Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
LA's latest art project is 340 tons and rock solid
LOS ANGELES (AP) — King Sisyphus, it turns out, had little on the folks at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was condemned by the gods to push a giant rock up a hill for eternity. In modern-day LA, the city's largest museum has spent months — and $5 million to $10 million — trying to get a 340-ton boulder from a dusty quarry in Riverside onto its campus west of downtown.
When the teardrop-shaped chunk of granite finally arrives it will become the focal point of acclaimed earth artist Michael Heizer's latest creation, "Levitated Mass." Museum visitors by the thousands are expected to walk under what will be one of the largest environmental art …
Ill. budget proposal raises complex questions
Democratic legislators are on the verge of passing a state budget that would patch over a $13 billion deficit. Critics call it a farce that digs the state further into debt. Even supporters admit it doesn't fix the state's long-term problems.
Here's a look at what the budget would do to state finances, government services and taxpayers' wallets:
Q: Would the budget be balanced?
A: Not really. It's built on borrowing money and leaving bills unpaid. Advocates say it will keep the doors of government open for another year, but they don't claim it resolves the worst budget crisis in Illinois history.
Q: What kind of borrowing?
…Charleston attendance mark will fall tonight
Never mind where the West Virginia Power is in the South AtlanticLeague second-half Northern Division standings.
Considering the Power's recent personnel moves, the MilwaukeeBrewers' low Class A farm club belongs on the TV show "ExtremeMakeovers."
Maybe it's because the Brewers were embarrassed by a 5-22 start inthe season's first 30 days, as they began a new affiliation in a newballpark. The Brewers understand, with only a two-year PlayerDevelopment Contract with West Virginia Baseball LLC, time's awastin' on proving they want to stay in such nice digs after 2006.
Maybe it's because some of the youth among their personnel fromrecent drafts has started to …
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Taylor rallies Newcastle to 1-1 draw with Arsenal in Premier League
Steven Taylor scored midway through the second half to rally Newcastle to a 1-1 draw with Premier League leaders Arsenal on Wednesday.
Taylor equalized in the 60th after taking a cross from Alan Smith.
Emmanuel Adebayor put Arsenal ahead in the fourth minute with a volley after taking a cross from Emmanuel Eboue. Gilberto da Silva and Eduardo da Silva also had first-half chances.
Soon after Arsenal's opener, Cameroon midfielder Geremi put a header wide. In the 33rd, Taylor had a header saved by goalkeeper Manuel Almunia.
Despite heavy Arsenal pressure late in the second half, Newcastle held out for the draw, which ended a two-game …
Military: 56 dead in clashes in northwest Pakistan
Three days of clashes between security forces and militants in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border left more than 56 militants and six soldiers dead, the military said Tuesday.
There was no way to independently confirm the casualty figures because access to the affected regions was restricted for journalists.
The vast majority of the deaths occurred during a two-day operation Sunday and Monday in the Maidan area of Lower Dir, a region bordering the Swat Valley where the army has been wrapping up an offensive against Taliban militants.
More than 50 militants died in the clashes, said Maj. Fazlur Rahman, spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps. The army also …
No decision yet as OPEC wrestles with output cut
GENEVA (AP) OPEC reported no breakthroughs yesterday as oilministers met informally in small groups in a bid to overcomeobstacles to agreement on a plan for cutting output and boostingprices.
The 13 ministers of the Organization of Petroleum ExportingCountries had decided Saturday, after three days of talks, to suspendtheir full conference until today.
A key obstacle discussed in yesterday's private meetings waswhether Iraq and some of OPEC's smaller producers, such as Ecuadorand Gabon, should be exempted from proposed cuts in production,officials said.
Javier Espinosa Teran, the oil minister of Ecuador, toldreporters he expected Saudi Arabia to …
NHL Season Opens Tonight, Kind Of
DETROIT - If you don't count two regular-season games played in London over the weekend, tonight is the NHL's opening night.
The Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks, who split two games in England against the L.A. Kings, …
Air Berlin May passenger levels down 8 percent
Germany's Air Berlin PLC said Thursday that its passenger levels fell 8 percent on the year in May as the global economic crisis crimped demand for travel.
Air Berlin, Germany's second largest airline after Deutsche Lufthansa AG, said it transported 2.5 million passengers last month, compared with 2.7 million in May 2008.
Capacity utilization, a measure of how full airplanes are, fell by 3.8 percentage points to 77 percent in May compared with the same month a year ago.
In a separate announcement …
Disabilities Act Spurs 5,000 Complaints
WASHINGTON Nearly 5,000 discrimination complaints have pouredinto federal agencies since the Americans with Disabilities Act tookeffect in January, 1992, with the bulk of claims coming from peoplewho believe they were wrongly fired from a job, according to a newreport assessing the law's impact.
The report was conducted by the National Council on Disability,an independent federal agency that monitors issues related todisabled people.
Considered to be the most far-reaching civil rights legislationsince the 1960s, the act is intended to prevent discriminationagainst disabled people, both in the workplace and in public placessuch as restaurants and movie …
Democratic Rep. David Wu of Oregon has announced that he is resigning from Congress.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. David Wu of …
Oudin, Mattek-Sands give US 2-0 lead in Fed Cup
The United States took a commanding 2-0 lead in its Fed Cup quarterfinal against France on Saturday after Melanie Oudin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands won the opening singles matches.
Oudin beat Pauline Parmentier 6-4, 6-4 after Mattek-Sands had outlasted Alize Cornet 7-6 (7), 7-5 in the first match.
"Alize is a great player and I knew I was going to have to grind the match out," Mattek-Sands said. "I knew it wasn't going to be easy and I think that coming with that mindset really helped me. ... It was very tight, it could have gone either way."
The 140th-ranked Mattek-Sands rallied from 5-2 down in the first set and then clinched …
The 'Hood Can Teach Some Valuable Lessons
LOS ANGELES We think we know them.
That's why it's so important that you get some sense of thekids, even though their mission - Food From the 'Hood - is one greatsalad dressing saga. Or as shameless booster Melinda McMullen putsit, high school kids who can put an attractive new product on theshelves of every major local grocery store chain in Los Angeles cando anything.
The thriving, student-owned and -operated business sprouted amidthe desolation of South Central Los Angeles after the 1992 riots.Crenshaw High biology teacher Tammy Bird and six students decidedthat a great project would be to till an overgrown patch of land nextto the football field and plant …
Metro BRIEFINGS
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Evaluation of a Family Education Program: For Overweight Children and Adolescents
ABSTRACT
Increased child and youth overweight and obesity, as well as significant health effects associated with obesity, have led to recommendations for multicomponent prevention programs. In 2005 to 2006, the former Calgary Health Region (now Alberta Health Services) had an opportunity to develop, deliver, and evaluate an early intervention service for families with children at risk for overweight and obesity. Using available evidence and with access to key advisors, core team members developed and implemented a curriculum for a family-focused, behaviour-based education program entitled Make It HAPPEN. A health-centred approach based on the physical, mental, and social well-being of the whole child was used. Physical, selfesteem, and quality-of-life measures were included in program evaluation. After the program, statistically significant reductions in body mass index (BMI) percentile and z-score were seen, as were increases in quality of life. Self-esteem improved significantly for children with initial BMI percentiles of at least 98. Evaluation results indicate that an effective program can be developed with limited resources to meet best practice needs. Potentially, such programs could be integrated into other community obesity prevention programs or within primary health services models.
(Can J Diet Pract Res. 2011;72:191-196)
(DOI: 10.3148/72.4.2011.191)
R�SUM�
En raison de la hausse de la pr�valence d'exc�s de poids et d'ob�sit� chez les enfants et les jeunes et des effets significatifs sur la sant� associ�s � l'ob�sit�, il est recommand� de mettre en place des programmes de pr�vention � composantes multiples. De 2005 � 2006, l'ancienne Calgary Health Region (qui est devenue l'Alberta Health Services) a eu l'occasion de mettre au point, d'offrir et d'�valuer des services d'intervention pr�coce destin�s aux familles d'enfants � risque d'exc�s de poids et d'ob�sit�. Gr�ce aux donn�es probantes disponibles et � l'acc�s � des conseillers cl�s, les principaux membres de l'�quipe ont mis au point et implant� le curriculum d'un programme d'�ducation ax� sur la famille et le comportement qui s'intitule Make It HAPPEN. Une approche ax�e sur la sant� et bas�e sur le bien-�tre physique, mental et social de l'enfant a �t� employ�e. Des mesures du physique, de l'estime de soi et de la qualit� de vie ont �t� incluses dans l'�valuation du programme. Apr�s la mise en place du programme, une r�duction statistiquement significative des percentiles de l'indice de masse corporelle (IMC) et de l'�cart r�duit a �t� observ�e, de m�me qu'une hausse de la qualit� de vie. L'estime de soi s'est am�lior�e de mani�re significative chez les enfants dont le percentile de l'IMC initial �tait d'au moins 98. Les r�sultats de l'�valuation indiquent qu'un programme efficace peut �tre mis au point avec des ressources limit�es tout en satisfaisant aux meilleures pratiques. De tels programmes pourraient �tre int�gr�s � d'autres programmes communautaires de pr�vention de l'ob�sit� ou � des mod�les de services de sant� primaire.
(Rev can prat rech di�t�t. 2011;72:191-196)
(DOI: 10.3148/72.4.2011.191)
INTRODUCTION
In Canada, the prevalence of obesity, as measured by body mass index (BMI) among adults and children, has increased significantly in the past 30 to 40 years (1-3). Once children are obese they are likely to become overweight adolescents and adults (4,5). Adult obesity is associated with diabetes, kidney disease, orthopedic problems, and heart disease (4). Obese children experience more type 2 diabetes, elevated blood lipids, hypertension, and cardiac problems (3,6,7). The impact of obesity on quality of life and mental health is widely reported, and an inverse relationship exists between obesity and self-esteem in childhood (8). Wang et al. have reported that obese children are at risk for developing low self-esteem and may be affected by poor mental health later in life (9).
Because of the significant health effects associated with childhood obesity, coordinated, multicomponent interventions aimed at prevention are recommended (2,10,11). Evidence supports a health-centred (rather than weight-centred) approach, which focuses on the whole child, physically, mentally, and socially (12). Key components of successful overweight intervention programs include the involvement of both parents and children (2,4,10-13), engagement in physical activity (2,10,12), and behaviour modification-focused group intervention (2,4,10,11,14). Teaching parents the skills to support child behaviour change mobilizes the family to address eating and activity changes as a unit; this creates a supportive home and family environment (15). Intervention programs should address self-esteem, the potential for weight prejudice, and the importance of media literacy (12), as well as reduced sedentary behaviours and screen time, increased active living, and healthy food choices (2,4,10,11). Understanding appropriate parental approaches for monitoring child growth and development, establishing realistic expectations for a child, supportive parenting, and the feeding and activity relationships are key curriculum content areas for parents (12,16-19).
PURPOSE
In 2005 to 2006, the former Calgary Health Region (now Alberta Health Services) had an opportunity to develop and deliver a curriculum for early intervention services to families with overweight children. The curriculum was based on key components of the available evidence. A family behaviour-based group education program entitled Make It HAPPEN (MIH) was developed. The initial MIH initiative included funding for evaluation to ensure that the program was meeting its objectives and to improve it.
We report characteristics of the MIH population and present quantitative outcomes gathered during program evaluation. Evaluation objectives were to summarize characteristics of the population served by MIH programs and to explore program outcomes, including follow-up results.
METHODS
Program development and modification
Through the use of available evidence, and with guidance from an advisory committee, principles were identified and a program was developed (Table 1). Committee members included child life specialists, nurses, a psychologist, physicians, parenting experts, and kinesiology consultants. Core team members developed and implemented a curriculum. The program goal was to encourage children and families to establish healthy eating habits, to adopt a healthy lifestyle through physical activity, and to develop and maintain healthy self-esteem.
Initially the program was offered over eight weeks, but later it was offered over 12 weeks because of parent feedback and the available literature (2,11,20). The three-month duration was further supported by consultation with professionals experienced in working with youth, as well as with a youth focus group. Both the consultation with professionals and the youth focus group informed planning for the program for 13- to 15-year-olds. Table 2 highlights these program changes over time.
Study participants
Participants were self-referred or referred by family physicians, pediatricians, or other health professionals. Eligible children were aged six to 12 years (extended to 15 years in 2007), were at or above the 85th BMI percentile for age and sex, and were physically able to participate in activities and classroom sessions. At least one parent was required to participate with the child in this no-fee group program. Asking families who missed three classes to leave the program established the importance of attendance. In addition, some families dropped out in the first or second week. Thirty-four courses were completed by January 2008 (the date of the second evaluation); 271 children and parents (78% of 345 registered) completed the program.
Data collection
Data were collected when participants entered the program, during regular program activities, when participants completed the program, and at six and 12 months after program completion. Outcomes of interest included self-esteem, as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, second edition (Piers-Harris 2) (21), and quality of life for parent and child, as measured by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) (22). Height was measured with a wall-mounted stadiometer (SECA Model 240). Weight was measured with a digital scale (SECA), and a blood pressure screen was completed using an oscillometric device (GE Dinamap Pro 100).
Program content
Table 2 summarizes curriculum and format changes to the program, as well as collected evaluation data. Each group's session series was preceded by a group orientation and intake measurement by program staff with backgrounds in nursing, dietetics, and child life. Self-esteem scores were screened by the MIH advisory psychologist, who followed up with staff about any children whose self-esteem was of concern. Families then attended one of three possible community centres located in the northeast, southwest, and east central areas of Calgary. Weekly sessions lasted two hours, with the first hour dedicated to classroom instruction for the parent and the child together and the second hour dedicated to separate parent and child activities. During the second hour, the children's activity program focused on fun group physical activities and was conducted by certified activity staff from partnering community organizations. Parents either continued with classroom instruction (focusing on supportive parenting, behaviour change, etc.) or, occasionally, took part in physical activities with their children. Classroom instruction was presented by MIH facilitators, all of whom received certification in small-group facilitation and training in motivational interviewing as part of professional development.
Parents received written resources to support their learning about healthy eating and active living. Children received resources and weekly written exercises to encourage their skill development. An opportunity was provided at the next class for questions and follow-up learning with these materials. Formal evaluation of the benefit of these resources was not completed. Classroom topics included healthy lifestyles, goal setting, nutrition and familiarity with Canada's Food Guide (23), portion sizes, understanding how habits are developed and changed, recognizing media influences, interpreting and using food labels, self-esteem, healthy growth, and integrating active living into daily routines. (A copy of curriculum key messages for each MIH class is available from the authors.)
Information provided clearly stated that the program was not focused on dieting or weight loss, but rather on healthy eating and active living. When facilitators were asked clinical or therapeutic questions, they were required to emphasize general messages about healthy eating and healthy growth and to refer participants to dietitian facilitators for individual follow-up care, if this was required.
Post-program questionnaires and measures
During the final two weeks of the program, families completed post-program questionnaires and measures. Following program completion, families were invited to family fun nights every four to six months and received newsletters. These nights and newsletters provided an opportunity for sharing information on resources and for supporting families in lifestyle change and continued learning. Children and parents also completed follow-up questionnaires and measures.
All pre- and post-program questionnaire data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 15.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, 2007). Descriptive statistics, including means, ranges, counts, and frequencies, were used to describe the MIH population. Data for each continuous outcome measure were analyzed for normality using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Body mass index percentile by age and sex (W=0.639, p<0.000) and BMI z-scores (W=0.980, p<0.0003) were not normally distributed. Data from other outcome measures were normally distributed (Piers-Harris 2, W=0.994, p=0.15; PedsQL, W=0.994, p=0.35). Paired t -tests (for normally distributed data) and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (for nonparametric data) were used to explore results of MIH participants' pre- and post-program scores. Participants' enrolment data were compared with their program completion data. For these analyses, two-tailed analyses were used and the significance level was set at 0.05.
RESULTS
Descriptive data on program participants appear in Table 3. Body mass index percentile (z=-3.42, p<0.001) and BMI zscores (z=-6.329, p<0.0001) were significantly reduced from the beginning to the end of the program (Table 4). Self-esteem was maintained for the group overall (t=-1.146, p=0.255). A subgroup analysis of those with a BMI percentile below 98 and those with a percentile above 98 on enrolment indicated no significant baseline difference in self-esteem (t=-0.796, p=0.428). However, by the end of the program, self-esteem increased significantly for children with a BMI at or above the 98th percentile (t=-2.25, p=0.029). Because of a lack of funding for a psychologist who could interpret the results, the Piers-Harris 2 was discontinued following the second evaluation report (March 2008). Quality-of-life measures increased significantly from onset to completion of the program with parent-completed measures (t=-5.78, p<0.0001, 95% confidence interval [CI]=-9.13, -4.48) and child-completed measures (t=-3.669, p<0.0001, 95% CI=-5.98, -1.79).
Blood-pressure (BP) screens were administered and reviewed against pediatric standards (24), and results suggested that up to 50% of children could be prehypertensive or hypertensive. With parental consent, results of the BP screen, as well as BMI data, were submitted to the child's family physician for follow-up evaluation.
DISCUSSION
An effective program can be developed with limited resources, and meet best practice needs. While this MIH initiative was targeted at families with overweight and obese children, the content is universal and could be foundational for those at risk for diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease. The program addressed lifestyle intervention recommendations (4) and contributed to evidence that community-based interventions can be effective without negative impacts on psychosocial well-being (2). The program also supported primary health care (11) integrated into and delivered with existing community services. Informal feedback from community agencies indicated enthusiasm about partnering with MIH, and agency staff reported positive engagement with participating children. Historically, such a program is uncommon because it falls between population health, which traditionally does not provide direct service, and clinical services, for which a comorbidity is required. The current program and partnership therefore are unique.
Quality of life
Results for children who returned for postprogram measures indicated significant improvement in parents' and children's perception of quality of life, as well as in weight status. Other family-based group programs have shown weight reduction. For example, a group treatment program in Finland stressed health-promoting lifestyle changes for parents and children separately. The investigators reported a significant reduction in BMI and weight for height in comparison with individual counselling (25). Their reductions in BMI and BMI z-score were similar to those seen in our study, a finding that supports our group approach. A report of the Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do it (MEND) wait-list control trial with children whose weight was above the 98th BMI percentile also revealed significant BMI zscore reductions at program end (26), another finding that supports this type of intervention.
Self-esteem scores
No significant difference was seen in self-esteem scores for the groups at or above the 98th BMI percentile and the groups below the 98th percentile at program entry, and average selfesteem scores revealed no significant change for the combined group of participants at program end. However, children with an initial BMI percentile of at least 98 showed significantly improved self-esteem, a finding similar to that reported in Sacher's intervention program for children whose weight was at or above the 98th BMI percentile (26).
Study limitations
Results for this program evaluation must be interpreted with caution. This was not a research study but a real-life program that did not include a control group. Unfortunately, only 78% of those in the group that began the MIH program completed it. While maintaining the same group over time and following up with all initial participants are ideal, occasionally people move, stop attending sessions, or (in our case) are asked to drop out because of poor attendance. In addition, to ensure integrity in program evaluation, ideally nothing should change over time. However, real-life programs do change because of experience, evaluation, feedback from partners, staff, and families, and the literature. Flynn et al. recommend that processes for program design and delivery "allow continual incorporation of new elements" associated with improving effectiveness (2, p. 55). The MIH program is no exception.
In addition, we had limited six-month post-program data. Only 61 children (23% of those eligible) returned for those measurements, and the initial preprogram data from these 61 children are different from the overall MIH participant population. Further work is required to improve our follow-up evaluation of participants and data collection.
RELEVANCE TO PRACTICE
Potentially, programs similar in structure, content, and delivery could be further integrated into a community network, such as a primary care model, that supports primary health services. In addition, possibly the existing curriculum and trained facilitators could be used to build capacity in community agencies. The relatively low cost for positive outcomes (approximately $500 per family, including administrative overhead, for groups of 10) is helpful, particularly in view of the cost of individual counselling and the potential long-term costs of obesity (27). Encouraging evidence exists that children who achieve a healthy weight are able to lower their risk factors for cardiac disease (high BP, cholesterol, and insulin levels) (28). These types of initiatives have the potential to foster supportive environments for children and families in their own neighbourhoods and community centres. We believe this MIH program, or programs similar in structure, content, and delivery, can be one part of a multicomponent intervention that may contribute to reduced obesity in children and youth.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge members of the Make It HAPPEN Advisory Committee, many of whom fulfilled several roles and contributed much time and energy. These include the following from pediatric endocrinology: Rebecca Trussell, MD, FRCPC; Mary Moreau, RN; Eileen Pyra, RN; Lesley McCoy, RD; Liz Young, RN, Trym Gym, University of Calgary. Staff members who also contributed to development and delivery of curriculum were Kristina Campbell, MSc, RD; Tina deFreitas, RN; Kristyn Hall, MSc, RD; Mary Waterman, BA, Child Life; Tara Porteous, RD. We also wish to acknowledge the support of many colleagues in mental health, child life, parenting, eating disorders, and nutrition and active living. Special appreciation is extended to our community partners, Southland and Village Square Leisure Centres of the City of Calgary and TRICO Centre for Family Wellness. Appreciation also goes to Tanis Fenton, RD, PhD, and Carol Fenton for assistance in data collection and interpretation for the final data set. Finally, we thank the Calgary Health Trust and Alberta Children's Hospital for providing initial funding toward program planning and service access.
[Sidebar]
Families completed post-program questionnaires.
[Reference]
References
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2. Flynn MAT, McNeil DA, Maloff B, Mutasingwa D, Wu M, Ford C, et al. Reducing obesity and related chronic disease risk in children and youth: a synthesis of evidence with 'best practice' recommendations. Obes Rev. 2006;7(Suppl 1): 7-66.
3. Overweight and obesity among children and youth. Health Rep. 2010;17(3): 27-42.
4. Lau DC, Douketis JD, Morrison KM, Hramiak IM, Sharma AM, Ur E. 2006 Canadian clinical practice guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children [summary]. CMAJ. 2007;176(Suppl 1):S1-13.
5. Williams SM, Goulding A. Patterns of growth associated with the timing of adiposity rebound. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2009;17:335-41.
6. Freedman DS, Dietz WH, Srinivasan SR, Berenson GS. The relation of overweight to cardiovascular risk factors among children and adolescents: the Bogalusa Heart Study. Pediatrics. 1999;103(6 Pt 1):1175-82.
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8. French SA, Story M, Perry CL. Self-esteem and obesity in children and adolescents: a literature review. Obes Res. 1995;3:479-90.
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10. Position of the American Dietetic Association: individual-, family-, school-, and community-based interventions for pediatric overweight. J Am Diet Assoc. 2006;106:925-45.
11. Barlow SE. Expert committee recommendations regarding the prevention, assessment, and treatment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity: summary report. Pediatrics. 2007;120(Suppl 4):S164-92.
12. Berg F, Buechner J, Parham E. Guidelines for childhood obesity prevention programs: promoting healthy weight in children. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2003;35:1-4.
13. Lindsay A, Sussner K, Kim JG. The role of parents in preventing childhood obesity. Future Child. 2010;16(1):169-86.
14. Goldfield G, Epstein L, Kilanowski C, Paluch R, Kogut-Bossler B. Cost-effectiveness of group and mixed family-based treatment for childhood obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). 2010;25:1843-9.
15. Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Roemmich JN, Beecher MD. Family-based obesity treatment, then and now: twenty-five years of pediatric obesity treatment. Health Psychol. 2007;26:381-91.
16. Birch LL, Fisher JO, Davison KK. Learning to overeat: maternal use of restrictive feeding practices promotes girls' eating in the absence of hunger. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;78:215-20.
17. Burdette HL, Whitaker RC, Hall WC, Daniels SR. Maternal infant-feeding style and children's adiposity at 5 years of age. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006;160:513-20.
18. Satter E. Eating competence: nutrition education with the Satter Eating Competence Model. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2007;39(Suppl 1):S189-94.
19. Joyce JL, Zimmer-Gembeck MJ. Parent feeding restriction and child weight. The mediating role of child disinhibited eating and the moderating role of the parenting context. Appetite. 2009;52:726-34.
20. Barbarich BN, Kibrak C, Hanning R, McCargar L. Combined diet and exercise in the treatment of pediatric overweight and obesity. The 2006 Canadian clinical practice guidelines on the management and prevention of obesity in adults and children. CMAJ. 2007;176(8):88-90.
21. Piers EV, Herzberg DS. Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. 2nd ed. Los Angeles: Western Psychological Services; 2002.
22. Varni JW, Seid M, Kurtin PS. PedsQL 4.0: reliability and validity of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0 generic core scales in healthy and patient populations. Med Care. 2001;39:800-12.
23. Health Canada. Eating well with Canada's Food Guide. Ottawa: Health Canada; 2007.
24. The fourth report on the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Pediatrics. 2010;114:555-76.
25. Kalavainen MP, Korppi MO, Nuutinen OM. Clinical efficacy of group-based treatment for childhood obesity compared with routinely given individual counseling. Int J Obes (Lond). 2007;10:1500-8.
26. Sacher P, Kolotourou M, Chadwick P, Cole T, Lawson M, Lucas A, et al. Randomized controlled trial of the MEND program: a family-based community intervention for childhood obesity. Obesity. 2010;18(Suppl 2):S1-7.
27. Katzmarzyk PT, Janssen I. The economic costs associated with physical inactivity and obesity in Canada: an update. Can J Appl Physiol. 2004;29:90- 115.
28. Daily Mail. Alert on overweight children as obese show signs of heart disease at 15; 2011 [cited 2011 Jan 13]. Available from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/ health/article-1333095/Alert-overweight-children-obese-signs-heart-disease- 15.html#ixzz16QHvPpQc
[Author Affiliation]
KAY WATSON-JARVIS, RD, MNS, FDC, CYNE JOHNSTON, PhD, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB;
CAMILLIA CLARK, PhD, R Psych, Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, and Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB
Global Fissile Material Inventories
This report estimates that global stockpiles of highly enriched uranium (HEU) and plutonium-the essential materials for nuclear weapons-are growing.The authors estimate that plutonium stockpiles alone are expanding by 70-75 metric tons each year. At the end of 2003, there were more than 3,700 metric tons of plutonium and HEU in about 60 countries. Although 30-40 metric tons of military HEU were converted into low-enriched uranium last year, there are still an estimated 1,725 metric tons of military stocks remaining. The report notes that the three nuclear NonproliferationTreaty hold-out states-Israel, Pakistan, and India-continue to increase their military stocks of fissile material.
[Author Affiliation]
By David Albright, Frans Berkhout, and William Walker.
The Institute for Science and International Security, June 2004.
Romney says discussion about contraception 'silly'
MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney tried to avoid answering a question about whether states should be able to ban contraceptives, insisting that they wouldn't want to anyway.
Romney seemed perplexed by the question and suggested it was irrelevant. Contraception, he said to laughs, is working "just fine."
The question was about whether a state could ban contraception, noting privacy was the reason cited in the last century in a case that overturned Connecticut's ban on contraception.
The right to privacy also was cited by the Supreme Court when it ruled in favor of abortion rights.
Latest in Japan's quake, tsunami, nuclear crisis
Record levels of radiation are detected in waters off the coast of the troubled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant at 3,355 times the legal limit for the amount of radioactive iodine. The amount does not pose an immediate threat to human health but is concerning, officials say. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko console some of the thousands displaced by the tsunami and nuclear emergency, spending about an hour at a Tokyo center. Tokyo Electric Power Co., which runs the plant, announces that President Masataka Shimizu was admitted to a hospital late Tuesday after suffering dizziness and high blood pressure. The 66-year-old has not been seen in public since a March 13 news conference in Tokyo, raising speculation that he had suffered a breakdown. The National Police Agency says 11,362 people have died in the disasters. Another 16,290 are missing.
Rockin' All Over The Sounds Of Christmas // Yuletide CD Treats from Torme, Tritt And Paxton
Do you hear what I hear? It's the sound of pop stars, howlingand fouling the songs of the season.
Five years after a batch of Top 40 regulars effervesced inholiday style for "A Very Special Christmas," a sequel has tumbleddown the chimney. The new album, again a fund-raiser for the SpecialOlympics, presents the sort of erratic mix that makes the CDprogrammer such a wise investment.
It never gets better than Tom Petty's opener, a cheery newcomposition called "Christmas All Over Again." The full-blown rockertreatment rarely works on a holiday tune, but Petty piles on bothproduction values and family values (on his relatives: "Yeah, I kindamissed 'em/I just don't want to kiss 'em."). This could be one forthe ages.
Cyndi Lauper pulls a Natalie Cole, dubbing herself into FrankSinatra's 1947 take on "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," whilecountry's Randy Travis, who can do no wrong, comes close with hisoverlong rendition of that dumb "Jingle Bell Rock."
Then there's the pop-chart pretty boys Extreme, whose new song"Christmas Time Again" reeks with trite lyrics and missed notes. AndMichael Bolton makes a big Der Bungle trying to pull off a raspy"White Christmas."
But don't write off Debbie Gibson's "Sleigh Ride." Her voice,all pumpkin pie and wintry fairyland, is just what's needed for thischipper outdoor ditty.
Sinead O'Connor's finale of Bob Dylan's "I Believe in You" comesoff as a plea for redemption. Makes sense, I guess, in a season offorgiveness.
And now, a look at two dozen other new holiday releases.Because these reviews are based more on holiday spirit than artisticmerit, we're using a special Christmas-tree gauge instead of starratings. Four trees is tops. TRADITIONAL
Mel Torme, "Christmas Songs" (Telarc) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)(STAR)
Believe it: This is the first-ever holiday album from the manwho wrote "The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts roasting . . ." etc.).He's been waiting for the right time to cut this disc, and he seemsto have found it.
Man, does this thing cook! Just listen to how he slides fromsong to song in the opening medley. No jarring jumps, no clumsyoverlaps. He just moves along, flattering a fresh melody with thatlively, limber voice.
Torme also puts a bow on "Good King Wenceslas," Charlie Brown's"Christmastime Is Here" and his own classic carol, all to the deftaccompaniment of the Cincinnati Sinfonietta.
It's a sumptuous hour of music. Bing, Nat, Johnny - make roomon the shelf.
Amy Grant, "Home for Christmas" (A & M) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
Fans might be hoping for something called "Baby, Baby Jesus," butthis will do. The second holiday disc by the queen of Christiancrossover peaks with a sweet "O Come All Ye Faithful," embellishedonly by guitar and choirboys. Low point: Grant's wispy, pointlessattempt at "For Unto Us a Child Is Born," from Handel's "Messiah." Russ Taff, "A Christmas Song" (Sparrow) (STAR) (STAR)
Another contemporary Christian favorite, this one making hisbid to be a Harry Connick-like crooner. He sings the standards in ashaky, overemoting voice that varies little from tune to tune. Thewedding-reception arrangements don't help.
The Manhattan Transfer, "The Christmas Album" (Columbia) (STAR)(STAR)
Didn't these guys used to be jazzy? You'd never know it fromthis zipless set, which refuses to pick up the pace. The harmonizingquartet drags in Tony Bennett to front "The Christmas Song," but eventhat rendition can't hold an Advent candle to the one on Bennett'sown beautiful (and bargain-priced) Christmas collection. Neil Diamond, "The Christmas Album" (Columbia) (STAR)
This just wasn't meant to be. COUNTRY Travis Tritt, "Loving Time of the Year" (Warner Bros.)(STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2
This guy sets a rowdy tone right from the "Winter Wonderland"opener. When it comes to time to answer the "Are you married?"inquiry with "No, man!" Tritt squeals it like he means it.
There also are grins to be found in Tritt's own title song ("Weget caught up in the season/And smile for no good reason") and hiswild reworking of "Silver Bells." But for some real fun, put thekids out of earshot and turn on the Buck Owens/Don Rich raveup "SantaLooked a Lot Like Daddy." Garth Brooks also covers this one, butTritt sounds plenty more gleeful as he shoots the Kris Kringle legend to hell.
Doug Stone, "The First Christmas" (Epic) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
No chestnuts here. The country stylist nicely bends his voicearound 10 new songs, all solid Nashville fare. His delivery vergeson mawkish at times, but it's always from the heart. Garth Brooks, "Beyond the Season" (Liberty) (STAR) (STAR) 1/2
Shameless is right. By now, country's megaman knows just how touse that little crack in his voice, and these songs seem to beg forit. There's both old and new, mostly gentle retellings of Messianicbirths in low places.
Naturally, he slathers on schmaltz like frosting on agingerbread man, relating a hokey personal story midway through"Silent Night" and sharing vocal duties with his songwriting pals on"The Friendly Beasts." No one can doubt the appeal, though, when heputs his twang to work on "What Child Is This?" Riders in the Sky, "Merry Christmas from Harmony Ranch" (Columbia)(STAR) (STAR)
What is it about "Silent Night"? These guys also feel obligedto jabber over their big finale. On the way there, the cowboy triosticks to a leisurely trot, never really breaking into a gallop.Their prairie harmonies vary only on a couple of comic-reliefnumbers, and on a likable "Silver Bells" duet with Kathy Mattea. FOR KIDS Tom Paxton, "A Child's Christmas," (Sony) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)(STAR)
The old folkie proves why kids' music has been very, very goodto him. Paxton sings of cookies and candy canes and neckties in avoice that's earnest and soooo easy on the ears. The peaceful yetpeppy arrangements capture every bit of a youngster's pre-holidaypalpitations.
Every song (except "Jingle Bells") is a Paxton original,including "The Marvelous Toy," a delightful perennial now amusing itsthird generation of youth. This album is every parent's chance toteach a kid how it went "whirrr! when it stood still." Hap Palmer, "Holiday Magic" (Kid Rhino) (STAR) (STAR)
An innocuous voice sings innocuous songs, backed up by achildren's chorus that came in a can with a generic label. Dan Crow, "Santa Songs" (Sony) one-half tree
His wise guy voice isn't all that bad: sort of like FredSchneider of the B-52's. But in checking his list, we find Mr. Crowhas been more naughty than nice. His song "Santa Claus in Santa Fe"comes with some badly Anglicized Spanish, and the scriptedinteraction with kids has one girl musing that Rudolph's red nose is"a zit."
Worst of all, his mid-song monologue in "I Saw Mommy KissingSanta Claus" pretty much demands that kids quit believing in the bigguy. Is this what you want your child listening to? INSTRUMENTAL Mason Williams, "A Gift of Song" (Real Music) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
The sincere tunes from this classical guitarist succeed wherethe Mannheim Steamroller collections get annoying. His ever-shifting"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (laced with bits of "Carol of theBells") and "What Tune Is This?" (which makes "What Child Is This?"sound like Williams' 1968 hit "Classical Gas") should go perfectlywith your tree-raising and fireplace-gazing. The worst fumble: anout-of-place steeldrum and flute number called "Santa's Holiday." Nowonder it's the CD bonus track. Richard Stoltzman, "Hark!" (BMG Classics) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
The classical clarinetist moonlights in his lite-jazz mode,leading a solid lineup heavy on Eddie Gomez' bass and Dave Samuels'vibes. The prettiest point comes with "Silent Night," featuringwide-open vocals from Allen Pinkney of the Boys Choir of Harlem.
John Boswell, "Festival of the Heart" (Hearts of Space) (STAR)(STAR) 1/2
Boswell noodles around on the piano, joined at times by a littleflute and percussion. Pleasant, but little more than musicalwallpaper. "The Narada Christmas Collection, Volume 2" (Narada) (STAR) (STAR)
It's an elevator Christmas from this New Age label. Fifteenartists perform 15 mostly acoustic songs, none of which makes anysort of impression. Do not play if operating heavy machinery. John Tesh, "A Romantic Christmas" (GTS) (STAR) (STAR)
The "Entertainment Tonight" co-host's piano tends to get drownedout by shrieking strings and choristers. He also produced thisalbum, suitable for people who miss "beautiful music" radio andsettle for WNUA instead. ET CETERA "The Alligator Records Christmas Collection" (Alligator) (STAR)(STAR) (STAR)
From Chicago's own label comes a straight ahead collection withall the emotion and repetition you expect from the blues. Fourteenacts specially recorded these numbers from the heart ("One ParentChristmas," by Saffire - the Uppity Blues Women) and from the Women)and from the groin ("Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'," by TinsleyEllis). You gotta like Katie Webster's off-the-beat vocals in "Deckthe Halls with Boogie Woogie" and Lonnie Brooks' lively tempo in"Christmas on the Bayou." Extra points also for the prettiestpicture disc of the season, with a wreath-wearing gator embossed inred and green. Sounds of Blackness, "The Night Before Christmas . . . A MusicalFantasy" (Perspective) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
This is what you call Christmas with an attitude. The 40-memberMinneapolis ensemble, produced by starmakers Jimmy Jam and TerryLewis, lays down rich songs from all walks of black musical life.Working their way through the "Visit from Saint Nicholas" poem, theyfirst give Santa praise that seems more fitting for the Christ child("The Jolly One's Here"), and then dis him for running around atnight ("Santa, Watch Yo' Step"). And a few classics fit in, too,notably a disco-gospel version of "O Holy Night." Mojo Nixon (above) and the Toadliquors, "Horny Holidays" (TripleX) (STAR) (STAR) (STAR)
This is not your father's Christmas record. In his unholysendups of holiday favorites, the clinically inane rocker sounds evenmore ragged than usual. "Silver Bells" takes two tries (even then hehas to hum some lines), and "Good King Wenceslas" has little morethan the title and a lot of "la la la la la." Give him credit,though, for finally putting the classic "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells"lyrics on disc, and for reverently growling the carol he was meant todo: "Mr. Grinch." Vince Vance and the Valiants, "All I Want for Christmas Is You"(Waldoxy) (STAR) (STAR) 1/2
Goofy rock release has some early '60s flavor, some melodicarrangements and some excellent female harmonies, notably on theknockout title song. Be sure to skip over the grating ditty "Can'tWait Till Christmas Day," which blends noisy children with Vance'sPee-wee Herman-like voice. Blecch. "Alligator Stomp, Volume 4: A Cajun Christmas" (Rhino) (STAR)(STAR) 1/2
We must congratulate the Jambalaya Cajun Band for creating thefirst listenable version of "Up on the Housetop" (it's in French,concealing the awful lyrics). This collection also includesBeausoliel waltzing through "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear," and atwo-step take of "Joy to the World" - both worth a listen. But am Ithe only guy who thinks Cajun music wears thin in a hurry? Brave Combo, "It's Christmas, Man!" (Rounder) (STAR) (STAR)
The rollicking quartet starts strong with a polka version of"Must Be Santa," but their mutated carols quickly degenerate intoWeird Al Yankovic-style novelty. However danceable, the sambas,cha-chas and waltzes ultimately feel faux.
"Mas! A Caribbean Christmas Party" (ARChive) (STAR) (STAR)
Thankfully, this balmy batch of island carols comes withthorough liner notes. Most Americans wouldn't know what to make ofthe inside-out "Deck the Halls" sung by Jamaica's Jacob Miller, orthe "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" grunted by Bahamian Joseph Spence(he makes Tom Waits sound like Neil Sedaka). The "ho-ho-hos" do seemat home in Machel Montano's "Soca Santa," but most of this stuffsounds very little like Christmas.
Trustees of prosperity
personal financial planning
IN THE WORLD OF OFFSHORE TRUSTS, THERE ARE IMPORTANT SAFEGUARDS TO PROTECT THE INTENT OF YOUR CLIENT AND THE INTEREST OF THE BENEFICIARIES
Financial advisers are integrating international planning into their practices as never before. The rewards of doing so can be quite dramatic: clients appreciate the practical solutions, and advisers attract clients with a higher net worth. Initially, however, many clients require a briefing on the nature of offshore trusts. Following are some of the main points to be communicated.
Trusts are quite aptly named because the process requires the "settlor" to relinquish legal ownership of assets to an individual or an institution (the 11 trustee") for the benefit of another (the "beneficiary").
A trust is a trust is a trust, whether it is onshore or offshore. For a trust to be considered offshore - that is, outside of North America and usually in a tax-free jurisdiction - the majority of trustees as well as the protector must reside offshore and have no intention of residing in North America during the lifetime of the trust.
For many, establishing an offshore trust in an unfamiliar jurisdiction, with a trustee they have never met, involves an unsettling leap of faith. The loss of control can cause extreme discomfort. Fortunately, in the world of offshore trusts, three important safeguards exist to protect the intent of the settlor and the interest of the beneficiaries.
The first safeguard is the trust deed itself. It clearly outlines the wishes of the settlor regarding the administration of the trust assets and their subsequent distribution to beneficiaries. This document establishes the rules that govern how the trust is managed. The trust deed lists the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the trustee; the role and powers of the protector; the beneficiaries; and any special instructions relevant to the investment, administration and distribution of trust assets.
The second safeguard is the protector. A protector is chosen to act as an intermediary between the trustee and the beneficiaries. In situations where the settlor and beneficiaries are unavailable to review the management of a trust, it is common to appoint a protector to provide guidance to the trustee and to ensure that the settlor's wishes are met. The protector does not control the trustee or usurp the trustee's function - rather, the trustee may be required to seek out the advice or consent of the protector on certain specified matters. A protector has a monitoring role with respect to trust administration; ultimately, however, a protector has the power to replace the trustee.
The third safeguard is the letter of wishes, which is a nonbinding letter written by the settlor to the trustees. Generally, it describes the settlor's reasons for creating the trust and offers guidance on the administration and management of the trust. In many cases, it will suggest the appointment of an asset management company as investment counsel and may even attach an investment policy statement (IPS). While the trustee is under no legal obligation to comply with the letter of wishes, the letter will generally be followed as long as it serves the beneficiaries' best interests.
One of the most frequent uses of an offshore trust is for wealth preservation. Certainly, that's the case at Assante Asset Management (Bermuda) Limited. An 11 asset protection trust" (APT) enables a settlor to relinquish ownership of assets to a trust in order to protect them from creditor's claims, taking into account the following provisos:
Most APT jurisdictions will protect a transfer to a trust provided the settlor is not insolvent at the time of the transfer and the transfer does not render the settlor insolvent. In addition, the transfer cannot occur with the intent to defraud creditors existing at the time.
There is a limitation period in most jurisdictions (the period is generally two years or more), after which the creditor will lose its right to impeach a trust or set aside a transfer.
In all cases, the burden of proof is on the impeaching creditor. Most asset protection trust jurisdictions will not recognize foreign orders, and the creditor will be required to bring a fresh action in the jurisdiction in which the trust is resident.
* This is not a tax-driven strategy. There may be a departure tax on assets leaving the country, and there are Canadian tax implications for the trust, its settlor and beneficiaries.
In asset protection we trust
The example below illustrates the mechanics of establishing an asset protection trust. Joe Canuck (our fictitious settlor) is a successful entrepreneur. He's recently sold his business and is looking for new opportunities. He realizes he may not be as successful in his next venture and wants some protection. He is also concerned about potential liability regarding several company boards on which he serves. In particular, Joe is a director of, and has an interest in, his brother's gas station. Recent news about gas spills and associated environmental issues - and thoughts of personal liability - are keeping Joe awake during the night. Even worse, his 20-year-old daughter is engaged to an uneducated man who has never held a job. Joe is convinced this man has his eye on his daughter's future inheritance.
Joe's financial adviser hears about his concerns and recommends an APT as a multipurpose solution: the trust will provide his family with a nest egg in case his next venture fails (or he's sued), and it can be structured to protect the family estate from the deadbeat future son-in-law.
Having decided that an APT is just the thing for Joe, the following steps are taken:
1. The adviser contacts an offshore service provider to assist in the establishment of an APT.
2. The structure of the trust is created, and the trust deed is prepared.
3. Once the settlor and his advisers approve the deed, the settlor signs the deed and returns it to the trustee with the initial "corpus" (a gold coin, US$ 100 or some other amount) to settle the trust.
4. Assets are transferred to the trust, usually by wire transfer.
5. The letter of wishes is written by the settlor and is forwarded to the trustees.
6. An asset management company is engaged to manage the money by the trustee, and the trust fund is invested pursuant to the IPS.
Once these steps are taken, Joe can rest easy knowing his assets are protected for future generations.
[Author Affiliation]
Gary Lyons, LLB, is the managing director ofAssante Asset Management (Bermuda) Limited in Hamilton, Bermuda.
[Author Affiliation]
Technical Editor: Ian Davidson, MBA, CFP, RFP, CA, vice-president and senior financial adviser, Assante Capital Management Ltd., Toronto
CDC: 1 in 4 high schoolers drink soda every day
ATLANTA (AP) — A new study shows one in four high school students drink soda every day — a sign fewer teens are downing the sugary drinks.
The study also found teens drink water, milk and fruit juices most often — a pleasant surprise, because researchers weren't certain that was the case.
"We were very pleased to see that," said the study's lead author, Nancy Bener of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Still, a quarter have at least one soda each day. And when other sugary drinks like Gatorade are also counted, the figure is closer to two-thirds of high school students drinking a sweetened beverage every day.
That's less than in the past. In the 1990s and early 2000s, more than three-quarters of teens were having a sugary drink each day, according to earlier research.
The CDC reported the figures Thursday, based on a national survey last year of more than 11,000 high school students. They appear in one of the federal agency's publications, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Consumption of sugary drinks is considered a big public health problem, and has been linked to the U.S. explosion in childhood obesity. One study of Massachusetts schoolchildren found that for each additional sweet drink per day, the odds of obesity increased 60 percent.
As a result, many schools have stopped selling soda or artificial juice to students.
Indeed, CDC data suggests that the proportion of teens who drink soda each day dropped from 29 percent in 2009 to 24 percent in 2010, at least partly as a result.
"It looks like total consumption is going down," said Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.
But the results of the new CDC study are still a bit depressing, said Brownell, who has advocated for higher taxes on sodas.
"These beverages are the kinds of things that should be consumed once in a while as treat — not every day," he said. "That's a lot of calories."
A 20-ounce Coke, for example, has 240 calories.
Brownell also said it's possible more than a quarter of teens are drinking soda, because many people underreport things they know they shouldn't be eating or drinking.
Bener agreed it's difficult to know if consumption of sugary drinks has been falling much, adding that schools are only half the battle.
"Getting them out of the schools doesn't solve the problem completely because a lot of these drinks are consumed in the home," said Bener, a CDC health scientist.
More detail: About 16 percent have a sweetened sports drink every day, and 17 percent drink some other sugary beverages like lemonade, sweetened tea and flavored milk. Black students were more likely than whites or Hispanics to drink sugary beverages.
The study also found that 7 percent of high school students drink diet soda each day, 5 percent have energy drinks and 15 percent have at least one coffee or tea.
Also, 72 percent drink a serving of water daily, 42 percent drink at least one glass of milk and 30 percent have 100 percent fruit juice.
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Online:
CDC report: www.cdc.gov/mmwr
Whale trainer's death jars safe world of adventure
It is billed as a leisurely boat tour. The shark surfaces, its fin slicing through the water.
The boat's captain, armed with a grenade launcher, blasts away at the bloodthirsty monster. Nearby gas lines explode and a column of fire erupts into the blue sky. We feel the heat from the flames, hear the shark's body churning in the water. A child hides her face in the crook of her mother's arm and whimpers as chilly water sprays everyone on the boat.
Of course, it isn't real. It's the "Jaws" ride at Universal Studios in Orlando, an attraction that runs hundreds of times a day.
Just miles away, officials at SeaWorld are holding a news conference to explain the death of Dawn Brancheau, a trainer who died when she was dragged underwater by a killer whale named Tilikum.
Orlando is billed as a nonstop adventure capital, ground zero of thrills and chills and action-packed fun _ all during family friendly hours and with a $3.99 breakfast buffet to get you going.
There's Congo River Golf _ which takes one of the world's most dangerous countries and turns it into a putt-putt course. At Disney's Animal Kingdom, you can "climb" Mt. Everest in a rollercoaster car. A little ways away, for the really adventurous, there's indoor skydiving.
And it's not just Orlando; across the globe, manufactured thrills entertain and amuse.
Yet every once in a while, something goes wrong. A roller coaster jumps the tracks, or a tiger leaps out of its pen, or a killer whale attacks a trainer, and that sense of safety is shattered.
"An event like this really shocks people," said Glenn Sparks, a professor of communication at Purdue University who has studied fright reactions to entertainment. "We say, uh oh, we didn't have control over this like we thought we did. It's a loss of control in this fantasy world. In our entertainment experience, we don't want reality to interfere. It's not something we bargained for."
When danger is packaged for our consumption, what does it do to our perception of reality? What happens when there's a real instance of tragedy in the safe tourist cocoon of Orlando?
In the words of Kelly Vickery, a young Tallahassee mother who was ushered out of SeaWorld on Wednesday because of the trainer's death and back at the park on Thursday to see the shark tank: "It feels weird."
It sure does.
"One of the nasty images implied by the media coverage of the trainer's death is imagining sitting there in that entertainment format and having this happen," Sparks said. "That really captured people's attention, and it goes right to heart of this tension between fantasy and reality."
Orlando specializes in fantastical, magical storytelling. During Saturday's first killer whale performance at SeaWorld since the trainer's tragic death, the audience was treated to a memorial of Brancheau _ and the choreographed show "Believe," about a boy who encounters a killer whale in the wild and becomes a whale trainer himself. Soaring music, leaping whales and a trainer placing a whale tail necklace around the neck of a little girl from the audience complete the inspiring story.
Meanwhile, over at Universal Studios in Orlando, we're implored to "Jump Into the Action," to "Live the Adventure." And that's before we even walk out of the parking lot.
As we stroll into the park, grand music fills the air from invisible speakers. We imagine that we are entering our own movie _ and that's exactly how we're supposed to feel.
Just being in the park's faux "neighborhoods" of Hollywood, New York and San Francisco breed a sense of security: trash is whisked away, bathrooms are spotless and no one is homeless. Everything is a sparkling, fantasy version of life.
But the things that the parks are best known for _ thrill rides _ also allow visitors to court danger. Safely.
"For most of us, our lives are predictable," said Lou Manza, professor and chair of the psychology department at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Pa. "We like to be entertained a bit, but we don't want to really put ourselves in real danger. We want to sit and watch whales but we don't want to dive into the ocean and play with whales."
Maybe all this isn't surprising in a world where on-demand entertainment is not only available but expected, where a few keystrokes and a mouse click can call up video on just about anything _ including a clip of the final moments of an Olympic luger, or the topic "killer whale trainer death."
Take the "Twister" adventure at Universal, for example. It's supposed to allow visitors to "experience what it's like to be a real storm chaser, looking a tornado right in the eye and braving the worst nature can throw at you."
Waiting in line, you shuffle past piles of cinder blocks, stacked to look like rubble. You can read about the Fujita tornado scales, and figure out that an F5 tornado is the worst Mother Nature has to offer. People with heart conditions and those with a sensitivity to "fog effects" are ominously advised not to participate.
Overhead TVs show video footage of real tornadoes _ and note that only two states see more tornadoes than Florida.
The video doesn't depict what happened in 2007, some 50 miles from Universal. That's when three very real tornadoes hit central Florida, leaving 21 people dead.
The theme park adventure is entertaining enough. Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt, the stars of the movie "Twister," come on a video screen to talk about shooting the movie, then everyone shuffles to a sound stage to watch a tornado rip through an Oklahoma town. Trees split. Telephone poles topple. Wind rattles the roof, and a few people jump.
On Universal's Web site, there's a photo and quote from a family from Miami: "Twister was the experience of a lifetime. Thrilling! Unbelievably realistic; for a second you forget that it's a ride. Twister (equals) a heart pounding experience."
Then there's the nearby Revenge of the Mummy ride, which combines a roller coaster, total darkness and the undead.
"You're all doomed," said the young guy directing folks onto the roller coaster car.
People in the car whooped and squealed as the mummies lurched toward the car. "Now that was a good ride!" one man declared at the end, then promptly walked into the adjacent gift shop, past the blinking beer mugs for $9.95.
It begs the question: why do we want to be scared by fake, rotting mummies yet can't handle watching more than a week of Anderson Cooper's coverage of the Haiti earthquake?
"People don't quite understand the reality of things," said Manza. "You see stuff all the time on YouTube, on TV, on the Internet that you never had access to before. We've kind of conditioned ourselves to get that way."
And speaking of earthquakes, there's the quaint "San Francisco" area of Universal Studios. The fake neighborhood is packed with replicas of buildings in Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Square. Families sip cappuccinos at sidewalk tables outside a small pastry shop, and one is tempted to try to buy a loaf of only-in-San Francisco sourdough bread at the bakery.
Over hidden speakers, Tony Bennett belts out "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" a few times a day.
Sandwiched among all of this is a ride _ "Disaster." The description on Universal's Web site sets the scene:
"You'll experience a cataclysmic earthquake that causes the ground above you to open up and rain down huge chunks of concrete debris. Pillars crumble, trucks crash and explode in flames, a runaway train heads right for you and 65,000 gallons of water flood the underground station."
But on a recent, normal sunny day in Orlando, Disaster was closed _ for renovation.
Evidently death, like just about everyone else in theme-park Orlando, was taking a holiday.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Miller on DL; Myers called up
Right-handed reliever Kurt Miller took his 18.00 earned-runaverage and a muscle strain in his left side to the disabled listTuesday, and right-hander Rodney Myers was recalled from Class AAAIowa to fill Miller's place in the Cubs' bullpen.
General manager Ed Lynch continued to talk trade Tuesday,looking for relief help. The Cubs still hope the Minnesota Twinswill trade right-hander Rick Aguilera for prospects.
The Cubs are not pursuing right-hander Mark Wohlers, who refusedthe Atlanta Braves' assignment to the minors. The Pittsburgh Piratesand Arizona Diamondbacks are said to be in the market for Wohlers.Miller, who has allowed four runs, three hits and four walks intwo innings, last pitched Sunday in Pittsburgh.Myers becomes the third right-hander in the Cubs' bullpen,joining setup man Matt Karchner and closer Rod Beck. In one startfor Iowa, Myers lasted 3 1/3 innings, giving up two runs and threehits. His spring-training ERA was 4.76.
R&B singer Mario charged with assaulting mother
BALTIMORE (AP) — R&B singer and former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant Mario has been charged with assaulting his mother at their Baltimore home.
Officers were called to an apartment building in the Fells Point neighborhood early Friday, where police say Shawntia Hardaway told officers her 24-year-old son, Mario Barrett, had pushed her.
According to charging documents, Hardaway said her head still hurt after Barrett pushed her into in a wall in a separate instance on Monday and she feared for her life. Officers found broken glass and a hole in a door in their apartment.
Barrett's attorney, William "Hassan" Murphy III, calls it "an unfortunate incident" between a loving son and a mother who has had drug problems. Barrett, who appeared in an MTV special in which he staged an intervention for his mother, was charged with second-degree assault and released on $50,000 bond.
'Terminator Salvation' clip unveiled at Comic-Con
"Terminator Salvation" won't hit theaters until next summer, but thousands of fans got an early look at a portion of the film Saturday.
Director McG presented never-before-seen footage during a Comic-Con panel and offered a few hints about what to expect from the highly anticipated fourth installment in the "Terminator" franchise.
For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger could be back.
"The T-800 model indeed is part of the mythology of Terminator," McG said coyly, referring to the machine model California's governor played in the first three films.
James Cameron, who directed the first two "Terminator" films, and special-effects master Stan Winston, who died in June, also each had a hand in the film, McG said, adding that Winston made a cameo appearance.
"He wrestles one of the hydrobots," the director said.
The movie, now shooting in New Mexico, could end up with an R rating rather than the rumored PG-13, McG revealed.
"We put the picture first at all times," he said. "If it's an R-rated picture, it's an R-rated picture and that's that."
He acknowledged that the studio is responsible for some of the online rumors.
"We release, like everyone else does, misinformation campaigns," McG said. "One of the joys of going to the movies is not knowing what's going to happen."
The brief clip shown Saturday was filled with explosions, tanks, gas masks, guns and crushed skulls.
Set in 2018, the film is dark and apocalyptic, "exploring what the world is like after a nuclear holocaust," the director said. "We wanted everything to feel like giant Soviet tanks crushing all comers."
"Terminator Salvation," a Warner Bros. release, is set to hit theaters in May.
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Warner Bros. is a unit of Time Warner Inc.
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On the Net:
Money-market fund's troubles spur industry moves
A soured investment in Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. debt slashed two-thirds of the asset value of the nation's oldest money-market fund, exposing clients to losses despite their investments in a financial product normally seen as a safe haven even in volatile markets.
The sudden setback at the Reserve Primary Fund caused it to "break the buck" _ leaving investors unlikely to get back all the cash they put in because the fund failed to maintain assets of at least $1 for every dollar invested.
After announcing the Primary Fund's troubles Tuesday night, the fund's manager, Reserve Management, said Wednesday that two other smaller money funds also had broken the buck: Reserve Yield Plus Fund, and Reserve International Liquidity Fund, a fund available only to offshore investors.
The Primary Fund's woes marked just the second instance of breaking the buck in the nearly four decades-long history of money funds, which started in 1970 when the Primary Fund ushered in a popular way to invest while keeping money readily available if needed.
The fund's troubles are expected to heighten anxieties of investors seeing fewer safe places to sock away cash. This includes money-market funds that have collectively grown to $3.5 trillion in assets because of their conservative reputation compared with riskier investments such as stocks.
"The Primary Fund was really the pioneer in the industry, so this is not only a big problem for that firm, but for investors," said Lawrence Jones, a mutual fund analyst at research firm Morningstar Inc.
Several money fund firms Wednesday issued statements trying to reassure investors. One of the biggest, Vanguard Group Inc., posted a statement on its Web site saying it "continues to manage its money market funds very conservatively and with extreme prudence, focusing on the highest-quality short-term money market instruments."
The Investment Company Institute, an industry organization, called the Reserve case "extremely rare," and said the "fundamental structure of money market funds remains sound."
New York-based Reserve said the value of $785 million in unsecured debt issued by Lehman and held by the Primary Fund were written down to zero on Tuesday _ a consequence of Lehman's collapse and bankruptcy after the federal government failed to bail out the investment bank. The Primary Fund had $23 billion in assets on Tuesday afternoon, down from $65 billion Aug. 31, fund spokeswoman Ming Lee Hatch said.
Reserve said that decline reduced the value of the fund's holdings to 97 cents for each $1 put in by investors, and investor redemptions to remove money will be delayed seven days. The Yield Plus Fund also stood at 97 cents on the dollar, while the International Liquidity Fund stood at 91 cents.
In the first instance of a fund breaking the buck in 1994, investors in the Community Bankers Mutual Fund ultimately lost about 4 cents on the dollar. That fund differed from the Primary Fund case because it was for a group of bankers, not retail investors.
In most instances in which a fund is in danger of breaking the buck, the fund's parent firm supplies cash from its own holdings or finds money elsewhere on the open market to maintain an adequate fund balance, said Peter Crane, president of Crane Data, publisher of the money-market fund newsletter, Money Fund Intelligence.
"Most funds would take action long before the $1 net asset value was jeopardized," Crane said.
But Reserve "is really an anomaly, because they are one of the few advisers that is privately held, and doesn't have a large financial institution as a parent," Crane said.
Morningstar's Jones said recent market volatility and Primary Fund's troubles demonstrate the importance for investors choosing a money-market fund to look beyond the yield that a fund promotes in its advertisements.
A small fund firm that relies heavily on one type of investment product or service rather than several may be more likely to run into trouble propping up a fund than a large firm with diversified operations, Jones said.
Lance Pan, research director at Capital Advisors Group, a Newton, Mass.-based adviser to institutional clients, said the nation's ten largest money-market fund families combined hold about 75 percent of all money fund assets, and most of those 10 are diversified.
But Pan also said because money funds often invest in companies in the recently hard-hit financial sector via short-term corporate debt, the safety of some money funds is in question.
"With financial firms in distress, that calls into question how the money-market funds can protect their holdings," Pan said.
Money-market funds are restricted by federal regulation to make conservative investments in low-risk securities, although they lack the federal deposit insurance that other safe investments such as bank deposits offer. The Primary Fund's Lehman investment likely didn't run afoul of investment regulations, since Lehman's debt continued to remain at an investment-grade level shortly before its collapse, Pan said.
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AP writer Tim Paradis contributed to this report from New York.
Sarkozy Wants Business-Friendly France
PARIS - Mesdames, Messieurs, France is now open for business. Nicolas Sarkozy won the French presidency on pledges to open up the economy, and his government is selling one message: Things have changed.
Goodbye to stretching jobless queues and famously French strikes and street protests, they say. Hello to a new business-friendly economy with a flexible labor market.
New, but still French. Some European neighbors have been questioning Sarkozy's capitalist credentials after he lobbied against free-market wording in a new EU treaty. Meanwhile, EU finance ministers are likely to grill Sarkozy on his spending-heavy financial plans Monday.
Still, change is in the air. In their efforts to draw a thick line between Sarkozy and his predecessor, French officials are delivering their message in the language fellow conservative Jacques Chirac fought so hard against: English.
"We too often gave you the image of a country with escalating social contributions, an increasingly complex legal system, and discouraging red tape," Prime Minister Francois Fillon told the World Investment Conference in La Baule, western France, last month.
Addressing his audience in the language of his British wife, he said: "That is all over! We are going to make France a country where it's easy to do business, where you can concentrate on running your company without hassle or pressure other than those of the market."
The contrast with Chirac, who distrusted unfettered markets and once stormed out of an EU summit because a French businessman addressed leaders in English, couldn't be stronger.
Sarkozy's new regime is not just about language. After years of lagging behind Europe's more nimble economies in terms of growth, France has a president who is pushing through parliament proposals this week that would scrap charges on overtime, cut taxes and encourage home ownership. And Sarkozy has not even been on the job two months.
His appointment of Lagarde, the former head of Chicago-based law firm Baker & McKenzie, was hailed by business leaders at the Paris Europlace Financial Forum last week as a signal the president is reaching out to them.
"It's a good sign for international investors," said Matthieu Louanges, executive vice president of Pimco Europe.
Lagarde, speaking at the conference, cast herself as a business leader running a government department.
She urged bankers and economists to come back to France - and not just for the food. Sarkozy's policies are designed to stop the trainloads of executives who commute to London each Sunday evening, she said, arguing for a "brain-drain back."
Yet Sarkozy's commitment to open markets took a bashing at a summit of European Union leaders last month, when he lobbied successfully to strike a commitment to "free and undistorted" business competition from a list of the EU's guiding principles.
Strong worker protections and a large public service are central to France's modern structure. In a 2005 survey of 20 nations by polling company GlobeScan, France was the only country where a majority did not back the free market.
Sarkozy has also set off alarm bells at the European Central Bank both by criticizing the ECB's stewardship of the euro - whose rise Sarkozy blames for handicapping European exports - and by announcing a delay in French commitments to reduce its debt and deficit.
When France signed up to the euro, it agreed to a set of rules designed to prevent governments from ramping up spending and boosting inflation.
To implement his reforms, Sarkozy claims he needs an extra two years to eliminate the deficit, which the previous government promised to do by 2010. He will join EU finance ministers Monday for their monthly meeting in Brussels in a bid to stem criticism.
His moves show France still prides itself on being an exception.
Herve Novelli, France's government minister for businesses and foreign trade, insisted that his nation can be economically liberal and also believe in intervention and protectionism when necessary. "There's no contradiction," he told the AP.
While Sarkozy may be more vocally pro-market and friendlier to the United States than Chirac, the new president was raised in the same political landscape.
Sarkozy's vision of an interventionist state with a strong role in regulating the economy follows the tradition set by Gen. Charles de Gaulle, the founder of France's Fifth Republic, whose right-wing party evolved into Chirac and Sarkozy's UMP.
"He's a strange creature," said Geoffroy Roux de Bezieux, head of Croissance Plus, an association of fast-growing French companies and president of Virgin Mobile France. "He could be the impossible illegitimate child of Margaret Thatcher and De Gaulle."
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