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The Experiment Fund, anchored in Cambridge, invests in world-changing startups. We catalyze bold ideas & build transformative companies.
Xfund offers experimenters seed capital, expert guidance, and unparalleled access to America's top-tier universities and venture capital firms.
Finally, when we succeed we advance progress, reward risk-takers, and strengthen the community and institutions who support us. More FAQ.
Startups, at their core, are small tribes of experimenters advancing progress.
Bold engineers, entrepreneurs, and designers tackling hard problems. We make seed investments across the East Coast, but remain anchored in the Harvard community, with a focus on information, healthcare, and energy technologies.
firstname.lastname@example.com | @Xfund | facebook.com/Xfund | quora.com/Xfund | +1.617.431.6350
Patrick founded NEA's seed-stage practice and is a director of 23andMe, Curalate, Euclid, Fanhattan, Lytro, MeCommerce, Philo, and Ravel Law. Past investments include Pulse (acquired by LinkedIn), Loopt (acquired by Green Dot), GoodGuide (acquired by Underwriters Laboratories), Xfire (acquired by Viacom), and Xoom (NASDAQ: XOOM). Patrick earned his A.B. (Environmental Science), J.D., and M.B.A. degrees at Harvard University, where he served as an Editor of the Harvard Law Review. Patrick was a Commonwealth Scholar at Oxford University, where he earned a Master of Science degree. He is a member of the New York and Massachusetts bars, an elected director of the Harvard Alumni Association, and a member of the Committee to Visit Harvard College.
Hugo is as an Expert-in-Residence at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and on the Board of Directors of Work-Bench, the enterprise technology growth accelerator in New York City he co-founded. Hugo was on the founding team of two startups backed by Y-Combinator and was a Founding Director of Artscience Labs. During his graduate studies he led The Laboratory @ Harvard, served as a fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and won TED, PopTech, and Aspen fellowships for his research and entrepreneurial work. Hugo earned his A.B. (Economics) and Masters of Design degrees from Harvard University.
Ping received his A.B. from Harvard University, with honors, and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. Ping has over two decades of experience as a technology investor and operating executive in helping build market leading technology companies and product lines. He focuses on early stage, growth software and data center investments. Ping has been named to the Forbes Midas List of Top Tech Investors and Business Insider's 50 Most Powerful People in Enterprise Tech. When not in Cambridge, Ping can be found in Palo Alto.
Alan received his M.B.A. in 1992 and his B.A. summa cum laude and M.A. in 1986, all from Harvard University and attended Harvard Medical School from 1986 to 1988 before pursuing his business career. Alan invests in life sciences and was previously President and CEO of Momenta Pharmaceuticals, co-founded and served as CEO of Cerulean Pharma, and co-founded Visterra. He serves as Chairman on the boards of Cerulean Pharma, Visterra, XTuit, and Calorics. Alan can be found in Cambridge, MA and the Longwood Medical Campus.
Harry served as an aviator in the U.S. Navy, received his M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, and his bachelors degree in Physics from Duke University. Harry focuses on early stage consumer, enterprise and energy technology investing. He is frequently recognized as one of America's top venture capitalists, with recent honors including the Forbes "Midas List", Washingtonian's "Titans of Technology" and Business Insider's "Top 5 East Coast VCs". Harry was born in the Big Apple and is typically found wandering the areas of the east coast.
Palo Alto, CA, New York, NY, London, UK
Faculty, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
San Francisco, CA, New York, NY
Director, Harvard Innovation Lab
Harvard Innovation Lab
Faculty, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
The largest student-run corporation in the world
Faculty, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Stem Cell Institute
Menlo Park, CA & Chevy Chase, MD
Morris Investments
Boston, MA & DogPatch Labs Network
Dean, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)
The Founders of the Experiment Fund have helped grow companies like Groupon, Facebook, Gilt Groupe, Pulse, Cloudera, Etsy, Lytro, 23andMe, and Box.net. We have deep roots in Silicon Valley, New York, and in Harvard Yard, and across the world in Asia and Europe. We want to tackle big questions. Your ideas, energy, and skill — combined with our capital, experience, and network of company founders, Nobel laureates, and technologists — can change the world.
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Please submit a company summary that covers:
We value people over plans and prototypes over projections.
Who can take advantage of the Experiment Fund?
Everyone, regardless of university affilation, nationality, age, or prior experience. Read more about our Method.
What kind of help can I expect?
We invest seed capital, make our team part of your team, and connect founders with world-class advisors, operators, and top-tier growth financing. Our deep connections in Cambridge, Silicon Valley, and abroad are marshaled in service of achieving your vision.
Do you give grants? Are you an incubator?
The Xfund does not make grants; we make investments. We are also not a cookie-cutter incubator where all teams sign up to templated investment terms. We make seed investments on a case-by-case basis and partner with the best teams to build transformational technology companies. In that quest we work closely with nationally respected incubators and angel investors.
Partners / Investment Committee: P. Chung, A. Crane, P. Li, H. Van Vuuren & H. Weller
Headquarters: Cambridge, MA
Founded: 2011
Long hand / Short hand: "Experiment Fund" / "Xfund"
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Founding Press Releases:
01.27.12 Xfund's Launch
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Going Forward, read the Experiment Log
Fellow Experimentalists: Samuel Peinado, Robb Fitzsimmons, Even Morikawa and Kathleen Hanley.


text:
Kingsley Dennis
Kingsley Dennis PhD is a sociologist, freelance researcher and writer. He worked in the sociology department at Lancaster University, UK (2003-2008) and is the co-founder of WorldShift International. He currently lives in Andalusia, Spain and is working on new book material.
Other articles by this author
Terrifying Peace: Living Within a Permanent War EconomyBy Kingsley Dennis, Truthout | News Analysis
Democratic Unfreedom - Social Technique and the Manufacture of ControlBy Kingsley Dennis, Truthout | News Analysis

subset: commoncrawl


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I'm at a place of potential career change. Among the options is to stay in software development but move into commercial and enterprise systems work.
My past has been mostly working with scientists and engineers in academic and research organizations. It's cool to be on the cutting edge of discovery, but coolness doesn't help buy furniture, build long term savings, buy solar panels, boost the local economy, or fund friends' start up ideas. The pay can be decent by general population standards, but is around 2/3 to 1/2 what it could be at a commercial firm.
Besides the money, there's the nature of the work. Academic groups often don't have good software development methodologies in place. I'm lucky to have svn in my current project. Many developers are students with immature approaches to design, who have glamour stars in their eyes for every new fad technique. Many high IQ people with expertise in one area who try to develop software apps going beyond just the math and plotting they really need, tend to over-design everything. One recent science data analysis project written by several people none of whom had a holist view of the project, involved such a tangle of badly organized layers of abstraction for things that really don't need any abstracting, with overuse of... oh never mind, this isn't the place to go ranting about all that!
In contrast, all commercial projects are well-managed with proper tools, keen judgement, well-tuned regression and unit testing, and efficient methodologies. Right? Right? (laughter follows...) Well alright, the grass isn't actually greener anywhere, but I accept imperfection. I do get more of a thrill out of making a good product that solves real world problems, while making a good salary with a real potential of bonuses or other rewards for mission crititcal work done under budget and in time.
Another big advantage of commercial and enterprise IT work is that one can live in or near just about any city, whereas science swdev work strongly clusters to where science is done: university towns and near research centers like NIH, NASA, Fermilab, NRAO etc.
While I have >20 yrs of experience in software, I have little know-how of databases (beyond the toy examples given in mysql tutorials), networks (beyond setting up a home LAN), financial stuff, point-of-sale stuff, BI stuff, or anything remotely enterprisey. I think BI might be interesting, but I don't know much more than how to spell it.
So what is the gap (or canyon) I must bridge to make this change? What are effective strategies for making this shift? Are certain types of organizations, or certain job roles, better suited for this switch? What culture shock can I expect and how to deal with it, especially regarding what to say at a job interview? I can find out which specific skills are needed from job descriptions; what I'm after is all the other stuff, the unwritten and the hard to define things to consider.
Or am I a fool to even be considering all this?


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Reversing the bullying culture in nursing
Leaders within healthcare organizations are struggling to manage disruptive behavior and bullying in the workplace.
A DIRE SITUATION IS LOOMING in the US healthcare system. The country is bracing for a projected unprecedented shortage of more than 500,000 RNs by 2025, due in part to baby boomer nurses retiring at the same time as the demand for healthcare is rising. Moreover, despite the 3.3% increase in student enrollment and a stable RN vacancy rate of 8.1%, RN turnover rates range from 8.4% to 13.9%; and the demand for registered nurses still is expected to increase 2% to 3% annually.1 RN dissatisfaction and related intent to leave the work environment are believed to be key factors contributing to the shortage. Moreover, exposure to incivility, including workplace bullying, is one of the primary factors influencing RN dissatisfaction and turnover rates,2 and can be a reason why some leave the profession altogether.3
INCIVILITY AND BULLYING BEHAVIORS IN THE WORKPLACE Evidence suggests workplace bullying and related disruptive behavior are commonplace, and on the rise. The combination of a busy healthcare setting, difficult patient situations, and the requirement for interdependent relationships can serve as a breeding ground for incivility and bullying behaviors.4 In response to a survey by the Joint Commission, more than 50% of nurses reported having been a victim of bullying and/or disruptive behavior at work, and more than 90% stated that they witnessed the abusive behavior of others.5 Despite the subsequent Joint Commission Sentinel Alert requiring healthcare facilities to design and implement a systemwide approach to ensure employee awareness of disruptive and/or bullying behaviors, bullying continues and still is perceived to be steadily on the rise.6 The implications for nurses' work environments are noteworthy, since the health and availability of nurses are vital for the provision of a safe environment for our most vulnerable population—the patients we serve.2,7,8
Incivility is described as "rude or disrespectful behavior that demonstrates a lack of regard for others."4 If left unabated, more aggressive behaviors, such as workplace bullying, can flourish and acculturate within a unit, department, and even the organization at large. The definition of workplace bullying has evolved over the years, from behavior that included open physical assault or violence, to more subtle, even masked behaviors such as backbiting, blaming, disparaging, and exclusionary treatment meant to do harm to another.9-11 While a few researchers believe bullying only occurs horizontally among coworkers, the majority feel that a real or imagined imbalance of power between the bully and the victim is a necessary element of bullying behavior.10-13 What makes the phenomenon of workplace bullying separate and distinct from other disruptive behaviors, such as incivility or workplace violence, is that these behaviors are not random acts. They are intentional, occurring over a prolonged period of time, and targeted at an individual who is unable to defend himself. Although bullying may seem harmless to an untrained eye, a deliberate, ongoing pattern of negative behaviors can have a cumulative effect, leading to serious harm to the intended victim in the long run.10
THE BULLY VICTIM Research from 2006 suggests bullying behaviors, particularly related to the transition of new graduate nurses, may be a manifestation of the traditional subordinate role of nursing within the medical model of healthcare,2 as suggested by the frequently used expression about "nurses eating their young." A 2007 study suggested that the contrary also might be likely—that victims could be vulnerable despite being above-average, talented, and/or energetic.14 The latter perspective may suggest a lack of self-esteem on the part of the bully, rather than the victim, and the perceived need to maintain status quo within the department or unit.
CONSEQUENCES OF WORKPLACE BULLYING A 2005 article in the Journal of Business Ethics was titled "Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words can break your spirit."15 This reworked version of an old rhyme rings true when one examines the consequences of bullying in the work environment of nurses, that the consequences of bullying go well beyond the breaking of one's spirit, affecting the psychological and physical health and well-being of both the victims and the observers. Workplace bullying has been identified as a predictor for increased sickness absenteeism,16 cardiovascular disease, and depression.17 If targeted toward a victim over prolonged periods of time, it even may predict post-traumatic stress syndrome.18 Stress and physical symptoms, such as insomnia or digestive disturbances, often remain long after the bullying has stopped, which can result in nurses leaving or being forced out of their jobs.12
For healthcare organizations, workplace bullying can trigger enormous expenses in time and money in response to absenteeism, high staff turnover, and lower productivity. This can translate into decreased employee morale, organizational apathy, lost employee productivity, and ebbing employee loyalty, and even may lead to an increase in employee grievances and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission cases. Although not specific to nursing, nationwide costs of productivity loss related to the consequences of bullying in the general population is estimated at $5 billion to $6 billion annually.19 Yet, despite the deleterious effects for both individuals and organizations at large, these behaviors can continue unabated or ignored.
Mailbox: Nurses' voices and opinions
Wound-care nurse highlights contamination risks of irrigating MRSA lesions with whirlpool therapy; RN refutes advice on Groshong PICC catheter usage; June 2009 article on "No Patient Dies Alone" programs resonates with reader whose hospital duties kept him from tending to critically ill father; praise for June 2009 article on disabled-nurse career paths.
Career Compass: Don't let peer pressure compromise safe-lifting practices
RN career advisor Valerie Grossman cautions nurse not to abandon hospital safe-lifting practices over peer pressure.
Opinion: Nurse bullying in California: What's my line?
After a housecleaning of the lax California State Board of Nursing, the eerily similar words of the board's chief, Governor Schwarzenegger, and his character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day make one wonder who the real protector might be.
Pulse oximetry may detect infant critical congenital heart disease early
The American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics have stated that measuring infants' pulse oximetry after their first 24 hours can detect certain types of critical congenital heart disease.
Pennsylvania bans mandatory nurse overtime, allows nurse court testimony
Pennsylvania has banned mandatory nurse overtime except in "last resort" emergencies, and, via a State Supreme Court ruling, has stated that nurses who offer medical testimony in court do not violate the Professional Nursing Law.


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Can anyone point me (.NET by career, primarily Ruby by hobby) in the right direction(s) for learning how to write a Jenkins plugin? I'm looking specifically at build summary information and trend graphs from PartCover stats.
I'm not worried about being able to find my way around Java, though I don't want to have to learn everything about it before I attack the problem.


text:
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) - St. John's homeless shelter in downtown Green Bay is requesting to amend their conditional use permit to serve 84 guests.
The Green Bay Plan Commission meets Monday night to discuss and could vote on amending their conditional use permit.
Currently the facility, which is operated by the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay, is approved to serve 64 guests.
In December, the shelter was cited by the city for serving more guests than their permit allowed. However, the Diocese maintained that their conditional use permit allowed them to have serve overflow guest as per their operational plan that was approved by the Brown County Human Services that was part of their approved conditional use permit.
After being notified of being in violation, the shelter began to transport overflow guests to St. Norbert College, who opened their gym up until students returned from winter break.
The Diocese pleaded not guilty to the citation, and the city has been working with them to get into compliance.


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Question about sampling size.
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Mar2-12, 07:00 PM
My experience with statistics is very limited although I understand probability theory quite well. My friend, an accountant, asked a question. He does attribute sampling. I understand most of it intuitively and the math was what I expected it to look like when I got curious and started reading. In determining the sample size necessary they set a confidence level based on the risk they are willing to take and a tolerable deviation which is the maximum acceptable percentage of the population with the attribute. The weird thing is that, in addition, they use an "expected deviation" which appears to be a guess at the result. They use this guess, combined with the other two factors to determine the sample size. According to him, they just set the expected deviation according to how much work they want to do. If the expected deviation is low then the sample size is smaller and they do less work. So, my question is, is there a theoretical basis for using this estimated deviation in the determination of necessary sample size? If so, is there a reference that would explain this to me. I'm sure that setting it on the basis of how motivated one feels today is not necessarily valid.
Mar3-12, 10:44 AM
Sci Advisor
Since no authority on the subject has stepped forward, it would be interesting to discuss this.
Researching topics about auditing on the web isn't very exciting, but after a few minutes of it, I conclude "tolerable deviation" is like an "acceptable defect level". A manufacturer may know that even when a production line is operating properly, it may produce a certain fraction of defective items. The goal of his sampling would be to test if current state of the production line produces no more than this fraction.
"Attribute" sampling seems to amount to sampling a bernoulli random variable which indicates whether the item is defective or not-defective. Let [itex] f [/itex] be the fraction of defective items in a sample of size [itex] n [/itex]. Let [itex] p [/itex] be the fraction of defective items in the the population. I speculate that the accounting math is focused on computing the probability that [itex] f [/itex] lies within a certain interval of [itex] p [/itex]. I don't know whether the scenario your friend uses assumes that [itex] p [/itex] is known.
Mar3-12, 02:28 PM
Yes Stephen, this is exactly the problem. "Tolerable deviation" is just the acceptable percentage of defects in the population. If the the percentage of defects exceeds the tolerable amount then the population is rejected. My problem is how does one calculate the necessary sample size. Each sample is binomially distributed so we have to assume some bound on the actual percentage of defects in the population in order to approximate the binomial distribution with a normal distribution. Yet they use tables which give the "expected deviation" from zero to some large percentage in increments of 0.25%, and use this number to set the sample size. To me, that seems entirely equivalent to presupposing the actual defect rate that you're seeking. That doesn't make any sense to me. I know little about statistics but I do know that a lot of people with very little math knowledge use it regularly.
Mar3-12, 06:21 PM
Question about sampling size.
You can find sample size calculators online. For the math, go to section 4 of the following reference. For rare events in large samples, the Poisson distribution is probably the best. The expectation would be the acceptable rate of defects and you're interested in the probability of 0 given this rate.
Mar3-12, 08:49 PM
Sci Advisor
What I find interesting about the current topic is that the online stuff I saw does not clearly classify what they are doing as "hypothesis testing" or as "estimation". In the usual sort of statiistics one establishes a sample size in order to obtain a certain "confidence interval" or estimating a parameter of a population, such as the fraction of defects. In "hypothesis testing" a decision is being made and the the size of the sample affects the thresholds set for a given "type I error", which is the probability of "incorrectly rejecting the null hypothesis when it is true".
The actual computations in these two situation are often the same arithmetic, but it is easier to understand the use of the "tolerable deviation" if we consider their process to be hypothesis testing. In that case, the "null hypothesis" would be that the fraction of defects in the population is the tolerable deviation.
The usual specifics for a hypothesis test would be to establish a certain "p-value" such as 0.05. For a sample of a given size n, there is a certain threshold fraction of defects [itex] f_0 [/itex] such that the probabily of the observing [itex] f0 [/itex] or more defects in the sample is equal to the p-value (assuming the null hypothesis is true.) In the usual senario, we aren't solving for the sample size.
I don't understand exactly what the "givens" are in the problem that your friend works. Besides "tolerable deviations", what else is given? I don't know how to interpret "expected deviation".
Perhaps one could pose a problem like "Given the tolerable fraction of defects is 0.03, what statistical test could I use that would give me a 0.95 probability of correctly judging that a population with a fraction of 0.07 defective items is one that exceeds the fraction of tolerable defects?".
Mar4-12, 03:24 AM
Please explain. You need to establish the sample size for rejecting the null hypothesis for some value of alpha. If you set a one sided alpha at 0.05, the sample size N will be substantially smaller than for a two sided alpha of 0.001. If you're concerned about defects, you want a small value for alpha. Finding no defects in a large sample is obviously more convincing than finding no defects in a small sample. However, as I said, to establish zero defects as a certainty, you must have a full census of the population.
Mar4-12, 10:12 AM
Maybe I should have been more clear. Even knowing little to nothing about statistics the problem seemed fairly straightforward to me except for this "expected deviation".
There is a large population of size N where N>1,000, possibly N>10,000. Errors occur in individuals with some probability p so each individual trial is Bernoulli. Then we can assume that p, for large N, also represents the rate of occurrence of errors in the population. If I consider the set of all subsets of the population of size n<N, then the number of errors in these subsets are binomially distributed. I set a confidence level and reject the entire population if the rate of errors exceeds some threshold. As SW points out above, this threshold has an effect on sample size but in my case this threshold for rejection is probably on the order of 5-10% so I don't have to worry about the extreme case. All of this seems straightforward and, even knowing little about statistics, I can make approximations to necessary sample size that reasonably agree with results from tables or software.
Now there is this "expected deviation" which is apparently part of the determination of sample size. It seems reasonable, although I haven't done any calculations, that if I repeatedly sampled this same population, then I could improve my estimates of the true error rate in the population and thus reduce the sample size as I drew more samples. But in this case, it appears that an estimate of the true error rate (expected deviation) is used in the calculation of the sample size n for the first and only sample to be drawn. This seems sloppy to me without a very sound basis for predicting the true rate, such as having drawn previous samples. What are these tables being used that include expected rate. What are the conditions for the use of these tables?
Mar4-12, 10:13 AM
Sci Advisor
All I'm saying is that it is common in hypothesis testing to be given the p-value and the sample size and be asked to determine the acceptance region. In estimation, it is common to be given the confidence level and the size of the confidence interval and be asked to find the sample size. I agree that you can pose a variety of problems in either scenario that involve being given two out of three of the variables and being asked to find the third.
Mar4-12, 07:25 PM
To add to this discussion, I want to remind the OP and the readers that in certain cases, optimization can be used to find the minimum sample size for a system given its constraints.
This is used in for example surveys especially when you have stratification and I imagine that its used quite frequently elsewhere when the connections between different parameters are known.
Also what you are mentioning sounds a lot like the kind of stuff they do in the six-sigma work and Total Quality Management. I'll be doing some TQM stuff next semester so I can't really give anything useful in that regard at the moment, but if you are interested OP, then these subjects might give you a better insight into the life-cycle of detecting and managing defects of some sort.
Mar4-12, 10:58 PM
The variance of the attribute is a function of p*(1-p), so taking a purposely large value of p is fine, as taking p=.5 to obtain the largest variance is too conservative (labor intensive).
Better idea: construct a loss function balancing the cost of labor and the potential loss of sales, profits, upon mis-estimation.
Another approach: A two stage sample size estimator (Stein). The 1st sample estimates p and incorporates this value into the second stage sample size estimate.
Mar5-12, 01:29 AM
Sci Advisor
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Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department Helps Patients One Breath at a Time
Saint Clare's Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department Excels
An integral part of treatment for those who suffer from chronic respiratory disease is pulmonary rehabilitation. Recently, both the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) have recommended new evidence-based guidelines for a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program for patients to help manage their condition and improve their health-related quality of life. For over 25 years, Saint Clare's Health System has had a long-standing and successful history in pulmonary rehabilitation. The program incorporates key components, including exercise training of the lower and upper body, educational programs and psychosocial support.
"Pulmonary rehabilitation is part of the treatment of every patient with advanced lung disease," said Dr. Mark Atkins, a pulmonologist and current Medical Director of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program at Saint Clare's Hospital/Dover. "Although it doesn't replace management with medication, it works in conjunction with that course of treatment. Pulmonary rehabilitation will not repair damage done to the lungs by years of smoking or other lung insults, but it will significantly improve the quality of life and functioning for those with chronic lung disease."
According to Dr. Michael Russoniello, a Saint Clare's pulmonologist, pulmonary rehabilitation also helps patients break the cycle caused by lung disorders that lead to inactivity, helps reduce the number and length of hospitalizations, and increases the patient's chances of living longer. "Pulmonary rehabilitation is focused on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as well as those with respiratory conditions like asthma, cystic fibrosis, neuromuscular disorders, ventilator dependency, and a host of others, and is important both before and after lung transplantation, volume reduction, or cancer," said Russoniello. "As lung reserve declines, shortness of breath worsens and independent daily activity performance erodes. Pulmonary rehabilitation provides multidisciplinary training to improve the patient's ability to manage and cope with progressive symptoms."
Referrals to the Saint Clare's pulmonary rehabilitation program are made by a physician. The basic rehabilitation program has 20 treatment sessions that consist of both education and exercise. All patients are required to stop smoking before they enter the program. When a participant graduates from the basic rehabilitation program, they usually continue with a maintenance program at home, a gym or at Saint Clare's for one to two exercise sessions a week. A monthly support group, the Huff 'n Puffers, also meets.
According to the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines, six to 12 weeks of pulmonary rehabilitation will produce benefits quickly, but those benefits will decline gradually over 12 to 18 months. Longer pulmonary rehabilitation programs (beyond 12 weeks) may produce greater benefits than shorter programs. At Saint Clare's, some pulmonary rehabilitation patients have come to the maintenance program for 15 years.
The success of Saint Clare's program has been recognized by Dr. Vivek Ahya, medical director of the Lung Transplant Program at the University of Pennsylvania Health System. As head of one of the premier lung transplant programs in the nation, Dr. Ahya knows the importance of dedication, hard work and team work involved to successfully transplant a patient. "Of all the solid organ transplant procedures performed, lung transplantation is the most complicated and likely to be fraught with complications. Maintaining excellent functional status is one of the keys to a successful post-transplant outcome," says Dr. Ahya. "I was quite impressed by the dedication of the Saint Clare's rehabilitation staff, including respiratory therapists, nurses and physicians. Saint Clare's Pulmonary Rehabilitation program is one of the premier programs in the region, and the Penn Lung Transplant program looks forward to continuing this important partnership on delivering excellent care to our mutual patients."
Grace Bachmann, 67, a retired speech and language specialist, began the Saint Clare's pulmonary rehabilitation program in 2002, following a diagnosis of pulmonary fibrosis. After discussion with her pulmonologist, Dr. Atkins, she was referred to and accepted into the Penn Lung Transplant Program in 2003. In 2005, on a day where Bachmann felt she could no longer stay home due to her deteriorating condition, she went to the ER. Bachmann's husband telephoned the University of Pennsylvania to let them know Bachmann's whereabouts and was informed that a lung had become available. Bachmann got her lung transplant on December 3, 2005. Today, Bachmann is a vibrant testimony to the success of lung transplantation. She is no longer oxygen dependent, and continues her maintenance program at Saint Clare's.
Bachmann has believed in the value of a pulmonary rehabilitation program since she was first advised that she would still require oxygen after her lung transplant. "The exercise indeed helped me," she said. "This is such a unique program. The staff is great; they are there for education and support. It's not only about making us better, but improving the quality of our life. Now, even though I could exercise on my own, it's important for me to stay, so other patients can see what I can do and I am not only giving but getting from others."
For more information about lung diseases and conditions you can visit www.lungusa.org, www.thoracic.org, or www.pennhealth.com/transplant/lung and


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MISSION - Stone Levi Rodriguez, age 12, passed away on Sunday, April 1, 2012.
He is survived by his mother Debra Rodriguez, and sister, Stormi Rodriguez.
He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Eusebio and Bertha Rodriguez.
Visitation will be held Thursday, April 5, at Ric Brown Family Funeral Home from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held Friday, April 6, at Brown Funeral Home at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Valley Memorial Gardens Cemetery.
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Vitamin D refers to several forms of fat-soluble vitamins found naturally in plants, fish, and dairy products. The two forms utilized in humans are ergocalciferol (D2) and the more potent cholecalciferol (D3). Sunlight can promote the synthesis of D3 in the skin. Vitamin D maintains serum calcium and phosphorus levels by regulating their absorption and excretion. It is also important for bone formation; deficiency can cause rickets and other bone disorders. Other biologic functions include its role as a potent antiproliferative agent and as a pro-differentiation hormone (1) (2).
Vitamin D was shown to have a beneficial effect on bone mineral density and the prevention of bone fractures in the elderly (3) (4) and in postmenopausal women (38). However, conflicting data from the Women's Health Initiative studies found no such effects (5).
According to the latest statement from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of the benefits and harms of combined vitamin D and calcium supplementation for the primary prevention of fractures in premenopausal women or in men. Evidence is also lacking to determine the balance of the benefits and harms of daily supplementation with greater than 400 IU of vitamin D3 and greater than 1000 mg of calcium for the primary prevention of fractures in noninstitutionalized postmenopausal women. The USPSTF recommends against daily supplementation with 400 IU or less of vitamin D3 and 1000 mg or less of calcium for the primary prevention of fractures in noninstitutionalized postmenopausal women (55).
Recent data show that calcium and vitamin D supplementation reduce may reduce weight gain (6), but does not affect cardiovascular events (7), or reduce risk of invasive breast cancer (37) in postmenopausal women. However, low levels of vitamin D were associated with upregulated circulating renin-angiotensin system which suggests that vitamin D may play a role in cardiovascular health (42).
In type 2 diabetic patients, a single, large dose of vitamin D2 improved endothelial function (8); however, vitamin D supplementation did not reduce infections or antibiotic use in an elderly population (9). Another large study found no association between low vitamin D levels and cognitive function (39). Vitamin D is effective in treating psoriasis (10), but data are inconsistent regarding its role in seasonal affective disorder (SAD) (11) (12). Low levels of Vitamin D have been associated with greater risk of mortality (18). Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of relapse in patients with Crohn's disease (40).
Contrary to observational data, vitamin D did not decrease the incidence or severity of upper respiratory tract infections (UTRIs) in healthy adults (54).
Vitamin D has been examined for its benefits as a preventative agent and as a treatment for many types of cancer. Vitamin D from sunlight exposure and from dietary intake may have protective effect against breast cancer (13) (14). This correlates with observations in many breast cancer survivors who were vitamin D deficient (15).
In prostate cancer patients, higher serum levels of vitamin D were correlated with greater risk of aggressive cancer (16). Vitamin D improved pain and muscle strength in patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer (17), and slowed the rate of rise of prostate specific antigen (18). There are studies on using vitamin D and its analogs singly or with chemotherapy in prostate cancer patients (19) (20).
In postmenopausal women, vitamin D and calcium supplementation may reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer, but only in women who did not use estrogen therapy concurrently (28) (29).
Preliminary results suggest vitamin D did not increase toxicity of docetaxel (21) (22) and may offer other treatment benefits (23).
Although reduced risk of cancer has been associated with increased vitamin D intake (24) (25) (26), data from a large, prospective study showed that with the exception of colorectal cancer (52), vitamin D may not protect against other cancers (27) (41). Similarly, data from the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP) epidemiological studies do not support the association between low levels of circulating vitamin D and reduced risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (45), ovarian (46), kidney (47), endometrial (48), or esophageal and gastric (49) cancers; however, a significant increase in the risk of pancreatic cancer was observed with high levels of circulating vitamin D (50).
According to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, chronic steroid use is associated with vitamin D deficiency (53).
And the Institute of Medicine, in a report on vitamin D and calcium supplementation, recommends a higher Dietary Allowance of vitamin D at 600 IU/day with the Upper level Intake at 4,000 IU/day for bone health (51).
Patients should consult with their physicians if more vitamin D is needed for health maintenance.
Fortified milk, margarine, and cereals, fatty fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks (4)
Vitamin D's primary function in humans is to maintain serum calcium and phosphorus concentrations within normal limits by enhancing the efficiency of the small intestine to absorb these minerals from the diet. 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D enhances the efficiency of calcium and phosphorus absorption along the entire small intestine, but primarily in the duodenum and jejunum (4). When the intake of calcium from the diet is insufficient, 1, 25(OH)²D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) mobilize monocytic stem cells in the bone marrow to become mature osteoclasts. These osteoclasts mobilize calcium from the bones, thereby maintaining blood calcium levels (31). Vitamin D is thought to have physiological effects in other parts of the body as receptors are also found in the cells of other organs, like the intestine, kidney, stomach, brain, prostate, breast, and white blood cells (32) (2). The anticancer effect of vitamin D is thought to be due to the induction of cell differentiation (1) (33) and antiproliferation (34). Oral supplementation has been shown to be the safest way of increasing vitamin D levels (44).
Absorption: Dietary vitamin D is well absorbed from the small intestine. Absorption occurs principally in the duodenum and jejunum, and bile salts are required for peak efficiency (4). Vitamin D is fat soluble and, once ingested, incorporated into the chylomicron fraction and absorbed via the lymph system. It has been estimated that approximately 80 percent of dietary vitamin D enters the body by this pathway.
Distribution: Vitamin D enters the circulation from the skin or from the lymph system via the thoracic duct. It accumulates in the liver where it undergoes hydroxylation at the 25-carbon position and thereafter reappears in the circulation as 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Its half-life in the circulation is approximately 10 days to 3 weeks. To become biologically active at physiological concentrations, 25(OH)D must be hydroxylated in the kidneys on the 1-carbon position to form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)D²), which has been described as a biologically active hormone and the form of vitamin D responsible for most, if not all, of its biological functions. 1,25(OH)²D has a relatively short serum half-life of approximately 4-6 hours. Due to the kidney's tight regulation of its production, and its short half-life, it is not a useful marker of vitamin D deficiency, adequacy, or excess.
Metabolism/Excretion: Vitamin D is excreted primarily in the bile, but a small amount is reabsorbed in the small intestine (31).
Thiazide diuretics: May increase risk of hypercalcemia.
Atorvastatin: Vitamin D reduces the blood level of atorvastatin but it also helps lowering cholesterol concentrations (56).
Pittas AG, Harris SS, Stark PC, et al. The effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on blood glucose and markers of inflammation in nondiabetic adults. Diabetes Care 2007 Apr;30(4):980-6. Epub 2007 Feb 2.
Because studies have shown an inverse association between type 2 diabetes and high calcium and vitamin D intake, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was initiated to determine the effects of calcium (500 mg daily) and vitamin D (700 IU daily) supplementation in nondiabetic adults (65 years). After 3 years, fasting blood glucose, insulin sensitivity (as assessed by HOMA-IR), C-reactive protein, and IL-6 levels were determined in 314 participants. In adults with impaired fasting blood glucose, calcium and vitamin D reduced increases in plasma glucose and insulin resistance whereas no differences were detected in adults with normal fasting blood glucose levels. Further studies are required to determine if these effects are due to either supplement alone or the combination.
Caan B, Neuhoser M, Aragaki A, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of postmenopausal weight gain. Arch Int Med 2007 May 14;167(9):893-902.
In order to determine if calcium and vitamin D supplementation affected weight gain in postmenopausal women, the Women's Health Initiative recruited 36,282 women for this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants received calcium (1000 mg/day) and vitamin D (400 IU/day) or placebo and were followed for an average of 7 years. A modest reduction in weight gain was reported in participants receiving calcium and vitamin D supplementation, especially in those women who reported low initial calcium intake. Further studies are required to determine if these effects are due to calcium alone or its combination with vitamin D.
Jackson, RD, et al. Calcium plus Vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures. N Engl J Med 2006; 354(7): 669-83.
Data obtained from the Women's Health Initiative study was analyzed to determine the efficacy of calcium and vitamin D supplementation for reducing hip fractures. The study involved 36,282 postmenopausal women who were randomized to receive 1000mg of calcium as calcium carbonate with 400 IU vitamin D3 daily or placebo for seven years. There was no significant reduction in hip fractures. But there was a small but significant improvement in hip bone density and an increased risk of kidney stones.
Wactawski-Wende J, et al. Calcium plus Vitamin D supplementation and the risk of colorectal cancer. N Engl J Med 2006; 354(7):684-96.
Data obtained from the Women's Health Initiative study were analyzed to determine the association of calcium and vitamin D supplementation with reduced risk of colorectal cancer. The study involved 36,282 postmenopausal women who were randomly assigned to receive 500 mg calcium as calcium carbonate with 200 IU of vitamin D3 twice daily or a matching placebo for seven years. Results showed no effect of supplementation on the incidence of colorectal cancer.
These data conflict those of several earlier studies that associate increased calcium and vitamin D supplementation with reduced risk of cancer. Researchers point to the drawbacks of earlier studies since most were observational in nature and prone to bias. They also indicate the limitations of the present study that may have contributed to these findings. These include the timing of supplementation and the short follow-up period as colorectal cancer can be latent for 10-20 years. In addition, participants in the study were taking calcium and vitamin D supplements prior to enrollment. So the higher intake of supplements during the study period may have also affected the rates of colorectal cancer.
Bottom Line: Adequate vitamin D intake is needed for prevention of osteoporosis. It has not been shown to treat cancer.
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that is found in foods such as fortified milk, cereals, egg yolks, and fish. It is also produced in the skin when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Its primary function in humans is to maintain adequate blood calcium and phosphorus levels by increasing the absorption of these minerals from the diet through the small intestine. When the intake of calcium from the diet is too low, vitamin D helps move calcium stores from the bones into the blood. Although scientists know that it is helpful to take vitamin D supplements when patients are deficient in this vitamin, it is not clear that taking extra vitamin D will provide any extra benefit. Because vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium from the intestine, women taking calcium supplements to prevent osteoporosis should get enough vitamin D in their diet.
In a recent report on vitamin D and calcium supplementation, the Institute of Medicine recommends a higher Dietary Allowance of vitamin D at 600 IU/day with the Upper level Intake at 4,000 IU/day for bone health. Patients should consult with their physicians if more vitamin D is needed for health maintenance.
Prevention of osteoporosis and hip fractures:
The ability of vitamin D intake in the diet to prevent hip fractures was studied in a population-cased cohort study. For 18 years, 72,337 postmenopausal women were asked about their diets and supplement use and they were followed to monitor falling and hip fractures. It was found that women who had a high vitamin D intake (>12.5 micrograms per day) were 37% less likely to have a hip fracture than women with low vitamin D intake (<3.5 micrograms per day). This is a very large study and its results are most likely valid.
Bone pain and muscle strength in prostate cancer:
Vitamin D deficiency develops in a large percent of patients with advanced prostate cancer that has not responded to hormone therapy. A small clinical trial tested whether vitamin D supplements could reduce bone pain from metastases and increase muscle strength in 16 men with advanced prostate cancer. After three months, four men reported less pain (although they didn't reduce their usage of pain medications) and six men had improved muscle strength. These results are not very strong, although it may be that vitamin D supplements may only be helpful in prostate cancer patients who have a vitamin D deficiency.
Prostate cancer:
In the body, vitamin D is processed to its active form, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D, also known as calcitriol. A small pilot study examined the ability of calcitriol to prevent progression of recurrent prostate cancer. Seven men were studied for 6 to 15 months, in which time they were given anywhere from 0.5 to 2.5 micrograms of calcitriol daily. (Maximum dose was limited by high levels of calcium in the blood and urine.) After treatment with calcitriol, six of the men had significantly reduced rate of rise of prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is an indicator of prostate cancer growth. These results are promising, but because this is only a pilot study, they need to be confirmed with a randomized controlled trial.


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The Longview Police Department is looking for a local man after his truck was found abandoned in a local parking lot.
On December 8, 2012, Longview police took a missing persons report for Ronnie Joe Gammage, a 27-year-old male from Longview. Gammage, who is 6'8" tall and weighs 265 pounds, usually dressed in Western attire. He suffers from a mental disability which can hinder his ability to make sound judgements.
Gammage last spoke to his mother on December 4. His vehicle, a tan Chevrolet pickup, was found abandoned in the parking lot of Waffle House on 318 East Loop 281 in Longview. The vehicle's tires had been slashed.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Gammage is asked to call Detective David Cheatham with the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1147.
Copyright 2012 KLTV. All rights reserved.
A pet goldfish is off-the-hook and alive after a micro-surgery removes a tumor from his brain.
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7 U.S. Code § 3504 - Repealed.
Section, Pub. L. 95–460, § 5,Oct. 14, 1978, 92 Stat. 1265; Pub. L. 104–66, title I, § 1012(g),Dec. 21, 1995, 109 Stat. 712, provided for reports to Congress and the President.
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By Rick Badie
Today, we explore Georgia's opportunity zone system, an economic development tool that's supposed to spur revitalization in designated areas. An Atlanta city councilman writes about the latest zone — the Sweet Auburn area, which includes the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s boyhood home. Meanwhile, a California union official questions the value of such tax incentives in his state.
Opportunity zones create jobs
By Kwanza Hall
Georgia's Opportunity Zone program was created in 2008. It is one tool, among others, to help local governments bring jobs back to neglected commercial and industrial areas. The program offers a $3,500 tax break per hire, for up to five years, to businesses that hire two or more full-time employees.
Two years ago, the city of Atlanta received approvals for its first opportunity zones. Since then, under the leadership of Mayor Kasim Reed, the city has received state approvals for 11.
Governments wishing to designate an area for this incentive must show that it is within or adjacent to census blocks with a 15 percent or higher poverty rate that already have an enterprise zone or redevelopment plan. In Atlanta, our development agency, Invest Atlanta, coordinates the application process.
As our national and regional economies regain their footing, Atlanta is smart to have teed up this tax incentive for small- and medium-size businesses that contribute so much to our economy.
At a recent press conference, Commissioner Mike Beatty of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs announced the Sweet Auburn corridor as the city's newest opportunity zone. The corridor, in the district I represent, joins previously designated areas including downtown, Midtown, Fort McPherson and the former City Hall East (now Ponce City Market).
Designation of the Auburn-Edgewood corridor is one of a number of initiatives we are putting in place to prepare for the arrival of the streetcar, which will link Centennial Olympic Park and the new National Center for Civil and Human Rights to the neighborhood that raised Martin Luther King Jr.
Last year, we announced the formation of a Main Street program for the area in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Sweet Auburn Works will help attract public and private investment for historic facade renovations and streetscape improvements. We are recruiting the inaugural board of directors for the organization.
On April 23, we will launch a six-month process to update zoning regulations for the commercial part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Historic District. They have not been updated since the district was created 30 years ago. The process will enable us to review recent redevelopment plans for the area, identify gaps between the plans' vision and existing guidelines, and consider contemporary business uses for historic storefronts and buildings, uses that did not exist when the guidelines were created.
For business owners and prospective business owners to take advantage of this tax credit, they have to be aware of its existence. It is my job to work with the city and Invest Atlanta to spread the word at neighborhood meetings, ribbon-cutting ceremonies and walking tours with business organizations and in communications to constituents.
I welcome opportunity zones to the city as a tool for existing local businesses and owners looking for signs the state and city stand with them. As the economy improves, the program will help existing small- and-medium-size businesses such as the Epsten Group, a midsized architectural firm on Edgewood Avenue, look to the future. The designation itself will bring new attention, followed by investment, to key properties and corridors that are poised to become participants in our city.
Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall represents District 2.
Tax credit program fails California
By Art Pulaski
In theory, tax credits for businesses to create jobs are positive. They can help businesses stay competitive and strengthen communities. But what tax breaks do in practice is another story entirely, as we in California know well.
There are many similarities between Georgia's opportunity zone program and California's enterprise zone program.
Both programs were designed to boost jobs in low-income, high-unemployment areas. To Georgia's credit, the opportunity zone program has some standards California's lacks, like a requirement that companies create net new jobs to obtain the credit. Without proper accountability, wage standards and transparency, these types of tax credits can become wasteful government spending that does little to nothing to lift up economically disadvantaged communities.
Politicians love tax credits that go to their districts. That doesn't mean those tax credits are good for constituents or for the state. California's enterprise zone program is a $700 million annual drain on taxpayers that provides little if any positive impact to the economy.
In 2009, the Public Policy Institute of California found our enterprise zones have "no statistically significant effect on either employment levels or employment growth rates." The California Legislative Analyst's Office says the program is "expensive and not strongly effective."
The California program is ballooning by more than 35 percent annually, placing our budget in jeopardy in future years. Enterprise zones simply aren't a good return on the investment taxpayers are making. These types of tax credit programs should include strict accountability measures to require that not only are net new jobs created, but that those jobs have wage standards to ensure employers aren't being rewarded for creating minimum-wage jobs. We call it the "jobs test." If a tax break program like opportunity zones passes the test, it's likely a worthwhile investment. However, if it fails that test, taxpayers are on the hook for millions. That's a boondoggle, which is exactly what California's program has morphed into.
California, with the support of Gov. Jerry Brown, is considering changes to the enterprise zone program that make it more transparent and accountable. But these changes can't undo the more than $3.6 billion in subsidies companies — mostly big corporations with more than $1 billion in assets — have received since the inception of the program.
That's $3.6 billion that could have gone toward keeping teachers in the classroom, repairing our crumbling infrastructure or programs that provide incentives for middle-class jobs. Instead, it was wasted subsidizing wealthy, mega-corporations like Walmart and McDonald's. Many of those low-wage companies pay employees so little that they end up on public assistance.
Tax credits can be a powerful tool to create jobs, if done properly. We hope Georgia learns from the mistakes of California by requiring the opportunity zone program to adhere to strict oversight and high standards. Otherwise, your program is destined to be a miserable failure that weakens the economy instead of bolsters it.
Art Pulaski is executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation.
April 3rd, 2013
2:16 pm
The City of Atlanta historic and current relationship with these so called Opportunity Zones or programs like this one, seems to be the most beneficial to the politically and socially connected residents of the City.
Such Contract awards are typically given to members who are the friends, family, church and or sorority members, previous office holders, Business associates and large Campaign contributors of what ever Administration that is currently in OFFICE.
Such unseemly unethical behavior should cease and such programs should be reviewed, evaluated by an independent group not selected or approved by any current or previous Governmental Office Holder or Administrator.
This is the Fairest option to ensure all Contracts are open to
ALL businesses and interested parties, so they may bid fairly in a free and open process free of governmental office holder unfair influence and advantage.
Airport Concession Awards in the past are prime examples of this previous Abuse.
April 3rd, 2013
1:35 pm
Business and industry leaves an area for a reason. Address that reason and you will possibly bring interest back into the area. The largest reason is taxation. Taxes get raised as a city grows until they reach a point where it's cheaper to pull out and push into the burbs. Giving tax breaks like this is how these schemes can seem like they'll work – on paper. However, in certain areas with high unemployment and high poverty like these "opportunity", "empowerment", "enterprise", "improvement districts", there are other elements, such as crime and lower property values and a general lack of public interest in going into those areas at this point, which seem like they would negate and positive business interest. You not only need to give small businesses reasons to move into the area, you have to give customers reasons to want to shop there.
April 3rd, 2013
9:05 am
If not for the AffirmativeAction policies of hiring unqualified imbeciles, all of Atlanta could be considered an "Opportunity Zone."
Otherwise, "Opportunity Zones" such as MARTA and Atlanta Public 'Skoolz' will simply perpetuate their respective legacies.
April 3rd, 2013
8:31 am
A few years ago I took the tour of the city, saw the estate of one of the early residents in Buckhead, went to the Cyclorama, and went down Auburn Ave. The tour guide said we would not stop in the area, too dangerous. I would have really liked to have stopped to see the area
It is without any doubt, the people that are responsible for showing tourists around are the ones making lasting impressions. Like the Coca-Cola museum, it was first class.
April 3rd, 2013
8:19 am
Opportunity zones or block grants are a useless agenda base waste of tax money! And to waste millions in the Auburn Ave are should be criminal! Oh, sorry, the criminals are already there!
April 3rd, 2013
6:50 am
Sweet Auburn to be revitalized.
I have lived in (or near) Atlanta since 1974. The revitalization of Sweet Auburn has been the subject of numerous articles in this newspaper. You write about it a lot, but nothing ever seems to happen. The place looks just like it did four decades ago. Just more run down.
When I moved here the northern part of Fulton County was mostly rural. Now it is highly developed, with traffic jams in both directions on Ga. 400. The revitalization of Sweet Auburn that never happens is always in the news. I guess dog bites man is not news, so I don't really expect to see news about north Fulton. But I am getting weary of the prediction that man is going to bite dog tomorrow.
April 3rd, 2013
5:38 am
I guarantee you that there will be few net new jobs, if any. And those "jobs" will be bogus, friends and relatives that will be pulled out of the woodwork like roaches to get the free money. Enterprise zones should be areas to draw businesses that hire workers and pay above minimum wage–either technical or engineering type jobs. In reading Mr. Hall's nonsense about jobs relating to the MLK Memorial area and the frackin' streetcar, my first thought was, "Really!???" He thinks this is a good thing? If, and this development of this area is a big "if" works, it will result in the same trashy, Third World country vendors that made the city look so bad during the Olympics.
April 2nd, 2013
5:58 pm
Why not make all of Atlanta an opportunity zone?
April 2nd, 2013
5:02 pm
The only Noticeable OPPORTUNITY, I have noticed from all of the POVERTY that has been ingrained over the Past (50) Fifty years in that Area is from the Corporation of Former Mayor Shirley Frankiln who was awarded a City of Atlanta Contract for the Planned Trolly System at the tune of $850,000.00.
She is one of the least qualified individuals, in My opinion, who should be awarded a CITY OF ATLANTA CONTRACT so soon after leaving Office. My GOD! its been less than (4) FOUR YEARS!
Is there anyone down at ATLANTA CITY HALL GOVERNMENT that even have an OUNCE of INTEGRITY and SCRUPLES, as to how this MAY APPEAR to the Residents and Voters of this Once GREAT CITY? Shameful is what it is….Absoultely Shameful!
April 2nd, 2013
4:44 pm
This sounds like a program that could lead to plenty of fraud and cronyism, but if the overall goal of economic growth in the designated area is obtained it may be worth the risk. However, I have seen similar programs launched around the City which never result in any positive improvements and the money just sort of disappears. It would be nice if there were some type of accountability mechanism attached to assure that tax payers get some tangible benefit.


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Bill reinforces state's same-sex mandateBy PETER HIRSCHFELD
Vermont Press Bureau | March 16,2013MONTPELIER Thirteen years to the day after the Vermont House spent 12 hours debating civil unions, lawmakers Friday gave broad bipartisan support to legislation that will require certain companies to extend health care benefits to the same-sex spouses of their gay and lesbian employees.
The legislation approved Friday wasnt so momentous as the law that, back in 2000, made Vermont the first state to give legal recognition to the partnerships of gay and lesbian citizens.
But for many legislators, the Houses 139-5 vote provided a cathartic milestone in a civil rights movement that hit an apex last year when President Barack Obama voiced public support for gay marriage.
I think many of us can take great satisfaction and pride in that historic (civil unions) debate, that historic vote, when we look at the movement forward in many parts of the country, said Rep. Bill Lippert, a Hinesburg Democrat and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
The bill approved Friday aims to close a loophole that prevents gay employees at a handful of companies from enjoying the same family benefits plans offered to their heterosexual colleagues. Vermont legalized gay marriage in 2009.
Wal-Mart, for instance, extends health coverage to the spouses of its workers unless they happen to be gay. According to Susan Donegan, commissioner of the Department of Financial Regulation, theres nothing illegal about the unequal treatment.
Weve got a situation where employers who have their own self-funded, generally large insurance group fall outside the jurisdiction of our state insurance laws, Donegan said last month.
The state also lacks authority over companies that have bricks-and-mortar locations in Vermont but are headquartered out of state. The legislation tries to solve the problem by directing those companies to provide equal treatment to gay and straight workers.
Only five legislators, all of them Republicans, voted against the bill. The wide support stood in stark contrast to the gay marriage vote in 2009, when lawmakers overrode Gov. James Douglas veto of the gay marriage bill by only one vote. Only six Republicans crossed over to join Democrats in 2009.
Rep. Tom Koch, a Barre Town resident who voted no on gay marriage but yes to Fridays bill, said the latest vote wasnt a referendum on the merits of same-sex unions.
My views on that have not basically changed, but I look differently at this bill, because the decision has been made, the policy has been set, and that fight is history and I accept the result, Koch said.
House Minority Leader Don Turner, however, said he thinks the vote signifies an ideological evolution among a large swath of the Vermont GOP. Turner voted against gay marriage.
And when I look back at that, I think I probably voted the wrong way, Turner said.
He isnt the only prominent Republican to have thought better of his opposition. Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Brock last year said that if the vote on gay marriage were held today, he would vote in favor of the measure he opposed it in 2009.
I think the Republican Party, myself included, needs to be more inclusive, Turner said. I think we need to show Vermonters were moving forward on these issues. This is a diverse and accepting state, and we need to be a diverse and accepting party.
Douglas this week declined a request to discuss whether his views have changed.
Donegan said she doesnt have any data on how many businesses or workers the legislation passed Friday would affect. And its doubtful the law would survive a legal challenge, since states generally arent allowed to preempt federal authority over self-insured companies.
But similar laws in California and New York have had the desired effect, and Rep. Paul Poirier, the Barre City independent who played a key role in getting the bill to the floor, said the companies hes spoken to Wal-Mart among them have said theyll voluntarily comply with the new requirements.
They said, we want to be good stewards here in Vermont, Poirier said. Nobody wanted to come in and testify against it.
Rep. Chris Pearson, a Burlington Progressive, said Vermont need not mount a defense to any legal challenges that might come. Companies that wish to disregard the new statute, he said, can try to make their case in the court of public opinion.
Any challenge to this law would be a front-page story, Pearson said.
Tom Little, who as then-chairman of the House Judiciary Committee was at the center of the vicious debate over civil unions, was coincidentally in the building Friday, on business for his current job at the Vermont Student Assistance Center.
Little recalled the Vermont State Police escort that accompanied him and other lawmakers as they made their way from the committee room to the House floor for the historic debate.
I told (Poirier), its no fair you get to report that bill without an angry mob waiting for you outside, Little said. There was such a visceral anger and fear over this issue back then, such hostility. Its remarkable to see the progression now.
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text:
BOSTON (AP) -- An attorney for a Massachusetts company linked to a deadly meningitis outbreak says it's "hard to imagine" state regulators didn't know the scale of its operations because it's worked so closely with them.
The statement by New England Compounding Center attorney Paul Cirel (sih-REL') came Tuesday after Gov. Deval (deh-VAL') Patrick announced the state has moved to revoke the company's operating license.
State officials say they found unclean conditions at the company and evidence it was making drugs for general distribution, a violation of its license.
Patrick says he's ordered regulators to conduct surprise inspections at similar types of pharmacies.
The company's attorney says regulators have always had complete access to the facility and inspected it last summer. He says the company's transparency shows its good-faith intention to operate within the bounds of its license.


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(WHAS 11)--The popular Louisville Blues and Barbecue Festival returns to the Water Tower.
Headlining the festival this year is Claudette King who is the daughter of Blues legend B.B. King.
She'll take the stage July 19.
Also performing is the Stray Cat Blues Band.
The event is in its 16th year and combines Blues music and barbecue.
There will also be vendors and entertainment for the kiddos.
The festival opens July 19 at 5 p.m. through Sunday at the Water Tower on Zorn Avenue.
Organizers say you can bring lawn chairs, blankets, umbrellas but no food, drink, pets or tents.


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A source close to the investigation tells FOX 2 that Tucker Cipriano will plead guilty to felony murder in an attack that left his father dead.
Watch live coverage in the video player above, or on your mobile phone, beginning around 1:30 p.m.
Cipriano's reported plea agreement would avoid a trial and send the 20-year-old to prison for the rest of his life.
Cipriano is accused in the baseball bat attack that killed Robert Cipriano inside the family's Farmington Hills home. Tucker's mother and brother were also injured in the attack.FOX 2's Charlie Langton and Maurielle Lue are working to learn more details.
Stay with myFOXDetroit.com for more updates as they become available.
WHBQ-TV | Fox 13 485 S. Highland St.Memphis, TN 38111Main Station: (901) 320-1313Newsroom: (901) 320-1340


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New York Driver Approaches 3,000,000 Miles in His '66 Volvo
Irvin Gordon, of Long Island, is the current Guinness Book of World Records holder for High Mileage Vehicle.
Irv Gordon, of Long Island, bought the Volvo new in June of '66 for $4,150 (for some, a full year's salary at the time). Since then, Gordon, who has stated a lifelong love of travel, has been racking up the miles: it took 21 years to reach the first million miles, then another 15 to reach the two-million mark, according to MSNBC. Now, 46 years after purchasing the Volvo and already having driven the car the equivalent of 1,200 trips around the globe at the equator, Gordon is less than 40,000 miles from clicking "3,000,000" on the odometer.
And did we mention, since he failed to spring for the option back in '66, Gordon has done all this driving without an air conditioner?
Regular maintenance, oil changes and tune-ups are key to the vehicle's longevity, of course, and the Volvo still has its original engine (albeit rebuilt -- twice). Perhaps Gordon's connection to the car is the secret? The 72-year-old recently told the Associated Press "It's just a car I enjoy driving."
At nearly 3,000,000 miles -- a number Gordon expects to hit this year -- we think that may be a bit of an understatement.
[Source: MSNBC.]
To all of you skeptics and doubters:
The mileage on Irv Gordon's Volvo is accurate and has been thoroughly documented by the detailed service records Mr. Gordon has kept since the car was new. THAT'S WHY Mr. Gordon and his Volvo are recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. It's all been PROVEN.
Don't hate, appreciate...
Sure is alot of driving - When looking at the article closer, he made his first million mile mark 25 years after purchase, the second 15 years later (40 years after purchase), meaning he made the last 960,000 (+/-) in the last 6 years. This equates out to an average of 160,000 miles a year for the last 6 years, or 3,076.9 miles per week.
An average of 439.5 miles per day!! At 55 MPH that is 7.9 hours of driving per day for the last 6 years!!
I've met Irv a few times over the years at a few car shows. He's a really nice guy..
He's been retired for years and on a whim he will take a ride..like for food.. A trip from L.I. NY to Boston for Clam chowder.. He used to drive daily to and from work..I think Bklyn.. so a few hundered miles a week... cross country for fun...
Yes parts have been replaced that's maintenance parts do wear... but not much on older Volvos and a repaint or two,.
Older cars are simpler.. no or minimal electronics..in this car.. no power steering to go bad, no power windows.. the windsheild wipers are two speed, no abs brakes, airbags, no computers no sensors..(well no electronic sensors like we have today), no fuel injectors or electric fuel pump....
If you had or have a clean car from pre 1971 and know how. The car can run for many more years..
Cars from the mid 70's and up had crap electronics in them.. 20 to 40 years from now try getting a working ECU (computer) for a car from the 90's..
While the new cars from today handle well and with the aid of multi computers and sensors do amazing things but if you hold on to that car 20 years... I doubt you'll get parts for them if they still run...
Cars of all makes are both history and art... and having a vintage car in good to great condition takes a lot from a person... So when you see someone who owns one show a thumbs up on keeping history going....
Take your kids to vintage car shows it's a great pastime fun thing to do. Plus it's art and history at the same time....
Just be respectful ... Look but don't touch.... Lot's of Blood Sweat and Tears ( and money ) go into keeping rolling history rolling...
This seems to be a little bit difficult to do. The car is 46 years old, this mileage works out to 64,347.8 miles per year on the average (according to the article he is just over 2,960,000 miles currently = under 40,000 to go). This equates to an average of 176.2 miles per day, or 1,234 per week!!
Sure is alot of driving - When looking at the article closer, he made his first million mile mark 25 years after purchase, the second 15 years later (40 years after purchase), meaning he made the last 960,000 (+/-) in the last 6 years. This equates out to an average of 160,000 miles a year for the last 6 years, or 3,076.9 miles per week.
An average of 439.5 miles per day!! At 55 MPH that is 7.9 hours of driving per day for the last 6 years!!
Thinking the numbers may be a little off.... Maybe miscounted a 100,000 mile 'roll over' of the odometer here and there...
Those who don't believe this car has nearly 3M miles will not care that a whole community of Volvo 1800 enthusiasts have been following Irv from the days it started to become a remarkable feat. They might want to check with Guiness or Volvo.
It amazes me how people shoot their mouth off about things they don't know.
Suck the verve right out of your drive with these yawn-inducing rides.
Cars are cool, and here at MSN Autos we love everything about them, but we also know they're more than simply speed and style: a car is an essential tool, a much-needed accessory to help you get through your day-to-day life. What you drive is also one of the most important investments you can make, so we'll help you navigate your way through the car buying and ownership experiences. We strive to be your daily destination for news, notes, tips and tricks from across the automotive world. So whether it's through original content from our world-class journalists or the latest buzz from the far corners of the Web, Exhaust Notes helps you make sense of your automotive world.
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text: Performance Data Reporting: Impact on Primary Care Practices (Text Ver Slide presentation from the AHRQ 2009 conference. On September 16, 2009, Philip Sloane made this presentation at the 2009 Annual Conference. Select to access the PowerPoint® presentation (2 MB) (Plugin Software Help). Slide 1 Performance Data Reporting: Impact on Primary Care PracticesPhilip D. Sloane, MD, MPH,Jacquie Halladay, MD, MPH, Sally Stearns, PhD,Thomas Wroth, MD, MPH, Paul Bray, MA,Lynn Spragens, MBA, & Sheryl Zimmerman, PhDFrom the North Carolina Network Consortium and the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel HillFunded by the US Agency for HealthCare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Slide 2 DisclosureI have no relationships to disclose, andI will not discuss off label or investigational use in my presentation Slide 3 Background2006 AHRQ publication: barriers and challenges to collecting and reporting healthcare dataBarriers Identified: Data system inefficiencies of data systemsVariation in indicatorsTechnological barriersCompeting prioritiesEconomic pressuresOrganizational and cultural issues. Slide 4 ObjectivesDetail the costs of implementation and maintenance of performance data reportingGather information on how practices successfully overcome challenges to data reporting. Slide 5 Programs EvaluatedPhysician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI)Bridges to ExcellenceImproving Performance in Practice (IPIP)Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) Slide 6 PQRIMedicare's reporting program.74 quality measures (practices can choose)."G" codes are added to billing submissions.Must have 80% of cases reported on three quality measures.Incentive payment of ≤ 1.5% of Medicare allowable. Slide 7 Bridges to ExcellenceStarted in 2006 as a three-year pilot program by BC/BS.Incentive: $$, based on achieving quality thresholds and # of patients with BCBS insurance.Two programs studied: Diabetes Care: HbA1c, BP, LDL, Eye exams, Foot exams, Nephropathy assessments, smoking status/cessation.Physician Office Connections: Office systems and processes such as electronic prescribing, referral tracking, performance reporting (9 items total). Slide 8 Improving Performance in Practice (IPIP)State-based, nationally led QI initiativePilots in CO and NC.Uses quality improvement coaches (QICs) who go into physicians' offices and work with the practice on improvement efforts, including: Data system assistanceDecision support and protocol developmentOffice team involvement in quality improvement and measurement Slide 9 Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC)Statewide system of 14 regional Medicaid care networks Each has a program director, medical director, steering committee, case managersAttention to chronic diseases (mainly diabetes and asthma)Guideline dissemination & case managementYearly statewide audits and reports with comparison data to local practices Slide 10 Eight Practices Selected For Variety and Program ParticipationTable of Practice Size by Total Number of Providers (MD and PA/NP's)Pvt-sm: 2/1Non-P-Med: 2/4Non-P-Med: 3/3Pvt-sm: 1/0Teaching: 8/18Pvt-LG: 6/9Pvt-sm: 1/1Non-P-Med: 3/3 Slide 11 Quality Data Reporting Programs RepresentedOf the 8 practices in the COMP project, 4 participated in PQRI, 3 in IPIP, 6 in CCNC, 2 in BTE-Diabetes, 1 in BTE- PPC Slide 12 Conditions EvaluatedDisease or Quality Measures8 in Diebetes, 6 in Asthma, 3 in COPD, 2 in Falls Risk Assessment, and 2 in others Slide 13 Medical Data SystemsTypes of Electronic Medical Record SystemsPaper record and Electronic registry: 3EMR e/o population functions: 2EMR with population queries: 3 Slide 14 Study MethodologyIntensive site visits by economist, QI specialist & qualitative researcherMeticulous detailing of costs (see next slide)Interviews with: quality champion,care providers,other practice staffQuantitative and qualitative analyses Slide 15 Cost Categories - 1Total Resource Costs points to Costs to PracticeTotal rather than marginal costsTotal Resource Costs points to Cost to QI program In-practice only Slide 16 Cost Categories - 2Total Practice Costs points to Staff Time: Measure-Specific (eye exam referrals, HbA1c)Total Practice Costs points to Staff Time: Non-measure Specific (data entry, meetings)Total Practice Costs points to Supplies, Equipment, Application Fees Slide 17 Cost PhasesTotal Practice Costs points to Start-Up PhaseTotal Practice Costs points to Maintenance Phase Slide 18 PQRI Implementation Costs in Four PracticesTotalPractice A: $6,000Practice B: $0Practice D: $22,500Practice H: $6,000Per FTE Practice A: $0Practice B: $0Practice D: $11,000Practice H: $0 Slide 19 PQRI Implementation in Practices A and HTotalPractice A: $6,000Practice H: $6,000Per FTE Practice A: $500Practice H: $500 Slide 20 Cost Per FTE of Implementing CCNC vs IPIPCCNCPractice B: $250Practice C: $500IPIP Practice B: $1,500Practice C: $2,600 Slide 21 Average Practice & Program Costs per FTE of CCNC*, IPIP**, and PQRI***CCNCPractice Cost: $250In-Office Program Costs: $1,250Combined: $1,500IPIP Practice Cost: $2,750In-Office Program Costs: $500Combined: $3,100PQRN Practice Cost: $1,500In-Office Program Costs: $0Combined: $1,500 Slide 22 Estimated Costs and Reimbursement for Participation in B to E DiabetesPractice A Diabetes Cost: $800Practice A Diabetes Reimb: $1,600Practice G Diabetes Cost: $500Practice G Diabetes Reimb: $0Estimates are per provider FTE Slide 23 Estimated Costs and Reimbursement for Participation in B to E Medical HomePractice A Diabetes Cost: $750Practice A Diabetes Reimb: $1,250Practice A Med Home Cost: $750Practice A Med home Annual Reimb: $2,500Estimates are per provider FTE Slide 24 Lessons from Qualitative InterviewsMethods: Interviews with practice championGroup interviews with practice staffMedical director joined for lunchDedicated note taker present; case reports generated; research team reviewed for themes and lessons Slide 25 Motivation to Participate is a Key to Success"Pay for performance seems inevitable, and we wanted to prepare our practice for it""If we are providing quality of care, we want to separate ourselves out and be recognized" Slide 26 Leadership is Crucial to Getting StartedLeaders with quality improvement experience and an interest in participation; staff who then get motivated"The providers set the tone and empower the staff" Slide 27 Three Major Logistical ChallengesStaff time and effort "The clinicians and staff are being driven to a frazzle"IT challenges "I'm sure that the EHR vendor could develop a query to do this, if we paid them enough"Difficulties changing physician behavior "Once you start to measure quality, the first thing the providers do is question the measures" Slide 28 Going Through Hoops to Achieve Data ConsistencyOne practice had to train the physicians to record "feet" instead of "extremity"Another had to create a report on smoking cessation counseling three times before it was in an acceptable format Slide 29 Involving the TeamPractices reported difficulty finding enough time to review and act on quality data reports"(The practice manager) presents the data in a fun way.she puts time into preparing it for you, in charts, so that we have clarity""Initially providers are burdened by a new reporting activity. But after a while it takes less effort because they figure out how to give it to nursing" Slide 30 Perceived Effects on Productivity & FinancesSlowed down productivity initially, but overall productivity increase over timePositive: "Good income for good medicine"Negative: "They are taking money out of my pocket" Slide 31 Theoretical Model: Factors Involved in Developing and Maintaining Quality Assessment, Improvement and Reporting in Primary CareInfrastructure Development - Practice Preconditions - Catalyst - Program Initiation - Program Maturation - SustainabilityPreconditions Exposure to QILeader with QI experienceFocus on quality > incomeCatalysts Committed leader or mandateCollaborative atmosphereOutside encouragementInfrastructure Development Medical director supportAdministrator supportData entry & reporting resourcesStaff meeting timesSustainabilityTangible constructive changeFinancial benefitEnhanced practice reputationStrategic partnerships that foster culture of quality Slide 32 Image: Are we making an impact? Current as of December 2009 Internet Citation: Performance Data Reporting: Impact on Primary Care Practices (Text Ver. December 2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/news/events/conference/2009/sloane/index.html


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Brown has ban shortened
Bok captain Kyle Brown is available for selection should his side make the final of the RWC Sevens tournament after having a suspension shortened.
SARU succeeded in its appeal against his suspension of six matches on Saturday.
Brown appeared before independent Judicial Officer Jeremy Summers (England) on Saturday after being cited by Citing Commissioner Yann Le Dore (France) for contact with the eye(s) or eye area in breach of Law 10.4(m) during South Africa's Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 Pool B match against Scotland on June 29.
The player denied committing the alleged act of foul play but the Judicial Officer upheld the citing complaint against the player and imposed a sanction of six matches. SARU then lodged an appeal and the subsequent hearing was held.
The ban was reduced to two matches following the appeal.
This means that Brown will miss the quarter-final match against Fiji and should South Africa progress to the semi-finals, he will miss that as well.
Put your money where your mouth is