Monday, December 31, 2007

The real story on Harvard's generosity

Harvard estimates that it may spend an additional $22 million to assist families earning between $60,000 and $180,000 a year. Under the plan, families with incomes of $120,000 to $180,000 will be asked to kick in 10 percent of their income toward tuition. Given that the yearly cost of Harvard is $45,620, some families will still be paying almost $20,000 per year. Even if the initiative does total $22 million, compare this with the figure Harvard could be required to pay if Congress mandated that Harvard and other universities spend 5 percent of their endowment income.

The real story is here.

Thursday, December 27, 2007

"Harsh realities," from the Boston Globe


Video: Last chance for Boston English high.

Second in a series of the historic high school, which faces possible closure if things like attendance, graduation rates and test scores don't improve.

Read this week's installation.

Read part one here.

Monday, December 24, 2007

'Filling the gaps' in rural dental care


Dental Care in Kentucky: Trying to Fill the Gaps
(Audio slideshow).

Kentucky is among the worst states nationally in the proportion of low-income residents served by free or subsidized dental clinics, and less than a fourth of the state’s dentists regularly take Medicaid, according to 2005 federal data.

Pain caused by dental problems is a leading cause of missed school days in Kentucky, according to state health officials, and almost half of the state’s children ages 2 to 4 have untreated cavities. About 1 in 10 state residents are missing all their teeth, according to 2004 federal data.

At his private practice, Dr. Edwin Smith -- who also runs a mobile dental clinic -- said that at least once a month he sees a patient who has used Krazy Glue to reattach a broken tooth to the root or to an adjacent tooth. Just as often, he sees patients who have tried to avoid the cost of a dentist by swishing with rubbing alcohol to deal with a tooth infection or by rubbing crushed aspirin pills on gums to numb pain. Both tactics worsen the situation by burning the gums and creating ulcers, he said.

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The big top on my tabletop?!


Once again, all I need is an actual child to make me look legit when I buy this AWESOME finger puppet circus theater!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Holy Banana Sale





Why do they taunt me like this right before Christmas when I can't shop for myself?

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

I basically want to buy everything here...












Pottery Barn has a surprising number of awesome gifts, for me and others. A personal planetarium? An airplane cocktail shaker? A digital golf score keeper? And you have to love the artists smocks.

Viva Mafia - jewelry, that is





VivaMafia.com.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Do you like "edge" brownies?

"A Wealth of Kindness"


Nearly a year after Ethiopian troops invaded Somalia with U.S. support to oust an Islamic movement there, the Somali capital of Mogadishu remains locked in a brutal urban war that has driven an estimated 600,000 people -- more than half the city's population -- into the countryside.

U.N. officials say Somalia has descended into the continent's worst humanitarian crisis, a situation veering toward famine in some areas. Yet in the narrow streets that wind through this town of whitewashed buildings, it is difficult to find even one encampment of displaced people or a family that has been turned away.

Dec. 21, we are there not a day later

Law and Order Wannabees, pay attention


True Crime Diary began when writer Michelle McNamara decided to share the investigations she was doing on unsolved crimes. True Crime Diary seeks to find the angles others have overlooked.

Featured on the site right now: "The Goth Bonnie and Clyde."

The six super foods every woman needs

The Six Super Foods Every Woman Needs

by Colette Bouchez Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LDWoman Eating Yogurt

(WebMD) From the food pyramid to the Internet to your local bookstore, there is certainly no shortage of advice on nutrition and healthy eating. But with all the media hype surrounding many “health foods,” it can be hard for a woman to tell the nutrients from advertising ploys.

“We are sometimes led to believe that a specific food is healthier than it really is,” says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, MS, RD, author of Age-proof Your Body. “Or that you need some exotic or expensive form of certain nutrients to gain benefits - and most of the time that’s not true.”

Moreover - as happened in the 90’s when low fat cookies made everyone temporarily forget about calories - Somer says some of today’s advertising sways us toward one healthy aspect of a food to keep us from noticing other, less healthy attributes. “A product may advertise itself as ‘no cholesterol’" she says, “but it still can be loaded with bad fats or tons of calories. You have to look at the total food to know for sure.”

NYU nutritionist Tara Miller, MS, RD, agrees. “You have to read the whole label, look at all the ingredients and the portion sizes, before you know for sure just how healthy a food is.”

Or . . . you can let us do the work for you! To help you zero in on the healthiest foods that women can eat, we asked a panel of experts for their advice.

What follows is a description of the six super foods they say every woman needs. While these foods won’t cover all your nutrient bases, incorporating them into your diet as often as possible can help give you a wide range of protection.

Super Food # 1: Low fat yogurt

Goal: 3 to 5 servings a week

What it does: As a health food, yogurt is almost as old as, well, good health itself. But experts say evidence continues to accumulate that reveals its benefits in many new and exciting ways. And not just yogurt. Somer tells WebMD that any fermented dairy product - including kefir - contains healthy “probiotics” - bacteria with the power to protect you in myriad ways.

“There is a suggestion [that yogurt] may decrease the risk of breast cancer,” Somer says. ”And there’s very strong evidence it can reduce problems associated with irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory digestive tract disorders - both conditions that impact women more than men.” Additionally, she says, yogurt can help reduce the risk of stomach ulcers and vaginal infections.

Enjoy a cup of yogurt at breakfast, lunch, or snack to help meet the U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommendation for three servings of low fat dairy each day. “It’s loaded with bone-healthy calcium - something every woman needs more of at every age,” Somer says. One cup of yogurt has about 448 mg of calcium, compared to just 300 for eight ounces of skim milk.

The key, according to Somer, is to choose a low fat yogurt with live cultures - like Lactobacillus acidophilus. And do check the label, Somer advises. Some store brands may not have the level of cultures found in more established brands.

Also important: Skip the fruit-on-the-bottom or other flavored varieties. “Too much sugar,” says Somer, who also reminds us that, no, those two blueberries on the bottom of the container do not constitute a serving of fruit!

Super Food # 2: Fatty fish ? like salmon, sardines, and mackerel

Goal: 2 to 3 servings every week

What it does: The healthy factor in fish is omega-3 fatty acids, and specifically two types known as DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).

“Fatty fish not only plays a vital role in the health of the membrane of every cell in our body, it also helps protect us from a number of key health threats,” says Laurie Tansman, MS, RD, CDN, a nutritionist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York.

Some of those threats include heart disease, stroke, hypertension, depression, joint pain, and a number of illnesses linked to inflammation, including lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. Somer says fish may even offer some protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

While many foods - such as walnuts, flaxseed oil, and some mayonnaise brands - claim the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, Somer cautions that only the DHA or EPA forms of omega-3 can be directly used by the body.

“What you get in foods like walnuts and flaxseed oil is an omega-3 acid known as ALA - alpha-linoleic acid,” says Somer. “And while it’s certainly good for you, it requires a process in the body to convert it to DHA. And that conversion process can be influenced by a variety of individual factors.”

The good news: You are likely to see a wheelbarrow full of new products supplemented with DHA slowly making their way to market in the coming year. Currently, Kellogg is reportedly developing a cereal fortified with DHA, while a company called Nutri-Kids has already launched a DHA fortified ready-to-drink milk product. You can also find eggs fortified with DHA and, says Somer, certain brands of soymilk.

Super Food # 3 Beans

Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week

What it does: Low in fat, beans are a good source of protein and fiber and may have protective effects against heart disease and breast cancer. Beans may also play a role in stabilizing female hormones, says nutritionist Susan Krause, MS, RD.

“Beans have been around so long that most people don’t view them as a fancy new health food,” Krause says. “But in fact, they are among one of the healthiest things a woman can eat.”

In studies published in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers found that beans in general, and lentils in particular, may have some protective effects against breast cancer. In research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, doctors found a relationship between a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and a higher intake of legumes. Well known legumes include peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts.

As a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, Krause says, beans can help lower cholesterol, while their level of a nutrient known as isoflavone can help in the regulation of hormones and may aid with PMS, perimenopause, or menopause symptoms. Although soybeans have among the highest levels of isoflavones, other sources include red clover, kudzu, mung beans, alfalfa sprouts, black cohosh, and chickpeas.

“Beans also contain something called protease inhibitors, which may help protect against breast cancer,” says Krause. Protease inhibitors help slow the division of cancer cells and in this way may prevent tumor formation.

Last but not least, if you are in your reproductive years, beans can give you a steady supply of folic acid - essential if you should become pregnant.

Super Food # 4 Tomatoes (or watermelon, red grapefruit, red navel oranges)

Goal: 3 to 5 servings each week

What it does: The powerhouse nutrient in all these fruits is lycopene. And, according to Miller, while the headlines touted its protective effects against prostate cancer, more quiet research has shown it has tremendous health benefits for women as well.

“Research is starting to show that lycopene may protect against breast cancer,” Miller says. ”And it’s also a powerful antioxidant that can help a woman fight heart disease.”

The very latest research shows it may also help keep you looking younger longer by protecting against UV damage from the sun.

Super Food # 5 Vitamin D fortified low fat milk or orange juice

Goal: At least 400 IUs of vitamin D daily

What it does: “Essential to helping the bones absorb calcium from the gut,” says Somer, “vitamin D helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis and may be vital in reducing the risk of diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and tumors of the breast, colon, and ovary.”

Indeed, recent studies from the University of California San Diego suggest that vitamin D has the potential to prevent up to onehalf of all breast, colon, and ovarian cancer in the United States.

Somer tells WebMD that a growing body of research indicates many women may be vitamin D deficient. “A combination of staying out of the sun (which the body uses to manufacture vitamin D) and using sunscreen, which blocks the synthesis of vitamin D, has resulted in many women hitting a dangerously low level of this nutrient,” says Somer.

While Vitamin D is found in salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines, experts say fortified foods, such as milk, are the best source.

Super Food # 6: Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries)

Goal: 3 to 4 servings every week

What It Does: In a way similar to wine, these fruits may protect your body with powerful anti-cancer nutrients known as anthocyans, which are believed to play a role in cell repair. Krause says research shows anthocyans may decrease the risk of several cancers, including those in the breast and gastrointestinal tract.

“These berries,” says Krause, “are also high in vitamin C and folic acid, which is essential for all women in their childbearing years. And they offer powerful anti-oxidant protection, which not only protects the heart but also may protect against skin aging, from the inside out.” Moreover, she tells WebMD that cranberries may help reduce the risk of urinary tract infections in women, while the nutrient, lutein found in all the berries, can help protect vision.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Sweet pet gifts





Courtesy of today's Boston Globe, these hilarious/totally necessary pet gift ideas:







Find them at Muttropolis.

and My Dog's Bakery.

And FunnyFur.

And on Amazon.

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Beautiful yoga mats and bags


And they're eco friendly, too.

www.Gaiam.com.

I have hotpants for you




(Really they're underwear)


Bluebee.com has 'em.

Friday, November 30, 2007

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

This stove cooks -- but burns

A Salvadoran wanted to help the environment and his country's poor. Instead, his acclaimed invention has cost him his family and savings.
It's a stainless-steel cooker that uses about 95 percent less fuel than conventional wood stoves, with minimal pollution. It would seem to be a can't-miss technology in a country where millions still cook with wood and most forests have been destroyed.

The device has garnered Nuñez a prestigious environmental prize. It has earned him a U.S. patent. And it has won fans among some Salvadoran peasants who no longer spend a good chunk of their days hunting for firewood and the rest inhaling cooking smoke.

Nuñez gambled that the government or nonprofit groups would finance production of the appliances to distribute to low-income people. But Salvadoran officials so far have shown scant interest in his invention. Environmental groups have offered praise but little financial backing.

The Rise of Family-Friendly Cities: It's lifestyle, not lattés, that our most productive workers want.

There is a basic truth about the geography of young, educated people. They may first migrate to cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston or San Francisco. But they tend to flee when they enter their child-rearing years.

Read it at Wall Street Journal.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Kikoy scarf





This is so beautiful....I'm considering getting it for my mom for Christmas. She just got this raspberry jacket at L.L. Bean. Will it go?

www.kikoy.com.

I also love their cushions and wraps and dresses. If I lived in Florida I would be all over this stuff.

This guy is amazing

Monday, November 26, 2007

AWESOME!

Marion's point of view

He got the boot - I wasn't sure it was his time to go!

Cute cords, also J.Crew


Love it with those shoes, too.

I...love...charms


But adding elephants in there? BRILLIANT.

Find it at J.Crew.

New Pan-Mass Challenge routes, fundraising minimums

Registering for any Saturday ride now carries full financial commitment.
1-day rides to MMA will carry the same fundraising policy as 2-day rides
to Provincetown. Only the Sunday Wellesley to Wellesley route allows
riders to cancel by July 11th without further financial commitment.

Fundraising minimums for 2008

3. All routes finishing in Provincetown: $4,000
4. Two-day rides finishing in Wellesley: $3,400
5. One-day rides to Bourne: $3,000
6. Sunday Wellesley - Wellesley ride: $1,300
7. Heavy Hitter*: $6,700

• *receives matching cycling shorts with 2008 event jersey;
• invite to 2009 Heavy Hitter banquet,
• listing in Yearbook;
• First opportunity to register for choice of 2009 route, Saturday night
lodging and Sunday transportation home.

(I'm thinking of doing the Sunday ride to warm up to it. That way I could still volunteer earlier in the weekend and then do the ride on Sunday.)

Friday, November 23, 2007