"Latest Happenings From Around The World"

Chicago rail chief 'commits suicide' on train tracks

2010-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

The chief of the Chicago commuter rail system has killed himself by stepping in front of a speeding train, officials have said.

Philip Pagano was under investigation over alleged financial regularities and was on paid leave.

The board of the Metra system had been due to meet later on Friday to determine his fate.

In his pocket, police found a manual detailing procedures for handling a suicide on the railway, officials said.

Mr Pagano had been executive director of the Metra system, which serves the city of Chicago and its outlying suburbs, since 1990.

State prosecutors and federal officials had launched investigations into whether Mr Pagano had improperly steered public funds to his personal coffers.

Metra officials said last month that Mr Pagano had received an unauthorised $56,000 "bonus" in addition to his $269,625 salary. The agency does not award bonuses.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Mr Pagano had stepped in front of a Metra train in the suburb in which he lived, north-west of Chicago.

McHenry County Coroner Marlene Lantz told the paper the death was under investigation, "but at this point it appears to be a suicide".

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8669304.stm

Lettuce recall due to E.coli, Again

2010-05-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

Lettuce products sold in many states across the country, including Michigan, were recalled yesterday due to the finding of E.coli in an unopened bag of Freshway Foods shredded lettuce by the New York state Public Health Laboratory in Albany, New York.

A press release by Freshway Foods of Sidney, Ohio, says the voluntary recall of romaine lettuce products was sold to wholesalers, food service outlets and some in-store salad bars and delicatessens in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and several other states in the country. Freshway Foods is advising consumers not to eat any of their lettuce products purchased from delis and salad bars, and for restaurants and retailers to dispose of or not use any of the recalled products with a “best if used by date” of May 12 or earlier.

Symptoms of E-coli infection include none to mild diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Serious complications may progress to kidney damage. To date, there have been 19 confirmed cases of E.coli illnesses that have been reported from Michigan, Ohio, and New York. Evidence from preliminary investigations have traced the lettuce originated from one processing facility.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-29099-Grand-Rapids-Public-Health-Examiner~y2010m5d7-Lettuce-recall-due-to-Ecoli

Dwyane Wade, Gabrielle Union Dismiss Lawsuit Filed by Wade's Ex

2010-05-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

The estranged wife of Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade has filed a lawsuit against his girlfriend, actress Gabrielle Union, claiming that their relationship has caused Wade's two sons emotional distress, according to the Associated Press.

"Siohvaughn Wade filed the suit in Chicago this week, adding yet another chapter to the lengthy divorce saga between the former high school sweethearts who separated more than two years ago," writes the AP's Tim Reynolds. "She and Dwyane Wade had two sons, ages 8 and 2, who are listed as plaintiffs."

0diggsdigg

The lawsuit alleges that Union "engaged in sexual foreplay" in front of Wade's sons and that "severely inflicted the Plaintiffs emotionally and mentally." Other claims include that the boys received "medium size gifts" from their father for Christmas last year, and Union got "the biggest gift of all." As well as the allegation that the "Defendant played sexually explicit roles, including roles as a seductress ... [and] has apparently decided to take her role beyond the films and into the home of a married man, Dwyane Wade, in the presence of his two minor children."

Union's attorney, C. Anthony Mulrain says that "Each and every allegation made is entirely false."

And Dwayne Wade supports Union: "I can state with certainty that the claims Siohvaughn made about Gabrielle are untrue," Wade said. "I am deeply saddened and disappointed that Siohvaughn has used our sons once again as pawns and is now lashing out at Gabrielle, who is an innocent party. It is clear that this is a desperate attempt to retaliate against me for seeking sole custody of our children...

"I am shocked that Siohvaughn Wade has brought this baseless and meritless lawsuit in the name of our children against Gabrielle Union," he added.

The Wade's divorce trial is slated to start in June although Dwyane Wade's legal team is hoping for a settlement before the case goes to court.

Source: http://backporch.fanhouse.com/2010/05/05/dwyane-wade-gabrielle-union-dismiss-lawsuit-filed-by-wades-ex/

Officials say 70 dead, 1,500 hurt in Italy quake

2009-04-06T06:25:00.000-07:00

L'AQUILA, Italy (Map, News) - Officials say more than 70 people have been killed in Italy's earthquake and that 1,500 people have been injured.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his civil protection chief, Guido Bertolaso, held a press conference after reaching the central Italian city of L'Aquila, hit by a powerful earthquake as residents slept.

Berlusconi warned that more temblors were possible and said no one would be allowed to remain in damaged homes. He said many buildings in the city's historic center were at risk of collapse.

Bertolaso told reporters that "the victims are even more than 70."

The quake struck about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Rome at 3:32 a.m. local time (0132 GMT), officials said.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/a-1945690~Officials_say_70_dead__1_500_hurt_in_Italy_quake.html

2 Million Pounds of Pistachios Recalled, 2 Fall ILL From Contamination

2009-03-31T06:32:00.000-07:00

In another food scare sure to rattle consumers who watched the national salmonella outbreak in peanuts unfold, federal food officials are now warning people not to eat any food containing pistachios, which could carry contamination from the same bacteria.

The Food and Drug Administration said central California-based Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella Inc., the nation's second-largest pistachio processor, was voluntarily recalling more than 2 million pounds of its roasted nuts shipped since last fall.

"Our advice to consumers is that they avoid eating pistachio products, and that they hold onto those products," said Dr. David Acheson, assistant commissioner for food safety. "The number of products that are going to be recalled over the coming days will grow, simply because these pistachio nuts have then been repackaged into consumer-level containers."

Two people called the FDA complaining of gastrointestinal illness that could be associated with the nuts, but the link hasn't been confirmed, Acheson said. Still, the plant decided to shut down late last week, officials said.

The recalled nuts represent a small fraction of the 55 million pounds of pistachios that the company's plant processed last year and an even smaller portion of the 278 million pounds produced in the state in the 2008 season, according to the Fresno-based Administrative Committee for Pistachios.

California alone is the second-largest producer of pistachios in the world.

According to the company's Web site, Setton Pistachio is in the corporate family of Commack, N.Y.-based Setton International Foods Inc. The company sells nuts, dried fruit, edible seeds, chocolate and yogurt-coated candies.

The FDA learned about the problem last Tuesday, when Kraft Foods Inc. notified the agency that it had detected salmonella in roasted pistachios through routine product testing. Kraft and the Georgia Nut Co. recalled their Back to Nature Nantucket Blend trail mix the next day.

The FDA contacted Setton Pistachio and California health officials shortly afterward, in what Acheson called a "proactive move."

By Friday, grocery operator Kroger Co. recalled one of its lines of bagged pistachios because of possible salmonella contamination, saying the California plant also supplied its nuts. Those nuts were sold in 31 states.

Fabia D'Arienzo, a spokeswoman for Tulare County-based Setton Pistachio, said the company was only recalling certain bulk roasted in-shell and roasted shelled pistachios that were shipped on or after September 1.

Because Setton Pistachio shipped tote bags of nuts weighing up to 2,000 pounds to 36 wholesalers across the country, it will take weeks to figure out how many products could be affected, said Jeff Farrar, chief of the Food and Drug Branch of the California Department of Public Health.

"It will be safe to assume based on the volume that this will be an ingredient in a lot of different products, and that may possibly include things like ice cream and cake mixes," Farrar said. "The firm is already turning around trucks in transit to bring those back to the facility."

Salmonella, the most common cause of food-borne illness, is a bacteria that causes diarrhea, fever and cramping. Most people recover, but the infection can be life-threatening for children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

For nuts, roasting is supposed to kill the bacteria. But problems can occur if the roasting is not done correctly or if roasted nuts are re-contaminated. That can happen if mice, rats or birds get into the facility.

Last winter, a national salmonella outbreak was blamed on a Georgia company under federal investigation for flouting safety procedures and knowingly shipping contaminated peanuts.

The outbreak is still ongoing. More than 690 people in 46 states have gotten sick. Nearly 3,900 products made with peanut ingredients from Peanut Corp. of America have been recalled.

California public health authorities have taken hundreds of samples at Setton's processing facility, but lab results have not yet determined whether salmonella was found at the plant, Farrar said. The food companies' own tests of the contaminated products isolated four different types of salmonella, but none were the same strain as the one found in the peanuts, Acheson said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090331/ap_on_he_me/salmonella_pistachios

Fox Ferreting Out Fans with Fox Nation

2009-03-30T06:07:00.000-07:00

Fox Nation, an opinionated Web site that launches this morning -- and really, what other network would name a country after itself? -- is based on a gut-level appeal:

"It's Time to Say NO to Biased Media and Say YES to Fair Play and Free Speech."

Biased media are in the eye of the beholder, and with a site built around such high-decibel stars as Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, Fox is hoping to leverage its brand online, especially among conservative true believers. "We felt that giving people a real destination to go and express themselves would give them a feeling of belonging," says Senior Vice President Joel Cheatwood. "People feel they're dictated to a lot by the media."

The launch comes as Fox News Channel is touting its aggressive approach to the Obama administration, which has led to rising ratings after eight years in which the network's top commentators often sided with the Bush White House.

Hannity, who had been balanced by liberal co-host Alan Colmes, is flying solo this year, ripping the president for "socialist" policies and calling for the firing of his Treasury secretary, "Turbo Tax Cheat Tim Geithner." Beck, hired away from HLN (Headline News), has been an instant smash, railing against "the people who are betraying you over and over and over again and lying to us in Washington." Mike Huckabee, the former GOP governor of Arkansas, holds forth on a weekend show.

Night after night, Fox's top commentators are former White House aide Karl Rove, former House speaker Newt Gingrich and Dick Morris, the onetime Clinton strategist turned debunker of Democrats. Another contributor, Michael Steele, recently left to become Republican Party chairman. And while Democratic analysts hired during the campaign, such as former Hillary Clinton advisers Howard Wolfson and Lanny Davis, have left the network, Fox is beefing up its conservative ranks, recently hiring National Review's Jonah Goldberg.

The Web site will attempt to emulate the social aspects of Facebook -- as well as MySpace, which, like Fox, is owned by Rupert Murdoch -- by encouraging readers to post comments and argue with one another. And the hook will be columns, blogs and videos from the likes of Bill O'Reilly, Greta Van Susteren and Hannity, which will likely draw their strongest followers.

"I don't think this is going to be limited to die-hard Fox News fans," Cheatwood says. When registration begins in two months, users will be asked to abide by "core principles of tolerance, open debate, civil discourse and fair and balanced coverage of the news," with insulting comments deleted.

"If they're critical of Fox News, that's fine," Cheatwood says. "You just can't say anything that's hateful or hurtful to someone else."

Fox has been losing the online wars. The new site would be linked to FoxNews.com, which drew 16 million unique visitors in February, trailing MSNBC.com (41 million visitors) and CNN.com (36 million).

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/29/AR2009032902102.html?wprss=rss_technology

Got Penis? Imagine Waking Up To A 60 Foot Phallus!

2009-03-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

A British teenager inspired by an ancient fertility symbol painted a 60-foot phallus on the roof of his parents house, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Rory McInnes painted the giant genitalia on the newly-finished flat roof of his parents' million-pound mansion in a village 60 miles (100 kilometres) west of London, The Sun tabloid said.

But the imposing member remained a closely-guarded secret for a whole year before it was 'discovered' by a helicopter pilot flying over the area.

Contacted by the paper, his father Andy McInnes first dismissed the report as a joke.

"It?s an April Fool?s joke, right? There?s no way there?s a 60-foot phallus on top of my house," he said before ringing round each of his four children.

When he got hold of Rory, who is spending a year travelling between finishing school and starting university, the teen reportedly said: "Oh, you?ve found it then!"

The 18-year-old student said he had decided to act last year after watching a documentary about the satellite images on Google Earth, saying he thought the artwork would make his parents' home stand out.

The oversized organ is an enlarged copy of the most well-known feature of the Cerne Abbas Giant, an 80-foot (55-metre) figure of a naked man which is carved into the side of a chalk hill in Dorset, southwest England.

Clearly sexually aroused, the club-wielding giant is believed to be an Iron Age fertility symbol which has proven popular with copulating couples hoping to conceive.

But the McInneses were clearly not keen on the idea of their rooftop art acting as a fertility charm.

"We don?t want any more children, so the idea of sleeping under a giant fertility symbol is rather worrying," said 49-year-old Clare McInnes, while her husband added: "When Rory gets home he will be given a scrubbing brush and white spirit and he can go and scrub it off."

Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5juUq_iSH2yT5jCnNV6iqPT5bpf4w

White House Easter egg roll -- the virtual hunt for tickets

2009-03-26T08:45:00.000-07:00

The White House says it released tickets to the annual Easter Egg Roll online today, but it's hard to say whether anyone actually successfully got any. WTOP is reporting constant site crashes at www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll/.

DCist just tried for some tickets, and received the following message:

Tickets for the 2009 White House Egg Roll are no longer available at this time. Tickets will be available at various times throughout the day. If you are unable to order tickets at this time, please check back later.

Of course, we'd have to scare up a child age ten or under in order to actually attend the event. Them's the rules. But did any DCist readers with kids manage to score tickets today? Or are you all seeing the same crashes and messages to try again later?

Source: http://dcist.com/2009/03/white_house_easter_egg_roll_tickets.php

Adam Lambert gets a standing ovation--from Smokey Robinson!

2009-03-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

Adam Lambert tells Smokey Robinson he's really nervous, singing "Tracks of My Tears." Smokey tells him he's never heard anyone sing it tender and soft like that, very proud of the interpretation. Adam smartly asks him what inspired him to write it; says his goal "is to do it justice."

Elvis-like hair, gray suit. Man, from the get-go, this is great; so smooth, so in control, so heartfelt, such pitch-perfect vocals. Audience is hushed; Adam totally gets this song. It's him at his best; no weirdness for the sake of weirdness, just exercising his creativity and making us hear a song totally differently. He's got us all in the palm of his hand--and Smokey Robinson and the audience gives him a standing ovation.

Kara stands, calls it awesome. Paula loves how he's completely in his own league, surprises us every week; loves the clean, classy look. Simon calls it the best performance of the night, which is like a no-duh moment. "You tonight really have emerged as a star."

Randy says from day one he knew he had the range, loved the falsetto, "unbelievably hot."

Source: http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/music/idol/blog/2009/03/adam_lambert_gets_a_standing_o.html

More IBM Layoffs Coming?

2009-03-25T17:53:00.000-07:00

Even as it is in talks to acquire Sun Microsystems, it is looking increasingly like IBM is set to announce another round of layoffs. Layoffs are expected in the IBM Global Business Services group and the Global Technology Services group, among possible others.

Even as it is in talks to acquire Sun Microsystems, it is looking increasingly like IBM is set to announce another round of layoffs.

The Wall Street Journal reported on March 25 that IBM "is expected to inform a large number of U.S. employees in its global-business services unit that their jobs are being eliminated, with the work of many of them being transferred to IBM employees in India..."

And according to the Alliance@IBM, an organization promoting the unionization of IBM employees, IBM is planning to cut several jobs on March 26 in such locations as Denver and Hartford, Conn., particularly regarding a services contract supporting The Hartford insurance company.

Source: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/IT-Infrastructure/More-IBM-Layoffs-Coming-608504/

Jim Calhoun, Nate Miles: Calhoun's Bad Hunch On Risky Miles

2009-03-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

From the bad-timing department: The only good news for UConn in these allegations of recruiting violations is that Nate Miles never played for Coach Jim Calhoun. So, there are no 2008-09 games to forfeit.

Best bet here is for UConn to come clean -- admit where, and if, it messed up; note that it previously had a clean record with the NCAA and take whatever medicine is coming.

Nate Miles was a high-risk kid with a checkered past. UConn and everyone else knew that coming in.

Bottom line: Miles wasn't worth the effort UConn and Calhoun put into recruiting him. Had he played for the Huskies this year, it would have ruined what could still turn out to be a championship season.

Source: http://blogs.courant.com/stan_simpson/2009/03/from-the-badtiming-department.html

Iliza Shlesinger, Winner of Last Comic Standing, On Howard Stern Show 3/25/09

2009-03-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Iliza Shlesinger, the first female and also the youngest winner of the NBC show Last Comic Standing was on Howard Stern this morning. Although the interview was a little dull, it's nice to see Stern supporting up-and-coming comics.

Iliza Shlesinger was on the show to plug the Last Comic Standing Tour, which she's in the middle of right now. Schlesinger tried hard not to bash the other finalists on the show, but she did tell Stern that the three guys joining her on the tour refuse to talk to her. She says they're mad and resentful that she won the contest and the $250,000 prize money.

If you've never seen the show, Last Comic Standing is like American Idol for comics. A bunch of judges travel the country looking for the next break-out stand-up comedian. Once the herd is narrowed down to 12, the comics have to live together in a house and perform in front of live L.A. audiences. The audiences then get to vote to decide who's the funniest comic.

Howard tried hard to get some good gossip out of Iliza, but she really didn't have a whole lot to say. Although very pretty, she says she's a regular girl and doesn't dress-up or put on a show in an effort to get a guy. She says most guys avoid her because she's a sarcastic wise-ass and they're scared of becoming a part of her act. Hmmmm. Maybe she can't get a guy because off stage she's a big yawn fest?

Peace & Love

Source: http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977636716&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspace

Dear A.I.G., I Ouit! Sincerely, Jake DeSantis, Exec. VP

2009-03-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

The following is a letter sent on Tuesday by Jake DeSantis, an executive vice president of the American International Group’s financial products unit, to Edward M. Liddy, the chief executive of A.I.G.

DEAR Mr. Liddy,

It is with deep regret that I submit my notice of resignation from A.I.G. Financial Products. I hope you take the time to read this entire letter. Before describing the details of my decision, I want to offer some context:

I am proud of everything I have done for the commodity and equity divisions of A.I.G.-F.P. I was in no way involved in — or responsible for — the credit default swap transactions that have hamstrung A.I.G. Nor were more than a handful of the 400 current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. Most of those responsible have left the company and have conspicuously escaped the public outrage.

After 12 months of hard work dismantling the company — during which A.I.G. reassured us many times we would be rewarded in March 2009 — we in the financial products unit have been betrayed by A.I.G. and are being unfairly persecuted by elected officials. In response to this, I will now leave the company and donate my entire post-tax retention payment to those suffering from the global economic downturn. My intent is to keep none of the money myself.

I take this action after 11 years of dedicated, honorable service to A.I.G. I can no longer effectively perform my duties in this dysfunctional environment, nor am I being paid to do so. Like you, I was asked to work for an annual salary of $1, and I agreed out of a sense of duty to the company and to the public officials who have come to its aid. Having now been let down by both, I can no longer justify spending 10, 12, 14 hours a day away from my family for the benefit of those who have let me down.

You and I have never met or spoken to each other, so I’d like to tell you about myself. I was raised by schoolteachers working multiple jobs in a world of closing steel mills. My hard work earned me acceptance to M.I.T., and the institute’s generous financial aid enabled me to attend. I had fulfilled my American dream.

I started at this company in 1998 as an equity trader, became the head of equity and commodity trading and, a couple of years before A.I.G.’s meltdown last September, was named the head of business development for commodities. Over this period the equity and commodity units were consistently profitable — in most years generating net profits of well over $100 million. Most recently, during the dismantling of A.I.G.-F.P., I was an integral player in the pending sale of its well-regarded commodity index business to UBS. As you know, business unit sales like this are crucial to A.I.G.’s effort to repay the American taxpayer.

The profitability of the businesses with which I was associated clearly supported my compensation. I never received any pay resulting from the credit default swaps that are now losing so much money. I did, however, like many others here, lose a significant portion of my life savings in the form of deferred compensation invested in the capital of A.I.G.-F.P. because of those losses. In this way I have personally suffered from this controversial activity — directly as well as indirectly with the rest of the taxpayers.

I have the utmost respect for the civic duty that you are now performing at A.I.G. You are as blameless for these credit default swap losses as I am. You answered your country’s call and you are taking a tremendous beating for it.

But you also are aware that most of the employees of your financial products unit had nothing to do with the large losses. And I am disappointed and frustrated over your lack of support for us. I and many others in the unit feel betrayed that you failed to stand up for us in the face of untrue and unfair accusations from certain members of Congress last Wednesday and from the press over our retention payments, and that you didn’t defend us against the baseless and reckless comments made by the attorneys general of New York and Connecticut.

My guess is that in October, when you learned of these retention contracts, you realized that the employees of the financial products unit needed some incentive to stay and that the contracts, being both ethical and useful, should be left to stand. That’s probably why A.I.G. management assured us on three occasions during that month that the company would “live up to its commitment” to honor the contract guarantees.

That may be why you decided to accelerate by three months more than a quarter of the amounts due under the contracts. That action signified to us your support, and was hardly something that one would do if he truly found the contracts “distasteful.”

That may also be why you authorized the balance of the payments on March 13.

At no time during the past six months that you have been leading A.I.G. did you ask us to revise, renegotiate or break these contracts — until several hours before your appearance last week before Congress.

I think your initial decision to honor the contracts was both ethical and financially astute, but it seems to have been politically unwise. It’s now apparent that you either misunderstood the agreements that you had made — tacit or otherwise — with the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, various members of Congress and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of New York, or were not strong enough to withstand the shifting political winds.

You’ve now asked the current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. to repay these earnings. As you can imagine, there has been a tremendous amount of serious thought and heated discussion about how we should respond to this breach of trust.

As most of us have done nothing wrong, guilt is not a motivation to surrender our earnings. We have worked 12 long months under these contracts and now deserve to be paid as promised. None of us should be cheated of our payments any more than a plumber should be cheated after he has fixed the pipes but a careless electrician causes a fire that burns down the house.

Many of the employees have, in the past six months, turned down job offers from more stable employers, based on A.I.G.’s assurances that the contracts would be honored. They are now angry about having been misled by A.I.G.’s promises and are not inclined to return the money as a favor to you.

The only real motivation that anyone at A.I.G.-F.P. now has is fear. Mr. Cuomo has threatened to “name and shame,” and his counterpart in Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, has made similar threats — even though attorneys general are supposed to stand for due process, to conduct trials in courts and not the press.

So what am I to do? There’s no easy answer. I know that because of hard work I have benefited more than most during the economic boom and have saved enough that my family is unlikely to suffer devastating losses during the current bust. Some might argue that members of my profession have been overpaid, and I wouldn’t disagree.

That is why I have decided to donate 100 percent of the effective after-tax proceeds of my retention payment directly to organizations that are helping people who are suffering from the global downturn. This is not a tax-deduction gimmick; I simply believe that I at least deserve to dictate how my earnings are spent, and do not want to see them disappear back into the obscurity of A.I.G.’s or the federal government’s budget. Our earnings have caused such a distraction for so many from the more pressing issues our country faces, and I would like to see my share of it benefit those truly in need.

On March 16 I received a payment from A.I.G. amounting to $742,006.40, after taxes. In light of the uncertainty over the ultimate taxation and legal status of this payment, the actual amount I donate may be less — in fact, it may end up being far less if the recent House bill raising the tax on the retention payments to 90 percent stands. Once all the money is donated, you will immediately receive a list of all recipients.

This choice is right for me. I wish others at A.I.G.-F.P. luck finding peace with their difficult decision, and only hope their judgment is not clouded by fear.

Mr. Liddy, I wish you success in your commitment to return the money extended by the American government, and luck with the continued unwinding of the company’s diverse businesses — especially those remaining credit default swaps. I’ll continue over the short term to help make sure no balls are dropped, but after what’s happened this past week I can’t remain much longer — there is too much bad blood. I’m not sure how you will greet my resignation, but at least Attorney General Blumenthal should be relieved that I’ll leave under my own power and will not need to be “shoved out the door.”

Sincerely,

Jake DeSantis

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25desantis.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&ref=opinion

Agrolabs Superberry Upgrade with Resveratrol Supplement

2009-03-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

• Product: AgroLabs Superberry Upgrade with Resveratrol anti-aging fruit drink, $16.99 for 16 fluid ounces at CVS, Costco, Walmart and Walgreens.

• Key ingredients: concentrated fruit juices (including blueberry, chokeberry, apple, elderberry, black currant, acai, Concord grape, white grape, mangosteen, goji, cranberry and pear), aloe vera gel juice, a blend of grape skin extract, green tea leaf extract and grape seed extract, and a blend of aloe vera polysaccharde extract, ginseng tea extract and gingko biloba extract.

• The pitch: Reap the benefits of cellular anti-aging, revitalized hair, skin and nails, all-day energy, and antioxidants that scavenge free radicals.

• Pros: A 2008 study supported in part by the National Institute on Aging found that resveratrol prevented age-related and obesity-related cardiovascular decline in mice. Italian scientists obtained the first positive result of resveratrol supplementation in a vertebrate in 2006, when they found it increased the median life span of a short-lived fish by 56 percent.

A French study published in the journal Cell in November 2006 reported that mice fed resveratrol for 15 weeks had better treadmill endurance than those not given the supplement. Ongoing research on plant antioxidants shows promise in preventing cancer, aging, heart disease and other conditions. A Cornell University study in the Jan. 31, 2008, Journal of Food Science found that antioxidants in fruit -- especially apples -- can protect against neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.

• Cons: While research shows promise for a connection between resveratrol and life span extension in yeast, worms and mice, there is no published evidence in scientific literature showing those benefits for normal-weight animals or humans. The long-term safety of resveratrol has not been evaluated in humans; some studies suggest it could stimulate breast cancer cells and slow healing. Because resveratrol is rapidly metabolized in intestines and liver, only trace amounts make it into the blood when it's taken orally.

Research into antioxidants also has been confined largely to animals. The December 2007 issue of Molecular Pharmaceutics warned that consumer demand for supplements with phytochemicals (antioxidants) found in fruits and vegetables has outpaced scientific knowledge of the actual health benefits. The Food and Drug Administration has prohibited manufacturers from claiming that consuming their antioxidant products will reduce disease risk.

• Bottom line: The health benefits of resveratrol and antioxidants seem promising, but researchers still have much to learn before they can be recommended for human use. For now, stick to eating foods rich in antioxidants including wild blueberries, red beans, cranberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries.

http://www.miamiherald.com/1265/story/963464.html

Is A Calorie Restriction Diet Plan Good For You? Nutritionist Say Eat!

2009-03-24T15:21:00.000-07:00

Eat To Lose, says nutritionist.

Separating fact from fiction when it comes to nutrition and dieting

On a drastic diet? EAT, says a nutrition expert.

“It may sound illogical. But you should actually eat to lose weight instead of starving yourself by extreme dieting,” says Liz Freitick, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics nutritionist.

According to Freitick, severe caloric restriction can signal your body into “starvation mode,” when the body works extra hard to protect itself by hanging on to every last pound.

“Starvation mode slows metabolism and can significantly slow or even stop weight loss,” she says.

Freitick says there are three “lean by extreme” categories that can sabotage weight loss:

• Liquid Diets. “Getting all or most of your food through meal-replacement drinks and other fluids never really satisfies appetite,” says Freitick. She refers to a study, published in the International Journal of Obesity, testing the theory that liquids don’t satisfy hunger.

One group ate an additional 450 calories of jelly beans a day for four weeks. Another group consumed an extra 450 calories of soda a day during the same time period. The results revealed that the people who ate the jelly beans compensated for the extra calories by limiting other foods. The soda drinkers did not and consumed 450 additional calories each day.

“Occasionally replacing a meal with a liquid meal replacement is not going to hurt,” says Freitick. “But a consistent liquid diet can be nutritionally poor and will sabotage you in the long run. You don’t really learn how to manage eating healthier with typical foods.”

• Very Low-Carb Diets. “It’s one thing to watch your carbs, especially simple carbohydrates,” says Freitick. “But regardless of their recent popularity, very low-carb diets are not a good idea.” Freitick explains that while proteins and fats may satisfy, they don’t provide a full feeling in your stomach. Higher-fiber complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables and whole grain do that. In addition, carbs provide a quick-release source of fuel and energy for the body.

“A lack of carbohydrates often makes you tired and feel weak,” Freitick points out. And cutting out the carbohydrate-containing foods (like fruit, milk and yogurt) that contain important vitamins and minerals may be hurting your long-term health.

• Food Groups Restriction. “Most of us can’t eliminate foods we really enjoy, but we do have to limit them,” says Freitick. Your body really likes to have a variety of foods at every meal, including healthy fats, to help stoke your internal burner and boost metabolism. The trick is to choose foods for your meals from each food group (grains, fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy and lean proteins) as often as possible.

Along with this, it helps to figure out whether you’re eating because of hunger or out of habit or other reasons. Then learn to stop eating before you’re over-full — that is, to stop when you’re comfortably satisfied.

Nutritionists recommend a weight loss of onehalf to two pounds per week (an average over time) by figuring how many calories it will take for you to lose and to maintain your weight. Freitick says calorie-counting doesn’t work for everyone, but calories do count when you want to lose weight. The calorie level you need to shed pounds is based on gender, activity level and overall metabolism. A simplified, general rule is that women should not eat fewer than 1,500 calories a day; most men should eat at least 1,800 to promote weight loss.

It can be a challenge to eat fewer calories while eating plenty of healthy foods, but doing so along with getting regular heart-pumping exercise will give you the best results. Most important: choose healthy foods in moderate amounts and enjoy eating.

Just as many fad diets don’t tell your the whole nutrition story, various myths and food lore often get mixed into a goulash of advice on nutrition. Well-meant advice covers when and what to eat, but it can be difficult to sort out the facts.

Since March is National Nutrition Month, here are some food myths to chew on from TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), provided by Joan Pleuss, R.D., C.D.E., M.S., C.D., Senior Research Dietitian in the General Clinical Research Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

MYTH: Don’t eat between meals.

False - Eating four to five meals and snacks helps healthy eaters control their appetites, according to numerous studies. The total calories must stay within the range for the eating plan, however.

MYTH: Don’t eat before bedtime.

False - Again, it’s the total number of calories that matter, not when those calories are consumed.

MYTH: Breakfast should never be skipped.

True - Studies have shown that eating breakfast decreases the likelihood that you will overeat later in the day. Breakfast also increases overall energy and helps your brain concentrate, solve problems, and remember facts better.

MYTH: Protein should be a part of meals and snacks.

True - Lean meat, yogurt, cheese, nuts, and beans are all great proteins that will help keep healthy eaters feeling full longer.

MYTH: It’s better to graze than eat three square meals a day.

True - Six mini-meals eaten throughout the day can effectively keep you satisfied. The foods selected should be healthy and the total amount of calories should not exceed the amount needed to maintain or lose weight.

MYTH: There are some foods that should be eaten every day.

True - You should include food from all the TOPS Exchange groups every day. In the Milk Exchange group, yogurt plays a role in bone health and strengthens the immune system. In the Vegetables Exchange group, spinach, kale, bok choy, and romaine are great sources of nutrients helpful for bones, heart, and eyes. Tomatoes decrease the risk of certain cancers and heart disease. Carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and yellow bell peppers are wonderful sources of carotenoids, which fight cancer. Fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, purple grapes, and raisins contain many antioxidants to help prevent memory changes as we age and also to help prevent cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Meat Exchanges such as dried peas and beans contain antioxidants that may improve brain and heart function. Grains, including oats, quinoa, and wild rice, lower the risk of heart disease. Hearthealthy fats can come from walnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, and flaxseed.

MYTH: Skipping meals will help you lose weight.

False - Skipping meals actually may have the opposite effect. Studies have found that people who skip meals during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat the right foods four or five times a day. When you skip a meal, you may be slowing down your body’s metabolism – thus, making your body require fewer calories and converting extra calories to fat.

TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), the original, nonprofit weight-loss education and support organization, was founded more than 60 years ago to champion weight-loss support and success. Founded and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., TOPS promotes successful weight management with a philosophy that combines healthy eating, regular exercise, wellness education, and support from others at weekly chapter meetings. TOPS has about 170,000 members in nearly 10,000 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, and several chapters in Europe.

World Football Challenge Coming To U.S.!

2009-03-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

This summer, four of the best soccer teams in the world – Chelsea Football Club, AC Milan, FC Internazionale Milano and Club America – will compete in the United States in the inaugural World Football Challenge, a six-city round robin tournament.

Beginning on July 19 and concluding on July 26, the four teams will face off at some of the most recognized stadiums across the U.S., including the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.), the Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.), MT&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Md.), Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.), Stanford Stadium (Palo Alto, Calif.) and the new Cowboys Stadium (Arlington, Texas). Match tickets go on sale today at www.worldfootballchallenge.com.

The World Football Challenge will give soccer fans the unprecedented opportunity to see global superstars such as John Terry, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack, Ronaldinho, Kaká, Julio Cesar, Zlatan Ibrahimovich, Andrea Pirlo, Pavel Pardo, Guillermo Ochoa and Adriano play live in the U.S. and experience first-hand the fast-paced, skillful competition that has made soccer the most popular sport in the world.

“We are delighted to be in the United States again for pre-season,” said Peter Kenyon, Chelsea FC chief executive. “This is our fifth pre-season out of six that we have toured here and it is always a pleasure to see our fans and train and play in excellent facilities in great cities. Chelsea, of course, will bring a full-strength first team squad and with the quality of the opposition, and the backing of our partners, this series of matches will be the best preparation and the most high profile we have played in America.”

Kenyon was joined by AC Milan Director Umberto Gandini, Club America President Michel Bauer, and FC Internazionale Milano Technical Director Marco Branca along with CAA Sports Co-head Michael Levine and ESPN Programming Vice President Scott Guglielmino at a press conference at the ESPN Zone in New York to announce the 2009 World Football Challenge and match schedule.

“I am very happy to take AC Milan back to the United States after a few years, thanks to our friends at CAA, in a tournament which will see us visiting Atlanta and Baltimore before going back to Boston where we played already,” said Umberto Gandini, AC Milan Organizing Director. “AC Milan will meet very important teams like Club America, Chelsea, with whom we played on U.S. soil twice, and Internazionale, our city rivals. After 40 years there will be another derby in the States, the last and only so far was in New York. These are going to be three important matches very useful in order to prepare the new season at the best. I am confident that these events will offer great football to all the fans throughout America.”

“As President of Club America I am delighted to participate in the World Football Challenge,” said Michel Bauer, Club America president. “I know our fans in the U.S. and Mexico will enjoy such an exciting competition and watching our eagles play against these elite European clubs. With so much talent on the pitch, it’s going to be a competitive tournament and I’m looking forward to getting it started.”

Marco Branca, FC Internazionale Milano technical director added, “We are very proud to take part in an important event like this. The international spirit is the historic core of our club. The fixtures in the United States are going to be important steps for the preparation of the following season and will give us the possibility to meet our fans in America. This is the first time we have played in America in 40 years and we are confident our supporters will cheer for our squad of big champions.”

CAA Sports, a division of Creative Artists Agency, the leading entertainment and sports agency, is the event management agency and organizers of the World Football Challenge.

“Considering this country’s ever-growing enthusiasm for soccer, the World Football Challenge is an exciting way for us to introduce these world-class teams and their star players to a brand new fan base while giving existing American fans of international soccer a first-hand experience like no other,” said Michael Levine, co-head of CAA Sports.

Kenyon added, “The interest in soccer in the U.S. is higher than ever before and the proof is that these matches will be televised live on ESPN, the country’s leading sports station.”

ESPN, the U.S. English-language television home of the Men’s and Women’s FIFA World Cups and other marquee international soccer competitions, is the broadcast partner and will televise all matches on ESPN or ESPN2. Matches will also air on ESPN’s Spanish-language sports network, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN360.com, the company’s live sports broadband network.

"We’re very excited to work with CAA Sports in providing football fans around the country with the opportunity to see four of the world’s marquee football clubs in action," said Scott Guglielmino, vice president of programming, ESPN. "The inaugural ‘World Football Challenge’ will be a great Summer time event for football fans."

In May 2008, ESPN2’s live telecast of the UEFA Champions League final – Chelsea vs. Manchester United – from the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, was seen by 1.1 million viewers, a record for the series in the U.S. In addition, the live coverage of all 31 UEFA European Football Championship 2008 (Euro 2008) matches from eight cities in Switzerland and Austria last June delivered unprecedented viewership, reaching a total of 44.7 million people across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Classic during the three-week tournament.

WORLD FOOTBALL CHALLENGE MATCH SCHEDULE

Sunday, July 19

Club America vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Stanford Stadium (Palo Alto, Calif.)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Tuesday, July 21

Chelsea FC vs. FC Internazionale Milano at the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)
11 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Wednesday, July 22

AC Milan vs. Club America at the Georgia Dome (Atlanta, Ga.)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Friday, July 24

AC Milan vs. Chelsea FC at M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Md.)
8 p.m. EST on ESPN

Sunday, July 26

AC Milan vs. FC Internazionale Milano at Gillette Stadium (Foxborough, Mass.)
5 p.m. EST on ESPN2

Sunday, July 26

Chelsea FC vs. Club America at Cowboy Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
7 p.m. EST on ESPN2

For more information please visit www.worldfootballchallenge.com

http://www.soccer365.com/us_news/story_24309213724.php