Reid says 2 sides still apart on 'fiscal cliff'

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says the two sides are still apart as they race against a midnight deadline for resolving their differences over the "fiscal cliff."

The Nevada Democrat says negotiations are continuing. But he cautioned that bargainers are running out of time and still have differences over some issues, though he did not say what still divides them.

Reid's remarks came Monday morning after the two sides narrowed their differences during an evening of bargaining between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Joe Biden.

Without agreement by midnight, wide-ranging tax increases and budget-wide spending cuts ? the so-called fiscal cliff ? will begin taking effect. Though the impact of those changes would be felt gradually, economists have warned that they could cause recession if left intact.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-31-Fiscal%20Cliff-Reid/id-5febd6d27b6441f3a680bcd6a9f3504d

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Obama wants gun violence measures passed in 2013

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Recalling the shooting rampage that killed 20 first graders as the worst day of his presidency, President Barack Obama on Sunday pledged to put his "full weight" behind legislation aimed at preventing gun violence.

Obama voiced skepticism about the National Rifle Association's proposal to put armed guards in schools following the Dec. 14 tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. The president made his comments in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Instead, the president vowed to rally the American people around an agenda to limit gun violence, adding that he still supports increased background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity bullet magazines. He left no doubt it will be one of his top priorities next year.

"It is not enough for us to say, 'This is too hard so we're not going to try,'" Obama said.

"I think there are a vast majority of responsible gun owners out there who recognize that we can't have a situation in which somebody with severe psychological problems is able to get the kind of high capacity weapons that this individual in Newtown obtained and gun down our kids," he added. "And, yes, it's going to be hard."

The president added that he's ready to meet with Republicans and Democrats, anyone with a stake in the issue.

The schoolhouse shootings, coming as families prepared for the holidays, have elevated the issue of gun violence to the forefront of public attention. Six adult staff members were also killed at the elementary school. Shooter Adam Lanza committed suicide, apparently as police closed in. Earlier, he had killed his mother at the home they shared.

The tragedy immediately prompted calls for greater gun controls. But the NRA is strongly resisting those efforts, arguing instead that schools should have armed guards for protection. Some gun enthusiasts have rushed to buy semiautomatic rifles of the type used by Lanza, fearing sales may soon be restricted.

Obama seemed unimpressed by the NRA proposal. "I am skeptical that the only answer is putting more guns in schools," he said. "And I think the vast majority of the American people are skeptical that that somehow is going to solve our problem."

The president said he intends to press the issue with the public.

"The question then becomes whether we are actually shook up enough by what happened here that it does not just become another one of these routine episodes where it gets a lot of attention for a couple of weeks and then it drifts away," Obama said. "It certainly won't feel like that to me. This is something that - you know, that was the worst day of my presidency. And it's not something that I want to see repeated."

Separately, a member of the president's cabinet said Sunday that rural America may be ready to join a national conversation about gun control. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the debate has to start with respect for the Second Amendment right to bear arms and recognition that hunting is a way of life for millions of Americans.

But Vilsack said Newtown has changed the way people see the issue. "I really believe that this is a different circumstance and a different situation," Vilsack said on CNN.

Vilsack said he thinks it's possible for Americans to come together. "It's potentially a unifying conversation," he said. "The problem is that these conversations are always couched in the terms of dividing us. This could be a unifying conversation, and Lord knows we need to be unified."

Besides passing gun violence legislation, Obama also listed deficit reduction and immigration as top priorities for 2013. A big deficit reduction deal with Republicans proved elusive this month, and Obama is now hoping Senate Democratic and Republican leaders salvage a scaled-back plan that avoids tax increases for virtually all Americans.

In addition, he issued a defense of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who has been mentioned as one of the leading candidates to replace Leon Panetta as defense secretary.

Hagel, who opposed President George W. Bush's decision to go to war with Iraq, has been criticized in conservative circles for not being a strong enough ally of Israel. Also, many liberals and gay activists have banded against him for comments he made in 1998 about an openly gay nominee for an ambassadorship

Obama, who briefly served with Hagel in the Senate, stressed that he had yet to make a decision but called Hagel a "patriot."

Hagel "served this country with valor in Vietnam," the president said. "And (he) is somebody who's currently serving on my intelligence advisory board and doing an outstanding job."

Obama noted that Hagel had apologized for his 14-year-old remark on gays.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2012-12-30-Obama/id-ebc7f75681e444b5a8eba40a3ec62f8c

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Former football star, 19, found stabbed to death in Fairfax

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Bolivia expropriates energy subsidiaries

Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalized the Bolivian electricity distribution subsidiaries of the Spanish energy company Iberdrola in a public ceremony on Saturday.

Morales issued a decree allowing the takeover of shares in Empresa de Electricidad de La Paz (Electropaz) and Empresa de Luz y Fuerza de Oruro (Elfeo), which supply energy in this Andean nation.

Soldiers guarded the installations of the electricity distribution companies, marked with signs reading: ?Nationalized.?

In the ceremony at Bolivia?s government palace, Morales also announced the expropriation of an investment management company and a service provider belonging to the Spanish energy giant.

Morales said he had ?been forced to take this step? to ensure that electric service rates remain ?equitable? in the regions of La Paz and Oruro.

The Spanish government said in a statement that it regretted Bolivia?s decision to nationalize companies that included ?Spanish, Argentine and American companies among its shareholders.?

Spain said it hoped ?the process of assessing the value of the nationalized company is done with high standards of objectivity that would establish the just compensation to which shareholders are entitled.?

Iberdrola said it hopes Bolivia will pay ?a fair price? for the utilities nationalized by La Paz.

?We hope we will get the real value of our share? in the expropriated companies, an Iberdrola spokesman said in Madrid. He did not say how much the Spanish company expected to be paid or whether an estimate had already been made.

Quoting market sources, the Spanish press estimated Iberdrola?s share in the utilities in Bolivia at US$100 million.

The decree read by Morales calls for Iberdrola to receive indemnification after an independent firm is hired within 180 days to determine the value of the nationalized shares.

It was the latest in a series of such seizures by the outspoken leftist who is a key member of a group of populist South American presidents led by the now-ailing Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

In May, Morales nationalized Transportadora de Electricidad belonging to Spanish company Red Electrica Corporacion, which controlled 74 percent of energy transmission in Bolivia.

In his first year in office in 2006, the Bolivian president nationalized the oil industry through a renegotiation of contracts with a dozen oil companies, including Spain?s Repsol, Petrobras of Brazil, Argentina?s PanAmerican, British Petroleum and Total of France.

In 2009 Morales transferred to state control the country?s largest telephone operator, which had been controlled by Italy?s ETI, and in 2010 he did the same with the four largest power generators, which had belonged to French-owned Suez, Rurelec of Britain and Bolivian shareholders.

This time, Morales said he was acting because Iberdrola charged more for electricity in rural areas than it did in cities, and service was also uneven.

?We are forced to take this measure so that utility rates will be uniform? and service will be of the same quality in the country as in urban areas, the president said during a ceremony at the presidential palace.

Source: http://libertytimes.feedsportal.com/c/33098/f/535603/s/270f0bf7/l/0L0Staipeitimes0N0CNews0Cbiz0Carchives0C20A120C120C310C20A0A3551377/story01.htm

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Wanting To Invest In Commercial Real Estate? Here's How ...

Many people have made it big investing in commercial property. However, there is no surefire plan for replicating this success. In addition to putting effort into buying and selling properties, you need to educate yourself about the commercial real estate market. You will become more successful as you gain more experience in the market. Keep reading for tips on how to successfully invest in and manage commercial properties.

If you are considering a commercial real estate investment, think big! If you want to get a building that has five units, you need to know that?s it?s no different to manage than 50. Regardless of the size of the building, you will need commercial financing. However, you will be able to obtain a much better per unit deal on a larger building.

Before you buy commercial real estate, make sure you have a firm vision of your goal for the property. Will you lease the property out or conduct business there yourself? Having specified objectives prior to seeking out a commercial property saves you time and labor, since foresight and vision narrow down your search.

If you desire to rent out commercial real estate, then you need to find solidly yet simply constructed buildings. These types of buildings attract tenants more quickly than other buildings, as prospective tenants know that the building is less likely to have maintenance issues. These buildings also provide much easier maintenance for both the tenants and the owner, as they are less likely to require repairs.

Always go through the disclosures of an agent before hiring him or her. Understand the meaning of dual agency. Dual agency refers to a situation in which a real estate agent represents both the landlord and the tenant in a commercial transaction. In other words, the agency represents the landlord and the tenant simultaneously. You and the other party should both agree if dual agency is to be okay.

Stick with a firm that is looking out for your best interests before you enter into an agreement. If you don?t do this, you could end up with a bad deal and lose more money as time goes on.

Be certain the commercial property you are considering has good utilities access. Your business has utility needs of its own, but you will also need water, electric, sewer and maybe even gas.

When you are looking at a commercial property, be sure to look at the neighborhood, too. Purchasing a property in a neighborhood that is filled with well-to-do potential clients will give you a lot better chance of becoming well-to-do yourself! If your business services will do better in a poor neighborhood, buy property there!

Get a commercial loan approval before looking at commercial property. Get plenty of references to lenders from experienced investors or friends who have invested in real estate before. Before beginning the task of purchasing a property, take time to research the lenders and choose one who will fulfill your needs. If you take time to organize your options now, you can streamline your transaction later on.

You should concentrate your efforts on one real estate endeavor at a time. You need to focus on one type of investment, whether it be offices, apartments, land, retail, etc. Each of these investments will need to be closely monitored and given your full attention. You are better served by mastering one investment than floundering with many.

While success is never guaranteed in any real estate venture, with the right knowledge you can greatly enhance your chances of success when buying and managing commercial properties. Keep in mind the advice given to you in this article, and incorporate them as you see fit in your endeavors. Continue to educate yourself about the industry, and learn about ways to improve. Experience is the key to success.

Were you aware that there was this much to learn about best stocks? Begin using your knowledge of best stocks today. Put these tips to good use and do more research on best stocks. Hopefully, you will want to learn more.

Source: http://thenasdaqstockexchange.com/2012/12/29/wanting-to-invest-in-commercial-real-estate-heres-how/

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Maine same-sex couples marry in first hours of law

Michael Snell, left, and Steven Bridges speak to a reporter, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, outside City Hall before obtaining a marriage license under the state's new law in Portland, Maine. Bridges and Snell held a commitment ceremony six years ago but made marriage official under state law with a simple ceremony early Saturday as Maine's new law permitting same-sex marriage took effect at the stroke of midnight. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Michael Snell, left, and Steven Bridges speak to a reporter, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, outside City Hall before obtaining a marriage license under the state's new law in Portland, Maine. Bridges and Snell held a commitment ceremony six years ago but made marriage official under state law with a simple ceremony early Saturday as Maine's new law permitting same-sex marriage took effect at the stroke of midnight. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Steven Bridges, left, receives a wedding ring from Michael Snell, early Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at City Hall in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally allowed to marry under a new law that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Donna Galluzzo, left, and Lisa Gorney leave the City Clerk's office after obtaining their marriage license, early Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, at City Hall in Portland, Maine. Same-sex couples in Maine are now legally permitted to marry under a new law that went into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A crowd cheers at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012, as the first same-sex couple to be legally married in Maine departs City Hall in Portland, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Steven Bridges, left, and Michael Snell arrive at City Hall in Portland, Maine, Friday, Dec. 28, 2012, where they plan to obtain a marriage license. Same-sex couples in Maine will be allowed to marry as a new law goes into effect at 12:01 AM Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.(AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) ? Arriving in a limo, Donna Galluzzo and Lisa Gorney had all the trappings of a traditional wedding: Rings, flowers, wedding vows, an entourage and a friend to officiate.

With tears in their eyes, they were among the first gay couples to exchange wedding vows early Saturday morning after Maine's same-sex marriage law went into effect at midnight.

"We're paving the way for people to go after us. I think it's just amazing. It's freeing. It's what's right," an emotionally drained Gorney said after their ceremony in front of City Hall.

After waiting years and seeing marriage rights nearly awarded and then retracted, gay couples in Maine's largest city didn't have to wait a moment longer than necessary to wed, with licenses issued at the stroke of midnight as the law went into effect.

Steven Bridges and Michael Snell were the first in line, and they received cheers from more than 200 people waiting outside after they wed in the clerk's office.

"It's historic. We've waited our entire lives for this," said Bridges, a retail manager, who's been in a relationship with the Snell, a massage therapist, for nine years. Bridges, 42, and Snell, 53, wore lavender and purple carnations on black T-shirts with the words "Love is love."

Voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington state approved gay marriage in November, making them the first states to do so by popular vote. Gay marriage already was legal in New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia, but those laws were either enacted by lawmakers or through court rulings.

In Maine, Gov. Paul LePage signed off on the certified election results on Nov. 29, so the new law was to go into effect 30 days from that date. The law already is in effect in Washington state; Maryland's takes effect on Tuesday, the first day of 2013.

Nobody knew exactly how many couples would be rushing to get their marriage licenses early Saturday in Maine. Falmouth joined Portland in opening at midnight. Other communities including Bangor, Brunswick and Augusta planned to hold special Saturday hours.

In Portland, the mood was festive with the crowd cheering and horns sounding at midnight as Bridges and Snell began filling out paperwork in the clerk's office in Portland City Hall. There were free carnation boutonnieres and cupcakes, and a jazz trio played.

Outside, the raucous group that gathered in front of the building cheered Bridges and Snell as if they were rock stars and broke into the Beatles' "All You Need is Love."

Fourteen couples received marriage licenses, and five of them married on the spot, a city spokeswoman said. Many of those who received their marriage license were middle-aged, and some said they never envisioned a day when gay couples could wed just like straight couples.

"I came out years ago and the only thing we wanted was to not get beaten up," said Steven Jones, 50, who married his partner, Jamous Lizotte, on his 35th birthday.

Not everyone was getting married right away.

Suzanne Blackburn and Joanie Kunian, of Portland, were among those in line to get their license at midnight, but they planned to have their marriage ceremony later. One of their grandchildren wanted them to get married on Valentine's Day.

"I don't think that we dared to dream too big until we had the governor's signature," Blackburn said. "That's why it's so important, because it feels real."

Bridges and Snell already considered themselves married because they'd held a commitment ceremony attended by friends and family six years ago. Nonetheless, they thought it was important to make it official under state law, as Snell's two daughters watched.

Katie and Carolyn Snell, the daughters, said the ceremony made formal what they knew all along to be true about the couple.

"It's just a piece of paper," said Katie Snell. "Their love has been there, their commitment has been there, all along. It's the last step to make it a true official marriage because everything else has been there from the start."

___

Follow David Sharp on Twitter at http://twitter.com/David_Sharp_AP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-29-Gay%20Marriage-Maine/id-0b59e91a12ff4ca393683bc2e1ffed20

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Archaeologists Think Hidden Imperial Tomb May Be Too Deadly to Explore

After discovering a secret palace hidden in China's first emperor massive burial complex, Chinese technicians are nervous. Not because Qin Shi Huang's tomb is the most important archeological discovery since Tutankhamun, but because they believe his burial place is full of deadly traps that will kill any trespassers. Not to talk about deadly quantities of mercury. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/yMUPVXmUUxo/archaeologists-think-hidden-imperial-tomb-may-be-too-deadly-to-explore

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Critics: Myriad blocks cancer answers by impeding data sharing ...

Patents ? Utah company says it has aided, not hindered, research, care.

Tory Galloway thought her negative result on a widely-used test sold by Utah-based Myriad Genetics Inc. cleared her DNA as a cause for her fallopian tube cancer.

She happily advised her four sisters that the disease didn?t result from a family trait. The relief from the December 2010 test, though, was short lived. In October, after getting results from a broader scan at the University of Washington that included dozens of genes, she learned the truth: Her cancer was caused by a mutation that wasn?t included in the Myriad product.

"It makes me nuts to even think about it," said Galloway, a landscape designer in Indianola, Wash.

The broader test, created by University of Washington researchers, uses technology to identify as many cancer risks as possible. There?s one problem: Such a test can?t include the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that are the most common inherited causes for breast and ovarian cancer because Myriad owns the patents on them. This prevents other U.S. laboratories from using them in a commercial test.

In the mid-1990s, Myriad helped kick-start the gene-testing revolution by pinpointing the two BRCA genes. Now, the world?s biggest genetic testing company for breast cancer, with a market value of $2.2 billion, is under attack by researchers, genetic counselors, doctors, and their patients.

Besides stifling competitors from offering combination tests, including the BRCA genes, critics also said the company won?t share data from decades of testing that could aid research into how best to interpret screening. They said Myriad doesn?t adequately respond when other researchers find added BRCA mutations that address risks their current tests don?t cover.

"What is at stake is the way we want our health-care system to work," said Robert Cook-Deegan, a professor of public policy, biology, and medicine at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, who supports limits on gene patents. "The testing has been set up by Myriad to optimize this business model. It is not set up to optimize public health outcomes."

The dispute, which has grown in intensity as more and more cancer-causing mutations are found, has spilled out of the laboratories and clinics into the U.S. Supreme Court. A ruling next year in a case challenging Myriad?s hold on the BRCA patents could either support the company?s profit-driven motives or redefine a nascent industry in a way that affects millions of dollars in revenue.

Myriad officials reject the criticisms, saying they offer faster, more accurate testing for harmful mutations in breast cancer genes than any other laboratory in the world, and that its patents haven?t hindered research or patient care.

"Myriad has never done anything to harm patients," CEO Peter Meldrum said during an interview at his company?s headquarters in Salt Lake City. "We have the most accurate results, we give the fastest results." There has never been a reported case in which Myriad wrongly told that a woman she had a cancer-causing mutation, he said.

story continues below

Carol Mackoff, 70, a Chicago-based managing director for Rice Financial Products Co., says Myriad "saved my life."

Mackoff tested positive on a Myriad test for a BRCA1 mutation in 2002 after visiting an ovarian cancer prevention program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, she said in a telephone interview. Within weeks, she had her ovaries removed to prevent ovarian cancer, and later in 2009 had a prophylactic double mastectomy.

Without the Myriad test, "I would have had cancer," she said. "The fact that they developed these tests and gave me a tool to work with to allow me to prevent getting cancer, I owe them everything."

Faster, cheaper DNA testing is revolutionizing medical care. Nowhere has the impact been felt more strongly than in breast cancer. A woman who tests positive using Myriad?s tests carries as much as an 80 percent chance that she will get breast cancer in her lifetime. Testing helps women take charge of their medical future, providing options that can include preventative surgery and more extensive monitoring.

Widespread use of the tests has made Myriad an unabashed financial success. The company?s testing business, led by its flagship $3,340 BRCA product, carries an 87 percent gross profit margin that in fiscal 2012 generated $496 million in sales, according to Myriad.

That?s helped boost the company?s shares 30 percent this year.

Next Page >

Copyright 2012 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/55537762-79/myriad-cancer-test-brca.html.csp

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Mexico finds smuggling tunnel near US border

MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Mexican authorities have discovered a sophisticated smuggling tunnel equipped with electricity and ventilation not far from the Nogales port of entry into Arizona, U.S. and Mexican officials said Friday.

The Mexican army said the tunnel was found Thursday after authorities received an anonymous call in the border city of Nogales, Sonora, south of Arizona. U.S. law enforcement officials confirmed that the Mexican military had discovered the football field-long tunnel with elaborate electricity and ventilation systems.

U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Victor Brabble said the tunnel did not cross into the U.S.

The army said the anonymous caller was reporting gunmen standing outside a two-story house in a hilly neighborhood near the international bridge where motorists travel between Mexico and the United States.

Inside the house, soldiers discovered a fake wall inside a storage closet under a staircase that led to a dark room with buckets and clothes. After lifting a drain cover in that room, soldiers found another staircase at the entrance of the tunnel that went 16 feet underground and measured a yard in diameter. Light bulbs lit the underground passage and pipes stretched across the 120-yard tunnel that Mexican army officials believe was built to smuggle drugs.

It was unclear whether officials made any arrests, but the house where the tunnel was found was seized by the local government. Military officials did not say how long they believed the tunnel had been under construction, but authorities say it can take six months to a year to build such a passage.

Sophisticated secret tunnels stretching across the international border have become increasingly common as drug cartels invent new ways to smuggle enormous loads of heroin, marijuana and other drugs into U.S.

More than 70 such tunnels have been found since October 2008, most of them concentrated along the border in California and Arizona. In Nogales, Arizona, smugglers tap into vast underground drainage canals.

_______

AP correspondent Brian Skoloff contributed to this report from Phoenix, Ariz.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-12-28-Smuggling%20Tunnel-Nogales/id-9ccdf0ae21d3453e8a52db8496c38529

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Russia meets with Syrian envoy on peace plan

MOSCOW (AP) ? Russia is seeking to revive last summer's failed peace plan for Syria during talks with a top Syrian diplomat and the international envoy on the crisis, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Monday and is to visit Moscow this weekend, spurring speculation that there is a new plan to end the country's bloody civil war that has killed more than 40,000 people.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich denied reports of the existence of a new U.S.-Russian peace initiative, saying Russia is focused instead on fulfilling the plan brokered by Brahimi's predecessor, Kofi Annan, which was approved at an international conference in Geneva in June.

"We are trying to find a solution on the basis of the Geneva plan," Lukashevich said. "We continue to believe that there is no alternative to that document in trying to find a settlement in Syria."

The plan envisioned an open-ended cease-fire to be enforced by hundreds of U.N. monitors, followed by talks on a political transition. It called for establishing a transitional government of national unity that could include members of Assad's government, the opposition and other groups to oversee the drafting of a new constitution and elections.

But, on Russia's insistence, it left the door open for Assad being part of the transition process and was rejected by the opposition. After an initial decrease in violence, the proposed cease-fire collapsed and Syria descended even further into bloodshed.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad met Thursday with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to pave the way for Brahimi's visit. Mekdad is expected to hold talks with other top Russian diplomats later.

Russia has used its veto right alongside China at the U.N. Security Council to protect its old ally from international sanctions, but it has increasingly sought to distance itself from the Syrian strongman.

Lavrov said last week that Moscow would welcome any country's asylum offer to Assad, but has no intention of sheltering him if he steps down.

At the same time, Moscow has given no signal of a shift in its firm opposition to international sanctions against Assad and calls for him to step down.

Lukashevich said again Thursday that calls for Assad's ouster run contrary to the Geneva plan and criticized the West for backing the opposition push for the regime's ouster.

He reaffirmed that Moscow has plans to evacuate its citizens if the situation worsens, but rejected reports that a Russian navy squadron en route to the Mediterranean has such a mission.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-meets-syrian-envoy-peace-plan-092019588.html

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Sean Penn: Bard for Our Time (Powerlineblog)

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Syria to discuss Brahimi peace proposals with Russia

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a senior diplomat to Moscow on Wednesday to discuss proposals to end the conflict convulsing his country made by international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, Syrian and Lebanese sources said.

Brahimi, who saw Assad on Monday and is planning to hold a series of meetings with Syrian officials and dissidents in Damascus this week, is trying to broker a peaceful transfer of power, but has disclosed little about how this might be done.

More than 44,000 Syrians have been killed in a revolt against four decades of Assad family rule, a conflict that began with peaceful protests but which has descended into civil war.

Past peace efforts have floundered, with world powers divided over what has become an increasingly sectarian struggle between mostly Sunni Muslim rebels and Assad's security forces, drawn primarily from his Shi'ite-rooted Alawite minority.

Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad flew to Moscow to discuss the details of the talks with Brahimi, said a Syrian security source, who would not say if a deal was in the works.

However, a Lebanese official close to Damascus said Makdad had been sent to seek Russian advice on a possible agreement.

He said Syrian officials were upbeat after talks with Brahimi, the U.N.-Arab League envoy, who met Foreign Minister Walid Moualem on Tuesday a day after his session with Assad, but who has not outlined his ideas in public.

"There is a new mood now and something good is happening," the official said, asking not to be named. He gave no details.

Russia, which has given Assad diplomatic and military aid to help him weather the 21-month-old uprising, has said it is not protecting him, but has fiercely criticized any foreign backing for rebels and, with China, has blocked U.N. Security Council action on Syria.

"ASSAD CANNOT STAY"

A Russian Foreign Ministry source said Makdad and an aide would meet Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Mikhail Bogdanov, the Kremlin's special envoy for Middle East affairs, on Thursday, but did not disclose the nature of the talks.

On Saturday, Lavrov said Syria's civil war had reached a stalemate, saying international efforts to get Assad to quit would fail. Bogdanov had earlier acknowledged that Syrian rebels were gaining ground and might win.

Given the scale of the bloodshed and destruction, Assad's opponents insist the Syrian president must go.

Moaz Alkhatib, head of the internationally-recognized Syrian National Coalition opposition, has criticized any notion of a transitional government in which Assad would stay on as a figurehead president stripped of real powers.

Comments on Alkhatib's Facebook page on Monday suggested that the opposition believed this was one of Brahimi's ideas.

"The government and its president cannot stay in power, with or without their powers," Alkhatib wrote, saying his Coalition had told Brahimi it rejected any such solution.

While Brahimi was working to bridge the vast gaps between Assad and his foes, fighting raged across the country and a senior Syrian military officer defected to the rebels.

Syrian army shelling killed about 20 people, at least eight of them children, in the northern province of Raqqa, a video posted by opposition campaigners showed.

The video, published by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, showed rows of blood-stained bodies laid out on blankets. The sound of crying relatives could be heard in the background.

The shelling hit the province's al-Qahtania village, but it was unclear when the attack had occurred.

STRATEGIC BASE

Rebels relaunched their assault on the Wadi Deif military base in the northwestern province of Idlib, in a battle for a major army compound and fuel storage and distribution point.

Activist Ahmed Kaddour said rebels were firing mortars and had attacked the base with a vehicle rigged with explosives.

The British-based Observatory, which uses a network of contacts in Syria to monitor the conflict, said a rebel commander was among several people killed in Wednesday's fighting, which it said was among the heaviest for months.

The military used artillery and air strikes to try to hold back rebels assaulting Wadi Deif and the town of Morek in Hama province further south. In one air raid, several rockets fell near a field hospital in the town of Saraqeb, in Idlib province, wounding several people, the Observatory said.

As violence has intensified in recent weeks, daily death tolls have climbed. The Observatory reported at least 190 had been killed across the country on Tuesday alone.

The head of Syria's military police changed sides and declared allegiance to the anti-Assad revolt.

"I am General Abdelaziz Jassim al-Shalal, head of the military police. I have defected because of the deviation of the army from its primary duty of protecting the country and its transformation into gangs of killing and destruction," the officer said in a video published on YouTube.

A Syrian security source confirmed the defection, but said Shalal was near retirement and had only defected to "play hero".

Syrian Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar left Lebanon for Damascus after being treated in Beirut for wounds sustained in a rebel bomb attack this month.

(Additional reporting by Laila Bassam; Writing by Alistair Lyon; Editing by Andrew Osborn)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-envoy-seeks-peace-clashes-rage-101206393.html

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Therapists Spill: My New Year's Resolution | World of Psychology

The end of the year is a time for self-reflection, while the beginning brings a clean slate, hope and new-found motivation, said Deborah Serani, Psy.D, a clinical psychologist and author of the book Living with Depression.

That?s why so many people use this time to create resolutions. In our monthly series, ?Therapists Spill,? we wanted to know what goals clinicians are setting for their fresh starts.

For instance, Serani is setting both personal and professional goals ? with an emphasis on realistic resolutions.

I like to set realistic goals for myself each year. Some are personal, like exercising more and eating better. Others are professional, such as researching a new subject or presenting at a conference. Of course, I don?t always achieve all these goals. But for me, I know that thinking about change leads me toward change. And that?s a good way to start the year.

Joyce Marter, a psychotherapist and owner of Urban Balance, has three resolutions for the new year, which focus on gratitude, mindfulness and self-care.

I very much believe in the power of gratitude as a way to encourage positive thinking and good energy that will attract blessings, such as positive people, experiences and opportunities in the New Year.

I love the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn and Eckhart Tolle and am committed to continue developing my practices of meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga and other mindfulness techniques to anchor myself in the present. Mindfulness practices keep me from obsessing from the past or worrying about the future and also help me be more aware of my emotional and physical state. I find that when I am rooted in the present, I am more conscious and better able to detach from my ego and live my life authentically.

As a mother in a care-taking profession, I have a bad habit of putting my needs last, to a fault.? Therefore, I am committed to a lifelong journey of practicing healthy self-love. To help myself with this goal in 2013, I put a small, framed picture of myself as a baby on my nightstand.? Each morning, I look at it and set intentions for self-care for the day (healthy diet, exercise, rest, fun, etc.).

Somehow, it is easier for me to validate my self-care if I take a moment to reflect that I am that precious child in the photo ? and that as an adult, I have the responsibility to take the very best care of myself so that I can live a healthy life personally and professionally.

Gratitude also is a goal for John Duffy, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist and author of the book The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens.

In 2013, my plan is to be present, in each moment, and to be grateful. There are many, many things I intend to accomplish in the coming year, but if I can achieve presence and gratitude, I am confident that all else will fall into place beautifully.

Ryan Howes, Ph.D, a clinical psychologist in Pasadena, California, takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to setting resolutions.

I hate to be contrarian, but resolutions sort of drive me crazy. Part of me loves to target areas to improve, while another part strives for self-acceptance. New Year?s resolutions force me to pit these competing drives against each other. For this reason, I usually avoid making resolutions, but this year I?ll make an exception:

1. Run a 40 minute 10K

2. Measure happiness qualitatively, not quantitatively

3. Get a book deal

4. Be less goal oriented; enjoy the journey

5. Increase Facebook fans

6. Increase humility

7. Change bad habits

8. Accept self as-is

Jeffrey Sumber, M.A., a psychotherapist, author and teacher, resolves to focus on the people in his life for 2013.

Something I intend for the new year is to give more attention and care to my relationships rather than acquiring things, doing things or being someone I think I should be. I want to honor the people in my life and remember that they are the most important part of my life.

Christina G. Hibbert, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and postpartum mental health expert, doesn?t set goals. Instead, she sets a theme for each new year.

I do have a main ?goal? for 2013 ? to see the publishing of my book, This is How We Grow. But really, I don?t set ?goals? or ?resolutions? for the New Year. It?s actually something I share in my book ? several years ago, in an attempt to get away from the too-easily forgotten New Year?s ?resolutions,? I developed instead a yearly theme.

This theme would serve as my one ?resolution? for the entire year and give me focused, extended practice in mastering it. A few of my past year?s themes include: humility, charity, patience, gratitude, love, and joy.

At the end of each year I spend time reading through my past year?s journal (I?m an avid journal-keeper), allowing myself to reflect on what I?ve learned, where I am, and where I need to be headed. This helps me determine what my theme for the next year will be. Sometimes I know my theme a couple months before; often, I don?t know it until January 1!

So, what will my theme be for 2013? Right now I?m leaning toward ?Optimism,? but, since I haven?t done my ?year in review,? if you really want to know my 2013 theme, you?ll have to tune in to my blog in January and find out!

These resolutions have one thing in common: They focus on each person?s values. Whether you?re setting resolutions this year or not, consider striving for a life that honors what?s important to you and isn?t shaped by shoulds. Consider creating a life that respects your needs and wishes.

?

2013 photo available from Shutterstock

Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. is an Associate Editor at Psych Central and blogs regularly about eating and self-image issues on her own blog, Weightless.

Like this author?
Catch up on other posts by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. (or subscribe to their feed).

????Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 26 Dec 2012
????Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.

APA Reference
Tartakovsky, M. (2012). Therapists Spill: My New Year?s Resolution. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 27, 2012, from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/therapists-spill-my-new-years-resolution/

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Source: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/12/26/therapists-spill-my-new-years-resolution/

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Private picture of Mark Zuckerberg's family leaked

SEATTLE (AP) ? Even Mark Zuckerberg's family can get tripped up by Facebook's privacy settings.

A picture that Zuckerberg's sister posted on her personal Facebook profile was seen by a marketing director, who then posted the picture to Twitter and her more than 40,000 followers Wednesday.

That didn't sit well with Zuckerberg's sister, Randi, who tweeted at Callie Schweitzer that the picture was meant for friends only and that posting the private picture on Twitter was "way uncool." Schweitzer replied by saying the picture popped up on her Facebook news feed.

The picture shows four people standing around a kitchen staring at their phones with their mouths open while Mark Zuckerberg is in the background.

Randi Zuckerberg, who used to run Facebook's marketing department and now produces a reality television show, eventually said Schweitzer was able to see the picture because they had a mutual friend. Those tweets have since been taken down.

Schweitzer declined to comment when reached by The Associated Press. Randi Zuckerberg didn't reply to a message via Twitter seeking comment.

Randi Zuckerberg used the dustup to write about online sharing etiquette.

"Digital etiquette: always ask permission before posting a friend's photo publicly. It's not about privacy settings, it's about human decency," she posted on Twitter.

But Randi Zuckerberg's comments sparked sharp reactions from people who thought the issue wasn't about etiquette, but rather Facebook's often changing and often confusing privacy settings.

"The thing that bugged me about Randi Zuckerberg's response is that she used her name as a bludgeoning device. Not everyone has that. She used her position to get it taken it down," said Eva Galperin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy advocacy group in San Francisco.

While Facebook has made improvements in explaining the social network's privacy settings, Galperin said they remain confusing to most people. She added that with people using Facebook as part of their everyday lives, the consequences of fumbling privacy settings can become serious.

"Even Randi Zuckerberg can get it wrong. That's an illustration of how confusing they can be," she said.

The Menlo Park, Calif., company recently announced it is changing its privacy settings with the aim of making it easier for users to navigate them.

The fine-tuning will include several revisions that will start rolling out to Facebook's more than 1 billion users during the next few weeks and continue into early next year.

The most visible change ? and perhaps the most appreciated ? will be a new "privacy shortcuts" section that appears as a tiny lock at the top right of people's news feeds. This feature offers a drop-down box where users can get answers to common questions such as "Who can see my stuff?"

But Galperin said Wednesday's incident also illustrates a general concern about Internet privacy. Essentially, she said, if you share information or a photo with your social network, people in your network have the ability to share that with whomever else they choose.

The mobile photo-sharing service Instagram, which is owned by Facebook Inc., had to answer to backlash to privacy concerns recently when new terms of service suggested user photos could be used in advertisements. The company later said it would remove the questionable language.

___

Manuel Valdes can be reached at http://twitter.com/ByManuelValdes .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/private-picture-mark-zuckerbergs-family-leaked-040552522.html

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BDO ends non-life insurance joint venture with Generali - InterAksyon

By: Joseph Villanueva, InterAksyon.com
December 26, 2012 8:41 PM

InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA - BDO Unibank Inc has dropped its non-life insurance business with Generali Philippines.

In a statement, BDO said it would give up its three-year joint venture starting January 1, 2013, as the lender would focus instead on life insurance.

"After three years, our board is fully convinced that any further effort to operate our non-life business has become far less attractive due to an overly competitive market and to the significant increase in catastrophe reinsurance costs, a consequence of a series of natural events that recently occurred in Asia. The above reasons, all of which are not expected to improve in the near future, led the board to this unanimous decision." Generali president Vergel de Dios said.

The decision to ditch the non-life business comes on the heels of improved performance.

?New individual insurance sales, arising solely from regular premium products, were up 30 percent for the same period, while individual renewal premiums grew at a hefty rate of 59 percent. Group life and health premiums on the other hand were up 25 percent,? BDO said.

"A key driver to this growth is the company's sustained efforts to beef up its primary bancassurance distribution channel. Generali Philippines now employs a bancassurance sales force numbering over 500 who operate in more than 750 BDO branches nationwide,? the bank said.

According to the lender, the sales performance represented a three-fold increase from a year ago and ?the result of the company's investment in sales training and supervision, improved field management systems, and concentration on its broad-based target markets.?

"Our efforts in developing a professional bancassurance sales force by building strong fundamentals have started to bear fruit," De Dios said.

"This move has brought us closer to our ultimate objective of helping bank clients buy the right insurance products for their expressed needs. In the process, we enable our financial advisers to achieve their own financial aspirations via a rewarding sales career in Generali," he said.

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Source: http://www.interaksyon.com/article/51311/bdo-ends-non-life-insurance-joint-venture-with-generali

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There Are Now 1,000 Members Listing Their Homes Through ?Unhotel? Service Onefinestay

If you owned a swanky apartment or house, would you really want to rent it out to strangers? Well, startup onefinestay seems to have found an audience for its upscale twist of the Airbnb model, which it describes as running an "unhotel." The company says there are now more than 1,000 members in London and New York listing their homes exclusively through its service. The service launched in London, but onefinestay says it's growing quickly in New York, where there are now 150 members. The total has apparently quadrupled in the past 12 months ? and back in July, when it raised a $12 million Series B, the company said it had crossed 500 homes.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/ZUnXqG1emJQ/

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In The Long Run ? Blog Archive ? The World Wide Web Is An ...

Becoming successful at a home-based business is not everyone?s good luck, but you should not let that keep you from trying it out. Especially today when there are plenty of computer home-based businesses that can be put in place for a very low cost. All it requires is a low cost, high-speed Internet access, and the motivation to spend a bit of time doing the research. In contrast to a local brick-and-mortar business, which is expensive to set up, and is confined to local customers, your computer business can be world wide. Anybody, in a global context, who can hook up to the Internet, can be a prospect.

I Want To Make Money

There are many ways to get your toes wet in case you are seriously considering a business online. To make a start you most definitely don?t need to be an IT nerd, but being familiar with using a personal computer would be very helpful. Frequently, making money online has nothing to do with your technical skills, but with how much you know about the things you love doing. An individual who is a proficient writer could, as an example, have a web business that does copywritng. Writing could also be done freelance, doing jobs for people who either can?t stand writing or aren?t any good at it. What it comes down to is determining a group of individuals who have a need for something, like say, articles, and providing them with it. Put together a portfolio of your work, do some marketing, and, hey presto! you?ve got a business.

Online auction web sites are another avenue from which a lot of people are making good money. You can acquire items at wholesale value and sell them at retail price, or you may already have products suitable for selling on the web. Online auction websites, such as eBay, do the hard work of bringing the customers to your offers. Your job is first off to figure out a price and list your item, then wait for the sales. As soon as your product is sold, you get sent the funds and then you have the product delivered to the customer.

Lots of erstwhile challenges and obstructions have been done away with by the advance of technology. The advent of the laptop or computer has put ownership of a business within the reach of regular individuals. Not only does the internet have a lot of products to sell, but there is ample information online to show you how to sell them. The very best way to start a business on the internet, is to find someone who has a business model you like, and pattern yours after theirs.

Instead of a fulltime business you could just be after an additional income stream, which the Internet caters for handsomely. Spend a little time on your computer looking for information on starting a web business, and you will find plenty of it. You can only start making money once you get your business started, so don?t delay in doing your research.

Tags: does it work automated profit package, internet home business, money making ideas

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 25th, 2012 at 8:53 pm and is filed under E-Commerce. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

Source: http://lucybean.blowonescork.com/2012/12/25/the-world-wide-web-is-an-excellent-place-to-discover-more-about-home-based-businesses/

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Source: http://hershel33.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/in-the-long-run-blog-archive-the-world-wide-web-is-an.html

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Engadget Eurocast 010 - 12.25.12 Holiday Special

Christmas day, and while the US is still tucked up in bed, awaiting Santa's visit, the euro-crew are already up and about, donning knitted jumpers with one hand in the chocolate tin, the other brandishing (the third) sherry. This year, to save you from tears, we recorded you something special. Merry Christmas from the Eurocast.

Hosts: Dan Cooper, Steve Dent, Mat Smith, Sharif Sakr, James Trew, Jamie Rigg

Producer: James Trew

Hear the Podcast

Continue reading Engadget Eurocast 010 - 12.25.12 Holiday Special

Filed under: Podcasts

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/25/engadget-eurocast-010-12-25-12/

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Republican Party Brings Politics To A Crisis Point: Michael Tomasky

The Daily Beast:

With their refusal to vote for Boehner?s Plan B, Republicans have definitively shown that they?d rather sabotage democracy than govern. How can they be stopped?

Read the whole story at The Daily Beast

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/24/republican-party_n_2360061.html

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A Consumer's Guide to Finding a Nursing Home on the Culture ...

?Posted on December 24, 2012 by Elder Care Pittsburgh in Adult Day Care, Aging in Place, Alzheimers Care, Assisted Living, Blog, Caregiver Education, Dementia Care

Pioneer Network is working to create person-directed care in all long-term care settings including nursing homes, assisted living and a wide variety of residential, home and community based care settings. Person-directed care allows the elder to make their own choices, continue familiar routines and maintain their dignity after moving into the new setting ? or in other words, be at home wherever home may be.

There are many choices available, but many elders will still need nursing home care. Here is a set of questions that we have developed to help families determine whether or not a nursing home is engaged in person-directed care.

In this section you will find key questions to gauge whether a community is practicing person-directed care.? The primary questions for nursing homes are below.?

What are Key Questions to Ask the Staff in Nursing Homes to Find Out If They Provide Person-Directed Care?

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Listed below are some general and specific things to ask and to listen for in the response. These are not the only ?correct? responses, but they will give you a general idea of what you might hear that indicates work toward creating home for residents.

• How is your nursing home involved in culture change?

Listen for:??We have a committee that works on making our place a home for residents who live here. Residents and families serve on the committee. Staff members attend the state coalition meetings and go to conferences to learn more. Several of our staff (including direct care workers) have visited other places involved in culture change. We have consistent assignment so that our staff can get to know the residents they are caring for including their individual needs and wishes.?

• How will you get to know my family member?

Listen for:??It is very important for us to really get to know each person who lives here. We have a questionnaire for your family member to fill out that helps us get started. If they are not able to do this (because of dementia, for example), we want you to help us get to know them. Then we will talk with them and spend time together. We will learn about their preferences, their past, what they enjoy doing now, and their goals and wishes for the future. Everyone on the staff will get to know your family member.?

• Do the CNAs/nursing assistants take care of the same group of residents each time they work, or do you rotate the assignments after a period of time?

Listen for:??Consistent Assignment.? ?With few exceptions, our caregivers care for the same group of residents each time they come to work.?

Listen for:??Residents may choose to sleep as long as they want without being awakened.

• What is your policy regarding food choices and alternatives?

Listen for:??Let me show you a list of the alternatives we always have on hand if someone does not like the main entree being offered. Do you think your loved one would be satisfied with these? If not, we can usually accommodate her wishes.?

• Can my loved one be given a shower/bath when he or she chooses?

Listen for:??Yes. We can accommodate a person?s lifelong pattern of bathing. Plus, we understand about the special needs of persons with dementia. We have many creative ways to keep people clean, so we can adapt to their preferences and comfort and still maintain cleanliness.

• What type of recreational activities are offered here?

Listen for:??We offer a wide variety of meaningful and purposeful activities. Residents have input into what is offered. Many of our activities are also spontaneous. Our CNAs do activities with residents based on what the resident likes to do, including at night for those who are awake. We also have someone here in the evenings and on weekends to engage residents.?

• How do you build a sense of community, and give those who live here a voice in the decisions about how things are done?

Listen for:??Residents are part of the home team. We have an active Resident Council. Discussion groups neighborhood or household meetings are held weekly with residents, staff and invited family members. Residents have a say in who cares for them.?

• How do you meet the special needs of people who have some type of dementia?

Listen for:??We educate our staff on how to best communicate with people with dementia. Because we have consistent assignments, staff know the residents well and can anticipate and meet their needs in flexible, creative ways. We also support and teach staff how to problem-solve difficult situations.?

• What is the role of family members? Do you have a Family Council?

Listen for:??Family members may visit here any time, volunteer, and participate in our Family Council. Let me provide you with a Family Council meeting schedule. Family members can always speak to any member of our staff to discuss their loved one?s needs and preferences.?

• Do you have a rehabilitation team and access to therapists such as speech pathologists, physical therapists and occupational therapists?

Listen for:??We have licensed therapists on staff. We can provide one-to-one therapy, and our therapists also advise us on such things as how to adapt a room or bathroom to best meet individual needs, and how to transfer a resident from chair to bed in the most comfortable way.?

• Do you measure the turnover of your staff (defined as the average percentage of staff who stop working at the home each year)? If so, what is the turnover rate for your direct care workers (CNAs, nurse assistants)?

Listen for:?Any number under 40 percent. (The national average is 70 percent.)

• Do you measure the turnover rate of your licensed nursing staff? If so, what is your turnover rate of licensed nurses?

Listen for:?Any number under 30 percent. (The national average is 50 percent.)

• Do you measure staff satisfaction? If yes, what do you do with the satisfaction survey results?

Listen for:??Yes. We measure the morale and satisfaction of our staff with a survey and by meeting with them in small groups. We know that if our staff feels respected and supported, they give better care to residents. We use what we learn from the survey to make improvements.? Ask for a recent example.

• Do you also measure resident satisfaction each year?

Listen for:??Yes. We measure the satisfaction of our residents by using a survey and by meeting with them in small groups. We use what we learn to make improvements.? Ask for a recent example. Ask residents about this.

• Do you measure family satisfaction?

Listen for:??We do. Family opinions are important. However, we understand that our ?customer? is the person living here.?

• What is your organization?s policy regarding the use of ?agency? nurses and ?agency? CNAs (people who are brought in from the outside who are not your regular staff)?

Listen for:??Only our own nurses and aides work here. Only in a dire short-staffing emergency do we bring in people from an outside agency.?

• What is your mission statement? Is staff able to share the mission in their own words and indicate that it is meaningful to their work?

Listen for:??Our mission statement is?.We try very hard to make our mission not just words but part of daily life for people who live and work here.?

To get a feel of the tone of the nursing home during your ?walk-about,? look at the colors (furniture, walls, floors), lighting, real or artificial plants, bird cages and fish tanks, other animals, smells, lighting, signs, elements of privacy, options for sitting alone, conversation areas, and residents? facial expressions. Are staff and residents interacting in what looks like interest and kindness?

Look at the types of activities that are posted. Check to see if Resident Council and Family Council materials, and ombudsman contact information, are posted in obvious places and at a level where a person in a wheelchair could read them. The last report of the state survey should be available for you to review. Talk to residents and families when you are visiting. Ask them how they feel about the place and if they would recommend it. Remember that if you ask this in the presence of a staff person, individuals may fear sharing negative comments and so may give you an inaccurate impression.

Developed through the support of the?Picker Institute, adapted with permission from the work of David Farrell and the California Culture Change Coalition.

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The information in the posting was originally posted on Pioneer Network. ?Pennsylvania?Culture Change Coalition is a state based organization under the umbrella of the Pioneer Network.

Elder Care Resources is dedicated to empowering area seniors, their caregivers and healthcare professionals to obtain the knowledge and resources needed to provide quality care for an aging relative, friend or patient.

Other posts by Elder Care Pittsburgh ?

Source: http://www.eldercareresourcespittsburgh.com/a-consumers-guide-to-finding-a-nursing-home-on-the-culture-change-journey/

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