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Now that the Supreme Court has delivered its final verdict on ObamaCare, which upheld the law's contentious individual mandate, insurance providers and industry groups are warning of even greater premium increases on Americans' health plans. While President Obama touted the law as a cost-savior for the healthcare industry — going so far as to call it the "Affordable Care Act" — insurance premiums have consistently risen ever since the law was enacted.
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the industry's chief lobbying group, issued a statement following the ruling, stressing the importance of "secure, affordable coverage choices," but saying that "major provisions, such as the premium tax, will have unintended consequences of raising costs and disrupting coverage unless they are addressed." AHIP CEO Karen Ignagni suggested that due to the inflated costs, "it's time for people to roll up their sleeves and look very carefully at those provisions."
Proponents of the law claim ObamaCare will eventually lead to a sharp reduction in insurance premiums because there will be an overall larger pool of insured Americans. FamiliesUSA, an advocacy group for the healthcare industry, called the Supreme Court's ruling a "clear, unambiguous and complete victory for long-overdue health care reform."
The group added that the law's new regulations on insurance providers will also help consumers. "No one will be denied health coverage or charged a discriminatory premium due to a pre-existing condition, such as children with asthma or diabetes," it said in a press release. "People with major health problems, like those in car accidents, will be protected against arbitrary lifetime or annual limits in how much insurance companies will pay for needed care."
"The premiums paid for family health care rise by more than a thousand dollars simply to pay for the costs that have not been paid by the uninsured," FamilyUSA's executive director Ron Pollack echoed in an interview with Fox News. "So as those people get coverage, our premiums will go down."
AHIP counters those claims, citing a study by the Urban Institute that shows premiums for single policy holders, aged 18 to 34, will boost by $1,400, from $3,600 to $5,000 a year.
According to a September 2011 study by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit research group, annual premiums for employer-sponsored family health coverage spiked to more than $15,000 last year, up a sizable nine percent from the previous year. The premium increase inflated much more quickly than employee wages (2.1 percent) and general inflation (3.2 percent).
Commenting on the analysis, president of the Health Research & Education Trust — which helped administer the study — Maulik Joshi said provisions in the law that will be implemented in the future could add to these costs, as he averred, "survey findings related to the impact of early provisions in health reform provide valuable insight for employers, providers, consumers, and policymakers as they prepare for additional provisions to take effect by 2014."
Further, AETNA, the country's fourth largest insurance provider, disclosed that its health plans increased from one to two percent. "While rate increases are never easy, our rates are based on actuarially sound data and reasonable projection of future cost, which will impact approximately 16,000 customers," the company affirmed in a recent statement. "Our Medical Loss Ratio is at 86.7%, which is higher than any of the filed rates by our competitors. Medical loss ratio is the percentage of health insurance premiums that insurers use to provide health care to their customers."
Also disconcerting is the potential for Americans to drop or lose benefits through their employer-sponsored health plans. Fox Business explains why:
An estimated 134 million Americans with full-time employment have health coverage through their companies. But about two-thirds of those firms could decide that, under Obamacare, their premiums are too expensive, according to a study by insurance broker Willis Group. Kevin McCarty, Florida insurance commissioner and president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, is among those who are "concerned about the potential for increased health insurance premiums and continued disruption to the stability of the marketplace" as a result of the ACA.
For companies that want to drop their own health insurance plans, the ACA offers an easy out: Pay a $2,000 penalty per employee. That's far less than the $10,000 average cost of a health care plan. And that's particularly true if you are a low-income or part-time worker at a company like McDonald's or Walmart that doesn't need to offer a Cadillac health plan to keep employees.
Reporting on the Kaiser study back in September, The New American explained that many employers are transitioning their workers to less comprehensive plans with higher out-of-pocket costs (higher co-pays, deductibles, and co-insurance) to curb rising premiums. As a result, 31 percent of insured employees in 2011 had at least a $1,000 deductible, up from 27 percent in 2010 — which many critics are attributing to the president's healthcare overhaul.
"Without any real national discussion or debate, there's a quiet revolution going on in what we call health insurance in this country," says Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Foundation. "Health insurance is becoming less and less comprehensive … And we expect that trend to continue."
Photo: Senior couple shocked by the high cost of their medical bills via Shutterstock


text: Student Profiles Melissa Hudson '05 Melissa Hudson '05 Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee Major: Government and Legal Studies, with a minor in Asian Studies Why did you come to Bowdoin? I had planned on going to school in the south, but I came up during the Bowdoin Invitational, and I just fell in love with the college. Literally the moment I stepped on this college campus, I [thought] "Wow, this place is really special, and this is the place I want to be." It was raining, so I knew if I liked it [when it was] raining I would love it when the sun was shining. I just liked the people that I met, and I was really intrigued by the energy of the professors and the energy of the campus. I felt like people were interested in me holistically, not just academically. The thing I always tell people is that Maine is the most southern state of New England. I feel like Mainers are generally nice. Particularly in Brunswick, it's like everybody knows everybody, people wave and speak to each other. [There's] that southern hospitality here in Maine. I was coming from a place where I was somewhat of the majority to a place where I was clearly the minority. I was coming from a place where my faith was very prominent, and I feel as though here at Bowdoin [most] people are not as religiously aware. So I think there are a lot of things about where I was coming from that were completely different from here, which is something I liked. I wanted that challenge. I wanted to go up to a place where I could really find out who I was away from all the comforts that I had been used to. So I think that was another thing about Bowdoin - that it was completely unfamiliar. How did you decide on your major? Well, I knew coming in I wanted to be a government major, based on a lot of heavy community involvement that I had done my junior and senior year of high school. I didn't know I wanted to be an Asian studies minor. I took this course "Transnational Chinese Cinema" and the class was amazing, my professor was amazing, and I kept taking the courses. I just found China and Asia in general to be fascinating. What's been your favorite class at Bowdoin? I would have to say "Politics of the European Union" with [former Government Professor] Marcia Weigle, and "West European Politics," also with Marcia Weigle, were two of the most fascinating classes. I was really able to monitor my development as a student here at Bowdoin, probably because of her instruction and the way she worked with me as an individual to help me with my critical thinking and my writing. I developed so much more confidence in myself as a student as a result of those courses with her and I was able to translate that to my general academic life here. My major is government and my minor is Asian studies, and I always say that if those two are my loves, then I have an affair with west Europe from time to time. I just love the European Union. I love looking at the ways countries integrate with one another - the supernational vs. the national. I just find the study of those countries remarkable in the grander scheme of policies. That led to study abroad in London, and that led me to think about a possible future in policy work. What extracurriculars do you participate in? I am the Vice President of KASA, which is the Korean American Students Association. And that's a mix of fun and a lot of grassroots organizing because we try to be a social group and be a support network for people to just hang out, but we also try to keep issues that are pertinent to the Korean diaspora and Pan-Asian diaspora in general [visible] on this campus. I'm the chair of the Judicial Board this year, which is always a challenging task, but it's very rewarding and very fulfilling. The Judicial Board is a body of Bowdoin students and some faculty members who come together to hear cases of suspected violations to the academic and social honor code. I find it an honor and a privilege to have been chosen chair, because the responsibility of that position is so great. The process is just as emotionally charged for both sides - for those bringing the case [and] for those hearing the case. As the chair, it's your responsibility to make sure that people [on the Board] feel comfortable with the process, to make sure that people feel okay with the decisions that they're making, and to help them understand the importance of the service that their doing for the college. There's also a responsibility for anyone who comes in front of the Board, because you're the human part of the Board. And as the chair, you're the person that gives the decision. It's a hard job to say, "I think that you should leave the college or that you should go on probation," or whatever the recommendation may be. You fully understand how [the student] feels about being a part of this community because you're a part of this community. [Being the chair] means trying to make the process as comfortable as possible for all people involved, but at the same time, giving the entire community a standard, and saying that certain behaviors are acceptable and certain behaviors are not. I find some aspects of it to be tremendously emotional. And I work at the theater, [as] house manager and assistant production coordinator, which keeps me very busy, but it's so exciting. I think it's the best job anyone could ever have on this campus. Did you study abroad? Where? London was fantastic. It's bittersweet because the program that I did, the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin program - this spring is its last year. But it was an absolutely fascinating and fantastic time. We had British professors and then we had one Bowdoin professor, Professor Henry Laurence, of the government [department] and Asian studies [program]. He taught two government classes, one on the politics of the British media and another on the politics of finance. It was great because we looked at these financial institutions, [and] the heart of them lie in London. We had access to speakers and went to facilities and talked to people that we never would have in the States. And if you're studying British politics, no better place to be than London! What is your best Bowdoin memory? I would say some of the best have been the moments with my friends. Not even necessarily going out on the weekends, but just the moments we've spent in our room hanging out, sitting around and laughing and talking and joking with one another - particularly during finals periods when everyone's a little bit delirious and the conversation gets a little bit strange! It's [during] those moments that you really understand that Bowdoin shapes you as an individual and not just as an academic. What are your plans after graduation? Well, I actually have a fellowship, the Thomas Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship, which basically pays for my last two years of college and then [as a part of the Fellowship] you go onto grad school, and then you serve five years as a Foreign Service officer. This summer, as a part of it, I'll be spending ten weeks in Washington D.C., and then from there I'll be going to grad school for a program in public policy and international relations. It's funded by the Woodrow Wilson Foundation, through Princeton University, and the State Department administers part of it, as well. I know that no matter how long I'm in the Service, I want to spend the majority of my career in Asia, and then the rest of it in west Europe. Is there anything else about Bowdoin or your experiences here that you'd like a prospective student to know? My experience at Bowdoin has been one of the best experiences I've had so far to date. On the one hand, the institution is an incredible institution. It has so many resources, it's so supportive of its student body and it has gone far above and beyond my wildest imagination. But I think at the same time, there's a responsibility of the student when they come into this place to really make it their home, establish themselves here, make it their college. That's something each individual has to do for themselves. Go get involved, find your passion, do things that you wouldn't normally do, and really make this place yours, because that is the true life of Bowdoin College: its students' incredible capacity for stimulating the classroom, and making this environment really warm, receptive, active and just all-around great. Story posted on December 08, 2004 « Back | More Student Profiles | Go to News Home

subset: commoncrawl


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Walking uphill on cobblestone, I am struck by the altitude's perfect mix of hot sun and crisp air. A street vendor's cry echoes in a canyon of brightly colored stucco facades, and I can't help think this mystical, medieval-looking city is my favorite on Earth.
Though I hate to choose among Mexico's colonial beauties, Guanajuato remains unique no matter how many others I've seen. Perhaps because I spent two months there 15 years ago, my first extended stay in Mexico, and every street corner brings a memory. Or perhaps because I'm still taken with the city's energy and charm as if I were seeing it for the first time.
Guanajuato, founded in the mid-1500s on a rich vein of silver, is the birthplace of many things Mexican, including the fight for independence from Spain and famed muralist Diego Rivera. Its mummy museum, filled with dozens of naturally preserved corpses, boldly exhibits the Mexican comfort with death.
The city is the capital of the state of former President Vicente Fox, whose historic election in 2000 ended 71 years of single party rule. It's also one of Mexico's most conservative Catholic states, where an uprising took place in the 1920s over anti-religious laws.
A visit by Pope Benedict XVI scheduled to begin March 23 will put Guanajuato in the spotlight. But even before you take in its rich history, the scenery of a city built in a canyon at 6,600 feet will sweep you away.
A cable car takes you in minutes from the city center to the main lookout, where the Spanish colonial domes, Gothic spires, and lavender, fuchsia, orange and blue houses look as if they were painted on the hillside by Rivera himself.
Underground, catacomb-like tunnels look like they're straight out of the Middle Ages, though they were built in the late 1800s for flood control. Today they handle the city's traffic, because many streets are steep alleyways and in some cases stairs and they can't accommodate cars. The tunnels' stone archways look particularly mysterious lit at night, and there are sidewalks for exploring, if you can stand the exhaust fumes.
The street life above also will grab you. Locals fill the city center on Thursday nights for no particular reason, lingering in the outdoor cafes along the Jardin Union (Union Garden), a tiled, triangular town square, or on the neoclassical steps of the 1903 porticoed Teatro Juarez.
Young actors dressed as medieval minstrels roam the square to recruit tourists for their "callejoneadas," street performances they lead through the passageways, singing and storytelling about betrayal and unrequited love.
Guanajuato's story is one of drama and legend. Callejon del Beso (Alley of the Kiss), where two balconies touch across a narrow street, was supposedly the scene of a Romeo and Juliet forbidden by their families to see each other. Legends say the girl was stabbed by her father when he saw the couple kissing across balconies, leaving her to die in her lover's arms.
At the Alhondiga de Granaditas, a massive stone structure built for grain storage, Spanish forces holed up and fired on advancing insurgents led by priest Miguel Hidalgo on June 28, 1810, the first battle for Mexican independence. Legend says a miner nicknamed El Pipila used a stone tablet to shield himself from the bullets and set the massive wooden door on fire, leading to an insurgent victory. Many historians say one man couldn't have done it, but a giant monument of El Pipila raising his torch can be seen all over town.
Hidalgo and three other independence leaders were captured and executed, their heads hung on giant hooks. The hooks remain today at the four corners of the Alhondiga de Granaditas.
Guanajuato has always been a popular place for Mexican tourists visiting their heritage, the equivalent of Americans doing Boston's Freedom Trail. Large groups of schoolchildren are ubiquitous around town with their guides.
Dolores Hidalgo, the town where Hidalgo made Mexico's first cry of independence in the church square, is just on the other side of the hill. The Valenciana mine, which dates from the city's founding and once produced 30 percent of the world's silver, is another short day trip, where you can see the gilded church altar and go into the now dormant mine shafts.
The home where Diego Rivera was born on Dec. 8, 1886, now has one of his most diverse collections, from Mexican landscapes to an impressionist painting of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral and portraits from Rivera's cubist era. Rivera's family moved to Mexico City when he was 6.
Uphill at the city's public cemetery, families with small children line up to see the famous momias, or mummies, dozens of bodies bearing papery, weathered clothing and skin. They were naturally preserved some say because of the mineral-rich climate and the crypts, though no one knows for sure. They were dug up starting in the 1860s because their families could no longer pay burial fees, and put on display.
Many of the faces are frozen in ghastly expressions, one woman with her arms over her face, an indication curators say that she may have been accidentally buried alive. A man near her in the display case bears an abdominal stab wound.
Outside the city, the 60-foot Christ the King statue looms on a hill, marking the 1920s Cristero wars between religious zealots and an atheist government that banned even the wearing of priest collars in public. An earlier Christ the King statue was dynamited by federal troops in 1928, and pieces, including its head, are on display in the museum nearby as a reminder of what the church calls "the religious persecution." Pope Benedict XVI, who is too frail to the climb the hill to the monument, may fly over to see if from a helicopter.
For Americans, Guanajuato lives in the shadow of the more popular San Miguel de Allende, about 33 miles away, where ex-pats have transformed a colonial town into an expensive retreat of galleries and gourmet restaurants.
Guanajuato is not as upscale as San Miguel, though it has a polish it lacked 15 years ago, not to mention more menus in English. But you can still see burros tied to trees outside some of the poorer homes in the hills or being led packed with goods through the city center.
Nice rooms at a colonial hotel in the town center are less than $100. Good restaurants are scarce.
The Casa Valadez on the Jardin Union, considered one of the best, has dishes that are both bland and overdone. But it serves a tasty version of the local specialty, enchiladas mineras (miners' enchiladas), different from saucy, cheesy baked versions most Americans know. The tortillas are dipped in mild chile sauce, fried and filled with crumbled cotija cheese and shredded chicken, then smothered with cooked, diced carrots and potatoes, more crumbled cheese and jocoque, Mexico's thinner, lighter version of sour cream.
For an authentic experience, you can stay with one of the families who rent rooms to students at the university or at the language schools where foreigners come to learn Spanish.
The best cooking in Guanajuato goes on inside home kitchens and can be sampled at taco stands or in the metallic-domed Mercado Hidalgo. I learned to make enchiladas mineras from the late Senora Maria Olmos, mother of 11 who shopped at open-air markets daily for ingredients for her chile rellenos and meatball soup.
Today you can get a glimpse of her cooking from a taco stand run by her son Antonio and his wife Luisa on the uphill side of Plaza de Los Angeles, serving fried steak, chorizo and crispy tripe tacos adorned with chopped cilantro, raw onion and red or green salsa — delicious in their simplicity.
Guanajuato city is quiet and safe, though there have been incidents of drug violence in other parts of the state. Still, it has lost tourism due to fears that travelers, particularly Americans, have about the interior of Mexico.
Edith Miranda, director of the Escuela Mexicana, says the language school took a hit last year, losing nearly a third of the 100 to 150 students who come in the summer to learn Spanish. Some U.S. universities canceled their usual training programs and the school's representatives in the U.S. said they constantly received inquiries about safety.
"What you see in the media and the reality are totally different," she said.
She said the Pope's visit will be a big boost for showing the city to the outside world, and she expects a more normal summer this year.
If You Go...
GUANAJUATO: Click here for more on Guanajuato . Direct flights to Guanajuato (BJX) available from Dallas and Los Angeles. From Mexico City, flights are an hour, bus trip about five hours.


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SAMSUNG | GVI Security's SCC-C7478(C) - 36x Optical Zoom SmartDome Camera
SAMSUNG | GVI Security introduces NEW 36x Optical Zoom SmartDome Camera System, SCC-C7478(C). This Power Zoom Camera System excels in sharpness and high resolution. This camera is equipped with Day/Night function and excellent True Wide Dynamic Range resolves clear images through both glare and shadow. The SCC-C7478(C) easy installation and ability to adapt to the environmental changes quickly makes this camera truly the best choice for the entire network camera features you want and need.
Visit www.gviss.com
ISC West Booth No. 12041
Product Category:


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Designers from around the world are submitting creative designs for AP&B in other design - custom.
Looking for a lable that has the look and feel of the 1930's WPA "travel america" posters. We like mountains, lakes, trees, streams, nature ect.
Bear Naked Ale
We are a brewery located in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York.We have a Pub that is decorated with Canoes, stuffed bears and bob cats, fishing poles, snow shoes ect. We make beer that is true to style but has a bit of twist. Are building is logs and twigs in the syle of the "Great Camps" of the Adirondacks. Our web site is http://www.adkpub.com to get a feel for us. This web site has lots of ideas,http://www.theretrovert.com/cgi-bin/cpshop.cgi?i=wpa14_po/the_retrovert.84974597
All your ideas are welcome! Let us know if you have any questions and we look forward to your entries.
- We are looking for a beer lable 4w"x 3.5h" to go on a bottle
- It should have our logo on the center top so it will be recognized in future lables.
- Colors should be natural, not to bright
- The lable will need to have some depth to the imagery
- Should include the word " Brewerd and Bottled in the Adirondacks"
- Keeping in the style of the WPA Posters of the '30's
- To have a look like this was a beer lable that has been around for some time, classic
- Do not worry about the government warning or upc
- Not cheap looking
- Not clip art


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Five Star Ford Collision Repair & Body Shop
The Five Star Ford Collision Repair Center has relocated to 5250 N Riverside Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76137. The new location is on the south side of 820 next to Everest College in Fort Worth. Body shop directions below.
Call Us
Collision: (817) 479-9546
Collision Department Hours
|Mon - Fri
We're Still Available to Fix Your Car Like New
It doesn't matter if you have a few scratches from a fender bender or if your car is in need of major body work from a car accident. Our professionally managed Auto Body Shop in Fort Worth serves Dallas, DFW area. We are open extended hours to accommodate your busy schedule and we offer competitive pricing on all of our work. We also have direct repair relationships with all major insurance companies.
Advanced Paint Rooms
In our State-Of-The-Art Auto Collision Center in Fort Worth we paint your vehicle in one of the most advanced paint rooms available. Using this DUST-FREE, air tight room we are able to paint your car and bake harden the finish back to factory specifications. We also utilize a high-tech, computerized paint mixing system that makes it possible for us to achieve a perfect factory color match.
Frame Machines
With our computerized frame and body measuring system we're able to ensure the quality of our work. All of our equipment is state-of-the-art, including computerized frame straightening and aligning equipment. We'll also work hard with you and your insurance company to make your auto body repair experience simple and easy.
Special Services
- Onsite estimating
- Towing available
- Lifetime limited written warranty
- Rentals available
- Full collision related mechanical shop
- Fiberglass repair
- Full mechanical service bays
- Alarms, GPS, custom interiors, DVD systems and other car enhancements on-site


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This post ties in with the current poll. In a mad scheme to get more forum activity, I want to know why you voted for the character that you voted for... what is it about a character that makes him or her your favorite? I'm pretty surprised that Newton got quite a few votes, since I thought bitterness towards unethical behavior was out of style. In any case, let me know! Please? I'm so lonely.
------------------
-Roberto Perez
Never Ending Quest, http://neq.keenspace.com/


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An educated client can be your best client. But with "Dr. Google" and the ever-growing assortment of information – and misinformation – available to clients, it can be difficult to break through the noise and find credible sources of animal health information. This section provides AVMA resources that you can share with your clients to emphasize the value and importance of veterinary care.
Ready-to-use materials that you can post in exam or waiting rooms, or hand to clients, to educate them on topics ranging from preventive care, to cold and hot weather safety, to safe use of NSAIDs and post-vaccination care for their pets.
Professional-quality brochures created by the AVMA cover everything from cancer and rabies to choosing a new pet and grieving a pet's loss. AVMA members receive pricing discounts up to 20%.
Copyright ©
2018 American Veterinary Medical Association


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View by: Most Popular | Alphabetical A to Z
Chinese Fishing Nets
Fort Cochin's Chinese Fishing Nets have been a beach installation for centuries, well before the coming of the Portuguese colonizers. It's thought that the nets were introduced to this coastal area ... Read more
Fort Cochin
The historic district of Fort Cochin (also known as Fort Kochi) is a relaxing blend of Portuguese architecture, rural English ambiance and Dutch heritage in a tropical coastal location. Visitors ... Read more
Kerala Backwaters
The languid Kerala Backwaters typify the relaxing pace of this laid-back part of the world. The backwaters meandering throughout Kerala link a network of canals, lagoons, lakes and rivers, watering ... Read more
St. Francis Church
If you're looking for India's oldest church, you've found it. Fort Cochin's St Francis Church has survived wars, raids and the ravages of time. Built in 1516 by the Portuguese, the whitewashed ... Read more
Santa Cruz Basilica
Fort Cochin's glittering basilica is one of Kerala's finest churches, studded with gilded detail in Romanesque Gothic style. The original Santa Cruz Basilica was built by the Portuguese, initially ... Read more
Paradesi Synagogue & Jew Town
One of the world's oldest active synagogues, and the oldest in the Commonwealth, can be found in the center of the port's spice district, Jew Town. The district is a particularly historic reminder of ... Read more
Mattancherry Palace
Mattancherry Palace was built as a gesture of goodwill by the Portuguese in 1555, and presented to the Raja of Kochi to ensure ongoing trading privileges. Later alterations were made by the Dutch in ... Read more
Dutch Cemetery
The Dutch Cemetery in Kochi is believed to be the oldest in the country, dating back to the beginning of the 18th century. It houses the tombs of Dutch soldiers and traders who left their homeland ... Read more
Hill Palace Museum of Tripunithura
The Hill Palace Museum of Tripunithura, a 49-building complex where the Maharaja of Kochi once lived, is today the largest archaeological museum in Kerala. The palace was built in 1865 on 52 acres ... Read more
Indo-Portuguese Museum
The Indo-Portuguese Museum was set up by the late Bishop of Kochi to preserve and showcase the significant influence of the Portuguese Catholic community in Fort Kochi and its surrounding areas. It ... Read more
Kerala Folklore Museum
The Kerala Folklore Museum opened to the public in 2009 as a space to showcase the cultural and artistic heritage of the southern Indian state. The 4,000-item collection spans three floors, each ... Read more
Kochi Harbour
One of India's major seaports, Kochi's harbour is up there with the world's most scenic waterways, providing one of the few all-weather safe harbours on India's west coast. In the center of the ... Read more
Surrounded by the backwaters of the Arabian Sea, Mattancherry is an old port area of Kochi, not far from Ernakulam Town. The area was once the main trade port for spices such as pepper and turmeric, ... Read more


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DOE A to Z: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #
NAEP Home | NAEP: Overview | NAEP Results | Useful Links
NAEP: Overview [Summary]
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what American students know and can do in various academic subjects in grades 4, 8, and 12. Authorized and funded by Congress, it is commonly known as the Nations Report Card. Its surveys have been conductedon a national sample basis since 1969 in reading, mathematics, science, writing, history, geography, and other elementary and secondary school subjects. NAEP state-by-state assessments also based on a representative sample of schools began in 1990. Starting in 2002, NAEP also conducts the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) to study the feasibility of district-level reporting as a component of the NAEP program.
Since 1982, the NAEP High School Transcript Study has been undertaken in conjunction with the national NAEP to examine the changes in high school course offerings and student course-taking over time. A key feature of this special NAEP study is to examine the relationship between the courses selected by twelfth-grade students and their performance on NAEP.
NAEPs national samples include both public and private schools. In contrast, the NAEP biennial state-by-state and TUDA samples are of public schools only. Under P.L. 107-110, the No Child Left Behind(NCLB) Act of 2001, all states accepting Title I funds are required to participate in NAEP reading and mathematics assessments in the fourth and eighth grades, starting in 2003. However, student participation and parental consent remains voluntary for all NAEP assessments.
The National Assessment Governing Board, sets policy and provides oversight of NAEP. The National Center for Education Statistics is responsible for administering the project.
Since 1969, NAEP has produced more than 200 reports in 11 instructional areas.
By making objective information on student performance available to policymakers at the national, state, and local levels, NAEP is an important part of our nations evaluation of the condition and progress of education.


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1. The transportation theory holds that endometrial tissue originating in
the uterus passes retrograde through the fallopian tubes to implant on the
ovaries, pelvis and abdomen at the time of menstruation. Bloodstream and
lymph vessel transport may also occur.
2. The second hypothesis suggests that endometriosis occurs at sites outside
the uterus in tissues which have the potential for developing de novo into
uterine glands.
3. The induction theory combines the above two ideas by suggesting that
transported endometrial tissue induces the development of endometriosis
through direct contact with sites on adjacent organs and structures.
Hormonal normalizer, such as Vitex, appear to help the
body change the underlying hormonal problems.
Uterine tonics are essential for the tonic activity on endometrial
tissue. In theory this will help wherever such tissue is.
Anti-spasmodics will ease the muscular pain that is so distressing
in this condition.
Nervine relaxants help with the stress and pain.
Vitex agnus-castis 2 parts
Senecio aureus 2 parts
Cimicifuga racemosa 1 part
Dioscorea villosa 1 part
Scutellaria spp. 1 part 5 ml of tincture 3 times a day
Hormonal normalizer (Vitex agnus-castis)
Uterine tonic (Senecio aureus, Cimicifuga racemosa)
Anti-spasmodic (Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea villosa, Scutellaria
Nervine relaxant (Scutellaria spp., Cimicifuga racemosa, Dioscorea


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Pia Sundhage, the two-time Olympic gold medal-winning former head coach of the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (2008, 2012) and an advocate of Title IX, will deliver a lecture on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 p.m. in Lincoln Theater at the University of Hartford. The program is part of the University's Rogow Distinguished Visiting Lecturers Program which brings celebrated lecturers to campus for students and the community. Sundhage's lecture is presented with support from Newman's Own Foundation.
Sundhage was named head coach of Sweden's Women's National Soccer Team in September, 2012. Under her leadership, the U.S. Women's team won two Olympic gold medals, went to the finals of the FIFA Women's World Cup, and compiled a record of 33-1-2. She is one of the most respected coaches in the women's game and regarded as one of the world's all-time-greatest female players, having won the Swedish Cup three times as a player and once as a coach. She was named Sweden's Sportswoman of the Year in 2008.
The Rogow lecture is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. To order tickets, call the University Box Office at 860.768,4228 or 1.800.274.8587.
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The 54th European Go Congress, sponsored by Zhuyeqing Tea, was held in various school buildings in Tampere, Finland. The fortnight started with the last days of a record heat wave.
418 players took part in the main tournament, including a few strong players from outside Europe. Ilya Shikshin from Russia was the winner, topping the group on 8 wins, just ahead of Artem Kachanovskyy from Ukraine by 2 sos points. Yohei Negi (3 dan) was best placed of the 17 from the UK who took part, with 6/10 in 53rd place. Andrew Simons (2 dan) also won 6.
59 pairs took part in the Pair Go Championships. The winners of the 600 euro first prize were Klara Zaloudkova (Czechia) and Mok Chin-Seok (Korea). They beat Laura Avram and Ilya Shikshin from Russia in the final. Ilya Shikshin won both the lightning and again the 13x13. Janne Kosso from Finland won the 9x9 handicap.
350 players took part in the Weekend Tournament and it was won by Kim Jung-Hyeop with Ilya Shikshin in second. From the UK Yohei Negi (3 dan), Martha McGill (3 kyu) and Huw Mort (13 kyu) won 3 and Alice Bradley (10 kyu) won 4/5. Kim Jung-Hyeop also won the 195-player Rapid.


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U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 14.05 million acres of cotton this spring, up 0.6 percent from 2002, according to the National Cotton Council's 20th annual early season planting intentions survey.
Upland cotton intentions are 13.86 million acres, an increase of 1.1 percent from 2002 plantings of 13.72 million acres. Extra long staple (ELS) intentions of 184,000 acres represent a 24.7 percent decline from 2002.
The results were announced at the NCC's 64th annual meeting in Tampa, Fla.
With average abandonment, total upland and ELS harvested area would be about 12.7 million acres. Applying each state's average yield to its 2003 projected harvested acres generates a crop of 17.1 million bales, 16.64 million bales of upland cotton and 453,000 bales of ELS cotton. This compares to 2003's total production of 17.15 million bales, according to USDA's January 2003 estimate. Cottonseed production for 2003 is projected at 6.38 million tons, virtually unchanged from the 2002 level.
Intended cotton acreage rose over last year in all regions except the Southeast, where plantings are expected to decline 5 percent. The largest upland decline since last year, 19.4 percent, is expected in South Carolina.
Mid-South cotton acreage is expected to rise 3.3 percent over last year, with a 28.2 percent increase to 731,000 acres in Tennessee and a 2.4 percent increase in Mississippi offsetting drops in Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri.
Texas growers say they will plant 5.7 million acres in cotton this year, a 3.2 percent increase over last year. Kansas and Oklahoma are also projecting more cotton plantings.
The West intends to plant 757,000 acres of Upland cotton this year, a 1.1 percent increase. Small declines in Arizona and California were offset by an increase in intended acreage in New Mexico.
The NCC survey was mailed in late December 2002 to about one-third of the cotton producers across the U.S. Surveys had to be returned by late January in order to be included in the results.
Gary Adams, vice president of economic and policy analysis, noted a number of factors in determining an acreage number that is only slightly different from last year.
"Prices of cotton, as well as competing crops such as corn and soybeans, have improved from year-earlier levels," Adams said. "However, in the case of cotton and soybeans, current futures suggest that grower returns will still be consistent with loan values or just slightly better for this year's crop. Corn prices have fared slightly better than either cotton or soybeans, and as a result, we may see some acres shift from cotton into corn. As an offset, changes in the peanut program under the 2002 farm bill may lead to additional acres shifted into cotton."
The economist said the decline in ELS acreage comes in response to prices that remain pressured below historical averages.
According to Adams, the NCC's forecast of 14.05 million acres is generally in-line with industry expectations. Based on survey results, the Mid-South and the Southwest show the largest increases with plantings up 3.3 percent and 3.2 percent, respectively. A decrease of 5 percent is indicated for the Southeast, which may reflect some pessimism and financial stress in a region that suffered through one of the worst droughts in history. Upland acreage in the West is up 1.1 percent.