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11 Ways to be Healthier in 2011

2011-01-10T15:11:00.000-06:00

11 Ways to be Healthier in 2011

By Nicole Gregory, Special to LifescriptPublished January 10, 2011Ready to be healthier this year – and for the rest of your life? It’s easier than you think. We have the latest research showing what to do... If you’ve made a resolution to get healthier this year, chances are you already know to eat better, exercise more and cut out bad habits.

So why aren’t you doing it? Too hard? Can’t stick with it? Luckily for you, researchers across the globe are working on ways to make that healthy lifestyle within reach. Read on for their insights and tips on making this year your healthiest ever.

1. Eat better, live longer.

A few dietary changes could reduce your risk of dying by 40%, according to a 2010 University of Maryland study.In research that examined 2,500 older adults over 10 years, those who ate the healthiest diet – with fruit, whole grains, low-fat dairy, poultry, fish and vegetables – had much higher survival rates than those who ate poorly, with high amounts of cheese and other fatty foods.How do you change your eating habits? Gradually, says senior author Nadine R. Sahyoun, Ph.D., R.D.“Replace fried foods and sweets with grilled or baked foods,” she says. “Decide which vegetables you enjoy and then look for recipes that feature them. Make sure a salad is on the dinner table every day, and add different veggies, fruits and nuts for variety and taste.”

2. Eat less, grow younger.

Exercise and cutting calories together can actually reverse some signs of aging. The combination dramatically improved mental acuity and motor skills in animal research at Harvard’s Center for Brain Science.It also seems to rejuvenate connections between nerves and muscles, according to the 2010 study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.Those results could translate to humans, says Derek M. Huffman, Ph.D., a researcher at the Institute of Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.“Past studies in people have shown that the combination may be beneficial,” he says.But caloric restriction doesn’t mean starving yourself, Huffman says. Just pick nutrient-dense foods.“Choose foods that make you full but don't pack many calories – like soups, salads, fresh fruits, lean chicken breast, beans, yogurt and low-calorie fiber bars,” he says.

3. Buy your way out of poor eating.

There’s a simple way to psych yourself into buying healthier foods: Pay with cash, not a credit or debit card, according to a 2010 Cornell University study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. Researchers studied 1,000 families’ grocery trips over six months and found that their carts contained more unhealthful foods when they paid with plastic. That’s because cash makes shoppers more sensitive to their purchases, the researchers say.You can also cut back on those impulsive supermarket purchases by carrying a small notebook and jotting down each junk food item you put in your cart, suggests Lifescript nutrition expert Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., C.D.E. Before you check out, make sure only a small percentage of your budget is going toward snacks.

4. Play with your food.

Dozens of new mobile-device apps that aid healthy eating sprang up in 2010 – and a new study shows they really work.In a study conducted by Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing, a healthy-food game was tested by 12 adults for three weeks. They began eating healthier, discussing healthy eating with friends, and making better choices when they ate out. ”Our research shows the promise of using casual mobile games to encourage adults to live healthier lifestyles,” the investigators say.
To find the best game for you, check out 14 Best Fitness Apps for Women.

5. Keep friends close.

Social relationships are so healthful that frequent interactions with friends, family and colleagues decrease your risk of dying by 50% over 7.5 years. That’s the equivalent of a smoker kicking a habit or an alcoholic giving up drinking, according to researchers at Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City who reviewed data from 148 studies.
Closeness counts too, according to psychology professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Ph.D., who led the research.“Having close relationships helps us cope with stress, and provides meaning and purpose to our lives,” she says. When you’re connected to a group and feel responsible for others, you’re more motivated to take care of yourself, she adds.

6. Give in to peer pressure.

When your friends have healthy habits, you probably will too, according to a 2010 Australian study of 3,610 women published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.That’s not just because social support helps you eat better and get more exercise, says Kylie Ball, Ph.D., an associate professor in the School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences at Deakin University in Victoria.“Simply observing or knowing others who engage in these behaviors increases the likelihood of doing so,” she says.

But that doesn’t mean you have to drop your coach-potato friends. Just go social with your health and fitness plan, notes Liz Neporent, coauthor of Fitness For Dummies: 4th Edition (Wiley) and senior vice president of Wellness 360, a New York-based consulting company.
“Join a walking, running or exercise group,” she suggests. “Or find a gym where you interact with others.”
Finding support on Facebook, Twitter and other social-networking sites can also be motivating, she says.

7. Catch more zzz’s.

Are you up past midnight most nights? Staying healthy – and looking young – requires an earlier bedtime.
People who sleep fewer than seven hours per night are more likely to gain excess weight, according to a 2008 study by Laval University in Canada. Plus, those who doze five hours or less don’t live as long, according to a 2010 study of 444 older women conducted by the UC-San Diego School of Medicine.

Still need more incentive to get enough shut-eye? It also makes you look better, according to a 2010 Swedish study published in the British Medical Journal. Women who were photographed after getting eight hours of sleep the previous night were rated as more attractive and healthier-looking than when they only slept five hours.Oversleeping isn’t healthy either, says psychiatrist Daniel F. Kripke, M.D., who headed the San Diego study. He suggests you aim for about 7-8 hours per night.

8. Make exercise an enjoyable habit.

People with a positive view of exercise are more physically active, according to a 2010 study at Penn State University.

Besides enjoying workouts more, they often take the stairs, not the elevator, or walk farther to a store entrance from the parking lot. Such small steps add up to a lot of activity.

“Find a strategy that reduces conscious goal-setting and monitoring,” says David Conroy, Ph.D., associate professor of kinesiology and human development at Penn State University. “If you associate exercise with drudgery, that’s what it will be,” Neporent adds.“But if associating each step with better-fitting clothes, weight loss or feeling better, then you’re on a mission to succeed.”

9. Time your workouts.

Exercising before breakfast is especially beneficial, and could even cancel out damage from less healthy habits, according to a 2010 Belgian study in The Journal of Physiology.

In that study, young men ate a high-calorie diet of 50% fat, along with a hefty, carb-rich breakfast. Some exercised intensely four times a week before breakfast, and the rest worked out at the same level after breakfast (and drank sports drinks throughout).

At the end of six weeks, those who ate breakfast before exercising had gained weight and developed symptoms of insulin resistance. But the pre-breakfast exercisers were fine.

Exercising on an empty stomach causes the body to burn a greater percentage of fat and increases levels of a muscle protein that helps transport blood sugar, the researchers note. Of course, the best time to work out is when you’ll actually do it, Neporent says.
“If it doesn’t feel good to exercise before eating, then don’t force yourself,” she advises.

10. Turn off the tube.

Watching too much TV doesn’t just kill brain cells – it could actually kill you, according to 2010 Australian research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

In a study of 8,800 adults, those who watched TV four hours or more per day had an 80% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 46% higher risk of death, than those who watched two hours or less.

That’s because “sedentary behavior changes your metabolism – you go into ‘energy storage’ mode,” says cardiologist Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., chair of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

The less you sit, the better, Lloyd-Jones notes. At the very least, get up during commercials (but don’t head to the kitchen for unhealthy snacks). Or take 5- or 10-minute exercise breaks.
“The mantra is, if you’re doing nothing, do a little,” he says. “And if you’re doing a little, do more.”

11. Stay healthy for good.

Regular physical activity, following a healthy diet and not smoking reduce the risk of developing more than 20 conditions – including cancer, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, dementia and depression – according to a 2010 review of 40 studies by University of East Anglia in England.

And a 20-year study Lloyd-Jones conducted at Northwestern found that those who follow the top five healthy habits (not smoking, little or no alcohol intake, controlling weight, getting physical activity and eating a healthy diet) maintain a low risk of cardiovascular disease as they enter middle age.

“Healthy behaviors can trump genetics,” Lloyd-Jones says. “The earlier you start making healthy choices, the more likely you are to maintain a low-risk profile.”

Are You Eating As Healthy As You Think?

Many people claim to eat healthy when they're actually doing their body a disservice with the food they consume. Take this quiz to find out if you're eating as healthy as you think.

Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!

AMC's Crazy About The Duke

2011-01-07T13:12:00.001-06:00

With his signature swagger and old school attitude, John Wayne epitomized Western machismo. His onscreen actions could serve as a user's guide for aspiring cowboys: Never let up, never back down, be honest, be fair, and fight for what's right. That much-mimicked drawl was never the main reason people were so crazy about him.

1. The Searchers (1956)

Every star needs a role that spotlights his dark side, and The Searchers did exactly that for The Duke. In this brilliant psychological portrait, Wayne took the standard Western hero (self-reliant, unyielding) and turned his positive qualities into something pathological. Wayne -- on a mission to find his kidnapped niece -- is not pleased to find the girl has gone native. Indeed, he now wants to kill her! This is Wayne at his most mesmerizing.

2. True Grit (1969)

He's drunk half the time and wears an eye patch, but that doesn't slow down crack shot Rooster Cogburn. The Duke's turn as the mercurial bounty hunter is a late-career high point, earning him his only Oscar. Here's a chance to see Wayne poking fun at his own tough-guy persona and to watch as he passes on the Western torch to then-newcomer Robert Duvall.

3. Rio Bravo (1959)

This fast-paced Western is as tight as a drum and explosive as a powder keg. The classic flick features the holy trinity of Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Wayne as a ragtag group of lawmen trying to defend a town from outlaws. Aside from its star power, Rio Bravo distinguishes itself with comic relief in the form of Stumpy -- an old coot who enjoys throwing a little dynamite when the occasion calls. Howard Hawks directed Rio Bravo, and liked it so much he remade it twice (El Dorado, Rio Lobo). Both times Wayne returned for the party.

4. Stagecoach (1939)

Love must be shown to Wayne's star-making role: the misunderstood Ringo Kid whose picked up by a covered wagon filled with whores, Holy Rollers, pregnant women, and gamblers trucking through Apache territory. Stagecoach has everything people have come to expect from a Western. And no wonder: With its old-fashioned storytelling under the direction of John Ford, the movie helped make the genre legitimate.

5. Red River (1948)

Generational conflict has rarely been as raw as the battle waged here between Wayne and Montgomery Clift. The pair are very different actors: Clift is quiet and sensitive; Wayne is brusque and direct. That polarity led to explosive chemistry as their characters work out their differences -- not to mention their Oedipal conflicts -- while driving a huge run of cattle across the frontier. This ain't no City Slickers! As tensions simmer and Indians attack, Wayne delivers an anguished performance to rival any method actor.

Honorable Mentions

1. The Shootist (1976): The parallels to Wayne's own life are hard to ignore in this, his last onscreen performance, as the Duke plays a dying gunfighter who goes out with both guns blazing -- literally.

2. Fort Apache (1948): The first film in John Ford's Cavalry trilogy, it remains the best of the lot thanks to Henry Fonda and Wayne battling it out as two officers with very different styles.

3. McLintock! (1963): This light comedy has Wayne pitched in the most fearsome conflict of all: the battle of the sexes. His opponent? None other than frequent collaborator (and friend) Maureen O'Hara.

4. She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949): When people say "Send in the cavalry," they might as well be referring to Wayne's fearsome officer, who, despite advanced age, hasn't lost a bit of his nerve in this quiet, elegiac film.

5. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962): This swan song to the Western wouldn't be complete without Wayne's sturdy presence anchoring the movie as a rancher who leaves his own indelible mark on history.

GOT TO GET YOU OUT OF MY LIFE!

2010-10-05T05:23:00.000-05:00

Paul McCartney after paying Heather Mills McCartney almost $50 million in devorce agreement.

BEST BURGERS

2010-07-29T10:55:00.000-05:00

Best Burgers

Burger Spot
They'll make your Harris Ranch Angus beef burger as rare or well-done as you'd like at this 5-month-old eco-friendly place in Lake Highlands. Order at the counter and they'll bring the burgers, wrapped in red-and-white-checked paper, to the table. The Classic Burger is a well-proportioned, well-seasoned, juicy one-third-pound burger on a soft bun with lettuce, tomato, mustard or mayo, pickles and onion. The half-pound Wild Bill Burger, with onions, jalapeños and tomatoes in the patty and cheddar melted on top, is the way to go if you want to spice things up. Don't miss the zingy fresh lemonade.

9090 Skillman St. at Audelia Road, Dallas. 214-221-9206.

Chip's Old Fashioned Burgers
This 28-year-old favorite offers an excellent rendition of a good old-fashioned burger. You can order the one-third-pound patty cooked the way you like, but they'll likely just chargrill it as they wish. No matter; even if your medium-rare turns out medium-well, it's juicy and good, served on a soft poppy-seed bun with a couple of lettuce leaves, slices of ripe tomato, pickles, onions, mayo and mustard. It's the kind of place that might put you in the mood for a chocolate malt. There are also beer and wine, sandwiches and Tex-Mex dishes.

4530 Lovers Lane at the Dallas North Tollway, Dallas. 214-691-2447. www.chips-burgers.com.

Farnatchi Gourmet Oven
My favorite thing at this charming little Middle Eastern-slash-pizza place is its unusual hamburger. The highly seasoned patty has chopped onions and peppers blended into the meat, and a slice of mozzarella buried in it that melts gooily as the burger's grilled. Served on a good kaiser roll spread with a harissa-flavored mayonnaise, it's loaded with lots of arugula and ripe sliced tomatoes. The burger comes with lentil soup, salad or roasted rosemary potatoes. Bring your own wine; it'll go well with this one.

3001 Knox St. at Central Expressway, Dallas. 214-219-7200. www.farnatchi.com.

Fred's Texas Cafe
In a funky place with a honky-tonk feel and a party-down patio with live music, you can get what may be the lustiest sandwich around: the Diablo burger. Super juicy, wickedly spicy, it features a thick, half-pound patty roughly formed from good meat smothered with grilled onions, a whole chipotle chile in adobo, melted Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, mustard and pickles. It comes with excellent hand-cut fries; Texas beers are on tap. For the fainter of palate, there's also the chipotle-free Fred burger.

915 Currie St., Fort Worth. 817-332-0083. www.fredstexascafe.com.

Maple and Motor
Jack Perkins' self-proclaimed "grease-stained tribute to low-class cool" was an instant cult hit when it opened last fall, and for good reason: Maple and Motor's burgers rock. They won't cook it to your desired temperature, but the rich patty, made from a blend of brisket and chuck, formed loosely in a ball and gently flattened on a vintage flat-top grill, has splendid flavor. It gets dressed up with traditional Texas fixings: red onions, dill pickle relish, mustard, tomato and shredded lettuce. Wash it down with a Shiner on tap or a "Jolly Rancher" iced tea. Arrive early, or prepare to wait. The place is wildly popular.

4810 Maple Ave., Dallas. 214-522-4400. www.mapleandmotor.com.

Neighborhood Services Tavern
The "cleaver and block" burger at Nick Badovinus' 4-month-old opened in March Henderson Avenue gastropub is quite simply outstanding. It's a cheffy burger, but not the overdone, froufrou kind. Instead, serious attention is paid to the meat; here it's a blend of chuck and brisket. But it's not just the patty; it's the whole package that tempts. It comes on a sesame bun dressed up with two kinds of aged cheddar, horseradish-spiked pickles and lots of caramelized onions in all the right proportions.

2405 N. Henderson Ave., Dallas. 214-827-2405.

Square Burger
On the square in McKinney, in a lovely, lofty 1929 building that was once a dry-goods store, a chef who got his chops as a sous-chef at Spago Beverly Hills is flipping some terrific burgers. Six-week-old Square Burger is a real restaurant, though the menu consists mostly of burgers, salads and sides; there's table service and a long, sleek bar that offers 30 well-chosen beers on tap (mostly North American). That burger, which is round, not square, comes on an ideal bun (a grilled Empire Bakery brioche number) with a thick pad of iceberg lettuce, a slice of tomato and circles of red onion. But this burger is all about the beef, which Genesis Beef raises locally. It's grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free and dry-aged 14 to 20 days before Genesis custom-grinds it for chef Craig Brundege. He likes to cook the thick patties to at least medium, but the kitchen agreed to my medium-rare request; the burger was juicy and perfect – like the backyard burger that dreams are made of.

115 N. Kentucky St., McKinney. 972-542-0185.

12 Burgers
The atmosphere leaves a little to be desired at this gloomy fast-food spot in Far North Dallas, named for the 12 toppings on its signature burger, but the eats are excellent. The "classic" is a felicitous arrangement of a half-pound Angus patty, lettuce, tomato and Thousand Island dressing on a toasted sesame-seed bun; pickles and onions are optional (yes, you want them). Or go for the giant, sloppy 12 Burger with bacon, American cheese, sautéed onions, avocado, mushrooms, bell peppers, pickles, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, Thousand Island and mustard.

6006 Belt Line Road, Dallas. 972-239-4194.

Wingfield's Breakfast and Burger
Last but certainly not least is Oak Cliff's monumentally juicy behemoth on a bun. It may be gigantic, but the ratios are correct: exactly the right amount of squishy bun, ripe tomato slice and lettuce to big, meaty, well-seasoned patty. The lively dose of mayo, mustard and pickles makes it quite the event. Call ahead to order and pick up, or prepare to wait. It's takeout only, so you'll have to take the booty elsewhere – ideally nearby – to dig in.

2615 S. Beckley Ave., Dallas. 214-943-5214.

Best in DFW: Burgers 2008:

Here's the list of Best Burgers in DFW as compiled by The Dallas Morning News critics in 2008.

•Angry Dog

•Fred's Texas Cafe

•Kelly's Eastside

•Love Shack

•Perry's

•Snuffer's

•Twisted Root Burger Co.

•Wingfield's Breakfast and Burger

WORDS OF WISDOM FROM THE DUKE

2010-07-03T07:27:00.001-05:00

Actor. Patriot. Philosopher. John Wayne didn't just know his way around a six-shooter. He was deadly with his words, too, tossing off bons mots like grenades. While not exactly an American Confucius, Wayne's nothing if not quotable and a discerning listener could live his life guided by The Duke's words of wisdom. Without further ado, here's the best of the proverbial John Wayne.

1. "Don't apologize; it's a sign of weakness." -- She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Rarely was the Duke's guiding ethos of manliness, self-reliance, and bravado distilled into a more perfect package than in his response to the apologies of a woman responsible for a massacre in this classic 1949 Western. Despite his aforementioned secret vulnerability, at the end of the day this is what Wayne was: stubborn, strong, and unapologetic. What's done is done. Second-guessing is for cowards, not cowboys.

2. "There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around but you're dead as a beaver hat." --The Alamo

If nothing else, The Alamo is about drawing a line in the sand by deciding which side you're on. On and off screen, Wayne saw things in black and white. Here, as Davy Crockett, he stands for democracy and sticking to your principles. A man who values security over morality is a traitor to his self. Tough tonic perhaps but also truly American.

3. "Sorry, don't get it done, Dude." -- Rio Bravo

Wayne was -- in the jargon of contemporary economics -- a results-oriented worker. Which is to say that he gets the job done. End of story. Nothing stands in his way, not even, in Rio Bravo, a gang of outlaws who have him outnumbered and outgunned. By hook or by crook, he'll do what needs doing, as he reminds drunk deputy Dude (Dean Martin) in this quotation. Even with the odds stacked against you, failure isn't an option. Well put.

4. "I never shot nobody I didn't have to." -- True Grit

In a perfect world, a gun would never be necessary but Wayne, like Arnold Schwarzenegger , knows that some problems require drastic measures. As Rooster Cogburn, Wayne has seen his share of bloodshed. That's part of his job. But even at his most brutal, Wayne also recognizes the fine line between a man and a murderer.

5. "All battles are fought by scared men who'd rather be some place else." -- In Harm's Way

The Duke is vulnerable and sensitive on occassion. That's what makes him a star. Which isn't to say that emotions ever overwhelm him or determine his fate. That soldiers get scared isn't surprising. That they still go into battle is what makes them brave.

6. Pat Wheeler: "A game-legged old man and a drunk. That's all you got?" John Wayne: "That's what I've got." -- Rio Bravo

This line is really Wayne's way of saying, "If you've got lemons, make lemonade." He sees people as his supreme resource, and he's not about to let some scoundrel put him down because one of his cohorts happens to be a drunkards. That snappy retort by the Duke is so notable that Dissent magazine did an entire article around on how it related to Wayne's vision of democracy. (For real!)

7. "Out here, due process is a bullet." -- The Green Berets

Doing right sometimes means ignoring nettlesome bureaucracy. This is one of Wayne's most infamous quotations, and it comes from one of his most misguided, reviled films, The Green Berets. The movie is a misguided call to stay the course in Vietnam, and the line brings to mind the troubling vigilantism that's central to the way Wayne and his characters see the world.

8. "There's some things a man just can't run away from." -- Stagecoach

The Duke's characters are always being pursued -- by troubled pasts and, ultimately, by death. That also goes for Wayne's own life. For decades, cancer pursued him. He beat it once, but, ultimately, the disease came back to defeat him. But he fought back against it until he couldn't fight anymore, just like Ringo Kid in Stagecoach. Wayne is about facing things with both eyes wide open and both guns blazing.

9. "We brought nothing into this world, and it's certain we can carry nothing out." --Red River

The Duke always strips life down to its essentials. In Red River, the iconic actor plays a cattle driver making due on the frontier. A true spartan individualist, Wayne's character see his life as enriched by the certainty of death. Indeed, the above statement would sit well with such esteemed existentialists as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. Sometimes, the sentiment doesn't seem as harsh when said with a drawl.

10. "I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them." -- The Shootist

That's the Wayne philosophy in a nutshell, and it's fitting that it comes in his last movie. Why was he like this? Was it a result of childhood beat downs after being named "Marion"? Who knows and, more importantly, who cares? In his final role, he's, appropriately, a dying gunslinger, a man at the end of his tether who still hangs onto his principles. Say what you will about the Duke and his philosophy, but he stuck by it till the end.

10 Ways to Get to the Gym Regularly

2010-05-29T09:15:00.000-05:00

10 Ways to Get to the Gym Regularly

Here, 10 ways to ensure you get to the gym, despite life's everyday obstacles.

Many of us begin exercise programs with the intentions of making fitness a habit. Unfortunately, hitting the gym after a long, hard day can quickly become our biggest obstacle.

Here 10 ways to get you in the door:

Pencil a gym trip on your calendar like you would other can't-miss events. This way, you're emphasizing the priority of fitness in your crowded life by consciously making time to exercise.

Set realistic goals to keep discouragement at bay. Is it realistic to become a marathon runner? Focus on what you want to get out of your exercise routine.

Know what you're going to do once you get to the gym. Plan ahead so that you know exactly what the trip to the gym will entail. Perhaps it's an hour of strength training or an intense spin class. Make a plan, and stick to it.

Have a backup plan. Something may happen that will keep you from going to the gym, but you can still work out at home with weights or cardio activities.

Gain support from your family. Let them know it's all about your health. Buddy up with a friend as a way to keep you motivated.

Record your favorite upbeat, motivating tunes so you can listen to them while exercising. Leave out all the sad, slow songs about lost loves. What you need are tunes to keep you going.

Start with your least favorite exercises at the beginning of your workout. You can look forward to your favorites at the end.

Remember the other reasons why you're working out, other than just toning up. You'll help reduce your risks for heart attack, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions; build strong bones; lower your cholesterol; have more energy; feel proud of yourself.

Get assistance from the trained staff at your fitness center- or hire a personal trainer. They can help you use proper procedures to avoid injuries and frustration, and tailor a fitness program for you. Besides the bucks you're paying, the trainer will motivate you to get to the gym.

Reward yourself when you reach a goal. Treat yourself to that new dress you've admired in the window of a department store, or that massage you've always wanted.

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Report says health care will cover more, cost more

2010-04-23T08:48:00.000-05:00

Report says health care will cover more, cost more

Apr 23 04:01 AM US/Eastern

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law is getting a mixed verdict in the first comprehensive look by neutral experts: More Americans will be covered, but costs are also going up.

Economic experts at the Health and Human Services Department concluded in a report issued Thursday that the health care remake will achieve Obama's aim of expanding health insurance—adding 34 million to the coverage rolls.

But the analysis also found that the law falls short of the president's twin goal of controlling runaway costs, raising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, since Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, the report warned.

It's a worrisome assessment for Democrats.

In particular, concerns about Medicare could become a major political liability in the midterm elections. The report projected that Medicare cuts could drive about 15 percent of hospitals and other institutional providers into the red, "possibly jeopardizing access" to care for seniors.

The report from Medicare's Office of the Actuary carried a disclaimer saying it does not represent the official position of the Obama administration. White House officials have repeatedly complained that such analyses have been too pessimistic and lowball the law's potential to achieve savings.

The report acknowledged that some of the cost-control measures in the bill—Medicare cuts, a tax on high-cost insurance and a commission to seek ongoing Medicare savings—could help reduce the rate of cost increases beyond 2020. But it held out little hope for progress in the first decade.

"During 2010-2019, however, these effects would be outweighed by the increased costs associated with the expansions of health insurance coverage," wrote Richard S. Foster, Medicare's chief actuary. "Also, the longer-term viability of the Medicare ... reductions is doubtful." Foster's office is responsible for long-range costs estimates.

Republicans said the findings validate their concerns about Obama's 10-year, nearly $1 trillion plan to remake the nation's health care system.

"A trillion dollars gets spent, and it's no surprise—health care costs are going to go up," said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., a leading Republican on health care issues. Camp added that he's concerned the Medicare cuts will undermine care for seniors.

In a statement, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sought to highlight some positive findings for seniors. For example, the report concluded that Medicare monthly premiums would be lower than otherwise expected, due to the spending reductions.

"The Affordable Care Act will improve the health care system for all Americans, and we will continue our work to quickly and carefully implement the new law," the statement said.

Passed by a divided Congress after a year of bitter partisan debate, the law would create new health insurance markets for individuals and small businesses. Starting in 2014, most Americans would be required to carry health insurance except in cases of financial hardship. Tax credits would help many middle-class households pay their premiums, while Medicaid would pick up more low-income people. Insurers would be required to accept all applicants, regardless of their health.

The U.S. spends $2.5 trillion a year on health care, far more per person than any other developed nation, and for results that aren't clearly better when compared to more frugal countries. At the outset of the health care debate last year, Obama held out the hope that by bending the cost curve down, the U.S. could cover all its citizens for about what the nation would spend absent any changes.

The report found that the president's law missed the mark, although not by much. The overhaul will increase national health care spending by $311 billion from 2010-2019, or nine-tenths of 1 percent. To put that in perspective, total health care spending during the decade is estimated to surpass $35 trillion.

Administration officials argue the increase is a bargain price for guaranteeing coverage to 95 percent of Americans. They also point out that the law will decrease the federal deficit by $143 billion over the 10-year period.

The report's most sober assessments concerned Medicare.

In addition to flagging provider cuts as potentially unsustainable, the report projected that reductions in payments to private Medicare Advantage plans would trigger an exodus from the popular alternative. Enrollment would plummet by about 50 percent. Seniors leaving the private plans would still have health insurance under traditional Medicare, but many might face higher out-of-pocket costs.

In another flashing yellow light, the report warned that a new voluntary long-term care insurance program created under the law faces "a very serious risk" of insolvency.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

First black priesthood holder recalls historic day

2010-04-23T08:42:00.000-05:00

First black priesthood holder recalls historic day

By Chris Peterson

Mormon Times

Published: 2010-04-23 00:16:29

Joseph Freeman's friend wondered what was wrong. He noticed that Freeman was visibly concerned -- a mystery since the man who is usually smiling had just received historic news that would positively change his and many others' lives.

Freeman -- who would become the first Mormon of black African descent to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood in the LDS Church after the 1978 priesthood revelation -- was asked by his friend what his worry was. "This means I have to go home teaching now," Freeman joked.

Freeman, 58, recently spoke of his conversion and his groundbreaking experience.

Long before the LDS Church appeared on his radar, Freeman was a devoted religious person. At 10 years old, he was baptized as a member of the Holiness Church.

Furthermore, it was his dream to become a lay minister in the faith, something he accomplished after earning an evangelist's license.

When The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was introduced into his life, it was his future wife, Toe Isapela Leituala, who presented it. Freeman -- who was a 19-year-old Army enlistee stationed in Hawaii -- said that Leituala, a Samoan convert of six years, made an impactful impression on him.

As she explained the Word of Wisdom to Freeman, he realized he was already living some of it. "I didn't take drugs or drink alcohol, but I did like to drink tea and have a cup of coffee once in a while," he said. "But I thought, that if she can live closer to God by not partaking of those things, I decided that I can do that, too."

Freeman said that he was impressed with everyone he met in the Mormon faith, including Leituala's father, with whom he had lengthy talks. "You hit a barrel and it's hollow," Freeman said. "But with these Mormons," he reflected, "the barrel was full -- full of love."

Freeman decided to abandon his evangelist's license, and upon fully being aware that he could not receive the priesthood, Freeman was baptized and confirmed a member of the LDS Church on Sept. 30, 1973.

In 1974, Freeman and Leituala were married, and a year later, Freeman left the military and he and his wife eventually moved to Salt Lake City.

The First Presidency of the LDS Church announced on June 8, 1978, that President Spencer W. Kimball had received a revelation that said, in part,"every faithful, worthy man in the church may receive the holy priesthood ... and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple ... without regard for race or color."

Usually, those ordained to the office of a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood must wait about a year before being ordained to the office of an elder. But church leaders felt that Freeman's faithfulness to the gospel and his spiritual aptitude warranted his being elevated to an elder immediately.

Freeman was given the Melchizedek Priesthood three days after President Kimball received the revelation.

Freeman accepted the news that he was originally given: that he would have to wait a period of three to six months before he would be able to enter the temple, receive those blessings and be sealed to his family.

But church leaders again felt differently and ultimately Freeman was able to attend the Salt Lake Temple with his family, becoming one of the first men of black African descent to receive those ordinances. President Thomas S. Monson, who at the time was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, officiated at the ceremony.

Freeman credits divine intervention in the cases of priesthood leaders reconsidering by letting him receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and being able to attend the temple earlier.

"Those leaders had one thing in their minds, but God changed their minds," Freeman said. "God can micromanage our hearts and souls."

E-mail: cpeterson@desnews.com

MormonTimes.com is produced by the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah.

It is not an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

HOW TO FIGHT THE IRS

2010-04-21T07:09:00.001-05:00

APRIL 12, 2010 How to Fight the IRS

Brace yourself: The chances of being audited are rising. So if it happens to you, here's what to do—and what not to do.

By TOM HERMAN

Get ready for increased scrutiny by the Internal Revenue Service.

With Washington searching for ways to cut the budget deficit, IRS officials face intense pressure to collect more revenue. The agency plans more audits, especially of taxpayers in high brackets or those who are self-employed and deal in large amounts of cash. The IRS also has turned up the heat in such areas as offshore tax evasion, including undisclosed foreign bank accounts.

More Americans may be audited by the IRS this year, thanks to new pressure on the agency to collect from laggard taxpayers. The Wall Street Journal's former tax columnist Tom Herman explains to Kelsey Hubbard some smart -- and not-so-smart -- ways to fight back.

If you become an IRS target, what should you do?

For many people, the answer may seem simple: Surrender as quickly as possible, no matter how good a case you have.

Even if you are sure you are right and have all the records to prove it, fighting the IRS, one of the most powerful government bureaucracies on the planet, can be the ultimate nightmare. Seemingly routine struggles can drag on for years, leading to endless frustration and sleepless nights. Even those who eventually triumph may wonder if the fight was worth all the time, effort and expense.

But if you're ready for the challenge, there are many smart ways to fight back—and win. Start by keeping comprehensive, well-organized documents. Always scour the IRS's claims for mistakes. Don't get discouraged when dealing with tax officials. If you are convinced you are correct, consider pushing your case up the chain of command. Try the IRS appeals division. You may also get valuable help from the IRS's taxpayer advocate service. Or go to court.

At the same time, there are some classically dumb mistakes to avoid—everything from simply ignoring the IRS to arguing that it somehow is voluntary to pay federal income tax.

Here are some combat tips from lawyers, accountants and "enrolled agents," who are federally licensed tax experts authorized to represent taxpayers at all levels of the IRS.

Hire the wrong tax preparer: Beware of someone who asks you to sign a blank tax return. Or whose fee is based on a percentage of how much you save in taxes. Or who promises to get you a significantly higher refund than anyone else can. People like these are likely to prepare outrageous returns that will land you in deep trouble with the IRS.

The Ostrich approach: One of the biggest mistakes is to bury your head in the sand and ignore IRS notices and letters, hoping the tax collectors eventually will lose interest and go away. "When dealing with the IRS, the best thing someone can do is to maintain regular communication," says Charles P. Rettig, a tax lawyer at Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez P.C., in Beverly Hills, Calif. "Whether during an audit or in the tax-collection process, ignoring the IRS is simply a bad idea."

Act professionally throughout the process and reply to IRS correspondence on time. The IRS is very serious about deadlines. Also, "keep a record of all communications and correspondence with the IRS, including proof of delivery, and keep your records organized," says Caroline D. Ciraolo, a tax lawyer at Rosenberg Martin Greenberg LLP in Baltimore.

Frivolity: Some people tell the IRS and judges that it somehow is voluntary to file a federal income-tax return and pay taxes. Or that their wages, tips and other income for personal services aren't taxable. Or that they are residents of a state but not of the United States. Or variations of these themes.

Don't even think of making any of those claims. Tax Court judges routinely label these as "frivolous" arguments, delaying tactics or both. More important, judges often impose stiff monetary penalties on those foolish enough to persist.
Ross MacDonald

Bribery: This is even dumber—and far more dangerous—than frivolity. In a case last year, for instance, a Houston-area resident was sentenced to prison for two years for trying to bribe an IRS agent, according to a report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The U.S. Attorney's office in the southern district of Texas said the man offered the agent $2,500 to reduce his tax liability to around $500 from $49,000. In addition, the man "repeatedly offered the agent pizza from his restaurant as part of the deal."

Automatic Surrender: Just because the IRS says you owe money doesn't mean that's correct. The agency makes mistakes—plenty of them, even in computing penalties and interest. "I have had several clients receive notices regarding unreported securities sales," says Stephen W. DeFilippis, the owner of West Suburban Income Tax Service in Wheaton, Ill., and an enrolled agent. "In these cases, the clients exchanged mutual funds one for another and didn't realize that's a taxable event." The IRS, he says, sent a notice "including the gross proceeds in income and assessing tax on the additional income."

But the IRS missed a vital point, he says: "The clients brought me these notices, and in each case the mutual-fund exchanges resulted in a loss. So instead of owing a large sum to the IRS, the clients got a refund."

This story shows how foolish it can be to pay what the IRS says you owe without "thoroughly investigating" the subject, says Mr. DeFilippis.

But if the amount in question is relatively small and the issue is confusing, some may conclude it isn't worth the time, trouble and expense of challenging the IRS and may decide to pay in order to make the problem disappear. It depends on the details of each case, including how confident you are of victory and how much time and expense you are willing to devote to the battle.

Smart Moves

GET HELP: Having a smart, well-prepared tax expert on your side can be a tremendous advantage. Not only will they know the ins and outs of the tax code, but also they can take over the often-exhausting job of dealing with the IRS —and help you decide how far to push a fight.

Take the case of Elizabeth Chapman, a 66-year-old poet and writing consultant in northern California. Nearly three years ago, the IRS notified Ms. Chapman that her 2005 federal income-tax return was to be examined. Fortunately, Ms. Chapman had chosen an experienced and highly regarded tax professional, Claudia Hill, an enrolled agent and the owner of a tax-preparation and advisory firm in Cupertino, Calif.

Ms. Hill arranged a meeting with the IRS so that she could present evidence on behalf of Ms. Chapman. Even before that meeting, Ms. Chapman received a note from the IRS saying its calculations showed she owed more than $15,900, Ms. Hill says.

Ms. Hill finally met with the IRS, laid out Ms. Chapman's case, and later sent more material by mail. The IRS eventually responded with a letter saying its new calculations showed Ms. Chapman owed only $151. But Ms. Hill felt confident the correct answer was zero. She asked the IRS agent's manager to intervene—"but to no avail," she says.

Ms. Hill didn't give up. Eventually, an IRS appeals officer concluded Ms. Chapman didn't owe a penny.

Ms. Chapman won another battle in U.S. Tax Court. After hearing about the difficulties she had encountered, the judge ordered the IRS to pay $3,475.06 in fees that Ms. Chapman had incurred. In his opinion, handed down last October, the judge concluded that the IRS had "presented no evidence showing it was reasonable to determine" that Ms. Chapman owed anything. (An IRS spokesman declined comment on Ms. Chapman's case.)

The IRS check finally arrived in March of this year, Ms. Hill says. She says Ms. Chapman "is amazed," adding: "I'm pleased."

Become a Pack rat: Generally, you should keep returns and all supporting documents for at least three years from the original due date, including extensions. Even better, save all records for at least six or seven years. The reason: If you didn't report income that should have been reported, and if it is more than 25% of the income shown on the return, the time period doesn't run out until six years after the return was filed, according to an IRS publication.

But be warned that there is no time limit on the IRS if someone hasn't filed a return, or files a return that is "false" or "fraudulent with intent to evade tax." You should save some records even longer. For example, keep indefinitely documents showing what you paid for investments that you own and haven't yet sold—such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, art objects or a home, including improvements.

It may be a nuisance, but all that paper could be vitally important if you are challenged by the IRS. The more complete and well-organized your record keeping, the better your chances of prevailing. The case of Ms. Chapman illustrates this lesson. Judge Gerber of the U.S. Tax Court wrote that Ms. Chapman had given the IRS "documentation that reflected that she was entitled to deductions in an amount that was in excess of the amount respondent questioned."

Appeal: If you feel you have a bulletproof case but are getting nowhere with an auditor, stay calm—and consider asking to speak to that person's manager. If that doesn't help either, consider taking your case to an IRS appeals office. An IRS publication says "most differences" between taxpayers and the IRS that reach the appeals level are settled. For details, see IRS Publication 556.

TRY THE ADVOCATE: You may also consider taking your case to the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service, or TAS, an organization within the IRS created to help taxpayers resolve problems, as well as advocate for changes in the system.

You may be eligible for help if you have tried to resolve your tax problems through normal IRS channels and haven't gotten anywhere, or if you believe an IRS procedure isn't working as it should, such as an amended return that hasn't been processed, an advocate spokesman says.

The service also may be able to help taxpayers whose problems are causing financial woes or significant cost, including the expense of hiring a pro to represent them. Among the classic types of cases accepted by the TAS are those in which a taxpayer is experiencing, or is about to experience, a financial hardship due to an IRS action, such as a lien, levy or seizure, or some IRS inaction, such as a delayed or lost refund check, a spokesman says. For details, see the IRS Web site (www.irs.gov/advocate) and IRS Publication 1546, or call 877-777-4778.

Partial Pay: If you can't pay everything you agree that you owe, consider arranging to pay through an installment plan. Try the online payment agreement option on the IRS Web site to see whether you qualify.

If you are facing a financial crisis and have no hope of repaying everything you owe, consider asking the IRS to settle for some lesser amount. Getting the IRS to agree to an "offer in compromise" usually is difficult. But the IRS recently announced "new flexibility" in considering offers from taxpayers facing "economic troubles, including the recently unemployed."

Specifically, IRS employees "will be permitted to consider a taxpayer's current income and potential for future income when negotiating an offer in compromise," the IRS said. "Normally, the standard practice is to judge an offer amount on a taxpayer's earnings in prior years." However, the IRS said it may also require the taxpayer to agree to pay more "if the taxpayer's financial situation improves significantly."

More broadly, an IRS spokesman says the agency is "continually working to reduce taxpayer burden by seeing to it that tax issues are resolved in the least costly and most expeditious manner possible."

He points out that the IRS earlier this year "began rolling out a series of streamlined and simplified notices, designed to reduce the potential for confusion."

GO TO COURT: Most people who decide to slug it out with the IRS in court do so by filing a petition with the U.S. Tax Court, which is based in Washington, D.C., but holds trials in many cities around the nation. If you pick this court, you usually don't need to pay the amount in dispute while your case is pending there, according to the court's Web site (www.ustaxcourt.gov). That site has details on how to get your day in Tax Court, what types of cases the court accepts and answers to other frequently asked questions.

"In many cities, there are low-income-taxpayer clinics that will offer free representation in tax disputes," says Ms. Ciraolo of Rosenberg Martin Greenberg. "Also check to see if there is a U.S. Tax Court pro bono program" in your area.

If the Tax Court decides you do owe some tax, or if you settle or agree to some tax liability, the law generally says interest runs on unpaid tax from the date it was originally due until paid in full, the court says. "Interest also runs on some penalties."

But the Tax Court isn't your only option. Instead, you could choose to go to federal district court or the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Generally, though, those courts will hear tax cases only after you have paid the contested amount and filed a refund claim with the IRS. See IRS Publication 5.

Picking the right court can be tricky. The answer will depend on the intricacies of your dispute and other factors, such as prior decisions made by those courts on the issues in your case.

Lobby Congress: This is a very long shot. But occasionally, someone comes up with a compelling story that attracts press coverage and leads to tax-law changes. During the 1990s, Congress approved changes in the "innocent-spouse law" after lawmakers were moved by the plight of numerous divorced or separated couples who had filed joint returns and where one, usually the woman, later argued she was being saddled with taxes that rightly should be paid by the other person. The changes were designed to make it easier, in certain circumstances, for one spouse to be relieved of the liability.

Mr. Herman, a former Wall Street Journal tax columnist, is a writer in New York. He can be reached at reports@wsj.com.

Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

DJ SPOCK

2010-04-10T19:34:00.002-05:00

YODA

2010-04-10T19:33:00.001-05:00

Should the Beatles have worked it out?

2010-04-08T13:16:00.001-05:00

Should the Beatles have worked it out?

40 years after the split, experts say it was time to let it be

By Tony Scalfani

msnbc.com contributor

updated 2:37 p.m. CT, Wed., April 7, 2010

Seven years and seven months. That’s how long the world officially knew the Beatles as a recording act, spanning from the date they released their first single in England to the day their breakup was announced on April 10, 1970.

Looking back after 40 years, that seems like a ridiculously short lifespan for such an important band. The time frame seems ever tinier considering the longevity of other popular bands of their era, like the Rolling Stones, the Who and the Kinks, or bands that came later, like Bon Jovi and U2.

Did the Fab Four call it quits too soon? The answer might seem to be yes, considering interest in the band never really faded. Sales were massive for both the “Anthology” series from the mid-1990s and last year’s CD remasters. Rolling Stone reported in December the surprising fact that the Beatles had the biggest selling album of the last decade with “1,” and that they were second only to Eminem as the top selling artists of the decade.

In 1983, Keith Richards told Musician magazine there “was no need” for the Beatles to have broken up and that the band “could’ve taken a couple of years off, resolved their problems and still carried on.” But as tantalizing as that “what if” scenario might seem to fans, there was little chance the band could have worked as a unit any longer, said eight authors of Beatle books (three of whom knew the band). In both the personal and artistic realms, these writers said, it was time for each band member to let things be.

By summer 1969, when the Beatles recorded their final album, “Abbey Road,” the musicians were already feeling they’d long realized any collective artistic aspirations, said Ken Mansfield, the former U.S. manager of the Beatles’ label Apple and author of “The White Book: The Beatles, the Bands, the Biz: An Insider's Look at an Era.”

‘No place to go’

“There’s one subtlety that people don’t realize, and we discussed this one time at a meeting in a Hyde Park hotel: they had no place to go,” Mansfield said. “They couldn’t be more No. 1 — they couldn’t be bigger. They had the wealth, they had the success, they had all the things that would be goals for a rock band. That was one of the reasons we did Apple Records. It gave them something new to do.”

The decision to stop touring in 1966 deprived them of the normal performer-audience dynamic that keeps bands energized, said Chris O’Dell, a former Apple Records employee who penned the tome “Miss O’Dell: My Hard Days And Long Nights With The Beatles, the Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton And the Women They Loved.”

“As a live band on tour, they had nothing to shoot for,” she said. “They couldn’t hear themselves. It wasn’t fun for them. George (Harrison) once told me the best fun he ever had in the Beatles was in Hamburg, Germany — that was like really touring and really being out there, but that didn’t happen for them afterwards.”

Because the Beatles in their early days were united like few other bands, they were able to weather troubles that might have destroyed other acts, Mansfield said. But by 1969, that unity was coming undone. Paul McCartney disagreed with the other three members about who should manage the group, John Lennon was more interested in working with new wife Yoko Ono, and Harrison was disgruntled at not getting more songs on the albums.

Bob Spitz, author of the New York Times best seller “The Beatles: The Biography,” said these disagreements alone would have kept them from sticking around much longer, much less releasing another record up to the high standard of “Abbey Road.”

“It wasn’t likely, based on their emotions at the time, that we were going to get fabulous material as a group from them,” Spitz said. “Emotionally they weren’t in any shape to be the Beatles anymore. They didn’t like each other. When the Beatles got together they were young guys. By the time they put out ‘Abbey Road,’ their relationships had no bearing on each other as a group anymore.”

OK, but then how did the band exit on such a high note if they were in such awful shape? Well, to pinch a phrase from the Fabs, they knew it was getting very near the end. So said Peter Doggett, the author of “Abbey Road/Let It Be: The Beatles” and the forthcoming “You Never Give Me Your Money: The Battle for the Soul of the Beatles.”

“I think in their hearts they all knew it was the last record, so they could all say ‘OK, I’m gonna be on my best behavior for a few weeks and then we’ll get this over,’” Doggett said. “If they had to think, ‘We’re gonna do this one, and then another one in seven months’ time,’ I don’t think they would actually have managed to work together with that close knit internal harmony.”

Tim Riley, author of “Tell Me Why: A Beatles Commentary,” echoed this sentiment and said that during the 1960s, the Beatles “were all still really in thrall to their collective muse and that muse carried them through ruptures and conflicts.”

Riley said the band’s breakup came about at the right time: “It’s one of the key aspects of their story that they actually found a way to stay together those last couple of years and turn out a lot of great material. But it’s really in spite of the very stark internal conflicts that kept arising again and again.”

The roots of Harrison’s discontent ran deep, said Bill Harry, who founded Liverpool’s Mersey Beat magazine and was a friend of Lennon and original member Stu Sutcliffe. Although Lennon and McCartney became the band’s main songwriters, Harrison, said Harry, was the first Beatle mentioned in Mersey Beat as having had an original song recorded, the instrumental “Cry for a Shadow” (later co-credited with Lennon).

“(Then) when it started with the big Lennon and McCartney thing, and it was hit after hit, I used to see George and (ask) ‘Why aren’t you writing the music?’” Harry said. “I think the Lennon and McCartney thing was too much for him to sort of handle.”

Harry, who has written 24 books on the Beatles, said that fact alone assured a limited shelf life of the band: “Everyone thinks it would be nice if the Beatles could have had another five years, but they couldn’t. The time was over.”

One more album?

But what if the Fab Four had come together for one more album? This question was posited by David Furst, a producer at Washington DC’s WAMU-FM for a program in which music writer Richie Unterberger took part. Unterberger, who penned the book “The Unreleased Beatles: Music and Film,” said fans shouldn’t look to the early Beatles’ solo albums to imagine what a group effort might have sounded like.

“A really challenging aspect of trying to predict what would have happened is that the songwriting would have inevitably changed if all four of them had been together,” he said. “Part of what made the Beatles so special is they had this synergy where they create more than they can do on their own.”

Unterberger said it was fortunate the Beatles’ albums never ended up deteriorating in quality, like those of bands that had more longevity. “They went out with a great record, and most importantly, a record on which the sense of group unity is still really strong,” he said.

Steve Turner, author of “A Hard Day's Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song,” agreed: “You can look at some of the songs they wrote during the Beatles that got left over and put on solo albums — but whether you put all those together and it would have made a follow up to ‘Abbey Road,’ I don’t know. They seemed to have reached their limit.

“I can’t think of anything that they did better in subsequent years individually,” Turner said. “I can’t think of a particular kind of studio development or technical development where you’d think, ‘Gosh if only they’d pursued that.’”

© 2010 msnbc.com. Reprints

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36180025/ns/entertainment-music/page/2/

GO TO HELL

2010-04-03T19:28:00.000-05:00

Elder J. Golden Kimball was in reality just a cowboy in a suit with a calling to serve the Lord and the people of the Church. He was himself and tried the best he knew how---and the people loved him for it.

He had a special connection with the youth of the Church---sort of. While they knew he had "imperfections" he was still a General Authority and often shared his testimony of the gospel with them. He also knew how to put them in their place when they needed it. And they respected him for it.

The story is told of a stake president in Wyoming who wrote Salt Lake for help with his youth. The young men were going around with pistols in their hip pockets and shooting them off after basketball games and dances. There was going to be a killing if somebody didn't talk them into changing their cowboy ways.

So President Heber J. Grant called J. Golden into his office and said, "This sounds like an assignment for you, Brother Kimball."

J. Golden protested, "Why me?"

President Grant said, "Well, you're the only cowboy that's a General Authority. They'll listen to you!"

So J. Golden went to Wyoming. He wrote the stake president and asked him to gather all the youth into the largest hall they had. The stake president was happy to oblige. When the time came, they were all there. The doors were even locked so the youth couldn't get out.

The troublemakers were yahooing, firing off pistols and throwing paper airplanes and showing no respect for Brother Kimball when he arrived. J. Golden took all this in and thought the direct approach best.

"Go to Hell!" he said.

The auditorium suddenly became still.

He said it again, "Go to Hell!"

You could hear a pin drop. All eyes were riveted on the angry scarecrow at the podium. Having grabbed their attention, J. Golden forged ahead. "That's where you're all going to go if you don't change your ways! I hear some of you have been walking around town with pistols in your hip pockets. Better be careful---might go off and blow your brains out!"

And he walked out of the hall. The roughnecks were left with their mouths hanging open.

Later, the stake president wrote to say the rowdies were better behaved after learning where their seat of reason was. (J. Golden Kimball Stories, p. 30-31).

When it comes to youth, sometimes it is better to be honest and straight with them. They more often than not will respect you for it----they did J. Golden Kimball.

The Cities That Will Bring You Down

2010-03-30T08:03:00.000-05:00

The Cities That Will Bring You Down

If you’re thinking of moving, these cities might not be the best for your mood.

Most depressed, saddest, or worst city in the country-labels that any city hardly covets; however, each year, numerous surveys and studies cast an unwanted spotlight on cities with the worst standards of living.

Depending on which data you rely on and the focus of the reporting agency, the cities may vary. For instance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and their Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System will reveal different information to FBI crime reports, air quality and housing reports, or data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Even the most comprehensive reports have their critics, largely due to how the raw data is used or interpreted by the media. Regardless, due to their poor ranking on factors including economic indicators, crime and health statistics, and other quality of life indicators such as suicide rates and pollution, several cities stand out

As the country slides into a recession described as the worst since the Great Depression, and thousands more people stand to lose their jobs, there's another index that plays a role: the Misery Index. Created by economist Arthur Okun, this economic indicator adds the inflation rate to the unemployment rate. The theory is that the two combined creates profound economic and social costs for a country.

So how does a city qualify as depressing? Well, first, we considered the National Institute of Mental Health's stated environmental causes of depression. They include trauma, loss of a loved one, a difficult relationship, or any stressful situation-this could include financial problems, poor health, natural disasters, unemployment, or being the victim of a crime.

For this list of most depressing cities we used data from several sources, including the CDC, the U.S. Census Bureau, state and federal crime statistics, and the Misery Index. It also weighs information from Bert Sperling, an authority on city rankings and founder of Sperling's Best Places. His research includes crime statistics, health patterns and trends, and several other factors. (The cities here appear in no particular order.)

St. Louis, MO

The mid-west city ranks poorly on several indicators. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, among large cities it ranks in the top six for poverty. It also has one of the highest crime rates and has been labeled one of the 10 most dangerous cities to live in.

New Orleans

Still recovering from the aftermath of Katrina, the Big Easy has a high violent crime and unemployment rates, and significant numbers of suicides and divorces. On Sperling's list it ranks as the third most stressful city to live in. Also, in the first comprehensive national health survey of major American cities conducted by Centrum, New Orleans was ranked America's most unhealthy city.

Detroit

The motor city follows behind St. Louis as the second most dangerous city to live. Suffering economically from the decline of the auto industry, the city has the second highest unemployment rate in the country, subsequently, high levels of poverty. It also ranks in the top five for fattest cities, with 62 per cent of the population overweight or obese.

Flint, MI

Flint's economy has been crushed by the failed auto industry. With soaring unemployment and crime rates this city is the second poorest in the country. Along with cancer and cardiac death rates higher than any other other region in the U.S., it also has one of the highest smoking rates and scores poorly on the air quality index.

Cleveland

While this city ranks relatively well in some health categories - such as low hypertension and arthritis rates - it doesn't measure up in other categories. Clevelanders have some of the worst BMI scores compared to the general population, and it is the poorest city in the country. Its crime rate is also higher than the national average.

Stockton, CA

Stockton is reeling from the housing crash and has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the country. It also has the highest violent crime rates in the state of California, which some criminologists link to the high level of unemployment and drug use, and large number of gangs.

Philadelphia

The City of Brotherly love's crime rate is at its highest in over 20 years. Officials cite factors such as one of the highest levels of poverty in the country and the overwhelming amount of illegal weapons. The city is also plagued by several toxic waste sites. In the American Lung Association's State of the Air report it came in at 13th spot for the worst ozone pollution in major cities.

Los Angeles

Not surprisingly L.A. pulled in top spot as the metro area with the worst year-round ozone pollution, and particle pollution, or soot. Residents also endure one the worst commute times in the country, high taxes, and Superfund sites, which are the country's most toxic waste sites. On a high note, the city's crime rate continues to decline.

New York

The good news is the Big Apple is one of the safest large cities to live in. The bad news is that it's one of the most expensive cities to live in and ranked fourth on the Misery Index. Housing costs are exorbitant, income taxes are higher than the national average, and it has one of the worst commuting times in the country.

Las Vegas

The gambling mecca has been one of the cities hardest hit by the housing crash. Home prices have fallen by 52 per cent. Tourism has dropped dramatically, with the airport suffering its biggest passenger decline since the early 80s. It ranks number four on Sperling's list of most stressful cities to live, has one of the highest suicide rates in the country, high alcohol consumption levels, and poor physical activity levels.

Copyright © 2009 QualityHealh.com. All rights reserved.

OBAMA JOKES

2010-03-24T22:20:00.002-05:00

The liberals are asking us to give Obama time. We agree . . . and think 25 to life would be appropriate. Leno

America needs Obama-care like Nancy Pelosi needs a Halloween mask. Leno

Q: Have you heard about McDonald's' new Obama Value Meal?A: Order anything you like and the guy behind you has to pay for it. Conan O'Brien

Q: What does Barack Obama call lunch with a convicted felon?A: A fund raiser. Leno

Q: What's the difference between Obama's cabinet and a penitentiary?A: One is filled with tax evaders, blackmailers, and threats to society. The other is for housing prisoners. Letterman

Q: If Nancy Pelosi and Obama were on a boat in the middle of the ocean, and it started to sink, who would be saved?A: America! Fallon

Q: What's the difference between Obama and his dog, Bo?A: Bo has papers. Kimmel

Q: What was the most positive result of the "Cash for clunkers" program?A: It took 95% of the Obama bumper stickers off the road. Letterman

A Salute to Scouting: 100 Years of the BSA

2010-02-06T10:28:00.000-06:00

A Salute to Scouting: 100 Years of the BSA

by Kedrik Hamblin

Once called A Knighthood of Youth, the international Scout Movement is the largest youth movement the world has ever known, now having a presence in one hundred and sixty nations. While it began in England in 1908, this February marks the centennial of Boy Scouts in America, where the program is strongest and where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is its oldest and largest supporting institution.
You've seen them in uniforms, toting flags in parades, camping in the mountains, and you're sure to have seen them at your local LDS meetinghouse. You might ask why Church leaders believe so firmly in a boys' organization. Scouting, you'll find, is about more than just learning to light a campfire and set up a tent. The great merit of this program is its emphasis on service and duty, and that is why the Church has been by its side for ninety-seven years. Like so many great things, this monumental program began with one man's vision -- in this case, one man in search of a little adventure.

Baden-Powell -- the Father of Scouting

At the time when Latter-day Saints were building the Salt Lake Temple, and soon after the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (YMMIA) was organized in 1875, an Englishman by the name of Robert Baden-Powell joined the British Army. Longing to see combat, he often volunteered for assignments and served in numerous posts, including that of a spy in several countries. Through his experiences, he became an expert at reconnaissance and scouting techniques and authored several books. Although he advanced through many ranks, he hadn't seen the action he longed for after more than twenty years of service. His chance finally came when he transferred to Mafeking, South Africa, where the Boers, enemies of Great Britain, laid siege to the town for 217 days. Baden-Powell organized local citizens into fighting units, instructed soldiers to pretend to lay landmines and barbed wire, and even mounted a cannon from the 1700s onto an armored train to attack the heart of the Boer camp. He also made use of the boys' corps of messengers, who accomplished a number of smaller tasks throughout the town. Although not responsible for organizing this group, he was impressed by them and later wrote about them in a scouting manual.
Returning to Britain a national hero in 1903, he was surprised to learn that his military book, Aids for Scouting, had become a bestseller and was being used by youth and youth leaders. Baden-Powell began rewriting his book to better accommodate youth. He tested his ideas out in 1907 when he went camping with twenty-two boys on Brownsea Island. After publishing Scouting for Boys the next year, he began organizing Scouting groups and set up the office of the Boy Scouts of England. King Edward VII granted the Boy Scouts a royal charter in 1910 and advised Baden-Powell to retire from the army so he could focus on Scouting. Boys' organizations were not a new concept, however. In the United States, several groups, such as Daniel Carter Beard's Sons of Daniel Boone and Ernest Thompson Seton's Woodcraft Indians, already existed. Baden-Powell corresponded with Seton and gathered many ideas from him. Later, at a dinner in the United States, Baden-Powell claimed he received a lot of inspiration from both Seton and Beard. "At best," he once said, "I am only a sort of uncle of the international movement." Scouting became more popular and spread more quickly than other boys' organizations. Seventy-six countries began Scouting between 1908 (when it officially started in England) and 1920. As Scouting progressed, Baden-Powell continued to be involved; after marrying Olave St Clair Soames, he even helped his wife in building up the Girl Scout movement. He died in 1941.

Scouting Adopted in America and the Church

The history of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) begins with a legend. It is said that Chicago newspaperman William Boyce was traveling in London and had become lost in a thick fog when a boy appeared and helped Boyce find his way. Boyce attempted to give a tip, but the boy refused because he was doing his duty as a Boy Scout. Soon after, Boyce sought the Scouting for Boys handbook and, upon returning to the States, formed the Boy Scouts of America in 1910. As Baden-Powell's model of Scouting became more popular, groups across Europe and the United States sprang up and began using the title "Scouts." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints noticed the movement as well and, using the structure of the YMMIA, Anthony W. Ivins, general superintendent, organized the MIA. Scouts in 1911. The Church organized patrols and developed lessons for boys similar to those in official Scouting. In 1913, the Boy Scouts of America invited the Church to be an official part of their program. Bryant S. Hinckley -- father of Gordon B. Hinckley -- and Oscar A. Kirkham traveled to New York City and, after hearing about BSA's focus on honor, service, and duty to God, returned with a favorable opinion. At a meeting with the YMMIA committee, Hinckley moved to officially adopt the BSA program. The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve approved the decision. The Boy Scouts issued a charter on May 21, 1913, to the MIA Scouts, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints became the first institution to be officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America program.The LDS Church expanded the Scouting program and since that time has produced more Boy Scouts than any other organization in the United States. Today, the Church is still leading the pack, with over 37,146 units and approximately 402,127 Scouts at the end of 2008. While the majority of LDS Scouts are in the United States, LDS young men also participate in Scouting in many other countries, such as Indonesia, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Germany, England, and Canada.

Scouting and Young Men

Although many think the Church's use of Scouting is primarily to teach camping and outdoor skills, its main goal is to complement Aaronic Priesthood development. Priesthood, in essence, is a plan of service to others. In order to more fully serve others, young men are expected to live high moral standards, and they grow to be men with strong, virtuous foundations that continue to benefit the Church and the world. Likewise, Scouting is designed to turn young, spirited boys into disciplined, responsible men, who also have a strong moral foundation and can make the world better. The purposes are parallel. "The ideals of Scouting," George Albert Smith said, "like the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ, are intended to make boys better companions, more useful citizens, and happier individuals."Through Scouting, young men also learn leadership and responsibility, further enabling them to fulfill various roles as they progress in the Aaronic Priesthood and eventually receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. "Scouting is Aaronic Priesthood," says Elder F. Melvin Hammond, an emeritus general authority of the Church. "I can't disassociate them. They're together."Through most of his life, Hammond has been involved with Scouting, but he was especially involved while serving in the Young Men organization, first as a counselor and then as general president. Having worked firsthand with young men, he knows the challenges they face. "These young men need something to help them through all the tragedy of drugs, crime, and pornography that is so often mentioned by the brethren. What we need are young men that grow up to be great men. I think Scouting does that."The success of young men in this world is important to the Church, Hammond says. Scouting creates an inner power in boys that makes them great. "That's really what we try to do in the Church -- help our boys become great, noble citizens and servants of Christ. That's what we want for them, and I think Scouting has a real impact on them."

Prophets and Scouts

The impact of the LDS Church's involvement with Scouting can not only be seen in the number of boys that participate but also in the support and service of its own leaders.Joseph F. Smith, who accepted the program into the Church, and every Church president since has fully endorsed Scouting; in fact, many Church presidents have been involved in it. George Albert Smith served as president of a local council for several decades and also served as a member of the BSA's National Executive Board. Ezra Taft Benson was one of the Church's foremost Scouters. He became an assistant Scoutmaster in 1918 and later became a member of the National Executive Board in 1949. He was continuously involved in Scouting throughout his life and heartily endorsed the program for young men. The Silver Buffalo, the BSA's highest award, has been given to nine Church presidents, including President Thomas S. Monson, for their service in Scouting. This award was created in 1926, and other recipients include thirteen U.S. presidents, Walt Disney, Neil Armstrong, and Jimmy Stewart. "The epitome of a Scouter in this Church is Thomas S. Monson," Hammond says. President Monson joined Scouting at age twelve, was a Life Scout and Explorer crew member, and has been involved in Scouting ever since. He has served in numerous positions in Scouting, including a merit badge counselor, chaplain at a Canadian Jamboree, member of the Canadian LDS Scouting Committee, and member of the General Scouting Committee of the Church. President Monson became a member of the National Executive Board for the BSA in 1969 and has had the longest tenure of any member of the board. As a BSA delegate, President Monson traveled to World Conferences in Tokyo, Nairobi, and Copenhagen and also served as a member of the International Committee. He has also aided many Scouting projects, food drives, and other programs. Along with other presidents of the Church, President Monson has received numerous Scouting awards. He is one of two Church presidents, the other being President Benson, to receive the Bronze Wolf, international Scouting's highest award, which has been awarded to only three hundred and twenty people in the last seventy-four years. "Scouting teaches boys how to live, not merely how to make a living," President Monson has said. "How pleased I am that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1913 became the first partner to sponsor Scouting in the United States."

Growing in America

During its one hundred years, the Boy Scouts of America has grown to be an important icon. "It may have been the most important growing, maturing experience for our three boys," says William F. Cronk III, past national president of the BSA and current chairman of the World Scout Committee. "If you go to an Eagle Scout court of honor and see . . . six or seven seventeen-year-olds stand up, listen to them speak and observe how they present themselves -- you can feel and see their self confidence, their self esteem, and the depth of their character."Cronk, who has been involved with Scouting since he was a Cub Scout, says Scouting helps define a boy's adult personality and is the beginning of comfortable experience in leadership. With Boy Scout alumni that number in the hundreds of millions, they can have a tremendous impact on the world around them. "There's no . . . other organization that has that kind of power, influence, and alumni. It's just overwhelming," Cronk says. "The Boys Scouts of America is celebrating its one hundredth year. To have organizations that have been around for over a hundred years -- somebody must be doing something right. It's pretty remarkable."Cronk, while not a member of the LDS faith, calls the Church a "brilliant partner" with the BSA and acknowledges the strong relationship between the two. "The Church has just been an unbelievable supporter of Scouting. They are magnificent caretakers and enthusiastic. They're generous with their money, their time, and their calendar. I'm very impressed."

The Future of Scouting

With shifting times and interests, the novelty and importance of Scouting has dimmed for many. One question members ask today is if the Church is going to leave Scouting. "My answer to that, although I no longer speak for anybody but myself, is no," Hammond declares. "The Church is not going to get out of Scouting -- as long as Scouting maintains the high standards of morality, judgment, and wisdom that [it does] now. . . . It has such great impact on our young men. "There are a lot of young men who are not in Scouting that are great and will be great," Hammond continues, "but [Scouting] still has the ability to create that inner power that makes them good."Scouting represents the adventure of boys growing to be great men who make their country a better place. So what has the Boy Scout program meant to America and the Church in this last century? Ezra Taft Benson answered that question perfectly when he said, "I would to God that every boy of Boy Scout age in America could have the benefits and the blessings of the great Boy Scout program. It is truly a noble program; it is a builder of character, not only in the boys, but also in the men who provide the leadership. I have often said that Scouting is essentially a spiritual program, a builder of men."

LDS Living, January/February 2010. Photo courtesy of LDS Church Archives.

Worst movies of all time led by Clooney's "Batman"

2010-02-03T06:31:00.001-06:00

Worst movies of all time led by Clooney's "Batman"

All I can say is that I left the theater mad because it was so bad! - Dave

Wed Feb 3, 3:24 am ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Hollywood star George Clooney's latest movie "Up In The Air" garnered five Oscar nominations on Tuesday but there is one film about which he may not be so proud -- "Batman and Robin."

The 1997 movie starring Clooney as the caped crusader with Chris O'Donnell as Robin and Alicia Silverstone as Batgirl came top in an online survey by film magazine Empire to find the most disastrous film ever made. Clooney has not been shy about belittling the film and his role in it.

The magazine said it did not just come top in voters' rankings but got almost three times as many votes as the next entry -- John Travolta's science-fiction "Battlefield Earth" which was a film adaptation of a novel by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Here is a list of the top 10 of Empire's list of the 50 most disastrous movies ever made with the rest available on Empire's website (http://www.empireonline.com):

1. "Batman and Robin" starring George Clooney, Alicia Silverstone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Uma Thurman

2. "Battlefield Earth" (2000) starring John Travolta, Forest Whitaker

3. "The Love Guru" (2008) with Mike Myers

4. "Raise the Titanic" (1980) with Jason Robards, David Selby

5. "Epic Movie" (2007)

6. "Heaven's Gate" (1980)

7. "Sex Lives of the Potato Men" (2004)

8. "The Happening" (2008) with Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel

9. "Highlander 2: The Quickening" (1991)

10. "The Room" (2003)

(Writing by Belinda Goldsmith, Editing by Miral Fahmy)

Comments You Will Never Hear In A Priesthood Meeting

2009-12-30T17:30:00.000-06:00

Comments You Will Never Hear In A Priesthood Meeting

"I was so embarrassed when I saw Jackson walk in wearing a pinstripped suit exactly like mine."

"We're handing around a sign-up sheet to petition the bishop for a men's Enrichment night. It's not fair that the sisters get one and we don't."

"The bishop is rewarding the quorum with the highest percentage of home teaching done this quarter with $300 for the budget. Let's beat the high priests and party!"

"I've been nervously preparing this lesson for four weeks."

"I hope you like the flowers I brought for the centerpiece. They're from my own garden."

"Our lesson next week is 'Cooking better barbecues with wine.'"

"My nails look awful today. I've got to stop changing the oil in my car on Saturday nights."

"We've been having better family home evenings ever since Janice learned the rules of football."

"We've been getting lots of complaints about our persistent home teaching visits, so we're asking you to not go out this month."

(Latter-Day Saint Wit and Wisdom, p. 116)

A moment with J. Golden Kimball...

2009-12-30T17:28:00.002-06:00

A moment with J. Golden Kimball...

A woman came up to Golden after a meeting with one of the toughest Gospel questions he ever faced. She was a sweet and lovely sister.

"Brother Kimball, I've got a real problem. You've got to help me. I have two older brothers. the older of the two was out haying last August and was hit by lightning as he stood in his wagon. As dusk the horses brought him back in the wagon to the corral and he was dead. He was just as fine a man as God ever created, Brother Kimball. He was the bishop and he taught at school and he was a great father and husband and was active in the community. The whole town came to his funeral."

Brother Kimball expressed his sincere regret. She said, "Well, that's not my problem. I miss him but I know I'll see him again. It's my younger brother. He's no good at all. He smokes, he drinks, he gambles, he cheats on his wife. He's a terrible father and husband, and he's still alive. I can't figure it out. Why would the Lord take the good one?"

She started to cry. Golden put his arm around her and said, "Oh, Sister, now there's got to be an answer here."

He prayed, but nothing came to him. He prayed again very hard for several minutes. Finally, he felt inspired. "Sister, he said, "do you know what it is? It's God's will. God doesn't want that jackass brother of yours any more than you do."

The good sister went away happy with this answer. (J. Golden Kimball Stories, p. 37.38)

10 Dead-of-Winter Fitness Motivators

2009-12-30T10:25:00.000-06:00

10 Dead-of-Winter Fitness Motivators

By Barbara Call Bourassa

Follow these tips to keep your fitness levels up when temperatures drop.

When the temperature drops and the snow begins to fall outside, it's hard to justify a good reason for getting off the couch. But even though lounging in front of the television feels a lot more tempting than taking a jog or even driving to the gym, there's no reason you have to completely surrender your fitness goals until spring. These ten simple strategies will motivate you to keep moving all season long.

1. Have fun. Let's face it—an hour on the elliptical trainer at the gym can get quite boring, especially if you forgot your iPod or the guy next to you insists on watching boring reruns. Try tapping into your inner child instead. Did you love sledding as a kid? Could you always be found as the ice skating rink? Many of the same activities that gave you pleasure as a kid can be just as fun now. Yes, you may need new equipment; yes, you may need a refresher course; and yes, chances are your muscles will be sore afterwards—especially if you haven't been this active for awhile. But as long as you're having fun, you're far more likely to forget that you're getting a good cardiovascular workout.

2. Try something new. Here's another idea that will reawaken your inner child—name the activity that you always wanted to try as a kid, but weren't able to. Then explore that option as an adult. Better yet, try something completely outside your own personal activity safety zone-such as cardio salsa dancing, snowshoeing, or Tai Chi. You may awaken an old passion or even create an entirely new one.

3. Get outdoors. Fresh air provides a burst of fresh oxygen to your system—an instant energy booster. What's more, there's nothing like the sound of a bird singing, a squirrel chattering, or the icicles dripping to remind you that you're a small piece of something much larger—and that can give you a fresh take on living.

4. Clean your house. If you can't get outdoors to exercise, think about burning some calories while indoors. Giving your home a thorough cleaning will only help you feel better, but it will provide some great health benefits as well. Vacuuming, dusting, and scrubbing, for example, works your muscles and burns calories. Plus, the removal of dust and allergens from your home will help you feel better overall.

5. Buy new gear. There's nothing like some new clothes to give you a boost of confidence. You can use this saying to your advantage when it comes to fitness, too. Use your new outfit to show off your weight loss results, feel more comfortable at the gym, or just dust off your slightly outdated fitness image.

6. Go shopping. Try shocking your system by trying on bathing suits in the dead of winter. Keep in mind that dressing room lighting can be less than flattering—but sometimes jumping into the deep end is just the motivation you need to get moving!

7. Consult an expert. There's nothing like a fresh perspective to get you in the mood to achieve. If you're struggling with emotional food issues, for example, consult a therapist, or find a support group with people who understand your needs. If you're tired of the same old exercise routine, consider meeting with a personal trainer to get some fresh ideas. And if your cooking or eating habits have gone stale, a visit or two with a registered dietician can bring to life a whole range of flavors and possibilities.

8. Set a goal. The summer probably seems far away but actually, it's just about the right amount of time needed to train for a fitness event or race. The key is to find a group will that can support you and/or hold you accountable while you train. There's nothing like knowing that you're going to have to wear running shorts, meet a fundraising goal, or hold up your end of the team to serve as an effective motivator.

9. Enlist a friend. Join forces with your partner, spouse, son, daughter, uncle, mom, sister, neighbor, or dog. Studies show that people who set goals or make appointments with friends to exercise are more likely to go through with it. And the reason is simple: you're accountable to someone else, which often means more to us than being accountable to ourselves.

10. Invest in yourself. Many people spend a lot of time doing things for other people-their kids, their partner, their aging parents. But don't forget this fact: at the end of the day, you are the best caretaker for yourself. Consider getting healthy an investment in yourself. The paybacks include increased energy, better health, and a more positive outlook on life.

Copyright © 2008 MTS Corp. All rights reserved.

Congressional Reform Act of 2010

2009-12-30T10:23:00.000-06:00

Here is a proposal to promote a "Congressional Reform Act of 2010." It would contain eight provisions, all of which should be strongly endorsed by the constituents of the members of both houses.

Many of you will say, "this is impossible." Remember, congress has the lowest approval of any entity in government and now is the time for Americans to join together to reform congress - the entity that supposedly represents us.

We need a senator to introduce this bill in the US senate and a representative to introduce a similar bill in the US house. Please contact your senators and congressmen.

If all else fails, something like this needs to be added to the ballot for the next election.

After what's been going on for the past few years, surely the American public will vote for these changes.

***********************************Congressional Reform Act of 2009

1. Term Limits: 12 years only, one of the possible options below.

A. Two Six-year Senate terms

B. Six Two-year House terms

C. One Six-year Senate term and three Two-Year House terms

2. No Tenure / No Pension:

A congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.

3. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security: All funds in the Congressional retirement fund moves to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, Congress participates with the American people.

4. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan just as all Americans..

5. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

6. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.

7. Congress must equally abide in all laws they impose on the American people.

8. All contracts with past and present congressmen are void effective 1/1/10.

PLEASE REMEMBER: The American people did not give all these perks to congressmen; congressmen gave all these sweetheart deals to themselves. We need to take back the Congress.

Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, serve your term(s), then go home and back to work.

Money-Saving Tips for the New Year

2009-12-29T23:15:00.000-06:00

Money-Saving Tips for the New Year

by Michael G. Peterson

Financial goals for the New Year can easily get lost amid the other changes you have in mind for your life. Here are a few simple tips to helps you make those first steps to financial wellness.

Lose weight. Stop biting your fingernails. Read more books. Learn to knit.

If you're like most people, you're planning to ring in 2010 by making a slew of lifestyle changes. The great thing about a new year is that it gives you a fresh start. Maybe you didn't use that home gym as much as you wanted to in 2009, or maybe you didn't stick to that low-carb diet. A new year is a great opportunity to get back on track.

This year, as you gear up to say hello to 2010, don't forget about your finances. Spend a little time getting up-close and personal with your checkbook and make a plan to curb your spending and fatten up your savings account.

Don't know where to start? Read on for seven tips for a financially healthy 2010:

1. Avoid the mall. Seriously. As 2009 draws to a close, your favorite retailers will be running end-of-year clearance sales on everything from major appliances to winter coats. Unless you absolutely must have a new refrigerator, pass on the sales and put your extra money into your savings account instead.

2. Cut the cards. Got credit card debt? There's no time like the start of a new year to change your spending habits and start putting a dent in your debt. Make a resolution to start paying off your credit cards. And, more importantly, make a resolution to stop using your cards, period.

3. Start an emergency fund. Credit cards can be hard to cut when you use them for emergencies. So start an emergency fund! A good way to make sure that you don't have to rack up loads of credit card debt is to start socking money away for those unplanned emergencies. A good rule of thumb for most people is to have about three months' salary in a separate account. But, don't let that figure intimidate you: Decide what you can realistically put away, and go from there. If you start in January, you'll be surprised how quickly your money will add up.

4. Curb your impulses. From fancy cupcakes to fashion magazines, DVD rentals to fast food â€“ everybody has a few inexpensive vices. But, these little luxuries can add up to a big drain on your wallet. The New Year is a great time to cut down on impulse purchases. Got a daily eating out habit? Kick it down to twice a week. Addicted to convenience foods? Make a lunch at home and brown bag it. You'll be surprised at how much you'll save.

5. Be a savvy shopper. Even the most financially savvy people in the world still have to go grocery shopping. But, there are dozens of ways to shop smarter in 2010 and stretch your dollar when stocking up on the necessities. Clip coupons and watch store circulars for double (or even triple) coupon events. Consider switching to store-brand items whenever possible. In most cases, they're just as good as the national brand and can save you some serious money. Also, get in the habit of making a list before you go out â€“ it'll help you stay focused and buy only what you need.

6. Check your credit. From helping you secure a home mortgage to, in some cases, landing a new job, your credit report is used in countless ways. All consumers are eligible for a free annual credit report from the three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Start the New Year off right â€“ request a copy from each and read them carefully. Not only does this give you the chance to dispute errors, taking the time to check up on your credit can also alert you to fraudulent activities, like accounts you didn't open or charges you didn't make.

And finally, my most important tip for 2010:

7. Write a budget. And stick to it. Writing a budget isn't nearly as scary as it sounds. And, a budget is a great way to make sure that your finances stay on track in 2010. It's pretty easy: Start with your total monthly household income, then deduct your bills (like your rent or mortgage, utilities, car payments, etc.) and expenses (like gas and food). After that, decide how much you want to put in your savings account and how much will go to your emergency fund. And, don't forget to leave yourself a little fun money for the occasional restaurant meal or night at the movies. And remember to be flexible: If you find yourself a little strapped for cash after you've worked out your budget, don't ditch it altogether â€“ make adjustments until you hit on a budget you can live with.

Making a few simple adjustments to your spending and saving habits can go a long way. Follow these tips and you'll be on the way to a financially secure new year.

Good luck and have a happy, healthy 2010!

Michael G. Peterson co-founded American Credit Foundation, a non-profit credit counseling organization. Visit debtguru.com for more information and financial resources.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

2009-12-29T08:11:00.000-06:00

What every Star Wars fan wants. The bed, not the girl guys!

5 Most Effective Diet Tips

2009-12-29T08:07:00.000-06:00

5 Most Effective Diet Tips

Here, get tried-and-true advice that really works.

Don't eat your favorite foods. Never snack between meals. Always avoid the scale. When it comes to shedding pounds, you've probably heard it all. But unfortunately, these tiny tidbits could end up doing you more harm than good. Want tried-and-true advice that really works? Here, we reveal the five most effective diet tips of all time.

1. Grab a snack. It's often said that you shouldn't eat between meals, but diet experts disagree. Most research suggests that eating six small meals a day, as opposed to three large ones, helps to maintain energy and keeps blood-sugar levels from plummeting. What's more, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal, nibbling throughout the day helps to jump-start your metabolism, allowing your body to process calories more efficiently.

2. Hop on the scale. While diet experts once advised against weighing yourself on a daily basis, patients enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry have proven that weighing yourself every day on the same scale can help people to lose weight and keep it off. Experts attribute the scale's effectiveness to the fact that people can catch small changes as they occur and take measures to correct any weight gain immediately.

3. Don't deprive yourself. Eliminating favorite foods from your diet can actually have adverse effects on your diet goals. People who sacrifice their favorite treats often wind up eating several other foods to replace the ones they gave up because they didn't feel satisfied. Most experts believe that it's okay to eat virtually any food-the key is moderation. Treating yourself to an occasional reward can actually be a practical way to limit unhealthy splurges.

4. Value your veggies and fruits. Fruits and vegetables are perfect diet foods-loaded with fiber to help you feel full and packed with vitamins and nutrients to help prevent disease. But a study conducted by the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health revealed that only 11 percent of U.S. adults are meeting the USDA guidelines for fruit and vegetable intake. Be sure to keep both fresh and frozen produce on hand, for a healthy side dish or a quick snack.

5. Enlist the experts. Rather than try to arbitrarily figure out what's going to work for you, check in with those who know for sure. For example, a nutritionist or registered dietician will be able to set you up with an easy-to-follow eating regimen, while a personal trainer can design a strength-training program around your individual needs. Worried about these expenses burning a hole in your pocket? Consider consulting students in a nutrition program at your local college, or meet with a trainer once or twice, just to get motivated.

I ALWAYS MISS MY DAD AT CHRISTMAS

2009-12-23T23:37:00.000-06:00

My Dad would have been 66 this Christmas and I still think about him and miss him a lot. I do believe that he knew my children in heaven and was preparing them to put up with such goofy parents! I do believe that he gets a good laugh in now and then watching Liz and I be parents! Merry Christmas Dad!