Search Results for: concern

Global Obesity Bigger Concern than Hunger

I often blog about hunger in my Green blog because not only are people all over the world going without food, there is hunger in America as well.  But, I also realize now that sometimes the lack of food also doesn’t mean out-and-out hunger but a lack of healthy food and some people who are from food-insecure homes are actually overweight. That may have something to do with a recent study conducted by almost 500 researchers for the Global Burden of Disease that said that globally, obesity is a bigger health concern than hunger. One of the co-authors of the … Continue reading →

Parents Concerned About Clustering At Bus Stops

Often, students who are in a Special Education program ride busses that will pick them up, and drop them off, at their door. Parents in California are concerned about a school district’s decision to begin “clustering” Special Education students at bus stops. Is this really what is best for the students? There are some very good reasons for the typical system that provides bussing to students who are in Special Education programs. Having a smaller bus, with less students on it, can make things less stressful for students who have an autism spectrum disorder, or who have sensory or social … Continue reading →

Representative Lois Capps Concerned About ACA Ruling

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It has been said that the Supreme Court could reveal its decisions about the Affordable Care Act, (ACA) this week. Representative Lois Capps is concerned about how the decision will affect the people she represents. A reversal of the ACA would negatively affect many Americans. There are several potential ways that the Supreme Court could go in its decision regarding the Affordable Care Act. It could uphold the entire ACA, exactly as it stands. It could declare the entire ACA unconstitutional. It could “cherry pick” the ACA by declaring only certain parts to be unconstitutional. Representative Lois Capps, a Democrat … Continue reading →

A Holiday Health Concern

This time of year it’s easy to get caught up in the holiday cheer. It’s infectious and the desire to spread that goodwill is encouraged. If you want to include your pets in the seasonal spirit, however, first consider these few words of caution. You might want to give your pet a special treat for the holidays, but depending on what that is it’s not a good idea. We let our guard down sometimes around our pets, and allow them to eat food we know isn’t directly harmful to them. And while doing so might not involve an emergency vet … Continue reading →

Waivers from No Child Left Behind Raises Concerns

The Department of Education is allowing all 50 states to apply for a waiver from the No Child Left Behind Act. This law was created during the Bush administration. How will the waivers affect students who have special needs? The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB ) was created in 2001. The main purpose of this law was to make schools, and teachers, accountable for how well, (or how poorly), their students are learning. The criteria that is being used to determine which schools are doing well, and which are “failing”, comes from standardized testing. The scores that come from … Continue reading →

Preschool Concerns: Why doesn’t my child want to go back to school?

Preschool concerns are normal when a child resists going to school. You may find yourself wondering if your child is adjusting to this new environment. You may wonder if the teacher is doing her job. You may wonder how the other children are treating your child. When is it normal to resist preschool and when should you look for a deeper problem? How much time do you give before taking action? Is your child simply taking longer to adjust than you expect? Normal separation anxiety: Preschool is a big step for children as for most it is the first time … Continue reading →

Doctors and Hospitals Concerned about Medicare Payments

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The federal government might default on its debt sometime next week. This potential scenario has doctors and hospitals very worried. Physicians groups are warning their members that there is a possibility that their Medicare paychecks will stop coming. This could lead to doctors refusing to take patients who are using Medicare, until the “debt ceiling” issue is resolved. It seems to me that Medicare has been in the news quite frequently in the past year. It has been said that the federal government is about to run out of funding for Medicare very soon. In part, this has been connected … Continue reading →

More U.S. Nuclear Concerns

Less than a week ago, I blogged about two nuclear plants in Nebraska that were in danger due to the Missouri River flooding. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) seems to have that situation under control, with all the vital equipment protected and extra agents on site. Now an out of control wild fire is threatening the Department of Energy’s Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico. Now, in case you don’t know, Los Alamos is the site of one of the U.S.’s leading nuclear weapons research laboratories. It houses not only radioactive materials, but also radioactive waste for research … Continue reading →

Concerns with the Hague Convention Requirements

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My last blog was an overview of the Hague Convention on International Adoption, a treaty which the U.S. put into effect two years ago and which is still being implemented in many countries, although some countries have chosen to continue adoption as usual without joining the Convention. This blog will raise some possible concerns with adoption procedures according to the Hague Convention. Hague-related concerns center not so much on countries that did not adopt the treaty, but with countries which have signed the treaty, but do not have the resources to implement all of its provisions by the effective date. … Continue reading →

Misplaced Concerns

I have a problem with distractions: they distract me. They distract me from important things. They distract me from the things I really need to concentrate on in my day to day life as a student and a teacher. These distractions are more than unfortunate realities but they are truly damaging to my ability to finish the tasks assigned to me. I’ve been focusing on finding a “quiet place” and some other ideas in the past, but how am I to avoid the onslaught of endless entertainments to be found on the internet; endless interruptions to be located in co-workers; … Continue reading →