Stem Cells For Beauty?

Stem Cells For Beauty? - The prospect is a tantalizing one. To erase wrinkles and fine lines, or to get bigger breasts, without cosmetic surgery. Forget silicone, forget collagen. All you would need is stem-cell therapy.

Realistically speaking, though, such applications remain a pipe dream.

Of course, it wouldn't be the first time a medical therapy had been bent in the direction of aesthetics. Take a look at Botox -- the deadly botulinum toxin initially used to treat spasms is now used to improve the appearance of frown lines.

And while stem-cell applications for the vanity market may have to wait, some researchers have begun to research the possibilities of stem cells in plastic and reconstructive medicine.

"Stem-cell research appears promising for medicine and particularly for plastic surgery," said Dr. Ronald Friedman, director of the West Plano Plastic Surgery Center and a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Plano, Tex.

"Hair follicular stem cells, tooth stem cells and skin stem cells all show therapeutic promise," said Denis English, editor in chief of the journal Stem Cells and Development and director of cell biology at the Center of Excellence for Aging and Brain Repair at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla. "These can restore hair to a bald man, teeth to those in need and skin to scarred patients."

The use of stem cells to regenerate tissue is believed to hold promise because stem cells can be nudged to develop into specialized cell types. And some researchers have turned an eye toward stem cells for this very purpose.

In October, a University of Pittsburgh team led by Dr. Peter Rubin received a three-year grant from the National Cancer Institute to explore the possibility of using stem cells derived from a patient's own fat. Rubin, assistant professor of plastic surgery and co-director of the university's Adipose Stem Cell Center, used those stem cells to create a durable, shaped piece of replacement tissue.

The research may one day allow breast cancer survivors to take advantage of a natural replacement after a mastectomy.

But with these possible applications in reconstruction, could cosmetic applications be far behind?

"Naturally, the public shows more interest in applications like breast augmentation," said Dr. Peter Costantino, director of the Center for Facial Reconstruction and Restoration at Roosevelt Hospital in New York.

"In our society, there is such a huge demand for these rejuvenation surgeries, despite their significant risks, that the pragmatist in me cannot deny the likelihood that it will not be long before someone offers a two-stage procedure starting with liposuction followed by injection of these autologous stem cells for breast augmentation or into the face to rejuvenate," said Dr. Daniel Salomon of the department of molecular and experimental medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif.

Real-World Applications Still Far Off

Though initial research into the potential of stem cells in reconstructive surgery is promising, actual applications -- particularly those of a purely cosmetic nature -- are still distant.

"This is still very far in the future, except for tabloid speculation," said Dr. Garry Brody, professor emeritus of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles. "By the time it becomes practical -- and affordable -- I suspect it will be beyond our lifetimes."

"Stem cells do have the potential to revolutionize things, but it is not "just around the corner,'" said Costantino. "You can't just inject 'fat' stem cells into a breast and just assume that it's going to make a nice-looking breast. You could just end up with something fairly lumpy and unappealing."

The cosmetic applications of stem cells are "25 to 30 years away, at the earliest," said Thoru Pederson of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass.

Yet some studies are already under way.

"We are starting to see clinical trials with stem cells for reconstructive surgery," Rubin said. "A group from Japan reported on enriching liposuctioned fat with fat-derived stem cells and using the material successfully for breast enlargement."

Cosmetic Uses of Stem Cells a Low Priority

Most experts agree, however, that many other potentially curative and life-saving applications of stem cells take precedence over cosmetic uses.

"Applications to rejuvenation or enhanced personal appearance are much harder to justify at this point and will be driven more by market forces in affluent countries -- not just the U.S. certainly -- rather than by science," Salomon said.

"In my opinion, use of any cells for cosmetic surgery is still problematic," said Dr. Darwin Prockop, director of the Center for Gene Therapy at Tulane University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. "The trials that can be justified are in patients with terminal diseases in which the potential risks and benefits are carefully evaluated."

"In all honesty, the more promising (and more quickly realized) aspects of stem cell use in plastic and reconstructive surgery will probably be in producing skin replacement grafts on a large scale," Costantino said. "This could help many, many burn and chronic wound patients."

But for now?

"Though there is an enormous amount of promise with stem cells in plastic and reconstructive surgery, the devil is in some pretty important details," Costantino said. ( abcnews.go.com )

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Are Fat Men More Trustworthy?

Are Fat Men More Trustworthy? - Mitt might be easier to stomach if he had a stomach. - Julius Caesar was a chubby-chaser. If Will Shakespeare is to be believed, he would stride about the Forum making his predilections known to all and sundry:

Let me have men about me that are fat,

Sleek-headed men, and such as sleep o' nights.

While fat was where it was at for old Jules, when it came to skinny dudes, he was positively discriminatory:

Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look;

He thinks too much; such men are dangerous.

Back in the day, heft was associated with gravitas and power, leadership, and trust. Fat blokes, by their very physiques, projected monumental indestructability. Even when they were rotting with syphilis (Henry VIII) or prone to decapitating their spouses (Henry VIII, again) they were somehow preferable to those malevolent skinny fellows (Richard III). Obese monarchs and porky politicos loomed large on any podium or battlefield, and one imagines that when they delivered speeches their words boomed and reverberated to tremendous effect. Enough to make your jewelry rattle.

 

Photo illustration by Natalie Matthews-Ramo. Photograph of Romney by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/GettyImages. Photograph of large man by Pavel Losevsky/iStockphoto.

It’s hard to imagine a scrawny geezer having the same kind of impact. Imagine if Winston Churchill, instead of looking like Falstaff, were to have resembled Igor Stravinsky, or a Giacometti sculpture. I cannot help feeling his we-will-fight-on-the-beaches addresses to the nation would have been much less comforting.

Today’s landscape is different. Great fat men are thin on the ground. This represents something of a paradox. Obesity rates among the masses are soaring, but there are far fewer rotund bold-facers than there used to be. This is especially true in the world of entertainment. Yes we have Philip Seymour Hoffman—is he fat or just “husky”?—and the incredible James Gandolfini, but that’s about it. Some celebs like Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill debuted as fat and then sneakily lost the weight in order to get more roles.

Back when there were fewer overweight people around, being fat was a vaudevillian novelty. Heavyweights like W.C. Fields and Fatty Arbuckle were seen as special and, yes, as a barrel of laughs. As the century progressed, the entertainment industry became jammed-to-bursting with unapologetic tubsters, Hitchcock and Orson Welles among them. The list is a large one: Robert Morley, James Robertson Justice, Stubby Kaye, Rod Steiger, late Brando, y mas.

Here are my top five massively memorable movie moments from the golden age of galloping gourmands:

1. My all-time favorite silver-screen chubster is Sydney Greenstreet of Casablanca fame. No actor today could hold a candle to big Syd, and certainly none are as fat. In addition to being a great character actor, Mr. Greenstreet created a whole new genre: the extremely evil fat man. As the aptly named Mr. Gutman in The Maltese Falcon, he manages to be even more disturbing than Joel Cairo, the perfumed poseur played by Peter Lorre, and was deservedly nominated for an Academy Award for his efforts. The best scene is shot from in under Gutman’s gut:

2. The fabulously fat Syd occupies two of my picks. As Sheriff Titus Semple in Flamingo Road he sets about destroying honky-tonk-gal-made-good Lane Bellamy, played by Joan Crawford. She expresses her gratitude by—there’s no other way to describe it—slapping the shit out of him.

3. In Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Big Daddy’s spastic colon looms large. Burly Burl Ives sang folk ditties most of the time, but that did not stop him from knocking it out of the park with his nasty-ass depiction of a rage-filled cancer-riddled Southern patriarch.

4. Victor Buono was great as King Tut in the original Batman TV series, but his finest fat moment occurred when he played Bette Davis’ sweaty, anxious-but-amused musical arranger in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.

5. I see the exploding Mr. Creosote, played by Terry Jones in the movie Monty Python: The Meaning of Life, as a watershed moment. The end of an era. After this, there were no more iconic fat-for-the-sake-of-being-fat actors, unless you count Grizz on 30 Rock.

As I watched these old clips I found myself thinking of an English politician named Cyril Smith. Now deceased, M.P. Cyril was the Gutman/Creosote of the House of Commons. A 400-pounder, he never married, preferring to feast on his mum’s Yorkshire pudding. It was only after old Cyril popped his clogs that we faced the truth: Cyril was in the pocket of the asbestos industry.

Would Mitt Romney’s ratings improve if he packed on a few pounds like old Cyril? Might a little girth give him a dash of much-needed gravitas and halt his downward spiral? It might be worth a shot. His current retro-wholesome matinee idol shtick—I associate him with Rock Hudson’s wooden character in that strangely artificial Douglas Sirk movie The Magnificent Obsession—could use the realness of a beer belly.

However, I am not wildly optimistic that it would help. These days, fat and politics are unhappy bedfellows. Other than New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, there are no supersized politicians who spring to mind. The Churchill effect has expired. Now, being fat is associated with addiction and dropping dead. If Winnie were around today he would undoubtedly be found hula-hooping frantically outside Number 10, while guzzling Activia. What gave gravitas and prominence on a distant hilltop in ancient Rome is now merely a one-way ticket to audition for The Biggest Loser.

While I look back fondly at the era of the Greenstreets and the Big Daddies, I will, when the election finally rolls around, be putting my trust in the other bloke, the guy with the lean and hungry look. You know who I mean. ( slate.com )

Blog : Popular Styles | Are Fat Men More Trustworthy?

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Centenarians' Positive Attitude Linked to Long Life

Centenarians' Positive Attitude Linked to Long Life - Living to very old age may be "in the genes" as the saying goes, and a recent study published in the journal Aging suggests that certain personality traits make up a major part of the mix of longevity genes.

Researchers found that having a positive attitude and a sense of humor could play a role in living a longer, healthier life. They developed a questionnaire designed to identify certain genetically-based personality traits and used it to assess 243 Ashkenazi Jewish adults between 95 and 107 years of age. The investigators chose this population because their genetic similarity would make it easier to account for genetic differences in personality.

Researchers found that having a positive attitude and a sense of humor could play a role in living a longer, healthier life. (Getty Images/OJO Images)

"The results indicated they had two things -- a positive attitude for life, meaning they are optimistic, easygoing, extraverted, laughed more and expressed emotions rather than bottling them up," said Dr. Nil Barzilai, a study co-author and director of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine's Institute for Aging Research.

The study participants also were less neurotic and more conscientious than a representative sample of other Americans.

Based on census data, centenarians make up about .2 percent of the U.S. population, but the number has been rapidly increasing, the authors wrote.

Previous research has suggested that the oldest adults may be genetically predisposed to living longer and healthier both physiologically and psychologically and that personality can affect a person's physical health.

"There's an interaction between personality and physiology," said Dr. Gary Small, director of the UCLA Center on Aging. Small was not involved in Barzilai's study, but has done research in this area. "It makes sense that being more positive causes less stress and seems to get people on the right track to live better."

The genes, it turns out, play a less important role in determining longevity.

"Several studies have found that genetics accounts for only about one-third of how long and well we live," said Small, who is also co-author of "The Alzheimer's Prevention Program."

Barzilai added that it's still not known precisely how personality influences longevity.

"We still need to find out what the cause-and-effect relationship is," he said. "We don't know if we can change longevity by having a positive attitude, or if achieving longevity causes a positive attitude."

They also hope to determine whether centenarians' positive outlook persisted throughout their entire lives, or if their personalities changed between the ages of 70 and 100, as some data have suggested.

Regardless of the unknowns, they wrote, the study "adds to a growing body of knowledge which suggests that centenarians may share particular personality characteristics and suggests that genetically-based aspects of personality may play an important role in achieve positive health outcomes and exceptional longevity." ( abcnews.go.com )

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Who Knew there were Breasts Under that Burka?

Who Knew there were Breasts Under that Burka? - A particularly stunning piece of photography has recently come under attack in Canada from some offended parts of the Muslim world:

An art student who wears Muslim headdress is defending her right to freedom of expression after a photo she snapped was removed from public display at a British Columbia university.

The large black and white print depicts a woman in full Islamic scarf and cloak holding a flower-embossed bra while folding laundry.
...
Not long after it had been hung in the school hallway, she overheard a woman who also wears a head scarf saying she had peeled the artwork off the wall.
...
The 24-year-old photographer, who grew up in small town Northern B.C. and has been studying at the B.C. Interior institution for several years, said the reaction was unexpected.

"I found it really intrusive," she said of the unilateral move to censor her work.
...
Since the incident was made public, an education centre in Kamloops funded by the Saudi Arabian Embassy has gone public with its opposition as well, Graham said.

The photo (which you can see the full version of here) is certainly striking. Angelina Chapin notes in Huffington Post Canada that the photo invites a much more extensive discussion about the role that lingerie plays in the Muslim world:

Numbers usually work to calm down hysteria so here are a few: The market for underwear in Saudi Arabia, for example, was US$1 billion a year in 2010, according to Reem Assaad, a banker and financial analyst based in Jeddah. Last year, I wrote a story for Canadian Business magazine titled the "Undercover Economy," about lingerie in the Middle East. What I uncovered was that the industry is thriving there more than it is in North America.

You think Europe is sexy? A 2010 advertisement for Motexha, the Middle East's largest garment, textile, leather and fashion accessories trade event, boasts that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia account for 77 per cent of Europe's total lingerie exports. At the time I wrote this article -- September 2011 -- La Senza had 44 stores in Saudia Arabia, and 52 others in the Middle East.

Perhaps the most fascinating point that Chapin makes is that in some parts of the Muslim world, the types of undergarments that would have been worn under that niqab would be much more sensational then what showed up in the photo:

Then there are other, darker reasons why women wear lingerie. In Syria, for example, it's common for a man to have multiple wives, and buying sexy undergarments is a way for a woman to gain his favour over the others. As a result, the lingerie markets in Syria (yes, these exist) have bras and panties that would make full-grown North American women blush. Think light-up Tweety Birds on the crotch, buttons you press to hear music, and a lot of feathers. ( thedailybeast.com )

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Spanish King Juan Carlos in unprecedented apology over elephant hunting safari... as calls grow for him to be axed from WWF presidency

Spanish King Juan Carlos in unprecedented apology over elephant hunting safari... as calls grow for him to be axed from WWF presidency - Spain is being sucked back into eurozone's financial crisis - One in four out of work, and 50% of youngsters jobless - Anger at ongoing corruption probe into King's son-in-law

Spain's king Juan Carlos today apologised for going elephant-hunting in Africa while everyday people in his country endure a severe economic crisis.

In an unprecedented act of royal contrition, the monarch said: 'I am very sorry. I made a mistake. It won't happen again.'

Looking sheepish and using crutches to walk, he spoke as he left the Madrid hospital where underwent surgery after breaking his hip in a fall during the trip to Botswana.

Contrite: King Juan Carlos of Spain apologised for going elephant hunting after he was discharged from hospital following hip replacement surgery

Under fire: Spanish King Juan Carlos (right), pictured during a previous elephant hunting trip in Africa, has come in for criticism

It came as calls grew for him to be stripped of his honorary presidency of the Spanish branch of the World Wildlife Fund.

Juan Carlos del Olmo, the secretary general of WWF Espana, said the king's position as patron had become untenable.

He said: 'It's a problem of the image it sends nationally and internationally rather than the issue of elephant conservation in Botswana.'

The 74-year-old monarch had come under scathing criticism this week after he went on the expensive safari as both Spain and its citizens struggled amid an economic crisis that has worsened by the day.

The trip came to light when the king fell and had to be rushed back to Spain on Friday.

A royal palace official denied news accounts that the monarch left the country without telling the government saying that he told the prime minister where he was going.

Anger: Juan Carlos (left, on a previous trip) has been slammed for his upper-class pursuit as his country goes through the economic doldrums

And Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon said yesterday that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy always knows where the head of state is.

The palace official added the king made the trip as a guest of unnamed hosts - so no taxpayer money was spent.

Farewell: Spain's King Juan Carlos pictured leaving from the Madrid hospital

Newspaper reports today suggested he was the guest of Mohamed Eyad Kayali, a Syrian-born Saudi business man and right-hand man of Saudi's defence minister Prince Salman.

Kayali is said to be a key figure in securing a Spanish consortium the €6.7billion contract to build a high-speed rail link between Mecca and Medina.

Many Spaniards were dumbfounded that the king could make such an opulent journey while everyday people brave a 23 per cent unemployment rate, a shrinking economy and fears the country will be the next after Greece, Ireland and Portugal to need a bailout.

For many, the trip made the king's recent comments about how he could not sleep at night thinking about the country's unemployed ring hollow.

News of the safari caused an uproar so loud it eclipsed Spain's economic crisis for a few days. Members of most political parties had urged the king to say he was sorry.

The palace official confirmed the apology was unprecedented in the history of Spain's monarchy. The royal family has been in the news a lot lately - and not for the best reasons.

The king's son-in-law Inaki Urdangarin is a suspect in a corruption case, accused of using his position to embezzle several million euros in public contracts through a not-for-profit foundation.

Then, over Easter, the king's 13-year-old grandson shot himself in the foot with a shotgun, even though by law in Spain you must be 14 to handle a gun.

Unlucky: The Spanish King was on trip hunting elephants in Botswana when he fell after returning to his bedroom in a lodge

Until now, Juan Carlos had always been a highly respected figure in Spain and almost never came in for criticism from either politicians or the media.

The king rarely speaks out on current affairs in Spain.

But with the royal family looking so bad because of the Urdangarin case, in his traditional Christmas address last year, the king made a point of saying 'everyone is equal in the eyes of the law'.

He said he was worried because of what he called growing mistrust of 'some of our institutions'. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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The couple whose daily embrace at a railway station has set commuters' tongues wagging

The couple whose daily embrace at a railway station has set commuters' tongues wagging - Couple says passionate clinch sets them up for the day - It could be a scene straight from an old-school Hollywood film: A couple sharing a passionate embrace at a bustling railway station, apparently oblivious to the commuters rushing past them on their way to work.

However, these are no stars of the silver screen. David Walker and Laura O'Meara are simply an ordinary couple who cannot bear to go their separate ways to work without sharing a goodbye smooch.

The couple have set tongues wagging with their amorous farewells at London Bridge station - where they indulge in their daily ritual before a day at the office.

Platform passion: David Walker and his partner Laura kiss each other every morning as the part ways at London Bridge station

Stop and stare: The couple's clinch has set tongues wagging at London Bridge station where they smooch in full view of commuters

The couple said the early morning clinch sets them up for the day after their commute from Norbury in south London, and before they go their separate ways.

Mr Walker, a 39-year-old theatre technician, told the Metro: ‘We’re a very close couple and we’ve been together for a few years.

'When I first started dating her I instantly knew there was something different from the usual dates I had been on.

‘I knew pretty much straight away she was the one.'

Miss O'Meara, a 37-year-old software consultant, added: 'It's just the way we are, really.'

So in love: The couple, who are due to marry next month, say their ritual embrace is natural for them

Parting ways: The couple say their affectionate moment sets them up for the day

Their affections have not gone unnoticed by the public.

One commuter mentioned the couple in the Metro newspaper, asking: ‘Has anyone seen the middle-aged couple at London Bridge? They can’t be married, it’s scientifically impossible to love a wife that much.’

Another reader texted: ‘It’s lovely to see a bit of romance in the mornings.’

The couple are due to get married next month in Dorset. ( dailymail.co.uk )

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Remote houses that call out to your soul

Remote houses that call out to your soul - If you're over the 'Daily Grind', swap it for the ever-changing life of a traditional farmer in a remote house on the magical isle of Mull.

Aeneas and Minty McKay live by the seasons. In June they shear the youngest sheep, the year-old hoggets. In July they move on to the main flock and, if the grass has come on well, they make hay.

They eat off the land and from the sea – venison, organic beef, line-caught fish, and vegetables they have grown themselves.

Their home is a magical peninsula on the south-western corner of Mull. Here they have 1,500 acres of rough grazing and pasture, two hill lochs running with brown trout, the ruins of two deserted ancient villages and deer roaming the hills.

There is more than four miles of coastline, where they can spot minke whales, porpoises and dolphins, and where white tailed eagles hang on the wind.

They have lived here since 1994, converting the farm to organic, setting up a weaving mill to use the wool from the land, and winning awards and national attention for their dedication. They had both worked with animals before.

Minty and Aeneas McKay: 'The key is to let the land tell you what to do'


Ardalanish, their 1,500-acre farm, which has four miles of coastline

Minty grew up on Mull, and Aeneas on Loch Lomond, so they have Scotland in their blood. "Sometimes we can work at the hay until after midnight, and then we collapse with a good whisky," says Aeneas.

They turned away from commercial farming to old-fashioned traditional methods, reintroducing hardy native Highland Cattle and Hebridean Sheep, well adapted to the weather and the landscape.

The animals were allowed to graze and forage freely, as wild herbivores would once have done. Long-haired and double-coated, the cattle can stay outside all year long. In the summer they run with their calves on the hill, and in winter they are brought closer to the house.

"The challenge is that it has to work economically," says Aeneas. "This is not a time-warp, or a yearning for the old days, but a forward method of sustainable organic farming on a small scale."

In winter he is out feeding the cattle with hay, whole sheaves of oats and swedes, all grown organically on the farm. Another winter job is to lift the swedes by hand.

"One of the wonderful sights that visitors in the summer always comment on is the number of birds, large and small, and the huge variety of wild flowers tumbling in the ditches and hillocks between the fields, and the cascade of butterflies," he says.

The farm looks over Ardalanish Bay. On clear days the islands of Oronsay, Colonsay, Jura and Islay can be seen. A mountainous spine through the middle rises to Ben More, over 3,000-feet high. They are far from anywhere. The ferry is an hour's drive away, and then 45 minutes to Oban.

"The key is to look at the land and let it tell you what to do," says Minty. "In the summer it is wonderful because it is light early. We get up at four or five to gather in the sheep.

"Because of the way we farm, there are incredible numbers of little birds because we have all the insects to support them."

The weaving mill happened by accident. "We used to send the wool to Wales to be made into blankets and scarves," she says.

"It seemed very exciting and we had no trouble selling them on the farm. But then the weaving mill nearby was closing and we offered to store the equipment rather than see it thrown out. We all realised the owner needed to rebuild it here."

But its success took them by surprise. The tweed is loved by Savile Row tailors and fashion houses. Every year they take an apprentice and train a new weaver.

World wool prices have doubled in the past year and there is demand from affluent China. The future looks promising.

"People think we live in the middle of nowhere and that they will find an old woman with a pipe sitting in the corner weaving, but actually we produce high-end fashions in a farmyard," says Aeneas.

"It knocks people back." Minty and Aeneas also supply organic meat to local residents and take it to farmers' markets.

Why are they selling? The land, three-bedroom farmhouse and three-bedroom cottage is on at £950,000 through Savills (0131 247 3720). They are both in their sixties and feel Ardalanish needs "new energy".

Aeneas fancies getting into second-hand books. Isn't that all done on the internet these days? "People said farming had gone downhill, there was no one interested in good organic meat, the wool industry had collapsed, and look what we have done."

That is his answer. Follow your heart and do what you believe in. It is a message which all visitors to Ardalanish take away with them. ( telegraph.co.uk )

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Want your kids to do well in school? Simple. Make a lot of money and get married

Want your kids to do well in school? Simple. Make a lot of money and get married - Want your kids to do well in school? Easy. Make decent money and have a steady home environment that includes mom and dad. You do those two things, and you’re well on your way to raising an educated child.

Note what I don’t mention up there: Money spent per pupil, teacher/student ratios, amount of homework given, quality of teachers, the overall curriculum and the dozens of other things educational administrators discuss when the topic of educational success comes up.

If you read between the lines, what it really comes down to is this: Give your kids a solid foundation and be an engaged parent.

By the way, I’m not just spitting out opinionated nonsense: I’ve got studies! In 2003, The Journal of Marriage and Family noted students in one-parent families fared significantly worse in math and science than students in two-parent households, and furthermore, a study that study cited showed students who lived in households with never-married single mothers did even worse.

Want your kids to do well in school? Simple. Make a lot of money and get married

And another study, by the Institute for Research on Poverty, showed a direct link between income and standardized test scores. An increase of a mere $1,000 in household income raised student test scores between 2.1 and 3.6 percent.

Money and family. A kid has those two things, he’s got all the head start he needs. Unfortunately, we can’t — or at least, don’t fully — legislate money and family, so we’re left to school administrators flailing about, trying to figure out ways to raise the educational standards.

For instance, take a look at the Hopewell Valley Regional school district, where a 45-person(!) committee is looking at homework, both the rate it’s given and the value it provides. And if the statements from HVRSD Superintendent Tom Smith are any indication, it appears homework in Hopewell is going to be cut back.

“It’s become clear, from conversations with parents, that kids are in so many after school activities, and we value developing the whole child,” said Dr. Smith. “So this homework discussion really is a discussion of what we value as a community.”

It should be noted the school district, according to Census records, has less than one percent of residents living below the poverty line, and of the households with a child under 18 living in them, over 90 percent of them are two-parent households.

So will a lessened homework schedule work there? Of course it will. Kids will probably do better because they won’t be stretched to the limit. Tough to concentrate on math problems after an afternoon of soccer and violin practice.

But imagine this “homework be gone!” idea in Trenton, where after school programs aren’t catching the kids, where there’s twice as many single parent households than married-with-children households and where 22 percent of the population is under the poverty line. (And here’s a wildly interesting stat: While 6.9 percent of married couples with school age children in Trenton are below the poverty line, 45 percent of single parent households fall below poverty level.) If homework was lessened in Trenton, I’d bet test scores and the like would also go do down.

Of course, homework is just one piece of the giant, pointless puzzle that constitutes our fight to make kids less stupid. Untold numbers of man hours and billions of dollars are poured down the education hole, and yet no one will recognize the simple fact that it just doesn’t matter. Kids with a solid home and with parents who live over the poverty line are simply better positioned to do well, and more often than not, will succeed in school.

And if you don’t believe me, run this thought experiment: Hopewell students do better than Trenton students, by every measure, from graduation rates to SAT scores. Is it because Hopewell students are inherently smarter? I say absolutely not. Switch every student at birth, and I’d bet the the numbers stay the same. The “Hopewell” kids would do well, the “Trenton” kids would not. Doing good in school is nurture, not nature, in the vast majority of cases, and if there’s no nurture at home, kids start out on the losing side.

So maybe instead of spending money on education, we should be spending money on keeping families together and making sure they have enough money in their pockets. To put it another way: I’m advocating Religious Right values (get married!) alongside lefty Commie propaganda (have to get people above poverty). In other words .... we’re doomed. ( trentonian.com )

READ MORE - Want your kids to do well in school? Simple. Make a lot of money and get married

Sneaky Ways to Save 7+ Hours Every Day

Sneaky Ways to Save 7+ Hours Every Day - The easiest way to stop feeling so stressed? Add a few more hours to your day! Just try these tricks to carve out more time.

Save 10 Minutes

Skip the suds.Shampoo every other day (or even every three days) -- it's better for your hair, you'll save time in the shower, and thanks to the miracle that is dry shampoo, no one will even notice.

Stop the scavenger hunts.Two minutes looking for your cell phone, five minutes tearing the house apart for your keys, nine aggravating minutes searching through the pockets of every pair of pants you own to locate your wallet -- it all adds up. Save yourself the time and stress by cleaning out your wallet/purse/pockets/whatever on a regular basis and placing your keys and phone in the same spot every time you enter the house (a basket or tray in the entryway or kitchen works well).

Use shortcuts. Bookmark websites you frequently visit, create shortcuts on your desktop for applications or folders you open regularly and enter new contacts into your phone's speed dial.

Procrastinate at work. How can procrastinating save you time? Allow us to explain: If you normally get stuck spending the entire morning at the office on the phone with Chatty Kathy -- aka the sales rep who talks your ear off every time you call -- wait until the end of the day to ring her. At 5 p.m., when she's rushing to get things done so she can go home, she'll be more likely to get down to business (and less likely to gab about the new cleanse she's trying so she can lose the baby weight).

Screen. Caller ID was invented for a reason, people! So only pick up when it's someone important (like your boss and, okay, maybe your significant other) or you actually have the time to talk. As for your mom, the bank promising you a better deal on your mortgage and your best friend with her 10th crisis of the week? Call 'em back when you have time (like when you're waiting in line to return something)...or never -- it's up to you.

Save 20 Minutes

Cut commercials.Sure, you've been waiting all week to watch the new episode of Glee. But trust us, you can wait another hour. Take advantage of TiVo, DVR or your Internet connection (stations like CBS and Fox post episodes on their sites soon after they air) to watch your favorite shows -- commercial-free.

Make errands efficient. Plan to pick up your prescription between two meetings or grab TP on your way to work (if you're not too embarrassed to waltz into the office with your Charmin in hand). That way, you won't be tempted to wander around the store browsing, saving you both time and money.

Turn up the intensity. Cut your gym time in half by alternating between spurts of high-intensity cardio and slower recovery periods. Studies have shown that 20 minutes of intervals can burn just as many -- if not more -- calories than 40 minutes at a steady, mid-intensity pace, and you'll burn more calories for hours afterward. Bonus: Add a little resistance or up the incline to burn even more calories in the same amount of time.

Curtail cook time. Considering the average woman spends 46 minutes a day on food prep and cleanup, it's not hard to see why takeout and frozen dinners are staples for many households. But you can actually save money, calories and time by trying one of our quick and easy weeknight meals that'll have you sitting down to eat in 20 minutes or less.

Save 60+ Minutes

Multitask.True, in some cases doing several things at once, like trying to finish three presentations at the same time, can actually slow you down (shifting focus zaps enough time to really add up). But there are situations when multitasking can add minutes (or even hours) back on the clock, like when one or both tasks don't require much focus. Some multitasking moves that can save you time: watching your favorite shows while you work out, going through the mail while you're on hold with the cable company or throwing in a load of laundry while you wait for the oven to heat up.

Turn off personal email alerts. Checking your email every time a new message pops up in your inbox kills your focus and wastes more than the two minutes it took to read about J. Crew's 30 percent off sale -- there's also the time it takes to refocus on what you were doing just before your inbox dinged, buzzed or flashed. To stay on task, switch off the email alert setting and set a calendar alert for every hour (or half hour, if you must), reminding you to check your mail. Relax -- if someone really needs to reach you, there's this thing called a phone, and it's actually far more efficient.

Stop surfing.Ever notice how what was supposed to be a five-minute celeb gossip break can easily morph into a 45-minute sesh spent reading about the merits of the new Shake Weight? Check out RescueTime.com, a website that will monitor how much time you spend on certain sites, alert you when you've been there for too long and even block certain sites you can't help but procrastinate on (besides TheNest.com, of course).

Skip the gym. Now here's one we love. If you're working out intensely five or more days a week, feel free to cut back...to three or four. Fitness experts insist that more isn't necessarily better when it comes to exercise. Giving your body a day to recover can help you go harder and faster the next time you work out.

Set deadlines.Ever notice how your coworkers who have kids somehow find a way to get their work done by 5 p.m. every day? Believe it or not, they're not running on baby-induced adrenaline; they're just wasting less time during the day -- gossiping, online shopping, perusing YouTube-ing -- because they know they have to leave to get the kids, no matter what. Deadlines help you work much more efficiently. So even if you don't have kids, give yourself a deadline by making plans to meet a friend for happy hour or your trainer at 6 p.m. sharp. ( msn.com )

READ MORE - Sneaky Ways to Save 7+ Hours Every Day

Four Ways Your Home Can Pay You

Four Ways Your Home Can Pay You - Despite being financially stressed and worried about retirement, homeowners, by and large, continue to see their homes as a roof over their head and not a key financial asset that may improve their retirement prospects. According to research by the Society of Actuaries, only about 20 percent of homeowners plan to use their home equity to help finance retirement. Of those who do, few have thought about tapping their home's value and simply plan to sell it to generate retirement funds.

"Even for middle-income and moderately affluent Americans in their critical preretirement years (55-64), non-financial assets, principally home equity, may represent as much as 70 percent of total assets exclusive of pensions and Social Security," the report said. Tom Horgan, a Society of Actuaries spokesman and former chief actuary of the Federal Housing Administration, agrees with traditional advice that home equity should only be tapped when necessary, and when it helps achieve a specific retirement objective. In most cases, his best advice for homeowners approaching retirement is to sell their home and downsize into smaller, less-expensive living quarters that also may be closer to shopping and cultural activities. Renting an apartment also eliminates property taxes and most maintenance expenses.

"Retirees are really not looking at home equity as an attractive option for helping to fund their retirement," says another Society of Actuaries spokesman, Steve Siegal. "I think people tend to look at their houses as an anchoring point, and are kind of reluctant to mess with that. There's an emotional attachment there." While echoing Horgan's emphasis on only accessing home equity after very careful thought, Siegal adds that the study found that people were "not exploring any of the options. The point is that people should explore options and find out what's right for them."

There were slightly more than 23 million U.S. households in 2009 headed by someone at least 65 years old, according to federal housing statistics. About 80 percent of these households owned their homes, and of these, 65 percent had no mortgage or other home debt. Even with sharp housing price declines, the median value of homes owned by older people was about $150,000—over $100,000 more than they paid for it.

The best home-finance solutions, experts agree, tend to be the ones that meet an individual's specific needs. The major variables in home equity use include age, health and healthcare expenses, marital and family situation, life expectancy, current and future income streams, family assets, and estate considerations. In short, just about all significant life decisions can come into play in deciding how to deal with your home as a possible retirement asset.

There are four major types of decisions that involve your home and your future: borrowing against the value of your home, generating rental income from your home, taking full advantage of government tax breaks, and moving into a residence that cuts monthly housing expenses and is more aligned with reduced retirement income levels:

1. Loans.

Home equity loans and mortgage refinancings are rarely advised for paying basic retirement expenses, but they may make sense for special needs or one-time projects. Usually, borrowers need a reliable income stream to satisfy lenders of their ability to repay the loan. In some cases your retirement income would be enough, but you'd need to satisfy lenders that you have enough left over after paying your living expenses to service and repay the loan. Reverse mortgages do not require repayment but usually only make sense for people who plan to stay in their homes for a long time and do not intend to sell them and use the proceeds for other retirement needs. If you have a mortgage and are sure you want to downsize to a smaller home in a few years, consider refinancing your mortgage into a five-year adjustable rate mortgage. You will save a lot of money on mortgage payments and can use those savings to pay down your home loan even further. Just make sure you can sell the home before the five-year reset deadline occurs.


2. Income.

Consider renting out a room in your home to generate extra income. This may make special sense if you're still carrying a mortgage on the property. Most retirees bring home less money in retirement than when they worked, which can make carrying a mortgage very difficult. Rental income can help you pay off the mortgage and take a lot of pressure off of your retirement budget. You could even consider renting our your entire home for a visiting vacationer. It could pay for your own vacation, and tax specialist CCH says if you rent out your home fewer than 15 days a year, you don't even have to include the money you receive as gross income on your tax return.


3. Taxes.

The mortgage tax break may be reduced or even disappear as Congress wrestles with reforming the tax code and reducing budget deficits. But for now, it's the largest single tax break that individuals receive. Interest on home equity loans is usually deductible. There may also be energy credits and other tax breaks that make sense.


4. Moving.

Downsizing can be the smartest way to let your home—or in this case, your new home—pay you money. Reduced living expenses, smaller utility bills, and even lower commuting costs should be on your mind as you consider how you will balance the household budget during your retirement years. Moving closer to key shopping and cultural activities can not only save you money, but also make increasing sense as you age and your time behind the wheel of a car grows shorter. Think carefully about whether you want to rent or buy your new home. And don't forget that gains on the sale of your current home—up to $500,000 in gains for a couple—are tax-free. ( .usnews.com )

READ MORE - Four Ways Your Home Can Pay You

Five Everyday Things You Don't Need

Five Everyday Things You Don't Need - People spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year on products they don't need. They might seem like small costs, but they can add up.

Simple changes and a little preparation can help people trim the amount they waste on basic necessities. Here are five examples:

Five Everyday Things You Don't Need

1. Expensive cosmetics and toiletries

Cosmetic and hair care companies exaggerate the benefits of their products. Paula Begoun, author of The Beauty Bible, says that sunscreen is the only true anti-aging product. Creams that claim to get rid of cellulite or wrinkles usually don't.


2. Vitamins

People spend a lot of money on vitamins that merely pass through their bodies every time they go to the bathroom. Instead of purchasing a wide array of supplements, figure out what your body needs and buy only those vitamins or, better yet, get those nutrients from food.


3. Diet products

Americans spend a lot of money buying meals, supplements and products that promise to help them lose weight, whether it's through a diet program or an impulse buy. These items are typically more expensive than the versions that don't make the same health claims. Read food labels and consider whether a food or product is worth the cost.


4. Extra food

The average person throws away $600 worth of food each year, according to study by the University of Arizona. To keep more money in your wallet instead of the trash can, evaluate the amount of food you eat and consider how much of it goes bad before you consume it. Create a shopping list with more realistic portions and look for deals at local grocery stores.


5. Bottled beverages

You probably have a favorite drink and it's not tap water. If you drink too much of it, it will take a toll on your budget. You don't have to give up your favorite beverage completely. Just substitute half the amount you usually drink with tap water.

Begoun says expensive hair products are no more effective than cheap ones. Usually they're made with the same main ingredients or produced by the same company. Try store-brand or less expensive products the next time you're stocking up. ( thestreet.com )

READ MORE - Five Everyday Things You Don't Need