Pepsi to stop vending soft drinks in US schools
No more sugary drinks by 2012
The AP (3/16, Fredrix) reported, "PepsiCo plans to remove sugary drinks from schools worldwide, following the success of programs in the US aimed at cutting down on childhood obesity. The company said Tuesday it will remove full-calorie, sweetened drinks from schools in more than 200 countries by 2012, marking the first such move by a major soft drink producer." The AP added that the "World Heart Federation has been negotiating with soft drink makers to have them remove sugary beverages from schools for the past year as it looks to fight a rise in childhood obesity, which can lead to diabetes, heart problems and other ailments."
First Lady To Take Campaign Against Child Obesity To Food Industry Science Forum. The AP (3/16, Jalonick) reported that First Lady Michelle Obama "has talked to schools and nutrition groups across the country in her effort to reduce childhood obesity," and on "Tuesday she will face the food companies that make the snacks and junk food that stuff grocery aisles and school vending machines" According to the AP, the Grocery Manufacturers Association "invited her to speak at its science forum. Welcoming the first lady and embracing her campaign for healthier kids, launched earlier this year, could have advantages," as the "industry is positioned to take some blows in the coming year, including a child nutrition bill about to move through Congress that could eliminate junk food in schools, digging into some companies' profits."
Student Develops Program To Help Spacecraft Navigate Solar System.
Msnbc.com (3/17) reported, "An 18-year-old whiz kid from New Mexico has won the $100,000 top award in the Intel Science Talent Search for developing a software navigation system to improve spacecraft travel through the solar system." Erika DeBenedictis' program is based on finding "easy transit routes:" through the solar system, which "is consistent with NASA's concept of developing 'Interplanetary Superhighways' for future space probes."
