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This July 29, 2014 combo of file photos shows clockwise from upper left: British boy band One Direction singer Zaryn Malik, NBA player Dwight Howard of the Houston Rockets, NBA player Metta World Peace of the LA Lakers, singer Rihanna, comedienne Joan Rivers and singer Selena Gomez. The celebrities are some of the many pop idols and professional athletes who are going public with strong views about Gaza, putting their relations with fans on the line while stirring up a social media frenzy. AFP PHOTO / FILESFILES/AFP/Getty Images
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Football Corner Hostel
Our guests we are offering 18 accommodation places in a diversity of unique design of the rooms (i.e. 4, 6 and 8 person rooms are available).
Moreover our guests have at their disposal a fully equipped kitchen, two bathrooms (shower or bath - depending on your preference) and a lounge to relax with satellite TV, where you can trace news in brief or support your favorite football club.
Our staff will happily help you find the most interesting sights, show you the best places for a night on the town and make sure your stay in Krakow is exactly what you were looking for! Krakow is like a open book for us therefore feel free to ask our staff for help!!.
We provide free maps of the city and local information about what's on in Krakow. After long day and (even longer night) you will find out that Football Corner Hostel is just a perfect place for socializing.
Football Corner Hostel is located in the building at Wroblewski ¾ street on the first floor, next to the Dluga street - one of the main streets in the city center.
For our guests we are offering:
- Breakfast
- Satellite TV (including broadcasts of major sports events for the week)
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Free tea and coffee
- Laptop with free Internet access (WI-FI, throughout the place)
- Iron//Ironing board
- Printer
In the room price you will receive:
- Bed linen
- Breakfast
- Towels
- Key Cabinets
- Bedside lamps
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 hour reception
- 24 hour security
- Book exchange
- Cable TV
- Common Room
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Currency exchange
- DVDs
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Free Wifi
- Games Room
- Hair Dryers
- Hair Dryers For Hire
- Hot Showers
- House Keeping
- Internet Access
- Kitchen
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Meeting Room
- No Curfew
- Non Smoking
- Outdoor Terrace
- Reading Light
- Safety Deposit Box
- Tea/Coffee Making Facilities
- Tours/Travel Desk
- Towels For Hire
- Washing Machine
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
From the Balice Airport:
- Train from Krakow's Balice airport depart every 15 minutes to Main Railway Station
(from 5.14 to 22.44
- Bus - departing from the airport to the city center three bus lines 208. 292 (day bus) and 902 (night bus). Using 292 or 208 take a stop at New Kleparz, than go back and turn left into the Dluga street. After about 500m turn left into the Pędzichw street and after about 50 meters turn right down the Wroblewski street.
If you taking a night bus (line 902) you should take a stop at Basztowa Lot, turn left into the Dluga street. After about 500 m turn right down the Pędzichw street, then after about 50 meters turn right again in the Wroblewski street.
Taxi - The cost of the course by taxi from the airport Balice is about 60 PLN. WARNING! Use only licensed taxis. Official carrier of Balice Airport - TAXI RADIO 19191.
From Krakow Main Railway Station, you can choose the way by foot or by public transport.
If you decide to have a walk than after leaving the station you should go through the Krakow Shopping Center (cannot miss it, just follow the crowd). Then, after leaving the Shopping Center go straight to the Kurniki street which then switches into St. Filip (Sw. Filipa) street.
Go ahead till the end of the street than turn right and again right down the Pędzichw street and then after about 50 m turn right one more time - down the Wroblewski street.
If you choose public transport after leaving the shopping center, go left direction above the underground passage. In the underground passage, turn left on Westerplatte street. When you exit the underpass there is a tram stop. Please take the No. 19 line and stop at Pędzichw, then go back a few meters and turn left into the Pędzichw street and after 50 meters turn right down the Wroblewski street
Taxi - Taxi rate from the train station costs about 12-15 PLN.
WARNING! Use only licensed taxis.
Located Near
Football Corner Hostel is situated in the center of Krakow. From the train station and the Main Square the most important points of the city it takes just 5 minutes walk.
We are located in the quiet alley near the one of the main street in the center, which makes it easy and simple/effortless/trouble-free to visit main monuments, pubs and shops, if you are shopping maniac accordingly to your plans and preferences

subset: commoncrawl


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02 3 / 2012
"Timeless" rocked my effin' face!
I bought the final installment of Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series (which I have been absurdly obsessed with for a year now) today and finished it in a six hour straight readathon. I only stopped to text OMIGAWD to my best friend (who forgot the book came out today) several times to which she finally replied "Shut your whore mouth".
Needless to say I loved it, it answered all my questions (well, almost all my questions). I love Conall and Alexia so freaking much and almost threw the book across the room several times. That is how you know a book is good.
Oh God, I just realized that its over……now what will I do with myself?
Oh wait, the next series comes out in a year? That's something. :)
The Parasol Protectorate Abroad comin' out 2013!


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Ethiopian Jews
Watch Israel's Edgy New Anti-Discrimination Ad
The Ministry of Justice launches campaign to combat bigotry
Israel Says There Are No More Jews in Ethiopia. Thousands Left Behind Disagree.
As final flights of Falash Mura leave for Israel, a community of Hebrew-speakers finds it is neither Jewish nor Ethiopian enough
Ethiopian Mass Aliyah to End in August
Two final flights with 400 passengers will leave for Israel later this summer
Obama to Break Bread with Black Miss Israel
Dinner with Ethiopian-born Yityish Aynaw on president's Israel itinerary
'Haaretz' Corrects Forced-Contraception Story
Over a month too late, an explosive story loses its bite
Ethiopian Israeli Stars on the Rise
A new pop singer and a new Miss Israel hit the mainstream
Sundown: Egyptian Military Steps In
Israeli television claims Ethiopian women were forced to take contraceptive shots
Member of the Tribe
Theodore Ross grew up pretending he wasn't Jewish. His book Am I a Jew? traces his re-engagement with Judaism.
Shamir's Greatest Legacy?
On the late prime minister's watch, over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel in a day and a half
Israel's Shifting Color Lines
A new film, 400 Miles to Freedom, follows Ethiopian immigrants who long to move to the Jewish state but find unexpected barriers upon arriving there
Wiley's People
The young artist-provocateur Kehinde Wiley's dignified portraits of men in Israel are the focus of a major new show at the Jewish Museum
Sundown: More and More Want Assad Gone
Plus an Israeli horror flick, the biggest Seder ever, and more
Late last year Israel accepted what's set to be the final wave of Ethiopian immigrants. But the country is still struggling to integrate the 120,000 who've arrived over the past three decades.
Daybreak: Obama Can't Do Everything
Plus Tutu, Sendak, and more in the news
Daybreak: Settlements Deal Close
Plus a nuclear Iran, Tel Aviv threatened, and more in the news


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AdvertisementWhy ads?
Narrow year range (drag arrows to filter):
The CX-9 mostly carries over for 2014. Slight changes include updated wheels and the addition of rear cross-traffic alert on Touring and Grand Touring models.
For 2013, the CX-9 receives a freshened exterior with a new design front and rear. Inside, a 5.8-inch color touchscreen is standard, as is a new infotainment system with HD Radio, Pandora Internet radio connectivity, text-to-speech capability, and a new microphone for better speech recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and a rear-view camera now come to the mid-level Touring models.
There are no major changes for 2012.
Other then improved fuel economy and some new wheels, there are no major changes for the 2011 Mazda CX-9.
For 2010, the CX-9 receives a slight exterior and interior refresh, gaining the company's new signature front end, large side mirrors and a new headlamp/fog light design.
A trip computer is made standard on all models, while Bluetooth phone capability is added to the Sport trim. In addition, the Sport trim can now be equipped with heated seats, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror is added to the Grand Touring.
A new 3.7-liter V6 replaces last year's 3.5-liter unit and provides more horsepower and torque. Mazda's Blind Spot Monitoring System will be available later in the model year.
The 2014 CX-9 is Mazda's largest model, a 3-row, 7-passenger sport-utility vehicle. Despite its SUV status, it remains a Mazda, meaning it's actually fun to drive. Thanks to a powerful V6 engine and dynamic handling, the Mazda CX-9 stands out from competitors such as the Ford Explorer, Chevrolet Traverse, Toyota Highlander, Honda Pilot and Nissan Pathfinder because it feels more like a nimble sports sedan than a pragmatic people-mover. Even the Mazda's swoopy styling conveys motion and stands in contrast to blockier or bloated designs. That styling does sacrifice some interior room, however, and though Mazda's invigorating powertrain still holds its own, the fresher setups in some of the CX-9's rivals are more fuel efficient.


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Well, winter has officially arrived, and with it come heavy coats and snowsuits. While they are a necessity to keep our kids warm and dry, they are not for kids travelling in car seats.
The truth is, it's not safe to put thick coats, snowsuits or blankets under the harness straps of a car seat because the straps need to stay snug on the child. Coats and heavy snowsuits actually compress in a crash, which can create a lot of extra slack. This could cause your child to be ejected from the car seat in a crash.
Here's what you can do to ensure safe travel with your kids during winter months:
- Bring your infant carrier car seat into the house after each use. Young children, especially infants, are not able to regulate their body temperature. Placing them in a cold car seat can be dangerous. For older infants and toddlers, warm up your car before buckling them in their seat.
- Dress an infant in warm, normal clothing like long pants and a sweatshirt. Buckle him or her into the infant seat and cover the entire seat with a blanket, tucking in the sides around the baby. Then you can put other blankets over the top as needed. Make sure nothing is behind your baby's back.
- There also are car seat covers that fit over the top of the child once they are snugly buckled in. Again, it's important to make sure nothing is behind your baby's back.
- For older infants and toddlers, take their coats off before buckling them into the car seat. Once the harness is snug, put their coat back on them backwards over their arms. Yes, I know it seems funny but it works!
- When buying winter coats, remember to keep thickness in mind. Polar fleece is thin but warm, so it works well keeping kids safe and warm in their car seats.
- Have your car seat installed or checked by a certified child passenger safety technician. Call (877) 607-5280 toll-free to schedule a free appointment at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Booster and Car Seat Clinic.
For more child passenger safety information, visit bluekids.org/KohlsCares. We want every child to travel safely this winter.
–Jane Howard, car seat educator, Children's Health Education Center


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In this Advanced Perl course you will learn how to create modules but also understand how old school libraries work. You will be able to use, create and understand(!) Object Oriented Perl code. Both using modern OOP systems such as Moose but also with bare bones Perl. That will allow you to write modern applications and to understand how legacy code works.
At the end of this course you will be able to write and understand large Perl applications.
The course will have about 5-6 chapters and about 50-60 lectures.
If you are just starting with Perl, I'd recommend taking the Beginner Perl Maven course
Table Of Contents
- Over 38 lectures and 2 hours of content!
- How long do I have access to the course materials?You can view and review the lecture materials indefinitely, like an on-demand channel.
- What is the refund policy on the course?We like to keep our users happy, so we have a 30-day no questions asked refund policy. Send an email to email@example.com for refund requests.
- Can I take my courses with me wherever I go?Definitely! If you have an internet connection, courses on Udemy are available on any device at any time. If you don't have an internet connection, some instructors also let their students download course lectures. That's up to the instructor though, so make sure you get on their good side!


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Narrow your search
While it's currently iPhone-only, Tempo Smart Calendar is a worthwhile calendar app that integrates well with other services.
Pricing not available
Quickoffice has more editing features than Google Drive, but it's still no match for the more robust and visual Kingsoft Office app.
Pricing not available
Facebook redesigned its Android app and hid the 'Most Recent' feed in the process. Meanies.
Satellite Landsat 8 has been surveying Earth for over a year now, providing an interesting take on our planet's shifts.
Facebook likes hiding the best feed in its app from you, but I'll tell you where to find it.
Properly prepare the recent graduate in your life with a smattering of the best video game hardware on the market.
You can check for suspicious log-ins and password changes.
Recent filings from the FCC suggest that the long-awaited Motorola X phone is coming.
When sending offspring to college after graduating high school, or out into the great big world after college, no that they will need wheels and probably directions. These cars and devices will make that recent grad's automotive life all the better.
The botnets driving the recent distributed denial of service attacks are powered by millions of infected computers. Their coordinated flood of requests overwhelms the Internet's DNS servers, slowing them down and even knocking the servers offline. The long-term solution for site operators and visitors alike may rely on reluctant ISPs working together.


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Health Care Reform Memo: October 8, 2012
Deloitte Center for Health Solutions publication
The health care reform memos are issued on a weekly basis, highlighting news from the previous week's activities in the administration and implications for the C-suite and various stakeholder groups.
My take: health care a focus of the 2012 Presidential and VP debates
From Paul Keckley, Executive Director, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
Last Wednesday, 67 million watched the debate between President Obama and Governor Romney—the second largest debate audience on record and highest since the 1992 debate between Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Ross Perot. Its focus was domestic policy: health care was to be one of six 15-minute segments, but it consumed more than a third of the 92-minute broadcast and understandably so. It's simple: for a policymaker, it's hard to separate the economy and health care. Consider:
Health costs by the federal government—$872 billion in 2012—are a fourth of federal spending, and are forecast to increase at 6 percent annually for the next ten years as 8,000 seniors become Medicare eligible every day and as medical inflation increases at 3 percent. Any discussion of jobs or economic recovery necessarily intersects with health care.
The health care industry is a job creator: 16.3 million strong, with above average compensation and forecast growth of 4.2 million in the next decade. Case in point: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Job Report Friday found that of the 114,000 jobs added in September, 44,000 were in health care—the number one industry and almost three times higher than number two, transportation and warehousing, with 17,000 jobs added. Dramatic changes to the industry might dampen its employment trends.
And Medicare reforms are centerpieces in both campaigns: the President's embedded in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the Governor's as part of a proposed voucher option for those who are 55 or younger.
No doubt, the Vice Presidential debate Thursday in Danville, Kentucky and next Tuesday's round two between President Obama and Governor Romney will see more attention to health care. The reality is health care and the economy are both complicated and inseparable to a discussion of economic recovery.
Rarely do debates clarify policy differences or provide specifics. I am confident, however, that regardless of the election outcome 29 days from now, health cost will be a key focus in efforts to address our global competitiveness, job growth, and economic recovery. But for viewers watching the debates, it's perhaps more simple—health care may be as much as 18 percent of their discretionary spending, complicated, and increasingly unaffordable to many. How do we solve their problem?
Paul Keckley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Deloitte Center for Health Solutions
P.S. Special report: numerous think tanks and academic organizations have examined how the provisions of the ACA will impact insurance coverage. In my view, no one can know for sure: there are too many variables to consider, not the least of which is the overall trajectory of the U.S. economy and its impact on employers.
We chose to stress test eight scenarios and then determine which is more likely. They basically evolve from several moving parts—how many employers keep coverage, how timely and effective the health insurance exchanges (HIXs) are set up by the states, what states do about Medicaid expansion, and changes to the employer penalty and health costs. The result: the range of possibilities below:
|A — "Intended results": baseline
|D2 — Employer penalty tripled (from $2,000 to $6,000)
|B1 — 5% of large and 10% of small employers drop coverage
|D3 — Combination of D1 and D2 with exchanges and mandates delayed until 2016
|B2 — 10% of large and 25% of small employers drop coverage
|E1 — Six states (FL, LA, MS, SC, TX, and WI) reject Medicaid expansion
|B3 — 25% of large and 50% of small employers drop coverage
|E2 — Twenty-nine states reject Medicaid expansion
|C — Individual mandate repealed
|F1 — National Health Expenditures growth averages 4.5% per year through 2021
|D1 — Individual penalty tripled (from 1% to 3% of income) and faster phase-in (from three years to two)
|F2 — National Health Expenditures growth averages 8.5% per year through 2021
Based on these scenarios, it's our sense that:
- Traditional employer-sponsored coverage may increase slightly or substantially decrease—cost is the issue.
- State-run HIXs will play a large role in coverage, providing services for up to 69 million in the population through a combination of individual and small group policies. The net change in employer-sponsored coverage is the single biggest factor in gauging enrollment in exchanges.
- Enrollment in Medicare and Medicaid is fairly predictable (despite the recent Supreme Court ruling about Medicaid expansion).
- And the uninsured will still be a major element in the coverage scenario. Policymakers will still face this challenge.
Health insurance
market segment
|Enrollment (in millions)
|2021 projections under scenarios A – F
|Employer-sponsored: Group excluding SHOP
|Individual excluding HIX
Source: upcoming Issue Brief from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, "The Impact of Health Care Reform on Insurance Coverage: Projection Scenario Over 10 Years – Update 2012." This Issue Brief will be released this week and provides 10-year, annual health insurance coverage projections by market segment and the uninsured.
Also, the September 10, 2012 Monday Memo included Top Ten Myths of the Health Care Reform Debate. Stay informed about the facts throughout the election season by accessing an infographic of this information here.
The pundits and predictors will no doubt produce elegant forecasts and predictions. On our end, we're more comfortable fine-tuning assumptions and tracking scenarios, since no one knows for sure how all this will play out.
Health care, like the U.S. economy, is on uncharted turf. The only thing we know for sure: maintenance of the status quo is neither likely nor sustainable.
Implementation update
Avoidable readmission program starts
Last Monday, the penalties for avoidable readmissions to hospitals began with 2,200 hospitals expected to be penalized $300 million due to avoidable readmissions for heart failure, heart attacks, or pneumonia. Per Section 3025 of ACA, the maximum penalties are 1 percent of the expected Medicare payment in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, 2 percent in FY2014, and 3 percent in FY2015.
My take: the debate about avoidable readmissions remains contentious in some circles: what constitutes an avoidable readmission, and who decides? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a 20 percent reduction target between 2010 and 2015, and the concept makes perfect sense. The 30-day post-discharge timeframe is reasonable based on a systematic review of 7,843 citations where 30 studies of 26 models of readmission tracking were reviewed, and of these, only one study addressed preventable readmissions. (Source: Kansagra et al, "Risk Prediction Models for Hospital Readmission," Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA], October 19, 2011.) But legitimate questions remain about what constitutes a preventable readmission.
DOJ announces arrests for Medicare fraud
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Thursday that the Medicare Fraud Strike Force arrested 91 people in connection with over $430 million in Medicare fraud conspiracies. The arrests took place in Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, New York City, Chicago, and Baton Rouge, within a 24-hour time period for schemes including more than $230 million in home health care fraud, $100 million in mental health care fraud, and $49 million in ambulance transportation fraud. In addition to these arrests, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also suspended or took administrative action against 30 health care providers as a result of data-driven analysis and allegations of fraud.
Background: per Section 6402 of the ACA, the CMS Fraud Prevention System (FPS) began operating June 30, 2011 with a goal of detecting fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare program through predictive modeling technology.
Supreme Court may hear more cases challenging the ACA
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court began its new term and announced it might review new challenges to ACA including a Liberty University petition that the individual mandate violates religious freedom and the constitutionality of the employer mandate. The Court requested input from the federal government on whether it should consider the University's new challenges, and requested a response be submitted by October 31, 2012.
Background: in November 2010 the Fourth Circuit District Court dismissed Liberty University's case challenging the constitutionality of the individual mandate that requires individuals to purchase health insurance. In January 2011, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the district court ruling and dismissed the case stating the that the individual mandate penalty was effectively a tax, therefore the Anti-Injunction Act (AIA) prohibits lawsuits seeking to block collection of a tax prior to its effective date of January 2014. The Supreme Court later ruled in June 2012 that the AIA does not apply to the mandate.
GAO report: DOD and VA ineffective in collaboration on health care
Last week, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report concluding that collaboration in the provision of health care services between the U.S. Departments of Defense (DOD) and Veterans Affairs (VA) is ineffective. Areas of concern: lack of administrative coordination in sites where the two operate, lack of performance measures that assess the effectiveness and efficiency of services provided, and lack of a process for jointly planning for innovation and improvements. The GAO recommended the departments develop performance measures related to access, quality, and costs; implement information technologies to enhance administrative and clinical coordination; and address policy and workforce barriers hindering collaboration.
Background: annual costs for the health systems: VA ($53 billion) and DOD ($49 billion) for FY2013.
Commonwealth Fund analysis of health care coverage
Tuesday, the Commonwealth Fund released its analysis of three scenarios for health insurance coverage: 1) assumes ACA was not implemented, 2) ACA fully implemented including participation by all 50 states in Medicaid expansion, and 3) a block grant scenario favored by the Romney campaign.
Per Commonwealth, 72 million would be without insurance in Scenario 3 vs. 27.1 million in Scenario 2:
|Non-elderly population (age 0-64)
|Scenario 1:
Without ACA / Pre-ACA
| Scenario 2:
ACA fully implemented
|Scenario 3:
Romney proposals
|Uninsured by 2022
|60 million
|27.1 million
|72 million
|Percent uninsured by 2022
|Average percent of income spent on premiums (non-group)
|Average percent of income spent on out-of-pocket health care (non-group)
Source: Sara R. Collins, Stuart Guterman, Rachel Nuzum, Mark A. Zezza, Tracy Garber, and Jennie Smith, "Health Care in the 2012 Presidential Election: How the Obama and Romney Plans Stack Up," Commonwealth Fund, October 2012.
Note: according to the report, "This comparison relies on results of microsimulation analysis of the candidates' plans conducted by MIT economist Jonathan Gruber." On closer review: Scenario 2 assumes every state expands its Medicaid program (despite the Supreme Court's June 28 ruling that states could not be forced to expand and the individual mandate will add 16 million to the ranks of insured. Scenario 3 assumes block grants to states will grow at the rate of population growth plus 1 percent; states will match the lower federal rate of spending growth in their share of Medicaid spending; states will meet new limits through a 50–50 combination of cuts in Medicaid costs via lower payments to health care providers or reduced benefits, and through reduced eligibility for the program; and states will maintain existing Medicaid eligibility for the elderly and people with disabilities, so that any eligibility cuts needed to meet spending targets will come from the reduced eligibility of people who are under age 65 and not disabled.
Legislative update
ICD-10 corrections released
Last week, HHS released two corrections to the ICD-10 final rule issued last month: 1) HHS corrected the following dates for health plan identifier compliance: November 5, 2014 for most health plans, November 5, 2015 for small health plans, and November 7, 2016 for all covered entities. 2) HHS also noted that the final rule references the wrong tables for cost and savings estimates for the health plan identifier, for which the notice provides further guidance.
GOP lawmakers challenge use of funding for meaningful use
Thursday, several GOP lawmakers—Representatives Dave Camp (R-MI), Fred Upton (R-MI), Wally Herger (R-CA), and Joe Pitts (R-PA)—sent a letter to HHS Secretary Sebelius requesting suspension of incentive payments to providers in the electronic health records (EHR) program and delay of penalties to non-participants until the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) provides clear, interoperable standards.
The letter alleges $10 billion in federal dollars may have been wasted because Stage 2 Meaningful Use program rules from the CMS and ONC are "weaker" than the Stage 1 rules released three years ago.
Background: the EHR incentive payment programs created by Congress under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act provide $27 billion to encourage doctors and hospitals to implement electronic medical records. Through June 2012, $7.1 billion has been spent, 294,300 physicians and other "eligible professionals" have enrolled, and 140,500 have been paid. In addition, 3,973 hospitals enrolled and 3,905 received payments. The ARRA also directly appropriated $2 billion to the ONC for information technology (IT) programs, including promotion of state-wide health information exchanges (HIEs).
State update
Study: state formularies vary widely
Last week, Avalere released its analysis of eight states' essential health benefit (EHB) benchmark plans—California, Connecticut, Mississippi, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington—concluding wide variation in formularies across states. Per guidance from HHS, insurers must adopt at least one drug per class to participate in HIXs. Key findings:
- Each state covered more drugs than the one drug per class minimum.
- On average, the selected benchmark plans covered approximately 62 percent of the drugs available in the chosen classes: California covers 26 percent of drugs in chosen classes, and in some classes covers only generic drugs; four states cover more than 85 percent of applicable drugs.
- For most of the classes in the study, most plans covered at least half of the brand-name products and half of the generic drugs available in each class.
(Source: Avalere, "Drug Coverage in Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plans: Formulary Analysis," October 2012.)
Note: as of today, 17 states had recommended EHB benchmark plans and eight states had preliminary recommendations. HHS recommended states submit their EHB benchmark plan by October 1, 2012 and is expected to release final regulations soon.
Background: per Section 1301 of the ACA, HIXs will certify Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers, who will then provide access to QHPs via a state's HIX. Per Section 1302 of the ACA, QHPs must cover all ten statutorily required EHBs (i.e., prescription drugs). Each state is responsible for adopting an EHB benchmark plan modeled after one of the three largest small group plans in the state by enrollment, one of the three largest state employee health plans by enrollment, one of the three largest federal employee health plan options by enrollment, or the largest HMO plan offered in the state's commercial market by enrollment. At a minimum, each QHP must adopt the identified benchmark plan to participate in that state's HIX. QHPs may modify the EHB benchmark plan as long as the services covered are actuarially equivalent to the state's EHB benchmark plan. For instance, if a state has identified a benchmark plan that covers 15 occupational therapy sessions and five physical therapy sessions, a QHP may choose to cover five occupational therapy sessions and 15 physical therapy sessions as long as the modification is actuarially equivalent to the designated benchmark plan.
Study: Medicaid expansion associated with reduced mortality and improved health status
New enrollees ages 20-64 were followed for five years in New York, Maine, and Arizona (new enrollees were included beginning the first full year after each state's respective expansion). Mortality rates compared to neighboring states without expansions were 6.1 percent lower and self-reported health status increased 2.2 percent.
(Source: Sommers et al, "Mortality and Access to Care among Adults after State Medicaid Expansions," New England Journal of Medicine [NEJM], September 13, 2012.)
State round-up
- Partners HealthCare announced plans to award community health centers $90 million over 15 years to go toward strengthening the primary care provider workforce in Massachusetts.
- Last Monday, District Judge Carol E. Jackson dismissed a lawsuit brought by a Missouri company against the federal government regarding the ACA contraception requirement. Judge Jackson ruled that requiring employers to cover contraception imposes no substantial burden on religious exercise.
- Last week, California Governor Jerry Brown (D), signed several health care reform bills including: EHB requirements for health plans and insurers, new insurance regulations for small business, additional premium subsidies for individuals in high-risk groups, and several others. The Governor also vetoed Senate Bill 970 that would have established a state policy of "no wrong door" for individuals seeking information about social services and health programs. And the exchange board in the state also released a draft solicitation for QHPs to sell in the new marketplace. Comments were accepted until last Thursday, October 4 and the board expects to release a revised solicitation by mid-October.
- Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) wrote to several North Carolina hospitals challenging their use of the 340B Medicare Drug Pricing Program, thus inflating the price of chemotherapy drugs by two to ten times the suggested price. The Senator seeks:
- A year-by-year summary of revenue received from the 340B program since 2008
- Information on whether the hospitals reinvested the savings to help uninsured patients
- The purchase and sale price of each drug
- Information on each system's charitable care policies
Background: the 340B Drug Pricing Program, created through the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 and codified in Section 340B of the Public Health Service Act, is managed by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Office of Pharmacy Affairs (OPA). Section 340B gives significant savings to the cost of covered outpatient drugs to certain federal grantees, federally-qualified health center look-alikes, and qualified hospitals. Participation in the program results in savings of 20-50 percent on the cost of pharmaceutical drugs for safety net providers.
Industry news
Solicitor General's Office asks U.S. Supreme Court to rule on pay-to-delay
The Solicitor General's Office, on behalf of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), filed a petition with the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to review a ruling made by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals on federal antitrust law and drug manufacturer agreements. The issue: does federal antitrust law permit a brand name manufacturer holding a patent for a drug to enter into a settlement with a prospective generic manufacturer where the generic manufacturer receives a payment and agrees to delay entry of the generic product into the market? The Eleventh Circuit ruled "absent sham [patent] litigation or fraud in obtaining the patent, a reverse payment settlement is immune from antitrust attack so long as its anticompetitive effects fall within the scope of the exclusionary potential of the patent." If the Supreme Court agrees to review the case, the Court would be able to provide clarification for drug manufacturers and the FTC on this widely debated issue. A ruling by the Supreme Court would take precedence over lower court rulings.
Background: the "pay-to-delay" question has been litigated in several lower courts: in July 2012, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals opinion held that "pay-to-delay" must be viewed through the lens of antitrust law with "the patent holder bearing the burden of showing that the payment 'was for a purpose other than delayed entry' or 'offers some pro-competitive benefit.'" In the Second, Eleventh, and Federal Circuits, "pay-to-delay" was upheld based on the federal antitrust laws as long as they do not exclude competition beyond the scope of the patent.
BPC survey: electronic health information sharing issues—interoperability, cost big issues, privacy or security not significant
Wednesday, the Bipartisan Policy Center, in partnership with Doctors Helping Doctors Transform Health Care, released a report exploring ways to accelerate electronic health information sharing to reduce costs and improve quality in health care. Its survey of clinicians found that clinicians cite the lack of interoperability between systems, the lack of an information exchange infrastructure, and the cost of both setting up and maintaining interfaces and exchanges as major barriers to sharing patient information electronically to support clinical care. Clinicians do not feel state policies limiting the exchange of health information, concerns about trusting the data, or about physician self-referral and anti-kickback laws were major barriers to exchanging information electronically:
|Major barrier
|Minor barrier
|Inability for my EHR to communicate electronically with other systems (lack of interoperability)
|Lack of information exchange infrastructure
|Cost of setting up and maintaining interfaces and exchanges
|Concerns about the liability associated with not acting on the clinical data made available
|Concerns about privacy and security
|Concerns specifically about HIPAA
|No business case to justify exchanging information (e.g., no financial incentive)
|Lack of ability to use the information given limitation of time
|Tradition (we just haven't done it in the past)
|State policies which limit the exchange of health information
|Concern that I can't trust the data
|Concerns about physician self-referral and anti-kickback laws
The report outlines several recommendations around acceleration of interoperability and electronic information sharing, improved accuracy inpatient matching, updated legislation to advance information sharing and expand safe harbors, and development of technical standards and state-federal consistency in addressing privacy and security issues.
(Source: BPC Health Information Technology Initiative, "Accelerating Electronic Information Sharing to Improve Quality and Reduce Costs in Health Care," October 2012.)
Report: Medicaid managed care entities are hiring ineligible providers
Last week, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report indicating that Medicaid managed care entities (MCEs) are employing "excluded" providers. In 2009, CMS issued a letter instructing providers to screen employees prior to hire to ensure they are not "excluded" from participation. However, providers pushed back citing costs. OIG analyzed a random sample of employees from 500 hospitals, nursing facilities, home health agencies, and pharmacies enrolled in 12 MCEs totaling 248,869 employees: 6.4 percent of employees were on the "excluded" list. While the OIG report did not include recommendations, since OIG collected the data 81 percent of the individuals who were identified as "excluded" have been terminated.
Census report: use rates for doctors, nurses down
The U.S. Census Bureau released data indicating individuals are seeing doctors less: since 2001, the average visits to see a doctor, nurse, or other medical provider by working-age adults decreased from 4.8 visits in 2001 to 3.9 visits in 2010. According to this report, Americans self-report as being healthy; 66 percent reported being in "excellent" or "very good" condition. Additional findings include:
- Individuals are more likely to seek care from a medical provider than a dentist: 73 percent versus 59 percent, respectively
- Age directly corresponds to the number of appointments with medical professionals
- Women are almost 10 percent more likely to see a medical provider than men
- Use of prescription medications is low; 57 percent reported no prescription drug use in the past year
- Uninsured adults: 13 percent sought care in an emergency room (ER), 10 percent received care in a hospital, 20 percent received free services, 30 percent reported receiving discounted medical services in the past year
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "Health status, health insurance, and medical services utilization," October 2012.)
FDA reminds generic drug facilities of requirement to self-identify
Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that generic drug facilities, per the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments of 2012 (GDUFA), must self-identify by submitting information to the FDA through a new electronic process. If a facility does not self-identify, all manufacturers involved will be at risk of being deemed misbranded by the FDA. Misbranded products cannot be shipped interstate and cannot be imported in the U.S. The following facilities must self-identify:
- Facilities that are either manufacturing or processing a generic active pharmaceutical (API) ingredient contained in a human generic drug or a finished dosage form (FDF) of a human generic drug
- Sites and organizations that package the FDF of a human generic drug into the primary container/closure system and label the primary container/closure system are considered to be manufacturers, whether or not that packaging is done pursuant to a contract or by the applicant itself
- Sites that are identified in a generic drug submission and pursuant to a contract with the applicant, remove the drug from a primary container/closure system, and subdivide the contents into a different primary container/closure system
- Bioequivalence (BE)/bioavailability (BA) sites that are identified in a generic drug submission and conduct clinical BE/BA testing, bioanalytical testing of samples collected from clinical BE/BA testing, and/or in vitro BE testing
- Sites that are identified in a generic drug submission and perform testing of one or more attributes or characteristics of the FDF or the API pursuant to a contract with the applicant to satisfy a current good manufacturing practice testing requirement (excluding sites that are testing for research purposes only)
(Source: Federal Register, "A Notice by the FDA: Generic Drug Facilities, Sites and Organizations," October 3, 2012.)
Background: last week, Congress authorized the FDA to collect fees and information from generic drug manufacturers through GDUFA, which is included in the FDA Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA). The goal of GDUFA is to increase access to high quality, generic drugs through a five-year program and close to $300 million in additional revenue from generic drug manufacturers. The additional revenue will provide the FDA with the resources to expedite the review process and address the backlog of generic drug applications.
Study: cost at end of life
The report, published in The Journal of General Internal Medicine analyzed data about 3,209 people who participated in the national Health and Retirement Study and who died between 2002 and 2008. The survey, sponsored by the National Institute on Aging, collects information about medical out-of-pocket spending every two years. Key findings:
- On average, people with Medicare coverage paid $38,688 out-of-pocket for medical care in the last five years of life.
- There was enormous variation: 25 percent of participants averaged $101,791 and 25 percent averaged $5,163 during the five-year period.
- One-quarter of older adults incurred out-of-pocket medical expenses that exceeded the total value of their assets during this five-year period; 43 percent incurred expenses that exceeded their assets, excluding the value of their homes.
- People with Alzheimer's disease spent more than those with any other type of illness—an average $66,155 during the last five years of life, compared with average spending of $32,129 for cancer, $37,996 for cardiovascular disease, and $38,517 for diabetes.
- Post-acute long-term care costs (nursing home, assisted living), which aren't covered by Medicare, much to many families' deep surprise, were the number one category of out-of-pocket spending, followed by home health care. Other categories of expense for people who have Medicare include premiums for Part B (which pays for doctors' care and outpatient services), averaging just under $100 a month this year; premiums for Part D drug coverage, averaging about $30 a month; and premiums for supplemental coverage (which cover some, but not all, expenses not covered by Medicare), averaging about $177 a month. For those who can't afford supplemental coverage or who don't have retiree insurance coverage, expenses can be quite substantial.
Under Medicare, there's an initial deductible for hospital care of $1,156, with an expected payment of $289 a day after a hospital stay exceeds 60 days (until the 90th day, when rates increase again). For outpatient and doctors' services, the initial deductible is $140 and co-payments (the consumer's share of the bill) typically equal 20 percent of the amount billed.
(Source: Kelly et al, "Out of Pocket Spending in the last Five Years of Life," Journal of General Internal Medicine, September 2012.)
AMGA defines high-performing health system; six attributes
The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) formalized its definition of what makes a "high-performing health system" at its Institute for Quality Leadership conference in National Harbor, Maryland last week. The trade group that represents 300 large, mostly independent medical groups recommends six attributes: quality measurement and improvement activities, team-based collaboration, meaningful use of IT, a compensation structure that encourages clinicians to improve health outcomes, shared accountability for managing health care costs, and physicians playing a key role in clinical and nonclinical functions. Note: AMGA members are 300+ medical groups representing 67,000 physicians.
Online pharmacies target of FDA global closure effort
Thursday, the FDA, working with the Department of Homeland Security and drug enforcement agencies in 100 countries, announced it has initiated legal action to shut down 4,100 online pharmacies that sell potentially unsafe, unapproved, or fake medicines. The announcement was part of the fifth annual International Internet Week of Action, a global effort to fight the online sale and distribution of potentially counterfeit and illegal medicine. The Interpol announced it had shut down 18,000 internet pharmacy websites and interdicted 6,700 shipments in 2012.
Compounding pharmacies get scrutiny as result of steroid injections
Compounding pharmacies create alternative versions of medicines to accommodate differences in how drugs metabolize in patients and/or reduce complications of traditional medicines. Per The Pharmacy Compounding Accrediting Board, 162 of the 3,000 compounding pharmacies meet its quality standards. None of the compounding pharmacies associated with the five deaths attributed to the steroid injections were accredited.
"Private insurance companies should be leading the way in the struggle to control health costs. They know about every contact a patient has with the health system and can see how much is wasteful or redundant. By altering the way they pay doctors and hospitals, they can potentially push providers to reduce costs, improve quality and even transform the whole culture of American medicine."
— Editorial, The New York Times, "How Insurers Can Help," October 1, 2012
"While the portion of health care costs directly paid by consumers only accounts for about 12 percent of total health care spending nationally, we expect it to expand as a percentage of the total mix. Higher cost-sharing insurance plans for those covered privately, is shifting more of the cost of health care direct to the consumer."
— Standard and Poors Rating Direct, "Ratings Outlook Remain Stable for U.S. For-Profit Health Care Companies," 2012
"Numbers tell the story. Last year, veterans filed more than 1.3 million claims, double the number from 2001. Despite having added nearly 4,000 new workers since 2008, the [VA] did not keep pace, completing less than 80 percent of its inventory."
— James Dao, The New York Times, "Veterans Wait for Benefits as Claims Pile Up," September 28, 2012
Fact file
- End of life costs: 5 percent (2.5 million) of Medicare beneficiaries die each year; expenditures are $125 billion (25 percent of total Medicare funds). (Source: CMS)
- Government benefit: low income individuals—those in the bottom fifth by household income—receive $4,600 in annual income from government health services. (Source: Congressional Budget Office [CBO], July 2012)
- Mobile payments: mobile payments will be $171.5 billion in 2012—up 62 percent from $105.9 billion in 2011. (Source: Yankee Group)
- Redacted science: researchers analyzed 2,047 redacted papers: three of four were redacted due to misconduct of the researchers. (Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
- Hip resurfacing reliability: analysis of 32,000 patients followed by the National Joint Registry of England and Wales revealed that resurfacing was less efficacious than total hip replacement except for younger men. (Source: Alison Smith et al., "Failure rates of metal-on-metal hip resurfacings: analysis of data from the National Joint Registry for England and Wales," The Lancet, October 2012)
- Federal budget 2012: total spending: $3.8 trillion: $709 billion defense, $773 billion social security, $872 billion health programs, $1.3 trillion deficit (24.3 percent of budget). (Source: Fiscal Year 2013 Budget of the U.S. Government, Office of Management and Budget)
- Knee replacement market: 600,000 annually, 238,802 Medicare vs. 93,230 in 1991; 9 billion market—demand will reach 2.5 million by 2030. (Source: Peter Cram et al., "Total Knee Arthroplasty Volume, Utilization, and Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries, 1991-2010," JAMA, September 26, 2012)
National health reform: What now?
At Deloitte, we continue to explore and debate the key questions facing
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Tag Archives: World
Ugandan President Signs Anti-Gay Bill
Venezuelan Strong-Man Hugo Chavez Dies
Man Arrested For Dressing As Woman In Females-Only Park
Police in the United Arab Emirates arrested an Indian national in a females-only park, saying the man was dressed as a woman. The man was charged with violating "principles of public decency and societal customs and authentic Arab Islamic traditions," although he got a few points for not having shaved his mustache as part of his disguise. However those points were taken back when it was discovered he had shaved elsewhere.
Greece Adopts Austerity Measures
The Greek Parliament voted to implement austerity spending cuts in an attempt to stem the country's spiral into economic disaster. As the government voted on the measure thousands of unhappy Greeks rioted in the streets of Athens, mainly just to have something to do since unemployment there is running at around 99%.
President Of Mauritania Shot By Own Troops
Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz was shot by members of his country's military Sunday in what is being termed a "friendly fire" incident. Abdel Aziz is being treated for his wounds at a French military hospital.
Protesters Attack American Embassies In Egypt And Libya
Bra-Killer: Do We Need Underwear Control?
A Russian woman has been charged with strangling her neighbor with her bra when he refused to give her money to buy alcohol.
That's it – I don't think I need to make anything up here.
Hillary Clinton Greeted With Jeers In Egypt
China Lifts Ban On Lesbian Blood Donation
UPDATE: Gay men are still banned from donating blood in the United States, and have been since the 1980s, although there is a movement in Congress to end this ban.
Mubarak May Be Clinically Dead
Former Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak has reportedly been declared clinically dead at a hospital in Cairo after suffering a massive heart attack. However, sources in the Egyptian military dispute this claim, saying Mubarak is alive but in critical condition, kind of like Egypt.
Mubarak Gets (What's Left Of His) Life In Prison
Scientists To Probe Mysterious Baltic Anomaly
Blair Says Murdoch Put Political Pressure On Him
Lesbian Couple To "Wed" At Disney World Japan
Doctor Who Helped Get bin Laden Gets 33 Years
Japan Tsunami Debris Washes Up In Alaska
Plane Diverted Due To Woman's Claim Of Implant
Arabic Media Struggles With New French PM's Name
Escaped Penguin Survives In Tokyo Bay
Communists And Nazis Win Greek Elections
The rest of the world moans in agony….
France Now Also Has A Socialist President
Blind Chinese Activist Escapes From House Arrest
Iran Produces Copy Of Captured American Drone Aircraft
North Korea Launches Rocket
Canada Drops Its Penny
Obama Visits Korean Demilitarized Zone
Egypt Achieves U.S.A.-Like Democracy
Egyptian MP Anwar al-Balkimi, of the ultra-conservative Nour Party, was expelled from the Egyptian Parliament for claiming he was mugged in order cover-up a nose job. Now belly-dancer Sama al-Masri claims she is al-Bakimi's second wife.
The Islamist Nour Party adheres to the principles of the Salaf, which means "predecessors" or "ancestors". The Salafi take the earliest Muslims as model examples of Islamic practice. Plastic surgery and a secret marriage to an unveiled belly-dancer are against Salafi fundamentalist principles.
So this is the equivalent of a member of Congress elected on a Tea Party platform having a sex-change and a second wife who is a prostitute. In other words, Egypt has achieved American-style democracy.


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Nov 09, 2008
- Last updated on September 15, 2009 at 6:43 am
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- 3 Comments
I have a couple of items that I used for the wedding that are up for grabs (southern california pick up).
*Wooden Initials* (Sorry bad picture, but you can see them at the bottom "K" and "H" are small "T" is larger)
*2 "Love" Signs* (I used them for the candy buffet table) **Taken**
More to come!!
- Last updated on January 25, 2009 at 1:33 pm
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- 0 Comments
Cake, Candy Buffet, Flower Decor......
- Last updated on January 25, 2009 at 12:58 pm
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- 0 Comments
Just a few pictures from my Bridal Party!!
- Last updated on January 21, 2009 at 3:31 am
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- 2 Comments
Here are some official wedding pictures. I received the album also and it looks great. I will post more pictures and also try to get a link the the video.
- Last updated on December 2, 2008 at 6:48 am
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- 3 Comments
~~~For Sale~~~
Final sell on items!!
~*VASES*~ There are 8 of each (I will get sizes soon) $3.00 for each square, medium or large rectangular **Sale Pending**
~*Tealight Holders*~ 24 holders $4.00 for all
~*Baskets*~ 2 small baskets (used for labels for the manzanita branches) $ 2.00 each
~*Easels*~ 7 easels used for candy buffet table, wishing tree table and portrait table ($1.00 each) *Sale Pending**
~*Table Number Holders*~ 8 holders (clear square bottom) *I will get a better picture* $1.50 each
~*Candy Buffet Jars*~ All different shapes and sizes (I will get better pictures) $6.00 each large jar/vase, $3.00 for small
~*Candy Scoops*~ Clear, all sizes (10 scoops) $8.00 for all *Sale Pending*
~*Vases*~ 2 cylinder vases $4.00
* 8 Shepherd hooks (they were made custom, to be able to hold heavy lanterns and be able to be placed on hard surface (not grass). This object is a little expensive, but since they were custom made, I couldn't go cheaper (pick up only). $20.00 each
* 8 Lanterns (painted black) $6.00 each
- Last updated on November 25, 2008 at 4:43 am
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- 3 Comments
Finally on November 9th I married my best friend. They day went by so fast, but I enjoy every second. Everything turned out beautiful and I can wait to see the video. Here are a few picture that my SIL took. ENJOY!!


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March 31, 2011
Newseum Turns 3; Buy One, Get One Free
Celebrate the Newseum's third birthday April 9-11, 2011, with a special gift: Buy one ticket and get a second one free of equal or lesser value.
Join us Saturday, April 9, for the biggest birthday party in Washington, including:
- Visitor caricatures
- Fun with the Newseum News Hound
- "Inside Media" program with NPR's Diane Rehm
Now showing in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith Big Screen Theater: "The President's Photographer," which takes an intimate look at the day-to-day life of the nation's chief executive.
This offer has expired.


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Call our Romance Specialist (888) 591-5138
« Back to TheCanyons.com
Weddings & special occasions
(16-70 guests)
The Farm was named the "Best New Restaurant in Utah" in February 2012 by Salt Lake Magazine and features an innovative menu that focuses on locally sourced ingredients from farms and artisans within 200 miles of Park City. Located in the heart of the Resort Village and overlooking the Ski Beach, this rustic, yet refined restaurant offers both indoor / outdoor settings in an intimate, unique atmosphere.
(25 - 60 guests)
Located in the Sundial Lodge, the newly opened Alpine House offers the best in intimate mountain settings. With its stylish and cozy furnishings, to its award-winning creations, the Alpine House is ideal for any special event.
Choose from an array of wedding and reception spaces both indoors and out, ranging from a natural setting next to the prestige Wasatch mountain range to our indoor 5,000 square foot
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Unparalleled service tailored to make this event uniquely yours...
our wedding specialist at 435.647.5509
Check out our Catering & Private Dining Menu
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Canyons Resort - 4000 The Canyons Resort Dr. Park City, Utah 84098
Phone: (888) CANYONS or (435) 649-5400


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Apocalypse Weekend begins Saturday morning, with The Postal Dude waking up in the hospital, his head bandaged from a near-fatal gunshot wound. The Dude's ultimate goal is to recover his trailer and his dog, and to this end, escapes from the hospital. Newly updated for Linux!


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- Amily shaw
- Chengdu,chongqing
- China
This conversation is closed.
Can we think without any presumptions?
Questions arised from one of the conversation and a reminiscence of a old lady who said:"nobody is right but me."
Are we free of personal bias when we think?
how reliable it is for us ourselves to judge if we are free of personal bias or not ?
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.
Feb 23 2013: To Fritzie Reisner,
The TED talk that Mitch referred to was about movement and the brain developed to control mevement, but in doing so needed to filter the "noise" in feedback signals in the body's nervous system to acquire any accuracy and coordination.
The Bruce Lee example is probably the greatest display of human coordinated movement that I have ever seen. Playing ping pong is difficult enough, but to use a nun-chuck, which is not only cylindrical in shape, but articulated (i.e. two pieces joined by a flexible chain or cord), is ridiculously difficult as the body has little feedback ("feel") from the loose part of the nun-chuk which is the bit that strikes the ball.
To do what Bruce Lee does in that video, not only being able to hit the ball, but do so as accurately as someone using a standard ping pong paddle, is truly incredible. I'd like to see anyone attempt to duplicate it.
Given the content of the TED Talk, I bet the speaker would have given anything to have had the opportunity to study whatever magic was happening in Bruce's nervous system!
If you watch the talk, you will understand the reference. http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_wolpert_the_real_reason_for_brains.html
Showing single comment thread. View the full conversation.


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Alison Butler, St. Mary's — The senior forward scored two goals, including the winner, in the Spartans' 4-3 victory over Reading. Butler leads the squad with 23 goals and 20 assists.
Aubrey Ashmun, Martha's Vineyard — The freshman forward delivered a hat trick to help the Vineyarders (9-4-2) qualify for the state tournament with 10-3 win over Cape Cod Tech/Nauset.


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Jennifer Lynn Schwartz, MD
Phone: 734-936-6360
BiographyDr. Jennifer Schwartz received her medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School and completed her internship in internal medicine at Northwestern Medical Center in Chicago. She completed her dermatology residency at the University of Michigan Department of Dermatology and two years of specialty training in melanoma at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Additionally, she completed advanced specialty training in cutaneous surgery treatment of benign and malignant lesions at the University of Michigan. In 1999, Dr. Schwartz became a faculty member of the Melanoma and Cutaneous Oncology and Surgery Program.
Medical School or Training
- Northwestern University
- University of Michigan Health System, Dermatology, MI, 1999


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The Green Bay Packers had their lowest offensive output in seven years
and the defense struggled again despite causing four turnovers as the
Lions embarrassed the pack on Thursday 40-10. As usual, after a Packer
loss the radio waves, twitterverse and blogosphere was full of anger and
vitriol. Fire _____ (fill in the blank) was a regular. refrain. It's
easy to see that the malaise of the Packers is much more than the
unavailability of Aaron Rodgers. The one week love affair with Matt
Flynn did sour of course as he played like many of us expected he would
when the team signed him. I grant you he was running for his life for
much of the game as the offensive line showed how damaged they are.
...And the defense...what can we say about the defense...it was clear to
see that the defense is not only flawed in scheme and execution...its
flawed in talent level. This isnt a one day oddity. The Lions are a much
better team right now in almost all phases of the game...and Aaron
Rodgers coming back isnt going to change that. So...who pays the price?
Ted Thompson built the roster...Mike McCarthy calls the offensive plays
and puts the starting lineup together...Dom Capers alledgely makes the
defensive game plan and in-game adjustments. The Packer brass like
Thompson and they probably won't make McCarthy pay for this with his job
after the sustained level of success the team has had over the last
seven years. Capers will probably be the one who gets canned...along
with some of the conditoning coaches who will pay the price for all of
the hamstring and groin injuries that have ruined this season. You cant
fire all the players (although there are very few on this roster that
have earned their keep this year) so expect some cosmetic changes after
this season ends with the hope that health and Aaron Rodgers will get
the team back to respectibility.
Badger hockey team inaugurates Big Ten play this afternoon as they take
on Minnesota in Minneapolis. You can hear the game on WSAU at 3:30.
Bucks coninute to look for answers as they have now lost 10 in a row
after dropping an overtime game at home on Wednesday night. They play in
Charlotte tonight. OJ Mayo says the team is still keeping their heads
up and have not written off the season yet.
high school hoops tonight. The annual Turkey Shoot two day event at
Wausau West. I'll have Wausau East tonight and Saturday at 5pm on
Foxsports1390 & FM 93.9. tonight they face Newman and Saturday they
take on Pacelli. Both teams are pretty good.
This is the anniversery of the death of George Harrison in 2001. He was 58. here are a couple of his tunes as the Songs of The Day
This Song-George Harrison (1976) George's response to the plagerism lawsuit over My Sweet Lord. That's Rolling Stone Ron Wood in drag.
It's What You Value-George Harrison (1976) from his very popular 33 1/3 LP


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Found January 02, 2013 on Down and Distance:
PLAYERS: Steve Spagnuolo, Sean Payton
TEAMS: New Orleans Saints
TEAMS: New Orleans Saints
One Saints player, speaking anonymously, says defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo needs to be fired (Credit: AP Photo) The 2012 season did not go well for the New Orleans Saints. Heading into the season without their head coach, Sean Payton, most believed the Saints would stumble but not miss the playoffs. The Saints started the season 0-4, before rallying to 5-5. Unfortunately, the team lost four of their last six games and ended the season 7-9. One reason why the Saints struggled during the 2012 season was their awful defense. The Saints defense ranked 31st in the NFL in points allowed per game, 32nd in yards allowed per game and allowed the most yards to opposing offenses in NFL history. As black Monday has come and gone, one coach who did not receive a ticket out the door was New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. One anonymous Saints player, told Larry Holder of The Times-Picayune that Steve Spagnuolo should have been fired this week. "Trust me all the guys were being politically correct this season when answering questions," the player said. "It's bad." The player added: "To give up what we gave up can't be all talent. Look at where his units (have) been ranked before. I think one top 10?" "Don't even get me started on lack (of) ability to adjust during games. Bad, bad, bad." In addition to Spagnuolo's lack of ability to coach a defense, the anonymous player had harsh things to say about Spagnuolo as a person as well. "He does have that good-guy persona, but he is a control freak and treats people like crap," the player said. (Spagnuolo has) no patience and zero personality. (He) has a way of pissing players and our defensive coaches off with how he says and does things. (I) think it's even harder after having (former defensive coordinator) Gregg (Williams), who guys enjoyed." If the Saints want to win in a division that features Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and Cam Newton, they will have to fix their defense this off-season. While I think Spagnuolo should be given one more season, including one that features Sean Payton as the head coach, if he cannot fix the defense quickly, he will be fired. However, if there is a split in the locker room and Spagnuolo has lost the players, he has to be fired this off-season The post Anonymous Saints player: Steve Spagnuolo should be fired appeared first on DOWN & DISTANCE.
Original Story: http://sports-kings.com/downanddistan...
1 Comment:
What a puusy, if your gonna say it then put your name to it. I'm so sick and tired of these cowards making anonymous statements
Comments are closed.
What do you think?To leave a comment, you can:
Report: Saints player tears into Steve Spagnuolo
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Saints Nation: Should Steve Spagnuolo Be Fired?
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Jonathan Vilma on Spagnuolo report: "We're not the Jets"
Unnamed Saints player says DC Steve Spagnuolo should be fired
Jonathan Vilma says the Saints are not the Jets: "don't give me 'anonymous source' bs"
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Despite going 7-9, Saints liked their resilience
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The Intuitionist
Musician and performance artist Terence Nance creates a stir with his unconventional debut film, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
by Grace Bello photography Thea Goldberg
Terence Nance isn't a filmmaker; he's an artist who makes films. The 30-year-old Dallas-born, Brooklyn-based auteur just got back from Los Angeles where his feature film An Oversimplification of Her Beauty premiered at the Downtown Independent. Prior to that, it was shown at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, played at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in April, and appeared in over three-dozen film festivals. Not bad for someone who never went to film school.
"I had no idea how to write a movie screenplay—I had never even read one at the time. My most comfortable creative space is making music and performing."
"I had no idea how to write a movie screenplay—I had never even read one at the time," says Nance while sitting on his stoop in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. Thanks to his father, a musician and photographer, and his mother, an actress, he says, "My most comfortable creative space is making music and performing."
Nance, who earned his MFA at NYU, wrote, directed and starred in An Oversimplification of Her Beauty, a Brooklyn-based story that examines the would-be romance between him and his friend and creative collaborator Namik Minter. But unlike a typical romantic comedy with a linear narrative, he wrote the film in a form that was more familiar to him—in the structure of a song with a chorus and several verses.
The inventive, multimedia verses bring to mind Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep, as Nance uses watercolor, collage, stop-motion animation and other media to explore the story of his elusive romantic relationship. These techniques speak not only to Nance's background as a trained fine artist, but also to the multitudes contained in the film's characters and their ambivalent feelings for each other.
As for the chorus, he wrote it in one night: The scene shows Nance calling Minter because they were supposed to meet up but didn't. "It was direct in this way that, hopefully, was unnerving," Nance explains. "No filtration through metaphor, allegory or symbol."
"The movie is a lot about ambiguity, and it uses a romantically ambiguous situation as an allegory for a more general, all-encompassing ambiguity that, at the time, I felt kind of plagued by."
Richly imagined and deeply felt, the film was originally intended just for Minter: "A movie made for an audience of one." Instead, An Oversimplification of Her Beauty is an intricate love letter to Minter that, rather than sparking a romance, has ignited Nance's career.
Though the film is intensely personal, it was by no means a solo effort. The hard work of producer James Bartlett brought the film to the attention of veteran hip-hop writer Dream Hampton, The Daily Show's Wyatt Cenac and Jay-Z, who are all executive producers on the movie and helped with fundraising and promotion.
The artist also credits Brooklyn, where he has lived on and off since 2007, for inspiring him. He calls his local community the Swarm: eclectic, creative, culturally and socially conscious people of color and allies who are, like himself, postgrads originally from elsewhere.
"The movie is a lot about ambiguity, and it uses a romantically ambiguous situation as an allegory for a more general, all-encompassing ambiguity that, at the time, I felt kind of plagued by."
Does he ever worry that he'll have to leave his community because it's too expensive to live here? "It already is too expensive," he says. "My view of money is, money is like water." He glances to his right toward a new condo that recently sprang up and where one unit rents for $4,000 per month. "Some woman put a sign outside her window that said, 'If you hang out outside of my window, I will release my pit bull on you.' Clearly, she doesn't understand the culture of the neighborhood," he laughs.
And, as clearly, Nance is not interested in becoming the next big Hollywood director. Currently, he's working on films with a broader scope but that still aren't outright commercial projects. One, called The Lobbyist, tells the story of a con man and an ex-CIA agent who blackmail politicians into voting for progressive legislation. The other is a documentary on skin-whitening creams across the globe.
Through more collaborative work with Minter, Bartlett, artist and researcher Chanelle Pearson and support from the Swarm, he's happy to continue on a more unusual path as an artist and filmmaker—not unlike Steve McQueen or Miranda July. "I don't think about who I am really," he says, peering down the row of brownstones. "It's more just, 'What am I making today?'"


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Access to credit and workforce issues are top of mind for small businesses.
The outlook for small businesses is improving, says a survey sponsored by the Cleveland Fed. The survey asked questions about the business conditions, financing, and workforce needs of small businesses. Fifty-five percent of respondents reported sales growth in 2013, and 78 percent expect sales to increase this year. More than a third of respondents added employees and almost half spent more on equipment and facilities in 2013 than in the previous 12 months.
Distributed through more than 20 partner organizations, including chambers of commerce and industry associations, the survey received responses from 143 businesses in the Fourth Federal Reserve District (Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia). Because of the relatively small sample size, the responses do not allow us to draw broad inferences, but they do provide a useful perspective on business conditions in the region and the challenges they pose.
With the positive results also came a number of challenges that could limit small business growth, including access to credit and finding the right workers. While 46 percent of respondents applied for credit in the past year, 14 percent reported that they did not apply for credit because they did not think their applications would be approved. For all credit products, 57 percent were approved for the full amount sought and 22 percent for part of it. Credit approval rates were highest for new credit cards issued to businesses, though almost a third of applicants were approved for less than the full amount requested. The lowest approval rates were for applications to extend existing lines of credit. In 2014, a quarter of respondents plan to apply for credit; of those, 60 percent expect to secure it.
Workforce issues are also much on the minds of respondents, especially firms that need highly skilled workers. People with some of the most urgently needed workforce skills, including advanced computer and technology skills, are among the most difficult to find. Respondents also reported difficulty in filling positions that require advanced math and foreign language skills.
Other challenges cited by respondents include weak sales and competition from larger businesses. For more details on the results of the 2013 small business survey, check out the full report.