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Show The Beaver Press - March 24, 2011 - Page 4 PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN Cool News About Frozen Foods (NAPS)—Imagine a way for your family to enjoy fresh pruduce, meat and fish every day, without , having to worry about (he food apoiling before you get to it again. Actually, there is such a way and people have been doing it for thousands of years—preserving food by freezing it. More recently, new techniques moan frozen food is even longer lasting, safer and just as nutritious as the "fresh" or refrigerated products found in your kitchen. For example, frozen fruits and vegetables are processed within hours of harvest, "locking in" their vitamins and minerals. Researchers at the University of California Center for Excellence in Fruit and Vegetable Quality found frozen fruits and vegetables are nutritionally similartotheir "fresh" counterparts at the time of consumption. And the Produce for Better Health Foundation says that when it comes to good nutrition, all forms count— fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100 percent juice. More good news: Frozen products are often much lower in cost per serving and have a much greater shelf life than refrigerated foods. They can also be more easily portioned and stored for use at a later time, reducing spoilage and waste. A recent Zogby International survey found that S7 percent of consumers purchase frozen foods because they're convenient and easytoprepare. Once you purchase frozen food, however, you have to treat it right. The experts at the Frozen Food Foundation explain how: • Get it into your home freezer as quickly as possible. Consider keeping a cooler or insulated bag in your car so frozen products don't thaw on the way home. Rash frozen shrimp and vegetables can be stir-fried into a dellc k w dinner any night of the week. • To protect the nutrients in frozen food, set yourfreezerto0° F. • If you can see the product through the package, make sure no frost or ice crystals have formed, which could indicate the product has been thawed and refrozen. • When choosing frozen seafood and shellfish, look for packages that aren't open, torn or damaged. • To thaw frozen seafood, place it in the refrigerator overnight. If you must use frozen seafood before it has a chance to thaw on its own, seal it in a plastic bag and immerse it in cold water to bring the temperature up or use the "defrost" setting on your microwave. • Follow the instructions when preparing frozen foods. Most frozen foods are "ready-tocook," which, as their name suggests, means they must be cooked prior to consumption. • If you can, use a microwave oven to prepare frozen vegetables. When you cover vegetables with water and boil them or fry them on the stove top, vitamins and mineral* can leach out. You can learn more at www. frozenfoodfacts.org. Tips On Dealing With Bullying Free Tax Options Save Time And Money (NAPS)—It's that time of year again—time to file your taxes. And this year, millions of Americana can file their taxes for free online or at a low cost using their iPhone or Android smartphonos. Shelby H., from Santa Monica, Calif., takes advantage of free online tax preparation and filing. "Online tax preparation is really easy and fast and I can e-file so I get my refund back in about a week. Using a free service is a lifesaver. The m o n e y ! used to pay to someone olse to prepare my taxes can now go towards buying gas and groceries." Today, there are morefreeand low-cost tax preparation options available than ever before. Lowincome taxpayers, filers with simple returns, even active-duty military personnel are among those who can benefit from free online tax preparation and filing options. File for Free The IRS Free File program provides free tax preparation for middle- and low-income taxpayers. Taxpayers with an a^jufitod gross income (AGI) of $58,000 or less, about 70 percent of all taxpayers, can get free online tax preparation and e-fUing through the Free File Alliance at www.IRS.gov. Many tax preparation software companies offer a free version of their products available to consumers, regardless of income. TurboTax has one—designed for taxpayers with relatively straightforward tax returns—that guides you step by step through your tax return and searches for all the tax credits you're eligible for to get you the biggest refund possible, guaranteed. mm This year, millions of Americans can file tholr taxos for free online or at a low cost using their smartphones. ' File on Your Smartphone Rather file your taxes on your smartphone? If you have a 1040EZ, you can file your taxes on your iPhone or Android phone with SnapTax. All you do in snap a photo of your W-2 on your phone and answer a few simple questions. The app is free to download in the Apple App Store and Android Market. You only pay the low $14.99 introductory price when you're ready tofileyour return. Faster Refunds - E-filing is the fastest way to get your refund. You'll receive your tax refund in about eight days with direct deposit versus waiting four to six weeks if you file by paper. But what if you don't have a bank account? You can still e-file and get your refund back fast by choosing a prepaid debit card such as the TurboTax Refund Card. No check cashing, bank account or credit check is required, and you can use it anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Your money is even protected if your card is lost or stolen. With all these free options available, don't wait. For more information, go to www.turbotax.com. (NAPS)—According to the experts at the National Education Association (NEA), one caring adult can make all the difference in the life of a child who's being bullied. It's crucial for bullied students to know which adults in their school or community they can go to in their time of distress—adults who will really listen to them and then act on their behnlf. Bullied students who go it alone because they don't know to whom to turn 'are far more likely to fall behind in their studies, get sick, miss school and drop out—oven commit suicide. Whether you're a parent, a teacher or a friend of the family, there are six steps you can take to help the children in your life. 1. Take complaints seriously. Don't dismiss it as "just teasing." Listen to the problem and tell the child you'll take appropriate action. No allegation about bullying should be ignored because th»> charge seems improbable or bocause the behavior seems unlikely to recur or is perceived as v. "harmless rite of passage." 2. Report the alleged bullying. Tell the principal ab<"mt a school bullying case, especially if the bullying seems to be based on the student's race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation. 3. Reassure, don't judge. If a bullied kid comes to you Cor "help, reassure him or her that you will do what you can. Don't, however, ask why the child is being bullied. It's the behavior of the bully that matters. If the child volunteers personal information, keep it confidential. 4. Get the appropriate professional help. If a young person seems to be in emotional or psy- When it comes to bullying, adults ;: can stop it, fix it and prevent I t - ; : from happening again. '->:^ chological distress, offer to ge't';ip;:! tuuch with a counselor, social^ worker or school psychologist^;* Don't give advice beyond yovcrji? expertise, however. --•••.-:? 5 . Stand up and speak out;>; for c h i l d r e n in n e e d . Learn!;:: about bullying. Share what youVe f; learned and advocate for bullied:f*. children. :•:•':-•* 6. Do something. If you wjt* ness someone being harassed and> humiliated, intervene—but get": additional support if necessary.:: Everyone" involved—the victim,:.' the perpetrator and the wit-:> nesses—needs to know this is ;U&-> acceptable behavior. ;•'; ;:] ;Vs one of the world's foremoftt." ami-bullying" experts, Psychology;"; Professor Don Olweus notes, *Itj; now all boils down to a matter; bff; will and involvement on the pari> of adults in deciding how much,'; : bullying will take place.1* : :'• To that end, the NEA has come]: up with the Bully Free: It Starts;: With Me tampaign. This aims-fcd'-i identify caring adults who will.f plfidge to help bullied students. The'' NEA will provide tfie resources: they need to support the bullied > student, ask the right questions and take the appropriate actions;;" :j You can learn more and sign The One Caring Adult Pledgeiftt; www. nea.org/bullyfree. '•:• ' m :^r Of all croos planted annually In the U.S./ cotton has tho longest growing season. Its growing season lasts from 150 to 180 days. .*& bUPMUCiOtt.COfl} &EPT, ^ CRISIS! WHERE'S OBAMA AHt> HIS iEADEFtSMB? "**£• %(f.~' f? HE'S OFF TO •b" y THE ffiAStt SOCCER TEAM HAS THREATENEb TO DESTROy ALL OTHEK TEAMS I N THE WORLD! w*y:<< HE W i l l MEDIATE THE RS- <U*.t **V? WQRL& '(M X* THAT KIM OWTHEBBACH? WITH "BA&Y STEPS." to I J win. - '0 IS Ho«f could you lose wbenyou gave e n e i ^ and eaijoy rebate* at the wmetime?So. it'syour move. 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