Jumat, 29 April 2011
Royal Wedding: Palace reveals pix of the giant wedding cake
The new rules of sun safety
Ilana Blitzer: You’ve been following the rules when it comes to sunscreen for how long now? At this point, you’re a diligent daily sunscreen wearer, and you know to reapply every few hours when you’re at the beach or pool. (Sorry, no magical stay-all-day sunscreen on the market yet!) But, hey, it’s 2011—some of the old thinking no longer applies. So update your sun-safety habits, and keep your skin healthy long-term with these thoroughly modern strategies.
Old rule: Apply a broad-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen with SPF 15 a half-hour before leaving the house.
New rule: Sunscreen alone is not enough: Wear an SPF 15 (at least) plus an antioxidant-enriched moisturizer.
Health.com: Sunproof your skin from A to Z
"It’s no longer just about UV damage," says Fredric Brandt, MD, a dermatologist in New York City and Miami. "The sun also generates free radicals that break down your collagen and elastin fibers." Anti-oxidants in ingredients like soy, green tea, and vitamin C prevent free radicals from attacking, and they boost your protection level, too. Use a souped-up sunscreen that contains the powerful antioxidant idebenone. Or make sure your daily moisturizer has antioxidants in it so you’re covered from the start, then apply sunscreen as usual.
If you’re going to the beach, go higher than SPF 15, Dr. Brandt says. Most people don’t apply enough, so they may end up getting a protection level of 7 out of their 15. But if you’re slathering on 70? You’ll probably get at least a 30, so you’re good.
Health.com: Stay safe at the beach
Old rule: Throw on a T-shirt or cover-up when you’re in direct sunlight.
New rule: If you’re not into sun-protective clothing, wear dark colors and tightly woven fabrics at peak hours.
You can’t get away with any ol’ thing (donning a breezy sarong is like wearing nothing at all). Fabrics have UPF ratings that measure their level of UV protection; a 30 is necessary to be awarded the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation. (FYI: A plain white tee comes in under 10.) If you’re up for a quick extra step, check out SunGuard Sun Protection, a clear dye you can add to your laundry for an immediate UPF 30 that will last through 20 washings.
Health.com: Is it a mole... or skin cancer?
Old rule: Use a teaspoon of sunscreen for your face, a shot-glass-worth for your body.
New rule: Layer on your protection to make sure you’re covered.
Because nobody actually measures out their dose, here’s how to stay safe. First, err on the side of over-applying. (It can’t hurt!) Pay attention to commonly missed spots like your neck, chest, and the backs of your hands, particularly when you’re driving. "Most people don’t realize that the neck and the V of the chest are directly exposed to sunlight due to the angle of the windshield, which offers no protection from UVA rays," says Alysa Herman, MD, a Miami dermatologist specializing in skin cancer treatment. "The backs of hands also get a lot of damage from holding the steering wheel."
A nonstick spray-on sunscreen is an easy way to cover all those spots without getting your hands tacky. To max out your face coverage, apply a sunscreen lotion and follow up by dusting on a powder-based mineral blocker. It has the added benefit of de-slicking post-sunscreen shine. A skin-win!
Health.com: 8 steps to healthy skin at every age
Old rule: A little sun is healthy—20 minutes three times a week allows your body to produce vitamin D.
New rule: It’s not smart to go out-of-doors unprotected.
Here’s the deal: Your body does need vitamin D to keep bones healthy and support your immune system, but supplements are the safest way to get your dose of D—without the scary side effects of sun exposure. "Even a little bit of sun causes cellular damage that can lead to aging and cancer," says Francesca Fusco, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. Have your doctor check your D level; if it’s low, discuss taking a daily supplement containing 400 to 1,000 IU.
Health.com: 5 steps to a natural glow
Old rule: Never, ever use tanning beds.
New rule: Still, never, ever use tanning beds.
Using a tanning bed increases your risk for melanoma by up to 75%, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. And 90 percent of the signs of aging (wrinkles, brown spots) are caused by UV radiation, the Skin Cancer Foundation reports. (The tan fades; its skin-damaging effects don’t.)
But there’s one tan that is safe: the kind you slather on. According to a study in Archives of Dermatology, when women are taught to use self-tanners, they spend less time in the sun because they aren’t longing to bake for the tan. Try one that gives a gradual tint and helps fade existing sun spots. Now that’s a healthy glow!
Royal Wedding: I love you Kate! Check out our Sightz Picks of the wedding
Not quite often do you see a stunning looking woman like this especially in the happiest day of her life
Catherine Middleton's dress was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen.
All eyes were on Prince William and Kate as they emerged from the palace onto the balcony. Many among the boisterous gathered crowd and those watching around the world surely had one defining image in their minds: Princess Diana and Prince Charles' memorable wedding kiss.It wasn't traditional for royal couples to kiss in public following their weddings before the summer of 1981. And Prince Charles reportedly resisted breaking tradition when the crowds outside Buckingham Palace that historic July morning called out for them to kiss.
"I am not going to do that caper. They are trying to get us to kiss," he said to Diana.
Diana's reported response: "Well, how about it?" The prince hesitated, then said "Why ever not?"
And this image lives on as proof.
Stars arrive:
Above is David Beckham and wife Victoria. Below, Sir Elton John
Sadly, the marriage did not live up to the sweetness of that first public kiss. And because of that, there is a lifetime of hope wrapped up in today's royal smooch. The world wishes so much better for this young couple. They have come to marriage older, wiser, and by all accounts, truly in love.The grand balcony has been the stage for vaulted royal appearances since 1851, when Queen Victoria stepped out onto it during celebrations for the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London. The Great Exhibition was the first in a series of World's Fair displays of culture and industry and attended by the likes of Charles Darwin and Charlotte Bront.Princess Anne was the first of Queen Elizabeth's newly wed children to appear on the balcony with her new spouse, Captain Mark Phillips, in 1973. But they did not kiss.
Neither did Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex on their 1999 wedding day, though Prince Andrew did follow his elder brother's lead when he kissed the Duchess of York on the balcony on their wedding day in 1986.
A new iconic royal kiss image is born. Long live the marriage.
Thanks to OMG for the write-up. Here is wishing the couple a happy married life!
Rabu, 27 April 2011
Nigerian Polls: High turnout in South, apathy in the North
The governorship poll did not take place in 12 states. In 10 of the states, the governors are yet to complete either their first or second tenure in office, but elections into the houses of assembly held in the 10 states.
Both polls were shelved by the Independent National Electoral Commission in Kaduna and Bauchi states till (Thursday) tomorrow because of the serious concern of insecurity caused by post-presidential election violence in many parts of northern Nigeria.
Unlike the states in the southern part of the country, the turnout of voters was low in most of the states in the north.
The situation in the north was attributed by those who turned up to exercise their civic duty to the April 16, 2011 post-presidential election violence, which followed the announcement of the result of President Goodluck Jonathan as the winner by INEC.
The major political parties which fielded candidates for the elections are the Peoples Democratic Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressive Change, the All Nigerian Peoples Party and the Labour Party.
More than 315 candidates took part in the governorship race.
President Jonathan (PDP) voted at the Otuabula Ward XIII, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa.
His wife, Patience, and his mother, Eunice, also voted at the centre.
Jonathan, who arrived at the centre amid tight security, was congratulated by many of his kinsmen for winning the April 16 (presidential) election.
The President’s main opponent in the April 16 election, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), of the CPC voted at the Sarkin Yara Polling unit in Daura, Katsina State.
His wife, Aishatu, who was accredited at 9. 41 am, decried the low women turnout in the area.
In Lagos, where indications pointed to Governor Babatunde Fashola coasting to victory, armed soldiers manned the major highways in the state.
Nearly all the polling centres in the state had a minimum number of two policemen, who were assisted by other security agents in providing security.
A large detachment of security personnel mounted checkpoints at Mararaba, a boundary town between the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State, although there were no elections in the FCT because of its status.
Checkpoints were located at various spots jointly manned by policemen and soldiers to forestall any violence.
A police officer at the check-point in Mararaba explained that much attention was being focused on the area, because “it is a notorious black spot in Nasarawa.”
In Kebbi State, there was a low turnout during the accreditation for the elections, which was conducted amidst tight security.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Kabir Ahmed, attributed it to voter apathy.
“We have put several paid announcements on radio and television, appealing to them to turn out en mass as past challenges would be rectified,” he said.
The situation was the same in Adamawa State, where some voters who turned out early for accreditation said the low turnout for the state assembly election was due to the fact that the governorship election would take place in the state in 2012.
In Jigawa, many voters boycotted the elections in spite of the elaborate arrangement by INEC to ensure the early deployment of election officials and materials.
Alhaji Ibrahim Ali, a 54-year-old voter in Dutse, attributed the low turnout to the post-presidential election violence witnessed in the state.
There was also a low turnout in Minna, Suleja, Bida, Mokwa and some other parts of Niger State.
In Yobe State, accreditation commenced as early as 8 am in most of the polling units, but there was a low turnout of voters compared with the last two elections.
There was less visibility of security men in Kano State compared with the presidential election when soldiers and policemen elaborately guided the state.
There were only few a policemen in areas such as Fagge, Emir’s Palace, France Road and Zoo Road in Kano because of the relatively low turnout of voters.
Many residents of the area ignored the restriction order although the accreditation was generally smooth because of the low turnout.
But in Jos, some ad hoc staff used during the previous elections in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau embarked on a protest over their exclusion from the elections.
The protesters accused INEC officials of deliberately removing their names from the list of those who would conduct the elections.
They claimed that the INEC officials did not inform them in advance that their services would not be required, forcing them to troop to the INEC office in spite of the restriction of movement.
When contacted, Mr. Danjuma Madaki, the Electoral Officer in charge of the area, said he was directed by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner to reduce the number of ad hoc staff because of lack of funds.
The situation was, however, different in Edo, Enugu, Imo, Ondo, Oyo, Anambra states, as a large number of voters participated in the exercise amid tight security.
Eligible voters in Oyo State turned out in an impressive manner as the governorship and HoA elections got under way.
Security agents were sighted on major roads in Enugu, while some were busy ensuring the orderliness of voters at the polling units.
There was heavy security presence on major roads in Imo State with many voters turning up for accreditation as early as 8.30 am.
In Akure, Okitipupa and other parts of Ondo State, electoral officers and materials arrived at the various polling units between 8.30 am and 9 am amid tight security.
Carla Bruni - France first lady - is preggers
WTF?? Hackers stole personal data from PlayStation Network
In a post to the official PlayStation blog Tuesday afternoon, Sony of America's director of communications said that "an illegal intrusion" in their system has caused a "compromise of personal information." And while Sony officials don't believe credit card information was taken, they say that hackers may have taken names, addresses, email addresses, birthdates and passwords among other things.
There are some 77 million user accounts with the PlayStation Network and Qriocity service, which allow gamers to play games online together as well as purchase and play movies and music.
As we previously reported, the PlayStation Network abruptly went offline last Wednesday, April 20. On Tuesday gamers grew increasingly irate as news of the data theft spread, wondering why it had taken Sony six days to reveal that personal information had been taken. Sony responded Tuesday evening by issuing a follow-up statement insisting that they did not know that personal data had been taken until Monday.
Sony said it does not believe credit card data was stolen, but the company did issue this warning: "While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained."
A long pause
The Tuesday afternoon revelation is the most Sony had disclosed since the unexpected PlayStation Network outage occurred six days ago. In a letter Sony issued to its customers, the company said it has "engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation," and further explains:
Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained.And after much speculation from anxious gamers, Sony is now explaining to customers that the following happened:
We have discovered that between April 17 and April 19, 2011, certain PlayStation Network and Qriocity service user account information was compromised in connection with an illegal and unauthorized intrusion into our network. In response to this intrusion, we have:Sony confirmed Tuesday that there are 77 million PlayStation Network user accounts worldwide but has not said how many individuals that represents. Some gamers have told us they have multiple accounts on the network. Still, tens of millions of people are sure to have been affected.
- Temporarily turned off PlayStation Network and Qriocity services;
- Engaged an outside, recognized security firm to conduct a full and complete investigation into what happened; and
- Quickly taken steps to enhance security and strengthen our network infrastructure by re-building our system to provide you with greater protection of your personal information.
"This is a huge data breach," Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter told Reuters. "The bigger issue with Sony is how will the hacker use the info that has been illegally obtained?"
Alan Paller, research director of the SANS Institute, told Reuters this was the largest-ever breach of its type. He said he suspected the hackers entered the network by taking over the PC of a system administrator, who had rights to access sensitive information about Sony's customers. They likely did that by sending the administrator an email message that contained a piece of malicious software that got downloaded onto his or her PC.
Sony officials said they expect to restore some of the network's services within a week.
Angry gamers
Not surprisingly, many PlayStation 3 owners are furious at the news and the long wait for the above announcement.
"You waited a WEEK to tell us our personal information was compromised? That should have been said last Thursday," wrote one angry gamer in a comment under the PlayStation blog post.
Another agreed: "This update is about 6 days LATE. I think it is time to move to the other network, no regard for customers here."
And they weren't the only ones outraged. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) sent a letter to Sony of America CEO Jack Tretton demanding answers about the company’s failure to notify millions of customers about the data breach in a timely manner.
"When a data breach occurs, it is essential that customers be immediately notified about whether and to what extent their personal and financial information has been compromised," he wrote, calling for Sony to provide PlayStation Network users with financial data security services free of charge and arguing that affected customers should be provided with "sufficient insurance to protect them from the possible financial consequences of identity theft."
In response to the growing criticism, Sony issued a follow-up statment on Tuesday evening clarifying that they did not know that personal data had been taken until Monday:
There's a difference in timing between when we identified there was an intrusion and when we learned of consumers' data being compromised. We learned there was an intrusion April 19th and subsequently shut the services down. We then brought in outside experts to help us learn how the intrusion occurred and to conduct an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the incident. It was necessary to conduct several days of forensic analysis, and it took our experts until yesterday to understand the scope of the breach. We then shared that information with our consumers and announced it publicly this afternoon.Sony on Tuesday also posted a Frequently Asked Questions page vaguely addressing reader questions such as who might be behind the hack attack, whether PSN users would be getting any money back and addressing a related attack at Sony Online Entertainment. It reads in part:
Did Sony Online Entertainment experience an attack due to the same reason?Many gamers have suspected the hacker collective Anonymous is behind the PSN intrusion, though the group has denied responsibility. In a recent post on their official news site, they insisted: "For once, it wasn't us."
SOE’s services are currently available, but they did experience a service interruption due to an external attack. An investigation is ongoing.
I want my money back (subscription fee, content) since the PSN/Qriocity was not available.
While we are still assessing the impact of this incident, we recognize that this may have had financial impact on our loyal customers. We are currently reviewing options and will update you when the service is restored.
There seems to be some games that cannot be played even offline?
Some games may require access to PSN for trophy sync, security checks or other network functionality and therefore cannot be played offline.
Is the attack by "Anonymous" or another party?
We are currently conducting a thorough investigation of the situation. Since this is an overall security related issue, we cannot comment further at this time.
That claim has been greeted with much skepticism. After all the group did admit to attacking and taking down the PlayStation Network as well as several Sony PlayStation websites in March as a response to Sony's lawsuit against hacker George "GeoHot" Hotz.
What now?
Certainly Sony isn't the only company to be hit recently by hackers bent on grabbing personal information.
The data theft is reminiscent of the recent hacking-related thefts of email addresses, passwords and other personal information from the Texas-based marketing firm Epsilon Data Management as well as Gawker Media. In the case of Epsilon, more than 250 million worldwide consumers were potentially affected.
But the PlayStation Network hack is potentially more critical considering that this initial information from Sony suggests that even more personal information was possibly pilfered. (For more on that, see Wilson Rothman's related story here.)
But what if you own a PS3 and have a PlayStation Network account? What should you do next?
To start with, if you used your PlayStation Network password on any other accounts, it's time to change it ASAP. And though Sony doesn't think credit card data has been stolen, you should keep a very close eye on the credit card account you associated with the Sony network.
Sony has also provided the contact information for the three major U.S. credit bureaus in its blog post about the incident and points out that, "At no charge, U.S. residents can have these credit bureaus place a 'fraud alert' on your file that alerts creditors to take additional steps to verify your identity prior to granting credit in your name."
Sony is also warning customers to be cautious of potentially sketchy contact:
For your security, we encourage you to be especially aware of email, telephone, and postal mail scams that ask for personal or sensitive information. Sony will not contact you in any way, including by email, asking for your credit card number, social security number or other personally identifiable information. If you are asked for this information, you can be confident Sony is not the entity asking.This report contains information from Reuters.
Kim Kardashian's Workout Secrets
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Tech: Apple officially responds to iPhone tracking questions
On Wednesday morning, the electronics giant put out a press release with answers to 10 frequently asked questions regarding the location data tracking issue. The information provided in the press release answers most of the questions posed by Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., who recently called for a hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law in order to discuss these and other mobile privacy concerns.
Apple essentially denies that it is tracking — or that it will ever track — the location of a customer's iPhone. Instead it explains that it is simply "maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location" in order to "help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested."
This means that any location-related data — which by most people's definitions would in fact include a database of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers — should not be logged on a device, especially in an unencrypted form.
There's an explanation for that logging as well though. According to Apple, it's just a bug. The electronics giant explains that the iPhone's tendency to store location data will be reduced by an upcoming update of the iOS software. The major iOS release after that will include an encryption feature for the supposedly smaller data cache.
What won't change at all is the device's habit of gathering and transmitting the data to Apple in the first place. The company maintains that this is a necessary process and that the information is transferred in an encrypted and anonymous form.
In an interview with All Things Digital's Ina Fried, Apple CEO Steve Jobs clarified that he feels a great deal of the recent privacy concerns are because the tech industry as a whole has failed to properly educate consumers on the rather complicated location tracking issue. He said, "we haven’t — as an industry — done a very good job educating people, I think, as to some of the more subtle things going on here. As such, (people) jumped to a lot of wrong conclusions in the last week.”
According to Fried, he continued on to say that "Apple looks forward to testifying before Congress and other regulatory bodies and said the company will do what it can to clarify things further."
Here are answers provided in Apple's press release, in full:
1. Why is Apple tracking the location of my iPhone?As mentioned above, Apple also added that a free iOS software update will be released soon, and that this update will resolve some issues — such as the iPhone's ability to capture location data even when the Location Services feature is disabled, as well as it's tendency to store a large amount of information on the device:
Apple is not tracking the location of your iPhone. Apple has never done so and has no plans to ever do so.
2. Then why is everyone so concerned about this?
Providing mobile users with fast and accurate location information while preserving their security and privacy has raised some very complex technical issues which are hard to communicate in a soundbite. Users are confused, partly because the creators of this new technology (including Apple) have not provided enough education about these issues to date.
3. Why is my iPhone logging my location?
The iPhone is not logging your location. Rather, it’s maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested. Calculating a phone’s location using just GPS satellite data can take up to several minutes. iPhone can reduce this time to just a few seconds by using Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data to quickly find GPS satellites, and even triangulate its location using just Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data when GPS is not available (such as indoors or in basements). These calculations are performed live on the iPhone using a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data that is generated by tens of millions of iPhones sending the geo-tagged locations of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers in an anonymous and encrypted form to Apple.
4. Is this crowd-sourced database stored on the iPhone?
The entire crowd-sourced database is too big to store on an iPhone, so we download an appropriate subset (cache) onto each iPhone. This cache is protected but not encrypted, and is backed up in iTunes whenever you back up your iPhone. The backup is encrypted or not, depending on the user settings in iTunes. The location data that researchers are seeing on the iPhone is not the past or present location of the iPhone, but rather the locations of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers surrounding the iPhone’s location, which can be more than one hundred miles away from the iPhone. We plan to cease backing up this cache in a software update coming soon (see Software Update section below).
5. Can Apple locate me based on my geo-tagged Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?
No. This data is sent to Apple in an anonymous and encrypted form. Apple cannot identify the source of this data.
6. People have identified up to a year’s worth of location data being stored on the iPhone. Why does my iPhone need so much data in order to assist it in finding my location today?
This data is not the iPhone’s location data—it is a subset (cache) of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database which is downloaded from Apple into the iPhone to assist the iPhone in rapidly and accurately calculating location. The reason the iPhone stores so much data is a bug we uncovered and plan to fix shortly (see Software Update section below). We don’t think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data.
7. When I turn off Location Services, why does my iPhone sometimes continue updating its Wi-Fi and cell tower data from Apple’s crowd-sourced database?
It shouldn’t. This is a bug, which we plan to fix shortly (see Software Update section below).
8. What other location data is Apple collecting from the iPhone besides crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data?
Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.
9. Does Apple currently provide any data collected from iPhones to third parties?
We provide anonymous crash logs from users that have opted in to third-party developers to help them debug their apps. Our iAds advertising system can use location as a factor in targeting ads. Location is not shared with any third party or ad unless the user explicitly approves giving the current location to the current ad (for example, to request the ad locate the Target store nearest them).
10. Does Apple believe that personal information security and privacy are important?
Yes, we strongly do. For example, iPhone was the first to ask users to give their permission for each and every app that wanted to use location. Apple will continue to be one of the leaders in strengthening personal information security and privacy.
Sometime in the next few weeks Apple will release a free iOS software update that reduces the size of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database cached on the iPhone, ceases backing up this cache, and deletes this cache entirely when Location Services is turned off.In the next major iOS software release the cache will also be encrypted on the iPhone.
Royal Wedding: Kate's royal wedding dress still veiled in mystery
AP: Will it have sleeves? A sweeping train? Antique lace, or bead work?
The questions keep coming, but no one has the answers. Congratulations, Kate Middleton, for keeping your wedding dress the royal wedding's biggest mystery and talking point.
With just two days to go, the world still knows next to nothing about what Prince William's bride will wear to mark her transition from commoner to princess.
"They've done an amazing job at keeping it secret," said Darcy Miller, editorial director at Martha Stewart Weddings. "The secrecy of the designer is making it more of an obsession" for brides and millions of royal fans everywhere, she added.
Barring any leaks in the next 48 hours, the world will not get a good, long look at Middleton's dress until 11 am. local time on Friday, when she crosses the threshold at Westminster Abbey. Meanwhile, it's not hard to make some educated guesses.
Kate's wedding look will likely be modest — covered-up and stately, not strapless or cleavage-showing. It will be special enough for a princess, but it won't be too flashy for a "people's wedding" during austere economic times, or out of sync with Kate's usual pared-down, no-fuss style. It will be set off by her sapphire engagement ring (her "something blue", perhaps) and likely a tiara from the royal collection ("something borrowed").
And it will be created by a British designer, probably with British materials. The strongest contenders are Sarah Burton, creative director at fashion house Alexander McQueen, which has a reputation for precise tailoring and dramatic runway shows; and Bruce Oldfield, an established couture designer specializing in traditional bridal and eveningwear, and a favorite of the late Princess Diana.
"He's as close to Parisian couture as you can get, whilst still supporting a British designer," British Vogue commented in its shortlist of potential dress designers.
Kate's mother, Carole, and sister Pippa have been snapped at his boutique, fueling rumors that he could be designing the gown, the bridesmaid's dress, or the mother-of-the-bride outfit. But Carole and Pippa Middleton have also appeared at Alice Temperley's boutique, and it's anyone's guess what deals, if any, were struck behind the shops' closed doors.
A fourth name that has emerged recently is the lesser-known Sophie Cranston, who worked with McQueen's studio and Temperley before setting up her small label Libelula. The press started speculating on Cranston after Middleton wore a black velvet dress coat she designed to a wedding earlier this year.
While an unlikely choice — Cranston is not experienced in designing bridal gowns — there is a good chance Middleton will pick a less established designer to show that she is a modern new royal who champions budding talent.
Many believe Middleton will wear more than one dress as she moves from one part of the day to the next — a traditional, classic gown for the service in the vast Westminster Abbey, when 2 billion people across the world are expected to gaze upon her, and another, more comfortable dress for the private post-wedding reception at Buckingham Palace. She may also change into a third frock for the "intimate" dinner (with 300 guests) hosted by Prince Charles, as well as for the after-party when the older guests leave and the younger crowd can let their hair down.
"She may need three dresses for a very long day," said Millie Martini Bratten, at Brides Magazine U.S. "A lot of brides are doing the same today, getting a more comfortable reception dress you can dance in. It's what brides are doing across America, and I won't be surprised if Kate does that."
If that's true, Middleton can have more freedom choosing designs that reflect her personal style and preferences. She can wear a more slinky, sexier gown by her favorite label Issa in the evening, and Cranston, who has denied she is making the wedding dress, could also have been drafted in to design the evening outfit.
Designers say that bridal trends — like the currently popular "mermaid" style, a sexy shape that fits around the hips then flares out at the knee — likely wouldn't have influenced Middleton's choice because trends really don't matter when it comes to a royal wedding. Rather, whatever she picks will set the trend for at least a few seasons to come.
Princess Diana's big, fluffy confection of a wedding dress, with its ruffled neckline and poofy sleeves, was "directional" when Elizabeth Emanuel designed it in 1981. More recently, when Chelsea Clinton got married last summer — hailed as the American equivalent of a royal wedding — her Vera Wang gown with swirling organza ball skirt became an instant hit, with hundreds of brides seeking to replicate her look. Wang, arguably the world's best-known bridal designer, soon produced a mass-market version of the dress and sold it through a bridal chain store.
But will Middleton's choice stand the test of time and elevate her to a style icon, like the high-necked, lace-sleeved gown did for Grace Kelly at her 1956 wedding to Prince Rainier of Monaco?
Amsale Aberra, an Ethiopian bridal designer based in New York, hopes that Middleton stays away from glamorous, high-fashion styles worn by Hollywood stars.
"People are not expecting something you'd see on a runway, or what the celebrities wear," she said. "It's not about the dress, it's about her. It's about a feeling. It's definitely important to keep the tradition, but I hope she make it hers."
Royal Wedding: Kate Middleton third most beautiful royal in history
Yahoo: Kate Middleton is officially one of the "beautiful people." Her place was confirmed by a poll on the dating website BeautifulPeople.com, which surveyed no less than 127,000 responders to judge the prettiness of the princesses.
The princess bride, who becomes British royalty when she marries Prince William, came in a notable third out of the 10 most beautiful royals in history. She placed ahead of her future husband's mother, the late Diana, princess of Wales, who ranked fourth.
Topping the poll: the iconic beauty Princess Grace of Monaco. The Oscar-winning American actress Grace Kelly was Hollywood royalty before before marrying Prince Rainier in 1956. Coming in a close second, the stunning Queen Rania of Jordan.
Rounding out the group of beauties, the young Princess Charlotte of Monaco (carrying on the beautiful gene pool) came in fifth, and the elegant Princess Masako of Japan is at number 10. (You can see the entire list here.)
On the men's side, the dreamy Prince Carl Philip of Sweden snagged first place, followed by the Fabio look-alike Prince Andrea of Monaco. Handsome Prince Harry beat out Prince William: The younger brother took fourth place while the elder brother hung on at fifth. Their father Charles, the prince of Wales brought up the rear in 10th place.
And not to be left out, ugliest royals include the green (and animated) Princess Fiona of "Shrek" and the rather rotund Henry VIII.
Rabu, 20 April 2011
Nollywood: The Next Big Thing in World Cinema - Forbes
Nigeria’s movie industry is thriving, and it’s about time you took notice. Fondly referred to as Nollywood, it is now an $800 million industry, providing employment for about 300,000 people as actors, directors, marketers and distributors. After Hollywood, it is the second largest in the world – even bigger than India’s Bollywood.
Nigerian movies are immensely popular, particularly in Africa, where they currently outsell Hollywood films. And Nollywood stars are much more popular on the continent than their Hollywood counterparts. Chances are that Kenyans or Malawians will better recognize Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Nouah (both Nollywood idols), than Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington.
Top Nollywood Actress
Nollywood has come a long way from where it started 20 years ago. Before now, Western critics were usually quick to dismiss the quality of its productions as poor, the industry as amateurish, its talent as sloppy and its future as bleak. Understandably so. Movies were made on the cheap- a typical budget ranged anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000. Shoots were rushed; they rarely lasted a week. Cheap digital equipment and cameras were mostly used, and directors were untrained. The movies generally bypassed the cinema, going straight to DVD and VCD discs. Majority of the actors were mediocre at best. The stories were cliché and mildly annoying. A typical story line went something like this: poor boy meets rich girl; they fall in love; rich girl’s parents strongly disapprove of union; boy and girl fight all obstacles and true love prevails in the end. Other typical story lines included voodoo tales, historical epics, religious conflicts and economic hardship. It was generally mundane.But even with the substandard quality of the movies, they thrived. The average flick sold over 50,000 copies. Some even sold as many as several hundred thousand, while a few hit a million. And at $1.50 per disc, they were affordable for most Nigerians and generated astounding returns for the producers.
But things have changed. The Nigerian movie industry is experiencing an evolution. The quality of our movies is much better than ever before; our actors are better financially compensated; directors and other professionals in the industry are travelling overseas to institutions like the New York Film Academy to hone their skills; investors and businessmen are pouring more substantial financial resources into the production of better quality flicks. Nowadays, it’s common place to see movies produced on a 6-figure budget, which is a major improvement from the past. In 2009, Kunle Afolayan, a leading Nigerian movie producer, raised about $300,000 to shoot Figurine, an outstanding production which premiered on local and international cinemas and went on to win 5 stars at the African Movie Academy Awards, our very own version of the Oscars. Several Nigerian movie producers and directors are following suit.
Continue reading from Forbes.com
A world of child alcoholism: Child served alcohol at Chili's , mom says
CHICAGO -- Yet another parent is claiming that her child was served alcohol at a chain restaurant, but the restaurant is crying foul.
Tyree Davis says her 4-year-old daughter Brooklynn Morris was served a Mudslide drink instead of a chocolate milkshake at a Chicago Chili's last week.
"Brooklyn said, 'I don't like it,' and I said, 'you don't like it, why? Let me taste it.' And when I tasted it, the alcohol. I knew immediately it was alcohol," Davis said.
She says her daughter took a few sips of the Mudslide drink before the server realized what happened -- that they had perhaps been swapped.
"That's when I saw the waitress approaching me with the chocolate shake. How can you make that mistake? And then the manager said the drinks were sitting at the bar side by side at the bar, the chocolate shake and the mudslide," Davis recalled.
Davis took her daughter to the hospital. The discharge papers showed she was diagnosed with alcohol ingestion overdose. She's doing fine now.
Chili's says it takes claims like this seriously and has started a formal investigation.
It also says initial findings show the drink in question was served to an adult in glass barware and was not served to a child.
Original story reported by Susanna Song, CBS Chicago.
Adidas ad! Copa del Rey Final: Bring on Madrid - Barcelona
The second el classico face-off between Real Madrid and Barcelona is going down tonight and here is a little Adidas ad to put you in the mood. I already got my money on Barcelona. Anybody?
Apple Sues Samsung Electronics Over 'Galaxy' Phone, Tab
The lawsuit, filed on April 15 in the Northern District of California, alleged that Samsung's smartphones, such as the "Galaxy S 4G," "Epic 4G," "Nexus S" and its "Galaxy Tab" touchscreen tablet, violated Apple's intellectual property.
"Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products," the lawsuit said.
Representatives of Apple and Samsung did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit is sure to complicate the relationship between the two consumer electronics giants. Samsung makes microchips that are used in some Apple products.
Selasa, 19 April 2011
Charlie Sheen appears in court for divorce hearing
AP: Former "Two and a Half Men" star Charlie Sheen went before a Los Angeles judge Tuesday seeking custody of his twin sons with estranged wife Brooke Mueller, who also attended the closed hearing.
No resolution was immediately announced. Sheen left the courthouse flanked by security and was on his way to catch a plane to Washington, DC, for a performance of his stage show. Mueller emerged from court smiling and hugged her attorney but declined to comment.
Attorneys for both sides also refused to divulge details of the hearing.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg sealed the hearing at the request of Mueller's attorney, saying it was "in the best interest of the children" because of "questions of abuse and other inflammatory and emotional issues."
Sheen arrived in court wearing a black suit, glasses and an orange tie. As the public filed out of the courtroom, Sheen gave a fist bump to a reporter in the audience. One of his girlfriends, whom he describes as goddesses, accompanied him to court and sat on a bench outside the courtroom.
The actor and his estranged wife have sparred in recent months, with Mueller accusing Sheen of threatening her with a pen knife.
The couple reached an agreement and Mueller dropped her request for a restraining order. Sheen's attorney, Mark Gross, said in court it was unfair that Mueller's attorneys hadn't sought to seal the restraining order, which detailed numerous alleged threats Sheen had made.
Gross agreed the hearing should be closed and Mueller's attorneys called the complaint, "a dollar short and a day late."
Sheen is in the midst of a multicity tour titled "My Violent Torpedo of Truth — Defeat is Not an Option" and still planned to perform Tuesday night in the nation's capital.
In Santa Monica, Sheen's attorneys are arguing his $100 million lawsuit over his firing from "Men" should be heard in the public courts system rather than through private arbitration as his former employer, Warner Bros. Television, wants.
Sheen's attorneys argue an arbitration clause in his contract is unenforceable and the case should be decided by a jury if it proceeds that far.
Warner Bros. denies Sheen's claims and in court filings stated that the actor's contract calls for disputes to be decided by binding arbitration.
Sheen filed his lawsuit March 10, days after he was fired from television's top-rated comedy. He is also suing "Men" Executive Producer Chuck Lorre, who also wants the case handled by arbitration. Warner fired Sheen after a series of bizarre behavior during interviews and after he vehemently criticized Lorre.
Sheen has said during his stage show that he would return to the show, which reportedly paid him $1.8 million an episode, but Warner has denied there have been discussions for Sheen's re-hiring.
Senin, 18 April 2011
Halle Berry Drops Out of Broadway Play Due to 'Custody Issues'
The New York Times reports that Samuel L. Jackson is still on board to portray Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The drama -- award-winning playwright Katori Hall's imagined account of the night before Dr. King's assassination -- would have seen Berry portray a maid at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, where King and his colleagues were preparing for a demonstration before King was shot on the balcony outside his room.
Producers said Berry will "not be appearing in the role due to child-custody issues."
The Oscar winner has been in a long, at times contentious custody battle with her ex-partner, French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry, the father of their 3-year-old daughter, Nahla. The couple split in April 2010; Berry has been dating actor Olivier Martinez since last fall.
Read more from popeater
UK's most expensive flat sold for £135.4 million
Telegraph: The UK’s most expensive flat has been sold in London for £135.4 million, according to Land Registry documents.
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment at One Hyde Park start at £6 million
The buyer of “Flat a” at the One Hyde Park development is understood to be a Ukrainian who purchased the penthouse in cash in 2007.
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment at One Hyde Park start at £6 million
The buyer of “Flat a” at the One Hyde Park development is understood to be a Ukrainian who purchased the penthouse in cash in 2007.
The new owner is thought to be spending up to £60 million on interior work after receiving the apartment with bare walls and no amenities.
The Ukrainian used an offshore company called Water Property Holdings to buy the flat, which covers the top three floors in the Richard Rogers designed complex next to Knightsbridge.
The complex, built by a development group led by the Candy brothers, the upmarket property investors, has become the most expensive residential development with almost £1bn of sales transacted across 45 apartments.
The scheme finished in January and almost all the apartments have been bought through offshore trusts.
Match.com to Begin Checking Users Against Sex Offender Database
ABC: Just days after we reported that a California woman filed a lawsuit against a popular online dating site after she was sexually attacked on a date, Match.com officials announced Sunday it will start to screen users against a national sex offenders registry.
In a statement issued to the Associated Press, Match.com President Mandy Ginsberg said the website did not implement the screening process for years due to the "unreliability of the database" but after reviewing recent improvements, the company has decided to begin the checks with current and new members.
"We've been advised that a combination of improved technology and an improved database now enables a sufficient degree of accuracy to move forward with this initiative, despite its continued imperfection," Ginsberg said in the statement.
This is getting serious!
Prince William and Kate Middleton to honeymoon in Jordan
(PEOPLE) -- Kate Middleton, who spent a few years of her childhood in the Middle Eastern country of Jordan, may now heading back there -- for her honeymoon.
The historic site of Petra and the valley of Wadi Run are said to be on the travel itinerary for Prince William and his bride for a week after their April 29 wedding.
Camping out in the desert and swimming in the Dead Sea would definitely appeal to the sporty, outdoors-loving pair, and they would certainly receive a warm welcome from two of their wedding guests: King Abdullah and Queen Rania.
Palace aides won't comment on the claim, made in the Sunday Telegraph, saying that the couple's post-wedding break will be private.
Those close to them tell PEOPLE they're hoping that wherever the couple end up (and the Seychelles, Mustique and even Corfu in Greece have been mentioned), they will be left alone to enjoy the vacation without intrusion from the media.
The Telegraph says Jordan is the couple's "preferred option," and they are "believed" to have booked a special tour of the historic sites in a week-long trip. It also suggests that William, 28, and Kate, 29, will enjoy some time in the U.K., possibly at one of the royal estates such as Balmoral.
Kate lived in Amman, Jordan for nearly three years, beginning in 1984, and she attended nursery school there. When the palace and the Middleton family released a set of family pictures, one showed Kate and her father Michael relaxing on an outing in the country.
Petra and the valley of Wadi Run were also used as locations in the David Lean epic Lawrence of Arabia, and Steven Spielberg used the dramatic landscape of Petra as a backdrop for Indiana Jones.
Additional reporting by Stephen M. Silverman
© 2010 People and Time Inc. All rights reserved.
Massive protest breaks out in Nothern Nigeria as incumbent President wins poll
Jonathan won Nigeria''s presidential election by securing 60.02 per cent of the vote, results showed today.Jonathan, 64, beat his main rival Muhammadu Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) by a wide margin, with the former General getting only 30 per cent of the vote, the country''s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said.
The incumbent president won in more than 23 out of the 36 states securing all the votes in the southern region and in some states in the northern region and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.While Buhari (59) won only in 10 states, all in the northern region, Jonathan - a Christian from the oil-producing Niger Delta - was the clear front-runner among several candidates going into the race.His main opponent Buhari, a former military ruler, is from the Muslim north.Jonathan came to power last year when his predecessor died in office following a lengthy illness.Goodluck, the former governor of southern Bayelsa state, was born to a family of canoe makers in the riverine town of Otuoke situated in the oil-rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.He is the first President to come from the Southern minority group that has been agitating for resource control since petroleum exploration started in the early 70s.Nigerians turned out in a large numbers at polling centres across the country on Saturday in what they hoped will be the first credible presidential election for decades in Africa''s most populous nation.There was no sign of the chaos and violence that has dogged past elections although two bombs panicked voters in the troubled northeastern city of Maiduguri. There were no reports of casualties.Jonathan will be sworn in on May 29 to serve a four-year tenure after which he is free to go for a second term.African Union observer and former President of Ghana John Kuffuor said the election was free and fair.
Minggu, 17 April 2011
Nigeria Presidential Polls: collation of results underway
Already results have started to trickle in showing the incumbent president leading in the southern region of the country while his biggest opponent is (as expected) holding sway in the nothern region. A two horse race if you may say.
The president while speaking to reporters yesterday after voting in his home country certified the election as free and fair. He disapproved the possibility of a run-off (which is widely expected), stating economic reasons. According to him, the winner should be able to emerge in the first ballot. He also promised to leave office peacefully if he loses the election. In his words "if I lose, I will leave because that is what we are talking about".
Meanwhile, the CPC candidate and major opponent of the incumbent president - Gen. Muhammadu Buhari rtd - has spoken of his fear in the electoral process alleging a massive move to rig the election. He alleged that thumb-printed ballot papers were airlifted to different states of the country in an attempt to compromise the election. He claimed that his party supporters were chased out when one of the planes carrying the thumb-printed ballot papers landed at the Kastina airport - his home state. He however promised not to challenge the outcome of the election in court - not any more.
However, speculations are rife of a massive attempt to rig the elections. Saharareporters - a Nigerian owned, non terrestrial website is reporting that "the ruling party is having a field day rigging the presidential election". According to them, the PDP has used huge amounts of cash to buy the police, soldiers, officials of INEC and even other parties agents. It continues that the ruling party on the eve of the election dished out N1.9 billion to electoral returning officers, security agents and other parties. It was gathered that the ruling party earmarked N3 billion per state x 36 for the purpose of 'stealing' votes.
^^^^^
Now if that report from saharareporters is anyhow true then this can be said to be election marketing, the people does not decide they are bought and how can you even buy up a nations security agencies? Lol.
More updates coming>>
*Update* Here is a rundown of unofficial details of polls result thus far according to Nigeria News Desk
PDP - 44.9%
CPC - 34%
ACN - 19.9%
ANPP - 1.1%
NCP - 0.2%
Can CPC bounce back? Keep tab!
*Update* Official Results by States.
OGUN - PDP wins by more than 70%
F.C.T - PDP wins
ENUGU - PDP by more than 90%
CPC agent complains of non endorsement of results announced.
*Recess*
Kamis, 14 April 2011
Sightz and times: Serena Williams
WTF?? Woman sues online dating site over alleged sexual assault
LATIMES: A Los Angeles entertainment executive who says she was sexually assaulted by a man she met on Match.com filed a lawsuit Wednesday asking that the popular dating site start screening its members for sexual predators.
Attorney Mark L. Webb, who represents the woman identified in the lawsuit only as Jane Doe, said he will ask a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge for a temporary injunction barring the site from signing up more members until his client’s demands are met.
“They are a very powerful and successful online dating service, and they have the means to do this,” Webb said.
Officials with Match.com could not be reached for comment late Wednesday. But in a statement to KABC-TV Channel 7 last week, officials that they provide safety tips on the website and warn members that they are responsible for screening the people they meet.
"While incidents like this one between individuals who meet on Match.com are extremely rare, it doesn't make them any less horrifying," the statement said.
Webb described his client as an Ivy League graduate who works in film and television. He said she met her alleged assailant last year at Urth Cafe in West Hollywood. He seemed charming and she agreed to see him again. After the second date, however, he allegedly followed her home and forced himself on her, Webb said.
"This horrific ordeal completely blindsided me because I had considered myself savvy about online dating safety," the woman said in a statement released through her attorney last week. "Things quickly turned into a nightmare, beyond my control."
After the man left, the woman went online and learned that he had been convicted of several counts of sexual battery. Charges are pending in the Match.com case, Webb said.
The attorney said his client wants Match.com to check members’ names against public sex offender registries. “It’s not a guarantee,” he said. “But don’t you think something is better than nothing?”
* I don't even know what to say. What do you have to say about this? Ludicrous, aignt it? *
Rabu, 13 April 2011
Police find $10 million buried in SKorean field
Police said Tuesday they've confiscated the money the farmer buried in his field in Gimje, about 160 miles south of Seoul.
Police say the farmer, surnamed Lee, was arrested Monday.
They say Lee's two brothers-in-law — one in prison and the other on the run — had asked him to hide the money.
Police gave no further details, including what charges Lee's brothers-in-law face and whether the discovered money would add to their charges.
^^^ Now thats ridiculous!
Selasa, 12 April 2011
Just-released Indians prospect Joel Torres cashes $1 million lottery ticket
But he probably couldn't have been launched to the unemployment line with a better parachute. A month earlier, the 21-year-old outfielder had won $1 million in the New York State Lottery's "Sweet Millions" game after buying a ticket in Queens while visiting his mother over the winter. Continue reading to see how you too can hit it big through lottery. There is a special system for you and try to check it out before you buy that lotto ticket
Yes, that sound you heard was mothers everywhere asking if we see what happens when you act like a good son and visit your mum. Anyway, Torres' victory was revealed when he picked up his lump sum payment of $660,300 over the weekend. He bought the ticket on Feb. 24.
From the N.Y. Post:
"The first thing I plan to do with the money is buy my mom a new house," said Torres. He said the money will allow him to pursue his hopes of playing ball in the major leagues.
What's interesting is that the N.Y. Post has pictures of Torres picking up his oversized check and he's still wearing a Indians cap. Presumably he now has a little more scratch to buy a lid of a team that didn't dump him onto the free-agent scrap heap.
And hopefully his newfound financial freedom will allow him some more peace of mind in pursuing his dream. Torres played 38 games for the Indians team in the Arizona Fall League and posted a .184/.260/.307 line with one homer and 14 RBIs — numbers that will never prove anywhere near as profitable as whatever numbers he played in the lotto.Now speaking about lottery and betting. we searched for how people can also make it from betting or lotto and we came up with this and this. Both for betting and lottery respectively. They are guranteed sources that will teach you all you need to know before stepping out to even buy that tix. Make sure you check them out!
Goodluck on that one.
WTF!!! Chicago school bans homemade lunches, the latest in national food fight
YAHOO: Students who attend Chicago's Little Village Academy public school get nothing but nutritional tough love during their lunch period each day. The students can either eat the cafeteria food--or go hungry. Only students with allergies are allowed to bring a homemade lunch to school, the Chicago Tribune reports.
"Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school," principal Elsa Carmona told the paper of the years-old policy. "It's about ... the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke."
But students said they would rather bring their own lunch to school in the time-honored tradition of the brown paper bag. "They're afraid that we'll all bring in greasy food instead of healthy food and it won't be as good as what they give us at school," student Yesenia Gutierrez told the paper. "It's really lame."
The story has attracted hundreds of comments so far. One commenter, who says her children attend a different Chicago public school, writes, "I can accept if they want to ban soda, but to tell me I can't send a lunch with my child. ARE YOU KIDDING ME????"
For parents whose kids do not qualify for free or reduced price school lunches, the $2.25 daily cafeteria price can also tally more than a homemade lunch. "We don't spend anywhere close to that on my son's daily intake of a sandwich (lovingly cut into the shape of a Star Wars ship), Goldfish crackers and milk," Northwestern education policy professor Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach told the paper in an email. She told The Lookout parents at her child's public school would be upset if they tried to ban homemade lunches.
"I think that lots of parents at least at my child's school do think that what they pack is more nutritious [than school lunches]," she said. A Chicago public school teacher started a blog to protest the city's school lunches, and last year the schools tightened their nutrition standards for cafeteria-served school lunches. Every lunch must contain whole grains, only reduced-fat salad dressings and mayonnaise are offered as condiments, and the meals must feature a different vegetable each day. Meal providers also must reduce sodium content by 5 percent annually. About 86 percent of the district's students qualify for free or reduced price school lunches because their families live close to the poverty line.
Change in Chicago's school cafeterias feeds into a larger effort to combat the country's childhood obesity epidemic. About a third of America's kids are overweight or obese, and since children consume at least 30 percent of their calories while in school, making lunches healthier is seen as one way to counter that problem. Poorer kids are also more likely to be obese or overweight than middle class kids, and to consume a bigger proportion of their calories while at school. Forty-four percent of American kids living below the poverty line are obese or overweight, according to a 2010 study published in Health Affairs.
While we haven't been able to track down another school that bans homemade lunches outright, many smaller food battles have been playing out in cafeterias across the country. As principals try to counter obesity in their schools, healthy intentions can come across as overreach, occasionally sparking parent and student anger.
Alabama parents protested a school's rule that barred students from bringing any drinks from home, as ice water was provided at lunch. East Syracuse, New York schools have outlawed cupcakes and other desserts. And schools around the country have kicked out chocolate milk and soda vending machines. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin even showed up in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with dozens of cookies to express her disdain for a debate in the state about recommending teachers limit the number of times per month the sugary treats are eaten in classroom birthday celebrations.
Tucson, Arizona's Children's Success Academy allows home-packed lunches--but only if nothing in them contains white flour, refined sugar, or other "processed" foods, the Arizona Republic reported in a story last year. The school has no cafeteria, so some parents told the paper they struggled to find foods to pack that meet the restrictions. Many schools ban fast food or other take-out meals.
Soon, cafeteria offerings across the country will all be healthier, whether students like it or not. Last year's Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, calls for higher nutritional standards to serve the 32 million kids who eat lunch every day at school (most of whom qualify for free or reduced price lunches through a federal government program). For the first time, the USDA will set calorie limits for school lunches, and will recommend they contain more vegetables and whole grains, and less salt, USA Today reports. French fries should be replaced by vegetables and fruit, the guidelines say.
The bill also calls for stricter food safety checks on cafeteria food.
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