Leisurely attitude awaits runners in upcoming Royal Oak event

By JIM EVANS For The Oakland Press

A runner takes part in the inaugural Royal Oak cross country alumni run. The third annual event will be held Thursday, Aug. 16, in Quickstad Park. (Submitted photo)

ROYAL OAK No, the waiver will not be four type-written, single-spaced pages.

Nor will Royal Oak High School boys cross country coaches Ryan Piippo and Dave Barnett be flanked at the third annual alumni run by both ample medical staff and legal representation in the form of the entire Sam Bernstein Law Firm clan.

A waiver? We dont even bother with having people fill out a registration form, said Barnett, laughing.

The intent of the Royal Oak High School cross country alumni run is good will, not litigation. That run will be held Thursday, Aug. 16, at the high school course in Quickstad Park. Race time is 7 p.m., but participants are asked to arrive early to check in.

Runners should gather in the parking lot that is situated at Lexington Boulevard and Marais Avenue.

The Welcome Mat is out for all former Royal Oak Dondero, Royal Oak Kimball and Royal Oak High School runners, as well as interested community members.

To paraphrase the inscription on the Statute of Liberty: "Give Piippo and Barnett your tired, your huddled masses yearning to catch their breath

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Leisurely attitude awaits runners in upcoming Royal Oak event

Top 10 Drugstore/Pharmacy Makeup

06-08-2012 16:30 Simones 'Top 10' Video..... .....And channel..... My Max Factor 'Ageless Elixir' Foundation Video..... Go to my blog for pictures, extra information & more..... Facebook page..... Twitter..... Personal (Non-makeup) Youtube Channel..... Non-makeup twitter ..... Website (Makeup) ..... E-mail ..... Thanks for Watching!!! Siobhán. xx

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Top 10 Drugstore/Pharmacy Makeup

Emeli Sandé’s long journey from med school to the Opening Ceremonies

Before her debut album hit No. 1 in the U.K., and before she started penning tracks with the likes of Alicia Keys and playing to North American arenas with Coldplay, Emeli Sand would enter talent competitions at the medical school where she studied in Glasgow.

Everyone else came out, she recalls. There were breakdancers all med students have a hidden talent. Everyone played something. In my third year, they said, We would prefer if you didnt come back.

Her erstwhile competitors could see that with her sweet and boomingly soulful voice, she was in a different league and yet for years, record labels turned her down. They just didnt see it, she says. They could hear the songs were good, but I dont know that they understood: Theres this med student. Shes not from the BRIT School [a performing-arts academy in London whose alumni include Adele and Amy Winehouse]. Her success, in the end, wasnt your normal pop star story, but hopefully it made [labels] see that if you want something to stick, you have to do something different.

On the morning after an opening set for Coldplay at Torontos Air Canada Centre, Sand smiles as she lounges on a leather couch in the screening room of a Yorkville hotel so posh it has carports at the front and rear to accommodate decoy celebrity vehicles. Her dyed-blond hair done up in a sideways-apostrophe quiff, she wears her glamour with a touch of funkiness, and she hardly comes across as entitled. She speaks in a soft Scots burr about being grateful for every opportunity shes been given thus far, including singing at the Olympics Opening Ceremony, with a rumoured slot in the Closing Ceremony on Aug. 12 as well (her lips are sealed as to specifics, but she allows that being selected means the world to her).

On this continent, she remains much of an unknown quantity: Onstage before Coldplay, she sang as people were still filing into the venue. Her short and winsome set mixed her pop, gospel, R&B and dance-music leanings and seemed to win her some new fans. You just have to come completely unassuming and start afresh, she says.

Sand is the daughter of a Zambian father and a Cumbrian mother, who met in the 80s as students in Sunderland, in northeast England. There, she says, they got a lot of abuse for being together, and [with] their families it was quite difficult as well. I guess thats made me very strong in who I am, knowing what theyve struggled through just because they felt it was right.

The family moved to tiny Alford, in Aberdeenshire, where her father started teaching and directing a secondary school choir. When she was a child, he introduced her to the likes of Anita Baker and Cline Dion all these massive vocalists and her habit of wandering around the house belting out Mariah Carey tunes convinced her parents she had talent. But even though she signed a publishing deal to write songs at age 16, she also had a passion for science; she enrolled in medical school, aiming to be either a psychiatrist or a neurologist. I really was a geek, she says. It was exciting for me! As she studied, her relatives would send recordings of her singing to people in radio and TV. She landed a gig singing a hook on a hit single by rapper Chipmunk, but the video was shot on a day when was writing an exam; unperturbed, the label hired an actress to mime her part.

Sand started shopping herself around to record companies a process so frustrating that it inspired her to write the song Clown, with lyrics about performing for unappreciative people. Labels responses were sadly predictable: Everybody said, Thats a great song for this person and this person, but they didnt want to sign me.

Finally another guest spot with grime artist Wylie convinced Virgin Records to take her on. Having completed a neuroscience B.Sc. (but not the full med-school training), she abandoned her studies and moved to London, taking with her the discipline she had learned from counting cells in microscopes, and an interest in how music affects the brain. As she worked on her own album, she began writing songs for big names such as rapper Tinie Tempah and X Factor superstar Susan Boyle, always aiming to stretch singers out of their comfort zones.

It made me realize that I must keep doing things that are a surprise to me

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Emeli Sandé’s long journey from med school to the Opening Ceremonies

New vet med dean discusses his priorities

Aug. 7, 2012

Newly appointed School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Mark D. Markel spoke with Inside UW-Madison about his priorities and challenges for Wisconsin veterinary medical education and scholarship. Here are some of his thoughts:

Inside UW: What do you see as your top priorities out of the gate?

Markel: My goal is to carry on the outstanding traditions already in place at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine and to build upon them to enhance the education of our students, the clinical service we provide to our patients and the research we conduct designed to benefit both animal and human health. My top priority will be to engage everyone at the school, and its many alumni, friends, referring veterinarians, and our partners in the agricultural industry to best determine how and where to focus our efforts in the coming decade to maintain and enhance our excellence in teaching, research and clinical service.

Inside UW: What are some of the biggest challenges you expect to face?

Markel: Despite the advances in veterinary medicine in the past 100 years, the profession faces many challenges today and in the coming decades. These challenges have come to the forefront with the budget crises that most states and the federal government continue to face. These have negatively impacted the schools ability to reward our outstanding faculty and staff, to fund our various research programs, and to minimize the debt load of our students. It will be my job to stay focused on recruiting and retaining the most outstanding faculty, staff and students in this environment to help address these issues.

Inside UW: Do you see any new directions or initiatives for the school on the horizon?

Markel: The school needs to remain focused on its core mission of providing outstanding teaching, research and clinical service. My goal will be for the school to critically evaluate each of these priorities and then implement strategies to enhance our leadership in these areas. Its too early to say what those strategies will be but central to any effort we undertake will be to recruit the most outstanding faculty, staff and students possible with the goal that they will serve as the future leaders in the veterinary medical profession.

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New vet med dean discusses his priorities

Downtown pharmacy robbery suspect pleads not guilty

PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -

A man accused of robbing a downtown drug store and getting pinned to the ground by store workers is pleading not guilty.

Jocelin Olson entered that plea in court Monday. He was arraigned on robbery charges.

His trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 18.

Investigators said he threatened to kill everyone inside the Central Discount Drug on Southwest Fourth Avenue last month unless they gave him drugs and cash.

Witnesses said he claimed to have a gun, but no one saw one.

When the suspect tried to leave, police said the store owner and another employee held him on the ground until police arrived.

The case has also created some controversy regarding the response of a police officer.

A witness said he ran out of the store and told an off-duty officer about the holdup, but claimed the officer didn't respond because he wasn't on duty at the time.

Portland police leaders said the officer in question has come forward and an internal affairs investigation was immediately opened over the situation.

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Downtown pharmacy robbery suspect pleads not guilty

School supporters acknowledged by alumni

Helping others is often a thankless job but that isnt the case for two supporters of Sequoia Union High School District who will soon be honored with the Purple Patriot Award.

Don Milhaupt and Mayela Ramirez were selected as Sequoia High School Alumni Association 2011-12 Purple Patriot Award winners, an annual award honoring individuals and organizations that have demonstrated outstanding service or provided a significant benefit to Sequoia Union High School District in Redwood City. Both will be recognized at the annual alumni picnic Saturday, Aug. 18. Each noted how special it is to be recognized. And, even without recognition, each raved about the opportunity to work with and support the Sequoia community.

I love my work. I love my position. I love my community, said 57-year-old Ramirez.

Ramirez grew up in Mexico and came to the United States to seek medical assistance for her son 27 years ago. It started as a 15-day trip. They had some family in California but, once in the Bay Area, her family knew no one and had very little. Now she cant go into a store without running into someone she knows. Ramirez laughed, My husband said we need to move so he can have some privacy.

But Ramirez truly enjoys running into people. She started working with the Sequoia Union High School District as a parent volunteer when her four sons began taking classes at Sequoia High School in the late 90s. She started a volunteer tutoring program at her home, which was supported by the district. She signed on to new opportunities as they became available. In 2000, the school opened the Parent Center with Ramirez as the coordinator.

The Alumni Association wrote, (Ramirez) is an especially important person for Hispanics within the Sequoia community. She performs a vital role by translating and helping parents understand the tools necessary to better help their children in school. She is always available and always trying to help parents with the various activities within the school regardless of whether or not it is her direct responsibility. Many times she works extra hours in order to help parents.

Ramirez verified the last part and noted her kids often lived with her at the school hours after the last bell rang as she offered parents flexible times to fit their schedule. For her, its a chance to give back to people who are in a situation she was in when moving to California knowing few people and needing help.

Being recognized for years of work is emotional for Ramirez who is quick to point out others who support her efforts. One such supporter is her fellow Purple Patriot Milhaupt. Together, Ramirez said, they have worked on the schools adopt-a-family program during the holidays. With help from Second Harvest Food Bank, they supported 50 families in December and during Thanksgiving.

Milhaupt, 59, is passionate about working with students now, but it didnt start that way.

Growing up in Wisconsin, Milhaupt didnt think of doing anything when he grew up until the summer after his sophomore year. At the encouragement of a friend, Milhaupt served as a summer camp counselor for students with special needs. His desire to work with such students became clear.

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School supporters acknowledged by alumni

What matters to you?

Do you care about the lack of housing affordability in Australia? Does it matter to you that for the first time in human history more people are suffering from over-nutrition than under-nutrition? Should high school completion rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students be higher on the national agenda?

Five of the University of Sydney's academics and alumni have shared what matters most to them in the fifth month of our What Matters campaign. Now the University is calling on members of the public to cast their votes to find out what matters most to them.

Each month, five new 'Leading Lights' from the University of Sydney community talk about how their work has made a difference to the world.

Leading Lights for August include:

Professor Stephen Simpson, Academic Director, Charles Perkins Centre: Controlling our weight

"Now, for the first time in human history, more people on the planet are suffering the diseases of over-nutrition than are suffering the problems of under-nutrition. So it's estimated 1.6 billion people are either overweight or obese, with associated health consequences."

For Professor Stephen Simpson, Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow in the School of Biological Sciences, an initial interest in locust swarms led to a fascination for human nutrition.

"The locust knows what it needs and eats what it needs. We found that actually locusts, and it transpired all other animals that we've studied, have separate appetites for protein, fat, carbohydrate and they can respond with really quite sophisticated nutritional wisdom," Professor Simpson says.

"We then addressed the question; well why is it that humans seem to have such a lack of nutritional wisdom?"

His current research investigates why people eat what they do and how our modern nutritional environment may circumvent basic nutritional wisdom.

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What matters to you?

People’s Pharmacy: Wife’s estrogen cream’s potential impact on husband

Q: Is my husband at risk of absorbing estrogen during intercourse after I've used Estrace cream vaginally?

A: According to the North American Menopause Society, Estrace or other vaginal creams (Premarin) should not be used right before sex because the partner may absorb the estrogen hormone through his skin (Journal of Reproductive Medicine, January 2008). Over time, estrogen could have a feminizing effect.

Q: How can I tell if I have applied an adequate amount of sunscreen to protect my kids? They are so excited to get into the ocean that they squirm when I apply lotion. It's hard to tell if I miss a spot.

A: One of the most effective sunscreen ingredients is zinc oxide. You may remember it as the white cream lifeguards used to smear on their noses.

Nowadays zinc oxide is available in micro formulations that are less ghostly but still have a whitish tint when first applied. That way you can tell whether you have covered the kids adequately, and you will be encouraged to rub it in well.

Q: I take amitriptyline at night to help me sleep. I have read that this drug might make me more sensitive to the heat. Could my sleeping pill be dangerous?

A: Amitriptyline is a sedating antidepressant. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved it for use as a sleeping pill, although it is frequently prescribed for this purpose.

Because amitriptyline interferes with sweating, your body cannot dissipate extra heat as it normally would. This might put you at risk for heat stroke.

Stopping the drug suddenly might cause withdrawal symptoms, including insomnia. Please discuss this dilemma with your doctor.

Q: My 93-year-old mother was in assisted living. She was having stomach pain, not eating much and losing weight. When I checked her meds, I found that the heart drug digoxin might be causing the problem and asked her doctor to change the medication.

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People's Pharmacy: Wife's estrogen cream's potential impact on husband

Coventry grieves loss of well-loved teacher

The memories flooded David McCormicks room at Coventry High School on Thursday. About 24 hours later, students had a 120-square-foot poster covering two chalkboards nearly filled with goodbyes.

I will always miss you and love you, one comment reads. There will be a huge hole in our hearts, another writes.

McCormick, 50, died this week. Investigators at the county medical examiners office said that toxicology reports in the next few weeks may determine the cause of death but assured that there were no signs of foul play.

Meanwhile, a district grieves.

The outpour of grief has been overwhelming, said Cindy McDonald, Coventry High School principal.

McDonald describes McCormick as an iconic figure at Coventry.

He was Mr. Coventry.

He announced most school events, whether sports or academic related. He was involved in the PTA and the boosters. He was a social studies teacher at the high school and the senior class advisor.

But it was the things he did everyday that she and others will never forget.

Students told McDonald that he would smile when he saw them. Others confessed that it was because of McCormick that they decided to stick it out and attend college.

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Coventry grieves loss of well-loved teacher

Mattress Firm and Protect-A-Bed Launch Back to School Campaign to Increase Awareness of the Health and Academic …

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As American families and students prepare for the start of a new school year, Mattress Firm, the nations largest mattress retailer, has teamed up with Protect-A-Bed to help raise awareness for the health and academic benefits of a good nights sleep.

According to The National Sleep Foundation, school-aged kids from 5-12 years old need 10-11 hours of sleep each night to meet the demands of academic and extracurricular activities. In teenagers and young adults, 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep is critical to optimal school performance. Poor or inadequate sleep can lead to mood swings, behavioral problems such as hyperactivity and cognitive problems that impact their performance in school. According to a study by the Journal of Sleep Research, students 1114 who obtained lower levels of sleep exhibited lower self-esteem and grades, and higher levels of depression.

Interestingly, its not only the quantity of sleep that matters; quality matters too. The Better Sleep Council estimates that nearly 70 percent of old beds are handed down, often repeatedly, to children. Parents will upgrade to a new mattress set but their kids often sleep on beds that are 10 years old or more. The Better Sleep council advises that old mattresses should be replaced. A poorly constructed mattress or a mattress that is beyond eight years old often fails to support the body, causing muscle aches and fatigue.

At Mattress Firm, we are committed to helping our customers get a good nights sleep, and part of that commitment is educating them about the importance of replacing a mattress every eight years, said Steve Stagner, President and Chief Executive Officer at Mattress Firm. As students start the school year, its a good time to think about the age of their mattress. Newer mattresses provide optimal support that can help the body feel rested and refreshed in the morning, leading to better physical and mental performance all day long.

Mattress Firms Back to School partnership with Protect-A-Bed, the leading provider of bedding protection products, is focused on raising awareness of the importance of a healthy and comfortable sleep environment. Unprotected mattresses, especially in a dormitory setting, can absorb dust mites, germs and bodily fluids after many years of different people using the mattresses, said James Bell, Chief Executive Officer at Protect-A-Bed. Protect-A-Bed mattress encasements and protectors, create a layer between students and whats lurking in their mattresses, to create a more hygienic sleep environment.

Furthermore, according to Bell, mattress protection will prevent additional damage to the mattress in the event of an accident. Student-caused damage to a mattress results in damage fees at many colleges and universities.

To celebrate the Back to School season, Mattress Firm and Protect-A-Bed are hosting the Sleep Smart sweepstakes during the month of August. Students and parents can like the Mattress Firm and Protect-A-Bed Facebook pages, share back to school sleep tips, and register to be eligible for weekly mattress protection giveaways. On August 31, one grand-prize winner will be selected at random to win a bedding protection kit and a $500 Visa gift card. More details on how to enter are available at http://apps.facebook.com/sweepstakeshq/contests/270681.

For students and families looking to purchase a bed or mattress protection during the month of August, Mattress Firm is holding Back-to-School sales in stores nationwide. Faculty, staff and alumni are also eligible for special discounts and pricing which includes:

About Mattress Firm

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Mattress Firm and Protect-A-Bed Launch Back to School Campaign to Increase Awareness of the Health and Academic ...