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Just a reminder, that Christopher Curtin, chocolatier and owner of Eclat Chocolate will be on the "Wellness 411 Show" live today at 4:30 on WCHE1520am. Listen to how healthy dark chocolate is for you:)

Also I will be on Bill Worndel's expert panel discussing the physical and mental challenges of the overuse injury in our children. Bill will have trainers, coaches and myself discussing this hot topic.

Tune in today at 1:30 on WCHE1520 to hear the round table discussion on this very important community issue.

A study released this week from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that 42% of Americans will be OBESE by the year 2030! The reports also predicts that the proportion of Americans who are severely obese, meaning more than 100 pounds, will reach 11%. This is about double the current rate.

What is most disturbing for me in this study, is that it reveals the price tag of obesity. It is predicted that this will cost Americans $550 Billion dollars for obesity-related health care costs.

SO WAKE UP! This disease will bankrupt us!

As individuals and as community members, we have an obligation to embrace a healthy lifestyle. We will not be perfect, but we need to try! Start by eating healthier options, engage in more exercise, educate our children on healthy choices. Get our children away from the internet and video games...kick them outside. How many of you had a mother like mine that said, "Go outside and play and I do not want to see you unless you are bleeding." Really...We know that 50% of severe obesity in adults is a consequence of obesity in childhood.

Start today! Take small successful steps toward a more healthy lifestyle, it will make a difference in all our futures.

Got high blood pressure?  Try a truffle.  Worried about heart disease?  Buy a bon-bon.  It is the best medical news in ages!  The latest study by researchers at San Diego University says dark chocolate - not white chocolate or milk chocolate - is good for you!

Dark chocolate has the highest concentrations of flavonoids of all chocolates.  Flavonoids are compounds produced by plants that function as important pigment molecules.  Since chocolate is made from plants, it will contain many of the same health benefits of dark vegetables.

Flavonoids act as antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease.  Dark chocolate contains nearly 8 times the number of antioxidants as strawberries.  Flavonoids also lower blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide.  This will also reduce LDL cholesterol by up to 10%.

Dark chocolate increases blood flow, which is good in a number of ways.  Increased blood flow to the brain will help in cognitive function.  It will also help reduce the risk of stroke.  Dark chocolate keeps your blood vessels healthy and your circulation unimpaired to protect against Type II Diabetes.  The flavonoids help reduce insulin resistance by helping your cells to function normally.  Dark chocolate also has a low glycemic index, meaning it will not cause huge spikes in blood sugar levels.

Researchers have revealed that apart from protecting your heart dark chocolate tastes good, contains less fat, stimulates endorphins, contains seratonin (an anti-depressant) and theobromine (hardens tooth enamel).

Full of vitamins and minerals, dark chocolate is a sure bet for a sweet, healthy snack.  Unfortunately this does not give you the excuse to overindulge.  Chocolate is still a high calorie food.  The study suggests about 3.5 ounces of dark chocolate per day to get the above health benefits.

Tune into "The Wellness 411 Show" on Tuesday, May 15th at 4:40 p.m. on WCHE1520 to hear my guest Christopher Curtin, chocolatier and owner of nationally acclaimed Eclat Chocolate, discuss more about his journey and the health benefits of chocolate.  You can "Like" me on Facebook at DrLauren.

Careercast.com is out with its best and worst jobs of 2012. Using a methodology that looked at the dynamics of: physical demands, work environment , income, stress and hiring outlook, Careerlist.com ranked the top 200 jobs. They also ranked the jobs with the most stress. Not surprisingly, NONE of the most stressful jobs showed up on the best job list!

At the top of the list is software engineer and at the bottom of the list is the lumberjack. And for the most dangerous job, expect to earn little more than $32,000. That is about $56,000 less than the software engineer.

Go to www.careercast.com/jobs-rated to see all the jobs rated.

By the way...Chiropractic rated at 32nd best job out of 200...not bad:)

The 3rd Annual Health Rankings were released this week. CHESTER COUNTY RANKED SECOND among the 67 counties in Pennsylvania!

Congrats!

The factors that influence health rankings are: education, available primary care and social support.

Continue to stay healthy!

Released March 21, 2012

Memorandum from the House of Representatives, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Representative Seth Grove

Subject: Rep. Seth Grove will be introducing legislation that will clarify that electric-assist bicycles are not motorized vehicles.

I will soon be introducing legislation creating a new and separate definition in the Vehicle Code of electric-assist bicycles in order to clarify that electric-assist bicycles are not motorized vehicles and therefore are not subject to vehicle registration, inspection, titling or insurance requirements.

Currently, Pennsylvania law classifies electric-assist bicycles as motorized pedalcycles (mopeds) and requires them to be registered, insured and titled. We are only one of five states that still regulate electric-assist bicycles to this degree. Consequently, those who own an electric-assist bicycle or those who are thinking about purchasing one find themselves in a Catch-22 situation. They cannot currently register the bike because it has no Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), yet several owners have been cited by law enforcement because the bikes have not been registered. Clearly, some clarification is needed.

Under my legislation, a new definition is established in the Vehicle Code: “Pedalcycle with Electric Assist.” Included in this definition are bicycles equipped with an electric motor not exceeding 750 watts/1 hp, weigh no more than 100 pounds, are capable of maximum speed of not more than 20 mph, and have operable pedals. My legislation also includes an age limit, stipulating that no person under the age of 16 shall operate a pedalcycle with electric-assist.

There are ecological, energy, economic and health benefits derived from the use of electric-assist bicycles. Those benefits explain why more and more of these bicycles are being sold, and then operated on Pennsylvania roadways. Because of this fact, it is imperative that Pennsylvania correctly classify electric-assist bicycles and exempt them from the requirements of motor vehicles. That is the intent of the legislation I plan to introduce.

If you would like to cosponsor this legislation, please contact Lisa Burkholder at 717-783-2655 or via email at lburkhol@pahousegop.com.

The "healing powers" of the sun have been well researched and documented, going back centuries. Various forms of light therapy can be traced back to biblical times and to virtually all ancient cultures. In later years, research in the 1920s established that specific wavelengths of sunlight trigger the germination of of seeds and their subsequent growth into mature plants that provide nourishment. In other words, Light is Vital to Life.

So what does this mean to us? It's a fact that certain kinds of light can stimulate mitosis (cell division) which is fundamental in replacing damaged cells in our bodies. Now, if I told you that this can occur as part of a treatment that I use in my office to help injury and disease, that would be awesome, right?  Well, I do.

The Erchonia Low level Laser is the ony FDA approved laser on the market that is patented for its frequency. The frequency used is 635nm, the closest frequency to the SUN. The Low Level Laser helps the cells of the body repair by enabling the cells to produce more ATP, which is energy, for faster tissue repair.

If you want to hear more about the Erchona Low level laser and patient testimonials, tune in today to WCHE1520AM radio at 4:30pm or on the web at wche1520.com. You can listen to the Wellness 411 show every tuesadys at 4:30 with Dr. Lauren as your host!

Also, please see the "offer" posted on westchester-pa.com to learn on hoe to receive free laser treatments!

Energy Drinks were first used back in London, 1929. “Lucozade Energy” was originally used in the aiding the recovery of hospital stays to “replenish.” It was not until 1997, that an Australian entrepreneur presented the energy drink ingredients that are used today, with “Red Bull.” By 2001 the energy drink industry had grown to nearly 8 million in sales. Today it is a 10 BILLION dollar market!

Energy drinks are particularly attractive to young people. Approximately 66% of its drinkers are between 13-35 years old, with males making up 65% of that market.

Energy drinks generally contain methylxanthines, (including caffeine) B vitamins, and herbs. Other common ingredients are: guarana, acai, taurine and gensing. Most contain vary high levels of sugar.

The most alarming ingredient is the high level of caffeine. Energy drinks contain approximately 3 times the amount of caffeine that is in a 12 ounce cola. For example, Coca-Cola Classic contains 35mg of caffeine whereas a Monster Energy Drink contains 120mg of caffeine.

The most disturbing fact is that people are not looking at the labels and understanding what they are drinking. Then, making matters even worse, people will have more than one energy drink a day. If you add other stimulants such as ginseng and guarana, that actually contain caffeine, the adverse effects are staggering.

Adverse side effects associated with consuming too much caffeine are: Sleeplessness, irritability, nervousness abnormal heart rhythms, and increased urination. Pupil dilation will occur if consumed while on anti-depression medications (SSRIs). “Crash” symptoms will occur if consumed with alcohol due to the coupling effect of a stimulant with a depressant. This is detrimental to the brain and heart, causing seizures and heart attacks.

We need to be aware as a community of the dangers of energy drinks since our largest consumers are our children! Please be observant, read the labels of the energy drink your children are drinking, what they are drinking it with and why they are drinking it. Even as adults, we need to monitor our own lifestyles. If you need to have 3 energy drinks to get through the day, then maybe you should reevaluate “why?”

On Saturday night I had the honor to join my community to support a volunteer firefighter in need. There was a Fundraiser at the Goodwill Fire Company on Union Street to help one of their own raise funds to fight pancreatic cancer. Jimmy has lived in West Chester all his life and is a volunteer fireman...for 24 years!

I know most of you attended because there had to be more than 2,000 people there. It was an amazing night. The organizers and volunteers of this event should be so proud. Their love and support for Jimmy and his family was returned by the out pouring of support from their community. Cheers to all of you, fantastic work.

Jimmy, you and I have never met, but with God's grace and the support of your family and friends, you will beat this. I look forward to one day meeting you.

Dr. Lauren

The American Heart Association has "coined" February as GO RED month and the last few years it has finally gained national attention and awareness through the Go Red campaign.

Cardiovascular Disease is the NUMBER ONE KILLER of American women, killing an estimate $485,000 women per year, THREE times more than all cancers combined.

Know the symptoms:

Jaw Pain           Fatigue           Nausea          

Anxiety             Ingestion        Sleep Disburbance

Chest Pain        Arm Pain         Shortness of breath

Weakness         Dizziness

My original thoughts for today's blog, early Sunday morning, quickly changed with the passing of Coach Joe Paterno.

They say "that human excellence is difficult to define, unless you have been in the presence of it."

For me, Joe Paterno is the definition of excellence. He was a man who loved family, demanded hard work and conduct from his athletes, revered education and embraced a community and an institution.

As a little girl, Joe Paterno was my neighbor at the Jersey shore. As a woman, this neighbor shared with me kind words of support and stories of comfort, as each one of my parents passed away. I will never forget his kindness.

I do not think my opinion will ever change that Coach, as I always called him, died of a broken heart.

He changed thousands of lives by living his in excellence and teaching those in his life to do the same.

(This is the second of two posts sharing remarks I overheard during my holiday break, and the reactions in my mind as I reflected on the meaning contained within each.)

I was at Costco during the holiday week picking up a few things for the family.  As I was waiting in line to check out, I realized a young family of three had moved into line behind me.  A mother, a father, and a little boy of about four were waiting patiently, just like the rest of us.  Well, not everyone was waiting patiently.  The little boy was a little fidgety and a little whiny. 

As the person in front of me finished checking out and as I moved to the head of the conveyor to unload my cart, I heard the youngster tell his Dad that he wanted the candy bars he could see from his vantage point sitting in the cart.  I didn’t hear it, but I assume the child was told “no” because he then began to demand the candy bars more persistently.  It was not quite a tantrum, but he didn’t have to go far to get there.

At this point the father said, “how come every time we come to Costco, you pester me for things?”

I realized we had the makings of yet another example of the classic power struggle between parent and child, most often played out in the checkout line at the supermarket when the child sees something he wants on the sales rack.  In the classic story, the child is first told “no” by the parent, but in the end gets what he wants, usually after a temper tantrum of one degree or another. 

So, in almost all these cases the answer to the question the father posed rather rhetorically to his son at Costco is, “because it works.”

To explain what I mean, we have to talk a little behavior management, specifically operant theory.  According to operant theory, the things that people do, their behaviors, tend to be repeated when those behaviors have generated a positive outcome under similar conditions in the past.  All behavior has a context.  When a person’s behavior produces a positive outcome or consequence within that context, the next time the person finds himself in a similar context, it will more likely be the case that he will exhibit the behavior again…in order to repeat the desirable outcome.  This is, in the technical parlance of operant theory, the basic operant relationship known as positive reinforcement; the antecedent conditions set the occasion for the behavior to be used because under very similar conditions in the past the behavior produced a positive, desirable consequence.  Behaviors become stronger as a result of multiple iterations of this A-B-C relationship. 

How about an example from real life: I watch a comedy on television every Tuesday because so far every time I’ve seen it I have laughed at its humor and wound up in a better mood.  The context is the realization that it is Tuesday and I am at home in front of my TV, the behavior is watching the show, and the reward is the good mood the comedy imparts on me.  Here’s another example:  In the winter, upon returning home from work to a chilly house, I turn up the heat and put on a sweatshirt, which allows me to keep warm. 

So “how come every time we come to Costco, you pester me for things?”  Because of the likelihood of a history of Dad giving the child the object of his desire whilst at Costco.  The child’s behavior has produced, repeatedly over time, a positive consequence in the context of being in the checkout line at Costco.  It is very likely that each time the child finds himself in that checkout line, he will ask for something.  And each time he gets what he wants, the likelihood of asking again in the future is strengthened even more.

What is a parent to do?  Most certainly if the Dad refuses to give in, there will be an embarrassing tantrum.

Refusing to give in is just what he needs to do, though.  He needs to get over the embarrassment of the tantrum and stick to a plan of ignoring the request.  Each time the child is in the checkout line and has his request ignored, the relationship between the behavior and the positive consequence will be weakened.  The tantrum will get worse at first (stay strong!), but eventually it will disappear altogether because the operant relationship between behavior and consequence will have been broken.  (For those of you who are keeping track of the technical aspects of operant theory in this post, the technical term for this is extinction.)  Of course, if the father has a weak moment and gives in, even once, all bets are off because the child will realize that although he may not get his way every time, there is still hope that it will work out for him every once in a while.  (For you operant theorists, this is intermittent reinforcement, the mortal enemy of extinction.)

By the way, there are many other operant aspects to the checkout line scenario.  For example, when faced with a child who is increasingly more likely to have a tantrum, a natural response from a Dad who doesn’t want to be embarrassed might be to give in to the demand more quickly.  In this case the Dad’s behavior is being negatively reinforced.  But the explanation of how that works is a whole other story.  If you want to hear about that or if you want to see the related exercise I used with my behavior management students at WCU (based on trips to the grocery store with one of my own sons), leave me a comment.  Otherwise, no homework tonight.

Until next time…

(This is the first of two posts sharing remarks I overheard during my holiday break, and the reactions in my mind as I reflected on the meaning contained within each.)

I was at a holiday gathering just before Christmas when I overheard part of a conversation taking place among a group of people that included a woman I know.  The woman, who works one-on-one with a student with severe disabilities in a local public school, made a comment that caused my ears to perk up.  I didn’t hear much of the conversation preceding the comment, so I don’t have the full context, but…I’m pretty sure I understand the essence of the comment based on what was said afterward.

What I heard that piqued my interest was “…Friday is social skills day.”

What I pictured in my mind at that moment was a Friday class session in which a teacher uses direct instruction to teach the student to use better social skills.  Previously planned, purposive instruction scheduled for, let’s say, 9:30 on Friday morning right after Math.  I convinced myself that the teacher had even drafted a lesson plan containing objectives, activities, and a means to assess outcomes. 

The problem is that social skills are best learned not according to schedule, but in a manner that is incidental, as a function of being in social situations in which they are needed.  This is the way we all learned them, most of them when we were children, many more by the time we reached the age of majority, perhaps some yet to be learned (!).  We learned by what amounts to trial and error, what to say and what not to say, how to act and how not to act, all as a function of how those around us reacted to what we said and did.  We didn’t likely repeat the things that didn’t gain us positive social contact.

What I overheard was a reference to an increasingly antiquated model of educating students with more severe disabilities in segregated settings.  Back in those days students with disabilities tended to be educated in…well, wait, let me find something I wrote in 2006 that may say it best:

I would venture to say that most students in the five counties of Southeastern Pennsylvania who have what we consider to be severe disabilities receive special education and related services in non-inclusive school programs. Before I discuss how and why we should continue movement away from these segregated settings and toward quality supported education in truly inclusive settings, l think it is important we have common understanding of (a) what it means in this context to have a severe disability and (b) why students with severe disabilities are educated the way they are in our area.

We know that severe disabilities is a broad term used in human disability and special education to describe a group that includes many different types of people. But it is important to note that at present many professional organizations and advocacy groups consider people to have a severe disabilities if they require persistent, perhaps, lifelong support in one or more important life skill area. That’s why it is sometimes the case that people with physical disabilities have severe disabilities, as do some with autism, dual sensory impairments, and perhaps even some with significant behavior disorders. People with significant intellectual disabilities are very likely to have support needs that are substantial and ongoing, and that span many or all of the relevant life skill areas.

Historically, we have perceived of people with severe disabilities from within a medical model. In this context, disabilities are perceived to have a pathological etiology; the people who have them have a deficit of a sort that can be diagnosed and remediated, much like a surgeon would diagnose and remove a ruptured appendix.  This deficit-oriented thinking has for years been the context for definitions of many disabilities and syndromes, has been the basis for the mainstream public perception of human disability (think about our interest in telethons designed to raise money to “cure” disabilities…), and is still the basis for special education for these children when they are school-aged as it is central to the concept of the continuum of services found in the federal law.  It is this ill-conceived continuum that has led our culture to believe that the more severe a disability is, the farther from typically developing peers a student must go to be educated, be it a separate classroom in a regular district school or a separate, center-based school, as are often found in the Intermediate Units in Pennsylvania and the Special Services School Districts in New Jersey. It has helped create and sustain special education as a separate system of education running parallel to general education rather than acting as a complement to it.

Inclusion and supported education will not work effectively for students with severe disabilities when attempted from within this inherently flawed medical model.  It is not a set of programs and procedures designed to bring students with severe disabilities into the general education classroom with support within the context of deficit-oriented thinking.  It is a new way of thinking, practical and pragmatic, to be sure, but also philosophical and theoretical for it takes a shift in the way we conceptualize human disability as well as what a school is and why it exists. What is needed to make inclusion and supported education work is a community-wide shift in thinking toward a more capacity-oriented social model of human disability in which disabilities are defined by the nature of the social and functional support that exists around a person who needs them. (This constructivist approach enables us to perceive a reality of disability from the nature of idiosyncratic socio-cultural realities in our communities.)  Movement toward thinking of this sort by all members of an educational community enables the movement toward inclusion and supported education.

Indeed, in order to be done well, inclusion and supported education requires all members of a school community to spend time coming to a consensus of purpose and achieving a broad level of commitment to all the students in that community. It takes frank discussion and “visionizing.” It necessitates the identification of individual and collective biases and barriers as well as strategies for overcoming them. It needs to come more from within, as a result of collaborative planning, strategizing, and decision making.

School communities will know that they are moving in the right direction when they can find evidence that their students with severe disabilities identify themselves with general education classes and groups. If you are a principal, you will know are making progress toward inclusion and supported education when a student with severe disabilities gets off the bus in the morning; rolls to a general education homeroom in your school; hangs up her coat next to the other kids in that classroom; hears her name called on that attendance list; goes to lunch and assemblies with those classmates; and is even present for some of the lessons being taught in her classroom, perhaps Science or Math or even Reading. She may not spend her entire day in that room (as some of her non-disabled classmates may not), but she identifies herself as a member of that group. Instead of coming in from the outside to be included in general education activities that are deemed appropriate for her to be there for, she leaves for whatever special education cannot be done in that room and is therefore not appropriate for her to be there for. The difference may seem subtle, but it is important.

The promise and efficacy of inclusive and supported education is supported by the literature, by practice in a number of places in our country, and by human values. Best practices for students with severe disabilities suggest, partly because of a likelihood of skill generalization difficulties, a curricular approach that emphasizes the need for functional skills taught in criterion environments. These community environments are by definition inclusive; they are our towns and cities, our stores and restaurants, and our public buses and sidewalks. If our desired outcomes for young adults include participation in these settings, and these young adults do not generalize well, then we need to teach functional skills in criterion settings. For school aged children this means inclusive school settings.

At least a dozen or more years ago I participated in an internet discussion group devoted to special education. One participant, Jim Paladino of Colorado, responded to a query for a one sentence definition of inclusive education with the following. I think his response says it all:

"Inclusion is many, many things and it changes with the needs and desires of the individual. It depends on your community, your family, and your friends. It is as simple as being accepting of the differences of others and as complex as being creative around strategies to allow individuals to truly feel part of a group. It is not a parallel existence, but mutually interactive living. It is full participation to the capacity possible and desired. It is natural, not forced. It is something friends and family do by nature. It cannot be taught. It is not the least restrictive environment, but the most participative.” 

So, your homework is this:  How should the student with severe disabilities who needs better social skills learn them in her (his?) school?

Until next time…

The Golden Globes.   The stars have a better chance of winning on the carpet than winning a little golden dude on a pedestal and this year they did not disappoint!  While there were certainly some No No’s, for the most part, there were some fantastic looks that walked the carpet.  We saw big Spring trends were definitely on display.  Some key trends were the greens and turquoise which you saw on Kelly Osbourne (ditch the gray hair, girlfriend), Frieda Pinto, Sophia Vergara, Laura Dern, and Kelly McDonald’s gown (note, we love the color, not the overall look). 

Also, laser cutting is going to be a HUGE trend this Spring.  And Diana Agron’s dress was chock full of this detail.  This is a very intricate treatment of fabric that entails making small cut out shapes within the fabric that give it the illusion of a print. 

And lace detailing.  Still big.  Still sexy.  Still loving it. 

But enough about the details…Here are my favorite overall looks from the 2012 Globes. 

MY TOP 5

JESSICA ALBA : Her gorgeous olive glow looked fabulous against this lilac Gucci design.  I loved the sparkle and the appliqués that looked like small butterflies fluttering about.  The medium sized drop earrings and dramatic cuff complimented the strapless frock beautifully and the understated hair and makeup allowed her natural beauty to shine!

CHARLIZE THERON: The poster girl for Dior represented the iconic Fashion House as if she was the princess of the party.  Pale pink, plunging neckline, oversized bow with jeweled brooch.  PER-FEC-TION.  She glided so effortlessly down the runway with her train flowing behind her.  And it’s a wonder how she was able to walk with those shoes (check out the angle of her foot in that heel!).  Her jeweled headband sealed the deal for me.  So feminine and lovely. 

KATE BECKINSALE : VA VA VOOM.  Ms Beckinsale’s body looked unreal in this Roberto Cavalli gown.  It’s hard to see the details in these photos but this frock was full of intricate bead.  It’s just what this pale blush lace and chiffon gown needed to pump up the look.  But what really skyrocketed the look into “favorite” status were the jewels…OH! THOSE JEWELS!  Lorraine Schwartz, jewelry goddess, had to have had at least 5 muscle heads surrounding her at all times with the dollar amount of diamonds she was wearing.  What do you think?  10 mil?

NICOLE RICHIE : This girl bothers the heck out of me, but there is no denying how fantastic she looked on the carpet.  She stunned in a Julien Macdonald all over silver beaded gown.  The modest high neckline was balanced out by the sexy low plunging open back.  With such a petite figure, it would have been easy for this gown to overwhelm her but she made sure the pumped up the hair with some major volume.  With such a vintage look, her House of Harlow jewels were a great compliment to her overall look.  

NICOLE KIDMAN : Now, this was a toughie for me because this dress was far and away, the winner of the evening.  Versace.  It’s one of those dresses that really embodies Versace’s signature aesthetic too, which I love.  It had a futuristic, ethnic vibe to me.  So cool!  The beading looked impeccable.  The neckline, sexy, no vulgar.  But the color didn’t compliment  Mrs. Urban’s fair skintone and her hair color really could have used a bit of a saturation.  But the dress…I just loved this dress so much!  How much?  I’ll take two! 

So there you have it, my top five.  But before leaving you, I just want to include a few more details that I loved from the night. 

This dress horrified me at first sight but the more I looked at it, the more I fell for it.  Evan Rachel Wood’s statuesque figure carried this multi species dress flawlessly.  The ombre effect achieved in both color, texture, and animal influence really caught me off guard.  Is it fish?  It is a raven?  Is it a faven?  Who cares.  It’s fashion forward and exciting!

While maybe slightly underdressed, it wasn’t Kristen Wiig’s dress that caught my eye.  It was her awesome necklace.  Did she raid Rachel Zoe’s vintage jewels atelier?  I’m obsessed and I need it!  Or at least a cheap knock off of it! 

And on a final note, we leave you with the best dressed, most handsome, most intelligent male on the carpet…

Everyone wants a" Flat Gut" well, have I got a tip for you. You can flatten
your gut by working your invisible abdominal muscle. This muscle is called
your transverse abdominis. It is located under that "six pack" muscle called
the rectus abdominis.

This transverse abdominis when strong, will flatten
your waistline. When you "suck your gut in" that is this muscles action. So
exercise it every day, and you will achieve a smaller waistline and a
flatter belly.

All you need to do is pull your belly button towards your spine and hold for
10 seconds. Do this 5 x a day. You will see results, no kidding, in a few
weeks. Keep it up and you will be amazed!

 New Year brings on a “fresh start” feel to our lives that should come from the heart.  This may have different meanings for all of us.  There is no “one right way” to set up your New Year’s goals or resolutions.  So many of us get caught up in the hype of the media pushing us to think that their ideas are what we should do.  Instead of looking outward, look inside your soul as to what may interest, inspire, motivate or challenge you.  Whatever this is for you…… think of it as your new beginning.  A “rebirth” if you would, into yourself.

         I honestly feel that your goal for the New Year should be about you, not necessarily about work, family or commitments.  If you would like to have a better relationship or career… it still needs to start with yourself.  So set your goals appropriately.  Do not set “Monster Resolutions” that are going to take most of the year to accomplish if you do at all.  Set a small goal or a series of small goals.  Feel Good about each step in the process.  Too often we set ourselves up for failure by setting an unobtainable or unrealistic resolution/goal.

         Here are some helpful tips:

1. Involve loved ones in your resolution, if possible.  The more people you can tell your resolutions to, the more cheerleaders you create along the way.  There is no shame in asking for help!
2. Reward yourself for obtaining each small step in your resolution.
3. Write things down every day.  Whatever it is, mark your progress by journaling.  When we write things down, we tend to hold ourselves more accountable.  Also, when we read it every day, it gives us more motivation to keep true to ourselves.

Hopefully these tips have been helpful and remember to make the New Year fun, rewarding and ALL about you. 

 Several weeks ago I told you that I would be celebrating American Education Week by participating as a guest reader in a third grade classroom at Bancroft Elementary School in the Kennett Consolidated School District.  Here’s an update:

 Prior to the date of the event, I asked my colleague and friend, Dr. Dan Darigan, if he would select some titles for me to choose from to share with the children.  Dan is a member of the faculty in the Department of Literacy in the College of Education here at West Chester University.  He is an expert on children’s literature and a member of the Newbery Award Selection Committee.  (The Newbery Medal is the top literary award in children’s literature and is given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.)

 Dan brought along several titles; I chose to read Raisel’s Riddle with story by Erica Silverman and illustrations by Susan Gaber.  From inside the book jacket: “Erica Silverman’s lively retelling of the Cinderella story portrays a heroine for whom knowledge is as essential as love.  In striking paintings, Susan Gaber captures all her beauty, both external and internal.”

 I arrived at school early enough to gather with the other readers – school board colleagues, district and school administrators, local business owners, local elected officials, and members of law enforcement.  We networked very briefly before we made our way to the auditorium to meet escorts who would take us to our classrooms.  My escort, a very friendly third-grader, walked me down the long hallway to Ms. Miller’s classroom.

 I was prepared not only with a copy of Raisel’s Riddle, but another book, a Newbery Medal winner from the Bancroft library, a text with a reproduction of the medal right on the cover.

 I held up the Newbery winner and asked the children if anyone knew what the medal on the cover signified.  To my delight, four or five hands went up.  They knew it was for the “best children’s book of the year.”  I told them that they were in for a treat because “the book I brought to read to you today was chosen just for you by my friend Dan, who also gets to help choose the Newbery Medal winner.”  They thought that was just about the coolest thing.

 Before I read Raisel’s Riddle, I told them to listen carefully because they would probably realize that they had heard the story before and that they should raise their hands when they knew what story it resembled.  Just as the clock in the story was striking twelve, a student raised her hand and told us all that the story was the same as Cinderella.  The look of realization that appeared on her face before she raised her hand was priceless.

 I got to spend 45 minutes or so with Ms. Miller’s third grade class.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly and so did her students, it seemed to me.   The morning reaffirmed for me the important responsibility educators assume each day as they work to prepare a new generation of citizens for active participation in the world that will be waiting for them when they become adults. 

 I hope you had the opportunity to read to (or otherwise interact and engage with) school children for American Education Week.  If you didn’t, why not do it today?  Heck, do it today anyway, and tomorrow.  Their future depends on it.

 Until next time…

 I suspect most taxpayers are not really unhappy to have a portion of their tax dollars earmarked to support public servants, including police officers and fire fighters.  Although we might grumble about paying taxes, I don’t think we are truly bothered by that expense, in fact, the level of protection our tax dollars help support gives comfort to many.  And when a cop or fire fighter comes to our rescue, we realize they are worth every cent.

 But imagine a society in which, in addition to public cops and fire fighters, there was also a robust private sector of police and fire services.  As a resident, you would have the choice of relying on your local cops and fire companies or you could opt out of those public services by looking through the yellow pages and selecting a private police and/or fire service.  If you were robbed or woke up to smoke in the middle of the night, you would call your private contractor to respond to your emergency.

 Setting aside for a moment the risk inherent in having multiple police and fire services in a single municipality (e.g., a longer response time when a passerby upon seeing smoke in your house calls the wrong fire service or a multiple vehicle accident scene in which all parties have contracts with different police services) there might not be anything inherently wrong with having this choice, right?  As long as the tax dollars that supports the public police and fire services are not diverted, support that is necessary since it is unlikely that public police and fire departments could go away entirely.

Now imagine the same scenario, but now the government has decided that if you are unhappy with the performance of your local public cops and firefighters, you can get a credit equal to the per capita cost of maintaining those services and use it to hire the services of private police and fire services.  You always had the choice to do this, but now the government is offering you a voucher to help cover the cost of your choice.  How would that effect public services?  Would the loss of operating dollars make it just that much more difficult for those cops and firefighters to improve the services they provide, particularly when they knew they needed to improve and where striving to do so? 

 Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which is currently in the Education Committee of the PA House of Representatives, proposes to do much the same thing to education.  SB 1 will provide tuition vouchers (called Opportunity Scholarships) to low income students who attend school in the lowest performing schools in the Commonwealth.  Families who choose to take advantage of the vouchers could send their children to other schools, including private and parochial schools, assuming those schools would accept them (they are not required to do so).  The voucher would equal the per-pupil state subsidy the child’s school district receives from the state; it is conceivable that some vouchers could approach $10,000.

That’s $10,000 per child being taken from the school district that is underperforming and working hard to do something about it.

 Of course, we don’t have a robust private sector of police and fire services, there are too many important reasons why neither would work.  We do have a robust private sector in schooling for our children, but it competes with our public schools, public schools fully funded by tax dollars.  Parents have the choice to send their children to selective private or parochial schools, but those parents, as residents, still have an obligation to do their share to fund local public schools.

 What do you think?  Want to see vouchers come to Pennsylvania?

 You have homework this time.  I have included links below providing further information and various opinions on vouchers.  Do some further reading and let me know what you think?

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2011/10/school_vouchers_qa_pennsylvani.html

http://voicesweb.org/top-ten-reasons-why-pa-senate-bill-1-terrible-idea

http://www.freedomworks.org/blog/mkibbe/key-vote-yes-pennsylvania-sb1-opportunity-scholars

Until next time…

I have been enlisted to write some articles from the male perspective.  This could be for many reasons, I am a male, men read this site, they have too many female writers and not enough male writers or the simplest explanation, the site was my idea in the first place!  No matter the reason, I am excited to spew my useless knowledge on to the internet in the hopes that at least a few people find me to be informative and possibly entertaining.

So this begs the next question, what to write about?  As a man I am supposed to be predisposed to knowing about cars, how to fix things, stubbornness, sports, being able to light a fire without a match  and in some rare cases, how to be an above average husband.  I have decided to make my first post about something near and dear to my heart, my giant television.  

Yes, I am married.  Yes, I have a daughter.  Yes, I have family and friends.  However, as any many will tell you, there is no substitute for turning on that giant television after a hard day or a late night.  It brings a comfort that is unmatched, especially if you also have surround sound.  It creates a gathering place for friends and family.  It soothes a cranky kid.  It brings the world to your living room.  As far as inventions of the modern era are concerned I rank it third, right behind electricity and the internet.  Some would say penicillin, others the automobile.  While I will not argue, I am a person of information.  Just think about it.  Where do you get most of your news and information?  Television.  Yes, the internet has done a lot over the last 15 years but we still turn to that gleaming wonderful rectangle (or square), the television, when we really want to see what is going on.

My advice when buying a new television?  However big you think you should get, get one bigger.  It is like storage space, you can never have enough.  In this day and age you should get an LED light flat screen.  Stay away from plasma and no name brands.  I personally like vizio and samsung, the later being the top of the line.  If you can still find a DLP television, get it.  The color quality is second to none and they do not look like a soap opera filming on every station like many of the newer LCD televisions do.  Incidentally, that is due to what is called the refresh rate.  If you have one of these televisions and hate the "soap opera" look go in to your settings and lower the refresh rate to 60.  

So, there you have it.  My first "man blog".  I can not promise a regular weekly update but I will do my best to get back as often as I can to thrill and amaze the millions who enjoy my ramblings.

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Matt Kelly is the President of Razor Servers, an above average husband and father, a good friend and an overall fun dude.  For Questions, Concerns, Problems or Free Advice on Major Life Decisions please feel free to contact Matt at matt@wbs4.me.