The City of Port Phillip has declared one of its playgrounds a "junk food-free zone".
Chips, chocolate or sugary sodas must now be consumed outside South Melbourne's Skinners Adventure Playground, News Corp reports.
"All sweet, fatty or fast food or drink is banned from the playground and must be consumed before entering," a message on the council's website reads.
Port Phillip Mayor Amanda Stevens said the ban was intended to support a healthy eating program for disadvantaged families living in nearby public housing.
She said "nine out of 10" visitors were happy to comply with the ban.
"Occasionally someone's not happy. But we have about 50 other playgrounds in Port Phillip where you can eat what you want," she was quoted as saying.
Dietitians Association of Australia spokeswoman Julie Gilbert supported the ban but added that better educating children about the dangers of junk food would be more effective in the long term.
How your immune system does its job seems to depend more on your environment and the germs you encounter than on your genes, says new research that put twins to the test to find out.
After all, the immune system adapts throughout life to fight disease, said Stanford University immunologist Mark Davis, who led the work.
And while young children's immunity may be more influenced by what they inherit from mom and dad, Thursday's study showed genetic influences waned in adulthood.
"Experience counts more and more as you get older," said Davis, director of Stanford's Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection.
Scientists know there is tremendous variation in how the immune systems of healthy people function. Davis asked if that's more a matter of nature or nurture, by comparing 78 pairs of twins with identical genetic makeups to 27 pairs of fraternal twins, who are no more alike genetically than any other siblings. Traits shared by the identical twins are more likely to be hereditary.
His team used blood samples from the twin pairs, who ranged in age from 8 to 82, to track more than 200 activities and components of the immune system. In three-quarters of the measurements, differences between pairs of twins were more likely due to non-heritable influences — such as previous infections or vaccinations, even nutrition — than genetics, the researchers reported in the journal Cell.
Then they compared the oldest twins, 60 and over, to those under age 20, when the immune system is still maturing. The youngest identical twins had far more immune similarity than the oldest. That makes sense, as older twins presumably haven't lived together in years and have had different exposures since childhood, they concluded.
When the researchers gave flu vaccine to participating twins, they found no sign that genetics determined how many flu-fighting antibodies were produced.
Most intriguing, the researchers found infection with a virus so common that most adults unknowingly carry it had a dramatic effect. Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is dangerous to those with weak immune systems but harmless for most people, and prior research has shown it can rev up parts of a healthy immune system. Sure enough, the Stanford team examined 16 pairs of identical twins where only one had CMV, and found big differences in nearly 60 percent of the components studied.
Does that mean we should try to prime the immune system, rather than working so hard to avoid germy situations?
"I'm a strong believer in the power of dirt," Davis said with a laugh, but this study actually can't offer health advice.
"This just says the environment plays a huge role in shaping what your immune system looks like," he explained.
Investigating how that happens is important, said Dr. Megan Cooper, a pediatric immunologist and rheumatologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who wasn't involved in the study. She noted that autoimmune diseases tend to run in families but whether someone born genetically susceptible gets sick may be shaped by their exposures.
"It's when you get those infections" that may be key to the impact on the immune system, she said.
Old age isn't a problem. It's what we are trying to achieve.
It started within months of the minister being sworn in. Preparing the ground for a Medicare co-payment Peter Dutton said health spending was on an "unsustainable path". The cost of the Medical Benefits Schedule (Medicare) was "spiralling".
"The fact is 170 people per week today are being diagnosed with dementia, but in a number of years it'll be 7500 a week," he told Lateline while trying to sell the co-payment.
The ABC fact checking unit ran its ruler over his claim and found that rather than increasing fortyfold over a number of years, as the minister had said dementia was set to treble over 40 years.
Between 1998 and 2012 the life expectancy for newborn boys grew from 75.9 years to 79.9 years – an extraordinary increase in such a short time. In little more than a decade Australian men gained an extra four years.
But how many of those extra years are good ones, disability-free?
The institute's remarkable finding is that men have gained an extra 4.4 years of disability-free life. Not only are Australian men set to live four years longer, but less of their lives are likely to be incapacitated.
For women the picture is (slightly) less rosy. Between 1998 and 2012 the expected life for a newborn girl climbed from 81.5 years to 84.3 years – an increase of 2.8 years.
The increase in the number of disability-free years was slightly less (2.4 years) meaning that most – but not not all – of the extra years were disability-free. In terms of value for money whatever is driving those extra years looks like a good deal, an even better deal for men.
The brain could be a powerful fat burning tool, say scientists at Monash University in Melbourne who discovered that two naturally occurring hormones interact to convert energy-storing white fat into energy-burning, "good" brown fat.
One of the enzymes, leptin, is an appetite suppressant that's generated in fat cells and the other is insulin, which comes from the pancreas when levels of glucose in the blood start to rise.
Professor Tiganis' research shows that the two hormones act together and persuade a group of neurons — called proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons — in the brain to convert the fat from white to brown, thereby igniting the fat-burning process.
If all this has you wondering why you can't just think your way skinny, chances are enzymes called phosphatases that inhibit the actions of leptin and insulin could be working against you.
Professor Tiganis' team found that when phosphatases were reduced, more brown fat was created and more fat was burned.
Don't give up your diet or relinquish your gym membership just yet: Professor Tiganis says any potential therapy based on his team's research is still a long way off.
Brown fat cells, also called adipocytes, occur most densely around the neck and shoulders, according to the researchers, whose study was published in the journal Cell.
That white adipocytes can be converted to brown has been suggested by several studies revealing a variety of methods to do so.
For example, a study at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands says it's possible to creat brown fat by keeping your surroundings cool, while another published in the journal Cell Press indicates that Mirabegron, a drug normally used to treat an overactive bladder, could also do the job.
While the thought of Vegemite makes most of the world gag, Australians love the the super salty spread made from leftover brewers' yeast and spices.
"If Australians like this, then they are very crazy people," says one French tourist.
Not surprisingly, at the end of the commercial, two men with Australian accents happily munch away at the new pizza.
The new "Mitey stuffed crust" is definitely "made for Australia" as Pizza Hut says. This may be one pizza pie we're not itching to try.
So much for the stereotype of the beer-swilling Aussie: research shows we're drinking a full 25% less alcohol than we did 40 years ago. While beer producers probably aren't happy about this, there is a definite upside: it has dramatically curbed alcohol-related violence.
The government report, Australia's Changing Drinking Habits, disproves commonly held beliefs that alcohol consumption and alcohol-related violence are increasing.
In 1974-75, Australians consumed an average of 13.1 litres of alcohol per person. Since the 1980s, this has declined, decreasing to 9.9 litres in 2012-13. Teenagers are drinking significantly less, with the proportion of young people abstaining increasing from 56% in 2007 to 72% in 2013.
Interestingly, alcohol-related violence has decreased by 30% in NSW in the last six years, despite the number of liquor licences increasing by 16%. Terry Mott, CEO of the Australian Liquor Stores Association, says this proves a lack of evidence between alcohol availability and violence.
This increase in the number of liquor stores has also not led to an increase in alcohol consumption.
Most Australians would prefer to see targeted programs, rather than whole-of-population control measures, to address alcohol-related problems. Only 28% of people support an increase in the price of alcohol, while targeted measures have received much stronger support: 85% support greater enforcement of penalties for drunk drivers, 84% support enforcement against supply minors and 82% support enforcement against serving intoxicated customers.
"Australia's drinking habits have changed significantly over the course of the four decades; we are more educated about alcohol and we are making much better choices than we ever have before," said Mott.
The 'Australia's Changing Drinking Habits' report is available from the Australian Liquor Stores Association's website: http://www.alsa.com.au.
(Reuters Health) – People with even moderately high cholesterol levels in their 30s and 40s are more likely to have heart disease later in life, according to a new study.
But many of them wouldn't meet the criteria for treatment under guidelines from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology (AHA/ACC).
"What we found is that people with prolonged exposure to high cholesterol levels are at a much higher risk of cardiovascular events than people without that exposure," said Michael Pencina, the study's senior author from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
The guidelines say statins could be beneficial for people with known heart disease; those with a "bad" LDL cholesterol level of 190 or higher; patients with type 2 diabetes between the ages of 40 and 75; and individuals ages 40 to 75 with at least a 7.5 percent risk of developing heart disease over the next 10 years, based on new risk assessment formulas.
Using data from 1,478 adults without heart disease at age 55, the researchers found that heart disease eventually developed in about 4 percent of those who always had good cholesterol levels, 8 percent of those who'd had high cholesterol for one to 10 years and 17 percent of those with high cholesterol for 11 to 20 years.
But only one in six of the people with high cholesterol would have met the recommendations for statin use at age 40. That increased to one in three people by age 50, the researchers reported in the journal Circulation.
Dr. Steven Nissen, who was not involved with the new study, said the new article illustrates the concerns many cardiologists have with the new guidelines. Specifically, he said the guidelines have a cut off for statin use at age 40.
"If you really think about it, the people you want to treat are people who have long-term risk early enough in life to make a difference," said Nissen, chairman of the Robert and Suzanne Tomsich Department of Cardiovascular Medicine at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
"To say don't treat anyone younger than 40 is not sensible," he said. "This article suggests it really isn't sensible," adding that it's especially true for people with genetic conditions that increase cholesterol even earlier in life.
Pencina said he and his colleagues stopped short of suggesting wider statin use among younger people, because there needs to be long-term studies on its safety.
Statins are not free of risks; rarely, they can cause liver or muscle problems, high blood sugar, or memory issues.
Paul Chessman of Kensington doesn't just want to be around to enjoy his grandchildren. He wants to spend quality time with them.
Chessman is one of the role models the Department of Health and Wellness is using in a public awareness campaign to promote its new wellness strategy.
"I'm 58 and I'm probably fitter now than when I was 38,'' Chessman said Friday during a press conference in Charlottetown.
Chessman said he didn't make any dramatic changes in his lifestyle, just little things here and there. And, that was the message on Friday - every little bit counts.
The province will spend $100,000 in grants over the next year to support community partnerships that support the five wellness priorities - mental health, physical activity, healthy eating, living tobacco-free and drinking responsibly.
"That is seed money to get NGOs (non-government organizations) engaged to apply for the money, whether it be a seniors community group to get a walking club started or whatever,'' said Health and Wellness Minister Doug Currie.
Alexander MacKay, a student at East Wiltshire Intermediate School, said he chose to reduce the amount of sugar he eats.
It's grabbing a piece of celery instead of potato chips for a snack or a walk around the block at lunch.
P.E.I. wellness ambassador and two-time Olympic gold medallist Heather Moyse knows all too well how much the little things matter. Just tenths of a second can mean the difference between gold and heartbreak.
"You hear about these big lofty goals people have but, really, they don't seem so lofty when you break things down and realize it's just the mundane, every day, plugging away choice that we make on a daily basis (that matter),'' Moyse said.
Currie also talked about working with the private sector, citing examples such as #BellLetsTalk on social media and Canadian Tire donating hockey gear as initiatives that have helped.
The effort now will be made to get the message out to communities across the province.
Chessman said it might just get a few Islanders making some health adjustments of their own.
IT'S the silent killer that claimed 152 Sunshine Coast lives in five years.
It doesn't discriminate and it can strike at any time.
Federal Department of Health data shows 152 Sunshine Coast residents died from bowel cancer between 2008 and 2012.
But a new campaign is aimed at turning the tide and doctors are imploring people to act before it is too late.
Dr Graham Newstead, one of Australia's leading bowel surgeons, said it was the second deadliest cancer.
"When found early, 90% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated," the International Council of Coloproctology chairman said.
"Despite this, our research suggests that people do not prioritise testing for the disease in the same way they would for other common cancers."
The disease is more common in people aged over 50 and those who have lost a family member to the cancer.
However, people under 50 who do not have a genetic link are also at risk.
If discovered early enough, the cancer can be removed without the need for chemotherapy.
Bowel Cancer Australia chief Julien Wiggins said research showed men and women were more likely to be screened for cancers of the prostate or breast.
"People need to be bowel aware," Mr Wiggins said. Bowel cancer often develops without any warning signs.
"Regardless of family history, from age 50, all Australians are at an increased risk."
We can do more to prevent people from getting cancer, for example by increasing efforts to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air, says Christian Friis Bach.
Christian Friis Bach is executive secretary and under-secretary-general at the UN Economic Commission for Europe.
Today, on World Cancer Day, I am with all those who are affected by cancer - individuals who are struggling with the disease as well as their families and friends. In recent years I, too, have been personally affected, as cancer struck members of my family and some of my best friends. Cancer is a terrible global disease, causing millions of deaths worldwide every year.
We can do more to prevent people from getting sick. One way is to increase our efforts to reduce the amount of pollutants in the air we breathe. Air pollution is already known to increase risks for a wide range of diseases, including respiratory and heart diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution killed more than 7 million people worldwide in 2012. This makes it more deadly than malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS combined, and by far the world's largest single environmental health risk.
In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer also classified outdoor air pollution as causing cancer. Data from 2010 show that 223,000 deaths from lung cancer worldwide are attributable to air pollution. Air pollution is thus a leading environmental cause of cancer deaths. This is highly disturbing.
We must therefore take action to improve air quality. We must take action across national boundaries, but also across sectors. We must take action at power stations, at industrial installations and in individual homes. Action must be taken by car makers and car owners, by farmers across the vast pan-European region, by those burning wood in a home furnace and, last but not least, by each and every one of us. Reducing air pollution must be a high priority on our health agenda to prevent cancer and other diseases.
Since 1979, UNECE has been working to improve air quality through its Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (Air Convention), which sets emission targets for Parties to reduce air pollution. The result of this collective effort has been spectacular: emissions of a series of harmful substances have been reduced by 40 to 70% since 1990 in Europe. The air we breathe today in Europe and North America is much cleaner than it was 30 years ago.
But we must do more and we must take global action. This is why air quality has been selected as one of the two main themes at the next Environment for Europe ministerial conference in Georgia in 2016. This is why air quality is a key priority in the expected Sustainable Development Goals.
Breathe in and breathe out. Let's get to work.
Is detox all it's cracked up to be?
IF YOU'VE stumbled out the wrong side of the holiday period and are struggling to button up your jeans, chances are you've muttered the D-word under your breath at least once.
And with promises such as rapid weight loss and purifying your body of dangerous toxins, a few weeks detoxing on a juice fast or spending hundreds of dollars on supplements seems a small price to pay to wash away your sins of the past few months.
But before you wipe the dust off your juicer, Professor Tim Crowe from Deakin University, says unfortunately, those promises are too good to be true (but deep down your probably already knew that).
"There's no question that someone with a very poor diet who starts cutting out rubbish, eating better and loses weight will feel better in the short-term," he says.
Or in the case of juice cleanses or the popular weight-loss program Isagenix, eat not much at all.
Consumer watchdog CHOICE recently reviewed Isagenix, which promises significant weight loss, plus the chance to make thousands of dollars selling the product through multi-level marketing.
And at a cost of $260-$750 — you'd need to sell the product just to be able to afford it!
CHOICE determined that there is no scientific evidence to support the claims made by some Isagenix sellers.
So how does a product like this and others like it get such glowing reviews?
"A lot of detox diets are a form of calorie restriction, which can help you lose weight, but a lot of that weight loss is coming from your carbohydrate stores," explains Crowe.
"You're losing those stores in your muscles and liver. That explains a lot of the tiredness and fatigue. Most of the reason people feel like crap on these diets is because they're in a state of semi-starvation.
Now it seems detox and cleanse diets have gone from ineffective black holes for cash to something more concerning.
There are stories of people who have been coerced into buying Isagenix from so-called friends and even allied health professionals.
Sarah from Sydney says her naturopath recommended she use the product for digestion problems.
"He put me in touch with someone who wasn't a health professional, she just sold Isagenix on the side," she says. "In hindsight it was just so wrong.
Sarah says while she did lose some weight and felt better, before long she'd gained it all back, despite being a healthy eater.
Meanwhile, Anne felt she was tricked into buying and selling Isagenix by a friend.
"The products arrived and it was all chemical crap I would never eat, plus I was supposed to only have one actual food meal a day," she says.
CHOICE also reported concerns about salespeople with no qualifications giving people health advice.
What are these "toxins" manufacturers of detox or cleanse products keep talking about?
The thing is, he says, the human body is really great at detoxing itself, without the help of supplements, tonics or juices.
"Our bodies are full of toxins, such as urea, and we excrete them all day long. Our liver and kidneys work very well at getting rid of them," he explains.
If you're really keen on blasting away any excess weight and guilt, Crowe has the best, scientifically proven detox around: eat your greens.
"I'm not going to make a ton of money or sell any books out of it, but there you go," he says.
"Throw out all the junk in your fridge and cupboards, then fill it full of fruits and vegies.
News.com.au has contacted Isagenix for comment.
Hippocrates said circa 400BC that "food should be our medicine and medicine should be our food". He would probably turn in his grave if he saw the amount of highly processed, sugary food and drinks marketed to children today. This food can be as addictive as cocaine or heroin. And it's difficult for parents to counteract its appeal.
One in four Australian children and 63 per cent of adults are overweight or obese. This is contributing to unprecedented levels of preventable obesity-related disease such as diabetes, heart disease, and liver and kidney failure.
Unhealthy diets also contribute to poor mental health and lower IQ in children. Just like our body, our brain needs essential nutrients and a healthy environment free from inflammation, oxidation and excess glucose to work properly.
Public health groups are tackling junk food marketing with a multifaceted approach akin to the painfully gradual change that reduced tobacco advertising and smoking. In the meantime, parents can have a very important influence on their child's health and eating choices.
A healthy diet at any age is high in plant foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains as well as fish and healthy oils such as extra virgin olive oil. And it's low in processed, high-fat, high-sugar foods and red meat.
It's important to enjoy a variety of foods from each of the core food groups to get a broad range of essential nutrients.
So, for starters, breastfeeding for 12 months gives children a healthy immunity and has multiple benefits for their health and for their cognitive development. It can also impact on their taste preferences by exposing them to multidimensional flavours - and they can develop taste preferences for foods that mum eats too (healthy or otherwise).
The best time to gradually start introducing solids is about six months of age, when children are developmentally ready and start needing extra calories and some extra nutrients such as iron. But even the most well-meaning parents can struggle to get toddlers and children to eat healthy food, especially vegetables.
Children will learn to like healthy food such as vegetables if they are regularly exposed to them from a young age. Where you can, cook baby foods yourself from fresh ingredients, and avoid adding sugars and salt.
Children's taste preferences are established in early life. It is best to keep it simple – introduce new vegetables and fruit one at a time so they can learn to appreciate the individual flavours.
Young children naturally tend to develop neophobia, fear of unknown food, about the age of two. Therefore, continued exposure to healthy foods, rather than pandering to fussiness, will help to mitigate this and their willingness to try novel foods will naturally increase over time.
Research shows it can take 10 to 14 exposures to a previously unliked vegetable for children to like it and choose to eat it. So don't give up. It's important for this exposure to be neutral, without any pressure, rewards or bribes. Make it a positive family occasion free from distractions such as TV, other media and toys.
Research has shown that even exposing children to vegetables in story books from a young age can further strengthen the likelihood that they will eat vegetables.
Most importantly, make it fun and let children play with their food to explore all of the colours, flavours and textures.
The "parent provide, child decide" model can make this process a little easier. This is where parents provide healthy options within firm boundaries and allow the child to decide what, and how much to eat. Keep the unhealthy options out of the house.
Forcing children to eat vegetables does not work - you might win the battle but will lose the war. Avoid negative associations with healthy food, as these can put them off.
Nor does using bribes or rewards work, as children will learn to prefer the reward and not learn to enjoy healthy food for its own intrinsic taste.
Children will eat when they are hungry; their appetite will vary so don't panic if they don't want to eat. Let them learn to listen to their bodies and their innate hunger cues.
They will also copy you. So if you want healthy children, you need to be a good role model and eat well too.
As children get older, other children, parties and school can influence their eating behaviours. However, the family food environment still plays an important role in influencing healthy eating - in particular, the mother's role modelling behaviour and the food that is available in the home.
Other things that parents can do is involve children in shopping, cooking, gardening. School projects have shown that if children are involved in growing, picking and cooking vegetables they are more likely to eat them.
Children of all ages whose families eat together at home - free from distractions such as television - have been shown to have healthier diets. So make it a priority to eat together. This is also a great time for conversation and bonding.
And don't despair if you or your child is struggling. The good news is that food addictions and taste preferences can be changed. There are infinite healthy, tasty recipes that are simple and affordable to make.
In sum, create a warm, positive, healthy food and meal environment free from distractions when eating, and be a good role model. Children will learn to enjoy good food as it is meant to be enjoyed, and flourish in the process.
"Dietary advice does not merely need a review; it should not have been introduced."
This is the arresting conclusion made in a new review published in BMJ's Open Heart journal.
In this instance, the researchers are referring specifically to the fat recommendations in national dietary guidelines.
Nutritional science is a dynamic field and knowledge is growing quickly, debunking long-held beliefs. Beliefs like margarine is better than butter or that fat makes you fat.
Here are 10 common nutritional beliefs that have been debunked by science.
This myth started in the 1970s with the flawed Seven Countries study, which looked at the correlation between saturated fat intake and heart disease among 12,763 men from seven different countries.
The study failed to consider whether the men smoked, did exercise or consumed sugar, among other factors.
Saturated fat, as the new BMJ study has found, is not bad for weight or heart health.
In fact, it can even be good for us – if it's coming from healthy sources like organic eggs, coconut oil, butter and range-raised, grass-fed meat instead of salami and fast food.
"The truth is, saturated fats from animal and vegetable sources provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones and hormone-like substances, without which your body cannot function optimally," says Dr Joseph Mercola.
"Any dietitian working with clients for weight loss or to improve blood lipids knows it is the fat balance in the diet that is crucial, not just the saturated fat intake," adds dietitian Susie Burrell. "Anything is bad if we have too much of it, but 15-20g saturated fat each day via dairy or meat and a balanced diet is no issue."
Bottom line: As part of a balanced diet, saturated fat is not bad. In fact, when it comes from the right sources and is eaten in moderation, it can be beneficial to our health. "Dietitians are now recommending that people focus on whole foods as opposed to purely on nutrients," says accredited practising dietitian from Nutrition Plus Melanie McGrice.
This comes from the same school of thought that labelled fat bad. It has, thankfully been debunked on multiple levels.
A low-fat eating pattern does not cut health risks of cancer or heart disease, studies have shown, and it does not lead to greater weight loss than a high-fat diet.
"Low-fat processed foods tend to contain refined carbohydrates and added sugars – in general processed foods are not a good choice," Burrell says.
Bottom line: It's still a matter of moderation, but this myth needs skimming. The Dietitians Association of Australia suggests about 70 grams of fat per adult per day. To put it in perspective, an avocado has about 15 grams of fat. "In recent years we have learnt how important a small amount of fat is for part of a healthy diet – even for those who want to lose body fat," McGrice says.
A new study, conducted over 10 years, found that sodium intake was not associated with higher death rates, cardiovascular disease or heart failure.
"There is a need for stronger evidence, preferably from rigorous controlled trials testing additional thresholds for sodium intake, before applying a policy of further sodium restriction to older adults beyond the current recommendation for the general adult population (2300 mg/dl)," the authors said.
In fact a separate study of more than 100,000 found that a diet too low in salt can have negative health implications.
"Research in nutragenetics is now showing us that some people are more sensitive to salt than others, so salt's impact on your health may be affected by your DNA," note McGrice.
Bottom line: For healthy individuals, without blood pressure or heart issues, a moderate amount of salt isn't bad. Instead of slavishly counting milligrams, one idea is to eat real (not processed salt-packed foods), add salt where necessary for flavour and leave it at that. "There are worse things going on with Australian's diet than salt – if you cut back on fast and processed foods, you will automatically cut back on salt," Burrell points out.
OK, sugar sure looks and tastes a treat. But, it can be very badly behaved. If we eat too much of it, that is.
It is not just the way it delivers empty calories, completely devoid of nutrition. It is the way it messes with your insulin, making you want to go back for more. And more.
It's the way it can cause metabolic problems, diabetes and even cardiovascular disease.
We currently consume too much sugar and there is no doubt we need to dabble less in the sugar dance.
BUT, a little sugar is not the dietary devil, as some food activists say.
"Added sugars via soft drink, lollies, snack foods offer little nutritionally and should be kept to a minimum in the diet," Burrell advises. "A small amount of natural sugars in fruit and dairy is no cause for concern."
Bottom line: For healthy, active people who eat a well-balanced diet, a small amount of sugar is sweet. "If you're undertaking plenty of physical activity, and brushing your teeth regularly, there's no harm in having some jam on your toast or a little chocolate syrup in a glass of milk to add flavour and variety to your diet," McGrice says.
"Eggs are one of the most nutrient dense natural foods available," says Burrell.
Recent research has debunked the idea that eggs are bad for heart health and cholesterol in healthy individuals. In fact, eggs are rich in iodine, for making thyroid hormones, and phosphorus, which is essential for healthy bones and teeth. They are also packed with vitamins A, B, E and D.
As well as this, eggs activate serotonin, the happy hormone.
"Eggs have been recommended as a great source of nutrition by the Australian Dietary Guidelines for over a decade now," McGrice points out.
Bottom line: Eggs are good for body and mind, so get cracking, preferably with free-range or organic eggs, which studies have shown to be more nutritious.
Despite a recent trend towards small meals spread evenly throughout the day to fuel the metabolism, there is no solid evidence that this happens.
Rather, research has revealed that it is the total amount of food eaten in a day that makes the difference to appetite, fat loss and metabolism. This is regardless of whether you're consuming three square meals or six small ones.
"Whether you should eat three meals or include snacks in between largely depends upon your routine and lifestyle," McGrice says.
"Many Aussies snack too much with 6-8 eating occasions a day," adds Burrell. "Three to four suit most people - breakfast, lunch, mid afternoon and dinner."
Bottom line: Watch your quantities however you consume them and stick with what works for you, but it is not true that eating more frequently will burn more kilojoules over the course of the day.
Many health guidelines recommend low fat dairy to minimise kilojoule intake. Additionally, full fat dairy has been slandered by the saturated fat equates to a greater risk of heart disease and obesity.
Interestingly, studies have shown an inverse association with full fat dairy and obesity risk.
As well as this, overall intake of dairy products was not associated with early death. The conclusion of one long-term study: "A possible beneficial association between intake of full-fat dairy and cardiovascular mortality needs further assessment and confirmation."
Adds McGrice: "The difference in fat between full cream milk versus low fat milk is only 2% so doesn't amount to a very big difference in kilojoules anyway unless you're drinking litres of milk every day, the key message is to ensure that you're including three serves of dairy or dairy alternatives in your diet each day."
Bottom line: Full fat dairy has been linked with a reduced risk of obesity and possibly even heart disease. As with anything the key is easy does it. "If the rest of the diet is low in processed and fast foods, a small amount of full cream dairy can be a part of a balanced diet," Burrell says.
This rumour has been doing the mainstream rounds in recent years. Olive oil has been called the healthiest fat on the planet. It runs its liquid gold goodness right through the Mediterranean diet, is abundant in antioxidants and improves risk factors related to heart disease, cholesterol and diabetes.
But, some researchers have said that olive oil burn at low temperatures compared to other types (like coconut oil), and when oil is overheated, it produces toxic chemicals called lipid peroxides.
Various other studies however have found this to be untrue and found heated olive oil to be more stable than oils like sunflower or canola.
"Deep frying in olive oil will destroy the oil but olive oil still offers the health benefit of acting as a rich source of antioxidants when used in cooking at medium temperatures," Burrell explains.
"Variety is the spice of life and I think that it's a great idea to vary the types of oils that you use to create different flavours in your meals," McGrice suggests.
Bottom line: Olive oil can tolerate heat and is OK to cook with as well as being wonderful in salads... and pretty much everything else.
Breakfast isn't necessarily the most important meal of the day, for weight-loss at least, recent research has revealed.
One study found that while eating breakfast resulted in greater initial weight loss among participants, those who tended towards eating later instead were better at maintaining fat-free mass, which impacts metabolism.
"What time you have your first meal of the day really should come down to your lifestyle and what you eat for your first meal," McGrice advises. "If your first meal is a doughnut at 11am, then maybe you should be considering eating breakfast."
Adds Burrell: "Eating the first meal of the day as early as possible helps to boost metabolic rate."
Bottom line: Breakfast is known to have a positive impact on cognition, but skipping it won't necessarily slow your metabolism. Start the day how it feels natural for you and eat when you're hungry.
Dr Michael Mosley popularised the idea of intermittent fasting. But, rumours persist that going without food will slow your metabolism.
This is not true, so long as the fasts are for short periods, research has revealed.
"New research suggests that occasional fasting may even boost metabolism, if done in the right way," says Burrell.
One recent study found beneficial effects of intermittent fasting on glucose regulation and cardiovascular function. Other studies have found that overnight fasting (after dinner waiting 12 hours to eat breakfast) can improve blood sugar and metabolism levels, help fight high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity.
"Your metabolism slows when your body runs out of fuel and has to start breaking down muscle mass, but your body should have enough glycogen stores to last a few days before this occurs," McGrice says.
Bottom line: Prolonged fasting and severe calorie restriction disturb the endocrine system, but intermittent fasting can have positive effects on our health and waistlines.
At his most productive Matt Mullenweg slept six times a day.
This was while he was creating a billion-dollar company that led to him being named one of the most influential people on the internet.
In a new interview, the tech icon, whose company Wordpress powers more than 20 per cent of the internet, opened up about his top hacks for productivity.
One of the more controversial hacks, which also included mini-meditations and one push-up each day, was a sleep technique called the Uberman.
Uberman involves breaking sleep into six 30 minute blocks, separated by about four hours of wakefulness.
"This was probably one of the most productive periods of my life," Mullenweg said. "I wrote WordPress in that time."
Mullenweg said sticking systematically to the routine was essential. "You're wrecked" if you miss one of those naps, he told fellow Uberman-advocate and author of the New York Times best selling Four Hour Body, Tim Ferriss.
The concept behind Uberman is that through slight sleep deprivation, you maximise REM sleep – the restorative dream phase – as well as your waking hours.
Studies have shown that most animals follow a polyphasic sleep pattern (on which Uberman is based), while before electric light, humans tended to sleep twice a day, Spanish siesta-style.
"Humans slept in two four-hour blocks, which were separated by a period of wakefulness in the middle of the night lasting an hour or more," says Roger Ekirch, a sleep historian and author of At Day's Close: Night in Times Past.
During this time, people might hang out in bed, visit their neighbours or practice making babies, before going back to sleep, Ekirch said.
"On a good morning there's no alarm clock," Mullenweg said in a blog about his own sleep experimentation. "I wake up with the sun and do my best to resist the instinctive urge to look at the computer or check email for at least an hour.
"I do my best work mid-morning and super late at night, from one to five in the morning. Some people don't need sleep, but I actually need a ton.
"I just sleep all the time, catching naps in the afternoon or a 20-minute snooze in the office. Our business is 24 hours – folks in Australia start their day around 4pm my time and our guys and girls in Europe get going around midnight. Sometimes I'll go out at night, come home from the bar at 2 or 3am, and then go back to work."
Mullenweg ultimately stopped Uberman when he started a new relationship.
"That was the end of Uberman, and the beginning of a significantly less productive – but more romantic – phase," he said in a separate interview with Ferriss. "It's nice to be able to spend a normal night with someone instead of just sleeping 20 minutes."
He does however wonder whether he hit "peak" productivity when he went polyphasic.
Whether or not he did, or did as a result of Uberman, it is a risky technique.
"Uberman's sleep schedule is a potentially dangerous way to increase your waking hours," writes one Kuro5shan website user who tried the technique for one month. "Although I found success with it to this point, there still may be physical and psychological dangers that I have not yet met, and there may be grave difficulties for others attempting the cycle."
Professor David Hillman, chair of the Sleep Health Foundation, agrees.
"There's not a lot of science backing it," he says. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me."
The current sleep guidelines recommend most adults aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, in one monophasic block, or split in two to include a short afternoon siesta.
Either way, these are largely driven by our circadian rhythms; the desire to sleep when it's dark and wake when it's light, except for after lunch where there is a natural "circadian low that aids and abets sleep", Hillman explains.
He says there are exceptions to every rule and some research by the military has found that a series of naps throughout the day can replace one big block of sleep. But, he says, the sleep guidelines exist for good reason.
"A fairly low proportion of us are relatively robust sleepers and can sleep on a barbed wire fence," he says. "But most of us need to be relatively careful ... I don't think it should be embraced en masse."
1. Monophasic Schedule: One solid sleep for 7 to 9 hours.
2. The Biphasic Schedule: Two three-to-four-hour sleeps with an hour of awake time in the middle.
3. The Dymaxion Sleep Schedule: 30-minute naps every 6 hours.
4. The Uberman Schedule: Six 30-minute naps per day.
5. The Everyman Schedule: A daily three-hour sleep plus three 20-minute naps.
INCREASE in teenagers' screen use a new threat to long-term health New research released today by Cancer Council Australia and the National Heart Foundation of Australia shows Australian teenagers are spending increasing time in front of electronic devices such as computers, laptops, tablets, video games and TV.
The updated National Secondary Students' Diet and Activity Survey found 77 per cent of Australian teenagers spent more than two hours using electronic devices for entertainment on school days, compared with 71 per cent in 2010.
The proportion of teenagers exceeding the recommended two hours of screen time per day on weekends also increased, from 83 to 89 per cent.
Chair of Cancer Council Australia's Public Health Committee, Craig Sinclair, said the increase in screen use threatened to undermine any modest benefit from a marginal improvement in physical activity levels, which remained critically low.
"As a parent, I know how fixated kids can be with their electronic devices, but we have to get our kids moving and complement increased physical activity with healthier eating," Mr Sinclair said.
Ms Mary Barry, Heart Foundation National CEO, said the research reiterated the need for a national physical activity strategy.
"Overweight and obesity among young people is a significant public health issue in Australia, with overweight adolescents being at increased risk of becoming overweight adults and experiencing chronic diseases such as heart disease," Ms Barry said.
Mr Sinclair said there had been a marginal improvement in exercise levels since 2010, but 82 per cent of teens were still not getting the recommended minimum of one hour's physical activity each day to help protect their long-term health.
Ms Barry said the modern day problem of increased use of electronic devices was emerging as a new frontier in the fight against obesity and inactivity with 58 per cent of students having at least three televisions at home and 40 per cent having one in their bedroom.
The survey also found four in 10 students have video games in their bedroom as well.
The Heart Foundation and Cancer Council believe parents, schools and policy makers have to work together to help ensure the use of electronic devices do not harm the long-term health of our young people.


So work just got really weird.
I was hitting that afternoon wall (you drones know what I'm talkin' 'bout!) in terms of motivation and productivity, and my alterego Slothface was about to make an appearance, when suddenly I felt something soft and spongy underneath my too-casual-for-midweek flip flop. I look down at the floor, and it appears my office chair has expelled something from itself.
Now I know that sounds insane. But I'm serious. My office chair has spawned some kind of baby office chair/third armrest/twin that it may have partially eaten in the factory but it finally managed to spew out of its conscience.
Also nearby this chair creature was a fresh ketchup stain that appeared out of nowhere. Yes, ketchup, as in a poor, sticky substitute for blood in an elementary school play!
Is someone trying to frame me? At my desk? With fake blood and office furniture spawn? I, for one, am intrigued.
This is like an R.L. Stine Goosebumps plot*, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!
Keep it up, Wednesday! We're almost there (i.e., the weekend! AMIRITE?!)!
The chair was just shedding its winter coat!


Home Celebrations Orchard Books Tatum Flynn The Blair Partnership Zoe King Christmas has come early for Tatum Flynn!
Well, Christmas has certainly come early for Tatum Flynn! Take a break from the mania of late night shopping and wrapping paper to raise a glass of mulled wine in honour of Tatum and her two book offer with Orchard Books!
Tatum decided that writing was the career for her at the early age of seven but has in the past worked as a croupier on cruise ships in the Caribbean, as a travel magazine writer, an English teacher in Italy and as a poker player travelling the world, "lying to people for profit" as she puts it!
But during the of winter 2012/2103, Tatum sat down to write Brimstone for Breakfast.
"Brimstone for Breakfast is a children's novel about Lucifer's youngest son, who is hopeless at being evil, and the funny and crazy journey across Hell he's forced to undergo. It features a little ninja girl, a Stardust-addicted vampire bat, a dangerous underground library, a demon sloth, and the scariest carousel horses you will ever meet."
"I had high hopes, and I wasn't disappointed: I met lots of lovely writers, ate a bit of cake, drank more than a bit of wine, learned a lot, and even joined in a pyjama party. By the time my meeting with the editor came round on the Sunday, I was just hoping she wouldn't hate my writing and rain on my parade, because I was having so much fun."
What she got was much better. Expecting the promised critique, Tatum was gobsmacked when the editor launched into a flurry of compliments and made Tatum promise to send her the full manuscript. Tatum says "I accepted as quickly as I could before she changed her mind". However, fast forward a couple of months and Tatum had both failed to hear back from the editor and failed to find representation with an agent. After nearly a hundred queries Tatum was close to giving up on Brimstone and move onto the next book. She took herself off on holiday to France, and began writing a new story; "I tried to be optimistic, but rejections kept pinging up on my phone, cackling evilly at me and reminding me how much I sucked. At the end of the week, I sadly boarded the train home". But there was a not-so-little light at the end of the Euro Star tunnel!
"A little outside Paris, magic happened: An email pinged up on my phone, but it wasn't a rejection. I stared at it, then stared some more. It was the editor from the SCBWI retreat. 'We would like to invite you to our offices to meet the editorial team,' it said. 'We are enthusiastic about your manuscript.' If I'd been in a movie, bluebirds would definitely suddenly have appeared."
"Tatum's submission hit me between the eyes: highly original, full of imagination and heart and with characters to fall in love with – her manuscript has masses of appeal. She's naturally talented and in the right hands will be a great success."
In a few meetings and weeks later, Tatum had a two-book offer! And we are thrilled to celebrate, thanks in no small part to SCBWI, that Brimstone for Breakfast will be published by Orchard Books in 2015, with a sequel to follow! Who says evil doesn't pay? ...But best stay on the nice list just in case though!
Tatum can be found (way too often) on Twitter, and also on her website.
Clare Welsh joined SCBWI in February 2013 after her marriage to her lovely husband James was under threat from constant chunterings, questions and readings aloud over the football. She is thoroughly enjoying all that SCBWI has to offer, including helping Tania celebrating SCBWI successes, and is pleased that her marriage is still firmly intact.
Great news Tatum and welcome to Clare!!
Great news, Tatum. I can't wait to read it!
Congratulations again, Tatum (and glad you liked it! :-)) What a great start to 2014! Merry Christmas everyone!
Thanks Clare for your first post!
Yes, I can't wait to read it, Tatum - lots of congrats! Thanks Clare for a wonderful first post and welcome!
Congrats Tatum and hello to Clare!


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You are here: Home / Nuclear Weapons / Factsheets & Analysis on Nuclear Weapons / Fact Sheet: Preventing a Dirty Bomb: Why Radiological Security Matters
Fact Sheet: Preventing a Dirty Bomb: Why Radiological Security Matters
Updated March 2021
Nuclear terrorism poses a grave threat to human life. Though less devastating than a nuclear weapon, a terrorist incident featuring radiological material is far more likely due to the abundance of these materials and a widespread lack of adequate security. Consequently, physically protecting isotopes that could be used for a nuclear weapon or a Radiological Dispersion Device (RDD), most notably a dirty bomb – a conventional explosive with added radiological material – has become a key national security priority.
What Is A Dirty Bomb?
A dirty bomb is a conventional weapon that has been augmented with a radiological substance. The method of delivery could be a missile, an airplane stocked with radioactive materials, or a strategically planted improvised explosive device.
A small-scale conventional explosive, such as backpack bomb, would not inflict widespread destruction. Much of the radioactive material will burn upon ignition, meaning that health effects may also be marginal. However, the psychological effects could be monumental if a dirty bomb were to go off in a heavily populated area, creating unsubstantiated mass panic about radioactive fallout. This would overwhelm hospitals and other public services, and it is likely the consequences would be felt for years. As a result, dirty bombs are often referred to as "weapons of mass disruption" (emphasis added).
What Are Radiological Materials?
Radiological materials go through a process of radioactive decay, which makes exposure potentially harmful. Fissile materials – or those that can sustain an explosive fission chain reaction – present the largest threat. These materials include Plutonium-239 (PU-239), Uranium-235 (U-235), and Uranium-233 (U-233) – all of which are sourced for fission and fusion nuclear weapons.
Some radiological materials are not suitable for use in nuclear weapons, but have an amplified risk because of their legitimate commercial uses. For instance, Americium-241, Cesium-137, and Cobalt-60 are all used in gauges for the gas and oil industries. Strontium-90 has medical applications in radiotherapy. Iridium-192, recently a source of concern in Mexico and Iraq following thefts and misplacements, is used in gauges for welding and in certain cancer treatments. Any of these isotopes could be a component in a dirty bomb.
Theft and loss of radiological material present substantial threats that are augmented by human negligence and poor physical security regimes. To overcome these challenges, the international community has prioritized tracking incidents of theft, establishing best practices for protecting the materials, and securing or removing materials from vulnerable locations.
Tracking/Reporting: The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Incident and Trafficking Database was developed to keep track of any and all international cases of theft or loss of material around the world, of which there were a total of 3,686 confirmed incidents between 1993-2019. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) also creates public incident reports on radiological mishaps.
Building Consensus: Four Nuclear Security Summits were held from 2010-2016 and have produced greater coordination and emphasis on the importance of securing nuclear and radiological material. The final summit in 2016 concluded with the announcement that an amendment to the the decades-old Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM) will enter into force, setting standards for adequate fissile materials security and holding countries accountable for failing to meet those standards.
Securing and Removing Materials: As part of their commitments under the summits, countries pledged to secure their most dangerous radioactive sources. The United States is also partnering with businesses, hospitals, and government organizations in more than 85 countries to assist in securing these dangerous materials. However, momentum has slowed and a group of nuclear security experts has urged the Biden administration to quickly restore U.S. leadership in strengthening global nuclear security and lists priorities.
Sources: IAEA, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Nuclear Threat Initiative, White House
Posted in: Factsheets & Analysis on Nuclear Weapons, Factsheets on Non-Proliferation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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By inviting Cole Reinhardt to rookie camp, the Colorado Avalanche hope lightning strikes twice
The Avalanche hope they can find another gem from Brandon as they invite Wheat Kings forward Cole Reinhardt to rookie camp
By Tom Hunter@PuckDontLie Aug 25, 2018, 2:29pm MDT
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Last summer, the Colorado Avalanche struck gold when they signed Ty Lewis to an entry level contract after bringing the undrafted forward in for a tryout. This summer, the Avs have gone back to Brandon in the hopes of hitting the jackpot one more time as they have invited Wheat Kings left-winger Cole Reinhardt to their 2018 rookie camp.
Lewis went on to have an incredible season, leading his team with 100 points in 70 games during what is likely to be his final WHL season.
Now it's his teammate, Cole Reinhardt that will be hoping to impress the Avalanche front office enough to earn a contract.
He was passed over in June's NHL entry draft - something that isn't overly surprising given that Reinhardt didn't have the most impressive offensive numbers this season. His 19 goals and 34 points won't jump off the page, but it's important to remember that points are not the be-all and end-all when it comes to evaluating a 17-year old in the WHL.
Colorado Avalanche name 29 players for the 2018 Vegas Rookie Faceoff
Reinhardt was taken in the ninth round of the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft, he then went on to play in 61 games as a 16-year-old in 2016-17. Though he only scored three times, the WHL is a league dominated by 19-20 year olds, so the simple fact that he played that many games as a 16-year old is a huge accomplishment.
After spending last summer working on his foot speed and overall strength, Reinhardt hoped to play a much bigger role with the Wheat Kings. It didn't start off that way as he was buried behind some very strong forwards. That all changed when Brandon traded Tanner Kaspick to the Victoria Royals.
Reinhardt was put on a more offensively minded line alongside newcomer Luka Burzan and former first overall pick Stelio Matteos, a move that saw his production take off. Thirteen of his 34 points came in the final 14 games of the regular season. Given more opportunity, Reinhardt was able to take advantage and show the kind of production he is capable of.
At 6'1 and nearly 190lbs, Reinhardt plays a power forward style of game. While he got stronger after his rookie season, he's a kid that only turned 18 this past spring, so there is a ton of physical maturation still to come.
Reinhardt was a decent middle-6 forward on a below average Brandon team. Next season, as the Wheat Kings look to become more of a contender, he will be asked to play a much bigger role. He got stronger as the season went on and has shown the growth you want to see out of a young prospect.
After showing a lot of season-to-season growth last year, Reinhardt is a kid that works hard on his game and is determined to make it to the next level - even if he was passed over in his first year of draft eligibility.
With the graduation of Ty Lewis to the Colorado Eagles, a spot is open on Brandon's top scoring line. Reinhardt should be given every opportunity to fill the role and if he takes advantage of it, we could see a huge jump in production during his 18-year old season.
The Avalanche will have to make a decision on Reinhardt quickly. Given his age, if he doesn't sign an ELC before the start of the WHL season, he will go back into the NHL Entry Draft next summer.
Like Lewis, Reinhardt is a player that was drafted into the WHL by current Avalanche scout Wade Klippenstein who was the Director of Scouting for the Wheat Kings at the time. That familiarity with the player and his development curve gives the Avs an advantage when it comes to evaluating him as a pro prospect.
Hopefully, he impresses the way his teammate did last summer and the Avalanche take the gamble of offering him a contract. Even if they don't he's a guy Avalanche fans are going to want to keep an eye on as the 2018-19 season gets under way.
Avalanche win their 14th straight at home 4-3 in a shootout It was a wacky and crazy affair between two hot and heated division rivals


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Engagement, Enlargement, and Confrontation
A Political History of the European Union's Eastern Policies after the Cold War
By Graham Timmins
Engagement, Enlargement, and Confrontation provides a holistic view of the European Union's eastern relations explored in an historical context following the end of the Cold War. The author draws out the key achievements and failures of this strategic exercise.
The focus is on the institutional adaptation of the European Union as well as on the dynamics of its policies towards the East. Graham Timmins identifies four interconnected factors which have shaped the development of the EU's policies towards its eastern neighbours; the projection of the EU's identity as an agent of peace and stability, the maintenance of internal stability within the Union, the coordination of Member State foreign policies, and the EU's relations with Russia.
The book explores the key challenges faced by the European Union in terms of the EU's eastern policies. These include capacity building, the management of expectations in the eastern neighbourhood, the reconciliation of national perspectives and agendas with wider EU strategic thinking, and last but not least the handling of the relationship with Russia. The general conclusion of the study is that the EU's internal development in respect to its relationship with its eastern members and neighbours is likely to remain complex and unpredictable.
Graham Timmins is Reader in International Politics of the University of Birmingham School of Government, Department of Political Science and International Studies
Publisher Central European University Press
POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / European (32 Titles)
POLITICAL SCIENCE / Intergovernmental Organizations (9 Titles)
POLITICAL SCIENCE / World / Russian & Former Soviet Union (34 Titles)
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8 Big Signs Your Marriage Isn't in Trouble
There's always work to be done. Taking a moment to realize how good you're doing is important.
By Jeremy Brown
It's easy to get caught up on the wrong side of self-improvement, isn't it? To focus on your weaknesses rather than your strengths. This can be especially true of relationships. You know what you and your partner need to work on (because you talk about it, right?) but it's easy to get so bogged down in the whole being-better-than-yesterday thing that you lose sight of — or don't take the time to appreciate — the areas where you succeed. It's a natural impulse (we humans are, after all, wired to focus more on the negative) but one to actively fight. Because in focusing on what works — whether that's discussing each other's points of view openly, making time for fun in your relationship, or being able to enjoy a quiet silence together — we're able to live in the moment and enjoy the small victories. That's a big win. So, in the effort of helping you focus on just that, here are some eight signs your relationship is doing alright.
1. You Know You're a Work in Progress (And You're Willing to Do the Work)
It's easy to look at other couples and think Why aren't we more like them? or to list out all the ways your relationship could be better. While comparison is the thief of joy, it's good to have goals and keep in mind some points of improvement so forward progress can be made. Healthy couples understand that they haven't reached perfection, and that they probably never will. They do, however, have a vision of where they want their relationship to go and are committed to doing what it takes to get there. "They understand the power of yet," says Kathryn Ford, MD, a practicing psychotherapist and couples therapist. "As in, 'We're not good at offering positive comments — yet!' The most important attribute of a good relationship is the ability to learn."
2. You Take Risks (And You Encourage Your Spouse to As Well)
Trying new things, and supporting your partner when they are inspired to, say, take a new class, learn a new skill, or embark on a unique adventure, helps keep the marriage fresh. Importantly, it also provides opportunities for you to learn and grow, both independently and together. Healthy couples know to prioritize risk and to stretch beyond their comfort zone. "This means that you will fumble and make mistakes," Ford says. "In a good relationship, you encourage each other to do this – rewarding the effort even when the results aren't yet what you hope for."
3. You Have Different Points of View (And You're Open to Them)
Healthy couples own and explore each other's respective points of view. When you want different things, you don't spend the discussion trying to get your way or digging in your heels on the opposite side just to spite your partner. Instead, you hear what they have to say, take it into consideration, and vice versa. Then, you compromise or relent based on whatever factors are involved. Will it be easy? No. But it's a balance. "Treat all ideas offered as valuable," says Ford, "and then both of you play with all points of view instead of owning one and getting into a tug of war about who's right."
4. You Don't Always Talk When You're Alone (And That's Okay)
Comfortable silences speak volumes. Healthy couples understand that not every moment alone together requires that the two of you have some deep and meaningful discussion. Sometimes just being together is enough. "No, you aren't required by some command of the universe to get absolutely everything off of your chest the moment you feel it," says Lee Wilson, a relationship coach with 20 years of experience. "That doesn't mean that you keep everything bottled up or that you don't have disagreements. It means that sometimes it's a great thing after a busy day to be able to say nothing while simply resting with the one you love."
5. You Don't Tell Your Spouse Everything (Because It's Unnecessary)
This isn't to say that you shouldn't be honest with your spouse. You very much should. What healthy couples understand is that they don't need to do is voice every concern, every flaw, and every negative trait that you see in your partner. "Your job as a spouse is not to make your spouse a better person. Your job is to love your spouse," says Wilson. "People often become better versions of themselves when they feel loved and feeling that their spouse is overly critical often has the exact opposite impact."
6. The Fireworks Have Dimmed (But You Have Something Better)
The early days of any relationship are filled with incredible highs and almost magical feelings of bliss. This is a result of something known as "limerence," a dopamine-fueled state that causes intense feelings of infatuation for another person. Limerence can be wonderful, but it always subsides and the couples that last are the ones who are still happy with what remains: commitment, companionship, and connection. "That doesn't mean that there won't still be occasional fireworks and highs — especially when you do new things together," Wilson says. "But the highs of the early days of your relationship will fade and it's not realistic to expect them to be permanent."
7. You Apologize When Necessary (And Work Hard on Your Apologies )
Things happen. We all make mistakes. To err is human, and so on. The healthiest couples understand this and, importantly, try not to let pride stand in the way of admitting fault or seeing the forest through the trees. They also work hard at making necessary apologies meaningful (here's what all good apologies require) and accepting meaningful apologies from their partner. "It's much more important to be quick to acknowledge mistakes and generous in forgiveness than to not make mistakes," says Ford. "And attachment research shows that a good repair process strengthens bonds."
8. You Know Marriage Is Hard (But You Still Find Time to Prioritize Play)
Life is full of serious things that need to be taken seriously. Sometimes it can feel wrong or like a waste of time to prioritize playfulness. But the healthiest couples know that play is a crucial part of a loving partnership. Inside jokes. Silly voices. Laughing at the universe's twisted sense of humor. Whatever it is that makes your marriage fun should find a way to it. Not only does being playful help manage stress and boost creativity in general, but it also increases satisfaction and trust in romantic relationships. Healthy couples know how to keep the spirit of play alive in their relationship. "Discovering that your wife got distracted and drove home leaving the groceries sitting in the cart is an opportunity for a good laugh," says Ford. "Cherish these moments."
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So I recently just started a job and I love it. On my birthday (the 22nd, and only my 4th day of work) (we celebrated all December birthdays then and it just so happened to be on my birthday) I found out that one of my co-workers also is Celiac, so I talk to him for a while and everyone is like "wow thats really cool that there are 2 people here with this" so I go to work the next day and he brought me cookies that were gluten-free that he had made because I couldn't partake in the cake and cookies the day before. How nice is that??!?!?
That's fantastic! I am fortunate to work with 3 other Celiacs so I understand completely!
That's awesome-my boss's sister is a celiac (although one that cheats frequently ), so she empathizes a bit. I got a fruit basket for Christmas, when normally I get stuck trying to fake excitement over a fruitcake or a box of cookies. Congrats!
one good thing, for our office Christmas "lunch", my boss took us all out to lunch, but he let ME pick out the restaurant so that he could be sure that there would be something that I could eat... I thought that was really thoughtful and nice!


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Q: Changing the actionbar menu state depending on fragment I am trying to show/hide items in my action bar depending on which fragment is visible.
In my MainActivity I have the following
/* Called whenever invalidateOptionsMenu() is called */
@Override
public boolean onPrepareOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {

    if(this.myFragment.isVisible()){
        menu.findItem(R.id.action_read).setVisible(true);
    }else{
        menu.findItem(R.id.action_read).setVisible(false);
    }

    return super.onPrepareOptionsMenu(menu);
}

This works great however, when the device is rotated there is a issue. After the rotation is complete onPrepareOptionsMenu is called again however this time this.myFragment.isVisible() returns false...and hence the menu item is hidden when clearly the fragment is visible (as far as whats shown on the screen).

A: Based on the Fragments API Guide, we can add items to the action bar on a per-Fragment basis with the following steps:
Create a res/menu/fooFragmentMenu.xml that contains menu items as you normally would for the standard menu.
<menu xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
    <item
        android:id="@+id/newAction"
        android:orderInCategory="1"
        android:showAsAction="always"
        android:title="@string/newActionTitle"
        android:icon="@drawable/newActionIcon"/>
</menu>

Toward the top of FooFragment's onCreate method, indicate that it has its own menu items to add.
@Override
public void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setHasOptionsMenu(true);
    ...
}

Override onCreateOptionsMenu, where you'll inflate the fragment's menu and attach it to your standard menu.
@Override
public void onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu, MenuInflater inflater) {
    inflater.inflate(R.menu.fooFragmentMenu, menu);
    super.onCreateOptionsMenu(menu, inflater);
}

Override onOptionItemSelected in your fragment, which only gets called when this same method of the host Activity/FragmentActivity sees that it doesn't have a case for the selection.
@Override
public boolean onOptionsItemSelected(MenuItem item) {

    switch (item.getItemId()) {
        case R.id.newAction:
            ...
            break;
    }
    return super.onOptionsItemSelected(item);
}

A: Try using Fragment's setRetainInstance(true); when your fragment is attached to the Activity. That way your fragment will retain it's current values and call the lifecycle when device rotated.

A: Edit: This is a quick and dirty fix, see es0329's answer below for a better solution.
Try adding this attribute to your activity tag in your android manifest:
android:configChanges="orientation|screenSize"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Django forms choicefield automatically generated choices I have a form (forms.Form) that automatically generates the choices for its own choicefield as such:
class UserForm(forms.Form):
    def generate_choices():
        from vn.account.models import UserProfile
        up = UserProfile.objects.filter(user__isnull=True)
        choices = [('0','--')]
        choices += ([(s.id ,'%s %s (%s), username: %s, email: %s' % (s.first_name, s.last_name, s.company_name, s.username, s.email)) for s in up])
        return choices

    user = forms.ChoiceField(label=_('Select from interest form'), choices=generate_choices())

My problem is that this shows up as a select box (as intented) but its contents are cached somehow. New entries do not show up before i restart the dev server on my local pc, or apache on the remote server.
When is that piece of code evaluated? How can i make it so that it re-calculates the entries every time ?
PS. memchached and other sorts of caching are turned off.

A: A better solution is available starting from version 1.8: Django's ChoiceField has ability to pass a callable to choices.

Either an iterable (e.g., a list or tuple) of 2-tuples to use as
  choices for this field, or a callable that returns such an iterable.
  If the argument is a callable, it is evaluated each
  time the field's form is initialized.

So now you can just write
class UserForm(forms.Form):
    def generate_choices():
        from vn.account.models import UserProfile
        up = UserProfile.objects.filter(user__isnull=True)
        choices = [('0','--')]
        choices += ([(s.id ,'%s %s (%s), username: %s, email: %s' % (s.first_name, s.last_name, s.company_name, s.username, s.email)) for s in up])
        return choices

    user = forms.ChoiceField(label=_('Select from interest form'), choices=generate_choices)

Also you can use ModelChoiceField for this task.

A: I think you need to do this via the init so it is evaluate when form is called, something like
e.g.
def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
    super(UserForm, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
    from vn.account.models import UserProfile
    up = UserProfile.objects.filter(user__isnull=True)
    choices = [('0','--')]
    choices += ([(s.id ,'%s %s (%s), username: %s, email: %s' % (s.first_name, s.last_name,s.company_name, s.username, s.email)) for s in up])

    self.fields['user'].choices = choices


text:
[ January 30, 2023 ] Free Eastern Florida State College Bachelor's Degree Expo Set March 8, Complete Online Options Available Brevard Business News
Home » Florida Tech's Nir Barnea Makes History On Opening Day of SSC Championships In Orlando
Florida Tech's Nir Barnea Makes History On Opening Day of SSC Championships In Orlando
By Florida Tech // February 19, 2016
Panthers break three school records and set nine NCAA B Cut times.
Florida Tech junior Nir Barnea receiving his gold medal after winning the 50 yard freestyle at the 2016 SSC Championships. (FIT Image)
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech registered solid performances across the board on Thursday during the opening day of the 2016 Sunshine State Conference Championships at the Orlando YMCA Aquatic Center, with junior Nir Barnea making the biggest statement with a historic swim.
The junior Israeli narrowly out-edged Thiago Sickert of Nova Southeastern to take the gold medal in the 50 yard freestyle with a school record time of 19.98, one hundredth of a second faster than his previous top time.
With the win, Barnea became FIT's very first men's gold medalist and just the second gold medalist in the history of Panther swimming, matching the feat by countrywoman Dar Raz at last season's conference championships.
The event win was just one of many exciting moments on the meet's first day. In total, the Panthers broke three school records and set nine NCAA B Cut times.
Justin Adrade
"It was a great start to the meet," said head coach Justin Andrade.
"I think we are carrying a lot of momentum into tomorrow. Nir swam a great race in the 50 free. I'm so happy for the men to get their first gold medalist. The team has a lot of good energy heading into Day Two and we're excited to see what they can do."
Two other school records fell by the wayside Thursday. The men's 200 medley relay team of Eric Berg, Brian Dumont, Barnea and Filip Dujmic just missed the podium, placing fourth with a 1:29.71.
Lauren Suarez was the fastest woman in the "B" final of the 50 free, breaking Raz's FIT record after timing in at 23.97. The time was the first B Cut time of the year for the Panther women.
The Panther men took places four through six in the 1,000 free. Swimming during the morning session, Ferruccio Rossi blitzed his previous best time from the season, dropping more than 13 seconds to come in at 9:21.43 for fourth.
Yagoh Kubagawa was close behind at 9:21.82 for fifth, while Emanuele Rossi grabbed sixth with a time of 9:23.53.
Florida Tech Heads Into Conference Play Against Defending Champ Tampa This Weekend
Nathan Hufnagel impressed in the 200 IM, snagging a seventh place showing after timing in at 1:51.15. FIT also received a seventh place finish in the 200 medley relay as Raz, Christie Deflumeri, Trista Phelps and Liana Soileau teamed up to register a 1:49.00.
Lauren Suarez
The Panther women also scored points in the 200 IM when Shelby Pearce garnered 15th with a 2:10.99 and Phelps followed up with a time of 2:12.72 for 16th.
At the conclusion of the first day of action the FIT men sit in third with 139 points, 12.5 points behind current leader Tampa. The Panther women are slated sixth in the team rankings with 44 points.
The championships resume on Friday with morning prelims scheduled for 10 a.m. ET and finals slated for 6 p.m.
A full recap of the day's action will be posted to FloridaTechSports.com at the end of competition.
BREVARD HISTORY: Annual Pioneer Day Festival Will Celebrate Merritt Island History Feb. 11


Outstanding employees at Hallmark Care Homes were recognised at our glittering, Bollywood-themed awards ceremony.
Team members across our 16 homes dressed up in authentic Indian dress to honour our 20th anniversary and have their hard work celebrated at our annual ceremony, the Hallmark Care Homes' Awards.
The event, held at The Beaumont Estate in Windsor, Berkshire was jointly hosted by Welsh singer and radio presenter Aled Jones and Hallmark Care Homes Managing Director Avnish Goyal.
At our ceremony which was attended by over 250 people, 23 team members were recognised for going above and beyond in their care provision across 16 categories ranging from Care Home Team of the Year to Care Chef and Dementia Care Champion.
Hallmark Care Homes Operations Director Cheryl Wanklyn said: "We are extremely proud to recognise our team members who have demonstrated excellence within their field of work. The awards evening was an opportunity to recognise and award those particular employees who go above and beyond and are outstanding in their everyday roles.


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T-Blast Foaming Cleanser with 0.4% Tea Tree Oil (recommended for oily, problematic or acne-prone skin) Kids Acne 120ml / 4fl. oz.
Blast the oil and fight the breakout with this lightweight, foamy, refreshing cleanser. Tea Tree balances and cuts through the oil without drying the skin. With anti-bacterial and natural antiseptic action blemishes don't stand a fighting chance. The anti-inflammatory action will help soothe redness and reduce skin irritations.


text:
How Funny Women Help Me Cope with Mental Illness
By Annie Fell / May 8, 2018 October 10, 2018 / Mental Health Week
I cannot fathom why anyone would want to listen to sad music when they're depressed. I'm generally just not the type to want to exacerbate my pain. I don't think I've actually listened to Bright Eyes since the onset of my inherited clinical depression as a teenager. The closest I ever get to self-harm is when I read the In Memoriam page of the French bulldog adoption website I frequent. Though I've grown up loving Sylvia Plath, Girl, Interrupted, and Prozac Nation as much as the next chemically imbalanced girl, as an adult who no longer likes to revel in her own melodrama, the pop culture I turn to on my darkest days has evolved.
As I've sunk deeper into the cold depths of depression gotten older, I've discovered a deep connection to women who write candidly about struggling to live with an unruly mind, such as Nora Ephron and Carrie Fisher. Ephron lived by the motto "Everything is copy;" or inspirational material she could rightfully mine for her work.
Nora Ephron's personal minefield included the harsh dissolution of her marriage and subsequent identification as a group therapy-devotee, later dramatized by her novel (and Mike Nichols' film adaptation), Heartburn. She was the self-described "wallflower at the orgy"—the person observing the In Crowd from the fringes, accepting of the fact that she'd never fully fit in with the cooler, more carefree set.
Carrie Fisher was similar. She wrote at length about her battles with bipolar disorder and substance abuse. For much of her life, Fisher was deeply depressed in a way that the daughter of America's original sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds, shouldn't logically have been.
Fisher and Ephron were comfortable in their roles as misfits, but not so much so that they considered it a virtue. They discussed their illnesses like they were rude acquaintances, too dumb to understand the social grace of not making someone want to kill herself.
Unlike writers who wallow in their pain, their accounts gave me a roadmap through the process of getting my own head right. When I was seeing an incompetent therapist who would often have me spend our sessions "meditating"—I suspect because she just had nothing to say to me—Fisher's wry self-awareness as she stared potential self-inflicted death in the face in Postcards From the Edge proved far more helpful. (Also cheaper, but c'est la vie).
I devoured Postcards From the Edge, Wishful Drinking (Fisher's 2008 memoir), and Ephron's essay collections like they were self-help books. There's a great directness in their writing that made reading them feel like I was simultaneously getting advice from a fun, jaded friend and my own mother. They are matzo ball soup for my particular soul.
People don't take women's health seriously. We're less likely to survive a heart attack than men because of our different, less publicized symptoms, and we're less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD for the same reason. Unsurprisingly, the same goes for mental health issues. When I literally couldn't function at my old office job because of the near daily panic attacks I was having, my doctor prescribed me a supposedly fast-acting anxiety medication called hydroxyzine. I quickly discovered that it wasn't technically an anxiety med, but an antihistamine that was supposed to make me sleepy enough to forget the chemical imbalance in my brain? I only found this out when my mom told me that our family dog had the same prescription for when she gets stressed, and—here's the kicker—she got a higher dosage! Maybe if I chewed on my hands and peed on the floor whenever it rained, I could have gotten some fucking Xanax.
Maybe that's why, in recent years, women following in Fisher and Ephron's footsteps have been leading the charge on normalizing mental illness through comedy. Comedy is an innate defense mechanism, probably most often used as defense against oneself; if no one else will take your pain seriously, you'll eventually need to find a way to salve yourself. Ephron's "everything is copy" theory states a similar idea: "When you slip on a banana peel, people laugh at you; but when you tell people you slipped on a banana peel, it's your laugh. So you become the hero rather than the butt of the joke."
Since 2015, Rachel Bloom's Crazy Ex-Girlfriend has worked to upend the Hysterical Woman stereotype. Bloom's character, Rebecca, has borderline personality disorder, but considering that the show is from her perspective, the "crazy ex-girlfriend" moniker has an underlying sense of ironic reclamation. The show deftly balances its careful exploration of Rebecca's mental health and its genuinely funny broad comic sensibility.
Maria Bamford's tragically short-lived Netflix series Lady Dynamite has a similar, but more absurdist handling of bipolar disorder. The show is a lightly fictionalized handling of a major breakdown Bamford had when her showbiz career blew up unexpectedly, and her attempts to navigate a comeback–including developing an autobiographical comedy series for a streaming network–that won't trigger a relapse. Bloom and Bamford have different comic sensibilities than Ephron and Fisher wry quippiness, but they continue their legacies of refusing to let mental illness make them the butt of the cosmic joke.
Women handling their respective mental illnesses with brusk levity has been something of an American tradition since Dorothy Parker's tenure as the country's most shining wit. It's the kind of misfit strength I find to be far more comforting than stewing in my own sadness. Spending my days intermittently taking depression naps and listening to the Smiths just sounds nightmarish (if not totally cliché). Though 100 MG of sertraline is certainly better medicine than laughter, figuring out how to deal with my depression without getting overwhelmed is a pretty good supplement.
carrie fisher Maria Bamford Nora Ephron Rachel Bloom
Annie Fell


Arlington, VA – The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a Fiscal Year 2017 budget appropriations bill that completely eliminates the $52.1 million in funding for the Medicare State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The Center for Medicare Advocacy, Medicare Rights Center, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, and National Council on Aging (NCOA) strongly oppose this move because it would leave 55 million people with Medicare without the only program that provides free, personalized, unbiased counseling on the growing complexities of Medicare coverage.
Today's Medicare beneficiary must choose among more than 20 prescription drug plans, an average of 19 Medicare Advantage plans, as well as various Medigap supplemental insurance policies—all with different premiums, cost sharing, provider networks, and coverage rules. For more than 24 years, SHIPs have advised, educated, and empowered individuals to navigate their state-specific Medicare choices. In addition, SHIPs help beneficiaries resolve fraud and abuse issues, billing problems, appeals, and enrollment in low-income health assistance programs. In 2015, SHIPs provided assistance to more than seven million individuals with Medicare.
Fifty-four SHIP grantees receive funding under the U.S. Administration for Community Living (every state, Puerto Rico, Guam, DC, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and they oversee a network of more than 3,300 local SHIPs and over 15,000 counselors. In the past 10 years, the number of beneficiaries receiving personalized counseling from SHIPs has tripled.
For more information about SHIPs and the services they provide, visit http://www.ncoa.org/IssueBriefs.


Frankly, it's about time Baltimore gets some attention at the Academy Awards. This year, not only is our fine city represented as an Oscar-worthy locale (Guillermo del Toro's "Shape of Water" – nominated for 13 awards – is set in Baltimore), but more notably as home base for husband-wife animation duo Tiny Inventions (Ru Kuwahata and Max Porter), whose animated short, "Negative Space," is up for best animated short. The film is based on a poem by Ron Koertge, and explores the awkward bonding of a father and son, over the art of packing the perfect suitcase. The five minute film is at once poignant and darkly funny, and resonates with an audience broader than just men and their fathers. Complex human relationships are not limited to any one gender.
"Negative Space" was created almost entirely by hand, its magically tactile props and parts shot with stop motion animation — meaning it was photographed frame by frame, moving each piece by hand in painfully small increments to create the illusion of movement.
On a good day, if everything had been set up the night before, the team would animated an average of one to two seconds a day. Save for a pair of missing eyebrows here, or a color correction there, the finished product is largely untouched by computer graphics. That style is a change from the even mix of hand and computer work in the couple's previous films, but for this story, so much about fabric, and tactile things, the two knew they'd want everything to be made by hand.
The two admit that straying from the consistency of computer graphics challenged their obsessive perfectionist sides. With stop motion, once a scene is animated, you have to take it or leave it. Porter — in charge of cinematography and post-production — had to surrender control over aesthetic corrections, as well as having to work with a team of animators for the first time.
Ru Kuwahata immigrated from her home in Japan to attend high school in California in 1998, That overwhelming experience is the subject of Tiny Inventions' next film — a feature— which was just chosen for a competitive development program at Torino Script Lab in Italy. As an Oscar nominee, the film's nomination has the weight of representing multiple underdog groups. It is a celebration for independent, small budget film, for women in film, for France (who largely funded the project), and Japan (Kuwahata is still a citizen).
Kuwahata is, notably, the first Japanese woman nominated as a director for any academy award, a fact that has made her current existence a full-time job responding to excited Japanese media, which is attention she never expected.
"Nobody watches the oscars for animation, especially the shorts, so people are excited and confused at the same time. They keep asking me 'is that award at the actual Oscars? Is that even televised?'" (Yes, and yes).
"We're kinda like the boogers of the Academy Awards," laughs Kuwahata, whose parents woke up in Japan the morning after nominations to their daughter's face and name on every major television news channel, being celebrated like a national hero. Kuwahata doesn't always love the attention, but is acutely aware that for this brief moment, she is representing women and minorities in film, and wants to rise to that challenge.
Kuwahata and Porter have collaborated for over a decade in their signature stop-motion style on both commercial and personal work, after meeting at a commercial animation studio in NYC. "At some point, working for a large company you wonder 'where is my creative energy going?' And we said to each other 'Let's just try our own thing,'" remembers Kuwahata.
Find and harness that creative energy they did. "Negative Space" has already won over 52 awards throughout 137 festivals worldwide. Now both MICA professors, Kuwahata and Porter also share a studio in Baltimore's Woodberry neighborhood with a handful of other artists (including filmmaker Albert Birney, whose voice narrates "Negative Space").
The two found the Koertge poem through social media, and felt immediate connection to it. Porter, because of bonding experiences with his own father, over music, and the feeling there always needed to be a third-party thing to bond over; Kuwahata because of memories of her father, a pilot, and the memories of his regimented packing list for flying, hanging on the wall of her childhood home. Kuwahata began building props and characters in Baltimore, but shooting happened through a fellowship in France, and was shot in four separate places, moving mid-shooting, which meant the handmade sets also had to be designed to break down and travel without damage.
In their bright, sunlit Baltimore studio three weeks before the Oscars, Kuwahata is multi-tasking. With the help of a Japanese fashion writer, she finally tracked down a female, Japanese dress designer to wear to the Oscars. If she's going to be getting all this attention, she wants to fit as many women and minorities into that spotlight with her as physically possible. It's a search for efficiency not altogether unlike packing the perfect bag.
The 90th annual Academy Awards airs on Sunday, March 4, with Baltimore's Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata in attendance. Their film, "Negative Space" is currently screening at The Charles Theater as part of the Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts program.
*Porter and Kuwahata refuse to take the bait when I mention this, and say only that they love basketball too, and are in awe of Keane, hoping to meet him and everyone else nominated on the big night.


Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Thanksgiving was also celebrated nationally in 1789, after a proclamation by George Washington.As a federal and public holiday in the U.S., Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Together with Christmas and New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season.
Here's the special shortfilm on Thanksgiving Day celebration.


text:
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Talk about being "The King of the World!" Leonardo DiCaprio is going to get closer…
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British billionaire Richard Branson on Monday opened the world's first-ever commercial spaceport in the New…
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New Mexico is the destination if you want to get a ticket to outer space.…
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Virgin founder Richard Branson discusses the progress of his Virgin Galactic division, which is trying…
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Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson said Monday that Virgin Galactic is on track to offer commercial…
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What many took as a wacky dream is moving ever closer to a reality –…