Chantal Petitclerc Named Team Canada Chef de Mission for Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games

NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 29, 2012) - Chantal Petitclerc, one of Canada's most decorated athletes of all time, has been appointed Team Canada's Chef de Mission for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The only Canadian athlete to win gold medals at Commonwealth, Olympic and Paralympic Games, Petitclerc holds world records in three different wheelchair racing events.

"I have such a strong attachment to the Commonwealth Games, dating all the way back to 1990 when I was a silver medalist in Auckland, New Zealand-the first time that events for elite athletes with a disability were included on the sport programme," said Petitclerc, whose appointment was announced today on CBC's Sports Day in Canada broadcast. "In 2006, I was honoured to serve as Team Canada's flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia. It was truly one of the highlights of my career."

Petitclerc also has two 800-metre gold medals from the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England (2002) and Melbourne (2006). Her trophy case includes a staggering 21 Paralympic medals (including 14 gold) and the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canadian athlete of the year.

"There are so many reasons to be thrilled with Chantal's appointment as our Chef de Mission in Glasgow," added Dr. Andrew Pipe, President of Commonwealth Games Canada. "A former flag bearer, multiple medalist, and someone with a deep appreciation for the athlete experience at the highest levels of international competition. Not to mention the fact that Glasgow 2014 will feature more events for elite athletes with a disability than any previous Commonwealth Games."

Dr. Pipe went on to praise Petitclerc's proven abilities as a spokesperson and motivational speaker. "Should Canada decide to launch a bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Chantal will most certainly be one of our most influential ambassadors," he said.

Petitclerc will assume her duties immediately in preparation for a first site visit that is expected to take place in February.

About Commonwealth Games Canada

Commonwealth Games Canada (CGC) is the franchise holder for the Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth sport movement in Canada and an active, contributing member of the Canadian sport community. The mission of Commonwealth Games Canada is to strengthen sport within Canada and throughout the Commonwealth by participating in the Commonwealth Games and by using sport as a development tool.

About Glasgow 2014

Glasgow 2014 will be the 20th Commonwealth Games and will be held from 23 July to 3 August. It will feature 17 sports in 11 days of competition with 250 medal events on show. The Games will play host to 4,500 athletes and sell 1,000,000 tickets with the event aided by an army of 15,000 local volunteers. For more information, visit www.glasgow2014.com.

Source: http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release.do?id=1707237&sourceType=3

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Potentially dangerous new malaria mosquito identified

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2012) ? University of Notre Dame entomologists are part of a team of researchers that recently discovered a potentially dangerous new malaria-transmitting mosquito. The as yet unnamed, and previously unreported, mosquito breeds in the western areas of Kenya and has an unknown DNA match to any of the existing malaria-transmitting species.

The Anopheles species of mosquitoes which transmits malaria in Africa is already widely studied by researchers. It prefers to rest indoors during the day and feed on humans during the night. Current malaria control programs, including spraying of insecticides and using insecticide-treated bed nets, are designed with these behaviors in mind.

Although the new species has never been implicated in the transmission of malaria, new discoveries in its biting habits pose a threat because it was found to be active outdoors and prefers to bite people earlier in the evening, soon after sunset, when people are not protected by current malaria control techniques.

Neil Lobo, a Notre Dame research associate professor and Brandy St. Laurent, a former Notre Dame doctoral student, joined forces on the team of researchers that made the discovery. y Frank Collins, Notre Dame's George and Winifred Clark Professor of Biology, Collins was principal investigator of the Malaria Transmission Consortium effort funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The discovery was announced in a paper whose lead author was Jennifer Stevenson of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Notre Dame, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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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/top_news/~3/FXD88XY98pc/120929140348.htm

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Georgian opposition supporters flood capital

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) ? An estimated 100,000 opposition supporters thronged the center of Georgia's capital on Saturday in a show of strength days ahead of a parliamentary election that presents the toughest challenge to the future of Mikhail Saakashvili's government since he became president nearly nine years ago.

The capital, Tbilisi, where a third of Georgia's population lives, long ago turned against Saakashvili. Many people here are disturbed by what they describe as his authoritarian rule, pointing to his control over parliament, the courts and the prosecutor's office.

"He created a system of oppression and covered it with the pretty facade of democracy," said Dali Dvalishvili, who attended the boisterous campaign rally. Although trained as a lawyer, the 28-year-old woman said she was unable to work in a system "where the prosecutor's office dictates everything."

Under Saakashvili, the former Soviet republic has become a U.S. ally and worked toward closer integration with NATO and the European Union. In Monday's election, the president is under pressure to prove his commitment to democracy by holding a free and fair vote.

The election has added significance because it ushers in a new political system that will give greater powers to the parliament and prime minister. After Saakashvili's second and last term ends next year, the party that has a majority in parliament will have the right to name the prime minister, who will acquire many of the powers now held by the president.

Saakashvili's United National Movement, which now holds nearly 80 percent of the seats in parliament, is up against Georgian Dream, a coalition formed by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire businessman who made his fortune in Russia.

Most observers see the race as too close to call, although they give the governing party the edge.

The mood was upbeat on Saturday as people of all ages gathered on Freedom Square for Ivanishvili's giant campaign rally. Many wore Georgian Dream T-shirts in blue, white or black.

"Saakashvili's system based on lawlessness and torture should be destroyed," Ivanishvili told the crowd.

Saakashvili's campaign was hit hard by the release two weeks ago of shocking videos showing prisoners in a Tbilisi jail being beaten and sodomized. The government moved quickly to stem the anger, replacing Cabinet ministers blamed for the abuse and arresting prison staff, but many saw the videos as illustrating the excesses of his government.

___

Lynn Berry contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/georgian-opposition-supporters-flood-capital-133038777.html

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Calif dairies going broke due to feed, milk prices

HANFORD, Calif. (AP) ? In nearly six decades of running a dairy in central California, Mary Cameron made a name for herself in a male-dominated industry: She led several dairy organizations and was honored as Outstanding Dairy Producer of the Year.

But the 82-year-old Cameron ? who still drives a tractor and supervises her Hanford dairy ? is on the brink of losing her life's work. She can no longer pay the bills. Her bank has classified her loan as distressed. And she can't afford enough feed for her 900 milking cows and 1000 heifers.

"I have been in this business for 57 years and I have never been in financial trouble like I am right now," said Cameron, who runs the Atsma-Cameron Dairy with her two sons. "I'm on the verge of bankruptcy. It's horrible and inexcusable."

Cameron is not alone. Across California, the nation's largest dairy state, dozens of dairy operators large and small have filed for bankruptcy in recent months and many teeter on the edge of insolvency. Others have sold their herds or sent them to slaughter and given up on the business.

Experts say California dairymen face a double whammy: exorbitant feed costs and lower milk prices. The Midwest drought has led to corn and soybean costs increasing by more than 50 percent this summer, stressing dairymen from Wisconsin and Minnesota to Missouri. But in California, milk prices have also lagged behind those in the rest of the nation, exacerbating the crisis.

And while milk revenues in California have soared to over $7.5 billion in 2011, making milk the top agricultural commodity, higher revenues mean little, famers say, because it costs so much more to produce the milk.

"I don't think there's a milk producer in the state who is profitable right now," said Michael Marsh, CEO of Western United Dairymen.

Since 2008, California has lost nearly 300 dairies, with 1,668 remaining as of January, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture. There are no official estimates on how many dairies have shuttered in 2012 ? but interviews with dairymen and experts indicate several hundred dairies could be in danger of going under.

"It's been like a floodgate," said Riley Walter, a Fresno-based agricultural bankruptcy lawyer who has worked on 58 cases of dairies in financial trouble this past year ? from bankruptcies, to liquidations, to operations taken over by receivers.

"Recently, I had two men over 60 years old who broke down and sobbed in court," Walter said. "You would be surprised how much these men care about their cows."

At the Overland Stock Yard in Hanford, owner Peter Belezzuoli said he sees two to three dairymen selling their entire herd every month, compared to about four per year before the crisis. More cows are being sold for slaughter, he said. And the value of dairy cattle has plummeted by as much as 50 percent in the past five years.

"It's no different than the housing industry, where people lost all the equity," he said. "People have the same cow, but now it doesn't have the same value."

Economists say milk and feed prices always fluctuate ? but it's the margin between the two that counts, and how far apart the thin years are.

Only three years ago, falling milk prices forced many dairymen to go under. The current crisis, dairymen say, came too quickly. Many still have unpaid loans, have exhausted their equity, and can't get new loans.

For Cameron, who grew up washing barns and feeding cows, costs of production vastly surpass revenues. She's losing $40,000 every month, she said.

Her parents emigrated from Holland in the 1920's and started a dairy in California's Central Valley. After college, Cameron followed in their footsteps: Her office wall is filled with awards and news articles touting her successful dairy career.

Today, Cameron owes $7.5 million to her banks and creditors, and has run out of cash for feed. To make ends meet, she has sold cows for beef and fed her herd less grain ? but that means milk production is down and so is revenue.

Cameron recently saw a bankruptcy lawyer and may have to sell her entire herd and dairy.

"It just makes me sad," Cameron said. "This is a world I love, this is my life."

For her woes, Cameron blames state officials' decision to keep milk prices lower than those in other states.

California has had its own milk pricing system for dairy since the 1930's, separate from that operated by the federal government in other states. The California Department of Food and Agriculture sets minimum prices that must be paid to farmers in the state for five classes of milk.

In recent years, California's prices tended to be lower than in other states. In 2011 and 2012, California's price for milk used to make cheese was frequently $2 or more lower per hundredweight of milk than in the rest of the nation.

CDFA spokesman Steve Lyle said the reason for lower prices is that milk supply exceeds demand in California.

The glut forces California producers to sell much of their milk to makers of products such as cheese, which pays much less than selling milk for drinking. And since much of the milk is sold out of state, the price farmers receive is lower to reflect higher transportation costs.

Several dairy organizations filed suit in August, alleging that CDFA failed to follow the law when it refused to increase the minimum price of milk sold for cheese to bring it in line with prices around the country.

Economists say the market itself will lift prices: as more dairymen go out of business, fewer cows will produce less milk, which in turn will lead prices to go up.

For Cameron, higher prices would mean she could keep her dairy. When she dies, she wants her children to scatter her ashes in the corrals.

"That's where I belong," she said, "...that's where I've been all my life."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2012-09-29-California%20Dairy%20Woes/id-f9754d084c2d481693ad624e91a2186b

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Loop the loop, DNA style: One- or two-way transcription depends on gene loops

ScienceDaily (Sep. 28, 2012) ? Scientists at EMBL and Oxford University discovered that, by forming or undoing gene loops, cells manipulate the path of the transcription machinery -- which reads out instructions from DNA -- controlling whether it moves along the genetic material in one direction or two.

In certain toy racecar tracks, sneaky players can flip a switch, trapping their opponents' vehicles in a loop of track. Cells employ a less subtle approach: they change the track's layout. In a study published online September 28 in Science, scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and Oxford University discovered that, by forming or undoing gene loops, cells manipulate the path of the transcription machinery -- which reads out instructions from DNA -- controlling whether it moves along the genetic material in one direction or two.

"We found that gene loops can turn bi-directional promoters into one-way systems," says Lars Steinmetz, who led the work at EMBL.

Three years ago, Steinmetz's lab discovered that when the transcription machinery lands on most genes' promoters -- the sequences that mark where transcription should start -- it moves not only along the gene, but also in the opposite direction, along the other 'lane' of DNA. But they were somewhat surprised that this didn't happen everywhere: some genes, it seemed, had promoters that worked only one-way.

Nicholas Proudfoot's group at Oxford University, in the meantime, discovered that genes can bend into a loop, so that when the transcription machinery reaches the end of the gene, it finds itself back at the beginning and starts again, like a trapped toy car. Proudfoot's group also found that inactivating a specific protein prevented these gene loops from forming.

Looking throughout the whole genome of yeast cells, Steinmetz, Proudfoot and colleagues have now found that when genes with 'one-way' promoters can't form loops, transcription from those promoters becomes bi-directional. It seems that with no transcription 'cars' trapped in a loop, more are free to move in the opposite direction. And by doing so, they can affect other genes. So by forming or undoing gene loops, cells can control not only what happens to the looping genes themselves, but also adjust the spread of regulation throughout the genome.

The researchers would now like to understand how and when loops form, for instance in response to changes in a cell's environment, and how unlooping affects the transcription of short DNA sequences within the gene. And Steinmetz has another burning question: what happens in cases where a promoter activates transcription of two genes? "Are they each in a loop? What's going on there?" he wonders.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL).

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Journal Reference:

1. Tan-Wong, S.M., Zaugg, J.B., Camblong, J., Xu, Z., Zhang, D.W., Mischo, H.E., Ansari, A.Z., Luscombe, N.M., Steinmetz, L.M., Proudfoot, N.J. Gene loops enhance transcriptional directionality. Science, 27 September 2012 DOI: 10.1126/science.1224350

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

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_technology/~3/JrWhWlbPpjI/120928085218.htm

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html - Images in Internet Explorer are HUGE while firefox and ...

The images of the pictures of the trainers are gigantic while the pictures in firefox chrome or safari are normal sized. I'm assuming it is a quirk with ie with css but I'm experienced enough to know what specifically should be fixed.

UPDATE: I have fixed the images part displaying the correct size but the cell that the picture is in is still the same size as when the picture was huge. What could be causing the cell to be huge in IE but not firefox, chrome, safari.

        <tr>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         <td class = "trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class="trainerimg" colspan = "1"><img src = "images/deanne.jpg" alt = "Deanne" /></td>         <td class="trainer2" colspan = "4" style= "font-size:14"><h2>Deanne Cox</h2><p>Having been in the fitness field for over 25 years, I have worn many hats.  I have owned a gym, worked in a rehabilitation clinic, taught a variety of group exercise classes, been a personal trainer, and held several management positions in a big health club.  Although the experiences were all different, the one constant was working with people who had ideas, dreams, and goals that involved self-improvement of one type or another: gain or lose weight, gain muscle/get stronger, increase flexibility, run faster, pass the fitness test to get the job, get off medication, avoid surgery, stress relief,  and the list goes on and on.  The best part is, no matter how big or small the goal, any degree of improvement is a success. And helping clients achieve this success is incredibly rewarding.  So while I am in the exercise business, it is really about the people.  And the people are why, after all these years, I still love what I do.</p>  <p>American Council on Exercise (ACE), American Institute of Fitness Educators, (AIFE), Cooper Institute, RehabTex - Exercise Specialist, PregnaCare Director, TRX Personal Training, TRX Group Training, RIPPED, CPR/AED</p></td>         <td class = "trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         </tr>         <tr>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         <td class = "trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class="trainerimg" colspan = "1"><img src = "images/betsy.jpg" alt = "Betsy" /></td>         <td class="trainer" colspan = "4" style= "font-size:14"><h2>Betsy Cooper</h2><p>My passion is to empower and motivate my clients through fitness so they can live happy and healthy lives. I also believe that the only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday! Before joining the The San Antonio Country Club Fitness Center, I was the Wellness Director at The Towers on Park Lane.    My previous fitness experiences include working at the Concord Athletic Club for over 10 years. In supervisory positions at the Concord, I instructed a variety of group fitness classes and worked in the Health and Fitness Center conducting an array of health screenings and assisted in teaching the "Fit for Life" program for weight management. I even took my experience to the Caribbean Seas as the Activities Director on a Cruise Ship.</p> <p>The Physicalmind Institute for Pilates mat instruction, Polestar Pilates for instruction on Pilates equipment, (AFAA) Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE), CPR/AED </p></td>         <td class="trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         </tr>         <tr>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         <td class="trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class="trainerimg" colspan = "1"><img src = "images/jen.png" alt = "Jen" /></td>         <td class="trainer2" colspan = "4" style= "font-size:14"><h2>Jennifer Hartley</h2><p>I became a fitness professional out of a deeply held belief that physical activity can improve so many aspects of one's life.  Physical fitness doesn't just make you look better, it makes you feel better, cope with stress, fight off aches and pains, and helps the rest of your day go better. I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and I have over 8 years experience in the fitness industry.  </p> <p>National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM) Personal Trainer, NASM Corrective Exercise Specialty, Aerobic and Fitness Association of America(AFAA) Personal Trainer, AFAA Group Exercise, Kettlebell Concepts Level 1, TRX Personal Training, TRX Sports Medicine, Spinning Instructor, CPR/AED.</p></td>         <td class="trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         </tr>         <tr>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         <td class="trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class="trainerimg" colspan = "1"><img src = "images/marta.jpg" max-height = "100px" max-width = "100px" alt = "marta" /></td>         <td class="trainer" colspan = "4" style= "font-size:14"><h2>Marta Wilson</h2><p>I have been working and playing in gyms since 1984.  I found I really enjoyed the feeling of helping somebody achieve their goals and guiding clients to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.   After college I worked as a Dental Assistant for many years. Even when I was working in dentistry I always had a hand in the fitness field.   I decided that personal training was where my heart was, retired myself from dental assisting and worked at an exclusive gym in Beverly Hills.  I worked as a trainer until I got pregnant at the age of 40. I have been training in the industry for nearly 15 yrs.    My passion is helping women be and feel their best, I truly believe a healthy lifestyle and being fit is achievable for everyone.</p>  <p>National Academy of Sports Medicine(NASM), CPR/AED</p></td>         <td class="trspacer" colspan = "1"></td>         <td class = "spacer"></td>         </tr>      </body> </html> 

Source: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/12633158/images-in-internet-explorer-are-huge-while-firefox-and-chrome-are-fine

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LA backs deal for downtown NFL stadium

LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Los Angeles took a major step Friday toward building a downtown stadium to lure an NFL team back to the nation's second most populous city, despite questions about how a 72,000-seat venue in the city's urban core would impact notorious freeway traffic, nearby housing prices and air quality.

The 12-0 vote by City Council came after starkly contrasting predictions about what the $1.5 billion project would mean for an economically troubled city that has fretted over the loss of professional football since the Raiders and Rams fled Southern California in 1994.

Supporters said the deal with developer Anschutz Entertainment Group would create thousands of jobs, a center of civic pride and new tax dollars for cash-starved City Hall, while critics warned that nearby housing prices would soar and traffic would come to a virtual standstill on game days.

"I know the result will be the return of economic vitality," Councilman Paul Koretz predicted.

The vote was overshadowed by the recent announcement that AEG was seeking a new owner, though company officials have assured City Hall the stadium plan will remain the same, even if the company changes hands.

The biggest question about the stadium is the most obvious: There's no one to play in it. But Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other supporters hope the agreement will eventually attract a team to one of the nation's most lucrative media markets.

AEG, also the owner of Los Angeles' Staples Center arena and the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, has deep ties to City Hall. Any deal to buy the company, a subsidiary of Denver-based Anschutz Co., would mean a major shift in sports and entertainment in the region and around the world.

AEG's holdings include pro soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy, part-ownership of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, and major entertainment and real estate holdings in downtown Los Angeles. Outside the city, AEG owns Major League Soccer's Houston Dynamo and all or part of several arenas around the U.S. and in Sweden, China and Australia.

The project, which calls for the renovation of an adjacent convention center, is facing a lawsuit filed by anti-poverty and environmental activists that some predict could delay or derail plans for the stadium, known as Farmers Field. The activist group, Play Fair at Farmers Field Coalition, is challenging a state law intended to help swiftly resolve legal challenges to the stadium, and it also wants AEG to pay $60 million toward affordable housing in the long-struggling downtown neighborhood.

A rival group, Majestic Realty, has proposed building a stadium in the City of Industry, outside Los Angeles.

AEG is hoping to have an NFL team on the field by the 2017 season. The company has pledged about $35 million to reduce traffic problems.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/la-backs-deal-downtown-nfl-stadium-205729731.html

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Internet Tricks of Paid advertising Promotion Cpa networks

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Source: http://www.eczacilar.net/internet-tricks-of-paid-advertising-promotion-cpa-networks

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Israeli PM to set 'red line' on Iran at UN | Morocco World News

By Jonah Mande

UNITED NATIONS, September 27, 2012 (AFP)

Israel?s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the United Nations on Thursday to declare the ?clear red line? that Iran?s nuclear drive must not cross if it is to avoid attack.

Netanyahu was to address the UN General Assembly in New York shortly after Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas, but was expected to overshadow his rival at a summit dominated by talk of war in Syria and tension with Iran.

?In his speech, the prime minister will set a clear red line,? a senior Israeli official told reporters traveling with Netanyahu, referring to the trigger that could dramatically escalate the confrontation with Tehran.

Western powers share Israel?s fear that Iran is on the brink of developing a nuclear weapon that could dramatically tip the balance of power in an already volatile Middle East and set off a regional atomic arms race.

But they have resisted calls to define publicly a threshold at which Iran?s uranium enrichment and alleged weapons research would become intolerable, preferring to apply pressure through economic and diplomatic sanctions.

This week, however, US President Barack Obama, in his own General Assembly address, came closer than ever to the Israeli position, declaring that the United States would ?do what we must? to prevent Iran getting the bomb.

Iran?s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was defiant at the summit, accusing the West and Israel of ?nuclear intimidation? and dismissing both economic sanctions and the threats of ?uncultured Zionists? as irrelevant to his nation.

Several world leaders in New York, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, warned against threats of war, but the Israelis seem confident their position is at least in line with Obama?s tough stance.

?Obama said that Iran will not have nuclear weapons. Netanyahu will clarify the way to prevent Iran from having nuclear weapons,? the official said. ?What he will say regarding red lines will help ensure this goal will be achieved.

?Netanyahu is convinced that the US and Israel can work together to achieve this common goal,? he added.

Addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday, Obama made clear that Washington would not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran, which Israel has said would pose an existential threat to the Jewish state.

?Make no mistake. A nuclear-armed Iran is not a challenge that can be contained. It would threaten the elimination of Israel, the security of Gulf nations, and the stability of the global economy,? Obama said.

Israel, the Middle East?s sole, if undeclared, nuclear power, has expressed public skepticism that the current international approach of tough sanctions is enough to halt Iran?s nuclear program.

Meanwhile, Abbas, a year after making an historic appeal for UN recognition of Palestinian statehood in the absence of peace talks that last collapsed in 2010, is expected to return to the assembly with a more modest goal.

Abbas wants to see Palestine recognized as a non-state member with pre-1967 borders encompassing the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.

?We want Palestine back on the map, on the 1967 lines, with east Jerusalem as its capital, carried by 150 to 170 nations,? Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told journalists last week.

The Palestinians see this as the basis for border negotiations with Israel on a permanent solution to their conflict, but Israel and the United States oppose any recognition before the terms of a final deal are agreed.

The Palestinian leadership was formerly opposed to non-state membership, seeing this as a distraction and possible dead end, but their political clout has diminished in the year since their initial bid.

Enhanced observer status would at least give them access to more agencies, such as the World Health Organization or International Criminal Court.

If it were to come to a vote, the Palestinians would probably win a majority of UN members, but they have reportedly promised Washington not to push the issue too hard until after the November 6 US presidential election.

The UN General Assembly was also hearing from Myanmar leader Thein Sein, who has presided over historic reforms after decades of military rule, leading to rapidly thawing relations with the West.

Source: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2012/09/58384/israeli-pm-to-set-red-line-on-iran-at-un-2/

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Parents Have Big Impact In Reducing Weight - Personal Liberty Digest

SAN DIEGO (UPI) ? Parents can make a big difference by helping to instill healthy behaviors in their children, a U.S. health and wellness company says.

Dr. Mary Jane Osmick, vice president and medical director of health services for American Specialty Health ? which provides fitness and exercise programs for health plans, insurance carriers and employer groups ? said obesity now affects 17 percent of all U.S. children and adolescents ? triple the rate from just one generation ago.

?Parents can make a big difference by helping to instill healthy behaviors in their children,? Osmick said in a statement. ?For example, I recently witnessed the ?power of parental influence? on children?s eating habits. While standing in line at a salad bar, I overheard a father planning the meal with his three children. ?OK,? he said, ?Remember how we talked about getting lots of colors on our plates ? green, yellow and red? Now, how are you going to make that happen?? First, he chose a place where healthier eating was possible, and then, he guided his children to make healthy food choices.?

Many of the risk factors that affect childhood obesity can be addressed when parents are thoughtful and take action, Osmick said.

?Parents can influence their children in factors such as healthy food choices, minimizing fast-food, increasing exercise and reducing sedentary activities, such as watching TV or playing video games.?

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Source: http://personalliberty.com/2012/09/26/parents-have-big-impact-in-reducing-weight/

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How to get the same tax breaks that Romney did

By Linda Stern,Reuters

WASHINGTON -- Much was made of multimillionaire candidate Mitt Romney's tax status when he released his 2011 tax return on September 21. It showed an effective tax rate of 14.1 percent; many middle-income working Americans and the average wealthy person pay at higher rates than that.?

To be sure, tax experts didn't find anything illegal or underhanded about Romney's return. In fact, he and his wife, Ann, could have had an even lower tax rate had they not left money on the table, declining to take his full deduction for charitable gifts.

But there's no need to get mad when you can get even: Middle-income taxpayers can use a lot of the same write-offs that Romney used, and they don't have to go to Switzerland or the Cayman Islands to do it.

Here are some ways that the uber-rich cut their taxes that you can use, too.

Invest in stocks directly
Middle-income people tend to make most of their investments via mutual funds and 401(k) plans. Those retirement funds do give you an immediate write-off of your contribution, but here's what else they do: They turn capital gains, taxed at a maximum rate of 15 percent, into ordinary income, taxed at a maximum rate of 35 percent.

And mutual funds that own portfolios full of stocks are required to distribute their taxable gains annually. Average investors who own mutual funds (outside of tax-deferred retirement funds) therefore have to pay taxes on those gains every year, whether they sell shares and withdraw money or not.

Here's the way rich folk do it: They buy shares of solid dividend-paying companies directly. They take the dividend income, also typically taxed at a 15 percent maximum. They let the stocks roll. When a share price falls, they sell the stock at a loss, and use the loss to offset other gains. When they eventually sell stocks that have long-term gains, they only pay 15 percent tax on the gain.

Work for yourself
Romney made his fortune and avoided big taxes by founding his own investment company, Bain Capital. But even small kitchen-table businesses confer tax breaks on their owners. If you turn your hobby into a business, work as a consultant, or provide services like childcare, lawn mowing or driving, you can cash in on some of them. Self-employed people can buy all of their equipment, supplies and services and deduct the costs; they can travel to conferences and clients and write off their trips. They can deduct the cost of their health insurance and the costs of acquiring and maintaining a home office.

More importantly, they can set aside more money on a tax-deferred basis than the typical employee. Using defined benefit retirement plans and simplified employee pensions, people who own companies can set aside substantial amounts of money for their retirement. When they leave (or simply close) their companies, they can roll that money over into tax-deferred individual retirement accounts.

Be charitable
As Mormons who tithe and go beyond that with big gifts to numerous nonprofits, the Romneys have substantial charitable donations that are tax deductible. They didn't even take full advantage of that write-off on their 2011 tax return; perhaps to avoid having to show a return with an effective tax rate near 10 percent, according to some reports.

But the charitable deduction is a valuable one for less well-heeled taxpayers, too. People can donate money to groups that advance their own policy stances, such as Planned Parenthood or Project Ultrasound. They can donate to their own religious organizations, or their children's private schools and camps, or their local library and symphony orchestra. And so, they can reap benefits from those donations, and still deduct them from their taxable income.

In addition, individuals can reap surprisingly substantial deductions by donating their old clothing, housewares, electronics and vehicles to charitable organizations.

And those stocks that have accumulated big gains? If you give a charity an appreciated stock, you can deduct the whole gift and you don't have to pay money on the gain. So, shares worth $1,000 that you paid $500 for can be deducted at $1,000 when you give them away to a legitimate nonprofit.

Help the kids
The super wealthy are widely known to use trusts and other estate-planning vehicles to transfer money to their children and grandchildren in ways that avoid taxation. But less wealthy folks can do that too. Children are allowed to receive up to $1,900 in investment income before it is taxed at their parents rate. If your children are older than 19 (or over 24 if they are full-time students) and earn $35,350 or less, their tax rate on capital gains is zero. You can give them those same appreciated stocks and they will owe no taxes on the gain.

If you decide to do that, do it this year; the zero percent capital gains tax rate expires at the end of 2012, and it's renewal is far from certain.

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Source: http://bottomline.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/26/14114172-how-to-get-the-same-tax-breaks-that-romney-did?lite

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U.N. nuclear chief Amano to stand for another term

VIENNA (Reuters) - United Nations nuclear agency chief Yukiya Amano, a key figure in international diplomacy over Iran's disputed nuclear activity, will seek a new four-year term next year, the Vienna-based organization said on Wednesday.

Western diplomats say they expect Amano, who has taken a tougher approach on the Iran nuclear file than his predecessor Mohamed ElBaradei, to be reappointed without problems, in contrast to his close election victory in 2009.

"I don't expect anyone will challenge him," one European diplomat said, adding that Amano has been "very firm" on Iran.

The 35-nation governing board of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which will decide on the issue by June next year, on Monday set a December 31 deadline for the nomination of candidates. So far, Amano is the only confirmed candidate.

"The DG (Director General Amano) has announced that he is available for another term," the IAEA's press office said in an e-mail on Wednesday.

Under Amano, the IAEA was criticized last year for a perceived slow initial response to Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster and the agency's ties with Tehran have become increasingly strained.

However, Western diplomats are generally happy with the way Amano has stepped up pressure on Iran to make it stop stonewalling an agency investigation into suspected atom bomb research, even if that push has yet to bear fruit. Iran denies Western allegations that it is seeking to develop nuclear weapons capability.

In 2009, supported largely by industrialized nations, Amano defeated South Africa's Abdul Samad Minty in a sixth round of balloting after five inconclusive votes.

(Reporting by Fredrik Dahl; Editing by David Goodman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/u-n-nuclear-chief-amano-stand-another-term-120306330.html

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Can You Achieve Weight Loss From Kettlebell Workouts?

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Source: http://jaucoandassociates.com/7463/can-you-achieve-weight-loss-from-kettlebell-workouts/

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Triple Crown doesn't equal MVP

Brian Kenny (or his headline writer) says it, and he?s absolutely right. ?Not absolute nonsense, of course ? it?s really cool and rare to win the Triple Crown and if Miguel Cabrera does it he deserves tons of huzzahs and kudos ? but nonsense in terms of naming an MVP:

I like the Triple Crown. Really, I love its place in baseball history and how it?s one of the exclusive clubs of the immortals. I also like giving the Most Valuable Player Award to the best player in the league. Miguel Cabrera of the Tigers ? Triple Crown or not ? is just not that guy ??if Miguel Cabrera wins the Triple Crown this year, he deserves to be put alongside Carl Yastrzemski, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig. It just doesn?t mean, on its own, that he was the best player in the American League. He?s not. Mike Trout is.

It has been established wisdom in baseball for the better part of a decade ? and much longer in some circles ? that RBI is an extremely poor measure of an individual player?s worth, that batting average is far less important than many other metrics and that, while chicks dig the long ball, there is much more to baseball than power at the plate.?In light of that, how can one say that the leader in those three categories is automatically the most valuable player in the game?

Granted, in most years that player probably is the best. But not when there?s another guy whose overall offense is almost as good, and who then laps the Triple Crown leader in every other aspect of the game. Aspects of the game which the very same people who get all mad at ?sabermetrics? have argued for years that the sabermetricians were ignoring.

If you reject the notion that RBI and batting average tell you the most about a player?s overall value, you cannot slavishly look to the triple crown categories as the authority on who is the most valuable. To do so makes no sense at all.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/09/24/the-triple-crown-is-nonsense/related/

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Writing for the World SF Blog, by fiction editor Sarah Newton ? The ...

Back in March this year I had the great opportunity to take over from Debbie Moorhouse as fiction editor here at the World SF Blog. In the previous months, Debbie had blazed a trail, publishing short fiction works by authors from all over the globe, and naturally I jumped at the chance to help build this increasingly diverse and stimulating resource for speculative fiction fans everywhere.

The past six months have been filled with inspiring submissions exploring the nature of speculative fiction. In my university days I studied Russian and German literature, and have always loved classics from all around the world; but, like many English language readers, my exposure to non-English language speculative fiction?apart from the obvious canon titles?was always lacking. That?s a crazy situation in our increasingly global society, and one I knew needed remedying. That?s why it?s been a delight every week to read the subs to the World SF Blog, excited that my mind is going to be stretched and reshaped in new and unexpected ways.

For me, that?s what the World SF Blog is about. As writers and readers, we love to be exposed to the wildest flights of fancy about what our world is and could be. Here at the blog, anyone writing in English, regardless of whether it?s their first language and whatever their culture of origin, participates in a polyphony. We publish works by writers of all countries, making the site a constant dialectic, discussing and redefining speculative fiction, exposing, explaining, and working magic with cultural backgrounds, archetypes, perspectives.

That?s an editorial challenge. In a former life I was a translator and interpreter of Russian and Japanese, and I?ve a passion for languages. I?m no stranger to the issues of writing in a language that?s not your first language, or of translating your own language into another. When I edit a native English speaker, I view their writing from the perspective of a native speaker. With a non-English speaker, I find their writing sings with cadences, idioms, and structures of another culture, which it would be a crime to try and shoehorn into a rigorous, native English form. Over the past six months I?ve worked with writers to polish pieces, gently nudge turns of phrase, spellings, and word choices, so that they don?t appear jarring or obscure to the reader?s ear, while at the same time preserving the music and internal harmony of the writer?s own language and culture. Lyricism is an integral part of speculative fiction, and it?s essential to help it express itself fully.

Like the past, the future is a foreign country. But its foreignness is the stuff of our dreams and hopes, and sometimes our nightmares and fears. Whether speculative fiction talks about utopias or dystopias, personal experience or cosmic ideas, it offers suggestions for what our world could or should be. Its role as a forum for debating our future is amazingly powerful. Where are we heading? What kind of world do we want to live in? What decisions should our society be making to secure tomorrow?

In my novel Mindjammer I write about a ?Mindscape??a vast, interstellar repository of human memories and knowledge, to which every person is connected. That?s not just a metaphor: the Mindscape is out there, now, and we all access it every day. Over the past two decades it has mutated from an artefact of top-down cultural patronage into a decentralized, anarchic mass mind. The conscience of the human race is now online, and we as its readers and writers are helping to define it. We can allow cacophony and conflict to proliferate, or synthesis, debate, and exchange.

Blogs like the World SF Blog are the arenas for our many voices, visions, and questions. That?s why I hope you?ll continue to send us your flights of fancy and hard-written dreams. And let us know what you think of the stories, too?I?d love to see readers and writers increasingly use the World SF Blog to discuss the engaging ideas expressed here.

So?what sort of submissions are we looking for? Well, I think it?s important to stress that the ?SF? in ?World SF? refers to speculative fiction of all kinds, and not just science-fiction. In the past six months I?ve seen tales of psychological horror, magical realism, lyrical post-apocalyptic myth, zombies, werewolves, space colonies, archaeology, mystery, and metaphysics cross my desk?all of which are perfect. I haven?t seen much fiction set in more traditional fantasy environments; but, whatever you submit, the ?speculative? should be uppermost?tales of the weird, the fantastic, of ?what if? and wonder.

Readers?let us know what you like, what you?d like to see more of, or just ideas you have for the blog. Writers?if you?re out there with a beautiful idea or a story to tell, then send it through. It doesn?t matter which country you?re from?we publish works from the ?main? English-speaking countries just as much as we do from those for whom English isn?t a first language. Email us, then sit back and wait a few months for us to reply. We?re blessed with a great number of high quality submissions, and it can take us time to get back to you, but rest assured we?re passionate about speculative fiction, and will give your stories every attention they deserve.

Thanks for making my first six months so stimulating and inspiring. Long may it continue!

Sarah Newton
Fiction Editor, World SF Blog

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September 24, 2012 - Posted by sarahnewtonwriter | September 2012, Uncategorized | original content, sarah newton, united kingdom

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Source: http://worldsf.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/writing-for-the-world-sf-blog-by-fiction-editor-sarah-newton/

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Personal Property Taxes Due by October 5 - Coles District

September 25, 2012

The Prince William County Department of Finance?reminds residents that personal property taxes are due on or before Friday, October 5, 2012.

There are several convenient ways to pay your bill. If you choose to pay by check, mail payments in the remittance envelope included with your tax bill. Make checks payable to ?Prince William County.? Payments by mail must be postmarked no later than October 5, 2012, to avoid a late payment penalty and interest charges.

?You can also pay taxes online using eCheck. The eCheck system is Prince William County?s automated payment system that allows you to pay real estate taxes, personal property taxes, and other taxes over the Internet. This option saves you the time it takes to write and mail a check and the cost of postage. It also eliminates worry about mail delays. To access the eCheck system, visit http://www.pwcgov.org/tax.

In addition, taxes can be paid using your Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express credit card. This service is available via phone at 1-888-2PAY-TAX or online at http://www.officialpayments.com. Please note that there is an additional service fee added to your charge for use of this service. Information on how to pay by credit card and instructions for using this service can be found on the reverse side of your tax bill.

Taxes can also be paid in person at the County?s Tax Administration Offices at the James J. McCoart Administration Building, Dr. A.J. Ferlazzo Building and the Sudley North Government Center. Those offices are open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The in person payment locations and the phone center will remain open until 6:30 p.m. on October 3, 4, and 5, 2012.

Residents who have not received a tax bill, or who have questions about their bill should contact the County Tax Administration Office at 703-792-6710 (Metro 703-631-1703, ext. 6710) or e-mail Taxpayer_Services@pwcgov.org.

Source: http://www.colesdistrict.org/personal-property-taxes-due-by-october-5/

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Chicago Symphony musicians strike over wages, healthcare share

(Reuters) - Musicians at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra went on strike after failing to reach an agreement on wages and healthcare benefits, prompting the cancellation of a Saturday night concert, the association that runs the orchestra said.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association said in a statement that the union representing the 109-member orchestra had rejected a three-year contract that would have raised the weekly $2,785 base salary to $2,795 in the first year, $2,835 the second year and $2,910 the third year.

The association also proposed raising musicians' contributions to their healthcare costs to 12 percent from 5 percent under the last contract. Musician negotiators said that would have more than wiped out the proposed wage increase, cutting compensation overall.

Deborah Rutter, president of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, said it was committed to reaching a fair agreement with the musicians but must manage its finances carefully to avoid the large deficits and bankruptcies faced by other U.S. orchestras in recent years.

"The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is extremely disappointed that the musicians have decided to strike," Rutter said in a statement. "Looking around the country, it's clear that the more prudent path would be to work with us to ensure their future, rather than engage in this action."

Bassist Stephen Lester, chairman of the Orchestra Members Committee that is negotiating for the musicians, denied that the musicians had walked out on the bargaining.

"We remain anxious to conclude an agreement with the association, and we regret very much that this has affected concerts for the public and for our music director, Maestro (Riccardo) Muti, and we hope that the situation can be resolved soon," the Chicago Tribune quoted him as saying.

The orchestra's contract expired on September 16, but concerts took place as scheduled on Thursday and Friday. The symphony association said only the Saturday night concert had been canceled, for now. The next scheduled performance is Wednesday night.

(Reporting by Jane Sutton; editing by Philip Barbara)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/chicago-symphony-musicians-strike-over-wages-healthcare-share-155051116.html

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Community briefs

culpeper

LIBRARY SELLING PANSIES, MUMS

The Friends of Culpeper Library will hold the third annual mum and pansy sale at the library on Saturday, 9 a.m.-noon.

Windmill Heights Garden Center will provide locally grown plants. The offerings extend beyond pansies and mums to include ornamental kale and cabbage, snapdragon, bulbs and assorted other plants.

animals

Spay-neuter clinic delayed

The scheduled open house for St. Seton's Orphaned Animals' Thomas Beath Clinic in Stafford County, originally scheduled for Sept. 29, has been postponed because of construction.

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2. Please avoid offensive, vulgar, abusive, hateful or defamatory language.
3. Read and follow THE RULES.
4. We will block violaters and ban repeat offenders.

Source: http://fredericksburg.com//News/FLS/2012/092012/09232012/726489?rss=local

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Obama Medicare plan: No voucher but maybe a bill

WASHINGTON (AP) ? He'll never turn Medicare into a voucher, but if you are lucky enough to be financially comfortable in retirement, odds are you'll pay higher premiums under President Barack Obama's plan. It's not just the 1 percent who'll feel the pinch.

And take note, baby boomers: The Medicare you get won't be quite as generous as what your parents' generation enjoys. A higher deductible here, a new co-payment there, and the tweaks add up.

With the future of Medicare on the line in the presidential election, The Associated Press asked the Obama campaign five questions about how his plans for seniors' health care would affect critical issues of costs and benefits. (The AP also sent Republican Mitt Romney a set of questions, and the responses are the subject of a companion report.)

Unlike Romney, Obama is not calling for a major Medicare remake. Most of the president's cost-cutting ideas are incorporated in his health care law, and will phase in unless Romney wins and makes good on his pledge to repeal it. Other Obama proposals are drawn from government advisory groups or bipartisan commissions seeking consensus on how to reduce deficits.

It doesn't mean they're pain-free. AARP gave a thumbs-down to this year's Obama budget, citing Medicare cost shifts.

If Obama is re-elected and plunges into deficit negotiations with congressional Republicans, he will be pushed for greater Medicare savings, by cutting payments to service providers or squeezing more from recipients.

"Neither one of (the candidates) is going to basically lay his cards on the table before the election," said former AARP CEO Bill Novelli, now at Georgetown University in Washington. "Obama is going to have to raise the price of benefits, whether by hundreds or thousands, I don't know. Where else is the money going to come from, besides printing it?"

Some Medicare questions for consumers to watch, along with answers from the Obama campaign and the views of several experts:

Q: What new costs can seniors expect under Obama's plan for Medicare?

A: You may need a CPA degree to understand the complicated details of changes proposed by the president.

Broadly speaking, Obama would raise monthly premiums for retirees making $85,000 or more ($170,000 for married couples). He also would hit newly joining baby boomers with a series of fees.

Currently only about 5 percent of beneficiaries pay higher, income-based monthly premiums for outpatient coverage under Medicare Part B and even fewer pay higher premiums for prescription drug coverage.

Under Obama's proposal, a growing share of seniors would pay the higher premiums over time. He'd also bump up the premiums paid by higher-income beneficiaries by 15 percent.

After about 20 years, the top 25 percent of Medicare recipients would be paying higher, income-based premiums.

An analysis by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation estimates that in 2017, a single retiree with income of $86,000 would pay $447 more in premiums for Medicare's outpatient and prescription drug coverage. A married couple with income of $175,000 would pay about $894 more in that year.

As for the fees on newly joining baby boomers, they'd face a $25 increase in their annual outpatient deductible (initially for a few years only), some limits on the use of 'Medigap' insurance to fill in gaps left by Medicare, and a new home health co-payment in certain cases.

Think of these proposals as the president's opening bid in budget talks.

Q: Hasn't Obama also hinted he might be willing to increase the eligibility age for Medicare?

A: In budget negotiations with Republicans last year, Obama indicated a willingness to consider gradually raising the eligibility age to 67, from 65 now. Romney supports the idea. But the president has since walked it back.

"President Obama has always been willing to make hard choices to confront big challenges, and sometimes that means listening to other ideas," said campaign spokesman Adam Fetcher. "But (Obama) believes we can strengthen the future of Medicare without raising the eligibility age."

Translation: The idea is not quite off the table, and Obama, if re-elected, will again face the choice in budget negotiations.

"I think it will continue to be analyzed," said Don Berwick, Obama's first Medicare chief. Berwick believes there is a downside to postponing Medicare eligibility, because a sizable number of future retirees would join the program in weaker health.

"As an administration official, I was not impressed that it would save money for the (Medicare) trust fund," said Berwick. "But I would say it will continue to be studied."

Q: Medicare's in-house economic analysts have warned that cuts in Obama's health care law could eventually drive some hospitals into the red. The health care industry is pushing for repeal of a Medicare cost-control board in the law, saying more cuts will reduce access for seniors. What will Obama do if seniors start having problems getting the care they need?

A: The administration says that's unlikely to happen. Cuts are being introduced gradually, and dozens of pilot programs are testing ways to provide better care for less money. Health care costs are in a lull, buying time to make changes. Studies indicate there is plenty of waste to be cut.

"The president will continue to make sure that seniors have access to the benefits they have earned," Fetcher.

But if Obama's advisers are wrong and the system starts to seize up, most experts believe Congress would intervene. "Congress is always going to step in if there is a real perception that quality and access for Medicare beneficiaries would suffer broadly," said Mark McClellan, who ran Medicare for President George W. Bush.

Q: Obama's health care law already increases the Medicare payroll tax for individuals making over $200,000. What's to rule out a broader tax increase?

A: McClellan says that's always a risk, particularly because Obama's health care law funnels the higher Medicare payroll tax into providing coverage for working-age uninsured people.

"Because those revenues are dedicated to the coverage expansion, everything else being equal, the government is going to need more revenue to cover the cost of the (Medicare) program," he said. "If that money had been used for deficit reduction, or to increase the life of the trust fund, the government would have more existing resources."

The White House says there are no plans to propose higher Medicare taxes.

Q: The administration pulled the plug on a new long-term care insurance program because of financing problems. How does Obama plan to address this unmet national need in his second term?

A: The campaign says Obama is willing to work with anyone who has good ideas about long-term care, and that Medicaid and Medicare will continue working to help seniors who want to stay in their own homes, instead of going into nursing facilities.

But Novelli said paying for long-term care remains a huge problem for middle-class elders and their families.

Obama "may have to punt, they may not want to go there," said Novelli. "But, yes, as a society we've got to go there."

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-medicare-plan-no-voucher-maybe-bill-122340156--finance.html

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Top 10 Secret Features of iOS 6 [Lifehacker Top 10]

Apple released iOS 6 this week, bringing a handful of new features to iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches. While they defined many of the flagship features, several were left unsaid. These are our 10 favorite secret features in iOS 6.

10. Pull to Refresh

Pull to refresh is one of the greatest gestures that Apple took next to forever to adopt. iOS 6 finally allows you to pull down to refresh your mail accounts and various other data sources. Ignore the reload button and start swiping down.

9. Tons of New Emoji

Some people love their emoji?the cute icons you can add to messages, emails, or really anywhere that accepts text in iOS. Apple just added a ton of new options. If you have your emoji keyboard enabled already, you don't have to do anything. If not, you can enable it in the Settings app by going to General -> Keyboard -> Keyboards -> Add New Keyboard. That will bring up a list. Choose Emoji and you're all set.

8. Limit Ad Tracking

Everyone's trying to track you on the web, and your phone is no different. If you'd rather advertisers not track your activity and serve up targeted ads, iOS 6 lets you turn off tracking with a simple switch. Just head to Settings > General > About > Advertising and flip the switch to On. It may take a little while for you to stop seeing targeted ads, but soon enough your activity should be much more private.

7. Wake Up to a Song

Apple update the Clock app?which I still hold to be my favorite native app?to give the alarm functionality a boost. No longer do you have to wake up to one of your ringtones. Instead, you can pick any song in your library. You could even make a recording of yourself telling you to wake the hell up, sync it to your iDevice, and open your eyes to a sunny day and your own, obnoxious voice. Or you could just pick a song that you like. Regardless, you now have a choice. That's very much appreciated.

6. Late Night Listening

Although not available on all devices, newer iPhones and iPads have a new EQ setting: Late Night. This option lowers bass levels and attempts to make your music less-intrusive in the evening so you can listen and fall asleep easily without being distracted by anything too jarring. Why Apple didn't include this option on earlier devices is beyond us, but iOS 6 has shown how much they like to unnecessarily limit their software to keep you from getting off the upgrade treadmill.

5. Only Receive Message Alerts from Your Contacts

Don't care if you get an iMessage from an unknown source? You don't have to. If you head into the Settings app, then Notifications, then Messages, you can set your alerts to only show up for your contacts. If you don't want to be bothered by people who aren't worth sticking in your contacts?like spam message bots, for example?iOS 6 lets you ignore them.

4. Sync Your Text Expansion Shortcuts Across Devices

Apple added text expansion to iOS 5, and it was awesome, letting you type in long usernames, addresses, and other text with just a few strokes on your keyboard. We showed you some essential shortcuts to set up, and now iOS 6 has made the feature even better, letting you sync it between your other iOS devices (like an iPod touch and an iPad)?along with your custom keyboard dictionary. To do so, you'll need an iCloud account. Then, just head to Settings > iCloud, and scroll down to Documents & Data. Tap it, flip the switch to On, and do the same on your other iOS 6 devices. Your custom dictionary and shortcuts should stay in sync between all your devices.

3. Launch Apps with Siri

Apple told us Siri got smarter in iOS 6, but they neglected to mention that she'd launch apps for you. All you have to do is activate Siri and then say the word "launch" plus the name of the app you want to open. While this may seem a little lazy, it's really useful if you have a bunch of apps and don't necessarily remember where they all are. You no longer need to search?Siri can do the work for you.

2. Archive or Delete Messages in Mail

A common Mail complaint among Gmail users has long been the need to choose between archiving and deleting a message. iOS just never provided a way to choose on the fly. Now you can. To do this, open a message, tap and hold the Archive button, and make your choice. The unfortunate reality is that you have to actually open the message to do this. You can't tap and hold the Archive button in list view to get these options. That said, it's a welcome improvement. We still prefer Sparrow, though.

1. Walking Directions in Maps

People are not happy with the new Maps app in iOS 6. It's full of problems. One of the major complaints is that it only provides driving directions, leaving walkers, bikers, and public transit users behind. The good news is that Apple didn't leave out these features entirely. In fact, walking directions are still available. To find them, just tap the bent arrow "directions" button in Maps and you'll see your recent destinations. From there, you can toggle between driving, walking, and public transit. Walking directions will work without issue. Public transit, on the other hand, will try to route you to another app (and fail, for now). Hopefully we'll see Apple improve Maps quickly and bring back these important, lost features. In the meantime, if this secret feature isn't enough to satisfy you then check out Lumatic. It might do the trick.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/KJ4jODXkAIE/top-10-secret-features-of-ios-6

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