Well, it's that time again. Trust for America's Health has released its annual public health data, and Mississippi's not looking so good.
I suppose you could put a positive spin on this and say that we're overachievers; Mississippi ranks #1 in the following areas:
Adult obesity
Childhood obesity
Adult physical inactivity
Hypertension
Low birth weight babies
Preterm labor
Percent living in poverty
Lowest percent of exclusive breastfeeding at 6 months
Worst median family income
We rank #2 in infant mortality per 1000 live births, chlamydia, and diabetes. Way to go, Mississippi!
Areas in which we are not so bad: AIDS, asthma, Alzheimer's, and tuberculosis.
Come ON, fellow Mississippians! Let's eat a few more fruits and vegetables (Crystal Springs tomatoes or Smith County watermelons, anyone?) this year -- we've already proven eating is our forte.
The Mississippi Library Commission is committed – through leadership, advocacy, and service – to strengthening and enhancing libraries and library services for all Mississippians.
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Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
No More Summer-Heat!
This blog post originally appeared 1/30/2008.
In doing some research on early Vicksburg companies, Elisabeth came across In and About Vicksburg: An Illustrated Guide Book to the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi. It was originally published in 1890 and was reprinted in 1976.
Besides having lots of information on city government, churches, reports of war aftermath, and poems, the back section is chock full of advertisements. While many are amusing -- G.W. Hutcheson Grocery Company, for example, were dealers in "staple and fancy groceries"; Graham, Clark & Riggs were wholesale dealers in "apples and Irish potatoes" -- this fantastic new invention is truly the star of the show.
Please don't miss the excellent copy along the right-hand side:
No More Panting, Sick Children to be Fanned!
I plan on ordering mine today.
In doing some research on early Vicksburg companies, Elisabeth came across In and About Vicksburg: An Illustrated Guide Book to the City of Vicksburg, Mississippi. It was originally published in 1890 and was reprinted in 1976.
Besides having lots of information on city government, churches, reports of war aftermath, and poems, the back section is chock full of advertisements. While many are amusing -- G.W. Hutcheson Grocery Company, for example, were dealers in "staple and fancy groceries"; Graham, Clark & Riggs were wholesale dealers in "apples and Irish potatoes" -- this fantastic new invention is truly the star of the show.
Please don't miss the excellent copy along the right-hand side:
No More Panting, Sick Children to be Fanned!
I plan on ordering mine today.
Friday, June 25, 2010
You Can Look Like a Model
Have you ever wanted to look like a top model? Eileen Ford, founder of the Ford Modeling Agency, believes that you can if you follow the guidelines she presents in her Book of Model Beauty. I found this book while weeding, and it offers tons of tips for aspiring models and also for women who simply want to look their best. Ford gives readers advice on all things health and beauty related, including exercise, diet, and beauty regimens. Despite the book’s advanced age (it was published in 1968), 21st-century women would find some of Ford’s information useful. Some of it. There are also some things in here that I’m not so sure about, especially when it comes to Ford’s advice about exercise. These moves may have been popular back in the 60s, and they may actually be based on solid principles of physical fitness. Who knows? All I know is that there’s a lot of hitting involved.
To get hips into shape: "In a sitting position, legs stretched out in front, hands in back for support, lift your hips off the floor. Twist to the left, pounding the floor with your left hip as hard as you can. Now doe the same with the right hip, twisting to the right. As you learn to do this exercise, you will pick up speed – the more the better. Here we go, turn left, pound, turn right, pound, back to left…" (51). Sounds like a good way to bruise or break something to me.
To mold and strengthen calves: “Sit on the floor, legs separated about six inches. Bend your knees and draw back your heels up to the hips, lean back on your hands. Slap knees and calves together so that you can feel them tingle. This should be done 100 times a day – fifty in the morning and another 50 at night.” (70). Ouch. How this is supposed to work your calves, I have no idea.
For slim thighs: “This time you’re going to give your thighs a ‘beating’ by slapping them with your open palms. In standing position, bend forward and slap thighs with your palms using both hands and concentrating on one thigh at a time. Slap, slap, slap, both sides, then one side with both hands. Be brisk with your slaps – no wishy-washy little taps here. Keep doing this until your hands are tired. This will bring up your circulation!” (77). I kid you not, these are the exact words as they are printed in the book, and the author was dead serious!
For toned arms: “Flat on your back, place fingertips lightly on shoulders, elbows by your side. Raise elbows high and slap your arms down hard. Repeat several times. Then with fingertips still on shoulders, move elbows out so that the undersides of the arms touch the floor. Slap them on the floor.” (87).
To be fair, there are plenty of exercises in the book that have obvious merit. In addition to thigh slapping and hip pounding, Ford instructs readers to do squats and lunges to strengthen and tone legs, for example. She also encourages using barbells and doing pushups. But I’m afraid it isn’t enough to save this outdated book from the weed pile.
Source: Ford, Eileen. Eileen Ford's Book of Model Beauty. New York, Trident Press, 1968.
To get hips into shape: "In a sitting position, legs stretched out in front, hands in back for support, lift your hips off the floor. Twist to the left, pounding the floor with your left hip as hard as you can. Now doe the same with the right hip, twisting to the right. As you learn to do this exercise, you will pick up speed – the more the better. Here we go, turn left, pound, turn right, pound, back to left…" (51). Sounds like a good way to bruise or break something to me.
To mold and strengthen calves: “Sit on the floor, legs separated about six inches. Bend your knees and draw back your heels up to the hips, lean back on your hands. Slap knees and calves together so that you can feel them tingle. This should be done 100 times a day – fifty in the morning and another 50 at night.” (70). Ouch. How this is supposed to work your calves, I have no idea.
For slim thighs: “This time you’re going to give your thighs a ‘beating’ by slapping them with your open palms. In standing position, bend forward and slap thighs with your palms using both hands and concentrating on one thigh at a time. Slap, slap, slap, both sides, then one side with both hands. Be brisk with your slaps – no wishy-washy little taps here. Keep doing this until your hands are tired. This will bring up your circulation!” (77). I kid you not, these are the exact words as they are printed in the book, and the author was dead serious!
For toned arms: “Flat on your back, place fingertips lightly on shoulders, elbows by your side. Raise elbows high and slap your arms down hard. Repeat several times. Then with fingertips still on shoulders, move elbows out so that the undersides of the arms touch the floor. Slap them on the floor.” (87).
To be fair, there are plenty of exercises in the book that have obvious merit. In addition to thigh slapping and hip pounding, Ford instructs readers to do squats and lunges to strengthen and tone legs, for example. She also encourages using barbells and doing pushups. But I’m afraid it isn’t enough to save this outdated book from the weed pile.
Source: Ford, Eileen. Eileen Ford's Book of Model Beauty. New York, Trident Press, 1968.
Car Seats! Get Your Red Hot Car Seats!
- Mississippi Safe Kids can be reached at 601-360-0531. Among many other important programs, this organization helps families who receive aid from WIC or other public assistance obtain car seats.
- The Mississippi Department of Health's Preventative Health Division can be reached at 601-576-7781. Ask for Caryn Womack who also has information about free/low-cost car seats.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Child_car_seat_.JPG
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Happy Children--Healthy Teeth
This blog post originally appeared 1/23/2008.
We love the funny things we come across when searching old newspapers on microfilm, but I think my favorites are the advertisements. Check out this ad from the December 16, 1925 Hattiesburg American:
Not only is the child mildly demonic looking, but I also enjoy that it's not called "gum"; it's "chewing sweet." I just checked the Oxford English Dictionary, and apparently "chewing gum" is an entirely American expression and dates back to around 1850. Maybe Wrigley's was just trying something new, along with encouraging parents to rot their kids' teeth after every meal.
We love the funny things we come across when searching old newspapers on microfilm, but I think my favorites are the advertisements. Check out this ad from the December 16, 1925 Hattiesburg American:
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
World Class Ballet in Jackson, MS
Sunday I decided to attend the International Ballet Competition here in Jackson. This was my first experience with ballet and, by the end, I was completely won over. The level of athleticism is impressive, the music is fun, and the atmosphere is electric, but my favorite part is the judging. I love judging! I only wish I would have checked out Thalia Mara’s The Language of Ballet: An Informal Dictionary to learn some key terms before I attended. My date soon figured out that I was clueless because I kept using 4-H livestock judging terms instead of the proper ballet terms. She became suspicious when I praised one dancer’s pasterns. To avoid this mistake, here are a few items to learn before you attend your next ballet.
Demi-plié(d’mee-plee-AY): “Literally, half-bent. A half bending of the knees. The demi-plie’ underlies practically all the movements of ballet, and it is impossible to be a good ballet dancer if one does not have a good demi-plié” (42).
Impress your date by using this in a sentence. Instead of saying “That boy yonder can squat awfully low” try saying “My! I’ve never seen a demi-plié so pronounced!” He/she will be thoroughly impressed.
Plané(plah-NAY): “Literally, soared; hovered. A term used to describe any elevation movement or step in which the dancer tries to remain in the air as long as possible” (90).
Never ever say anything like “she sure can jump high.” Instead say “the plané in her emboité took my breath away.” Who knows what you just said but, man, it was pure poetry!
Cavalier (kav-ah-LEER): “The male partner of the ballerina” (30).
Ladies, please never refer to the male dancer as “the guy” or “the man.” Instead, he is the cavalier. “Well, our cavalier’s outfit leaves little to the imagination, no?”
By learning these few phrases you’ll sound more a little more knowledgeable and a lot more French. Either way, make sure you attend because the IBC is only in Jackson once every four years and it's well worth the trip.
Mara, Thalia. The Language of Ballet: An Informal Dictionary. New York: The World Publishing Company, 1966.
Demi-plié(d’mee-plee-AY): “Literally, half-bent. A half bending of the knees. The demi-plie’ underlies practically all the movements of ballet, and it is impossible to be a good ballet dancer if one does not have a good demi-plié” (42).
Impress your date by using this in a sentence. Instead of saying “That boy yonder can squat awfully low” try saying “My! I’ve never seen a demi-plié so pronounced!” He/she will be thoroughly impressed.
Plané(plah-NAY): “Literally, soared; hovered. A term used to describe any elevation movement or step in which the dancer tries to remain in the air as long as possible” (90).
Never ever say anything like “she sure can jump high.” Instead say “the plané in her emboité took my breath away.” Who knows what you just said but, man, it was pure poetry!
Cavalier (kav-ah-LEER): “The male partner of the ballerina” (30).
Ladies, please never refer to the male dancer as “the guy” or “the man.” Instead, he is the cavalier. “Well, our cavalier’s outfit leaves little to the imagination, no?”
By learning these few phrases you’ll sound more a little more knowledgeable and a lot more French. Either way, make sure you attend because the IBC is only in Jackson once every four years and it's well worth the trip.
Mara, Thalia. The Language of Ballet: An Informal Dictionary. New York: The World Publishing Company, 1966.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Common Questions? Fast Answers!
This blog post originally appeared 1/9/2008.
One of my favorite reference sources is Fast Answers to Common Questions. It's organized by broad subject and then each topic is worded as a question and an answer. Browsing the sports area, I just learned that the answer to "What famous American doctor competed in the 1924 Olympics?" is Dr. Benjamin Spock! He was on the Olympic rowing team and competed in Paris.
Here are some other choice tidbits that could possibly help you if you are thinking of trying out to be on Jeopardy! anytime soon:
The longest name in the Bible is Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isiah's son)
Phosphenes are the lights seen when you close your eyes tightly.
Mrs. Santa Claus's maiden name was Grundy.
Only three fruits are native to North America: Concord grapes, blueberries, and cranberries.
Kleenex brand tissues were first sold as Celluwipes. [Ed. note: gross!]
Fast Answers to Common Questions. Carolyn Fischer, ed. Gale, 2000.
One of my favorite reference sources is Fast Answers to Common Questions. It's organized by broad subject and then each topic is worded as a question and an answer. Browsing the sports area, I just learned that the answer to "What famous American doctor competed in the 1924 Olympics?" is Dr. Benjamin Spock! He was on the Olympic rowing team and competed in Paris.
Here are some other choice tidbits that could possibly help you if you are thinking of trying out to be on Jeopardy! anytime soon:
The longest name in the Bible is Maher-shalal-hash-baz (Isiah's son)
Phosphenes are the lights seen when you close your eyes tightly.
Mrs. Santa Claus's maiden name was Grundy.
Only three fruits are native to North America: Concord grapes, blueberries, and cranberries.
Kleenex brand tissues were first sold as Celluwipes. [Ed. note: gross!]
Fast Answers to Common Questions. Carolyn Fischer, ed. Gale, 2000.
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