UK's Osborne hopes Tucker stays at Bank of England

DEAR ABBY: I'm a 51-year-old man. Three years ago, my first and only marriage ended after 20 years. Over the past two years, I have been in a wonderful relationship with a very bright woman, "Toni," who told me she had been married twice before.A year ago, her job required that she move out of state, but we have successfully maintained the long-distance relationship with frequent visits and daily phone calls.A few days ago, I learned by chance that she was briefly married a third time while she was in her early 20s. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uks-osborne-hopes-tucker-stays-bank-england-161603656--business.html

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New behavioral strategies may help patients learn to better control chronic diseases

ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2012) ? One of the most important health problems in the United States is the failure of patients with chronic diseases to take their medications and do all that is necessary to control their illnesses.

In a study published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, UCLA researchers and their colleagues suggest that physicians take a serious look at tools and strategies used in behavioral economics and social psychology to help motivate their patients to assert better control over chronic diseases. Breaking large goals into smaller, more manageable parts, for example, may help patients better manage diseases such as diabetes, the researchers say.

Diagnosing diseases and discovering effective treatments aren't the only challenges facing health care professionals in the United States, said Braden Mogler, the paper's lead author and a third-year medical student at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

"One of the big challenges is simply finding ways to help the many patients with chronic diseases understand why treatment is important and how to follow it," Mogler said. "Many doctors often lack effective tools to encourage patients in these ways. There is a lot of research from the social sciences on human behavior and encouraging individual change, and this paper shows how that research can potentially be applied to doctor-patient interactions."

In the study, the researchers highlight the shortcomings of some approaches frequently used to try to get individuals to control their diseases, such as scaring patients, overwhelming them with technical information, and focusing on consequences that are far in the future.

They then identify several tools used by psychologists and behavioral economists that can change behavior but which have not been employed often in medical care, and suggest that research on such alternative approaches is an urgent need. These approaches include:

• Helping patients form very specific plans to achieve their health goals -- for example, identifying the time when they will take their medicines, having them determine what they will do if their prescriptions run out and they don't have a doctor's appointment, and giving them a place to record whether they took the medicines.
• Breaking big goals into smaller tasks that get patients to their ultimate goal step-by-step -- useful for goals like extreme weight loss, adhering to medication regimens and checking blood sugar every day, or exercising several times a week.
• Using cash payments to patients as a motivator to get them on track but supplementing that with strategies that will increase their desire to stay healthy and live longer.

If studies show these techniques make a difference, they might improve health and decrease health care costs, said co-author Dr. Martin Shapiro, chief of the division of general internal medicine and health services research at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

"Helping patients get their chronic diseases under control sometimes requires changing medications but mostly comes down to helping patients understand why treatment is important and how they can follow it in their busy lives," Shapiro said. "There is a lot of exciting research on how we can help people change to achieve their goals in other fields, and we believe translating those ideas to health care is an important next step in medical research."

The study's authors found that some of these techniques are being used to a limited degree in health care settings -- helping patients quit smoking by settling on an exact quit date, for instance, has proven more effective than speaking in general terms about quitting soon. Still, many other potentially effective techniques have not been studied in medical settings, and the authors stress the need for clinical trials to evaluate their effectiveness.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/ZquQMOoOR3w/121127094317.htm

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Medical Group: Sell The Pill Without Prescription | Health X Pert ...

WebMD Medical News By Rita Rubin Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD Nov. 20, 2012 ? Oral contraceptives should be made available without a prescription to reduce unintended pregnancies, according to a newly published opinion by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Whether the pill should go over-the-counter has been debated at least since the early 1990s, says Dan Grossman, MD. He?s vice president of research at Ibis Reproductive Health, a research and advocacy organization. His research is cited in the opinion. ?I think it is a bold move,? Grossman says. ?There haven?t been any big surveys of ob-gyns about what they think about this. I?m really proud of ACOG for standing by the evidence.? A growing body of ?compelling? research supports making the switch, he says. David Grimes, MD, a long-time reproductive rights advocate, called the ACOG opinion ?highly scientific? and ?strongly proactive in terms of public health.? Grimes is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina. Unintended Pregnancies in the U.S. The rate of unintended pregnancies in the U.S. hasn?t changed in the past 20 years, according to ACOG. It accounts for half of all pregnancies ?and remains unacceptably high,? states ACOG?s Committee on Gynecologic Practice. The committee?s opinion appears in? Obstetrics & Gynecology , which is published by the organization. ?Access and cost issues are common reasons why women either do not use contraception or have gaps in its use,? the committee states. Oral contraceptives are highly effective if taken properly. In a report released last month, the CDC?s National Center for Health Statistics said the pill was preferred by 28% of women of reproductive age who used contraceptives.? One concern about allowing a prescription drug to be sold over the counter is whether people can safely decide on their own to take the medication. But the ACOG committee says several studies have shown that women are capable of self-screening for conditions or other factors that would make it unsafe to take the pill.? Except for smokers 35 and older, who are at an increased risk of blood clots from oral contraceptives, ?taking the pill is safer than not? taking the pill, Grimes says. He was not involved in writing the ACOG opinion. Cost of Oral Contraceptives Another concern about switching drugs from prescription to over the counter is extra costs for the patient. Insurance?covers prescription drugs but not over-the-counter drugs. ?It is possible that some women might be adversely affected by changing to over-the-counter OCs [oral contraceptives] if they lose insurance coverage for their preferred contraceptive method,? the ACOG committee writes. The health reform law requires health plans to cover preventive services such as FDA-approved contraceptives and eliminates co-pays for them. But it?s not yet clear whether that would apply to over-the-counter birth control pills , Grossman says. The FDA could on its own decide to make oral contraceptives available without a prescription. But such switches usually are instigated by drug companies, Grossman says. He says he knows of no drugmakers seeking to sell the pill over the counter. And according to FDA spokeswoman Stephanie Yao, for a switch to occur the FDA needs to determine whether keeping a drug available only by prescription is necessary to protect the public?s health. The FDA might require the drugmaker to do additional research, such as a study to determine whether patients can understand labeling directions on their own, Yao says.? Drugmakers? Perspective Several drugmakers weighed in on the debate. ?Bayer believes that the decision to use hormonal contraceptives should be made between a woman and her health care provider,? says Rosemarie Yancosek, spokeswoman for Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, which markets such birth control pills as Yaz and Natazia. William Foster, a spokesman for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, which markets the Ortho birth control pills, would not say whether his company plans to seek to make the contraceptives available over-the-counter. ?This is a very complex public health issue that has been debated for years by family planning organizations, women?s health groups, and physicians,? Foster says. ?Janssen believes the [FDA] should consider the perspective of each of these organizations? in determining whether over-the-counter birth control pills are in the best interest of public health. SOURCES:Dan Grossman, MD, vice president of research, Ibis Reproductive Health.David Grimes, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of North Carolina. Rosemarie Yancosek, spokeswoman, Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.William Foster, spokesman, Janssen Pharmaceuticals.Stephanie Yao, spokeswoman, FDA.Committee Opinion. Obstetrics & Gynecology, December 2012. ? 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. ______________________________________________________ More from WebMD New Version of Contraceptive Implant Is Easier to Insert 2 in 5 Women Don?t Use Birth Control Contraceptive Pill: Cancer Protection The Pill Raises Cervical Cancer Risk ______________________________________________________

Here is the original:
Medical Group: Sell The Pill Without Prescription

Source: http://healthxpert.org/medical-group-sell-the-pill-without-prescription/

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Is It Wise to Choose a Foundation Repair Contractor Based on Their ...

Using the web to find a contractor you can trust with your money? and your home

The title of this article raises an interesting and relevant question. In a world dominated by the internet, it?s important to know how much we can trust what we find online. The web can be a tool for finding extremely useful information and services. But when you flip that coin over, you can also find yourself falling into money-pit type traps that will leave you wishing you had thrown your laptop in the garbage and looked in the phonebook instead.

So let?s address the question head-on: is it wise to choose a contractor based on their website? Here?s the short answer: no. However, the complete answer is more in-depth than that. There are a lot of factors at play here.

A company website can certainly be used to decide NOT to hire someone.?You see, anyone can put up a website that looks nice. But there are some tell tale signs of a company that can?t be trusted. For example, if there are no customer reviews, you need to run and run quick. It either means the company doesn?t value customer input, or no positive reviews exists that they can flaunt. Also, if the website is too much hype, leave. You don?t need them to beat you over the head with their sales message. A useful site seeks to offer useful information first. The sales message should take a back seat. Otherwise you can bet they will be pushy. And by pushy, we mean they are going to try to dig deep into your wallet fast.

Now then you have the classic signs of a sketchy site. Pop up ads, keyword stuffing, and bad links. If you find any of this, run.

If it?s a trustworthy contractor, what you should find is plenty of good information on how to repair foundations, how to spot foundation issues, and things like that.

Web 2.0 is where it?s at in 2012.?Finding a worthwhile contractor online involves much more than simply Googling a company website and making a phone call or shooting an email. In this day and age of social media, multiple internet avenues exist for you to check out a company. For example, what is being said on Twitter about the?foundation repair?company? How many people are following their account? This could be a good picture into how helpful they really are. The same goes for their number of Facebook likes. And did you check them out on a site like Yelp to make sure people give them positive reviews?

Look at the BBB site.?What is their customer rating? Has anyone filed a formal complaint against them? And if so, how did they respond? Did they break their backs to try and make a satisfied customer? Or did they respond harshly and pompously?

The web is a fantastic place to find help from basement contractors. Just make sure you don?t get enamored by a decent looking website without really checking out the company.

Find more about Foundation Repair, Basement Contractors and Crawl Space Repair athttp://www.staydrywaterproofing.com/.

Source: http://www.sacredgrovecommunity.com/is-it-wise-to-choose-a-foundation-repair-contractor-based-on-their-website/

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What foods can remove dark circles (remove the black eye) | Health ...

Black eye is often stays up late, emotional instability, eye fatigue, aging, venous blood flow velocity is too slow, the oxygen deficiency of red blood cells of the skin, eye, vein carbon dioxide and metabolic waste accumulation of excessive formation of chronic hypoxia The blood is dark and forms a stagnation caused by eye pigmentation.

Methods / steps

1, Eggs
Eggs rich in high quality protein, but the protein can promote cell regeneration, so regular consumption of eggs to increase protein intake have a certain effect to ease the formation of dark circles. Daily but the human body can only absorb a maximum of the nutrition contained two eggs, the consumption of eggs should not be more than two. Some people are used to eating raw eggs, fact, extremely digestible raw eggs also contain bacteria, and therefore suggest that you as the best food boiled eggs. In addition, lean meat, poultry, eggs, aquatic products are also rich in high quality protein, regular consumption of such foods can also help to reduce the formation of dark circles, but due to the eggs protein composition and the closest to the human body, so the best absorption effect.

2, Sesame
Sesame UFA well known, but its efficacy may eliminate dark circles fresh people aware. Sesame is rich in vitamin E, which can ease the formation of dark circles with nourishing the eye and ocular. Both make beautiful black hair, but also to eliminate dark circles, kill two birds with one stone, no wonder some people regarded as the sesame magic ?magic food?. In addition to sesame seeds, rich in vitamin E foods are peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.

3, Carrot
In addition to vitamin E to nourish the eye and ocular vitamin A also has this effect. Carrot choice is to increase the intake of vitamin A, can maintain the normal function of the epithelial tissue, improve dark circles. In addition, carrots contain vitamin A also helps to improve vision, especially in the dark vision. Other foods contain vitamin A, as well as animal liver, butter, eggs, alfalfa, apricots.

4, Kelp
As the iron core ingredients of a hemoglobin. Therefore, the added amount of iron can promote an increase in hemoglobin, thereby enhancing its ability to transport Oxygen and nutrients seaweed is rich in iron, so often take kelp can also ease the distress of the black eye. Containing iron-rich foods as well as animal liver, lean meat.

5, Green tea
Often use computers to drink green tea, add a specific plant nutrients, eliminate dark circles caused due to computer radiation. Green tea contains concentrated polyphenols, can inhibit free radical damage, skin support fibers and today is widely recognized as the most effective anti-free radical factor. Drink plenty of decaffeinated green tea can not only eliminate dark circles, which contains catechins, both to help the body fat metabolism, and sleep, sleep quality not only stability, but also people are less likely to have a feeling of fatigue.

• Make use of an Effective Dark Spots Removal Skin Care Cream for Safe Whitening
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  Hectogram walnut with 15 to 20 grams of protein, fat 60 to 70 grams, 10 grams carbohydrates; and contains essential calcium, phosphorus, iron and other trace elements and minerals, carotene, riboflavi...
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• Which foods better not to eat for high blood pressure patients (hypertension) ?
  1. Avoid tobacco, the nicotine in cigarettes, can stimulate the heart and blood vessels, so elevated blood pressure, accelerate the formation of atherosclerosis. 2. Eat less animal fats do not eat ...
• Do not eat raw eggs that are not healthy and not nutrition
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Tags: remove dark circles, remove dark circles food, remove the black eye, remove the black eye food
This entry was posted on Saturday, November 24th, 2012 and is filed under Beauty, Health Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Source: http://www.hhtip.com/what-foods-can-remove-dark-circles-remove-the-black-eye/

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'Xbox TV' with casual gaming, streaming due in 2013? | SciTech ...

Microsoft may be prepping to introduce a new "Xbox TV" with casual gaming and streaming abilities in 2013, a tech site reported.

?

The Verge cited multiple sources who said the Xbox set-top box may be a low-cost alternative to its popular Xbox gaming console.

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"The move will allow Microsoft to further increase its presence in the living room, providing consumers with a choice between a set-top box or a full next-generation Xbox console," it said.

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It quoted Microsoft as saying in a statement that Xbox 360 "has found new ways to extend the console lifecycle by introducing controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships."

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"We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention," it quoted Microsoft as saying.

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The Verge said the set-top box may be part of a two-SKU strategy for Microsoft's next-generation of Xbox hardware that will be unveiled in 2013.

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Citing its sources, it said the new device will run on the core components of Windows 8 and support casual gaming titles rather than full Xbox games.

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Also, it said Microsoft has plans for it to be an "always on" device that boots and resumes quickly, to provide near-instant access to TV and entertainment services.

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Combining with phone?

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The Verge also said Microsoft may combine its core system for the next Xbox with a phone stack "to deliver a phone capable of running a full version of Microsoft's Xbox Live services."

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"It has also investigated providing this functionality to TV OEMs, who could include the core services as part of a licensed Xbox television set," it added. ? TJD, GMA News

Source: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/283554/scitech/gaming/xbox-tv-with-casual-gaming-streaming-due-in-2013

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Wal-Mart India unit suspends CFO, others pending bribery probe

MUMBAI (Reuters) - The Indian joint venture of Wal-Mart Stores Inc has suspended its chief financial officer and other employees as it investigates alleged violations of U.S. anti-bribery laws, a development that could hamper India's efforts to open its domestic supermarket sector to foreign investment.

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, said last week it has opened internal inquiries or investigations into bribery allegations in Brazil, China and India, which follows an earlier probe in Mexico.

"The suspension is a routine global practice followed in such investigations," an official at the Indian unit said, declining to be named. "We cannot carry out a fair investigation when the people we are investigating are in office. What we must not forget is they are innocent until proven guilty," the person said.

Separately, a spokeswoman for the joint venture confirmed the suspensions and said the venture was "committed to conducting a complete and thorough investigation." Wal-Mart's partner in the venture is Bharti Enterprises.

Indian authorities are also investigating claims that Wal-Mart violated foreign exchange rules when it invested $100 million in a domestic unit owned by its wholesale joint-venture partner.

Indian opposition parties and allies within the Congress party-led coalition government in New Delhi are opposed to allowing global giants like Wal-Mart into the retail sector, saying to do so would drive small traders out of business.

After several delays, the government in September finally allowed foreign direct investment in the sector to revive stalled reforms and help halt a slide in economic growth.

On Thursday, when the Indian parliament opened for its winter session, opposition politicians demanded a debate and vote on the policy decision and have threatened to halt parliamentary proceedings.

(Reporting by Nandita Bose; Writing by Ranjit Gangadharan; Editing by Matt Driskill)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wal-mart-india-unit-suspends-cfo-others-pending-044142451--finance.html

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Mary Pritchard: 10 Things to Be Thankful For

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude." -- Cynthia Ozick

Is it just me, or did all of the election ads just get replaced with things-you-need-to-buy-for-Christmas ads? I remember when people didn't decorate their houses for Christmas until after Thanksgiving. Some of my neighbors have had decorations up for weeks now -- long before Halloween. I also remember when stores were actually closed on Thanksgiving. Now it's an opportunity for people to get their early-bird Black Friday shopping done and/or prioritize where they need to be at 3:00 a.m. on the day after Thanksgiving. If you are one of those people, fine. I know there's a lot of money to be saved by getting there at 3:00 a.m.

But do me a favor. When you get home, take a few minutes to reflect on why we have a Thanksgiving holiday in the first place. Think about the name for a minute: "Thanks Giving." Yep, we're supposed to be giving thanks -- and not for that great deal we just got on the new mini iPad. You see, the first Thanksgiving in 1621 was motivated by a particularly great harvest. The Pilgrims were giving thanks to God for the food that was to sustain them through the harsh winter.

Now that we get our food from Fred Meyer, Rosauer's, or Walmart, we often forget that many people were involved in bringing our food to the table. So take a little time this Thanksgiving to send a quiet "thank you" to them and to anyone else who's done something special for you lately. Or maybe give thanks to someone you've been taking for granted. Or -- deep breath -- maybe think about it the day after Thanksgiving and the day after that. And the day after that.

You see, years ago I started keeping a gratitude journal. Each night I write down at least 10 things that I am thankful for. There are a lot of repeat entries -- things like good home-cooked food, my friends and family, comfortable shoes, and a comfy bed. But there are also random things that draw my attention as I reflect each night. The shooting star I saw on my morning run. The nice person who held the door open for me when I was loaded down with books. The first snowfall.

Ending the day in gratitude is a nice practice. It's far better than ending your day thinking about what your colleague said during the staff meeting that really made you mad. Or about all of the things you need to do tomorrow. Writing in my gratitude journal leaves me feeling uplifted -- even on the days when it seems like a gargantuan task to come up with 10 whole things to be grateful for.

So give it a try tonight. And tomorrow. And maybe even the night after. You may find you really enjoy it -- that maybe you've got a whole lot in your life to be grateful for. Maybe, like me, you'll find that coming up with 10 things to be thankful for puts you in a calm, peaceful state and sets you up for a good night's sleep. And that's something we can all be grateful for.

For more by Mary Pritchard, click here.

For more on emotional wellness, click here.

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Follow Mary Pritchard on Twitter: www.twitter.com/MaryEPritchard

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mary-pritchard/gratitude_b_2119089.html

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Travel And Leisure: Western Caribbean Cruise - How Hubs

We were on the Radiance of the Seas for the western Caribbean cruise on November 28/04This was our second cruise with Royal Caribbean with our first last year on the larger Adventure of the SeasAfter one cruise with RCI, I expected roughly the same standards with the Radiance and in general, I wasn?t disappointed.
Staterooms:
Our stateroom was an inside aft cabin and we were not disappointed. It was roomy enough and the lighting was adequate. Closet space and drawers were also sufficient for our use. We noticed that the double beds here were actually a bit better than the one we had on the Adventure since we couldn?t really feel the split between the two separate beds like we did last time. If there?s one thing that can be improved is the shower curtain. The one installed was not adequate in keeping in all the water from the shower. The shower on the Adventure utilized a double glass door system which was far superior. Otherwise, the cabin was nice and dark for sleeping at night. Although we heard a little noise from the cabins next to us, it was minimal. We didn?t miss having any window or balcony at all since we were hardly ever in our stateroom. We were either at port or elsewhere on the ship and went back to our cabins just to relax or sleep. We would definitely book an inside cabin again with RCI unless we had a free upgrade.
Dining:
The main Cascades dining room was nice and meals were good. Breakfasts had the same menu every morning. Lunch at the dining room was okay. The dinners were good but not every meal item was a winner. There was the odd appetizer and dessert that was not up to par. One thing that my partner noticed was that the portions of the main courses seemed to be smaller than those served on the Adventure. We usually went upstairs to the Windjammer to get more food after dining at the Cascades. In some parts of the Cascades room, the tables were placed too cramp so walking to out own table was tricky at times. The self serve Windjammer was good. It usually had more variety of food than served downstairs at the Cascades. Breakfast and lunch were busy at the Windjammer but during evenings, most people chose to dine at the Cascades. The two other optional restaurants onboard Portafino and Choppe House were available at $20 US per person but we never tried them since the meals already included at the Cascades and Windjammer were fine by us. Other passengers who did go to these optional rooms told us that they were nothing special. There was another cafe available during late evenings called the Seaview and they provided fare such as sandwiches, salads and burgers. This was a nice feature. One thing we did object to was that they charged for the coffee and tea there. There was also a specialty coffee place on the main centrum of the ship and they also charged. We had more availability of free beverages on the Adventure.
Service:
The service by the stateroom attendants and dining room staff was top notch as expected.
Entertainment:
The evening shows at the Aurora Theatre were a mix of the ship?s own crew of dancers and singers plus some outside comics and singers. In general, the shows were quite good. We would have liked them to mix up the entertainment each night rather than allocate music, comedy and magic into different evenings. Rather than an entire show of magic, we would have preferred each night featuring a variety of entertainment. Live music around the ship was a nice added touch.
Amenities:
Although smaller than the Adventure, the Radiance had fine amenities including the gym/spa, mini golf, pools and the shops. There was internet access but at 50 cents per minute, the service is a bit steep. There were things to do during the days at sea such as art auctions, cooking demos and dance classes. However, we felt that there was more offered on the Adventure. As for embarking and disembarking, there was no problem on the Radiance. The 6th level contained the casino and for non-smokers, this was a problem. The ventilation in the casino was not great and as a result, cigarette smoke travelled to adjacent areas near the casino. My partner wanted to avoid going on the 6th level whenever possible.
In summary, we enjoyed our cruise on the Radiance of the Seas. However, comparing it to the larger Adventure of the Seas, we would rate the larger ship a bit higher. We liked the huge promenade on the Adventure which was not available on a smaller ship like the Radiance. Given a choice in the future, we would opt for the larger ship. For first time cruisers, the Radiance would still be a good ship to vacation on. This is simply the case of where veteran cruisers would expect more especially if they have been on higher end ships.

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Source: http://howhubs.com/western-caribbean-cruise-how-hubs

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No surprises there: fast food menus still high calorie :: FoodProcessing

The past few years have seen significant changes to fast food menus. Muesli, salads and sandwiches now sit alongside hamburgers, fries and sundaes. Given these changes, one might assume that fast food has come a long way nutritionally.

But recent research from Temple University has revealed what most of us suspected all along: fast food hasn?t got any healthier. Research conducted by the university shows that the average calorie content of foods offered by eight major US fast food outlets has changed only minimally between 1997 and 2010.

Katherine W Bauer, assistant professor in Temple?s Department of Public Health and Center for Obesity Research and Education, led a study analysing menu offerings and nutrient composition information from leading fast food chains in the US.

McDonald?s, Burger King, Wendy?s, Taco Bell, KFC, Arby?s, Jack in the Box and Dairy Queen were selected as they had been in the University of Minnesota Nutrition Coordinating Center?s Food and Nutrient Database since 1997 and all have a defined set of offerings on the menu, with all standard menu items included in the database.

The increase in total number of offerings was quite striking. The restaurants had 679 items between them in 1997; by 2010, the number of items reached 1036. Specific fast-growing additions to the menus included the number of entree salads, which increased from 11 to 51, and sweetened teas, which went from 0 to 35.

The study found no large changes in the median calorie content of entrees and drinks. A gradual calorie increase was noted for condiments and desserts. A decrease in the median calories of side items was observed - from 264 to 219 - which the authors suggested may be due to the addition of lower-calorie side salads and some restaurants limiting the portion sizes of some side items like French fries.

?You might order a lower-calorie entree, but then you get a drink, fries and a dessert,? Bauer said. ?Calories can add up very quickly. A salad can be low calorie, but not when it includes fried chicken and ranch dressing. Sweetened teas are just empty calories.

?We?re not saying you shouldn?t ever eat fast food, but you need to think about things like portion size, preparation method, condiments and the total caloric content of your meal,? Bauer said.

In the US, calorie content of meals will soon need to be posted on menus for restaurants and food vendors with more than 20 outlets, as mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. McDonald?s recently began posting calories on its menus.

Bauer and her colleagues await the changes with baited breath, hoping to see changes in the fast food industry.

?Without massive changes by the fast food industry in the caloric content of food, the key is for consumers to try to educate themselves about calories and be aware that just because a restaurant promotes healthful options, does not mean that overall the foods sold are lower calorie,? Bauer said. ?Over time, with increased exposure to calorie information on menus, people may start to understand how many calories they should consume each day.?

The results of the study will be published in the November issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the Healthy Eating Research program and by the National Institutes of Health.

Source: http://www.foodprocessing.com.au/news/57312-No-surprises-there-fast-food-menus-still-high-calorie

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Feeling Spry? Your Health May Benefit

Whether older people describe their own age group as "spry" or "decrepit" may affect their chances of recovering from a disability, a new study finds.

Those who held positive stereotypes about older people were 44 percent more likely to fully recover from a severe disability than those with negative stereotypes, the study of people over age 70 showed.

"In our culture, the negative age stereotypes tend to predominate," said study researcher Becca Levy, associate professor of epidemiology and psychology at Yale University. "Questioning those? and bolstering the positive ones could potentially help people when they experience a disability," she said.

The researchers looked at about 600 older people who had no disabilities at the study's start, but who experienced a health condition or injury that kept them from their daily activities for at least a month at some point over the nearly 11-year study. The researchers tracked how well participants recovered from their disabilities.

Participants were asked at the outset to list the first five words that came to mind when they thought of old people. For example, some described older people as wise, while others used the word senile, Levy said.

Not only were those who held positive stereotypes more likely to recover from severe disabilities, they were also 15 percent more likely to fully recover from a mild disability, compared with those who held negative stereotypes, according to the study.

While the reason for the link is not clear, studies have shown that older adults who hold positive stereotypes "have a better buffer against outside stressors," Levy said. It could also be that those who hold positive ideas about older people are more likely to eat healthful food, take their medicine and exercise, she said.

Research suggests that the stereotypes that people hold can be changed. "It's a skill and can be improved," Levy said.

People who hold a negative view of older people and want to change those ideas should develop an awareness of the negative views presented on television and in the media. "They should question those images," she said, and also look for positive older role models and positive images.

The findings are published today (Nov. 20) in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Pass it on: Older people who held positive views of themselves recovered from disabilities faster.

FollowMyHealthNewsDaily?on Twitter?@MyHealth_MHND. We're also on?Facebook?&?Google+.

Copyright 2012 MyHealthNewsDaily, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/feeling-spry-health-may-benefit-215307004.html

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Bruno Mars: 'SNL' can call me whenever they want

NEW YORK (AP) ? Bruno Mars' recent appearance on "Saturday Night Live" was more like "Saturday Night Fever": He says he had so much fun hosting the show, he'd be happy to do it again.

"Whatever 'SNL' wants from me, they can always call me," the smiling 27-year-old said in an interview. "I don't know who told them I can act or anything 'cause I can't. I don't know what they saw. (But) whatever they need from me, they can get."

The singer-songwriter's Oct. 20 appearance as host and musical guest gave the NBC variety show its second best ratings this season behind last week's episode, hosted by comedian Louis C.K.

Mars was praised for his hilarious and silly sketches, particularly one skit where he did impersonations of other musicians as a live fill-in at Pandora when the company's computers crashed.

"It was kind of a way for me to face my fears and just let it all hang loose, literally," he said, laughing. "People don't understand that they're changing things right before the show, so you can't memorize lines because they're going to change it. They cut sketches and it's an amazing operation. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world."

The Grammy winner says he watched the show days after it aired live, and that's when things started to sink in, especially seeing himself dressed as a woman.

"I was like, 'Oh my god,'" he said, adding with a laugh: "Called my mom, 'Mom!'"

The "SNL" success is giving Mars a boost as he readies the release of his sophomore album, "Unorthodox Jukebox," out Dec. 11. It features Esperanza Spalding, Mark Ronson, Jeff Bhasker, Diplo, Paul Epworth and others.

On "SNL," he debuted a new song, "Young Girls," and performed his current single, the upbeat "Locked Out of Heaven." It's his 12th Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart as a performer, songwriter or producer.

"I love ('Locked Out of Heaven') because it's different ... than what you're used to hearing me maybe sing normally," he said.

___

Online:

http://www.brunomars.com

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/

___

Follow Mesfin Fekadu on Twitter at http://twitter.com/musicmesfin .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/bruno-mars-snl-call-whenever-want-153751710.html

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Hurricane Sandy Blows Migrating Birds Off Track

Gannets in New York Harbor, jaegers at Cape May, NJ, storm petrels on the Hudson River and even a red-billed tropicbird are just some of the rare birds sighted along the Atlantic coast after Hurricane Sandy.

Though common over the open ocean, where they spend most of their lives fishing, and though they rarely come ashore, these seabirds represent a fraction of the birds blown off course by the storm.

Birds are well equipped to deal with stormy weather, even hurricanes, said Terry Root, an ornithologist at Stanford University in California. "They can sense even the slightest changes in barometric pressure, which alerts them that a storm is coming well before it hits," she told OurAmazingPlanet.

Out to sea

While most birds sense severe weather and stay grounded, seeking shelter may not be an option for birds that live on the open ocean, or those migrating across the seas.

Yet many birds prove adept at navigating stormy skies, even if that means heading right into the eye of a hurricane, according to Barry Truitt, chief conservation scientist at the Nature Conservancy in Virginia. Truitt has used satellites to help track more than 20 Whimbrels, wading shore birds that migrate semi-annually between breeding grounds in Arctic Canada and winter grounds on the coast of South America. [Top 10 Most Incredible Animal Journeys]

Hurricanes can quickly exhaust birds flying into the storms? high headwinds, but the tempests can also provide great tailwinds, said Truitt. Last year, he tracked one Whimbrel, dubbed Hope, through Tropical Storm Gert off the coast of Nova Scotia. Hope averaged only 9 miles (14.5 kilometers) an hour into the storm's head winds, but once past the center, she enjoyed a stiff tailwind that sent her zipping along at 90 miles (145 km) per hour.

Carried off course

Not all birds make it through the center of a hurricane with ease. "Ocean-going and migratory birds have evolved to deal with inclement weather, but younger birds, especially those who may be making the passage for the first time, might not know what they are doing,? said Frank Moore, an ornithologist at the University of Southern Mississippi. ?A hurricane could have traumatic, negative consequences.?

For one thing, birds face a big risk of becoming entrained, or pulled along, in the strong, circulating winds around the center of a hurricane; the birds could get carried long distances off course, said Paul Sweet, collections manager in the ornithology department at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

Those birds that do get blown far off course often face an uphill battle for survival, said Glenn Phillips, executive director of the New York City Audubon Society. "They are often weak and exhausted when they land, which makes them an easy target for predators," he said in an interview.

Previous studies have found that bird species in a hurricane's path may experience long-term population losses. One report found that species as far as 60 miles (97 km) from a hurricane's path took up to five years to rebound from the destruction of their forested habitat.

A Canadian study found that the total Chimney Swift population in Quebec fell by as much as 50 percent after Hurricane Wilma in 2005 battered many of them on their southward migration, sending some as far off-course as Western Europe.

Late arrival lessens blow

The Eastern Seaboard of the United States serves as a major migratory route, known as the Atlantic Flyway, for birds passing between breeding grounds in Canada and wintering habitat at points to the south.

While Hurricane Sandy has already affected some birds, Sweet expects that its arrival late in the migration season will help lessen the blow.

"September and October are really the peak months of fall migration in and around the New York City area. Most groups, such as warblers and vireos, that make the big trans-ocean flight to Central and South America have already gone," he said.

Even if most migratory birds dodged a bullet this time, the prospect of bigger and more frequent hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean waters, doesn't bode well for many species already facing pressure from habitat loss at both tropical winter grounds and northern breeding areas, said Truitt, the scientist at the Nature Conservancy.

"It's hard enough for birds to make a living," said Moore, the Mississippi ornithologist. "Big storms don't help."

Follow OurAmazingPlanet for the latest in Earth science and exploration news on Twitter?@OAPlanet. We're also on Facebook?& Google+.

Copyright 2012 OurAmazingPlanet, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hurricane-sandy-blows-migrating-birds-off-track-200642703.html

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Reel affirmations returns - Washington Blade

The Reel Affirmations Film Festival is scheduled to kick off tonight (Thursday) with screenings of ?Kiss Me? and ?I Do? (go here for reviews), but most of the films will be screened Friday and through the weekend at either the D.C. Jewish Community Center (1529 16th?St., N.W.), the Goethe Institut (812 7th?St., N.W.) or the Carnegie Institution for Science (1530 P St., N.W.).

Tickets start at $10 but various packages are available. Visit reelaffirmations.org to purchase or for more information. Also be sure to pick up a Blade-produced program book, which has all the information you need about the One in Ten event.

The program book contains descriptions but the Blade had exclusive access to review the films. Our critiques follow. Contributing writers are Patrick Folliard, Brian T. Carney, Robbie Barnett, Santiago Melli-Huber and Joey DiGuglielmo.

?Molly?s Girl?
Friday, 7 p.m.
D.C. Jewish Community Center

Everyone has that one clingy ex who can?t take no for an answer, but there are better ways to deal with it than in ?Molly?s Girl.?

Molly (Kristina Valada-Viars) is a pathological liar and a straight girl, who has her first lesbian experience with Mercedes (Emily Schweitz), whose girlfriend broke up with her for focusing too much on her job as a gay rights activist. Mercedes has a drunken one-night stand with Molly, and Molly proceeds to stalk Mercedes to the point of violating a restraining order. Mercedes then learns that Molly is the daughter of an independent state senator whose opinion on LGBT rights she has been trying to sway.

Molly, desperate for attention and affection, agrees to Mercedes? insane proposal to go to the senator?s house for a weekend under the guise of being an engaged couple. Mercedes believes it will make the senator vote in her favor. The plan is flawless, except for the fact that it blows up in everybody?s faces. Molly?s family has been tired of her lying and delusions for years and sees it as just another cry for attention.

Schweitz?s performance as Mercedes and her character development almost save the movie, but the premise of trying to trick a senator that way would ruin anybody?s career and probably do further damage to her cause. There are some genuinely funny moments and a couple of strong performances, but between the ill-conceived plot and the character of Molly, it?s only worth seeing if you enjoy clingy exes and disapproving families. (SMH)

?Yossi?
Friday, 9 p.m.
D.C. Jewish Community Center

?Yossi? is a sequel to the surprise Israeli gay indie hit ?Yossi and Jagger? (2002). In the first movie, Yossi Guttman is a commander in the Israeli army stationed on the Lebanon border. When Lior joins the unit as Yossi?s second-in-command, the two begin a passionate but secret affair.

Lior (who is called Jagger because he has ?the moves like Jagger?) is killed in an ill-considered skirmish. Yossi goes to sit shiva with Lior?s family, but does not tell them about their relationship.

?Yossi? picks up the action 10 years later. Yossi is now Dr. Guttman, a successful cardiologist. But, despite his professional achievements, Yossi remains in an emotional and social fog. His well-meaning colleagues try to break him out of his shell. Despite rumors about his sexuality, Nina, a nurse, asks Yossi out on a date, and Moti, a fellow doctor, asks Yossi to be his wingman when he hits the bars to celebrate his divorce.

Yossi decides to return to return the region where he and Lior met. His plans are changed, however, when he encounters a group of rowdy young soldiers and slowly begins to drop his emotional barriers.

Surrounded by a strong cast, award-winning Israeli actor Ohad Knoller offers a powerful performance as Yossi. He amazingly brings Yossi?s stupor to vivid life, offering a rich and nuanced portrayal of a man frozen in place, but bravely trying to move forward. Knoller is achingly vulnerable as he makes the journey through a disastrous online hook-up (his date berates him for sending a picture of his younger and thinner self), his meeting with Lior?s family and his heart-rending emotional and physical undressing when he finally embraces a new lover.

Knoller is given strong support by writer Itay Segal and director Eytan Fox. The taut screenplay balances moments of solitary silence with a series of tense encounters and moves the action forward at an appropriately measured pace. The direction is strong and assured. Fox lets the camera linger on Knoller?s expressive face, but never lets the story lag.

In Hebrew, with English subtitles. (BTC)

?Lesbiana?
Saturday, 11 a.m.
D.C. Jewish Community Center

Tight (just 63 mins.) but with a leisurely feel, ?Lesbiana? is a documentary about the separatist movement among lesbians and feminists in the ?70s and ?80s that found groups of women, to varying degrees, living in women-only communes on various beaches and rural lands all over the country.

Recounted mostly by the women themselves ? some now in their senior years ? this piece from filmmaker Myriam Fougere (a participant herself) is a fascinating look into a world few in the LGBT world, even most lesbians, didn?t get to experience first hand. The era comes roaring to life through evocative first-hand testimony and archival stills and video footage. The film deftly balances the more philosophical and academic side of the convictions with stories from more ?everyday?-type lesbians who share the more practical and experiential side of things. D.C.-based lesbian author Evelyn Torlon Becker makes a memorable appearance talking about her Jewish identity.

While the film never lags, it suffers from being a bit too vague. About half the testimony is from French-speaking Canadian lesbians (presented with subtitles), yet the geographic connections between them and their American counterparts are not so much as hinted at. The filmmaker introduces herself into the narrative, early on saying this is her story of her travels to find out whatever happened to many of these women, yet she disappears almost entirely from the rest of the piece which gives the film a dangling feeling. She deserves credit for not forcing herself too extensively into the work, but a bit more personal context would have been helpful.

Slightly clearer but still not fully explored are the arguments for separatist living and what the women hoped to gain from ridding themselves fully from patriarchy. Hearing these women tell their stories, one does get a sense of why they felt the way they did and how they interacted with each other at various music festivals and communal gathering places, yet the film could have used a bit more structure. We get little sense of the degree, if any, to which these women felt a sense of sisterhood with either straight feminists or urban lesbian feminists who chose not to sequester themselves. (JD)

?Difficult Love?
Shown in a double bill with ?Lesbiana? (see above)

Photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi takes us into her world through the eyes of her photographic lens in ?Difficult Love.?

The subject of her activism and photography is black lesbians living day to day in her native country of South Africa. Rampant sexism and the legacy of Apartheid are the main issues Zanele challenges in her work. Even through extreme violence and homophobia, Zanele and other lesbians manage to embrace and celebrate their lives.

Through her photographs, Zanele humanizes women loving women in beautiful and inspiring images and has become something of a role model for lesbians in South Africa. It?s quite clear that she is a hero and positive force for these women who would otherwise go voiceless. Her photography is not the only thing showcased in this documentary. Zanele?s relationships with her subjects, friends and family are explored and these segments become some of the most poignant moments of the film. (RB)

Women?s shorts, various
Saturday, 1 p.m.
D.C. JCC

?Mosquita y Mari?
Saturday, 3 p.m.
D.C. JCC

Written and directed by lesbian filmmaker Aurora Guerrero, ?Mosquita y Mari? isn?t the usual coming-of-age story. Set against the gritty backdrop of Huntington Park, a working class Chicano neighborhood in Southeast Los Angeles, this heartening festival favorite portrays the tender friendship of teenage Latina classmates as they navigate adolescent confusion and family pressures to create an emotional refuge where they can be themselves.

Though very different, the girls ? Yolanda and Mari, played by Fenessa Pineda and Venecia Troncoso ? are both typical of their community. Yolanda, a promising student and good girl, is the hope of her struggling parents? ambition, their American dream. Her mother warns her to concentrate on school, saying, ?I?m not busting my ass all day so you can throw it all away.?

Mari, on the other hand, smokes weed, shoplifts, and, though smart, pulls lousy grades. But she also works hard handing out fliers on Huntington Park?s busy main drag to help pay her undocumented family?s overdue bills. But interestingly, it?s shy but determined Yolanda who doggedly strives to make a connection when bad girl beauty Mari moves in across the street, and not the other way around.

Mari nicknames Yolanda ?Mosquita? (?little fly? in Spanish). Initially it?s as a comment on her new acquaintance?s peskiness; but as the girls become friends the derisive tag changes into a term of endearment. They begin meeting after school in an abandoned body shop where they share confidences and Yolanda helps Mari with her homework. Rather rapidly, a mostly chaste romantic relationship develops.

A first time feature film director, Guerrero is a subtle but powerful storyteller. Her screenplay is based on her own life experiences. And even though the tale?s events aren?t particularly extraordinary, it feels completely unlike other films based on young gay love. Guerrero combines simplicity with authenticity to deliver something both searing and quietly touching.

Most of the characters are bilingual, switching fluidly from English to Spanish (Spanish dialogue is subtitled in English) depending on time and place; the film?s gorgeous Spanish language soundtrack and its location with bodegas, quincea?era shops, and lively street life reinforce the cultural connection. Pineda and Troncoso turn in astonishingly natural performances as the smitten teenagers.

While nothing about ?Mosquita y Mari? is tied up neatly with a bow, it does end on a hopeful note. (PF)

?Carl(a)?
Saturday, 5 p.m.
Goethe

Will she or won?t she? When male-to-female pre-op transsexual Carla unexpectedly receives a surprisingly large inheritance from her grandfather, she can finally afford the gender reassignment surgery she?s always wanted. To move forward seems a no brainer. But like everything in Carla?s life, nothing is that simple.

After a long losing streak with men, Carla (transgender actress Joslyn DeFreece) is enjoying a new and promising relationship, and therein lies the rub: Carla?s boyfriend Sam, a kindhearted, socially awkward nerd played by Gregg Bello, loves his transgender girlfriend just the way she is (anatomy and all). In fact, Sam is so opposed to Carla pursuing her life?s dream that he threatens to leave her should she go under the knife.

Carla loves Sam too, and truly wants to keep him in her life. Then again, she didn?t get this far on her journey toward claiming a true identity by doing what other people wanted.

When we first meet Carla, she is living alone, grappling with the problems that face a lot of transgender people: employment challenges, harassment and some family rejection (her parents and brother are openly hostile to her decision to transition). Fortunately, Carla finds a haven in both her understanding grandfather (feature film veteran Mark Margolis) and best pal Cinnamon (Laverne Cox), a feisty transgender streetwalker. (Cox garnered some fame a few years back as the first African-American transgender woman to appear on an American reality show when she was featured as a finalist on VH1?s ?I Want to Work for Diddy.?)

Rather abruptly, Carla?s situation dramatically changes. How she deals with the newness of her life is what makes this film interesting. Directed by Eli Hershko, ?Carl(a),? feels part love story, part ?After School Special? for grownups, and a little P.S.A. (public service announcement). What could be too preachy is saved by leading lady DeFreece. Using her real life personal story and a light touch, DeFreece succeeds in both giving a terrifically honest performance and further acquainting audiences with the transgender experience. (PF)

?Mixed Kebab?
Saturday, 7 p.m.
Goethe

Coming out to your family can be disastrous, especially if your brother is psychotic.

?Mixed Kebab? is a feature film written and directed by Guy Lee Thys. It stars Cem Akkanat as Bram and Simon Van Buyten as Kevin. The film explores the clash of religion and sexuality in an international setting.

Set in Belgium, Bram?s family arranged for him to marry his cousin Elif. Bram, however, secretly begins dating Kevin. Elif discovers this, but is determined to move to Belgium, live comfortably and marry Bram anyway. Bram?s brother Furkan joins an Islamic fundamentalist group with connections to the Taliban.

Furkan discovers Bram?s affair and exposes him to his family, who disown him when he refuses to marry Elif. Word of their son?s homosexuality spreads around the community and Bram?s parents are ostracized by those around them. In an attempt to redeem his family?s honor, Furkan plans to kill Kevin. Eventually, Bram is faced with a choice between his family and the love of his life.

The film is in about a half-dozen languages, making it difficult to follow at times, but many young gays and lesbians can relate to the choices Bram is constantly faced with. He must weigh his family?s expectations of him with what he wants and every decision he makes throughout the film hurts someone else in his life.

Parts of the plot make little sense, such as why Bram would bring Kevin with him on his trip to Turkey to meet Elif. However Akkanat and Van Buyten have great chemistry as a couple and carry the movie with the evolution of their relationship. (SMH)

?Welcome to New York?
Saturday, 9 p.m.
Shown in a double bill with ?Gayby? (see below)
Goethe

?Welcome to New York? is campy fun that plays like a pilot for a TV show that would air on the LOGO network and would fit right in with same audience that watches ?RuPaul?s Drag Race.?

Famed drag queen Sherry Vine stars in this short film as Dr. Kitty Rosenblatt, a therapist to a bunch of whiny, young Big Apple newbies whose comedic stories of love in the city unravel during their separate therapy sessions. The amateur acting is redeemed by amusing situations. One segment has a drag queen telling Dr. Rosenblatt that she ?did the nasty ? with her face on,? while another centers around a character who cannot remember the name of his date. Perhaps you?ve been there?

In all, there are five stories. Though it?s only 30 minutes long, it feels as though it covers a lot of ground and leaves you wanting another episode. (RB)

?Gayby?

The plot of ?Gayby? treads familiar ground. Despite an awkward one-night stand, college friends Jenn (straight) and Matt (gay) have remained BFFs. Now single and in their 30s, they decide to have a baby. A variety of hilarious hijinks and complicated emotions ensue, starting with Jenn?s decision that she wants to conceive ?the old-fashioned way? (for no apparent reason other than the comic possibilities) and ending with the challenges of juggling baby care schedules.

Fortunately, this familiar territory is freshened by a lively supporting cast, most notably Jonathan Lisecki as Matt?s flamboyant friend Nelson. Striking out on the dating scene, Nelson has recast himself as a bear, complete with a full beard, a new screen name (NellieBear8 ? you can guess what the 8 stands for) and a delightfully fey growl. Beyond providing comic relief, Nelson also helps the plot lurch forward introducing Matt to online dating, teaching Matt and Jenn how to use a syringe when the ?old-fashioned way? doesn?t work out, counseling Jenn through her ?break-up? with Matt, and still finding time to find a boyfriend of his own.

Unfortunately, Lisecki?s work as writer and director is less assured than his work as actor. The feature-length version of ?Gayby? started life as a 2010 short (a two-hander starring Jenn Harris and Matthew Wilkas, who also star in the full-length version) and the strain of expanding the material shows. The story meanders and the plot twists sometimes seem arbitrary. The tone is also uncertain; sometimes it?s not clear whether scenes are supposed to be comic or serious. The writing, however, is sharp, fast and furious; the zingers fly by quickly and enjoyably.

While the supporting cast is strong, Jenn Harris and Matt Wilkas are somewhat bland as the leads, a problem that is highlighted by the fact that both characters are just drifting through life. Jenn is a yoga instructor who is underappreciated by her boss. Matt works at a comic book store, blocked at working on his own comics and still not over his ex-boyfriend Tom. Harris has exquisite comic timing, but not enough opportunities for banter or physical comedy.

Their blandness is offset by the strong supporting cast and the witty writing, but Lisecki ultimately fails to bring the complex central relationship to life. He?s not alone on this. The same problem has plagued movies like ?The Object of My Affection? and ?The Next Best Thing? and TV shows like ?Will & Grace.? It?s never easy for a gay guy and his straight gal pal.

Nonetheless, there are lots of laughs in Gayby, even if the whole is less than the sum of its parts. (BTC)

?I Want Your Love?
Saturday, 11 p.m.
Goethe

Following in the tradition of ?Shortbus? (which showed real people having real sex in a variety of situations), ?I Want Your Love? tells the story of eight gay men in San Francisco in explicit and searing detail. Over the course of 48 hours, the men test the boundaries of their relationships and stumble through decisions large and small.

The central character is Jesse (Jesse Metzger), a 30-something performance artist. Still licking the wounds from his break-up, short on cash, creatively blocked and unable to get a foothold in San Francisco?s art scene, Jesse has decided to return to his family home in Ohio. (The trendy urbanites keep referring to the entire state and not Jesse?s hometown of Columbus.)

As Jesse prepares to leave the city, he says goodbye to his friends while avoiding his actual farewell party. He also avoids phone calls from his anxious family while finally settling emotional scores with his ex-boyfriend Ben (Ben Jasper) and Keith (Keith McDonald), his downstairs neighbor and a successful artist. In the meantime, his hairy hipster roommate uneasily prepares to move his younger boyfriend into the apartment and Jesse?s friend Brontez rekindles his acquaintance with Ben.

?I Want Your Love? is the first feature-length film by writer/director Travis Mathews, known for his series ?In Their Room,? which documents what goes on in the bedrooms of gay men around the world. He also made the short film of the same title (2010), which also featured Metzger, but in a different scenario.

Mathews has degrees in both documentary filmmaking and counseling psychology and he puts them to excellent use here. The realistic dialogue and naturalistic camerawork beautifully capture the look and feel of contemporary San Francisco. The narrative is fleshed out (quite literally) by sexual encounters between the men. Although we see lots of body parts and bodily fluids, and although the film was produced by adult film distributor Naked Sword, this movie is hardly your standard porn flick.

The intimate physical contact details the relationships between the characters in fascinating ways and touch is often a more effective means of communication (between characters and between the film and the audience) than words.

The graphic nature of ?I Want Your Love? may not be for all tastes, but it offers intriguing insights into the many ways gay men connect with each other. (BTC)

?Entry Denied?
Shown in a double bill with ?The Queen Has No Crown? (see below)
Sunday, 11 a.m.
Carnegie

The stories of three same-sex international couples are explored in this short about the strict and unfair U.S. immigration policies gay couples face.

Seeing the personal stories of those affected shows just how hard these couples struggle to stay together while risking deportation when one is not a U.S. citizen.

For one couple, things are further complicated by an HIV diagnosis. Up until 2010 an HIV ban restricted any travel or immigration into the U.S. by those infected. Another couple makes the decision to move out of the U.S. altogether and find solace in Canada, which accepts the immigration of gay couples. Each story is both sad and frustrating, but sheds light on this tragic situation.? It?s clear the goals of the filmmakers were to raise awareness on this issue and they succeed. (RB)

?The Queen Has No Crown?

An Israeli man documents life with his parents, siblings, nieces and nephews and their views on his sexuality, but his emotionally dependent mother is the main focus.

?The Queen Has No Crown? is a bio-documentary from Tomer Heymann that combines home movies with his own footage of his family and friends. He asks them about their lives, their thoughts on his homosexuality and his relationships. Through the years, his parents divorce and three of his four siblings move from Israel to America, much to his mother?s chagrin.

His mother looks back on her life, everything she missed out on and the growing divide between her and her state-side sons. While she believes they should all stay in Israel, Tomer tries to reason with her, saying they are happy in America and she should be happy for them. Meanwhile, Tomer pours his energy into his relationship with Erez, whom he wants to marry. Erez leaves Tomer who delves into the local gay community and its nightlife, despite harsh anti-gay protests.

The film was shot by Heymann with a handheld camera over the course of 10 years and features a cringe-worthy conversation between Tomer and his twin, also named Erez, about how Tomer is selfish for being gay and not reproducing.

Every frame of the film is worth seeing. The ending does leave something to be desired in terms of a resolution but does a wonderful job highlighting Tomer?s mother?s disappointment in how her son sees her. (SMH)

?Trans?
Shown in a double bill with ?Mathi(eu)? (see below)
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Carnegie

Flawed yet fascinating, ?Trans? is a 96-minute documentary that shares a wide variety of transgender experiences ? everything from a young child born male who insists she?s a girl to her remarkably accommodating parents, to a trans surgeon overachiever who manages to conceive twins with her partner, to two middle-aged trans women who transition later in life to the sad story of Justin/Chloe, a California teen who commits suicide overwhelmed by what she felt were a lack of options.

While always interesting and touching, ?Trans? for many LGBT viewers will feel a bit tired. That?s not a slight at all at the subjects ? their stories are always engrossing. But trans issues, thankfully, are integrated enough into LGBT U.S. culture to the point that, by now, viewers, especially at an LGBT film festival, don?t really need first-hand tutorials on what it means to be trans or how these realizations come about. Most of us, again thankfully, get it ? trans folks feel trapped in the wrong biological body, it?s really not an esoteric concept. So while there?s a large degree of a ?preaching-to-the-choir? feel to this, if straights would give it the time of day, it would likely find a more appropriate audience.

And while its intentions are always noble ? one can?t help but tear up at several of the personal accounts ? director Chris Arnold often takes a disappointingly hammy approach. Arnold successfully gets a camera present for key moments in several lives ? two women being wheeled into the operating room for gender reassignment surgery, a young man telling his girlfriend he?s more trans than lesbian and the surgeon?s wife giving birth. But just as often, things get melodramatic ? a graphic saying ?surgery? flashes while ominous-sounding cellos thud out scary chords. Other key moments meant to be narrative surprises can be detected a mile away. And did we really need to see one man?s removed testicles being placed in a vial? D.C. trans activist Earline Budd makes a brief appearance.

The film ultimately works, though, as the power of the individual stories manages to overpower Arnold?s hardworking-yet-melodramatic approach. And, as always, the stories are what make the issues come to life and resonate. (JD)

?Mathi(eu)?

A young transgender student struggles to find love and yearns for people to see him as he sees himself.

?Mathi(eu)? tells the story of Mathilde (Tomy Kleinermanns), who prefers to go by Mathieu while undergoing hormone treatment to transition to a man. He dreams of undergoing gender reassignment surgery but laments to his accepting mother that he?ll never be able to impregnate his future wife. She assures him his life will get better. Her role is minimal, but it?s clear she is a wonderful support system for Mathieu.

Mathieu develops a relationship with fellow student Laure (Valentine Feral), who is initially hesitant, saying she doesn?t date women. Soon enough, she begins seeing Mathieu as a man and the two grow close. However, her homophobic friend disapproves and threatens violence against Mathieu.

A touching scene early in their courtship shows Mathieu serenading Laure on the piano with a beautiful rendition of Edith Piaf?s ?La Vie en Rose.? Laure joins in despite her initial reluctance to sing. They share their present worries and their hopes for the future. Their budding romance is cute, but doomed.

The film is just under 19 minutes long and entirely in French. It accurately depicts the struggles of a bullied teenager trying to understand his body and future. Laure herself struggles to understand Mathieu. The characters? choices are believable and the Kleinermanns gives a brilliant performance as Mathieu from the first scene to his last glare. The movie is a must-see. (SMH)

?Stud Life?
Sunday, 3 p.m.
Carnegie

Balancing relationships and friendships is tough when your girlfriend and best friend don?t get along.

?Stud Life,? a British film starring T?Nia Miller and Kyle Treslove, depicts a challenge many relationships face, but in the context of a same-sex couple. JJ (T?Nia Miller) begins dating Elle (Robyn Kerr), which puts a strain on her friendship with Seb (Kyle Treslove), leading to several fights and break-ups.

While many conflicts in the film are dependent on the characters? sexualities, including arguments about femme and butch lesbians, anyone can relate to the dynamic of JJ and Elle?s relationship in the first half of the film. JJ struggles, with little success, to balance her commitments to her girlfriend and her best friend. The drama, however, becomes harder to relate to when it is revealed that Elle works as a dominatrix. This revelation angers JJ not because of the nature of the job itself, but because Elle?s clients are men, so they break up.

Meanwhile, Seb spends a significant amount of time cruising for men online, which leads to a nasty encounter between a trick?s foot and Seb?s stomach. Seb then immediately develops a relationship with Smack Jack (Simon Savory), a drug dealing college student. The whirlwind romance felt contrived and predictable, as Seb spent most of the movie spurning him. Also, Jack had the audacity to insult someone else?s taste in clothes, which is ridiculous considering that throughout the movie, he wears, exclusively, an all-white suit.

The dialogue is, at times, difficult to understand, given the quick exchanges and British colloquialisms, and some scenarios are implausible at best. However, the relationship dynamics are the highlight of the film. (SMH)

?Bear City 2?
Sunday, 7 p.m.
(also Nov. 9 at 7 and 9 p.m.)
Carnegie

?Bear City 2? is a sequel to the popular ?Bear City? (2010), a love story between Ty, a struggling actor and chaser, and Roger, a successful businessman who hangs out with the muscle bears (even though he?s not really a bear himself).

They?re surrounded by a circle of funny friends ? neurotic unemployed Michael and his incredibly understanding lover Carlos, aspiring-but-unmotivated filmmaker Fred and his acerbic boyfriend Brent, and Simon, Ty?s twink friend who is confused but supportive when Ty ?comes out? as a chaser.

?Bear City 2? starts out with a confusing prologue that includes cameos by Kevin Smith and Frank DeCaro and reintroduces the characters. It?s not clear how much time has elapsed between the movies. Somehow, Michael has acquired a Tony nomination and Carlos has bought a bar, and since marriage is now legal in New York, Roger has decided to propose to Ty. After a few moments of soul-searching, Ty says yes. The cast heads off to Provincetown for a Bear Week wedding.

Unfortunately, ?Bear City 2? inherits some of the flaws of its predecessor and feels like it was rushed into production following the success of the first movie. Both are written and directed by Douglas Langway. The writing is frequently formulaic, relying on stock characters and situations, and the acting is uneven. There is a palpable lack of chemistry between Joe Conti and Gerald McCullouch as Ty and Roger. McCullouch is awkwardly miscast. His performance in both movies is dull and he?s not Ty?s type. Their physical mismatch does become an issue in the second movie, but it is hard to see why these two ever got together.

Despite these flaws, the film is clearly a labor of love for everyone involved and that passion shows in every frame. Partly financed by fans, their names and faces are shown in the credits and some appear as extras. And the movie is a joyous exploration and celebration of bear culture. It is wonderful (and unusual) to see guys with big bellies and fur portrayed as sexual objects. ?Bear City 2? displays these bodies with pride, both in the principal cast and in crowd shots of bears on the beach. (BTC)

Source: http://www.washingtonblade.com/2012/11/01/reel-affirmations-returns/

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