Hannah: Can you tell me what your job is and what you do at your job?
Gail: I work at the Human Resources office, and I work with faculty transactions. The way we have the work divided up is that I work with faculty issues such as getting them set up on the payroll, processing different kinds of payments to them, not only for their teaching but sometimes they do other work that they get paid for, like special projects or curriculum development. In the case of Tesha Christensen, she gets paid some teaching credits but also she's involved with the student newspaper and stuff, things like that. I'm responsible for getting them set up in the personal payroll system and getting them paid, also determining their eligibility for insurance, insurance benefits and retirement benefits. Their workload determines their eligibility for insurance. I'm at the computer all day long, every day. I have deadlines every two weeks that I have to make, in terms of the processing transactions for the payroll. Then there are busier times of the year, like getting all the faculty ready and set up for fall semester. So right before fall, right before spring, right before summer.
Hannah: How many days a week do you work?
Gail: I work Monday through Friday.
Hannah: How long have you worked here?
Gail: I've been here about three and a half years.
Hannah: Do you have a favorite day of the week to work? If so, which day is that and why?
Gail: Probably Friday, because Friday is kind of like when I can put all my work to bed for the week. The deadlines have happened, I've got everything squared away. I know that things are done, things are taken care of, people are going to get paid. So I'd say Friday. I've accomplished something. Then I'll see what the Monday brings. Monday's a new day. So much of what I do is deadline driven.
Hannah: What interested you about this job?
Gail: A couple different things. I like working in a college because I think it's a good environment, because I think pretty much all the employees have a real commitment and a buy-in to the organization. They really care about their jobs, care about doing a good job for the students. With my particular job duties, I knew that I would be learning this particular database, the particular personal payroll database that's used here. I really wanted to learn it. So I knew that it would be really challenging and I really wanted to learn this system, just to have another skill.
Hannah: What do you like best about your job?
Gail: There's two things I really like. One I mentioned before, about having the feeling that I accomplished something. Also, I like working with the faculty. It's very interesting. I like interacting with the faculty and learning from them because they're so interesting. They all have their different areas that they know a lot about. The faculty don't have time to be worried about their pay and their insurance and retirement. If they're confused about something or concerned and they're worried, they talk to me. Then they don't have to think about it or worry about it any more and they can focus on the stuff that they have to focus on, which is the students and the grading of the papers, the teaching, all that kind of stuff.
Hannah: So what do you think is the hardest thing about your job?
Gail: It is difficult sometimes to have the really tight deadlines because they limit, for example, when you can take time off work. So I think, for example, somebody who maybe was married and had a family, I think it could kind of be tough for them. While for me, I'm single and I don't have any kids, so it isn't so bad for me. But that's kind of tough, and the varying workloads during the year is tough because sometimes when the workload is really the peak time, you get so tired out. So if a person was really a healthy person, it wouldn't be quite so bad, but I'm not in the greatest health, so it kind of takes its toll physically on me.
Hannah: How many co-workers do you have?
Gail: There's a total of five of us workers, one supervisor and one director. So there's a total of seven.
Hannah: What's unique about your job that other people may not know about?
Gail: I think that people, employees and students and stuff, and maybe even co-workers in the office, they don't know how much behind the scenes work there is so someone gets paid on time and paid correctly. Maybe if they took a look at my desk and saw what a rat's nest it was with all the papers piled everywhere, they'd see that there really is a lot of stuff to do to make it so somebody gets their pay for their class.
Hannah: What part of you job makes your time most meaningful?
Gail: I really like it when I can work uninterrupted and I can really, really concentrate on my data entry. I have to be fast, and I have to be really, really accurate. So I really like it when I can work uninterrupted and really, really concentrate and do my data entry, because then I know that all the data will be clean, no problems, no errors, no nothing.
Hannah: What's your favorite memory that you've had so far in your job?
Gail: I came in new and I had a lot to learn, there was a backlog of work, it was the busiest time of the year, and then to make it through that first year. I really truly remember when I took my first breath of like, "Oh! I made it! I made it! I made it!"
Hannah: So what was your first day like?
Gail: The first day was pretty frustrating because they weren't ready for me. They didn't have my computer access set up, or my phone. Nobody really had time to spend with me. So it was a little bit frustrating at first.
Hannah: So how long do you think you'd like to work here?
Gail: I only have about seven years to go until I'm eligible to have an early retirement with full retirement benefits. So I've been kind of thinking, "Well, I'll just work here for seven years until I'm retirement age." But then I think no. I'm kind of ready for a challenge because now after three and a half years I've pretty much learned all there is to learn about my job and this computer system. Maybe I won't work here much longer, or else I'll work here for seven more years. So I'm kind of at that point right now of evaluating myself.
Hannah: What is an average day at work like for you?
Gail: Right now when I come to work, I like to focus on my own work and be left alone for the first two and a half hours. So the first part of my day is really in the computer, doing my data entry into the computer, then the next part of my day is talking to faculty and deans, either them contacting me or me contacting them. And then in the afternoon, like right now when it's not the super busy time of the year, I'll work on my long-term projects, or back burner projects, like running reports on the computer, or finding problems with the coding that need to be fixed up, or getting my papers and all my information ready and organized for getting ready for the semester.
Hannah: If a student at ARCC wanted to get a job in Human Resources, what kind of education or classes would you suggest?
Gail: It kind of depends on what level of Human Resources they'd want to come in at. In terms of education and classes, definitely communications classes in terms of being able to write, because there's always so many memos and letters to communicate things to employees. Definitely math skills to be able to do a lot of calculations. In terms of the general business classes, take like management classes or management supervision classes so you can relate to the supervisor or the deans that you deal with as a customer group. I know a lot of the jobs in Human Resources these days, they either require or prefer a bachelor's degree, and I think they can do that these days because the economy's so bad and there's so many applicants that they can be picky and require or prefer a bachelor's degree.
Hannah: What kind of personality traits does a person in Human Resources need if they work there?
Gail: Patience. A lot of patience. Also being a type of person who doesn't take things personally. So when someone comes in or calls and they're very angry or frustrated you know to not take it personally or get defensive.
Hannah: Has your job changed any since you started?
Gail: It has changed because we've added more people in the office. When I first came, there were three of us, and the supervisor and the director. So now there is five of us, and the supervisor and the director. So we got two more staff people, which means that for me, my workload has gotten a little less, and my duties have gotten a little more specific, because certain things were taken off my plate and given to others. And I guess things have changed because once I made it through the steep learning curve, I'm more comfortable in my job and not as stressed out by the deadlines because I'm better able to judge the amount of work and how long it's really going to take to get it done.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Russian Rights Activist Killed
A Russian human-rights activist, Maksharip Aushev, was killed in a highway shooting on Sunday in the Russian province Ingushetia. Aushev is the third human-rights activist killed since July. "This heinous crime was intended to destabilize the region," said Yuns-Bek Yevkurov, the president of Ingushetia, who pledged to find Aushev's killers.
Source: Russian Rights Activist Killed by Shamsudin Bokov of the Associated Press
10/26/09 Star Tribune print edition
Source: Russian Rights Activist Killed by Shamsudin Bokov of the Associated Press
10/26/09 Star Tribune print edition
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
My event story
Hannah Schott
Oct. 19, 2009
Theater Symposium
"Radio Golf," a play by August Wilson, was the third consecutive symposium presented by Penumbra Theatre of St. Paul to be held at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. The symposium was held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Coon Rapids Campus' Performing Arts Center.
The symposium began at 1 p.m., lasted 50 minutes, then repeated at 2 p.m.
About 200 people attended the first presentation and about 60 people were at the second, according to Scott Stankey of Anoka-Ramsey's English department. Many of the attendees were Anoka-Ramsey students and professors.
The symposium was recorded, Stankey said, and will soon become viewable on Desire2Learn, Anoka-Ramsey's online learning center.
The symposium was hosted by two actors and two directors from Penumbra. The two actors, Rex Isom and T. Mychael Rambo, read selected portions of the play and, along with the two directors, Dominic Taylor and Stephanie Lein Walseth, discussed the play with the audience.
"We wanted to tease out some of the themes and ideas that are present in the play," said Taylor, the associate artistic director at Penumbra. Taylor said he hopes the symposium "gives students places to enter and understand the play."
The program opens up students to investigating "Radio Golf" further, according to Taylor. "Anoka-Ramsey students are always engaged and seem to value theater as an art," he said.
Taylor said he feels it is beneficial for Penumbra to share theater with academic communities like Anoka-Ramsey. "It is important that the theater we do at Penumbra reaches out beyond St. Paul," he said.
The goal of the "Radio Golf" symposium was to help students contextualize the play, Taylor said. He added that the symposium helps students situate the play in Wilson's oeuvre and in the history of Penumbra.
"Radio Golf" is used at a textbook by six English professors at Anoka-Ramsey's Coon Rapids campus.
Prof. Linda Varvel, one of those six, said the symposium inspired her and excited her about theater. She said: "I think one of the best things (about the symposium) is that students can hear actors raise the play up on its feet. They can hear the lyrics and the emotion."
Varvel said that students who read "Radio Golf" before attending the symposium had diverse reactions to the actors' interpretations. Some students found more humor in the play, Varvel said, and some students found more anger.
"At the symposium, students have a chance to engage in a play that deals with people's real lives and their struggles with the American Dream," Varvel explained.
Taylor does a good job relating to the audience and describing the culture of African-American theater, Varvel said. "It's advantageous for our students from various cultures to experience that," she commented.
During the symposium, Taylor announced that Penumbra will play "Radio Golf," directed by Lou Bellamy, from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25. Taylor encouraged people to attend the production.
Varvel said the symposium helps students become aware of live theater in the Twin Cities. "I wish I could put each class on the bus and take them to "Radio Golf" (at Penumbra)," Varvel said, but acknowledged that the symposium, which she called an "intellectual exercise," was the next best experience.
Oct. 19, 2009
Theater Symposium
"Radio Golf," a play by August Wilson, was the third consecutive symposium presented by Penumbra Theatre of St. Paul to be held at Anoka-Ramsey Community College. The symposium was held Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Coon Rapids Campus' Performing Arts Center.
The symposium began at 1 p.m., lasted 50 minutes, then repeated at 2 p.m.
About 200 people attended the first presentation and about 60 people were at the second, according to Scott Stankey of Anoka-Ramsey's English department. Many of the attendees were Anoka-Ramsey students and professors.
The symposium was recorded, Stankey said, and will soon become viewable on Desire2Learn, Anoka-Ramsey's online learning center.
The symposium was hosted by two actors and two directors from Penumbra. The two actors, Rex Isom and T. Mychael Rambo, read selected portions of the play and, along with the two directors, Dominic Taylor and Stephanie Lein Walseth, discussed the play with the audience.
"We wanted to tease out some of the themes and ideas that are present in the play," said Taylor, the associate artistic director at Penumbra. Taylor said he hopes the symposium "gives students places to enter and understand the play."
The program opens up students to investigating "Radio Golf" further, according to Taylor. "Anoka-Ramsey students are always engaged and seem to value theater as an art," he said.
Taylor said he feels it is beneficial for Penumbra to share theater with academic communities like Anoka-Ramsey. "It is important that the theater we do at Penumbra reaches out beyond St. Paul," he said.
The goal of the "Radio Golf" symposium was to help students contextualize the play, Taylor said. He added that the symposium helps students situate the play in Wilson's oeuvre and in the history of Penumbra.
"Radio Golf" is used at a textbook by six English professors at Anoka-Ramsey's Coon Rapids campus.
Prof. Linda Varvel, one of those six, said the symposium inspired her and excited her about theater. She said: "I think one of the best things (about the symposium) is that students can hear actors raise the play up on its feet. They can hear the lyrics and the emotion."
Varvel said that students who read "Radio Golf" before attending the symposium had diverse reactions to the actors' interpretations. Some students found more humor in the play, Varvel said, and some students found more anger.
"At the symposium, students have a chance to engage in a play that deals with people's real lives and their struggles with the American Dream," Varvel explained.
Taylor does a good job relating to the audience and describing the culture of African-American theater, Varvel said. "It's advantageous for our students from various cultures to experience that," she commented.
During the symposium, Taylor announced that Penumbra will play "Radio Golf," directed by Lou Bellamy, from Oct. 1 to Oct. 25. Taylor encouraged people to attend the production.
Varvel said the symposium helps students become aware of live theater in the Twin Cities. "I wish I could put each class on the bus and take them to "Radio Golf" (at Penumbra)," Varvel said, but acknowledged that the symposium, which she called an "intellectual exercise," was the next best experience.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Governing party stays put in Botswana
Botswana's parliamentary elections were swept Friday by the Botswana Democratic Party, the only political power to govern Botswana since the country's independence from Britain in 1966. Botswana, a landlocked country in southern Africa, is struggling with poverty and a high rate of AIDS but held a peaceful election.
Source: Governing party firmly stays put by the Associated Press
10/19/09 Star Tribune print edition
Source: Governing party firmly stays put by the Associated Press
10/19/09 Star Tribune print edition
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
My Obituary
Hannah Joy Schott of Blaine, Minn., an avid bowler and a devoted NASCAR fan, died yesterday when a meteorite destroyed her house. She was 17.
Schott was a 4-H member for seven years and volunteered at 4-H events. She participated in and co-directed two Share the Fun plays, "All's Faire" and "Hubbub on the Bookshelf."
Schott was born March 2, 1992, to Tarry and Linda Schott, and lived in Lexington, Minn., until she was 12 years old. Schott was home schooled through grade school and was currently attending Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids.
Schott was a member of two 4-H clubs, the Dandy Linos and the High Adventurers, and held the offices of secretary, reporter, vice-president and president. In 2008, Schott received the Share the Fun Outstanding Performer award and was the champion in the Interpretive Reading division of the Communications Contest.
Schott was a member of Brunswick's Tuesday home school bowling league and won the girls' High Game Scratch award last spring with an average of 157.
NASCAR was Schott's weekend passion, and she loved her favorite driver, Kevin Harvick. "She was a dedicated Harvick fan even when he wasn't winning," Schott's brother, Daniel, said.
Schott is survived by her parents, Tarry and Linda Schott, and her brother, Daniel Schott.
Her memorial service will be held at Blaine Baptist Church at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. She will be buried in Down Under Cemetery.
Schott was a 4-H member for seven years and volunteered at 4-H events. She participated in and co-directed two Share the Fun plays, "All's Faire" and "Hubbub on the Bookshelf."
Schott was born March 2, 1992, to Tarry and Linda Schott, and lived in Lexington, Minn., until she was 12 years old. Schott was home schooled through grade school and was currently attending Anoka-Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids.
Schott was a member of two 4-H clubs, the Dandy Linos and the High Adventurers, and held the offices of secretary, reporter, vice-president and president. In 2008, Schott received the Share the Fun Outstanding Performer award and was the champion in the Interpretive Reading division of the Communications Contest.
Schott was a member of Brunswick's Tuesday home school bowling league and won the girls' High Game Scratch award last spring with an average of 157.
NASCAR was Schott's weekend passion, and she loved her favorite driver, Kevin Harvick. "She was a dedicated Harvick fan even when he wasn't winning," Schott's brother, Daniel, said.
Schott is survived by her parents, Tarry and Linda Schott, and her brother, Daniel Schott.
Her memorial service will be held at Blaine Baptist Church at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. She will be buried in Down Under Cemetery.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Justin Thompson's car racing hobby
Hannah Schott
Oct. 12, 2009
Car Racing
"The adrenaline rush from trying to control something on the edge" is his favorite characteristic of car racing, Justin Thompson said.
"I have always like going fast," Thompson said. Thompson, 35, said he began racing cars 10 years ago.
Thompson said he felt nervous at the start of his first race and didn't know what he was doing. "I went past the staging lights and had to back up," he explained.
The officials started the lights when he got back in position, Thompson said, but he wasn't ready and his competitor took off first.
"It was still fun though, and I was hooked," Thompson noted.
Thompson said he has won three first place trophies and numerous second and third place trophies while bracket racing at Rock Falls Raceway. Thompson commented that his favorite racing memory is the time he beat an arrogant young driver by over eight car lengths.
"I like to try new things," Thompson said. He said he recently decided to use E-85 fuel in his car because of its availability and high octane rating. E-85 has cooling effects and provides more power than ordinary race fuel, Thompson said. "It is also much cheaper than race gas," he added.
Thompson said he taught himself to make modifications on his car through Internet research. "I have been modifying my car for years," he said.
Thompson said racing cars has taught him a valuable life lesson. "Even if things aren't going right, keep at it and keep making improvements," he said.
Oct. 12, 2009
Car Racing
"The adrenaline rush from trying to control something on the edge" is his favorite characteristic of car racing, Justin Thompson said.
"I have always like going fast," Thompson said. Thompson, 35, said he began racing cars 10 years ago.
Thompson said he felt nervous at the start of his first race and didn't know what he was doing. "I went past the staging lights and had to back up," he explained.
The officials started the lights when he got back in position, Thompson said, but he wasn't ready and his competitor took off first.
"It was still fun though, and I was hooked," Thompson noted.
Thompson said he has won three first place trophies and numerous second and third place trophies while bracket racing at Rock Falls Raceway. Thompson commented that his favorite racing memory is the time he beat an arrogant young driver by over eight car lengths.
"I like to try new things," Thompson said. He said he recently decided to use E-85 fuel in his car because of its availability and high octane rating. E-85 has cooling effects and provides more power than ordinary race fuel, Thompson said. "It is also much cheaper than race gas," he added.
Thompson said he taught himself to make modifications on his car through Internet research. "I have been modifying my car for years," he said.
Thompson said racing cars has taught him a valuable life lesson. "Even if things aren't going right, keep at it and keep making improvements," he said.
U.S. helps Philippine relief efforts
Aid from the United States was welcome in the Philippines after twin typhoons diminished the country's food and gasoline reserves and caused 600 deaths. "There is nearly zero gasoline supply now, and we're running low on food," said the police chief of Baguio, a town located north of Manila. The U.S. sent helicopters loaded with supplies to the Philippines on Sunday.
Source: U.S. helps Philippine relief efforts by the Associated Press
USA Today print edition
Oct. 12, 2009
Source: U.S. helps Philippine relief efforts by the Associated Press
USA Today print edition
Oct. 12, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Interview with Laura Sweeny
Q: When did you begin to play soccer?
Laura: I started playing soccer when I was three.
Q: Where do you play soccer?
Laura: I play soccer for Anoka High School and through the Northern Lights soccer club. I play on a traveling U17 team.
Q: Why did you become involved in this sport?
Laura: My mom put me in soccer because when I was little I used to play with a mini soccer ball. Also my two older siblings played and enjoyed it so my mom thought I would also enjoy it.
Q: Who has most influenced the way you play soccer?
Laura: My coach has influenced the way I play soccer. I don't want to let her down. I know that she counts on me a lot, so I try my best always. Also I know that if I screw up I'll probably end up running and I hate running so I try to not screw up.
Q: How has soccer affected the way you live your life?
Laura: Soccer has affected my life a lot. I met my best friends from being on my soccer team. I can get my anger out on the field, so soccer is like my therapy. It gives me the chance to let my emotions out. I have met loads of new people from different states and countries from our soccer tournament so it's like a cultural experience too. I also get to travel to a bunch of different places.
Q: What life lessons has soccer taught you?
Laura: A life lesson I've learned from soccer is teamwork. You can't just depend on yourself for everything; sometimes you need people there for you. That's what soccer is, people backing you up all the time.
Q: What is your favorite soccer memory?
Laura: My favorite soccer memory would have to be when my soccer team traveled to Illinois for a tournament. It was the first week of summer and we had to drive there. Traffic was so bad! My dad thought he could take a short cut and skip the traffic but the road he was going to take was closed because there was a flood. So we were rerouted. I was 15 in a car with my mom and dad, my phone didn't get service and my ipod died. The radio didn't get a signal. We were stuck in a traffic jam. For three hours we didn't move. We ended up getting to the hotel at 2 a.m. My team and their parents were chilling outside waiting for us; when we pulled up they started clapping. I got out of the car and my best friend Kayla introduced me to these super cute boys and I was so embarrassed because I was in cow boxers and a Jonas Brothers shirt. To this day my team still talks about my terrible trip to Illinois.
Laura: I started playing soccer when I was three.
Q: Where do you play soccer?
Laura: I play soccer for Anoka High School and through the Northern Lights soccer club. I play on a traveling U17 team.
Q: Why did you become involved in this sport?
Laura: My mom put me in soccer because when I was little I used to play with a mini soccer ball. Also my two older siblings played and enjoyed it so my mom thought I would also enjoy it.
Q: Who has most influenced the way you play soccer?
Laura: My coach has influenced the way I play soccer. I don't want to let her down. I know that she counts on me a lot, so I try my best always. Also I know that if I screw up I'll probably end up running and I hate running so I try to not screw up.
Q: How has soccer affected the way you live your life?
Laura: Soccer has affected my life a lot. I met my best friends from being on my soccer team. I can get my anger out on the field, so soccer is like my therapy. It gives me the chance to let my emotions out. I have met loads of new people from different states and countries from our soccer tournament so it's like a cultural experience too. I also get to travel to a bunch of different places.
Q: What life lessons has soccer taught you?
Laura: A life lesson I've learned from soccer is teamwork. You can't just depend on yourself for everything; sometimes you need people there for you. That's what soccer is, people backing you up all the time.
Q: What is your favorite soccer memory?
Laura: My favorite soccer memory would have to be when my soccer team traveled to Illinois for a tournament. It was the first week of summer and we had to drive there. Traffic was so bad! My dad thought he could take a short cut and skip the traffic but the road he was going to take was closed because there was a flood. So we were rerouted. I was 15 in a car with my mom and dad, my phone didn't get service and my ipod died. The radio didn't get a signal. We were stuck in a traffic jam. For three hours we didn't move. We ended up getting to the hotel at 2 a.m. My team and their parents were chilling outside waiting for us; when we pulled up they started clapping. I got out of the car and my best friend Kayla introduced me to these super cute boys and I was so embarrassed because I was in cow boxers and a Jonas Brothers shirt. To this day my team still talks about my terrible trip to Illinois.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sleeplessness is a safety hazard
Hannah Schott
Oct. 5, 2009
Sleep Shortage
"Going without sleep is as much of a public and personal safety hazard as going to work drunk," Diana Gant, one of the nation's leaders in the study of sleep, said today. Gant is a psychology professor and has studied sleep for more than 17 years.
When she first started to research sleep, Gant wanted to observe people who got little sleep and remained productive. "The problem was, when my subjects arrived in laboratories and got a chance to sleep in dark, quiet rooms, they all slept for about nine hours," Gant said.
She said that experiment and other work convinced her that most people suffer from sleep deprivation.
Gant considers sleep comparable to exercise. She explained: "People exercise because it's healthy. Sleep is healthy."
Most people need to sleep nine to ten hours a night, Gant said. "Some (of that sleep) should be taken in afternoon naps."
Gant said the average person only gets about seven hours of sleep. She said: "Some people think that going without sleep is the big, sophisticated, macho thing to do. They figure they don't need it, that the rules don't apply to them, that they can get more done.
"It may work for them for awhile, but sooner or later they begin to suffer the consequences. Then you can have some real problems."
Gant has gathered data from laboratory studies and statistics on the connection between sleeplessness and accidents. Gant noted: "One thing I've done is study the number of traffic accidents in the state right after the shift to daylight savings time in the spring, when most people lose an hour's sleep.
"There's an 8 percent increase in accidents the day after the time change, and there's a corresponding decrease in the fall when people gain an extra hour of sleep."
Gant added that the effects of people getting up an hour early is the equivalent of a national jet lag. "The effect can last a week," she said.
"It isn't simply due to lack of sleep," she said, "but (to) complications from resetting the biological clock."
Gant declared sleeplessness as the probable cause of disasters such as the space shuttle Challenger's explosion, the nuclear reactor mishap at Russia's Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. "The element of sleeplessness was involved in all of them," Gant said.
Gant said that sleeplessness can make people feel clumsy, stupid and unhappy. People feel as if their clothes weigh a few extra pounds, and they tend to become drowsy after lunch, Gant said. She said that if people cut their eight hours of sleep back to six hours, they will probably become depressed.
If people cut their sleep back to only five hours, they may find themselves "falling asleep at stoplights while driving home," Gant said.
Gant said it is easy for people to find out if they are getting enough sleep. People should ask themselves if they feel sleepy or doze off when they are sitting quietly after a large lunch, Gant explained.
It's easy to solve the problem of sleeplessness, Gant said. She instructed: "Shut off all the lights and draw the shades. Don't drink or eat a lot. That will disturb your sleep."
Tobacco, coffee and alcohol cause the brain to become alert, Gant said, and should be avoided. "Also avoid chocolate and other foods that contain a lot of sugar," Gant advised.
It is good to relax for an hour or so before going to bed by watching TV or reading a good book, Gant said.
Gant added that a room with a 65 degree temperature, a comfortable bed and clean, fresh bed linens are best for good sleep.
Oct. 5, 2009
Sleep Shortage
"Going without sleep is as much of a public and personal safety hazard as going to work drunk," Diana Gant, one of the nation's leaders in the study of sleep, said today. Gant is a psychology professor and has studied sleep for more than 17 years.
When she first started to research sleep, Gant wanted to observe people who got little sleep and remained productive. "The problem was, when my subjects arrived in laboratories and got a chance to sleep in dark, quiet rooms, they all slept for about nine hours," Gant said.
She said that experiment and other work convinced her that most people suffer from sleep deprivation.
Gant considers sleep comparable to exercise. She explained: "People exercise because it's healthy. Sleep is healthy."
Most people need to sleep nine to ten hours a night, Gant said. "Some (of that sleep) should be taken in afternoon naps."
Gant said the average person only gets about seven hours of sleep. She said: "Some people think that going without sleep is the big, sophisticated, macho thing to do. They figure they don't need it, that the rules don't apply to them, that they can get more done.
"It may work for them for awhile, but sooner or later they begin to suffer the consequences. Then you can have some real problems."
Gant has gathered data from laboratory studies and statistics on the connection between sleeplessness and accidents. Gant noted: "One thing I've done is study the number of traffic accidents in the state right after the shift to daylight savings time in the spring, when most people lose an hour's sleep.
"There's an 8 percent increase in accidents the day after the time change, and there's a corresponding decrease in the fall when people gain an extra hour of sleep."
Gant added that the effects of people getting up an hour early is the equivalent of a national jet lag. "The effect can last a week," she said.
"It isn't simply due to lack of sleep," she said, "but (to) complications from resetting the biological clock."
Gant declared sleeplessness as the probable cause of disasters such as the space shuttle Challenger's explosion, the nuclear reactor mishap at Russia's Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill. "The element of sleeplessness was involved in all of them," Gant said.
Gant said that sleeplessness can make people feel clumsy, stupid and unhappy. People feel as if their clothes weigh a few extra pounds, and they tend to become drowsy after lunch, Gant said. She said that if people cut their eight hours of sleep back to six hours, they will probably become depressed.
If people cut their sleep back to only five hours, they may find themselves "falling asleep at stoplights while driving home," Gant said.
Gant said it is easy for people to find out if they are getting enough sleep. People should ask themselves if they feel sleepy or doze off when they are sitting quietly after a large lunch, Gant explained.
It's easy to solve the problem of sleeplessness, Gant said. She instructed: "Shut off all the lights and draw the shades. Don't drink or eat a lot. That will disturb your sleep."
Tobacco, coffee and alcohol cause the brain to become alert, Gant said, and should be avoided. "Also avoid chocolate and other foods that contain a lot of sugar," Gant advised.
It is good to relax for an hour or so before going to bed by watching TV or reading a good book, Gant said.
Gant added that a room with a 65 degree temperature, a comfortable bed and clean, fresh bed linens are best for good sleep.
Greece elects Socialist Party
The people of Greece broke a European norm Sunday when they eliminated the center-right New Democracy party's control of the parliament by electing the Socialist PASOK party. Grecians were unsatisfied with two years of New Democracy strict economic policies and favored PASOK's promise to rebuild. Political victories for left parties are scarce in Europe, where they have struggled to benefit from the global financial crisis.
Source: Socialists in Greece show ruling party to the exit doors by Rachel Donadio and Anthee Carassava
Star Tribune print edition, Oct. 5, 2009
Source: Socialists in Greece show ruling party to the exit doors by Rachel Donadio and Anthee Carassava
Star Tribune print edition, Oct. 5, 2009
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