_____LEADS
**1. PARENTING: SWIMMING SAFETY TIPS EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW. DAVID G. THOMAS, author and aquatic consultant: "As summer heats up, millions of families are heading to the nearest lake, pool or ocean to cool down. Because drowning is the second-leading cause of injury-related death among children under the age of 15, it's important to keep poolside fun in the sun incident- free by following these important water safety tips: know the area; never swim alone; disallow gum chewing; start easy; abide by the 30-minute rule after eating; use caution when diving and prohibit running or pushing."
**2. PARENTING: CHILDREN NEED TO HEAR THE WORD 'NO.' JOSEPHINE CARLTON, author of "Life Messages for Moms: Inspiration for a Woman's Spirit": There is a lot of entitlement out there. 'No' is a word children need to hear. We all need to know it because 'no' comes around. It's not always going to be 'yes.' And we need to teach them they are not the center of the universe. Out of guilt, we see more and more children not being given parameters, which they need. You need to respect for the elderly, teachers and authority figures."
**3. RELIGION: THE GENERAL CRISIS HUMANITY FACES. RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN, Ph.D., Israel-based kabbalist and scientist at the BNEI BARUCH WORLD CENTER FOR KABBALAH STUDIES, can discuss essential tenets of Kabbalist thought: "A general crisis in all areas of humanity will emerge, and we are reaching that state today. The general crisis spans the domains of technology, education, family life, society, international relations and many other areas. The accumulation of suffering has grown and will continue to grow to the extent that was indicated in the Zohar; that we will arrive at such a state which will simply be intolerable. The purpose of all this is to awaken in us the fundamental question -- 'what is the meaning of our life?' -- which will ultimately lead us to the next stage of our development: spirituality.
**4. SPORTS: FASTPITCH SOFTBALL'S ELIMINATION FROM THE OLYMPICS. JULIE NIMMONS, president of SCHUTT SPORTS (official sponsor of National Pro Fastpitch and Team USA), can provide industry insight: "It's a dramatic time for women's sports -" fastpitch softball is cut from the Olympic Games, meanwhile, Team USA is competing in the ASA World Cup. As a sporting goods manufacturer, Schutt has watched softball evolve into one of the most popular games played today -- so much so that, this season, we introduced a complete line of equipment truly designed for the fastpitch player to meet the increasing market demand. We are shocked by the committee's decision, but we don't see it halting softball's growth."
**5. SPORTS: THREE STEPS TO A BETTER SPORTS MASSAGE. PATRICIA J. BENJAMIN, educator at THE NEW SCHOOL FOR MASSAGE BODYWORK AND HEALING: "With summer leagues in full swing, school-aged athletes in practice for a new season and International Massage Week designated for July 17-23, there's no better time to discover the essentials of sports massage. The first thing to remember is that no set formula for sports massage exists -- only general guidelines. However, massage specialists often develop routines or general patterns of working that they customize for each athlete receiving massage. The three elements of an effective routine include positions, body regions and subsections."
**6. TELEVISION: POSITIVE TRENDS IN REALITY TV. MICHAEL LEVITT, television producer and founder of MICHAEL LEVITT PRODUCTIONS: "The public is growing tired of mean spirited programming. Now, they want to see people rise from their hardships and triumph. The success of shows such as 'Extreme Home Makeover' and the 'Amazing Race' illustrate that point. So whether it's 'mean spirited' or 'feel good' reality, it all comes back to the fact that the public can't get enough."
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