Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/306997618?client_source=feed&format=rss
Newton virginia tech shooting China glock 121212 Concert Columbine shooting Ryan Lanza Facebook
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Chris Weigant: Obama's Teflon Presidency?
Is Barack Obama our nation's second "Teflon president"? The question has occurred to me before, but it became impossible to ignore after the last week of "Scandalgate." Even after multiple scandals all vying for the top headline throughout the week, over the weekend CNN reported poll numbers showing Obama currently enjoys 53 percent of the public's approval for the job he's doing. His numbers actually rose from the last time the poll was taken, when Obama was at 51 percent approval. That's pretty stunning news, after the week the president just had. Which is why it's now time to ask the question -- does Obama have the "Teflon" quality of having nothing stick to him, no matter what?
Of course, this might be a premature conclusion to draw, for quite a number of reasons. The first of which is that it's still pretty early, as Washington scandal cycles go (except for Benghazi, which has been around for months). More revelations are likely on the way, and they could bend public opinion in either direction, really. But you can bet the Republicans are going to spend a whole lot of time digging, for the foreseeable future. So even if nothing major comes to light, there will still be a steady stream of wonky details from congressional committees, which the pundits will chew over with delight.
The second reason drawing any conclusions or predictions is premature is that it's too early for the public, as well. While people who constantly keep abreast of every tiny shred of political news (and I do include myself in that group) are already fully aware of the scandal details, the general public simply doesn't pay that close attention to politics. The number of people who get their news from late night comics is astounding, and has to be factored in. No matter what the political scandal, it takes time to seep in (or percolate up, take your pick) to the public's consciousness. Any poll takes a few days to conduct, and more time to compile, so CNN was asking the public pretty early on in the scandal cycle to begin with. Give it another week, and the numbers may shift dramatically, as more and more people become informed (in whatever way) about the details of what's going on.
The third reason it's too early to declare a trend is that this is only one poll. It may be what pollsters call an "outlier" -- a random skewing of the responses that winds up being mistaken about the direction of the public's opinion. This isn't to knock CNN or their polling -- outliers can happen to any polling organization, and it's why smart poll-watchers only believe a valid trend exists after multiple polls begin to show the same picture.
Even with all of these caveats, if the CNN poll does turn out to be indicative of the public's true feelings, it is pretty remarkable. Which leads to the Reagan comparison. Ronald Reagan (at least, up until the Iran-Contra scandal) was the first to be called a "Teflon president" because no matter what scandals popped up on his watch, he appeared to float above them all. Nothing stuck, hence the Teflon label. Barack Obama has long admired the transformational nature of Reagan's presidency (which has often been mischaracterized as Obama supporting or approving of Reagan's actual agenda, which is a completely different thing and not true). But the comparison in the two men's political skills seems to becoming more and more apt. Scandal after scandal (or, at least, what his opponents label "scandal," at any rate) is thrown at Obama, and not much of it gains any traction with the public, outside of people who already don't approve of Obama and never will.
Take a look at a comparison chart of job approval numbers for Barack Obama and Ronald Reagan (and please note, this is a chart of monthly averages which doesn't include any Obama numbers for this month, yet):
[Click on graph to see larger-scale version.]
The blue and brown lines show Ronald Reagan's approval and disapproval. The green and red lines show Obama's. Reagan, by this point in his term (and excluding the first year's "honeymoon period"), had experienced higher highs and lower lows than Obama has. Reagan spent a whole 10 months with a lower job approval rating than the lowest number Obama has ever charted, and Reagan dipped well below 40 percent in his worst month. By comparison, Obama (also excluding the initial honeymoon) has kept his approval rating almost exclusively between 45 and 55 percent. That's amazingly stable. Obama did spend four months below 45 percent and hit a low of 43.4 percent in the middle of the debt ceiling budget fight in 2011. But other than that, his numbers don't change all that much, no matter what story is breaking. Even the death of Osama bin Laden didn't push Obama much above 50 percent approval, and if you remove that data point and his second post-election "honeymoon," his approval has stayed within the 45-50 percent range for over three years. That's a much tighter range than even Mr. Teflon himself, Ronald Reagan, could manage.
During this period, the Republicans have thrown everything but the kitchen sink at him. They have made it their party's highest priority to tear down Obama, and they have stunningly failed to convince the public to change their mind about the man all that much. Perhaps this is a big part of the problem. Perhaps crying "Kenyan!" too often has discredited their alarms, to put this another way. The populace hears that Obama is a socialist or hates America or is trying to destroy this or that aspect of American life -- and they collectively yawn, because they are considering the source. Republican scandal overreach may be coming home to roost, to mix the metaphors a bit.
Perhaps the CNN poll will indeed prove to be an outlier. Perhaps Obama's numbers aren't actually going up even after the trifecta of scandals last week. It is really too early to identify that trend, and we'll have to wait a week or so to see some other polls to figure out what's really going on out there. But I would be willing to bet that even if Obama's numbers do go down, they won't go down all that much. It seems that roughly 45 percent of the public will approve of Obama no matter what the other side throws at him, and roughly 45 percent of the public will never approve of the job Obama's doing (even killing bin Laden didn't convince them, remember) no matter what happens. The 10 percent in the middle will fluctuate by a few points, but on the whole, remain within a tight range.
I don't know what else to call that but Teflon.
?
Chris Weigant blogs at: 
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Become a fan of Chris on The Huffington Post
?
?
?
?
Follow Chris Weigant on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ChrisWeigant
"; var coords = [-5, -72]; // display fb-bubble FloatingPrompt.embed(this, html, undefined, 'top', {fp_intersects:1, timeout_remove:2000,ignore_arrow: true, width:236, add_xy:coords, class_name: 'clear-overlay'}); });
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/obamas-teflon-presidency_b_3309293.html
amber heard act Google Now Jason Collins White House Correspondents Dinner 2013 NHL playoff schedule Queen of Versailles
Nintendo 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro review: just like the original, but bigger
Nintendo seems to have a knack for repeat performances. Nintendo DS? Quickly supplanted by the DS Lite -- and the DSi didn't last too long either before it was succeeded by the DSi XL. Even the 3DS saw a revision, when it was supersized last summer. These redesigns typically don't change more than the device's size, but when the 3DS XL was announced, some gamers were left wanting. Didn't the original 3DS get an accessory specifically to address the lack of a second analog pad? Why didn't Nintendo take the opportunity to add dual-analog controls? Well, if that happened, Nintendo couldn't release an encore Circle Pad Pro accessory, could it? Let's take a look at the 3DS XL Circle Pad Pro and see what's changed.
Filed under: Peripherals, Nintendo
magic mike trailer Alan Turing brave Stephanie Rice Meet the Pyro Karen Klein Colorado fires
Powerful tornadoes strike in four central U.S. states
By Chris Francescani
(Reuters) - A massive storm front swept north through the central United States on Sunday, hammering the region with fist-sized hail, blinding rain and tornadoes, including a half-mile wide twister that struck near Oklahoma City. News reports said at least one person had died.
By 9:30 p.m. Central Standard Time, more than two dozen tornadoes had been spotted in parts of Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Illinois, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and local news reports. Hail stones, some as large as baseballs, were reported from Georgia to Minnesota, the NOAA said.
Fox News reported that one person was killed in Shawnee, Oklahoma, east of Oklahoma City.
Police in Shawnee could not immediately be reached to confirm the report.
Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin declared 16 counties of the state disaster areas, according to Jerry Lojka, a spokesman for the state emergency management department.
By late Sunday, power outages were being reported in several Oklahoma counties, according to the Tulsa World newspaper.
Meteorologists had been warning for days that a powerful front was expected to blast through the region, spawning potentially destructive twisters. The extreme weather is expected to continue on Monday, National Weather Service advisories said.
National Weather Service offices across the region issued one urgent warning after another, throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
An extreme weather system stretching from north Texas to Minnesota had been building for hours on Sunday when the day's first tornado touched down near Wichita, Kansas at 3:45 pm Central Standard time, according to a weather service alert.
Just after 6 p.m., the Norman, Oklahoma office posted a Twitter alert on a tornado about to strike Pink, a town on the edge of Oklahoma City.
"Large tornado west of Pink!" the post read. "Take cover RIGHT NOW in Pink! DO NOT WAIT!"
The storm prompted an unusually blunt warning from the central region of the National Weather Service, which covers 14 states.
"You could be killed if not underground or in a tornado shelter," it said. "Complete destruction of neighborhoods, businesses and vehicles will occur. Flying debris will be deadly to people and animals."
Pat Slattery, National Weather Service spokesman for the U.S. Central region, said the advisory was part of a new warning system being tested after a violent tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011, killing 158 people and injuring hundreds.
Slattery said the new advisory was reserved for severe tornadoes with the potential to form into "supercell" storms, which produce powerful winds and flash flooding. Supercells are considered to be the most dangerous of four categories of storms because of the extreme weather they generate.
A recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration assessment of the Joplin storm found that "when people heard the first tornado warning, they did not immediately seek shelter. They looked for a secondary source to confirm the tornado," Slattery said. "That got some people killed."
(Reporting by Chris Francescani and Ian Simpson; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio, Richard Chang and David Brunnstrom)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/severe-kansas-tornado-prompts-stark-national-weather-warning-003115770.html
Jenny Johnson olivier martinez ny lottery Ohio Lottery Colorado Lottery Pa Lottery Ebates
4 Ways 'Dancing with the Stars' Can Get Its Mojo Back
Are you watching Dancing with the Stars (ABC, Monday and Tuesday, 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET) this season? It's possible: Over 13 million people still are. But it's more likely that you've moved on. Since 2006, ABC's sparkle-tastic dance competition has lost over half of its audience. TV industry types shook their heads at last fall's "failed" all-star installation, which averaged only 17 million viewers per episode. But even fewer people -- about 4 million less -- are tuning in for the likes of Kellie Pickler and Jacoby Jones (Zendaya and Aly Raisman round out the final four competing tonight). What's gone wrong? And how can ABC fix it? Here are four suggestions.
joey votto the masters live mega millions winner holy thursday chris stewart evo 4g lte marlins new stadium
Monday, May 20, 2013
Dior presents cruise fashions amid stars in Monaco
MONACO (AP) ? The glittering star power of Cannes migrated up the coast to Monaco for front-row seats at Dior's colorful, sexy cruise fashion show.
With the Mediterranean Sea the picturesque backdrop, Dior showcased its 2014 collection on Saturday night. It was a wet, cold and generally miserable outside the white stage, but Raf Simons' designs provided the shimmering summery lift for the evening.
Among those on hand were Oscar-winner and Dior spokeswoman Marion Cotillard, actresses Ruth Wilson and Jessica Biel, and Prince Albert of Monaco, along with his fashionable wife, Princess Charlene.
Before the show, Biel called Dior's fashions beautiful, saying she also appreciated them because they were made for real woman. If that was the case, such women are dynamic gazelles who even in their downtime have multiple agendas.
There were sheer lace cover-ups, brightly colored dresses, and jackets and coats made of wool.
In press materials provided at the show, Simons explained his inspiration to prominently feature lace in the collection.
"I never worked with lace before," he said. "It was about transforming the meaning of the material; not romantic, not historical, not old, to something light, playful, colorful and modern ? with energy."
Many of the pieces had an effervescent feel, like the metallic blended with sheer lace and a strip of a coral floral print in one dress; a wool jacket and pants were made vibrant with bright red color.
But there were other outfits that had a more traditional look, like a flowing spaghetti-strap red dress that hit mid-calf at the front but draped near the floor in the back, and the one-piece bathing suits that harkened back to old-style Hollywood glamour ? particularly a brilliant blue piece with ruching in the back.
After an enthusiastic ovation for the show, guests such as Liv Tyler were shuttled to the Oceanographic Museum nearby as Prince Albert and his wife threw a reception that showcased some of the fashions ? including Dior ? worn by his late mother, Princess Grace.
___
http://www.dior.com
___
Follow Nekesa Mumbi Moody at http://www.twitter.com/nekesamumbi
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/dior-presents-cruise-fashions-amid-stars-monaco-123933061.html
kelis dick clark dies ibogaine jamie moyer bone cancer hossa the cell
Analysis: Little sign Abe can shake up Japan's inbound FDI
By Stanley White
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan risks missing, yet again, an opportunity to use foreign investment to help fuel sustained economic growth that has eluded it for the last two decades.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to make Japan "the world's easiest country for companies to do business in" as part of his economic revival plan, which so far has been largely met with approval. The stock market has rallied 45 percent this year and Abe's approval ratings are around 70 percent.
Abe gave further hints on Friday about government plans to be unveiled in a longer-term economic growth strategy, referring to tripling infrastructure exports and doubling farm exports.
But a month before that strategy is due to be unveiled, his efforts to ramp up inbound foreign direct investment (FDI) are showing little indication a trickle of foreign investment will turn into a tide.
"Over the last five years, 90 percent of my work has been outbound deals," said Ken Lebrun, chair of the FDI committee at the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan and a partner at the law firm Shearman & Sterling specializing in mergers and acquisitions.
"The reason is the same as why Japanese companies haven't been acquiring companies in Japan: growth prospects are poor. Hopefully, Abe's reforms will improve these perceptions."
At first glance, Japan is tough to sell to a foreign investor. Its population is ageing and quickly shrinking. Its own corporations are pessimistic about home markets and have been hoarding cash or investing overseas.
Yet its appeal lies in the sheer size of the $5 trillion-plus economy, the world's third-largest, a survey by international consultancy Accenture showed in March last year.
In insurance and pharmaceuticals, areas of foreign investor interest, Japan is second only to the United States in market size, reports from ratings agency Standard & Poor's and research firm IMS Medical show.
Standing in the way of foreign investment are barriers that have kept Japan at the bottom of the FDI league table.
Compared with the size of the economy, foreign direct investment inflows into Japan are the lowest among the 34 developed nations grouped in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The total amount of inward FDI was less than 4 percent of its economic output at the end of 2011. In comparison, Britain's was 48.8 percent of GDP in 2011, while in the United States it was nearly a fifth of GDP.
The OECD's index of regulatory restrictions to FDI, which includes limits on foreign equity holdings, screening and approval procedures, rules on hiring foreigners and rules on repatriating capital, showed Japan was the club's most closed economy in 2012.
To break the mould, Japan needs to simplify and reduce corporate taxes, cut red tape and scale back regulations that are so excessive that they even deter Japanese firms, economists say.
"The single biggest area that Britain and other countries would welcome is a bigger move on deregulation and liberalization," said Sue Kinoshita, director of trade and investment at the British Embassy.
The benefits of foreign investment would be heightened competition for skilled workers, which could help reverse a long decline in Japanese wages and boost productivity, helping to address concerns about the "hollowing out" of manufacturing.
"We have a lot of outgoing FDI, so we need to balance this with more incoming FDI," said Yasuo Yamamoto, senior economist at Mizuho Research Institute.
Rather than break the mould though, the advisory panels charged with drafting the growth strategy are discussing only modest steps, such as tax breaks for special economic zones.
One idea is to provide incentives for English-speaking doctors to work in Japan and another is to run Tokyo's subway and bus networks 24 hours a day. Proponents suggest that would make Japan more attractive to foreign executives.
Areas that are likely to remain a no-go zone for foreigners are agriculture and construction, two industries that tend to rely on cozy government ties for protection.
At 1.2 percent of GDP, the size of Japan's agriculture sector is about the same as many developed economies.
The appeal is that whoever can fix the sector's notorious lack of efficiency stands a better chance at marketing Japan's high-end vegetables, beef and other produce to gourmet consumers overseas.
Construction, on the other hand, may not hold much appeal to foreign firms as there are few prospects for growth after decades of excessive public works projects.
Elderly care is one area that will be growing as Japan ages. A third of Japanese will be 65 or older by 2035, up from a quarter now.
It is ripe for new entrants, foreign or local, but it is also a prime example of the red tape keeping newcomers at bay.
Each of Japan's 47 prefectures issue the licenses for nursing homes in their areas. But local governments often deny licenses to avoid the subsidies they have to pay to nursing home workers, who themselves have to hold several licenses and qualifications to work.
Pharmaceutical firms complain that strict rules on clinical trials and on prescribing new drugs make access to the Japanese market lengthier and costlier than other leading economies.
Some economists say Japan should make it easier for foreign companies to enter the renewable energy market in Japan as the country ponders life without nuclear power after the 2011 Fukushima disaster.
Letting foreign players in is sometimes the best way to shake things up, such as when French automaker Renault
Nissan's chief Carlos Ghosn implemented what become known as the "Ghosn shock" by aggressively pushing its steel suppliers to cut prices. At the time Japanese automakers did not dare to squeeze their long-time suppliers.
The result was lower steel prices for all automakers and a restructuring of the steel industry.
(Editor Neil Fullick)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/analysis-little-sign-abe-shake-japans-inbound-fdi-211800342.html
Jason Kidd All Star Game 2012 directv rashard lewis curacao curacao home run derby
Officer who shot NY student faced harrowing choice
In this photo copied from the 2010 Sleepy Hollow High School yearbook, high school student Andrea Rubello is shown. Police said Rubello, a junior at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., was shot and killed Friday, May 17, 2013, during a break-in near the college campus. (AP Photo/Sleepy Hollow High School)
In this photo copied from the 2010 Sleepy Hollow High School yearbook, high school student Andrea Rubello is shown. Police said Rubello, a junior at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., was shot and killed Friday, May 17, 2013, during a break-in near the college campus. (AP Photo/Sleepy Hollow High School)
This undated photo provided by the Nassau County Police Department shows Dalton Smith of Hempstead, N.Y. On Saturday, May 18, 2013, police identified Smith the alleged home invader involved in the fatal slaying of a New York college student early Friday morning. Police say that Smith, who was currently on parole for robbery in the first degree, was the person attempting to rob the off-campus home where Andrea Rebello was shot and killed. (AP Photo/Nassau County Police Department)
The Tarrytown, N.Y., home of the family of Hofstra University student Andrea Rubello is seen on Friday, May 17, 2013. Police say Rubello was shot and killed Friday, May 17, 2013, during a break-in near the college campus in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jim Fitzgerald)
Hofstra University students gather near the house where another student and an armed intruder were killed during an overnight house break-in next to the campus, Friday, May 17, 2013, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)
Officers continue working the scene at the house, left, where a Hofstra University student and an armed intruder were killed during an overnight break-in next to the campus, Friday, May 17, 2013, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/ Louis Lanzano)
NEW YORK (AP) ? The police officer who accidentally killed a Long Island college student along with an armed intruder faced perhaps the most harrowing decision in law enforcement: choosing the split-second moment when the risk is so high that you must pull the trigger.
That's the moment authorities say a Nassau County police officer experienced early Friday morning when a masked man holding 21-year-old Andrea Rebello in a headlock pointed a loaded handgun at him.
"The big question is, how do you know, when someone's pointing a gun at you, whether you should keep talking to them, or shoot?" said Michele Galietta, a professor of psychology at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice who helps train police officers. "That's what makes the job of an officer amazingly difficult."
She spoke Sunday as Hofstra University students honored Rebello, a popular public relations major, by wearing white ribbons at their graduation ceremony.
On Saturday evening, flags on the Hempstead campus were at half-staff and students held a silent outdoor vigil in front of a photo of the young woman. Surrounded by candles and flowers, they sang "Ave Maria."
Rebello's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday in Sleepy Hollow, in Westchester County, north of New York City.
Her life ended in the seconds that forced the veteran police officer to make a fatal decision, but the questions surrounding the student's death are just beginning, along with an internal investigation by the Nassau County Police Department.
The bare facts are simple. Rebello and the intruder, Dalton Smith, died early Friday when the officer fired eight shots, hitting him seven times, with one bullet striking Rebello once in the head, according to county homicide squad Lt. John Azzata.
With a gun pointed at her, Smith "kept saying, 'I'm going to kill her,' and then he pointed the gun at the police officer," according to Azzata.
The officer acted quickly, saying later that he believed his and Rebello's life were in danger, according to authorities.
No doubt, he was acting to try to save lives ? his own and that of the young woman, Galietta said.
"What we're asking the cop to anticipate is, 'What is going on in the suspect's mind at the moment?'" she said. "We're always trying to de-escalate, to contain a situation, but the issue of safety comes in first, and that's the evaluation the officer has to make."
Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York City police officer and professor of law and police studies at John Jay College, said the crucial issue may be whether or not police had deemed it a hostage situation. If so, he said, there are protocols police follow to buy time, slow down, isolate and assess.
But O'Donnell said the officers may have had few options because of "an eyeball to eyeball confrontation between the officer and the offender."
"It may have been too fluid to deteriorate for the officers to do anything else," O'Donnell said. "It underscores that there's no two of these that are exactly alike."
Police tactical manuals are meant to assist officers in making the best decision possible, but in the end, "they're not 100 percent foolproof," Galietta said. "In a situation like that, you can follow procedure, and it doesn't mean it comes out perfectly."
The officer who fired the shots is an eight-year NYPD veteran and has been with Nassau County police for 12 years.
He is now out on sick leave, Azzata said.
Procedurally, the Nassau County district attorney's office would determine whether an officer's use of deadly force was justified. O'Donnell said. A spokesman for the district attorney's office did not respond to a request for comment Saturday night.
There are some rules governing the use of force for New York police officers. A subsection of Article 35 of New York Penal Law prohibits against recklessly endangering innocent people.
___
Associated Press writers Frank Eltman in Mineola, N.Y., and Jake Pearson contributed to this report.
Associated Pressthe island president the maldives harper lee mega millions numbers the fray seahawks new uniforms 2012 tornadoes in dallas
A Native American tale with international pedigree
CANNES, France (AP) ? It took an international production starring a Puerto Rican and a Frenchman to bring the Native American tale "Jimmy P.: Psychotherapy of a Plains Indian" to the big screen.
The film, an English language one from French director Arnaud Desplechin, made its premiere Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival, where it's among 20 movies competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or.
It's principally a tete-a-tete between two men: the Blackfoot Indian Jimmy Picard (Benicio Del Toro), who's suffering from head trauma after serving in World War II; and an eager anthropologist and psychologist from France, George Devereux (Mathieu Amalric), who treats him at a Topeka, Kansas, military hospital.
"The film has one foot in Europe and one foot in America," Desplechin told reporters Saturday. The "A Christmas Tale" director shot the movie in the Midwest and on a Blackfoot reservation in Montana.
In the genre of psychotherapy films ? from Hitchcock's "Spellbound" to David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" ? "Jimmy P." is particularly faithful to the probing dialogue between patient and analyst. It's a case study of a film, adapted from Devereux's 1951 book, "Reality and Dream," that includes lengthy transcriptions of sessions. Desplechin said he wanted to grasp "the adventure" between the pair as they become friends while sifting Jimmy's memories for the roots of his pain.
Much of it rides on the chemistry between Del Toro and Amalric, both widely-respected, shape-shifting international actors. They operate, though, on very different rhythms, with Amalric's frantic energy contrasting with Del Toro's weary heaviness.
"I'm very impressed with Benicio as a person," said Amalric. "I thought: How can I use this, the fact that I'm deeply impressed?"
Del Toro, who said the two first met several years ago in Cannes, said that two actors either connect, or they don't. He identified with one quality of Jimmy, whose Indian name means "Everybody Talks About Him."
"Everybody talks about him," said Del Toro. "Everybody talks about me."
As for whether "Jimmy P." constitutes an American film, Desplechin said he sides with the festival's classification, which goes by director. But, he said, the film is ultimately about a transitional kind of nationality, and the friendship that blooms between a discriminated-against Native American and an immigrant doctor, both finding their way in a country foreign to them.
Said Desplechin: "It's the story of two men becoming American."
___
Follow AP Entertainment Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jake_coyle
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/native-american-tale-international-pedigree-142516915.html
Rose Bowl 2013 anderson cooper adrian peterson chicago bears netflix george h w bush Belk
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Winning numbers drawn in Powerball jackpot
Joe Fajardo poses holding his Powerball lottery ticket after buying it at a store Saturday, May 18, 2013, in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. With the majority of possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone is almost sure to win the lottery game's highest jackpot on Saturday night, a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars ? and that's after taxes. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Joe Fajardo poses holding his Powerball lottery ticket after buying it at a store Saturday, May 18, 2013, in the Barrio Logan neighborhood of San Diego. With the majority of possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone is almost sure to win the lottery game's highest jackpot on Saturday night, a windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars ? and that's after taxes. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? Lottery officials say the winning numbers in a near-historic Powerball jackpot have been drawn.
They are: 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and Powerball 11.
Officials say the latest Powerball jackpot figure results are still pending. They had estimated it at $600 million.
With four of every five possible combinations of Powerball numbers in play, someone is almost sure to win the game's highest jackpot. The problem, of course, is those same odds just about guarantee the lucky person won't be you.
The chances of winning the prize remain astronomically low: 1 in 175.2 million. That's how many different ways you can combine the numbers when you play.
But since about 80 percent of the possible combinations have been purchased, lottery officials say it's likely the winning ticket could be selected.
Associated Pressnew jersey devils torn acl derrick rose injury st louis news correspondents dinner i am legend san antonio spurs
The Saturday Chill: Vanilla is far from boring! ? Simmer & Boil ...
Photo: Randy Mayor
So many people think vanilla = plain. One dimensional. The career back-up singer in a dessert with stronger, sexier, Tina Turner-like ingredients. The choice to resort to when you?ve got picky eaters with sad, unadventurous palates.
But once you let vanilla go solo, and let it be the best it can be? whoa.
Vanilla is native to tropical America, and it comes from the only orchid plant that produces anything edible. The beans are picked and fermented to develop rich complexity. Real vanilla has so many nuances of flavor and aroma, no lab has been able to make a dead ringer. Get yourself a vanilla bean or two, one that?s fat and flexible, then rub and inhale. Beautiful, right?
You can make vanilla sugar by scraping out the bean and mixing the dark tiny seeds into sugar; I also put the scraped pod in the sugar, too, and leave it for months, adding scraped vanilla beans as I use the seeds in other recipes. (Why throw out a perfectly good and expensive bean?) You can make vanilla salt using the same method as vanilla sugar?I use a grey sea salt (sel gris)?and it?s great on fruit, popcorn, and white-fleshed seafood. Make your own vanilla extract by adding five split pods to a pint of alcohol. I use vodka because it contributes no other flavors; you can also use rum or bourbon. Let it sit in a dark spot for at least two months before using it.
The recipe in Cooking Light Chill for Vanilla Ice is a surprisingly great way to give vanilla the spotlight. It has just three ingredients?low-fat milk, sugar, and vanilla?and you really don?t think it?s going to be much. It won?t have a creamy texture like a custard-based ice cream or even a treat made with real cream. But the vanilla sings, releasing its flavor as the ice crystals melt in your mouth. It reminded us of making snow ice cream.
Give yourself a special treat: Seek out a bottle of vanilla paste and try this ice with an equal amount of paste in place of the vanilla extract. (Buy vanilla paste from specialty food, spice or kitchen retailers, KingArthurFlour.com, or Amazon.com.) The ice will have pretty little flecks of vanilla, and you?ll get to experience vanilla in a way that you might not have before. Bonus: You don?t need an ice-cream maker?just a glass baking dish and a fork, and you?re making wonders in your kitchen.
Vanilla Bean Ice
This ice is reminiscent of making ice cream out of snow. While many commercial vanilla desserts are too cloying to let the vanilla flavor shine through, this three-ingredient recipe will show you that vanilla?s anything but plain. You can use an equal amount of vanilla paste for the extract; it will create an ice flecked with vanilla seeds.?
Hands-on time: 13 min.
Total time: 3 hr. 13 min.
4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves. Pour into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover and freeze until partially frozen (about 1 hour). Scrape with a fork, crushing any lumps. Freeze, scraping with a fork every hour, 2 hours or until completely frozen.
Serves 7 (serving size: 1 cup)
CALORIES 127; FAT 2.8g (sat 1.8g, mono 0.8g, poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 4.6g; CARB 21g; FIBER 0g; CHOL 11.2mg; IRON 0mg; SODIUM 57mg; CALC 163mg
Like this:
Loading...
Source: http://simmerandboil.cookinglight.com/2013/05/18/the-saturday-chill-vanilla-is-far-from-boring/
mc hammer pecan pie recipe Hector Camacho Jill Kelly McKayla Maroney gronkowski jeremy renner
Will Power grabs early lead in race for Indy pole
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) ? Will Power was the most relieved man in Roger Penske's garage Saturday.
After spending most of the week frustrated as he tried to find speed, Roger Penske's team finally came up with the answers the Australian needed to move into position for his first Indianapolis 500 pole.
Power posted a four-lap average of 228.844 mph ? significantly faster than defending series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, who was second at 228.282 ? heading into Saturday's nine-car shootout for the top starting spot in the May 26 race.
It was a refreshing change.
"We struggled early in the week, we just finally got quicker and quicker," Power said. "One more step and I think it would be 230."
He'll get that chance in the shootout.
But it was a stark contrast to the guy who looked demoralized following another frustrating practice session Thursday. Back then, Power seemed resigned to the fact he wouldn't be in contention for the shootout.
His perspective started to change Friday following a major jump up the speed charts. Power's steady progression continued Saturday morning when he posted the fastest lap in pre-qualifying practice. Then, after waiting through a rain delay of roughly 2? hours and watching 17 other drivers making qualifying attempts, Power finally got a chance to show the crowd what the No. 12 car could do.
Unlike so many others cars on Indy's tricky 2.5-mile oval, Power didn't lose a thing as temperatures cooled and the rain washed away some of the grip and drew loud roars by posting back-to-back laps of 229.422 and 229.170. He finished the run with laps of 228.526 and 228.260.
Nobody else had a lap faster than 228.684, putting Power in a strong position.
What changed? Power's crew switched to the setup rookie AJ Allmendinger was using in practice, a setup that kept him among the fastest drivers in practice.
"There was one change that we did that it definitely made the car quick and we know what that is," Power said.
He wasn't giving away the secret, though it clearly worked for his teammates, too.
For part of the afternoon, Penske's three drivers -- Power, Brazil's Helio Castroneves, a three-time 500 winner, and Allmendinger --held the top three spots.
Then the Andretti Autosport drivers who dominated this week's practice suddenly turned the shootout into a two-team race.
Defending series champ Ryan Hunter-Reay broke up the Penske monopoly. Two cars later rookie Carlos Munoz of Colombia, moved to third on the starting grid with a four-lap average of 228.171.
"That was a great run for us. I'd like to do a few things differently, but not many," Hunter-Reay said.
Two cars after that, Marco Andretti, wound up in the sixth spot after posting an average of 227.893. Two-time race winner James Hinchliffe and E.J. Viso, Michael Andretti's other drivers, were seeded eighth and ninth heading into the shootout. Hinchcliffe is from Canada, and Viso is Venezuelan.
The only non-Penske or non-Andretti driver to make the shootout was Ed Carpenter, the stepson of IndyCar founder Tony George. He was fifth fastest at 227.952.
There weren't many surprises.
Each of the nine drivers in the shootout were powered by the strong Chevrolet engines. That left the Honda teams, including all four drivers for Chip Ganassi's heavyweight team ? Australian Ryan Briscoe, New Zealand's Scott Dixon, Scotland's Dario Franchitti and Charlie Kimball ? out of the front three rows. Franchitti, like Castroneves, is trying to become the fourth member of the four-time winners club and will start from the middle of the sixth row, 17th, after going 226.069.
Also out of pole contention was points leader Takuma Sato of Japan. He posted a four-lap average of 225.892 and will start 18th, the outside of Row 6.
Eight drivers qualified but were later bumped out of the top 24 starting spots. Jakes and Briscoe were the only ones to make it back in.
The list of drivers still trying to make the field includes 1996 Indy winner Buddy Lazier, British driver Pippa Mann, who hasn't raced since suffering injuries in the tragic season-ending race at Las Vegas in 2011 and Brazil's Ana Beatriz. Mann and Beatriz, who drive for Dale Coyne Racing, are trying to become the first female teammates to start the 500.
Two drivers, Conor Daly and Michel Jourdain Jr., weren't quick enough to even qualify for the 33-car starting field and James Jakes' first qualifying attempt was later disqualified after failing post-qualifying inspection. Jakes tried to requalify two more times, finally making it into the 24th spot late in the day.
The final nine starting spots will be filled during the second and final day of qualifications Sunday ? a day Britain's Katherine Legge is expected to complete her first laps since being hired by Schmidt Peterson Motorsports to drive the No. 81 car. The late addition gives race organizers 34 driver-car combinations, meaning one driver won't start May 26.
And it won't be Power.
"Pole is not the most important thing for the race, but it is a very big deal at this place to get pole," Power said. "I've been very close a couple of times. I would love to get it and I think we have a chance today."
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/power-grabs-early-lead-race-indy-pole-204735227.html
ja rule amityville horror acm passover recipes 2012 kids choice awards kansas ohio state wrestlemania results
Google's wearable Glass gadget: cool or creepy?
By Alexei Oreskovic
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Google staged four discussions expounding on the finer points of its "Glass" wearable computer during this week's developer conference. Missing from the agenda, however, was a session on etiquette when using the recording-capable gadget, which some attendees faithfully wore everywhere - including to the crowded bathrooms.
Google Glass, a cross between a mobile computer and eyeglasses that can both record video and surf the Internet, is now available to a select few but is already among the year's most buzz-worthy new gadgets. The device has geeks all aflutter but is unnerving everyone from lawmakers to casino operators worried about the potential for hitherto unimagined privacy and policy violations.
"I had a friend and we're sitting at dinner and about 30 minutes into it she said, 'You know those things freak me out,'" said Allen Firstenberg, a technology consultant at the Google developers conference. He has been wearing Glass for about a week but offered to take them off for the comfort of his dinner companion.
On another occasion, Firstenberg admitted to walking into a bathroom wearing his Glass without realizing it.
"Most of the day I totally forget it's there," he said.
Many believe wearable computers represent the next big shift in technology, just as smartphones evolved from personal computers. Apple and Samsung are said to be working on other forms of wearable technology.
The test version of Glass looks like a clear pair of eyeglasses with a hefty slab along the right side. Since it began shipping to a couple thousand carefully selected early adopters who paid about $1,500 for the device, it has inspired a bit of ridicule - from a parody on "Saturday Night Live" to a popular blog poking fun at its users.
Other industry experts take a more serious tack, pointing out the potential for misuse because Glass can record video far less conspicuously than a handheld device.
Glass also has won many fans. Google and some early users maintain that privacy fears are overblown. As with traditional video cameras, a tiny light blinks on to let people know when it is recording.
Several Glass wearers at the developers conference said they whip the device off in inappropriate situations, such as in gym locker rooms or work meetings. Michael Evans, a Web developer from Washington, D.C., attending the Google conference, said he removed his Glass when he went to the movies, even though the device would be ill-suited for recording a feature-length film.
"I just figured I don't want to be the first guy kicked out of the movies," he said.
NO GLASS ALLOWED
A stamp-sized electronic screen mounted on the left side of a pair of eyeglass frames, Glass can record video, access email, provide turn-by-turn driving directions and retrieve info from the Web by connecting wirelessly to a user's cell phone.
Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt dismissed concerns about the brave new world of wearable computers during a talk at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in April.
"Criticisms are inevitably from people who are afraid of change or who have not figured out that there will be an adaptation of society to it," he said.
Schmidt acknowledged that there are certain places where Glass will not be appropriate but that he believed new rules of social etiquette will coalesce over time. Firstenberg said it will take time for all sides to get comfortable with the new technology.
"I don't think we should go into the conversation assuming that Glass is bad," he said.
Indeed, previous technology innovations such as mobile phones and wireless headsets that initially raised concerns are now subject to tacit rules of etiquette, such as not talking loudly on the bus and turning a ringer off in a meeting.
Still, some have decided to leave nothing to chance.
Casino operator Caesar's Entertainment recently announced that Glass is not permitted while gambling or when in showrooms, though guests can wear it in other areas. In March, Seattle's Five Point Cafe made headlines for becoming the first bar to ban Glass. "Respect our customers privacy as we'd expect them to respect yours," says a statement on the caf?'s website.
The California Highway Patrol says there is no law that explicitly forbids a driver from wearing Glass while driving in the state. But according to Officer Elon Steers, if a driver appears to be distracted as a result of the device, an officer can take enforcement action.
PRIVACY TRACK RECORD
Lawmakers are beginning to consider Glass.
On Thursday, eight members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to Google Chief Executive Larry Page, asking for details about how Glass handles various privacy issues, including whether it is capable of facial recognition.
According to Google, there are no facial recognition technologies built into the device and it has no plans to do so "unless we have strong privacy protections in place."
During one of this week's conference sessions - an open discussion about Glass - members of the Glass team answered a question about privacy by noting that social implications and etiquette have been a big area of focus during the development of the product, which is still a test version.
Some of the Glass-phobia may stem from Google's own track record on privacy. In 2010, Google revealed that its fleet of Street View cars, which criss-cross the globe taking panoramic photos for the Google Maps product, also had captured personal information such as emails and web pages that were transmitted over unencrypted home wireless networks.
"The fact that it's Google offering the service, as opposed to say Brookstone, raises privacy issues," said Marc Rotenberg, the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a non-profit privacy advocacy group, citing Google's history and its scale in Internet advertising.
Rotenberg says his main concern centers on the stream of data collected by the devices - everything from audio and video to a user's location data - going to Google's data centers.
Ryan Calo, a University of Washington law professor who specializes in privacy and technology, said Glass is not very different from other technologies available today, whether it is a smartphone or "spy" pens that secretly record audio. But Glass is on people's faces, so it feels different.
"The face is a really intimate place and to have a piece of technology on it is unsettling," Calo said. "Much as a drone is unsettling because we have some ideas of war."
For all the hand-wringing, some early adopters are sold.
Ryan Warner, who recently graduated from college and who has developed a recipe app for Glass with Evans, said he was surprised by the reaction he got when he went to a bar.
"I was like, ?I don't know if I should have it on or not.' I was kind of in that phase," he said, "and the bouncer was like, ?Oh, my god, is that Google Glass?' He was excited."
(Reporting By Alexei Oreskovic, with additional reporting by Susan Zeidler in Los Angeles and Aaron Pressman in Boston; Editing by Bill Trott)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/googles-wearable-glass-gadget-cool-creepy-140848988.html
chardon sean young juan pablo montoya free pancakes at ihop martina navratilova high school shooting ohio school shooting
Eurovision returns to ABBA's homeland with pop and kitsch
By Mia Shanley
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Bare-chested Irish drummers, a Ukrainian giant and a much-discussed lesbian kiss will be on display at this Saturday's Eurovision final in Sweden which - love it or hate it - promises plenty of pop, kitsch and barefoot ballads.
Some 26 countries will compete for the jewel in the crown of European pop in the homeland of former Swedish supergroup ABBA, one of Eurovision's most successful winners.
Denmark's 20-year-old Emmelie De Forest looks set to steal the show with bookmakers putting her as a clear favorite, trailed by Norway, Ukraine, Russia and Azerbaijan.
Her song - "Only Teardrops" - could keep the show in the Nordics for a second year running, moving it just across a bridge that separates Sweden and Denmark after Loreen won last year's contest for Sweden with dance track "Euphoria".
"It's just quite a catchy song - it's sort of true Eurovision," said Jessica Bridge, a spokeswoman for bookmaker Ladbrokes, of Denmark's entry. "It's euro-pop, and I think it's just struck a chord with people really. I think that's the one."
Ladbrokes has Denmark on 4/6 odds, making the barefoot blonde who performs against a flaming backdrop one of the strongest contenders ever to go into a Eurovision final.
Highlights will undoubtedly include a 2.4 meter (7 feet 8 inches) tall Ukrainian who carries singer Zlata Ognevich onto the stage, representing her inner strength, and Eurovision's first lesbian kiss featured in Finland's "Marry Me", which has drawn media controversy.
Eurovision was started in the 1950s with the aim of uniting Europe after World War II. Today, it has an audience of 125 million - more than the Super Bowl in the United States - and has served as a launching pad for the likes of ABBA, Julio Iglesias and Celine Dion.
And despite an ever-increasing number of TV music contests ranging from Pop Idol to the Voice, fans say the nearly six-decade-old show stands in a category of its own.
"It is special - it's such great variation from all these different cultures," Thomas G:son, who co-wrote last year's winning song and has penned tunes for the Jonas Brothers, told Reuters.
"You can think: What is he wearing? What is she singing? This is crazy! That's what makes it interesting and fun. There is such great variation."
G:son has written the song for Georgia this year, which made it through to the final, but says his other favorite is Dutch contender Anouk, a singer-songwriter who will be belting out her dark and edgy ballad "Birds".
ABBA NOSTALGIA
To promote talent over politically and geographically motivated block voting, professional judges now account for 50 percent of a performer's score. The other half comes from telephone and SMS votes received for each contestant, with fans unable to vote for their own country's entry.
After two semi-finals held this week, 20 countries moved to Saturday's final while Britain, Italy, Spain, France and Germany got free passes as they are the biggest contributors to Europe's broadcasting union. Host Sweden also automatically qualified.
Britain, which has not won since 1997 and finished second from last in 2012 with septuagenarian crooner Engelbert Humperdinck, looks unlikely to buck its losing streak this year.
Ladbrokes says Britain's entry, Bonnie Tyler - famed for "Total Eclipse of the Heart" in the 1980s - is entering the contest with the weakest odds of any British contender in a decade.
Sweden meanwhile is reveling in the moment.
ABBA the Museum, showcasing the musical history of Sweden's most famous Eurovision winner, opened its doors in Stockholm just this month, welcoming tourists on a pop nostalgia trip.
Mattias Hansson, the head of the museum, said the response has been overwhelming, boosted no doubt by Eurovision hype.
Hansson recalls when ABBA won Eurovision in 1974 with "Waterloo".
"I was five years old. I remember the star-shaped guitar that Bjorn played - that was the coolest thing I'd ever seen," he said of Bjorn Ulvaeus, a former ABBA member.
But asked about prospects for an ABBA a reunion on Saturday, Hansson broke into a roaring laugh.
"I have been sitting beside Bjorn 100 times during our launch, and I have seen him say "no" so many times that I am actually starting to believe him," he said. "I guess that's good for the museum, because it keeps the mystery alive."
(Reporting by Mia Shanley; Editing by Alistair Scrutton and Paul Casciato)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/eurovision-returns-abbas-homeland-pop-kitsch-121720835.html
minecraft Ben Wilson Latest Presidential Polls trump presidential debate debate marco scutaro
Saturday, May 18, 2013
94% Room 237
All Critics (117) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (111) | Rotten (7) | DVD (1)
The human brain is a marvellously suggestible organ.
[A] strange, frustrating, occasionally fascinating doc ...
"Room 237" evolves from an ode to movie love at its most delirious to a wry examination of the crackpot mind at work.
There's enough real evidence supporting the theory that Kubrick was a genius, and that's pretty entertaining all by itself.
It's about the human need for stuff to make sense - especially overpowering emotional experiences - and the tendency for some people to take that sense-making to extremes.
The results can range from enlightening - Kubrick did like to mess with things - to embarrassing. But it's never dull. "Room 237" shines.
It has the same entertainment value as listening to a late-night radio host indulge his listeners on Roswell, Area 51 and 9/11. Everything sounds completely crackers, until it all makes crazy sense.
What emerges from Room 237 is not a denigration of conspiracies, but a kind of celebration of our ability to create patterns where (perhaps) none exist.
"Room 237" could become an essential companion piece to "The Shining" from now on. For those who see both, it will be impossible to think about one without the other.
...all about the work of criticism - finding fresh avenues of delight.
Watching it makes you feel like you're attending a really entertaining film class where your classmates confidently let their freak flags fly.
It's an essay about the human need to reject the notion of a random universe and find order and meaning in existence. These people are developing their own creation myths, with Kubrick the mastermind responsible for the Intelligent Design.
Termitic film nerds could chow down for years on the wood chips.
You know when "Room 237? starts getting really scary? When the people in the film start making sense.
Kubrick fans and movie geeks will want to check this film out as soon as possible
Kubrick fans will take 'Shining' to 'Room 237.'
The credibility of these theories ranges from faintly plausible to frankly ridiculous, but Ascher isn't interested in judging them; his movie is more about the joys of deconstruction and the special kind of obsession that movies can inspire.
Some of the interpretations seem more of a stretch than others but all are entertainingly presented by director Rodney Ascher. (The movie) serves as a testament to Stanley Kubrick's cinematic mastery.
As fascinating as it is frustrating
It is nice to see a doc that makes you smile instead of making you angry. Anyone who is a fan of Stanley Kubrick will eat this up.
Powered by a deep and abiding affection for both The Shining and Kubrick in general, Room 237 is an amuse-bouche of remix culture.
No quotes approved yet for Room 237. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/room_237_2012/
Rob Parker Comcast Pokemon X and Y Rob Ryan bethenny frankel sacramento kings alex jones
New study recommends using active videogaming ('exergaming') to improve children's health
May 17, 2013 ? Levels of physical inactivity and obesity are very high in children, with fewer than 50% of primary school-aged boys and fewer than 28% of girls meeting the minimum levels of physical activity required to maintain health. Exergaming, using active console video games that track player movement to control the game (e.g., Xbox-Kinect, Wii), has become popular, and may provide an alternative form of exercise to counteract sedentary behaviors. In a study scheduled for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers studied the effects of exergaming on children.
Dr. Louise Naylor and researchers from The University of Western Australia, Liverpool John Moores University, and Swansea University evaluated 15 children, 9-11 years of age, who participated in 15 minutes each of high intensity exergaming (Kinect Sports -- 200m Hurdles), low intensity exergaming (Kinect Sports -- Ten Pin Bowling), and a graded exercise test (treadmill). The researchers measured energy expenditure. They also measured the vascular response to each activity using flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which is a validated measure of vascular function and health in children.
They found that high intensity exergaming elicited an energy expenditure equivalent to moderate intensity exercise; low intensity exergaming resulted in an energy expenditure equivalent to low intensity exercise. Additionally, although the low intensity exergaming did not have an impact on FMD, high intensity exergaming significantly decreased FMD, suggesting that the latter may improve vascular health in children. High intensity exergaming also increased heart rate and the amount of energy burned. Participants reported similar enjoyment levels with both intensities of exergaming, which indicates that children may be equally likely to continue playing the high intensity games.
According to Dr. Naylor, "Higher intensity exergaming may be a good form of activity for children to use to gain long-term and sustained health benefits." These findings also support the growing notion that high intensity activity is beneficial for children's health, and high intensity exergaming should be considered a means of encouraging children to become more active.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Elsevier Health Sciences.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
- Andrew Mills, Michael Rosenberg, Gareth Stratton, Howard H. Carter, Angela L. Spence, Christopher J.A. Pugh, Daniel J. Green, Louise H. Naylor. The Effect of Exergaming on Vascular Function in Children. The Journal of Pediatrics, 2013; DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.03.076
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/A4udVYB2O8g/130517085817.htm
hilary duff michigan state michigan state andrew luck pro day josh johnson kim kardashian flour matt forte
Clinical support for patient self-management is rhetoric rather than reality, experts say
May 17, 2013 ? The processes to allow people to self-manage their own illness are not being used appropriately by health professionals to the benefit of their patients, new research suggests.
Self-management support aims to increase the patient's ability to take ownership over their condition and in some cases, to self-treat. It is widely seen as critical to ensure the sustainability of health services in terms of costs. Although potentially effective, patient based interventions can be limited as not all patients engage with them. However, embedding self-management support discussions and decisions into everyday clinical practices is thought to encourage patients to become more actively involved.
The study, led by Senior Research Fellow, Anne Kennedy at the University of Southampton, was carried out in the North West of England by the Universities of Southampton, Manchester, York and Keele and published in the BMJ. It assessed a whole system intervention, which attempted to implement self-management support, led by the health service, for patients with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or irritable bowel syndrome.
All staff, including clinical, management and administrative staff, at 44 practices were trained in a new self-management approach, designed by the universities involved, which helped them to put the patient at the centre of their care and use a range of self-management support resources.
More than 5,500 patients took part in the trial -- one of the largest randomised controlled trials of self-management support in primary care ever completed. Practices were randomised to either receive the training intervention and deliver the new self-management approach or provide routine care (the control practices were trained after the trial was completed).
However feedback and assessments showed that while practices engaged with and enjoyed the training, they did not use the approach to improve shared decision-making with patients or encourage the take-up of self-management support. There was no difference in results for any patient outcomes or on service use between the group that had the self-management approach and the group which received usual care.
Southampton's Dr Anne Kennedy comments: "We are disappointed by these results, as self-management support options do have the ability to help a lot of people, but the findings were very clear. There were a small number of patients who did benefit from the self-management process during the study but overall the feedback showed that the self-management model does not fit with the reality and demands of primary care practice and it is just paid lip service to. The active components required for effective self-management support need to be better understood, both within primary care and in patients' everyday lives Furthermore a separate process evaluation will explore why practitioners were not able to implement the intervention."
Co-author Professor Peter Bower, from the University of Manchester, says "[the study] used an intervention that could be delivered widely in routine primary care settings to maximise the applicability of the research." He added that the results suggest that self-management support may require considerable additional incentives to encourage practices to more actively engage with a self-management agenda.
Dr Kennedy adds: "One possibility is that most forms of intervention, whether provider based or patient based, are outside patients' workaday and social activities, so fail to embed themselves into their everyday lives. It may be that greater efforts to integrate support for self-management into patients' personal social networks or by using means that are more pervasive in people's lives, such as mobile technology, would prove a more effective approach to engaging patients with self-management."
The study was funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research (PGfAR) Programme and The National Primary Care Research and Development Centre.
Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/~3/cqZxS3yjubY/130517085725.htm
brandon lloyd brandon lloyd celtic thunder fabrice muamba collapse prometheus trailer patrice oneal shamrock
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)