WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A congresswoman said Thursday that her "jaw dropped" when military doctors told her that four in 10 women at a veterans hospital reported being sexually assaulted while in the military. (full info at URL)
A government report indicates that the numbers could be even higher.
Rep. Jane Harman, D-California, spoke before a House panel investigating the way the military handles reports of sexual assault.
She said she recently visited a Veterans Affairs hospital in the Los Angeles area, where women told her horror stories of being raped in the military.
"My jaw dropped when the doctors told me that 41 percent of the female veterans seen there say they were victims of sexual assault while serving in the military," said Harman, who has long sought better protection of women in the military.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Why you really DON'T want offshore oil drilling!!
Oil Companies Escape Billions in Royalty Payments to Americans; Drilling Expansion Will Enrich U.S. and Foreign Corporate Freeloaders (full info at the url)
A bureaucratic oversight has allowed 24 oil companies to avoid more than $1.3 billion in royalties for the privilege of extracting oil and natural gas from U.S. territory in the Gulf of Mexico - with foreign companies responsible for 55 percent of that total. But this $1.3 billion in forgone royalties pales in comparison to the $60 billion that Americans stand to lose in royalty revenue over the life of these leases. And if Congress repeals the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) drilling that has existed since 1982, these freeloading oil companies will be eligible to bid on new leases, providing them with more record profits while American families are left holding the bag. These 24 companies have posted a combined $365 billion in profits since 2006.
A bureaucratic oversight has allowed 24 oil companies to avoid more than $1.3 billion in royalties for the privilege of extracting oil and natural gas from U.S. territory in the Gulf of Mexico - with foreign companies responsible for 55 percent of that total. But this $1.3 billion in forgone royalties pales in comparison to the $60 billion that Americans stand to lose in royalty revenue over the life of these leases. And if Congress repeals the moratorium on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) drilling that has existed since 1982, these freeloading oil companies will be eligible to bid on new leases, providing them with more record profits while American families are left holding the bag. These 24 companies have posted a combined $365 billion in profits since 2006.
MAJOR DISCOVERY FROM MIT: SOLAR REVOLUTION COMING!!!
THIS IS IT! THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! SCIENTISTS NOW CAN STORE SOLAR ENERGY TO BE USED WHEN WE NEED IT. THIS WILL CHANGE OUR WORLD!!
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system. (full info at the url)
In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.
Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is prohibitively expensive and grossly inefficient. With today's announcement, MIT researchers have hit upon a simple, inexpensive, highly efficient process for storing solar energy.
Scientists mimic essence of plants' energy storage system. (full info at the url)
In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.
Until now, solar power has been a daytime-only energy source, because storing extra solar energy for later use is prohibitively expensive and grossly inefficient. With today's announcement, MIT researchers have hit upon a simple, inexpensive, highly efficient process for storing solar energy.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
US LIFESPAN NOT EVEN IN THE TOP 40 WORLDWIDE
And you thought our wonderful healthcare was keeping us all alive....only those with health insurance, it appears:
Unequal America
Elizabeth Gudrais reports for Harvard Magazine: "When Majid Ezzati thinks about declining life expectancy, he says, 'I think of an epidemic like HIV, or I think of the collapse of a social system, like in the former Soviet Union.' But such a decline is happening right now in some parts of the United States.
Between 1983 and 1999, men's life expectancy decreased in more than 50 U.S. counties, according to a recent study by Ezzati, associate professor of international health at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), and colleagues.... The United States no longer boasts anywhere near the world's longest life expectancy. It doesn't even make the top 40.
In this and many other ways, the richest nation on earth is not the healthiest. Ezzati's finding is unsettling on its face, but scholars find further cause for concern in the pattern of health disparities. Poor health is not distributed evenly across the population, but concentrated among the disadvantaged."
Unequal America
Elizabeth Gudrais reports for Harvard Magazine: "When Majid Ezzati thinks about declining life expectancy, he says, 'I think of an epidemic like HIV, or I think of the collapse of a social system, like in the former Soviet Union.' But such a decline is happening right now in some parts of the United States.
Between 1983 and 1999, men's life expectancy decreased in more than 50 U.S. counties, according to a recent study by Ezzati, associate professor of international health at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), and colleagues.... The United States no longer boasts anywhere near the world's longest life expectancy. It doesn't even make the top 40.
In this and many other ways, the richest nation on earth is not the healthiest. Ezzati's finding is unsettling on its face, but scholars find further cause for concern in the pattern of health disparities. Poor health is not distributed evenly across the population, but concentrated among the disadvantaged."
REJECTED FOR MEDICAL INSURANCE BASED ON YOUR PRESCRIPTION HISTORY
THIS REALLY SUCKS.
Special Report July 23, 2008, 4:05PM EST
They Know What's in Your Medicine Cabinet
How insurance companies dig up applicants' prescriptions—and use them to deny coverage
by Chad Terhune
That prescription you just picked up at the drugstore could hurt your chances of getting health insurance.
An untold number of people have been rejected for medical coverage for a reason they never could have guessed: Insurance companies are using huge, commercially available prescription databases to screen out applicants based on their drug purchases.
Privacy and consumer advocates warn that the information can easily be misinterpreted or knowingly misused. At a minimum, the practice is adding another layer of anxiety to a marketplace that many consumers already find baffling. "It's making it harder to find insurance for people," says Jay Horowitz, an independent insurance agent in Overland Park, Kan.
The obstacle primarily confronts people seeking individual health insurance, not those covered under an employer's plan. Walter and Paula Shelton of Gilbert, La., applied to Humana (HUM) in February. They were rejected by the large Louisville insurer after a company representative pulled their drug profiles and questioned them over the telephone about prescriptions from Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) and Randalls, part of the Safeway grocery chain, for blood-pressure and anti-depressant medications.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wicker Arm Chair for $58 shipped plus tax
Home Decorators Outlet has this charming wicker arm chair for $55.
Use Coupon Code 8581570 to slice $10 off (which also takes away fuel surcharges it seems), and the total shipping to Western KY is $58 plus tax. (your shipping might vary slightly depending on location).
Available in honey, brown, or white wicker. Comes fully assembled, as it is handwoven wicker.
Click the pic to see a larger version, and I want you to especially note that the seat of the chair is woven wicker like the rest of the chair (unlike the wicker chairs at Pier 1 that might cost about twice as much and have a cheap plywood seat)
From the website:
Place this armchair in an unused corner of your living room to add extra seating and style to your home. The rolled top and wide arms are sure to accent your decor. Buy one today.
* Durable wicker construction will last in your home for years.
* Handwoven to ensure the highest quality.
Tip: if you decide to order two of these chairs, first check the price on the two chairs ordered together and then check the price if you ordered each one separately (using the coupon on each of course). When I checked the two prices, the total for the two separate orders was $116, whereas if I ordered them together, the total was about $3 higher.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Solid Bamboo Wood Kitchen Cart for $190 Shipped, plus tax
I don't know if you have priced kitchen carts lately, but they have skyrocketed, and shipping is expensive because they are so heavy.
Home Decorators Outlet has the Landon Kitchen Cart for $147.xx. Use coupon code 8581570 to slice off $10 and fuel surcharges(however freight surcharges will still apply), for a total of about $190 shipped (it might be more or less depending on your location, it's $190 to my home in Western KY) (plus any applicable tax).
This is a great buy for a solid wood cart that's big enough to actually be quite useful, plus it has a removeable granite cutting board included! (click the pic for a larger view of this really nice cart)
Description on website:
The Landon Kitchen Cart will bring more counter, storage and dining space to your home. Store your tableware and dish towels in the drawer and cabinet space provided while hanging your wine glasses in the available rack. And with a durable wood construction, this kitchen furniture will stand up to everyday wear and tear. Refresh your kitchen decor today; buy now.
* Features a removable black solid granite cutting board.
* Crafted of natural-finished solid bamboo wood, which is known for being environmentally friendly, especially strong and strikingly beautiful.
* Side wire basket is perfect for holding utensils.
* Casters provide mobility.
Product Details
* 36"H x 42"W x 19"D.
* Assembly required.
* Solid wood .
Here's a tip if you order this cart: The box will be VERY HEAVY. Kitchen carts can easily weigh over 100 pounds in the box. If the delivery person dumps this on your doorstep or porch, just open the box where it lies, and bring the contents into your house piece by piece to the location where you plan to assemble the cart. Remember that the cart has wheels, so you can roll it to your kitchen after you assemble it. (Also, I'd consider installing a little towel bar or paper towel dispenser on the other end of the cart, opposite the basket, if you have the space.)
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