Canadians' Love Of Texting Bigger Than Ever

Summary of Article:

Canada may be the birthplace of the BlackBerry and mobile e-mail, and we're among the world's most obsessed users of Facebook, but it hasn't stopped us from engaging in relatively old-school form of electronic messaging: texting.  In fact, texting on cellphones, a feature first offered in Canada in 2002, is bigger than ever.  According to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association, 56.4 billion texts were sent in Canada in 2010, up 60% from the 35.3 billion sent the previous year.  Canadians have more and more digital messaging options nowadays including: e-mail, social networks, and chat programs, but there's something about texting that's stuck with consumers, said association spokesman Marc Choma.  "I think text messaging has a certain appeal just because it is so instant and so quick and all you have to know is a person's phone number," Choma said.  An anonymous person also said, "If I want to able to get a hold of my kids there seems to be something innate in young people that they feel compelled to respond to a text message  almost instantly.  I can try to call, or leave a voice message, or e-mail, but for some reason a text seems to get a much more imediate response.  The number of texts sent in 2009 was up 70% over the previous year, and in 2008 there was an annual increase of 105%.

My Opinion of Article:

I am surprised by this article, and not surprised at the same time. I wasn't aware that the percent of texts sent had gone up the past two years but am not surprised at the fact that people are more likely to respond to texts instead of other communicational devices.  It makes more sense that people are more likely to respond to texts, because as stated in the article, it is much quicker and easier to respond to a text.  There is an almost guaranteed chance that your message will get sent if you have signal, and you can say what you want.  You can also choose to reply to it or reply, whereas if you used a phone, it wouldn't be realistic to hang up on someone.  This article and these studies have also shown how dependant our world is on technology.  Instead of going to face to face with someone and talking to them, we send a message from across schools, etc.  It is a good device to communicate, but from the rates it is going at, the whole world will eventually text, and be taken over by technology.

High Coffee Intake Tied To Lower Prostate Cancer Risk

Summary of Article:

Men who drink six cups of coffee a day showed a lower risk of developing a deadly type of prostate cancer compared with nondrinkers, a large U.S study suggests.  The study by researchers at the Harvard school of Public Health compared risk of aggressive prostate cancer among 47,911 U.S men in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.  Participants reported their coffee consumption every four years from 1986 to 2008.  During the study period, 5,035 cases of prostate cancer were reported, including 642 fatal or metastatic cases, Lorelei mucci, an associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard and her co-authors reported in Tuesday's online  issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.  "In conclusion, men who consumed coffee regularly had a reduced risk of lethal or advanced prostate cancer," the study's author wrote:  "It is premature to recommend that men increase coffee intake to reduce advanced prostate cancer risk based on this single study.  In addition, the effects of coffee consumption or other aspects of health must be considered in making consumption recommendations".

My Opinion of Article:

I believe this study can be very important, especially if people are very concerned about getting prostate cancer.  If drinking a certain amount of coffee a day can actually reduce chances of prostate cancer, it is good news.  However, there are also side effects of drinking coffee, and as the article stated, this is just one of many studies to be investigated and we shouldn't all start drinking coffee, without knowing if there are any disadvantages.  While this could be good news, in particular for people worried about prostate cancer, however, I believe it is still to early to take any chances, as their could be more cons than pros.

Osama Bin Laden Dead, Obama Announces

Summary of Article:

Osama Bin Laden, the mastermind behind al-Qaida, is dead, President Obama announces from the White House.  Known as the most sought-after terrorist since the attacks of September 11, 2011, President Barack Obama has announced that he has finally been killled by a US operation.  When President Barack Obama was addressing the nation, he states that he was killed in a "targeted operation" in Abbottabad, a highland town north of Islamabad.  The operation started with an intelligence lead last August, and culminated in an operation involving a "small team of Americans".  "After a firefight they killed bin Laden".  None of the Americans was killed and Pakistani co-operation "helped to lead us to him", he said.  Osama's body is currently in possession of the US, according to the first reports from the US television networks.  As the news spread, crowds gather outside the gates of the White House in Washington DC, singing the national anthem and cheering.  President Obama made the highly unusually Sunday night live statement to announce the news at around 11:30 p.m Eastern time.  Bin Laden's capture comes eight years to the day that President George Bush declared "mission accomplished" in Iraq.  As president, Bush declared he wanted Bin Laden "dead or alive" -- but it is now the unlikely figure of Barack Obama who has been able to announce the final triumph as US commander-in-chief.  This is a turning point in the global "war on terrorism" that has been waged since 9/11 -- and the news will revereberate around the world.

My Opinion of Article:

I agree with this article and believe it is definately a turning point in the global "war on terrorism".  Too many lives were lost during 9/11 and too much war has been going on, mostly because of Bin Laden's doing.  I also believe this will definitely give Barack Obama great respect and recognition.  Former President of the United States, George Bush has been trying for years to find Osama Bin Laden and has been unsucessful.  I feel many people will respect Barack Obama more and gain more trust towards their country's leader.  I also feel that although killing Bin Laden won't bring back the lives that were lost, people will have more comfort, now knowing that the one who killed their loved ones, is finally dead.  While there is still mourning in the world, from that terrible day on September 11th, we now know the man behind the scenes can no longer harm anymore people.

Allergy season 'one of worst'

Summary of Aritcle:

There may be a dusting of truth to allergy sufferers' complaints that this season will be a bigger 'headache' than the past years.  Heave snow and rain in some parts of the country have nourished a profusin of tree pollen, while a sudden shift to warm, sunny weather has make it realease more robust.  This is in addition to the wind, and the suffering skyrockets.  Warnings for a difficult season have come from allergy specialists from New York to Atlanta, and Chicago to California.  "This past week has been one of the worst ever," rasped Lynne Ritchie, 70, as she bought allergy medicine his week at a Manhattan drugstore.  Dr. Stanley Schwartz hears that from patients all the time -- every year , in fact, he noted with a wry smile.  "Literally, every year is hte worst year," said Schwartz. April was a historic month for weather, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  Illinois, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and West Virginia all set records for the wettest April since 1895.  Pollen counts and allergy attacks vary widely from region to region, locality to locality and day to day.  However, this year, signs really do point to a particularly 'prickly' season.  Dr. Joseph Leija, the allergist who performs the Gottlieb Allergy count for the Midwest, said last month that tree pollen was unseasonably high in Chicago and predicted "one of the wost allergy seasons ever.

My Opinion of Article:

I know tons of people who have allergies, some very serious.  I do believe they need to look out for the weather, as it seems to be getting worse every year.  If pollen counts are getting gradually greater every year, people to ensure that they have the proper medication and are prepared incase it gets really bad.  I am not really surprised by the years getting worse and worse as the weather is becoming more unpredictable and unusual as years go by.  These doctor's facts do not suprise me.  While I do believe it is important to have medication, it is not a huge deal and people shouldn't be too concered about it.  However, I am glad that there is awareness with regards to allergies and it should be a problem shown to people with allergies.

Teens Drive Better With More Sleep: Study

Summary of Article:

According to a new U.S study, teen drivers who start school earlier in the morning may be prone to more automobile accidents.  Studies suggest that the students may not be so alert, since early school start times may promote sleep loss and daytime sleepiness.  This was published in the Journal of Clincial Sleep Medicine, the study's lead author, Dr. Robert Vorona, said that starting high school laterin the morning might make young drivers more alert because they get more sleep.  The study compared school start times and automobile crash rates for students aged 16 to 18 in Virginia Beach, where high school classes began between 7:20 a.m. and 7:25 a.m., to students at schools in Chesapeake, where classes started between 8:40 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.  There were 65.8 autmobile crashes for every 1,000 teen drivers in Virginia Beach, and 46.6 crashes for every 1,000 teen drivers in Chesapeake.  The comparisons were made in 2008, and were similar to the results in 2007.  "We believe that high schools should take a close look at having later start times to align with circadian rhythms in teens and to allow for longer sleep times, " said Vorona who is an associate professor of internal medicine at Eastern Virgina Medical School.  "Too many teens in this country obtain insufficient sleep.  Increasingly, the literature suggests that this may lead to problematic consequences including mood disoders, academic difficulties and behavioural issues."  Another study in the April edition of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that delaying schools start times by one hour could improve attention levels and performance, and reduce mistakes.  The Israeli study of 14-year old, eighth-grade students found those teens who slept 55 minutes longer each night performed better on tests that require attention.

My Opinion of Article:

I am not suprised by this these studies or this article at all.  Having the right amount of sleep is crucial and can definately affect your studies.  It is best to have a minimum of 8 hours of sleep and if you don't get the proper amount, you will spend more time sleeping than studying or paying attention in class.  In my opinion, it is hard enough to get up at 7:20 rather than being at school at 7:20.  On top of homework the night before, and extra-curricular activities you may have, it is definately an early wake up time that may not always give you your eight hours of sleep.  More importantly, if you don't get your sleep it is harder to stay awake and can result in you not staying awake in the important times, such as driving.  Driving is one of the most crucial times you need all your energy and can result in the loss of other people's lives if you don't pay attention.  If schools that start really early pushed their starting time even an hour later, it could save lives.  For the safety of others, schools need to take it seriously. 

New Mothers At Risk Of Obesity: Study

Summary of Article:

Mothers of young-children may be risking their health by drinking more sugar-sweetened beverages and eating more saturated fat compared with childless women.  The finding comes from researches at the University of Minnesota Medical School who examined the diets, physical activity and body mass index (BMI) of 838 women and 682 men.  The study was published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.  The researchers suggested some explanations for the differences between female participants.  "Mothers may find it easier and less time-consuming to cook more palatable, yet high-fat food for children (e.g. macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets) and to eat more snack foods with children," they write.  "Mothers may also modify their milk consumption habits, including drinking the higher fat milk than their children drink."  The authors say there is little research into the diet and exercise patterns of parents of young children, but it is important to understand because healthy and unhealthy habits can become ingrained and transmitted to children.  Study participants completed a questionnaire about how often they consumed certain foods and how many hours they spent during various physical activities.  They were also asked to provide their height and weight in order for researchers to determine their BMI.  The results were average 2,360 calories a day, compared with 1,992 calories for women of the same age who did not have children.  The mothers also got 10.3 percent of their calories from saturated fat, compared with 9.5 percent for women without children.  The same studies were done with dads, however, it did not show any appreciable differences in the eating habits of fathers compared to men without children.  Most of the saturated fat we eat comes from meat, milk, butter, lard, coconut, palm and palm kernel oils.  Consuming too much of this kind of fat is a risk factor for obesity and cardiovascular disease.  When it came to physical activity, mothers reported an average of 2.36 hours of moderate to vigorous activity a week.  Women without children reported 3.19 hours of such activity.  "Young adults may continue these behaviours into adulthood, putting them at high risk for obesity.  In addition, the modelling of poor dietary intake and physical activity may influence children's health behaviour," the researchers write.


My Opinion of Article:

I believe all these facts make sense and are nowhere out of the ordinary.  It makes complete sense that women who are new mothers are at risk of obesity.  When you first have a kid, your life becomes more rushed and it takes time getting used to.  Most of the time, you won't have time to make a meal that takes a long time to cook and will have to resort to foods that are easier and faster to make such as macaroni and cheese, and ravioli.  Obviously, cooking a 10 minute meal such as macaroni and cheese would be more high in fat than cooking a meal that takes 45 minutes to make is healthier so it makes sense that new mothers would be at more risk of obesity.  However, it does kind of shock me that dads did not have a change as they would eat the same meal as the mother and the children.  This may be because when you get pregnant you gain weight and could be easier to eat fatty foods.  I also believe that it could influence a child's behaviour but if you fix your diet when your kid is well grown, it won't be a problem.

Tories Fall, Election set for May.

Summary of Article:

After more than five years as the leader of minority government, Prime Minister Stephen Harper finally lost the confidence of the House of Commons last Friday and asked Governor General David Johnston last Saturday morning to dissolve Parliament for a general election.  This is widely expected to be held on May 2.  It is said that no Prime Minister of a minority government in Canada's history went as long as Harper without losing a vote of confidence.   Harper told reporters that the vote disappoints him and will most likely disappoint all Canadians.  He also says that instead of an election, Canadians, in his opinion would have preferred Parliament to have an approved budget.  He called it, "the next phase of Canada's economic action plan", and says that "it is critically important of Canada's economic recovery".  His opponents disagree and believe that it is time for a change.  They said that the government's priorities were not those of Canadians and that Harper was displaying what Bloc Quebecois Leader Gilles Duceppe said was "a repugnant attitude" and an "ideological agenda".  Liberals, Bloquistes, and New Democrats, all 156 of them, voted in favour.  Conservatives and two independant MPs, all 145 of them, voted against.   "Mr. Harper has demonstrated that he and his Conservatives have really no interest in working with other parties.  He made a choice, and that choice was to take us into an election," Layton said.  "And so our goal is to lay out a program that will put families first, as we've always done, and to defeat Conservatives in this upcoming election.

My Opinion of Article:

I think this topic is a big topic and is a case in which we must take seriously.  I agree with both Harper and the Liberals, Bloquistes, and New Democrats at the same time.  First of all, Stephen Harper is right int he fact that Canadians will be disappointed by this action.  I take it that most of them are, including me.  This is because it will most likely take a lot of money for the election.  Is another election really worth using that much money?  On the other hand, I agree with the Liberals, Bloquistes, and New Democrats in the sense  that if it is critically important for Canada's economy, I would like the best to happen.  My opinion is on both sides and I only hope that we make the most and the best happens by using so much money for this election.