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Today, the Department of Finance presented the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2013 to the Board of Estimates. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said the budget closes a $48 million deficit while fully funding the City?s obligation to public schools, continuing an aggressive plan to hire hundreds of new police officers, and providing funding for street repair and blight elimination?all while cutting property taxes for homeowners.
The FY2013 Operating Budget represents a 0.1% increase in City spending and a 1% decrease in general fund expenditures over the previous fiscal year. The Preliminary Budget Plan was built in the spirit of the Mayor?s long-term vision for growing Baltimore?s population by 10,000 families. The Budget focuses on efficient operations, innovative strategies, and sustainable policies and prioritizes spending on the key issues that matter most to Baltimore?s families: crime reduction, public education, economic growth, and core services for neighborhoods.
?When you ask families what they need in order to stay in Baltimore, it is safe neighborhoods, good schools, job opportunities, and lower property taxes. This budget focuses on the fundamentals that will help get Baltimore growing again,? Mayor Rawlings-Blake. ?At the same time we are making progress reducing crime and improving our schools, we have to do everything reasonable to reduce the property tax burden on homeowners. And we need to pay for it without slashing the budget for basic City services that neighborhoods rely on.?
The FY2013 Preliminary Budget?Efficient, Innovative, and Sustainable:
Reduces property taxes. The Budget Plan includes the first installment of the Mayor?s Targeted Homeowners? Tax Credit, which will reduce the effective property tax rate for owner-occupied homes by 20 cents over the next eight years.
Fully funds police patrol; public education contribution.
Invests in Vacants to Value, neighborhood blight elimination, street resurfacing, and core sanitation services.
Ends three straight years of furloughs; no COLA increases.
Reduces the City?s healthcare costs by up to $25 million annually and reduces OPEB liabilities while continuing to provide comprehensive, competitive, and affordable benefits to employees and retirees. The health plan changes are the first installment of early recommendations from the Mayor?s 10-year Financial Plan.
Cuts payroll processing costs by paying all employees twice a month instead of weekly or bi-weekly; consolidates the 311 and 911 call centers; reduces towing costs by competing contracts.
Expands the use of illegal dumping cameras; uses Madvac sidewalk sweepers to more efficiently clean business districts; fills vacant street and alley cleaning positions.
Makes an Innovation Fund investment of $2 million to replace the City?s 800 MHz line with new fiber optic technology as part of an inter-county broadband network. This project will increase bandwidth for users of the network; increase connectivity for City agencies, schools, police, and fire stations; and generate revenue for the City.
Better Schools
Better Schools is one of the Mayor?s highest priorities. Funding for Better Schools represents an investment in Baltimore?s greatest asset: our youth. This priority aims to promote lifelong learning, community engagement and partnerships, and to reduce duplication of services for youth. An emphasis on preserving resources for educational opportunities for Baltimore?s youth is reflected in the recommended funding levels.
Increases Maintenance of Effort funding by $3.4 million for the Baltimore City Public School System.
Funds a new service delivery strategy by the Family League that will directly impact more students with fewer dollars.
Keeps all library branches open, but may reduce service hours at some locations as a result of $500,000 in library employee pension costs proposed to be shifted from the State.
Safer Streets
Creating and maintaining a safe city requires both long-term preventive measures and the capacity for effective response to crime, fire, accidents, and other emergencies.
Funds police patrol at the current level. The Police Department will be able to continue the Mayor?s aggressive officer hiring program.
Increases funding for the Crime Camera Management service to support the operation of 550 cameras across the city.
Maintains funding for Youth Violence Prevention and Animal Services.
Funds a pedestrian safety initiative to improve education, enforcement, and engineering strategies.
Fully Funds EMS services. Over 80% of 911 call demand is for medical emergencies.
Converts three rotating fire company closures to permanent closures, reducing long-term costs without laying off firefighters or impacting response time.
Stronger Neighborhoods
Strong neighborhoods have healthy real estate markets; are well-maintained and safe; and have clean, green open spaces, relevant and desirable amenities, optimal levels of homeownership, and engaged neighbors with strong community organizations.
Funds blight elimination services, including the Mayor?s Vacants to Value initiative, vacant property cleaning and boarding, and urban farms.
Funds Operation Orange Cone in order to resurface 200 lane miles of city streets.
Continues transition to recreation center model approved in FY 2012 budget. Fully funds recreation centers based on the new model . Under this plan, of the centers currently in operation: 30 will be run as model centers, six will be run by nonprofit partners, five may be taken over by BCPS, seven will operate as after-school centers with limited hours, and eight could close as of July 1, 2012.
Reduces funding for the Liquor Board. The City will study ways to improve the productivity of liquor license inspectors.
A Growing Economy
A Growing Economy leverages public-private-nonprofit partnerships, respects and supports diversity, and recognizes the interconnectivity of all economic factors?investment, key economic drivers, workforce, quality of life, and infrastructure.
Increases funding for the YouthWorks summer jobs program. By developing partnerships with more private sector employers, an additional 350 young people will be able to participate in the program year-round.
Funds new Community Job Hubs to extend the reach of the City?s workforce development services into economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Increases General Fund support for the Baltimore Development Corporation to offset the loss of capital funding and help attract and retain businesses?including Neighborhood Mainstreets Program, Small Business Resource Center, and Emerging Technology Center.
Provides additional funding for preventive bridge maintenance. It is estimated that this preventative maintenance will save the City between $700,000 and $900,000 on citywide cleaning over the next five years.
Maintains funding for key cultural institutions, such as the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts.
Innovative Government
An innovative government adopts organizational change and encourages employee feedback and ideas, utilizes technology and best practices to streamline processes, leverages public and private partnerships to assist in service delivery, constantly re-evaluates and refines its internal business functions to be more efficient and effective, and encourages customer-friendly service.
Increases funding for the Property Tax Billing Integrity and Recovery unit to add staff for tax credit audits and recover money owed the City. The program has already identified more than $2 million of erroneous or fraudulent tax credits and reported them to the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
Provides funding to expand CitiStat, the City?s performance management process.
Begins a transition of outdated business applications from the mainframe to a more modern platform.
Initiates a three year plan to make COB University, the City?s employee training service, financially self-sufficient.
A Cleaner and Healthier City
A cleaner and healthier city reaches all aspects of public health: the physical (clean water, clean air, and safe buildings), as well as service aspects (drug treatment, health education, and clinical assistance).
Maintains funding for 1+1 trash and recycling collection. Due to savings from a new agreement with the City?s waste-to-energy facility, the City does not plan to implement a fee for regular bulk trash pickup in Fiscal 2013.
Maintains funding for Urban Forestry. This service will realize efficiencies from new unit cost contracts and pilot a proactive pruning program.
Funds 150 additional overflow beds for persons utilizing temporary housing.
Provides additional funding for Emergency Health Services to hire a nurse/epidemiologist to improve surveillance of viral hepatitis, conduct patient education, and better identify and control outbreaks in the City.
Preliminary Budget Background:
For Fiscal 2013, the City confronts a $48 million budget shortfall. For the first time since the economic downturn, property tax revenues will drop. At the same time, the cost of maintaining the current level of City services continues to grow. Compared to Fiscal 2008, General Fund revenue is down by $13 million?despite $50 million in tax and fee increases approved in 2010?while fixed costs (pension, retiree health, debt service, school payments) have grown by more than $120 million.
?Baltimore, like many local governments, is still feeling the effects of the Great Recession and the real estate downturn,? Mayor Rawlings-Blake said. ?Through sacrifice and smart budgeting, we will ensure that City Government tightens its belt to get more value for every tax dollar by doing what families are doing everyday: making tough choices about what we can afford and focusing our scarce resources on the core priorities that will help get Baltimore growing again.?
In the four years since the onset of the Great Recession, the City of Baltimore has closed budget shortfalls totaling more than $400 million while maintaining?and even improving?the performance of core public safety, sanitation, health, and youth development services?all without raising property taxes. It has done so by prioritizing spending, delivering services more efficiently, reforming retiree pension and health programs, and diversifying and enhancing revenue.
Where these actions were not enough to balance the budget, the City has had to make some difficult spending reductions that are not sustainable for the long term, such as freezing pay and hiring, furloughing employees, zeroing out Highway User Revenue capital spending, and using fund balance.
Health Plan Reforms to Reduce Costs:
The City?s employee and retiree health benefit costs grew by $100 million or 75% from 2000 to 2010, with no increase in the workforce. These costs constitute more than 10% of the entire operating budget and health care inflation persists at unsustainable levels.
Mayor Rawlings-Blake has already taken steps to reduce retiree drug benefit costs by nearly $20 million a year, but these steps alone are not enough to achieve sustainability. In order to address health care costs comprehensively, the Mayor has ordered a top-to bottom review of all employee health benefits as part of her 10-year Financial Plan initiative. The review included a detailed analysis of the City?s current health benefit programs for active employees and retirees, including: descriptions of the benefit structure, historical and projected costs in the context of national health care cost trends and the City?s overall fiscal environment, and comparisons to neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland.
This year, as part of the Preliminary Budget Plan, Mayor Rawlings-Blake is proposing changes to further reduce the cost of employee and retiree health benefits. These changes are expected to save nearly $10 million in Fiscal 2013 and more than $20 million annually. The changes will not take effect until January 1, 2013.
Benefit changes for active and retired employees include:
City will continue to provide comprehensive, competitive, and affordable health benefits.
No change to medical premium co-shares.
A 20% prescription drug premium co-share.
New standard POS medical plan with the same coverage, similar premiums, and higher out-of-pocket costs.
Participants can buy up to current benefit plans or reduce costs by joining an HMO.
Changes being discussed with labor unions.
State and Federal Funding Issues:
At the time of this plan?s release, State funding for Fiscal 2013 remains highly uncertain. TheGovernor?s budget proposes to shift a portion of teacher pension costs to local jurisdictions, which would cost Baltimore $21 million in Fiscal 2013 and $33 million by Fiscal 2017. The revenue offsets in the Governor?s plan are estimated to be at least $4.5 million short of covering the City?s costs in the first year, and those offsets are expected to shrink in the outyears. The Preliminary Budget Plan does not include any funding for the teacher pension shift.
More Budget Information:
More information about the Fiscal Year 2013 Preliminary Budget, the budgeting process and materials about Outcome Budgeting can be found at:
A genetic pathway previously known for its role in embryonic development and cancer has been identified as a target for systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma, therapy. The finding, discovered by a cross-disciplinary team led by John Varga, MD, John and Nancy Hughes Distinguished Professor of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, was recently published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.
"We showed, for the first time, that the Wnt signaling pathway is abnormally activated in scleroderma patients," said Varga, who is also a physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "This is significant for three reasons. First, it gives a better picture of scleroderma and fibrosis in general. Second, it provides a strategy for assessing disease severity, progression, and activity. And third, it opens a door for the design of treatments that aim to block the Wnt pathway and restore its normal controlled activity."
Varga's laboratory collaborated with a pulmonary team at Northwestern, along with teams at Case Western Reserve University and Dartmouth University on the discovery.
Researchers studied skin and lung biopsies from scleroderma patients and found that the Wnt pathway was 'turned on', in contrast to healthy individuals where the pathway was 'turned off.' Varga said this activation may be due to loss of Wnt inhibitors that normally serve as 'brakes' on the pathway to prevent its activation.
The team also examined what the pathway does using fibroblasts and stem cells from healthy people. They found Wnt causes fibroblast activation and blocks the development of fat cells (adipocytes), which directly contribute to scar formation and tissue damage seen in scleroderma.
Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks itself. It causes progressive thickening and tightening (fibrosis) of the skin and also can lead to serious internal organ damage and, in some cases, death. Scleroderma affects an estimated 150,000 people in the United States, most frequently young to middle-aged women.
"Scleroderma is a complex and poorly understood disease with no cure," said Varga. "Our findings suggest that treatments targeting the Wnt signaling pathway could lead to an effective treatment."
Varga said Northwestern researchers next plan to conduct multi-center preclinical studies to evaluate treatments that block the Wnt pathway in animal models and measure Wnt activity in additional scleroderma biopsies to see if it can be clinically useful as a biomarker.
Thanks to Northwestern University for this article.
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Even in an election year where Republicans and Democrats are at each others' throats even more than usual, there is still one political issue in the United States that both sides have to get behind in order to stay in voters' good graces: Job creation. And since so many jobs these days are created by startups and small businesses, a number of politicians have started championing initiatives to make it easier for people to start their own companies. One such example is the Startup Act, co-authored by Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas and Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia. TechCrunch TV had the opportunity to sit down with Senator Moran this past weekend at the South By Southwest Interactive conference in Austin, Texas, where he was speaking about the Startup Act and meeting with entrepreneurs from all over the country. We were able to get his insights on what exactly the Startup Act could mean for entrepreneurs, why creating startups is a bipartisan issue, how Silicon Valley should engage with Washington, D.C., and much more.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]When looking for medical scrubs that are durable and made to last, look no further than Cherokee work wear scrubs. Built for comfort, uniforms are sturdy and.
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In this episode of Internet Business Mastery,we talk about how to choose the best product to sell online. And in the quick tip, we share a brilliant tool that will save you tons of time answering business e-mails.
CLICK HERE to get immediate access to your 90 Day, no risk, trial membership to Internet Business Mastery Academy, where you will get full access to ALL of our courses, tools, and resources for creating your own internet business and escaping the 9-to-5.
You will have access to the internet business courses, a Grill the Guru interviews, Success Book Summaries, Cubicle Escape Interviews, Checklists, Cheat Sheets, and new video step-by-step tutorials in the Million Dollar Rolodex.
First Republic Bank has opened a trust company in Delaware as it looks to gain a greater market share of affluent households.
First?Republic Bank, a leading private bank and wealth management company,? announced the opening of a new trust company in?Delaware?and named Managing Director and Senior Trust Officer?John McCabe?to run its operations.
First Republic?s new trust company will allow clients to realize the advantages of?Delaware?trusts. These trusts can offer significant income and estate tax benefits, as well as greater flexibility to establish multi-generational trusts, including Dynasty Trusts.
First Republic Trust Company of Delaware?is part of?First Republic Private Wealth Management, which provides customized wealth management solutions, including trust, investment management and brokerage services, to high net worth individuals and families, foundations, and endowments. First Republic Private Wealth Management complements First Republic?s comprehensive private banking and business banking capabilities.
?First Republic Trust Company of?Delaware?now offers our clients more solutions to effectively manage and transfer wealth across generations,? said?Michael Harrington, President of?First Republic Trust Company. ?First Republic?s new?Delaware?trust capabilities are designed to meet growing demand from our clients across the country who want the broadest range of solutions delivered with First Republic?s brand of exceptional service.?John McCabe?is a highly experienced trust executive who shares First Republic?s commitment to service excellence.?
Chartered in?California,?First Republic Bank?already has trust powers in? California,?Connecticut,?Massachusetts,?Nevada,?New York?and?Oregon. The new?Delaware?trust subsidiary will expand those capabilities for clients seeking to create trusts using Delaware?s favorable laws. As of?December 31, 2011,?First Republic Trust Company?had more than?$4.6 billion?in assets.?First Republic?Trust Company?s open architecture model provides clients with maximum choice and flexibility. First Republic?s trust officers, who have an average of 22 years of trust experience, coordinate interaction among a client?s existing advisors and investment managers.
First Republic Trust Company?can serve as Trustee, Successor Trustee, or Co-Trustee on many types of personal trusts, including marital, irrevocable and charitable trusts. First?Republic?also serves as Executor or Co-Executor for estate settlements.
Prior to joining?First Republic, McCabe worked at?Goldman Sachs Trust Company?and?Neuberger Berman Trust Company. Before that, he practiced law for five years. McCabe has a Bachelor of Arts degree from?University of Delaware. He also earned a Juris Doctorate from the?Villanova University School of Law?and a Master of Laws in taxation from?Villanova. He holds the?Certified Trust?and Financial Advisor designation and is a member of the Philadelphia Estate Planning Council?s Board of Directors.
About?First Republic Bank
First?Republic Bank?(NYSE:FRC) and its subsidiaries provide private banking, private business banking and private wealth management. Founded in 1985,?First Republic?specializes in exceptional, relationship-based service offered through preferred banking or wealth management offices primarily in?San Francisco,?Palo Alto,?Los Angeles,?Santa Barbara,?Newport Beach,?San Diego,?Portland,?Boston,?Greenwich?and?New York City. First?Republic?offers a complete line of banking products for individuals and businesses, including deposit services, as well as residential, commercial and personal loans.
About First Republic Private Wealth Management
First Republic Private Wealth Management is the investment management, trust and brokerage group of?First Republic Bank. First Republic Private Wealth Management offers objective advice and fully customized solutions with the same level of exceptional client service that has been the hallmark of?First Republic Bank?for more than 25 years. First?Republic?has the flexibility to provide individuals, families, businesses, endowments, schools and non-profit organizations with appropriate choices that responsibly meet a client?s specific investment objectives.
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Forum rules This forum is for OOC discussion about existing roleplays.
Please post all "Players Wanted" threads in the Roleplayers Wanted forum!
This topic is an Out Of Character part of the roleplay, ?Hax Infinity?. Anything posted here will also show up there.
Topic Tags:
Forum for completely Out of Character (OOC) discussion, based around whatever is happening In Character (IC). Discuss plans, storylines, and events; Recruit for your roleplaying game, or find a GM for your playergroup. Monsters:
Level 1: Hippips- small creatures who won't chase after a fight. But if you get them angry, they can give a nasty scratch or bite. They can pretty much be found wondering around anywhere. Some people even keep them as pets. (Give .5 exp)
Level 2: Curls- This creature is a bit nippy and has a major attitude. It likes to bite at anyone it sees and the hard shell on it's back is great for protection when it rolls into a ball. Curls can usually only be found in the desert. (Give .20 exp)
Level 3: Kois- A bird-like creature with sharp talons that are strong enough to cut through weak metal. They also have sharp jagged teeth in their beaks and spit saliva which is sticky enough to immobalize a player. They are found only in the forest. (Gives .60 exp)
Level 4:
Level 5:
Level 6:
Level 7: Hibiki- A large bat-like creature which uses it's sound waves to stun it's prety. It attacks with sharp claws and fangs and drinks the blood from anyone it gets the chance to. It lives off blood and it makes it stronger, causing it's sound attacks to become more powerful the more it has. It can be found in the mino caves.
Level 8:
Level 9:
Level 10:
Level 11: Daiki- A giant tree which is hard to spot due to it's natural blend with the other trees. Players have said that you can tell when one is near by the unnatural groans it makes. It likes to surprise it's victims, using thorny arms and jagged wood to hurt it's enemies. It is said that it is very stubborn and will continue to fight even until it's last breath. It's very weak against fire and is found in the forest.
Level 12:
Level 13:
Level 14:
Level 15:
Level 16: Glocks- A horrid and ugly creature which has a very soft, fleshy skin. But don't let that fool you; it is able to regenerate body parts, including it's head. The only way to kill it is by destroying it's heart, which it is able to move to any part within it's body.
Level 17:
Level 18:
Level 19:
Level 20: Akane- The most vicious creature in Hax Infinity. It's body is covered in heavy armored scales and it is able to spit fire and ice. It has the ability to turn invisible and has a great amount of speed. The chance of finding it is very rare but the few who have have said that it was in the desert.
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Here's a security and privacy tip that many of us forget about, yet is really easy to manage -- geo-location data in the pictures you take with your Android phone. Modern digital cameras that have a way to capture GPS data (that means your Android phone or tablet) can attach location data to pictures using the Exif (Exchangeable image file format) standard. The Exif standard attaches metadata tags to pictures, sounds, and video to keep track of things like song titles, video length, and camera model. It also has a slot for latitude and longitude coordinates from your GPS receiver.
Attaching GPS metadata to the pictures you take can be handy, and there are reasons people would want to do it. Having the date, time and location embedded in a picture means never forgetting where and when you took it, and you can use services like Panoramio to place your pictures on a map overlay. Having a location fixed to an image has many legitimate, and fun, uses.
But many times we don't want someone else to know the precise GPS location of a picture we've taken. "Little Timmy's first day at summer camp" would make a great picture to share on Facebook or Google+, but do we want some stranger to know where little Timmy is sleeping this week? It's a scary world out there, full of people with bad intentions. Nobody will blame you if you err on the side of caution.
It matters, because it's not just apps that can access this data. Download a picture from your (or a friends) online albums somewhere. After you have it saved, right click it (Windows) and look at all the properties. If the picture is geo-tagged, you'll get GPS coordinates within a few feet of where the camera was when it was taken. There are even programs and websites that spit out the location data of images, and not everyone who uses these can be trusted. Thankfully, turning location tagging on and off is really easy.
You'll find a spot in the settings of your camera app (stock or a custom app from the Google Play store) that will say location or geo-tag. Poke around a bit, it's in different places depending on your phone's firmware or the app you're using, but it's there. When that setting is on, your GPS will turn on and the coordinates will be saved with the image data. When it's off, neither will happen.
Take control of these sorts of settings, and keep yourself safer on the Internet.
Graphic shows the annual cost of the most effect birth control methods
Graphic shows the annual cost of the most effect birth control methods
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Birth control that you must take every single day? A more goof-proof option that costs a lot upfront but then works for several years? Or something in between?
A woman's choice may come down to her wallet: The price of birth control varies dramatically.
Just the pill has a huge range, from $9 a month for generics to $90 a month for some of the newest brands, plus a yearly doctor's visit for the prescription.
Want a once-a-month option? The patch or ring could run you $55 monthly.
Even more reliable are so-called long-acting types, those IUDs or implants that can last years but can cost $600 to nearly $1,000 for the doctor to insert.
That's if you don't have insurance that covers at least some of the tab ? although many women do. And if those prices are too much, crowded public clinics offer free or reduced-price options. But it might take a while to get an appointment.
Questions about cost and access to birth control have been swirling for weeks now, intensifying after a Georgetown University law school student testified before congressional Democrats in support of a new federal policy to pay for contraception that she said can add up to $1,000 a year, not covered by the Jesuit college's health plan. Talk show host Rush Limbaugh's verbal assault on her comments became the latest skirmish in the birth control wars.
Soon, the new policy will make contraceptives available free of charge as preventive care, just like mammograms, for women with most employer-provided health insurance. Churches are exempt. But for other religious-affiliated organizations, such as colleges or hospitals, their insurance companies would have to pay for the coverage, something that has triggered bitter political debate.
A major study of nearly 10,000 women that's under way in St. Louis provides a tantalizing clue about what might happen when that policy takes effect.
Consider: Nearly half of the nation's 6 million-plus pregnancies each year are unintended. Rates of unplanned pregnancies are far higher among low-income women than their wealthier counterparts. Among the reasons is that condoms can fail. So can birth control pills, if the woman forgets to take them every day or can't afford a refill.
Only about 5 percent of U.S. women use the most effective contraceptives ? a matchstick-sized implant named Implanon or intrauterine devices known as IUDs. Once inserted, they prevent pregnancy for three, five or 10 years. But Dr. Jeffrey Peipert of Washington University in St. Louis says many women turn them down because of a higher upfront cost that insurance hasn't always covered ? even though years of pills can cost as much.
"How can we cover Viagra and not IUDs?" wonders Peipert, who is leading the new study.
Called the Contraceptive CHOICE Project, the study is providing those options and a range of others for free. Participants also can choose from birth control pills, a monthly patch, a monthly vaginal ring and a once-every-three-months shot. They're told the pros and cons of each but that the long-lasting options have a lower failure rate.
About 75 percent of women in the ongoing study are choosing the IUD or the implant, Peipert says. After the first year, more than 80 percent of the women who chose the long-acting contraceptives are sticking with them ,compared with about half the pill users, he says.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, the average woman who has two children will spend parts of three decades trying to avoid an unintended pregnancy. The Institute of Medicine says that's one reason that women tend to incur higher out-of-pocket costs for preventive care than men.
Yes, there already are some options for more affordable contraception, such as public clinics or Planned Parenthood.
About 55 percent of local health departments offer some family planning services, according to the National Association of County & City Health Officials. Many of those receive federal Title X funding, which means they can offer contraception on a sliding fee scale. The poorest women may get it free, while others may pay full price or somewhere in between.
There are cheaper generic pills. Peipert says there's little difference between them and pricey new brand-name versions like Yaz.
But some women go through a number of brands before finding one that doesn't cause uncomfortable side effects, says Sarah Brown of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Her organization operates a website, http://www.bedsider.org , that details options along with the price range.
"Not every woman can use generic pills, by any means," Brown says. "Do we say to people, 'Just go get generic cardiac medicines. Hope that works out for you?'"
Peipert notes that contraception is cheaper than what insurers or taxpayer-funded Medicaid pay for prenatal care and delivery. He says economic studies have found that every $1 spent on family planning can save nearly $4 in expenditures on unintended pregnancy.
Do women ask about the price?
"Oh, my gosh, absolutely," exclaims obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Monica Dragoman of New York's Montefiore Medical Center.
Just last week, she saw a woman whose heart condition could make another pregnancy life-threatening but who couldn't afford the IUD that Dragoman wanted to prescribe, and chose a cheaper option.
If a family's struggling financially, "sometimes contraception is one of the first things to fall off," Dragoman says.
___
EDITOR'S NOTE ? Lauran Neergaard covers health and medical issues for The Associated Press in Washington.
Today's cards are an interesting extension of yesterday's. We have the Five of Pentacles again, the Seven of Pentacles, and the Charriot. So, today, we don't talk about being nice to others. Instead, we talk about being nice to ourselves. Particularly and especially if you have any health issues, take care of yourself today. Turn all that kindness we talked about yesterday toward yourself. What do you need to feel cared for today? Whatever it is, indulge. You're absolutely worth it. That is what the Seven of Pentacles is all about. It tells us that we must rest and recharge after a harvest. Have you worked your butt off? Take some time to regenerate it. Not everything has to get done today. Some things can wait. If you will feel better and rejuvenated if you wait to do some of the things on your list, then do so. It's ok.
In Julia Cameron's book, the Artist's Way, one of the exercises she has you do is create a poster that says the following words: "Treating myself like a sacred object will make me strong." She couldn't be more right. If we treat ourselves like the sacred beings we are, if we are careful with our bodies, our thoughts, and our feelings, if we expect and demand respect (both from others and internally) then we can become strong enough to rise to the greatest challenges and meet them with grace and style.
See, the Five of Pentacles means kindness in the face of suffering. If you feel like a part of your life is causing you to suffer, address it. Do something about it (or accept that this is how things are for now, but let go of the anxiety around it). We aren't meant to suffer, I don't believe. Even though Buddhist thought teaches us that hopelessness and suffering are the paths set out before us, I think those are misleading. In her book, "When Things Fall Apart," Pema Chodron gives the only Buddhist definition of hopelessness that I can get behind. She says, "Hopelessness is the release of all hope for an alternative to the present moment." In other words, what causes suffering is the desire for things to be other than the currently are. That dissatisfaction with where we find ourselves is what causes us pain. That makes sense to me. However, where I differ with Buddhist thought is that while I want to accept where I am and be at peace with it that doesn't mean that I can't work to enact change peacefully and loving (and heck sometimes not so peacefully and lovingly, if that's what's needed). So, what I ultimately want is to work for change from that well of centered stability.
That brings us to the Charriot. The strength we get from having rested and been kind to ourselves is what the Charriot is all about here. It is the external expression of our own strength. It is forward motion from a place of power. So, rest, relax, and then when the time is right, you will once again kick butt. But, like a shaolin priest, you will do it from a place of peace a la Kwai Chang Caine of Kung Fu.
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Match Details?
Competition: National Hockey League?
Competitors: New Jersey Devils vs Philadelphia Flyers?
Date:Tuesday, March 13, 2012,?
Kick Off Time: 18:00 PM (GMT)?
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NEW YORK (Reuters) -?As?fuel prices soar and the weather warms, more adults are rediscovering bicycling as a way to get fit, get around, and rekindle that childhood joy of movement.
Experts say whether you're pedaling down suburban paths, mountain trails or city lanes, taking a few precautions will have you sitting sweet upon your bicycle seat.
"With the tough economy and gas prices rising, suddenly biking seems like this sensible, fun way to get fit," said Peter Flax, editor-in-chief of Bicycling magazine. "It's cheaper than joining a gym. And you can drive your car less."
In 2010, there were 19.8 million bicycles sold in the United States,?up 15 percent?from 2009, according to the National Bicycle Dealers Association, a non-profit trade group.
"The biggest surprise is the growth in big and mid-size cities," said Flax. "Go to a coffee shop or a farmers' market, you'll see many people?who aren't hard core, spandex-clad athletes?using their bikes to get around."
The League of American Bicyclists, an advocacy group, reported that bicycling increased by an average of 36 percent in the 70 largest U.S. cities from 2005 to 2010.
Consequently, Flax said, city biking is getting safer. "Infrastructure changes like bike lanes are on the rise, and people in cars are becoming more patient."
While many a workable bicycle is languishing in a garage or closet, Flax said, before pedaling off into the sunset, or the office, on one, visit the bicycle shop for a tune up and fitting.
"Make sure someone looks at your body. Is saddle at the right height? The handle bars? Someone who has seen hundreds of thousands of people can do a better job than you can do on your own."
If you're in the market for a new ride, Flax says, stick with the specialists.
"Go to a bike shop, not a big box store," said Flax, whose magazine's 2012 Buyer's Guide reviews over 100 bicycles. "Airplane technology has been pushed on to bikes so they are really light and comfortable now."
Another consideration is the ground beneath your wheels.
On suburban trails you want tires wide enough to ride on muck, Flax explained; in the city, the bike should be rugged enough to handle tough pavement; for tooling around the woods, a mountain bike is optimal.
And don't forget the helmet.
"Even at low speeds things can happen," said Flax, who compared riding without a helmet to driving without a seatbelt. "And helmets have gotten a lot cooler looking lately. It doesn't have to be like wearing a giant mushroom on your head."
Bicycling is an effective cardio exercise gets the heart and lungs into shape and exercises large muscle groups, said American Council on Exercise spokesperson Liz Neporent.
"Unlike running or walking, it takes a lot of stress off the joints," she said. "And it's more of a whole body exercise than you would think. There's a lot of core work, and it's obviously great for working the legs and butt."
Neporent recommends supplementing bicycling with strength or resistance training, and urges beginners to start slow.
"You can't undo 10 years of sloth with one workout," she said.
Flax said a brisk ride can burn 500 to 800 calories in an hour, and with the wind in your hair.
"The advantage of biking is how much fun it is," he said.?"Compare it to being on a stair climber for 40 minutes."
Last year was crazy. In six months, I received a publishing contract, started speaking for live audiences, and launched a writing career?all without having to quit my day job. How did it happen? I built a platform. But what does that mean?
If you want to find and lead your ?tribe,? you are going to have to be intentional about the process. The first place to start is with building relationships. I?ve cultivated three important habits that have helped me do this.
Habit #1: Make Connections
A platform is not a website. It?s not your Twitter feed or speaking schedule. It?s people. Plain and simple. You may use a tool like a blog to connect with your audience, but this is simply the medium for your message. It?s a means to an end. And the end is relationship.
Realizing this changed everything for me. Instead of cold calling or emailing strangers, I looked for ways to build real relationships. Instead of demanding to be heard, I took my time getting to know people.
This isn?t like typical ?networking,? where your goal is short-term, selfish gain. It?s about showing people they matter. It means taking someone out to coffee or going out of your way to say thank you. It?s about dignifying relationships, not commodifying them.
The best ?networkers? are good at what they do because they care. Making connections means building relationships that lead to friendships. It also means helping friends connect with other friends. It?s not always easy, but it?s a whole lot more fun than trying to sell yourself.
Habit #2: Find Patrons
Every struggling artist, author, and entrepreneur understands the challenges of trying to survive in a competitive market. If you rely on your creativity to make a living, you will struggle with this, too.
The problem is we hear stories of overnight success, of people ?making it happen? all by themselves, without any help. But the reality is there?s no such thing as a self-made man or woman. We all need help ? someone to show us the ropes.
Every success story is really a story of community.?Without the Medicis, Michelangelo never would have painted the Sistine Chapel. Without his friends at Atari, Steve Jobs wouldn?t have started Apple.
You need patrons ? people who will believe in you and help you succeed. How do you get them to notice you? Do something that matters. And then, ask. This is how I got Seth Godin to endorse my eBook.
Habit #3: Create Great Stuff
In this noisy world, we are all overwhelmed with too many messages. Our inboxes are cluttered, and our eyes are trained to skim. So how do you ? someone with something to say ? break through these barriers? You have to do something truly interesting.
What?s the best way to do this? Start by asking questions:
What do people want?
What do they need?
What?s causing them pain?
Find out their problems and solve them. This will earn you the right to speak.
The best way to do this is to make a remarkable product. Start a blog or a podcast, launch an online course or coaching program. It doesn?t have to be complicated; it just has to help.
If all you do is connect with people, but don?t connect them with something, you will limit your impact. You need to create something. And it needs to be amazing.
If you are going to build a platform, you will have to give before you get. The best way to begin is by earning attention through being generous. As your influence grows, build stuff that solves problems, and good things will come.
So what does this look like, specifically? Here are four ways to get started:
Email five people you want to meet. Ask them to coffee ? your treat. No agenda, no big ask. Just reach out and see who responds. Do this with individuals and groups.
Do something generous. Donate your services or time. Give away a free product, like an eBook. Make yourself available to others ? be interruptible.
Publish a manifesto. Create something with a message worth spreading. It should be good enough to charge money for, but don?t. Solve a problem, and do it for free. Watch as your idea spreads and your influence grows.
Repeat these steps for the rest of your life. Keep connecting, keep serving, and keep doing remarkable things.
Question: Which of these habits do you practice? Have you seen others work? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are ?affiliate links.? This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission?s 16 CFR, Part 255: ?Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.?
Real Estate Toledo Foreclosures Sylvania Homes & Property 7 Questions To Ask Your Metro Toledo Real Estate Agent By Rick Turner
Your home is the most important investment you are going to have. It is necessary to do things right. You will more than likely need a real estate agent who is very knowledgeable about Metro Toledo property. What you need to do is to ask your agent questions to make sure you get a good deal and that they are good for you. And, if you live in the Metro Toledo area, you will want to know some specific things.
You want an agent who is experienced has been specializing in Toledo homes for sale for some time. So, number one, you are going to ask how long they have been in the Toledo property business. If they are new to the business, you are going to need to find someone who has more experience. Rookies are not the ones you need because they don?t have the knowledge of Toledo homes you need from a home seller. Learning the ins and outs of real estate takes a long time, so experience is key.
You are going to have to ask if your Toledo real estate agent is a certified realtor. If they are not, go find one that is. They will more than likely belong to the National Association of Realtors if they are and that is a big deal. Being a part of this association means they will follow strict guidelines and ethics.
Ask the agent the types of licenses or certifications they have. If they are a good experienced agent who has closed many Toledo homes, they will have no problem answering that question for you. If they hold licenses and certifications that is also a good indicator that they are very serious about their line of work. Don?t be shy in asking this question about their qualifications.
You are going to ask any agent if they have a specialty. Toledo Real estate agents will either be commercial agents or residential agents. If you want to buy a home for yourself and possibly your family, you are going to want a residential real estate agent. They will know what you want and know how to help you in the buying process the best.
Don?t be afraid to ask them about the customers they have had in the past. If they are a good agent they will have no problem discussing this with you. You may want to treat this something like a job interview. Actually, they will be working for you to earn your money, so make sure that they have some good customer testimonials.
This is the age in the Toledo real estate market when agents have brokers. So ask them who their broker is. What you need to do here is if they tell you who their broker it, ask them if it would be alright if you could go ahead and contact them. A good professional real estate agent will gladly give you the phone number for you to call at your earliest convenience.
Ask them if real estate is their full time job or just a job on the side. You want an agent who makes their living as a realtor. You don?t want any real estate agent telling you that this is something they do on the side to make a little extra money helping people fulfill their dreams. This is an important step in your life and you will want someone totally committed to you. A full time realtor will invest the time needed to make your dream of a great home come true.
Sylvania Homes For Sale | Call Rick Turner at 419-386-2062 for free tours of Sylvania foreclosures & new homes. Are you looking for a house for sale in Sylvania? I have 17 years of experience in NW Ohio ?Putting People In Their Places? & I?m waiting for your call. Call now!
In the March 8 issue of Page Six Magazine ? free inside the New York Post ? Aerosmith star Steven Tyler?s youngest daughter Chelsea reveals all about life with a drug-addicted parent who she looks just like. Now a model and burgeoning singer herself, she reflects on her childhood to writer Annie Karni? On her [...]
Any remodeling phoenix you?re planning to complete on your home can result in frustrations if you are maybe not well prepared. What exactly must you do to save yourself from lots of headache during and after your property project? You need certified remodeling phoenix contractors who will complete specific tasks for home project. They might require costs but, additionally they help you get rid of worries that may be more costly than their professional fees.
Check the references and other business contacts of one?s prospective remodeling phoenix contractors. Make sure they are members of the National Association of the remodeling phoenix Industry (NARI) or the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). These associations supply a standard code of ethics with which members need to abide.
Also make sure that your prospective remodeling phoenix contractors are licensed with the local and state governments. Require their licenses not their business cards. Additionally, ensure they are fully insured and get for the required documents. Do not depend on verbal assurances. Another important requirement would be to check if they have any unresolved complaints. If you?re still interested on hiring them, request a valid explanation. If not, you?re better off with those who have clean records.
Good remodeling phoenix contractors learn how to listen and make suggestions on how to complete the project according to your design and budget. However, do not forget to ask around cost and time for you to complete assembling your shed. Estimates are extremely important specially when you seek financing for the project. But, remember to be equipped for any glitches and the costs that accompany them. Glitches can occur due to a variety of reasons such as the accessibility to materials and labor.
remodeling phoenix contractors can also allow you to lower your expenses particularly when they feature you some spare materials left from the previous project. That?s, when they have any materials they wish to share with you without charging you anything. They can also make other suggestions that you haven?t thought feasible to cut down on remodeling phoenix costs. Thus, the expenses can usually be worth it in terms of hiring professionals to complete your property project
Family holidays are great. Not only do they allow you to enjoy time with loved ones, but it also provides unhurried opportunities to catch up with one another. If you plan to bring your family to a destination where great culture and serene city life converge, Brisbane, Queensland is the place to be.
A great way to start planning your family holiday is to look for family accommodation that can help you stretch your budget for more fun and adventure. Bridgewater Terraces understands that you deserve a highly satisfying break. These apartments in Brisbane are great for a family holiday. Located in Kangaroo Point, it is just a 15-minute drive from the airport. It is close to the Brisbane Central Business District (CBD) and lots of local tourist attractions.
The best thing about Bridgewater Terraces is they know what guests like you expect in a vacation: spacious open plan living, filtered light, balconies overlooking the waterways of Brisbane & Brisbane CBD. Rooms feature full kitchen and laundry facilities, broadband Internet access and air-conditioning. . These facilities make your family holiday comfortable and carefree. They are designed to create that ?home away from home? feel.
Bridgewater Terraces? apartments in Brisbane start at $150 per night. They offer a best rate guarantee, based on a 3-night stay.? Options include corporate and garden view, and a lot more.
You can tour the city?s interesting landscapes. On day 1, walk through the city?s heritage buildings like the Victorian terraces close to the Parliament House, stroll into the Gothic-style Old St. Stephen?s and the Old Windmill and Observatory which were built in the 1800s. On day 2, propel your family?s adventure by doing rock climbing at Kangaroo Point cliffs. It?s best for picnics and abseiling (or rappelling), too.
If you want to go further, transportation is not a problem. The whole family can try boarding Brisbane CityCat ferries. The fast ferries would make you appreciate the river?s coastline better. It can also bring you further north to go trekking at Cairns and diving and snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef. The Gold Coast offers breath-taking views in the south.
At night, you can surely rest in quality apartments in Brisbane like Bridgewater Terraces, Sebel King George Square Brisbane Hotel near the financial district of the city, the Brisbane Riverview Hotel in Hamilton and the Spicers Balfour Hotel in New Farm.
Know more about Bridgewater Terraces apartments in Brisbane by viewing our website and be sure to view our highly satisfied guests? comments.
Today, the Department of Finance presented the Preliminary Budget for Fiscal Year 2013 to the Board of Estimates. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said the budget closes a $48 million deficit while fully funding the City?s obligation to public schools, continuing an aggressive plan to hire hundreds of new police officers, and providing funding for street repair and blight elimination?all while cutting property taxes for homeowners.
Even in an election year where Republicans and Democrats are at each others' throats even more than usual, there is still one political issue in the United States that both sides have to get behind in order to stay in voters' good graces: Job creation. And since so many jobs these days are created by startups and small businesses, a number of politicians have started championing initiatives to make it easier for people to start their own companies. One such example is the 
In this episode of Internet Business Mastery,we talk about how to choose the best product to sell online. And in the quick tip, we share a brilliant tool that will save you tons of time answering business e-mails.
First?Republic Bank, a leading private bank and wealth management company,? announced the opening of a new trust company in?Delaware?and named Managing Director and Senior Trust Officer?John McCabe?to run its operations.
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