ScienceDaily (Nov. 30, 2012) ? If the 4.9 million barrels of oil that spilled into the Gulf of Mexico during the 2010 Deep Water Horizon spill was a ecological disaster, the two million gallons of dispersant used to clean it up apparently made it even worse -- 52-times more toxic. That's according to new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Universidad Autonoma de Aguascalientes (UAA), Mexico.
The study found that mixing the dispersant with oil increased toxicity of the mixture up to 52-fold over the oil alone. In toxicity tests in the lab, the mixture's effects increased mortality of rotifers, a microscopic grazing animal at the base of the Gulf's food web. The findings are published online by the journal Environmental Pollution and will appear in the February 2013 print edition.
Using oil from the Deep Water Horizon spill and Corexit, the dispersant required by the Environmental Protection Agency for clean up, the researchers tested toxicity of oil, dispersant and mixtures on five strains of rotifers. Rotifers have long been used by ecotoxicologists to assess toxicity in marine waters because of their fast response time, ease of use in tests and sensitivity to toxicants. In addition to causing mortality in adult rotifers, as little as 2.6 percent of the oil-dispersant mixture inhibited rotifer egg hatching by 50 percent. Inhibition of rotifer egg hatching from the sediments is important because these eggs hatch into rotifers each spring, reproduce in the water column, and provide food for baby fish, shrimp and crabs in estuaries.
"Dispersants are preapproved to help clean up oil spills and are widely used during disasters," said UAA's Roberto-Rico Martinez, who led the study. "But we have a poor understanding of their toxicity. Our study indicates the increase in toxicity may have been greatly underestimated following the Macondo well explosion."
Martinez performed the research while he was a Fulbright Fellow at Georgia Tech in the lab of School of Biology Professor Terry Snell. They hope that the study will encourage more scientists to investigate how oil and dispersants impact marine food webs and lead to improved management of future oil spills.
"What remains to be determined is whether the benefits of dispersing the oil by using Corexit are outweighed by the substantial increase in toxicity of the mixture," said Snell, chair of the School of Biology. "Perhaps we should allow the oil to naturally disperse. It might take longer, but it would have less toxic impact on marine ecosystems."
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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Georgia Institute of Technology.
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Journal Reference:
Roberto Rico-Mart?nez, Terry W. Snell, Tonya L. Shearer. Synergistic toxicity of Macondo crude oil and dispersant Corexit 9500A? to the Brachionus plicatilis species complex (Rotifera). Environmental Pollution, 2013; 173: 5 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2012.09.024
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
The mortgage interest deduction ? considered by many to be the sacred cow of tax breaks ? has joined the list of possible items on the chopping block in the growing debate between President Obama and Congress about the so-called ?fiscal cliff.?
However, research coauthored by Wharton real estate professor Todd Sinai indicates that eliminating the deduction may not pay off. In a recent paper titled, ?Revenue Costs and Incentive Effects of the Mortgage Interest Deduction for Owner-occupied Housing,? Sinai and James Poterba, a professor of economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, examine consumer finance data to ?analyze how changes in the income tax deduction for mortgage interest would affect loan-to-value ratios on owner-occupied homes, the distribution of income tax liabilities and the consumption of housing services.? (The paper was included as a chapter in the book, Economic Analysis of Tax Expenditures, published by the National Bureau of Economic Research last year.)
In light of the evolving budget talks in Congress, K@W Today spoke with Sinai about his research, and what an elimination of the mortgage interest deduction would mean for consumers and the housing market.
K@W Today: Why do you think the mortgage interest deduction has gone from being viewed as largely ?untouchable? to being one possible area for cutting in the budget debate?
Todd Sinai: I am not sure it is any less ?untouchable? than it was before. Instead, when Congress decides it needs more revenue, the two easiest ways to raise it are to increase tax rates or eliminate exceptions from the tax base, called ?tax expenditures.? Tax expenditures are big-ticket items. The Office of Management and Budget estimates that over the five-year period spanning 2012-2016, the tax revenues foregone by allowing a deduction for mortgage interest will total $609 billion, the second largest tax expenditure (behind not taxing employer-paid medical insurance premiums as income, at $1.07 trillion). If the government needs revenue, it needs to look at these big-ticket items, and thus the mortgage interest deduction (MID) has surfaced in the debate about the fiscal cliff.
Nonetheless, ?raising revenues? still means someone has to pay more taxes, so the political difficulty of eliminating the mortgage interest deduction remains. Not only will tax bills rise, but as my Wharton colleague Joe Gyourko and I found in earlier research, they will rise disproportionately in the major metropolitan areas of the Northeast (from Washington, D.C., to Boston), and along the West Coast. Residents of those metropolitan areas, who have high incomes and expensive houses, have the largest tax savings from the mortgage interest deduction and thus stand to lose the most if the deduction is capped or eliminated.
It seems politically difficult to reduce a tax expenditure that benefits a concentrated group of politically important citizens ? the residents of these metro areas ? but perhaps the fiscal cliff will create the political will to do so. Also, bundling a mortgage interest deduction reform with other tax changes that might offset some of the distributional impact, much in the way the Simpson-Bowles Commission had in mind, could perhaps help make a change in the mortgage interest deduction more politically palatable.
K@W Today: Based on your research, what effect would eliminating this deduction have on the average consumer?
Sinai: If the deduction were eliminated completely, the average household?s annual tax bill would increase by a little more than $1,000. That number masks the real impact, however. Households earning less than $40,000 per year would see their tax bills rise by less than $110 on average ? few of those households itemize on their tax returns and thus gain little benefit from the mortgage interest deduction, and those that do itemize tend to have relatively inexpensive houses. Households earning between $125,000 and $250,000, by contrast, would stand to lose nearly $2,700 in annual tax savings. And those making more than $250,000 ? the ones subject to deduction caps under some tax reform proposals ? currently save $5,400 per year on average from the mortgage deduction. It is worth noting that within any of those income groups, seniors (taxpayers age 65 or above) typically would face a much smaller tax increase than the average. By the time someone is age 65 or 70, they typically have paid off all, or nearly all, of their mortgage and thus have little interest to deduct.
Of course, households could mitigate the tax burden from the elimination of the mortgage interest deduction by using their savings to pay down their mortgages. They would have less mortgage debt, but they also would have less investment income and thus would owe less tax. However, many households are limited in their ability to do this reallocation. Households with a big mortgage typically don?t have a lot of investments that could be used to pay it off.
K@W Today: What effect would an elimination of the deduction have on the housing market?
Sinai: For the homeownership rate, probably not much. Most research indicates that the mortgage interest deduction is not a particularly effective way of getting people to buy houses instead of renting. So, eliminating it would not deter many potential home buyers.
Rather, what the mortgage interest deduction is good at is encouraging households to spend more on housing once they decide to buy one. In the absence of the mortgage interest deduction, households would buy smaller or less fancy houses, or house prices would fall to partially compensate for home buyers? having a higher after-tax interest rate. This effect would be largest in those metropolitan areas that currently gain the biggest tax savings from the mortgage interest deduction.
How much of an impact on existing home prices there would be from eliminating the MID is difficult to determine. The price effects are likely to be larger in the coastal and northeast corridor cities ? not only do they have bigger subsidies, more of the subsidy is capitalized into house prices ? but just how large is currently an unknown.
K@W Today: Is there any upside to eliminating the deduction?
Sinai: Sure! There is a paucity of evidence that the mortgage interest deduction serves any useful economic purpose. While there are some arguments to be made that homeownership benefits communities and children, I?ve already noted that the MID is a poor mechanism for encouraging homeownership. If homeownership is our policy goal, we could eliminate the MID and redeploy the funds in a more effective way. Rather, since the MID mainly encourages housing consumption among people who would have bought houses anyway, we would be better off by eliminating the economic distortion that comes from subsidizing additional spending on that sector.
However, there are many factors at play besides the simple calculation of the economic inefficiency of a mortgage interest deduction. The MID has a large effect on the distribution of the tax burden across households of different incomes and ages, and some policymakers might view that as a positive. And, even if it would have been ideal to never have created a mortgage interest deduction in the first place, it does not follow that it is a good idea to eliminate or reduce the MID once it exists. Changing the mortgage interest deduction will likely reduce house prices in at least some vulnerable metropolitan areas, possibly leading to more foreclosures and certainly damaging the wealth of some older households who are counting on selling their houses to finance retirement. Reducing the value of the MID would have to be managed carefully to avoid collateral damage for individual households or the overall economy. Any plan would have to either be phased in slowly or use offsetting changes in the tax code to mitigate the risk of an excessive burden falling on any particular set of taxpayers.
Title:?? Associate Legal specialties:?? Business law, commercial real estate Birthplace:? Norfolk Education: University of Virginia, bachelor?s degree in economics; University of Richmond School of Law, law degree (cum laude) Hobbies: Drawing, cooking, jewelry making, do-it-yourself projects Fan of:? U.Va. Cavaliers Favorite vacation spot: ??No favorite.? I like to travel to different places each time I go on vacation.? Recently?read book: ?Sacr? Bleu? by Christopher Moore Career mentor:?? Beverley L. Crump
How did you decide to become a lawyer? ?I decided that the law was for me after taking ?Law and Economics? at U.Va.? I was fascinated with the interplay between economic theory and the law, and I felt that my economic background provided me with a strong foundation for the practice of law.?
What advice do you have for students who will graduate this spring from law school? ?I would suggest that, in addition to whatever positions they have obtained for the summer, third-year law students look for part-time jobs with law firms during the school year.? This provides them with practical experience, a broader base of exposure, a possible foot in the door to the law firm at which they are working, and opportunity to develop contacts that may help them in their job searches.?
Tablets and smartphones may be eating away at the videogame market ? but apparently not last week.
All combined, in just seven days the three console makers sold a jaw-dropping 1.98 million consoles in the U.S. ? an astonishing accomplishment for an industry that is facing enormous pressure from emerging gaming platforms, like the iPad.
Today, Sony reported it sold more than 525,000 PlayStation 3 units over the?past week, while?Microsoft sold?more than 750,000 Xbox 360 consoles to easily beat Wii U first-week sales of 400,000. In total, however, Nintendo sold 700,000 units, including both the Wii U and original Wii.
The week kicked off Sunday, Nov. 18, with the Wii U going on sale and ended Saturday, following Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year.
Nintendo?s sales of the Wii U were likely limited by the number of units it could manufacturer, with many U.S. retailers running out of inventory.?Microsoft and Sony saw a lift from well-priced bundles that cost half as much as what Nintendo was charging for the Wii U, and in general, all three benefited from a trend in which consumers are using their videogame consoles for accessing other types of content through their TVs, including streaming media or music.
Sony said one PlayStation bundle, which cost $199, sold 15 percent more this year compared to 2011. Microsoft was selling similar Xbox bundles for $150. Essentially, the two manufacturers can afford price cuts like these, given that they are six years or more into their hardware lifecycles. In comparison, the brand-new Wii U costs $300 and $350,?depending?on the package.
As you can see from the picture, somewhere, deep within the FCC's subterranean Washington bunker is a Holodeck. Down there, brave scientists seem to be examining a Lenovo-branded Windows tablet that shares some stylings with the company's Transformer-esqueIdeaTab Lynx. Given that the holiday season is nearly upon us, and FCC certification is normally a sign of impending availability, perhaps we won't have long to wait before we learn the truth.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) after an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The 49ers won 31-21. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) shakes hands with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) after an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The 49ers won 31-21. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)
San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh, second from left, talks with Alex Smith, third from left, at practice at 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif. on Friday, Nov. 16, 2012. (AP Photo/ San Jose Mercury News, Jim Gensheimer)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) celebrates his rushing touchdown with tight end Delanie Walker (46) in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The 49ers won 31-21. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) celebrates his rushing touchdown in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012.The 49ers won 31-21. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) gestures after his second start in an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012. The 49ers defeated the Saints 31-21. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) ? Tight end Delanie Walker arrives at work at 6 a.m. each day, and Colin Kaepernick always beats him to 49ers headquarters.
The quarterback clocks in before most of his teammates for that matter.
With that work ethic and standout performances, Kaepernick has earned himself a third straight start at quarterback for San Francisco on Sunday at St. Louis.
"Kap's here before me. He's here lifting weights," Walker said.
Coach Jim Harbaugh made the announcement Wednesday that Kaepernick got the nod over Alex Smith after the second-year pro led the NFC West-leading Niners (8-2-1) to victories in the past two games, his first two NFL starts.
"The rationale is we have two quarterbacks that we feel great about as a starting quarterback," Harbaugh said. "Both have earned it, both deserve it ? Alex over a long period of time, Colin by virtue of the last three games. It tips the scales. Colin we believe has the hot hand. We'll go with Colin. And we'll go with Alex. They're both our guys."
Yes, Harbaugh is still leaving open every possibility, saying it still could be a week-to-week decision. All Kaepernick knows is he will begin Sunday's game under center.
Harbaugh warned, "I wouldn't assume anything."
"To start talking about speculation or every permutation you could get into, we're not going to speculate on it," Harbaugh said. "We're worried about everything and we fear nothing."
The reigning NFL Coach of the Year told his players on the field at some point during Wednesday morning's walk-through practice.
Kaepernick has completed 48 of 74 passes for 680 yards and three touchdowns with one interception and was sacked six times. He has a 102.3 passer rating.
"I don't know if it's a hot hand. Whatever you want to call it. I'm just happy I get to go back out there," Kaepernick said. "It's a great chance to lead this team and show we're a great team and we can go into the playoffs."
Smith, the 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick, hardly looked happy on the sideline during Sunday's win over the Saints after being medically cleared from a concussion suffered in the first half of a 24-24 tie against St. Louis on Nov. 11.
"That's coach's decision," running back Frank Gore said. "He said before he's going to go with the hot hand, and he's sure that Kap's got the hot hand right now. I just feel we've got two good quarterbacks who can help us win. That's a plus for the team."
As the questions about his quarterback decision kept coming from every direction, Harbaugh repeatedly said, "I think I've covered and plowed that ground about as thoroughly as it can be plowed."
Losing his job is nothing new for Smith in what has been a roller coaster eight-year NFL career filled with promotions and demotions. Even after his last full game was an impressive win on Monday Night Football at Arizona on Oct. 29 that earned him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. In a near-perfect night, Smith completed 18 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He had a 157.1 passer rating and connected with nine different receivers.
Smith bounced from starter to the bench throughout 2010 after coming into the year entrenched as the starter ? and that's been his story each year except for during last year's turnaround season. He is 19-5-1 in two years playing for former NFL quarterback Harbaugh.
Smith was expected to speak with reporters Thursday, the team said.
In the locker room, players have said all the right things: supporting both quarterbacks, while reiterating it is Harbaugh's call to make.
"It's getting very old. It's kind of taking away from what the Niners are doing, all this fuss about our quarterback situation," Walker said. "(Alex) definitely didn't lose his job. Kap is just playing well, so that's what I think you're seeing right now. A lot of guys on offense are feeding off it. So we're just going to go with Kap until Jim Harbaugh decides otherwise."
Walker knows it's probably not over yet, though, as Smith very well could get another shot sometime over the final five games.
Also Wednesday, Harbaugh said kicker David Akers is nursing an undisclosed injury, and that's why the 49ers worked out kickers Tuesday. Akers was later listed limited in practice because of a pelvis injury. He looked strong at the start of practice, kicking field goals from 50 yards and demonstrating ample leg strength and accuracy. He missed what would have been the game-winning field goal in overtime last time against the Rams, then missed one from 50 yards in the fourth quarter and had another blocked from 33 yards out Sunday at New Orleans. Akers was clipped by a Saints player after his fourth extra-point attempt in the third quarter but showed no visible signs of injury.
He has missed four of his last seven tries from 40 to 49 yards and eight of his last 21 overall. He ranks 29th in field-goal percentage at 70.4 after setting a single-season NFL record last season with 44 made field goals.
"David Akers is working through something and we want to make sure we have a Plan B," Harbaugh said.
NOTES: Walker didn't practice but said he expects to play against the Rams after bruising a hip and his ribs Sunday in the Superdome. ... In addressing the season-ending injuries of WR and return man Kyle Williams (knee) and RB Kendall Hunter (ankle), Harbaugh said, "The sad thing for all of us is two known friends and trusted agents, Kyle Williams and Kendall Hunter, are going to be out for the season." ... Also on Wednesday's practice report: LB Aldon Smith (shoulder) and S Darcel McBath (concussion).
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Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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NSAID use linked to reduced hepatocellular carcinoma risk and mortality due to chronic liver diseasePublic release date: 28-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zachary Rathner Zachary.Rathner@oup.com 301-841-1286 Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Researchers found that aspirin use is associated with a decreased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma and death from chronic liver disease (CLD), according to a study published November 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer, occurs mainly among patients with CLD. Previous reports have linked chronic inflammation due to CLD to cellular processes that could promote carcinogenesis. Because of their anti-inflammatory properties and widespread use to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs are being investigated as cancer chemopreventive agents. NSAIDs have been shown to have a beneficial effect in observational studies and clinical trials on risk of some cancers. However, the relationship between NSAID use and risk of HCC and death from CLD is unclear.
To investigate this relationship, Vikrant V. Sahasrabuddhe, M.B.B.S., Dr.P.H, from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues, performed an observational study of 300,504 men and women aged 50 to 71 years enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study who reported their aspirin and nonaspirin NSAID use and were followed-up for 10-12 years. The researchers linked the self-reported use of aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs to registry data on diagnoses of 250 cases of HCC and 428 deaths due to CLD to perform their study.
The researchers found that the use of NSAIDs was associated with a reduced risk of HCC and a reduced risk of death from CLD compared to non-users. Study participants who used aspirin had a 41% reduced risk of HCC and a 45% reduced risk of death from CLD, whereas those who used non-aspirin NSAIDs experienced a 26% reduced risk of CLD mortality but no reduced risk of HCC. The authors conclude that "these associations are prominent with the use of aspirin, and if confirmed, might open new vistas for chemoprevention of HCC and CLD."
In an accompanying editorial, Isra G. Levy, M.B., BCh., MSc., and Carolyn P. Pim, M.D., both from the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada discuss how the known causes of chronic liver disease and primary liver cancer are hepatitis B and C virus infections, alcohol use, and a link between obesity and diabetes has been suggested. "We already have cheap, readily available interventions," such as vaccines for hepatitis B and C virus but "effective strategies for reduction of HBV and HCV are not always available or fully applied." Also, alcohol abuse and obesity are complex and multifactorial challenges that require interventions at the individual and system levels." They conclude that although we should study the potential of new chemopreventive strategies such as NSAID use, we should also continue to focus on improving the established practices and interventions.
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Contact Info:
Article: NCI Office of Media Relations, ncipressofficers@mail.nih.gov
Editorial: Isra G. Levy, M.B., BCh., MSc., isra.levy@ottawa.ca
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NSAID use linked to reduced hepatocellular carcinoma risk and mortality due to chronic liver diseasePublic release date: 28-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Zachary Rathner Zachary.Rathner@oup.com 301-841-1286 Journal of the National Cancer Institute
Researchers found that aspirin use is associated with a decreased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma and death from chronic liver disease (CLD), according to a study published November 28 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of primary liver cancer, occurs mainly among patients with CLD. Previous reports have linked chronic inflammation due to CLD to cellular processes that could promote carcinogenesis. Because of their anti-inflammatory properties and widespread use to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs are being investigated as cancer chemopreventive agents. NSAIDs have been shown to have a beneficial effect in observational studies and clinical trials on risk of some cancers. However, the relationship between NSAID use and risk of HCC and death from CLD is unclear.
To investigate this relationship, Vikrant V. Sahasrabuddhe, M.B.B.S., Dr.P.H, from the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the National Cancer Institute, and colleagues, performed an observational study of 300,504 men and women aged 50 to 71 years enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study who reported their aspirin and nonaspirin NSAID use and were followed-up for 10-12 years. The researchers linked the self-reported use of aspirin and nonaspirin NSAIDs to registry data on diagnoses of 250 cases of HCC and 428 deaths due to CLD to perform their study.
The researchers found that the use of NSAIDs was associated with a reduced risk of HCC and a reduced risk of death from CLD compared to non-users. Study participants who used aspirin had a 41% reduced risk of HCC and a 45% reduced risk of death from CLD, whereas those who used non-aspirin NSAIDs experienced a 26% reduced risk of CLD mortality but no reduced risk of HCC. The authors conclude that "these associations are prominent with the use of aspirin, and if confirmed, might open new vistas for chemoprevention of HCC and CLD."
In an accompanying editorial, Isra G. Levy, M.B., BCh., MSc., and Carolyn P. Pim, M.D., both from the Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada discuss how the known causes of chronic liver disease and primary liver cancer are hepatitis B and C virus infections, alcohol use, and a link between obesity and diabetes has been suggested. "We already have cheap, readily available interventions," such as vaccines for hepatitis B and C virus but "effective strategies for reduction of HBV and HCV are not always available or fully applied." Also, alcohol abuse and obesity are complex and multifactorial challenges that require interventions at the individual and system levels." They conclude that although we should study the potential of new chemopreventive strategies such as NSAID use, we should also continue to focus on improving the established practices and interventions.
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Contact Info:
Article: NCI Office of Media Relations, ncipressofficers@mail.nih.gov
Editorial: Isra G. Levy, M.B., BCh., MSc., isra.levy@ottawa.ca
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Added: 6 hours ago via: Android Market Category: Lifestyle By: Hobby Lobby... Updated: November 15, 2012 ????? 60 ratings Requires Android 2.3.3 and up
Now you can take Hobby Lobby with you wherever you go! Download our new Android app to get the latest coupon, see the weekly savings, locate stores near you, check your gift card balance, and much more! The weekly savings and convenience you have come to love is now just a tap away. We are not just an arts and crafts store. With over 65,000 items to explore including Home Accents, Crafts, Hobbies, Picture Framing, Jewelry Making, Fashion Fabrics, Floral, Cards & Party, Baskets, Wearable Art and Holiday Supplies, Hobby Lobby is the place to shop with super savings and super selections every day! Coupon The Hobby Lobby coupon you have come to love is just a tap away! Use it in the store or online! Weekly Savings Do you have a project in mind or simply need inspiration? Hobby Lobby offers our customers an exceptional selection and value each week. Tap to view our weekly ad and you are sure to find what you need. Store Locator Tap to find the closest Hobby Lobby! Each store provides an enjoyable and enriched shopping experience providing exceptional value and the widest variety of home dcor merchandise and crafting supplies, all under one roof. Gift Cards Did you receive a gift card and need to check your balance? Tap to check your balance. Now you can plan your next shopping experience at Hobby Lobby! Feedback Tell us how much you love the Hobby Lobby app. Make sure to tell your friends and family to download it too!
How does an Inn in Savannah Georgia, with so many outstanding hospitality properties achieve? TripAdvisors rating as the number three hotel in Savannah? Well, it isn?t easy.
In the first place, it needs a dynamite location overlooking one of the outstanding squares in the middle of the downtown historic district. Second, it needs a striking architectural presence among many fine historic B&B?s and other historic buildings. Third, it needs meticulously restored interiors and a rich balance of antiques and guest friendly furnishings. Finally, the Inn needs owners who put their guests? needs first.
This current offering fulfills those characteristics and this rating is a just reward. Another reward is a strong business, with sales approaching $1,000,000.00.
The Inn has 17 well appointed rooms, a high occupancy rate of 60%,? and a strong bottom line. It is a chosen member of Select Registry, has been chosen for BedandBreakfast.com?s Diamond Collection and is also a Four Diamond AAA Inn. The price is $4,995,000.00. The cash flow will easily cover the debt service and provide a decent income for new owners. For those with the resources, this is a rare opportunity to own the best.
Select Registry?s only Bed & Breakfast Hotel in Savannah
Travel & Leisure Magazine voted this as one of America?s Most Romantic Hotels in 2012
AAA Four Diamond
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Or you can
click here for more information on multiple Inns.
In this second part of our sports conditioning series, we?re going to take a closer look at the differences between sports conditioning and personal training. The first distinction starts with the qualification. There are a number of ways of becoming qualified to be a gym instructor or personal trainer. However, in addition to holding these qualifications, a sports conditioning coach would also hold a relevant governing body accreditation for strength and conditioning ? for example, through organisations such as the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) or the National Strength Conditioning Association (NSCA) in the USA.
You can also go to university and gain a degree in a number of areas to enhance your knowledge and skills such as sports science, performance analysis, human movement/biomechanics and strength and conditioning.
In addition to qualifications, the focus of a sports conditioning coach is different to personal training. Whereas a PT may predominantly deal with those looking to improve fitness for general health and recreation, the sports conditioning coach will work with fit healthy athletes whose goal is to improve sports performance. The attainment of these objectives will invariably involve a deeper understanding of not only the sport itself, but the various demands that the sport places on the athlete.
The aims of the sports conditioning coach are to:
develop correct exercise skill or technique
improve the strength base of all athletes
individualise programs to address specific strengths and weaknesses
improve athletes' sports specific movements and techniques?
improve athletes' physical conditioning
All this would be done in liaison with the athlete?s technical/skills coach, physio/medical team, and psychologist ? with the common objective of working together within a set timeframe.
Join me next week, where we will be discussing the pathway to becoming a sports conditioning coach. And don?t forget to post your comments below!
Garrath Pledger? Course Lead for Sports Conditioning Instructor
Study links improved consumer welfare to increased prescription drug advertising effortsPublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jayani Jayawardhana jayaward@uga.edu 706-369-5963 University of Georgia
Athens, Ga. More people are better off thanks to the impact of an influx of direct-to-consumer advertising spending than they would be without those marketing efforts, according to a study recently published by Jayani Jayawardhana, an assistant professor in the University of Georgia College of Public Health.
The multi-year study focused on advertising efforts surrounding cholesterol-reducing prescription medications. Jayawardhana found increased levels of consumer welfare due to direct-to-consumer advertising than when compared to situations without this type of marketing. Her research, which was published in the International Journal of Industrial Organization, concludes that such efforts also spurred under-diagnosed patients to seek medical treatment.
Federal deregulation of prescription drug marketing in 1997 lowered cost barriers and enabled manufacturers to advertise prescription drugs without including a detailed summary of the product. Since the relaxation of those rules, advertising spending from pharmaceutical companies has increased by more than 200 percent.
Jayawardhana, a health economist in the college's department of health policy and management, said her study was the first to provide an analysis of consumer welfare that demonstrated a connection to the increased marketing expenditures. It also adds further support to existing academic research suggesting that direct-to-consumer advertising efforts lead to a more informed and more inquisitive consumer, which could lead to better health outcomes.
"Let's say you see a commercial for Lipitor, and you suspect that you have high cholesterol, so you come and ask for that drug from the physician," Jayawardhana said. "For whatever reason, the doctor may assume that isn't the best drug for you, and you get prescribed Zocor instead. The point isn't that you didn't get the drug you saw on the commercial but rather that you came to the doctor and got treatment for your condition, which leads to welfare improvement."
Because of the role of physician in the decision-making process, pharmaceutical companies have to market their drugs to the two purchasing agents involvedthe consumer and the physician.
"When you see an advertisement for something like Coke, the intent is to give you an incentive to go buy the product," she said. "But with the prescription drug market, the consumer is not the final decision maker. You have to go through a gatekeeper in the physician."
Jayawardhana's research indicates those advertising effortsto both consumers and physiciansare paying off. In addition to heightened consumer awareness, targeted advertising toward physicians has both an informative and persuasive effect on the selection of the drug.
Jayawardhana, who holds master's and doctoral degrees in economics from the University of Virginia, said critics of the federal deregulation have suggested the marketing spending boom could lead to a myriad of harmful resultssuch as patients requesting and receiving inappropriate drugs or higher dosages than necessary from their physician.
While such incidences may be possible, it is difficult to recognize such outcomes in the data. However, because physicians act as gatekeepers for prescription drugs and consumers have limited access to advertised products, such negative outcomes may be scarce, she said.
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UGA College of Public Health
Founded in 2005 as a response to the state's need to address important health concerns in Georgia, the UGA College of Public Health is comprised of four departments and two research institutes as well as the Center for Global Health. The college offers degree programs in biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion and behavior, public health, health policy and management and toxicology as well as certificate programs in gerontology, disaster management and global health.
Graduates from the College of Public Healthnationally known for its work related to infectious disease, cancer research, gerontology, disaster preparedness and other areastypically go on to a diverse range of careers, including medicine, health education, emergency management, public health policy, environmental science and social work. For more information, see www.publichealth.uga.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Study links improved consumer welfare to increased prescription drug advertising effortsPublic release date: 26-Nov-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Jayani Jayawardhana jayaward@uga.edu 706-369-5963 University of Georgia
Athens, Ga. More people are better off thanks to the impact of an influx of direct-to-consumer advertising spending than they would be without those marketing efforts, according to a study recently published by Jayani Jayawardhana, an assistant professor in the University of Georgia College of Public Health.
The multi-year study focused on advertising efforts surrounding cholesterol-reducing prescription medications. Jayawardhana found increased levels of consumer welfare due to direct-to-consumer advertising than when compared to situations without this type of marketing. Her research, which was published in the International Journal of Industrial Organization, concludes that such efforts also spurred under-diagnosed patients to seek medical treatment.
Federal deregulation of prescription drug marketing in 1997 lowered cost barriers and enabled manufacturers to advertise prescription drugs without including a detailed summary of the product. Since the relaxation of those rules, advertising spending from pharmaceutical companies has increased by more than 200 percent.
Jayawardhana, a health economist in the college's department of health policy and management, said her study was the first to provide an analysis of consumer welfare that demonstrated a connection to the increased marketing expenditures. It also adds further support to existing academic research suggesting that direct-to-consumer advertising efforts lead to a more informed and more inquisitive consumer, which could lead to better health outcomes.
"Let's say you see a commercial for Lipitor, and you suspect that you have high cholesterol, so you come and ask for that drug from the physician," Jayawardhana said. "For whatever reason, the doctor may assume that isn't the best drug for you, and you get prescribed Zocor instead. The point isn't that you didn't get the drug you saw on the commercial but rather that you came to the doctor and got treatment for your condition, which leads to welfare improvement."
Because of the role of physician in the decision-making process, pharmaceutical companies have to market their drugs to the two purchasing agents involvedthe consumer and the physician.
"When you see an advertisement for something like Coke, the intent is to give you an incentive to go buy the product," she said. "But with the prescription drug market, the consumer is not the final decision maker. You have to go through a gatekeeper in the physician."
Jayawardhana's research indicates those advertising effortsto both consumers and physiciansare paying off. In addition to heightened consumer awareness, targeted advertising toward physicians has both an informative and persuasive effect on the selection of the drug.
Jayawardhana, who holds master's and doctoral degrees in economics from the University of Virginia, said critics of the federal deregulation have suggested the marketing spending boom could lead to a myriad of harmful resultssuch as patients requesting and receiving inappropriate drugs or higher dosages than necessary from their physician.
While such incidences may be possible, it is difficult to recognize such outcomes in the data. However, because physicians act as gatekeepers for prescription drugs and consumers have limited access to advertised products, such negative outcomes may be scarce, she said.
###
UGA College of Public Health
Founded in 2005 as a response to the state's need to address important health concerns in Georgia, the UGA College of Public Health is comprised of four departments and two research institutes as well as the Center for Global Health. The college offers degree programs in biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health promotion and behavior, public health, health policy and management and toxicology as well as certificate programs in gerontology, disaster management and global health.
Graduates from the College of Public Healthnationally known for its work related to infectious disease, cancer research, gerontology, disaster preparedness and other areastypically go on to a diverse range of careers, including medicine, health education, emergency management, public health policy, environmental science and social work. For more information, see www.publichealth.uga.edu.
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
LONDON (Reuters) - Online gambling exchange Betfair said it would withdraw from the Greek market until there was greater clarity on gaming regulation in the country.
Betfair, which has not yet applied for a permit to operate in Greece, questioned the cost and conditions attached to permits required by gaming firms to trade in the country.
"According to legal advice received, the value of these permits is unclear and we consider the gambling legislation in the country to be inconsistent with European law," Betfair said on Monday.
"The associated fiscal conditions attached to these permits, which may include payment of taxes on historical revenues, make the market economically unattractive."
Earlier this month the Greek Gaming Commission said gambling firms operating in Greece without a permit would face financial penalties and criminal sanctions.
Betfair said it believes there are "significant issues with the legality of this decision" by the Greek Gaming Commission.
It added that it was disappointed the European Commission had not moved to prevent what Betfair calls "protectionist behavior."
Earlier this month Betfair, which launched 12 years ago and operates an exchange system that allows gamblers to bet against each other rather than the bookmaker, withdrew its online sports betting exchange in Germany because of a tax levied on stakes on sports events from July 2012.
The European Commission last month said it was not proposing EU-wide legislation to regulate online gambling.
Prior to Betfair's decision to withdraw from the market, it had been expected to generate 13 million pounds ($20.81 million) of revenue from the Greek market in the current financial year.
NEW YORK -- Two years before the playoffs start in college football, the Southeastern Conference is staging a semifinal to determine who plays Notre Dame in the BCS title game.
Alabama (.9236) was second and Georgia (.8911) third in the BCS standings released Sunday. The Crimson Tide and Bulldogs play Saturday in Atlanta for the SEC championship.
The winner will advance to the national championship game in Miami on Jan. 7 against the Fighting Irish (.9979), who locked up their spot Saturday with a 22-13 victory against Southern California.
"If you think about what the game means, this that and the other, it doesn't really help you win the game," Georgia coach Mark Richt said. "The only thing that helps you win the game is preparation and getting your mind ready to go to battle. That's what you've got to do."
Florida (.8882) is fourth in the standings, but with no games left, looks stuck behind their SEC rivals. The good news for the Gators is they are likely to get an at-large BCS bid to the Sugar Bowl, while the SEC runner-up is out of the big games all together.
"For either one of these teams, it's not really a great scenario," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
One way or another, the SEC will get a shot at its seventh straight BCS championship.
The Bowl Championship Series is in its second-to-last season. It will be replaced by a four-team playoff in 2014.
While the race for the BCS title game is now fairly straight forward heading into championship weekend in college football, there's some intrigue to watch for involving potential BCS busters.
Kent State is 17th in the standings and Northern Illinois is 21st. They'll meet in the Mid-American Conference championship game on Friday night in Detroit.
Because it is almost a certainty that the Big East champion ? Louisville and Rutgers will determine who that is on Thursday night in New Jersey ? will be ranked behind the MAC champion in the final BCS standings, if either Kent State or NIU can get into the top 16, they would receive an automatic BCS bid. The MAC has never sent a team to the BCS.
Neither Louisville nor Rutgers is in the BCS top 25 this week.
Boise State from the Mountain West is 20th in the standings and also still in the mix for that BCS buster bid if it can jump ahead of the MAC teams and into the first 16. The Broncos play Nevada on Saturday to earn a share of the MW title.
The team that could be hurt most if a BCS buster emerges is Oklahoma. The Sooners are sitting 11th in the standings with a game left against TCU. With another victory, they would seem to be in good shape to get into the BCS even if Kansas State clinches the Big 12 by beating Texas.
But that at-large spot could get gobbled up by a BCS buster.
Other BCS automatic bids will be determined this weekend in the Pac-12, Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conference.
UCLA plays at Stanford in the Pac-12 title game with the winner going to the Rose Bowl.
Wisconsin and Nebraska will play for the Big Ten's Rose Bowl berth.
Florida State and Georgia Tech play for the ACC title and a spot in the Orange Bowl.
Oregon is fifth in the latest standings, and like Florida, done with its regular season and in good shape to receive an at-large BCS bid.
A quality small business accountant, and/or small business accounting software, is vital for any small business to succeed. ?As a small business, our team has found that Quickbooks, the industry standard small business accounting software, has not evolved with many of the needs required of today?s small businesses. ?While creating invoices, expense reports, statements, and balancing of books is still necessary for small businesses, there are features today which can help make all of this easier, in the end saving you valuable time. ?With the advancements in cloud technology, there is now small business accounting software available which will not only balance your books, but also include several other features which are common in today?s small business world. ?Here are just a few:
Allows for Team Time-Tracking and Converting Those Hours into an Invoice
There are several great project management tools available which allow for time-tracking which are reasonably priced for small businesses. ?Programs like Basecamp allow small business teams to collaborate online with clients, as well as allowing employees to track all hours for internal use only. ?Our company has been using Basecamp for years, which is why we were excited to learn that Freshbooks easily integrates with Basecamp. ?This allows us to utilize this amazing project management system which now seamlessly integrates with our small businesses accounting software.
Import & Categorize?Expenses?Easily
Expense reports suck and take up valuable time. ?This is always one of those tasks that continues to end up at the bottom of the do list month after month. ?I haven?t heard many small business owners say they enjoy dealing with expenses and balancing books. ?For the first time though, I can honestly say it really wasn?t that painful. ?Importing expenses from a CSV was extremely easy, and additionally automatically categorized many of the common expenses into exactly where I wanted it to go.
Accept Payments Online
Lets face it, even if you aren?t providing online services like My Media Magnet, a ton of small business these days in happening on the web. ?It?s far more?convenient?for many people to simply go online and pay a bill, and have your small business accounting software automatically track the payment rather than having the client writing a check and dropping it in the mail. ?Keep in mind that there will be roughly a 3% fee on most online payment solutions. ?Our team has found that this fee is easily worth the added benefits which is provided to our clients through this small business accounting software. ?
Online Small Business Accounting Software ? Accounting from Anywhere
Unlike Quickbooks, Freshbooks is an online cloud accounting software. ?This means that no matter which computer you are on, you can log in and take care of some basic, or major accounting. ?Most people will end up setting up Quickbooks on their primary computer in their office. ?For many small business owners however, much of the day can already be spent in the office, and working hours are working hours. ?Being able to take your work to a new environment can be a luxury which many small business owners are not aware of. ?If that?s not enough, you will no longer have to worry about having your accountant use LogMeIn in order to help with end of year accounting when you can simply provide them a username and password to the online account.
In the end, even if you don?t choose to use Freshbooks?as your small business accounting software, keep in mind that there are lots of new great pieces of cloud accounting software which can provide many small business owners many advantages over the traditional, ?industry standard? options. ?Make sure to do a quick search and find a program which is suited for your companies individual needs. ?You are bound to find an accounting software tailored for your company.
About Troy Jaggard
Troy found his love for web design in Calgary when he was accepted into Dev Studios. Now called Pixel Blue College, Troy excelled while receiving a diploma in Design and Motion Graphics. Since then he has grown passionate towards search engine optimization in order to generate leads for many clients through SEO services. After all, what good is a website that nobody visits. Troy is experienced in developing websites and is always staying on top of the newest WordPress themes, plugins and social media trends. Find Troy on Google+!
Just to make all you Albertans and Northerners jealous, we still have lovely fall weather in the Okanagan.
True, we had a brief 2 or 3 day stint of snow 2 weeks ago, but mostly it?s been just pleasant wool coats and gumboots weather. We really can?t complain. The two pictures are with?Sugar and Spice?s?neighbour L, who is now in Kindergarten and walking to school with the girls most days.
On another autumn note ? the girls are off to Fall Sparks Camp BY THEMSELVES this weekend?- the first overnight away from family. Kinda a big deal. We told the leader if they freak out to call us and we?ll pick them up. Not that we want to, of course? we have a big date planned! But I guess that?s one adoption-related thing? we don?t want them ever to feel abandoned anywhere. Very traumatic. So if we have to drive out in the middle of the night, we will. But let?s hope pyjama parties, sweets, friends, sleeping bags and all other manner of 6 year old delights will keep them busy the whole night through!
I have a not-as-delightful day of marking planned ? got to get everything done ahead of time to be able to go to Costa Rica!! Jason is going off to a finance seminar all day (his new hobby. Let?s hope it is fruitful and he doesn?t lose it all day trading or something horrendous.) But in the evening we are going out to a proper dinner and movie. Hmmm? maybe I will dress up!
The mortgage interest deduction ? considered by many to be the sacred cow of tax breaks ? has joined the list of possible items on the chopping block in the growing debate between President Obama and Congress about the so-called ?fiscal cliff.? 
Title:?? Associate
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Public release date: 28-Nov-2012
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