Couple up those dieting and climate change bandwagons with the Global Warming Diet, says Prof Trim explaining how increasing personal energy expenditure can decrease body fat and carbon emissions. In Busting Food Myths, Nicole Senior faces facts and shows why beauty is more than skin deep, and Catherine Saxelby explains why we need to shake the salt habit in Feedback. Also this month our chef Kate Hemphill tempts the tastebuds with Avocado, sesame and sumac quinoa in baby gem leaves and Udon noodle stir-fry with curry and coconut. Our food of the month is canned salmon. Why? Well it’s low in saturated fat, rich in zinc and a great source of those essential omega-3s. It’s also a handy ingredient to keep on standby to whip up low GI meals like Jennene Plummer’s, Fusilli with salmon and baby spinach.
Good eating, good health and good reading.
GI News Editor: Philippa Sandall Web Design and Management: Scott Dickinson, PhD
The weighty matter of genes and environment ‘There’s plenty of evidence to back up the idea that our body weight and shape is at least partly determined by our genes,’ says Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller. ‘A child born to overweight parents is much more likely to be overweight than one whose parents are not overweight. Most of this knowledge comes from twins studies. Identical twins tend to be similar in body weight even if they are raised apart. Twins adopted out as infants show the body-fat profile of their biological parents rather than their adoptive parents.’
So how much is ‘genes’ and how much ‘environment’? And how much does that matter?
University College London (UCL) researchers writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (February 2008, Volume 87, No. 2) report that genetics and heritability may account for 77% of obesity, while environmental factors make up less that 25%. ‘Although contemporary environments have made today's children fatter than children 20 years ago, the primary explanation for variations within the population, then and now, is genetic difference between individual children,' say the authors. The researchers analysed the BMI and weight circumference in a UK sample of 5,092 twin pairs (identical and sibling) aged 8 -11, born between 1994 and 1996. They found that the correlations for monozygotic (identical) twins in their study were similar in boys and girls, and greatly exceeded those of the dizygotic (sibling) twins, suggesting a strong genetic influence.
In commenting on this study, Dr David Ludwig, Associate Prof. of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program says: ‘One must be very cautious interpreting studies aiming to determine what proportion of a disease is genetic vs environmental. Clearly, heritable factors can affect body weight and risk for obesity. However, our genes haven’t changed much in the last half century, as obesity rates in children have tripled in the US and elsewhere.
A disease can look predominantly genetic under one set of conditions, and primarily environmental under another set. For example, among people living at high latitudes where sun exposure is limited, most cases of skin cancer may result from genetic susceptibility. However, if those people moved to the tropics, skin cancers would increase, and most cases would be directly attributable to sun exposure (an environmental factor.)
The bottom line is that we can’t change our genes, but we can change our environment, especially the home environment where we and our kids spend much of our time. “Protecting the home environment” is in fact the primary parenting practice we recommend in our 9-week family weight loss program here at Children’s Hospital Boston.’
Beans mean less diabetes Legumes, also known as pulses, are the edible seeds found inside the mature pods of leguminous plants such as beans, chickpeas, lentils and peanuts. Yes, peanuts (GI 14) are a legume not a nut. Whether you buy legumes dried, or opt for canned convenience, you are choosing one of nature’s lowest GI foods. They are high in fibre and packed with nutrients, providing protein, carbohydrate, B vitamins, folate and minerals. When you add them to meals and snacks, you reduce the overall GI of your diet because your body digests them slowly. This is primarily because their starch breaks down relatively slowly (or incompletely) during cooking and they contain tannins and enzyme inhibitors that also slow digestion.
A large study by researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Centre and the Shanghai Cancer Institute found that Chinese women who ate legumes reduced their risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Women with a high intake of legumes reduced their risk by 38%, while those with a high intake specifically of soybeans (GI 14) nearly halved their risk - reducing it by 47%.
Using food frequency questionnaires to assess dietary intakes, the researchers led by Raquel Villegas followed 64,227 middle-aged Chinese women with no history of type 2 diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease at the beginning of the study for an average of four and a half years. Other than soy milk, there was no relationship between diabetes risk and eating soy foods and soy protein such as tofu and tempeh. – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 2008
Berry good health Cardiovascular disease is still the biggest killer of men and women, and having diabetes or pre-diabetes is a major risk factor for it. High levels of glucose in the blood, even short-term spikes after a meal, can have many undesirable effects and are a predictor of future heart disease. High insulin levels also increase the tendency for blood clots to form. Heart-healthy, low GI foods can play an important part in reducing the risk. And what sweeter way to eat your way to heart health than to tuck into a bowl of berries, ‘the leader of the pack when it comes to phytochemical antioxidants which help reduce oxidation of cholesterol in the body,’ says dietitian Nicole Senior.
A new study from Finland has shown that eating berries can boost levels of good cholesterol and improve blood pressure. The researchers randomly assigned 72 slightly overweight (average BMI 26.2) middle-aged men and women to consume either a diet rich in berries, or a control diet containing one of four different products including sugar-water, sweet rice porridge, marmalade sweets, or sweet semolina porridge. The berry eaters consumed 100 g (3½ oz) of whole bilberries and 50 g (1¾ oz) of a lingonberry-rich nectar every second day plus 100 g of a purée of blackcurrants or strawberries and a juice of raspberry and chokeberry on the other days. ‘We found favourable changes in platelet function, blood pressure (reduction in systolic blood pressure by 7.3 mm HG), and HDL cholesterol after the consumption of berries for two months,’ wrote lead author Iris Erlund. At the end of the trial, levels of ‘good’ HDL-cholesterol rose significantly more in the berry group (by 5.2%), compared with the control group (by 0.6%). Total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels were not altered. – American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, February 2008,
What's new?
THE LOW GI FAMILY COOKBOOK GIVE AWAY
Giveaway now closed and the names of the winners have been posted in the comments section below.
Thank you one and all for entering, we'll run it again later in the year as it's been such a success.
Podcast: Children and the GI Prof. Jennie Brand-Miller discusses how to use the GI to help kids develop healthy eating habits and a love of good food for life. She talks about how to handle fussy eaters, what foods to give your kids for breakfast and for snacks, and how to add fun foods to healthy foods in order to easily encourage better nutrition. For kids or even adults who are athletes, she describes the best ways to approach diet and how the GI can be a huge help in keeping energy high and maximising performance.
Play the Podcast above or download here
AJCN supplement: Glycemic Response and Health The January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has a supplement including a number of reports on glycemic response and health which may be of interest to researchers and health professionals. For the article abstracts, click HERE.
Die Sydney Diät Mit 12-Wochen-Activ-Plan
Fully illustrated in colour throughout, Die Sydney Diät, the German edition of The Low GI Diet, is now available. For more information check out the ‘Die Sydney Diät’ website and newsletter HERE.
Webcast: The Glycemic Index and Load Debate March 19, 2008, 1:00–2:30 p.m. CST For more information, and to register, visit ift.org/knowledge. When registering, please enter this code: 0308EM1121 What are the issues associated with GI and GL, and what data exist on both sides of the debate? Should the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) of a food be used as a tool for dietary guidance? If you are a product developer, researcher, or marketing/regulatory professional, you'll want to join what is sure to be a lively discussion over this emotional issue. In this webcast, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the controversy surrounding the use of GI, as well as of the regulatory environment. You will also gain insights into the trends that relate to the development of products for which a GI-reduction health claim is intended. Register and gain valuable information about the Australian model, including benefits and drawbacks. You'll also discover the potential role of product development in warding off diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Participate live with our panel of experts, including Jennie Brand-Miller, leading authority on the Australian GI/GL system, Marion Franz, nutrition/health consultant, registered dietitian Kathie Wrick of The Food Group, and Lynn Dornblaser of Mintel International Group.
Canned salmon and the amazing benefits of omega-3 ‘Low in saturated fat, rich in zinc and a great source of omega-3s – there are plenty of reasons to eat canned salmon,’ says Foodwatch dietitian and nutritionist Catherine Saxelby. ‘It is also high in protein and full of iodine, potassium and zinc. Make sure you eat the small edible bones, one 100 g can provides 200–230 mg of calcium – 20 per cent of the recommended daily intake.’
We asked diabetes dietitian Kaye Foster Powell what’s so great about omega-3s for people with diabetes. ‘People with large amounts of omega-3 fats in their diet are less likely to have type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes,’ says Kaye. ‘What’s more, these fats are a must for a healthy heart – and they don’t upset your blood glucose levels. There are lots of ways omega-3 fats can help you.
They make your platelets less sticky and lower fibrinogen levels (fibrinogen is a blood-clotting factor). This means they decrease the chance of forming blood clots throughout your body, thus reducing the likelihood of a heart attack, stroke, or embolism (clot)
They make your red blood cells more flexible so your blood flows more easily, lowering your blood pressure and improving delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your cells
They lower blood fats (especially triglycerides) and increase HDL (good) cholesterol levels
They stabilise your heartbeat, preventing heartbeat abnormalities (arrhythmia) that can lead to cardiac arrest
They may reduce microalbuminuria (an abnormally high amount of protein in the urine) and thus help patients on dialysis (a machine to filter the kidneys)
They may elevate your mood, lift depression and improve your ability to deal with stress
They reduce inflammation and can relieve symptoms of arthritis, and
They may reduce the output of the stress hormone adrenaline.’
Boost your omega-3s with this delicious low GI recipe from Catherine Saxelby’s Zest cookbook co-authored with Woman’s Day food director Jennene Plummer.
Fusilli with salmon and baby spinach Serves 6
500 g fusilli, or another pasta of choice spray oil 250 g punnet cherry tomatoes, halved 2 garlic cloves, sliced 210 g can red or pink salmon, drained and flaked 1/2 cup extra-light cream or light evaporated milk juice 1 lemon 60 g baby spinach leaves chopped chives and grated parmesan cheese to serve
Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling water, following packet instructions. Drain the pasta well and set aside, keeping warm.
Heat a large frying pan on high. Spray with oil. Sauté the tomatoes and garlic for a minute then stir in the salmon, cream and lemon juice. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Toss the sauce through the hot pasta with the spinach leaves. Serve topped with chives and a little parmesan. Accompany with salad.
Per serving (including a generous serve of side salad with vinaigrette dressing) 1700 kJ/405 Cal, 9 g fat (includes 2.5 g saturated fat), 62 g carbohydrate, 5 g fibre
Our chef Kate Hemphill develops deliciously simple recipes for GI News that showcase seasonal ingredients and make it easy for you to cook healthy, low GI meals and snacks. For more of Kate’s fabulous fare, check out: www.lovetocook.co.uk. For now, prepare and share good food with family and friends.
Kate Hemphill
Udon noodle stir-fry with curry and coconut Stir-fries are generally just a combination of whatever's in the fridge. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like to this. The problem with a lot of stir-fries is that they are overcooked. Here’s a tip. To avoid doing this, keep the heat fairly high and the ingredients moving in the pan and as soon as they're cooked, slide them into a bowl and eat straight away. Serves 2-3
1/2 brown onion, finely chopped or grated 1 tablespoon medium or madras curry powder 1 tablespoon (30 ml) vegetable oil 1 large skinless chicken breast, halved horizontally and cut into pieces 8 heads of bok choy or choy sum, washed, trimmed and cut into 5cm pieces 100 g (31/2 oz) sugar snap peas, cut in half on the diagonal 200 g (7 oz) udon or Shangahi noodles ¾ cup (180 ml) light coconut milk (or coconut flavoured light evaporated milk to reduce the saturated fat) handful of fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
Heat a wok over medium heat and add onion. Stir for one minute, then add curry powder and vegetable oil to make a paste. Add the chicken pieces and continue to stir while cooking. After 3–4 minutes, add the vegetables, and after another 3 minutes, add the noodles and coconut milk. Keep the ingredients moving in the pan
Season to taste and top with coriander leaves, you might want to add some Asian chilli sauce at this point if you like a bit of heat.
Per serve (based on 3 servings) 2507 kJ/597 calories; 49 g protein; 17 g fat (includes 3.7 g saturated fat); 58 g carbohydrate; 6.4 g fibre
Avocado, sesame and sumac quinoa in baby gem leaves This is a nice healthy and very versatile dish that can be eaten for lunch (you’d need a couple of leaves), or served as a canapé – it is easy finger food – when entertaining indoors or out. You can also stuff a pita pocket with the quinoa mix for a substantial sandwich or eat it on its own as a grainy salad side dish with a main meal.
Quinoa
Makes 16 lettuce ‘cups’
300 g quinoa, cooked and drained 1 avocado, diced into 1 cm (1/2 inch) pieces 4 spring onions, finely sliced 2 teaspoons sesame oil 2 teaspoons soy sauce ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) lemon juice 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 heads of baby gem lettuce (16 leaves), washed and drained sesame seeds, to serve sumac, to serve
Place the quinoa in a bowl and combine with the avocado, spring onions, sesame oil, soy, lemon juice and oil and season to taste. Spoon into lettuce leaves and sprinkle with sesame seeds and a little sumac.
Per lettuce cup 358 kJ/85 calories; 1.4 g protein; 6.7 g fat (includes 1 g saturated fat); 5 g carbohydrate; 1 g fibre
Myth: Staying young is skin deep as any wrinkle will tell you.
Nicole Senior
Fact: Despite the millions spent on lotions and potions, youth and beauty at any age comes from within. Although fruit, vegetables, herbs, green tea and omega-3s are fashionable ingredients for skin care products, you’ll probably get better results by eating them. An Australian study comparing the habitual diets of mature women found those with the least skin wrinkles enjoyed a diet rich in vegetables, olive oil, fish and legumes. Eating prunes, apples and drinking tea also seemed to help. A large study of middle aged- American women found those who consumed the most vitamin C and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid found in vegetable oils) had the lowest skin-age appearance.
A common fear of getting older is ‘losing our marbles’ so we can’t talk about healthy ageing without discussing the brain. Besides exercising your brain with memory tasks, puzzles and problem solving, you can maintain a healthy brain with the food you eat. For example, foods rich folate may decrease levels of harmful homocysteine in the body – a trouble-making substance that may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s as well as cardiovascular disease. Folate rich foods include green leafy vegetables (e.g. spinach), citrus fruit, legumes (e.g. lentils) and breakfast cereals and breads with added folate.
Having high blood glucose levels can also muddy the waters of the mind. Excess glucose forms an unholy alliance with proteins in the brain to produce AGE (advanced glycosylated end products), which are implicated in degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. A similar process can occur with proteins in the skin leaving you looking very much your AGE. Here’s where a low GI diet comes in: you can reduce the amount of glucose loitering-with-intent-to-age. Enjoy low GI foods such as grainy breads, oats, muesli, pasta, legumes, fruits and calcium-rich low fat dairy foods and your dedication to healthy eating will be written all over your face.
If all these protective foods are sounding familiar it’s because they also help maintain a healthy heart. While heart disease is often associated with men, it is still the biggest killer of women. Heart-friendly foods such as vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, fish and healthy oils are also brain-friendly. Ladies, your healthy ageing strategy is simple: eat for your heart and your head (and use sunscreen).
Dermatologists say the most important strategy for preventing premature ageing is staying out of the sun, so buying a good sunscreen is money well spent – and wearing a hat.
Happy meals for whom? Way back in the 1980s and 1990s, I was involved in a 15-year study (the CARDIA study, Lancet 2005, 365:36-42) that took a long, hard look at what happens when young people eat fast food on a regular basis. We found those kids eating fast food more than twice a week gained an extra 10 pounds and insulin resistance increased twice as fast as those who ate it once a week or less. And that was way back then, when eating fast food often was eating it twice a week. Today young people from toddlers to teens may be tucking into fast food four times a week or more.
Did someone say happy meals? These are sad meals indeed. Why? Most people think of fast food as being loaded with fats. Yes it is. But it is also packed with an even greater amount of high GI carbs – think of those spongy soft burger buns, fries, soda, apple pie and cookies. Not to mention the massive portion sizes, high energy density, minimal fibre, few vitamins and minerals and a heavy hand with the salt shaker. And if that isn’t enough, fast food is designed to be eaten, well, fast. Children can easily consume almost an entire day’s calorie requirements from such meals in a matter of minutes, long before their bodies have time to recognise and respond to the incoming calories. It takes 20–30 minutes for those ‘I’m full now’ satiety signals from the stomach to reach the brain.
The evidence is piling up just like those extra pounds are piling on – overweight or obesity in adolescence increases risk of heart disease in adulthood. And early data from Canada is showing that adolescents with type 2 diabetes will be at high risk of limb amputation, kidney failure and premature death.
Very sad meals indeed.
Of course, parents need to take responsibility for their children’s welfare by providing high quality food, limiting television viewing and time spent in front of small screens and setting an example with a healthy lifestyle. But why should their efforts be undermined by the billions of dollars in junk food advertising from the food industry or by farm subsidies in the US for example that favor high fructose corn syrup over fruits, vegetables and other wholesome foods?
Like governments around the world, there are things that our US government needs to do. It needs to develop a comprehensive national strategy that encourages children to eat a healthy diet and be active. I am not talking good intentions and fuzzy words here. I am talking serious teeth in the form of legislation that:
Regulates junk food advertising
Provides adequate funding for decent school lunches and regular physical activities at school
Restructures the (US) farm subsidy program to favour nutrient-dense rather than calorie-dense foods, and
Mandates insurance coverage for preventing and treating pediatric obesity.
What can you do? Take a minute to promote America’s health says the Center for Science in the Public Interest. Send a message to Congress.
Dr David Ludwig
– Dr David Ludwig is Director of the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) program at Children’s Hospital Boston and author of Ending the Food Fight
Dr David Ludwig discusses the impact of childhood obesity and what needs to be done.
Now it’s the ‘global warming diet’ Joining two bandwagons – dieting and climate change – US experts have come up with a caravan. They call it the ‘global warming diet’, because not only does it decrease fat on an individual’s body, it decreases carbon emissions into the atmosphere. How does it manage both feats? By increasing personal energy expenditure (e.g. through more walking), and decreasing carbon emissions from the energy of non-renewable fossil fuels (e.g. from less driving of cars).
In a typical atmosphere of global megalomania, said experts believe such a brilliant, revolutionary idea could come only from the US, thus ignoring the Professor’s earlier forays into this area in the Australian Medical Journal (August 2007). Still, in the words of Oscar Wilde, “tis better to be mimicked than shunned” (or something like that).
The proposal? Get out of your car and walk, or ride a bike for half an hour a day instead of driving. The average person walking an extra half an hour a day would lose about 6 kg a year and burn around 100 litres less fuel, or 230 kg of carbon (e.g. around 12% of the current annual Australian emission per person). And while you’re at it, eat less processed, high energy-dense food, which takes a lot of carbon creating energy to manufacture.
If you’re also kind to each other, eat your vegetables and get to bed early, the world would be a much nicer place!
I thought salt was salt, but have just bought a recipe book that tells me to use kosher salt and I now notice my supermarket has shelves groaning with packets of different types and colours of salt. Is there any difference? Are some better than others? How much is OK? You are right. Salt is salt. It is a compound called sodium chloride of which about 40% is sodium. We turned to Canadian food consultant, Norene Gilletz, who is a certified Culinary Professional with the IACP, a leading authority on kosher cooking and author of Norene’s Healthy Kitchen (reviewed last month in GI News), for some tips on the types of salt you find on your supermarket shelves.
Table salt is the one in most salt shakers. It is fine-ground, refined salt typically from rock salt and usually with some additives to keep it free flowing (anti-caking agents such as sodium silicoaluminate or magnesium carbonate).
Iodized salt is table salt with a minute amount of potassium iodide, sodium iodide or iodate added. The iodine is added to help reduce the chance of iodine deficiency which commonly commonly leads to thyroid problems such as goitre.
Sea salt is produced by the evaporation of seawater and comes in flakes and crystals. It usually has no additives.
Kosher salt is additive free and coarse grained. It’s readily available in North America.
Whether you opt for table salt, iodised salt, sea salt or kosher salt, there’s little difference in the sodium content by weight. The key difference is taste and texture, and iodine content. Many chefs and gourmet cooks prefer to use the coarser kosher and sea salts. If you opt for a ¼ teaspoon of a coarse grained salt like sea salt or kosher salt, you’ll find that less will fit on a spoon so you’ll get less sodium. But that’s about it when it comes to benefits.
As for how much is enough? ‘We don’t need much at all,’ says Foodwatch nutritionist, Catherine Saxelby. ‘The body needs less than 200 mg of sodium a day, but the average Western diet supplies from 2300–4600 mg of sodium a day (which is equivalent to 6–12 grams of salt or around 1–2 teaspoons salt). The problem with too much sodium is that it attracts and retains fluid inside the body. The evidence is compelling that cutting back on salt will make a big difference to blood pressure in most cases, and for any condition where fluid retention is a feature.’
Most experts these days recommend between 1500 and 2300 mg sodium a day for healthy adults. So, how do you cut back your salt intake?
‘The big problem is not so much the salt shaker, says Catherine. ‘It’s those everyday foods even if they don’t taste salty – cheese, deli meats, butter and margarine, fast foods, sauces and spreads. In fact around 75 per cent of our salt intake comes from processed foods, which is why buying salt reduced and no added salt foods will have the biggest impact on your intake.’
Download Catherine’s tips on cutting back on sodium HERE.
I’ve heard that coffee is good for diabetes. Is that true? The jury is still out on this one. Occasional coffee drinking may actually decrease insulin sensitivity, but drinking coffee or other high caffeine foods or beverages on a regular basis does not appear to have any detrimental effects on people with diabetes in the long run. Coffee (regular and decaffeinated) contains lots of antioxidants and magnesium which may improve insulin sensitivity. Our take-home message as ever is moderation. Here are the findings of a couple of studies.
A small study reported in February 2008 Diabetes Care however suggests that daily consumption of caffeine in coffee, tea or soft drinks can increase blood glucose levels for people with type 2 diabetes. Dr James Lane of Duke University tracked 10 people with established type 2 diabetes who drank at least two cups of coffee every day and were trying to manage their diabetes through diet, exercise and oral medications, but not extra insulin. Each had a tiny glucose monitor embedded under their abdominal skin that continuously monitored their glucose levels over a 72-hour period. The participants took capsules containing caffeine equal to about four cups of coffee on one day and then identical capsules that contained a placebo on another day. Everyone had the same nutrition drink for breakfast, but were free to eat whatever they liked for lunch and dinner. The researchers found that when the participants consumed caffeine, their average daily sugar levels went up 8%. Caffeine also exaggerated the rise in glucose after meals: increasing by 9% after breakfast, 15% after lunch and 26% after dinner. Cathy Moulton, care advisor at Diabetes UK, said: ‘Although this is interesting research, the study only examines a sample of 10 people taking pure caffeine capsules (not real coffee) for a 72-hour period, which proves very little. More research is needed before we ask people with diabetes to stop drinking coffee. The best way to control glucose levels is through healthy eating and exercise.’
A study of the dietary habits of more than 125,000 people in the US over 20 years (Annals of Internal Medicine January 2004) found that men who drank more than six cups of caffeinated coffee a day reduced their chances of getting type 2 diabetes by more than 50% compared with men in the study who didn’t drink coffee. Among the women, those who drank six or more cups a day reduced their risk of type 2 diabetes by nearly 30%. These effects could not be accounted for by lifestyle factors such as smoking, exercise or obesity. Decaffeinated coffee was also beneficial, but it had less effect than regular coffee. The researchers noted that caffeine, the best-known ingredient in regular coffee, is known to raise blood sugar and increase energy expenditure in the short term, but its long-term effects are not well understood. Coffee (both regular and decaffeinated) has lots of antioxidants like chlorogenic acid (one of the compounds responsible for the coffee flavor) and magnesium. These ingredients can actually improve sensitivity to insulin and may contribute to lowering risk of type 2 diabetes.
‘Success breeds success! I love the mental freedom of not having cravings as the best thing of all.’ – Diane ‘I had never been on a diet or lost a kilo in my life. So, having reached the age of 53, weighing 102 kg and being pre-diabetic, I decided to adopt the low GI diet. I read many success stories, but never did I think I would be as successful as these people. I couldn’t imagine myself as losing weight and being lighter, I couldn’t really remember weighing less.
Well, only 12 weeks later, I weigh less than 90 kilos! I stare at the scales every morning in amazement. It has become an incentive to continue, as success breeds success. People have noticed, and are very kind with their comments, but strangely enough, I don’t notice much change, except in photographs. I never imagined I would be able to cut down my chocolate habit to next to nothing, but it has been so easy. I’d say to people, jump in, the first few days might be hard, but just go and have some lovely steak, prawns or fish and try and then try and tell yourself this diet is awful!
I upped the intensity of my exercise as well, and it is difficult fitting it all in, but hey, going out for a walk instead of watching telly or sitting at the computer ain’t so bad, is it. I also like to think that I’ll escape some of the complications of diabetes that my family suffered.’
‘I lost 15 lb over 6 months and continue to maintain this weight loss.’ – Jini ‘I wanted to safely lose the weight I had gained following 5 years of adjuvant therapy (tamoxifen) for breast cancer. I had read about the glycemic index (I am a research scientist) and decided that I would try the low GI diet. I cut out all refined and processed food from my diet and started to replace high GI foods with low GI substitutes. It is not very easy but I compiled lists of foods with a lot of help from your website. I followed the low GI diet combined with working out at the gym 3 times a week. I lost 15 lb over a period of 6 months to return to my original weight and BMI of 21.5 and continue to maintain this weight loss.
As I and my family enjoy desserts I now create/develop low GI versions of cookies/muffins using whole wheat flour, ground almonds, fruit and small amounts of honey/maple syrup. I have also successfully encouraged several family members (some who are diabetic) to switch or to be more aware of the GI of the foods they eat.’
Healthy snacks for active kids Let’s face it, finding healthy nutritious pre-prepared snacks that kids also love to eat, can sometimes be a chore. The typical range of calorie-laden, high saturated fat, high GI pre-prepared snacks that have been traditionally marketed to kids generally fail to meet the nutritional targets espoused by most dietitians and nutritionists. But rapid increases in rates of childhood obesity around the globe, and increased community awareness, have spurred many of the more responsible food manufacturers to develop new ranges of delicious healthier snacks for the school lunch box, canteen or after school snack. An increasing number of healthier options for kids now carry the GI Symbol which means the food is a healthy choice for its food group. Here are some examples available in Australia:
Sunripe School Straps and Go Fruits (GI 40) Uncle Tobys Crunchy (GI 51) and Chewy (GI 48) muesli bars Maggi 2 Minute Noodles (GI 52) Nestle All Natural 99% Fat Free (GI 14 -49) and Nestle Diet (GI 10-21) Yoghurts Brownes Diet Yoghurts (GI 24-40)
In addition to these, Nestle Australia has just brought out two new healthy low GI dairy snacks designed especially for kids:
Nestle Milo Mousse Energy Dairy Snack (GI 46) Nestle Milo Energy Dairy Snack (GI 28)
Where can I get more information on GI testing? North America Dr Alexandra Jenkins Glycemic Index Laboratories 36 Lombard Street, Suite 100 Toronto, Ontario M5C 2X3 Canada Phone +1 416 861 0506 Email info@gilabs.com Web http://www.gilabs.com/
Australia Fiona Atkinson
Research Manager, Sydney University Glycemic Index Research Service (SUGiRS) Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences Sydney University NSW 2006 Australia Phone + 61 2 9351 6018 Fax: + 61 2 9351 6022 Email sugirs@mmb.usyd.edu.au Web http://www.glycemicindex.com/
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The Greens and the Children's Commissioner don't have a clue
It appears that the Green Party and the Office of the Children's Commissioner have not even read Larry Baldock and Sheryl Savill's petitions regarding child abuse and physical punishment - but they spend a lot of energy telling people what they think of them. More than 600,000 signatures for both petitions were delivered to Parliament today.
Both Offices have told me that they will not be signing Larry Baldock's petition. His petition calls for the Government to address child abuse. They dont want to sign that petition. The Grens reasons were because Baldock has a petition asking "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?"
Does he? Many people in both offices are not even aware that it is Sheryl Savill's petition that appears to have the numbers for a referendum.
The Greens and the Children's Commissioner's Office need to get clued up on what they are protesting otherwise they`ll come across as ignorant idiots.
February 26, 2008: the Dutch authorities blocked the transfer of gay Iranian youth Mehdi Kazemi to the UK, where he could have been deported to Iran to face trial.
Hands Off Cain, Non Violent Radical Party and Italian Radicals issued a statement regarding the Dutch authorities’ decision: “We mobilised to prevent Mehdi’s deportation from the UK to Iran. Mehdi is a 19 year old gay Iranian youth, accused of “lavat” (sodomy) by the Iranian regime and who, because of this, risks being put to death like his partner, Parham, was in April 2006.
After yesterday’s demonstration and the initiatives of the European and Italian Parliaments, as well as the intervention of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, tonight the Dutch authorities, evidently in absence of guarantees from London, blocked the transfer of Mehdi to England. In the past few months, he was denied political asylum in England and from there he could be deported in a few days to Iran to face trial.
We will continue to closely follow this event in coordination with the Everyone Group, who have followed this case from the beginning. We will immediately make contact with the Dutch authorities to guarantee that after this first important gesture, the right of asylum is guaranteed to Mehdi and to all those who, like him, are persecuted for their sexual orientation and for this even risk being put to death, tortured or persecuted.”
Sources: radicali.it, 26/02/2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Baldock's s59 petition may not get to referendum
Larry Baldock's petition to date does not yet have the required signatures to force a referendum.
Much has been made of the anti smacking petitions lately. Much of the discussion has been around whether parental correction should be a criminal offence, and the role of the Family First lobby in promoting these petitions to force a referendum at the election. A pretty ignorant blog post at Salient suggests that Larry Baldock's Kiwi Party should own one of these petitions as it is responsible for it, namely the question "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?"
Problem is, the Kiwi Party is not responsible for the question. The question was written by Sheryl Savill. Russell Brown, who is someone I have a great deal of time for, thinks Bob McCoskrie of Family First is a hypocrite for promoting the petitions while supporting the "riding crop woman" and running a site called "stop the abuse".
But those who want to seek a referendum, the exercise is exactly about a cry to "stop the abuse". Like Children's Commissioner Cindy Kiro, The NZ Herald and Green MP Sue Bradford, Brown ignores the second petition question: "Should the Government give urgent priority to understanding and addressing the wider causes of family breakdown, family violence and child abuse in NZ"?
This was written by Larry Baldock.
But 265,000 think this question should be put to a referendum. Successfully curbing child abuse is of greater importance than whether smacking is a criminal offence or not. The problem is that advocates from organisations like Save the Children, Plunket and Barnardos refuse to sign the petition because their fear of reverting back to a smacking ban is greater than their desire to curb child abuse.
For Kiro it's worse - her fear of parents being legally able to smack their children is greater than her desire to do her own job. Russell Brown is not so gripped by paranoia, but if he really wanted to contribute to the government getting the message that it should address family breakdown, family violence and child abuse, he`d sign the petition too. He, like anyone can download it here
Theres only one problem: His view of Bob McCoskrie, who didn't even draft one petition question. Both Russell and Bob want to reduce child abuse. But only one has signed the petitions.
Barnados is panicking about a possible law change, Kiro and Bradford find it easier promoting the current law than addressing child abuse. Cindy Kiro is discouraging people from signing a petition that will force a referendum on the very issue that is a key part of her job description: child abuse.
February 25, 2008: in the next few hours the gay Iranian youth Mehdi Kazemi will be transferred from the Netherlands to London and then deported to Iran where he risks execution for the crime of “lavat” (sodomy).
Mehdi, 19, arrived in England in November 2005 as a student. However, last year, following the refusal by the English authorities to give him political asylum, he fled to the Netherlands.
At the age of 15 in Iran, Mehdi had a relationship with another man, Parham, who was arrested for sodomy in the last few months by the Iranian authorities.
During interrogation in prison, Parham was forced, under torture, to provide the names and surnames of all the men that he had had relationships with, one of them being Mehdi.
Parham was then sentenced to death and was executed by the Iranian regime in April, 2006.
Following the execution of Parham, the Iranian police arrived at the house of Mehdi’s father in Teheran, ordering his son to be taken into custody to go before a judge, as had happened with Parham.
Hands Off Cain and the Transnational and Transparty Non Violent Radical Party ask Massimo D’Alema, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to intervene immediately and convince the UK to stop the deportation of Mehdi to Iran. This deportation is an unacceptable violation of international conventions on human rights and in particular the Convention on Refugees, of the jurisprudence of the European Court on the Rights of Man, as well as the same community rights (directive 2004/85).
February 26, 2008: the European Union criticised the new penal code being drafted in Iran, particularly a section that imposes the death penalty for giving up Islam.
The EU said this section and other parts of the code violated Tehran's commitments under international human rights conventions.
Death for apostasy already exists in Iran under Sharia - or Islamic - law. But the changes would for the first time bring the punishment into the criminal code.
An EU statement expressed deep concern about what it calls the ongoing deterioration in the human rights situation in Iran.
February 24, 2008: five individuals from Nile State were executed in Kobar prison in Khartoum, Sudan.
Their names are: Yaser Sayed (27 years old, single, farmer), Esmaiel al-Hage (27, married, farmer), Ayoub Ahmed al-Misbah (30, single, farmer), Mohamed Abdalla Mustafa (25, single, farmer), Adil Bilal Daf al-Seed (25, single, farmer).
The men, from the village of al-Bouga, were convicted by the Berber criminal court for the murder of 30-year-old farmer Hassan Mohamed Hassan in 2004.
Defence lawyers had since exhausted all routes of appeal, including taking the case to Sudan's Constitutional Court.
Relatives had also failed in an effort to get the sentence delayed while they sought to reconcile with the family of Hassan Mohamed Hassan, who had rejected the option of accepting blood money instead of the death sentence.
Author Gilbert King, in his forthcoming book The Execution of Willie Francis, details the story of a young African-American man who endured the electric chair twice before being executed for the murder of a white man in Louisiana.
In 1946, an all-white jury convicted Francis (pictured), who was 17, and sentenced him to death. The first attempt to execute him by electrocution did not work, and Francis was returned to his death row cell where he remained for almost another year while the U.S. Supreme Court considered whether a second electrocution would constitute cruel and unusual punishment.
Noted death penalty author and activist Sister Helen Prejean describes The Execution of Willie Francis as “profound.” She writes, Gilbert King transforms abstract arguments over Louisiana's right to re-execute a condemned youth into a profound story of flesh and blood. His impassioned portrait of the unlikely bond between two young Catholics, Willie Francis and his undaunted lawyer, Bertrand DeBlanc, is more than a heartwarming affirmation of love and humanity. It's a vitally important story and if you want to better understand America's troubling legacy of capital punishment, read this book.
The Execution of Willie Francis will be released March 31, 2008 and comes at a time when the U.S. Supreme Court is reviewing the constitutionality of lethal injection practices in Baze v. Rees.
February 24, 2008: an Emirati man was executed by firing squad after being convicted of killing two compatriots in a rare implementation of capital punishment in the United Arab Emirates, a newspaper reported.
The 36 year old was executed in the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah after refusing to show remorse during interrogation and court hearings, the English-language Gulf News said.
According to the paper, neighbours said the two victims reportedly taunted the man about his past. He surrendered to police after the shootings and handed over his gun.
Source: Alarabiya.net, 24/02/2008
Have you got your library card?
Twelve Police detectives in seven vehicles raided Vince Siemers place last Thursday looking for his library card.Anybody would think he smacked his kids with it.
But no. The search warrant itself sought evidence relating to any communication Siemer had with any of the defendants or their lawyers in the ill-fated (and since dropped) terrorist charges last October. Apparently the commuicastion was made at the local library.
The police immediately confiscated Mr Siemer's library card as exhibit one. Why so many police were needed to officially confiscate a library card is evident only when you see the long list of items taken which have nothing to do with the search warrant. While no warrant was shown, the search warrant - signed by a deputy registrar with the district court - claimed they were looking for evidence related to possession of a copy of the Police Affidavit in the terrorist raids.
Kenya Airways will be reducing its capacity to Mumbai, India for the upcoming summer peak season. Currently, 3 weekly B 772ERs + 4 weekly B 763ERs are flown nonstop from NBO to BOM. However from July 1st 08, the service will become a daily Boeing 767-300ER operation.
In addition, KQ has announced that it will be increasing its flights to Far East Asia from July 2008. The main highlights are as follows :
CAN - increased from 4 to 6 weekly B 763ER flights i.e. 4 via DXB and 2 via BKK. KQ can carry 5th freedom traffic from DXB & BKK to Guangzhou (CAN).
HKG - increased from 3 to 4 weekly B 763ERs flights all flown via BKK with 5th freedom traffic rights.BKK - increased from 3 to 6 weekly B 763ERs all flown nonstop from NBO.
Analysis :
It seems evident that KQ and ET are making good money with their CAN bound flights which is not surprising at all as this city has more "direct trade" with Eastern/Southern Africa than any other region in China! Since they offer a vastly superior business class product compared to CZ on the popular DXB-CAN route, their J class loads on this route might also be bringing in good yield. Overall, its very pleasing to see KQ taking the initiative at expanding in the Far East as the demand for Africa-Far East Asia travel is growing rapidly year by year due various large scale investments made by Chinese and Japanese state enterprises in different African states.
Garuda of Indonesia is in final talks to place a multi billion dollar order at next week's Singapore Air show and the announcement includes purchasing 10 B 777-200ERs + 25 B 737-800s + 10 B 787-800s. In the mid 1990s, GA originally placed an order for 6 B 772ERs but then the Asian financial crisis hit which ended up in the order being defered. As far as the B 738s are concerned, GA has already ordered 25 previously and these additional 25 are part of the "options" plan it had with Boeing. Lastly, the B 788 deal is basically a firm signing of an earlier MOU which was signed in 2005 between GA and Boeing.
Personally speaking, I'm not totally in favor GA's management ordering 10 B 772ERs exclusively as this aircraft type will be a detrimental factor for their long term growth. GA's board should instead seriously consider ordering a mixture of 7 B 772LRs and 3 B 773ERs. The reasons being that the latter will prove to be an ideal replacement for their entire fleet of B 744s four to five years down the road as its a more "cost effective" aircraft to use on high density flights to Japan, Europe & Middle East. You cannot replace a 410 seater B 744 with a 310 seater B 772ER as that is a huge capacity decrease particularly on routes to the Middle East which see high density demand year round. If GA want to increase the life span of their B 744s, they can later be converted into freighters as the country desperately needs a strong all cargo airline.
As far as why the B 772LR should have been ordered instead of the B 772ER is because of payload issues. The full capacity uplift of the B 77L would come in handy on long haul nonstop flights to LGW, FRA & AMS as there would be no payload problems year round. With the B 772ER, GA would suffer seasonal payload restrictions on nonstop flights bound to LGW & AMS especially. LGW would work well if GA flew DPS-CGK-LGW due to the high volume of DPS bound traffic year round from the Greater London Area. If GA fly daily into LGW from CGK, they should time their flights to connect with SYD/MEL/PER so that they can grab a small piece of the "Kangaroo route" market share with their one stop flights.
Thai Airways has announced that it will be increasing its flights to Southern India from the onset of the Summer 2008 timetable. Both Chennai and Bangalore will each get 3 additional weekly flights flown by an A 300-600R (AB6). This will result in MAA being increased from 4 weekly to daily flights with the 3 additional flights being terminator flights as the remaining 4 continue onwards to DXB-Dubai with 5th freedom traffic. With regards to BLR, it will result in the city being upgraded from daily flights to 10 weekly i.e. daily A 333 + 3 weekly AB6s.
In addition, TG has also revealed additional major aircraft and frequency changes for Summer 2008. The main highlights are as follows :
NGO - increased from daily to 10 weekly B 772A operated flights.
AKL - frequencies reduced from daily A 346 to 5 weekly B 772ERs.
ATH - capacity reduced from 3 weekly B 773As to 3 weekly B 772ERs.
MUC - capacity reduced to daily A 346s from 4 weekly A 346s + 3 weekly B 744s effective mid May.
CAN - capacity increased to double daily A 333s effective Aug 1st.
MXP - capacity reduced from 4 weekly B 772ERs to 4 weekly A 346s (fyi...TG's A 346s seat 267 pax where as their B 772ERs seat 292 pax).
Lufthansa announced today that it will be increasing capacity to Charlotte, USA from June 10th onwards by replacing the daily A 343 operated flight with a larger 3 class configured A 340-600 which seats 306 pax.LH currently codeshares with US Airways on this route which sees a high volume of premium traffic in the summer months especially as CLT and its surrounding areas are home to a size able number of various pharmacutical companies + famous doctors who fly J & F class on LH consistently.
Qatar Airways will be increasing its flights to Shanghai, China from 5 weekly to daily effective November 2008. All daily flights will be flown using a 2 class configured A 330-200.
However, from January 1st 2009, QR will be further upgrading capacity on this route by deploying a daily Boeing 777-300ER on it which seats 336 pax in a luxurious 2 class layout.
China Eastern Airlines has revealed a lot of interesting changes across its international route network which will come into effect from the onset of the Summer 2008 IATA timetable period. The main highlights are as follows :
***MU's hub is based in PVG-Shanghai
LHR - frequencies increased from 2 to 5 weekly nonstop flights using an A 343.
BNE - all flights to be suspended from Feb 20th onwards.
MEL - frequencies reduced from 4 weekly to 3 weekly A 343s.
BKK - capacity increased to daily A 332 + daily A 320.
KUL - frequencies reduced to daily A 319s.
DEL - frequencies increased to 5 weekly nonstop flights flown by an A 332.
Singapore Airlines is expected to reduce its nonstop flights to Manchester, England from the on set of the Winter 2008-09 timetable. Currently, a daily nonstop flight using a B 772ER is being flown, however from Oct 26th 08, this is expected to be reduced to a 5 weekly operation.
Malaysia Airlines will be adding "summer seasonal" flights to two key routes to meet high demand levels for its flights. Service to AMS-Amsterdam, Holland will be increased to 8 weekly nonstop using a B 744 for all flights where as services to Perth, Australia will increase by 2 weekly nonstop flights using an A 333.
Korean Air has announced that it will be purchasing 3 additional Airbus A 380s bringing the total number ordered by the airline to 8. Besides that, it has been revealed that KE is increasing frequencies to IAD-Washington DC with the launch of an additional weekly nonstop flight flown from its ICN hub using a B 772ER. This comes into effect from Oct 26th 08 and will result in IAD being flown 5 times a week by KE.
The airline will also be doubling its flights to CAI-Cairo, Egypt by launching an additional 3 weekly flights via DXB-Dubai using an A 333. KE will have 5th freedom rights on the popular DXB-CAI-DXB route. Currently, nonstop flights are flown by KE to CAI using an A 332 three times a week. The additional flights will result in CAI being served 6 times a week by KE.
Asiana Airlines of South Korea has decided to expand its LAX-Los Angeles flights from its main ICN-Seoul hub by flying the route double daily nonstop effective 16th May. Currently, the service is flown 12 times a week and the 2 additional weekly flights will be flown using a B 772ER. To LAX, OZ's flights will be flown using a B 772ER daily + 3 weekly B 744 + 4 weekly B 744 Combi.
February 20, 2008: a Tunisian appeals court commuted the death sentence of a suspected Islamic militant to life in prison.
Imed Ben Ameur, 42, was convicted on charges including incitement to killing and "provoking disorder and death" as part of a terrorist plot.
The defendant allegedly belonged to a group called the Soldiers of Assan Ibn Al Fourat that was involved in clashes with security forces last December and in January.
They were arrested following an attack on the group in Soliman, 40km south of the capital. A total of 14 people, 12 group members, a soldier and a police officer, died in confrontation.
MARK COLVIN: One of the Bali Nine has spoken publicly for the first time on the electronic media about his situation and his hopes of being able to leave a Bali jail, despite that fact that he faces the death penalty.
Scott Rush, who was arrested on drug trafficking charges in Indonesia, has spoken to SBS Television from his prison cell.
He says he never realised the implications that his actions could have, or that it was even possible to be executed for smuggling heroin.
Donna Field reports.
DONNA FIELD: These are dark days for Scott Rush. The 22-year-old from Brisbane is far from home in a foreign prison, with little to think of but impending death at the hands of an Indonesian executioner.
He was originally sentenced to life in prison for his role in an attempt to smuggle eight kilograms of heroin from Indonesia to Australia in 2005.
He appealed, but rather than being shortened, his sentence was increased to death.
Scott Rush spoke to SBS Television's "Cutting Edge" program about that decision
SCOTT RUSH: I just thought it was bullshit. I mean, the fact, like, that any of us get the death penalty is bullshit. I mean …
JOURNALIST: Does that torment you, the thought of dying?
SCOTT RUSH: Yeah, it does, it weighs on my mind every, pretty much every second of the day. I mean, I can't have a normal conversation like I used to be able to because of this. It's always in my mind.
DONNA FIELD: Five other members of the drug syndicate are also facing execution.
In his first interview since the death penalty was imposed, Scott Rush speaks of regret for his parents. And he explains why he became a drug mule.
SCOTT RUSH: I didn't have a concrete job at the time. I was, I was waiting to go to the air force. I mean, I think about this and sometimes and the answer changes in my own head. But, I …
JOURNALIST: But you'd never been overseas, had you?
SCOTT RUSH: No.
JOURNALIST: You didn't have a passport. So, what, you thought there was just a buck in it and see what happens, or?
SCOTT RUSH: Kind of, yeah. I mean, everyone likes a bit of adventure now and then.
DONNA FIELD: Scott Rush was a drug user, and during the trial he said that he was young and unworldly. He said it was threats against his family that forced him to carry the heroin that was strapped to his body when he was arrested at the Bali Airport.
In the SBS interview, he says the decision to join the Bali Nine never sat easily with him and he wasn't aware of what could go wrong.
SCOTT RUSH: Quite honestly, I didn't really want to come here, because I didn't, I didn't feel comfortable. I didn't know what I was risking. I didn't know there was a death penalty. I didn't know anything about Bali, really.
DONNA FIELD: Scott Rush still hopes to be spared the firing squad, and eventually leave his Bali prison cell.
SCOTT RUSH: I feel that I will. I mean, if I've got any sort of instinct. Obviously, I'm hoping that I will, continuously thinking about it every day.
DONNA FIELD: Rush's last avenue of appeal is a Supreme Court review of his sentence. His family will also ask Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to make a plea to the Indonesian President for clemency.
WINZ breaks law when getting drunk drivers' cars back
The Ministry of Social Development appears to be breaking its own law in allowing payments to be approved to get cars back after being impounded due to drivers' unlawful activity.
Judith Collins was questioning Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson about why beneficiaries can get aassistance after their car has been impounded for drunk driving. Dyson said beneficiaries can get an advance payment of their benefit or a special-needs grant if
they have an immediate and essential need. Work and Income staff will consider all the circumstances, including the effect of the situation on the person’s family or children, whether the person himself or herself can afford to pay, and whether the person will be able to afford the repayments.
Sounds fair. They need to get their car back and can't afford to. But Dyson conveniently missed one vital bit of information out, and nobody appeared to notice.
The Chief Executive may consider the extent to which the Applicant has caused or contributed to the .. situation that has given rise to the particular immediate need.
I would have thought that if the police impound a car because a person was drunk behind the wheel, then the applicant contributed to the situation by breaking the law and driving over the limit, and that the Ministry should take that into acount.
Two weeks ago we launched a new feature that lets you create local sections on your personalized Google News page. After some feedback we've been getting, we wanted to clarify a couple of issues. We want to make sure that it's easy for you to use this feature, but we also want to ensure that publishers know how to best update the information about their sites.
First, I'll address the specific steps that you should take to use the local feature. In both our feedback and some of the press coverage on this feature, there was some confusion about how to actually create a local section. Specifically, a number of people tried to enter a zip code or a city/state combination in our main search bar and did not get the results they wanted. Currently, you must create a local section to get local results. We're working to make this more clear on the site and improve the functionality. In the meantime, here's the step-by-step process to create your own local section.
First, look for the local section on your front page and the local search bar, as you see here:
All you have to do is enter the information in this section and PRESTO! You've got yourself a local section. If you don't see this promotion, you can set up a local section via your personalized page settings. Just access this option using "Personalize this page" or "Edit this personalized page" (if you've already personalized). Once you've clicked on this you'll see a menu similar to this image (US edition only). Click on "Add a local section."
Once you've clicked on this local section link, you'll see a place to enter a zip code or city/state combination. Use the drop-down menu to choose the number of stories you'd like to see. Once you click "Add Section" you'll see this section on your personalized Google News page.
And that's it -- you should be up and running with local news from wherever you want it. We're still working to improve this new feature both with our results and the features on our site, so keep the feedback coming!
The other feedback we got came from a number of publishers asking us how they could make sure we get all the great local news they're producing and ensure they shown up in results for their readers. As we explained, most of the work takes place on our side as we read every article to understand what location the story is about. However, we also look to check that against the location of the publisher. If you're a publisher and want to make sure we have all the latest information about your site, please contact our support team. If you notice that we are not including all of your articles, please send us a list of your news sections. If you notice that we don't include location information for your source, let us know what your accurate location is. Finally, if you're not included in News at all, let us know and we'll review your site for inclusion.
We hope the local feature is a interesting and useful feature for you to get information about cities near you or of interest to you. We're always working to improve our product, and appreciate your feedback.
Mike Williams offers to resign
Helen Clark has refused to accept Labour Party President Mike William's resignation. In fact she told him not to be silly. I think Clark was silly in not accepting his resignation. She probably should have told him to resign to the correct people - the Labour Party Board.
He offered his resignation over the Owen Glenn affair. Nobody wants to talk about it anyore. Clark said he made an honest error in not disclosing the interest of Owen Glenns loan as as a donation. Previously, a Labour party lie was not a sacking or resigning offence - unless you were caught out - as Dalziel and Benson-Pope were. Now it is not even a sacking offence if you are caught out. Its called an honest mistake.
I look forward to seeing Helen Clark accepting honest errors from other parties
February 20, 2008: a murder convict was hanged in the Karachi Central Jail in Pakistan at 6:30am after his mercy appeal was rejected by the President, and the complainant of the murder case refused to pardon him.
Malik Javed, 47, was hanged following issuance of black warrants by Anti-Terrorism Court-III in Karachi on February 15.
The warrants were issued after the convict's appeal for clemency was rejected. According to jail authorities, Javed gunned down a youth, Amir Kakar, in Gulshan-e-Maymar area on July 21, 1997. Police in Gulshan-e-Iqbal arrested him and the Special Anti-Terrorism Court awarded him the death sentence on Nov 29, 1997.
The President dismissed his request for clemency on January 21, 2008, the authorities added.
February 20, 2008: the Russian State Duma's Legislation Committee submitted a bill to the lower house of parliament officially abolishing the death penalty in Russia.
"Our Committee has made the positive decision to join the Sixth Protocol on the abolition of the death penalty and submitted it to the State Duma," Committee Chairman Pavel Krasheninnikov said at a news conference. "Also, the decision was made not to use 'party discipline' while debating this issue. Therefore, the deputies are making up their minds on their own. But it feels so far like the bill will not be passed," Krasheninnikov said.
Sources: Interfax, 20/02/2008
Barnardos in a panic
Yesterday Barnardos Chief Excecutive Murray Edridge put out two media releases on the Section 59 smacking debate. This was after he released an earlier one a day prior that the media would not touch because it breached court orders - orders which he claimed he did not know anything about.
Here's one of them. A referendum?, why the panic? He blasts Family First for having nothing on its website on an upcoming review of the smacking legislation.
Have the petitioners told the general public about the review?... Is there any reference to the review on the Family First website? We couldn’t find any!”
Ummm. It's not Family First's petition. And I couldn`t find anything about the review on the Barnardos website either. Perhaps Barnardos could put on on its site and Family First could link to it.
Edridge says there is no need to be alarmed, or to panic about a referendum. But panicking is what Barnardos is doing right now because the Government is not running the review, the public is. Edridge should have another chat to Sue Bradford. Earlier this week at a function I was at, in fact it was the launch of this Save The Children book called Unreasonable Force, Bradford said that she did not believe that any government would pass a law to revert our smacking legislation to what it was before the smacking bill was passed. So that's sorted. No need to panic.
"Why therefore the haste to have a referendum nine months before that law review is due"? Eldridge asks. It's called democracy. But Eldridge shouldnt worry about it because Bradford said that no Government will turn the clock back. And it was her bill.
And I have the book, written by Beth Wood, former Children's Commissioner Ian Hassall and Robert Ludbrook. It revealed that Peter Dunne and Helen Clark were behind the ban on smacking right from the very start. For that reason you won't find this 2005 discussion on Radio Rhema in the book.
Helen Clark:...a lot of people are uncomfortable with the beating, ah, but they don't want to see, ah, you know, stressed and harassed parents, ah, you know, called in by the police because they, they smacked a child, so I think there's a debate to go on... Bob McCoskrie: "So you do not want to see smacking banned?" Helen Clark: "Absolutely not, I think you are trying to defy human nature
But you will find that Helen Clark told the Dominion Post that a smacking ban was welcome as it is about trying to stop the appalling child abuse and child deaths. Then Sue Bradford said, after a few horrific child abuse deaths, that her bill was not intended to reduce child abuse after all. That's in the book too.
BTW there's a full moon today. Annette King will be oontacting the police early tomorrow to discuss the damage.
My name is Travis, I am 31 years old and I am sitting on Death Row in Texas.
Can the experience of relating how it feels to be in captivity be only understood thru actual confinement? With that in mind I feel my experiment is the next best thing to captivity, so a person can get a general idea of what it’s like to be in solitude. First thing is to pick a weekend, Saturday or Sunday, where someone will be at your home/theirs. The bathroom in the apartment is going to be used as your cell. At 6pm on a Friday take a book, magazine or newspaper to the bathroom for reading purposes. Also take a sheet and blanket to lay on the floor as your bed. Once you are inside the bathroom you cannot come out for any reason (not at all) until 6:00pm on Sunday. The person there with you, is to bring you 3 meals each day. Breakfast is to be at 3:00am of 3 pancakes (palm size), 4 ounces of oatmeal and 4 ounces of apple sauce. Lunch is at 10:00am. With 3 different vegetables of 4 ounces each, one small meat course and 2 slices of bread. Dinner is at 4:00 pm and the food option is the same as lunch. You will love it! When the person serves your meals they are not talk to you in anyway. Just open the door, give you your food. If there is a shower, in the bathroom you can use it once a day. If not, you can leave the bathroom for a shower but must come right back after. Whatever you choose to do to occupy your time is up to you. About once an hour the person there with you should open the door and look in to check on you but say nothing. If you want you can also take a pen a paper with you also. As you come out on Sunday evening write down your feelings and thoughts of what you felt. Did this help you better understand my situation? Freely, give me your opinions on the blog!
Traduction disponible sur le blog :
Je m'appelle Travis, j'ai 31 ans et je suis incarcéré dans le couloir de la mort du Texas.
Je souhaiterais partager avec vous ce que l’on ressent en captivité. On ne peut le comprendre sans se retrouver réellement enfermé. Voici un petit exercice qui vous permettra d’avoir une idée générale de la vie enfermée avec comme seule amie, la solitude. Tout d’abord, choisissez un week-end, un samedi ou un dimanche, où quelqu'un sera à votre disposition à la maison. Réquisitionnez votre salle de bains pour en faire votre cellule. Vendredi, 18h00, équipé d’un livre, un magasine ou un journal direction la salle de bains. N’oubliez pas de vous munir d’une couverture… Une fois enfermé, il n’est plus question de sortir pour un oui ou un non et ce jusque dimanche 18h ! La personne, conjoint, copine, frère ou mère a pour mission de vous apporter 3 repas par jour. Voici les horaires : Le déjeuner doit être servi à 3h00 du matin, au menu 3 pancakes, 4 cuillères de céréales et un peu de sirop d’érable. Le déjeuner vous sera servi à 10h00 : Avec 3 sorte de légumes, un peu de viande et 2 tranches de pain. Enfin le dîner servi à 16h00, le repas est le même qu’à midi. Vous allez adorer ! On s’entend sur le fait que la personne qui sert vos repas, n’en profite pas pour bavarder ou vous tenir compagnie ! Entrouvrez la porte, et c’est tout ! Les douches sont autorisées : une fois par jour. Vous pouvez libérez la salle de bain, et oui les autres peuvent se laver mais n’en profitez pas pour mettre un terme à l’expérience. Vous êtes libre de vous occuper comme vous le souhaitez. Au fait, une fois par heure votre « gardien » doit ouvrir la porte qui vous sépare de l’extérieur et regarder à l’intérieur pour vérifier ce qui se passe. Vous pouvez emporter un stylo et du papier de manière à noter vos impressions, vos sentiments et surtout de m’en faire part par la suite via le blog. Racontez-moi également si cette expérience vous a rapproché de moi… sentez-vous libre de me dire ce que vous en pensez !
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![[EAT TO BEAT]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vqFFYsG-YpP4Icqpj2JAtzrOoNob5mA8dPZzjOk1UwmtJcHm-7FayBORR9S7zRga4fTnjfiRbMHzQ0eDr1i0hHpD6l4wbfzt784rM4UflCkV4qhc5eUR4j-QX_99eGTV1LiZakqmGw=s0-d)
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