text: I have a 97' K1500 w/235K miles. I replaced my transmission about 18 months ago with a GM serta. Plugs, wires, cap & rotor button and fuel filter replaced recently. Engine idles smooth, accelerates like a new truck after I replaced the fuel filter(what a difference ! ). I have a "bucking" when I accelerate lighty at highway speeds between 55-70 mph. I dropped the tranny in 3rd at those speeds and when I accerated gently and I couldn't reproduce the "bucking". Is there something possibly wrong with the tranny in overdrive or is there another problem else where? The tranny shifts smoothy in every gear. There is a fault code for the 2nd gear solenoid so I took it to the dealer under warranty and they replaced the solenoid but the fault code stayed on. They said there is something wrong with the PCM, some kind of short. What say you.

subset: commoncrawl


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New TENS Device for Migraine Prevention »
"March 11, 2014 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allowed marketing of the first device as a preventative treatment for migraine headaches. This is also the first transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) device specifically "...
Ergomar Consumer (continued)
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: slow/fast/irregular heartbeat, tingling/pain/coldness in the fingers/toes, whitish fingers/toes/nails, loss of feeling in the fingers/toes, bluish hands/feet, muscle pain/weakness, severe stomach/abdominal pain, lower back pain, little or no urine.
Seek immediate medical attention if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: chest pain, vision changes, confusion, slurred speech.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.
Read the Ergomar (ergotamine tartrate tablets) Side Effects Center for a complete guide to possible side effects
PRECAUTIONS: Before taking this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to ergotamine; or to other ergot alkaloids (e.g., dihydroergotamine); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: blood circulation disease (e.g., peripheral vascular disease such as arteriosclerosis, thrombophlebitis, Raynaud's disease), uncontrolled high blood pressure, nutrient deficiency (malnutrition), heart/blood vessel disease (e.g., coronary artery disease, stroke, recent heart attack), liver disease, kidney disease, severe infection, severe itching.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: smoking/tobacco use, diabetes, high blood pressure (controlled).
This drug may make you dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do any activity that requires alertness until you are sure you can perform such activities safely. Limit alcoholic beverages. Remember that alcohol may be a cause of headaches.
Using tobacco/nicotine products while using this medication can increase the risk of serious side effects such as heart problems (including chest pain, fast/slow/irregular heartbeat) and decreased blood flow to the brain/hands/feet. Do not use tobacco while taking this medication. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about how to stop smoking.
Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).
This medication must not be used during pregnancy. It may harm an unborn baby. Discuss the use of reliable forms of birth control (such as condoms, birth control pills) with your doctor. If you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant, tell your doctor immediately.
This drug may pass into breast milk and could have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended while using this drug. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
Ergomar Consumer Overview
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You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Virginia High coach remembers near-misses in state finals
BRISTOL, Va. - The Virginia High baseball team faces Madison County in Friday's state semifinals. Even though head coach Mark Daniels is looking for his second title as a head coach, he still remembers all of his near-misses.
Daniels has finished state runner-up four times with the Bearcats.
"I told the guys I have experienced both sides of it," Daniels told News 5 WCYB.
"It's the greatest feeling in the world when you win, but when you get to the finals and don't win the last one it could be worst feeling in the world."
Daniels won the state championship as a head coach in 1994. He also won as a player and assistant coach.
Virginia High takes on Madison County at 10 a.m. Friday in Salem.


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The Rock's Promo on SmackDown Edited, WWE Vintage Collection
– The version of The Rock's promo that aired on Smackdown this week was edited. You can watch a fan video of Rock's entire, uncut promo from Tuesday's Smackdown taping below.
– WWE's Vintage Collection on January 11th, 2013 featured these matches & moments from past episodes of Monday Night Raw.
* Kane Unmasks (June 23rd, 2003)
* Kane & X-Pac vs. The APA (August 9th, 1999)
* Steve Austin Confronts Mike Tyson (January 19th, 1998)
* Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (June 24th, 1996)
* Mankind vs. The Road Dogg (December 28th, 1998)
* Bret Hart vs. Rocky Maivia (March 30th, 1997)


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No Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: CLAPTON,ERICTitle: MONEY & CIGARETTESStreet Release Date: 09/19/2000DomesticGenre: ROCK/POP
Maybe it was the recording environs of Nassau, Bahamas, that made this such a laidback effort. Maybe it was the presence of trusty Clapton pals Albert Lee, Ry Cooder, and Donald "Duck" Dunn. Money is a relaxed collection of simple songs summed up by the album's sole hit, "I've Got a Rock and Roll Heart." Old-time boogie-woogie and '50s rock is the key inspiration on tracks such as "Slow Down Linda" (which even sounds like a second "Lay Down Sally"), the Eddie Cochran-esque "Man in Love" and "The Shape You're In," which features a nice lead tradeoff between Clapton and Lee. Covers of the Albert King staple "Crosscut Saw" and Sleepy John Estes's "Everybody Oughta Make a Change" boast the album's best blues fills and flurries, while the freight-train jump blues of Johnny Otis's "Crazy Country Hop" closes out the low-key LP with something more resembling a bang. --James Rotondi


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Oregon Historical County Records Guide
Hood River County Scenic Images
Viento State Park
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A windsurfer on the Columbia River at Viento State Park. (Photo No. hooDA0007c)
About this image
Dimensions: 3822 x 2538 pixels (300 dpi version); Date created: July 2009; Camera: Nikon D80 Digital SLR; Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED; Photographer citation: Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives; Keywords/Tags: horizontal, Oregon, Hood River County, Columbia River, Columbia River Gorge, Washington, blue sky, Washington, waves, drifwood, windsurfer, board sailor,windsurfing, board sailing, recreation, tourism, shore, hills, clouds, Viento State Park.
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Date of Stay: April, 2016
All sites are full hook up. Warning: Truth or Consequences with the nearest fuel and food is 40 miles away.
Date of Stay: March, 2016
This is a BLM site near the river in the Rio Grande Gorge. In march we were only neighbors with the campground host most of the time. If it rains the park can get a little muddy.
Date of Stay: June, 2015
This was an very good stay for us. I would have given 5 stars overall, but two points need to be mentioned: 1) The free Wi-Fi service was there, but it was iffy at best. The most reliable service required a walk to near the welcome center or the clubhouse. 2) The site gravel pads were reasonably level, but some that were built up were narrow such that you step out the RV on to a slope. Thus you must park the RV to one side to avoid the slope and then create more of a leveling problem. On the plus side, this was a very pleasant stay, quiet and relaxing. We will come back.
Date of Stay: July, 2014
This was a relatively quiet stay of 5 nights away from the highway. The facility was nearly full always. The sites are rather close together, many not level and some maneuvering was tight. The staff was very friendly, escorted us to the site and assisted with backing in. Some sites, like ours, were water and electric only. So the use of the dump station is necessary. This is my biggest criticism: when your are positioned to use the dump station, the access to a significant portion of the west end sites is blocked and your rig is parked on a slope. I would stay here again.
Date of Stay: July, 2014
This is a nice park. The people were friendly, escorted us to the site and assisted in backing in. The trees in the shaded portion were great mature cottonwoods. The site spacing was a bit tight. The biggest complaint is the width of the built up gravel site (#10). It was so narrow that with even blocking the left side to level the trailer, there was still a considerable slope on the right side that was not conducive to sitting under the awning.
Date of Stay: April, 2014
This is a no reservations facility, but there were spaces available. The previous comments are confirmed. The facility is an older design and therein lies my comment. The sewer connections on the pull through sites are located to the extreme rear of the pad, so with the midships location of the tank connection get ready to run 15'-20' of sewer hose or back into the access lane to dump. The sewer connection was on the neighbors concrete pad and to close. There is not a dump station on the facility. There is a city dump station about a mile away available, if it is not full. This was a pleasant 7 night stay in a travel trailer.
Date of Stay: November, 2013
The facility was great for our needs in a 23' travel trailer for an overnight stay. Good enough that we stayed again on the return trip home. There were a lot of full time residents, but that did not bother us. My only complaint was the noise from the adjacent properties, but it was not bad. Good mom and pop restaurant near by.
Date of Stay: September, 2013
This is a good stop in northern Arizona where few, if any, other campgrounds exist. And the price is right: free. You will need to work at leveling your rig at nearly every site. No showers and water available at the restroom building. This is not a big rig place and it is about 9 miles off of US160. It is quiet and the views are great. The visitor center is quite interesting and it is worth staying an extra day or two to do the hikes to the ruins.


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If you are seeking a world-class educational experience within a vibrant, Christ-centered learning community, Cedarville is the place for you. Step up to the challenge of our arts, sciences, professional and graduate programs, and achieve more than you ever imagined. Be challenged and transformed by professors who are experts in their fields and invest their lives at Cedarville to mentor and guide students like you.
Cedarville University has named Mr. John LeBlanc chair of the department of business administration. Photo credit: Scott L. Huck/Cedarville University
by Public Relations Office—Cedarville, Ohio
April 17, 2008
Cedarville, Ohio—Cedarville University has named Mr. John LeBlanc acting chair of the department of business administration.
Currently serving as associate professor of management, LeBlanc will begin a new term effective July 2008. LeBlanc has been at Cedarville since 1999. He earned his B.S. and his M.B.A. from Southern Illinois University in 1974 and 1976, respectively.
"My primary objective in accepting the acting chair of the department of business administration," says LeBlanc, "is to facilitate unity in teamwork with the faculty in the department and work with administration to meet the goals and objectives of the school and University."
The department of business administration, offering majors in marketing, finance, management and accounting, has quickly grown into one of Cedarville's largest academic departments. With a trading room and the Student Managed Investment Fund, which allows students to invest real money and compete with real investors, the department of business administration strives for excellence in business education.


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It has been a month since the American Health Care Act was pulled because House Republicans lacked the votes to advance it to the Senate. Here's a run-down of all that has happened since then, including our perspective on what it means to employers.
Individual Options in the Public Exchange
Over the past month, after Humana announced that it will no longer offer plans on the public exchange and Anthem announced that it is nervous, we have been seeing articles about parts of the country where Obamacare options could go from one to zero. Insurance companies are trying to decide whether to participate in the exchange market in 2018 as they wait for Washington to provide some much-needed clarity and stability.
Last week, health insurers met with Seema Verma, the new Medicare administrator. Their biggest concern is the future of cost-sharing reductions (CSRs) paid by the administration that now go to the companies covering about seven million individuals to help lower deductibles and co-payments. While the Obama administration paid the subsidies, House Republicans sued, arguing that payments made by the executive branch and not appropriated by Congress were unconstitutional. A federal district court judge agreed but allowed the subsidies to continue while the case is being appealed, and the next court date is May 22. Interestingly, Kaiser Family Foundation released an analysis that showed eliminating the CSRs would actually result in a net increase of $2.8 Billion to the Federal government in 2018 for higher premium subsidy payments. In addition to the CSRs, insurers also worry about enforcement of the individual mandate penalty. Without it, healthier people might consider going without insurance, which drives up costs for the insured.
What employers need to know: The funding for the CSRs is critical for the insurance companies because it will saddle them large immediate costs and affect their pricing of future policies. Without the subsidies, rates are estimated to increase an additional 20% on top of required increases for 2018. The health of the individual market is important to employers as outside options for COBRA coverage and pre-65 retiree medical coverage. In addition, shortfalls in the individual market will result in cost-shifting to other markets, most likely employers since they cover the largest portion of the US population.
Attempts to Revive the AHCA Continue
Following the failed attempt to pass the AHCA in the House, the White House urged continued efforts aimed at bridging differences between GOP moderates and conservative Freedom Caucus members who believe the AHCA did not do enough to drive down insurance premiums. Just before Congress left town on Friday, April 7, for its two-week Spring recess, House Republicans agree to add language to the bill that would establish a federal risk-sharing program providing $15 billion to states over nine years. The change did not convince the Freedom Caucus members, who had earlier met with Vice President Mike Pence to discuss their support for getting rid of three ACA regulations -- essential health benefits, which mandate what services insurers must cover; community rating, which says insurers can't charge sick people more for insurance; and guaranteed issue, which says insurers must cover people with pre-existing conditions.
Talks between the White House, House GOP lawmakers produced a compromise proposal on April 26 that would let States to opt out of essential health benefit regulations and loosen the rules on when insurance companies can charge higher premiums. In exchange, states would have to set up a high-risk pool where older, sicker people could buy coverage, likely at much higher prices. It remains unclear, however, whether the proposed changes will attract enough votes to move the bill out of the House.
What employers need to know: There is still interest in repeal/replace, but the reality that it will take time seems to have sunk in – especially given that even if the House is able to pass a bill, there will be more issues to navigate in the Senate.
Trump Has Options While Waiting for Lawmakers
There was an interesting piece in the New York Times outlining what the Trump administration could do to the ACA in the absence of legislative changes. It could weaken enforcement of the individual mandate; not fund CSRs and make premium subsidies less generous; allow states to impose work requirements under Medicaid expansion; and redefine essential health benefits (although this would require a lengthy re-write of current regulations). What the administration can't change is the employer mandate or taxes created under the ACA. Nor can it increase in premiums for older Americans. Most recently, HHS issued a stabilization rule aimed at addressing some of the insurance companies concerns in the individual insurance market. It addresses premium payment requirements, shortening the open enrollment period, pre-approval verification for special enrollment requests, and flexibility on plan designs within the metal categories (essentially, allowing higher cost sharing in order to lower the premium costs).
What employers need to know: The longer it takes for lawmakers to reach consensus, the more important these types of actions will be. Employers should be aware of any actions that potentially could result in cost shifting -- which is everything on the list.
Here's the bottom line. More than 177 million Americans get their health coverage through an employer. American businesses are a critical partner for success as the Trump Administration and lawmakers navigate the future of health insurance. We strongly support actions that seek to slow healthcare cost growth and limit cost-shifting to private payors.
In our recent policy paper, we recommend the creation of a "President's Healthcare Leadership Council" to drive transformation and boost transparency in healthcare. In setting health policy for the coming years, the federal government has an important opportunity to support the collaboration needed to drive value throughout the entire health system.
While I spend most of my work days helping large employers with their health benefit programs, this past week I wore my Mercer health reform leader hat at my own personal version of health policy summer camp in Washington. I spent two days with the American Benefits Council's policy board, took some meetings on Capitol Hill, and visited with Julie Rovner and Julie Appleby at KAISER Health News.
While employers have their hands full managing health benefits for their own employees and their families, don't underestimate their interest in the individual market and their concern for the public exchanges. In a series of meetings that ABC arranged on Capitol Hill and with Trump administration staff to discuss key issues for employers, the topic of the federal government's commitment to cost-sharing reduction subsidies for individual policies sold on the exchange came up every time. CSR subsidies are central to the financial success of exchange business, and, though continuing them for now, the Trump administration won't commit to future payments. Earlier this week, Republicans received another 90-day delay to consider how they'd like to proceed in the appeal of a case the House brought last year challenging the CSR subsidies. Without these payments, the insurance companies writing these policies are at risk for reimbursement that the federal government is contractually obligated to pay.
Employers do not want the individual market to crumble. Not only is that bad for people who depend on it -- including early retirees and former employees -- but cost pressures in the individual market will inevitably lead to cost shifting to private payers. My colleague Geoff Manville and I had a great conversation with Julie Rovner and Julie Appleby at KAISER about the problems creating instability in the individual market. My top three coming out of that discussion:
- Small risk pools. It was clear going in that the risk pool was not going to be ideal, but on top of that, many states are not big enough on their own to generate enough lives to create a stable risk pool. While 100,000+ lives may sound like a big group, when you divide it across multiple insurance companies and a variety of products, the "law of large numbers" doesn't work because the numbers aren't large enough. Look back 15 years when the biggest employers offered multiple self-insured plans and 10-15 insured HMOs -- and look at what they offer now. The past 10 years have seen a lot of plan consolidation.
- Young insureds MIA. One of the most popular ACA provisions, expanded group plan eligibility to include dependents up to age 26, was detrimental to individual plans. The biggest decrease in the uninsured occurred in the younger end of the market. Unfortunately for insurance companies, most of these younger Americans got coverage through their parents, not by purchasing it in the individual market.
- Federal government missteps. The government has not been the best business partner to insurers. To pick one example, think back to how essential health benefits were handled. As the public exchange implementation was coming down to the wire, there was an outcry from current individual policy holders facing significant premium increases for broader coverage that included all EHBs. At the last minute, the White House decided to "grandmother" those plans, which meant that insurance companies lost the additional revenue they were counting on from those policies. And now they face possible nonpayment of promised CSR subsidies.
What is the long-term future of the individual market? Some insurance companies have already declined to continue offer coverage in the public exchange in 2018 and others are still deliberating. We are in dire need of some leadership from the government to uphold their end of the bargain with the insurance companies. The individual market -- and people's lives -- are at stake.
Earlier this week, we hosted a Mercer Select Briefing and asked participants to ponder changes they might make to their health benefits if the ACA's employer mandate were fully or partially repealed. Of the 175 employers taking the poll, relatively few anticipate making any particular change. The largest number of respondents – 21% – said they would be likely to set higher employee contributions for individual coverage than currently permitted under the affordability requirement. Given that many employers have added lower-cost plans since the ACA was signed, most don't have an issue with affordable contributions. Just 19% said they would be likely to resume a 40-hour work-week requirement for eligibility (rather than the 30-hour requirement under the ACA) and the same percentage said they would likely revisit lifetime benefit dollar limits. Fewer than one in ten employers thought they might impose pre-existing condition limitations, and almost none said they were likely to require more than a 90-day waiting period for benefits.
The truth is, in employer-sponsored plans the burden of compliance was greater than the impact of compliance. Now that we are there, it is unlikely there will be a race to unravel the changes. Probably the two biggest ACA issues for employers that remain are the excise tax (delayed until 2020) and the ongoing reporting requirements. The current version of the AHCA further delays the excise tax, and regulators are well aware of employers' desire for relief around reporting. We keep hearing that change is coming, but change takes time in Washington DC.
The anxiously awaited CBO score of the AHCA – reflecting the last round of changes made to the bill before it was passed – was released yesterday afternoon. The nonpartisan scorekeeping office forecast the AHCA would cut the federal deficit by $119 billion over the next 10 years, down from $150 billion in the prior score. From a process perspective, the bill still easily passed the test to save at least $2 billion to qualify for consideration under a reconciliation process that is filibuster-proof by requiring only 51 votes in the Senate, not the typical 60-vote threshold.
What else changed in the report? There was a very small decrease in the projected number of uninsured, which had been 24 million over ten years and was revised to 23 million. That's not much of a ROI for the additional $38 billion aimed at keeping people covered. The largest savings stem from reductions in Medicaid funding and from the replacing ACA's subsidies for individual health insurance with new tax credits for individual/non-group health insurance.
Of particular interest to employers are the waivers that could be granted to states starting in 2020 allowing them more flexibility on age rating and essential health benefits. In scoring the bill, the CBO and JCT examined three general approaches states could take to implement H.R. 1628 and estimate that about half the population resides in states that would not request waivers regarding the EHBs or community rating; about one-third of the population resides in states that would make moderate changes to market regulations, and about one-sixth of the population resides in states that would obtain waivers involving both the EHBs and community rating. There's a table showing the estimated impact on premiums by age group in states that would and wouldn't obtain waivers in this Vox article, and the story isn't good for older Americans. It's not yet clear how, or whether, state waivers – which are targeted for individual and small group coverage – would affect employer-sponsored plans.
Politico summed it up best, "…the report highlights the central dilemma that Republicans are grappling with now — how to write a health care bill that preserves peoples' coverage at a reasonable price, without resorting to government mandates and billions in federal spending. And it drops that problem right on the Senate's doorstep."
Many Americans and employers agree that a top priority for President Trump and Congress should be lowering prescription drug costs. That was underscored this week with introduction of bipartisan legislation – the Fair Drug Pricing Act – a step in the direction of greater price transparency. The bill would require drug makers to justify their pricing and itemize their expenses before raising prices more than 10% in one year, or 25% over three years, on drugs that cost at least $100. (Remember the EpiPen controversy from last year?) Shortly after receipt of this pricing information, HHS would be required to make the data publicly available. In addition to providing a check on sharp price hikes, this could help PBMs and other drug purchasers make more informed decisions.
The Fair Drug Pricing Act mimics bills that have been introduced in more than a dozen state legislatures, and a growing number of state and federal lawmakers have offered a variety of proposals to address the issue. Congressional Democrats, for example, have proposed to allow Medicare to negotiate prices, remove tax breaks drug makers receive for advertising expenses, speed generic drugs to market, and allow Americans to import medicines from Canada, among other things.
The pharmaceutical industry opposes and will fight most of the proposals, but it's clear that the industry and policymakers are feeling the heat over drug prices.
Source: www.statnews.com
While working women continue to earn less money than their male counterparts, the gap is narrowing when it comes to health benefits. Three years ago, we used data from Mercer's National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans to examine the difference in benefits between large employers with workforces that are 65% female or more to those with workforces that are 65% male or more. Just under half of the mostly female companies are in health care and a quarter are in the services sector, while mostly male companies are found predominately in the manufacturing industry (52%). The percentage of employees in collective bargaining agreements has remained about the same for the two groups (13% for companies with mostly female employees and 15% for companies with mostly male employees). One workforce statistic has seen some movement since 2013, when the average salary for mostly female companies was about $10,000 less than when the workforce is mostly male; data from our 2016 survey shows the difference is now over $15,000. That's right – the gap in the average salaries of companies with mostly female vs. mostly male workers has only gotten wider.
The health benefits at organizations with predominantly female workforces continue to be less generous than in those with predominantly male workforces. In addition, the employee contributions for these less generous plans are higher than those for the richer benefits offered to employees at mostly male companies. For coverage in a PPO, the most common type of medical plan, the monthly contribution for family coverage is 17% higher ($484 for mostly female companies and $415 for mostly male companies), which is down from a 31% difference in 2013.
In addition, average in-network and out-of-network deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums are consistently higher. For example, the average in-network PPO deductibles in mostly female companies are $844 and $1,936, respectively, for individual and family coverage, compared to $767 and $1,729 at mostly male companies. While the average deductibles for mostly female companies are still higher, the gap has narrowed when compared to 2013 average deductibles.
While benefits for mostly female companies continue to be less rich and more expensive overall, the gap between these benefits and those for mostly male companies does seem to have narrowed since 2013 and since the implementation of the ACA's employer shared responsibility affordability and minimum values rules, which set thresholds for the amount an employer can charge an employee for their health plan and for the percent of charges the health plan must cover, broadly speaking. However, the gaps in health plan benefits and costs still exist -- and are compounded by the lower salary levels for employees in companies with higher concentrations of women workers.
Republican senators will continue discussions this week on revisions to legislation narrowly approved by the House -– the American Health Care Act – to repeal and replace much of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Passing a bill out of the Senate may be an even tougher fight for Republicans, who can't afford more than two defections.
The talks are driven in part by concerns of moderate GOP senators about the House bill's creation of a waiver system that could substantially raise premiums for certain individuals. The waivers would let states opt out of ACA insurance standards for age rating and "essential health benefits" (EHBs) and, in certain cases, community rating protections related to pre-existing conditions. A number of centrist senators also want to make the bill's refundable tax credits more generous -- particularly for the elderly -- and delay its phase-out of the ACA's Medicaid expansion.
While much of the discussion aimed at bridging the conservative-centrist divide is being led by an official working group of 13 lawmakers appointed by Senate Republican leadership, members of the group say they are soliciting the views of all GOP members. Senate Republican leaders say there is no set timeline for legislation but face immense pressure to produce a proposal in short order so they can move to tax reform and other parts of their legislative agenda.
The debate will likely intensify next week, when the Congressional Budget Office is expected to release its analysis of the House-passed bill. The forthcoming score will reflect the language creating the state waiver system added to the bill just before House approval. To avoid a Democratic filibuster, Senate "reconciliation" rules will force the GOP to remove provisions that do not affect the budget.
If a bill passes the Senate, House Republicans could finish the process by passing the Senate's bill without amending it. Alternatively, Republicans could iron out differences in a "conference committee" comprised of members from both chambers. Hard-line conservatives in the House may object to the Senate's changes, which are likely to water down some of the American Health Care Act's major provisions. The two chambers must agree on a uniform bill, however, before it can be sent to the president.
Earlier this week we learned that the CBO will release their "score" of the AHCA the week of May 22. This revised projection will reflect the most recent changes to the bill – allowing states to opt-out of certain provisions including essential health benefits, aspects of community rating and changes to age banding ratios as well as $8 billion in funding to help states that choose to waive the ACA's community rating for individuals who don't have continuous coverage.
This CBO score will play a key role in how the bill moves through the Senate. The Senate Parliamentarian determines which provisions of the bill qualify for repeal under the budget reconciliation process, and she cannot begin that review without the CBO analysis. If she decides that certain parts of the AHCA bill can't be part of the reconciliation bill, that would affect the CBO score, especially the estimated savings that impact the amount of deficit reduction. This deficit reduction estimate – $150 billion for an earlier version of the bill – will constrain how the Senate crafts their bill. The reconciliation rules require the Senate bill to achieve the same level of savings as the House bill.
As this article from The Washington Post points out, if Senate Republicans want to reinstate some of the Medicaid spending cut by the House, they'll need to find revenue to pay for it, meaning they may have to reconsider when and which of the ACA's long list of taxes can be repealed – the AHCA would delay the Cadillac tax until 2026 but would repeal most of the ACA's other taxes starting in 2017. This budget constraint rule also almost guarantees an uphill battle for the Senate to repeal the Cadillac Tax. Not only would Cadillac tax repeal raise a budget "point of order" requiring 60 votes to waive, it would come with some costs which they might not be able to offset if the Senate wishes to walk back some of the savings generated from changes the AHCA would make to Medicaid and the individual market. If the new CBO score continues to project a large increase in the number of uninsured – 24 million more uninsured by 2026 in the last report – the Senate will be under pressure to keep ACA changes to Medicaid and the individual market or simply make smaller fixes to these provisions. All eyes will be on the CBO score that comes out the week of May 22 as the starting point for the Senate debate.
With all the uncertainties around healthcare legislation swirling, cost control of pharmacy spend remains top priority for employers. On one hand, employers obviously want their employees to have access to the medications they need: drugs like insulin, blood pressure treatments, and cholesterol blockers have long played a critical role in employees' health. But now new specialty biotech drugs – some of them true medical breakthroughs – are flooding into the market, at costs much higher than previous therapies. Drug prices spiked by 9.8% between May 2015 and May 2016, and there are more sharp increases ahead. Drug costs are quickly becoming unsustainable, for both employers and, increasingly, plan members. Many high-cost brand name drugs may have rebates to reduce their net cost, but the member or patient typically does not see these rebates so their out-of-pocket cost is still high. And even the cost of some generic drugs has risen dramatically.
Fingers are being pointed everywhere—from regulations and research to the cost of lawsuits when new drugs perform poorly. While other stakeholders work on those issues, there are actions employers can take to shift the equation in their favor. Here are a few ideas:
Analyze the data on prescription drug spend in your plan
Prescription drugs are the top driver of health benefit cost increases today. In a recent report by the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute, pharmacy benefit costs increased 10.2%, driven by 19.2% growth in specialty pharmaceuticals.
It's important to know what's driving cost growth in your program. When looking at your data, here are a few things to focus on:
- Drugs – What drugs are plan members using?
- Channel – From where patients receive their drugs and are they leveraging the lowest-cost channels?
- Supplier – Are you maximizing the prescription benefit manager relationships?
- Care – How do the drug therapies match up to best practices and evidence based medicine?
Educate employees on what they can do to lower their Rx costs
Employers can help employees be smarter when talking to their physician about their medications and making purchasing decisions. If your program includes any of these cost-saving Rx benefit features, make sure your employees understand them:
- Lower copays for generic drugs
- Lower copays for drugs in formularies
- Preferred pharmacies
- Mail-order suppliers
- Prior authorization requirements
- Step therapy requirements (members try lower-cost drugs first before they can move up to higher-cost prescriptions)
Focus on specialty drugs now
Specialty drugs for complex conditions account for 38% of all prescription spending even though they are used to treat about 1 to 2% of all patients. (Consider this recent example of how one employer discovered just two plan members were accounting for 2.5% of their total health budget due to specialty medication prescriptions.) The most expensive biologic breakthrough treatment regimens can exceed $750,000 per year. For the entire US healthcare market, specialty medication spending has nearly doubled since 2011, reaching more than $160 billion. With 40-50 new specialty medications set to enter the market each year, there is no end in sight.
To help gain control over your spending on specialty drugs, consider working with an expert to conduct a specialty diagnostic of medical and pharmacy plans to assess the current state and identify areas for improved management. Once the diagnostic results are in, employers can make informed decisions on revisions to their plan structure. We see savings typically in the 5-10% range. However, these savings occur in the short-term, and so it is a good idea to revisit the plan structure at least semi-annually as provider capabilities change over time.
If you'd like to learn more about the specialty pharmacy topic, join me for an upcoming webcast hosted in partnership with HR.com on May 17. We will explore the specialty pharmacy ecosystem and discuss options to stay ahead of the cost curve.
For more on Specialty Rx, please read David's recent article in Benefits Quarterly.
The vote to pass the AHCA in the House – a first step on the road to repealing the ACA – has raised questions about how employers might respond if the ACA requirements affecting employer-sponsored plans were to be lifted. One way to approach that question is to look at how employer plans changed – and how they didn't change – under the ACA. We went back to past Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans databases to find out.
- Eligibility. While 22% of employers with 50 or more employees (and 37% of those with 500 or more employees) said they would need to make changes because of the ACA's 30 hour rule in 2015, we've seen no evidence that enrollment in employer plans has risen as a result.
- Mini-meds. Before the ACA, 7% of all large employers (and 21% of large retail employers) offered mini-med plans, generally to their part-time employees. The 60% plan value rule effectively put an end to mini-meds.
- Affordable contributions. Only 14% of respondents to our 2014 survey on health care reform said they would need to take steps to meet the ACA's affordability rules. Employers have historically been slow to raise contributions as a percent of premium. The average contribution for employee-only coverage in a PPO plan was 24% in 2009, the year the ACA was signed, and it was 24% in 2016. The average dollar contribution has risen along with plan costs, but proportionally, contributions have not increased.
- Deductibles. Whether this was an intended or unintended consequence, deductibles have risen sharply under the threat of the ACA's excise tax. Since 2010, the average individual PPO deductible has risen by an average of 7% annually, faster than overall growth in medical plan cost.
- Lifetime limits. In 2009, 71% of large employers had lifetime benefit maximums in their PPO plans and the median limitation used was $2,000,000. While it was rare that a plan member would reach the maximum benefit amount, the ACA outlawed the use of lifetime limits entirely.
Would a repeal mean that employers revert back to pre-ACA plan designs? Not necessarily, and certainly not at once. Some employers might reinstate mini-med plans as a way to provide some type of health benefit to part-timers not eligible for the company's comprehensive plan. It seems unlikely that employers that have raised deductibles would lower them – but it also seems unlikely that employers would take away coverage from any employees or reduce plan values below the current 60% minimum. Before the ACA, most employers voluntarily offered comprehensive health benefits that already met the ACA minimum requirements; by and large, the requirements targeted plans that were the exception rather than rule.
The repeal and replace bill that just passed in the House faces tough challenges in the Senate. Even so, with the Senate reportedly working on a bill of their own, it's a good bet that this Congress will make some changes to the ACA – and, one way or another, that will mean change for employer plans too. This process may take some time. We'll keep you posted.
Well, it happened. House Republicans got the votes to send the AHCA on to the Senate. The bill will face tough challenges in the Senate, so this is far from a done deal. For now, it is business as usual under the ACA.
Highlights of what is in HR 1628
- The "Cadillac" tax remains, although delayed from 2020 to 2026
- Employer and individual mandate penalties eliminated for 2016 and later years
- Age-based tax credits starting in 2020. Credits phase out for those making more than $75,000 per year ($150,000 joint filers). No credits for those offered employer coverage
- Most other ACA taxes are repealed for years beginning after 2016
- HSA enhancements – Increase limits to max deductible/out-of-pocket limits for HDHPs (Based on Mercer estimates, $6,650 single/$13,300 family for 2018)
- No additional states can expand Medicaid after March 1, 2017 and Medicaid funding significantly changed with per enrollee capped payments, option for block grants
- Employer's ACA reporting not repealed (this would need separate legislation or regulatory action); after 2019 offers of coverage would be reported via W-2
- Subject to certain requirements, states could opt out of essential health benefits, aspects of community rating and age banding requirements
- Most recent amendment provides additional $8B to help states pay for pre-existing condition claims
The Congressional Budget Office has not scored the version of the bill passed by the House. Earlier, they projected the number of uninsured would increase by 14M in 2018, 21M in 2020 and then 24M in 2026 relative to projections under the ACA. CBO has not released revised numbers to reflect the most recent changes. The combination of more people without coverage and cuts in Medicaid funding could potentially result in cost shifting to employer-sponsored plans. Another concern is that employers may have less ability to transition certain populations (early retirees, part-time employees) to individual coverage as a design option.
Important context of this bill in the process of becoming a law
The bill faces significant hurdles in the Senate. The Senate requirements for what qualifies for reconciliation legislation are expected to result in some trimming of provisions that don't have an impact on the federal budget, and GOP senators will want to make other changes, including more generous tax credits and more time to unwind the ACA's Medicaid expansion. A Senate-passed bill may be difficult to pass again in a conservative House – both chambers will need to agree on the final version before it can be sent to President Trump.
We will continue to track and provide updates.
Check out this article for tips on managing out-of-pocket expenses in a high-deductible health plan. Typically, your paycheck deductions are lower, which is a bonus, but how do you keep from falling behind financially when you need care? Here are the author's suggestions, plus a few from me.
- Take advantage of preventive services covered at 100%. For example, get a flu shot so you are less likely to get sick.
- Use in-network providers for the lowest possible out-of-pocket expense.
- Consult with a nurse for free by calling the nurse-line for a consultation before scheduling an appointment with a physician; it could save you the cost of an office visit
- Many plans include a telemedicine benefit. The cost of a telemedicine visit is usually around $40-$50, and can be scheduled at your convenience via phone or video chat.
- Investigate "convenience care" clinics in your area. Located in stores like Target, CVS, and Walgreens, they offer a limited number of services at a lower cost than urgent care or a physician office visit.
- When your doctor recommends a prescription drug, ask how much it costs and if there is an over-the-counter or generic option. Check a few different pharmacies for the best price.
- If a prescribed drug is very expensive and you have not used it before, ask whether you could have a smaller number of pills at first to be sure it works. Check to see if there are patient assistance programs to help defray the cost.
- Shop around for services and tests. A variety of tools exist to support comparison shopping; check with your insurance company for help.
- Some employers offer indemnity coverage -- policies that will pay a set dollar amount when you have an accident or are hospitalized. These low-cost coverages can provide peace of mind for those concerned about covering expenses before they meet their health plan's high deductible.
- If you've moved to the high-deductible plan from a more expensive plan, take the savings from lower paycheck deductions and deposit them (tax-free!) in a health savings account. That way you will have some money set aside to help pay for care before you meet the deductible. Many employers will help fund your HSA.
- Take advantage of any opportunities to earn dollars for your HSA by participating in healthy activities like biometric screenings.
These are good suggestions to communicate to employees and their families. Even if you have provided similar guidance in the past, everyone can always use a refresher.
Source: khn.org
House Republican leaders are working to win the votes needed to pass a revised version of their health care reform bill, the American Health Care Act (AHCA), that aims to lower health insurance premiums for some individuals by letting states obtain waivers to opt out of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) essential health benefits, community rating, and age banding requirements.
The latest revisions reflect negotiations between leaders of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the moderate "Tuesday Group" since the March collapse of Republicans' first attempt to pass the bill, which Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, pulled from floor consideration because it lacked support. Other changes to the AHCA since its introduction include the addition of a risk-sharing program to help insurers cover high-claims costs.
These latest revisions brought an official endorsement from the Freedom Caucus, and GOP leaders had hoped to rush the bill to a floor vote this week before the 100th day of President Donald Trump's presidency on Saturday. But many moderates, leery of what they see as a lessening of consumer protections by the new changes, are not rushing to sign on to the bill, and some have announced opposition. Leaders are trying to secure enough support to pass the bill the first week of May, but the outlook is uncertain.


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Registration: Information for Students
Step 4 – Information for Students
Immunization Requirements
Full-Day Kindergarten
Beginning in Fall 2016, full-day Kindergarten will be funded fully by the State of Washington. There will be no tuition cost for families. We offer full‐day Kindergarten program in every elementary school. Kindergartners attend school on the same schedule as those in grades 1-5.
Free & Reduced Lunch
Your child(ren) may qualify for free or reduced priced meals as well as other benefits including a waiver for some school fees. Qualification is based on household income.
English Language Learners
Students who speak a second language in the home or who have been served in an ESL/ELL program in another school are required to complete a language survey.
Student Insurance
Parents have the option of purchasing Accident and Health Insurance for their children. Several plans are available. There is also additional insurance available for student athletes. Informational brochures and application forms are available at your school.The Bellevue School District provides this information to families for their convenience. Purchase of the insurance is not required.


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You are here
A Service for Teachers: Virtual Field Trip Resources
Written by Jacob C. Herman
A virtual field trip is a field trip which is conducted in a classroom or a lecture hall. Organizing a real field trip involves a lot of planning and expenditure. A virtual field trip or an interactive tour can be presented to a class with the use of a computer and the required accessories. Teachers can use virtual field trips to complement a certain lesson. There are lots of great virtual trips available on the Internet. Here's a list of virtual field trip resources for teachers.
- Teachers Guide: A great collection of many interesting field trips like the American Museum of Natural History, Tour of Ancient Roman Villa, and more.
- Geology: Provides field trips on the Big Bend National Park, Coastal Erosion, Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, and more.
- The White House: Take a tour of the White House here.
- LDS Homeschooling: Come here to find virtual field trips to Sutter's Ford, Alcatraz Island, Westville, and so on.
- Geological Explorations: NASA offers two virtual field trips entitled "What's the Difference" and "Moon Math".
- In Old Pompeii: The lesson plan includes a virtual field trip to the ruins of Pompeii.
- Fortune City: Virtual field trips to the Antartica, Galapagos Islands, Louvre Museum, and more.
- Simple K12: Covers ancient Egyptian art, Brazil, Civil War, and much more.
- The California Geotour: Visit the Basin and Range, Cascade Range, Coast Range, Colorado Desert, and more.
- US Government: Come here to find interesting field trips to the Acadia National Park, US Capitol, CIA Museum, Gettysburg National Military Park, and more.
- Nova Scotia: Enjoy the fascinating landscapes of Nova Scotia in this virtual field trip.
- Death Valley: The USGS provides a virtual field trip to the Death Valley.
- Fly Me to the Moon: A virtual field trip to the moon.
- Beavton: Virtual field trips to the Smithsonian, the National Gallery of Art, zoos, and more.
- HUD: Come here to find interactive tours to the park, library, and city hall.
- North Cascades National Park: Take this journey starting from the town of Concrete to Lake Ann Trail.
- The Learning Place: A library of virtual field trips by the Queensland government.
- Benefits: Michael S. Nelson highlights the benefits of virtual field trips.
- Denver Public Schools: Covers African American history, American Revolution, WWI, puppets, and more.
- Estuaries: A good collection of virtual field trips on estuaries.
- Resources: Provides resources for virtual field trips and tours.
- Midge Frazel: Offers field trips to Old Sturbridge Village, Plimoth Plantation, museums, zoos, and more.
- Santa Rosa: Take virtual trips to the National Gallery of Art, Michael Carlos Museum, American Museum of Photography, Asian Arts, and lots more.
- Utah: From a 3-D geologic map and a virtual tour of various points of interest in St. George.
- Smith Town: Provides interactive tours to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Buffalo Zoo, GEM Global, Library of Congress, Mote Marine Laboratory, and more.
- Virtual Field Trips: Discusses virtual field trips and how to create your own trip.
- Utah Education Network: Offers virtual trips to Easter Island, the Nine Planets, Virtual Cave, Nigerian Naming Ceremony, and so on.
- Taxes: The IRS provides a virtual field trip to help students understand taxes.
- NOAA: The "EstuaryLive" webcast of the NOAA.
- WWLEARN: Virtual field trips to the Center for Puppetry Arts, Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Cumberland Science Museum, Johnson Space Center, and more.
Written by Jacob C. Herman


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There's something about the summertime that makes everyone feel at ease, and if you want people to have the same happy feeling when they meet your baby, a summer-inspired baby name will deliver.
For babies born in the summer — or for parents who like life laid-back and free — these boys' and girls' baby names have a special meaning.
After bitterly cold winters and rainy springs, we welcome the sun and heat of summer with joy… and with baby names like Summer, Sunshine and, for a boy, Sonny. Or consider a name like Teresa, which means "late summer," or Somerset, which means "summer settlement."
Naming a child after the month in which he or she is born is a long-standing practice. Try the classic June for a girl and July (Julius, Julian) or August (Augustus) for a boy. Or follow the celebs' lead, and pay tribute to the seventh month with the first or middle name Seven.
More: These baby names are on the verge of extinction, so use them now!
The Fourth of July is considered by many as the official start of summer. Patriotic names are the perfect way to pay tribute to the nation's birthday. Honor George and Martha Washington, Paul Revere and Betsy Ross. Or mark the occasion with a meaningful name such as Freedom, Justice or Liberty.
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For more log onto http://www.fighthubtv.com Like us:http://on.fb.me/xWRC1f follow us:http://bit.ly/wACkIv videos uploaded daily! Subscribe: http://goo.gl/vnzIb Ahead of his bout with Rashad Evans at watch video >>
Daniel Cormier feels very confident ahead of his fight with Patrick Cummins. watch video >>
Sara McMann discusses the challenges Ronda Rousey presents for their UFC 170 bout. watch video >>
At the UFC 170 weigh-ins, Daniel Cormier and Patrick Cummins both made weight for their light heavyweight showdown Saturday night at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nev.Subscribe to our watch video >>
UFC 170 stars Ronda Rousey, Sara McMann, Daniel Cormier, Rory McDonald and newcomer Patrick Cummins' speak to a packed room before taking the Octagon on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Plus, things get watch video >>
Women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey discusses her third-straight title defense and opponent Sara McMann shares her thoughts on the fight. watch video >>
"When you talk, you gotta be able to back it up and that's what I do." Daniel Cormier recounts his dominating win over newcomer Patrick Cummins at UFC 170. watch video >>
Dana White talks about Ronda Rousey's and Daniel Cormier's wins, as well as some future events in the UFC. watch video >>
Dana White shares his views on the Daniel Cormier and Patrick Cummins story, and the shove between the two at the pre-fight press conference. watch video >>
The full UFC 170 Daniel Cormier and Pat Cummins weigh in and face off mma video.For more Boxing and MMA videos log onto http://www.fighthubtv.com
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a place for zinesters - writers and readers
A simple "how to" zine I threw together for my summer bookbinding class for our two day zine project. The idea was to make it seem fun and easy to my kids, as unthreatening as possible.
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This website is part of the ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control) network
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
ESCAIDE now welcomes abstracts on recent infectious disease outbreaks and emerging findings to support disease control. Submitting a late-breaker abstract gives an opportunity to public health colleagues to share timely information with the scientific community present at the conference and ensures all are up to date about current issues. Submission of abstracts for the late-breaker abstract call is done through the ESCAIDE website. The call will be open from 9 to 24 September.


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ED Magedson – Founder
Ripoff Report
F.B.R.BPO Box 416 Woodmere,NY.11598-0416 Woodmere, New York USA
F.B.R.B The letter said that i was the lucky winner because my numbers was the one that was picked and my winnings was 2,432,000.00 and that in order to receive my winnings i would have to send a mailing fee of 20.00. Woodmere New York
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I wasw sent a letter from a sweepstake saying that i was a winner for 2,432,000.00 and that i had to send a mailing fee in order to receive my winnniungs and this is not the first time i have recevive one of these letters,i just want to know how these people keep getting away with this and how it will be stopped!
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 05/12/2013 09:29 AM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/fbrb/woodmere-new-york-11598-0416/fbrb-the-letter-said-that-i-was-the-lucky-winner-because-my-numbers-was-the-one-that-1050285. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
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SUBMITTED: Sunday, May 12, 2013POSTED: Sunday, May 12, 2013
Here is how they get away with it. Read the many complaints on this site and you will realize that the number of idiots in this world is astounding. If you sent them $20 then you are one of these idiots, and if you did this more than once then you are now the king of all those idiots. Please stop looking for answers. I'm afraid if you try and think it may interrupt your breathing.
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On Wednesday morning, police raided the former offices of a North York condo developer that allegedly kept at least $12 million in down payments. Det.-Const. Chris Briggs spoke about the raid.
EXCLUSIVE: Detective on raid at former Centrust offices in North York condo scam
Posted Aug 27, 2014 3:42 pm EDT


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I have been out of town for about 36 hours and when I got in tonight I had an email from Captain Crunch's wife stating that he is in the hospital in critical condition. When she wrote early this morning he was on a respirator. She also stated that a decision would have to be made in the next couple of days.
I am currently trying to get more information about his condition and as soon as I have some I will post it in this thread.
Please pray for Captain Crunch and his family during this time. Thanks.


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India has proposed two sets of dates in March for the home secretary-level talks — a forum New Delhi would like to use to nudge Islamabad to quicken the pace of investigations and court hearing in the 26/11 Mumbai terror case.
On Monday, home minister P Chidambaram rued the lack of progress in the case when he welcomed the judgement confirming death penalty for 26/11 convict Ajmal Kasab.
"Between the high court and the trial court in Pakistan, there has been no movement at all (on 26/11 case) in a way," Chidambaram said when asked whether, in the light of the judgement, India would call for a speedy hearing of the case in Pakistan.
Sources say the court proceedings would figure prominently at the home secretary-level meeting.
"The communication proposing two sets of dates - March 21-22 and March 28-29 - was discussed last week in the meeting between home secretary GK Pillai and Pakistan interior secretary Chaudhry Qamar Zaman. We are awaiting their response indicating their preference," a source said.
This would be the first structured bilateral secretary-level meeting on counter-terrorism after the recent Indo-Pak decision to resume dialogue.
Besides the progress in the Mumbai terror attacks, the home ministry is also expected to reiterate the demand for voice samples of 26/11 accused.
Last week, home secretary GK Pillai indicated the progress on 26/11 probe will be a key point. "We'll ask for voice
transcripts even though the trial court has said no. We will ask why they have not gone and appealed. I am sure the high court or the Supreme
Court may have said that the voice transcripts can be given," he said.


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El Paso's At the Drive-In plays last U.S. tour date at Lollapalooza
EL PASO, Texas - At the Drive-In's reunion tour rolled through Chicago on Sunday, Aug. 5 as the band played a headlining set at Lollapalooza.
The band's set was streamed live on YouTube.
Lead singer Cedric Bixler Zavala, known for odd-funny-weird tweets as much as his acrobatic stage antics, peppered his onstage banter with quips about his abuelita, and radio dedications from "sad eyes," among other things.
Much was made of guitarist Omar Rodriguez Lopez's lack of stage energy by some fans and critics during the band's first run of reunion shows in April. Bixler stated in tweets in April that Rodriguiz's demeanor was due to his mother's death in March.
Rodriguez smiled early on during "Arcarsenal," the first song of the set, but again stayed close to his amp near Tony Hajjar's drumset. He laughed again later in the performance between songs when a cameraman was peeking between equipment and Bixler made a funny face.
The band will play at the Reading and Leeds festivals in Europe at the end of August before playing one last gig in England.
No other dates have been announced.
Watch the band's full performance from Coachella's first weekend this year at


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Teman Negara
Trip Start Oct 16, 2007
75Trip End Jun 21, 2008
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We realised it was going to be best to book our trek into the jungle for the following day because even though we had just arrived it was clear that other than the jungle there really was nothing else to keep us occupied
We managed to team up with a dutch couple, Joyce and Marco and after a somewhat delayed start we were on our way up the river on a boat for about 1hr30, to then start our trek. Taman Negara is a mass of primary jungle over 130 million years old, the park sprawls 4343sq km and was something we were keen to explore. Our guides name was E, he was 25 and knew the jungle well, we were expected to carry our own bags complete with clean/dry clothing, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, 6litres of water each, bowls and cups, wash stuff etc and E carried the food for the 2days. The first days trekking we covered 8km's of dense jungle, climbing over fallen trees, crawling under others, crossing streams and getting attacked by leeches, (because of the wet weather they were out in force), we came across numerous animal tracks including elephants and tigers, all which were fresh prints from the morning as the rain the previous day would have washed them away
E was a great guide, stopping and showing us so much on our way from plants to animals, insects and tracks. The walking was tough in the heat and the leeches made it a whole lot harder because everyone was constantly having to flick them off and stop them from going into their shoes and socks. As we only started walking at about 1.30pm it was getting dark as we were approaching where we were stopping for the night, our pace picked up and we reached the cave where we were going to camp. The cave was amazing, really big and as E told us can sleep up to 200 people. he also told us he had been capming here a few months back with some people doing the same trek as us and an Elephant had come into the cave during the night....scary stuff.
We set up camp and after having a wash in the stream and de-leeching ourselves again, we built a fire and E prepared dinner. We set up our beds meanwhile, a piece of tarpaulin, a sleeping mat and sleeping bag....basic!! Dinner was great consdiering our location, being the middle of the rainforest, chicken curry, vegetable soup and rice followed by tea,coffee or Milo (hot choc). The boys then went to collect more fire wood as we had to make sure the fire lasted all night to ward off any animals who may have been tempted to enter the cave. With the food tied up high, the fire roaring we settled down to sleep, or at least try to....the sounds and your imagination can make it quite hard to sleep when you realise how vunerable you are to an attack by a tiger!
The following morning after a sugar filled breakfast of toast (done on a metal plate over a flame) with chocolate powder and water made into a paste to spread, biscuits and hot drinks we packed up and continued to make our way through the jungle. We had to cover another 8km and the leeches were still out in force but by this point we had began to get used to them a little more. Blood stains from where they had bitten became normal and it was all just part of the jumgle we had began to accept. The walking was again quite tiring, constantly watching where we were going and climbing up and down and balancing on logs to try and cross large streams left us all muddy, hot, sweaty and wet. Biscuits and mentos (sweets) kept us going as well trying some traditional jungle food including jungle fruit, a tree which branches contained water to quench our thirst and some edible plant roots. The occasional spotting of monkeys in trees, lizards, spiders, insects and animal tracks kept us going too. We stopped half way for lunch, a quick bowl of curried noodles and lots of water to rehydrate and Henry indulged in a swim in the river to cool himself down.
We carried on trekking throughout the afternoon until we reached a hide where it is also possible to spend a night in the jungle and see animals such as tapirs, rats, monkeys, gibbons and elephants and after a brief rest we made our final approach to the river where we completed our 8km's walking for the second day
Cold, wet, tired and incredibly dirty we collected our bags from the guesthouse we had stayed in and decided we had earnt a hot shower and a proper toilet regardless of the price. We checked into another hostel and paid a whopping 70rm (just over 10 uk pounds!) but i can honestly say it was so worth it to stand in hot water, get clean and know you are leech free.
The following day we pretty much did nothing but relax which we thoroughly deserved, but we both agreed on what an experience the trek had been, especially as neither of us had expected to be trekking in the rainforest. We got our laundry done as well which was a big necessity, especially as Felicity had to wear her trainers on the trek as they had no boots at the kit hire place that fitted her. Henry's beige shorts were also spotted with red all down one leg where a cheeky leech had made its way up and had a good old suck on his thigh. Generally Henry came off a lot worse with the leeches, however Felicity did get one bite all the way up on her stomach, they literally can get everywhere and through anything!
We booked our boat for the next morning and after another good nights sleep, interupted occasionally with dreams of leeches attacking, we made our way down to the boat to Jerantut and then from here got a bus to Kuala Lumpur...


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Why cutting tax rates won't work
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Not all well-off Australians are grasping for a tax cut despite the hue and cry made on their behalf in recent months. And it is just as well, given the likely cost of helping single mothers and disability pensioners into the workforce.
From the Business Council of Australia to the trade union leader Bill Shorten, it can seem everyone is united in urging the Government to ease the tax burden at the top.
But a poll published in The Australian Financial Review this week shows most top income-earners want tax cuts not for themselves but for the less well-off. The IPSOS poll of 1001 people showed about two-thirds of those who earn more than $75,000 think lower-income workers should come first in the tax cut queue. Better-off Australians, it seems, have a well-developed sense of fairness that the Government may need to tap.
The Government is under pressure from the business lobby, think tanks and its own back bench "ginger" group to cut the top tax rates from 47 and
42 per cent to 30 per cent, at least over the long term. The theory is a tax cut will give top earners more incentive to work harder, and the benefits will trickle down to all.
Handing the top one-third of households a $13 billion a year windfall would have to be offset by massive funding cuts to programs, as the Finance Minister, Senator Nick Minchin, who did the calculations, has pointed out. That means cuts to health, pensions and education.
This is a bad time for revenue to be cut. It is never politically easy to cut existing programs, as the outcry over proposed limits on Medicare funding for assisted fertility treatment reminds us. But new programs or outlays are likely to be needed if the Government is to make welfare reform a reality. If anyone needs help and financial incentives (as well as stick) to work more it is disability pensioners, sole parents, the unemployed and mothers.
Giving tax breaks to the well-off in the hope they will work harder is an uncertain proposition. It is just as likely they will pocket the extra income, reduce their hours and play golf. And why not? Australia is now notorious for a culture of long hours that plays havoc with family life. It is morally questionable whether we should provide financial incentives to motivate people who are doubtless already working hard to spend even more time on the job.
The serious problem of disincentive, lack of motivation and underwork is at the bottom, not the top, of the income spectrum. Australia has worryingly high levels of underemployment. Compared with other developed countries, we have, in particular, a high proportion of men aged 25-54 out of the workforce - of the 25 richest countries we rank 21st - as well as men aged 55-59 and mothers. Even in these prosperous times, too many Australians are blighted by poverty. They have poor skills and poor English, and suffer age discrimination and personal problems with mental health, addictions, disability and domestic violence.
The Melbourne Institute's Household, Income and Labour Force Dynamics in Australia survey shows that about one-fifth of the population, or 4.4 million people, lived below the poverty line for at least one year in the three years to 2003. And even at the height of Australia's prosperity in 2002-03, one in eight children was living below the poverty line. Underworked Australians should be the Government's top priority, not the overworked. Cutting the top marginal tax rate won't help them move from welfare to work. Financial incentives to work more hours are likely to have a much bigger influence on partnered mothers who want to re-enter the workforce, and sole parents who want to move off welfare than on highly paid surgeons and bankers already toiling 80 hours a week.
But it won't be easy for people with rusty skills, poor education, no confidence and mental or physical problems to find a job. Significant cuts to government revenue will only make it hard to fund the programs needed to help train and educate them, find them work and provide the counselling they might need and child-care subsidies and places.
For all the advantages top income earners have enjoyed under John Howard - from the private insurance rebate and increased aid to elite schools to the surge in executive salaries - Australia has remained reasonably egalitarian, says Professor Ann Harding, of the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling. Her work, showing only a small rise in inequality, has surprised and angered the Howard haters.
It seems our highly progressive income tax regime, high levels of family payments and significant spending on social programs have offset the regressive effects of the GST. But cutting the top tax rate could jeopardise the status quo.
Of course, if we got rid of a raft of tax lurks - from income splitting to capital gains concessions - there might be money in the kitty to cut the top, and lower, tax rates, and fund programs for welfare reform. But I would not hold my breath, nor trust any reform that puts the horse (the tax cut) before the cart (the closing of loopholes).
If Australia is to remain a reasonably egalitarian society, the Government should put tax cuts for the well-off low on its "to do" list. It has a good case to mount for focusing on the underemployed. And if it throws in some mutual obligation, it should be able to convince most well-off Australians that it is fair to spend the money where it is most needed.
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Market View
Market View: Bonds—Flexible Income Strategies for an Uncertain Market
Are there investment approaches that could potentially mitigate some of the challenges facing fixed-income investors? Here are some ideas.
Fixed-income investors have had any number of things to keep them awake at night: persistently low yields, fears of rising interest rates, an unclear inflation picture, varying monetary policies from central banks in the United States and elsewhere, uneven global economic growth, and rising geopolitical instability. As we discussed in our June 2, 2014, Market View, economic experts couldn't accurately predict the direction of interest rates, let alone predict the future direction of fixed-income markets. For now, the watchword in the bond market is "uncertainty."
Against that backdrop—especially regarding the pace of economic growth in the years ahead, and the size of any possible increase in interest rates—it may be useful to look at how fixed-income categories have historically performed in different environments. Table 1 details various asset classes that have outperformed under in different economic environments in the past.
Table 1. Where Have Investors Found Potential Success in Different Economic Climates?
Source: Lord Abbett.
The historical information is for illustrative purposes only, does not represent the performance of any Lord Abbett mutual fund or any particular investment, and is not intended to predict or depict future results. Investors may experience different results. Due to market volatility, the market may not perform in a similar manner in the future.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of an investment in fixed-income securities will change as interest rates fluctuate and in response to market movements. As interest rates fall, the prices of debt securities tend to rise. As rates rise, prices tend to fall.
What about the months and years ahead? Well, a return to recession for the U.S. economy is not considered likely by economic forecasters. The U.S. economy is widely expected to continue to grow in the next two years, with the main disagreement among economists the pace at which it will do so—whether it is a "muddle-through" advance or a much sharper rebound. One consensus forecast of economists compiled by Bloomberg in June 2014 calling for U.S. gross domestic product growth of 2.5% in 2014, 3.1% in 2015, and 3.0% in 2016).
Are there an investment approaches that could potentially mitigate at least some of the uncertainty? One possible strategy capitalizes on the previously mentioned historical tendency of different classes of fixed income to outperform in different economic environments. Thus, if an investor expects economic growth coupled with rising interest rates, combining fixed-income sectors with lower correlations to Treasury bonds may provide the best opportunity for generating income while reducing volatility of returns. (Treasuries have historically been better situated in weaker economic conditions.) Chart 1 provides a hypothetical illustration of this concept.
Chart 1. How Do Fixed-Income Categories Stack Up versus Treasuries in Differing Economic Environments?
Correlation with the Barclays U.S. Government Bond Index, March 1997–June 2014
Source: Zephyr. Data cover the period from March 1997 to June 2014, except for CPI swaps correlation, which is calculated from January 2004 to June 30, 2014 (most recent time period available for the index).
1Barclays U.S. Government Bond Index. 2Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. 3Barclays U.S. Treasury U.S. TIPS Index. 4Barclays U.S. Corporate Baa-Rated Index. 5BofAML U.S. Corporate BBB-Rated 1-3 Year Index. 6Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Index. 7S&P 500 Index. 8BofA Merrill Lynch Convertible Bonds All Qualities Index. 9Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. 10Deutsche Bank U.S. CPI 5-Year Breakeven Inflation Swaps Index. Please refer to index definitions below.
The historical data are for illustrative purposes only, do not represent the performance of any Lord Abbett mutual fund or any particular investment, and are not intended to predict or depict future results. Indexes are unmanaged, do not reflect the deduction of fees or expenses, and are not available for direct investment. Investors may experience different results. Due to market volatility, the market may not perform in a similar manner in the future.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The value of an investment in fixed-income securities will change as interest rates fluctuate and in response to market movements. As interest rates fall, the prices of debt securities tend to rise. As rates rise, prices tend to fall.
Simple diversification across select areas of fixed income may provide support for a variety of economic scenarios, but another possible response lies in a flexible, multi-asset class approach that selects securities from those categories. This approach features the flexibility to tactically allocate and adapt to the markets can enhance that benefit. The potential appeal of a flexible bond strategy is twofold: not only could such an approach allocate a portfolio across investment-grade and high-yield bonds, bank loans, inflation-protected securities, and more, but also it can rapidly shift among them using sophisticated investment techniques. This agility has the potential to provide higher return than a passive allocation. In addition, flexible, actively researched strategies can take a more nuanced approach to identify opportunities for total return in various fixed-income categories.
Think of it as a twenty-first century variation on the classic barnyard diversification method—keeping your eggs in multiple baskets, but allocating those eggs in an agile, opportunistic way to maximize their value. [Although neither diversification nor asset allocation can guarantee a profit or protect against loss in declining markets.]
headingView Disclosure
A Note about Risk: The value of investments in fixed-income securities will change as interest rates fluctuate and in response to market movements. Generally, when interest rates rise, the prices of debt securities fall, and when interest rates fall, prices generally rise. Bonds may also be subject to other types of risk, such as call, credit, liquidity, interest-rate, and general market risks. High-yield securities, sometimes called junk bonds, carry increased risks of price volatility, illiquidity, and the possibility of default in the timely payment of interest and principal. Moreover, the specific collateral used to secure a loan may decline in value or become illiquid, which would adversely affect the loan's value. Longer-term debt securities are usually more sensitive to interest-rate changes; the longer the maturity of a security, the greater the effect a change in interest rates is likely to have on its price. Lower-rated bonds may be subject to greater risk than higher-rated bonds. No investing strategy can overcome all market volatility or guarantee future results.
Treasuries are debt securities issued by the U.S. government and secured by its full faith and credit. Income from Treasury securities is exempt from state and local taxes. Although U.S. government securities are guaranteed as to payments of interest and principal, their market prices are not guaranteed and will fluctuate in response to market movements.
Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) are Treasury securities that are indexed to inflation in order to protect investors from the negative effects of inflation. TIPS are considered an extremely low-risk investment since they are backed by the U.S. government and since their par value rises with inflation, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, while their interest rate remains fixed. Investing in inflation-linked derivatives involves the risk that the derivatives are or will become illiquid and that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations. Because derivatives may involve a small amount of cash relative to the total amount of the transaction, the magnitude of losses from derivatives may be greater than the amount originally invested.
Correlation, measured on a scale of -1.0 to +1.0, is the extent to which the values of two investments move in tandem with one another. A perfect positive correlation of +1.0 between two investments implies that as one security moves, either up or down, the other security will move in the same direction. Alternatively, a perfect negative correlation of -1.0 between two investments implies that they will move in opposite directions. Investments with a correlation of 0 implies that the movements of the two investments are not related but completely random.
Coupon is the interest rate stated on a bond when it's issued. The coupon is typically paid semiannually. This also is referred to as the "coupon rate" or "coupon percent rate."
CPI swaps are a type of interest-rate swap in which one party pays a fixed interest rate based on inflation expectations, and the other party pays a variable rate based on inflation expectations. Inflation swaps are often based on the Consumer Price Index.
Duration is the change in the value of a fixed-income security that will result from a 1% change in market interest rates. Generally, the larger a portfolio's duration, the greater the interest-rate risk or reward for underlying bond prices.
The Barclays U.S. Government Bond Index is a market value-weighted index composed of all publicly issued, nonconvertible, domestic debt of the U.S. government or any agency thereof, quasi-federal corporations, or corporate debt guaranteed by the U.S. government. Flower bonds and pass-through issues are excluded. Total return consists of price appreciation/depreciation plus income as a percentage of the original investment. Indexes are rebalanced monthly by market capitalization.
Gross domestic product (GDP) is the monetary value of all the finished goods and services produced within a country's borders in a specific time period, though GDP is usually calculated on an annual basis. It includes all of private and public consumption, government outlays, investments and exports less imports that occur within a defined territory.
The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is an unmanaged index composed of securities from the Barclays Government/Corporate Bond Index, Mortgage-Backed Securities Index and the Asset-Backed Securities Index. Total return comprises price appreciation/depreciation and income as a percentage of the original investment. Indexes are rebalanced monthly by market capitalization.
The Barclays U.S. TIPS Index measures the performance of the TIPS market. TIPS form the largest component of the Barclays Global Inflation-Linked Bond Index. Inflation-linked indexes include only capital indexed bonds with a remaining maturity of one year or more.
The Barclays U.S. Corporate Baa-Rated Index is the Baa-rated component of the Barclays U.S. Corporate Investment Grade Index. The index includes publicly issued U.S. corporate and specified foreign debentures and secured notes that meet the specified maturity, liquidity, and quality requirements. To qualify, bonds must be SEC-registered.
The BofA Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate BBB-Rated 1-3 Year Index is a rating- and maturity-specific subset of the BofA Merrill Lynch U.S. Corporate Index.
The Barclays U.S. Corporate High Yield Bond Index is a market value-weighted index which covers the U.S. non-investment grade fixed-rate debt market. The index is composed of U.S. dollar-denominated corporate debt in Industrial, Utility, and Finance sectors with a minimum $150 million par amount outstanding and a maturity greater than 1 year. The index includes reinvestment of income.
The S&P 500® Index is widely regarded as the standard for measuring large cap U.S. stock market performance and includes a representative sample of leading companies in leading industries.
The BofA Merrill Lynch All Convertibles, All Qualities Index contains issues that have a greater than $50 million aggregate market value. The issues are U.S. dollar-denominated, sold into the U.S. market and publicly traded in the United States.
The Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index is designed to mirror the investable universe of the U.S. dollar-denominated leveraged loan market. The CS Leveraged Loan Index is an unmanaged, trader-priced index that tracks leveraged loans. The CS Leveraged Loan Index, which includes reinvested dividends, has been taken from published sources.
The Deutsche Bank U.S. CPI Breakeven Inflation 5-Year Swap Indexes allow investors to track the performance of five-year inflation swaps. These measure the performance of holding an inflation receiver, breakeven payer swap. The inflation swaps are based on the U.S. CPI Urban Consumers Index.
Indexes are unmanaged, do not reflect the deduction of fees or expenses, and are not available for direct investment.
On the iPad
Download our Perspectives app to read "Five Factors Favoring Active Management" and other viewpoints from Lord Abbett experts.
The opinions in Market View are as of the date of publication, are subject to change based on subsequent developments, and may not reflect the views of the firm as a whole. The material is not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research, or investment advice, is not a recommendation or offer to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy, and is not intended to predict or depict the performance of any investment. Readers should not assume that investments in companies, securities, sectors, and/or markets described were or will be profitable. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. This document is prepared based on the information Lord Abbett deems reliable; however, Lord Abbett does not warrant the accuracy and completeness of the information. Investors should consult with a financial advisor prior to making an investment decision.


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|Home > Entertainment > Big Brother > Article
Big Brother has gone to the girls.
The eviction of Daniel from reality TV show Big Brother leaves Melbourne copywriter Chrissie and Tasmania's Reggie Bird to fight it out in tonight's all-female final for the $250,000 first prize.
Reggie, who is three times more popular among voters than Chrissie, seems certain become the first woman to win an Australian Big Brother when the final votes are cast tomorrow night.
But because Reggie has been in the vacuum of the Big Brother house for the past 85 days, the 29-year-old fish and chip shop owner is oblivious to her national fame.
"I know I'm going (to be evicted), I really do, because there's not enough people in Tassie to vote," Regina said this week.
Even British house invader Anouska and eight of the 13 evicted housemates agree Regina will take the prize.
"She's the only truly genuine, nice person in the house. She's the only person not playing the game," observed the combative Ben Archbold, who regularly fought with Reggie during his month in the house.
The two previous winners were Ben in 2001 and Peter in 2002.
With seven nominations during the season, Daniel had survived more evictions than anyone else.
When his number was up tonight he appeared stunned.
"Can you believe it, two girls? You cannot believe it," he said to the equally shocked Regina and Chrissie.
Channel Ten is reportedly pleased with the ratings for the third series in its targeted under 40s market.
More than two million people are expected to tune into the girls night out final episode tomorrow. Viewership in Tasmania will be almost compulsory.
After the final eviction the Big Brother house will be cleared of cameras and microphones to be made ready for another starring role as an attraction for visitors to the Dreamworld theme park.
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Applause for runner-up Chrissie
Warts and all on US Big Brother
Evicted Aussie called to salvage UK Big Brother
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