Experts Want More Studies of Diet’s Role for the Heart - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><nyt_text style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div id="articleBody"><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">This is a watershed moment in the field of nutrition, medical experts say. For the first time, researchers have shown that a diet can have an effect as powerful as drugs in preventing what really matters to patients — heart attacks, and strokes and deaths from cardiovascular disease.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The subjects were people at high risk of heart disease, and the diet was a Mediterranean one, high in olive oil or nuts.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The study, published last week in <a title="New England Journal of Medicine article." href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303?query=featured_home&&#t=article" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">The New England Journal of Medicine</a>, is now shaking up the field of cardiovascular medicine, infusing it with optimism. Scientists are calling for similarly rigorous studies of other popular diets that are routinely recommended by cardiologists even though there is little solid evidence that they work.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"We don't know what the best diet is," said Dr. Michael Lauer, the director of the division of cardiovascular sciences at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. "This is a great opportunity to come together and use power of the scientific method to get closer to the right answer."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Other leading experts agreed.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"This is the start of where we need to go with nutritional clinical trials," said Dr. Neil J. Stone, a professor of preventive cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and a former chairman of the American Heart Association's nutrition committee.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute is supporting a large clinical trial to see if fish oil and <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/vitamin-d/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Vitamin D." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">vitamin D</a> can prevent heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths. But while that is important, heart experts say it is time to also look at diets as a whole.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"We definitively need to test plausible diets, within the context of what is available and consumed in the U.S., that could lower the risk of heart disease," said Alice H. Lichtenstein, a professor of nutrition science and policy at Tufts University and the lead author of the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Dr. Lawrence Appel, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins who was a member of the 2005 and 2010 United States dietary guidelines committees, said he was inspired by the Mediterranean diet study.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"Can we do a trial of fruits and vegetables?" he asked. "I think we can."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The situation in nutrition today reminds Dr. Lauer of an era in the 1950s when doctors struggled to figure out how best to treat heart attack patients.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"Nutrition research is where heart attack research was," Dr. Lauer said. Patients in those days were advised to stay in bed for four to five weeks and take lidocaine to normalize their hearts' rhythms and nitroglycerin to open blood vessels.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But it turned out that treatment actually hastened death. It took years to find the answers, but eventually, Dr. Lauer said, dozens if not hundreds of large clinical trials radically transformed heart attack treatment.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But when it comes to diet and heart disease, doctors — and patients — have been going on hunches.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">The new study could be a start in changing all that, heart researchers said.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">It involved 7,447 people in Spain, half of whom were randomly assigned to follow a Mediterranean diet and the rest to follow the sort of standard low-fat diet that cardiologists often prescribe. It was ended early after less than five years because those on the Mediterranean diet had 30 percent fewer heart attacks, strokes and deaths from heart disease compared with people in the control group, who ate more or less the same way that they always had. They had been instructed to follow a low-fat diet but had not been able to comply.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Dr. Ramón Estruch of the University of Barcelona, the lead author of the study, said that although some had thought people would never allow their diets to be decided by a figurative toss of a coin, it was not hard to get people to switch to a Mediterranean diet.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"They wanted to eat the way their grandfathers ate," he said. Most study participants actually thought they were already eating that way. They learned they were not after answering questions about, for example, how often they ate red meat versus fish.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Dr. Estruch said he and his colleagues were so buoyed by the success of their study that they were planning another one.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">They intend to randomly assign people to consume the Mediterranean diet or to exercise while following a similar diet that is lower in calories. The hope is that adding weight loss and exercise will prevent even more heart disease.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But for now, chaos reigns. The public is bombarded with diet advice, often contradictory and often lacking a rigorous scientific grounding, medical experts said.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"Diets are an extreme case of accepting evidence we want to believe," said Dr. J. Sanford Schwartz, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">That includes doctors, he added, who overlook that the evidence for the low-fat diets they often recommend is the sort "we would never accept in the practice of medicine."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Those low-fat diets sound sensible — eat fruits and vegetables, fish and lean meats. Cut back on salt- and sugar-laden sodas and potato chips. Cut or sharply limit most fats, including olive oil and nuts. But such diets have not been tested in the way the Mediterranean diet was tested.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Doctors are in a bind, said Dr. Daniel J. Rader, a heart disease specialist at the University of Pennsylvania. When patients ask what to eat, he said, "you have to give them something."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"Given the importance of diets and given the decades of dietary recommendations we have given to people, you would think we would have had more dietary studies with hard endpoints to get at these questions," Dr. Rader said. But the best they have are studies that look at intermediate markers of risk, like <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/cholesterol/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier" title="In-depth reference and news articles about Cholesterol." class="meta-classifier" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: none; ">cholesterol</a> levels. In the end, he said, "most doctors just give dietary platitudes."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Kevin McNamara, 44, faced a decision about diet after he went into cardiac arrest in June while jogging along the Jersey Shore. Mr. McNamara, an investment manager, had no idea he had heart disease.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">He ended up in the nearest hospital and had bypass surgery to open two blocked arteries. When he returned to his home near Valley Forge, Pa., he sought advice on what to eat and was persuaded by a book that said a vegan diet would prevent and even reverse heart disease.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"I talked to some of my doctors, and they said it wouldn't hurt if I went on a vegan diet," Mr. McNamara said.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Now he wants to discuss the Mediterranean diet with his doctors. He worries because he wants to keep his cholesterol levels very low. "I am paranoid that any sort of fat will build up in my coronary arteries," Mr. McNamara said. But he added, "I am not sure if I want to do a vegan diet for the next 30 or 40 years of my life."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">Vegan diets have never been rigorously tested, and probably never will be, Dr. Lichtenstein said. "Given the high cost of conducting a long-term diet study we have to think about what is feasible for the majority of the U.S. population," she said. "From past experience, we know it is highly unlikely people are going to make radical changes in their diet and stick with those changes long term."</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">But other diet studies are definitely in the offing, researchers said.</p><p itemprop="articleBody" style="color: black; font-size: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; line-height: 24px; ">"As we go on, we realize we know less and less," Dr. Lauer said. "We can despair and just make things up, or we can celebrate and say we have a real opportunity to grow here."</p><nyt_correction_bottom><div class="articleCorrection" style="margin-bottom: 2.8em; "></div></nyt_correction_bottom><nyt_update_bottom></nyt_update_bottom></div></nyt_text><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); display: inline !important; float: none; "></span></div><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/health/experts-want-more-studies-of-mediterranean-diets-role-for-the-heart.html?&pagewanted=all">http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/health/experts-want-more-studies-of-mediterranean-diets-role-for-the-heart.html?&pagewanted=all</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Experts Want More Studies of Diet’s Role for the Heart - NYTimes.com

This is a watershed moment in the field of nutrition, medical experts say. For the first time, researchers have shown that a diet can have a...

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Doctor Groups Issue List of Overused Medical Tests - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><div id="well" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div align="left"><div class="entry-content"><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">In an effort to change entrenched medical practices, 17 major medical specialty groups recommended on Thursday that doctors greatly reduce their use of 90 widely used but largely unnecessary tests and treatments.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">This list of "don'ts" builds on 45 recommendations <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/health/doctor-panels-urge-fewer-routine-tests.html" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">made last April</a>, under a broad initiative by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, in partnership with the magazine Consumer Reports.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"As you look through the lists, a lot of these were mea culpas," said Dr. Eric Topol, chief academic officer of Scripps Health, a health care provider in San Diego. Dr. Topol was not involved in creating the new recommendations. "The literature had supported these recommendations, but until now they were not sanctioned as no-no's by the professional groups," he said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Some of <a href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102); text-decoration: none; ">the recommendations</a> reinforce existing guidelines, but others aggressively go after procedures that have little evidence of benefit and may cause harm, yet are still practiced on a daily basis.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">For example, the American Society of Echocardiography recommended against using echocardiograms before or during surgery for patients with no history or symptoms of heart disease; doctors routinely perform this test. The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging urged physicians not to perform routine annual stress testing using a nuclear heart scan after coronary artery surgery. This is also a routine test, and it exposes the patient to radiation equivalent to 2,000 chest X-rays.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">"Many of these tests are wasteful, and they could put patients in danger of harm without any benefits," said Daniel Wolfson, executive vice president of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation. "The goal is to begin to change attitudes both from the public side and the physician side that sometimes less is better."</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Each medical specialty society participating in the foundation's initiative has offered up five procedures that patients should question. "That's a key point. I don't think they'll have any impact unless patients get activated," Dr. Topol said.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The new list includes recommendations against inducing labor or performing a Caesarean section before a woman's 39th week of pregnancy, unless it is medically necessary. Scheduled Caesareans and inductions are commonly performed for convenience, but delivery before 39 weeks is associated with increased risk of learning disabilities, respiratory problems and other risks to the baby.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The American Academy of Pediatrics urged doctors not to automatically use computed tomography, or CT scans to evaluate children's minor head injuries. According to the report, approximately 50 percent of children who visit hospital emergency departments with head injuries undergo a CT scan, exposing them to radiation. Other groups also called for reductions in the use of CT, PET and M.R.I. scans for a variety of ailments.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Several physician groups recommended against prescribing antibiotics for common respiratory illnesses, including sinusitis, sore throat and bronchitis. The vast majority of these illnesses are caused by viruses, not bacteria, making antibiotics pointless. The pediatrics group also said not to treat children under 4 years of age with cough and cold medicines. Studies have shown that these products have little benefit and may cause serious side effects in children.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">The American Geriatrics Society recommended against using feeding tubes in patients with advanced dementia. These patients should be fed orally. Tube feeding is associated with agitation, increased use of physical and chemical restraints and pressure ulcers.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">Other notable recommendations include:</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Don't use opioid or butalbital treatment for migraine except as a last resort. Frequent use of these drugs can worsen headaches.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Don't routinely treat acid reflux in infants with anti-reflux therapy. There is emerging evidence that it may be harmful to infants in certain situations.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Avoid routine preoperative testing for low-risk surgeries without a clinical indication. Most pre-op tests turn up nothing unusual and don't lead to better outcomes.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Avoid using medications to achieve tight control of glucose levels in most adults aged 65 and older with Type 2 diabetes. Moderate control is generally better.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Don't use benzodiazepines or other sedative hypnotics in older adults as a first choice for insomnia, agitation or delirium. Studies consistently show a doubling of risk of car accidents, falls and hip fractures in older adults taking these medications.</div><div style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-size: medium; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0.7em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 1.375em; ">· Don't perform annual Pap tests in women 30 to 65 years of age who are not at high risk for cervical cancer. The Pap test should be performed every three years in women aged 21 to 30, and every three to five years for women aged 30 to 65.</div></div></div></div></div><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/doctor-groups-issue-list-of-overused-medical-tests/?pagewanted=print">http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/doctor-groups-issue-list-of-overused-medical-tests/?pagewanted=print</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Doctor Groups Issue List of Overused Medical Tests - NYTimes.com

In an effort to change entrenched medical practices, 17 major medical specialty groups recommended on Thursday that doctors greatly reduce t...

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Choosing Wisely | An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation

<base href="data:"><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><em>Choosing Wisely</em><sup style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 0; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; top: -0.5em; ">®</sup> aims to promote conversations between physicians and patients by helping patients choose care that is:</p><ul style="margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px; list-style-position: inside; list-style-type: square; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; ">Supported by evidence</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; ">Not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; ">Free from harm</li><li style="margin: 0px 0px 10px; ">Truly necessary</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">In response to this challenge, national organizations representing medical specialists have been asked to "choose wisely" by identifying five tests or procedures commonly used in their field, whose necessity should be questioned and discussed. The resulting lists of <a title="Lists" href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">"Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question"</a> will spark discussion about the need—or lack thereof—for many frequently ordered tests or treatments.</p><p style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">This concept was originally conceived and piloted by the <a href="http://npalliance.org/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">National Physicians Alliance</a>, which, through an ABIM Foundation <a href="http://www.abimfoundation.org/Initiatives/Putting-the-Charter-Into-Practice-Grants.aspx" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); "><em>Putting the Charter into Practice</em> grant,</a> created a <a href="http://www.abimfoundation.org/Initiatives/Putting-the-Charter-Into-Practice-Grants/2009-Grantees.aspx" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">set of three lists</a> of specific steps physicians in internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics could take in their practices to promote the <a href="http://www.abimfoundation.org/Resource-Center/Bibliography/Professionalism-Articles-by-Topic.aspx#Resources" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">more effective use of health care resources.</a> These lists were first published in<em><a href="http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/171/15/1385?ijkey=.DaPcj2P7Zd8I&keytype=ref&siteid=amajnls" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">Archives of Internal Medicine.</a></em></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'PT Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 18px; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">Recognizing that patients need better information about what care they truly need to have these conversations with their physicians, <a href="http://consumerhealthchoices.org/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">Consumer Reports </a>is developing <a title="Choosing Wisely® Consumer Partners" href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/partners/choosing-wisely-consumer-communication-collaborators" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">patient-friendly materials</a> and is working with consumer groups to disseminate them widely. <a title="http://www.choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/choosing-wisely-one-pager-13013.pdf" href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/choosing-wisely-one-pager-13013.pdf" target="_blank" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(0, 100, 149); ">Learn more</a>.</p></div><a href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/">http://www.choosingwisely.org/</a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

Choosing Wisely | An Initiative of the ABIM Foundation

Choosing Wisely ®  aims to promote conversations between physicians and patients by helping patients choose care that is: Supported by evide...

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For the Elderly, Medical Procedures to Avoid - NYTimes.com

<base href="data:"><div style="color: black; text-align: left; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The Choosing Wisely campaign, an initiative by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation in partnership with Consumer Reports, kicked off last spring. It is an attempt to alert both doctors and patients to problematic and commonly overused medical tests, procedures and treatments.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">It took an elegantly simple approach: By working through professional organizations representing medical specialties, Choosing Wisely asked doctors to identify "Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question."</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The idea was that doctors and their patients could agree on tests and treatments that are supported by evidence, that don't duplicate what others do, that are "truly necessary" and "free from harm" — and avoid the rest.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">Among the <a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/doctor-groups-issue-list-of-overused-medical-tests/" title="Well article" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">18 new lists released last week</a> are recommendations from geriatricians and palliative care specialists, which may be of particular interest to New Old Age readers. I've previously written about a number of these warnings, but it's helpful to have them in single, strongly worded documents.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The winners — or perhaps, losers?</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">Both the American Geriatrics Society and the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine agreed on one major "don't." Topping both lists was an admonition against <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/09/feeding-tube-decisions-often-made-in-haste/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">feeding tubes for people with advanced dementia</a>.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">"This is not news; the data's been out for at least 15 years," said Sei Lee, a geriatrician at the University of California, San Francisco, and a member of the working group that narrowed more than 100 recommendations down to five. Feeding tubes don't prevent aspiration pneumonia or prolong dementia patients' lives, the research shows, but they do exacerbate bedsores and cause such distress that people often try to pull them out and wind up in restraints. The doctors recommended hand-feeding dementia patients instead.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The <a href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/american-geriatrics-society/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">geriatricians' list</a> goes on to warn against the routine prescribing of antipsychotic medications for dementia patients who become aggressive or disruptive. Though drugs like Haldol, Risperdal and Zyprexa remain widely used, "all of these have been shown to increase the risk of stroke and cardiovascular death," Dr. Lee said. They should be last resorts, after<a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/clearing-the-fog-in-nursing-homes/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">behavioral interventions</a>.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The other questionable tests and treatments:</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">No. 3: Prescribing medications to achieve <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/for-elderly-diabetics-questions-about-aggressive-care/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">"tight glycemic control"</a> (defined as below 7.5 on the A1c test) in elderly diabetics, who need to control their blood sugar, but not as strictly as younger patients.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">No. 4: Turning to sleeping pills as the first choice for older people who suffer from agitation, delirium or insomnia. Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Ambien, Lunesta — "they don't magically disappear from your body when you wake up in the morning," Dr. Lee said. They continue to slow reaction times, resulting in falls and auto accidents. <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/simple-rules-for-better-sleep/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">Other sleep therapies</a> are preferable.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">No. 5: Prescribing antibiotics when tests indicate a <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/07/in-nursing-homes-a-common-infection-is-commonly-overtreated/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">urinary tract infection</a>, but the patient has no discomfort or other symptoms. Many older people have bacteria in their bladders but don't suffer ill effects; repeated use of antibiotics just causes drug resistance, leaving them vulnerable to more dangerous infections. "Treat the patient, not the lab test," Dr. Lee said.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The <a href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/american-academy-of-hospice-palliative-medicine/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">palliative care doctors' Five Things list</a> cautions against delaying palliative care, which can relieve pain and control symptoms even as patients pursue treatments for their diseases.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">It also urges discussion about <a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/07/a-heart-quandary/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">deactivating implantable cardioverter-defibrillators</a>, or ICDs, in patients with irreversible diseases. "Being shocked is like being kicked in the chest by a mule," said Eric Widera, a palliative care specialist at the San Francisco V.A. Medical Center who served on the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine working group. "As someone gets close to the end of life, these ICDs can't prolong life and they cause a lot of pain."</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">Turning the devices off — an option many patients don't realize they have — requires simple computer reprogramming or a magnet, not the surgery that installed them in the first place.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">The palliative care doctors also pointed out that patients suffering pain as cancer spreads to their bones get as much relief, the evidence shows, from a single dose of radiation than from 10 daily doses that require travel to hospitals or treatment centers.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">Finally, their list warned that topical gels widely used by hospice staffs to control nausea do not work because they aren't absorbed through the skin. "We have lots of other ways to give anti-nausea drugs," Dr. Widera said.</font></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; line-height: 1.5em; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; "><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">You can read all the Five Things lists (more are coming later this year), and the Consumer Reports publications that do a good job of translating them, on the<a href="http://www.choosingwisely.org/" style="color: rgb(102, 102, 153); text-decoration: underline; ">Choosing Wisely</a> Web site.</font></p></div><a href="http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/for-the-elderly-lists-of-tests-to-avoid/?src=recg"><font class="Apple-style-span" face="'Helvetica Neue'">http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/28/for-the-elderly-lists-of-tests-to-avoid/?src=recg</font></a><div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14px; color: black; text-align: left; "><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>

For the Elderly, Medical Procedures to Avoid - NYTimes.com

The Choosing Wisely campaign, an initiative by the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation in partnership with Consumer Reports, kick...

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Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 03/03/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="https://www.hellosign.com/gmail?utm_source=plugin&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=gmail_chrome_extension">Sign documents in Gmail | HelloSign</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">A cool app that helps you sign documents in gmail without having to export and sign and scan. I have a Flat Classroom project manager, Theresa Allen, who showed me this handy app. </p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/apps">apps</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/productivity">productivity</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.f3program.org/content/2013-f3-educator-showcase-submission-form">2013 F3 Educator Showcase Submission Form | Foundations for the Future (F3)</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This is a call out specifically to my friends out there in the Atlanta area or anywhere in Georgia to put in for a poster session at Georgia Tech's conference about the Foundations for the future. I wish I could get away but am a bit tied up at school right now. Here's the information and link: "Foundations for the Future (F3), a K-12 outreach and research program at Georgia Tech Research Institute, knows that Georgia teachers are using technology in amazing ways to inspire and engage students. One of the most frequent comments we hear is that it is difficult for educators to know what's working for other educators because there is so much going on, not everyone can afford to attend conferences, and access to technology is inconsistent across the state. We want to honor and highlight teachers and their projects. What better way to get inspired than through a fellow colleague! What better way to meet other passionate educators and share your experiences! F3 is hosting the 2013 F3 Educator Showcase during our May Explorers Guild meeting. The showcase will include a panel discussion along with a poster session. If you are interested in applying for the poster session, all you need to do is follow the guidelines below. Posters will be chosen by a selection committee of F3 partners and Georgia Tech colleagues. Chosen posters will be printed for participants so that after the event they can take the posters back to their school to continue highlighting the good work taking place there! This event helps support F3’s mission to help acquire and leverage instructional technology resources for Georgia’s classrooms, schools, and districts, share best practices, and establish a community of learners. We look forward to your submissions and can't wait to see you all at the event in May!   Guidelines for Poster Abstract Submission: Title: Accurately and concisely present your idea in 15 words or less Abstract: In 350 words or less, tell us about how using technology has impacted your classroom. Who was the audience? What technology did you use? What approach was taken? etc.   That's it! Nothing to it! It’s time to step up and share your creativity and innovation with your peers from across the state! Once poster abstracts are selected, we will send out notifications so that you can start creating your posters! We will make templates available in Microsoft PowerPoint and in Keynote. We will supply all printed posters, easels, etc. We just need you!"</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/stem">stem</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/technology">technology</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/all_teachers">all_teachers</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edu_news">edu_news</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVBP61ur6-c">Jim Kwik shows how memory can be trained to make learning quick and efficient | Wizard - YouTube</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">While I don't know anything about this "Kwik" method of learning, I do totally agree with one thing he says. IF we're going to require kids to remember, "there's no class called 'remembering.'" We teach kids what to learn but not how to learn. As I listen to this video and read Timothy Ferris' book "the 4 hour chef" I realize that we've not honed in on the art of learning as much as we need to. I'm not sure that memorizing numbers is hugely important but if we can apply this to learning other things, that would be great -- learning the 100 most used words in a new language, for example, how could we benefit if kids could quickly learn that in the first week to get started.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/learning">learning</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/all_teachers">all_teachers</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/PediatricVideos/videos?view=0&flow=grid">PediatricVideos's channel - YouTube</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This is an excellent example of a passion based or personal interest project. Riya is the daughter of a prominent pediatrician and wants to be one herself. She's been making videos since Fall of 2011 for her Pediatric Video channel on Youtube. Her CAT Scan machine video has received over 40,000 views. Wow!</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/passionbasedlearning">passionbasedlearning</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwxgnFMc4ls&feature=youtu.be">FOCUS show with Special Guest Vicki Davis - YouTube</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Had a great conversation a few weeks a go with Don Wettrick and his students. They filmed via Skype and my students got a chance to share what they learn and about my classroom. I enjoyed the conversation and have to admit that my students were quite jealous of the recording studio Don has. I met Don at the Microsoft Innovative Educators conference in Seattle. He's a great teacher and teaches with video.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/inthenews">inthenews</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://pinterest.com/tabithacarro/qr-codes-in-the-classroom/">QR Codes in the Classroom</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">A collection of resources about QR Codes on Pinterest. Lots of great ideas.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/wiki_book">wiki_book</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/qr codes">qr codes</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edu_trends">edu_trends</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/bestpractices">bestpractices</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.knowmia.com/teachers">Knowmia - Teachers</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Very interesting flipping classroom assignment app called Knowmania. They have a homework assignment tool coming soon. I think this is a fascinating tool and there are many lessons to choose from. Right now I don't see any pricing, but am looking into what model they are using to sustain themselves. Looks like a powerful flipping tool, particularly for homework.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/news">news</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/flipclass">flipclass</a></p> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='https://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 03/03/2013

Sign documents in Gmail | HelloSign A cool app that helps you sign documents in gmail without having...

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Babe of the Week: Catholic Hotties

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">In honor of Pope Bennie and Jets stepping down this week, IWS is proud to bring you Catholic Hotties as our Babe(s) of the Week ...<br /><br />1. Alyssa Milano<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBcMHAy1vEziXYo0YFfmarpv75U-50cQx9e8A4rUz0FNh_AtNvUpbY2Z00cvZIHpIIop9_eNASw52ujPF3s_RvIvli2fLaxQBvyxFXeMMpnsBjA1__5J1kHmHx5HwvDghPDyRFoNkuJY/s1600/Alyssa+Milano+Boobs+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBcMHAy1vEziXYo0YFfmarpv75U-50cQx9e8A4rUz0FNh_AtNvUpbY2Z00cvZIHpIIop9_eNASw52ujPF3s_RvIvli2fLaxQBvyxFXeMMpnsBjA1__5J1kHmHx5HwvDghPDyRFoNkuJY/s320/Alyssa+Milano+Boobs+Hot.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br />2. Mandy Moore<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9txs05fRmgmvU7o1iruCMdYZ6u1qoRWhl579FHwvJudLo6jXWr4i9hH_-R60YmtVjzgA9DnAuFVTmyyO3pTsdjMn6TORk-6iUmAIvqLY4In4JiqDh-KZqdE5YY70ImY-frTybceYNZM/s1600/Mandy+More+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9txs05fRmgmvU7o1iruCMdYZ6u1qoRWhl579FHwvJudLo6jXWr4i9hH_-R60YmtVjzgA9DnAuFVTmyyO3pTsdjMn6TORk-6iUmAIvqLY4In4JiqDh-KZqdE5YY70ImY-frTybceYNZM/s320/Mandy+More+Hot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />3. Eva Longoria<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXrMtjCK-xILuvufAJp8tYj6f-wDrqB0C3Yzol010QIY9G78cq0R0OwttZvnKtupqC__qAUyt3Mee0pTe5t2dgsAR8JnBtII-SDkDBEHdt4Kxss7cpSNWsxFmDFakzjfd2g9tk5yUWdU/s1600/Eva+Longoria+Legs+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXrMtjCK-xILuvufAJp8tYj6f-wDrqB0C3Yzol010QIY9G78cq0R0OwttZvnKtupqC__qAUyt3Mee0pTe5t2dgsAR8JnBtII-SDkDBEHdt4Kxss7cpSNWsxFmDFakzjfd2g9tk5yUWdU/s400/Eva+Longoria+Legs+Hot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />4. Neve Campbell<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC4-ogJl1F8mF8JvVF9wUigW9AoU-fzWFDP1SM27_y6jV4nJqLGkfxcBfOZto-AJTO4g83de3_foygxbyrjGikKa9SHGmAjZPJwWmelRQaBIxr4gLpJVCgN07FV_Apfoi3Zlc8nOAaco/s1600/Neve+Campbell+Legs+Nude+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVC4-ogJl1F8mF8JvVF9wUigW9AoU-fzWFDP1SM27_y6jV4nJqLGkfxcBfOZto-AJTO4g83de3_foygxbyrjGikKa9SHGmAjZPJwWmelRQaBIxr4gLpJVCgN07FV_Apfoi3Zlc8nOAaco/s320/Neve+Campbell+Legs+Nude+Hot.jpg" width="253" /></a></div><br />5. And of course, no list of Catholic Hotties would be complete without the best friend poverty ever had and the woman who made sure that women remained second-class citizens and poor people suffered needlessly while she flew in corporate jets to private hospitals in California when she was sick .... Mother Teresa!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVWDwdivTvT10gAdideLg4Ap4t7mHoDQOrChfxUvupBTnph1nqZL6y5bkzpWlmerz2Rr8hvWmyvMAga_8LX60bV7MzN_3-XEcGnlQul3nU-X34YD6P-824Jo90G4deEwTUyO5zOtEuzQ/s1600/Mother+Teresa+Hot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVWDwdivTvT10gAdideLg4Ap4t7mHoDQOrChfxUvupBTnph1nqZL6y5bkzpWlmerz2Rr8hvWmyvMAga_8LX60bV7MzN_3-XEcGnlQul3nU-X34YD6P-824Jo90G4deEwTUyO5zOtEuzQ/s320/Mother+Teresa+Hot.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><br />And, while you're here you should check out "Crossing the Line" show from last night on I'm With Stupid. We took calls from Cowpote and Justin while talking about whether or not any topic or any group of people are off limits when it comes to joke telling. Definitely check it out.<br /><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.adobe.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="105" id="143577" name="143577" width="210"><param name="movie" value="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf?file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4484697&autostart=false&bufferlength=5&volume=80&corner=rounded&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/flashplayercallback.aspx" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/btrplayer.swf" flashvars="file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2Fplaylist.aspx%3Fshow_id%3D4484697&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&width=210&height=105&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="210" height="105" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false" name="143577" id="143577" allowScriptAccess="always"></embed></object><br /><div style="font-size: 10px; text-align: center; width: 220px;">Listen to <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/">internet radio</a> with <a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/im-with-stupid">Im With Stupid</a> on Blog Talk Radio<br /><br /><br /></div></div>

Babe of the Week: Catholic Hotties

In honor of Pope Bennie and Jets stepping down this week, IWS is proud to bring you Catholic Hotties as our Babe(s) of the Week ... 1. Alyss...

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Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge

<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img alt="" src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/garnierHydra.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=5610521272&Campaign=6404167871&Uid=1264101&token=ab48985081c0a672d08bd2a42a668be9" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One thing that I totally hate this time of year is my hair being dried out from the cold weather!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I absolutely hate it and can't stand it, even my skin gets all dry!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Last week or so I got an email invititing me to the Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge Campaign on Bzzagent, thought to myself heck yes I need to try this out because my hair is dried out.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I couldn't wait until it arrived so I could try it and share my review along with my viewers.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I came home I noticed the Bzzagent tape wrapped around the box, always makes me happy seeing that bee symbol!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I ripped the box open then decided to try it out.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course before I tried it I took a photo what came in the kit.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It came with shampoo,conditioner and dry hair treatment cream.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I gathered my things and took a shower.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love the smell of it, smells so good!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the shampoo there are these little powerful beads that help hydrate your hair making it more healthier and shiny looking!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Of course I used the conditioner then realized I was supposed to use the treatment cream before conditioning.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ugh, I know mental head slap. LOL</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyways I loved the end result of this product!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Not because of how great my hair smelled but the way it felt when I ran my fingers through it and my hair wasn't dried out!!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This stuff actually works!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Garnier Fructis Hydra Recharge

One thing that I totally hate this time of year is my hair being dried out from the cold weather! I absolutely hate it and can't stand i...

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Brownie Brittle Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgr-W2coqdd466fo8pQ2r4KMvBQEkgfgIu0CVYbHhtBzNm9mFxcKZblRtdzsUApCG1m6QwlCyURck0GXWjJMx48hlrmtFvs9fERmXny9N_JeZf9EuW8ML3Q6CC6nn3wzbqPhmw6tkzaU/s1600/Brownie+Brittle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgr-W2coqdd466fo8pQ2r4KMvBQEkgfgIu0CVYbHhtBzNm9mFxcKZblRtdzsUApCG1m6QwlCyURck0GXWjJMx48hlrmtFvs9fERmXny9N_JeZf9EuW8ML3Q6CC6nn3wzbqPhmw6tkzaU/s320/Brownie+Brittle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If there is one thing that I love that is sweet and delicious it is brownies.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I just love the crunchy chocolaty corners of brownies, they taste so good!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since I've been eating healthier foods though I haven't had brownies in a long time, I guess it's because I either don't want to get off track or haven't found a healthy substitution.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of that has changed when I was sent some delicious crunchy chocolaty <a href="http://browniebrittle.com/">Brownie Brittle</a> for review.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What's Brownie Brittle?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's literally the best part of the brownie!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's just the edges of the brownies like I described earlier!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are insanely good, so chocolaty, crispy and works great with a glass of milk!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now I can enjoy the taste of a brownie without actually eating one!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They come in Chocolate Chip, Toffee Crunch and Traditional Walnut.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are so good!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Toffee crunch bits with a crispy chocolate cookie like texture!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Yum!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mom's favorite was the chocolate chip!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have to admit, I loved both!</span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are just too good to choose just one. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check them out online!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://browniebrittle.com/">http://browniebrittle.com/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like them on Face Book and follow them on Twitter!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/BrownieBrittle">https://twitter.com/BrownieBrittle</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrownieBrittle"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">https://www.facebook.com/BrownieBrittle</span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Brownie Brittle Review

If there is one thing that I love that is sweet and delicious it is brownies. I just love the crunchy chocolaty corners of brownies, they ta...

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Skinny Pop Popcorn Review

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67jmo6VuYaTZDZsnHnsmR6BeWEmgZNmKxOXqSjsIi105A_ZzNulHALPbrQ1u1y3TUaM0T4x7B131RG1fvbNW0aHefmIGOmKdNnEVU18O4kNOIDiLwBpd9juWrDQKoC_xlhO5KfdEWNF0/s1600/skinny+pop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67jmo6VuYaTZDZsnHnsmR6BeWEmgZNmKxOXqSjsIi105A_ZzNulHALPbrQ1u1y3TUaM0T4x7B131RG1fvbNW0aHefmIGOmKdNnEVU18O4kNOIDiLwBpd9juWrDQKoC_xlhO5KfdEWNF0/s320/skinny+pop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a huge fan of popcorn especially movie theater popcorn.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Which when your trying to eat right is a big no no!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was given some bags of popcorn for review and was blown away at how great this snack is!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With the help of <a href="http://skinnypop.com/">Skinny Pop</a> I now can still eat popcorn as a guilt free snack and enjoy it as well!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is so delicious, light, fluffy and tastes just like movie popcorn without all of the greasy butter.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I know, best part but this popcorn doesn't need any butter at all!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Add some raisins or even some pieces of chocolate for a tasty treat!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I love how you can eat a big portion of it and it's still guilt free!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only 39 calories per cup.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Don't you just love snacks that are guilt free?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Oh, the best part is it's cholesterol free as well!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also zero grams trans fat! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How awesome is that?!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Facts:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All natural</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">guilt free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">cholesterol free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">tree free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">peanut free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">dairy free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">preservative free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">gluten free</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and a good source of fiber</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check them out on the web!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://skinnypop.com/">http://skinnypop.com/</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Like them on Face Book, Follow them on Twitter! </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyPopPopcorn">https://www.facebook.com/SkinnyPopPopcorn</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/theskinnypop">https://twitter.com/theskinnypop</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>

Skinny Pop Popcorn Review

I am a huge fan of popcorn especially movie theater popcorn. Which when your trying to eat right is a big no no! I was given some bags of po...

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Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 03/02/2013

<ul class="diigo-linkroll"> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.f3program.org/content/2013-f3-educator-showcase-submission-form">2013 F3 Educator Showcase Submission Form | Foundations for the Future (F3)</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This is a call out specifically to my friends out there in the Atlanta area or anywhere in Georgia to put in for a poster session at Georgia Tech's conference about the Foundations for the future. I wish I could get away but am a bit tied up at school right now. Here's the information and link: "Foundations for the Future (F3), a K-12 outreach and research program at Georgia Tech Research Institute, knows that Georgia teachers are using technology in amazing ways to inspire and engage students. One of the most frequent comments we hear is that it is difficult for educators to know what's working for other educators because there is so much going on, not everyone can afford to attend conferences, and access to technology is inconsistent across the state. We want to honor and highlight teachers and their projects. What better way to get inspired than through a fellow colleague! What better way to meet other passionate educators and share your experiences! F3 is hosting the 2013 F3 Educator Showcase during our May Explorers Guild meeting. The showcase will include a panel discussion along with a poster session. If you are interested in applying for the poster session, all you need to do is follow the guidelines below. Posters will be chosen by a selection committee of F3 partners and Georgia Tech colleagues. Chosen posters will be printed for participants so that after the event they can take the posters back to their school to continue highlighting the good work taking place there! This event helps support F3’s mission to help acquire and leverage instructional technology resources for Georgia’s classrooms, schools, and districts, share best practices, and establish a community of learners. We look forward to your submissions and can't wait to see you all at the event in May!   Guidelines for Poster Abstract Submission: Title: Accurately and concisely present your idea in 15 words or less Abstract: In 350 words or less, tell us about how using technology has impacted your classroom. Who was the audience? What technology did you use? What approach was taken? etc.   That's it! Nothing to it! It’s time to step up and share your creativity and innovation with your peers from across the state! Once poster abstracts are selected, we will send out notifications so that you can start creating your posters! We will make templates available in Microsoft PowerPoint and in Keynote. We will supply all printed posters, easels, etc. We just need you!"</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/stem">stem</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/technology">technology</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/all_teachers">all_teachers</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/edu_news">edu_news</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://forensicoutreach.com">Forensic Outreach</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">If you teach forensics, you might be interested in this website with classroom information, course guides, etc. Some in science cover this as well. It is a bit creepy for me, but there are many that are fascinated by this. Some see it as a way to introduce the scientific method and stem.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/stem">stem</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/science">science</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://flapjackeducationalresources.blogspot.com">FlapJack Educational Resources</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">This is Tabitha Carro's teacher blog with lots of resources, classroom posters. This looks like a great site for elementary teachers.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/elemchat">elemchat</a></p> </li> <li> <p class="diigo-link"> <a href="http://www.howdoyouplay.net">How Do You Play</a> </p> <p class="diigo-description">Fun games that you can play. There are a lot of these that you can find and use for the classroom, as ice breakers and others. I found this site easy to use and had some cool ideas on it. I love games. This is going in my list of tools.</p> <p class="diigo-tags"> <span>tags:</span> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/games">games</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/game_based_learning">game_based_learning</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/education">education</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/teaching">teaching</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/all_teachers">all_teachers</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/team building">team building</a> <a href="https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher/icebreakers">icebreakers</a></p> <ul class="diigo-comments"> </ul> </li> </ul><p class="diigo-ps">Posted from <a href='https://www.diigo.com'>Diigo</a>. The rest of my favorite links are <a href='https://www.diigo.com/user/coolcatteacher'>here</a>.</p>

Teach This! Teaching with lesson plans and ideas that rock 03/02/2013

2013 F3 Educator Showcase Submission Form | Foundations for the Future (F3) This is a call out speci...

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Jerusalem, My Happy Home: Part 5

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Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">This morning we rode a couple of hours to Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean coast. It was the ruin of a City built by Herod the Great as a harbor to complete with Alexandria and as a respectable Roman City in Palestine. It had a classic theater and a large hippodrome for chariot races and gladiator fights. Caesarea was Pilate’s capital from which he ruled most of the time making it down to Jerusalem only for major festivals when there was a risk of disorder. Paul was imprisoned and tried here, before disembarking for Rome. The main thing I left with from Caesarea is what an open-minded guy Herod the Great was –building the Temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem and the Temple to Caesar in Caesarea. A consummate politician, that Herod.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">From there we went to Mt. Carmel. I remain surprised at the beauty of this green agricultural country. Even seminary had not disabused me of the notion that this country was semi-arid at its wettest. Not remotely true. From the peak of Carmel, the Jezreel Valley and the surrounding country appears verdant and productive. We heard the story of Elijah’s duel with the prophets of Baal. I would have been interested to hear more about how a band of deserters from the Crusades, disillusioned with European holy militarism, came here to form the Carmelite order.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then it was on to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation. Nazareth is now a small city, about half Muslim and half Christian. In Jesus’s day, it was an insignificant village of about 400. The Church of the Annunciation is famous for Madonnas from many different nations. Some are just soul stirring. The American one, however, looks like a refugee from a sci-fi movie. She is metallic, stern, and has no Baby Jesus. A little scary. I think we could do better. The Church of the Annunciation is an elegant Franciscan shrine, but does not have the feel of holiness or antiquity we experienced in the Church of the Nativity. The main value for me was just being in Nazareth. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">Our leader gave a reflection on the childhood of Jesus that sounded pretty Beaver Cleaver. From reading Andrew Harvey’ Son of Man and Stephen Mitchell’s The Gospel According to Jesus (largely a book on the Gospel of Thomas), I think Ann Rice had it closer to right in her novel Christ the Lord. His irregular birth would have been a problem. His sympathy for the outcast and his eagerness to forgive and reconcile may have their roots in that experience. GThom Saying 105: “He who knows the Father and Mother will be called the son of a harlot.” It is likely not everyone in Nazareth believed in the Virgin Birth. And of course when Jesus returned as the hometown boy made good, the people of Nazareth didn’t buy it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">From there we went to Cana where, in John’s Gospel, Jesus turned water into wine. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is enormously helpful to see this country, but I had hoped for an academically richer program. This is more touristy than I had expected. Apparently some St. George’s classes are more substantive. So I’m reading extra hard to make up for what is lacking in the presentations. And I am learning a lot from the reading. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment-->

Jerusalem, My Happy Home: Part 5

This morning we rode a couple of hours to Caesarea Maritima on the Mediterranean coast. It was the ruin of a City built by Hero...

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