src: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/27/world/asia/27recall.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

BEIJING — Two weeks after Chinese companies began recalling infant milk formula because of contamination by an industrial chemical, foods tainted with that chemical — melamine — are turning up in other parts of China and Asia, fanning fears in other parts of the world.

In Hong Kong, Heinz Foods this week recalled its vegetable formula baby cereal after some samples of it tested positive for melamine. In Taiwan, Pizza Hut said it had found cheese packets similarly contaminated. Officials in Macao, a Chinese territory, said Friday that the chemical had turned up in koala-shaped cookies made by a Japanese-owned company. And several African nations moved to ban imports of Chinese dairy products this week.

[ Read the rest ... ]

src: http://wtop.com/?nid=108&sid=1438338

By JOHN DUNBAR
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday he will recommend that the nation's largest cable company be punished for violating agency principles that guarantee customers open access to the Internet.

The potentially precedent-setting move stems from a complaint against Comcast Corp. that the company had blocked Internet traffic among users of a certain type of "file sharing" software that allows them to exchange large amounts of data.


[ Read the rest ... ]

src: http://www.babycenter.com/204_new-ear-tube-device-helps-treat-infections-faster_5234195.bc?scid=momstodd_20080708:2&pe=2TTII6H

Wed, Jul 2, 2008 (HealthDay News) — A new device meant to make surgical treatment of ear infections safer and faster has been developed by a University of Virginia team.

The device, which combines three of the tools used in the surgical implantation of ear ventilation tubes, has shown promising results in clinical trials.

Each year in the United States, about 2.2 million children need to have tubes implanted for the treatment of chronic ear infections (otitis media) with effusion. The tubes are inserted to relieve pressure and fluid build-up.


[ Read the rest ... ]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
June 30, 2008
Contact:
Minh Thanh Nguyen, Executive Director
Ph: (504) 253-6000
Email: minhnguyen@vayla-no.org



New Orleans, LA—On May 19, two co-valedictorians from Ellender High School honored their parents for their sacrifices by incorporating their native Vietnamese language into parts of their commencement speech. They then translated those brief words into English for the general audience. In response, the Terrebonne Parish school board is currently considering a policy, primarily sponsored by Rickie Pitre, to require that all future commencement speeches be in English only. The fact that these top students at Ellender High School speak fluently in two languages is a tribute to both their families and to an educational system that has not, until now, compelled them to sacrifice their culture and heritage for the sake of their education.


[ Read the rest ... ]

Dear Terrebonne Parish Board Members,

According to the article in the Associated Press on June 29, 2008, you are considering a policy that would require all commencement speeches to be in English only. As a fellow school board member, I do share with you a concern to be inclusive and fair to all students and families whom we serve. That is the primary reason that I would like to caution you to critically examine all perspectives prior to making your final decision. Adopting a policy that would allow English-only speeches in your parish would send a negative message to certain groups of parents and students in your district and create unnecessary tension and division between and among groups of diverse parents and students. From what was described in the news article, both of the students' speeches were in English except
for short phrases or sentences specifically addressing their parents and that their meanings were explicitly explained in English so no one felt excluded. There are several issues that I would like for you to consider: students' language ability, families' cultural values, and the school-family-community relationship.


[ Read the rest ... ]

src: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/us/30english.html?ref=us

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: June 30, 2008

HOUMA, La. (AP) — School officials in Terrebonne Parish are considering a policy that would require all commencement speeches to be in English.

The proposal comes after Hue and Cindy Vo, cousins who were co-valedictorians at Ellender High School, delivered part of their commencement addresses last month in Vietnamese.


[ Read the rest ... ]