A.M. Best Special Report: Life Reinsurers Avoid Worst Effects of Financial Markets’ Meltdown
Business Wire, Nov 23, 2009
OLDWICK, N.J. — Life reinsurers certainly were not insulated from the fallout of the
worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, but direct writers
generally were impacted more severely. A.M. Best Co.s stable
rating outlook for the U.S. life reinsurance market reflects reinsurers
proven ability to manage effectively through the crisis.
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The difference in A.M
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Fitch Teleconf: 2010 U.S. Healthcare Sector Outlook, Wed, Dec 2nd at 11:00am EST
Business Wire, Nov 23, 2009
CHICAGO — Fitch Ratings will host a teleconference on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 11:00am
EST to discuss its outlook for the U.S. healthcare industry. The call
will coincide with the release of Fitch’s 2010 outlook press release
which will be available on Fitch’s web site at ‘www.fitchratings.com’
the morning of Dec. 2. The release and call will include outlooks for
the U.S
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BMI of Texas Offers Free Educational Seminars in San Antonio for People Considering Weight Loss Surgery
Business Wire, Nov 23, 2009
Bariatric Surgeons Terive Duperier, MD, and Michael Seger, MD Help
Patients Achieve Weight Loss Goals Through a Variety of Bariatric
Surgery Procedures at the Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas
SAN ANTONIO — The Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas (BMI of Texas), which
specializes in a variety of weight loss surgery procedures in Texas,
today announced its schedule
of upcoming seminars for people considering bariatric surgery. The
free seminars, conducted by two of the most experienced bariatric
surgeons in San Antonio, serve as an important educational tool to guide
obesity surgery patients on their journey towards better health.
During these seminars, BMI of Texas bariatric surgeons Terive Duperier,
MD, and Michael Seger, MD, discuss various obesity surgery options,
answer questions, and offer patients support and guidance for their
weight-loss journey. Many insurance plans cover weight loss surgery, and
BMI of Texas patient concierges are available during the seminars to
discuss attendees insurance coverage. The free seminars, being held in
San Antonio, begin on December 5, 2009 and continue through December 19,
2009. To view a complete seminar schedule and register online, visit www.bmioftexas.com.
“When someone is considering weight loss surgery, or their physician has
recommended that they consider bariatric surgery, it is imperative that
they fully explore their surgical options and thats why we require
all prospective patients to attend a seminar and learn about the variety
of weight loss surgeries we perform,” said Dr. Duperier. “Attendees also
hear from our post-op patients, who share their personal experiences and
weight loss journey so that potential patients will have a thorough
understanding of the surgical process.
BMI of Texas, located in San Antonio’s Medical Center area, helps
patients achieve their weight loss goals through various
surgical procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric
band and sleeve gastrectomy. Additionally, the surgeons perform a full
spectrum of advanced laparoscopic procedures, including laparoscopic
Nissen Fundoplication (anti-reflux surgery), laparoscopic colon surgery,
laparoscopic pancreatic surgery, and laparoscopic hernia surgeries.
BMI of Texas assists patients throughout their entire weight loss
journey. After attending the free, educational seminar, patients are
then assigned a patient advocate to help coordinate the extensive
paperwork and insurance stipulations necessary for surgical
intervention
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LUMINEERS® Now Offered At Arizona Bright Now! Dental Offices
Business Wire, Oct 14, 2008
Top Quality Smile Makeovers Available to Bright Now! Patients at Rates 25 to 45 Percent Less Than Competing Cosmetic Dentistry Services
PHOENIX — Bright Now! Dental, the nation’s leading provider of business support services to dentists, today announced the immediate availability of LUMINEERS BY CERINATE[R] at its affiliated Arizona Bright Now! Dental offices. LUMINEERS, a non-invasive approach to porcelain veneers, are a high-end cosmetic dentistry offering now available to Bright Now! Dental patients at the same affordable dentistry practice where they schedule their regular dental maintenance and routine care – a remarkable jump in the level of available dentistry services. LUMINEERS are being introduced to in Arizona at the very competitive price of $950 per tooth, 25 to 45 percent less than competing dental products.
LUMINEERS are patented, contact lens-thin (approximately .2 mm), super translucent porcelain veneers that offer the painless way to permanently whiter, perfectly aligned teeth in two to three visits. Unlike traditional veneers which generally require grinding and shaving of the teeth, LUMINEERS are placed over existing teeth without the painful removal of the tooth structure.
“Dental care is a basic need for everyone and it’s important to us that our patients are able to keep it as a priority even in a difficult economy,” stated Judy Dunbar, west area vice president, Bright Now! Dental. “We’re committed to offering affordable cosmetic options like LUMINEERS, supporting dental needs well beyond the basics, and demonstrating Bright Now’s progressive approach in bringing specialty dentistry to a local yet very broad base of dental customers. Times are tough and we want to keep people smiling.”
LUMINEERS are a top-notch addition to the cosmetic dentistry product mix at Bright Now! Dental. Traditional veneers are fused or bonded to teeth that have been significantly reshaped by grinding the teeth down to accept the veneer; however LUMINEERS are thin enough that no reduction of the tooth is required. The procedure is non-invasive and completely reversible since the patient’s tooth structure remains intact. LUMINEERS offer unparalleled longevity and are clinically proven to last up to 20 years.
“LUMINEERS dramatically improve treatment options for any number of cosmetic dental issues, offering a valuable cosmetic option without the inconvenience of traditional veneers. Coupled with the affordability and range of services offered by Bright Now! offices across the country, these compelling benefits are well within reach for a broader cost-conscious audience,” added Dunbar. “A tremendous and growing number of dental patients now have access to affordable smile makeovers – made possible through top of the line cosmetic dentistry available at their local Bright Now! office.”
Arizona is the latest area to offer Lumineers, which will ultimately be offered at all 300 Bright Now! affiliated offices. LUMINEERS are available now at all 10 Arizona offices, including Phoenix, Mesa, Surprise, Glendale, Green Valley, Avondale and Chandler. In addition to these Arizona locations, Bright Now! Dental and its affiliates have recently added Lumineers to the menu of available services in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Washington and Oregon. Prospective patients can call 1-888-BRIGHT NOW (1-888-274-4486) to schedule an appointment for a no charge consultation to discuss LUMINEERS options, or visit www.brightnow.com.
About Bright Now! Dental, Inc.
Bright Now Dental Inc. and its wholly owned subsidiaries, Monarch Dental, Castle Dental and Newport Dental, provide business support services to more than 300 dental offices in 18 states. Bright Now Dental’s mission is to manage the time-consuming business functions of running dental practices, enabling dentists to devote virtually all of their time to quality patient care through superior service and value. Bright Now Dental Inc. handles business support services such as finance, sales and marketing, information technology, human resources, purchasing and real estate development, while dentists retain responsibility for all clinical matters. More than two million people yearly take advantage of Bright Now Dental’s extended evening and weekend office hours, convenient locations, affordable prices, and flexible payment plans* for quality, full-service dental care including general and cosmetic dentistry, and specialty services such as orthodontics.
Based in Santa Ana, Calif., Bright Now Dental Inc. and its affiliated dental offices employ approximately 4,000 people nationwide. For more information, visit www.brightnow.com.
About LUMINEERS BY CERINATE[R]
LUMINEERS BY CERINATE[R] are developed by California-based Den-Mat Holdings, LLC, a leading manufacturer and marketer of advanced cosmetic and restorative dental products and laboratory services
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ESS CLUB HEAVEN
0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Nov 22, 2009 | by ANTHONY CLAVANE
MICHAEL ESSIEN set Chelsea on course for a record-breaking day at Stamford Bridge.
The Ghana international scored twice in an emphatic win that saw the Blues create a new club record of 12 consecutive home wins. It was also their 10th home game without conceding a goal, to equal an 82 year-old club record.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “Essien is one of the most important midfielders in the world
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Study Links Yo-Yo Dieting to Addiction
HealthDay, November, 2009 by Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter
Not a big fan of dieting? Join the club. But new research in rats hints at why weight loss is so tough — perhaps as tough as kicking drug addiction.
In the study, rats weaned off a high-calorie diet showed the same effects on the brain as withdrawing from drugs and alcohol.
Rat brains aren’t the same as human brains, of course, and human neurology may work differently. But study author Pietro Cottone said the research suggests there’s indeed a link between yo-yo dieting and cycles of addiction and withdrawal.
Yo-yo dieting, “a common habit of many chronic dieters, generates dependence,” explained Cottone, an assistant professor Boston University School of Medicine. And when people who typically overeat stop overeating, stress hormones in their brain jump into…
Say aargh, what have they done?
0 Comments | Daily Mirror, The; London (UK), Aug 29, 2009 | by EOIN REYNOLDS
IRISH dental tourists are suffering serious problems caused by sub-standard foreign gum butchers.
A survey has revealed that three out of four Irish dentists have had to repair work done by their counterparts abroad.
The Irish Dental Association yesterday issued a warning to anyone travelling for work on their teeth that they might suffer damage and incur greater costs in the long-run.
IDA president Donal Blackwell said common problems included too much dental work being done in too short a time frame, unnecessary surgeries and low-standard equipment being used.
He added: “Dental tourism, like medical tourism generally, is a fact of life in every developed country and some people travel to Ireland for specialist dental work.
“However, we need to encourage people who may be travelling abroad to focus on the quality of work they receive and whether that work is really necessary and not just the price of that work.”
It is estimated as many as 44% of people travelling abroad for dental treatment actu-ally do not know what they need when they inquire about costs.
The IDA chief said patients needed to be more discerning when considering travelling abroad for treatment.
He added: “One of the problems was that when considering travelling abroad for dental treatment, patients tended to focus on short-term aesthetic results rather than the long-term quality of the care they received.”
A total of 440 dentists responded to the survey and 76% said in the past 12 months they had carried out repair work on patients who had travelled abroad.
Dr Blackwell advised anyone considering undergoing treatment abroad to consult with their local dentist to clarify what work was required and to get a valid price comparison.
He maintained the latest survey results reinforced concerns expressed previously by the Dublin Dental Hospital there was a substantial risk to patients travelling abroad for treatment.
Irish bargain hunters have found that travelling abroad for treatment can save thousands of euro
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I'm not dieting – my kids have eaten all the food
0 Comments | Daily Post; Liverpool (UK), Nov 20, 2009 | by VALERIE HILL
OFTEN have I said that, if I could feed my family by injection, I would.
A quick daily shot to ensure all the vital vitamins and minerals would be a godsend.
No more trolley-dash visits to the supermarket after a full day’s work to stock up on emergency pasta, sausages and breakfast cereal.
All I would need would be a repeat prescription and a credit card. No shopping, no ingredients, no throwtogether meals. Bliss. It is a parallel universe I dare not dream of. If TS Eliot measured out his life in coffee spoons, mine is tabulated in bags of spuds, packets of butter and juice cartons.
Living with three males, I am eaten out of house and home – constantly. I stock up the fridge for a special meal, the vital ingredients are gone in an instant.
I decide we will give up the health kick and indulge in a few bars of giant chocolate and family-size bags of crisps, only to find that the rest of the teenage neighbourhood have been invited to partake of the family junk food.
I can’t even tox myself, let alone detox, when the mood takes me.
So the new survey revealing most mothers rely on the same nine meals to feed the family came as a reassuring surprise. There was I thinking that every mum in the world apart from me cooked ENJOYED this column? Then read more from Valerie at www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/views/liverpool-columnists/valerie- hill fantastic food while glued to Nigella, Delia or Jamie, at the same time as doing the maths homework and polishing the kitchen floor.
Staples such as spaghetti bolognese, shepherds pie and macaroni cheese are re-cycled on a weekly basis and families are fed according to the time of the week and the particular re-hashing of ingredients the day dictates.
So what’s new in this? As a child I remember that, on a Monday it was bacon and tomatoes, Tuesday steak and onions, Wednesday egg and chips, and so on. I definitely knew what Saturday tea was because I always made it – sausage butties (my parents were hot on child labour).
Yet I take my hat off to my mum. The only convenience food available in 1965 was a Vesta Chicken Curry and we only had this once in a blue moon. Everything was cooked from scratch and on the table when we came home from school.
To my shame, I do not introduce mince to chopped onion to pan during the working week. I may ask the microwave to shake hands with a cook-chill lasagne, but that’s as far as it goes.
I NEVER thought I’d praise my own, hopeless driving but, having coped with Swindon’s infamous “magic roundabout” – a large roundabout with about a dozen satellite ones around it – I’m shocked to see how drivers up here dither when approaching anything larger than a saucer
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Sovereignty in cyberspace: can it exist?
Air Force Law Review, Winter, 2009 by Patrick W. Franzese
I. INTRODUCTION
A. On-Going Cyberwar?
B. International Law and Cyberspace
C. Why Is Sovereignty Important?
D. What Is Sovereignty?
E. Definition
II. STATE SOVEREIGNTY IN CYBERSPACE AND THE GLOBAL
COMMONS
A. Cyberspace Development
B. State Sovereignty in Cyberspace
C. Global Commons
III. DEVELOPMENT OF SOVEREIGNTY IN OTHER DOMAINS
A. Sea Sovereignty
B. Air Sovereignty
C. Outer Space Sovereignty
D. Insights for Sovereignty in Cyberspace
Table. International Regime Breakdown
IV. ISSUES CONFRONTING STATE SOVEREIGNTY IN CYBERSPACE
A. Recognizing Cyberspace as a Sovereign Domain
B. Wanting Sovereignty in Cyberspace
C. Civilian Expectations
D. Technical Issues Regarding Sovereignty
V. CONCLUSION
I. INTRODUCTION
Imagine if 15 years ago a foreign analyst stated he could accomplish the following: (a) gain access to, and possibly alter, U.S. military plans; (b) monitor U.S. military operations and communications; (c) disable vital U.S. military command and control systems either immediately or at any chosen future moment; (d) target specific U.S. military personnel via their financial, medical, or family information; (e) seriously degrade, if not render wholly inoperable, some computer-dependent conventional weapons, thereby significantly negating the United States’ conventional advantage; (f) strike at the United States’ critical infrastructure such as financial markets, power plants and grids, communication nodes, and transportation systems; and (g) achieve this all non-kinetically, without being physically present in the United States, leaving the United States unable to trace these activities back to the potential adversary’s country generally, or its military specifically
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Measure on children witnessing crimes stalls
0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Nov 19, 2009 | by Geoff Liesik Deseret News
A draft bill that seeks to make it a crime to commit a violent offense in the presence of a child failed to advance Wednesday out of an interim legislative committee.
The bill proposed by Rep. Janice Fisher, D-West Valley City, would make it a class A misdemeanor to commit or attempt to commit criminal homicide, or intentionally cause or attempt to cause serious bodily injury to a third party in the presence of anyone under the age of 14. A person could also face a class A misdemeanor for using a dangerous weapon or other force likely to cause death or serious bodily injury in an attack on a person in the presence of a child. A less-violent offense witnessed by a child would constitute a class B misdemeanor.
The impetus for Fisher’s bill is a February 2006 incident involving one of her constituents, Traci Tanner.
Tanner said her ex-husband ran down her husband with a vehicle without provocation and dragged the man several feet
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