What's Inside These MnMs?

You pick up a bag of peanut MnMs on a supermarket shelf and notice the small, green "what's inside" label on the front. You turn over the bag and see a bigger, greener label on the back of the bag. These labels show the Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) amounts, which the manufacturer, Mars, has been using since 2008.

Mars is probably the first US company to use the GDA system, which is common in many European countries. GDA provides some of the same information that you find in the "nutrition facts" labeling that the Food and Drug Administration currently requires, but the new system gives key facts in an easier-to-read format.

Part of the GDA system involves the front of the package, where you see total calories and the percentage of the "Daily Value," as well as the unit of measurement. In case of the MnMs, the unit is "per pack," meaning one bag.

The second part of the GDA is the back of the packaging, where you see the unit of measurement at the top. Next, you get the amount and percentage of calories, total fat, saturated fat, sugars, and sodium. Lastly, the bottom of the label tells you the type of diet, adult or child, that the portions are based on.

Consumers seem to be like getting nutrition information through the GDA system and the FDA is looking into using similar labeling. Way to go Mars for being pioneers in food labels!

A Real School for Peace

In a war-torn part of the world lies the School for Peace, founded by a Jew-turned-Catholic who put his beliefs into action.  In the heart of Israel, between the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Father Bruno Hussar started this unique school and the village that surrounds it.  Not surprisingly, the village is named "Neve Shalom-Wahat As-Salam," which translates into "Oasis of Peace," in Hebrew and Arabic, respectively.

Father Hussar's envisioned the Oasis of Peace as a place where Jews, Muslims, and Christians could live together in harmony, while breaking down misconceptions.  The village's school spreads it message of peace to students, visitors, and others through workshops and lectures.  In fact, 45,000 people have benefited from the School of Peace's education so far.

In an era where peace is hard to come by, Father Bruno has given the world a model of peaceful living that actually works.

History, My Story, Our Story

The creation of the United Nations, the end of slavery, the start of the Cold War--we have learned the names of so many events, as well as bits and pieces of what ocurred.  But, as critics claim, history lessons have lacked critical thinking or a deep understanding of cause and effect relationships.  For instance, schools rarely teach why Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that ended slavery.

African-American thinkers are asking for a rewrite of history, which clearly depicts slavery and its effects on the United States.  Likewise, other minorities want a better discussion of Japanese-American internment camps and European explorers' treatment of American Indians.  Meanwhile, Muslim-Americans may want more discussions in history books of their struggles and accomplishments.

While no history classs can completely discuss any one group that makes up the fabric of our nation, our future generations deserve better history lessons than we have received.  The results willl be better thinkers and knowledge-seekers, who will go on to create a richer society.

Fighting Without Guns

Greg Mortenson fights terrorism, but not with guns. His weapon is education and, through the Central Asia Institute, he builds schools in remote areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan.  He has risked his life and put up with hardship by traveling to these countries every year to make sure every dollar is put to good use.  Even death threats from fellow Americans, shortly after 9/11, did not deter Mortenson.

Mortenson was a nominee for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.  And, President Obama has donated $100,000 of his Nobel Peace Prize award to the Central Asia Institute.  But, to get this far, Mortenson, as well as his wife and children, has made uncountable sacrifices.  And Mortenson continues on with his mission of educating children thousands of miles away, giving them and their families much-needed hope.