Give the gift of reading this year; turn kids into avid readers
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- Published on 21 November 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
Give the gift of reading this holiday season and turn kids into avid readers by keeping children's books in every room of the home.
The reason for having more books at home is found in a sneak peek of data from the soon to be released Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report™: 6thEdition from Scholastic , the global children's publishing, education and media company.
The data reveals that children ages 6–17 who are frequent readers – those who read books for fun five to seven days a week – are far more likely to have more books in the home than those who are infrequent readers – children who read books for fun less than one day a week. More than half (52%) of frequent readers have more than 100 books at home while just about three-quarters (73%) of infrequent readers have fewer than 100 books. The sneak peek also reveals where children's books are found in homes nationwide – as well as top book series suggestions from parents.
To learn more and download the infographic, "Children's Books in the Home: Every Room Counts," visit: www.scholastic.com/readingreport.
Other key findings from the upcoming Kids & Family Reading Report™ include:
How many children's books are in the average home?
- On average, U.S. homes with kids ages 17 and under have 104 children's books, yet more than 6 in 10 families (62%) have fewer than 100 children's books in the home.
Where are children's books in the home?
- Parents reported that their child's bedroom (85%) is the most common place to find children's books in their home. The family/living room (53%) and playroom (31%) follow as common places, but parents also shared that some of them have children's books in their home office (15%), dining room (6%), bathroom (4%) and kitchen (3%).
What top children's books do parents recommend?
- Parents of children ages 0–17 shared the top books and series they believe every kid should read including: Harry Potter, Dr. Seuss, The Magic Tree House and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.
For even more ideas for holiday shoppers and to help find the right book for every child, Scholastic Reading Club editors created a "top book picks" list for every room in the home and every age group from ages 0-17. The full list is available at http://oomscholasticblog.com/post/holiday-gift-guide-build-children-s-book-library-every-room. All titles are available for purchase via Scholastic Reading Club or the Scholastic Store at store.scholastic.com.
"Our research shows there is a great opportunity to engage children in the power and joy of reading, especially reluctant readers, by rethinking where books reside in the home," says Maggie McGuire, Vice President Scholastic Kids, Parents and Teachers Channels. "Take time this holiday season to tap into the more unlikely places your kids would expect to find books and transform daily routines into moments when kids can read for fun. For instance, in the bathroom you can begin reading aloud during bath time or add a magazine rack for books for older children. Revamp your home office or living room as a 'shared library', as our research shows preteens and teens are more likely to place their books here for leisure time. The ideas are endless."
The Kids & Family Reading Report™ is a biannual report from Scholastic and managed by YouGov (http://research.yougov.com). Results are from a nationally representative survey of 1,675 parents and children including 632 parents of children ages 0-5; 1,043 parents of children ages 6–17, plus one child ages 6–17 from the same household, conducted September 19, 2016 through October 10, 2016. For the full methodology, see www.scholastic.com/readingreport.
For more information about Scholastic, visit http://mediaroom.scholastic.com.
Percentage of people moving falls to an all-time low
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- Published on 21 November 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
The percentage of Americans moving over a one-year period fell to an all-time low in the United States, to 11.2 percent in 2016, according to tables released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
"People in the United States are still moving, just not to the same extent as they did in the past," said David Ihrkesaid, a survey statistician in the Journey-to-Work and Migration Statistics Branch. "The decision to move can be personal and contextual. What causes one person to move might not be enough to convince another."
Among those who moved, 42.2 percent said they moved for a housing-related reason, such as wanting a new or better home/apartment. In comparison, 27.4 percent said they moved for a family-related reason, 20.2 percent said they moved for an employment-related reason, and 10.2 percent said they moved for some other reason.
Among regions, the South saw the greatest number of people moving out (901,000), but also saw the largest inflow of people moving into the region (940,000). The inflows and outflows of the region are not statistically different from each other.
The highest mover rates by race were for the black or African-American alone population (13.8 percent) and the Asian alone population (13.4 percent). These two mover rates were not statistically different. The white alone population moved at a rate of 10.3 percent. The Hispanic or Latino population (12.6 percent) were more mobile than the non-Hispanic white population (9.8 percent).
These latest statistics come from Geographical Mobility: 2015 to 2016, a collection of national- and regional-level tables from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement. The tables describe the movement of people in the United States, including type of move, reason for moving and characteristics of those who moved during the past year. Distance moved is also available for people who moved to a different county or state. Also released were updated historical tables and graphs on migration with some statistics extending as far back as 1948.
Also available are 2015 American Community Survey state-to-state and place of birth flows and 2010-2014 American Community Survey county-to-county and metro-to-metro flows statistics. The county-to-county and metro-to-metro migration flows tables, which use data collected between 2010 and 2014, show how many residents move (or flow) from one county or metro area to another over a one-year period.
Among the 2015 American Community Survey state-to-state and place of birth flows:
- New York had 69,289 migrants to Florida, and California had 65,546 migrants to Texas. The state flows are not statistically different from each other.
- More than 1.5 million people living in Florida were born in New York. This was the largest flow between state of birth and state of current residence followed by more than 900,000 people who were born in New York living in New Jersey.
Highlights from the migration flows from the 2010-2014 American Community Survey:
- Approximately 16.9 million people moved annually to a different county, and nearly another 1.9 million people moved to the United States from abroad.
- The two largest county migration flows were Los Angeles County to Orange County in California with 41,558 movers and Los Angeles County to San Bernardino County in California with 39,865 movers. The two largest county-to-county flows do not differ statistically from each other.
- Among metro areas, in California, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area had 87,565 movers go to the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metro area.
In addition to new data tables, the Census Flows Mapper tool now includes statistics from the 2010-2014 American Community Survey to show demographic statistics on the mover's relationship to the householder, household type and housing tenure. In addition, the 2010-2014 migration flow statistics are available through the Census Application Program Interface (API).
Sweet Emotion: Steve Tyler named recipient of Humanitarian Award
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- Published on 18 November 2016
- Written by The Peorian
The Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations has named Steven Tyler the recipient of its 2016 Humanitarian Award. Tyler will be honored at the Ambassadors' Ball on Dec. 3 in New York.
The honor is in recognition of the musician's philanthropic partnership with Youth Villages through Janie's Fund, created by Tyler in 2015 to give his voice to vulnerable girls who have experienced the trauma of abuse and neglect and are being helped by Youth Villages.
"As a father to three daughters, a son, and, now a grandfather, it broke my heart to learn that each year in America alone 700,000 children are victims of serious abuse or neglect and 68,000 will be sexually abused," Tyler said. "All abuse is wrong -- verbal, physical, sexual, emotional. We need to have better ways as parents to help our children and support them. Way too many kids are experiencing abuse, and we want to change that. Enough is enough."
In its first year, Janie's Fund has gained 2,700 supporters from 38 countries who have contributed more than $1.9 million to help girls receive evidence-based help so that they can overcome the trauma of abuse and neglect. This year, Janie's Fund will allow Youth Villages to provide more than 18,000 days of care to girls in need, directly helping more than 300 girls.
Tyler has long had a desire to help with this issue, dating back to the 1980s when he was in a program for his own recovery. Hearing the personal accounts of women who had experienced incredibly painful and debilitating sexual abuse as children, he saw how the abuse put them on a path of suffering, post-traumatic stress and other disorders that eventually led to substance problems. It was their plight that inspired Tyler to compose the song, "Janie's Got A Gun."
"I personally know how addiction can fracture lives," Tyler said. "I don't wish that on anyone. To use my voice and the voices of many others to help these girls once again find their voice is my mission."
Tyler, the frontman of the legendary rock band Aerosmith, recently released a country album "We're All Somebody from Somewhere," which debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and at the top of the iTunes country downloads. Tyler and Aerosmith have sold more than 150 million records worldwide; he has won four Grammy Awards, six American Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards and an Emmy Award. In addition to having nine number one hits, 25 gold, 18 platinum and 12 multi-platinum album certifications, Tyler, along with the rest of his band members, were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon has a long history in the fight to end violence against women.
"Break the silence," the secretary-general has said "When you witness violence against women and girls, do not sit back. Act! Violence against women and girls will not be eradicated until all of us—men and boys—refuse to tolerate it!"
"In choosing this year's recipient, we searched diligently to find the humanitarian whose efforts are in harmony with the Secretary General, who will be saluted at this year's Ambassadors' Ball as his decade of UN leadership ends on December 31," said Mel Gee Henderson, HCUND co-chair. "We came to realize Steven Tyler is not only a gifted composer and musician with a great big voice but a soul with an even bigger heart who sincerely wants to help those suffering from the horrific pain of abuse."
Luz MacArthur, chairman, said: "Tyler may seem an unexpected choice at first glance. But the more we learned about Janie's Fund, the more convinced we were that Tyler is the person who can genuinely affect and inspire millions to help in the fight against violence inflicted upon girls and women, not just in the U.S. but around the world."
The 2016 HCUND Ambassadors' Ball is sponsored by Cambria, an American-made quartz countertop manufacturer. "As a friend and strong supporter of Steven Tyler and Janie's Fund, Cambria is proud to sponsor the event," said Summer Kath, senior vice president of business development. "We value strong relationships with partners and communities and continues to serve through a multitude of philanthropic initiatives locally and abroad. We hope you'll join us in supporting Janie's Fund."
The Hospitality Committee for United Nations Delegations is the only nonprofit volunteer organization located within the United Nations Headquarters. HCUND promotes and strengthens understanding between all levels of the United Nations diplomatic community, and broadens their appreciation of American culture and customs while serving and residing in New York City.
Youth Villages is a private nonprofit organization that helps more than 22,000 of America's most vulnerable children and families each year in 12 states and Washington, D.C. Youth Villages has been recognized by Harvard Business School and U.S. News & World Report, and was identified by The White House as one of the nation's most promising results-oriented nonprofit organizations. For more information about Youth Villages, visit youthvillages.org. For more information on Janie's Fund go to janiesfund.org.
Stay out of the emergency room this Thanksgiving
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- Published on 20 November 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, good food and good times. The nation's emergency physicians want to help you keep it that way and not have an unwanted memory that involves a medical emergency.
"Emergency physicians are ready to care for you any time you need it," said Rebecca Parker, MD, FACEP, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP). "We are available 24/7, including holidays. But we hope that by following some common sense precautions, you will avoid preventable injuries and illnesses, so you can spend your holiday enjoying time with loved ones."
Food Preparation Safety
The risk of bacterial contamination is high with any raw meat. Wash your hands thoroughly when handling uncooked meat, keep it separate from other foods. Sanitize any surfaces that raw foods come in contact with. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that oven temperatures should be no lower than 325 degrees, and turkeys should be completely thawed before cooking. A food thermometer must register a safe minimum temperature of 165 degrees inside a turkey before it is served.
It's best to cook stuffing in a casserole dish outside the turkey, but if you choose to stuff a turkey, make sure the stuffing reaches a temperature of 165 degrees (CDC) to ensure there is no bacterial contamination. Refrigerate all leftovers within 2 hours.
People with food allergies who have not prepared their own meals at home should ask about the ingredients and how food was prepared to prevent exposure to allergens.
Common Injuries
One of the most common injuries during the Thanksgiving holiday is cuts with knives – specifically carving knives that cut fingers or hands. Be careful when slicing food, and more specifically, do not rush. More accidents occur when carving and cutting too quickly. If possible, allow someone who is experienced in handling sharp knives do the carving.
Burns are another common injury during Thanksgiving. The kitchen can be a dangerous place, especially around the oven and grill. Again, don't rush when cooking dinner, have a plan of execution that leaves you plenty of time to get it done.
A special note of caution is given for anyone who deep fries a turkey. This can be very dangerous and cause serious burns and fires, especially if you have never attempted this before. Make sure to carefully research the proper way to "deep fry" and use extreme caution. Frying a turkey should be done well clear of the home or any flammable structure. Also, never attempt to deep fry a frozen turkey.
Driving Safety
Around 42 million people will drive somewhere for Thanksgiving, according to AAA. With more cars on the roads, more car crashes occur. Avoid injuries by making sure you drive carefully, don't text and drive or talk on a cell phone, always wear your seatbelt and make sure younger children are properly strapped in and obey all traffic laws. It's also important to be rested while driving.
Eating Safely
The key is to approach the Thanksgiving meal with moderation. Food is usually abundant; however, for some, it is too much and consumed too quickly. For those with medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, kidney disease and high blood pressure, excess salt is dangerous. Monitor your sodium intake, and make sure you take any necessary prescription medications, as you would any other day. Consult your doctor if necessary. Eat food slowly, and when satisfied take a break and allow your body to process it. Eating too quickly can cause heartburn, indigestion and may create chest pain, which could require medical assessment.
Injury Prevention
Before or after the meal, it's common for many to head outside and play sports (football, basketball, etc.). Weekend warriors - beware! Injuries can occur for those not used to routine exercise. If you must play a traditional "Thanksgiving game," emergency physicians recommend having fun and going easy — not overdoing it. It's important to pace yourself after a big meal, and for those not used to regular physical activity, you might want to reconsider and participate in a different activity. Emergency physicians see many sprains, strains and fractures in those who try to do too much, too quickly. We also treat patients develop shortness of breath and chest pain from over-extension.
ACEP is the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine. ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education, research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53 chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed by military branches and other government agencies.
CDC: Potentially preventable deaths on the decline
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- Published on 17 November 2016
- Written by PRNewswire
The number of potentially preventable deaths – premature deaths that could have been avoided – declined from 2010 to 2014 for three of the five leading causes of death in the Unites States, CDC researchers estimate.
In 2014, the five leading causes of death for people under age 80 were diseases of the heart, cancers, stroke, chronic lower respiratory diseases (CLRD), such as asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema), and unintentional injuries (accidents). These causes accounted for 63 percent of deaths from all causes in that year. CDC estimates that 15 percent of these cancer deaths, 30 percent of these heart-disease deaths, 43 percent of these unintentional-injury deaths, 36 percent of these CLRD deaths, and 28 percent of these stroke deaths were preventable.
Compared with 2010, in 2014:
- Potentially preventable deaths from cancer decreased 25 percent (driven by a 12 percent decrease in the age-adjusted death rate from lung cancer).
- Potentially preventable deaths from stroke decreased 11 percent.
- Potentially preventable deaths from heart disease decreased 4 percent.
- Potentially preventable deaths from unintentional injuries increased 23 percent (largely due to deaths from drug poisoning and falls).
- Potentially preventable deaths from CLRD increased 1 percent (a small, statistically nonsignificant increase).
"Fewer Americans are dying young from preventable causes of death," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD MPH. "Tragically, deaths from overdose are increasing because of the opioid epidemic, and there are still large differences between states in all preventable causes of death, indicating that many more lives can be saved through use of prevention and treatment available today."
Preventable death estimates are an important public-health tool that help state and federal officials establish prevention goals, priorities, and strategies. Health care providers can prevent premature deaths by offering preventive services such as counseling patients on how to quit smoking, how to prevent heart disease and stroke, and how to avoid unintentional injuries.
"These results are intended for states to better understand the national picture to help them improve local prevention efforts," said Captain Michael Iademarco, director of CDC's Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services."