CDC: 24 E. coli illnesses linked to frozen foods

NEW YORK (AP) ? Health officials say at least 24 people have become sick from an outbreak of E. coli infections linked to frozen snack foods marketed to children.

No one has died, but eight people, mostly kids or teens, were hospitalized.

An investigation detected E. coli in an open package of Farm Rich brand frozen chicken quesadillas at an ill person's home.

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported illnesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The Buffalo, N.Y.-based Rich Products Corp. has recalled quesadillas, mozzarella bites and other frozen products made in November.

___

Online:

CDC report: http://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2013/O121-03-13/index.html

Company: http://www.farmrich.com/

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/bbd825583c8542898e6fa7d440b9febc/Article_2013-03-29-US-Farm-Rich-Recall/id-e4786ab359874f5481eee4386dbec3f8

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Restoring Standards With Teachers Who Offer More Than Their ...

The movie "Freedom Writers" clearly depicted the story of a teacher that every parent would definitely want for his or her child. Erin Gruwell, the protagonist, is a freshman and sophomore English teacher at Woodrow Wilson Classical High School who didn't give up on her students when everybody - including the school administrators, other members of the faculty, and even their families - had already given up on them. Erin Gruwell didn't tire in promoting strong values to help her students learn their real value not only as learners but also as members of society. Her methods of teaching were considered unorthodox but she excitedly explored a vast range of teaching principles to make sure that her students fully understood the lessons she was teaching and their applications in life.

But not all teachers are like Erin Gruwell. These days, school teaching jobs are often merely income opportunities - which they are - and rarely can one find teachers today who are completely passionate about what they do that they are willing to offer their services beyond the classroom for no additional pay. Teachers don't get paid extra for staying with their students who need to linger in school because of home issues, nor are they compensated for all their extra efforts in being the responsible authority figures students can turn to in times of trouble.

In a special essay written about teachers, a student described her favourite teacher as her source of comfort, inspiration, number-one encourager and an angel sent from above. The student shared how much she enjoyed going to school and learning new things but mainly she focused on the other contributions of the teacher beyond the lessons in class. This only proves that a teacher's vast knowledge about the subject she teaches is truly not all there is to the profession.

Parents send their children to school so they would have an edge in life and realise their fullest potential with the guidance of good role models. Hence, it's really sad to hear news about teachers (with stellar academic credentials) behaving poorly, even getting their students involved in their messed-up lives, not standing up for what is right, and really altering the important values that are the very foundation of morality.

With all the distractions that children nowadays deal with, and all the threats to their safety, the need for fully effective teachers (who are not only intelligent and possessed of great teaching skills but are also morally strong) is greater than ever. But such teachers are rare species in today's schools -- hence, the growing number of home-schoolers. It's high time that schools elevate their standards in selecting teaching professionals; make sure that teachers are not only smart but could really serve as good role models to the children. This is the only way to move forward in this challenging world, the only way to restore the faith of parents in the system.

School teaching jobs from SanzaTeaching.com can help institutions and parents gain confidence in their students and children. With this, kids can attain knowledge that can help them create a better and more productive future. To find out more, click here.

Source: http://articles.submityourarticle.com/restoring-standards-with-teachers-who-offer-more-than-their-knowledge-for-their-school-teaching-jobs-322713

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11 key moments from the argument over the Defense of Marriage Act

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg discusses federal benefits at Wednesday's Supreme Court hearing as they relate to the Defense of Marriage Act.

By Erin McClam, Staff Writer, NBC News

The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared highly skeptical of the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that blocks federal recognition of gay marriages, according to courtroom observers.

Here are 11 key moments from the arguments, which followed Tuesday's session on California's ban on same-sex marriage. The two cases could reshape the legal status of hundreds of thousands of gay couples.

----

1. Early in the proceedings, Vicki Jackson, a law professor appointed by the court to argue that it does not have the jurisdiction to decide the constitutionality of DOMA, makes the heart of her case:

Jackson: "While it is natural to want to reach the merits of such a significant issue, as in Raines v. Byrd, this natural urge must be put aside because, however important the constitutional question, Article III prevents its decision here and requires this Court to await another case, another day, to decide the question."

----

2. Chief Justice John Roberts strongly takes issue with the Obama administration?s decision to continue enforcing DOMA while believing that it is unconstitutional -- and appears to question the courage of the president:

Roberts: "And if he has made a determination that executing the law by enforcing the terms is unconstitutional, I don't see why he doesn't have the courage of his convictions and execute not only the statute, but do it consistent with his view of the Constitution, rather than saying, oh, we'll wait till the Supreme Court tells us we have no choice."

----

3. Justice Elena Kagan speaks of $300,000, an apparent reference to the $363,000 that Edith Windsor claims she had to pay in federal taxes on her late wife?s estate because of DOMA. She's addressing the issue of whether Windsor meets the legal standard of injury.

Kagan: "But, Ms. Jackson, I mean, to go back to Justice Kennedy's point, we have injury here in the most classic, most concrete sense. There's $300,000 that's going to come out of the government's treasury if this decision is upheld, and it won't if it isn't. Now, the Government is willing to pay that $300,000, would be happy to pay that $300,000, but whether the Government is happy or sad to pay that $300,000, the government is still paying the $300,000, which in the usual set of circumstances is the classic Article III injury."

----

4. Roberts again takes issue with the administration?s decision to enforce DOMA while opposing it on constitutional grounds. He is addressing Deputy Solicitor General Sri Srinivasan, arguing for the administration:

Roberts: "So this is totally unprecedented. You're asking us to do something we have never done before to reach the issue in this case."

Srinivasan: "Let me say two things about that if I might, Your Honor. First is that it's -- it's unusual, but that's not at all surprising, because the -- "

Roberts: "No, it's not just -- it's not unusual. It's totally unprecedented."

----

5. Later, as Roberts and Srinivasan continue to argue about the administration's enforcement of DOMA, Justice Antonin Scalia joins the fray:

Srinivasan: "But -- but my point is simply that when the president makes a determination that a statute is unconstitutional, it can follow that the Department of Justice won't defend it in litigation."

Roberts: "Sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. What is the test for when you think your obligation to take care that the laws be faithfully executed means you'll follow your view about whether it's constitutional or not or you won't follow your view?"

Srinivasan: "Mr. Chief Justice, I'd hesitate to give you a black-and-white algorithm. There are -- there are several considerations that would factor into it. One of the considerations --"

Scalia: "Excuse me. It's not your view. It's the president's. It's only when the president thinks it's unconstitutional that you can decline to defend it? Or what if the attorney general thinks it's unconstitutional?"

Srinivasan: "No, no. Of course -- "

Scalia: "Or the solicitor general, is that enough?"

Srinivasan: "28 U.S.C. 530(d) presupposes -- Congress presupposes that there are going to be occasions in which a statute is -- is not defended because of a conclusion by the attorney general that it's unconstitutional."

Scalia: "Oh, it can be either the attorney general or the solicitor ceneral?"

Srinivasan: "It could be, but this is a situation in which the president made the determination."

----

6. Paul Clement, defending the law on behalf of House Republicans, returns to the point about the administration?s enforcement of the law, and suggests that the move is undermining Congress:

Clement: "But what I would say is I just -- I would continue to resist the premise, which is that the House's prerogatives aren't at stake here. The House's single most important prerogative, which is to pass legislation and have that legislation, if it's going to be repealed, only be repealed through a process where the House gets to fully participate."

----

7. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg cites some of the federal benefits denied to gay couples under DOMA:

Ginsburg: "Mr. Clement, the problem is if we are totally for the states' decision that there is a marriage between two people, for the federal government then to come in to say no joint return, no marital deduction, no Social Security benefits; your spouse is very sick but you can't get leave; people -- if that set of attributes, one might well ask, what kind of marriage is this?"

Clement: "And I think the answer to that, Justice Ginsburg, would be to say that that is a marriage under state law, and I think this court's cases when it talks about the fundamental right to marriage, I take it to be talking about the state law status of marriage; and the question of what does that mean for purposes of federal law has always been understood to be a different matter."

----

8. Justice Samuel Alito questions the intent of certain benefits provided by the federal government -- challenging the pro-DOMA side:

Alito: "Suppose we look just at the estate tax provision that's at issue in this case, which provides specially favorable treatment to a married couple as opposed to any other individual or economic unit. What was the purpose of that? Was the purpose of that really to foster traditional marriage, or was Congress just looking for a convenient category to capture households that function as a unified economic unit?"

Clement: "Well, I think for these purposes actually, Justice Alito, if you go back to the beginning of the estate tax deduction, what Congress was trying to do was trying to provide uniform treatment of taxpayers across jurisdictions, and if you look at the brief that Senator Hatch and some other senators filed, they discussed this history, because what was happening in 1948 when this provision was initially put into federal law was you had community property states and common law states, and actually there was much more favorable tax treatment if you were in a community law state than a common law state."

----

9. Justice Anthony Kennedy suggests that the federal government should leave questions of marriage to the states. Ginsburg says the benefits at the heart of the argument over DOMA have a wide scope -- with an analogy to a dairy product. And Kagan questions the motives of Congress when it passed DOMA:

Kennedy: "We're helping the states do -- if they do what we want them to, which is -- which is not consistent with the historic commitment of marriage and -- and of questions of -- of the rights of children to the state."

Clement: "With respect, Justice Kennedy, that's not right. No state loses any benefits by recognizing same-sex marriage. Things stay the same. What they don't do is they don't sort of open up an additional class of beneficiaries under their state law for -- that get additional Federal benefits. But things stay the same. And that's why in this sense -- "

Ginsburg: "They're not -- they're not a question of additional benefits. I mean, they touch every aspect of life. Your partner is sick. Social Security. I mean, it's pervasive. It's not as though, well, there's this little Federal sphere and it's only a tax question. It's -- it's -- as Justice Kennedy said, 1,100 statutes, and it affects every area of life. And so he was really diminishing what the state has said is marriage. You're saying, no, state said two kinds of marriage; the full marriage, and then this sort of skim milk marriage."

(Laughter.)

Clement: "With respect, Justice Ginsburg, that's not what the federal government is saying. The federal government is saying that within its own realm in federal policies, where we assume that the federal government has the authority to define the terms that appear in their own statute, that in those areas, they are going to have their own definition. And that's -- "

Kagan: "Mr. Clement, for the most part and historically, the only uniformity that the federal government has pursued is that it's uniformly recognized the marriages that are recognized by the state. So, this was a real difference in the uniformity that the federal government was pursuing. And it suggests that maybe something -- maybe Congress had something different in mind than uniformity. So we have a whole series of cases which suggest the following: Which suggest that when Congress targets a group that is not everybody's favorite group in the world, that we look at those cases with some -- even if they're not suspect -- with some rigor to say, do we really think that Congress was doing this for uniformity reasons, or do we think that Congress's judgment was infected by dislike, by fear, by animus, and so forth? I guess the question that this statute raises, this statute that does something that's really never been done before, is whether that sends up a pretty good red flag that that's what was going on."

----

10. Later, Kagan presses Clement directly on the intent of Congress.

Clement: "Up until 1996, it essentially has it both ways: Every state has the traditional definition. Congress knows that's the definition that's embedded in every federal law. So that's fine. We can defer. OK. 1996 -- "

Kagan: "Well, is what happened in 1996 -- and I'm going to quote from the House report here -- is that "Congress decided to reflect an honor of collective moral judgment and to express moral disapproval of homosexuality." Is that what happened in 1996?"

Clement: "Does the House report say that? Of course, the House Report says that. And if that's enough to invalidate the statute, then you should invalidate the statute. But that has never been your approach, especially under rational basis or even rational basis-plus, if that is what you are suggesting."

----

11. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli, also representing the administration, lays out his case against DOMA, and the chief justice poses a hypothetical. Section 3 is a reference to part of the law that says that marriage shall be considered a legal union between one man and one woman:

Verrilli: "The equal protection analysis in this case should focus on two fundamental points: First, what does Section 3 do; and second, to whom does Section 3 do it? What Section 3 does is exclude from an array of federal benefits lawfully married couples. That means that the spouse of a soldier killed in the line of duty cannot receive the dignity and solace of an official notification of next of kin."

Roberts: "Suppose your -- you agree that Congress could go the other way, right? Congress could pass a new law today that says, We will give federal benefits. When we say 'marriage' in federal law, we mean committed same-sex couples as well, and that could apply across the board. Or do you think that they couldn't do that?"

Verrilli: "We think that wouldn't raise an equal protection problem like this statute does, Mr. Chief Justice."

Source: http://feeds.nbcnews.com/c/35002/f/653381/s/2a10b70c/l/0Lusnews0Bnbcnews0N0C0Inews0C20A130C0A30C270C17488910A0E110Ekey0Emoments0Efrom0Ethe0Eargument0Eover0Ethe0Edefense0Eof0Emarriage0Eact0Dlite/story01.htm

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Understanding Foreclosure|Real Estate Investing Strategy | Charles ...

Understanding Foreclosure and all the things involved with the process can be of great benefit to your real estate investing strategy.? This article will explain how the foreclosure process works and how investors are building wealth from them.

What is a foreclosure?? ?The process of taking possession of a mortgaged property as a result of someone?s failure to keep up mortgage payments?, is how it is defined.? So in simple terms a foreclosure is when a person or company buys a piece of property using a lender and fails to make the payments, the lender then takes full possession of the property.

Foreclosures nationally were up 47% in March from a year ago, and up 7% from last month alone, according to RealtyTrac. While foreclosure rates leveled off last year in the second and third quarters, many economists and industry insiders are predicting foreclosures to surge again in coming months.? Any investor that sees those stats understands that those statistics simply means there will continue to be more and more real estate investment opportunities for quite some time.

So as you can see understanding foreclosure process can really increase your wealth and I recommend anyone who is considering investing in real estate to take advantage because there is abundance for us all.

The foreclosure process differs from state to state, but I will give a brief description of the general steps that are taken.? If you?re faced with foreclosure, it?s important that you research your state?s laws and practices, understanding foreclosure will help you to be prepared just in case.

The foreclosure process can begin as early as a single missed payment, but it?s highly? unlikely because most banks and lenders allow a grace period for late payments, usually with a late fee added on and besides they are not wanting to do a foreclosure, in fact that?s the last thing they want to do.

All lenders are different and have different policies so be sure to read over their foreclosure process before signing.? Usually after the second missed payment, you?ll more than likely get a phone call and the lender will request both payments and late fees and will probably refuse any partial payments, this is why understanding foreclosure is so important, because you could lose your house over a few missed payments.

Understanding Foreclosure Should Be Taken Seriously

Things really start to get serious after the third missed payment and the lender will usually begin the foreclosure proceedings one of two ways, either by power of sale (carried out entirely by lender) or judicial sale (process must go through court).? The judicial sale is the more common one so I will give the remaining steps to the process.

(1)? Mortgage lender will file suit with the court system

(2)? You will get a letter from the lender demanding the payment to be made in full, immediately.

(3)? Usually you are given 30 day to respond with full payment to avoid the foreclosure

(4)? If no payment is received, a judgement will be entered and the lender can usually sale the property at sheriff?s auction within a few months

(5)? Once the sheriff gets papers he will serve you an eviction notice and give you short time frame to leave property by deadline and if not the locks will be changed and all of your possessions that remain are forfeited.

(6)? The auction will take place on appointed date, lender will get paid and property will be released to new owner.

Understanding foreclosure is very important to all homeowners who have their house financed by a lender.? That?s the foreclosure process in a nutshell, however I recommend you to do more research for your particular state so that you will be well informed if you ever happen to deal with with this unfortunate situation.

If you are dealing with a foreclosure or would just like to learn more about real estate investing and how you can take advantages of the many opportunities join my free VIP LIST to get free mentoring.

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P.S. Understanding foreclosure can really benefit your real estate investing strategy.

Source: http://www.empowernetwork.com/mrcharls/blog/understanding-foreclosurereal-estate-investing-strategy/

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Services growth suggests Britain might just skirt recession

By William Schomberg and Olesya Dmitracova

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's dominant services industry grew at its strongest pace in five months in January, a small boost to chances the country might narrowly skirt a new recession.

Output in the sector, which accounts for more than three quarters of the economy, rose 0.3 percent in January from December, the Office for National Statistics said on Thursday.

That was its best performance since August although the data can often prove volatile.

Separate surveys showing that house prices posted their first annual rise in more than a year and consumer confidence held steady, albeit a low levels, added to a picture of a slow and delicate recovery.

Jens Larsen, chief European economist at RBC Capital Markets, said the services data suggested zero growth in the economy in the first quarter.

That would mean Britain escapes a recession - as defined by two consecutive quarters of contraction - by the narrowest possible margin.

Other economists thought Britain's economy shrank in the January-March period, an embarrassment for the government which is sticking to its fiscal austerity push.

"Today's data wasn't a disaster, but is it good enough?" said Alan Clarke, economist at Scotiabank. "It's a close call but my feeling is a triple-dip recession is more likely than not."

Weak as it is, Britain's economy is not as fragile as some in Europe, according to forecasts from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development released on Thursday. They showed Britain was set to outperform France and Italy, but not Germany, in the first two quarters of 2013.

SERVICES FIRM, FACTORIES STRUGGLE

Thursday's services data feeds into the ONS's calculation of gross domestic product. A first reading of GDP in the January-March period is due to be released on April 25.

On a year-on-year basis, services output was up 0.8 percent, the ONS said.

A separate Purchasing Managers' Index survey of Britain's services industry released earlier this month also showed the sector holding up.

Its performance contrasts with a weaker picture in manufacturing. Official data showed earlier that manufacturing output fell in January at the fastest pace since June.

Helping services in January was activity in the transport, storage and communications sector as well as in business services and finance. Cold weather and snowfall in the month held back trade at some smaller retailers and at pubs and bars.

Another long spell of cold weather in March could prove the factor that pushes Britain's economy into a new recession.

In the three months to the end of January, services output was down 0.2 percent compared with the three months to the end of October when the London Olympics boosted the economy.

Separately, the ONS reported that productivity across all sectors of the economy, as measured by output per hour, fell 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter compared with the third quarter.

That was the sixth successive decline in British productivity by that measure. Britain has seen rising employment but falling output per worker, which many economists say could reflect companies' desire to keep employees on their books while offering them lower wage growth, rather than firing them.

But some say the productivity numbers might be a sign of something more worrying.

"There is a growing focus on 'zombie' companies that are essentially being kept alive by low interest rates and banks' reluctance to write off loans," said Howard Archer at IHS Global Insight, adding that would prevent new firms from succeeding.

Unit wage costs rose 0.5 percent in the October-December period compared with the previous three months.

(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-services-output-rises-january-easing-recession-fears-093418366--business.html

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Broncos, Welker agree to 2-year deal

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2012, file photo, New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83) returns a punt during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Foxborough, Mass. The Denver Broncos have found a new target for Peyton Manning, agreeing to a two-year deal with Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 10, 2012, file photo, New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker (83) returns a punt during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Foxborough, Mass. The Denver Broncos have found a new target for Peyton Manning, agreeing to a two-year deal with Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2013, file photo, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) talks to wide receiver Wes Welker (83) before the NFL football AFC Championship football game against the Baltimore Ravens in Foxborough, Mass. The Denver Broncos have found a new target for Peyton Manning, agreeing to a two-year deal with Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) ? Wes Welker is saying so long to Tom Brady and hello to Peyton Manning.

After spending six years with Brady in New England, the Pro Bowl receiver agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal Wednesday to team up with Manning in Denver.

The Welker signing was the highlight of a big day for the Broncos, who once again made a major splash in free agency. Welker will hold an introductory news conference on Thursday afternoon.

Denver also came to terms on a two-year deal with defensive tackle Terrance Knighton, formerly of Jacksonville, and a one-year contract with linebacker Stewart Bradley, who played with the Cardinals the past two seasons. Later in the evening, the team added cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with a one-year deal.

Last year, the Broncos won the high-stakes contest to sign Manning, prompting Broncos boss John Elway to quip, "Plan B? I don't have a Plan B. We're going with Plan A."

Coming off a 13-3 season during which the Broncos looked like a Super Bowl contender before losing to Baltimore in the division round of the playoffs, Elway is clearly on the same path this time.

He picked up the league's most productive receiver to play in the slot where Brandon Stokley was last season. Welker's five 100-catch seasons are the most in the NFL. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of his past five seasons and was an All-Pro four of the past five years.

"When you look at Wes in the middle of the field, you can't cover him," Elway said. "He does such a tremendous job of getting open, finding seams in zones, beating man-to-man coverage. So, he'll be a huge asset for us inside."

Welker caught 118 passes for 1,354 yards and scored six touchdowns last year, helping the Pats go 12-4 and make the AFC title game before they also fell to Baltimore. He developed quite a rapport with Brady during his six seasons with the Patriots.

The Broncos are banking the same kind of relationship can blossom between their 37-year-old future Hall of Fame quarterback and his newest target, Welker, who is 31.

That the Broncos are signing a top player away from New England certainly didn't hurt, either.

"Anytime you can take a player from a team you have to compete against, it helps, especially the caliber of Wes Welker," Elway said. "New England is there year in and year out and that's a team we have to beat to get where we want to get."

Although the deal with Welker received a bulk of the attention, the Rodgers-Cromartie, Bradley and Knighton deals could also influence Denver's starting lineups.

Rodgers-Cromartie played for Philadelphia last season and had three interceptions. He very well could line up opposite of perennial Pro Bowl Champ Bailey next season.

Bradley played last season for Arizona, where he didn't fit in with the team's 3-4 scheme. His best season came in Philadelphia in 2008, when he had 108 tackles. He will compete with Nate Irving and Steven Johnson for Denver's starting middle linebacker spot.

"Obviously, the standards on both sides of the ball are high here," said Bradley, who found out he was cut from the Cardinals while on his way home from his honeymoon. "I think it's a great combination when you can have a stout, strong defense on a team with a prolific offense."

One that's only bolstered by the presence of Welker.

"The Welker deal is a big deal. He's a great player and just another weapon on an already scary offense," Bradley said. "He's definitely a dangerous player because you think he's covered and you throw the ball to him, he's going to catch it. He's so versatile in the slot. He's a durable guy. He has been as productive of a guy as there is in the NFL in the past five or six years.

"I think he'll be a great addition to the team."

Knighton couldn't agree more.

"Wes Welker, (Eric) Decker, Peyton Manning, (Demaryius) Thomas ? that will be hard to deal with for any defense in the league," Knighton said. "There are a few teams in the league that you could say actually have a chance of playing in the Super Bowl and this is definitely one of those places."

Knighton was a third-round pick of Jacksonville in 2009, when Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was there. His signing, along with Tuesday's resigning of Kevin Vickerson, gives the Broncos 600-plus pounds of defensive linemen to plug holes in the middle.

"Jack used the word 'stout.' He needs stout," Vickerson said. "He wants us to be stout. Stout in the inside. No movement."

Knighton, whose nickname is "Pot Roast," can definitely help in that area.

Just to be clear, though, he signed at the same time as Welker.

"I'm pretty sure his news is bigger than mine," Knighton said, laughing. "I'm just excited about the addition and just ready to get things started."

The loss of Welker caught some in the Boston area a little bit by surprise.

"Say it ain't so, Wes!" Celtics coach Doc Rivers said before their game against Toronto. "He was fun to watch."

To open free agency on Tuesday, the Broncos solidified the offensive line by bringing in guard Louis Vasquez on a four-year contract worth $23.4 million, with $13 million of that guaranteed.

___

AP National Writer Eddie Pells in Denver and AP freelance writer Ken Powtak in Boston contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2013-03-13-FBN-Broncos-Welker/id-3d17b759282e49a4bcf33fa4a3c44190

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Hard to find good info on drug safety in pregnancy

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Nearly every woman takes a medication at some point during pregnancy. Yet there's disturbingly little easy-to-understand information about which drugs pose a risk to her baby, and what to do about it.

Need some pain relief? In the fine print is the warning that painkillers like Advil aren't for the third trimester. Left unsaid is whether to worry if you took them earlier.

An awful cold? Don't panic if you used decongestant pills, but doctors advise a nasal spray in early pregnancy.

And don't abandon antidepressants or epilepsy medicines without talking to your doctor first. Some brands are safer during pregnancy than others ? and worsening depression or seizures aren't good for a mom-to-be or her baby.

"To come off of those medications is often a dangerous thing for the pregnancy itself," warns Dr. Sandra Kweder of the Food and Drug Administration. "They need information on what to expect, how to make those trade-offs."

A new study shows how difficult that information is to come by.

Women often turn to the Internet with pregnancy questions. But researchers examined 25 pregnancy-related websites and found no two lists of purportedly safe drugs were identical. Twenty-two products called safe on one site were deemed risky on another.

Worse, specialists couldn't find evidence to back up safety claims for 40 percent of the drugs listed, said Cheryl Broussard of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who led the recent study.

"The reality is that for most of the medications, it's not that they're safe or not that's the concern. The concern is that we just don't know," she said.

Broussard experienced some of that confusion during her own two pregnancies ? when different doctors handed over different lists of what was safe to use.

It's a growing dilemma. The CDC says medication use during the first trimester ? especially vulnerable for birth defects because fetal organs are forming ? has jumped 60 percent in the last three decades. Plus, women increasingly are postponing pregnancy until their 30s, even 40s, more time to develop a chronic health condition before they're expecting.

The CDC is beginning a Treating for Two program to explore how to get better information, and the FDA plans to revamp prescription drug labels with more details on what's known now. But people want an easy answer ? use it or don't ? and for many drugs, they won't get one anytime soon.

"Women agonize over it," said Dr. Christina Chambers of the University of California, San Diego. She helps direct California's pregnancy risk information hotline that advises thousands of worried callers every year.

Some drugs pose particular birth-defect risks. For example, the FDA requires versions of the acne drug isotretinoin, first marketed as Accutane, to be sold under special tight controls. Similarly, last year FDA said women who want to use a new weight-loss drug, Qsymia, need testing first to be sure they're not pregnant.

Other medications are considered safe choices. Obstetricians say pregnant women need a flu shot, for example. A recent massive study in Denmark offered reassurance that taking the anti-nausea drug Zofran for morning sickness won't hurt the baby.

But many drug labels bear little if any details about pregnancy. Drugmakers shy from studying pregnant women, so it can take years for safety information to accumulate. Moreover, the CDC says 1 in 33 babies has some type of birth defect regardless of medication use. It can be hard to tell if a drug adds to that baseline risk.

Consider antidepressants, used by about 5 percent of pregnant women. Certain brands are suspected of a small risk of heart defects. Studies suggest a version called SSRIs may increase risk of a serious lung problem at birth ? from 1 in 3,000 pregnancies to 3 in 3,000 pregnancies, Chambers said. Also, some babies go through withdrawal symptoms in the first days of life that can range from jitteriness to occasional seizures.

Women have to weigh those findings with the clear risks of stopping treatment, she said.

"The time to be thinking about all this is when you're not pregnant," when your doctor can consider how to balance mom's and baby's health and might switch brands, Chambers said.

That's what heart attack survivor Kelli Tussey of Columbus, Ohio, did. The 34-year-old takes a variety of heart medications, including a cholesterol-lowering statin drug that the government advises against during pregnancy.

So when Tussey wanted a second child, she turned to doctors at Ohio State University who specialize in treating pregnant heart patients. They stopped the statin and switched her to a safer blood thinner.

"They said my heart could take it," Tussey said. Now four months pregnant, "it seems everything's fine."

Sometimes it's a question of timing. That painkiller ibuprofen, sold as Advil and other brands, isn't for the third trimester but isn't a big concern earlier on, said Dr. Siobhan Dolan, an adviser to the March of Dimes.

And women should watch out for over-the-counter drugs with multiple ingredients, like decongestants added to allergy medicines, Dolan said. While any potential risk from decongestant pills seems small, "the question is, 'Do you really need it?'" she asked, advising a nasal spray instead.

Ask your doctor about the safest choices, Dolan said. Also, check the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists, or OTIS ? www.otispregnancy.org ? for consumer-friendly drug fact sheets or hotlines to speak with a specialist.

Stay tuned: The FDA has proposed big changes to drug labels that now just say if animal or human data suggest a risk. Kweder said adding details would help informed decision-making: How certain are those studies? What's the risk of skipping treatment? Is the risk only during a certain trimester?

___

Online:

www.otispregnancy.org

http://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/meds/index.html

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hard-good-drug-safety-pregnancy-165904362.html

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Florida man fired after standing up for a tree

Chris Brennan stands in front of Florida's largest "rain tree." (YouTube)In February, Chris Brennan posted a video to YouTube in which he decries plans to tear down a gigantic Fort Lauderdale tree to make way for a property development. And now, a month later, Brennan has been fired for speaking out in favor of the prized tree.

As it turns out, Brennan?s former employer rents space from the same international developer who wants to tear down the rain tree (Albizia saman) that is so big, a local ordinance was passed in 1987 to protect it.

After developer Asi Cymbal saw Brennan?s YouTube video he called Brennan?s employer, Water Taxi, and asked owner Bill Walker to ?handle it.?

?I thought it was strange that someone who never met me was so angry, and that he was an employee of the Water Taxi,?? Cymbal told the SunSentinel. "It seemed odd that a project that is so beneficial to our city and the Water Taxi would have a Water Taxi employee that was doing all these things.?

At the beginning of the video, Brennan takes a light tone, describing the tree with details such as, ?It?s a really big tree. It?s like that tree in ?Avatar? that they blew up.? But the part that got him into trouble was when he called out Cymbal by name:

?So, why am I here today talking about the largest ?rain tree? in Florida? Because, there?s an Israeli billionaire named Asi Cymbal who bought all this property in 2011 at a foreclosure sale. Today, he?s in cahoots with a Danish architect who wants to build a great big condominium right on top of this tree.?

?Well guess what, you Danish freak,'' Brennan says at the end of the video.? "This ain't nothing. It's a 100-year-old, six-story-tall tree that the city of Fort Lauderdale promised to protect in 1987. I don't know about you, but in 1987, I was 7 years old, and promises meant something.''

For his part, Cymbal says he plans to move the tree to a nearby location, not destroy it. But Brennan and others say that would be impossible, citing the tree?s 20-foot-plus width at the trunk. In addition, Cymbal says he never asked Brennan?s employer to fire him.

In the comments section on his YouTube page, Brennan has urged supporters of the tree to attend a local city government meeting to protest the planned development:

?If you'd like to help, contact the Fort Lauderdale City Commissioners by or before the 19th of March. Or come to the city meeting on the 19th at 6PM and speak your mind!?

And he?s certainly not alone in his admiration for the record-setting tree. Another local resident, Derrell Thompson, says the tree has become his ?best friend? since he moved to the area.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/standing-tree-gets-one-florida-man-fired-235939924.html

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Ryan says budget deal possible as he readies his own plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Republicans' point person on fiscal issues in Congress said on Sunday that compromise with President Barack Obama is possible on taxes and spending even though his soon-to-be-unveiled budget plan faces certain rejection from Obama's Democrats.

Representative Paul Ryan, the chairman of the House of Representatives Budget Committee, acknowledged that Democrats who control the Senate are likely to defeat his proposal to repeal Obama's signature healthcare law and other elements of his plan to balance the budget within 10 years.

But Ryan, whose ideas on taxes and spending gained national prominence when he was selected as the Republican vice-presidential candidate last year, said Democrats and Republicans might be able to agree on less dramatic steps that would narrow budget deficits in coming years.

"There are things that we can do that don't offend either party's philosophy, that doesn't require someone to surrender their principles, that make a good down payment on getting this debt and deficit under control," Ryan said on "Fox News Sunday."

Ryan had lunch with Obama last week as part of an effort by the president to reach out to Republican lawmakers to resolve a fiscal standoff that has slowed economic growth and generated repeated crises over the past two years.

"This is first time I've ever had a conversation with the president lasting more than, say two minutes, or a televised exchange," Ryan said of their meeting.

"We exchanged very different frank and candid views of one another that were very different. But at least we had this conversation," he said.

Ryan's budget blueprint, due to be unveiled on Tuesday, will open the next front in Washington's fiscal battle over how to tame the growth of the $16.7 trillion federal debt.

It would cut spending by $5 trillion and partially privatize the Medicare health plan for retirees in order to balance the budget in 10 years, he said.

Though the plan is likely to win approval in the Republican-controlled House, it faces steep odds in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Senator Patty Murray is preparing a blueprint that is expected to reduce breaks for wealthy taxpayers and keep safety-net spending largely unchanged.

SIMILAR CUTS, DIFFERENT RESULTS

Ryan's plan to balance the budget in 10 years is a dramatic change from last year's plan, which also envisioned $5 trillion in cuts but would not have balanced the budget until 2040.

Ryan's budget-balancing efforts are helped by the $620 billion in tax increases on the wealthy that Obama won in a January 1 deal to avert the "fiscal cliff."

But further tax increases are out of the question, he said.

"We already had a tax increase. We think it's unfair to ask hardworking taxpayers to pay more so Washington can spend more," he said.

Both Republicans and Democrats want to simplify the tax code to reduce the tax breaks and loopholes that have proliferated since the last comprehensive rewrite in 1986.

But they have contrasting goals: Republicans want to use those savings to lower rates, which they say would boost economic growth. Obama and other Democrats want to put that money towards deficit reduction.

Ryan's budget plan also rests on several other approaches that Democrats have rejected in the past.

It would impose deep cuts on food assistance for the poor and dramatically scale back federal contributions to the Medicaid health program for the poor. It would give retirees an option to stay in the current Medicare health program or use a subsidy to purchase private coverage, an approach that Democrats say would weaken the existing program and force seniors to shoulder more of their own health costs.

Obama is not likely to back those ideas this time around, either, Ryan acknowledged.

"My guess is he won't," Ryan said. "But are there some things we can do short of that that gets you closer to balancing the budget, that delays a debt crisis from hitting this country? Yes, I think there are."

After four straight years of deficits over $1 trillion, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that the fiscal 2013 gap will fall to $845 billion. As the economy improves, deficits will narrow to around $430 billion by 2015, CBO said, but they are projected to rise after that, nearing $1 trillion again by 2023 as the massive "baby boom" generation ages and draws more retirement and health benefits.

(Editing by Eric Walsh)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ryan-says-u-budget-deal-possible-readies-own-153233023--business.html

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Betting site Intrade halts trading over irregularities

By Padraic Halpin and Conor Humphries

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish online betting exchange Intrade, which let customers stake cash on everything from the Papal conclave to the date of the next major terror attack, said it had ceased trading after the discovery of possible financial irregularities.

Intrade, whose users bought or sold shares representing the likelihood of an event occurring, said it had closed and credited all open bets as of the end of business on Sunday to customer accounts.

But members' accounts would be frozen until the company concluded an investigation in the coming weeks, it added.

Intrade's auditors last month expressed concern over payments made to founder John Delaney - who died in 2011 in an attempt to reach the summit of Mount Everest - and other third parties.

In November, the company said it would no longer accept U.S. customers because of what it called legal and regulatory pressures, after which trading volumes on the site dropped sharply.

"Due to circumstances recently discovered we must immediately cease trading activity on www.intrade.com," the company said in a statement on its website on Monday.

"These circumstances ... may include financial irregularities."

Intrade's suspension follows the collapse of financial spread-betting company WorldSpreads Group last year after its directors found a shortfall of around 13 million pounds ($19.4 million) of client money.

Intrade, which was founded in 1999 and according to a staff member employed fewer than half a dozen people at its Dublin headquarters, gave no details of the irregularities and said it had acted in accordance with Irish law.

The firm's operations manager Carl Wolfenden declined to comment further.

In its independent report on the company's 2011 accounts, Intrade's auditor, Dublin-based Caulfield Dunne Accountants, said the company's directors were aware of significant financial irregularities in internal accounts from prior years.

It said the firm had "insufficient documentation regarding payments made into bank accounts in the name of a deceased former director and other third parties."

UNAUTHORISED TRADING

Intrade had just two directors in place at the end of last year, according to the accounts, after three others retired and Delaney died.

The current directors, appointed last year, were not in a position to comment on the maintenance of the records, the auditors added in the report filed last month with regulators.

Ireland's Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, which would be responsible for investigating fraud at the company, declined immediate comment, as did the Department of Justice, which regulates gambling in Ireland.

Intrade, which also offered odds on future financial data such as the level of the Dow Jones share index in 2013 and the likelihood of a U.S. recession before the end of the year, held members' funds of $5.7 million at the end of 2011.

But activity on the site fell sharply from last November, when it dropped its U.S. business after the country's commodities regulator sued the exchange's owner for allowing unauthorized trading by U.S. customers.

Just over 50,000 unique trades had been made so far this year compared to over one million during the whole of 2012, data presented on the company's website said.

A spokesman for the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) said on Monday that it was not aware that there were any other probes into Intrade's business.

(Additional reporting by Maggie Lu Yueyang in Syndey and Douwe Miedema in Washington; Editing by John Stonestreet)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/betting-intrade-halts-trading-over-irregularities-170147220--sector.html

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Behind the Scenes: True Religion?s Fun Kids Campaign

True Religion's new kids collection includes everything from vintage-style message tees and bright bottoms to cozy hoodies and patterned denim.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/FE66p9cxNbA/

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Acquiring The Most Effective Price On Car Insurance Coverage For ...

Purchasing for auto insurance coverage may not be one from the most thrilling items you will ever do. Actually, it may look so boring that it is tempting to make your selection with all the flip of a coin. Study on, although, since the excellent suggestions and guidance within this post can help you in creating an informed option in the greatest coverage for you personally and assist you to save cash.

If you?re having a tough time paying for the auto insurance Texas coverage when it really is due, you should ask the organization for an extension around the due date. Some insurance coverage organizations are prepared to function with their consumers in the course of difficult economic occasions. They might permit you to take an added month to make the payment.

Along with your automobile insurance coverage, it?s important that you simply know what your coverage covers. You?ll find specific policies that only cover specific items. It?s important that you simply realize what your plan covers to ensure that you usually do not get stuck inside a sticky scenario exactly where you get into difficulty.

Be conscious of the amount of insurance coverage your automobile finance organization needs. Most lenders and lessors need ?full coverage,? which implies liability insurance coverage, and complete and collision coverage. You?ll probably must acquire liability insurance coverage with greater coverage limits than these dictated by your state?s minimum insurance coverage laws to satisfy your lender.

If you would like to reduce your month-to-month payment for the lowest that?s legally feasible, raise the deductibles in your automobile insurance coverage. The larger the deductible is set the reduce your premiums are going to become. Verify using the lien holder to become certain that there?s not a minimum that it must be set at.

Minimize the miles you drive, and ensure your auto insurance coverage business knows about it. Most insurance coverage businesses provide a discount for drivers who use their automobile for significantly less than seven thousand five hundred miles a year. What your auto insurer does not know, nevertheless, cannot be applied to get a discount, so make sure you show them your mileage every year.

To obtain essentially the most for the cash when pricing automobile insurance coverage, make sure to contemplate the extras which can be incorporated with some policies. You?ll be able to save on towing expenses with emergency roadside help that?s incorporated by some insurers. Other individuals might supply discounts for excellent drivers or such as greater than one automobile in your policy.

As talked about in the starting of this short article, purchasing for auto insurance coverage could be much more enjoyable when you happen to be ready with details that will enable you to save money and select a policy that fits your wants. Make use of the details you discovered from these useful suggestions to keep your auto insurance coverage buying expertise a optimistic one.

Source: http://2awesomeint.com/acquiring-the-most-effective-price-on-car-insurance-coverage-for-the-entire-family

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Engadget Expand agenda unveiled: Come see the full schedule for our big event!

Over the past couple of months we've been letting you know about the awesome speaker lineup for Expand, our big event that's just around the corner at San Francisco's Fort Mason on March 16th and 17th. Now you can check out the full agenda of sessions and speakers who will be gracing our stage for two days full of in-depth discussions about the frontiers of technology.

From 3D printing to crowdfunding, from robots to space (and undoubtedly some robots in space) and more, you're not going to want to miss the Expand experience. And if you're looking for even more reasons to attend Expand, how about 10 of them? Go on and pick yourself up a full pass for the weekend and get a free six month subscription to Make Magazine to boot.

See you at Expand!

And don't forget...

• We now offer day pass options for folks who can't make it out for the entire weekend
• Join us for Insert Coin winner voting on March 16-17!
• If you're a company that would like to work with us on an exhibition or sponsorship level, please drop us a line at sponsors at engadget dot com (DIYers and small startups, please ask us about our Indie Corner option!)
• If you're a member of the media interested in covering Expand, please contact engadget at shiftcomm.com for more information.

Filed under: Announcements, Meta

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/Eti26SNZT6M/

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Forbes: Slim world's richest for 4th year in a row

NEW YORK (AP) ? Mexico's Carlos Slim remains the world's richest man for the fourth year in a row, according to Forbes, while Warren Buffett dropped out of the top three for the first time since 2000.

And Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg saw his ranking drop 31 spots as his net worth declined by $4.2 billion.

A record 1,426 people around the world made Forbes magazine's latest annual tally of billionaires, up 16 percent from last year. Their average net worth was $3.8 billion, rising 3 percent from 2012. The total net worth for the list's billionaires was $5.4 trillion compared with $4.6 trillion a year ago.

The U.S. continued to house the most billionaires in the world, with 442 of them. It was followed by the Asia-Pacific region, with Europe rounding out the top three.

There were 210 new faces on the list, with Forbes saying many were helped by rebounding equity markets and strong consumer brands.

Slim's net worth increased to $73 billion from $69 billion a year earlier. Bill Gates of Microsoft Corp. held on to second place with a net worth of $67 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s Buffett slipped to the fourth spot with a $53.5 billion net worth. Buffett was surpassed by Spanish clothier Amancio Ortega, who jumped two spots from 2012 with a net worth of $57 billion.

While Buffett dropped in the rankings, he added $9.5 billion to his net worth ? making him the second-biggest gainer of the year. The largest gainer was Ortega, who added $19.5 billion to his net worth.

There were 138 women on the list, up from 2012's 104. Liliane Bettencourt ? whose family owns a stake in L'Oreal ? is the world's richest woman with a net worth of $30 billion.

Brazil's Eike Batista had the biggest drop in his net worth, with it declining $19.4 billion from the previous year. Facebook's Zuckerberg saw his net worth fall to $13.3 billion from $17.5 billion. His ranking fell to No. 66 from No. 35 in 2012.

There were 60 people that dropped off the list entirely, including Zynga's Mark Pincus and former Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-04-Forbes-Billionaires/id-f8458bfa091e4ae8823495b18481d6d0

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Jack the Giant Slayer Wins Box Office, Fails to Slay

Source:

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Video: Labrador: White House wants to make Republicans ?feel the pain? in their districts

A Second Take on Meeting the Press: From an up-close look at Rachel Maddow's sneakers to an in-depth look at Jon Krakauer's latest book ? it's all fair game in our "Meet the Press: Take Two" web extra. Log on Sundays to see David Gregory's post-show conversations with leading newsmakers, authors and roundtable guests. Videos are available on-demand by 12 p.m. ET on Sundays.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032608/vp/51025021#51025021

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