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State of the Wolves…

So here’s my State of the Wolves:

I like the format Draft Express used in their Off-Season Analysis a few years back so let’s go with that…

Draft Picks:

Picks #6, #18, #28, #45 and #47

Depth Chart:

PG: Randy Foye/Sebastian Telfair/Kevin Ollie/Bobby Brown
SG: Mike Miller
SF: Ryan Gomes/Rodney Carney/Corey Brewer
PF: Al Jefferson/Kevin Love/Craig Smith/Shelden Williams/Brian Cardinal
C: Jason Collins

I put the players in their most natural position here and only used everyone once. Miller could be argued at SF and Foye could be argued at SG but we’ll have more on that later. Notice how goofy this looks?!?!?

This is how the playing time went (Based on the Team’s Minutes per minus Rashad McCants+Calvin Booth who were traded:

PG: Sebastian Telfair (50%) – Randy Foye (24%) – Kevin Ollie (18%) – Bobby Brown (3%)

SG: Randy Foye (37%) – Mike Miller (22%) – Rodney Carney (19%) – Bobby Brown (3%)Kevin Ollie (2%)
SF: Mike Miller (36%) – Ryan Gomes (34%) – Rodney Carney (10%) – Brian Cardinal (8%) – Corey Brewer (6%)
Ryan Gomes (29%) – Craig Smith (29%) – Kevin Love (21%) – Brian Cardinal (14%) – Al Jefferson (2%) – Shelden Williams (1%)
Al Jefferson (43%) – Kevin Love (30%) – Jason Collins (10%) – Craig Smith (7%) – Shelden Williams (4%) – Mark Madsen (2%) – Ryan Gomes (1%)

Initial Thoughts: The blessing of it is obviously the Wolves versatility at SG, SF, and PF. The curse of it is that we are stacked with a large group of quality “backup” type players (Save for Big Al and K-Love) at these 3 positions that are more like interchangeable parts with no defined role for each on the team. We have too much flexibility. Every player besides Telfair plays multiple positions with some consistency. Gomes is kind of a poor-man’s Odom (maybe a slightly better 3pt shooter) that is a nice player off the bench that gives the team flexibility to play small or big, Rodney Carney another nice 2/3 off the bench that played well with minutes down the stretch, and Mike Miller who had an up and down year with injuries but has the talent to be a starter with a high scoring efficiency from the wing. Foye splits time between the 1/2, Jefferson and Love between 4/5 etc. Jefferson is certainly capable of playing the 5 and with the news he’s looking to slim down this summer I think that will help his cause to be quicker on defense.

After an eventless year of rebuilding without KG in ’07-’08, the Wolves started this past season right where they left off with an 0-5 start that led to a 4-15 record which resulted in Head Coach Randy Wittman getting fired. Kevin McHale vacated the front office in a move to the bench that after a slow start learning his new philosophy resulted in a solid month of January at 10-4 that even gave McHale coach of the month honors. The run came to a crashing halt however with Al Jefferson tearing his right ACL on February 8th against New Orleans. The rest of the season was mostly a wash with Big Al out, but the Wolves used the time to groom rookie Kevin Love who by the end of the season established himself as a starting quality PF with the 4th best rebounding rate ever for a rookie. (See here for the evidence and here for the breakdown.) The only other news of note in the second half of the year post-Jeferson was the trade that sent Rashad McCants out of town to the Kings with Calvin Booth in exchange for Bobby Brown and Shelden Williams. (yawn…)

Ultimately the Wolves finished 24-58 which was bad enough to secure the 6th pick in the draft after being un-lucky yet again in the lottery.

Team Needs:

“The Timberwolves are a team without an identity.” (Funny this is a sentence that I didn’t need to change from Draft Express’ 2006 breakdown, ouch. Shows you the quality of GM Kevin McHale was and the general lack of vision within the organization). Even better look at what they had for team needs in ’06 as well.

1) A defensive minded center
2) A point guard
3) Athletic scorers

Amazing isn’t it! In fact I would contend that the Wolves have been in need of a defensive minded center, a pg (other than Cassell’s stint) and athletic scorers since forever. The biggest weakness we’ve had over the past decade in my opinion is that we have no one that can take the ball to the hoop and also get to the line. Here’s a mental exercise for you, picture the Wolves on offense in the half-court (not a fastbreak) and try and visualize one of the Wolves players driving past his guy to the hoop for an And-1. Anyone come to mind? Maybe McCants or Foye once or twice in the last two years but no Timberwolf has had “Can beat guys off the dribble” and “Gets to the hoop and the FT line” listed in their strengths since maybe Marbury was running the point over 10 years ago!

GM’s Strategy:

No one really knows what David Kahn’s draft strategy is or his vision of how to build a franchise. (Other than what you think you might be able to pull out of his open letter to the fans and his first couple of interviews here and here.) However he did have a significant role in building a team in Indiana that featured Stephen Jackson, Ron Artest and Jermaine O’Neal which was a pre-season favorite to win it all before the brawl happened. (And was also with the team when they grabbed Danny Granger after the Wolves passed on him for McCants). So we will see what Kahn’s strategy is, the good news is that moving from Kevin McHale to ANY strategy is an improvement.

Personal Analysis:

First lets look at the 3 team needs:

1) A defensive minded center: Again I reiterate that taking a run at Chris, The Birdman, Andersen would be a good move this offseason. Likewise, Anderson Varejao also could fill this role and is a FA this summer. Both players would bring the energy, rebounding, and tough/active defense to the team that has been missing while we had a constantly rotating door of backup centers fill the roster. (A third option would be “The Polish Hammer” Marcin Gortat of the Orlando Magic who when given minutes has been just as good as Andersen/Varejao) Snagging one of those two would give the Wolves a very solid 3-pronged Front-line with Love and Jefferson where any two of the three could play well. Slot Jefferson in for 36-40 minutes, Love for 30-35 and 20-30 for Birdman/Sideshow Bob and you have arguably one of the top front-lines in the league all of the sudden.

2) A point guard: Certainly the team has a solid player in Randy Foye that some have argued is the teams point guard of the future. However looking at the breakdown of the Wolves 5-man units at from this past season notice who the SG is on all of our best ones. Yes folks its Randy Foye. Honestly I’m conflicted on Foye. I think he’s comparable to Leandro Barbosa and Jason Terry and would be a great scoring 6th man guard that can play both 1+2 and would play starters minutes off the bench. Part of me says hes not the long-term solution at PG for the Wolves because I don’t see him creating for his teammates very often. The other side says that paired with the right back-court mate who can create his own shot to go along with a Big Man in Jefferson who is also good enough to score on his own and I think it could work out well with Foye at the point. I think that trading for Hinrich could work out quite well or drafting a player at #6 like Tyreke Evans who can create his own shot and get to the basket at will would also work well. Both players are bigger than Foye and could match up well with SG’s on defense. The other part of me (that says Foye should play SG) says the Wolves should be looking at Johnny Flynn at #6 who fills the role of a more traditional PG and would be an upgrade over Telfair.

3) Athletic Scorers – Again the Wolves haven’t had an athletic scorer since Marbury left town. Drafting Evans, Flynn, or maybe Stephen Curry would change that. Don’t see a ton of trade options for a player that fits this mold either.

Other Considerations:

It’ll be interesting to see what Kahn does in his first month on the job and how he starts building the team and shaping it into his vision of a contender. Personally I think they should bring back McHale as coach for three reasons,1) he connects with the players well can commands their respect, 2) as a result of that connection he seems to do well developing players (especially big men), and 3) because really there aren’t that many better options available unless you can convince a guy like Jeff Van Gundy to come to Minny or sign away a top assistant like Tom Thibodeau from the Boston Celtics.

Looking Forward:

Since we all like to play GM here’s my stab at what I would try and realistically do this summer if I were running the Wolves:

1. Draft Tyreke Evans with the #6 pick in the NBA draft and B.J. Mullens with #18.
2. Trade #28 for a future first round pick.
3. Trade Mike Miller to the Bulls for Kirk Hinrich
4. Sign Chris Andersen, Anderson Varejao, or Marcin Gortat with the full-midlevel exception.

I don’t think anyone could disagree that every one of these moves is completely fathomable for the Wolves to be able to make this summer. The only thing that would need a little luck is being able to convince The Birdman or Varejao to sign with us. The Birdman probably prefers the mid-level in Denver if they offer it and Varejao may command slightly more than the MLE. That being said Gortat might be had by the Wolves with their full MLE.

With these moves the Wolves Depth Chart looks something like this with the percentage of minutes broken down:

PG: Kirk Hinrich (40%) / Sebastian Telfair (30%) / Randy Foye (20%) / Tyreke Evans (10%)
SG: Randy Foye (40%) / Tyreke Evans (25%) / Kirk Hinrich (20%) / Rodney Carney (15%)
SF: Ryan Gomes (33%) / Corey Brewer (33%) / Rodney Carney (33%)
PF: Kevin Love (40%) / Al Jefferson (30%) / Craig Smith (20%) / Ryan Gomes (10%)
Andersen/Varejao/Gortat (40%) / Al Jefferson (30%) / Kevin Love (20%) / B.J. Mullens (10%)

That’s a playoff teams folks! And a fairly good one at that. Notice also how the roles become more defined even and that we basically have a solid 3-player rotation both in the backcourt and in the frontcourt without giving up our flexibility? Then we can fill in at SF whatever player we need based on the matchups that night. This is a solid NBA team in my opinion that could compete in the West right away next year.

That’s my State of the Wolves right now, next up I’ll have a more in depth look at the draft and what the Wolves should look for later this week.

Feel free to leave your comments below or Twitter them to me @howlintwolf. Also I’m up and running over at Ball Hype as well so if you want to give me some love it’s always appreciated.

About Jonah Steinmeyer

Been a Wolves fan for probably way too long to be considered a sane human anymore. An avid golfer in my free time.

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How to Copy What Popular People Do and Talk to Anyone

When it comes to meeting new people or even spending time socializing with people I already know I`ll often cheat and find the easiest way possible to have fun talking to interesting people while also minimizing the potential for awkward and difficult conversations with people I don`t want to talk to for too long.

This is a trait popular people often exhibit. They don`t waste time and move on quickly if they get stuck in a dead end conversation. They know that no matter how good you are with people you still can`t win them all!

Here are five simple ways to have much more fun when you are in large groups of people and you are free to move about and meet different people.

Use these techniques to accelerate good conversations and exit interactions that are going nowhere.

1 Find the Easy Targets

Some people love to talk! If you are somewhere with lots of people, look around and spot the talkative ones. These people love meeting new people, they typically know a lot of people so they`ll introduce you to others and they are easy to talk to because they often do most of the talking. If you are a good listener you`ll get along really well.

You`ll notice too that these talkative people move about a great deal. They will spend time in different parts of the room so as to meet more people. If you plant yourself in a busy part of the room you`ll eventually bump into them. Then its often simply a matter of getting them started and the conversation will take off powered by the energetic enthusiasm of these talkative people.

Bear in mind that these people need a lot of social stimulation so take it the right way if they excuse themselves after a while and move on to meet someone else. That`s their nature – they need a lot of variety when it comes to socializing.

When that happens you need to do the same thing – go and find the next talkative person. Be proactive, look around the room and approach the next person you`d like to meet.

Remember, its much easier to approach gregarious people than it is to approach the “average” person at a social event. Why? Because any people person needs to meet a lot of new people. Plus, like we`ve just seen, they`ll do most of the talking for you!

2 Exit the Difficult Conversations

When you get stuck in a boring or difficult conversation don`t just stand there – move! Yes, politely move on and talk to someone else. Much of the fear we have about meeting people is based on the negative expectation that we`ll get involved in a situation we can`t get out of. This can make us nervous about approaching anyone since its only a matter of time before we end up in a “deadly conversation”.

Decide upfront that you are in charge of who you talk to and when the conversation ends – not the other person. Be decisive and don`t waste time. If you are not enjoying a conversation and you`ve done what you can to rescue the dialogue then make your exit.

Be polite and be positive but move on quickly because otherwise you`ll lose your enthusiasm for meeting other people and you might just give up on the idea of socializing at that gathering.

The big question then is: how do you end a conversation in a positive way?

Its easy. Simply thank your companion for the conversation. You could say something like: “It was interesting talking to you. I`m going to walk around to meet some more people. Maybe bump into you later”.

That`s all you need to do, be friendly and make your exit. Again, do this sooner rather than later otherwise you could end up standing there feeling uncomfortable, enduring an awkward silence and wishing you had stayed at home watching TV.

3 Decide to Like People

When you first meet someone decide to find something you will like about him. That could be his appearance, the way he talks or even his outlook on life. As you stand there talking, quietly ask yourself: what do I like about this person? That selective focus on what you could like and what you do like will change the emotional character of the interaction.

You`ll be friendlier, your voice will have a warmer more resonant quality to it and you will bring a positive air to the conversation which will do much more for the rapport than any conversation topics you could bring up.

Liking someone creates a bond that colors the conversation. The other person will see this in the way you keep eye contact, listen sincerely and remain attentive the whole time. He`ll feel appreciated and respected and so he will want to get to know you better.

4 Read People Before Choosing a Topic

Before you even open your mouth to speak to someone new there is a lot of information gathering you can do.

Pay attention to where you are and to the kind of people who are there. Is it a group of similar people or is it a mix of all sorts? How are people dressed? Is it an international crowd or a more local crowd?

The point is: pay attention to where you are, the people who are there and the way people are behaving. Then before speaking to a particular person pay very close attention to this person before you. Watch, listen and get a feel for who you are about to talk to.

Imagine you would have to give an accurate account of this meeting later to a writer. Aim to have a thorough and detailed description of this person so that the writer could write it down in a novel.

Why do we need to be so observant? Because a person`s appearance gives you clues about what to talk about and also what not to talk about. To give an extreme example, an 81 year old grandmother dressed formally in black is unlikely to curse and swear and want to talk about the latest music. That could happen but its a reasonable starting point to assume otherwise.

When we observe and notice the details we have clues about what to talk about and potential opening lines in the form of relevant compliments. For example, that grandmother might be wearing beautiful shoes from a different era. Compliment her on those fine shoes and that could lead to a fascinating story about where and when she bought them and what life was like in that city back in those days.

5 Recycle Topics and Stories

The very best conversationalists I have ever know did not rely on originality to make a great impression when meeting new people. They always had a supply of jokes, interesting stories and anecdotes at the ready when they met someone.

For a long time I resisted this approach. I wanted to be original, interesting and ready to use a new approach when I spoke to people. The problem with that strategy is that you are always under pressure. You have nothing to fall back on and it becomes very difficult to talk to anyone unless they share the exact same interests as you. This is a very stressful way to deal with people.

Thankfully there is no need to make it all so difficult, simply copy the approach of great conversationalists. Use the same interesting topics again and again, tell the same funny jokes again and again, and, tell the same stories in the exact same way.

Bear in mind, you`ll still come across as original and interesting because in the case of new people they`ve never met you before while people who know you haven`t heard all of your new stories yet.

In this way, you could take one interesting story and use it as the basis for a great conversation with as many different people as you like in any day, week or month. And the more times you tell the story the better it gets because you can put more feeling into it and emphasis the key points in the story.

I`ve seen popular, highly successful people do this for years. It becomes like giving a mini performance. Time to pull out that funny story about the vacation in Florida or time to tell the story about how your parents chose this town to live in and the unusual circumstances that brought them here.

You could also use this approach to talk about interesting local news. Let`s say one morning you read about some exciting new plans to develop the waterfront in the city. You could mention that one story to everyone you meet during the day. The other benefit of sticking with one story is that during the day other people you meet will contribute insights and facts so that you eventually end up with a much more interesting story.

This article is an extract from Conversation Secrets of Popular People, a great course you can get for the price of a fancy coffee at:

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Home \ HP \ HP Printing & Multifunction \ HP Printers \ HP Designjet Printers \ HP Designjet 130 Printer series \ HP Designjet 130nr Printer

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Based on the popular RTR Savage 25 (#835), HPI Racing has worked closely with Kawasaki to produce a fully licensed RC Kawasaki KFX 700 Monster ATV that will be available for the holiday season - adding a whole new perspective to the Savage monster truck!

Approximately 1/5th the size of a real Kawasaki KFX 700 Quad, this bright green monster will come complete with a miniature ATV Rider for a realistic look. The legs of the rider are tethered to the body so that it can move around over jumps just like a real ATV rider. Extra strength and flexibility have been added to the rider material, making it durable enough to handle extreme R/C driving...with no broken bones! Everyone that sees the ATV rider moving around while driving is instantly drawn to it, commenting on the scale realism. Drivers will find that the rider adds excitement over jumps and stunt driving, a definite boost to the “fun factor” of R/C driving.

The RC KFX 700 Monster ATV is based on the famous HPI Savage 25 RTR. So it has got the same proven tough chassis layout and all the great features that made the Savage the most popular big block monster truck in the world.
It is powered by the HPI Nitro Star S-25 engine, a proven performer that is ideally suited to off-road driving. A 2 speed transmission is standard equipment for quick acceleration and high top speed. For convenience, the popular Roto Start System is included - a press of the button makes the engine roar to life! A new dual stage air filter is now standard equipment for added engine protection and extended time between maintenance intervals!
As the RC Kawasaki KFX 700 Monster ATV is based on the extremely popular HPI Savage 25 truck, spare parts are already in stock at hobby shops, and a wide variety of factory option parts and aftermarket upgrades are readily available.
For more details about the Savage 25 see its kitpage.

(pictures show prototype Savage ATV with black springs. Green springs are fitted as standard on all kits.)

The new RC Kawasaki KFX 700 comes completely factory assembled; everything is done for you - even the tires are glued to the wheels. In less than 15 minutes you can be driving your Monster ATV! To top it off, we gave the KFX 700 the famous bright green Kawasaki paint, making it instantly recognizable to ATV enthusiasts. The entire body is completely ready to go right out of the box... painted, decaled, trimmed and mounted. Both a complete Instruction Manual that covers the entire assembly/disassembly process and a HPI RC Cars DVD are included!

Awesome fully licensed RC Kawasaki KFX 700 Monster ATV bodyshell! Realistic ATV rider with extra strength and flexibility!
Proven HPI Nitro Star S-25 engine for great all-round performance and easy tuning. Green shock springs give great ride quality and complement the Kawasaki green bodyshell.
Rear pick-up 160cc fuel tank with no primer for optimal fuel supply. Three-shoe clutch - better acceleration.
Revised wheel hex hubs - better durability and strength. TF-3 radio system with high torque steering servo for precise and reliable control.
Full-time shaft driven four wheel drive to give maximum traction and drive on all surfaces. Complete set of sealed ball bearings for extra long life and protection.
Enclosed radio box to keep your radio gear protected from the elements. 5 spoke wheels give the ATV an awesome look.
8 long stroke oil-filled coilover shock absorbers for smooth damping even in rough terrain. Rigid aluminum TVP chassis (Twin Vertical Plates) for extra ground clearance and strength.
Adjustable slipper clutch - protects the drivetrain and gives smooth acceleration. Adjustable disc brake allows tunable braking performance.
Hardened metal diff gears allow maximum engine power transfer with minimum wear. 2 speed transmission for quick acceleration and high top speed.
Composite tuned pipe and aluminum rear exhaust header. Heavy-duty drivetrain and suspension optimized for big-block engines.

Factory assembled RC KFX 700 Monster ATV with pre-painted, pre-cut, pre-decaled bodyshell. Includes radio gear and HPI S-25 engine equipped with roto start.
Comes with detailed instructions manual and HPI RC Cars DVD.

Kawasaki, KFX 700 Are Trademarks Licensed By Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., Which Does Not Manufacture Or Distribute This Product. Consumer Inquiries Should Be Directed To Your Local Distributor.

Specification may be subject to change

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#7408 - FORD F-150 FLARESIDE BODY (200mm)

1/10Touring Car Size 200mm/Use 3mm offset wheel for 190mm width chassis Ford Oval and nameplates are registered trademarks owned and licensed by Ford Motor Company. Manufactured by HPI Racing. www.for

Customise your 1/10th scale Touring Car with this clear body shell.

All HPI bodies feature:

Photorealistic, premium vinyl decals include window frames, headlights, grille, tail lights, roll bars, official logos and more - for a perfect finish with a lot of details
Clear overspray film and pre-cut vinyl window masks make painting fast and simple
High quality polycarbonate with excellent impact resistance - for extra strength and long life
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The Brave Cowboy

Joan Walsh Anglund

Reading Level: Ages 3+

Originally published in 1959, this small book is sure to warm your heart. Stark black and white illustrations of a young cowboy contrast wonderfully with red drawings of imaginary wild animals, Indians, and outlaws that our hero must face. Great for any imaginative reader.

Check availability of this book

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Apollo Expeditions to the Moon

It was remarkable that every manned Apollo launch lifted off exactly on schedule, up to the last one. (Apollo 14's forty-minute delay was due to weather.) But Apollo 17, the only night launch, was delayed 2 hours and 40 minutes, until 12:33 a.m., because of the failure of an automatic countdown sequencer in the ground equipment. The way we had the launch set up was that the last three-minute period in effect was a series of automatic commands, all done by a timer. If you didn't get through a certain gate in the automatic sequencer the next command would not be given. This protected us against a faulty liftoff.

This is what the term "terminal sequence" meant, which took a great deal of check-out time in the months preceding launch. When we got down to 30 seconds before lift-off, the indication of pressurization for one of the propellants in the S-IVB stage hadn't registered, so the sequencer stopped the count. The red light on the overhead indicator in the firing room lit up. The engineer monitoring that read-out on the strip chart told us the S-IVB was not pressurized. The ladder in the sequence wasn't met, so we got a cut-off at 30 seconds.

A photo of President John F. Kennedy being briefed on Launch Complex 39 President John F. Kennedy is briefed on the developing plans for Launch Complex 39, designed to carry out his call for men on the Moon before 1970.

The team went through a back-out act, as they had practiced, the arming command was withdrawn, the on-board batteries were taken off line, the radio-frequency transmitters turned off, and within three or four minutes the space vehicle had been returned to a status where we could safely hold. Everything was done very coolly, very gingerly. Gene Cernan, the commander of the flight, said later that he kept his hand - very tightly - on the abort switch, "because you never know". But once again the launch escape tower went unused.

The problem turned out to be a faulty diode in the terminal sequencer. Among the hundreds of commands given in sequence, one was not forthcoming, so everything stopped - which is one of the marvels of Apollo. At this late date in the program nobody batted an eye, including Walter J. Kapryan, the able engineer who had succeeded me as launch director when I went to Washington as Apollo Program Director three years earlier.

A photo of Apollo 11 lifting off on July 16,1969
Apollo 11 lifting off the pad on July 16, 1969, the culmination of years of intense activity at the Cape. In this wide-angle view from the press site, all eyes squint in the direction of the hot morning Sun and the distant Launch Pad 39A, where the exhaust gases of the rocket's first stage have been split by the flame deflector into two distinct columns of flame and smoke.

No story about the Cape - Canaveral, then Kennedy, then Canaveral again - would be complete without a mention of the visitors. By the time the Apollo program ended in 1972 we had attracted more than 6 million of them, and that doesn't count people who lined the roads and watched the lift-offs (there were a million of those, it was estimated, for Apollo 11). We had VIP visitors in a steady stream - Presidents of the United States, members of the Supreme Court, members of Congress, almost any prominent person you could mention.

We had leaders from many countries - I recall the Shah of Iran, King Hussein of Jordan (he was a jet pilot), the King of Afghanistan, King Baudoin of Belgium, Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, Chancellor Erhard of Germany, and President Radhakrishnan of India, who had been a professor of philosophy at Oxford. Other visitors included foreign ministers and cabinet members from many countries. We talked to most of them in informal sessions, explaining as best we could the mysteries of spaceflight. The one visitor who impressed me most came in November 1963, and we briefed him on a Saturn-Apollo unmanned mission due to fly in January - which would be the first Saturn I to carry two stages (with a total of 14 engines, still the record for launch vehicles). He promised to come back for the launch if he possibly could. But he never made it because he was assassinated in Dallas six days later.

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HRC Blog

Hundreds of Nevadans Visit their Lawmakers in Carson City

NevadaPost submitted by Adrian Matanza, former HRC Regional Field Director

With the momentum for marriage equality growing across the country, and the pending Supreme Court cases, hundreds of Nevadans visited their legislators at the state capitol in Carson City earlier this week.

During their visit, the Senate Legislative Operations & Elections Committee heard testimony on SJR13, legislation, which if passed would repeal the state’s ban on marriage equality. In 2002, Nevada voters passed Question 2, amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Recent polling in Nevada put support for same-sex marriage at a new high of 54 percent.

Currently, the SJR13 is sponsored by three of the five members of the committee. While it is likely that the current bill will pass out of committee, it is important to let you legislators in Nevada know that marriage equality is the right thing for the state.

Take action and send your Nevada state legislator a message now.

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OSHA's Sharper Teeth

The Obama administration injects new power into the occupational-safety agency as employers find themselves on the defensive. Critics say the new director is a "junk science" advocate.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Write To The Editor Reprints

While critics on both the right and left have taken on the Obama administration for purportedly wobbling on issues ranging from financial regulation to Afghanistan, worker safety seems one area that the new team in Washington has charted a definite course correction from the past eight years.

Late last year, the Senate quickly confirmed David Michaels as the new director of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Labor advocates cheered. Some business leaders -- who fear a costly new era of regulation is upon them -- jeered.

Peg Seminario, director of safety and health for the AFL-CIO in Washington, says the Michaels appointment represents an important step forward after eight years of what she terms "neglect, inaction and, in some cases, hostility."

"OSHA is getting back to the job of protecting workers, and the administration has made it clear that it intends to address major safety and health problems," she says.

Michaels came to OSHA from George Washington University, where he was interim chairman of its School of Public Health and Health Services.

President Obama, earlier this year, proposed a $573 million 2011 fiscal-year budget for OSHA, an increase of $14 million over the previous fiscal year. The extra funds would pay for 125 new inspectors and shift 35 compliance officers to enforcement activities.

Yet, in a live Web chat on Feb. 1 to discuss the 2011 budget, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis proposed significant reductions in the Voluntary Protection Program, despite its accomplishments in facilitating voluntary safety-regulation compliance by employers.

However, a Government Accountability Office report identifying oversight and internal-control problems in the VPP could have played a role in its fate.

"We need to decide whether we will spend our limited resources on supporting those companies that really get it, and who are doing a great job at protecting their employees," she said during the chat. "Or do we spend our scarce resources on companies that disregard workplace safety and allow workers to die in situations that could easily have been prevented?"

During the same Web chat, Michaels said OSHA would work with stakeholders to identify new or alternative funding sources for the VPP.

More funding could bring OSHA's reputation closer to the threshold associated with the Environmental Protection Agency, according to Cynthia Roth, CEO of Syosset, N.Y.-based Ergonomics Technologies Corp.

"When the EPA comes calling, employers, listen. They don't fool around," she says. "While I don't think OSHA will reach that level of strength, I do believe greater enforcement capabilities, new regulations and rulemaking will be an aspect of life going forward for businesses."

Business leaders have expressed concern about the new emphasis on enforcement as opposed to voluntary compliance, embodied by the VPP.

Marc Freedman, director of labor-law policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, says the administration's increased OSHA enforcement efforts come as no surprise, given Obama's rhetoric as a candidate during the 2008 campaign.

"Our concern is how these people are used, and how knowledgeable and well-trained they are with respect to being able to look at workplaces and understanding what works as to how employers are protecting their employees," says Freedman.

Jeri Kubicki, vice president of human resources for the Washington-based National Association of Manufacturers, takes a harder line. OSHA's new leader, she told a Senate panel, has "portrayed employers as 'manufacturers of doubt' only driven to elude regulation."

Kubicki says workplace-safety performance has steadily improved for more than a decade due to the open relationship between employers and the federal government.

"To continue this trend, the trust between employers and OSHA must not be abandoned," she told the panel.

Erasing Workers' Fears

Before OSHA can make any significant improvements in worker safety, employees themselves have to feel comfortable about reporting safety issues on the job. That, however, isn't the case, at least not right now, according to a survey published late last year by the GAO of more than 1,000 occupational-health practitioners.

More than two-thirds of the respondents said workers feared reporting an injury or illness, according to the survey. In addition, one-third of the practitioners said they were pressured by employers to provide insufficient treatment to workers or to hide or downplay work-related injuries or illnesses. Moreover, half the respondents said the reason for the pressure was so the injury would not be reported to OSHA.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka says the report corroborates what union-safety activists and rank-and-file employees have long believed was the truth about employers.

"Employer policies that discourage the reporting of injuries," he says, "not only undermine the completeness and accuracy of workplace-injury data; they [also] prevent injured workers from receiving needed medical care and prevent hazardous conditions that injure workers from being identified and corrected."

The GAO report was requested by two Democratic Senate and House members who are sponsors of the Protecting America's Workers Act, which would give OSHA more tools to fight underreporting of injuries and illnesses by employers.

Roth says companies with higher injury and illness rates face higher workers' compensation costs and often encounter difficulty winning government contracts. "Given such consequences, incentives to cheat are always present, and the GAO found that many employers avoid medical treatments or shop around for doctors who provide diagnoses that avoid recordable events," she says.

Linda Johnson, an employment-practices attorney based in Manchester, N.H., says that, regardless of whether tougher worker protections win approval, employers should be prepared for greater scrutiny this year. She notes that targeted industries include nursing homes, slaughterhouses, foundries, concrete-pipe manufacturing, seafood canning and bottled-water manufacturing.

Companies can and should expect government investigators to review employment records for 2007 and 2008, interviews of management and rank-and-file employees by OSHA officials, and walk-around safety-and-health inspections.

Johnson says an array of media reports and academic studies pin the underreporting problem on a number of reasons, including incentive programs that have workplaces festooned with posters proclaiming the number of days without an injury on the job.

"Though well-intentioned, even popular safety programs, which provide awards for a period of time without recordable injuries, can have the effect of putting pressure on workers not to report their injuries," she says.

Meanwhile, getting a more accurate overall picture of the state of occupational health and safety in the workplace remains a top agency priority, and OSHA has designated the following specific hazards for review:

? Airborne infectious diseases: Healthcare-acquired diseases such as tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) are on the rise this year. Most controls are aimed at patient rather than worker protection, which the agency would like to address.

* Crystalline silica: Inhalation of silica can cause lung disease and silicosis. The agency plans to update existing exposure limits and set new rules to protect employees from such dust.

* Combustible dust: Such material can cause catastrophic explosions such as the 2008 Imperial Sugar Refinery explosion. Currently, the agency does not have a comprehensive standard that addresses this hazard.

* Walking-working surfaces: The agency has proposed new rules covering slip, trip and fall hazards, and will establish requirements for personal-protection systems.

Assessing the Appointment

Not only do the new enforcement efforts frighten OSHA critics such as the Manhattan Institute's Center for Legal Policy, a think tank promoting "market-oriented" solutions to public-policy questions, Michaels' career in and of itself has become a flashpoint in the rhetoric surrounding his nomination.

"This is a guy who has bought into every junk-science claim out there that the plaintiff's bar has embraced over the past decade," says James Copland, director of the Center. "And they are putting him in charge of occupational safety and health."

Michaels' critics, nonetheless, failed to get the Senate to conduct an extensive look into his background. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor termed some of the more extreme charges leveled at the new appointee "ridiculous and false."

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"He is a nationally recognized leader in the efforts to ensure the integrity of the science underpinning public health and environmental regulation," Vietor told FOXNews.

For those trying to get what Copland terms "sound science" into not only the courts but the regulatory arena, the Michaels appointment represents a great step back.

Over the past decade, the new director was the chief architect of an initiative to compensate U.S. Department of Energy nuclear weapons workers who developed cancer or lung disease as a result of their exposure to radiation and other life-threatening hazards.

Michaels also has a long history of working to resolve occupational-safety and health hazards, particularly those related to the chemical industry, Roth says. (Read this Q&A with Michaels.)

She also notes that the new director has been a critic of industry scientists and lobbyists who are urged to dispute the findings of studies on the hazards of toxic materials, secondhand smoke and global warming.

"When manufacturers foot the bill for their own 'watchdogs,' the science can be twisted to cast doubt on its validity," Roth says.

So often the issue of what is "junk" or "sound" science comes down to the opinion of a judge or jury. On this issue, Michaels' critics fear he will help reverse the impact of a 1993 court ruling that allowed trial judges to determine the validity of certain expert testimony without a hearing before a jury.

Michaels has written that the impact of the so-called Daubert ruling has meant an increase in successful motions of summary judgment, most of which have come down against the plaintiffs -- who, as a result, have had a difficult time making their cases heard.

More protracted hearings on the value of expert testimony and evidence will only benefit the trial lawyers, a major source of cash for Democratic politicians, critics of the new appointee charge.

All the sound science in the world will not matter if federal officials do not take the proper actions to enforce the existing rules based on science that everyone agrees on.

Since the creation of OSHA during the Nixon years in 1970, workplace safety has had varying degrees of importance attached to it.

While enforcement picked up late in the Ford administration and during the Carter years, it "went into the toilet" during the first Reagan term, according to Seminario.

A number of horrendous events followed -- including a fatal explosion at a major chemical factory in South Charleston, W.Va. -- and the issue of workplace safety returned to the front burner, particularly with the appointment by Reagan of former Labor Secretary William Brock.

Oddly enough, the first Clinton term, with its emphasis on "Reinventing Government," made workplace safety more of a voluntary effort than in previous years.

But when the Clinton administration began to rethink that policy, Seminario says, it had to deal with the election of the Republican Congress in 1994, which wielded budget powers through, not only the amount of dollars allocated, but legislative riders that prohibited certain enforcement activities.

In its waning days, the Clinton administration released more than 1,600 pages of ergonomic rules. The rules became a bone of contention with lawmakers and were withdrawn by the next administration, but the issue could emerge once again with the Obama administration now in charge and favoring more labor equality and better worker protection.

The George W. Bush administration virtually stopped issuing any new regulations.

On the contrary, that administration put enforcement on a kind of retail level, Seminario says, without any strategic plans of targeting industry hazards or trying to change employer practices.

All that has changed once more with the recent appointment of Michaels at OSHA and Solis at the DOL. The $87 million fine issued late last year against BP Products North America -- the largest fine in the history of OSHA -- indicates the agency means business.

"We are sending a strong message throughout the industry that we will not tolerate the endangerment of workers," says Solis.

See also:

Q&A with David Michaels

Ergonomics: The Next Battleground

Safety-Reporting Disincentives

OSHA Protections Enhanced

Copyright 2015© LRP Publications


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(Brussels) – The European Union should use its rights dialogue with India to encourage the government to ensure accountability for abuses and strengthen the protection of women, children, Dalits, and other vulnerable communities, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to Ambassador João Cravinho, head of the EU Delegation to India. The EU-India Local Human Rights Dialogue will be held in New Delhi on January 22, 2013.

The EU should urge India to end effective legal immunity granted to state security forces under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the criminal procedure code for violations of fundamental rights, including torture, rape, and extrajudicial killings.

“The Indian government often has noble intentions when it comes to creating laws and policies, but too often the impact on the lives of ordinary Indians is minimal,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director. “The EU-India rights dialogue is an important opportunity for the EU to help India turn good intentions into real changes.”

The Indian government has recently taken some positive steps to improve human rights protections, including enacting a new law to protect children from sexual abuse and proposing amendments to existing laws on sexual assault. However, implementation will remain a challenge unless the government holds accountable the officials tasked to enforce the laws.


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Buying a home? 15 ways to shop for the lowest mortgage rates

When purchasing a home, shopping for the lowest mortgage rates is an essential strategy that can save you thousands of dollars over the life of the loan.

For the best results, shop with a plan. Do enough upfront research to have an idea of what you want, then see who can get it for you.

Here are some strategies to shop for, and qualify for, the best mortgage rates:

No. 1: Establish a baseline

Establish a baseline

Get a referral from someone you trust and contact that lender to obtain your credit score and discuss your loan options. Your first lender can help you compare FHA and conventional financing, as well as various loan terms so you can make an informed decision on which loan program and term you want before you contact other lenders.

No. 2: Raise your credit score

Raise your credit score

Conventional lenders charge a higher interest rate for lower credit scores. Raising your score can help you qualify for lower rates.

Most lenders require a minimum credit score of 620 to 640. "Typically, a credit score of 740 or higher puts borrowers in the best tier for a conventional loan program," says Michael Smith, first vice president – business development manager for mortgage lending for California Bank and Trust in San Diego.

How much can a great credit score improve your interest rate?

"Depending on market pricing, you can shave one-eighth to one-quarter percent off your interest rate if you can get your credit score above 740," says Amy Tierce, regional vice president for Wintrust Mortgage in Needham, Massachusetts. Tierce recommends working with a lender who can use a credit score simulator to advise you on what steps to take to improve your score, although she says this can take 30 to 90 days or longer depending on your circumstances.

No. 3: Decide how long you'll keep the loan

This is important because it can change the kind of mortgage you choose. For example, if you are risk-averse you might choose a fixed-rate home loan for maximum safety. But in fact, if the property will only be kept for a few years, you can be perfectly safe with a 5/1 hybrid mortgage -- and pay about 1 percent less in interest. On a $400,000 mortgage, that difference in the interest rate is over $250 a month!

Indeed, shorter loan terms can get you a lower rate. While the spread between mortgage rates for loan terms vary, Tierce says that generally, 20-year fixed mortgage rates are about one-eighth percent lower than interest rates for a 30-year fixed, and 15-year fixed-rate loans are one-quarter to three-eighths percent lower than 30-year fixed-rate loans.

"You can save thousands on interest payments with a shorter loan term, although you have to make sure you can handle the higher payments," says Mark Fowler, VP of ITOM Sales with the Axxiome Group, a global solutions provider for the financial services industry, in New York City.

No. 4: Contact a mix of financial institutions

Calling Lenders

Interest rates fluctuate constantly for a variety of reasons, including the occasional promotion of a particular loan product by a financial institution. For example, some lenders who are eager to generate more purchase loans might offer the best mortgage rates for homebuyers rather than refinancing homeowners, says Brian Martucci, a mortgage lender with GetLoans.com in Washington, D.C. Sometimes a credit union or bank will introduce a new loan product and offer better mortgage rates in order to entice borrowers, says Craig March, a branch manager with Inlanta Mortgage in Janesville, Wisconsin.

"It's best to diversify and try a mix of places such as a direct lender, a regional bank, a credit union, a community bank and a national bank," says March.

No. 5: Make a larger down payment

Larger Down Payment

The larger your down payment, the deeper your initial equity stake, thus the less risk you pose to the lender.

No. 6: Purchasing a single-family home

Single family home

Condominiums are considered a riskier investment because they dropped in value more than other types of homes during the housing crisis, says Tierce, so mortgage rates are usually one-eighth percent higher than for a single-family home. However, if you make a down payment of at least 25 percent, that interest rate add-on will not be charged.

No. 7: Be prepared to answer some questions

Answer questions

Martucci says every borrower must be prepared to answer the following questions before lenders can provide an accurate rate quote:

  • How large is your down payment? Interest rates vary according to your loan-to-value ratio.
  • Are you buying a single family home or a condominium? Martucci says a borrower purchasing a condominium with a loan to value above 75 percent will pay a one-quarter percent higher interest rate.
  • Are you purchasing? Interest rates may be higher on a refinance, especially if you are taking out cash which could raise your rate by one-eighth of one percent.
  • Do you intend to waive escrow and pay your taxes and insurance yourself? If so, your mortgage rate could be one-eighth of one percent higher because that's considered a riskier loan, says Martucci.

No. 8: Do your own research

You can shop in person, by phone, or online with mortgage lenders. What you don't want to do is just mindlessly go with whatever lender your real estate agent recommends -- even if you like that person -- you still owe it to yourself to compare interest rates and negotiate your best deal.

No. 9: Ask about fees

Mortgage fees

The various fees associated with a loan are one reason why you shouldn't comparison shop solely based on the best advertised rate. Sometimes an advertised rate can be lower than all the rest because of all the fees associated with it.

"Some lenders blend all their fees into a loan preparation fee, while others separate them out, so be sure to ask for the total amount it will cost to close the loan," says Martucci.

Generally, a mortgage with higher fees should have a lower interest rate, says March.

No. 10: Always provide the same information

Provide consistent information

Make sure when you request a rate quote that you provide all lenders with the same information:

  • The quality of your credit
  • The location, type, and use of your property
  • Size of your down payment or the amount of home equity you have

Keep in mind that mortgage rates change often, so quotes obtained today can't be reliably compared against quotes given tomorrow.

No. 11: Call lenders on the same day

Call lenders on the same dayMortgage rates fluctuate constantly, so you should call lenders as close to the same time as possible on the same day to compare the best mortgage rates, says Martucci.

"If possible, call within the same timeframe, because a bond rally could mean that mortgage rates have dropped dramatically from the morning to the afternoon," he says.

No. 12: Interview lenders and decide

Interview lenders

Contact the mortgage lenders and notice who gets back to you right away. Pay attention to who asks you questions about your situation, and who answers your questions in an understandable and meaningful way. See who you feel most comfortable with when discussing your financial concerns. At this point, you already know their mortgage rates are competitive, so trust your gut and go with the person you feel best about.

No. 13: Don't comparison shop by APR

APR Comparison

There are lots of ways to shop for a mortgage, but comparison shopping by APR (Annual Percentage Rate) is among the worst of them.

It's a government-mandated figure meant to show the "true cost" of financing a home over a period of 30 years. However, "true cost" is really equal to your loan size plus the interest paid over 30 years (assuming you're getting a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage), plus closing costs required for the loan.

No. 14: Know when you want to close

Close on your mortgage

The length of your lock-in period will impact your mortgage rate, so discuss your target close date with each lender and ask what they charge for different loan-lock periods.

"Make sure you tell the lender when you expect the closing to be because you want to lock-in the interest rate for the right length of time," says Mark Richards, a senior mortgage loan officer for TD Bank in Washington, D.C. "Many lenders charge one-eighth percent more if you must lock-in the loan for 60 days. If you need a 90-day loan lock your interest rate could be as much as one-third percent higher."

No. 15: Decide if you'll pay points

Pay points?

One of the largest fees by far can be the points attached to a particular loan. Each point is equal to one percent of your loan amount.

"You need to make sure you discuss with each lender how the loan will be structured in terms of whether you are paying points or not," says March.

If you intend to stay in your home for the long term, such as 10 years or more, you may want to pay points in order to keep your interest rate as low as possible for the life of your loan. If you plan to sell in a few years, paying a lot of cash up front to pay points may not be worth it, says Richards. A lender can show you the difference in interest and monthly payments in order to decide whether or not it's worth it to pay points.

"Depending on the lender, paying one point will reduce your mortgage rate by one-quarter percent," says Richards. "On a $200,000 loan, you'd pay $4,000 to bring down your rate 0.5 percent. You'd only save around $4,000 in the first 10 to 11 years, but you'd save $40,000 over the life of the loan with that lower rate."

You can also use HSH.com's Closing Cost Calculator to figure out if paying points is worth it.

Shopping for the best mortgage rates and the best overall mortgage for you and your financial situation is not an easy task, but these 15 tips should help steer you in the right direction.

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Food and Diet

Beyond Willpower: Diet Quality and Quantity Matter

It’s no secret that the amount of calories people eat and drink has a direct impact on their weight: Consume the same number of calories that the body burns over time, and weight stays stable. Consume more than the body burns, weight goes up. Less, weight goes down. But what about the type of calories: Does it matter whether they come from specific nutrients—fat, protein, or carbohydrate? Specific foods—whole grains or potato chips? Specific diets—the Mediterranean diet or the “Twinkie” diet? And what about when or where people consume their calories: Does eating breakfast make it easier to control weight? Does eating at fast-food restaurants make it harder?

There’s ample research on foods and diet patterns that protect against heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. The good news is that many of the foods that help prevent disease also seem to help with weight control—foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. And many of the foods that increase disease risk—chief among them, refined grains and sugary drinks—are also factors in weight gain.Conventional wisdom says that since a calorie is a calorie, regardless of its source, the best advice for weight control is simply to eat less and exercise more. Yet emerging research suggests that some foods and eating patterns may make it easier to keep calories in check, while others may make people more likely to overeat.

This article briefly reviews the research on dietary intake and weight control, highlighting diet strategies that also help prevent chronic disease.

Macronutrients and Weight: Do Carbs, Protein, or Fat Matter?

When people eat controlled diets in laboratory studies, the percentage of calories from fat, protein, and carbohydrate do not seem to matter for weight loss. In studies where people can freely choose what they eat, there may be some benefits to a higher protein, lower carbohydrate approach. For chronic disease prevention, though, the quality and food sources of these nutrients matters more than their relative quantity in the diet. And the latest research suggests that the same diet quality message applies for weight control.

Dietary Fat and Weight

Low-fat diets have long been touted as the key to a healthy weight and to good health. But the evidence just isn’t there: Over the past 30 years in the U.S., the percentage of calories from fat in people’s diets has gone down, but obesity rates have skyrocketed. (1,2) Carefully conducted clinical trials have found that following a low-fat diet does not make it any easier to lose weight than following a moderate- or high-fat diet. In fact, study volunteers who follow moderate- or high-fat diets lose just as much weight, and in some studies a bit more, as those who follow low-fat diets. (3,4) And when it comes to disease prevention, low-fat diets don’t appear to offer any special benefits. (5)

Part of the problem with low-fat diets is that they are often high in carbohydrate, especially from rapidly digested sources, such as white bread and white rice. And diets high in such foods increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. (See Carbohydrates and Weight, below.)

For good health, the type of fat people eat is far more important that the amount (see box), and there’s some evidence that the same may be true for weight control. (69) In the Nurses’ Health Study, for example, which followed 42,000 middle-age and older women for eight years, increased consumption of unhealthy fats—trans fats, especially, but also saturated fats—was linked to weight gain, but increased consumption of healthy fats—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat—was not. (6)

Protein and Weight

Protein small (proteinsmall2.jpg)Read more about healthy proteins on The Nutrition Source

Higher protein diets seem to have some advantages for weight loss, though more so in short-term trials; in longer term studies, high-protein diets seem to perform equally well as other types of diets. (3,4) High-protein diets tend to be low in carbohydrate and high in fat, so it is difficult to tease apart the benefits of eating lots of protein from those of eating more fat or less carbohydrate. But there are a few reasons why eating a higher percentage of calories from protein may help with weight control:

  • More satiety: People tend to feel fuller, on fewer calories, after eating protein than they do after eating carbohydrate or fat. (10)
  • Greater thermic effect: It takes more energy to metabolize and store protein than other macronutrients, and this may help people increase the energy they burn each day. (10,11)
  • Improved body composition: Protein seems to help people hang on to lean muscle during weight loss, and this, too, can help boost the energy-burned side of the energy balance equation. (11)

Higher protein, lower carbohydrate diets improve blood lipid profiles and other metabolic markers, so they may help prevent heart disease and diabetes. (4,12,13) But some high-protein foods are healthier than others: High intakes of red meat and processed meat are associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. (1416)

Replacing red and processed meat with nuts, beans, fish, or poultry seems to lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. (14,16) And this diet strategy may help with weight control, too, according to a recent study from the Harvard School of Public Health. Researchers tracked the diet and lifestyle habits of 120,000 men and women for up to 20 years, looking at how small changes contributed to weight gain over time. (9) People who ate more red and processed meat over the course of the study gained more weight—about a pound extra every four years. People who ate more nuts over the course of the study gained less weight—about a half pound less every four years.

Carbohydrates and Weight

Lower carbohydrate, higher protein diets may have some weight loss advantages in the short term. (3,4) Yet when it comes to preventing weight gain and chronic disease, carbohydrate quality is much more important than carbohydrate quantity.

carbs small (whole_wheat_bread.jpg)

Read more about carbohydrates on The Nutrition Source

Milled, refined grains and the foods made with them—white rice, white bread, white pasta, processed breakfast cereals, and the like—are rich in rapidly digested carbohydrate. So are potatoes and sugary drinks. The scientific term for this is that they have a high glycemic index and glycemic load. Such foods cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar and insulin that, in the short term, can cause hunger to spike and can lead to overeating—and over the long term, increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. (1719)

For example, in the diet and lifestyle change study, people who increased their consumption of French fries, potatoes and potato chips, sugary drinks, and refined grains gained more weight over time—an extra 3.4, 1.3, 1.0, and 0.6 pounds every four years, respectively. (9) People who decreased their intake of these foods gained less weight.

Specific Foods that Make It Easier or Harder to Control Weight

There’s growing evidence that specific food choices may help with weight control. The good news is that many of the foods that are beneficial for weight control also help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Conversely, foods and drinks that contribute to weight gain—chief among them, refined grains and sugary drinks—also contribute to chronic disease.

Whole Grains, Fruits and Vegetables, and Weight

whole grains small (wheat_field.jpg)

Read more about whole grains on The Nutrition Source

Whole grains—whole wheat, brown rice, barley, and the like, especially in their less-processed forms—are digested more slowly than refined grains. So they have a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin, which may help keep hunger at bay. The same is true for most vegetables and fruits. These “slow carb” foods have bountiful benefits for disease prevention, and there’s also evidence that they can help prevent weight gain.

fruit and vegetables small (fruit_vegetables.jpg)

Read more about vegetables and fruits on The Nutrition Source

The weight control evidence is stronger for whole grains than it is for fruits and vegetables. (2022) The most recent support comes from the Harvard School of Public Health diet and lifestyle change study: People who increased their intake of whole grains, whole fruits (not fruit juice), and vegetables over the course of the 20-year study gained less weight—0.4, 0.5, and 0.2 pounds less every four years, respectively. (9)

Of course, the calories from whole grains, whole fruits, and vegetables don’t disappear. What’s likely happening is that when people increase their intake of these foods, they cut back on calories from other foods. Fiber may be responsible for these foods’ weight control benefits, since fiber slows digestion, helping to curb hunger. Fruits and vegetables are also high in water, which may help people feel fuller on fewer calories.

Nuts and Weight

nuts small (nuts_pill.jpg)

Read more about nuts on The Nutrition Source

Nuts pack a lot of calories into a small package and are high in fat, so they were once considered taboo for dieters. As it turns out, studies find that eating nuts does not lead to weight gain and may instead help with weight control, perhaps because nuts are rich in protein and fiber, both of which may help people feel fuller and less hungry. (9,2325) People who regularly eat nuts are less likely to have heart attacks or die from heart disease than those who rarely eat them, which is another reason to include nuts in a healthy diet. (19)

Dairy and Weight

Glass of Milk (a_glass_of_milk.jpg)

Read more about calcium and milk on The Nutrition Source

The U.S. dairy industry has aggressively promoted the weight-loss benefits of milk and other dairy products, based largely on findings from short-term studies it has funded. (26,27) But a recent review of nearly 50 randomized trials finds little evidence that high dairy or calcium intakes help with weight loss. (28) Similarly, most long-term follow-up studies have not found that dairy or calcium protect against weight gain, (2932) and one study in adolescents found high milk intakes to be associated with increased body mass index. (33)

One exception is the recent dietary and lifestyle change study from the Harvard School of Public Health, which found that people who increased their yogurt intake gained less weight; increases in milk and cheese intake, however, did not appear to promote weight loss or gain. (9) It’s possible that the beneficial bacteria in yogurt may influence weight control, but more research is needed.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight

water small (two_water_cups.jpg)

Read more about healthy drinks on The Nutrition Source

There’s convincing evidence that sugary drinks increase the risk of weight gain, obesity, and diabetes: (3436) A systematic review and meta-analysis of 88 studies found “clear associations of soft drink intake with increased caloric intake and body weight.” (34) In children and adolescents, a more recent meta analysis estimates that for every additional 12-ounce serving of sugary beverage consumed each day, body mass index increases by 0.08 units. (35) Another meta analysis finds that adults who regularly drink sugared beverages have a 26 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely drink sugared beverages. (36) Emerging evidence also suggests that high sugary beverage intake increases the risk of heart disease. (37)

Like refined grains and potatoes, sugary beverages are high in rapidly-digested carbohydrate. (See Carbohydrates and Weight, above.) Research suggests that when that carbohydrate is delivered in liquid form, rather than solid form, it is not as satiating, and people don’t eat less to compensate for the extra calories. (38)

These findings on sugary drinks are alarming, given that children and adults are drinking ever-larger quantities of them: In the U.S., sugared beverages made up about 4 percent of daily calorie intake in the 1970s, but by 2001, represented about 9 percent of calories. (36) The most recent data find that on any given day, half of Americans consume some type of sugared beverage, 25 percent consume at least 200 calories from sugared drinks, and 5 percent of consume at least 567 calories—the equivalent of four cans of sugary soda. (39)

The good news is that studies in children and adults have also shown that cutting back on sugary drinks can lead to weight loss. (40,41) Sugary drinks have become an important target for obesity prevention efforts, prompting discussions of policy initiatives such as taxing soda. (42)

Fruit Juice and Weight

Teaspoons (teaspoons.gif)Read more on The Nutrition Source about the amount of sugar in soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, and energy drinks, and download the How Sweet Is It? guide to healthier beverages

It’s important to note that fruit juices are not a better option for weight control than sugar-sweetened beverages. Ounce for ounce, fruit juices—even those that are 100 percent fruit juice, with no added sugar— are as high in sugar and calories as sugary sodas. So it’s no surprise that a recent Harvard School of Public Health study, which tracked the diet and lifestyle habits of 120,000 men and women for up to 20 years, found that people who increased their intake of fruit juice gained more weight over time than people who did not. (9) Pediatricians and public health advocates recommend that children and adults limit fruit juice to just a small glass a day, if they consume it at all.

Alcohol and Weight

alcohol small (read_wine.jpg)

Read more about alcohol on The Nutrition Source

Even though most alcoholic beverages have more calories per ounce than sugar-sweetened beverages, there’s no clear-cut evidence that moderate drinking contributes to weight gain. While the recent diet and lifestyle change study found that people who increased their alcohol intake gained more weight over time, the findings varied by type of alcohol. (9) In most previous prospective studies, there was no difference in weight gain over time between light-to-moderate drinkers and nondrinkers, or the light-to-moderate drinkers gained less weight than nondrinkers. (4347)

Diet Patterns, Portion Size, and Weight

People don’t eat nutrients or foods in isolation. They eat meals that fall into an overall eating pattern, and researchers have begun exploring whether particular diet or meal patterns help with weight control or contribute to weight gain. Portion sizes have also increased dramatically over the past three decades, as has consumption of fast food—U.S. children, for example, consume a greater percentage of calories from fast food than they do from school food (48)—and these trends are also thought to be contributors to the obesity epidemic.

Dietary Patterns and Weight

So-called “prudent” dietary patterns—diets that feature whole grains, vegetables, and fruits—seem to protect against weight gain, whereas “Western-style” dietary patterns—with more red meat or processed meat, sugared drinks, sweets, refined carbohydrates, or potatoes—have been linked to obesity. (4952) The Western-style dietary pattern is also linked to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.

Following a Mediterranean-style diet, well-documented to protect against chronic disease, (53) appears to be promising for weight control, too. The traditional Mediterranean-style diet is higher in fat (about 40 percent of calories) than the typical American diet (34 percent of calories (54)), but most of the fat comes from olive oil and other plant sources. The diet is also rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and fish. A 2008 systematic review found that in most (but not all) studies, people who followed a Mediterranean-style diet had lower rates of obesity or more weight loss. (55) There is no single “Mediterranean” diet, however, and studies often use different definitions, so more research is needed.

Breakfast, Meal Frequency, Snacking, and Weight

There is some evidence that skipping breakfast increases the risk of weight gain and obesity, though the evidence is stronger in children, especially teens, than it is in adults. (56) Meal frequency and snacking have increased over the past 30 years in the U.S. (57)—on average, children get 27 percent of their daily calories from snacks, primarily from desserts and sugary drinks, and increasingly from salty snacks and candy. But there have been conflicting findings on the relationship between meal frequency, snacking, and weight control, and more research is needed. (56)

Portion Sizes and Weight

Since the 1970s, portion sizes have increased both for food eaten at home and for food eaten away from home, in adults and children. (58,59) Short-term studies clearly demonstrate that when people are served larger portions, they eat more. One study, for example, gave moviegoers containers of stale popcorn in either large or medium-sized buckets; people reported that they did not like the taste of the popcorn—and even so, those who received large containers ate about 30 percent more popcorn than those who received medium-sized containers. (60) Another study showed that people given larger beverages tended to drink significantly more, but did not decrease their subsequent food consumption . (67) An additional study provided evidence that when provided with larger portion sizes, people tended to eat more, with no decrease in later food intake. (68) There is an intuitive appeal to the idea that portion sizes increase obesity, but long-term prospective studies would help to strengthen this hypothesis.

Fast Food and Weight

Fast food is known for its large portions, low prices, high palatability, and high sugar content, and there’s evidence from studies in teens and adults that frequent fast-food consumption contributes to overeating and weight gain. (6166) The CARDIA study, for example, followed 3,000 young adults for 13 years. People who had higher fast-food–intake levels at the start of the study weighed an average of about 13 pounds more than people who had the lowest fast-food–intake levels. They also had larger waist circumferences and greater increases in triglycercides, and double the odds of developing metabolic syndrome. (62) More research is needed to tease apart the effect of eating fast food itself from the effect of the neighborhood people live in, or other individual traits that may make people more likely to eat fast food.

The Bottom Line: Healthy Diet Can Prevent Weight Gain and Chronic Disease

Weight gain in adulthood is often gradual, about a pound a year (9)—too slow of a gain for most people to notice, but one that can add up, over time, to a weighty personal and public health problem. There’s increasing evidence that the same healthful food choices and diet patterns that help prevent heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions may also help to prevent weight gain:

  • Choose minimally processed, whole foods—whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, healthful sources of protein (fish, poultry, beans), and plant oils.
  • Limit sugared beverages, refined grains, potatoes, red and processed meats, and other highly processed foods, such as fast food.

Though the contribution of any one diet change to weight control may be small, together, the changes could add up to a considerable effect, over time and across the whole society. (9) Since people’s food choices are shaped by their surroundings, it’s imperative for governments to promote policy and environmental changes that make healthy foods more accessible and decrease the availability and marketing of unhealthful foods.

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Terms of Use

The aim of the Harvard School of Public Health Obesity Prevention Source Web site is to provide timely information about obesity’s global causes, consequences, prevention, and control, for the public, health and public health practitioners, business and community leaders, and policymakers. The contents of this Web site are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Web site. The Web site’s obesity prevention policy recommendations are based primarily on a review of U.S. expert guidance, unless otherwise indicated; in other countries, different policy approaches may be needed to achieve improvements in food and physical activity environments, so that healthy choices are easy choices, for all.


text:
Come Off The Mountain In One Piece

The right prep and gear—along with some quick thinking—will help keep you injury-free all season

Men's Health—November 16, 2011

By John MacGillivray, M.D.

Winter is approaching—it’s time to dust off the skis and snowboards and jump on those lifts. In fact, a record 60.54 million thrill-seekers did just that last season, according to the National Ski Association. With so many athletes hitting the slopes, knee twists and hand injury remain frequent sights in my office. While skiers can’t prevent all spills, they can reduce the incidence of injury by keeping in shape and also by knowing when to address aches and pains.

Skiing and snowboarding require a lot of strength and good balance. As an avid skier for over 40 years, I firmly believe in a pre-season strength and conditioning program that concentrates on the quadriceps, hamstrings and the core, and also includes endurance exercises such as plyometrics, elliptical training, and lunges. Many injuries on the slopes occur after fatigue sets in, so being strong and in shape can help prevent harmful falls.

When you gear up for your season, pay particular attention to protecting your head and neck—these receive the most hazardous snow injuries. They offer the most protection for low speed impacts and for falls involving head contact on the snow.

Traveling south from your noggin, pay attention to your thumbs. The inside, or ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), is the most commonly injured, causing pain that is known as “skier’s thumb.”

If you’re a boarder, your wrists are the most vulnerable. When snowboarders fall, they instinctively extend their hands in an attempt to soften their landings, which can lead to a wrist sprain or fracture. Studies have shown that wearing wrist guards, particularly by beginning snowboarders, decreases the incidence of wrist injuries.

Alpine skiers need to protect their knees. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are very common—the number of ACL reconstructions I perform per week doubles during the ski season. They are frequently caused by the “phantom foot” phenomenon, which happens when the skier is off-balance, sitting with their hips down below the knees, and their weight focused on the inside edge of their downhill ski.

Now, here’s by far the most important way to prevent ski or snowboarding injuries: keep your sticks or your board under control, and be aware of others around you. Many injuries I see are from collisions that could have been avoided. So enjoy the upcoming season, but don't take risks you aren't prepared for. Stay safe!

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