Daily Motivator for June 20 – Out of your rut

You don’t have to continue doing things the way you’ve always done them. Today is a new day, filled with new possibilities, so remember to treat it as such.

You don’t have to be held prisoner by your old, familiar habits and assumptions. There’s a whole world of goodness and abundance beyond what you already know, so get out there and experience some of it.

Does it seem like you’ve run out of energy and enthusiasm? Maybe you’re just tired of the same old things.

Does it feel like you’re stuck? If you’re just living on autopilot, then you are indeed stuck.

Take the helm of your life and steer it in some new, exciting, fulfilling and energizing directions. Discover again and again how adaptable and interesting and joyful you can be.

The world is a never-ending source of beauty and wonder. Climb up out of your self-imposed rut and live the richness.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivator

Allowing Our Light to Shine

Removing Obstructions

by Madisyn Taylor

When we remove obstructions in our path our light can more easily come forth.

There are times when we may not feel at our best and brightest. At those times we can take a look at what we might do to let our inner light shine to the fullest. Because we are physical, mental and spiritual beings, we need to determine where our spiritual light is being filtered or blocked. We can work from the outside inward, knowing that we are the only ones with the power to dim our lights, and as we clear away the layers we can get out of our own way to feel the warmth of our own light shining again.

As vehicles for our mind and spirit, our bodies require proper maintenance. Caring for ourselves is like polishing–helping to clear away the accumulation of physical debris that keeps us from operating at our fullest capacity. A simple shift in our thoughts can positively affect our mental state, moving from complaints to gratitude and applying the powerful light of love to any shadowy thoughts. A change of scenery can allow us to see the world in new ways too.

Once we are free of our restrictions, we can become still and connect to the power at the center of our being. It is always there for us, but when we forget to connect, or siphon our power in too many directions, we cannot make the most of our energy. Starting from the inside out may direct us to take the right steps for our journeys back to the light, but sometimes it can be difficult to find the stillness if our bodies and minds are in the way. As we practice steps to keep our energy flowing freely and without obstruction, we shine our light brightly, illuminating our own paths and making the world around us glow as well.

Daily OM

Mom Dies in Pool Accident: Pool Slide Recalled

by Ann Pietrangelo

A 29-year-old Colorado mother died in Andover, Mass. after fracturing her neck going down a Banzai in-ground pool water slide which had been placed over the concrete edge of a pool. The woman hit her head at the bottom of the slide because it had partially deflated.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc., of Bentonville, Ark. and Toys R Us Inc., of Wayne, NJ, in cooperation with The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), are announcing a recall of about 21,000 inflatable Banzai in-ground pool water slides. During use, the slide can deflate, allowing the user to hit the ground underneath the slide and become injured. The slide is also unstable and can topple over in both still and windy conditions and carries inadequate warnings and instructions.

The CPSC and the retailers have been notified of two other injuries which occurred in a similar manner, including a 24-year-old man from Springfield, Mo. who became a quadriplegic, and a woman from Allentown, Pa. who fractured her neck.

The recall involves Banzai in-ground pool water slides designed for use with in-ground pools. The vinyl slides have a blue base, yellow sliding mat and an arch going over the top of the slide. By connecting a hose to the top of the slide, water can be sprayed on its downward slope. The words ‘Banzai Splash’ are printed in a circular blue, orange and white logo, shaped like a wave on either side of the slide.

The recalled slides, which were manufactured in China by Manley Toys, Ltd, were sold at Walmart and Toys R Us nationwide from January 2005 through June 2009 for about $250. The recalled slides have the barcode number 2675315734 and model number 15734. Both the barcode and model number appear on the original packaging but are not on the actual slide.

What to do if you own the Bonzai slide: Immediately stop using the slide and return it to the nearest Walmart or Toys R Us for a full refund. Consumers can also cut the two safety warning notices out of the slide and just return that portion. For additional information from Walmart, call (800) 925-6278 between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://www.walmartstores.com. For additional information from Toys R Us, call (800) 869-7787 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday and between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, or visit the firm’s website at www.toysrus.com.

To report an incident involving the Bonzai slide: Contact the CPSC at SaferProducts.gov or call the CPSC Hotline: (800) 638-2772

Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Baby Rattles and Sippy Cups Recalled

by: Ann Pietrangelo

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada, in cooperation with Manhattan Group LLC, of Minneapolis, Minn., announced a voluntary recall of the Whoozit® Starry Time Rattle.

Hazard: The clear spheres on each end of the rattle can break, releasing small parts, posing a choking hazard to small children.

Injuries/Incidents: Manhattan Group has received two reports of rattles breaking. No injuries have been reported.

Description: This recall involves Whoozit® Starry Time baby rattles. The plastic rattles feature three colored (orange, aqua blue and purple) stars stacked front to back between two clear spheres on a flexible stem. The rattle measures about 5-1/2-inches long. Each clear ball, located at the end of the rattle, measures 1-3/4 inches in diameter. The clear rattles contain small multi-colored beads and a white plastic disc featuring a blue smiling character face inside. The name of the product is printed on the hang tag.

About 3,000 units were sold in specialty toy and baby stores nationwide, in Canada, and online at http://www.manhattantoy.com from September 2011 through March 2012 for about $15. The product was manufactured in China and imported by Manhattan Group LLC, of Minneapolis, Minn.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take these rattles away from young children and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Manhattan Group toll-free at (800) 541-1345 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.manhattantoy.com.

In another recall, The CPSC and Target Corporation of Minneapolis, Minn., announced a voluntary recall of the Target Home Bunny Sippy Cup.

Hazard: The ear on the bunny sippy cup can poke a child in the eye area while using the cup for drinking, posing an injury hazard.

Incidents/Injuries: Target has received six reports of incidents where the plastic ear poked children during routine use of the product. Cuts and bruises were reported in three of these reports.

Description: The recall involves two styles of Target Home Bunny Sippy Cups. The cups come with handles on both sides in pink and blue, female and male. Each contains a corresponding white bunny head screw-on lid and one bent ear and one straight ear. The cups can be identified by imprints on the bottom: “TARGET 200020683″ for pink and “TARGET 200020884″ for the blue.

About 264,000 units were manufactured in China and imported by Target Corporation; Minneapolis, Minn. The sippy cups were sold exclusively at Target stores nationwide from February 2012 through April 5, 2012 for $3.

Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled sippy cups and return them to any Target store for a full refund.

Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Target at (800) 440-0680 between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at www.target.com

To make a report to the CPSC visit SaferProducts.gov or call (800) 638-2772.

Source: PR Newswire/U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Falls Prompt Convertible High Chair Recall

by Ann Pietrangelo

Evenflo has received eight reports of children falling from high chairs and sustaining bumps and bruises and at least 18 incidents of trays that detached.

Evenflo Inc., of Miamisburg, Ohio, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), is voluntarily recalling the convertible high chairs.

Hazard: The activity tray on the high chair can unexpectedly detach and allow an unrestrained child to fall, posing a risk of injury to the child.

Description: This recall involves Evenflo high chairs that convert from a high chair to toddler-size table and chair. Model numbers are located on a label on the lower portion of one of the high chair’s legs. The convertible high chair can be identified by the model names and numbers listed below.

Model: Dottie Lime, model #29111259 Model: Dottie Rose, model #29111271 Model: Marianna, model #29111234

About 35,000 chairs have been sold at Toys “R” Us and Walmart stores in the United States, and online at Walmart.com and Wayfair.com between December 2011 and June 2012 for about $40. The chair was manufactured in China.

Remedy: If you own the recalled highchair you should immediately contact Evenflo for a replacement tray with installation and use instructions. Consumers can call Evenflo at (800) 233-5921 between 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s website at http://safety.evenflo.co

Astronomy Pic for June 19th – NuSTAR X-Ray Telescope

Discover the cosmos!Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2012 June 19

NuSTAR X-Ray Telescope Launched Illustration

Credit & Copyright: Fiona Harrison et al., Caltech, NASA

Explanation: What’s left after a star explodes? To help find out, NASA launched the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) satellite into Earth orbit last week. NuSTAR’s ability to focus hard X-rays emitted from the nuclei of atoms will be used, among other things, to inspect the surroundings of supernova remnants so as to better understand why these supernovas occurred, what types of objects resulted, and what mechanisms make their surroundings glow so hot. NuSTAR will also give humanity unprecedented looks at the hot corona of our Sun, hot gasses in clusters of galaxies, and the supermassive black hole in the center of our Galaxy. Pictured above is an artist’s illustration depicting how NuSTAR works. X-rays similar to those used in your dentist’s office enter the telescope on the right and skip off two sets of parallel mirrors that focus them onto the detectors on the left. A long but low-weight mast separates the two, and the whole thing is powered by solar panels on the upper left. Part of the excitement involving NuSTAR is not only what things it is expected to see, but by looking at the universe in a new way, what things that are completely unknown that might be discovered. NuSTAR has a planned two year lifetime.

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft nears interstellar space

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The probe is encountering 25 percent more cosmic radiation as it pushes over 11.1 billion miles from Earth, indicating that it is reaching new regions of space.

By SPACE.com

NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has encountered a new environment more than 11 billion miles from Earth, suggesting that the venerable probe is on the cusp of leaving the

solar system.

The Voyager 1 probe has entered a region of space with a markedly higher flow of charged particles from beyond our solar system, researchers said. Mission scientists suspect this increased flow indicates that the spacecraft — currently 11.1 billion miles (17.8 billion kilometers) from its home planet — may be poised to cross the boundary into interstellar space.

“The laws of physics say that someday Voyager will become the first human-made object to enter interstellar space, but we still do not know exactly when that someday will be,” said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, in a statement.

“The latest data indicate that we are clearly in a new region where things are changing more quickly,” Stone added. “It is very exciting. We are approaching the solar system’s frontier.”

Far-flung spacecraft

Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, launched in 1977, tasked chiefly with studying Saturn, Jupiter and the gas giants’ moons. The two spacecraft made many interesting discoveries about these far-flung bodies, and then they just kept going, checking out Uranus and Neptune on their way toward interstellar space.

They’re not quite out of the solar system yet, however. Both are still within a huge bubble called the heliosphere, which is made of solar plasma and solar magnetic fields. This gigantic structure is about three times wider than the orbit of Pluto, researchers have said.

Specifically, the Voyagers are plying the heliosphere’s outer shell, a turbulent region called the heliosheath. But Voyager 1’s new measurements — of fast-moving galactic cosmic rays hurled our way by star explosions — suggest the probe may be nearing the heliosphere’s edge.

“From January 2009 to January 2012, there had been a gradual increase of about 25 percent in the amount of galactic cosmic rays Voyager was encountering,” Stone said. “More recently, we have seen very rapid escalation in that part of the energy spectrum. Beginning on May 7, the cosmic ray hits have increased five percent in a week and nine percent in a month.”

More measurements needed

While it may be tough to identify the moment when Voyager 1 finally pops free into interstellar space, scientists are keeping an eye on the cosmic ray measurements and a few other possible indicators.

One is the intensity of energetic particles generated inside the heliosphere. Voyager 1 has recorded a gradual decline in these particles as it flies farther and farther away from Earth, but it hasn’t seen the dramatic dropoff that scientists expect would accompany an exit from the solar system.

The Voyager team also thinks the magnetic fields surrounding the spacecraft should change when it crosses the solar boundary. Those field lines run roughly east-west within the heliosphere, and researchers predict they’ll shift to a more north-south orientation in interstellar space. They’re currently looking at Voyager 1 data for any signs of such a transition.

In the meantime, both Voyagers just keep on flying and exploring. Voyager 2 trails its twin a little bit; it’s currently 9.1 billion miles (14.7 billion km) from home.

“When the Voyagers launched in 1977, the space age was all of 20 years old,” Stone said. “Many of us on the team dreamed of reaching interstellar space, but we really had no way of knowing how long a journey it would be — or if these two vehicles that we invested so much time and energy in would operate long enough to reach it.”

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8 alarmingly unhealthy snacks to avoid

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A muffin with the same amont of calories as 10 chocolate donuts? A pretzel with more saturated fat than a Big Mac? Read this and weep.

By Melissa Breyer

In a perfect world, everyone (kids included) would snack on carrots and

kale chips. For those who do, hats off. But for everyone else, once you step away from the produce aisle, the choice of snacks can run the gamut from nutritionally vapid to downright deleterious. And sadly, consumers are often at the mercy of the processed food industry with its seductive yet unhealthy ingredients and powerful marketing machines. It’s all too easy to be swayed by items marketed specifically to children and parents — with enticing prices, misleading labels and the promise of convenience.

But when consumers start to dig a bit, they’ll get a better picture of what’s going on inside the snacks they devour. Following is a snapshot of some of the worst offenders. The list is by no means exhaustive, but these examples provide some clues about what to look out for in the snack aisle.

1. Pop-Secret Homestyle Popcorn

Popcorn should be a great snack. It is a whole grain, naturally low in calories, and recent research has found that popped kernels are surprisingly high in antioxidants, even higher than many fruits and vegetables. So where did this super-snack go super-wrong? In the hands of food manufacturers, that’s where. How does this version compare to an order of McDonald’s Kids Fries? A serving of Pop-Secret has 70 more calories, 7 grams more total fat, 2 grams more saturated fat, 4.5 grams more trans fat, and 310 milligrams more sodium than the fried spuds.

Serving size: 2 tablespoons unpopped
Calories: 170
Total fat: 12 grams
Saturated fat: 2.5 grams
Trans fat: 4.5 grams
Sodium: 380 milligrams

2. Cheetos Puffs

Nobody ever said that oddly textured cheese snacks were exactly healthy, but something about the non-greasiness and airy quality of Cheetos Puffs (vibrant hue aside) seems like this product might more benign than, let’s say, super salty fried potato chips. But … look at that total fat! That sodium! That’s half the daily fat and sodium limit for many children, right there in 2 ounces of snack.

Serving size: 2 ounces (56 grams)
Calories: 320
Total fat: 20 grams
Saturated fat: 4 grams
Sodium: 700 milligrams

3. Yoplait Original 99% Fat Free (various fruit flavors)

Yogurt is another should-be healthy snack that has been hijacked by the food industry. Many yogurts are made to be low- or non-fat but are loaded with added sugar and other ingredients that are completely superfluous.

Whereas a product like Fage 0% is made of only “Grade A Pasteurized Skimmed Milk, and Live Active Yogurt Cultures,” Yoplait Original includes sugar, modified corn starch, high fructose corn syrup, kosher gelatin, and tricalcium phosphate — yet no live and active cultures, which is one of the main reasons to be eating yogurt in the first place!

Serving Size: 1 container (170 grams)
Calories: 170
Total fat: 1.5 grams
Saturated fat: 1 gram
Sodium: 85 milligrams
Sugars: 26 grams

4. Ritz Bits Cracker Sandwiches

Cheese and crackers sounds innocuous enough, but a single serving of these guys has more sodium and more than twice the saturated fat, as a small order of Chicken McNuggets — and more sugar than two Hershey’s Kisses.

Serving size: 1 single serve package (42 grams)
Calories: 220
Total fat: 13 grams
Saturated fat 4.5 grams
Sodium: 480 milligrams
Sugars: 6 grams

5. Auntie Anne’s Pepperoni Pretzel Pocket

Whole-wheat low-sodium pretzels are a good snack. Pepperoni Pretzel Pockets are a disaster. With more sodium, saturated fat and calories than a Big Mac, this one snack comes close to serving up the daily sodium and total fat limits for a child, not to mention the equivalent of nearly 3 teaspoons of granulated sugar.

Serving size: 1 pocket
Calories: 650
Total fat: 27 grams
Saturated fat 12 grams
Sodium: 1,120 milligrams
Sugars: 11 grams

6. Mott’s Original Apple Sauce

This applesauce might just as well be called “high fructose corn syrup sauce,” given that HFCS is the second ingredient after apples. Why do that to perfectly good apples? Apples aren’t sweet enough?

Serving size: 1/2 cup (128g)
Calories: 110
Total fat: 0
Sugars: 25 grams

Instead, opt for the Mott’s Natural Apple Sauce (No Sugar Added) version, which has only 50 calories and 12 grams of sugar.

7. Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie

With the right spin, some could argue that a piece of pie isn’t the worst snack in the world. A small homemade slice filled with fruit and a light crust has some redeeming qualities. But the Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie may, in fact, be the worst snack in the world! Why? In addition to its high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, beef fat and artificial colors, it has almost twice the sugar and fat of a similarly sized slice of homemade blueberry pie. And with its cheap price and easy portability, it’s all too easy to scarf down much of your daily calorie requirement in a few bites before you’ve even left the store.

Serving size: 1 pie (128g)
Calories: 520
Total fat: 24 grams
Saturated fat 12 grams
Sugars: 40 grams

8. Winchell’s Cranberry Nut Muffin

What has the same amount of calories as 10 Winchell’s Chocolate Cake Iced Doughnuts and nearly the same amount of fat as three hot dogs? One Winchell’s Cranberry Nut Muffin! To its credit, this muffin is not nutritionally void (5 grams of fiber and 14 grams of protein) but just beware: the calories, fat and sugar lodge this item more in the cupcake category than healthy snack family.

Serving size: 1 muffin
Calories: 670
Total fat: 37 grams
Saturated fat: 6 grams
Sodium: 640 milligrams
Sugars: 43 grams

How can you make better choices?

Look for snacks that are high in protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, but relatively lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat (no trans fat), sugar and sodium.

Look at the ingredients on the label. Most of us know that ingredients are listed in order from most to least, and we may look to see where something like sugars or fats are listed in the order. But ingredient groups aren’t required to be listed together. So something could contain corn syrup, cane sugar, and malt syrup in seemingly minor quantities toward the bottom of the list — but if you combine them together in a general group of “sugar,” they quickly move to the top.

If a label boasts a product was made with whole grains, check to see where on the ingredient list the word “whole” is. If the first ingredient is “whole” wheat flour (or other grain), that’s good. Sometimes whole grains make up only a tiny fragment of the item, and that’s not good.

Also, it helps to know recommended nutritional limits. Many adults know what their numbers are, and here’s what Mayo Clinic recommends for kids:

Boys and girls 4-8: 1,200-2,000 calories depending on activity, 25-35 percent calories from fat, 1,200 milligrams sodium.

Boys and girls 9-13: 1,400-2,600 calories depending on activity, 25-35 percent calories from fat, 1,300 milligrams sodium.

Boys and girls 14-18: 1,800-3,200 calories depending on activity, 25-35 percent calories from fat, 1,500 milligrams sodium.

Total fat for the categories above: 33 to 47 grams for 1,200 daily calories; 39 to 54 grams for 1,400 daily calories; 44 to 62 grams for 1,600 daily calories; 50 to 70 grams for 1,800 daily calories; 56 to 78 grams for 2,000 daily calories.

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Tanning Trumps Skin Cancer Fears for Young Adults

by Ann Pietrangelo

Young adults would rather indulge in tanning today than worry about skin cancer tomorrow. Tanning is the norm in some circles. It’s expected. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer, but that’s not scaring young adults from the lure of the tanning booth.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun and from indoor tanning equipment increase the risk of developing skin cancer. Engaging in indoor tanning before age 35 increases the risk of melanoma by 75 percent. Recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute found that:

Indoor tanning is common among young adults, with the highest rates of indoor tanning among white women aged 18-21 years (32 percent) and 22-25 years (30 percent). The reports evaluated data from the National Health Interview Survey’s Cancer Control Supplement.
The highest prevalence of indoor tanning was reported among white women aged 18-21 years residing in the Midwest (44 percent), and those aged 22-25 years in the South (36 percent).
Among white women aged 18-21 years who reported indoor tanning, an average of 28 visits occurred in the past year.
Among white adults who reported indoor tanning, 58 percent of women and 40 percent of men used one 10 or more times in the previous year.
Fifty percent of people aged 18-29 reported at least one sunburn in the previous year despite taking protective measures.

“More public health efforts, including providing shade and sunscreen in recreational settings, are needed to raise awareness of the importance of sun protection and sunburn prevention to reduce the burden of skin cancer,” said Marcus Plescia, M.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “We must accelerate our efforts to educate young adults about the dangers of indoor tanning to prevent melanoma as this generation ages.”

The reports were published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

On a personal note, I’m not a “tanner” and I’ve not had skin cancer, but I have had cancer. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. It’s certainly not a good trade for tan skin — or red skin — or orange skin. It is an avoidable risk and one not worth taking. Oh, and if you’re concerned about your appearance, it is worth noting that over time, tanning gives your skin that nice wrinkled, leathery look…

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Germiest Places in Your Hotel Room

by Ann Pietrangelo

A preliminary study of contamination found on surfaces in hotel rooms could help improve hotel housekeeping practices and provide a safer environment for travelers. Researchers from the University of Houston reported on the experiment at 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

As you might expect, samples from the toilet and bathroom sink show high levels of contamination. Also on the list of surfaces showing fecal contamination are the television remote control and the lamp switch beside the bed.

Like in the kitchen, cross-contamination is a problem in hotel rooms. The researchers found some of the highest levels of contamination on items from housekeeping carts, including sponges and mops.

The lowest levels of contamination were found on the bed’s headboard, curtain rods, and the bathroom door handle.

Researchers can’t say for certain if the bacteria found cause disease, but say contamination levels are reliable in assessing overall cleanliness.

“Hoteliers have an obligation to provide their guests with a safe and secure environment. Currently, housekeeping practices vary across brands and properties with little or no standardization industry wide. The current validation method for hotel room cleanliness is a visual assessment, which has been shown to be ineffective in measuring levels of sanitation,” says Katie Kirsch an undergraduate student at the University of Houston who presented the study.

“Currently, housekeepers clean 14-16 rooms per eight-hour shift, spending approximately 30 minutes on each room. Identifying high-risk items within a hotel room would allow housekeeping managers to strategically design cleaning practices and allocate time to efficiently reduce the potential health risks posed by microbial contamination in hotel rooms,” says Kirsch.

A lack of industry standards and occasional illness outbreaks in hotels have the public paying more attention to hotel cleanliness.

While the study was limited (three hotel rooms each in Indiana, South Carolina, and Texas; and 19 surfaces in each room), it is the first step in applying the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system to hotel room cleanliness. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, HACCP is a systematic preventive approach that identifies potential physical, chemical and biological hazards and designs measurements to reduce these risks to safe levels.

“The information derived from this study could aid hotels in adopting a proactive approach for reducing potential hazards from contact with surfaces within hotel rooms and provide a basis for the development of more effective and efficient housekeeping practices,” says Kirsch.

Also participating in the study with Kirsch and her colleagues at the University of Houston were researchers from Purdue University and the University of South Carolina.

Source: Press Release/American Society for Microbiology

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