never seem to go away. This was brought to light yet again last week, as the company decided to settle on a three year old privacy suit.
Google has tentatively agreed to pay $8.5 million to settle a three-year-old class action lawsuit that claimed the Internet search company violated users? privacy by leaking their search queries ? which may include names or other identifying information ? to operators of websites that the users may visit.
Under the proposed settlement, the $8.5 million will go into a fund that ? after subtracting the plaintiffs? attorney fees ? would be divided among seven nonprofit groups that promise to use the money on public education campaigns about technology and privacy. The groups include the Stanford Center for Internet and Society, the World Privacy Forum, the MacArthur Foundation and AARP.
As the article goes on to note, this case sounds like yet another settlement which will go to benefit essentially nobody except for the lawyers involved and some largely untraceable nonprofits who all have staff to pay. But it does serve to highlight yet again exactly how pervasive Google is in the online lives of everyone. I have two brief bits of anecdotal evidence to offer here which recently came up and tie into some of the concerns people have.
I was recently working with a colleague who was using the services of a company which involved fairly large numbers of 55 gallon drums of raw materials. They had to entirely cut off the lids of the drums to empty the mostly solid material, and used an electric ?de-header? which essentially resembles a giant cat food can opener. Sometimes the ?chime? (or lip) of the barrels gets bent or damaged in transit and needs to be straightened out. It turns out that a company called Wizard produces a special tool which does nothing but straighten out barrel chimes, called a drum chime dekinker.
For whatever reason, I found that kind of amusing and Googled up the tool. ( I was rather shocked to see that it cost more than 200 bucks.) At lunch, I opened up CNN?s home page to check the headlines, as I usually do. On the right hand side of the page (before they recently changed their format) there were some advertisements. Can you guess what the first ad at the top was? Yep? an advertisement for a Wizard Drum Chime Dekinker. The odds of that are too staggering to even contemplate, so it was obvious how it got there.
In a similar episode, as fishing season approached this year, my brother sent me an e-mail where he mentioned a relatively new sporting goods company in Washington State who sell some bass lures which he had tried and suggested to me. That same day, the Google ads on my G-mail home page had an advertisement for that company?s fishing lures. Again, this is beyond the limits of the universe of random chance.
So Google is tracking a lot more than just a list of contacts you have, as we?ve long known. They are storing the information on not only who you are talking to, but the content of your conversations. (Please note, I?m not implying there are real, living people reading each of your e-mails. It?s software which scans and stores the content searching for keywords.) I had long since given up worrying about such things, pretty much surrendering my privacy concerns to Google in exchange for the extremely useful and pervasive tools they offer for free. But in the era of the NSA tapping such providers on the shoulder, it certainly gives one pause.
The Supreme Court has ruled and we celebrate this monumental step toward marriage equality. We have a ways to go yet, but that old song from the civil rights movement assures us that "we shall overcome." It's only a matter of time. But in order to have a healthy marriage, we must do more than change the laws. We must also change the internal self-dialogue that results from the daily exposure to the heterosexism and gender binarism in our culture.
Gay and lesbian relationships are... counterfeit... psychologically immature... less committed... short-term... rarely last... unhealthy for children...
Most of us grew up hearing these falsehoods in our communities, churches, and families. In our struggle for equality, we sometimes find ourselves trying to convince family members, co-workers, clergy, and lawmakers that our relationships are just as healthy and resilient as those of our heterosexual friends. But what if research suggested they are, in some ways... even healthier?
Psychologists and relationship researchers Dr. John Gottman from the University of Washington, and Dr. Robert Levenson from the University of California at Berkeley, conducted a twelve-year study of same-sex and opposite-sex couples. Among other things, they found that gay and lesbian couples are more upbeat in the face of conflict and use less controlling and hostile emotional tactics during an argument (Gottman Relationship Institute, 2003).
A study published in the Journal of Developmental Psychology found that gays and lesbians in committed relationships resolve conflict better than heterosexual couples who are dating, and that lesbian couples are especially effective at resolving problems harmoniously (Roisman et al., 2008). Another study, published in the same journal, compared gay couples, lesbian couples, and heterosexual married couples in Vermont over a three-year period. In that study, same-sex couples were found to be similar to heterosexual couples on most variables, but reported more positive feelings, more satisfaction, and less conflict than heterosexual married couples (Balsam et al., 2008).
These findings supported earlier studies showing that lesbian couples tend to be emotionally closer than gay male couples who, in turn, tend to be emotionally closer than heterosexual married couples. Qualities of closeness and flexibility were found in 79% of lesbian couples, 56% of gay male couples, and 8% of heterosexual married couples (Green, Bettinger, & Zacks, 1996).
Finally, sociologists Dr. Judith Stacey from New York University, and Dr. Timothy Biblarz from the University of California, reported on their five-year review of 81 studies comparing a variety of family configurations; including heterosexual, lesbian, and gay households. The results, published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family, revealed that the quality of the parent's relationship and parenting style are more important than their gender. In fact, the research suggests that two women raising a child together tend to be slightly more committed to active hands-on parenting than heterosexual parents (Biblarz & Stacey, 2010).
The next time you find yourself, or someone else, doubting your ability to love your partner or a child because of your sexual orientation, remember these words from Gottman:
"Gay and lesbian relationships are the vanguard of what heterosexual relationships could be. Heterosexual couples have a lot to learn from gay couples"(Lutes, 2007).
"Gay and lesbian couples are a lot more mature, more considerate in trying to improve a relationship and have a greater awareness of equality in a relationship than straight couples. I think that in 200 years heterosexual relationships will be where gay and lesbian relationships are today" (University of Washington News, 2003).
I share these words with you because our beliefs greatly determine our actions and outcomes. Author Anais Nin once said, "We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." So today, hold your head up high with confidence and celebrate the SCOTUS victory, knowing that as a gay man or lesbian woman you are fully capable of having the meaningful and satisfying love relationship you desire.
References
Balsam, K., Beauchaine, T., Rothblum, E., & Solomon, S. (2008). Three-year Follow-Up of Same-Sex Couples Who Had Civil Unions in Vermont, Same-Sex Couples Not In Civil Unions, and Heterosexual Married Couples. Journal of Developmental Psychology, Vol 44. No 1.
Biblarz, T., & Stacey, J. (2010). Does the Gender of Parents Matter? Journal of Marriage and Family, Vol 71, Issue 1, 3-22.
Green, R.J., Bettinger, M., & Zacks, E. (1996). Are lesbian couples fused and gay male couples disengaged? Questioning gender straightjackets. In J. Laird & R.J. Green (Eds.), Lesbians and gays in couples and families: A handbook for therapists (pp. 185-227). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Lutes, J. (2007). What science says - and doesn't say - about homosexuality: Research-based answers to ten of the most commonly asked questions about lesbian women, gay men, and their families.
Roisman, G., Clausell, E., Holland, A., Fortuna, K., & Elieff, C. (2008). Adult Romantic Relationships as Contexts of Human Development: A Multimethod Comparison of Same-Sex Couples with Opposite-Sex Dating, Engaged, and Married Dyads. Journal of Developmental Psychology, Vol. 44, No 1.
Despite earlier denials, Huawei reportedly now says it's looking into the possibility of a 'Google Play edition' P6
At his company's flashy London launch event for its new Ascend P6 handset last week, Huawei Consumer Business Group CEO Richard Yu told journalists in no uncertain terms that the manufacturer wasn't interested in putting out a "Google edition" version of the product it'd just announced. But today we're seeing signs of a turnaround, as UK tech blog Pocket-Lint reports that another Huawei exec has said such a device is very much within the realms of possibility.
Unless you?re a cancer survivor or have a loved one who is, you probably didn?t know that June 2 was National Cancer Survivor Day. We have many customers who are cancer survivors who incorporate natural health and fitness in their recovery. We asked several of them if they?d like to share their story, and they graciously agreed. They both have a powerful message to share and unique circumstances surrounding their cancer story. In this two-part series, you?ll learn of their amazing journey to better health and how they beat the big ?C.?
Our first guest has asked to remain anonymous for obvious reasons ? she hasn?t always agreed with mainstream medicine cancer treatments and wants to avoid any repercussions for the choices she?s made. Rejecting the ?standard of care? for cancer treatment can be difficult. If you don?t believe it, watch the documentary ?Cut, Poison, Burn.? Our health freedoms hang in the balance.
We assure you, our first cancer survivor is a very real person and shops Natural Healthy concepts regularly!
When were you first diagnosed with cancer?
In July 2010, Jane (pseudonym) saw her doctor for a routine physical, by all accounts everything was fine, but her doctor said it was time for a mammogram. She had it done on a Friday and was called back on Monday. Something wasn?t right and they wanted another mammogram. They also did an ultrasound and sent her back for yet another mammogram. This was a total of three mammograms within a two week period.
Not only did she have three mammograms in this brief period of time, but because she is smaller chested with dense breast tissue, her mammograms required extra views. They told her they had never squeezed anyone that tight before ? she obviously has a good threshold for pain because it hurt me just thinking about it. It was then time for a needle biopsy.
Jane found out the next day that she did indeed have cancer. It was ductal carcinoma in situ ? stage 2 (DCIS). The National Cancer Institute defines DCIS as a ?noninvasive condition in which abnormal cells are found in the lining of a breast duct.?
It should be noted that six months prior to Jane?s diagnosis, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, her sister had a suspicious spot on her breast, and she had a cousin on her dad?s side that also had breast cancer. Her mom went through genetic testing and while Jane had several of the genetic tests done, she didn?t complete the series of tests. She was not going to let her genes define her.
?Was the diagnosis a surprise or did you have some prior health concerns?
Because of her mom?s diagnosis it wasn?t a complete surprise, but in hindsight, she wondered what might have brought her to the big ?C.? Her ?aha? moment came when she realized that for almost eight years she?d been having significant arthritis pain throughout her body and she had a great deal of neck pain, too. Jane had been seeing a chiropractor who sent her to a neurologist. It was clear she was dealing with inflammation throughout her body and surgery on her neck seemed inevitable.
Jane had been good about doing monthly self-breast exams and would periodically find a sensitive area, but didn?t make much of it at the time. Breast pain generally doesn?t mean cancer is present.
Like most women, Jane had trouble sleeping ? she seldom got a good night?s rest and she was dealing with hot flash issues, which often means a hormonal imbalance.
What was your first step ?did you seek traditional treatment and if so, what?
It?s hard for the rest of us to wrap our heads around a cancer diagnosis, what would we do? Jane?s doctor told her to schedule a lumpectomy and then she?d have to do radiation and Tamoxifin. If she didn?t do that, then the doctor recommended chemo. Jane asked her doctor if there was anything she could do nutritionally and the answer was a resounding no.
Jane knew better ? some time before her diagnosis, she had been to an iridologist who had put her on an organic diet! That was perhaps a life changing and life-saving, decision. Her surgery was originally scheduled for four weeks out, but Jane wanted to get as much information as she could and she pushed it back to eight weeks. From her original appointment, Jane came right to Natural Healthy Concepts.
She met with Theresa Groskopp, CN, at Natural Healthy Concepts, who helped her get her health back on track. Detoxing her body was the first step and part of her protocol included Cell Guardian and some Green Vibrance and ClearVite-CR from Apex Energetics and iodine from Xenostat from Premier Research. Note: You should never do an intense detox without the help of a certified healthcare practitioner! Jane experienced a Herxheimer response to her detox ? this is an often common occurrence and why a detox should be done under the care of a practitioner.
What Is The Herxheimer Reaction?
The Herxheimer Reaction is an immune system reaction to the toxins (endotoxins) that are released when large amounts of pathogens are being killed off, and the body does not eliminate the toxins quickly enough. Simply stated, it is a reaction that occurs when the body is detoxifying and the released toxins either exacerbate the symptoms being treated or create their own symptoms. The important thing to note is that worsening symptoms do not indicate failure of the treatment in question; in fact, usually just the opposite.
Jane also needed to address the pH levels in her body. Did you know cancer can thrive in an acidic environment? It?s important to know your pH levels.
She was supposed to go in for surgery but cancelled because she felt so lousy, even though the medical staff said it would be fine to go ahead!
Finally after 8 weeks, she had the lumpectomy.
After reading the book Cancer Can be Cured about how aloe fights cancer, Jane immersed herself further in the pursuit of natural cancer treatments. Jane received help for her poor sleeping habits from someone who did Reiki, and researched essential oils and other books on natural health. Jane never did have radiation or chemo. This was her personal choice. In one of her appointments with her oncologist, she asked for statistics on nutritional protocols in treating cancer but the response was ?We don?t do those kinds of studies.?
?Did you make lifestyle changes?
Definitely! She changed her diet to whole, organic, clean foods, and went vegan for awhile as she detoxed. She has always exercised but changed up her routine a little after the diagnosis. She was very calm about facing cancer once she got the diagnosis ? she felt prepared to meet the enemy. She lost 30 lbs, and she felt better because she ate better.
?How you?re doing today?
After three years, Jane is still cancer free (She looks great and is wonderfully fit & trim!) She knows she must continue to take care of herself, getting enough rest and making sure she?s eating right. Jane?s diet is gluten free, dairy free and sugar free. She had food sensitivity testing and avoids her trigger foods, and she constantly educates herself on natural health.
What do you wish you knew before the diagnosis? Is there anything you?d do differently?
She wishes she would have known more about natural health & essential oils before she was first diagnosed. She know that sugar feeds cancer so she immediately got off the sugar.
As for what she?d do differently ? her response was ?Pretty much everything!? Except for the fact that she?d always been physically active and worked out regularly, she would have made many more healthy lifestyle changes.
?How are things different today?
So much has changed! Her arthritis is gone, her mood health is so much better, her hair is thicker and healthier (no more toxic perms!) Her voice isn?t gravelly anymore and she?s singing again! Her hot flashes are gone, too. She sees a chiropractor regularly and said she adjusts so much easier. The best part is, she doesn?t need neck surgery anymore.
She is a firm believer in the power of prayer and making the most of your circumstances. She had down days like everyone else, but most of the time, she loves how she can just pop out of bed in the morning. The old Jane couldn?t do that so well!
?What would you like to tell someone today?
1. Eat an organic diet with free range meats and unprocessed foods.
2. Get rid of sugary foods.
3. Get your body moving ? exercise is critical!
4. Get quality sleep!
5. Get rid of toxins in your house.
6. Take care of yourself and make your health a priority. No one else can do it for you!
What resources or websites do you like?
? Dr. Mercola at Mercola.com
? In keeping with her healthy diet, Jane sells Wildtree products which are made with all natural ingredients.
? Natural Healthy Concepts
What an inspiration Jane is! It was great to get to know her better and see her not only survive but thrive after cancer! And yes, it?s a little convicting, too?.it made me take a good inventory of my own health habits! Time to make some changes!
Products for cancer prevention:
Vitamin D3 ? Clinically proven to reduce cancer risk
Antioxidants ? Help fight free radicals from oxidative stress
Detoxification ? Get the junk out of your body!
Immune support ? A weak immune system leaves you vulnerable to disease.
Are you a cancer survivor? We?d like to know your strategy for staying cancer free. Please share in the comments section below!
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Since 2010, Square Inc's matchbox-sized card readers have steadily supplanted credit card machines in coffee shops and corner stores across the United States.
Now, the company, one of Silicon Valley's most highly valued private firms, is diving into a market as expansive the internet itself.
Square launched a shopping website this week called Square Market to serve as an online storefront and payment processor for small businesses, a move that pits the closely held company, valued at $3.25 billion, against popular e-commerce destinations such as eBay Inc, Amazon.com Inc and Etsy.
After spending years tackling offline transactions with his card reader and in-store software package, Square founder Jack Dorsey sees his online market as the company's capstone product. Mom-and-pop retailers that use Square to accept credit cards and digitally manage inventory can now take their business online as well, he said.
"We want to make every commercial transaction easier," Dorsey told Reuters. "What you're seeing here is the completion of that picture."
Square, which makes money by taking a 2.75 percent cut of every payment it processes, has raised the competitive ante, especially with eBay, the Web bazaar whose PayPal subsidiary is one of the dominant online payment operators.
However, there are countless other competitors in an U.S. online retail market, which is expected to reach $278.9 billion by 2015, according to Forrester Research.
Dorsey conceded that Square Market would be dwarfed by e-commerce companies such eBay and Amazon, at least initially. But in an age of Facebook Inc and Twitter, Square's merchants can now reach millions.
"I don't know if a buyer is thinking: "Should I go to Ebay, or should I go to Etsy, or Square?" Dorsey said. "In the end, it's about what the merchant is selling. If you can present excitement around an item, and that item goes viral, it becomes huge."
Dorsey, the 36-year old entrepreneur who invented Twitter in 2006, wants to seamlessly integrate Square Market with Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest. Because Square keeps credit card information on file, a shopper who clicks on a tweet that links to a Square Market product needs only to click once more to purchase the item.
Merchants who use Square's iPad software to process payments and track sales can quickly upload their inventory for free to a Web page, which automatically displays the products in a grid format.
"Flip a switch and suddenly you're online," Dorsey said.
Unlike Amazon, which was launched in 1995 as a humble bookseller, Square's catalog is decidedly urban-chic. Merchants that have participated so far include a few dozen fashion boutiques, an indie rock band, a bakery in Park Slope, Brooklyn and a purveyor of designer hand axes.
Square Market has also signed up some small service providers, from lawn mowers to massage therapists, said Square product director Ajit Varma.
Rick Oglesby, a mobile payments analyst at AITE Group, said Square could tap into a large market that includes neighborhood bakeries and ice cream parlors with no Web presence. Nearly 67 percent of small businesses do not have an e-commerce presence, Oglesby added, citing his own survey.
"There's a very big opportunity to help these businesses create an online channel for the first time," he said. "This is a neat solution for the small guys."
At a time when the company is facing competitive pressure from all sides, Square is hoping to raise its profile with shoppers, both online and offline, to entice merchants to adopt its service.
"Ultimately, they need to get more consumer eyeballs so that they're more and more attractive to merchants," Oglesby said.
Cory Verellen, the owner of a boutique shop in Seattle that sells and repairs Polaroid cameras, said he keeps an independent website that uses PayPal. He is not ready to abandon his website for Square Market yet, but is pleased it was already sending him new customers as of late Wednesday, the first day it opened.
"Even today, I've had so many people get a hold of me and say: ?I can't believe a store like this exists,'" Verellen said. "So the biggest benefit to me is advertising. Square's building its own small business ecosystem and I think we could be seeing something big."
(Reporting by Gerry Shih. Editing by Andre Grenon)
By: Danielle Mcginnis Pricing for eco-friendly dry cleaning at Relaxx Valet Eco-friendly Dry Cleaning Solution is no higher than traditional dry cleaners. At such times, you need to solicit the services of professional cleaners in order to clean the roof. However, when the grout is very dirty, then apply only vinegar, and scrub with a toothbrush or scrub. Stains, if not removed on time, can build up and attract more grime and can transform into a difficult to remove stain. Stove cleaning tip: Rub car wax on the inside of a stove. The equipment should also be suited to high or low pile carpets and if possible have a spot treatment attachment to be able to deal with the more stubborn stains. Using a toilet brush, clean the inside of the bowl. Washing them daily is the best solution! Toys that you haven't seen him play with, in the last six months can also be discarded because he has clearly moved on to other things. For More Information About carpet cleaning freehold nj Pl. Here are some steps to help make Spring cleaning easier. Create a paste (very stiff paste) with the combination and stroke it into the affected area. My uncle had a firm belief that if you haven't worn it, used it or thought about in 6 months, you can live without it. Thus, when undertaking the arduous task of house washing, cleaning the roof is an activity that is often postponed for a later time. The only way to clean furniture code with an X is to give it a good vacuuming with an upholstery brush. These cleaners are skilled professionals, able to patch up any carpet. If you had to pee, you should have thought of that before. Only sweeping up your pavers will not remove stains and clean the dirt from the cracks in your pavers. Instead this method relies on detergents, which are made to attach themselves to dirt particles. Then, after you empty the closet, put back the items you wear on a regular basis - not what you think you'll wear, or what you wish you could wear. Pet dander may be elevated in certain parts of your home after a long winter spent indoors.
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A Good Cup Of Coffee Starts With The Best Coffee GrinderBy: Jeramy Dickson | Jun 28th 2013 - Compare that with a cup of regular coffee which has about 100 mg of caffeine. Make sure the chlorogenic acid inside green coffee bean extract is working by lookin ...
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The Truth About Coffee Bean Green ExtractBy: Elbert Clayton | Jun 28th 2013 - Sixteen overweight women and men, aged 22 '" 46 years of age, cycled through three 6-week periods using a 700 mg dose, a 1050 mg dose, plus a placebo. Warning: th ...
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Some Truths About CoffeeBy: Giuseppe August | Jun 27th 2013 - Since these beans are naturally grown, it not merely offers a great taste, but on the same time, a healthier diet to coffee-drinkers. coffee and cookies by enjoyi ...
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Understanding The Benefits Of Green Coffee Bean ExtractBy: Philomena Travis | Jun 27th 2013 - The study noted who's worked well in "dropping pounds in pre-obese adults." What would happen with obese adults? For more info: browse my books, How Nutrigenomic ...
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Green Coffee Bean Extract For Weight LossBy: Rick Rosado | Jun 27th 2013 - Having said that, several coffee coffee beans taste great after they achieved this degree. I dont recall it ever being really easy to find fine, freshly roaste ...
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The Best Way To Store Coffee Is To Go Green!By: Lenora Frazier | Jun 27th 2013 - Since you are going to only be making coffee for the household, you must only roast green coffee beans that will last for a week. Coffee is just not good for ever ...
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How To Tell The Shelf Life Of Coffee BeansBy: Elisha Towle | Jun 27th 2013 - Another benefit from having Automatic coffee makers that can grind and brew coffees is it saves pet owners kitchen space for storage. Before you go forward with a ...
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5 Reasons To Use Green Coffee Bean ExtractBy: Hester Gallant | Jun 27th 2013 - The Senseo made by Phillips so don't let the little price tag fool you. Just remember to check out the business's shipping costs, feedback and reputation before y ...
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The Best Way To Store Coffee Is To Go Green!By: Laverne Swenson | Jun 27th 2013 - Other research has linked caffeine to weight loss plus a reduced chance of metabolic syndrome. Having a Grind and Brew Coffee Maker is often a must for every sing ...
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June 26, 2013 ? Results of a Phase III clinical trial showed that a simple drug regimen of two anti-clotting drugs -- clopidogrel and aspirin -- lowered the risk of stroke by almost one-third, compared to the standard therapy of aspirin alone, when given to patients who had minor or transient stroke symptoms to prevent subsequent attacks.
Described this week in the New England Journal of Medicine (July 4, 2013 print issue), the clinical trial was conducted at multiple sites in China and designed in partnership with a physician at UC San Francisco.
The trial involved 5,170 people who were hospitalized after suffering minor ischemic strokes or stroke-like events known as transient ischemic attacks, or TIAs, in which blood flow to the brain is briefly blocked. All patients were randomized into two groups and treated for three months with either aspirin alone or aspirin plus clopidogrel, which is marketed as Plavix. The three-month period following stroke is considered the most critical for medical intervention.
Overall, 8.2 percent of patients taking both drugs suffered subsequent strokes in the three months of follow-up compared to 11.7 percent of patients taking aspirin alone.
"The results were striking," said S. Claiborne Johnston, MD, PhD, a professor of neurology and associate vice chancellor of research at UCSF who was a senior author on the study.
The Chinese trial, called CHANCE (Clopidogrel in High-risk Patients with Acute Non-disabling Cerebrovascular Events), is nearly identical to a National Institutes of Health-sponsored trial that is already enrolling patients in the United States, including at UCSF, called POINT (Platelet-Oriented Inhibition in New TIA and Minor Ischemic Stroke).
"If POINT confirms CHANCE, then we're done -- the two-drug combination becomes the standard of care," said Johnston. "Anybody with a transient ischemic attack or minor stroke will get clopidogrel plus aspirin."
The POINT trial is important, said Johnston, because genetics, risk factors, and medical practice differences could all lead to differences in trial results in China compared to other countries. Johnston is the principal investigator of the POINT trial.
Stroke in China and the United States
Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide and is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
More than 795,000 people in the United States have strokes every year, and, in 2008 alone, some 133,000 cases were fatal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 300,000 people in the United States have TIAs each year.
Many strokes are minor -- shorter in duration than a full-blown stroke and usually have no lingering health impacts. In China, for instance, about 3 million new strokes occur every year, and about 30 percent of them are minor.
The protocol for the CHANCE trial was developed by Johnston and colleagues at Tiantan Hospital in China. The lead author of the study was Yongjun Wang, MD, of Beijing Tiantan Hospital.
China has many times more people who have strokes every year than the United States because of the size of the population and higher stroke rates, which allowed investigators to screen 41,561 patients in just three years at the 114 clinical sites, and enroll 5,170 patients in the trial.
Increased Risk of Subsequent Stroke
The reason for minor attacks is much the same as a full-blown stroke: a blood clot causes a blockage in the blood vessels that feed oxygen-rich blood to the brain. But in patients with TIAs and many minor strokes, the clot quickly goes away, usually in a few minutes, due to the natural mechanisms in the human body that are designed to deal with such clots.
However, in the weeks following a TIA or minor stroke, there is great risk that another clot will form, causing additional strokes -- potentially major ones. About 10 to 20 percent of people who have a TIA or minor stroke go on to have a subsequent stroke within three months.
Because of this risk, the first 90 days after a stroke or TIA is the most critical window for medical intervention. Currently, people who have minor strokes or TIAs are initially treated with aspirin alone. The purpose of the CHANCE trial was to determine whether clopidogrel with aspirin was more effective than aspirin alone in this intervention.
The drugs basically work the same way. They are "antiplatelet" agents, which target clotting agents found in the bloodstream know as platelets, preventing their aggregation. The combination is used commonly in patients who have heart attacks, but there has been no adequate clinical data to suggest it would work in stroke.
Sharp has just revealed the Aquos Ultra at CE Week, a 70-inch Ultra HDTV the company says is the only THX-certified 4K model on the market. Calling it the company's "best designed TV ever," Sharp said that it put the model through "four hundred rigorous performance tests" to gain the THX nod, which is meant to assure that content is reproduced as closely as possible. On top of the 3,840 x 2,160 pixel count, the model features advanced HD upscaling tech via a dual-core signal processor, pre-calibrated THX Movie viewing modes, a dual subwoofer system with 35 watts of sound output, Sharp's SmartCentral Smart TV platform and a flash-enabled web browser. You'll also be able to change channels or send video directly from your smartphone via the Beam app, and watch 3D films at 4K with the set's active shutter technology (two Bluetooth 3D glasses are included). If you're not dissuaded by the $8,000 price tag, it'll be up for grabs in mid-August -- check the PR and video after the break for more.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? High-calorie sports drinks and candy bars will be removed from school vending machines and cafeteria lines as soon as next year, replaced with diet drinks, granola bars and other healthier items.
The Agriculture Department said Thursday that for the first time it will make sure that all foods sold in the nation's 100,000 schools are healthier by expanding fat, calorie, sugar and sodium limits to almost everything sold during the school day.
That includes snacks sold around the school and foods on the "a la carte" line in cafeterias, which never have been regulated before. The new rules, proposed in February and made final this week, also would allow states to regulate student bake sales.
The rules, required under a child nutrition law passed by Congress in 2010, are part of the government's effort to combat childhood obesity. The rules have the potential to transform what many children eat at school.
While some schools already have made improvements in their lunch menus and vending machine choices, others still are selling high-fat, high-calorie foods. Standards put into place at the beginning of the 2012 school year already regulate the nutritional content of free and low-cost school breakfasts and lunches that are subsidized by the federal government. However most lunchrooms also have the "a la carte" lines that sell other foods ? often greasy foods like mozzarella sticks and nachos. Under the rules, those lines could offer healthier pizzas, low-fat hamburgers, fruit cups or yogurt, among other foods that meet the standards.
One of the biggest changes under the rules will be a near-ban on high-calorie sports drinks, which many beverage companies added to school vending machines to replace high-calorie sodas that they pulled in response to criticism from the public health community.
The rule would only allow sales in high schools of sodas and sports drinks that contain 60 calories or less in a 12-ounce serving, banning the highest-calorie versions of those beverages.
Many companies already have developed low-calorie sports drinks ? Gatorade's G2, for example ? and many diet teas and diet sodas are also available for sale.
Elementary and middle schools could sell only water, carbonated water, 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice, and low fat and fat-free milk, including nonfat flavored milks.
First lady Michelle Obama, an advocate for healthy eating and efforts to reduce childhood obesity, pointed out that many working parents don't have control over what their kids eat when they're not at home.
"That's why as a mom myself, I am so excited that schools will now be offering healthier choices to students and reinforcing the work we do at home to help our kids stay healthy," Mrs. Obama said in a statement.
At a congressional hearing, a school nutritionist said Thursday that schools have had difficulty adjusting to the 2012 changes, and the new "a la carte" standards could also be a hardship.
Sandra Ford, president of the School Nutrition Association and director of food and nutrition services for a school district in Bradenton, Fla., said in prepared testimony that the healthier foods have been expensive and participation has declined since the standards went into effect. She also predicted that her school district could lose $975,000 a year under the new "a la carte" guidelines because they would have to eliminate many of the foods they currently sell.
"The new meal pattern requirements have significantly increased the expense of preparing school meals, at a time when food costs were already on the rise," she said.
Ford called on the USDA to permanently do away with the limits on grains and proteins, saying they hampered her school district's ability to serve sandwiches and salads with chicken on top that had proved popular with students.
The Government Accountability Office said it visited eight districts around the country and found that in most districts students were having trouble adjusting to some of the new foods, leading to increased food waste and decreased participation in the school lunch program.
However, the agency said in a report that most students spoke positively about eating healthier foods and predicted they will get used to the changes over time.
One principle of the new rules is not just to cut down on unhealthy foods but to increase the number of healthier foods sold. The standards encourage more whole grains, low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.
"It's not enough for it to be low in problem nutrients, it also has to provide positive nutritional benefits," says Margo Wootan, a nutrition lobbyist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest who has lobbied for the new rules. "There has to be some food in the food."
The new rules are the latest in a long list of changes designed to make foods served in schools more healthful and accessible. Nutritional guidelines for the subsidized lunches were revised last year and put in place last fall. The 2010 child nutrition law also provided more money for schools to serve free and reduced-cost lunches and required more meals to be served to hungry kids.
Last year's rules making main lunch fare more nutritious faced criticism from some conservatives, including some Republicans in Congress, who said the government shouldn't be telling kids what to eat. Mindful of that backlash, the Agriculture Department left one of the more controversial parts of the rule, the regulation of in-school fundraisers like bake sales, up to the states.
The new guidelines also would not apply to after-school concessions at school games or theater events, goodies brought from home for classroom celebrations, or anything students bring for their own personal consumption.
The USDA so far has shown a willingness to work with schools to resolve complaints that some new requirements are hard to meet. Last year, for example, the government temporarily relaxed some limits on meats and grains in subsidized lunches after school nutritionists said they weren't working.
The food industry has been onboard with many of the changes, and several companies worked with Congress on the child nutrition law three years ago.
___
Follow Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter at http://twitter.com/mcjalonick
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movement assures us that "we shall overcome." It's only a matter of time. But in order to have a healthy marriage, we must do more than change the laws. We must also change the internal self-dialogue that results from the daily exposure to the heterosexism and gender binarism in our culture. 
Unless you?re a cancer survivor or have a loved one who is, you probably didn?t know that June 2 was National Cancer Survivor Day. We have many customers who are cancer survivors who incorporate natural health and fitness in their recovery. We asked several of them if they?d like to share their story, and they graciously agreed. They both have a powerful message to share and unique circumstances surrounding their cancer story. In this two-part series, you?ll learn of their amazing journey to better health and how they beat the big ?C.?
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