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21Mark Prior
Tough Pac-12 Road Test on Deck for No. 10 USC at Oregon State
Game one of the series is set for 5:35 p.m. PT on Friday.
No. 6 USC Hosts No. 13 Santa Barbara in Tough Midweek Tilt
The game will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.
Trojans Host Hawai'i in Midweek Contest
The Trojans are riding a five-game winning streak entering this week.
Trojans Return to Dedeaux Field for Big Pac-12 Series vs. Utah
Game one of the series is set for Friday, April 11 at 6 p.m.
USC Remains on Road, Travels to Pepperdine for Midweek Contest
Trojans looking to even the series on Tuesday at Eddy D. Field Stadium
2001: As the Trojans' No. 1 starter, Prior turned in one of the most dominating seasons in collegiate history with the added pressure of being a top draft pick (he was drafted No. 2 overall by the Chicago Cubs)...one of five finalists for the Sullivan Award, only fourth baseball player in history to reach that level...won the Golden Spikes Award, given by USA Baseball to the top amateur player in the nation...first player in USC history to win the Golden Spikes Award...only the second player to sweep every national player of the year award (Baylor's Jason Jennings - 1999)...won the Dick Howser Trophy from the National Collegiate Baseball Writers' Association as the top player in the nation...won the 2001 Rotary Smith Award...named National Player of the Year by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and The Sporting News...earned the Louisville/American Baseball Coaches' Association National Player of the Year award...earned Collegiate Baseball and USA Today Baseball Weekly All-America first team honors...named as Pac-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year, the fourth straight Trojan to earn the honor (Seth Etherton in 1998, Barry Zito in 1999 and Rik Currier as a co-POTY in 2000)...led the conference in victories, strikeouts, ERA and opponents batting average...third in the nation in earned run average and strikeouts per nine innings (13.2)...earned Collegiate Baseball Preseason All-America second team honors...recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a game 13 times...his 202 strikeouts place him in a tie for 12th all-time for most in a season with Ben McDonald (LSU in 1989) and Richard Lewis (Florida State in 1986)...set the school and Pac-10 single season record for strikeouts on June 1 against Florida International, surpassing Seth Etherton (Cincinnati Reds) who set the mark for the Trojans in 1998 with 182...tied a conference record by being named Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week five times during the season...in his first start on Feb. 3 vs. Louisville, he allowed three hits in five innings of work, striking out 10 batters while not allowing a walk...at one point against Louisville, he struck out five straight Cardinals en route to his first win of the season...recorded 10 strikeouts on Feb. 9 vs. No. 17 Long Beach State (7 1/3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 10 SO)...struck out 12 on Feb. 16 at UCLA in seven innings (2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO)...struck out nine batters in six innings on Feb. 23 vs. Mississippi State...in the first game of a doubleheader at Houston on March 3, Prior struck out 10 and did not allow a walk in eight innings of work for his fourth victory of the season...he tied a career high by striking out 13 on March 9 at No. 10 Stanford (7 1/3 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 13 SO)...on the following week on March 17 at Washington, he pitched the 20th two-hitter at USC since 1976 with a complete game effort in the Trojans' 5-1 win...he set a new career-high with 14 strikeouts and did not allow a walk for his fifth win of the season...set another career-high the following week on March 23 at Arizona when he struck out 15 batters and did not allow a walk in a three-hit shutout, his first of his career...he pitched five innings in a mid-week game on March 28 against San Diego State and gave up his first earned run in 21 1/3 consecutive innings...pitched one inning in relief and recorded his eighth win of the season on April 3 at San Diego State (2-1 win in 10 innings) and added his ninth victory on April 6 vs. No. 10 Arizona State...he struck out seven in eight innings of work against Arizona State, allowing one run on seven hits...he threw his third complete game of the season on April 12 at California (1-0), throwing his second two-hitter of the season and striking out 14 batters with only one walk...with the game against California, he became only the second pitcher since 1976 to throw two solo two-hitters in a season (Barry Zito, now a member of the Oakland Athletics, in 1998)...avenged his only loss of the season with a win against No. 1 Stanford on April 20 at Dedeaux Field...allowed one run on five hits in a 2-1 victory against Jeremy Guthrie, striking out 12 and allowing one walk...threw his third straight complete game on April 27 vs. UCLA (2-0), allowing six hits, striking out 14 and did not allow a walk...throws a fastball, curveball and change-up...finished the month of April with a 5-0 record and a 0.50 ERA (36 IP, 20 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 58 SO).
2000: Served as the team's No. 1 starter for the first part of the season...pitched for the USA National Team, going 3-2 with a 1.60 ERA in six starts (33.2 IP, 16 H, 6 ER, 14 BB, 44 SO)...registered the win as the starting pitcher in an 8-5 win over Cuba in the championship game of the Baseball Week in Haarlem (The Netherlands) Tournament...named to the Pac-10 Honorable Mention list...pitched at least seven innings in 15 out of his 18 starts...led the team in innings pitched and strikeouts...struck out at least 10 batters in a game four times...walked two or less batters in 10 of his 18 starts...did not allow a run until the ninth inning on June 3 at No. 1 Georgia Tech at the NCAA Super Regional in the Trojans' 6-3 win; with the win, the Trojans clinched a spot in the College World Series...had his best outing at the plate on March 28 at San Diego State, going 2-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI...allowed only three runs in eight innings in his only complete game of the season (4-3 loss) at Stanford on March 17...recorded two saves, including 1 1/3 innings of no-hit ball in the second game of a doubleheader on March 14 at the University of San Diego...struck out a season-high 13 batters in 7 2/3 innings on Feb. 25 vs. UCLA, retiring 19 straight batters at one point and walking only two batters...made the Baseball America Preseason All-America second team.
VANDERBILT: Prior earned 1999 Freshman All-American second team honors from Baseball America at Vanderbilt...started 13 games and went 4-8 with a 4.59 ERA and had 71 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings...went a season-high nine innings in a complete-game victory against West Virginia (March 5)...had a season-high 10 strikeouts in seven innings against Mississippi (April 2)...also started at designated hitter and first base and batted .260 with four home runs and 28 RBI...had season highs of three hits and four RBI against Tennessee Tech in different games.
HIGH SCHOOL: A 1998 All-American and All-State selection during his senior year at University of San Diego High, Prior went 10-5 with a 0.93 ERA as a pitcher and .410 with 15 home runs at the plate...was also named the San Diego County Player of the Year by the San Diego Union-Tribune...holds school single-season records for strikeouts (110), ERA (0.93), home runs (15) and RBI (58), all set as a senior.
PERSONAL: Prior pitched for the 1999 USA National Team, going 4-1 with a 2.52 ERA, and made the 1999 Baseball America Summer All-American second team...was a first-round sandwich pick (43rd overall) of the New York Yankees in the 1998 professional draft...lists his most thrilling moment as "putting on a USA uniform and playing in front of 10,000 fans on the Fourth of July"...his father, Jerry, played football at Vanderbilt; his sister, Millie, played tennis at San Diego; and his brother, Jerry, played tennis at Villanova...majoring in business and has a 3.18 GPA...enjoys playing golf and basketball in his spare time...favorite baseball players are Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens...birthdate is Sept. 7, 1980.
PRIOR'S CAREER PITCHING STATISTICS YEAR G-GS CG IP H R ER BB SO IBB HB WP W-L SV ERA *1999 (Fr.) 13-13 1 82.1 107 56 42 23 71 0 5 6 4-8 0 4.59 2000 (So.) 23-19 1 136.1 126 70 54 46 150 3 13 10 10-7 1 3.56 2001 (Jr.) 20-18 6 138.2 100 32 26 18 202 1 4 5 15-1 0 1.69 TOTALS 56-50 8 357.1 333 158 122 87 423 4 22 21 29-16 1 3.07


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Coming off Thursday nights victor over Mike D'Antoni and the Lakers, the Knicks come into tonight's game without the services of Carmelo Anthony. Cleveland is not a very good team, entering tonight with a 5-18 record. New York ranks 2nd and 15th in the league in offensive and defensive efficiency. Cleveland ranks 28th and 27th respectively. The Knicks rank 27th in the league in pace, while Cleveland plays at the 10th fastest pace. Even without the services of Anthony, this is a game the Knicks should win.
Here is what to watch for:
- The Knicks must keep Anderson Varejao off the boards tonight. Varejao has had a monster season and he ranks second in the league in rebound percentage at 23.9%. In Cleveland's last name, Varejao grabbed 18 rebounds. 19 of his 23 games played have resulted in double digit performances. Contrary to Charles Barkley's belief, the Knicks aren't a bad rebounding team. They rank 9th in the league in defensive rebound rate. With Anthony out, the Knicks will likely play big for most of the game. Obviously you'll see Chandler, but expect to see a lot of Sheed and a lot of Kurt Thomas. Having bigger lineups should help the Knicks need Varejao in check.
- Don't let this be a trap game. With Jeremy Lin, the Brooklyn Nets and the Chicago Bulls coming into Madison Square Garden next week, the Knicks could very well be looking past this game against the lowly Cavs. While Cleveland is not very good, they do have guys who can kill you. Kyrie Irving is arguably the second or third best point guard in basketball and I've already spoken about Varejao. CJ Miles has averaged 20 points per game in his past five, including a pair of 28 point outbursts against Indiana and Los Angeles. Given how the season has gone, I don't expect the Knicks to blow this game. Mike Woodson really has the team zoned in and if you look at their schedule, they've taken care of bad teams. Unlike last season, when they went 8-15 through their easiest stretch of the season, the Knicks have beaten up on bad teams.
- Raymond Felton needs to start being more efficient. While he still is great at not turning the ball over and he has been doing good things dishing the ball, his shooting has really fallen off lately. In the month of December, Felton has shot just 37% on 20 shots a game. Due to his string of high shooting, low efficiency games, Felton now has more shot attempts (352) than points scored (350) on the season. Without Anthony, the Knicks need Felton to have an efficient shooting game tonight.
I'm predicting 25 points from Copeland tonight. This should be fun. Cya everyone!

subset: commoncrawl


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Zazspot is an interactive user-friendly online advertising portal committed to protecting the online privacy of its users while providing a rich, relevant shopping experience. We work extremely hard to make sure all of our online ads are authentic. However, users are cautioned to exercise a few safety tips and techniques when using any free online advertising site. Posting an Ad
Online advertising gives us an opportunity to reach innumerable people who are interested in purchasing the goods that we post in a quick and effective manner. But be careful while posting an ad as you may not know the people who respond to your ad.
>> Never include your personal information in the ad like your physical address.
>> Its always better not to post your picture and also do not post adult material or nude images that oppose our Terms and Conditions.
>> Talk to people on the phone and use your common sense before providing them information, like your address, and trust your instincts.
>> If someone is coming to check out the items you advertised, make sure you are not alone when they arrive.
Online ad services give us huge opportunities to find different types of goods and services that we are interested in purchasing or selling. But do exercise caution while responding to an ad as you may not know the people who respond to your ad.
>> Always report any suspicious ads by emailing us at email@example.com.
>> Always do your own research on products, services and companies you deal with.
>> Avoid up-front payments before you see the item and meet the person personally.
>> Use common sense and never provide your personnel information and trust your instincts
>> Always try to meet people in a public place.
>> When you go to someone's house always take someone along with you.
Fraud and cheating exists everywhere. This is true of online advertising as well. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it is, in all probability, a scam. Please research and educate yourself on the Internet about the different scam types existing in the cyberworld.
If you suspect that any zazspot.com's post appears to be a part of a scam, please send us the details.
If you are defrauded by someone you met in person, contact your local police.


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More than 500 people have applied for jobs at a furniture manufacturing plant that plans to reopen this month after closing four years ago, according to company officials.
SHELBY � More than 500 people have applied for jobs at a furniture manufacturing plant that plans to reopen this month after closing four years ago, according to company officials.
It was just two weeks ago that Bernhardt Inc. � a Lenoir-based company that closed its Shelby plant in 2009 and eliminated about 100 jobs � announced it would reopen the Grover Street facility and bring jobs back to the county.
�An unbelievable number have applied,� said William Howard, the company�s vice president of human resources. �It�s north of 500. It�s been uplifting to see us get such a welcome back to the community.�
Applicants from near and far have shown interest in working at the Shelby plant, including former Bernhardt employees hoping to return. After a story about the company�s plans published June 29, The Star has received emails and calls from people in Sanford, High Point and Hickory, all interested in applying for a job at the furniture-maker.
"I have been unemployed for 18 months," Sanford's Laura Maness told The Star. "...I live in Sanford...and I will drive to Shelby just to hand them my resume."
Here�s a look at more details on the plant�s reopening:
How many jobs will Bernhardt offer in Shelby?
The company plans to start with 30 to 50 in the next 30 days, according to Howard.
He said that number will increase depending on financial assistance available from local and state government entities.
�We�re in negotiations about incentives available to us,� he said. �Based on that, we�ll see how large we want to make our facility. We could make it quite large in upholstery plant numbers or back off and increase our footprint in Lenoir.�
What types of jobs will be offered?
Cloth-cutters, inside and outside upholsterers, sewers, inspectors, shipping workers and material handlers will be among the jobs, according to the company. Plans call for products to be shipped to the Lenoir headquarters and then shipped to destinations, Howard said.
�Some require little experience,� he said. �Others require quite a bit of experience.�
How much will those jobs pay?
�We would anticipate the average pay once we get up and running would be in the $15 to $16 an hour range,� Howard said. �An upholsterer who is good at what they do and can work quickly can certainly make double that.�
The county�s current annual salary is in the $32,000 range.
Why�s the company reopening its Shelby facility now?
Company officials say several factors led to a decision in mid-June to reopen Plant 9 in Shelby.
�Mostly, it was due to our incoming orders,� Howard said. �We�re beyond capacity here in Lenoir to serve our needs on a continuing basis.�
In 2009, Howard told The Star the plant was closing due to a decline in demand for Bernhardt�s furniture.
�Certainly, the economy is better than it was five years ago,� he said. �There was a tremendous downturn in our business in the late 2008-09 time frame. Things are better but not great.�
When will the Grover Street plant begin operation?
�We�ve already ordered production tickets and hope to start next week,� Howard said. �We owned the building, had it available, are renovating it now and getting it ready for production.�
What�s been the response of the Cleveland County community?
Enormous, Howard said, including excitement of people whose family members previously worked at the Shelby location.
�People like Doyt Johnson who, ironically, passed away about a day or two before we made this announcement to come back to Shelby. Doyt was a longtime manager in the 1970s, 1980s and into the 1990s,� Howard said. �Doyt continued to mow the grass for us, even after he retired. I know many people in Shelby remember him fondly, and I know he�ll be there with us in spirit.�
Needing a job
Here�s a look at Cleveland County�s unemployed by month in 2013
January � 5,768
February � 5,350
March � 4,939
April � 4,755
May � 5,048
Source: N.C. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Want more information?
Bernhardt Plant 9 is at 732 E. Grover St. in Shelby. Visit bernhardt.com, Bernhardt Furniture Company on Facebook or @bernhardtinc on Twitter for more information.


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This website is an archive of research, datasets and popular writings produced by Andrew Leigh while an academic at the Australian National University during 2004-2010. This website may be accessed via www.andrewleigh.org.
In July 2010, Andrew resigned as a Professor in the Research School of Economics to contest the federal election, and was elected as the Member for Fraser on 21 August 2010. Andrew's active website is now www.andrewleigh.com.
Andrew's academic blog: previousleigh.wordpress.com (2004-2010)
Andrew's academic CV (2004-10)
Spreadsheet of social capital data used in my book Disconnected (UNSW Press, 2010).
Spreadsheet of inequality data used in my book Battlers and Billionaires: The Story of Inequality in Australia (Black Inc, 2013)
Inequality datasets
Replication is an important aspect of empirical social science. Where possible, I have posted on this website the code and data for all my published research papers. Click on the Research (with abstracts) link.
To search this website, enter your search terms in the box below.


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"Systems Change: Can We Get It Right From the Start?" by Curtis Ogden
We want a system where all Connecticut children receive the early education and development support they need.
We want a system committed to building a foundation for learning for every child in their first 1000 days.
We want a system with accessible health, mental health, and social-emotional development support.
We want a system invested in early support of vulnerable children for great returns to individuals and society.
We want a system where local communities are empowered to make effective decisions for their citizens.
Connect with others to build communities and a comprehensive early childhood system in Connecticut.
What is Right From the Start? Listen to team members describe the initiative.
United Way of Coastal Fairfield County is a member of the System Design Team.
Check out these videos highlighting the four focus areas of Right From the Start.


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Testimony Before the House Committee on Ways and Means,
Subcommittee on Social Security (Shaw) on Social Security Disability Program's Challenges And Opportunities,
Commissioner Massanari, Acting Commissioner
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Matsui, Members of the Subcommittee:
Thank you for inviting me here to discuss the direction that the Social Security Administration (SSA) is taking to strengthen the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability programs. I am pleased to be testifying here in my first visit before you as Acting Commissioner, especially since SSA's stewardship of these programs touches the lives of so many people.
The monthly disability benefits provided through these programs form an economic safety net for circumstances that any of us could face in life. Few individuals have private or employer-provided long-term disability insurance.
But nearly all American workers have Social Security. And the importance of this program in the lives of American families today will only increase in the years to come as America's baby boomers age and enter their most disability prone years. We expect receipts of initial disability applications will potentially increase about three percent per year over the next decade as projected by SSA's Office of the Actuary.
It is an enormous challenge to administer these large and complex programs efficiently, effectively and compassionately. Today I will discuss the importance of the disability programs, the challenges facing us, and what we are doing to improve our administration of these programs.
Before I begin, however, I would like to acknowledge the important contributions of the Social Security Advisory Board. We greatly appreciate the Board's advice and support. The Advisory Board's reports and findings are invaluable, both now and for the future, as we work to ensure that our programs treat our citizens compassionately and meet the demands of the baby boom population as it ages. As the Advisory Board notes in its January 2001 report on Social Security's disability programs, these programs have grown rapidly in recent years and will continue to grow as the baby boom generation ages. That growth will coincide with the anticipated retirement of many of our experienced employees, increasing the strain on the administration of the program. In addition, new activities such as those associated with the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 will require a greater portion of SSA resources to assist beneficiaries with disabilities to enter or reenter the workforce.
As you know, Mr. Chairman, the President has announced his intention to nominate Jo Anne Barnhart to be Commissioner of Social Security. She will be an outstanding Commissioner and a great asset to the Social Security Administration. She comes to the position with a broad range of experience with the Congress and with the Executive Branch, including having served previously as an executive in SSA. Currently, she is a member of the Social Security Advisory Board.
We are not, however, simply waiting for a new Commissioner to arrive. In order to be in the best possible position to address the challenges facing the disability program, we are developing a comprehensive and integrated management plan that aligns and integrates current process, automation, and operational policy activities. Our goal is to have a plan ready for the next Commissioner that integrates all disability related activities across all levels of the process to achieve our goals of improved efficiency, customer service and program integrity. These activities need to be aligned to ensure balanced attention to all of the elements of the plan.
This plan will identify near-term and longer-term operational policy changes and it will continue process improvements, such as further refinements to our hearing process. It will support the Ticket to Work legislation and other return to work initiatives and strengthen our information technology capabilities. The plan will allow us to give the new Commissioner a framework and meaningful context to consider for future action.
The Advisory Board shares many of our concerns about disability program administration. The January 2001 report recommended that SSA study ways to improve the structure of its disability adjudication processes so that it can meet the demands of these increasing workloads while ensuring that claimants are treated consistently and fairly. We believe that our planning will help accomplish this.
However, the solutions to the issues the Advisory Board raises are not simple or clear-cut. SSA has taken steps to address many of them as part of its ongoing effort to improve service to the American public. For instance, while there have been complaints about our hearing process, we have reduced processing times by about 100 days, from their peak of 397 days in Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 to the current processing time of about 300 days. We have also seen real progress at the Appeals Council level. Over the past 15 months, processing times for cases at the Appeals Council level have been reduced by 140 days, and pending cases have been reduced by 45,000 cases.
These improvements have come about in part because we have modified our procedures to increase productivity. However, they also have come about because we have shifted resources to the areas of greatest need. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that these processing times, although improved, are still too long and we must continue to seek solutions.
For initial decisions, we have also seen some significant improvements as a result of our efforts. A major focus has been on improving the development and analysis of claims at the initial level so that we can pay people who should be paid as early in the process as possible. Not only is this a great benefit to the people who are allowed much earlier in the process, but it enables our Office of Hearings and Appeals to provide better service to those individuals who do move through the appeals process.
Perhaps one of our most important successes in the disability area is the progress we have made in reducing the backlog that had developed in continuing disability reviews (CDRs). SSA ensures the integrity of the DI and SSI programs by periodically reviewing the continuing eligibility of individuals receiving disability benefits to make sure that only those who continue to be disabled receive benefits. As you know, we have been working under a 7-year plan which we first developed in 1996 to process the backlog of CDRs that had grown throughout the early 1990s and to address a new workload of SSI CDRs that the Agency undertook in 1996. We became current in the SSDI program in 2000, and we expect to be current in the SSI program by the end of FY 2002.
Over the course of the entire 7-year plan, we estimate an average savings of $10 in benefits for every administrative dollar spent. We would not have been able to accomplish this without the help of the Congress, particularly this subcommittee, in providing us with the resources we needed. For future years, FYs 2003-2011, we expect the return on investment in CDRs to be $7 to $1.
Importance of Social Security's Disability Programs
Generally, when people think about Social Security, they think about retirement benefits. However, the disability program is an essential part of Social Security's protections. Almost 140 million people are insured for SSDI benefits and about 6.7 million workers and their families are receiving benefits. About 5.3 million blind or disabled individuals receive SSI benefits, about 30 percent of who also receive SSDI benefits.
Approval for SSDI benefits also provides Medicare coverage after 2 years of receiving benefits. These benefits provide health care coverage that to many SSDI beneficiaries is simply irreplaceable, since many would not be able to obtain insurance in private markets because they are already disabled.
The protection provided by the SSDI program is extremely important, especially for young families. For a young worker, married with two children and earning an average income, Social Security has a value equivalent to a $208,000 disability income insurance policy, which is paid through payroll taxes.
While about one in six disabled workers is under age 40, the typical SSDI disabled worker is over age 50 and has fewer than 12 years of education. The average monthly benefit for a disabled worker, and his or her spouse and children is $1,311. Nearly half of these families rely on Social Security for at least half of their family income. Without Social Security, 55 percent of these families would live in poverty. Additionally, SSI serves the most economically vulnerable population with disabilities, most of whom are living in poverty.
In fiscal 2001, we expect to pay about $90 billion in benefits to disabled individuals and their families through both the SSDI and SSI programs. In addition, the SSDI program also provides eligibility for Medicare and the SSI program provides eligibility for Medicaid. We expect that this year over 2 million individuals will apply for disability benefits, and that we will perform 1.7 million CDRs to determine whether those already on the rolls remain disabled.
We also have a responsibility to the beneficiaries and to the general public to try to assist beneficiaries to return to work if they can. The programs have for many years contained some provisions designed to encourage people to return to work. With the passage of additional tools in the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, which we have begun to implement, we are hopeful that more individuals will be able to start working or return to work.
As a matter of record, Mr. Chairman, you already know that President Bush has a strong interest in disability issues. The President has said that he is committed to tearing down the remaining barriers to equality that face Americans with disabilities today. His "New Freedom Initiative" will help Americans with disabilities by increasing access to assistive technologies, expanding educational opportunities, and increasing the ability of Americans with disabilities to integrate into the workforce.
Clearly, SSA has a great responsibility, not only to the beneficiaries of the program to provide the help they need as quickly and compassionately as possible, but also to the American people to see that benefits go only to those who are truly eligible. This is a large and complex program and SSA administers it in cooperation with the States. While recognizing that we can and must do better in some areas, I want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Social Security's employees and the employees in our State disability determination units. They do a remarkably good job of handling the enormous responsibilities assigned to them in administering the disability programs.
Processing Disability Claims
After a disability claim is taken in one of Social Security's field offices, it is forwarded to one of the State Disability Determination Services (DDS). These State employees are the ones who actually make the initial disability determination and, if the individual is dissatisfied with the decision, they also provide the first level of review, called a reconsideration. These determinations are individualized and complex and will be made in more than 2 million initial applications, in about 585,000 reconsideration decisions of initial claims denials, and for 1.7 million CDRs this year, as I mentioned earlier. These state employees generally must obtain at least one year of medical evidence in support of the claim, scheduling medical examinations to obtain further evidence if necessary.
If an individual wants to appeal the reconsideration decision, he or she can file a request for a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). If the individual wishes to appeal the decision of the ALJ, the individual may request that the claim be reviewed by the Appeals Council. This is the final administrative level of review. If the claimant is dissatisfied with the Appeals Council decision, he or she may appeal to a Federal court.
We know that the current process works well for many people, but we also know we can do better. I would like to discuss some of the areas we are working on to deal with the issues mentioned in the Board's reports.
New Adjudication Process
At the heart of our attempts to improve the disability process are our primary goals to make the right decision, make it as early in the process as possible, and ensure that policy is applied consistently at all levels of the process and by all decisionmakers in all parts of the country. This entails a major effort to document decisions in all cases so that the decisions will, right from the beginning, represent a high-quality product at every step of the adjudicatory process.
After carefully evaluating a number of different options for improving the initial claims process, we settled on a new decision process which we are rigorously testing in 10 States in a prototype environment. Testing in those states began on October 1, 1999 and is still continuing.
There are three key elements to the prototype adjudication process. First, we enhanced the role of the disability examiner in the State DDS so that they are authorized to make disability determinations in many cases without further review by a staff physician or psychologist. This allows medical consultants to spend time on more complex medical cases. (Physician or psychologist signoff, however, is still required in all cases involving children and denials involving a mental impairment.) Second, we eliminated the reconsideration step for initial disability claims. Finally, we implemented informal conferences between the decisionmaker and claimant if the evidence does not support a fully favorable determination. This provides an opportunity for the claimant to talk directly to the decisionmaker.
While we do not yet have complete results in our analysis of this process change, our early indicators suggest that accuracy of decisions for cases adjudicated under the new process has improved as measured by quality assurance analysis as performed by SSA's Office of Quality Analysis. We also have favorable reactions from both customers and employees concerning the new process.
Processing times for awards in the prototype adjudicative process are very similar to the time for the current process. Processing time for denials takes about 20 days longer, primarily due to the addition of the claimant conference. But, importantly, we have found that by improving the accuracy of initial decisions, we can reduce the need for claimants to pursue further levels of appeal and thereby shorten their overall processing times.
Elimination of the reconsideration step would also save about 70 days for the almost 500,000 people who seek a hearing each year. (About 70 percent of claimants are not satisfied with the decision on their reconsideration request and appeal the decision to the hearings level.)
Although the results of the prototype adjudication process appear promising, we have not made decisions on extending it to other states. We do not yet have sufficient data on the decisional outcomes of the test cases through the hearing process, nor do we have all the data needed to gauge fully the impact of the new process on program costs. We expect that when we have complete information we will be able to make decisions on whether to extend the new process to other states.
Hearings before the Administrative Law Judges
One of the major concerns expressed by the Advisory Board is the amount of time we are taking to process hearings. During the past year, the Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA) has implemented a new workload process commonly referred to as the Hearings Process Improvement initiative or HPI. Implementation of this initiative involved significant changes to the way we process our hearings workload, and the organizational structure of our hearing offices. We designed the initiative to reduce case processing times, improve productivity, and enhance the quality of our service to claimants.
We expect to accomplish these goals by putting in place several key elements. The new process streamlines the hearing workflow, with emphasis on pre-hearing analysis and development. It creates a group-based approach, which involves structural changes in the hearing office, which is intended to foster a cooperative team environment and enhance the skills of the staff. It incorporates administrative efficiencies to allow cases to be prepared for hearings faster. And it provides higher level analytical support to the ALJ and early analysis of cases.
We have never undertaken a process change with such a broad impact in OHA. More than 2,000 employees assumed different duties as a result of revised position descriptions required by the new process. An extensive effort took place to train these employees on their new duties, as well as all employees on the new process. One of the lessons we have learned is that it takes much longer than we had anticipated to introduce both fundamental process and cultural change. Working to change the process and culture at the same time is not easy, but these changes are mutually supportive in the long run. It is disruptive, and has taken a toll on performance. Nonetheless, we are now seeing some positive performance indicators, and we believe that a growing number of offices are benefiting from the new business process.
You should know that OHA management has been engaged in discussions with a broad spectrum of employee representatives to make adjustments in the process and to provide more flexibility to local managers. Most recently, an agreement was reached to provide needed flexibility in the rotation of support staff. Although our efforts thus far have focussed on matters directly related to the support staff, we have also taken steps to begin discussions with the ALJ union.
Over the past few months, we have responded to the challenges that have arisen in the implementation of the new process. We are also taking steps to ensure that best practices are more widely shared among hearing offices. We are confident that processing times will decline as the hearing offices gain experience with the new process and its full benefits are realized. We are continuing to make adjustments and refinements in the process in order to achieve continuous improvements.
This effort is a long-term investment. We are now undertaking a broad scale evaluation of all aspects of the new process. The Steering Committee responsible for leading the evaluation of HPI will include employee representatives. The Advisory Board will also be involved in the evaluation process. The Steering Committee has been asked to develop and execute a plan that will assess the implementation of the process in the hearing offices, solicit and consider feedback about the process from within and outside the agency, and identify ways to continually improve the OHA hearing process. I have asked the Committee to be ready to report early in the tenure of the new Commissioner.
Inability to Hire Additional ALJs
There are two areas that have the potential to affect the disability hearing process. First, since April 1999, due to litigation pending before the Merit Systems Protection Board, (MSPB) SSA has been unable to hire new ALJs to replace those who have retired. From 1999 to present, we have lost 172 ALJs without the ability to hire. We currently have 973 ALJs on board. While we were ready to hire 120 new ALJs this spring, the order issued by the MSPB has precluded us from completing that action. If we are unable to hire more ALJs, we expect the number of ALJs will decline to about 950 by the end of the year. Obviously, this has the potential to seriously affect our ability to decide cases in the hearing offices.
The order was issued in the case of Azdell v. OPM. The case was brought by a class of individuals who have challenged the method that the Office of Personnel Management used to compute the veterans' preference in the ranking of ALJ candidates. The MSPB has ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in the case and against OPM. The MSPB ordered OPM to revise the rankings.
On March 14, OPM issued a new register of candidates, and SSA was ready to extend offers to 120 of these candidates when, on April 12, 2001, the MSPB imposed a stay not to exceed 60 days. The stay, which would have expired on June 12, 2001, effectively precluded SSA from hiring ALJs from the March 14 register. The MSPB issued a second stay on June 11, scheduled to expire August 11.
Even if the order is not extended again and we are able to hire new ALJs beginning in August, they would not be able to begin hearing cases until well into next year, because of the training they must receive. However, we are seriously concerned that the order preventing the hiring of new ALJs may continue to be extended and further delay the hiring of additional ALJs.
New Medicare Workload
A second area that will seriously affect our hearing offices is the new responsibility we have under the Medicare, Medicaid and State Child Health Insurance Program Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000. Under that legislation, SSA's administrative law judges are required to review local coverage determinations by Medicare contractors beginning October 1 of this year. These new hearings will require the ALJs who hear the cases to develop substantial expertise in Medicare coverage matters. Further, the legislation provides that, unlike SSA's current hearing process, these hearings must be adversarial. This will be a fundamental change in our hearing procedures.
In addition, the legislation requires that after October 1, 2002, SSA must render a decision within 90 days of the request in all Medicare cases, including those under Part A and Part B of Medicare, as well as those involving local coverage determinations. The legislation also provides that the dollar threshold for requesting a hearing will drop from $500 to $100, which will result in an increase in the number of hearings.
We expect that this new workload and the stringent time requirements will have a substantial effect of the operations of the Office of Hearings and Appeals and could seriously affect our ability to process disability cases. We are evaluating exactly what the effect will be and how SSA will respond to this new workload and are working with our colleagues at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration). However, to give you some idea of the magnitude of the challenge, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that for the Social Security Administration to fulfill the requirements of the legislation would take 1,100 workyears annually. These workyears would represent about 1 out of every 6 workyears in the hearing offices this year.
This workload and the inability to hire ALJs pose a significant challenge to reducing the workloads and improving the timeliness of decisions at the hearing level.
Appeals Council Improvements
In October 1999, a workgroup representing SSA components was convened and charged with developing a plan to assist the Appeals Council in reducing the backlog of pending cases in the short term, and to keep pace with receipts in the long term. This workgroup published the Appeals Council Process Improvement Plan in February 2000, with implementation beginning the following month. Since that time, as I mentioned at the beginning of my statement, we have made significant progress in addressing the time it takes for the Appeals Council to review and issue decisions in claims appealed to them. Processing time has fallen by 140 days and pending cases have been reduced by 45,000 cases.
We are encouraged by these positive first steps, and we expect to see continued improvement in the performance of this important component of SSA's appellate process. Currently, the Appeals Council has a task force working the oldest cases, and once these cases are processed, we expect a dramatic improvement in the overall average processing time.
We are committed to continuous process improvement in both the hearing offices and the Appeals Council. We will need to continue to make adjustments and refinements as we move forward.
State Variations and Consistent Application of Policy
One of the areas highlighted in the Advisory Board's report is the variation in allowance rates among states. I know that this subcommittee has long been interested in these differences in adjudicative outcomes.
Because of the varied socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence the proportion of a State's population that applies for benefits, it is reasonable to expect some difference among state in their allowance rates. However, such differences do not necessarily suggest inconsistent or inaccurate application of law or policy. Consistency among decisionmakers should not be measured solely by allowance rates.
Nonetheless, variations in current allowance rates are cause for attention. We are conducting a detailed regression analysis to determine the extent to which these differences in initial allowance rates can be explained by environmental and demographic factors. However, in an effort to ensure consistent decisions, we have begun to address the concern through what we term "process unification," which is a comprehensive effort to assure that all decisionmakers apply the same standards in making disability decisions. Process unification is designed to help achieve greater decisional consistency, both from state to state and at the different stages in the adjudication process.
We have seen progress with regard to improved consistency between the DDS and hearing levels over the last few years. For example, we have achieved improved compliance with difficult policy areas where nationwide training was provided. This progress is consistent with an important trend toward a higher proportion of all awards being made at the front end of the process.
Quality Assurance
The Social Security Advisory Board recommended that SSA revise its quality assurance process. The Board suggested that a revised process might shed light on why State variations exist and whether they represent problems that could or should be addressed. The Board also recommended that a revised process should apply to all levels of adjudication and that standard processes apply to all DDSs.
SSA has long shared the Advisory Board's concerns about the need for improvement to our quality assurance system. Because of these concerns, we brought in a contractor, the Lewin Group, to conduct a study of the current process and make recommendations for revisions.
The recommendations made in the report from the Lewin Group are sweeping. They call for the introduction of a whole new quality management system that defines "quality" in much broader terms than we do today. It would take us well beyond "quality assurance" and "quality control." This quality management system would focus on process analysis and process management and would move us away from end-of-line inspection and detection of error.
We believe that the Lewin report, which came to us this March, has much to offer. We are carefully reviewing these recommendations to fully assess the advantages and disadvantages of the proposals to determine which we should adopt. Already underway is a pilot of a new consistency review process for claims processed in the DDS's. The new review is intended to assure that the quality review system sends a single message to all of the States on the accuracy of their decisions.
Disability Research
The Advisory Board has also recommended that SSA study long-term policy changes to its disability programs. One of the most valuable services SSA can provide the Administration, the Congress, and other policymakers is the information they need for making sound decisions. SSA is placing a high priority on policy analysis and research that will provide the information necessary to evaluate and strengthen the nation's disability programs.
For example, design plans are well underway for the benefit offset demonstration project required by the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999. In this project, SSDI benefits will be reduced gradually by $1 for every $2 that a beneficiary earns over a certain level. Currently, SSDI beneficiaries face losing their entire benefit for months that they earn over $740, the substantial gainful activity level. The fear of losing cash and Medicare benefits is often cited as a reason beneficiaries do not return to work. The benefit offset project will be designed and implemented to measure the importance that these two factors have on the beneficiary's decision to return to work. In addition, the demonstration will identity the costs and benefits of a SSDI offset as well as the determinants of return to work, characteristics of beneficiaries who participate in the project, and information on employment outcomes.
Last year, we awarded a 5-year cooperative agreement for our Disability Research Institute (DRI) to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The DRI will conduct research that will help SSA address the needs of people with disabilities and to better understand the factors that contribute to their ability to remain in the workforce. Two DRI projects deserve special mention. The first is a design for an experiment and demonstration in early intervention.
Many experts believe that providing intervention methods to disabled individuals as close to the disability onset as possible significantly improves their chance of returning to work. We plan on testing several models including such interventions as integrated service supports and collaboration with employers. We are in the early design phase of the project, and are currently working with the DRI to develop the details for several models.
The second priority project that the DRI has undertaken is research on validating SSA's medical listings. We are working with the DRI to develop criteria that will help determine the extent to which the listings are predictive of work ability.
These are just a few examples of the research we have underway that will enable us to continue making improvements in our disability programs.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, the disability programs are large, complex programs that are critically important to the lives of millions of Americans. As the programs have changed over time, so have the challenges that confront SSA in ensuring that Americans with disabilities receive fair, accurate, consistent and timely decisions when they apply for benefits.
SSA is committed to making the Social Security disability programs both more responsive to claimants and beneficiaries and more accountable to the nation's taxpayers. We are better able to do so because of the important contributions of the Social Security Advisory Board, and I want to thank them again for their help.
In order to succeed, we will also need the support and advice of the Congress, and especially this subcommittee. I want to thank you, Chairman Shaw, and the members of this subcommittee who have worked so hard to assure the funding for Social Security. It is crucial that we receive the funding requested in the President's FY 2002 budget request. We will again be relying on your continued support to obtain the needed funding for our operations.
I truly appreciate the opportunity to come before you today, so that together we can build on the successes that we have seen in recent years and work to meet the challenges that remain. I would be happy to answer any questions.


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Ohio University students in the Interprofessional Course review and discuss the medical history of a resident of The Laurels of Athens, a nursing care center.
Photographer: John Sattler of Ohio University's Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine
Sep 17, 2012
Jody Grenert
A unique collaboration between a local nursing care center and two Ohio University colleges is training a group of students in the team-based approach they will need to succeed in their health care careers.
The Interprofessional Course, the University's first clinical collaboration of this kind, involves students from the College of Health Sciences and Professions (CHSP) and Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (HCOM), along with two residents of The Laurels of Athens. The course promotes interaction among students in osteopathic medicine, social work, nutrition, physical therapy and communication sciences and disorders.
Students participating in the fall course have divided into two teams of five each. Each group is interviewing and assessing a Laurels resident, meeting at the nursing care facility six times during the fall semester to talk with the resident, with the goal of understanding how they as a caregiver can be more efficient and provide the best experience for the patient by working together.
The course's architects want the students to learn from each other and value the contribution from each of a patient's caregivers, including the patient herself. This team-based approach has implications far beyond the course's syllabus. A recent report from the Institute of Medicine estimates that in 2009, about $750 billion – nearly a third of U.S. health care costs that year – was spent needlessly due to a lack of coordination and efficiency in the system.
"Training students from all aspects of the health care team together will enlighten and improve communication and respect among health care providers, which will ultimately lead to better health care for our patients," said Nicole Wadsworth, an assistant professor of family medicine and interim senior associate dean of academic affairs in HCOM. Wadsworth co-teaches the course with Averell Overby, associate professor of physical therapy and interim associate dean for strategic initiatives in CHSP.
"We are very pleased with the interactions among the students," Overby said. We met with the first team to determine (patient) interview questions, and I think they were surprised by the degree of overlap in what they needed to know to perform an effective assessment."
On a recent visit to the facility, one team of student caregivers pored over a chart containing their patient's medical history before asking her questions about her care. The team's aspiring physical therapist wanted to know about any problems with balance and falls. The osteopathic physician-in-training inquired about her medical condition and medications. The others asked the resident about problems with swallowing, food allergies and what kinds of activities she was enjoying at the facility.
Shaun Gentner, administrator at The Laurels, told the team that the resident remains upbeat despite having had several recent medical issues.
"We are trying to keep her as independent as possible while keeping her safe," he said. "Interaction between the different disciplines is essential in our day-to-day clinical operation. With so many moving pieces and regulatory requirements in our health care system, it is imperative all disciplines have the ability to work together seamlessly."
The two teams of students will The Laurels residents again on Sept. 24, Oct. 8 and 22, and Nov. 5 and 19.


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The nation's largest online retailer, Amazon.com, is getting into the wine business hoping to put millions of Web shoppers keystrokes away from the wines they want.
But Pennsylvania citizens shouldn't get too excited about the prospect; shipping wine to consumers in the state is still against the law for retailers such as Amazon.com.
Pennsylvania is one of a small handful of states with a monopoly on wine and spirit sales. With the exception of in-state wineries, all alcohol is sold through state-run retail stores. Shipping wine to consumers is also largely prohibited, save for in-state wineries that can sell and ship to fellow Pennsylvanians.
"There is no likelihood of Pennsylvanians buying wine on Amazon since the state does not allow direct shipping from wineries or retailers," said Tom Wark of the California-based American Wine Consumer Coalition. The group will release a ranking of states by wine consumer friendliness early next year. Mr. Wark offered a preview: Pennsylvania will rank 48th.
The group's survey of wine consumers showed that the biggest obstacles to their access and enjoyment of wine were state monopolies and a prohibition of direct sales. Pennsylvania has both.
"In every case, monopolies lead to poor choice, lack of access and lack of service," Mr. Wark said, adding that Amazon's entry into wine will help further legitimize online wine buying.
Stacy Kriedeman, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, said the state liquor code is clear on the direct shipping: it's generally not allowed. The exceptions are Pennsylvania limited wineries and one of 42 entities that have state direct shipper licenses, but must ship in a less-than-direct manner. They ship to the state-run stores for pickup by consumers, who have to pay a $4.50 handling charge, 18 percent liquor tax and 6 percent sales tax.
Amazon will not be storing, or even shipping the wine. Having established relationships with wineries, Amazon will be the order taker. The order will be fulfilled by a winery. The site will allow consumers to search by high-scoring wines, appellation, or the characteristic of a wine.
The service will be available to California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming and the District of Columbia, with others added "soon," Amazon.com said.
The last legislative session in Harrisburg brought a flurry of attempts to privatize the state monopoly, a relic from the repeal of Prohibition. A proposal to allow limited direct shipping died after it was linked to the privatization bill. Advocates have promised to reintroduce privatization. A Philadelphia Inquirer survey of likely Pennsylvania voters supported privatization by 2 to 1, with 55 percent favoring privatization, 28 percent opposed to it, and 17 percent indifferent or unaware of the issue.
Contact the writer: email@example.com


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Will AT&T Remain the Dow's Dividend Champion?
The best dividend stocks give investors the valuable combination of current income and potential dividend growth in the future. For almost 30 years, telecom giant AT&T has delivered annual boosts in its payouts to shareholders and offers the best yield among the Dow Jones Industrials. That track record has earned AT&T a place among the exclusive companies on the list of Dividend Aristocrats. To become a member of this elite group, a company must have raised its dividend payouts to shareholders every single year for at least a quarter-century. Only a few dozen stocks manage to make the cut, and those that do tend to stay there for a long time.
During that three-decade span of higher dividends, AT&T has seen the telecom business transform itself completely. After having broken up into component regional telephone companies in the early 1980s, AT&T focused on long-distance service, which used to reap huge returns from what seem now to be astronomically high charges for landline calls. As long distance got more competitive, AT&T suffered, and the regional telecom formerly known as Southwestern Bell bought up the long-distance unit in 2005 and took the AT&T name. Let's take a closer look at AT&T to see whether it can sustain its long streak of rewarding dividend payouts to investors.
Dividend stats on AT&T
Current Quarterly Dividend Per Share
Current Yield
Number of Consecutive Years With Dividend Increases
29 years
Earnings Payout Ratio
Last Increase
January 2013
Source: Yahoo! Finance. Last increase refers to ex-dividend date.
What's happened with AT&T lately?
AT&T's 5% yield has provided nearly all of the telecom giant's total returns over the past year, as the share price has actually dropped by less than half a percent since the middle of 2012. The lack of share-price appreciation points to the importance of dividends for income-producing stocks, but it also reflects the uncertainty investors have about how the company will find further growth.
Clearly, the biggest source of growth for AT&T in recent years has come from the explosion in smartphone use. By having been the original exclusive seller of the iPhone, AT&T locked in millions of early adopting customers seeking to get in on the mobile revolution. But eventually, competitors Verizon and Sprint Nextel muscled in on the iPhone action. AT&T still led its rivals with 4.8 million iPhone activations in the first quarter of 2013, but sales of 4 million Verizon iPhones and 1.5 million Sprint-activated iPhones helped push AT&T's overall share of iPhone sales downward, continuing a trend that has seen its overall market share cut in half since the fourth quarter of 2010.
With AT&T having failed to get its proposed purchase of T-Mobile past antitrust regulators and with smartphone use having already gone through its fastest-growth phase in the U.S., the best growth prospects for AT&T lie elsewhere. Recently, rumors have surfaced of potential buyouts that could bolster AT&T's international presence. One involved the potential breakup of Vodafone, with Verizon seeking to take 100% control of its Verizon Wireless joint venture with Vodafone while AT&T would get Vodafone's foreign telecom assets. More recently, reports came out that AT&T was interested in buying a substantial stake in Spain's Telefonica. But talk is cheap, and so far, AT&T hasn't made any firm announcements in the international M&A arena.
As you can see, AT&T has been somewhat stingy with its dividend growth lately, having made only token $0.01 increases every year since 2009. High earnings-based dividend payout ratios ignore the fact that the telecom company's GAAP earnings reflect massive non-cash writedowns for depreciation and amortization of its extensive assets, and the much more plentiful free cash flow is sufficient to support AT&T's dividends.
When will AT&T raise its dividends again?
AT&T just raised its regular dividend in January, so you shouldn't expect an increase until 2014. If the company ends up making a large acquisition, however, the big question for dividend investors will be whether AT&T adds to its already extensive debt load, uses stock in a move that could greatly dilute existing shareholders, or decides to reduce its payout to conserve cash. Until a deal actually gets done, though, that conjecture is mere speculation, and AT&T looks primed to keep delivering the consistent dividends that make it the Dow's dividend champion well into the future.
AT&T has made a lot of money from the smartphone revolution, but one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits no matter who ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to find out about the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further."
Click here to add AT&T to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.
The article Will AT&T Remain the Dow's Dividend Champion? originally appeared on Fool.com.Fool contributor Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter @DanCaplinger. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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San Diego, CA (April 12, 2013) — Robert J. Hugin, chairman and CEO of Celgene Corporation, was elected chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) today at the trade association's annual meeting. Also elected were Ian C. Read, president and CEO of Pfizer Inc, as chairman-elect of the PhRMA Board of Directors, and Kenneth C. Frazier, Chairman, President and CEO of Merck & Co, Inc., as Board treasurer.
Mr. Hugin succeeds John C. Lechleiter, Ph.D., chairman, president, and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, as PhRMA's chairman.
"John Lechleiter's tireless leadership over the past year has helped to reinvigorate the biopharmaceutical research sector at a time when a challenging public policy environment threatens to put America's global leadership in medical innovation at risk," said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani. "As Bob Hugin assumes the chairmanship, I know he will continue to emphasize the importance of patient-centered policies that properly value medicines, incentivize innovation and provide a strong foundation for the millions of U.S. jobs our industry creates and supports."
Mr. Hugin became CEO of Celgene Corporation in June of 2010 having served as president and chief operating officer since May 2006. In June 2011, the Celgene Board of Directors elected Mr. Hugin chairman. He was instrumental in the strategic growth of the company, overseeing the expansion of Celgene from a U.S.-based biopharmaceutical company to a global company with operations in more than 50 countries located in the Americas, Europe, Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. He joined Celgene as senior vice president and chief financial officer in June 1999 and was elected to the Board of Directors in December 2001.
"I look forward to working with our leadership team, the PhRMA staff, and our member companies to advocate for policies that support the advancement of medical innovation and that ensure access for patients to life-extending therapies," Mr. Hugin said. "Through our actions, we must ensure that continued medical innovation is part of the solution to healthcare costs and economic growth in the long term."
Mr. Read is the chairman and CEO of Pfizer. He began his career with Pfizer in 1978 as an operational auditor. Mr. Read worked in Latin America through 1995, holding positions in a number of Pfizer's international operations. In 1996, he was appointed president of Pfizer's International Pharmaceuticals Group, with responsibility for Latin America and Canada. He became executive vice president, Europe in 2000, and was named a corporate vice president in 2001. In 2006, he became senior vice president, Pfizer, and group president of the Worldwide Biopharmaceutical Businesses.
"The biopharmaceutical industry's efforts to discover and develop innovative new medicines not only has a significant impact in saving and improving lives, but is also an essential driver of the broader economy," Mr. Read said. "PhRMA is committed to working with policymakers, elected officials and our members to develop the right policy framework that supports innovation that results in creating value for society by enhancing productivity and improving the quality of life globally."
Mr. Frazier is chairman, president and CEO of Merck & Co. Previously, he served as president of Merck with responsibility for the company's three major divisions: Global Human Health, Merck's sales and marketing division for pharmaceutical and vaccine products; Merck Manufacturing, the company's manufacturing and supply division; and Merck Research Laboratories, Merck's research organization. Mr. Frazier received his bachelor's degree from The Pennsylvania State University and holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
"Congratulations to my colleagues who have made many outstanding contributions to healthcare and our industry through their work with PhRMA. I look forward to continuing my work with PhRMA to ensure that patients and caregivers benefit from the many scientific advances that the pharmaceutical industry has to offer," said Mr. Frazier.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading innovative biopharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to discovering and developing medicines that enable patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. Since 2000, PhRMA member companies have invested approximately $550 billion in the search for new treatments and cures, including an estimated $48.5 billion in 2012 alone.
Find PhRMA Online:
- Website – http://www.phrma.org
- Facebook – www.facebook.com/PhRMA
- Blog – www.phrma.org/catalyst
- Twitter – www.Twitter.com/PhRMA and www.Twitter.com/PhRMApress
- YouTube – www.youtube.com/PhRMApress
For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: http://www.innovation.org
For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: http://www.pparx.org
For information on ensuring the flow of medicines during public health emergencies, visit http://www.rxresponse.org


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Item #:
Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of collagen supplements... see more
Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of collagen supplements
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"A spoonful of collagen" - Suzie
06 Aug 2012
Having fibromyalgia I was taking oodles of prescription medication so I really did not fancy taking yet more capsules. Finding collagen powder has been a blessing, rather than having to swallow capsules, I mix it into yogurt and eat it - tasteless it goes down quicker and easier than capsules and I would definately recommend it
"looking good" - ANNETTE
13 Jul 2012
Just started on the collegen powder and capsules. Although very early days I'm confident that they will improve life quality.
"Great for Granny!" - Peta Feist
10 Jul 2012
I spoon collagen powder onto my Mother's food as she can't swallow the capsules. She is 90 and has suffered severe arthritic pain in her shoulder for years. She has Alzheimer's, so can't convey her feelings, but we have noticed she doesn't hold her arm as though in pain any more and walks a lot straighter. We have also noticed that her skin is a lot smoother - especially round her mouth and eyes. Excellent results - thank you.
"Utter faith :)" - Mark
25 Jun 2012
Just had x2 teaspoons of 'Collagen Powder' (x1 teaspoon is equivalent to about x5 caps or 3g), mixed with yogurt & it was great and I know it'll help the arthritis & headaches!
"pain disappeared" - Julie
27 Apr 2012
I had been suffering with lower back pain for years and became quite stiff if I sat in one position for any length of time. The pain, whilst not extreme, was ever present. After taking collagen for a couple of months the pain disappeared and, although I still experience stiffness in my lower back at times, it is soon overcome by movement.
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Will a Trump presidency be any different? Was he really voted in as an "anti-establishment" candidate?
The following four Washington insider, mulit-year lobbyists have been tagged to help with transition:
Michael Torrey - asked to help put together the new department of agriculture - lobbyist for the soda and dairy industry
Jeff Eisenbach - lobbyist for Verizon and other telecom giants - tapped to put together the new FCC
Michael Catanzaro - oil and gas lobbyist will help with energy issues
Mike Ference - lobbyist for Halliburton and Koch industries will also help with energy.
So much for "draining the swamp"


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Twenty-five years ago, Chicago bluesman Corky Siegel unveiled a project that continues to obsess him.
He called it Chamber Blues, and since its Midwest premiere in 1988 at the Paramount Arts Centre in Aurora, the project has blossomed into an ongoing venture that continues to develop new repertoire for a steadily rotating list of musicians.
As its title implies, Chamber Blues unabashedly interweaves elements of blues and classical music, the balance shifting depending on the musicians and repertoire involved. For all the cross-genre appeal of this experiment, however, a quarter century does seem a long time to be at it.
"The territory where classical and blues meet is very much unexplored," says Siegel, who will bring Chamber Blues to City Winery Chicago on Friday evening.
"There are so many different approaches, and so many new compositions that are sitting and waiting to be written."
In truth, Siegel's fascination with the genre-bending project even predates the 1988 premiere. For in 1966, a self-styled blues fan named Seiji Ozawa – who was best known music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and then-artistic director of the Ravinia Festival – walked into a blues club on Wells Street and heard the Siegel-Schwall Band going full throttle.
"Seiji came into the club, and I honestly didn't know who he was," Siegel, an ace harmonica player, told me in 1988, as he was preparing the Chamber Blues premiere.
"But everyone else in the band knew who he was, and they practically started bowing.
"Seiji approached me and said, 'I'd like you guys to play with my band, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.'"
Not a bad invitation, Siegel reasoned, so he approached Chicago composer William Russo about penning a composition. Russo came up with "Three Pieces for Blues Band and Symphony Orchestra" in the late '60s and "Street Music" in the '70s, both works playing prestigious classical concert halls around the world and recorded for no less than Deutsche Grammophon.
If that was the beginning of Siegel's adventures in expanding his blues-classical hybrid, it didn't fully gain momentum until the mid-1980s, when he'd been commissioned to pen a series of symphonic works for the Grant Park Orchestra. From that point forth, he was hooked.
"As I was writing the music, I completely fell in love with it," recalls Siegel. "I totally fell inlove with the idea and with the experience and the opportunity. And then I had the idea of a chamber group exploring this musical territory."
At that premiere in Aurora, Siegel offered original songs such as "Linoleum," "Idaho Potato Man" and "Southwest Coast Blues," plus newly composed interludes played by string quartet and, of course, Siegel's harmonica. Though nothing here broke new ground harmonically, there was no denying the expressive fervency of the music or the elegance of its delivery.
And though some might have argued that this rarefied form of music-making ran counter to the earthy, rough-edged urban qualities of the blues, in fact the genre is large and strong enough to absorb many approaches. Moreover, Siegel's classically tinged works are no less legitimate – if somewhat less celebrated – than counterparts by George Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck and others.
If the world long ago was smitten with Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," if discerning listeners understand the sophistication of Ellington's "Black, Brown and Beige," if audiences applaud the religious and social message of Brubeck's "The Gates of Justice," why can't Chicagoan Siegel similarly work in more than one stylistic idiom?
To him, the merger of blues and classical idioms affords an opportunity to create new sounds and challenge conventional assumptions.
"It's pretty difficult to find two more socially, politically diverse forms of music happening – and they're artistically diverse, too," says Siegel.
"When people think of blues, they think of T-shirts and jeans, maybe, and back then when we started, maybe a smoke-filled room. In classical, they think of a formal concert hall and people all dressed up.
"This creates a division between two social worlds," adds Siegel, who relishes the opportunity to bridge it.
"You have all these social implications that make blues and classical seem as if they're in two separate worlds, as if they couldn't possibly work together."
Siegel has spent much of the past quarter century arguing that they can, his ever-expanding roster of compositions and Chamber Blues' healthy touring schedule suggesting he's finding success in making his case.
Even if he weren't, however, chances are he'd be penning and playing these blues-meets-classical compositions anyway.
"I feel like I just have more work to do," he says, sounding like a musician who will not be deterred.
Also worth hearing
Blujazz Showcase: The independent Chicago recording company Blujazz presents its annual residency at the Jazz Showcase, featuring an array of the label's artists Friday through Sunday. Diane Delin's Octagon, which had been scheduled to perform at 4 p.m. Sunday, will be replaced by Paul Zauner's Blue Brass with vocalist Mansur Scott. Shows featuring Blujazz musicians are at 8 and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 and 8 p.m. Sunday; at the Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct.; prices vary; 312-360-0234 or jazzshowcase.com
Marshall Vente and Joanie Pallatto: Vente, an accomplished pianist and arranger, and Pallatto, a longtime Chicago singer, rekindle the partnership they documented on the album "Two." 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Katerina's, 1920 W. Irving Park Rd.; $5; 773-348-7592 or katerinas.com
Trio M: Three leading figures in contemporary jazz – pianist Myra Melford, bassist Mark Dresser and drummer Matt Wilson – converge in Trio M. 8 p.m. Saturday at the Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; $15; 773-878-5552 or greenmilljazz.com
Andy's Jazz Jam Session: The masters invite the up-and-comers onstage in sessions led by trumpeter Pharez Whitted and others of comparable stature. 7, 8:30 and 10 p.m. Sunday at Andy's Jazz Club, 11 E. Hubbard St.; $10; free for performing musicians; 312-642-6805 or andysjazzclub.com
To read more from Howard Reich on jazz, go to chicagotribune.com/reich.
Twitter @howardreich
Corky Siegel and Chamber Blues
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: City Winery Chicago, 1200 W. Randolph St.
Tickets: $35-$45; 312-733-9463 or citywinery.com


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DWTS Cheryl Burke, Peta Murgatroyd, Damian Whitewood, And Chelsie Hightower Tower Attend The 2011 WWE Summer Slam To Combat Bullying (Videos & Photos)
Thursday night, Cheryl Burke, Peta Murgatroyd, Damian Whitewood, and Chelsie Hightower Tower attended the "Be a STAR" ("show tolerance and respect") Anti-Bullying and WWE SummerSlam VIP Kick-Off Party Event at the Andaz Hotel in Los Angeles, Ca. They and the wrestlers were on a mission to combat bullying among kids. They wanted to send the message that bullying "is not acceptable whether physical or electronic" and isn't that the truth! Here the four are on the Red Carpet. Peta, Damian, and Cheryl don't say much. They give face, hair, and legs for a great cause. 🙂 But, note how Chelsie chats it up a little on Dancing With The Stars. She mentions that she doesn't know who her partner is on Dancing With The Stars yet, but, she will come the end of August.
Below are some pictures too from Zimbio.com of Cheryl and Chelsie;


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Quercus wrote:I can't stand it when "experts" denounce a whole category of food/drink/music/literature/art etc. - I've seen it done to German wine, to science fiction and to 20th century minimalist music. In my view it predominantly reflects the expert's narcissism, they seem to conflate "I don't like it" with "It's bad in general". They also seem to lose sight of the fact that, in such things, there is nothing to say whether it is good or not other than personal opinion, it's not like politics, science, or mathematics where there is a scale of judgement in terms of ethics, evidence or logic.
I'll agree with you on this one - goats cheese is excellent (in my opinion of course...). Eating Rocamadour goats cheese with Muscatel grapes was one of the most wonderful food experiences I've had.
I would like to thumbs up pretty much the entirety of this post. I mean, I'm not wild about classical music (as in the era, not the whole genre - I love romantic and baroque), but asserting that it isn't good would just be egotistical and stupid.
Anyhow. Also goat cheeses tend to be my favourite cheeses, as I really enjoy the strong flavour you can get from them without having to go down the For Serious Stinky Cheese route. Because I am not sophisticated enough to go that route - I just don't see the appeal, regardless of number of attempts.


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One thing I have noticed the past couple years is how much I am addicted to Euro-Dance music. I really don't know why I am, but there is just something about that constant beat. I have told many of my friends how obsessed I am with it, but I really don't think they truly understand.
For me, dance music is an asset whether I am working out, getting ready for my day, having a party, traveling, or even zoning out while traveling. When I listen to dance basically everything around me goes dark and I am engulfed in this place where all things are great. I mean, I am pretty sure this is a healthy addiction right?
I really think it is these moments that my mind is most creative. Hearing how one beat can be mixed with many different songs across one track is just downright awesome and gets my mind thinking out of the box. To me, dance music isn't just something to listen to while throwing back a few beers, it is a work of art.
For those of you who may not be familiar with that much dance music, check out the videos below. Some of these videos are pretty old but still awesome!
Alexandra Burke – "All Night Long"
DJ Visage – "The Return"
Erika – "I Don't Know"
I would DIE without music; seriously! Leave your favorite Euro-Dance tracks in a comment below please!


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Imagine a Canada with a publicly funded childcare system, accessible support for students facing rising post-secondary tuition, a prescription drug program and affordable housing for everyone. Reducing poverty, protecting retirement programs and creating new jobs are goals shared by many Canadians, but unfortunately the 2012 federal budget ignores the need for investments in people and employment creation. It is a step in the wrong direction.
The new austerity budget focuses on reduced spending by $5.2 billion, cutting jobs, and forcing low-income seniors to wait longer for support. These spending cuts were touted as "moderate" by Finance Minister Flaherty in the weeks prior to the budget release, but in the end thousands of jobs were lost (some estimates are up to 70,000 including previous public service 'downsizing'), and no new money was set aside for such critical services as housing support. Housing is a known determinant of good health, but over three million Canadians are insecurely housed which can ultimately increase the need for expensive health services. Addressing this issue would have been the smart choice.
Small spending allotments are trampled by spending cuts to health and essential service agencies. A mention of money being set aside for Aboriginal education is accompanied by a cut of two per cent to Aboriginal Affairs, and 5.7 per cent cut to Health Canada. This seems like a "take from Peter to give to Paul" kind of game, with no one being the clear winner.
Fears around changes to the Old Age Security (OAS) age of eligibility have become a reality, with applicants being forced to wait an extra two years for benefits. Moving the age from 65 to 67 will have a detrimental effect on seniors with low-income, who rely on these benefits. The Guaranteed Income Supplement and OAS have been heralded as programs that have successfully reduced senior poverty to approximately five per cent. To reverse this trend would be to fail a vulnerable population in desperate need of support, and also out of step with the 2011 Conservative election pledge to assist seniors and increase the OAS.
Fortunately, there is a way forward, toward prosperity.
The Canada that "could be" is found within the Alternative Federal Budget (AFB), the brainchild of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Released earlier this month, the 2012 AFB offers optimism in a time of scheduled spending cuts, and demonstrates how the government could reach their goal of deficit reduction while creating a more prosperous, fair society.
Government programs will require adequate funding, and to do this we need to consider the billions lost to the federal treasury in recent years. The AFB reports that $220 billion in government revenue from taxes has been sacrificed since 2006, with the cost to society being higher rates of poverty, strained health care systems and increased unemployment.
What the Alternative Federal Budget proposes is to reinvigorate government revenues while investing in infrastructure, which will create an estimated 300,000 good-paying jobs. The record low tax rates that many corporations currently enjoy will be modestly increased to reach this goal, along with a new tax for incomes over $250,000, and the establishment of a financial transaction tax.
It comes down to choices.
Investing in people and programs that support low and middle income families is not only a moral choice, but an economical one as well. Recent reports by both government agencies and organizations (see here and here) have demonstrated that maintaining poverty is much more expensive than eliminating it. In contrast, a Canadian public health report estimated that for every $1 spent on children in their early years saves between $3 and $9 on health care, criminal justice, and social assistance costs later on.
In the weeks leading up to the federal budget, the government went into high-gear in an effort to brand any changes as part of "growth" plan. The idea was to move attention away from the negative opinions associated with an "austerity budget" - one that would greatly restrict spending on programs and services. This re-branding exercise is more about a marketing ploy than actual information on the effects the current budget choices will have on Canadians. When it comes down to it, spending cuts and low taxes equal less money in the public purse, fewer jobs and increased poverty no matter how you phrase it.