Unhealthiest chicken dishes at restaurants
One chain's chicken pasta plate has 2,579 calories and 62 grams of saturated fat.
Also:
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Woman pleads guilty in plot to kidnap girls
Linda Gonzalez
A woman who helped her estranged husband translate a ransom note into English pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
Linda Gonzalez, 21, of Edinburg Texas faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for her part in the scheme to kidnap two girls from a bus stop in Cornelius, according to a press release by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The kidnapping plot was Ruben Garcia Rosario's idea, according to court documents. The girls were the daughters of a couple for whom he worked as a painter. He drove by their school bus stop several times, according to police, snapping pictures of the girls with his cell phone camera.
He promised Gonzalez $10,000 if she'd help translate the note, the release says.
Garcia was arrested Sept. 29 and is in Mecklenburg jail, charged with attempted kidnapping and conspiring to kidnap the two girls. Federal immigration officials have also placed a hold on him because he is an illegal immigrant.
The indictment says Garcia and Gonzalez wrote the ransom note over the telephone, which threatened to kill the children if they didn't receive money.
Parents called police in early September, saying a man was at the bus stop in Cornelius early one morning, Cornelius Police Maj. David King said at a news conference following the arrest. The parents provided a description of the car, but it was gone before police arrived.
On Sept. 22, police got another call from parents - the man taking pictures was back, and this time they had a license plate number.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrested Garcia and charged him with driving without a license and carrying a concealed weapon. But after he was interrogated, officers say he told them about the kidnapping scheme.
When officers searched his car, they found several ransom notes, pictures of the girls, a loaded gun, duct tape, latex gloves, a ski mask and two Mexican passports.
East Mecklenburg high school student shot walking home from school
A 15-year-old sophomore girl at East Mecklenburg high school was shot after school yesterday as she passed near a group of men having a fight, police said.
Millions Of Unclaimed Money Awaits On NC Website
The state of North Carolina has $600 million dollars of unclaimed money. That means you could have anywhere from $10...to $10,000 waiting for you...but you just might not realize you're owed the money.
Millions Of Unclaimed Money Awaits On NC Website
'Jihad Jane' has Texas connection
You just knew there had to be ...
The self-described "Jihad Jane" who thought her blond hair and blue eyes would let her blend in as she sought to kill an artist in Sweden is a rare case of an American woman aiding foreign terrorists and shows the evolution of the global threat, authorities say.
More:
'Jihad Jane' puzzles anti-terror experts
Colleen LaRose's unusual appearance and background have officials rethinking their strategy.
Also:
Insurance companies not paying on bad mortgage insurance
What a great business model. Sign contracts to deliver a service and then balk when asked to follow through.
Mortgage insurers are rescinding (denying) claims, claiming themselves that the loans were fraudulent and misrepresented to them.
"The broker dealers, Bear Stearns, Countrywide even ResCap that was part of GM at the time, they used underwriting standards that were a little bit looser than what we see with the normal conforming market," says Chris Whalen of Institutional Risk Analytics. "In those cases, the default rates are in double digits and there's a lot more claims for what we call rescission or really putting back the loan to the originator by the insurer and saying, 'Hey, this loan wasn't kosher, and I shouldn't have insured it in the first place.'"
Valuable tax breaks for parents
10 valuable tax breaks for parents
Having children can lower your IRS bill in many ways, beyond just claiming kids as dependents.
Also:
U.S. births set for historic shift
U.S. births set for historic shift
2010 could prove to be a tipping point for the country's population makeup, data shows.
Also:
What six unusual jobs really pay
What six unusual jobs really pay
Bounty hunters, bodyguards, and private investigators can all earn more than you may think.
Also:
Change in format
You might have noticed a format change here at Carolina Naturally.
In the past couple of days we changed the post format to a daily post page format in lieu of a posts per page format so that our readers can read all of the day's posts on one page.
Today is ...
Today is Thursday, March 11, the 70th day of 2010.
There are 295 days left in the year.
Today's unusual holiday or celebration is:
Johnny Appleseed Day
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Lublin, Lubelskie, Poland
London, England United Kingdom
Paris, Ile-De-France, France
Brussels, Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, Belgium
Vernon, British Columbia, Canada
as well as Scotland, and the United States in such cities as Broken Arrow, Mineola, Pewaukee, Bealeton, El Mirage, Leavenworth, Omaha, Duluth, Lubec and more
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
Feeling excessive?
Impractical?
Like if it's not worth a risk, it's not worth anything at all?
It's not as if you've never, ever felt this way before, but right now you have it bad.
You have an ailment characterized by the inability to do anything at all in moderation.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective) it's temporary.
Get busy.
How busy?
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
German catholics to investigate abuse charges
In a case of the weasel 'investigating' the fox for who's raiding the hen house more:
catholic authorities in Germany announced two major abuse investigations Wednesday — one into the renowned choir once led by pope Benedict XVI's brother and another into what everyone, including the pope, knew about the sexual and physical abuse of students.
Full Story
catholic authorities in Germany announced two major abuse investigations Wednesday — one into the renowned choir once led by pope Benedict XVI's brother and another into what everyone, including the pope, knew about the sexual and physical abuse of students.
Full Story
7-year-old saves family with 911 call
7-year-old saves family with 911 call
When armed attackers broke into his home, a young boy grabbed his sister and sprang into action.
U.S. sales tax rates hit record high
So much for the teabaggers desires ...
U.S. sales tax rates hit record high
Sales taxes are rising across America, with one town charging as much as 12%.
Credit Default Swaps are no more
The so-advanced-nobody-has-any-idea-what-they-are Credit Default Swaps are on their last leg. They won't be missed by anyone other than the snake oil salesmen on Wall Street who cashed in on chaos. Then again, Chuck Prince and Stanley O'Neal are living the good life in retirement so they don't care.
What's interesting here is how active Greek PM Papandreou has been going around the EU and now the US pushing for both reform in the financial sector as well as assistance with Greece's own financial issues. He inherited a serious problem and has been doing a decent job of responding. Taking advantage of the moment to push for much needed reform in the financial industry deserves a lot of credit.
From The Guardian:
What's interesting here is how active Greek PM Papandreou has been going around the EU and now the US pushing for both reform in the financial sector as well as assistance with Greece's own financial issues. He inherited a serious problem and has been doing a decent job of responding. Taking advantage of the moment to push for much needed reform in the financial industry deserves a lot of credit.
From The Guardian:
The commission announcement came in response to pressure from Merkel, Sarkozy, Juncker and Papandreou, who threatened to take national action against the markets if Brussels balked.
The European crackdown on CDS trading appeared to be the central result of Papandreou's tour of key capitals, a strong political signal aimed at winning time for the Greeks. The apparent determination to regulate the traders as well as the concerted political signals sent today were aimed at relieving the pressure on Greece whose debt and deficit crisis could spiral out of control and undermine the euro.
For the first time Barroso said the eurozone countries were preparing some form of bailout for the Greeks which, nonetheless, would not breach the no-bailout clause in the single currency rulebook.
Bruma bans Suu Kyi from elections
Doesn't look like they're trying to bother with "free and fair" this time either.
Why bother having elections?
Burma's military rulers have barred pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from running in upcoming elections and may force her own political party to expel her under a new election law unveiled Wednesday.
The Political Parties Registration Law, published in official newspapers, prohibits anyone convicted by a court of law from joining a political party, making them ineligible to become a candidate.
It also instructs parties to expel members who are "not in conformity with the qualification to be members of a party," a clause that could force Suu Kyi's expulsion. Parties that don't register automatically cease to exist, the law says.
This is a case where a local power such as China could help have a positive influence. But of course, they're too busy rigging their own political system and shutting down respected critics themselves.
Massachusetts court upholds state gun-lock requirement
The highest court in Massachusetts has upheld the constitutionality of a state law that requires gun owners to lock weapons in their homes, a ruling seen as a victory for gun-control advocates.
Massachusetts court upholds state gun-lock requirement
Of course the NRA and the other assorted gun nuts are having fits of apoplexy over this correct decision.
Massachusetts court upholds state gun-lock requirement
Of course the NRA and the other assorted gun nuts are having fits of apoplexy over this correct decision.
Roberts unsettled by Obama's public criticism of Supreme Court
From the "Cry me a river" Department:
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told law students Tuesday that he found it "very troubling" to be surrounded by loudly cheering critics at President Obama's State of the Union address.
Here's a clue Roberts ... Get used to it!
Here's Joe Sudbay's take on this:Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told law students Tuesday that he found it "very troubling" to be surrounded by loudly cheering critics at President Obama's State of the Union address.
Here's a clue Roberts ... Get used to it!
Thin-skinned Chief Justice didn't like criticism of campaign finance decision
John Roberts has a very thin skin. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is peeved that the President criticized the Supreme Court's campaign finance decision during the State of the Union:
U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address was "very troubling" and that the annual speech to Congress has "degenerated into a political pep rally."I think the campaign finance system is broken down after the Citizens United decision. Robert Gibbs explained what is really "very troubling":
Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question about the Senate's method of confirming justices, Roberts said senators improperly try to make political points by asking questions they know nominees can't answer because of judicial ethics rules.
"I think the process is broken down," he said.
"What is troubling is that this decision opened the floodgates for corporations and special interests to pour money into elections — drowning out the voices of average Americans," Gibbs said. "The president has long been committed to reducing the undue influence of special interests and their lobbyists over government. That is why he spoke out to condemn the decision and is working with Congress on a legislative response."Glenn Greenwald has an excellent take on Roberts' outburst, which concludes:
Supreme Court Justices, in particular, have awesome, unrestrained power. They are guaranteed life tenure, have no authorities who can sanction them except under the most extreme circumstances, and, with the mere sweep of a pen, can radically alter the lives of huge numbers of people or even transform our political system (as five of them, including Roberts, just did, to some degree, in Citizens United). The very idea that it's terrriby wrong, uncouth, and "very troubling" for the President to criticize one of their most significant judicial decisions in a speech while in their majestic presence -- not threaten them, or have them arrested, or incite violence against them, but disagree with their conclusions and call for Congressional remedies (as Art. II, Sec. 3 of the Constitution requires) -- approaches pathological levels of vanity and entitlement. The particular Obama/Roberts/Alito drama is an unimportant distraction, but what this reflects about the mindset of many judges, including (perhaps especially) ones on the Supreme Court and obviously the Chief Justice of that court, is definitely worth considering.
*****
We are often led to believe that judges are imbued with some mystical powers of fairness and justice. They're not. They're political appointees. For years, John Roberts was groomed for his job by the repugicans. Make no mistake, Roberts is on the Court to push an ideological agenda. And, that is exactly what he is doing.
Obama had every right to criticize the Citizens United decision.
He would have been wrong not to.
Presidents are allowed to criticize the Supreme Court, and have.
Supreme Court justices, especially the chief justice, are supposed to be objective and above politics. The court isn't supposed to respond to anything at the State of the Union.
For Roberts to be whining about Obama's speech a good month after the SOTU is rather pathetic. If he doesn't like the rules, he can always quit.
Then again, Roberts' style is more to simply overturn rules that don't jive with his political agenda.
Obama had every right to criticize the Citizens United decision.
He would have been wrong not to.
Presidents are allowed to criticize the Supreme Court, and have.
Supreme Court justices, especially the chief justice, are supposed to be objective and above politics. The court isn't supposed to respond to anything at the State of the Union.
For Roberts to be whining about Obama's speech a good month after the SOTU is rather pathetic. If he doesn't like the rules, he can always quit.
Then again, Roberts' style is more to simply overturn rules that don't jive with his political agenda.
Bronx pals face weapons rap after hitting off-duty cop with snowball
Sometimes it is only a snowball ...
Four Bronx buddies are facing a year in jail for criminal possession of a weapon - a snowball that hit an off-duty transit cop. The young men say they were horsing around in the late February storm when an errant snowball smacked Officer Adonis Ramirez in the leg.
*****
Now, if it truly was a errant snowball (and it mostly likely was due to the exuberance of youths in a snowball 'fight' having a good time) the transit cop needs to grow a thicker skin - he should have joined in the fun with a few snowballs of his own - and grow up.
Even deliberate targeting of the off duty cop does not mean malicious intent ... who hasn't walked by a snowball 'fight' and NOT had a snowball head in their direction at least once in their lives?
Editorial
Readers of Carolina Naturally and her sister blog The Naked, The Nude and The Nekkid know we pull stories from around the world to provide a view of the world to some who otherwise would have a very limited view of the world.
While Carolina Naturally deals with the mundane to the profound in the realm of human, vegetable and mineral and The Naked, the Nude and The Nekkid deals with the more risque mundane and profound in the realm of human, vegetable and mineral we do strive to balance the reality and truth with the not so real.
The political and religious arenas are where most (OK, 99.9%) of the departures from reality occur and we at times post items from those 'departure' sites as they are without comment so that our readers can see for themselves how crazy they really are - not that we shy from skewering them as well. But sometimes it is just too easy to do so ... and they do such a good job of it themselves, so why should we?
While Carolina Naturally deals with the mundane to the profound in the realm of human, vegetable and mineral and The Naked, the Nude and The Nekkid deals with the more risque mundane and profound in the realm of human, vegetable and mineral we do strive to balance the reality and truth with the not so real.
The political and religious arenas are where most (OK, 99.9%) of the departures from reality occur and we at times post items from those 'departure' sites as they are without comment so that our readers can see for themselves how crazy they really are - not that we shy from skewering them as well. But sometimes it is just too easy to do so ... and they do such a good job of it themselves, so why should we?
Indonesian president says suspected Bali bomb mastermind shot dead by police on Java
Indonesian counterterror authorities won international praise on Wednesday for killing a top-ranked Southeast Asian militant wanted for planning the deadly 2002 Bali bombings.
Bank makes mistake, man is guilty
A man has been convicted of theft for not returning more than $280,000 mistakenly deposited into his bank account.
Bank makes mistake, man is guilty
They're error yet he goes to jail. What can possibly be wrong with this picture?
Man Who Claims Pot As Sacrament Convicted
Now there's a religion for you ...
A Colorado man who says marijuana is a sacrament in his religion has been convicted of misdemeanor drug charges.
Man Who Claims Pot As Sacrament Convicted
Hell, getting stoned or intoxicated by religions has been the cornerstone of the downfall of every civilization of man since time began and they've done it with the use of drugs all along.
A Colorado man who says marijuana is a sacrament in his religion has been convicted of misdemeanor drug charges.
Man Who Claims Pot As Sacrament Convicted
Hell, getting stoned or intoxicated by religions has been the cornerstone of the downfall of every civilization of man since time began and they've done it with the use of drugs all along.
Rare black penguin living off the Falklands coast
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology expert Dr Allan Baker, from the University of Toronto, said the Antarctic penguin was black because it had lost control of its pigmentation patterns.
World's First Museum Dedicated to Leprechauns Opens in Ireland
Just in time for Paddy's day ...
A museum that claims to be the world's first-ever visitor attraction dedicated to Ireland's mythological mischief maker opened Wednesday in Dublin.
A museum that claims to be the world's first-ever visitor attraction dedicated to Ireland's mythological mischief maker opened Wednesday in Dublin.
Man attacked for Monopoly money drug buy
From the "There is always one" Department:
Kansas authorities said an injured man pulled over during a traffic stop told officers he was beaten for using Monopoly money to purchase drugs.
Kansas authorities said an injured man pulled over during a traffic stop told officers he was beaten for using Monopoly money to purchase drugs.
Unemployment Insurance Faces Senate Vote
Tornado close encounter caught on tape
Tornado close encounter caught on tape
Storm chasers spotted the twister as it touched down outside an Oklahoma town.
Pre-Dinosaur Era Plant Specimens Brazenly Stolen
From Treehugger:
This photo, via The Telegraph, shows just how difficult it is to move one of the large, primitive cycads.
Important specimens from one of the world´s oldest and rarest species of plant were stolen last weekend, covert ops style, from a botanical garden in South Africa. The species, cycads, is so old, in fact, that their broad leaves were casting shadows even before there walked any dinosaur to appreciate the shade. For some time, cycads were abundant and could be found across the globe, but today they are so rare, one large plant can fetch as much as $10,000. The brazen theft of the rare species has botanists concerned that some endangered plants may be lost before being recognized by the scientific community.
Article continues: Pre-Dinosaur Era Plant Specimens Brazenly Stolen
Shooting at Ohio State kills 1, wounds 2
A shooting at an Ohio State University campus maintenance building left one employee dead and two others wounded, the university said Tuesday.
The unmistakable stench of burning rubber and patchouli
Los Angeles police say all they needed to find marijuana growing in a Van Nuys warehouse was a sense of smell.
Odor leads police to 200 pot plants
Odor leads police to 200 pot plants
Pringles recalled over salmonella risk
Look for your tubes: those tube-based potato chips are having a recall.
A Pringles recall was announced on Tuesday, based on that old, familiar risk: salmonella.
A Pringles recall was announced on Tuesday, based on that old, familiar risk: salmonella.
North Korean leaders' lavish sprees
North Korean leaders' lavish sprees
Kim Jong-il and predecessor Kim Il-sung put special agents in Europe just to buy fancy items.
Lightning-fast Internet could be reality
Lightning-fast Internet could be reality
A new device from Cisco can stream every movie ever made in less than four minutes.
Why two airlines want special treatment
Why two airlines want special treatment
JetBlue and Delta want exemptions from a new tarmac rule that limits the time passengers can be held.
Japan confirms 'secret' U.S. nuclear pacts
Japan confirms 'secret' U.S. nuclear pacts
The Cold War-era agreements violated principles Tokyo established after World War II.
Anti-fraud service misled consumers
Anti-fraud service misled consumers
Lifelock settles charges that its famous ads oversold its identity-theft protection.
Irish Police Arrest 7 Plotting to Murder Swedish Cartoonist
Local media reports said the target was Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks, who drew a cartoon of the Muslim prophet Mohammed with the body of a dog in 2007, prompting al Qaeda to offer $100,000 to anyone who killed him -- plus an extra $50,000 if the killer slits his throat.
Also:
Swedish Papers Publish Prophet Muhammad Drawing
At least three Swedish newspapers on Wednesday published a cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog after an alleged plot to murder the artist who created it was uncovered in Ireland.
Pennsylvania woman accused of recruiting jihadists online
A suburban woman "desperate to do something" to help suffering Muslims has been accused of using the Internet to recruit jihadist fighters and help terrorists overseas, even agreeing to move to Europe to try to kill a Swedish artist, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Authorities said the case shows how terror groups are looking to recruit Americans to carry out their goals.
A federal indictment charges that Colleen R. LaRose, who called herself JihadJane and Fatima LaRose online, agreed to kill the Swede on orders from the unnamed terrorists and traveled to Europe to carry out the killing. It doesn't say whether the Swede was killed, but LaRose was not charged with murder.
A U.S. Department of Justice spokesman wouldn't confirm the case is related to a group of people arrested in Ireland earlier Tuesday on suspicion of plotting against Swedish artist Lars Vilks, who depicted the Prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.
U.S. weighing China Internet censorship case
The United States is studying whether it can legally challenge Chinese Internet restrictions that hurt Google and other U.S. companies operating in China, but direct talks with Beijing might yield faster results, the top U.S. trade official said on Tuesday."We are still dialoguing not just with Google, but with other Internet providers, to make sure we fully understand what is happening in China," U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said in remarks at the National Press Club.
At the same time, U.S. trade officials are "trying to make our own determination whether we believe in fact this is not WTO compliant and if the best resolution is to go forward and file an appeal," Kirk said.
A case challenging censorship practices that affect Google and other Internet providers who operate in China would be the first of its kind at the WTO.
A U.S. free speech group known as the First Amendment Coalition had been urging such a case for years before Google threatened to leave China in January due to hacking incidents and Web restrictions.
Kirk said trying to resolve the issue through bilateral forums such as the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade was "much more preferable than the uncertain path of what can be a two-, three-, four-year legal battle in the WTO."
U.S. companies can not wait that long for a solution in the current economic environment, although the United States will not hesitate to go to the WTO when that is the only solution it has left, Kirk said.
Kirk noted Google and China have been in "very intense negotiations" since the company's threat to leave.
Horned Lady
If she was an American who'd have to say she was a repugican!
Zhang Ruifang, 101, of Henan province in China, appears to have a horn growing on the left side of her forehead. Another is reportedly sprouting on the right side.
Zhang Ruifang, 101, of Henan province in China, appears to have a horn growing on the left side of her forehead. Another is reportedly sprouting on the right side.
Although, it is unknown what the protrusion is on Mrs Zhang's head, it resembles a cutaneous horn.
This is a funnel-shaped growth and although most are only a few millimetres in length, some can extend a number of inches from the skin.
Cutaneous horns are made up of compacted keratin, which is the same protein we have in our hair and nails, and forms horns, wool and feathers in animals.
They usually develop in fair-skinned elderly adults who have a history of significant sun exposure but it is extremely unusual to see it form protrusions of this size.
The growths are most common in elderly people, aged between 60 and the mid-70s. They can sometimes be cancerous but more than half of cases are benign.
"Chinese grandmother, 101, grows mystery horn on forehead"
The repugicans try to keep their horns hidden.
The repugicans try to keep their horns hidden.
Bank of America wrongly repossess yet another house?
A Pittsburgh-area woman is suing Bank of America, claiming it wrongfully repossessed her home and saying that a bank contractor trashed the house and took her parrot.
Forty-six-year-old Angela Iannelli sued Bank of America in Allegheny County on Monday. She claims her mortgage payments were on time when the contractor damaged furniture, took her pet parrot and padlocked the door to her Allison Park home in October.
Quake moved Chilean city 10 feet
Quake moved Chilean city 10 feet
Concepción wasn't the only city shifted by the massive 8.8 magnitude temblor.
Science News
From BBC-Science:
Deforestation has revealed what could be a giant impact crater in Central Africa, according to Italian scientists.  | | The eggshells of long-dead and extinct species are a particularly good source to find preserved DNA, researchers say. |
For the white supremacist child who has everything
HITLER IN LEATHER OVERCOAT!
Hand painted head, hand sewn outfit.
Dark green leather overcoat.
Field Gray jacket with all official emblems and medals as worn by Hitler.
Cloth field gray officers cap with gold braiding and die cast emblems.
Limited to 2000 pieces worldwide!
THIS Figure is rare and very hard to find!
Comes new in box!
Hand painted head, hand sewn outfit.
Dark green leather overcoat.
Field Gray jacket with all official emblems and medals as worn by Hitler.
Cloth field gray officers cap with gold braiding and die cast emblems.
Limited to 2000 pieces worldwide!
THIS Figure is rare and very hard to find!
Comes new in box!
Price...$199.00
*****
Having trouble finding the 'right' gift for the racists on you list then look no further - In The Past Toys has all your NAZI needs ... just ask Glen Brick, Swill O'Really, Lush Dimbulb, Shyawn Handjob, Sayrah Pal-lyn, and the rest of Faux News.
Lush wants to live in a country with high quality (socialized) medicine
Lush Dimbulb said he's leaving the United States if the health care reform bill passes.
Think Progress has the audio, but here's the key line:
But I did a little research. It's no wonder Lush wants to live in Costa Rica. To say the least, Lush isn't the healthiest specimen around. He's overweight, has addiction issues and heart problems. Costa Rica has an excellent health care system called "Caja." Sure, it's socialized medicine. But, it works for the people of Costa Rica and visitors alike:
Think Progress has the audio, but here's the key line:
I’ll just tell you this, if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented — I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica.My first thought, like most, is: okay, go.
But I did a little research. It's no wonder Lush wants to live in Costa Rica. To say the least, Lush isn't the healthiest specimen around. He's overweight, has addiction issues and heart problems. Costa Rica has an excellent health care system called "Caja." Sure, it's socialized medicine. But, it works for the people of Costa Rica and visitors alike:
It's been more than 65 years since this small country of 4.6 million people introduced a public health care system. Spending $6,000 less per capita than the United States on health today, Costa Rica boasts a longer life expectancy and an infant mortality rate nearly equal to that of the U.S.It is a big accomplishment. The United States should be so fortunate. Lush could extend his life expectancy by living in Costa Rica. And, health care, while excellent, is cheaper.
With a reputation for high quality and low prices, the country has even fashioned an industry out of health care, attracting hundreds of visitors each year who take advantage of medical tourism.
“What we don't understand is how we are able to work with this,” said Rosa Climent, medical director of the Costa Rican Social Security System, pointing to a chart that shows employers pay 9.25 percent and workers pay 5.50 percent of their salaries into the system, which covers “all our health needs. And how the U.S. pays so much more and doesn't cover its citizens.”
Not only do Costa Ricans have an 86.8 percent coverage rate, but the public health system serves residents who live miles from cities.
“How does a small country with a medium investment like ours achieve full cover age for all of its citizens?” asked Climent. “It's a big accomplishment.”
Today is ...
Today is Wednesday, March 10, the 69th day of 2010.
There are 296 days left in the year.
Today In History March 10
Today's Unusual holidays and celebrations are:
Learn What Your Name Means Day
and
International Day of Awesomeness
It should also be noted that on March 10, 1876, the first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took place in Boston as his assistant heard Bell say, "Mr. Watson -- come here -- I want to see you."
And women and teenagers have been on the phone ever since.
There are 296 days left in the year.
Today In History March 10
Today's Unusual holidays and celebrations are:
Learn What Your Name Means Day
and
International Day of Awesomeness
It should also be noted that on March 10, 1876, the first successful voice transmission over Alexander Graham Bell's telephone took place in Boston as his assistant heard Bell say, "Mr. Watson -- come here -- I want to see you."
And women and teenagers have been on the phone ever since.
Our Readers
Some of our readers today have been in:
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Kottayam, Kerala, India
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Italy, Brazil, Wales, and the United States in such cities as Orem, Burlingame, Penfield, Ketchikan, Anahiem, Riverview, Aurora and more
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Kottayam, Kerala, India
Geneva, Geneve, Switzerland
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
London, England, United Kingdom
as well as Scotland, Italy, Brazil, Wales, and the United States in such cities as Orem, Burlingame, Penfield, Ketchikan, Anahiem, Riverview, Aurora and more
Daily Horoscope
Today's horoscope says:
You're feeling especially industrious at the moment, which means you'll be totally unable to sit still.
Sure, you can pop in that movie and sit down next to your best bud on the couch while it's on -- but you'll be doing your bills, cleaning out a junk drawer (which you've pulled out and plunked onto the coffee table) or folding laundry.
And let's not even talk about trying to sleep.
Better quit the coffee early, or even swear it off for the day.
You won't need it.
Tea will do.
You're feeling especially industrious at the moment, which means you'll be totally unable to sit still.
Sure, you can pop in that movie and sit down next to your best bud on the couch while it's on -- but you'll be doing your bills, cleaning out a junk drawer (which you've pulled out and plunked onto the coffee table) or folding laundry.
And let's not even talk about trying to sleep.
Better quit the coffee early, or even swear it off for the day.
You won't need it.
Tea will do.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
'Secret' painting uncovered in chapel
'Secret' painting uncovered in chapel
Ultraviolet light reveals "astonishing" details of Italian paintings that influenced Michelangelo.
Social Security checks may get smaller
Social Security checks may get smaller
A little-noticed law allows the U.S. to withhold payments to collect old debts.
U.S. sits on mother lode of rare minerals
U.S. sits on mother lode of rare minerals
A shortage of key elements threatens to hobble the tech sector, but there's a huge supply under the U.S.
Soldier’s gutsy move under Taliban attack
Soldier’s gutsy move under Taliban attack
When a grenade landed near British soldier James McKie, he thought, "I've really only got one chance."
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India Backs Copenhagen Accord - Last Major Emitter To Do So
From Treehugger:
photo: Kartikeya Kaul via flickr.
India the world's last major emitter to formally back the Copenhagen Accord has done so. Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the decision reflected India's contributions in shaping the Accord. Ramesh went on to list the three conditions under which India will participate:
Article continues: India Backs Copenhagen Accord - Last Major Emitter To Do So
Stupid Question - Simple Answer
From the "Simple Answers to Stupid Questions" Department:
No!
Skippy over at Skippy the Bush Kangaroo put it rather well don't you think?!
Jeremy Shockey Files Lawsuit Against Former Teammate in Film Tax Credit Scam
Recently released Saints defensive end Charles Gran and current Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey(pictured) have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court against their former teammate, Kevin Houser, alleging Houser duped them and other current and former Saints players and coaches into investing more than a million dollars in a film tax credit scam, the Times-Picayune reports.Houser, the Saints’ former long-snapper, was cut prior to the 2009 season.
Grant and Shockey say Houser, who was a licensed securities broker, convinced them they were buying state tax credits for Louisiana Film Studios, but later it turned out LFS had never applied for the state tax credits, according to the newspaper.
Nearly two dozen former or current Saints players and coaches, including quarterback Drew Brees, Coach Sean Payton and Saints legend Archie Manning, invested $1.7 million to buy what they thought were tax credits for the film studio project in Elmwood, the Times-Picayune reports. Grant and Shockey’s lawsuit is labeled a class action on behalf of the rest of the investors.
Houser’s attorney, Jimmy Castex, told the newspaper Monday his client and his wife were themselves victims of a scam by the film studio’s former CEO, Wayne Read.
Child neglect is never funny, but sometimes it is kind of ironic.
South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported a five-month-old baby in Seoul died of malnutrition and dehydration because the parents were spending up to 12 hours a day in an internet cafe caring for a virtual baby online.
Full Story
Full Story
Can a magnet really destroy your card?
Can a magnet really destroy your card?
It's a common belief that putting a magnet to the back of your credit card makes it unusable.
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Jobs with excellent starting salaries
Jobs with excellent starting salaries
Several fields offer a sizable paycheck without having to wait years to move up.
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Secrets to feeling happier every day
Four secrets to feeling happier every day
You can improve your mood just by making simple adjustments to the way you think.
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