Ron Howard's remarks played at Mayberry Days

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) ? Andy Griffith led by example on the set of his television show, teaching a 6-year-old boy that true leadership requires not only confidence and hard work but also humility, Academy Award-winning film director Ron Howard said in recorded remarks Sunday.

Howard's remarks were played during a Griffith tribute at the 23rd annual Mayberry Days celebration in Mount Airy. It's the first Mayberry Days held since Griffith, a native of Mount Airy, died July 3 at the age of 86 at his home in Manteo. The three-day event typically attracts 25,000 to 30,000 people.

"Andy's impact on my life and my approach to my work really can't be measured," Howard said. "The balance that he sustained between focused, creative effort and this overt, playful enjoyment that he got out of working hard with people that he liked, doing a show he loved, was something that I hope I'll always remember and emulate."

Howard played Opie Taylor, the red-headed son of Sheriff Andy Taylor, on "The Andy Griffith Show." The CBS TV show aired from 1960 to 1968, starting when Howard was 6 years old and ending when he was 14.

Tanya Jones, executive director of the Surry Arts Council, said Howard reached out to her and told her he wanted to "do something for Andy," adding that he knew Griffith loved his hometown. He emailed Jones after she had reached out to his father, actor Rance Howard, for help with the celebration that's held in the North Carolina town that inspired the fictional town of Mayberry.

Ron Howard hinted that what he learned on "The Andy Griffith Show" helped him with his future career, which includes an Academy Award for directing "A Beautiful Mind." Griffith, he said, established an inclusive set that allowed him, at age 6, "to feel safe, comfortable enough to participate and then to be able to witness and learn so much about the collaborative process ? the value of originality, the discipline of form and the bursts of individual inspiration that good moments and scenes are built on."

Rance Howard sent a statement praising Griffith's character to be read at the tribute.

"Andy was an excellent role model, the guardian of good taste and humor," wrote Rance Howard. "He loved to laugh out loud and long but his motto was, 'I don't want the public to laugh at us, I want them to laugh with us.'"

Griffith was recovering from a heart attack when Rance Howard's wife, Jean, died. Griffith flew with his wife, Cindi, to California so he could speak at the memorial service.

"That's the kind of friend Andy was," Rance Howard wrote. "Yes, he played an enormous role in our lives."

Ron Howard said he learned during the eight seasons "how much care had to go into making a program if it was going to be truly worthy of an audience's time.

"...He helped me to understand that high achievement and leadership require confidence, yes, hard work, absolutely. But it could be gained while still maintaining humility, humanity and a joyous appreciation for those around him. Like so many others, I'm going to miss you, Andy."

With his last words for the crowd, Howard mimicked Griffith, who was famous for telling the audience three words at the end of his shows: "I appreciate it."

___

Martha Waggoner can be reached at http://twitter.com/mjwaggonernc

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-09-30-Mayberry%20Days/id-96dd013015614b3f914431d8f5c0ac57

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Biden: Days into job, news of $1 trillion deficit

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) ? Vice President Joe Biden says that he and President Barack Obama had been on the job less than a week when a top economic adviser told them the country was facing a trillion-dollar budget deficit.

Biden says that Obama replied, "But I haven't done anything yet."

Biden blames the deficit on the previous Bush administration, adding that it "put two wars on a credit card" and gave tax cuts to the wealthy after inheriting a balanced budget and revenue surplus from the Clinton administration.

Biden hammered GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney for comments on a leaked video in which Romney describes 47 percent of Americans as paying no federal income tax and believing "they are victims."

Biden made his remarks Saturday to more than 2,000 people in Fort Myers, Fla.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/biden-days-job-news-1-trillion-deficit-172845861--election.html

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Americana revisited: Rockwell's models reuniting

Tom Paquin of North Bennington, Vt., poses with a 1950 Saturday Evening Post illustration by Norman Rockwell for which he modeled at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Tom Paquin of North Bennington, Vt., poses with a 1950 Saturday Evening Post illustration by Norman Rockwell for which he modeled at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Don Trachte of Bennington, Vt., poses with a1953 Child Life magazine cover illustration "Santa's Helpers" by Norman Rockwell for which he modeled, at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. Trachte is the child on the left. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Mary Immen Hall of Bennington, Vt., looks at the1940 Norman Rockwell illustration "A Scout is Helpful" and the photograph it was created from at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. Hall modeled as the little girl in the illustration. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Models who modeled for Norman Rockwell illustrations pose with the pieces in which they were featured at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. From left is Butch Corbett, Tom Paquin, Don Trachte and seated is Mary Immen Hall. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

Tom Paquin of North Bennington, Vt., poses with a1950 Saturday Evening Post cover illustration by Norman Rockwell for which he modeled at the Bennington Museum on Friday, Sept. 28, 2012, in Bennington, Vt. (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) ? Don Trachte's cowlick has been tamed. Mary Hall is no longer a towhead. Butch Corbett is still thin, but not the beanpole he once was. And Tom Paquin's carrot top is thinner and grayer.

Twenty or so people who were children when they posed in the 1940s and '50s for their neighbor Norman Rockwell in the Vermont town of Arlington are reuniting there Saturday to share their memories of the great American artist who once lived in their midst.

Rockwell captured scenes of everyday life in his paintings and illustrations for covers of the Saturday Evening Post, for the Boy Scouts and for its publication Boys' Life, art now considered the very definition of Americana. He would pay his neighbors $5 a pop to appear in Hallmark cards, in calendars and on magazine covers that ended up gracing the coffee tables and littering the tree houses of millions of magazine readers young and old.

"The Saturday Evening Post came out weekly, and we couldn't wait to get it to see what was on the cover," said Hall, who posed for Rockwell four times. "You could always recognize who it was."

She appeared as a blond girl wrapped in a quilt and being carried out of a flood by a Boy Scout in an image that became a cover of Boys' Life, and as a teenager in a skirt, white blouse, bobby socks and loafers on a Post cover from 1948. It was called "Christmas Homecoming" and showed people welcoming home a young man who's carrying a suitcase full of dirty laundry.

An estimated 300 people from the area modeled for Rockwell during his 14 years in the southern Vermont town. Of the 70 or so still living, the oldest is 93 (he can't make it to the reunion). Many still live in and around Arlington.

Among the models planning to join in is Mary Whalen, who posed for the popular image of a rugged-looking school girl with braids and a black eye, waiting outside a principal's office.

The former models have gotten together before, but this weekend is special. They have been invited to view a new gallery of Rockwell prints and memorabilia that is taking the place of a recently closed Rockwell museum. The new owners are treating them to a turkey lunch in honor of Rockwell's famous painting of an excited family gathered for Thanksgiving dinner.

"I think it's important that the models keep the tradition of the image that Vermont, Arlington in particular, was important in Norman Rockwell's biography. That while he lived in Arlington he did his best work, probably ... and his local models were Arlington people," said James "Buddy" Edgerton, 82, who lived next door to Rockwell, his wife and three sons and modeled for him at least a dozen times.

Rockwell was a full-fledged member of the town, attending school basketball games and square dances, and had a great sense of humor, his neighbors recall. But as one of America's foremost artists, he could be as precise as any high-fashion photographer.

He would first have the models photographed and then would sketch a drawing. Sometimes the session in his studio took minutes, sometimes several hours. He always had a pipe in his mouth, and he joked around with the kids to make them comfortable.

"Rockwell had these images in his head, and he wanted you to smile or be wide-eyed in a certain way. You have to be a little actor, you see, and I probably was a little embarrassed," said Trachte, who was 5 or 6 when he posed for a painting of a little boy and girl in pajamas, holding hands and peering up at Santa Claus. Years later, Trachte and his brother found a Rockwell hidden in a wall at his parents' house; "Breaking Home Ties" sold at auction in 2006 for $15.4 million.

Rockwell knew just what he wanted, instructing the children to sit or stand in certain positions with particular expressions and to wear certain clothing, often providing Scout uniforms, or in one case, the velvet outfit that Hall wore for the cover of an edition of the book "Little Lord Fauntleroy."

"I find his detail just amazing," said Hall, whose father was a real estate agent who sold Rockwell his first and second home in town.

She noted that Rockwell managed to paint the small piece of tape around her leg from a sprained ankle that appeared above her bobby sock: "He didn't miss the details."

Edgerton ? who went on to write the memoir "The Unknown Rockwell: A Portrait of Two American Families," about a farm boy growing up next door to the Rockwells ? modeled for his neighbor mostly as a Scout, with his image published in four calendars.

The last time he modeled was in 1964, after Rockwell had moved about 65 miles away to Stockbridge, Mass., now home to the Norman Rockwell Museum. Edgerton appeared as a Scoutmaster with his son, then 9, in a painting called "Growth of a Leader," showing four profiles of a Scout progressing from a child to an adult with a graying sideburn ? much like Edgerton has today.

"He was a wonderful guy," Edgerton said. "He made you feel you were the most important person in the world when you were doing it."

___

Hill reported from Bennington, Vt.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-09-28-Norman%20Rockwell%20Models/id-a6671c3beda4489fa8b4f990b54d5480

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Polish Solidarity hero is reburied after mix-up

WARSAW, Poland (AP) ? Mourners on Friday bid a second farewell to Anna Walentynowicz, a legendary figure with Poland's Solidarity movement whose body was mistakenly buried in the wrong grave after her death in a 2010 plane crash.

The repeat funeral Mass for Walentynowicz in her hometown of Gdansk took place after her body was exhumed last week and DNA tests confirmed that it had been switched with another female victim of the crash in Russia that claimed 96 lives, including that of Poland's president.

A welder, crane operator and single mother, Walentynowicz was a fierce opponent of the communist regime. She was fired in 1980 from a Gdansk shipyard job as punishment for her political activism, which sparked workers' strikes that led to the formation of the Solidarity freedom movement under Lech Walesa. Today she remains a national symbol of the ultimately successful anti-communist fight, though a feud with Walesa resulted in her being overshadowed by him.

Speaking over her coffin, draped in the white-and-red national flag, mourners said they were bidding farewell to the "Mother of Solidarity" who consistently fought for workers' rights.

"We are bidding farewell to one of the greatest figures of our time, a person who played a significant role in Poland's history," said opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, twin brother of President Lech Kaczynski who was also killed in the crash.

"Even her death, her second burial is as unusual as she was unusual," he said.

The mix-up of Walentynowicz's body with another person has revived both deep divisions within Polish society and distrust of historic foe Russia.

A few people with the words "It was an assassination" written on Poland's national flag entered the church during the funeral Mass but were asked by Walentynowicz's grandson not to disturb the ceremony.

Russian experts who conducted postmortems of the victims made several errors in their reports, sparking the outrage of many of the victims' relatives. Russian authorities have said that any mistakes result from the fragmented nature of the bodies after the crash. Three exhumations carried out earlier this year confirmed the identities of the bodies.

Poland's chief prosecutor Andrzej Seremet has said that the mix-up in Walentynowicz's case occurred because the families had wrongly identified the bodies. Both families staunchly deny that.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he apologized for any mistakes that Polish officials might have made in the effort to help identify and bring the bodies back to Poland, following the nation's greatest disaster since World War II.

Groups linked to opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski claim the crash was an assassination by the Russians, and the flawed Russian reports have added to the suspicions and distrust. They also say Tusk has not been firm enough with the Russians in demanding a greater role for Poland's investigators.

However, most Poles firmly reject the conspiracy theories and believe an official government report that says the crash was caused by human error and fog.

The plane crash occurred April 10, 2010, as the presidential delegation was about to land in Smolensk, Russia. The group was to honor Polish victims of mass murders by Stalin's secret security during World War II.

At least four more exhumations are expected this year over doubts concerning the identifications carried out in Moscow after the crash.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/polish-solidarity-hero-reburied-mix-154959055.html

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Study reveals wide discrepancy in multidrug surveillance among intensive care units

Public release date: 28-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Liz Garman
egarman@apic.org
202-454-2604
Elsevier Health Sciences

Washington, DC, September 28, 2012 Screening practices for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in intensive care units (ICUs) vary widely from hospital to hospital, according to a new study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

The P-NICE interdisciplinary research team from the Columbia University School of Nursing collected and analyzed survey responses from the infection preventionists (IPs) of 250 hospitals that participated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) in 2008. The goal of the study was to explore the relationship between hospital and infection control characteristics and the adoption, monitoring, and implementation of infection control policies aimed at MDROs.

Researchers found that participating NHSN ICUs routinely screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (59 percent). However, other potentially deadly MDROs were screened for far less frequently: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (22 percent), gram-negative rods (12 percent), and C. difficile (11 percent).

Forty percent of ICUs reported a written policy to screen for any MDRO, and less than one-third (27 percent) had a policy for periodic screening following admission. One-third reported a policy requiring isolation/contact precautions pending screening, 98 percent reported requiring contact precautions for culture-positive patients, and 42 percent reported a policy for grouping colonized patients together.

The study found that state-mandated reporting, being a teaching hospital, having 201-500 beds, and being located in the western United States were factors associated with having a policy to screen all admissions for any MDRO. Periodic screening after admission was correlated with mandated reporting, teaching status, and use of an electronic surveillance system.

"There is significant variation in adoption of screening and infection control interventions aimed at MDRO and C. difficile in NHSN ICUs, which is congruent with data from other studies and may reflect wide variation in published recommendations or their interpretation," said Monika Pogorzelska, PhD, MPH, lead study author. "Additionally, with the current increase in mandatory reporting, IPs may be focusing on fulfilling mandates rather than implementing policies based on their experience and hospital needs. Further research is needed to provide additional insight on effective strategies and how best to promote compliance."

"Rather than being driven by legislative mandates that are not evidence based, MDRO screening should be based on a facility's risk assessment, as the epidemiology of these organisms can vary from region to region," said APIC 2012 President Michelle Farber, RN, CIC. "APIC recommends that each institution designs an HAI prevention program that is effective for their facility and needs."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 28-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Liz Garman
egarman@apic.org
202-454-2604
Elsevier Health Sciences

Washington, DC, September 28, 2012 Screening practices for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) in intensive care units (ICUs) vary widely from hospital to hospital, according to a new study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).

The P-NICE interdisciplinary research team from the Columbia University School of Nursing collected and analyzed survey responses from the infection preventionists (IPs) of 250 hospitals that participated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) in 2008. The goal of the study was to explore the relationship between hospital and infection control characteristics and the adoption, monitoring, and implementation of infection control policies aimed at MDROs.

Researchers found that participating NHSN ICUs routinely screened for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureas (59 percent). However, other potentially deadly MDROs were screened for far less frequently: vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (22 percent), gram-negative rods (12 percent), and C. difficile (11 percent).

Forty percent of ICUs reported a written policy to screen for any MDRO, and less than one-third (27 percent) had a policy for periodic screening following admission. One-third reported a policy requiring isolation/contact precautions pending screening, 98 percent reported requiring contact precautions for culture-positive patients, and 42 percent reported a policy for grouping colonized patients together.

The study found that state-mandated reporting, being a teaching hospital, having 201-500 beds, and being located in the western United States were factors associated with having a policy to screen all admissions for any MDRO. Periodic screening after admission was correlated with mandated reporting, teaching status, and use of an electronic surveillance system.

"There is significant variation in adoption of screening and infection control interventions aimed at MDRO and C. difficile in NHSN ICUs, which is congruent with data from other studies and may reflect wide variation in published recommendations or their interpretation," said Monika Pogorzelska, PhD, MPH, lead study author. "Additionally, with the current increase in mandatory reporting, IPs may be focusing on fulfilling mandates rather than implementing policies based on their experience and hospital needs. Further research is needed to provide additional insight on effective strategies and how best to promote compliance."

"Rather than being driven by legislative mandates that are not evidence based, MDRO screening should be based on a facility's risk assessment, as the epidemiology of these organisms can vary from region to region," said APIC 2012 President Michelle Farber, RN, CIC. "APIC recommends that each institution designs an HAI prevention program that is effective for their facility and needs."

###

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/ehs-srw092812.php

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Apple CEO Apologizes for New Maps App: It 'Fell Short'

In an extremely rare move, Apple's CEO Tim Cook publicly apologized for the company's new maps app, which replaced Google Maps on the iPhone.

[More from Mashable: Apple Maps App Gets Lost on Twitter: Only 10% of Tweets Approve]

Cook admits the new maps application "fell short" of the company's commitment to providing the "best experience possible" and the CEO even goes on to recommend that customers try out other maps applications -- including Google's -- while Apple works to improve its own.

The maps app has been widely panned by reviewers and customers alike online, for having many fundamental errors in 3-d mapping and directions, and falling short of the standard set by Google Maps.

[More from Mashable: Apple Stock Returns to Where It Was Before iPhone 5]

Here's the full letter from Cook:

To our customers,

At Apple, we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.

We launched Maps initially with the first version of iOS. As time progressed, we wanted to provide our customers with even better Maps including features such as turn-by-turn directions, voice integration, Flyover and vector-based maps. In order to do this, we had to create a new version of Maps from the ground up.

There are already more than 100 million iOS devices using the new Apple Maps, with more and more joining us every day. In just over a week, iOS users with the new Maps have already searched for nearly half a billion locations. The more our customers use our Maps the better it will get and we greatly appreciate all of the feedback we have received from you.

While we?re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world. We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard.

Tim Cook Apple?s CEO

Image courtesy of Flickr, igrec

This story originally published on Mashable here.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/apple-ceo-apologizes-maps-app-fell-short-090504643.html

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OOC Chat

Its true then. Hes no longer just a myth, no longer just the story that sent shivers down your spine, no longer just that stupid horror game. The Slenderman is most certainly real, and our very own human brains have made him flesh and blood...

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This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Faceless?. Anything posted here will also show up there.

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Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup.

Anything you just wish to say put it here ^.^

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Citi Price Rewind: Is It Worth the Extra Effort ... - Credit Card

If you?re already a Citi cardholder, you may have heard of a free service Citibank provides called Citi Price Rewind. I?m a bit embarrassed to admit that I?ve used Citi credit cards for a long time, yet I had never heard of this card benefit until a few months ago when I saw it advertised on Citi?s website.

If you aren?t familiar with the service, here?s how it works:

1. You buy something using your eligible Citi credit card.
2. Then you register your purchase online and Citi Price Rewind tracks prices for 30 days looking for a better deal.
3. If a price is identified that?s at least $25 less, Citi will notify you.
4. You can then submit a claim within 90 days of the purchase to receive the difference, and Citi will refund up to $250 per purchase for a maximum of $1,000 per calendar year.

Sounds like a big hassle, doesn?t it? Not only do you have to register the purchase and input information regarding the price you paid and where it was purchased, but then you also have to submit an official claim once you?re notified that Citi found a cheaper price. Citi should really be doing this legwork for us.

Who knows how long it would really take to receive that refund too, but my guess is that it could take several more months from when you receive notice of a cheaper price. According to Citi?s FAQ, ?once your claim form and proofs of purchases are validated, a check will be mailed to you within 10-14 days by Citicorp Insurance Services.?

I?ve personally never used this service before, but I can?t see much use for it unless we?re talking about big-ticket items. If I was spending around $1,000 or more on something like a television or refrigerator, then I could see committing the extra time to jump through all of these hoops in hopes that I might get lucky. For smaller purchases, I frankly wouldn?t waste my time.

Have you ever used Citi Price Rewind before?

Posted By: Joshua Heckathorn | Category: Credit Card Reviews | Comments (0) Tell a Friend | ? |

Source: http://www.creditnet.com/blog/credit-card-reviews/how-citi-price-rewind-works

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Watch Modern Family Season 4 Episode 1 Megavideo Online Free

This site may contain advice, opinions and statements of various information providers. Scam.com does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information provided by any information provider, any User of this Site or any other person or entity. Reliance upon any such advice, opinion, statement, or other information shall also be at the User?s own risk. Neither Scam.com nor its affiliates, nor any of their respective agents, employees, information providers or content providers, shall be liable to any User or anyone else for any inaccuracy, error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, alteration of or use of any content herein, or for its timeliness or completeness, nor shall they be liable for any failure of performance, computer virus or communication line failure, regardless of cause, or for any damages resulting therefrom. Just because a business, person, or entity is listed on scam.com does not necessarily constitute they are scammers. This is a free open forum where people can debate the merits from the consumer's or business owner's perspective. Registration and participation is always FREE.

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China hits back at Japan PM's statement on islands

BEIJING (AP) ? China on Thursday assailed Japan's prime minister as obstinate and wrong for saying his nation won't compromise in their island dispute, as Japanese lawmakers and business leaders visited Beijing with hopes of mending ties.

Relations between Japan and China are at their lowest in years because of their spat over the island group in the East China Sea known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Japan says it bought the islands this month to thwart Japanese nationalists' more radical plans to develop them. But China saw the move as wrecking a prior arrangement with Tokyo, and it and many Chinese have responded with outrage.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said in New York on Wednesday that the islands are clearly an "inherent part of our territory, in light of history and international law." He said that issues over the islands should be resolved peacefully and by the rule of law.

In response, Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Thursday that "China is strongly disappointed and sternly opposes the Japanese leader's obstinacy regarding his wrong position." His statement repeated China's stance that Japan was ignoring historical facts and international laws.

"The country seriously challenges the post-war international order, but tries to take the rules of international law as a cover. This is self-deceiving," Qin said in a separate statement.

Senior diplomats from both countries have met this week in New York and Beijing in an attempt to patch things over. But China still scrapped long-planned festivities scheduled this weekend to mark 40 years of diplomatic relations between the countries.

Instead, Jia Qinglin, a senior Communist Party official, met with members of the China-Japan Friendship Association Thursday, striking a friendly note by welcoming the Japanese elder statesmen as "old friends of the Chinese people." He said they had worked hard to promote exchanges and cooperation in economic, political and cultural areas.

Yohei Kono, a former Japanese foreign minister, referred to the strife when told his Chinese hosts he had come to Beijing "this time with a heavy heart."

The islands, held by Japan, are tiny and uninhabited but sit astride rich fishing waters and potentially large reserves of natural gas. They are also claimed by Taiwan.

Japan's purchase of some of the islands from their private Japanese owners two weeks ago sparked sometimes violent protests in China that targeted Japanese-owned stores and factories.

Noda defended the purchase as an attempt to ensure their "stable management," but conceded, "It seems that China has yet to understand that."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/china-hits-back-japan-pms-statement-islands-061155557.html

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Cobra Wallet ? Is it a Wallet or a Phone Stand?

The Cobra Wallet is the latest wallet design to seek funding via Kickstarter. This wallet features a curved design that offers storage for up to 8 cards and a couple of bills (there’s also a hidden area that can hold a key). At only .5 inches thick, the Cobra Wallet helps reduce pocket bulge while [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2012/09/25/cobra-wallet-is-it-a-wallet-or-a-phone-stand/

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Former Filipino street kid, 13, wins $130,000

By Isolde Raftery, NBC News

As a child living in the Philippines, Kesz Valdez was beaten by his father, forced to make money to buy him drugs and alcohol.

At 4, Kesz ran away to a dump site, struggling to stay alive. After being gravely wounded from falling in a pile of burning tires, a man named Harnin Manalaysay cared for him and eventually became his guardian.

On his seventh birthday, Kesz told Manalaysay that he didn?t want birthday presents. Rather, he wanted to give gifts to street kids. Now, 13, Kesz?s charity, Championing Community Children, has given gifts to 5,000 street kids in Cavite City, an act of selflessness that has earned Kesz the 2012 International Children?s Peace Prize, an honor that comes with $130,000.

---

Today, Kesz educates children living on the streets about personal hygiene and he takes care of their wounds, according to a video made about his story.

"I teach the children how to wash hands properly, brush their teeth daily and bathe regularly. I believe that some of these street children we save will pay the act forward to help champion their own communities," he told GMA News Online.

Nobel Peace laureate Desmond Tutu, a retired Anglican bishop from South Africa who opposed Apartheid, presented the award on Sept. 19.

Watch World News videos on NBCNews.com

?These young people show the incredible resilience in the human spirit,? Tutu said of the three children before him. ?I congratulate this year?s winner.?

Said Kesz, according to the prize website: ?My message to all children around the globe is; our health is our wealth! Being healthy will enable you to play, to think clearly, to get up and go to school and love the people around you in so many ways. To everyone in the world, please remember that every day, 6,000 children die from diseases associated with poor sanitation, poor hygiene, and we can do something about it! Please join me in helping street children achieve better health and better lives.?

He dedicated his award to his guardian, Manalaysay, GMA News Online reported.

"I look up to him as a father. He is the first person who made me feel loved so it is only fitting to dedicate this award to him," Kesz said.

More world stories from NBC News:

Follow World News from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

?

Source: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/26/14114432-former-filipino-street-kid-13-wins-international-childrens-peace-prize?lite

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Union-buster Walker calls for return of union refs

MADISON, Wis. (AP) ? Nothing brings political enemies together in Wisconsin like the Green Bay Packers.

Following a controversial game-ending call by replacement referees that cost Green Bay a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, Wisconsin officials from across the political divide united behind the Packers.

Even Gov. Scott Walker and a Democratic state senator who were bitter opponents in the 2010 battle over Wisconsin public workers' collective bargaining rights found themselves on the same side Tuesday.

Walker, whose union-busting efforts have made him the darling of fiscal conservatives, posted a message on Twitter calling for the return of the NFL's locked-out unionized officials.

"After catching a few hours of sleep, the (hash)Packers game is still just as painful. (hash)Returntherealrefs," Walker tweeted early Tuesday.

Democratic state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, who was one of 14 Democrats who fled to Illinois for three weeks last year in opposition to Walker's union proposal, said he saw the irony in Walker's post but in Wisconsin "we're all fans, first and foremost."

"If you were born and raised in Wisconsin, you were raised on the Packers," said Erpenbach, who urged his Twitter followers to call NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to complain. "Every Sunday it's Packers and pancakes, not necessarily in that order."

Packers and politics have always been closely aligned in Wisconsin, where Republicans and Democrats alike have long tried to score points by tapping into the electorate's nearly universal affection for the NFL's only publicly owned team.

Just days before the Packers' 2011 Super Bowl win and Walker's unveiling of his union plan, team President Mark Murphy appeared via a video feed during the governor's State of the State speech before the Legislature.

Murphy's comments and Walker's praise for the team led to a standing ovation from lawmakers. "All we need are the Green Bay Packers" to bring Republicans and Democrats together, Walker joked at the time.

But just days after Green Bay knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers to win its fourth Super Bowl, Walker introduced his plan to close the state's large looming budget deficit by going after public sector union bargaining rights, unleashing a torrent of opposition. Some of the criticism came from the Packers themselves, with star cornerback Charles Woodson and seven other past and present players coming out against Walker's plan.

Democratic state Sen. Chris Larson, who also tweeted his anger over Monday night's game, said he thinks the NFL referees' labor dispute will change the minds of some people who previously were anti-union.

"People end up thinking you can get good work for cheap, you can always find a cheaper way and it's going to be just as good a result," Larson told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "I would hope that Scott Walker is just as outraged about decreased quality of teachers that we're going to get as he is with replacement refs in the NFL."

Although it was nothing like those massive pro-union protests at the Capitol, a few die-hard cheeseheads picketed outside Lambeau Field on Tuesday to voice their displeasure to the league. The game was being talked about the halls of the state Capitol, the streets of Milwaukee and all across the state.

Laurie Wroblewski, of Oak Creek, Wis., said she hopes the NFL gives the officials what they want in their contracts. She said it's hurting the games and ultimately it will affect profits.

"With the money they may lose, I mean, they could probably pay for whatever the refs are calling for," she said. "I just think it's a terrible situation and I think that if they can't come to a decision over the next few weeks, then the Super Bowl will not be anything to watch, either."

Campaigning in Cincinnati, Republican vice presidential nominee and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan joined in the call for the officials to return.

"You guys watch that Packer game last night? I mean, give me a break," Ryan said to laughs. "It is time to get the real refs and you know what it reminds me of ? President Obama and the economy. If you can't get it right, it's time to get out."

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contract expired. The league has been using replacement officials, and through three weeks of the regular season there has been much criticism over the way some games are being handled.

Walker's spokesman, Cullen Werwie, tried to spin the governor's post on Tuesday, saying it wasn't meant as a pro-union political statement. Walker's tweet was being widely mocked on Twitter in light of his push last year that effectively ended collective bargaining for teachers, nurses and most other public workers. His proposal didn't affect private sector unions.

"I don't think this anything to do with unions, but has everything to do with refs making bad calls," Werwie said.

Erpenbach tweeted two different public phone numbers of the NFL commissioner for people to call.

"I could never ref an NFL football game, ever," Erpenbach said. "The replacement refs are doing the best they can do out there, but the commissioner doesn't want this to sink to a World Wrestling Federation-type event on Sunday. They have to do something. It calls into question the integrity of the game."

While Erpenbach himself plans to leave a message for Goodell urging an end to the referee labor dispute, he won't be advising the Packers to employ the same tactics he and the other Democratic senators did last year.

"I would not recommend the Packers get on a bus and leave the state," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Carrie Antlfinger, in Oak Creek, contributed to this report.

___

Scott Bauer can be followed at http://Twitter.com/@sbauerAP

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/union-buster-walker-calls-return-union-refs-142710047--spt.html

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Libyan government puts army in charge of Benghazi militias

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - Libya's government, seeking to assert its authority over private militias following the killing of U.S. diplomats in Benghazi, placed two powerful freelance units in the city under the command of full-time army officers on Monday.

Commanders of two units which have, with official sanction, been providing security since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi were ordered removed and the men of the February 17 Brigade and Rafallah al-Sahati militia put under army orders. A third unit, Libya's Shield, would also change leadership, an official said.

No comment was immediately available from Fawzi Bukatif, whose command of February 17 made him one of the most powerful men in oil-rich eastern Libya since the uprising against Gaddafi last year; nor was there a reaction from Ismail al-Salabi, who had led the heavily armed, pro-government Rafallah al-Sahati.

Uncertainties and disputes over authority have seen clashes and other violence among rival groups over the past year.

The killing of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans on September 11 - when the consulate was overrun by protesters and, some say, Islamist militants - embarrassed the interim Libyan leadership in the capital Tripoli and fuelled public anger at the continued presence on the streets of units from the revolutionary army whose loyalties are often unclear.

That popular fury after the death of a widely respected U.S. envoy who had played a role in supporting the anti-Gaddafi rebellion drove another militia, Islamist Ansar al-Sharia, out of Benghazi on Saturday. Two similar units in the eastern Islamist stronghold of Derna disbanded on Sunday.

The army, an institution that is being rebuilt as elected leaders work on establishing democracy, took advantage of that wave of popular sentiment to order unauthorized armed groups to leave public premises in Tripoli on Sunday - an operation which a military official said on Monday had been largely completed.

Army Colonel Salah Buhlaiga said two other colonels would replace Bukatif and Salabi: "I led the negotiations and we have done it successfully," he told Reuters. "We have taken command of those two big militias."

In the office of the chief-of-staff of the armed forces, spokesman Ali al-Shaikhy named the two new commanders as Colonel Emrajaa al-Mashaity at February 17 and Colonel Salahadeen Bin Omran at Rafallah al-Sahati. Together, these units can count on many hundreds of armed men in Benghazi, varyingly equipped but most recognizable by machinegun-mounted pick-up trucks.

Shaikhy said a new commander would also be named in the next few days for Libya's Shield, another paramilitary force first formed in the war against Gaddafi and which has taken on civil defense functions around the country's second city.

CHALLENGE

U.S. and Libyan investigators are still trying to work out what exactly happened at the Benghazi consulate but what is clear is that the militia units charged with keeping order failed to prevent an attack which followed protests against the U.S.-made video which has incensed Muslim opinion worldwide.

The militias are the clearest challenge to the authority of a central government forced to co-opt many of them to provide security. Official drives to either disband them or bring them fully under the control of the government have come and gone in the past, with little effect. But the growing frustration of the Libyan public may be tipping the balance at street level.

On Monday, London-based Amnesty International again accused militias of abusing human rights and called for their removal:

"We hear of individuals being abducted by armed militias, tortured including to death, driven out of their homes and killed or injured during armed confrontations. Such practices should have vanished with the end of the al-Gaddafi era, but they are ongoing in a climate of impunity," the group said.

The anarchic violence associated with the militias was on show in dramatic fashion on Friday when protesters who had pushed Ansar al-Sharia out of Benghazi moved to another compound believing that it, too, harbored anti-government Islamists.

It turned out to be the base of the pro-government Rafallah al-Sahati. Its fighters opened fire in an attempt to protect a large weapons store it had been asked to guard. Eleven people were killed and more than 60 injured before the militia left.

Six of the dead were bodyguards of a colonel in the regular Libyan army who went missing on Friday, suggesting a kidnapping that may have been the work of a militia group. (Additional reporting by Ali Shuaib and Marie-Louise Gumuchian in Tripoli; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; editing by David Stamp)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/libyan-government-puts-army-charge-benghazi-militias-191522977.html

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Council Resolution Could Doom Downtown Casino - Buffalo Rising

This weekend I was alerted by Joel Rose, Chair of Citizens Against Casino Gambling in Erie County (CACGEC), to a resolution that will be submitted this week to the Community Development Committee of the Buffalo Common Council.? The resolution will be submitted by Delaware District Councilman Michael LoCurto, a member of the committee.

The resolution was drafted with the help of Sam Magavern, Co-Director of the Partnership for the Public Good, a Buffalo progressive public-policy organization.? The Partnership for the Public Good has been conducting research on the effects of casino gambling in Buffalo since the opening of the "temporary" casino by Seneca Gaming.? Last year, it adopted opposition to casino gambling as one of its policy "planks" for 2012, and has been working with CACGEC and Citizens for a Better Buffalo (the entity funding the anti-casino lawsuit) on the public policy implications of casino gambling in Buffalo.

A reading of the resolution, below, makes clear that, if passed, it might be a step toward the eventual closure of the casino.

Despite the casino having been declared illegal by Judge Skretny, Seneca Gaming this summer broke ground on a revised, permanent casino at the edge of the Cobblestone District.? The design has been roundly panned, and seems most notable for its smorgasbord of parking options.? The quality of the revised plans, and their failure to meet the commitments originally made by the Senecas to the City of Buffalo, are among issues highlighted in the resolution.? Another involves money, as the Senecas continue to withhold millions of dollars in promised casino revenue share from the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Salamanca in a dispute with New York State.

The Community Development Committee will meet this Tuesday, September 25, at 1:00 PM, in Council Chambers, to take up the resolution.? The members of the committee are Michael J. LoCurto, Joseph Golombek, Jr. (Chair), Darius G. Pridgen, David A. Rivera, and Bonnie E. Russell.

The public is, of course, allowed to attend the committee meeting, and individuals will have the opportunity to speak.? Anyone unable to do so can contact members of the committee directly to weigh in with their views.

If you have been following the Buffalo casino saga from the beginning, you know that, in order to develop the site, Seneca Gaming had to secure the closure of Fulton Street by the City of Buffalo.? It was by no means a simple deal, with negotiations breaking down with the city administration, and a contentious vote by Common Council.? To secure passage, the Senecas made a number of commitments -- most of which they have not kept, as the resolution below details.? This isn't the first time the question of the Senecas' performance under the agreement has been raised by Common Council -- In early 2011, they grilled the City attorney for specifics on whether the Senecas were upholding their end of the deal.

Well over a year later, it at least one member of Council seems to feel it's about time for Seneca Gaming to either show its cards or cash in its chips and leave the table.

RESOLUTION

By: Michael J. LoCurto

Re: Contract Between the Seneca Gaming Corporation and the City of Buffalo

Whereas, in 2006 the City of Buffalo made a contract with the Seneca Erie Gaming Corporation, Seneca Gaming Corporation, and Seneca Nation enabling the building of the Buffalo Creek Casino, and

Whereas, the City provided land, water and sewer services, and other consideration, and in return the Corporation made a series of commitments regarding the casino's design and amenities, marketing to tourists, and hiring of local and minority residents, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised to build "a casino and parking ramp substantially in accordance with the design that was publicly unveiled on or about June 1, 2006," and

Whereas, the Corporation promised that the complex would resemble the drawings it provided, which showed extensive plantings of trees and vegetation, a pond, a creek and no surface parking lots, and

Whereas, the Corporation recently unveiled a completely different design with minimal landscaping, no pond or creek, a much smaller parking ramp, and enormous surface parking lots, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised a type of facility and coordinated marketing efforts that attract tourists from out of town and bring them to other Buffalo attractions beyond the casino, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised to work with the Convention and Visitor's Bureau to "coordinate marketing of the City as a tourist destination in its own right" and to spend more than $1.7 million per year marketing the casino outside the region as a "package with other attractions in the City," but there is no evidence that any such marketing has taken place, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised to provide the City with a certificate of compliance each year confirming its compliance with its marketing commitments and to have a marketing executive from the Corporation make an annual report on marketing to the City of Buffalo Common Council, but the Corporation has not provided those certificates or made those presentations in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011, and

Whereas, the Corporation declared its intention was to employ 1,000 people at the complex, with a preference for hiring City residents, of whom 25% would be minorities, but the Corporation has only hires a fraction of that number, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised to work with 12 listed agencies to increase jobs and opportunities for minorities and women, but there is no evidence that such work has taken place, and

Whereas, the Corporation promised make annual reports to the City on its hiring, including the total number of people hired and the numbers of minorities and women hired, but the Corporation did not make annual reports on hiring in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, or 2011 and

Whereas, the Corporation promised to make 11 infrastructure improvements costing between $5 million and $7 million, within six months of opening the casino, and

Whereas, the Corporation has been running a highly profitable casino on the site since July 3, 2007 in a large, windowless, metal shed that is clearly not attracting tourists or providing large numbers of jobs (it is estimated, for example, that the casino yielded roughly $36 million in slots revenue in 2009 alone), and

Whereas, because of its disputes with New York State, the Corporation has ceased making exclusivity payments of 25% of slots revenue to New York, so that the City of Buffalo is no longer receiving its share of exclusivity payments, and the Corporation does not pay sales or property taxes on its operations, and

Whereas, the Corporation has been unjustly enriched with millions of dollars by operating a casino in violation of the terms of its contract with the City, and in detriment to the citizens of the City, and

Whereas, it has become increasingly clear that a casino in downtown Buffalo that serves as a major tourist destination is not feasible, and that the Corporation does not intend to create such a casino, and

Whereas, extensive national and local research has proven that casinos, particularly urban "convenience" casinos that do not draw large numbers of tourists, create more harms than benefits to their host communities by taking away jobs from other businesses and by exacerbating poverty, crime, and other social problems, and

Whereas, there is no evidence of "spillover" benefit to surrounding businesses or residents from the casino in Buffalo, just as there is none from the casino in Niagara Falls - both of which are surrounded by blight, and

Whereas, a federal judge has twice ruled that casino gambling at the Buffalo site is illegal, and the matter is currently being litigated for a third time, and

Whereas, the Corporation has breached its contract with the City in numerous ways, including those listed above.

Now, Therefore be it Resolved:
That the Common Council requests that the City's Law Department initiate steps to rescind the contract, to reclaim the City land that was transferred, to cease providing water and sewer service to the site, and to be made whole for all the damages and costs that the City has sustained and for the unjust enrichment that the Corporation has obtained.

_______________________
Michael J. LoCurto
Delaware District Council Member

Source: http://www.buffalorising.com/2012/09/council-resolution-could-doom-downtown-casino.html

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New guide prepares parents for tough conversations with kids about weight and health

Public release date: 25-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Melissa Warren
mwarren@ccapr.com
202-609-6010
Chandler Chicco Agency

STOP Obesity Alliance and Alliance for a Healthier Generation say helping parents answer kids' questions about their weight is key to helping overcome childhood obesity

WASHINGTON, DC, September 25, 2012 Have you ever been taken off guard by a child's question about weight? Many parents struggle with what to say and how to say it. In fact, a WebMD/Sanford Health survey found that parents of teens find it more difficult to talk about weight with their child than talking about sex, drugs, alcohol or smoking. Experts at the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Alliance) say the issue is compounded by the fact that there are limited resources to help parents respond to children's questions about weight. To help, STOP and the Alliance have developed a free conversation guide that offers parents "real-world" situations and plain language responses to questions about weight issues including understanding BMI, body image, bullying, weight bias and family obesity.

"When parents search online or ask a medical professional for help in talking with their children about tough topics like sex or drinking, they can find a host of useful tools," said STOP Obesity Alliance Director Scott Kahan, MD, MPH. "Yet if they search for information on how to field questions on weight, they won't find much beyond the simplistic 'eat less, move more' proclamation we've heard for years. And that's just not sufficient to help the millions of families facing this serious and emotional health issue."

"Weigh In: Talking to Your Children About Weight and Health" is an online guide created to fill the information gap and offer practical advice for parents struggling with how to discuss weight and health with their children. This research-based resource was created and reviewed by experts from a cross-section of fields including pediatrics, obesity research and psychology. Rather than focusing on finding the root of obesity or laying blame, the guide offers practical information for how to responsibly and compassionately respond to the following real-world scenarios:

• BMI Confusion: Your child's school performs annual BMI screenings. Your child brings home a BMI report card that shows he/she is overweight or obese and asks what this means.
• Cultural Differences: Your racial and/or ethnic heritage traditionally finds having extra weight as attractive or something to be admired, rather than viewing it as a health concern. Your child comes home from school confused and hurt because classmates/teachers called him "fat."
• Body Image: Your child asks, "Am I fat?" and says she wants to go on a diet. She is emotional because she says she looks different from the other girls in her class.
• Bullying: Your child is not behaving appropriately or is acting withdrawn and says he doesn't want to go to school. When you ask why, he says that a bunch of kids have been teasing him and calling him "fat."
• Weight Bias: A parent or teacher who doesn't know you or your family well questions your decision to allow your overweight/obese child to have a treat or not require them to participate in an athletic activity.
• Inter-family Weight Differences: Your son, who is of average weight, makes fun of your daughter and calls her "fat."
• Parental Obesity: You are an overweight or obese parent and another adult calls you "fat" while in public with your child. Your child asks why.

"We set out to develop a guide to help children deal with obesity. During the process, we realized the great need for a guide that lets parents and caregivers know they are not alone," said Alliance for a Healthier Generation Chief Executive Officer Ginny Ehrlich, EdD. "Weight is a tough issue perhaps the toughest today's parents face given all the complexities. But that doesn't mean we can avoid it. In fact, it only intensifies the need to weigh in."

The guide also is intended to help bring out into the open a conversation that often requires parents to tread into unfamiliar territory with their children. "Even though speaking to people affected by obesity is what I do for a living, when it came to addressing the issue with my son, I was like a fish out of water," said Traci Baker, mother and weight loss life coach from Indiana. "I wanted him to know that his weight does not define him. And deep down, I knew I needed to be a role model for my son. None of this was easy. To have a guide that doesn't point fingers but offers a helping hand is exactly what parents like me need."

###

The first edition of the "Weigh In" guide is for parents and adult caregivers of children ages 7 to 11. The free guide is available online at www.WeighInOnObesity.org and on the STOP Obesity Alliance (www.stopobesityalliance.org) and Alliance for a Healthier Generation (www.HealthierGeneration.org) websites.

About the STOP Obesity Alliance

The Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance is a collaboration of nearly 70 consumer, provider, government, labor, business, health insurer and quality-of-care organizations working to drive innovative and practical strategies that combat obesity. The Alliance receives funding from founding sponsor, Sanofi. For more information, visit www.stopobesityalliance.org and follow the Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation's leading public health threats childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids to make healthy lifestyle choices. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, doctor's offices and communities. To learn more about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 25-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Melissa Warren
mwarren@ccapr.com
202-609-6010
Chandler Chicco Agency

STOP Obesity Alliance and Alliance for a Healthier Generation say helping parents answer kids' questions about their weight is key to helping overcome childhood obesity

WASHINGTON, DC, September 25, 2012 Have you ever been taken off guard by a child's question about weight? Many parents struggle with what to say and how to say it. In fact, a WebMD/Sanford Health survey found that parents of teens find it more difficult to talk about weight with their child than talking about sex, drugs, alcohol or smoking. Experts at the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation (Alliance) say the issue is compounded by the fact that there are limited resources to help parents respond to children's questions about weight. To help, STOP and the Alliance have developed a free conversation guide that offers parents "real-world" situations and plain language responses to questions about weight issues including understanding BMI, body image, bullying, weight bias and family obesity.

"When parents search online or ask a medical professional for help in talking with their children about tough topics like sex or drinking, they can find a host of useful tools," said STOP Obesity Alliance Director Scott Kahan, MD, MPH. "Yet if they search for information on how to field questions on weight, they won't find much beyond the simplistic 'eat less, move more' proclamation we've heard for years. And that's just not sufficient to help the millions of families facing this serious and emotional health issue."

"Weigh In: Talking to Your Children About Weight and Health" is an online guide created to fill the information gap and offer practical advice for parents struggling with how to discuss weight and health with their children. This research-based resource was created and reviewed by experts from a cross-section of fields including pediatrics, obesity research and psychology. Rather than focusing on finding the root of obesity or laying blame, the guide offers practical information for how to responsibly and compassionately respond to the following real-world scenarios:

• BMI Confusion: Your child's school performs annual BMI screenings. Your child brings home a BMI report card that shows he/she is overweight or obese and asks what this means.
• Cultural Differences: Your racial and/or ethnic heritage traditionally finds having extra weight as attractive or something to be admired, rather than viewing it as a health concern. Your child comes home from school confused and hurt because classmates/teachers called him "fat."
• Body Image: Your child asks, "Am I fat?" and says she wants to go on a diet. She is emotional because she says she looks different from the other girls in her class.
• Bullying: Your child is not behaving appropriately or is acting withdrawn and says he doesn't want to go to school. When you ask why, he says that a bunch of kids have been teasing him and calling him "fat."
• Weight Bias: A parent or teacher who doesn't know you or your family well questions your decision to allow your overweight/obese child to have a treat or not require them to participate in an athletic activity.
• Inter-family Weight Differences: Your son, who is of average weight, makes fun of your daughter and calls her "fat."
• Parental Obesity: You are an overweight or obese parent and another adult calls you "fat" while in public with your child. Your child asks why.

"We set out to develop a guide to help children deal with obesity. During the process, we realized the great need for a guide that lets parents and caregivers know they are not alone," said Alliance for a Healthier Generation Chief Executive Officer Ginny Ehrlich, EdD. "Weight is a tough issue perhaps the toughest today's parents face given all the complexities. But that doesn't mean we can avoid it. In fact, it only intensifies the need to weigh in."

The guide also is intended to help bring out into the open a conversation that often requires parents to tread into unfamiliar territory with their children. "Even though speaking to people affected by obesity is what I do for a living, when it came to addressing the issue with my son, I was like a fish out of water," said Traci Baker, mother and weight loss life coach from Indiana. "I wanted him to know that his weight does not define him. And deep down, I knew I needed to be a role model for my son. None of this was easy. To have a guide that doesn't point fingers but offers a helping hand is exactly what parents like me need."

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The first edition of the "Weigh In" guide is for parents and adult caregivers of children ages 7 to 11. The free guide is available online at www.WeighInOnObesity.org and on the STOP Obesity Alliance (www.stopobesityalliance.org) and Alliance for a Healthier Generation (www.HealthierGeneration.org) websites.

About the STOP Obesity Alliance

The Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance is a collaboration of nearly 70 consumer, provider, government, labor, business, health insurer and quality-of-care organizations working to drive innovative and practical strategies that combat obesity. The Alliance receives funding from founding sponsor, Sanofi. For more information, visit www.stopobesityalliance.org and follow the Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation's leading public health threats childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids to make healthy lifestyle choices. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, doctor's offices and communities. To learn more about the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.

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Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/cca-ngp092412.php

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