I was just in the middle of assembling a mega post and feature for the blogon the “college entrance game” from pre school and beyond, when news breaks about a FBI and IRS bust of 33 people involved in a cheating conspiracy involving a Bellyitchfrequent red carpet fave actress Felicity Huffman and Full House alum Lori Loughlin who is married to fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli.
All of them were among a list of 13 people arrested by the FBI for their alleged involvement in “Operation Varsity Blues,” according to FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller.
The alleged college admissions cheating scam involved payments of up $1M to a facilitator, who created a bogus charity to funnel the bribe payments through and who garnered select athletic admission slots for children who didn’t even play the sport and committed other acts to guarantee admissions for the children of wealthy parents to get into elite colleges and universities including Yale, Georgetown, the University of Southern California and Stanford.
“Dozens of individuals involved in a nationwide conspiracy that facilitated cheating on college entrance exams and the admission of students to elite universities as purported athletic recruits were arrested by federal agents in multiple states and charged in documents unsealed on March 12, 2019, in federal court in Boston,” the FBi stated in a release says.
Athletic coaches from Yale, Stanford, USC, Wake Forest and Georgetown, among others, are implicated, as well as parents and exam administrators, the release says.
The schools involved are extremely competitive: or first-time, full-time undergraduates, only 5 percent of applicants get into Stanford, 17 percent get into Georgetown, and 18 percent get into the University of Southern California, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
A Stanford sailing coach was arrested. Federal authorities intercepted telephone calls to confirm the conspiracy .
Huffman and Giannulli were arrested at their homes. The FBI served a warrant for actress Lori Loughlin but she was not home at the time.
All 13 defendants will appear in federal court in downtown Los Angeles after 5 p.m. ET today, CNNreports.
One topic of concern to some mothers with breast implants is whether they present any health risk to their baby through possible contamination of their breast milk. In particular, they ask about whether silicon, silicone gel or platinum used in implants can leak into their breast milk.
Silicon and Silicone
Moms should know that silicon occurs naturally. It is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust. It is thought to be essential for connective tissues and is found in tendons, bone, skin, hair and nails. Silicon is used as an anti-foaming agent in fruit juice and is found in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and proshtheses. The only known health hazard results from inhaling crystalline silica dust into the lungs causing silicosis. Silica dust is never used in implants.
Breast implants contain silicone gel, a synthetic polymer made up of silicon, oxygen and other elements, most typically carbon and hydrogen.
Research has reported cases of esophageal dysmotility (slow movement through the esophagus) in infants that were nursing from mothers with silicone implant). Another study reported “rheumatoid-like symptoms” transferred to a child from a breastfeeding mother with silicone implants). However, this study examined only two children.
A larger study did not show any adverse outcomes in infants of breastfeeding mothers with silicone implants. Another study found that there were actually higher levels of silicon in cow’s milk infant formulas than in human milk. (It should be noted that this study was funded by the plastic surgery industry.)
The silicon-containing anti-colic agent simethicone has been widely used for decades and there have not been shown to have any toxic side effects to infants.The American Academy of Pediatrics therefore recommends that mothers with silicone breast implants should breastfeed if they choose to.
The American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs does not feel that the evidence currently justifies classifying silicone implants as a contraindication to breastfeeding.
Bottom line: There is very little reliable data about breastfeeding with implants. Given that silicon is so abundant in our environment, and that there are overwhelming advantages of breastfeeding we strongly encourage women with breast implants to breastfeed if they wish to.
PLATINUM
While the limited evidence available suggests there is little risk from silicon, this may not be the case with platinum, which is used in silicone and saline implants. Platinum is a toxic metal that is especially damaging to early development.
There have been some studies showing significant levels of platinum in silicone breast implant gel and envelopes. Platinum has also been shown to leak out of the implant and accumulate in the tissues of women exposed to silicone breast implants . The question then becomes should women with saline or silicone breast implants be concerned about platinum?
Our research has found only one study to date that looked at platinum in breast milk in mothers that had silicone breast implants. It included 18 women with silicone breast implants and 5 women without ( the control group). The authors examined blood, urine, hair, nails, sweat and the breast milk of these women.
The concentration of platinum in blood did not differ between mothers with exposure to silicone through implants and those without. Both groups did have detectable levels of platinum thought to be related to environmental exposure. Similarly the concentration of platinum in urine did not differ between mothers with exposure to silicone through implants and those without.
However, there was a significant difference in platinum concentration in the hair, nails, sweat and breast milk in the implant group versus the control group, where no platinum was detected.
The study concluded that women with silicone breast implants had much higher levels of platinum than women without implants whereas saline implants did not contain any platinum. However, the methodology of the study has been questioned.
Bottom Line: Due to the small sample size, more research needs to be done to replicate these findings. However, it does raise some questions about platinum in breast milk. If mothers are concerned about platinum or silicone in their breast milk, Lactation Lab offer custom test kits to measure the levels of the components of their milk, along with recommendations for how to address any concerns.
Tennis phenom Serena Williams, a board member of resale website Poshmark, placed her daughter Alexis Olympia’s clothes on sale inside her Poshmark store and sold out all items within hours.
The proceeds from the clothing sold in Serena’s store benefit Yetunde Price Resource Center, named for Williams elder half-sister who was gunned down in Compton in 2003. YPRC offers resources to victims of direct or indirect senseless violence.
All of the 44 items sold were marked down 25% off and more and the prices were quite reasonable starting at $10.
This is not Williams’ first foray either into fashion. The Tennis Star launched her own clothing line “Serena” in 2018.
Williams is following in her husband’s StartUp footsteps by joining the PoshMark board and has been on the board of consumer survey start-up SurveyMonkey for two years now.
The date 3.14 represents the numerical value of pi, which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter and is approximately equal to 3.14159…… The numbers after the decimal never repeat and go on forever!
March 14 is generally recognized as a day worldwide when we geeks recognize and celebrate the mathematical phenomenon that is the unique irrational number: Pi!
Pi has been represented by the Greek letter “π” since the mid-18th century,
Pi day is also a great day to celebrate, make, eat and be all about PIES!
A lot of schools celebrate by encouraging families to bake pies.
If yours is or if you are just interested in baking a pie to celebrate, the Kitchn.com has a great list of 20 with recipes to check out HERE!
Last week was International Women’s Day and also an important week for the former Meghan Markle who was appointed by Queen Elizabeth, the Vice President of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trus t on Friday.
The organization supports young leaders promoting social change, bettering their communities and providing work opportunities and hope for others across the globe.
Prince Harry is the president.
As part of her new role, the Duchess of Sussex will spotlight the work of the Trust with young leaders across the Commonwealth, in particular, the work of those supporting women and girls.
Perfect for this Women’s History Month!
To celebrate the new appointment and International Women’s Day, the duchess also spoke on a panel of female thought-leaders and activists at King’s College London.
“If things are wrong and there is a lack of justice, and there is an inequality, then someone needs to say something” she stated on the panel while wearing the Azzura Swirl Printed Shift dress by Reiss ($345) under a black Alexander McQueen Leaf Crepe blazer ( $1995), black Manolo Blahnik suede ‘BB’ Pointy Toe Pumps ($625) while carrying a leather with gold accent Stella McCartneyShaggy Deer Faux Leather Crossbody Bag and diamond pearl drop earrings by Caroline Parr with her hair in a messy bun.
— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) March 8, 2019
Among several things she revealed during that panel is that she has canceled social media, explaining that she doesn’t engage with social media much as a personal choice, in an effort to avoid “getting muddled” by the “noise,” the UK’s Press Association (PA) news agency reports.
The response came after the former Suits TV star was asked how she felt about headlines that called her feminism “trendy.”
She replied: “I don’t read anything, it’s much safer that way, but equally that’s just my own personal preference, because I think positive or negative, it can all sort of just feel like noise to a certain extent these days, as opposed to getting muddled with that to focus on the real cause.”
She cotinued: “So for me, “I think the idea of making the word ‘feminism’ trendy, that doesn’t make any sense to me personally, right? This is something that is going to be part of the conversation forever.”
When asked later if she looked at Twitter, she replied: “No, sorry, no. For me that’s my personal preference.”
In a culture where everyone is a winner, the opportunities to help children learn to deal with disappointments are becoming fewer and further in between. The next time your playdate gets cancelled last minute or the restaurant runs out of chocolate milk, help your child work through those feelings instead of trying a quick fix in hopes of shielding him from disappointment. When you do, you’ll be helping him develop important life skills that will last a lifetime.
Why Learning to Deal with Disappointment is Important
Life is full of disappointments. Whether a friend doesn’t want to share her toys at a playdate, she gets snubbed on the playground or she doesn’t earn a spot on the cheer team, children do and will experience disappointment. A child who learns to deal with disappointment from a younger age is better able to deal with disappointment as an adult.
Acknowledge Your Child’s Feelings
While it can be tempting to simply tell your child everything will be okay or let him know that in the grand scheme of life what happened isn’t a big deal, don’t. Instead, acknowledge your child’s feelings. A simple “I know that you’re disappointed that you can’t play at Charlie’s house. You were really looking forward to it” lets your child know that it’s okay to feel sad, bummed out and upset about the last minute change of plans. Learning to identify and communicate feelings is an important lesson you can help your child learn.
Empathize with Your Child
Put yourself in your child’s shoes. If you found the perfect pair of shoes but learned the store didn’t have them in your size, you’d be pretty bummed out. That’s how your child feels when he’s been anticipating something, only to learn things won’t be going his way. Imagine how your child feels when he’s disappointed and offer emotional support and comfort.
Find the Positive
Every cloud has a silver lining. While you certainly don’t want to minimize your child’s feelings, it is okay to help him brainstorm what good can come out of the experience. Perhaps your child didn’t make the team his friend was on. Helping him to discover the possibility that there could be new friendships to be made can help give the situation a positive spin.
Talk About What You Can and Can’t Change
Some things we can change and some things we can’t. While your child can’t change that she didn’t get selected for a key part in the play, she can change her response to the outcome. Empowering your children to change what they can helps them feel more in control of their feelings and the situation at hand.
Encourage Problem Solving
Something didn’t go your child’s way. Now what? His favorite restaurant was closed. Now what? While your child may not be able to come up with the solution, you can certainly guide him to one. Would you like to go for pizza or for Mexican? Helping your child find solutions to disappointments can help him to refocus on what he can control.
Be a Role Model
Children learn what they live. One of the best things parents can do to help their children learn to deal with disappointments is to handle disappointments in the way they would like their children to. When you encounter a disappointment, say when you’re supposed to have a mom’s night out but it gets cancelled last minute, let your child see and hear you working your feelings of disappointment out. Talk through your feelings, brainstorm your solutions out loud and let your child see you come out okay on the other end of it.
How you help your child handle small disappointments now will set him up for how he handles big disappointments down the road. The next time you’re tempted to shield your child from feeling disappointed, take a step back and consider the learning opportunity at hand. Walk him through his feelings and help him learn that with the right attitude, tools and support, he can handle anything.
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams and fiancé businessman Dennis McKinley celebrated the impending arrival of their first child together last month on February 24 at the Suada Studio in Atlanta, Georgia.
The intimate Winter Wonderland theme for 80 guests featured elegant and ornate decorations in rose gold and white, ice sculptures, white linen, ballet dancers, white flowers, provided by Akeem Clayton who listed event credit on his Instagram page. and the words “Celebrating PJ” (short for Porsha Junior) on the dance floor.
Guests were asked to dress in cocktail wear in white.
See a copy of the invitation, and other great exclusive photos by Stanley Babb at US Weekly and PEOPLE magazine.
“The day was magical,” the Bravolebrity told PEOPLE exclusively for this week’s issue of the celeb magazine. “It was amazing to walk into a room and feel that much love. I have such a tremendous support system around me and women who lift me up and are just so incredibly happy for me.”
There are rumors that Williams had inked a Baby Special and from the looks of it, based on all the TV crew professional videographers at the event, it appears so.
Guests which included her current and past RHOA castmates Cynthia Bailey, Tanya Sam, Eva Marcille, Shamari Devoe, Kenya Moore, Shamea Morton, Marlo Hampton; Real Housewives of Potomac‘s Monique Samuels; and Married to Medicine cast member Toya Bush-Harris
They noshed on hors d’oeuvres like seasonal fruit, baked brie, teriyaki chicken tenderloin and shrimp ceviche served on edible spoons provided by Chef Donald Wilson
And per People, a buffet dinner featured organic kale salad, lemon rosemary chicken breast with caper sauce, pan-seared salmon with red-onion marmalade, roasted potatoes, orecchiette pasta with chardonnay cream sauce and pesto, green beans and grilled ciabbata.
House-made banana pudding and Georgia peach cobbler made up the sweet portion of the buffet, while guests sipped on sparkling mango beverages and lemon, strawberry and mint water between bites, and a hot-chocolate station and decadent dessert station filled with macaron towers, cheesecake shooters, chocolate-truffle cake pops, cupcakes and cookie stacks by Sweet Details.
The centerpiece was a multi-layer vanilla bean, butter-almond and red-velvet cake with the initials “PJ” on it.
GB Design House provided the napkins for the event, hot-chocolate supplies, popcorn boxes, chocolate truffles for guests to take home, stir sticks and advice coasters, which guests filled out to give their best parenting tips to the mom- and dad-to-be.
The mom-to-be also used the occasion to promote her business ventures and partnerships including one with the Peanut app she says she has used to connect with other moms and by outfitting her sister Lauren in a dress from her upcoming clothing line, Porsha Williams. She also has “Go Naked” hair company and Porsha Williams sheets.
She herself wore a custom lace dress. Looked like quite the elegant affair. Noticeably absent was castmates Kandi Burruss and Nene Leakes.
The ones that were there played a fun game dressing a plastic doll head hosted by Dish Nation jockey Gary With Da Tea form the Ricky Smiley Show, where Williams is also a co-host.
According to WebMD, anywhere from nine to 20 percent of adults in the U.S. avoid going to the dentist because of anxiety or fear. Much of that stems from childhood experiences, which means as a parent, you can help set the stage for a lifetime of better oral health by getting your kids to love going to the dentist.
Start Taking Them While They’re Young
If it’s not too late, start taking them to the dentist while they’re still young, ideally around their first birthday. The earlier they start going, the more comfortable they’ll be with it later on.
Be a Good Role Model
Be a good role model by making sure that your kids see you brushing and flossing. Instead of sending them into the bathroom on their own, make it a part of your daily routine to brush and floss with them.
Educate at Home
Educate your kids as early as possible at home. There are lots of children’s books about going to the dentist that can spark conversation while emphasizing the importance of taking care of their teeth. You might even have them brush the “teeth” of their stuffed animals. There are some fun and useful toys you can use too, like vampire teeth that glow in the dark. Educational apps can also help, such as “My Healthy Smile” that teaches kids about dental cleanings, x-rays, losing their baby teeth and the importance of eating a nutritious diet.
Choose a Children’s Dentist
Choose a children’s dentist in Wilkes-Barre, PA or whatever city that’s most convenient to you as pediatric offices can be found across the country. They specialize in kids, which means they have the technology to make cleanings and treatments a more positive experience such as painless injections and laser dentistry. The offices are usually bright and colorful, with waiting rooms filled with fun toys, and they may even have televisions in the ceiling above the dental chairs to help distract from what’s going on. Pediatric dentists understand the importance of using non-threatening, positive language to make the experience a better one as well.
Do a Practice Run
Before your child’s appoint, do some role playing to get him or her comfortable with what will happen. Pretend to be the dentist, with your child as the patient. Ask them to open their mouth wide so you can count and brush their teeth, then have them look at their smile in a mirror. You may want to play in reverse too, letting your child play the role of the dentist as she or he examines your teeth.
Get Them Excited About Going
Get your child excited about going to the dentist by using more positive phrases such as “Yay, we get to go to the dentist,” rather than “We have to go to the dentist.” You might show them pictures of the dentist’s office, especially if they have a waiting room with a play area and toys, which gives them something to look forward to.
Although the concept of Baby Showers is pretty foreign to the British, insiders report that Kate Middleton is planning a version of a shower for her sister-in-law, Meghan Markle.
The baby is due in late April, a few days before their first wedding anniversary, and the Duchess of Cambridge will be hosting the intimate event with family and close staff, likely in her home at Kensington Palace.
Even though the royal couple previously said they were keeping the sex of the baby a surprise, according to recent reports, Meghan is apparently expecting a boy.
This would be the Duchess of Sussex’s second shower because he had a nice intimate one thrown by her American celeb friends Serena Williams, Amal Clooney and her Suits co-star last month.
