lisaliving staff

A province wide investigation of child pornography by the Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the Internet resulted in the large-scale arrest of persons charged with various offenses.

Charges include Sexual Assault, Child Luring, Possession of Child Pornography, Make Available Child Pornography, Distribution of Child Pornography, Making Child Pornography, and Accessing Child Pornography. In addition, 22 victims have been identified during the investigation. Quantities of drugs and weapons were also seized during the operations.

A total of 76 search warrants were executed, resulting in 213 charges against 60 persons, including three young offenders.

Click here for a list of persons arrested and their charges. Parents review the list, you may know these people and they may have been around your child or someone else’s son or daughter. If you remember something odd, contact the OPP.  Child exploitation is far reaching as evidenced in recent news of the Boy Scouts to schoolteachers, coaches and recreational programs.

Donald Trump announced his endorsement of Mitt Romney for the Republican presidential nomination at a news conference at his hotel in Las Vegas on Thursday. With them was Romney's wife, Ann Romney. Ethan Miller/GETTY IMAGES

LAS VEGAS—It’s Donald Trump’s world. Mitt Romney just diminished himself in it.

That’s the lasting impression left by Thursday’s media frenzy in Las Vegas, where Romney steered his increasingly momentous drive for the Republican presidential nomination into the cartoon arms of a clearly delighted Donald. Read more

On the topic of nutrition, most us know now that there are good and bad fats.

The bad ones are saturates and trans fats that are found in various deep-fried sweet treats and fast foods just waiting to clog the efficient functioning of our arteries. The good fats are derived from certain grains and vegetables – but it is the benefits of these good fats that are not as well known.

“The human body needs dietary fats every day for good brain function and a healthy nervous system,” says Dr. Doug Tkachuk at LifeLabs, a leading diagnostic centre. “That’s why nutritionists and dietitians are always reminding us to be selective, discard the bad fats and choose only the most beneficial ones, like omega-3.”

While awareness is increasing, data shows that the average North American still gets less than half of the daily recommendation of essential omega-3 fatty acids. The typical daily diet contains about 1 gram, when ideally, it should include 2 to 4 grams for optimum health. Specialists in this field tell us that approximately 2 per cent of our total daily calories should come from omega-3.

“You can be tested to find out your omega-3 level, but you can also be pro-active by learning about, and by eating, the correct foods,” Dr. Tkachuk advised.

This particular fatty acid is found in a relatively small number of foods so take a look at this LifeLabs guide to get more omega-3 every day:

• Fish and Seafood: Salmon, halibut, tuna and scallops are highly recommended a few times a week.

• Walnuts and Flaxseeds: Add them to favourite recipes, to salads, soups, baked goods, and granola.

• Beans and Winter Squash: Make these a staple on your grocery store shopping list.

• Olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Add olives to salads, pizza, pasta sauces, or serve them on your pickle tray. Use high quality olive oil in cooking, salads, appetizers, and dips.

www.newscanada.com

Feeling good about your body is one of the best ways to increase self-esteem and face the world with confidence. But with so many pressures to look a certain way, younger girls can have an especially difficult time feeling happy with their body.

That’s why specialists agree that it is so important for parents to have an open and honest conversation with their daughter to ensure she is comfortable with the way she looks. With approximately seven per cent of adult females and adolescent girls being affected by eating disorders, there’s no better time to discuss the topic of body image and self-esteem than the first week of February, which marks Eating Disorder Awareness Week (February 5 – 11).

Dr. Leslie Sim, clinical director of the Mayo Clinic Eating Disorder Program, suggests the following topics as starting off points to explore the various factors that play a role in how body image is formed:

• Explain the effects of puberty and genetics. Make sure your daughter understands that weight gain is a normal part of her development, especially during puberty. Explain that body shape also is largely influenced by genetic factors.

• Discuss media messages. TV, movies, music videos, magazines and even some children’s toys may send your daughter the message that only a certain body type is acceptable. Check out what your daughter is reading or watching and discuss it with her. Encourage her to talk about and question what she’s seen or heard.

• Discuss self-image. Talk to your daughter about her self-image and offer reassurance that healthy body shapes vary. Ask her what she likes about herself and explain what you like about her, too. Your acceptance and respect can help her build self-esteem and resilience.

• Use positive language. Rather than talking about “fat” and “thin”, encourage your daughter to focus on maintaining a healthy weight by eating right and staying active. Encourage family and friends to refrain from using hurtful nicknames and joking about people who are overweight or have a large body frame.

As importantly, make sure your daughter knows that she can always come to you with questions or concerns about her body or self-image. More health-related information is available online at www.mayoclinic.org/canada.

www.newscanada.com

Your children are always on the go and keep parents running around. Just as one sport ends and you start to look forward to sleeping in on Saturday mornings, another sport begins and you’re spending early mornings at the hockey rink. With all the activities your kids are involved in, you won’t be the only thing flying—money may be flying out of your wallet too. Registration fees, new uniforms and equipment, not to mention gas money for the carpool—it all adds up.

However, registering your children in physical activities may save you some money this tax season. The children’s fitness tax credit may allow you to claim up to $500 of the fees you spend on eligible activities. This gives you a non-refundable tax credit of up to $75 per child which could help equip your future sports superstar.

More information can be found online at www.cra.gc.ca/fitness.

www.newscanada.com

lisaliving staff

The American company Pfizer has recalled birth control pills in the US market due to incorrect packaging. The sequence of the pills were mixed up, which would put users at risk of getting pregnant.

The pills being recalled are Lo/Ovral®-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol)Tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic). A chart of the effected packages are listed below.

There are no other health risks associated with the recall.

A Super Bowl Party is still one of the easiest parties to plan.  It’s casual and laid back and not just for football lovers, it’s a great excuse to get your friends together.

It’s also an excuse to eat  fatty, junky foods without guilt.  After all what’s a super bowl without wings, chips, pizza, beer and other fattening foods!

• You do not want to be stuck in the kitchen…while everyone is enjoying the game and the festivities. So plan on finger foods, frozen, or delivery.
• Don’t plan a sit down – make it a buffet because  everyone will want to be sitting in front of the television the entire game.

Food

Chips (Nachos), Dips

Finger foods: Wings, veggie plate (so you can feel a bit of redemption)

Frozen appetizers and desserts

Beverages: Alcohol, beer, soda, water

Ice

• Football goes on for hours, so stagger when you bring out the munchies.  Your guests will be eating the entire time so you want the foods to be warm and you don’t want the dips to get all lumpy and hard.
• Paper plates, cardboard or plastic bowls …it’s ok, don’t worry about being tacky…for this festivity less is more.
• Betting pool:Get a little friendly wager going amongst your guests.
• TV, if you don’t have a big screen you might want to rent one for the day.
• Clean up: Spills will happen, be prepared with paper towels and cleaning sprays.

The integrity commissioner says her office asked Rob Ford six times over 13 months for confirmation that he had complied with the 2010 reimbursement order. STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR

Toronto’s integrity commissioner criticized Mayor Rob Ford and his brother, Councillor Doug Ford in separate reports released Wednesday.

Janet Leiper wrote that Doug Ford had violated council’s code of conduct when he used “intimidating language” toward an activist at City Hall in July. Council should require a written apology, she wrote. Read more

lisaliving staff

Do you have a Facebook friend who is always saying something negative and or crass on their Facebook status? Do you wonder why?  It might be because he or she thinks lowly of him or herself.

In theory, Facebook should help those with low self-esteem. Where else are you the centre of your own universe while connecting with close friends, family and like-minded people?

However, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, it might make it worse for those who are already uncomfortable with face to face situations but enjoy the remote social aspect of the site.

The researchers, Amanda Forest and Joanne Wood, from the University of Waterloo, asked those with low self esteem how they felt about Facebook. This group was more likely to believe Facebook provided them an opportunity to connect with people and a safe place that takes them out of actual awkward face-to-face social situations.

However, those with low self-esteem were more negative in their status updates than those with high self-esteem, and were liked less because of it.

So even though people feel safe with putting out their personal rants on Facebook, it’s not helping says Forest. “If you’re talking to somebody in person and you say something, you might get some indication that they don’t like it, that they’re sick of hearing your negativity,” Forest says. But when people have a negative reaction to a post on Facebook, they seem to keep it to themselves. “On Facebook, you don’t see most of the reactions.”

People place negative status updates for different reasons from subtle to outright profanity – some for shock value, some because they get responses. It’s no different from real life interaction…people prefer being around positive people.

Don Cornelius, 75  the man responsible for changing the landscape of soul music and television was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, home early this morning.

According to TMZ, the producer and host of “Soul Train” may have died of an apparent suicide, a gunshot wound to the head.

It is said by those close to him that he suffered various health issues over the years.

He also divorced in 2009.