(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Just when you thought it might be a dead horse, that pony is runnin’ again.  Yes the birther issue is alive and well.  Not that it ever was really a dead issue.  This has continued to boil beneath the surface from day one.  Now, before you become too critical of me for bringing this up, it only seems rational and fair that you would fully vet a candidate for office, including verifying beyond any doubt that they were in fact born in the U.S.A, right?  If we have to prove ourselves to be U.S. citizens for something as seemingly petty as a driver’s ed course, why not someone aiming to be POTUS?  Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County (Phoenix) Arizona has an active investigation going into the issue.  Why was this issue not addressed prior to Obama’s election?  Did someone drop the ball?  Did someone fail to do their job?  Say it isn’t so!

The crack team at the late Andrew Breitbart’s website has uncovered a 1991 booklet produced by Obama’s then literary agents that may take this debate to a whole new level that even the most ardent Obama supporters will not be able to ignore.  Click here and see for yourself.

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Makaristos, Flickr

The upcoming 2012 Summer Olympics marks 40 years since 11 Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

In commemoration, the Israeli government and two US Congressmen asked for a moment of silence at this summer’s event, only to have the International Olympic Committee reject the proposal.

Danny Ayalon, the deputy foreign minister of Israel, sent a letter requesting the minute of silence to Jacques Rogge, the president of the IOC, on behalf of two widows of the murdered athletes. In addition, representatives Eliot L. Engel and Nita M. Lowey, both Democrats from New York, sent a letter of their own to Rogge.

In rejecting the requests, Rogge said, “We strongly sympathize with the victims’ families and understand their lasting pain,” adding that the IOC “has officially paid tribute to the memory of the athletes on several occasions and will continue to do so in close coordination with the National Olympic Committee of Israel.”

Ayalon called the response “unacceptable” and said in a statement, “The terrorist murders of the Israeli athletes were not just an attack on people because of their nationality and religion; it was an attack on the Olympic Games and the international community. Thus it is necessary for the Olympic Games as a whole to commemorate this event in the open rather than only in a side event.”

[The New York Times]

Bryan Bedder / Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

George Strait
Age: 60
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: A slew of country hits including ‘Fool Hearted Memory,’ ‘Ocean Front Property,’ ‘She’ll Leave You with a Smile’ and ‘You’ll Be There,’ dozens of industry awards, holding the record for the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country charts, and holding the record for most No. 1 albums, gold albums, and platinum albums in the history of country music

Tina Fey
Age: 42
Occupation: Actor, Writer and Comedic Genius
Known For: Her brilliant work as both a writer and performer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ’30 Rock,’ penning the screenplay for the movie ‘Mean Girls,’ her spot-on portrayal of Sarah Palin on ‘SNL,’ writing the hilarious bestseller ‘Bossypants,’ being the youngest-ever winner of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and being an icon for smart, funny women everywhere

Joe Bonsall
Age: 64
Occupation: Singer and Author
Known For: Being one of the singers for the Oak Ridge Boys, which had country and crossover singles like ‘Elvira,’ ‘Bobbie Sue’ and ‘American Made,’ and writing books like ‘The Molly Books’ children’s series and ‘GI Joe and Lillie’

Chow Yun-fat
Age: 57
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His role as Li Mu-bai in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ his Asian film collaborations with filmmaker John Woo in the heroic bloodshed genre films ‘A Better Tomorrow,’ ‘The Killer’ and ‘Hard Boiled,’ and voiceover work for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ video games

Jack Johnson
Age: 37
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: His successful debut album, ‘Brushfire Fairytales,’ his work on surfing movies and soundtracks, being the organizer of the annual Kōkua Festival, and songs like ‘Better Together,’ ‘Flake’ and ‘You and Your Heart’

National Gallery of Art

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of the French (More info)

1896 – The US Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson that “separate but equal” is constitutional (More info)

1933 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an act creating the Tennessee Valley Authority (More info)

1980 – Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupts after being dormant for 123 years (More info)

2004 – Randy Johnson, age 40, becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game (More info)

philliecasablanca, flickr

Pop quiz: if one man orders a soy burger and another orders a steak, which guy do you think is more masculine?

If you said the steak-eater, you aren’t alone. A new study indicates people tend to think meat is far more macho than vegetarian choices.

Researchers conducted several experiments to study the metaphors people use about foods meat and vegetables, and found the participants not only used more masculine words when talking about meat, they perceived meat-eaters as more manly.

“To the strong, traditional, macho, bicep-flexing, All-American male, red meat is a strong, traditional, macho, bicep-flexing, all-American food,” the researchers wrote. “Soy is not. To eat it, they would have to give up a food they saw as strong and powerful like themselves for a food they saw as weak and wimpy.”

This means health experts who advocate eating less meat may have a tough sell with guys. The study authors say that addressing the metaphors that shape consumer attitudes would help, but something as simple as reshaping soy burgers to make them look more like traditional hamburgers or even putting grill marks on them may make reluctant men more likely to give them a try.

[LiveScience]

Bryan Bedder, Getty Images

Mary Richardson Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert Kennedy Jr., was found dead on Wednesday, and an autopsy has now revealed her cause of death: she died of asphyxiation due to hanging.

Police who went to Kennedy’s home in Bedford, NY on Wednesday afternoon to investigate a “possible unattended death” found the 52-year-old in a building on the grounds.

Mary was Robert Kennedy’s second wife. They married in 1994 and separated in 2010, and she’d struggled for years with alcohol and substance abuse problems. Toxicology tests are still pending and could take months to complete.

A statement released by Kerry Lawrence, her attorney, said, “We deeply regret the death of our beloved sister Mary, whose radiant and creative spirit will be sorely missed by those who loved her. Our heart goes out to her [four] children, who she loved without reservation.”

The death seems to add another chapter to the cursed Kennedy legacy. Robert Kennedy, Jr. is the nephew of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Robert’s father, Robert F. Kennedy, Sr., was shot and killed in 1968.

[The Los Angeles Times]

Supermunch, Flickr

One of the best ways to save money is cooking at home rather than dinning out.

In these times, are Americans choosing to do that?

According to a new poll from Harris Interactive — which suggests the economic recovery is still a long way from being over — more and more people are dining in.

The survey asked 2,451 adults if they agree with the statement “I find myself cooking more instead of going out in order to save money.” Seventy-one percent did agree, with 41 percent agreeing strongly. Among the 26 percent who didn’t agree with the statement, nine percent disagreed strongly.

Despite this move away from dining out, 63 percent of the poll’s respondents had still been to a fast food restaurant chain in the past month, and about half have dined at a local casual dining establishment.

[PR Newswire]

sblackley, Flickr

Sunglasses don’t just make you look cool, they’re also good for your eyes. But a lot of parents don’t seem to know that rule also applies to their kids.

Research done by the Vision Council found that while three-quarters of adults regularly wear sunglasses, only about half make their kids wear them, too. And California ophthalmologist Paul Michelson says that should change.

“A substantial proportion of people still do not understand that UV exposure is harmful to the eyes as well as the skin,” he said. “Even [in] those who do understand, few understand it is the cumulative exposure that can be damaging.”

Among adults, the top three reasons given for not wearing sunglasses were that they forgot them at home, they break or lose them too often, and they don’t believe their eyes are at risk from sun exposure.

People with light-colored eyes are more susceptible to UV damage than people with brown eyes, but the risks for everyone include cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and cancer of the eye, eyelid or surrounding skin.

[WebMD]

China Photos, Getty Images

At a school in China, hard work isn’t just rewarded with success — it’s rewarded with air conditioning, too.

Binhe Middle and High School in Shenzhen, China has 11 classes for 10th-graders, but only four of them — the honors classes — are air conditioned. Kids in the other classes have to sweat it out with only fans for comfort.

Students who do well on their high school entrance exams don’t just get a more comfortable classroom, they also get the most experienced and competent teachers. In exchange, those elite kids are expected to later enroll at one of the country’s universities.

A Binhe students said kids in the non-honors classes have offered to buy air conditioning units themselves and even pay for the electricity required to run them, but school authorities rebuffed their request, saying, “We may be put under investigation by education authorities if we allow such a practice.”

But the rationale behind the refusal seems to go deeper. One teacher said kids need to learn they can’t get whatever they want and that learning in a hot classroom will help them acquire the skills necessary to “overcome difficulties.”

Parents of some of those children are understandably upset, with one saying, “I think the school should treat all the students equally. Students in honors classes should not be given special treatment.”

[China Daily]

Mani, flickr

In 2011, there were more racial or ethnic minorities born in the United States than white babies. This marks the first time in history that minorities make up the majority of births in the US.

Of the 4.1 million babies born last year, 50.4% were minorities, while 49.6% were white. A total of 1.99 million were white, while another 1.05 million are classified as Hispanic. The remaining are black, mixed race, Asian, Native American or Pacific Islander.

According to the latest census data, there are now 114.1 million minorities in the US, which comprises 36.6% of the country’s total population.

This landmark in minority births is coming at time in which Hispanic and Asian immigration is leveling off — if not going into a decline. Yet because the Hispanic population, in particular, trends young they are still having babies at higher rate than the older white population.

Demographers estimate that the entire US population will become ‘majority minority’ sometime between 2040 and 2050.

[Associated Press]

Wayne Wilson, Getty Images

There is some good news being reported about the state of young people in America.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, fewer American teens and young adults are smoking cigarettes than they were nearly a decade ago.

This new report consists of data collected each year between 2004 and 2010 as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Researchers interviewed nearly 158,000 people between the ages of 12 and 17 and roughly 159,000 men and women between the ages of 18 to 25.

• The number of children between the ages of 12 and 17 who smoked every day fell from 3.3% in 2004 to 1.9% in 2010.
• Young people ages 18 to 25 years old also reported decreased daily tobacco use – from 20.4% in 2004 to 15.8% in 2010.
• The ranks of young smokers between the ages of 12 and 17 who smoke five or fewer cigarettes a day grew from nearly 37% in 2004 to almost 43% in 2010.
• The largest group of daily smokers between the ages of 18 to 25 who smoked between six and 15 cigarettes a day slightly increased from about 41% in 2004 to roughly 44% in 2010.
• There was nearly a 3% decrease in young adults who smoked 26 or more cigarettes a day.

According to researchers, the downward trend in tobacco use could be the result of anti-smoking laws, tax increases, and tougher laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors.

Researchers also add that while these findings may be encouraging, many kids are still picking up this dangerous habit.

[WebMD]

Kevork Djansezian, Getty Images

At the end of April, Honolulu County passed a ban that made Hawaii the first state in the nation to ban plastic bags at store checkouts statewide. Of the four counties in the state, three had previously passed bans and the Honolulu County decision officially made the ban statewide.

The Hawaii chapter of the Sierra Club has spent two years campaigning for a plastic bag ban. Robert Harris, director of the chapter said, “Passing the bans did take an effort — change always does — but people seemed to understand the need for such an effort.”

He believes that in the end it was easy to go statewide because Hawaii is a marine state. “Perhaps we are exposed more directly to the impacts of plastic pollution and the damage it does to our environment,” he said.

Harris also explained that the group had lobbied for state legislation, but that effort failed. The group used the exposure from it to petition the four counties to make their own bans which would then have an effect statewide.

The Honolulu County Council passed the final ban late last month, but mayor and county executive Peter Carlisle held back his support, feeling that he needed more input from the public because of enforcement and cost concerns. Last Thursday, Mayor Carlisle showed his full support by signing the ban and helping Hawaii earn its first-in-the-nation status.

Retailers have three years to comply with the county law that bans non-biodegradable plastic bags at checkout, as well as paper bags that are not at least 40 percent recycled. The ban will take full effect in July of 2015. You can find a list of other areas that have enacted bans on plastic bags at PlasticBagBanReport.com.

[MSNBC]

Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Disco legend Donna Summer has died after a battle with cancer, TMZ is reporting. She was 63 years old.

Insiders say she wanted to keep the disease quiet, and a friend said that as recently as two weeks ago, Summer seemed okay and was even finishing up work on a new album.

The five-time Grammy winner shot to fame in the 1970s with songs like ‘Love to Love You Baby,’ ‘Hot Stuff’ and ‘Bad Girls,’ and continued her reign on radio airwaves into the ’80s with hits including ‘She Works Hard for the Money’ and ‘This Time I Know It’s for Real.’

Summer was also the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach No. 1 on the US Billboard chart.

[TMZ]

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

If you’re a Verizon Wireless customer who was grandfathered in with an unlimited data plan after the company eliminated the option for new customers, enjoy it while it lasts — the company will be moving you to a tiered plan soon.

Speaking at the JP Morgan Technology, Media and Telecom conference on Wednesday, Verizon CFO Fran Shammo said customers with unlimited 3G data access will be required to switch to a data-share plan after transitioning to the company’s 4G LTE service.

“LTE is our anchor point for data share. So, as you come through an upgrade cycle and you upgrade in the future, you will have to go on to the data share plan,” Shammo said. “Everyone will be on [it]. A lot of our 3G base is on unlimited… [and] when they migrate off 3G they will have to go to data share.”

So when will that happen and how much will it cost? The data share plan is scheduled to launch in mid-summer, but pricing details have yet to be announced.

[Fierce Wireless]

ed yourdon, flickr

Riding a bicycle is no longer just for kids without a driver’s license or adults carrying around the burden of a DUI.

These days, more and more Americans are jumping on their bikes as a way to get some much needed exercise, as well as an alternative to driving or using public transportation.

With respect to May being National Bike Month, the people at Walk Score, which is a website that rates neighborhoods for their “walkability,” has just released its list of the top 10 most bike-friendly cities in America. These cities were rated by the number and quality of bike lanes and trails, destinations and road connectivity, and number of bike commuters and hills.

The highest possible rating that could be awarded was 100, although the top-rated city this year, Minneapolis, could only muster a 79.

So if your city made the list, congratulations. If it did not, Bike Score invites you to air your grievances.

America’s Most ‘Bikeable’ Cities:

1. Minneapolis
2. Portland, Oregon
3. San Francisco
4. Boston
5. Madison, Wisconsin
6. Washington, DC
7. Seattle
8. Tucson, Arizona
9. New York City
10. Chicago

[TIME]

Brandon Wade, Getty Images

One of America’s greatest exports isn’t a product, a car or even a tangible object. It’s self-esteem. And by that logic, that means Ritalin and cheap whiskey are also our greatest exports.

So it’s no wonder that despite everything that’s going on in the country and the world, a recent study of the Well-Being Index found that a majority of Americans are feeling quite happy overall. That means there are still some sad sacks out there who need cheering up. Here are some reasons that should help them put a smile on their faces:

1. Not only can you eat 24 hours a day, you don’t even have to get out of your car or put on pants to do it.

2. The closest thing our women have to a burka is a Snuggie.

3. Per capita, we have more wet T-shirt contests than any other country.

4. Using donuts instead of sandwich bread is totally acceptable.

5. The news has more sexual content than most late night pay cable movie channels.

6. Our biggest cars can carry a family of 10 or two average-sized Americans.

7. Bacon isn’t the only thing in the store that’s bacon-flavored — and that includes the pharmacy aisle.

8. Other countries give their women jail time for showing too much skin. We give them drink tickets and awards for ‘Best Buns.’

9. We’re so excepting of foreign immigrants who want to live in our country that we elected one president.

10. Hamburgers and hot dogs are a side dish.

11. “On a stick” is one of our four food groups.

12. Our politicians make us laugh and cry at the same time.

Andy Lyons, Ian Walton, Brett Deering / Getty Images

Another leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown, Europe’s biggest annual soccer event and the NBA and NHL playoffs highlight this weekend’s sports schedule:

Friday, May 18

Baltimore Orioles at Washington Nationals

Nationals Park, Washington, DC; 7:05 p.m. EDT; MASN
Despite the teams’ close geographic proximity to one another, an interleague rivalry has never developed between the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals. While each team is normally near the bottom of their respective divisions, the Orioles and Nationals should both be in first place as they open a three-game series in Washington. Jake Arrieta (2-4) takes the mound for Baltimore, while Edwin Jackson (1-1) gets the start for Washington.

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers

Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA; 8 p.m. EDT; ESPN
Behind a dominant performance from veteran center Kevin Garnett, Boston beat Philadelphia, 107-91, in Game 3 of this NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series on Wednesday night. The Celtics now have a 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 on Friday. The 76ers need guards Evan Turner and Jodie Meeks to score more often, if they are to tie this series up as it heads back to Boston next week.

Oklahoma City Thunder at Los Angeles Lakers

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA; 10:30 p.m. EDT; ESPN
After winning the first two games of this NBA Western Conference semifinal series, Oklahoma City heads west to play the Lakers in a very busy weekend for the Staples Center (the Clippers and the NHL’s Kings will also host playoff games at the arena this weekend). The Thunder have already demonstrated that they can win both close games and blowouts in this series. If someone other than Kobe Bryant doesn’t step up for Los Angeles, the Lakers may not survive the weekend thanks to the spectacular play of Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant. Game 4 is set for Saturday at 10:30 p.m. in Los Angeles. TNT will broadcast that contest.

Saturday, May 19

New York Rangers at New Jersey Devils

Prudential Center, Newark, NJ; 1 p.m. EDT; NBC
With a 3-2 win on the road at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, the New Jersey Devils have stolen home ice advantage from the New York Rangers in the NHL’s Eastern Conference finals. The teams will meet in Game 3 with the Devils hoping that veteran goalie Martin Brodeur continues to stonewall the Rangers. New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist has come up with an impressive performance each time his team has needed a lift in this postseason. He will be called on to do so again.

Chelsea at Bayern Munich

Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany; 2:45 p.m. EDT; FOX
Europe’s top soccer clubs will duel in the 2012 UEFA Champions League final, an event which attracts more global viewers than the Super Bowl. Known by its royal blue color, Chelsea has won three Premier League titles, two League Cup titles and four FA Cup titles since demanding owner Roman Abramovich took over the franchise in 2003. However, Chelsea has never won the UEFA Champions League crown in its 107-year history. Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo will have to overcome the absence of captain John Terry, defender Branislav Ivanovic and midfielder Raul Meireles. Bayern Munich, Germany’s most successful club, has won 22 national titles. They’ll be the underdog on the pitch Saturday, but they could surprise given Chelsea’s injuries.

The Preakness Stakes

Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, MD; 6:18 p.m.; NBC
Trainer Doug O’Neill will have Kentucky Derby winner I’ll Have Another ready to run the 137th Preakness Stakes on Saturday at Pimlico outside Baltimore, but it’s Derby runner-up Bodemeister that is the early favorite at 8-5 odds. Eleven horses will compete in the storied race. If I’ll Have Another can come away with another win, the horse will race for the Triple Crown at the Belmont Stakes on June 9. The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978.

Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Phillies

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA; 7:15 p.m. EDT; FOX
Though both teams entered 2012 with World Series hopes and loads of baseball talent, injuries and poor play have left both the Phillies and the Red Sox in last place in their respective divisions. They’ll try to get things turned around on Fox’s national game of the week. Boston will send Jon Lester (2-3) to the mound to shut down a Phillies lineup that has had difficulty working deep into counts and scoring runs. Philadelphia counters with Joe Blanton (2-3), who will attempt to keep Boston’s bats quiet.

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race

Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC; 7 p.m. EDT; Speed
NASCAR’s version of an all-star game, the Sprint All-Star Race invites winning drivers from 2011 and 2012, plus the past 10 event winners and Cup Series champs, to square off for 90 laps in pursuit of $1 million, but no points are awarded toward a Sprint Cup title. The 28th (XXVIII) edition of the race will have five segments: four 20-lap runs and a 10-lap sprint. The leaders of each individual segment will be allowed to pit prior to the 10-lap final, giving those drivers an edge in lining up best for the last 10 laps and the million-dollar purse. Greg Biffle, the circuit’s hottest racer, is the favorite to win.

Sunday, May 20

Phoenix Coyotes at Los Angeles Kings

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA; 3 p.m.; NBC
Already up 2-0 in the NHL’s Western Conference finals heading into Thursday’s Game 3, the Kings could be going for the sweep come Sunday. Los Angeles goalie Jonathan Quick has been nothing short of dominant, as the Kings have a 10-1 record this postseason. Phoenix may lose center Martin Hanzal to a suspension for his boarding penalty on Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown late in Game 2. Phoenix could be at an extreme disadvantage against Quick if Hanzal, who is the Coyotes’ first-line center, can’t play on Sunday.

Miami Heat at Indiana Pacers

Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN; 3:30 p.m. EDT; ABC
This NBA Eastern Conference semifinal series is tied at a game apiece heading into Thursday night’s game in Indianapolis. If the Pacers can defeat Miami, which is without injured center Chris Bosh, they may get Heat superstars LeBron James and Dwayne Wade into panic mode on Sunday. Indiana plays solid interior defense and uses a balanced scoring attack. Forward David West has led the Pacers in scoring in both games of the series thus far.

St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers

Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA; 8:05 p.m. EDT; ESPN
In what should be a battle of two National League division leaders, the defending world champion Cardinals conclude a three-game series in Los Angeles. Kyle Lohse (5-1) gets the start for St. Louis. He’ll try to shut down a Dodgers’ lineup that is without Matt Kemp, Juan Uribe and Juan Rivera. Los Angeles starter Chad Billingsley (2-3) must be careful when pitching to hot-hitting St. Louis outfielder Carlos Beltran. He leads the National League in home runs with 13.

San Antonio Spurs at Los Angeles Clippers

Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA; 10:30 p.m. EDT; TNT
The Clippers dropped Game 1 of this NBA Western Conference semi-final series on Tuesday. With Game 2 set for Thursday and Game 3 on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. EDT; ABC-TV), Los Angeles could easily be down 3-0 by Sunday night. San Antonio has won 15 games in a row and looks nearly unstoppable behind point guard Tony Parker and veteran big man Tim Duncan. Los Angeles needs superstars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to rise to the occasion, or this could be their last game of 2012.

Thinkstock

Coffee drinkers no longer need to fret over health concerns and their beloved beverage, according to a new study by the National Cancer Institute. In fact, feel free to pour an extra cup in the morning because, the study suggests, coffee may actually prolong life.

Over the course of a 14-year study, researchers found that men who drank at least six cups of coffee a day had a 10 percent lower chance of dying than those who drank none. Women had a 15 percent lower chance.

“I would say it offers some reassurance to coffee drinkers,” said Neal Freedman, a nutritional epidemiology researcher and one of the authors of the study. “Other studies have suggested a higher risk of mortality with coffee drinking and we didn’t see that in our study.”

The study looked at the coffee habits of 229,000 men and 173,000 women from 1995 to 2008. It found that even people who drank between two and five cups of coffee daily seemed to have a lower risk of mortality. This applied to both regular and decaffeinated coffee.

It’s important to note, however, that the study highlights only a potential connection between coffee and decreased risk of death. Simply put, researchers aren’t quite sure why their findings highlight an uptick in longevity.

Still, Freedman said, it’s entirely possible that coffee may be beneficial in some unknown way. “Coffee has more than 1,000 compounds and we really don’t know what effects those compounds have on health,” he said.

[MSNBC]

tobyotter, flickr

It seems that all of the junk food that we’ve been eating might not be killing us off as quickly as some might think.

In fact, according to the annual state of the union’s health report, which was released this week by the Center for Disease Control, even though the American population is getting fatter, we are still longer living longer.

The report details the relation between our income and education, life expectancy, disease and risk factors health care costs and our overall health.

Here are some points of interest from the study:

• We are living longer. Since 19080, men’s life expectancy rose from 70 to 76, while women’s increased from 77 to 81.
• Even though heart disease is the most common killer between men and women, the number of deaths from heart disease dropped 32%.
• Caner deaths are down 15% for men and 11%for women.
• Deaths by stroke are down nearly a third for both men and women.
• Nearly 50% of adults living with high blood pressure don’t have it under control, which is surprisingly lower than it was in the 1990’s.
• Obesity has gone up in every age demographic.
• 20% of school age children are now obese.
• Only half of adults over the age of 18 years old meet federal physical activity recommendations.
• More adults are having cancer screening than 10 years ago.
• Drug overdose deaths have nearly doubled in the last decade.
• Nearly a third of money spent on heath care was spent on hospitals.
• Prescription drug costs have more than doubled over the last decade.
• Employees receiving health insurance from their employer decreased 10%.
• Seventeen percent of American adults to not receive timely health care due to cost.

[WEB MD]

Dan Kitwood, Getty Images

A while back, we told you about the Jewish girls’ school in Brooklyn that instituted a Facebook ban for its students, saying using the social media site violated its religious tenets.

Now an elementary school in Australia is following suit, but its demand that kids delete their Facebook pages has an entirely different reason: it’s an attempt to wipe out cyber-bullying.

Leonie Hultgren, principal of Harlaxton State School in Toowoomba, Queensland, said in a newsletter that children must obey Facebook’s rule stating no one under 13 is permitted to sign up for an account. It’s not uncommon for kids to lie about their ages to circumvent that policy, but Hultgren said any of her charges who did so would face expulsion.

Falsifying one’s age to gain access to Facebook is not only against the law, she wrote, but “there has been some considerable Facebook traffic that either bullies a child of this school or in some cases denigrates some staff and the school. Either of these circumstances warrant the school becoming involved.”

Some parents are outraged at the new policy, but child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg applauds it, saying Hultgren’s stance is “directly related to the lack of supervision of very young people who do not have the skills, knowledge and strategies to manage their digital behavior.”

[The Age]