text:
Five North Broward Health District executives were hit Tuesday with criminal charges by a state attorney alleging violations of Florida’s open government laws for supposedly holding secret meetings at which they decided to terminate the former interim chief executive.
Five state attorneys general urged a California federal judge at a hearing Tuesday to block the Trump administration’s proposed rules limiting access to birth control, arguing the rules violate the Affordable Care Act and will allow employers to unconstitutionally deny millions of women coverage for contraceptives by invoking religious beliefs.
An Illinois doctor who pled guilty last year to several counts of illegally distributing hydrocodone was sentenced Monday to 14 months in prison.
The Eleventh Circuit on Tuesday upheld the conviction of the owner of a Miami-area consulting and staffing company who was sentenced to five years in prison for his role in a $2.3 million Medicare fraud scheme that saw him refer patients to home health care agencies in exchange for kickbacks.
Admiral Insurance Co. need not defend a surrogacy agency in a negligence suit brought by former clients whose surrogate-born daughter developed a rare form of eye cancer, as the agency failed to disclose the claim on its policy application, according to a California appellate opinion filed Tuesday.
House Republicans introduced five bills on Tuesday aimed at undercutting the employer mandate and taxes imposed under the Affordable Care Act, looking to reduce the tax burden stemming from the health care law in 2018.
An attorney for a whistleblower told the Second Circuit Tuesday that his client was an “original source” under the False Claims Act, because he showed Amgen Inc. knew it falsely promoted quality of life benefits for its anemia biologic Epogen.
Mexico’s antitrust commission on Monday levied fines equaling more than $13 million against five latex glove manufacturers and almost a dozen individuals stemming from a coordinated effort to rig bids for various products used by the Mexican public health sector.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration took a bite out of the marketers and distributors of a chocolate “snuff” for peddling the powder as an alternative to illegal street drugs and scolded a South Korean drugmaker for slipshod quality control practices. Here's this week’s roundup of the FDA’s enforcement activities.
The owner of a now-defunct Miami home health agency must serve more than nine years in prison and pay $15.1 million in restitution after pleading guilty to charging Medicare for services patients weren’t eligible to receive, federal prosecutors said Monday.
Opposing experts testified Monday about the mental health of a doctor claiming she was legally insane at the time she and her surgeon boyfriend allegedly committed health care fraud and money laundering as the California federal trial wound down, setting the stage for closing arguments to begin Tuesday.
The chief of female pelvic medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center told a New Jersey jury Monday that research and her own hundreds of surgeries reveal complications can arise from all methods of pelvic prolapse repair, not just Johnson & Johnson unit Ethicon’s Prolift, which a woman alleges is responsible for debilitating pain.
An Illinois appeals court on Friday partially reversed and remanded a privacy lawsuit against Illinois firm Williams McCarthy LLP, whose lawyer was sued for improperly revealing the mental health status of a woman who claimed she was wrongfully excluded from a trust.
We asked, and you answered. Here are the results of Law360’s inaugural survey on third-party legal funding.
Once a taboo topic in the halls of BigLaw, litigation finance is winning over converts. And the peer pressure is building for rival law firms to join the bandwagon.
They often don’t know exactly what they’re buying, and there’s an ever-present chance they could come up empty in a given case. Here’s why investors are flocking to litigation finance anyway.
An executive compensation expert on Monday told the jury in the fraud trial of former Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP attorney Evan Greebel that there’s nothing unusual about consulting deals that don’t involve much consulting, as the defense sought to refute a central theory of the government’s case.
The National Labor Relations Board said Monday that its judges can sign off on partial settlement proposals even if the agency’s general counsel and the charging party in a given case object, restoring the board’s “reasonableness” settlement standard in the Trump board’s first reversal of Obama-era policy.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. on Friday urged a California federal court to scrap a False Claims Act suit claiming the insurer overcharged Medicare by submitting information that made patients seem sicker than they were, arguing the federal government knew about submission errors but didn’t consider them important.
Walgreen Co., CVS Pharmacy Inc., Rite Aid Corp. and other retailers alleging Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp. paid generic-drug makers to stay out of the market for acne medication Solodyn urged a Massachusetts federal court Monday to reject Medicis' efforts to nix some of their claims.
Federal courts across the country are handing down important rulings interpreting the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision on False Claims Act liability in Universal Health Services v. Escobar. As the rulings keep pouring in, stay up to speed on Law360’s latest coverage and analysis of Escobar’s impact.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has committed significant resources toward encouraging health care providers to use electronic health records systems. Unsurprisingly, the increased adoption of EHR systems and the government’s subsidization thereof has attracted attention from relators filing qui tam suits under the False Claims Act, say Jaime Jones and Brenna Jenny of Sidley Austin LLP.
Since its whopping $800 million Foreign Corrupt Practices Act settlement in 2008, Siemens cleaned up — and it has “cleaned up” in its long-standing competition with General Electric. How? As Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reportedly told President Donald Trump, you don’t need to pay bribes to succeed in international business, says Peter Y. Solmssen, former general counsel of Siemens.
The 2008 Siemens matter — then the largest sanction ever imposed in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement action — set the stage for future cross-collaboration in global anti-corruption enforcement, say Cheryl Scarboro, former chief of the FCPA Unit at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and Diana Wielocha of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP.
A U.S. Department of Justice official recently made a surprising policy announcement that has the potential to change the practice of attorneys involved in bringing and defending against qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act, say Brian McEvoy and Michael Besser of Polsinelli PC.
The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act case of U.S. v. Harris Corp. was tried in March 1991 — so long ago that pretty much only the parties and counsel remember it. With a smile, I’ve just about given up correcting people who say their case is "the only FCPA case ever to be tried,” says Robert Feldman of Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP.
As the comment period comes to a close Tuesday for the Trump administration’s interim final rules on contraception, the administration will start preparing final regulations — risking access to birth control coverage under the Affordable Care Act for thousands of women, says Nancy Northup, CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Members of Congress face a daunting to-do list in the final weeks of 2017. While some believe a looming deadline will help get things done, there is worry on Capitol Hill that the legislative pileup and long-simmering partisan battles on major budget and policy issues have created a prime opportunity for political brinkmanship to paralyze the high-stakes negotiations, say Richard Hertling and Kaitlyn McClure of Covington & Burling LLP.
At the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in April 1978, we filed a case against Page Airways and envisioned the trial of a precedent-setting enforcement action that would have defined Foreign Corrupt Practices Act standards at an early stage. Instead, the matter was settled under circumstances that I am sure are unique in SEC history, says Burton Wiand of Wiand Guerra King PA.
In a recent study, 20 out of 25 law firms surveyed have made billing process improvement a top priority for 2018. Firms can foster consistency and increase efficiency at all stages of their billing cycle by focusing on a few specific procedures, say Sharon Quaintance and Christine Indiano at HBR Consulting.
The Fifth Circuit is among the busiest federal circuit courts in the country. What can you do to increase your chances of reaching oral argument? And if given the opportunity, how can you present a persuasive argument? Former Fifth Circuit clerk Justin Woodard, an associate at Jones Walker LLP, shares some advice.


text:
Meadow | Bow Embroidered Monogram Hoop
This hoop features printed watercolor wreath with custom hand embroidered letter, and a bow color of your choice. All embroidered pieces are made by hand in our studio. Perfect little decor to hang on the wall in your house, in your little one's room, or as a baby shower gift.
- Approx. 4 1/2" height by 4 1/2" width

domain: design


text:
EAST GREENWICH –The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC) has announced that the East Greenwich Township Environmental Commission will be the recipient of a $1,500 grant to create a sample pollinator garden in Mickleton Park on Democrat Road.
“Although it is important in general to establish pollinator gardens in our parks to support the diminishing natural areas throughout the state, this garden will have an additional purpose” said Bruce Hooper, the Environmental Commission member leading the project. “The Commission hopes to use this project to help educate residents and visitors about native plants as well.”
When completed, the Mickleton Park Pollinator Garden will feature labels that list each plant’s common and scientific name and include a QR code that can be scanned on a visitor’s phone, linking to additional information about the plant. Visitors to the garden will not only be able to see and enjoy the plants at the park but will be able to consider what plants will work in their own yard.
“We are thrilled that ANJEC has chosen to recognize the value of this project,” said East Greenwich Township Mayor Dale Archer. “The garden will be both a benefit to the environment and a source for learning about native pollinator plants.”
Cynthia Carola, certified landscape architect and member of the Commission, designed the pollinator garden as a series of several small plots with paths throughout. Each plot will contain groups of several different native pollinator plants chosen to provide continuous bloom throughout the growing season.
The plan design using smaller plots with paths is intended to encourage visitors to linger and allow them to get up close to the plants, read the plant signs, and scan the QR codes for more information about the various plants.
“The Environmental Commission considers it extremely important that residents of our township understand the importance of native plants to our ecosystem,” said Environmental Commission Chair Chris Nelson. “We also endeavor to include an educational aspect in every project we work on. It is our goal for the Mickleton Park Pollinator Garden to address both of those considerations and to be an inspiration for visitors to create their own pollinator gardens.”
The project began officially in April, when Environmental Commission members planted a small section of the proposed pollinator garden with plants donated by Denise Dersch, a member of the Mickleton Garden Club, who obtained them through the Horticultural Society of South Jersey. Those 25 plants were supplemented with additional native plants propagated by Lucy Hooper, also a Mickleton Garden Club member. Although this is only a small section of the proposed pollinator garden, it will be in full bloom when the main section is planted approximately one year after.
The planting of the large main portion of the pollinator garden will not take place until the spring of 2022. To avoid the need of frequent weeding, the existing grass and weeds in the planned garden space will need to be eliminated by smothering the area with a layer of cardboard, then covering it with six inches of wood chips for about a year. When using plugs instead of mature plants, as the Commission is in this case, the seedlings will need the first year to establish roots. Most of the plants will bloom the second year and become a mature garden the third year.
“The advantage of using native plants is that, not only do they support our native pollinators and thus the birds and butterflies, but watering after the first year is not necessary,” said Committeeman Bob Tice, the Township Committee Liaison to the Environmental Commission. “We look forward to this garden becoming an established source of beauty and an informational resource for our residents for many years to come.”

domain: biology


text:
If you live in the north of England, there is a chance that as well as watching some fireworks tonight, you may be up to no good! 292 more words
Tags » Mischief Night
Written by Alex Ogden.
Royalty Free Image used with permission from Pexels.com
For children, Halloween can be one of the most exciting times of year: free sweets, the excitement of dressing up as a favourite character, the thrill of being out late and the terror of scary stories. 385 more words

domain: entertainment


Dr. Christopher Voscopoulos has a virtual sit down with Carrie Roper and opens up about heroes on the front lines during this pandemic. We discuss overcoming adversity and working together to soar towards new heights. Great interview with a powerful message.
For more covid-19 resources visit: www.southernhillshospital.com/covid-19/
Southern Hills Hospital: www.southernhillshospital.com
LTGTV on Instagram: @livetogivegroup
LTGTV on Facebook: @livetogivegroup
LTGTV on TikTok: @livetogivegroup


text:
Anger as FIFA rejects goal-line technology
The International Football Association Board has rejected the introduction of goal-line technology, sparking an angry reaction from some football managers.
The decision was taken after a presentation of experiments during which cameras were placed on the goal posts and electronic chips inserted in the ball to determine if it had crossed the goal line. Hawk-Eye technology using cameras and computers is already used in tennis and cricket.
A unanimous decision was not reached by board members on goal-line technology, but according to a source close to the dossier, a majority came out in principle against its introduction.
"Concerning goal-line technology, the board concluded that goal-line technology would not be pursued," the sport's world governing body FIFA said in a statement Saturday.
The news brought a sharp reaction from Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said it was "beyond comprehension" that global football chiefs had maintained their opposition to goal-line technology.
"For me, it is difficult to understand, for one reason because you want as much justice as possible," Wenger added.
"I do not even think it is linked with the money factor. If you love football you want the right decisions to be made."
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish also hit out at the decision.
McLeish's team appeared to have been denied a legitimate goal in their FA Cup quarter-finals 2-0 defeat by Portsmouth earlier Saturday, a goal that would surely have stood if replays had been available to match officials.
"That is a frustrating decision by FIFA because I think they are doing their officials a disservice," said the former Scotland and Rangers manager.
"It's not easy for their guys to see it in a split second. I know you can't stop every part of the game but certainly for key decisions in a major competition like the FA Cup, your chances of getting to semi-finals and finals are few and far between for a little club like us."
This is not the first time McLeish has spoken out in favour of the new technology.
After last November's incident in which Thierry Henry's controversial handball against Ireland helped France qualify for the World Cup Finals, McLeish said the system would have spotted Henry's offence.
But opponents of such moves argue that video evidence is often inconclusive and that the process of watching would interrupt the flow of the game.
FIFA said that a presentation had also been provided on the experiment with additional assistant referees in the Europa League, after 144 matches played so far.
FIFA added that a special meeting of the board would discuss the final analysis of the experiment on May 17-18, after the May 12 Europa League final.
(c) 2010 AFP

domain: sports


Susan Michie, UCL; Chris Bullen, University of Auckland; Jeffrey V Lazarus, Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal); John N. Lavis, McMaster University; John Thwaites, Monash University; Liam Smith, Monash University; Salim Abdool Karim, Centre for the AIDS Program of Research…
Should people from Canada, which has a lower incidence of covid-19, risk mingling with people from the U.S.?
More than 85% of observed King County residents masked up in public, UW researchers find in partnership with King County and the Washington State Department of Health
Countries that prioritize the well-being of society in general have have fared better over the past year than more individualistic cultures.
. . . and paid a price
The number of people who are or soon will be eligible will continue to outpace the availability of vaccine for some time.
Another mutant strain of the coronavirus is in our community
A new University of Washington study links helpful behavior during the pandemic, such as donating medical supplies, to individuals’ feelings of connection to others
Public Health Insider, Public Health – Seattle & King County A variant strain of the coronavirus that was first identified in South Africa has been detected in King County. The B.1.351 variant was identified through genomic sequencing at the UW Medicine Virology Laboratory on Feb.…
More contagious variants add to the struggle agencies already face to trace contacts, communicate with the public and vaccinate residents.
Centralized approaches by states like West Virginia and Alaska have proved to be more efficient.
“We’re seeing the consequences now of a complete and utter failure to ensure we have a full and robust vaccination system.”
Sites seek to improve access to vulnerable older residents.
Not if They’re All About Fear
“To get this pandemic under control, 16,000 adults must be vaccinated every day for six months.” — Dow Constantine


We begin with Max Papis SimMax steering wheel customized at the factory for racing simulators. This full-size wheel has been designed to minimize rotational mass to achieve increased detail from the force-feedback effects. Your servo motor will become more effective because there is less rotating mass to dampen the sensation. The result is a crisper sensation which improves your driving experience. We then outfit the wheel with plenty of buttons, switches, knobs and paddle shifters to make this wheel usable with all other cars on your simulator.
The wheel features a suede wrap, oval molded grip and is mated to proprietary magnetic paddle shifters. The shifters have adjustable horizontal positioning in addition to adjustable travel distance. The magnetic action imparts a positive shifting awareness which resonates through the wheel with an undeniable tactile sensation. A center beauty cap in piano black with textured weave pattern and an MPI orange pinstripe finish it off. The wheel diameter is 320mm (12.6 inches).
The buttons, switches and knobs on the wheel have a total of 18 functions that are mappable in game. The embedded controller was created to be ultra-responsive for all the button functions and paddle shifts. The encoders have a unique dual-control function which contributes to high functionality in a smaller footprint giving the equivalent of 4 encodes. Turning the knob left to right handles one set of functions while pushing and turning controls an additional function. The coiled cable is detachable so it can be easily replaced in case of damage.
The wheel includes a coiled cable with a USB connector. We recommend having a USB jack near the steering base such as our USB Dock or any USB hub. The coiled cable is not intended to stretch to the PC.
Wheel can be fitted with an optional quick release available separately.