News Letter 2007 06

M. A. SMITH

A PROFESSIONAL LAW CORPORATION

MASAPLC.COM

Michael A. Smith, Attorney at Law

319 E. Foothill Blvd., #C Voice - (626) 357-1177

Arcadia, CA 91006 Facsimile - (626) 357-4588

June 2007 No. 24

FOOD STAMPS

If you or someone you know is having difficulties making ends meet, you could qualify for food stamps. You do not need to be unemployed or on welfare to be eligible for this program. For information on requirements and applying, call (877) 847-3663.

Thanks US Dept. of Agriculture

TOXIC FREE HAIR

The ingredients that make shampoos and conditioners lather may be harmful to your hair and your health. Sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate work by lowering the surface tension in water, which dissolves natural oils and strips the scalp of its protective layer which allows toxins to enter the body. They have been linked to hair follicle damage, hair loss, skin and eye irritation and allergic reactions. Other problem chemicals are parabens; added to ward off mold and mildew. These are dangerous because they may accumulate in the bloodstream where they can “mimic” naturally occurring hormones like estrogen and disrupt endocrine function.

Use products with natural foaming agents from coconut oil which is mild and gentle on the skin. Citrus seed extract, tea tree and other essential oils along with vitamins A, C and E are natural preservatives that enhance but do not harm. Better Nutrition, March 2007, Carob Tree

CHILD INTERNET SAFETY

Whether you are a parent or grandparent, chances are the children in your home are active on the internet. The internet has simplified our lives but it also requires us to take necessary precautions to protect our loved ones.

There are four basic steps to protecting your family:

1. Set clear and concise rules for internet use.

2. Talk with your kids and listen to what they say, do and who they are meeting on-line.

3. Keep personal information just that--personal and private.

4. Invest in family safety software.

Ask your kids to show you what they are doing and who they are meeting on the internet. Encourage them to “teach” you about their world. It is a great way to communicate with them without it appearing intrusive. Spend time learning how your kids use the internet, what games they play, what chat rooms they visit. Read the profiles they post on all social networking sites to see how they represent themselves. Be sure they do not divulge too much personal information.

●Only allow your kids to access the internet when you are home and available to supervise.

Do not share files or open attachments from strangers. If you do not know the sender’s address, delete the file. We train our children not to accept gifts from strangers in the real world, the same applies on-line. By allowing them to accept attachments or click on a link in an e-mail (to open music or video) from strangers, they could be opening a virus, a disturbing image or downloading bad software.

Be open and candid with your children about on-line risks, including inappropriate content, invasion of privacy and sexual predators. Teach them how to keep themselves safe by being aware and alert. Encourage your children to tell you of any suspicious on-line behavior; someone asking for personal information or wanting to arrange to meet them in person. Most importantly, be sure your children feel comfortable to bring any “situation” or “concern” they might feel to you.

If a problem arises, do not judge or condemn your child. Explain the risks and dangers and work with him or her so they can protect themselves and be safe.

Select a family software package to fit your needs. Keep your firewalls and spam filters current to filter junk e-mail and install anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Spending extra time with your children ensures them of your love, guidance and support, and ensures you of their safety.

Google has begun testing a free telephone directory listing service that will look up business listings and connect the call for free. The service is part of Google Labs and is free for anyone to try by dialing 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411). The service is called Google Voice Local Search (GVLS) and could represent serious competition to existing services such as Jingle Networks’ 1-800-FREE411 and Ma Bell.

GVLS relies on an automated voice-recognition program that asks for city, state and name of listing. The program offers an option to say “go back” and say the listing again, if it does not understand you the first time.

When the voice-recognition system understands your request, GVLS not only provides the telephone number but offers “details” of the phone listing as well, e.g., the street address. You may also have a text message sent to your mobile phone of the phone number and street address of the listing.

Researchers have identified four breast cancer genes that work in tandem to spread cancer to the lungs, providing an inside-look at how some tumor cells likely interact with normal cells to produce cancer, according to a report in Nature.

By knocking down these genes, alone or in combination in mice, the group at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center found the genes were involved in tumor angiogenesis, the spread of tumor cells throughout the circulatory system, and the successful invasion of tumor cells into the lungs.

Almost every school district in the country has bought computer software to help kids do better in math or reading. But, do these expensive programs help children learn better? Not necessarily, according to a new Department of Education study. The study found “test scores were not significantly higher in classrooms using selected reading and mathematics software products” than in classrooms without these tools.

Schools across the country have spent millions on learning software, and this study has some parents asking if it was worth the cost. Some districts have bailed out on using pricey software. Los Angeles schools spent $50 million on software for a reading program that is no longer in every classroom after test scores showed no improvement.

The study looked at the results for one year and only at certain schools. And, there are examples of success. Delano High School in Minnesota, had a 19 percent drop in kids failing because of the software programs. Thanks Fred C.

Researchers describe the use of newly discovered enzymes to convert blood types A, B and AB into O, the universal donor type. Blood types are based on a molecule, called agglutinogen, found on the surface of red blood cells. Types A, B or AB can clump together if mixed, but type O does not react with other types.

More than two decades ago, researchers began testing the concept of removing surface proteins on red blood cells to create universal blood cells, according to the report in the April on-line issue of Nature Biotechnology. Findings from a trial showed type B red blood cells could be converted into type O cells, which then survive normally when given to type A and O individuals. However, the usefulness of this approach was limited by the large amount of enzymes required for the conversion.

Dr. Henrik Clausen, from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, described two previously unknown enzymes, small amounts of which are capable of efficiently removing the A and B agglutinogen. “The enzymatic conversion processes we describe hold promise for achieving the goal of producing universal red blood cells, which would improve the blood supply while enhancing the safety of clinical transfusions.” Nature Biotechnology, on-line, April 2007. Thanks Fred C.

Around Children: Within 500 feet of a school while children are outside the classroom or crossing the street; or if there is no fence around the school and children are outside, the speed limit is 25 mph.

School Busses: Keep an eye open for stopped school buses and children crossing the street. If yellow lights are flashing the bus is preparing to stop and disembark children. The lights are to warn you to slow down and prepare to stop. When the bus flashes red lights (located at the top front and back of the bus), you MUST STOP FROM EITHER DIRECTION until the children are safely across the street and the lights stop flashing. The law requires you to remain stopped as long as the red lights are flashing (VC§22454). Fines for failure to stop may be $1,000 or more and driving privilege could be suspended for 1 year. However, if the school bus is on the other side of a divided or multilane (two or more lanes in each direction) highway, you do not need to stop. CA DMV Handbook 2007

NASA scientists revealed Mars is experiencing global warming at a similar rate to Earth. Mars is heating up, so much so that the polar ice cap has been disappearing over recent years. Scientists at NASA’s Ames Research Centre in California have gone part of the way to explaining this change in the planet’s climate, by researching changes in dust and reflected heat from the sun.

Research shows, between the 70s and 90s, Mars warmed by point 0.65 degrees Celsius. Here on Earth the average temperature rose by point 0.75 during the 20th century. The climate modeling systems used by NASA scientists to measure the temperature change on Mars are similar to those used to forecast the weather on Earth. Global warming experts say the research does point to holes about climate change theories here on Earth. The common factor: the sun. Thanks Fred C.

Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.

Murphy’s Law of Lockers: If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have adjacent lockers.

Wilson’s Law: As soon as you find a product you really like, they will stop making it.

The flower for June is the rose. The gem is pearl and agate which stand for health.