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LAS CRUCES, N.M. (May 7)-New Mexico State swimming and diving head coach Rick Pratt has signed Jona Helena Bjarnadottir, Mariah Morrell, Chelsey Reber, Audrey Ruiz and Cassandra Rupp to National Letters of Intent to join the Aggies in 2012-13.
The four swimmers and a diver join fall signees Nicole Brennecke, Moranda Madero, Emily Nightingale, Lauren Reifel and MacKenzie Soper in the Class of 2012.
"With those already committed in the fall, this will be a very large freshman class and one that is going to bring a lot of excitement to the deck," Pratt said. "With a full complement of divers and so many diverse swimmers, it is going to be a fun season. They are all great ladies, hard workers and are going to mold well into our already strong team culture."
Bjarnadottir joins the Aggies from Keflavik, Iceland, where she swims under head coach Anthony Kattan with the Sports Institute of Reykjanesbaer. She competes in the individual medley and distance free events. Last spring, Bjarnadottir was part of the Icelandic National team, which competed in the Small Nations Games. Her best times include 2:06.3 in the 200 IM, 4:23.9 in the 400 IM and 5:02.1 in the 500 free (converted from SCM).
"Jona came to us late in the process but after getting to know her, I am excited we found her and excited to have her here," Pratt said. "She is a little older than the average freshman as the typical high school student in Iceland graduates when they are 20. I think her maturity will help her adapt to life in the U.S. She is a tough swimmer and has great kick and form. She has much potential and is a very diverse swimmer, which will help us in the line-up in many ways."
Morrell, an Albuquerque, N.M. native, is a backstroke and butterfly specialist, who could also compete in the distance free events. Morrell's personal-best times include 56.4 in the 100 back, 2:00.4 in the 200 back and 57.8 in the 100 fly.
"Mariah visited NM State in the fall, and we are thrilled to have her stay in-state and attend NM State," he said. "She is probably the fastest in-state swimmer to attend NM State and is going to make an immediate impact. Mariah swims for Gordy Westerberg with the Vipers of Albuquerque Swim Team and has been set up for training at the highest level. She is a hard worker and someone who will bring another level of intensity to practices."
Reber arrives in Las Cruces from Ft. Wayne, Ind. and swims for coach Chad Englehart with SWAC. She competes in the sprint free and backstroke events. Reber's best times are 24.2 in the 50 free, 53.2 in the 100 free and 58.3 in the 100 back.
"At six feet tall, Chelsey is an impressive athlete with a lot of room for improvement," Pratt said. "She is a great person and student and is going to contribute on many levels to our program. She will help us a lot in the sprint freestyle events and will add depth in the backstroke as well. She has the potential and drive to compete at the highest level, and I am thrilled she has chosen NM State."
Ruiz, a diver, joins the Aggies from Lubbock, Texas. She has been diving for six years with the Lubbock Dive Club under coach Penny Dipomazio. She has competed in USA Diving Junior and Senior level meets and AAU National meets during her time with the club team. Ruiz concluded her high school career at Coronado High School and placed 11th on the 1-meter springboard at the Texas 5A Championships.
"I am excited to work with Audrey as she has a great personality and great work ethic," diving coach Molly Parker said. "Her experience with competing at the regional and national levels will help her succeed within the WAC. I believe Audrey has great potential to be a highly successful college diver. I expect her to learn some new dives throughout her freshman season, and I am excited to see her flourish within our program."
Rupp joins the Crimson and White from San Antonio, Texas. She swims for Alamo Area Aquatics with head coach Bill Thomas and specializes in the backstroke and IM events with the possibility of competing in the freestyle. Rupp's personal-best times are 58.7 in the 100 back, 2:06.1 in the 200 back and 2:08.1 in the 200 IM.
"Cassandra is going to make a huge impact on many levels for us and has the character to not only swim real fast, but will be a great teammate and student at NM State," Pratt said. "Cassandra is a great person and the kind of student-athlete that we love to have here."
The five spring signees join Soper, a Shawano, Wisc., native, who swims for Paul Villez with the Shawano Community Swim Club and specializes in the distance free and backstroke events. Soper's best times are 10:20.06 in the 1,000 free, 58.63 in the 100 back and 2:05.09 in the 200 back.
Hometown product, Madero joins the Aggies in the fall. The Las Cruces High School student has personal-best times of 1:54.06 in the 200 free, 5:09.11 in the 500 free and 58.21 in the 100 fly.
The Aggies have a pair of swimmers from Allen, Texas. Brennecke and Nightingale swim for coach Brent Mitchell with Metroplex Aquatics. Brennecke specializes in the distance freestyle events.
Brennecke's best times are 1:52.80 in the 200 free and 4:59.22 in the 500 free. Nightingale is a versatile swimmer with personal-best times of 4:55.53 in the 500 free and 4:26.81 in the 400 IM.
Reifel is a diver from Fortville, Ind., and she competes for the Starz Diving Club under coach Kevin Rockhill. She has been diving for three years after competing as a level 10 Elite Gymnast. Reifel qualified and competed on the platform at the USA Diving Age Group National Championships in summer 2011.


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The Giant Mechanical Man 2012 LIMITED 720p BluRay X264-7SinS
Scene group 7SinS released the HDRip of The Giant Mechanical Man, An offbeat romantic comedy about a silver-painted street performer and the soft spoken zoo worker who falls for him.
Plot: Janice (Jenna Fischer) is down on her luck. Out of work and living with her well-intentioned but overbearing sister Jill, Janice is struggling to find her way and build a fulfilling life for herself. When she meets Tim (Chris Messina), a street performer whose unique talents as a "living statue" don't exactly pay the bills, she recognizes a kindred spirit. As they get to know each other, Janice begins to feel that she has met a like-minded person who could make her happy. But as their connection begins to blossom, Jill's meddling ways threaten to undermine Janice's first real shot at love.
Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
IMDB Rating: 5.9/10 from 757 users
Directed by: Lee Kirk
Starring: Jenna Fischer, Chris Messina and Topher Grace
Release Name: The.Giant.Mechanical.Man.2012.LIMITED.720p.BluRay.X264-7SinS
Size: 4.37 GB
Video: x264, 1280×688
Audio: English, DTS, 1509 Kbps
Runtime: 1:29:36
Links: iMDB – Trailer – TinySubs
NFO: Here
Torrent: NewTorrents
Download: UPLOADED (Single Link)

subset: commoncrawl


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Webinar Alert: BrainPOP Jr.
"POP" in with BrainPOP Jr. throughout the Summer
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Duration: 1 Hour
Take advantage of the summer months to build and refresh young minds with BrainPOP Jr.! We will show you how to review the basics in short time periods, so your students start well prepared to tackle the challenges of the new school year. We've got tons on Math, Grammar, Social Skills, Science, and more to help engage your students.


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Heviel Cordoves has been the closest thing to instant offense for the Charleston Battery all season.
Cordoves, who played less than 20 minutes against Orlando City on Friday night, recorded one of the biggest goals to date this season.
Cordoves scored in stoppage time as the Battery managed a 1-1 draw against Orlando City, the top team in the USL Pro Division, before a crowd of 4,387 at Blackbaud Stadium.
The Battery, which hasn't won a match since their 4-1 victory over Houston's reserve team on June 8, is 7-3-7 (28 points) and moved into a tie for fourth place in the USL Pro Division. Orlando City is 10-2-5 (35 points).
Despite playing in 14 matches this season, Cordoves has started just three times and averages less than 30 minutes a game.
The Cuban forward has proven to be an effective offensive threat coming off the bench as he recorded his third goal of the season.
"Heviel came in and did exactly what we wanted him to do," said Charleston coach Mike Anhaeuser.
"We bring him in because he can be such a dangerous player for us. He has that quality to change the course of a game with one shot, and that's what he did tonight."
After dominating large chunks of the game, especially in the first half, the Battery found itself down 1-0 going into stoppage time.
But a turnover deep inside Orlando's territory, a quick pass to Cordoves about 25 yards from goal, was all the Battery needed to tie the game.
Cordoves got the ball at a bad angle, stepped past an Orlando defender and blasted a shot that deflected off a Lions defender and past Jon Kempin for the tying goal
"I didn't have much of an angle to shoot, but I knew I had to put something on frame," Cordoves said. "I was lucky that it was deflected. I know that's why coach put me into the game, to score. I was ready to shoot when I got the opportunity and took it."
The Battery, which outshot the Lions, 18-9 for the match, more than doubled Orlando's scoring chances, especially in the first half. Dane Kelly, who returned after a two-match absence, led the Battery with five shots on goal and three quality scoring chances in the first half alone.
"If this was a boxing match, they would have stopped it after 20 minutes," said Charleston captain Colin Falvey. "We should have picked up all three points tonight. We should have been up 1-0 or 2-0 after the first half. But that's the way soccer is sometimes."
Orlando City grabbed a 1-0 lead on Rob Valentino's rebound goal in the 56th minute. After a deflection deflected off of the post in the box, the ball bounced out to Valentino, who slammed it home for the score.
As the match got more physical, tempers flared as Orlando's Luke Boden and Charleston's Mark Wiltse got into a shoving match in front of the Battery's bench midway through the second half. As the two teams gathered, Orlando's Adama Mbengue shoved Charleston's Jose Cuevas in the face. Mbengue was issued a red card, and the Lions were forced to play with a man down for the final 30 minutes of the match.
"That probably helped us late in the game," Anhaeuser said. "We put them under a lot of pressure, and you could tell their back four were getting tired."
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The Red Sox are interested in Torii Hunter
Nov 6, 2012, 10:30 AM EDT
Rob Bradford of WEEI says that it's not just the Yankees who are interested in Torii Hunter:
According to a baseball source, the Red Sox have shown interest in free agent outfielder Torii Hunter.
The 37 year-old (who turns 38 in July) has expressed interest in playing in Boston in the past, in large part because of the presence of his longtime friend, Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz.
A lot of teams should be interested in Hunter, assuming he doesn't want too long a deal. I feel, however, that only about 5% of "this player likes this team because of geography/friend on the team" factors ever wind up really determining anything. It's all about role and money.
David Price got a flat tire on the way to Toronto
Jul 31, 2015, 11:11 AM EDT
Maybe he'll see Daniel Norris coming the other way in his van?
Orioles "closing in" on trade for Brewers outfielder Gerardo Parra
Jul 31, 2015, 10:39 AM EDT
Milwaukee would receive a starting pitcher prospect in return.
Now the Yankees said to be "aggressively pursuing" Aroldis Chapman
Jul 31, 2015, 9:49 AM EDT
Or, the very least, want the Padres to think they are so as to bring Craig Kimbrel's price down.
Red Sox are considering moves for Tyson Ross or Carlos Carrasco
Jul 31, 2015, 9:25 AM EDT
They have the worst ERA in the AL, so any starter would be a nice addition.
Cardinals hoping Matt Holliday will play again this season
Jul 31, 2015, 9:18 AM EDT
Another torn quadriceps muscle for the All-Star left fielder.
Padres and Astros said to be "working on something big"
Jul 31, 2015, 8:55 AM EDT
I feel like Ken Caminiti has to be involved.
Mets are expected to trade for Reds outfielder Jay Bruce
Jul 31, 2015, 8:51 AM EDT
Jay Bruce instead of Carlos Gomez?
The Cubs and Indians are talking about Carlos Carrasco
Jul 31, 2015, 8:43 AM EDT
He'd be both a 2015 and a future move.
Yankees, Padres said to be working toward a Craig Kimbrel deal
Jul 31, 2015, 8:18 AM EDT
The Yankees bullpen is already a strength. Will it be stronger by 4pm today?
And That Happened: Thursday's scores and highlights
Jul 31, 2015, 7:34 AM EDT
In a night of several walkoffs — including a walkoff walk — Jason Castro had the biggest, helping Houston complete the sweep of the Angels.
So, the Rockies are headhunters now?
Jul 31, 2015, 3:22 AM EDT
It's fortunate this one didn't get ugly.
2015 MLB Trade Deadline Tracker
Jul 31, 2015, 2:51 AM EDT
We're recapping all of the deals as they come down.
Giants to acquire Mike Leake from Reds
Jul 31, 2015, 12:24 AM EDT
Leake has a 3.56 ERA and 90/34 K/BB ratio in 136 2/3 innings over 21 starts this season.
Video: Jason Castro powers Astros past Angels with walk-off three-run homer
Jul 31, 2015, 12:00 AM EDT
The Astros completed a three-game sweep of the Angels and now hold a two-game lead in the American League West.
Cubs, Blue Jays, and Dodgers among teams interested in Yovani Gallardo
Jul 30, 2015, 11:29 PM EDT
Gallardo isn't going into the trade deadline on a high note, as he has allowed five runs in three straight starts.
Report: The Diamondbacks have made an offer for Aroldis Chapman
Jul 30, 2015, 10:55 PM EDT
The Diamondbacks are trying to make a play for All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman.
Video: Ryan Rua hits inside-the-park home run against Yankees
Jul 30, 2015, 10:20 PM EDT
It was made possible due to a misplay by Jacoby Ellsbury in center field.
Orioles talking to Brewers about Gerardo Parra
Jul 30, 2015, 9:33 PM EDT
The Brewers traded center fielder Carlos Gomez to the Astros earlier tonight along with right-hander Mike Fiers and they could be close to another deal.
Report: Reds willing to trade Jay Bruce to Mets for Zack Wheeler
Jul 30, 2015, 9:08 PM EDT
As the Mets try to pick up the pieces after their deal for Carlos Gomez fell apart, they reportedly have an interesting proposal to consider from the Reds.
The Dodgers have already designated Michael Morse for assignment
Jul 30, 2015, 8:40 PM EDT
Morse is owed $8 million next season, but the Dodgers covered it in order to complete Thursday's 13-player trade with the Marlins and Braves.
Top Posts
- And That Happened: Thursday's scores and highlights 34
- 2015 MLB Trade Deadline Tracker 6
- Giants to acquire Mike Leake from Reds 30
- Astros acquire Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers from Brewers 44
- Pirates bolster bullpen, pick up Joakim Soria from Tigers 12
- The extraordinarily odd, 13-player Dodgers-Marlins-Braves trade is done 62
- Blue Jays acquire David Price from the Tigers 111
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Picnics, state fairs, and long trips on back roads. Summer brings out the country flavor in all of us. If your soundtrack needs more music with both down-home charm and an extra splash of energy, give SHeDAISY a try. Known best for rich harmonies that blur country and pop, this sister trio belts out bold, cheerful songs with playful lyrics, all delivered with a wink and a grin. Even when they slow it down with more heartfelt themes, the entertainment doesn't lessen. Fans of Sugarland and the Dixie Chicks will appreciate the sweet and sassy nature of SHeDAISY's appeal. Try Sweet Right Here or Knock On the Sky.
Life's So Sweet in the Passenger Seat
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Kellogg's and United Biscuits are the first brands to trial a newly-launched brand-to-consumer cashback mobile couponing service by Shopitize.
Both brands are using the new technology to offer exclusive up to half-price deals to customers via the Shopitize platform.
The service runs on Shopitize's promotional platform and apps which deliver exclusive deals to registered smartphone users.
A user is invited to buy the products featured in the Shopitize app and take a picture of their paper shopping receipt from within the app, which is then automatically processed and validated by Shopitize. Consumers are then rewarded by cashback via PayPal or cheque.
The couponing service has gone live to an exclusive group of more than 1,000 shoppers in the UK, who will be presented with deals for a variety of products including McVities Jaffa Cakes, Kellogg's Special K, Crunchy Nut, Coco Pops, Pringles and Special K cereal bars.
"Mobile technology is becoming more and more integrated into our everyday lives, and Shopitize is the first mobile couponing system we have seen that operates right across the retail trade," says Kellogg's UK brand experience and digital controller Sam Blunt. "Kellogg's aims wherever possible to embrace and support innovation that could enhance the shopper experience and Shopitize has the potential to do just that."
Jenni Baker, London
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Students gather Wednesday with counselor Pam Gilliam-Pearce on her last day in her teaching career. (Press photo by Madison Mathews)
Not many people can say they have enjoyed every single minute of a career that spanned more than 30 years, but Indian Trail Intermediate School guidance counselor Pam Gilliam-Pearce considers herself to be one of the lucky few who can.
Gilliam-Pearce has spent the better part of her career as a counselor with Johnson City Schools. As a counselor, she believes she has had a finger on the pulse of the school.
"I think the bottom line is just being available to kids. They know that you're here. They know that everyday. It's a real consistent relationship. They can count on you and they grow to trust you, and to me that's really powerful," she said.
Affectionately known as Mrs. G-P to her students and fellow teachers, Gilliam-Pearce is taking a leave of absence next year and will retire at the end of next year, putting an end to a career in education that lasted for 35 years.
During her career, she has taught at Henry Johnson Elementary, Woodland Elementary and Indian Trail, where she has spent the last 15 years.
Being a part of several different schools was one of the many aspects Gilliam-Pearce enjoyed.
"I've felt very fortunate to do that because you get to see different levels of transition and different moves in the city and the system and educational process and how we're moving along and how we're diligently trying to find those fits for kids that are most effective and productive," she said.
But being a counselor wasn't always in the cards for Gilliam-Pearce. She began her career as a fourth-grade teacher before making the decision to become a counselor — a job she said isn't all that different from teaching in the classroom.
"I love teaching and I think being a school counselor you get to teach. I think being a teacher first helped me a whole lot to learn how to relate to kids and learn how to build relationships and be a good listener," she said.
Many of the relationships Gilliam-Pearce has formed during her time with Johnson City Schools have a special place in her heart, as she has gotten the chance to teach multiple generations of students.
"I love that. I love seeing that transition and keeping those connections and relationships and one of the greatest compliments a teacher or counselor can be given is when an adult says, 'You were my teacher and I'm so thankful that you're teaching my child.' I just think that's a great legacy," she said.
Gilliam-Pearce will spend her retirement taking care of her mother, who turns 87 in June.
"I really want to spend some quality time with my mom and I thought what better way to use my retirement and my leave than to spend time with my mom and enjoy her," she said.
Although she's leaving Indian Trail behind, Gilliam-Pearce said she is proud of all of her students and the career that allowed her to foster relationships with them.
"I do believe that you should leave something behind when you go. I can leave saying that I did the very best job that I knew how to do and I did it with all my heart, so no regrets," she said.
Indian Trail Principal Dave Peccia said Gilliam-Pearce will be greatly missed by the school and other students and administration throughout the system.
"One of the things we're always told as administrators is everyone's replaceable, but I don't know if she truly is. She's going to be a hard act to follow. Kids adored her and they absolutely loved her. She's so wise in her counsel, not only for the children and the parents but a lot of times teachers and administration. We will greatly miss her," he said.


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This Graduation Poem Sticker is great for scrapbooking, crafting and many other projects.
The clear sticker sheet measures approximately 5" x 7".
The package contains one acid- and lignin-free, clear sticker sheet.
Full text reads:
Graduation is a time to remember and a time to dream,
a time to look back and a time to reach forward,
a time for songs of laughter and a time for tears of joy,
a time for letting go and a time for discovering hopes and dreams that are yet unborn,
a time to say good-bye to yesterday and a time to greet tomorrow with courage,
a time for loving hearts to gather and a time to celebrate all that you are...
and all that you may become.
2 out of 2 found this review helpful.
Recommend: Yes
This sticker was great for my son's graduation pages. It had just the right words!
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Perfect words to describe my emotions at a time of graduating. Made me cry!
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You will need to order by calling 405-745-1275. Customer Service is available Monday - Friday 8:00-5:00 CST.
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What's New
Top 15 Things To Do In July
Summer in the city!
Philadelphia is heating up this month with blockbuster events, festivals, music and more.More
The Oval Is Back
Now Open!
Don't miss the third season of the popular pop-up park on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. More
Pope Visit and
September 22-27
The pope's coming to Philadelphia. Start planning now with our complete guide.More
Photo Spots
Snap your photo at one of the brand new #VISITPHILLY Photo Spots, now installed at iconic spots all over the city. More
Visit Philly Beer Garden Series
Back for 2015
The Visit Philly Beer Garden Series returns for another blockbuster summer.More
Discovering the Impressionists
Now Open!
The Philadelphia Museum of Art is the only U.S. stop for this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition.More
Visit Philly Overnight
Hotel Package
Your car stays FREE!
Book the Visit Philly Overnight Hotel Package and get FREE hotel parking for both nights. More
Popular Attractions
- Reading Terminal Market
- Independence National Historical Park
- Philadelphia Museum of Art
- Top Philly Cheesesteaks
- The Liberty Bell Center
- Independence Hall
- National Constitution Center
- Philadelphia CityPASS
- Valley Forge National Historical Park
- Franklin Square
- Longwood Gardens
- The Franklin Institute
- The Barnes Foundation
- The Rocky Steps
- Philadelphia Zoo
- The Betsy Ross House
- Sesame Place
- Please Touch Museum
- Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
- Academy of Natural Sciences
- Penn Museum
- Peddler's Village
- Adventure Aquarium
- Eastern State Penitentiary
- National Museum of Jewish American History
- Love Park
- Battleship New Jersey
- James A. Michener Art Museum
- Benjamin Franklin Museum
- Mutter Museum


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February 27, 2013 - 11:27pm
Alumni Profile: Takeshi Yamada
At a young age, Takeshi Yamada, who received a Masters degree from the University in 1987, developed a passion for collecting natural specimens. He pursued his interests through art degrees and became a rogue taxidermist, creating stuffed animals based on types of animals that do not actually exist. A resident of Coney Island, New York, he now operates Freak Baby Museum and the Museum of World Wonders. He's featured on AMC's "Immortalized," a TV show about taxidermists.
What is your current art exhibition in Manhattan?
My work was recently featured as part of the AMC "Immortal Love" pop-up gallery in New York City which was held to help promote the premiere of the network's new unscripted series' "Immortalized" and "Freakshow." The exhibit featured several of my pieces, including 10 space alien skulls and five mummified dragons as well as a number of beautiful mounts provided by the other artists and judges seen on "Immortalized." The pop-up gallery was packed and everyone had a great time. It was a truly inspirational, uplifting and wonderful event. I was able to meet all of the great artists from the show, the people who worked behind the scenes and fans all at once.
What's your role in "Immortalizers?"
In the series I am featured as one of four "Immortalizers." In each episode, one "Immortalizer" faces off against a "Challenger." Each is asked to create a piece to be judged on three criteria: originality, craftsmanship and interpretation of a designated theme, which include first love, the end of the world and self-portrait.
How did you spend your time at the University?
At the School of Art and Design, I was busy — I took many classes and taught three days per week as a wage-earning teaching assistant for Professor John Rush's basic drawing class.
After school, 90 percent of my time was spent creating art in my large, main personal art studio and school-provided tiny art studio. The other 10 percent of my time was spent making fine art prints in the printmaking studio.


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Gambling on pomegranatesApril 11,2013Government officials in Afghanistan joke that Hollywood should make a movie called 2014. Thats the deadline for U.S. troops to depart. Its also the year a presidential election will put someone other than Hamid Karzai in office. Its a double-whammy of uncertainty in a country that already has lots of reasons to be anxious about the future.
Some people have already transferred all their cash from Afghanistan to Dubai, my friend Shoaib Barakzai, a wealthy businessman in Kandahar, told me on the phone yesterday. Everybody is afraid of 2014.
But there are good reasons to be hopeful about Afghanistans future. Barakzai is one of them.
Hes a young member of a powerful family that got rich off construction contracts at Kandahar Airfield. For the past decade, hundreds of millions of dollars flowed to companies owned by members of his tribe, which counts a governor and an influential Afghan general among its leaders.
People who made big money off the war are worried about what the end of the U.S. military presence will bring. The economy around the base has already taken a nosedive.
But Barakzai dreams of starting a new business for the era after 2014: a pomegranate juice factory. He wants to buy pomegranates from all the farmers in southern Afghanistan, where the fruit often rots for lack of a means of export. He wants to employ 5,000 people to turn the fruit into healthy juice to sell in America and Europe. He wants Kandahar to be covered with pomegranate gardens, not poppy fields. Not battlefields.
Of course, he needs partners real experts on juice, to help him build a state-of-the-art facility. Such partners are hard to find, with 2014 around the corner.
But its his dream. He is working toward it.
If we leave the country, all the poor people will stay, he says. What will happen to them? Afghanistan will go back 20 years. Americas effort in lives, in treasure would be wasted.
Not everyone who made a fortune in Afghanistan is going to reinvest it there. But if there are enough people like Barakzai, Afghanistan will make it.
There is a second reason to be optimistic. The past 11 years have shaped a young generation that completely rejects the Talibans rules.
Indeed, in Afghan cities, technology has created a cultural shift that could turn out to be more powerful than anybodys militia.
In 2006, there were 200,000 Internet users in Afghanistan. Today, there are about 1.3 million. There were 1.7 million cell phone users in 2006. Today, there are more than 16 million.
The changes have been so dramatic that Kai Eide, the former head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, has revised his most dire predictions about the country.
I am more positive about Afghanistans future than I was a year or so ago, he told Harvards Future of Afghanistan conference on Friday. Although Eide is still worried about 2014, he said these changes have created a completely new awareness that will, in the medium-term, break up the existing political order in Afghanistan and create a different order.
There is a third reason for hope. There is evidence that even the Taliban understands it cant go back to the way things were. Some fighters are showing a willingness to moderate their positions and lay down their arms. A few months ago, female members of the Afghan parliament met with Taliban representatives in France. Afghan officials say the Taliban accepts girls education now, as long as it is not in co-ed schools.
Last week, Karzai traveled to Doha, where the Taliban finally seems to be ready to open an office for peace talks. Afghan officials hope that, once talks begin, the majority of the Taliban will give up their insurgency and participate in elections. The Taliban would still be dangerous if it morphs into a political party. But it would cease to be an existential threat.
Afghanistan still has a tough road ahead, even in the best-case scenario. It has to grapple with essential questions about the role of Islam in political life, and how tolerant a society it wants to be. We cant decide that for them.
But, as we make our exit, we can support forward-thinking people who want to invest in peace. This is a great year to bet on pomegranates.
Farah Stockman is a columnist for The Boston Globe.MORE IN CommentaryPresident Barack Obamas ambitious goals for reducing emissions of climate-changing gases have... Full StoryThe first Republican presidential primary debate is Thursday, and the leading candidate is almost... Full StoryIran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States plus Germany) have now... Full Story
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All egg donor and surrogacy agencies charge a variety of fees to provide you with an egg donor or surrogate, and to ensure that all legal and psychological needs and certain insurance needs are covered. The following is a general range of egg donor and surrogacy agency fees. Note that fees may vary quite a bit from one agency to the next.
Generally speaking, egg donor agency administrative fees tend to be in the $4,000–$8,000 range. This does not include the egg donor's fee, medical fees, or egg donor expenses. Some agencies give you a bundled fee that includes legal fees, psychological fees, insurance fees, and agency administrative fees. Others charge a separate fee for each service or ask you to pay each fee directly to the service provider. These fees are usually nonnegotiable. Most egg donor and surrogacy agencies spend a lot of money to recruit donors and don't have a high profit margin. The other fees for legal, psychological, and other services are fairly standard and, again, have no wiggle room.
A new trend with a few egg donor agencies is to break fees down to include matching and coordination fees. Some agencies are starting to contract out the cycle coordination fee to independent agencies who will handle the details of the cycle. These cycle coordinating or management agencies often handle and the donor's fee, booking travel arrangements and distribution of expense reimbursement.
Egg donor fees are the greatest variable. An egg donor's fee can range from $4,000 to $10,000, if the agency is abiding by American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines. The donor's fee could be as high as $30,000. Generally, you need not pay that much to get what you want in an egg donor.
With surrogacy, the fees are higher because you're dealing with a longer, more complicated process. It is a little harder to compare administrative fees, but it is pretty safe to assume that you get what you pay for. If the surrogacy agency has an extremely low administrative fee, the agency may be just a matching service. That is, they have surrogates to match, but you will need to handle the details on your own.
Full service surrogacy agencies charge an administrative fee of $16,000–$21,000. You want a program that will support you from match to birth and beyond. Some agencies are more hands-on when handling cases than others.
Surrogate fees can vary from $18,000 to $35,000 and up. Surrogates do so much for what breaks down to a few dollars a day. These wonderful women more than earn their compensation for the wear and tear on their bodies and the strain on their families. Expect most surrogates to receive compensation for expenses plus incentive for attending monthly support group meetings.
Basic Egg Donor Agency Cost
The following fees do not include medical costs for services or medications required:
• Administrative fee for the egg donor program: $4,000–$8,000.*
• International fee: $500–$2,000.
• Egg donor fees: $5,000–$20,000.
• Egg donor expenses: $600–$6,000 (if travel is required).
• Legal fees: $750–$950.
• Egg donor insurance: $400–$500.
• Egg donor psychological screening: $400–$1,000. Depends on the level of testing. Expect the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) at a minimum. Usually intelligence testing will cost you more.
Basic Surrogacy Agency Cost
The following fees do not include medical costs for services or medications required:
• Administrative fee for the surrogacy program: $5,000–$23,000.
• International fee: $2,000.
• Surrogate fee: $18,000–$35,000.
• Allowance for surrogate: $200 per month.
• Surrogate support group meetings: $100 per month.
• Legal fees: $2,000–$8,000. Depends on the extent of the attorney's duties. If they manage the trust/escrow account, expect the fee to be on the higher end.
• Psychological fees for surrogate evaluation and support: $1,000–$4,000 (depending on how involved the psychologist is).
• Maternity clothing allowance for the surrogate: $600–$1,000.
• Embryo transfer fees: $750.
• Fees for multiples: Expect to pay more for a twin pregnancy, and more still for triplets and additional multiples, due to additional bed rest required for the surrogate.
Information provided by Gail Sexton Anderson of Donor Concierge (http://donorconcierge.com)
Since 1998, Gail Sexton Anderson, Ed.M., has dedicated her career to helping intended parents from all walks of life build families. She founded Donor Concierge as a compassionate approach to helping intended parents sort through the myriad of egg donor and surrogacy options.
Gail has developed working relationships with many excellent egg donor and surrogacy programs, fertility attorneys, and mental health professionals specializing in third party fertility counseling she has known and trusted for years. This enables her be a great resource for her clients for any additional help they may need as they build their family.
Gail holds a master's degree in counseling from Harvard Graduate School of Education. She is an empathic listener who brings a calming influence to what can often be an emotionally stressful process.


text:
Below are the course notes for the presentations in the SIGGRAPH 2013 course on Multithreading and VFX, in order of presenter. The course nodes are in pdf format.
Multithreading Introduction and Overview
James Reinders
Intel Corporation
Asynchronous Computation Engine for Animation
George ElKoura
Pixar Animation Studios
Parallel Evaluation of Character Rigs Using TBB
Martin Watt
Dreamworks Animation
GPU Rigid Body Simulation Using OpenCL
Erwin Coumans
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Parallelism in Tools Development for Simulation
Ron Henderson
Dreamworks Animation
Parallelism in Houdini
Jeff Lait
Side Effects Software Inc


text:
Mikiten Architecture is a dynamic, socially and environmentally responsible firm and are national-award-winning experts in multifamily housing and universal design.
We combine a strong architectural vocabulary with the grace of nature: richness with serenity. Our working style is clear, collaborative, and flexible. We employ cutting-edge computer modeling to investigate design possibilities. Our construction drawings are thoroughly detailed, providing effective cost control. Most importantly, our work revolves around the client.
Begun by Erick Mikiten and Elisa Mikiten in 1991, Mikiten Architecture's two founding goals were to design creative multifamily affordable housing and provide new levels of disabled access (universal design). For years we have incorporated green design strategies and materials into our work.
Our résumé includes all types of residential work from family homes to apartment complexes; retail spaces, restaurants and bars; educational facilities; and commercial buildings. We are experienced with financing from HUD 811 and 202 to tax credits and can help clients navigate the complexities of multiple-source funding requirements. We welcome opportunities to be creative with new building types.
About the Firm
© 2014 Mikiten Architecture


text:
A new study reveals that a popular martial arts practice can help elderly citizens avoid falls as well as improve their emotional well-being.
According to the report, which appears in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tai chi can help people acquire better balance and avert potentially devastating falls. The Chinese martial art is a blend of deep breathing and relaxation with slow, gentle movements.
Researchers examined tai chi's effects on elderly people who suffered from a variety of diseases, including Parkinson's disease, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure and cancer. The team concluded that the technique was linked to improved psychological conditions and other general health benefits, such as fall prevention.
"We recommend tai chi for older people for its various physical and psychological benefits," the study's authors wrote.
According to a 2007 survey by the National Institutes of Health, approximately 2.3 million adults in the U.S. practiced tai chi within 12 months of taking the poll. The exercise is commonly used by people who wish to improve their sleeping patterns and easy physical pain such as that stemming from osteoarthritis.


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Special Guest Speaker at the The Cécilia Attias Dialogue for Action, Mu Sochua, Member of Cambodian Parliament and Human Rights Advocate.
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You are here: Home » News » Latest News
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Poonia accepts Samuels challenge but spurns January date
Tue, Oct 26, 2010 , Press Trust of India
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia is game for the USD 20,000 winner-takes-all discus throw contest with world champion Dani Samuels of Australia.
Commonwealth Games scam may be to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore: CVC
Wed, Oct 20, 2010 , NDTV Correspondent
The Commonwealth Games scam could be much bigger than previously thought. Every day, more and more Games related projects are coming under the scanner and fresh details of corruption and bungling indicate how deep the rot is. NDTV has learnt...
Six CWG gold medallists named in Asian Games wrestling squad
Tue, Oct 19, 2010 , Press Trust of India
Six Commonwealth Games gold medallists, including reigning Asian champion Narsingh Yadav, and three dope-tainted athletes facing NADA hearing were on Tuesday named in the 18-member Indian wrestling squad for next month's Asian Games in China.
PM invited me but I was busy, says Kalmadi
Pushed to the wall but defiant nonetheless, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Chairman Suresh Kalmadi has claimed that contrary to reports, he was invited by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the felicitation function for CWG medal winners but could not go due to his "busy" schedule.
CWG scam: Income Tax raids at BJP leader's office
Tue, Oct 19, 2010 , NDTV Correspondent
Twenty five locations in and around Delhi are currently being raided by Income Tax officials. Among them, the office of senior BJP leader Sudhanshu Mittal, whose relatives were allegedly given major contracts for different aspects of the Commonwealth Games.The massive...
Crowd in India during CWG was abusive: Pak hockey captain
The Pakistan Hockey Federation and national captain Zeeshan Ashraf feel one reason for the team's poor Commonwealth Games performance was the crowd behaviour in Delhi which has become "abusive" after the Mumbai terror attacks.
CWG corruption trail: Tax evasion?
Fresh details have emerged of the multi-pronged probe launched by the government into allegations of massive corruption in organising the Commonwealth Games. One of the key agencies that is part of the probe is the Income Tax department, which paid...
CWG show would be hard act to follow at Asian Games: India boxing coach
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 , Press Trust of India
Indian boxers packed a powerful punch in the Commonwealth Games with an unprecedented medal haul but replicating the performance in next month's Asian Games would be tough as they have got very little time for rest and recovery, national coach...
Commonwealth Games Organising Committee's term extended
Mon, Oct 18, 2010 , NDTV Correspondent
The ministers' panel on the Commonwealth Games has met for the first time after the completion of the Games and has decided to extend the tenure of the Organising Committee (OC) for the Games.The tenure of government officials associated with...
Complied with all laws and regulations: CWG Village builders
For the first time, Emaar MGF, the builders of the Commonwealth Games Village have responded to controversies around the Village in the run-up to the Games.But speaking to NDTV, Emaar MGF says they have complied with all laws and regulations....
CWG audit has tough deadline: Three months
On a slew of fronts, those assigned to investigate the congenital corruption of the Commonwealth Games started making progress today.Led by Jaipal Reddy, the Group of Ministers (GoM) that was set up to oversee the Games met on Monday evening,...
Wrestler Sushil Kumar and shooter Deepak Kumar felicitated
Commonwealth Games gold medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar and silver medal winning shooter Deepak Sharma were felicitated by the Ministry of Steel in New Delhi at Udyog Bhavan on Monday.Wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who was supposed to be felicitated, couldn't make it...
Poonia unaware but ready for USD 20,000 contest with Samuels
Commonwealth Games gold medallist discus thrower Krishna Poonia is not aware of any USD 20,000 winner-takes-all contest with world champion Dani Samuels of Australia but she is ready for it if it materialises, her husband said on Monday.
Pre-Games coaching helped: CWG gold medallist Deepika
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Deepika Kumari on Monday said that long periods of coaching before the just-concluded mega event helped her in achieving her feat.Deepika thanked Archery Association of India for holding a long coaching camp in Kolkata ahead of...
CWG gold should shut up rumour mongers: Jwala
Commonwealth Games gold-winning shuttler Jwala Gutta on Monday said she played with a vengeance at the mega-event to shut the mouths of all those critics who were spreading "baseless" stories of her link-up with former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin.
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What do you think was the defining moment of the Delhi Commonwealth Games?
Oct 14 2010 6:55PM (171 Replies)
Pick your High and Low moments from the Commonwealth Games.
Oct 14 2010 5:38PM (47 Replies)
Fun Sphere
Shera, the official mascot for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, is an anthropomorphised tiger. His name has been derived the Hindi word for Lion - "Sher". In colloquial lanugage, Sher is used for both lion and tiger. The mascot represents the modern Indian, proud of his nation's ancient heritage and a fierce competitor but with integrity and honesty.
PM meets medal winners
Stars hail India's show at CWG
CWG, Day 11: Saina's Gold makes India No. 2
see more »
CWG scam: Where does the buck stop?
CAG report blames Sheila for losses, PMO for endorsing Kalmadi
CAG Report: Will cooperate with inquiry, says Sheila
Latest News
Off Track
India at CWG
Medal Hopes


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© Günter Wicker/Berlin Airports Eighty-five years after being designated as Berlin Airport, the German capital's historic downtown Tempelhof Airport has closed with the departure of its last scheduled service and that of two vintage aircraft.A selection of images of the airport from the beginning to the present day can be seen on their website. If […]
Archive | October, 2008
Berlin's Tempelhof Airport
On this day in 1909: John Moore-Brabazon flies first UK circular mile
On October 30th, 1909, J.T.C Moore- Brabazon won £1,000 from the Daily Mail newspaper by flying a Short Brothers aircraft for a circular mile.
©Baron Inchcape @ AirSpace Lufthansa is taking a majority shareholding in UK carrier BMI following the exercising of a share option agreement by BMI chairman Sir Michael Bishop.
Contrails in the European sky
© Polly Thisdell Safety and Operations editor David Learmount analyses whether existing air traffic management policies need to be implemented better to improve roueting efficiencies in the sky
Flight International front cover competition 2008 is launched
This year's Flight International competition begins again today, offering you the chance to get your favourite image onto the front cover of Flight International magazine.Read how you can enter and some tips on what we are looking for this year.
Adventurers to go into suborbital space
A joint venture launched on Friday between Rocket Racing, Inc., Armadillo Aerospace and the government of New Mexico will send adventurers into suborbital space at a cost of $100,000 per ticket or less. The three companies unveiled plans to field a fleet of reusable Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles that will take flight from Spaceport […]
Emirates takes delivery on 2nd Airbus A380
Read more…. Image courtesy Emirates Group More images of the A380 from production to deliveries and interiors Airbus A380 aircraft profle including specifications, latest news, blogs, images and video
Concorde's last commercial flight anniversary
Concorde made it's last commercial flight five years ago today. Here Concorde G-BOAF is seen taking off from London Heathrow on a ferry flight back to retire at Filton, the aircraft's place of birth. Flight published a Concorde timeline and I found it in the archives… Image courtesy Paul Dopson/APG Photography
Lockheed Martin's C-130 starboard wing
The RAF is "determined" to learn the lessons following the loss of one of its C130K transport aircraft that exploded in mid-air after enemy action started a fire in its starboard outer wing in Iraq in 2005. The aircraft crashed following… More images of the Lockheed Martin C-130 on this blog Image courtesy […]
Aermacchi M-346 trainer
Our very own Stephen Trimble wrote a blog post on the DEW line recently about Alenia Aeronautica opening up the floor to suggestions for its Aermacchie 346 jet trainer. Have a look at the AirSpace discussion thread and see if you can come up with anything more impressive. And if Alenia Aeronautica likes your idea, you get to have a ride […]
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text: Prev | Next Purchase this photo Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch Scouts from the Tri-State Boy Scouts contingent cross the CONSOL Energy Bridge on their way back to camp as Boy Scouts from all over the country converge upon Summit Bechtel Reserve for the National Boy Scout Jamboree on Thursday, July 18, 2013, in Mt. Hope, W.Va. The pedestrian bridge has thee separate walkways, two of which bend above and below the main span. Gallery: Boy Scout Jamboree, July 18, 2013 Jul. 18, 2013 @ 06:43 PM Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch Nearly 40,000 Boy Scouts and leaders are attending the National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in Mt. Hope, W.Va. ()


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An apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver is provided. The apparatus has a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system has health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from, the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format.
1. A computer-based method of communicating health care data over a network to a participant computer, the method comprising;
providing one or more legacy databases on a computer operated by a payor, the legacy databases storing one or more health care records containing a plurality of health care data related to a patient and that health care data being displayable in separate fields, and any of the plurality of health care data from the legacy databases intended to have the same meaning are expressed in different formats or have not previously been subject to a normalized format, wherein the normalized format is of a type that displays health care data from one or more sources associated with a single patient such that any health care data associated with that patient having the same meaning is expressed in the same format despite any prior formatting;
transmitting by the computer the plurality of health care data related to the patient from the one or more legacy databases to be normalized;
receiving normalized data relating to the patient by the participant computer over a network.
2. The method of
3. The method of
4. The method of
5. The method of
6. The method of
The present application is a continuation application of and claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/381,158 filed Mar. 21, 2003, entitled "System for Communication of Health Care Data" which claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/US01/42618 filed Oct. 11, 2001, entitled "System for Communication of Health Care Data" which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/239,860, filed Oct. 11, 2000, entitled "Apparatus and Method for Establishing Connectivity." To the extent not included below, the subject matter disclosed in this application is hereby expressly incorporated into the present application.
The present invention relates generally to a computerized system that establishes connectivity between interested parties in the health care industry for the administration of health care services. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system for the normalization of health care data of various formats and exchanging the data in normalized form between insurers and participants, such as providers, patients, and employers.
Health care can be defined as an information industry; most of the time and money spent in procuring and delivering health care is spent creating, retrieving, or using information. Expenditures on health care information technology support, for example, have increased from about one billion dollars in 1990 to a projected $20 billion in 2000. Yet, even with these investments, it is believed that almost half of all current health care expenditures continue to be for non-patient care activities; a major share of which is for non-automated information support.
Resources having to be directed to non-patient care activities have been endemic in the health care industry since the 1960's. During the 1990's, however, with the demise of Medicare Cost Reimbursement and the rise of managed care, there has been a major shift in attitude and focus among both physicians and patients. New rules now govern the delivery of medical care and the payment for such care. Whether via preferred provider arrangements, capitation arrangements of endless variety, case management, or "best practice" enforcement, determining what care is allowed, what will be paid by whom, and making sure that the appropriate information is submitted to ensure that the process works are now consuming a major share of both time and financial resources of insurers, providers, and patients.
Health care participants, like providers and employers, regularly deal with a number of health care plans from various health insurers. These participants, however, can only obtain information from the insurance companies in limited ways, often making the acquisition of such information quite burdensome. Participants usually only have the telephone, fax, or letter available as a means of communication with the insurers.
Particularly vexing is the timely availability of information from insurers regarding financial transactions, such as eligibility, claims, and benefits, and basic patient-related information, such as medical tests and prescriptions. For example, a provider may seek information from an insurer via a submission form or telephone call to that insurer. In many cases, however, such information is sought or received after the care has been delivered and the patient has left the provider's office. This may result in the delivery of services that are not authorized or covered by the patient's insurer, or may result in other consequences that might impact the type or cost of the services provided.
Another reason for these difficulties is the recent expansion of the "payor" community. At one time, payors consisted of the government (both federal and state) and large insurance companies. Now, a complex array of self-insured plans, IDN's, IPA's, and PPO's, undertaking full or partial capitation, insurance carve-outs, and the like have radically increased the number of users of, and the need for, current information regarding insureds. Most of these entities, both small and large, do spend considerable sums on information systems. Yet, because of the extent of manual processing that exists despite these systems, costs per claim remain substantial.
In addition, payors incur the wrath of their providers and patients by designing complex rules that are difficult or perceived as impossible to administer or follow. Though contrary to this perception, payors do have an interest in providing timely information to providers, patients, employers, and other participants. Still, a significant percentage of a provider's claims are rejected often because they do not comply with all of the rules. These claims require resubmission, telephone calls, and other expensive manual interventions. The dollar costs for this current processing scheme are high. In fact, an entire clearinghouse industry has been developed to provide eligibility (but not benefits) verification services to providers for a fee. Many of the requested verifications, however, cannot be performed at all by such clearinghouses, and those that are performed are often unacceptably cumbersome and, thus, too expensive.
Referral authorizations are often even more complex than claims and such authorization services are generally not available via traditional clearinghouses. Each time a provider writes a prescription, for example, it is written against a formulary specific to that patient's health care plan established by their insurer. Because there are so many formularies, drug prescriptions, too, are often rejected for payment, causing additional work for both the provider and the patient. Similarly, medical tests must be sent to laboratories contracted to support a particular plan, and are reimbursed only when matching complex medical necessity rules.
Many providers do have practice management systems that track encounters and manages billing. None of these systems, however, have the sophistication to accomplish the task of providing all of the information from all the various health insurers in such a cogent form that can be useful to the provider.
Not only providers, but patients, too, spend a majority of their time interacting with the health care system engaged in non-health care activities. This "wasted" time is virtually all related to scheduling appropriate interventions, to waiting for information or services, or to obtaining authorization, reimbursement, or other information for desired or required health care.
The internet has emerged as a major source of health care information for the public. A substantial portion of internet users use it for health care information or management. Specifically, patients search the internet for medical information and answers related to their area of concern. In fact, it is becoming common for a patient to enter a physician's office armed with printouts and long lists of questions and recommendations from web pages on the internet.
Unfortunately, even with the connectivity the internet provides, information exchange between insurers and patients is lacking. Most of the information available to patients from their insurer is on an automated basis from databases related to either general health care literature or to specific normality support groups. A critical aspect of the patient's health care program, however, is not only knowledge of the normality or support groups, but also what their insurer's health care plan provides as treatment options for that normality, eligibility information, referral authorization, claim submission and payment, testing, and medications. As discussed, these functionalities are too complicated for the current system to handle in an automated environment. Personally-referenced information linked to an individual patient's provider and health care plan is generally unavailable, because that data exists in several databases often each in a different, incompatible format, requiring human intervention to extract and process the data. The patient's current solution is, thus, an endless number of telephone calls at a high cost in dollars, time, and frustration.
A reason for such incompatibility is that each database served the individual needs of those using the data before such a time when connectivity between databases was a consideration. The consequence of having different databases of different formats is that it is not possible to provide a central repository of homogenized data readable by any variety of computers. It is this incompatibility that prevents wide spread connectivity between insurers and participants.
Transliterating and interfacing programs are known in the art. Programs that take data in one format can be translated and read by a computer of a different format. Such transliterating, however, only shifts data from a field of an incompatible format to a target field of a new format. It cannot determine whether the data of the incompatible format is being transferred to the correct target field. Normalization or remodeling of the data not only transfers the data, but also determines the meaning of the data and puts that data in the correct field.
It would, therefore, be beneficial to provide a system with which insurers may communicate with providers, patients, etc., to provide information about a particular health care plan either before, or contemporaneously with, the patient's visit to the provider, regardless the lack of compatibility of the databases. It would be further beneficial if this system of communication spanned a variety of insurers so the provider, for example, may communicate with any plan in which the patient participates. It would also be beneficial for providers to have an automated system of determining eligibility and benefits, receiving authorizations and pre-certifications, submitting claims, obtaining reimbursements, and adjudicating claim problems through the normalization of data of the incompatible databases.
Accordingly, an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure provides an apparatus for communicating health care data from a sender to a receiver. The apparatus comprises a first computer system, a second computer system, and a rules engine. The first computer system having health care data stored therein. The second computer system is in operable communication with, and is configured to extract the health care data from the first computer system. The rules engine normalizes the extracted health care data to a predefined format. The rules engine defines a plurality of health care data fields in the predefined format, as well as a plurality of relationships between fields of normalized data.
Further embodiments may include the first computer being a plurality of computers each having portions of the health care data stored thereon. The apparatus may also comprise a third computer system, in operable communication with, and configured to receive the normalized data from, the second computer system. The rules engine may determine whether the third computer is authorized to receive the health care data.
Another illustrative embodiment provides a method for communicating health care data from one computer system to another. The method comprises the steps of storing health care data in a first computer system; extracting health care data from the first computer system and communicating the extracted data to a second computer system; normalizing the extracted data to a predefined format in accordance with a rules engine that defines a plurality of health care data fields in the predefined format and a plurality of relationships between fields of normalized data; and communicating the normalized data to a third computer system.
Further embodiments of the illustrative method may include the first computer system comprising a plurality of computers, wherein the storing step includes storing health care data in more than one of said computers. Also, the third computer system comprises a plurality of computers. The health care data exists across a plurality of databases such that each of the plurality of databases are in operable communication with the second computer system.
Another illustrative embodiment provides a system of exchanging health care data between a sender and a receiver. The system comprises a sender computer, an intermediary computer, a rules engine and a receiver computer. The sender computer stores the health care data. The intermediary computer is in operable communication with the sender computer and is configured to extract the health care data. The extracted data is normalized to a predefined format, creating normalized data pursuant to a rules engine. The rules engine defines each field of the health care data and converts each field to a corresponding field in the predefined format. The rules engine also defines how the normalized data should relate to each other pursuant to predetermined instructions. The receiver computer is in operable communication with the intermediary computer. The receiver computer receives the normalized data subjected to the second rules engine.
Further embodiments may include the sender computer being a plurality of computers each having portions of the health care data stored thereon. The rules engine may determine whether the receiver computer is authorized to receive the health care data. When the receiver is a health care provider, the normalized data exchanged between the sender and receiver may be chosen from a group comprising eligibility/benefit display, member roster, claim submission, provider lookup, formulary lookup, diagnosis code lookup, procedure code lookup, access health plan information online, communicate with a health plan on-line, communicate with patients on-line, patient-centric view of data across several health plans, order generation and tracking, results review and release, result printing, prescription writing, medication profile for each patient, access to patient's personal health record based on patient approval, personalized medical and health care content integration, both context-specific and on demand, e-commerce integration: office, medical and health-related product awareness and buying capabilities, email, practice management system subscription, support disease management, and physician credentialing subscription. When the receiver is an employer, the normalized data exchanged between the sender and receiver is chosen from a group comprising group eligibility, group enrollment, enrollment changes, formulary lookup, e-commerce integration, access from health plan web site or direct access via URL, personalized content integration, both context-specific and on demand, e-commerce integration and health care-related product awareness and buying capabilities.
When the receiver is a patient, the normalized data exchanged between the sender and receiver is chosen from a group comprising identification card requests, address changes, provider directory inquiries, personalized health information based on an interest profile, diagnosis information, relevant articles and patient education materials, communications from health care providers and health care plans, lab and radiology results, scheduled appointments with a health care provider, prescription refills, personal health records, eligibility/benefit information, claim information, referral and authorization information and status, provider lookup, family history, medication profile and formulary lookup.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a system of normalizing health care data for transfer between an insurer and a participant. The system comprises an insurer system, an intermediary system, and a participant system. The insurer system is configured to maintain at least one database comprising the health care data. The intermediary system is operatively connected to the insurer system and to the database, configured to extract the health care data from the database of the insurer system, and store the health care data in a staging database as extracted data. The extracted data is normalized to a predefined format, creating normalized data pursuant to a rules engine that defines each field of the extracted data in the predefined format. The rules engine also defines how the normalized data relates to each other pursuant to predetermined instructions. The participant system is in operable communication with the intermediary system, and is configured to receive the normalized data subject to the rules engine.
Further embodiments of the illustrative system may include the at least one database being a plurality of databases, such that the intermediary system is operatively connected to the plurality of databases. In addition, the participant system may transmit a request that is sent to the intermediary system that determines which health care data is to be extracted and normalized in order to respond to the request. The participant system may also transmit the request, and the intermediary system may transmit the normalized data over the internet. The rules engine may define the relationships among the normalized data pursuant to predetermined instructions to determine a response to the request. The intermediary system may also comprise an error data system that removes extracted data identified as invalid when the extracted data is normalized. The extracted data identified as invalid is then corrected, reintroduced, and is normalized. The intermediary system may further comprise an audit database to track the activity of the intermediary system.
Another illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a system of health care management of medical testing administration between an insurer, a medical laboratory, and at least one health care participant. The system comprises a participant computer, an insurer processing system, a rules database, and a laboratory computer. A medical test request is made at the participant computer pursuant to a first predetermined format. The insurer processing system is operatively coupled to the participant's computer, and is through which the medical request is transferred. The processing system is operatively coupled to the rules database to approve the medical test request pursuant to predetermined criteria. The laboratory computer is operatively coupled to the processing system and receives the medical test request if approved by the rules engine. Results of the medical test are transmitted from the laboratory computer to the processing system. The results are further transmitted to an insurer computer that is operatively coupled to the laboratory computer and to participant's computer.
Further embodiments of the illustrative system may include the processing system converting the results of the medical test to a second predetermined format readable by a database stored on the insurer computer. In addition, at least one health care participant may be chosen from a group comprising from a health care provider, an employer, and a patient. Furthermore, the medical test request and the results of the medical test may be transmitted through the internet.
Additional features and advantages of the system will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed descriptions exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the system as presently perceived.
The illustrative system will be described hereinafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as non-limiting examples only, in which:
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates an embodiment of the invention, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
An illustrative embodiment of the invention, such as that shown in
For the purposes of this application, it is contemplated that reference to the term "insurer," as used herein for insurers 11, is for illustrative purposes only. Such a term includes health insurance companies, but also includes health maintenance organizations, self-insured entities, disease management organizations, capitated health care providers, Medicare agencies, as well as any other organization that might store or manage health care data. The term "insurer" is not to be construed as being limited in scope to only health insurance companies or other "payors."
Conventionally, health care data is stored on an insurers' computer or series of computers in several databases, each of which often being in a unique format, with each database format being incompatible with other database formats. For example, one insurer may have their health care data stored in one format, and a second insurer may have their health care-related data stored in a second format that is not compatible with the one format. Additionally, and more problematic is that, even within the same insurer's 11 system, eligibility data, for example, may exist in a database of one particular format, developed to suit the needs of its users at the time, whereas, the claims data, for example, may be stored in another database in a format that suits the needs of those users, but with its format being incompatible with the format of the eligibility data. In either example, it is contemplated that in the present invention, health care data of any format is normalized into a common format, and distributed through a common network, like internet 12, to a health care participant 13, who uses the normalized data to conduct health care-related transactions and tasks. It is further contemplated, and to be discussed further herein, that various levels of access and security can be provided to assure that those participants 13 accessing the normalized data are authorized to access only that data predetermined as necessary and appropriate for their particular use or need.
It is contemplated that the transmission of data from database sets 4, 6, or 8 is initiated by any of the participants 13 submitting a request 22 through a computer or computers. Request 22 is transmitted through the internet 12 to data processing system 10 which retrieves the appropriate data from the appropriate database set or sets of either 4, 6, or 8. That data is normalized to a common format, at which point a response 24 to the request 22 is made. For example, a health care provider 14 may place a request 22 on behalf of an insured to authorize payment for a medical procedure. In this example, it is presumed that the data required to formulate a response 24 exists collectively on eligibility, benefits, and claims databases that illustratively exist on database set 4. Data processing system 10, in order to prepare a response 24, determines and extracts which data is necessary from the databases. System 10 then normalizes the data into a homogenous format, and then determines what the nature of the response should be. In this example, response 24 should be to either authorize or deny payment for the medical procedure. System 10 uses the normalized data to determine the response, which is then transmitted to provider 14, thus, completing the transaction. It is contemplated that system 2 may comprise any number of insurers 11 or participants 13. Specifically, data processing system 10, as will be discussed further herein, is able to connect and manage transactions between a single or plurality of participants 13 with any insurer or plurality of insurers 11.
It is further contemplated that system 2 will provide health care participants 13 with a variety of health care transaction options referred to generally in the form of requests 22 and responses 24 between participants 13 and insurers 11. Examples of transactions available to health care providers 14 are: eligibility/benefit display, member roster, claim submission, provider lookup, formulary lookup, diagnosis code lookup, procedure code lookup, access health plan information online, communicate with a health plan on-line, communicate with patients on-line, patient-centric view of data across several health plans, order generation and tracking, results review and release, result printing, prescription writing, medication profile for each patient, access to patient's personal health record based on patient approval, personalized medical and health care content integration, both context-specific and on demand, e-commerce integration: office, medical and health-related product awareness and buying capabilities, email, practice management system subscription, support disease management, and physician credentialing subscription.
As further example, the following are specific records and fields for health care transactions between providers 14 and insurers 11 that utilize normalized data:
Each field listed above represents data that can exist anywhere on database sets 4, 6, or 8, and be in any format or language. If any request 22 is made which calls up one or more of the above records, data processing system 10 searches, extracts, and normalizes the data so it appears in the correct field in the record. It is appreciated that provider 14 may change the data, if necessary, and transmit it back through internet 12 and data processing system 10 to be stored on the appropriate database set 4, 6, or 8.
Examples of transactions available to employers 16 are: group eligibility, group enrollment, enrollment changes, formulary lookup, e-commerce integration, access from health plan web site or direct access via URL, personalized content integration, both context-specific and on demand, e-commerce integration: human resource, business (e.g., office supplies) and health care-related product awareness and buying capabilities.
Again, as a further example, the following are specific records and fields for health care transactions between employers 16 and insurers 11 that utilize normalized data:
Examples of transactions available to patients 18 are: identification card requests, address changes, provider directory inquiries, and personalized health information based on the member's interest profile, as well as diagnosis information from health plan administrative and clinical information, relevant articles and patient education materials, communications from health care providers and health care plans, lab and radiology results to patients online, scheduled appointments with a health care provider, referral status, prescription refills, education materials, personal health records so it can be maintained in his or her comprehensive health history online for physician reference, view eligibility/benefit information, view claim information, view referral and authorization information, provider lookup, personal health record, family history, medication profile, formulary lookup, and communications between member and provider.
The architecture of the data processing system 10 is shown in
The data extraction sub-system 28 is also depicted in
The business object sub-system 34 contains the logic rules that drives the normalization of data and use of same between insurers 11 and participants 13. To provide such capabilities, a variety of processes may be supported in any particular situation. Illustratively, such processes may include, but are not limited to, rules-based evaluation of entered data for referral authorizations and admission pre-certifications; proxy or actual adjudication of claims submitted by providers, with concomitant delivery of funds to insurers 11 and benefits explanations to patients 18; sorted lists of providers 14, employers 16, and patients 18; and graphical displays of laboratory results and integrated claims-driven health records for patients 18.
The content/e-commerce sub-system 36 adds third party capabilities to the data processing system 10. The content portion of sub-system 36 provides management and integration of third party affiliated content, such as articles about diseases, bulletins, notices, notes, and other medically-related references. The e-commerce portion of sub-system 36 integrates e-commerce capabilities, including business-to-business or business-to-consumer purchasing through shopping cart-type databases with affiliated product and service vendors.
The personalization sub-system 38 integrates information from the previous sub-systems 20, 28, 34, 36 to provide a personalized view of data in system 2. Specifically, when any of the participants 13 login to system 2 and access data or other information from database sets 4, 6, or 8, or even the content/e-commerce sub-system 36, pertinent information derived from the type of content viewed, as well as the products purchased or searched, is maintained in a user profile database 40. During subsequent logins, therefore, the information a particular user views can be arranged and accessed in a more familiar, relevant, and useful manner, individual to that participant.
The presentation sub-system 42 manages the normalized data and information into a presentable format for participants 13. For example, the world-wide-web, being a popular destination for users of the internet, accepts output in HTML format, and is accessible by a conventional internet browser. It is appreciated, however, that such data may be presented in virtually any form to accommodate different access devices (for example, WAP for mobile devices).
A security sub-system 44 is shown in
An example of an encryption method is the 128 bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) with a key certified by VeriSign, Inc. Such SSL encryption means that data traveling through the internet and to participants' 13 browser cannot be interpreted by anyone between those two locations. Encryption is also useful because of the storage of user passwords. There is no place that a user's password is saved or used by the system as traditional cleartext. From one of the participants' 13 browser through internet 12 and to one of the insurers' 11 computer or server, the password is protected by SSL. Once the password reaches the final destined server, a cryptographic algorithm converts the password to a protected format. No one, therefore, who has privileged access to the server or any of the back-end applications, can get any user passwords.
In addition, encryption is useful along the operative connection to an insurer's 11 database sets 4, 6, or 8 to the data processing system 10. It is contemplated, however, that insurers' 11 computers or servers (database sets 4, 6, or 8) may not need such encryption along this operative connection, if the connection is a true point-to-point connection. Also, this encryption can be implemented through hardware or software, a virtual private network (VPN), or through the use of encryption protocols in a database, for example.
There are several modes with which data can be restricted, even within and among the insurers 11 and participants 13 of system 2. For example, security sub-system 44 may restrict the actual data that a participant 13 may request or view from any of insurers 11. A health care organization, thus, may only view data that they have provided. For example, doctors may only view claim data for their own patients. Alternatively, security sub-system 44 may restrict access to participants 13 to allow access to only particular fields on a particular screen of any particular database. For example, if a screen listed dollar amounts for claims, employers may wish to restrict who is able to view those dollar amounts. Other users, therefore, like patients 18, might be able to see the rest of the claims, but not the dollar amounts. Still, further, security sub-system 44 may restrict which screens will be accessible to which users. This level of security defines which functionality is available to the user. For example, a patient 18 in system 2 may not be able to view the claim submittal screen submitted by provider 14 at all, but may view a diagnosis information or health plan administrative screen. Customizable security based on the interests of the user may be included as well. This security method allows either the insurers 11 or participants 13 to set the parameters of security for the examples described above. It is further contemplated that this tool may be an internet-based tool that could add logins to the system, as well as specify values and screens that a particular user has access to. It is still further contemplated that a portion or all of the security measures can be employed throughout data processing system 12.
An audit sub-system 46, like security sub-system 44, shown in
A diagrammatic view of the data extraction and business object sub-systems 28, 34, respectively, is shown in
Extracted data 48 from either database sets 4, 6, or 8 is uploaded to a staging database 50 which is typically a portion of data extraction sub-system 28. Rules engine 52 serves a dual purpose of defining the rules that control the normalization of the data, as well as how the data, once normalized, is used. During the normalization process at 54, rules engine 52 homogenizes the data by determining what the data means, then inserting the data into the proper field as normalized data. Rules engine 52 also remodels the data, if necessary, to a structure or appearance predefined by the normalized format. As a simple example, in a referrals database that may hypothetically exist on database set 6, it may include the entry "New Jersey" in the state location field. If that field is requested by a participant 13, the rules engine 52 will cause that field to be extracted, then determine whether the meaning of this field corresponds to the meaning of the normalized state location field, and, if so, then convert the field to the normalized state location field at 58. Furthermore, if the rules engine 52 has predetermined that the normalized state location field should exist as only a two-character acronym, then the phrase "New Jersey" will be remodeled to the acronym "NJ." This is contrasted with traditional transliterating programs that would merely match the state location field of the referrals database with any field in another database titled "state location field" and then transfer the data. Such a program cannot determine the meanings of the state location fields, and then determine if their meanings matched, as well as not remodel the data to the appropriate appearance. For example, a field for laboratory enzymes might be expressed in Celsius in one database and in Fahrenheit in another database. Such data, as well as countless other data, are typically contextualized by the system they exist in. Transliterating programs do not compensate for such context among data. In the present disclosure, part of the normalization is determining the meaning of the data and locating it in a field of the same definition, but in a single format.
Rules engine 52 also determines whether the data is bad or invalid. Any bad or invalid data that is discovered during the normalization process at 54 is transferred to an invalid data database 56. Invalid data is placed in database 56 for review and appropriate corrective action and, if appropriate, reintroduced and normalized.
In addition, the rules engine 52 incorporates security 44 to determine whether the requestor has authorization to view the data that is being requested, as previously discussed. For example, if employer 16 requests claims data that illustratively exists on database set 8, the rules engine 52, in conjunction with the security 44, determines whether employer 16 has authorization to view the data subject of that request. If not, rules engine 52 would deny fulfillment of the request.
Once the data is converted and remodeled into the normalized format, rules engine 52 determines how the normalized data can be used. For example, if a request 22 is made from providers 14 to one of the insurers 11 to authorize a chest X-ray for one of the patients 18, a proper response 24 may reference data from various eligibility, claims, benefits, and personal data databases which rules engine 52 first extracts and normalizes. Once the data is normalized, rules engine 52 undertakes the process of responding to request 22. Rules engine 52 bases response 24 on predetermined rules established by the particular insurer 11 to determine whether a chest x-ray is an approved procedure in response to the request. It is contemplated that each insurer 11, or even each database set 4, 6, 8 can be subject to its own unique set of rules to govern any particular response 24.
An audit database 62, illustrated in
In one embodiment of the disclosure, it is contemplated that system 2 will not only exchange information related to insurance and payment issues, but also provide active management of patient care. For example, as shown in
Although the system has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, from the foregoing description, one skilled in the art can easily ascertain the essential characteristics of the illustrative system and various changes and modifications may be made to adapt the various uses and characteristics without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described by the claims which follow.
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May 29, 2009
NORMAN, Okla. - Anthony Fairbanks wasn't going to let his career end with another heartbreaking performance. The University of New Mexico senior erased all memories of some disappointing big meet results with a sensational performance in the javelin this afternoon at the NCAA Midwest Regional Track and Field Championships. Fairbanks recorded the two longest throws of the day, breaking the UNM and Mountain West Conference records with a winning mark of 225' 9" (68.81m) to secure his first trip to the NCAA Championship meet.
Fairbanks' early victory and a strong effort by the UNM distance crew in the final event of the day, the 5,000 meters, helped the New Mexico men finish day one in third place in the team standings. The Lobos' 20 points are already a program record and just four points out of first.
The story of the day, however, was Fairbanks. The Albuquerque Highland product, who entered the meet as the No. 4 seed, took the lead for good with a 224-foot (68.28m) throw on his third attempt and surpassed the 225-foot mark for the first time in his career on his sixth and final toss. Wichita State sophomore Brett Trudo was second with a mark of 223' 7" (68.15m), while UTEP All-American Alex VanderMerwe was third (219' 7" - 66.93m), falling to Fairbanks for the second time in the past month.
Fairbanks broke Donnie Lujan's 1991 school record by five inches and reclaimed his MWC record from BYU's Blaine Baker, who knocked him off with a career-best throw of 225' 7" two weeks ago at the MWC Championship meet. He became the fourth Lobo and third UNM man to win a Midwest Regional title since the regional format began in 2003. All four UNM champions hail from the state of New Mexico, including pole vaulter Derek Mackel (Albuquerque Sandia) who was the last men's winner in 2006.
Fairbanks earned all-region honors for a school record third time in his career, but had never thrown farther than 207 feet at the Midwest Championships until today. Last year, he entered the regional meet as the No. 4 seed and was a near lock for an NCAA bid until a disastrous 21st place finish (190' 3"). He had also suffered consecutive upset losses at the MWC Championships in 2008 and '09.
Today, however, it was all erased as he stood alone as the best thrower in the modern history of the javelin at UNM. Fairbanks became the first New Mexico javelin thrower to advance to the national meet since 2005 and sixth in school history since Buster Quist became the Lobos' first All-American in the event in 1958.
Fairbanks' performance set the early tone on day one and the men's distance crew added the exclamation point with an outstanding performance in the 5K.
Junior Jacob Kirwa continued his remarkable late season surge in his first Division I track campaign, securing an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships with a second place finish. Kirwa, who entered the meet as the No. 13 seed after winning the MWC title two weeks ago, crossed the line in a career-best 14:02.51 - just 0.26 seconds behind Minnesota's Hassan Mead.
The Eldoret, Kenya product joined former All-American Jeremy Johnson (2007) as the Lobos' second all-region honoree in the event and recorded the ninth-fastest time in school history.
Junior teammate Chris Barnicle gave New Mexico a pair of all-region honorees in the same event for the first time ever with a seventh place finish (14:07.06). Barnicle, who is a strong contender for an at-large bid in the 10,000 meters, earned a spot on the all-region team for the second time in his career. The Arkansas transfer was sixth in the event at the Mideast Championships as a redshirt freshman in 2007.
Fellow junior Rory Fraser finished ninth (14:12.04) to all but wrap up his at-large NCAA berth. Fraser entered the meet ranked 12th nationally in the event with a season-best time of 13:39.85. He was 11th in the 5K at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Senior Mat Asthon, meanwhile, was 13th (14:27.31), but should see his name announced with the NCAA 10,000 field is announced on Monday.
New Mexico and Oklahoma State (3-8-14-20) were the only schools with four runners in the 5K.
In other finals action, senior Whitney Johnson and junior Nicky Archer both earned all-region honors with eighth place finishes in the pole vault and 5,000 meters, respectively.
Johnson, who was making her return to the Midwest Regional meet after a four-year absence, cleared 12' 10" (3.91m) on her third attempt to become the Lobos' second all-region honoree in the event. The Mission Viejo, Calif. product finished her memorable UNM career as the school's outdoor record holder in the pole vault.
Archer crossed the line eight spots above her seed with a career-best time of 16:40.31 - 12 seconds shy of fifth place and an automatic bid to the NCAA meet. The Cheshire, England product will be squarely on the bubble for a bid in the 10K when the NCAA selections are announced.
Fellow junior Michelle Corrigan was 17th in the 5K (17:19.92), but at No. 23 in the 10,000 should be in line for an at-large bid to the national meet.
In earlier qualifying action, senior All-Americans Lee Emanuel and Jarrin Solomon turned in impressive performances to advance to the finals of the 1,500 and 400, respectively.
Top-seeded Emanuel clocked the fastest preliminary time of the day, cruising across the line in 3:44.29. Junior teammate David Bishop finished third in his heat (3:51.97) to join Emanuel in Saturday's 12-man finals.
Later, Solomon won his 400 heat with a sizzling time of 45.96, despite shutting off his throttle before crossing the finish line. The Albuquerque La Cueva product ran under 46 seconds for the second time in as many races and will have his father Michael's 33-year-old school record of 45.77 targeted when steps into the blocks tomorrow in his second straight Midwest regional finals appearance.
Junior Kim Perkins also advanced to the finals in the 400 hurdles in her regional debut. Perkins clocked a time of 1:00.04, edging SMU's Gayla Cloud by five-hundredths of a second for the eight and final spot in the event finals.
The day wasn't as kind to senior Jermaine McQueen who suffered an apparent hamstring injury during the prelims of the 100 meters, ending his brief, but spectacular Lobo career. After leading the Lobo 4x100 relay team to an 11th place finish (40.34) earlier, McQueen pulled up in the 100 and limped across the line, then scratched out of the 200 prelims.


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