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Shipley Speech - 'Jobs'
RT HON JENNY SHIPLEY
Luncheon address to
ASB AND WELLINGTON REGIONAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
St James Theatre, Wellington
12 noon, Thursday 28 October 1999
central to our sense of well being. They contribute to our
sense of self worth and they provide the means to a better
Not having a job is extremely debilitating. The pressure is even worse for those with children. The personal hardship faced by the unemployed is easily forgotten when we discuss job figures.
But it is these same stories that drive the National Party to do everything possible to promote more jobs. It is these same stories that lead National to unashamedly champion the job creators.
We acknowledge the contribution of those in business, who have taken the risks and created jobs for nearly 300,000 New Zealanders since the early 1990s.
You have helped hundreds of thousands of families to earn a living, to pay their bills and put food on their table, and to live a full life. That's what job creation is about. And I commend the business owners for their commitment and their contribution.
While businesses create jobs, the National Party believes the Government must create the right conditions for growth.
That means implementing sensible economic policies to create low inflation, low interest rates, lower taxes, and lower business costs.
The recent PREFU shows that if we continue with our policies, business should be able to create another 115,000 jobs over the next three years, bringing unemployment under 6 per cent. That means fewer stories of hardship for New Zealand families.
The point to remember is this:
It is businesses that create jobs, NOT governments.
Some attempts by Government to create jobs actually cost businesses more.
Fancy job schemes must be paid for through taxes and debt which destroys jobs as fast as they are artificially created.
The Government can and does influence three key areas in terms of jobs:
1. the cost of
2. the skills of job seekers; and
3. the rules that govern employee and employer relations.
1. The cost of employing people
The Fiscal Responsibility Act and the PREFU now make the consequences of higher spending much more obvious.
We know that higher business costs mean low or even negative job growth. We know that higher taxes and higher costs inhibit growth. And we know that many of Labour's policies rely on these factors to pay for their promises.
Labour has an 'A' list of policies (that they plan to introduce and fund) and a 'B' list of policies (that they say they’ll introduce, but not fund).
Labour has gone to the limit of affordability on its promises in list 'A'.
The party is in sufficient trouble with their costings that they won’t be able to put money into their much trumpeted superannuation fund in the next term of government.
Labour is silent on how they will fund list 'B' because they have no room to move. It’s no surprise they are looking at a third option – list ‘C’ - policies that Labour, Alliance and the Greens will be billing businesses directly for. They include:
Increasing personal taxes by $800 million a year. Not only will skilled graduates leave New Zealand, but the cost of employing the people who remain will increase.
Reversing ACC changes, costing $200 million a year.
Removing the Employment Contracts Act and increasing the role of unions and multi-employer negotiations, costing $200 million a year. Work stoppages for the June quarter are at the lowest level for a decade. Before the ECA they cost $50 million in lost wages. Production losses could be twice that amount, and the cost of disruption to business from other people’s strikes could double that again.
Introducing paid parental leave, costing employers' $100 million a year (Alliance).
Four weeks' annual leave, costing employers $400 million a year (Alliance).
Increasing the minimum wage by $20 a week, costing employers $60 million a year, and costing young people 3,000 jobs.
These imposts are taxes in all but name. They are a tax on jobs.
But this is not the worst of it. Labour, the Alliance and the Greens seem to have forgotten the simple fact that higher costs mean fewer jobs.
The list of Labour and Alliance promises will put up the cost of employing people by nearly 3 per cent. This might not sound like much, but it could result in 20,000 fewer jobs, or a 1 per cent increase in unemployment.
This is more than the whole work force of Nelson needlessly losing their jobs over the term of the next Government.
Remember that behind these figures are people, many of whom are young Maori, whose self-esteem and sense of participation in our society will suffer as a consequence.
A National led government will continue to seek ways to reduce the cost of jobs and reduce unemployment. Not by cutting wages and salaries, but by reducing wasted effort and finding smarter ways to reach our goals.
2. The skills of job seekers
When people are unemployed the costs are high. The unemployed need our support, but at the same time National believes they have an obligation to society in return for that support.
Over the last two years we have bought the Employment Service and Income Support together to create WINZ, which has proven very successful at helping people off the benefit and into work.
We have introduced the community wage, and created obligations on the unemployed to undertake community work, if their circumstances allow.
All of this has been done in an effort to keep those who are looking for work in touch with the labour force - to help them get the skills required to win and keep a job.
Not only have the unemployed benefited from these policies, but so has the community through help with community projects.
Labour has lower expectations of people out of work and doesn't believe in community work programmes.
I predict that Labour will actually move towards adopting our community work scheme by the next election as they have with most of our welfare reforms.
I also predict Labour will eventually have to adopt our "Bright Future" initiative because it is a commonsense approach to building better links between the business and education sectors, and is seeing our tertiary education system teaching people the skills they will need for the labour market of tomorrow.
A good example is the Enterprise Scholarships in which Government contributes $20 million a year to jointly fund 1500 tertiary scholarships with industry.
We believe this initiative, and others like it, will change the way the two sectors relate to one another.
Under National "Bright Future" is the first step to a much more active engagement by the education sector in helping to supply skilled people needed for a knowledge economy.
3. Labour market rules
By any analysis the ECA has been a stunning success. Not just for job growth and reduced disruption, but also for emphasising the importance of individual work places solving their own issues without recourse to Wellington or to trade union officials.
You will see National retain and strengthen the ECA to promote further job growth.
The pressure on individual firms to meet international competition in unique and clever ways is increasing, and the challenge now is how we can further improve our employment law.
We want to encourage employers to take the risk of taking on new staff, and we want employees, particularly those new and returning to the workforce, to take up job offers.
People coming off benefit risk significant stand down periods if the job doesn’t work out. Employers risk the costs of disengagement and starting again.
We believe probationary arrangements in the ECA need discussion and attention so more new workers are offered jobs in a fair way.
National will establish a process to get agreement among employers, unions and young people as to how we can best get this outcome without eroding rights or entitlements.
Two other technical areas also need looking at. The first is the Holidays Act. As the Simpson Grierson report released yesterday shows this legislation was designed for an era that has long past, when employment was much more structured.
Because both the demands of the market place and our social expectations of work have changed, so have the arrangements surrounding holidays.
The legislation has not kept up. We will revamp the Act so it integrates better into modern employment law. We will not reduce entitlements but make them clearer and fairer so people do not have to go to the Courts to get them defined.
The second area requiring attention is the personal grievance arrangements under the ECA.
A common complaint from employers is that a mistake in the personal grievance process can see the substance of their case overturned.
Case law is now coming through that is re-establishing a more appropriate balance, but we do not believe minor breaches of the personal grievance process should outweigh the substance of an employee's misconduct.
Too often in discussions of employment matters we lose sight of the human dimension.
Those people I have talked about who are without work, who have low self esteem and lack good role models, need all the help they can get to make the transition to work.
The last things they need are:
A government that has no expectations of them in their journey back into work, and
Employers who think it is too costly or risky to give them a go.
In other words, the last thing they need is a Labour, Alliance, and Greens Government.
Our greatest priority must be to help those in greatest need, and to give them the best opportunity to find their way back into work. The more people in work, the better off we all will be.
Going back on our employment law is not just about giving control back to the unions, it is about turning our backs on some of the most vulnerable people in New Zealand. We must not go back.


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Join Riley Madison in another hilarious adventure as she learns a new “superpower” that helps her become more successful in life as she conquers her own “time blindness”.
Have you ever been working on a little art project but next thing you know, it’s been over an hour and you realize there’s paint all over EVERYTHING – including your and your fiend’s new shoes? Or maybe you’re helping with the dishes when suddenly you’re in the middle of of a crazy bubble race? Do you ever get distracted and completely forget about the time when there are other things you need to be doing?
Riley Madison does too! Sometimes she ends up missing out on important stuff because of “time blindness”, where she just gets lost in what she’s doing for WAY too long. Join Riley Madison in her latest adventure at summer camp where she discovers another “superpower” that helps her keep track of time. Discover the tool she learns to avoid situations that really stink… like keeping a sneaky skunk from stealing all your favorite candy!
I received this book for free from the author. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and this review is voluntary.
Read Rayleigh’s review of the first Riley Madison book, Riley Madison Discovers the Superpower of a List.
Join Riley Madison on her adventure to summer camp and learn with her about the power of keeping time!
Much like the first book, Riley Madison Discovers the Superpower of a List, Riley Madison uses her hysterical stories and antics to teach valuable life skills. In this book, Riley can’t seem to master the skill of time management at summer camp and she’s late to everything… until someone gives her a watch with alarms to keep her from losing track of time!
Many kids, especially those with ADHD, will be able to relate to Riley in her honesty of getting so hyper-focused on one task and loosing all track of time. I really love the author’s goals in teaching kids with ADHD (and their parents) on how to develop life skills to live their best lives. But, every kid needs to learn about time management, so this book is by no means limited in its readership! At the end of the book, both this one and the first one, Riley writes a letter to her readers giving additional tips for how she mastered her superpower of time management, which gives her readers the ability to master their own superpowers!
I just love the author’s goal here and the way she presents it. It is such a gracious and fun way to teach new skills and takes the stress and frustration out of these things. I also would like to note that in this second book, Riley has grown and we see her implementing her superpowers from the last book! Showing character development is important when teaching growth! And the last thing I’d like to praise is the inclusion of a couple of children’s names different than your “basic white names” (parents, make sure you try to pronounce them right!). Though very brief, I love seeing a start to a diverse characterization in this series; representation matters!
Intended for early readers (6-10).

domain: literature


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In a preliminary estimate, Rent-A-Center announced that core comparable store sales in the United States for the three months ended December 31 tumbled by 14%.
Supervalu posted a net loss in its third quarter, following the recent sale of its Save-A-Lot business.
Walgreens gained slightly in the first quarter as the company awaits the approval of its acquisition of Rite Aid.
Rite Aid posted a soft third quarter following the news that it would sell 865 stores to Fred’s to pave the way for its merger with Walgreens.
Third quarter net sales at Bed Bath & Beyond were flat as comparable store sales were down slightly.
As the economy enjoyed a post-election bounce, Pier 1 Imports reported earnings and comparable sales gains, and the company announced who would serve as interim president and CEO when its serving chief executive departs on December 31.
99 Cents Only Stores improved its results in the third quarter, marked by a slight comp gain and a lower net loss.
Conn’s posted a net loss and declining comparable store sales in a challenging third quarter, although it beat analyst estimates.
Fred’s posted a steep loss in its third quarter, as the retailer was impacted by charges related to inventory and store closings.

domain: finance


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Senior All-America lacrosse player Chad Wiedmaier and 2011 Ivy League Football Rookie of the Year Chuck Dibilio join the latest edition of TigerCast.
Wiedmaier is one of the top defensive players in the nation, and he will lead the 12th-ranked men's lacrosse team into a weekend showdown with No. 8 North Carolina in Baltimore. Wiedmaier has a chance to become Princeton's first four-time first-team All-Ivy selection, and he is looking to do it while leading the Tigers back to the NCAA tournament. Wiedmaier, who also worked with the Fields of Growth Program in Uganda, talks about the potential for the 2012 Tigers during TigerCast.
Dibilio came to Princeton with great potential last fall, though there is no way he could have predicted what the next five months would hold. He earned Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors after rushing for 1,068 yards, the most by any true freshman in Ivy
history and the sixth-most by any Princeton running back in a single season. On Jan. 19, while studying for a final, he suffered a stroke and is now home, working hard on therapy and recovery. Dibilio updates the Princeton community on his current status, his memories of that night and his thoughts on both the past season and future ones for Princeton football.
can be accessed now through the "Podcasts" tab on the right side of the
main page, or by going to the main TigerCast page here.
TigerCast, presented by PNC Bank, is the official podcast of Princeton Athletics.
Previous episodes of TigerCast can be downloaded for free anytime at

domain: sports


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ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Nov. 18 (AP) — A Roman Catholic religious order has agreed to pay $50 million to more than 100 Alaska Natives who say they were victims of sexual abuse by Jesuit priests, a lawyer for the victims said Sunday.
The lawyer, Ken Roosa, said the settlement with the Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus, which covers Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, was the largest one yet against a Catholic order.
“These are people who were altar boys and altar servers and altar girls,” Mr. Roosa said. “These are people who tried to tell their story, and in many instances were beaten or told to shut up and told, ‘How can you say such things about a man of God?’ ”
The settlement does not require the order to admit fault, Mr. Roosa said. None of the priests were ever criminally charged.
The sexual abuse accusations involved 13 or 14 clerics and spanned nearly 30 years, from 1961 to 1987, Mr. Roosa said.
In some Alaskan villages, it is difficult to find an adult who was not sexually abused as a child by the priests, who used religion and their power to silence hundreds of children, Mr. Roosa said.
“Despite all this, no Catholic religious leader has yet to admit that problem priests were dumped in Alaska,” he said. “For our clients, this settlement represents a long overdue acknowledgment of the truth of their stories of abuse, stories that until today were largely denied and belittled by apologists for the abusers.”Continue reading the main story
Mr. Roosa said the Catholic Church was first notified of the Alaska abuse cases in 2002.
The cases do not include those against the Diocese of Fairbanks, which owned and managed the churches in the villages where the Jesuit priests were assigned. Those 135 lawsuits have been reduced to 10 and are expected to be mediated in December.Continue reading the main story

domain: news


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Posts Tagged ‘binary options brokers’
Selecting on an Options Acquiring and marketing Broker – It definitely is not just About Price Costs
Prior to leaping on the quite a few specifications which can be accustomed to contemplate doable possibilities brokers, I want to lay the groundwork by describing the energetic selections trader’s world… with the really the very least my globe. From this I do consider you can see why I’ve the factors I do.topoption opinie
The lively choices trader’s world
The moment i say I’m an energetic alternatives trader, I signify which i typically enter methods trades within a number of types, typically spreads (see my write-up on high quality offering solutions for additional on this). I also suggest which i may possibly try this numerous cases within a working day. I make alternatives to enter a trade, do fast analysis and afterwards I want to established the trade up, decide on a value and amount of money and enter it. Sometimes the market is transferring inside a these sorts of a quick level which the time window of selection can be a make any change of minutes. I commonly possess the exact same really need to exit the trade or make a trade adjustment. I not just want the chance to enter orders promptly but I also should speedily assemble standing orders that might assistance me exit the trade just about every time a think about financial gain stage has truly been obtained or I’ve strike my best allowable loss issue.
On account of mother character of my trades, I depend on getting a precise number of theoretical edge about the trade. Which implies I’ll advertise a selection for extra in comparison to supply you value and buy a variety for underneath the inquire price tag. I normally endeavor to strike the midway benefit in between the bid furthermore the problem value. As a result, getting the simplest selling value doable on possibly aspect of your respective trade is crucial to me.
A special significant facet of my buying and selling is obtaining the chance to instantly consider my all round positions similar to a portfolio and recognizing where I stand in my over-all delta publicity as well as in regards about the other mixture Greeks. Thriving investing to me involves managing my portfolio and over-all directional prospect, consequently now getting geared up to amass a fast point of view of people values is vital to me.
1 ultimate side of my earth I want to incorporate is during the space of staying nimble. Even though in the method of my investing, I regularly check with inquiries for which I would want to get there during the remedy speedily. A few of such incorporate:
Which kind of credit rating rating am i able to get for this placement I’m contemplating?
What can i in the vicinity of my place for?
If I raise to my problem, what’s the perception to my over-all portfolio?
What precisely is the most effective technique to hedge a number of of my directional danger?
Using this type of qualifications within your brain, I now desire to transform toward the three essential criteria I truly feel are really essential when examining alternatives brokers.
Disorders #1: Investing technique
Prior to, I mentioned that agility is significant to me being an lively possibilities trader. The buying and selling system to me is usually an important enabler to staying agile. A chance to quickly answer troubles, do investigation, established up a hypothetical trade, and alter quite a few parameters just before getting into an get is critical. To test and do a lot of these things, I frequently have to entry several information this sort of as P&L graphs, hazard profiles, theoretical price ranges given a future date, price and volatility, etc. I find myself switching back and forth among the distinct information and information areas frequently. I will need to have a process that will keep my pending get details whilst I do further research.
Furthermore, I require a procedure that is capable to answer all my queries rapidly. When I am looking at a credit rating rating distribute or a calendar distribute, I would choose to promptly be in a position to know what the credit history rating might be. I need to know the delta, theoretical advertising rate, probability within your short strike expiring worthless, etc. I could choose to know the probable range of movement within the underlying stock or ETF for the given time frame.
Of course, charting is important and virtually all buying and selling platforms provide some type of charting tool. The opportunity to apply studies, view unique time frames as well as capability to annotate a chart are all essential features to me.
Requirements #2: Get routing
I discussed that obtaining a good theoretical edge is significant to me. I’d argue that a broker which will get me the most beneficial theoretical edge is well worth the incremental commission it may well cost to trade there. Usually a chance to get good fill costs is related to order routing (assuming sufficient open interest).
For me, buy routing has two aspects. First is making sure my get gets sent about the widest range of options exchanges. Most alternatives trade on a lot more than just one exchange and doing so helps better provide fair pricing and a much more liquid market spot. The second component would be the speed with which my purchase is sent into the exchange. From the ideal earth, I would like my order with the exchange the moment I press the send button. With rapid cost movement, time is in the essence.
Standards #3: Support & Education
Whilst somewhat much less significant compared to first two benchmarks, support and education are still extremely crucial to me. There have been many periods I have been looking at a posture and pondering an adjustment and I just wanted an opinion as to whether my analysis was correct (Note: I am not asking ‘Should I make the trade?’). There’s nothing like obtaining with regards to the phone or a chat session with someone with the brokerage to check out with if I am missing something in my evaluation. Owning people who are also energetic traders is truly a huge enable mainly because they talk my language and understand my environment.
Any selections brokerage that offers ongoing, quality education benefits both trader and brokerage. The better trader I become, the longer I stay inside of the business, the additional I trade, the additional commissions they receive. An possibilities brokerage who is willing to invest within a variety of educational outreach programs designed to sharpen me for a trader has my interest and potentially, my business.
Why aren’t broker cost premiums on my list of analysis requirements? These days, the price charges have been driven down significantly. In addition, it is really generally impossible to accomplish true apples-to-apples comparisons. For me, the benefits gained from finding a brokerage that meets my other 3 disorders far outweigh the extra $.50 or $1 I could pay per contract on a transaction. Don’t be drawn in by apparent low charge premiums on possibilities trades.
In this write-up I have laid out what I take into account to be the very important analysis requirements for alternatives brokers. It is just not my intention to make a recommendation for a certain brokerage. On my website I do go into detailed review of several solutions brokers that I’ve traded with.

domain: economics


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How the Right Custodian Can Help Advisors Avoid Headaches and Grow Their Business
To advisors, the invoicing and billing process is a massive time suck. It’s a mundane and administrative task that uses up hours that could be spent on a more meaningful item on their to-do lists: taking care of clients.
“Advisors find it time-consuming and a poor use of their time, invoicing and billing and receiving payment from their clients,” said Michael Freeburg, founder of Greenwich Wealth Management, a $1 billion-plus registered investment advisory firm. “It’s generally considered a necessary waste of time.”
Interactive Brokers, the largest electronic broker in the U.S., offers technology to make invoicing and billing painless, flexible and transparent. It’s also free.
Branding itself a technology company that operates in the trading business, Interactive Brokers has an invoicing process that’s 100 percent electronic and automated. Once the advisor agrees with the client on a fee and frequency of the fee, it’s automatically calculated based on those parameters, withdrawn from the client’s account and put into the advisor’s account.
While percent of assets is the fee base many advisors prefer, IB’s system affords the flexibility of charging per different periods, such as daily or quarterly. It also allows advisors to charge a percent-to-performance fee or per trade. The manner in which a client is charged can be seamlessly modified anytime.
Daniel Johnedis, president of Cratus Capital, said that before switching to IB in January 2015, he paid a third-party service to do his invoicing.
Now with IB, Johnedis said, “I have the choice of what to charge. All I have to do is send an invitation with the fee that’s been agreed upon and that fee can be adjusted very easily. It’s very transparent to the client, and it’s all done interactively.”
Also, IB’s flexibility works perfectly for Cratus’ graduated fee scale – the larger the client, the lower the percentage of assets charged. Cratus was not able to do that with its former broker.
Added Kevin Ellis, managing director at Horse Cove Partners, “It has allowed us to remain a lean organization without the need to build out an extensive back office.”
Freeburg said invoicing “is one of the chief complaints of being an advisor, and I don’t even have to think about it. … I never spend any time – and I mean, I don’t spend five minutes a month – tending to advisor invoicing. There’s no time, there’s no cost, there’s no conversation.”
Interactive Brokers’ invoicing and billing system is the No. 1 reason advisors choose the company, according to Steve Sanders, executive VP, marketing and product development at IB. Here are four others.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Interactive Brokers’ Customer Relationships Management (CRM) system is built into the application process and comes at no cost to advisors.
“Rather than spending a lot of money on (third-party solutions), advisors can use our CRM for free,” IB’s Sanders said.
The fully searchable CRM allows advisors to store, view and update all the pertinent information about their clients, sort contacts into groups and send bulk emails. Advisors can also convert leads into sales via electronic invitations and import contact information from Excel.
Essentially, it’s a comprehensive solution for managing client relationships.
Greenwich Advisor Compliance Services
Particularly for new advisors, compliance is burdensome and stressful. To assuage the uneasiness by helping advisors navigate the complex legal and regulatory landscape, IB last summer launched Greenwich Advisor Compliance Services.
The IB subsidiary helps advisors set up their own firms, determine an appropriate way to charge clients, and understand the SEC’s rules regarding advertising, custody of a client’s assets, record keeping and insurance and bonding.
The Investors’ Marketplace is a website where providers advertise their services to investors. Advisors can benefit from this resource in two key ways: 1) promote their services to clients or prospects, and 2) through the Money Manager Marketplace subsite, identify money managers to partner with whose expertise complements theirs.
“If an advisor has expertise in trading stock and they know nothing about futures or hedge funds, and they want to invest some of their clients’ money into futures or hedge funds, they can find and hire a money manager within the Investors’ Marketplace and give them a portion of their clients’ money to manage,” Sanders said.
Greenwich Wealth Management has acquired business through its listing on the Money Manager Marketplace, and has also used the Investors’ Marketplace resource to invest money with other managers whose strategies match its clients’ needs, Freeburg said.
Trader Workstation trading platform
All three IB clients we spoke to boasted of the broker’s trading capabilities’ impact on their businesses.
“We have not found any other custodian who offers anywhere near the robust market access across as many international currencies,” Freeburg said. “We trade, transact and invest across a number of currencies and across several time zones in other countries. Our ability to do that with Interactive Brokers is seamless, efficient and inexpensive.”
Horse Cove’s Ellis added of IB, “Their trading systems provide a way for us to serve over 150 accounts that can be traded in groups rather than individually. This allows us to serve our clients (regardless of) account size, so that they are getting execution allocation all done by IB’s systems.”
Johnedis said IB’s rates are less expensive and its trading system is far more transparent than those of its competitors.
“What really appealed to us about Interactive Brokers was their focus on RIAs and their platform, their trading and their service are really geared toward people like myself,” he said. “This is their specialty and they do it very well.”
Concluded Sanders, “From 10,000 feet if you’re looking for an all-in-one automated solution that’s cheap and flexible, we’re the place to come.”
To any advisor, the bottom line is where the story is told, and since switching to IB just over a year ago, Cratus’ tale has been a happy one.
“It’s helped us greatly,” Johnedis said. “It’s helped our performance over the past year. We’ve always done well, but we’ve done better in the last 14 months on a relative basis, and a lot of that has to do with the trading capabilities that we didn’t have (with our previous broker).”


With repairs scheduled to begin this weekend on parts of Newark International Airport's ailing monorail system, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced a plan today to use 57 new buses and vans, as well as 200 new employees and an extensive system of signs, to ease travelers through the disruption.
On Labor Day, the monorail system, which serves 30,000 people a day at the nation's eighth largest airport, will close for three months for the repair work, and the buses and vans will be the only airport-provided transport between terminals, rental car sites and outlying parking locations.
But for now, the sections of the four-year-old, 1.9-mile-long rail system that will be the immediate focus of repairs and service disruptions are at the far ends of the line, which serve parking and car rental sites. Monorail service among the airport's three main passenger terminals and some closer locations will not be affected, said John S. Jacoby, assistant director of airport operations for the Port Authority, which operates the airport.
The repairs became necessary after service was disrupted for five days in January, when the system's operator discovered that a design flaw had caused water to accumulate and damage the heating elements that were supposed to prevent icing in winter on the system's single rail.
The repairs, which are expected to cost $25 million, will be paid for by ADtranz, the Pittsburgh-based division of Daimler-Chrysler that operates the $354 million monorail.
The cost of the temporary bus service, signs, additional employees and advertising and marketing is estimated at $9 million, and Port Authority officials are still in negotiations with the monorail operator over who will pay.
Bright orange signs have already started to appear at the airport, informing travelers of the new ''Monorail Bypass'' arrangements that will start this weekend. Airlines are expected to make on-board announcements of the disruption to their arriving passengers, and computerized systems used by many travel agents will carry alerts about the changes. Local radio stations will also broadcast announcements about the disruptions, encouraging travelers to plan for up to 30 minutes' more time spent traveling in and around the airport.
The new white buses and vans, emblazoned with the words ''Monorail Bypass'' in bright orange letters, will be driven by 80 new bus drivers and scheduled to run at five-minute intervals, Mr. Jacoby said. The longest travel time that anyone is likely to have from getting onto the bus to getting off at the destination is estimated to be 24 minutes, and that will be at peak travel times between 4 P.M. and 5 P.M. after Labor Day.
About 80 additional customer service representatives dressed in their trademark bright red blazers will be put on duty to assist travelers in making their way to and from the temporary bus services. And more than 40 supervisors and support workers will be added as well, Mr. Jacoby said.
The Port Authority's complex plan to make up for the disruptions caused by the monorail repairs and closing was developed over the last few months in meetings with airport tenants, including airlines, rental car agencies and hotel shuttle bus operations, said Gregory Trevor, a spokesman for the authority.
Many of those tenants, suggesting that the ground transportation disruptions were not likely to help the image of the airport, which ranked dead last in on-time flights in seven of the last eight years, said they were nevertheless pleased that the Port Authority was waiting until after the peak travel times for the full shutdown of the system. One airline spokesman recalled that tenants had depended on a bus system similar to the emergency temporary arrangements before the construction of the monorail.Continue reading the main story


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I walk through the door of the house gripping to Peeta's hand tightly. When he lets go and walks over to the kitchen. He grabs a vase and throws it against the wall the shattering makes me cringe. He runs around smashing things while i frantically run after him asking him to stop. Its no use though. I bash into someone.Finnick. Who has just come through the door. I try and catch my breath but i cant. Whn i begin speaking a glass flys right above us and we have to duck. I tell Finnick that Peetas gone crazy and soon enough were both running round trying to catch him.
Eventually we pin him against the wall. He squirms but our hold is to strong.
"Peeta calm down everything is alright" I whisper. His breathing slows and he begins to speak
"i just don't want them to take you again- or even touch you- I need you and I don't want you to go"
"Shhh Shhh Im not going any where"
"Promise" Finnick goes back to Annie sensing we want time alone. Peeta takes me up to our bedroom and tells me to get changed into something nice. I dress in a red dress that goes down to my knees. I find the pearl necklace on the side with always engraved on it and slip it on. I walk down stairs and see Peeta in a black suit and a tie. I take his arm and he leads me to the car. As he starts the engine he says something i forgot about
"Auditions for the collage start tommorow, So we have to be up early" He says looking straight ahead at the road. We go off the path and in the car park. Peeta leads me into a meadow that i havn't seen before. He tells me to stay here and wait for him. I stand awkwardly waiting for him to return. When he does he is holding a picnic basket in his hands. He sets down the picnic blanket and gets out the food while i sit down. He made lamb stew, Cheese buns and got some drinks. I start with the cheese buns.
Eventually I can't fit anymore food in me. Peeta tells me to stand up. I do as im told. He gets down on one knee and reveals a black box with a ring inside. My heart rate speeds up thumping against my chest.
"Katniss Everdeen, I have loved you since I first layed eyes on you, Your smile the ways your eyes bright up when you see me and everything about you. You make me feel full. Katniss Everdeen will you do me the honor of marrying me?"
YOU ARE READING
Hunger Games HighFanfiction
What would happen if The Hunger Games never happened? Katniss and Peeta never got picked and all the people in the original hunger games were placed in high school. Well here ya go enjoy:-)


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15-03-2017· ASME B18.15M - Metric Lifting Eyes. January 1, 1998 - ASME. This Standard covers dimensional and load requirements for forged metric threaded lifiting eyes intended primarily for lifting applications. The inclusion of dimensional data in this Standard is not intended to imply that all sizes described are production stock items.
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Lifting equipment lifts; Today, with the advances in lifting technology and the onus on human safety, more and more lifting jobs and activities rely on lifting equipment. So what are the different types of lifting equipment which require a lifting equipment inspection procedure in the first place? The most common types of lifting equipment include:
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Specification of lifting equipment 1,Lifting equipment usually has large structures and complex operating mechanisms, can perform lifting movements and horizontal movements. For example, a bridge crane can complete the movements of crane operation, trolley operation; The gate crane can complete 4 movements of crane operation, lifting, rotating and trolley operation.
Page 11 SP-2275 Specification for Lifting and Hoisting Equipment Inspection Certification Printed 02/06/2019 The controlled version of this CMS Document resides online in Live link®. Printed copies are UNCONTROLLED. 4 Lifting Equipment Work equipment for lifting or lowering loads including its attachments (used for anchoring, fixing
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Lifting equipment asset custodian, all locations: Take care that the lifting equipment is cleaned prior to the inspection, test weights are available and after satisfactory results of the inspection the lifting equipment is marked/color coded.


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Your Garden: Composting 101comments (3) August 1st, 2016
Why should you compost?
When compost is finished, it's a garden fertilizer or soil amendment that you can use absolutely free. Compost is mild in nature, so it doesn't treat plants as harshly as chemical equivalents you might buy do. Soil that has compost added to it has better texture, and water retention and drainage are both seriously improved.
Pick your compost bin:
When it comes to choosing a compost bin, you have two choices. You can either scour the Internet for do-it-yourself options, or you can buy one. One option saves you money obviously, but spending money on one does save you a lot of time, especially if project skills aren't your personal forte and you want the compost tumbler for composting.
Consider your compost bin the family pet:
When you get everyone in the home to think of the compost bin as a family pet, you accomplish two goals. First, everyone thinks of it as a living being that is better off not neglected. Second, you'll remember to figure out how to provide it a diet that is appropriately balanced.
A balanced diet for a compost bin really comes down to two basic food groups: browns and greens. Browns are typically drier materials with a lot of carbon content, whereas greens sport more nitrogen and are on the wetter end of the spectrum.
Aim for a 50/50 mix of greens versus browns. Go by weight more than volume. Greens usually weigh more since they are wetter, so a good ratio is two to even three times as many brown buckets for each green bucket you add in.
Green 'foods' for the compost diet:
Green options include coffee filters and grounds, tea leaves and bags, fresh lawn and garden clippings, houseplants, and scraps of fruits and veggies.
Brown 'foods' for the compost diet:
Brown options include animal fur, human hair, paper, paper tubes and towels, shredded newspaper if the inks are safe, dry leaves, dry hay, straw, shells from eggs and nuts, and sawdust or wood-chips from untreated lumber.
Things to never compost:
Anything that has pesticides has to be avoided, as do plants that are diseased and weed seeds. Pet litter is a no-no, as are any and all bones. Avoid grease, oily foods, dairy products, and proteins like fish, meat, and eggs.
Tips for success:
Chop all materials, green or brown, into tiny chunks; these compost faster. If you want to minimize odors and flies, layer brown material over the green. A mulching mower can help you make your compost fine. Cut off seed pods and heads from whole plants prior to composting. Don't add plant roots if a whole new plant might sprout up in the compost pile.
posted in: garden, compost, Composting

domain: agronomy


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||The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with North America and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (June 2012)|
Concierge medicine (also known as retainer medicine) is a relationship between a patient and a primary care physician in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. This may or may not be in addition to other charges. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care, including principally a commitment to limit patient loads to ensure adequate time and availability for each patient.
The practice has been referred to as concierge medicine, retainer medicine, membership medicine, cash-only practice, and direct care. While all "concierge" medicine practices share similarities, they vary widely in their structure, payment requirements, and form of operation. In particular, they differ in the level of service provided and the fee charged. Estimates of U.S. doctors practicing concierge medicine range from fewer than 800 to 5,000.
||This section may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. The specific problem is: See Talk. (June 2010)|
There are typically three primary types of concierge medicine business models practiced today. Variations of these models exist, although most models usually fall into one of the following categories.
The Fee for Care (‘FFC’) is an annual retainer model, where the patient pays a monthly, quarterly, or annual retainer fee to the physician. The retainer fee covers most services provided by the physician in his/her office. Often, vaccinations, lab work, x-rays and other services are excluded and charged for separately on a cash basis.
The Fee for Extra Care (‘FFEC’) is similar to the FFC model, however, the additional services are charged to Medicare or the patient’s insurance plan. Some of the benefits and services typically included in these two retainer models are: same day access to your doctor; immediate cell phone and text messaging to your doctor; unlimited office visits with no co-pay; little or no waiting time in the office; focus on preventive care; unhurried atmosphere; cell phone, text message, and online consultations; prescription refills; and convenient appointment scheduling. Many FFC or Retainer plans may be purchased with pre-tax dollars utilizing HSA and/or FSA accounts attached to patients' insurance plans.
There is also a Hybrid concierge model where physicians charge a monthly, quarterly, or annual retainer or membership fee for services that Medicare and insurers do not cover. These services may include: email access; phone consultations; newsletters; annual physicals; prolonged visits; and comprehensive wellness and evaluations plans. For all covered services, these providers will bill Medicare and insurance companies for patient visits and services covered by the plans. . This model allows the physician to continue to see their non-retainer patients while providing their “concierge” patients a fee for the increased or “special” services. Some concierge practices are cash-only or ‘direct’ primary care practices and do not accept insurance of any kind. In doing so, these practices can keep overhead and administrative costs low, thereby providing affordable healthcare to patients.
Concierge physicians care for fewer patients than those in a conventional practice, ranging from 50 patients per doctor to 1,000, compared to 3,000 to 4,000 patients that the average traditional physician now sees every year. All generally claim to be accessible via telephone or email at any time of day or night or offer some other service above and beyond the customary care. The annual fees vary widely, ranging, on average, from US$195 to US$5,000 per year for an individual with incremental savings when additional family members are added. The higher priced plans generally include most “covered” services where the client is not charged additional fees for most services (labs, xrays, etc).
An informal one-year summary of findings related to the concierge medicine marketplace in the US was released in February 2010. The summary of the study concluded that at the end of 2009, over 66% of current U.S. concierge physicians operating practices were internal medicine specialists; and the second most popular medical specialty in concierge medicine was family practice. The study also noted that the number of concierge dental and pediatric practices increased markedly since February 2009.
In 2004, the Government Accountability Office counted 146 such practices, mostly concentrated on the US east and west coasts with practices such as MDVIP, 1 on 1 MD, and Signature MD being among the oldest. The American Medical Association does not track the number of concierge practices because the concept is so new. Lower-cost concierge medical business models have also been attempted, such as GreenField Health in Portland, Oregon, which charged an annual fee between $195-$695 depending on age. Another is One Medical Group, the first major low-cost concierge medical group to attempt this model in a large scale, which requests a $199 annual membership fee.
Concierge doctors seek to provide four common benefits to concierge medical patients: personalized care, direct care, quality care, and affordable care.
Concierge medicine vs. direct primary care
Both are variants of the traditional practice of medicine or primary care most common in the United States during the twentieth century. They represent a financial relationship that changes the sole dependency on a traditional insurance model.
Direct primary care (DPC) is a term often linked to its companion in health care, 'concierge medicine'. Although the two terms are similar and belong to the same family, 'concierge medicine' encompasses many different health care delivery models, 'direct primary care' being one of them.
Direct Primary Care practices, similar in philosophy to their concierge medicine lineage, bypass insurance and go for a more 'direct' financial relationship with patients and also provide comprehensive care and preventive services.
DPC practices remove one of the financial barriers to accessing care whenever it is needed: the DPC annual fee often includes most or all physician services. This model does not rely on insurance co-pays, deductibles, or co-insurance fees, in contrast to models such as MDVIP and 1 on 1 MD, where the annual fee is structured to cover a wellness plan so that doctors may charge insurance or Medicare for most other services.
DPC is a mass-market variant of concierge medicine, distinguished by its low prices. Simply stated, the biggest difference between direct primary care and retainer based practices is that DPC takes a flat rate fee whereas models usually charge an annual retainer fee and promise more access to the doctor.
The origins of concierge medicine are often traced to MD2 International ("MD Squared"), which was launched in 1996 in Seattle by Dr. Howard Maron. Dr. Maron has said of the term: "...I only came up with the concept—not the term concierge medicine. I know what a concierge is, but to describe what I do as simply opening doors and directing people.... I prefer highly attentive medicine."
Other consultancies assisting physicians in the marketplace also include OpenHospital, MDVIP, MyConciergeMD, 1 on 1 MD, and RingMD.
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Timeline of Concierge Medicine:
- 1996 - Dr. Howard Maron and Scott Hall, FACP established MD2 (pronounced MD squared) located in Seattle, Bellevue, WA and Oregon and charged an annual retainer fee of $13,200 and $20,000 per family.
- 1999 - Medical Professionalism Project-consisting of members of the internal medicine community, including representatives of ACP and the American Board of Internal Medicine, set out to draft a charter that could serve as a framework for understanding professionalism.
- 2000 - Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, WA began operating concierge medical services within its facilities and used some of the profits from the 5 physician practice to subsidize other programs and indigent care services.
- 2000 - MDVIP, founded by Dr. Robert Colton and Bernard Kaminetsky, in Boca Raton, FL. A brand of concierge medicine practice and management firm which has set-up more than 300 concierge medical practices with offices from Arizona to Rhode Island.
- 2001 - American Medical Association writes PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL EITHICS concierge physician guidelines
- 2002 - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, CMS, outlined its position on concierge care in a March 2002 memorandum. The memorandum states that physicians may enter into retainer agreements with their patients as long as these agreements do not violate any Medicare requirements.
- 2003 - American Society of Concierge Physicians, was founded by Dr. Johon Blanchard. The association later changed its name to SIMPD, Society for Innovative Practice Design.
- 2005 - Concierge Medicine Today, a concierge medical news agency opens its doors to be an advocate for news pertaining to the concierge medicine, retainer-based, boutique, private medicine and direct care industry.
- 2006 - MDVIP, a concierge physician practice management firm, reports that 130 physicians within their network treat up to 40,000 patients worldwide.
- 2008 - Boasting an estimated 35 concierge physician practices, Orange County, CA appeared to be a leading hub of concierge medicine.
- 2009 - Procter & Gamble Acquired MDVIP in 2009 – No less a respected corporation than Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) has staked out a major presence in concierge medicine. In 2007, P&G acquired a 48% stake in MDVIP, a concierge medicine company that was formed in 2000. Then, in December 2009, Procter & Gamble acquired 100% ownership in MDVIP for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition was reported by Dark Daily. (See “Boutique Medicine Venture Generates Marketing Intelligence for Procter & Gamble”), April 5, 2010.)
- 2010 - Concierge Medicine Today, reveals the affordability of concierge medical and private medicine practices across the U.S. stating that over 60% of the programs offered to patients cost less than $136/mo.
- 2010 - According to a 2010 American Academy of Family Physicians survey, three percent of respondents practice in a cash-only, direct care, concierge, boutique, or retainer medical practice.
- 2010 - The ‘’’Affordable Care Act (ACA)’’’ was enacted in March 2010 by the President Barak Obama Administration
- 2014 - MDVIP has over 700 doctors across the United States.
Although the practice of traveling abroad to receive medical procedures is decades old in Europe, and has been practiced for hundreds of years in Asia, it is still quite new to Americans.
In 2012, American owned company, International Medical Concierge, Inc., entered the international concierge market. Another United States company, Medical Concierge Tourism International (MCT), was founded in 2013.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) estimates, the United States faces a shortage of more than 91,500 physicians by 2020. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or “Obamacare” will expand coverage to more than 30 million Americans in the next decade. After incorporating insurance expansion, the United States will require nearly 52,000 additional physicians and 8,000 primary care physicians (PCPs) by 2025. The total number of office visits to primary care physicians is projected to increase from 462 million in 2008 to 565 million in 2025. The federal government requires over 68,000 charging codes with the upcoming ICD-10 diagnosis coding system a fivefold increase from the current ICD-9 diagnosis coding system. In addition to these government requirements, physicians have the usual insurance filing. The 22% increase in office visits, the shortage of doctors and the increased paperwork requirements will increase the demand for concierge medicine. Patients want guaranteed service and doctors do not want to deal with the overwhelming paperwork of insurance paid medicine.
The Physicians Foundation found that 9.6 percent of “practice owners” and 6.8 percent of all practices were planning to convert to cash/concierge practices in the next three years. The industry is changing drastically. Doctors will offer the very same services at lower costs. A new type of practice called “blue-collar concierge” medicine has emerged. In 2012, there were 4,400 private physicians - a 25% increase from 2011.
On the cusp of the Affordable Care Act mandating most Americans to have health insurance next year, a rise in doctors who don't take insurance might seem paradoxical. But health-care experts say the two forces go hand in hand, as patients may find concierge doctors more accessible, especially if traditional doctors get flooded with more patients. Also fueling the trend is a little-known clause tucked into the health-care law that allows direct primary-care to count as ACA-compliant insurance, as long as it is bundled with a "wraparound" catastrophic medical policy to cover emergencies. "All of a sudden our market went from the uninsured to everybody," Dr. Qamar says..
The concept of concierge medicine has been accused of promoting a two-tiered health system that favors the wealthy, limits the number of physicians to care for those who cannot afford it, and burdens the middle and lower class with a higher cost of insurance. Detractors contend that while this approach is more lucrative for some physicians and makes care more convenient for their patients, it makes care less accessible for other patients who cannot afford (or choose not) to pay the required membership fees.
One physician in a CNN.com article noted that he might not be treating patients at all if he hadn't made the switch to concierge medicine: "… many doctors are becoming so disillusioned with primary care that they are quitting altogether." Others physicians feel like they can't abandon patients who are unwilling to pay the additional fee. Proponents of concierge claim that it meets consumer demand, allows physicians to provide the treatment they deem necessary, and improves quality of care by increasing the amount of time spent on preventive medicine. Preventive care such as lifestyle advice and follow-up phone calls and emails are not usually reimbursed by insurance. Physicians significantly reduce the number of patients they see in a day, which allows them to spend extra time and attention with each patient. It has also been noted that while some concierge medicine practices do not accept insurance, all of their patients are encouraged to carry health insurance for services utilized outside of the practice. Some practices offer several membership packages with and without insurance coverage.
The hybrid model is an alternative approach to concierge medicine and does not disenfranchise patients or exacerbate the physician shortage. Physicians with a hybrid practice accept from a few to up to three hundred patients from their current practices who choose to join the concierge option. Patients who do not want to join the concierge model, do not have to leave the practice and can still see their primary physician as they always have. In these practices, doctors continue to be highly productive and take care of at least the same number of patients as they would in a traditional practice. While concierge patients get a special contact number, dedicated appointment time, and various other benefits that enable the doctor to offer more advice and advocacy, the quality of the care remains the same for either group of patients. There is a difference in the service level in the concierge program. The increased face time with the physician in the hybrid concierge program enables the physician to deliver the services that are often identified with the "medical home" model. One medical ethicist said that concierge medicine will not be the solution to managed care, because "it will most likely always remain a very small part of the system".
In early 2008, it was reported that one health insurer was dropping from their provider networks some physicians who charge an annual fee. Another insurer also expressed opposition to annual fees. Other insurers do not oppose concierge medicine as long as patients are clearly informed that the fees will not be reimbursed by their health plan.
The trend caught the eye of MedPAC, a commission created by Congress that advises lawmakers on Medicare and watches for problems with access. It hired consultants to investigate. Their report, (March 2010), found listings for 756 concierge doctors nationally, a five-fold increase from the number identified in a 2005 survey by the Government Accountability Office.
The study showed that some physicians noted that the quality of their care had not fundamentally changed however, burnout and stress were reduced due to the increased amount of time they have available to spend with their patients. The study further reports that the higher fees allow these physicians more personal time and less time spent on the job; the continuity of care is higher because the physician knows the history of their patient and can provide this information readily in emergency situations. However, in the process of transitioning from a conventional practice to a “concierge” model, there exists the probability that some patients who choose not to purchase this new level of service will drop from a physicians’ list and lose the continuity of care.
Because retainer practices are structured differently than other medical practices, physicians must be sure that the financial arrangements they use do not violate state and federal laws and regulations. Any retainer physicians who treat Medicare patients must be aware of the limitations imposed by Medicare’s policies on balance billing. States have also created laws and regulations on insurance and balance billing that have implications for retainer medicine; in a few cases, states have acted specifically to allow or restrict this kind of practice.
Many states also have patient abandonment laws that impose requirements, such as adequate notice, when a physician terminates a relationship with a patient. Guidelines established by the American Medical Association also impose an obligation on physicians to assist patients who choose not to remain after a conversion to a retainer practice. The guidelines call for physicians to help with transitions to new physicians and to continue treatment until a safe transition can be accomplished.
Retainer physicians who wish to see Medicare patients have two basic options. One is to take the formal step of opting out of Medicare entirely. The other is to maintain a relationship with the program, but take the steps necessary to stay within the restrictions imposed by Medicare’s billing limits.
In 2003 and 2005, several members of Congress introduced or cosponsored bills that would have prohibited physicians from charging retainer fees. No action was taken, and it appears that no similar bills have been introduced in more recent Congresses. In the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, the Congress directed the GAO to study concierge care and its impact on Medicare patients. The GAO report, published in 2005, concluded that the “small number of concierge physicians makes it unlikely that the approach has contributed to widespread access problems.”43 In its comments on that report, DHHS noted its agreement with GAO’s findings and stated that it would continue to monitor the trend. No specific information is available on monitoring activities.
Concierge medicine in popular culture
The USA Network television series Royal Pains focuses on such a doctor's introduction to the practice of concierge medicine. A young doctor becomes a for hire physician for the wealthy residents of the Hamptons.
- "Concierge Medicine: Greater Access for a Fee", PBS NewsHour, PBS television, July 9, 2012
- University of Chicago/Georgetown University Study
- Daily Finance article quoting AAPP (formerly SIMPD)
- "Business Models Used In CONCIERGE MEDICINE" Concierge Medicine Today, 2011
- "Cash-Only Healthcare Still Works" Physicians Practice journal, July 2008
- "On Panel Size" Physicians Practice journal, June 2005
- "Boutique Medicine: When wealth buys health", CNN.com, October 19, 2006.
- "Concierge Medical Care With a Smaller Price Tag",NYTimes,January 31, 2011.
- " CONCIERGE MEDICINE FOR PATIENTS" signatureMD
- 1 on 1 MD
- "The Highly Attentive Approach", Worth magazine, July 2005.
- " The History of Concierge Medicine" Concierge Medicine Today, October 4, 2013
- International Medical Concierge, Inc.
- International Medical Concierge, Inc.
- "GME Funding: How to Fix the Doctor Shortage" Association of American Medical Colleges irtual Mentor
- "Projecting US Primary Care Physician Workforce Needs: 2010-2025" Annals of Family Medicine, Stephen M. Petterson, PhD, Winston R. Liaw, MD, MPH, Robert L. Phillips Jr, MD, MSPH, David L. Rabin, MD, MPH, David S. Meyers and Andrew W. Bazemore, MD, MPH
- "United States faces physician shortage in near future" Managed Healthcare Executive, Julia Brown, April 10, 2013
- "Ethical Concierge Medicine?" Virtual Mentor. July 2013, Volume 15, Number 7: 576-580
- " A SURVEY OF AMERICA’S PHYSICIANS: PRACTICE PATTERNS AND PERSPECTIVES" The Physicians Foundation September, 2012
- " Physicians Abandon Insurance for 'Blue Collar' Concierge Model" US NEWS, Alan Neuhauser April 1, 2014
- "Pros and Cons of Concierge Medicine" Wall Street Journal, Jen Weiczner, Concierge Medicine Today, Nov. 10, 2013 4:18 p.m. ET
- "Your Own Private Doctor" by Mary Duenwald, Departures magazine, November/December 2004.
- United States Government Accountability Office, Report to Congressional Committees, "Physician Services: Concierge Care and Characteristics and Considerations for Medicare," August 2005.
- John Abramson, Overdosed America, MD, pgs. 169–194.
- Concierge Medicine in New York, Press Release. June 2011. Dr. Marina Gafanovich MD. Concierge Doctor NYC
- Lynn Cook, "Insurers, doctors at odds over 'concierge' care", Houston Chronicle, March 13, 2008.
- "Retainer-Based Physicians: Characteristics, Impact, and Policy Considerations" MedPAC, Elizabeth Hargrave, et. al., October 2010
- "Spread Of Concierge Medicine Prompts Medicare Worries" Huffington Post, Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, 04/ 2/11 11:14 AM ET

domain: medical


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We are not created equal. Diversity is not the only goal. So let’s talk equity.
Imagine a world where people who have the physical ability to “move” through life void of mobility challenges and/or the mental capacity to be “fully functioning” had the power to determine how life should be experienced for everyone else. Scratching your head? You are correct if you quickly concluded that this is the world we […]
What’s Essential? Crisis competencies that stand the test of time.
Over the past 60 days, organizations, states and countries have redefined essential work as it relates to basic human needs – food, shelter, safety and health. The need to contain COVID-19 has caused major disruption in our lives, even for organizations that are thriving due to increased demand for products and services. For our communities, […]

domain: sociology


Nintendo has announced yet another new weapon is heading to Splatoon tonight. Last week, we saw the arrival of two new weapons, one on Tuesday night and the other on Friday night.
Well, this week, Tuesday comes bearing gifts again, and this time in the form of the Slosher Deco. It will be making its way to the gamers tonight at the usual 9pm EDT/6pm PDT.
These steady updates have not slowed down at all, and in fact, their frequency seems to be at almost a level of spoiling the fans. During the Direct, Nintendo did share that these updates would continue through at least January, but when they do finally cease, will we know how to act?
Do you enjoy the continual updates coming to Splatoon? Have you taken advantage of the recent additions and updates? Will you be taking the new weapon for a spin later this evening, as well?
As always, gaming is meant to be fun, so keep gaming!!


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Shawna Brown is a singer/songwriter based in Tampa, Florida. She was born in the reggae country of Portland, Jamaica and grew up during the decade of the eighties, placing her in ears reach of the music of love and liberation. Having been exposed to a diverse range of music from an early age gave Shawna a broad appreciation for music across various genres expanding her musical palette into what it is today.
Brown is an unsigned artiste who continues to explore avenues of growth and development. She composes songs, often blurring the lines between musical genres and pushes the envelope as she provokes thought that question some of the complexities of human and spiritual existence.
“There is much trouble in the world but there is much beauty as well, however elusive. Sometimes the pathway to finding that beauty is not as transparent and the comfort of hope remains evasive. But, there is the inspiration of music that stirs the soul from the moment the first note is played or the first word is sung. “I would like to offer such hope through the songs I write. If I can offer the same hope through music to uplift and inspire individuals and families or those lacking hope, then I will be fulfilled.”

domain: artistic


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Mercy Lopez / BioThis Organic Country/Pop Rock Artist " is currently recording her 2nd album; "Hillbilly Cuban in West Palm Beach" for her "Yee Haw" album. Having a half of dozen roses tattooed around her left arm makes her feel refreshed after her last success with BMG/Germany, Frank Farian's release "Show me". This European video was shot with special effects in Germany & can be found on her reverbnation page where you can see her as a stunning blonde rock goddess.
This sexy urban farmer now lives with her dogs and chickens that run freely around her back yard and farm. She enjoys dipping into her jacuzzi at sunset and sips her home-grown wheat grass juice as she listens to some good country music. She says "I know myself better now by living a lifestyle that is important to me. I love being sustainable, especially with the way things are going with the environment & all the statistics that's out there. My awesome vegetable garden supplies enough to feed me and share veggies with my friends." She is also very excited about recently becoming sponsored by "Supreme Growers", a company that specializes in organic nutrients. She is proud of living meet, chemical, tobacco, and coffee free lifestyle.
She is very passionately about animal rights/education and volunteers weekly at the animal shelter. Mercy finds freedom in riding her Harley Davidson, (that she won in a swimsuit contest in South Beach). She has posed with it and it has graced the pages of Playboy magazine as both a brunette and blonde. Today, it is common to find her cycling briskly at sunrise along A1A's ocean view roadway or practicing Bikram yoga. This combination helps her find a the natural connection for her creativity when she is writing songs at her home studio.
Usually, when composing music, Mercy starts off with her acoustic Ibanez or Fender Stratocaster guitar. Lately, by using her pro-tools recording program, she feels she has a broader range in song ideas and loves the production end. She goes on to add that "technology is amazing today". She collects Rickenbacker guitars and sometimes likes to get her day started off with a quick loud session playing the drums.
So, if you didn't know, along the way in support of her musical growth and stage presence, Mercy has past appeared in print, national TV commercials, soap operas in Mexico & had cameo appearances as a SAG actress in Oliver Stones': " On Any Given Sunday ", Farrelly Brothers': " Something about Mary" and Abel Ferrara's: "Black out" with the late Dennis Hopper. She even did stunt work on "Bad Boys II" movie set. Mercy explains; "Driving a caged car in the movie has gotta be the craziest thing I've ever done".
She is so excited to get back in the music business and doing a lot of writing with other talented artist & producing music videos


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One News Web: NI property developer makes allegations about US company that bought NAMA property book
A London skyscraper that made headlines for reflecting sunlight at an intensity that melted parts of a car in the street below has been awarded the UK's Carbuncle Cup that highlights perceived architectural horrors.
The Irish Mortgage Holders Organisation has written to 4,200 AIB account holders to encourage them to "come forward" if they believe they were "denied their contractual right" to a tracker mortgage after their fixed interest rate periods had expired.
A severe housing shortage - identified by the Government as one of the main threats to a recovering economy - is being tackled but a turnaround will take time, some of the country's largest building firms have said.
Property developer Gerry Gannon has told the Oireachtas banking inquiry that his companies have built 140 family homes in the past 18 months and has plans in place for other sites in the Dublin area, The Irish Times reports.


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Senior Superintendent Mao Aplasca, Cagayan Police Provincial Office (PPO) director, said the fire broke out at 1 a.m., initially trapping most of the victims in the two buildings at the corner of Luna and Mabini Streets in downtown Tuguegarao City.
The fire reportedly started at a residential-commercial building and then jumped to the five-story Bed and Breakfast Pension House where the nursing school graduates were staying in preparation for the nursing board exam which started Sunday.
Superintendent Pedro Martirez, chief of the Tuguegarao City Police, said the bodies of the nine male nursing school graduates from the University of La Sallete in Isabela City were retrieved along with six others. The charred remains of a couple who owned one of the destroyed buildings and their two grandchildren were also among the fatalities.
Martirez identified six of the fatalities as Norman Fondevilla, Anniedel Fondevilla, Mildred de Leon, Karylle de Leon, Josh de Leon, and a certain Jen, reportedly the househelp.
“All the victims were trapped in the two buildings. They were burned beyond recognition. Most of the victims were already identified through their relatives and companions,” said Martirez.www.mb.com.ph


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Material Transportation Solution
The “A-HAWK (Attacking Hawk)” series of multi-rotor vertical take-off and landing UAVs have the characteristics of large load capacity, which can be up to 120kg, and the maximum endurance can reach 4h. In civil applications, they can play an important role in logistics and transportation of island materials.
Measurement and Control Distance：
HD20KM, Time Delay <200ms