President Sirleaf: World loses $260 billion from poor water and sanitation

MONROVIA, Liberia, January 30, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- Nobel Peace Prize winner and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf issued a stark warning in Monrovia on Wednesday to the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel that is meeting this week to address the future of international poverty reduction efforts, noting that economic losses due to poor water and sanitation access globally are costing $260 billion (US) every year.

Logo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/wateraid.jpg

The President, one of three co-Chairs of the UN Secretary-General's High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, stated on Wednesday (30 January 2013) that:

?$260 billion in economic losses annually is directly linked to inadequate water supply and sanitation around the world. We must take this issue more seriously.?

?All too often access to adequate sanitation in particular is seen as an outcome of development, rather than a driver of economic development and poverty reduction. South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore in the 1960's and 1970's demonstrated the potential for boosting economic development by addressing sanitation.?

The President's comments came during the High-level Panel meeting in Monrovia which was broadly focused on the theme of ?economic transformation?.

The Panel, which includes 27 leaders from government, the private sector and civil society, is co-chaired by UK Prime Minister David Cameron, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia and President Sirleaf. The group is tasked with producing a report in May to the Secretary-General containing recommendations for a development agenda for the world.

The current Millennium Development Goal targets on water and sanitation have had starkly differing levels of progress and political and financial support. While the drinking water target - to halve the proportion of people worldwide without access to safe drinking water - was met five years early in 2010, the sanitation goal is decades off track. Progress in Africa specifically is even worse with sub-Saharan Africa expected to meet this goal a century and a half late.

Girish Menon, Director of International Programmes for the international water and sanitation charity WaterAid, said:

?The High Level Panel must grasp this unique opportunity to put together an ambitious vision for eradicating poverty in our time. For this aspiration to be realised there must be a central focus on achieving universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene.?

?International efforts on the existing Millennium Development Goals have shown us that to succeed in areas like education, child health and gender equality progress on access to water, sanitation and hygiene is crucial. Integrating these approaches will be the key to success.?

Liberia is in many ways typical of sub-Saharan African countries, with access to safe drinking water at 73% of the population, far exceeding levels of access to decent sanitation, at only 18%. The average across sub-Saharan Africa to these services sits at 61% for water but just 30% for sanitation.

President Sirleaf, who is also Goodwill Ambassador for water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa, also stated:

?Without more progress in providing access to safe water and effective sanitation, children will continue to miss school, health costs will continue to be a drag on national economies, adults will continue to miss work, and women and girls, and it's almost always women and girls, will continue to spend hours every day fetching water, typically from dirty sources.?

According to a 2012 WaterAid report, the lives of 2.5 million people around the world would be saved every year if everybody had access to safe water and adequate sanitation.

The international charity has also highlighted that if governments meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to halve the proportion of their population without sanitation by 2015 the lives of 400,000 children under the age of five will be saved around the world ? over 100,000 in Nigeria, and 66,000 in India alone.

Distributed by the African Press Organization on behalf of WaterAid.

Media Contacts:

? In Monrovia: Jonathan Rich, jonathan@jcrcommunications.com +1-347-262-9115 or Apollos Nwafor apollosnwafor@wateraid.org +231880757808, +23278149131.

? In London: Hratche Koundarjian, hratchekoundarjian@wateraid.org +44 (0)207 793 4909, +44 (0)7905 911 039.

WaterAid will be in Liberia all week, with spokespeople available for interview on the post-MDG agenda.

WaterAid Spokespeople in Liberia:

? Girish Menon, Director of International Programmes and Deputy Chief Executive

? Nelson Gomondo, Pan-Africa Programme Manager - Southern Africa

? Hannah Ellis, International Campaigns Manager

? Willice Onyango, WaterAid Youth Ambassador and chair, International Youth Council, Kenya

WaterAid Spokespeople in London:

? Margaret Batty, Director of Policy and Campaigns

? Tom Slaymaker, Senior Policy Analyst (Governance), and Deputy Head of Policy

? Fleur Anderson, Head of Campaigns

Notes to Editors:

? The $260 (US) billion figures relating to the global cost of a lack of water and sanitation access was calculated in a 2012 World Health Organisation report that can be found at http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/.../2012/globalcosts.pdf

? More information on the High Level Panel can be found at http://www.post2015hlp.org

? Figures on rates to access to water and sanitation can be found http://www.wssinfo.org

? Figures on the impact of meeting the MDG water and sanitation targets on mortality can be found at http://www.wateraid.org/documents/Saving_Lives_Notes_Final.pdf

? 783 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world's population.

? 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation, this is 39% of the world's population.

? For every $1 invested in water and sanitation, $4 is returned in increased productivity.

WaterAid (http://www.wateraid.org) transforms lives by improving access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation in some of the world's poorest communities. We work in 27 countries across Africa, Asia, Central America and the Pacific region. Over the past 30 years, WaterAid has reached 15.9 million people with safe water and, since 2004, 11 million people with sanitation. For more information, visit http://www.wateraid.org, follow @wateraid (https://twitter.com/WaterAid) on Twitter or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wateraid

Source: http://www.modernghana.com/news/442406/1/president-sirleaf-world-loses-260-billion-from-poo.html

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Green Blog: E.P.A. Cracks Down on Rat Poisons

The federal Environmental Protection Agency is moving to ban the sale of a line of mouse and rat poisons made by Reckitt Benckiser, saying that the manufacturer has refused to adopt the agency?s safety standards for rodenticides.

After the agency?s ?notice of intent? is published in the Federal Register, the company will have 30 days to appeal to an E.P.A. administrative law judge. If no hearing is not requested, a national ban on sales of 12 d-Con bait products to consumers will become final, the agency said.

The E.P.A.?s regulatory effort is intended mainly to prevent children from suffering from accidental exposure to the bait. Some 10,000 children a year are accidentally exposed to mouse and rat baits, and 1 percent of those need medical attention, an agency spokesman said, citing data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

The agency said Reckitt Benckiser had not complied with safety regulations issued by the E.P.A. in 2011 that require rodenticide products for consumer use to be contained in protective tamper-resistant bait stations. The agency prohibits pellets and other forms of bait that cannot be secured in bait stations.

The company did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The E.P.A. said it had received no reports of children being exposed to bait made by companies that have moved to comply with the standards. Examples of products meeting the standards include Tomcat, made by Bell Laboratories, and the Assault brand, made by PM Resources.

The agency said that because millions of households use d-Con, the number of children who are exposed to mouse and rat bait in the future will be vastly reduced once the products are withdrawn from the market.

?Moving forward to ban these products will prevent completely avoidable risks to children,? said James Jones, acting assistant administrator for the E.P.A.?s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

Despite its move to ban the products? sale to consumers, the poisons themselves will still be available for nonresidential use in places like farms, the agency spokesman said.

The Center for Biological Diversity, a conservation organization, called on the E.P.A. to extend the ban to cover agricultural and other purposes to prevent poisonings of animals and birds that prey on rodents that have consumed the poisons. Among the victims are endangered species like the northern spotted owl, the group said.

It also urged the E.P.A. to ban second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides that kill rodents by causing uncontrollable bleeding. Those substances, including brodifacoum, bromadiolone, difethialone, and difenacoum, are banned for sale to residential consumers because of their toxicity to wildlife.

But the so-called super-toxics will still be available if they are purchased in bulk at agricultural supply stores, used by professionally licensed applicators or placed outdoors in tamper-resistant packaging.

?I?m very relieved that the E.P.A. has taken this significant step to protect our families from accidental poisonings,? Jonathan Evans of the Center for Biological Diversity said in a statement. ?But other steps are needed. ?Wildlife, too, needs protection from these cruel, indiscriminate and deadly toxins.?

Source: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/e-p-a-cracks-down-on-rat-poisons/?partner=rss&emc=rss

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Meet the Virus That Makes the Flu Look Like a Cakewalk

It was Christmas Eve 2008 when Sal Cardoni first started to feel truly horrible. He'd helped take care of his cousin's infant son for a short time, and within hours he was sleeping on the bathroom floor, too ill to go to bed. "I started to get sick just after midnight," remembers Cardoni, an editor in Los Angeles. "Around 3 a.m. my dad brought me a blanket and pillow in the bathroom." Cardoni had come down with norovirus, which he'd contracted from the baby. "So starting at midnight on Christmas, I was sick and vomiting through the next day and well into the evening of the 26th," he says. "I wasn't back to 100 percent until almost New Year's." Though Cardoni tried his best not to pass along the highly contagious virus, his mom and a cousin ended up sick as well.?

Not everyone is coughing and sniffling from this winter's miserable strain of flu. Like Cardoni, some people are doubled over with stomach cramps and nausea thanks to a?new strain of norovirus?a classic gastrointestinal virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea?that's circulating in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Public health officials told TakePart they're watching the illness carefully because it has the hallmarks of being a particularly bad strain.

The Importance of Washing Hands: Wash Your Hands, Save a Life

Norovirus is best known for ruining people's vacations with outbreaks on cruise ships. The virus is highly contagious, so a confined space?like a ship is a perfect target for it to spread. But it's a mistake to think this is a cruise-ship illness only, says Dr. Aron Hall, of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.?"We hear a lot about norovirus on cruise ships causing outbreaks, but that is not the most common place we see it," he says. "That makes up fewer than five percent of the cases reported in the U.S. By far, the most common places we see norovirus outbreaks are nursing homes and hospitals."

From there, the viruses easily spread into communities. "These viruses are spread efficiently through a variety of means," he says. "But they are quite adept at spreading from direct person-to-person contact."

Flu is Packing a Punch Across the Nation

The new strain of norovirus is called GII.4 Sydney. That?s important because there are five main types of norovirus and the GII.4 subgroup is typically the worst of the lot. It's not clear yet whether GII.4 Sydney causes more severe illness than other norovirus strains, but it has already unleashed its fury in Australia and the United Kingdom and no one there is singing its praises.

"Every few years in the last decade a new strain of norovirus emerges and sometimes when it emerges it can cause a real increase in outbreaks," Hall says. "That's why we track new viruses in circulation and send out public health alerts. We've seen it widespread throughout the country." (There?s currently no vaccine for the virus, but researchers are working on one.)

"It's not clear yet if this is a more severe strain," adds Dr. Eyal Leshem, an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer at the CDC. "The peak of the season typically occurs in January." Even in a typical year, norovirus causes 20 million cases of illness, 70,000 hospitalizations, and 800 deaths. While anyone can become infected, complications are typically the most severe in the very young or very old or people with other health problems.

Norovirus usually spreads from direct contact. That's why the best way to prevent it is to wash your hands a lot with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, Leshem says. ("That's about the time it takes to [sing] 'Happy Birthday' twice," he instructs.)

New SARS-Like Virus Reported in the Middle East

But, Hall cautions, "The spread is typically through that direct oral route?[what?s called] aerosolization. Some particles of vomit can float through the air for a few feet and settle on the surfaces that someone touches or that can be inhaled." If you're not convinced just how far the virus can travel, check out "Vomiting Larry," an invention from the United Kingdom's Health and Safety Laboratory. Scientists created a kind of vomiting robot to demonstrate how contagious a norovirus can be. "Larry" stands about five feet tall and has a fluid-filled cylinder stomach that contains a fluorescent dye. When the fluid is ejected from Larry's mouth, UV lighting shows just where droplets land. Studies show some fly about ten feet away.

Do you wash your hands religiously to stave off the flu and other illnesses? Have you had the flu or norovirus this year?

Related Stories on TakePart:

? Viruses Can't Hide from This Guy

? Can We Build an Early Warning System for Pandemics??

? Researchers Are Closing In On a Way to Predict Flu Outbreaks

Shari Roan is an award-winning health writer based in Southern California. She is the author of three books on health and science subjects.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/meet-virus-makes-flu-look-cakewalk-214801948.html

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Doctor-patient relationship: Physicians' brain scans indicate doctors can feel their patients' pain -- and their relief

Jan. 29, 2013 ? A patient's relationship with his or her doctor has long been considered an important component of healing. Now, in a novel investigation in which physicians underwent brain scans while they believed they were actually treating patients, researchers have provided the first scientific evidence indicating that doctors truly can feel their patients' pain -- and can also experience their relief following treatment.

Led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Program in Placebo Studies and Therapeutic Encounter (PiPS) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School, the new findings, which appear online? January 29 in Molecular Psychiatry, help to illuminate one of the more intangible aspects of health care -- the doctor/patient relationship.

"Our findings showed that the same brain regions that have previously been shown to be activated when patients receive placebo therapies are similarly activated in the brains of doctors when they administer what they think are effective treatments," explains first author Karin Jensen, PhD, an investigator in the Department of Psychiatry and Martinos Center for Biological Imaging at MGH and member of the PiPS. Notably, she adds, the findings also showed that the physicians who reported greater ability to take things from the patients' perspective, that is, to empathize with patients' feelings, experienced higher satisfaction during patients' treatments, as reflected in the brain scans.

"By demonstrating that caring for patients involves a complex set of brain events, including deep understanding of the patient's facial and body expressions, possibly in combination with the physician's own expectations of relief and feelings of reward, we have been able to elucidate the neurobiology underlying caregiving," adds senior author Ted Kaptchuk, director of the PiPS and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Our findings provide early evidence of the importance of interacting brain networks between patients and caregivers and acknowledge the doctor/patient relationship as a valued component of health care, alongside medications and procedures."

Previous investigations have demonstrated that a brain region associated with pain relief (right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, VLPFC) and a region associated with reward (rostral anterior cingulate cortex, rACC) are activated when patients experience the placebo effect, which occurs when patients show improvement from treatments that contain no active ingredients. The placebo effect accounts for significant portions of clinical outcomes in many illnesses -- including pain, depression and anxiety.

Although behavioral research has suggested that physicians' expectations influence patients' clinical outcomes and help determine patients' placebo responses, until now little effort has been directed to understanding the biology underlying the physician component of the clinical relationship. Jensen and her colleagues hypothesized that the same brain regions that are activated during patients' placebo responses -- the VLPFC and rACC -- would similarly be activated in the brains of physicians as they treated patients. They also hypothesized that a physician's perspective-taking skills would influence the outcomes.

To test these hypotheses, the scientists developed a unique equipment arrangement that would enable them to conduct functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) of the physicians' brains while the doctors had face-to-face interactions with patients, including observing patients as they underwent pain treatments.

The experiment included 18 physicians (all of whom had received their medical degree within the last 10 years and represented nine separate medical specialties). Two 25-year-old females played the role of "patients" and followed a rehearsed script. The experiment called for the participating physicians to administer pain relief with what they thought was a pain-relieving electronic device, but which was actually a non-active "sham" device.

To ensure that the physicians believed that the sham device really worked, the investigators first administered a dose of "heat pain" to the physicians' forearms to gauge pain threshold and then "treated" them with the fake machine. During the treatments, the investigators reduced the heat stimulation, to demonstrate to the participants that the therapy worked. The physicians underwent fMRI scans while they experienced the painful heat stimulation so that investigators could see exactly which brain regions were activated during first-person perception of pain.

In the second portion of the experiment,each physician was introduced to a patient and asked to perform a standardized clinical examination, which was conducted in a typical exam room for approximately 20 minutes. (The clinical exam was performed in order to establish a realistic rapport between the physician and patient before fMRI scanning took place, and was comparable to a standard U.S. doctor's appointment.) At this point the physician also answered a questionnaire, the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, used to measure the participant's self-reported perspective-taking skills.

During the third step, says Jensen, the physician and patient were led into the scanner room. "The physician went inside the scanner and was equipped with a remote control that could activate the 'analgesic device' when prompted," she explains. Mirrors inside the scanner enabled physicians to maintain eye contact with the patient, who was seated on a chair next to the scanner's bed and hooked up to both the thermal pain stimulator and the pain-relieving device.

Then, in a randomized order, physicians were instructed to either treat a patient's pain or to press a control button that provided no relief. When physicians were told not to activate pain relief, the "patient" exhibited a painful facial expression while the physicians watched. When the physicians were instructed to treat the patients' pain, they could see that the subjects' faces were neutral and relaxed, the result of pain relief. During these doctor-patient interactions, fMRI scans measured the doctors' brain activations.

Following the scanning session, the physicians were removed from the scanner and told exactly how the experiment had been performed, says Jensen. "If the physician did not agree with the deceptive component of the study, they were given the opportunity to withdraw their data. No one did this."

As predicted, the authors found that while treating patients, the physicians activated the right VLPFC region of the brain, a region previously implicated in the placebo response. Furthermore, Jensen adds, the physicians' ability to take the patients' viewpoints correlated to brain activations and subjective ratings; physicians who reported high perspective-taking skills were more likely to show activation in the rACC brain region, which is associated with reward.

"We already know that the physician-patient relationship provides solace and can even relieve many symptoms," adds Kaptchuk. "Now, for the first time, we've shown that caring for patients encompasses a unique neurobiology in physicians. Our ultimate goal is to transform the 'art of medicine' into the 'science of care,' and this research is an important first step in this process as we continue investigations to find out how patient-clinician interactions can lead to measurable clinical outcomes in patients."

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. K B Jensen, P Petrovic, C E Kerr, I Kirsch, J Raicek, A Cheetham, R Spaeth, A Cook, R L Gollub, J Kong, T J Kaptchuk. Sharing pain and relief: neural correlates of physicians during treatment of patients. Molecular Psychiatry, 2013; DOI: 10.1038/mp.2012.195

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/w165jz3M4c4/130129080622.htm

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What?s next for Anthony Pettis? Waiting patiently for the lightweight title shot

With his performance against Donald Cerrone on Saturday night, Anthony Pettis made a believer out of many fight fans. One of those who now thinks Pettis belongs in the title shot conversation is UFC president Dana White.

Pettis =AMAZING!!!! Ok I'm sold

? Dana White (@danawhite) January 27, 2013

While the next bout for UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson is set with Strikeforce champion Gilbert Melendez in April, Pettis has set himself up as the obvious next man up.

"I think the Melendez fight is pretty set, but (Pettis is) next. I can't say enough things about the kid tonight. That was incredible," White said in the postfight press conference.

The last time Pettis had a title shot, he had a wrench thrown into the plans. Pettis won the WEC lightweight belt in the promotion's final fight. A title shot was promised to whoever had the belt when the WEC merged with the UFC.

But two weeks after Pettis won the belt, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard faced off for the belt. They fought to a draw and Edgar kept the belt, but Maynard was given an immediate rematch.

Instead of waiting for the title shot then, Pettis fought Clay Guida. He lost a decision, and the title shot was gone. This time, he's not going to let the title shot slip through his hands.

"If it's a guaranteed title shot, then I'm waiting. That was my goal this year, and I'm definitely going to wait and get better," Pettis said.

The way title shots have been going in the UFC, there's no way to know if Pettis is making the right call. However, what Pettis is doing is setting himself up as the go-to guy if the UFC needs him. Melendez has had to postpone fights because of injuries in the past, and you never know what could happen as fighters prepare for their bouts.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/next-anthony-pettis-waiting-patiently-lightweight-title-shot-172409772--mma.html

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THE RESET: Bernanke keeping foot on stimulus pedal

FILE-In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, file photo, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference in Washington. First appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006 and given a second four-year term as chairman by President Barack Obama, Bernanke has not signaled whether he'd like a third four-year term as head of the nation's central bank if Obama pressed him to stay on. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

FILE-In this Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, file photo, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke speaks during a news conference in Washington. First appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006 and given a second four-year term as chairman by President Barack Obama, Bernanke has not signaled whether he'd like a third four-year term as head of the nation's central bank if Obama pressed him to stay on. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)

President Barack Obama waves from the top of the steps of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Md., Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013. Obama is traveling to Las Vegas to deliver a speech on immigration. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

The lights of the U.S. Capitol remain lit into the night on Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. In the short term, the economy's headwinds are still restraining growth, including, th heaviest millstone weighing down the economy; the rift between President Barack Obama and Republicans over taxes and spending. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Ben Bernanke's term as chairman of the Federal Reserve expires one year from Thursday. Sometime between now and then he's likely to take his foot off the gas pedal of financial stimulus that is helping to fuel the still-weak U.S. recovery and begin tapping on the brakes.

First appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006 and given a second four-year term as chairman by President Barack Obama, Bernanke hasn't signaled whether he'd like a third term as head of the nation's central bank if Obama pressed him to stay.

But speculation abounds that the former Princeton economics professor is ready to call it quits.

The central bank under Bernanke has kept interest rates ultra-low for more than four years.

At the same time, the Fed has effectively been printing money to buy hundreds of billions of dollars of mortgage-backed and U.S. Treasury securities, further holding down rates and pumping new money into the economy.

Many economists credit such policies for helping to keep the deepest U.S. downturn since the Great Recession from being far worse.

But the chief danger of such easy-money policies is inflation.

It's been tame so far, but at some point it's bound to roar back ? which is why a time will come for Bernanke and fellow Fed members to begin to unwind years of financial stimulus by halting the bond purchases and raising interest rates again.

No one knows just when ? but it probably won't be at the two-day Fed meeting that began in Washington on Tuesday.

Instead, the Fed is expected to push on with its efforts to spur growth so long as economic inflation remains in check and unemployment stays so high.

Janet Yellen, the vice chairman of the Fed, is seen as most likely to be offered the top position by Obama if Bernanke retires.

___

Follow Tom Raum on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tomraum

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2013-01-29-The%20Reset/id-2ff802cc93a945b585413b6403bf7526

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Suggs, Webb, stand out at Super Bowl media day

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs answers a question during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Pat Semansky)

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs answers a question during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Pat Semansky)

Inside Edition reporter Katherine Webb is seen during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Pat Semansky)

Baltimore Ravens players participate in media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Jennifer Jones, of New Orleans, wearing Mardi Gras attire dances in the isles of the Superdome during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Baltimore Ravens fan Uland Price from Baton Rouge, La., waves during media day for the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Pat Semansky)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ? Scenes and observations from the NFL's annual Super Bowl media day ? interviews with players and team personnel from the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers on the field at the Superdome:

___

Terrell Suggs stood up, threw down his microphone, kicked over his chair with a back heel as he stepped down from his podium, and then kicked over a cooler.

Onlookers laughed, satisfied that the Baltimore Ravens' mischievous linebacker had properly punctuated the frenetic, free-for-all known as Super Bowl media day.

Suggs plays a central role in one of the more intimidating defenses in the NFL, and at least some of the conversation involved football, and what it would take to slow down San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick in Sunday's NFL championship game.

But media day is never just about football, not even when the players are interviewing each other.

Posing as a reporter, defensive end Arthur Jones asked Suggs which staple of Louisiana cuisine he preferred, gumbo or jambalaya.

"That's a good question, and I'm glad you asked that, Arthur," Suggs said. "Definitely gumbo."

Suggs also was asked if he is the best dancer in the locker room: "No way. 'Be Nasty,' (safety) Bernard Pollard ? he's definitely the best dancer. And I think if we get this done come Sunday, you all will get to see a good dose of it."

And maybe even get a song from Suggs. He wasn't shy about serenading everyone with a rendition of Meatloaf's "I Would Do Anything For Love," moments after he took his seat behind the microphone.

___

Katherine Webb credits a couple of camera shots of her watching the BCS national title game in Miami with landing her at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.

Otherwise known as Miss Alabama USA and the girlfriend of Crimson Tide quarterback A.J. McCarron, Webb has been hired by TV's "Inside Edition" to be its game correspondent.

"It's so exciting and absolutely crazy at the same time. It's happened so fast. I feel like I'm living on a plane but it's a great journey," said Webb, who was making her first trip to New Orleans for her first Super Bowl.

The 23-year-old Webb has been working on a fledgling modeling and acting career in Los Angeles.

"It's kind of funny how everything kind of lines up to me being at this point," said Webb, explaining that it all started with meeting McCarron while at home in Alabama late last year.

She was hired to interview players and coaches during media day, but wound up being interviewed herself. A colleague had to cut it short a few times, apologetically explaining that Webb had a job to do.

She said she prepped for the job.

"A.J. is interviewed all the time, so it's kind of cool to ask him, 'What do I need to ask and what do I need to stay away from? What annoys players the most to be asked?'" she said.

Webb created a buzz at the BCS game when she was caught on camera and play-by-play announcer Brent Musburger enthusiastically remarked that quarterbacks "get all the good-looking women." ESPN later apologized for the comments.

Webb, however, never thought an apology was necessary.

"Everybody seems to think that I'm offended and I'm not at all," she said. "I appreciate it. I appreciate the fact that he notices a beautiful woman. Women need to be told their beautiful more often. I took no offense to it."

___

For the second year in a row, Super Bowl media day was open to fans for the price of a $25 ticket. They were allowed to sit in sections of seats along the sideline with good views of players on the field, and paid attendance was 5,479, according to NFL spokesman Michael Signora.

When fans walked in, they were given gift bags that included small radios so they could listen to interviews. Other items were mostly product samples from sponsors, including chips and laundry detergent.

Among the fans were John Grimsley and Lisa Wyatt of Baltimore, sitting together a few rows from the field wearing purple jerseys with the No. 52 of star Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis. They said the ticket price was worth it.

"This is a very rare experience," said Grimsley, who has Ravens season tickets and tickets to Sunday's big game. "I've never been to anything like this. To be able to see all the Ravens being interviewed, to see some of these guys up close, you don't really get to see that when you go to the games. They're there and then they're gone."

___

The NFL says 5,205 reporters from 24 countries have credentials for the game, and some chose to work in costume at media day.

There was a correspondent from the Nickelodeon television network dressed as a super hero called Pick Boy, wearing black tights with a cape and trim of fluorescent orange and green.

Pick Boy approached 49ers practice squad linebacker Nate Stupar, asking him if he wanted to race. Stupar declined, saying he wasn't about to risk pulling any muscles for something like that.

"I would say that's the first time I got interviewed by a guy with a cape on," Stupar said. "It's entertainment and it's going to be fun to be around the entire week."

Univision radio play-by-play announcer Rafael Hernandez Brito wore a Spanish-style wrestling mask for part of the session.

TV Azteca reporter Jose Marquez Zamora looked like a rodeo clown, with his painted face, round rubber nose and long, pointy shoes covered with light blue sequins. He said he was, in fact, dressed as a typical clown in Monterrey, Mexico, and wasn't concerned about whether his interview subjects took him seriously.

"I don't make interviews about serious stuff," he said. "I only have fun with the players, so our viewers in Mexico get interesting stuff and also get entertained."

Niners offensive lineman Alex Boone was asked about his hair style, which looks similar to a mohawk ? Boone calls it a rhino hawk ? and whether he had the best hair on the team.

"Absolutely. I think I get it from my mom's side," Boone said. "My mom's got great hair."

He added that he never in his career had been asked about his hair in a football interview, and then reflected on how the range of questions on media day truly sets it apart from a typical NFL interview session.

"Weird. Very weird. A lot of questions coming this way and some of them aren't football-related, which creeps me out a little bit," Boone said. "But it's a trip, and I'm excited to be here."

___

When players and coaches were asked to play along with a joke about the growing influence of social media in everyday communication, results were mixed and appeared to expose the generation gap between some players and coaches.

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and others were asked to answer some questions in hash tags only. The tags, which might look like (hash)SuperBowl on the website Twitter, are used to help social media users identify trendy topics.

"That would be very challenging to me," Harbaugh said. "I don't know the hash tag world that well. I don't have one. I don't have a Tweeter (sic). I'm not real good at that."

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was more cooperative, answering several questions in a row about his Super Bowl experience as a rookie with, "Hash tag, awesome."

___

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-01-29-Super%20Bowl-Media%20Day/id-fc1f664b00d2494593d517eb3afc9ecd

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Cornell University Athletics - Men's Squash Topped By Trinity

ITHACA, N.Y. ? Senior Nick Sachvie and sophomore Aditya Jagtap won their matches at the top of the order on Sunday, but the men's squash team suffered a 7-2 loss against second-ranked Trinity at Belkin International Squash Courts.
?
Jagtap secured the first point of the match for sixth-ranked Cornell (11-2), topping Juan Vargas in four games at the No. 2 spot. Sachvie then won the first game of his match against Reinhold Hergeth at No. 1 and was ahead in the second game when Hergeth retired. Jagtap is now 9-1 on the season, while Sachvie improved to 7-3.
?
The Big Red entered the match ranked sixth in the nation by the College Squash Association, but figures to move up after its mid-week victory over No. 5 Rochester. Cornell returns to Ivy League play next weekend with a Saturday match at Dartmouth, followed by a Sunday tilt at Harvard. Trinity is now 11-0 and has won 13 of the last 14 national championships.
?
No. 2 TRINITY 7, No. 6 CORNELL 2
Sunday, at Belkin International Squash Courts; Ithaca, N.Y.
1. Nick Sachvie (C) def. Reinhold Hergeth, 11-9, 6-1, retired.
2. Aditya Jagtap (C) def. Juan Vargas, 11-9, 2-11, 11-2, 11-5.
3. Miled Zarazua (T) def. Arjun Gupta, 11-8, 8-11, 11-5, 11-5.
4. Karan Malik (T) def. Owen Butler, 11-7, 11-3, 8-11, 11-2.
5. Vrishab Kotian (T) def. Ryan Todd, 11-4, 11-2, 7-11, 11-9.
6. Johan Detter (T) def. Michael Sunderland, 11-6, 9-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-6.
7. Zeyad Elshorfy (T) def. Bryan Keating, 11-8, 11-5, 11-8.
8. Moustafa Hamada (T) def. Graham Dietz, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6.
9. Matthew Mackin (T) def. Abhijit Malik, 8-11, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6.
Ex. Juan Lopez (T) def. Matthew Shang, 11-4, 11-5, 11-6.

Source: http://cornellbigred.com/news/2013/1/27/MSQUASH_0127132210.aspx

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Russia tries whistleblower, despite his death

FILE - This Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 file photo shows a portrait of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who died in jail, which is held by his mother Nataliya Magnitskaya, unseen, as she speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow. Russia is preparing to put lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial, even though he is dead, in the latest twist in a case that has severely strained U.S.- Russian relations. Magnitsky, a lawyer for the Hermitage Capital fund, died in jail in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of colluding in stealing $230 million from the state. He was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion by the same Interior Ministry officials he accused. A Moscow court on Monday Jan. 28, 2012 set preliminary hearings in the posthumous trial for Feb. 18. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - This Monday, Nov. 30, 2009 file photo shows a portrait of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who died in jail, which is held by his mother Nataliya Magnitskaya, unseen, as she speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Moscow. Russia is preparing to put lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial, even though he is dead, in the latest twist in a case that has severely strained U.S.- Russian relations. Magnitsky, a lawyer for the Hermitage Capital fund, died in jail in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of colluding in stealing $230 million from the state. He was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion by the same Interior Ministry officials he accused. A Moscow court on Monday Jan. 28, 2012 set preliminary hearings in the posthumous trial for Feb. 18. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, File)

FILE - This Friday, Nov. 16, 2012 file photo shows a tombstone on the grave of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who died in jail, at a cemetery in Moscow. Russia is preparing to put lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial, even though he is dead, in the latest twist in a case that has severely strained U.S.- Russian relations. Magnitsky, a lawyer for the Hermitage Capital fund, died in jail in 2009 after accusing Russian officials of colluding in stealing $230 million from the state. He was arrested on suspicion of tax evasion by the same Interior Ministry officials he accused. A Moscow court on Monday Jan. 28, 2012 set preliminary hearings in the posthumous trial for Feb. 18. (AP Photo/Misha Japaridze, file)

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia is preparing to put lawyer Sergei Magnitsky on trial, even though he died in 2009, in the latest twist in a case that has become a byword for rampant Russian corruption and has severely strained U.S.-Russian relations.

The posthumous trial has already provoked outrage among rights groups who see the whistleblower's case as indicative of the rampant judicial abuse, skyrocketing graft, and blurred boundaries between the state and organized crime that have plagued Russia under President Vladimir Putin.

"The trial of a deceased person and the forcible involvement of his relatives is a dangerous precedent that would open a whole new chapter in Russia's worsening human rights record," Amnesty International said in a statement last week.

Prosecutors accuse Magnitsky and his former client, London-based investor William Browder, of a $230 million tax fraud carried out through subsidiaries of Browder's company, Hermitage Capital Management.

Magnitsky claimed in 2008 that the fraud was committed by an organized crime group who colluded with corrupt Interior Ministry to register themselves as the owners of three Hermitage subsidiaries, and then claim a $230 million tax rebate. He was arrested shortly after by the same officials and accused of stealing the money himself.

A year later, the 37-year-old Magnitsky died in jail of pancreatitis, after what supporters claim was a systematic torture campaign. A report by Russia's presidential human rights council found in July 2011 that Magnitsky had been repeatedly beaten and deliberately denied medical treatment.

"If they have the same investigators and judges try the case, then what are they going to say ? 'we're guilty and we should be punished?' It's obvious what's going to happen," Magnitsky's mother, Nataliya Magnitskaya, told The Associated Press last week.

Russia's top court ruled shortly after Magnitsky's death that posthumous trials were allowed, with the intention of allowing relatives to clear their loved ones' names. Though neither Magnitsky's relatives nor Browder say they asked for charges to be refiled, prosecutors reopened his case just days after the ruling.

A Moscow court on Monday set preliminary hearings in the case for Feb. 18. Browder is being tried in absentia; he has not been to Russia since he was banned from entering the country in 2005.

"To try a dead man is beyond evil," Browder told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday. "This is a politically directed prosecution - Putin and (Prime Minister Dmitry) Medvedev have both directed, have sent the instructions for the outcome of this case."

Evidence collected by Browder on a website, Russian Untouchables, indicates that the officials accused by Magnitsky became substantially wealthier after the tax rebate, spending vastly in excess of their meager official salaries on international travel, luxury cars, and prime real estate in Dubai.

Officials in Switzerland, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are attempting to trace portions of the $230 million rebate to banks in those countries.

Last December, tensions between the U.S. and Russia flared when Congress passed a law named after Magnitsky sanctioning officials Browder accuses of involvement in the fraud.

Putin at that time said that Magnitsky died of a heart attack and accused Browder of politicizing his death to distract from his own crimes.

Russia responded to the U.S. law by banning adoptions of Russian children by Americans and dropping charges against a prison doctor on trial for negligence in Magnitsky's death.

Browder says he hopes the European Union will pass its own Magnitsky act by the end of the year.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-01-28-EU-Russia-Magnitsky-Trial/id-f2dcc71a96624dfbaf6cdad2f8b328b1

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Apple Releases iOS 6.1, Improves Siri and iTunes Match

Today Apple released iOS 6.1, adding improvements to Siri and iTunes Match (among other things). Perhaps more exciting, however, is the greater likelihood that we'll finally see an untethered jailbreak for iOS 6.

While the update may let you buy movie tickets with your voice, make iTunes Match work a little better, and add LTE to several new international markets, iTunes 6.1 is the update jailbreaks have been waiting for. Generally a jailbreak isn't released until Apple releases their first major point update. Now that it's here, we'll hopefully see a jailbreak option surface sometime in February. In the meantime, however, you can enjoy some improved features and bug fixes courtesy of Apple. The update is available in iTunes or through your device directly in the Settings app (General -> Software Update).

iOS 6.1 released to all with Siri movie ticket support and iTunes Match improvements | The Verge

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/pPr0YW2hfCc/apple-releases-ios-61-improves-siri-and-itunes-match

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Smartphone sales rise 36 percent worldwide

Smartphone sales increase for the fourth quarter is in sharp contrast to the 6 decline in PC shipments. Smartphone sales accounted for 45 percent of mobile phone shipments, a new record.?

By Michael Liedtke,?AP Technology Writer / January 27, 2013

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Note II is displayed at the showroom of the company's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Friday. Samsung was tops in smartphone sales in the fourth quarter, shipping nearly 64 million devices for a 29 percent share of the global market. Apple was No. 2 with nearly 48 million shipments.

Ahn Young-joon/AP

Enlarge

Smartphone?shipments rose 36 percent worldwide in the fourth quarter as the sleek devices supplanted personal computers and other gadgets on holiday shopping lists, according to a report released Friday.

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The findings from the research firm International Data Corp. are the latest sign of the technology upheaval being wrought by the growing popularity of?smartphones?that can perform a wide variety of tasks, including surfing the Web and taking high-quality photos.

Companies whose fortunes are tied to the PC industry have been particularly hard hit by the shift to?smartphones?and tablet computers.

While some?smartphone?models were in short supply during the holiday season, fourth-quarter PC shipments fell by 6 percent from the previous year, according to another IDC report released earlier this month.

IDC estimates 219 million?smartphones?were shipped during the final three months of last year. That compares with nearly 161 million in the same 2011 period.?Smartphones accounted for about 45 percent of all mobile phone shipments in the fourth quarter, the highest percentage recorded by IDC.

Samsung Electronics Co. retained its bragging rights as the?smartphone sales leader, shipping nearly 64 million devices for a 29 percent share of the global market.

Apple Inc. ranked second with nearly 48 million iPhones shipped during the fourth quarter, translating into a market share of 22 percent.

For all of 2012, IDC estimated nearly 713 million?smartphones?were shipped worldwide, a 44 percent increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, annual PC shipments fell 3 percent from 2011, IDC said. It was the first annual decline since 2001.

Entering 2012, Apple held a slight edge over Samsung in the?smartphone?market. But Samsung sprinted past Apple in smartphone sales during the year as it introduced an array of models, most of which run on Google Inc.'s free Android software. Samsung's top-selling line, the Galaxy, boasts larger display screens than the iPhone and other features.

Apple alleges Samsung's devices illegally ripped off the iPhone's innovations. After a high-profile trial in federal court, a jury in San Jose, Calif. sided with some of the patent infringement claims last August and decided Samsung should pay more than $1 billion in damages. Samsung has been trying to overturn the verdict.

Lower-priced?smartphones?from Samsung and other device makers also have hurt Apple, whose slowing iPhone growth has contributed to a $250 billion decline in its market value since its stock price peaked in late September.

IDC says Huawei Technologies Ltd.'s emphasis on less expensive handsets helped it become the third largest?smartphone?maker with a market share of 5 percent at the end of the fourth quarter.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/cSXawXNoSAI/Smartphone-sales-rise-36-percent-worldwide

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Militant groups clash in NW Pakistan, 24 killed

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) ? A Pakistani official says clashes between two Islamic militant groups over control of a prized valley near the Afghan border have killed 24 people.

Arshad Khan of the Khyber tribal region said Saturday that the clashes started Friday when the main militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban captured a base of another militant group, Ansarul Islam, in the Tirah valley. Ansarul Islam then tried to retake the base, with fighting continuing into the next day.

A military officer speaking on condition of anonymity said most of the dead were militants but some local tribesmen were also killed.

The remote and mountainous valley is valued by militant groups as a base. It's difficult for the Pakistani military to enter and allows militants easy access to Afghanistan and other tribal agencies.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/militant-groups-clash-nw-pakistan-24-killed-072610952.html

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Joe's Health Calendar 1/26/13 Walk More Eat Less

Insectfest (Science for Kids)

Jan. 26 (today) 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.:?Come join the?World of Wonders Science Museum, 2 N. Sacramento St., Lodi,?for a day of insect-dedicated fun. The WOW Science Museum will be filled with a variety of insects brought to you by local stores and museums. In addition to the chance to touch some of their creepy crawlers, the WOW will offer temporary face tattoos, arts and crafts, and other bug-related activities. Come see what ?all the buzz? is about! Regular museum admission prices apply.

Kick Off New Year With Pledge to Your Health

Jan. 26 (today) 9 a.m.:?The fun, family-friendly St. Joseph?s 5K Fun Run/Walk for Wellness starts at?Maple and North California streets in Stockton. The race is a flat, double looping, 5km (3.1 mile) run/walk through University Park for people of all ages and fitness abilities. Last year, nearly 400 runners and walkers joined to kick off the new year with a pledge to a healthier lifestyle. Proceeds from this year?s Run/Walk for Wellness will benefit the St. Joseph?s CareVan. St. Joseph?s CareVan is a mobile health clinic that provides health care services for over 4,000 low-income, medically underserved and vulnerable individuals in Stockton. The CareVan decreases unnecessary hospitalizations including emergency department visits and assists patients in finding medical homes. Get your family, friends and co-workers to sign up today and have a great time giving back to the community. Kids and baby strollers are welcomed and encouraged. Registration is $35 and includes an event long-sleeve T-shirt and a goody bag. Children younger than 10 are $10. Each child participant will receive a medal courtesy of Fleet Feet Stockton. Registration and information:www.StJosephsCares.org?or Jenny Cooke at?(209) 461-3338?or?Jenny.Cooke@DignityHealth.org.

VA Offers Flu Vaccine to Veterans

The 10 facilities of the VA Palo Alto Health Care System are offering flu vaccinations to thousands of eligible California military veterans. While veterans are encouraged to request their flu vaccination during regularly scheduled appointments, walk-in clinics are available at the following locations and times. Current information from the VA Palo Alto Health Care System is always posted at?www.paloalto.va.gov?and?www.facebook.com/vapahcs:

• Stockton:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 7777 S. Freedom Road, French Camp; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Palo Alto:?3801 Miranda Ave.; Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Menlo Park:?795 Willow Road, Bldg. 321, Front Desk; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
• Livermore:?4951 Arroyo Road, Bldg. 62, Third Floor; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Capitola:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 1350 41st Ave., Suite 102; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Fremont:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 39199 Liberty St.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Modesto:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 1524 McHenry Ave.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Monterey:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 3401 Engineer Lane, Seaside; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• San Jose:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 80 Great Oaks Blvd.; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sonora:?Community Based Outpatient Clinic, 13663 Mono Way; Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CareVan Offers Free Daily Health Clinic

St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan offers a free health clinic for low-income and no-insurance individuals or families, 16 years old and older. Mobile health care services will be available to handle most minor urgent health care needs such as mild burns, bumps, abrasions, sprains, sinus and urinary tract infections, cold and flu. Clinics do not offer chronic care services such as high blood pressure and diabetes, unless noted. No narcotics prescriptions will be available. Information:?(209) 461-3471.?Clinic schedule is subject to change without notice. Walk-In appointments are available.

• Jan. 26 (today) 8 a.m. to noon:?St. Joseph?s 4th annual 5K Fun/Run Walk for Wellness at University Park, 1004 N. Grant St., Stockton. All proceeds will benefit St. Joseph?s CareVan Program.
• Jan. 28 (Monday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Dollar General, 310 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Stockton. Includes diabetes and blood pressure screening. This clinic is sponsored by St. Joseph?s Spirit Club members.
• Jan. 29 (Tuesday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Spanos School, 536 S. California St., Stockton.
• Jan. 30 (Wednesday) 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Rite Aid, 1050 N. Wilson Way, Stockton.
• Jan. 31 (Thursday) 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?San Joaquin County Fairgrounds: 1658 S. Airport Way, Stockton. A representative will be available to screen patients for insurance eligibility.

Your Diabetes Success Plan in Stockton

Jan. 29 (first of eight Tuesdays) 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan Program offers free eight-session diabetes class series on basics to a healthy life: diabetes overview and blood sugar monitoring; diabetes nutrition and exercise; heart health; diabetes medications; know your blood sugar numbers; basic carbohydrate counting; your diabetes success care plan; and putting the pieces together, ?Life?s Sweet Journey.??Arnold Rue Community Center Social Hall, 5758 Lorraine Ave., Stockton. Registration is not required. After attending six sessions, participants diagnosed with diabetes will receive a free glucometer. Information:(209) 461-3251?or?www.stjosephscares.org/diabetes.

Stockton Meth & Crime Town Hall

Jan. 31 (Thursday) 6:30 p.m.:?The Stockton Meth & Crime Town Hall will feature award-winning journalist Scott Thomas Anderson, who spent 18 months as an embedded reporter with Northern California law enforcement in order to produce his new book, ?Shadow People: How meth-driven crime is eating at the heart of rural America.? Stockton Mayor Anthony Silva will be a special guest. The free event will be at?San Joaquin County Behavioral Health Services, Conference Rooms A & B, 1212 N. California St., Stockton. Light refreshments will be served. Information: Carol at?(209) 323-0499. This event is sponsored by?Celebrate Life Meth Free, St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health Center and Anthem Blue Cross.

Support Heart Health for Women, Get Free Soup

Feb. 1 (Friday):?Mimi?s Caf? is dedicated to raising awareness for heart health and truly supporting the women we love. For 10 years, 627,000 women?s lives have been saved through the American Heart Association?s Go Red For Women movement, but the fight is far from over. Health is not an option and Mimi?s wants all their guests and teammates to join together to help prevent heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women. Mimi?s Cafe is again raising awareness and funds for Go Red For Women this February, American Heart Month, with its second annual campaign, Mimi?s Goes Red. Come into?Mimi?s Caf?, 5607 Pacific Ave., Stockton, on Feb. 1, the 10th National Wear Red day, wearing red and receive a free cup of Mimi?s Signature Soup. In addition, throughout the month, guests who donate $1 will receive a heart-shaped tribute card to inscribe and display in the restaurant to complement the iconic red dress standee and red d?cor. A $5 donation comes with a limited-edition sparkle red dress lapel pin, with 100 percent of all donations going directly to the American Heart Association. As a thank you, donors will receive up to $30 in Mimi?s savings. Every Tuesday throughout the month, as a show of appreciation, warm-hearted guests can also enjoy a complimentary cup of Mimi?s hot and savory soup with a donation. Information:(209) 952-1150.

Your Diabetes Success Plan in Manteca

Feb. 1 (first of eight Fridays) 9 to 11 a.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center CareVan Program offers free eight-session diabetes class series on basics to a healthy life: diabetes overview and blood sugar monitoring; diabetes nutrition and exercise; heart health; diabetes medications; know your blood sugar numbers; basic carbohydrate counting; your diabetes success care plan; and putting the pieces together, ?Life?s Sweet Journey.??Manteca Senior Center, 295 Cherry Lane, Manteca. Registration is not required. After attending six sessions, participants diagnosed with diabetes will receive a free glucometer. Information:?(209) 461-3251?orwww.stjosephscares.org/diabetes.

Give Kids a Smile Free Dental Services

Feb. 2 (Saturday) 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.:?Free dental screenings, cleanings, X-rays, fluoride and emergency treatments for children up to 17 years old will be offered atUniversity of the Pacific?s Chan Family Health Sciences Learning Center, 757 Brookside Road, Stockton. All children must be accompanied by an adult. The event, Give Kids a Smile Day, includes games, clowns and face painting. Give Kids a Smile is annually sponsored by the San Joaquin Dental Society in association with University of the Pacific. Services will be provided by volunteer dentists from the community and students from Pacific?s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Information:?www.sjds.org.

National Alliance on Mental Health: Family-to-Family Education Course

Feb. 2 (and 11 following Saturdays) 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:?NAMI presents a free series of 12 weekly education classes for friends and family of people with major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and co-occurring brain disorders. Classes will be held at?530 W. Acacia St., 2^nd?Floor, Stockton?(across from Dameron Hospital). Information:?(209) 468-3755.

Meet Lodi Hospital?s New Da Vinci Surgical Robot

Feb. 2 (Saturday) 2:30 to 4 p.m.:?Don?t miss the special da Vinci open house for the public in the main lobby of?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi.?The da Vinci technology allows surgeons to use the assistance of a robot for general, gynecological and urological surgeries. It offers less invasive surgeries and, because of its precision, the chance for greatly improved outcomes. Several Lodi Health surgeons have recently become certified experts with the technology, and they will be on hand to demonstrate their skills. And there will be a contest for those 18 and younger to name the robot. The winning entry will receive $250 for their college fund.

The Secrets of Baby Behavior

The Public Health Breastfeeding Initiative is pleased to bring this terrific four-hour training to San Joaquin County. Our goal is to spread these important?Baby Behaviormessages to hospital staff, health care providers and community organizations throughout the county. You are welcome to attend any session at any location, but pre-registration is required.?Click here for information?or contact Mary Woelfel at?(209) 468-3267?or?mwoelfel@sjcphs.org. Presented by the?UC Davis Human Lactation Center:

• Feb. 7 (Thursday) 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.:?San Joaquin General Hospital, French Camp; RSVP:?(209) 468-6914.
• Feb. 15 (Friday) 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 6 p.m.:?Sutter Tracy Community Hospital, Tracy; RSVP:?(209) 833-2419.
• March 15 (Friday) 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.:?Dameron Hospital, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 461-3136.
• March 25 (Monday) 7:45 to 11:45 a.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 467-6331.
• March 28 (Thursday) 1 to 5 p.m.:?Robert J. Cabral Agricultural Center, Stockton; RSVP:?(209) 468-3267.

Breastfeeding Class in Lodi

Feb. 7 (Thursday) 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. (or March 7):?Lodi Health offers ?Breastfeeding: Getting off to a Great Start,? a free, one-session class covering the advantages of breastfeeding, basic anatomy, the breastfeeding process, common problems and solutions. An additional breastfeeding class for working moms is held Tuesday, March 19, 6:30 to 8 p.m., and is available only to participants who have already attended ?Breastfeeding: Getting off to a Great Start.? Classes are held at?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi. Registration:?(209) 339-7520. Visit?www.lodihealth.org?for information.

Black Barbershop Free Health Screenings

Feb. 9 (Saturday) noon to 4 p.m.:?Free screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes during the annual Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, hosted by the University of the Pacific Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, will be held at three barbershops in Stockton. The program is part of a national outreach effort designed to bring awareness to the African American community about how important it is to obtain regular screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes. Those three illnesses have been identified as the leading causes of death in African Americans. The event is free and all are welcome to participate. Information: Adaeze Okeh at?(619) 245-9876?or?a_okeh@u.pacific.edu. The Black Barbershop screenings will be held at:

• Dudes and Divas, 345 N. California St., Stockton.
• Bay Kutz, 533 W. Harding Way, Stockton.
• Tru Barber Styles, 8037 West Lane, Suite A, Stockton.?

Healthy by Choice, Not by Chance

Feb. 10 (Sunday) 3 to 6 p.m.:?Manteca CHIP (Complete Health Improvement Program) presents its fourth annual Valentine?s Banquet at?Robert J. Cabral Agricultural Center, 2101 E. Earhart Ave., Stockton. It will feature vegetarian cuisine, entertainment, drawings and a presentation with featured guest Dr. Hans Diehl, founder of Manteca CHIP. Tickets: $35 for those 16 and older;?$30 early bird by Jan. 18. Information: Linda at?(209) 589-3807.

Free Mass Fatalities Planning and Response Training

Feb. 12 (Tuesday) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.:?The Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium (RDPC) is making it easier for emergency responders in the Northern San Joaquin Valley to be prepared for such events by delivering a free U.S. Department of Homeland Security-certified course in mass fatality planning and response for rural communities. This eight-hour instructor-led course will be offered at the?Stanislaus County Sheriff?s Regional Training Center, 3805 Cornucopia Way, Modesto, giving participants the basics of mass fatality response while providing the opportunities to exchange rural perceptions and brainstorm solutions to simulated emergencies.?Registration deadline is Jan. 29.?Click here to register.

Teaching Healthy Habits for Life: A Community Approach

Join the California Department of Education at one of four forums to forge partnerships among school districts and other agencies that provide nutrition education and promotion in your community. Explore how each organization?s structures, services and goals support students in discovering how to eat and have a healthy life. Together, we will strategize how best to leverage and share resources for the common goal of improving the health and academic success of students. Information: Heather Reed at?hreed@cde.ca.gov.

• Feb. 13:?San Jose.
• Feb. 21:?Woodland.
• March 6:?Fresno.
• March 15:?Los Angeles.

Total-Joint Replacement Class

Feb. 14 (Thursday) 1 p.m. knee class; 2 p.m. hip class (or Feb. 28):?Lodi Health?s Outpatient-Rehabilitation Services offers a free, educational class for those planning to have total joint-replacement surgery of the hip or knee at?Lodi Health West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi. Learn about preparations and exercises to do before surgery; the day of surgery and what to expect during the hospital stay; rehabilitation following surgery; techniques to decrease pain and swelling; and ways to promote maximum healing and return to normal function. Call?(209) 333-3136?for more information or to sign up for the class. Family and friends are welcome and encouraged to attend. For information on other classes, visit?www.lodihealth.org.

Asthmanology

Feb. 23 (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:?Asthmanology ? Aimed to bring asthma awareness and education to the community. Joined by Respiratory Works, the?World of Wonders Science Museum, 2 N. Sacramento St., Lodi,?will be filled with activities aimed to increase awareness of asthma. Educated staff from Respiratory Works will be on site to advocate and bring asthma education and awareness to kids and families. If you have asthma, know someone with asthma or want to learn more about asthma, this event is for you. Regular museum admission applies. Information:?(209) 368-0969?or?jen@wowsciencemuseum.org?orwww.wowsciencemuseum.org.

SALUD Outreach

Feb. 23 (Saturday) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:?University of the Pacific student pharmacists will be offering free screenings and health information at?The Market at San Joaquin Delta College, South Burke Bradley Road, Locke 3 Parking Lot, Stockton. Attendees can have their blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes checked and receive a health consultation. Admission and parking are free and Spanish speakers will be available. Information:?SALUDPacific@gmail.com.

Childbirth Preparation Class in Lodi

Feb. 23 (Saturday) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (or March 23):?Lodi Health?offers a complimentary one-day childbirth-preparation class at?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi. Call?(209) 339-7520?to register. For information on other classes, visit?www.lodihealth.org.

Planning a Career in Health Services?

Deadline Feb. 24 (Sunday):?Health Plan of San Joaquin?s Health Careers Scholarship Program awards up to 20 $2,500 scholarships to high school seniors from San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties to pursue a medical career.Click here for information and application.?Visit?www.hpsj.com?to learn more about Health Plan or contact Shani Richards at?(209) 461-2284?or?srichards@hpsj.com.

Volunteer for HICAP in Stockton and Lodi

Week of Feb. 25:?HICAP (Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program) volunteer counselors help people understand Medicare. Do you enjoy working with seniors? Are you energetic, computer-literate and interested in giving back to your community? Medicare is a complex and often confusing health insurance benefit for individuals 65 and older, as well as for younger disabled individuals. Would you like to help people understand Medicare and assist in the resolution of problems with Medicare or related health plans? Our counselors typically volunteer 20 hours per month during business hours.? We currently need additional counselors in Stockton & Lodi. HICAP Services of Northern California provides a comprehensive training and mentoring program. Our next training session will be held in West Sacramento and begins the last week of February.? Our counselors are registered with the California Department of Aging and provide services right here in San Joaquin County. If this sounds of interest to you, please contact HICAP about becoming a Registered HICAP Counselor. Get an application packet now from Susan Billings, assistant program manager, HICAP Services of Northern California, at?(916) 375-3761?or?sbillings@hicapservices.net.

Kidney Smart Class

Feb. 28 (Thursday) 2 to 4 p.m. (or March 28): Stockton Home Training Davita, 545 E. Cleveland St., Suite B, Stockton, has redesigned its free Community Kidney Disease Education classes offered monthly as space allows. Information:?(209) 944-9055.

Big-Brother/Big-Sister Class in Lodi

March 13 (Wednesday) 3 to 4:30 p.m.:?Lodi Health offers a free big-brother/big-sister preparation class at?Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi.?This class, for children ages 3 through 8, will help youngsters adjust to the arrival of the new baby. Registration:?(209) 339-7520. Information:www.lodihealth.org.

Diabetes Resources in San Joaquin County

Diabetes is a costly disease, both in terms of people?s health and well-being, and in terms of dollars spent on treatment, medications and lost days at work and school. San Joaquin County annually accounts for among the worst death rates from diabetes among all 58 California counties. In an attempt to make its estimated 60,000 residents with diabetes aware of the many local resources available to help them deal with the disease, a dozen billboards in English and Spanish have been posted around the county directing readers to the?UniteForDiabetesSJC.org?website. At that website is information on numerous free classes and programs that provide education and training on preventing diabetes, managing the disease, controlling its side effects, and links to more resources, including special events and finding a physician. For questions on how to navigate the website or find a class, residents may call Vanessa Armendariz, community project manager at the San Joaquin Medical Society, at(209) 952-5299. The billboards came about through the efforts of the Diabetes Work Group, a subcommittee of San Joaquin County Public Health?s Obesity and Chronic Disease Prevention Task Force. Funding was provided through a grant from Kaiser Permanente Community Benefit Programs Division-Central Valley Area.

Covered California Annual Report

The first-ever Covered California Annual Report has been delivered to the governor and Legislature and is now available online.?This annual report is statutorily required. A link to the annual report has been added to Covered California?s homepage at?www.hbex.ca.gov?or access the report using this?link.

Protect Yourself and Pets Against Extreme Cold

San Joaquin County residents can expect very cold weather over the next week or more, particularly overnight, and should take steps to protect themselves, their pets and livestock, according to San Joaquin County Public Health Services. ?Taking precautions and making preparations for extremely cold weather will reduce the risk of weather-related health injuries,? said county Health Officer Dr. Karen Furst. ?Exposure to extreme cold can cause injury or serious health conditions. Those especially at risk during cold weather include seniors, infants and other vulnerable people,? Furst said. Tips to stay healthy and safe during cold weather include the following:

• Maintain a heated environment inside your home. Have extra blankets on hand. Be aware that space heaters can be a fire risk. Choose heaters with an automatic shut-off switch and nonglowing elements.
• If you do not have heat, go to a friend or family member?s home or local shelter.
• Do not bring outdoor heating devices into the home (e.g. barbecues and other cooking equipment) because they can produce deadly carbon monoxide (visit CDC athttp://www.cdc.gov/CDCTV/QuietKiller/index.html).
• Regularly check on family members or neighbors who are elderly or have special needs, especially if they live alone.
• If you live alone, keep in contact with friends and family.
• Wear several layers of lightweight and warm clothing, a hat and mittens, and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs when outside.
• Avoid heavy exertion in the cold; cold weather can put added strain on the heart. If you must work outdoors, dress warmly and work slowly.
• Be cautious when traveling; check road conditions before traveling and let others know of your route and estimated time of arrival. Keep extra blankets, food and water in your vehicle.
• Move family pets indoors or to an enclosure out of the elements. Likewise, protect livestock or other large animals from the cold weather. Make sure they have access to unfrozen water.
• Insulate pipes and allow faucets to drip slowly during cold weather to avoid freezing; learn how to shut off water valves (in case a pipe bursts).

The most common cold-related health problems are frostbite and hypothermia:

• Frostbite results in a loss of feeling and color in affected areas of the body. It most often affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers or toes and can permanently damage the body.
• Hypothermia occurs when the body is exposed to very cold temperatures and begins to lose heat. In adults, hypothermia can appear as shivering, confusion, memory loss, fumbling hands, numbness or slurred speech. Children may have very low energy and cold skin that appears red. If any of these signs appear, the person?s temperature should be checked. Individuals with temperatures below 95 degrees Fahrenheit require medical attention immediately.?San Joaquin County residents who have an emergency related to the cold weather should call 911.

Other common symptoms of cold-related health problems to be aware of include: stiff muscles, slowed breathing, dizziness, puffy face and waxy or discolored skin. If you need emergency medical attention, call your physician or 911 immediately. County officials will continue to monitor the weather conditions. Additional tips to stay healthy and safe during cold weather are available on the San Joaquin County Public Health Services website,?http://www.sjcphs.org/.

Better Mommy Care Will Improve Community

First 5 San Joaquin invites you to partner with us to help expecting and new parents give their baby the best possible start in life, and help keep new moms in good emotional and physical health. Statistics show that the earlier a woman starts prenatal care, the healthier she and her baby will be. San Joaquin County ranks near the
bottom in infant mortality, low birth weights and prenatal care. However, there is much we can all do to address this and help to ensure that new and expecting mothers receive the best ?mommy care? possible.?Read on for?more information and resources to assist you in your efforts!

Baby With Birth Defect Born Every 4? Minutes

January:?Every 4? minutes, a baby is born with a major birth defect in the United States. January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month, a time to focus on raising awareness about the frequency with which birth defects occur and of the steps that can be taken to prevent them.?While not all birth defects can be prevented, there are things a woman can do get ready for a healthy pregnancy. In light of this, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has put together a site filled with guidelines, quotes, and rights-free resources on how to manage health conditions and adopt healthy behaviors before, during, and after pregnancy.?View CDC?site here.

CHNA.org?is a free web-based platform designed to assist hospitals (with particular attention to critical access and other smaller facilities), nonprofit organizations, state and local health departments, financial institutions, and other organizations seeking to better understand the needs and assets of their communities, and to collaborate to make measurable improvements in community health and well-being.

State Makes it Easier to Dispute Health Plan

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) launched?a new secure, easy-to-use online form?to allow Californians to file complaints regarding their health plan quickly and easily from any computer.?The portal?(click here), available in both English and Spanish, enables consumers to request an external review of a health plan?s denial of medical services, known as an Independent Medical Review.? Previously, health plan enrollees had to submit the required forms and paperwork via mail or fax. ?With more Californians to gain health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, this new online portal will ensure there is a fast and easy way for them to get the care they are entitled to,? said Diana Dooley, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency. Each year, the DMHC receives and resolves approximately 4,000 complaints from health plan members. Topics range from issues relating to access to care, claims, enrollment, benefits or coordination of care. Additionally, the DMHC annually administers approximately 1,700 Independent Medical Reviews of a health plan denial of service. These reviews are conducted by independent doctors not affiliated with the health plan.??This new online portal will help more Californians take advantage of the free health care assistance available through the Department of Managed Health Care?s Help Center,? said Brent Barnhart, DMHC director. The DMHC also unveiled two new online videos explaining the services available through the DMHC Help Center. Independent Medical Review process:?http://youtu.be/zUjzcAVqjqY. Services available through the DMHC Help Center:?http://youtu.be/zIbsB_1lz6Y. The secure complaint portal and online videos were funded through a federal Affordable Care Act grant. The DMHC regulates managed care health plans in California, protects the rights of approximately 20 million health plan enrollees, educates consumers on their health care rights and responsibilities, and preserves the financial stability of the managed health care system. Since 2000, the department has helped more than 1 million Californians resolve health plan problems through its Help Center. Information and assistance is available 24/7 at?www.HealthHelp.ca.gov?or by calling?(888) 466-2219.

No Time Like Now to?GET FIT!

First 5 San Joaquin invites you to partner with us to help families and communities in San Joaquin County?GET FIT!?Recent reports indicate that 1 in 5 children between 2-5 years old are already overweight or obese.? More than two-thirds of obese children will become obese adults.? Obesity can cause health problems that may include high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and elevated blood cholesterol levels.? Children who are physically fit are less likely to suffer from chronic diseases in childhood and adulthood, and are more likely to become physically active adults. This quarter?s health messaging efforts will focus on equipping educators and advocates with resources to help families to?GET FIT.??Read on for more information and resources to assist you in your efforts.?Join the movement to help families make the change!

Senior Gateway?Website: Don?t Be a Victim

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has unveiled a new consumer protection tool for California seniors, who have traditionally been prime targets for con artists. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) is hosting a new Web site?www.seniors.ca.gov?to educate seniors and their advocates and provide helpful information about how to avoid becoming victims of personal or financial abuse. The Web site, called?Senior Gateway, is important because seniors, including older veterans, are disproportionately at risk of being preyed upon financially and subjected to neglect and abuse. The Senior Gateway is sponsored by the Elder Financial Abuse Interagency Roundtable (E-FAIR), convened by CDI and includes representatives from many California agencies who share a common purpose of safeguarding the welfare of California?s seniors. ?The goal of this collaborative effort is to assemble, in one convenient location, valuable information not only for seniors, but their families and caregivers. This site will help California seniors find resources and solve problems, and will enable participating agencies to better serve this important segment of our population,? Jones said. The site offers seniors valuable tips and resources in the following areas, and more:

• Avoiding and reporting abuse and neglect by in-home caregivers or in facilities; learn about different types of abuse and the warning signs.
• Preventing and reporting financial fraud, abuse and scams targeting seniors.
• Understanding health care, insurance, Medicare and long-term care; know what long-term care includes.
• Locating services and programs available to assist older adults.
• Knowing your rights before buying insurance; what seniors need to know about annuities.
• Investing wisely and understanding the ins and outs of reverse mortgages.

The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box

The?Central Valley Health Policy Institute?based at Fresno State has developed an Affordable Care Act Policy Education Tool, ?The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box,? to be offered to community organizations and members of the public. The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box can be described as a basic curriculum and process for introducing the Affordable Care Act, understanding its flaws, options for improvement and understanding the Romney/Ryan voucher care alternative. ?It?s a nice, objective, nonpartisan presentation,? said Dr. John Capitman, executive director of the Central Valley Health Policy Institute. ?People learn tools that can be used for making their own judgments about health care reform.? Included in The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box is a complete power point presentation with a full script and accompanying participant workbook. The workbook provides a frame through which health care policy should be examined, as well as an examination of the ACA and Ryan/Romney proposal. The Workshop-in-a-Box also includes a supporting glossary, reference section, quick sheets and current health care policy news. The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box is designed so that even a health care policy novice can learn, examine and understand the ACA in a way that allows them the capacity to engage others in the debate around current health care policy options in the U.S. ?We will facilitate workshops with organizations that request the service and will also provide the Workshop-in-a-Box to others in the hopes that they facilitate The Great Health Care Debate Workshop in their own communities or organizations,? Capitman said. To request The Great Health Care Debate Workshop-in-a-Box or to schedule a workshop,?contact Dr. John Capitman at (559) 228-2159.

Affordable Care Act Toolkits

As consumers, businesses and health plans continue to prepare for full implementation of the Affordable Care Act in 2014, the California Department of Managed Health Care has released a?series of toolkits?to educate Californians about the changes that have already occurred in the health care system. ?The Affordable Care Act puts in place strong new consumer protections, provides additional coverage options and gives people more tools to make informed choices about their health care,? DMHC Director Brent Barnhart said. ?These toolkits?are designed to ensure that individuals, families, seniors and businesses are aware of the ways they can benefit from these changes in our health care system.??The four toolkits?are designed to provide information and resources targeted to individuals, families, seniors and small businesses and contain audience specific questions and answers, a resource guide, and fact sheets on topics such as: when a plan can cancel your coverage; how to file a grievance or appeal; how to keep your coverage through a ?grandfathered? health plan; getting the most from your health care dollars; and the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP). The?toolkits?were funded through a federal Affordable Care Act consumer assistance grant.

$5,000 Grants Help Pay for Children?s Medical Expenses

UnitedHealthcare Children?s Foundation (UHCCF)?is seeking grant applications from families in need of financial assistance to help pay for their child?s health care treatments, services or equipment not covered, or not fully covered, by their commercial health insurance plan. Qualifying families can receive up to $5,000 to help pay for medical services and equipment such as physical, occupational and speech therapy, counseling services, surgeries, prescriptions, wheelchairs, orthotics, eyeglasses and hearing aids. To be eligible for a grant, children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic guidelines, reside in the United States and have a commercial health insurance plan. Grants are available for medical expenses families have incurred 60 days prior to the date of application as well as for ongoing and future medical needs. Parents or legal guardians may apply for grants at?www.uhccf.org, and there is no application deadline. Organizations or private donors can make tax-deductible donations to the foundation at this website. In 2011, UHCCF awarded more than 1,200 grants to families across the United States for treatments associated with medical conditions such as cancer, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, diabetes, hearing loss, autism, cystic fibrosis, Down syndrome, ADHD and cerebral palsy.

Facts About Fruits and Vegetables

Click here?for lots of great information about fruits and vegetables.

We?re FAT!

Here are the latest statistics?on Stockton and surrounding cities on overweight and obesity.

Questions About Health Reform Law?

• How are small businesses affected by health reform?
• Will everyone have to buy health insurance?
• How will the new provision allowing young adults to remain on a parent?s insurance work?

The FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) section of the Kaiser Family Foundation?s new Health Reform Source provides concise answers to common questions about the health reform law. You can search for your question or submit a new question if yours is not addressed.?http://healthreform.kff.org/faq.aspx. Additional questions addressing the affordability of health insurance, how programs like Medicare and Medicaid (Medi-Cal in California) will be financed under health reform and others are addressed in a series of Video Explainer clips featuring foundation experts answering specific questions about the law on a variety of health policy topics.http://healthreform.kff.org/video-explainers.aspx. Kaiser?s Health Reform Source,?http://healthreform.kff.org, an online gateway providing easy access to new and comprehensive resources on the health reform law, provides these and other new features and tools including an interactive timeline showing when health-reform provisions take effect, all the latest polling data, links to other information resources, and the latest health-reform headlines from Kaiser Health News.

Journey to Control Diabetes Education Program

Mondays 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital offers a free diabetes education program, with classes held in the?Dameron Hospital Annex, 445 W. Acacia St., Stockton. Preregistration is required. Contact Carolyn Sanders, RN, at?c.sanders@dameronhospital.org,?(209) 461-3136?or?(209) 461-7597.

Man-to-Man Prostate Cancer Support Group

First Monday of Month 7 to 9 p.m.: Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?holds a support group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and their families and caregivers. The meetings are facilitated by trained volunteers who are prostate cancer survivors. Information: Ernest Pontiflet at?(209) 952-9092.

Crystal Meth Anonymous Recovery Group

Mondays 6:30 p.m.:?825 Central Ave., Lodi. Information:?(209) 430-9780?or?(209) 368-0756.

Yoga for People Dealing with Cancer

Mondays 5:30 to 7 p.m.:?This free weekly Yoga & Breathing class for cancer patients will help individuals sleep better and reduce pain. This class is led by yoga instructor Chinu Mehdi in Classrooms 1 and 2, St. Joseph?s Medical Center, 1800 N. California St., Stockton. Information:?(209) 467-6550?or?SJCancerInfo@dignityhealth.org.

Respiratory Support Group for Better Breathing

First Tuesday of month 10 to 11 a.m.:?Lodi Health?s Respiratory Therapy Department?and the American Lung Association of California Valley Lode offer a free ?Better Breathers?? respiratory-support group for people and their family members with breathing problems including asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. Participants will learn how to cope with chronic lung disease, understand lungs and how they work and use medications and oxygen properly. The group meets at?Lodi Health West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi.?Pre-registration is recommended by calling?(209) 339-7445. For information on other classes available at Lodi Memorial, visit its website at?www.lodihealth.org.

The Beat Goes On Cardiac Support Group

First Tuesday of month 11 a.m. to noon:?Lodi Health offers a free cardiac support group at?Lodi Health West, 800 S. Lower Sacramento Road, Lodi. ?The Beat Goes On? cardiac support group is a community-based nonprofit group that offers practical tools for healthy living to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers. Its mission is to provide community awareness that those with heart disease can live well through support meetings and educational forums. Upcoming topics include exercise, stress management and nutrition counseling services. All are welcomed to attend. Information:?(209) 339-7664.

Planned Childbirth Services

Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?hosts a four-class series which answers questions and prepares mom and her partner for labor and birth. Bring two pillows and a comfortable blanket or exercise mat to each class. These classes are requested during expecting mother?s third trimester. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Say Yes to Breastfeeding

Tuesdays 6 to 8 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers a class that outlines the information and basic benefits and risk management of breastfeeding. Topics include latching, early skin-to-skin on cue, expressing milk and helpful hints on early infant feeding. In addition, the hospital offers a monthly Mommy and Me-Breastfeeding support group where mothers, babies and hospital clerical staff meet the second Monday of each month. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Precious Preemies

Second Tuesday of the month, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.:?Precious Preemies: A Discussion Group for Families Raising Premature Infants and Infants with Medical Concerns required registration and is held at?Family Resource Network, Sherwood Executive Center, 5250 Claremont Ave., Suite 148, Stockton. Information:?www.frcn.org/calendar.asp?or?(209) 472-3674?or?(800) 847-3030.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous

Are you having trouble controlling the way you eat? Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous (FA) is a free Twelve Step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia. For more information or a list of additional meetings throughout the U.S. and the world, call?(781) 932-6300?or visit?www.foodaddicts.org.

• Tuesdays 7 p.m.:?Modesto Unity Church, 2547 Veneman Ave., Modesto.
• Wednesdays 9 a.m.:?The Episcopal Church of Saint Anne, 1020 W. Lincoln Road, Stockton.
• Saturdays 9 a.m.:?Tracy Community Church, 1790 Sequoia Blvd. at Corral Hollow, Tracy.

Break From Stress

Wednesdays 6 to 7 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Medical Center offers the community a break from their stressful lives with Break from Stress sessions. These sessions are free, open to the public, with no pre-registration necessary. Just drop in, take a deep breath and relax through a variety of techniques. Break from Stress sessions are held in St. Joseph?s Cleveland Classroom (behind HealthCare Clinical Lab on California Street just north of the medical center. Information:SJCancerInfo@DignityHealth.org?or?(209) 467-6550.

Mother-Baby Breast Connection

Wednesdays 1 to 3 p.m.:?Join a lactation consultant for support and advice on the challenges of early breastfeeding. Come meet other families and attend as often as you like. A different topic of interest will be offered each week with time for breastfeeding assistance and questions.?Pre-registration is required. Call?(209) 467-6331. St. Joseph?s Medical Center, Pavilion Conference Room (1st?floor), 1800 N. California St., Stockton.

Adult Children With Aging Relatives

Second Wednesday of month 4:30 p.m.:?Lodi Health offers an Adult Children with Aging Relatives support group at the?Hutchins Street Square Senior Center. Information:?(209) 369-4443?or?(209) 369-6921.

Smoking Cessation Class in Lodi

Wednesdays 3 to 4 p.m.:?Lodi Health?offers an eight-session smoking-cessation class for those wishing to become smoke free. Classes are held weekly in the?Lodi Health Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department at Lodi Memorial Hospital, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi. Topics covered include benefits of quitting; ways to cope with quitting; how to deal with a craving; medications that help with withdrawal; and creating a support system. Call the Lodi Health Lung Health Line at?(209) 339-7445?to register.

Individual Stork Tours At Dameron

Wednesdays 5 to 7 p.m.: Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers 30 minute guided tours that provide expecting parents with a tour of Labor/Delivery, the Mother-Baby Unit and an overview of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. New mothers are provided information on delivery services, where to go and what to do once delivery has arrived, and each mother can create an individual birthing plan. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Brain Builders Weekly Program

Thursdays 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.:?Lodi Health and the?Hutchins Street Square Senior Center?offer ?Brain Builders,? a weekly program for people in the early stages of memory loss. There is a weekly fee of $25. Registration is required. Information or to register, call?(209) 369-4443?or?(209) 369-6921.

Infant CPR and Safety

Second Thursday of month 5 to 7 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers a class to family members to safely take care of their newborn.? Family members are taught infant CPR and relief of choking, safe sleep and car seat safety.? Regarding infant safety, the hospital offers on the fourth Thursday of each month from 5 to 7 p.m. a NICU/SCN family support group. This group is facilitated by a Master Prepared Clinical Social Worker and the Dameron NICU staff with visits from the hospital?s neonatologist. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Group Meetings for Alzheimer?s Patients, Caregivers

Thursdays 10 to 11:30 a.m.:?The Alzheimer?s Aid Society of Northern California in conjunction with Villa Marche residential care facility conducts a simultaneous Caregiver?s Support Group and Patient?s Support Group at?Villa Marche, 1119 Rosemarie Lane, Stockton. Caregivers, support people or family members of anyone with dementia are welcome to attend the caregiver?s group, led by Rita Vasquez. It?s a place to listen, learn and share. At the same time, Alzheimer?s and dementia patients can attend the patient?s group led by Sheryl Ashby. Participants will learn more about dementia and how to keep and enjoy the skills that each individual possesses. There will be brain exercises and reminiscence. The meeting is appropriate for anyone who enjoys socialization and is able to attend with moderate supervision. Information:?(209) 477-4858.

Clase Gratuita de Diabetes en Espa?ol

Cada segundo Viernes del mes:?Participantes aprender?n los fundamentos sobre la?observaci?n de az?car de sangre, comida saludable, tama?os de porci?n y medicaciones. Un educador con certificado del control de diabetes dar? instruccion sobre la autodirecci?n durante de esta clase. Para mas informaci?n y registraci?n:?(209) 461-3251. Aprenda m?s de los programas de diabetes en el sitio electronico de St. Joseph?s:www.StJosephsCares.org/Diabetes

Nutrition on the Move Class

Fridays 11 a.m. to noon: Nutrition Education Center at Emergency Food Bank, 7 W. Scotts Ave., Stockton.? Free classes are general nutrition classes where you?ll learn about the new My Plate standards, food label reading, nutrition and exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, and other tips. Information:?(209) 464-7369?or?www.stocktonfoodbank.org.

Crystal Meth Anonymous Recovery Group

Fridays 6 p.m.:?St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health (in trailer at the rear of building), 2510 N. California St., Stockton. Information:?(209) 461-2000.

Free Diabetes Class in Spanish

Second Friday of every month:?Participants will learn the basics about blood sugar monitoring, healthy foods, portion sizes, medications and self-management skills from a certified diabetic educator during this free class.?St. Joseph?s Medical Center, 1800 N. California St., Stockton.?Information and registration:?(209) 461-3251.Learn more on St. Joseph?s diabetes programs at?www.StJosephsCares.org/Diabetes.

All Day Prepared Childbirth Class

Third Saturday of month 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?offers community service educational class of prebirth education and mentoring. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN?(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Big Brother/Big Sister

Second Sunday of month:?Dameron Hospital, 525 W. Acacia St., Stockton,?has a one-hour class meeting designed specifically for newborn?s siblings. Topics include family role, a labor/delivery tour and a video presentation which explains hand washing/germ control and other household hygiene activities. This community service class ends with a Certification of Completion certificate. Information/registration: Carolyn Sanders, RN(209) 461-3136?or?www.Dameronhospital.org.

Outpatient Program Aimed at Teens

Two programs:?Adolescents face a number of challenging issues while trying to master their developmental milestones. Mental health issues (including depression), substance abuse and family issues can hinder them from mastering the developmental milestones that guide them into adulthood. The Adolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offered by?St. Joseph?s Behavioral Health Center, 2510 N. California St., Stockton, is designed for those individuals who need comprehensive treatment for their mental, emotional or chemical dependency problems. This program uses Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to present skills for effective living. Patients learn how to identify and change distorted thinking, communicate effectively in relationships and regain control of their lives. The therapists work collaboratively with parents, doctors and schools. They also put together a discharge plan so the patient continues to get the help they need to thrive into adulthood.

• Psychiatric Adolescent IOP meets Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 4 to 7:30 p.m.
• Chemical Recovery Adolescent IOP meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.

For more information about this and other groups,?(209) 461-2000?and ask to speak with a behavioral evaluator or visit?www.StJosephsCanHelp.org.

Stork Tours in Lodi

Parents-to-be are offered individual tours of the?Lodi Memorial Hospital Maternity Department, 975 S. Fairmont Ave., Lodi.?Prospective parents may view the labor, delivery and recovery areas of the hospital and ask questions of the nursing staff. Phone?(209) 339-7879?to schedule a tour. For more information on other classes offered by Lodi Health, visit?www.lodihealth.org.

Click here?for Community Medical Centers (Channel Medical Clinic, San Joaquin Valley Dental Group, etc.) website.

Click here?for Dameron Hospital?s?Event Calendar.

Click here?for Doctors Hospital of Manteca?Events finder.

Click here?for Hill Physicians website.

Click here?for Kaiser Central Valley News and Events

Click here?for Lodi Memorial Hospital?Event Calendar.

Click here?for Mark Twain St. Joseph?s Hospital?Classes and Events.

Click here?to find a Planned Parenthood Health Center near you.

Click here?for San Joaquin General Hospital?website.

Click here?for St. Joseph?s Medical Center?s?Classes and Events.

Click here?for Sutter Gould news.?Click here?for Sutter Gould calendar of events.

Click here?for Sutter Tracy Community Hospital?events, classes and support groups.

San Joaquin County Public Health Services General Information

Ongoing resources for vaccinations and clinic information are:

1. Public Health Services Influenza website,?www.sjcphs.org
2. Recorded message line at?(209) 469-8200, extension 2# for English and 3# for Spanish.
3. For further information, individuals may call the following numbers at Public Health Services:

• For general vaccine and clinic questions, call?(209) 468-3862;
• For medical questions, call?(209) 468-3822.

Health officials continue to recommend these precautionary measures to help protect against acquiring influenza viruses:

1. Wash your hands often with soap and water or use alcohol based sanitizers.
2. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve, when you cough or sneeze.
3. Stay home if you are sick until you are free of a fever for 24 hours.
4. Get vaccinated.

Public Health Services Clinic Schedules (Adults and Children)

Immunization clinic hours are subject to change depending on volume of patients or staffing. Check the Public Health Services website for additional evening clinics or special clinics at?www.sjcphs.org. Clinics with an asterisk?(*)?require patients to call for an appointment.

Stockton Health Center: 1601 E. Hazelton Ave.; (209) 468-3830.

• Immunizations: Monday 1-4 p.m.; Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thursday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.; Friday 8-11 a.m.
• Travel clinic*: Thursday 8-11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.
• Health exams*: Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Friday 8-11 a.m.
• Sexually transmitted disease clinic: Wednesday 3-6 p.m. and Friday 1-4 p.m., walk-in and by appointment.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: Tuesday; second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
• HIV testing: Tuesday 1-4 p.m.; Thursday 1-4 p.m.

Manteca Health Center: 124 Sycamore Ave.; (209) 823-7104 or (800) 839-4949.

• Immunizations: Wednesday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: first and third Wednesday 3-6 p.m.
• HIV testing: first Wednesday 1:30-4 p.m.

Lodi Health Center: 300 W. Oak St.; (209) 331-7303 or (800) 839-4949.

• Immunizations: Friday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
• Tuberculosis clinic*: Friday 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m.
• HIV testing: second and fourth Friday 1:30-4 p.m.

WIC (Women, Infants & Children) Program

Does your food budget need a boost? The WIC Program can help you stretch your food dollars. This special supplemental food program for women, infants and children serves low-income women who are currently pregnant or have recently delivered, breastfeeding moms, infants, and children up to age 5. Eligible applicants receive monthly checks to use at any authorized grocery store for wholesome foods such as fruits and vegetables, milk and cheese, whole-grain breads and cereals, and more. WIC shows you how to feed your family to make them healthier and brings moms and babies closer together by helping with breastfeeding. WIC offers referrals to low-cost or free health care and other community services depending on your needs. WIC services may be obtained at a variety of locations throughout San Joaquin County:

Stockton?(209) 468-3280

• Public Health Services WIC Main Office, 1145 N. Hunter St.: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; open two Saturdays a month.
• Family Health Center, 1414 N. California St.: Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.
• CUFF (Coalition United for Families), 2044 Fair St.: Thursday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.
• Taylor Family Center, 1101 Lever Blvd.: Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Transcultural Clinic, 4422 N. Pershing Ave. Suite D-5: Tuesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

?Manteca??(209) 823-7104

• Public Health Services, 124 Sycamore Lane: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

?Tracy?(209) 831-5930

• Public Health Services, 205 W. Ninth St.: Monday, Wednesday 8 a.m. to noon, 1 to 5 p.m.

Flu Vaccine Available at Calaveras Public Health Department

Recent news reports of an expected severe flu season in 2013 have created an interest in receiving flu vaccine. The Calaveras County Public Health Department encourages residents who have not been vaccinated to do so soon. ?Flu cases in the U.S. have occurred earlier than normal and the severity of the flu this year is greater,? reported Dr. Dean Kelaita, county health officer. State and county health officials anticipate increased flu activity in California in the coming weeks and urge vaccination now.? ?Getting vaccinated now allows time for immunity to develop from the vaccine before cases increase,? Kelaita said. People at high risk for complications from the flu, include:

• Children aged 6 months until their 5th birthday
• Pregnant women
• People 50 years of age and older
• People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long term care facilities

All individuals over 6 months of age are recommended to get flu vaccine to protect young infants and high risk family members. Medi-Cal and Medicare are accepted. Fee: $16, but no one is turned away for inability to pay. Information:?(209) 754-6460?or?www.calaveraspublichealth.com. Vaccination clinics:

• Mondays 3 to 5 p.m.:?Calaveras County Public Health Department, 700 Mountain Ranch Road, Suite C-2, San Andreas.
• Third Tuesday monthly 3 to 5:30 p.m.:?Valley Springs United Methodist Church, 135 Laurel, Valley Springs.
• Thursdays 8 a.m. to noon:?Calaveras County Public Health Department, 700 Mountain Ranch Road, Suite C-2, San Andreas.

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What You Need to Know About Joe?s Health Calendar

Have a health-oriented event the public in San Joaquin County should know about? Let me know at?jgoldeen@recordnet.com?and I?ll get it into my Health Calendar. I?m not interested in promoting commercial enterprises here, but I am interested in helping out nonprofit and/or community groups, hospitals, clinics, physicians and other health-care providers. Look for five categories: Community Events, News, Ongoing, Hospitals & Medical Groups, and Public Health.?TO THE PUBLIC:?I won?t list an item here from a source that I don?t know or trust. So I believe you can count on what you read here. If there is a problem, please don?t hesitate to let me know at?(209) 546-8278?or?jgoldeen@recordnet.com.?Thanks, Joe

Source: http://blogs.esanjoaquin.com/stockton-health-care/2013/01/26/joes-health-calendar-12613/

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