By TSC Staff

It's a tragedy that boggles the mind.  This week, Boxer Mike Tyson's four-year-old daughter Exodus was found hanging from a cord connected to a treadmill.  She had been playing near the exercise equipment while her mother was cleaning in a separate room.  Her seven-year-old-brother found her body entangled in the cord.

Exodus's death is another reminder that there really are no true baby-proof cords connected to the things we use every day.  Indeed, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says there were about 200 strangulations involving window coverings between 1991 and 2004.  Almost all of these deaths involved children in cribs or playpens placed next to windows.  The industry has since redesigned window coverings to protect against deadly looping, but older coverings still pose a danger.

Tyson's death is also a reminder that machinery we take for granted can pose a real danger to children. An estimated 25,000 children are hurt on exercise equipment every year and some 2,600 kids are treated for treadmill-related injures, according to ABC News.  Most of the injuries involve friction burns.

So, what can you do to protect your kids?

By TSC Staff

Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor was diagnosed at age 8 with Type 1 diabetes, an incurable disease in which the body fails to produce or properly use insulin, the hormone needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy. Some 23.6 million children and adults in the US -- 7.8 percent of the population - have diabetes.  Of that total, between 5 to 10 percent have Type 1 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Already, the Internet is buzzing with debate over whether the 54-year-old judge's chronic disease should be considered in the Senate confirmation process.  It's true that Judge Sotomayor's s condition puts her at greater risk of serious medical complications including heart disease, blindness, nerve damage, and kidney damage.  Indeed, studies show that adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die of heart disease, according to Time.com. "The latest data suggest that patients can successfully manage the disease for four or five decades with no serious health complications," says Time.

"In the days leading up to this nomination, there were several media reports suggesting that Judge Sotomayor should not be considered for this position simply because she has Type 1 diabetes," said Dr. R. Paul Robertson, president of the American Diabetes Association.  "The advancements in the management of Type 1 diabetes have been just amazing over the last two decades and the ability of people to manage their diabetes successfully has been proven. People with diabetes can function and live a long and healthy life."

A high-speed boating trip on the Mississippi almost turned into disaster on Sunday.  Thirteen passengers, most not wearing life jackets, were ejected into the river.  All survived.  "We had angels watching over us, we did. That's a miracle out there, we should not be alive," survivor Kristin Pruitt told KARE11 TV news.

Goodhue County Sheriff Deputies say all 13 people on board were thrown into the river; some were thrown through the windshield after the driver tried to either stop or turn the boat at a high rate of speed. Authorities say alcohol was not a factor in the incident and luckily, no one was seriously injured.

"To be honest with you it happened so fast, I don't... I remember being in the air for a few seconds and after that it was just coming up from the water," Stacy Hallas recalls.

By TSC Staff

On this Memorial Day weekend, let's remember and pay tribute to all the American heroes who have given their lives for this country.  According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, some 41.8 million men and women have served in uniform in all of America's wars.  Of that number, some 651,000 died in battle and another 538,000 lost their lives in theater and non-theater.

On this weekend, let's also remember that 2.2 million Americans have volunteered to serve our nation in uniform.  More than 1.65 million U.S. service members have been deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq since September 11, 2001.  More than 35,000 service members have been physically wounded.  It is estimated that more than 320,000 have sustained traumatic brain injuries.  More than 300,000 have psychological wounds.

What can we do about it?

The Bob Woodruff Foundation works to support all injured service members with a special emphasis on the Hidden Injuries of War - Traumatic Brain Injury and Combat Stress. While the wounds of these injuries may not always be visible, their impact is felt long after a service member returns and their treatment is often the most costly and difficult to attain.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation has raised over $6 million for injured service members.  In 2008, BWF funded $3.4 million in program spending which is estimated to impact approximately 516,000 service members, veterans, family members, and support personnel.  Through 52 grants to charitable organizations around the country, the Bob Woodruff Foundation has funded programs to reintegrate injured service members and assist their families with the transition.

By TSC Staff

The ground has shaken a few times this past week in Los Angeles.  Fortunately, the temblors and aftershocks have been relatively mild, registering 4.7, 4.0 and below on the Richter Scale.

If you’re inclined to skip this article because you think only folks in California need to worry earthquakes, you might want to stick around for a few more paragraphs.  The Golden State isn’t the only place that’s shaking.  On Wednesday, May 20th, there were 26 quakes identified around the world registering 2.5 or greater on the Richter Scale, according to the US Geological Survey.  On Thursday, May 21st, there were 36, including a 5.7 shaker in Mindanao, Philippines.  So far today, there have been 13 of quakes and that number will grow as the day goes on.

Some spot on earth is almost always rattling and rolling.  Seismologists estimate there are several million quakes and most go undetected.  The National Earthquake Information Center locates just a fraction of them every year (roughly 20,000 total or 50 per day).  Seismologists expect around 18 major quakes (7.0 to 7.9) per year and one great quake (8.0 or above).

Chances are pretty good that you live in a place (or will visit a place) where quakes happen.  So what should you know about surviving a quake?  For starters, let’s explode five myths and then let's look at what you should do when the ground shakes: