Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/04/kardashians-in-greece-look-at-us/
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Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Backlog consequences: VA withholds bonuses
The VA is withholding bonuses from senior officials who oversee disability claims and will instead spend the money to reduce the backlog, officials announced Monday. In fiscal 2011, when $2.8 million in bonuses were awarded, the number of disability claims pending for longer than 125 days jumped from less than 200,000 to nearly 500,000.
President Barack Obama?s budget proposal will include an additional $2.5 billion to attack a growing backlog of veterans disability claims, a problem officials said is likely to worsen in coming months. White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, seen here on Face the Nation in February, told reporters Friday that more money for the VA in tight budgetary times reflects Obama's commitment to veterans.
Chris Usher / Courtesy of CBS News / Reuters / File
EnlargeThe Department of Veterans Affairs is withholding bonuses for senior officials who oversee disability claims, citing a failure to meet performance goals for reducing a sizable backlog in claims processing.
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The backlog has increased dramatically over the past three years, and the department has come under intense criticism from veterans groups and members of Congress who have asked President Barack Obama to try to speed the process.
VA spokesman Josh Taylor said Monday the savings would be used to help reduce the backlog. He didn't provide specifics, nor could he say how many people would be affected or how much the savings would be. The withholdings apply only to executives of the Veterans Benefits Administration, which is part of the VA.
"We remain confident that VBA senior executives are dedicated to our nation's veterans, and they will continue to lead our drive toward VA's goal: eliminating the claims backlog in 2015," Taylor said.
In all, records show the VA paid its senior executives a total of $2.8 million in bonuses in fiscal year 2011. Among the VBA bonuses, three staff members received the top payment of $23,091 each.
The amount of the bonuses was first reported by the Center for Investigative Reporting.
The number of disability claims pending for longer than 125 days jumped from less than 200,000 to nearly 500,000 in fiscal 2011.
"How does the department expect to turn things around when it is rewarding employees and managers for falling behind?" said Rep. Jeff Miller, the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
The VA and other federal departments routinely give bonuses to Senior Executive Service workers and other non-political employees. The Office of Personnel Management put new limits into place in June 2011. The VA's total spending for executives bonuses reflected those restrictions and dropped about 25 percent that year.
Miller said he was pleased the bonuses were halted.
"One can only wonder what effect this sort of policy may have had if VA had instituted it years ago," he said.
Political appointees such as Allison Hickey, who oversees the Veterans Benefits Administration, are not offered the bonuses.
Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/UaXNbxvTGZY/Backlog-consequences-VA-withholds-bonuses
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Yep, I Totally Agree (talking-points-memo)
Health Care: Center for Well Being, Petaluma district collaborate ...
Working with the Petaluma Healthcare District, which owns Petaluma Valley Hospital, the Center for Well Being will offer classes in diabetes self-management, chronic disease self-management, childhood obesity prevention and smoking cessation.
Funding for the expansion is provided by the Petaluma Healthcare District. The classes will be taught at Petaluma Valley Hospital, the Boys & Girls Club and the Petaluma Senior Center.
The nonprofit also said it has increased its diabetes services offered in Spanish, as well as developing a diabetes peer mentor group.
?It?s a more integrated approach to patient self-care working more closely with the patient centered medical home model,? Ms. Wall said.
***
Sausalito-based Sanovas Inc. announced the launch of MicroCam, its micro imaging platform for endoscopic device applications.
The technology features proprietary software, electronics, sensors and optics that Sanovas said can provide autonomous imaging capability to most any surgical instrument.
Sanovas will offer its imaging technology for integration with medical device makers? existing portfolios, which will allow for improved clinical capabilities in its products. The system was developed to evolve and, eventually displace large, cumbersome and expensive cart based systems with leaner, more efficient and cost effective designs.
?This is significant innovation that will fundamentally transform the paradigm of endoscopy,? Sanovas CEO Larry Gerrans said.
The MicroCam is an integrated imaging platform inspired to enable a new generation of ?plug and play? devices that eliminate the need for camera consoles, camera heads, camera couplers, light sources, fiber optic light cables, rod lens endoscopes and cart based systems.
***
Rick Jones of Jones Family Vineyard and the E. Richard Jones Family Foundation joined the board of directors at Clinic Ole in Napa.
Previously, Mr. Jones has held successful careers at McKinsey & Company and Safeway. In 1996, after retiring form Safeway, he founded Jones Family Vineyard, where he is now the chief executive officer.
Mr. Jones also serves on the boards of St. Helena Hospital, the Napa Valley Community Foundation, the Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Learns and Raising a Reade
***
St. Helena Hospital Napa Valley was recognized by Becker?s Hospital Review with the fifth-lowest rate of serious blood clots after surgery of over 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals in the U.S.
The blood clot rate is based on an Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality patient safety indicator ? postoperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis rate. The rate is the number of postoperative serious blood clots per 1,000 surgical discharges from July 2009 through June 2011, according to the hospital.
***
Ukiah Valley Medical Center?s Family Birth Center has received the IBCLC Care Award by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and the International Lactation Consultant Association.
It?s one of 20 health care organizations in California to receive the award, according to Ukiah Valley, an Adventist Health affiliate.
The IBCLC Care Award is a recognition given to hospitals and community based agencies that staff an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant as part of the care team serving new families. To be eligible, the facility must have a currently certified IBCLC on staff, a professional lactation support program available five-to-seven days a week, evidence of having completed a breastfeeding or lactation consultant promotion/support project, and breastfeeding training for staff within the last two years.
***
Santa Rosa-based REACH Air Medical Services announced it received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration to use its own GPS approaches and routes, directly to hospitals and landing sites in Western Oregon.
REACH ? short for Redwood Empire Air Care Helicopter ? said it was the first helicopter emergency management service program to commit assets serving the Oregon Coast and Willamette Valley. In 2000, REACH was the first air ambulance company in the U.S. to receive similar approval for routes in its Northern California response area.
REACH said it has invested more than $200,000 and over two years in the design and FAA approval process of unique GPS instrument routes and approaches, in order to improve its ability to serve customers during inclement weather.
REACH was acquired by Texas-based Air Medical Group Holdings in late 2012.
?
Submit items for this column to Staff Writer Dan Verel, 707-521-4257, dverel@busjrnl.com.
Source: http://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/72476/health-care-column-for-april-29-2013/
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Monday, April 29, 2013
Court may limit use of race in college admission decisions
By Joan Biskupic
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court set the terms for boosting college admissions of African Americans and other minorities, the court may be about to issue a ruling that could restrict universities' use of race in deciding who is awarded places.
The case before the justices was brought by Abigail Fisher, a white suburban Houston student who asserted she was wrongly rejected by the University of Texas at Austin while minority students with similar grades and test scores were admitted.
The ruling is the only one the court has yet to issue following oral arguments in cases heard in October and November, the opening months of the court's annual term which lasts until the early summer. A decision might come as early as Monday, before the start of a two-week recess.
As hard as it is to predict when a ruling will be announced, it is more difficult to say how it might change the law. Still, even a small move in the Texas case could mark the beginning of a new chapter limiting college administrators' discretion in using race in deciding on admissions.
For decades, dating back at least to the John F. Kennedy administration of the 1960s, U.S. leaders have struggled with what "affirmative action" should be taken to help blacks and other minorities. In the early years, it was seen as a way to remedy racial prejudice and discrimination; in the more modern era, as a way to bring diversity to campuses and workplaces.
Since 1978, the Supreme Court has been at the center of disputes over when universities may consider applicants' race. In that year's groundbreaking Bakke decision from a University of California medical school, the justices forbade quotas but said schools could weigh race with other factors.
In another seminal university case, the court in 2003 reaffirmed the use of race in admissions to create diversity in colleges. But with the current bench more conservative than the one in 2003, there is a strong chance a majority of the justices will undercut that decade-old ruling on a University of Michigan case.
Writing for the majority in that case, Grutter v. Bollinger, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor declared that "the path to leadership" should be "visibly open to talented and qualified individuals of every race and ethnicity." That meant public universities must be able to take special steps to enroll minorities, O'Connor wrote.
O'Connor retired in January 2006 and her successor as the regular swing vote on racial dilemmas has been Justice Anthony Kennedy, who dissented in the 2003 case and may well author the ruling to come in the latest case. The student in the case, Abigail Fisher, graduated from Louisiana State University last year.
"HURT," "INJURY"
Notably, during oral argument in the University of Texas case on October 10, Kennedy referred to the "hurt" and "injury" caused by screening applicants by race. However, Kennedy's comments during arguments suggested that he was not ready to vote to forbid all racial criteria in admissions.
In his dissenting opinion in the 2003 Michigan case, he wrote that the court has long accepted universities' stance that racial diversity enhances the educational experience for all students, while insisting such policies be narrowly drawn.
Kennedy's view of when exactly race can be considered and of the discretion of college administrators in the matter are likely to be crucial.
Marvin Krislov, now president of Oberlin College in Ohio and a past vice-president and general counsel of the University of Michigan, said on Friday that university administrators were concerned about how broadly it might sweep and whether it will ultimately reduce the number of minority students on campus.
"Colleges and universities care deeply about student body diversity," he said, adding of his colleagues in higher education: "We're all watching and waiting."
Once oral arguments are held, the court's deliberations on a case are shrouded in secrecy. The timing of a particular decision is not known in advance. And racial dilemmas have never been easy for the court, a point underscored by the current delay.
When the justices ruled in the 1978 case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, they issued six separate opinions. None drew a majority. Four justices would have upheld a program that set aside a certain number of slots for minority applicants; four justices would have struck it down. Justice Lewis Powell provided the essential fifth vote, allowing universities to consider race and ethnic origin but forbidding quotas or a reserved number of places. Powell planted the seed of the diversity justification that blossomed in O'Connor's opinion in 2003.
The Michigan case divided the bench 5-4, with O'Connor joining with the more liberal members of the bench to allow race as a consideration in admissions. In a 2007 dispute testing the use of race in student placements to ensure diversity in school districts, the court tipped the opposite way. Conservatives, including O'Connor's successor Samuel Alito, curtailed such public school integration plans.
Only eight of the nine justices will be deciding the Texas case. Justice Elena Kagan, a former U.S. solicitor general, has taken herself out of the dispute because of her prior involvement in the case. The government is siding with the University of Texas.
The challenged program supplements a Texas state policy guaranteeing admission to the university for high school graduates scoring in the top 10 percent at their individual schools. University of Texas administrators argue that the "Top 10" program does not make the university sufficiently diverse.
The Texas approach, with the dual programs, is distinct. The larger issue is how a decision would affect other universities.
"The court seems to have been leaning away from allowing affirmative action for some time," said University of Virginia law professor John Jeffries, a former law clerk and biographer of Justice Lewis Powell. "If they close the door that, potentially, is a very big deal."
(Editing by Howard Goller, Martin Howell; desking by Christopher Wilson)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/court-may-limit-race-college-admission-decisions-133238785.html
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Spurs finish off Lakers sweep, roll to 2nd round
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant watches his team play the San Antonio Spurs in the second half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. The Spurs won 103-82. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant watches his team play the San Antonio Spurs in the second half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. The Spurs won 103-82. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) pats guard Tony Parker (9), of France, on the head after he scored as Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard (12) faces away during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard, right, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan defends during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol, right, of Spain, shoots as San Antonio Spurs forward Matt Bonner defends during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
San Antonio Spurs guard Danny Green (4) grabs a rebound away from Los Angeles Lakers guard Darius Morris during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday, April 28, 2013, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
LOS ANGELES (AP) ? Tony Parker could only shake his head at the travails of the Los Angeles Lakers, who probably packed more drama and turmoil into this season than the Spurs point guard has experienced in his entire career with steady San Antonio.
Parker is just grateful the Spurs sidestepped the drama and kept moving steadily into the second round of the playoffs.
Parker scored 23 points, Kawhi Leonard and DeJuan Blair added 13 apiece, and San Antonio eliminated the injury-plagued Lakers with a 103-82 victory in Game 4 on Sunday night, completing a one-sided series with a second straight blowout on the road.
San Antonio trailed for fewer than five combined minutes in the four-game series, grinding out points and defensive stops with the steady professionalism of coach Gregg Popovich's best teams. The Lakers played the finale without Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Metta World Peace and two key reserves, tamping down most of the playoff vibe.
"It was just a weird feeling," Parker said. "Obviously, I am happy we won, but it was just weird. They were missing a lot of guys, so we're just happy to go to the next round."
Tim Duncan had 11 points and six rebounds for the second-seeded Spurs, who will face the winner of Denver's series with Golden State in the second round. They'll get plenty of rest after flattening the Lakers, who staggered through their first opening-round exit since 2007.
"Obviously, it wasn't a fair fight," Popovich said. "When you're a competitor, you want to compete on an even basis, and the Lakers weren't able to do that. ... Even though it wasn't a fair fight, we still want to win the series, and I'm glad we did. Our focus was great."
San Antonio never trailed in the clincher, leading by 25 points in one more businesslike effort against the seventh-seeded Lakers, who provided their usual drama right down to their last gasp.
After Duncan led the Spurs' blowout in Game 3, Parker took the lead in the clincher, scoring 15 points in the first half while exploiting the Lakers' hastily assembled backcourt. Los Angeles' top four guards are out with injuries, including backups Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks, and Parker was merciless against third-stringers.
"This is a good start for us," Duncan said. "We like the pace we're at right now. We like the rhythm we're at right now, and how healthy we are right now. Hopefully it can stay that way."
In his final game before unrestricted free agency, Dwight Howard scored seven points before getting ejected early in the third quarter for arguing. Pau Gasol had 16 points for the Lakers, who were swept from the postseason for the second time in three years despite a late courtside appearance by Bryant on crutches.
"It's like a nightmare," Howard said. "It's like a bad dream we couldn't wake up out of. That's what it felt like. It seemed like nothing could go right from the start."
There's almost no turbulence around the Spurs, who seamlessly replaced injured starting center Tiago Splitter in Game 4 with Australian rookie Aron Baynes, who had six points and played decent defense in his first NBA start.
The Lakers gave away thousands of white towels to their fans Sunday, and they acquired an unfortunate symbolism. They had just nine available players in uniform for the final minutes.
"I'm proud of them, because they fought," Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni said. "It was kind of a year that was all upside-down, but I appreciate the effort to get us into the playoffs. We just didn't have it."
After an unimpressive game featuring just two field goal attempts in 20 minutes, Howard was tossed with 9:51 left in the third quarter for his second technical foul. The All-Star center, furious with the Spurs' unpunished physical play, yelled a few parting words at the court after walking past general manager Mitch Kupchak in the tunnel to the locker room.
Afterward, Howard said he must "do a better job of keeping my cool."
"I hate it for him," D'Antoni said, lamenting the lack of fouls called against players guarding Howard. "He gets banged up so much in there that I'm sure he didn't mean to (get ejected), but he takes a pounding, and after a while, I guess his nerves were shot."
Moments later, Bryant got the solemn Staples Center crowd on its feet when he hobbled out of the tunnel to a seat behind the Lakers' bench, making his first appearance at courtside since tearing his Achilles tendon 16 days ago. Bryant, who might not be healthy by the start of next season, repeatedly yelled instructions and encouragement at the Lakers' young backcourt, Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris, and fill-in starter Earl Clark.
The Spurs had control of this series from the start: They posted two methodical victories at home before sending the Lakers to their biggest home playoff defeat in their long franchise history in Game 3, 120-89. The clincher was more of the same, with the Lakers unable to mount enough teamwork to challenge the smooth Spurs.
The Spurs have swept three of their last four playoff series, winning every game in the first two rounds last season before losing in six games to Oklahoma City in the Western Conference finals. San Antonio is in the second round of the postseason for the fourth time in six seasons since their last championship in 2007.
NOTES: Gasol got a standing ovation when he left the game with 3:08 to play. The two-time NBA champion has one year left on his contract with the Lakers, but could be a trade chip in the Lakers' rebuild. ... Splitter has a sprained ankle and is out indefinitely, although his teammates think he can return during the second round. F Boris Diaw practiced with contact this weekend in his comeback from a back injury. ... The Lakers faced an 0-3 series deficit for the eighth time in franchise history ? and for the eighth time, they were swept. ... Jack Nicholson and Lil Wayne watched at courtside, but both left early in the fourth quarter.
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Ten Tips for Making Your Vancouver Home Greener | Your ...
Greener by Anita Hart
Are you committed to sustainable living but unsure where to start? Here is a small guide for you with 10 tips for a healthier, more ecological, and happier home. And the best part? You don?t need to undertake any major remodelling or reconstruction. You just need to take tiny steps that will contribute to a better environment ? because being a good global citizen starts at our doorsteps.
1. Greener Appliances
Did you know that getting rid of the old refrigerator standing in your garage would save you $150 a year?
Electrical appliances such as a vacuum cleaner, food processor, refrigerator, or washing machine account for about 18 per cent of a typical home?s total energy bill, and the fridge is one of the biggest energy hogs because it?s switched on 365 days a year. You should change your appliances every 10 years at most and always look for the A++ or ?Energy Star? labelled models. These appliances use from 10 to 50 per cent less energy and water than standard models. According to the Energy Star site, if just one in ten homes used energy-efficient appliances, this would be equivalent to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees ? and that is a big change!
Now that you have a new, energy-efficient fridge, think a little about what you put inside. Living green and eating green should be everybody?s priority, so next time you go grocery shopping, pick apples that are not placed on a polystyrene tray and wrapped up in plastic so that you minimize waste. The best way to buy produce is to support your local community by buying food at farmers markets. You will get healthier groceries, support local farmers and producers (and the local economy), and save the planet from burning fossil fuels to get food to you from the other side of the planet.
2. Heating and Cooling
Did you know that almost half a home?s energy consumption is spent heating and cooling?
Shades by Daniel Hsia
Energy saving is the topic right now, but what more can we do except switching off the light and TV? Thermoregulation is the answer. If you?re planning to have a new house built, consult the building company about wall and roof insulation, as this is the best way to minimize energy waste. If you, on the other hand, live in a house that won?t be reconstructed any time soon, don?t worry. There is a way to lower your energy bill as well.
- Turn down the thermostat during winter and keep it higher in summer. Each degree below 20?C during cold weather and above 25?C during summer saves from 3 to 5 per cent of your heating energy. If you don?t own a programmable thermostat, it?s a good idea to invest in one, and it will do the work for you automatically.
- Clean the filter on your furnace at least once a month during the period of heavy use. The same rule as with electrical appliances applies here: if your furnace is older than 10 years, consider replacing it with a newer model. Today?s furnaces are about 25 per cent more efficient than they were in the 1990s. Once again, don?t forget to look for the A++ or ?Energy Star? label.
- Keeping your house cooler during summer months is easy and very cost-efficient with shades or blinds (hardwood or textile). This is a trick used in the Caribbean: you close them at around 10:00 A.M. and open them again at around 4:00 P.M. when the sun starts to set. You will be surprised how nice and cool your rooms will be, even without air conditioning.
- Replace your air conditioning with a ceiling fan. Moving air feels cooler, and perhaps with a fan running, you won?t even have to think about switching the air conditioning on.
3. Shut Off the Tap
Did you know that turning the water off when you brush your teeth will save 17 litres each time?
Tap by Rickard B
The ?save water, drink wine? rule won?t really work here ? sorry! Canadian households use excessive amounts of water every day, and most of the time it wouldn?t hurt us if we shut off the tap.
- Stop washing dishes under running water. Some people find it uncomfortable to shut off the water completely, soap the dishes, and then rinse them all at once. If this is your case, shut off the water as you go. You don?t need a waterfall in your sink.
- Install a low-flow toilet. They use only 7 litres per flush, compared to 15 litres per flush for pre-1994 models. If you have an older model, adjust your float valve to admit less water into the toilet?s tank.
- Behavioural changes are the cheapest and most effective techniques. Next time you decide to clean the driveway, use a broom instead of the garden hose. It can save you 364 litres of water!
4. Clean Green
Did you know that last year, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10 per cent of all toxic exposures?
No one knows how toxic household cleaners and detergents really are because manufacturers don?t need to list ingredients. What seems like a great stain remover may actually be disastrous for the environment. Every personal care or cleaning product we use is flushed down with our water, and many times nature can?t deal with the harsh chemicals that were used. Given our obsession with clean homes, the amount of hazardous chemicals entering the soil and water is alarming.
Household cleaners were produced during World War II for the first time as a soap substitute. How did people keep their homes clean before? Surprisingly easily. They used mixtures of hot water and soap, vinegar, or baking soda. Such cleaning products are nature-friendly, wallet-friendly, and definitely the enemy of all stains. Have a look here for homemade cleaning product recipes.
5. See the Light
Did you know that on average we have our lamps switched on for 2.7 hour per day and 1,000 hours per year?
Lamps by Chris Corwin
Replacing old light bulbs hurts those who love the warm, soft, bright light of old-fashioned bulbs. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs replace old incandescent bulbs in most cases. They use 66 per cent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb with a 32-watt fluorescent can save $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb. The only disadvantage is their design and their neon blue light that couldn?t be further from the soft yellow we?ve come to prefer.
However, there is a remedy for this problem as well. For those of you who still hesitate, try to replace a halogen light bulb with a new LED bulb and you?ll be surprised. Philips has made the most eco-friendly LED light bulb to date. The 3W Econic spotlight is a direct replacement for the ubiquitous 35W halogen bulb and claims to have the same light output. Try it and see for yourself that Philips wasn?t exaggerating. This is brighter than any other LED on market.
The most amazing thing about LED light bulbs is that they contain absolutely no hazardous materials, and that makes them safe for any room and convenient to recycle.
6. Tree-Free
Did you know that recycling a four-foot stack of newspapers saves the equivalent of one 12-metre fir tree?
Stack of newspapers by Cas
It?s surprising that our paper consumption is rising despite the fact that we use tablets instead of restaurant menus, read books on ereaders, and write emails instead of letters. Where is the all the paper going then? Packaging and junk mail. While the offices and corporations pay close attention to their paper usage levels and they use recycled paper for draft prints, high-quality paper is wasted elsewhere. If you receive tons of junk mail every week, try to unsubscribe. Maybe you even forgot that once, five years ago, you ticked a box and agreed to be mailed a new catalog or list of products and services every now and then. If you automatically move the envelope to the bin, unsubscribing will save you time and bin space ? and in the long run you can save some trees as well.
- When you?re buying a new box of paper, go for the unbleached variety. Many paper products, including some made from recycled fibres, are bleached with chlorine. The bleaching process can create harmful byproducts, including dioxins, which accumulate in our air, water, and soil over time.
- Set up a paper bin or paper box where you will store all read newspapers and magazine and other paper waste. This box can then be taken directly back into newsprint recycling.
7. No Unnecessary Plastics
Did you know that each year, we throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags ? from grocery and trash bags to those convenient sandwich bags?
Plastic bag by zeevveez
Plastics are made from petroleum, the processing and burning of which is considered one of the main contributors to global warming, according to the EPA. Moreover, not-recycled plastics kept in landfills contribute to the increase of greenhouse gases.
How can we lower our dependance on plastics? Using other materials or no material at all is the key. Plastics used for packaging are the most harmful ? not because they are made differently but because people seldom recycle them. Next time you walk your dog, try to count how many plastic packages there are on the street and let me know in the comments below. It would be interesting to know.
Buying groceries directly from producers can decrease the amount of packaging you use dramatically. So does carrying your purchases home in your own canvas tote that can be used over and over, and when you decide to retire the tote, nature will take it back with much more enthusiasm than any plastic bag.
8. Hardwood Flooring
Did you know that about 2.5 acres of bamboo sequesters 62 tonnes of CO2 per year, compared with the same area of a young forest, which holds on to 15 tonnes of CO2?
Harwood flooring by Mitch Barrie
Bamboo flooring is beautiful and can replace your hardwood flooring with charm. Maybe you have heard of it and maybe you haven?t, but bamboo is considered an environmentally friendly flooring material mainly due to its high yield and the relatively fast rate at which it replenishes itself.
- Bamboo is technically a grass, not a tree, and once the young bamboo is planted, it takes anywhere from four to ten years for the useable ?wood? to mature. After that, the plant can grow new shoots each year. And the shoots grow quickly ? as many as 30 centimetres per day. Impressive, don?t you think?
- Bamboo starts with rhizomes ? stems that grow underground and send shoots and leaves above ground. Therefore the plant can be harvested regularly without killing it. Trees, on the other hand, can be used only once, and it takes decades for a tree to mature.
- Thanks to the rapid growth rate of bamboo, it absorbs more carbon and produces more oxygen. It generates around 35 per cent more oxygen than the equivalent number of trees.
- Beyond these advantages, high-quality bamboo is stronger than regular hardwood floors, partly due to the fact that it?s a grass that bends in the wind. Because of its flexibility, high-quality bamboo is as durable as most types of hardwood.
Are you hooked on bamboo yet? If so, don?t forget to use formaldehyde-free glue to finish off your nature-friendly floor with style.
9. I Paint, You Paint, Healthy Paint
Did you know that conventional paints contain solvents, toxic metals, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause smog, ozone pollution, and indoor air quality problems with negative health effects?
The problems with most commonly available paints is their ingredient list. Besides VOCs, you can find fungicides and biocides as well. Toxic fungicides prevent mildew growth, and biocides acts as preservatives to extend shelf life. Toxic biocides can be detected in the air five years after the paint containing the chemicals is applied.
What should you look for when buying an indoor paint? Ideally you will want to use paint that meets all three health requirements: low VOCs (the Environmental Protection Agency?s minimum requirements are 250 grams per litre of VOCs in ?low-VOC? latex paints and no more than 380 grams per litre for ?low-VOC? oil-based paints), low fungicides and low biocides, and natural pigments.
Use pigments that come from a plant and are not made in a plant. Milk paint and natural paints are the most widely used interior paints. Natural paints derive from substances such as citrus and balsam, as well as minerals. Although these paints are made with natural materials and are petroleum-free, they often contain terpenes, which are VOCs derived from plants. However, they don?t usually contain fungicides and biocides. Milk paint, which is made with milk protein (called ?casein?) and lime is excellent for interiors and also gives wood a rich, deep colour.
10. Garden Green
Did you know that compost provides a full complement of soil organisms and the balance of nutrients needed to maintain soil?s well-being without the chemicals of synthetic fertilizers?
Perennial plants by InAweofGodsCreation
Have you decided to take up gardening? Great choice! Nothing beats the feeling of topping your yoghurt with fresh, home-grown strawberries. Gardening is not difficult when you choose the right combinations of plants and fertilizers.
- Try to use native plants as much as possible. Ask your neighbour for sprouts of plants that are obviously growing happily and without problems. Local plants have adapted over time to the environment and support native animals. They also use less water and require less of your attention.
- Make perennial plants at least 70 per cent of your home garden. Perennials live more than one year, and that means you don?t have to pay for new plants every spring. It also saves the resources required for growing annuals.
- Don?t use chemical pesticides, and set up a compost at the furthest corner of your garden. You can then proudly call your fruit and veggies organic.
While there are many other tips to help you save energy and be more nature-friendly, our list of the top 10 should be viewed as a solid starting point. If you?re hungry for one last eco tip, here it is: dig up the old-fashioned push mover from the back of your garage and start using. The only energy it uses is your own.
If you have a great energy-saving idea, please share it with us in a comment below!
Source: http://yourvancouverrealestate.ca/vancouver-life/2013/04/make-your-home-green/
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After being hacked on Friday, LivingSocial...
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Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/VtBIECjg97U/
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Prison Planet.com ? CPS Takes Child After Parents Question ...
Anthony Gucciardi
Prison Planet.com
April 28, 2013
In California, seeking a second opinion for your child might just end up in a CPS home invasion. As one couple experienced after attempting to bring their child to another medical doctor for a second opinion following failed and improper treatment of a potentially serious condition,?all it takes is one angry healthcare provider in order to lose your child to a CPS home raid.
It all started when Anna Nikolayev and her husband Alex?took a trip to?Sutter Memorial Hospital over some flu-like symptoms that their 5-month-old son was experiencing. Intended to be a visit centered around ensuring the health of their child, who?Anna says is the most important thing to her, they were met with resistance when questioning the treatment their young son was receiving. In fact, simply asking why their son was being given antibiotics, which absolutely destroys the small?amounts of beneficial gut bacteria in children, was unacceptable.
Child Dosed Up With Antibiotics for ?Flu-Like? Symptoms
Anna recounts asking a nurse why exactly the antibiotics were being given to the 5-month-old, considering that antibiotics do nothing to combat the flu (as it is viral, not bacterial). In response to the reasonable question as to why the child was on routine antibiotics, the nurse at the hospital explained she did not ?know? why antibiotics were prescribed. Later on, Anna says that a doctor confirmed that the child absolutely should not have been on antibiotics.
So what did Anna do? What any reasonable person who cares about their child would do, get the heck out of the hospital prescribing 5-month-old children antibiotics for flu-like symptoms. Before this, the Sutter Hospital doctors actually went a step further. Beyond the antibiotic dosing, they actually admitted the couple?s son Sammy into the ICU and started discussing the possibility of heart surgery. Sammy has been receiving treatment for a?heart murmur since birth.
To Anna, this was yet another step that was not explained and not making much sense. As a result, she pulled Sammy from the hospital and headed over to find a doctor at?Kaiser Permanente who could offer a second opinion.
No Second Opinion For You
Ultimately, this turned out to be a move that would end with Sammy being taken away from the couple for what may be an extremely long time. And although their case will likely be shared thousands of times and potentially lead to the CPS being under such a great degree of public fire that they are forced to return Sammy to his parents, ?we need to understand that?not everyone will receive the same attention.
Instead, it must be seriously understood that the CPS went and took this child even after the medical doctor at?Kaiser Permanente had stated: ?I do?not have concern for the safety of the child at home with his parents.?
Even police, after seeing that the child was safe, allowed the child to stay in the home ? but that was before CPS came. So why would CPS take a child from a home where his safety is not in danger? As you hear in the video, CPS acts on orders from healthcare providers.
Providers like those from?Sutter Memorial Hospital, who were improperly drugging up the child with antibiotics for no reason (at least not one they could provide) and discussing serious heart surgery. And despite what appears to be their utter malpractice, their rage that the parents left the hospital for a second opinion (and loss of serious profits) may have led to a CPS raid that you can see take place in the video above.
As Alex, the 5-month-old?s father,?recounts:
?I was pushed against the building, smacked down. I said, ?am I being placed under arrest?? He smacked me down onto the ground, yelled out, ?I think I got the keys to the house??It seems like parents have no right whatsoever.?
And he?s right, parents are increasingly losing their rights to treat their own child or even receive a second opinion from another medical doctor.
This post originally appeared at Natural Society
This article was posted: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 5:12 am
Source: http://www.prisonplanet.com/cps-takes-child-after-parents-question-doctors-seek-second-opinion.html
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Adhaalath Party accuses Nasheed of misleading ... - Minivan News
Additional reporting by Ahmed Nazeer
The Adhaalath Party has issued a statement condemning former President Mohamed Nasheed?s comments on Islamic radicalism during an address in Denmark.
During his address, Nasheed stated the Maldivian population had largely rejected Islamic extremism, and, in a veiled reference to the Adhaalath Party, noted that ?the Islamists were never a credible electoral threat.?
? The Islamic extremists also didn?t like the Maldives? new democracy because they were unpopular. They failed to win the Presidential elections in 2008, they failed to win local government elections ? in 2011 they won less that four percent of the vote. But now, after the coup, extremists have been rewarded with three cabinet positions in government, and in many ways set the tone of government communications. They are busy trying to indoctrinate people with a misguided version of Islam,? Nasheed said.
?Nasheed misled them about the party he fears and envies most: the Adhaalath Party,? the party responded in a statement. ?Nasheed knows very well that the Adhaalath Party is not a party that has no power and influence, unlike what he said in Denmark.?
The party accused Nasheed of ?placing idols? in Maldivian lands ? a reference to the SAARC monuments gifted to the country by other South Asian nations during the 2011 SAARC Summit hosted in Addu Atoll ? and of ?giving our assets to foreigners? ? a reference to the concession agreement to manage and upgrade the international airport granted to Indian firm GMR.
In his address, the former President acknowledged that there was ?a lot of xenophobia, Islamic rhetoric and intolerance going on in the Maldives?, and noted the destruction of 12-century Buddhist statues, manuscripts, and other evidence of the Maldives? pre-Islamic history.
?There is idea of wanting to return to Hejaz at it was in the 7th century. This is Wahabism in principle. And it is difficult and worrying,? Nasheed said.
?The vast majority of our society are very tolerant people. If all this Islamist rhetoric is removed from official discourse, there will be a much more liberal society. I assure you the rhetoric will be removed from official discourse,? he said.
The Adhaalath Party meanwhile expressed astonishment ?that there are a few Maldivians joining [Nasheed] in his work to get another chance to brainwash the Maldivian people. God willing Mohamed Nasheed will not be able to come to power ever again,? the party said.
Nasheed?s address at Copenhagen university:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bLZMKv6PPhs
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Sunday, April 28, 2013
LG will launch the world's first 55-inch curved OLED HDTV (update)
We heard that the curved OLED HDTV prototypes LG showed at CES would be coming soon, and now it's official. A Korean press release indicates we can expect the 55EA9800 to launch in the next month, with shipments starting in June. According to the specs, its 4.3mm depth results in a weight of just 17kg, probably thanks to a carbon-fiber reinforced frame. Like an IMAX theater screen, the edges are curved towards the viewer to provide a more immersive feeling. Given the fact that we're still waiting for LG's flat OLED TVs to see a wider release we doubt it will arrive on US shelves any time soon, but until then you can check out our in-person pics from CES below, and a video after the break.
Update: LG sent over the English press release, which confirms pre-orders start today at more than 1,400 retail locations with a price of 15 million Korean won ($13,500), a healthy bump over the standard version's $10K MSRP. Release dates and pricing for non-Korean markets are coming "in the months ahead," check after the break to read all the details first hand.
Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD, LG
Source: LG Korea
Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Be70Ep6FshU/
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NY officials seek human remains amid plane debris
NEW YORK (AP) ? The medical examiner's office plans to search for Sept. 11 human remains in an alley behind a mosque near the World Trade Center where airplane landing gear was suddenly discovered.
The rusted landing gear piece is believed to be from one of two hijacked airliners that decimated the twin towers in 2001, exploding with fiery debris and killing thousands of people.
On Saturday, yellow police tape blocked access to a metal door that leads to the hidden alley behind 51 Park Place.
The chief medical examiner's spokeswoman, Ellen Borakove, said the area first will be tested as part of a standard health and safety evaluation for possible toxicity. She said sifting for human remains is to begin Tuesday morning.
Retired fire department deputy chief Jim Riches, who lost his son in the terror attack, visited the site on Saturday. He said the latest news left him feeling "upset."
"The finding of this landing gear," he said, "just goes to show that we need federal people in here to do a comprehensive, full search of lower Manhattan to make sure that we don't get any more surprises," as happened in 2007 when body parts were discovered in nearby sewers and manhole covers.
Of the nearly 3,000 victims, Riches noted, about 1,000 families have never recovered any remains.
The New York Police Department has declared the alley, between the mosque site and a luxury loft rental building, a crime scene where nothing may be disturbed until the medical examiner's office completes its work. It's unclear how long that may take, Borakove said.
The piece of wreckage was discovered Wednesday by surveyors inspecting the planned Islamic community center, known as Park51, on behalf of the building's owner, police said.
The landing gear was wedged between the back walls of the apartment building and the mosque, which once prompted virulent national debate about Islam and free speech.
An inspector on the mosque site's roof noticed the debris, which includes a clearly visible Boeing Co. identification number, police spokesman Paul Browne said.
Chicago-based Boeing spokesman John Dern could not confirm whether the ID matched the American Airlines plane or the United Airlines plane hijacked by Islamic extremists on Sept. 11, 2001. He said Boeing has been asked to take part in the examination of images of the airplane part by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is providing assistance to New York authorities overseeing the probe.
The twisted metal part ? jammed in an 18-inch-wide, trash-laden passageway between the buildings ? has cables and levers on it and is about 5 feet high, 17 inches wide and 4 feet long, police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Friday.
"It's a manifestation of a horrific terrorist act a block and a half away from where we stand," he said after visiting the alley.
The commissioner noted that a piece of rope intertwined with the part looks like a broken pulley that may have come down from the roof of the Islamic community center.
When plans for the center became public in 2010, opponents said they didn't want a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists attacked, but supporters said the center would promote harmony between Muslims and followers of other faiths.
The building includes a Muslim prayer space that has been open for three years. After protests died down, the center hosted its first exhibit last year. The space remains under renovation.
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AP radio correspondent Julie Walker and AP reporter Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ny-officials-seek-human-remains-amid-plane-debris-202049635.html
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How to mark a podcast as already played with the Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad
Listening to and watching podcasts with the Podcasts app for iPhone and iPad is simple enough but if you subscribe to quite a few feeds, your unplayed count can get pretty high. If you'd rather pick and choose episodes but don't want badge counts or unread counts for ones you don't plan on listening to or watching, you can always just mark them as played already.
Here's how:
- How to mark an individual podcast episode as played
- How to mark an entire series of podcasts as played
How to mark an individual podcast episode as played
- Launch the Podcasts app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the podcast series you'd like to mark an episode as played within from the My Podcasts section.
- Tap on the blue arrow next to the podcast title that you'd like to mark as played.
- Tap on the Mark as Played button.
How to mark an entire series of podcasts as played
- Launch the Podcasts app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap on the podcast series you'd like to mark an episode as played within from the My Podcasts section.
- Tap on the Settings button.
- Scroll down to the bottom and tap on the Mark All as Played button.
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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/hyGo66Cqwdw/story01.htm
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