ORLANDO Fla. ? Newt Gingrich says he expects the GOP presidential race to last about six more months ? unless chief rival Mitt Romney drops out.
Polls show Romney is favored to win Tuesday's primary in Florida.
But Gingrich, appearing undeterred by sagging poll numbers, has pledged to stay in the race despite the Florida results. The former House speaker visited a polling station in Orlando Tuesday morning and shook hands with voters.
His campaign also reported Tuesday that it had raised about $5 million in January, more than half of it coming after his win in South Carolina on Jan. 21.
Aides say Gingrich raised about $10 million in the final three months of 2011 ? his largest fundraising haul so far but far behind Romney's $24 million take.
National health insurance companies are insurance companies authorized to do business in all states of the United States of America, excepting New York. The national health insurance company was founded in 1923 as the William Harvey Life Insurance Company.
It was in 1975 that the National Health Insurance Company pioneered the first 100% catastrophic insurance plans. Policyholders of National Health Insurance Companies can approach these affiliate providers for any health problems they face, which are covered in their health insurance policies. One of the benefits of getting an insurance policy from National Health Insurance Companies is that insurance claims can be made from one of the many providers found all over America.
National Health Insurance Companies
Specialist travel insurance ? Many medical conditions covered. The domiciliary hospitalization expenses are also covered under this policy.
In 2007, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) received a Voluntary Airport Low Emissions grant of nearly $5.1 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to reduce operational emissions at its new 824,000-square-foot North Terminal, one of the first airport complexes completely designed and constructed after 9/11. The design cuts emissions largely by making it easier to connect to aircraft without fuel-burning intermediaries. North Terminal has hyrdrants that can fuel planes directly, to cut out the need to gas up a fleet of fuel trucks, and units to deliver temperature-controlled air and 400-Hz electrical power units to planes parked at boarding gates, decreasing the reliance on diesel-powered portable ground power units. In addition, the terminal's streamlined design allows taxiing planes to follow a more efficient path from runway to gate.
Airport officials estimate this energy-efficient infrastructure will save DTW 418 tons of carbon monoxide, 409 tons of ozone precursors, and plenty of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter over the equipment's 40-year lifespan.
Taking moments to enjoy life helps patients make better health decisionsPublic release date: 23-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Kamateh lib9027@med.cornell.edu 212-821-0560 New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Approach shown successful for patients with coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and asthma
NEW YORK -- The experience of daily positive affect -- a mild, happy feeling -- and self-affirmation helps some patients with chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and asthma, make better decisions about their health.
These findings are detailed in three studies of 756 patients published online in the Jan. 23 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine -- the first large, randomized controlled trials to show that people can use positive affect and self-affirmation to help them make and sustain behavior change. The research was funded by a $9.5 million contract from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and led by Dr. Mary Charlson, executive director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the William T. Foley Distinguished Professor of Medicine and professor of integrative medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. She is also chief of the Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research in the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
The same intervention was used in all three studies. Patients were encouraged to think of small things in their lives that make them feel good (such as seeing a beautiful sunset) when they get up in the morning and throughout their day. Patients were also asked to use self-affirmation to help them overcome obstacles to their plan by recalling moments in their lives they are proud of, such as a graduation (see script excerpt below). The script, created by Dr. Charlson, is now in the public domain and free to use.
"This simple approach gives patients the tools that help them fulfill their promise to themselves that they will do what's needed for their health," says Dr. Charlson. "For example, if it's raining and they don't feel like exercising, these strategies can help them get past this mental block and into their sneakers."
Excerpt from Positive Affect/Self-Affirmation Script:
First, when you get up in the morning, think about the small things that you said make you feel good, like __________________________ (example: babies in hats, the sunrise...). Then as you go through your day, notice those and other small things that make you feel good and take a moment to enjoy them.
Second, when you encounter some difficulties or are in a situation that makes it hard for you (e.g. taking your blood pressure medications or exercising), think about things you enjoy or proud moments in your life, like __________________________ (example: a graduation, success of a child...).
The behavior changes employed in the studies are known to be beneficial -- whether it is increased physical activity for coronary artery disease or regularly taking medication for high blood pressure or asthma. "In this way, positive affect made a real difference -- patients are better able to follow through on behaviors to improve their health," Dr. Charlson adds.
Patients were randomly assigned either to the experimental "positive affect" group or to a control group. Both groups made personal contracts to adhere to their behavior plans, were given an educational guide on the importance of their intervention, and received phone calls every two months to check in on their progress. Along with daily use of positive affect, patients in the experimental group received surprise gifts like tote bags prior to the phone sessions. The monetary value of the gifts was unimportant, Dr. Charlson explains; rather, they were symbolic and served to reinforce the intervention.
Results were measured at the completion of the yearlong studies. For coronary artery disease, 55 percent of patients practicing the positive affect/self-affirmations increased their physical activity compared with 37 percent in the control group; the positive affect group walked an average of 3.4 miles a week more than the control group. For high blood pressure (the study focused on African-Americans with the disease),
42 percent of the positive affirmation group adhered to their medication plan compared with 36 percent in the control group. For asthma patients, there was no difference in energy expenditure between the two groups; however, there was some benefit for patients requiring medical care during the trial.
The design of the studies, which simultaneously tested the same intervention for different populations, was one of the first for NIH-funded research, and began with contract awarded to Weill Cornell Medical College in 2002. This intervention development approach is now being more broadly used in the obesity-related behavioral intervention trials (ORBIT) sponsored by the NIH. Dr. Charlson is a recipient of an award titled "SCALE: Small Changes and Lasting Effects" under the ORBIT trials. The findings of the three trials are the basis for "SCALE" for overweight or obese patients.
###
Study authors:
Coronary artery disease study authors include first author Janey C. Peterson, Mary E. Charlson, Shing Chiu Wong and James P. Hollenberg -- all from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; Zachary Hoffman from Weill Cornell and Brown University; Kathryn Boschert from Weill Cornell and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
High blood pressure study authors include first author Gbenga O. Ogedegbe from NYU School of Medicine; Carla Boutin-Foster and Mary E. Charlson from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells and Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
Asthma study authors include first author Carol A. Mancuso from Weill Cornell Medical College and the Hospital for Special Surgery; Mary E. Charlson, Tiffany N. Choi, Heidi Westermann, Suzanne Wenderoth and James P. Hollenberg from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells and Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
For more information, patients may call 866-NYP-NEWS.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in New York City, is one of the leading academic medical centers in the world, comprising the teaching hospital NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, education, research and community service. Weill Cornell physician-scientists have been responsible for many medical advances -- including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer; the synthesis of penicillin; the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S.; the first clinical trial for gene therapy for Parkinson's disease; the first indication of bone marrow's critical role in tumor growth; and, most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital also comprises NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division and NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. Weill Cornell Medical College is the first U.S. medical college to offer a medical degree overseas and maintains a strong global presence in Austria, Brazil, Haiti, Tanzania, Turkey and Qatar. For more information, visit http://www.nyp.org and http://www.weill.cornell.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Taking moments to enjoy life helps patients make better health decisionsPublic release date: 23-Jan-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Linda Kamateh lib9027@med.cornell.edu 212-821-0560 New York- Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center/Weill Cornell Medical College
Approach shown successful for patients with coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and asthma
NEW YORK -- The experience of daily positive affect -- a mild, happy feeling -- and self-affirmation helps some patients with chronic diseases, including coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and asthma, make better decisions about their health.
These findings are detailed in three studies of 756 patients published online in the Jan. 23 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine -- the first large, randomized controlled trials to show that people can use positive affect and self-affirmation to help them make and sustain behavior change. The research was funded by a $9.5 million contract from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and led by Dr. Mary Charlson, executive director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College and the William T. Foley Distinguished Professor of Medicine and professor of integrative medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. She is also chief of the Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Evaluative Sciences Research in the Department of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College.
The same intervention was used in all three studies. Patients were encouraged to think of small things in their lives that make them feel good (such as seeing a beautiful sunset) when they get up in the morning and throughout their day. Patients were also asked to use self-affirmation to help them overcome obstacles to their plan by recalling moments in their lives they are proud of, such as a graduation (see script excerpt below). The script, created by Dr. Charlson, is now in the public domain and free to use.
"This simple approach gives patients the tools that help them fulfill their promise to themselves that they will do what's needed for their health," says Dr. Charlson. "For example, if it's raining and they don't feel like exercising, these strategies can help them get past this mental block and into their sneakers."
Excerpt from Positive Affect/Self-Affirmation Script:
First, when you get up in the morning, think about the small things that you said make you feel good, like __________________________ (example: babies in hats, the sunrise...). Then as you go through your day, notice those and other small things that make you feel good and take a moment to enjoy them.
Second, when you encounter some difficulties or are in a situation that makes it hard for you (e.g. taking your blood pressure medications or exercising), think about things you enjoy or proud moments in your life, like __________________________ (example: a graduation, success of a child...).
The behavior changes employed in the studies are known to be beneficial -- whether it is increased physical activity for coronary artery disease or regularly taking medication for high blood pressure or asthma. "In this way, positive affect made a real difference -- patients are better able to follow through on behaviors to improve their health," Dr. Charlson adds.
Patients were randomly assigned either to the experimental "positive affect" group or to a control group. Both groups made personal contracts to adhere to their behavior plans, were given an educational guide on the importance of their intervention, and received phone calls every two months to check in on their progress. Along with daily use of positive affect, patients in the experimental group received surprise gifts like tote bags prior to the phone sessions. The monetary value of the gifts was unimportant, Dr. Charlson explains; rather, they were symbolic and served to reinforce the intervention.
Results were measured at the completion of the yearlong studies. For coronary artery disease, 55 percent of patients practicing the positive affect/self-affirmations increased their physical activity compared with 37 percent in the control group; the positive affect group walked an average of 3.4 miles a week more than the control group. For high blood pressure (the study focused on African-Americans with the disease),
42 percent of the positive affirmation group adhered to their medication plan compared with 36 percent in the control group. For asthma patients, there was no difference in energy expenditure between the two groups; however, there was some benefit for patients requiring medical care during the trial.
The design of the studies, which simultaneously tested the same intervention for different populations, was one of the first for NIH-funded research, and began with contract awarded to Weill Cornell Medical College in 2002. This intervention development approach is now being more broadly used in the obesity-related behavioral intervention trials (ORBIT) sponsored by the NIH. Dr. Charlson is a recipient of an award titled "SCALE: Small Changes and Lasting Effects" under the ORBIT trials. The findings of the three trials are the basis for "SCALE" for overweight or obese patients.
###
Study authors:
Coronary artery disease study authors include first author Janey C. Peterson, Mary E. Charlson, Shing Chiu Wong and James P. Hollenberg -- all from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; Zachary Hoffman from Weill Cornell and Brown University; Kathryn Boschert from Weill Cornell and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
High blood pressure study authors include first author Gbenga O. Ogedegbe from NYU School of Medicine; Carla Boutin-Foster and Mary E. Charlson from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells and Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
Asthma study authors include first author Carol A. Mancuso from Weill Cornell Medical College and the Hospital for Special Surgery; Mary E. Charlson, Tiffany N. Choi, Heidi Westermann, Suzanne Wenderoth and James P. Hollenberg from Weill Cornell Medical College; Martin T. Wells and Alice M. Isen from Cornell University; John P. Allegrante from Columbia University; and Jared B. Jobe from the NHLBI.
For more information, patients may call 866-NYP-NEWS.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in New York City, is one of the leading academic medical centers in the world, comprising the teaching hospital NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, education, research and community service. Weill Cornell physician-scientists have been responsible for many medical advances -- including the development of the Pap test for cervical cancer; the synthesis of penicillin; the first successful embryo-biopsy pregnancy and birth in the U.S.; the first clinical trial for gene therapy for Parkinson's disease; the first indication of bone marrow's critical role in tumor growth; and, most recently, the world's first successful use of deep brain stimulation to treat a minimally conscious brain-injured patient. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital also comprises NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division and NewYork-Presbyterian/The Allen Hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian is the #1 hospital in the New York metropolitan area and is consistently ranked among the best academic medical institutions in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. Weill Cornell Medical College is the first U.S. medical college to offer a medical degree overseas and maintains a strong global presence in Austria, Brazil, Haiti, Tanzania, Turkey and Qatar. For more information, visit http://www.nyp.org and http://www.weill.cornell.edu.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
When I was asked to put together a list of my most-used accessories of 2011, it got me thinking that I actually don’t use very many accessories at all. In
Scouting Tennessee-Chattanooga QB B.J. Coleman, one of the players to watch in this week's East-West Shrine Game.
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Jan 16, 2012 - With the 2012 NFL Draft quickly approaching, some of my time in covering the Seahawks for this site and for Field Gulls will inevitably be spent looking toward the future and one of the biggest questions on every fan's mind is what the Hawks will do at the quarterback position. There are several roads the team could take in terms of the quarterback position and the two most likely avenues are free agency and the Draft. If they decide to take the Draft route, they could move up in round one to select a player like Robert Griffin III, they could stand pat and select a player they like in their current #11/#12 spot, or they could opt to wait until the 2nd, 3rd, or later rounds to take a flier on a less heralded or less developed player.
Because Robert Griffin III and other likely first-round QBs have been extensively scouted and talked about here and pretty much everywhere on the web, I've decided to focus most of my efforts on less-known players and one guy that has piqued my interest as of late is Tennesee-Chattanooga QB B.J. Coleman.
First, a little background on the FBS star. Coleman was originally a four-star recruit out of Chattanooga's McCallie High School that signed with Tennessee out of high school to play under offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe. Unfortunately for Coleman, Cutcliffe left after one season to take the head-coaching job at Duke and the subsequent coaching turmoil ultimately led to Coleman's decision to transfer to small school Tennessee-Chattanooga. In his first season starting for the Mocs, he passed for 2348 yards and 17 TDs to 9 interceptions in 11 games. His junior year, he passed for 2996 yards, 26 touchdowns to 13 interceptions with a 137 passer rating, and in his senior season he battled shoulder injuries but finished the year with 1527 yards passing, 9 touchdowns and 9 interceptions in seven games.
Stats aside though, his tools and intangibles are what intrigue scouts. At 6'3, 235 pounds and in possession of a strong arm, he fits the profile as an NFL QB. From the scouting reports I've read, he has solid mechanics and good accuracy. He's got decent mobility for his size - though he's not a 'running' quarterback by any means, but his ability to get outside the pocket and throw on the run is a huge plus for the Seahawks, who have repeatedly said that's one of the main attributes to consider.
I'm not very familiar with the offense that Chattanooga runs but according to a scouting report from NFL Draft Monsters.com's Thomas Melton:
He lines up in shotgun but also lines up a lot from under center, frequently performing three step drops and releasing the ball upon finishing his drop on a quick slant or out route. He also frequently performs play action fakes and while he could stand to improve his fake overall, he does a good job pretending like the running back is getting the ball. Chattanooga uses play action fakes quite frequently in the games that I watched even when the running game really isn't effectively gaining yards, so sometimes that limits the effectiveness of the play-call.
His footwork is sound and he regularly steps into his throws which helps explain his impressive zip, and his throwing motion is clean and he has a quick release. He also does a good job of resetting his feet after moving in the pocket or completing a play action fake which is good to see. He also has a very impressive pump fake which he used a number of times to get defenders to jump into the air, giving him more time to find somewhere to go with the ball. Solid mechanics.
These attributes are definitely noteworthy because of the type of offense the Seahawks run. With the 'run-first' mentality, the Seahawks utilize play-action fakes quite frequently and like to strike down the field to keep the defense honest. Coleman's experience and aptitude in play-action and bootleg misdirection is a plus. Obviously, his above average arm-strength is intriguing as well, because any Seahawks QB will need the ability to move the ball down the field with strength and accuracy. This isn't the Holmgren era West Coast Offense where most of the throws are less than 15 yards.
From what I've read on Coleman, though, his intangibles and leadership qualities are part of what sets him apart. From an article written before the 2011 season by a local publication there, Nooga.com:
Coleman's coaches rave about his size, his arm strength, his football IQ. What they really marvel at, though, is Coleman's work ethic and leadership ability.
"I'm not sure all our guys realized this when B.J. got here," Huesman said. "He had come from a situation where it was 365 days a year, seven days a week. That may be an exaggeration, but you have to have that mentality if you're going to win championships. B.J. brought that mentality early on: ?Here's what we're going to have to do in the summertime.' ?Here's what we're going to have to do in the offseason.'"
"One of B.J.'s biggest contributions to this football team was the work ethic he brought," Satterfield said. "(During the summer), we have 65 to 70 kids out there three days a week, practicing on their own. He's running the show offensively and they're doing 11 on 11. We're not allowed to be out there. B.J. calls the plays. He scripts the practices.
"I would venture to say not a lot of FCS schools have what we have during the summer. And it's not like we have the budget for it. We've got kids that are staying five to a room, sleeping on couches and the floor. Before B.J. got here, we might have seen 15 kids out there. Now, after two years, our freshmen and sophomore have seen how it's done and don't think anything of it. That's the way it is. You're going to practice three days a week on your own, and there's going to be somebody out there that's a leader, making sure the expectations are met and a tempo is set."
Six months later, even after his disappointing and injury-riddled senior season, Coleman has been invited to the NFL Combine, and Nooga.com profiled his preparation. In my opinion, he's doing the right things and his focus is in the right area - getting himself ready for to play in a pro-style offense, which requires excellence in 3-, 5-, and 7-step drops from under center. His football I.Q. is easily apparent.
"I've already taken over 1,000 drops in a week," Coleman said. "It's what you've got to do. You've got to ingrain them into your head, and your muscles, so you can play. If you're not thinking about it, you're that much better."
Coleman, who last month received a long-hoped-for invitation to February's NFL Scouting Combine, knows what the coaches and scouts gathered there want to see. Arm strength is a given, but footwork is important, too.
"Footwork is absolutely a very significant part of the game," Coleman said. "Your feet take you to your throw. If you're polished with your feet, you become more accurate, more on time with the football, and you give your receiver more time to do something with it after the catch. Guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady, when they put the football in their receivers' hands, they have a chance to do something with it."
From everything I've read about him, he's an intriguing prospect to keep you eye on and is taking part in this week's East-West Shrine Game. Early reports from there are favorable for the Chattanooga QB.
Again from Thomas Melton - "BJ Coleman is the best QB here period. Compact motion, plus arm strength. Mechanics look clean early. Passes cut right through the wind."
National Football Post's Wes Bunting: "QB BJ Coleman is an impressive athlete, can spin it, made some "wow" throws, raw from under center , struggles w accuracy."
Rotoworld.com's Josh Norris: "Fairly clear that BJ Coleman is on a higher level in terms arm talent than the other two. Not in pads, but other two have missed throws."
Optimum Scouting's Erik Galko: "BJ Coleman, three pump ups, four high fives so far. Expecting to see him be a leader for the team, big fan of him. [Coleman's] mechanics---Really nice, compact, comes out fairly quickly. ...2 deep balls by Coleman, both on the money. Talking with receivers pre-play like they've been teammates for years."
Here is the game-tape from Coleman's game vs Nebraska. Obviously, wasn't Coleman's best game as he went 19 of 33 for 176 yards, a TD and and interception against a very talented Nebraska defense, but worth checking out nonetheless for his mechanics, footwork, and arm-strength.
BJ Coleman vs Nebraska from Alo Draft on Vimeo.
Read More: B.J. Coleman (QB - Tennessee), Robert Griffin III (QB - Baylor)
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Danny is the Managing Editor & Senior Writer at FieldGulls.com, the SBN Seahawks blog. He's an Associate Editor at SBN Seattle and contributes to the SBN Regionals for Arizona, Los Angeles, and the... Read full bio
Idaho lawmakers have returned to Boise to complete the work they started last year and to begin the projects they will complete next year.
I think of the Idaho Legislature as a conveyor belt with issues, causes, problems and opportunities coming in one end, and bills, memorials, interim committees, anger, happiness and frustration coming out the other. It can be ugly, imperfect and profound at different times.
But as former House Speaker Bruce Newcomb always reminded his colleagues, they always have next year to fix whatever mistakes they passed this year.
Last year, the fight over allowing the 6 percent renewable energy tax rebate to die after five years consumed much of the time that didn?t go to education reform and Medicaid cuts. The rebate is gone and unlikely to return, and a series of actions by the Public Utilities Commission along with the end of Obama stimulus funding will largely take renewables off the major agenda items this year.
But energy will still be on the belt. An interim committee will vote this week even with the Legislature back in session, to approve the state energy plan update it wrote this summer and fall. Since it has strong utility support, and doesn?t take up the controversial issues of establishing an electric rate advocate, pushing incentives, supporting fuel efficiency standards or backing a local option tax, it should pass easily.
There also shouldn?t be a problem passing it through the whole Legislature, unless some external event pops up. In 2007, it was a company?s plan to build a coal plant near Jerome to send power to California that focused debate on the plan.
This year: Who knows? The solar polysilicon manufacturer Hoku?s unpaid bill with Idaho Power could spark a debate pitting economic development against ratepayer costs.
Or the unsuccessful effort by eastern Idaho residents to pass a moratorium on wind power development could prompt a debate the interim committee didn?t include. The air has gone out of the sails of the wind industry in Idaho for now, but this is an issue that went unresolved last year.
Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, said he plans to return with legislation this year to protect wind plant neighbors.
That will come in the context of concerns by Payette and Washington county residents about the new natural gas industry there. Approval of the rules and new laws to guide the industry has great potential to trigger economic activity, and revenue for the state will likely be the major energy and environmental issue this session.
Residents worry their fears about impacts on groundwater and their own private property rights will be trampled on in the rush to bring Idaho royalties and jobs. And the industry wants simple and stable rules.
Last year, a fight between the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, off-road vehicle owners and the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation erupted in several hearings. Since two of the state?s own agencies couldn?t agree, it went to an interim committee.
The two agencies have tried to work out a compromise. But some lawmakers want to draw a clear line that says Fish and Game can?t regulate motorized hunters.
That could be a fight.
Then there are endangered species. Many lawmakers are still angry about wolves, but in 2002 they passed a wolf management plan that became the basis for delisting the species, first by the Obama administration and finally by Congress.
Now, they face an equally controversial listing of sage grouse as early as 2015. Midvale Republican Rep. Judy Boyle is not considered a friend to wildlife. But she worked with conservationists to write the 2002 wolf plan and thinks the Legislature should tackle the kind of regulations that will protect the bird enough to prevent listing but allow Idahoans to continue ranching, farming and other activities.
That was the goal of the 2002 wolf plan.
?I think we can get to the same place with sage grouse,? she said.
Singer opens up about religious beliefs in new issue of V magazine. By Jocelyn Vena
Justin Bieber Photo: Getty Images
Just days after debuting his new Jesus tattoo, Justin Bieber is opening up about his views on God and religion in the new issue of V magazine. "A lot of people who are religious, I think they get lost. They go to church just to go to church. I'm not trying to disrespect them, but for me, I focus more on praying and talking to him," the cover boy explains in the issue, according to the Winnipeg Free Press. "I don't have to go to church." The singer's strong religious beliefs have always been a part of his public persona. At the 2011 VMAs, when Bieber accepted the Moonman for Best Male Video for "U Smile," he thanked God. "I just want to say thank you so much, not only to God but to Jesus," Bieber said. "Because I wouldn't be here without Him. He's really blessed me. He's put me in this position. So I want to say thank you so much." The issue hits newsstands on Thursday. Bieber's look was styled by Lady Gaga's stylist and Mugler creative director Nicola Formichetti. The photos were shot by other Gaga associates, fashion photographers Inez and Vinoodh. In the issue, the singer also talked about his rise to fame, noting that now that he's reached superstardom, haters and critics have been focused on bringing him down. "Now that I'm on top, everyone wants to bring me down. Everyone's trying to tug at me and take my spot," he said. "Like Floyd Mayweather, he's the best boxer in the world. Now he is a champion. Every time he goes to a fight now, people are like, 'He's going to lose this time.' " As 2012 presses on, Bieber is poised to have another big year, regardless of what the non-Beliebers say. He's currently recording his next album, Believe, set for release later this year.
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Northern California scientists say they have found a possible explanation for the honey bee die-off: a parasitic fly that hijacks the bees' bodies and causes them to abandon hives.
The symptoms mirror colony collapse disorder, in which all the adult honey bees in a colony suddenly disappear. The disorder continues to decimate hives in the U.S. and overseas.
The disease is of great concern, because bees pollinate about a third of the United States' food supply. Its presence is especially alarming in California, the nation's top producer of fruits and vegetables, where bees play an essential role in the $1 billion almond industry and other crops.
The latest study, published Tuesday in the science journal PLoS ONE, points to the parasitic fly as the new threat to honey bees. It's another step in ongoing research to find the cause of the disease.
Researchers haven't been able to pin down an exact cause of colony collapse or find a way to prevent it. Research so far points to a combination of factors including pesticide contamination, a lack of blooms ? and hence nutrition ? and mites, fungi, viruses and parasites.
Interaction among the parasite and multiple pathogens could be one possible factor in colony collapse, according to the latest study by researchers at San Francisco State University. It says the phorid fly, or apocephalus borealis, was found in bees from three-quarters of the 31 hives surveyed in the San Francisco Bay area.
Scientists say the fly deposits its eggs into the bee's abdomen, causing the insect to walk around in circles with no apparent sense of direction. The bee exhibits zombie-like behavior, said lead investigator John Hafernik. The infected bee leaves the hive at night and dies shortly thereafter.
The combination of a parasite, pathogens and other stressors could cause die-off, Hafernik said. The parasitic fly serves as a reservoir that harbors pathogens; honey bees from parasite-infected hives tested positive for deformed wing virus and other pathogens, the study found.
"We don't fully understand the web of interactions," Hafernik said. "The parasite could be another stressor, enough to push the bee over tipping point. Or it could play a primary role in causing the disease."
Hafernik stumbled onto the parasitic fly by accident. Three years ago, the biology professor looked for something to feed a praying mantis. He found some bees outside his classroom, placed them in a vial and forgot about them. When he looked at the vial a week later, he found dead bees surrounded by small fly pupae. A parasitic fly was feeding on the bees and had killed them, he said.
The fly is a known parasite in bumble bees. Scientists used DNA barcoding to confirm the parasite in the honey bees and bumble bees was the same species.
The fly might have recently expanded its host presence from bumble bees to honey bees, Hafernik said, making it an emerging threat to agricultural pollinators. The fact that honey bees live in large colonies placed in close proximity to one another and beekeepers frequently move the hives throughout the country could lead to an explosion of the fly population, he said.
The fly, which is found all over North America, could also become a threat to native bees.
Hafernik plans to expand his research to other parts of the country and to study the parasite's impact on agriculture in California's Central Valley.
Since it was recognized in 2006, colony collapse has destroyed colonies at a rate of about 30 percent per year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Before that, losses were about 15 percent per year from a variety of pests and diseases.
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A person with knowledge of the negotiations says free agent center fielder Coco Crisp has agreed to a two-year deal to return to the Oakland Athletics.
The 32-year-old Crisp has batted .269 with 16 home runs, 92 RBIs, nine triples and 81 stolen bases in his two seasons with Oakland, which is in rebuilding mode in hopes of being able to relocate to San Jose and build a new ballpark. General manager Billy Beane has unloaded several star players in recent weeks, including starting pitchers Gio Gonzalez and Trevor Cahill.
CUBS -- Chicago and outfielder Reed Johnson have agreed to a $1.15 million, one-year contract. The 35-year-old batted .309 with five homers and 28 RBIs in 111 games for Chicago last season, his second stint with the team. He also played for the Cubs from 2008-09, batting .287 with 10 homers and 72 RBIs in 174 games.
RANGERS -- Yu Darvish has arrived in Texas during the middle of a 30-day window to negotiate with the star Japanese pitcher. The Rangers, who have won consecutive AL pennants, put in a record bid of about $51.7 million for the right to negotiate with Japan?s best pitcher. A 30-day negotiating window began when their bid was accepted Dec. 20 by the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan?s Pacific League.
MARLINS -- Infielder Greg Dobbs has agreed to a two-year contract to remain with Miami, sources say, and the deal will be completed pending a physical. Dobbs, an eight-year veteran, hit .275 in 134 games for the Marlins last season. He started 84 games at third base and had a career-high 411 at-bats. The left-handed hitter batted .370 as a pinch hitter.
ORIOLES-ATHLETICS TRADE -- Baltimore has obtained outfielder Jai Miller from Oakland, who parted with the part-time player for cash considerations. Miller was designated for assignment by Oakland on Dec. 23 after the A?s received four players for pitcher Gio Gonzalez. The 26-year-old Miller went 3-for-12 with a homer and two RBIs for Oakland last season after being called up in September. He played in 110 games with Triple A Sacramento, battiing .276.
ORIOLES-RANGERS TRADE -- Baltimore traded infielder Brandon Snyder to Texas for cash. Snyder played in six games with the Orioles last year.
INDIANS -- Cleveland has signed free agent reliever Robinson Tejeda to a minor league contract. Tejeda spent the past four seasons in Kansas City?s organization. He has a 23-27 career record with a 4.42 ERA.
NEW YORK ? Revelers erupted in cheers amid a confetti-filled celebration in New York's Times Square to welcome in the new year, part of star-studded celebrations and glittering fireworks displays around the world to usher in 2012.
From New Zealand to New York, the world eagerly welcomed a new year Sunday and hoped for a better future, saying goodbye to a year of hurricanes, tsunamis and economic turmoil that many would rather forget.
In New York, hundreds of thousands gathered at the crossroads of the world to witness a crystal ball with more than 30,000 lights that descended at midnight. Lady Gaga and Mayor Michael Bloomberg led the crowd in the final-minute countdown of the famed crystal-paneled ball drop.
Matheus Campos, a law student from Brazil, threw both arms in the air as the new year began in Times Square.
"It's awesome," he said.
Revelers in Australia, Asia, Europe and the South Pacific island nation of Samoa, which jumped across the international dateline to be first to celebrate, welcomed 2012 with booming pyrotechnic displays. Fireworks soared and sparked over Moscow's Red Square, crowds on Paris' Champs-Elysees boulevard popped Champagne corks at midnight.
But many approached the new year with more relief than joy, as people battered by weather disasters, joblessness and economic uncertainty hoped the stroke of midnight would change their fortunes.
"It was a pretty tough year, but God was looking after us and I know 2012 has got to be better," said Kyralee Scott, 16, of Jackson, N.J., whose father spent most of the year out of work.
Some New York revelers, wearing party hats and "2012" glasses, began camping out Saturday morning, even as workers readied bags stuffed with hundreds of balloons and technicians put colored filters on klieg lights. The crowds cheered as workers lit the crystal-paneled ball that drops at midnight Saturday and put it through a test run, 400 feet above the street. The sphere, now decorated with 3,000 Waterford crystal triangles, has been dropping to mark the new year since 1907, long before television made it a U.S. tradition.
In Times Square, hundreds of thousands people crammed into spectator pens ringed by barricades, enjoying surprisingly warm weather for the Northeast. The National Weather Service said it was about 49 degrees in nearby Central Park ? about 10 degrees warmer than the normal high temperature.
As the country prepared for the celebration, glum wasn't on the agenda for many, even those who had a sour year.
"We're hoping the next year will be better," said Becky Martin, a former elementary school teacher who drove from Rockford, Ill., to Times Square after spending a fruitless year trying to find a job. "We're starting off optimistic and hoping it lasts."
Many expressed cautious hope that better times were ahead after a year in which Japan was ravaged by an earthquake and tsunami, hurricanes wreaked havoc across the country and a debt crisis devastated Europe's economy.
"Everybody's suffering. That's why it's so beautiful to be here celebrating something with everybody," said Lisa Nicol, 47, of Melbourne, Australia.
For all of the holiday's bittersweet potential, New York City always treats it like a big party ? albeit one that now takes place under the watchful eye of a massive security force, including more than 1,500 police officers.
Dick Clark, who suffered a stroke in 2004, put in a few brief appearances mentioning that he has hosted his namesake New Year's Eve celebration for years, but said "tonight, it's better than ever." Clark, looking cheerful but struggling with his speech, introduced a performance by Lady Gaga and also assisted in the countdown. The show, hosted by Ryan Seacrest also featured a performance by Justin Bieber.
Natalie Tolli, a 13-year-old from Yonkers, said "it was the best time I ever had, especially seeing Justin Bieber in his red hat."
The father, George Tolli, said he and his wife and three daughters and son waited since 2 p.m. to get their place.
"It was a pleasant surprise, very controlled," he said. "In my 51 years, I've never been here for New Year's. But I did it for the kids. And it was worth it."
In Las Vegas, police shut down a four-mile section of the Strip to vehicle traffic six hours before midnight, letting revelers party in the street. Casino nightclubs touted pricey, exclusive bashes hosted by celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Fergie, and fireworks were expected to shoot from the rooftops of eight of the city's most famous casinos.
Atlanta welcomed thousands to its downtown, where a giant peach dropped at midnight. Fireworks were to be launched from the top of the Space Needle in Seattle; in Houston, tens of thousands were celebrating at a party with country singer Delbert McClinton.
In summer temperatures at Key West, Fla., three separate midnight drops took place. A giant facsimile of a conch shell was lowered at Sloppy Joe's Bar, Ernest Hemingway's favorite watering hole when he lived in Key West. At the Schooner Wharf Bar, the bar owner dressed as a pirate wench and dropped down from a mast of a tall sailing ship. And at the Bourbon Street Pub complex, a drag queen named Sushi descended in a glittering 6-foot red women's high heel.
The town of Eastport, Maine, lowers an 8-foot-long wooden sardine from a downtown building at midnight, in celebration of its sardine canning and fishing history.
In San Francisco, revelers were lining the waterfront for the annual fireworks show. Though the city's fickle weather and persistent fog can never be counted on to cooperate, forecasters say the skies above the city should be clear overnight.
The first worldwide celebrations started in the island nation of Samoa, which hopped across the international date line at midnight on Thursday, skipping Friday and moving instantly to Saturday.
Samoa and the neighboring nation of Tokelau lie near the dateline that zigzags vertically through the Pacific Ocean; both sets of islands decided to realign themselves this year from the Americas side of the line to the Asia side to be more in tune with key trading partners.
In Sydney, more than 1.5 million people watched the shimmering pyrotechnic display designed around the theme "Time to Dream." In London, some 250,000 people gathered to listen to Big Ben chime at the stroke of midnight.
World leaders evoked 2011's struggles in their New Year's messages with some ambivalence.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Europe's crisis is not finished and "that 2012 will be the year full of risks, but also of possibilities."
Pope Benedict XVI marked the end of 2011 with prayers of thanks and said humanity awaits the new year with apprehension but also with hope for a better future.
"We prepare to cross the threshold of 2012, remembering that the Lord watches over us and takes care of us," Benedict said. "In him this evening we want to entrust the entire world. We put into his hands the tragedies of this world of ours, and we also offer him the hopes for a better future."
In Brazil, heavy rains didn't halt parties as upward of 2 million people gathered on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro and nearly as many on a main avenue in Sao Paulo, South America's biggest city. Massive fireworks displays and top music acts graced stages across the nation.
Brazil has seen healthy economic growth in recent years, as the country prepares to host the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016. Growth, however, has stalled in recent months, and Brazilian leaders are trying to stimulate the economy in the new year.
"This was a good year for Brazil and I think things are only getting better, it feels like we're making big advances," said Fabiana dos Santos Silva, an 18-year-old student who gathered with hundreds of thousands of others on a main avenue in Sao Paulo.
Several people preparing to celebrate the holiday in the U.S. told the AP that they would usher in the New Year hoping the Congress would become a more cooperative place. Some talked about their hopes for the presidential election. Others said they hoped to hold on to their job, or find a new one to replace one they'd lost.
An Associated Press-GfK poll conducted Dec. 8-12 found that 62 percent of Americans are optimistic that the nation's fortunes will improve in 2012, and 78 percent hopeful that their own family will have a better year. Most wrote off 2011 as a dud.
Debbie Hart, 50, of Perry, Ga., called herself the "perpetual optimist" who believes each year will be better than the one before.
"I married a farmer. `Wait until next year. Next year will be better.' That's what I've been hearing for 30 years," said Hart. "I have faith."
___
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Chris Hawley and David B. Caruso in New York, Oskar Garcia in Las Vegas, Bruce Shipkowski in Jackson, N.J., Dorie Turner in Atlanta, Greg Keller in Paris, Harold Heckle in Madrid, Kristen Gelineau in Sydney, Ray Lilley in Wellington, New Zealand, Frances D'Emilio in Vatican City, Meera Selva in London, Bradley Brooks in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Jack Chang in Mexico City and Melissa Eddy in Berlin.
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Public release date: 23-Jan-2012
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