Episode 119 Notes

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Banter: Welcome to the night-before-the night-before Christmas Daddycast! Everybody is here at our house this year for the holidays. Hope everybody is ready for the big big day. I’m gonna break format just a bit tonight, and try to tone down the heavy news stuff. I’ve even got a very nostalgic toon test on the way…I’m hoping to re-kindle some of the memories of holidays past for you moms and dads that are listening. Who knows? Maybe when you hear this, you’re listening on your brand-new MP3 player, fresh from Santa’s workshop. That would be VERY COOL.

Well, tomorrow is Christmas Eve, and my father and I will be carrying on a tradition we’ve had for 35 years or so – panic shopping. We’ll be braving the wilds of the shopping malls, megastores, etc. on the last shopping day before Christmas, seeking divine intervention…or just dumb luck – yeah, that’s it – to try and find some last-minute gifts for mom, grandma, you know the drill. So, wish me luck.

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Headlines: Earbuds – Hip or Harmful, Got Allergies? Read the Label, FCC Delays on Kids TV Rules (typical), Schools Turn Down The Heat On Kids, that’s right – DOWN, A VAWA Update, and more after this…

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News:

Last week, I reported that the VAWA had some father’s rights groups concerned. They were not sure if the gender neutral language would provide equal protection and services for dads as well as moms. Members of the California Alliance for Families and Children has examined the bill and see no language that would deny or restrict services to dads. Good news to be sure. Please check out their website, CAFCUSA.org. That’s the California Alliance for Families and Children.

Labels Will List Allergenic Ingredients

Food labels will soon have to disclose in plain language whether the products contain peanuts, shellfish, eggs or other ingredients that could sicken people with food allergies.

A federal law that takes effect Jan. 1 requires food labels to list ingredients made from proteins derived from any of the eight major allergenic foods: milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, wheat, tree nuts, soybeans and peanuts. The Food and Drug Administration says they account for 90 percent of all food allergies.

The 2004 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act was sparked by fears that many food labels either didn't include the allergens in their listed ingredients or listed them using names not easily recognizable by consumers.

A 1999 FDA study in Minnesota and Wisconsin found a quarter of the baked goods, ice cream and candy its scientists sampled failed to list peanuts or eggs as ingredients.

Food labels must now list the common name of the product as well as the name of the specific allergen it contains. A product containing a protein derived from milk called casein, for example, must list both 'milk' and 'casein' on its label. Labels also must specify the type of fish, crustacean or tree nut the product contains.

The FDA estimates 2 percent of adults and 5 percent of young children suffer from food allergies. Each year, about 30,000 people require emergency room treatment for food allergies and an estimated 150 die.

iPOD's Popular Earbuds: Hip Or Harmful?

Newswise - Turn 'em down and turn 'em off. That's the advice of Dean Garstecki, a Northwestern University audiologist and professor, when it comes to using those ever-present earbuds favored by iPod and MP3 music listeners everywhere.

In the 1980s, audiologists began cautioning lovers of loud music about hearing loss that could potentially result from use of their Walkman or portable compact disc (CD) players when those devices were on the cutting edge of music listening. With iPods the hot holiday gift for music lovers of all ages, Garstecki is encouraging safer use of the popular music listening devices.

"We're seeing the kind of hearing loss in younger people typically found in aging adults. Unfortunately, the earbuds preferred by music listeners are even more likely to cause hearing loss than the muff-type earphones that were associated with the older devices," Garstecki said.

Not only are earbuds placed directly into the ear, they can boost the sound signal by as much as six to nine decibels. "That's the difference in intensity between the sound made by a vacuum cleaner and the sound of a motorcycle engine," said Garstecki, professor and chair in the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

In addition to the more intense sound signal, today's music listening devices -- with their longer battery life and their capacity to hold and conveniently play lots of music -- also encourage users to listen for longer periods of time than did the older portable devices. That, too, increases the potential for hearing damage, according to Garstecki.

"I have an audiologist friend at Witchita State University who actually pulls off earphones of students he sees and, in the interest of science, asks if he can measure the output of the signal going into their heads," said Garstecki. He found that often students were listening at 110 to 120 decibels.

"That's a sound level that's equivalent to the measures that are made at rock concerts," said Garstecki, chairman of Northwestern's communication sciences and disorders department. "And it's enough to cause hearing loss after only about an hour and 15 minutes."

The solution, according to Garstecki, is the 60 percent/60 minute rule. He and other hearing specialists recommend using the MP3 devices, including iPods, for no more than about an hour a day and at levels below 60 percent of maximum volume.

"If music listeners are willing to turn the volume down further still and use different headphones, they can increase the amount of time that they can safely listen," Garstecki added.

To avoid sustaining permanent hearing loss in the middle ranges --the range required to hear conversation in a noisy restaurant, for example -- Garstecki recommends the use of older style, larger headphones that rest over the ear opening.

Another option is the use of noise-canceling headphones. "Unlike earbuds, noise-canceling headphones quiet or eliminate background noise. That means listeners don't feel the need to crank up the volume so high as to damage their hearing," Garstecki said.

"The problem is noise-canceling headphones are more costly and more visible than the tiny earbuds. For image-conscious teenagers and adults, they may be a hard sell."

…now it’s a hard sell for me, too…since I feature earbuds on my website. Hey little kid, wanna buy some earbuds? Seriously, keep it under control, OK parents? I use ‘sealed cans’ myself. I only use the earbuds while working out or walking somewhere. Other than that, its over-the-ear for me…

FCC to Delay New Rules on Children's TV

The FCC said Friday it would delay implementation of new rules governing children's programming on digital television to consider an agreement struck by entertainment companies and children's advocates.

The rules, which were to have taken effect Jan. 1, would require that digital broadcasters bump up the amount of children's programming they offer if they multicast, or subdivide their allotment of spectrum into multiple channels.

The rules also would impose limits on advertising and the pre-empting of children's programming to air live sporting events, as well as require that educational and informational programming be labeled with an on-screen 'E/I' logo.

Since the Federal Communications Commission adopted the rules in September 2004, both entertainment companies, including The Walt Disney Co. and Viacom Inc., and children's advocates, including the United Church of Christ, went to court to seek changes.

The two parties later began meeting to hash out their differences. On Thursday they announced that they had reached a compromise that satisfies the concerns of both parties, according to the FCC.

The FCC said it would give that compromise agreement 'serious consideration.' It was not immediately clear how long the process, which includes soliciting public comment, would take.

The FCC now requires a broadcaster to air three hours of children's shows each week on its main analog channel. A broadcaster would have to add another three hours of children's shows for each additional 24-hour multicast channel, according to the rules as adopted last year.

More than 1,300 local TV stations are airing both analog and digital pictures. By 2007, all of the nation's 1,700 broadcast stations are supposed to make the transition to digital.

…Yep…make the transition to Digital…and make 80% of the nations TV sets obsolete! I just fear that what will happen is that what little good kids programming there is now, it’ll just get thinned out across the additional timeslots demanded by the government, making it that much harder to find for us parental units. Or worse, they’ll air it at 3 in the morning! Hello Tivo my old friend!

Schools Lower Temperatures to Save Money

Bundle up, kids. It's getting cold inside.

As oil and natural gas prices soar, public schools are having to make some tough decisions: turning down the thermostat, finding alternative sources of fuel, even cutting back on the school week.

At Menomonie High School in western Wisconsin, principal Tom Wiatr has dropped the temperature a few degrees. Students started wearing zip-up sweatshirts and fleeces to stay warm, raising questions about a school rule against wearing jackets indoors.

So the school clarified its policy, even scheduling a fashion show to highlight acceptable clothing.

Naturally, it was snowed out.

So far, students are lukewarm to the school's strategy. The classroom temperature is 68 degrees.

'When we get into February, when we are below zero and the building takes longer to warm up, maybe then they will be a little more uncomfortable,' Wiatr said of his students. 'We just remind kids to dress appropriately. It is common sense that you just don't wear a tank top to school in February.'

Schools are being socked with high fuel bills, whether it's diesel fuel to run their buses or heating oil or natural gas to keep buildings warm. Fuel prices have risen because of tight international supplies and reduced production in the hurricane-slammed Gulf Coast.

As schools lower the thermostats, they also encourage parents to make sure their children have a sweater handy.

In Council, Idaho, the school district is switching this winter to a new heating system that uses extra wood from the surrounding Payette National Forest. 'We believe that this will be the standard in many of the small towns in the Northwest, because there is so much potential fuel out there that is being wasted,' said superintendent Murray Dalgleish.

At the Clayton Public Schools in rural southern New Jersey, reducing the temperature in class is more than a cost-cutting tool. It's also a learning tool, argues Kathy Latshaw, secretary to the school system's superintendent.

'For the little ones, it's teaching them about hot and cold,' she said. 'And in the upper grades, they're able to learn about the cost of things.'

Even the cost of brewing a cup of coffee on campus is going up.

In St. Paul, Minn., the school district has come up with a $25-per-appliance annual fee as one in a series of steps to recoup utility costs. That means teachers have to pay to plug in their coffee makers, microwaves and refrigerators in classrooms and offices.

At the Summerfield High School in Louisiana's Claiborne Parish, the sprinklers for the ball fields have been shut off, as have the few lights that used to be kept on after hours.

In western North Dakota, the Killdeer School District is considering going to a four-day school week, triggered in part by higher fuel costs.

With the coldest months ahead, school business officers are worried most about heating their buildings. Rising fuel costs seem to affect the price of just about everything, they say, from furniture and deliveries to construction material and even garbage bags.

…OK, talk about SPIN! Teaching kids about hot and cold?!?! That’s a bunch of bovine fertilizer right there! Just say what it is – cost-cutting. That’s fine. We’ll send the kids to school with sweaters. Just don’t cut the teachers off from caffeine, OK? Their job is tough enough without fighting off a coffee jones. I don’t want my son’s teacher shaking like she just got 20-thousand volts thru her ‘cuz she’s going thru dark roast withdrawl…it then becomes a SAFETY issue!!

…and that wipes out the news…

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Listener Mail: Questions, comments, holiday best wishes to submit at 101 uses for baby wipes dot com. Or you can Skype me, the ID is USESFORWIPES, or call 805-624-5610. That’s 805-MAIL-610, mail like mailbag. Please include your first name and a point of origin (a city, a country, a latitude and longitude are OK).

From Gray in Portland, OR

Hi Dennis,

Love the show, I have 5 yr old twin girls and an 18 mo old boy.

Just thought I would let you know that my 5 year olds want iPods to listen to the wiggles etc. so it is not limited to 9 and up. Luckily they will be happy with the $100 shuffle and don't even know the $500 models exist.

Thanks for your show.

…Hope you were paying attention to that story I reported on hearing loss…don’t get ‘em started too early!

From Dale in Iowa:

Hey, love the show. Just found you @ iTunes a few weeks ago and am trying to get caught up w/ all your past episodes, which I really enjoy. Keep 'em coming.

One thing about your show--it's giving me whiplash. I keep nodding my head when you comment on the news stories. You have a refreshingly common sense approach to parenting and life in general. That's why

I'm still listening.

I vote to keep the music in. I have dial-up, so I can't go digging around on music sites for good music, but I really like about 75% of what you include, so thanks for being my personal shopper. :^)

And finally, my wife & I are foster parents, and we'll be getting a placement of 2 more kids within the next month. We've already been told by the Human Services worker that we'll probably need to put an alarm on their bedroom door, because the preschooler likes to get up at night and get into trouble. The Gravelles' story makes me a bit nervous about doing so, although we need no chicken wire. I'm just going to take care of the kids the best I can and recognize that one

of the most common parental activities is protecting kids from themselves. My hat is off to the Gravelle family, though, because I know I'm not able to take care of kids with such profound disabilities, and I'm glad there are people out there who are willing to. They deserve a medal, not more trouble, but I'm sure they'd

rather have their kids back than a medal.

…Thanks very much, Dale. You are a braver man than I. The Gravelle case illustrates just how much control the Government wants to exert over parents when it comes to raising our kids. Frankly, it scares the willies outta me. Here’s a quote from a report just released today at the latest custody hearing. Remember: There have been NO CHARGES FILED against the parents. Here’s what the judge wrote; “The Gravelles made a series of poor parental decisions that were detrimental to the children and led to an appropriate intervention by the Huron County Department of Job and Family Services and the Huron County sheriff”. The judge ruled against the Gravelles today and they still do not have their kids back. So now we have judges coming in and armchair-quarterbacking parental decisions. I’m not perfect, but I sure don’t want some JUDGE telling me how to raise my son! But that’s where this is headed! Protect the kids FROM THEIR PARENTS! Pretty soon, it’ll be the GOVERNMENT’S JOB to raise them! Won’t that just be a little slice of heaven!

From ‘Anonymous’

Hello & Merry Christmas,

I've been listening to your podcast ever since I returned to work after maternity leave--I like being inspired to think about my more important job as a parent while I'm doing my less important job, albeit the one I'm paid to do. But it's my line of work that has prompted me to write: I'm a researcher (in dreaded academia). I'm glad that you include scientific findings in your news reports. Most research is done with public funding and therefore the results really belong to the world at large, but they are very rarely reported to general audiences. I think you do a nice job. Thank you. (Here comes the inevitable “however”) However in your last program you made a comment about academics trying to tell parents how to raise their children. It’s true that all work should be regarded with a healthy amount of skepticism and I'm sure there are a few folks with pointed agendas, but for the most part I’d have to say that most researchers do not undertake their work with the goal of telling others how to live their lives. Not to wear rose-colored glasses here, but most researchers have chosen to work in their field because they want to contribute to the understanding of life’s more complex issues. That’s enough for some & others want to see improvement in the world around them. Designing a study to answer a complicated question, collecting the data, analyzing results & publishing are all difficult things and most of us are happy when things have gone that far. Drawing conclusions from our work is an important step too otherwise time, effort & money have been wasted, but understand that the journals that publish scientific papers (and also the agencies that fund scientific work) push researchers to make the most of even the smallest finding. So the authors of a paper are somewhat pressured to draw over reaching conclusions from their work. Very often it is these statements that are picked up by the media (and often further over blown). Therefore, when evaluating a study it’s best to focus on 1) how well the methods were designed to answer the particular question at hand and 2) what the actual findings are. Together these things tell you how much weight to give the to the study and allow you to make your own conclusions about the results.

This seems like a long-winded rant here, but I felt compelled to write. These days funding is very limited, especially federal funding, especially for the less-than-hot topics. While there are many things that influence this, public opinion definitely makes an impact on which areas of research receive funding. Scientists and researchers cannot afford to be viewed as lofty, irrelevant occupiers of white towers. I know that we need to try harder to relate our work to the public. It will also be helpful if those members of the public, like you, who report on findings do so in a manner that reflects the merits of the work.

On a lighter note, I always fail the tune test - good thing my babies are only 7 months old, gives me time to become TV savvy (hopefully by spending less time in the lab!).

Thanks for your podcast - informative & entertaining.

…OK TWO points I need to make. 1) The dreaded academia – I don’t dread academia. I have great respect for academia..when they stick to science, that is. The point I was making was that there were two studies, both publicly funded, attempting to answer a not-so-complex question: How much extra-curricular activity for kids is too much! This isn’t a question for ACADEMIA – this is an issue best left to the parents. In my opinion, this was another avenue being investigated as a means to raise our kids for us – we are being buried by busy-body groups and organizations who, for the child’s sake, are trying to tell us how to raise our kids…Hey - I calls ‘em as I sees ‘em. Now Point 2) The problem isn’t with the research, or the researchers, so Anonymous, don’t take my comments in Episode 118 personally – PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM PERSONALLY. However (here comes my “however”), you wrote it yourself in your e-mail…the problem is with the FUNDING. There is a lot of politicking involved with obtaining funding for these studies, so there is a lot of pressure to find results to achieve the outcome that the guy or group or federal agency writing the checks wants. Just to get a hearing on whether funding should be appropriated for a study, research groups have to yell like Chicken Little, “The Sky is Falling!” just to get someone on Capitol Hill to listen to you. So when you say that healthy skepticism is a good thing, I say it is ESSENTIAL – I believe NOTHING that I hear, and only half of what I see – Journalistic credo, I suppose. When it comes to these scientific studies, they originate from news services; AP, Reuters, international journals, the list is endless. I bring forward in this podcast News Parents Can Use…its pretty raw stuff. I read it with as much accuracy as I can, and I make my comments, and in the end, the listener has to decide how to use the information. My only agenda is to inform the listeners what I found, and I comment – from a DAD’s perspective.

By the way: congratulations on becoming a parent, Anonymous. Welcome to the wild world of parenting. The babies didn’t come with an instruction book, did they? Oh, no worries on the ToonTest. You’ll be up-to-speed in no time!

From Tony In Australia:

Well, it's almost Christmas, which will be my first as a father. I have to say that it's totally changed my whole outlook on things. The song 'Gift of Love' really captured how I'm feeling, talk about a change in priorities. We're over in Australia and there's a lot of (media hyped) race trouble near our beaches in Sydney and suddenly I'm worried

what kind of world my son will be growing up in.

When we (and I'm guessing EVERYONE else) were pregnant, we were told how much our lives and priorities would change but I don't think you can really be prepared for it.

Still, it's the season of hope and goodwill and I've never been filled

with more joy that I am now.

My son's just about starting to walk and has a couple of words under his belt, talk about a fantastic Christmas present for us.

Thanks for your wonderful podcast, it's great to hear news from fathers around the world, keep up the amazing work.

…Not to worry, Tony. Your son is in capable hands. You’ll be teaching him the things he needs to go out and change the world. So Tony, Merry Christmas, this next song is for you, your family, and your son.

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Here Comes The ToonTest…

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Answers:

#3: Scooby-Do, #2: Fintstones, #1: Yogi Bear – Daws Butler was the unforgettable voice of that cartoon, and so many others. You heard that ‘Who Else’ snippet in there.

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I’d like to thank Heth and Jed, Peeper Radio Theatre, Chaz, and the next two artists, the Candy Butchers and Allison Crowe for making their music available for us tonight. You can finr their music and thousands more at the Podasfe Music Network. We’re there too. Its music.podshow.com. Thanks for listening and subscribing…and last but not least, Merry Christmas, best wishes, Joy and peace to you and your families.

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