Oranges have been a source of nutrition for many years. With the many people interested in improving their health, oranges have moved to the front of the line of health. There are many health benefits of oranges that are interesting to a lot of people these days. Oranges are a big source of many nutrients that can help you to stay healthy.Oranges are very full of Vitamin C but in addition to that there are other vitamins called citrus limonoids that help to fight certain cancers such as mouth, skin, lung, breast, and stomach and colon cancers in animals. The main source of Vitamin C, oranges can help fight off bacteria and prevent colds and the flu. The Vitamin C is a great way to fight off airborne germs during the winter months

Vitamin C is important for blood clotting and preventing bruising, is required for tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function and healthy gums. It increases the absorption of iron, boosts natural immune defenses and kills bacteria. Vitamin C aids in reducing cholesterol levels and high blood pressure as it keeps cholesterol from oxidizing and building up. Vitamin C is needed to make connective tissue for bones, to build strong blood vessels and in the production of elastin for healing of wounds. Vitamin C also helps control blood sugar levels. No wonder it is considered one of the most important nutrients for the body.Eating oranges has been known to prevent cancer. Liminoid a compound found in oranges has been found to prevent all types of cancers, from breast, mouth, skin, and colon cancer. Oranges protects cells from free radicals. It can also prevent lung, skin, and stomach cancer. One way to prevent stomach cancer is by drinking or eating foods that are loaded with vitamin c, such as oranges.

Research shows that having a glass of orange juice is more beneficial than a vitamin pill for your requirement of vitamin C. The folic acid and the calcium along with fiber provide more benefits than the pills. Our body can assimilate natural ingredients better than the artificial ones.There are a few fresh orange juice products where it states it has been gently pasteurised. But this is complete nonsense as it is or isn’t pasteurised. When it comes to gently pasteurising do they wear fluffy gloves and place the juice bottles on cushions after the process has been completed? Do we really care? When these terms are used the manufacturer of the juice wants to make it sound as if their product is good for you, when in fact they are only trying to increase their profit margins.

Another sign that you may need to use the services of an Orange County nanny is if you are caring for more than just your children. In today’s society, a large number of children, like you, are starting to care for their elderly parents, instead of sending them into retirement communities or nursing homes. If you are caring for an elderly parent or relative, in addition to your children, you may want to think about using the services of an Orange County nanny. You may not receive assistance when caring for your elderly relative, but you will receive assistance with the caring of your children and any bit of assistance can help.

Going to medical school is not an easy job. On your behalf, it requires a serious commitment and an involvement on all levels of the person, intellectual,financial and emotional. What is cost of medical education, the cost of obtaining a medical degree can be 0,000 at the most including living expenses. In fact, the average medical graduate accumulates as much as 0,000 in debt.

Medical school ranking is very important aspect for medical and health related students. In World, there are lot of medical schools which are known for world-class facilities, top-notch faculty and numerous research publications. However, there is no medical school, famous or not, who has a monopoly on providing an unbeatable medical education. Basically medical school ranking is separated into two lists.
1- best medical schools in terms of research
2-best medical school in terms of primary care

In Research category we have schools which show capacity to invest in and produce medical knowledge while primary care refers to the training of medical students regarding precisely that treating and caring of patient and primary care.

Before actually sharing the list of medical schools here it is important to mention that it is possible that some excellent medical schools may be missing in this list. You should keep in mind that it’s a matter of ranking and what characteristics are used to make it. It does not mean that if a school is ranked low in this medical schools list, the doctors coming from these schools are not good and qualified.

Here are the lists of best medical schools in World and United States, for research and primary care separately.

Best 10 medical schools (primary care)

1. University of Washington
2. Oregon Health & Science University
3. University of California San Francisco
4. Mich. State U. Coll. of Osteopathic Medicine
5. University of Minnesota Duluth
6. University of California San Diego
7. University of New Mexico
8. University of Wisconsin Madison
9. University of Iowa (Roy J. & Lucille A. Carver)
10.University of Minnesota Twin Cities

Best 10 medical schools (research)

1. Harvard University
2. Johns Hopkins University
3. Washington University in St. Louis
4. Duke University
5. University of Pennsylvania
6. University of California San Francisco
7. Columbia U. College of Physicians and Surgeons
8. Stanford University
9 University of Michigan Ann Arbor
10. Yale University

The most prestigious medical school in the United States is probably the Harvard Medical School.It was founded in the eighteenth century. This school has produced Nobel Prize winners, spearheaded the development of the most modern technologies and pioneered breakthroughs in almost every aspect of medicine health and science. It is said that their acceptance rate is very low (round about 5%) and students need an average MCAT score of 11.7.

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is another excellent research medical school. It was founded in 1893, it also boasts of the same honors and qualifications like Harvard medical school. Another top medical schools are Duke Medical School and Stanford University.

You can find out more about the Best Medical Schools as well as much more information on everything to do with online medical health schools and programs at http://www.healthonlinedegree.com

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN SCHOOLING

KEY POINTS

Public education is the largest employer in this country. Some of the reforms, as a result of the critical reports issued in the early 1980s, have been successful while others have failed. The majority of the general public believe schools have stayed the same or gotten worse during the past five years. The purposes of today’s schools go way beyond the original purposes of religious and academic training. The melting pot theory has never been fully realized; many diverse cultural groups retain distinct identities and are represented in public schools. To improve the quality of teachers, many states have initiated reforms including competency tests, better salaries, merit pay, incentives, merit pay incentives, and stiffer entrance requirements into teacher education programs. Conservative groups played a major role in the educational reform move­ment of the 1980s. Changing enrollment patterns continue to create problems in planning for public educa­tion. The general future outlook for public education is excellent.

CHAPTER 1–INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN SCHOOLING

A.    OVERVIEW

Chapter 1 presents information regarding the status of public education in this country. Specific content focuses on the magnitude of education, current trends, effective schools, and future possibilities in public school programs.

B.    KEY TERMS–DEFINITIONS

A NATION AT RISK – this report issued in 1983 by a government commission called for far-reaching reforms.

ACCOUNTABILITY – responsibility related to quality of educational programs.

AFT – American Federation of Teachers, a major teacher union. The AFT has more than 825,000 members.

BILINGUAL EDUCATION – a component of multicultural education that focuses on attempts to teach English skills to non-English speakers. The students are taught in their native language until they become proficient enough in English to receive the majority of instruction in English.  In some cases instruction in the child’s native language receives equal attention with English.

CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT – calls for returning to the basic purpose of public schools such as:

a.   return to emphasizing the basic core of academic subjects;

a de-emphasis on extracurricular activities; an emphasis on moral education; inclusion of school prayer; more control of the education process by the family.

CRITICAL REPORTS – the most critical report was A Nation at Risk issued in 1983 by the National Commission of Excellence in Education.

CULTURAL PLURALISM – pluralists reject the traditional Americanizing function of the public school because it has meant assimilation and acculturation into the white, middle class pattern of American Society; a realization that the melting pot theory of American culture had not occurred and probably would not occur.

CURRICULAR REFORM – a back-to-the-basics reform movement started in the 1970s. Many believe the basic curriculum should have greater emphasis.

DECLINING ENROLLMENTS – changing enrollments have a major effect on the educa­tional system:

affecting state funding; impacting on the number of teachers needed; altering class sizes; causing redistricting of school boundaries; changing school plant needs.

HOME SCHOOLING – a conservative movement by parents to formally educate their children at home or in a small group setting.

MELTING POT – the theory that people from all cultures form a common bond.

MERIT PAY – a plan of providing extra pay for superior performance by teachers.

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION – a concept predicated upon a fundamental belief that all people must be accorded respect, regardless of age, race, sex, economic class, religion, nationalism, physical or mental ability; innovative ways for dealing with the education of minorities.

NEA - National Education Association, one of the two major teacher unions: NEA is the larger and more powerful of the two– with 2.2 million members nationwide.

NEW RIGHT – a coalition that includes traditional conservative groups and certain fundamentalists religious groups who advocate extreme viewpoints.

PUBLIC EDUCATION – free, government-supported schools open to all children.  Note: Resident alien children and illegal immigrant children are allowed to attend USA public schools.

REFORM REPORTS – critical reports issued in the 70s and 80s by education reform groups that listed many solutions to the problems faced by public education.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS – a division of public school programs within a state.

TAX REFORM – a tax reform movement that is funding increased taxes for educational reform.

THREE R’s – reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Total Number of School Districts in America

State

Total Number of Districts

State

Total Number of Districts

50 States and D.C.

14,367

Missouri

525

Alabama

127

Montana

465

Alaska

55

Nebraska

653

Arizona

214

Nevada

17

Arkansas

311

New Hampshire

164

California

999

New Jersey

582

Colorado

176

New Mexico

89

Connecticut

166

New York

709

Delaware

19

North Carolina

119

District of Columbia

1

North Dakota

234

Florida

67

Ohio

611

Georgia

180

Oklahoma

548

Hawaii

1

Oregon

233

Idaho

112

Pennsylvania

500

Illinois

905

Rhode Island

36

Indiana

292

South Carolina

95

Iowa

383

South Dakota

173

Kansas

304

Tennessee

138

Kentucky

176

Texas

1,044

Louisiana

66

Utah

40

Maine

228

Vermont

251

Maryland

24

Virginia

132

Massachusetts

248

Washington

296

Michigan

593

West Virginia

55

Minnesota

383

Wisconsin

426

Mississippi

153

Wyoming

49

Source:    U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics.  (1999).  Common core of data, national public education survey.  Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.  Adapted with permission.

SNAPSHOT FORECAST OF EDUCATION STATISTICS
(Estimations 2002/2003)

Public school enrollment, K-12, increased between 1985-2002. Private school enrollment has changed little over the past decade. Approximately 11% or about 6 million students attend private elementary and secondary schools. Elementary and secondary school enrollments will continue to rise. Pre-kindergarten and kindergarten enrollment of 3- to 5-year-olds increased about 30% between 1990-2002. The enrollment of 5-year-olds in kindergarten programs has changed little since 1990. The enrollment rates of 5- to 17-year-olds has remained steady since 1990, about 96%. Practically all elementary-aged children are enrolled in school. The proportion of minority students in public elementary and secondary schools increased between 1990 and 2002. During this time, the proportion of Hispanics in public elementary and secondary schools increased at a faster rate than the proportion of African Americans. In 1976-77, 8% of children were educated in programs for the disabled compared with 14% in 2002. The proportion of 18- and 19-year-olds attending high school or college is about 63%. The proportion of 20- to 21-year-olds attending high school or college is about 45%. Total college enrollment has continued to grow since 1990. Much of this growth can be attributed to the increase in the number of women over 24 years of age attending college. Projections indicate that from 2002 to 2010, there will be an 18% growth in enrollment of persons 25 years age in college. Projections indicate enrollments of persons over 25 years of age in college will be stable from 2002-2010. The proportion of American college students who are minorities has been increasing. In 2002, about 27% are minorities. Graduate school student enrollment has been rising steadily. As of 2002, graduate enrollment rose about 20%. The number of women in graduate school has exceeded the number of men. The number of male full-time graduate school students increased by 22%. The number of elementary and secondary school teachers has risen about 25%. The ratio of pupils per public school teachers is estimated to be about 17 pupils per teacher. The ratio of pupils per private school teachers is estimated to be about 15 pupils per teacher. The average salary for public school teachers has remained steady over the past 10 years, reaching ,485.00. The teaching force in public elementary and secondary schools includes 74% women and 88% non-Hispanics. Approximately 66% of teachers have at least 10 years of full-time teaching experience. The proportion of high school graduates who completed the full college preparatory program recommended by the Commission on Excellence was about 30%. The number of high school graduates totaled about 2.8 million. About 2.5 million graduated from public schools and about 300,000 graduated from private schools. Many students complete high school through alternative programs, such as night schools and the General Educational Development (GED) program. About 84% of all 25- to 29-year-olds have completed high school or its equivalent. The dropout rate in high school has declined over the past 20 years. The difference in dropout rates between the races has narrowed. The dropout rate for Hispanics remains high at 30%, compared to 8% for Caucasians and African Americans. About 90 million adults or about 21% of the United States adult population perform at the lowest levels of literacy. Adults with higher levels of educational attainment have higher levels of prose literacy. Adults aged 19-54 have higher average literacy attainment than those 55 and older. The differences in literacy between younger and older adults may be due to the higher level of educational attainment among younger adults. Americans are becoming better educated. Within the past 30 years the adult population graduation rate has increased from 54% to 84%. During the same time period, the proportion of adults with at least four years of college increased from 11% to 25%. The number of degrees conferred by institutions of higher education is estimated to be about 564,000 associate degrees; 1,176,000 bachelor’s degrees; 390,000 master’s degrees; 78,000 first professional degrees; and 44,000 doctor’s degrees. Women earn the majority of degrees at the associate, bachelor’s, and master’s degree levels. Expenditures for public and private education, from preprimary through graduate school, are estimated at approximately 621 million. The expenditures of elementary and secondary schools are expected to total about 5 billion, while institutions of higher education will spend about 0 billion. The total expenditures for education are expected to amount to about 7.5% of the gross domestic product. The state share of revenues for funding public elementary and secondary schools grew through most of the 1980s, but in 1987 the trend began to reverse.

Between 1986-87 and 1993-94, the local share of school funding rose while the proportion from state government dropped.

By 2002, a greater proportion shifted back to the states as 47.5% of revenues came from state sources, 45.9% came from local sources, and 6.6% came from the federal government.

The estimated current expenditures per student in average daily attendance is about ,951.00. After adjustment for inflation, this represents an increase of 15% since 1988-89. Private colleges are heavily dependent on tuition for revenues, receiving 43% from tuition. Public colleges and universities receive about 40% of revenues from state and local governments. Expenditures per student at institutions of higher education through the 1990s has been slow in growth. After adjustment for inflation, current fund expenditures of higher education per student rose about 16% between 1980-1981 and 1988-89, but increased only 8% between 1992-2002. Annual undergraduate charges for tuition, room, and board are estimated to be ,218.00 at public four-year colleges and ,980.00 at private four-year colleges. On a per student basis, adjusted for inflation, expenditures for scholarships and fellowships rose about 85% at public universities between 1986-2002, compared with 9% for instructional expenditures. On a per student basis, expenditures on scholarships and fellowships rose about 68% at private universities between 1986-2002. Research expenditures in public institutions of higher education rose by 31% per student at public universities and 36% at other public four-year colleges. Students at private colleges are more likely to receive aid than students at public colleges. College students obtain financial aid through a variety of programs; 56% receive some sort of federal aid, and 11% participate in work-study programs. Private colleges provide aid from internal sources to over half of their full-time undergraduates. For all full-time undergraduate public and private college students, the average student aid package from all sources totaled about ,932.00 in 2002. Federal support for education was sizeable between fiscal years 1965-2002. Large increases occurred between 1965 and 1975. After a period of relative stability between 1975-80, federal funding for education declined approximately 16% between 1980 and 1985. From 1990-2002, federal funding for education increased by 29%.

Note:    Much of the information provided is available at the: United States Department of Education.  (1999).  Mini-digest of education statistics.  Washington DC: National Center for Education Statistics, (NCES).

C.    SOME PRECEDING THOUGHTS

How many pupils are served in public education in the U.S.?

Fifty-four million students for the 2002/03 school year; about 6 million students in private schools; about 40 million for the ’87-’88 school year in 15,713 school districts; 1985 was the first year in 14 years where there was an increase in enrollment; an additional 5.6 million students were in private schools.

What were the major criticisms voiced in the reports on education in the early 80s?Major portions of the public are functionally illiterate, as are many of our 17 year olds. Science and math participation was down as were science and math scores. More than 40% of our high school students were in a general curriculum rather than a college preparatory one. Students in this country spend less time in school and less time studying than in most other industrialized countries. Teachers were coming from the bottom of their graduating classes–both high school and college–partly because the pay was ,000 on the average for a teacher with 12 years experience.

3.    What is the status of reforms initiated during the early 80s?

The very substantial and ever increasing dollars spent for education have not yet given us the results our children deserve.

What is the purpose of public education?

The original purpose was to teach students to read well enough to be able to understand their Bible readings. It evolved to teaching the Three R’s of Reading, wRiting, and aRith­metic. Now we expect our schools to teach everything from the basic R’s to include civic, vocational, artistic, and personal goal instruction and fulfillment.

5.    What goal is the Conservative movement playing in public education?

The New Right believes our schools have gotten away from their purposes and from traditional values. They are lobbying for

reduction or removal of extra-curricular activities (all of them); more academic emphasis; emphasis on moral education; reinstatement of school prayer; more family control of the educational process. They are attempting to write legisla­tion that the states can all copy. They want to promote creationism, to censor textbooks and library books, to promote interests of “Christian” schools, to end the unions and their influence, and to fight “secular humanism.”

Some Christian values promoted in the curriculum by the Conservative movement include:

promotion of two-parent families with the father working and the mother at home; sexual abstinence before marriage; abstinence from smoking, drinking, and drugs; the immorality of gay and lesbian lifestyles; forbidding abortion; patriotism; obedience to and respect for authority; politeness; courtesy; honesty; prayer; humility; reverence for God. What has been, and is emerging as, the federal government’s role in public education?

The federal government’s role has been one of a watch dog and a guide dog combined. It was supposed to ensure that the schools in all areas of the country were adequately run and adequately funded. The true failure has been in the short-sighted view of “adequate” achievement.

What is multicultural education?

It began as a movement to promote racial equality and harmony. Americanization has meant blending into/with the white dominant middle class. Correcting errors of omission, stereotyp­ing, and misinformation, as well as information dissemination, has been replaced/absorbed by multicultural education. Now the goal is to assimilate reliable cultural pluralism into the overall curriculum, a concept predicated upon a fundamental belief that “all people must be accorded respect, regardless of age, race, sex, economic class, religion, physical, ethnic origin, or mental ability.”

8.    What teacher organizations have influence in education?

NEA – National Educators Association

AFT – American Federation of Teachers

Many leading authorities believe these organizations are losing authority and influence. Many people be­lieve strong unions are a barrier to educational reforms. They have huge lobbying budgets.

9.    What are some characteristics of effective schools?

Strong administrative leadership that includes the principal:having a clear vision about the desired direction of the school; having a commitment to improvement of instruction; encouraging participative decision making; serving as a buffer for teachers so that they can devote maximum time to working with students. Safe and orderly environment that includes:working conditions that support the efforts of teachers to address specific problems of their students; environment conducive to teaching and learning. Emphasis on instruction in the basic skills including:the school having a commitment to the basic skills as instructional goals; basic skills being the foundation for higher order thinking skills. High teacher expectations of students to include:setting high performance standards for students; providing specific instructions and are sensitive to individual differences; using clear and appropriate rewards to recognize student work. Monitoring and reporting of student performance including:using systematic methods to assess student progress; aligning curriculum across subject areas and grades; matching curriculum, desired outcomes, and assessment activities. Necessary resources to meet objective including:making available sufficient personnel and materials in the school; providing sufficient time for instructional planning, staff development, and adapting new innovations; providing opportunities for professional growth. Culture of the school including:positive human interactions among students and teachers; continuous growth and development of students and teachers; state-of-the-art instructional practices and strategies for teaching and learning.

D.    DISCUSSION QUESTIONS AND EXERCISES

1.    List some of the criticisms presented in A Nation At Risk.

23 million U.S. adults are functionally illiterate; 13% of all 17-year-olds & 48% of minority 17-year-olds are functionally illiterate; SAT scores declined from ’63 to ’80; science achievement scores of 17-year-olds declined in ’69, ’73, and ’75; remedial math classes in college increased by 72% from ’75 to ’80; number of students in general curriculum in high schools increased to 42%; 31% of high school graduates completed intermediate algebra; 25% of credits earned by general track high school students were in PE, health, remedial math, English, and work outside the school; students in other industrialized countries spend more time on science and math; 20% of all four-year universities had to accept all students from state high schools; 50% or more of credits to graduate could be electives in 13 states; U.S. students spend less time in school than many other industrialized countries;

m.  average school provided only 22 hours of instruction per week;

too many teachers came from bottom of high school class and bottom of college class; average salary for teachers with 12 years experience was ,000.

2.    What are the status of the educational reforms initiated during the early 1980s?

SAT and ACT scores either dropped or remained static; minority students increased their scores; the graduate rate dropped between ’85 and ’86; average teacher pay had risen 38%; average pupil spending increased by 50%; twelve states instituted minimum competency testing for grade promotion and twenty-four other states planned to implement minimum competency testing.

3.    What is the magnitude of public education in the United States?

Public education in the United States is big business. Some of the emphasis of school dis­tricts and regulators needs to be taken off of the business end of things and concentrated on the education end of things. Some 54 million students are directly affected, along with the teachers and administrators. Suppliers, knowing they have a captive market, are allowed to gouge schools on a regular basis, just as they do other government entities. Our schools deserve a fair shake.

4.    What effect does declining enrollments have on schools?

affects state funding; impacts on the number of teachers needed; alters the class size; causes redistricting of school boundaries; changes school plant needs, buildings, and grounds.

Instructional programs are affected. The areas most affected are language arts, social studies, science, fine arts, and foreign language. This results in fewer course offerings and fewer professional positions in these areas.

5.    What is the role of the federal government in education?

Reagan’s White House began returning responsibility to the states and localities. As a re­sult, federal spending in education was reduced.

Again, the federal government’s role has been one of a watch dog and guide dog combined. It was intended to ensure that schools in all areas of the country functioned properly and were adequately funded. The true failure has been in the short-sighted view of “adequate” achievement. Presi­dent George W. Bush is planning to initiate numerous educational reforms during the 2000s.

6.    What are estimations for schooling in 2002/2003?

In the United States:

over 25% of the people are students or are employed by schools or colleges; of the approximately 250 million people there are:

1… 54.5 million students in public elementary and secondary schools;

2. . 14.3 million students in higher education;

3… 3.6 million faculty and teachers;

4. . 3.9 million non-instructional personnel;

5… 68.1 million total participants.

there are about 14,367 school systems; there are over 27,000 private elementary and secondary schools; there are over 3,500 colleges and universities; there are over 83,425 elementary and secondary schools; there are over 26,807 private elementary and secondary schools; there are over 2,127 four-year colleges and over 1,408 two-year colleges; there are over 1,532 private four-year colleges and over 440 private two-year colleges; about 28% of elementary and secondary students are African American or Hispanic while 17% of college students are African American or Hispanic; there are approximately 2,744,000 elementary and secondary teachers, of which approximately 2,391,000 serve in public schools and 353,000 serve in private schools; the average salary for an experienced teacher is ,385, for a beginning teacher ,515;

m.  approximately 30% of teachers are male; approximately 70% are female;

the dropout rate among African Americans 16 to 24 years old dropped from 28% in 1992 to 13% in 2002; for all 16- to 24-year-olds was 12% in 2002, down from 15% in 1992; in 2002, (persons between ages 25 and 29) – approximately 85.8 million persons earned high school diplomas (includes GED, equivalency certificates, etc.); 23.6 million persons had attained four or more years of college; in 2002, (persons between ages 25 and over) – approximately 80.1 million persons earned high school diplomas (includes GED, equivalency certificates, etc.); 21.5 million had attained four or more years of college; the education level of the adult population has been increasing since 1940; the education level among young adults (ages 25-29) has not increased significantly since 1980; in 2002, approximately 446,000 persons earned Associate of arts, associate of science degrees; approximately 1,044,000 persons earned bachelor of arts, bachelor of sciences degrees; approximately 320,000 persons earned master of arts, master of sciences degrees; approximately 39,000 persons earned doctor of philosophy degrees; approximately 72,000 persons earned first professional degrees: chiropractic, dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, theology, and veterinary medicine degrees.

Note:     Much of the information provided here is available at the United States Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), Digest of education statistics, 1999.

E.    REVIEW ITEMS

True-False Public education in the U.S. has been taken for granted for many years. All professionals agree with the A Nation at Risk report. Multicultural education began in the early 1980s. The reforms initiated during the 1980s were all very successful. The development of new technologies has not had a major impact on education. The tax revolt of the late 1970s was a continuation of a trend started in the mid-1960s.

Multiple Choice

Recent criticisms of public education began in the  _______. a. late 1960s      b. late 1970s      c. early 1980s      d. early 1970s Approximately _______ students are served in public schools. a. 25 million      b. 30 million      c. 75 million      d. 54 million The conservative movement advocating extreme viewpoints is _______. a. conservative pool      b. new right      c. far right
d. conservative coalition      e. oversight movement The tax reform bill passed in Massachusetts in 1980 was _______. a. Proposition 13      b. Proposition 2½      c. Proposition 191     
d. retrenchment The number of schools using microcomputers increased 16% in 1982 to ______% in 1988. a. 25%          b. 50%          c. 70%          d. 90%          e. 97%

Summer is here and that means that there’s no better time for your derrière to be firm than now. The following tips and tricks will keep you slim, trim and turning heads the next time you bare all at the pool or beach.

Eat healthy. You’ve heard it once and you’ll hear it a million times. Cut out the crap and starting eating more fruits and vegetables. If you want to stay trim, you’ve got to burn more calories than you eat – it’s not rocket science – either work out more, or eat less.

Early to bed and early to rise. The average adult needs about 7-8 hours of sleep every night in order to function at full capacity. Note, these numbers can fluctuate on an individual basis. Getting the sufficient amount of sleep will not only give you more energy during the day, but it can keep you healthier than individuals whose sleep patterns are irregular. If you need an extra jolt of energy come mid afternoon, try Akavar 2050 to get you through the rest of the day.

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Drink more water. Especially during the summer months, drinking lots of water is a crucial element to staying healthy and hydrated. Drinking water will also help flush your system of toxins and will give your skin a healthy and radiating glow. Aim for drinking at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Protect Your Skin. Drinking enough water can only help your skin out so much. It’s important to keep your skin properly protected during the hot summer months. Apply generous amounts of sunscreen whenever you’ll be out in the sun (at least SPF 15) and reapply often. Also, don’t forget lip balm with sunscreen to keep your lips protected from the sun’s harmful rays.

Sunglasses and beach hats are a must. Summer accessories are not only fashionable, but they’ll keep you looking younger longer. Sunglasses will protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging UV rays and a beach hat will protect your face and will keep your skin from aging sooner than you’d like.

Due to this economic slowdown, many are sadly losing their jobs that they’ve had for years and years whether it’s parents or students losing their part-time jobs, we all need to find an alternative method to bringing in an income, and the way to do that is through the internet. I’m specifically talking about making some extra money on the side to help pay for bills through paid market research study.

Paid market research study is essentially when a company (well-known fortune 500 or small business) decides to hold market research online by first screening for a specific demographic then having them fill out surveys. It’s generally cheaper for these companies to hold an online market research study than to have an offline focus study group, door-to-door surveys being conducted or even telemarketing.

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It is entirely possible to make money online, you simply need to know where to look, and needs need to be met. In the case of a paid research study, the countless companies using these services are in need of an opinion of a new product or maybe even the new trends amongst the youth so they can customize their product/service.

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Scientists and researchers who want high-level clinical research jobs need to take the right approach to jobs early in their careers. The pressures of clinical research along with international competition for these jobs make deliberate career planning necessary for any professional. There are a few steps that can help clinical research aspirants of all ages find their dream jobs in a timely manner.

A clinical researcher should not shy away from non-profit work early in her career to gain appreciation for private and government jobs. Advocacy groups who conduct clinical research offer jobs to young scientists with commitments to public service and sound science. The sacrifice of lucrative salaries in favour of assisting an independent research group find methods of fighting cancer will help you develop an ethical compass during your career.

Every researcher should work with an established scientist in the first few years of a career to learn the subtleties of clinical research jobs. The earnest and often frank advice of a veteran scientist who has worked multiple jobs in the past will inform your approach to clinical research jobs. It is important to select a senior scientist in your early career with a personality and teaching style that match your approach to clinical research. The value of a mentor/protégée relationship rests on sober expectations and ground rules that make both sides feel comfortable.

The time spent on journal articles should be considered an investment in career advancement as well as intellectual enlightenment. Some of the greatest feats in clinical research have arisen from obscure journal articles that build on years of hard work. You can collaborate with other scientists to promote a series of findings that extend beyond your clinical research experiences. Every clinical researcher needs to publish individual articles to break away from “group think” and develop a written voice that will impress experienced scientists.

One of the best ways to show off clinical research skills is attendance at national and international conferences. The presentation of your findings in front of an audience of your peers can bring life to raw data and dense pages of information. Your career as a clinical researcher can take off quickly in a few months by networking at national and international conferences. These conferences also give clinical researchers an opportunity to learn about government initiatives, college programmes and private investments in research that lead to new jobs.

Most people are aware that nutrient timing is as important as nutrient composition. In other words, it’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it that gives optimal results. As the man says, “Timing is everything.” Consuming the right foods at the right time can have positive effects on body composition: which means more muscle and less body fat.

Health-conscious people are told to avoid simple carbohydrates, and for good reasons. It’s not true all the time and in every situation, however. Following a heavy workout, there is a metabolic “window” – so to speak – where the body preferentially shuttles glucose into the liver and muscles to replace lost glycogen via both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent transport mechanisms. Translated, this means your body will shuttle carbs and protein into the tissues you want (muscle) instead of storing them as fat after a workout.

To carry the analogy further, the metabolic window doesn’t stay open indefinitely, so you need to take advantage of the opportunity while it lasts.

A number of studies have found that a post-workout drink containing simple, high-GI carbs and protein increases protein synthesis dramatically. The two work synergistically to create an anabolic environment that’s superior to either nutrient alone. In addition, some recent work suggests that a pre-workout drink may be superior to a post-workout drink, and consuming both may be best of all!

Research looking at the issue has gotten a great deal of attention in the sports nutrition world. One particularly interesting study, “Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise.” (Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001 Aug;281(2):E197-206), compared the anabolic responses to a carbohydrate and amino acid supplement taken either before or after resistance exercise. It’s counterintuitive to think taking in these nutrients before the workout is superior to post-workout, but according to this small study:

”…results indicate that the response of net muscle protein synthesis to consumption of an EAC solution [carb/amino acid drink] immediately before resistance exercise is greater than that when the solution is consumed after exercise, primarily because of an increase in muscle protein synthesis…”

Since this study was published, several researchers have proposed that providing amino acids/protein and carbs both before and after a resistance workout represents the best of both worlds. This is the premise of the book “Nutrient Timing” by John Ivy and Robert Portman. They present compelling evidence that the right mixture of nutrients, taken at key points in the muscle growth cycle, will optimize improvements in muscle growth, strength, and power, as well as enhance recovery from exercise.

Overall, there’s a solid body of scientific evidence to support using a blend of fast-acting carbs and amino acids/protein for both pre- and post-workout nutrition. It’s definitely a “hot” topic among sports researchers. It’s also a topic that seems to create endless speculation and conversation with non-scientists looking to get the most of their time in the gym. Everyone wants to hear the latest word, it seems.

So what’s the latest word?

The place to discover cutting edge research on a topic is to attend conferences where researchers present their most recent findings. This is a much faster way of getting current info than reading scientific journals, as it can take many months (even years!) to publish the work researchers submit for review and publication.

Each year, I attend various scientific conferences that apply to my interests, research, and business. This year I attended the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) conference in Las Vegas. The ISSN is a relatively new organization and this was their third conference to date.*

A session on the role of nutrition in exercise and recovery was particularly interesting. One standout study**, “Effects of protein and carbohydrate on anabolic responses to resistance training” looked at the effects of carbs, creatine, and whey – taken alone and in different combinations – on LBM and/or strength. The conclusion was that the combination of all three (whey, carbs, and creatine) was the most effective and that there appeared to be a true synergism between these nutrients. This study also confirmed that these nutrients, taken both before and after training, have a greater effect on lean mass and strength than when taken at other times of the day. I don’t think that comes as a big surprise to most people “in the know” about such things, but it’s good to see it confirmed under controlled conditions.

The take home lesson is this: if you want to optimize your nutrition to gain muscle mass and strength, it’s vital to consume a combination of fast-acting carbs and protein during the workout “window.”

Here’s what I recommend: mix 30-50g of high quality whey with 75-100g of high GI carbs (such as glucose, maltodextrin, etc.,) and 3-5g of creatine monohydrate and drink half immediately before you hit the gym, and the other half immediately following your workout.

To make it extra simple, I use a pre-made carb drinks (e.g., TwinLab Ultra Fuel, etc.) and add the whey and creatine to that and mix it up. You can “roll your own” of course by buying various carb powders in bulk. I just like the convenience of the pre-made carb mixtures myself.

As you can see, I don’t use a complicated formula for the amounts of protein, carbs, and creatine to take pre- and post-workout. Why? Because – while focusing on such minutiae would make me look smart – it probably won’t have any effects on you. Following the K.I.S.S. (“Keep It Simple, Stupid”) system works best here. The above formula is more then sufficient to supply the nutrients required to take advantage of the metabolic window. Some people take it a step further by dividing the formula into three parts, to be consumed before, during and after the workout, but I don’t see the need for that either. I doubt there are any real benefits to it, but more research is needed there.

This isn’t a miracle mixture, of course. If your training and/or nutrition over the rest of the day aren’t up to snuff, this pre- and post-workout drink won’t make up for those shortcomings. In conjunction with a good training program and diet however, combining pre- and post-workout nutrition will clearly add to your success. And remember, it’s not rocket science, so don’t make it any more complicated then it needs to be.

*I recommend that anyone interested in the topic of sports nutrition – lay person or scientist – should join the ISSN.*

**Presented by Dr. Paul Cribb

Extraterrestrial Guides: The Great White Brotherhood in the Andes & Lake Titicaca by Luis Fernando Mostajo Maertens. (Close Captions) Earth Transformation: New Science, Consciousness and Contact Conference, May 17, 2008, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. Exopolitics Journal 2:4 (2008). ISSN 1938-1719. Luis Fernando comes from Bolivia. He has had contact with extraterrestrials from the planets Venus, and Ganymede, which is one of the moons of Jupiter. And he has also had contact with the Inner Earth Beings the Elders, who are those associated with the Great White Brotherhood. He has been having physical contact experiences since birth. In 1977, when he was 13, he began to speak about these experiences, and he continues to do so to this day. For over 30 years now hes been speaking with great authority about his experiences. And for decades hes been holding Contact Preparation Courses in the countries of South America Argentina, Chile, Peru, Paraguay, El Salvador, and Central America in Honduras, Costa Rica, in Mexico, in the US, and, of course, Bolivia. Hes published five books wherein he shares these experiences that he has had with extraterrestrials.Luis has demonstrated that his experiences are real by inviting members of the press, some from the TASS Agency, to watch “programmed UFO sightings.” Luis Fernandos conference presentation was spoken in Spanish, and was translated by Manuel Roberto. All attempts have been made to transcribe this presentation as accurately as possible …

It has become easy to predict when Easter is coming even without looking at a calendar. Each year we get to hear about some new astounding discovery and the authors of the sensational find get their moment of fame and occasionally also some extra money.

This time last year the Discovery Channel announced “the archaeological discovery of the century”. The find turned out to be a commercial for the documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus. Filmmakers James Cameron and Simca Jacobovici bypassed the peer review process and took their evidence (two empty ossuaries or bone boxes) straight to the media. At the end, almost all serious scholars dismissed the discovery as mere hype with little if any substance behind it. There was no hard evidence that the boxes had ever contained the earthly remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

In 2006 it was the Jesus Walked on Ice hypothesis that was actually published in a scientific journal. The idea of anyone walking on an ice floe on a lake that obviously never freezes is rather bizarre.

For a change, this year’s hype is about the Old Testament. Benny Shannon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem published a 24-page paper in Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture in which he suggested that Moses’ experience at Mount Sinai was caused by drugs. The paper, Biblical Entheogens: A Speculative Hypothesis is an updated and more detailed version of his 2002 paper Entheogens: Reflections on ‘Psychoactive Sacramentials’, which was mostly about shamanism and the use of psychoactive plants in various non-Christian religions, such as the use of hallucination-induced plants by some native American tribes, but it also included a discussion on Moses and his Sinai experience. The present paper focuses more on Judaism and the exodus.

Nothing in the biblical text about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai even hints of any kind of hallucination. Shannon acknowledges this. However, he says that two plants, Peganum Harmala and Mimosa hostilis, which now grow in the Sinai peninsula can potentially cause hallucinations. Shannon tries to see parallels between some of the details (such as fire) in the Exodus text with for instance the Tibetan Book of the Dead and the use of LSD but it seems that he is jumping to unwarranted conclusions.

Professor Shannon is honest enough to disclose that his “finding” is based on his presuppositions. He reveals that he does not think that the Mount Sinai event (i.e. when Moses received the Law) could be historically reliable or that it could be a myth so for him the only remaining alternative is that it was the result of a hallucination caused by a plant growing in the Sinai peninsula.

While it is true that some religions do use drugs that produce hallucinations, Shannon’s hypothesis seems to have nothing to do with real science and everything with his own past.

Shannon acknowledged that in 1991 he tried ayahuasca, a tropical plant that causes strong hallucinations, during a religious ceremony in Brazil. This seems to be the only real reason for supposing that Moses might have experimented with something similar.

It might be good to keep in mind that the novelist Aldous Huxley(1894-1963),whom Shannon mentions in his new paper and who is remembered for his Brave New World (1932), admitted experimenting with mescalin and LSD. But this does not necessarily mean that Huxley produced all his literary works under the influence of drugs. The case for Moses’ use of drugs is even weaker.

There is an expression known as March Madness. In this case, it seems to have more to do with professor Shannon, his past and his bizarre hypothesis than with Moses. His Brave New Theory turns out to be extremely bad science.

One of the potential drawbacks is attributed to the high pressure imposed on students throughout the year. Going even further then this, as students are being prepared specifically for the testing instead of concentrating simply on general knowledge, the outcome is that students are prepared for the real life experiences, but instead are trained to pass the test.

Among other drawbacks of FCAT are the additional stress imposed on students, inability to prepare for real time world and concentration on skills that enable to pass the test discussed previously. Additionally, FCAT is being criticized for consuming too much of school funding. As schools are often short of financing, other student needs are being sacrificed to test administration.

Even though FCAT required additional financing from the school budget, imposes stress on students, and aside from real knowledge prepares students for passing the test itself, it still is effective if compared with other nation wide testing systems. As students are given an option throughout their study to re-take the exam, it has a positive effect on student knowledge. As the results are used in college admission, FCAT has practical implications. There is a positive relationship between student performance on FCAT and other tests, therefore, student knowledge do improve. Considering the stated above factors, FCAT does contribute to students’ success and, consequently, prepares them better for college. As testing programs are complex and vary with time, it is difficult to evaluate a specific program from the public sources available. As such, the real effectiveness of a test can be estimated only through empirical research.

The convention and exhibition economy, tourism economy and real estate economy are called the three largest smokeless industries in the 21st century. Modern convention and exhibition industry is regarded as the rising industry of the new century, with huge vigor and development potential and the competitive focuses of the strengths and images among cities. The conduction of large-scaled and high quality conventions and exhibitions will promote one city’s fame and the economy.

The conventions and exhibitions stimulated the consumptions of the accommodation, food, tourism, communications, advertisements and decorations etc, driving the economy development of the whole city. For example, the ticket revenues were 100 million Yuan (12 million USD) in Kunming Expo, 170 million Yuan (20.5 million USD) ticket revenues in the new scenic resorts, no vacant left in all the hotels for two consecutive months. Meanwhile, the development of convention and exhibition economy would provide high quality employments. It was estimated that every one thousand square meters of exhibition areas would create near one hundred employments. For example, 100 employments were created in 1996 Expo. The conventions and exhibitions would help the enterprise to obtain comparative advantages in the fields of products, technologies, production and marketing, reduce the costs to obtain resources and strengthen comprehensive competitiveness. The essential meaning of the conventions and exhibitions for the local economies lie in the further open-up, more actual comparisons, more accurate choices and more effective allocations so as to reach the growth in quality and the strengths of economic security co- efficiency.  

In 1978, only six international conventions and exhibitions were held in China and China held and took part in 21 exhibitions abroad. Nowadays, the quantities and scales were increased by hundred folds and permeated into all walks of economy. Each industry had its own international professional exhibitions. By the end of 2006, there were totally 150 large and medium exhibition halls and the indoor exhibition floor space over three million square meters.

In 2008, the formal exhibitions held in China exceeded 3 thousand, the direct revenues of 14 billion Yuan (2 billion USD). The revenues of the related industries were about 130 billion Yuan (18.6 billion USD), realizing the excellent economic and social benefits.

As far as the exhibition scales and strengths are concerned, Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou had been the center cities of Chinese conventions and exhibitions, with the market shares accounting for 10 to 20 percent in the whole market shares. Some cities had been the regional centers of Chinese conventions and exhibitions, including Dalian, Changchun, Qingdao, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hefei, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Xiamen, Xi’an, Wuhan, Nanning, Kunming and Chongqing etc. besides, some districts, counties and towns also constructed exhibition halls and held the conventions and exhibitions and formed distinctive regional exhibitions cities, such as Weifang, Yiwu, Shunde, Lecong and Dongguan etc.

In 1995, the first joint venture of Chinese convention and exhibition industry was set up by Asia-Munich International Trade Fairs Pte. Ltd. and China International Center Group. From then on, the internationalization of Chinese convention and exhibition industry started. In recent years, Chinese convention and exhibition field had not only took part in or held some international famous conventions and exhibitions, but also set up the joint ventures with the international famous convention and exhibition companies and possessed many outstanding items.

The status enhancement of Chinese convention and exhibition market, not only changed the attitudes of international convention and exhibition giants, but also awakens the international dreams of Chinese convention and exhibition companies. On the one hand, the international convention and exhibition giants step into Chinese convention and exhibition industry by means of cooperative exhibitions and the establishment of joint ventures etc; on the other hand, Chinese convention and exhibition tried to develop towards the world. There existed law of development in the convention and exhibition industry, namely, branding and internationalization.

In 2007, the transitional period of World Trade Organization was ended. Chinese service industry further expanded the opening-up to the world. Under the macro background, Chinese convention and exhibition industry would be changed from the expansion of quantity to the promotion of quality, from the extension development to the intension development, taking the most use of foreign capitals. The cooperative convention and exhibition developed fast as well as the mergers and acquisitions among the convention and exhibition companies. More foreign capitals would used for the exhibition hall management. The foreign funded exhibition companies improved the exhibition scales and quality in China. The globalization of Chinese domestic convention and exhibition industry would be further improved.

Chinese exhibition hall constructions showed the structural transformation from 2006, the western and central regions being the new focuses. From 2006, the exhibition hall constructions in the eastern developed regions turned down as well as the new added projects. The exhibition hall constructions in the central and western regions were increased, represented by Xi’an and Wuhan. From the whole development trends, Chinese convention and exhibition market was gradually divided in various categories. Chinese convention and exhibition industry step towards open and mature. Different target visitors were in different conventions and exhibitions. As long as you orientated accurately, the companies could discover massive target customers. 

From the latter half of 2008, it was becoming more and more obvious of the influences of international financial crisis on Chinese convention and exhibition industry.

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From the part of oversea exhibitions, in 2008, China only carried out 1,103 exhibitions among the scheduled economic and trade exhibition plans of 1881, with the realizing rate of 59%, down by four percentage points compared with 2007. The realizing rate was 61% in the former half of 2008, and sharp down to 56% in the latter half of 2008. From the latter half of 2008, some companies canceled the exhibitions, which had already signed up and paid the deposits for the exhibitions. In 2009, fifty above mentioned exhibitions will be suspended, postponed or decreased the scales. It is predicted that it will directly lead to the reduction of 8-billion-USD exports.

From the part of exhibitions at home, Chinese companies, especially the medium and small companies, have to cut down the exhibition expenditure or even cancel the exhibition plans because of the reduction in the profits and the capital shortage etc, leading to the reduction of exhibitions, scales and profits. Meanwhile, the exhibition companies and the purchasers abroad decreased because of the depressive markets in many countries and districts and the closedown of partial companies.

China is a country with the largest population in the world, huge market space and consumption potentials. Compared with the annual hundred billion USD convention and exhibition market in the world, Chinese annual convention and exhibition industry with over two billion USD scale has a large development space. The development space needs explorations for the investors regardless of the convention and exhibition industry or its related industries. 

World Expo will be held in Shanghai from 1st May, 2010 to 31st October, 2010. It is predicted that the visitors will be reached to 20 million (Shanghai government estimated the number will be reached to 70 million, in actual, it will not), including huge business opportunities.

This report describes the present development situation of Chinese convention and exhibition industry, major Chinese economic areas, present situations of the convention and exhibition industry in major cities and the major enterprises in Chinese convention and exhibition market, analyzes the marketing strategies of the convention and exhibition industry, researches the promotion functions of the convention and exhibition industry to the related industries and the mergers and acquisitions in Chinese convention and exhibition industry and discusses the investment opportunities and the recommendations and measures for the risk aversion. This report has high valuable references to make a good understanding on the present situations Chinese convention and exhibition industry and the related industries, master the development trends of Chinese convention and exhibition industry and master the investment opportunities.

More following information can be obtained in this report:

- Present Development Situation of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

-Developments of the Related Industries in Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

- Major Cities of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

- Major Exhibition Halls of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

- Major Enterprises of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

- Influences of International Financial Crisis on Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

-Development Trends of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

- Profit Models of Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry

To get more details, please visit Research Report on Chinese Convention and Exhibition Industry, 2009