What Not to Feed Your Pets.

By Racheal Myers

It is the holiday season, and as students, you are probably headed home for winter break to spend time with the family, which may include members of the four-legged variety. As you cozy up around your traditional holiday icon (Christmas tree, menorah, etc.), and share in home cooked meals, please remember that your families pets cannot have the same foods as you. Here is a list of the things that your favorite cat or dog should not be eating:

Alcoholic beverages:

Can cause intoxication, coma, and death.

Bones from fish, poultry, or other meat sources:

            Can cause obstruction or laceration of the digestive system.

Chocolate, coffee, tea, and other caffeine:

Can be toxic and affect the heart and nervous systems.

Citrus oil extracts:

 Can cause vomiting.

Fat trimmings:

 Can cause pancreatitis.

Grapes and raisins:

 Contain an unknown toxin, which can damage the kidneys.

Hops:

Unknown compound causes panting, increased heart rate, elevated temperature, seizures, and death.

Human vitamin supplements containing iron:

Can damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to the other organs including the liver and kidneys.

Large amounts of liver:

 Can cause Vitamin A toxicity, which affects muscles and bones.

Macadamia nuts:

Contain an unknown toxin, which can affect the digestive and nervous systems and muscle.

Marijuana:

 Can depress the nervous system, cause vomiting, and changes in the heart rate.

Milk and other dairy products:

Some adult dogs and cats do not have sufficient amounts of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down the lactose in milk. This can result in diarrhea. Lactose-free milk products are available for pets.

Mushrooms:

Can contain toxins, which may affect multiple systems in the body, cause shock, and result in death.

Onions and garlic (raw, cooked, or powder):

Contain sulfoxides and disulfides, which can damage red blood cells and cause anemia.Cats are more susceptible than dogs. Garlic is less toxic than onions.

Persimmons Seeds:

 Can cause intestinal obstruction and enteritis.

Pits from peaches and plums:

 Can cause obstruction of the digestive tract.

Potato, rhubarb, and tomato leaves; potato and tomato stems:

Contain oxalates, which can affect the digestive, nervous, and urinary systems. This is more of a problem in livestock.

Raw eggs:

Contain an enzyme called avidin, which decreases the absorption of biotin (a B vitamin). This can lead to skin and hair coat problems. Raw eggs may also contain Salmonella.

 Raw fish:

Can result in a thiamine (a B vitamin) deficiency leading to loss of appetite, seizures, and in severe cases, death. More common if raw fish is fed regularly.

Salt:

 If eaten in large quantities it may lead to electrolyte imbalances.

Sugary foods:

 Can lead to obesity, dental problems, and possibly diabetes mellitus.

Tobacco:

Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. Can result in rapid heart beat, collapse, coma, and death.

Yeast dough:

Can expand and produce gas in the digestive system, causing pain and possible rupture of the stomach or intestines.

If the situation should arise where an animal is fed these foods, and becomes distressed, a veterinarian or poison control center should be contacted. The number for poision control is:  

888-232-8870  (TOLL FREE)

 

  For anyone who may not know, the poison control number charges you $35. This goes to pay the vet in case of a phone consult. If you ever have to call, make sure to have credit card ready.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Frostburg Freshmen Feature of the Week: 11/26/12-11/30/12

The Final Countdown: Preparing for Finals

By Scott McDonough, ENGL 490

It's the final countdown to the end of your first semester at FSU. Just a week and some change until we all get a much needed break. Then, you can come back as a freshman and a half with one semester under your belt. Unfortunately, the final countdown to the end of the semester is going to seem like a drag, and that's because the final countdown to the end of the semester means preparing for finals.

Some students prepare for finals in one big overnight(s) bender--not very efficient. Other students prepare for finals by trading sleep and food in exchange for mountain dew, red bull, and Adderall to help them get through a mean study session--not very healthy. Some students put everything off until the last minute, then end up having to improvise with little to no preparation, and hope they're lucky wings will be strong enough to carry them through--not very smart.

If you've been a wise FSU freshmen who heeds the advice of the Frostburg Freshmen Feature of the week, however, then you will have already learned effective study habits as covered in "Effective Study Habits, Tried & True From Us To You." Well, those same study habits still apply here, but these few specific tips have been specifically tailored just for final exam preparation, and will make your first final countdown as an FSU student as smooth as possible:

Early birds get the worm.
The better prepared you are for all of your finals, the better off you'll be . It's not possible to cram an entire unit of information into an all-night study session no matter how many red bulls you drink, and it's just not very smart or healthy for that matter. And it's good to be healthy FSU freshmen. So, get started at least a week before the exam, more if you can. It's much easier to break down your final exam preparation into manageable units that are easier to tackle one by one than it is to take the whole load at once. You won't be so overwhelmed with stress, and you'll have time to catch a good night's sleep and a healthy breakfast before acing your exam...a good day's work from a week(s) preparation.

Organize, organize, and organize.
You have a nice head start with plenty of time before finals to get good and prepared. To break down your final exam preparation into manageable units, start by making yourself a calendar that organizes a daily schedule covering certain topics for review. With a schedule, you'll have a plan of action in which you can cover small amount of material each day. Additionally, you can focus on what you have to study each day without having to worry about what you'll be studying tomorrow until tomorrow.
 

Outline.
You have a nice head start with plenty of time before finals to get good and prepared, and you're organized with a study schedule. Next, it is time to actually start studying. As you go along each day in your schedule, make outlines as to what you have studied by writing a brief summary for each topic in your schedule. Take notes on what you know by heart and what you need to study a bit more. This way, you will have an outline to go along with your schedule which you can go back to for review any time you want. Flashcards can be a very effective tool in creating an outline as you can review important information rapidly, repeatedly, and you can take them with you on the go to get some studying done while waiting in line for food at Lane.

Catch up on your zzzz's.
You have a nice head start with plenty of time before finals to get good and prepared, you're organized with a study schedule, and you have an outline to review. You wouldn't want all this preparation to go to waste, and you want to use your brain at its full power during your final exam, so you'll need to catch up on your zzzz's and get an adequate amount of sleep. Try catching close to eight hours for a good night's sleep. At the very least, you'll need at least seven hours of sleep a night to function at full capacity. If you are sleep-deprived, your cognitive processes will be slow, you won't remember anything you studied, and all your hard work and preparation will have been for naught, so catch up on your zzzz's you worked so hard to cram into your brain.
 

Keep calm and carry on.
You have a nice head start with plenty of time before finals to get good and prepared, you're organized with a study schedule, an outline to review, and you're well rested. Unfortunately, you may still be stressing out about your final exams, especially if your study schedule and outlines might as well be full-on textbooks. Don't panic! Keep calm and carry on. Relax and breathe, it goes a long way. Don't let yourself become overwhelmed by a hard question or two, just move on to answer the questions you do know and come back later. Final exams are hard, but you'll be well prepared, so don't fret.
 

Take it easy after the exam.
You have a nice head start with plenty of time before finals to get good and prepared, you're organized with a study schedule, an outline to review, and you're well rested and relaxed. You'll do just fine, but even after it's all over it's quite common to worry about how you did on your exam. Did you answer that question correctly? Did you get the topics mixed up? Is your answer thorough enough? It's easy to worry after the exam, but remember, it's all over and turned in. No amount of worrying will change anything, so quit worrying about whether or not you failed miserably on the exam. Odds are that you did much better than you think. You prepared as well as you could, gave it your all, and have been through a long enough semester. Clear your mind for your next exams, and take it easy. Once the final countdown is over, it’s over,  and it's time to enjoy your break.

 

 

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Movies

                                       Movies at the Burg By: Julian E. Gates

As the semester is ending, students are getting busy.  Homework is starting to pile up, exam dates are coming faster than expected, and the list does not stop.  Students with busy academic lives need time to relax, and not just on the weekend.  Monday night I went to the Frostburg cinemas 123 to see if Frostburg students went to the movies for fun.   I chose Monday because the theatre offers a deal, which includes five dollars and a free bag of popcorn to any movie!  Usually tickets are 8.75 for adults and 5.75 for children.  With such, a great deal I was surprised at the low attendance.  Students were actually scarce to find.  The majority of customers were elderly citizens.  Perhaps the movies being played had an influence on the turn out.  The life of Pi is a movie playing about an Indian teenager and his voyage at sea with an adult Bengal tiger.  The other movie was titled The Sessions.  The Sessions tells the story of a man confined to an iron lung who is determined at age 38 to lose his virginity. With the help of the guidance of his priest, he sets out to achieve his goal.    Both movies seemed interesting but not interesting enough for FSU students to come watch.  Another factor that could discourage students from going to the movies is condition the theatre is kept.  The lobbies of the cinemas are small, but still have room for a concession stand.  Unfortunately there were no discounts on the snacks other than popcorn.  In addition to the size of the lobby and concession, the popcorn did not seem fresh and there was not a big amount made.  Overall movies as a late night activity do not seem popular but is convenient to the wallet and can be enjoyable. However, students have no control on what plays, therefore the population of the crowd depends on the movie.   Also, the theatre only shows three movies and if a selected film (Pi) has a 3d version, then two theatres will play that movie.  Moreover if the movie is in three d the ticket is an additional three dollar charge even on Mondays. 

Frostburg Cinemas 123 does provide a website http://www.moviefone.com/theater/r-c-theatres-frostburg-cinemas-1-2-3/1838/showtimes?selectedShowDate=2012-12-01 that gives show times and dates for movies.   If you need a cheap activity to do in Frostburg check out cinemas 123 Monday nights!

Tis The Season To Be....Crafty!

Thanksgiving is over. The turkey has been consumed, the subsequent naps taken and, for your sake, we hope the dishes are done. All of which just serves to mark the fact that we can finally allow ourselves to slip into the very thing we have been fighting for weeks: the holiday spirit. Yes, we have already had "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" pelting down at us for quite some time. Yes, we may have even snuck in a sugar-coated snowman cookie or two. There may have even been some peppermint hot chocolate once or twice. But now, with the passing of Thanksgiving, we can let ourselves, without shame, fully embrace the snow-covered, icicle dripping, warm delight of the holidays.

So now, whip out the tinsel and clear some floor space, we have some decorating to do! Whether you are a starving college student in a cramped little dorm room, an off-campus adventurer or a real person with a real house, your life can always use a little more spirit! There are many ways to DIY some Christmas Cheer, Hanukkah Happiness and Kwanzaa...Kung Pow.

Not Recommended. 

1. Holiday Card Tree

Remember the scene in Harry Potter where owls keep sending him acceptance letters to Hogwarts? No matter what Harry's Uncle can do to prevent it, letter after letter keeps flying in to the house until the living room is merely a torrential flood of fluttering parchment. Well, Christmas is like that. It seems like everyone you have ever met (and perhaps a few you haven't) are just itching to send you their yearly updates about young Lily's burgeoning ballet mastery and Aunt Prudence's arthritis pain. Card with a cartoon reindeer. Card with glitter. Card with menorah. Card. Card. Card. 

Basic societal etiquette says that you have to keep these, at least until the season is over, but what if you could do more than just dutifully plaster them to your refrigerator or coffee table? What if you could re-purpose them and make them into festive holiday art?

Well, you totally can.

2. Garlands

String + Popcorn + Dried Fruit = Whimsical holiday fun! Make a popcorn garland by alternating popcorn and dried fruit, like cranberries and cherries, along a string and then hang it. Food and festivities? Sounds like the perfect craft to me. If you want to add some Hanukkah or Kwanzaa flair, you can add in some simple craft beads in the color of your chosen winter celebration. 

                                    

3. Hanging Ornaments 

This holiday, think a little unconventional. Who says ornaments have to hang on the tree? Just because some of us don't have the space, money or need for a tree doesn't mean we too can not join in on the semi-reflective wonder of the bulb. All you need is some ornaments, some leftover garland string, some tape and a ceiling to dazzle up your space. 

                                    

Ornaments can be found in red and green for Christmas

blue for Hanukkah and black for Kwanzaa. 

4. Snow Flakes

No matter which of the December festivities you choose to partake it, nobody can deny the effortless magic of a winter snowfall. We may hate shoveling it, detest freezing in it and loath having it soak through our shoes, but there are few things as majestic and calming as a watching a gentle snowfall from in-front of a warm fireplace. Channel the merriment with the old holiday standby: the paper snow flake. For those who missed out on this childhood staple, Martha Stewart does a mean tutorial.

                                             

Happy decorating and, even more important, Happy Holidays! 

Coming on Over

One amazing thing about the study abroad programs is that it not only allow for students in the United States to travel overseas but it allows students from all over the world to come to our lovely little frozen “island” we call Frostburg State University. This year we have 83 exchange students from China, Taiwan, Chile, Barbados, Nigeria, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, Serbia, Tanzania, Vietnam, Ecuador, Ghana, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Tajikistan, Turkey and the United Kingdom. One of the most amazing things about being able to study abroad in college is that you get to experience another country with friendly people who know the area and just want to show you a good time.
"International students are offered many of the same services as any other FSU student.  The Center for International Education encourages our international students to take advantage of all activities, get involved in organizations, and build relationships with Americans and other international students," stated Victoria Gearhart at the Center for International Education.

Below is a profile of one of the foreign exchange students that are currently attending Frostburg State University, Carol Wang.

Carol Wang (Right) and friends at the last Late Night at Lane Event.

Name: Carol Wang

Age: 22

Country of Origin: Taiwan

Major: Finance
Why did you choose Frostburg State University? They had a contract with our school
What is your favorite part about Frostburg?  I really like how the people friendly
What is your favorite part about being in the United States? I really enjoy the resources that are available, especially at Frostburg including free printing, the game room, swimming pool and tutoring center.
What did you do over Thanksgiving break? I went with my American roommate to celebrate at her house.
Do you plan to do any traveling before going back home? Yes, I plan to go to Disneyland.
Do you miss home? Yes, I always cry when I Skype.
What is your favorite class that you are taking here? Why? Aerobic fitness because it's a good workout.
When do you go back home?  I go back home in June.

Saving money on a night out

Let me start by saying that basically the best way to cut your alcohol expenses, is to chose to read a book instead; since drinking often leads to poor decision making which leads to spending a lot of money. But let’s be real. You’re going out.

So how can you save the most money on your adventurous night out? Here are a couple of ideas:

1. Drink before you head out. In a college town it’s called “pre-gaming” in grown up world it’s called a social gathering. Buying booze from a liquor store is much less exciting, but if you buy a big bottle it will last you many pre-nights out and you will most likely not feel the need to buy as many drinks when you finally hit the bars. (You may even choose not to go out after you’ve been drinking)
2. Find the bars that have the cheapest prices. If you don’t mind the atmosphere, you should I always find the bar that makes your drink of choice available at the cheapest price, it only makes sense. If you have to go have some drinks at the cheap place and then go to the bar with the best dance floor once you are slowing your drinking pace!
3. Limit the amount of money you even take out with you. A tab may sound like a convenient idea, but there are so many terrible things that can happen by opening a tab. A bartender can add drinks that aren’t yours to your tab by mistake, you could forget to close it at the end of the night (many bars charge a higher than average tip percentage if you forget to close at the end of the night), you could buy far more drinks than you realized, and those are just a few. Take cash with you, most of the times there is a cash bar so you can probably get drinks faster by using this tip too!
4. Figure out which bar is having the best specials that night. If you’re a lady most bars have a ladies night where drinks are half price, take advantage of those bars on those nights. Sometimes bars will have beer specials, but bars always have liquor and shot specials because they generally cost more and will lower your money spending inhibitions.

So now you’re armed and ready to have a great night out while watching what you spend.

FSU Professors on Students and Drinking

In my last post, I examined how drinking affects how well Frostburg students do in school. Most students I spoke with admitted to skipping class due to heavy drinking the night before, and most also stated that they have gone to class hungover on multiple occasions. This week, I spoke with three FSU professors to see if they have ever noticed how drinking affects student's work, and if they remember ever having students come to class obviously hungover or even drunk.

Dr. Susan Gray, Health professor at FSU, stated that she has seen students lose focus in school and even drop out due to too much drinking and partying. She said, "I remember one student, a very likable, smart young man, who was a member of an athletic team here. Over the course of the semester, his attendance went down, he always seemed out of it, his grades were going down. Then, at the end of the semester, he and his buddies got drunk at Edgewood and ripped the fire extinguishers off the walls and sprayed the walls. Of course, all of this was caught on video. He ended up failing his classes and getting kicked out of the university. He had to pay a substantial amount of money for repairs for the damage." But luckily, he eventually cleaned up his act. "A few years later, he visited campus. He found me and told me he had recognized that he had an alcohol problem and he had turned his life around. Unfortunately, he had replaced alcohol addiction with tobacco addiction, and he was currently trying to overcome that problem." She stated that she does not find any student drinking stories funny or memorable, except in negative ways. She also stated that she has seen many female students end up dropping out due to emotional trauma and stress due to rape, which was usually fueled by alcohol.

Professor Sandra Saville, who teaches the IDIS 350 class Legal Issues in the Arts, could not recall any incidents that she has experienced at her time at FSU, but she did tell me about her son who had a drinking problem when he was in college. "My son and my adopted son went to Arizona State University. They were not very responsible...They would always attend class after having had a few drinks. Both of them dropped out," she said. Luckily, her sons were able to overcome their drinking problems and get their lives back on track. "Some students can drink all the time and still succeed, but for some it's a big lesson," she said.

Dr. Mary Anne Lutz, English professor, stated, "Oddly enough, I have no stories of drunken students in class. Hangovers, I'm sure. I just talk VERY LOUDLY. I did have one student come to a conference while stoned, but it's not a particularly amusing anecdote."

In conclusion, most professors here at Frostburg see drinking as a big problem that can have devastating consequences on students. Don't end up like the students in these stories! Drink responsibly and never let it interfere with your work.

Great (Free!!) Health Apps

This week, I found this article in TIME and decided to try out a couple of the free apps that may be helpful to college students who are trying to stay healthy. I found them both to be pretty awesome, so keep reading for brief reviews of them!

Fooducate (iPhone and Droid)

This app is definitely a new favorite of mine. It’s really easy to use, and the barcode scanner is quick and works well, even if the barcode is a little crumpled or your hand isn’t completely steady. I have tried other barcode-scanning apps that didn’t work nearly as well as this one does.

Each product in the app’s database comes with a grade based on its nutrition facts in comparison to other foods in the same category. If you want to know more about why something was given a certain grade, you can tap on the grade icon to read the reasoning behind it. For instance, I was shocked to see that Oreos get a ‘B-’! In the “Product Details” section, the app explains that as far as industrial cookies go, Oreos aren’t so bad. They don’t contain artificial colors or hydrogenated oils, and they even have less sugar than most juices do! (That is assuming you stick to the serving sizes… but let’s be honest; one does not simply eat 2 Oreos and then put the rest away.)

(I'm going to pretend I didn't see this)

The database already has tons of foods and products, but if you scan something and find that it is not in there yet, you can opt to take a few pictures (of the front of the package, the nutrition facts, and the ingredients) and e-mail it to them (It pops up automatically with a default message. All you have to do is hit send.)

Some other cool features: an “alternatives” button that offers some replacement suggestions; the "add to list" button which lets you create a shopping list that can be exported to your e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter; and a “Daily Tip” blog.

If you want to get quick facts about a food product, this free app is for you!

Lose it! (iPhone and Droid)

Once you provide some information, including your current weight and your goal weight, and then sign up with your e-mail, the app gives you a calorie budget for the day. You can add foods by searching them or scanning the barcode (this scanner also works amazingly), and they will be subtracted from your budget for you so you don’t have to do any of the math. If you are on the go, you’ll have to be able to guess the amount of each food (how many ounces, tablespoons, etc.) but if you start measuring out your portions at home, you’ll get the hang of estimating.

You can also add exercises, choosing from theirs or creating your own, which can be saved to “My Exercises,” and the calories you burn will be added back onto your daily limit. If you want to add your own exercise, you will have to know how many calories you burned, but luckily the app already has plenty of exercises to choose from. Track your calorie input and output each day like this, and stick to your calorie limit, and you'll be on your way to your weight-loss goal.

 

There is also a “Motivate” tab that allows you to connect with other friends who have the app. My only warning is this: don’t try to race your friends to lose weight unless you are absolutely sure you are all doing it in a healthy manner. Everybody is different and will see results at different rates, so make sure you aren’t too concerned with others’ weight loss achievements. Focus on achieving your own goals at your own reasonable pace, and make sure you are feeling healthy and happy overall. A positive outlook will help you out way more than you might think.

I also downloaded "RunKeeper," an app that tracks your runs with your phone's GPS, but I haven't had a chance to use it yet. I'll be sure to update this post with a review once I do!

Until next time, stay healthy everyone!

Two Things We Missed On Break, And One Current Event

I thought it would be a good idea to get us a little caught up on news that came out while we were on Thanksgiving Break.

First, General Petraeus testified before Congress about the September 11^th Benghazi attacks that resulted in the deaths of U.S. Ambassador, Chris Stevens, and three other Americans. One of the biggest concerns brought up by Republicans has been whether or not the President Obama was reluctant to call it a terror attack. Patreaus testified that al-Qaida was left out of CIA intelligence to keep al-Qaida from knowing the CIA was on to them and it was in no way politically motivated.

Walmart workers were talking about striking across the country in response to having to work on Thanksgiving. About 100 Walmart stores in the country had employees striking outside. Walmart employees are not unionized, so they can potentially be fired for striking, which Walmart has threatened to do. They do have Union support by the group OUR Walmart, who is now promising to fight on the behalf of any employees released by Walmart for participating.

Currently, not much progress has been made regarding the impending fiscal cliff. If you’re unaware of what the fiscal cliff means, basically at the start of the New Year, everyone’s taxes will go up and a lot of social programs will have funding cut. House of Representatives Majority Leader John Boehner doesn’t feel that Obama is treating the process seriously. It’s a very interesting situation given the fact that the Republicans want to keep taxes low on the rich and find government spending abhorant. While the Dems want more funding for social programs and raise taxes on the rich while also keeping taxes low for middle and lower class citizens. So, this Cliff has a bit of pros and cons for both sides, while also being a reelection death sentence if it goes through.

That should do it for this week’s beat update, thank you for reading and stay informed.