Scholastic Choices articles from November 2003

Scholastic Choices archives from November 2003

Young & grumpy.(Mental Health)
November 1, 2003... Are you more likely to be in a bad mood than your grandfather? Believe it or not, the answer is yes. A recent study done by psychologists at the University of California-Irvine (UCI), reports that young adults and teens are most likely to think...

Music madness.(Personal Responsibility)
November 1, 2003... If you're downloading copyrighted music via the Internet, beware. There's a good chance that the people at the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) know you're doing it and they could sue you, By the beginning of the current...

Ice scream.(Nutrition)
November 1, 2003... Every time you eat ice cream, you're getting a lot more than a tasty treat. Here's a sampling of what The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) found out when it recently asked ice cream companies to provide the nutritional content...

Family food.(Family)
November 1, 2003... Looking for a good physique? Try eating meals with your family. According to a recent study done by Dr. Tami M. Videon of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, teenagers who eat four to five meals a week with their parents are...

Attack allergies.(Health)
November 1, 2003... Last year, we told you about peanut allergies ("Fatal Food," Choices, March 2003). Now doctors may have found an effective way to combat an allergic reaction to peanuts. In a study recently published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical...

Our mom was in jail: the lives of sisters Dali and Waila were turned upside down when their mother was sent to prison.(Family)
November 1, 2003... Imagine you've had a bad day at school. You go home, make an after-school snack, and start doing your homework. Your parents arrive later. Rather than listen to your complaints about your day, they say they just don't have the time right then...

Dream land? Millions of teens aren't getting enough rest and some are living with serious sleep disorders.(health)
November 1, 2003... Lisa Cassels arrived at school late every day, but she wasn't playing hooky. David Jenkins skipped classes to sleep in the school nurse's office, but he wasn't a slacker. Both of them suffer from sleep disorders, which plague millions of...

A battle against addiction: Janesse Nieves's life turned chaotic when her father began using heroin. Find out how she coped with his addiction and battled with her own drug demons.(substance abuse)
November 1, 2003... My father had a good job. He had a family. He had a house. I was a happy kid. Then all of a sudden, everything started going wrong. He lost everything because of drugs. My parents split up when I was 8. My father was living at my aunt's...

Do your manners need a makeover? Are you first on line, no matter what? Do your friends whisper the word neanderthal when you eat your lunch? Take our politeness quiz to find out whether you need to be packed off to finishing school.(personal responsibility)
November 1, 2003... Knowing when to call somebody "Minister," and which forks to use at dinner are out-of-date customs from your parents' generation, right? Think again. "Politeness is an incredibly powerful tool," says Alex J. Packer, author of How Rude! The...

Nail news: how much do you know about what's on the end of your fingers and toes? Take the true-false quiz below to find out.(nutrition)
November 1, 2003... Tough As Nails It's important to keep nails clean and cared for because disease-causing organisms can infect them, and accidents and bad habits can damage them. Some of the more common diseases and conditions include: * NAIL BITING is...

Veterinarian: do you love animals? Ever think about having a job caring for them? Here's how to make that goal possible--starting right now!(career choices)
November 1, 2003... Martin Goldberg Is a veterinarian in Mount Berry, Georgia. Vets help keep your pets healthy and prevent transmission of diseases from an ma s to people. Vets also help protect wildlife, and some even specialize as animal dentists,...

Magical muffins: serve these lightly spiced gingerbread muffins for a holiday brunch or arrange a batch in a basket as a gift.(recipe 101)
November 1, 2003... INGREDIENTS * 3 cups of flour * 3 teaspoons of baking soda * 1 1/2 tablespoons of ground ginger * 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon * 1/4 teaspoon salt * 1/2 cup of butter (1 stick) * 3/4 cup of sugar * 2 large eggs...

Cholesterol: Dr. Marjorie Seidenfeld answers your health questions.(your body & mind)
November 1, 2003... Dear Dr. Marjorie, My parents are always talking about cholesterol, fat, and dieting. And they criticize what I eat. Do I really have to worry about this stuff? I'm only 14! --Curtis in Ohio Yes, healthful eating is important no matter...

Losing loved ones: Marlene Tedeschi answers your tough questions.(the advice corner)
November 1, 2003... Q In the past two years, four people I love have died. I feel really sad all the time. I've tried talking to my mom and my friends, but they don't seem to understand how I feel. I feel like my whole world is falling apart. What should I...

10 tips: beating the blues: have the holidays got you down? Here's how to bring the celebration back.
November 1, 2003... 1. Forget the Hype. Convinced that everyone else is having a blast? Think again. The holidays stress out a lot of people, even those who pretend that everything is fine. 2. Leave the House. Sitting around will only make you feel...

Sticky situation: advice from choices readers.(students helping students)
November 1, 2003... the problem: My mom and dad fight all the time. Sometimes I want to say something, but they would just yell at me. And other times, I just ignore them. But I want them to stop. What should I do?--Fighting Parents Dear Fighting...