| Marc Hershman, mentor and pioneer in ocean policy
It's a tricky area of study, trying to balance the health of the marine environment with the needs of people living, working and playing on an ecologically fragile shoreline. It pits conservationists against developers, fishermen against oil tankers. Marc Hershman could find that middle ground. Hershman, a man of infectious passion and mentor to many, was the director of the University of Washington's School of Marine Affairs for a decade, one of 16 members of the president's U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and an internationally recognized expert in ocean policy. He died Sunday at age 65. Hershman received his law degree from Temple University in 1967. To that he wedded his passion for the sea, leading him to become a pioneer in ocean and coastal policy.
Rambo on steroids, Vending machines with pot
The Herbal Nutrition Center in Los Angeles has installed a 24-hour medical marijuana vending machine, according to an Associated Press story. But, before Californians get too excited, they have to have carry cards authorizing marijuana use for medical purposes in order to access the vending machine. Old Kids: The New Kids On The Block may be old kids now, but apparently not too old to still kick it together. The ‘90s boy band New Kids On The Block are back with a new song they recorded this past November in Orlando. Fourteen years later, we wonder if their new song is as good as "You Got It (The Right Stuff") was in 1989. More Missy, literally: The former Portsmouth resident and lady rapper/producer is going 3-D. Disney Studio's did it up with a music video that combines her two songs.
Necessary But Borrring
7:30 a.m.: Players start to show up at the ballpark, usually young guys. The young players have to show up early if they want to get on the equipment in the gym, because the veterans get dibs later in the day.
Down in the clubhouse, players slowly file in. Some are in the dining room, where they have breakfast. It's pretty standard fare in here: cereal, toast, bagels, fruit. No chef making omelets.
8:15 a.m.: The weather looks dicey outside -- cool and cloudy.
Bench coach Ron Wotus, who is in charge of organizing the workouts in spring training, said the coaches are debating whether to use an abbreviated schedule to beat the rain, but they opt against it.
"We'll take our chances and do our normal day," he says.
9 a.m.: The work day officially begins.
Should we buy Michael Pollan's nutritional Darwinism?
Adam and Eve must have been a healthy pair. They got some exercise, ate lots of locally grown fruits and vegetables, and while they may not have been thin by today's fashion standards, they certainly weren't ashamed of their bodies. Now look what's happened: In just 6,000 years, we've abandoned their sensible eating habits for a high-fat, sugar-loaded diet, and turned ourselves into a nation of lard-asses. Goodbye Garden of Eden; hello Olive Garden. Whence our fall from grace? According to Michael Pollan's essay in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine, the serpent wears a lab coat. For decades scientists have been analyzing the food we eat, breaking it down into component parts, and studying how each nutrient affects our health in controlled conditions. More often than not, the "expert advice" that emerged from this work did more harm than good, it seems.
Recipient E-mail
Mark Rein of Epic Games recently told the story of the shift in gaming from the PC to consoles. "When Call of Duty 4 came out, I heard some of our guys sitting around talking about the great game they'd had last night and I'm like, 'Hey guys, what server are you playing on? I'd love to come and join you,' and they said, 'Just send us a friends request,'" he said. "It was at that point I realized they were all playing it on console. Plus, the sales of the console versions are something like ten times the sales of the PC versions," Rein continued. "I'm a real fan of the PC, but yes, consoles are definitely stealing a lot of hardcore gamers from the PC." The controlled nature of consoles, along with the multiplayer capabilities of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, are enticing former PC gaming faithful with their relatively hassle-free experience.
Guns and the higher-ed grading system
I bring you thoughts today from my big sister. She's a university professor who really doesn't like the idea of well-armed students in her classroom. So she's more than a bit unsettled by the South Dakota House approval, by a 63-3 vote Monday, of HB1261. The bill, discussed by Nancy First in a column below, is now headed for action in the state Senate. It would prevent higher-education institutions from regulating or restricting people on campus from carrying or possessing firearms, in accordance with state law. The schools could require students living in dorms to keep their weapons in a locked guns safe, when not in the students' possession. But that's about it for regs. My sister - who's a heck of a teacher, by the way - is pretty unhappy about 1261.
Good Earth stores appeal to health-minded
The FDA doesn't need any more power. It's about control at this point." Along with food supplements, organically-grown food is one of the store's specialties, which complies with federal U.S. Department of Agriculture rules that organic food must be certified independently, he said. "It was a good move," he said of the rules. "They gave consumers confidence that (food advertised as organic) is organic," he said. The store also supports local farmers by offering locally-grown produce in season. Each store measures about 10,000 square feet. The newly constructed American Fork store replaced a couple of old homes on Main Street. Other stores are in Provo, Orem, Sandy and Riverdale. A big difference in health food stores today, vs. the 1970s when health awareness was still in its infancy, is the availability of specialty items, Howard said, such as gluten-free products.
Clayton Reaction: Perdue, Students
William "Brad" Bryant and James Bostic, both members of the state Board of Education, will update Perdue on how well the school system is proceeding toward meeting the deadline.
Three audits -- which were asked for by SACS -- will go forward. The first, by the state auditor's office, will go over the school system's finances, the second, by the governor's office of student achievement, will focus on attendance records in the county. The final audit, by Secretary of State Karen Handel, will look at the election records of the individual elections of each of the school board members presently on the school board.
Finally, Perdue announced legislation that says that if a school system loses its accreditation, there will be an automatic recall of the school board.
When asked about the governor's statements, Georgia Association of Educators head Jeff Hubbard called it "a good first step."
Hubbard said he wants to see a recall of the four school board members tied to the problems cited in the SACS report.
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