As the EU continues to expand, allowing freer movement between the member states, medical tourism also continues to increase, as many jet off to a country where they can receive affordable, quality medical treatment. But can an EU citizen woman come to the UK and give birth free of charge?
Establishing Eligibility for Free NHS Treatment
NHS (National Health Service) healthcare is offered free of charge to UK citizens and residents alike. Entitlement rests on the county of residence, rather than citizenship. However, it does not offer automatic rights of free treatment for citizens, even other EU citizens, who come over to the UK with the sole purpose of giving birth. Each hospital treating pregnant women must make sure that the patient is fully entitled to free NHS treatment.
Residence Requirements
To qualify for free NHS medical treatment as an EU citizen, the patient must prove that they are ordinarily resident in the UK, which means they must be settled in the UK legally. If there is evidence of UK residence, there is no qualifying waiting period for women before they receive antenatal and postnatal treatment on the NHS.
Reciprocal Agreement with the UK
Some EU member states that have a reciprocal medical agreement with the UK in turn offer free NHS treatment for non-resident EU citizen pregnant women who come to the UK to give birth. This reciprocal agreement only applies if the patient has been referred to the UK by their country of residence. If the woman comes to the UK without a referral knowing full well that she needed medical care, she will not usually be entitled to receive free medical treatment under the NHS.
Medical Tourism
Pregnant EU citizen women (except those referred under the reciprocal medical agreement) who come to the UK as medical tourists for the sole purpose of giving birth and then returning to their country of residence are highly unlikely to be entitled to free NHS medical treatment, even if they are married to a UK citizen. But if a woman pursues medical treatment in an NHS hospital, she may still receive treatment, but as a private patient. Private patients must pay for medical treatment.
Pregnant EU citizen women must establish eligibility to receive free NHS treatment in the UK. Non-UK citizens who are ordinarily resident in the UK are entitled to free treatment once they have registered with their GP upon arrival in the UK. However, EU citizens who visit the UK for the purpose of giving birth free of charge will not be able to do so, unless they have been referred under the reciprocal medical agreement of their country of residence.
Source:
About Immigration
Adding lentils to your diet is easy and well worth the effort, especially for those with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. The small, nutty-flavored legumes offer a variety of health benefits, including controlling blood sugar, reducing cholesterol, and helping prevent heart disease. They're also a good source of soluble fiber, protein, folic acid, and iron. In fact, one cup of lentils provides more than half the recommended daily intake of fiber, with the added benefit of preventing constipation and other digestive problems.
There are several varieties of lentils and they can be used in different ways. Brown lentils are those usually found in the grocery store. They hold their shape and can be added successfully to salads and rice dishes. They will get mushy if overcooked, however. French lentils are small and stay firm after cooking. Red lentils disintegrate very quickly, and can be used to thicken soups and stews.
With their many benefits, it's worth incorporating lentils into your diet but, except for lentil soup and a few Indian dishes, you may not know what to do with them.
Ways to use lentils
Substitute lentils for about one third of the rice in either plain white rice, curried rice or rice pilaf. The cooking times are about the same, so there's no need make any recipe adjustments.
Or use lentils instead of rice or potatoes as a side dish. Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in butter or olive oil, add curry powder, lentils, and enough chicken stock or water to cover. (Add more stock if it's all absorbed before the lentils are completely cooked.)
Lentils can be used in salads as well. Make a simple salad dressing by lightly browning chopped shallots in a quarter cup of olive oil. Add a half cup of red wine vinegar and a half cup of water along with a couple of teaspoons of sugar and a handful of dried cranberries. Boil until the dressing is reduced by about half. Mix the dressing into cooked lentils, then serve as a side dish or over fresh spinach or mixed greens.
Make a quick lentil salad by adding chopped peppers (use a couple of different colors) chopped red onion or scallion, olive oil, and chopped fresh herbs to cooked lentils.
Consider adding a cupful of lentils to pasta or bean salad as well.
Lentils can be added to soups without changing the flavor or texture. Use a handful of red lentils in pureed carrot soup or to thicken a beef stew. Or add brown lentils to the stew if you'd prefer they retain their shape.
Lentil facts
As with any bulk foods, inspect the lentils prior to using them, as small stones or bits of seed hulls can find their way into the bags. Rinse them prior to cooking.
To cook lentils, use three cups water to one cup lentils. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for fifteen to thirty minutes. The cooking time depends on the variety, freshness, and firmness desired. Older, drier lentils take longer to cook than fresh ones. If the relatively short cooking time for lentils still takes too long, use the canned variety. There's little difference in the nutritional value.
Lentils can also be cooked ahead. Simply store them for up to three days in a covered container in the refrigerator, and add them to your meals at a moment's notice.
I am a black woman with naturally curly hair. It's soft, wispy and spirals like miniature slinkies. Should I chose to change my style I can use basic heating tools and it will straighten out with no problem. I do not have a perm. Nor would I dare revert back to the torture from my misguided youth.
In my neighborhood my type of hair is referred to as “good hair”. I find this terminology offensive and frustrating at the least. It implies the rest of me is not good enough or that women with thicker, coarser hair are inferior. My sister Sean inherited the thicker and coarser version. Her hair is also stronger and longer than I could ever imagine mine being; which constantly led to us envying each others crowns of glory as children.
Having, what is now called “ethnic hair” on any level is a constant topic in the black community. This includes my bi and multi-racial friends who have even more difficult times finding competent hairdressers. If your mama didn't grow up in a household using terminology such as “hot comb”, “grease”, “glover's” or “perm” and you have ethnic hair; either she wasn't black, didn't grow up in a black community, her belief system wouldn't allow her to do that to her babies head or you had money to have someone else do your hair.
Today, there are many options for getting ethnic hair done. Sadly, most of these are not in ANY of the beauty schools I've visited. Most beauty school will only teach how to care for European and Asian type hair. Any hair with the vaguest resemblance of African roots is feared. Unless the teacher is African (meaning; new to this country) odds are your hair stylist will be confused by your curly hair.
Here are some things to ask when seeking a hair stylist if you have “ethnic hair”
Do you do natural hair?
Is there an extra charge?
How long have you done natural hair?
Before going to the salon, gather pictures of hairstyles that will compliment your natural tresses. Be realistic. Unless you're going to perm your hair, YOU KNOW you can't pick a straight style and expect it to last for three weeks. Pick something you can maintain on your own. If you're on a budget, pick something that will be easily maintained for six weeks and will not look weird in between washings.
Understand that natural ethnic hair needs special care. I cannot go days or weeks without washing my hair. I know some women who will only allow their hairdresser to wash their hair. They have a standing appointment every two weeks. I will scratch my scalp raw if I wait two weeks between washings. Especially if I wear it in its natural state. If I'm wearing a natural curl, I condition daily and wash every 2-3 days. Washing my hair daily would strip it of its natural oils and I would be running around town looking like I have a large bale of black hay on my head.
My hair dresser informed me that naturally curly “ethnic” hair gets drier than the average head of hair. I use olive oil daily. Yep, plain old over the counter Bertolli or a generic brand. Extra virgin.
Natural hair needs to breathe. This is where braids come in. I personally will not sit for hours at a hair dresser. Although, I will go to a spa and get a 1 hour massage which includes a scalp massage. This generates good blood flow and distributes natural oils and promotes a peace. If you are braver than me, try braids. Most braiders will want to put synthetic hair in your head. I am starting to see some scary effects of having this done and will not allow hair to be braided into my head. Instead I will normally opt for the front part being braided with the back natural or straight.
I keep straight days to winter months. I live in Texas and 110 degree weather will not allow me to keep a straight style for longer than 30 minutes. In the winter I am more apt to straighten my hair. I will normally wash, condition, and moisturize, then air dry. After that I heat up the curling iron and straighten it out. My curly hair is also slightly thin, so I do not need a lot of heat to get the results I like. If I want it straighter still, I will blow dry and then use the curling iron or flat iron. Should I lose my mind and want to venture into the land of “bone straight”, I'll go to the salon and let the professionals deal with it.
Since I love the way my curls feel I never allow them to straighten it too straight. Some hair dressers have taken out the perm products as soon as they see me walk in the door and were flabbergasted when I said “no”. How dare anyone not appreciate me wanting to be natural.
Test different products. Mane and Tail and olive oil are a mainstay in my hair routine. I wash with Neutrogena Triple Moisture and use their daily and intensive conditioners. Once I step out of the shower I use about a tablespoon of olive oil; distributing it throughout my hair. Then I run Mane and Tail Conditioner throughout my hair; grabbing handfuls of hair and watching the curls spring into shape. I'll either let it dry like that or add a headband to get it in the position I want it to fall for the rest of the day.
If you like straight styles but refuse to perm, BRAVO!!! Also, you should talk with your hair stylist about thermal techniques such as “hot combing”.
The hot comb which was made popular by Madame CJ Walker was a fixture in my house. My mother could not comb through my sisters natural hair unless it had been straightened. My sister got the hot comb treatment weekly as a little girl. When that became too much of a chore, mom started perming. I think my sister is the only female in history who could withstand the strength of the French Perm. Oprah said she was damn near bald using a French Perm.
My friend Minerva who has a Pilipino mama, a black daddy and a gorgeous crop of raven black hair introduced me to a Japanese thermal process which allows the hair to stay straight for weeks. It costs about $700 but is a healthier solution to a perm. You can find salons in your area that do these processes simply by doing a yahoo or google search.
Another method of getting a great stylist if you have natural hair, stop any woman you see who has a great style and ask “Who does your hair?”. Networking and word of mouth has its benefits. Most women are walking billboards for their stylist. Read the celebrity magazines and find a celeb who has a style you like. Take it to your stylist and ask if she can duplicate it. Most black stylist can, and will.
Now, I know you may be asking . . . if I'm technically a white woman with hair like a black woman, will someone be able to help me. Darlin, yes! You may have to step out of your comfort zone and walk into a salon filled with black woman and say, “HELP!!!” I have talked with white stylist who had no qualms telling me they “hated” doing black (”ethnic”) hair because it was too “wiry”, “hard”, “coarse”, “nappy” and hard to deal with. I can't get mad at them because those are the same things young black stylists are saying. But, they are not taught to care for “ethnic” hair. Many young black women couldn't identify their natural hair texture in a line-up! But, our society bombards us with images of long, flowing, blond hair. That is supposed to be the standard to aspire to and many women want. Therefore, many schools will teach what is popular as oppose to what is reality.
So, here are some tips to get you on your natural way:
1.Natural hair first of all is hair. Our care system (like any) is based on trial and error. Find products that work for you.
2. If your products work in San Francisco, don't be shocked it they don't work in Texas!
3. If you're on medication of any kind, ask your doctor about the side effects before perming your natural hair. I have known women to lose lots of hair when the chemicals and the drugs didn't react well together.
4. Talk to family, friends and strangers about the products they use, ESPECIALLY if you like their style.
5. If you are not a white woman and have never ventured into a predominately black salon, don't be scared. We are all about peace, joy and are entirely too cute for the drama ignited by a lack of diversity in our society.
Now get out there and get coiffed, correctly.
Never wanted to be a teacher.
Everybody can probably list at least 8 or 9 different occupations that as kids, they swore they would be when they grew up. Having worked with kids for several years already, I've observed that the typical childhood dream-jobs haven't changed from when I was a kid, or when you were. In fact, it's the only thing left of our childhoods that we can compare to those of children in this generation. Their dreams are still just as limitless as always. It's inspiring – not just what kids feel they are capable of becoming, but that they can change their minds at the drop of a hat, without the worry and mental torment we put into such decisions now.
I have only met a handful of little girls who have not mentioned 'ballerina' at all on their long-term goals list, even if it was a fleeting aspiration. Something about spinning in circles for the rest of one's life is really appealing to a child, apparently. I did ballet for a few years as a kid. I never aspired to continue it into adulthood. To be honest, I never planned to continue it past the age of five. My best friend and I would spend more time hanging on the barre giggling than learning shuffle steps. I was not the most graceful bird in the flock, and even then I was aware of it. I remember my last recital. We were pink cowgirls with silver glittery hats, and we did a dance to Escape Club's 'Wild West.' I had that routine memorized. But what I could not get the hang of was keeping the hat on my head. So for the entire 2 ½ minute performance, 7 girls on stage are dancing to the beat they know best, but meanwhile, I was showing off my inability to multi-task. Holding my hat on my head while dancing with the rest of them was proving to be impossible, so I directed all my attention to my hat and by the end, was just standing there with my hand on my hat in a solid, motionless solute to the shining dancers in front of me. I've never been the best at keeping my priorities in order.
It was then and there that I knew I'd never make it as a professional ballerina…. and it was at some magical point in time between 'Mandy's in the backroom handing out valium' and Ronnie getting a new gun, I decided to be a pathologist.
I am not a parent, but I can image that not much makes them prouder than having a kindergartner who has already dedicated his life to become a brain surgeon, lawyer, or hell, even a marine biologist. “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is their favorite phrase in the world, as it gives them a chance to point out how intelligent and dedicated to helping others their sticky little snob already is.
I'd like to take this moment to apologize to my own parents for not allowing them that simple pleasure. Mom and Dad, I will always owe you for proudly responding to that question with 'I want to cut up dead people because then at least I can't kill 'em'
For a blonde runt of a girl who had a matching hair bow for every outfit, I had a morbid fascination with blood and guts. I gave my cats a run for their money when it came to living up to the phrase, 'look what the cat drug in.'
Birds. Mice. Asps. Other road killed critters. You name it, I examined it with a stick. I never suffered any negative psychological effects from this until one Saturday, I was hunched over a dead mouse in the front yard – trying to decipher its intestine from God only knows what else was in there – and examining it as thoroughly as possible without touching it, not even with a stick. Mom called my brother and me in to eat lunch. I specifically remember the sliced apples and peanut butter that day – up until then, my favorite – and realizing a disturbing resemblance of the peanut butter to something inside the mouse that I'd been squinting at five minutes earlier.
To this day, I cannot even look at peanut butter.
By the time I was a freshman in high school, my idea of the perfect career for me changed about two times a week. I remember the music therapist phase, the psychology phase, the week I even considered going into pre-med and trying my luck at living bodies, the veterinarian phase, the art therapist. Then there was the month in which I aspired to be Oprah. What solidified my decision was the year I suddenly had obligations before school started. Cheerleading practices at 6:30, band practices at 6:30, student council at 7:30.
Learning to be conscious and functional at those earlier hours exposed me to a realm of everyday existence that I'd never even acknowledged as reality – the morning news. To the typical 13 year old thought process, any hour that occurs before sun-up is reserved specifically for the unfortunate few that the world – or teachers – had a grudge on. It wasn't long before I noticed that my most intelligent and creative thoughts peaked before 9:00 a.m., as my mental fatigue set in prematurely around second period. I began to plan my career around the first few hours of the day…decidedly, the only time in which I would be worth any money at all. My choices were limited: Dancer at a 24 hour strip club, morning news anchor, or a paper route.
So after a few weeks, I decided that I could probably slut it up just enough to make some money. But the curves I was banking on to make me millions never came, and I set my sights on news broadcasting.
The Sandman punched out early Saturday, April 8 and we lost an hour’s sleep. Most would gladly trade in that hour for longer days, but for the sleep deprived, those were 60 magical, dream-filled minutes gone to waste. In a 24/7 society, many aren’t getting enough sleep. So, the National Sleep Foundation has dubbed the week we spring ahead the ol’ ticker National Sleep Awareness Week. In honor of this special seven days, we’re helping the groggy get their Zs.
WAKE UP FROM THOSE POWER NAPS
For young professionals, zipping between job to MBA classes to a social life, who think they can squeeze in a quick 10-20 minute power nap for a recharge – think again. Dr. John Della Rosa, neurologist and Board Certified Sleep Specialist of the Sleep Disorders Center of Wyoming Valley in Forty Fort, Pa. would argue no.
“A power nap means to me people are trying to get by with less sleep at night. A short nap may make you feel refreshed, but its not a real good coping method. It’s a temporary effect. I don’t recommend [power naps] as a way to curtail sleeping at night,” he said, adding that chronic sleep deprivation can cause problems with mood, alertness and attention. “I’m against power napping on a daily basis. No doubt people do get tired after a long work week and can take a nap as a refresher; there is nothing abnormal about that. But, a ten minute nap a three o‘clock can reduce sleep at night.”
DAILY ACTIVITIES AFFECT SLUMBER
Della Rosa says one of the best ways to get a good nights sleep include exercise. Outdoors.
“Steady daily exercise is a good way [to get a good night’s rest]. There are beneficial effects of outdoor exercise; sunshine exposure has a good effect on sleep patterns at night,” he said, adding that people who work indoors with little exposure to sunlight tend to have worse sleep patterns.
Della Rosa says caffeine, nicotine and alcohol, singularly or combined, can cause a lighter sleep. And, not necessarily power naps, but those doze episodes on the recliner after work can be detrimental to sleep later that night.
GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE = GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP
Your surroundings, sleep partner and bed can affect sleep quality. Della Rosa says pets and electronics can cause sleep interruptions.
“Pets in bed can cause awakenings, and nasal congestion from allergies can cause snoring,” he said. “I am against electronics in the bedroom…All these things give off small amounts of light and noise. They should be moved to a separate room.”
Additionally, changing sheets often can lead to better sleep.
EIGHT IS GREAT
For every glass of water we are supposed to drink, there is an hour of sleep we should also have. It’s not a myth, says Della Rosa.
“Humans are wired to have 7 ½ to 8 ½ hours of sleep, but our culture goes against that. We curtail sleep… as little as possible to get by,” he said. “The percentage of people who get eight hours is relatively low.”
SLEEPING DISORDERS
Sometimes sleep problems aren’t caused by lifestyle choice. Millions suffer from sleep disorders, this reporter included. My crazy, vivid, lucid dreams (and snooze abuse) were explained two years ago when I underwent a sleep study. After spending the night and following day with electrodes plastered to my head and taped to rest of body (to test for things like restless leg syndrome and teeth grinding), I found out I have narcolepsy. My overnight test was normal, but during the four daytime naps, I fell into dream sleep right away. That’s abnormal.
Narcolepsy patients sleep a normal amount but cannot control the timing of sleep. For most, it takes 90-minutes to fall into REM sleep; narcoleptics like me dream almost instantly. Since the brain has trouble regulating the sleep-wake cycle, when a narcoleptic is awake, they may not even know it. Hypnologic hallucinations are dream-like states where ‘waking life’ is incorporated. (This explains hitting snooze and not recalling!) Leg jerks and nightmares are also common. There is no cure, but medication and behavioral therapy can alleviate symptoms.
Insomnia is the most reported sleeping problem and can come and go, or come and stay.
“If transient, like before a big test or meeting at work, it’s common. If it gets chronic, it should be evaluated,” said Della Rosa.
Insomniacs may have difficulty sleeping or falling asleep, wake frequently, have daytime sleepiness, irritability and more. If untreated, insomnia can lead to poor health.
Sleep Apnea, which Della Rosa says is the most dangerous of sleeping disorders, results when people literally lose their breath at night, causing frequent waking.
“[Sleep apnea] has a lot of cardiovascular problems connected to it, heart attack, stroke,” he said.
The fragmented sleep can cause daytime fatigue, and because of the blocked airways, snoring is prevalent. Other indicators: irritability, sexual dysfunction, learning and memory difficulties and falling asleep while driving. Sleep apnea patients can wear a breathing mask to bed. If overweight, shedding some pounds can also help.
Restless leg syndrome, snoring, sleepwalking, bedwetting and jet lag are other common sleep problems.
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WHAT TYPE OF SLEEPER ARE YOU?
A National Sleep Foundation poll listed five sleep clusters. Which are you? To sum up that survey, only 48% fit into the two ‘good sleeper’ categories, and 52% fall into the ‘bad sleepers.’
Healthy Lively Lark (27%)- Defined as a morning person, in good health, gets adequate sleep, does not need sleep aids, likely to be married or partnered and employed fulltime in a dayshift job. Also, rarely feels fatigued and probably never overslept or made a mistake due to being tired.
Sleepy Savvy Seniors (21%)
This is the oldest of the five segments, probably having had good sleep habits throughout their whole life. They are probably not employed, sleep the most and is more likely to supplement sleep with a nap.
Dragging Duos (20%)
Usually married or partnered, gets up early, works long hours (40+ per week) and complains that their partners are restless at night. Most go to bed less than an hour after engaging in some activity, and fall asleep faster than the average. This can hinder work or relationships. Many in this category report missing work for oversleeping.
Overworked, Overweight, Over-caffienated (17%)
This category is at risk for a sleeping disorder. They can include shift workers and those with two jobs. This group is more likely to contain smokers and heavy alcohol and caffeine drinkers. Most are single and have difficulty sleeping at night and try to take naps to compensate. More males fall into this category.
Sleepless and Missin’ the Kissin’(15%)
This group is most likely to be female, have a sleeping disorder and be unemployed. Many report they are also depressed or have anxiety. Most of these people consider themselves night owls and report just a few good night’s sleep per month. Many report that their fatigue gets in the way of daily activities, work and intimate relationships.
The Triple Door is another restoration marvel in Seattle WA. Restored from the old Embassy Theatre, The Triple Door presents a 300 seat dining experience in a setting of heavy red velvet drapes, half moon booths and tables; all is arranged in tiers so no one gets a bad seat. Called the Main Stage, this is Dinner Theatre at its finest.
The menu for these shows centers on an authentic Southeast Asia and Middle Eastern cuisine prepared by Head Chef Nathan Uy with desserts created by pastry chef, Sachia Tinsley. Click on the menu link above to drool over these dishes.
The Triple Door also has a separate lounge called the Musicquarium which seats 150. As you walk in, you face a 1900-gallon freshwater aquarium, no cover charge and live music almost every night. Patrons must be over 21 in the Musicquarium.
To start the Main Stage season off, on January 2nd, The Teaching CD Release Show will occur. The group, The Teaching, has been a jazz favorite in Seattle and is releasing a new CD at this show. The show starts at 7:30 pm and tickets are $15.
Then, on the 3rd and 4th, Zappa plays Zappa returns to Seattle. Playing his father's music, Dweezil Zappa has had a very warm welcome every time he has come to Seattle. The show starts at 8pm with tickets priced at $115. VIP tickets are also available at $145 and there are no cancellations on either of these tickets. However, each ticket will receive a digital license so the entire show can be downloaded, a chance to vote on 5 songs for the setlist and a chance to win a Hagstrom guitar presented on stage that night. The VIP ticket includes these options with an additional poster created for this event and access to the Soundcheck.
If blues/rock is more your thing, on the 9th and 10th the co-founder of The Doors, Ray Manzarek, teams up with slide/blues guitarist Roy Rogers. These two put on a stellar show with new takes on old Doors music, variations on classical pieces as well as some of Roy Roger's classic blues. The show starts at 8pm with tickets at $28 in advance or $32 at the door.
On the 27th-29th, The Triple Door hosts Shawn Colvin with her own brand of “Adult Alternative Punk Rock. Her latest album These Four Walls includes the song, Summer Dress, which draws you into a dreaming of bigger and better things youthfulness. Her shows start at 7:30pm with tickets at $45.
But these are not the only offerings at The Triple Door in January. There is something going on almost every night of the week. For example: Joseph Konty, Carrie Rodriguez, The Bellevue Community College Jazz Band, Jill Cohn and her Electric Orchestra, the almost cabaret performance of Mark Siano and the Freedom Dancers, Al Kooper, the adult comedy of Maz Jobrani, Griffin House and so much more. The Triple Door has an online calendar where you can check out each artist, many with links to the artist's outside website.
For more information or to purchase tickets, here's the contact information for the Triple Door.
The Triple Door
216 Union Street
Seattle WA 98101
206.838.4333
http://www.thetripledoor.net/
Carrie Prejean openly confirmed that it was indeed her in the solo sex tape used by Miss California USA attorneys as leverage against her in the just settled discrimination lawsuit. She told Sean Hannity Monday evening, “It's embarrassing, and it's humiliating to be talking about this of national TV.” But that somehow didn't stopped her from talking about “the biggest mistake of life.” She was more assertive by Tuesday morning on the “Today” show, stating that there was a “campaign to silence .”
And she just kept talking, blatantly plugging her new book, which hit the book stores Monday. Prejean told Meredith Vieira of the “Today” show, “They tried to embarrass me. The tried to humiliate me. They tried to attack me. And I'm still standing.”
Still Standing, interestingly enough, is the name of her book. Subtitled The Untold Story of My Fight Against Gossip, Hate, and Political Attacks, the book is Carrie Prejean's autobiographical account of her “ordeal” since her verbal blunder at the Miss USA Pageant in April. Being the champion of the religious Right and the social conservatives, the book no doubt leaves out her excursion into making sex tapes.
But she was only 17, she remonstrates. “I was all by myself,” she told Hannity. “I was a teenager at the time, and never did I ever think it would come out. But it was bad judgment.” She also told Sean Hannity that she made it to send to her boyfriend at the time.
Where have we heard the “I was only 17″ argument before… That's right. When Carrie Prejean was battling the Miss California USA organization to keep her crown (before Donald Trump's decision to let her keep the crown and before she later had the Miss California title taken from her for breach of contract), some topless photos became part of that organization's attempts to oust her. She said they were taken when she was 17, arguing that since she was underage, it was illegal to have and/or disseminate the photo(s). However, it was later discovered that they were not taken when she was a teen. They were taken after her breast augmentation surgery, which occurred in January of this year. She was 21 at the time.
So was she 17 in the sex tape, which means that the sex tape itself would be illegal to obtain, own, or disseminate?
Should the public believe the former Miss California this go-round? The falsehoods the 22-year-old has uttered over the past few months are numerous, making her credibility nearly nonexistent. And do we believe that she is even slightly embarrassed and/or humiliated by having to talk about the sex tape on national television? Who is forcing her to do such a thing? Where is the pressure coming from that prompts her to incessantly talk on national television about how embarrassing and humiliating it is to talk about the sex tape on national television? Her book publisher? Her publicist?
Her need for attention and fame?
Her book, Still Standing, purports to be an “untold story” of gossip and attacks she's suffered as a public figure. But the “untold story” seems to be about a continuing verbal pathology concerning herself, her actions, and her life. It seems that her position in the title of her book should be altered to Still Lying: The Story of My Fight Against The Truth, Reality, And Public Perception.
******
Sources:
“Today,” NBC Television (via NBCLosAngeles.com)
“Hannity,” Fox New Television
On April 16, 2007, a young man named Cho Seung-Hui, who was described by the media as a “loner,” shot and killed 32 individuals on the Virginia Tech campus, then took his own life (Associated Press, 2007). Seung-Hui's behavior prior to the attack could have served as a warning sign to the Virginia Tech faculty and staff. If someone had recognized that Seung-Hui needed help and guided him toward appropriate forms of aid, he might never have taken the drastic measures that resulted in dozens of deaths and devastated families. While no standard, accepted profile exists to categorize the “school shooter,” hindsight reveals psychological, social, and familial similarities among youths who engage in school-related violence, and those who strike out through violence at school tend to struggle with internal pain, despair, and depression that go unnoticed by others (Pollock, 2004). With information about the common behavioral and psychological characteristics that tie together the perpetrators of student violence at their fingertips, how can school administrators and educators nationwide collaborate to prevent such incidents from continuing to occur? Current school programs and policies have failed to eradicate the issues of young adults who turn to guns and violence to ease their pain. If existing predictors can be recognized, they can lay the groundwork for the development of a universal training program for school administrators and educators that will allow public youth influencers to take proactive, preventative measures against violence among students. Current school programs are only the beginning to a widespread, unified approach to recognizing warning signals and preventing student violence around the world. This paper will outline the ongoing issue of school-related violence and homicide, the ineffectiveness of current school prevention programs, and some of the basic behavioral risk factors among students that educators must learn to identify in order to refer troubled youths to the help they need.
As illustrated by the widely viewed media coverage that centered on the Virginia Tech shooting, among other incidents, a great deal of attention and research has been dedicated to school violence in recent years. Few people are unfamiliar with many of the deadly school shooting incidents that have periodically overtaken American headlines throughout the last decade. Despite this attention, some existing school violence prevention and intervention strategies continue to fail. The failure of some programs is evidenced by the fact that school violence continues to occur in new locations almost every year. Granted, research exists to show that school violence is not the widespread, inherent danger some people might be led to believe it to be. Statistically, incidents of homicide on school property are relatively rare, according to Farrell and Camou (2006). A National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics study showed that the majority of youth homicides and suicides occur somewhere other than at school (Dinkes, Kemp, Baum, and Snyder, 2009).
Although such research shows a low percentage of student homicide on school property in relation to the greater school population, are a few student deaths acceptable over time? Families that have lost a child to a school shooter are not likely to be comforted by such statistics. Despite the last decade's high levels of public and media attention toward school-related homicides, hundreds of students continue to die on school grounds. The American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force stated in its 2008 report that “school violence is at a crisis level and increasing” (9). A BBC News Special Report showed that few years have passed in the last decade without at least one school shooting incident taking place somewhere in the world (2009). According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the last decade, more than 100 students have died in more than 100 school-associated violent incidents (2008). In the single year between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007, the National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics study found 35 incidents of violent youth deaths that occurred on school grounds (Dinkes, et al, 2009). The fact that homicide continues to occur among students at schools cannot be unproven by research that points to relatively low, overall numbers of incidents. That school-associated violent deaths continue to occur at all might serve as evidence of the need for a better system of prevention. Even though school-related violence has been thrust into the media spotlight and the public eye time and time again throughout the last 10 years, a complete solution for its elimination has not yet emerged.
The current lack of a total solution to school violence does not suggest that schools and communities are not making efforts to fix the problem, however. In response to past incidents of school violence, many schools have implemented widespread intervention and prevention programs and policies. For example, a five-step program called “Rachel's Challenge” was formed to discourage bullying behavior at the John W. Wynn Middle School in Tewksbury, MA (Radio Boston, 2008). According to Radio Boston, the program was formed as a result of the violent attack of 1999 at Columbine High School in Littleton, CO that took the lives of several students, including Rachel Scott (2008). Part of the program involves the placement of highly visible reminders for students to avoid bullying behavior. As discussed later in this paper, bullying is one of the recognized factors that can potentially lead to school violence (Orpinas and Horne, 2006). “Rachel's Challenge” is an example of one of the hundreds of different types of student violence prevention and intervention programs that exist in schools across the United States, many of which focus on different stages of youth development and education, according to Farrell and Camou (2006). As Farrell and Camou (2006) stated, schools represent “a particularly appropriate setting for violence prevention efforts” (2) due to the proximity of faculty and youth during youths' developmental years, allowing teachers ready access to students who struggle with their peers or self adjustment. If teachers were trained in a single set of standards for recognizing predictors of school violence, they might be able to further maximize their coincidental roles as watchdogs over student development and interaction. As Farrell and Camou (2006) suggest, students spend the majority of their waking hours in schools, which means teachers oversee the majority of students' interactions, placing teachers at an advantage to target troublesome behavior through violence prevention programs.
Although educators might currently be positioned to carry out the application of a solution, not every school violence prevention program is created equally. When many different rules are imposed through the implementation of many different programs, a singular program becomes a monumental goal. Research shows that the disparities in programs from one school to the next, such as in the popular implementation of zero tolerance policies, create difficulty in the development of a unified, standard practice that can be equally applied and moderated. The American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force (2008) describes zero tolerance policies as a system based on consequences that are “most often severe and punitive in nature… applied regardless of the gravity of behavior, mitigating circumstances, or situational context” (2). The American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force suggests that controversial and inconsistent implementation of such policies is widespread among American school systems and has had contradictory effects on prevention efforts, even possibly serving to exacerbate issues of some youths' mental health (2008). While the effectiveness of individual zero tolerance policies in preventing violence and other problem behavior remains to be seen until the next incident occurs, their ability to cause anger, frustration, and confusion among students and parents can be seen in the American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force's findings (2008). In fact, the American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force (2008) found that the application of zero tolerance policies within schools outweighs existing information regarding the effectiveness of the policies, and “data tended to contradict the presumptions made in applying a zero tolerance approach” (8).
While many schools across the nation have implemented their own policies and programs in response to school violence, no evidence suggests a universal standard might currently exist or be under development to unify the collective knowledge regarding the predictors of school violence. “School shooters,” overall, carry many factors and characteristics in common that can serve as the foundation for the development of a single, over-arching training program that can teach school administrators and educators how to identify potential perpetrators of school-related violence and direct them toward needed resources. As Pollack (2004) stated, few incidents of school violence have occurred in which the perpetrators did not exhibit signs prior to the attack that could have initiated “pre-emptive action” (8). In fact, Pollack (2004) found that many perpetrators of school violence displayed behavior or warning signs that indicated apparent dysfunction or a need for help, but no one intervened in time to prevent the resulting attacks.
With the understanding that “school shooters” often carry many prior, noticeable factors in common, what are some of the basic warning signs? For example, Mrug, Loosier, and Windle (2008) found that exposure to violence can have detrimental effects on youths' psychological health, potentially aiding in the development of depression and other psychopathological disorders that can lead to violent behavior. Orpinas and Horne (2006) draw a direct correlation between bullying and potential violence on the parts of victims, from self-inflicted violence in the form of suicide to retaliatory violence that can result in homicide. Loeber, Pardini, Homish, Wei, Crawford, Farrington, Stouthamer-Loeber, Creemers, Koehler, and Rosenfeld (2005) conducted a study in which they identified dozens of categorical risk factors that contribute to potential homicidal behavior among young males. All of these common psychological and behavioral factors form the basis upon which school administrators and educators can inform themselves and take action to prevent school-related violence, instead of waiting to form a reaction after it has occurred. For instance, as Orpinas and Horne stated (2006), “Bullying can be preventable if the adults in the lives of children opt to make it so” (1). Similarly, if educators and other adults choose to act upon this and other behavioral warning signs, they can aid in preventing a number of serious issues among students that can lead to school-related violence. The American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force recommended, as an alternative to zero tolerance policies, that schools should “seek to reconnect alienated youth” (57) as one method of preventing student violence. However, before educators can act to reconnect youth, they must first be trained to identify the behaviors and warning signals of disconnected youth. In many cases, as research such as Pollack's (2004) shows, public youth influencers are able to recognize the predictors of violence among students, but, as a whole, they need further research and training in order to step in and solve the problem before it happens.
In the end, psychological research has shown, time and time again, that young people who commit acts of school-related violence or homicide exhibit signs and symptoms of distress or depression prior to attacking their peers (Pollack, 2004). With such predictors present and identifiable in student bodies across the nation and beyond, school administrators and educators have, within their grasps, the key factors upon which to develop a worldwide school violence recognition and prevention program. If teachers learn to recognize behavioral symptoms of depression, anger, isolation and bullying among students, they would then possess the proper training to guide troubled students toward intervention programs or psychological treatments that can head off potential violent behavior. Teachers and other public youth influencers are in need of universal training to see and to act upon the warning signs among students-if not for students' individual psychological health, then for the physical safety of their peers. In order to stop ongoing occurrences of violence among students, school administrators, educators, psychologists, policymakers, parents, and community members must band together to create a single, effective solution. Because research regarding behavioral violence predictors is widely available, and because many schools have violence prevention programs in place already, a unified standard regarding violence prevention training for educators is a real possibility for replacing current, disparate programs that have not succeeded in the elimination of school-related violence.
References
American Psychological Association Zero Tolerance Task Force. “Are zero tolerance policies effective in the schools?: An evidentiary review and recommendations.” American Psychologist 63.9 (2008): 852-62. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=2&sid=d52745f3-51de-4e07-9f6d-c482c313598c%40sessionmgr2.
Boeri, David. “Middle School Violence.” Radio Boston. 3 Mar. 2008. 30 May 2009 http://www.radioboston.org/shows/2008/03/03/middle-school-violence/.
Dinkes, Rachel, Jana Kemp, Katrina Baum, and Thomas D. Snyder. “Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2008.” Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics, 2009. 28 June 2009 http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2009/2009022.pdf.
Farrell, Albert D., and Suzanne Camou. “School-based interventions for youth violence prevention.” Preventing violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2006. 125-45. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=15&sid=be4a1d21-fc55-41e0-868d-5f17eaf36837%40sessionmgr3.
Loeber, Rolf, Dustin Pardini, D. Lynn Homish, Evelyn H. Wei et al.. “The Prediction of Violence and Homicide in Young Men.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 73.6 (2005): 1074-88. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=107&sid=d52745f3-51de-4e07-9f6d-c482c313598c%40sessionmgr2.
Mrug, Sylvie, Penny S. Loosier, and Michael Windle. “Violence exposure across multiple contexts: Individual and joint effects on adjustment.” American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 78.1 (2008): 70-84. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=107&sid=d52745f3-51de-4e07-9f6d-c482c313598c%40sessionmgr2.
Orpinas, Pamela, and Arthur M. Horne. “Bullies and victims: A challenge for schools.” Preventing violence: Research and evidence-based intervention strategies. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2006. 147-65. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=15&sid=be4a1d21-fc55-41e0-868d-5f17eaf36837%40sessionmgr3.
Pollack, William S. “'Real' boys, 'real' girls, 'real' parents: Preventing violence through family connection.” Psychology builds a healthy world: Opportunities for research and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2004. 35-47. EBSCOhost. Apollo Library. 8 May 2009 http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=4&hid=15&sid=be4a1d21-fc55-41e0-868d-5f17eaf36837%40sessionmgr3.
“Suspected Va. Tech gunman Cho Seung-Hui.” The Baltimore Sun 2007. 1 June 2009 http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-vtgunman-pg,0,6681048.photogallery?index=bal-gunmanphoto0417.
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Cheap things to do in Denver
Denver is a beautiful, exciting area, with a never-ending list of things to do and visit. When we moved out here 3 years ago, we got quite a few visitors who needed to be entertained and shown the sights. We found that we were spending quite a bit of money trying to show our guests a good time, so we developed a list of tourist attractions that are either free or very inexpensive, and haven’t had any complaints yet!
Denver:
16th StreetMall—this is an outdoor shopping mall that all tourists should experience. It’s located in the heart of Denver, and the mall is actually the street itself. Several blocks of 16th Street are blocked off, and the only traffic is the free bus system that runs the length of the mall. There are all kinds of interesting souvenir shops, as well as your standard shopping-mall type shops, several excellent restaurants, including the ESPN Zone, and a movie theatre. There are street performers and horse-drawn carriages for extra entertainment. Watch out for those buses, though—they go pretty fast and don’t like to stop for jaywalkers!
Casa Bonita (www.casabonitadenver.com)—Although this is not free, the prices are reasonable for the entertainment that you get. There’s a huge waterfall in the middle, with cliff divers that do stunts, and there are flame jugglers and all kinds of crazy skits that take place during your dinner. The meals are all you can eat, and they’re not too bad.
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre (www.redrocksonline.com)—About 15 miles west of Denver, Red Rocks is a beautiful park with lots of walking trails along huge red rocks that are easy and fun for kids to climb on. There’s an amphitheatre built right into one of the rocks, which is supposed to provide excellent acoustics, but I’ve never been to a concert there. A schedule of performers can be found on the Red Rocks website.
Dinosaur Ridge (www.dinoridge.org)—Not too far from Red Rocks is an outdoor museum with a stretch of dinosaur evidence that little geologists might enjoy exploring. When construction was underway for Alameda Pkwy, dinosaur footprints and other geological evidence was discovered, so they were protected and a Visitor’s Center was added to the construction plans. You can purchase a map and guide there for around $2, which will enhance the experience. This attraction involves a lot of walking right next to a busy road, so it might not be the best idea for toddlers. It is possible to drive most of the way, and just get out to look at the displays, but not as much fun.
Golden:
Coors Brewery (www.coors.com)—The Coors Brewery is actually in Golden, which is a small town about 30 minutes west of Denver. Everyone always loves going here, because they offer a free tour with free beer. I’m not a big beer-drinker myself, but the Coors Light fresh from the tap on the tour is the best! There’s a very nice lounge where you can sit and enjoy up to 4 free drinks after the tour—they have every beer made by Coors, not just the kind made at that particular brewery.
Heritage Square (www.heritagesquare.info)—This is small amusement park, with several quaint little shops and snack vendors. Entrance is free, but each ride has a small fee. Our favorite ride is the Alpine Slide, which is a concrete slide on the side of the mountain that you ride a bobsled-like cart down. For around $4 you get to take a ski lift to the top and go down the slide one time.
Buffalo Bill’s Grave (www.buffalobill.org)—A little further away, maybe around 45 minutes west of Denver, is the resting place of the legendary Buffalo Bill. A little museum will tell you all about him, and there’s also a gift shop. The drive is beautiful, and the view is amazing. It might not be most exciting thing for kids, but adults will appreciate it.
Colorado Springs:
AirForceAcademy(www.usafa.af.mil)—About—About an hour South of Denver is the city of Colorado Springs, which offers quite a few free attractions. The Air Force Academy is right off the highway, and is open to visitors. You can check out the chapel, which is gorgeous, and walk the grounds, and kids will get a kick out of the airplane out front.
Pike’s Peak (www.pikes-peak.com) and Garden of the Gods (www.gardenofgods.com)—The entirePike’s Peak
area is full of fun things to do. The Garden of the Gods is a huge park with beautiful trails and mountain views. Pets are allowed, and be prepared for a lot of walking. There are also caves to explore, and a little railroad for kids. The website will provide more detailed information about all of the attractions in that area.
Imagine being accepted into college but not being allowed housing or meals because of your race. Imagine losing your well-deserved teaching assistantship because someone of a different race may resent learning from you. This is the road Dr. Percy Julian followed before eventually becoming a chemist a highly successful chemist.
Percy Julian was born April 11, 1989 to James Sumner Julian Sr., a railway postal worker and schoolteacher Elizabeth Julian. His paternal grandfather had been a slave. Young Percy was raised under Jim Crow �€Ŕseparate but equal�€� rules and even found a black man hanging from a tree as a child. Even though it was unusual for Blacks to be educated beyond the 8th grade, Julian and his siblings received higher education.
As a new college student at DePauw University in Indiana, it took days before Percy Julian to a place where he was allowed to eat. Eventually he took a job firing the furnace at a fraternity house where we could sleep in the basement and get meals. In spite of such hardships, he graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1920 as valedictorian. Because of problems with racism, Percy left Harvard University took a teaching position at Howard University. He finally finished his PhD at the University of Vienna 1931.
After receiving his Doctorate degree, Julian Percy returned to Howard University where he met his wife and also was involved in a bit of a personal scandal with a couple of other professors regarding letters he had written. The embarrassing and racy letters sent to his colleagues from Vienna were published in the Baltimore Afro American newspaper. Dr. Percy then took a teaching position at DePauw University teaching organic chemistry. Hew began working with Joseph Pikl a former classmate from Vienna to develop physostigmine which is used to treat glaucoma and delayed gastric emptying.
Dr. Julian's chemical patents total 130 in all. Included in these accomplishments is the synthesizing of progesterone, estrogen, cortisone, and testosterone. He was the first African American to be inducted into the National Academy of Sciences. He worked for Glidden for many years making nearly 50,000 a year, until they ended their work in the steroid business. He then started his own company Julian Laboratories Inc. He made it a point to hire African Americans and women. After many successful years, he sold his for 2.3 million dollars. Smith Kline and Upjohn now own parts of his company.
When Dr. Percy Julian moved his family from Chicago to Oak Park Illinois, they were the first African American family to live in the suburb. Their home was firebombed on Thanksgiving Day before they moved in and later there was a dynamite attack on the home. Fortunately, the majority of the community members worked to support and defend the Julians. His son later reported that during these times his father would sit in a tree on the property with a shotgun. Dr. Julian died of Liver cancer on April 19, 1975 at the age of 76. To find out more about Dr. Percy Lavon Julian, look for the PBS Special �€ŔForgotten Genus�€�.