Wings Of Ink

CNN Blogs on sex: "Should women be more like men?

2010-12-13T00:33:00.007-05:00

Sex: Should women be more like men? – The Chart – CNN.com Blogs

First, a disclaimer: I have always found "Sex and the City" – both the novel and the TV show – to be vapid, idiotic, unrealistic fluff that is insulting to women. Now on to a response to the question posed in the article.

Now, not all men are assholes and whores. Neither are women. So why women fixate on the less flattering qualities of men to emulate in their quest for balanced gender roles is baffling. I tend to think it's because they're not really searching for equality; rather, they're seeking to rebel from the more sensationally prominent of their existing gender role constraints.

Men are not respected by women when they are players/whores. Why would women think they'd command respect as sluts who objectify themselves, valuing their bodies as nothing more than currency in the same way some men do? Is it an "if you can't beat them, join them" mentality?

Then there are the biological variables as described in the article, and of course the fact that "Sex and the City," the TV show, was helmed and directed by men.
That said, the themes and scenarios and characters in the show did spur greater awareness and serious discourse alongside all the vapid frivolity.

People in general need to stop trying to be like someone else and start being like themselves. We can admire qualities in others, and decide to adopt and shape it as our own, but to attempt taking identities wholesale requires a level of misdirected insecurity and regard for the superficial over the nuances of human and individual identity.

Books and Culture: Japanese Schoolgirls!

2010-12-12T12:41:00.002-05:00

"Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool",
by Brian Ashcraft with Shoko Ueda. Kodansha International, 2010. 9784770031150.

The analysis about the impact of the image of the Japanese schoolgirl in Japanese popular culture and technology sounds interesting and still very timely. In America, Japanese schoolgirls has something of a preteen, gamer, and yes, pedophilic, appeal, but there is much more to their popularity, longevity, and impact on pop culture around the world, including Japan. A welcome addition to the growing trove of pop culture analysis.

- Official website -
- Reviews: a blog. chaos tangent (nice layout). the akiba. japanator. popmatters. jap lit.

On marrying young

2010-12-09T11:42:00.002-05:00

Mark Regnerus -- "Freedom to Marry Young" -- The Washington Post

As interesting as it is insulting (not Regnerus being the insulter, but the assumption that people are choosing to push people away as opposed to just not having met anyone yet). That said, I agree with the basic four-word thesis and enjoyed the sociological analysis (I do regret not double-majoring in Sociology instead of just minoring in it), although I'd add that in granting one freedom, we must not revoke or condemn others.

Although, while the data generally supports the thesis of younger does not equal worse for long-lasting marriages, the data mentioned takes the analysis beyond that original question and into questioning of changing norms re. gender values and worth.

For example, the idea that for women, age is a debit, not a credit. Well sure, if a woman's worth is measured like the value of your bank account and value as a spouse hinges solely on how long your biological clock keeps ticking. Granted, that's a big factor for many people, but is that the only thing that has been studied re. women's worth in a marriage? I think the argument/analysis still could've been made without the tying of worth to reproductive ability.

Feminism aside, though, as one of my colleagues, Kate Schwab, notes, "it doesn't change the fact that men are hardwired to desire young, sexy, and yup, fertile beauties. Sucks, but it's the truth."

To which I'd respond with the following irreverent and playful rant:

Men have fought their supposed biological predisposition to sow their wild oats and with as many fertile and shapely women trotting out pheromones and eyeliner for a long time in order to settle down into generally monogamous relationships which are the foundation of marriages and all the lovely economic and human affection advantages brought about thereof. Given enough incentive, whether in the form of financial stability, numerous shags, societal pressure, or, hey, affection/love!, men can fight their supposed hardwiring as they choose. Otherwise, more dimwitted women would be knocked up than smart ones. Oh wait... !

On another note, men will "eventually" mature enough to catch up to their long-lasting sperm count, and their age is a credit?! Um, so women are as unsuperficial as they are super-fast to mature?

But moving on, according to Schwab, the biggest trend missing here regarding gender issues is the cougar phenomenon.

Are these women of middle age and decent wealth so rare as to make them statistical outliers? Or is it that young men tend to enjoy, um, playng with them for awhile but show little inclination toward marital commitment in that department? (In which case, a woman's age would appear to outweigh even the benefits of wealth, social advancement and intellectual knowledge.)

Then there is the human factor. Affection, love, religion, social pressures that lean in either direction. And as Sheila C., 24, of A Gift Universe, notes, reverse age-hesitance.

Many people actually do delay marriage, even when they've found a person they believe to be "the one," simply because they think they're too young. Men write off the idea -- "I'm only 28; I'm only 30" -- while the women go along with it be...cause *everyone* tells them they are too young to get married. I have seen that.

Certainly getting married young shouldn't be a goal. But if you've found the right person, waiting for some magical age or achievement isn't going to get you anywhere, in my opinion.

Of course, it isn't all just about fertility. Since men reach their sexual peak at 17 and women don't hit theirs till about 30, perhaps it's less about sperm count and more about money. Or, instinct, as Sheila adds.

We are shaped by our instincts, for better or worse. From an evolutionary perspective, 50-year-old husbands with half a dozen 14-year-old wives would be fine, whereas our culture has (thank goodness) progressed past that!

Often more conservative/religious people tend to get married younger, and their divorce rate can be predicted to be lower. On the other hand, marriages decided hastily because of pregnancy obviously aren't likely to last long. One thing I never see discussed when people play the divorce-statistics game is what it takes for a couple to get divorced. I mean to say, a very conservative, religious couple might be miserable and choose not to divorce, but a couple that's played the field a lot before marriage and is looking for "the perfect mate" might get divorced even if their problems are solvable, simply because they're expecting something closer to perfection. A big factor in whether a couple gets divorced is whether they believe in divorce in the first place. Another is whether they have kids.

Rocky waters for polar tourism

2010-12-08T22:54:00.003-05:00

Cruise ship in peril between the southernmost tip of South America and Antarctica

Why would you go on a CRUISE ship to the Antarctic? Presumably everyone on that ship at least knew it'd be somewhat treacherous down past Cape Horn? At least everyone was safe this time, not like three years ago (http://bit.ly/fg9fBd). Speaking of past incidents, though, in the last four years, three cruise ships have ...been smacked and crippled by exceedingly powerful waves ('07, '08, '10) during the same week (give or take a few days).

On polar tourism trends: http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/polar-tourism-boom-risk-to-people-nature/

And that 2008 incident: http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/postscript-grounded-antarctic-ship-freed/

Reaction: Medical Team Murdered in Afghanistan

2010-08-07T13:34:00.005-04:00

The Associated Press is reporting that a medical team of six Americans, one German, one Briton and two Afghans, were killed in Afghanistan after completion of a two week mission to provide health care to rural villagers. The Taliban claimed responsibility, stating that the murder were justified because the group consisted of American spies and Christian missionaries.

It's sad when a valid concern, like foreigners attempting to degrade your culture and history through conversion, is twisted so horribly into warped justification for any and all murders, power grabs, and other violent acts that are just as if not more detrimental to a community than that which is being fought against.

RIP to the medical team killed.

Food Review: Fresh Direct meals

2010-06-07T20:47:00.002-04:00

Chef Terrance Brennan, of New York's Picholine and Artisanal, is known for emphasizing cheese in his celebrated dishes. So I consider myself lucky to have a nearly cheese-less dish as my first taste of Brennan's culinary expertise. As it happens, my latest foray into gourmet cooking is also more affordable than a reservation would be, and not entirely fresh. Thanks to my temp position at BarnesandNoble.com, this week, I found myself faced with not only free hot chocolate, but also a vending machine full of pre-packaged gourmet "4-minute meals" courtesy of Fresh Direct, the online grocery store that delivers to your home (or trailer or wherever you want). On this day, my workday lunch consisted of opening the microwave and popping in Brennan's Parmesan Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms, Asparagus and Peas.

I am not a fan of fast food and have my doubts about how well pre-prepared meals stand up to reconstitution in the microwave or with a little water (from both a taste and nutrition perspective). So I had low expectations, but even accounting for that, the taste, texture and freshness of the ingredients were of pretty good quality. After the designated four minutes in the microwave, a minute to sit, and a quick spoon stir, the risotto came out firm and creamy (it didn't even need water), the mushrooms neither chewy nor raw (that's a good thing in my book and I'm a mushroom fan), the asparagus and peas crispy and well-steamed, and the parmesan an afterthought. For a vending machine meal, this wasn't bad. The portion size was quite decent, too, although I needed the fruit I brought with me from home. If you find yourself stuck in the office facing a deadline or a wintry, blustery day outside, then it's a viable and convenient option I'd certainly recommend.

Total cost: $6.89
Total prep time spent: five minutes
Total taste-worth measurement on a scale of 7 hungry hungry hippos: 5 hungry hungry hippos

Restaurant Review: Ethos-U.N.

2010-05-10T20:43:00.002-04:00

One of the most important skills to master as a vegetarian with meat-eating friends is the art of ordering off of a non-veg-friendly menu. True, plant-based diets are more the norm than ever thanks to healthy eating movements and fears about obesity and diabetes risk. And usually, the restaurant’s chef is ready with a backup option available upon request, or is willing – and able – to alter a dish to omit meat. But every once in a while, in conversation with the waiter, you’ll find yourself faced with either an apologetic “sorry” or a resolute “no.”

What to do in situations like this? Why, order off the appetizer and salad menu, of course! (And always check with the restaurant, whether via phone or a peek at their menu online, before leaving the house.) Not only can this help you go easy on the size of your meal, but it often ends up easy on your wallet, too.

I employed this tactic one cool Saturday evening at Ethos – U.N. (905 First Avenue, NYC), a restaurant specializing in Greek cuisine that a close friend had chosen to celebrate her 25th birthday.

Continue reading at IHeartVegetarian.com -->

Restaurant Review: Blossom

2010-04-29T20:39:00.000-04:00

Of all the fantastic gourmet restaurant options available for vegetarians in New York, Blossom (187 Ninth Ave., between 21st and 22nd Streets) is one of my favorites, thanks to reasonable prices, delicious organic food in hearty portions, and a warm décor with unpretentious ambience that welcomes business casual and upscale diners alike.

While it’s candlelit interior would be perfect for date night, it is also a lovely place to catch up with friends, which is what I did one recent Thursday evening. Walking through a little slice of Chelsea, from the 23rd St. station exit on Seventh Ave. to Ninth Ave., I quickly found the restaurant in its snug ground-floor spot in a townhouse, but got a little confused at where exactly the door was, it blended so well with the wall. Once inside, though, a friendly waitress quickly seated us by the front window, poured us glasses of water, and took our drink orders.

To look at what I ate, check out the full Blossom review over at IHeartVegetarian.com.

TV Review of "Glee" Season 1, Episode 16: "Home"

2010-04-28T01:00:00.006-04:00

Tonight's episode of Glee, "Home," was beautiful and fantastic. Such emotion and realistic dialogue and directing let the actors really shine. Here are my thoughts on what I loved, what I hated, and what I thought just worked really well for the show and the characters.

Things I loved
I loved finn's mom's scene where she's explaining letting go of her husband/finn's dad and that their home hasn't really been the home it would've been with finn's dad weren't missing. So spot on in dialogue and beautifully acted by both Cory and Romy (the actors playing Finn and Carole). So accurate. My mom was riveted on Finn's mom and I was riveted on Finn's reaction to the chair.

I loved the Mercedes and Quinn scene. So touching. Another example of fantastic and accurate writing. When Quinn said that eating to keep her baby healthy and strong made her ask why isn't she willing to give herself that kind of care and attention... so spot on.

I love how Mercedes's "Beautiful" ballad was powerful, yet toned down from the high pitch of Aguilera's equally amazing, but different, version. Amber Riley really hit the emotion and the music.

And I loved how Will Schuester is acknowledging and feeling his loneliness – the loneliness that comes from having been in the same serious relationship since when he was 16.

What I hated
On another note, I hated how the investigative reporter never interviewed any students or faculty, or even Sue herself since he interrupted her in her office right before she was about to put her foot in her mouth. A good reporter lets the subject speak for itself. And a good reporter never goes and tells the subject how the article is going to turn out.

I didn't really care for the song selection, either. And while I love Kristin Chenoweth's talent and energy, the songs they gave her didn't pop the way it could have with different songs and thematic ties. The music-in-story seemed a little forced and disjointed and even Kurt's rendition of "A House is Not A Home" was pretty painful, thanks to it coming out of nowhere and being infused with both the parent-dating drama and the Kurt has a crush on Finn drama.

What I thought worked
How nice was it to have a break from the kid's angsty love lives and other melodrama going on. In other words, thank you, writers, for putting Rachel and Jesse in the background this episode. They're talented and all, but Glee needs this to be an ensemble cast with ensemble scenes, not designated "stars." And Glee needs to show that it knows it has the potential to be more than just the music – and the music is only as good as the emotions tying it to the story.

It was also nice to see a responsible, competent and sane school nurse on the premises. When she showed up on the screen telling Mercedes that her mother was on her way to pick her up, and said it all calmly and with sympathetic understanding, well, that was a not insignificant moment for me.

Is American Sign Language a "foreign language?"

2010-04-27T03:06:00.009-04:00

The Chicago Tribune reported today that while some universities allow students to count American Sign Language classes towards foreign language credit, some do not, citing their belief that ASL is either not "foreign" or not a "language." This is absurd.

ASL is a foreign language in that it is both different from the standard language – English – used in American public schools, and is a formal means of communication between a large section of the populace. Languages do not require a formal written component to be valid, although ASL does include it's own form of translation from English, called a "gloss."

Kate, a Montana resident who has studied ASL off and on for over a decade, notes that ASL has markedly different syntax from standard English.

"Signing or finger-spelling to English syntax is often called "pidgin" and frequently seen in drama productions. The grammar difference is especially noticeable with things like adjectives, for example, when and English speaker says I am glad, an ASL user would be much more likely to sign "Me +Happy +Me."

As in English, ASL also has homonyms but they can be surprising. You would use different signs for "deliver" depending on whether you mean "to rip something off," "rescue" or "to give birth", and some signs are easily confused - the grinding motion for "coffee," done wrong, suddenly means "will you make out with me?" and the sign for "pregnant" becomes "log cabin" depending on finger movements."

Also, "foreign" is not defined based only on geographic distinctions. It is defined as something that differs from a particular subject or group's norm. Similarly, "language" does not require spoken words to be relevant. It merely requires a standard and recognizable set of signs of symbols, such as written characters, drawn glyphs, or finger movements. Technically, ASL does also has an oral component, except the it uses fingers and gestures.

Sheila, a former high school and grade school teacher in Virginia and Pennsylvania, agrees, stating the following:

"It is a very special case, but I would agree that it is a foreign language. After all, Latin is a foreign language whose spoken form has virtually no practical application. It's still useful for communicating (so to speak) with the ancient Romans. ASL allows you to communicate with another special group -- not people from a different country, perhaps, but people from another culture. And it has MORE applications than many foreign languages. You could study Russian and never meet a Russian person who didn't speak English, but the chances of meeting a deaf person are pretty high."

On another note, ASL does have a cultural component, as it is used by members of the deaf community as well as their family and friends. To treat people as if their widely used method of communication is somehow irrelevant is like telling them that they are irrelevant. It is an arrogant stance to take and a close-minded slap in the face.

What do you think, reader? Does American Sign Language count as a foreign language?

Three Simple Tips for Aspiring Cooks

2010-04-15T20:37:00.001-04:00

On Easter Eve, I had the opportunity to eat a fully catered authentic Italian-American meal, complete with many vegetarian-friendly options, courtesy of Chef Mark of San Francisco's California Culinary Academy and Michael's Restaurant (2929 Avenue R, Brooklyn, NY). The reason for the union of East and West Coast deliciousness? The birthday dinner of my next-door neighbor, Vivian – Chef Mark's mother. Needless to say, I was delighted to be meeting the chef son who my a-Mu (the Toisanese name I call my neighbor, which means something like "respected older unrelated aunt") brags so much about. I had so many questions.

First on my agenda – right after saying hello, wishing a happy birthday to the birthday girl, and the quick scan of the dishes to whet my appetite for later – was to chat up Chef Mark about what kind of food he cooks, how he cooks, and what tips he would have to an aspiring cook.

Chef Mark was very amiable and obliging, as I suspect I detected a combination of pleasant surprise (at finding someone so enthusiastic about what he does for a living) and weary familiarity (from all the students asking him questions). He immediately said the following:

"Three things: use fresh ingredients, take your time, stay simple."

That's it.

I was amazed.

And momentarily silent (if you know me well, you know how rare these occasions are) from Chef Mark's quick and ready answer. I thought he'd at least pause at the uniqueness of my question. Now I found myself mentally typing his words down and filing them away for this post.

Lesson learned. Always be on your toes.

I repeated the three rules to him just to confirm later that evening. But not before I asked him what he thought about CSAs (community supported agriculture, for those whose lives don't revolve around the fresh food movement). He agreed with me that they're great ways to get fresh food on the table. I would add that they're a great way to cut costs if you feed an army of kids regularly or if you need to push yourself to cook more often by throwing produce too beautiful to waste your way every other week.

And really, these rules make a world of sense. Here's why.

Use fresh ingredients

: Vegetable Antipasti

Take this plate of antipasti that Chef Mark prepared that morning. It practically screams "Fresh." Fresh kalamata and green olives. Fresh steamed asparagus. Fresh roasted eggplant. Fresh tossed skinny string beans (I don't recall the actual name of these at the moment). Fresh red peppers, roasted and sliced into slivers. It's gorgeous. And good for you. And good eats.

Take your time

This is definitely pertinent advice for me, the impatient one when it comes to eating, slow walkers, and important things getting done. Since starting my gradual adoption of a vegetarian diet over five years ago, I've made progress on the eating speed front. I'd heard all the talk about how French women – and women living along the Iberian and Mediterranean Seas in general – stay lean and fit in spite of their oil-rich diets. I knew the value behind the concept of afternoon siestas. I noticed how stuffing my face made me feel sluggish for hours afterwards and slowed my work productivity.

Now slow walkers... that's out of my hands.

I'm working on having the guts, courage and shrewdness to just take on the pile of work, already, sensing the balance between what needs to get done first and what can get done first.

But taking my time in the kitchen is so far turning out to be pretty relaxing, cathartic even, and helping me slow down in other ways, too.

Stay simple

: Cheese Antipasti

How much simpler can it get than a tray of sliced mozzarella and tomatoes, tossed in olive oil and vinaigrette? (Along with some type of salami-like meat and chunks of dry cheddar.)

The simplest recipes are often the most delicious. Sometimes they are even more time consuming to prepare than less seemingly complicated recipes.

And the foods with the simplest list of ingredients are always the healthiest. If you can't pronounce it or have never heard of it, it's no longer simple and no longer healthy. Just say no to food additives as often as you can.

Another way to keep simplicity in mind is in how you stock your kitchen, however small (warning: it's a video), like Deb at Smitten Kitchen's. Or natural foods oriented, like Heidi's over at 101Cookbooks. Or regarding flavor profiles.

And if you think simple and tasty means hard work, check out Amy's Stupidly Simple Snacks video series over at AmyBlogsChow.

There. Three simple rules, plus a little help from friends with tasty habits, to start your own cooking adventure. Enjoy!

Sunday Brunch at Belleville

2010-04-11T20:35:00.001-04:00

I coerced my mother into driving us into Park Slope this morning for brunch. The sun was shining, the clouds and winds were cooperating, and the plan was to hit Chip Shop, that land o' fish and chips and vegetarian Shepherd's pies over on Fifth Avenue and 6th Street. But somewhere along the way, I noticed that my stomach and developing-foodie sense was tingling, telling me that even a full veg English breakfast didn't count anymore as what I wanted: a real brunch.

The concept of a "real brunch" is something that I invented to describe what is basically urban sidewalk bistro fare. It features dishes that one doesn't usually make at home and cannot get at a diner; dishes that stand out for being filling, creative and worth the average ten bucks ($10) paid; dishes with ingredients to inspire, not remind you of what you already have in your fridge. Perhaps after a few months of sampling "real brunches," they'll lose their luster for me and brunch will go back to just being the portmanteau of breakfast plus lunch. But I don't think so. I might just start comparing cooking styles in the hopes of determining a favorite spot. Or begin imitating them.

So, as we walked away from the minivan (it looked right at home in this neighborhood), I posited a purposeful wander within one to two blocks of Chip Shop to see if we could find a suitable cafe or restaurant with an inspiring brunch menu. Thus we found Belleville (330-332 5th St., on the corner of Fifth Ave.). And they lived happily ever after.

Just kidding. Really, though, the food is lovely, as is the decor. Wood-paneling, long, smooth bar, French doors in a cream colored hue that open up onto both the avenue and street, red awning trim and brick accents, black-and-white small floor tiles, natural-tone wicker chairs outside and white linens on the tables... all attributes that drew my mother in like a moth to a flame. A bit standard in terms of NYC fresh bistro style, but charming and surrounded as it is by quaint, yuppie South Brooklyn (Ugh, Park Slope is totally in western BK, but the nabe gets the South BK regional designation out of 19th century tradition), effective.

The bistro/cafe was bustling at 11:30 A.M. on a Sunday morning, full of strollers, remarkably well-behaved toddlers, pooches, and young and older urban families of various ethnicities, all out for some sunshine and good food. My mom and I seated ourselves almost immediately after I settled for a blinding-in-white-shirt-and-apron waiter's friendly offer of outside seatage/seating after failing to flag down the maître d' girl, who was sitting at the bar, with her back turned to the door, snacking and drinking either tea or coffee with milk. My mom and I wondered if anyone knew we were there and if we were supposed to be plugged into an electronic table map, but it turned out fine since our waitress peeks outside to see the newcomers every few minutes.

To start, we ordered a croissant basket ($5), which took a while to arrive, but was worth the wait. So fluffy, flaky and full of surface area for the little red pots of cinnamon butter and raspberry jam to be spread around, I was in appetizer heaven. Even better was the fact that the whole thing was soft enough to shove into and melt in my mouth, which still cannot open very wide thanks to a swollen jaw from Tuesday's wisdom-tooth extraction. Even my mother, an exacting eater if there ever was one, loved it.

My Oeufs Pochés ($12) – perfectly poached, runny, possibly even slightly sensual eggs sitting on a square of puff pastry and topped with a spoonful of hollandaise sauce and a sprinkle of what I think were either chives or parsley – came surrounded by so much delicious sautéed duxelles (aka mushrooms) and spinach that my mother and I were able to share the veggies and there was still more! That's saying a lot, if you know how we eat. Of course, I finished it, along with half of my mother's order of Crepes du Jour – the day's special of crepe-wrapped bacon, melted gruyere cheese and onions. The cheese was stringy, but melted enough that it didn't matter, and had a sharpness and slight tartness to it that startles, but is tasty.

Both dishes came with a side of roasted potatoes/home fries and arugula/greens salad. The potatoes were plentiful and looked so brown and orange you'd think they were burnt, but were far from problematic. I'm a roasted potato fiend and fancy myself something of a connoisseur-in-training and these were ungreasy and both crunchy and soft, a perfect combination. The salad with some sort of olive oil vinaigrette was also a welcome and well-concocted addition, serving as a refreshing cleanser to cut through the stronger flavors of everything else. And I got an extra serving from my mom's plate, too!

So I give Belleville Bistro 4.5 out of 5 stars, marked down a bit for slightly slow service, although it was a very busy morning, so it doesn't seem a chronic issue. I would highly recommend it to new and experienced brunchers alike.

Also, I apologize for the lack of photos. I usually snap photos for work and whim all the time, but had the bad luck of leaving my battery charging at home. So hopefully my descriptions worked well for you! I plan on going back to Belleville in the coming months, so I'll update with photos then.

Public Produce Markets as an Economic Catalyst and Job Generator?

2010-03-30T02:47:00.002-04:00

The Project for Public Spaces published an article this month calling for a national study on the economic impact of public markets, with one of the goals being to find out just how many jobs are and might be created by the development and presence of a public market in a community. This would be a valuable reference for both market advocates and political types with job-creation on their minds to have.

Personally, I have always loved the cry of vendors hawking their wares. It varies by location and in intensity and pitch, but inevitably exudes such a natural, yet practiced and practical, enthusiasm.

History also supports my romanticized vision, having shown that markets have been gathering places throughout the world for people of all walks of life. It has only been in industrialized, technology-centered societies that the natural appeal and applicability of public markets waned (or was suppressed). Now, in an era where jobs are scarce, trendy trappings are more a luxury than a given, and "fresh" + "sustainable" + "community" is to food as "vintage" is to clothes, it makes sense that public markets are making a comeback.

My personal bias aside, such a study would certainly provide welcome data about the economic potential of public markets in communities of varying sizes, from an urban metropolis to a small town. Our nation is in need of any project that has economic viability, on top of the social and environmental benefits offered – perhaps a study on social potential should be called for? – so this type of collaboration would be ideal.

Some of the other topics and goals of the study are as follows:

• The number of jobs created by a public market - directly and indirectly. These could include farmers, seasonal farm workers, market stall employees, market managers, and even seed salespeople.

• The economic impact on the businesses around the market.

• The economic benefit of participation in a public market for the farmer/producer’s business, including an understanding of their cost of production and the cost of their market operation.

• The economic impact on the participating farmers’ rural communities.

• What else needs be evaluated? And how can this study take shape?

Browse the PPS's article for more about the background of public markets and the logistics and collaboration that such an impact study would entail. The nonprofit is also soliciting reader feedback and ideas on their "Markets Economic Impact Study" at info@pps.org.

Not Just TV: CW's Potentially Deadly Faux-Pas

2010-03-20T17:25:00.004-04:00

With spring comes green-light new TV pilots season. I mostly don't give a hoot about this unless one of them features an admired actor/actress or is tackling an issue of interest to me. But I do read EW.com (Entertainment Weekly). And this announcement caught my eye:

"Pilot Intel: CW Develops Six New Dramas; Fate of 'Melrose Place' Unknown"

After emitting a pleased cackle at the fact that the idiocy known as 'Melrose Place' 2.0 might go under, I noticed the thing about this item about something called "Nomads." Then my mind just hit the floor (not literally, of course). Here is my problem with it.

"Nomads" is basically about backpackers performing odd jobs for the CIA abroad in the hopes that they'll get formally recruited and trained. Problem is, assuming the show does well and gets high visibility, it will alter a sizable portion of the public's perception about (1) backpackers and (2) the ulterior motives of young idealists. This public will probably include at least some people abroad. So this is totally going to put actual real-life backpackers - most of whom are not in fact working for the CIA as spies and minimally trained covert operatives - in danger. We already have teens and 20-somethings being kidnapped and held abroad for months and years on end. Seriously, I know this is "just TV," but you know, most of the time, it really isn't.

Health Care Hoopla: A Primer from the AP

2010-03-17T03:15:00.004-04:00

The AP published a pretty good breakdown yesterday of how the proposed health care reform bill in its current incarnation would affect Americans.

It looks to me like the main problems/areas of instability or unease would lie in:
(1) the Employers section, where large employers would be fined if they don't figure out a way to monitor whether employees receive federal assistance -- monitor without violating privacy laws.
(2) the fact that it's going to take three to four years for the exchange and insurers not being allowed to kick people to the curb.
(3) the changes to how medicine is practiced, as PCPs and other general practitioners and surgeons will all have to shift how they treat patients (bc while doctors should already be working to keep patients healthy, the system really is a pay-as-you-go, non-holistic setup). I think this would be viewed as a good change, but a rocky one.

Lost in Translation: The Line Between Journalism and Espionage

2010-03-17T02:36:00.006-04:00

NY Times article: "Contracts Tied To Efforts to Kill Militants"

Let me get this straight. So the "benign gov't info-gathering program" was a website known as Afpak, proposed by a former CIA guy and a former TV exec., set up to operate as what looks like a local news service focusing on cultural conflict issues in the context of wartime. And the intermediary - the accused Mr. Furlong - between the military and Afpak told Afpak that the military wasn't interested while also telling the military that Afpak was worthwhile? And when the rug got solidly pulled out from under Afpak, Furlong reallocated some of the leftover funding into one military program while shoving the rest - $15 mill. - into thin air?

Out of all this, aside from the outrageousness of his actions, if verified, it strikes me how apparently this Afpak endeavor was never clearly defined as either news-gathering versus covert intelligence gathering. If the boundary between the two is not recognized by the editors, not to mention our own military, contractors and the leaders of Afghanistan and Pakistan - two countries where the USA has unstable relations, to say the least - then it's no wonder why journalism is regarded with suspicion and contempt by leaders on both sides (despite what they may say in public about the importance of a free press) and why the work journalists produce – and risk their lives for – are regarded as little more than spying.

It’s no wonder why what we do is lost in translation in countries where there is no free press. It’s no wonder why our own gov’t leaders make such pitiful efforts to defend our work and our lives when it comes to that.

Quotes about Rapes in Haiti

2010-03-17T02:26:00.003-04:00

Below are some choice quotes and excerpts from an AP article on the dramatic increase in rapes of women and children in the tent camps in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The words and stories speak for themselves.

"The toddler is taking antibiotics for a gonorrhea infection of the mouth."

"Rape was a big problem in Haiti even before the earthquake and frequently was used as a political weapon in times of upheaval...

"The 21-year-old said her family has received no food aid because THE HAITIAN MEN HANDING OUT COUPONS FOR FOOD [and shelter] DISTRIBUTION DEMAND SEXUAL FAVORS."

"Eventually she found the patrol car but THAT OFFICER "TOLD US TO GO AND GET THE ATTACKER AND BRING HIM TO THEM.""

"Few rapes are reported... women often face humiliating scrutiny... police officers who suggest they invited the attacks... nurses who contend young girls were "too hot" in their dress style."

"WE ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM... BUT IT'S NOT A PRIORITY," Information Minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue said last month."

Legal Bites: "Chelsea's Law" Wants GPS Tracking of Sex Offenders in California

2010-03-13T21:05:00.001-05:00

The state of California is facing public support for a potential "Chelsea's Law," legislation that would require convicted sex offenders returning to society to wear GPS monitors that would track their movements to ensure that they stay away from the places - schools, playgrounds, child care centers - where children and youth congregate. The proposed law is named after 17-year-old Chelsea King, who disappeared in late February and was found raped and murdered a week later. Convicted sex-offender, John Robert Gardner III is charged with the crime, as well as the murder of a 14-year-old girl in a neighboring community. He was on parole at the time of the crime and his arrest.

I'm for such a new law and policy. 'Twould be nice if it were adopted by more states, too. As for this excerpt, I'm glad it's been noted now, but why it existed, what the hell:

"On Tuesday it was revealed that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation last year destroyed records pertaining to Gardner's 2005 to 2008 parole as part of a routine annual documents dump.
The Associated Press and Fletcher's office both requested the documents, prompting the department to reveal that they had been destroyed.
Upon learning of the department's policy, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered all parole records for convicted sex offenders held indefinitely."

What Irony: PepsiCo Funds Yale Nutritional Science Fellowship

2010-03-13T03:11:00.001-05:00

As announced in a press release from Yale Medical School, PepsiCo is funding a new fellowship in Nutritional Science.

Okay, what kind of Orwellian world has Yale Med decided to create in the name of a little wad of green inked paper? Taking funds from the corporate giant that stands to lose good PR, if not millions of dollars, as a result of your Rudd Center and other med, health and nutrition program's research into childhood obesity, diabetes, and the negative health effects of sugared soft drinks - and the positive preventative results of soda taxes?
And USING SAID FUNDS TO HIRE A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL WHOSE TASK IT IS TO RESEARCH NUTRITION AND PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY?!?!
And having this whole thing guided at least in part by the former WHO tobacco control guru?
I'm with Michele Simon (of AppetiteForProfit.blogspot.com) on this one. This instance of industry influence and selling out really hurts. And yes, it truly is shocking.

Revenge: Child Health Group Evicted By Harvard After Alleged Disney Interference

2010-03-13T02:50:00.002-05:00

VS.

After successfully publicizing the dangers and lack of educational benefits to babies from Disney's Baby Einstein brand of TV videos, the nonprofit Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has been evicted from its offices in the Harvard-affiliated Judge Baker Children's Health Center. This, after Disney representatives repeatedly called health center officials and allegedly threatened to sue unless the Campaign ended all communications with the press and advocacy work against Disney products.

Conflict of interest should apply.

That Judge Baker and Harvard even thought that this would be acceptable is surprising, but also not so, since as the NY Times article notes, Baker is run with a corporate board of directors, not a community one. So it is subject to a more corporate management than many in the public might expect.

But in the end, I still say this:
Shame on Disney. Shame on Harvard. And shame on us, the American people, for allowing ourselves to create and nurture and continue to stand by and nurture corporations and their ruthless, immoral, careless, evil mindset - which has permeated our own - that operate outside ethics and the law.

Buy the Book?: Texas Conservatives Seek to Rewrite History Textbooks

2010-03-12T02:50:00.003-05:00

And the battle continues, both over what points-of-view get play in history textbooks and over whether a handful of people in one state with a large student population - Texas - should be allowed to decide the textbook foundation for the majority of public school curricula throughout the country.

It's a fascinating debate and conflict with valid points on all sides. But education really should not be at the whim of changing political tides, as idealistic as that may sound to some. This is a goal and point that really should be reached for as much as possible.

As for the debate going on in Texas right now, it's one thing to advocate a certain measure of balance to textbook curriculum (i.e. the quoted proposal to add info on conservative organizations and public figures, or even comparing Jefferson Davis' ideas with those of Lincoln's, for context), but it's quite another to eliminate and replace existing historical events and context (i.e. American imperialism in its early and middle development, the neutral description of the different political and economic systems at play, and the goals, however idealistic, of minorities during the Civil Rights Movement).

(photo credit: Darren Heater - http://morguefile.com/archive/display/625322)

Rubbing Salt in the Wound: NYC Assemblyman Proposes Ban on Salt in Restaurants

2010-03-11T13:31:00.002-05:00

With rising public interest and awareness in the relationship between food and health, city officials across the country have jumped aboard the grassroots bandwagons with enthusiasm, proposing and then passing laws to eliminate trans-fats from restaurant foods, require restaurants to prominently display calorie and other nutritional information on their menus, grade food establishments on a letter-grade scale, and tax soda/soft drinks sold in stores. The debate that has resulted has been heated, but mostly civil and sparking genuine opinions about the pros and cons of such government involvement in public dietary guidelines and eating choices. Even if one disagrees with the proposed legislation, and whether the laws work or not, at least leaders are making points based on informed research, right?

Apparently not always.

According to recent news reports, NYC Assemblyman Felix Ortiz has proposed a bill to ELIMINATE ALL SALT in all restaurant kitchens. That's right, ALL SALT. The idea apparently being that salt (1) is bad for you, (2) is not essential to the cooking process, (3) is simply a condiment that can be added at the end, (4) is not naturally occurring in food ingredients. Choice is good, but like salt, it is best used in moderation.

That's not a proposal based on sound health or scientific reasoning. That's insanity. You need salt to preserve foods and ward off bacteria. Salt helps give bread flavor and texture. Salt is a natural part of many foods, just as sugar is naturally essential to fruits and many vegetables, too. The notion that salt is somehow unhealthy even in trace amounts is absurd, so much so that I cannot take Assemblyman Ortiz's proposal seriously in any way. This is a good thing because if I even thought his proposed bill had a chance in heck to pass, I'd be feeling panic and outrage instead of stunned sadness as I sit here shaking my head at his folly.

This is a particular shame because it is coming from Assemblyman Felix Ortiz of southwest Brooklyn, of NYC's 51st District which includes Red Hook, Boerum Hill, Sunset Park, Borough Park, South Park Slope and Windsor Terrace. A local political and community leader who, until now, has had a pretty good record on pushing relatively popular health and community-centered issues such as farm-to-school advocacy, funding for eating disorder clinics and domestic violence. This issue, however, is likely going to weaken any prospect he had for higher office.

Fortunately, salt will in all likelihood not get wiped off our plates. Unfortunately, until the bill is officially rejected, talk on blogs, news shows and in pundit-land will continue.

photo credit: Earl53 at Morguefile.com - http://mrg.bz/kNUZB6

Check marks

2010-02-22T21:07:00.004-05:00

Housekeeping. We all need a day or just a few hours every week or so to do it. Especially when we don't want to. Today was one of those days.

I didn't write anything substantial today for my sporadic freelance work, but I did get a bunch of stuff done.

1. Wake up during the actual AM hours. (This is a big thing for me ever since I switched my work/sleep clock on its head.)
2. Make peace with not remembering and documenting every little detail of the night's dream. Also, make peace with sleeping for a long time to enjoy my exciting dream world.
3. Cancel the web hosting for InsureMeNYC.com - the health insurance blog some classmates and I started a year ago.
4. Cook.
5. Interview for a part-time job at a start-up travel site start-up.
6. Enjoy and present well at said interview.
7. Buy a cupcake.
8. Go grocery shopping.
0. Schedule temp work for later in the week.
10. Do writing workshop homework.
11. Listen to the full stomach and stop eating.

On the down side, these are the things I didn't do:
1. HungryHeather
2. Cover letters.
3. Demand articles.
4. W-2 organizing.
5. Freelance articles.

The interview went well. It was fun, even.
Much to do.

I do not celebrate Valentine's Day.

2010-02-14T02:56:00.000-05:00

I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. I don't hate Valentine's Day, either. It's just one of those days that has never held any significant meaning to me. Perhaps this is because I never had a Valentine. But even things change and I have a Valentine in my future, I'm pretty sure this indifference will stay the same. You see, the fourteenth of February, for me, has already been marked as (1) my friend, Tara's, birthday and (2) the general time of year when the V-Day campaign to end violence against women is marked. And this year, there's the added occasion of the Lunar New Year falling on this day, according to the Chinese/Lunar calendar. So I'll be busy with that.

However, when it comes right down to it, I am a rather sentimental person who also doesn't mind the occasional friendly, trivial quiz. So to mark this Valentine's Day, I will answer the questions posted over at The Pioneer Woman's blog on love.

What was your first love’s name?
Have you ever had your heart broken?
What’s your favorite love song of all time?
Do you have a Valentine this year?
Do you believe love rules or love stinks?
Have you ever walked into a plate glass door in the dining hall on your first day of college?

Here are my answers:
First like = Will.
No.
"They Were You" by Barbara Cook for the musical, "The Fantasticks"
No.
Rules.
Not on the first day...

So, Happy Year of the Tiger!

And Happy Valentine's Day!

In other news:
My hair is curly!
I love ice choppers. Before tonight, I never realized just how essential they are to breaking up clods of snow that fell from the awning onto the garage, forming a tightly packed pile.

On Social Media and News Sharing Over the Internet

2010-02-14T02:25:00.005-05:00

John Tierney wrote this column over at the Times today, in their Happiness section: "Will You Be E-Mailing This Column? It's Awesome." Seeing as how I make a daily habit out of posting links on Facebook and here, I feel like I'd be remiss if I didn't post my thoughts on this one as well.

First, a few things:
(1) love the mention of "the optics of deer vision."
(2) the sample was solely from the NYT. That skews a bit, but could also be safe bc of the mainstreamness of it.
(3)
the Times' tracking system works when tracking the clicks on their
page. What about when people like me use a separate "Share on Facebook"
button I've installed in my browser? I'm not sure if it counts that
too. And what about when I re-share articles already shared, like I just did with this one? I guess if it tracks the # of times an
article's URL is spit out into the web of social networks, then their
stats are fine. But if it only tracks NYT-specific page hits, then eh.

That said, why do I post things with such regularity? What types of articles catch my attention enough that I decide they warrant sharing and blasting out into cyberspace, like a spam message to all my Facebook friends?

Well, the process goes something like this:
What I share is the byproduct of what I read. And I only read what I am surprised/shocked/stunned by, scared by, have something to say about, think might be well-written, is written by someone whose work and thoughts I respect, that I think specific friends might enjoy hearing about, or that I think might elicit a fun debate/discourse.
So this includes anything politic, cultural, health-related, science-related, food-related, tv or entertainment-related and NYC-related.

So far, it's worked fine and lets me figure out my stance on issues and how to structure those thoughts while having engaging and constructive conversations with friends and colleagues.

PET PRIORITIES: Five Musts for the Furry Ones in Your Life

2010-01-05T15:56:00.004-05:00

(Published in the January 2010 issue at www.westvalleyhealthandliving.com - page 41)

By Heather Chin

The beginning of a new year has been a chance to start anew for families around the world for thousands of years. Losing weight, eating healthier foods, getting a promotion, studying more, saving money – the list goes on. Some resolutions are easier than others. This year, resolve to take care of the whole family – pets included – with these easy-to-do goals for the creatures who bring warmth and love every day of the year.

However big, small, clean, lean or furry your pet, he or she must be given the gift of you keeping them healthy via regular checkups with the veterinarian. According to the American Animal Hospital Association, pets should undergo a comprehensive annual exam that includes a lab analysis, heart check and dental exam. Annual vaccinations for things like rabies and flu are recommended, as are once-a-month tablets or spot-on treatment to prevent flea, tick and heartworm infestations. If you haven’t already, schedule a vet visit for the new year.

Combine good health with play by walking the dog and encouraging him to exercise. Invest in a running wheel for Pete Hammster and let Chairman Meow scamper and pounce more often on playthings. Add daily walks in the backyard or at a local park that will keep both of you fit besides being a good habit to develop overall. Invite fellow pet-lovers to make it even more fun in the sun – you get relaxing conversation and the dog gets a new friend to play with. When it gets cold outside, also remember to let dogs and cats stay warm indoors.

Don’t forget to make sure the princess looks her best before running outside. Grooming can be as basic as cleaning behind her ears daily (to avoid odor and ear mites), washing her feet and shampooing her hair. Check your pet supply store for cleaning products that provide dry/itchy skin relief. You could also try mouth cleansing pet chews and bones that will help her both charm the neighbors’ pets and prevent tooth loss.

While resolving to focus on a healthy diet high in calcium and other nutrients, that doesn’t mean you have to avoid treats. Brand name pet foods have many options that combine taste and health, but you can also make your own treats, such as popsicles or hollow squishy toys with a dap of catnip, tuna or other favorite treats in the middle.

Last, but not least, is the easiest resolution of all: spending more quality time with your pet. Love and affection is something that everyone enjoys and can relax the whole family. Blow some bubbles, toss a ball and hide treats or toys around the house. Dogs and cats often suffer from depression, stress and anxiety just like humans do, so simple gestures like petting, walking and making them feel loved is the perfect way to start the New Year.

Book Keeping: Speed-Writing For Success - mediabistro.com Content

2009-11-02T17:12:00.001-05:00

To kick off National Novel Writing Month, an enterprising YA author reveals how her participation in the day writing frenzy landed her a book deal

Posted using ShareThis

ENTERTAINMENT OP-ED: Tyra Banks puts on a show and show's off her ignorance

2009-10-30T03:44:00.006-04:00

So Tyra Banks and her "America's Next Top Model" crew decided to plaster colored skin creams all over their contestant's faces in an effort to make them look, as one contestant put it, "so exotic." Some are calling it a return of the hated blackface. Others argue it's just acting. All wonder if it's going to even be a controversy.

I've detested this show since it was first a twinkle in the WB/CW's eye so nothing they do that's offensive or controversial really surprises me since I find the whole concept and industry behind high-end fashion modeling offensive and degrading, but this is just astounding because for all my hate on Tyra Banks and the fact that young women actually eat her superficial crap up, I kind of figured that she and her peers were just working with what they've got and are savvy enough to use society's obsession to their advantage, but this just makes them flat out stupid, in my opinion.

I mean, really? How does this not ruffle anyone on set's glittered feathers? Is such acceptance of such ignorance and consumerism over humanity really so pervasive? Heck, as noted in EW, they even mixed up racial identity with national and cultural identity, telling the aspiring models that Hawaii's a melting pot of races so they're each going to portray a jumble of Greek/Mexican, Moroccan/Russian, Botswana/Polynesian, Tibetan/whatever individuals.

Shows like Ugly Betty try to show the intelligence and thought process behind fashion shoots, the covering of all bases and being smart about it. These showrunners didn't even bother, reducing Native Americans to an eagle-staring people and Tibet to a stereotype of tranquility and oppression.

PHILADELPHIA & TRENDS: Gardening in the Classroom

2009-09-08T16:35:00.004-04:00

Published on Friday, September 4, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Classrooms go green to teach nature's ways

By Heather J. Chin
Inquirer Staff Writer

It is midday at Khepera Charter School in Mount Airy, and about two dozen middle schoolers are standing on the grass, staring at trees. Their science teacher, Kim Johnson, offers clues as they try to identify Japanese maple, sugar maple, pine oak, and spruce.

Such excursions are common at the school, where the lawns and a small vegetable garden have been an "outdoor classroom" for five years. English teachers read poems and have kids write essays in the sunshine. In math class, students measure the lawn's perimeter or solve problems while watching squirrels play.

The point, said Johnson, whose students call her Mama Omatayo or Mama O. (to foster a sense of family, faculty are referred to as Mama or Baba), is to provide learning experiences outside the four walls and to connect children with nature.

Rita Stevens, a special-education teacher at Philadelphia's Huey Elementary School at 52d and Pine Streets, takes a similar tack. She has been using the school's vegetable and flower garden to motivate her third to fifth graders to learn to read and write. Between weeding and watering, the kids label both the plants ("tomatoes" and "peppers") and their parts ("stem," "leaves" and "fruit").

"The kids are hands-on and they will learn how to read words associated with something," explained Stevens. "They'll make the effort to learn about what they're working with."

Learning experiences like these are why Johnson and Stevens joined 48 fellow educators at the third annual Green City Teachers workshop in July, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. The two-day event trains educators in safe and best planting practices through hands-on work in one school's garden.

This year, Luis Muñoz-Marin Elementary School at Third and Ontario Streets in North Philadelphia was the host. On patches of soil behind the school and in the parking lot, teachers weeded, swept, built wooden frames for seed beds, tested soil for lead, applied mulch, and planted trees and vegetables. They also bonded over shared goals, challenges, and a desire to spread the word: Whether indoors or outdoors, large or small, gardens are a valuable educational tool.

Read the full article here.

PARENTING: How to halt nail-biting

2009-09-08T16:29:00.003-04:00

Published in the August 2009 issue of PARENTING magazine.

5 Ways To Stop Nail Biting

Tricks to stop that unsightly gnawing that can lead to infection

By Heather Chin, Parenting

Sure, nail biting is a common childhood habit, and, in most cases, won't last -- but it's also unsightly and can lead to infection. How to stop it? Try these tricks from Dawn Huebner, Ph.D., author of What to Do When Bad Habits Take Hold.

Distract
Hand her something or place your hand on hers when she's nibbling.

Interrupt
Top her fingertips with colorful adhesive bandages or slather on lotion -- the taste will get her attention, and it will help smooth jagged cuticles.

Munch
Offer her raw carrots, cukes, or a plastic straw to chew on.

Relieve
Regular exercise, such as jumping jacks or even kids' yoga, can help, as can carrying a stress ball.

Reinforce
Constant criticism can fuel your nail-biter's chomping (making her do it even more), and bitter polish can seem like punishment. Instead, praise your child regularly when she doesn't attack her nails.

COMMENTARY: Cuban Students Expelled For Appying To U.S. Scholarships

2009-09-05T17:49:00.004-04:00

U.S. Scholarships get Cuban College Students Expelled

"A sample of the actions taken by the current U.S. administration in its efforts to ideologically permeate university students is to offer them scholarships through the Interests Section to train them in the area of leadership," reads an internal document of the Ministry of Higher Education obtained by El Nuevo Herald.

"Applying for such scholarships reveals, at least, an unacceptable ideological inconsistency. More serious yet is the case of students selected by the Interests Section who upheld their decisions even after a political discussion with them."

The document, released in July, acknowledges that students and professors longed "to obtain personal benefits" and suffered "a confusion and poor understanding of the basic pillars that sustain the ideology of our revolution."

--> So if I understand this correctly, the "ideological inconsistency" is one of seeking personal benefit through education, versus faith in the Cuban Communist Party's ability to provide an education that would benefit the people over the individual. ... Okay, I recognize the pride issue, but ideologically, wouldn't the creation of a widely educated populace potentially benefit the people they would grow up to serve? Or is my reasoning tainted by its support of a global education versus a tightly controlled national education?

This issue makes me wonder: is the reluctance and resistance by some U.S. citizens to consider the idea of our students - and leaders - going abroad for part of their education or career experience as a good thing.... is this a sign of "ideological inconsistency" with our own nation's ideals? Or is this a sign of the rigidity of thought that is so clearly displayed by the Cuban government here?

Fun Food Talk: Road Chow

2009-09-04T21:21:00.006-04:00

In this lifestyle article in USA Today, registered dietician and nutrition blogger Elizabeth Ward advocates for high-sodium, processed fast food as healthy food options. For breakfast, a McDonald's Egg McMuffin or french toast sticks at Burger King? For dinner, a cheeseburger and salad with dressing or, whoa, Beefaroni? I'm all for convenience and practicality, but when you're labeling something "healthy," there's a line that shouldn't be crossed.

This is appalling. Healthy isn't just about calories and a balanced meal doesn't mean balanced between the levels of fat and sodium content. Being on the road doesn't mean being checked out of the sanity department when it comes to feeding you and your family a healthy - and cost-effective - diet.

On the contrary, it's a prime chance to get the whole family - kids of all ages, too - to collaborate on their meals, making it a fun project. Bring the cooler, people, and pack your own fresh snacks, something like sandwiches, fruit, water, 100% juice, veggie and cookies. I'm not a registered dietician, but I do know I'd rather feed my family food with ingredients that I can actually read and identify.

Speaking of family, Ward is apparently the author of several books on nutrition, including Expect the Best: Your Guide to Healthy Eating Before, During and After Pregnancy. If her suggestions for "healthy" road food is any indication, I shudder to think about what she's recommending moms-to-be introduce their impressionable, unbrand-loyaltyed children. Parents are role models, including when it comes to our eating habits, and teaching toddlers and kids that it's okay to stuff yourself with edible "food" items just because it's low in calories is not a lesson we should be presenting.

For some other road or picnic food ideas, check out these links. There's the snacks and the main food. And for the family full of kids, there's always this list of tips from Disney Family and Road Trip America.

On the vegan front, there's Jennifer McCann's day trip lunch for her and her preteen son, as seen on Vegan Lunch Box. McCann also has a suggestion for a large vegetarian picnic spread.

Pennsylvania and New Jersey: Winning By Quitting

2009-08-24T20:27:00.001-04:00

Published on August 17, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Smokers have more options than ever in the fight to kick the habit.

By Heather J. Chin
Inquirer Staff Writer

Nina Ball regularly walks by a row of smokers outside the charter school in North Philadelphia where she helps youths find jobs and get into college. A year ago, she might have bummed a cigarette there.

But today, after a series of group counseling and fitness sessions at a local health clinic, she hopes she has replaced her addiction to nicotine with another obsession: a drive to write and perform poetry.

"When I'm keeping busy with things I love, I feel less of a need to smoke," said Ball, who ditched her Marlboro Menthol 100s 10 months ago.

As Ball learned, the methods to stop smoking are growing. A few programs offer group counseling and fitness together - to counter fears of weight gain and encourage overall health - along with nicotine replacement products and drugs. Most sessions are free, courtesy of the money that tobacco firms pay yearly to states to cover smokers' health-related costs.

Insurers also may cover some prescription drugs for those enrolled in a state-sponsored cessation program.

Hospitals, in addition, are pushing smoking cessation to their patients. Studies suggest that they are likelier to quit when the health risks are high.

Each year about 443,000 people die from smoking nationwide, including about 20,000 Pennsylvanians and 11,000 New Jersey residents.

Read the rest of the article here.

Personal Health: For Kids, Increased Screen Time Can Equal Increased Blood Pressure

2009-08-12T20:17:00.001-04:00

Published on August 10th, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Kids' screen time is linked to development of hypertension
More time plopped in front of a screen - computer, video, video game, and, particularly, television - may raise the risk of elevated blood pressure in children, according to a new study.

The researchers tracked activity levels of 111 children ages 3 to 8 - 57 boys and 54 girls - round-the-clock for a week via measurements from an accelerometer worn over the right hip as well as parents' reports of the average time their child spent sitting or engaging in activities that ranged from painting to watching TV. They also considered age, sex, height, percentage of body fat, and other differences.

Excessive TV time and total screen time were linked to elevated blood pressure - a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and other health problems - even when possibly related measures, such as body fat, were separated from the analysis. Children who spent less than 30 minutes a day in front of a screen tended to have the lowest blood pressures, the researchers report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. (The average was 90 minutes.)

Interestingly, the researchers did not find an association between blood pressure and sedentary behavior in general, leading them to suggest that factors specific to watching a screen - eating foods high in sugar, fat and salt, for example, or disruptive sleep patterns that have been associated with TV time - might play a role. - Heather J. Chin

Read the full article here.

The Tweets Untweeted

2009-08-08T12:02:00.004-04:00

As Twitter continues to defend against a hack attempt with "collateral damage," thus preventing me from tweeting important news, I am posting here the two tweets untweeted, in order from most recent backwards.

@alfranken Thanks for the Service Dogs for Veterans Act. http://tinyurl.com/l427qy

@Rick_Bayless Thanks for your fantastic, tasty and wonderfully gracious meal tonight on Top Chef Masters! It's a joy to have such respect!

Personal Health: Antipsychotic Drugs May Increase Risk to Older Diabetics

2009-08-04T20:13:00.000-04:00

Published on August 3, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

A warning for older diabetics who take antipsychotic drugs
Older diabetics who start on an antipsychotic drug may face a greater risk of high blood glucose levels, or hyperglycemia, according to a study published in the July 27 Archives of Internal Medicine.

The findings are based on a Canadian study of 13,817 diabetics aged 66 and older who took antipsychotics in a two-year period for dementia and other conditions, while also receiving insulin-treatment, oral hypoglycemic (blood-glucose reducing) agents, or no diabetes treatment. Eleven percent - 1,515 people - of patients were hospitalized for hyperglycemia or related conditions.

Those starting on antipsychotics were particularly at risk; after their first prescription, they were eight to 15 times more likely to be hospitalized than those not getting the drugs.

The connection between hyperglycemia and antipsychotic use has been studied in younger patients with schizophrenia, but research in older adults is limited, the researchers said. If the use of antipsychotics in older diabetics with dementia cannot be avoided, the study's authors conclude, then patients and relatives should be on the alert for signs of high blood sugar levels once treatment begins. The researchers recommend enhanced glucose monitoring for all patients starting antipsychotic drugs. - Heather J. Chin

Read the full article here.

Food News: Lobster In Need of New Marketing?

2009-08-01T19:34:00.002-04:00

Hey, cheap lobster everybody!

What's most fascinating to me is the talk of down-marketing lobster from celebratory treat to everyday food. While a cool and clever idea, I'd think that if successful, it could backfire if and when prices go up again and they end up having to catch more lobster than they can, especially if the industry really is so well managed. Or lobster may not have the same appeal anymore.

Do people eat lobster because they like the taste or texture or because they think it's a special, once-in-a-while food that appeals to their desire to appear well-off and make a good impression?
Would the demand for lobster stay the same if it were stuck in the frozen food aisle along with similar-tasting shellfish like shrimp?

If so, then maybe they'd end up making more money than ever once prices rise again.

Pennsylvania: Pediatricians and Paperwork

2009-08-01T19:15:00.006-04:00

Published on July 27, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Summer's no vacation for pediatricians

Pediatricians know it's summer when the health forms start piling up.

For everything from day care and camps to college and driver's license applications, each form asks different questions and often requires handwritten answers.

"It's overwhelming, particularly in the summer" when camps, school, and sports seasons converge, says Jeffrey Bomze, a pediatrician whose Bryn Mawr practice sees around 3,000 patients a year. "It's not just a signature and out the door."

Every year, pediatricians typically see about 95 patients per week, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. At nearly 5,000 patients per year, four health forms per child, and about eight minutes per form, that means one person could spend 333 workdays a year on health forms alone.

And it's getting worse.

Read the full story here.

Personal Health: Unlabeled food additives can hurt kidney patients

2009-07-29T19:30:00.002-04:00

Published on July 27, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Food-label study: Meat additives could harm kidney patients

Raw meat and poultry products may contain hidden food additives that can be harmful for people with kidney disease, reveals a new study into the potential health risks of incomplete food labeling.

The research, which appears online in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, focuses on the presence of dietary phosphate and potassium, often injected into fresh meat along with sodium, antioxidants, and flavorings. Too much of both substances can cause death in patients on dialysis.

Researchers purchased 36 uncooked meat and poultry items, most of which listed additives but not amounts, at several supermarkets in northern and central New Jersey. Items were transferred to separate plastic bags to prevent lab technicians from seeing the food-labeling information.

The results showed products labeled as "enhanced" with a 28 percent greater average phosphate concentration than additive-free products. High potassium content was present in 20 percent of the enhanced products.

The authors conclude that more complete food labeling is needed to help an already at-risk group.

- Heather J. Chin

Philly Region: Summer Camps Deal With Swine Flu

2009-07-19T18:54:00.002-04:00

Published on July 16, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.
I contributed some reporting on this.

Some camps report swine flu cases

By Kristin E. Holmes
Inquirer Staff Writer

Camp directors are battling more than unruly youngsters this summer. They have been contending with outbreaks of what they think is the swine flu.

Some area camps, as well as ones outside the region that host large numbers of youngsters from the area, report sending home dozens of campers who have exhibited flulike symptoms.

Pennsylvania health officials say they know of 10 to 20 camps in the state that have had a high-enough incidence of the flu to warrant control measures such as isolating campers or sending them home.

"I'd say we've had a fair number of camps that have clusters of illness," said Stephen Ostroff, acting state physician general and director of the state Bureau of Epidemiology.

In South Jersey, fewer than five cases have been reported to health agencies. Reported cases might be low because officials test for the flu only when patients are hospitalized or clusters of illness occur.

No camps in Pennsylvania or South Jersey have closed, officials said.

Read the full article here...

International and Food: Italian Province Bans Non-Italian Ethnic Food

2009-07-19T17:43:00.005-04:00

GlobalPost has a story up today on a ban instituted in the Italian province of Lucca, against all ethnic restaurants and shops that sell goods using non-provincial or non-Italian ingredients. Here's an excerpt:

The law banned the opening of any new ethnic restaurants, “with a view to safeguarding culinary traditions and the authenticity of structure, architecture, culture.” It also prohibited the opening of any commercial premises serving food and drink “whose business is related to different ethnic groups. If an established restaurant owner decided to produce a non-Italian menu, it must include “at least one traditional Lucca dish made exclusively from ingredients commonly acknowledged as being typical of the province.”

On one hand, I understand the desire to keep traditions alive, but on the other, I find it a bizarre and dictatorial thing to do. It's also pretty confounding. Requiring at least one dish per restaurant menu to be made from local ingredients is one thing, but to both give favoritism to established restaurants and to expect locals to only cook and eat in a certain style and method is a rather clear affront to basic freedoms. And, with the allowance of a French restaurant yet not a Sicilian one, could be targeting Middle Eastern cuisine in particular. There have been few concessions, so there's not a lot of ammunition on that front to go by.

Plus, it disregards the human inclination to not want to eat the same thing every day and to resist unnecessary bans. It's not as if the entire province was going to stop eating Italian food.

As a foodie and some time cultural analyst, I also find it interesting, though, how Lucca's governmental leaders have caught on to the idea of food as a gateway to a culture. It makes sense, in a way, with Italian history, culture and identity steeped in the art of joining gastronomic delights and the foundation of a life well-lived.

Then there is the use of "local food" as a cultural cuisine-specific phrase, as opposed to the "grown-here" ideal making the rounds here in the United States. I'd never thought of it like that. And I'm glad that such a ban would never fly in the America I know, thanks to American's wide-ranging palate, diverse backgrounds, and recognition that food of all spices and origins is a huge business. And after all, our country is a melting pot, in both a social and gastronomic sense.

Music: Olympus PEN Camera Ad Campaign

2009-07-19T14:37:00.003-04:00

This song, written for the Olympus camera company, is really beautiful and sweet. And the stop-motion animated video is jaw-dropping.

Here are the song lyrics:

Down Below – Johannes Stankowski / prod. & arranged by Michael Kadelbach

Be just who you want to be, my friend
You just got to trust in fate.
Do the things you want to do ‘cause life don’t wait
Take it easy, keep your head up high
No need for sorrow and despair
Just keep on moving, it’s such a wonderous world out there

The years are flashing by and everything will change
But way down deep inside – we all just stay the same
And down below
Old memories come alive and then we know
Down below

It’s a long road we all got to walk
But there’s an awful lot to see
And the sun keeps rising up wherever you may be
Fly the ocean, dive into the blue
No need for sorrow and despair
Just keep moving, it’s such a wonderous world out there

The years are flashing by and everything will change
But way down deep inside – we all just stay the same
And down below
Old memories come alive and then we know
Down below

The years are flashing by and everything will change
But way down deep inside – we all just stay the same
And down below
Old memories come alive and then we know
Down below

International: Asylum for the Domestic and Sexually Abused?

2009-07-17T01:50:00.003-04:00

This post is in response to this NYTimes article, which reports on an issue that reveals the indignance presented by the Bush administration and the walking-on-eggshells hesitation by the Obama administration as regards setting asylum criteria that would consider sexual abuse and physical abuse as eligible instances to would trigger asylum.

The reservation is understandable, but one can be protective without being cold and hard and hypocritical. What, ultimately, makes political or religious asylum any different than asylum based on sexual abuse? Perhaps it reflects our existing willingness and even desire to ignore physical and sexual abuse in domestic situations even of our own citizens.

Personal Health: Excessive Hair-Pulling

2009-07-14T18:52:00.001-04:00

Published on July 13, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

An aid in cases of hair pulling
A common dietary supplement containing an amino acid may help people with trichotillomania, also known as compulsive hair pulling, according to a study by researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine in Minneapolis.

The amino acid N-acetylcysteine occurs naturally in the body and is sold in pill form in health-food stores.

Two to four percent of the U.S. population suffer from trichotillomania, a physically, emotionally and socially damaging condition that often coexists with other psychological disorders.

Fifty sufferers - 45 women and five men, with an average age of 34 - were randomly assigned to take 1,200 milligrams to 2,400 milligrams of N-acetylcysteine or a placebo for 12 weeks. Most were also receiving psychotherapy or psychotropic drugs.

After nine weeks, more than half of the supplement-takers reported improvement - such as reduced hair-pulling urges and fewer hair-pulling episodes - compared with 16 percent of those on the dummy pills. The positive response continued for the remaining three weeks.

The study is reported in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

- Heather J. Chin

Philly Local: Hospitals Expand Safe Sleep Practices

2009-07-09T02:34:00.000-04:00

Published on July 7, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Hospitals push safe sleep practices for infants

By Heather J. Chin
Inquirer Staff Writer

For the last year, parents have been banned from sleeping with their sick babies at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children.

The hospital instituted the policy after three infants over three months were pronounced dead in the emergency room after bed sharing-related accidents at home.

Babies who sleep with a parent can become overheated, be rolled onto, or be smothered by soft sheets or pillows. They can also lose circulation if wedged between the mattress and furniture.

The hospital's ER typically gets one such death every couple of months. But the "little cluster" of tragedies early last year inspired St. Christopher's nurses to propose that the hospital lead by example.

"Today, people often don't have primary pediatricians," said emergency nursing director Kirsten Johnson-Moore. "So emergency departments, I feel, have a responsibility to educate and prevent."

Read the full story here...

Personal Health: On Statins and Walking Aids

2009-07-07T18:47:00.000-04:00

Published on Monday, July 6, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Likely benefits to prescribing statins to curb heart disease

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, the standard of care for people with heart disease, may also benefit many patients who are merely at risk of developing the disease, researchers report in a review of 10 previous studies involving 70,000 people worldwide.

Prescribing statins as a preventive measure to patients with risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure was associated with a 30 percent drop in major heart disease and a 12 percent drop in deaths over an average of four years, researchers said on bmj.com, an online British medical journal.

Statins are powerful drugs, and the researchers - several of whom reported support in the past from manufacturers - stopped short of recommending their use for all people at risk of developing heart disease.

While men over 65 who have other risk factors and older women with diabetes and other risk factors appear to be most in danger of developing heart disease, they write, "the correct identification of such people remains a challenge," as does prediction of an individual's risk. - Heather J. Chin

Study of falls suggests need to teach safer use of walkers

More than 47,000 older Americans a year - 129 a day - seek treatment at hospitals after falls involving walkers or canes, according to a six-year review of ER records that suggests more time should be spent teaching people how to use walking aids.

Falls are the leading cause of injuries in people over 65. Less than 3 percent involve walking aids, but the researchers, from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said they were the frailest and most vulnerable population. And while twice as many older people use canes than use walkers, the researchers found seven times as many injuries associated with walkers.

Fractures were the most common type of injury. Men injured their head and neck most frequently, while women hit their hip or pelvis. Women, who are more likely to use walkers, made up 77 percent of all falls examined.

The goal now, the authors write in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, is to identify potential risk factors that lead to falls, to design better walking aids, and to provide education on safe usage. Information about falls and how to prevent them: http://go.philly.com/health. - Heather J. Chin

Pennsylvania: Insuring the Uninsured

2009-07-03T02:29:00.000-04:00

Published on July 1, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Bill to expand Pa. health insurance sparks debate

By Michael Vitez and Heather J. Chin
Inquirer Staff Writers

Democratic leaders in Pennsylvania hope to double the number of residents who receive state-sponsored health insurance, known as adultBasic, but Republicans fear the costs may be too high.

The Pennsylvania House on Monday voted, 104-98, in favor of HB 1, to increase the number of individuals receiving adultBasic from 45,000 to 90,000.

Republican leaders in the Senate say they might oppose the effort. Carolyn Scanlan, president and CEO of the Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, also expressed reservations.

Pennsylvania, like the nation, has seen the numbers of uninsured soar in the last year as the economy has declined, making a bad situation much worse.

AdultBasic is designed for people who earn too much to qualify for poverty programs such as Medicaid but can't afford insurance themselves.

An individual is eligible for adultBasic if he or she earns $21,600 or less; a family of four can earn $44,000 or less.

The program can't begin to meet the rising need. The waiting list, officials say, is growing by 20,000 a month and projects 270,000 as of today.

A year ago, it was at 96,000.

Read the full story here...

Personal Health: Music and Electronic Medical Records

2009-06-30T09:32:00.001-04:00

Published on Monday, June 29, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

Music therapy may help control blood pressure
When it comes to matters of the heart, music may be more than just the food of love. A small study by Italian researchers has linked swelling crescendos - volume increase - to heart rate arousal and gradual decrescendos to relaxation.

The 24 subjects, half of whom were experienced singers, were monitored using electrocardiograms while they listened to five random tracks of classical music, including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Verdi's La Traviata. As volume increased, so did the subject's blood pressure, heart rate, and blood flow. Long melodies led heart rhythms to synchronize with the tempo. And during a two-minute silence, breathing and blood pressure dropped.

The authors, who have done similar research before, hope their findings will show how music therapy can help in rehabilitative medicine. The paper was published in the journal Circulation.

- Heather J. Chin

Some patients are often left in dark on test results
Physician failure to notify patients or accurately record notifications about abnormal test results is common, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Records that were part electronic and part paper-based were more likely to be incomplete than those consisting entirely of one or the other.

The study examined 5,434 outpatient medical records from 19 community-based and four academic medical centers that offered primary care services, as well as the centers' methods of documentation - paper records, electronic medical records, or partial electronic records. Eleven blood tests and three screening tests - mammographies, Pap smears, and fecal occult blood matter - were examined in patients who were between 50 and 69 years old when treated.

Out of 1,889 abnormal test results, 135 patients were not informed of them promptly - either within 21 or 90 days, depending on the type of test. That was a failure rate of 7.1 percent. Three medical centers had a zero error rate while the rest ranged up to 26.2 percent.

The authors aim for more awareness of how often these errors occur and how managing results can reduce failure rates and successful malpractice claims from uninformed patients.

- Heather J. Chin

Philly Local: Philadelphia VA Prostate Cancer Scandal

2009-06-30T02:20:00.001-04:00

Published on June 23, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.
I contributed some reporting to this story.

Specter plans hearing on VA prostate cancer treatment

By Marie McCullough
Inquirer Staff Writer

Four years ago, after talking to doctors at the Philadelphia VA Medical Center, the Rev. Ricardo Flippin opted for a radiation therapy that would precisely target his prostate cancer and leave nearby organs unharmed.

Instead, his prostate cancer got too little radiation while his rectum received so much that he suffered excruciating, permanent damage.

Flippin, 68 - a minister, teacher, and Air Force veteran - is hardly unique.

The Philadelphia VA has notified 92 prostate cancer patients treated between 2002 and 2008 that their "brachytherapy" radiation doses were too high or too low. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has shut down the brachytherapy program in Philadelphia and three other VA hospitals with less serious problems.

Yesterday, the unfolding scandal prompted Sen. Arlen Specter (D., Pa.) to say he would hold a hearing on the matter in Philadelphia on Monday.

Read more here...

Philly Local: High School Health Fellowships

2009-06-16T02:13:00.000-04:00

Published June 10, 2009 in THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER.

Fellowship seeks to give ninth graders a boost

By Heather J. Chin
Inquirer Staff Writer

A new fellowship program will pair about two dozen low-income ninth graders in Philadelphia with professional mentors this fall to prepare them for careers in health care and science.

The Karabots Junior Fellows Program will offer traditional mentoring from physician experts over three years as well as field trips, extra classes, college prep, internships, video seminars, and online networking. It is funded with an initial $800,000 grant from the Karabots Foundation in Fort Washington.

"You can't fulfill a dream unless you have the dream," said George M. Wohlreich, chief executive officer of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, a professional society that is hosting the fellowship and providing mentors. "Our goal is to help them create a dream and show them how to fulfill it."

As the need for health care rises, the demand for qualified candidates is growing, too. But many low-income minority youth lack academic and familial support to keep up with their better-off peers.

Read more here...

Canarsie, Brooklyn: Terminal Eyes New Beginning

2009-06-14T13:50:00.005-04:00

Check out Terminal Eyes New Beginning, a multimedia package on the Brooklyn Terminal Market that Jessica Simeone, Robert Voris and I created for the NYCity News Service.

A Midtown Lunch Spot: Meal O'Bama

2009-05-20T21:01:00.003-04:00

A chalkboard sign advertises the daily specials at Meal O'bama, the recently renamed food cart located on the corner of W39th Street and 7th Avenue.

Other fast-food chains, such as Obama Fried Chicken in Harlem and Brownsville, have gained media attention in recent weeks for changing their name to reference President Barack Obama.

This vendor stand seems not to be attracting controversy, though. It is supervised by Mr. Muhammad Rahman, famous for formerly being a chef at the Russian Tea Room, who owns and operates a small chain of food vendor carts called Kwik Mart throughout Midtown.

A day-in-the-life timeline of the workers and cooks who operate the Kwik Mart vendor chain, of which this cart is a part of, can be found on the NYC eatery blog, Midtown Lunch.

Eureka!? - Job Networking Is Mutually Beneficial-

2009-05-04T01:41:00.003-04:00

Today, the New York Times has a piece on job networking social gatherings. The whole nut of the article hinges on the fact that these groups are proliferating in small and large sizes around the country. And that successful networking requires helping others while they help you.

That this still strikes some as novel saddens me. I wonder if more people are more giving now that many are all in the same boat. Or if it's just a more cutthroat environment.

May 2-3: Sakura Matsuri - Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

2009-04-28T14:14:00.005-04:00

New Yorkers of all ages relax beneath the cherry blossom trees at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Head to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden website to find out more about New York City’s Sakura Matsuri - a Japanese festival to celebrate the blossoming of cherry trees - coming up this weekend. Over 50 events and performances will take place under the BBG’s 220 cherry trees.

Subway MTA Workers Protest Planned Layoffs and Silent Union

2009-04-23T14:26:00.005-04:00

Reported by Amber Benham, Heather Chin and Jacqueline Linge
NY City News Service
for NYC On Deadline

Update (May 11, 2009): Following approval from the New York State Legislature for a $2.26 billion bailout of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, the agency’s board voted today to raise subway fares and road tolls by 10 percent instead of the proposed 23 to 30 percent. The commuter and subways/bus hikes will take effect on June 17 and June 28, respectively. The compromise also reduces service and staff cuts to only those coming from retirement and workers quitting.

Hundreds of transit workers - train conductors, bus drivers, track inspectors and station agents - joined New Yorkers outside the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Midtown headquarters last Thursday to protest everything from transit layoffs and budget cuts to fare and tuition hikes. Their massive presence and loud cries punctuated a campaign that began over six months ago when the MTA announced a budget shortfall of 1.2 billion dollars. Since then, the deficit has ballooned as tax revenues fall.

Proposals for closing the budget gap include a 23 to 30 percent fare hike effective June 1, the reduction of commuter bus, subway and train service, and the elimination of up to 3,000 jobs, 1,100 through immediate layoffs and the rest after workers retire or quit, according to the MTA. Transit Workers Union Local 100 estimates the removal of at least 819 bus operators, over 700 station attendants and 317 managerial administrators.

The proposed hike would mean one-way subway fares of $2.50 from the current $2. A 30-day unlimited Metrocard would cost $103, up from $81.

Read more and view the AUDIO-SLIDESHOW here.

For Two Brooklyn Catholic Schools, Life After Salvation

2009-03-28T14:22:00.003-04:00

by Heather J. Chin
NY City News Service
March 26, 2009

Sunset Park – Three teachers, three parents and two parish (church) members gathered at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School to discuss how to increase enrollment by focusing on the school’s neighborhood ties. They are part of the school’s newly formed marketing committee, created two months after everyone thought the school would close and only one month after they began counting their blessings.

After the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn – the fifth most populous in the United States – announced the fate of 22 Catholic elementary schools on February 12th, students, parents and staff at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School and Our Lady of Angels School felt relief, tempered with cautious optimism. With eight schools set to close and others merging, the two schools in Sunset Park and Bay Ridge had escaped the worst. But with enrollment and private school cost affected by the economy, they need some change to prove they can also grow.

“One thing we’re doing is we will continue the after school program, enriching it for a more academic-oriented focus,” explained Theresa Cassidy, a member of the marketing committee who has taught pre-K and kindergarten classes at Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the past 24 years and whose son and relatives have attended the school. “It’s [been] more that parents know their children are somewhere safe, but now we will offer a little more.”

Fiscal strength and steady enrollment are two of the main benchmarks required of the schools. Currently, both schools are part of their respective parishes, receiving some financial and curricular support from church leaders. In September, OLA will become Holy Angels Academy, an independent Catholic academy with four diocese Members in charge of the faith-based curriculum and an independent Board of Directors overseeing strategy and business operations.

“We’re really positive about it, really excited,” said Stephanie Sanadria, a mother of a __-grader and treasurer of Homeschool, now called the Parent’s Association, at what will become Holy Angels Academy. “We’re looking forward to [the two-tiered governance model]. We’ll be the first in Bay Ridge… We think we’ll be in the forefront of this.”

OLPH, meanwhile, will remain a parochial school and will have to improve both recruitment and fundraising efforts, sending a regular report on their progress to the diocese.

“Through marketing and grants, we’re hoping to attain more financial opportunities for the school,” said Anne Stefano, OLPH’s principal, noting that enrollment is “average” with 262 pre-K to 8th grade students, and the goal for the next five years being to raise that total about 25 percent.

A new nursery program has been established so more children are on track to eventually become students. The school day will also get longer, starting at 7:30 a.m. and end, after the after-school program described by Cassidy, at 6 p.m.. And alumni volunteers and students from the sixth to eighth grades will continue to assist with mentoring and teacher-help in the after-school program. The point: to further embrace children and families into a larger, more comprehensive community, doing more than just get the school and church to grow.

The growing Hispanic and Asian communities will also be courted. This will be done through both word of mouth and a focus on religious education students at the Ming Wong school, the Saturday school that rents space at OLPH. With a 106-year history, OLPH has educated generations of students who would bring their kids and grandkids. Not enough years have passed for minority students to do the same thing, but in that tradition, they attract younger siblings and relatives.

Or you bring yourself back, as eighteen-year-old Joshua Deliz is doing two days a week this Spring. A senior at nearby Xaverian High School and a graduate of OLPH, he returned as a volunteer to help his former kindergarten teacher, Ms. Cassidy. Asked what made the school so special, he noted his attachment to it and the individualized attention students get. He also cited the staff’s longevity – he estimated that his younger sister currently has around 80 percent of the same teachers he did.”

The advantages held by OLPH, OLA and the handful of other schools in Brooklyn and Queens that were “saved,” compared to those that closed, were that “they had the capitalization to devise a plan” that had promising strong financial and community resources, according to Father Kieran Harrington, the Communications Director at the Diocese of Brooklyn. Some closing schools, he noted, were running over $400,000 in deficits and were structurally unable to survive.

Whatever their logistical advantages, OLPH and OLA’s most valuable asset is the devotion of their communities, stretching from current students and families to alumni and day-to-day church parishioners. So despite both himself and his wife working full-time, Bay Ridge parent, Matt Cassamassino, said they “definitely help out when [they] can.”

“There was a petition online, there was a Facebook group – it was about getting the neighbors to show support,” said Cassamassino, whose daughters attend OLA’s first grade and pre-K classes. “People who weren’t connected to the school anymore but were still connected with the parish. … Over 800 people signed the petition.”

When Sunset Park resident Patricia Delle Cave, whose three daughters, all of whom are either current or upcoming students, found out about the threat of closure while picking up her daughter, Meaghan, from kindergarten at OLPH in January, she immediately wrote to and called the bishop’s office. Her daughters were upset, too.

“When [Meaghan] found out, her heart was broken. She understood. She cried,” Delle Cave said. “Olivia, my three-year-old, was upset. She had her heart set on coming here.”

The strong bond even brought families out to their home away from home for private celebrations. Delle Cave brought her entire family to OLPH’s Little Doctors Blood Drive on February 15 – her wedding anniversary – three days after the school’s good news came. Having been planned during the period of uncertainty, the big event became a magnet for the joy and relief felt by the school community.

“When Olivia heard that the school wasn’t going to close, she said ‘Good. Now I don’t have to karate chop someone!”

It’s this kind of playful and devoted dedication that Cassidy, the pre-K teacher, believes makes schools like OLPH and OLA special and more than just a building and classes. Delle Cave agrees.

“Anything they need,” she said, “I will come running.”

AIDS Activists Flunk New York City Health Care Services

2009-03-19T20:57:00.004-04:00

D. D-minus. F.

Those are the grades that HIV and AIDS advocates gave to New York City’s health care services.

To mark President Obama’s 50th day in office on Wednesday, March 11, AIDS and HIV prevention advocates from around the country issued a health care report card grading the nation’s progress in finding a cure for the epidemic. The “End AIDS Report Card,” compiled by the activist organization Campaign To End AIDS, failed the city across the board on the services such as housing and medication distribution.

“We need a national strategy to end AIDS,” said Charles King, CEO of Housing Works. “Twenty five years into the epidemic and we still don’t have a coherent national strategy on prevention or on treatment services and care. There has to be a strategy that involves every single state and every single locality doing its fair share.”

New Yorkers gather in Harlem in front of a statue of civil rights advocate, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., to protest what they call a failing city health care system.

Go to NYC On Deadline to read the rest of the report, view video coverage and listen to interviews.

From Garden to Green Jobs: Returning Brooklyn Youth To Their Green Roots

2009-03-18T22:36:00.010-04:00

At the third annual Making Brooklyn Bloom event on Saturday, March 7, hundreds of New Yorkers of all ages gathered on the grounds of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (off Eastern Parkway and Prospect Park) for a day of running around newly budding flowers, watching fish swim, making solar-powered toy racecars, pressing fresh apple cider - and, of course, learning.

Local and citywide organizations such as Sustainable Flatbush, Just Food, the Food Bank of NY, TreesNY, Red Hook’s Added Value farms and the upcoming Brooklyn Urban Garden School, encouraged participants to experiment with hands-on projects at their volunteer tables, emphasizing the fun and ease of activities that promote food, environmental and social sustainability.

Click here to read more and view a SLIDESHOW of the day's events.

Live-Blog: Dismantling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline

2009-02-13T01:15:00.003-05:00

Reported live on Wednesday, February 11, 2009

The Children’s Defense Fund’s New York chapter is holding a one-day summit in Central Brooklyn called “Connecting the Neighborhood Dots: Promoting Solutions to Dismantle the Pipeline to Prison.” Hosted by CUNY’s Medgar Evers College in partnership with the Casey Family Programs, the day has been scheduled full of panel discussions and presentations by leaders in the children’s advocacy and juvenile justice organizations.

I will be chronicling the start of the conference and the back-to-back morning sessions that focus on the disproportionate impact of prison and the criminal justice system on specific communities in New York City, mainly in the Bronx and Central Brooklyn, and how community-based strategies can promote healthy children, families and neighborhoods.

Read and watch the full coverage here.

COMMENTARY: Link between HRT and breast cancer rates?

2009-02-04T22:27:00.003-05:00

After reading this news article about research touting a link between hormone-replacement therapy and increased breast cancer rates, I can't help but doubt the veracity of this study (not uncommon with research studies. Always read with caution.) Before jumping on the blame-HRT bandwagon, why don't the researchers account for the possibility that the severe menopause symptoms could be linked to the increased risk and rates of breast cancer? This, rather than HRT being the cause of the cancer? The two issues - severe menopause symptoms and breast cancer rates - may not have separate factors.

Thank Goodness It's [Black] Friday

2008-12-18T19:39:00.005-05:00

In honor of Black Friday 2008, I created an audio slideshow of part of the day's happenings and customer response at Brooklyn's Kings Plaza Shopping Center.
You can find the soundslides project here.

The Flu: Senior's Vaccination Day and Beyond

2008-12-18T18:43:00.004-05:00

By Heather J. Chin
NY City News Service

Sunset Park, NY – With flu season here and January/February peak times just around the corner, health providers at Brooklyn’s Lutheran Medical Center and in hospitals and clinics throughout the city are trying to get both children and adults – including those over 65 years of age – to get their flu shot.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) named last week National Influenza Vaccination Week. Tuesday, December 9, was Children’s Vaccination Day. Thursday, December 11, was Senior’s Vaccination Day.

“[Parents and grandparents] may bring in a child for immunization, but they won’t for themselves,” said Norma Villanueva, M.D., M.P.H., the Network Chief of Child and Adolescent Health at Lutheran Medical Center.

Read the rest of the article here...

COMMENTARY: Bush unharmed by tossed shoes; Will the same fate await the tosser?

2008-12-14T13:10:00.000-05:00

So President Bush was the target of two shoes thrown at him - quite haphazardly - by an Iraqi television journalist whose employer, Al Baghdadia, is based in Cairo, Egypt. In the video clip viewed ’round the world, Mr. Bush tells a security agent that he is fine after the incident, later joking about the incident and telling the assembled press that he didn’t feel the least bit threatened by the attack. The journalist, however, may not be so fortunate.

While an attack on any world leader, however innocuous the weapon and bland response from the attacked, is cause for alarm and legal consequence, I have serious doubts about the existence and stability of any current Iraqi justice system. They didn’t have a fair one before the U.S.’ 2003 invasion and they haven’t had a chance to build one now, and with a history of lack of due process in the region, regardless of professional standing and international attention, it seems a very real possibility that Muntadar al-Zaidi, the journalist apprehended, faces either a violent fate or an untimely demise.

The words that al-Zaidi shouted in Arabic while throwing his shoes have been widely translated to have been: “This is the farewell kiss, you dog!” However, an unaccredited blogger at The False Oswalds expands the translated quote to “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog. … This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq.”
Whether this is accurate or not, I don’t know, but CNN expands the translation to: “You killed the Iraqis!” These add another layer of context to al-Zaidi’s motivation for the assault.

In that CNN article, it is also noted that al-Zaidi is the same journalist who was kidnapped in November 2007 on his way to work and then released three days later. I do not know if there are reports of what happened to him during his captivity, whether he was tortured or not. But I imagine that after the initial impulse to throw his shoes at President Bush wore off and he was surrounded and restrained by security agents, his mind flashed to those three days from one year ago and he came into a panic about his current situation. That is the only thing I can think to explain the blood trail on the carpet and the cries from an adjacent room while other Iraqi journalists apologized to the President and Mr. Bush made light of the situation.

I would love for someone to brief the U.S. president on the final translation so that after the jokes have subsided, he will no longer lack understanding of al-Zaidi’s cause. And hopefully, he will actually reinforce his claim that this show of protest - which is more than just an empty ploy for attention - is proof of democracy in Iraq by ensuring that Mr. al-Zaidi is not executed or tortured for his form of expression.

Big Pharma Under Fire for Reverse Plagiarism

2008-12-14T13:03:00.002-05:00

The pharmaceutical industry is coming under fire for allegedly hiring ghostwriters (writers who work for pay, but not a byline) to write positive reports/analysis of clinical tests on drugs with possible efficacy issues - and then recruiting notable doctors to stick their names on it. This issue has been bandied about for months and suspected for longer, but now U.S. Senator Charles Grassley from Iowa is renewing the fight.

Is the fact that this possibility has surfaced doesn’t surprise me troubling? Even before I declared my concentration in health/medicine reporting, I was aware of the corruption and rampant abuse of power by what is referred to as Big Pharma. Government deregulation and regulation on a slew of business and healthcare policy issues end up benefiting these corporate entites, whether allowing unapproved drugs and drugs with possible side effects to go on the market before they are fully vetted by the FDA or removing/weakening price caps on prescription drugs so that Pharma can charge more for less and profit from donations of life-saving drugs to Third World countries. And of course there are the deceptive drug ads that have had varying levels of regulation over the last two decades.

Journal articles are an important “first draft” introducing new developments in medicine to the public and are among the sources used by health professionals and medical reporters in their story research. Doctors and reporters already look at journal articles with a wary eye, and the likely possibility of journal articles being fabricated can be even more detrimental to the trust people place in such written work.

And that doctors would sign on to put their names on these works they haven’t written - even if they agree with what is being written - is egregious and says they condone this deceptive practice. Like the regulations placed on drug advertisements, all that would be needed is for the doctors to acknowledge that this IS NOT their work. It would be better if it were, but if this is the way they want to roll, then disclose your affiliations.

It is tantamount to plagiarism.

A Season of Hope: Holidays on Wall St.

2008-12-12T12:24:00.005-05:00

By Heather J. Chin

The Christmas melodies of Gavin deGraw and Aretha Franklin were two of the main attractions at the New York Stock Exchange’s annual tree lighting ceremony this year. Beyond the glitz of Rockefeller Plaza, Wall Street’s celebration has the distinction of being organized by New Yorkers for New Yorkers, with plenty of holiday cheer permeating the gloom that become a familiar part of our days.

Hundreds of New Yorkers past and present gathered downtown for an evening of celebration, rumination and time with family before facing a new year and uncertain economic times.

Larry Lampiasi came downtown to watch his granddaughter sing with her schoolmates in Brick, New Jersey’s Monsignor Donovan Choir. As a self-employed salesman, he says he’s felt the economic pinch, but thinks the holiday season will help.

Jack Ruppenthar, also present to support his grandson in the choir, agreed, noting that the current economic recession would hurt those with financial investments and retirement savings and 401Ks. But with the holiday season upon us, he thinks it “will make people think more, being a little more frugal … putting more thought into the quality of gifts over the quantity of gifts.”

The ceremony outside the NYSE building on Broad Street between Wall Street and Exchange Place is quite possibly the most personal, meaningful and even oldest of all the high-profile holiday events in New York City, as it takes place in the heart of old New York and has been a tradition since 1923.

This year, while Mr. DeGraw and Ms. Franklin’s drew audience members who recognize their music and name, the evening’s entertainment and festive atmosphere also catered to the younger generation. Performances from local teen musicians were featured: Long Island rock band Push Play and 14-year-old Tiffany Giardina – her music is included in an upcoming movie, “Another Cinderella Story” – who grew up in New York.

Also on hand was 25-year-old jazz pianist and singer Peter Cincotti, whose blend of traditional jazz and classic styles with rock and pop made his song “December Boys” and his Christmas-themed melodies transfix crowd members of all ages.

Alceste, a New Jersey native and former retirement center COO who moved to Florida several years ago, noted the impact of the current economic crisis on both the younger and older generations.

"Where did the prostitutes go, Mommy?"

2008-12-09T12:38:00.001-05:00

By Heather J. Chin

Sunset Park – Prostitutes have long plied their trade along the Gowanus Expressway’s southern end in Brooklyn, coexisting quietly with their working class neighbors and largely ignored by police. But when residents began complaining in late September that men had begun soliciting sex from young girls and teachers at a nearby elementary school, the cops took fast action.

A series of morning crackdowns over three weeks resulted in 39 arrests along 56th and 57th streets between Second and Third Avenues, according to Deputy Inspector Jesus R. Pintos, of the 72nd Precinct. But the prostitution busts were only part of a larger effort that shows how local law enforcement can involve community organizations to find long-term solutions for neighborhood crimes.

The campaign began with getting the offenders off the streets. In what Inspector Pintos described as “precinct-based enforcement,” officers arrested 21 johns – the term used to describe the predominantly male clientele of prostitutes – and eight prostitutes. They also arrested nine others for related crimes of car theft (cars used by those arrested) and drug use or sales. Five vehicles were also confiscated at the scene.

Within days, the only signs that illegal activity had taken place were used condoms and other debris scattered on the sidewalk. The Brooklyn D.A.’s office lent several hands to deal with that. Kings County District Attorney Charles J. Hynes assigned individuals sentenced to community service hours in the neighborhood to assist the precinct in sidewalk clean-up.

To maintain the quality of life in the area and prevent the problem from simply relocating, police increased surveillance. First they installed Sky Watch – a surveillance tower that extends via mini-crane atop an NYPD car, traveling between high crime areas in the city – along the main intersection on Third Avenue and 56th Street during the two weeks following the arrests. Precinct officers were also assigned to conduct regular sweeps of the problem corridor, making arrests when necessary.

For residents and schoolchildren, the effect of the changes was immediate. “Where did the prostitutes go, Mommy?” one grade-schooler asked her mother on the way to school a week following the first arrests. The grateful mother shared the story with Deputy Inspector Pintos at the monthly Community Council meeting. Says Pintos, “We’re making headway, but we’ll continue to monitor the problem.”

Others are trying to help those arrested in the busts. The Red Hook Justice Center, in collaboration with the 72nd precinct, is offering first-time offenders an alternative to trials and jail. Instead they have to attend “Project Respect,” often called the Brooklyn John School. The six-year-old program puts offenders face-to-face with former prostitutes, videos of sexually abused children and images of the diseases inflicted on them.

EPIC (Ending Prostitution In our Communities) and “Saving Teens at Risk” are two programs targeting prostitutes above age 21 and younger girls, respectively. They offer educational and rehabilitative services to help these women find other options and to deal with the issues that originally caused them to turn to the streets. Kings County DA statistics note that 80 to 90 percent of the women prostituting themselves have been sexually abused. The U.S. Dept. of Justice says that girls enter prostitution at an average age of 13.

According to Gerianne Abriano, Bureau Chief at the Brooklyn D.A.’s office, “the vast majority [of offenders] that come to Red Hook go through these programs. Anyone with a prior record, we try to get them drug [or other] treatment. [And as for] the prostitutes, they tend to be the most accessible. We have good results with them.”

Yay Frogs!

2008-11-21T17:24:00.008-05:00

So Pine Magazine issued a challenge to its readers a couple of weeks ago: take the Frog Leap Test (an exercise they say is used to test spatial reasoning, it seems), pass it, take a screenshot, and send it to them. I did it on the second try.

Now, this program may be used with Chinese students, but I doubt that their ability to solve it at a young age means “smarter than” compared to at least the Pine Mag. editors. It’s probably just a matter of how much training you have in spatial reasoning. Perhaps the students get a focus on this earlier than students with other nation’s curricula.

Still, I cringe at the thought of someone to suggest that my being able to solve the puzzle (see below) is due to my being Chinese American. Paranoia? Perhaps. But this twisted logic is hardly absent from discussion in an American society that seems to be experiencing an upswing in xenophobic thought. As usual, I’ll slough off this thought, though.

In my case, years of learning according to the NYC specialized math and science curriculum probably helped condition me to find this a rather straightforward exercise.

Whatever the case, I’m pleased! Woohoo!

Here's my screenshot:

S
O
L
U
T
I
O
N
S

The solution is:
Y (yellow)1 - R (red) 1 - R2 - Y1 - Y2 - Y3 - R1 - R2 - R3 - Y1 - Y2 - Y3 - R2 - R3 - Y3

New York Times Hoax Fit To Prank

2008-11-14T13:32:00.003-05:00

article by NYCity News Service Staff
video reported by Heather Chin

In this piece, a team of reporters from the NY City News Service canvassed New York subway stations hit by volunteers distributing a faux special edition of The New York Times, declaring the Iraq War over, among other liberal utopian headlines.
I shot the accompanying video piece.

For the original article and video, go here.

Election Night Festivities Unite New Yorkers

2008-11-13T22:45:00.004-05:00

(previously published here at www.nycitynewsservice.com)

In the evening hours before results of the 2008 Presidential Election were announced, people around the country gathered outside to wait for news and celebrate whatever outcome resulted. In New York, the main gatherings were in Harlem and Times Square, each area filling up with hundreds and even thousands of revelers.

In Manhattan’s Times Square, a festive atmosphere reigned as poll results trickled in on the outdoor jumbo screens. And amidst the neon lights, crowds erupted into cheers, whoops, car honks and all-around exuberance when Barack Obama was announced as the President-Elect of the United States of America.

In a city where strangers can go entire rides on the subway without acknowledging one another, people of all ages, backgrounds and histories blended together in a jubilant mass, posing for photos with each other and hugging and smiling at one another. The atmosphere was akin to a New Year’s party, but with a uniting theme: hope, change and a new future.

Click on the image above for a slideshow of the night's festivities.

The "Mayor" of Midwood: Educating Leaders of ALL Kinds

2008-11-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

By Heather Chin

Some residents in Brooklyn’s Midwood neighborhood have already chosen their president: Daniel Dory, a local 23-year-old who previously served as unofficial “mayor” of their street.

Danny, as everyone calls him, has trisomy 21 Down Syndrome, where each gene has an extra chromosome. But his outgoing and independent personality, combined with a love of life and all the people in it, make him a natural friend and leader. They also challenge commonly held public preconceptions about what someone with this most common of genetic conditions is capable of achieving in life.

Sarah Palin’s nomination as the Republican vice presidential candidate promised to broaden that awareness. As Americans met the Alaska Governor and her family, including her newborn son Trig, who has Down Syndrome, Gov. Palin declared that if she and John McCain were elected, families of special needs children would have “a friend in the White House.” In that large and tight-knit community whose voices often go unheeded, such promises have sparked contrasting feelings of hope and circumspection.

Read the rest of the article here...

Young Voters Speak: "I Want Change"

2008-11-05T00:43:00.003-05:00

by Heather Chin, Igor Kossov, Lindsay Lazarski, Nicholas Martinez, Xiaomara Martinez-White, Rachel Senatore and Jeanmarie Evelly

(previously published at www.nycitynewsservice.com)

Young New Yorkers responded to Obama’s calls for hope and change by trooping to the polls to cast their first votes. We asked some of them to tell us their stories and what they expect from the new administration.

Cleo Crooks

• Eighteen-year-old Cleo Crooks had a lot to do on Election Day. After G.E.D. and job-training classes, she had to pick up her niece from school, possibly take a shift as a cashier at the staffing agency where she works, and still find the time to vote.

Ecofest 2008: It's Easy Being Green

2008-10-16T12:44:00.000-04:00

By Heather J. Chin

Kermit the Frog said it, now average New York-area residents are, too.

As the green movement gains momentum in cities and small towns across the country, citizens are becoming more aware of both the issues being discussed and the ease with which they can live a greener lifestyle. Especially now that fuel prices have shot through the roof and oil and gas are such hot commodities, people - and governments - are more willing to embrace everything from recycling and reusing water bottles to shutting of light-switches and faucets.

Helping support green education this year was New York City’s 20th annual Ecofest celebration at Lincoln Center. Held on the alternately rainy and sunny last Saturday of the month, the festival was full of clothing and food vendors, school parents, community organizers, dancers, tourists and volunteers, this event serves both as a reinforcement and a new introduction to environmental living.

NATIONAL: School Seeks To Connect Health Policy With Care

2008-10-06T12:19:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

10/06/2008

After a spiritual retreat to Rome in which he met with Vatican leaders in healthcare from around the world, David B. Nash, M.D., M.B.A. returned to Philadelphia, and to Thomas Jefferson University, where he has been named inaugural dean of a new graduate school of health policy.

The establishment of the Jefferson School of Health Policy and Population Health (JSHPPH) was announced last week by University President Robert L. Barchi, M.D., Ph.D., who described it as building on Jefferson's expertise in health-care quality improvement and chronic care management and providing "a venue for this expertise that is recognized nationally and internationally."

The school, which will be housed in existing facilities, is an expansion of the Jefferson Medical College's Department of Health Policy (DHP). It will feature an interdisciplinary curriculum where medical, nursing and allied health students, as well as recent undergraduates and mid-career professionals, take classes together, both online and in traditional classrooms.

According to Dr. Nash, currently the Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy and chair of the DHP, this school was months in the making and its purpose is to "address the health-care crisis in the United States - its quality, safety, affordability and accessibility."

"One of the things we're going to teach in our new school is how important it is to take care of the underserved," said Dr. Nash, also a board member of Catholic Healthcare Partners, the non-profit health system that sponsored the Rome retreat. "We're going to pay a lot of attention to the meaning of the word 'mission' in health care."

JSHPPH's stated mission is "to prepare leaders with global vision to develop, implement and evaluate health policies and systems that improve the health of populations and thereby enhance the quality of life."

In Sept. 2009, the school will open for individuals interested in Master's degrees in Public Health and Health Policy, or Chronic Care Management and Healthcare Quality and Safety - two unique programs that are the first of their kind in the nation and region.

The range of programs are aimed at attracting individuals with a variety of interests and career goals. So while the Quality and Safety program may attract mid-career professionals and undergraduates with an interest in social organization and improvement, the Chronic Care program may appeal to people who interact with families - existing nurses, case managers and diabetes educators - and the health policy program students aiming for academia or the governmental process.

As the new school develops further, dual degree programs and two doctoral programs in Health Policy and Population Health Sciences will also be added.

In addition to Philadelphia's resources, JSHPPH is building partnerships with Widener Law School, the University of Delaware and other business schools in the area.

Cooperation will also come from Catholic Healthcare Partners, the American College of Physician Executives, and the American College of Medical Quality.

Key collaborators in the creation of JSHPPH include the Department of Family and Community Medicine, Kimmel Cancer Center and its Division of Population Science in the Department of Medical Oncology, the Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health, and the Jefferson School of Pharmacy.

For Dr. Nash, the opportunity to continue almost two decades of work at Jefferson, developing his interest in health policy and health care, has been rewarding.

"I'm waking up very, very early every day and thinking about the things I have to do," he said.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

©The Evening Bulletin 2008

NYC HEALTH: Health Department Targets Deadly Cosmetics

2008-09-30T22:29:00.006-04:00

By Heather J. Chin
September 25, 2008
(originally published at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism blogs)

New York – City health officials stepped up their efforts to alert residents that some imported cosmetics threaten them with lead and mercury poisoning.

While federal and state standards already prohibit lethal cosmetics from entering the country, consumer demand keeps the supply steady, according to officials at the Board of Health during their quarterly meeting on Wednesday.

“The problem with global … products [is] that they are falling through the cracks,” said Dr. Nancy Clark, Assistant Commissioner of the department’s Bureau of Environmental Disease Prevention.

Specific deodorants, skin creams, aphrodisiacs and herbal remedies used by residents of Dominican, Indian and Chinese communities are on the list of products with poisonous ingredients. These cosmetics are imported from Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East.

Tests done by NYC’s health department and by others around the country have shown these products to have lead and mercury levels as much as 6,000 times higher than limits recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA limit for lead levels is 10 parts per million; for mercury, it is 1 part per million.

At last month’s meeting, the board authorized the health department to find and remove dangerous cosmetics from store shelves, just as tainted food or drugs are.

These tools will come in the form of signs and fact sheets in the languages spoken by consumers, explained Ms. Paromita Hore, a risk assessment coordinator. “They’re often not aware” of the danger, she said, adding that use of the unhealthy products “is longstanding in their culture.”

At least in the Chinese community, such awareness efforts are welcome, says Gary Lee, the owner of a pharmacy in Chinatown that offers both U.S. name brands and popular Chinese medicines and herbs.

“[Officials] usually want to put pressure on the importer, not putting pressure on the shop,” he said. He notes that if a store has non-FDA approved drugs in stock, it is because they sell. “What [the consumer] wants, they make a request.”

For Indian Americans, kohl and surma – two skin products listed by the Health Department as being laced with high levels of lead – pose a great threat because they are so embedded in the culture.

“Loving kohl is one of the commandments for being desi,” writes Anu, an Indian American freelance writer on her blog, The Indian Make-Up Diva.

When ingested or absorbed through the skin, high levels of lead and mercury can pose a danger to brain function, as well as to blood and renal system function. These effects are particularly dangerous in children and pregnant women.

LOCAL NYC: Unionized Drivers Protest Union And DOE Bus Cuts

2008-09-30T22:13:00.009-04:00

By Heather J. Chin
September 10, 2008

Long Island City – Hundreds of school bus drivers, transportation aides and parents rallied together on September 10th to protest new cuts to the number of routes and service quality to the city’s special needs students.

“We are highly trained professionals [and] highly motivated individuals,” stated Caravan Transportation bus driver Miqueal Vestres, who has driven special needs students to and from school for 28 years. “We do these jobs not for the money; we love what we do [and] care about the kids.”

Read the rest of this story and listen to audio of the rally here.

A Journalist's Direction: Divining Rod or Diversion?

2008-09-28T13:19:00.000-04:00

(previously published here on September 25, 2008)

Like musicians and strains of melody, reporters generally have an “ear” for newsworthy events and reporting opportunities. Whether it’s being at the scene of a car accident and interviewing witnesses (after pulling people out of the wrecking, per Journalistic Ethics discussions) or chasing a tornado, or pursuing a hesitant, but important, source for a story, journalists tend toward a knack of blending curiosity and intuition. We’re reporters and we’re hungry for stories!

But sometimes reporting needs to take a backburner to our humanity, as well as to practicality.

This week, an elderly woman had a heart attack on the city bus I was taking home. Two teenaged girls sitting across from her immediately told the driver to stop and proceeded to call 911. Since the woman kept saying she lives just a few blocks away, I went over and, loathing standing by helplessly and wanting to do something for her but having 911 already taken, asked her if anyone was home to call. She said yes and I called her husband, Alex. Within 10 minutes, one set of EMTs, two fire trucks, the ambulance and Alex arrived. I watched them take her off the bus in a wheelchair, then got off the bus, made sure the EMTs didn’t need me to fill out a statement, and went home.

Pretty simple and straightforward.

But what kept bothering me for hours after was that my internal monologue/reaction to the woman having a heart attack was - at least in my mind - seflish: I wanted not just to help her, but to be a part of the action. The human side of me wanted to do all I could to help and the inquisitive side didn’t want to be left behind, not knowing and engaging in the details. So while this was not newsworthy material, but there was still a part of me that wanted to question passengers and EMTs to get into their heads, too. And now I felt somewhat ashamed.

But why be ashamed?

So my questions are: is this story an example of simply normal inquisitiveness and desire to help or could a journalist be so entrenched in a desire for answers and context that they get drawn to stories that aren’t stories?

LOCAL HEALTH NEWS: Jefferson Offers Free Screenings For Prostate Cancer

2008-09-25T22:03:00.001-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

09/17/2008

Philadelphia - Philadelphia area residents can get free prostate cancer screenings today at the Bodine Center for Cancer Treatment at 111 South 11th Street at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. The service will be provided between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to all men who come and request it.

The free screenings are part of a research program and include a rectal exam as well as a blood test for levels of prostate specific antigen (PSA), testosterone and cholesterol.

"The blood test right now should be done once a year over the age of 50," recommended Dr. Leonard Gomella, chairman of the department of urology at Thomas Jefferson University's Kimmel Cancer Center.

Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in the United States, affecting one in six American men. It is the second-leading cancer killer, after lung tumors, among men.

Screening is generally recommended for men aged 40 to 75, and beginning at age 35 if there is family history of prostate cancer or you are of African American or Hispanic background.

The benefits of screening for older men above age 75 has been questioned in recent studies, but discussing your options and risks with your doctor is still best, said Dr. Gomella. "More men die with prostate cancer than of prostate cancer."

Although the government does not endorse PSA screenings and there is currently no cure for the disease, discovering the cancer earlier allows for possible treatment of symptoms and monitoring for continued progression.

The American Cancer Society notes that the year 2007 saw 218,890 men diagnosed in the U.S. and about 27,050 deaths. Worldwide, approximately 780,000 men are diagnosed with it each year, 250,000 of whom die.

The event is in its 19th year and is sponsored by Jefferson's Kimmel Cancer Center and the Foundation for Breast and Prostate Health. The month of September is the country's newly designated Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

COMMENT: "Children's Locks..."

2008-09-25T22:02:00.002-04:00

Added: Saturday September 13, 2008 at 02:57 AM EST

Locks of Love Sells the Hair for Profit, too

The reporter did not research adequately, By the Locks of Love own report on their federal tax filing, they make a profit as much as $500,000 a year from the sale of hair. They do not give the wigs for free either...the families pay something on a sliding scale. By their own admission that provided 2000 wigs over ten year span...that's a paltry 200 wigs per year on average. Compare that with the tons of ponytails sent to them every year. If your child knew that her donated hair was being sold to the hair extensions vendors, how would she feel about this organization then?

Paula, Providence, Rhode Island

LOCAL: Children's Locks And Love A Winning Combination

2008-09-25T21:59:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

09/12/2008

When Elizabeth Strenge was 10 years old, she had her long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail and cut by her mother, who put the resulting 13-inch long tail into a plastic bag and envelope for mailing.

Elizabeth's hair traveled all the way from the Strenges' home in Yardley to Fort Myers, Fla., where a public nonprofit called Locks of Love used each strand to create custom hairpieces for children diagnosed with any condition that results in total hair loss.

The vacuum-fitted hairpieces help restore these youngsters' self-esteem and confidence during their treatment and recovery.

While it may seem that having the latest hairstyle is big for children and teenagers today, knowing what their cut hair will be used for seems to far outweigh anxiety felt at losing long tresses. Now the nervousness felt is that of excitement.

"I recently had a little girl about age 7 come in once a month for me to measure her hair to donate," said Debbie Michel, who has been a stylist at the Warwick Hair Salon for 34 years. "She was about four inches away from the required 10 but was willing to have me cut her hair within an inch of her scalp if it would meet the requirements."

For 12-year-old Jackie Gibson, the choice to donate her long blonde hair was an easy one. "I thought there are kids who don't have any hair and it's a great program to make hair for children who don't have any," said the seventh-grader from Country Day School of The Sacred Heart in Bryn Mawr.

Founded in 1998, Locks of Love works individually with children and families from across the country who have either applied or been recommended by a doctor, collaborating to design the custom prosthetic.

Using only human hair, hairpieces are hand-sewn to the child's head size and shape. They look natural and, according to Locks of Love's communications director, Lauren Kukkamaa, "allows them to play sports, run, swim and stay active without fear of it falling off or someone pulling it off their head."

The group says that thousands of hair bundles arrive each year. Each hairpiece requires 6-10 ponytails and 4-6 months to manufacture and children between the ages of 6 and 18 can receive a new prosthesis every 18 months, for a total of up to 8 hairpieces.

The child recipients have had conditions ranging from alopecia areata, injuries from radiation treatment to the brain stem, severe burns and dermatological conditions.

Monetary donations are also accepted and used toward production costs. They are tax deductible and ideal for donors, such as boys, whose hair is too short to donate.

"I learned about Locks of Love about 25 years ago," said Ms. Michel, the stylist. "The donations have increased to the point that I now wait until I have about six ponytails to send. People now bring them in from friends and family."

Ms. Kukkamaa said that the organization is growing and is committed to finding and helping children directly, but is also working toward expanding its mission to provide treatment services.

"Since 2006, we've been able to provide funds to medical organizations for research into alopecia," she said. "[The University of Miami's presence] in our backyard [also] allows us to be educated regularly by them."

Donor ages range from young children to those in their 70s, but over 80 percent of the donors are children themselves, this charity has become a place where children are able to help one another. More than just hair, these hairpieces provide mutual gifts of caring, confidence and community.

Both Elizabeth and Jackie plan to continue growing out their hair and will encourage others to donate. Now 15 years old, Elizabeth has donated two more ponytails, with the latest measuring 10 inches. Her younger sister has also joined the effort.

Remembering the first time she had her blonde hair cut for donation, Jackie enthused, "I was happy and excited that it would be used. ... Yes, I have told other people. People have asked 'is it a good idea' and I think it's a great idea."

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

LOCAL ARTS: Incubator Of Rhythm

2008-09-25T21:57:00.001-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Erin Maguire and Heather Chin, The Bulletin

08/29/2008

There's nothing like a good African dance class to soak your shirt in sweat, blister your feet and make you wish you could shake your booty like a professional.

Inhaling the rhythmic drum beats helps, though, as does the sight of dreads flying, wrap skirts flapping and dancers circling their arms and pumping their chests. This is exactly what you'll find Wednesday nights at the Community Education Center in University City, where each 90-minute class requires $12 and all of your energy.

Djian Tie, an Ivory Coast native, teaches the Wednesday class, where live drummers tempt dancers to try faster, funkier moves. Mixed-level African dance classes are also offered by Cachet Ivey on Monday night and Maurice Edwards on Saturday afternoon.

Only a handful of venues offer African dance classes in the city and CEC is definitely the hub.

"We've been here longer than anyone in the city," Theresa Shockley, director of CEC, a nonprofit that has been around since 1984, said. "And we're more artist-friendly. CEC is kind of an incubator, supporting artists throughout their career and giving them a place to work."

Founded 24 years ago, CEC grew out of a public-school education facility. Today, the brick building in West Philly is a refuge for emerging artists, as a forum not only for dance - African, Latin and line dance - but also theater, music, martial arts and other forms of artistic expression.

Another part of what makes CEC unique is that it partners with teachers instead of paying them as would a studio. And while the center has resident dance companies, like Group Motion and Kumquat Dance Center, the companies do not overpower the overall structure.

"Artists are always trying to get space to teach and present their work," Ms. Shockley said. "We provide space for them to develop their work and present it."

CEC's New Edge resident artist program, for example, specifically caters to new choreographers and theater artists. Each year, three choreographers and two theater artists are granted a stipend, 100 rehearsal hours and a venue to showcase their final product.

Shavon Norris and Meredith Rainey, who were chosen this year from over 30 choreographer applicants, will start their residencies this spring.

Influenced by her Baptist upbringing, Ms. Norris's teaching style is based on "the African-American tradition of testifying" and storytelling. The dancers teach each other the movements they create, which allows for an "exchange of histories" and "insight into what the others' experience is," Ms. Norris said.

After interviewing potential dancers, Ms. Norris decides whom to cast in her pieces by observing their reactions to the taped interviews. For this project, she asked three men to perform improvisational dance based on what they remembered hearing in their youth.

"I'm not interested in putting work in people, but rather, pulling work out of them," Ms. Norris said.

Mr. Rainey, who is trained in classical ballet, takes "classical vocabulary" and adds "background" to make his pieces more than merely technical. He likes to train "dancers who don't have a voice yet and make them have a voice."

The theme of his project is voyeurism, stemming partly out of his TV addiction and partly out of his own "fear of getting older and not being good enough."

"Why am I so addicted to looking at someone else's life?" he asked rhetorically. The conceived focus of his project has ranged from "power" to "coveting someone else's life" and is now "about going out there and getting a life."

Of the resident artist program at CEC, Ms. Norris said, "CEC supports artists in any stage of your career."

Mr. Rainey agreed, noting that few dance residencies are offered in the city and only CEC allows choreographers to produce shows upon its completion.

Having such an outlet and bond between the city and the creative juices of its residents is key to the CEC's mission.

"Our goal is to connect artists and [the] community," explained Ms. Shockley.

The dance floor on Wednesday night was pulsing as rows of dancers of various backgrounds, shapes and experience practiced the newly learned routine, competed in a freestyle contest to outdo the drumbeats, and then bowed in thanks to the drummers.

As dancers streamed out, some rubbing their feet, the woman collecting the money at the door advised a first-timer, "If you get a pedicure make sure they don't scrape off the calluses. Then, your feet will be too soft."

Visit www.cecarts.org for a list of classes.

Erin Maguire can be reached at emaguire@thebulletin.us. Heather Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

HEALTH NEWS: Baby-Targeted TV Banned In France

2008-09-25T21:54:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/28/2008

From the colorful costumes of "Barney and Friends" to Saturday morning cartoons like "Dora the Explorer," television programming has long targeted the pre-preschool set in America. If we take a cue from France, however, that could change.

Last week, the High Audiovisual Council, France's broadcast authority, banned French channels from airing any TV shows with a target audience of children under three years old. The goal, as stated in the published ruling, is to "protect children under three from the [negative] effects of television."

"Television viewing hurts the development of children under three years old and poses a certain number of risks, encouraging passivity, slow language acquisition, over-excitedness, troubles with sleep and concentration as well as dependence on screens," wrote the council.

The ruling affects both French channels and cable operators that air foreign channels, specifically BabyFirstTV and BabyTV. BabyTV is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and BabyFirstTV is owned by a Fox Entertainment affiliate, as well as Netherlands-based and LA-based investment groups.

Program development will be affected and French cable operators that air foreign channels with baby-targeted programs will now be required to air warning messages to parents, such as: "Watching television can slow the development of children under three, even when it involves channels aimed specifically at them."

While such baby-marketed products are touted as specially designed for parent-baby interactive viewing, critics argue that such specific channels are more often used as a babysitting tool.

In a June newspaper interview, France's minister for culture and communication, Christine Albanel, also urged parents not to use 24-hour channels as a sleep aid, deeming it actually counterproductive to a good night's sleep. Research shows that background noise and artificial light such as those from TVs impede the body's ability to wind down and rest.

Area medical professionals agree. Dr. Gary Emmett, director of hospital pediatrics at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, said, "While watching TV is not always harmful, it is not always helpful." It also often has long-term effects on learning and physical health, since the time spent in front of the TV takes away from other activities.

"Reading is directly correlated to success in school, while watching TV, and other things that [doctors] regard as passive, is not ... and is counter-related," he said.

Research published this July in the journal Childhood Development has also highlighted the negative effects of background noise on a toddler's ability to concentrate and learn, instead fostering restlessness and distraction.

BabyFirstTV first aired in the United States in 2006 to much debate over the value of such programming towards the youngest and most undeveloped, impressionable segments of society. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children below age three should have zero hours of TV watching. However, a 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation study found that two-thirds of children under age six live in a home where the TV is on half the time, while one-third of children live in a home where it is on "most of the time" or "always."

According to Dr. Emmett, parents can help by fostering active playtime with other children and by reading storybooks with them. There is also a Philadelphia-area branch of the national charity NEMOURS that calls for a "two-one-five-zero" program: two hours or less of screen time a day, one hour of running or swift walking, five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and no sweets or sugary drinks.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

LOCAL HEALTH: Looking Out For Kids' Safety

2008-09-20T22:00:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/25/2008

Philadelphia - While your family starts gearing up for a new school year, remember that some things stay in season all year - like keeping everyone safe and sound, whether out in the sun or racing from class to lacrosse practice. But where to go? What to look for?

This year, Kohl's Safety Center provides just that. Located within the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia gift shop, its mission is to reduce childhood injury by providing safety and health education along with safety products.

"The idea of a safety center is for families to get low cost products [as well as] safety education," said Marla Vanore, R.N., M.H.A., trauma program manager at Children's Hospital. "There is always a highly qualified safety educator in the store to offer guidance on product use, such as how to fit a helmet or install a child safety seat."

Parents, children and intrigued passersby are encouraged to come visit the Safety Center, a safe place where they are surrounded by everything from colorful - and sturdy - helmets, baby gates, power strip covers, cabinet locks, elbow and knee pads and child safety seats, as well as free literature on important safety topics and answers to any question about injury prevention.

The benefits of this are that the health educator can see the child[ren] and suggest supplies appropriate for the child's age and developmental level to families. Twenty-minute safety videos are also available to be watched in the center, and a car seat program available for qualifying low-income families.

There's even a life-size model car and different sized toy babies for parents to learn the proper way of strapping in car seats, booster seats, and their child.

"Kids love the car, "said Angela Sim-Laramee, Safety Center Coordinator. "They also get excited to be fitted and measured for a new helmet. Parents are happy with the prices and to have their kids ... able to actually try [a helmet] on."

In addition to being a place for often-elusive answers and safety education from knowledgeable professionals, every product in the store is sold at-cost to anyone from the community who comes in. This means huge savings and high affordability, with $8 bicycle helmets, $3 outlet covers, $1.30 window blind cord wind-ups, and car seats in varying sizes for $13 to $49.

While a Children's Hospital initiative, the Safety Center receives funding from the national retailer Kohl's, whose Kohl's Cares for Kids program helps support health education and services programs throughout the country. Under this program, the proceeds from selling stuffed animals at Kohl's department stores helps projects like this one.

The Safety Center is doing well, even with only a three-month run thus far.

"We've had a lot more people come in [than we expected], with around 30 people a day coming in asking questions about their own safety seats and bicycle helmets," said Ms. Sim-Laramee. "We've even had doctors coming in asking questions," added Ms. Vanore.

As a Trauma I center, Children's Hospital has a strong injury prevention program, from which an advisory board of doctors and nurses were chosen to assist the Center in what to do and how to run the store for the most efficient care.

The Safety Center is the first and only one of its kind in Pennsylvania and was based on existing safety centers throughout the country that have been successful.

As for the future of the store, both women said it's to continue to get the word out and reach as many families as possible. "The goal is not to make a profit, it's just to sell safety products and continue to replenish the stock," said Ms. Sim-Laramee.

And with the first week in September being Child Passenger Safety Week, it's the perfect time to remember that safety comes in both knowledge action.

The Kohl's Safety Center is located on the first floor near the main entrance of Children's Hospital at 34th and Civic Center Drive, within the gift/convenience shop and adjacent to McDonald's. It is open every weekday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

MEDICAL NEWS: New Pathways Between Memory Loss, Alzheimer's

2008-09-20T21:29:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/22/2008

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's earliest stages. Understanding how it goes from mild thought problems to dementia could be key to figuring out how to prevent Alzheimer's. The following details of some of the latest research can give you an idea of the importance of aiming early.

Understanding Risk Factors

According to a Mayo Clinic report, the MCI rate increases with age and is higher in men, who are almost twice as likely to develop the condition than women. Although previous studies show women at higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's, women generally outlive men, perhaps surviving long enough for their conditions to progress.

According to Dr. B. Brent Simmons, assistant professor and head of Temple University Hospital's Senior Care Specialists section of geriatrics, the higher rates of heart disease in men might also affect their chances of getting vascular dementia.

This study collected data from 1,786 people aged 70 to 89 and found that after a year, about 3.5 percent of 70- to 79-year-olds and 7.2 percent of 80- to 89-year-olds become afflicted with it. Overall, the growth rate of new MCI cases in the elderly population is at 5 percent per year - higher than anticipated.

Drug Development

In research by New York's Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, the brains of 124 diabetics taking medication (insulin and other glucose-lowering drugs) had up to 80 percent less beta-amyloid plaque compared to other diabetics and 124 non-diabetics. Beta-amyloid protein clumps in and around the brain, forming plaque that inhibits and destroys neurons necessary for daily functions and memory.

However, even if a combination of insulin and oral anti-diabetes medications may prevent Alzheimer's-related factors, they cannot be prescribed for non-diabetics. Hopefully, though, brain pathways such as insulin signaling could be used in developing new treatment methods.

Besides plaque, Alzheimer's indicators include unusual changes to a protein called tau. A yearlong trial at Duke University Medical Center tested a promising new drug - a nasal spray called AL-108 - on 144 patients with MCI, between ages 55 and 85, and saw a 62.4 percent improvement in memory ability.

Patients took several tests that measured memory ability before and after medication. The tests measured short-term visual, verbal and auditory working memory, functions that deteriorate throughout the progression of Alzheimer's.

Although this drug doesn't cure Alzheimer's, it showed that attacking the protein tangles does work, stabilizing some of the progress of dementia.

Getting It Before It Starts

Instead of just treating symptoms, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are trying to stop it before it starts, by finding chemical and biological markers of these conditions.

Since Alzheimer's is a disease measured by analyzing symptoms, the goal of the first investigation was, according to its lead researcher, Dr. Leslie Shaw, "to determine if we could detect Alzheimer's disease pathology before a patient went on to have full blown dementia and memory disorders."

The research focused on measuring levels of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and establishing benchmark concentration levels of biological indicators for normal, mildly cognitively impaired, and Alzheimer's individuals.

The differences between the baseline levels of three Alzheimer's-associated proteins were significant enough to speed up drug development efforts of biological compounds that can fix these differences.

The second Penn study uses MRI scans to detect abnormal structural changes linked to MCI in the brains of healthy elderly. Radiology professor Christos Davatzikos, Ph.D. and his colleagues monitored these slight physical changes to the brain successfully might provide a way to alert patients and doctors to brain deterioration and memory decline early enough to prepare or begin treatment.

With around 18 percent of 400 patients converting to Alzheimer's a year, this study is ongoing, and doctors are able to "study the progression as it's happening ... at a rate large enough to make our tests reliable or not with sufficiently large number of study subjects," said Dr. Shaw, who is also the director of Penn's ADNI Biomarker Core Lab.

Collaboration is key for all involved, and as Dr. Shaw noted, "the earlier we can detect the disease reliably with confidence, the earlier we can institute and monitor treatment such as diet, exercise, adjusted sleep patterns and having a social life, along with doctor visits, to delay and stop the disease."

The MRI-based study used images from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and was funded by the National Institute on Aging and the Institute for the Study of Aging.

Dr. Shaw's research was funded by the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative via the National Institutes of Health.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

HEALTH NEWS: NJ Launches Campaign Against Medicine Abuse

2008-09-20T21:24:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/21/2008

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) announced Monday a statewide public service campaign titled "Grandma's Stash," to raise awareness that misuse of prescription drugs is second only to marijuana as America's most prevalent drug problem.

The award-winning multi-media effort will utilize newspapers, radio stations, billboards, buses and trains to spread the message that "more teens now say it's easier to get powerful prescription drugs than it is to buy beer," as Department of Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez said at the press conference in Lawrenceville.

Her assertion is based on findings from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University's 13th annual back-to-school survey of 1,002 teens and parents. The survey asked: "Which is easiest for someone your age to buy: cigarettes, beer, marijuana, or prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin or Ritalin, without a prescription?"

While the overall response had teens saying cigarettes and marijuana were easiest to purchase, they also said prescription drugs were easier to get than beer. Nineteen percent of teens, compared to 13 percent a year ago, found prescription drugs are easier to get than all three of the other substances.

Over 720 New Jersey pharmacies will also distribute around 750,000 prevention messages on pharmacy bags. "[This initiative is a] great example of a public-private-nonprofit collaboration that can positively impact the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Jersey families," said Joseph Roney, R. Ph. FACP/CEO, of the New Jersey Pharmacist Association in a PDFNJ press release.

Columbia's 2008 CASA survey report also noted that many of the parents surveyed are "problem parents" whose actions - or lack thereof - increased the abuse of illegal and prescription drugs among 12- to 17-year-olds. Thirty-four percent of teens surveyed who abused prescription drugs obtained them at home, and half of those allowed out after 10 p.m. said they spent time with smokers and drug users.

There are lots of factors at play here," Elizabeth Planet, CASA's director of special projects, said to the Washington Post of the behavior differences revealed in the study. "Parents are not paying attention. There are parents who are out in the evening themselves. There are parents out at work."

"In the 2007 New Jersey Middle School Principals Study, half of the principals surveyed indicated that they believed prescription drugs were abused more than twice that of ecstasy and cocaine by their students," Joseph A. Miele, PDFNJ chairman, said at the press conference. "[Yet] the 2007 PDFNJ Parent Tracking Survey found that 44 percent of New Jersey parents of middle school students said they knew little or just about nothing about prescription drug abuse."

It is also necessary for kids to understand the risks involved with misusing prescription drugs.

"Kids [may] think that because these are medicines that are prescribed, they are safe," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "The problem is that there is very little difference between the amount they take for a high and the amount that causes an overdose."

So keeping the lines of communication open and the medicine cabinet closed is incredibly important, she said.

Joseph Califano, CASA chairman and president, told the Post he recommends more than three family dinners a week, while Steve Pasierb, president of Partnership for a Drug-Free America suggested to WebMD that parents engage in "a lot of smaller conversations that aren't so scary" compared to a big, intimidating talk.

The "Grandma's Stash" campaign also commemorates August as National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month, a designation passed this July by the U.S. Senate in light of a recent Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration report about the increasing rates of prescription drug abuse.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

LOCAL: UPHS Notifies Public Of Lost Payment Data

2008-09-20T21:22:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/21/2008

The University of Pennsylvania Health System notified an undisclosed number of patients this week that an encrypted backup tape containing personal and credit information was lost in transit by an outside carrier.

Affected persons are those who made payments to UPHS between Feb. 25 and April 25.

Letters were sent to the affected people on Aug. 8 by UPHS and Bank of New York Mellon explaining the loss and detailing the information compromised, which includes names, addresses and checking account numbers. The letters also emphasized that "there is no evidence that the tape was stolen or that unauthorized persons have accessed any information on the tape."

As a precautionary measure, Mellon is offering two years of free credit monitoring and $25,000 in complementary identity theft insurance to each person affected. They assure people that these letters and offers are legitimate.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

LOCAL: DEP To Spray More In Area For West Nile

2008-09-20T21:20:00.001-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/20/2008

Residents of Bucks, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties can expect more frequent mosquito sprayings in the evening hours by state and county West Nile Virus program staff.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP) southeastern office is increasing treatment efforts due to an "exceptionally high number of West Nile-infected mosquitoes" in the area. Only those areas with the type of mosquitoes capable of carrying the virus will be sprayed. Spraying locations are made public online and through press release one day in advance.

"With nearly 70 percent of the state's infected mosquitoes are here in the southeast region; we're taking coordinated action to reduce this threat," said the DEP's regional director Joseph A. Feola in a press release. DEP has temporarily reassigned certified pesticide applicators from other parts of the state to support the increased treatment effort.

While most counties in the commonwealth have fewer than two positive mosquito samples, our four counties topped the list: Bucks is listed with 41 positives, Delaware with 42, Montgomery with 29 (28 mosquito, 1 human) and Philadelphia with 22.

One human case of the West Nile virus was confirmed last month in a 27-year-old Montgomery County woman, who was treated and released. The goal of spraying is to prevent the virus from spreading from insects and animals to humans.

DEP uses Biomist 3+15 spray, a permethrin insecticide produced by Illinois-based Clarke Mosquito Control. Sprays are dispersed via truck-mounted equipment by certified DEP staff. The fact that the spray is a chemical can be of concern to many parents and families, but the DEP maintains the product's safety as the spraying is done at a fraction of the volume limited by federal health regulations (0.75 ounces per acre, with a federal threshold of 3 ounces per acre).

"We are able to target our spraying closely enough n time and space, as well as with low enough concentrations that it poses no harmful risk to humans, including children," DEP spokesman Dennis Harney said. "The product was chosen based on its efficiency and ability to be applied safely."

Still, people are generally advised to stay inside while spraying is performed.

As for farmland areas, the spray's sample product label claims it is safe for many crops, but it recommends covering animal feed and not using it over open pasture lands. As the mosquito season lasts until the first frost in October, DEP spraying will continue until that period of time, Mr. Harney said.

For more precautions and information on West Nile in your area, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Health's Web site. For spraying locations, see www.westnile.state.pa.us. Current test results for mosquitoes, humans and animals are also available on the site and via telephone.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

MEDICAL NEWS: First Treatment For Huntington's Approved By FDA

2008-09-18T20:28:00.000-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/19/2008

A drug called Xenazine (tetrabenazine) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as the first treatment for chorea, the involuntary jerking movements that are a symptom of Huntington's Disease.

The drug addresses only specific symptoms, however, and does not target the complete condition. It is also not without major side effects, notes the FDA, such as suicidal thoughts and depression, especially in patients already predisposed to those conditions. Other side effects include drowsiness, insomnia, nausea and restlessness.

Xenazine works by suppressing the ability of dopamine - a neurotransmitter responsible for improving nerve conduction - to communicate with certain nerve cells in the brain, resulting in an over-active system.

Huntington's Disease, or chorea major, is a rare inherited neurological disorder that affects physical, cognitive and behavioral ability - a person's coordination, speech, thought processes and muscle control. Patients with chorea are at higher risk of fall-related injuries.

About 30,000 Americans are currently affected and another 200,000 are at risk of developing the genetic disorder. Symptoms usually manifest between the ages of 30 and 50.

Xenazine should be available by prescription by the end of the year and given the FDA-approval, it is likely (although uncertain) that Medicare and other government or private insurance plans would cover the drug's cost.

The medication is already available in Australia, Canada and Europe and is manufactured by the Washington, D.C.-based Prestwick Pharmaceuticals.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

LOCAL: University Of Pennsylvania Welcomes New Medical Students

2008-09-18T20:18:00.009-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/18/2008

Philadelphia - At a ceremony full of family, friends, tradition and responsibility on Friday, each member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine's entering class of 2008 had the opportunity to give personal speeches and thanks, to faculty, their family and friends.

Faculty members also welcomed the 154-strong class, imparting words of wisdom. Their counsel was rooted in the UPenn School of Medicine's austere and prestigious history to imbue the responsibility of becoming a medical professional.

In his keynote speech, Henry W. Foster, Jr., M.D., professor emeritus and former dean of the school, told students that the white coat symbolizes professionalism to remember that "healthcare is the most fundamental [life challenge]."

He said, "Factors invoking change in the medical system seem to be deprofessionalizing medicine ... [and] the American healthcare system is in the midst of reformation ... [But] change is not the enemy - it's a fact. ... I'm depending on you to [impart] change."

In their personal remarks, students revealed the diversity and breadth of their collective education and backgrounds, peppering the solemn occasion with thanks - and apologies - to parents, family and friends, and jokes about what they have accomplished and what lies ahead.

The new class hails from 30 states and 61 colleges, and bring experience in everything from biology and anthropology to East Asian languages and computer science. One student, Kathryn Cunningham Hall, even started a nonprofit called Power Up Gambia! to fundraise and install solar panels to provide clean water and electricity to a Gambian hospital in West Africa.

The ceremony in which students don white coats varies from school to school, but all emphasize the responsibility and respectful care that the credibility granted by the coat requires.

After donning their white coats, students were welcomed by UPenn alum, Louis Matis, M.D., president and CEO of the Immune Tolerance Institute, who gave 154 stethoscopes to the incoming class. Then the students, as well as any family who were also doctors, recite the Hippocratic Oath, which provides standards and a core set of professional values to be followed by all physicians.

On the White Coat Ceremony, first-year student Kannie Chim, of Upper Darby, noted that she didn't know what the ceremony would entail, and "liked how it was personal, with everyone speaking for themselves ... It'll be intense, but I hear Penn students have fun, too."

Shanna Sprinkle, 22, from Oklahoma by way of Baltimore was also inspired by the ceremony.

"Going in wearing different things and coming out [looking] the same, it was symbolic and equalizing," she said.

Parents and family members were equally excited and impressed, especially after the school provided a special orientation day for families, where faculty introduced them to the curriculum and other anticipations that the students will go through over the next four years.

For John McLaughlin, whose eldest son Eamon is starting at Penn this year, the entire ceremony made him "extremely proud [since he] knows how hard he worked to get here."

When asked what appealed to them about UPenn and PennMed, first-year students were of the same mind in emphasizing the power of the people. As Eamon McLaughlin, 22, a first-year from Wilmington, Del., declared, "everyone is laid-back, not cutthroat... that was really the selling point for me."

"I've never been in a group of people so outgoing, bubbly and full of life in my life," said David Guttmann, a first-year from Abingdon who is considering pursuing oncology. "[This] bodes well for the future of medicine that people can communicate [and bond] with patients. Penn did a good job [of picking us]."

As Jon B. Morris, M.D., a professor of surgery, said, "[the ceremony is us] welcoming the students into the family. ... All the family came - involving them is an integral part of this process."

At the UPenn School of Medicine, students learn within the themes of Science of Medicine, the Art and Practice of Medicine, and Professionalism and Humanism, while also engaging in a four-year patient-centered "Doctoring" course where pairs of students follow a chronically ill patient to understand the effect of care on patients and family. First year classes begin today.

The University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine is the nation's first teaching medical school and one of the top research-based medical schools. Along with the UPenn Health System, the school is part of Penn Medicine, an enterprise dedicated to the inter-related missions of patient care, education and research. Its "White Coat Ceremony" was established in 1996 to build on a tradition symbolizing the clinical beginning of every student's medical education.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

NATIONAL:MEDICAL ETHICS: Hundreds Protest Psychologists' Role In Torture

2008-09-18T20:18:00.008-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/18/2008

Outside the American Psychological Association's 116th annual convention this weekend in Boston, between 100 and 200 psychologists rallied together to protest the ongoing role of psychologists in military interrogations, particularly amid concerns of torture.

The demonstrators are among those mental health professionals who have criticized the long-standing relationship as a violation of their code of ethics. They are urging the implementation of an APA ban on its members participating in such military and intelligence operations.

A resolution petition has been submitted and the 148,000 members of the APA are submitting their ballot votes over the next month, with a decision due by late September. If passed, it would expand on the APA's existing policy, passed last year, which some say is adequate.

Some psychologists and health professionals maintain that without psychologists' participation, the interrogations would be more harmful and go unchecked and unaccounted for.

The current policy prohibits psychologists from taking part either directly or indirectly in 19 coercive procedures often considered forms of torture, including waterboarding, the use of hoods, forced nudity, stress positions, rape, mock execution, use of drugs, and exposure to extreme temperatures. The policy says this list is not exhaustive and also urges the U.S. government to discontinue such practices.

"Torture and abuse are always unethical and prohibited ... the question is how to best fight an administration policy that permits such practices," APA's ethics office director Stephen Behnke said to the Boston Globe.

In a statement released earlier this year, the APA describes its position that "No psychologist - APA member or not - should be directly or indirectly involved in any form of detention interrogation that could lead to psychological or physical harm to a detainee ... [and] doing so would be a clear violation of the profession's ethical standards."

At Saturday's rally, where people held signs that declared "Do No Harm" and "Abolish Torture," Nathaniel Raymond of Physicians for Human Rights, a Washington-based health professional organization, maintained at Saturday's rally that "it's about restoration of the values that define us. ... It's about who we are in the world."

The group's director, Leonard Rubenstein, also suggested that the APA should note the American Medical Association's policy of prohibiting physicians from participating in interrogations and divulging whether a prisoner's health would sustain torture.

Other groups that participated in the rally included professional coalitions such as Psychologists for an Ethical APA, Psychologists for Social Responsibility, and human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and the American Civil Liberties Union.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

HEALTH NEWS: Returning Veterans At Higher Risk For Alcoholism And Stress Disorder

2008-09-12T19:53:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/15/2008

New research supports ongoing observations that military deployment into combat zones puts young men and women at greater risk of developing mental health issues, including post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD) and heavy drinking.

The two studies were presented in a themed issue on violence and human rights by the Journal of the American Medical Association, as was a study that found suicide rates for returning combat veterans were no higher than rates for the general U.S. population.

In the study on alcohol abuse, returning service members who had seen combat were 63 percent more likely to experience new-onset heavy and binge drinking than those who were in non-combat areas.

The rates for new-onset heavy weekly drinking was 8.8 percent, with it being 25.6 percent for binge drinking, and 7.1 percent for other alcohol-related problems.

Binge drinking rates were 31 percent higher for combat veterans than for those not exposed to the same level of violence.

The results also showed a higher risk for younger service members compared to older personnel, and a higher incidence rate for Reserve or National Guard members compared to members in other military branches.

Surveys were taken of 48,400 military personnel before and after assumed deployment (between 2001-2003 and again in 2004-2006), setting a pre-deployment precedent for drinking levels and alcohol-related issues. Only 5,500 were actually deployed into combat zones, with 5,661 deployed into non-combat areas. The rest remained on active duty in the Reserve or National Guard.

The researchers suggested in their report that alcohol use likely serves as a coping mechanism for returning soldiers, as it does for individuals in the general populace. To combat this unhealthy response, the building and provision of familiar and stable support networks of trusted family, friends or fellow veterans is best - anywhere that doesn't involve meeting at a bar.

A separate study on excess alcohol intake lists additional dangers as including a greater chance of developing metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.

This study by the CDC's National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion defines excess drinking as more than two drinks daily for men and one drink a day for women, as well as binge drinking.

In the U.S., 58 percent of drinkers fall into this "excess" category and a majority had engaged in at least one instance of binge drinking, according to a recent survey cited by the researchers in their report.

Researchers suggest that public health messages emphasize the cardiometabolic risk of excess drinking. This study will be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

HEALTH NEWS: Study: Breast Cancer Survivors Still At Risk

2008-09-12T19:51:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/14/2008

New research from a 16-year study indicates that early-stage breast cancer patients who have completed five to 10 years of drug and/or chemotherapy treatment have a one in five - around 20 percent - chance of relapse.

Between 1985 and 2001, oncologists/researchers at the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center examined 2,838 patients with stage I to III breast cancers who had been treated at the center. All were cancer-free five years after initial treatment with surgery or surgery and radiation.

All of the women underwent up to five years of additional treatments with chemotherapy, the anti-estrogen drug tamoxifen or both. After a 28-month follow-up, 215 women developed recurrent cancer.

This incidence rate put the risk at 7 percent for women with stage I breast cancer, 11 percent for stage II, and 13 percent for women with stage III cancer. This relapse rate increased to 20 percent 15 years after first being diagnosed.

"The risk of relapse was still small, but certainly not insignificant," Abenaa M. Brewster, M.D., an oncologist and researcher with M.D. Anderson Cancer Center told WebMD. "I think these numbers are somewhat reassuring, but they also highlight the need for new [therapeutic] options for women who have completed five years of treatment."

Factors associated with the risk of recurrence were tumor grade, hormone receptor status and endocrine therapy.

Forms of treatment available to newly diagnosed patients usually include surgery and radiation therapy (chemotherapy) or surgery and drug therapy.

Up until the year 2000, drug treatment consisted of tamoxifen for both premenopausal and postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor positive tumors (they respond to hormone treatments). Today, a newer class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors are used.

In the study, 34 ER-negative women had a relapse and 149 ER-positive women did. The study and results were published Tuesday in the online edition of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Estrogen-receptor (ER) negative tumors are considered more deadly than ER-positive ones. However, "women who had ER-positive cancer were more likely to have late recurrences than those with ER-negative," according to Len Lichtenfeld, M.D., the American Cancer Society deputy chief medical officer in healthday.com.

However, what to do about this continued risk is up in the air, Dr. Lichtenfeld said.

A possible treatment alternative is in the works by British and Finnish researchers, who are testing a combination of two inexpensive, commonly used and easily available drugs on killing cancer-cells in tumors.

The first drug is doxorubicin, a common chemotherapy-regimen drug, followed 24 hours later by the osteoporosis medication zoledronic acid. When tested on mice, the drug combo was 99.99 percent effective in killing such cells. Human trials are currently underway with results expected later this year.

This announcement was also made in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Each year in the U.S., around 180,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. In the U.K., almost 46,000 new cases are diagnosed every year.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

HEALTH NEWS: Diabetes Before Pregnancy Linked To Birth Risk

2008-09-12T19:35:00.005-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/13/2008

A study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that women with diabetes prior to becoming pregnant are eight times more likely to have children with multiple birth defects compared to women without diabetes.

The study found also that women with diabetes are three to four times more likely to give birth to a baby with at least one birth defect.

Women with pregnancy-induced diabetes, or gestational diabetes, were also found more likely to have a child with a birth defect, although usually only if they were overweight or obese at conception. This range would mean a body mass index (BMI) - weight measured in proportion to height - of 25 or higher.

The study expanded on previous research by examining women with type 1 and type 2 diabetes as well as gestational diabetes, and considering both cardiac and non-cardiac defects, nearly 40 in all.

Only 2 percent of babies with single birth defects and 5 percent with multiple defects were born to mothers with pre-pregnancy diabetes, while 93 percent of the birth defects examined were not associated with maternal diabetes.

Overall, diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy was linked with about half of the birth defect categories examined.

Birth defects may include heart problems, brain and spinal defects, oral clefts, limb deficiencies, and kidney and gastrointestinal tract defects. These affect 1-in-33 infants and are a leading cause of infant death, according to the CDC. Most causes are unknown.

The findings were based on data analyzed from over 13,000 infants with birth defects and nearly 5,000 without defects, all born between 1997 and 2003. Of those without defects, 24 mothers had diabetes before diabetes. Of those newborns with defects, 283 mothers had pre-pregnancy diabetes.

All children were part of the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, which drew data from 10 birth-defect surveillance systems in 10 states.

However, according to Janis Biermann, a spokeswoman for the March of Dimes which reviewed the study for WebMD, women shouldnotbe unduly concerned.

"Just because there is an increased risk of a baby having a birth defect if a woman has preconception diabetes doesn't mean it is going to happen," she said, "It just means there is a greater chance than if a woman doesn't have it."

The study is the largest yet done to identify the range of birth defects linked to pre-pregnancy diagnoses of diabetes, but the link itself has been known for almost two decades. Researchers hope that increased awareness will encourage people to seek the best available everyday preconception care.

"Early and effective management of diabetes for pregnant women is critical in helping to not only prevent birth defects, but also to reduce the risk for other health complications for them and their children," said lead author Dr. Adolfo Correa, an epidemiologist at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, in a news release.

According to the March of Dimes, about 1.85 million U.S. women of childbearing age have diabetes.

"The most important thing is that the patient ... get [her diabetes] in control," said Dr. Louis Weinstein, M.D., professor and chairman of OBGYN at Thomas Jefferson University.

In an urban area such as Philadelphia, "we tend to see more diabetes than in other parts of the country because we have lower socioeconomic populations with higher BMI [levels] than elsewhere," Dr. Weinstein added.

"It's important to take care of yourself, exercise, be at an optimal weight, plan your pregnancy, and make sure the diabetes is well controlled before you get pregnant," Ms. Biermann, from the March of Dimes, said to WebMD.

Once pregnant, Ms. Biermann notes the importance of following the same healthy habits and having regular prenatal care, along with regular appointments with a diabetes specialist for those diagnosed.

The report was published this month in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

MEDICAL POLICY: State, Medicaid Enact Cost-Cutting Measures

2008-09-12T19:32:00.004-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/13/2008

The Pa. Department of Public Welfare (DPW) last week added early refills of prescription drugs to the state's list of Medicaid services and items that require prior authorization.
An "early refill" is a request for a refill when over 25 percent of the previously filled prescription would normally remain if followed properly. Requiring approval is aimed at preventing people from "stockpiling" medications.

Refilling prescriptions early resulted in Medicaid payments being paid for more than 12 months worth of prescriptions over a 12-month period, according to Stacey Witalec, a DPW spokeswoman.

The DPW's change was made on Aug. 4 and is expected to save the state more than $2.5 million on the purchase of medicines in the 2009 fiscal year. It comes after a failed bid by DPW to take over management of the state Medicaid program's prescription drug program. Matching federal Medicaid dollars would provide a total savings of $5.4 million in 2009 and $6.5 million for fiscal year 2010.

In a similar effort to both cut costs and promote more responsible health care, Philadelphia's three Medicaid HMO plans are following the DPW's lead in not paying hospitals for added costs that result from preventable medical errors.

The DPW estimates that "hundreds of millions of dollars" will be saved under this program, Ms. Witalec said.

Keystone Mercy Health Plan will implement the policy beginning on Oct. 1. The company serves over 293,000 residents, making it the region's largest Medicaid managed-care company.

After Oct. 1, all hospital claims will be required to indicate that the medical condition for which the patient received care was "present at admission" - that it existed before the patient was admitted to the hospital, said Dr. Jay Feldstein, Keystone Mercy's chief medical officer.

Dr. Feldstein said Keystone Mercy have met with its provider hospitals throughout the year to outline the new policy. Provider hospitals covered by the company will retain the right and ability to appeal what DPW has defined as a "preventable serious adverse event."

A hospital trade group, Delaware Valley Healthcare Council (DVHC), has created a team of clinicians and hospital administrators to discuss and review the policies of the Medicaid managed-care companies.

"We're looking for [the HMO's] policies to be clinically sound and financially fair," said Kenneth J. Braithwaite II, a regional executive for the DVHC.

Health Partners, the Philadelphia area's largest not-for-profit health plan serving Medicaid patients, is in the early stages of developing its policy, according to spokeswoman Felicia Phillips.

Health Partners serves over 135,000 members in southeastern Pa. and is owned by a group of seven Philadelphia hospitals, including St. Christopher's Hospital for Children and the Hospital of the University of Pa.

Similarly, AmeriChoice of Pa. has just begun work on how to implement such a policy, Steve Matthews, a spokesman for the company told a local publication. The Philadelphia-based subsidiary of United Health Group has 75,000 members in the five-county area.

DPW's original program, which began in January, was developed to identify and stop Medicaid payments to hospitals for preventable mistakes that result in a serious negative outcome. The program was created in coordination with the Hospital & Health System Association of Pa., a state trade group.

This applies to 27 types of medical errors, or "never events," such as medication mistakes, bad blood transfusions and operating on a wrong body part.

Also in October, the federal Medicare program will stop paying hospitals for procedures and treatment of hospital-acquired conditions in eight categories that cover medical errors, injuries and infections that are judged to "reasonably have been prevented."

New Jersey health officials are waiting for the national program to begin before adopting a state policy of their own.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

HEALTH: Study: Americans Drinking Less Alcohol, More Wine

2008-09-12T19:30:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/12/2008

Americans may drink more in one sitting than some Europeans (who drink steadily in small amounts), but their average overall alcohol intake has decreased across age and gender differences, according to a study published last week in the American Journal of Medicine.

The results from a 55-year study (1948-2003) on 8,600 white adults in Framingham, Mass., found Americans drink less as they get older, and they tend to gravitate away from beer and toward wine in the process. Each successive generation also showed a trend from heavier drinking toward moderate drinking.

All participants were initially at least 28 years old and were born between 1900 and 1959.
The average amount of alcohol intake was highest between ages 30 and 50 for most cohorts, regardless of gender.

Up to their mid-30s, young men relied on beer for at least half of their alcohol consumption. After that, beer consumption dropped to around one-quarter of the average male in his mid-70s.

While both men and women in each generation drank less with age and each generation drank less than the generation before it, the overall incidence rate of an alcohol use disorder among those aged 40 to 79 years was about three times higher among men (12.8 percent) than women (3.8 percent).

Female participants also showed a move from beer to wine over time, although the report's authors noted that they were less partial to beer to begin with. No significant alcohol-related problems were linked with women here, but a report by University of Washington researchers in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research found that women born after 1953 had rising rates of alcoholism.

Lead author Yuqing Zhang, D.Sc., of the Boston University School of Medicine, told WebMD he doesn't know why the rates of alcohol use dropped over generations and this study "did not try to answer these questions."

The long-term health study collected data by asking participants to answer questions about their lifestyle and health, including alcohol consumption over time. Researchers hoped that the data would help determine patterns of alcohol use and disorders according to sex, age and birth cohorts.

The study, supported by a grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (part of the National Institutes of Health), is not clearly representative of all U.S. adults, but researchers said the data supports the efficacy of efforts to reduce alcohol use disorders.

Researchers also hope the data may be useful for policy-making groups responsible for drinking and alcohol recommendations, continuing "to support potentially beneficial effects of moderate drinking on cardiovascular disease and other diseases of aging, as well as adverse health and social effects of heavy alcohol use."

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

MEDICINE: Aetna-Wharton To Test Paying Patients To Take Their Heart Meds

2008-09-12T19:27:00.002-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/11/2008

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School are studying whether daily lottery cash incentives of $10 and $100 will help improve the likelihood of patients' taking their prescribed medication.

The research will begin this fall and take place over a six-month period, with results being available in March of next year.

The Aetna Foundation, the non-profit arm of the national health insurer, is sponsoring the study with a $400,000 grant. Philadelphia is a designated community under the foundation's Healthy Community Grants Program and Healthy Community Outreach Program.

Dr. Kevin G. Volpp, director of the Center on Health Incentives at Wharton's Leonard Davis Institute for Health Economics, explained that since people often stop taking medication within a few days, potential health benefits cannot be realized.

"People find it difficult to do things long term [like taking medication] in the short term [on a daily basis]," Dr. Volpp said. "A lot of behavioral economic research shows that people tend to weigh the present more heavily as opposed to [a] future decision."

So he and colleagues designed a two-arm randomized trial based on a system of feedback and incentives and proposed it to Aetna. The trial would enroll 100 participants to test a daily lottery as incentive for taking Warfarin, a blood thinner prescribed to prevent swelling and blood clots.

An electronic monitor would connect to pill boxes, tracking whether each participant takes his or her medicine. Participants would receive daily text messages saying whether he or she has won the lottery, or, if the dose was missed, whether they would have won.

An incentive group of 50 people would have a 1-in-10 chance of winning $10 for every day they take their medication and a 1-in-100 chance of winning $100. A control group of 50 people would use the same electronic monitor but not be entered into the lottery.

According to Dr. Troyen A. Brennan, Aetna's Chief Medical Officer, they chose to sponsor the trial because adherence is key to quality of care and statistics show that a year after beginning medication, only about 50 percent of patients are taking medications as directed. "If it looks like it works, we'll try to incorporate it in things we do," he said.

For Dr. Volpp, the trial's co-founder, this is just one of many possibilities in using behavioral economic tools towards strengthening health applications.

"There is a synergy between health professionals who want people to adopt healthy behaviors and commercial interests who want to find ways to effectively make sure that people ... behave in healthy ways in higher rates," Dr. Volpp said. "I think there are big opportunities to try to think creatively about how to use incentive systems to try to help people adopt healthy behaviors at higher rates."

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

LOCAL: Beginning The Journey

2008-09-12T19:24:00.003-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/11/2008

Philadelphia - Moments before reciting the Hippocratic Oath together, each member of Jefferson Medical College's incoming Class of 2012, aided by family and friends, donned their physician's white coat. The resulting "sea" of 255 white coats marked the beginning of their journey toward becoming physicians.

At JMC's annual White Coat Ceremony on Friday morning, family and friends gathered to take part in the event in the Wanamaker Building's Crystal Tea Room. Medical faculty, dressed either in alma mater robes or their own white coats, welcomed everyone and spoke about professionalism, the Jefferson Legacy, and the White Coat Legacy.

Mitchell J.M. Cohen M.D., associate professor of psychiatry and human behavior at JMC, who initiated the ceremony years ago, emphasized to students that the coming years would bring two transformations in their lives. The first would be medicine transforming from a job to work to a profession, and the second would be their personal transformation into physicians.

Keynote speaker Richard C. Wender M.D., alumni professor and chairman of the Department of Family and Community Medicine, delivered a rousing and highly entertaining address that highlighted the credibility that the white coat lends young men and women, "empowering [them] with the opportunity and perhaps even obligation to approach their newfound access to people with respect and care."

"High quality caring leads to high quality learning," he said.

Dr. Wender also stressed the importance of humor in medicine, both for the well being of the physician and the patient.

The coat - a familiar sight on hospital doctors - is a symbol of a physician's knowledge and responsibility toward the patient. As described by Dr. Cohen, its ancestry is tied spiritually to healing work, similar to the clergy. Like a judge's robe, the white coat, even in modern times, hopefully inspires the giving of justice, fair access and delivery of care to everyone.

After donning the white coat, students were read Maimonides' Prayer for the Physician and, along with family who were also doctors, recited the Hippocratic Oath, which provides standards and a core set of professional values to be followed by all physicians, including the critical value of confidentiality.

First-year student Tamar Berger, 23, of Stanford, Calif., said that the faculty speeches left her feeling "inspired, moved [and] ready to live up to everything this coat represents."

Parent reactions were similarly humbled and hopeful, with Ms. Berger's father, Jonathan, and grandfather Irving being left feeling "very proud." For Wynmore parents Bob Rhoades and Kate Winkler, whose son Ruben Winkler-Rhoades is also starting at Jefferson, the entire ceremony was an "incredible moment."

When asked what appealed to them about JMC, first-year students from around the country all noted a great sense of a community and camaraderie between students and faculty. For good friends Aaron Yung and Ben Pham, both first-years from San Diego, this especially stood out.

"It's like a big family," said Mr. Yung, 22. "I don't think I've ever seen any unhappy Jefferson faculty," added Mr. Pham, 25.

At Jefferson, the first year of study for medical students is broken up into three-month blocks during which students focus on one course at a time while also learning how to be a doctor through study of Clinical Medicine. First year classes begin today.

"It's been great," said fourth-year student and ceremony speaker on shared professional values Matthew Eldridge, JMC '09. "There's a certain aspect of community [with] classmates and teachers really looking out for each other... everyone is down-to-earth and [focused on] patient care."

Mr. Eldridge, who may go into either family medicine or internal medicine, also noted that for the new students, this is "a very exciting time" and to know that soon, their white coats will "get heavy," filled with tools, stethoscopes, books and snacks.

As Charles A. Pohl M.D., the associate dean for student affairs and career counseling said, "every day, we get to learn something, teach something and take care of people."

Jefferson Medical College, of Thomas Jefferson University, was the first medical school in Philadelphia to establish the "White Coat Ceremony," a tradition symbolizing the clinical beginning of every student's medical education. It has been part of the first year program at JMC since 1994. The college offers both traditional medical education and joint degree programs, and enrolls over 900 students each year.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

INT'L:HUMAN INTEREST: One Country, Many Friendships, Many Memories

2008-09-09T12:14:00.003-04:00

Beijing teens give quake survivors warm embrace - World Blog - msnbc.com

Source: worldblog.msnbc.msn....

By Stephanie Himango, NBC News Producer
"It's the first time for us to come to Beijing!" exclaimed sixteen-year-old Su Man Ye, eyes smiling through her tiny glasses. Petite and energetic, she appeared younger than her years.

How fantastic an experience and opportunity for these girls. I dread goodbyes myself, even when reuniting is almost guaranteed.
So much of our opportunities are the result of our own social mobility and arena in which to make choices, get on a plane or bus with our own money, and steer our own future.

These opportunities are so few and far between for these young women.. thank goodness it was given.
They need more opportunities like this one - more long-term possibilities and cause for hope for something beyond occasional moments of happiness. We all need that.

POLITICS:OPINION: Zoot Suit Riot - The Distracted and Silent Press

2008-09-07T18:15:00.001-04:00

t r u t h o u t | St. Paul's Police Protest the Press

Source: www.truthout.org

Police in full riot gear arrest protesters, and members of the press, at the GOP convention in St. Paul. (Photo: Reuters)

Arrests were made of journalists and the protesters they were covering at both political conventions these past two weeks, but as Michael Winship of PBS' Bill Moyers Journal writes here, only the St. Paul police actually targeted the journalists, from a wide variety of news outlets and political leanings, both before and during the large events.
This premeditated and concerted effort at stifling wide and more complete coverage of events of national and public significance, especially through physical abuse and arrest, is an abomination, as well as being illegal and unconstitutional.

Why is this abuse and arrest of journalists not being covered by any mainstream media? This is news and journalists should be making it known - such abuse affects all of us, not just those who dare to have the guts and chops to shine a light on it. When there is corruption, we're supposed to follow it, not run away... It's like being a tornado chaser. We're not wishing for it to happen, but if it's there, it's there.

In a world where federal governance and law enforcement are relied upon with increasing frequency and without regulation and checks of power, how can we possibly expect to extricate ourselves from partisan politics if we cannot even recognize our responsibility to society and fulfill our duty to question authority's restraints over discourse and information?

CULTURE: Food, Culture At Festival At Reading

2008-09-07T18:10:00.005-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/08/2008

Food, family, farmers and animals all come together this weekend for the 19th annual Pennsylvania Dutch Festival at Philadelphia's historic Reading Terminal Market, bringing a little taste of the Lancaster countryside to the big city.

In between buggy rides and digging into chicken pot pie, though, it's worth remembering that fun and games aside, it takes a lot of work to prepare and cook the food, make the crafts and put on the show that we've come to know and love ... plus a few new surprises.

They stand there every day, doling out heaps of apple dumplings, bags of fresh produce and slabs of ribs. One of the few constants in city of hectic unease, the Market's Pennsylvania Dutch merchants are a welcome reminder to celebrate deep-rooted traditions and simple yet beautiful creativity.

At the Dutch Eating Place, workers - wearing everything from plain dresses, aprons and bonnets to T-shirts, overalls, jeans and baseball caps - work side-by-side to prepare their award-winning blueberry pancakes, as well as hot soups, fresh-roasted open-faced turkey sandwiches with mashed potatoes, and fresh-squeezed lemonade.

"It's a lot of fun, but a lot of work," said Phares Glick, the owner of the neighboring Rib Pit, which has operated here for 21 years. "It's always [about] the new customers and new interest."

Merchants are Amish families who have operated here since the market began in 1980. All hailing from Lancaster County, these farmers and entrepreneurs bring a rare charm and dedication to both their products and their customers, whether it is Fisher's ice cream (which comes in flavors for diabetics, too), Kauffman's colorful tomatoes, Beiler's delicious donuts, L. Halterman's sausages or Dienner's barbeque chicken.

The families all know one another and according to Kevin Beiler, who runs Beiler’s Bakery and A J Pickle Patch & Salads, they all “try helping each other out.”

The days of feasting culminates in a barn-raising and auction on Saturday, when a small barn - in this case, a garden shed - will be sold to the highest bidder. Both events are new to the festival.
All proceeds will go to the Lancaster Farmland Trust, a private nonprofit that seeks to preserve and protect Lancaster's agriculture, land and the way of life tied to it.

The three-day festival will take place in the market's center court seating area from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as outside between 11th and 12th streets and Arch and Filbert streets.

Heather L. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us

HEALTH: Psychiatrists Are Prescribing More Pills, Less Therapy

2008-09-07T18:07:00.004-04:00

(previously published here at www.thebulletin.us)

By: Heather J. Chin, The Bulletin

08/07/2008

With Sigmund Freud and HBO's popular series "In Treatment" featuring a psychiatrist and his patients, it seems a safe bet that paying someone to analyze your life is still a strong option.

However, a new report published in the Archives of General Psychiatry this Monday reveals that fewer psychiatrists are providing psychotherapy to patients during office visits, instead prescribing drug therapy - medication - at increasing rates.

According to the researchers, the trend appears to be linked to there being fewer trained psychiatrists, the marketing of improved psychiatric drugs and pressure from managed care companies that offer incentives for prescribing drugs over giving the more expensive psychotherapy.

"Psychiatrists get [paid] more for three 15-minute medication management visits than for one 45-minute psychotherapy visit," said Dr. Ramin Mojtabal, who co-led the research at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, and who now works at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

"I was trained almost 30 years ago and received a lot of training in psychotherapy," said Dr. Christopher C. Colenda, a psychiatrist and Dean of Medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine. "Thanks to the advances of managed care, psychotherapy was basically devalued from the perspective of psychiatry. ... A lot of the incentives for wanting to be in psychiatry were essentially removed by managed care."

The study examined data from the National Ambulatory Care Survey on visits to psychiatrists' offices for a 10-year period between 1996 and 2005, finding that the proportion of visits over 30 minutes long dropped from 44 percent in 1996-1997 to 28.9 percent in 2004-2005. Overall, out of 14,108 visits, only 34 percent provided psychotherapy to patients.

The number of psychiatrists who provided psychotherapy to all patients also fell, from 19.1 percent to 10.8 percent during the same 10-year period. Those who chose to continue psychotherapy had more patients who paid out-of-pocket for treatment than other doctors who gave less talk therapy.

For patients who require a combination of talk therapy and drug therapy, the trend towards medication-only can result in spotty treatment, in which the patient receives psychotherapy from a psychologist and drugs from a psychiatrist or general practitioner.

Physicians differ in their opinions over whether this is a problem.

"Whether it has any impact on the outcome of the disorder, we don't really know," said Dr. Mojtabal to Reuters. "I don't think necessarily that it is harmful. It might not be as efficient."

However, Dr. Eric Plakun, who leads an American Psychiatric Association committee working to restore interest in psychotherapy by psychiatrists, told Reuters that a shift away from psychotherapy began about 10 years ago when medical schools began to focus more on the biology of mental illness than on its psychology and behavior. "Either way, I'm worried about our patients [who] need the best help we can give them."

So is this the end of psychotherapy? Perhaps not, as it is effective and less expensive, and if you look deeper, there are signs that the use of talk therapy will continue and is, in fact, on the rise.

Since its benefits are well documented via behavior changes, emotional and mental habits, as well as through brain imaging studies, whether alone or combined with drug therapy, "the couch is far from dead," Dr. Plakun said. "The couch turns out to be an effective 21st century treatment."

Accreditation requirements for psychiatric residency programs are also putting more emphasis on talk therapy, so future medical professionals have the appropriate background to keep it alive.

Various forms are the recommended form of treatment for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and other psychiatric illnesses.

In addition, visits to psychologists, social workers and other mental health counselors, who also provide talk therapy but are not medical doctors - and thus cannot prescribe drugs - were not included in this research.

Heather J. Chin can be reached at hchin@thebulletin.us.

Wings Of Ink

CNN Blogs on sex: "Should women be more like men?

Books and Culture: Japanese Schoolgirls!

"Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool",by Brian Ashcraft with Shoko Ueda. Kodansha International, 2010. 9784770031150.

On marrying young

Mark Regnerus -- "Freedom to Marry Young" -- The Washington Post

Rocky waters for polar tourism

Cruise ship in peril between the southernmost tip of South America and Antarctica

Reaction: Medical Team Murdered in Afghanistan

Food Review: Fresh Direct meals

Restaurant Review: Ethos-U.N.

Restaurant Review: Blossom

TV Review of "Glee" Season 1, Episode 16: "Home"

Is American Sign Language a "foreign language?"

Three Simple Tips for Aspiring Cooks

Sunday Brunch at Belleville

Public Produce Markets as an Economic Catalyst and Job Generator?

Not Just TV: CW's Potentially Deadly Faux-Pas

With spring comes green-light new TV pilots season. I mostly don't give a hoot about this unless one of them features an admired actor/actress or is tackling an issue of interest to me. But I do read EW.com (Entertainment Weekly). And this announcement caught my eye:

After emitting a pleased cackle at the fact that the idiocy known as 'Melrose Place' 2.0 might go under, I noticed the thing about this item about something called "Nomads." Then my mind just hit the floor (not literally, of course). Here is my problem with it.

Health Care Hoopla: A Primer from the AP

The AP published a pretty good breakdown yesterday of how the proposed health care reform bill in its current incarnation would affect Americans.

Lost in Translation: The Line Between Journalism and Espionage

NY Times article: "Contracts Tied To Efforts to Kill Militants"

Quotes about Rapes in Haiti

Below are some choice quotes and excerpts from an AP article on the dramatic increase in rapes of women and children in the tent camps in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The words and stories speak for themselves.

Legal Bites: "Chelsea's Law" Wants GPS Tracking of Sex Offenders in California

What Irony: PepsiCo Funds Yale Nutritional Science Fellowship

Revenge: Child Health Group Evicted By Harvard After Alleged Disney Interference

Buy the Book?: Texas Conservatives Seek to Rewrite History Textbooks

Rubbing Salt in the Wound: NYC Assemblyman Proposes Ban on Salt in Restaurants

Check marks

I do not celebrate Valentine's Day.

On Social Media and News Sharing Over the Internet

PET PRIORITIES: Five Musts for the Furry Ones in Your Life

Book Keeping: Speed-Writing For Success - mediabistro.com Content

ENTERTAINMENT OP-ED: Tyra Banks puts on a show and show's off her ignorance

PHILADELPHIA & TRENDS: Gardening in the Classroom

PARENTING: How to halt nail-biting

COMMENTARY: Cuban Students Expelled For Appying To U.S. Scholarships

Fun Food Talk: Road Chow

Pennsylvania and New Jersey: Winning By Quitting

Personal Health: For Kids, Increased Screen Time Can Equal Increased Blood Pressure

The Tweets Untweeted

Personal Health: Antipsychotic Drugs May Increase Risk to Older Diabetics

Food News: Lobster In Need of New Marketing?

Pennsylvania: Pediatricians and Paperwork

Personal Health: Unlabeled food additives can hurt kidney patients

Philly Region: Summer Camps Deal With Swine Flu

International and Food: Italian Province Bans Non-Italian Ethnic Food

Music: Olympus PEN Camera Ad Campaign

International: Asylum for the Domestic and Sexually Abused?

Personal Health: Excessive Hair-Pulling

Philly Local: Hospitals Expand Safe Sleep Practices

Personal Health: On Statins and Walking Aids

Pennsylvania: Insuring the Uninsured

Personal Health: Music and Electronic Medical Records

Philly Local: Philadelphia VA Prostate Cancer Scandal

Philly Local: High School Health Fellowships

Canarsie, Brooklyn: Terminal Eyes New Beginning

A Midtown Lunch Spot: Meal O'Bama

Eureka!? - Job Networking Is Mutually Beneficial-

May 2-3: Sakura Matsuri - Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Subway MTA Workers Protest Planned Layoffs and Silent Union

For Two Brooklyn Catholic Schools, Life After Salvation

AIDS Activists Flunk New York City Health Care Services

From Garden to Green Jobs: Returning Brooklyn Youth To Their Green Roots

Live-Blog: Dismantling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline

COMMENTARY: Link between HRT and breast cancer rates?

Thank Goodness It's [Black] Friday

The Flu: Senior's Vaccination Day and Beyond

COMMENTARY: Bush unharmed by tossed shoes; Will the same fate await the tosser?

Big Pharma Under Fire for Reverse Plagiarism

A Season of Hope: Holidays on Wall St.

"Where did the prostitutes go, Mommy?"

Yay Frogs!

New York Times Hoax Fit To Prank

Election Night Festivities Unite New Yorkers

The "Mayor" of Midwood: Educating Leaders of ALL Kinds

Young Voters Speak: "I Want Change"

"Japanese Schoolgirl Confidential: How Teenage Girls Made a Nation Cool",
by Brian Ashcraft with Shoko Ueda. Kodansha International, 2010. 9784770031150.