Well we've heard that celebs are tweeting but do you wonder what they are saying? Here's a few of the latest celebrity tweets.
Kirstie Alley: "YOu know that is the # one thing I noticed in biggest loser.How much younger they all looked un-fat..Vanity will lead me to my goal.again!!"
Kim Kardashian: "Should I cut bangs again? I'm getting a hair cut now and can't decide!"
Ellen DeGeneres: "Gov. Arnold S. said he voted against prop 8 and knows that one day it will be overturned. Thanks for being a govenor to ALL Californians."
Paula Abdul: "Looking forward to the next couple hours. Going to the spa with the girls, can't wait to get pampered. We've worked so hard, we deserve it!"
Mariah Carey: "On my way to a photo shoot for my new fragrance which comes out in september. I was in the studio til 7 am so I'm a tad sleepy-but,SGSHW!"
Pink: "im staring at a picture of bubba, contemplating asking him to be my 2nd husband."
Looking for more information of interest to women in NH and MA? Visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Thursday, May 28, 2009
'Get Me Out of Here, I'm a Celebrity'
So here's the latest in reality TV Premiering for the Summer. I'm not usually into reality TV except for dancing, singing and other performances but I just might give this one a try. Here's the description according to the show website:
A groundbreaking, live event airing throughout the month of June it's the ultimate "Swiss Family Robinson" as ten celebrities are dropped into the heart of the jungle to face fun and comedic challenges designed to test their survival skills. America is the puppet master, controlling their favorites by putting them into challenges and tasks to win food, supplies and luxury items. In each episode, friendships will be tested, hilarity will ensue and viewers will decide which celebrities stay or leave. While all participants will be playing for their favorite charities, the last remaining star will be crowned King or Queen of the Jungle, winning the largest share of the prize for donation.The new season, set in the jungles of Costa Rica, debuts at 7 p.m. Monday on NBC.
Second City alumni Frances Callier and Angela V. Shelton,Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt (stars of MTV's "The Hills"), NBA star and TV personality John Salley ("Best Damned Sports Show Period"), supermodel and reality TV star Janice Dickinson ("The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency"), 2007 "American Idol" contestant Sanjaya Malakar, actor Stephen Baldwin ("The Usual Suspects") and professional wrestler and beauty queen Torrie Wilson.
Love to hear back from you to find out who else will be checking out this new series. For more information and articles of interest to women in NH & MA check out our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Arts Weekend at Etz Hayim Synagogue
Looking for something to do this weekend read this event description from Londonderrynh.net.
By admin Tallit Etz Hayim Synagogue of Derry, New Hampshire will host an arts weekend, “Traditions and Visions of the Changing Role of Art in a Jewish Community” on Friday, May 29 from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, May 30 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It will showcase unique Jewish visual art and ritual objects from within the community.
Musician Rahel Limor will present “A Modern Approach to Ancient Spiritual Music” on Saturday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. Frann S. Addison will speak on the topic of “The History of Jewish Ceremonial Objects” on Saturday, May 30 at 7:00 p.m.
The display will include examples of the prayer shawl, Hanukah candle holder and microcalligraphy from artists Amalia Flaisher, Joan Vick, Moishe Ragieme, Nurit Niskala-Graziani, and Rahel Limor, as well as from the collections of synagogue members.
The Jewish prayer shawl (“tallit” or “tallis”) can be made in a wide variety of materials, designs and sizes. In this display, the prayer shawls are handmade, rainbow style, antiques, children’s shawls, and innovative, contemporary designs for both men and women. There are often meaningful personal stories to go along with these beautiful ritual pieces. The exhibit will showcase the evolution of the prayer shawl and explain the background behind these changes.
The Hanukah candle holder (“menorah” or “hanukiah”). The exhibit will feature this object’s changes over the years with a range of sizes, types, colors and materials.
Microcalligraphy developed in the 9th century as a uniquely Jewish art form. It uses very small writing from a section of scripture (usually in Hebrew) to form an illustration.
This event is open to the public and everyone is invited to visit this event.
Etz Hayim is located at 1½ Hood Road, Derry. Visit the Etz Hayim Website HERE.
Read more: "Arts Weekend at Etz Hayim Synagogue - Londonderry NH net" - http://www.londonderrynh.net/?p=9441#ixzz0Go729lNf&A
For more information or articles of interest to women in NH and MA visit us at www.applaudwomen.com. If you have an event you would like us to share please email me directly at applaud@comcast.net with Event in the subject line.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
AT&T May Have Swayed Idol Outcome to Favor Kris Allen
Per Yahoo’s OMG
AT&T May Have Swayed Idol Outcome to Favor Kris Allen
Us Magazine - May 27, 2009 5:32 AM PDT
The New York Times is reporting that American Idol's Kris Allen may have had a little help from AT&T, one of the Fox show's biggest corporate sponsors, in winning this year.
According to the Times, AT&T provided phones for free text-messaging services at two Allen parties in Arkansas on the night of the finals. Citing sources, The Times reports that AT&T reps showed party-goers how to "power text" -- cast 10 votes at the touch of a button -- which violates show rules.
Power texts, according to the Times, "have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the shows toll-free phone lines."
No similar efforts appear to have been made to provide free texting services to Adam Lambert fans.
Angry Lambert supporters are now claiming in online chat boards that the competition's voting was rigged.
While Fox has yet to comment, AT&T issued the following statement: "In Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested."
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported on the possible skewed voting last week.
Normally I don't make any negative comments or share something of a negative nature. I truly believe that we get back what we give out and I promote positive energy because that's what I want in return. But every once in a while something happens that I feel needs sharing. If this is true that ATT employees skewed the American Idol results then that is not right. This is supposed to be a talent contest and it is supposed to be determined by fair voting not skewed because of technical capabilities of one company. Big business is not supposed to be in control of this country, TV or anything else. I don't blame the people who did the block voting but I certainly blame the company that might have made it possible. I would really like to know what ATT and against Adam Lambert. Let me repeat - this is a talent competition, not a lifestyle one. I'm a little embarrassed now to say that ATT provides my cell service.
To leave this on a positive note - I really liked Kris. He seems like a really nice guy and did some great work. I just don't think he earned the top spot. These are my personal viewpoints not that of Applaudwomen.com
For more information and articles of interest to women in NH and MA and of a positive nature please visit us at www.applaudwomen.com. If you have any comments please feel free to contact me directly at applaud@comcast.net
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sotomayor nominated to high court — first Hispanic
From Yahoo News
Sotomayor nominated to high court — first Hispanic
AP – Source: Obama picks Sotomayor for Supreme Court
AP – President Barack Obama announces federal appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor, right, as his nominee for …
By BEN FELLER, Associated P
ress Writer Ben Feller, Associated Press Writer – 1 min ago
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama named federal appeals judge Sonia Sotomayor as the nation's first Hispanic Supreme Court justice on Tuesday, praising her as "an inspiring woman" with both the intellect and compassion to interpret the Constitution wisely.
Obama said Sotomayor has more experience as a judge than any current member of the high court had when nominated, adding she has earned the "respect of colleagues on the bench," the admiration of lawyers who appear in her court and "the adoration of her clerks."
"My heart today is bursting with gratitude," Sotomayor said from the White House podium moments after being introduced by Obama.
If confirmed by the Senate, she would join Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as the second woman on the current court, the third in history. She would succeed retiring Justice David Souter.
She would be unlikely to alter the ideological balance of the court, since Souter generally sides with the liberals on key 5-4 rulings. But at 54, she is a generation younger that Souter, and liberal outside groups hope she will provide a counterpoint to some of the sharply worded conservative rulings.
Obama and Sotomayor both noted the historic nature of the appointment. The president said a Hispanic on the court would mark another step toward the goal of "equal justice under law."
Obama and Sotomayor stood with Vice President Joe Biden. It was a striking picture of diversity: a black president, a white vice president and a Hispanic nominee to the nation's highest court.
Sotomayor said she grew up in poor surroundings and never dreamed she would one day be nominated for the highest court.
Obama has said he hopes she can take her place before the justices begin their new term in October.
Democrats hold a large majority in the Senate, and barring the unexpected, Sotomayor's confirmation should be assured.
The Senate Republican leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, issued a statement that said: "Senate Republicans will treat Judge Sotomayor fairly. But we will thoroughly examine her record to ensure she understands that the role of a jurist in our democracy is to apply the law evenhandedly, despite their own feelings or personal or political preferences."
In his remarks, Obama made no mention of his earlier statement that he wanted a justice with empathy, although his remark that compassion was needed came close.
Sotomayor's nomination opens a new phase in the drive to replace Souter, as liberal and conservative groups alike scour the record she has compiled in 17 years on the federal bench.
In one of Sotomayor's most notable decisions, as an appellate judge she sided last year with the city of New Haven, Conn., in a discrimination case brought by white firefighters. The city threw out results of a promotion exam because too few minorities scored high enough. Coincidentally, that case is now before the Supreme Court.
That ruling has already drawn criticism from conservatives, and is likely to play a role in her confirmation hearing.
In one of her most memorable rulings as federal district judge, in 1995, Sotomayor ruled with Major League Baseball players over owners in a labor strike that had led to the cancellation of the World Series.
Obama referred to that in his remarks, then joked he hoped her support for the Yankees would not unduly influence New Englanders to oppose her in the Senate.
Among them is Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who said, "The American people will want the Senate to carry out its constitutional duty with conscientiousness and civility."
Sotomayor grew up in New York after her parents moved from Puerto Rico. She has dealt with diabetes since age 8 and lost her father at age 9, growing up under the care of her mother in humble surroundings. As a girl, inspired by the Perry Mason television show, she knew she wanted to be a judge.
A graduate of Princeton University and Yale Law School, a former prosecutor and private attorney, Sotomayor became a federal judge for the Southern District of New York in 1992. She became an appeals judge in 1998 for the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers New York, Vermont and Connecticut.
She was first appointed by a Republican, President George H.W. Bush, and won Senate confirmation without dissent. She was named an appeals judge by President Bill Clinton in 1997.
At her Senate confirmation hearing more than a decade ago, she said, "I don't believe we should bend the Constitution under any circumstance. It says what it says. We should do honor to it."
Obama's nomination is the first by a Democratic president in 15 years.
His announcement leaves the Senate four months — more than enough by traditional standards — to complete confirmation proceedings before the court begins its next term in the fall.
Republicans have issued conflicting signals about their intentions. While some have threatened filibusters if they deemed Obama's pick too liberal, others have said that is unlikely.
Given Sotomayor's selection, any decision to filibuster would presumably carry political risks — Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population and an increasingly important one politically.
One conservative group did not wait for the formal announcement. Wendy Long of the Judicial Confirmation Network, issued a statement calling Sotomayor a "liberal judicial activist of the first order who thinks her own personal political agenda is more important that the law as written."
Abortion rights have been a flashpoint in several recent Supreme Court confirmations, although Sotomayor has not written any controversial rulings on the subject.
As a federal appeals court judge in 2002, she ruled against an abortion rights group that had challenged a government policy prohibiting foreign organizations receiving U.S. funds from performing or supporting abortions.
In her opinion, Sotomayor wrote that the government was free to favor the anti-abortion position over a pro-choice position when public funds were involved.
Sotomayor's elevation to the appeals court was delayed by Republicans, in part out of concerns she might someday be selected for the Supreme Court. She was ultimately confirmed for the appeals court in 1998 on a 68-28 vote, gathering some Republican support.
Among those voting against her was Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, now the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee that will hold sway over her confirmation.
"I'd say the stakes are higher for the Supreme Court," he said recently. "The Supreme Court sometimes seems to be acting as a continuing constitutional convention, so I am concerned about that." He said Sotomayor would be entitled to a fair hearing if nominated.
Sotomayor possesses credentials Sessions said he wanted in a pick for the high court — years of experience on the bench. Obama had talked openly about the upside of choosing someone outside the judiciary — every current justice is a former federal appeals court judge — but passed over at least two serious candidates who had never been judges.
Sotomayor has spoken openly about her pride in her ethnic background and has said that personal experiences "affect the facts that judges choose to see."
"I simply do not know exactly what the difference will be in my judging," she said in a speech in 2002. "But I accept there will be some based on my gender and my Latina heritage."
From the moment Souter announced his resignation, it was widely assumed Obama would select a woman to replace him, and perhaps a Hispanic as well.
Others known to have been considered included federal appeals judge Diane Wood, who was a colleague of the president's at the University of Chicago Law School, as well as two members of his administration, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Solicitor General-nominee Elena Kagan.
Obama came to office at a time when several potential vacancies loomed on the high court. Justice John Paul Stevens at is 89, and Ginsburg recently underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Summer Beauty Routines from Allure's Bloggers
Summer beauty routines
Peachygirl
Posts: 515
Member Since: 12/6/06
Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 25, 2009 10:06 AM
Now that the hot weather has arrived, is anybody changing up their beauty/hair routines?
I have been practicing updos and will try to let my hair air dry sometimes and put my hair in a fancy updo. I'm going to start with the gradual self-tanner today. I guess this means I have to shave my legs more often, lol.
I like to use a gel bronzer on my face in the summer, too, for an extra glow.
vixen07
Posts: 759
Member Since: 8/21/06
Re: Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 25, 2009 10:26 AM
in response to: Peachygirl
in response to: Peachygirl
Oh yes, I def. use bronzer!! I used to love Bonne Bell's gel bronzer...it was a great color, the only downfall was it didn't last very long. I'm really liking Artisry's bronzing powder but it's pretty concentrated so I have to be careful not to overdo it! The container should last me about 6 years, LOL!
BJ introduced me to Jergens natural glow for face and I love it (come to think of it, I love BJ too...she always gives me good advice)! I'm a self tanner addict!!! I'm thinking about trying that Costa Rica one that Michelle sells...everyone seems to like it! BJ- you should try it first and let me let me know, LOL!
PhatGirlSlim
Posts: 9,243
Member Since: 4/6/07
Re: Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 25, 2009 10:31 AM
in response to: Peachygirl
in response to: Peachygirl
Ah, yes... summer time skin care! Here in NY/NJ, it seems we went right from winter to summer.
When the weather warms, I pretty much stop cream cleansers in favor of ones that foam/lather. Last year, I did more clay masques, this year it will be dead sea masques (I'm an extra oily gal in the hot weather). I also put a leave in with sunscreen in my hair before bedtime and then again in the morning: in the cooler months, I just use hair sunscreen in the morning. I also do less AHA peels, since my skin kind of "regenerates" more (for lack of a better word) in the warm weather AND since AHA make one more sensitive to the sun. This is the first summer that I have a sunscreen (Burn out) that doesn't irritate me, so I am fairly excited to see how well it will perform!!!
Again, this is my first summer with my new skin (aka no more acne scars!!!!) so no face makeup for me. I haven't worn any foundation or powder in months. In the summer, though, I use more oil blotting papers. I think I may even wean blush out of my makeup routine... we'll see.
Peachygirl
Posts: 515
Member Since: 12/6/06
Re: Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 25, 2009 10:42 AM
in response to: PhatGirlSlim
in response to: PhatGirlSlim
Does that mean no slut red lipstick during the summer months?
I also bought a 1940s style bathing suit this past weekend. I got it at Target - it is so cute. The front and back are ruched - the ruching kind of starts at the outer part and meets in the middle. It looks like mini-dress that Paris Hilton would wear - the ruching just covers my butt. Now I just have to get my legs in shape - that is the other thing I am doing for summer -trying to do lots of squats to get my upper thighs in better shape.
email friend | report thread
Peachygirl
Posts: 515
Member Since: 12/6/06
Re: Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 25, 2009 6:31 PM
in response to: Peachygirl
in response to: Peachygirl
I am also channeling my inner Italian goddess and have bought a bunch of pretty scarfs to wear on my head like Sophia Loren!
PhatGirlSlim
Posts: 9,243
Member Since: 4/6/07
Re: Summer beauty routines
Posted: May 26, 2009 4:42 AM
in response to: Peachygirl
in response to: Peachygirl
Don't be silly, Peachy! I would never give up slut red lipstick!
I forgot to add to the first post, I also switch from body creme/butter to lotion...AND I use salt foot scrub every day instead of every couple of days. I guess there ARE a lot of "little" tweaks to the rituals. I DO enjoy them so much! It's fun being a girlie girl!!!!!
Message was edited by: PhatGirlSlim
For more information and articles of interest to women in NH and MA check out our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sadie's Saturday Night Lonely
“It’s Saturday night and I ain’t got nobody. I’ve got some money cuz I just got paid. Oh, how I wish I had someone to talk to. I’m in an awful way.” I am living Cat Stevens’ song. Last night I was living Jimmy Buffett’s “Let’s get drunk and screw,” and tonight I am all alone.
The slinky black dress sitting on my bed is doing me no good tonight because there is nowhere to go and no one to go there with. I cannot watch another Lifetime Movie of doom and gloom of cheating husbands plotting to kill their wives. And I am sure I should not open another bottle of wine after drinking the first one alone.
Oh, it’s one of the lonely nights I dread. Lindy, my best friend is living her life tonight with her husband of forever. He is so totally perfect and so is she. They have the perfect house, and the perfect kids. I am very lucky also because most of the time she is the perfect best friend, except for tonight when I a sitting here all alone and hating it.
So I will indulge myself in the memory of last night when I boldly set out where no single woman should go, and yet I did. I was on the hunt. I was looking for love, well, not actually love. I’ve sworn off love. I’ve had enough “love” to last me a lifetime. I did however, want sex. A woman has needs, and I am telling you, last night I had needs. My testosterone level was out of control, and I wanted, no I needed to get them back in control. So, I did it the best way I could figure at this point in my life.
I don’t have a man. I don’t want a man, well not all the time. I have decided that I am going to enjoy men for the simple pleasure of them, and on my terms. If I am going to be lonely, lied to, and yelled at, it will be on my terms. More accurately, I will not be lonely. I will not be lied to. I will not be yelled at. I will be enjoyed. So there.
And let me tell you, last night I was enjoyed. Oh yeah. For a few glorious hours, I was not alone. I was in a room full of strangers all playing for my attention. It was sweet as cotton candy! The drinks were flowing as steady as a river on a windy day. Just before closing time, I lassoed the bull with dark hair and dark eyes, not young enough to be my son, and not old enough to match my years. Not only did I lasso him, I led him right to my lair. Oh, I am savoring the memory of what followed.
Then morning came, and we went for another ride. Morning was glorious. The sun shone brightly through my bedroom windows. Ok, so it was noon. Still the sun shone brightly and so did I. Breakfast was delightful. Well, actually it was lunch, and it was great. Then we parted ways. I hiked one of my favorite trails with Lindy. Then headed home to my loneliness. Had I been smart, I would have headed to Macy’s for some therapy. But I went home instead.
After several failed attempts to connect with friends who I had hoped had time on their hands for me, I opened a bottle of wine and let it breathe while I ran a bath. I filled it with lavender and peppermint salts, relaxing and energizing at the same time - what was I thinking? I lit twenty candles, filled a glass of wine, and sunk into the tub. Nirvana. Until I got out. I poured a second glass of wine and pulled out my slinky black dress and put it on. I admired how snugly it fit and tried on four different pair of shoes to see which ones fit my mood for tonight. I poured a third glass of wine, hoping that someone would call. I sent eight requests on match.com. Surely someone will get back to me.
As I gulp the fourth glass of wine, I removed the slinky black dress and put it on my bed - a cruel reminder of Cat Stevens’ lament of” Saturday night and I ain’t got nobody.”
The slinky black dress sitting on my bed is doing me no good tonight because there is nowhere to go and no one to go there with. I cannot watch another Lifetime Movie of doom and gloom of cheating husbands plotting to kill their wives. And I am sure I should not open another bottle of wine after drinking the first one alone.
Oh, it’s one of the lonely nights I dread. Lindy, my best friend is living her life tonight with her husband of forever. He is so totally perfect and so is she. They have the perfect house, and the perfect kids. I am very lucky also because most of the time she is the perfect best friend, except for tonight when I a sitting here all alone and hating it.
So I will indulge myself in the memory of last night when I boldly set out where no single woman should go, and yet I did. I was on the hunt. I was looking for love, well, not actually love. I’ve sworn off love. I’ve had enough “love” to last me a lifetime. I did however, want sex. A woman has needs, and I am telling you, last night I had needs. My testosterone level was out of control, and I wanted, no I needed to get them back in control. So, I did it the best way I could figure at this point in my life.
I don’t have a man. I don’t want a man, well not all the time. I have decided that I am going to enjoy men for the simple pleasure of them, and on my terms. If I am going to be lonely, lied to, and yelled at, it will be on my terms. More accurately, I will not be lonely. I will not be lied to. I will not be yelled at. I will be enjoyed. So there.
And let me tell you, last night I was enjoyed. Oh yeah. For a few glorious hours, I was not alone. I was in a room full of strangers all playing for my attention. It was sweet as cotton candy! The drinks were flowing as steady as a river on a windy day. Just before closing time, I lassoed the bull with dark hair and dark eyes, not young enough to be my son, and not old enough to match my years. Not only did I lasso him, I led him right to my lair. Oh, I am savoring the memory of what followed.
Then morning came, and we went for another ride. Morning was glorious. The sun shone brightly through my bedroom windows. Ok, so it was noon. Still the sun shone brightly and so did I. Breakfast was delightful. Well, actually it was lunch, and it was great. Then we parted ways. I hiked one of my favorite trails with Lindy. Then headed home to my loneliness. Had I been smart, I would have headed to Macy’s for some therapy. But I went home instead.
After several failed attempts to connect with friends who I had hoped had time on their hands for me, I opened a bottle of wine and let it breathe while I ran a bath. I filled it with lavender and peppermint salts, relaxing and energizing at the same time - what was I thinking? I lit twenty candles, filled a glass of wine, and sunk into the tub. Nirvana. Until I got out. I poured a second glass of wine and pulled out my slinky black dress and put it on. I admired how snugly it fit and tried on four different pair of shoes to see which ones fit my mood for tonight. I poured a third glass of wine, hoping that someone would call. I sent eight requests on match.com. Surely someone will get back to me.
As I gulp the fourth glass of wine, I removed the slinky black dress and put it on my bed - a cruel reminder of Cat Stevens’ lament of” Saturday night and I ain’t got nobody.”
Sadie Jackson, a fictional heroine, is back on the dating scene for the third time. After two trial marriages, she is bound and determined to get it right.She can be nauseatingly optimistic and enjoys recounting her dating experiences with humor and compassion.Follow her dating escapades in this work of fiction that will be updated on a regular basis.
For more of Sadie's escapades, go to http://cherivalentine.squarespace.com/sadie/Friday, May 22, 2009
N.H. Senate hits national milestone for gender
Article published Dec 21, 2008 in Fosters Daily DemocratWomen rule!
N.H. Senate hits national milestone for gender
Granted, the words "all men are born equally" were penned June 2, 1784, and since then changes were made to the New Hampshire Constitution to prohibit discrimination, and the section on the Legislature describes the role of its "members."
But maybe, lawmakers say, it's time to update some of the wording nonetheless. After all, it's women running the show now in Concord, marking the first time in United States history women make up the majority of a legislative body, in this case the 24-member Senate.
"I've been talking about that with a couple other folks so that it is gender neutral," Sen. Kathleen Sgambati, D-Tilton, said of tweaking the document's language. But "all of us have filed our bills this session so I think it may have to wait until next time around when we're not so focused on the budget."
Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, had a similar opinion.
For the full article visit our Inspirational Women page at www.applaudwomen.com. Find more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA
N.H. Senate hits national milestone for gender
Granted, the words "all men are born equally" were penned June 2, 1784, and since then changes were made to the New Hampshire Constitution to prohibit discrimination, and the section on the Legislature describes the role of its "members."
But maybe, lawmakers say, it's time to update some of the wording nonetheless. After all, it's women running the show now in Concord, marking the first time in United States history women make up the majority of a legislative body, in this case the 24-member Senate.
"I've been talking about that with a couple other folks so that it is gender neutral," Sen. Kathleen Sgambati, D-Tilton, said of tweaking the document's language. But "all of us have filed our bills this session so I think it may have to wait until next time around when we're not so focused on the budget."
Senate Majority Leader Maggie Hassan, D-Exeter, had a similar opinion.
For the full article visit our Inspirational Women page at www.applaudwomen.com. Find more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The 10 Skin Care Commandments
The 10 Skin Care Commandments
1. CLEANSE your face EVERY SINGLE NIGHT to remove dirt, oil, makeup and debris that you have collected in your pores throughout the day.
2. PREVENTION use SPF, SPF, and SPF every day for the rest of your life! Sun is the skin’s worst enemy and is the #1 cause of aging our appearance! At least a daily sunscreen of 15 preferably higher 30+ especially for out door activity.
3. EYE CREAM a.m./p.m. to treat the delicate tissue around the eye area that is aging us the fastest and gets the most abuse with expressions, squinting and facial movement.
4. TREATMENTS antioxidants, serums, retinoids, all fight free radicals the other aging culprits and restrengthen and replace collagen. Always apply treatments BEFORE moisturizer and SPF.
5. MOSITURIZER the true fountain of YOUTH! Treat premature aging and preserve the skin! Knowing your own skin type will better direct you into the strength and type of moisturizer your skin best needs.
6. EXFOLIATE at least once to twice a week! This will take off the dull outer layer of skin giving you a healthier glow. It will also help fade discoloration and dislodge stubborn dead skin cells for clearer, brighter skin as well as allowing the better absorption of all your anti-aging products.
7. ANTI-AGING do a once a month “over haul” with a glycolic peel, microdermabrasion or mask that will work to increase cell turnover and stimulate new collagen to reduce sagging and wrinkles.
8. LIFESTYLE – Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Reduce Stress, Avoid Unprotected Sun Exposure , NO Smoking, Limit Alcohol
9. CHANGE products season to season due to so many factors that can cause skin to act up.
10. MORE is NOT always better! Use only the recommended product amounts since they are highly concentrated and you can get too much of a good thing causing you sensitivity or skin issues that you don’t truly have.
Provided by Annie Loomis owner of Making Faces, 65 Bow Street, Portsmouth, NH, 603-427-5454 and 15 Walnut Road, Hamilton, MA. 978-233-4112. Making Faces carries 20 National Beauty lines. For more information e-mail her at aim2achieve@aol.com
For more information and articles relevant to women in NH and MA visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Health Outcomes Driving New Hospital Design
From the New York Times website
Health Outcomes Driving New Hospital Design
By CAROL ANN CAMPBELL
Published: May 18, 2009
The curtain between two hospital beds does not stop noise from the television set, offer privacy during sensitive conversations with doctors or stop germs from spreading. Yet in most of America’s aging hospitals it is the only thing that separates strangers thrust together as roommates simply because both are ill.
HUSHED Rooms at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital in Michigan do not share walls or ceilings, cutting noise.
But in many new hospitals and pavilions, these semiprivate rooms have vanished. Single-patient rooms are now viewed as an important element of high-quality health care.
The benefits of the single room emerged through evidence-based hospital design, a new field that guides health care construction. More than 1,500 studies have examined ways that design can reduce medical errors, infections and falls — and relieve patient stress.
American hospitals started 53 million square feet of new construction and major additions in 2008, according to a report by McGraw-Hill Construction, a company that tracks industry trends. Promoters of evidence-based design say that a building exerts a powerful force on the delivery of health care, and that the best new health centers are light-filled, quiet and easy to navigate.
“Some hospitals are taking evidence-based design seriously,” said Roger Ulrich, director of the Center for Health Systems and Design at Texas A&M. “Other institutions use pretty traditional design that pays lip service to the evidence. There may be high style, but the hospital is still noisy. Or the windows are too small to let much light in. There are missed opportunities.”
Besides privacy, research shows that single rooms reduce infections and patient stress, and improve sleep. In 2006, the American Institute of Architects called for single rooms in all new hospital construction............
For the balance of the article please go to www.applaudwomen.com to our Health page. For more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA please visit us on this website.
Health Outcomes Driving New Hospital Design
By CAROL ANN CAMPBELL
Published: May 18, 2009
The curtain between two hospital beds does not stop noise from the television set, offer privacy during sensitive conversations with doctors or stop germs from spreading. Yet in most of America’s aging hospitals it is the only thing that separates strangers thrust together as roommates simply because both are ill.
HUSHED Rooms at Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital in Michigan do not share walls or ceilings, cutting noise.
But in many new hospitals and pavilions, these semiprivate rooms have vanished. Single-patient rooms are now viewed as an important element of high-quality health care.
The benefits of the single room emerged through evidence-based hospital design, a new field that guides health care construction. More than 1,500 studies have examined ways that design can reduce medical errors, infections and falls — and relieve patient stress.
American hospitals started 53 million square feet of new construction and major additions in 2008, according to a report by McGraw-Hill Construction, a company that tracks industry trends. Promoters of evidence-based design say that a building exerts a powerful force on the delivery of health care, and that the best new health centers are light-filled, quiet and easy to navigate.
“Some hospitals are taking evidence-based design seriously,” said Roger Ulrich, director of the Center for Health Systems and Design at Texas A&M. “Other institutions use pretty traditional design that pays lip service to the evidence. There may be high style, but the hospital is still noisy. Or the windows are too small to let much light in. There are missed opportunities.”
Besides privacy, research shows that single rooms reduce infections and patient stress, and improve sleep. In 2006, the American Institute of Architects called for single rooms in all new hospital construction............
For the balance of the article please go to www.applaudwomen.com to our Health page. For more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA please visit us on this website.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Two Local Companies Partner to Spread Goodwill
From American Chronicle
Two Local Companies Partner to Spread Goodwill
Josee Archer
May 05, 2009
Umademyday.com and BeanTowne Coffee House of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Hampstead New Hampshire today announced a unique partnership with the intent of raising spirits and spreading goodwill in a time when both are severely lacking.
Umademyday.com, launched in October of 2008, is a website designed to motivate people to do something nice for one another without the expectation of something in return. Through the site, over 600 random acts of kindness have been performed. Unique to Umademyday.com is the ability of recipients of these acts to post thank you notes to the strangers that made a difference in their day.
"It's amazing how even the smallest acts of kindness can make such a significant impact on both the person who did the good deed as well as the one receiving it. The happiness you experience when doing random acts of kindness is like no other feeling, and it can truly make someone's day," states Josee Archer, creator of UMadeMyDay.com, "and it doesn´t have to be much; the most common random act of kindness is purchasing a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop."
BeanTowne Coffee House of Cambridge and Hampstead are rooted in the concept of brightening people´s days and lives. Since 1993, employees have created an atmosphere in which customers are made to feel truly welcome. The company operates under the premise that if a way to forward the lives of others through their efforts exists, then it is their responsibility to do whatever is within their power to make it happen. To that end, the company donated 97% of their marketing budget over its´ first 24 months of operations in Hampstead to local charities and community groups.
"It´s a fantastic feeling to be able to make a difference in the lives of others through your work, " said Goyette, "and to be able to take it to the next level is something that we are all very much looking forward to."
"The perception is that it involves a lot of time and money to make a true difference in the world. The reality is that $2 left on the counter for the next customer´s order at a coffee shop could do more than you could ever imagine," adds Mrs. Archer.
A recent thank you message posted to the site shows how a small gesture can make a great impact, "…This past year has been SOOOO stressful that I guess without even realizing it, I had let it get to me. I just want to say thank you to the women who not only gave my daughter and I a much needed treat, we got dessert, YUM, but more importantly a huge wake up call to take time to smell the roses, appreciate what we have and do a good deed…"
In addition, the two companies will combine efforts to educate, inspire and motivate others to make small but meaningful differences in people´s lives. The long-term goal of the partnership is initiating a cultural shift through a "Random Acts of Kindness Day" both locally and beyond.
"At this moment in our history, there is a great opportunity to have folks reconnect with what is truly important. What we are trying to do is help make that happen, one person at a time."
Mr Goyette can be contacted via email at Goyette.ed@gmail.com or 603-275-6341
Mrs. Archer can be contacted via email at josee@umademyday.com or phone 603-234-1537
For more information and articles of interest to women in NH and MA visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Two Local Companies Partner to Spread Goodwill
Josee Archer
May 05, 2009
Umademyday.com and BeanTowne Coffee House of Cambridge, Massachusetts and Hampstead New Hampshire today announced a unique partnership with the intent of raising spirits and spreading goodwill in a time when both are severely lacking.
Umademyday.com, launched in October of 2008, is a website designed to motivate people to do something nice for one another without the expectation of something in return. Through the site, over 600 random acts of kindness have been performed. Unique to Umademyday.com is the ability of recipients of these acts to post thank you notes to the strangers that made a difference in their day.
"It's amazing how even the smallest acts of kindness can make such a significant impact on both the person who did the good deed as well as the one receiving it. The happiness you experience when doing random acts of kindness is like no other feeling, and it can truly make someone's day," states Josee Archer, creator of UMadeMyDay.com, "and it doesn´t have to be much; the most common random act of kindness is purchasing a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop."
BeanTowne Coffee House of Cambridge and Hampstead are rooted in the concept of brightening people´s days and lives. Since 1993, employees have created an atmosphere in which customers are made to feel truly welcome. The company operates under the premise that if a way to forward the lives of others through their efforts exists, then it is their responsibility to do whatever is within their power to make it happen. To that end, the company donated 97% of their marketing budget over its´ first 24 months of operations in Hampstead to local charities and community groups.
"It´s a fantastic feeling to be able to make a difference in the lives of others through your work, " said Goyette, "and to be able to take it to the next level is something that we are all very much looking forward to."
"The perception is that it involves a lot of time and money to make a true difference in the world. The reality is that $2 left on the counter for the next customer´s order at a coffee shop could do more than you could ever imagine," adds Mrs. Archer.
A recent thank you message posted to the site shows how a small gesture can make a great impact, "…This past year has been SOOOO stressful that I guess without even realizing it, I had let it get to me. I just want to say thank you to the women who not only gave my daughter and I a much needed treat, we got dessert, YUM, but more importantly a huge wake up call to take time to smell the roses, appreciate what we have and do a good deed…"
In addition, the two companies will combine efforts to educate, inspire and motivate others to make small but meaningful differences in people´s lives. The long-term goal of the partnership is initiating a cultural shift through a "Random Acts of Kindness Day" both locally and beyond.
"At this moment in our history, there is a great opportunity to have folks reconnect with what is truly important. What we are trying to do is help make that happen, one person at a time."
Mr Goyette can be contacted via email at Goyette.ed@gmail.com or 603-275-6341
Mrs. Archer can be contacted via email at josee@umademyday.com or phone 603-234-1537
For more information and articles of interest to women in NH and MA visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Hot in recession: Chocolate, running shoes, Spam
Provided by Yahoo News
By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer Deb Riechmann, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 4 mins ago
WASHINGTON – It's not all doom and gloom in the U.S. economy. Some products are bucking the recession and flying off store shelves.
Sales of chocolate and running shoes are up. Wine drinkers haven't stopped sipping; they just seem to be choosing cheaper vintages.
Gold coins are selling like hot cakes. So are gardening seeds. Tanning products are piling up in shopping carts; maybe more people are finding color in a bottle than from sun-worshipping on a faraway beach.
Strong sales of Spam, Dinty Moore stew and chili helped Hormel Foods Corp. post a 6 percent increase in first quarter sales in its grocery products unit.
Consumers have trimmed household budgets and postponed buying cars, major appliances and other big-ticket items. Yet they still are willing to shell out for small indulgences and goods that make life more comfortable at home, where they are spending more time.
Recession shoppers also are drawn to items that make them feel safe, both personally and financially.
"The focus on the family hearth is something that has happened in nearly every recession. It's, `How can I have more fun at home?'" said Paco Underhill, whose company, Envirosell, monitors the behavior of shoppers and sellers across the U.S. and in other countries.
"People are much more focused on their homes and their immediate happiness and they're buying things that they can use themselves — seeds, fishing equipment. Lipstick and chocolate are small rewards that make you feel better."
Profits in the first three months of 2009 at Hershey Co., the nation's second-largest candy maker, surged 20 percent and beat Wall Street's expectations. Kraft Foods Inc. reported double-digit growth in macaroni and cheese dinners — the consummate comfort food.
Recessions, it seems, are good for love, too. Over the final three months of 2008, condom sales rose 5 percent and Match.com reported its strongest performance in seven years.
But economic woes are as rough on the tummy as they are on the wallet. Chicago-based market researcher Information Resources Inc. reports that sales of laxative liquids and powders rose 11.5 percent for the 52 weeks ending April 19. Sales of stomach remedy tablets, including Pepto-Bismol and Phillips brands, climbed 8 percent.
As expected during any economic slump, recession shoppers looking for deals have boosted sales at discount chains such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. Dollar Tree Inc. sneaked into this year's Fortune 500 for the first time, at No. 499.
There's a general tendency to trade down, according to Leo J. Shapiro & Associates, a consulting firm in Chicago. That means eating dinner at the kitchen table instead of restaurants, buying used cars and shopping at do-it-yourself auto parts stores. It means spending less on clothes. Sales at luxury retailer Saks Inc. fell 32 percent last month. Sales at Goodwill Industries International stores in the U.S. and Canada jumped by 7 percent in March.
"If you're used to eating out, maybe you're now buying a high-end steak at the supermarket," said Bill Patterson, a senior analyst in Chicago with Mintel International, which supplies consumer, product and media intelligence. "If you eat at home mostly, maybe you are going down from the branded product to a private label."
People are not drinking as much beer or wine at bars and restaurants, but they haven't stopped drinking. The Wine Institute says that despite the recession, U.S. sales of California wines totaled about 467 million gallons last year — 2 percent more than the year before. But people are looking more closely at cheaper selections: The overall retail value of California wine sales fell slightly from 2007, the institute said.
Those on the go are not shying away from footing the bill for sturdy running shoes. Sales increased 2 percent in 2008, said Tom Doyle at the National Sporting Goods Association in Mount Prospect, Ill.
"Runners aren't going to hurt themselves to save a few bucks," he said. Likewise, sales of bicycle helmets are up as parents continue to spend money to protect youngsters, he said.
The financial meltdown produced more interest in home safes. Coin dealers are awash in customers as investors big and small see the safety of gold.
Sunshine Minting Inc. in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, which supplies gold blanks to the U.S. Mint, doubled its work force in 2008.
"It just came on like gangbusters," said president Tom Power, who struggled to hire, train and get new equipment to handle demand that doubled, then tripled. "You can't just flip a switch and jump up production overnight."
Guns are selling well, too. Total firearms sales rose 27.5 percent at Smith & Wesson for the three months ending Jan. 31. It's not a sudden interest in hunting behind the increase; hunting firearm sales at the company declined during the quarter by 46 percent.
Gun sales are being driven by concern that the Obama administration will tighten gun laws. But people also are feeling a level of fear and heightened interest in self-reliance as they weather the recession.
"They are looking down the road going `What could happen here?'" Underhill said. "I think a lot of Americans are truly scared. One of the things that tickles is our pioneer ethos, which is, `I feel better with a year's supply of toilet paper' and `Maybe I should start canning and pickling.'"
Many people already are.
The number of home vegetable gardens is predicted to jump more than 40 percent this year, compared with two years ago, according to the National Gardening Association. Sales of vegetable seeds such as green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and lettuce climbed 30 percent as of March at W. Atlee Burpee, a large seed company in Warminster, Pa. It organized a basic training course called "root camp" for hundreds of would-be gardeners this month outside Philadelphia.
Still, when the economy grinds to a halt, people clench their teeth. That could mean spending money at the dentist.
There's no statistical evidence, but dentists such as Dr. Matthew Messina in Cleveland, Ohio., are seeing more people with tooth-grinding injuries.
"The body responds the same way to a real threat, `There's a burglar in the house,' as it does to a perceived stress like `I'm worried I'm going to lose the house,'" Messina said.
Fro more articles and information relevant to women in NH & MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com
Friday, May 15, 2009
Applaud Goes Green and Expands to Provide the Most Comprehensive Resource Website for Women in NH & MAApplaud Goes Green and Expands to Provide the Mo
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Contact:
Susan Caldwell
E: applaud@comcast.net
P: 603-895-4699
Applaud Goes Green and Expands to Provide the Most Comprehensive Resource Website for Women in NH & MA
Susan Caldwell owner/publisher of Applaud Magazine has launched a brand new website which includes an online publication along with local and national resource information and links for women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Raymond, NH (PRWEB) 5, May, 2009 – Like the phoenix raising out of the ashes a brand new, more comprehensive vehicle has been created for women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2002 Applaud Magazine was created to inform, inspire and applaud women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Over the intervening 6 and half years the magazine expanded from a 16 page digest size publication to an 80 page standard size magazine, becoming the premier magazine for women in both states. In March of this year owner, Susan Caldwell decided that with the recent emphasis on going green and the poor economic climate Applaud Magazine as a print vehicle was no longer serving its intended purpose. Applaud Women has been created to provide articles, information and resources for local women. View the new Applaud Women at www.applaudwomen.com.
“We are very excited about the amount and diversity of the information that we are now able to provide in one location”, says, Susan Caldwell, owner and president of Applaud Women. “Because the internet provides unlimited space we are able to create a website where local women can come for all their needs,” concludes Susan.
Applaud Women provides resource pages with listings of local restaurants, wedding information, female doctors, a general business directory and a women’s business directory. In addition it has pages with information about health, parenting, fashion, dating and inspirational women. It also has links to get the local weather and the latest celebrity gossip. Its goal is to provide whatever information that local women need all in once place.
“We have not had a chance to upload information for all parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts yet. In fact, I have recently contacted all the chambers to request that they fill in the missing information. Anyone who is not in our restaurant or wedding section should contact me directly at either 603-895-4699 or applaud@comcast.net, “says Susan. Susan does request that you check the website first before contacting her. Visit www.applaudwomen.com.
Applaud Women provides a quarterly on-line local women’s magazine containing many articles by local professionals with the core of the magazine focusing on local and national inspirational women. “My passion has always been to applaud those women who have achieved success and inspire others to find and follow their dreams,” shares Susan. The publication has the capability to turn pages, print and download in its entirety.
The summer issue of Applaud Women will be available in June. It will feature interviews with three authors including Cheryl Richardson best selling writer and Coach. It will also profile several philanthropic women from New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Applaud Women will continue to add more resource and informational pages. Anticipated additions will be school lunch menus, shopping, nonprofit organizations and activities. If you have anything that you would like to see on Applaud Women, please call, 603-895-4699 or e-mail, applaud@comcast.net.
To learn more about Applaud Magazine, please visit www.applaudwomen.com
Contact:
Susan Caldwell
E: applaud@comcast.net
P: 603-895-4699
Applaud Goes Green and Expands to Provide the Most Comprehensive Resource Website for Women in NH & MA
Susan Caldwell owner/publisher of Applaud Magazine has launched a brand new website which includes an online publication along with local and national resource information and links for women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Raymond, NH (PRWEB) 5, May, 2009 – Like the phoenix raising out of the ashes a brand new, more comprehensive vehicle has been created for women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In 2002 Applaud Magazine was created to inform, inspire and applaud women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Over the intervening 6 and half years the magazine expanded from a 16 page digest size publication to an 80 page standard size magazine, becoming the premier magazine for women in both states. In March of this year owner, Susan Caldwell decided that with the recent emphasis on going green and the poor economic climate Applaud Magazine as a print vehicle was no longer serving its intended purpose. Applaud Women has been created to provide articles, information and resources for local women. View the new Applaud Women at www.applaudwomen.com.
“We are very excited about the amount and diversity of the information that we are now able to provide in one location”, says, Susan Caldwell, owner and president of Applaud Women. “Because the internet provides unlimited space we are able to create a website where local women can come for all their needs,” concludes Susan.
Applaud Women provides resource pages with listings of local restaurants, wedding information, female doctors, a general business directory and a women’s business directory. In addition it has pages with information about health, parenting, fashion, dating and inspirational women. It also has links to get the local weather and the latest celebrity gossip. Its goal is to provide whatever information that local women need all in once place.
“We have not had a chance to upload information for all parts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts yet. In fact, I have recently contacted all the chambers to request that they fill in the missing information. Anyone who is not in our restaurant or wedding section should contact me directly at either 603-895-4699 or applaud@comcast.net, “says Susan. Susan does request that you check the website first before contacting her. Visit www.applaudwomen.com.
Applaud Women provides a quarterly on-line local women’s magazine containing many articles by local professionals with the core of the magazine focusing on local and national inspirational women. “My passion has always been to applaud those women who have achieved success and inspire others to find and follow their dreams,” shares Susan. The publication has the capability to turn pages, print and download in its entirety.
The summer issue of Applaud Women will be available in June. It will feature interviews with three authors including Cheryl Richardson best selling writer and Coach. It will also profile several philanthropic women from New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
Applaud Women will continue to add more resource and informational pages. Anticipated additions will be school lunch menus, shopping, nonprofit organizations and activities. If you have anything that you would like to see on Applaud Women, please call, 603-895-4699 or e-mail, applaud@comcast.net.
To learn more about Applaud Magazine, please visit www.applaudwomen.com
Valerie Sullivan among 100 Unsung Heroines
photo/Tom Gorman Valerie Sullivan of the Weymouth Health Dept.
From Weymouth News and Patriot Ledger
By Maureen Walsh
Valerie Sullivan has been caught working nights and weekends at Town Hall. She has been spotted in schools, senior housing, health centers and social halls at all times of day and night.
She has clearly exceeded the 35 hours a week she was hired to work as Weymouth’s Community Health Program Coordinator.
She may have thought no one would notice. She was wrong.
Today Sullivan is being honored at the State House as one of 100 Unsung Heroines recognized by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women for their outstanding contributions to their communities and organizations.
“Our Unsung Heroines are women who don't make the news, but make the difference,” said Kira Dunn, MCSW Executive Director. “They are women who use their time and talent to show us the meaning of the saying ‘Be the change you want to see in the world.’”
Sullivan was nominated for the honor by Weymouth Councilor-at-Large Michael Molisse.
“She just does so much for the town of Weymouth that she isn’t noticed for,” he said. “If you go to Town Hall at eight at night, she’s still in her office researching grants, trying to promote a healthy Weymouth.”
“She’s out at different events trying to reach out to people. She puts so much of her own time in. She has been a huge asset to the health department.”
Sullivan has worked to promote wellness for all citizens, Molisse said, with programs on such issues as substance abuse, stroke awareness and weight loss, and free blood pressure and cholesterol checks.
“These days we’re engaged with so many health issues, we’re very fortunate to have Valerie and her programs in the town of Weymouth.”
‘A great team’
Sullivan said she was “shocked” to learn of her selection as an Unsung Heroine.
“I’m really am kind of a low-key person. I try just to do my work,” she said. “Sometimes it’s the nature of trying to get grant funding that you have to put in extra hours, but when you do receive it, it’s a wonderful thing.”
“Especially in this economic climate, you have to go for that type of funding, so you can keep your initiatives moving forward.”
Sullivan graduated from the UMass/Boston College of Public and Community Services with a degree in Human Services.
She took the position of community health programs Coordinator four years ago to help address the findings of Weymouth’s 2003 Health Needs Assessment.
A key part of Sullivan’s job is grant money to fund health programs, but she also helps to implement the programs and coordinate with town departments and community groups.
“I am passionate about what we’re trying to do, but I’m only one,” she said. “I do have a great team.”
That team, which completed nine months of training through the Massachusetts Forum for Creating Healthier Communities, includes members of the public health, parks and recreation, elder services and school departments, as well as mental health, hospital and community groups.
“We learned a lot of wonderful things to bring back to the town. We became a cohesive team,” she said. “Now we’re trying to keep the momentum going.”
On Thursday, Sullivan is coordinating the town’s first “Healthy Wey” Forum for professionals and community representatives involved in all aspects of health care, wellness and public safety.
“We’ll talk a little bit about what we’re trying to do to create a healthier Weymouth,” she said. “We’ll touch on some of the challenges and try to build on our assets to create opportunities for people to work together.”
Health tips
A firm believer in practicing what she preaches, Sullivan said she tries to eat healthier foods, take stairs instead of elevators and walk from the far end of parking lots.
“I do enjoy yoga, and it helps clear the mind,” she said.
And lest anyone label her a workaholic, Sullivan said she rarely makes work-related calls or goes online when she’s home. She enjoys leisure reading, watching “silly sitcoms” and spending time with her husband Gary and their three adult children.
“We’re all just constantly on the phone or the Blackberry or e-mail,” she said. “How much can you fit in one day? Are we taking enough time for ourselves to regroup and have a little fun?”
She has “the travel bug” and has enjoyed recent trips to Martha’s Vineyard, to New York City to visit her daughter, and to Europe for a cruise down the Rhine River.
“I think one of the most important things is you need to have good health. It affects all aspects of your life,” said Sullivan. “You have to take time for yourself.”
“Weymouth is a wonderful community with a lot of resources in town. The mayor is doing a wonderful job. A lot of the leadership in the town is wonderful.”
“Economically, it’s tough out there, but if we continue to work together, good things can happen.”
For more information on health and wellness programs, visit www.weymouth.ma.us/health. Sullivan is working on a new “Healthy Wey” website to connect people to programs and resources in Weymouth.
For more information on the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women, including a list of all 100 Unsung Heroines, visit www.mass.gov/women.
For more articles and information of interest to women in New Hampshire and Massachusetts visit us at www.applaudwomen.com.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
"Slumdog" child star's Mumbai shanty home torn down (Reuters)
THIS IS SO SAD
"Slumdog" child star's Mumbai shanty home torn down (Reuters)
Source: Reuters 3 hours, 52 minutes ago
Buzz up!
MUMBAI (Reuters) - City authorities in Mumbai demolished the shanty home of a "Slumdog Millionaire" child star on Thursday, forcing his family into the streets months after the Oscar-winning film shot him to global fame.
Azharuddin Ismail, 9, played the character of Salim as a child in the film, a rags-to-riches romance about a poor Indian boy competing for love and money on a television game show.
Ismail's tarpaulin-covered home in a teeming slum was one of several shanties, illegally built along a drain, that were demolished by local authorities in Mumbai, India's financial capital and entertainment hub.
"When they came I was sleeping, they shook me awake and one policeman even threatened me," Ismail, surrounded by half-broken suitcases filled with clothes and utensils, told Reuters.
"What can I do if they have demolished my house? I will sleep out in the open."
A poster of "Slumdog Millionaire," signed by director Danny Boyle, fluttered from the only wall of Ismail's shanty still standing. Open sewers run nearby and it had no running water.
Authorities said the shanties had been demolished earlier but had sprung up again on the same spot.
"The shanties are all touching a drain that has to be cleaned before the advent of the monsoons," said U.D. Mistry, the local official in charge of the demolition drive.
Earlier this year, there was an outcry after pictures emerged of "Slumdog Millionaire's" child stars living in squalor despite the movie's box-office success and eight Academy Awards.
The film also sparked controversy for its name, deemed by some to be offensive to slum dwellers, and its treatment of the cast. Its depiction of the lives of poor Indians was dubbed "poverty porn" by sections of the media.
In February, the housing authority of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, said they would give Ismail and fellow child star Rubina Ali new houses. But Ismail's mother, Shameem, said the family is now at the mercy of the rains.
"We also heard that the government had promised us houses, but what happened? We are still homeless," she said. "My son has brought glory to the country, shouldn't he get some credit?"
(Writing by Tony Tharakan; Editing by Matthias Williams and Paul Tait)
I do not usually comment on my blog articles and usually don't include news items either but when I read this it so saddened me that I had to share it. I have seen the movie and loved it. This actor was so fantastic but even if he hadn't performed well no one should have to live like this. I wish there was something that could be done. If you have any ideas, please email me at applaud@comcast.net. For more information and articles of interest to NH and MA women (of a more positive note) please visit www.applaudwomen.com.
"Slumdog" child star's Mumbai shanty home torn down (Reuters)
Source: Reuters 3 hours, 52 minutes ago
Buzz up!
MUMBAI (Reuters) - City authorities in Mumbai demolished the shanty home of a "Slumdog Millionaire" child star on Thursday, forcing his family into the streets months after the Oscar-winning film shot him to global fame.
Azharuddin Ismail, 9, played the character of Salim as a child in the film, a rags-to-riches romance about a poor Indian boy competing for love and money on a television game show.
Ismail's tarpaulin-covered home in a teeming slum was one of several shanties, illegally built along a drain, that were demolished by local authorities in Mumbai, India's financial capital and entertainment hub.
"When they came I was sleeping, they shook me awake and one policeman even threatened me," Ismail, surrounded by half-broken suitcases filled with clothes and utensils, told Reuters.
"What can I do if they have demolished my house? I will sleep out in the open."
A poster of "Slumdog Millionaire," signed by director Danny Boyle, fluttered from the only wall of Ismail's shanty still standing. Open sewers run nearby and it had no running water.
Authorities said the shanties had been demolished earlier but had sprung up again on the same spot.
"The shanties are all touching a drain that has to be cleaned before the advent of the monsoons," said U.D. Mistry, the local official in charge of the demolition drive.
Earlier this year, there was an outcry after pictures emerged of "Slumdog Millionaire's" child stars living in squalor despite the movie's box-office success and eight Academy Awards.
The film also sparked controversy for its name, deemed by some to be offensive to slum dwellers, and its treatment of the cast. Its depiction of the lives of poor Indians was dubbed "poverty porn" by sections of the media.
In February, the housing authority of Maharashtra state, of which Mumbai is the capital, said they would give Ismail and fellow child star Rubina Ali new houses. But Ismail's mother, Shameem, said the family is now at the mercy of the rains.
"We also heard that the government had promised us houses, but what happened? We are still homeless," she said. "My son has brought glory to the country, shouldn't he get some credit?"
(Writing by Tony Tharakan; Editing by Matthias Williams and Paul Tait)
I do not usually comment on my blog articles and usually don't include news items either but when I read this it so saddened me that I had to share it. I have seen the movie and loved it. This actor was so fantastic but even if he hadn't performed well no one should have to live like this. I wish there was something that could be done. If you have any ideas, please email me at applaud@comcast.net. For more information and articles of interest to NH and MA women (of a more positive note) please visit www.applaudwomen.com.
How to Dress For A Wedding
From the May. 2009 issue of Allure Magazine.
How to Dress For a Wedding
An Interview with Monique Lhuillier
A Los Angeles-based fashion designer, Lhuillier has made wedding gowns for Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Jewel.
A wedding is a celebration, and your clothes should reflect that. The pictures of that day are going to be in the bride’s and groom’s lives forever, and beautifully dressed guests really help set the mood.
Dress Up. Being underdressed is the worst feeling, so I’d rather overdo it. Even if an invitation says “casual attired,” the furthest you should take that is a floaty cocktail dress or simple sheath. For a black-tie wedding, a long, formal dress is always appropriate, but if you’d rather go short, choose something knee-length in an opulent fabric. Silk charmeuse has a glamourous, ‘30s vibe and looks effortless but still fancy.
Take a hint. The location of the event is a big clue about what to wear. If the wedding is on a beach in Mexico, it’s pretty obvious that you should stay away from heavy beading. I love chiffon for a resort wedding. It’s romantic, dreamy, and elegant. If the party is in a more traditional setting, like a ballroom or a country club, chances are the dress code will be more conservative.
Embrace color. All black on a wedding guest is too severe. Jewel tones like a peacock blue and emerald green and omber patterns are sophisticated and vibrant. Stay away from white, not just at the reception but at any wedding event, from the rehearsal dinner to the day-after brunch. That’s the bride’s territory.
Stay focused. Choose one item to build your outfit around, whether it’s your shoes or an amazing piece of jewelry. You want to avoid looking as if you piled on every accessory you own. If you have a complicated dress with a lot of ruching or a bold print, keep the jewelry minimal. And those dyed-to-match shoes are a definite no-no—not everything needs to coordinate exactly.
Don’t go flat. Heels are tricky at an outdoor wedding, but flats don’t feel right with a formal dress. Wedges are great for lawn receptions. If a wedding is on sand, I wear embellished sandals, though I often take them off and go barefoot.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
How to Dress For a Wedding
An Interview with Monique Lhuillier
A Los Angeles-based fashion designer, Lhuillier has made wedding gowns for Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Jewel.
A wedding is a celebration, and your clothes should reflect that. The pictures of that day are going to be in the bride’s and groom’s lives forever, and beautifully dressed guests really help set the mood.
Dress Up. Being underdressed is the worst feeling, so I’d rather overdo it. Even if an invitation says “casual attired,” the furthest you should take that is a floaty cocktail dress or simple sheath. For a black-tie wedding, a long, formal dress is always appropriate, but if you’d rather go short, choose something knee-length in an opulent fabric. Silk charmeuse has a glamourous, ‘30s vibe and looks effortless but still fancy.
Take a hint. The location of the event is a big clue about what to wear. If the wedding is on a beach in Mexico, it’s pretty obvious that you should stay away from heavy beading. I love chiffon for a resort wedding. It’s romantic, dreamy, and elegant. If the party is in a more traditional setting, like a ballroom or a country club, chances are the dress code will be more conservative.
Embrace color. All black on a wedding guest is too severe. Jewel tones like a peacock blue and emerald green and omber patterns are sophisticated and vibrant. Stay away from white, not just at the reception but at any wedding event, from the rehearsal dinner to the day-after brunch. That’s the bride’s territory.
Stay focused. Choose one item to build your outfit around, whether it’s your shoes or an amazing piece of jewelry. You want to avoid looking as if you piled on every accessory you own. If you have a complicated dress with a lot of ruching or a bold print, keep the jewelry minimal. And those dyed-to-match shoes are a definite no-no—not everything needs to coordinate exactly.
Don’t go flat. Heels are tricky at an outdoor wedding, but flats don’t feel right with a formal dress. Wedges are great for lawn receptions. If a wedding is on sand, I wear embellished sandals, though I often take them off and go barefoot.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH and MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Stood Up Resolved
Sadie Jackson, a fictional heroine, is back on the dating scene for the third time. After two trial marriages, she is bound and determined to get it right.She can be nauseatingly optimistic and enjoys recounting her dating experiences with humor and compassion.Follow her dating escapades in this work of fiction that will be updated on a regular basis. check out all her posts at http://cherivalentine.squarespace.com/sadie/
“Dear Sadie, please find in the attachment a copy of a receipt of a book purchased 5 minutes after we spoke on the phone this afternoon. I was at the bookstore as we agreed. I purchased a book to show you that I was there. Obviously you were upset today. I apologize if I contributed to that. However, I am not sure how. I arrived at the designated place early in anticipation of meeting you.
I am very confused that you did not see me. I am even more surprised that you hung up so abruptly. Maybe this is not such a good idea, although I like to give everything a chance of 3. Please consider giving it one more chance. Let’s scratch Barnes & Noble. Let’s meet for breakfast.”
Sadie is greeted by this email when she logs into her email account. The receipt clearly shows May 10th and it IS from Barnes & Noble. HOW CAN THAT BE?
“I was there!” she shouted to her laptop. “This is crazy!”
So of course, Sadie dialed Lindy’s number. “LIndy, you are not going to believe this. I am looking at a copy of a receipt that Bill emailed to me. He purchased a book at B&N today. The time confirms he was there. It makes no sense.”
“Hmmmm, that’s weird. Sadie, are you sure you knew what he looked like? You haven’t the best luck with meeting men who match their profile pictures?”
“Not again. If that’s the case, I really don’t want to meet him. He asked me for a third chance. None of this makes sense.”
“Sadie, I just thought of something. Look at the address on the receipt.”
“The address? Oh my goodness! LIndy this is so funny! He WAS at B&N, but in South Nashua! I was in Manchester. Now whose fault is that?”
“Sadie, knowing you the way I do, my bets are on you confusing the meeting place.”
“Lindy, that is so unfair. You know, come to think of it. We did not specify one. I guess I just assumed we’d meet there since he lives in Manchester.”
“Interesting, Sadie. I am guessing that because you live in Nashua, that he went there. This guy sounds pretty nice, actually.”
“He wants to meet for breakfast. Where should we go?”
“Why don’t you let him decide and make sure you get the address AND name of the place you are meeting. Oh, and Sadie, make sure you get the right day.”
“Very funny!”
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Dating Tips: 5 Easy Ways to Make Men Smile
It's not a complicated process to keep a man happy. Here, you'll learn simple (and free) gestures to show that you care.
By dating blogger Ryan Dodge for Glamour
As someone who can barely calculate a tip, I don't have much to add to the conversation about our tanking economy. But I would like to share one little piece of wisdom I picked up from my favorite social economists: you can't buy me love. Corny but true. Don't believe me? Try one of my five patented Romance Enhancers -- if you don't think they're more effective than a gift card, I'll send you a full refund.
More Dating Articles from Glamour:
#1: Touch His Arm
There are a lot of ways to subtly let a guy know you're into him, like maintaining eye contact, playing with your hair, and smiling a lot. But the only one that sends shivers down my spine is when a girl touches my arm during conversation. It always surprises me, and it's always great.
#2: Send Him a Random Text Message in Midday.
OK, this might not be free depending on your cell phone plan, but it's still a great value. Nothing breaks the monotony of a long workday like a flirty note from someone special, and unless his job is super-intense he'll have plenty of time to daydream about you.
#3: Ask Him a Question About Something He Knows a Lot About
Dating news flash: Guys like to show off for you. So if your dude could use an ego boost, there's nothing like letting him feel like an expert. Ask him about fishing, the 1983 Chicago White Sox, or the mating habits of the Guyanese Bullfinches -- whatever he's into. Just remember to nod frequently and look really interested.
#4: Give Him a Very Specific Compliment
Telling a guy he's funny, handsome, or smart is always appreciated, but the really
meaningful compliments are the ones that reveal how well you know him.
meaningful compliments are the ones that reveal how well you know him. Something like "I love the way your face scrunches up when you're doing the crossword puzzle" or "You have the most manly calves I've ever seen."
#5: Send Him the Diary Entry You Wrote After Your First Date -- or Write One Now
One of the best things about having a girlfriend is reminiscing about what you thought about each other in the beginning of your relationship. Reliving all of the uncertainty and anxiety is strangely exhilarating. I can't think of a better anniversary present than a sanctioned peek into the documented thoughts of someone I care about.
Bonus Tip:
Give him a free pass to go out with his friends alone.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com
Flu drug advised for pregnant women with swine flu
Provided by the Associated Press on Google.com
By MIKE STOBBE – 17 hours ago
ATLANTA (AP) — Pregnant women should take prescription flu medicines if they are diagnosed with the new swine flu, health officials said Tuesday. So far, the swine flu has not proven to be much more dangerous than seasonal influenza, and it's not clear whether or not pregnant women catch swine flu more often than other people. But in general, flu poses added risks for pregnant women, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pregnancy weakens a woman's immune system, so that she's more likely to suffer pneumonia when she catches the flu. In earlier flu pandemics, infection also raised the risk of a premature birth, said Schuchat.
Risks from the virus are greater than the unknown risks to the fetus from the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, Schuchat said at a press conference Tuesday.
"We really want to get the word out about the likely benefits of prompt antiviral treatment" for pregnant women, she said.
Still, the flu medicines' effectiveness is somewhat limited, studies have shown. They can relieve symptoms and shorten the disease by about a day. They only work if started within 48 hours of first symptoms, and little is known about whether they cut the chances of serious flu complications. Most people recover from the flu with no medical treatment.
But a pregnant Texas woman who had swine flu died last week, and at least 20 other pregnant women have swine flu, including some with severe complications.
In total, about 3,000 U.S. cases of swine flu have been confirmed through lab testing so far, most of them ages 18 and under. Officials think the actual number of infections is much higher, and that infections are still occurring.
CDC officials said the swine flu may seem to be mild now, but they worry the virus will mutate into something more dangerous. One concern is that it will combine with the more deadly but less easily spread bird flu virus that has been circulating in Asia and other parts of the world.
Another concern is that it will combine with the seasonal H1N1 virus that went around over the winter. That virus was not unusually virulent, but it was resistant to Tamiflu — the current first-line defense against the new swine flu. If the two virus strains combine, it's possible the swine flu will become resistant to Tamiflu as well, health officials worry.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
By MIKE STOBBE – 17 hours ago
ATLANTA (AP) — Pregnant women should take prescription flu medicines if they are diagnosed with the new swine flu, health officials said Tuesday. So far, the swine flu has not proven to be much more dangerous than seasonal influenza, and it's not clear whether or not pregnant women catch swine flu more often than other people. But in general, flu poses added risks for pregnant women, said Dr. Anne Schuchat of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pregnancy weakens a woman's immune system, so that she's more likely to suffer pneumonia when she catches the flu. In earlier flu pandemics, infection also raised the risk of a premature birth, said Schuchat.
Risks from the virus are greater than the unknown risks to the fetus from the drugs Tamiflu and Relenza, Schuchat said at a press conference Tuesday.
"We really want to get the word out about the likely benefits of prompt antiviral treatment" for pregnant women, she said.
Still, the flu medicines' effectiveness is somewhat limited, studies have shown. They can relieve symptoms and shorten the disease by about a day. They only work if started within 48 hours of first symptoms, and little is known about whether they cut the chances of serious flu complications. Most people recover from the flu with no medical treatment.
But a pregnant Texas woman who had swine flu died last week, and at least 20 other pregnant women have swine flu, including some with severe complications.
In total, about 3,000 U.S. cases of swine flu have been confirmed through lab testing so far, most of them ages 18 and under. Officials think the actual number of infections is much higher, and that infections are still occurring.
CDC officials said the swine flu may seem to be mild now, but they worry the virus will mutate into something more dangerous. One concern is that it will combine with the more deadly but less easily spread bird flu virus that has been circulating in Asia and other parts of the world.
Another concern is that it will combine with the seasonal H1N1 virus that went around over the winter. That virus was not unusually virulent, but it was resistant to Tamiflu — the current first-line defense against the new swine flu. If the two virus strains combine, it's possible the swine flu will become resistant to Tamiflu as well, health officials worry.
For more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Susan Boyle appears on Oprah!12 May 09
From ITV.com
America’s fixation with Susan Boyle shows no sign of relenting as last night the BGT sensation invited The Oprah Winfrey Show into her West Lothian home.
Susan chatted to chat-show queen Oprah via a live satellite link, which beamed millions of stateside fans into her cosy living room.
She played down talk of her being the clear cut winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent and paid tribute to her fellow competitors:
“I have every chance [of winning], but at the same time there is a lot of other talent in the competition, so I’m willing to take my place with them. There’s a lot of other talent on the show”
The interview was part one of a two-stage special entitled The World’s Got Talent, and the Oprah audience were even provided with subtitles to help them understand Susan’s mild Scottish accent… bless ‘em.
During the chat Susan denied she felt lonesome: “Oh no I’m not lonely, everyone has been so nice… I’ve got millions of new friends now!”
Oprah was joined by Simon Cowell who came on to discuss Susan’s meteoric rise to fame, from her record-breaking YouTube adventure to her numerous appearances on US television.
“It was the most surreal thing that ever happened,” said Simon before revealing that the magic of Susan’s audition will live with him forever:
“Just to see that look of satisfaction on her face mid-way through, which is, ‘I’m winning now.’ It was one of my favourite moments.”
The BGT contest is far from over with top class acts emerging as contenders every week… Who are your favourites of the series so far? Leave your comment below.
For more articles and information relevant to women in NH and MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
America’s fixation with Susan Boyle shows no sign of relenting as last night the BGT sensation invited The Oprah Winfrey Show into her West Lothian home.
Susan chatted to chat-show queen Oprah via a live satellite link, which beamed millions of stateside fans into her cosy living room.
She played down talk of her being the clear cut winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent and paid tribute to her fellow competitors:
“I have every chance [of winning], but at the same time there is a lot of other talent in the competition, so I’m willing to take my place with them. There’s a lot of other talent on the show”
The interview was part one of a two-stage special entitled The World’s Got Talent, and the Oprah audience were even provided with subtitles to help them understand Susan’s mild Scottish accent… bless ‘em.
During the chat Susan denied she felt lonesome: “Oh no I’m not lonely, everyone has been so nice… I’ve got millions of new friends now!”
Oprah was joined by Simon Cowell who came on to discuss Susan’s meteoric rise to fame, from her record-breaking YouTube adventure to her numerous appearances on US television.
“It was the most surreal thing that ever happened,” said Simon before revealing that the magic of Susan’s audition will live with him forever:
“Just to see that look of satisfaction on her face mid-way through, which is, ‘I’m winning now.’ It was one of my favourite moments.”
The BGT contest is far from over with top class acts emerging as contenders every week… Who are your favourites of the series so far? Leave your comment below.
For more articles and information relevant to women in NH and MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk
Per Yahoo News
Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk
Fri May 8, 11:50 pm ET
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Obese children and teens are at increased risk for allergies, especially food allergies, say U.S. researchers.
The study authors analyzed data from 4,111 participants, aged 2 to 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that obese children and teens were 26 percent more likely to have any kind of allergy, and 59 percent more likely to have a food allergy, than their normal-weight peers.
"We found a positive association between obesity and allergies," senior author Dr. Darryl Zeldin, acting clinical director at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), said in an institute news release. "While the results from this study are interesting, they do not prove that obesity causes allergies. More research is needed to further investigate this potential link."
The study is in the May issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
"Given that the prevalence of both obesity and allergic disease has increased among children over the last several decades, it is important to understand and, if possible, prevent these epidemics," lead author Cynthia M. Visness, a scientist at Rho Federal Systems Division Inc., in Chapel Hill, N.C., said in the news release.
"Seeing a possible link between obesity and allergies provides additional motivation for undertaking the challenge of reducing childhood obesity," added Linda Birnbaum, NIEHS director.
Find more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA. Visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Obesity May Raise Kids' Allergy Risk
Fri May 8, 11:50 pm ET
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Obese children and teens are at increased risk for allergies, especially food allergies, say U.S. researchers.
The study authors analyzed data from 4,111 participants, aged 2 to 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and found that obese children and teens were 26 percent more likely to have any kind of allergy, and 59 percent more likely to have a food allergy, than their normal-weight peers.
"We found a positive association between obesity and allergies," senior author Dr. Darryl Zeldin, acting clinical director at the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), said in an institute news release. "While the results from this study are interesting, they do not prove that obesity causes allergies. More research is needed to further investigate this potential link."
The study is in the May issue of The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
"Given that the prevalence of both obesity and allergic disease has increased among children over the last several decades, it is important to understand and, if possible, prevent these epidemics," lead author Cynthia M. Visness, a scientist at Rho Federal Systems Division Inc., in Chapel Hill, N.C., said in the news release.
"Seeing a possible link between obesity and allergies provides additional motivation for undertaking the challenge of reducing childhood obesity," added Linda Birnbaum, NIEHS director.
Find more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA. Visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Monday, May 11, 2009
North Andover woman gains regional lacrosse honors
Per Boston.com
Bentley lacrosse player Alyssa Ritchie was named Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year.
By John Vellante
May 10, 2009
The mailbag is overflowing with announcements of postseason honors, and Globe North athletes are reaping their share of the accolades. Among the winners is Bentley senior midfielder Alyssa Ritchie of North Andover, Northeast-10 Conference lacrosse Player of the Year. Ritchie finished her career tied as the all-time Northeast-10 scoring leader with 326 points and as Bentley's all-time scorer in goals (198), assists (128), and points (326). Among others receiving accolades:
Jillian Bolduc of Atkinson, N.H., who played every minute of every game for the Franklin Pierce lacrosse team, named to the NE-10 all-rookie team.
Merrimack softball coach Elaine Schwager, NE-10 Coach of the Year. Schwager guided the team to a turnaround 26-17 season after going 9-27 a year ago. Along the way, she recorded her 200th career win. Two of her players - Jill Gagnon of Manchester, N.H., and Kelsey Ellis of Vancouver, British Columbia, earned all-conference honors.
We Applaud these women of Massachusetts and New Hampshire for their honors. For more articles and information of interest to women in NH & MA visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com
Leo & Kate Help Last Titanic Survivor
Per Yahoo's OMG
Leo & Kate Help Last Titanic Survivor
Access Hollywood - May 10, 2009 4:57 PM PDT
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is getting a hand from Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
The "Titanic" stars, along with director James Cameron, have contributed to a $30,000 fund for Millvina Dean, 98, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebs Who Give Back
The Irish Independent was the first to report the news.
The stars came forward after an appeal by photographer Don Mullan in the Sunday edition of the paper. Mullan had asked the stars and director of 1997 blockbuster to help Millvina, who has struggled with her nursing home bills.
Millvina was the ill-fated ship's youngest passenger - only nine weeks old upon being carried unto the Titanic from Southampton, England - and is now its last remaining survivor.
The photographer had been selling a limited edition shot, entitled "Still Surviving," of Millvina's hands signing an autograph in order to raise funds for her, and decided to reach out to the "Titanic" stars to pitch in. The photo is part of a new exhibition of his called "A Thousand Reasons for Living."
"I figured that if the edition sold out, it would secure Millvina for a full year. My plan, however, was to double the impact and thereby secure her for two years. I decided, therefore, at the opening of the exhibition, to publicly challenge James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, 20th Century Fox and Celine to match me dollar for dollar,'' Don told the Independent.
He is still waiting on a response from Celine, who won an Oscar for the film's theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," and the film's studio, 20th Century Fox.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com.
We choose this article because we Applaud celebrities who give back.
For more articles and information of relevance to NH/MA women visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Leo & Kate Help Last Titanic Survivor
Access Hollywood - May 10, 2009 4:57 PM PDT
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The last survivor of the sinking of the Titanic in 1912 is getting a hand from Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
The "Titanic" stars, along with director James Cameron, have contributed to a $30,000 fund for Millvina Dean, 98, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Celebs Who Give Back
The Irish Independent was the first to report the news.
The stars came forward after an appeal by photographer Don Mullan in the Sunday edition of the paper. Mullan had asked the stars and director of 1997 blockbuster to help Millvina, who has struggled with her nursing home bills.
Millvina was the ill-fated ship's youngest passenger - only nine weeks old upon being carried unto the Titanic from Southampton, England - and is now its last remaining survivor.
The photographer had been selling a limited edition shot, entitled "Still Surviving," of Millvina's hands signing an autograph in order to raise funds for her, and decided to reach out to the "Titanic" stars to pitch in. The photo is part of a new exhibition of his called "A Thousand Reasons for Living."
"I figured that if the edition sold out, it would secure Millvina for a full year. My plan, however, was to double the impact and thereby secure her for two years. I decided, therefore, at the opening of the exhibition, to publicly challenge James Cameron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, 20th Century Fox and Celine to match me dollar for dollar,'' Don told the Independent.
He is still waiting on a response from Celine, who won an Oscar for the film's theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," and the film's studio, 20th Century Fox.
Related Content from AccessHollywood.com.
We choose this article because we Applaud celebrities who give back.
For more articles and information of relevance to NH/MA women visit us at www.applaudwomen.com
Friday, May 8, 2009
The worst Mother's Day gifts you could buy
From Yahoo's Shine.
Most moms are thrilled with any gift they receive: the necklaces made from pasta, the cards made at school, the flowerpot decorated with colored fingerprints, and the 14-carat gold charm that says "#1 Mom" (remember: corny but cute). These are all sentimental favorites.
But let's face it, when it comes to shopping for Mother's Day gifts, a lot can go wrong. So, we present the worst Mother's Day gifts (along with some alternatives). And don't say we didn't warn you.
"Jillian Michaels – 30-Day Shred" DVD
You may have heard mom talking about wanting to become a "Shred Head," but it's probably not wise for you buy her the "Jillian Michaels – 30-Day Shred" DVD. Instead of viewing it as a way to kickstart a new fitness plan, she may see it as hint that you're not happy with her body. Instead, get her a copy of her favorite movie that you'll watch together. Better yet? Hire a babysitter (if she's a mom of young kids) and take her to the movies, and let her pick the flick, natch.
A session (or ten) with a personal trainer
Ouch. That's what mom will be thinking if you give her a session with a personal trainer––and not because of the post-workout pain. We repeat: Stay away from any gifts that implies that the mother in your life needs to exercise. Instead, why not fill in for her a few nights a week so she can have some time to herself.
A new apron
Does mom really need a reminder of how much time she spends cleaning the house? Instead, send her away to a spa for the morning while you do the cleaning up!
A Snuggie
Haven't we all agreed that the Snuggie is not cool? If you want your mom or wife to feel warm and cozy, try finding a super comfortable quilt that she can share on a picnic, at a ball game, or watching the sunset on a date night with hubby.
Clothes in the wrong size
Even if you have a smooth sense of style, getting mom clothes in the wrong size has always been a huge gift-giving no-no. Just sneak a peek at the tags on her clothes for sizes and make sure to go to the same store as the tags you looked at!
Nothing
Dads, this message is for you. Just because, you know, she's not your mom (she's only helping you raise your beautiful kids), doesn't mean you should forget her on this special day. Have a heart and show your lady how much you adore her and how you appreciate the amazing job she's doing as a mom.
We at Applaud Women try to keep you up to date with both local and national information that is relevant to local women. For more articles or information visit us on-line at www.applaudwomen.com.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
In Depth: America's Top 25 Towns To Live Well - Newton, MA
Per Forbes.com
6. Newton, Mass.
Population: 81,975
Location: A Boston suburb to the west of the city.
Median income: $109,567
Strongest categories: Boston has one of the nation's highest concentrations of research universities and biomedical firms, and the intellectual property associated with those pillars spills into businesses in the surrounding area. Newton is one major beneficiary. It has one of the country's most highly skilled workforces, as defined by the BLS, and ranks eighth of places measured for its number of people with bachelor's degrees or better (71%).
Drawbacks: Incomes aren't quite as high as some other high-powered places on our list, and venture capital funding isn't as abundant, at only $608 per capita.
Data provided by ZoomProspector.com
For more information and articles relevant to NH & MA women visit our website at www.applaudwomen.com. If you have local information or events to share please email me at applaud@comcast.net
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Health insurers offer to reduce rates for women
Science News
CT Scans Increase Cancer Risk Estimates In Multiply-imaged Emergency Department Patients
ScienceDaily (May 5, 2009) — Physicians should review a patient’s CT imaging history and cumulative radiation dose when considering whether to perform another CT exam, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
The study included 130 patients who had at least three emergency department visits within one year in which they had a CT scan of the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis. “We gathered the recent CT exam histories for each of these patients and found that half had undergone ten or more CT scans in the previous eight years, up to a maximum of 70 CT scans,” said Aaron Sodickson, MD, PhD. “Using typical dose values and standard risk estimation methods, we calculated that half of our group had accrued additional radiation-induced cancer risks above baseline greater than 1 in 110, up to a maximum of 1 in 17.”
“A patient’s cumulative risk of radiation-induced cancers is believed to increase with increasing cumulative radiation dose. The level of risk is further increased for patients scanned at young ages and is in general greater for women than for men. There is no absolute threshold, however, and the potential risks of radiation induced cancer must be balanced against the expected clinical benefits of the CT scan for the patient’s particular scenario,” he said.
“CT is a tremendously valuable clinical tool in a wide variety of settings and disease processes, and as a result CT utilization has grown rapidly in recent years. Continued attention will be needed to keep radiation risks in check through a combination of technological advances, optimized imaging techniques, appropriateness criteria and patient-specific risk/benefit assessments,” said Dr. Sodickson.
Journal reference:
1. Griffey et al. Cumulative Radiation Exposure and Cancer Risk Estimates in Emergency Department Patients Undergoing Repeat or Multiple CT. American Journal of Roentgenology, 2009; 192 (4): 887 DOI: 10.2214/AJR.08.1351
Adapted from materials provided by American Roentgen Ray Society.
For more information of relevance to women in NH & MA check out our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
CT Scans Increase Cancer Risk Estimates In Multiply-imaged Emergency Department Patients
ScienceDaily (May 5, 2009) — Physicians should review a patient’s CT imaging history and cumulative radiation dose when considering whether to perform another CT exam, according to researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA, and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO.
The study included 130 patients who had at least three emergency department visits within one year in which they had a CT scan of the neck, chest, abdomen or pelvis. “We gathered the recent CT exam histories for each of these patients and found that half had undergone ten or more CT scans in the previous eight years, up to a maximum of 70 CT scans,” said Aaron Sodickson, MD, PhD. “Using typical dose values and standard risk estimation methods, we calculated that half of our group had accrued additional radiation-induced cancer risks above baseline greater than 1 in 110, up to a maximum of 1 in 17.”
“A patient’s cumulative risk of radiation-induced cancers is believed to increase with increasing cumulative radiation dose. The level of risk is further increased for patients scanned at young ages and is in general greater for women than for men. There is no absolute threshold, however, and the potential risks of radiation induced cancer must be balanced against the expected clinical benefits of the CT scan for the patient’s particular scenario,” he said.
“CT is a tremendously valuable clinical tool in a wide variety of settings and disease processes, and as a result CT utilization has grown rapidly in recent years. Continued attention will be needed to keep radiation risks in check through a combination of technological advances, optimized imaging techniques, appropriateness criteria and patient-specific risk/benefit assessments,” said Dr. Sodickson.
Journal reference:
1. Griffey et al. Cumulative Radiation Exposure and Cancer Risk Estimates in Emergency Department Patients Undergoing Repeat or Multiple CT. American Journal of Roentgenology, 2009; 192 (4): 887 DOI: 10.2214/AJR.08.1351
Adapted from materials provided by American Roentgen Ray Society.
For more information of relevance to women in NH & MA check out our website at www.applaudwomen.com.
Health insurers offer to reduce rates for women
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR – 16 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Health insurance companies, facing the threat of a government health plan, offered on Tuesday to reduce rates for millions of women and accept close federal regulation of their industry.
The higher premiums now affect 5.7 million women, many of them self-employed people who must buy their own coverage.
The industry is trying to head off creation of a government health plan that would compete with them to enroll middle-class workers and their families. President Barack Obama and many Democrats favor such a plan, but the companies say it would drive them out of business. Employer groups are also leery, fearing a public plan would entice young, healthy workers by offering lower premiums.
"We are not asking people to trust us, we are asking people to trust government," Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, told a Senate panel that is crafting sweeping legislation to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.
Although the bill won't be written for weeks, insurers and other interest groups are trying to shape it now.
Instead of a government plan as a check on their industry, insurers are offering to accept a series of consumer protections they contend would add up to a fairer marketplace and cut into the ranks of the 50 million uninsured.
"We are comfortable with that," Ignagni told the Senate Finance Committee at a session on how to cover the uninsured. She was part of a large panel including representatives from business, labor unions, insurers, consumer groups and public policy centers.
Finance Committee leaders want to bring a bill to the Senate floor this summer. The broad outlines will follow Obama's campaign proposal, which builds on the current system of shared responsibility among employers, government and individuals.
Most Americans — men and women — are covered through employer plans, which are prohibited from charging higher premiums because of gender, poor health or other similar factors. Only about 9 percent purchase their own health insurance.
It's in this group that women face higher rates. That's health care costs for women tend to go up during childbearing years. Some policies don't cover maternity care.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., suggested such practices amount to discrimination.
"The disparity between women and men in the individual marketplace is just plain wrong and it has to change," said Kerry.
Ignagni readily conceded. "We don't believe gender should be a subject of rating," she said.
Lowering premiums for women will not necessarily mean that men will have to pay more. Many factors go into setting insurance rates. Age, for example, carries much greater weight than gender.
Insurers have already offered to stop denying coverage to sick people, and to end the practice of charging higher premiums to those with a history of health problems. In exchange, the industry wants Congress to require all Americans to carry health insurance, either through an employer plan, on their own, or a current government program like Medicaid.
What insurers want to avoid is a new government plan that would be open to middle-class workers and their families. Obama says such a plan would help keep private industry honest.
"I do not accept the premise that to keep the (private) plans honest you need a public program," said Ignagni.
The industry's concessions have yet to convince many Democrats.
"The bottom line is you need somebody who is not a private insurance company to be in the mix and there are many of us who feel very strongly about that," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "It would be giving all of you in the insurance industry an unfair advantage not to have a public plan."
Schumer said he believes Congress can write rules for a new public plan that would not give it an unfair advantage over private health plans. For example, the public plan would not get taxpayer subsidies beyond paying for startup costs, it would have to follow the same coverage rules, and doctors and hospitals would be free to opt out.
For some Democrats, particularly liberals in the House, support for a public plan is already a compromise because their real preference is for a "single-payer" plan — a government-run program for everyone, like Canada and many European countries have.
Underscoring the strong feelings about that, Tuesday's meeting began with Capitol Police ejecting protesters who interrupted senators by shouting in favor of a single-payer plan. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., has said that's not on the table.
"We want a seat at the table," shouted one protester.
"We want police," Baucus responded.
Capitol Police removed eight people.
Baucus and many others, including President Barack Obama, say single-payer is not practical or politically feasible.
"Everything is on the table with the single exception of single-payer," Baucus said recently. "This country is not going to adopt single-payer, at least not at this time."
Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
For more articles and resources relevant to women in NH & MA, check our website at www.applaudwomen.com. We always happy to view your opinion of our posts.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Health insurance companies, facing the threat of a government health plan, offered on Tuesday to reduce rates for millions of women and accept close federal regulation of their industry.
The higher premiums now affect 5.7 million women, many of them self-employed people who must buy their own coverage.
The industry is trying to head off creation of a government health plan that would compete with them to enroll middle-class workers and their families. President Barack Obama and many Democrats favor such a plan, but the companies say it would drive them out of business. Employer groups are also leery, fearing a public plan would entice young, healthy workers by offering lower premiums.
"We are not asking people to trust us, we are asking people to trust government," Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, told a Senate panel that is crafting sweeping legislation to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.
Although the bill won't be written for weeks, insurers and other interest groups are trying to shape it now.
Instead of a government plan as a check on their industry, insurers are offering to accept a series of consumer protections they contend would add up to a fairer marketplace and cut into the ranks of the 50 million uninsured.
"We are comfortable with that," Ignagni told the Senate Finance Committee at a session on how to cover the uninsured. She was part of a large panel including representatives from business, labor unions, insurers, consumer groups and public policy centers.
Finance Committee leaders want to bring a bill to the Senate floor this summer. The broad outlines will follow Obama's campaign proposal, which builds on the current system of shared responsibility among employers, government and individuals.
Most Americans — men and women — are covered through employer plans, which are prohibited from charging higher premiums because of gender, poor health or other similar factors. Only about 9 percent purchase their own health insurance.
It's in this group that women face higher rates. That's health care costs for women tend to go up during childbearing years. Some policies don't cover maternity care.
Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., suggested such practices amount to discrimination.
"The disparity between women and men in the individual marketplace is just plain wrong and it has to change," said Kerry.
Ignagni readily conceded. "We don't believe gender should be a subject of rating," she said.
Lowering premiums for women will not necessarily mean that men will have to pay more. Many factors go into setting insurance rates. Age, for example, carries much greater weight than gender.
Insurers have already offered to stop denying coverage to sick people, and to end the practice of charging higher premiums to those with a history of health problems. In exchange, the industry wants Congress to require all Americans to carry health insurance, either through an employer plan, on their own, or a current government program like Medicaid.
What insurers want to avoid is a new government plan that would be open to middle-class workers and their families. Obama says such a plan would help keep private industry honest.
"I do not accept the premise that to keep the (private) plans honest you need a public program," said Ignagni.
The industry's concessions have yet to convince many Democrats.
"The bottom line is you need somebody who is not a private insurance company to be in the mix and there are many of us who feel very strongly about that," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "It would be giving all of you in the insurance industry an unfair advantage not to have a public plan."
Schumer said he believes Congress can write rules for a new public plan that would not give it an unfair advantage over private health plans. For example, the public plan would not get taxpayer subsidies beyond paying for startup costs, it would have to follow the same coverage rules, and doctors and hospitals would be free to opt out.
For some Democrats, particularly liberals in the House, support for a public plan is already a compromise because their real preference is for a "single-payer" plan — a government-run program for everyone, like Canada and many European countries have.
Underscoring the strong feelings about that, Tuesday's meeting began with Capitol Police ejecting protesters who interrupted senators by shouting in favor of a single-payer plan. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., has said that's not on the table.
"We want a seat at the table," shouted one protester.
"We want police," Baucus responded.
Capitol Police removed eight people.
Baucus and many others, including President Barack Obama, say single-payer is not practical or politically feasible.
"Everything is on the table with the single exception of single-payer," Baucus said recently. "This country is not going to adopt single-payer, at least not at this time."
Associated Press writer Erica Werner contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
For more articles and resources relevant to women in NH & MA, check our website at www.applaudwomen.com. We always happy to view your opinion of our posts.
Beauty Reporter Blog - Beauty as Muse at the Met Gala
Beauty Reporter Blog - Beauty as Muse at the Met Gala Provided by Allure Magazine
May 05, 2009
The theme of last night's Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was "Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion," so maybe that's why actors mimicked the models by trading in their more traditional red carpet staples to test some of the latest hot-off-the-runway looks. The results? Hmm... There was some craziness, but some stars managed to pull it off. Here, our favorite beauty moments. (Click here for these, and tons more, photos.)
Most Dramatic Beauty Moment
Controversy! In-house, we're a little divided over Anne Hathaway's look: Did she go too far? Still, when it comes to risk taking, we salute that big hair and '60s go-go dancer makeup juxtaposed with jewels and a Marc Jacobs dress. Hey, she's young, she's so hot right now. Why not?
Best Turban-Matching Makeup
Okay, some people will always be anti-turban no matter what, but last night's host Kate Moss knows Grey Gardens chic is all the rage now, and besides, she can handle this tricky trend just fine. Bonus points for taking the whole effect to the next level by donning extra dramatic, metallic cat eyes like an opera star. Because really, if you're gonna wear headgear, just go for it. All the way baby.
Best Classic Look
Tinsel Town blonds tend to play with crazy color, but Kate Bosworth oozes glamor by sticking with the velvety LBD, cherry red lips, and '30s diva waves while managing to make the whole shebang look modern as well. It may be a tried and true formula, but she really does ace it every time.
Biggest Beauty Trend Follower
Rachel Weisz was all over the dark lips trend, and even paired her deep berry stain with a peachy pink dress. Normally, that would give us pause, but the effect is stunning with her chocolate brown hair. Still, in shots where her teeth show it looks a little much. Does this prove the trend is simply too unwearable? You tell us, and then tell us who you thought rocked it (or not so much) last night.
PHOTO: WIREIMAGE (Kate)
Posted By Erin Flaherty
Check this link for more photos and info about the gala. http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Metropolitan-Museum-Art-Costume-Institute-Gala/ss/events/fashion/050509metcostumegala/im:/090505/ids_photos_en/r2386425558.jpg/#photoViewer=/090505/photos_fashionwire/9a
I know there's a lot of serious stuff to concentrate on now. Health concerns, the economy, so many people loosing their jobs and companies going bankrupt. Well I don't know about you but I love my fashion!!! So maybe I'm alone in this and I'd love to hear from you about it. Personally I think Madonna's was more out there then Ann Hathaway, but what do I know. For more fashion info and other articles and resources for NH & MA women check us out at www.applaudwomen.com
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