05.05.09
Posted in Brain Injury News at 1:07 pm by Jenny
The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation held a news conference last week outside the Apple Store in downtown Manhattan releasing the letter below to the Board of Directors of Apple and AT&T. While Apple has removed the "BABY SHAKER" application from its online store, Steve Jobs and Randall Stephenson have not issued a personal public apology. Apple has not issued a full accounting of how this was vetted and launched and Apple and AT&T have not offered a significant plan to mitigate the damages they have done to prevent child abuse. Until they do, The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation will continue to hold these organizations responsible for their actions. They have a fiduciary and corporate responsibility to ensure their companies do the right thing immediately!
Open Letter To the Board of Directors of Apple, Inc. and AT&T, Inc.;
Within the last 72 hours America has seen the soul of your organizations and something is very wrong. Your companies are reporting record earnings and yet you are showing no signs of corporate responsibility.
As you know by now, Apple released an iPhone application on Monday which simulated and encouraged the shaking and killing of babies called "BABY SHAKER". As the father of a 3-year-old daughter who was shaken when she was only 5 days old, breaking 3 ribs, both collarbones and causing a severe brain injury, I was shocked, appalled and angered! As the Founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, named after my daughter, with the mission to prevent pediatric acquired brain injury and to support the millions of children/young adults who suffer from the #1 leading cause of death and disability in the United States, the damage you have caused is immeasurable!
Apple displayed extreme recklessness in launching this application and the results were immediate and disturbing. Below are a few quotes from journalists and editors based on our press release yesterday who prove the seriousness of your actions. Go online and read the anonymous blog comments making fun of shaking a baby. The harm your organizations have caused in making light of harming and killing babies is enormous!
"I know! That baby shaker thing is so funny! We’ll mention your support in the review." - John Biggs, Editor-in-Chief, CrunchGear
"Uh, it’s a joke." - Ken Layne, Managing Editor, Wonkette.com
"Learn to take a joke." - Richard Nalley, Senior Editor, ForbesLife
"I couldn’t disagree with you more. The Apple App store is like a bookstore. It needs to be open to all the most repulsive ideas or we will have a regime of censorship. The next thing you know some corporate executive will decide that it is not politic to allow an app that furthers an idea you care deeply about." - Saul Hansell, Technology Reporter, The New York Times
While we are glad public outcry forced Apple to pull the application, the cynical way it was pulled without any explanation, any apology or any plans to rectify the damage they have already caused can only lead me to one explanation: this was a purposeful public relations effort coinciding with their campaign to promote their 1 billionth application download during Child Abuse Awareness Month and Shaken Baby Prevention week! The question I ask of you as fiduciaries of both Apple and AT&T is
"How many babies is your 1 billionth application download worth?"
We have asked for a public apology from Steve Jobs and we would like one from Mr. Stephenson as well.
We would like a complete accounting as to who was responsible for the vetting and launching of this sick application.
We would like Apple and AT&T to develop a significant plan to reverse the damage they have caused.
Anything short of this will reinforce the belief this was a purposeful and cynical plan to reach a 1 billionth application download! As Directors of both of these companies you have a fiduciary and corporate responsibility and the authority to act immediately - we expect nothing less from you.
On behalf of the millions of families across this country who are dealing with a child who suffers from a pediatric acquired brain injury (PABI), we are demanding action.
If we do not receive an adequate response from Apple and AT&T by the time we begin our 15-city American PABI Tour on May 3rd (pabitour.com - to promote awareness and support families who are dealing with PABI) we will hold a demonstration in front of the Apple Store in all 15 cities.
Regards,
Patrick B. Donohue, Esq.
Founder, The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation
181 Broadway - Suite 300
New York, NY 10007
(212) 201-0599
www.TheBrainProject.org
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05.02.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 4:45 pm by Jenny
Today at 09:45 AM
Want to get fit quickly? Then, enter a weight loss competition.
I'm not talking about getting on some reality TV show and dropping pounds ala "The Biggest Loser." Rather, instead of shedding weight in front of millions, consider entering one of the dozens of local weight loss contests being offered around the world.
A new study shows that weight loss competitions have become successful weapons in the battle against obesity. The study, conducted by researchers at The Miriam Hospital and Brown University, concluded that these types of challenges can produce weight loss in large numbers of people at minimal cost.
The study's authors suggest that team-based weight loss competitions can promote modest weight loss in large numbers of people, and they hope the study will encourage more people to enter similar programs. Researchers did note that some improvements could be made to basic weight loss contests, such as adding diet and exercise education, teaching ways to change behavior or offering access to health coaches.
One of the most popular weight loss contests offered in the United States is Shape Up Rhode Island, a statewide Internet-based weight loss competition, which has resulted in thousands of overweight individuals melting away unwanted pounds.
According to reports, Shape Up Rhode Island reduced the percentage of obese contestants from 39 percent to 31 percent. What's more, individual contestants learned that by increasing their activity, they could not only lose weight, but keep it off as well.
The contest is designed to include teams that compete for weight loss, pedometer steps and exercise minutes. The contest runs for approximately one year. Competitors pay $15 to register, and most of the contestants say they were able to get the fee paid by their employer.
In 2007 nearly 5,000 overweight individuals signed up to compete in the program. Of those participants, roughly 3,400 or 71 percent of participants completed at least 12 weeks of the study. Participants who were heavier at the start of the program lost the greatest amount of weight, though all of the contestants, who stuck with the program, noted that they had experienced some type of weight loss.
Have you ever participated in a weight loss competition?
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04.30.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:27 pm by Jenny
30 Apr 2009 12:27 PM
Given that you can't work out when you are sick, it's a good idea to do what you can to keep your immune system in tip-top shape.
In a previous blog I noted that germs can cause anything from a runny nose to a life-threatening disease. To avoid falling ill and compromising your regular fitness routine, consider the following tips to keep bacteria at bay:
Filthy Fridge
When was the last time you cleaned your refrigerator? Not just to throw out spoiled food, but to deep clean the frosty kitchen appliance from top to bottom? A recent survey found that 83 percent of Americans neglect to clean the seal around the refrigerator door, which studies show is a haven for all kinds of mold. What's more, those molds spread every time you open the fridge door, and contaminate food, which in turn can make you sick. To avoid this from happening, be sure to wipe your fridge seals with a diluted bleach solution or spray on a disinfectant, at least once a week.
Vicious Vacuums
Most people think that using their vacuum on a regular basis is a great way to cut down on dirt and bacteria, and stay healthy. Unfortunately, vacuums are huge hiding places for germs. In fact, a leading microbiologist once referred to vacuums as "meals-on-wheels" for bacteria, and that includes the bags and brushes.
It makes sense if you think about it. All those crumbs dropped on the carpet, plus the other foreign gunk left behind by your kids, continually spin around in the vacuum cleaner bag. This is one of the main reasons you should change the vacuum bag frequently, and do it outside if possible. Doing so will help bacteria from spreading around your home. In addition, consider purchasing vacuum bags with anti-bacterial linings. If you use a bagless vacuum, clean the cavity with diluted bleach and let it air dry.
Finally, don't forget to clean your vacuum brushes. A new study found that 13 percent of all vacuum cleaner brushes tested positive for E. Coli, which means you could be spreading around dangerous bacteria every time you use your vacuum.
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Posted in Brain Injury News at 1:08 pm by Jenny
A recent report in The New York Times indicated that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is holding a rare “all-hands meeting” to discuss strategic issues in the medical device division of the agency is a further indication that safety approval of medical devices has been compromised, putting patients’ health and safety at risk. The meeting shows that the FDA sees an urgent need for reform in the agency especially when it comes to medical devices that have seen massive recalls and no recourse of litigation for those injured by these devices.
The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has been working with a large coalition of consumer and patient safety groups to pass the Medical Device Safety Act (MDSA), legislation that would restore the rights of medical device patients to seek justice in state courts when they have been harmed by unsafe medical devices.
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04.29.09
Posted in Uncategorized at 7:10 pm by Jenny
29 Apr 2009 12:10 PM
Most people take a break from their fitness routines when they are sick. Then, there are those who power through and risk getting even sicker. Ideally, you wouldn't get sick at all, but that's not reality. On the bright side, studies show that people who follow a regular fitness routine lower their risk of contracting colds and other common communicable diseases.
Still, germs are everywhere. While most are harmless, experts say, roughly one percent of germs can cause life-threatening infections. To avoid upsetting your fitness routine, consider the following simple steps to help you stay healthy:
Beware of Dirty Mats
Welcome mats house millions of unwanted guests. Most welcome mats are placed just outside the front door, which is one of the dirtiest spots in and around your home. A recent study found that nearly 96 percent of shoe soles carry traces of coliform, which includes fecal bacteria. Once the germs get into your mat, any time you walk on it, you give bacteria a free ride into your home. Ditto for shopping bags that are placed on the front mat while you fish around for your keys or balance kids on your hips. Those bags are then brought inside and placed on countertops, where germs then transfer and prosper. To avoid getting sick from these unwanted houseguests, remember to never to put your shopping bags on your countertops. You can eliminate bacteria on your welcome mat by spraying it once a week with Lysol or another disinfectant spray. Also, take your shoes off before entering your home.
Dish Towel Danger
A recent study found that about seven percent of kitchen towels are contaminated with a type of staph bacteria that can cause life-threatening skin infections. Dish towels also rate high for dangerous strains of E. Coli and other bacteria. That said, if you use dish towels as opposed to paper towels, you might consider making a switch. Experts recommend that you use paper towels to clean countertops, and save the towel to dry clean dishes. Even then, you should wash your dish towels in hot water and bleach at least twice a week to keep them germ-free.
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