Backing grows for prohibiting teenagers from indoor tanning salons

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a warning that tanning teens have a heightened risk of cancer of the skin. Teenage tanning bed use, particularly among girls, is increasing. Several scientific studies have found a correlation between tanning bed use among the young and increased skin cancer risk. Laws barring teenagers from using indoor tanning facilities are being recommending by pediatric and dermatological groups in the United States.

Teens getting cancer of the skin from tanning

Because of the risk of skin cancer, it was suggested by the American Academy of Pediatrics that teens shouldn't be allowed to do indoor tanning when making a statement on ultraviolet radiation. The statement, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, called for pediatricians to push for legislation banning access to indoor tanning for those 18 and younger. There was also a Food and drug administration panel that talked about prohibiting minors from using tanning beds. One suggestion was that parents could give permission for it. Mom and dad are encouraged by the AAP to educate their children about UV protection. Those with a history of melanoma, who sunburn very easily or who freckle easily should especially be warned.

Teenage tanning bed risks

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery explained that over 1 million individuals use indoor tanning salons. Nearly 70 percent of tanning bed users is women and girls from 16 to 29 years old. Melanoma, then basal cell and then squamous cell carcinomas are probably the most common children skin cancers, the ASDS said. Just six severe sunburns in a lifetime increase the risk of melanoma by 50 percent. About 10 to 15 times more UV radiation is used by girls when in tanning beds than is produced at noon, says the AAP. This is the case for about 35 percent of 17-year-old girls. Seven different studies found an increase in the risk of melanoma from indoor tanning before age 35.

Finding a way to make it so teenagers is not allowed to use tanning beds

The recommendations about tanning and cancer for teenagers are something the Food and Drug Administration most likely won't do anything about. Usually the advice of these panels is taken into consideration and done though. Indoor tanning is regulated by over 60 percent of U.S. states currently for minor use. The Indoor Tanning Association insists no scientific evidence links teenage tanning to skin cancer; and said banning teenagers from tanning is for mother and father, not the government to decide.

Citations

U.S. News and World Report

health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/infectious-diseases/articles/2011/02/28/pediatricians-group-backs-ban-on-tanning-booth-use-by-minors

Med Page Today

medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/25085

CNN

cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/02/28/tanning.skin.cancer/

Home sales rise though real estate costs decline

A rise has been noted in national home sales, however housing prices are nevertheless trending downward. Loan providers have to be pleased with more individuals attempting to purchase a property. That said, it may be that sales are only picking up due to low prices rather than rebounding consumer confidence. Resource for this article – Housing prices decline, but home sales are rising by MoneyBlogNewz.

Homes becoming an investment

CNN reports that the National Association of Realtors explained that more individuals are purchasing property with property sales nationwide. Property sales rose 2.7 percent over January 2011, to a seasonally adjusted rate of 5.36 million per year. For the first time in seven months, property sales are over the figures from a year ago. There was a 5.3 percent increase from January 2010. People who have not had to make their way to a lender to buy the houses have been the ones making this increase happen though. The number of money purchases was 32 percent of all sales, up from 26 percent in Jan 2010. Sales to investors made up 23 percent of sales, which accounted for 17 percent of property sales in January 2010.

Foreclosures didn't help

The discounts on foreclosed properties are what have gotten many money buyers and buyers interested. Bloomberg explains how many properties were distressed. In January 2011 home sales, 37 percent had this issue. More homes are accessible at rock bottom costs, and many loan businesses are anxious to get a home off its balance sheet. Even if a property is sold for half as much as it would normally go for, many people can't afford to pay for one out of pocket. There was a 3 percent drop in the median home price in January 2010. Now, $158,800 is the price.

Lower home costs nevertheless

USA Today reports that the metropolitan areas are having home values drop drastically. The Standard & Poor’s Case Shiller Index recorded drops in all however one of the 20 major cities it tracks. Only Washington D.C. didn’t see property costs decrease. Areas with inflated real estate values for instance Arizona, California and Florida have experienced the worst in decline, but southern states like Mississippi and Alabama are also experiencing price declines. The rise in sales may signal reversing demand, and several economists believe 2011 can be a year of dramatic recovery.

Information from

CNN

money.cnn.com/2011/02/23/real_estate/january_home_sales/index.htm

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-23/sales-of-u-s-existing-homes-climb-to-eight-month-high.html

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2011-02-22-home-prices_N.htm

Migraine to blame for Branson video blunders

The speech issues in the Serene Branson viral film were most likely caused by a migraine. Branson, a media reporter for a local station in Los Angeles, slurred her speech and was fumbling for words in a newscast, the video of which easily went viral. Several thought Branson was either drunk, or had possibly suffered a stroke. Branson has fully recovered after being diagnosed with having had a migraine.

Branson did not have a stroke

The after Grammy Awards coverage was intended to be done by media reporter Serene Branson. KCBS TV sent her to do it. In the Branson Grammy coverage film, the reporter speaks gibberish and seems to have good difficulty talking, and the station quickly cut to another story. Several thought maybe Branson had a stroke while others thought maybe the media reporter had just gotten really intoxicated. However, a battery of medical tests indicated that Branson had suffered a migraine, according to MSNBC. She said that she had felt numb on the right side of her face, had a hard time reading and couldn't form clear thoughts. The speech problem was caused by these things.

The pain of a migraine

In the brain, there is an event that takes place called a migraine which is worse than a headache. A "migraine aura" was what Branson experienced which is much like a stroke in the symptoms that are shown in it, according to the Los Angeles Times. Symptoms for instance a change in vision, seeing lights blurry or brighter than normal, feeling numb, having a hard time talking or other things can all be symptoms of a migraine aura in accordance with WebMD, although it does not take place during all migraines.

Can debilitate individuals

Several who have migraines know how hard it can be to work around them. Many headaches are really terrible although some people can just lie down for a while. Since migraine auras are really severe sometimes, it could be a good idea to seek medical attention. Risk factors like smoking and family history of migraines can increase risk although the reason for them is unknown.

Articles cited

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41652808/ns/today-entertainment/?gt1=43001

LA Times

latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-serene-branson-20110218,0,5921347.story

Web MD

webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/migraines-headaches-overview

GOP uses budget bill in attempt to kill net neutrality

The House GOP war against the Obama administration now consists of net neutrality rules proposed by the FCC. Net neutrality rules are supported by the Obama administration and Democrats in Congress. The rules are intended to keep access to Internet services of the highest quality equal for all Americans. To undermine the new rules, the GOP-controlled House added a rider to a key spending bill that would deprive the FCC of funds needed to enforce net neutrality. This may help the millions of people who take out paydayloans every month just to pay their internet bill.

Net neutrality and connections with the federal spending budget

In an attempt to keep the FCC from implementing new net neutrality rules, the Republican-controlled House approved an amendment to a budget bill needed to fund the federal government to the end of the 2011 fiscal year in June. The amendment to defund FCC net neutrality is one of the few means Republicans have to satisfy their constituents at corporations like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon who control most U.S. Internet access. The legislation process might not go so well though for the net neutrality amendment. It will be really hard for President Obama to veto the amendment if it’s part of the spending budget bill the government needs for funds.

Concerns over net neutrality shown in politics

The net neutrality put out by the FCC is supported by Obama. The Senate Democrats support it as well. The rules passed the Democratic House in December, however U.S. Senate Republicans stalled the measure in anticipation of the GOP gaining control of the House in the new year. Democrats don’t want to talk about the net neutrality defunding amendment. It is something they are refusing to bring up. On March 4, the government funding bill that is currently there will disappear. It is vital that a new spending bill be created. Otherwise, the government may have to stop anything.

Facts about net neutrality

New net neutrality rules are being considered because a few major corporations control Internet access for most Americans. Some people suspect these corporations of colluding with each other to keep rates high and the quality of service low. The FCC hopes to encourage more competition in the Internet service provider sector by preventing major Internet service providers from charging sites for faster access and throttling Internet connections for content providers and consumers who do not pay extra.

Articles cited

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110217-718244.html

Politico

politico.com/news/stories/0211/49754.html

Daily Tech

dailytech.com/US+House+Votes+to+Allow+Cable+Providers+to+Throttle+Internet/article20947.htm

Bavarian brewmeister introduces non-alcoholic athletics beverage brand

A beer maker in Germany is positioning its non-alcoholic brand as a recovery drink for sportsmen. Erdinger of Bavaria is hoping that its Alkoholfrei defies the downward trend of non-alcoholic beer sales in the past decade. The German brewer touts the carbohydrates and vitamins present in Alkoholfrei that aren’t offset by dehydration induced by alcohol.

Strong belief that Alkoholfrei can be successful in the United States, Erdinger claims

It is new to make a non-alcoholic beer seem like an athletics drink although beer has been associated with sports marketing for a long time in the U.S. In Europe, Alkoholfrei has been promoted as a fitness beverage. Erdinger has done this since 2001. Erdinger has been giving out free samples at major competitions and grass roots sporting events. In Europe, Alkoholfrei has become very popular. In forty-five U.S. states, it’s possible to get Erdinger products that are sold. In North America, Alkoholfrei merchandise will be promoted to get more sold. In Fort Kent, Maine, the Feb. World Cup biathlon happened. Along with skis and rifles, the European sportsmen had mugs of Alkoholfrei.

Beer is a sports drink for most

The color of Erdinger's Alkoholfrei is auburn. A foamy head is on there too. The beverage tastes like beer too. This is despite the truth that there isn't any alcohol in it. The beverage is promoted as "isotonic" and for sports. This is because it can help recover sportsmen from a workout because of all the carbohydrates and vitamins in it. Sodium, potassium, carbs and B vitamins are in beer typically along with ethanol although the recovery of an athlete isn't impacted by the levels in these compounds of beer, athletics nutritionists say. At least without the alcohol, Erdinger Alkoholfrei will help sportsmen rehydrate.

Will genuine German beer flavor, matter to Americans?

In the 1990s, non-alcoholic beer became part of the U.S. industry. It started with Sharps from Miller and O'Douls Anheuser-Bush. But sales for those brands have been in decline for more than a decade. The flavor of genuine German beer is in Alkoholfrei. This is what Erdinger is intending to convince Americans that don't like the idea of beer without alcohol. The energy drink without a sugar high and a German beer without a buzz are severe drawbacks to the beverage. Americans might be unwilling to pay $10 for a six pack of Erdinger Alkoholfrei.

Information from

San Francisco Chronicle

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2011%2F02%2F21%2Fstate%2Fn084141S20.DTL

USA Today

usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2011-02-13-3781689740_x.htm

Business Week

businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LHEP0G0.htm

Curveball confirms suspicions he lied about Iraq weapons of mass destruction

An informant called "Curveball" who was credited with intelligence used to start the Iraq war has confessed that he lied to the CIA. Curveball is an Iraqi named Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi. He told his handlers a story about concealed labs where Iraqi scientists worked on biological weapons. Lies about Iraqi WMD were told, Curveball said, to encourage Bush into a war that would depose Hussein. This is a story a pay day loan couldn’t have bought to make up.

Lie from Curveball something Powell and Bush continue

Claims by Curveball that Iraq had WMD have long been discredited. It has been something Curveball would always say is truth. He would say he never lied. On February 16, he said he lied though. He told this to the Guardian. Al-Janabi got out of Saddam Hussein's Iraq and went to Germany. He then said that all over Iraq there were hidden bioweapons when talking to German intelligence. United States Secretary of State Colin Powel spoke to the United Nations while George W. Bush gave a State of the Union address in 2003 to confirm the truth in Curveball's claims. Bush admits that WMD were not really in Iraq after the U.S. invaded Iraq in March 2003.

Tale from Curveball worries CIA

When al-Janabi got there, it was hard to believe him. German intelligence was not so sure about what was going on. The asylum application was what former CIA in Europe Tyler Drumheller thought al-Janabi's false testimony was about. CIA Chief George Tenet was warned by Drumheller that Curveball was not reliable since he never believed the story. After al-Janabi fesses up, Drumheller told The Guardian that if Curveball lied to oust Saddam Hussein, then he is “one of the world’s greatest strategic planners.”. Another thing Drumheller mentioned was that the Bush administration needed evidence to go to war for the public. That is why they used Curveball's story.

Curveball faces backlash for coming clean

The man called Curveball said he was proud of helping the Bush administration start the Iraq war, which has killed almost 4,500 U.S. military personnel and more than 100,000 Iraqi civilians. However in his adopted home of Germany, a German politician said al-Janabi violated a warmongering law that makes actions that lead to war a criminal offense. Even though it had been known that al-Janabi lied, $4,000 a month was being paid to him still by German intelligence. In Iraq, politicians scorned his stated desire to return and called for his permanent exile.

Articles cited

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/16/colin-powell-CIA-curveball

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/16/world/middleeast/16curveball.html

Los Angeles Times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/chatter/2011/02/curveball.html

First plastic heart beat for three days

The Smithsonian Institution has millions of products in its vaults that many never get to see. The Smithsonian released a photograph of the first plastic heart earlier this month, honoring Valentine’s Day. For 3 24 hour days and nights, the plastic heart beat before being swapped out. This kind of medical engineering no doubt took a huge personal loan to produce.

Background of the plastic heart that beat for 3 days and nights

In 1969, the first ever plastic heart was implanted in a human being. The plastic heart was developed by Dr. Domingo Liotta and implanted by Dr. Denton A. Cooley. Without approval, the plastic heart was taken out of Dr. Liotta's lab by Dr. Cooley and implanted. A human transplant heart was found after the plastic heart beat for three days in the patient. A trend started with the plastic heart. This was after the patient passed away, even with the human heart. Pictures of the plastic heart were unveiled on St. Valentine's Day by the Smithsonian Institution which is where it now resides.

Development through the years of plastic hearts

The plastic heart implant was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 after the first "plastic" heart got implanted in 1969. The first viable plastic heart transplant that beat for a long time was evolved in 1982. It was called the Jarvick-7. The plastic heart that was approved in 2004 is used as a temporary replacement until a human heart could be found for transplant. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration approved a permanent plastic heart transplant, the AbioCor Implantable Replacement Heart. Currently, plastic hearts can only be supported with 13-pound devices carried in a backpack and costs $18,000 a year to maintain.

Is it feasible to create a self-contained heart?

There is nevertheless a dream for a plastic heart. The dream started in 1969 though. Though plastic hearts that keep an individual alive are now accessible, they require maintenance and heavy equipment to be kept very close. Between the three-day plastic heart and the 13 pound backpack heart, there were 30 years. That means that it might be decades before a self-contained heart is created even though researchers are working on it.

Information from

News Desk

newsdesk.si.edu/snapshot/liotta-cooley-artificial-heart

New York Times

nytimes.com/2007/11/27/health/27docs.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=denton%20cooley&st=cse

American Heart Association

americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4444