InfoTrak

Millions of Americans are hooked on gambling, and at least 40 states are addicted to gambling revenue. Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling said states have not taken the measures needed to address gambling addiction, as they have greatly expanded gambling in the past ten years. He talked about the most common characteristics of those addicted to gambling and how to recognize if someone has a problem.

Karen Bakies, RDN, LD, FAND, Registered Dietitian and Vice President of Nutrition Affairs for the American Dairy Association Mideast in Columbus, Ohio said a recent survey by her organization found that 94 percent of Americans admit to throwing food away at home. In fact, the average family wastes nearly a third of the food they buy. She outlined the most common reasons that people throw food out, and offered suggestions to minimize the problem.

Karen Bakies, RDN, LD, FAND, Registered Dietitian and Vice President of Nutrition Affairs for the American Dairy Association Mideast in Columbus, Ohio said a recent survey by her organization found that 94 percent of Americans admit to throwing food away at home. In fact, the average family wastes nearly a third of the food they buy. She outlined the most common reasons that people throw food out, and offered suggestions to minimize the problem.

Jennifer Molinsky, PhD, housing expert, Senior Research Associate at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University shared the findings of her annual report on the nation’s housing. She said that many older Americans are burdened by housing costs, and that affordable, accessible and supportive senior housing is in short supply. She also warned that many households in their 50s and early 60s may not be financially prepared for retirement.

There are roughly 8 million high-school student athletes in the U.S. However, only a small percentage go on to play a sport in college, and even fewer receive athletic scholarships.

Patrick O’Rourke, Certified Public Accountant in Washington, D.C., founder of ScholarshipStats.com explained which sports have the most scholarship money available. He talked about parents’ misconceptions about college scholarships and offered advice.

David Mizejewski, Naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation talked about the benefits of allowing leaves to decompose naturally, rather than raking them up and disposing of them. In addition to serving as a natural fertilizer, he said butterflies and songbirds depend on leaf litter for food sources. He also discussed the environmental impact of bagging up lawn debris for disposal.

The number of children in the U.S. foster care system is at record levels, thanks in part to the opioid crisis. With nearly 450,000 children in the system, Diane Redleaf, family defense attorney, author of They Took the Kids Last Night: How the Child Protection System Puts Families at Risk discussed what happens when caseworkers make mistakes, taking children from parents who are neither abusive nor neglectful. She noted that minority families are disproportionately affected by this trend. She also said that once children are taken, parents and their attorneys sometimes can’t learn where the children are being housed.

Scammers have devised a new scheme to steal thousands of dollars from home buyers who are about to close on a house. Ryan Kalember, Senior Vice President of Cybersecurity Strategy for online security company Proofpoint said buyers are often tricked into wiring their down payment on the day of closing to a fraudulent offshore account, by criminals who have hacked their real estate agent’s or title company's email account. He explained how consumers can protect themselves.

David Mizejewski, Naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation talked about the benefits of allowing leaves to decompose naturally, rather than raking them up and disposing of them. In addition to serving as a natural fertilizer, he said butterflies and songbirds depend on leaf litter for food sources. He also discussed the environmental impact of bagging up lawn debris for disposal.

In this age of smartphones, Twitter and information scrolling at the bottom of TV screens, Americans are reading faster than ever. Thomas Newkirk, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of New Hampshire believes this is a negative trend, and that readers get greater enjoyment and comprehension when they read slowly. He talked about the reasons why people tend to skim text, and techniques they can use to slow down.