Weekly Roundup

Here is a roundup of articles of interest published within the last 7-10 days:

Health

San Francisco proposal would limit toys in kids meals, USA Today, August 13, 2010
Brief Intro: "In San Francisco, newly proposed legislation would ban toys from most kids meals sold at McDonald's, Burger King and other chains unless the meals meet more stringent calorie and sodium limits. The legislation also would require fruit or veggies in each meal."

US Typhoid cases linked to tropical fruit, San Francisco Chronicle, August 14, 2010
Brief Intro: "A San Francisco woman stricken with typhoid fever may be part of a rare outbreak of the disease linked to a frozen tropical fruit product used to make milkshakes and smoothies, San Francisco public health officials said Friday."

Eat an Apple (Doctor's orders), New York Times, August 12, 2010
Brief Intro: "Doctors at three health centers in Massachusetts have begun advising patients to eat “prescription produce” from local farmers’ markets, in an effort to fight obesity in children of low-income families. Now they will give coupons amounting to $1 a day for each member of a patient’s family to promote healthy meals."
Education

Schools are given grade on how students do, New York Times, August 9, 2010Brief Intro: "In most school systems, what happens to students like Ms. Croslen after they obtain their diplomas is of little concern. But the New York City Department of Education acknowledges that despite rising graduation rates, many graduates lack basic skills, and it is trying to do something about it.

This year, for the first time, it has sent detailed reports to all of its high schools, telling them just how many of their students who arrived at the city’s public colleges needed remedial courses, as well as how many stayed enrolled after their first semester. The reports go beyond the basic measure of a school’s success — the percentage of students who earn a diploma — to let educators know whether they have been preparing those students for college or simply churning them out."

House OKs emergency bill to halt teacher layoffs, USNWR, August 10, 2010

Brief Intro: "Summoned back from summer break, the House on Tuesday pushed through an emergency $26 billion jobs bill to protect 300,000 teachers, police and others from election-year layoffs. President Barack Obama was to sign the measure by day's end"

Research shows a good kindergarten education makes dollars and sense, USNWR, August 12, 2010

Brief Intro: "Harvard University economist John Friedman says he and a group of colleagues found that students who progress during their kindergarten year from attaining an average score on the Stanford Achievement Test to attaining a score in the 60th percentile can expect to make about $1,000 more a year at age 27 than students whose scores remain average."

Race and Society

Dr Laura Schlessinger apologizes for use of N word, Seattle Post Intelligencer, August 13, 2010

Brief Intro: "On Tuesday, Schlessinger received a call from a black woman asking how to handle racist comments from her white husband's friends. The caller also asked if the N-word is offensive.

Schlessinger said "black guys use it all the time," and repeated the word a few times, but she never directed it at the caller. When the caller objected, Schlessinger said, "Oh, then I guess you don't watch HBO or listen to any black comedians."