The heavier ones tended to sit, while the lean ones were more restless and spent two more hours a day on their feet—standing or walking. The difference translated into 350 calories a day, enough for the heavy people to take off about 14 to 18 kilograms a year, if they would get moving. 

       The researchers believe the tendency to sit still or move around is biological, governed by genetically determined levels of brain chemicals. And that tendency influences weight—not the other way around, they say. 

        Plenty of experts have been advising people to find small, relatively painless ways to burn extra calories, like taking the stairs instead of the elevators and parking at the far end of the lot to make themselves walk a bit. As to why the usual weight loss remedies frequently fail, Dr. Levine said, it is because people have a hard time sticking with exercise programs and diets. He argues that the very number of diet books and weight-loss plans is proof that none of them work.

      Cheerleading is an organized sports activity combining dance, gymnastics, and stunt elements to cheer on teams. It originated in Britain in the 1860s when students began to cheer in unison for their favorite athletes at sports events.A decade later cheerleading crossed overseas to the United States,   41   it remains the most common.

       42   women currently dominate the field, cheerleading was begun by men. In the 1920s women became involved in cheerleading, but it was not until 1940s that they joined in large numbers, since so many college-aged men went off to fight in World War II. In 1948, Lawrence Herkimer, the father of modern cheerleading, founded the National Cheerleaders Association and held the first cheerleading camp. He established the first cheer uniform company and invented the iconic cheer accessory, pom poms.   43   Herkimer, cheerleading would not be the sport that we know and love today.

      The history of competitive cheerleading dates back to the late 1960s, when the International Cheerleading Foundation began   44   the top ten college cheerleading squads as well as handing out Cheerleader All America awards. As the popularity of cheerleading grew, so   45   the stunts, tumbling and skill level of the cheerleaders participating. Today competitive cheerleading is one of the most popular sports in the United States and it has become a multi-million-dollar industry that shows no signs of slowing down.

       The National Immigration Agency (NIA) in Taiwan announced that new immigrant mothers who aredivorced with children born in Taiwan are allowed to continue staying in Taiwan despite that they lose thecustody of their children. The NIA’s decision to amend the law is invariably linked with the protection of thechildren’s rights and interests. The NIA restated that Article 31 of the Immigration Act in 2007 was modifiedto safeguard the rights and interests of foreign spouses after a divorce. The amendment contains enabling themto have the custody of children after a divorce and get divorced with their Taiwanese spouses if they are victimsof domestic violence.

      In the past, new immigrant mothers who are divorced without the custody of their children are usuallycompelled to leave the country. Yet, their right to have visitation of their children will still be granted dependingon the NIA’s evaluation of each case concerning to what extent the mothers are involved in bearing and rearingtheir Taiwan-born children before they are deported finally. With this adjustment in law, the court will decidewhether a mother can obtain the custody of her child/children according to paragraph 4 of Article 31 of theImmigration Act. Once granted, a new immigrant mother in such a circumstance will be authorized to continuedwelling in this country. In the case of a new immigrant mother who has already gone back to her country oforigin after a divorce, the NIA claimed that she can still come back to Taiwan with a visitor visa provided thatshe used to be a legal resident in Taiwan who was the primary caretaker of her child/children or kept in fullcontact with them.