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NANJING, China - UCLA sophomore guard Nirra Fields finished her tour of China last week at the Four Nations Women's Basketball Tournament. Traveling with Canada's Senior Women's National Team for the eight-day, six-game tournament, the Canadians finished with a 4-2 record, facing Puerto Rico, Brazil and China in each of the cities of Daqing and Nanjing.
The 5-foot-9-inch guard out of Montreal, Quebec, earned honorable mention Pac-12 All-Freshman Team accolades after averaging 7.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game for UCLA, which finished the season with a 26-8 overall record and a 14-4 mark in the Pac-12 (third place).
Team Canada kicked-off the tournament with a 63-46 victory over Brazil on July 5 in Daqing. Fields came off the bench and played 20 minutes, scoring six points and registering two assists, one rebound and one block.
The SWNT fell 70-44 to host-nation China in the team's second game on July 6. Fields again came off the bench, playing just 13 minutes, scoring two points and adding one assist.
The Canadians wrapped-up the first leg of the tournament with a 64-45 victory over Puerto Rico on July 7, improving to 2-1. Fields played 17 minutes off the bench, but went scoreless (0-for-2 from three-point range) while adding two rebounds and one steal.
The team then made its way to the city of Nanjing where the SWNT again played Brazil, China and Puerto Rico over the course of three days.
Team Canada began the second leg of the Four Nations Women's Basketball Tournament with a hard-fought 60-54 come-from-behind victory against Brazil on July 10, improving to 3-1. After leading 25-21 at the break, the Canadians found themselves trailing 41-38 entering the fourth quarter. Fields had her best game of the Tournament as a reserve, scoring seven points and adding three rebounds and a game-high three steals in 14 minutes of action.
The SWNT fell 70-65 to China in the fifth game on July 11. Canada led 33-31 at halftime and 45-43 at the end of three periods. Fields came off the bench and scored seven points (1-for-2 from three-point range) in just 5:13 of action.
The Canadians ended the Four Nations Women's Basketball Tournament with a 73-54 victory over Puerto Rico. Fields contributed five points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in 17 minutes off the bench.
In August, she will return to UCLA for summer school and summer workouts.
The roster for the SWNT for the upcoming FIBA Americas Championship for Women (Xalapa, Mexico, Sept. 21-28) will be announced later this summer.


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Beauty Bridge provides free skincare, makeup, hair care, fragrance, bath&body samples with every order upon availability. Please note free samples are shipped with merchandise purchases ONLY
Choose samples from any of categories. You may select 3 free samples from one category, or split up your selections among several up to 3 samples per order. Once you select your categories, your order will be included with the newest and most popular samples, which are updated weekly and upon availability.
Disclaimer: Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion. For the most complete and up-to-date list of ingredients, please refer to the product packaging.
If you need any help for applying these offers or any other issue please call us toll-free at 1-866-830-6161.

subset: commoncrawl


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New Business Club Formed By Students, For Students
The Department of Business and Economics is one of the largest at EMU, but the students have not had a good way to converse with each other and get to know other class members. Ashley Hevener and Matt Ropp saw this deficiency, and wanted to link all the levels of students together. Hevener and Ropp thought a student-run Business Club would be a great way to do this. Students ...More


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Diseases of the Eye That Cause...
Peptide Drugs Are Not Only Diverse...
Three-Dimensional Cell Culture Has Two Dimensions,...
Scientific Misconduct Is Jeopardizing the Quality...
Automated sample-management systems firm Nexus Biosystems is to acquire Tecan's Switzerland-based sample-management business Remp and related assets. The companies say that they will also collaborate on additional product groups.
"The combined Nexus-Remp resources will strengthen our capabilities and ensure continuity of first-class service and support," comments John Lillig, Nexus CEO. "As a key part of this opportunity we also look forward to further our collaborations with our colleagues at Tecan."
Nexus suggests Remp will complement and bolster its existing product range and technological expertise and help speed its growth in certain geographical markets. The Tecan business has particular strengths in small and large size automated sample-management systems and sample containers and consumables, while the Nexus portfolio includes high-speed, mid-sized sample-management systems and high-performance microtiter plates. The Remp customer base is strongest in Europe and Asia although growing in the U.S., while Nexus is strongest in the U.S. and is working to grow its presence in Europe and Asia.
Remp specializes in the provision of automated storage and retrieval systems for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. However, the firm only achieved CHF 0.1 million (about $0.09 million) in operating profits sales of CHF 35.7 million ($33.8 million) during 2009, which were actually up 19.5% compared with 2008 sales. In February Tecan confirmed it was still considering its options for the business.
Nexus' existing product range includes the Universal Compound Store line and Universal BioStore automated sample management systems, together with the XPeel microplate de-sealer, the Crystal Farm line of protein crystallization systems and the Aurora high-performance microplates.
In May the firm joined Biomatrica Connect, Biomatrica's academic/industry partnership for the development, testing, validation, and use of new technologies for the long-term storage, archival, shipping, and management of biological samples.
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How Boulder County is changing the way we count bikes
Submitted by Kris Thompson on
Very few cities or counties have a challenge with counting bike usage on their roads, probably a simple observance could tell you the number is so low that it's not even noting but not in the Front Range of Colorado! Have you seen the markings on Hwy 36 as you come into Boulder and wondered what that was. Well learn more at the Boulder County bike counting presentation March 14 as they show how they are going where no one has gone before in the realm of auto bike counting on our roads
From Boulder County
Throughout the summer and fall of 2012 Boulder County Transportation Department staff conducted a bicycle counting research project, hoping to solve a problem: our lack of good methods for documenting bicyclist volumes, an essential metric for evaluating the usage and relative safety of bicycle infrastructure, and critical to our planning efforts.
County staff set out to establish, with the assistance of Dr. Krista Nordback, an automatic counting procedure that could accurately count both bicyclists and motor vehicles at the same time, with the same equipment. Our research has indicated that this is in fact possible to accomplish with pneumatic tube counters (with physical modifications to the equipment and software code revisions). To our knowledge, this has never been accomplished before by other researchers or in other communities!
Please join us on March 14th as we proudly present our research and explain how we plan to implement our new methodology throughout the county at over 150 locations in 2013. We'll have a draft copy of the paper we plan to submit for publication at the presentation and an abstract is included below.
When: March 14th, 11 AM – 12 PM
Where: Large Conference Room (2nd floor) of 2525 13th St, Boulder CO 80303
RSVP: Not necessary, but feel free to let us know if you plan to join us
Parking: Motor vehicle parking is very limited, but we have bike racks, are right off the SKIP bus line and near the Ideal Market B-cycle Station.


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Click here
to get the current version.
Port Authority® Silk Touch Polo with Stripe Trim. K501
The stripe trim on the collar and cuff adds a distinctive touch to our soft, supple pique that's easy to care for, wrinkle-resistant and shrink-resistant.
Price starts at: $21.98
Check individual pricing in shopping cart based on size and color.


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Based on the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), this free theme lights up your Windows desktop with fantastical scenes of adventure and romance.
Learn more about starting your fantasy life with Mabinogi.
A theme is a combination of desktop background pictures, window colors, and sounds. All of the images will be downloaded when you click Download theme.
This theme can only be used in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows RT 8.1, Windows RT, and in Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions.


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ZF-3632: Zend_View_Helper_Fieldset: add ability to disable escaping legendString
I'm not sure if this is too much of a niche need, but I certainly would have use for the ability to disable auto-escaping for the fieldset's legendString, e.g. "Optional: Description goes here".
You should be able to write your own Label decorator and assign it to your form elements.
Although, I don't really see the need for this in your case, you can just edit your CSS file and add:
label { font-weight: bold; }
and you will achieve the same effect without hacking your html.
Goran -- the reporter indicates that the issue is with the fieldset, which does allow adding inline tags. This is a valid request -- we have escape flags in many other view helpers at this point.
Right, because Goran's solution would bold the entire label, and some people only want (for example) the text prefix "Optional:" within the label bolded.
Fixed in trunk and 1.6 release branch; will release in 1.6.1.


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`Canes lose another commitment
CORAL GABLES _ Is is really possible to lose a verbal commitment?
After all, you can't really lose something you never had, right?
Linebacker Javarie Johnson, out of Dunbar High in Washington D.C., has decided to switch his commitment from Miami to Maryland. He will enroll at Maryland for the spring semester. According to one of his high school coaches, Johnson made the decision because he wanted to stay closer to home.
"Basically, he just felt it was in his best interest to go to Maryland," said Dunbar defensive line coach Ashaa Cherry. "To make a long story short, he wanted to be closer to home."
Canesport.com reported Johnson scored below an 820 on his SAT, which is the athlete requirement for admission to UM. Cherry said that wasn't the case.
"I just want to make sure everyone knows it's not because of his grades," Cherry said. "They (Miami) had every intent on him coming, but he decided to stay close to home."


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NAVIGON questions and answers
If you drive using NAVIGON, you'll want the exact details. How to download updates, for example, or install additional maps or services, or how NAVIGON FreshMaps works. You'll find manuals, downloads and answers to your questions here.
Select a topic, or enter a keyword to restrict your selection.
Back to search results
- Are there hiking maps, cycling maps, topographical maps or waterway maps?
No, NAVIGON does not have these maps as current offers .This entry was last updated on: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 1:35 PM
With the NAVIGON Newsletter you remain well informed over actual products and NAVIGON's latest developments and innovations at first hand.


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Waterplein Benthemplein from de urbanisten on Vimeo.
On the Benthemsquare a first water square will be realized. It took us almost seven years from the idea and concept, to typologies, to policy, to spatial design. Already well published as a concept, in 2011 we finally got to design and refine a real pilot on the Benthemsquare in Rotterdam.
Continue reading Waterplein | Rotterdam Netherlands | DE URBANISTEN


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I masturbated at age 6. I tink.
I masturbated at age 6. I tink.
I take antidepressants that absolutely kill my libido
i'm going to take you to court over abusing your whores
I already called the local police, they're coming to your house
kakashi could probably beat you at ninja skills; he's the copy ninja after all
Girls begin to explore their bodies around age 5- finding their "feel-good" spots rather quickly. It is not uncommon to walk in on a young girl and catch her with her hands down her pants on a regular basis- it's nothing bad nor deplorable; it's simply a phase of life most young girls go through.
The phase generally doesn't end- which is to say they simply become more adept at hiding said actions. As a girl matures, she realizes that touching herself in public just isn't something you do- they begin to touch themselves more in private, and explore a little more voraciously =P
IE most all girls masturbate- a lot of the time if they have the option.
Error does not become Truth because it is widely accepted;
Truth does not become error, even when it stands alone.
Paired with: Mex - Eve
I don't really recall masturbating as a little kid
I do
When the Devil is too busy
And Death's a bit too much
They call on me by name you see,
For my special touch.
I DO. Since I was 4.


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Share what you love with your friends or followers & See the videos your friends want to share
Max Amini was born in Tucson, Arizona. Graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles' acting program in 2004. Performs stand up comedy mostly in Los Angeles and around the country. He currently has four national commercials running and you've seen him on television shows such as Heroes, The Nick Cannon Show, and Mind of Mencia, leading role in the movie Beer Pong. He was recently chosen as one of the finalists for NBC's Diversity Showcase this year, and just finished taping his first special on Showtime on December 12th, 2009.


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EMU Professor Urges Shift in Iraqi, Afghan Strategy
The United States needs to invest more in development and diplomacy to address root causes of insecurity worldwide. And in Iraq, Afghanistan and other global hot spots, local residents must be empowered to build peace and security from the grass roots. That's according to Dr. Lisa Schirch, an Eastern Mennonite University professor who has spent con ...More


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Why is it when people get around pregnant women all filters and commen sense go out the window? These are the top 6 things not to say to me this week.
6. "Are you having twins?" No, but thank you very much for insinuating that I am so large, that there could not possibly be one baby in my belly. Actually sir, I'm not even pregnant, I just ate too many twinkies.
5. "You're about to pop!" No actually I have 35 more days to go. Do you hear that...35 more days.
4. "You're not going to make it to 40 weeks." Thank you Mr. Pretend Doctor who knows nothing about me or my anatomy. I'm sure you also knew that all babies are born the exact same length, weight, and size. Certainly all babies are born 50% and don't need 40 weeks to cook to make sure vital organs are developed. Even a big baby doesn't mean his organs are ahead of development. You nimrod.
3. "Are you scared to give birth?" Well now that you're the 38th person to ask me that I'm assuming there is something that I should be worried about more than stretch marks. I've never been in the hospital before and you are helping to make this inevitable experience even more traumatizing. Thank you.
2. "This must be your first." How on earth do they know this? Why, do I have "rookie" tatooed on my forehead? I look uncomfortable not idiotic Mr. Stranger.
1. "Don't worry, these last weeks will fly by." No, this last month is not going to flyby. Every day seems to get more uncomfortable than the last. I actually think I'd take the first trimester nasuea over this feeling which NEVER goes away. In fact, I've completely forgotten about my hemmroids, the 12 times I got up to pee last night, the cellulite on every inch of my body, and the fact that my stomach is making growling noises from litterally behind my boobs. Awesome. I'm super comfortable.


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Chief Curator Jim Henke talks to Bruce Springsteen
This is the sixth clip in a series of eight interview audio clips with Springsteen that we will post over the next few weeks.
In this segment of my interview, Bruce Springsteen talks about the making of Born to Run. In short, when he had finished the album, he was not really happy with the results. "There was a sound I heard in my head that was not reproduceable," he told me. By the time of the album's 30th anniversary, however, Bruce had come around and appreciated the greatness of the album.
One section of the Rock Hall's exhibit is devoted to Born to Run. It includes some of Bruce's early notes about the album, which he refers to as "New Album #3." He considered several other titles for the album, including Between Flesh. . .And Fantasy, A Love So Fine, Beyond the Palace, Of Love + Defiance and Gimme Action. His early track listing for the album included such titles as "Lonely Night at the Beach," "Shootout in Chinatown," "Born to Win" and "Thunderhill." The exhibit also contains numerous handwritten drafts of the lyrics to "Born to Run," as well ...


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Specials & Packages
There are currently no special packages available.
To book a vacation package for your next Norwich, Vermont getaway, email us at firstname.lastname@example.com or call 802-649-1143.
For all Norwich Inn vacation packages, the following conditions apply: (1) Taxes and gratuities not included, unless stated in above packages (2) not applicable in conjunction with any other discounts or promotions (3) new reservations, only (4) subject to availability.
You don't have to stay at the big chain hotels to earn frequent stay points! The Inn is now a member of Stash Rewards; click the link below and start earning points when you stay at distinctive independant hotels.


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The number of unique phishing sites has reached an all-time high. As the preferred way for attackers to gather confidential personal information about their targets, phishing and spear-phishing (targeted attacks on specific individuals or companies), represent a significant threat to anyone transacting business on the Internet.
These attacks obfuscate URLs and direct traffic to counterfeit websites that attempt to trick users into divulging sensitive information. Webroot SecureAnywhere® Web Security Service uses new proprietary real-time antiphishing technology to protect users by ensuring they are always connected to the legitimate website with which they intended to interact.
Webroot really excelled when we needed help protecting our mobile user's Internet access. Previously we could not identity remote users and this was causing us a huge problem. Webroot helped us deal with this tricky problem by delivering a very elegant solution that really works.
- Ivan Shiel, Scope's IT Operations Manager
Webroot developed its new real-time antiphishing technology to catch and stop advanced phishing attacks that can cause security breaches and data losses. It incorporates the same extensive experience in machine learning, content classification, and active learning that is contained in Webroot web and IP threat recognition technologies. In extensive testing, this world-leading approach has detected phishing sites three to five days ahead of any other popular anti-phishing technology. This represents a critical breakthrough, as early detection of these criminal sites is essential because they appear and then are taken down quickly to avoid detection.
Our real-time antiphishing technology works by evaluating any URL requested by a user and scores it for phishing risk using hundreds of "features" of the site. These include the content on the page, reputation information of the domain, and numerous other factors. Machine learning determines which features are significant for each scanned URL and what weight to apply to each in the classification. It then feeds back human evaluation into the machine model to continually increase accurate determinations.
To further limit accidental data leakage, administrators can filter online content based on the web application, attachment type, MIME type, and file type or size. Webroot identifies over 96 file and content types by file extension, MIME type and close examination of individual file headers, thereby eliminating any chance that a file can bypass Webroot content filtering.
The service also blocks an additional eight MIME type categories — for example, if "Other Video Streams" is blocked, then any video stream identified by the general MIME type for video, regardless of whether it is in a specific list, will be blocked. Webroot also allows adding 'custom options' for MIME types and files extensions.
Advertisements of an inappropriate nature or the need to reduce bandwidth usage may make it necessary to strip advertisements from web content. Webroot SecureAnywhere Web Security Service compresses and reformats web pages on the fly to strip advertisements without leaving blanks areas and missing content symbols.


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Price: $119.95
National Geographic photographer Michael Nichols uses specialized remote-camera systems to obtain images of rarely seen wildlife behavior. Triggered by heat and movement, our simplified all-weather cameras capture multiple images of backyard wildlife.
Our 5 megapixel infrared version provides clearer nighttime images without use of a flash, so nocturnal animals aren't startled. Equipped with a 50-degree wide-angle lens, infrared emitter, test modes, and 24 hour operation. Features a 1- to 20-minute pause time between activations, minimum focus of 5 feet, AVI video capability, time and date stamp, moon phase stamp, built-in 32MB memory, and an SD card slot for expanded memory.
Please note: The infrared version of our motion-detection camera utilizes night vision. The nighttime images are black and white and daytime images are color. If you would like to capture color 5MP nighttime images using a flash, we recommend that you consider the 5.0 Megapixel Digital Motion-detection Camera.
(based on 2 reviews)
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(3 of 3 customers found this review helpful)
Great Camera
By Animal Identity Detective
from Boston,MA
About Me Casual Photographer
Best Uses
Comments about 5.0 Megapixel Infrared Digital Motion-detection Camera:
This camera was very simple to set up and use. I am not used to technical gargon, so I was very pleasantly surprised to be able to set up the camera and view the images without any problem at all. Very clear directions,and the camera worked as advertised.
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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(49 of 57 customers found this review helpful)
Needs colour for daylight action
By photos for a book
from Australia
About Me Photo Enthusiast
I mainly did not like that the camera did not take colour day time video and photos and this fact was not advertised.
Bottom Line No, I would not recommend this to a friend
From National Geographic:Thanks for sharing your feedback. We're sorry that the 5.0 Megapixel Infrared Digital Motion-detection Camera didn't meet your expectations. Please note that the camera does take color daytime images; only the nighttime infrared images are in black and white. Everything from the National Geographic Store is unconditionally guaranteed and we want you to be happy with your purchase. If you would like help with troubleshooting, you can contact the vendor's customer service department directly at 1-877-269-8490. If you would prefer to return the camera for a refund or exchange, please contact us at email@example.com or 1-888-225-5647.


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Full Report
- Research Review Jun. 10, 2013
Related Products for this Topic
- Research Protocol Dec. 20, 2011
- Disposition of Comments Report Sept. 12, 2013
- Slide Presentation Sept. 19, 2013
- CME/CE Activity Nov. 25, 2013
- Consumer Summary Sept. 19, 2013
- La Guías Sumaria de los Consumidores Feb. 27, 2014
- Executive Summary Jun. 10, 2013
Related Research
CME Activities
Journal Publications
- Cai L, Wu Y, Wilson RF, et al. Effect of childhood obesity prevention programs on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation. 2014 May 6;129(18):1832-9. doi: 10.1161/ CIRCULATIONAHA.113.005666. Epub 2014 Feb 19. Review. PMID: 24552832.
- Bleich SN, Segal J, Wu Y, Wilson R, Wang Y. Systematic review of community-based childhood obesity prevention studies. Pediatrics. 2013 Jul;132(1):e201-10. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-0886. Epub 2013 Jun 10. Review. PMID: 23753099
- Showell NN, Fawole O, Segal J, et al. A systematic review of home-based childhood obesity prevention studies. Pediatrics. 2013 Jul;132(1):e193-200. doi: 10.1542/peds.2013-0786. Epub 2013 Jun 10. Review. PMID: 23753095
Clinician Summary – Sept. 19, 2013
Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs: Comparative Effectiveness
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Table of Contents
- Research Focus for Clinicians
- Background
- Conclusions
- Clinical Bottom Line
- Gaps in Knowledge on Childhood Obesity Prevention
- What To Discuss With the Parents of Your Patients and/or Caregivers of Your Patients
- Resource for Patients
- Source
Research Focus for Clinicians
Purpose of the systematic review.
In response to a request from the public, the Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center, funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), performed a literature review to evaluate the evidence regarding the effectiveness of obesity prevention programs for children and adolescents conducted in schools, homes, primary care clinics, childcare centers, the community, or in a combination of these settings. The effectiveness of consumer health informatics-based interventions was also evaluated.
Overview of the systematic review.
Only studies conducted in the United States or other high-income countries were included. Studies were eligible if they tested diet and/or physical activity interventions in children over a period of at least 1 year, with the exception of studies conducted in school-based settings, which were required to be up to 6 months long. The effects of the interventions were assessed on primary outcomes related to body composition including body mass index [BMI], weight, waist circumference, and prevalence of obesity or overweight. The effects of the interventions on clinical outcomes related to obesity (including blood pressure and blood lipids), intermediate behavioral outcomes related to energy balance (including dietary intake, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors), and adverse effects of interventions were also assessed. The systematic review evaluated 131 reports of eligible studies from all the literature in PubMed®, EMBASE®, PsycINFO®, CINAHL®, and the Cochrane Library through August 2012. Articles in the PubMed database dated back to 1966. An online version of this summary provides links directly to the sections of the full report with references for individual findings, inclusion criteria for the studies, and an explanation of the methods for rating the studies and determining the strength of evidence for individual findings. The full report can be accessed on the right side of this Web page.
Introduction to this summary.
This summary is provided to inform discussions with patients and/or caregivers of options and to assist in decisionmaking along with consideration of a patient's values and preferences. However, reviews about evidence should not be construed to represent clinical recommendations or guidelines.
Childhood overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in the United States, affecting one-third of children and adolescents. Since 1980, rates of obesity doubled for children aged 2 to 5 years and tripled for children aged 6 to 11 years and adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. The risk of obesity is also higher among minority and underserved populations.
Overweight children and adolescents are at greater risk for health problems when compared with their normal-weight peers and are more likely to become obese adults. Obese children and adolescents are more likely to have serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obstructive sleep apnea, stroke, heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, certain types of cancer, and bone and joint problems. Other reported health consequences of childhood obesity include eating disorders (such as bulimia nervosa, restrictive eating, binging, purging, generalized food preoccupation, and distorted body image) and mental health issues such as depression and low self-esteem.
A growing body of research suggests that many factors— including genetic and individual factors, home influences (parents, family, and friends), the school environment, factors in the local community (e.g., the presence of sidewalks, parks, safety from traffic, neighborhood disorder or violence), and policies implemented at the local, regional, and national levels—interact to contribute to obesogenic environments and affect children's weight.
A number of leading health organizations and expert panels, including panels from the World Health Organization and an Institute of Medicine expert panel, have recommended comprehensive interventions to fight the growing obesity epidemic. The main goal of most childhood obesity prevention programs is to help children who are not overweight from becoming overweight or obese. Programs designed for obesity prevention may also help overweight or obese children lose or stabilize their weight.
The authors of this review aimed to compare the effectiveness of obesity prevention programs conducted in the school, home, primary care clinic, childcare center, or community setting or in a combination of these settings. The authors of this review also assessed consumer health informatics interventions. Definitions of the types of interventions evaluated in the various settings are provided in Table 1.
School-based programs involving dietary or physical activity interventions are effective in preventing childhood obesity. Combining a home or community component with a school-based program also works. The magnitude of effects appear to be modest, although the heterogeneity in study interventions, outcomes, and duration make it difficult to estimate precise effect size. Evidence is limit about the effectiveness of interventions in other settings including those in primary care. This does not mean that such interventions do not work but that more research is needed.
Clinical Bottom Line
The interventions discussed in this section are defined in Table 1, below.
Evidence for School-Based Interventions
School-Based Interventions Only
- School-based diet or physical activity interventions prevent obesity or overweight in children.
- School-based combined diet and physical activity interventions prevent obesity or overweight in children.
School-Based Interventions With a Home Component
- Physical activity interventions within school-based settings with a home component prevent obesity or overweight in children.
- Combined diet and physical activity interventions in a school-based setting with a home component prevent obesity or overweight in children. A meta-analysis based on 7 out of 17 studies that measured BMI showed that the overall weighted mean difference in BMI was -0.17 kg/m2 (95-percent confidence interval -0.57 to 0.23; p = 0.407), which favored the intervention but was not statistically significant.
School-Based Interventions With a Community Component
- Combined diet and physical activity interventions in a school-based setting with a community component prevent obesity or overweight in children.
School-Based Interventions With a Home and Community Component
- Combined diet and physical activity interventions in a school-home-community setting prevent childhood obesity or overweight.
School-Based Interventions With Consumer Health Informatics Components
- Evidence is insufficient to determine if physical activity interventions or combined diet and physical activity interventions in a school setting with home and consumer health informatics components or with a consumer health informatics component alone prevent childhood obesity or overweight.
Evidence for Home-Based Interventions
Home-Based Interventions Only
- Home-based combination (physical activity and diet) interventions prevent overweight and obesity in children.
Evidence for Primary Care-Based Interventions
- Evidence is insufficient to determine if combined diet and physical activity interventions in a primary care setting prevent obesity or overweight in children (). This does not mean that interventions do not work in this setting but that more research is needed.
Evidence for Childcare Center-Based Interventions
Childcare Center-Based Interventions Only
- Limited evidence from three poor-quality trials suggests that combined diet and physical activity interventions in a childcare center setting may have no beneficial effect on obesity or overweight prevention in children.
Evidence for Community-Based Interventions
Community-Based Interventions With a School Component
- Combined diet and physical activity interventions in a community setting with some school involvement prevent childhood obesity or overweight.
Strength of Evidence Scale
High confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect.
Moderate confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research may change our confidence in the estimate of effect and may change the estimate.
Low confidence that the evidence reflects the true effect. Further research is likely to change our confidence in the estimate of effect and is likely to change the estimate.
Evidence is either unavailable or does not permit a conclusion.
Interventions were classified by the primary setting where they took place. Several interventions included components that were conducted in settings other than the primary setting.
|Type of Intervention
|School-Based Interventions
|These took place primarily in schools (e.g., a change in the quantity and nutritional quality of food served at school, an increase in physical activity at school, promotion of walk-to-school days), although they might also have involved community (e.g., improving a community park, performing community service) or at-home activities (e.g., daily physical activity homework of about 10 minutes, preparing a healthy breakfast at home).
|Home-Based Interventions
|These took place in the child's home and targeted changes in the home (e.g., interventions to alter the foods purchased for home use, family fitness).
|Primary Care-Based Interventions
|These took place in the offices of a primary care practitioner, a clinic, or other health care entity delivering primary health care to children. They included advice to parents and/or caregivers to make changes at home (e.g., encouraging more than five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, limiting screen time [video games, television] to less than 2 hours per day, promoting greater than 1 hour of physical activity per day).
|Childcare Center-Based Interventions
|These took place in settings where children received nonparental/noncustodial care, generally outside the home (e.g., offering fruits and vegetables throughout the day, enhancing physical activity, designing exercise programs that improve pleasure of movement).
|Community-Based and Environment-Level Interventions
|These were delivered by enforcing policies or legislation (e.g., regulations on food retailing and distribution) or by changes to the built environment (e.g., sidewalks, parks, restaurants, farmers' markets, recreation facilities). Additionally, these interventions involved interaction with the community (a group of individuals that existed before the intervention and that shared one or more common characteristics, such as the YMCA or church groups).
|Consumer Health Informatics-Based Interventions
|Consumer health informatics are technologies that deliver interventions and information indirectly (as opposed to in person) to patients or individuals in the community. These interventions might include Web-based, phone-based, and video-based programs, games, and information storehouses.
Gaps in Knowledge on Childhood Obesity Prevention
Several gaps in knowledge were identified in the evidence base reviewed for this report, which included:
- A lack of sufficient information on the effectiveness of the following types of obesity and overweight prevention interventions
- Interventions tested in the primary care or childcare settings
- Environment-based and policy-based interventions (e.g., agriculture policies and regulations on food retailing and distribution)
- Consumer health informatics interventions
- The need for greater understanding of the contexts and challenges associated with implementing prevention programs in different settings
- Such an understanding would allow decisionmakers to have a better idea of the applicability of a specific intervention program to their own community.
- A paucity of information on the effects of various interventions in preventing childhood obesity in populations stratified by sex, age, race/ethnicity, demographics, or socioeconomic status
- Limited information on the effectiveness of obesity prevention programs in adolescents
- Obesity in adolescents has been found to be more predictive of obesity during adulthood than is obesity in younger children.
What To Discuss With the Parents of Your Patients and/or Caregivers of Your Patients
- That clinicians are concerned about childhood obesity and the welfare of their patients
- The patient's BMI and how to diagnose overweight/obesity in children
- The possible factors contributing to overweight and obesity in children, including less physical activity, more sedentary/screen time, increased empty and liquid calories in the diet, and inappropriate use of food rewards or eating when not hungry
- What constitutes an appropriate serving size
- The importance of monitoring total daily caloric intake as opposed to total daily food intake
- Important things that can be done at home to keep children at a healthy weight
- The potential health consequences of overweight and obesity in children
- The relative effectiveness of the various interventions in preventing overweight and obesity
- The programs and resources that help children maintain a healthy weight that are available at school or in the community
- If a list of such resources could not be obtained, encourage parents and caregivers to explore schools, school district offices, and community centers for the available resources.
- What can be done if healthy food or safe locations for physical activity are not easily accessible to patients and their families
Resource for Patients
Keeping Children at a Healthy Weight, A Review of the Research on Ways To Avoid Becoming Overweight or Obese is a free companion to this clinician research summary. It can help the parents and caregivers of children talk with their health care professionals about the various programs for preventing childhood obesity that are available.
The information in this summary is based on Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs: Comparative Effectiveness Review and Meta-Analysis, Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 115, prepared by the Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 290-2007-10061-I for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, June 2013. This summary was prepared by the John M. Eisenberg Center for Clinical Decisions and Communications Science at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX. It was written by Geetha Achanta, Ph.D., Jason A. Mendoza, M.D., M.P.H., and Michael Fordis, M.D.


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I had an interesting inquiry via email that I wanted to share with you all. What ideas do you have in mind for your library? Any suggestions?
The one thing that I would find useful that I didn't see would be an option that combined some of the most interesting activities into one program, lasting maybe an hour and a half. It isn't likely that we will have the staff to put on a whole series of programs, and I think that is probably true of a lot of libraries. Also, it is generally easier to get kids to come to one program than to commit to a series of programs. I was thinking of going through the activities and picking out several of them; I am a bit concerned about the fact that a lot would have to be left out, and it is still important to make the program cohesive.
I know the activities are aimed at ages 9-13, but in my libraries I am probably going to end up opening it up to a wider age range, as I did with the moon program. (One mother actually wanted to sign up her toddler!) I did something similar to Jump to Jupiter with my own kids when the youngest was not yet in kindergarten, and they all enjoyed it. I wonder if more of the activities might appeal to a somewhat broader age range than specified.


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Gas Is Too High – I'll Have to Quit My Job!
Filed under: Health
By Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher – HealthNewsDigest.com
Apr 25, 2011 – 6:06:00 AM
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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Lois is a 65 year-old "care giver" in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains. Five days per week she tends to her client, a ninety-year old woman with a pacemaker. Her job is to bathe her, do the cooking, shopping, cleaning, make sure her client takes her pills, and to keep her client in good spirits. Lois is about to quit her job because she can no longer afford gas. Are you in the same situation?
Lois' gross salary every two-weeks is $476.00, after taxes. She leaves her house every day at 8:30am and drives 44 miles round-trip to tend to her patient. She spends $120.00 on gas EVERY WEEK. She recently got a raise of 26 cents per hour. She has no medical insurance (since the recession, her company can no longer afford it).
"I'll have to quit my job, I can no longer afford the gas" she said, when I asked her how she was getting along. "It's very gratifying work, that's why I do it" she replied when asked.
How many of you find yourself in the same situation? Have you avoided driving to your favorite restaurant, movie? Is entertainment of any sort out of the question? If we don't spend, how is the economy going to improve? Not by pouring our hard-earned dollars down a well. Send your Congressman/Woman an email,or twitter:
"Gas Is Too High – I'll Have to Quit My Job!"
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Lung Cancer Screening
Filed under: Health
Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher
The Big News this week: Lung Cancer Screening
In what is a watershed moment in the effort to save lives from the nation's number one cancer killer, groundbreaking news from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) this week confirms what many in the public health community have long held out hope for – that low dose lung cancer screening will revolutionize the battle to detect tobacco-related lung cancers early enough to save countless lives.
What is screening?
Screening is looking for cancer before a person has any symptoms. This can help find cancer at an early stage. When abnormal tissue or cancer is found early, it may be easier to treat. By the time symptoms appear, cancer may have begun to spread.
Scientists are trying to better understand which people are more likely to get certain types of cancer. They also study the things we do and the things around us to see if they cause cancer. This information helps doctors recommend who should be screened for cancer, which screening tests shoud be used, and how often the tests should be done.
It is important to remember that your doctor does not necessarily think you have cancer if he or she suggests a screening test. Screening tests are given when you have no cancer symptoms.
For advertising and promotion rates, please contact me at:
Finally, Some Good News for a Guy Who Could Use Some
Filed under: Health
Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher
Three months ago, "Bob" returned home to find his 41 year-old wife lying on the floor, dead of a heart attack. Lying on the floor next to her was their 16 month old son, who suffers from Tuberous Sclerosis.
Six months prior to this, Bob lost his business due to the economy. They reposessed his truck. He did not have health insurance. This weekend, they have foreclosed on his house.
His medical bills alone will stagger you. He changes his son's diaper 6 times a day, as well as feeding him. He cannot leave his son alone, or the state will step in and charge neglect.
Tuberous Sclerosis complex is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form in many different organs, primarily in the brain, eyes, heart, kidney, skin and lungs. You will see it referred to both as tuberous sclerosis (TS) and tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). The term TSC is used in scientific literature to distinguish tuberous sclerosis complex from Tourette's syndrome.
This past Saturday, this news release came to HealthNewsDigest.com:
FDA Approval
Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance Announces FDA Approval of First Drug to Treat Tuberous Sclerosis Complex
See article below. I called Bob with the News. He was ecstatic. "Finally, some good news."
"Hey, Mike, the state helped me get an apartment. I move in next week!"
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) as an Effective Marketing Tool
Filed under: Health
Michael J. McCurdy – Founder/Publisher
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) as an Effective Marketing Tool
Public service announcements have been around since the 1960's when a lawyer in Washington thought it would be a good idea as a counterpart to all of the cigarette advertising. It caught on, and the rest is history. The reality is, stations actually need PSAs to fill unsold air time.
The reasons why a PSA can be effective may be as varied as the reasons a nonprofit may choose to undertake a campaign, but generally a campaign can satisfy one of these objectives:
Push traffic to their website. A widely viewed PSA with a call to action that says "for more information go to our website" can be instrumental in driving tens-of-thousands of clicks to your organization's website.
Support a fundraising effort. A big campaign push on television and radio stations in advance of a fundraising effort means that a viewer may be more familiar with the organization when the mailer arrives at their home.
Promote a new service or program. Whether it's to promote an effort, get volunteers, or have people sign up for a special service, PSAs are a means to get the word out to the masses.
Set the nonprofit as a leader. It is especially important to "get ahead of the pack" when there are multiple nonprofits with the same or similar mission (for example, there are many breast cancer nonprofits). Frequent visibility can give the sense that the nonprofit is a leader.
While all of these are important reasons to launch a PSA campaign, perhaps THE most important reasons is a benefit many nonprofits are unaware of: the donation of the media time can be taken as an in-kind contribution. This is important because it can help a nonprofit with its programs-to-overhead ratio.
Common Myths
If you're down on PSAs because you've heard that they only air in the "wee hours" of the morning or that it's only smaller stations use them, you're falling prey to common myths that we have proven to be false. Year after year we undertake analysis and historically, we find that two-thirds of all airings occur during normal waking ours (5 a.m. – 11 p.m.) and that more than half of the airings occur in the top 100 markets.
New Trends
As we monitor the PSA landscape we are seeing three newer trends emerging.
First is a dramatic increase in Hispanic PSAs. Nonprofits are taking their mainstream PSAs and making them culturally-relevant to the Hispanic community. These campaigns have been wildly successful mostly because the Hispanic community is grossly underserved with PSAs on important topics, especially health, and the Hispanic media has the same needs as their mainstream counterpart, which is to find a way to fill advertising time that goes unsold.
Another new trend is going online with the PSA. This is often through banner placements or other means. The Internet offers benefits like being able to target your audience better by sending the PSAs only to websites that match the profile of who it is you want to reach. Also, if increasing web traffic is one of your reasons for launching the campaign, consider that the person looking at your PSA is already on line and a few easy clicks get them right to your website!
Finally, more corporations get into the act. While stations will NOT donate PSA time to for-profit organizations, corporations are partnering with nonprofits with a like-minded mission. The PSA is distributed on behalf of the nonprofit, and the for-profit has no visibility. One of the most common partnerships is that between pharmaceutical companies and health-related nonprofits. A pharmaceutical company may have a new drug coming out and they may partner with a for-profit dealing with that disease. The PSA message is "check with your doctor for new treatment options." However, we are seeing more and more non-health partnerships between corporate and nonprofit. It's actually a win-win for everyone. The nonprofit gets visibility that they otherwise may not be able to afford, the for-profit corporation gets out a message with wide play (since PSAs stay on the air for three to six months and longer) at a fraction of an ad buy, and the consumer hears an important message that may have timely relevance to them.
If this information has motivated you to consider a PSA campaign for your 2010 initiative, you're taking a step in the right direction. Do seek the help and counsel of a reputable producer/distributor to assure the message is on point and positioned in a way that will give you success with the media. As with anything, there are common dos and don'ts and you can easily avoid pitfalls with free consultation.
We have created, produced and distributed hundreds of campaigns. For a personal presentation, or to receive a Power Point presentation:
Contact Mike McCurdy, Executive Producer of HealthyTelevisionProductions, a division of HealthNewsDigest.com Call toll free: 877-634-9180 or [email protected]
Filed under: Health
Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher
Reporting from the Pocono Mountains – 2
Impossible you say? Walk down any street in New York City and you can bet that everyone is carrying a cell phone. And, it's a safe bet that at any time 10% of those people are having a conversation with someone else on their cell phone. Have you ever forgot to take your cell phone when you left the house? Did it make you feel naked? All alone? Worried you'd miss a business opportunity; a date? Do you reach into your pocket everytime you hear one go off?
I have been without a cell phone now for 3 weeks; by choice. It's a surprisingly wonderful feeling. It's nice not to have to worry about being on a leash. I got tired of carrying my Verizon cell phone and trying to find the perfect high ground, or by standing on a rock on one leg in the Pocono mountains trying to call someone I didn't really want to speak to in the first place. So I went to Walmart here in Pa. – my first time – and right to the electronics department where I found the staff to be very courteous and well versed, and was told that Verizon didn't work here. I was told that I needed a local pre-paid phone called Tracfone, with a $60.00 credit. I rushed home to set it up and could not make a call from my house. Went outside, kept walking up the hill until I finally got a connection. Started to make a call, and decided that I was so laid back from being in the mountains, I didn't want to get back in the tag phone game. However, for the next two days I got a series of calls for Julie from some teenage girls and guys. It seems that they put Julie's number back in the barrel as soon as she stopped paying her bill.
I go for daily 3-5 mile walks through the forest of the Promised Land state park here in Pennsylvania (I decided to keep my cell phone on a permanent charge at the cabin) and it is so quiet you can hear your thoughts. My only concern is running into a black bear for which they are numerous around here. But mostly they come out late in the day, as I noted last week when I was introduced to a 400 pound bear named Bruno who sauntered up my driveway while I was checking out the stars. A local had mistaken him for another big bear they call Apache.
So, if you want to buy and ad on HealthNewsDigest.com, call me on our free land line:
877-634-1890 or email me at: [email protected]
I respond very quickly
Filed under: Health
Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/ Publisher-HealthNewsDigest.com
Reporting from the Pocono mountains in Pennsylvania
On July 1st we moved HealthNewsDigest.com from our home base in Manhattan, NYC, into a summer house in the northeast Pocono mountains of Pennsylvania . We are 10 miles from the nearest town, and 30 miles from the nearest city. Across the road from our house is a trail that goes through a forest where black bears and deer roam. It is formally known as "The Promised Land" state park. About 3,000 acres in size, it is 1,800 feet above sea level, and is surrounded by 12, 464 acres of Pennsylvania's Delaware State Forest. The forests of the park consist primarily of beech, oak, maple and hemlock trees. Two lakes and several small streams add to the
parks outstanding beauty. The air is so clear, it seems surreal.
I slept 12 hours each night for the first three nights, without Tylenol PM. No fire engines, ambulance sirens or police cars. It was awful
As I toured the area by foot, I came across the local gas station about a mile down the road. Much to my amazement, it sells the New York Times, for which I immediately reserved one of the 5 copies it receives each day.
On the fourth day here, I was invited to a ritual of a nightly "bear watch" fire and barbecue, where the locals place breaded and buttered corn in the backyard of one of their houses, and at approximately 9pm each nite, adult bears and their cubs and some deer come to feed. For a true city boy, it is quite a site!
Not so, on the fifth night. As I sat in my driveway, looking at the stars, I heard what sounded like large rakes scraping across the asphalt to my left and rear. As the sounds got louder, I also heard what sounded like panting. A huge 400 pound black bear walked nonchalantly by me within 10 feet, and proceeded across the road and into the forest. It took at least 5 minutes for my body to defrost. It took another five minutes to push my eyes back into my head.
"Oh, that must have been Apache" said a local when I described my experience. "He's harmless. Loves to introduce himself to newcomers."
The next night, not to show any fear to the locals, I sat down in the exact same spot. At around 9pm, he came into view from out of the forest, crossed the road walking straight towards me, proceeded up my driveway, passed within ten feet of me, and into the bushes behind the house. It took 15 minutes for my body to defrost and 15 minutes to push my eyes back into my head. This is vacation ?
Next week: Reporting in from the mountains, Part 2
To email me: [email protected]
Phone: 877-634-9180
Financial Health Tip – Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
Filed under: Commentary, Health, Public Service, entreprenuer, financial health, financial success
He was the worst client the company had. He was abusive, insulting, and arrogant. Two of our company's salesmen refused to do business with him. An unsigned contract for his business was sitting on his desk for over a month. As the junior salesman, I was next in line to be assigned to his account. The president of the company called me into his office. He gave me advice that forever changed my outlook on life.(I was 26 years old and a bachelor)
There is a place to Buy Nolvadex No Prescription somewhere.
Should I Buy Nolvadex Online here?
I was instructed to call "John Smith" and make an appointment with him. After doing so, I was to go to the president's office for a pep talk.
"Mike" the president began, "Mr. Smith has been a client of this company for almost 5 years. He has always been a really nice guy until this past year, which tells me that he's having personal problems. So, instead of talking your way into a sale, why not spend the time listening to him. Draw him out."
From what I've heard about this guy, the thought was repulsive, and it showed.
"Mike, tell me something. How long do you think you will spend in Mr.Smith's office?
I looked skyward and then replied "No more than a half-hour."
The look on my face prompted another question from the president.
"Tell me Mike, how much commission will you earn for spending just one half-hour with him."
I looked skyward again. When I realized how much was at stake, I sat straight up in my chair. "Three-thousand dollars!"
"Tell me Mike, what are you going to do with that money?"
An instant vision of a pretty girl I had wanted to date, but thought was out of my reach came into my mind. I saw myself taking her to an expensive French restaurant in my brand new "killer" suit. I had transformed into another person, totally focused, totally fearless. Yell at me all you want!
The president began to speak, but I held up my hand, "Sir,no need for another word. You just did me a big favor…a great lesson…thank you Sir." I couldn't wait for my appointment with Mr. Smith.
I now had a goal, mixed with incentive and passion to succeed.
When I walked into Mr.Smith's office, he greeted me with "So, another new salesman to waste my time."
As I sat down I gratefully acknowledged a family picture sitting on the window sill behind his desk. "You have a good looking family Mr. Smith." It was a picture of him, his wife and three young girls. "Yeah, and they're all a pain in the ass!"
"How's that, what are they doing to you?" I said with a chuckle and a look of empathy. For the next twenty-minutes I listened to a man who was just seeking a little respect. One of his daughters was chronically ill, and his wife never greeted him with hugs and kisses, but rather taunts on why he wasn't making more money. I found out that he was indeed a nice guy…if just someone would listen to him, for a change.
"Mike, thanks for listening," he said with a big smile. "I guess you want me to sign this," referring to the contract sitting on his desk.
As I was walking down the hall with the signed contract in my brief case, I kept thinking how easy that was. I didn't say a single word that referred to sales, or the contract. I just listened…and kept that picture in my mind.
When the elevator reached the ground floor, I hit the street running. I rushed unannounced into the president's office with a huge grin on my face and bowed before him, tossing the signed contract on his desk, "Oh Mighty One, When do I get my commission?" I don't know who was happier.
So, how does this little story help you pay the mortgage, or the car payment, or get a better job?
Scan your mind for that ideal picture that makes you feel good about yourself. Stir in passion. When you smile…you'll know you've got the right one. You will automatically start to focus on it's accomplishment. Faith and Willpower are installed as a bonus!
On Dealing with Adversity: Try to find humor in every situation. Prior to going to college, I joined the Marine Corps to fulfill my military obligation. One day in boot camp, a Drill Instructor walked up to me as I stood at attention, and shouted in my face, "Private McCurdy, you're not good enough to be a pimple on a dog's ass!"
I bit down on my tongue as hard as I could to prevent myself from busting out laughing!
Here's to Your Success in 2010!
Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher, HealthNewsDigest.com
Eunice Kennedy Shriver – An American Saint
Filed under: Commentary, Environment, Health, Public Service, Science, cable, entreprenuer, television
"In the 1950's, the mentally retarded were among the most scorned, isolated and neglected groups in American Society. Mental retardation was viewed as a hopeless, shameful disease, and those afflicted with it were shunted from sight as soon as possible."1
What began as a summer camp at her Maryland farm in 1968, developed into the first Special Olympics which attracted 1,000 athletes from 26 states and Canada for competition.
The idea was born when a mother telephoned Eunice Kennedy Shriver and complained that she could not find a summer camp for her child. Mrs. Shriver recalled the telephone conversation this way in an interview with NPR: "I said: You don't have to talk about it anymore. You come here a month from today. I'll start my own camp. No charge to go into the camp, but you have to come and pick your kid up."
"She set out to change the world and to change us" her family said, when she died, "and she did that and more."
At the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Shanghi,China, a crowd of 80,000 cheered and welcomed 7,000 athletes, a country with a history of severe discrimination against anyone born with disablities.
The program has now grown to three million athletes in 180 countries.
Eunice Kenndy Shriver (puni-Euni, her family nick name)died on August 11, 2009 at age 88.
Eunice, the middle child in a family of nine, grew up with a sister Rosemary, who was mildly retarted. She detested the practice of keeping people with mental disabilities sedentary lest they injure themselves, or of keeping their existence a secret.
"When the full judgement of the Kennedy legacy is made – including J.F.K.'s Peace Corp and Alliance for Progress, Robert Kennedy's passion for civil rights and Ted Kennedy's efforts on health care, workplace reform and refugees – the changes made by Eunice Shriver may well be seen as the most consequential." U.S. News and World Report said in its cover story of Nov. 15, 1993.
So, should Eunice Kennedy Shriver be considered for Sainthood? Consider this:
In the Catholic Church the formal process of sainthood involves a complicated process taking time, money, testimonies, and miracles, and the church follows a strict set of rules in the process.
First, to determine who qualifies, the Vatican looks to its Congregation for the "Causes of Saints". Typically, a would-be candidate's "cause" is presented to the local bishop by his or her admirers who persuade him that the life of the candidate was a model of holiness.
Once the applicant is approved as a candidate, an appointed postulator interviews those who knew the individual. Personal testimonies, letters, and writings of the candidate's are put together. A relater then sifts through this information and prepares a position paper. If the volumes of evidence prove a life of "heroic virtue", the person is given the title "venerable" by the Pope.
The next title, beatified (blessed), is attained if it can be proven that a miracle occurred after the death of the candidate, the result of someone praying to that person for help.
To finalize a canonization, it must be established that a second miracle occurred. (Martyrs are the exception. The pope can reduce their miracle requirement to one or waive it altogether.) Most often prayer requests are for a physical healing.
Verifying a miracle is considered the most difficult hurdle in the process. Just deciding what constitutes one causes debate. A life of heroic virtue is obviously easier to establish than a healing that results from prayers.
Editors note: I'd like to cast the first vote for her as "An American Saint."
1. The Kennedy Family, and the Story of Mental Retardation…Edward Shorter
By Michael J. McCurdy, Founder/Publisher HealthNewsDigest.com
Gambling – A Most Happy Loser!
Filed under: Commentary, Health, Public Service
|Gambling – A Most Happy Loser!
By Michael J. McCurdy
Jan 1, 2008 – 3:10:27 PM
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One month out-of-high school, I joined the Marine Corps and underwent a period of four months of intense training – three months of boot camp at Paris Island, South Carolina,and one month Infantry Training at Camp Lejune, North Carolina. I was in incredible physical and mental condition. I also got an incredible education on gambling just after graduation.Upon graduation from Marine Corps Infantry Training at Camp Lejune, North Carolina, I was issued my first paycheck. I remember it being somewhere around $350.00. I was elated, as I walked into the "Rec Room" with a pocket full of money. I was 18 and no longer a boy, but a certified American Marine. The first thing I saw, as I entered the room was a pool table that was covered with a tarpaulin, with a group of older Marines shouting and screaming at something on the table. A "craps" game. I was encouraged to join in. Now, I felt really accepted. Thirty-minutes later, I was broke!
The Navy Department paid it's Sailors and Marines every two-weeks. I sat out those two weeks with a fierce determination to win back my money, pride and manhood!
I strode up to the table, placed my bets, and within twenty-minutes I was stone broke again. I will never forget those two-weeks that I waited for another paycheck. I couldn't even buy a 35 cent beer at the base tavern. I sat on my bunk in deep meditation and realized what a total jerk I was for being sucked in. I have never gambled since.
To the Marines who sucked me into those games, you have no idea how many times in my life I have thanked you!
An editorial in the New York Times reminds us how many people get into serious trouble gambling on state lottery's.
"They can dress it up all they want in slogans about buying a ticket and a dream. But the states are encouraging behavior that is too often addictive and ruinous for people who can least afford it."
If you think that you or a loved one have a problem, there is hope. Go to: www.gamblersanonymous.org.


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The Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association (DIAA) has named 17 schools from across the state as 2012-13 DIAA State Champions in Sportsmanship.
More than 20 schools applied for the award this year. The total number of schools that now have won this award at least once in the 17-year history of the award is 23. This includes this year's first-time recipients: Smyrna School District's Smyrna High School; Colonial School District's; Gunning Bedford Middle School.
This year's other winners are: private Sanford School; Seaford School District's Seaford High; Appoquinimink School District's Appoquinimink High; Woodbridge School District's Woodbridge High; Red Clay Consolidated School District's Conrad School of Sciences; private Caravel Academy; Lake Forest School District's Lake Forest High; Red Clay Consolidated's McKean; AI duPont high schools; Woodbridge School District's Wheatley Middle School; New Castle County Vo-Tech's Hodgson; Sussex Technical School District's Sussex Tech; Brandywine School District's Concord High; Private Tower Hill School; Colonial School District's William Penn High School.
Location, ST | website.com


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30 Halloween Decorating Ideas
Spooky mantel [1]
This vintage-inspired mantel will make your home feel haunted! Hang or lean a collection of flea-market vintage silver trays on the wall—the more tarnished the better. Gather pewter and black candlestick holders and fill them with black taper candles. If some of the candles lean a little, even better; it creates a spooky feel. Use old books from second-hand stores to vary the height of the candlesticks. Click below for more photos of this mantel.
Webby welcome [5]
Itsy-bitsy spiders and and sparkly webs add easy, spooky style to an entry way or party buffet.
Quick netting To give containers a weblike covering, crisscross strips of black yarn. Adhere with hot glue or glue dots.
Creepy crawlers Spray-paint plastic spiders so they show up against dark surfaces; affix with temporary adhesive.
DIY decals Homemade spider and web decals stuck to mirrors or draped over pumpkins scare with flair. Click here [6] for more details on this project, including free decal templates.
Spirited display [9]
A touch of black paint transforms pumpkins into an eerie display of trees, a moon, crow and witch. Freehand the shapes, or if you need some artistic inspiration, search online for "pumpkin stencils" or "pumpkin templates."
Prop pumpkins [12]
Various-size pumpkins stacked inside lanterns make easy but clever vignettes to place around the house.
Pose some plates [15]
Use a glue stick to secure decorative paper to the center of old plates. Display on existing shelves for a seasonal look.
Lace works [18]
Doilies used as stencils give a lacy look to orange pumpkins in the entry.
Subtle scene [21]
This serene scene still says halloween with three plastic spiders and ghostly lanterns.
Matte black [24]
Black place settings displayed on the mantel under a black wreath sets an appropriately somber tone.
Orange-and-white centerpiece [27]
White pumpkins encircled by bittersweet vine and set along an orange table runner create a striking table arrangement.
Shining stars [30]
Embellish pumpkins with silver and black items: stickers, fake birds and spiders, pins, paint pens ... . Let your imagination whirl across these living canvases.
Get crafty [33]
Acknowledge the crafter in you by fashioning a dispay of tiny black-and-orange quilts, papier-mâché cats and other knickknacks.
60-Second Video: Halloween decorating inspirations [36]
A few fake spider webs go a long way to "creep-ify" your home, but there are endless ways to take the haunts to the next level. These ideas transform living areas into spooky spaces.
Ribbon wreaths [39]
Sunlight glints off of two foam wreaths wrapped in black ribbon. Hang them from large buttons glued to a valance created from newspaper.
Circle of orange [42]
Attach tiny pumpkins to a moss-covered form for a simple-to-make wreath. A glossy black bow is the finishing touch.
Mummy-look [45]
Fashion a spooky tabletop display that starts with easy-to-make plaster-cloth spheres.
Wrap plaster-cloth strips (from a crafts store) around a balloon, following the directions on the plaster-cloth package. Leave open spaces as you wrap. When dry, remove the balloon and use a crafts knife to cut an opening for inserting the light. Place sphere over an orange or white battery-operated votive. Set your spheres on clear glass cake stands or similar displays.
Set the stage [48]
As master of the macabre, Edgar Allan Poe makes a natural Halloween muse. Books feature the celebrated author's tales, setting the tone of our party. A vintage typewriter puts an exclamation point on the literary theme.
Clearly classic [51]
Glass vessels and an antique urn take a turn toward the theme of the season with a few touches of black.
Light the night [54]
For stylish Halloween decorations, use doily stencils and black paint for a "web" of designs on a glass candle-holder or jar. Paint a spider dangling from one of the doilies.
Welcome pumpkin [57]
Put together a Halloween outdoor display like this one—featured on a Midwest Living® cover—using a weathered wheelbarrow as a base.
Stuff the bottom of the wheelbarrow with newspaper. Add a mix of pumpkins, gourds, fall leaf branches and bittersweet vines. Paint a friendly message on your pumpkins, if you like.
Get a little corny [60]
White foam painted the colors of candy corn holds dried naturals and artifical crows for a door hanging.
Cast a web [63]
Run a row of paper doilies down the center of the table for the look of webs. Black pumpkins sit below a black-painted chandelier.
Candlelit scene [66]
Candles cast diffused light from lanterns with cutouts or stickers on the glass.
Halloween greeting [69]
Perch an artifical crow on a Spanish moss-wrapped wreath. A pick of orange berries adds a dash of color. Hang it with an appropriately somber ribbon.
Flush of orange [72]
A centerpeice of a hat box covered in orange felt and ribbons and filled with orange blooms sets the tone for this holiday table.
Spin a web [75]
Wrapping a foam wreath in orange yarn then black rickrack makes a web for a spider.
A murder of crows [78]
Fake crows crown an elaborate mirror marked with a spooky poem. Their feathers make up a wreath.
Clear message [81]
Black and orange whisper Halloween. The message on the lettered cards spells it out. Black feathers and dried leaves adorn the wreaths. Print out letters on cardstock, then string them together with black ribbon.
Graphic statement [84]
Hang white-painted letters on a vintage ladder in front of a strip of fabric for a season-specific greeting.
Put a spotlight on the decor [87]
Holes cut from a pumpkin shine light on a felt table runner decorated with black cutouts.
Shelving style [90]
A collection of Halloween-theme hat boxes fills shelves while other Halloween accents hang off a curtain rod, decorate a chair and fill a corner.
Flickering fantasy [93]
Cut out a hauting scene from black paper; attach it to foam core for stability. Flickering votives cast an eerie glow. Set the display out on the mantle, in the entry or as a centerpiece.
Candles with a message [96]
White-ball pins transform plain pillar candles into Halloween messages.
Where black cats roam [99]
Long thought of as bad luck, black cats inject good fortune into this living room.
Eerie feel [102]
A homemade bat (made from black poster board) gives Halloween flair to this wall sconce. The mirror reflects a black candlestick and candle, while books wrapped in decorative paper add contrast.


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From a private, oceanfront balcony to 250,000 gallons of aquatic adventure, the Holiday Inn® & Suites Virginia Beach - North Beach hotel's guests enjoy the perfect beach vacation in Virginia Beach. The resort's oceanfront location is a perfect, relaxing family retreat as the hotel offers everything under the sun.
Slide into our Splish Splash Lagoon, float along the indoor lay-Z-rivah or lounge with a favorite summer beverage
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Slide into our Splish Splash Lagoon, float along the indoor lay-Z-rivah or lounge with a favorite summer beverage at the oceanfront outdoor pool. The hotel's activity program, Splash Kamp, is the perfect place for your children. The arts and crafts, games and more will create unforgettable memories. Take a break from the sun and catch a quick flick in our 48-seat movie theatre.
Schedule your next meeting in our conference center, which offers 8,000 sq ft of meeting space, and treat your associates and families to a mini-vacation in Virginia Beach. The resort's Office-on-the-Go and the free Wi-Fi access in the guest rooms help you stay connected and productive.
Enjoy the best of the beach as the hotel's guest in Virginia Beach. Inspired by 50 years of family tradition, the Isle of Capri offers fine Italian dining and stunning views of the Atlantic. The Square Whale is the ideal spot to enjoy moderately-priced poolside specialties. Want a great start? The Greenery Cafe's funky candy-colored atmosphere serves a buffet of breakfast delights. We look forward to welcoming you!


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- Inside Athletics
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BOCA RATON, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2006) -- Without one of its most important players on the floor, the ETSU men's basketball team begins a daunting three-game road swing to end the season this Thursday night at Florida Atlantic. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
Senior guard Ben Rhoda (Dayton, Ohio) will likely miss the game after suffering a left ankle injury in practice a week ago. Even though the Bucs have won 14 of their last 17 games, those three losses came with Rhoda out of the lineup. ETSU (15-9, 12-5 A-Sun) is still in the thick of the A-Sun regular season race, just a half game back of Lipscomb and Belmont. The Bucs will play both of those teams in the final two games of the season next weekend in Nashville.
For more on Thursday's game, click on the game notes link located above.


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At a recent wedding reception north of New York City, Laura R. began sharing war stories about her recent bunion surgery to remove the unsightly (and painful) bone that was bulging from the side of her foot. Whipping out her iPhone, she proudly showed off an "after" photo. As every woman at the table peppered her with questions, her husband of 21 years just laughed. "This is what it's come to. You used to show pictures of your kids; now it's your feet," he said.
Almost every woman I know feels bad about her feet. Correction: Every woman I know has feet that feel bad. Really bad. I'm no exception: I have things wrong with my feet that I'd never heard of before. I haunt the foot section of the drugstore like a junkie looking for relief. I scout plus-size shoe stores even though the rest of me is not plus size. In all of this, I am rather typical. In a 2010 study by the American Podiatric Medical Association, 77 percent of adults said they had experienced a foot ailment.
The number may be even higher for women, especially as they get older. "Before 40, many women's foot problems stem from overuse injuries or high-heel accidents," says New York City podiatrist Johanna Youner. But after you hit 40, your feet start to pay the price for years of holding up your body. "As you age, the tendons and ligaments in your feet lose some of their elasticity, which makes your arches flatten and your feet and ankles stiffen. At the same time, your toenails tend to thicken and curl," Youner notes. In some women, the fat pads that cushion the bottom of the feet start to thin, so walking becomes painful. (To relieve those symptoms, Youner sometimes injects the foot pads with Juvéderm, often used for filling out facial lines.)
Pregnancy can also change women's feet. "There is some evidence that the hormones that allow the muscles to expand in the belly also relax the muscles in the feet, causing them to expand," says Bob Baravarian, DPM, chief of podiatric foot and ankle surgery at Santa Monica/UCLA Medical Center and Orthopedic Hospital. Put everything together, and your feet can gain a half size every 10 years.
For a variety of reasons, women are more prone to foot issues than men are. There's the pregnancy factor, as well as the greater innate laxity of women's tendons and ligaments. But men are also much more likely to opt for, well, sensible shoes. "The more rigid the sole, the less strain on the foot, and men tend to wear flat shoes that have a lot of support built into them," explains Baravarian. "Women who wear higher heels with pointier toes and thinner soles set themselves up for trouble." Men also have genes on their side: Some foot issues are passed down disproportionately to women.
So are we destined to hobble into the golden years? Not necessarily. You can forestall trouble by choosing shoes that are easy on your feet for everyday use and saving the stilettos for special events. Another tack is to switch your workouts from activities that involve heavy pounding (such as running or jumping rope) to those that have little impact on your feet (such as swimming). But even if it's too late for prevention, you still have options, because there have been significant advances in the treatment of problem feet. Here, four of the conditions that women suffer from most and the new fixes that can help.
Condition 1: Bunion
What it is: A protuberance caused by shifting of the first metatarsal (the big toe bone) toward the second toe.
Symptoms: A large bump on the big-toe side of your foot, reddened skin, swelling, pain while walking.
Causes: Bunions often result from a genetic predisposition, but you boost your chances of developing that big bump if you usually wear shoes that have a narrow toe box, says Baravarian. This kind of shoe creates pressure that can cause the first metatarsal to shift place.
What you can do at home: If you have bunions, opt for soft, supple leather shoes with a thick sole to decrease pressure on the bone. "Stick to a shoe with a heel no higher than two inches and a wide toe box," recommends Naomi Shields, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Wichita, Kansas, and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. An orthotic that supports the arch can also reduce stress on your big toe and slow the progression of the bunion. (See "How to Choose an Orthotic") You might also try using a bunion pad (available in drugstores) to make your shoes more comfortable.
What a surgeon can do: If you experience so much pain that it interferes with your daily activities, surgery may be your best option. There have been significant improvements in bunion surgery, and while no one would call it a walk in the park, it is not as brutal as it once was: Newer techniques considerably reduce both the recovery time and the risk of recurrence.
"In the old days, doctors would shave the protruding bone, and the bunion would often grow back because the bone wasn't realigned with the toe joint," Baravarian explains. "Now doctors cut the bone and line it up with the joint, holding it in place with special screws. There is less postoperative swelling because there is no motion between the bone and the joint and therefore very little pain." You wear a boot for four to six weeks and sneakers for a couple of weeks after that. You won't need crutches, but you're not going to be training for a marathon either. Many activities can be resumed about two months after the operation, and in most cases the bunion does not regrow.
You may hear about a less invasive but more controversial surgical technique called a mini tightrope, which has been developed in the past five years. In this operation, a doctor subcutaneously ties together the first and second metatarsals (the bones leading up to the first and second toes) to realign them without cutting any bone. "In the right circumstances, mini tightrope can be a very good procedure," says Baravarian."The problem is that in very active patients, the FiberWire can break, or it can pull through bone. We use it in older patients who are less active." But with the advent of new kinds of screws, the trend in the general population is toward more aggressive surgery to prevent the bunion from returning, says Mark Berkowitz, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic.
Condition 2: Plantar Fasciitis
What it is: An inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot (plantar fascia) that connects the heel to the toes.
Symptoms: Pain in the heel, especially when you first get up in the morning.
Causes: Plantar fasciitis (PF) is among the most common foot problems, one in which genetics doesn't seem to play a role. "In patients who have tight calf muscles, flat feet or a tendency to put a lot of strain on their arches, the tissue begins to tear at the bottom of the heel, causing pain," Baravarian explains. "The pain is usually worst first thing in the morning, because the plantar fascia gets tight while you sleep. It stretches out during the day and feels a little bit better, but over time scar tissue forms and causes increasing amounts of pain." You can exacerbate plantar fasciitis if you wear shoes that don't offer ade-quate support or overdo a new work-outroutine without a proper buildup.
What you can do at home: "Most cases of plantar fasciitis will improve if you wear proper shoes and do certain stretches, but recovery is a slow process and can take from three months to a year," says orthopedic surgeon Jonathan Deland, MD, chief of foot and ankle service at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. The best footwear: shoes with one-and-a-half-inch heels. "Flats put too much pressure on the ball of the foot, which pulls at the heel," Shields explains.
Deland recommends doing the following two stretches for five minutes in the morning and at night: "Put your affected foot on your opposite knee and gently pull the toes toward the shin and also let the ankle bend. Hold for 15 seconds, relax and then repeat." Then do a classic runner's stretch: Press your hands against a wall, standing two to three feet away so you're leaning into the wall. Let your elbows bend so that your body goes forward. Adjust your distance from the wall to maximize the stretch in the back of your calves. You can also buy boots that stretch your plantar fascia while you sleep (one source: Amazon.com).
If you are overweight, you have one more reason to drop the pounds. "Walking is the equivalent of putting three times your body weight on your foot with each step. If you take some weight off, you lessen the strain," says Youner.
Cortisone shots can help with the pain, though they won't remedy the underlying cause of your problem, according to Baravarian.
What a doctor can do: "Ninety percent of people with PF get better with traditional treatments, but there are 10 percent of patients, mostly over 40, for whom the condition doesn't improve," says Raymond Rocco Monto, MD, an orthopedic surgeon on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Massachusetts. One problem: "Microtears to the connective tissue accumulate over the years."
A number of therapies are available for these stubborn cases. Among the newest is platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy, recently in vogue among elite athletes to treat injuries such as tendinitis and tennis elbow. In this procedure, a patient's blood is drawn, then spun in a centrifuge to concentrate the platelets, which release growth factors. The plasma is then injected into the affected area. In a study involving patients with severe plantar fasciitis, "we found the group treated with PRP did much better right away than those who received traditional nonoperative treatments," says Monto. "The PRP people also maintained those good results over the year of follow-up." Insurance coverage for platelet-rich plasma varies, and many doctors still have a wait-and-see attitude about the procedure, but it is becoming more accepted.
One treatment that is not gaining widespread support is the use of Botox to treat PF. While some doctors have touted the nerve paralyzer as a way to lessen heel pain, most in the medical community are dubious. "Your muscles can atrophy so that you might have trouble even walking," Baravarian says.
Condition 3: Neuroma
What it is: An inflammation and thickening of nerve tissue in the ball of the foot, usually between the third and fourth toes.
Symptoms: The feeling that there is a pebble in your shoe; pain that is lessened when a shoe is removed.
Causes: If your feet tend to roll inward when you walk, that motion over time
can irritate the nerve tissue between the third and fourth toes, producing a neuroma. Another possible contributor: wearing tight shoes that put pressure on nerves in the ball of your foot. Because a variety of factors can cause a similar pain, a neuroma can be difficult to diagnose. Many doctors use a sonogram to see if nerve tissue is inflamed; others press the ball of the foot to listen for a clicking sound that indicates thickened nerves. To be absolutely certain, some inject the nerve tissue with Novocain. If the pain is alleviated, it is a good bet that a neuroma was the cause.
What you can do at home: "If you have a neuroma, deal with it early because it's much easier to make an improvement then," Baravarian says. Make sure your shoes are wide enough to avoid squeezing; orthotics and an over-the-counter insole pad to cushion the ball of the foot can also help. "You are better off in rigid-soled shoes that give more support. If you're going to wear high heels, choose a platform or a wedge—or try to wear a bulkier heel so you don't teeter on it," says Baravarian.
Take a break from activities that irritate the nerve, such as anything that entails pounding the balls of your feet. For instance, if you are a gym-goer, use an elliptical trainer rather than a treadmill; replace a step class with Pilates. If pain continues, a cortisone injection can offer temporary relief by calming the nerve. It is not a cure, though, and repeated injections are not recommended because they can lead to nerve atrophy.
What a surgeon can do: The last resort for neuromas is surgery that removes the irritated nerve tissue, which entails up to three weeks of recovery. There is a risk of scarring, which can be painful, and full recovery can take up to three months. "I recommend trying more conservative treatments for six months first," Deland says.
Condition 4: Nail Fungus
What it is: An infection that develops beneath your toenails.
Symptoms: Thick toenails that are chipping and yellowed.
Causes: Some 10 percent of American adults (more men than women) have this condition, which is sky-high in the yuckiness factor. You inherit a susceptibility to the fungal infection, which can enter in a spot where the nail is split or at an opening on the edge of the nail bed. Older, thicker nails are more at risk, according to the Mayo Clinic.
What you can do at home: Drugstore aisles are rife with OTC topical antifungal products, and they can work, though treatment may take up to a year as the damaged nail grows out. Baravarian offers this tip: "To help medication penetrate, file the top of your nail to remove the shiny coating."
The most efficacious treatment is the prescription drug Lamisil (terbinafine), taken orally for three (or more) months. "About 75 to 88 percent of cases get cleared up, but the drug has serious side effects," says Youner. "Three percent of patients experience an elevation in liver enzymes." To monitor your levels, Baravarian recommends you get a blood test before you start treatment with Lamisil and another a month later.
Fungi breed in moist environments, so to speed recovery and avoid re-infection (always a possibility), choose shoes made of natural, breathable fibers (as opposed to, say, rubber), with enough room for your toes to spread. Also, wear cotton socks and change them if they become damp. Youner recommends going without polish on your toes as much as possible. "Let your nails breathe," she says.
What a laser can do: In 2010 the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pinpointe Laser to treat toenail fungus. Youner is among those who have incorporated the Pinpointe into her practice. "We do it in a surgical center, no general anesthesia required. The laser goes through the nail and vaporizes the fungal material beneath it. In my experience, most people need a boost about six months later," she says. A small, independent study published in the Journal of American Podiatric Medicine found that 85 percent of patients who received laser treatment experienced mild to moderate improvement after 180 days. The cost can be up to $1,200 per treatment and is generally not covered by insurance.
Next: The Most Foot-Friendly Shoewear
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