Published in The Post-Star (D1)
4/16/06
When Joy Muller brought her first non-Jewish boyfriend home at age 16, her father -- an Orthodox Jew -- was furious.
"He told me that if I married someone like that, I wouldn't be his daughter anymore," she remembered.
Unlike most other major religious groups, Jews share genes as well as a belief system. They don't actively seek converts to the faith, so there is only one logical way for their population to survive: give birth to more Jews.
But in recent years, more than half of the 5.2 million Jews in the United States have married outside the faith, according to a 2001 survey by United Jewish Communities. And that number is likely to increase -- in the same survey, 75 percent of single Jews said they date both Jews and non-Jews.
"In a free society, people fall in love and get married, and often pay no attention to the religion in which they were raised," said Rabbi Richard Sobel, of Temple Beth-El in Glens Falls. "Depending on one's understanding of Judaism, that could be a very difficult thing."
For the Mullers, preserving a Jewish identity was an especially sensitive issue. Both of Joy's parents grew up in Poland, where they had endured the horrors of the Holocaust.
"My father said he saw soldiers throwing babies out of windows and shooting at them like ducks," Joy said, choking up.
They raised their daughter to respect her religious tradition, but they also taught her to look beyond race.
"I was always taught that the most important thing was that everyone in the world needed to be respected, treated fairly, and free," she said.
Shortly after college, at a country-western dance in New York City, she met a young man who shared those values.
His name was Gary McCoola, and he was Catholic, but that didn't matter much to either of them.
And so, in 1984, Joy Muller became Joy Muller-McCoola.
She is among a number of local families that have proved that interfaith marriage doesn't necessarily require religious sacrifice.
Last week, the Muller-McCoolas hosted a Passover meal, called a Seder, at their home in Glens Falls.
They shared the meal with several other local mixed-faith couples -- what they jokingly call "half-and-halves" -- as they have done for the past 15 years.
Muller-McCoola, a vivacious woman with a streak of red in her white hair and bright green eyeglasses shaped like wings, sat at the head of the table. Her teenage son Jacob sat nearby, sporting long corn-rows and a T-shirt with Hebrew lettering (embarrassing side note: turns out it wasn't Hebrew, but a logo for a popular punk band).
It wasn't exactly an orthodox Seder -- they dyed Easter eggs before the meal, and read from a homemade haggadah that mixed modern poetry with ancient Scripture -- but any Jew would have recognized the items on the table; parsley and salt water, representing trials and tears; matzah, an unleavened bread that commemorates the hasty flight of Hebrew slaves from Egypt; and plenty of red wine (cherry soda for the kids), because the meal is supposed to be a celebration, after all.
Among the guests were Michael Panken and Cathy DeDe, who have been married for 19 years. Panken comes from a secular Jewish background, while DeDe is a Christian who grew up steeped in the Catholic tradition.
"Both of us are definitely spiritually attached people, but neither was actively going to church or temple when we met," she said.
When they had children, they started attending Temple Beth-El.
"We wanted our kids to grow up with some kind of spiritual base," DeDe explained. "And it turned out that our oldest daughter, Anna, really felt an affinity for the temple. She was happier there than she was anywhere."
A dozen years later, they are active members of Temple Sinai in Saratoga Springs. Both of their teenage daughters have had bat mitzvahs, and Panken teaches Hebrew in the religious school.
DeDe is involved in temple life, too, but said she has never felt the need or desire to convert to Judaism.
"I say jokingly that going to temple makes me a better Christian," she said. "And I've been studying Hebrew. It's my text, too -- what my family calls the Bible, I call the Old Testament."
Her family celebrates all the major Jewish and Christian holidays, and traditionally hosts a Christmas Eve party that includes mixed-marriage couples like the Muller-McCoolas.
"We're the opposite of what you'd expect -- my husband married outside the faith, and the world now has three new Jewish people, because faith is now an important part of his life as well as his children's," DeDe reflected.
Rabbi Sobel hopes this will become a trend. His congregation of about 110 families includes several interfaith marriages, and he said it doesn't make sense to reject them because the non-Jewish partner hasn't converted.
"If you reject those marriages, then you're liable to turn the Jewish partner off from participating in Jewish life and the synagogue," he said. "You're really missing the opportunity to influence and hang on to a lot of potential members of your congregation and the Jewish people. You have to decide what's more important."
As for Muller-McCoola, her parents ultimately decided that their daughter's happiness was more important than anything else.
"After a couple of visits, and hearing from me that Gary was a good, decent, caring person, they were OK with it," she said. "My dad adores him now."
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Food pg: The joy of soy
Published in The Post-Star (D1)
4/19/06
First, let's clear up a few misunderstandings.
Tofu is not a slimy, tasteless substance invented to torture dieters.
It's not the gunk that gets stuck between your toes in fuzzy socks (my father's favorite joke).
And it's hardly a passing fad. Chinese farmers came up with the concept of "bean curd" at least 2,000 years ago. Think of it as cheese made from soy milk.
"Try it," urged Phillip Barbieri, the cook behind the daily vegetarian buffet at Four Seasons Natural Foods in Saratoga Springs. "If you like it, good. If you don't, fine. Try something else."
Barbieri prepares a variety of soy-based dishes for the buffet, and many of them involve tofu in place of meat or dairy. He said the trick to cooking with tofu is getting the texture right.
"I use the extra-firm variety, because it won't turn to mush when you cook with it," he said.
Dehydrating the tofu -- by pressing out excess water and/or baking it -- gives it an even firmer, chicken-like texture.
"If that chewy, rubbery texture is what people miss about eating meat, deep-frying can also help," he suggested.
Of course, deep-fried tofu nuggets are probably not what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had in mind when it recommended eating 25 grams of soy protein a day.
According to the FDA, soy can lower levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins), reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is also the only "complete protein" found in plants, meaning it has all the amino acids that a human body needs.
Adding a little tofu to your diet doesn't have to mean growing dreadlocks or burning your leather jacket.
Even Barbieri, who has been a vegan chef for almost a decade, isn't what he calls "evangelical" about the stuff. Growing up in an Italian family gave him a love for all types of food.
"I do eat animals sometimes," he said with a shrug. "To me, tofu is just another kind of food. And it's actually good for you."
RECIPES
Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
2 tablespoons sesame oil*
1/8 cup Tamari or soy sauce*
1/8 cup mirin (sweet rice wine) or dry sherry*
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Broccoli, chopped
Red or yellow pepper, chopped
Oyster mushrooms
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Mix sesame oil, tamari and mirin, and coat the tofu with about half this marinade. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Chop tofu into bite-size chunks, mix with remaining ingredients. Stir-fry for about five minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve warm.
Tofu Tomato Salad
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil*
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar*
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
Fresh basil, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, cut in large chunks
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut into chunks. Mix with remaining ingredients and serve cold on a lettuce leaf.
Baked Sesame Tofu
2 tablespoons apple juice*
2 tablespoons tamari*
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced*
2 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Cut tofu into 2-inch squares (about 1/2-inch thick). Marinate in juice, tamari, ginger and garlic for at least an hour. Place squares on baking sheet and press sesame seeds on top. Bake about 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until marinade has evaporated. Serve warm or cold.
Deviled Tofu Salad
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained and diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise or Nasoya (vegan mayo)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 small red onion or two scallions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and serve cold on a lettuce leaf or in a sandwich.
4/19/06
First, let's clear up a few misunderstandings.
Tofu is not a slimy, tasteless substance invented to torture dieters.
It's not the gunk that gets stuck between your toes in fuzzy socks (my father's favorite joke).
And it's hardly a passing fad. Chinese farmers came up with the concept of "bean curd" at least 2,000 years ago. Think of it as cheese made from soy milk.
"Try it," urged Phillip Barbieri, the cook behind the daily vegetarian buffet at Four Seasons Natural Foods in Saratoga Springs. "If you like it, good. If you don't, fine. Try something else."
Barbieri prepares a variety of soy-based dishes for the buffet, and many of them involve tofu in place of meat or dairy. He said the trick to cooking with tofu is getting the texture right.
"I use the extra-firm variety, because it won't turn to mush when you cook with it," he said.
Dehydrating the tofu -- by pressing out excess water and/or baking it -- gives it an even firmer, chicken-like texture.
"If that chewy, rubbery texture is what people miss about eating meat, deep-frying can also help," he suggested.
Of course, deep-fried tofu nuggets are probably not what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had in mind when it recommended eating 25 grams of soy protein a day.
According to the FDA, soy can lower levels of "bad" cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins), reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is also the only "complete protein" found in plants, meaning it has all the amino acids that a human body needs.
Adding a little tofu to your diet doesn't have to mean growing dreadlocks or burning your leather jacket.
Even Barbieri, who has been a vegan chef for almost a decade, isn't what he calls "evangelical" about the stuff. Growing up in an Italian family gave him a love for all types of food.
"I do eat animals sometimes," he said with a shrug. "To me, tofu is just another kind of food. And it's actually good for you."
RECIPES
Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
2 tablespoons sesame oil*
1/8 cup Tamari or soy sauce*
1/8 cup mirin (sweet rice wine) or dry sherry*
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Broccoli, chopped
Red or yellow pepper, chopped
Oyster mushrooms
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Mix sesame oil, tamari and mirin, and coat the tofu with about half this marinade. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Chop tofu into bite-size chunks, mix with remaining ingredients. Stir-fry for about five minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve warm.
Tofu Tomato Salad
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil*
1/8 cup balsamic vinegar*
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
Fresh basil, chopped
2 fresh tomatoes, cut in large chunks
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Slice tofu in half to reduce thickness. Bake on a sheet for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool, cut into chunks. Mix with remaining ingredients and serve cold on a lettuce leaf.
Baked Sesame Tofu
2 tablespoons apple juice*
2 tablespoons tamari*
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced*
2 cloves fresh garlic, roughly cut or flattened*
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
(*amounts approximate; flavor to taste)
Cut tofu into 2-inch squares (about 1/2-inch thick). Marinate in juice, tamari, ginger and garlic for at least an hour. Place squares on baking sheet and press sesame seeds on top. Bake about 40 minutes at 350 degrees or until marinade has evaporated. Serve warm or cold.
Deviled Tofu Salad
1 package extra-firm raw tofu, drained and diced
1/3 cup mayonnaise or Nasoya (vegan mayo)
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1/2 small red onion or two scallions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients together and serve cold on a lettuce leaf or in a sandwich.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Political health
Published in The Post-Star (A1)
4/9/06
Politics often involves headaches, but Rep. John Sweeney, R-Clifton Park, has had more than his fair share lately.
Sweeney was hospitalized three times in the last two months for problems including migraines, life-threatening spikes in blood pressure, exhaustion and neck pain. After a March 13 angiogram at Albany Medical Center, his doctors delivered a somewhat baffling diagnosis: vasculitis.
Vasculitis is a general term for more than 20 types of autoimmune disorders that inflame blood vessels in various organ systems, said Dr. David Hellmann, who treated Sweeney last month at the Johns Hopkins Vasculitis Center in Baltimore.
It's hard to pinpoint the cause of most vasculitis cases, Hellmann said. The symptoms may indicate a serious underlying illness, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or they could flare up on their own.
Although Hellmann could not specifically discuss Sweeney's case, he explained the disease in general.
"Everyone has an immune system that's supposed to protect you from 'thug' germs. Autoimmune diseases like vasculitis can be thought of as the biological equivalent of police brutality," Hellmann said. "The 'cop' cells that are supposed to be protecting you are instead beating up on the 'citizens' of your body -- in the case of vasculitis, they're attacking the blood vessels."
One of the most rare and serious forms of the disease is central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis, which attacks the blood vessels in the brain. Until the invention of diagnostic imaging tools a few decades ago, this type of vasculitis was nearly always fatal.
Patients with this diagnosis are typically treated with prednisone, an anti-inflammatory steroid, and calcium channel blockers that reduce the risk of blood vessel spasms.
Sweeney is currently taking prednisone, according to his spokeswoman, Melissa Carlson. He has also been on medication for high blood pressure for several years.
Side effects of prednisone can include high blood pressure, weight gain, acne, growth of body hair, easy bruising, mood swings, insomnia, glucose intolerance, and bone thinning, depending on the dosage and length of treatment.
While these side effects aren't pleasant, Hellmann said they are "usually manageable." Most vasculitis patients make a full recovery with the proper treatment, although the disease can recur.
"The outlook has dramatically improved over the last few years, and death from vasculitis is now very infrequent," Hellmann said.
'Feeling strong'
Sweeney's health problems could be compounded by the stress of a job on Capitol Hill, a son who recently pleaded guilty to assault charges and a re-election campaign that's shaping up to be a real fight.
Carlson said her boss is up to the challenge.
"Right now, he's continuing to be treated and undergo tests, but he's feeling strong and going back to work. He looks forward to recovering and facing any challenges -- personal, political, and professional -- that come his way, as he's always done," she said.
Kirsten Gillibrand, Sweeney's expected Democratic challenger, sent a card to the congressman when he was first hospitalized in February.
Her campaign manager, Bill Hyers, refused to comment on how Sweeney's health problems could affect the congressional race.
"You don't play politics with health issues," Hyers said. "We just wish him a speedy recovery."
That's a wise move, said Alan Chartock, president of WAMC public radio and executive publisher of The Legislative Gazette.
"It's not a good idea to kick somebody when they're down," Chartock said. "I think Gillibrand runs a big risk of being perceived as underhanded if she gets too nasty with him."
Chartock said he is a longtime friend of Sweeney's, and though they don't always agree, he admires the congressman for being "a straight talker who doesn't play games."
In some ways, Sweeney's political health has never been better, Chartock reflected, but that's merely a silver lining in a very real cloud.
"I've noticed a diminution of anti-Sweeney rhetoric in the press since this began," he said. "But when your body doesn't operate the way you need it to, it certainly isn't worth any political benefit."
Chartock said he fully expects the congressman to stay in the race, "but you never know."
Sweeney will have to decide fairly soon. According to election law, the deadline for a candidate to decline or accept a party nomination is July 17. Parties have until July 21 to fill vacancies.
After that, the names on the general election ballot are unlikely to change, said Lee Daghlian, spokesperson for the State Board of Elections.
"The only way you can get off the ballot after the deadline is if you move out of the district, are appointed to a judicial post, get a court order or die," he said.
State senator Betty Little, R-Queensbury, said she saw Sweeney last Monday and thought he looked good.
"I believe he's going to be running again," she said. "There's no speculation here."
Carlson said that although the congressman believes the public has a right to know when his illness affects his job performance -- for example, if hospitalization causes him to miss a vote -- he would like to keep the details of his condition private for now.
"If there's ever a situation where he can't do his job, he'll let the public know," she said.
WHAT IT IS
Vasculitis, also called angiitis or arteritis, is a general term for more than 20 types of immune system disorders that inflame blood vessels, often causing tissue or organ damage if left untreated. It affects about 3 percent of Americans, and is the cause of at least 100,000 hospitalizations each year. More information is available at http://vasculitis.med.jhu.edu
Surviving family fun
Published in The Post-Star (G1)
4/6/06
Nothing like a family vacation drives home the true meaning of "baggage."
It's not easy to steer a path to rest and relaxation through obstacles like crying children, squabbling spouses, or exasperating in-laws, but millions of Americans try to do it each year.
Dr. Paul Etu, a Glens Falls psychologist, has heard plenty of horror stories about family vacations, but nothing that could be printed here. He offered some general advice to families who are planning a trip together.
"One of the problems that comes up a lot is that everybody has different tastes, so try to schedule something that includes a little bit of something for everyone," he said.
When his children were young, this usually meant alternating: one day at Disney, then one day at a museum or cultural attraction. Often, said Etu, kids and adults can discover common ground through outdoor activities.
"My kids got really into kayaking, even though their first thought would have been to go to an amusement park," he said.
It's important to let every family member participate in the vacation planning process, he said. Adults can create a list of options and let the kids choose a few places or activities out of those, what Etu calls "making forced choices."
Teresa Plowright, the official family travel guide for the New York-based Web site About.com, has two ways of looking at family road trips.
"Sometimes, you've just got to get there, sort of like a hurtling spaceship," she said. "But it's better if you can make the journey itself into a pleasant memory."
Her three children are all teenagers now, and it's a long-standing family tradition to listen to audiobooks when they travel together. Currently, they're immersed in the Lemony Snicket series ("A Series of Unfortunate Events").
"I love books on tape, because you put them on and you're all kind of together in the same space; the same story," she said. "And you can still look outside and enjoy the trip while you're listening, unlike watching a DVD."
Other families have more unusual traditions.
One local mom said her family likes to bring "toll booth attendant snacks" -- prepackaged cookies, candy bars, or soda -- on long drives. This tradition started years ago, when they offered a cold drink to an attendant on a hot summer day and got an enthusiastic reaction that gave them something to laugh and talk about for miles.
It's these sorts of little things that can transform a tense and tiring journey into what Plowright calls "really nice family bonding time."
Etu recommends making plenty of pit stops on a family road trip, rather than racing to the destination.
"People who drive straight through a long distance with children are probably asking for it," he said. "And if you have elderly passengers, keep in mind that they might need to stop more often as well."
He warns parents against letting kids "triangulate" on trips.
"If there's an odd number, like three, you're likely to end up with two fighting against one," he said.
In the case of his own three children, Etu often allowed the youngest to invite a friend on family vacations. It added some expense, but saved a lot of hassle, he said.
Above all, don't get your swim trunks in a knot when you can't stick precisely to that carefully planned itinerary.
"Don't get upset when the unexpected happens," Etu said. "Look on the bright side."
Just be sure you're not looking on your sister's side of the car.
#
Club shines light on human trafficking
Published in The Post-Star
3/30/06
Slavery might sound like a distant nightmare, but members of the local Zonta Club want New Yorkers to open their eyes to reality.
Every year, as many as 2 million people worldwide become victims of "human trafficking," forced or tricked into living and working in a place against their will -- places like brothels, sweatshops, construction sites and farms.
"I'm sure its happening in Glens Falls, but such a small percentage of victims step forward that you may never find out," said Dan Werner, legal director of Workers' Rights Law Center of New York.
Werner was one of three speakers at the Zonta Club's annual "Status of Women" dinner program on Tuesday night at the Queensbury Hotel. The program aimed to raise awareness of human trafficking issues, particularly the exploitation of women and children in the global sex trade.
Several local law enforcement officials attended, including Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan, Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright and Glens Falls Police Captain Kevin Conine.
Kenneth Franzblau, a lawyer with Equality Now, advocated for a state law against human trafficking.
Despite the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, only about 1 percent of victims are willing to take a legal stand against their former captors, he noted.
"To me, that indicates great fear, and a need for stronger protections for victims," Franzblau said.
He urged the audience to lobby their state representatives in support of proposed anti-trafficking legislation (Assembly bill 1898 and Senate bill 6231).
Rachel Seeber Conine, director of the Victim Witness Unit for the U.S. Attorney's Office of Northern New York, discussed how to respond to human trafficking on a local level. She said evidence of the problem has shown up in places as close as Albany.
"Just because we haven't identified any cases in Warren and Washington counties doesn't mean they're not happening," she said.
Conine, who lives in Glens Falls, urged the community to take a proactive approach by forming a trafficking task force.
When victims escape, they need immediate access to things like food, shelter and clothing. Conine suggested establishing an emergency fund and setting up agreements with local businesses that could be ready to provide aid on short notice.
"You haven't waited for a trafficking case to occur here to raise awareness, and that's wonderful," she said. "We live in a great county. Let's do something here that will be a model for other counties."
#
3/30/06
Slavery might sound like a distant nightmare, but members of the local Zonta Club want New Yorkers to open their eyes to reality.
Every year, as many as 2 million people worldwide become victims of "human trafficking," forced or tricked into living and working in a place against their will -- places like brothels, sweatshops, construction sites and farms.
"I'm sure its happening in Glens Falls, but such a small percentage of victims step forward that you may never find out," said Dan Werner, legal director of Workers' Rights Law Center of New York.
Werner was one of three speakers at the Zonta Club's annual "Status of Women" dinner program on Tuesday night at the Queensbury Hotel. The program aimed to raise awareness of human trafficking issues, particularly the exploitation of women and children in the global sex trade.
Several local law enforcement officials attended, including Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan, Washington County District Attorney Kevin Kortright and Glens Falls Police Captain Kevin Conine.
Kenneth Franzblau, a lawyer with Equality Now, advocated for a state law against human trafficking.
Despite the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, only about 1 percent of victims are willing to take a legal stand against their former captors, he noted.
"To me, that indicates great fear, and a need for stronger protections for victims," Franzblau said.
He urged the audience to lobby their state representatives in support of proposed anti-trafficking legislation (Assembly bill 1898 and Senate bill 6231).
Rachel Seeber Conine, director of the Victim Witness Unit for the U.S. Attorney's Office of Northern New York, discussed how to respond to human trafficking on a local level. She said evidence of the problem has shown up in places as close as Albany.
"Just because we haven't identified any cases in Warren and Washington counties doesn't mean they're not happening," she said.
Conine, who lives in Glens Falls, urged the community to take a proactive approach by forming a trafficking task force.
When victims escape, they need immediate access to things like food, shelter and clothing. Conine suggested establishing an emergency fund and setting up agreements with local businesses that could be ready to provide aid on short notice.
"You haven't waited for a trafficking case to occur here to raise awareness, and that's wonderful," she said. "We live in a great county. Let's do something here that will be a model for other counties."
#
the wedding issue
Published in The Post-Star ("Go" wedding issue)
3/23/06
Second Weddings
When "I do" becomes "do over," questions arise.
Can the bride wear white? Can rings be recycled? Are guests expected to laugh when the best man's toast involves a derogatory joke about the groom's first wife?
The answers are: yes, no, and not unless the wife was Britney Spears (in which case, an "Oops! I did it again" joke is obligatory).
"Encore weddings" are a growing niche in the wedding industry -- census statistics show that more than one-third of the weddings in the United States each year are remarriages for at least one of the partners.
It used to be taboo for a bride to wear white at a wedding that wasn't her first, but these days, few people equate white with virginity. Ivory and pastels also tend to be popular choices for second brides, according to the Web site Idotaketwo.com.
The dress style depends on the bride's personal tastes, but the veil is a touchier subject. Over-the-face "blusher" veils are considered a fashion faux pas for more experienced brides, although etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute say a down-the-back veil is acceptable with some gowns.
When buying a gift for someone who has already been married, stay away from basic household items they might have received the first time around (unless they specifically registered for them). Good alternatives abound, including, for example, an engraved memento of the special day, a fun "extra" like an ice cream maker, or a gift certificate for a shared activity.
----
How to be the perfect wedding guest -- or not.
(By Amanda Bensen and CE Skidmore)
1) When you receive a wedding invitation, RSVP promptly, even if your answer is "no." Only bring other people if they were specifically invited (i.e. "A. Smith and Guest," or "The Smith Family"). If you can't attend, you should still send a card and gift.
-- They invited you, why wouldn't they assume that you're coming? And nothing livens up a party like your new girlfriend and her hyperactive 10-year-old. They do a heck of a chicken dance.
2) Buy a thoughtful, practical gift. Use the couple's registry as a guide, but not the gospel. (For example, if the only item left on their list is a designer wastebasket, it's probably best to go with a gift certificate.) According to etiquette experts at The Emily Post Institute, gifts can be sent up to three months after the wedding, although sooner is better.
-- Always give a gift that you wouldn't mind getting back in the event of a runaway bride. Anything you can trade for Marlboro Miles should suffice.
3) Dress appropriately for the ceremony, taking cues from the event's location, time of day, and season. Evening weddings are generally more formal, for example. Black is fine, but women in white dresses risk upstaging the bride.
-- Weddings take place in churches and God knows polyester makes you chafe. Every fashionista knows that jeans go with everything, especially a smart bolo tie.
4) Aim to arrive at the ceremony about 30 minutes early, so that you'll be safely seated before the stars of the show need the aisle to themselves. And turn off that bloody cell phone.
-- Don't arrive on time. Don't arrive early. A fashionable entrance is a late entrance. That's what Axl Rose would do.
5) Enjoy yourself at the reception. The bride and groom put a lot of effort into ensuring their guests have a good time. Find an opportunity to greet the happy couple and wish them well, without monopolizing their time.
-- This wedding is your only opportunity to get a free meal out of that cousin who thinks he's better than you because he finished high school before age 20. Hit the open bar and ask his new bride to slow dance.
3/23/06
Second Weddings
When "I do" becomes "do over," questions arise.
Can the bride wear white? Can rings be recycled? Are guests expected to laugh when the best man's toast involves a derogatory joke about the groom's first wife?
The answers are: yes, no, and not unless the wife was Britney Spears (in which case, an "Oops! I did it again" joke is obligatory).
"Encore weddings" are a growing niche in the wedding industry -- census statistics show that more than one-third of the weddings in the United States each year are remarriages for at least one of the partners.
It used to be taboo for a bride to wear white at a wedding that wasn't her first, but these days, few people equate white with virginity. Ivory and pastels also tend to be popular choices for second brides, according to the Web site Idotaketwo.com.
The dress style depends on the bride's personal tastes, but the veil is a touchier subject. Over-the-face "blusher" veils are considered a fashion faux pas for more experienced brides, although etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute say a down-the-back veil is acceptable with some gowns.
When buying a gift for someone who has already been married, stay away from basic household items they might have received the first time around (unless they specifically registered for them). Good alternatives abound, including, for example, an engraved memento of the special day, a fun "extra" like an ice cream maker, or a gift certificate for a shared activity.
----
How to be the perfect wedding guest -- or not.
(By Amanda Bensen and CE Skidmore)
1) When you receive a wedding invitation, RSVP promptly, even if your answer is "no." Only bring other people if they were specifically invited (i.e. "A. Smith and Guest," or "The Smith Family"). If you can't attend, you should still send a card and gift.
-- They invited you, why wouldn't they assume that you're coming? And nothing livens up a party like your new girlfriend and her hyperactive 10-year-old. They do a heck of a chicken dance.
2) Buy a thoughtful, practical gift. Use the couple's registry as a guide, but not the gospel. (For example, if the only item left on their list is a designer wastebasket, it's probably best to go with a gift certificate.) According to etiquette experts at The Emily Post Institute, gifts can be sent up to three months after the wedding, although sooner is better.
-- Always give a gift that you wouldn't mind getting back in the event of a runaway bride. Anything you can trade for Marlboro Miles should suffice.
3) Dress appropriately for the ceremony, taking cues from the event's location, time of day, and season. Evening weddings are generally more formal, for example. Black is fine, but women in white dresses risk upstaging the bride.
-- Weddings take place in churches and God knows polyester makes you chafe. Every fashionista knows that jeans go with everything, especially a smart bolo tie.
4) Aim to arrive at the ceremony about 30 minutes early, so that you'll be safely seated before the stars of the show need the aisle to themselves. And turn off that bloody cell phone.
-- Don't arrive on time. Don't arrive early. A fashionable entrance is a late entrance. That's what Axl Rose would do.
5) Enjoy yourself at the reception. The bride and groom put a lot of effort into ensuring their guests have a good time. Find an opportunity to greet the happy couple and wish them well, without monopolizing their time.
-- This wedding is your only opportunity to get a free meal out of that cousin who thinks he's better than you because he finished high school before age 20. Hit the open bar and ask his new bride to slow dance.
enterprise: hospital accreditation
Published in The Post-Star (A1)
3/27/06
When accreditation surveyors from the Joint Commission visited Glens Falls Hospital last July, they didn't like everything they saw.
The Joint Commission, an association that accredits about 15,000 health care organizations nationwide, issued "conditional accreditation" to Glens Falls Hospital for the first time in the hospital's history, and left behind a list of 13 "requirements for improvement."
Those requirements included things like keeping up with fire codes, documenting regular testing of crucial medical equipment like sterilizers and ventilators, storing medications properly, assessing pain in all patients, and developing a hospital-wide system to quickly identify and address any problems in the environment of care.
This spring, Joint Commission surveyors will return to see if those requirements have been met.
"Conditional accreditation means the hospital is out of compliance with a number of standards, and must demonstrate compliance with those standards in order to maintain their accreditation," said Char Hill, a spokesperson for the Joint Commission. "The hospital is likely working very hard to come into full compliance."
That's true, said Glens Falls Hospital CEO David Kruczlnicki.
"We're anxious for them to return," he said. "As soon as they verify that the things they have suggested to us have been addressed, we'll swap to full accreditation."
One part of the survey compared the hospital's voluntarily reported data with state and national statistics in three critical areas of patient care. Glens Falls Hospital scored above average for heart failure care, average for heart attack care, and below average for pneumonia care.
In recent months, the hospital has worked to improve the speed and accuracy of blood culture collection in pneumonia patients, the key area in which its score suffered. Blood cultures can help determine the most effective antibiotic for treatment.
Since the survey, blood culture collection rates in pneumonia patients at Glens Falls Hospital have gone up from 64 percent to 72 percent of pneumonia patients, according to Carol Shippey, vice president for patient services. The state and national average is 82 percent.
Most of the problems that surveyors found were not with the substance of the hospital's procedures, but with consistent documentation of those procedures, Kruczlnicki noted.
"We're pleased that the central part of their recommendations for us had to do with non-direct patient care," said Kruczlnicki. "And frankly, to some degree, I think we may have been a bit distracted with the construction of the new Northwest Tower when the surveyors were here. We should have had all this documentation then, but we have it now."
Since the Joint Commission's last visit, the hospital has introduced a new computerized maintenance system to make record keeping more timely and consistent.
Kruczlnicki also pointed out that the Joint Commission has recently been tinkering with its accreditation method. "Conditional accreditation" was not something that existed the last time Glens Falls Hospital was reviewed. The hospital has been accredited by the Joint Commission since 1954, and surveys are typically conducted every three years.
"I don't want to sound defensive about the jargon, but it's the first time they've had that terminology, and from what I understand, it's not unusual for a hospital to have conditional accreditation," said Kruczlnicki. "The whole idea is that it's a learning experience."
According to the Joint Commission's Web site, Saratoga Hospital and Albany Medical Center both received full accreditation in their most recent surveys. But that doesn't mean they were perfect, either.
In the area of "heart failure care," the commission gave Saratoga Hospital a "below average" score in September 2004. Since then, hospital staff have sharpened their focus on quality improvement initiatives in this area, such as reducing the rate of bloodstream infections when central lines are inserted.
"When we identify an area that needs improvement, we review that, develop a strategy and put an action plan in place to get ourselves to the mean or above the mean," said Susan Hodgson, quality director for Saratoga Hospital.
The hospital also has something called a "Joint Commission readiness team," she said, that focuses on keeping up with each chapter of the most current accreditation standards. Although Joint Commission accreditation is voluntary, it's standard procedure for most major hospitals.
"These days, aligning yourself with their standards is really the right thing to do. You don't just do it for the sake of accreditation -- it really does substantiate quality and excellence in patient care," Hodgson said.
Kruczlnicki said he agrees, and welcomes the commission's visits.
"We chose to participate because every survey is a learning process. The surveyors that visit us interact with virtually every hospital in the country, and through doing that, they identify the best practices for hospitals," he said. "We can learn from them what the best of institutions are doing to provide the best care, so we can constantly improve the quality of our care."
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The following Web sites offer comparative data on hospital quality indicators, searchable by ZIP code:
Joint Commission: http://www.jcaho.org/qualitycheck
Dept. of Health and Human Services: http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://ahrq.gov/qual/hosptools.htm
3/27/06
When accreditation surveyors from the Joint Commission visited Glens Falls Hospital last July, they didn't like everything they saw.
The Joint Commission, an association that accredits about 15,000 health care organizations nationwide, issued "conditional accreditation" to Glens Falls Hospital for the first time in the hospital's history, and left behind a list of 13 "requirements for improvement."
Those requirements included things like keeping up with fire codes, documenting regular testing of crucial medical equipment like sterilizers and ventilators, storing medications properly, assessing pain in all patients, and developing a hospital-wide system to quickly identify and address any problems in the environment of care.
This spring, Joint Commission surveyors will return to see if those requirements have been met.
"Conditional accreditation means the hospital is out of compliance with a number of standards, and must demonstrate compliance with those standards in order to maintain their accreditation," said Char Hill, a spokesperson for the Joint Commission. "The hospital is likely working very hard to come into full compliance."
That's true, said Glens Falls Hospital CEO David Kruczlnicki.
"We're anxious for them to return," he said. "As soon as they verify that the things they have suggested to us have been addressed, we'll swap to full accreditation."
One part of the survey compared the hospital's voluntarily reported data with state and national statistics in three critical areas of patient care. Glens Falls Hospital scored above average for heart failure care, average for heart attack care, and below average for pneumonia care.
In recent months, the hospital has worked to improve the speed and accuracy of blood culture collection in pneumonia patients, the key area in which its score suffered. Blood cultures can help determine the most effective antibiotic for treatment.
Since the survey, blood culture collection rates in pneumonia patients at Glens Falls Hospital have gone up from 64 percent to 72 percent of pneumonia patients, according to Carol Shippey, vice president for patient services. The state and national average is 82 percent.
Most of the problems that surveyors found were not with the substance of the hospital's procedures, but with consistent documentation of those procedures, Kruczlnicki noted.
"We're pleased that the central part of their recommendations for us had to do with non-direct patient care," said Kruczlnicki. "And frankly, to some degree, I think we may have been a bit distracted with the construction of the new Northwest Tower when the surveyors were here. We should have had all this documentation then, but we have it now."
Since the Joint Commission's last visit, the hospital has introduced a new computerized maintenance system to make record keeping more timely and consistent.
Kruczlnicki also pointed out that the Joint Commission has recently been tinkering with its accreditation method. "Conditional accreditation" was not something that existed the last time Glens Falls Hospital was reviewed. The hospital has been accredited by the Joint Commission since 1954, and surveys are typically conducted every three years.
"I don't want to sound defensive about the jargon, but it's the first time they've had that terminology, and from what I understand, it's not unusual for a hospital to have conditional accreditation," said Kruczlnicki. "The whole idea is that it's a learning experience."
According to the Joint Commission's Web site, Saratoga Hospital and Albany Medical Center both received full accreditation in their most recent surveys. But that doesn't mean they were perfect, either.
In the area of "heart failure care," the commission gave Saratoga Hospital a "below average" score in September 2004. Since then, hospital staff have sharpened their focus on quality improvement initiatives in this area, such as reducing the rate of bloodstream infections when central lines are inserted.
"When we identify an area that needs improvement, we review that, develop a strategy and put an action plan in place to get ourselves to the mean or above the mean," said Susan Hodgson, quality director for Saratoga Hospital.
The hospital also has something called a "Joint Commission readiness team," she said, that focuses on keeping up with each chapter of the most current accreditation standards. Although Joint Commission accreditation is voluntary, it's standard procedure for most major hospitals.
"These days, aligning yourself with their standards is really the right thing to do. You don't just do it for the sake of accreditation -- it really does substantiate quality and excellence in patient care," Hodgson said.
Kruczlnicki said he agrees, and welcomes the commission's visits.
"We chose to participate because every survey is a learning process. The surveyors that visit us interact with virtually every hospital in the country, and through doing that, they identify the best practices for hospitals," he said. "We can learn from them what the best of institutions are doing to provide the best care, so we can constantly improve the quality of our care."
ONLINE RESOURCES:
The following Web sites offer comparative data on hospital quality indicators, searchable by ZIP code:
Joint Commission: http://www.jcaho.org/qualitycheck
Dept. of Health and Human Services: http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality: http://ahrq.gov/qual/hosptools.htm
pets pg: How human vices affect pets
Published in The Post-Star (B14)
3/26/06
Smokers surely know about the health risks they inhale -- it would be hard to miss the Surgeon General's warnings on each pack of cigarettes.
And thanks to the nutrition facts published on food packages, consumers have little room for surprise about the obesity and related illnesses brought on by a Twinkie-based diet.
Too bad Rover can't read.
Pets must rely on people to protect their health, but sometimes, their owners' bad habits have the opposite effect.
Cats and dogs living in smoking households face more than double the risk of developing certain cancers than pets whose owners do not smoke in the house, according to The Southern Adirondack Tobacco-Free Coalition.
The coalition recently launched a campaign aimed at pet owners, with the tagline: "I'll love you no matter what ... but your cigarettes are hurting me."
"We are reaching out to pet owners and urging them to quit for the sake of their pet's health," said Margaret LaFrance, coordinator of the campaign.
Dogs with long noses, like collies and German shepherds, are at particular risk of nasal and sinus cancer, while cats often develop malignant lymphoma from prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke.
As in humans, inhaling tobacco smoke can cause respiratory problems for pets. Cats and birds in smoking households seem to be especially prone to chronic asthma.
And just try convincing a parrot to take an inhaler.
"The difficulty of treating animals in asthma situations is the concept of an inhaler doesn't work, so you have to use things like oral bronchosteroids," said Saratoga Springs veterinarian Chris Brockett. "And an animal has to be treated all the time, because you never know when they might have an attack. They can't tell you."
Brockett said, besides smoking, food is probably the biggest way humans unintentionally hurt their pets.
"Obesity is the No. 1 problem seen by vets across the country, especially in dogs," he said. "It's linked to arthritis and cardiac issues, and it can actually cut a few years off their life. Quit feeding them table scraps."
Even if your dog doesn't get fat off sharing your fries, other things can happen.
"Nowadays, dogs are bred to be very good at digesting one thing -- dog food," Brockett said. "They don't do so hot when you start throwing things like chicken, steak, and spaghetti at them. It can give them vomiting or loose stools, we see that all the time."
As most people know, the cocoa compounds in chocolate can be toxic to dogs, although Brockett said people shouldn't overreact if their dog eats a moderate amount of milk chocolate.
"An M&M is certainly not going to kill them," he said. "If they eat enough, they'll usually just throw up."
And what about that other beloved bad habit of many humans -- alcohol?
"While I certainly wouldn't tell people it's a great idea to give their dog a beer, I don't think it would cause long-term damage like cirrhosis or cancer," Brockett said. "We don't know for sure what happens. It's not like you can ask, 'Are you feeling a little buzzed?' "
#
3/26/06
Smokers surely know about the health risks they inhale -- it would be hard to miss the Surgeon General's warnings on each pack of cigarettes.
And thanks to the nutrition facts published on food packages, consumers have little room for surprise about the obesity and related illnesses brought on by a Twinkie-based diet.
Too bad Rover can't read.
Pets must rely on people to protect their health, but sometimes, their owners' bad habits have the opposite effect.
Cats and dogs living in smoking households face more than double the risk of developing certain cancers than pets whose owners do not smoke in the house, according to The Southern Adirondack Tobacco-Free Coalition.
The coalition recently launched a campaign aimed at pet owners, with the tagline: "I'll love you no matter what ... but your cigarettes are hurting me."
"We are reaching out to pet owners and urging them to quit for the sake of their pet's health," said Margaret LaFrance, coordinator of the campaign.
Dogs with long noses, like collies and German shepherds, are at particular risk of nasal and sinus cancer, while cats often develop malignant lymphoma from prolonged exposure to secondhand smoke.
As in humans, inhaling tobacco smoke can cause respiratory problems for pets. Cats and birds in smoking households seem to be especially prone to chronic asthma.
And just try convincing a parrot to take an inhaler.
"The difficulty of treating animals in asthma situations is the concept of an inhaler doesn't work, so you have to use things like oral bronchosteroids," said Saratoga Springs veterinarian Chris Brockett. "And an animal has to be treated all the time, because you never know when they might have an attack. They can't tell you."
Brockett said, besides smoking, food is probably the biggest way humans unintentionally hurt their pets.
"Obesity is the No. 1 problem seen by vets across the country, especially in dogs," he said. "It's linked to arthritis and cardiac issues, and it can actually cut a few years off their life. Quit feeding them table scraps."
Even if your dog doesn't get fat off sharing your fries, other things can happen.
"Nowadays, dogs are bred to be very good at digesting one thing -- dog food," Brockett said. "They don't do so hot when you start throwing things like chicken, steak, and spaghetti at them. It can give them vomiting or loose stools, we see that all the time."
As most people know, the cocoa compounds in chocolate can be toxic to dogs, although Brockett said people shouldn't overreact if their dog eats a moderate amount of milk chocolate.
"An M&M is certainly not going to kill them," he said. "If they eat enough, they'll usually just throw up."
And what about that other beloved bad habit of many humans -- alcohol?
"While I certainly wouldn't tell people it's a great idea to give their dog a beer, I don't think it would cause long-term damage like cirrhosis or cancer," Brockett said. "We don't know for sure what happens. It's not like you can ask, 'Are you feeling a little buzzed?' "
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