Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Pokerknave ? Blog Archive ? Heller: Online gaming bill should not ...


Heller: Online gaming bill should not be political football in run-up to ...
FoxReno.com
Berkley also criticized Heller on the online gaming issue in a statement released earlier this month: ?Once again, Senator Dean Heller has failed to deliver for Nevada's hardworking families who were counting on online poker legislation to boost the ...
Heller Says Online Gaming Bill Should Not Be Political Football In Run-up To ...Carson Now

all 8 news articles??

Comments are closed.

Source: http://pokerknave.com/2012/09/26/heller-online-gaming-bill-should-not-be-political-football-in-run-up-to-foxreno-com/

homeland

Privacy and mobile devices | E RADAR | Smarter business online

What are the privacy implications of businesses sending local advertisements to your mobile device as you wander around the town centre? Do devices have their own privacy rights?

Assumptions shifts on what constitutes personal data depending upon whether a device is fixed or mobile. The new EU cookies law and data protection regulation also raise issues about how we will use mobile devices in the future and the role of behavioural advertising.

Lawyers Jonathan Armstrong and Eric Sinrod from?Duane Morris LLP?discuss their views in their latest transatlantic podcast.

About the Author:

Jonathan is a partner with international law firm Duane Morris LLP. He practices in corporate law specialising in risk, technology and compliance across Europe.

Jonathan Armstrong ? who has written 7 posts on E RADAR | Smarter business online.


Email???Twitter

Source: http://www.eradar.eu/2012/09/privacy-and-mobile-devices/

david crowder band natalie wood van halen annalynne mccord

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Drought forces Texas town to consider reusing wastewater

Fox News Saturday 22nd September, 2012

The Texas drought is forcing one city to consider a direct reuse of wastewater as drinking water. Because of the lack of water, the town of ?Brownwood may tap into their wastewater by installing a system that cycles toilet water through a series of treatment plants and right back into the municipal water supply, MyFoxAustin reports.

Read the full story at Fox News

Source: http://www.austinnews.net/index.php/sid/209409761/scat/42acbe017a594c30

auld lang syne end of the world 2012 pink martini times square 2012 predictions new years eve ball drop new years eve times square 2012

Finest Brian Urlacher Jersey Games For Small Kids ? Long Live The ...

Sonic the Hedgehog or Extremely Mario Bros., Contact of Task or Assassin?s Creed, there are many various online games Brian Urlacher Jersey available for people of all the skill sets. What this means is you need to know far more on how to make your hobby as satisfying as it could be. This article will assist.

Acquire an fascination with your young children and their movie video gaming. The easiest way to keep the children safe is usually to be included. The newest games are played on the internet with other users. Retain the xbox game program inside a frequent part of the residence. This way your kids can be supervised while playing.

A huge part of effectively completely a youtube video video game is applying cheat requirements. These are generally Brian Urlacher Jersey regulations that you enter since you are actively playing games to help present you with unique power or progress to another level. Some online supply these useful resources, providing each small and big tricks.

Consider getting an ergonomic chair to produce video video gaming much more comfortable. Whether you are actively playing at a work desk on your personal computer or before the television over a gaming system, sitting in the identical placement for any extended period of time can injured your back again. Have a comfortable seat that works with you properly.

Save money Brian Urlacher Jersey by buying video gaming which have been carefully used. Several online games merchants normally have a wide range of these after they promote at a discount. If you often acquire a great deal of video games, this is often a good way to get them for less. Just be sure how the game store gives some type of assure in the event the activity is malfunctioning.

When selecting online games for your children, it is very important do a little research very first. Take advantage of the score signs about the front side of the packing, as well as the activity product descriptions around the rear. But, also you can acquire important information by conversing with other youngsters, parents and looking into on the web forums Brian Urlacher Jersey to acquire real replies about correct content material.

Ensure that you?re involved in other things besides just enjoying video gaming. It can be extremely harmful to experience video gaming for many years period. You will need to ensure that you be a part of other activities at the same time. Folks could become addicted to video gaming, so physical exercise small amounts when actively playing them.

Buying a new computer game is a very complicated and difficult determination. You can waste money bad games in the event you don?t seek information. Read through evaluations online to see how very good a game title is prior to making an order.

When choosing new online games for consoles you might be typically more satisfied buying them from the web rather than a bodily shop. Most huge online shops manage every day discounts for video games Brian Urlacher Jersey and possess specials several times annually. This can be a terrific way to maintain stocks of video games.

Some information about recommendations which will make that you simply much better video game player will alter your interest into one thing you could appreciate. It doesn?t subject what age you receive, video gaming will definitely be available which can tickle your expensive. This can be a lifestyle-lengthy interest which truly entertains anytime you require it to.

Professional Brian Urlacher Authentic Jersey Store introduces various low-cost Brandon Marshall Jersey right away with Swift Distribution, Protect Payment & Wonderful Customer Service.

Source: http://longlivethedj.com/finest-brian-urlacher-jersey-games-for-small-kids/

kim kardashian flour matt forte jeremy shockey new orleans saints ireland bracket vangogh

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Forest Fire Research Questions the Wisdom of Prescribed Burns

[unable to retrieve full-text content]The United States Forest Service uses small fires to reduce the chances of big fires. Scientists are arguing whether this strategy helps or hurts the forests and the creatures that live in them.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/science/earth/forest-survey-questions-effect-of-prescribed-burns.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

awakenings phantom of the opera agoraphobia andrew lloyd webber obscura grok cirque du freak

Sunday, September 16, 2012

'Astronomical Unit,' or Earth-Sun Distance, Gets an Overhaul

A new AU redefinition involves changing it to a single number rather than basing it on a somewhat baffling equation


Mars Opposition Artist's concept of Mars Opposition on December 24, 2007. The distances between the sun, the planets, and the distant nebula are not to scale. Image: NASA Mars Exploration Program

By Geoff Brumfiel of Nature magazine

Without fanfare, astronomers have redefined one of the most important distances in the Solar System. The astronomical unit (au) ? the rough distance from the Earth to the Sun ? has been transformed from a confusing calculation into a single number. The new standard, adopted in August by unanimous vote at the International Astronomical Union's meeting in Beijing, China, is now 149,597,870,700 meters ? no more, no less.

The effect on our planet?s inhabitants will be limited. The Earth will continue to twirl around the Sun, and in the Northern Hemisphere, autumn will soon arrive. But for astronomers, the change means more precise measurements and fewer headaches from explaining the au to their students.

The distance between the Earth and the Sun is one of the most long-standing values in astronomy. The first precise measurement was made in 1672 by the famed astronomer Giovanni Cassini, who observed Mars from Paris, France, while his colleague Jean Richer observed the planet from French Guiana in South America. Taking the parallax, or angular difference, between the two observations, the astronomers calculated the distance from Earth to Mars and used that to find the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Their answer was 140 million kilometers ? not far off from today?s value.

Until the last half of the twentieth century, such parallax measurements were the only reliable way to derive distances in the Solar System, and so the au continued to be expressed as a combination of fundamental constants that could transform angular measurements into distance. Most recently, the au was defined as (take a deep breath): ?the radius of an unperturbed circular Newtonian orbit about the Sun of a particle having infinitesimal mass, moving with a mean motion of 0.01720209895 radians per day (known as the Gaussian constant)?.

The definition cheered fans of German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, whose constant sits at the heart of the whole affair, but it caused trouble for astronomers. For one thing, it left introductory astronomy students completely baffled, says Sergei Klioner, an astronomer at the Technical University of Dresden in Germany. But, more importantly, the old definition clashed with Einstein?s general theory of relativity.

As its name implies, general relativity makes space-time relative, depending on where an observer is located. The au, as formerly defined, changed as well. It shifted by a thousand meters or more between Earth?s reference frame and that of Jupiter?s, according to Klioner. That shift did not affect spacecraft, which measure distance directly, but it has been a pain for planetary scientists working on Solar System models.

The Sun posed another problem. The Gaussian constant is based on Solar mass, so the au was inextricably tied to the mass of the Sun. But the Sun is losing mass as it radiates energy, and this was causing the au to change slowly as well.

The revised definition wipes away the problems of the old au. A fixed distance has nothing to do with the Sun?s mass, and the meter is defined as the distance traveled by light in a vacuum in 1 / 299,792,458 of a second. Because the speed of light is constant in all reference frames, the au will no longer change depending on an observer?s location in the Solar System.

Redefining the au has been possible for decades ? modern astronomers can use spacecraft, radars and lasers to make direct measurements of distance. But ?some of them thought it was a little bit dangerous to change something,? says Nicole Capitaine, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory in France. Some feared the change might disrupt their computer programs, others held a sentimental attachment to the old standard. But after years of lobbying by Capitaine, Klioner and others, the revised unit has finally been adopted.

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=8437c130c4a2f0ffdd2518273da15603

watergate mlb pregnant man outside lands 2012 lineup beloved ufc results

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Up North luring tourists with dogs, bikes, skis | Capital News Service

By LAUREN GENTILE

Capital News Service

LANSING ? The wind is cooler, leaves are changing color and winter is around the corner but Northern Michigan experts say they can lure tourists this fall and winter.

Pure Michigan revealed its new fall advertising campaign, Michelle Begnoche, communications specialist said.

?Michigan really is a four-season state,? Begnoche said. ?Residents from across the country will travel to see our fall color displays in Northern Michigan, along with the great cider mills that we have to offer.?

The program?s advertising budget is around $2.6 million and includes almost $400,000 in private funding.

?We are working really hard to get people to travel here,? she said. ?Most of our advertising is within drivable distances, so it shows that it can be a weekend trip.?

Campaigns are running in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin and Michigan.

Meanwhile, Denise Gurnack, marketing manager for the Marquette County Convention and Visitors Bureau, is pursuing her winter plans.

?We are beginning to work on our UP 200,? Gurnack said. ?This is the 12-dog, 200 mile Iditarod-qualifier race that runs from downtown Marquette out to Grand Marais and back.?

Between 500 and 600 tourists are expected to visit the area from Feb. 14-18 to cheer on the mushers and dogs, Gurnack said.

?People line up and down the entire race course to show their support,? she said. ?It is like a weekend-long party.?

The Marquette County Convention and Visitors Bureau is also planning two other races: the Midnight Run (eight-dogs, 80 miles) and the Jack Pine race (six-dogs, 30 miles).

?The good thing is if we have snow they will come,? she said. ?Last year with the lack of snow and higher temperatures, we were able to re-route the race and have the same success.?

In the state overall, Begnoche said the warm temperatures last winter didn?t affect the travel and leisure spending very much.

?Travel and leisure spending in 2010 was $4 billion and then in 2011 it was $3.9 billion,? she said. ?That is a small change and wasn?t very noticeable in the figures.?
Mike Norton, Traverse City Convention and Visitors Bureau media relations specialist, said with the capabilities of snow machines and contingency plans, Traverse City will be fine even if this winter is warm.

?We always in the back of our mind prepare for the worst,? he said. ?As long as it is cold enough that we can create snow and use that on the sledding hills and skiing slopes, we should be OK.?

Norton said the winter season will kick-off with Bell?s Beer Iceman Cometh mountain bicycle race on Nov. 3.

?The race is the largest point-to-point bike race in the state,? he said. ?Racers start in Kalkaska and race into Traverse City. There are some hard-core bikers at the event and you never know what you are going to get.?

In February, Traverse City will host the North American Vasa cross-country ski race, which includes a collection of races for various skill levels.

?There are many lengths in this race, along with team races,? Norton said. ?This race really showcases how beautiful Traverse City is and what a great winter destination it can be.

?If there is snow, people will still want to travel. There are spas and cabins and waterparks, which leave tourists with many ways to enjoy nature and the great outdoors inside,? he said.

Source: http://news.jrn.msu.edu/capitalnewsservice/2012/09/14/up-north-luring-tourists-with-dogs-bikes-skis/

Devon Walker Tom Cruise ryan reynolds Star Trek: The Original Series Carlton Morgan Freeman Dead Stand Up to Cancer

Connecticut school bus firm, union in contract talks

A school bus drivers union says a strike is still possible as negotiators try to hammer out a contract with a company that buses 18,000 New Haven students.

Negotiations with First Student Inc. ended Thursday night after a protest by drivers.

A spokeswoman for the company said it was very pleased with negotiations on Thursday and that talks will continue next week.

Ben Phillips, spokesman for CSEA/SEIU Local 2001, says talks are productive but added that a strike is still possible. The last contract expired June 30.

The union said drivers have voted to strike if an agreement is not reached.

The New Haven Register reports that drivers have concerns about pay, student safety ? in particular, badly behaved students who ride the buses ? and other issues.

?

Source: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/topnews/x1885028107/Connecticut-school-bus-firm-union-in-contract-talks

matt bomer westminster kennel club dog show jeremy lin game winner chocolate covered strawberries shrimp scampi kate upton si cover lobster recipes

Low cost design makes ultrasound imaging affordable to the world

ScienceDaily (Sep. 13, 2012) ? An ultra-low cost scanner that can be plugged into any computer or laptop to reveal vital information about the unborn child has been developed by engineers at Newcastle University.

The hand-held USB device -- which is roughly the size of a computer mouse -- works in a similar way to existing ultrasound scanners, using pulses of high frequency sound to build up a picture of the unborn child on the computer screen.

However, unlike the technology used in most hospitals across the UK costing anywhere from ?20,000-?100,000, the scanner created by Jeff Neasham and Research Associate Dave Graham at Newcastle University can be manufactured for as little as ?30-40.

Tested by experts in the Regional Medical Physics Department at the Freeman Hospital, part of the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the scanner produces an output power that is 10-100 times lower than conventional hospital ultrasounds.

It is now hoped the device will be used to provide medical teams working in the world's poorest nations with basic, antenatal information that could save the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and children.

"Here in the UK we take these routine, but potentially lifesaving, tests for granted," explains Mr Neasham, a sonar expert based in the University's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

"Imaging to obtain even the simplest information such as the child's position in the womb or how it is developing is simply not available to women in many parts of the world.

"We hope the very low cost of this device and the fact that it can run on any standard computer made in the last 10 years means basic antenatal imaging could finally be made available to all women."

Mr Neasham said the original aim had been to make something portable and easy to use that would be affordable in developing countries as well as for some applications in the UK where ultrasound is still considered cost prohibitive.

"Cost was the key," he explains. "The goal was to produce a device that could be produced for a similar cost to the hand-held Doppler devices (fetal heart monitors) used by most community midwives. Not an easy task when you consider a ?20,000 scanner is generally classed as low cost."

An expert in underwater sonar technology, Mr Neasham has developed systems for imaging the seabed -- looking for ship wrecks or specific geographical features -- as well as underwater communications and tracking systems.

Drawing on his expertise in sonar signal processing, the design keeps components and hardware costs to an absolute minimum, and works by manually sweeping a transducer over the skin while a focussed image is formed by the PC software.

Funded through an Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Knowledge Transfer Account (KTA) and a Proof of Concept loan from NorthStar Ventures, the scanner requires nothing more than a computer with a USB port in order to work. Mr Neasham said the beauty of this device was that it would complement -- rather than replace -- the high performance scanners available in hospitals.

"It was my own experience of becoming a father and going through the whole antenatal process that prompted me to start the project," explains the father-of-two.

"I was sat with my wife looking at our child on the screen, we realized how privileged we were to have access to this kind of care and it was my wife who suggested that I could apply my knowledge from sonar research to try to make this more affordable."

UN statistics estimate more than 250,000 women die annually from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, almost all of them -- 99 per cent -- in developing countries. Tragically, most of these deaths are avoidable and a lack of access to equipment is cited as one of the key factors.

Mr Neasham adds: "There is obviously the potential to use it to go beyond obstetrics by using it to diagnose conditions such as gallstones, or other conditions that readily show up with ultrasound imaging. Even vets and farmers are interested in affordable imaging.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Newcastle University.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/matter_energy/technology/~3/jlgOINblwaE/120913203913.htm

Carlton Morgan Freeman Dead Stand Up to Cancer earthquake miley cyrus miley cyrus peyton manning

Friday, September 14, 2012

New report: The ACA'S PCIP serving as a bridge; High-risk pools not a long-term solution

New report: The ACA'S PCIP serving as a bridge; High-risk pools not a long-term solution [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 13-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Mary Mahon
mm@cmwf.org
212-606-3853
Commonwealth Fund

High costs and low enrollment demonstrate high-risk pools are not a viable long-term solution for insuring people with pre-existing health conditions

New York, NY, September 13, 2012--The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, the name for the federal high-risk health insurance pool established by the Affordable Care Act, is serving its purpose as a bridge program, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. Currently, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is providing a coverage option for people with pre-existing health conditions until they are eligible to purchase insurance through the new state exchanges in 2014, with much of their costs subsidized. However, the program's high costs and relatively low enrollment numbers indicate that high-risk pools, which are designed to cover people excluded from the individual insurance market because of a health problem, are not a tenable long-term solution.

Until the exchanges are implemented in 2014 and people can no longer be denied coverage because of their health history, people with pre-existing conditions who are unable to buy coverage have two alternatives for purchasing health insurancethe federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, which is administered either by individual states or the federal government, or a state-based high-risk pool if they live in one of the 35 states that offers them. Launched between July and October 2010, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan has enrolled almost 78,000 people to date, and nearly 226,000 people are enrolled in state-run high-risk pools, some of which have existed since the 1970s. These pools are necessary because people with pre-existing conditions are often unable to purchase health insurance on the individual market, as insurers either charge unaffordable rates, offer plans that don't cover certain health conditions, or deny coverage regardless of ability to pay.

"The health insurance marketplace has failed people with pre-existing conditions for years," said Jean Hall, associate research professor at the University of Kansas and lead author of the new report, The Affordable Care Act's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan: Enrollment, Costs, and Lessons for Health Reform. "Looking at the relatively new federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and state-run high-risk pools across the country allows us a diverse view of how these work, and the findings are clear: high-risk pools work as a stop-gap measure, but they are expensive to run, often unaffordable for those who need them, and not a viable long-term solution to the problem of high rates of uninsured Americans."

High-Risk Pool Experiences

The report finds pronounced differences in how each program is structured and in the composition of enrollment. The federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is designed to offer immediate coverage to uninsured people with serious health conditions; thus, there is no waiting period for coverage, people can enroll at any time during the year, and premiums do not exceed the current market cost for a healthy individual. In contrast, state-based high-risk pools are somewhat harder to access, as they often have waiting periods and premiums that are as much as 200 percent of the average paid in the local individual market.

Both the federal and state high-risk pools operate at a loss. That is because enrollees are sicker and the premiums paid are not enough to cover their medical costs, requiring significant subsidies to keep the programs running. However, the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan appears to be attracting people with higher-cost conditions, like cancer, resulting in per-member monthly costs that are up to nine times higher than those in state high-risk pools. The report's authors note that the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan's continuously open enrollment, together with a provision requiring any enrollee to have been uninsured for at least six months, may have led to a generally sicker pool of enrollees with pent-up, high-cost health care needs.

The report finds that the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is filling a needed role for older adults on the brink of Medicare eligibility. Rates of enrollment are high among people ages 58 to 62, who are sometimes unable to get health insurance otherwise. Young women with high-risk pregnancies are also enrolling in the program; previously, those pregnancies would have been considered pre-existing conditions by carriers in most individual insurance markets across states.

Still Unaffordable for Many

According to the report, an estimated 11.6 million uninsured Americans meet the criteria for high-risk pools, but enrollment is only a fraction of that, indicating that premiums may be prohibitively expensive. Enrollees in the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan pay market rates that are in line with what healthy individuals would be charged to buy individual health insurance plans. However, these ratesranging from a low of $222 a month for the high-deductible plan in Virginia, to a high of $1,215 a month for a plan with a $1,500 deductible in Alaska for a 50-year-oldare often unaffordable to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions who may make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, do not have health insurance through an employer or spouse, or are not old enough to qualify for Medicare.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan does not subsidize premiums, and only a few state high-risk pools offer premium support for those with low incomes. However, once the insurance exchanges are up and running in 2014, premiums will become more affordable, as subsidies will be offered to people with annual family incomes below $92,200 for a family of four.

"Getting sick should not render you uninsurable, but up until the passage of the Affordable Care Act that is exactly what happened," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. "High-risk pools, while helping thousands of people as a short-term solution, will not guarantee the affordable and secure health insurance coverage and health care that people with illnesses like cancer desperately need. Starting in 2014, nobody will be denied coverage because of a health problem, and premiums will be affordable for all."

Moving Forward

The Commonwealth Fund report finds that despite varied approaches to running high-risk pools, the outcomes are essentially the same: enrollment is low, and enrollment costs and plan operation costs are high, demonstrating the limited viability of these pools as a long-term solution. In contrast, the subsidized health plans that will be offered through health insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act, the law's substantial expansion in eligibility for Medicaid, and new rules that prevent insurers from charging people more or limiting or denying coverage based on health will create pools large enough to offset and absorb enrollees' health care costs while also providing comprehensive, affordable, and secure health insurance coverage. "In short, the only way to make insurance affordable for everyone," the authors say, "is to make sure that everyone has insurance."

###

The report will be available on September 13th, 2012 at: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Issue-Briefs/2012/Sep/Preexisting-Condition-Insurance-Plan.aspx.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation supporting independent research on health policy reform and a high performance health system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


New report: The ACA'S PCIP serving as a bridge; High-risk pools not a long-term solution [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 13-Sep-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Mary Mahon
mm@cmwf.org
212-606-3853
Commonwealth Fund

High costs and low enrollment demonstrate high-risk pools are not a viable long-term solution for insuring people with pre-existing health conditions

New York, NY, September 13, 2012--The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, the name for the federal high-risk health insurance pool established by the Affordable Care Act, is serving its purpose as a bridge program, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. Currently, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is providing a coverage option for people with pre-existing health conditions until they are eligible to purchase insurance through the new state exchanges in 2014, with much of their costs subsidized. However, the program's high costs and relatively low enrollment numbers indicate that high-risk pools, which are designed to cover people excluded from the individual insurance market because of a health problem, are not a tenable long-term solution.

Until the exchanges are implemented in 2014 and people can no longer be denied coverage because of their health history, people with pre-existing conditions who are unable to buy coverage have two alternatives for purchasing health insurancethe federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, which is administered either by individual states or the federal government, or a state-based high-risk pool if they live in one of the 35 states that offers them. Launched between July and October 2010, the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan has enrolled almost 78,000 people to date, and nearly 226,000 people are enrolled in state-run high-risk pools, some of which have existed since the 1970s. These pools are necessary because people with pre-existing conditions are often unable to purchase health insurance on the individual market, as insurers either charge unaffordable rates, offer plans that don't cover certain health conditions, or deny coverage regardless of ability to pay.

"The health insurance marketplace has failed people with pre-existing conditions for years," said Jean Hall, associate research professor at the University of Kansas and lead author of the new report, The Affordable Care Act's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan: Enrollment, Costs, and Lessons for Health Reform. "Looking at the relatively new federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and state-run high-risk pools across the country allows us a diverse view of how these work, and the findings are clear: high-risk pools work as a stop-gap measure, but they are expensive to run, often unaffordable for those who need them, and not a viable long-term solution to the problem of high rates of uninsured Americans."

High-Risk Pool Experiences

The report finds pronounced differences in how each program is structured and in the composition of enrollment. The federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is designed to offer immediate coverage to uninsured people with serious health conditions; thus, there is no waiting period for coverage, people can enroll at any time during the year, and premiums do not exceed the current market cost for a healthy individual. In contrast, state-based high-risk pools are somewhat harder to access, as they often have waiting periods and premiums that are as much as 200 percent of the average paid in the local individual market.

Both the federal and state high-risk pools operate at a loss. That is because enrollees are sicker and the premiums paid are not enough to cover their medical costs, requiring significant subsidies to keep the programs running. However, the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan appears to be attracting people with higher-cost conditions, like cancer, resulting in per-member monthly costs that are up to nine times higher than those in state high-risk pools. The report's authors note that the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan's continuously open enrollment, together with a provision requiring any enrollee to have been uninsured for at least six months, may have led to a generally sicker pool of enrollees with pent-up, high-cost health care needs.

The report finds that the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan is filling a needed role for older adults on the brink of Medicare eligibility. Rates of enrollment are high among people ages 58 to 62, who are sometimes unable to get health insurance otherwise. Young women with high-risk pregnancies are also enrolling in the program; previously, those pregnancies would have been considered pre-existing conditions by carriers in most individual insurance markets across states.

Still Unaffordable for Many

According to the report, an estimated 11.6 million uninsured Americans meet the criteria for high-risk pools, but enrollment is only a fraction of that, indicating that premiums may be prohibitively expensive. Enrollees in the federal Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan pay market rates that are in line with what healthy individuals would be charged to buy individual health insurance plans. However, these ratesranging from a low of $222 a month for the high-deductible plan in Virginia, to a high of $1,215 a month for a plan with a $1,500 deductible in Alaska for a 50-year-oldare often unaffordable to millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions who may make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, do not have health insurance through an employer or spouse, or are not old enough to qualify for Medicare.

The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan does not subsidize premiums, and only a few state high-risk pools offer premium support for those with low incomes. However, once the insurance exchanges are up and running in 2014, premiums will become more affordable, as subsidies will be offered to people with annual family incomes below $92,200 for a family of four.

"Getting sick should not render you uninsurable, but up until the passage of the Affordable Care Act that is exactly what happened," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. "High-risk pools, while helping thousands of people as a short-term solution, will not guarantee the affordable and secure health insurance coverage and health care that people with illnesses like cancer desperately need. Starting in 2014, nobody will be denied coverage because of a health problem, and premiums will be affordable for all."

Moving Forward

The Commonwealth Fund report finds that despite varied approaches to running high-risk pools, the outcomes are essentially the same: enrollment is low, and enrollment costs and plan operation costs are high, demonstrating the limited viability of these pools as a long-term solution. In contrast, the subsidized health plans that will be offered through health insurance exchanges created under the Affordable Care Act, the law's substantial expansion in eligibility for Medicaid, and new rules that prevent insurers from charging people more or limiting or denying coverage based on health will create pools large enough to offset and absorb enrollees' health care costs while also providing comprehensive, affordable, and secure health insurance coverage. "In short, the only way to make insurance affordable for everyone," the authors say, "is to make sure that everyone has insurance."

###

The report will be available on September 13th, 2012 at: http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Issue-Briefs/2012/Sep/Preexisting-Condition-Insurance-Plan.aspx.

The Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation supporting independent research on health policy reform and a high performance health system.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-09/cf-nrt091112.php

phlebotomy survivor dog show best in show bret michaels bret michaels pekingese

How a Real Estate Agent Can Streamline Home Buying Process ...

written by administrator on September 14, 2012 in HomeSmart International and Tips for Home Buying with no comments

While some people prefer entering the home buying process on their own, many others depend on having an experienced real estate agent help them through the extensive procedures that come with purchasing a home. Whether you have purchased a home in the past or you are buying your first home, a realtor can be invaluable when it comes to knowing the details that are required to submit an offer on a home as well as all of the legal aspects that are entailed when buying a house. It?s important to find a real estate agent that has your best interests in mind, rather than simply looking out for themselves and their possible commission. Partnering with an agent is crucial in ensuring that you find the property that you love, as well as having a great experience while purchasing your new home.

Many people find a realtor by talking with their friends, family and neighbors. Some of your acquaintances may have realtors as friends or family and will refer them to you. Because you can trust the opinions of your loved ones, you may feel more at ease by hiring someone that they have recommended. Another way to find a great real estate agent is by looking on the internet. Many realtors will have offers that they can help you to find a house or sell your home in a certain amount of time, guaranteed. They will also have their track record listed which will tell you how many properties they have sold and the status of their customer success rate . Many have former client?s comments and reviews listed to show what type of service they received. When you find some names of potential real estate agents, call them and schedule an initial meeting. Not only is this a great opportunity to let the realtor know what exactly you are looking for, but to see if their personality will be a good match with yours. Having a realtor that understands you and what you are seeking, is crucial in ensuring that they will help to point you in the direction of your future dream home. If you don?t like that particular realtor, go with someone else. Make sure that you find the right agent for your house finding needs.

Maybe you are selling your home and are looking for a qualified agent to represent you and assist you in the selling process. Because agents have an inner network between one another, you will often be able to show your house to a larger variety of people when you have a realtor working for you. Often times, you will be able to sell your home quicker with an experienced agent helping you to present your home in a manner that will be appealing to home buyers. They will also be able to maximize your profit from selling home because of their experience in asking prices and their knowledge of when to keep the price steady or when to drop the price.

When you are buying or selling a home, you might want to consider hiring an exceptional real estate agent. Not only will they make the process easier for you, they will help make your home buying experience more enjoyable and less stressful.


Source: http://blog.homesmartinternational.com/how-to-streamline-the-home-buying-experience/

maurice jones drew megyn kelly richard hamilton richard hamilton howard stern americas got talent china aircraft carrier barbara walters most fascinating person 2011

Israel hints it will keep pressing US on Iran

JERUSALEM (AP) ? Israel's leader suggested in an interview Thursday that he'll keep publicly pressing the United States to get tougher on Iran, despite the strains his remarks have caused with the Obama administration.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks appear to have been aimed at rattling the U.S. into action for fear Israel might otherwise soon attack Iran on its own. But his heightened rhetoric has raised tensions with the White House, and even prompted a leading Jewish U.S. senator to take the extraordinary step of publicly rebuking him.

Netanyahu has repeatedly warned that Iran is getting dangerously close to acquiring a nuclear bomb and has been lobbying Washington for weeks to spell out what conditions would touch off a U.S.-led attack on Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a thinly veiled swipe at the U.S., he said earlier this week that "those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel."

But Washington, which insists it won't let Iran become a nuclear power, has refused to be specific, despite Israel's implicit threat to act unilaterally if the U.S. doesn't take a tough public position.

The spat has become unusually public, prompting President Barack Obama to phone Netanyahu earlier this week and to follow up the call with a rare late-night White House statement denying reports of a rift. Netanyahu's office has also the two men had a "good conversation."

In a newspaper interview Thursday, Netanyahu suggested he won't abandon his calls for the U.S. to set "red lines, " telling The Jerusalem Post that he was "not exactly shy" about expressing his views on Israel's security interests.

"When I feel I need to speak out, I do," he said.

Iran says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes but Netanyahu is convinced it's a cover to build a nuclear bomb.

The U.S. also suspects Tehran seeks to become a nuclear power, and has been leading international efforts to try to persuade Iran to abandon suspect elements of its nuclear program.

But Washington wants to give diplomacy and tough sanctions more time to try to pressure Tehran. And in a message aimed at Israel, it said several times this week that deadlines or "red lines" are counterproductive.

While Washington has tried to downplay reports of a rift, a leading Jewish U.S. senator who solidly supports Israel took the rare step of publicly criticizing Netanyahu in a letter to the Israeli leader posted on her website.

"I write to you as one of Israel's staunchest supporters in Congress to express my deep disappointment over your remarks that call into question our country's support for Israel and commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons," wrote Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from California. "Your remarks are utterly contrary to the extraordinary United States-Israel alliance, evidenced by President Obama's record and the record of Congress."

Israel enjoys strong backing in Congress and it is extremely unusual for its supporters there to question the Israeli government in such an open fashion. Boxer's decision to do so appears to suggest that at least some of his Congressional supporters feel he has gone too far.

Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev had no immediate comment on the letter.

The possibility of Israel acting alone is a source of concern in Washington because of its potential to set off retaliatory attacks by Iran and its proxies in the region. U.S. officials have made it clear they oppose a unilateral Israeli attack, with the U.S. military chief, Gen. Martin Dempsey, recently saying he would "not want to be complicit" in such an assault.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-hints-keep-pressing-us-iran-130450681.html

fergie one republic michael dyer suspended new years ball drop new years rockin eve new york times square jaws

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Pope's Lebanon visit made urgent by Syria's war

VATICAN CITY (AP) ? The brutal civil war in Syria and the killing of the U.S. ambassador to Libya have given a sense of urgency to Pope Benedict XVI's trip this week to Lebanon, a mission he describes as a pilgrimage of peace for the entire region.

The three-day visit starting Friday will take the pope to the nation with the largest percentage of Christians in the Middle East ? nearly 40 percent of Lebanon's 4 million people, with Maronite Catholics the largest sect.

The Vatican initially stressed Benedict's push for inter-faith dialogue in the wake of Ambassador Chris Stevens' death in a mob attack on the consulate in Benghazi. But on Thursday the Holy See toughened its response, firmly condemning the attack and saying nothing can justify such acts of terrorism or violence.

The papal visit comes amid fears that Syria's conflict might spill over to Lebanon. Clashes in Lebanon between Syrian groups over the past months have claimed the lives of more than two dozen people and left scores wounded. The Christian community in Lebanon is divided between supporters and opponents of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Among Assad's supporters is former prime minister and army commander Michel Aoun, a strong ally of the militant Hezbollah group. Hezbollah's leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah welcomed the visit, describing it as "extraordinary and historic."

"I am not unaware of the often dramatic situation endured by the populations of this region which has been torn for too long by incessant conflict," Benedict said in his weekly remarks to pilgrims Sunday. He assured them the visit "comes under the sign of peace."

Lebanese authorities are enacting stringent security measures, suspending weapons permits except for politicians' bodyguards and confining the visit to central Lebanon and the northern Christian areas.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have recently urged their citizens not to visit Lebanon because of security concerns over the recent violence.

But the pope's spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told reporters this week that the trip has never been in question and that Benedict has made clear he expects to be warmly welcomed. The government has declared Saturday an official holiday in Benedict's honor and given the day off to tens of thousands of workers and students so they can greet him.

Benedict, the third pope to visit Lebanon after Paul VI in 1964 and John Paul II in 1997, will be addressing concerns by the region's bishops over the plight of Christians in the Middle East. War, political instability and economic hardships have driven thousands from their traditional communities dating to early Christianity in the Holy Land, Iraq and elsewhere.

Some clerics in the region have blamed the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories; others have said the rise of "political Islam" has become a threat to their well-being.

The turmoil stemming from the Arab Spring has deeply unsettled the Middle East's Christian population, which fears being in the cross-fire of rival Muslim groups.

The 85-year-old Benedict is likely to get a full briefing on the region's problems when he meets with Lebanese political and religious leaders and his own bishops from the region.

Vatican spokesman Lombardi did not rule out that the pope would meet some supporters of Hezbollah, a Shiite militant group that has risen steadily over the decades from anti-Israel resistance group into Lebanon's most powerful military and political force. The U.S. considers Hezbollah a terrorist organization. Lombardi declined to say what the Vatican's position is on the group.

Syria's Assad is a crucial ally of Hezbollah and Iran its most important patron.

Lombardi said Benedict may also meet with Syrian refugees, but it is not confirmed. The U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday that the number of Syrian refugees seeking its help now tops a quarter-million, with at least 66,915 in Lebanon.

The main public event of the visit is Mass on Sunday on the Beirut waterfront.

The Lebanese army has imposed a 10-day ban on gliding over the coastal town of Jounieh and the mountain area of Harisa and its surroundings. Harisa, famous for its giant statue of the Virgin Mary, is the site of the Vatican ambassador's residence, where Benedict will reside.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/popes-lebanon-visit-made-urgent-syrias-war-064046694.html

jeff who lives at home 49ers news saint louis university leprechaun night at the museum pope shenouda bolton muamba

Looking at you: Face genes identified; Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes

ScienceDaily (Sep. 13, 2012) ? Five genes have been found to determine human facial shapes, as reported by researchers from the Netherlands, Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.

Monozygotic twins have almost identical faces and siblings usually have more similar faces than unrelated people, implying that genes play a major role in the appearance of the human face. However, almost nothing is known about the genes responsible for facial morphology in humans.

This study, carried out on behalf of the International Visible Trait Genetics (VisiGen) Consortium, used head magnetic resonance images together with portrait photographs to map facial landmarks, from which facial distances were estimated. The researchers then applied a genome-wide association (GWA) approach, with independent replication, to finding DNA variants involved in facial shapes in almost 10,000 individuals.

Three of the five genes identified have been implicated previously by other approaches in vertebrate craniofacial development and disease; of these three, one was reported to be involved in facial morphology in a GWA study on children published earlier this year. The remaining two genes potentially represent completely new players in the molecular networks governing facial development.

Professor Manfred Kayser from the Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, the leading author of the study, said: "These are exciting first results that mark the beginning of the genetic understanding of human facial morphology. Perhaps some time it will be possible to draw a phantom portrait of a person solely from his or her DNA left behind, which provides interesting applications such as in forensics. We already can predict from DNA certain eye and hair colours with quite high accuracies."

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:


Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Public Library of Science, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Liu F, van der Lijn F, Schurmann C, Zhu G, Chakravarty MM, et al. A Genome-Wide Association Study Identifies Five Loci Influencing Facial Morphology in Europeans. PLoS Genetics, 2012; 8 (9): e1002932 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1002932

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/Xyl-0p2vgCc/120913173318.htm

garbage pail kids st bonaventure ncaa tournament 2012 peyton manning 49ers andy pettitte tyler clementi kevin kolb

Keeley Hazell Bikini Photos: THG Hot Bodies Countdown #86!


THG is counting down the 100 Hottest Bikini Bodies of 2012!

From now until the end of the year, we'll be paying tribute to the hottest of the hot with bikini photos galore. The competition is guaranteed to be sweltering.

Kelly Brook bikini pictures were honored yesterday as this very smoldering countdown continued. Keeping the hotness rolling today at #86: Keeley Hazell!

Keeley Hazell Bikini Photo

From one busty British babe to another, Kelly passes the torch to Keeley. Almost poetic. The frequent UK pin-up certainly makes good use of her assets, doesn't she?

Yeah. They're not small. By any measure. What else can we say?

Just kep up the good work, Keeley. Keep doing what it is you do.

Click to enlarge more Keeley Hazell photos below (some pretty NSFW ones after the jump, be forewarned), and check back for THG's bikini babe #85 ...

Keeley Hazell and Big BoobsBehind Those Hazell EyesKeeley Hazell is Back!Hot, Hot HazellKeeley Hazell, LingerieKeeley Hazell Naked PicKeeley Hazell Topless PhotoKeeley Hazell CalendarKeeley Hazell Nude PictureKeeley Hazell PhotographKeeley Hazell as Britney Spears NudeKeeley Hazell AgainKeeley Hazell NudeKeeley Hazell Nude PicKeeley Hazell Naked PhotoKeeley Hazell Naked PictureKeeley Hazell Nude For PETATopless Keeley Hazell

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2012/09/keeley-hazell-bikini-photos-thg-hot-bodies-countdown-86/

kenny powers kenny powers carl hagelin triple play virginia tech shooting james neal jackie robinson

Quinton Jackson out of UFC 153 bout with Glover Teixeira

UPDATE: Just hours after White shared the news about Jackson, he tweeted that Jose Aldo is also out of his UFC 153 bout.

Here we go again. UFC president Dana White just tweeted the news that Quinton Jackson was injured and is out of his UFC 153 fight with Glover Teixeira.

UFC 153 already has a new main event. Last week, former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar stepped in to fight Jose Aldo when Erik Koch was injured. Now, the co-main event fight is in jeopardy.

This bout was supposed to be the last on Jackson's contract, and his rocky relationship with the UFC indicated he would not be welcomed back with another contract. He is riding a two-fight losing streak and has ripped the UFC's matchmaking publicly.

Hopefully, the UFC will be able to find another opponent who will fight Teixeira in front of his home crowd. He has 16 straight wins, and debuted in the UFC with a destruction of Kyle Kingsbury in under two minutes.

It's the latest in a strong of fights that has had some sort of cancellation or change for the UFC. The main events of UFC 146, 147, 148 and 149 all changed at some point, and UFC 151 was cancelled after Dan Henderson was injured and Jon Jones turned down Chael Sonnen to replace the main event.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/quinton-jackson-ufc-153-bout-glover-teixeira-200131607--mma.html

obama slow jams the news metta world peace ron artest gladys knight private practice deion sanders creutzfeldt jakob disease

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Playing around with the new iPods

Featured

8 hrs.

back of a white iPhone 5

While the iPhone 5 rumors were popping, I couldn't help think this was just some kind of stretched out iPhone 4S. During the keynote present... Read more

7 hrs.

The new iPods were quite a surprise at Apple's iPhone launch event, not because they exist, but because they're actually impressive. The iPod?Nano?? always the product with which Apple takes crazy chances and aggressively?switches up designs?? is fresh?little plaything, while the iPod?Touch has grown up to become a serious product in its own right.

The Nanos are still not totally to be taken seriously, but the larger screen means that you can do more without getting lost in the interface ? more scrolling, more options. And added Bluetooth means it can feed music to speaker systems and?cars wirelessly.

One thing to note:?Apple has done away with the weird little clock faces that were available on the last generation Nano. I guess the whole trend of wearing a Nano on your wrist as an oversize watch has faded.

The Touch is better (and thinner) than ever, and now comes with Siri. During my short demo, we almost got it to book us a restaurant reservation, as you can see below.

The screen, which is the same Retina display on the iPhone 5, really does come to life on the iPod?Touch. And when you look at an app like iPhoto, you realize that the extra pixels give you a little wiggle room, even?on a screen that remains relatively small.

The only problem that I see with the iPod Touch is its price. Will anyone buy a non-phone at $299? Phones can be cheaper because we pay carriers monthly, and those carriers eat some of the cost. There's no benefit like that here. I don't know how well it can compete, especially with a mini?iPad rumored to be?in the wings.?

Wilson Rothman is the Technology & Science?editor at NBC News Digital. Catch up with him on Twitter at @wjrothman, and join our conversation on Facebook.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/gadgetbox/playing-around-new-ipods-995456

lifehouse al gore la dodgers lawrence o donnell magic johnson jetblue pilot solicitor general

Some anti-obesity campaigns may backfire, researchers say

As U.S. health authorities prosecute an all-out war against obesity, a small cadre of researchers is warning that the nation's 78 million obese adults and 12.5 million obese children are already suffering collateral damage.

The message that they will become victims of self-inflicted disease, poor role models for their families and a drag on the economy unless they lose weight has left many obese Americans feeling depressed, defeated and ashamed, these experts say.

Ironically, some of the campaigns aimed at obese Americans could sink efforts to help them improve their health by eating better and exercising more, the experts wrote Tuesday in the International Journal of Obesity.

Anti-obesity campaigns viewed as stigmatizing "instill less motivation to improve health," and the messages that appeared most effective at encouraging behavior change didn't mention obesity at all, according to the research team from Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

The study comes as state and federal public health officials grapple with an obesity crisis that threatens to swamp efforts to contain healthcare costs and prolong Americans' life spans. In a bid to reverse surging rates of obesity in the United States and the industrialized world, public health officials have spawned a slew of campaigns that take a variety of approaches.

Many encourage behavior change with helpful tips such as "eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day," as a program backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises.

But other campaigns have been less upbeat. In Georgia, a controversial series of video and billboard advertisements reminds parents that "fat kids become fat adults" and that "being fat takes the fun out of being a kid." An Australian anti-obesity campaign pointedly warns viewers that "the more you gain, the more you have to lose."

Such messages are broadcast amid widespread stigma against the obese: Heavy workers earn less, are more likely to be passed over for jobs and promotions, and are more likely than their thinner peers to be viewed as lazy and undisciplined, researchers have found. A poll released last month by Harris Interactive/HealthDay found that 61% of Americans did not consider negative remarks about a person's weight to be offensive.

Even among physicians, obese patients elicit feelings of prejudice and blame. A 2003 survey, published in the journal Obesity Research, found that half considered their obese patients awkward, ugly, unattractive and unlikely to follow their advice. In addition, one-third of doctors viewed obese patients as weak-willed, sloppy and lazy.

Against this backdrop, it's little wonder that some public health campaigns would employ guilt and shame to motivate people to lose weight, said Rebecca Puhl, the Rudd Center's research director and leader of the new study.

"There tends to be a sense that maybe a little bit of stigma isn't such a bad thing, that maybe it'll give overweight or obese viewers a little motivation," she said.

But such views do not account for shame's boomerang effect.

"When children or adults are made to feel stigmatized, shamed or teased about their weight, they're likely to engage in binge eating and unhealthy weight-control practices, and to avoid physical activity," Puhl said. "We find that people actually cope with stigma by eating more food."

To Nina Savelle-Rocklin, a Sherman Oaks psychotherapist who specializes in treating those with eating disorders, the link between shame and overeating is clear.

"Shame is about feeling bad about who you are," Savelle-Rocklin said. That message "is unbearable and intolerable" to most, and those who quell negative emotions by eating "are going to turn to food.... It's just a recipe for disaster."

UCLA psychologist Matthew D. Lieberman, who studies the neuroscience of persuasion, said the latest study was in line with research showing that public health campaigns can be successful only if they "fit with our sense of ourselves."

When he's in the lab watching the persuasive process unfold on brain scans, the messages that spur people to action are the ones that activate a region of the brain involved in thinking and reflecting about one's self. Negative thoughts aren't likely to recruit the neural systems that convert a message into action, Lieberman said.

Puhl and her colleagues asked 1,014 volunteers to evaluate 30 public service announcements from several countries aimed at curbing obesity. The team found that obese subjects were likely to perceive shame and stigma more strongly and more often than their slimmer counterparts.

Past research suggests that their long exposure to others' negative attitudes toward them may prime obese viewers to experience stress when the subject of weight is raised. They commonly respond to such stress by consuming more calories, Puhl said.

"It's not a helpful public health tool," she said. "It reinforces the problem and makes the situation worse."

Far more effective were messages that suggested specific steps that would improve health, conveyed a sense of empowerment and left references to obesity unspoken.

In the study, the slogan that got the highest marks for motivation was "Eat well. Move more. Live longer." Part of a British campaign called Change4Life, it was rated stigmatizing by less than 30% of participants, and 85% said it would move them to make changes.

The most stigmatizing messages ? and those with which participants said they were least likely to comply ? were aimed at parents on the subject of childhood obesity.

An Australian message that asserts that "childhood obesity is child abuse" was rated stigmatizing by 62% of subjects, and just 44% said it would move them to action. Fifty-seven percent considered the message "Chubby kids may not outlive their parents" ? a product of Georgia's Strong4Life campaign ? to be stigmatizing, and just under half said it would prompt them to change their behavior.

melissa.healy@latimes.com

Source: http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/latimes/news/science/~3/8epDbs0JYe4/la-sci-obesity-20120912,0,5230176.story

2011 bowl projections ndamukong suh ndamukong suh aptera aptera national defense authorization act national defense authorization act

Monday, September 10, 2012

Ronald Reagan Comes to 'Life' as YouTube Avatar

'},"otherParams":{"t_e":1,".intl":"US"},"events":{"fetch":{lv:2,"sp":"7665149","ps":"LREC,LREC2,MON","npv":true,"bg":"#FFFFFF","em":escape('{"site-attribute":"_id=\'1c0ba015-00a2-39d3-96a4-530e17027298\' rs=\'lmsid:a0770000009lqt4AAA\' ctype=\'News\' ctopid=\'2299500\' can_suppress_ugc=\'1\' content=\'no_expandable;ajax_cert_expandable;\' ADSSA"}'),"em_orig":escape('{"site-attribute":"_id=\'1c0ba015-00a2-39d3-96a4-530e17027298\' rs=\'lmsid:a0770000009lqt4AAA\' ctype=\'News\' ctopid=\'2299500\' can_suppress_ugc=\'1\' content=\'no_expandable;ajax_cert_expandable;\' ADSSA"}')}}};var _createNodes=function(){var nIds=_conf.nodeIds;for(var i in nIds){var nId=nIds[i];var dId=_conf.destinationMap[nIds[i].replace("yom-","")];n=Y.one("#"+nId);if(n)var center=n.one("center");var node=Y.one("#"+dId);var nodeHTML;if(center && !node){nodeHTML=_conf.nodes[nId];center.insert(nodeHTML);};};};var _prepareNodes=function(){var nIds=_conf.nodeIds;for(var i in nIds){var nId=nIds[i];var dId=_conf.destinationMap[nIds[i].replace("yom-ad-","")];n=Y.one("#"+nId);if(n)var center=n.one("center");var node=Y.one("#"+dId);if(center && node){center.set("innerHTML","");center.insert(node);node.setStyle("display","block");};};};var _darla;var _config=function(){if(YAHOO.ads.darla){_darla = YAHOO.ads.darla;_createNodes();};};var _fetch=function(spaceid,adssa,ps){ if (typeof(ps)!='undefined') _conf.events.fetch.ps = ps;if(typeof spaceid != "undefined") _conf.events.fetch.sp=spaceid;adssa = (typeof adssa != "undefined" && adssa != null) ? escape(adssa.replace(/\"/g, "'")) : "";_conf.events.fetch.em=_conf.events.fetch.em_orig.replace("ADSSA", adssa);if(_darla){_prepareNodes();_darla.setConfig(_conf);_darla.event("fetch");};};Y.on("domready", function(){_config();});;var that={"fetch":_fetch,"getNodes":_conf.nodes,"getConf":_conf};return that;}();/* Backwards compatibility - Assigning the latest instance to the main fetch function */YUI.PhotoAdsDarla.fetch=YUI.PhotoAdsDarla.photoslightboxdarla.fetch; }); Y.later(10, this, function() {YAHOO.namespace('Media.Social').Lightbox = {}; }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.Media.Article.init(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.AuthorBadge(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.Branding(); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {Y.on("load", function () { YUI.namespace("Media.SocialButtons"); var instances = YUI.Media.SocialButtons.instances || [], globalConf = YAHOO.Media.SocialButtons.conf || {}, vplContainers = []; Y.all(".ymsb").each(function (node) { var id = node.get("id"), conf = YAHOO.Media.SocialButtons.configs[id], instance; if (conf) { instance = new Y.SocialButtons({ srcNode: node, config: Y.merge(globalConf, conf.config || {}), contentMetadata: conf.content || {}, tracking: conf.tracking || {} }); vplContainers.push( { selector: "#" + id, callback: function(node) { instance.render(); instance = conf = id = null; } }); if (conf.config && conf.config.dynamic) { instances.push(instance); } } }); Y.Global.Media.ViewportLoader.addContainers(vplContainers); YUI.Media.SocialButtons.instances = instances; }); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {new Y.Media.RelatedArticle({count:"2",start:"1", mod_total:"10", total:"0", content_id:"1c0ba015-00a2-39d3-96a4-530e17027298", spaceid:"7665149", photo_template:"3",video_template:"3", gallery_template:"3" }); }); Y.later(10, this, function() {(function(d){ d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(d.createElement('script')).src='http://d.yimg.com/oq/js/csc_news-en-US-core.js'; })(document); }); Y.later(10, this, function() { if(!("Media" in YAHOO)){YAHOO.Media = {};} if(!("ugcrate" in YAHOO.Media)){YAHOO.Media.ugcrate = {};} if(!("Media" in Y)){Y.namespace("Media");} YAHOO.Media.ugcrate.ratings_b5aa3a4e8f3cb433626ebe64298ee846 = new Y.Media.UgcRate({"context_id":"999ec307-030f-48e6-952e-40ff684b06cd","sCrumb":"zyCmL7xv76D","containerId":"yom-sentimentrate-b5aa3a4e8f3cb433626ebe64298ee846","rateDimensions":"d1","appLang":"en-US","sUltSId":"7665149","sUltProperty":"news-en-US","sUltCampaign":"","sUltPlatform":"ugcwidgets","sUltIntl":"US","sUltLang":"en-US","selfPageUrl":"http:\/\/news.yahoo.com\/t-mobile-launches-campaign-lure-iphone-users-160628339--finance.html?_esi=0","artContentId":"fcfe93a7-e03f-3cdc-9527-a95e6afa2317","sUltQstnTxt":"Is it important to be loyal to a tech brand?","artContentTitle":"T-Mobile launches campaign to lure iPhone users","artContentDesc":" T-Mobile USA, the only \\\"Big 4\\\" phone company that doesn\\'t sell the iPhone, now wants to snag used ones from AT&T.","sUltBucketId":"test1","sUltSection":"sentirating","sUltBeaconUrl":"","sUltRecordPageviews":"1","sUltBeaconEnable":"1","serviceUrl":"\/_xhr","publisherContextId":"","propertyId":"2fcd79b5-b3a3-333e-b98e-722536a6698f","configurationId":"435db9ee-c55e-3766-b20d-c8ad3ff889d1","graphId":"","labelLeft":"No, look for the best product","labelRight":"Yes, only buy from one brand","labelMiddle":"","itemimg":"http:\/\/l.yimg.com\/a\/i\/ww\/met\/yahoo_logo_us_061509.png","selfURI":"","aggregateRatingCount":"20940","aggregateReviewCount":"0","leftBlocksNum":"19279","rightBlocksNum":"1661","leftBlocksPerCent":"92","rightBlocksPerCent":"8","ugcrate_apihost":"api01-us.ugcl.yahoo.com:4080","publisher_id":"news-en-US","yca_cert":"yahoo.ugccloud.app.trusted_proxies","timeout_write":"5000","through_proxy":"false","optionStats":"{\"s1\":15118,\"s2\":1336,\"s3\":954,\"s4\":1130,\"s5\":741,\"s6\":1661,\"s7\":0,\"s8\":0,\"s9\":0,\"s10\":0}","l10N":"{\"FIRST_TO_READ\":\"You are first to read this. Share your feelings and start a conversation.\",\"SHARE_YOUR_FEELINGS\":\"You too can share your feelings and start a conversation!\",\"HOW_YOUR_FRIENDS_THINK\":\"Thank you for sharing your feeling on this article!\",\"PRE_SHARE_MSG\":\"Your Facebook friends on Yahoo! can see how you responded to this question. To share your response on Facebook, click on the Facebook share option.\",\"START_THE_CONVERSATION\":\"Start the Conversation\",\"THANKS_FOR_SHARING\":\"Sure, that's how you feel... But what do your friends think?\",\"POLL_HEADER\":\"SOCIAL SENTIMENT\",\"SERVER_ERROR\":\"Oops there seems to be some error, please try again later\",\"LOADING\":\"Loading...\",\"SHARE_AFTER_COMMENT\":\"Your response has been shared on Facebook.\",\"UNDO\":\"Undo\",\"UNIT_PEOPLE\":\"People\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_DISAGREE\":\"disagree with your opinion.\",\"READ_MORE_TEXT\":\"Read what they have to say.\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"WHAT DO YOU THINK?\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_VERB_BEFORE_VOTING\":\"DRAG\",\"SLIDER_THUMB_WORDING_THANKS_VOTING\":\"Thanks for voting\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 20,940 people have answered this question\",\"ONE_PERSON_ANSWERED\":\" 1 person has answered this question\",\"TWO_PEOPLE_ANSWERED\":\" 2 people have answered this question\",\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s1\":15118,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s2\":1336,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s3\":954,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s4\":1130,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s5\":741,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s6\":1661,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s7\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s8\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s9\":0,\"NUM_PEOPLE_RATED__s10\":0}","fbconfig":"{\"message\":\"undefined\",\"name\":\"undefined\",\"link\":\"\",\"source\":\"\",\"picture\":\"http:\\\/\\\/l.yimg.com\\\/a\\\/i\\\/ww\\\/news\\\/2011\\\/09\\\/27\\\/yahoo-tc.jpg\",\"description\":\"\",\"captionLeft\":\"undefined\",\"captionRight\":\"undefined\",\"app_id\":\"196660913708276\",\"redirect_uri\":\"\\\/_xhr\\\/ugcratefbredirect\\\/\"}","template_id":"LONG_SLIDER_SOUTH","obj_id":"ratings_b5aa3a4e8f3cb433626ebe64298ee846","opt_count":"6","opt_color1":"","opt_color2":"","template_html":"

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ronald-reagan-comes-life-youtube-avatar-153937627.html

charles taylor bruins boston bruins carl crawford mad cow disease rampart jimmy fallon