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1 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. 901 Peninsula Corporate Circle Boca Raton, FL NCCI-123 ( ) ncci.com
2 Welcome to ncci s 2012 issues report The 2012 edition of NCCI s Workers Compensation Issues Report arrives at a time of continuing economic uncertainty. But as market stakeholders continue to await a full economic recovery, we ve assembled a collection of industry experts to examine the most pressing issues, offer varying perspectives, and provide predictions for the year ahead. Among the topics examined: Updated results from NCCI s 2011 State of the Line report Two perspectives on the prospects for economic recovery from Bob Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, and Harry Shuford, NCCI chief economist An examination of how opioid overprescribing and physician dispensing are harming claimants and employers from Joseph Paduda, president of CompPharma, LLC Forecasts for state-based and federal activities that may affect workers compensation in the coming months We trust that you will find these articles both timely and insightful. And, of course, NCCI will continue to provide additional industry research, analysis, and issues overviews at ncci.com throughout the year. Please enjoy the 2012 edition of NCCI s Issues Report. Stephen J. Klingel, CPCU, WCP President and CEO NCCI NCCI is the nation s most comprehensive source of workers compensation insurance information. We gather data, analyze industry trends, and prepare objective insurance rate and loss cost recommendations. These activities, together with our research, analytical services and tools, and overall commitment to excellence, help foster a healthy workers compensation system. Visit ncci.com. 1
3 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Workers Compensation Market Struggles to Identify a Direction Stephen J. Klingel, CPCU, WCP President and CEO, NCCI 8 Divergent Fortunes: As Labor Markets Recover, Will Workers Compensation Insurers Lag Behind? Robert P. Hartwig, PhD, CPCU President and Economist, Insurance Information Institute 11 NCCI Research Brief: Workplace Violence 12 The Economy and Workers Comp Are Stuck in the Doldrums What Will It Take to Get Us Moving Again? Harry Shuford, PhD Chief Economist, NCCI 19 Legal Brief: Claimants Duty to Cooperate with Medical or Vocational Rehabilitation NCCI S MISSION STATEMENT Legislation and Regulatory Outlook Peter Burton, CPCU, AU Senior Division Executive, State Relations NCCI Wasted Dollars, Wasted Lives How Opioid Overprescribing and Physician Dispensing Are Harming Claimants and Employers Joseph Paduda President, CompPharma, LLC 27 NCCI Research Brief: Workers Compensation Prescription Drug Study: 2011 Update is a publication of the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. 901 Peninsula Corporate Circle Boca Raton, FL Published March 2012 Reprints, permissions, and reader feedback Contact Gregory Quinn, Media Relations Director Fax: For more information or to view the electronic version of this Issues Report, visit ncci.com. includes articles written by authorities from outside of NCCI.These articles reflect the authors opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of NCCI. Copyright 2012 National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. All Rights Reserved Ready or Not, Here Comes Technology: A Reluctant Workers Comp System Ponders the Benefits and Risks of Change Nancy Grover Editor, Workers Compensation Report Program Director, National Workers Compensation and Disability Conference & Expo Workers Compensation and the Aging Workforce Tanya Restrepo, MBA, and Harry Shuford, PhD NCCI s Actuarial & Economic Services Division Legal Brief: Medical Marijuana No Cure-All in Workers Compensation Context The History of Rate Regulation in Workers Compensation Dennis Mealy, FCAS, MAAA, Chief Actuary, NCCI; and Karen Ayres, FCAS, MAAA, Director and Actuary, NCCI NCCI s Actuarial & Economic Services Division Legal Brief: Missouri s Exclusive Remedy for Occupational Disease Workers Compensation Claim Frequency Rise Examined Jim Davis, ACAS, MAAA; and Yair Bar-Chaim NCCI s Actuarial & Economic Services Division 48 Legal Brief: Injuries Incurred Working at Home Continue to Pose Challenges During 2012, please be sure to visit ncci.com for continual updates on the issues and articles contained in this Issues Report. 2 3
4 Workers Compensation Market Struggles to Identify a Direction By Stephen J. Klingel, CPCU, WCP President and CEO NCCI With the onset of the 2007 recession and the stumbling economic recovery that has followed, the task of forecasting the workers compensation market outlook has been fraught with uncertainty and constant adjustment. In May 2011, NCCI delivered our diagnosis that conditions in workers compensation were deteriorating. This analysis was based on observations that the line was experiencing an ever-lengthening list of challenges, including poor underwriting results, declining premiums, and a new and unwelcome uptick in claim frequency. At the beginning of 2012, however, a gradually stabilizing economy appears to have helped slow the precipitous decline in workers compensation net written premium that private carriers experienced from In fact, our current projections for 2011 show that direct written premium increased approximately 9% in So what is the current outlook for workers compensation, and what are the key issues that NCCI is tracking? In the following, we examine some of the more critical market indicators. Challenging Conditions NCCI s annual State of the Line report for 2011 highlighted a number of cautionary trends facing the workers compensation line. Among these, the Calendar Year combined ratio for private carriers increased another 5 points in 2010, to 115. The 2010 Accident Year combined ratio was 114, also up 5 points from Accident Year While the line benefited from increased levels of investment income, it still produced a 1% pretax operating loss for 2010 the first pretax operating loss since NCCI also noted that the reserve position of private carriers continued its recent pattern of modest deterioration in We estimated the reserve deficiency to be $10 billion at year-end 2010, up $1 billion from year-end After credit for the allowable discounting of the indemnity reserves for lifetime pension cases, the reserve position remains at a relatively slight inadequacy of about $5 billion on a total carrier reserve base of more than $109 billion. And in a singularly distressing development, the countrywide lost-time claim frequency decreases for NCCI states that occurred without interruption for the last 12 years came to an abrupt halt in 2010 (more on this ahead). A gradually stabilizing economy appears to have helped slow the precipitous decline in workers compensation net written premium that private carriers experienced from NCCI is working now to collect, analyze, and publish full Year 2011 results for the line of business. But as can easily be seen from the previous statistics, a significant number of industry trends in recent months were not moving in the direction we would like to see for a healthy system. Signs of Change in Residual Markets After six consecutive years of decline in the population of workers compensation residual markets managed by NCCI, we are now seeing an increase in new application premium bound for residual market coverage. In fact, the new assigned premium for the first three quarters of 2011 is up 12% versus the same period in Equally as important, the rate of change increased in Third Quarter 2011 as new assigned premium bound for the residual market increased 27%. Residual market operating results, a key factor in the health of workers compensation markets, have remained manageable. However, the combined ratio for all residual market pools serviced by NCCI increased from 114% in 2009 to 120% in Preliminary indications show that the residual market combined ratio may be increasing slightly again in NCCI is watching this important indicator closely as full Year 2011 experience is reported. As always, we will continue to work toward self-sufficient residual markets in all states where we are responsible for residual market rate filings. Unexpected Claim Frequency Result Perhaps the most surprising and disturbing negative development in 2010 was the aforementioned increase in injury claim frequency the first in 13 years. Based on a preliminary analysis of data in NCCI states, the frequency of lost-time claims per $1 million of premium increased 9% in 2010, based on our standard measures of frequency change. It is important to note, however, that NCCI s research indicates that as the recession ended there were several distortions in the data, which resulted in an overstatement of the indicated change. Once adjustments were made for those distortions, frequency was shown to have increased a more modest 3%. The biggest distortion was the impact of premium audits on the calendar year premiums. As the recession took hold, insurers discovered that the audits, rather than producing additional premium as in most years, were resulting in significant reductions to Calendar Year 2010 premiums. Those reductions were more properly reflected in reduced exposures that really belonged in Calendar Year One leading explanation for the increase in new claims may be small lost-time claims that may have been medical-only claims in more normal times. This is apparent when noting the change in the average cost of lost-time claims from 2009 to In NCCI states, the average indemnity cost per lost-time claim declined 3% from The average medical cost per lost-time claim increased 2%, yielding a total lost-time claim cost change of 0%. We believe that the small change in average severity of lost-time claims in 2010 is probably an aberration. This is likely caused by a temporary influx of medical-only claims becoming smaller lost-time claims as the recovery firms. The numbers do not reflect an underlying reduction in medical and indemnity cost drivers. And in spite of this shift, the underlying cost drivers for both indemnity, and particularly medical, are still present. This means that medical costs, absent the claim shifts, are still likely to be increasing in excess of medical CPI as they have done for many years. Although adjustments reduce the frequency increase for 2010 to 3%, this increase still must be viewed as an area of significant concern. NCCI will be watching the frequency situation closely to determine whether the increase is a one- or two-year occurrence (as happened in the early 1980s) or a more permanent and disturbing trend. (For more detailed information on frequency, please see NCCI s Workers Compensation Claim Frequency Rise Examined research report, summarized in this Issues Report.) Notable External Forces Federal Activities Apart from economic factors, a number of external forces can also affect the continued stability and smooth operation of the overall workers compensation system. For example, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), passed by Congress in 2010, is still in its early stages of implementation. The only direct impact on workers compensation to date was changes to the Federal Black Lung program, which liberalized criteria for qualifying for direct benefits and survivor benefits. However, another PPACA provision requires that the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) determine whether or not types of insurance other than health have to 4 5
5 comply with the same basic procedures (e.g., numbering, tracking, billing, etc.) required for the health industry under the Health Insurance Portability and Availability Act (HIPAA). A hearing was held by the Subcommittee on Standards of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics during November 2011 to take testimony as the basis of recommendation to the Secretary. Clearly, PPACA is a major reorganization of the healthcare industry, which may have residual impacts on workers compensation. With court cases challenging the bill s constitutionality moving through several federal courts, the uncertainties surrounding PPACA and its implementation remain... as does the industry s commitment to respond to adverse outcomes. On another federal front, the Dodd-Frank Act mandates that the new Federal Insurance Office (FIO) complete a study about state insurance regulation, and any needed changes and/or modernization, and submit it to Congress by the end of January That date was pushed back, and in comments reported in January s National Underwriter magazine, FIO Director Michael McRaith stated that FIO will not be a regulatory authority but rather a monitor of the insurance sector. When it is issued, the FIO report and accompanying recommendations are likely to be the main topic of conversation regarding insurance issues and the federal government for some period of time. Another potential issue will be any call for data collection from insurance companies by the FIO and possibly the Office of Financial Research (OFR), which was also created by the Dodd-Frank Act. Here again, the workers compensation industry at large is paying close attention to developments at the federal level, and NCCI stands ready to respond with information and expert input as required. State Activities In 2012, elections and the economy are expected to be the main focuses in state capitals across the country, potentially leaving little room for major workers compensation reform efforts. In all, 11 states will be holding gubernatorial elections this year, with Democrats defending eight seats and Republicans defending three seats. And 44 states will be holding legislative elections in 5,979 separate races. Approximately 64% of state senate seats and 87% of state house seats are up for grabs, including 250 seats being vacated by term-limited legislators. NCCI has noted before that we are seeing a gradual shift in the number of loss cost declines compared to loss cost increases in many states. In fact, the ratio of increases to declines has doubled in just two years. And given the still-struggling economies in many states, that trend is expected to continue in In all, given the busy election year, NCCI anticipates that many states will focus on pursuing focused changes to their workers compensation systems rather than broad-based reforms. The ultimate goal will be to make state systems less expensive and more economically attractive to business. For more detailed information on the legislative outlook and key state activities, please see the 2012 Legislation and Regulatory Outlook piece in this Issues Report. Apart from economic factors, a number of external forces can also affect the continued stability and smooth operation of the overall workers compensation system. Economic Outlook The health of the economy will play a large part in how quickly the workers compensation line is able to reverse existing negative trends. Our latest economic analysis examined a number of key trends that we will be closely monitoring during Among these are: Employment Growth: Continued weakness in the economy is expected to produce slow growth in private sector employment. Slower job growth indicates that there will be limited pressure on claim frequency and exposure. Wage Growth: Changes in average weekly wages (AWW) are a key factor in determining indemnity severity. The projected weakness in the labor market suggests that pressure on indemnity severity due to wage inflation should increase only slowly. At this point, wage inflation should not be a major concern for the workers compensation industry. Premiums are also directly tied to wages, which may offset any negative effect on indemnity severity. Premium Growth: The observed premium growth in 2010 seems a bit larger given the current level of payroll increases and price increases. One possible reason is that carriers have over-compensated for the audit returns experienced in 2010 and are once again seeing additional premium booked through audits. We expect premium to more closely track the fundamentals of payroll growth and pricing in Medical Inflation: Medical price inflation is an important driver of changes in medical severity. Enhanced utilization of costly medical treatment options also adds upward pressure to medical claim costs. Medical inflation is expected to outpace general inflation for the foreseeable future and will negatively influence medical severity. NCCI Chief Economist Harry Shuford examines the reasons for the economic collapse and the resulting fallout as well as what signs workers comp stakeholders should be looking for to indicate a turnaround in his article The Economy and Workers Comp Are Stuck in the Doldrums What Will It Take to Get Us Moving Again? in this Issues Report. Summing Up As noted at the outset, last year NCCI described the condition of the workers compensation market as deteriorating. Since then, we have continued to compile and analyze the most recent data, and we will offer a new prognosis for the state of the line in May. In the interim, we do know that some indicators have showed signs of improvement particularly the growth in premium and for now at least, the outlook appears to be slightly more positive. Clearly, the economy continues to be a negative drag and any new signs of recession or poor developments in Europe or elsewhere could quickly erode existing gains. But at this moment, we are more optimistic about the outlook for workers compensation than we were six months ago. Despite our tenuous optimism, the line continues to face a daunting list of challenges. Despite our tenuous optimism, the line continues to face a daunting list of challenges, including: Deteriorating Underwriting Results: With investment yields at historic lows, the current levels of underwriting losses are not sustainable. Even with what appears to be a temporary increase in investment gains, the combined ratio needs to decline substantially to earn a reasonable return on capital. Uncertain Claim Frequency Results: It remains unclear whether 2010 s frequency increase is a new normal or a one- or two-year phenomenon coming on the heels of the Great Recession. The Political Environment: At both the state and federal levels, 2012 will be an active electoral year. In addition, NCCI will be joining other industry stakeholders in closely monitoring legislation surrounding national healthcare and financial reform. Like every other industry in America, workers compensation continues to stand at a crossroads, awaiting a more robust economic recovery. During 2012, we expect to see a number of meaningful developments in our industry. Among these: Election results at both the state and federal levels that could signal yet another significant political shift in governing philosophies NCCI s analysis and reportage on full Year 2011 workers compensation results delivered in our annual State of the Line report in May A more definitive economic direction with a more stable long-term outlook As we await new developments, NCCI will remain active in analyzing and reporting on industry trends, data, and direction for the coming months. Our emphasis will continue to be focused on maintaining rate and loss cost adequacy in the face of potentially increasing trends in claim frequencies and severities; evaluating the cost implications of legislative reform efforts; and providing timely research that helps in understanding the changing dynamics surrounding the workers compensation system. We will also continue to monitor legislative activity at both the state and federal levels, and inform decision makers on the cost consequence of policy choices to best ensure the continuing health of the workers compensation system in America. Stephen J. Klingel, CPCU, WCP, was appointed president and chief executive officer of NCCI in Before joining NCCI, Mr. Klingel was a leader with the St. Paul Companies for more than 25 years. 6 7
6 Divergent Fortunes: As Labor Markets Recover, Will Workers Compensation Insurers Lag Behind? By Robert P. Hartwig, PhD, CPCU President and Economist Insurance Information Institute The agonizingly slow recovery of labor markets from the Great Recession that began in late 2007 and ended in mid-2009 has caused enormous and indelible pain for millions of American workers for more than four years. No recession since the Great Depression itself has done more damage to worker incomes, caused greater atrophy of worker skills, or discouraged participation in the workforce to such a degree. Throughout all of the misery, workers compensation insurers were along for the nauseating ride. Payroll exposure plunged as mass layoffs and business failures soared. Insurers slashed rates to retain as much of the rapidly shrinking payroll pie as possible, all the while watching their underwriting margins run deeper into the red. By the time the carnage had run its course, 8.4 million American workers had lost their jobs, payroll exposures had plunged by $350 billion, and workers compensation premium written had plummeted by one-third. By 2011, workers compensation insurers were paying out nearly $1.20 for every dollar they earned in premium, earning workers compensation the dubious distinction as the least profitable of all major property/casualty insurance lines. The Great Recession and its aftermath were nothing short of an economic apocalypse to those who lost their jobs, homes, and businesses. Many of these losses are permanent. But brighter days are ahead, and the healing process has begun. Employers are hiring again, and consumer and business confidence are on the rise, fueling steadier economic growth in Workers compensation insurers stand to be among the principle beneficiaries of renewed vigor in the American economy if and only if they can quickly turn their underwriting performance around amid the new reality of ultra-low interest rates while simultaneously seizing the opportunities that the newly restructured American economy brings. Proof of Life: Overview of Labor Market Conditions There s no question that labor market conditions remain far from ideal. After all, the national unemployment rate at yearend 2011 was 8.5%, nearly double the 4.4% trough in March 2007 (Figure 1). Still, the figure is much improved from the October 2009 peak of 10.1%. Likewise, as 2011 drew to a close, some 13.1 million people remained without jobs a big number but meaningfully down from the 14.4 million jobless at the end of Many other indicators suggest that 2012 will be a better year for American workers. Initial claims for unemployment insurance fell steeply in 2011, to 1.8 million from 2.8 million in 2009 and monthly figures continue to trend generally downward. Another encouraging sign was that the unemployment rate fell to 8.3% in January Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics; Insurance Information Institute. Employment opportunities, of course, continue to vary substantially across the country, with unemployment rates in December 2011 ranging from 12.6% in Nevada to just 3.3% in North Dakota. That being said, unemployment rates fell in all 50 states last year, a trend that is likely to continue in So what does all this mean in terms of jobs? The good news, as shown in Figure 2, is that 2.09 million private-sector jobs were created in the United States in 2011, nearly 700,000 more than the 1.42 million created in Yet, the gain of 3.51 million private-sector jobs in 2010 and 2011 still pales in comparison to the 8.44 million jobs lost from December 2007 at the onset of the Great Recession through December 2009, six months after its official end. Figure 3 suggests that with a net deficit of 4.7 million jobs as of January 2012, it will likely take another two years before employment surpasses its 2007 peak. Strong employment growth is the harbinger of accelerating payroll exposures. Figure 4 confirms that the half-decade growth drought in workers compensation is finally over, with net written premium up an estimated 6% last year after suffering five consecutive years of declines and a cumulative shrinkage in premium of nearly 30%. Growth in 2012 is likely to be even stronger, the beneficiary of a potent combination of accelerating job growth, wage gains, and rate increases. Where Are the Jobs? While the national unemployment rate has declined significantly over the past year, job growth (and, therefore, payroll exposure growth) has been very uneven. As mentioned earlier, unemployment varies widely across the country. Indeed, as of year-end 2011, four states (California, Rhode Island, Mississippi, and Nevada) and the District of Columbia were still plagued with doubledigit jobless rates. As the economy continues its tortured emergence from the Great Recession, it is clear that American workers and employers are forever transformed by the experience. The same must be said of the nation s workers compensation insurers. The escape velocity necessary to achieve a selfsustaining recovery has radically altered the trajectory of the American economy today in ways that could not have been Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Insurance Information Institute Source: Insurance Information Institute calculations from US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. foreseen just a few years ago. Insurers must carefully consider the implications in order to capitalize on new opportunities. In the section that follows, I provide discussions on several industries likely to provide new opportunities for strong growth for workers compensation insurers over the next five years. Health: Spending on healthcare in the United States is expected to increase by $2 trillion, from $2.6 trillion in 2010 to $4.6 trillion in 2020, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Over this period, healthcare spending is expected to increase at an average annual pace of 5.8%, exceeding growth 8 9
7 $7000 $6000 $5000 $4000 $3000 $2000 * Private employment; shaded areas indicate recessions. Payroll and WC premium for 2011 are I.I.I. estimates. Sources: NBER (recessions); Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (wage and salary disbursements); NCCI; I.I.I. overall by 1.1 percentage points. By 2020, healthcare spending will account for 19.8% of GDP, up from 17.6% in Implications for Workers Comp Insurers: The rapid escalation in healthcare spending will require enormous investments in health facilities, infrastructure, and human resources. Workers compensation insurers can be among the primary beneficiaries of rapid growth in this labor-intensive, recession-resistant industry. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that more than 3.1 million new jobs for hospital workers, clinicians, and home health aides will be created between 2010 and 2020, generating hundreds of billions of dollars in payroll exposures. Construction of healthcare facilities and growth in ancillary support services will create many thousands of additional jobs. Traditional Energy: While alternative or so-called green energy has received most of the attention in recent years, the oil and natural gas industry in the United States is poised for significant growth and already supports some 9.2 million jobs, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Numerous oil and gas discoveries and the development of new extraction technologies, including hydraulic fracturing (often referred to as fracking ), are boosting employment of high-wage jobs in many states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Texas. States such as New York could follow. At least a half million jobs are likely to be created. Implications for Workers Comp Insurers: Many insurers that write workers compensation insurance have little or no exposure to oil and gas extraction for one of two reasons. First, some insurers regard oil and gas extraction as akin to high-hazard mining risks and beyond their underwriting capabilities and experience. Second, many local and regional insurers operating in the Northeast have never had the opportunity to underwrite such risks and may remain reluctant to do so. Workers compensation insurers seeking to capitalize on America s domestic energy production boom will need to invest in experienced underwriters and claims managers but will see strong growth as a result. Manufacturing: Generations of American workers and politicians have lamented the decades-long decline in manufacturing employment. That may be about to end halftime in America, as Clint Eastwood might say. Numerous factors are coalescing for what is likely to become a modest renaissance of manufacturing in the United States with potentially enormous benefits for the American economy, workers, and insurers. Implications for Workers Comp Insurers: The US BLS projects that manufacturing employment in the United States will actually decline slightly between 2010 and But these projections do not fully consider the rapidly changing dynamics that influence manufacturing investment and location decisions on a global scale. Cheap and abundant energy in the form of natural gas, huge productivity gains, supply chain vulnerability concerns abroad, rising foreign labor costs, and a low dollar are among the many factors likely to transform the landscape of American manufacturing over the next decade. Workers compensation insurers will need to be prepared to underwrite more manufacturing risks both large and small particularly in energy-rich states. Final Thoughts The year ahead will present an array of opportunities and challenges for workers compensation insurers. In 2012, that challenge involves arresting the deterioration in the line s underwriting performance. Indeed, A.M. Best is projecting that the 2012 combined ratio for the workers compensation line will top 120 up about two points from Yet at the same time, the recovering economy, continued improvements in labor market conditions, and the associated expansion in payrolls mean that growth opportunities will be more abundant than at any time since Robert P. Hartwig, PhD, CPCU, is the president of the Insurance Information Institute. Dr. Hartwig previously served as director of economic research and senior economist with NCCI. He has also worked as a senior economist for the Swiss Reinsurance Group and as senior statistician for the US Consumer Product Commission. NCCI 2012 RESEARCH BRIEF Read the full report on ncci.com Workplace Violence The reality of workplace violence is markedly different from popular opinion. Workplace homicides are not crimes of passion committed by disgruntled coworkers and spouses, but rather result from robberies. The majority of workplace assaults are committed by healthcare patients. This report examines the many aspects of work-related homicides and injuries due to assaults, and extends a series of studies published by NCCI on workplace violence with three years of additional data, through For the most part, previously observed patterns and key findings are largely unchanged. The section immediately below describes the most notable highlights. KEY FINDINGS Work-related homicides and injuries due to workplace assaults remain well below levels observed in the mid-1990s. Homicides account for 11% of workplace fatalities. Nonfatal assaults make up less than 2% of total nonfatal lost work-time (LWT) injuries and illnesses, but that share has been increasing. Homicides due to robberies and similar criminal acts fell markedly over the late 1990s (but still make up 69% of all homicides), due largely to the decline in the homicide incidence rate for taxi drivers. The work-related homicide rates for these workers are now comparable to those for high-risk retail workers such as service station attendants and barbers. In contrast, homicides committed by work associates (a Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS] category made up of both coworkers and customers) have increased to about 21%. Interestingly, this reflects an increase in violent acts by customers to 9%. Despite the headlines, the share of workplace homicides due to coworkers has remained steady at about 12%, and the actual number of such homicides has been in the 50 to 60 range in recent years. The decline in the rate of workplace assaults has lagged the steady decline in the rate for all lost work-time injuries and illnesses. This reflects a notable change in the composition of the US workforce and, in particular, the ongoing increase in the share of healthcare workers, who experience remarkably high rates of injuries due to assaults by patients. This is especially common in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. In fact, 61% of all workplace assaults are committed by healthcare patients. For healthcare assaults, coworkers make up just 7%, and someone other than a healthcare patient or coworker comprises 23%. The remainder is unspecified. Based on NCCI data, injuries resulting from a crime are more severe than injuries resulting from other causes and are more likely to involve a fatality. In contrast, severity for injuries resulting from being struck by a fellow worker or patient is below average. Risk factors linked to an increased likelihood of workplace violence published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in 1996 are still consistent with the types of occupations and industries at highest risk for workplace violence today. To read the full NCCI Research Brief, Violence in the Workplace, please visit ncci.com
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'Kourtney & Kim Take Miami' Premiere: My Marriage Was A Mistake
The first 10 minutes of the Jan. 20 season premiere of 'Kourtney & Kim Take Miami' has just been released and Kim really opens up about the divorce! Watch the video and tell us what you think!
Kim Kardashian can't wait to be divorced! The reality star talks about her soon-to-be ex-husband Kris Humphries super candidly in this newly released 10 minute preview of Kourtney & Kim Take Miami.
What Kim Says About Her Never Ending Divorce With Kris In The Premiere
"A really expensive dream that won't leave me alone. It's something that should be over and done with but unfortunately it's not that easy. I'm annoyed about it but I've taken it to a level that I can't stress about this. The judge says we will be divorced in 2013."
Kris Is Reportedly Having Fun Delaying The Divorce
We told you that sources tell Us Weekly that Kris is enjoying making Kim squirm in this divorce process: "Kris' friends say he laughs about pushing back depositions because that stalls the whole case."
But do you really think he's being vindictive? Sources tell HollywoodLife.com that Kris is really focused on basketball and wants the divorce to be over too.
"Kanye did the deposition for Kim and was proud to do so," another source tells the magazine. "Kanye is [still] very frustrated."
Do you think Kim should be talking so openly about the divorce since it's not finalized?
— Chloe Melas
More Kim Kardashian News:
- Kim Kardashian Shows Off Breasts In Arabian 'Hia' Magazine — Watch
- Kris Humphries Holding Up Kim Kardashian Divorce Until After Baby?
- Kim Kardashian's Baby Weight Gain — How She's Battling The Bulge

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Place An Order Online
Place your order online and pick it up in the Deli. You have access to the entire menu and can customize your order just like you would at our counter.
Whole Sandwich $7.99, Half $6.00
Roasted Turkey | Black Forest Ham | Roast Beef | Pastrami | Molinari Dry Salami | Mortadella | Liverwurst | Tuna Salad | Egg Salad | Classic Chicken Salad
Veggie (includes 2 extras at no additional cost)
Cheese (your choice of up to 4 slices of cheese)
Lettuce | Tomato | Onion | Pickle | Pepperoncini | Jalapeño | Mayo | Yellow Mustard | Dijon Mustard | Brown Mustard | Mendocino Hot & Sweet Mustard | Salt | Pepper | Oregano
Your sandwich will only have on it what you tell us. If you want a side… even the "normal" ones … then tell us!
When you say you want "everything" on your sandwich, we put on lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo and yellow mustard. If you want more than everything, tell us what else you want. We've learned over the years that everything rarely means absolutely everything to most people.
American | Cheddar | Monterey Jack | Pepper Jack | Provolone | Swiss | Brie +$1.25
Extras +75¢ each
Avocado | Bacon | Cucumber | Coleslaw | Sprouts | Jimtown Olive Spread | Pesto spread | Cranberry sauce | Roasted Tomato Chutney | Thousand Island dressing


text:
Once again, numerous reports have been received about problems and inconsistencies related to the Thalamus Center Blog website, e.g. LONG DELAYS in attempts loading up and navigating on the TC blog site to NOT being able to load up the Thalamus Center blog site at all.
Also, constant reports related to discrepancies with the actual date & time of postings displayed on the TC and the notification of the same postings date & time displayed on the Google search.
Visitors viewing and especially those who have received TC mailings of the posts prior to their being places on the Thalamus Center blog – have reported problems, such as, difficulty loading up the Thalamus Center and other various inconsistencies. Many have reported not being able to leave comments at the bottom of a posting.
Please send notices of any problems to Fr. Marty Kurylowicz - through the US Mail Service, email or leave as a comment at the bottom of this post.
Thank you to all who have sent in notices already. It is helpful to resolve the problems that are easy to fix and those that are not can be documented, tracked and investigated.
Fr. Marty Kurylowicz


text:
From rock, jazz and blues, to R&B, folk and classical, The Barns at Wolf Trap features acclaimed artists in a uniquely intimate setting
More performances to be announced every two weeks beginning September 5; Members purchasing early, public on-sale Friday, August 11
Vienna, Virginia (August 3, 2017) – Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts today announced the first performances of the 2017-2018 season at The Barns at Wolf Trap, its historic 382-seat indoor venue. A complete calendar of performances may be found here. See the press room online for additional assets and print-ready images.
"The Barns is an intimate, casual space that provides the perfect atmosphere to experience pure, raw artistry," said Arvind Manocha, President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation. "This season, Wolf Trap fans can relax and unwind while getting an up close and personal look at legends, diverse traditional and non-traditional musical styles, and many new and unique artists."
In keeping with Wolf Trap's mission, The Barns at Wolf Trap highlights artistic exploration and accessibility to a broad range of music lovers. Artists span musical genres from rock, jazz, blues, country, classical and world music. Composed of two 18th-century barns made of hand-hewn wood beams and panels, The Barns opened in 1981 and is well known for providing a distinct and impressive musical experience with its acoustic excellence and striking architecture.
Among the initial slate of shows in the 2017-2018 season, 16 artists make their Wolf Trap debuts – including country artist Joan Shelley who opens the season on October 8th; American drummer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Max Weinberg, contemporary blues rockers Tommy Castro & The Painkillers, Grammy nominated Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson, Mexican psychedelic jazz band Troker, Spanish flamenco guitarist Paco Peña, a cappella group The Bobs, R&B and soul singer Son Little, Pakistani cross-cultural jazz group Sachal Ensemble, country singer and Maryland native Maggie Rose, Norwegian neo-soul singer Bernhoft, Bhangra-funk fusion group Red Baraat, indie country artist Justin Townes Earle, and Portuguese fado singer Ana Moura.
Returning favorites include bluegrass group Mountain Heart, country rock singer-songwriter JD Souther, legendary husband-wife jazz duo Herb Alpert & Lani Hall, fiddle swing group The Quebe Sisters, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer David Crosby with the David Crosby & Friends Tour, folk singer Loudon Wainwright III, Broadway star Aaron Tveit, and Grammy Award-winning South African choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo.
Chamber Music at The Barns opens with a performance from the series' 2017-2018 Artistic Advisor, violinist Lara St. John with pianist Matt Herskowitz. Curated by St. John, the season features programs of core classical repertoire mixed with folk influences. The series includes performances by the Attacca Quartet–one of America's premier young ensembles; clarinetist David Krakauer with his frequent collaborator, pianist Kathleen Tagg; the New York Festival of Song celebrating Bernstein at 100; John Corigliano 8.0–an all-star birthday spectacular to honor American composer John Corigliano's 80th birthday; and more.
The Barns also hosts performances that go beyond music and into comedy and dance–including Chicago's legendary improv troupe The Second City with their newest production, Look Both Ways Before Talking; a spotlight on India with the return of an Evening of Indian Dance; and Grammy-nominated Irish-American group Cherish the Ladies, who blend beautiful vocals and step dancing. For a complete listing of all 66 performances, please visit WolfTrap.org/Barns.
Additional performances will be announced every two weeks on WolfTrap.org, on Wolf Trap's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels, and through email newsletters (sign up at WolfTrap.org/email). Announcements will take place on alternating Tuesdays beginning September 5 and will continue through December, with public on-sales following on Fridays.
Advance tickets go on sale to Wolf Trap Foundation members beginning Wednesday, August 9. Tickets go on sale to the public Friday, August 11.
Special thanks to Dan and Gayle D'Aniello, Wolf Trap 2017 Season Underwriters.
Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, produces and presents a full range of performance and education programs in the Greater Washington area, as well as nationally and internationally. Wolf Trap features three performance venues: the outdoor Filene Center and Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods, both located at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. The 7,028-seat Filene Center is operated in partnership with the National Park Service and annually showcases an extensive array of diverse artists, ranging from pop, country, folk, and blues to classical music, dance, and theatre, as well as multimedia presentations, from May through September. The Barns at Wolf Trap is operated by the Wolf Trap Foundation year round, and during the summer months is home to the Grammy-nominated Wolf Trap Opera, one of America's outstanding resident ensemble programs for young opera singers. Wolf Trap's education programs include the nationally acclaimed Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods, a diverse array of arts education classes, grants, and a nationally recognized internship program.
The most up-to-date information on artists, performances and ticket availability may be found on Wolf Trap's website, WolfTrap.org.
Please do not publish this contact information.
High-resolution images are available here.
Emily Smalling, Manager, Media Relations
703.255.4096 or email@example.com


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There are more and more anglers and hunters taking advantage of the cold weather season every year. No matter what your preference, you need high quality cold weather gear in order to enjoy the cold.
If you are properly dressed you will be capable of staying out all day long in the cold in relative comfort. Dressing for the cold is not difficult, but it does take some knowledge of the proper attire and an upfront investment in some high quality cold-weather gear.
The first thing you need is the clothing that will be closet to your body. Under Armour makes a complete line of undergarmets that will wick the moisture away from your body and at the same time keep the heat close to your body. The Under Armour Men's Coldgear Base 1.0 Crew shirt is meant to be worm underneath a sweatshirt and a cold weather parka.
The Under Armour ColdGear UA Base 1.0 Legging also will wick the moisture away from your body. This undergarmet is also very lightweight in design and is meant to be worn under your pants in extreme cold conditions.
Gore Tex is a far cry from the rain gear of my childhood. It is breathable, flexible, and 100% waterproof. Gore Tex is coupled with Thinsulate to make an outstanding winter parka. Nowadays, all high quality parkas and bibs contain both Gore Tex and Thinsulate.
Under Armour also makes a complete line of socks as well. My personal favorite is the Men's Heat Gear Boot Sock. These socks will come up over the boots and will keep your feet, ankles, and calves warm. The good thing about these socks and all other Under Armour products is that they wick the moisture away from your feet. Damp feet will ruin even the best of fishing or hunting expeditions.
Boots are an essential part of any winter expedition. Boots also insulated by thinsulate. Thinsulate is measured in grams, which means grams per square inch of insulation. The general rule is that you want less grams if you are a very active hunter such as a pheasant hunter. You want at least a 1,000 grams if you are an ice fisherman. This table was taken from the 3M website and is very helpful to an outdoor sportsman who is attempting to decide what boots he wants to purchase.
Recommended grams of 3Mâ"¢ Thinsulateâ"¢ Insulation for footwear:
- 200 grams* for cool conditions or high activity levels – Recommended for work boots' hiking boots' rubber bottom boots' hunting boots' snowboard boots' alpine ski boots' or athletic winter boots.
- 400 grams* for cold conditions or moderate activity levels – Recommended for rubber bottom boots' hiking boots' PAC boots' hunting boots' or work boots.
- 600 grams* for very cold conditions – Recommended for hiking boots' work boots' hunting boots' or PAC boots.
- 800 grams* for extremely cold conditions with light activity levels – Recommended for hunting boots' PAC boots' or work boots.
- 1'000+ grams* for extremely cold conditions with light to minimal activity level – Recommended for unique applications requiring additional insulation.
Winter is my favorite time of the year to be outside. I enjoy waterfowl hunting, deer hunting, pheasant hunting, walleye fishing, as well as ice fishing. All of these activities take place out in the cold and you better believe that I have an entire room full of cold weather gear.
Under Armour Coldgear can be purchased at http://astore.amazon.com/infobarrelc050b-20


text: PLYMOUTH -- West Township residents were critical of the township board Wednesday, when it voted to create fire and EMS services. Audience members said the board had not presented enough, or any, facts to back up their claim that this was necessary. They said they wanted facts on how much it would cost, if enough volunteers could be found to man the department and if having one would even reduce response times to outlying areas. One more fact the board had yet to look into was whether it had the authority to even create fire and EMS services. Township Trustee Terry Borggren did some digging Thursday and he says he found the answer to that question was no. In a letter addressed to the citizens of West Township Borggren sent via e-mail to members of the board and the media Thursday night, he said the board's resolution was invalid. "The Township Board does not have the authority to initiate any change in the method of providing fire protection in a township," Borggren wrote. He cited Indiana Code section 36-8-13-3, which states it is the responsibility of the trustee to propose the method of providing fire protection, and the approval of the board would then be required, not the other way around. "West Township already has a fire contract in effect with the City of Plymouth and without the consent of the Trustee this method cannot change," he wrote. Borggren said the pretext of Wednesday's meeting was to receive a presentation from the committee on its findings of forming a Fire and EMS department in West Township. Instead, he said, the information received was only opinions of members of the committee. "The committee presented no information, based on facts, only opinions," he wrote. Borggren reiterated his opposition to the board's action, and said it was not in the best interest of his constituents.


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216 Duffield Street Brooklyn 11201 USA
Location Situated in the historical district, near the beach in the city centre, this hotel is close to Brooklyn Academy of Music, Battery Park and Brooklyn Bridge. Area attractions also include Ellis Island and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. John F. Kennedy Airport is approximately 17 km away; LaGuardia Airport is some 13 km away and Newark Liberty Airport is roughly 16 km from the hotel. Facilities The hotel was built in 2011. Guests are welcomed at the accommodation, which has a total of 176 rooms. Services and facilities at the hotel include a restaurant, a café, a bar, a conference room, a business centre and a fireplace. Wireless internet access in public areas allows travellers to stay connected. Guests can buy souvenirs at the gift shop. Those arriving in their own vehicles can leave them in the car park of the establishment. Rooms The hotel features rooms with air conditioning, central heating and a bathroom. The carpeted rooms feature a double bed or a king-size bed. There is also a safe. A fridge, a mini fridge, a microwave and a tea/coffee station ensure a comfortable stay. An ironing set is also available for travellers' convenience. Internet access, a telephone, a TV, a radio, an alarm clock and WiFi add to the comfort of the holiday. Some of the rooms are adapted for wheelchair users. The bathrooms are fitted with a shower and a bathtub. A hairdryer is also available. Bathrooms with wheelchair access can also be booked. The accommodation offers family rooms and non-smoking rooms. Sports/Entertainment The establishment offers attractions including sport and entertainment opportunities. The hotel features a pool and an indoor pool. A range of options are available, including a gym and billiards. Payment The following credit cards are accepted at the accommodation: American Express, VISA, Diners Club and MasterCard.


text:
The National Union of Teachers is balloting members for a proposed walk-out across England and Wales over changes to their pay and working conditions.
It represents an escalation of the dispute between ministers and the union, which has already launched a series of one-day strikes over reforms to pensions.
The move comes just weeks after the NUT announced plans to join forces with the NASUWT as part of a sustained campaign against a Coalition overhaul of the teaching profession. Collectively, the two unions represent almost nine-in-10 teachers.
It will raise fears over a fresh wave of strikes and work-to-rule action that could cause chaos for millions of children and parents in the autumn term.
Christine Blower, NUT general secretary, said: "The profession has never been under such sustained attack from Government. The almost daily criticism of teaching standards and erosion of working conditions, pay and pensions are unacceptable.
"If the ballot is successful it will see joint action by 85 per cent of the teaching profession.
"As ever, we are seeking negotiations with Government. However the situation is very serious and we have to build the broadest campaign to send a clear message to Government that this cannot continue."
The NUT already has the support of members for rolling industrial action as part of a two-year dispute over changes to public sector pensions, which will see staff work for longer and pay more into their retirement fund.
On Thursday, the union also opened a fresh ballot to extend the dispute to cover pay and working conditions.
It follows the publication of figures showing that teachers are facing real-terms pay cuts of between £3,500 and £5,500 in the autumn term as a result of the second year of a pay freeze and six months of increased pension contributions.
They are also opposed to the introduction of new rules enabling heads to sack under-performing teachers and observe staff in the classroom for an unlimited amount of time during the working year.
The ballot will close on September 6.
The NASUWT already has a mandate from members to take industrial action over pay, pensions and working conditions.
Nick Gibb, the Schools Minister, said: "It is disappointing that union leaders are again talking about strike action. Strikes only hurt pupils, anger many parents and will do nothing to raise the prestige of teaching as a career – something this Government is committed to doing."


text:
New FTC Task Force Will Put Licensing Boards On Notice
Building on a key victory at the Supreme Court in 2015, the FTC plans to target anti-competitive state-level licensing laws.
About two years after scoring a key victory in the U.S. Supreme Court, the Federal Trade Commission is launching a new effort to challenge state-level occupational licensing laws that do little to protect public health and safety.
Maureen Ohlhausen, the acting chairman of the FTC, announced last month the creation of the Economic Liberty Task Force, which will identify problematic licensing laws and encourage state officials to review onerous licensing requirements. Though the task force is mostly meant as an advisory resource for state officials, it will have the ability to take legal action against licensing boards engaged in anti-competitive behavior.
"I believe that economic liberty is central to opening doors of opportunity and increasing competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation that benefits all consumers," Ohlhausen told Reason in an email interview last week. She said the FTC will be partnering with governors, state attorney generals, state legislators and members of Congress.
"We will be working to help them advance economic liberty initiatives that remove barriers to entry and competition," she said.
The FTC traditionally has been concerned with ensuring competition in the private sector—and doesn't have the best reputation among libertarians—but a 2015 Supreme Court case clarified that the commission can target quasi-governmental licensing boards with the same Sherman Antitrust Act powers it's been using against private businesses for more than a century.
In FTC v. North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, the high court held that state licensing boards are not subject to immunity from anti-trust litigation if those boards are controlled by active market participants and are creating laws that limit competition. The FTC got involved after the North Carolina Board of Dental Examiners, which was controlled by practicing dentists, had passed a rule banning anyone except licensed dentists from offering teeth whitening services.
Licensing rules and the number of professions subject to quasi-government gatekeepers vary widely from states to state, but have been growing in recent years. In the 1950s, only about 5 percent of all jobs required a license, but today more than 25 percent do. They are particularly onerous for low-income, low-skilled jobs, where licensing serves to raise the cost of entry into a chosen profession, protecting existing practitioners while limiting newcomers.
Like the teeth whitening ban in North Carolina, the new FTC task force is expected to seek to eliminate occupational licensing restrictions that are not narrowly tailored to satisfy legitimate health and safety goals.
"Licensing boards and those who are involved in licensing regulations should examine the ways in which the regulation affects or could affect competition, whether there is evidence that a regulation is necessary to achieve the targeted policy goal, whether the regulation is narrowly tailored to meet the policy goal, and whether a less restrictive alternative is available to achieve the policy goal and benefit competition," says the National Law Review, in an analysis of the task force's mission.
It's not ideal to have the federal government threatening anyone with litigation if they don't change their ways, but licensing boards that pass anti-competitive rules without an interest in protecting public health are overstepping their authority—and Olhausen wants to make sure they'll face the consequences.
Editor's Note: We invite comments and request that they be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of Reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason at any time. Report abuses.
Only Nixon could go to China...
I'm sure these snake-eating gorillas will solve the problem once and for all.
Yes, but ..... this is one government stomping on other governments which have stomped on economic liberty.
I'd be real happy if legislators were so corrupt that they never passed any laws, but .... I'd be even happier if they passed laws repealing other laws.
The true test of how dedicated to this is if becoming an attorney becomes easier. State bar exam for anyone who can pass it, online law schools, or no bar exam and free market dictates who gets hired to represent clients.
Licence the licensers with every dumbass for the children reason anyone comes up with.
"I believe that economic liberty is central to opening doors of opportunity and increasing competition, entrepreneurship, and innovation that benefits all consumers," Ohlhausen told Reason in an email interview last week.
"Nonsense! We want fair trade, not free trade!"
/Economically-incompetent Trumpista. Which means, all of them.
You are obsessed with trumpistas. You ok?
I'm wondering how NPR will spin this.
They will probably say that the FTC was hijacked by Ayn Rand acolytes.
RE: New FTC Task Force Will Put Licensing Boards On Notice
Building on a key victory at the Supreme Court in 2015, the FTC plans to target anti-competitive state-level licensing laws.
This makes sense.
We can't have government officials making sense.
Otherwise we might go back to the ancient and antiquated idea of freedom that our Founding Fathers intended.
Then all the unenlightened masses will be making decisions for themselves.
Do you know how many of our ruling elitist turds would be unemployed if we started down that path?
Did anyone out there ever think of that?
It's not ideal to have the federal government threatening anyone with litigation if they don't change their ways,
What's your point? That the ideal would be not having anyone to threaten? Like it's not ideal to have firemen, the ideal would be to have no fires? Duh!
I wonder how many of us pain management practitioners thought we were justified in treating people with chronic pain. Most have either been removed from practice or put on notice for removal by the medical boards "protecting patients". I submit that, up to 100 million people, with chronic intractable pain, would argue with their interests are being thrown under the bus. Sadly, when emotions mean more than science, this type of result will always be the result. Why can't doctors, who graduated medical schools, and for the most part, completed one residency, be seen as adequate? We are still at the mercy of politically motivated people like those on "state medical boards"? Disagreement by those refusing to keep up with the science can destroy those, of us, who did keep up with the science. With the lack of respect that seems to be chasing the medical profession, I am happy to no longer swim with the sharks, even if I have to live like a pauper! So many of them have not learned that money is not all that important. Maybe that is one of the reasons medical care is so expensive!?
Friedman once made the case that all state licensing should be eliminated. At the Mayo Clinic no less, he told the physicians in attendance that physicians licensing boards were essentially medieval guilds artificially controlling supplg to force wages up.
If doctors don't need to be state licensed, no occupations need to be licensed...
If they actually do this, there will be eyebrow threaders and hair shampooers dancing in the streets. Some States require hundreds of hours of irrelevant and expensive cosmetology and skin care training just to get a license to pluck someone else's eyebrows or wash their hair.
It's not just for people too lazy to wash their own hair, shampooers also provide a vital service to disabled and elderly who can't wash their own hair.
Another one is the certified interior decorator/designer.
This winter has flattened or damaged a lot of buildings in Washington County Idaho and Malheur County Oregon. There's only around 19 building contractors licensed in Malheur County. Oregon's licensing department says they're considering allowing Idaho licensed contractors to temporarily work in Malheur County to get repairs and rebuilding work done faster.
Most of these licensing schemes have been cooked up by labor unions seeking to keep prices high and limit competition - while claiming the licensing is for "public safety" and to "ensure the quality of work" and "protect against fraud". Nothing prevents a license holder from doing a crappy job or ripping up your floor then doing a runner with your money, and it's very likely the licensing body, which consists mostly or wholly of people in that profession, will side with the contractor.
So am I not to expect the dentists to put proxies in their place? A patsy not assigned medical qualifications to be a dentist on the board or two sounds like it would defeat the FTC right out of the box.
Well, that'll make Glenn Reynolds happy.


text: Has anyone been able to build MacPorts on 10.5? It doesn't seem to like the X11 anymore. Code: Please install the X11 SDK packages from the Xcode Developer Tools CD configure: error: Broken X11 install. No X11 headers Please don't ask if I've installed X11 and the SDK. I'm not as dumb as I look.


text:
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President Obama: "USA to LEAD the WORLD in the New World Order"
Originally posted by gordonwest
President Obama: "USA to LEAD the WORLD in the New World Order"
How can 'President Obama' lead the NWO, when he can't even lead the U.S?
Originally posted by Y2Zgt
reply to post by AntiNWO
I don't agree with any of your statements and am curious why spread disinfo. Are you a paid agent? Why do you speak such great lies. You truly need to wake up.
Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by teapot
You are only as enslaved as you want yourself to. I chose to create, discover, invent, and write. I am not a slave. Yet I live under the same system you do.
Perhaps it is just that you are not working hard enough on your self.
We have reached quite a height in development, So much so that college no longer guarantees a good life. You have to be more. You are now competing with 6 billion people.
You have to be abnormally great to reach it to the top these days.
Of course it can be argued that its too hard, and that its not fair. Well. That's why places like America used to let you work hard and over generations reach a decent level. Hopefully that will return one day.
As far as me, I am not enslaved at all.
Originally posted by Annee
Originally posted by AntiNWO
I love this argument. It's the clearest indication of absolutely ZERO research being done. You need to learn the difference between "united" and "suppressed".
How about "organized and controlled"?
When there was room to grow - to expand - to be free - - - it was a different world.
Now you have people living on top of people - - and we're still pumping out more - - for no good reason other then reckless breeding.
I personally find it very childish - - not to view the world as it is today. The truth is - humans can not keep living as they are.
Its easy to spout out the words "Freedom" - - - but it is not realistic. Not for the irresponsible directions humans as a species are going.
No one is going to eliminate Cultures. If anything "organized control" will preserve them and their rights. Religion is a different story - - because it crosses the line from personal belief to Political Rule. I do believe Religious control will be diminished. It has no business in government.
Originally posted by Gorman91
I have a strong family history of working hard. For some time now those generations have been "decent". Now I am about to propel us ever further beyond decent.
Originally posted by Gorman91
reply to post by Annee
A world government will also not last though. There will be several. People will come and go with popularity. They will take, they will give. This world union in time will split, be reunited. It will be no different.
The unfortunate fact is that humanity does not want to change. They will improve over time. But they will always be the animals inside. And quite simply, like all species, our time will eventually end. Machine or something else will replace us.
The World Union will go into space too. it will have colonies, it will split, colonies will become new capitals. Colonies will rebel, colonies will change. Earth will be forgotten, remembered.
It's all possible and quite likely.
Originally posted by Annee
reply to post by AntiNWO
Its pretty obvious from your name - - you aren't going to see another side.
Organized means Organized - a plan. But since you can't and won't separate it from Supression - - there is no point in discussing it with you.
True meanining of Liberal: the "catch all" bucket for anything a conservative doesn't agree with. Doesn't matter what it is - - only that its not acceptable to them.
I don't agree with you. I express my viewpoint. I don't try to convert - and I don't do "pissing" matches.
Maybe next time you can try expressing your viewpoint without the Labels and Name Calling.
Originally posted by NWOWILLFALL
Is everything not becoming clear? If not you deserve what's coming, really and truly, I will be here laughing maybe crying at the same time...
Originally posted by AntiNWO
Wrong...you didn't say "organized", and I never said "organized". Like all liberals you try to backtrack when your agenda is exposed. You said "organized CONTROL" - get that? C-O-N-T-R-O-L. Don't try to distort my statement.


text:
We've been having a wonderful summer. A terrific time on our Make a Wish trip to Disney, lots of fun in New Mexico visiting family, and a great time back at home, playing with siblings and friends.
And there's a new movie! Froggy Girl 3 -- "Sidekick." Enjoy! (This is what happens when you let your children read comics and watch "Young Frankenstein.")
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
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text:
A lot can happen in five days on the internet, which is why we've decided to whip up a quick recap of last week's biggest new stories to keep you in the loop.
The week got off to a good start with word that mobile company 2degrees is about to create 80 new jobs in Christchurch by opening a new contact centre in the CBD later this year. Chief Executive Eric Hertz said that the firm needed the extra contact centre to cope with business growth.
Skype 5 for Mac came out of beta at last but there still seems to be some serious issues the developers have overlooked. Twitter was soon brimming post after post of unhappy users, begging Skype to get its act together.
Following political unrest in Egypt this week, Vodafone was forced to close its Egyptian call centre and boost staff counts in its Auckland bases. The telco also advised its roaming customers to return to New Zealand as soon as possible.
Sticking with Egypt, Google launched speak-to-tweet, which lets people in Egypt send Twitter messages even in the face of massive disruption to the internet. Users dial a number and leave a voicemail, which is then tweeted as a message using the hashtag '#egypt'. The clever part is that no internet connection is required.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has said that the white iPhone 4 will ship soon. Apparently flash photography on the white model looked as if the pictures had been "taken through cellophane" because of light leaking through the white-painted glass.
Android was crowned the world's leading smartphone after a survey reported that shipments of Android-based devices reached 32.9 million in Q4 last year, while devices running Nokia's Symbian came in at 31.0 million worldwide.
Google says that it caught Microsoft's Bing search engine cheating, by copying its results and displaying them as its own, after running a sting operation.
News that Trade Me plans to raise its success fees on February 7th for the first time since 2008 cause quite a stir. After you've finished reading the story, be sure to have your own say in the comments.
After a short delay, Rupert Murdoch's digital project The Daily finally launched this week in the US iTunes store. A yearly subscription costs US$39.99 but there's also an option for a fortnightly sub for US$0.99. New Zealanders can look but they can't touch. Thankfully though all the content has been gathered together and indexed online.
Speaking of leaks, the first commercial for the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play - commonly referred to as the "PlayStation Phone" - leaked onto the internet. Norwegian Android website DroidNYTT stumbling across it on YouTube.
And according to a new study of how smartphone users interact with the applications they download, 26% never give the app a second chance. It's not as bad as it sounds though as 74% of new customers go on to use your app more than once, which is a good thing.