Today's Feature
Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.

News release

Every year, approximately 310,000 children across the United States and 2,700 children in Missouri are lead poisoned. To eliminate lead poisoning Carthage, MO is conducting a series of events during National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 23-29. The Jasper County Health Department will provide information regarding prevention efforts in Carthage, MO, and free blood lead tests for young children.

The most common way children are lead poisoned is from exposure to lead paint, which is commonly found in homes built before 1978. Disturbing the lead paint allows dust to settle on toys, windowsills and floors. Children can then easily swallow bits of dust and paint chips. Children may also be exposed to lead through home health remedies (e.g., arzacon and greta) and imported candies.

Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in the body. Lead poisoning often occurs with no obvious symptoms. The only way to test for lead poisoning is by asking your health care provider for a blood lead test. The Jasper County Health Department recommends yearly testing for children ages 6 months to 6 years.

The Jasper County Health Department offers information to help citizens stay informed about the childhood lead poisoning prevention efforts in the area and ways to prevent lead poisoning among young children.

Childhood lead poisoning remains a major environmental health problem in the United States, and it is entirely preventable.

For more information on the childhood lead poisoning prevention or National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week activities in the area, call Jody Danner, Environmental Health Specialist, or Marcie Goade, R.N. at 417-358-0480. For general information about lead poisoning or testing the home for lead hazards, contact the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424 LEAD (5323), or visit www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead.

Stench Report:
Thursday,
10/20/05

Stench reported Wed. Evening

As usual I got to checkin’ prices, but really couldn’t think of a quality that would make one filter worth more than another.

The pricin’ was better for the larger quantity, (which isn’t necessarily the case for some items), so I got ta figurin’ the difference. In the middle of the calculation, I stopped for a minute to figure how many a these things I really needed. I was holdin’ a pack of 200. The better price per filter was on the pack of 500. Considerin’ my particular coffee habit, I figured the 500 pack would last me near on ta three years. Savin’ the fifteen or twenty cents didn’t seem ta matter much at that point. I don’t consider coffee filters a long term investment.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Oh yes, that rain can put a smile on faces. Seems like it washes away the "blues". Our bodies are from this earth, so just compare yourself to the plants. You drink enough water, you feel better, you grow, and you are healthy given that you get proper nutrients and exercise. The rule of thumb for water consumpution (clear liquids) is to take your body weight and divide by 2. That formula will keep the average person hydrated. Now, if you work up a sweat each day, you will need to compensate for the extra water loss. Many times people I know have been "sick" and just drank the water faithfully for 2 weeks and they felt entirely different. Try it.

Bee Propolis is experiencing a rediscovery. This tree resin is converted by the bees, deposited at the entrance of their hives to sterilize bees brushing up against it from infections that they may otherwise carry into the hive. Propolis has traditionally be used as a natural antibiotic and immune system booster. So widely used in the Soviet Union it is called "Russian Penicillin".

Since propolis has been used for centuries much study has been done on it. Dr. K. Aagaard, an authority on propolis, said "nineteen substances of different chemical structure have been identified so far". Except for vitamin K, propolis has all the known vitamins and fourteen minerals. It also contains a number of compounds which work together to create a perfectly balanced, nutritive substance.

* This article is meant for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. References available by request. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

artCentral
artist brings the spirit of New Orleans to Carthage

Although born in Kansas City and a resident of the Joplin area for most of her life, Linda Teeter’s heart is a captive of New Orleans.

For over 30 years, Linda has made at least 3–4 annual excursions to the Mississippi Delta town. "My trips are fun occasions to indulge in the sensuous enjoyment of great drink, food, and partying with friends" the artist confesses.

However, since all play and no work makes for a dull time in Linda’s itinerary, her visits also become opportunities to photograph the unique architecture of The Big Easy.

Now through January 8, Linda has a photographic display at Shellie’s Restaurant with one entire wall dedicated to "The Doors and Windows of the French Quarter." Many of the architectural forms, details, and colors that captured Linda’s eye have been enhanced with Adobe Photoshop. The results are dramatic and emotional.

Opposite the wall of photographs is "Drying Out New Orleans", an "installation" piece featuring a clothesline zigzagged across the wall. Clipped to the clothesline are photographs of New Orleans, along with tourist ephemera and Mardi Gras items such as feathered masks and "bling-bling" that Linda has collected over the years.

According to local New Orleans custom, the way to coax the floodwaters to recede in the aftermath of hurricanes such as Katrina and Rita is to hang up representations of this devastated city "to dry." Let’s hope such a well intention gesture by this artist and lover of The Big Easy works.